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Five Senators With The Most To Prove In 2026-27

The Senators enter the 2026-27 season next month with new expectations.

After earning a Stanley Cup Playoff berth two years in a row, they know that another quick appearance in round one won't cut it. And that's with a full understanding that they're in a brutally tough division that featured five of the top nine teams in the NHL last season.

Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss Travis Green's comments on Brady Tkachuk's exit.

GM Steve Staios has said that even with the loss of Brady Tkachuk, the club has no intention of taking a step backward.

So from that standpoint, the entire team has something to prove in 2026-27. But the pressure to get to the next level also applies to several individual Senators.

For some, it'll be about living up to a big new contract. For others, including a pair of newcomers, it's about bouncing back and proving Staios was right to bring them in and give them a shot.

Here are five Senators with the most to prove in 2026-27.

Shane Pinto

I was hesitant to include Pinto here because he's already proven a lot.

He plays such an important role for the Senators defensively, finishing sixth in this year's Selke voting. He also took another step offensively, posting career highs of 23 goals and 47 points, while finishing second among Senators forwards in time on ice.

So what is there to prove?

Well, Pinto's four-year, $30-million extension kicks in this season, meaning his cap hit will double from $3.75 million to $7.5 million.

At that pay grade, his scoring numbers will come under a lot more scrutiny, especially if he bumps up to the second line with higher-producing wingers. Between his new salary and the potential for an elevated offensive role, including more power-play time, Pinto will be out to prove he's earned all of it.

Jordan Spence

Few Senators improved their stock more last season than Spence.

Feeling like there wasn't room for both Spence and Nepean's Brandt Clarke on their blue line, the LA Kings sent Spence to Ottawa for a couple of picks, eventually replacing him with former Senator Cody Ceci.

In Ottawa last fall, Spence's fresh start had a false start.

The right-shot defenceman was a healthy scratch on opening night and for several others in October, but he eventually established himself as an important part of the Sens blue line and responded with the best season of his young NHL career.

His reward was a four-year, $20-million contract.

At $5 million per season, a huge leap from last year's $1.5 million, Spence doesn't have to be a Norris candidate. But he's now being paid to be the Sens' clear number four defenceman, and not just filling that role as an injury replacement. He's the guy now.

So he'll be out to prove his breakout season wasn't an outlier, and like Pinto, that he's worth every penny.

If he does, and everyone can stay healthy this season, the Senators' blue line appears to be in pretty good shape.

Andre Burakovsky

The Senators didn't give up much to acquire Burakovsky, but they are paying him $5.5 million.

Burakovsky has dealt with more than his share of injuries, which have unravelled some promising seasons. He had 11 goals and 33 points last season and hasn't come close to the career-high 61 points he produced with Colorado in 2021-22.

At 31, expecting him to suddenly become that player again seems awfully optimistic, but that seems to be the club's headspace on the player.

The Senators need something more compelling from him, point-wise, than a re-run of Thirty Something. They already had plenty of guys internally who could accomplish that for a lot less money.

Burakovsky is also in the final year of his contract, so he needs to prove that he deserves another one.

Samuel Ersson

Staios isn't shy about telling people that goalie evaluation isn't his strongest suit. He relies heavily on his goalie coaches, Justin Peters and Maciej Szwoch, who like Ersson's movement and fundamentals and think he's better than his Philadelphia Flyers numbers suggest.

After Carter Hart had to step away from the Flyers during the 2023-24 season, Ersson became the number one for the next year and a half. But after a coaching change, Dan Vladar got the lion's share of starts last season.

Ersson's .870 save percentage last season and career .884 save percentage through 143 games in Philly aren't particularly impressive. But the Sens' goalie whisperers see enough potential that Staios gave him a two-year contract.

Ersson will be out to prove they were right.

If he can give Ottawa 30 reliable starts and simply make the saves an NHL goalie is supposed to make, he'll have done his job.

Linus Ullmark

Ullmark might have the most to prove of anyone on this list.

We've seen stretches where he has looked exactly like the Vezina-winning goaltender from three years ago. We've also seen stretches where he hasn't been good at all.

Ullmark has never played more than 50 games in an NHL season, and going back to his Boston days, he's clearly at his best when he's in a platoon situation and getting plenty of in-season rest.

Between his personal leave of absence and the Olympic break, Ullmark played in just four hockey games between Dec. 27 and March 3. After that, he was noticeably better over his final 17 games of the regular season, although his save percentage was still .870 or worse in seven of them.

He was then the Senators' best player in the playoffs, saving his best for last with a .932 save percentage over four games. And bear in mind, based on last season's numbers, a .910 save percentage or better puts a goalie among the NHL's elite.

Ullmark needs to prove during the regular season that he can be more consistent, more available and worth his $8.25-million salary.

Even if absolutely everything else goes according to plan, the Senators won't be able to find the next level unless their goalies do.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the Sens headlines below:

2025 Senators First-Rounder Shares 'Gnarly' Details Of His Long Road Back
Drake Batherson Wins His Club Championship, Taking Trophy From His Dad
Senators Newcomer Recognized For NHL's Best Goal Of The Year
Career Year, New Deal Fuel Former Senator's NHL Comeback Bid
Jordan Spence On Tkachuk's Exit: 'I Think That It's Going To Make Us Better'

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The state of the Cubs farm system after the Trade Deadline

Josiah Hartshorn and Mason McGwire #36 of the Chicago Cubs at the MLB All-Star Futures Game in Philadelphia | | Getty Images

The Cubs front office sure was busy on Monday.

Not counting the Jameson Taillon deal, who was the subtraction of a player who had already been designated for assignment, the Cubs added five major leaguers in four separate trades. This cost the Cubs seven minor league players, six of whom still had prospect eligibility.

Because five of those six players were among my Top 25 prospects mid-season update, it’s probably time to update that as well. But before I do that, I wanted to give a summary of the players the Cubs lost.

Pretty much all of the position players the Cubs dealt were “blocked” at the major league level. Take infielder Jefferson Rojas, whom I had ranked as the Cubs No. 2 prospect. I’m very high on Rojas. He’s a 21-year-old succeeding in Double-A. I think he has the upside of a quality major league starter. I don’t think Rojas is a shortstop, but he could be an above-average defender at second or third base. He could be a guy who hits .265 with around 20 home runs and 20 steals.

But the Cubs already have a second and a third baseman under contract for the next several seasons and even if Hoerner or Bregman falter, Rojas has been surpassed in the organization by Pedro Ramírez. Then there’s Matt Shaw, who would also rank higher than Rojas. Did the Cubs get full value back for Rojas in two rental players? Maybe not, but they got 90 cents on the dollar. Plus, the Cubs had to trade Rojas sooner rather than later. His value wasn’t likely to increase until he could prove himself on the major league level, something he was very unlikely to get in Chicago. Players in the bottom half of Top 100 prospects lists generally only pan out as good major leaguers about a third of the time, anyway.

Would I have liked to get a controllable starter back for Rojas? Definitely, but there was only one real controllable starter dealt (José Soriano) and he went for a whole lot more than Jefferson Rojas. The Cubs got arguably the second-best available rental starting pitcher in Clay Holmes for him, plus a rental outfielder in Tyrone Taylor who has crushed lefties this year.

Then there’s Moisés Ballesteros, who went along with Mason McGwire for a controllable pitcher, albeit a reliever in Ryan Zeferjahn. Despite his slump from May that got him sent down to the minors, I still believe in Mo Baller’s left-handed bat. It’s a sweet stroke and he loves to dump line drives into the left-center and right-center gaps. His post-April struggles were real as he was hitting the ball into the ground way too much and was not able to pull those inside pitches like he had been previously. But I’m confident he’ll figure things out eventually.

