Keaton Wagler continues to find his footing in his first season with the Los Angeles Clippers.
The fifth overall pick in the 2026 draft has found a way to contribute to coach Tyronn Lue’s team, averaging 12.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists through 11 games played this season.
The rookie has not made his first official start but has averaged 22.7 minutes per game off the bench.
Wagler modeled part of his game after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who spent his rookie season with the Clippers in 2018 before he was later traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Being in the NBA has afforded Wagler opportunities early in the season to play against some of his idols with the Clippers having played the Thunder twice this season.
"It was a cool experience," Wagler told reporters about being able to play against Gilgeous-Alexander. "Growing up I really liked Shai, his game and being able to go up against him."
Wagler has drawn praise from Gilgeous-Alexander after those two meetings.
"He has good feel. Can really shoot," Gilgeous-Alexander said about the rookie after the Clippers' 113-112 victory against the Thunder on Friday, Nov. 13. "Usually when you have those things, the game will slow down for you eventually.
"He’s in a good situation where he can play a lot. There are good coaches over there, so he’ll learn the game the right way. As long as he works hard, he should have a long runway to be whoever he wants to be."
Tyronn Lue issues apology to Keaton Wagler
The Clippers have struggled to start the season, winning just three of their first 11 games, including Friday's victory against the Thunder.
Earlier this month, Lue apologized to the rookie for not getting him more playing time.
Wagler played a season-low 16 minutes against Miami. He finished with 11 points and a team-high +15 while on the court.
Lue told reporters on Nov. 8 that he had apologized to Wagler after having rewatched the film from the game, telling him he earned more playing time than he received.
Wagler averaged 19.6 minutes per game over the last three games since Lue's apology.
The Ducks will want to put their most recent game behind them as quickly as possible. Luckily, they can do that thanks to a home back-to-back this weekend. Saturday's performance, a 6-2 loss to the New York Islanders, was a disjointed effort almost from the moment the puck dropped. The Islanders scored within the first two minutes of both the first and second periods and when the Ducks scored to draw within one in the second period, the Islanders answered with another goal 30 seconds later.
"I thought they played really well. We just didn't show up ready to play," Ducks forward Alex Killorn said postgame. "I think they were a lot more prepared than us to play a game and they just got off a great start. (We) had a little bit of momentum in the second. We put a couple good shifts together in the O-zone, but it was a too little, too late."
"You score and then you give up a goal on the following shift, and that's happened a couple times recently, which is not good if you're trying to get some momentum going in the game," Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said. "We gave them too high quality of opportunities that were basically golden, A-plus chances. We've gotta work in some areas."
Sunday's game marks the fourth and final matchup of the season for the Ducks against the Calgary Flames. The Ducks currently lead the season series 2-1.
"Nice part is we play (again) in less than 24 hours, so it's a great opportunity to get two points," Killorn said.
"We get to respond to (this performance), that's the best part of it," Quenneville said.
The Flames will be on the second game of a back-to-back (SEGABABA) after beating the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on Saturday. It's the third opponent on a SEGABABA that the Ducks have faced in the last seven days.
Ville Husso and Devin Cooley are expected to start for the Ducks and Flames respectively after Lukáš Dostál and Dustin Wolf both started on Saturday. Dostál struggled for the second consecutive start and has now allowed nine goals on his last 36 shots faced. Husso relieved Dostál after one period in his last start prior to Saturday--which was against the Flames--and stopped 10 out of 10 shots as the Ducks rallied to beat the Flames 5-3.
Ducks Projected Lines
Cutter Gauthier - Leo Carlsson - Judd Caulfield Beckett Sennecke - Mikael Granlund - Troy Terry Jeff Malott - Tim Washe - Frank Vatrano Nikita Nesterenko - Roger McQueen - Alex Killorn
Jackson LaCombe - Drew Helleson Pavel Mintyukov - Noah Warren Tyson Hinds - Tristan Luneau
Ville Husso (projected)
Flames Projected Lines
Joel Farabee - Mikael Backlund - Matt Coronato Matvei Gridin - Martin Pospíšil - Ryan Strome Yegor Sharangovich - Morgan Frost - Adam Klapka William Strömgren - Jonathan Castagna - Aydar Suniev
Yan Kuznetsov - Zayne Parekh Joel Hanley - Šimon Nemec Jacob Middleton - Zach Whitecloud
Ryan Lambert of the Syracuse Mets delivers a pitch during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on June 28, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
In his rundown of what he is hearing at the GM meetings in The Athletic, Jim Bowden writes that the Mets will be players for Tarik Skubal and that the Blue Jays are involved as well, but Skubal may not just pick the highest offer. Freddy Peralta and Michael King are also expected to land big contracts, but likely will not sign until Skubal sets the market.
The Mets are interested in Ty France and Alec Bohm as potential options at first base.
Mets pitching prospect Ryan Lambert has been tinkering with a new pitch in the Arizona Fall League and hopes that it will help him land a spot on the big league roster in 2027. “It’s a feel pitch for me,” Lambert said of his new sweepier breaking ball. “It comes off my fastball pretty dang good.”
Around the National League East
After signing Evan Phillips to bolster their bullpen, the Braves are still interested in Rasiel Iglesias, who is also drawing interest from the Tigers.
Alex McFarlane had a strong rookie campaign for the Phillies in what was otherwise a pretty dismal year for their bullpen. He is looking to cement himself as a long-term option in 2027.
The Marlins have hired Trayce Thompson—brother of Miami Heat guard Klay Thompson—to their baseball operations department.
Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic covered the latest offseason storylines and rumors, including the Red Sox operating as a big market team should with the addition of Jake Bauers, the Brewers’ potential options at first base now that Bauers has departed, the Braves’ possible next moves, the case for Jazz Chisolm, and more.
Diamondbacks officials met with Ketel Marte’s agent during the GM meetings this week, but did not come away with a clearer picture regarding which teams for which Marte would waive his no-trade protection to approve a deal, according to reports.
The Arizona Fall League handed out its annual awards.
