Seven-time champion could face Swiatek in third round
Ostapenko and Sabalenka drawn in Raducanu’s quarter
Serena Williams will face Australia’s Maja Joint at Wimbledon in her long-awaited return to singles competition after four years of retirement, a match between two players born nearly 25 years apart.
Joint, a talented 20-year-old who won Eastbourne last year, has struggled badly with her form this year, compiling a 3-15 record in 2026. The winner of their first round match could face the in-form Filipino 25th seed Alexandra Eala.
Climate crisis is on show every day when sportspeople do their thing and the rest of us sweat on the sofa
Nothing sharpens the distinction between professional athletes and the rest of us like a week of truly hot weather. While we’re apologetically crying off long‑in‑the-diary engagements – so sorry, just can’t face it in this weather – elite sportspeople are blinking the rivulets of sweat out of their eyes while squinting under a hot and heavy helmet, then doing 22-yard sprints with a couple of kilos of padding strapped to their legs.
As one of nature’s non-athletes, I speak not only with admiration but with genuine wonder. My experience of the past week has been working out how not to do things, or, if forced, doing them half‑heartedly because, you know, I haven’t slept. My friends and I message each other the latest innovations in fan strategy (“Apparently putting a frozen bottle of water in front of it helps”) and talk about our journeys on public transport as if we’ve just survived the Somme.
George Wolkow mashed two home runs in Winston-Salem’s 14-9 victory over Hub City. | (Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Charlotte Knights 7, Rochester Red Wings 6 (11 innings) Jonathan Cannon had a rough four-inning start that included three unearned runs of the six scored, but the Knights (44-34) were able to claw back and walk-off the Red Wings (46-30) in extras, 7-6. Cannon made his 10th start and ended up allowing eight hits, and the unearned runs were attributed to a fielding error from Andy Weber. The righty also struggled with control by hitting a batter, tossing a wild pitch, walking three, and striking out four in comparison, but it didn’t outweigh the damage.
Dominance out of the Knights bullpen helped pave the way for Charlotte batters to stage the comeback. Caden Connor was the sole Knight with more than one RBI, driving in the two tying runs with a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth. Korey Lee accounted for the the other two extra-base hits with a double and a homer, but Andy Weber ended up (mostly) redeeming himself from his previous error to walk it off and end the game … on an error from the second baseman, 7-6. Really, the second baseman probably should have made the play, but Lee was hoofing it the whole way and beat was still able to beat the throw.
Righthander Ben Peoples managed both of the extra frames, and was perfect while striking out two and earning his fifth win. Peoples has been excellent and has posted a 2.45 ERA in 28 appearances and 36 2/3 innings, but his walk rate could use a lot of work, hanging over 10% for this season which isn’t sustainable even with his increased 28.4% strikeout rate. Peoples could be another pitching prospect that we see rise to the bigs this season, but it’s unclear if that will be anytime soon.
Knoxville Smokies 5, Birmingham Barons 1 Lefthander Lucas Gordon tossed for six solid innings and allowed two runs on four hits, a home run, and struck out eight in the process, ultimately receiving his fourth loss of the season as the Barons (26-46) dropped their sixth straight today with the 5-1 loss to the Smokies (41-31). The Birmingham bats only had two fewer hits that Knoxville, 7-5, but they fumbled all of their chances to score runs by going 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and leaving six on base.
Overall, the defense as a whole was having a bad day. Caleb Bonemer committed three errors at short, and the two relievers out of the Barons bullpen – Jackson Kelley and Morris Austin – each gave up at least one run. To be fiar, the Barons weren’t capable of scoring runs anyways, it didn’t end up making a difference. For the sole Birmingham run, third baseman Alec Briley mashed a solo shot to avoid the shutout, but the offense was otherwise flat. On to the next one.
Winston-Salem Dash 14, Hub City Spartanburgers 9 Winston-Salem had actually blown a five-run lead after giving up four runs to the Spartanburgers (36-36) in the third and fourth innings, but a six-run offensive explosion in the ninth led the Dash (41-31) to victory, 14-9. Not only did Winston-Salem put up 10 hits as a team, six of them were for extra bases and they also walked 13 times. Somehow even with scoring 14, they went just 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and ended up leaving 11 on base; not a great day for Hub City pitchers, but I’m not complaining.
Alex Ungar and George Wolkow combined to go 3-for-9, scoring three times and driving in nine: five from Ungar that included a grand slam in the ninth, and four from Wolkow, who mashed two homers on the night. Aside from these standouts, James Taussig and Ryan Burrowes also rounded up two hits with the latter scoring three times.
Righthander Max Banks gave up two earned (four total) in his 2 2/3 inning start, allowing the Spartanburgers to catch up and then take the lead in the fourth as Drew Conover ended up with a blown save before he was bailed out by the hot bats and the final three pitchers out of the Dash bullpen. Winston-Salem pushed through Jake Bockenstedt’s five walks, and righthander Madison Jeffrey wound up with his first win of the season.
Columbia Fireflies 7, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 3 The Cannon Ballers (35-37) are now riding a three-game losing streak after losing to the Fireflies (37-35), 7-3. Offensively, Kannapolis got rocked and were outhit, 11-3, but a pair of errors from Columbia helped the Ballers avoid the shutout. With ample chances, they went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position while leaving six on base. Jaden Fauske posted two of the three Kanny hits, and Matthew Boughton ripped a double for the third, both players scoring once.
Truman Pauley made his 14th start of the season, ultimately giving three (two earned) on six hits, two walks, and six strikeouts, but it’s been a rough year for him as this wound up being his seventh loss. The remainder of the bullpen wasn’t much to write home about, either. Anthony Patterson III acted as the long reliever, but immediately got into trouble in the sixth and gave up three, but was otherwise solid for his final two innings despite the lack of offense.
