Longtime ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter is widely regarded as one of the best in the business at getting timely inside scoops around the NFL. But when it comes to other sports, Schefter’s insight could use some work based on his NFL comparison for the recent blockbuster trade in the NBA between Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks.

Ever since news broke of the trade early Sunday morning, countless media members have weighed in questioning how the move came to be considering there were essentially no rumors involving Anthony Davis or Luka Dončić leading up to the announcement.

However, Schefter was more concerned with what would hypothetically be a comparable trade in the NFL, arguing in a post shortly after the trade was announced that an equivalent would be if the Cincinnati Bengals traded Joe Burrow to the Baltimore Ravens for Lamar Jackson.

An NFL equivalent: the Ravens trading Lamar Jackson+ to the Bengals in exchange for Joe Burrow+ — in the middle of the season.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 2, 2025

The main issue with Schefter’s comparison is that it fails to reflect the biggest reason why the move is so shocking in most people’s mind, the age difference between these two perennial All-NBA players. Dallas will be getting back a 31-year-old Anthony Davis and giving up a 25-year-old Luka Dončić who appears to be in the midst of his prime as a player.

While it can be argued that Davis is still in his prime and has several great years remaining as a player, the sentiment from most is that the Mavericks just leveraged their future in a major way by trading Dončić.

Meanwhile, Schefter’s scenario involving Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson features no difference in age, as both are 28 years of age. Not to mention the fact that Dončić and Davis provide vastly different things to their respective teams on a nightly basis while Burrow and Jackson of course play the same position.

What Schefter appeared to be going for in his comparison was the fact that two of the best players in their respective sport were traded for one another as would similarly be the case if Jackson and Burrow were traded for one another.

However, given the obvious flaws in his comparison, many of Schefter’s peers in sports media made it clear in replies on social media that they disagreed wholeheartedly with him.

“This is, obviously, wrong,” wrote FS1’s Nick Wright on X. “There’s no NFL comp, but if one were forced to make one, here is the correct one: The Bills trading Josh Allen during the ‘22 season, the season after the :13 game, for Matt Stafford and a future 1st. Again, there’s no NFL comp, but this is closest.”

This is, obviously, wrong.

There’s no NFL comp, but if one were forced to make one, here is the correct one:

The Bills trading Josh Allen during the ‘22 season, the season after the :13 game, for Matt Stafford and a future 1st.

Again, there’s no NFL comp, but this is closest. https://t.co/0RfUpZgKRi

— nick wright (@getnickwright) February 2, 2025

“Lol what?? That is not an equivalent at all. Just do the reporting thing, brother,” wrote Jon Ledyard of Pro Football Focus.

lol what?? That is not an equivalent at all. Just do the reporting thing, brother https://t.co/R7w6TCdp4V

— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) February 2, 2025

“Damn, no wonder ESPN doesn’t let Adam talk about anything but football. What a terrible example,” wrote Adam “the Bull” Gerstenhaber of the BetRivers Network.

Damn, no wonder ESPN doesn’t let Adam talk about anything but football. What a terrible example… https://t.co/CluTFfsFKO

— Adam the Bull (@adamthebull) February 2, 2025

“Please don’t talk NBA again,” wrote Shan Shariff of 105.3 The Fan in Dallas.

Please don’t talk NBA again https://t.co/VYaKvwCD08

— Shan Shariff (@1053SS) February 2, 2025

Again, this doesn’t take away from Schefter’s insight into the NFL, as he is great at what ESPN asks him to do as their lead NFL insider.

But considering Schefter recently shared his desire for ESPN to “let him out of his cage” as strictly an NFL insider, this isn’t exactly the best impression to give if he wants to delve into NBA-related coverage in the future.