But like Rojas, where was Ballesteros going to play on the Cubs? He’s simply not a good defensive catcher and I don’t think he ever will be. For a while he was improving, but that’s plateaued. He has not gotten any better down in Iowa this year. And if he’s not a catcher, what is he? At 5’8”, you need a lot of infielders with very accurate arms to play him at first. If he has to DH, he’s a guy who hits .280 with a .340 OBP and 20 home runs and 35 doubles. Is that good enough for a full-time DH? Maybe. Maybe not. And that’s close to a best-case scenario.

Ballesteros has also been passed in the Cubs organization by the development of Owen Ayers, who is someone who really can stay behind the plate. That’s another reason Mo Baller was expendable.

Jonathon Long, who went to the Marlins for a controllable starter (albeit one who’s in the minor leagues) in Braxton Garrett, is similarly blocked. He can maybe give you a few games in left field, but he’s a first baseman with 55 power. Like Ballesteros, that’s more like 15-to-20 home runs a year than 30 or more. His hit tool is at least average, but he’s also right-handed and all other things being equal, teams prefer a left-handed first baseman. Long was never going to push Michael Busch off of first base, so the Cubs might as well deal him now. If Garrett returns to what he was before Tommy John surgery, then the Cubs got a great deal.

Right-hander Jace Beck was a guy the Cubs signed as a minor league free agent over the winter after he was released from the Mets organization. I don’t know what the Cubs did to him, but he started striking out a ton of batters in Double-A Knoxville, which got him on some prospect lists. He hasn’t repeated that success since his promotion to Iowa, but it’s still a small sample size. Beck combines a mid-90s fastball with a solid splitter. Unless he can improve his slider, he’s probably a reliever. But the Cubs did great to sign someone over the winter for a minor-league salary and then flip him in a deal for a controllable starter like Garrett.

As far as the other players the Cubs traded before the Deadline, right-hander Mason McGwire is better known for his father than his pitching right now, but he has turned himself into a real prospect, which he definitely didn’t look like his first two years in the organization. He missed all of 2025 with an injury and when he returned this year, his curveball had a much better shape and he had much better control of it. Despite having a starting pitcher’s frame, I think McGwire is destined for the bullpen unless he can find a new pitch to get lefties out. My biggest regret on trading McGwire is that his father vowed to come to Wrigley Field in Cubs gear if he made the majors and that would have made Cardinals fans’ heads explode. I don’t think they’ll mind him in Angels gear.

The Blue Jays have a type, apparently, as they got two very similar profiles in Brett Bateman and Ty Southisene. Both are short, high-contact guys with close to zero power and plus speed. They are both good defenders. They’re also both Asian-American, which is probably just a coincidence but some commenters on the Blue Jays board were very excited about that. Their lack of power, and the fact that Southisene probably isn’t a pure shortstop although he can play there, means both are likely bench players in the major leagues, if they even make it there.

So that’s what the Cubs have lost. What does their farm system look like now? It’s down, of course. You don’t lose one of your Top 100 prospects without taking a hit in the rankings. But Rojas was the only player the Cubs dealt who was among my Top Ten Cubs prospects in the mid-season update, although Ballesteros would have clearly also been in the top ten if he still had prospect eligibility. He’d probably rank fourth, just behind the emerging Ayers.

So here is my updated list of the Cubs top 25 prospects. New players on the list are in boldface.

  1. Josiah Hartshorn OF/1B
  2. Owen Ayers C
  3. Kane Kepley OF
  4. Cade Townsend RHP
  5. Jaxon Wiggins RHP
  6. Kaleb Wing RHP
  7. Ethan Conrad OF
  8. Caden Sorrell OF
  9. James Triantos 2B/OF
  10. Myles Bailey 1B
  11. Brooks Caple RHP
  12. Dominick Reid RHP
  13. Juan Cabada 2B
  14. Jose Escobar 2B/LF
  15. Grant Kipp RHP
  16. Jostin Florentino RHP
  17. Carson Jasa RHP
  18. Derniche Valdez SS
  19. Nazier Mulé RHP
  20. Will Sanders RHP
  21. Pierce Coppola LHP
  22. Luis Martinez-Gomez RHP
  23. Logan Poteet C
  24. Angel Cepeda SS
  25. Brody McCullough RHP

Valdez is an interesting case and I moved him up to 18 because he was a highly-regarded international signing who just didn’t hit his first three years in the system and dropped off of all prospect lists. However, a little over a month ago, Valdez got glasses and since then he’s been tearing the cover off the ball. So if the reason he couldn’t hit was that he couldn’t see, then he becomes an interesting prospect again. We still have to wait a bit to see that this isn’t just a fluke, but it’s a promising development.

Martinez-Gomez is a fastball/splitter pitcher who has taken a step forward with his control this year, which was what was keeping him off of prospect lists before. There’s a lot of reliever risk here, but there’s also some back-end starter potential.

Poteet makes the list because he’s hit 18 home runs this year and has the defensive skills to stick behind the plate. There are, however, some major hit tool questions as Poteet has been striking out at a 37 percent clip since his promotion to High-A South Bend. He has to cut that down to be a major leaguer.

Cepeda is someone who has made some strides in pitch selection this year, which has led to more walks and fewer strikeouts. He still has a long ways to go in that department, but his plus glove at short will buy him the time to work on that.

McCullough doesn’t have much that wows you, but he’s got a starter’s body and a starter’s arsenal and the chance to be a back-end starter. He missed all of last year with elbow surgery, but he’s back now and putting in a solid performance with Double-A.

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Luis Arraez: The Anti-Schwarber

Apr 7, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants infielder Luis Arraez (1) attempts to turn a double play against Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Kyle Schwarber (12) in the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In the fourth episode of the second season of Star Trek, the crew members of the good ship Enterprise find themselves confronted with evil doppelgängers from another dimension. Though only Spock’s malicious counterpart had a beard, with the sinister versions of James T. Kirk, Dr. McCoy, and others remaining clean-shaven, the idea of evil imitators having facial hair has made its way into pop culture. If either Luis Arraez or Kyle Schwarber were beardless, this would work very well as a lede for this article about the two of them being mirror-universe versions of each other. But they both have facial hair, so that’s right out. Oh well. Worth a shot.

Anyway, Luis Arraez is the Anti-Schwarber. Or Kyle Schwarber is the Anti-Arraez. The anti-parallels (perpendiculars?) between their games are obvious: Schwarber strikes out a ton, but sends the ball to rendezvous with the rovers on Mars with when he does hit it, while Arraez strikes out roughly as often as blue moons appear on a leap year Friday the 13th, but doesn’t have a whole lot of power. But even knowing that, the extent to which the two are inverses of each other is shocking (all stats prior to last night’s game):

StatisticArraez, PercentileSchwarber, Percentile
Avg. Exit Velocity17th 96th
Barrel %1st98th
Hard Hit %1st 94th
Launch Angle Sweet Spot94th94th
Bat Speed 1st96th
Squared-Up %100th2nd
Chase %30th78th
Whiff %100th4th
K %100th1st
BB %11th 96th

Just about the only place they don’t diverge is in Launch Angle Sweet Spot; they’re both about as good as the other at hitting the ball in the optimal launch angle range. But in every other regard, they’re just about polar opposites.

