Two teams attempting to get back to .500 on the season and out of last place in their divisions meet at the Great American Ball Park tonight when the Mets (32-39) and Reds (33-37) meet for a three game series.
New York has won three of the last four games as they enter the series. The Mets are hitting .237 (24th) as a group this month, but have the eighth-most home runs (19). The pitching staff has carried New York to a 6-6 record this month. The Mets own a 3.81 ERA (4th), the best WHIP (1.09). and second-best OBA (.213).
The Reds have won five of the past six starts with Chase Burns on the mound, which is good news considering Cincinnati is 2-8 in the last 10 games entering this series. In June, the Reds have the second-worst batting average (.218) with the fourth-most strikeouts (112), and second-fewest runs scored (37). The Reds will need another dominant outing from Burns who's recorded 10 straight games with two or fewer earned runs.
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Mets at Reds
Date: Monday, June 15, 2026
Time: 7:10 PM EST
Site: Great American Ball Park
City: Cincinatti, OH
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
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Odds for the Mets at the Reds
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: New York Mets (+119), Cincinnati Reds (-143)
Spread: Reds -1.5 (+153), Mets +1.5 (-186)
Total: 8.5
Probable starting pitchers for Mets at Reds
Monday's pitching matchup (June 15): Tobias Meyers vs. Chase Burns
The Mets’ Juan Soto is hitting .293 with 58 hits, 15 home runs and 34 RBI over 198 at-bats
The Mets’ Marcus Semien is hitting .218 with 56 hits and 60 strikeouts over 122 at-bats
The Reds’ JJ Bleday is hitting .266 with 42 hits, 12 home runs, and 30 RBI over 257 at-bats
The Reds’ Will Benson is hitting .188 with 18 hits and 38 strikeouts over 96 at-bats
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Mets at Reds
The Mets are 30-41 ATS, ranking sixth-worst
The Reds are 37-33 ATS
The Reds are 42-27-1 to the Over, ranking third-best
The Mets are 34-31-6 to the Under, ranking ninth-best
The Reds are 16-19 ATS at home
The Mets are 15-20 ATS on the road, ranking ninth-best
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Mets and the Reds
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Reds and the Mets:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Reds on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Reds at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 8.5
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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 13: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins hits a solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth inning of the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on June 13, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Steven Garcia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a middling week for the Twins, going 3-3, wrapping up a three-series run against AL Central rivals with a series loss in Detroit before finishing the week at home with a series win against the Cardinals. In that time, the Twins homered 14 times, with Byron Buxton making his return from running into the wall in the Royals series to hit four homers himself. Royce Lewis, who played five games at first base this week, looks like his Triple-A self with three homers as well. Starting pitching was the biggest source of consternation, with the starters giving up 24 earned runs in 32 innings pitched. For the season, the starters have combined for a 4.61 ERA, eighth-worst in the league. The team goes on a week-long road trip, heading down to Dallas and then Phoenix.
The Past Week on Twinkie Town:
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Game threads and recaps are back! Commiserate with your fellow fans as we experience the season together.
The Yankees have weathered the Aaron Judge storm reasonably well and now hold a one-game lead over the Rays. The White Sox and Guardians are now tied for the AL Central lead, while the Mariners hold a one-game advantage over the A’s. Incredibly, the Twins are still only three games out of the last wild-card spot.
Nothing has really changed in the National League. It’s Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Milwaukee in the top three spots. (Eagle-eyed readers will note this is the same exact thing I wrote last week). That being said, while Atlanta has a pretty large lead in the NL East standings, only two games separate the top three teams. The Cardinals, Phillies, and Padres round out the three wild card teams.
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager was out of the lineup for the third straight game because he’s dealing with a mild concussion, manager Skip Schumaker said before they faced the Boston Red Sox.
Against the Kansas City Royals, Seager was trying to score from first on Brandon Nimmo’s double when he collided with catcher Carter Jensen. He stayed in the game and homered.
Seager missed 19 games in May and early June with lower back inflammation.
He’s struggling this season, hitting just .186 with nine homers and 24 RBIs.
