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Tigers fans, what do you make of the news that Ruben Selles has left the MKM Stadium?
Another summer, another change in the dugout. Do you think Selles would have improved City's fortunes next season, or do you think this is the right move after a season of struggle? Who would you like to see replace him?
Let us know your thoughts here.
Check back later and we'll publish a selection of views right here.
The Ottawa Senators brought on veteran NHL center Sam Gagner for the next phase of his hockey career.
Gagner is now the director of player development for the Senators after a 1,043-game NHL career.
“Sam had an incredible career as a player, and we look forward to launching his next chapter,” Senators GM Steve Staios said in a news release. “A true character individual, Sam has contributed to the success of his organizations, both on and off the ice.”
Gagner recently played for the AHL’s Belleville Senators in the 2024-25 season after signing a professional tryout with the team. He made 19 appearances and recorded 10 assists for Belleville up until the NHL trade deadline.
The 35-year-old has played 1,043 games in the NHL across 17 years. He played for the Edmonton Oilers, Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings and Winnipeg Jets.
He spent most of his career with the Oilers, which selected him sixth overall in the 2007 NHL draft. He played 10 seasons with Edmonton in three different stints. Gagner’s first seven years in the NHL were with Edmonton, followed by another two seasons from 2018 to 2020.
He also played his last NHL season with his draft team in 2023-24, featuring in 28 games, scoring five goals and 10 points.
Gagner’s career high in points came in the 2016-17 season with the Blue Jackets, when he had 18 goals and 32 assists for 50 points in 81 games. He also has seven 40-point campaigns in his career.
While Gagner only appeared in 11 NHL playoff games in his career – six games with Philadelphia in 2015-16 and five with Columbus the following year – he does have some championship hardware.
In 2012, Gagner won the Spengler Cup with Team Canada, recording three assists in four games. He was part of a star-studded Canadian squad that year during the 2012-13 NHL lockout, playing with Matt Duchene, Patrice Bergeron, John Tavares, Jason Spezza, Tyler Seguin and more.
Gagner also won gold with Canada at the 2006-07 world juniors, the same season he made the CHL’s all-rookie team with 118 points in 53 games on the OHL’s London Knights.
The Senators also hired Matt Turek as the new GM for Belleville. He’s been a GM and scout in the OHL for the last decade, and he was an amateur scout for the Montreal Canadiens from 2017 to 2022.
Turek played a key role in the former Hamilton Bulldogs’ OHL championship wins in 2018 and 2022 as the director of player personnel before becoming their GM from 2022 to 2025, including during the squad’s move to Brantford.
Senators owner Michael Andlauer owned the Bulldogs up until midway through this season, when he sold the team to the family of Edmonton Oilers left winger Zach Hyman. The Bulldogs announced Thursday that Spencer Hyman will take over as GM.
“Matt has managed a successful Ontario Hockey League team, and he has gained a critical management skills and experience at that level,” Staios said. “In addition to his experience, Matt will bring passion and leadership to our organization.”
These additions come after the Senators parted ways with associate GM Ryan Bowness earlier in May.
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Shaw reportedly not returning to Flyers' coaching staff originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Flyers will pretty much have a whole new coaching staff next season.
Brad Shaw will not be back with the Flyers, according to a report Thursday by Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports. Per the report, it was Shaw’s decision.
The 61-year-old was in Philadelphia for three seasons, mostly as the Flyers’ associate coach. He served as the club’s interim head coach for the final nine games of this season after John Tortorella was fired.
Shaw had an uphill battle at landing the Flyers’ full-time job. This was a huge decision for general manager Danny Briere and president of hockey operations Keith Jones. It was their first head coaching hire, one that could define their rebuild, so it felt likely that they would ultimately bring in their handpicked guy.
They did so Wednesday by landing Rick Tocchet.
The Flyers went 5-3-1 with Shaw running the bench and scored an impressive 3.89 goals per game. But they also allowed 3.56 per game.
As Tortorella’s right-hand man, Shaw was in charge of the back end and penalty kill. A number of the Flyers’ defensemen improved under Shaw’s watch, while the team’s penalty kill was a top-five unit in 2023-24 and scored an NHL-leading 16 shorthanded goals.