ACL White Sox 12, ACL D-backs 1 (7 innings) It was great to see the ACL Sox (12-27) offense explode against the D-backs (21-19) Thursday, with a nine-run third frame as the main difference in the win for the Sox, 12-1. Jose Mendoza mashed a two-run shot in the second, and the bats popped off the next inning to give more than enough run support for the pitching staff to hang on and win the game. The third frame consisted of: four base hits, a double, four walks, two errors, a hit batter, and a wild pitch. Ouch, but thank you to the ACL D-backs for the morale booster. The Good Guys needed just two pitchers to get through the game, with righthander Justin Fuson earning his first win of the season while allowing just three hits and striking out five.
DSL Arizona Red 10, DSL White Sox 8 (7 innings) Unfortunately the DSL White Sox (5-13) took another one on the chin, getting outhit, 8-4, by the DSL Arizona Red team (12-7) and losing, 10-8, despite going 3-for-5 with runners in scoring in scoring position. The Sox manufactured as many runs as the did by walking eight times, which was two more than they struck out (six), but the AZ Red squad went 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Both teams’ starters allowed six runs, but the Alexander De Los Santos surrendered four in his 2 2/3 frames and ended up with his second loss of the season.
Feb 11, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Brad Stevens the president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics congratulates guard Jaylen Brown (7) for receiving the NBA player of the month award for his performance in the month of January before their game against the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
You know the old internet meme. A dog with a fedora sits in a room. A mug is on a table. And the walls are on fire. Seemingly calm despite the circumstances, the dog says, “this is fine.”
To most of the talking heads, this is where the Celtics are heading into free agency. After striking out in their pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, many suspect that 1) Jaylen Brown has/had asked to be traded, 2) bridges have been burned between him and the front office, and/or 3) Brad Stevens is actively shopping the 2024 Finals MVP and 2026 All-NBA Second Teamer.
On Thursday, ClutchPoint’s Brett Siegel reported that “Jaylen Brown has not once approached the organization or Brad Stevens to ask for a trade.” The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer also said that “Boston is very much moving forward in the market with the thought that they don’t have to trade Jaylen Brown..I don’t believe at this juncture that the Celtics want to move Brown unless it makes them better.”
Despite those missives throwing water on a lot of the speculation from more mainstream outlets like ESPN, there’s still an air of indecision with the fanbase. Brad Stevens tried to quell those rumors in his post-draft presser, but actual NBA GMs and armchair GMs alike have already hit the trade machine with possible deals that could make sense for the Celtics.
We polled our readers on the current state of the team before free agency starts on June 30th at 6 pm EST:
What does Jaylen Brown think? Well, he’s overseas at the moment, but on Wednesday, he simply tweeted that he “loves cats.” It’s not exactly the energy-shifting attitude we were expecting from JB, but it ain’t the “this is fine” dog either.
Despite the palace intrigue at Waltham, our friends at FanDuel still have the Celtics as the favorite at +210 to represent the East in next year’s Finals and third behind the Thunder and Spurs to raise the Larry O’Brien.
The NHL trade market has heavily favored sellers over the last few days, and the Philadelphia Flyers could choose to cash in on one of their most popular players as a result.
Ahead of Friday's 2026 NHL Draft, NHL insider Frank Seravalli posted his compiled list of the top 40 trade targets around the league, which is ordered by likeliness of a trade coming together.
There weren't any surprises at the very top of Seravalli's list: Dylan Larkin, Mason McTavish, and Matthew Knies were among the oft-discussed names high in the ranking.
Notably, there was only one Flyers player included by Seravalli, and that is winger Owen Tippett, who clocks in at 39th on the list of the 40 names.
It has been reported several times over recent weeks and months that the Flyers do not necessarily want to trade Owen Tippett, unless an offer they absolutely cannot refuse is made.
Tippett, 27, will have a 10-team no-trade list kick in on July 1, so that, more than anything else, could be a driving factor in any potential trade from the Flyers' perspective.
Tippett's $6.25 million cap hit is looking more and modest with each passing year, especially with his ability to create offense for himself using his legs.
At the same time, the Flyers have decisions to consider at the winger position.
Porter Martone will be playing in his first full NHL season in 2025-26, and we can assume that Matvei Michkov will stick around for the long haul, too.
That leaves two more spots in the top-six for Travis Konecny, Tyson Foerster, Tippett, Alex Bump, Denver Barkey, and, potentially, Trevor Zegras if he cannot stick at center permanently.
Plus, the Flyers still hold the 21st overall pick in Friday's draft, which could very well be used on another winger given Tippett's age and Konecny's age.
Some teams picking inside the top-15, like the Buffalo Sabres, Seattle Kraken, and San Jose Sharks (the ninth pick, not the second), may feel incentivized to trade their picks for more immediate help to take the next step.
The Flyers have plenty of wingers to offer, with Tippett clearly being the most valuable of the bunch with his rare combination of size, athleticism, speed, and skill, and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen could always be included to make it a real package.
Ristolainen was, notably, left off Seravalli's list, though the trade market this week has proven that this could change at any minute.
DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 6: Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks reacts to a play in the first half against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on March 6, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Knicks are expected to lose center Mitchell Robinson in free agency.
According to the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy, Robinson is “unlikely to return to the Knicks next season,” mostly because of New York’s self-imposed financial cap.
“Heard it’s unlikely Mitchell Robinson will be back with Knicks next season. He’s longest tenured Knick but also an unrestricted free agent. Owner James Dolan said he’s unwilling to pay into second apron so running it back with bench is not feasible.” — New York Post’s Stefan Bondy
According to Bondy’s sources, the longest-tenured Knick, with the team since New York drafted him with the No. 36 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, is expected to depart and put an end to his time in New York shortly after becoming a champion.
