Jun 24, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38), right fielder Kahlil Watson (31) and center fielder Petey Halpin (0) celebrate after defeating the Chicago White Sox after the tenth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
Everything was going smoothly for Tanner Bibee and the Guardians through six innings. Bibee was 89 pitches into his outing, looking to salvage a win and avoid a sweep on the South Side. Then, as has been the norm, Stephen Vogt takes Bibee out, in line for a victory, opting to go to the bullpen. This is when the fun began.
First things first, though, and that’s Kahlil Watson. Watson provided a spark all series long, and without Watson today, Cleveland gets swept. Watson set the table for a Bibee win with a bases loaded 2-RBI single, taking an Erick Fedde sweeper the other way. Watson, who entered the series 0-for-12 to start his MLB career, went 5-for-9 in this series with two massive hits in this game, including this single.
Now back to Bibee. Bibee’s pitch mix has seen some pretty major alterations. His 4-seam usage is down substantially while he’s leaning more on his sinker/cutter/slider combo. In doing so, Bibee is seeing more swing and miss in the zone and better quality of contact against him. He’s now running a 1.71 ERA in June while throwing his 4-seamer under 15% of the time in that span.
Vogt went to the Guardians’ magic 8-ball bullpen in the 7th, going to Erik Sabrowski fresh off the injured list, and Chicago immediately broke the seal, tallying a run and cutting the lead in half. Sabrowski has struggled upon return, getting tagged with earned runs in both outings. Holderman cleaned up, getting the final out.
The Guardians put together a scoring threat again in the 8th inning, and with the bases loaded and two out, Joe Rock walked Patrick Bailey, bringing Halpin in to score. A Kwan strikeout ended the threat, but Cleveland was up 3-1. Gaddis and Herrin covered the bottom half, but it was not without struggle as the White Sox got two more baserunners on before the threat was ended. Cleveland failed to add anything in the top of the 9th, and with Cade Smith coming on, all hell broke loose.
In a 1-1 count with two outs, Smith left a 4-seam fastball over the heart of the plate, and rookie Braden Montgomery did not miss it. 411 feet later, Chicago was within a run, and before anyone had a chance to catch their breath, Smith hung a sweeper right down broadway to Randal Grichuk, and just like that, Cade had blown his first save in two months, and Cleveland was staring down the barrel of a sweep and two game deficit in the division. Smith then surrendered a single to Jacob Gonzalez and walked Sam Antonacci, leading to Vogt yanking his potential All-Star closer for Shawn Armstrong. Somehow, this was Kyle Manzardo’s fault (iykyk).
Armstrong got the final out, but now it was on to extras.
Chicago brought in Grant Taylor who had already not been having the best series. After getting Manzardo to strike out, Taylor gave up a single to Rhys Hoskins.
Kahlil Watson, have a day! Watson, just like in the 6th, sliced a single to the opposite field, this time off of a 100 mph sinker from Taylor. Guards back up, 4-3.
Armstrong stayed on for the bottom half, and hooooo boy was this not good for the ol’ ticker! After a Luisangel Acuña sacrifice bunt moved Vargas to third, Armstrong walked Kyle Teel, then walked Colson Montgomery, and if not being able to find a grip wasn’t enough, the rain started falling on the South Side of Chicago. Thankfully, Armstrong got Chase Meidroth to ground out on a pitcher’s pitch down and in, and then Braden Montgomery grounded out to Manzardo with Manzo stretching out full extension to tag the base, mercifully ending this game with a badly needed W.
Cleveland, with this win, slots back into a tie for 1st place in the AL Central with Chicago, now sitting at 42-39.
After a day off tomorrow, the Guards head back home for a nice long home stand, starting with three against Seattle, three against Texas, and then a four game set against these same White Sox.
Mar 12, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie (0) celebrates after getting fouled and making the basket against the Auburn Tigers during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
The Tennessee Volunteers finally had another player come off the board in the 2026 NBA Draft, and it’s quite the team who picked him.
Vols guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie was tabbed by the current Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs with pick No. 42 overall in the second round of the draft on Wednesday night.
It’s obviously a tremendous opportunity for Gillespie in San Antonio, if he can carve out a role for himself on a team that’s right on the edge of the pinnacle of the sport. The Spurs have themselves to blame for losing the NBA Finals in five games to the New York Knicks. They blew massive leads in multiple games, including a 29-point gag job in Game 4 in Madison Square Garden. So, clearly, they’re good enough to win it all, and having a superstar like Victor Wembanyama makes another run a distinct possibility in 2026-27 and beyond.
So, it’s a great situation for Gillespie to land in as far as potential to win. How he fits and what kind of role he earns for himself remains to be seen.