Just by eyeballing the chart above (or a couple of at-bats from each), you get the picture. But we can also quantify their lack of similarity: Baseball Savant offers a Player Similarity tool that provides a numerical comparison based on batting profile (contact stats, walks, strikeouts), with numbers closer to 1 indicating greater similarity. For example, the players most similar to Kyle Schwarber are Nick Kurtz (.78), Owen Caissie (.73), and Munetaka Murakami (.72). The players most similar to Luis Arraez are Ernie Clement (.74) and Javier Sanoja (0.73).

By default, the tool will only show you the players with a similarity score of at least 0.7. For most players, this produces a busy but manageable visual, like so:

(If you’re wondering, each colored circle represents a different batting input, e.g. red represents barrel rate). And for players with highly unusual profiles—the unicorns of the league— you get a very tidy look at the very small number of players who can truly compare.

But if you want to find Arraez on Schwarber’s diagram, or vice-versa, you have to widen the criteria to show players who are much less similar. Much, much less similar. And once you’ve adjusted the settings sufficiently, you see this:

This resembles nothing more than one of those galaxy maps projected onto a planetarium dome; perhaps someday our finest scientists will send a probe to planet Pete Crow-Armstrong. But once you’ve gotten over the awe-inspiring chaos of the diagram, you can find out just how un-similar Arraez and Schwarber are.

Kyle Schwarber isn’t the least Arraez-esque player in the league. That would be Esmerlyn Valdez, a prospect who’s played 45 games for the Pirates this year, with a score of .03. Among league regulars, the least Arraez-like is Elly De La Cruz, with an .04. But Kyle Schwarber isn’t all that much closer to Arraezhood: with an .07, he ranks 413th on the similarity chart. Arraez isn’t the least Schwarberlike player in the league, but he’s close: only Chandler Simpson of the Rays is further away.

You already know the difference in barrel rate, walk rate and strikeout rate from the first table, but here’s a closer look at the contact inputs that go into that lack of similarity:

Contact QualityArraezSchwarber
Solid5.3%10.7%
Flare-Burner26.6%22.7%
Under32.9%27.9%
Topped30.2%18.5%
Weak4.3%2.1%

The difference in those numbers don’t leap out quite as much as the gaps in walk and strikeout rate, but Schwarber is over twice as likely to make solid contact as Arraez, and about half as likely to make weak contact.

Nothing you have read in this article is likely to come as any surprise. But perhaps that itself should come as no surprise. Everywhere you look in literature, film, art, you’ll see the idea of the mirror image, the inverted doppelgänger, the evil twin…

I could’ve started this with an evil Twin joke. Damn.

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What are the top 5 East teams this year? (Staff Roundtable)

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For this roundtable, I thought I’d poll the staff on the Eastern Conference elite. Here was my question: What are the top 5 teams in the East right now? (your own personal power ranking)

Ian Inangelo

My top 5 teams in the Eastern Conference are: 1. New York Knicks, 2. Philadelphia 76ers, 3. Miami Heat, 4. Boston Celtics, 5. Detroit Pistons

The Knicks are coming off a championship and although other teams in the East have made huge additions, I don’t see anyone stacking up to them at this moment. The 76ers at 2 are a testament to their acquisitions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James but their big man position still scares me a lot. The Heat are a boom or bust team when it comes to relying on Giannis to stay healthy but I feel this year he will do everything in his power to stay on the floor. The Celtics I still believe are a top 4 team in the East due to the fact they have the same core of players they did last season with Jayson Tatum who looked incredible coming off injury last year. The loss of Brown shouldn’t be understated but Tatum is still a Top 5-10 player in the league when he’s healthy and I feel a full season of Tatum as the number one option will have great results for Boston. Detroit is at 5 mostly because of my belief in Cade Cunningham as I think he is a big enough star to drag even a mediocre looking Pistons roster to a top 5 seed in the East.

Trevor Hass

You could take this many different directions. I agree with Ian’s top five, but I have the order as: Knicks, 76ers, Pistons, Celtics, Heat. I think the Knicks deserve to be the favorite until further notice, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see them struggle early in the regular season. The 76ers are the most talented team, but a lot is riding on the health of LeBron James and Joel Embiid. The Pistons are solid but aren’t quite championship-ready. The Celtics will be in the mix but will miss Jaylen Brown. The Heat will be better than people think but will lose in the first round.

Steve Hooper

Contrarian take here. I’m not sure the Boston Celtics are even in the top 5 in the Eastern Conference anymore after trading away Jaylen Brown for pennies on the dollar. Mitchell Robinson and Paul George haven’t been healthy in the last few seasons at all, which makes the grind of the 82-game regular season all that much harder. I see a pretty clear top 3: the Knicks, Sixers and Pistons. After that I can see a see a world where the Cavaliers, Pacers and Raptors could all finish ahead of us. Personally, I think one of those teams will join the Heat and Celtics in battling for the sixth seed all season to avoid the play-in.

Jake Issenberg

I will pay deference to the defending champion New York Knicks by placing them first in the power rankings. However, downgrading from Mitchell Robinson to Andre Drummond is a significant blow. I’m higher on the Celtics than most. Jayson Tatum with a full offseason to build on his miraculous recovery will have this team primed for an eastern conference run. Last season the Celtics ranked second in offense, and fifth in defense. Next season’s Celtics team will be an improved version of the 2025-2026 team.  Jayson Tatum playing the Jaylen Brown role is a significant upgrade. Mitchell Robinson fills the team’s most dire need, backup big man. Then Paul George is the icing on the cake. Icing that outplayed Jaylen Brown in the 2026 playoffs. The Celtics should also see improvements from the plethora of young talent on the roster. Next up, I would have Philly. Despite there being a considerably lower defensive floor, there is a world where the stars align and they are an offensive juggernaut. I wouldn’t bet on it but for upside purposes I have the Sixers third. Assuming the Kawhi Leonard trade goes through, the Raptors are fourth. A gritty defensive pain in the ass to play every night, and they solved their half court creation concerns by adding Kawhi. Fifth, the Cavs are still too talented to fall too far down these rankings despite having a dreadful offseason.

Nate Moskowitz 

  1. Sixers 2. Knicks 3. Celtics 4. Heat 5. Pacers

I’ll admit that I don’t have a high level of confidence in the order of these teams, but I’m mostly comfortable with the group as a whole. The Pacers are the most questionable pick but with Haliburton back and Zubac in the mix they could bounce back quickly. I think it’s tricky though because this might be the deepest the conference has been in a while, at least on paper. Leaving Cleveland and Detroit off isn’t easy with how they’ve finished in recent years. The biggest swing team is Toronto which could jump substantially assuming the Kawhi Leonard trade is eventually finalized.

Grant Burfeind

Knicks
Sixers
Celtics
Pacers
Raptors

I think people are sleeping on Indiana a little. Haliburton will be back, and this is basically the same core that pushed OKC to seven games in the Finals two years ago. That’s not a team I’d be excited to see in April. Honestly, the East feels wide open in a really fun way. Cleveland is still going to be good. Detroit keeps getting better. Atlanta is intriguing. Even Washington is starting to become interesting. It feels like there are a lot more paths this season could take than there have been the last couple of years.

Robby Fletcher

I’ll go with the new-look 76ers at the top because star power sways me, especially at this stage in the offseason before fit and play style are revealed. They’re followed by the Knicks, who retained the majority of their roster but took a frontcourt blow after the loss of Mitchell Robinson.

Then it’s Boston, before being rounded out by Detroit and Atlanta. The Hawks had one of my favorite offseasons, and have built a roster filled with exceptional ball-stopping wings along with a potential new star in Kingston Flemings.

Kawhi-led Toronto and the Cavs hang on the fringes of that top-5.

