For the past four years, the NBA has played a preseason game in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, as the league tries to expand its fan base in the region (and cozy up to the kind of monied families that the NBA always wants to keep close).
This should not be a surprise, especially considering Iran has launched missile and drone attacks into the UAE targeting military and oil production facilities. The NBA isn't the only sports league facing this situation. Formula 1 had already postponed its Bahrain stop (now taking place in Malaysia in October), and it still has yet to announce plans for races scheduled in Abu Dhabi and Qatar later this year.
The NBA did not announce preseason games in Abu Dhabi this year, as it has in the past. The NBA is still going overseas this preseason with the Mavericks and Rockets playing a couple of games in October at The Venetian Arena in Macao, China. The NBA also will play regular season games, one in Paris and one in Manchester, England, in January.
MILWAUKEE, WI -MAY 06: Jimmy Haslam, Co-Owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, introduces new head coach Taylor Jenkins on May 06, 2026 at the Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In the span of three weeks, teams owned by Jimmy Haslam traded DE Myles Garrett and SF/PF Giannis Antetokounmpo in deals that included players and draft compensation. For the Cleveland Browns and Milwaukee Bucks, Haslam’s teams, the trades reset their rosters and turn their attention toward the future.
Both big trades were similar. The Browns acquired DE Jared Verse and three draft picks, while the Bucks added Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, four draft picks, and one pick swap.
According to Haslam, he believes it is more difficult to rebuild in the NBA than the NFL:
Cleveland fans are aware that Haslam’s Browns have made the playoffs just twice, their only two seasons with a winning record during his ownership tenure, and his 14-year record as owner is 78-150-1. If rebuilding is more difficult for Haslam in the NBA, we send our condolences to the fine fans in Milwaukee for what their process might look like.
What do you think? Is it harder to rebuild in the NFL or the NBA? Do you feel bad for Bucks fans or glad to have someone to experience Haslam ownership struggles with?
This much is not in dispute: The Moda Center needs upgrades. The 31-year-old home to the Portland Trail Blazers feels dated the moment you walk in, both for a fan experience and the back of the house. Everyone agrees that renovations and upgrades are needed, with the NBA pushing to get it done.
The question of who is going to pay for that has led to a bit of an Old West showdown between the City and the Trail Blazers — in particular, new owner Tom Dundon — and has raised questions about whether his real goal is to move the Trail Blazers out of Portland.
What is the core issue?
The Trail Blazers want $600 million from various government agencies for renovations and upgrades to the Moda Center, which is owned by the city of Portland (it purchased it for literally $1 from the Paul Allen estate).
The Trail Blazers and billionaire owner Tom Dundon plan to contribute none of their own money.
"It feels like we're making a pretty big investment by staying here and paying these tax rates," Dundon reportedly said at a meeting of the Portland Metro Chamber being held at the Moda Center.
Government agencies have stepped up. The Oregon State legislature already approved $365 million in funding for the upgrades, but it's contingent on the City of Portland ($120 million) and Multnomah County ($88 million) pitching in as well. If either of the local entities does not pony up, the state money goes away at the end of 2026.
The Portland City Council has said that before it votes to approve its $120 million for the renovation, it wants a few things, including the Trail Blazers to tell them how they are going to spend that money and what the upgrades look like. The Trail Blazers have given no such plans, saying they already had a handshake agreement with the city to approve the funding, plus the city should pay for an architect to help come up with the plans for the building it owns.
That is not all. The city also wanted the Trail Blazers to sign a 20-year lease to stay in Portland, commit to using union workers for the renovations and at things like concession stands during games, and pay a $3 million-a-year fee to help offset the property taxes. The Trail Blazers have said those final two demands are a non-starter.
It should be noted that the city takes the bulk of the parking revenue from the building and there is a six percent fee on every ticket sold to a Trail Blazers game, with that money going back to upgrade the arena (reportedly $4 million last year).
This is usually the part where the two sides negotiate and come to a compromise, and a deal gets done. Except, there seems to be no negotiation and the Trail Blazers are playing hardball. With the state money going away at the end of the year, Dundon and the Trail Blazers believe they have all the leverage.
Would the Trail Blazers move?
What has some people on edge is that the Pacific Northwest has seen this movie before. From the outside, it's easy to see how Dundon appears to be using the Clay Bennett ownership playbook — he and his group bought the Seattle SuperSonics with the intention from the start of moving the franchise to Oklahoma City. Get in a fight with the city because the billionaire wants massive arena upgrades, and if you don't get your way, move the team (and the other owners will back you because they will want to leverage their cities in the future).
Maybe that is Dundon's ultimate plan, but executing it would be very difficult.
First, where would the Trail Blazers go? The two most logical destinations — Seattle and Las Vegas — are about to get expansion teams, and the other owners are not going to let Dundon get in the way of those expansion fees that will be a cash windfall for owners and franchises. One suggestion was that he could move the team across the country to Raleigh, North Carolina, where Dundon's NHL team, the Hurricanes, play. The problem there is the Charlotte Hornets are just 150 miles away and would have a say. Dundon lives in Austin, but the Dallas Mavericks are a couple of hundred miles away.
Second, speaking of expansion, the NBA is finally moving another team to the Pacific Northwest with the Seattle expansion team coming in a couple of years, helping deal with a travel issue for the league and the Trail Blazers — no team is more geographically isolated than Portland. Move them out and move Seattle in and the league has the same issue.