Kam Jones is going to play for my favorite NBA team, win-win! | Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
It seemed like it was going to be a quiet day on the Marquette To NBA front as there was no chance of Ben Gold or Chase Ross getting selected in Wednesday night’s second round of the NBA Draft. However, Indiana Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan and Chicago Bulls general manager Stephen Mervis had different ideas. After Chicago selected Purdue guard Braden Smith with the 8th pick of the second round and the 38th pick overall, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania broke some news on a trade:
Former Marquette guard Kam Jones is headed to the Windy City.
Indiana is trading Jones to the Bulls along with some yet to be revealed future pick swaps and cash in exchange for the draft rights to Smith.
Sources: Chicago is trading Braden Smith to the Indiana Pacers for Kam Jones, future swaps and cash.
Jones was the #38 pick one year ago, technically being selected by San Antonio before a trade that was finalized after the fact sent him to the Pacers, much like this trade will eventually be finalized because the NBA rules about the league schedule are weird and bad. Marquette’s #2 all time leading scorer appeared in 37 games for Indiana this past season as the Pacers went 19-63 with Tyrese Haliburton out for the year after suffering an Achilles tear in the 2025 NBA Finals. Jones started seven times along the way and ended up averaging 4.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 16.6 minutes per game. One thing that did not help Jones’ playing time was his 29.3% three-point shooting, and that was dragged down by shooting just 25% in Indiana’s final seven games of the season.
After being taken in the second round last year, Jones signed a three year contract with the Pacers that has a fourth season on a team option. In theory, that means that the Bulls are up for the idea of continuing Jones’ development for at least another two seasons. I would wager it means we will see him in Chicago black & red when Summer League pops up in July. Where things go from there as Tiago Splitter takes over as head coach and the Bulls move on from the front office pairing of Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley, we will have to wait and see…..
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 13: Meleek Thomas #1 of the Arkansas Razorbacks looks on during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners in the quarterfinal game of the 2026 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 13, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have a type: undersized guards. They added another one to the fold as they selected 19-year-old 6’3″ guard Meleek Thomas 34th overall out of the University of Arkansas.
Thomas is a lights-out shooter. He connected on 41.6% of his 5.3 outside shots per game. This led to him averaging 15.6 points in 37 games for the Razorbacks.
That shooting is one of the things that intrigued the Cavaliers most.
“When you meet this kid, his confidence jumps off the page,” Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman said in a press conference afterward. “It’s not a cocky sort of ego, he just believes, and it’s a quick flick. He doesn’t need to jump high, so he can get it off against anybody. He can get the space, he can get the step-backs. I think he’s 47% off the bounce three-point wise. When I talk about these translatable skills…these are things he has.”
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
Shooting is, in fact, a translatable skill that works in every kind of lineup. There’s always more room on the floor for more shooting. But it’s fair to wonder if there’s more room on the roster for another undersized guard. Especially on a team that is dying for more size and athleticism.
Thomas joins a long list of guards that are 6’4″ or under currently on the team: Dennis Schroder, Craig Porter Jr., Donovan Mitchell, Keon Ellis (unrestricted free agent), Tyrese Proctor, and Sam Merrill. Ideally, you don’t want more than one undersized guard on the court at a time. At most, two is the limit. That makes this selection curious from a roster construction standpoint. Although it’s fair to point out that this group could look drastically different by the time training camp opens up or when Thomas is ready for rotation minutes.
Altman acknowledged this issue, but pointed out that you don’t always have the luxury of drafting for fit when you’re selecting 34th overall. “When you get to this part in the draft, you’re drafting for talent. … You’re drafting for who’s best available.”
The Cavs believe Thomas was the best available. Altman mentioned that they thought he was a “first-round talent” and they were impressed with what Thomas showed them when he came in for a workout. Altman compared it to what Jaylon Tyson displayed when he came in during the predraft process two years ago.
Even though moving back in the draft helped the cap sheet and the roster fit isn’t ideal, the Cavs like the skills that Thomas brings.
“We were excited that he was available in the second round,” Altman said. “Usually, a guy of that caliber of scorer, that level of shot maker, his profile, you get a lot earlier. The fact that we were able to move back and still select a player of his caliber and his shot making — one of the best shot makers in all of college basketball — is pretty exciting.”
Jun 24, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Kansas City Royals left fielder Isaac Collins (1) reacts after getting called out on strikes in the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
The Royals did not cash in on early opportunities and the Rays did. Sometimes it is that simple. In the end the score was 5-3, but two of those three for Kansas City came because of an inning where the Rays made two back-to-back errors.
The Royals had runners in scoring position in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th innings against Griffin Jax who Tampa Bay is trying to convert into a starting pitcher mid-season. They went 0-5 with RISP in these opportunities including a double play to end the threat in the first inning. Meanwhile, the Rays started the bottom of the 3rd inning with a pair of singles and a sac bunt to get two runners set up to score. That forced the Royals to intentionally walk Junior Caminero to load them and set up a double play as an escape hatch. Next up was Ryan Vilade who hit a hard ground ball to Jac Caglianone who stepped on first and threw home. Unfortunately, the throw home was rushed and off target. It actually hit Nick Fortes coming home and that error allowed a second run to come in as well. Jonathan Aranda added an RBI single to left before Noah Cameron could get out of the inning down 3-0.
