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Lakers rumors roundup: Interest in Cam Johnson, Peyton Watson, Dean Wade

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 14: Guard Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles into the defense of forward Cameron Johnson #23 of the Denver Nuggets during the first half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on March 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With the draft in the rearview mirror, the weekend has signaled the change in focus to free agency. Officially, things get underway on Tuesday. Unofficially, the rumors are coming in hot and fast.

With a slew of rumors coming in quick and fast, here’s a roundup of a handful of them from Sunday.

Helping Nuggets with Cam Johnson trade?

The Lakers’ cap space can become really an asset for the Lakers to help teams get out of cap hell, but how much appetite would they have if the team they help is a Western Conference foe?

On Sunday, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Lakers are among the teams interested in Cam Johnson, the Nuggets sharpshooter expected to be moved this offseason.

Meanwhile, as the Nuggets navigate getting below the second apron, sharpshooting forward Cam Johnson has drawn trade interest from several teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, and Orlando Magic, league sources told HoopsHype. The 30-year-old forward shot career-highs from the field (.480) and beyond the arc (.430), and is on an expiring $23.06 million contract for the upcoming season.

Denver is attempting to shed salary to keep Peyton Watson — more on him later — and Johnson’s large salary is perhaps the easiest to trade as an expiring contract. However, that’s a lot of money for the Lakers to take onto the books, even if they have cap space.

Would they prefer to take on Johnson’s salary, or simply go after Watson?

Chasing Peyton Watson

The Lakers and Watson have been linked for some time. As one of the top wings on the market, albeit as a restricted free agent, it makes sense why the Lakers would go after him.

However, as Marc Stein recently reported on his Substack, it would take a pretty big offer to lure him away from the Nuggets.

The same most certainly goes for Denver and Peyton Watson. The Nuggets have been signaling for months that they plan to match any offer sheet for Watson … to the point that sources say it would take an offer sheet in the $30 million range in order for Denver to balk at re-signing him.

The Lakers and Bulls are two teams that have been mentioned as potential Watson suitors going back to February’s trade deadline.

The Lakers have the potential to create that much cap space, but are they willing to assign that much space to an offer sheet for multiple days?

Watson fills a need and is a young player. There are lots of pros for signing him. But to lure away a free agent from their incumbent team, they’ll have to overpay. Is Watson worth overpaying for?

Role player free agents

Not every free agent the Lakers are linked with is a standout player. LA has done well in recent years to hit on the role players or undervalued free agents on the market.

This season, they have been linked to a pair of players via Scotto’s aforementioned piece, first being Dean Wade from the Cavs.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade is expected to have various suitors in free agency, including the Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, and Portland Trail Blazers, league sources told HoopsHype.

Last season in Cleveland, Wade averaged 5.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. He shot 43.9% from the field and 36.2% from the 3-point line.

Along those same lines, the Lakers have also reportedly expressed interest in Jock Landale as well.

Jock Landale has become an intriguing stretch-five heading into free agency, shooting 38.8 percent from 3-point range over the past two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks.

Landale, 30, is expected to have a strong market, including interest from the Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers, league sources told HoopsHype. Expect the Australian center to command offers north of the bi-annual exception in free agency.

Landale averaged 10.6 points across 27 games, to go along with the 38.8% 3-point shooting mentioned by Scotto. He also grabbed 5.7 rebounds per game.

Neither would be a big addition to the roster, but both could have potential roles with the team.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

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Game Thread #84: A’s at Angels

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 23: Aaron Civale #45 of the Athletics pitches in the bottom of the first inning. against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on June 23, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images

There appears to be no game thread, so here’s one…

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Darryn Peterson wants to honor Lakers legend: ‘He played both sides of the ball’

When Jazz rookie Darryn Peterson recently met with the Utah media, he wasn’t shy to admit who his idol is.

Peterson, who starred for the University of Kansas, was asked about how his defensive skill set will follow his offensive skills. He said he wasn’t too worried about it and said he hopes to be like his idol, Kobe Bryant.

“I’m a Kobe guy; he played both sides of the ball,” Peterson said. “That’s my idol. So I’m trying to lock down on defense.”