Jeff Clark

The safe answer is that the Knicks and Sixers are in a tier of their own, followed by the Pistons, Celtics, and Heat in some order. I get arguments for the Raptors, Pacers, and even the Cavs as well. If pressed for a prediction, I’d probably slot the Celtics in at 4th or 5th.

However, if I’m allowed a homer moment, let me make the case for the Celtics to be the top seed in the East. The Sixers, like all super teams, could take some time to gel. Throw in injuries to Embiid, load management for LeBron, and probably some passive aggressive maneuvering by LeBron, and it could take a little longer to come together than some might think. The Knicks could have a championship hangover. The Pistons are a little sideways after flaming out in the playoffs and all the Duran drama. I don’t really buy the Giannis led Heat. Meanwhile, the Celtics are getting a full season of Tatum, on a mission to prove he’s healthy and able to lead a team without Brown. Mazzulla already proved that he can put together a regular season winner with one star and a bunch of try-hards. Plus they upgraded their bigs rotation. The 14 year old kid in me still believes this team could finish at the top of the conference. (And none of that will matter if they flame out in the playoffs again)

Rich Jensen

Well, a major question surrounds the Raptors–if the NBA invalidates Kawhi Leonard’s contract, which is the official punishment for contracts that violate the CBA, that really complicates their efforts to obtain him.

Thus, I can only go with a top four, alphabetical order: Boston, Detroit, New York and Philadelphia.

I don’t think you can say for sure who gets the fifth spot until you know what’s going on with Toronto and Kawhi.

Ryan Paice

Basing my spots off of potential playoff ability and not just regular season success, my top 5 in the East would be: 1) Knicks, 2) Sixers, 3) Celtics, 4) Heat, 5) Pistons.

The Knicks are the defending champs, and they deserve respect (even if their fans don’t). The Sixers have probably the most talented team in the league and should make waves if they enter the postseason healthy. They form a clear top tier for contention in the East.

After them, it becomes a little less clear. While the Heat have Giannis and Bam, I think they’ll be somewhat simple to gameplan against as they are currently constructed. For Detroit, Cade is great, but his surrounding cast doesn’t inspire confidence (even if they do end up re-signing Duren). While the Celtics have many questions to answer next season, I think they’re a better overall two-way team with the strategic flexibility to find advantages in most matchups, especially now that we’ve got a big bulky body in Mitchell Robinson to slow down other beefy centers — something we desperately needed in last season’s matchup against Embiid.

Bobby Manning

This has been a maddening process as I begin ranking these teams. A rock solid team will probably miss the postseason entirely in the east, which looks more like the west used to. For now, I’ll go with: Knicks, 76ers, Cavaliers, Celtics and Pistons. Boston catches a break with Detroit losing an important player in Tobias Harris and Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard addition getting placed on hold for the moment. Still, the Raptors, Hawks and Heat stand to improve over their solid seasons last year and Orlando changed its head coach in hopes of greater offensive outcomes. Prior to the LeBron James addition, I saw the Celtics maintaining their second seed status in the east, but greater competition top-to-bottom and my generally strong belief in what Philadelphia’s doing probably drops them a spot or two from where I began. The Cavs, despite their loss in the LeBron sweepstakes, should remain a regular season stalwart. The Knicks warrant belief, but watch their center depth and the classic championship hangover.

Your Turn – How would you answer this question?

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Is LeBron James chasing a ring? An all-time NBA great pushes back

We’re at the point of the NBA offseason where the discourse has turned to ring chasing.

Now that LeBron James, set to enter his record 24th NBA season, has joined Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers, a segment of fans have derided James for chasing another title.

One of the game’s all-time greats, Shaquille O’Neal, pushed back on that.

“The man is not chasing a ring; he has already gotten rings the right way,” O’Neal told For the Win’s Prince Grimes in an interview. “Towards the end of your career, if you can join up and help somebody else get a ring and continue to get rings – I call it ring continuancy, not ring chasing.”

Although James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, he’s no longer the dominant force that he was earlier in his career. James will turn 42 in late December, but, despite that, he continues to be a valuable complementary player, and one who gives the 76ers another play-making creator.

“Ring chasing would be ‘I don’t have a ring, I’ve been doing it my whole (career), now I’m going to get on a superteam to win a ring,’ ” O’Neal continued.

“Nah, somebody did ring chasing during the middle of their career, I’m not going to say no names, and it got them a couple of rings. Hey, LeBron played the right way. He put the team together in Miami. A lot of people don’t like that, but it worked. Went back to Cleveland and got one. Got one in L.A.”

Despite the contempt associated with the ring chasing term, the reality is that every single NBA player wants to win a championship. These are hyper-competitive athletes and winning a title is the culmination of their physical, mental and emotional investments.

Every player, by definition, is chasing championships.

O’Neal played 19 seasons and won four NBA titles, winning three NBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards. Despite that previous success, O’Neal signed with the Celtics ahead of the 2010-11 season, joining a team that already featured Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen.

“I actually did it,” O’Neal admitted. “When I went to play at Boston, I was like, ‘Hey, Kobe (Bryant) got five (championships), let me try to get five.’ I wasn’t going out there to be the man, I was just going to do my part to help them get a ring and get me number five, because when it was over, I would’ve loved to say I have five instead of four.”

Former Cleveland Cavaliers teammates LeBron James (23) and Shaquille O'Neal during a Feb. 6, 2010 game against the New York Knicks.

Yet, with his stature in the league, most everything James does gets dissected. This decision to sign with the Sixers is no different.

Philadelphia was unceremoniously swept in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the eventual-champion New York Knicks, who snapped a 53-year title drought. NBA championships are hard to come by. And just because James joined a stacked team doesn’t guarantee anything.

“People don’t understand: when this thing is over for him, it’s going to be over,” O’Neal said. “There will never be another LeBron again.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is LeBron James chasing a ring? An all-time NBA great pushes back

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Astros Prospect Report: August 4th

JUPITER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 26: Ethan Frey #95 of the Houston Astros at bat during a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium on February 26, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (58-50) won 4-3 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on a Delgado RBI double and Loperfido RBI single. They got another run in the 4th inning on a Brooks solo home run. Hendrickson got the start and pitched well allowing 1 run over 5.2 innings. Alexander added another run in the 6th on an RBI single. Ullola allowed 2 runs but Munoz closed the door in the 9th as Sugar Land won 4-3.

Note: Loperfido is hitting .305 in Triple-A.

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (49-54) won 8-7 (BOX SCORE)

The Hooks got on the board in the 2nd inning scoring 3 runs on RBI singles from Nunez, Holy and Gomez. They got another run in the third on a Schiavone RBI double. In the 4th, the offense scored 3 runs on an Encarnacion RBI single and Janek 2 run single. Mancini got the start and went 3.2 innings allowing 3 runs. The pen allowed 3 runs in the 6th as the Drillers closed the gap. The Drillers tied things up in the 9th. The game went to extra innings and in the 10th, the Hooks walked it off on a Nunez RBI single.

Note: Encarnacion has 47 stolen bases this season.

A+: Asheville Tourists (34-68) won 5-2 (BOX SCORE)

Asheville got on the board in the second inning on a Monistere RBI single. They got another run in the 3rd on a Neyens RBI single. Santos got the start and went 4 innings allowing 1 run. The pen allowed a run as the Dash tied it at 2 and the game went to extra innings. In the 10th, Frey connected on a 3 run home run to take the lead. Langford tossed a scoreless 10th to close out the 5-2 win.

Note: Frey is hitting .333 with 4 home runs over his last 13 games.

