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Raptors willing to part with several starters in trades

A few days ago, we talked about what the Toronto Raptors could do at the deadline. Knowing Bobby Webster, but actually knowing his mentor Masai Ujiri, tells us that it’s a real possibility for the Raptors to not do anything spectacular at the deadline. Instead, they could wait for the summer to make moves. Yet, there is that little possibility that Webster starts his tenure as leader of the Raptors with a bang and makes a big trade before Feb. 5th’s deadline.

As Josh Lewenberg of TSN reports, the Raptors seem willing to part with more than one of their starters. Webster has apparently been on the phone with several other teams, tossing around possibilities, and doing what Lewenberg calls his “due diligence” on checking in on several targets around the NBA. This is definitely a move reflective of Masai’s tactics — staying extremely informed but not necessarily doing anything. It’s why the Raptors usually end in a ton of trade reports this time of year, because the Masai-now-Bobby method usually involves picking up the phone and having a chat about literally every player whose name is floating around. It’s less about wanting to make a move and more just knowing what options are out there in case you decide you might want to make a move. Something Lewenberg details in his reports as well. We all know the deal in this front office by now.

Can you see why I hate the trade deadline now?

Another good point Josh makes above is that sometimes these little check-ins turn into something more — take Brandon Ingram a year ago. I would have been one to tell you there’s no way the Raptors pull the trigger on that one, and they did. Mind you, the price ended up being lower than expected, which was nice. Another thing about Masai and Bobby — they know how to negotiate.

Now, another thing Lewenberg says is that if the Raptors don’t make a move at the deadline, its more because their “hands are tied” than anything. Makes sense, given their maybe most valuable asset is an injured Jakob Poeltl. The new-ish part in Lewenberg’s reporting is that the Raptors seem to be willing to part with any or all of Poeltl, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley. Take this with a grain of salt, though, as the Raptors aren’t ones to leak themselves, and these speculations are more coming from other teams’ sources. As we all know, it’s these players (well, their salaries) that are the most valuable in trades for Toronto, and also prevent the Raptors from making any big signings now or in the summer.

If I had to make an educated guess, I would say Quickley was the most likely to be moved at the deadline, if anyone does get dealt. I would say Poeltl, yet his precarious injury situation doesn’t make me as confident that teams will bite. With Barrett, I’m sure it’s not off the table to include him in the deal, but it would have to be the right deal. If Barrett is traded this season, it’s because it’s the only way the Raptors get their top choice guy, in my opinion. He also still has a year left on his contract, so it’s a big undertaking for any team trading for him.

As I mentioned in last week’s update, most of the players that maybe would have been Toronto’s big targets (Young, Davis, Sabonis) are either gone, too expensive, or hurt. Or multiple of those options. We’ll have to see if anything comes up in the next few weeks as teams head into the final days before the deadline.

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Bulls vs Timberwolves Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NBA Game

A three-game losing streak can knock you from thinking about the No. 2 seed to worrying about the Play-In Tournament in the Western Conference. The Minnesota Timberwolves cannot let this slide continue, but fortunately, hosting the Chicago Bulls is a ripe chance to right things.

My Bulls vs. Timberwolves predictions and NBA picks recognize the value presented by a possible Minnesota injury.

Bulls vs Timberwolves prediction

Bulls vs Timberwolves best bet: Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points (+100)

With Julius Randle questionable tonight due to left foot soreness, the quick question becomes who will handle the ball more if Randle is out of this Minnesota Timberwolves lineup. The first instinct is Naz Reid, as he could slide into the starting lineup if Randle is indeed ruled out.

Howeve, Reid banged up his shoulder on Saturday, and his 5-for-15 shooting on Tuesday did not ease those worries. 

Then look to Jaden McDaniels. The wing has already been handling the ball more often for Minnesota, often initiating the offense as Mike Conley continues to struggle and Donte DiVincenzo seems to play best in an off-ball role. Randle often initiates the offense, as well, but if he is indeed ruled out, that work should land more on McDaniels’ shoulders.

He has already cleared this prop in five of his last eight games. That trend should continue with or without Randle, but particularly if the Timberwolves are without him tonight.

Bulls vs Timberwolves same-game parlay

Jaden McDaniels is not much of a pull-up shooter from deep. His threes usually come on catch-and-shoot chances, and with the thought that Randle may be sidelined, those chances will be fewer. Furthermore, McDaniels has cleared this scoring prop while not hitting multiple 3-pointers four times since Christmas. 

Bulls vs Timberwolves SGP

  • Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points
  • Jaden McDaniels Under 1.5 threes
  • Timberwolves moneyline

Our "from downtown" SGP: Wolf pack of props

This is not doubt in Reid. This is seeing value in an Under if his shoulder is indeed bothering him, and Tuesday’s 5-for-15 shooting was his worst showing of January, a decent indication his shoulder is indeed bothering him. 

Bulls vs Timberwolves SGP

  • Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points
  • Jaden McDaniels Under 1.5 threes
  • Timberwolves moneyline
  • Naz Reid Under 15.5 points

Bulls vs Timberwolves odds

  • Spread: Bulls +8.5 | Timberwolves -8.5
  • Moneyline: Bulls +270 | Timberwolves -340
  • Over/Under: Over 238 | Under 238

Bulls vs Timberwolves betting trend to know

The Timberwolves are 3-0 ATS against the Bulls in the last two seasons, all of those coming as at least a three-bucket favorite. Find more NBA betting trends for Bulls vs. Timberwolves.

How to watch Bulls vs Timberwolves

LocationTarget Center, Minneapolis, MN
DateThursday, January 22, 2026
Tip-off8:00 p.m. ET
TVFDSN-North, CHSN

Bulls vs Timberwolves latest injuries

Not intended for use in MA.
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

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Derrick White is an All-Star — but don’t take it from me

BOSTON — Before the Celtics’ win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night, head coach Rick Carlisle was asked about what he expected from this year’s Celtics team. And Carlisle, who has been coaching against the Joe Mazzulla Celtics for years, made clear he was far from surprised at the Celtics’ success this season. Before even being prodded further, the longtime NBA coach explained why.

“Derrick White is an All-Star,” Carlisle said. “He’s an All-Star player. I mean, the guy is 8th in the league in blocked shots.”

White is not the only reason Carlisle cited for his preseason confidence in the Celtics: he touched on Jaylen Brown’s greatness, Payton Pritchard’s growth, Sam Hauser’s shotmaking, and Mazzulla’s offensive creativity.

But the unprompted proclamation about White is what stood out most about Carlisle’s answer — in large part because there hasn’t been a ton of chatter about the Celtics guard being an All-Star this season, or at least not as much as many expected going into the year.

The reason for that is simple: his offensive efficiency is down. The 31-year-old is averaging 17.7 points and 5.4 assists — both career-highs — but he’s doing so while shooting 39.1% from the field (the lowest of his NBA career) and 32.4% from three (the second-lowest of his NBA career).

Still, Carlisle was adamant: “He’s such an important part of their team.”

Jaylen Brown, who on Monday was announced as an All-Star starter for the first time in his career, was equally decisive in his proclamation.

“D-White has been a two-way player all year,” Brown said. “And I know we live in an era where that doesn’t get as much praise or respect, but that contributes to winning a lot. Derrick White has been playing at an All-Star level because he plays both sides of the ball. And that’s no disrespect to some of those other guys that are maybe in All-Star contention — but it’s a clear difference.”

White has been in a particular offensive slump as of late; he is averaging just 10 points on 30.2% shooting in his last 5 games. Still, the Celtics have outscored opponents by 76 points with him on the floor in that span.

