9 min: Good effort by Smith Rowe Iwobi, on the left, curls a wicked inswinging corner that brushes a Palace head and flies over the bar for another corner.
This time it’s on the right. Iwobi clips it deliberately towards Smith Rowe, unmarked 10 yards out at the near post. He watches the bounce and twists his body to crack a shot that hits Guehi and flies over the bar. Lovely effort though, a variation on the old Anderton/Sheringham corner.
Roma suffered a 1-0 defeat at Cagliari, with a second-half red card for Mehmet Celik leaving them vulnerable before Gianluca Gaetano’s late winner. The loss denied Roma the chance to narrow the gap to the Serie A leaders, Inter, leaving them fourth on 27 points.
Inter are on 30 points after their 4-0 win over Como on Saturday, a total that could be overhauled by Napoli in their evening game against Juventus, and by Milan at Torino on Monday.
Macklin Celebrini is a generational star, but even players of his caliber can’t drag a franchise forward on sheer brilliance alone.
The San Jose Sharks haven’t reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2019, and if they hope to break that skid, their supporting cast must rise to the occasion. The numbers make that reality painfully clear: when Celebrini registers at least one point, San Jose wins nearly twice as often as it loses. When he’s held quiet, not only have the Sharks failed to secure a single victory this season, but their offense all but evaporates.
That dynamic resurfaced Friday in a 4–1 loss to the Dallas Stars. The Sharks’ top line was effectively neutralized, and although the third line offered a flicker of life—Collin Graf hammered home his fourth of the season in the second period—it proved insufficient. San Jose’s fifth straight road loss was sealed well before the final horn.
Yet, even amid the setbacks, this remains a team moving in the right direction. After finishing dead last in each of the previous two seasons and hovering just above the basement the year before, the Sharks are beginning to show legitimate, sustainable progress.
If you're getting praised by one of the best hockey players of this generation in Sidney Crosby, you're probably doing things right.
"He’s definitely proved he’s one of the best in the league."
Sidney Crosby talks about Macklin Celebrini's season, #SJSharks star's case to make the Canadian Olympic team & Mack's golf game.
Late in regulation, Celebrini briefly appeared to breathe life into San Jose’s push. He uncorked a blistering one-timer past Jake Oettinger with 2:20 remaining, seemingly trimming the deficit to 3–2. But the celebration was short-lived. Following a Stars coach’s challenge, officials determined that Philipp Kurashev had entered the zone offside—24 seconds before the shot—nullifying what could have been a pivotal moment.
The Blueprint Ahead
If the Sharks want to follow a trajectory similar to the Colorado Avalanche of five or so years ago, the next step is clear: strategic, meaningful roster upgrades. Depth wins in the modern NHL, and San Jose remains a few well-chosen pieces away from turning competitive flashes into consistent success. Celebrini’s continued ascent only amplifies the urgency—and the opportunity.
At just 19, he sits third in the NHL scoring race with 40 points, trailing only Connor McDavid (42) and Nathan MacKinnon (48). His 26 assists rank second in the league, again behind McDavid’s 28. He’s not merely living up to expectations; he’s expanding them.
The Sharks face the Carolina Hurricanes today, carrying one of the starkest statistical contrasts in the league. When Celebrini goes pointless, they’re 0-6-2 with just eight goals to show for it. When he factors into the scoring, they surge to 13-7-1.
San Jose’s future hinges on one truth: Celebrini can be the engine, but the rest of the machine must keep pace.
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Belleville Senators' Phillipe Daoust has put up 23 points in 25 games, the seventh-highest in the AHL and the best numbers for an unrestricted free agent prospect in the league.
This has also eclipsed his previous best of 22 points scored in MORE THAN TWICE the games at 52 from the 2024-25 season.
The 24-year-old was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 2020 Draft and signed to a $2.47M entry-level contract in 2022 that expired this past off-season because of poor showing.
With the dramatic improvement in performance, this is the golden window for the Barrie, Ontario native to get another NHL deal. He just needs to keep up the scoring. Of course, it is easier said than done.