Kobe Bryant played “both sides of the ball,” Peterson said. Anthony J. Causi

Peterson was selected second overall in the 2026 NBA Draft after playing one season at Kansas, where he averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists over 24 games.

“I would like to say I can be a lockdown defender. Obviously, I haven’t guarded the best in the world yet, but I’m willing to take this challenge. [A] 6-10 wingspan, that can help me a bit,” Peterson said. “Just my effort. I might not be the fastest guy, or quickest guy, but my effort, I will be able to take out some of that.”

Peterson’s stats aren’t comparable to Bryant’s, of course, because Peterson only played one season of college basketball. Bryant had a 20-year Hall of Fame career.

However, similarities exist. Peterson averaged 3.5 defensive rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. In his career, Bryant averaged 4.1 defensive rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.

Jazz guard Darryn Peterson calls Kobe Bryant his idol. NBAE via Getty Images

Peterson, a 6-5 guard who weighs 205 pounds, and Bryant had similar measurables. Bryant was 6-6 and weighed 212.

Bryant had what he called “Mamba Mentality,” meaning he didn’t care who he went up against; in his eyes, he felt like he was the best player on the court. Peterson tries to emulate that, too.

During his NBA career, Bryant was a five-time champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP and league MVP in 2008. He led the league in scoring in 2005-06 and 2006-07.

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Jaylen Brown goes off on ‘AI hoops’ after claim he’s ‘the seventh-best player on a team’

Jaylen Brown continues to be in trade rumors following a career season.
Jaylen Brown continues to be in trade rumors following a career season.

Basketball’s war on analytics permeated social media again this weekend.

And this time, possibly soon-to-be-traded Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown took center stage, seizing on dismissive comments made about him from an anonymous NBA front office source.

The comment was reported (but not endorsed) by ESPN front office Insider and former Nets assistant general manager Bobby Marks.

“There’s mixed feelings about him when you talk to teams,” Marks said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “The analytics of Jaylen Brown is not good … I had one, not an executive, but an analytics guy say, ‘Yeah, we view him as the seventh-best player on a team.’ I was like, ‘Holy crap.’”

Jaylen Brown continues to be in trade rumors following a career season. Boston Globe via Getty Images

Brown, justifiably so, did not take kindly to the comment.

“Analytics nowadays used to discredit and control narratives – Roll the ball out none of these guys better than me on both ends who does he work for,” he said, which began a series of tweets.

“Nobody has won more combined regular season and playoff games since I entered the league 10 years ago,” Brown continued.

Since Brown was selected No. 3 overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, which even then surprised some observers, Brown has 523 regular season and playoff wins combined among the games he has played.

Brown added, “Analytics have / are ruining the game we playing AI hoops.”

Marks replied to Brown’s initial tweet, saying, “But what wasn’t posted was the 2m of saying I’m not an analytics person but an eye test guy. That I would want Jaylen Brown on my team. That you impact winning (191-80 in the last 4 years), is a top-10 player and would help any team looking to win a championship. That part of course didn’t make it. But that’s the media in 2026.”

Brown quipped, “State Your Source,” in a quote tweet, referencing a shirt he wore during the 2024 Celtics parade, commemorating the team’s first title since 2008.

This exchange also follows a back-and-forth from earlier in the week in which Brown referred to ESPN as “unethical” while singling out Stephen A Smith, in particular, which obviously got a reply from the opinionated long-time First Take host.

Brown continues to surface in trade rumors this offseason and was the Celtics’ leading trade chip in their failed pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, which saw the former two-time MVP dealt to the Miami Heat on June 22.

Boston’s asking price for the 2024 Finals MVP is reportedly very high, while Brown is coming off his best individual season, which was mostly without Jayson Tatum, who missed significant time due to Achilles surgery.

Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game last season, all career-highs, while earning his fifth overall and fourth straight All-Star nod.

Brown also finished sixth in MVP voting last year and earned his second All-NBA nod, taking home Second Team honors, all while leading the Celtics to the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed.

Brown also has a looming contract question. The two-way wing is set to make north of $57 million and $61 million over the next two seasons, while raking in just under $65 million in 2028-29.

He is eligible for a two-year extension worth $142 million on top of that.

Boston was upset by the Philadelphia 76ers in last year’s playoffs, where the Celtics squandered a 3-1 first-round lead, and Tatum was forced to miss Game 7 at home due to injury.