Heard it’s unlikely Mitchell Robinson will be back with Knicks next season. He’s longest tenured Knick but also an unrestricted free agent. Owner James Dolan said he’s unwilling to pay into second apron so running it back with bench is not feasible.
Robinson’s situation is tied directly to the franchise’s financial stance, with Knicks owner James Dolan making it clear his organization will not cross the second apron this summer, even though that would inevitably lead to breaking the title-winning core, with the exception of the under-contract starting five.
“There’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron,” Dolan said. “I’ll write as big of a check as possible, but I can’t write a check that goes into the second apron.”
Dolan’s mandate has already influenced New York’s early offseason moves, including trading out of the 2026 NBA Draft’s first round to avoid adding guaranteed salary to its books, ultimately landing two second-round rookies that will likely sign minimum or two-way contracts.
Meanwhile, SNY’s Ian Begley added that retaining Robinson would likely require a pay cut from the big man, which feels highly unlikely given his value on the open market has increased and multiple suitors—the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings among them—could enter a bidding war for his services.
“It’s unlikely Mitchell Robinson returns to the Knicks because, in the best case scenario, he’d have to take a pay cut in order for NYK to remain under 2nd apron.” — SNY’s Ian Begley
Even out of the upcoming free-agency context, there is no realistic scenario in which Robinson, who isn’t necessarily old (he will play next season at age 28) but has only appeared in 167 games of the last possible 328 (51%) in the regular season, would take such a massive pay cut to fit the Knicks’ books.
Robinson has completed a four-year, $60 million deal with an average annual salary of $15 million per year. As things stand, per Yossi Gozlan, Mitch would need to take a substantial discount and sign for around $8-$9 million for New York to retain him. The word out there is that the Lakers and Kings would start their pitches at Robinson’s current $15-million-per-year salary with the expectation that the figure would increase.
Earlier on Thursday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst already said that “There is a real possibility that (the Knicks) won’t keep Mitch Robinson.”
“There is a real possibility that they won’t keep Mitch Robinson. The Knicks are working on it. They made several different moves to free up about $4 million in airspace under the apron. There’s a possibility they may trade off another player to save some money. They’re trying to figure out Mitch Robinson, but I would say it’s not a guarantee that it will work. I would say Mitch Robinson is 50/50… maybe 51/49 to come back.” — ESPN’s Brian Windhorst
If Mitch has played his last game as a Knick, he’d leave New York with 397 regular-season games under his belt, averaging 7.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. On top of that, he appeared in 53 postseason games, putting up 4.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game.
With free agency nearing, the gap between Robinson’s market value and what the Knicks can offer appears to make his return to Manhattan unlikely. Blame it on the little room for maneuvering imposed by the NBA’s second apron, but mostly on Dolan’s stubbornness. Some things never change.
We're in the sweet spot of the NBA rumor mill season: The NBA Draft is behind us, NBA free agency starts in less than a week, and deals are getting done. We've had two massive trades already (three if you want to count Julius Randle to Brooklyn, which set the table for LaMelo Ball to Minnesota). What are the latest rumors? Here's a roundup.
Mitchell Robinson likely not returning to New York
Knicks owner James Dolan has been clear during a couple of interviews since New York won its first title in 53 years: He wants to keep this roster together, but he would not go into the second apron to do it.
That's where the math gets ugly, and why the Knicks traded out of the first round of the NBA Draft (first round picks get a guaranteed contract). Even with all their moves, expect Mitchell Robinson to be the odd man out, reports Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
Heard it’s unlikely Mitchell Robinson will be back with Knicks next season. He’s longest tenured Knick but also an unrestricted free agent. Owner James Dolan said he’s unwilling to pay into second apron so running it back with bench is not feasible.
Other teams around the league have been preparing for this, and Robinson — coming off a title run where he was crucial for the Knicks off the bench — will have a number of suitors.
Kawhi Leonard open to return to Raptors, Spurs
Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers are in the midst of negotiating a contract extension, but the sides are reportedly not close to a deal. Leonard, 35 and coming off an All-NBA season, is entering the final season of his current deal at $50.3 million, and the Clippers want him to take a healthy pay cut. Leonard doesn't like the number the Clippers are presenting.
Which has led to some speculation about a trade. However, if that happens, Leonard has some leverage because the team that deals for him will want him to sign an extension — and he would do that with his two former teams, San Antonio or Toronto, reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line. He would not do that with two other teams that have had their eye on him, Miami and Detroit, Fischer reports.
Toronto reportedly has been interested if Leonard becomes available. San Antonio has not been reported as an interested party, and whether the organization would want a reunion after a messy exit the first time around in 2018 is, to put it politely, up for debate. It's also unclear if any other interested teams (Golden State has been mentioned) would get a thumbs-up from Leonard.
Lakers reportedly open to Jarrett Allen for LeBron
With all due respect to Brian Windhorst — a genuinely good person and great reporter, someone I like and respect — this is a reach. At best.
Discussing a potential LeBron James return to Cleveland, Windhorst said this on ESPN Cleveland radio (hat tip Real GM).
"I think if the Cavs were willing to do that, they could have LeBron, obviously LeBron would have to want to sign with the Cavs," - @WindhorstESPN says the Lakers would KILL to get Jarrett Allen in a trade for LeBron. pic.twitter.com/WiFmIABUiE
"There is a thought process out there in Los Angeles and if the Cavs were interested in this, the Lakers would sit up in attention right now. That they would sign-and-trade LeBron for Jarrett Allen. I think if the Cavs were willing to do that, they could have LeBron. Obviously, LeBron would have to want to sign with the Cavs. But if your pathway to pay LeBron the money is to trade Jarrett Allen for him, the Lakers would kill for Jarrett Allen."