The Nashville Predators penalty kill has been a staple to the franchise.
Embracing a "Smashville" identity, where the Predators play a more physical style of hockey, it only makes sense that year in and year out, the team is effective on the penalty kill. When their opponent thinks they have a leg up on the power play, Nashville immediately shuts it down.
Those numbers have held strong this season, as the Predators' penalty kill has been among the top 10 in the NHL. In their win over the Florida Panthers on Thursday, the Predators' PK killed off 6-of-6 and was awarded the locker room's player of the game award.
The Predators' penalty kill is efficient and is a weapon in their arsenal. However, by itself, it's not going to turn around their season.
Their 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday was an example of the Predators' need to stay out of the box and stop forcing so much on their penalty killing unit.
Carolina's power play, which ranks 27th in the league, scored twice on a whopping six power plays. It's the second straight game that Nashville has given its opponent six opportunities with the man-advantage.
While it is good that the Predators are able to kill off these penalties, as a team still ranked last in the league, they are spending more time defending than attacking. Short-handed goals can be factored in, but Nashville has only scored once while playing 4-on-5.
The Predators' penalty minutes are down from the previous season, ranking 18th in the NHL with 246 PIM. In their last five games, Nashville has committed 73 minutes in penalties, averaging at least 14 minutes per game.
That's nearly 75% of one period playing a man down.
Looking at the Predators' season as a whole, they are averaging 3.94 penalties per game, which suddenly puts them at 11th. In generating offense, Nashville is averaging 27.6 shots per game (17th in NHL) and 2.61 goals per game (29th in NHL).
The penalty kill should be used when needed, but it cannot be the sole factor in giving the Predators a chance to win. Nashville cannot expect to rise in the standings when it's spending so much time playing with one arm tied behind its back.
Two power-play goals allowed in a game isn't the end-all of a final result, but taking those off the board gave Nashville a better chance to win in a game where it got its offense going late.
It would've been 4-3, with the Predators scoring all three of their goals in the third period. Even in the 2-1 overtime win over the Panthers, if Nashville hadn't been in and out of the box, it could've had a chance to blow open the game and maybe not give a point to Florida.
The Predators' penalty killing unit has customized hoodies this season. It's a sled being pulled by four dogs and the hoodie says "DO NOT PET."
If anything, the Predators are currently asking those dogs to sprint the Iditarod.
Building up to the 2026 Olympics in Milan in February, there has been concern around the league regarding the arena that players will be playing in. There have been reports about the arena not being ready, as well as the surface being about three feet shorter than an NHL rink.
On Sportsnet’s ‘Saturday Headlines,’ insider Elliotte Friedman said he sees a good chance that all will be fine and NHL players will get to feature in the Olympics for the first time since 2014.
However, Friedman spoke with the NHLPA’s assistant executive director, Ron Hainsey, regarding what the biggest issue will be with the Olympic arena.
While the shorter ice surface isn’t ideal, Hainsey and the NHLPA are more concerned about the safety and quality of the ice in Milan.
The league is supposed to hold a test event from Jan. 9 to 11, Friedman reported.
“I think that test event is going to be critical, very important in determining how good this ice is going to be,” the Sportsnet insider said.
Furthermore, Friedman pointed to the schedule of the opening two days of the men’s ice hockey event, explaining that there will be five games played in 30 hours. In addition, those games will be coming after some contests from the women’s event.
With all that, the message that Hainsey portrayed was clear.
“The health and safety of our players while playing on any surface will not be compromised,” he said.
Earlier in this segment on the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, Friedman explained why Hainsey and the NHLPA aren’t as worried about the size of the ice versus the quality.
Both games were held at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, and according to Friedman, the 197-foot surface was similar to what these players will have to deal with at the Olympics.
In this situation, the size of the neutral zone was slightly shorter, while the two remaining zones on opposite sides of the ice remained NHL size.