That doesn’t surprise those who know his game best, such as his longtime head coach.

“He’s not defined by shooting efficiency,” Mazzulla said. “To me, that’s a bonus.”

After Wednesday’s 119-104 win over the Pacers, Mazzulla pointed out White’s expansive list of more intangible contributions for the Celtics: his role as one of the Celtics’ lead pick-and-roll ball handlers, his ability to make 2-on-1 reads, his defensive versatility, his penchant for getting backtips and stopping fast breaks, and proclivity for doing all of the things that have made him one of the most valuable role players in the league.

As a result, even amid an uncharacteristic shooting slump, White has the highest +/- rating on the team, a +275 on the year

“I just think it’s hard to recognize all the other stuff, and it’s just easy to notice the shooting efficiency because it’s right there,” Mazzulla said.

Carlisle and Mazzulla are far from the only two NBA coaches to gush about White this season; it’s become a regular occurrence.

“I think he is the most underrated player in the league,” Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said last month. “The guy is an absolute winner.”

Derrick White for Defensive Player of the Year?

Jaylen Brown went so far as to say he feels like White is a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate. And, there’s a real case to be made; White is fourth in the NBA in stocks (steals and blocks), and he’s averaging career-highs in both categories (1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game).

Among NBA players who average at least 30 minutes per game, White has the second-highest Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus (+2.1), a metric that assesses a player’s defensive impact per 100 possessions (he trails only four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert).

And, he is as durable as they come — White has only missed one game this season — and he’s the best shot-blocking guard in the NBA.

“I think Derrick is a first-team All-Defense type of ballot, or maybe even Defensive Player of the Year,” Brown said. “But on top of that, he contributes on offense, and that takes a lot more energy, a lot more effort to do night-to-night. And he’s healthy, he’s available.”

Neemias Queta, who oftentimes has the clearest view of White’s defensive accument, praised his savviness as a defender.

“He’s always got a good chance of getting a stop, no matter who he’s guarding, or even off the ball, too,” Queta said. “He’s really communicative, too. He’s a Swiss Army knife, and he can do a little bit of everything on both sides of the floor. But defensively, especially, I feel like he holds his own in pretty much all types of matchups.“

Brown pointed out that White is doing all that while also shouldering significant offensive responsibilities; he’s the team’s second-leading scorer behind Brown and has the second-highest usage rate on the Celtics (23%). No other defensive player of his caliber concurrently carries such a heavy load on the other side of the ball.

“You’ve got to give that respect to Derrick,” Brown said. “It’s not an easy job to do and play both ends of the ball at a high level for the duration of the season — and be available for a majority of the games. That’s extremely difficult. He’s been doing that for us all [season], and that has helped us be a second seed.”

White probably won’t be named an All-Star, though reserves — selected by coaches — will be announced on February 1st. And, it’s too early for a real Defensive Player of the Year campaign, though White will certainly be in the mix when those conversations begin.

But those who know White’s game best— and basketball best — know that his impact is inherently not captured on the stat sheet.

And, it probably won’t ever get the recognition it deserves; that’s why NBA coaches go out of their way to give him his flowers.

“Regardless of what the stats look like,” Brown said, “Derrick White is an All-Star.”

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NBA 2025-26 midseason Sixth Man of the Year: Naz Reid is man to beat, plus betting tips on race

We've reached the midpoint of an NBA season that has been filled with surprises — Detroit and Boston lead the East, San Antonio is second in the West — and also far too many injuries to stars. It's also given us jaw-dropping moments, and not just the ones Victor Wembanyama seems to deliver us on a nightly basis.

The midpoint also means it's time to take stock of the NBA postseason awards. All week long, I will make my picks for some of the NBA's top awards at this point in the season, plus get betting angles from NBC Sports experts. Today: Sixth Man of the Year.

NBA Sixth Man of the Year: Naz Reid

2. Jaime Jaquez Jr.
3. Ajay Mitchell

Analysis of Sixth Man of the Year race

Naz Reid won Sixth Man of the Year two years ago with stats that are not as good as the ones he is putting up for the Timberwolves this season, including a career-high 14.5 points per game. He is also someone coach Chris Finch leans on in clutch minutes (depending on the matchup) because of his versatility and ability to play both ends of the floor (he is a plus defender and a big shooting 38.8% from 3-point range).

Usually, the Sixth Man of the Year race sees a lot of movement in the second half of the season, but it feels like someone else is going to win the award this year, they are going to have to prove themselves better than Reid. Good luck with that.

Miami's Jamie Jaquez Jr. — who has carried the Heat offense for stretches — might be the guy to pull that off, although he needs to be a little more efficient with his scoring to win this. Ajay Mitchell has been a revelation off the bench in Oklahoma City in his second season, and the fact that he tends to be on the court with a stacked roster — have you seen the Thunder bench? — shouldn't be held against him. Mitchell has been fantastic.

Three other names to watch in this race are Reed Sheppard in Houston, Keldon Johnson in San Antonio, and the hot Anfernee Simons in Boston. Any of them could climb into the top three — or the top spot itself — with a strong second half of the season.

Orlando's Anthony Black, Atlanta's Nickiel Alexander-Walker and Phoenix's Collin Gilespi are not on this list because all three have become regular starters and have started more than half of their team's games to this point.

Betting Sixth Man Race

We reached out to the NBC Sports betting experts for their thoughts on the Rookie of the Year race and how they might bet it.

Drew Dinsick, NBC Sports Betting Analyst

The rubric for this award is the most productive bench player in terms of raw scoring for a Top 3 seed in either conference. We've seen a rotating cast of favorites for this award throughout the season at this point but the man coming on strong at the moment is clearly Anfernee Simons of the Boston Celtics. His price at 14/1 does not capture the recent surge which find him Top 3 in points scored off the bench, slightly behind Naz Reid and Jaime Jaquez Jr. It seems likely he will lead bench scoring by the All-Star break for the 2-seed Celtics which will likely mean he will be the market favorite and the best awards bet on the board at this time. 

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2026 Fantasy Baseball Top 300: Jackson Chourio tumbles in final preseason update

With Opening Day here, here's the final update to the preseason Top 300. I will be continuing on with a weekly updated in-season Top 300 on Mondays. Players are ranked for 5x5 mixed leagues using a one-catcher format. I include the mixed-league disclaimer because I do reward upside, particularly past the top 200 or so.