First, Windhorst is right, if LeBron wanted this and the Cavaliers were open to it, the Lakers would jump at trading for Allen. All Cleveland could offer to LeBron as a free agent is the veteran minimum, and if you think LeBron would play for the minimum you have not been paying attention to his career. Allen is set to make $28 million next season (and has two guaranteed years at $62.7 million beyond that), and a salary basically matching that number might be palatable to LeBron.
However, there are a few issues here. First, and Windhorst brushes past this but it's huge: Does LeBron want to return to Cleveland? He plays with his son on the Lakers, in a city where his family has made a home and is happy and settled. Does he want to move to Cleveland (or Akron) for a year? Does he want to leave the West Coast?
Second is the money issue. Completing a sign-and-trade for LeBron would hard cap the Cavaliers at the first apron, expected to be about $209 million. Cleveland currently has about $222 million in projected salary on the books, so while LeBron may take a little less and James Harden takes a lower per-year number on his extension, that's still $13 million to cut, which will hurt the team's depth. Then there's the question of just how open Cleveland really is to trading Allen, although they may have to in the coming years for financial reasons.
All of which is to say, this is a long shot. At best. But with the Lakers and LeBron reportedly not really discussing a number yet in any detail, speculation about his future will fill the void.
Other NBA rumors, news
• Detroit still interested in Herro. Tyler Herro reportedly is excited to be back in Milwaukee, where he was born, to play for the Bucks... except they may not keep him if the right offer comes in. Detroit, still looking for an elite second playmaker to put next to Cade Cunningham, is still interested, reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line.
• Atlanta picked up its $2.41 million team option on Mouhamed Gueye for next season, which was expected. He played a big role as a backup big for them last season.
• Expect Jazz to keep Walker Kessler. Don't take my word for it (although league sources have told NBC Sports that other teams don't think he's really available), listen to Jazz owner Ryan Smith on Run it Back.
"We love Walk. He's a big piece of where we're going."
San Diego Padres Catcher Freddy Fermin (Photo by Mike Nowak/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres welcomed Freddy Fermin back to the starting lineup after missing a little more than a week while recovering from concussion symptoms. He guided spot starter JP Sears to a victory and secured a series sweep over the Atlanta Braves. The lone negative is Fermin failing to make an impact from the bottom third of the lineup.
He went 0-for-2 in his return, which dropped Fermin’s season batting average to .145 with a disappointing .505 OPS in 124 at-bats. The lack of offensive consistency has been a season-long issue. The Padres cannot go through another rough stretch of the bottom of the order struggling to score runs.
It is time for the front office to acquire a better hitting option at the catcher position.
Padres reluctant to call-up Salas
At first when Fermin went out of the lineup, the Friars were reluctant to bring Ethan Salas to the majors. It seemed like a smart decision, as the organization wanted him to continue his development in Triple-A. But any thought of a promotion to the majors has been put on hold, as Salas has been put on the minor league injured list.
The organization seems to be at the crossroads, as acquiring another catcher seems inevitable. Fermin’s return should not deter the front office’s aggressiveness. It is time to find someone who can compete for playing time. Given the bleak state of the minor league system’s catching depth, it is wise for the Padres to look for answers on the trade market.
The lineup does not need a blockbuster move
Let’s forget the notion of a blockbuster move; the lineup does not need an impactful bat. But you want to deal for a catcher who can knock in runs from the bottom third of the order.
You may see Colorado Rockies Hunter Goodman or Detroit Tigers Dillon Dingler become viable catching trade options as we get closer to the deadline. Both are good pitch framers who can provide a clutch hit late in close games.
The front office will need to do its due diligence on identifying the right addition to the roster.
The Friars need an upgrade at the catching position. If they cannot secure the right fit for the lineup, it might limit their chances to clinch a postseason berth.
Four years ago, the hockey world saw a pretty similar Jason Robertson scenario that is occuring this summer. The superstar for the Dallas Stars took a while to come to terms on an extension with his team, but it ended up getting across the finish line.
Now, however, things may be a bit different.
Unlike four years ago, there is pretty legitimate smoke surrounding trade rumors. Multiple sources have reported that the two sides are still talking, but it's also been revealed that at least two teams - the Seattle Kraken and St. Louis Blues - were given permission to speak with Robertson about a contract extension, but he had no interest in signing there. He also, reportedly, already turned down an eight-year, $96 million offer from Dallas.
Jason Robertson has rejected an 8-year, $15mil AAV contract offer from the Seattle Kraken, per @FriedgeHNIC
The fact that Dallas is open for business on Robertson means there is a more than decent chance he gets dealt in the next 24 hours ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft. There are a few teams still rumored to be interested in acquiring Robertson.
On the surface, a marriage between the Penguins and Stars on a Robertson deal might not make much sense, especially for Pittsburgh. They have draft capital - more than any team in the next three drafts - but they only have three of their own first-round picks over the next three years. They have a number of prospects close to NHL-ready who are intriguing, but few who are blue-chip - in fact, blueliner Harrison Brunicke may just be the only "blue-chip" prospect in their system.
Some late evening chatter: - Belief Sabres inquired about Knies - Penguins, Blackhawks, Mammoth among other teams interested in Robertson - Teams calling Flames on Frost, Whitecloud - Oilers have discussed Nurse talks, and goalie search today - Some teams curious about DeBrincat
And, on top of all of that, Pittsburgh is in a period of transition. They made the playoffs last season, they have new ownership, and GM and POHO Kyle Dubas has expressed that the team wants to take "big steps toward contention" next season while also getting younger, which is hard to do without the premium young players to keep the team competitive while they continue to build.
Well, Robertson happens to fit that mold. And, as it turns out, the fit for both teams might be better than folks think.