In the 4th, Tampa started the inning with a double just past Nick Loftin at third base. He was sac bunted over to third, just like last inning. The struggling Fortes was up again and reached for the second time in as many innings when Cameron hit him with a pitch. Yandy Diaz made him pay for that with an RBI single moving Fortes to third and Jonny DeLuca promptly doubled to score him. Caminero was walked to load them unintentionally this time, and Vilade was back in the same position as the inning before. This time he struck out and so did Aranda when Salvador Perez challenged a ball call and turned it into strike three. Recently Kansas City has made a habit of coming back from big deficits though, and they immediately went to work trying to get back in this one.
It was not entirely the Royals who got the comeback started in the 5th inning. They got some help from the Rays’ defense. Jensen got on with a walk and was still on first with 2 outs when the red hot Jac came up. He hit a pretty routine looking groundball up the middle that somehow got past the short stop, Taylor Walls, playing right near second. Jensen made it to third and Cags hustled to second. Salvy was up next and crushed a liner right at Chandler Simpson in left, it looked like a sure out. It was knuckling on him, and it hit him right in the chest. With two outs the baserunners were going on contact and both scored. Two errors and two runs to get the score to 5-2 Rays.
Noah Cameron was just not very sharp in this one. He did stay in and have a nice quiet 5th inning ending with a final line of 5IP, 8H, 3BB, 5K, and 5ER over 108 pitches.
The rest of the game was mostly bereft of baserunners. Lucas Erceg did allow a runner but faced the minimum with a GIDP. Daniel Lynch had a clean 7th and he and Erceg combined threw just 18 pitches in those two innings. The Tampa bullpen was equally effective and the two teams rattled off six pretty easy scoreless innings. After giving up a run last night with a huge lead, Beck Way was given the 8th and there was finally another interesting one. He walked Simpson who stole second and was advanced to third on a Yandy chopper to third with two outs. Way got DeLuca to groundout for the seventh goose egg in a row and the Royals had three more outs to win or extend this one. On a side note, Beck Way has now allowed runs in just two of eight outings in the big leagues this season.
Bryan Baker came on to close it out for Tampa Bay and he struck out Kameron Misner to begin the inning. The Royals did manage their first earned run of the game on the next batter when Josh Rojas hit his first home run as a Royal while pinch hitting for Tolbert. They still needed two more runs though, and Carter Jensen struck out followed by a Nick Loftin lineout to left. Those early missed opportunities came back to bite the team in the end.
Tomorrow they will get another opportunity to win the series in in a day game that starts at 11 in the morning.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) reacts after New York Yankees right fielder Jasson Domínguez (not in the photo) hits a two run home run during the sixth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It was one of those games where a handful of unlucky pitches made all the difference as the Yankees beat the Tigers 4-2.
The Tigers were looking to come away with a series win in Wednesday night’s rubber match against the Yankees. To get the job done and head into their four-game weekend series against the Astros on a high note, the Tigers had Tarik Skubal on the mound. And, with some storm clouds in the distance and the potential threat of rain, the Yankees had the aptly-named Ryan Weathers on the mound.
It was bad news right out of the gate as Paul Goldschmidt hit a solo home run to start the game. Skubal immediately got back in the groove, not letting the leadoff homer shake his confidence, and got the next three outs in a row. The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
The Yankees went three-up, three-down in the top of the ninth. Skubal wasn’t messing around and was likely more than a little fired up about that first-inning run. In the home half, Spencer Torkelson got a one-out double, followed by a walk to Hao-Yu Lee. With two outs, Zach McKinstry singled to bring Torkelson home and tie up the game. It was the only run they’d get for the inning, but it brought them back to even footing.
Two outs into the third inning, and Goldschmidt did it again. Another solo home run. Skubal got the final out of the inning, but I’m pretty sure Paul isn’t getting a Christmas card from the Skubals this year. In the bottom of the inning, Matt Vierling got a single, but the Tigers left him stranded.
Skubal, not one to be thrown off by a bad pitch, got the side out in order in the top of the fourth. Torkelson started the home half with a walk. Lee then singled, and thanks to an error from Jasson Dominguez, Torkelson advanced to third. A sac fly from newbie Ben Malgeri brought Tork home and tied the game up again.
Skubal once again churned through the Yankees in order. In the bottom of the inning, Kevin McGonigle got things going with a leadoff double, but was then eliminated gunning for third in a fielder’s choice off the bat of Dillon Dingler. Two more outs followed and the Tigers missed out on their opportunity to pull ahead.