⚾️ Coming soon: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

2026 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 overall ranks

**Updated March 26**

2026Top 300TeamPosPos RkMar 20
1 Aaron Judge Yankees OF 1 1
2 Shohei Ohtani Dodgers DH 1 2
3 Bobby Witt Jr. Royals SS 1 3
4 Ronald Acuna Jr. Braves OF 2 4
5 Juan Soto Mets OF 3 5
6 Jose Ramirez Guardians 3B 1 6
7 Tarik Skubal Tigers SP 1 7
8 Julio Rodriguez Mariners OF 4 8
9 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Blue Jays 1B 1 9
10 Kyle Tucker Dodgers OF 5 10
11 Paul Skenes Pirates SP 2 11
12 Gunnar Henderson Orioles SS 2 12
13 Elly De La Cruz Reds SS 3 13
14 Corbin Carroll Diamondbacks OF 6 14
15 Fernando Tatis Jr. Padres OF 7 15
16 Nick Kurtz Athletics 1B 2 16
17 Pete Alonso Orioles 1B 3 17
18 Zach Neto Angels SS 4 18
19 Garrett Crochet Red Sox SP 3 19
20 Kyle Schwarber Phillies DH 2 21
21 Junior Caminero Rays 3B 2 22
22 Logan Gilbert Mariners SP 4 23
23 Trea Turner Phillies SS 5 24
24 Francisco Lindor Mets SS 6 25
25 Yordan Alvarez Astros OF 8 26
26 Cristopher Sanchez Phillies SP 5 27
27 Ketel Marte Diamondbacks 2B 1 29
28 Yoshinobu Yamamoto Dodgers SP 6 30
29 Austin Riley Braves 3B 3 31
30 James Wood Nationals OF 9 28
31 Michael Harris II Braves OF 10 33
32 Pete Crow-Armstrong Cubs OF 11 34
33 Cal Raleigh Mariners C 1 35
34 Bryan Woo Mariners SP 7 36
35 Jackson Chourio Brewers OF 12 20
36 Freddie Freeman Dodgers 1B 4 37
37 CJ Abrams Nationals SS 7 32
38 Bryce Harper Phillies 1B 5 38
39 Jarren Duran Red Sox OF 13 39
40 Jazz Chisholm Jr. Yankees 2B 2 40
41 Mason Miller Padres RP 1 41
42 Max Fried Yankees SP 8 42
43 Brent Rooker Athletics OF 14 43
44 Maikel Garcia Royals 3B 4 44
45 Manny Machado Padres 3B 5 45
46 George Kirby Mariners SP 9 46
47 Wyatt Langford Rangers OF 15 47
48 Sal Stewart Reds 1B 6 57
49 Roman Anthony Red Sox OF 16 48
50 Edwin Diaz Dodgers RP 2 49
51 Oneil Cruz Pirates OF 17 73
52 Jackson Merrill Padres OF 18 50
53 Cody Bellinger Yankees OF 19 51
54 George Springer Blue Jays OF 20 52
55 Jacob deGrom Rangers SP 10 53
56 Brice Turang Brewers 2B 3 54
57 Cade Smith Guardians RP 3 55
58 Chris Sale Braves SP 11 56
59 Geraldo Perdomo Diamondbacks SS 8 58
60 Shohei Ohtani Dodgers SP 12 59
61 Aroldis Chapman Red Sox RP 4 60
62 Vinnie Pasquantino Royals 1B 7 61
63 Framber Valdez Tigers SP 13 62
64 Bo Bichette Mets SS 9 63
65 Hunter Brown Astros SP 14 64
66 Jhoan Duran Phillies RP 5 65
67 Joe Ryan Twins SP 15 66
68 Logan Webb Giants SP 16 67
69 Dylan Cease Blue Jays SP 17 68
70 Devin Williams Mets RP 6 69
71 Luis Robert Jr. Mets OF 21 70
72 Cole Ragans Royals SP 18 71
73 Jeremy Pena Astros SS 10 79
74 Tyler Soderstrom Athletics 1B 8 72
75 Matt Olson Braves 1B 9 74
76 Corey Seager Rangers SS 11 75
77 Andres Munoz Mariners RP 7 76
78 Josh Naylor Mariners 1B 10 77
79 Jacob Misiorowski Brewers SP 19 80
80 Mookie Betts Dodgers SS 12 81
81 Zack Wheeler Phillies SP 20 82
82 Luke Keaschall Twins 2B 4 83
83 Ben Rice Yankees C 2 85
84 David Bednar Yankees RP 8 86
85 Sonny Gray Red Sox SP 21 87
86 Jose Altuve Astros 2B 5 88
87 Rafael Devers Giants 1B 11 89
88 Seiya Suzuki Cubs OF 22 78
89 Byron Buxton Twins OF 23 90
90 Kyle Bradish Orioles SP 22 91
91 Riley Greene Tigers OF 24 92
92 Daniel Palencia Cubs RP 9 93
93 Drew Rasmussen Rays SP 23 94
94 Noelvi Marte Reds 3B 6 95
95 Christian Yelich Brewers OF 25 96
96 Xavier Edwards Marlins SS 13 97
97 Josh Hader Astros RP 10 98
98 Eury Perez Marlins SP 24 101
99 Mike Trout Angels OF 26 102
100 Jeff Hoffman Blue Jays RP 11 103
101 Salvador Perez Royals C 3 104
102 Jesus Luzardo Phillies SP 25 105
103 Matt McLain Reds 2B 6 107
104 Jo Adell Angels OF 27 108
105 Nolan McLean Mets SP 26 109
106 Brandon Nimmo Rangers OF 28 110
107 Ivan Herrera Cardinals DH 3 111
108 Bryan Reynolds Pirates OF 29 106
109 Kyle Stowers Marlins OF 30 84
110 Griffin Jax Rays RP 12 112
111 Shea Langeliers Athletics C 4 113
112 Alec Burleson Cardinals 1B 12 114
113 Teoscar Hernandez Dodgers OF 31 115
114 Willson Contreras Red Sox 1B 13 116
115 Ryan Helsley Orioles RP 13 117
116 Daylen Lile Nationals OF 32 118
117 Alec Bohm Phillies 3B 7 119
118 Gerrit Cole Yankees SP 27 120
119 Daulton Varsho Blue Jays OF 33 121
120 Ceddanne Rafaela Red Sox 2B 7 122
121 Blake Snell Dodgers SP 28 100
122 Nico Hoerner Cubs 2B 8 123
123 William Contreras Brewers C 5 124
124 Raisel Iglesias Braves RP 14 125
125 Michael Busch Cubs 1B 14 126
126 Tanner Bibee Guardians SP 29 127
127 Trevor Megill Brewers RP 15 133
128 Jacob Wilson Athletics SS 14 128
129 Nick Pivetta Padres SP 30 129
130 Drake Baldwin Braves C 6 154
131 Ranger Suarez Red Sox SP 31 130
132 Brenton Doyle Rockies OF 34 131
133 Trevor Story Red Sox SS 15 132
134 MacKenzie Gore Rangers SP 32 134
135 Jorge Polanco Mets 2B 9 135
136 Eugenio Suarez Reds 3B 8 99
137 Alex Bregman Cubs 3B 9 136
138 Freddy Peralta Mets SP 33 137
139 Andy Pages Dodgers OF 35 138
140 Jakob Marsee Marlins OF 36 139
141 Yandy Diaz Rays 1B 15 140
142 Kevin Gausman Blue Jays SP 34 141
143 Emilio Pagan Reds RP 16 142
144 Tyler Glasnow Dodgers SP 35 155
145 Hunter Goodman Rockies C 7 143
146 Kenley Jansen Tigers RP 17 144
147 Agustin Ramirez Marlins C 8 145
148 Ezequiel Tovar Rockies SS 16 146
149 Shota Imanaga Cubs SP 36 147
150 Bryson Stott Phillies 2B 10 157
151 Nathan Eovaldi Rangers SP 37 149