“He has meant so much to my game personally,” Travis Sanheim said at his end-of-the-season press conference. “I think a lot of guys on the D core could probably say the same thing. We don’t know what’s going to happen, time will tell. In saying that, I’m just super thankful for where he has taken my game and I really enjoyed my time working with him, so it would obviously be a disappointment if I didn’t get to continue that.”
A little over three weeks ago, the Flyers parted ways with three assistants, including power play coach Rocky Thompson. Goaltending coach Kim Dillabaugh, who isn’t on the bench for games, was not among the subtractions.
Warriors will be ‘incredibly aggressive' retooling roster, per Shams Charania originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Steph Curry’s Grade 1 hamstring strain proved to be helpful for the Warriors.
Curry’s injury showed coach Steve Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy that they need to upgrade the role players on the roster.
Without Curry, the Warriors lost four consecutive games and saw their promising 2024-25 NBA season end at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
So, what is the Warriors’ offseason plan? ESPN’s Shams Charania provided insight into Golden State’s mindset.
“The Golden State Warriors have up to four first-round picks they can trade,” Charania said on “SportsCenter” on Thursday. “They have tradeable contracts, pick swaps as well. Sources told me in the last few hours, the Warriors will be incredibly aggressive in the marketplace to go find help, to continue to retool around their big three of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler.
“I’m told their priority is finding a play-making wing defender or a center to add to this group. A lot of it will come down to someone that Steve Kerr and the big feel like will help this team and fits their culture and their identity.”
In addition to the assets Charania mentioned, the Warriors have 22-year-old forward Jonathan Kuminga, a restricted free agent who they potentially could move in a sign-and-trade to acquire pieces that fit around Curry, Green and Butler.
Kuminga was in and out of Kerr’s rotation and has had an uneven four years with the Warriors, but the young forward averaged 24.3 points in the four games Curry missed against the Timberwolves
So, while Kuminga might not fit the Warriors’ roster, another team might value him and provide Golden State with the pieces it desires.
“One key player to keep an eye on on this roster right now is forward Jonathan Kuminga,” Charania said. “I’m told he’s going to have a strong sign-and-trade market coming up. He’s an exciting young wing player. Both sides are expected to have conversations commencing over the next several weeks ahead of free agency to see, is there a potential sign-and-trade landing spot that gives him a lucrative deal while also potentially bringing the Warriors some additional help for their roster so that both sides end up as winners.”
The Warriors’ window to win a title with Curry, Green and Butler is closing and the front office understands the team wasn’t good enough to win games without their two-time NBA MVP.
So, changes around the three superstars are coming this summer.
Buckle up.
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
"Competency" is Step 1 for a group of NFL teams who will have a new quarterback under center in the 2025 season. The thinking for these clubs: get average to above average play and see if any QB can flash something special.
For the rookies and young starters, it’s about showing they're not over their heads and giving their teams a chance to evaluate them long term. For the veterans, expectations are more about providing stability and not losing games, with hope for occasional upside.
In this episode of "Football 301," Yahoo Sports' Nate Tice, Charles McDonald and Matt Harmon lay out the expectations for quarterbacks who are in new cities with expected starting role responsibilities. Here are the key takeaways from the discussion:
The hosts agree that "competency" should be the expectation for Shough this year. With a new coaching staff and a 26-year-old rookie starting, the Saints are hoping Shough can look like a top-20 quarterback and give them a fighting chance in games, even if it’s just a 7-10 season.
Because of his age and experience, Shough should be ready right away, and if he falters, the Saints might already be looking to next year's draft class.
For Ward, it’s about showing the aggressive playmaking he was known for in college. The Titans have beefed up their offensive line and added some interesting receivers. The consensus is that anything “better than last year” is a win.
The expectation is that Ward keeps firing downfield, makes mistakes, and hopefully learns quickly. The offense should be more competent overall, aided by improvements up front.
Darnold lands in a Shanahan/Kubiak system in Seattle, a scheme that should mitigate some of his worst tendencies with play action and a strong run game. But there's reason to be cautious since Darnold “is as good as the players around him.”