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Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 27: Gavin Sheets #30 of the San Diego Padres hits an RBI single during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park on June 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Los Angeles Dodgers (53-30) at San Diego Padres (43-38), June 28, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Petco Park – San Diego, Calif.

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

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Charlotte reportedly trades Miles Bridges, picks to Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale pick

Despite finishing with the most wins they had in a decade, the Charlotte Hornets wanted to move on from the LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges era. Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns wanted wing depth and had their eye on Charlotte's Miles Bridges for a couple of years.

Now the two sides have reached a trade, first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN:

• Phoenix receives: Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick (the worst of Utah's, Minnesota's and Cleveland's), and a 2027 second-round pick
• Charlotte receives: Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and an unprotected 2033 first-round pick.

This trade is not a shock, the Suns' interest in Bridges — a Michigan State alum, as is owner Mat Ishbia's penchant — is well known, and he should be an upgrade on the wing. Bridges is set to make $22.8 million in this, the final year of his current contract, but he is extension eligible and that deal likely follows, according to reporting out of Phoenix. The Suns are also looking to add a backup two guard to replace Allen.

This trade also saves the Suns about $6.2 million in salary, which could translate into $30 million in luxury tax penalty savings (and it's possible they could reduce that bill further).

It also means no player selected in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft is still with their original team (Bridges was the final one).

This is a great trade for the Hornets. They already have Brandon Miller at the three, now they add depth behind him and Kon Knueppel, and they get a very valuable unprotected 2033 pick. Allen averaged 16.5 points a game shooting 34.9% from 3-point range in Phoenix, while O'Neal averaged 9.8 points and 4.8 rebounds a game, and was a plus defender on the perimeter, primarily as a starter in Phoenix. It's worth noting that Charlotte had been open to getting out of the Bridges business for some time.

Also, do not be surprised if this trade is ultimately added to the Ball-to-Timberwolves trade. Minnesota has a hole at the three and could want O'Neal or Josh Green (part of the LaMelo trade) to join them as part of an expanded trade.

It's an interesting move for Phoenix, which just got more athletic on the wing but at the cost of a couple of its best shooters. There is a logical fit on the court, Phoenix could use what Bridges brings in athleticism, but it also puts a lot on the re-signed Collin Gillespi and Jordan Goodwin next season.

The Bridges trade will also lead to pushback from some fans on another front: Bridges was arrested, charged, and ultimately pled no contest in a domestic violence case. The arrest was four years ago for assaulting Mychelle Johnson in front of their two children (she posted the hospital report and brutal details on social media). While some charges were ultimately dropped, he pled no contest to a felony domestic violence charge and was given three years probation. Some in the Phoenix fan base will question whether owner Mat Ishbia is trying to raise the Suns’ culture if this is who the team trades for.

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Grayson Allen Is Back In North Carolina!

Feb 28, 2022; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Grayson Allen (7) drives for the basket against Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) during the second quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Apparently, the Charlotte Hornets are not done wheeling and dealing yet: after sending LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves a few days ago, Charlotte now swaps Mikal Bridges to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neal.

Charlotte gives up a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-rounder, while Phoenix gives Charlotte a 2033 first-round pick.

Charlotte now has three Duke guards: Allen, Kon Knueppel, and Sion James.

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Hunter Greene brilliant in final rehab start with AAA Louisville

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 28, 2026: Hunter Greene #21 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch during the first inning of a spring training game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix on February 28, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

Cincinnati Reds ace Hunter Greene is on the cusp of a return to the big leagues. If his final tune-up start on Sunday with the AAA Louisville Bats is any indication, he’ll be returning in pretty peak form.

Greene and the Bats took on the Saint Paul Saints on Sunday in Slugger Field, and Greene simply breezed right through them. As Charlie Goldsmith relayed, Greene fired 82 pitches acros 6.1 scoreless frames, allowing only one hit. He didn’t walk anyone and struck out 4 on his day.

The lone hit he allowed came off the bat of longtime big leaguer Orlando Arcia. As the official MiLB account added on Twitter, he topped 100 mph with his heater on the day, too.