Hainsey shared that the NHLPA never received any complaints in relation to the ice size and believes it shouldn’t be a big issue come February for the Olympic Games.
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A terrific finish from Jarrod Bowen gave West Ham the lead, but Georginio Rutter’s late equaliser rescued a point for a disappointing Brighton
“Celebrating the resurgence of West Ham is a bit premature, chides Eric Peterson. “They’re on a three-game winless streak, with those games against: a sinking Bournemouth, a floundering Manchester United, and an imploding Liverpool. Facing Brighton, which hadn’t lost since October before running into an irresistible Aston Villa, will provide a sterner, and truer, test.”
They’re much better than they were; United battered Brighton; and Villa were not irresistible in midweek. I don’t think West Ham will go down, do you?
Unusually devoid of creativity, Brighton had found themselves imprisoned within Nuno Espírito Santo’s tactical cage, falling right into his hands. Jarrod Bowen, so often West Ham’s talisman, scored the goal, executing the masterplan from the narrowest of angles, perfectly executing the counterattacking strategy. Slowly but surely, still staring demotion in the face, Nuno’s team look capable of fighting their way to safety. His plan had come together so well that Bowen’s goal was supplied by a substitute in Callum Wilson, on the field for just 51 seconds. His masterplan fell short when the Amex, the home of late goals, staged yet another comeback, Georginio Rutter roofing the equaliser amid the type of madcap scramble that is commonplace at Brighton.
Before a late surge that had seemed wholly beyond them, Brighton could not muster a shot on target. Their ambitions of returning to the European stage they graced in the 2023-24 season are being hindered by inconsistency. West Ham were in Europe that season, too, though horizons are lowered. Leeds’ form has deepened relegation worries and they were denied the three points they needed to close the gap by Rutter’s equaliser.
Back on Nov. 20, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that the Winnipeg Jets have given Brad Lambert permission to seek a trade. While the young forward has yet to be dealt, that certainly could change before the trade deadline.
Lambert is a 21-year-old former first-round pick, so there are likely many clubs that would love to add him to their system.
The 6-foot-1 center has shown promise early on in his career, including when he posted 21 goals and 55 points in 64 games in his second season with the AHL's Manitoba Moose in 2023-24.
Although Lambert is still looking to break out at the NHL level, he has the potential to grow as he continues to gain more experience.
With that, let's look at three teams that could be good fits for Lambert.
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators could make a lot of sense as a landing spot for Lambert. With the Predators once again being one of the NHL's worst teams this season, they should be looking to add young talent who have the potential to benefit them long-term. Lambert could do just that if he breaks out and hits his full potential.
When looking at the Predators' roster, Lambert would have the potential to immediately fit in their top nine. This would be even more of the case if the Predators end up moving on from top trade candidates like Ryan O'Reilly and Steven Stamkos this season.
While the Pittsburgh Penguins have had a strong start to the 2025-26 season, they are still in the middle of a retool. Because of this, it would be very understandable if they made a major push for a young forward with good upside like Lambert.
If the Penguins acquired Lambert, he would give them another promising forward prospect to work with. This would certainly not be a bad thing for Pittsburgh, especially when veteran star centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are up there in age.
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins also make sense as a potential landing spot for Lambert. The Bruins need more young and skilled forwards as they continue to build up their roster again. Thus, a player like Lambert could very well grab their attention.
In the short term, Lambert could compete for a spot in the Bruins' bottom six. However, he also would have the potential to be a part of Boston's top six if he broke out for the Original Six club.
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The Yankees' offseason, so far, has been uneventful.
Aside from some minor signings, and one big qualifying offer being accepted, New York has yet to fill out its roster to try to get back to the World Series. While division rivals like the Red Sox and Blue Jays have already made big splashes, Yankees GM Brian Cashman is seemingly biding his time. While the team's needs and priorities are very obvious, the Yankees enter the MLB Winter Meetings with a lot of questions and even more work to do.
Here's a checklist of what the Yankees need to do this week during the Winter Meetings in Orlando...