The expectation is that the Seahawks lean into a run-heavy, play-action-heavy script and try not to let Darnold get stuck in a dropback-heavy passing game. If things go well, Darnold can be a fine starter, but the offense's talent and the fit of its skill players present question marks.
With Chip Kelly coming in as offensive coordinator, the Raiders are expected to lean heavily on the run and utilize a creative, multifaceted ground attack. Smith raises the floor for the offense as he’s a steady hand who can make enough throws, especially if the run game is working.
The Raiders' offense is expected to be better than last season, with the main question being whether they have enough explosive playmakers outside.
The expectation is a “run-heavy, bruising” offense built around Fields’ legs and the Jets' strong running back group. Passing game questions remain — particularly the fit with Garrett Wilson — but there's reason to believe this offense can at least pound the rock and be a team no one wants to play, even if it won’t be explosive through the air. Think of the "bad team beater" Falcons from a couple of years ago.
To hear more NFL discussions, tune into "Football 301" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
The Vegas Golden Knights were shut out by the Edmonton Oilers in Games 4 and 5 as their season ended disappointingly.
Offence was hard to come by against the Oilers despite the high-scoring opening-round series they played against the Los Angeles Kings. In five games, the Golden Knights scored just 10 goals and gave up 16. In back-to-back must-win games, the Golden Knights managed just 47 shots.
“Discipline. We only had one power play, that can usually get you going,” said HC Bruce Cassidy about what made the Oilers so difficult to score on. “Both teams checked well, not easy to get the the front of the net, so second chances were at a premium. We’re not a team that shoots first anyways. I think that cost us a little bit last year as well in lack of production. We’ll have to look at changing our mindset.”
Although the final results were far from what Cassidy and the Golden Knights were expecting, he felt the team played well and liked their game yesterday.
“I liked our game,” said Cassidy. “I thought we competed hard physically, we wanted to win puck battles, we wanted to take care of the puck, and we knew we couldn’t give up any easy goals. That’s going to take away some of your offence in the risk part, but it’s getting inside, getting second chances that was tough for both teams, and they got one in the end."
It's hard to avoid facts, and the most obvious one is that the Golden Knights roster has multiple key players over the age of 30. Outside of Jack Eichel, Pavel Dorofeyev, Noah Hanifin and Shea Theodore, many of their players showed fatigue or signs of aging.
William Karlsson and Mark Stone are both effective players, but have dealt with numerous injury issues that have hampered them at important times of the season. Alex Pietrangelo took another step back, dealing with injuries, but also looked a step too slow, creating several turnovers.
Other contributors over the age of 30 include Tomas Hertl, Brayden McNabb, Brandon Saad, Reilly Smith and soon, Ivan Barbashev. The Golden Knights have maintained their stance that they can continue to add talent to their roster, but the fear was always that they could run into this problem.
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"Show up and put your best foot forward"; Golden Knights Head Into A Must Win Game 5 With A Clear MindsetIt's been a poor display by the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the playoffs, and now they find themselves on the brink of elimination, trailing the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 in the series.
The Ottawa Senators didn’t take long to replace Ryan Bowness as their AHL General Manager in Belleville.
Senators GM and president of hockey operations Steve Staios announced on Thursday that the club has hired former Brantford Bulldogs GM Matt Turek to take over the same role with the AHL's Belleville Senators. He’ll also oversee a player personnel role with the Sens organization.
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Turek is part of that Hamilton/Brantford connection, working for Staios and former Bulldogs owner Michael Andaleur.
Turek joined the Bulldogs during the 2015-16 season as a scout. He moved up in the organization and took on the role of director of player personnel ahead of the 2018-19 season. He took over as the club’s GM in 2022 when Staios left for a hockey ops job with the Edmonton Oilers.
After three seasons at the helm, Turek left the Bulldogs late last month, which started the rumour mill turning that he might reunite with Andlauer and Staios. When Bowness parted company with the club 11 days ago, that added more fuel to the fire.
“Matt has managed a successful Ontario Hockey League team and he has gained a critical management skills and experience at that level,” Staios in a club press release. “In addition to his experience, Matt will bring passion and leadership to our organization.”