Finally, there is a process for moving a team. It involves the Trail Blazers formally applying to move (and paying $250,000), Commissioner Adam Silver putting together a committee of other owners to study the move, then that committee would make a recommendation to the other owners for a vote. One of the questions that committee asks is whether the city's fan base still supports the team, and that is without question in Portland. The fan base loves the Trail Blazers, this is a passionate group.
This process has stopped a team from moving before: In 2013, a group wanted to purchase the Sacramento Kings and move them to Seattle, but the league stepped in. Ultimately, with Silver in a lead role (as a deputy commissioner, David Stern was still running the show), they found a local owner in Vivek Ranadive who not only bought the team and kept it in Sacramento, but he ultimately built a new arena that is one of the best in the league.
What happens now?
Negotiations and votes.
Multnomah County commissioners have scheduled a vote on Aug. 6 on its $88 million in funding. Next, Portland's city council is scheduled to vote on its $120 million on Aug. 12, although that could be pushed back depending upon negotiations.
The real deadline is the end of the year, when the state funding goes away if the city and county haven't approved their deals.
Just like their NBA counterparts, the Long Island Nets are in rebuild mode. Of course, in the G League, teams are always in rebuild mode. Here’s what’s been going on.
The Nets’ organization has added another international prospect to its development pipeline as the Long Island Nets have selected French guard Tidjiane Dioumassi with the 13th overall pick in the G League’s International Draft, a source told NetsDaily.
SOURCES: The Long Island #Nets selected French guard Tidjiane Dioumassi with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NBA G League International Draft.
I'm told he is expected to make the team's roster.
The selection gives Long Island Dioumassi's G League rights if he chooses to…
Dioumassi went undrafted in June NBA Draft, prompting him to enter the pool for the G League’s International Draft, where Long Island swooped him up at No. 13 overall.
Long Island now owns Dioumassi’s G League rights if he elects to play in the league this season. A league source told ND that he will participate in training camp with Long Island and that he is expected to make the roster.
MacDonald in line for chief scout?
I’m told the decision to select Dioumassi was made by Long Island’s front office rather than Brooklyn’s. That office is spearheaded by Long Island GM Matt Macdonald and assistant GMs Kory Jones and Kyle Hines. who have good reputations around the NBA, particularly MacDonald.
All three are praised for their high character, while Jones and Hines are commonly referred to as fast risers in the front-office realm.
As we’ve reported, Macdonald’s name has circulated as a candidate for the Nets’ chief scout role, which has been vacant since Acie Law IV left the organization in May for Chicago. Based on what we’re hearing, I would tab him to be the favorite to earn that role.
Building a roster
It’s important to keep in mind that a lot can change before Long Island finalizes its final roster, including will the Nets find any players at team’s local tryout next month. Players they have rostered following the local tryout route include Terry Roberts, who has spent three years with the team; Patrick Gardner, a 7-footer on Egypt’s National Team; Jordan Minor, who had a rotational role during the 2024-25 season, and Craig Randall II, the league’s Most Improved Player in 2021-22.
We’re also told that Long Island utilized “practice players” last season. Players who didn’t earn roster spots but would practice with the team at the “Yes We Can Center” in Westbury. One of those players, James Montgomery, had first been discovered at the team’s local tryout last year, according to one source. So the local workouts can help the franchise and get locals an alternate route to pro ball.
The Newest Guy
Dioumassi, a 24=year-old French national who stands at 6’5” and 200 pounds, last played at Western Carolina University in the 2025 NCAA season. He averaged 8.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 36.4% from three in 29 games.
Prior to that, he spent two seasons at Southern University following two years in the JUCO ranks. Overall, he spent five seasons in the NCAA, putting him on the older side for a draft-eligible player.
Following training camp, Dioumassi and his independent representative, Stacey Leawood, will evaluate their options to see if it’s worth sticking around on Long Island or pursuing a career overseas.
Core emerging?
Beyond Dioumassi, Long Island’s core this season is beginning to become clearer.
Second-round rookie Tyler Bilodeau is expected to spend significant time with Long Island. Bilodeau signed a two-way contract right after being selected.
Chaney Johnson the other two-way, was excellent in Summer League, averaging 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3.3 steals per game leading the 2026 NBA Summer League in that final category. He — and Bilodeau — can only be active for 50 NBA games before the team has to decide whether a standard deal with Brooklyn is in order.
The Nets still have one two-way spot vacant. Based on what we’re hearing, Grant Nelson appears the favorite to earn that contract. While he continues to recover from patellar tendinitis, also known as “jumper’s knee,” the Alabama product couldn’t participate in Summer League although he traveled with the team and was on their roster.
Dain Dainja has also emerged as a name worth monitoring. A Summer League invitee for Brooklyn, he popped in Sacramento and Vegas, the only non-contract player in the team’s rotation. He averaged 6.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 stocks (steals plus blocks) while flashing his physicality at 6’9” and 260 pounds along with a whopping 7’6” wingspan.
The 24-year-old spent last season with the Sioux Skyforce in the G League, the Miami Heat’s affiliate.
Beyond that, Long Island is expected to have multiple players on Exhibit 10 contracts, as has been the case in recent seasons. Three other players on the Summer League roster: 6’4” guard Dion Brown out of St Louis, 6’10” big man Duke Brennan from Villanova, and 6’9” forward Ben Humrichous a shooting specialist who player at Illinois.
All three had their moments in Summer League, although Humrichous showed the most scoring-wise and Dion Brown appeared to be a defensive sparkplug. He also finished Summer League with a triple-double.