The Portland Trail Blazers — specifically new owner Tom Dundon, according to league sources — were unsure about bringing back acting coach Tiago Splitter and giving him the job full-time. They took their time deciding between him and several other finalists, while Dundon was focused on his NHL team, the Carolina Hurricanes, winning the Stanley Cup.
So the Chicago Bulls have swooped in and will hire Splitter as their new head coach, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and confirmed by multiple other reports.
Splitter came to Portland last season, hired away after leading Paris Basketball to the French Cup. He became a top assistant coach on Chauncey Billups' Portland staff, then, when Billups was arrested as part of a federal gambling investigation, Splitter was tapped to become the acting head coach. In that role, he led them to a better-than-projected 42-40 season and a playoff berth in the West, and helped develop Deni Avdija into an All-Star.
The Portland players respected Splitter. He was a seven-season NBA veteran as a player who won a ring with the 2014 San Antonio Spurs. As a coach, he has shown a strength in player development — something seen in Portland last season with Avdija, Scoot Henderson and others — and something that has to be a priority in Chicago with a roster in flux.
While it seemed logical to keep Splitter in the big chair in Portland, Dundon reportedly wasn't a fan. While Splitter was a finalist for the Trail Blazers' job, he was part of a wide-ranging search by Dundon and the Portland front office to find their cost-effective coach. While that search dragged on, Splitter started talking to the Bulls, and that team's new head of basketball operations, Bryson Graham, liked what he saw. Splitter reportedly beat out Minnesota assistant Micah Nori, Atlanta assistant Ryan Schmidt and Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr. for the job.
Splitter takes over a Bulls team with a roster in transition, but led by quality players in Josh Giddey and promising young forward Matas Buzelis. There's a lot of roster changeover coming, but that will give Splitter the chance to build his own culture and playing style.
BetMGM has released its 2026-27 odds for the Stanley Cup, and the Columbus Blue Jackets are in a surprising position.
According to BetMGM's odds, the CBJ are listed at +5000 to win the 2027 Stanley Cup. That's the 16th-best odds in the league. Other teams at +5000 are the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers.
The Metro Division has the Hurricanes, Devils(+3000), and Blue Jackets as the top three in the division with the best odds. The Penguins(+6000) and Islanders(+6600) have worse odds than the CBJ.
The Colorado Avalanche are the best at +700, followed by the champion Hurricanes at +750.
The teams at the bottom are Vancouver Canucks at +50000, the Flames at +30000, and the Kraken at +20000.
Don Waddell and the Columbus Blue Jackets have some work to do, but clearly, Las Vegas is confident that the CBJ can make the playoffs.
Can Waddell make the needed moves for this team to compete? We will find out in a few weeks when free agency opens and teams start moving players around.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.
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A representative for the Houston Police Department told The California Post on Monday that the NBA superstar was pulled over for some kind of traffic violation at 3 a.m. on a downtown Houston roadway.
“The driver of the vehicle identified himself as James Harden” during the stop, the HPD rep said, “and he was taken into custody for unlawful carrying of a weapon.”
Cleveland Cavaliers’ James Harden during the first half of Game 2 in the Eastern Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the New York Knicks, May 21, 2026, in New York. AP Photo/Frank Franklin IIJames Harden was arrested at 3:41 a.m. on Saturday in Houston.
According to court documents, Harden had a handgun in his vehicle that “was not carried in a holster” while “in plain view.” He was formally taken into custody at 3:41 a.m. and booked on one misdemeanor charge of unlawful carrying weapons.
In Harden’s mugshot, which was provided to The Post by the HPD on Monday, he could be seen wearing a black T-shirt and a stern look on his face.
Harris County records show Harden was released from jail on bond later Saturday morning and given an arraignment date of June 22.
However, the records also show that hearing date was rescheduled on Monday to Aug. 3.
Harden, according to the records, has hired high-powered Texas attorney Rusty Hardin to represent him in the case. Hardin has previously repped several famous professional athletes, including Deshaun Watson when the NFL quarterback was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple massage therapists.
Messages to Hardin and his office for comment on Harden’s case were not immediately returned.
Harden, a former Los Angeles Clipper who currently plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers, has deep ties to Houston — he played nine seasons with the Rockets earlier in his NBA career.
Sources told The Post he had been out at a local hookah lounge with a large group of his friends before his arrest occurred.