The 2026 MVP campaign in both leagues represents a cautionary tale when it comes to trading top prospects, writes Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com. But the executives he interviewed understand that big mistakes, like the Mets made when they traded NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong as a prospect, come with the territory.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 20: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks goes to the basket against Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Toronto Raptors during the first half at Madison Square Garden on January 20, 2024 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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Knicks (6-6) visit the Raptors (5-7) at Scotiabank Arena. It’s the first of two straight in Toronto. After a dropping their first three games, the Knicks seemed to be turning the tide before being cut down by Cleveland the Indiana. Toronto is 3-7 and, awaiting the eventual return of Kawhi Leonard, has lost three in a row.
In their last regular-season meeting, on April 10, the Knicks won 112-95 behind 29 points from Jalen Brunson and 22 points and 10 boards from Karl-Anthony Towns. Studly Sandro Mamukelashvili led Toronto from the bench with 17 points and eight rebounds. New York scored 27 points off turnovers that night.
Toronto averages 114.2 points, with a 115.3 offensive rating and a 113.9 defensive rating. The Raps move the ball well, ranking third with 28.1 assists per game, and their rate of 10.6 steals per game recovers a little of the ground lost by their unimpressive shooting (33% from deep, 54% from the field).
OAKAAKUYOAK R.J. Barrett averages 21.3 points and went for 31 and 14 in Philadelphia, shooting 9-for-13 inside the arc. Also an OAKAAK, Immanuel Quickley averages 17.6 points and can punish sleepy defenders. Scottie Barnes averages 23.5 points and 5.1 assists, but has missed the last four contests with a groin injury. He’s a game-time decision, and his return would certain bolster Toronto’s offense. Veteran big Jakob Poeltl continues to anchor their defense at cetner.
Against Indy on Friday, Towns had 23 points and 15 boards Friday for his 12th straight double-double, and Brunson had 33 points and 11 assists. The Knicks still got devastated in the paint 50-30. Mikal Bridges took 12 shots and scored 18, and while it wasn’t a perfect game, it was an encouraging one. A strong performance from him tonight—and Josh Hart, who’s been navigating his own struggles—would help to keep tonight’s contest comfortable. New York’s injury list is blank at the moment.
Fun fact. The Knicks have won 13 straight against the Raptors. Tonight’s prediction? The Americans by four.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (6-6) at Toronto Raptors (5-7) Date: Sunday, November 15, 2026 Time: 6:00 PM ET Place: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, CA TV: MSG Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 22: Adalberto Mondesi #27 of the Kansas City Royals at bat against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning at T-Mobile Park on April 22, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Halloween has always been kind of a big thing at our home. I’ve known people over the years who wouldn’t let their kids trick or treat since they considered it a “pagan” holiday. Come on man! Let the kids have some fun while they’re young and innocent! This old world will rough them up soon enough.
One thing about Halloween, in recent years we’ve noticed that a lot of kids started to mail it in on their costumes. That was disappointing. Not this year. This year was exceptional. Nearly all the trick or treaters who made it to our doorstep had put some serious time and thought into their outfits and we loved every minute of it. The best dressed award went to a young man who came as Michael Jackson’s Thriller. This kid had it down. The red leather jacket and pants, plus he had on a wig, and someone (probably mom) did an outstanding job on his makeup. A total team effort. When he rang the bell, I looked out and shouted, “we’ve got the Thriller!” The kid was impressed that we knew who he was supposed to be. He was proud of his outfit, as he should have been. Good job young man.
Which brings us to baseball. Now that the season is over and with free agency and the lockout looming, what will the Royals do? Will they mail it in, or will they go all out trying to assemble a winner? Time will tell.
There’ll be a few free agents changing teams. Will the Royals spend the cash needed to land any of them. The Padres have a trio of pitchers hitting free agency that will draw interest from many teams: Michael King, Casey Mize and Adrian Morejon. Some Royal pundits have written that they’d like to see the Royals make a play for Morejon. Having seen the guy pitch, I just don’t see how the Padres will let him get away. He’ arguably the best reliver on the market and will draw a premium price, which might be out of the Royals comfort zone.
Which brings us to the Royals perpetual dilemma: Without enough cash or nerve to play at the big boy table, they usually end up throwing money at second or third tier free agents in hopes that they work out. Sometimes it does. Sometimes you get a Michael Wacha or a Seth Lugo. Most of the time you end up with the Hunter Renfroe’s of the world, guys who were perfectly capable and good players at one time, but that time was before the Royals signed them.
Every winter, the Royals Review staff gets together and makes their season predictions. Being somewhat anal retentive, I keep track of my picks and their success, or lack of. Mostly lack of. Baseball is nearly impossible to accurately predict. 162 games spread over most of seven months. Some players develop, some regress. Many get injured.
My picks for the 2026 season were mostly terrible.
I had Bobby Jr. as the best hitter for the Royals and that was a win, as he outpaced the roster in almost every offensive category. That was the easy selection.
I picked Cole Ragans as the best pitcher, and he may well have been, had his arm not fallen off. Michael Wacha was the best pitcher, and by a wide margin, so congrats to him.
For the Royals won/loss record, I was wildly optimistic and had them pegged at 90 and 72! Wow! They showed me. Their final tally came in at a painful 69-93 mark.
I had the American League division winners as: Toronto, Detroit and Seattle. That’s an oh for three.
I picked the Royals, Yankees and Red Sox as the Wildcard teams. Amazingly, I got two of the three right. No comment on my KC pick.
Over in the National League, I had the division winners being the New York Mets (!), Chicago Cubs and of course the Dodgers, which is almost a gimme. But the Mets! Good Lord, how stupid could I be? Turns out plenty stupid, and I do that so well. But the Mets?? They never win anything! I should know that by now.
For the wildcards, I went with San Diego, Atlanta and Philadelphia.
When you look at the whole, not bad. Five out of six playoff teams. That’ll play most years.
As for my World Series pick, I had Toronto over the Dodgers. Gulp. I’ll take my medicine there. If Kansas City can’t make it to the Series, I’ll gladly take their expansion brethren from Milwaukee.
For the American League MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year, I went full homer and selected Bobby, Cole Ragans and Carter Jensen respectively.