As for the Bulldogs, now owned by Oilers forward Zack Hyman and his family, they announced on Thursday they've replaced Turek with Zack’s brother, Spencer Hyman. Former NHL player Gary Roberts also joined the Bulldogs as one of their directors of player development.
Meanwhile, his stop in Belleville has turned out to be the swan song for Sam Gagner.
Gagner has ended his long NHL playing career and was named Ottawa's director of player development. Gagner has a fine connecton to Staios as well. They were teammates in Edmonton for three and a half years. Staios was even teammates with Sam father's, Dave, during their time with the Vancouver Canucks.
Bowness’ Reported Departure Marks Big Shift In Staios’ Vision For Ottawa’s Front OfficeFive days after the Ottawa Senators were eliminated from the postseason, significant changes are already on the horizon for the organization's hockey operations department.
“Sam had an incredible career as a player and we look forward to launching his next chapter,” Staios said in the release. “A true character individual, Sam has contributed to the success of his organizations, both on and off the ice.”
Gagner played 1043 NHL games and is the only man in the past 36 years to score 8 points in a single NHL game.
Steve Warne, Site Editor
The Hockey News Ottawa
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BALTIMORE — Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa and center fielder Byron Buxton exited the game against Baltimore after colliding in the third inning.
Baltimore’s Cedric Mullins hit a fly ball to shallow center field. Correa retreated to the outfield grass in pursuit while Buxton raced in. Buxton appeared to call off Correa at the last minute, but it was too late. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Buxton slammed into the 6-3, 220-pound Correa.
Correa exited the game immediately and was replaced by Jonah Bride. Buxton stayed in for the remainder of the third inning but did not return for the fourth and was replaced by Ty France.
The 30-year-old Correa has missed just three games this season — all scheduled rest days — after being limited to 86 games last season because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot.
The Twins entered the day on a 10-game winning streak that brought them back into the mix in the competitive AL Central.
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
Every offseason, fantasy football managers want to know: who can you really trust in your lineup? One name that has popped up — along with a big dose of skepticism — is new Commanders receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. In the latest Yahoo Fantasy Forecast, Matt Harmon and Andy Behrens got into the weeds on Samuel's prospects now that he’s in Washington. Is he someone you can rely on, or is caution the smarter approach?
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Let’s break down what they said, what the numbers show and how you should treat Samuel in your 2025 draft plans.
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Washington added Samuel to help take Jayden Daniels and the offense to the next level. But as Matt and Andy pointed out, the Commanders otherwise didn’t do much to upgrade their receiver room: "[Deebo Samuel] is the only, like, real pass catcher addition here," Matt said. “Zach Ertz is another year older. ... The other spots along the offensive line, we don’t quite know what’s going to happen.”
So, Samuel is clearly being counted on to be more than just a gadget player or possession guy — he’s supposed to be a difference-maker on this team.
Wiht that said, there are some real red flags.
Both hosts had reservations about what Samuel still brings to the table. "Deebo is such a complicated player because he built his reputation on the one great season, right? The 1,400-yard season. ... That one big season represents about 30% of his career receiving production and the rest of the career is full of isolated good games and a whole bunch of really quiet games," Andy said.
Deebo’s 2021 breakout was legendary. But since then? He simply hasn’t come close to repeating it.
Matt highlighted some stunning Reception Perception data: “Deebo Samuel last year ... 39.7% success rate vs. man coverage. That is ... the third lowest mark I’ve ever charted, ever, ever, ever. ... Deebo’s never been a great man-beater, but it was better than that previously. ... This was consistent on film before the pneumonia thing.”
Translation: he’s struggling to separate, even before last year’s health issues.
Samuel's game relies on explosiveness, breaking tackles and YAC. But he’s battled injuries, illness and just wear-and-tear, especially as he creeps closer to 30.
Both Matt and Andy also wonder if this offense is even built to make Samuel a reliable fantasy starter. “I’m not saying that I’m betting against the Commanders ... but if by Week 8 we’re kind of looking back and saying like, 'ah, yeah, did we take another step here?' I think that’s the question. … Taking the next step to, ‘okay, we went from conference championship to now we’re in the Super Bowl’ ... I’m a little skeptical that this was enough on offense," Matt said.