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K’Andre Miller is officially a Stanley Cup champion.
The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 on Sunday night en route to their first Stanley Cup since 2006, and Miller played a big part in propelling this team over the top.
Being selected by the New York Rangers in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft, Miller was projected to be a cornerstone piece of the Blueshirts’ defensive core.
Despite a breakout 2022-23 campaign in which Miller recorded a career-high 43 points, he was the subject of criticism throughout his final two years in New York, with his inconsistent defensive play causing concern among the fanbase and the Rangers’ management group.
So much so that when Miller became a restricted free agent during the 2025 offseason, the Rangers decided not to give him a long-term contract extension and instead trade the young blueliner to the Hurricanes in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 or 2027 NHL Draft, and Scott Morrow.
The Hurricanes then signed Miller to an eight-year, $60 million contract, a move deemed risky at the time, given his inconsistencies and flaws that had held him back with the Blueshirts.
The 26-year-old defenseman has completely flipped the narrative that plagued him in New York, as over the course of the regular season, he transformed into the sure-fire top-four defenseman that the Rangers once had hoped he would blossom into.
Throughout the Hurricanes’ playoff run, Miller was one of Carolina’s most productive defensemen, recording nine points, the second most amongst all Hurricanes blueliners, while he led all Hurricanes players, averaging 24:03 minutes per game.
Shortly after hoisting the Stanley Cup, Miller made sure to mention the criticism he received during his time playing for the Rangers and how he proved all of the doubters wrong in what was a full-circle moment.
Credit to Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky and head coach Rod Brind'Amour: they saw through some of Miller’s inconsistencies and knew he was the right fit for their structured system.
All it took was the right environment for Miller to tap into his potential.
“You look at this team and how it’s assembled: the coaching staff, our trainers, everybody was really pulling the same way this year,” Miller said. “It made it really easy coming to the rink and throwing a smile on my face and putting my best foot forward, so a lot of credit to these guys and the organization itself.”
Is there any chance the Sixers will find a core piece with the 22nd pick in Round 1 of the NBA draft on June 23?
The team sure seems to have snagged one of the top 21st selections ever in All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey. As for No. 22, below is a chronological (and unscientific) rundown of the best players drafted at that slot:
George McGinnis (1973)
After a series of contract disputes, McGinnis debuted with the Sixers in 1975. Fresh off an ABA MVP season, the do-it-all Hall of Fame forward earned All-Star nods in his first two years as a Sixer and won the Eastern Conference title in 1977. Other notable Sixers picks from the 1973 draft class include Doug Collins (No. 1) and Caldwell Jones (No. 32). McGinnis died in 2023 at 73 years old.
Davis helped the Trail Blazers win it all his rookie season. The speedy guard out of Dayton had his most productive NBA years with the Pacers, averaging 16.4 points and 5.4 assists from the 1978-79 through ’81-82 seasons. Davis went on to coach in the NBA and served as the Sixers’ head coach for Allen Iverson’s rookie year in 1996-97.
That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020.
So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order.
“We’ve said it for a long time, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.”
The Flyers have only five picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET.
“I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said June 2 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success.
“And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.”
“What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014).
“But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.”
Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.
Next up:
Adam Novotny
Position: Winger Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 200 Shoots: Left Team: Peterborough
Scouting report
The Czechia product is a sturdy, hard-on-the-forecheck player who can create offense through contact. He competes like a pro with his effort and skill in tight areas.
“I’d say the upside, the potential is maybe a top-six guy [in the lineup],” Daily Faceoff associate editor and prospect analyst Steven Ellis said last Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think he’s more of a safe bet at the second line, but I like him.”
Novotny put up 65 points (34 goals, 31 assists) over 58 games for Peterborough this season, his first in the OHL. He recorded a little under five shots per game and had six multi-goal games. He did so while adapting to North America as an 18-year-old.
“For the most part, it’s a big life change,” Ellis said. “It’ll take a little bit for players to figure it out, but once Novotny did, I feel like he showed he can really be so dangerous around the net. He has got a good shot and he’s a tough guy to push around because he has got a lot of muscle.”