So, what would it take for the Penguins to land one of the biggest 20-something stars on the market and one of the best players who will be available in the next several years? It will take a lot, but it might be something the Penguins can pull off without severe detriment to their future.
Dubas and the Penguins are in the midst of a pivotal summer in the trajectory of the franchise. Their new ownership - the Hoffmann Family of Companies - badly wants to win, they still have Sidney Crosby playing at a very high level, and they also desperately need elite talent either infused into their system or onto their NHL roster for many years to come.
If the Penguins want to be better next season, trading both Rust and Rakell - let alone, in the same deal - is quite the risk. After all, they'd be subtracting their two best wingers, both of whom produce around 30 goals per season and between 60-70 points. In some ways, this feels like an overpay for one guy.
However, Roberston is a 45-goal, 100-point player, and you have to pay up big-time to land these kinds of players. And, really, it may not be as much a detriment to lose both Rust and Rakell as it appears to be.
Robertson would be paired with one of the greatest players and greatest playmakers of all time in Sidney Crosby, which - no slight to Roope Hintz or Wyatt Johnston - is a significant upgrade for Robertson as far as a center who can aid his production even more. The Penguins will also - assuming he's re-signed - have Egor Chinakhov for a full season. He scored at a 34-goal, 69-point pace during his time with the Penguins last season, and Pittsburgh believes he has star pedigree.
Even with just those two, it's almost enough to offset the losses of Rust and Rakell. Add in the fact that, with the acquisition of Hendrix Lapierre from the Washington Capitals and the potential emergence of a center like Tristan Broz next season, the Penguins might be able to move Ben Kindel up to second-line center duties between Evgeni Malkin and Chinakhov or Tommy Novak, with the other flanking Crosby and Robertson.
Plus, there are options on the UFA market for the Penguins, too, to help offset that loss in the top-six. Mason Marchment comes to mind, as does Viktor Arvidsson. There's also the opportunity for one of the Penguins' younger wingers like Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, Mikhail Ilyin, or Avery Hayes to be slotted in the top-six alongside talent that should help them progress in a meaningful way. They can also flip Novak and some assets for an upside winger - perhaps for Jason's brother, Nicholas, in Toronto, who would probably love to play with his brother and who Dubas has some familiarity with.
The Penguins have the cap space to do all of this and sign Robertson long-term, and he would be around and still be effective post-Crosby. He's 26, so he's the exact kind of player Dubas and the Penguins should covet. Also, if the Penguins land Robertson, it's unlikely they'd be selecting in the top-10 of the draft next season, anyway, so that 2027 conditional first probably isn't going to be a franchise-changing player.
Sure, the Penguins could use some of those assets to trade up in the draft for a young prospect who is, ultimately, still a "maybe." Or, they could use those assets to acquire a certain elite commodity.
This is the type of player a team serious about contending short- and long-term pays up for. If the possbility is there, Dubas should throw out next to everything he can.
Sure, it's fair to question why Dallas would want two wingers on the wrong side of 30. Rust is 34, and Rakell is 33. Both are still very good and consistent players, but they are aging, and that's no secret.
Yet there are 50-60 goals between Rust and Rakell, regardless of their age. There are also 120-140 points between them, assuming they stay healthy, and they've developed chemistry from playing together for several years. Most of all, Rust and Rakell make $5.1 million and $5 million for two more years, respectively, and if the Penguins retain on one of them, Dallas would have both for around $8 million - $7 million less than what Robertson is allegedly asking for.
What does that mean? Well, it means that Dallas has more cap space to work with to build out an even better roster. They would be able to use the extra cap space from the money saved sans Robertson and any other savings from shed contracts plus the assets acquired in the trade to leverage for some coveted talent younger than Rust and Rakell.
Two firsts can land Dallas a good player. Then, they'd have Rakell, Rust, and said player, which could net more value than Robertson alone would.
When a team is in win-now mode like Dallas is, it needs to take the best available players, period. Getting, potentially, three very good players for one great player helps distribute scoring throughout the lineup and gives Dallas the chance to win in the near-term, as is the goal. A package centered on right-now help makes more sense for them than a package focused on futures, anyway.
And, even if they surrender those two firsts, the trade tree should age quite well: Whoever they get for those firsts should make an impact. Will Horcoff is a promising goal-scoring prospect who had a great first full season with the University of Michigan with 29 goals and 39 points in 40 games - and he spent half the season at age `18, scoring at a goal-per-game pace during that time. Quinn Beauchesne, a right defenseman, is more of a wildcard prospect who is farther out, but his raw skill and ability in transition are intriguing.
Maybe this has to be a three-team trade with something else signficant coming back for those assets from Pittsburgh plus a sweetener from Dallas themselves - maybe involving the Detroit Red Wings and captain Dylan Larkin - in order for the trigger to be pulled. But it fulfills needs for the Stars, and the near-term intrigue is something that could help them win a Cup within the next two years.
Well, that's the million-dollar question, isn't it?
Robertson has, reportedly, already turned down three offers, which means that he is likely trying to have some control over where he goes. This does handcuff Dallas a bit from a leverage standpoint, as teams are not going to trade for Robertson if he is not interested in signing long-term with them. Because of this, even if he technically has no trade protection, he basically kind of does.
So do the Penguins make sense for him? Maybe, maybe not. St. Louis is in a similar kind of place in terms of being caught somewhere between true contention and rebuilding, which is a murky place to commit to.
However, there are some encouraging things happening in Pittsburgh. Dubas has managed to infuse the system with some legitimate talent that should help the NHL roster in the coming years, and if he acquires Robertson, he certainly wouldn't be done working his magic. He is the exact kind of player Dubas wants, and he's the kind of player the Penguins desperately need.
And, at the end of the day, any extension would also, presumably, come with trade protection. Robertson could always ask out to go to a contender if things go very, very south for the Penguins post-Crosby.