With two outs in the sixth–finally getting Goldschmidt out–Ben Rice hit a single. Jasson Dominguez then homered (it almost would have been better if it HAD been Goldy), putting the Yankees up 4-2. Not ideal. In the home half with one out, Lee singled. That was all the Tigers managed for the inning, though.
Skubal’s day was done after six, with a final line of 6.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 3 HR on 85 pitches. He looked really good; it was just unfortunate that the hits he did give up were home runs. Jacob Waguespack came in to replace him. He got the side out in order, though there was a brief pause in play while Jose Caballero tried to sort out a twist in his back. As someone in my 40s… relatable. In the bottom half, Camilo Doval replaced Weathers. Jake Rogers took a leadoff walk. Two outs followed, including a force out off the bat of Dingler, eliminating Rogers. Fernando Cruz replaced Doval, and A.J. Hinch did a double pinch-hitter swap, pulling James Outman, who was queued up for Doval, and then went to Kerry Carpenter for Cruz. The change ultimately didn’t matter, as Carpenter was the third out of the inning.
In the eighth, Max Schuemann was hit by a pitch with one out to take a free base. With two outs, Enmanuel De Jesus replaced Waguespack, and while Ben Rice hit a grounder to get on first, pinch-runner Spencer Jones was out at third to end the inning. Riley Greene got a leadoff single in the home half, but the next three batters were out in order.
With one out in the top of the ninth, Cody Bellinger hit a double right down the foul line to right field. The Tigers did manage to get themselves out of that pickle, though, and escaped the inning with no additional runs scored. David Bednar was the next Yankees’ reliever. With two outs in the bottom of the inning, McGonigle singled, keeping hope a live a little longer. That hope was short-lived, though, as Dingler hit a flyout to end the inning and the game. The Yankees took the series.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 26: San Francisco Giants pitcher Tyler Mahle (54) throws the first pitch during a MLB game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants on May 26, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants continue this three-game series against the Athletics tonight from Oracle Park.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Tyler Mahle, who enters tonight’s game with a 6.04 ERA, 4.89 FIP, with 57 strikeouts to 24 walks in 56.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 7-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 26th, in which he allowed three runs on three hits with three strikeouts and three walks in five innings.
He’ll be facing off against A’s left-hander Gage Jump, who enters tonight’s game with a 2.37 ERA, 2.48 FIP, with 26 strikeouts to nine walks in 30.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Athletics’ 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on June 18th, in which he allowed just one hit and three walks with seven strikeouts in seven innings.
The Yankees (48-31) protected their lead atop the AL East standings with a 4-2 win in the rubber match of their three-game road series against the Detroit Tigers (34-46).
Left-handed pitcher Ryan Weathers made his second straight quality start for the Yanks, pitching six full innings and allowing just one earned run.
Here are the takeaways....
-First baseman Paul Goldschmidt led off for the Yankees tonight, and opened the scoring immediately with a solo shot to left field on the fifth pitch he saw from Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. His very next at-bat, with nobody on base in the third inning, Goldschmidt blasted a 427-foot moonshot to make the score 2-1 Yankees. This was the first multi-homer game for Goldschmidt as a Yankee, and the 28th game of his career with two dingers, tying Jose Ramirez for 10th place on the active player leaderboard for this feat. It's no surprise that Aaron Judge is the active MLB leader in this statistic, with 47 multi-homer games.
-Right fielder Jasson Dominguez had a bit of a roller coaster of a game tonight in Detroit. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Dominguez booted a single hit in his direction, and Detroit's two baserunners each moved up a base - to second and third - as a result, before a sacrifice fly drove in a runner to tie up the game, 2-2. However, the switch-hitting slugger made up for his mistake a couple of innings later, batting as a righty in the sixth inning and crushing a Skubal changeup for a two-run home run. With the score 4-2, Skubal exited the game for the Tigers, having largely dominated, allowing just four hits and walking zero while striking out nine Yankees batters. However, three of those four hits allowed were long balls, which accounted for four earned runs, and the Tigers training staff will keep an eye on the health of their reigning back-to-back AL Cy Young winner, as he was in visible discomfort on the mound with a possible groin issue midway through his start.
-Following a masterful performance in his last start against the Chicago White Sox, when he struck out eight batters through 6.1 innings, Ryan Weathers kept it rolling tonight in Detroit. The southpaw lowered his ERA to 3.95 with six full innings of solid pitching, striking out six Tigers batters and walking just two, allowing one earned run in the process. Weathers, who was acquired via trade this past offseason from the Miami Marlins, has been an unheralded cog of the Yankees rotation all season as a reliable "back-end" starter, and is seemingly finding his groove in his first season in the Bronx.