Earning a silver medal at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, Novotny didn’t tear it up from a production standpoint. He had no goals and three assists in seven games, but he led Team Czechia with a ridiculous 34 shots. For some context, Martone scored six goals in the tournament with Team Canada and had 19 shots.
So Novotny did impress despite the underwhelming point total.
“I remember seeing the expected goals for him at the world juniors, he was among the best shot and play generators on that Czech team,” Ellis said. “He just couldn’t score. … This was a guy who was just truly unlucky, I think that’s the best way to kind of put it.”
“I could see him go as high as 15th,” Ellis said. “I think there are some scouts who might think he’s a little lower, but I think overall, there’s a lot to like about his game.”
There’s definitely some intrigue with Novotny’s shot mentality and skating ability. The Flyers could use more goal-scoring talent, guys that can make things happen in the offensive zone and on the power play.
Novotny isn’t the most well-rounded player and the Flyers have a ton of young wingers. That might not make him the ideal pick.
But the Flyers have shown recently they won’t always go with the safe pick. If Novotny is available at No. 21 and the Flyers feel his offensive strengths are high end, he’ll give them a good decision to make.
Interestingly, four of the Flyers’ last five first-round selections have come out of the OHL.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 13: Jonny Farmelo #98 of the Seattle Mariners plays center field during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Peoria Stadium on March 13, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tacoma Rainiers
The Rainiers found some success for the first time in a while this week, snagging five of six against a very solid Albuquerque team. It’s been a brutal stretch of baseball recently for this Tacoma team, so managing to string together some W’s is an awesome sight to see.
A rehabbing Cal Raleigh did a substantial amount of work for the lineup this week and looks to be back to his old self offensively. Having launched five homers on his rehab stint, Raleigh figures to return to the big league club this week and should provide a massive boost for a lineup that’s missing the bulk of its major offensive producers. With a pitching staff that’s reeling and in desperate need of a guiding presence, Cal should provide this team with the leader it desperately needs.
Arkansas Travelers
The Travelers took home yet another series win this week, besting the Naturals by a series score of four to two. Despite a league-leading run differential of +103, the Travs find themselves 2.5 games back of the Tulsa Drillers for the division lead and will need to make up a bit of ground if they hope to lock up a spot in the playoffs.
Ryan Sloan joins Kade Anderson in being awesome today. Final line: 6IP, 3H, 1R, 0ER, 1BB, 7K, 12 whiffs, 10 groundouts, 78 pitches, 52 strikes. pic.twitter.com/WzznT2gWIE
Fans were treated to a dazzling double header on Saturday afternoon after inclement weather postponed Friday’s contest. Featuring arguably the top two pitchers in all of minor league baseball, the tandem of Ryan Sloan and Kade Anderson dominated opposing bats all afternoon, combining to twirl 12.2 scoreless innings while punching out 13 and walking none. The pair allowed just six hits on the day and looked exceptionally polished from the get-go. When we’ll see these two in the big leagues is yet to be seen and is largely up to factors out of their control, but when they do end up receiving the call to the bigs, it’s sure to be appointment television.
Lazaro Montes loves hitting on the road! Launching another three homers this week, Montes raised his season OPS up to .922 and looks like a force at the plate for this Traveler lineup. The lefty masher has been Arkansas’ best hitter for the bulk of this 2026 season and has already hit the 20 HR mark for the year, an accomplishment he’s achieved each of the past three seasons. Montes’ overall offensive profile is a tenuous one, and his high-strikeout approach is sure to give him his doubters, but with his inarguable talent and immense age-adjusted output at every stage of his career, Montes remains one of the best prospects in this organization and a surefire top 100 prospect leaguewide.
Everett AquaSox
The Frogs wound up splitting the series against the Canadians this week, unable to best a far inferior team in their home ballpark. The top prospects on this roster have really come into their own as of late, and despite a slow start the first few weeks of the season, this team is set up beautifully for a strong second-half contention window.