The actual was: Yordan Alvarez won the MVP with Bobby finishing third. It’d be a shame if Bobby can’t win an MVP in his career. He’s had a couple of close calls but came in second after a historic season by Aaron Judge and now, by his standards, a slightly down season to Alvarez. I think losing Vinnie and Maikel Garcia for so many games hurt Bobby last summer. It always helps to have strong bats around you in the lineup, which creates more scoring and RBI chances.
Cam Schlitter won the AL Cy Young while Cole Ragans rehabs.
Kevin McGonigle rightly took home the AL Rookie of the Year, while Carter Jensen came in 5th. I personally thought Carter should have been around 3rd, but what do I know.
In the senior circuit I went with Shohei, Christopher Sanchez and Nolan McLean.
Pete Crow-Armstrong ran away with the NL MVP award as he should have after an excellent season.
Blue Springs native Jacob Misiorowski took home the NL Cy Young hardware while Sal Stewart of Cincinnati won the Rookie of the Year, while my pick, Nolan McLean came in 4th.
Next year, if there is a next year, I might wait until after the season to make my picks.
Did you catch the news that former Royal Adalberto Mondesi is ready to make a comeback? Mondesi says he’s 100% physically healthy for the first time in years.
I’m not surprised by the news as Mondesi is just 31, very young in the real world, but starting to get up there in athlete years. Maybe he’s bored. Maybe he’s broke. Who knows? None of that matters. What does matter is that he hasn’t played since April 26th of 2022, when he was still with the Royals. Come spring training, that’ll make it four years since he’s played a game. That alone makes a successful comeback unlikely.
He has some physical talents. Over the final 22 games of the 2020 season, Mondesi went on a 32 for 85 heater (.377) with 12 extra base hits. He drove in 19 and stole another 16 bases in that span. His final 11 games were a tour de force as he hit .476. Aside from George Brett, I’ve never seen a Royal hitter that locked in.
Should the Royals take a flyer on him? Maybe sign him to a minor league prove it deal? Call me crazy, but I don’t hate the idea.
Like many Royal fans, I grew frustrated by Mondesi’s time in Kansas City. The Royals did him no favors by rushing him through the minor league system before he was ready. To top it off, they had him make his major league debut during the 2015 World Series! Against Thor Syndergaard no less.
What the hell were they thinking? I’m old enough to remember how the Texas Rangers mangled the career of former number one pick David Clyde. The Royals’ mismanagement of Mondesi, while not to the degree of the Rangers’ incompetence with Clyde, is at least in the same zip code.
I’d be in favor of them bringing Adalberto in and see if he can make the team. If he defies the odds and makes the team, use him as a utility player and try to get him through an entire season without a physical breakdown. The Royals have spent money in worse ways.
Fans vote with their pocketbooks. Yet somehow after three years of missing the playoffs and having Major League talent across the roster, fans are happy to keep throwing those votes into the owner’s pockets instead of towards the product on the field. The St. Louis Cardinals won 77 games and have found the “next core” that we have been craving. 5-6 spots in the lineup and ~3 spots in the rotation are absolutely MLB talent.
Even with these players on the roster at extremely affordable rates with years of control, some fans are still advocating to “stick to the plan” (that doesn’t have an end date) and save money that will not be reallocated in future years. My favorite part of that? It isn’t even their money so why the heck do they need to save it?
To add the same disclaimer I’ve had to add every tweet/article/post that I put out: I, Scott Plaza, do not want Chaim Bloom to spend tens of millions of dollars on multi-year reliever contracts, high-cost starters, or superstar lineup options that don’t even exist this offseason. I, Scott Plaza, and asking Chaim Bloom to write three or four checks to fix the squeaky wheel, because if he doesn’t, we will be riding with an annoying and frustrating sound. Again.
“But Scott! If we spend money then the whole long-term plan is out the window and we’ll be in another decade of mediocrity!”
Just blatantly false. Those that refuse to even entertain the reliever market for say, $20 million, are allowing Bloom and DeWitt to act in this cost-cutting way. My continued call has been to spend money on accomplished, higher tier than JoJo relievers because, shockingly, Peter Strezelecki, Matt Pushard, Chris Roycroft, and the others did not get it done. “BUT WE SAVED MONEY! And they weren’t supposed to win anyway!” WHY NOT?
MLBTR projects Abreu to sign for 2 years $22m and Soto for 2 years $15m, or an $18.5 million AAV combined. I do prefer a one-year deal
Stanek and JoJo combined for ~$10.5 million. Are we okay with DeWitt paying $8 million 🤯 extra or is that gonna hamper the plan?#STLCardshttps://t.co/01I70PbBvW
The lineup has major league talent. The rotation has major league talent. The rotation has prospect capital on the way but it is not yet complete. The bullpen has… some guys that can pitch in major league games. In most world’s of work, if there is a blatant problem with a clear solution, yet that problem is ignored, that person is no longer employed. I am not saying that Bloom has to drop $50 million on relievers and if he doesn’t he needs to be canned. I am saying if he continues to roll out the same team that won 77 games, which most saw as an overperformance, he is effectively punting on 2027.
“BUT THE PLAN”
As mentioned, we hear about the plan and how everything is moving as expected. However, both Oli and Bloom publicly say they don’t put timelines on things. I plan to be a millionaire. Currently, I am not. Nowhere near it, in fact. But I plan to be at some point. Without holding myself accountable to stop spending, invest better, etc. I can continue to push the million dollar plan down the road and still feel like I’m headed the right direction. We should expect… nay… demand more.
77 wins is my baseline. Is that fair when wins don’t tell the story? I really don’t care if its fair. When fans are saying they won’t pay to watch losing baseball, then they need to win. DeWitt says fans aren’t going to come to games to watch a losing team. He’s right. We’ve seen it. So why are we, the fans, okay with another losing team?
In the theoretical situation that Bloom actually does spend on the bullpen, I would think we can safely assume the 2027 bullpen would not blow 30 games or have 34 losses as a squad. Maybe it’s only five more wins. Oh no, a winning season, what a nightmare! No, 82 wins won’t get you into the Wild Card, but doesn’t September baseball sound so much more fun when the team has a semblance of a chance AND didn’t give up their farm system just to fall short?