-Utility man Max Schuemann manned center field for the Yanks tonight, his first start at that position with the organization. Schuemann was acquired via trade from the Athletics a few weeks after Weathers' arrival, and Weathers might owe him a steak dinner after Schuemann made two web gems in the fifth inning with men on base. Schuemann has long been known for his defensive prowess and positional versatility, and he showcased both tonight to record crucial outs when it seemed like the effectiveness of New York's starter was deteriorating.
-The Yankees relied on three relievers - Camil Doval, Fernando Cruz, and David Bednar - to handle some high-leverage work on a night when their offense couldn't get going. Cruz struck out four of the five batters he faced before handing the ball to Bednar, who promptly picked up his 16th save of the season.
Game MVP: Paul Goldschmidt
The Yankees simply don't win this game tonight without Goldschmidt's bat. The 38-year-old continues to age like the finest of wines, and is currently penning a memorable Yankees chapter of his Cooperstown-bound career.
The Yankees immediately head to Boston to begin a four-game set against the archrival Red Sox, with first pitch on Thursday set for 7:10 p.m.
The expected pitching matchup is a rematch of last season's AL Wild Card winner-take-all Game 3; Yankees RHP Cam Schlitter (8-3, 1.71 ERA) for New York and Red Sox LHP Connelly Early (6-5, 3.64 ERA) are set to duel once again.
Braden Montgomery’s second career home run was nearly as dramatic as his first. | Getty Images
The White Sox waited until the last minute to tee off on Cleveland closer Cade Smith in the ninth inning once more, but could not convert a run with the bases loaded in the 10th, falling 4-3. As if to indicate dismay with leaving an attainable sweep on the table, the rain that initially delayed today’s contest almost three hours) started pouring. As a result, the two teams are again tied for first.
Both teams experienced traffic on the basepaths in the second, Erick Fedde with back-to-back walks, and Tanner Bibee with a hit-by-pitch and single. Both pitchers escaped their jams to leave it knotted at zero. The White Sox would again put two runners on in the third with singles from Sam Antonacci and Miguel Vargas, but the pair were left stranded when Andrew Benintendi hit into a fielder’s choice.
A single, an error, and a walk would load the bases for Cleveland in the top of the sixth, with no outs. Kahlil Watson singled on a line drive straight to Antonacci, whose throw to Kyle Teel in an attempt to cut down the second runner out at home short-hopped the catcher. That was all for Fedde, and surprisingly Brandon Eisert inherited two runners on and one out and was able to stun batters for back-to-back strikeouts, escaping the jam.
In the seventh, Teel got his first hit since coming back two days ago, and Colson Montgomery helped out with a double. With ducks on the pond a sac fly from Braden Montgomery sent Teel home, making it 2-1. Randal Grichuk came off the bench, but with that move, the Guardians went back to their bullpen to replace lefty reliever Erik Sabrowski. Grichuk launched a ball to center, but with a diving catch, Steven Kwan ended the rally.
Joe Rock came on to pitch in the Chicago eighth and struggled with his command. Petey Halpin started Rock’s outing with a single, and Kyle Manzardo walked. Rock was able to get a strikeout and a fly out, but walked Daniel Schneemann to load the bases and then walked in a run to keep the bases loaded for Kwan. Thankfully, Kwan has been struggling and left the bases loaded after going down swinging.
The score remained 3-1 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, when Braden Montgomery started a two-out ninth-inning rally with his second home run of the season, putting the White Sox down one run.
Jacob Gonzalez kept it going with a single of his own. Antonacci walked, prompting yet another call to the pen for the Guardians. Miguel Vargas caused my heart rate to spike a bit more by sending a ball in the air, but it was caught, bringing on extras.
Grant Taylor came in to pitch for the 10th and gave up back-to-back hits that allowed the Guardians to regain the lead. The Sox loaded the bases after walks to Teel and Colson Montgomery with one out. Chase Meidroth bit on the one pitch he should have passed on, a 3-1 sinker that grounded the ball to shortstop for the fielder’s choice out at home. Braden Montgomery’s attempt to play hero for the second straight inning fell short, ending the game as Kyle Manzardo slid headfirst to beat him to first on a ground out. Unfortunately, the sac bunt from Luisangel Acuña that started the inning would prove to be useless, and helped prevent a sweep that was right in Chicago’s hands.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 13: Braden Smith drives to the basket during the game during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 13, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As I type this we’ve got Braden Smith drafted by the Chicago Bulls oh wait he’s been traded to the Indiana Pacers with #38 in the 2nd round of the NBA Draft. That’s a great landing spot for him and should put him on a pretty good team assuming that everyone on the Pacers comes back healthy. Not only that, but it places him in Indiana a state that he is obviously very familiar with as he played both high school and college ball here. Now, we wait to see if any other Boilermaker player gets their name called on the second night of this draft. As part of this week’s survey I asked you how many players you thought would be drafted and we closed this one early since the draft end tonight. So, here are the results.
