Zach Lowe has been fired by ESPN in a stunning move

Zach Lowe, ESPN's lead NBA expert, was fired Thursday, according to The Athletic.

It's an amazing move because Lowe is considered one of the most respected NBA media members.

Lowe, who started at ESPN in 2012 as a writer at Grantland under Bill Simmons, began covering the NBA full-time at Sports Illustrated in 2010. He was one of only two writers to move to ESPN after Grantland closed in 2015.

“Zach Lowe is a senior writer for ESPN.com covering the ins and outs of the NBA – the transactions, Xs-and-Os and personal stories,” ESPN’s bio reads.

Lowe has transitioned to appearing weekly on television in recent years, including on NBA Today and NBA Countdown. He also has one of the most informative podcasts in the entire league, The Lowe Post, and writes for ESPN.com.

He reportedly earned more than $1 million and was the “biggest factor in ESPN's decision,” according to sources who spoke to The Athletic.