Under the NBA’s current CBA, teams can carry up to six Exhibit 10 players into training camp. Exhibit 10 contracts include a bonus worth up to $85,000 if a player is waived and spends the required time with the organization’s G League affiliate. Sources told ND that the Nets are one of only a handful of organizations that fully guarantee every Exhibit 10 they sign, making Brooklyn an especially attractive landing spot for players who fit that mold.
Multiple agents have also told us they view E10 contracts as more player-friendly than two-way deals in certain situations. While two-way contracts pay way more (half of the league’s minimum every year), some teams can use them to build fences around players and rarely promote them to the NBA, which limits other teams from poaching them.
E10 players, though, remain NBA free agents. They can continue developing in the G League while remaining eligible to sign a two-way or standard NBA contract with any franchise at any point during the season. Over the past few years, Long Island has established a reputation as one of the best development systems in the league.
Big Question
Last year, with a record five first rounders, Brooklyn shuttled four of them to Long Island and back multiple times to help get minutes needed for development. Ben Saraf logged the most – 15 games. Will any of the players not named Egor Demin find themselves playing at Nassau Coliseum again? The same question can be posed about Joshua Jefferson.
Coaching changes
While Mfon Udofia, former LI head coach and a huge part of that, is now an assistant coach with the Orlando Magic, the organization promoted from within to land their next HC, Shawn Swords, who was Udofia’s No. 2 for the past three seasons.
Long Island also lost an assistant coach, Steven Kaner. He is now assistant video coordinator for the Atlanta Hawks.
Home Opener
Long Island’s home opener is Friday, November 13, at Nassau Coliseum.
Nosek, 33, is from Pardubice and has been playing in the team’s system since 2007, when he started with the HC Dynamo Pardubice U18 squad.
During his two seasons with the Panthers, Nosek played a total of 80 regular season games, accumulating three goals and 13 points while winning 49.9% of his faceoffs, primarily centering Florida’s fourth line when in the lineup.
He suited up for 16 games during the Panthers run to the 2025 Stanley Cup, logging three assists and laying out 44 hits.
When the time came for Nosek to spend a day with the Stanley Cup, he brought the trophy back to Pardubice, visiting his childhood rink and former high school before sharing the Cup with thousands of fans at the town’s historic Pernštýnské Square.
For a man who clearly has a lot of love for his hometown, it’s very cool to see him take advantage of an opportunity to potentially finish his career there.
If you’ve taken a closer look at the Montreal Canadiens schedule for this season, you might have noticed that two of the 84 games will be played on a Monday afternoon. One is on January 18 against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center, and the other is on February 22 against the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. There is also a Thursday afternoon game, played on New Year's Eve at 2:00 PM against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The game against the Sabres falls on Martin Luther King Day, which is a bank holiday in the USA but not in Canada, but the ones against the Flyers and the Bolts are not bank holidays in North America.
So why would the NHL schedule afternoon games then? NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly explained the reasoning behind it in the latest edition of The Eye Test Podcast hosted by Pierre McGuire and Jimmy Murphy. Essentially, the league has decided to design a package of weekday games to air at prime time in Europe without competition from European football, particularly on Monday nights.
If you’re not keen about missing a couple of your favorite team’s games, you might have to get used to it, as Daly also stated that he thinks it’s inevitable that at some point, the NHL will expand to Europe. If that’s the case, there will be more weekday games for every team. Daly does acknowledge that there are still obstacles to making that happen in an 84-game season, but it’s interesting to hear that the League is studying the possibility.
— The Sick Podcast - The Eye Test (@sickpodnhl) July 30, 2026
Of course, should that happen, it would mean that every team has to travel to Europe during the season, and it’s hard to imagine them doing that to play a single game against one team. From a financial standpoint, it would make more sense to have at least a couple of teams overseas. However, for those teams, they would have to be on the road for months at a time to visit the league’s other franchises. It’s hard to imagine any player being keen on leaving their family behind for months…that’s no doubt one of the obstacles Daly was referring to. If players are reluctant to come to cities like Montreal because of the language, the weather and the taxes, I can’t imagine life on the road for months being a big selling point.
Of course, the impact could be diminished if the league were to create a whole division in Europe, but would that be a viable idea? What would it do to the quality of the on-ice product? An expansion with that many teams at once could really have a negative impact; the PWHL is doing a four-team expansion this season, and that’s a real concern. Hopefully the NHL takes notes.
For now, though, it may be time to look at your team’s schedule closely and start booking some days off if you don’t want to miss anything. On Monday, October 12, the Sabres and the Florida Panthers are playing at 1:00 PM in Buffalo. On Thursday, November 12 at 12:00 PM, the Carolina Hurricanes are playing the Seattle Kraken as part of the 2026 NHL Global Series. On Monday, November 30, the Ottawa Senators are visiting the Nashville Predators at 1:00 PM. On Monday, December 7, the Colorado Avalanche are visiting the New York Islanders at 1:00 PM. On Monday, December 14, the Sabres are visiting the Senators at 2:00 PM. On Monday, December 21, the Washington Capitals visit the Toronto Maple Leafs at 1:00 PM. On Monday, December 28, the Vegas Golden Knights are visiting the Minnesota Wild at 2:00 PM. On Thursday, December 31, there are five afternoon games featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Senators, the Hurricanes and the Detroit Red Wings, the Canadiens and the Lightning, the Capitals and the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the St. Louis Blues and the Golden Knights. It may be New Year’s Eve, but it’s not an official Bank Holiday in North America, and the list goes on in the New Year. Whichever team you support, be sure to plan ahead.