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (52-49) lost 10-4 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning on a De Leon RBI single. Fraide got the start and went 3.2 innings allowing 3 runs, with all three coming in the first inning. Luciano connected on a 2 run home run in the 2nd inning to tie the game at 3. After the Woodpeckers got a run in the 5th on an Alvarez RBI single, Salem took the lead scoring 5 runs off Varela. Rosario allowed a couple runs in relief and the offense was unable to score again as the Woodpeckers fell 10-4.

Note: Luciano has a .878 OPS in Single-A this season.

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Brandon McPherson – 7:35 CT

CC: Cole Hertzler – 6:35 CT

AV: TBD – 5:30 CT

FV: TBD – 5:35 CT

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MLB Expert Picks & Baseball Predictions August 5

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All 30 MLB teams take the field today, starting with the Los Angeles Dodgers in Chi-Town and finishing with the Tigers taking on the Mariners in Seattle.

Our experts have looked across the slate to deliver you their favorite MLB picks on the board; among them is the Boys in Blue bouncing back after losing Tarik Skubal's first start as a Dodger last night.

MLB expert picks for today

PickOdds
Jon Metler Jon Metler: Dodgers moneyline+113
Joe Osborne Joe Osborne: Brewers moneyline-130

Prices courtesy of Polymarket.

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Jon Metler's expert pick: Dodgers moneyline

Price: 47¢ (+113) at Polymarket

How can you not be romantic about baseball? Just one day after fading the Los Angeles Dodgers with Tarik Skubal on the mound and cashing a +190 ticket on the Chicago Cubs, we're right back on L.A. with Eric Lauer getting the start. That's the beauty of sports betting — it's all about price, not loyalty.

Shota Imanaga takes the ball for Chicago, and while a left-handed starter might appear to be a difficult matchup for Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Kyle Tucker, his pitch sequencing actually plays into their strengths. Imanaga depends on locating his four-seam fastball at the top of the zone to set up his splitter, but L.A.'s left-handed hitters have the bat control to consistently handle elevated fastballs. Polymarket has L.A. as a 47-cent underdog, but I make the Dodgers a 52-cent favorite, which is why I'm hitting the button.

  • Time: 2:20 p.m. ET
  • How to watch: SNLA, MARQ

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Brewers moneyline

Price: 56¢ (-130) at Polymarket

Fade Paul Skenes Day? Sure. The Milwaukee Brewers are in a strong position to take care of business at home tonight. Skenes has started to unravel, posting a 6.25 ERA across six July starts, while Pittsburgh has gone an almost unbelievable 3-11 in his last 14 outings. His road ERA also sits at 4.56, more than a full run higher than at home.

This Pittsburgh Pirates offense has been ice cold since the All-Star break and especially bad lately, producing a brutal .571 OPS over the past week. Meanwhile, Kyle Harrison owns a remarkable 1.56 ERA in nine home starts and struck out a season-high 12 Pirates when he faced them in April.

  • Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
  • How to watch: SNP, Brewers.TV

More MLB best bets for today

PickOdds
George Springer o1.5 hits + runs + RBI+100
Read analysis in our Blue Jays vs. Astros predictions
Giants moneyline+152
Read analysis in our Giants vs. Rangers predictions
Yankees moneyline-155
Read analysis in our Cardinals vs. Yankees predictions

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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Red Sox Minor Lines: Owen Hull’s first longball

OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 21: Owen Hull #8 of the North Carolina Tar Heels tosses his bat after hitting a home run during Game 2 of the NCAA College World Series Finals against the Oklahoma Sooners at Charles Schwab Field on June 21, 2026 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Lehigh Valley IronPigs 10, Worcester Red Sox 5 (BOX)

The IronPigs (PHI) went up 5-0 early, due to a short outing from starter Blake Wehunt, who allowed seven hits and three earned in three innings to get the loss. A slew of base hits in the middle innings helped the Woo Sox cut the lead to 6-5 after six innings, before Lehigh Valley ran away with it.

Three-hit days from Franklin Arias and Allan Castro, along with a two-hit day from Andrew Knizner, contributed to a 12-hit effort from Worcester in the loss. Arias is now 10-for-35 (.286) since his Triple-A promotion, picking right up where he left off. Kristian Campbell had three more productive plate appearances, with a single, a walk, and a sacrifice fly. He’s slashing .389/.514/.537 over his past 18 games.

It should be noted that Angel Bastardo threw another shutout inning, with two strikeouts. While his ERA sits at 4.20 on the season, he’s thrown nine straight shutout innings (six appearances), with no walks and 18 strikeouts.

John Holobetz (1-0, 1.59) gets the ball on Wednesday at 6:45 for Worcester.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats 6, Portland Sea Dogs 4 (BOX)

Much like Worcester, the Sea Dogs fell behind early on Tuesday before clawing back. Jeremy Wu-Yelland threw two clean innings as the opener before the bullpen struggled, with Caleb Bolden getting the loss due to a four-run third inning for the Fisher Cats (TOR).

Home runs from Portland’s Johanfran Garcia (13th) and Miguel Bleis (10th) got Portland back in it, with Bleis totaling three hits, two runs, and two RBI on the evening.

Portland has not announced a starter for the 12:05 matinee on Wednesday.

Greenville Drive 12, Hudson Valley Renegades 6 (BOX)

The Drive were swinging the Styx against the Renegades (NYY) on Tuesday, led by recent second-round draft pick Owen Hull. Hull has multiple hits in each of his first three games, and on Tuesday he had a double, and a three-run home run that went over the 420 sign in center field.

Justin Gonzales and Antonio Anderson also had multi-hit days for the Drive. Starter Alex Bouchard struck out seven and allowed one run, but did not go long enough for the win. Steven Brooks was the only effective reliever and was credited with the win by the official scorer despite closing out the game.

Marcus Phillips (0-5, 6.54) will take the hill for the Drive on Wednesday at 6:45.

Salem RidgeYaks 10, Fayetteville Woodpeckers 4 (BOX)

The RidgeYaks put up a ten-spot on Tuesday, with hits coming from the top and bottom of the lineup. Louis Andujar started things off with a two-run home run in the first. Kleyver Salazar, Andrews Opata, and Avinson Pinto all had two hits on the day, with Pinto stealing two bases as well.

Yermain Ruiz picked up the win against the Woodpeckers (HOU), throwing three innings and not allowing an earned run. Harry Blum got an eight-out save, his third.

The RidgeYaks send Brady Tygart (3-1, 5.06) to the bump on Wednesday at 6:35.

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Minor League Recap: Angel Genao hits two bombs in final game before promotion

Columbus Clippers Travis Bazzana (12) throws the ball to first base during home opener at Huntington Park on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Columbus Clippers 15, Syracuse Mets 7

Clippers improve to 58-50

The Columbus Clippers offense erupted for 15 runs on 16 hits and eight walks Tuesday in an absolute beatdown of Somerset. Leading the charge was top infield prospect Angel Genao, who blasted two home runs (both over 100 mph exit velocity) while going 2-for-5 with a walk in the victory.

Also homering was Ralphy Velazquez, who has been heating up of late. Velazquez went 3-for-5 with his eight homer at Triple-A.

Kahlil Watson was perfect at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double while George Valera went 2-for-5 with a home run and a walk and the newly-acquired Blake Perkins tripled. Coopre Ingle went 2-for-5 with a double and a walk.

Starting pitcher Austin Peterson allowed four runs (one earned) on five hits with three strikeouts and no walks in 6.0 innings.