But the prospect of playing for a team trying to make themselves sustainable contenders - and a team willing to pull all stops to make that happen - isn't the worst place to be. And that's especially true if the opportunity to flank one of the greatest players of all time in his final years and, perhaps, extend his shelf life, is in play.
If a potential deal between the two teams exists, it seems it would, ultimately, be up to Robertson. But, given the storied history of the Penguins and their out-loud commitment to building a winner - plus the results in the form of five Stanley Cups to show for it - it would be unwise to completely discount the possibility that Robertson may find intrigue in Pittsburgh.
Ben Humrichous went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft, as expected, but quickly signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Brooklyn Nets. Humrichous was overlooked coming out of high school but worked his way into earning an opportunity with an NBA organization.
Humrichous is originally from Tipton, Indiana, and graduated from Tipton High School as a zero-star recruit. He began his college career at the NAIA level before transferring to Evansville and eventually Illinois for his senior and super senior seasons. At 6-foot-9, he always had the physical tools to develop into someone capable of playing professional basketball.
The former Illini forward started his college career in the NAIA ranks and worked his way to high-major basketball at Illinois over his final two seasons. The Indiana native averaged 14.7 points per game while shooting an impressive 41.4% from beyond the arc at Evansville before transferring to Champaign. He averaged 5.8 points per game last season but was excellent defensively and on the glass. His commitment to getting stronger and improving defensively is a major reason why he earned a contract with the Nets.
It was not a smooth ride for Humrichous during his two years in Champaign, but he trusted the process and became a key contributor on last season’s Final Four team. He began his Illinois career as a starter and an important offensive piece before transitioning into a reserve role with fewer scoring opportunities. He could have left Illinois following a disappointing first season in Champaign, but he stayed, embraced his new role, and helped the Illini make a deep postseason run.
NBA Fit
It is unlikely that Ben Humrichous will ever appear in a regular-season game for the Brooklyn Nets or another NBA team, but he will get his opportunity this summer. He will join several former Illini on the NBA Summer League circuit as they fight for a roster spot.
Illinois fans have recently watched Coleman Hawkins, Giorgi Bezhanishvili, Quincy Guerrier, Dain Dainja, Marcus Domask, Justin Harmon, and Malcolm Hill compete in NBA Summer League. Former Illini Malcolm Hill grinded through Summer League and the G League before eventually earning his opportunity in the NBA. Humrichous and Kylan Boswell will be the next Illini looking to follow a similar path.
Boswell also went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft but get his opportunity to prove himself during Summer League with the Charlotte Hornets. It will be challenging for both players to make an NBA roster next season, but a continued commitment to development could give them a chance.
Humrichous is a versatile 6-foot-9 forward who can provide shooting, defense, and rebounding off the bench, much like the role he played at Illinois. Boswell is just 20 years old and brings tough on-ball defense and a different style than the big guards that have become increasingly common across the NBA.
Be on the lookout for the NBA Summer League schedule to watch Ben Humrichous, Kylan Boswell, Keaton Wagler, and several other former Illini in action this July.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 23: Darryn Peterson poses on the red carpet prior to Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Utah Jazz are entering next season with a prospect many are considering the best prospect in team history. But is he really? Let’s take a look at all the prospects in team history and decide who were the top ten best prospects in Jazz history. It’s important to note that this is not a list of the best players in Jazz history, but the best prospects. Basically, how much hype and expectation did each player have coming into the league when they were drafted?
10. John Stockton
This was a choice between John Stockton and Truck Robinson. Truck Robinson was a second-round pick who was considered undersized but overcame it and became a monster rebounder and two-time all-star. John Stockton was famously booed by Jazz fans when he was drafted at pick #16 and played a backup role his first three seasons.
Because he was at least a first-round pick, Stockton gets the nod. But even he was surprised he was picked so high, most had him as a late first-round pick or later. Utah kept it secret that they had an interest, but probably didn’t have to.
9. Donovan Mitchell
Once again, this isn’t a list of best players for the Jazz, just the most hyped prospects in team history. Like Stockton, Mitchell talked about how he wasn’t sure he’d even be drafted when the Jazz picked him at pick #13.
What Mitchell did have was a fantastic wingspan (6’10” for a 6’1″ player) and impressive athleticism (40″ vertical). The signs were there for him to have some nice upside but no one expected him to become what he did.
8. Enes Kanter
Most people forget that Enes Kanter was the #3 overall pick. The pick was conveyed from the trade with the Brooklyn Nets. Kanter was a top prospect from Kentucky, but was ruled ineligible by the NCAA and didn’t play. Because he was from Turkey and there was no film on him in college, he was a massive unknown with all sorts of potential outcomes. A lot of Jazz fans were throwing out names like Dirk Nowitzki at the time, but that was clearly not what he became.
I remember poring over grainy clips from Turkey like the Zabruder film and not really having any idea what he could be. The fact that Kentucky wanted him encouraged fans like me that there had to be more to him than what we saw. Because of the unknown, there was hype, but it was nothing compared to the excitement we’re feeling right now.
7. Karl Malone
Because Karl Malone came from a small school and was little known, he didn’t have much hype at all coming out of school. He did have impressive physical tools, but there were questions about his style of play, and there were rumors that he was hard to deal with. Because of that, Malone fell a little later than expected to #13 in the draft.
It obviously turned out well for Utah, but it was not clear how things would work out for the physical specimen from Louisiana Tech.
6. Dante Exum
Dante Exum is the first player on this list who had some serious hype coming to the NBA. Utah was at #5 in the draft, and it was the hope that Exum could actually fall out of the top so Utah could draft him. With his large 6’6″ size with 6’10” wingspan, overzealous draft analysts compared him to guys like Penny Hardaway. Needless to say, Jazz fans were very excited about Exum.