Jonny Farmelo clubs his 9th HR of the season, extending his hitting streak to 7 games at High-A 🔱
Here’s Jonny! Top centerfield prospect Jonny Farmelo is having a torrid month of June, carrying the AquaSox lineup out of the leadoff spot for the better part of three weeks. Now up to a season slash of .264/.394/.476, the speedy Farmelo’s 18 stolen bases on the year and solid centerfield defense make him a truly special prospect with nearly unlimited potential. Regardless of whether the organization will choose to challenge him with a promotion to Double-A or opt to leave him in Everett for the remainder of the season, the toolsy Farmelo is finally looking like his former self on the field and is one of the more promising young prospects in this Seattle system.
Shortstop Felnin Celesten had another fantastic week at the dish as he continued his resurgent 2026 season. Logging another eight hits on the week, Celesten launched a pair of homers in the series and now holds a season OPS of .906 through 212 AB’s. Celesten and Farmelo are in a similar boat for this upcoming promotion cycle; after struggling last season, their repeat of the Hi-A level has gone incredibly well and puts the organization in a position to reward them for their success. Though it’s not a foregone conclusion, look for the pair to make their way up to the Texas League by the end of the month.
Inland Empire 66ers
It was a series split for the 66ers this week, managing three games against a very solid Rancho Cucamonga team. The foundation for a solid second-half team is here, but they’ll need reinforcements from the ACL and upcoming draft class in order to get there.
Centerfielder Korbyn Dickerson has been on a heater as of late and looks to be ascending toward his ceiling as a prospect. The right handed outfielder is slashing .300/.405/.567 on the month and currently sits with a season OPS of .841 with 15 bags. Dickerson seems like a prime candidate to replace Jonny Farmelo on the AquaSox following his eventual promotion and should provide him a good challenge to close out the year. Hopefully he’s able to continue his hot hitting and carry some of that momentum over to an Everett team some time in the next few weeks.
ACL Mariners
Both Yorger Bautista and Nick Becker are largely in the same spot as they’ve been the past several weeks (high K’s, decent if uninspiring raw production), however right-handed hurler Po-Chun Lin has now had back to back scoreless starts after a tough handful of outings to kick off his pro career. Across his past two starts, Lin has logged 7.2 innings of two-hit ball while punching out 12 and walking three. Lin, who signed out of Taiwan last January, has had some interesting numbers in international competition and features a blossoming arsenal with a fastball that reaches the mid-90’s. He’s been knocked around a bit and doesn’t have the shiniest numbers, but with a solid K%-BB% rate and performance that’s trending in the right direction, Lin should find himself somewhere in the back half of the M’s organizational top thirty prospects list.
DSL Mariners
Young phenom Gregory Pio has continued to impress in the early stages of his career, leading the way offensively for this DSL squad thus far. The centerfielder launched his first professional homer in Saturday’s contest in a two-hit performance that raised his season slash to a .429/.500/.857 mark with an even 7:7 K/BB ratio (15.9% for both). With essentially no apparent holes in his game right now, Pio and his teammate Juan Rijo both figure to be prospects on the rise over the next few months.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 30: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Washington Wizards on March 30, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we continue our series with a look at Austin Reaves.
Certain players are always connected to Los Angeles. There are the obvious ones, like Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson. But you don’t have to be a legend for your entire Lakers tenure to be remembered for your time inpurple and gold.
Anytime one of the young Lakers from the post-Bryant era finds success, they get love from fans. Josh Hart remains loved by Lakers fans. And even people like Nick Young are remembered, even if they spent more time elsewhere and won a title elsewhere.
So much of Austin Reaves’ story is still left to be written, but one thing is clear: he will always be a Laker. The question is whether his journey will continue in LA.
Reaves is expected to turn down his player option and become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Throughout his career, he has far exceeded even the rosiest of projections people have had of him. He has improved every year, and with him reportedly wanting upwards of $40 million, it seems either the Lakers or another team will oblige.
In an ideal world, the Lakers can pay Reaves whatever number he wants, and that’d be that.
However, nothing is ever ideal, and the NBA operates under a restrictive new salary cap. Paying Reaves will not dramatically impact what they do this year, but in the years ahead, it could prevent LA from adding impactful new pieces.
Although letting such an uber talent like Reaves walk away could also be dire and set the franchise back for years to come.
LA has a lot of decisions to make this summer to turn this team from a fun 50-win roster to a title contender. And the first, and perhaps biggest, decision they have is what to do with Reaves.
How did he play?