Gabe put it well to summarize his Thursday article. Why would any free agent want to come to St. Louis if they weren’t trying to win? Why would I, who lives 5 hours away from STL, drive, stay in a hotel, and buy tickets to watch a team that isn’t trying to win? Will I? Yes because I’m a sicko with a baseball problem, but the more casual fans cannot be expected to drop hundreds of dollars to watch a game that is over in the fifth inning.
So that brings me back to the title of the article: For those that are against Bloom spending $20-30 million on the bullpen, why? We are not talking a Brett Cecil deal. Never again am I advocating for a 4+ year deal on a reliever. So I ask again, what is wrong with winning more games?
Sorry for the short article, but I didn’t want to repeat much of what I’ve been saying for a couple weeks here or on Twitter. I really just want to hear the argument for why Peter Strzelecki is better than Bryan Abreu.
John Hanson, the first President under the Articles of Confederation, died in 1783, Sherman’s “March to the Sea” began in 1864, Georgia O’Keeffe was born in 1887.
1995 – The Arizona Diamondbacks, who will not begin play until the 1998 season, sign Buck Showalter to a seven-year contract as manager. Showalter guided the New York Yankees to a wild card berth in 1995, but left the team after it lost its first-round playoff series.
Burying a sardine is a Spanish tradition.
You read that right: Holding a funeral for a sardine is a custom in Spain. The Burial of the Sardine symbolizes a fresh start through burying the past. The sardine burial is usually done during lent and the advent period.
R2-D2 was supposed to speak English.
Nothing says Star Wars like the distinct beeps of R2. It’s even an inside joke that he has a potty mouth. However, you’d be surprised to know that the droid was supposed to speak English like his buddy C-3PO. It makes one wonder how the films would’ve been rated if R2 did turn out to speak English.
The word “Checkmate” in chess comes from the Persian phrase “Shah Mat.”
Shah Mat means “the king is dead.”
The Circus Maximum in Rome is still the largest capacity sports arena ever built. It was used for the execution of prisoners, part of the Roman Triumph, and chariot racing. Historians believe the Circus Maximum could hold between 150,000 – 250,000 people at any given time.
Spartans were so rich that nobody had to work. Ancient Sparta was an immensely wealthy country. Mainly due to their conquest and domination of their neighbors, the Helots. When a Spartan boy reached adulthood and became a man, the Spartan state awarded him with an allotment of public farmland. They also rewarded him with a constituent of Helot slaves to work it.
With Johnathan Kovacevic on the injured reserve and Vladislav Kolyachonok out with an illness, the New Jersey Devils called up Anton Silaev. The 20-year-old defenseman made his NHL debut against the Washington Capitals on Nov. 14 and showed why he’s a top prospect in the system.
The Devils defeated the Capitals 7-4, and the offense stood out. However, Silaev showed flashes and made a strong case to stay in the lineup. The question is whether the Devils keep him or send him back to the Utica Comets in the American Hockey League to continue developing.
Silaev’s Statline: Zero points, 12:45 ice time, two shots, one blocked shot, six hits.
The stats don’t reveal much, and Silaev was the defenseman the Devils limited and protected in his NHL debut. He played on the third pair and didn’t play in crucial situations, whether on the power play or the penalty kill, which the recent game had plenty of.
It's worth adding that Silaev isn't a scoring defenseman and isn't developing into one either. The Devils hope he becomes the next stay-at-home defenseman that they can build around, someone who is a contrast to Luke Hughes.
That said, Silaev still showed flashes. The hits stand out, as he had a team-leading six on the night. The rest of the defense had six hits combined. It shows what the 6-foot-7, 211-pound defenseman provides to the blue line.
Silaev’s Skills On Display In Debut
Silaev is being developed as a shutdown defenseman, someone who can deliver big hits and clean up pucks near the net. It has turned him into one of the best players on the Comets and an easy choice to call up.
“He was playing like I’ve seen his play in Utica as well. Using his big body and a good game from him playing to his strengths,” Lenni Hämeenaho, another call-up for the Capitals matchups, stated after Saturday’s win. Silaev wasn't the scoring defenseman for the Comets, but he would deliver big hits and break up plays in the defensive zone.
He uses his size to his advantage, not just as an intimidating presence but also to make an impact on the game. He skates hard and joins the play quickly because of his speed. “He plays hard, he’s a big man, and he’s a great kid. I definitely don’t want to play against him,” Nico Hischier added after the game.
The biggest takeaway is how comfortable Silaev looked in his first NHL game. Usually, it takes time for defensemen to acclimate to the NHL when they are called up from the AHL, especially if they are coming from an overseas background. Silaev was on the ice for the Capitals' first goal of the night, when Pierre-Luc Dubois picked up the loose puck on a rebound and powered it past the Russian defenseman. Otherwise, he fit right in.
“I thought he was excellent. I thought he looked really good, confident, and assertive,” head coach Sheldon Keefe noted after the game, adding, “He goes into people, he ends plays, and I thought he had some good puck plays as well.” Silaev’s play with the puck allows him to join the offense and make an impact in the offensive zone, which also helps in the long run, especially since the defense is searching for more offense.
Will Silaev Remain On The Defense?
It’s doubtful Silaev will remain with the Devils for the rest of the season. Ideally, this is a season that he spends with the Comets and focuses on his development. In the AHL, he’ll have more ice time and work on his play in the defensive zone.
That said, if the defense continues to battle injuries, the Devils will have a tough time sending him down. For now, the Devils need him to round out the defense. They can turn to Kolyachonok as well, but Silaev has proven he’s not a liability.
On the contrary, he proved in his debut why he’s a high-upside defenseman, and why some talent evaluators who have seen him think he’ll be a problem when he’s ready for the NHL. While it will take time before Silaev is a prime shutdown defenseman, he’s already proven he can be a significant contributor.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - OCTOBER 28: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during the game against the Indiana Pacers on October 28, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 Luther Schlaifer/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Philadelphia 76ers will try to keep themselves in the win column on Sunday afternoon with a matinee battle hosting the Indiana Pacers. This is the first game of a somewhat stretched back-to-back for the Sixers, with the squad facing the Pacers early afternoon Sunday and then hitting the road to take on the Nets on Monday night.