Boston, MA - May 31: Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla talks with Brad Stevens, president of basketball operations during practice at the Auerbach Center. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Give us a minute. It’s been a summer.
Let’s get this straight. After coughing up a 3-1 lead to the 76ers in the first round of last year’s playoffs, we traded Jaylen Brown to Philly AND they added LeBron James? The Knicks are defending champs and Kawhi Leonard might be a Toronto Raptor again?
Like I said, give us a minute.
It’s now August and the dust has settled. We’re officially starting our offseason deep sleep until training camp in October, but before we go into a two- month basketball hibernation, let’s take stock of where we’re at.
First, the team deserves all the skepticism that the fans have had over the last few weeks. You don’t trade away a franchise cornerstone and MVP candidate without some blowback. Now, with some perspective, the move makes a little more sense. There’s a clearer three-year plan in place and we’re all slowly getting on board.
NBA media and analytics seem to be catching up with the Celtics’ summer, too. Considering everything that’s happened with roster and taking stock with the rest of the conference, Boston is still poised to have a very good season next year with the veteran additions of Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, and Mike Conley Jr. And with the continued development of the young core that pushed the Celtics to 56 wins last season, there’s no reason to think they’ll be any drop off.
Only time will tell if they’re championship level. Our friends at FanDuel have the Celtics (+1300) just behind the Knicks (+950) and Sixers (+1000) to raise Banner 19. Get on the bandwagon. I’ll save you a seat.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 18: Gilbert Arenas speaks onstage during the Gil's Arena panel at the Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at Jacob Javits Center on July 18, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Fanatics) | Getty Images for Fanatics
Former Washington Wizards star guard Gilbert Arenas was one of the NBA’s best scorers for much of the 2000s. Now that his career is over, he has gradually begun to reveal more about his life as Washington’s superstar during that time.
Recently, he was interviewed by Justin Edelman who hosts the Games With Names podcast. One of Arenas’ unwritten rules was that if a player didn’t make at least $5 million, that player couldn’t speak to him directly. A player who made at least $5 million could be an intermediary.
Gilbert Arenas says he made a rule that Wizards teammates could not speak to him directly if they made under $5,000,000
“I was a rock star, baby. You couldn’t tell me nothing. I even put in a rule with the team. It wasn’t a hard rule, but it was a rule”
On the one hand, this rule can make Arenas look pretty bad. From the outside, we think that players on a sports team will at the very least will speak to each other when needed. But at the same time, Arenas gave insight on how superstars could effectively control a locker room. Let’s face it, a player on a minimum level contract just trying to make it in the NBA just wasn’t going to have the same cache as a player making a near maximum contract during that time.
While it is good to see Arenas reminisce his career now that it is in the rear view mirror, I think some things are best left off the record. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
In the summer of 2025, the New York Islanders signed highly-coveted Russian free agent forward Maxim Shabanov to a one-year deal.
Shabanov, who turned 25 early in the 2025-26 season, came in with a ton of promise and excitement, with some thinking he could become a clear top-six forward with electric skill.
The Islanders, however, had a crowded forwards room to begin the year, and Shabanov started hot.
He scored in his NHL debut and the Islanders' first game of the season, and played the first six games of the year, totalling three points.
Then, Shabanov suffered an injury and missed 12 straight games. In his third game back from injury, Shabanov torched the Detroit Red Wings for two goals and three points in a statement 5-0 win, playing over 14 minutes.
That moment felt like a breakout moment, and one he could springboard into future success:
One game later, Shabanov played a hair over 10 minutes in a 2-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues.
Shabanov played a total of 17 straight games after injury, posting two goals and seven points, including that Detroit game.
The Russian forward received inconsistent ice time and line mates, and couldn't establish a rhythm.
After that 17th straight game, then-Islanders' Head Coach Patrick Roy opted to scratch Shabanov for one game, hoping to light a fire in his player.
Two games later, Shabanov started a three-game point streak, and put up five points in five games.
As the Islanders struggled in January, so too did Shabanov. Shabanov went eight straight games without a point, to go with a -3 and a lousy 3-4-1 record for the Islanders. Shabanov was scratched once in the middle of that stretch, and then once after.
Immediately after Shabanov got scratched for a third time, Islanders' General Manager Mathieu Darche went out and acquired Ondrej Palat, replacing Maxim Tsyplakov who had spent the year as the Islanders' 13th or 14th forward.
Palat entered the lineup regularly, and Shabanov exited. Later, at the NHL Trade Deadline, the Islanders acquired Brayden Schenn, adding another forward to an already crowded mix.
Before the acquisition of Palat in late January, Shabanov played 38 of the 52 games, missing 12 to injury and getting scratched twice.
Of the final 30 games the Islanders would play, Shabanov played just six games, scoring once and adding two assists.
Ilya Sorokin pointed out in an interview after the season that Shabanov needed more positivity and to work more to earn his place, and it's hard not to think he was speaking of this period.
Nonetheless, Shabanov ultimately became an unrestricted free agent after the Islanders did not tender him a qualifying offer, ending his time on Long Island.
The Minnesota Wild swooped in and gave him a one-year deal.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JUNE 4: Tobias Tvrznik poses for a portrait during the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine at Harborcenter on June 4, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by Mile High Hockey staff members. Seven writers have ranked players under the age of 25 in the Colorado Avalancheorganization as of September 1, 2026. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked.