152 Ian Happ Cubs OF 37 150
153 Pete Fairbanks Marlins RP 18 151
154 Chase Burns Reds SP 38 153
155 Andrew Vaughn Brewers 1B 16 156
156 Ryan Walker Giants RP 19 158
157 Jung Hoo Lee Giants OF 38 186
158 Jackson Holliday Orioles 2B 11 167
159 Caleb Durbin Red Sox 3B 10 159
160 Shane McClanahan Rays SP 39 160
161 Brandon Woodruff Brewers SP 40 161
162 Steven Kwan Guardians OF 39 163
163 Willy Adames Giants SS 17 148
164 Dansby Swanson Cubs SS 18 164
165 Seranthony Dominguez White Sox RP 20 165
166 Matthew Boyd Cubs SP 41 166
167 Kerry Carpenter Tigers OF 40 168
168 Cade Horton Cubs SP 42 169
169 Wilyer Abreu Red Sox OF 41 170
170 Luis Garcia Jr. Nationals 2B 12 171
171 Adolis Garcia Phillies OF 42 172
172 Isaac Paredes Astros 3B 11 173
173 JJ Wetherholt Cardinals SS 19 229
174 Colson Montgomery White Sox SS 20 175
175 Edward Cabrera Cubs SP 43 176
176 Tommy Edman Dodgers 2B 13 162
177 Munetaka Murakami White Sox 3B 12 177
178 Randy Arozarena Mariners OF 43 178
179 Michael King Padres SP 44 179
180 Gleyber Torres Tigers 2B 14 180
181 Konnor Griffin Pirates SS 21 181
182 Cam Schlittler Yankees SP 45 182
183 Brendan Donovan Mariners 2B 15 183
184 Nick Lodolo Reds SP 46 184
185 Josh Lowe Angels OF 44 185
186 Addison Barger Blue Jays 3B 13 187
187 Bryce Miller Mariners SP 47 190
188 Bryan Abreu Astros RP 21 191
189 Taylor Ward Orioles OF 45 192
190 Joe Musgrove Padres SP 48 193
191 Otto Lopez Marlins SS 22 194
192 Sandy Alcantara Marlins SP 49 195
193 Jordan Beck Rockies OF 46 196
194 Xander Bogaerts Padres SS 23 152
195 Dennis Santana Pirates RP 22 197
196 Matt Chapman Giants 3B 14 198
197 Abner Uribe Brewers RP 23 188
198 Dylan Crews Nationals OF 47 199
199 Marcell Ozuna Pirates DH 4 201
200 Trent Grisham Yankees OF 48 202
201 Will Smith Dodgers C 9 203
202 Kodai Senga Mets SP 50 204
203 Jordan Lawlar Diamondbacks 3B 15 205
204 Carlos Rodon Yankees SP 51 206
205 Brett Baty Mets 2B 16 189
206 Max Muncy Dodgers 3B 16 207
207 Bubba Chandler Pirates SP 52 215
208 Willi Castro Rockies 2B 17 260
209 Heliot Ramos Giants OF 49 209
210 Brandon Lowe Pirates 2B 18 221
211 Emmet Sheehan Dodgers SP 53 174
212 Kazuma Okamoto Blue Jays 3B 17 210
213 Chandler Simpson Rays OF 50 211
214 Miguel Vargas White Sox 3B 18 212
215 Hunter Greene Reds SP 54 213
216 Spencer Torkelson Tigers 1B 17 214
217 Luis Arraez Giants 1B 18 216
218 Jonathan Aranda Rays 1B 19 217
219 Robert Garcia Rangers RP 24 218
220 Spencer Schwellenbach Braves SP 55 219
221 Nolan Schanuel Angels 1B 20 220
222 Matt Wallner Twins OF 51 222
223 Masyn Winn Cardinals SS 24 223
224 Kevin McGonigle Tigers SS 25 224
225 Jameson Taillon Cubs SP 56 225
226 Carlos Estevez Royals RP 25 208
227 Colt Keith Tigers 2B 19 227
228 Ramon Laureano Padres OF 52 228
229 Gavin Williams Guardians SP 57 231
230 Josh Bell Twins 1B 21 232
231 Gabriel Moreno Diamondbacks C 10 233
232 Ryan Pepiot Rays SP 58 200
233 Yainer Diaz Astros C 11 236
234 Kris Bubic Royals SP 59 237
235 Anthony Volpe Yankees SS 26 238
236 Mickey Moniak Rockies OF 53 239
237 Trey Yesavage Blue Jays SP 60 240
238 Royce Lewis Twins 3B 19 241
239 Andres Gimenez Blue Jays 2B 20 243
240 Cody Ponce Blue Jays SP 61 244
241 Tyler O’Neill Orioles OF 54 245
242 Lawrence Butler Athletics OF 55 246
243 Riley O’Brien Cardinals RP 26 247
244 Jorge Soler Angels OF 56 248
245 Josh Jung Rangers 3B 20 251
246 Nick Martinez Rays SP 62 249
247 Shane Bieber Blue Jays SP 63 252
248 Jordan Westburg Orioles 3B 21 226
249 Lenyn Sosa White Sox 2B 21 250
250 Justin Steele Cubs SP 64 235
251 Ernie Clement Blue Jays SS 27 254
252 Christopher Morel Marlins OF 57 255
253 Aaron Nola Phillies SP 65 256
254 Jake Burger Rangers 1B 22 257
255 Evan Carter Rangers OF 58 258
256 Reid Detmers Angels SP 66 259
257 Shane Baz Orioles SP 68 261
258 Sal Frelick Brewers OF 59 262
259 Parker Messick Guardians SP 69 265
260 Marcus Semien Mets 2B 22 234
261 Adley Rutschman Orioles C 12 263
262 Ozzie Albies Braves 2B 23 264
263 Spencer Strider Braves SP 70 230
264 Brandon Marsh Phillies OF 60 253
265 Christian Walker Astros 1B 23 266
266 Giancarlo Stanton Yankees OF 61 268
267 Jake McCarthy Rockies OF 62 269
268 Clay Holmes Mets SP 71 271
269 Jonathan India Royals 2B 24 272
270 Will Benson Reds OF 63 NR
271 Zac Gallen Diamondbacks SP 72 273
272 Luis Castillo Mariners SP 73 274
273 Lucas Erceg Royals RP 27 275
274 Jeff McNeil Athletics 2B 25 277
275 Carlos Correa Astros SS 28 278
276 Braxton Ashcraft Pirates SP 74 279
277 Logan Henderson Brewers SP 75 280
278 TJ Friedl Reds OF 64 281
279 Chad Patrick Brewers SP 76 282
280 Colton Cowser Orioles OF 65 283
281 Robert Suarez Braves RP 28 284
282 Merrill Kelly Diamondbacks SP 77 285
283 Max Scherzer Blue Jays SP 78 286
284 Victor Scott II Cardinals OF 66 287
285 Mark Leiter Jr. Athletics RP 29 297
286 Ryan Weathers Yankees SP 79 290
287 Justin Crawford Phillies OF 68 291
288 Kyle Manzardo Guardians 1B 24 292
289 Max Meyer Marlins SP 80 293
290 Carson Benge Mets OF 69 NR
291 Paul Sewald Diamondbacks RP 30 NR
292 Jesus Sanchez Blue Jays OF 70 294
293 J.T. Realmuto Phillies C 13 295
294 Jose Caballero Yankees SS 29 298
295 Nolan Arenado Diamondbacks 3B 22 299
296 Noah Cameron Royals SP 81 300
297 Dominic Canzone Mariners OF 71 NR
298 Ryne Nelson Diamondbacks SP 82 NR
299 Jac Caglianone Royals OF 72 NR
300 Clayton Beeter Nationals RP 31 NR