This is the second meeting of the year between the Sixers and Pacers, with Philadelphia taking the 114-109 victory in the first matchup — helped mightily by a six-triple night from Anfernee Simons.
For this one, we already know that Joel Embiid will be out for plantar fasciitis management. LeBron James, who missed the Sixers’ last contest for sciatica management, is not on the injury report and is good to go for Sunday. Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow remain sidelined. This means the possibility of seeing some more time at the five for James Sunday afternoon, one would imagine. Well, someone is going to have to stand up to Pacers’ 7-foot center Ivica Zubac…
The Pacers are trying to manage things without Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered a hamstring strain just a few games into the season and has not played since. He remains out for Sunday. Ben Sheppard and Johnny Furphy are also sidelined with knee injuries. Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith are both questionable and T.J. McConnell is probable, so a lot of things up in the air for the Indiana side as it stands.
Missing Hali hasn’t meant being completely unable to win, however. Despite being under .500 with a 5-8 record, the Pacers are coming into Sunday with a two-game win streak under their belt, the most recent of which being a close victory over the New York Knicks in NBA Cup action back on Friday night. The team is still working on finding their footing as they navigate this prolonged period without Haliburton, but they’re finding ways to snag some wins along the way. Their victory over the Knicks was result of a widespread effort, with all five Indiana starters scoring 12 or more points.
And that’s been the story with the Pacers without Haliburton. Six Indiana players (not including the sidelined star guard) are averaging double-digit scoring to start this season. Pascal Siakam has been leading the squad averaging 22.4 points per game. Nembhard leads the playmaking charge with 9.5 dimes a night in addition to his 16.6 points and 40.3% shooting from long range. Obi Toppin, Nesmith, Zubac and former Sixer Kelly Oubre Jr. round out the supporting cast all averaging around 10-12 points per night. It’s not a matter of slowing down one player with the current Pacers, it’s about slowing them all down.
But the bottom line is that, on paper, this is a game the Sixers should be able to win even without Embiid, especially if a few of the Pacers’ currently questionable players are forced to miss this one. However, don’t be surprised if it’s another close one, with the Sixers needing to be on their A-game to make sure this one doesn’t slip away. Even this early in the season we’ve already seen examples of the Sixers playing down to their competition and making games harder than they needed to be. I’m sure the Pacers would be thrilled to take advantage of that to extend their current win streak with their main star sidelined.
The Sixers and Pacers tip off their matinee contest at 1 p.m. ET.
Game Details
When: Sunday, November 15, 1 p.m. ET Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic Follow:@LibertyBallers
MIAMI, FL - MARCH 09: A flag bearer presents the flag of the Dominican Republic prior to the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool D game presented by Capital One between Team Dominican Republic and Team Israel at loanDepot park on Monday, March 9, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
While we wait for more news from the Detroit Tigers this offseason, let’s continue our little series highlighting some of the most interesting breakouts in the farm system this year. We started with first baseman Beau Ankeney. Now let’s take a look at one of the most exciting teenagers in the organization. 18-year-old shortstop Angel de los Santos broke out of the Complex League to make a very impressive debut at the Single-A level.
De los Santos was signed out of the Dominican Republic back in January 2025. He received a solid signing bonus of $387,500 to join the club, and showcased his deep toolkit in a successful campaign in the Dominican Summer League. That got him on the radar last offseason as a name to watch as he arrived stateside. He made good on early reports with an advanced approach, good contact skills, and a nice mix of power, speed, and defensive ability.
De Los Santos didn’t exactly maul Complex League pitching, but in 51 games he hit six homers and struck out just 17.6 percent of the time, slashing .302/.373/.475. Expected to spend the summer in the Complex League, that work, combined with his defensive improvements, convinced the Tigers to push him to A-ball to finish the yeaer. He struck out more after the jump to Single-A Lakeland in late July, but he still hit three homers in 24 games and slashed .234/.314/.362 for the Flying Tigers. All that work got him squarely on the prospect radar, and FanGraphs currently has a 40+ grade on him.
His strikeout rate jumped to 26.7 percent with the Flying Tigers, but he walked 10.5 percent of the time and just didn’t get in enough games to start adapting to a major jump in pitching quality. What I really like is a solid 26.9 percent chase rate, a zone contact rate of 84.2 percent, and a swinging strike rate of 12.9 percent. Those are really good marks for a college hitter debuting, let alone an 18-year-old shortstop.
He did have more trouble with breaking stuff, splitters, and changeups than with fastballs, but that’s par for the course at his age. On the plus side, De Los Santos posted a monstrous .443 wOBA on fastballs over 94 mph. He hits with a pretty level, balanced right-handed swing, utilizing a short kick and he shows the ability to keep the barrel through the zone and can adjust to pitches in flight and still drive the baseball. His recognition against secondary stuff will have to improve, but he shows the raw hitting traits to project that it will.
De Los Santos topped out at 106.7 mph off the bat, so he’s already closing in on average raw power. FanGraphs projects him to eventually reach an above average 55 FV grade in that department. He’s probably added some muscle already to his listed six-foot-one, 161 pound frame, and while he should remain on the slender side and still speedy, there’s plenty of room on his frame to add good muscle in the years ahead.
Between the two levels, De Los Santos stole 30 bases, 10 of them in those 24 Single-A games. He’s not a burner, but he’s quick and gets to above average speed rapidly out of the batters box or on jumps to steal a base.
Defensively, de los Santos has a pretty good glove, quick feet, and an above average throwing arm. His athleticism stands out, and while he makes some mistakes of aggression on balls in play, he’s overall a pretty well rounded shortstop already.
What is harder to convey that the basic details is that de los Santos just feels like a gamer. He’s regularly doing things in all phases of the game to help his team win, and already shows a knack for great at-bats in key situations, catching opponents napping and taking the extra base, and chipping in the occasional run saving web gem. His ceiling is really high. If he had Bryce Rainer’s raw power potential de los Santos would be a top 100 prospect. Even so he looks likely to be a 15-20 homer type of shortstop with an equal number of stolen bases and probably average or a little better defense.