Bring Cody Bellinger back
The biggest offseason move the Yankees need to make is to re-sign Bellinger. Cashman got a steal when he made the trade with the Cubs last offseason to bring the former NL MVP to The Bronx. Bellinger had one of his best seasons as a pro and helped the Yankees lengthen the lineup and shore up the defense in the outfield. He won games single-handedly with his defense alone this past season and has proven that he's perfect for the pinstripes.
It's clear Bellinger is Cashman's priority this offseason, just as Juan Soto was a year ago. And while that pursuit didn't pan out, Cashman can't possibly allow Bellinger not to return, especially when teams like the Dodgers and Mets are vying for his services.
It won't be easy, Bellinger — who is represented by Scott Boras — will look to have a lucrative multi-year deal and the Yankees may have to go further than they otherwise might be comfortable with; that's how important Bellinger is to the 2026 Yankees. Aaron Judge and Trent Grisham can't be the only veterans in the outfield next season while they try to capture lightning in a bottle with Jasson Dominguez or Spencer Jones.
Oct 2, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) runs to home plate in the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox during game three of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Enact Plan B if Bellinger leaves
This offseason is becoming eerily similar to last year. Soto took the money to go to the Mets and Cashman had to pivot, and pivot he did.
Cashman traded for Bellinger and Devin Williams while signing Max Fried. The GM's moves worked and helped the Yankees tie the Blue Jays for the best record in the American League. Now, what could Cashman do for an encore?
If the Yankees can't re-sign Bellinger, Cashman needs to be ready to enact his Plan B. Whether that's signing Kyle Tucker or trading for an outfielder like Steven Kwan, the longtime GM has to show the fans that if Bellinger doesn't come back, the outfield will be just fine.
Cashman has to be creative; he's done it before, and he may need to do it again. Hopefully, he's prepared.
Fill out the bullpen
Two moves the Yankees have made this offseason are re-signing Ryan Yarbrough and picking up Tim Hill's option, which helps fill holes in the bullpen, but there's still work to be done.
Devin Williams is gone and Luke Weaver is still a free agent. Cashman and the organization have been great at creating a bullpen in the past and I expect this year to be the same. Perhaps a reunion with Weaver is on the way, or signing former Padres closer Robert Suarez to pair with David Bednar is a possibility. And, who knows, perhaps a trade could happen in the same way Williams was acquired.
Figuring out the outfield is the priority for the Yankees, but finishing up the bullpen is second on the list and Cashman needs to address it soon.
Oct 4, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver (30) throws in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game one of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Get greedy and sign a starter
The Yankees' starting rotation is set ... when it's healthy.
Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon will miss the start of the 2026 season, but they will be back. But there may be questions about their effectiveness when they do return. Cashman and the Yankees also have to wonder if they can fully trust the trio of Luis Gil, Will Warren and Cam Schlittler for another season.
The Yankees can give themselves some comfort by splurging on another starter either in free agency or via trade.
There are some intriguing buy-low, reclamation projects like Zac Gallen or Merrill Kelly who can shore up the back of the rotation. Miami has controllable starters like Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera that can be traded for as well. The rotation is definitely low on the list of priorities for the Yankees, but with so many question marks, it can't hurt to have as many starters as possible and if Cashman brings one in, the younger arms become trade pieces for the aforementioned outfielder.
Dispel all payroll questions
Heading into the Winter Meetings, there's been a lot of chatter about the Yankees' 2026 payroll and whether or not Hal Steinbrenner is willing to go over $300 million, including comments from Steinbrenner himself. They currently sit at around $283.6 million (after taxes), so there's not a lot of wiggle room for the Yankees if they hope to improve their team.
I find it hard to believe the Yankees would operate below $300 million, so Cashman could show the baseball world — and Yankees fans — that they are ready to spend this offseason by signing a Bellinger or a handful of names. Not to rush the process, but leaving the Winter Meetings without a deal done would not quell fears. It'll be even worse if targets like Bellinger and Tucker sign elsewhere.