March 26 Notes

Falling off: Kirby Yates (242nd), Reynaldo López (267th), Brooks Baldwin (270th), Spencer Steer (276th), Aaron Ashby (288th), Dylan Beavers (289th), Ryan O'Hearn (296th)

- Opening Night has passed, but there was still one more round of rankings tweaks to be posted. A lot of the changes are lineup related. I had high hopes Sal Stewart would eventually become the Reds' cleanup man, but I never thought it would happen in time for Opening Day. He climbs from 57th to 48th, while Eugenio Suárez falls from 99th to 136th. Oneil Cruz got a bump up to 51st with the Pirates seemingly committed to him as a leadoff man. JJ Wetherholt moves from 229th to 173rd; he'll have plenty of time to establish himself in the leadoff spot for the Cardinals with Lars Nootbaar surprisingly on the 60-day IL.

- Jackson Chourio was the final update, going from 20th to 35th with the news that he'd miss two to four weeks with a hairline fracture in his hand. That gives Garrett Mitchell more of a runway in Milwaukee after a rough spring, but Mitchell still fell a tad short of making the list. He'll be there in the first in-season update if he gets off to a nice start.

March 20 Notes

- The unfortunate Dylan Crews update.

I was, of course, very high on Crews for fantasy purposes this year, not so much because I expected him to emerge as a star (at .747, he had the second lowest projected OPS of my top 60 position players ahead of only Pete Crow Armstrong), but because I thought he'd make a run at 40 steals on a bad Nationals team. I probably should have factored into my expectations that said bad Nationals team can retain him for an extra year by keeping him in the minors for seven weeks or so. And after his demotion on Friday, it sure looks like that's what they'll do.

Crews was in the midst of a poor spring. I didn't care about that, and I don't think the Nationals really did, either. After all, the prospect likely replacing him on the roster, Christian Franklin, is hitting .241/.267/.241 with a 10/1 K/BB in 30 plate appearances. I still expect that Crews will come back and be pretty useful in mixed leagues starting in June, but even if he goes on a tear right away and the Nationals offense is as poor as seems likely, he's probably not returning until those seven weeks are up. He comes in at No. 199 for now.

- That's the day's only change to the top 300. The Twins' decision to release Liam Hendriks got Cole Sands moved up some in my projections, but not enough to crack the list. It's kind of hard to imagine a bullpen with less upside than the one Minnesota is going to running out there. Like, it's not going to be as bad as Washington's, but at least the Nationals have a couple of guys who are interesting. My favorite Twins reliever is probably Cody Laweryson, who the team DFA'd over the winter and who later wound up getting released by the Angels before making his way back to Minnesota. And he still might not make the club.

March 19 Notes

Falling off: Lars Nootbaar (285th), Zebby Matthews (295th)

- We're short on major changes this week, which is great, because major changes are usually the result of injuries. I did drop Joe Musgrove once again, though it still looks like he might return from his Tommy John setback before the end of April. Trey Yesavage fell from 50th to 62nd among starters after the Jays finally came clean about the reason they were slowplaying him this spring. Still, the shoulder impingement doesn't sound like a disaster; he was able to pitch in a minor league game earlier this week.

- Moving up on the pitching side of things was Nathan Eovaldi, who has looked strong after missing the final five weeks of last season with a shoulder injury. I've also moved Zac Gallen back into the top 300 after dropping him following his late re-signing with the Diamondbacks. Gallen has averaged 94.7 mph with his fastball in his three spring starts. He averaged 93.5 mph last year, and his career-high there is 94.1 mph from 2022. There's no guarantee the boost will stick around, but if it does, one imagines he'll bounce back in the strikeout department; he finished with a 21.5% K rate last year after never coming in below 25% previously.

- On the offensive side, I couldn't help but give Daulton Varsho another boost. I put little stock in spring numbers for veteran bats, but five homers and two strikeouts in 47 plate appearances is absurd. Chandler Simpson (up 12 spots to No. 211) and Kevin McGonigle (up 18 spots to No. 224) also climbed while getting projected for a little more playing time.

- In case you missed it, I posted an article with all of my favorite players for 2026 on Sunday.

March 13 Notes

- Falling off: Sean Manaea (277th), Brandon Pfaadt (295th), Ryne Nelson (298th)

- Sorry, no notes right now. Working on my annual "undervalued players" column. Expect another update here early in the week.

March 9 Notes

- Falling off: Jurickson Profar (239th), Jordan Walker (299th), Dominic Canzone (300th)

- Aside from Profar's 162-game PED ban, it was a pretty quiet week. Profar's exit from the heart of Atlanta's lineup moved up a couple of the players who were due to hit behind him. Mike Yastrzemski still didn't crack the list, though; he's a nice player, but not one with a lot of fantasy potential.

- Hunter Greene's elbow problem has dropped him some while waiting for the official word about the source of his stiffness. He said his UCL is just fine, and if that's the case, he hopefully won't be looking at any sort of lengthy absence. He's tumbled from 49th to 74th for now.

- Pitching for his country did nothing for Carlos Estévez's velocity woes Monday, as his fastball was still down five mph from last year's norm. Maybe he gets it back, but he was far from one of my favorite relievers in the first place. He drops to No. 210 for now, and Lucas Erceg joins the top 300 at No. 282.

- Kevin McGonigle is another debut this week, as Detroit's No. 1 prospect comes in at No. 260. As of this point, I still think he's a little bit of a long shot to make the team; he'd be a defensive downgrade at short, and the Tigers entered the spring pretty well set with their 13 position players. But he might well be one of the club's better hitters already. When it comes to fantasy potential, I'm not sure he's ready to hit more than 20 homers yet, and he probably wouldn't be a big factor in steals (he was 10-for-17 stealing base in 88 minor league games last year after going 22-for-24 in A ball in 2024). He'd be a mixed-league guy playing regularly, but I don't think he'd offer top-100 potential as a rookie.

March 2 Notes

- Falling off: Pablo López (205th), Zac Gallen (244th), Jake McCarthy (297th), Max Scherzer (299th), Jac Caglianone (300th)

- This was longer between updates than I wanted to go, but things will definitely be better this month. One big change this update is that relievers have been pushed up. There's just aren't as many good bets for saves as usual this year, and the third- and fourth-tier closers are going earlier as a result. So, Kenley Jansen, for instance, jumping from No. 174 to No. 146 isn't the result of a projections change. It's just more the price that needs to be paid to get a mid-range closer.

- Many of the position player changes are a result of new lineup projections. Jo Adell was hit particularly hard there; I had him as the Angels' likely cleanup hitter entering the spring, but it's starting to look like he'll hit sixth behind Yoán Moncada and Jorge Soler. I had already dropped the Reds' Noelvi Marte some because of doubts over whether he'd continue to bat second, but now it looks like he might hit as low as eighth initially. On the other hand, Matt McLain has moved up some, since he's the likeliest choice to replace Marte.

- That Kyle Tucker is likely to bat second for the Dodgers moved him up from 13th to 10th. Fernando Tatis Jr. lost a little ground with the Padres seemingly dropping him from the leadoff spot, but not quite enough to push him below Nick Kurtz in the rankings, since there was a significant gap there initially.

- Yordan Alvarez is down a few spots because the Astros' self-inflicted logjam will put him back into the outfield at least occasionally. I was really hoping for 150 games from him as a DH this year. It's now pretty clear that neither Christian Walker nor Isaac Paredes is getting traded prior to Opening Day, so Paredes is down to No. 171 and Walker fell about 30 spots to No. 261. Paredes would be about 40 spots higher if assured regular playing time, and he really ought to be, given that he's probably Houston's second-best hitter.

- Konnor Griffin's three early homers helped get him a 20-spot bump in the rankings to No. 193, but I'm still projecting him to open up in the minors. If the Pirates announced tomorrow that he'd be their starting shortstop, I'd have him around 110th or so. He'd probably be good for 30-40 steals, but his ability to hit for average would be in some question, and while he already has above average major league power, he'll be playing half of his games in a ballpark that's as tough for right-handers to homer in as any in the league.

- The Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt is looking increasingly likely to land a starting job at second base. I'm not quite sure that would make him an asset in shallow leagues, in part because the Cardinals just don't have a very good lineup. He might make a run at 15 homers and 15 steals, but the run and RBI numbers probably won't be there, especially if he's batting in the bottom half of the order early on. He checks in at No. 264 for now.