A robust list of 35 players for this year’s ranking led to many more candidates than usual for honorable mention. It wasn’t an easy choice to identify who deserved special mention with what was a wide range of opinions on players from our voters which gave some top 25 support to each and every one of those 35 eligible names. Narrowing it down to just three who just missed the cut comprise a forward, defenseman and goaltender, showing there’s budding organizational depth at all positions.
Forward – Nolan Roed – St. Cloud State (NCAA)
Former seventh round pick from the 2025 draft Nolan Roed missed out on the top 25 by just one point after landing at #21 on our list last year. Roed had a good freshman year at St. Cloud State where he scored 18 points and five goals in 36 games. It was a hot start to his season which led to Roed getting named NCHC rookie of the week in late October but he cooled off a bit once conference play started in the new year. Roed has some versatility in his game with tenacity to get to the net front and scoring ability, which Colorado looks for in both Avalanche and Eagles forwards. The 20-year-old still has a long collegiate career ahead of him in hopes of impressing the Avalanche enough for a contract offer in the future.
Goaltender – Tobias Tvrznik – Wenatchee Wild(WHL)
The newcomer of our honorable mentions is one of the new goaltenders to the organization. Tobias Tvrznik was selected at 126th overall in the fourth round of the 2026 draft in his second year of eligibility after spending a year in the WHL with the Wenatchee Wild. There the 6-foot-four goalie put up respectable stats of 16-18-4, 3.10 goals against average and .913 on a not very good team and caught the eye of the Avalanche. He possesses the enticing qualities of size and athleticism that Colorado looks for in a prospects. Previously Tvrznik was playing in Czechia junior leagues and didn’t get enough exposure but was ranked eighth for North American goaltenders and was invited to the NHL draft combine in 2026. Colorado has added a lot of goaltending talent lately so it will be interesting to see where the 19-year-old goalie goes from here both literally and figuratively.
It has been an interesting three years for Saige Weinstien since he was one of the rare rookie camp invitees who got offered a contract by the Avalanche at the conclusion of training camp in 2023. From there the six-foot-one left handed defenseman spent the next two seasons finishing his junior career in the WHL with Spokane and then he finally started playing pro hockey last season. There weren’t plans for Weinstien with the Colorado Eagles, therefore he was sent to the Utah Grizzlies in the ECHL and spent 30 games there and chipped in two assists. He did see three games of AHL action and scored his first professional goal in January, which was fun to see the more defensive oriented defenseman score. Weinstien didn’t play much in the spring and also dealt with an ankle injury.
The 21-year-old landed at #17 on our ranking last season but dropped out of this year’s version of the Top 25 Under 25 due to a lot of new faces added to the organization but also the uncertainty in Colorado’s commitment to and path to get Weinstien a job in the NHL. It’s a critical year ahead for him to make an impact in the AHL and hopefully get a look with the Avalanche in order to move up the organizational depth chart, which could get him back on our list.
The other seven players in the Avalanche organization are worth a mention include defensemen Gustav Stjernberg and Cole Tuminaro, goaltender Alexandre Raymond, forward Cooper Gay and defensemen Nikita Ishimnikov, Ondrej Ruml and Chris Romaine.
Jazz Chisholm Jr is a household name in New York, but could he be about to make it big in Great Britain? [Getty Images]
He's a Major League Baseball star who could be in line to represent Team GB at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
And Jazz Chisholm Jr's New York Yankees team-mates tell him regularly just how good he is.
"Sometimes they've seen me dragging a little bit lately," he said in a post-match interview last month. "So they've been saying: 'Let's not forget who you are. You're the greatest in the world... you are Jazz Chisholm.'"
Chisholm exudes a self-confidence that has endeared him to Yankees fans well versed in big personalities and supportive of those who embrace their huge expectations.
Just this week he made headlines for a video in which he was asked to stay silent until he heard the name of a better player than himself.
He didn't say a word - even when the reporter mentioned team-mate Aaron Judge, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest Yankees ever.
But behind the sometimes brash front, there is a humble side to Chisholm.
From the Bahamas...
Born in Nassau - the capital city of the Bahamas - Chisholm was raised mainly by his grandparents.
His maternal grandmother - Patricia Coakley - had been the star player of the nation's softball team. She began teaching her grandson how to hit a baseball from the age of two, and encouraged him to play with swagger and flair.
His paternal grandmother - Judy Chisholm - also played a vital role in keeping his baseball ambitions on track.
When Jazz was 12, he moved to Wichita in Kansas to attend boarding school - the best route to give himself a chance of becoming a professional athlete.
He soon became severely homesick and wanted to go home but Judy convinced him to tough it out.
After graduating and returning to the Bahamas, he was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks through the international scouting process.
...to Team GB?
Bahamians are eligible to play for Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic - an international competition that is the closest thing the sport has to a World Cup.
Chisholm was part of the squad for this year's tournament in March - just weeks before the MLB season - and did not disappoint, captaining the team and batting in three runs in an 8-1 defeat of Brazil.
He has made no secret of his desire to represent Britain at the Olympics, but there are several hurdles to overcome.
First, the team have to qualify.
Only one European nation can book their spot in LA when qualifying takes place next year. The competition is open, but GB would probably have to go further than Italy, who unexpectedly beat the USA in reaching the semi-finals of the World Baseball Classic.