When he joined the Jazz, the summer league hype for him was huge, and he gave fans something to cheer for with a great first game. Obviously, things didn’t turn out as everyone hoped, but the buildup to drafting Exum was fun, and Jazz fans had serious excitement about him. You had to be there.
5. Ace Bailey
Like Exum, Ace Bailey went #5 in the draft to the Utah Jazz and came with impressive physical tools and potential. So far, Bailey has shown real flashes of what he can do, much better than what we saw from Exum. He also had a better opportunity as the Jazz were tanking for a lot of his season, which gave him a lot of time to play.
The reason Bailey gets the nod here, and could be argued to be higher, is that before his college season started, many experts had him slated for top-3, even #1 by some. But his performance at Rutgers wasn’t quite as strong as expected. He still put up numbers, but they weren’t dominant, and there were some questions about his skill set. Bailey also received bad advice from his player-manager, Omar Cooper, and didn’t give any teams a workout. He tried to work his way to Washington, but Utah selected him even without a workout. Bailey is still receiving a lot of hype and has a chance to become a real star for Utah if he continues to improve.
4. Deron Williams
Williams came into the league with some huge hype as a draft riser who led his team to the national championship. He was considered a strong pick because of his high IQ, court vision, and strong frame. Because of his great positional size, he also looked like a potential star who could punish opposing guards. That’s exactly what he did.
Williams was such a good prospect that Utah made sure to get him by trading to draft him at #3. Williams went on to become a multi-year All-Star and a 2-time All-NBA Second Team selection. And no matter what anyone says, he outplayed Chris Paul during his tenure with the Jazz.
LAS VEGAS – FEBRUARY 16: Deron Williams and Chris Paul of the Sophomore team seen prior to the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend on February 16, 2007 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 2007 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
3. Darrell Griffith
The Golden Griff was considered by many as the best talent in the 1980 draft, not unlike Darryn Peterson. His nickname “Dr. Dunkenstein” was well earned, with his legendary reported 48-inch vertical during the draft. Griffith was a national champion and Wooden Award winner, and Utah was excited to draft him as the potential face of the franchise and future star.
You could argue that Griffith probably deserves the #1 spot, so this might be recency bias, and the fact that I wasn’t there for Griffith. As the only other #2 pick for the Jazz, he is well-deserving of, at minimum, this #3 spot.
2. Dominique Wilkins
This is one of the more interesting notes in Jazz history. Wilkins was very hyped coming out of college and looked like the prototypical NBA superstar. His athleticism, size, and scoring were as good as they come. The issue was that he didn’t want to play in Utah. Utah drafted him and had to trade Wilkins because of his refusal to play with the team. Things have changed a lot since then, but we still see a little of this. The good news? It appears that Utah is slowly gaining a better reputation and will hopefully continue to prove itself as a place where players would love to go.
In his own words, here’s how Wilkins described the Jazz draft situation.
1. Darryn Peterson
Yes, Darryn Peterson really is the best Jazz prospect ever. His mix of talent, skill, and athleticism is as high as any prospect you’ll ever see. Coming into Kansas, Peterson was considered by many as the #1 pick. Because of his issues at Kansas, Washington was given enough pause to draft AJ Dybantsa, but that doesn’t take away from just how awesome Peterson has the potential to be. Personally, because of where he was mocked all year, and even up until draft night, I look at him as maybe the first #1 pick for the Utah Jazz. He’s for sure the best all-around talent coming out of college the Jazz have ever drafted.
But now, it all comes down to how he joins the team. The hype and potential couldn’t be highert, the hope is that he can live up to it.
According to FanDuel, Peterson has the second-best odds to win Rookie of the Year. If he plays at the level of his hype, that should be easy.
Jun 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) sets up to catch a fly ball hit by Texas Rangers center fielder Wyatt Langford (not pictured) during the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Rangers 6 Blue Jays 5
Well, they made it close.
A terrible night for Kevin Gausman, for the second start in a row. Tonight he gave up a run in the first and five more in the third, and that was pretty much the game. He did work his way through six innings.
And Simeon Woods Richardson pitched the last three innings, without giving up a run. Pretty soon he’s going to earn a change to be more than just a mop up guy. 10 innings and he still hasn’t given up a run as a Blue Jay.
Offensively? We didn’t score until the fifth inning, putting up three runs with back-to-back singled to start the inning by Kazuma Okamoto and Alejandro Kirk. A Nathan Lukes walk loaded the bases. Then a sac fly by Davis Schneider and a Myles Straw double brought in our runs.
And we got two more in the ninth. Ernie Clement singles and, after a Vladimir Guerrero strikeout, Okamoto hit his 18th home run of the season. But Kirk ground out and Brandon Valenzuela struck out and that was the game.
We only had six hits and one walk, so there weren’t many base runners. Clement and Okamoto had two hits each. Kirk and Straw had one each.
Just another one of those days where we didn’t hit enough. One for three with RISP but we didn’t have enough RISP. It seems to be the story of the season to this point.
Jay of the Day? Straw was the only one getting the number (0.10 WPA). Let’s give an honourable mention to Okamoto.
Other Award: Gausman (-0.29) and Vlad (-0.10).
Tomorrow we have Patrick Corbin (2-3, 4.73) against Nathan Eovaldi (7-7, 4.24). As I say too often, a win would be nice.
Jun 25, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) looks on as Boston Red Sox third baseman Caleb Durbin (5) hits a two run home run in the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
Good news! Apparently whatever ailment preventing the Red Sox from playing competent baseball at Fenway Park this year is contagious. The New York Yankees may have the best record in the American League, but tonight they put on a total clown shown and gifted away a rather amusing victory with a big, fat bow on it.