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How Kyle Tucker fits in the Dodgers lineup

LOS ANGELES — Dodgers outfield production in 2025 was lacking, making it a clear need this offseason. They compensated for that by adding Kyle Tucker, who was the consensus top free agent available, rated the No. 1 free agent at the beginning of the offseason by ESPN, FanGraphs, The Athletic, MLB Trade Rumors, Baseball Prospectus, Yahoo Sports, MLB.com, and CBS Sports.

The cost was heavy, guaranteeing $240 million on a four-year contract, and even adding two chances for Tucker to opt out of the deal, such was the demand for his services on the market. But the Dodgers have the money, and they’ve been more than willing to spend it, with record-setting competitive balance tax paymentsthe last two seasons. They also have the prospect depth to absorb the loss of draft picks for signing Tucker (and for signing Edwin Díaz, too).

They thought Tucker was worth that kind of investment.

“Anytime you can add a guy to your lineup that is arguably better against same-side pitching — there’s really no holes in what he does offensively. Really balanced splits, versus right, versus left, incredible decision making, really good bat-to-ball skills,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Wednesday. “Just the way that will kind of complement and help further round out our offense, something we thought that would be significant in terms of the odds increasing on our championship quest.”

Dodgers outfielders as a group in 2025 hit .240/.299/.415, with a 98 wRC+ that ranked 17th among 30 MLB teams. Tucker is a career .273/.358/.507 hitter with a 138 wRC+, and has posted a 130 wRC+ or better in each of the last five seasons. Dodgers outfielders last year totaled 4.3 fWAR as a group (Andy Pages accounted for 4.1 fWAR himself), while Tucker has tallied 4.2 fWAR or higher five years in a row, averaging 4.7.

Since the start of 2021, Tucker is one of only four major league hitters with an isolated power — slugging percentage minus batting average — .200 or above combined with a strikeout rate of 16 percent or lower, along with fellow star players Mookie Betts, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and José Ramírez.

The Dodgers in 2025 had a 21.9-percent strikeout rate as a team, 12th-lowest in the majors. Adding Tucker should help that.

But where does he fit in the Dodgers lineup? Last week, I asked this question on The Feed here at True Blue LA, and got various responses, ranging between Tucker batting as high as second or as low as fifth. But either way, he’ll be in a prime spot in a suddenly more-loaded lineup with him on board.

“I was talking with Gomer [general manager Brandon Gomes] and Andrew [Friedman] recently, and it’s just fun to think about where Kyle is going to hit in the lineup,” manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday. “He’ll be in the top third. I don’t want you guys to hold me to it right now, but [hitting] second or third seems to make sense.”

It’s still only January 22, still a month from spring training games starting and nine weeks from opening day. A lot can happen between now and then. But let’s unpack what Roberts said on Wednesday.

For the last two seasons, Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman have been the Dodgers’ big three atop the lineup. If Tucker hits second or third, one of those other three is moving. It won’t be Ohtani, who seems entrenched in the leadoff spot. Betts is coming off his worst offensive season, but the Dodgers have been loath to move him down in the lineup. It took until Game 5 of the World Series for Betts to shift down in the lineup to third, his first start outside of the top two since 2021. Betts hit third in Games 5 and 6, and hit fourth in Game 7.

Freeman in four years with the Dodgers has hit mostly second or third. He batted cleanup four times in September 2024, but those were only against left-handed pitchers to help split up the left-handed hitters in the lineup. That continued into 2025, but Freeman also hit cleanup sometimes against right-handed pitchers, and hit fourth a total of 47 times in the regular season, and batted cleanup eight times in 17 postseason games.

I think Freeman is the most likely of the Big Three to move down in the lineup. Putting Tucker second or third would mean at least two of the Dodgers’ first three hitters batting lefty, but they happen to be two of the best lefty-on-lefty hitters in the game.

Over the last five seasons Tucker hit .270/.340/.511 against southpaws, with his 136 wRC+ against same-handed pitchers third-best in the majors among batters with at least 300 such plate appearances, trailing only Yordan Alvarez (166 wRC+) and Ohtani (140).

Freeman hitting cleanup would mean three lefties in the first four hitters, which is generally fine, but can cause problems later in the game, either with an opposing manager bringing in a left-handed pitcher to handle a run of lefty batters or if trying to extend a southpaw starting pitcher a little bit deeper into the game. Last year the Dodgers occasionally countered the latter by inserting a right-handed batter before Freeman, usually Teoscar Hernández or Will Smith.

Roberts before last year’s opener mentioned making a lefty pitcher pay the “Teoscar tax” to get through that portion of the lineup, which worked out swimmingly when Hernández hit a game-winning three-run home run off Tigers ace Tarik Skubal to turn the game around.

But whether Freeman bats fourth or fifth still highlights the depth of the Dodgers lineup now with Tucker on board. After Freeman, there will be one or both of Smith or Hernández, and that’s before considering Max Muncy, Tommy Edman, and Andy Pages.

No matter how you slice it, that’s a formidable lineup top to bottom.

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What now for Yankees after Cody Bellinger? Three ways Bombers can improve

NEW YORK – By agreeing with Cody Bellinger on a new contract Wednesday, the Yankees’ top offseason task was completed.

But that doesn’t end the winter work for GM Brian Cashman and company.

Three weeks away from the start of spring training, the Yankees are still exploring upgrades to the pitching staff, along with right-handed hitting depth.

And the potential for a significant trade exists, now that Bellinger is secured on a five-year, $162.5 million free agent deal that includes opt-outs after years two and three.

This is now a crowded outfield, with Bellinger in left field, Trent Grisham in center and Aaron Judge in right, which impacts the playing time of switch-hitter Jasson Dominguez and lefty-hitting prospect Spencer Jones.

Let’s examine where the Yankees might be exploring additional options for 2026:

Yankees' potential rotation targets

Current rotation: LHP Max Fried, RHP Cam Schlittler, RHP Luis Gil, RHP Will Warren, LHP Ryan Weathers.

On the injured list: RHP Gerrit Cole (June ETA), LHP Carlos Rodon (May), RHP Clarke Schmidt (September).

Current depth: RHP Paul Blackburn, LHP Ryan Yarbrough.

Summary: Several contenders, including the Yanks, had been tied to interest in Milwaukee Brewers’ right-hander Freddy Peralta, the subject of trade discussion for months.

But late Wednesday night, as first reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Mets closed out a stunning deal to land Peralta, earning a relative-bargain $8 million in 2026, his free agent walk year.

Washington Nationals lefty MacKenzie Gore is under team control through the 2028 season, but he’s already set to earn $5.6 million this season with some expensive arbitration years ahead.

Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Reds have some notable starting depth including right-hander Brady Singer, though he’s earning $12.75 million in 2026, his free agent walk year.

The current Grand Canyon-sized arbitration gap between Tarik Skubal and the Tigers makes things interesting, but you’d anticipate Detroit going into 2026 with the game’s best starter and re-evaluating at the trade deadline.

Though the Yanks are questionable to add a pricey free agent starter at this point, even on a one-year deal, the versatile Nick Martinez and Cooperstown-bound veterans Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander are intriguing options.

Yankees' potential bullpen targets

Sep 22, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher JoJo Romero (59) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Current bullpen: LHPs Tim Hill, Brent Headrick; RHPs David Bednar, Camilo Doval, Fernando Cruz, Kaleb Ort, Cade Winquest.

Current depth: RHPs Jake Bird, Yerry de los Santos, Paul Blackburn; LHP Ryan Yarbrough.

Summary: St. Louis lefty JoJo Romero was linked to Yankees’ interest earlier this winter, with the re-tooling Cardinals likely to remain active on the trade front.