Greene, who has missed every Reds game so far this season after undergoing a cleanup procedure in his prized right elbow right before the start of the regular season, should theoretically slide right into the team’s starting rotation by the end of the week. How the Reds accommodate that addition, though, will be worth watching.

Would they skip a start for someone like Chase Burns as an effort to extend his availability down the stretch? Might they option Rhett Lowder, or move him to a long relief role in the bullpen?

Would they consider going to a six-man rotation as a way to ease-off on all parties involved?

The good news is that we’ll get an answer to that question in short order, since it seems pretty damn evident that Greene is back – and ready.

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Yankees Social Media Spotlight: Father’s Day Rewind

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: A detail shot of a blue sleeve worn in honor of Father's Day prior to the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, June 21, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Evan Yu/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

It’s Sunday once more, and you know what that means — it’s time for our weekly social media roundup! After several weeks of Knicks-related excitement, we are back to the normal end-of-school grind, but that doesn’t stop the Yankees’ social media engine from turning. What were the fellas in the ‘stripes up to this week? Let’s find out!

Happy Father’s Day

Last Sunday was, of course, Father’s Day, and unsurprisingly, several members of the Yankees community took to social media to thank their fathers, grandfathers, and (in the case of the wives) husbands.

Congrats, Rookie!

Yankee fans who remember the days when the Trenton Thunder was the team’s Double-A affiliate will remember Trenton’s long line of bat dogs. Well, this week, Rookie announced his retirement, working his last game as the team’s official bat dog on Wednesday before officially handing over the family business to his nephew Dash — though he’ll continue to attend the occasional MLB Draft League contest in Trenton. We wish him the best of luck (and all the treats) in his retirement!

Game Belts

This week may not have been as filled with wins as we would have liked, but we still got to pass the Game Belt around.

Dave’s Thoughts

As usual, Dave Sims took to Instagram with his thoughts after this week’s slate of games.

One Last Knicks Post

Willie Randolph decided to celebrate Father’s Day by honoring…Spike Lee, the Knicks superfan who also loves the Yankees.

Question of the Day

Related to the fact that Father’s Day was last Sunday, this week’s Question of the Day was, “Which teammate would you let babysit your children?” Perhaps unsurprisingly, the team’s elder statesman, Paul Goldschmidt, was one of the top choices, although it must be said that many of the pitchers looked to Fernando Cruz.

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Suns trade Allen and O’Neale for Miles Bridges

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - APRIL 14: Miles Bridges #0 of the Charlotte Hornets reacts in overtime against the Miami Heat during their game at Spectrum Center on April 14, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Well, ladies and gentlemen, the Suns made their first move outside of re-signing their key free agents, trading for Miles Bridges to address a need. Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale were shipped out in the deal.

In this deal, the Suns also sent out their 2033 unprotected first-round pick, which just became trade-eligible this offseason. In return, they pick up a 2029 first that was originally sent via Phoenix for Mark Williams last year and a 2027 second that is either Boston’s or Orlando’s, balancing the cost of the move.

The plan for Phoenix in this is to save money by trading both Allen and O’Neale’s deals while bringing in a power forward to fill a position of need and streamline the roster.

The Suns have also been linked to Bridges in the past, suggesting they still have interest. With Charlotte trading LaMelo Ball earlier this week, they are looking to shake things up, and Bridges was one of the other dominoes to fall.

For the Suns, this will bring in someone with an expiring contract, allowing them to test out how Bridges fits in the system and evaluate whether he is a long-term fit. If he does not re-sign, they can then have some freed-up cap space to make more moves next offseason.

The discourse surrounding this trade will resonate with some of the off-court antics Bridges has had in the past. This has led many to oppose the trade, while still understanding it from a business perspective. Only time will tell if Bridges can work on his past off the court, and if he can do so while producing on the court, the Suns could very well benefit.

One thing is clear, though: trading Allen and O’Neale shows they believe in the young guys they have. Players like Rasheer Fleming, Koa Peat, and Ryan Dunn are expected to see increased run time with both veterans being shipped out, and that supports how the team looks to build for the future. With this move, the Suns also free up a roster spot, allowing them to look in free agency to make an addition on the edges.

It is sad to see both Allen and O’Neale go, as they truly gave it their all in Phoenix. They had delivered great moments to the fans and made memories we won’t forget. That being said, the NBA is a business, and sometimes that can be cold, especially in a moment like this. Best of luck to them both in Charlotte, and I cannot wait to see how they help out the Hornets.