Angel de los Santos is very young, and we’ll need patience, but this is an exciting young talent who will be popping up quite high on Tigers’ prospect lists this year. Cris Rodriguez will continue to draw the most attention among recent Tigers international free agents, but De Los Santos isn’t far behind and has a little stronger floor due to his present contact ability. After so long with no signficant success in the international market for young talent, the Tigers finally seem to be stacking up a lot of interesting talent in A-ball and the rookie ball levels.
Ángel De Los Santos smashes a 3-run homer to left to give Lakeland the lead. It’s his 3rd home run with the Flying Tigers, and his 9th overall this year. pic.twitter.com/2psKDXR4vq
PEORIA, AZ - NOVEMBER 14: Members of the Peoria Javelinas celebrate on the field after winning the 2026 Arizona Fall League Championship Game between the Saguaros and the Javelinas at Peoria Sports Complex on Saturday, November 14, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Hello, friends.
There are now 129 days remaining until the next scheduled Orioles game. Much sooner than that and highly relevant to whether Opening Day will occur as scheduled is that the owners will initiate a lockout of the players in 16 more days, after which a lot of things become uncertain.
One of the big questions coming for the rest of November is whether teams will try to rush through their offseason wish lists, anticipating that there will only be a chaotic sprint into spring training at some later time, rather than the usual months of hot stove season. The Baltimore Banner’s Andy Kostka and Kyle Williams wrote that, while Mike Elias said “totally business as usual,” an unnamed AL executive said that the reporters should stick close to their phones at Thanksgiving dinner.
By Thanksgiving, it’s going to be less than a week until the lockout hits. That prediction makes sense to me because, holiday or not, if things are going to pop off, it’s going to happen that weekend. Maybe it will be signings, maybe it will be trades, maybe it will be both. I think that it will be a foolish team that decides to wait until after the lockout to address its roster situation.
I will tell you right now that I am not getting paid enough by the owners of this company to interrupt my Thanksgiving dinner if the Orioles do, or are reported to be on the verge of doing, something big. It’s a running joke in my house that Elias knows how to make moves when I’m busy. One side of the family’s Thanksgiving Day dinner and the other side’s happening two days later will provide two chances for Elias to get one over on me.
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The Arizona Fall League wrapped up its schedule last night with Orioles prospects on the triumphant team. The Peoria Javelinas, with O’s prospects along with players from five other teams, were victorious in the championship game; they’d won a one-game semifinal on Friday as well. The Javelinas beat the Surprise Saguaros, 8-3, in the finale.
Ike Irish was the only O’s prospect to play in the championship. He was 0-5, though he still scored two runs and drove in one run. Pitching prospect Patrick Reilly threw a few innings in the semifinal. Congratulations to these guys! Success in the AFL isn’t a guarantee of carrying over into next year, but sometimes it is. And hey, they got sent out there, so better to play well when they did, right?
Orioles stuff you might have missed
We are into the time of year where diligent daily Bird Droppings readers may experience repeats. Sorry! It’s not going to get any better in December.
Looking back on the Orioles visit to Las Vegas (Baltimore Baseball) Rich Dubroff summarizes some of the news and tidbits from the just-concluded GM Meetings. He also predicts a frenzied run-up to the lockout in the vein of a typical year’s trade deadline.
Orioles prospects and the coming Rule 5 Draft (Orioles On The Verge) The folks at the Verge are more interested than most in who does or doesn’t get protected from the Rule 5 Draft ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. My guy Aron Estrada makes the cut in this prediction.
Today in 1983, Cal Ripken Jr. was named the AL MVP for the first time in his career. His MVP followed up the previous season’s Rookie of the Year, the first time this had ever happened. He was the best player on the best team and he had the best season of anybody, and he won. It doesn’t always work out that way. Cal had 211 hits and scored 121 runs. Seems pretty good.
There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2012-19 pitcher Dylan Bundy, 2002 pitcher John Stephens, and 2004 pitcher Darwin Cubillán. Today is Cubillán’s 54th birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: modernist painter Georgia O’Keeffe (1887), Wu-Tang Clan co-founder Ol’ Dirty Bastard (1968), and Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger (1974).
On this day in history…
In 1688, Dutch Prince William of Orange landed an army in southwestern England as a challenge to the reigning King, James II – William’s father-in-law as well as his uncle. The Catholic James was unpopular in England and by month’s end the Glorious Revolution took place, in which James was deposed and William and James’s daughter Mary – Protestants – took the throne.
In 1777, the Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation to govern the newly independent United States of America. Within a decade, it was apparent that they did not work.
In 1864, General Sherman began his scorched earth March to the Sea campaign, leaving Atlanta en route to Savannah, Georgia, which aimed to crush the Confederacy’s ability to continue the Civil War.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on November 15. Have a safe Sunday.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 10: Jonathan Loáisiga #43 of the Arizona Diamondbacks throws a pitch during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on July 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Melina Pizano/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2027 Dodgers will indeed look different compared to this year’s squad, as right-hander Evan Phillips returned to his old stomping grounds in Atlanta.
Now with several voids in the bullpen, the Dodgers have begun inquiring on a pair of former Yankees relievers, those being right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga and left-hander Tim Hill. The Dodgers are one of five teams interested in Loaisiga and are one of three teams interested in Hill. Jesse Rogers of ESPN and Jon Heyman of the New York Post tweeted the team’s interest in Loaisiga and Hill respectively.
After spending parts of eight seasons with the Yankees, Loaisiga spent the 2026 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, posting a 2.42 ERA and a 2.88 FIP while striking out 48 and walking 13 across 67 innings. Hill is coming off his worst season in pinstripes, as he posted a 4.60 ERA and a career-worst 5.93 FIP, striking out just 25 and walking 13 across 58 2/3 innings.
Links
The biggest detriment for the Dodgers this past season was the injury bug, most notably the pair of injuries that plagued Shohei Ohtani both on the mound and at the plate. The Dodgers are the only team that has to worry about maintaining one of their key starting pitcher’s health while also ensuring that same pitcher continues to lead the team in home runs hit.
The top priority for both Ohtani and the team entering 2027, as noted by Sonja Chen of MLB.com, is fulfilling the tough demand of having the two-way superstar healthy as a pitcher and hitter for the entire season.