Entering his free agent walk year, Romero posted a 200 ERA-plus last season and is due to earn $4.26 million in 2026.

Though the Yanks aren't heavily into this free agent market, a patient strategy might get them to take an inexpensive flyer here, with some interesting names such as right-hander Michael Kopech and lefty Danny Coulombe available.

In recent years, the Yankees have been adept at making under-the-radar deals for relievers - especially power right-handers with swing-and-miss ability that have yet to reach their potential.

And if the Yanks are seeking to move payroll here in a bigger trade, Doval is making over $6 million this season.

Yankees' potential right-handed hitting targets

Jun 28, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first base Paul Goldschmidt (48) singles during the sixth inning against the Athletics at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Current position players: 1B/C Ben Rice, 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr., 3B Ryan McMahon, IF Jose Caballero, Amed Rosario, Oswaldo Cabrera; OF Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger, Jasson Dominguez; DH/OF Giancarlo Stanton; C Austin Wells, J.C. Escarra.

On the injured list: SS Anthony Volpe (ETA May).

Current depth: IF Paul DeJong, Braden Shewmake, Jorbit Vivas; OF Seth Brown, Spencer Jones; C Ben Rice.

Summary: There's room to add a right-handed hitting first baseman, a corner outfielder and possibly a catcher (to better complement the lefty-hitting Wells).

Free agent outfielders Austin Hays and Harrison Bader could see their markets accelerating now that the major free agents are off the board and Luis Robert Jr. is a Met, traded by the White Sox this week.

Paul Goldschmidt has designs on playing in 2026 and the 2025 Yankee remains in free agency, as does veteran Rhys Hoskins, whose career since 2023 has been hampered by injuries.

With their recent free agent signing of Victor Caratini, the Minnesota Twins might have a catching surplus.

Switch-hitting former All-Star catcher Jonah Heim remains in free agency, as does catcher Gary Sanchez and outfielder Miguel Andujar (who mashes lefty pitching) though the defensive shortcomings of both ex-Yankees is notable.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: New York Yankees MLB trade rumors after Cody Bellinger contract

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Warriors vs. Mavericks injury report: Anthony Davis out, Daniel Gafford doubtful

Anthony Davis and Daniel Gafford celebrating with a handshake on the court.

The Golden State Warriors are back in action tonight, and they’re headed to Texas to take on Klay Thompson, Cooper Flagg, and the Dallas Mavericks. It’s the Warriors first game on the road since January 5, and their first out-of-state game since New Year’s Eve.

Both teams are missing some serious star talent. Here’s the full injury report.

Warriors

Out — Jimmy Butler III (right knee ACL tear)

Sigh. It’s not fun writing it out, but I’ll be doing it a lot, as Butler will be sidelined for the rest of the year, and the start of next season following an ACL tear on Monday night.

Out — Seth Curry (left sciatic nerve irritation)

Curry should be re-evaluated soon, and hopefully can get back on the court before too long. The Warriors could use some extra scoring with Butler out.

Questionable — Gary Payton II (right foot soreness)

I wouldn’t be surprised if GPII sees a bigger role going forward, given the defense and athleticism that the team lost with Butler’s injury. Hopefully he’s good to go tonight.

Mavericks

Out — Anthony Davis (left finger sprain)

Davis was linked to the Warriors a little bit before suffering yet another injury. Now that Butler — whose contract matches Davis’ — is out for a year, you can expect to at least see a little speculation that the teams might swap their injured stars on massive deals. I don’t think there’s much of a chance of it happening, though.

Out — Kyrie Irving (left knee surgery)

Like Butler, Irving has a torn ACL, which he sustained in March of 2025. It’s unclear when he’ll be back on the court.

Out — Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery)

After a standout rookie season in 2023-24, things have gone downhill for Lively. He was limited to 36 games last year, and didn’t show much improvement. And this year he suffered a foot injury after just seven games, and is out for the season.

Out — Dante Exum (right knee surgery)

Exum, unfortunately, saw his season end before it started. He hasn’t played this year and he won’t play this year, as he rehabs from knee surgery.

Doubtful — Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain)

Gafford plays a critical role for the Mavs with Davis sidelined, but he’s had his own issues staying healthy. He’s missed the last three games, and 15 overall this year.

Probable — Moussa Cissé (illness)

Cissé went undrafted in June, but has filled in for the injury Davis and Gafford on a few occasions this year. He’s a very strong rebounder.

Enjoy the game, Dub Nation. It tips off at 4:30 p.m. PT on Prime.

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Winter Storm Warning: Which college games are affected by weather?

As a winter storm delivers brutally low temperatures and the threat of snow and ice across the United States, some collegiate sports teams are taking precautions to make sure players and fans are safe.

Several games on Saturday, Jan. 24 have been either postponed or had their tip-off times pushed up, including Duke's ACC bout with Wake Forest and North Carolina's conference game against Virginia, which would have also included the dedication of Virginia's court to former head coach Tony Bennett.

LIVE Winter storm live updates: Latest snowfall forecasts, warnings

College basketball looks like it's going to deal with quite a few shake-ups, with several situations pending.

Here are the events that have been affected in anticipation of the inclement weather.

Download the free USA TODAY app and turn on “Notifications” to get breaking news updates on the winter storm. Prefer email news alerts? Sign up for those here.

College sports rescheduled due to winter storm warning

All times Eastern

Men's basketball

  • Saturday's Virginia vs North Carolina tip-off pushed up to noon from 2 p.m. (court dedication to Tony Bennett postponed) (ESPN2)
  • Saturday's Wake Forest vs Duke tip-off pushed up to noon from 5:45 p.m (The CW)
  • Saturday's Louisville vs Virginia Tech tip-off pushed up to 2:15 p.m. from 3:15 p.m. (The CW)
  • Saturday's Little Rock vs UT Martin doubleheader postponed
  • Saturday's Towson vs North Carolina A&T tip-off pushed up to noon
  • Saturday's James Madison vs Texas State tip-off pushed up to 1 p.m.
  • Jacksonville State vs MTSU rescheduled to Friday at 6:30 p.m. from Saturday
  • Lipscomb vs Florida Gulf Coast rescheduled to Friday, Jan. 23 from Saturday, Jan. 24

Women's basketball

  • UConn vs Seton Hall tip-off pushed up to noon on Saturday, Jan. 24 from Sunday, Jan. 25
  • Saturday's Princeton vs Brown tip-off pushed up to noon
  • Saturday's Eastern Kentucky vs North Florida tip-off pushed up to 11 a.m.

Swimming

  • Tennessee vs Georgia swim meet rescheduled to 1 p.m. Friday from Saturday

Gymnastics

  • Friday's Georgia vs Oklahoma meet pushed up to 2:45 p.m. from 6 p.m.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Winter storm watch: College games postponed, rescheduled

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The sky may be too low of a limit for Cooper Flagg

Tim MacMahon of ESPN published a mid-season report on Cooper Flagg Thursday. It featured thoughts from opposing teams’ personnel and statistics comparing him to great teenagers of years past, like soon-to-be Hall of Famer LeBron James. The reviews were raving. One Western Conference scout said he was “better than advertised”. An East scout called him a “winning player”. And, my favorite quote, one West general manager said, “his greatest strength is his competitiveness”. 

Throughout the piece, the common sentiment became clear: Flagg is an uber-talented, uber-driven star-in-the-making. What he can be is better than you think, and what he will be has a less volatile floor than you realize. And if you have watched him this season, you have seen this play out in real time. I found a draft profile from around this time last year, where they labeled his weaknesses as not being able to handle perimeter pressure, a question mark over his isolation scoring ability, and the fact that he needs to get stronger to handle contact. It has not even been 50 games into his rookie campaign, and his lack of turnovers (2.2 per game), clutch scoring (ninth most in the NBA), and ability to get downhill at will (53.5 percent on 11.4 drives per game) have put those concerns to rest.