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Hornets trade Miles Bridges to Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale

In their second major trade in a week, the Charlotte Hornets have dealt veteran forward Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns.

The Suns are sending Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and a 2033 first-round pick to the Hornets for Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and 2027 second-round pick, the Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin has confirmed.

The deal comes after the Hornets sent guards LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for center/forward Naz Reid last Thursday.

Bridges has spent the first eight seasons of his NBA career with Charlotte. He averaged 17.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season.

Allen, also an eight-year NBA veteran, has spent the last three seasons in Phoenix. He led the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage in his first year with the Suns. This past season, he averaged a career-high 16.5 poitns per game.

O'Neale, a nine-year vet, scored a career-best 9.8 points per game last season with the Suns.

This story will be updated

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hornets trade Miles Bridges to Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale

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Penguins organizational outlook heading into free agency

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 21: Rickard Rakell #67 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates with Sidney Crosby #87 after a 5-4 shootout win over the Winnipeg Jets at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 21, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

It ended up being a mostly uneventful draft weekend for the Pittsburgh Penguins as far as major short-term changes went. They acquired Hendrix Lapierre for draft picks, used some of their stockpile future of picks to get extra 2026 mid-round selections and went about their business of drafting players without many fireworks going down with massive moves.

The big landmark for the NHL offseason is coming up on Wednesday for the July 1st free agency market that officially opens up at noon. Heading into that event, here’s where the Pens stand.

First line forwards: Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust

There’s always at least moderate smoke in the national media picture regarding the potential availability of Rakell and Rust to be traded, yet no trade has happened or seemingly been close. If you look at the ice time splits under Dan Muse last season, there’s these three forwards (who all averaged between 18-20 minutes per game) and then everyone else. The team could always opt tactically to nudge Egor Chinakhov to play with Crosby-Rust again and place Rakell on the second line, but these three right now are the central figures on the team as far as forwards go.

Other key NHL forwards: Evgeni Malkin, Egor Chinakhov, Ben Kindel, Tommy Novak

As of now, these four forwards look to be the base of the ‘second’ and ‘third’ lines, though nomenclature is about the only differential given how Muse has split ice time and assignments. Malkin averaged 14:26 of ES ice time last year, compared to Kindel’s 12:36 – based on the ages of both those numbers will likely be evening out a bit next season. These names can bounce around the lineup, including between center and wing in some cases, but all are in place to take important roles for the team for the players that will probably be in the 13-14 minute of ES ice time per game next year. As mentioned above, there’s the possibility that Chinakhov will grow further into the higher classification of player as the year goes along, but starting him out in this pile feels right for this moment.

‘Fourth’ liners: Connor Dewar, Blake Lizotte

Most fourth liners across the league aren’t pushing 14 minutes per game like these two who tend to take regular shifts throughout the game and are relied on for a ton of defensive zone starts while matching up against scoring line opponents. Dewar and Lizotte will be the backbone of an important line next season that will be listed as a ‘fourth’ line it will still carry a very important part of the action.

Fill out forwards (3 lineup spots): Elmer Soderblom, Justin Brazeau, Hendrix Lapierre, Rutger McGroarty, Avery Hayes, Ville Koivunen, Filip Hallander, Tristan Broz

This group of players will likely float between different roles as the season goes along. Brazeau has played a limited amount but in key places in the lineup, he could yet reprise his role with Kindel and still end up seeing 11-12 ES minutes per game. Soderblom performed well down the stretch. Wingers like Brazeau and Soderblom could see time on lines with good players and yet still end up as the third and seldom-used part of the puzzle.

Lapierre was acquired for two draft picks, including a third rounder, so one would presume he will factor into the lineup at the start of the season in some form. What line that would be, and even whether that is at center or on the wing still could be considered up in the air right now.

Younger forwards who finished the season in the AHL will be knocking on the door but will need strong preseasons to find a role and/or trades sending out vets who currently occupy spots above them. Lapierre’s acquisition without any forwards under contract departing serve to make the math that much worse for players in the grouping of forwards attempting to graduate into the NHL full-time, at this moment anyways.