Then there are the eligibility criteria. Only athletes who are legally British citizens can compete for Team GB at the Olympics, so Chisholm would have to apply for a British passport.
The final sticking point is the Olympics fall right in the middle of the MLB season, so an agreement still needs to be reached to release players.
An 11-day mid-season break is the latest proposal that may suit all sides as the MLB aims to minimise disruption to its season and the International Olympic Committee looks to ensure it is able to showcase the game's best players.
"I think when you see an Olympic competition, you expect to see best on best," IOC sports director Pierre Ducrey told the BBC.
"Baseball is a sport proposed by LA28, so they are leading those conversations but we, of course, support as much as we can with the hope that come 2028, we're going to see the best of the best going at it in the Dodgers Stadium."
A shorter-term goal
For Chisholm, the Olympics can wait for now - because the immediate goal is to help the Yankees in their quest to secure a 28th World Series title.
The Yankees haven't won the big prize since 2009, making this their longest run without the title since 1920.
They fell agonisingly short last season - losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the deciding game of the seven-game World Series - but are on course to reach the post-season again in 2026.
That gives Chisholm a route to living up to the tag he has been given to his team-mates - help the Yankees secure that long-awaited title.
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 19: Zyhir Hope #13 of the Tulsa Drillers celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning during a game against the Arkansas Travelers at ONEOK Field on April 19, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“My shoulder pain completely went away. I really feel the chips were what was (causing it),” said Snell, who pitched with shoulder discomfort for two seasons. “I couldn’t feel these fingers (ring and pinkie on his left hand). They were kind of numb (for about a year and a half) but I don’t need them so I didn’t really care.
“Once they (the loose bodies) came out, I was like, ‘Wow, I can feel my fingers.’ … I was just, ‘It’s probably nerve damage from throwing. Whatever.’ And this (taps shoulder) was never getting better. We were doing everything. I was, ‘I don’t get this.’
Player of the day
With the trade deadline on Monday, prospect awareness is at a high point of the season. Zyhir Hope is a consensus top-100 prospect in the sport, and continued his fine season for Double-A Tulsa with two home runs in a three-hit game on Friday.
Katie Woo and Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic on Friday morning wrote that Hope was “one name Los Angeles would be open to moving, according to multiple team sources.”
Friday capped the best month of Hope’s career, with 10 home runs and 28 RBI while hitting .372/.439/.745 with 24 runs scored and six steals in 23 games in July.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Alek Thomas hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning to lift the Comets over the Las Vegas Aviators (A’s).
James Tibbs III tripled, doubled, and singled in the win.
Ben Casparius in his third rehab game for the Comets threw only five of his 21 pitches for strikes in a wild sixth inning. He walked four batters and allowed a run. Nick Robertson relieved and stranded all three runners. Casparius thus far in his rehab assignment has walked eight of his 14 batters faced, with two strikeouts.
Double-A Tulsa
The Drillers scored seven runs early, then seven runs late to out-slug the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Royals) by seven runs on Friday.
In addition to Hope’s two homers, fellow top outfield prospects Josue De Paula — home run, double, single — and Mike Sirota — home run, single — shone on Friday, as did shortstop Elijah Hainline, who homered and doubled.
Zach Root’s first two innings were scoreless but walked three batters in a shaky third inning and couldn’t complete the frame, letting in four runs.
Myles Caba followed Root with seven outs and didn’t allow a run. Kelvin Ramirez struck out five in two scoreless innings of relief.
High-A Great Lakes
Jakob Wright allowed the tying run in the seventh and three runs in the eighth in the Loons’ loss to the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres). Wright allowed six hits and three walks while recording just four outs in the loss in relief
Great Lakes didn’t have a hit until the seventh inning, but actually held a led before that, albeit briefly. The Loons scored a pair of runs in the sixth inning thanks to three walks, a passed ball, and a sacrifice fly. Jaron Elkins had that first single, and also singled again with two outs in the ninth inning. Those with the only two hits for Great Lakes all night.
Brady Smith had a rough High-A debut last weekend, but on Friday he pitched into the sixth inning for just the third time as a pro. Smith struck out five in his 5 1/3 innings and allowed only one run, which scored on a double in the sixth inning, the first run scored by either team in this one.
Class-A Ontario
Four crooked-number innings spelled doom for the Tower Buzzers in a blowout loss to the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies).
Luis Carias allowed five runs without completing the first inning. He only allowed one single but walked four in an inning exacerbated by a throwing error at second base.
Ching-Hsien Ko singled home a pair in the fifth inning for Ontario’s only runs of the game. Fresno tacked on a dozen more runs over the final four innings, thanks in part to 13 walks by Ontario’s pitching staff.
Easton Marks got the final 12 outs in scoreless fashion for Fresno to earn a four-inning save.
To keep this feature going, I’m going to post simply the WPA numbers and plays of the game, and a poll so you can vote on your choice for Player of the Game. Thomas will update the Rizzo Award standings when he returns.
Game 110, July 31: Yankees 2, Cubs 0 (62-48)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
Ramirez was the only Cubs hitter with positive WPA in this game. The only other Cub with positive WPA was Tyler Ferguson (.013), who threw one scoreless inning.
WPA Play of the Game: Amed Rosario’s solo homer in the fourth (.136).
Cubs Play of the Game: Ramirez’s single with one out in the ninth (.060).
Just four other Cubs plays had positive WPA: Ian Happ’s single with Alex Bregman on first in the seventh (.036), Miguel Amaya’s double in the third (.025), Ramirez’s single in the first (.024) and Bregman’s single in the seventh (.022).