To say the sky is the limit for Flagg would be doing him a disservice. He is improving at a rate even bullish analysts have undersold. The narrative he has had since high school is that his defense would translate to the next level, but it remained to be seen how quickly his offense would come along. In 37 college games, he averaged 19.2 points on 48.1 percent shooting. Through 41 NBA games, he is at 18.8 points on 47.8 percent shooting. Every question we have asked has been answered (except for three-point shooting). As a 19-year-old rookie, the eye test tells you Flagg can be anything he wants. And, according to Tim MacMahon, the league agrees.

The most meaningful aspect of MacMahon’s reporting is that it confirms a thought I have had since the Mavericks secured the number one pick last May: the intangibles will define him, not his raw skill. Being a good player does not make you a part of a winning formula (see Bradley Beal and LaMelo Ball). There is plenty of talent in the NBA. What there is not an abundance of is winners. With the amount of money that has been pumped into not only professional sports but also college sports in the last few years, it is easy to lose sight of winning. Flagg is not someone who has fallen victim to that. His physical frame and talent will prevent him from being less than a very good player. But his mindset, his addiction to improvement, and his singular commitment to winning will make him great. How great he will be is something only he can determine.

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Better Know Your Blue Jays 40-man: Shane Bieber

At the trade deadline in 2025, the Jays traded for Shane Bieber, who hadn’t pitched in the majors to that point in 2025, coming off Tommy John surgery in 2024. The Guardians received Khal Stephens (who I mentioned was named by his Kryptonian parents).

Shane didn’t pitch for the Jays until August 22nd (my wife’s birthday). He was pretty good, in seven starts, with a 3.57 ERA, batters hit .225/.264/.417 in his 40.1 regular season innings.

The Jays picked him up, planning for the playoffs (we have very hopeful people running our team). He did work out; he made five starts and one relief appearance in the playoffs, with a 3.86 ERA. Unfortunately, what we will remember is the relief appearance (such is the life of a pitcher).

Shane had a player’s option for the 2026 season, which we were pretty sure he would decline, but he didn’t, so he is a Jay going into 2026.

There may be a reason, the team says he is dealing with ‘arm fatigue’ and may not be ready to start the season on the active roster. I’m sure I’m not the only one who reads the words arm fatigue and thinks there may be more going on than they are telling.

Bieber turns 31 in May and is 8 seasons into a very good career. He’s won a Cy Young, received votes to other seasons, got MVP votes once, made two All-Star teams and won a Gold Glove. And he also had the pitcher’s Triple Crown, leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts in the strike-shortened 2020 season.

He has a 66-34 record, a 3.24 ERA in 141 starts, 883.1 innings and an 18.5 bWAR. A good run in his 30s, and he would have a shot at the Hall of Fame. But then, that depends on him having good health in his 30s, and that’s the question for the team at the moment. In the Berrios post, I talked about how Berrios might not have a path to the rotation, but there are always things that happen with a pitching staff, there is never enough depth.

Shane throws five different pitches:

  • A Four Seamer (that averaged 92.6 mph last year).
  • Slider
  • Knuckle Curve
  • Change up
  • Cutter

Steamer figures him to make 24 starts, throw 143 innings with a 3.87 ERA.

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Sixers announce 2001 reunion game for Jan. 31

The Sixers’ year-long celebration of the 2001 Eastern Conference Champion squad reaches its apex this month. When the team hosts the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday, Jan. 31, it’ll be a big ol’ reunion.

The organization announced on Thursday that they will “honor the legendary players and coaches who electrified the city, taking the 76ers to the NBA Finals.“ Additionally, the Sixers say that the evening will be ”packed with powerful tributes — pre-game, in-game and at halftime — honoring the grit, heart and legacy of that squad.“

The Sixers, naturally, will be donning their beloved black throwback jerseys as well.

The 2001 team, between Allen Iverson’s MVP heroics and their upset win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals over the Los Angeles Lakers, leaves them as one of the most beloved in the history of Philadelphia even though they didn’t win the championship outright.

Part of it is the way they played: the feisty Iverson scoring in bunches while their defense swarmed everywhere. Part of it is Iverson’s legacy as a transformative presence in the league both on and off the court. Part of it is, simply, that they’re the only truly great Sixers team of the last 40 years.

Though the Sixers appear far away from that level of contention at the momentum even with Tyrese Maxey’s own superstar ascension and the dominant stretches that Joel Embiid has put together this season, celebrating the 2001 team is a reminder of how great things once were for professional basketball in Philly and how maybe, just maybe, they could be that great again one day.

For those wanting to get in on the festivities, the cheapest tickets on Ticketmaster, as of this writing, are $44.18. That’s honestly a bit better than I imagined it would be for a Saturday with all of this going on. I hope Sixers fans pack the house!

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Utah Jazz vs San Antonio Spurs: Preview, how to watch, injury report

For the second time in four days, the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs will face off when the Spurs travel to Utah on Thursday night.

In the two previous meetings between the Jazz and Spurs this season, the teams split wins, with the Jazz coming away victorious in December and the Spurs winning on Monday.

On the Dec. 27 matchup, Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George combined for 57 points and took advantage of De’Aaron Fox’s absence from the lineup in the win.

On Monday, Victor Wembanyama scored 33 for the Spurs in a 13-point victory at home, maintaining San Antonio’s position as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.

Injury Report

Utah Jazz:

Keyonte George — Questionable (Left forearm strain)

Lauri Markkanen — OUT (Return to competition reconditioning)

San Antonio Spurs:

Jeremy Sochan — Questionable (Illness)

Luke Kornet — Questionable (Left abductor tightness)

Devin Vassell — OUT (Left abductor strain)

How to watch

Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT

When: 7 p.m. MT

Channel: KJZZ, SEG+

Radio: 97.5 FM 1280 AM

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LeBron James holds adorable birthday celebration for private chef after noisy day

LeBron James capped off a noisy Wednesday by sharing a sweet moment with his inner circle.

Just hours after a bombshell report claimed his Lakers boss, Jeanie Buss, had grown tired of him, the NBA superstar took to his Instagram page to show he and his loved ones were hardly bothered.

LeBron James and his family held a makeshift birthday party for their private chef on Wednesday night. Lebron James

In a video he shared on IG Stories, James could be seen helping lead an adorable birthday celebration for his private chef, Dena Marino.

James, his wife, Savannah, and their daughter, Zhuri, presented Marino with a slice of cake and a candle, and serenaded her with a rendition of “Happy Birthday to You.”

Chef Dena Marino looked thrilled with the James’ gesture, reposting the Lakers star’s video on her Instagram page. Lebron James

When the gourmet cook blew out the flame, James and his family let out a big cheer.

LeBron James was at the center of an explosive ESPN report earlier Wednesday. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Marino clearly appreciated the gesture — she reshared James’ video with the caption, “All My favs with my Reese’s Cake!” She included two red heart emojis as well.

The James family and Marino have been tight for years. In fact, back in 2021, LeBron shouted out her special “Creamy Cauliflower ‘Carbonara’” on X, writing that it was one of his favorite dishes she’s ever created.

“And I have alot of favs!” he added.

As for the ESPN report regarding Buss’ alleged thoughts on his “outsized ego,” James appeared to take a page out of his agent Rich Paul’s book on the matter by showing he’s got far more things to concern himself with.