Left Defense: Parker Wotherspoon, Sam Girard

There’s not a lot currently in the rumor mill tying the Pens to Darnell Nurse, despite Pittsburgh being on a list of three places Nurse would accept a trade. If that avenue isn’t one Pittsburgh is interested in travelling, left defense could be an area to watch for offseason moves since it’s arguably the weakest spot on the roster. Ryan Shea’s camp has to be encouraged that Brett Kulak signed a $4.5 million contract for five years as an indicator the free agent market will be very rewarding for Shea. The Pens will have to find a Shea replacement or risk going into camp depending on a young player like Owen Pickering or Jake Livanavage to step into the playing lineup or have Ilya Solovyov go from a depth option to regular. What the Pens would truly need and want is to find the 2026 version of Wotherspoon as a free agent that wouldn’t cost an arm and leg on his contract and still be able to fill an important role. Finding and securing such a target is usually a very tall task.

Right Defense: Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang

It might already be time to put Harrison Brunicke’s name in pencil (or a sharper writing implement) to round out the lineup after a strong showing in the AHL playoffs. Regardless, at the very least the need is obvious that Pens could use more depth, a swing player like Connor Clifton would be a small but important piece of insurance. That might not be Clifton himself as he heads to free agency but given the ages of Karlsson and Letang plus the inexperience of Brunicke, another NHL caliber right shot defender wouldn’t be an unnecessary add even with the suspected elevation of Brunicke.

Goaltender: Arturs Silovs, Sergei Murashov/Joel Blomqvist

All indications are that the Pens are comfortable with going very young in net next year by having one of Murashov or Blomqvist in their goalie tandem. Murashov has clearly edged ahead of Blomqvist on the organizational depth chart, though Blomqvist being an older and more experienced player makes it easy to project NHL action next season at some point. Neither goalie will require waivers in 2026-27, so the possibility is open to rotate these goalies on/off the NHL roster depending on how circumstances dictate. That wouldn’t happen as a yo-yo after one bad performance, it’s just good news for the Pens that they don’t have to place all their hopes in one singular AHL goalie moving up next year when they have two decent options. That depth makes the situation encouraging after Murashov’s great year in Wilkes, if he stumbles or shows a need for more development time the team looks fairly content with having Blomqvist there to pick up any slack or in the event of an injury.

—

Overall, the Penguins don’t look like they have a splashy move up their sleeves for this summer. The thought of giving 30-year old players like Alex Tuch or Darren Raddysh eight years on a contract likely never entered their minds, just as they have shown no signs of wanting to keep Anthony Mantha. The free agent class isn’t terribly impressive and in a climate where players have more say in trades than ever, Pittsburgh doesn’t look like it’s the destination of preference for players like Dylan Larkin – and there’d be no reason to suspect Zach Werenski or any other high-profile players that get to pick their spots either. The draft going by without dealing a veteran like Rakell or Rust might be an indicator that both players will return for another season with the Pens now that the event is over and 2026 picks have been made.

After the draft in 2025, the Pens made three summer trades. Most were fairly minor in the big scheme of things that saw backup goalie Alex Nedeljkovic and Vlad Kolaychonok traded out with the Silovs and Matt Dumba as a cap casualty joining the team. Summer 2024 was similar, there was a prospect swap (McGroarty for Brayden Yage), a couple of cap-related moves that saw Cody Glass and Kevin Hayes added while the ill-fit of Reilly Smith was sent away but little else in terms of truly impactful movement.

This summer could still see a name from the NHL roster above traded out before the league settles into ‘cottage season’ and activity dies down later in the summer, but at this point of the calendar in the usual flow of player movement most of the activity could be limited to whatever free agency deals end up getting struck. An outlook on the Pens shows they have some veteran players that could still be trade targets and a need to address defensive depth either in a trade or by signing a free agent or two.

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Dodgers on Deck: Monday, June 29 at A’s

Jun 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Eric Lauer (33) gets ready to throw a pitch during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images | William Navarro-Imagn Images

The Dodgers for the first time in their history will play a baseball game that counts in West Sacramento, facing the nomad Athletics for a three-game series beginning Monday night at Sutter Health Park.

It’s a battle of southpaws to start on Monday, with Eric Lauer for the Dodgers and Gage Jump for the A’s.