Already 11% of respondents are wrong because they thought zero Purdue players would get drafted. Every other number is still on the board, though I gotta admit it that 2% who said four are sure optimistic. Oscar Cluff and TKR are still on the board and have a shot but it will be a long night for them as they would likely be toward the very end of the draft. So stay tuned to see how Boilermakers make it to the Association.
Continue to check out our friends at FanDuel for how this impacts NBA odds.
Baba Miller with NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum after being selected by the Clippers on Wednesday. (Yuki Iwamura / Associated Press)
The Clippers chose Spanish forward Baba Miller with the 36th overall selection in the NBA draft Wednesday at Barclays Center.
Miller came through Real Madrid’s famous youth academy before playing at Florida State, Florida Atlantic and Cincinnati. As a senior at Cincinnati, the 6-11, 208-pound Miller averaged 13 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 blocks per game.
The Clippers already bolstered their backcourt during the draft by taking guard Keaton Wagler fifth overall in the first round Tuesday. Wagler is expected to pair immediately with All-Star guard Darius Garland with the Clippers trying to win their first playoff series since 2021.
The Clippers added frontcourt depth during last season’s draft with Yanic Konan Niederhauser, but the 6-11 center suffered a Lisfranc injury in March and missed the end of the season. After trading starting center Ivica Zubac to the Pacers midseason, helping the Clippers secure the draft pick that turned into this year’s top-five selection, the team only had 38-year-old Brook Lopez at center.
Miller was just one of three players nationally to average at least 13 points, 10 rebounds and three assists this season. He was the first Bearcat to lead the team in points, rebounds and assists since Oscar Robertson in 1959-60.
Braden Smith is headed down I-65 from Purdue to Indianapolis as the Indiana Pacers acquired the local point guard via an immediate trade with the Chicago Bulls. This is the most ideal situation for a player who has been at the forefront of basketball in Indiana for over five years as Tyrese Haliburton recovers from a major injury that forced him to miss all of the 2025-2026 season. Smith will likely eventually replace veteran TJ McConnell as the guard for the second unit.
— Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) June 25, 2026
Indiana’s style of play lends itself wonderfully for Smith as he will not be asked to do anything other than what he is very good at already. The Pacers have shooters surrounding lead guard Tyrese Haliburton already and Smith will benefit from that established culture and style of play.
More from Hammer and Rails on the other three Boilers who are waiting for where their NBA destination will lead.
The start of the second half of the minor league season always includes promotions of minor league players that have distinguished themselves over the first half of the season.
Several of the promotions this year were expected. Multiple members of the San Diego Padres’ minor league system had excellent first halves of their year and forced the organization to push them up the ladder.
A few players struggled and were sent down a level to regroup and try to get some consistency in their game. Of the 23 moves made on Tuesday, 16 were promotions.
Lake Elsinore lost multiple members of their team that won the first half in the South Division in the California League.They are guaranteed a playoff spot at the end of the season but the team will look significantly different than the one that won the first half.
El Paso Chihuahuas (35-40 record, 3rd in the PCL East)
El Paso went 4-2 for the week against the Reno Aces, with the starting pitching consisting of Jhony Brito, Germán Márquez, JP Sears, and Matt Waldron for the first four games of the week.
Brito has completed his rehab and is continuing to tune-up following recovery from UCL surgery. Márquez and Waldron are in rehab and Sears is still struggling with PCL hitters. Sears was called up to the Padres on Tuesday to make a start when Lucas Giolito went on the injured list.
Right-handed reliever Andrew Moore, acquired last season as the return for Connor Joe at the trade deadline, was promoted from Double-A San Antonio to the Chihuahuas after posting a 1.85 ERA in 24.1 innings pitched with 45 strikeouts for the Missions.
First baseman Romeo Sanabria, 24, who made a big impression in spring camp with the major league team, was promoted from the Missions to El Paso and will get an opportunity to show what he can do in a more hitter-friendly environment. Sanabria started the season slowly but has really come on over the past few weeks. After hitting .176 in April, Sanabria has hit .283 with an OPS over .800 for May and June.
Infielder Dylan Grego, who was promoted to El Paso to help replace players needed by the Padres, has been returned to Lake Elsinore.
San Antonio Missions (31-38 record, 5th, last, in Texas League South)
San Antonio went 4-2 for the week. After losing Moore and Sanabria to Triple-A, the Missions received outfielder Jake Cunningham, right-handed reliever Tucker Musgrove and right-handed reliever Clay Edmondson from High-A Fort Wayne.
Cunningham, 23, was a free agent signed by the Padres before the season after being released by the Baltimore Orioles organization. In his previous three seasons in their minor league system, Cunningham had worse outcomes each year. He had injury issues as well as declining performance over those three seasons and was released in January. He signed with the Padres eight days later.