If the whole offense takes a step back, Samuel's ceiling — and his weekly floor — could take a nosedive.
The only thing working in Samuel's favor is that the Commanders did, in fact, give up a draft pick and are paying him to be involved. Same OC, young QB and a thin receiver group means he’ll get his chances. Also, his YAC skills and ability to break the game open are still tantalizing if he’s healthy and properly used.
Nonetheless, Andy and Matt clearly lean skeptical on Samuel, and with good reason:
He’s trending down statistically and on film
He’s no longer the focal point of a Kyle Shanahan offense designed to maximize his strengths
The Commanders offense could be clunky or slow out of the gate
His “one big year” is fading more and more into the rearview
Unless Samuel shows he’s regained his burst and Washington’s offense gels early, he’s the kind of player you draft as a WR3/flex, not someone you trust every week as a locked-in starter.
If he drops in drafts and you want to chase upside, there’s a path. But if you’re hoping for that 2021 magic, you should temper expectations.
BALTIMORE — The surging Minnesota Twins sent struggling pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson to Triple-A St. Paul.
The move came a day after the right-hander was tagged for six runs and eight hits in four innings of work in the second game of a doubleheader against Baltimore. The Twins rallied late to extend their winning streak to 10 straight.
The 24-year-old Woods Richardson is 2-2 with a 5.02 ERA in eight games (seven starts) for the Twins. He has had trouble working deep into games. Woods Richardson has yet to make it through six complete innings this season. Opponents are hitting .295 against him, with left-handed batters hitting .342.
Reliever Kody Funderburk will take Woods Richardson’s spot on the roster. The left-hander served as the 27th man during the doubleheader and pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Woods Richardson in Game 2.
As we continue to consider potential offseason reinforcements for the Detroit Red Wings, two compelling candidates had their fingerprints all over the Florida Panthers 6–1 demolition of the Maple Leafs in Toronto. That would be Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand, both of them pending unrestricted free agents.
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The broad case for acquiring each player is the same. Both Bennett and Marchand could bring hard skill and championship experience. Whether in February for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off or this spring in the playoffs as the Panthers fight toward a second straight Stanley Cup, both players clearly have the skillset and mentality to thrive in hockey of the highest stakes.
Bennett can play at center or on the wing. He's an excellent defender. Marchand is the league's most infamous agitator but also a gifted playmaker, adept at pulling pucks off the wall and snapping them into dangerous areas. Like everything else about Paul Maurice's Panthers, both are perfectly suited to playoff hockey.
That's clearly what the Red Wings are after this summer, at least in part. The challenge is that those are two profiles every team in the NHL would also covet. Both players fit the mold of July 1 UFA overpays, especially if Florida can pull off another Cup run, the price tag will only go up. As it stands, AFP Analytics projects Marchand at a two-year, $5.1 million AAV contract and Bennett at a six-year $6.64 million a year deal.
Three Potential RFA Offer Sheets for the Red Wings
Three Red Wings Trade Candidates In Search of a Summer of "Substantial Upgrades"
Could Red Wings Be a Fit for Michigan State Star Isaac Howard?
Can Tarasenko Bounce Back from Lowly First Year in Detroit?
Three Highlights from Steve Yzerman and Todd McLellan's End of Season Press Availability
There is some reason for doubt about splurging on either player. With Bennett, it's fair to wonder whether a player with a career high of 51 points ought to command such a robust contract. Meanwhile, at 37, Marchand is not just on the back nine of his career but a long way through it. Presumably he will be signing his last contract this summer.
However, there's ample reason to see past those drawbacks. In Bennett's case, value obviously stems from a lot more than just scoring (which could be acquired more cheaply elsewhere in the free agency), and Marchand is clearly showing that his scoring touch remains potent in a complementary role.
Both would be worthy free agent targets to help Detroit, if Steve Yzerman can get them at the right price.
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What we know about the NHL conference finals so far originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Two teams are on the doorstep of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.
The Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes have advanced to the conference final round of the NHL playoffs.