Monday game info

  • Teams: Dodgers at Athletics
  • Ballpark: Sutter Health Park, West Sacramento
  • Time: 6:40 p.m. PT
  • TV: SportsNet LA
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)
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Ha-Seong Kim starts third straight game against the Giants in road trip rubber match

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 27: Ha-Seong Kim #7 of the Atlanta Braves takes batting practice prior to the game between the Atlanta Braves and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday, June 27, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Bryan Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Beautiful day in the Bay for the 50th win of the season, who says no?

Well, it may be the Braves offense, if last night is any indication. Logan Webb was as excellent as advertised, unfortunately. It’d be great to see some signs of life in this last West Coast road game of the season by solving Robbie Ray to take the rubber match and series.

The Braves’ lone hit last night came from today’s leadoff man Mauricio Dubón, who remains in left field. Otherwise, it’s a familiar sequence of Michael Harris II, Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, and Drake Baldwin. Baldwin gets the day off behind the plate today with Joey Bart serving as the battery mate for Chris Sale and batting seventh. Mike Yastrzemski started the first two games of this homecoming series, but will sit today with Eli White in right field. Notably, Ha-Seong Kim will start his third consecutive game at shortstop and batting ninth. He worked a walk last night, which I’ll delusionally hope and pray is the beginning of a turnaround.

The Giants will line up as follows behind Ray:

As the excited caption indicates, Heliot Ramos returns from the IL after being sidelined with a right quad strain. He’ll bat sixth as the designated hitter. 

With the most experience against Sale, third baseman Matt Chapman will lead off for San Francisco. Victor Bericoto returns to right field after sitting yesterday. Rookie catcher Drew Cavanaugh will get his first day off since debuting Friday as Eric Haase rounds out the lineup batting ninth.

If nothing else, the 9 or 10 pm ET start times are behind us, Braves Country. Today’s first pitch is at 4:05 pm ET.

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Edmonton Was Never Really Close On Trade for High-Ceiling Goalie

The Sebastian Cossa era in Detroit is over, and some Edmonton Oilers fans might be wondering whether Stan Bowman missed a golden opportunity. There was chatter that Cossa was a goaltender the Oilers had on a short list of goalies they'd targeted.

Ultimately, the netminder was traded in a different deal, and it's probably for the best. That might sound odd to say, but if you're in the camp that Edmonton missed out, here's why you shouldn't lose any sleep over it.

Utah acquired the 23-year-old goaltender from the Red Wings on Friday, with a 2026 first-round pick as the centerpiece of the deal. It was a fairly high price to pay, and an asset the Oilers didn't have to match.

Ultimately, this wasn't a decision Bowman passed on — it was never really on the table. The Oilers lacked draft capital to make the deal. Frankly, the lack of a stocked cupboard of picks to make any number of trades is a problem. 

But even if the price had been different, the fit was questionable. Cossa has been excellent in the AHL, posting a 26-8-4 record with a 2.33 GAA, a .915 save percentage and five shutouts this past season. He's a legitimate prospect with a big future. What he isn't, yet, is a proven NHL starter — and that distinction matters enormously for a team trying to win a Stanley Cup around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl right now.

What's key to remember here is, this is a goalie with a grand total of one NHL game on his resume. 

Going into 2026-27 with a Tristan Jarry-Cossa tandem would have been a bet on potential over production at the worst possible time. Edmonton needs a goaltender who has been there, handled pressure, and won meaningful games — not one still working his way up. Utah, a younger team with more runway, is the right landing spot for Cossa at this stage of his development.

They can afford to be patient. 

The Oilers need to solve their crease situation this summer, and Cossa was never going to be that solution. The fact that Utah made that decision easier by outbidding everyone with assets Edmonton didn't have is, frankly, a lucky break. It allowed Bowman to get out of his own way and focus on adding a proven veteran. Time will tell if he can do so. 

Yes, a potential option is off the board. And yes, the Mammoth might have acquired a terrific goaltender. Then again, there's a chance it takes Cossa a couple of years to get close to realizing his potential. It could be years before he hits his ceiling, whatever that might be. 

The Oilers don't have time to wait, and it would have been a high price to pay, especially if the risk didn't pay off. 

On to the next option, Stan.

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