Ryan Webb allowed one run and Hunter Stanley allowed two runs in their lone innings of work while Daniel Espino pitched a perfect inning with two strikeouts.

Akron RubberDucks 17, Somerset Patriots 3

RubberDucks improve to 48-54

It wasn’t just Columbus that had a huge day offensively on Tuesday. Akron also went off with 17 runs on 13 hits and 11 walks.

Leading the charge was Nolan Schubart, who went 4-for-6 with a double. Maick Collado also had a huge game, going 4-for-6 with a double and four RBIs. Ryan Cesarini went 2-for-3 with a double, two walks and a stolen base and Bennett Thompson went 1-for-4 with a walk, a hit by pitch and a stolen base.

Aaron Walton reached base safely four times, walking three times and getting hit by a pitch while Jaison Chourio doubled and had three RBIs.

Starting pitcher Rafe Schlesinger was rock solid, allowing two runs on six hits in 6.0 innings with six strikeouts and four walks.

Jack Jasiack and Adam Tulloch both pitched a scoreless inning of relief.

Lake County Captains 6, Lansing Lugnuts 7

Captains fall to 54-45

A late rally from Lake County fell just short on Tuesday.

Welbyn Francisca had the lone multi-hit game, going 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles. Cannon Peebles also had an excellent game, going 1-for-2 with a home run and two walks.

Jonah Advincula tripled, Garrett Howe went 1-for-3 with a walk and both Esteban Gonzalez and Luis De La Cruz doubled, with Gonzalez stealing a base.

Starting pitcher Ben Lively’s rehab continued with two runs allowed on four hits in 2.2 innings with three strikeouts and a walk.

Will McCausland piggybacked with Lively, allowing five runs on six hits in 5.1 innings while striking out three and walking one.

Hill City Howlers 3, Wilson Warbirds 6

Howlers fall to 43-60

Riley Nelson went 1-for-2 with a double and two walks to lead the way for Hill City offensively. Jonathan Martinez went 2-for-4 with two doubles while Johan Rodriguez homered and Alejandro Blasco tripled.

Starting pitcher Aden Major allowed two runs on four hits in 5.2 innings with five strikeouts and one walk.

Luis Torres followed by allowing four runs in 1.1 innings to take the loss. Aaron Savary impressed in 2.0 innings of perfect relief with three strikeouts.

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Cardinals vs Yankees Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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The New York Yankees picked up a shutout victory Tuesday night, and they're -150 favorites to take today's rubber match.

With St. Louis spiralling offensively, my Cardinals vs. Yankees predictions see value in backing the home team to pick up another low-scoring win.

Let's break it all down with my MLB picks on Wednesday, Aug. 5.

Who will win Cardinals vs Yankees today: New York Yankees (-155)

Will Warren's indicators (3.58 xFIP, 4.06 SIERA) suggest he has pitched better than his results (6.05 ERA) over the last month, and this is a good spot for the tide to turn.

The St. Louis Cardinals have struggled mightily to produce against righties, ranking dead last in wOBA and OPS during that span.

The New York Yankees have the better and more in-form bullpen, so there won’t be any soft spots where the Cardinals have an advantage at the plate.

I’d play the Yankees to -160.

Covers COVERS INTEL:Warren's much-improved 24.1% fly-ball rate over the past month gives him a better chance of keeping the ball in the park.

Cardinals vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+100)

Warren’s Achilles' heel is conceding power, and that shouldn’t be much of an issue against the Cardinals. 

They own a putrid .090 ISO and sit 29th in HR/FB against right-handed pitching over the last 30 days.

While the Yankees have hit for some power, Andre Pallante’s 96th-percentile ground-ball rate will help take that out of the equation.

The power has also come at a high cost in terms of strikeouts, with no team punching out at a higher clip the past month.

I see a ton of value on this Under, and would bet it to -130.

Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 70-63, -7.20 units
  • Over/Under bets: 73-54-4, +10.24 units

Cardinals vs Yankees weather

The forecast calls for temperatures hovering around 80, with winds blowing West. Small bump to the bats.

Cardinals vs Yankees odds

  • Moneyline: Cardinals +135 | Yankees -155
  • Run line: Cardinals +1.5 (-150) | Yankees -1.5 (+130)
  • Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-120) | Under 8.5 (+100)

Cardinals vs Yankees trend

New York has hit the Game Total Under in 25 of the last 40 games (+8.70 units, 20% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Yankees.

How to watch Cardinals vs Yankees and game info

LocationYankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
DateWednesday, August 5, 2026
First pitch7:05 p.m. ET
TVPrime Video
Cardinals starting pitcherAndre Pallante
(11-6, 3.72 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcherWill Warren
(8-5, 4.14 ERA)

Cardinals vs Yankees latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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Why this is the most important season of Miles McBride’s Knicks career

In theory, winning the 2026 NBA championship should have lifted all possible pressure off this Knicks team. The daunting expectations have been replaced with incredible achievement, and no member of that roster will have to worry about employment prospects or paying for a drink in New York ever again. 

But life moves on, and unfortunately the hope of maintaining this championship roster can be outgunned by the realities of the NBA’s salary cap restraints. The Knicks faced this firsthand as they watched Mitchell Robinson leave for the Boston Celtics.

They’ll now have to negotiate some team-friendly extensions, primarily for Karl-Anthony Towns, but also Miles McBride, the two-way backup guard who has competed on one of the best bang-for-your-buck deals in the league these past few seasons. He became extension-eligible last December, and has until the end of this upcoming season on June 30, 2027 to ink a new deal before hitting unrestricted free agency. 

So despite the victory lap this team intends to go on, the stakes are higher than ever for McBride. He secured an NBA career with his previous three-year, $13 million extension, but now he’ll be looking to secure his future as an already-established player in a contract year. 

When McBride first joined the Knicks, he was a defensive specialist who saw little playing time under head coach Tom Thibodeau. Every time he saw an NBA court, his impressive shooting from college, the G-League, and the practice gym wouldn’t translate. 

That all changed when New York traded for OG Anunoby, crippling their guard depth in the process and pushing McBride into a more consistent reserve role. Suddenly, he was able to find some rhythm playing real minutes and getting open looks from his star teammates. 

LeonRose got McBride's extension as soon as the trade hit, making a small bet on his ability to step up and cashing out huge. McBride finished the season averaging 8.3 points in 19.5 minutes per game and shooting 41 percent from three, while still bringing that hounding defensive presence.

His next two seasons continued the trend up as his minutes and counting stats climbed. Last season was a career-high 12 points per game, with him attempting 6.6 threes per contest at a 41.3 percent clip. 

New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter during game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena
New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter during game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena / Kyle Ross - Imagn Images

McBride quickly boasted the most team-friendly contract in the league -- a legitimate bench contributor and fill-in starter at the price of a late first-rounder. There were still some question marks, though.

His rim pressure is a non-threat to defenses, largely because he doesn’t have a strong enough handle to create any. He isn’t on the tail end of his career at the age of 25, but many hoped for more of a developmental jump these past few seasons that never came.

McBride’s a staunch on-ball defender of guards and can even switch on wings, but doesn’t force a great deal of turnovers or make a huge impact on help defense. This caps his ability short of being a playoff starter for a team.

Speaking of the postseason, though reliable, these flaws definitely stuck out, especially late in the 2026 run when he McBride made limited contributions. Despite this, should he enter 2027 free agency, McBride would have a number of suitors, likely at prices that the Knicks wouldn’t be able to match.

On the flip side, the Knicks are developing his replacements. Tyler Kolek is no high-level defender, but he’s proven himself a capable guard in big moments.