Up next: The Yankees will send left-hander Max Fried against Cubs left-hander David Peterson.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JULY 31: Braden Montgomery #24 of the Chicago White Sox celebrates a win over the Tampa Bay Rays in a baseball game at Tropicana Field on July 31, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After making the trip across Chicago, the Yankees opened their series on the North Side with a win over the Cubs on Friday afternoon. Led by a good outing from Will Warren, the Yankees got homers from Amed Rosario and Spencer Jones, and that proved to be enough for a victory.
Thanks to the win, the Yankees broke their little two-game losing streak, and had a chance to gain some ground back in their various playoff races. Did they, though? Let’s check in on what happened around the AL in today’s Rivalry Roundup.
Chicago White Sox (58-51) 6, Tampa Bay Rays (64-45) 1
While the White Sox took a pair of games off the Yankees earlier this week, they did give them a bit of a hand on Friday night. The Yankees were able pick up a full game in the AL East, as an early onslaught by the White Sox allowed them to pull away from and beat the Rays. Tampa Bay now leads by 2.5 games.
Chicago never trailed in this game, as they took a led in the top of the first on a Miguel Vargas home run. Andrew Benintendi added another in the second, while Munetaka Murakami hit his 24th of the year, a two-run shot in the third to really open up a lead.
Junior Caminero got Tampa Bay on the board with a home run of his own—one of the longest you’ll ever see at the Trop, sailing 453 feet hitting the “D” ring of the catwalk—but the Rays managed just five hits in total for the game, and Chicago ended up tacking another couple runs on later with Colson Montgomery obliterating one of his own. Erick Fedde scattered just the one run on four hits over five innings, and his bullpen blanked the Rays the rest of the way. His Pale Hose pace the AL Central by three games.
Other Games
Boston Red Sox (58-51) 9, Los Angeles Dodgers (69-41) 4: While the Dodgers held a lead after putting up a three spot in the fifth on Ranger Suarez, the Red Sox stayed hot and stormed back to come away with the win. Ceddanne Rafaela homered to give Boston the lead back, and they tacked on another couple runs, putting up four in the seventh, giving them the lead for good. The Red Sox finished July at a staggering 21-4; one can only hope that August cools them down.
Arizona Diamondbacks (58-52), Cleveland Guardians (56-55) 1: The White Sox did the Yankees a favor in helping them pick up a full game in the standings, and they were rewarded by picking up a full one themselves. The Guardians scored in the first inning and held the lead for most of this game, but Arizona put up a four-spot in the eighth to steal the advantage and the win. Cleveland was five outs away from a victory, but six straight D-backs hitters reached base, with a Gabriel Moreno two-run single giving them the lead for good.
Houston Astros (56-55) 11, Texas Rangers (55-55) 2: Our long national nightmare has returned: the Astros are in first place in the AL West. They’re only a win over .500, but that’s all they need right now in a wretched AL West. Led by a Yordan Alvarez two-run single, Houston scored three runs in the second inning and continued to pour it on from there. On the mound, Hunter Brown did end up allowing a couple innings, but he struck out five in 5.2 innings and mostly kept Texas at bat as the Astros pulled away, slugging three home runs on the day.
Minnesota Twins (56-55) 5, Seattle Mariners (53-58) 3: After the Mariners led for much of the game, a two-run seventh inning by the Twins flipped things in their favor. Seattle held 2-0 and 3-2 leads after the first and second innings respectively and got a solid enough outing by starter Bryce Miller. However, Minnesota jumped ahead for the first time with on a Luke Keaschall double in the seventh and held on from there. The M’s continue to fade as the season heats up while the buying Twins are actually tied with the Guardians for both second place in the AL Central and the final Wild Card spot, half a game up on Texas and 1.5 ahead of Baltimore.
FORT WORTH, TX - JULY 14: Cam Caminiti puts on a Braves hat after being drafted by the Atlanta Braves with the 24th pick of the first round during the 2024 MLB Draft presented by Nike at Cowtown Coliseum on Sunday, July 14, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Stripers bats were held in check most of the night, in their narrow defeat to the Durham Bulls.
Owen Murphy got the start for the Stripers and put together a solid, but not spectacular start. He danced around a lot of work on the bases as he surrendered 9 hits in just 4.2 innings along with a pair of walks but he and the rest of the pitching staff were able to avoid any huge innings because the Stripers limited the Bulls to 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, making them strand 11 on base. Owen’s velocity held pretty solidly through the 84 pithes he threw, with his final pitch being a four-seam fastball at 92 MPH that still had 19” IVB on it. For the game Owen generated 13 whiffs so despite the contact, he still got the job done for the most part. Owen allowed a solo home run in the fourth, and a two run double in the fifth for all damage done to him. He was replaced by Hayden Harris (1.1IP 1H 0R 1BB 3K) who continued his recent run of success with a dominant appearance. The last pitcher of the game for the Stripers was Ian Hamilton (2IP 0H 1R 0ER 0BB 2K).
Offensively the Stripers struggled – collecting six total hits, with no extra-base hits. As a team they went 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position, and stranded five on base. All of the damage came in the ninth inning when the Stripers tried to storm from behind to tie the game. The first run scored on a bases loaded walk to Brett Wisely who drove in Brewer Hicklen. After Kyle Farmer struck out to be the second out of the inning, DaShawn Keirsey kept the hope alive with a two run single to make the game 3-4 in favor of the Bulls but Jair Camargo would strike out to end the game.
