In a time when NBA players have more power than ever to choose where they want to play and who they want to play with, The Ringer’s Jonathan Tjarks traces the origins and effects of the “player empowerment era.” This episode of Ringer PhD explains how it started, how max and supermax contracts complicate things, and what this all means for the future of the league and its superstars.

Jonathan Tjarks

Jonathan Tjarks was a staff writer who covered the NBA for The Ringer from the company’s founding until his death in 2022. His original bio read, “Tjarks covers basketball and is a host on ‘The Ringer NBA Show.’ He loves Jesus and Dallas, in that order. Texas Forever.”