New York also traded for and re-signed Jose Alvarado, and drafted two interesting pieces in Tyler Nickel and Jack Kayil. Landry Shamet is returning, giving New York a host of guards who could eventually supplant McBride, lending them leverage in negotiations.

Getting this settled before the season at a price the Knicks could bear while maintaining this roster looks like a pipe dream at this point. This makes 2026-27 a major prove-it year for McBride, who New York could weigh trading over losing outright.

The thrill of the championship may last decades, but the realities of trying to win another one won’t allow the team that luxury. The Knicks have some big decisions to make, and McBride has a massive season ahead of him if he wants to earn his worth.

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Former Jets Fan Favourites Highlight List of UFAs Entering August

More than a month into NHL free agency, many of the biggest names have already found new homes. Yet, several familiar faces from the Winnipeg Jets remain on the open market as August begins, including a trio of players who once played key roles in the organization's past and present.

Leading the way is former second overall pick Patrik Laine, who remains one of the most intriguing free agents available, despite appearing in just five games last season before a core muscle injury ended his campaign.

Photo by Stephen Brashear/USA Today 
Photo by Stephen Brashear/USA Today 

And as pointed out by Puck Media, thanks to an injury-related provision in the NHL's Collective Bargaining Agreement, the 28-year-old winger is eligible to sign a one-year, performance bonus-laden contract, potentially giving cap-strapped contenders a low-risk opportunity to add a player who at one point of his career was one of the league's most gifted goal scorers. 

Another recognizable name still searching for work is Evander Kane, the former Atlanta Thrashers first-round pick, who spent the first five-plus seasons of his NHL career with the franchise before it relocated to Winnipeg. Beleaguered every time he returns to Winnipeg, Kane has faced a number of injuries as of late. Now 35, Kane does continue to offer size, physicality and proven playoff experience, which could serve as an asset for teams needing that extra punch. 

On the blueline, Logan Stanley also remains unsigned after being dealt by the Jets to the Buffalo Sabres ahead of last season's trade deadline. The towering 6-foot-7 defenceman has played parts of six NHL seasons and, at 28 years old, could still draw interest from clubs looking for depth on the left side. 

Just six months ago, certain 'insiders' had Stanley's value marked north of $25 million. 

While those three headline the list, they aren't the only former Jets still awaiting their next opportunity. Veteran forwards Tanner Pearson and Gustav Nyquist also entered August without NHL contracts after finishing last season in Winnipeg. 

Elsewhere, the list of former Jets from last season has continued to shrink. Defenceman Colin Miller has opted to continue his career overseas, while Winnipeg native and former Jet Jonathan Toews officially announced his retirement, closing the book on a remarkable NHL career.

Training camp is set to begin next month - will any of Laine, Kane or Stanley have a contract by that point? 

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2025-26 Spurs Player Reviews: Keldon Johnson

SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 28: Keldon Johnson #3 of the San Antonio Spurs poses for a photo after being awarded the 2025-26 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year award before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during Round One Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 28, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Welcome to Pounding the Rock’s 2025-26 player reviews! The series will look at the players who finished the season with the San Antonio Spurs on guaranteed contracts and who played consequential minutes and/or a vital role (so no two-way players because we hardly saw them this year, no players who were traded away, and none of the deep bench centers, since they were both irrelevant and are now all gone).

Keldon Johnson

2025-26 stats: 82 games, 23 MPG, 13.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 51.9 FG%, 36.3 3P%

Contract status: 1 year, $17.5 million remaining

Age: 26

If I really wanted to, I could probably copy-paste Keldon Johnson’s 2024-25 Player Review almost verbatim here, with only a few positive tweaks, and no one would be the wiser. Of course, I respect my fellow Pounders too much to do that, but it would not be that far off. Not only did KJ repeat last season by doing everything that was asked of him off the bench, but he actually improved on his few areas of weakness on his way to winning Sixth Man of the Year, beating out Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tim Hardaway Jr. while becoming just the second Spur to win the award, along with Manu Ginobili.

He surpassed his own Spurs record from last year for points off the bench with 1,081 points in the regular season, in large part thanks to being an iron man by appearing in all 82 games, as well an improved three-point shot. Not counting his rookie season — in which he only appeared in 17 games and broke out in the bubble — this was his second-best season from beyond the arc, where he hit 36.6%, up from 31.8% last season on a similar number of attempts. His overall FG% of 51.9 was a career-best (again, outside his rookie season), as was his finishing from 3-10 ft out at 53.6%, showing an improved ability to adjust when he couldn’t quite get all the way to the rim.

And of course, there’s his leadership. Beyond being the longest-tenured player on the team and the heart and soul of the locker room with his contagious energy and sense of humor, he was also their emotional leader on the court. Finally, one of the biggest needs for the Spurs coming into this season if they wanted to take another leap was get better in the non-Wemby minutes. Of course, it’s impossible to expect the bench to maintain the same level, but simply not falling off a cliff when he rested was all that was needed, and the second unit did more than enough of that under Keldon’s guidance — although here comes the caveat again: in the regular season.

Like Luke Kornet and every other bench player not named Dylan Harper, Johnson’s production plummeted in the playoffs. He went from a net positive in the regular season to a negative one, with his numbers dipping to 7.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting just over 40% from the floor in 18 minutes per game. About the only thing he did well enough was maintain 36% shooting from three, but on fewer attempts. He had some stretches where he came up huge, like that all-important Game 7 in OKC, where he scored 8 of his 11 points in the first four minutes of the 4th quarter as the Spurs built a cushion that would be vital for holding on down the stretch, but the Finals were especially rough, where he only averaged 4.4 points per game.

Obviously, it’s not fair to blame losing the championship entirely on one player — if we’re being brutally honest, it was the stars who bungled the final minutes, which is where the games were lost — but Johnson is among those whose image suffered a bit from the sour ending. However, we still have to pull back and remember the bigger picture of the entire season, which was a massive success and far exceeded expectations. They don’t get the second seed and make the Finals without depth and leadership, and the Sixth Man of the Year brought both in spades.

Looking ahead

It’s probably safe to say that Keldon is officially in his prime and therefore is who he is as a player at this point: a hardnosed bulldog who uses his strength to force is way to the basket and get rebounds. He added (recovered?) a level to his game by being enough of a threat from three that defenses had to respect his shot, which in turn opened driving lanes, but he could still be more consistent in that area.

Now comes the hard part that I don’t even want to discuss because I always have that favorite role player who epitomizes everything the Spurs are about. Before, it was Derrick White, and since it has been KJ. That being said, despite being a Keldon Stan, I can see the big picture. He has one year left on his contract, and while he’s already on a good deal, his next one may have to be even more team-friendly if he wants to remain a Spur after next season — if he isn’t used as a trade chip first.

My guess would be based on the offseason, the Spurs want to run back the same team next season and go for the championship again, so barring something going awry or a need for change, I don’t see a big trade during the season. But next summer might be a different story. I want Keldon to be a Spur for life, and I’m sure he does too, but he may need to take a discount to make it happen. That’s the new reality with the current CBA and ever-shrinking “middle class” of the NBA, especially for contenders who have to pay their stars then fill out with cheaper contracts. That moment of reckoning is coming for the Spurs.

In the meantime, the best thing Keldon can do is keep being himself, continue to show his importance to the club, and a make his goal for next season to be a bigger factor in the playoffs. After that, the chips will fall where they may.