The Mets have already made two bold moves this offseason -- trading Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for Marcus Semien and signing Devin Williams to bolster the back end of the bullpen.
With New York looking to rebound following a season with sky high expectations that ended with them missing the playoffs, expect more boldness -- especially with now seeming like the right time to trade some of the team's top prospects if the right impact player is available.
Here's what the Mets' checklist should be as David Stearns and Co. attend the MLB Winter Meetings this week in Orlando...
With Williams on board, the team has added a usually lights-out reliever whose relatively down 2025 campaign feels like an aberration -- with that belief bolstered by Williams' underlying numbers and the fact that his changeup remained one of the most dominant pitches in the sport.
But Williams should be part one of two, and the endgame has him serving as the setup man and handing the ball to Diaz to close things out.
Much has been made of the Nimmo trade, and how it could be a sign that Stearns isn't sentimental when it comes to retaining fan favorites. But bringing Diaz back wouldn't be about pleasing the fan base. It would simply be the right baseball move for a team that is trying to win the World Series.
New York indicated after signing Williams that they remain interested in bringing Diaz back, and they have to know that it will take at least four years to get it done. So their willingness to signal their continued interest in Diaz after inking Williams suggests they'll eventually be comfortable going to four years.
Apr 17, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) enters the field during the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field. / Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images
The big question, then, is whether any team is willing to offer Diaz a five-year contract, and if the Mets would match it. Taking all of the reporting into account, it doesn't seem like it will be the Dodgers, Yankees, or Red Sox who go long for Diaz. It could be the Blue Jays, but reports have connected them more to the relievers a tier below Diaz. Toronto is also in on Kyle Tucker, and is trying to re-sign Bo Bichette.
All of this points to a sensible resolution between the Mets and Diaz, who has been clear about his desire to stay. If some team does offer five years, perhaps the Mets can strike a balance by upping the average annual value on a four-year deal and making it just as appealing as any hypothetical five-year one.
As was the case last offseason, it can be argued that Alonso is the best fit for the Mets and that the Mets are the best fit for Alonso.
But his free agency could drag out anyway, with reports that he's seeking a seven-year deal.
While a seven-year deal (or even a six-year contract) doesn't feel likely, Alonso and agent Scott Boras are under no obligation to give up that hope quickly. And that leaves the Mets in a tough spot.
They're going to need to add serious power, whether it's achieved by re-signing Alonso or signing/trading for someone else. But they can't afford to wait until January to find out if a reunion with Alonso is likely.
If they determine Alonso's asking price is too high, or that he's simply not willing to compromise in the next few weeks, they might have to pivot -- which could potentially result in the end of Alonso's tenure in Queens.
What that pivot could look like is anyone's guess, but free agent Kyle Schwarber is among the interesting possibilities.
Address the starting rotation
It was the failure of the rotation that was most responsible for dooming the Mets' 2025 season. And their biggest task this offseason is adding pitchers to it who help ensure that it doesn't wilt again.
While the easiest way to add impact pitching could be signing free agent Framber Valdez, it can be argued that it isn't prudent to give a 32-year-old pitcher a long-term deal.
Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez (59) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers in game one of the Wild Card round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Minute Maid Park. / Troy Taormina - Imagn Images
There are less expensive options on the free agent market, like Ranger Suarez and Michael King, but they come with their own question marks.
If the Mets believe in 27-year-old Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai as a No. 3 starter with the upside to be more, he could make the most sense as the free agent they set their sights on.
But New York needs to add a legitimate top of the rotation arm, and the best way to do that is by turning to the trade market, where Joe Ryan and Freddy Peralta are the best fits (assuming Tigers ace Tarik Skubal isn't available).
As is noted above, this could be the offseason for the Mets to dangle some of their top prospects if the right trade comes along. A deal for Ryan or Peralta would qualify.
Explore the outfield possibilities
The Nimmo trade means that there are now holes in both left field and center field, and there are a whole bunch of different ways the Mets can go.