It was a tale of two seasons for Reaves.
He was an offensive juggernaut this year, averaging 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists. His scoring and rebounding numbers were career highs and his point total has increased every single season.
Not only were his numbers fantastic, but his play in key moments during the regular season also stood out. He posted his career high 51 points in a win over the Kings and he helped atone for his playoff struggles against the Wolves by hitting a game-winner against Minnesota.
As the season progressed, it became clear the Lakers were a better team with Luka Dončić’s running mate being Reaves rather than LeBron. So, as the season progressed, Reaves’ usage continued to increase. By March, Reaves became a higher-usage player for the Lakers than James.
This meant the ball was in Reaves’ hands more often, and there were a ton of pick-and-roll actions with him and Luka. The result? The Lakers went 15-2 in March, their best month as a franchise since the 1999-00 season.
At that point, the Lakers were the hottest team in the NBA, and Reaves’ stock was at an all-time high. However, that’s not where the story ended.
Thanks to Reaves, working his tail off in his recovery, he was able to return in the first round against the Rockets. While his return was commendable, his play once he touched the floor left a lot to be desired.
He couldn’t handle the physicality of OKC’s defenders. His field goal percentage dropped from 49% during the regular season to 42% against the Thunder. From deep, he was even worse, going from knocking down 36% of his 3-pointers to just 30%.
As an on-ball creator, he was awful. Reaves had 27 turnovers compared to just 35 assists. He also had the second-worst plus-minus on the team at -59.
As a defender, Reaves didn’t silence his critics with his second-round play. He was relentlessly attacked and demonstrated the resistance of a turnstile.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell scored in bunches on Reaves, which is why he was often the defender they were looking for.
In Reaves’ defense, he was fresh coming off his injury, and the playoffs are a tough place to try to get back to 100% health.
Also, he improved as the series against the Thunder progressed. In Game 2, he scored a game-high 31 points on 10-16 shooting, and in Game 4, he had 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
What is his contract situation moving forward?
If Reaves declines his player option like everyone expects him to, he will be an unrestricted free agent. Given how good he’s been, to retain Reaves, the Lakers are likely looking at paying him $40 million or more. Although Reaves has stated he isn’t just looking to make as much money as possible. Winning matters to him as well.
The good news is that his cap hold this year will be approximately $20.9 million, which helps the Lakers this offseason. It means they’ll be able to pay him without feeling the impact of every dollar he makes right away in their books.
Should he be back?
He has his flaws like any other player, but ideally, Reaves will be back next year. He has room to grow, but has proven he’ll do the work to get there time and time again.
However, the Lakers have to be smart with what those numbers look like. Los Angeles, as currently constructed, is not good enough to win a title. Reaves is fantastic, but he’s not Luka. He doesn’t get a blank check, no questions asked. The deal has to make sense because the Lakers need flexibility to acquire players who can elevate the team to the next level even past this offseason.
The Lakers might think their backcourt’s defensive woes are exaggerated, but they aren’t lockdown defenders either. LA needs better defenders around their duo and likely a dominant frontcourt player to add to this roster.
In the end, it’s in LA’s best interest to continue this partnership with Reaves. They just need to do so while making Austin happy and still allowing them to add to their roster so they can be contenders once again.
CAMDEN, NJ - JUNE 8: Mike Gansey speaks as the Philadelphia 76ers introduce him as their new President of Basketball Operations on June 8, 2026 at The Penn Medicine Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey. 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 Mary Kate Ridgway/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the New York Knicks taking down the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the NBA Finals, the 2025-26 season has officially come to an end.
Teams are now allowed to speak to their own free agents and start mapping out their offseason. For the Sixers, that means Kelly Oubre, Jr., Quentin Grimes and Andre Drummond. The likelihood of all three coming back feels very low. Drummond has likely played his last game in Philadelphia. Oubre and Grimes are talented but flawed rotation players who could conceivably be back.
Also, the 2026 NBA Draft is a little over a week away now. Mock drafts have the Sixers taking players like Chris Cenac, Dailyn Swain, Allen Graves and Jayden Quaintance. The options at 22 are very uncertain, but this is a good and deep draft class.