The Oilers, last year’s Stanley Cup runners-up, are back in the Western Conference Final as they eye the franchise’s first championship since 1990. Connor McDavid and Co. dropped their first two games of this postseason, but have only suffered one loss since.
Edmonton, the Pacific Division’s No. 3 seed, overcame a 2-0 first-round series deficit against the No. 2 Los Angeles Kings with four straight comeback wins before taking down the No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights in five games. McDavid and co-star Leon Draisaitl have combined for eight goals and 25 assists across 11 playoff contests.
The West final could be a rematch from last year, when the Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars in six games. Dallas currently holds a 3-1 second-round series lead over the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets.
The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are making their second Eastern Conference Final appearance in three years. Carolina, the Metro Division’s No. 2 seed, needed just five games to bounce both the No. 3 New Jersey Devils and the East-leading Washington Capitals. Frederik Andersen has been stellar between the pipes for Carolina, boasting a 1.36 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage in nine playoff starts.
Now, the Hurricanes need to get past either the defending champion Florida Panthers or the Toronto Maple Leafs in order to reach their first Cup Final since the franchise’s lone championship triumph in 2006. Florida has a 3-2 series edge over Toronto after losing the first two games.
So, when will the conference finals start and who has home-ice advantage? Here’s what to know:
The NHL hasn’t yet announced when the conference finals will get underway. This story will be updated as schedule details emerge.
For what it’s worth, the final second-round game that’s currently scheduled is a possible Game 7 between the Jets and Stars on Monday, May 19.
The team with the superior regular-season record gets home-ice advantage in the conference final round.
The Oilers won’t have home-ice regardless of opponent, as both the Jets and Stars finished ahead of them in the standings. The Hurricanes will have home-ice advantage if they face the Panthers, but will start the conference final on the road should they see the Leafs.
The Hockey News Big Show is here to look around the NHL playoffs and beyond with former NHL player Drew Shore providing some unique insight.
Is The Maple Leafs' Core Four On Its Last Legs – Again? by The Big ShowundefinedHere’s what Michael Traikos, Ryan Kennedy and Shore discussed in this episode:
1:03: After the Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 5, how do the Leafs go about forcing a Game 7?
3:15: How do you block out a booing home crowd as a player?
4:44: If the Maple Leafs lose this series, does something drastic have to happen to the Core Four?
7:51: Would you make any changes to the Leafs' lineup in Game 6?
8:16: As a player, do you know when a series is all but over?
9:43: Is this Panthers team better than last year's Cup-winning squad?
11:47: How important is it for the Edmonton Oilers to have scoring depth and not rely on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for all offense?
14:02: Should a team in win-now mode use more third- and fourth-round draft picks in trades?
16:34: Is there an alternate universe where the Maple Leafs have Mikko Rantanen?
17:31: Does Andrei Svechnikov still go second overall in the 2018 NHL draft, and how is his play this playoffs?
20:20: Is Carolina's recent play too much for Washington to handle?
21:10: Hypothetically, who wins in the Eastern Conference final between Carolina and Florida?
22:16: Have you ever seen a goalie or skater be so different on the road versus at home, as is the case with Connor Hellebuyck right now?
23:08: How much does Miro Heiskanen impact Dallas' chances of winning the Cup?
24:48: Did the Vancouver Canucks make the right move by hiring Adam Foote?
28:25: Is Rick Tocchet a good fit for the Philadelphia Flyers?
31:17: Agree or disagree: will Jonathan Toews land with an NHL team, and if so, which one?
35:36: Should being a Long Island native influence the Islanders' decision to select James Hagens with the No. 1 pick?
39:07: Evan Bouchard or Matthew Knies, if you are a GM, who do you offer a contract to and why?
41:38: Would you rather have Florida's Finnish players or Dallas’ Finnish Mafia?
42:46: Who's to blame for the Leafs this playoffs: Auston Matthews or Mitch Marner?
43:43: Will a Canadian team win the Cup this year?
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Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney desire Warriors return but understand NBA business originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – When the Warriors’ dreams of getting Stephen Curry a fifth NBA championship ring ended on a chilly night in Minnesota on Wednesday, thoughts immediately turned to what’s next for the franchise.
