Big Names: Marc Stein, Beadle & Rose, Doris Burke

Former ESPN NBA reporter Marc Stein, who was among the dozens of on-air staffers laid off by the company in April, is nearing a deal to join The New York Times according to Awful Announcing. Stein would likely work as one of the company’s national NBA reporters.

Other reporters laid off by ESPN have had to abandon their beats while in contractual limbo — still receiving money from ESPN but unable to compete with the network — with several taking odd sports media jobs with lower-profile outlets. Ed Werder and John Clayton are serving as sideline reporters on radio NFL broadcasts, Andy Katz joined UConn as an in-stadium host for football games, and Danny Kanell is working a handful of college football games for Fox Sports 1. Some have gone out of sports media entirely, such as Prim Sripipat, who returned to the game of tennis. Still others have been reduced to cable news punditry.

That Stein would continue reporting should be no surprise, given that he continued to break NBA news at a regular pace during his lame duck period with the network. [Awful Announcing 9.25]

ESPN will assign NBA Countdown broadcasters Michelle Beadle and Jalen Rose to its upcoming Mike Greenberg-hosted morning show, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Beadle and Rose, who are entering their second and sixth seasons respectively on NBA Countdown, are expected to remain on that show “for now.” According to the report, the Greenberg show will launch in spring of next year, later than the January start ESPN announced back in May. [Hollywood Reporter 9.25]

ESPN NBA broadcaster Doris Burke has been elevated to a full-time analyst for the upcoming season, filling a vacancy left by Doug Collins, who left ESPN recently for a position with the Chicago Bulls. Burke will continue serving as a sideline reporter role for ESPN during the conference finals and NBA Finals. [SI.com 9.25]