Having a healthier Ohtani may not have changed the Dodgers’ fate this past season, and they can’t let themselves get caught up in wondering what could have been. But finding a way to get Ohtani through a two-way season at full strength, or close, could be as valuable as any transaction the team may make this offseason.
Dylan Hernandez of the California Post reported that the Dodgers sent a three-man envoy to Yokohama High School to scout teenage right-hander Shoki Oda.
Former Dodgers outfielder Trayce Thompson will be reuniting with his older brother Klay in Miami, as the younger Thompson will join the Marlins’ baseball operations department, reports Christina De Nicola of MLB.com.
Though the Toronto Maple Leafs collected zero points for the sixth straight game with a 1-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, the effort and ability to keep the puck out of their own net were clear.
This was the first time in four games that Toronto allowed fewer than four goals in an outing. Defenseman Chris Tanev missed two of those four games due to "planned maintenance" and was evidently frustrated by the team's decision to be cautious with his workload.
However, specifically in the Edmonton loss, his influence on the back end can't be ignored, even at the age of 36. Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller pointed to his performance as something that's been missing in particular moments in this terrible homestand.
"He's been frustrated at times, he's told you guys that," Hiller said after the game. "I know there was four in my mind that I saw, and probably more where we made a mistake and he was there to clean it up, and that's been part of our problem over the stretch is we've made a mistake and we've made another mistake, and maybe even sometimes another one, and it ends up in the back of your net. So, you know, the value of that sometimes is as important as scoring a goal, but it doesn't get counted like that the way we think about the game."
In some ways, it felt like a statement from Tanev to the Maple Leafs' management group regarding the plan to manage his workload.
He also made sure to point out post-game that this was Toronto's best defensive performance in quite some time, and against a top-three team in the NHL with several superstars and game-breakers on the other side.
"We defended well against a obviously very good offensive team," Tanev said. "I think it's the first time we've given up less than four goals in two weeks. I mean, you could correct me if I'm wrong, but that part of our game was really good today."
For reference on the Maple Leafs' defensive performance, the Oilers rank third in the NHL in goals scored, with 3.86 per game. That's up against Toronto's 75 goals against in 22 games, which is the third-most in the NHL.
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DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 15: Cole Carrigg #16 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field on September 15, 2026, in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the off-season trudges ever onward, we here at Purple Row wanted to try something new (inspired by our friends over at the AZ Snake Pit) with our readers in mind. Therefore, we are kicking off the first annual Purple Row Awards! Here’s how it works:
For the next several Sundays in our “This Week in Purple” post, we will reveal the award category and provide a few nominations from our staff here on the site.
If you have a nomination of your own, post it in the comments section. Please include a link to the video if possible from MLB.com’s Film Room.
On Wednesday, we will post a poll on The Feed for readers to select their winner for the award. The finalists will be determined by rec’s in the comments, and the poll will close on Friday. Make sure to rec your favorites!
This week, the award is for best offensive play in 2026 by a member of the Rockies! So without further ado, allow us to introduce the next award category and staff nominations.
The Purple Row Awards, 2026: Best Offensive Play by a Rockies Player
Who says pitchers can’t hit? Brett Sullivan walks off the Orioles: September 2nd vs Baltimore
BELGRADE, SERBIA - AUGUST 25: Nikola Jokic (L) of Serbia in action against Giannis Antetokounmpo (R) of Greece during the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Qualifier game between Serbia and Greece at Stark Arena on August 25, 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CONTINUATION OF THE “WHAT IF” WOLVES SERIES. IN THIS SERIES, I PLAY THE ROLE OF TIMBERWOLVES OVERLORD AND GO BACK IN TIME AND RIGHT SOME OF THE WRONGS OF OUR FAVORITE FRANCHISE. SINCE THIS IS THE TIMBERWOLVES, THERE ARE A LOT OF WRONGS. THIS SERIES MAY GO ON FOREVER.
Very few franchises have employed more draft busts than our beloved Minnesota Timberwolves. The poor drafting started right away, and unfortunately has continued all the way up to the drafting of Rob Dillingham in 2024. But our Wolves don’t just draft busts, we also trade for them and give them huge contracts in free agency.
The list of unfulfilled potential is long. Here’s a quick list to refresh your mind of the hot garbage that has graced the hardwood at Target Center:
Felton Spencer (1990 – 6th pick)
Luc Longley (1991 – 7th pick)
Donyell Marshall (1995 – 4th pick)
William Avery (1999 – 14th pick)
Ndubi Ebi (2003 – 26th pick)
Rashad McCants (2005 – 14th pick)
Randy Foye (2006 – 7th pick)
Jonny Flynn (2009 – 6th pick)
Wesley Johnson (2010 – 4th pick)
Shabazz Muhammad (2013 – 14th pick)
Kris Dunn (2016 – 5th pick)
And those are just some of the first round draft picks. We couldn’t stop with just draft picks though. We just had to trade for and try to fix everyone else’s garbage.
Joe Smith (1995 – 1st pick)
Michael Olowokandi (1998 – 1st pick)
Eddie Griffin (RIP) (2001 – 7th pick)
Darko “Manna from heaven” Miličić (2003 – 2nd pick)
Martell Webster (2005 – 6th pick)
Anthony Bennett (2013 – 1st pick)
Adreian Payne (RIP) (2014 – 15th pick)
Cody Williams (2024 – 10th pick) (too soon?)
Ugh. That’s enough to prove my point.
Now I know some of you may be thinking Luc Longley wasn’t that bad…for the Chicago Bulls. McCants and Foye were decent players (they weren’t.) Ndubi Ebi? Didn’t he have six fingers? Point is: we were terrible at drafting players, trading for players, and signing players. But there is one draft pick worse than all of these.
Derrick Williams.
Derrick Williams was the number two overall pick for the Wolves in the 2011 NBA Draft. Now this is rare for me, but I am going to be completely honest here: I was all about drafting Derrick Williams. Williams was the consensus second pick, right behind Duke’s Kyrie Irving. Hell, some people even had Williams as the number one pick.