Stearns said before the Nimmo trade that prospect Carson Benge could possibly break camp as the starting center fielder. Now, the possibility exists that he begins the season as the starting left fielder.
The presence of Tyrone Taylor gives the Mets a defense-first option to play center, but it seems unlikely they'd go internal in both center and left -- unless they bolster other positions in a big way.
There's also a chance the future of Alonso impacts what the Mets do in the outfield.
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) flips his bat as he rounds the bases after hitting a home run / Jayne Kamin-Oncea - Imagn Images
For example, if Alonso leaves, it would make sense for New York to be more inclined to spring for someone like free agent Cody Bellinger.
There are also intriguing trade options, including Jarren Duran of the Red Sox, Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox, and Byron Buxton of the Twins -- players who should fit in a world with or without Alonso.
Despite Stearns saying after the Nimmo for Semien trade that McNeil is on board with what the Mets are doing, it feels pretty likely that he will be playing elsewhere in 2026.
With just one year remaining on his deal, it shouldn't be difficult to find interested teams for the versatile 33-year-old. In the event the Mets don't find anyone willing to give fair value, they could always keep McNeil and have him be a super utility player.
The situation with Senga is much trickier.
Senga's upside is enormous, but he hasn't been on the mound enough (Stearns himself said it would be "foolish" to rely on Senga for 30 starts in 2026). Part of that is due to injury, and part of it is due to issues with Senga's mechanics and comfortability -- something that led to him going to the minors late last season, working on things, and deciding he wasn't able to contribute to the big league team after that minor league stint.
He is set to earn $30 million over the final two guaranteed years of his contract. And given what pitchers have been getting on the free agent market, Senga should be appealing to teams who think they can get his mechanics right and keep him healthy. But the Mets shouldn't be giving him away.
Other possible trade candidates include Ronny Mauricio, Luisangel Acuña, and Mark Vientos.
The murmurs surrounding a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade have heated up in recent days, which has naturally thrust the Knicks — now at 15-7 and winners of seven of their last 10 — into the rumor mill.
Despite having seven different champions in seven different seasons, one thing stayed constant about modern NBA champions: employing a generational superstar. Now while Jalen Brunson deserves every superlative in the book, including MVP candidate, Antetokounmpo is undoubtedly in another tier of greatness.
For reference, Giannis is averaging 29.9 points, 11.8 rebounds and six assists on 57.7 percent shooting from the field — over the last seven seasons. He was off to an even hotter start this year before injury.
He’s only five seasons removed from an NBA Championship and Finals MVP, and another year from back-to-back MVPs. He’d have more hardware if not for other rising stars and the Bucks roster slowly disintegrating around him.
So it’s easy to imagine this peak-Shaq-esque production in an improved context and not really gripe much about the cost. Care about losing Karl-Anthony Towns and you’re replacing him with an equally threatening scorer, care about losing OG Anunoby and you’ve replaced him with another Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner.
A Giannis trade will likely have to cost two of them or other key rotation pieces, along with draft capital, a predictable and necessary pill to swallow to pair him with Brunson. Doing so maximizes your championship ceiling, which has been the ultimate goal of the Leon Rose era in New York.
Concerns about filling out the rest of the roster can be addressed at the trade deadline and by calling on current fringe rotation guys to step up. Last year’s Thunder were an aberration with their impressive depth, built up by years of tanking and trading — most recent champs grinded it out with a core eight-man rotation.
Those worried about Antetokounmpo’s fit with a smaller guard after the Damian Lillard combination blew up should note that Brunson’s younger and much more adept at screening and being a threat off the ball. Lillard also needed a year to adjust to his new surroundings, and the Bucks went through a midseason firing trying to right the ship.
The Knicks have a far stronger foundation to build a winner around Brunson and Antetokounmpo, with even their ill-fitting assets being valuable enough to swap if need be. You can nitpick fit and asset management to death, or you can trade for a top-five talent in the league and live with the results.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dribbles as New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) defends during the second half at Madison Square Garden / Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images
The case against trading for Giannis
Unfortunately, the concerns with an Antetokounmpo fit are more than nitpicky. Almost any variation of this trade, save for moving Brunson, leaves more basketball questions than answers.