A healthy Cunningham has a .264/.362/.548 line with a .910 OPS. He has hit 15 homers with 35 RBI, adding 11 doubles to the mix. He will need to improve his K rate (34%) and his walk rate (12.88%) as he goes forward in the system.
Righty relievers Musgrove and Edmondson excelled in High-A with Musgrove, 24, holding his high 90’s fastball consistently mixed with an excellent sweeper, slider and curve. Edmondson, 23, a sidearmer that features a fastball, curveball and changeup, has 11 saves to lead the Midwest League and is carrying a 1.67 ERA in 27 innings pitched into his new team.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (29-40 record, 5th in the Midwest League East)
Fort Wayne went 4-2 for the week. After losing Cunningham, Musgrove, and Edmondson to the Missions, the TinCaps received a massive infusion of talent from Lake Elsinore.
Right-handed starter Bryan Balzer, 21, was signed by the Padres in 2023 out of Japan. He began his career with Tommy John surgery and is now fully recovered. His season started a bit rocky but his last three starts has brought his ERA down from 5.32 to 4.41 and he has 57 strikeouts in 60.1 innings pitched with 21 walks.
Right-handed starter Winyer Chourio, 22, has a 3.18 ERA in 56.2 innings pitched with Lake Elsinore. He has 78 strikeouts to 28 walks. The Venezuelan signed with the Padres in 2024 and played the past two seasons in the DSL and ACL respectively. He has not appeared on any preseason prospect lists but is making a name for himself quickly.
Left-handed reliever Will Koger, 23, is a 2025 round nine draftee in his first professional season. He has 36 strikeouts in his 26 innings pitched despite having had some difficult appearances. He has six saves, ranking him tied for second in the California League at the time of his promotion.
Right-handed reliever Bernard Jose, 23, recently finished his rehab assignment with the ACL Padres and was briefly with the Missions to help out but is now with Fort Wayne. He has only pitched 29 innings with 43 strikeouts but has struggled at times and has a 7.28 ERA.
Right-handed reliever Nick Falter, 23, was signed by the Padres as an undrafted free agent in 2025. He has begun his career with Lake Elsinore with 44.2 innings pitched and a 3.02 ERA. He has 43 strikeouts to 14 walks.
Outfielder Ryan Wideman, 22, had a long swing and a big leg kick when drafted in the third round last year. He played in 26 games after being drafted and then spent this past offseason reworking his swing. It seems to have worked pretty well. Wideman was hitting .314/.389/.504 with the Storm with 20 doubles, six triples, six homers and 44 RBI. He tacked on 43 stolen bases in 56 attempts to force his promotion. He has speed and an above-average arm in the outfield as well. He is an exciting player to keep track of going forward and prime trade bait for AJ Preller, the Padres trader-in-chief.
1B/3B Kerrington Cross, 24, was drafted in the seventh round last year and probably could have been promoted sooner. He had a 1.075 OPS with Lake Elsinore before his promotion, hitting .313/.467/.608 in his 58 games with the Storm. He has 11 homers and 43 RBI with 17 stolen bases in 19 attempts. He has recently been used in left field as well as the two infield corners.
First baseman Luke Cantwell, 23, was drafted in the 20th round in 2025 and spent a bit of time on the injured list this season but has still played in 40 games for the Storm. He had a .328/.475/.496 line with 30 RBI. Not showing much home run power with two homers, Cantwell has great contact skills and has had only 30 strikeouts with 26 walks.
Right-handed reliever Daison Acosta was assigned to Fort Wayne to continue his rehab.
Lake Elsinore Storm (39-30 record, 1st in California League South)
The Storm had a 3-3 record for the past week after clinching the first half championship in the first game of the series. They have lost a lot of their power and speed with these promotions but have a playoff spot clinched for 2026.
After the players that left, the Storm received some players form the ACL Padres.
Left-handed pitcher Zack Qin, 20, signed out of China in 2024, started the season injured and on a rehab assignment. He has 21.2 innings pitched so far with a 1.25 ERA while with the ACL team. He has both started and appeared out of the bullpen so far this year.
Right-handed starter Lan-Hong Su, 19, signed with the Padres out of Taiwan in October of last year. He has six games and five starts for 15.2 innings pitched with the ACL Padres. His 4.02 ERA is due to one bad start on June 19, where he allowed five runs in six innings pitched but had a 1.38 ERA before that start. He has 17 strikeouts and eight walks in his appearances.
Lake Elsinore also received right-handers Isaiah Lowe and Jeferson Villabona from Fort Wayne.
ACL Padres (20-17 record, 3rd in ACL West)
After losing two of their best pitchers, the ACL team might not be able to maintain their winning ways. Right-handed starter Kannon Kemp has been sent their way to begin his rehab assignment. Newly activated Adler Cecil has also been assigned to the ACL team at this point.