The core of the team – Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler – almost certainly will come back for another title run. There are questions, however, about the rest of Golden State’s roster.
Restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga obviously is priority No. 1 in the offseason for general manager Mike Dunleavy. Fringe players like Quinten Post and Gui Santos have deals ending, too, although the Warriors have team options for both players.
Then there are key role players like Gary Payton II and Kevon Looney.
Both have played essential roles on the Warriors’ championship teams and were instrumental in helping Golden State get as far as it did this season.
Payton, one of the Warriors’ best on-ball defenders, would seem to be a no-brainer to bring back. The 32-year-old guard has expressed a desire to remain with Golden State, but after earning nearly $18 million over the last two seasons, he likely will have to take a pay cut or move on.
“Hopefully I can run off a couple more years in the league,” Payton said Wednesday. “It would be great to do it here. I love this organization. I love playing for Steve (Kerr). Love the guys they bring in to try to help win.
“They know how I feel. We’ll take it one day at a time.”
Payton isn’t a big scorer in Kerr’s offense but he does a lot of the little things that don’t show up in a box score. He is the Warriors’ top utility guy, a player who will guard anyone and do anything it takes to stay on the floor.
That was somewhat of a challenge this season as Payton dealt with left knee soreness, torn ligaments in his left thumb and a non-displaced noose fracture.
Through it all, Payton missed 20 games but improved his numbers for scoring, assists, rebounding and shooting percentage from the 2023-24 season.
About the only thing Payton fell short on was helping Curry get one for the thumb.
“I know everybody on this team is sad, disappointed that we couldn’t even give him a chance to come back and help out and do what he does,” Payton said. “That’s the biggest thing, that we’re disappointed and that we didn’t give him a shot.”
Looney, Golden State’s first-round pick in 2015, had to accept a backup role this season while Kerr experimented with his different lineups. Green absorbed most of the minutes at center when Kerr went with a small lineup, while Post had some extended looks as well.
The 29-year-old Looney said he’s already had preliminary discussions with the Warriors front office about returning, and the feeling seems to be optimistic that a deal will get done.
“But it’s the NBA, things always change, especially when you don’t win it all,” Looney said. “I’m just ready for whatever.”
Looney averaged 4.5 points and 6.1 rebounds this season in his reduced role. A consummate teammate and the ultimate definition of a true professional, he never once publicly voiced any displeasure or frustration and simply showed up to work every night.
Looney just completed the final year of a three-year, $22.5 million deal that paid him a cool $8 million for this season.
Because of his size (6-foot-9, 222 pounds) and age (29), Looney should garner decent attention on the open market. To stay with the Warriors, however, he might have to take a pay cut because the team has so many other needs.
“They’re going to try to do whatever is best to make the team better,” Looney said. “Hopefully I’m in those plans.”
Reggie Miller shares Jayson Tatum's message to Celtics fans after injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Jayson Tatum’s 2024-25 season came to a heartbreaking end in Game 4 of the Celtics’ Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Knicks when he suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon late in the fourth quarter Monday night.
Tatum underwent a successful surgery Tuesday, and he is expected to make a full recovery, per the team.
The Celtics were able to stave off elimination with a Game 5 win over the Knicks on Wednesday night at TD Garden. Derrick White (34 points) and Jaylen Brown (26 points) led the way as the C’s earned a 127-102 victory.
During TNT’s broadcast of the game, analyst Reggie Miller shared a text exchange he had with Tatum earlier Wednesday.
“I was talking to him earlier, seeing mentally where he was,” Miller said. “I said, is there anything you want to tell your fans, the fanbase? He said, ‘I’m devastated by this. I appreciate all the love and support from everyone.’ But he wanted people to know, ‘This injury will not define me, and I can’t wait to be back in Celtic green to show you why.'”
Tatum posted a picture of himself in the hospital to his Instagram page on Wednesday, along with a caption that read “Thankful for all the love and support.”
Tatum was leading the Celtics with 28.1 points, 11.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game in the playoffs at the time of his injury.
The Celtics will try to extend their season once more Friday night when they take on the Knicks in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden. The C’s have won five straight elimination games on the road, while the Knicks have lost five straight series-clinching games at home.