Top performance

January 7 vs. Los Angeles Lakers: 27 points, 6 rebounds, 11-13 FG, 2-3 from three

I chose to go with KJ’s best regular season performance instead of playoffs to help show why he won Sixth Man of the Year, which was determined before the postseason. It was actually hard to pick one since he had several big performances off the bench (of course), but we’ll also give a shoutout to his best playoff performance, which was Game 5 vs. the Timberwolves, where he had 21 points, 2 rebounds and 2 steals as part of a full team blowout.

Final Score: B+

Up next: Harrison Barnes

Previous Reviews

Jordan McLaughlin

Carter Bryant

Luke Kornet

Dylan Harper

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Mike Gansey stops by Phillies broadcast: ‘We don’t get LeBron without Jaylen [Brown]’ and more

PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 04: Philadelphia 76ers President of Operations Mike Gansey throws out the ceremonial first pitch before prior to the game between the Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Derik Hamilton/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

It’s been a busy summer for Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey. From arriving in Philly just a few months ago, to trading for Jaylen Brown and then LeBron James, he’s had a whirlwind start in the City of Brotherly Love.

It continued this week with Gansey making the rounds with the other local sports teams, stopping by an Eagles practice earlier in the week and throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the Phillies game on Tuesday evening, after which he stopped by the broadcast booth with Tom McCarthy and John Kruk.

The topics were what you would imagine, as the broadcasters picked Gansey’s brain on the major headlines of the offseason. (And yes, they were sure to poke fun at him for jinxing Jesus Luzardo’s no-hitter the last time he appeared on the broadcast.)

Gansey fielded questions on luring LeBron to Philly, the impact of the Brown trade and more, providing some insight into what really went down this summer behind the scenes.

Check out some of his answers below!

Gansey on the entire organization being involved in trying to convince LeBron to choose Philly

“It was a month-long process, almost. I think obviously, being able to get him… the Jaylen Brown trade, if that doesn’t happen I don’t think we get that. We’re excited. I always thought we’d be in the mix there just because we had a team that could really contend with him, and obviously his relationship with some of our players. Our players did a great job. Tyrese, Joel, Nick [Nurse], our ownership—everyone tried to talk to him and sell him on Philly and obviously he picked us and we’re super excited.”

Gansey on the Jaylen Brown trade being what opened the door to seriously going after LeBron

“[After the Jaylen Brown trade] I called Rich [Paul] right away and said ‘hey, we got Jaylen, is there a chance Lebron wants to come to us?’ and obviously they said, you know, ‘yeah, this changes some things’. So they talked about it and then the whole process of three weeks or whatever it was, they were doing all their due diligence with LeBron, talking to all our players, other teams, their representation. It was a long process but yeah, we don’t get LeBron without Jaylen, that’s for sure.”

Gansey on what Jaylen Brown brings to the table

“[Brown] is just a winner. He’s got the most wins int he NBA since he came in the league, playoffs and regular season. He’s a two-way player. He brings toughness, he can go get a bucket, he’s been in big games, he’s been the Finals MVP. He can play a lot of different roles.

“And look what he did this year in Boston. Jayson Tatum was out most of the year and they had a surprise year, and he carried them. So he can carry a team or he can fit in. That’s where it’s interesting with our team with the group we’ve built now that any given night anyone can step up and be the guy.”

“He’s intense, he’s focused, he just wants to win. Talking to him a bunch since we acquired him, that’s his main focus, ‘I want to win.’ He wants to get another championship and that’s all really his focus, which is exciting.”

Gansey on LeBron James

“Having the chance to work with him in Cleveland those four years, went to four Finals, won a championship for the city of Cleveland—just being around him everyday, he’s incredible. All his stuff on the court is impressive but it’s more impressive off the court, the stuff he’s done in the community and just the family man he is.

“I don’t think Philly knows what they’re getting, because he’s special. Our games are going to be—every game he plays in it’s just like a different atmosphere that you can’t replicate.”

Gansey on what ultimately pulled LeBron to Philadelphia

“Maybe there’s some comfort level because we’ve worked together … but I think the reason why he came is Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe. Our ownership’s incredible. Bob Myers. Nick Nurse. So I think just top to bottom the alignment in our organization probably sold it.

“And then obviously the fanbase. The fans are hungry here. They’re passionate. Just being here two months—they love their sports.”

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Look Who’s in Minnesota’s Gym in July

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 18: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during an All Access practice on May 18, 2025 at the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx Courts at Mayo Clinic Square in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

For most of last month, being a Timberwolves fan meant refreshing your browser and waiting for a grown man in Los Angeles to decide whether Minneapolis was worth his last two winters. We talked ourselves, out loud and in public, into the idea that a four-time MVP was going to pick the coldest market in the league for his farewell tour because the roster fit was kind of perfect.

Then LeBron signed with Philadelphia, and that was that.

So here’s what August looks like for Minnesota. No introductory press conference. No jersey number announcement. Instead, the thing that actually moved the needle this week was a clip out of the practice facility: Anthony Edwards on one end, LaMelo Ball on the other, and Olivia Miles getting shots up on the court next door.

I know how that reads. July workout footage is the screensaver of the sports calendar. It fills the screen when nothing is actually running. Every team in the league posts the same video of the same guy draining the same catch-and-shoot threes over the same assistant coach’s outstretched hand, and it means precisely nothing in November.

Fine. All true. Now look at the clip again anyway.

Here is the entire history of this franchise, compressed: the talent gets grown here and cashes out somewhere warmer. The issue was never that nobody good played here. The wound is that the good ones treated Minnesota as a place you pass through on your way to becoming who you were going to be. The building emptied out every summer for as long as anyone around here can remember.

So when a guard the Wolves surrendered an unprotected 2033 first and three pick swaps to acquire spends the dead middle of his offseason getting shots up in Minneapolis, at a time of year when nobody is required to be anywhere, that does not land as filler to me. He could have spent July anywhere on the planet.

They didn’t have to talk him into the room. He was already in the room.

Strip the sentiment out and the basketball case stands on its own. For the past two seasons, every conversation about this team dead-ended at the same complaint: Anthony Edwards needed help. Not because the coaching failed him, but because the roster left him no choice. With Mike Conley aging into a smaller role, Minnesota never found a second guard who could reliably run the offense. The results was that the whole operation funneled through Ant. By January of last season he was getting double-teamed on nearly 20 percent of his possessions, one of the highest rates in the league, and he still put up 28.8 a night and dragged a 49-33 team into the Western Conference Semifinals before San Antonio ended it in six.

That’s the ceiling of one man doing two jobs. LaMelo is the second job walking through the door. A 25-year-old lead guard who bends a defense before Edwards ever touches the ball is the difference between Ant hunting and Ant getting hunted. The upside is a top-tier backcourt in the sport and a shot at the first Finals trip in franchise history. The downside is real too, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. LaMelo’s injury history is the whole reason this was a gamble, and the roster is still one legitimate forward short of making defensive sense. Nothing about a July gym changes the odds on it.

But it does tell you the bet is bought in.

And then there’s the third figure in the frame. Olivia Miles, on the next court over, doing the same thing everyone else in the building was doing. The picture, taken plainly, is a Minneapolis practice facility in July with high-level basketball players in it, on purpose, at a time of year when this building used to be where people had packed up their lockers.

Yes, this is just a video. It’s the offseason. The power forward hole is unsolved, and the games that count are still a hundred-plus days out. But I’ve watched this franchise for a long time, and I know the shape of its disappointments by heart. The shape of this one isn’t one of them. The talent didn’t leave. The talent didn’t have to be begged. The talent flew back early and turned the lights on itself.

We spent all summer waiting for a name to walk through the door.

Turns out the door was already open.

Turns out somebody was already inside.