Outfielder Cardell Thibodeaux, drafted in the 16th round last year, has been released by the Padres. Left-handed pitcher Joseph Herrera, 20, was sent from Lake Elsinore to the ACL Padres.
DSL Padres Brown (4-12 record, last in DSL West)
The Brown team has both pitching and offense problems. There are no currently top-rated international prospects with the Brown team.
DSL Gold, on the other hand, has a 13-3 record and sits atop the Northwest Division. They feature all of the Padres top international prospects from last year. Shortstop Joniel Hernandez, 17, is hitting .365/.468/.571 with 10 XBH and 24 RBI in 63 at-bats for the Gold.
Rightfielder Ricardo De La Paz, 16, is a lefty-hitting outfielder who is hitting .375/.596/.563 with 6 XBH and 17 RBI in 32 at-bats.
Left-handed starter Diego Serna, 17, is a highly-ranked Mexico prospect in the Padres system. He has just made his first start for the Gold team and will bear watching for the second half of their season. He has been in the development program up until now.
INGLEWOOD, CA — The L.A. Clippers continue to take a business-as-usual approach to the offseason.
Veteran Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers remain in close communication regarding the future direction of the team, including NBA draft-related topics. Regardless of what the future holds for the team, the franchise remains tied to the superstar player while an NBA investigation remains ongoing.
The league is investigating team owner Steve Ballmer, Leonard and his uncle/advisor Dennis Robertson. All three men were allegedly involved in a “no-show” agreement with a company, Aspiration, to funnel extra compensation to the player as part of a salary cap circumvention. Leonard, Ballmer and other team executives were reportedly interviewed as part of the investigation.
“I can’t comment on the specifics of the investigation, but what I can say is we did not do what we are accused of doing,” said Lawrence Frank, the Clippers' president of basketball operations. “The investigation has had no impact on how we go about our business. We just continue to go about our business as normal.”
The law firm tasked with running the investigation is expected to deliver its findings to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who will decide on any potential discipline. Silver indicated during a press conference in early June that the investigation needs to be wrapped up and have some finality.
“The team has to understand what situation they are going to be operating under and so do the other 29 teams,” Silver said.
A few teams, including the Golden State Warriors, may be closely monitoring Leonard’s status and could be interested in trading for him.
The Warriors reportedly checked in with the Clippers about Leonard leading up to the trade deadline in February, but Ballmer did not want to move his star player, in contrast to what the team did with Ivica Zubac and James Harden.
Leonard has one more year left on his contract with the Clippers, worth $50.3 million. The star will become a free agent if he is not signed to an extension. He played in 65 games last season, averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 24: Bruce Thornton shakes hands with Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum after he is drafted 31st overall by the New York Knicks in Round Two of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 24, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“With the 31st pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets select Bruce Thornton, a guard from The Ohio State University.”
Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer and the only four-time captain in program history, Thornton heard his name called on Wednesday night during the second round of the draft, and will now have to work to earn a spot on the Rockets roster in the fall. Thornton is the first Ohio State men’s basketball player drafted since Brice Sensabaugh — who was in Thornton’s recruiting class — went 28th overall to the Utah Jazz in 2023.
Thornton was a three-time All-Big Ten honoree while at Ohio State, was one of just two Big Ten players ever to finish their career with 2,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists, and finished second all-time in program history in starts (136). He only missed one game in his college career — a game against Nebraska his sophomore season — due to a migraine that hit him shortly before game time.
Thornton averaged 19.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game last season, shooting a hyper efficient 55.4% overall, 40% from three-point range, and 82.9% from the free throw line.
At 6-feet tall and 223 pounds, Thornton is stockier and shorter than a prototypical NBA point guard, but the ability to shoot the ball is transferrable anywhere, and Thornton proved in his college career that he can make any shot on the floor. According to Jam Hines of No Ceilings NBA, Thornton’s size and his age (22) were always going to count against him in this draft, but, “Because of what be does shooting the ball, he’s going to be a good fit anywhere.”
While talking to Land-Grant Holy Land on May 21 on the Bucketheads Podcast, Hines specifically pointed out Houston as a potential landing spot for Thornton, saying, “I think the Rockets would make a lot of sense, too. You have the defensive infrastructure there for the most part with (Amen) Thompson (being) there, a good defender. Tari Eason, Steven Adams too when he comes back. And we kind of saw what happened with them just running out of guards last year.”
As the first pick of the second round, Thornton will have a real shot at making Houston’s opening night roster. If not, Thornton will likely bounce between the Rockets and their G-League team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, based in Edinburg, Texas. Last year’s 31st overall pick, Rasheer Fleming, was drafted by the Phoenix Suns. He appeared in 31 games for the Suns this past season, averaging 12.2 minutes per game. After the draft, he signed a 4-year, $8.7-million dollar contract. Look for Thornton to agree to something similar.
Congratulations to Bruce, we look forward to watching your sensational career continue at the highest level!