Dealing Towns leaves New York’s center rotation down to an ailing Mitchell Robinson, Ariel Hukporti and Trey Jemison III. Outside of the overall talent, none of them can space the floor for Antetokounmpo, a long-standing must out of his frontcourt mate.
Antetokounmpo never spent more time at the five than he had to in his youth, and likely won’t want to do it more now that he’s past 30. Assuming the trade is Towns and a wing, you could trade one of Josh Hart or Mikal Bridges for a five to help smooth out the starters, but it’s impossible to ignore how thin the rotation looks after all these moves.
If the Knicks deal “Wingstop” for Antetokounmpo and manage to keep Towns, they’ll be in a similar glut on the wing, forced to rely on Hart, their guards, potentially Kyle Kuzma, Mohamed Diawara and whatever a potential Robinson trade could bring. Even if that’s addressed, the on-court chemistry may take longer to materialize than people expect.
Towns hasn’t found his full rhythm in this Mike Brown offense yet. How would that go with a second alpha in front of him on the touch ladder? Defensively, would he still be able to anchor things come playoff time without the strong defensive depth once surrounding him on this team?
There’s also more to the Brunson-Antetokounmpo question than simply dismissing the Lillard situation at face. Antetokounmpo captured his title alongside two big guards in Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday that ran a ton of pick-and-roll with him as both handlers and screeners.
Even with his off-ball game, it’s not clear Brunson can replicate that formula, especially making the tough passes to Antetokounmpo when crowded on screens at his size. Those were also relatively low-usage guards that could defer to Giannis at any time, while Brunson, though flexible, primarily needs his hands on the ball.
Finally, the cost of the trade is going to eat the Knicks' present and future chances of winning, for only a small bump to their championship ceiling. The Spurs and anybody with a similar asset pile is ready to offer up the boat for Giannis, and to match New York will have to part with every remaining scrap of its draft capital and rotational depth.
You do that for a sure thing, and while Antetokounmpo is as close as you’re getting, he’s 31 years old with a battery of injuries down his resume and a ton of questions to answer once he arrives. This doesn’t even get to the opportunity cost of such a trade.
Right now, the Knicks are a favorite to get out of the East, and few of their counterparts have the juice for an Antetokounmpo trade. That means New York can stand by, count its wins, watch him likely leave the conference and only have to worry about a bunch of teams they’ve already bounced out of the playoffs in years prior.
Why sacrifice that, and this impressive core that’s coming together, in a midseason blockbuster trade? The Knicks are in contention mode, not desperation mode, and this move reeks more of the latter than the former.
Columbus is 21-27-1-10 all-time, and 10-14-1-4 on the road vs. Washington.
The Jackets are 6-6-1 at Capital One Arena in the last 13 games.
The CBJ went 2-1-1 vs. the Caps last season.
The Capitals have won both meetings this season by a combined score of 10-2.
Who To Watch For TheCapitals
Tom Wilson leads the Caps with 17 goals and 31 points.
Alex Ovechkin has 14 goals on the season.
Dylan Strome and John Carlson lead Washington with 17 assists each.
Goalie Logan Thompson is 12-6-1 with a .919 SV%. His last start was on December 5th.
Charlie Lindgren is 5-3-1 with a SV% of .893. His last start was on December 3rd against San Jose
CBJ Player Notes vs.Capitals
Zach Werenski has 20 points in 27 career games against Washington.2
Charlie Coyle has 14 points in 32 games.
Sean Monahan has 17 points in 23 games vs. the Caps.
Injuries
Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 20 Games - IR - No timeline for a return
Boone Jenner - Upper Body - Missed 12 Games - IR - Could return this week
Mathieu Olivier - Upper Body - Missed 5 Games - IR- No timeline for a return
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 53
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
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