Williams was an All-American power forward from the University of Arizona. He led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight his sophomore year, even upsetting Kyrie and the Blue Devils with a stat line of 32 points and 13 rebounds. He was a “can’t miss” prospect with a solid inside and outside game, explosive to the basket, and was a great rebounder for his size at 6’8”. Over a two year college career, Derrick made 42 of 74 three-point attempts. For those of you that struggle with math, that’s 56.8%.
So what happened?
Basically, the Timberwolves happened.
The 2011-12 Timberwolves roster was kind of a mess. Kevin Love was the best player on the team with averages of 26 points and 13 rebounds per game which led to his first All-Star appearance. Ricky Rubio finally came over from Spain for his rookie year. Michael Beasley was at the small forward position, trying to revive his career. Nikola “Serbian Godfather” Peković ate all the meat. Luke Ridnour was there, nobody really noticed. And then there was Derrick Williams, a power forward in a small forward’s body (or Caged Lion’s body.) Too slow to take anyone to the rack (shoutout “mud runs”). Couldn’t create his own shot. And his 56.8% three-point percentage from Arizona? It was still in Tucson.
Williams did have his flashes. He had a few double-doubles. Scored 27 against the Los Angeles Clippers one night in February. Derrick was on the finishing end of a few alley-oops from Ricky Rubio. But once Rubio went down with his knee injury (I would never forgive Kobe Bryant for this…or for some other issues), Williams struggled mightily.
I refuse to believe that drafting the biggest bust in franchise history can’t be fixed. Afterall, this is the “What If” Wolves. We only draft winners. So let’s go back in time and get rid of Derrick Williams and make this right. And I mean really right.
The 2011 NBA draft was considered at the time, a weak ass draft. It was Irving and Williams, then a bunch of other stuff. Granted, there are some Hall of Fame players that came out of this draft. Klay Thompson (11th pick), Kawhi Leonard (15th pick), previously mentioned Kyrie Irving (1st pick), and it make me sick to say this, Jimmy Butler (30th pick and hopefully doesn’t get in the HOF). Because of the limited upside at the top of the draft board, I am going to take advantage of the ridiculous fandom that was surrounding BYU guard Jimmer Fredette.
Jimmer Fredette played just like Steph Curry, but the Utah beer version, aka weak. But the people in Utah couldn’t get enough of Jimmer, so I make a call to the Utah Jazz and take advantage. I trade back in the draft by giving the Jazz the second overall pick for the following: 2011 tenth overall pick, 2013 unprotected first round pick, 2014 unprotected second round pick, and a 2015 unprotected second round pick. Utah moves up eight spots for what is basically an additional first and two seconds. Not a bad trade for either side. Maybe I could have gotten the Jazz to sweeten the deal, but their roster was just as bad as the Wolves at that time. With the second pick, the Jazz take Jimmer Fredette. This pick was made by the Jazz so fast that Kyrie was still shaking the David Stern’s hand.
Now that I avoided the dreaded draft bust of the 2011 NBA draft, I patiently wait for the draft board to play out. With the newly acquired 10th pick, the “What If” Wolves take Klay Thompson from Washington State. I don’t think that I need to breakdown Klay’s game for everyone, but he was an outstanding player. Probably possessed the most perfect jumpshot in NBA history. The Wolves get Klay Thompson and we don’t even have to give up Kevin Love for him. Check out this blast from the Canis past about the KLove for Klay trade here.
The 2011-12 “What If” Wolves continue to struggle, but they are actually building something. KLove and K-Lay (I know that is gross) shoot lights out from the perimeter. Rubio develops chemistry with the roster while running around on two healthy knees (Thompson would be the one guarding Kobe instead of Rubio). Let’s say the Wolves finish the lockout shortened season with a 30-36 record. A solid start to the rebuild.
The next few years don’t go any better for the Jazz. Jimmer would Jimmer, and the “What If” Wolves end up with their 2013 first round pick at 14th overall. The Wolves also have their own pick at number nine. With the ninth overall pick the Wolves start taking some risks. CJ McCollum will be our pick here. Despite coming out of tiny Lehigh University, CJ has made an incredible career for himself. Always a solid shooter and sometimes decent set up man.
One more risk to take with the Jazz pick from the Jimmer trade. With that pick the team looks back to team history for a bit of inspiration. The Wolves once took a chance on a skinny high school kid in 1995. After reviewing dozens of grainy VHS tapes, the Wolves take a skinny kid from Greece: Giannis Antetokounmpo. I can rewrite history however I want, so yes, I take Giannis. The real Timberwolves had the chance to draft Giannis twice. Once with the ninth overall pick (Trey Burke) which they traded to the Jazz for the 14th (Shabazz) and 21st picks (Gorgui Dieng). I right the wrong and take the Greek Freak.
With CJ and Giannis added to the “What If” Wolves, the team makes the playoffs for the first time since Kevin Garnett brought the real Timberwolves to the 2004 Western Conference Finals. The roster is starting to really look like a threat. Kevin Love, Klay Thompson, Ricky Rubio, CJ McCollum, Giannis (not spelling that last name again), Peković. Starting to look crazy scary.
Because the “What If” Wolves made the playoffs, they missed out on the 2014 lottery and the chance to redraft Zach LaVine. So let’s say the Wolves end up with the 24th overall pick and take center Clint Capela. Capella has had a solid NBA career providing solid defense and averages of about 11 points and 10 rebounds per game. Not a terrible late first round pick. We also have a slew of second round picks, Utah’s at 35 plus MN picks at 40, 44, and 53 overall.
Usually I would have waited for the spotlight to make this pick, but the NBA loves their sponsors. So with the 35th overall pick the “What If” Wolves take “a delicious cheesy quesadilla wrapped around a beefy burrito, the new Quesarito from Taco Bell.”
That’s right, during the Taco Bell commercial to push their new diarrhea inducing Quesarito, the “What If” Wolves draft Nikola Jokić!
Jokić, Giannis, Klay, CJ, and Capela to run with Ricky and Love. 82-0. All of the championships. All of them!
I think I still had some second round picks or something, but who cares? I sell all of those stupid picks for horses to give to Jokić and the rights to all of the Antetokounmpo brothers. Quesaritos on me!