After recording seven phenomenal innings out of Brett Sears the bullpen collapsed, allowing for a dramatic come from behind victory for the Trash Pandas.
Brett Sears got the start and was dominant, generating 21 whiffs across seven innings of work. Of those five hits he allowed just one extra-base hit, a double. His five pitch mix of four-seam, two-seam, cutter, slider, curveball kept the Trash Pandas bats pretty much silent as he weaved the pitches throughout the zone. For a player signed for $12,500 it’s been a very strong year, and professional career to be honest for Brett Sears who is in his second full season, but comes in at 26 years of age. Will be interesting to see how the Braves work with him moving forward because his arsenal last night was that of someone that could pitch in the majors. He replaced by Tyler LaPorte (1.2IP 1H 3ER 1BB 2K) who surrendered the first three runs of the game to the Trash Pandas. He was replaced by Blane Abeyta (1.1IP 2H 3R 2ER 1BB 2K) who pitched the 10th inning with the game tied 3-3, but gave up three runs.
The offense for the Clingstones was real spotty as they scored two runs in the second thanks to Adam Zebrowski who is clearly locked in. After a 3 100 MPH+ EV day, Zebrowski got the offense going for the Clingstones with his 10th home run of the season.
— Columbus Clingstones (@GoClingstones) July 31, 2026
The Clingstones would then add on another run the following inning when Luke Waddell connected on his seven home run of the season to put the Clingstones up 3-0. The offense was then held scoreless until the 10th inning when Keshan Ogans drove in Ambioris Tavarez with a sacrifice fly – but that was all that she wrote for the Clingstones as they were still down two at the time, and were unable to complete the comeback.
(49-48) Rome Emperors 5, (44-56) Hub City Spartanburgers 2
Cam Caminiti stole the show in absolutely dominant fashion, putting together one of the craziest lines I’ve ever seen in a minor league game as he registered an absurd THIRTY-THREE whiffs in just 6.2 innings of work. The Emperors offense did enough to make the pitching display hold up, in a big win for the Rome Emperors.
Cam Caminiti got the start and was absolutely dominant for the Rome Emperors. He masterfully moved his four-seam to the top of the zone consistently, while landing his sweepers at the edges. His cutters were thrown near the edges generating whiffs of their own in what was just an absolutely absurd start. Across the first three innings of the game, Cam struck out 7 of them. By every definition, this was just an absolutely fantastic start by a prospect who has done just great job adding 4 new pitches to his arsenal this season. There are not really many words to describe the display, so just enjoy the montage.
Another left-handed Braves pitcher with a nasty slider 👀
He was relieved by Mathieu Curtis (2.1IP 2H 1ER 1BB 2K) who pitched the final 2.1 innings and preserved the win for the Emperors.
Offensively the Emperors got enough done on a day where the offense was a bit disjointed. As a team the Emperors went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, but stranded just three on base the entire game. They struck out 11 times, but also walked seven. Most of the damage came in the decisive fifth inning when the Emperors scored four runs. A bases loaded walk by Colin Burgess was the first run, then John Gil drove in a run with an RBI single to make it 2-0. Eric Hartman would then ground into a force out that drove in Colby Jones to make it 3-0 Rome, and the final run scored on an errant pick off throw to third. They would add another run in the eighth, and it was mainly due to the terror that is Eric Hartman on the bases. Eric would walk with one out, take second on a wild pitch, and then steal third before taking on another throwing error by a pitcher allowed Hartman to score for the Emperors final run of the game.
(51-49) Colombia Fireflies 7, (55-45) Augusta GreenJackets 8
The GreenJackets survived a wild comeback as they scored all eight of their runs in the games final four innings. They survived a rough starting pitching display by Luis Arestigueta and were able to collect 15 hits and six walks in their dramatic win.
Luis Arestigueta (4.2IP 10H 6ER 2BB 0K) got the start for the GreenJackets and his 2026 struggles continued as he allowed 10 hits, four extra-base hits, across 4.2 innings. He did not strike out a single batter, while allowing 6 ER to score. After a promising 2024, it’s been a struggle for Luis, as he was even sent down to the FCL where he unfortunately struggled there as well. He was replaced by Logan Forsythe (2.1IP 3H 0R 0BB 3K) who responded well, giving the GreenJackets zeroes, while also giving them some length. The final pitcher of the game for the GreenJackets was Critobal Abreu (2IP 2H 1ER 4BB 2K) who struggled with his command, walking four, but picked up the win as he was able to do just enough while the GreenJackets offense took hold.
After finding themselves down 2-0, Junior Garcia got the GreenJackets on the board in the second inning as he drove in Nick Montgomery with a ground ball to first. Augusta would be held scoreless until the sixth inning when Cooper McMurray got things started with a two run single that lessened the gap to 6-3. Junior Garcia would follow that up with a sacrifice fly of his own to make it 6-4. The following inning it was none other than Conor Essenburg who hit an RBI triple, just missing a home run, to make it a one run game at 6-5.
Two batters later it was Juan Mateo who would drive in Conor, with a single to tie the game at 6-6. After allowing a run to score in the top of the 8th, it was Conor Essenburg who tied it up again, this time with a sacrifice fly that drove in Junior Garcia. With the game tied at 7-7 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, Junior Garcia would hit it to center where CFer Sean Gamble dropped the ball allowing Juan Mateo to score, and giving them the walk off win.