The Red Sox of course were still the Red Sox, going 1-12 with runners in scoring position and failing to score a single earned run, but for one night, their shortcomings were dwarfed by their opponent. If you go by official errors, the Yankees were charged with four, but it you watched the whole thing play out, it felt like they had twice that many.
It started early and often with two mistakes in the first inning: First Austin Wells got nailed on catcher’s interference, and then Cam Schlitter threw a ball into centerfield to set up a second and third situation for the Sox. Even though these two errors didn’t amount to anything, it was a major harbinger of things to come.
In the second inning, the Yankees started things off by letting this pop up drop (which was generously ruled a hit):
Once again, the Red Sox didn’t score – And they even failed to score again in the third and fourth innings despite another pop up dropping in foul territory.
However, in the bottom of the fifth, the flood of mistakes finally caught up with New York and the game turned rather quickly. On another night, the ball below becomes an inning ending double play, but with the circus in town, it went right through Amed Rosario’s legs to get the Red Sox on the board.
Later in the inning, Jarren Duran recorded a sac fly on a shallow fly ball to left field thanks in part to a very unimpressive throw from Jose Caballero. (To be fair and give the Red Sox some credit, they fully expected a throw like this and challenged his arm.)
Then came the big blow. In an inning that should have been over, the Yankees proved the even against the 2026 Red Sox, if you keep making enormous blunder after enormous blunder, you’re eventually going to pay the piper in this league. Here, it happened in the form of a Caleb Durbin home run down the left field line. It was definitely a Fenway home run, but the Yankees fully earned this one with the way they played all night, and so did Durbin for that matter getting back in the lineup one day after dislocating his pinky.
That homer turned out to be all the runs the Red Sox needed, but the Yankees were not done handing out gifts. Here’s Yerry De los Santos trying to field a bunt in the eighth:
Connelly Early: This is the other main story from the game that kind of got buried in the Yankee calamity. Early survived a shaky first inning, showed steady improvement the deeper he worked into the outing, and his fastball was touching 95mph. Great night for him in both the micro and the macro.
Garrett Whitlock: Nice bounce back outing after some shakiness in Colorado. He put up an easy, stress free zero in the top of the eighth.
Three Duds
Marcelo Mayer: 0-4 with two strike outs that also included a pop up with the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the eighth inning. If he had a halfway decent night with the bat, the Red Sox probably score ten runs given all the ducks he left on the pond.
Greg Weissert: Nearly set the game on fire in the seventh inning. Needed Danny Coulombe to get Ben Rice to clean up his jam.
Earthquakes: Normally, the third dud would go to either Wilyer Abreu or Willson Contreras, who went a combined 0-8 with three strikeouts from the three and four spots in the lineup. However, given what’s happening in their home country right now, they get a total pass for this one.
Pick whatever Yankee error was your favorite. Their incompetency powered the Red Sox win with Boston failing to score a single earned run all night. Let’s just hope the Yankees saved some errors for the rest of the series.
All-time greats have questions to answer in SW19 while Raducanu and Draper have to show they can stay fit
Serena Williams left it until the last minute to take the final available singles wildcard at Wimbledon and dramatically escalate her comeback from retirement. It is hard to imagine this was all part of her master plan. If she knew she was ready to compete against the best in the world from the beginning of the grass court season, Williams would have surely tested the waters at Queen’s Club or in Berlin, rather than playing doubles. But here she is, unable to resist the pull of Wimbledon, where she has won seven times in singles. Williams’s career has been filled with so many magical moments and at 44 years old, after four years of retirement, she is back at SW19 attempting to create a few more magical moments.
For what felt like the millionth time this season, the Mets made some mistakes in Thursday’s loss to the Chicago Cubs that cost them the game.
Tied 0-0 entering the sixth inning, Freddy Peralta, who had been cruising over the first five innings, got Dansby Swanson to hit a routine grounder to shortstop Ronny Mauricio. The ball was hit right to Mauricio and all he had to do was make the throw to first base for the first out of the inning.
Instead, Mauricio made a low throw and the ball skipped to first baseman Mark Vientos, who couldn’t handle it for a throwing error charged to the shortstop.
The error paved the way for Chicago’s three-run inning, all of which were unearned, and forced Peralta to throw 30 pitches before getting pulled with two outs in the frame.
Not only was manager Carlos Mendoza unhappy after the game with the error because of how routine the play was, the point in time at which it happened also bothered him, not to mention it came on the heels of a game where New York made six errors.
“Especially the leadoff one there – it’s a completely different inning, especially for Freddy’s outing there,” Mendoza said. “It’s just routine plays that are costing us. At this level, you expect to make plays like that, those are routine plays. You understand that they’re not gonna be perfect, but those are as routine as it gets and teams are making us pay for it, especially the past few nights.
Prior to the error, Peralta had kept the Cubs scoreless for five innings and pulled a complete 180 following his season-worst start against the Philadelphia Phillies the last time out. Of course, it’s impossible to say what would’ve happened had the error not happened, but at the very least, it forced Peralta to throw more pitches and ended his night prematurely.
Nevertheless, the right-hander knows mistakes are part of the game and felt he should’ve done more to pick up his defender.
“It happens. I was just trying to calm myself and make my pitches and try to get a ground ball for the double play,” he said.
The Mets, officially at the halfway point of the season, have now lost six straight games, are a season-low 13 games below .500 and their season is on life support.
So, what, if anything, can be done about it?
“I cannot speak for everybody, but what I can say and what I feel is just, losing is no fun,” Peralta said. “And at the end of the day, I know we need to win and that we have a team that is supposed to win. What I can say is we’ve been trying and we’ve been working really hard to get through this and trying to make adjustments.
“Right now we just need to keep trying and play better, myself too. We all need to play better and just try to come back and remind ourselves that we are big leaguers and we are great at this game. We just need to put everything together and try to put up a W every day.”