It’s no longer a battle of division leaders, but the Tampa Bay Rays-Los Angeles Dodgers series starting tonight still matches two of the best teams in baseball.
The Rays fell behind the Yankees in the AL East over the weekend, while the Dodgers are cruising in the NL West.
With a favorable pitching matchup and a more urgent need for a win, my Rays vs. Dodgers predictions and MLB picks expect Tampa to start the series off on the right foot on Monday, June 15.
Who will win Rays vs Dodgers today: Rays moneyline (+148)
The Los Angeles Dodgers have alternated wins and losses over the last eight games, a schedule that includes the Angels and Pirates.
L.A. starts waiver-wire pickup Eric Lauer, who has pitched well for them but has a 5.47 ERA this year. He’s also a former division rival of the Tampa Bay Rays, so their batters are familiar with him. Current Rays have a .333 average and .632 slugging against the lefty.
The Rays have one of the five best records in MLB, making the current odds a bargain.
The game may not be a toss-up, but it’s close. Anything over +130 on Tampa is money well spent.
COVERS INTEL:Shohei Ohtani has just one walk in 10 plate appearances against Nick Martinez. Ohtani is hitless and has struck out three times. He’s grounded out four times and fouled out once. He made good contact against Martinez one time—a deep flyout.
Rays vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 (-120)
The Rays have scored four or fewer runs in seven of the last 10, the Dodgers in four of 10, including two of three.
Tampa starts Nick Martinez, who leads the league in fewest walks per nine innings. His offspeed stuff has a run value in the 100th percentile of MLB hurlers. His fastball is also 87th percentile, so he’s not merely a junkballer.
L.A. is without catcher Will Smith. Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Shohei Ohtani are the three Dodgers who have faced Martinez the most, and all have a .214 or lower career average against him.
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 22-25, -0.91 units
Over/Under bets: 26-25, -0.22 units
Rays vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Rays +156 | Dodgers -163
Run line: Rays +1.5 (-133) | Dodgers -1.5 (+127)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+122) | Under 9.5 (-127)
Rays vs Dodgers trend
The Tampa Bay Rays have hit the Moneyline in 29 of their last 45 games (+9.70 Units / 17% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rays vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Rays vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Monday, June 15, 2026
First pitch
10:10 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Rays starting pitcher
Nick Martinez (6-2, 2.43 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Eric Lauer (2-5, 5.47 ERA)
Rays vs Dodgers latest injuries
Rays vs Dodgers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
At long last, Rod Brind'Amour has finally proven that he and his Carolina Hurricanes can win the big games, and one Stanley Cup win later, the Philadelphia Flyers legend is exalted above most in NHL history.
Twenty years ago, Brind'Amour, now 55, won the Stanley Cup as the captain of the Hurricanes, and now he's done the same for the Hurricanes, steering the ship in a different way.
Having triumphed as both a player and coach with the same team, the Flyers Hall of Famer has joined exclusive company in NHL history.
The only three other people to ever accomplish such a feat? Toe Blake (Montreal), Hap Day (Toronto), and Cooney Weiland (Boston), all of which were for Original Six franchises.
That makes Brind'Amour's accomplishment that much greater.
In his nine years with the Flyers, Brind'Amour scored 235 goals, 366 assists, and 601 points in 633 regular season games.
The legendary two-way forward, now esteemed coach, still views the Flyers organization in high regard, and perhaps he doesn't get the job done without them.
Several former Flyers who left the team in recent seasons joined up with the Hurricanes for this playoff run: defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker, who were often paired together, and enforcer Nick Deslauriers.
At the other end of the ice, ex-Flyers John Tortorella and Carter Hart crumbled under the spotlight of the Stanley Cup Final.
Brind'Amour has made the playoffs as the head coach of the Hurricanes every season since taking over in 2018-19, and eight years and a Jack Adams Award later, he has captured the elusive Stanley Cup, too.
The Flyers helped their own friend along the way, suffering a sweep at the hands of the Hurricanes in Round 2, and now the Flyers, led by head coach Rick Tocchet, know the standard to which they need to play to win a Stanley Cup of their own.
Let Brind'Amour and the Hurricanes be the shining example of how to draft, build a team, lead, and stick to a plan.
COVERS INTEL: