NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 15: Meleek Thomas #1 of the Arkansas Razorbacks looks on in the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores of 2026 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament Championship game at Bridgestone Arena on March 15, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Meleek Thomas 34th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. The 6’4″ combo guard has 3-and-D potential for Cleveland, even if he doesn’t fit their most pressing needs.
Thomas averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists as a Freshman for Arkansas. He served as the secondary option behind Darius Acuff, thriving without the ball as a 40% three-point shooter. Thomas also ranked in the 69th percentile in scoring off of screens, giving him one of the most transferable skill sets for today’s NBA.
The Cavs will have to develop the rest of his game from there. Thomas isn’t seen as a great decision maker with the ball, as shot selection was one of the primary concerns for him in college. This is a player who loves the mid-range jumper… and only the most elite shooters can get away with those at the NBA level.
Thomas also isn’t a plus athlete. He’s not as explosive as his peers, struggles to get to the rim, and has a slightly undersized frame despite decent height at his position. These are traits the Cavs have mostly undervalued in recent years (size and athleticism), and Thomas does not break from that trend.
Thomas improved as a defender in his freshman season. Though his off-ball awareness is a concern. If Thomas can tighten up his defense and package it with elite shooting, then he’ll always have a home in the NBA.
Best outcome? The Cavs are betting on him to round out his defensive game and complement anyone he shares the backcourt with. Any upticks in his ability to create with the ball, whether it be playmaking or driving to the rim, would be cherries on top.
There’s a difficult needle to thread when grading this selection. Thomas, or anyone else the Cavs could have selected tonight, would almost certainly play zero role next season. Cleveland is looking to compete for a title, and the 34th pick doesn’t factor heavily into those plans. This was always going to be a long-term project. So, we don’t want to focus too heavily on how this affects the current team.
Nonetheless, Cleveland really doesn’t need another guard right now. Even a top prospect would have trouble cracking this rotation with the logjam currently happening in their backcourt. To no fault of his own, Thomas is joining a team that has overindexed on his position.
Worse, the Cavs are taking another flyer on someone who lacks athleticism and clocked in at 6’3″ barefoot. His collegiate profile is comparable to that of players like Cam Thomas, Jordan Poole, Collin Sexton, and Coby White. Those aren’t winning archetypes and could indicate a systemic failure in which skills the Cavs have prioritized over the years.
Thomas might have a higher floor given his ability to play without the ball and knock down three-pointers. He’ll certainly have a long NBA career if he can do that while being a plus defender. Maybe the Cavs will even need him in a few years when James Harden and/or Donovan Mitchell are either both aging or off the roster entirely. That scenario would align better with Thomas’s timeline and give him a real path toward playing in Cleveland.
Finally, the last qualifier I want to add before handing out this grade is simple. We’re talking about the 34th pick. Warts are inevitable. I can’t pretend that anyone selected here would have warranted a very high grade.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MARCH 19: Javohn Garcia #1 of the McNeese Cowboys defends Tyler Nickel #5 of the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There may not have been any team that moved as much in the 2026 NBA Draft than the champion New York Knicks, who built for the future to try and dance around the salary cap for the upcoming season.
The Knicks traded out of the first round last night to try and avoid paying a player guaranteed money, but they leave the Barclays Center with a pair of picks in Jack Kayil and Tyler Nickel.
Kayil, the No. 39 overall pick, was acquired in a trade with the Houston Rockets for No. 31 and 53. Kayil played for Alba Berlin last season in the Bundesliga, marking the second time in three years where the team has selected a player that played in Germany. While some may suspect Kayil could be a draft-and-stash prospect, the German point guard made his intentions clear about coming over to the States.
Jack Kayil says he does not plan to return to Germany for another year after being drafted by the Knicks pic.twitter.com/micv9vL2Ee
There is a good chance Kayil ends up with the Westchester Knicks in the G League, where he could also be joined by Vanderbilt forward Tyler Nickel, the No. 47 overall pick.
Nickel began his collegiate career at North Carolina before transferring to Virginia Tech after his freshman year. He spent one season in Blacksburg before heading to Vanderbilt for his junior and senior seasons. This past season at Vanderbilt, Nickel averaged 13.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while making 40 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.
P&T community, how do you feel about the Knicks’ picks in the second round? Let us know in the comments section below.
The Warriors selected Florida State guard Lajae Jones with their second-round pick (No. 54 overall) of the 2026 NBA Draft on June 24.
Jones is a 6-foot-7, 220-pound guard who is coming off a senior season in which he averaged 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
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Golden State has placed an emphasis on drafting lengthy, versatile players with recent draft picks, and Jones absolutely fits that archetype. He will be able to defend multiple positions, and the fact that he is a capable shooter from 3-point range (32.5% last season) suggests why the Warriors had him circled.
The Warriors initially received the No. 54 pick in the draft from the Lakers by trading Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Raptors in February.
This draft pick has a strangely long history, as the Lakers initially acquired it way back in 2020 after a deal with the Cavaliers. When a trade includes a draft pick so far in the future, it’s easy to forget about it. But the Warriors were ultimately the ones who benefited from it, which ended up in them drafting Jones.
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This selection comes a day after the Warriors selected Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg with the No. 11 pick. He will likely be expected to perform for the Warriors as a rookie. It will be interesting to see whether Jones can secure a spot on the Warriors’ roster next season. He’ll certainly be given a fair opportunity to do so.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 23: AJ Dybantsa is drafted first overall by the Washington Wizards during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers and Mavs have made another trade, but this time with slightly lower stakes.
After trading into the second round, LA ultimately did not make a selection, instead trading the No. 56 pick, Vsevolod Ischenko, to the Mavericks for cash.
The Mavericks sent cash to the Lakers for Vsevolod Ishchenko at 56, sources said. https://t.co/638X6OhLVi
Vsevolod Ishchenko to the Dallas Mavericks via a late trade with the Lakers… he was linked to Dallas before the draft, and that plays out. Sneaky athletic wing from Russia who can really shoot it. Imagine this is a stash, but an interesting one nonetheless.
LA originally moved up into the draft by sending cash to the Bulls for the No. 56 pick. Most expected them to follow up by making more deals to move up in the draft. However, that never happened.
We're expecting a ton of trade activity throughout tonight's second round.
Among that movement: I'm being told the Lakers are working to trade up even higher in the second round, after already acquiring the No. 56 pick tonight.
Instead, the Lakers sat pat and watched Henri Veesaar fall with most expecting him to land with the Lakers. The big man from North Carolina was expected to go as high as the first round but plummeted down the board. However, the Hawks jumped LA and selected him, leaving the Lakers without any options.
Had been a lot of noise with the Lakers and Veesaar, but the Hawks jump them and get him in a trade with the Clippers.
It’s pretty clear the team bought the pick with the expectation of targeting someone or multiple players but, by the time they were on the clock, those targets weren’t available.
Ultimately, the team moved the pick. It’s unclear how much money was involved in either transaction, whether from the Lakers to the Bulls or from the Mavs to the Lakers. It probably wouldn’t be a great look if the Lakers lost money in this deal, but it was a gamble that only really cost them Mark Walter’s money and his has plenty to spare.
At the end of the day, it turned out to be much ado about nothing. The Lakers did not add another draft pick and will turn to undrafted free agency to find the next Austin Reaves.
You don’t owe the Mets anything, and the way they’re playing, they clearly don’t feel that they owe you a professional performance. Mets infielders combined to commit a staggering six errors in a game that saw their team lose to the Cubs for the second time today and the third time in as many games by the Cubs.
Even when the score was closer in this game, it never really felt like the Mets had a chance. They’re playing a brand of baseball that makes you wonder if they ever practice. And in the end, the final score—Cubs 10, Mets 5—was a fairer representation of the way the game went.
If you want the play-by-play of this one for some reason, the play log FanGraphs has you covered. There’s not much of a reason to pay attention to these Mets that thoroughly, though, and the defensive efforts of Brett Baty in right field, Marcus Semien at second, and Mark Vientos at first make you long for players who have enough experience at a position to play it properly without having so much experience that they’re on their way out of the league.
How the organization has had the patience to leader all of its under-performers on the active roster, its manager in place, and its president of baseball operations in charge of baseball operations is beyond me at this point. It’s not that everyone must go, but right now, it looks like there are simply no consequences within the org.
Find better things to do with your time than watch the 2026 Mets until they earn it. The fact that another year of Francisco Lindor’s prime, injury-interrupted as it may be, is set to go to waste is particularly frustrating on the night that he returned from a two-month stint on the injured list.
If you’d like to see the Mets attempt to avoid getting swept, the last game in this four-game series starts at 7:10 PM EDT tomorrow night. The Mets won’t trade anyone by then, but they should start listening to offers soon, even if they have to act like they still believe in this team when speaking in public.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: Ugonna Onyenso participates in the pro lane drill during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After a breakout season with the Virginia Cavaliers, Ugonna Onyenso is headed to the NBA. The shot-swatting center had his name called with the 53rd overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday evening. Though Onyenso briefly donned a Houston Rockets cap after being selected, his final landing spot is with the Detroit Pistons due to a pair of trades that funneled the 53rd pick from the Rockets to the New York Knicks and, ultimately, to Detroit.
A 6-foot-11 former top-30 high school prospect, Onyenso is the first ’Hoo to hear his name called in the NBA Draft since Ryan Dunn went off the board in the first round to the Phoenix Suns in 2024. Onyenso’s collegiate career, however, took longer than expected to get off the starting blocks. During a pair of seasons at Kentucky and another at Kansas State, Onyenso averaged no more than 3.6 points per game while making just 16 total starts.
The Owerri, Nigeria, native, however, finally found his second home in Charlottesville just in time for his senior season. Making up one-half of Virginia’s dynamic center rotation alongside Johann Grunloh, Onyenso averaged career-highs in points (6.5), rebounds (4.9), blocks (2.9), and steals (0.6) per game on his way to earning ACC All-Defensive Team honors.
An elite shot-blocker with outstanding timing, jump discipline, and natural length, Onyenso continued to improve throughout his senior season, culminating in an otherworldly string of games during Virginia’s ACC Tournament run that earned him a First-Team All-Tournament selection. In a trio of contests against NC State, Miami, and Duke, Onyenso blocked an ACC Tournament record 21 shots, including nine against the Blue Devils in the tournament final. His herculean effort against Duke helped limit Cameron Boozer (the third-overall selection in the draft) to 3-of-17 shooting from the floor.
The Detroit Pistons (via HOU, NYK) have selected Virginia's Ugonna Onyenso with the 53rd pick of the 2026 NBA Draft.
The 7'0" Nigerian center with a 9'5 standing reach is one of the best rim-protectors in the draft class. pic.twitter.com/x4ap2F73R4
While Onyenso’s offensive game is still a work in progress (though he debuted a much-improved outside jump shot while at UVA), his defensive prowess could earn him NBA minutes sooner than later. With a 7’4.75” wingspan and a sturdy frame, Onyenso possesses an NBA-ready body and the skillset to step in as a lob threat and rim protector from day one.
In Detroit, Onyenso will have some room to climb the depth chart after the Pistons dealt Isaiah Stewart, another known defensive stopper, to the Memphis Grizzlies earlier on Wednesday night. The former ’Hoo will get his first taste of professional action and his first shot at earning a roster spot in the NBA Summer League, which gets underway in early July.
The Mets hit four home runs, but couldn't overcome errors and defensive misplays in their 10-5 loss to the Cubs in the second game of their doubleheader on Wednesday.
New York committed six errors, leading to five unearned runs.
The Mets (34-46) have lost five straight games and are 12 games under .500, a season-low mark for the season.
Here are the takeaways...
-After a lengthy first, the Cubs took advantage of Sean Manaea in the second inning with back-to-back doubles to push across the game's first run. Manaea would get out of it without allowing another run, but he labored through those first two innings. After a ho-hum third inning, the wheels would come off on the Mets in the fourth. After a leadoff double, Marcus Semien booted a grounder, putting runners on the corners with no outs. Chicago would capitalize with an RBI single and then Dansby Swanson followed up with an RBI single of his own.
Pete Crow-Armstrong then hit a bunt over the head of a charging Bo Bichette at third to put the Cubs ahead, 4-3. That bunt single spelled the end of Manaea as Huascar Brazoban was called upon to limit the damage and did just that, and closed the book on Manaea's line.
Manaea allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out four batters across three-plus innings (86 pitches/57 strikes).
-Brazoban pitched a scoreless fifth before giving way to Brooks Raley in the sixth. After giving up a bloop double to Pedro Ramirez to lead off the inning, Swanson hit a triple to give the Cubs a 5-4 lead. Brett Baty, playing in right field, misplayed the ball, mistiming his jump as the ball careened off the wall, allowing Swanson to make it to third. Two batters later, Swanson was driven home after a fielder's choice hit at Semien, who could not come up with it cleanly and had to settle for the out at second.
-Luke Weaver walked the leadoff batter in the seventh before Semien dropped a pop-up in shallow right field (his second error of the game), allowing two runners on with one out. Weaver would get the inning-ending doubleplay to end the threat.
The last time Semien made two errors in a game was May 2022.
In the eighth, the Mets would commit two more errors. Bichette bobbled a hopper to him at third, and then after Mark Vientos made a fantastic diving stop at first, A.J. Minter could not come up with the toss covering the bag, allowing the Cubs to push across their seventh run of the game.
In the ninth, a Vientos error allowed for three unearned runs to be scored off of Devin Williams, with Swanson capping off the inning with a two-run single.
-Francisco Lindor's return got off to a rough start. The first ball hit to him in the first inning, the sure-handed shortstop botched a grounder, extending the opening frame for Manaea. The southpaw had to toss 30 pitches, but kept the Cubs off the board in the first after they put two runners on.
Lindor would go hitless (0-5), but his at-bat in the seventh loomed large. With runners on the corners and two out, Lindor hit a sharp grounder to third to end the inning.
-Francisco Alvarez got the Mets on the board in the second with a solo shot off of Shota Imanaga. Alvarez has hit a home run in all three games in this series. After an infield single by Eric Wagaman, A.J. Ewing followed with a two-run shot to put the Mets up 3-1. It's Ewing's first homer against a left-handed pitcher.
In the fourth, Vientos' solo shot got the Mets back even. Bichette smashed a solo shot in the sixth.
-Swanson, who had nine RBI across the first two games of this series -- including seven in the first game of the doubleheader -- had his way with the Mets pitching again, going 3-for-5 with four RBI.
Game MVP: Dansby Swanson
Swanson now has 15 RBI in three games, and there's still one more game in this series to go.
While the majority of the San Jose Sharks' attention is likely focused on the first day of the 2026 NHL Draft, as they now hold three first-round draft picks, they have five picks on the second day as well.
The second pick the Sharks currently hold on Saturday's portion of the draft will be a fourth-rounder that originally belonged to the Boston Bruins, the 120th overall selection.
A number of productive players have been drafted with the 120th overall pick, one of which played over 1,000 games in the NHL. Steve Larmer was a mainstay on the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1980's and early 1990's before he finished his career with the New York Rangers. He played 1006 career games, scoring 441 goals and just narrowly finishing above a point-per-game pace with 1012 career points in the process.
Mike Krushelnyski, mostly remembered for being a part of the Wayne Gretzky trade to the Los Angeles Kings in the modern age, was also drafted with the 120th overall selection and had a very respectable career. He finished his career with 897 games played, 241 goals and a total of 569 points.
Jaccob Slavin, Ben Chiarot, and current Sharks forward Philipp Kurashev are among the active players drafted with the 120th overall selection as well.
Some of the other notable undrafted free agents we have seen succeed in the league include Fred VanVleet, Austin Reaves, and Jose Alvarado. It is clearly important for front offices to find value on the edges even after the draft has concluded.
We will continue to update this post with where each of the most significant undrafted free agents will begin their NBA careers.
BEST UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS
This section will be updated as signings are made.
This list is based on consensus rankings tracked by USA TODAY Sports.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 21: Derek Hill #49 of the Philadelphia Phillies meets with teammate Brandon Marsh #16 prior to the game between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, June 21, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In Sam Raimi’s 2009 horror flick Drag Me To Hell, a woman makes a mistake at work and is eventually condemned to eternal damnation for it. This is highly relatable for the Nationals’ bullpen arms, who made a mistake at work and were sentenced to hell for it. Well, surrendering a pinch-hit go-ahead homer to a team down to their final strike isn’t quite hell, but it’s close enough; I’m fairly certain Dante mentioned it somewhere in his Inferno, somewhere between the guy who’s eternally having his head bitten and the guys who are eternally trees.
But before the drama of a last-ditch comeback repeated, a less appealing narrative recurred: Aaron Nola’s struggles with the long ball continued, as Luis García Jr. took a sinker that hung up in the middle of the zone to center for a 1-0 Washington lead in the first. An inning later, Jorbit Vivas took a curveball that did the same and did the same. 2-0, Nationals. Meanwhile, the Phillies struggled through three against opener Carson Palmquist, putting only one baserunner aboard in the form of Brandon Marsh, who promptly got picked off.
Marsh was also the Phillies’ second baserunner, singling up the middle to lead off the fourth. Afterwards, Palmquist’s opening job was over, and Miles Mikolas took his turn. He quickly found trouble. Alec Bohm reached safely on a grounder when Nasim Nuñez booted it, and Bryson Stott hit a fly ball that found its way over James Wood’s head in right for a double. The Phillies had their first run of the night. They had their second on a sacrifice fly from J.T. Realmuto, and their third on a single from Gabriel Rincones Jr. Nola kept the good vibes going with a three up, three down fourth. Only a potential injury to Bohm, who came up limping while running the bases on the fourth, still needled the Phillies, and given that he remained in the game, this turned out not to be a big issue. The Nationals seemed like they might have a big issue though: the pitching of Mikolas, who gave up singles to Trea Turner and Marsh in the fifth. He fought his way through it without further damage, but the tilt of the game still seemed to favor the Phillies.
Kyle Backhus took over in the sixth, with Nola’s final line standing at 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 K. Backhus faced the minimum of three, getting two out and allowing a baserunner, and was pulled for Jonathan Bowlan as Don Mattingly played the matchup game, pitting righty against righty. It did not go as planned. The first pitch to Curtis Mead went flying into deep left, towards the foul pole, remaining fair and ending the Phillies’ lead.
José Alvarado took the seventh. He got the first two batters out, but faced trouble with José Tena, who hit a shallow fly to left that Marsh dove for and missed. The result was a triple. CJ Abrams was up next; the duel between him and Alvarado saw a quartet of fouled off 3-2 pitches , and finally a walk. But Alvarado got the next batter out to keep the deficit at one.
But the Phillies offense remained stagnant, unable to put a runner aboard in the eighth. Seth Johnson was tasked with the ninth and keeping the game within reach of more last-ditch heroics. A simple 1-2-3 inning set the Phillies up well for the sequel to yesterday’s fireworks. Realmuto, Rincones, Jr. and Edmundo Sosa were the trio tasked with setting them off. Their opponent was Orlando Ribalta. He shares his name with the great knight of both myth and history (also known as Roland); unfortunately for the Phillies, the game took place at Nationals Park and not Roncevaux Pass. Realmuto grounded out, Rincones Jr. struck out. But then, high drama: Kyle Schwarber, who was left out of the starting lineup thanks to back tightness, was called in to pinch hit for Sosa. He took the first pitch for a ball, swung and missed at the second, took the third, but saw it called for a strike. Once more, the Phillies were down to their final strike. A poorly-advised challenge from Nationals backstop Drew Mills on ball 3 brought some levity to the proceedings, but soon enough it was tense again. He fouled off some pitches, one of which got enough air to stop some hearts, momentarily. He ended up walking, bringing Garrett Stubbs to the plate as a pinch-hitter, and as the winning run. But he didn’t stay there long: the Nationals swapped pitchers (to Richard Lovelady, less useful for references to epic poems) , Stubbs was swapped to the pinch-runner role, and Derek Hill got the call to bat.
When the Phillies traded for him, I noted that whoever got the first recap in which he did something notable would get the glory of the Running Up That Hill pun title. Last night, writing the question of the day post, I got impatient and wasted the pun on the subhead. As Hill sent a poorly-placed fastball over the wall in right-center, I sincerely regretted this. Thank god Kyle Schwarber had been more patient than me. Once more, the Phillies had gone down to their last strike and struck back.
Thus, Jhoan Duran was called in to bring it home. He did, with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of strikeouts. The final strike was a close one on the corner; the Nationals challenged. Or tried to. They were out of challenges, and so all they had was a plaintive head-tap. The Phillies had crested the Hill, and found victory on the other side.
The Phillies are 44-36. They’ll conclude the series against the Nationals tomorrow at 6:45.
The Sacramento Kings selections continue to win the 2026 NBA Draft.
On Night 2, the Kings selected Emanuel Sharp with the No. 45 pick of the second round.
The 6-foot-3 guard out of Houston should not be slept on. He's a defensive guy, who can spread the floor with his shooting capability.
Sharp helped the Cougars advance to the Elite Eight. In the 2025-26 season, he averaged 15.5 points on 37.2% from 3-point range. He set the school record for most career 3-pointers with 309, passing current Detroit Pistons guard Marcus Sasser.
He was a 2025-26 All-Big 12 First Team and All-Defensive Team selection as a senior. He can come in and claim minutes in Sacramento by being a guy who plays alongside Darius Acuff Jr., coexisting through the intangibles of knocking down shots and guarding perimeter players.
Here's our grade for the Sacramento Kings' second round selection:
NBA Draft grades: Grading Kings' second-round pick: Emanuel Sharp
Here's how USA TODAY Sports grades the Sacramento Kings' second-round draft selection:
The grade: A
Why?: If you've read our recent Kings draft coverage, then you'd know that Sharp was one of the players suggested that Sacramento should target. For good reason, too. Again, Sharp is offensively sharp. He gets to the rim, he slashes. He plays defense. This is a fitting piece to the pillars that the Kings continue to discuss.
Mar 13, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Felix Okpara (34) blocks the shot of Vanderbilt Commodores guard Tyler Tanner (3) during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
The Tennessee Volunteers saw their third expected player to go off the board in the NBA Draft, and the second in the second round in center Felix Okpara.
Tennessee’s rim protector last season was picked by the Orlando Magic with pick No. 46 overall.
With the 46th pick of the NBA Draft the @OrlandoMagic select Felix Okpara!
It seemed like Okpara was heading to central Florida to join a young Magic team on the rise. However, as very often is the case in the NBA Draft, a curveball landed a few minutes later.
Okpara was quickly traded to the Washington Wizards.
Sources: Orlando traded No. 46 Felix Okpara to Washington for Nos. 51 and 60.
I find Okpara’s prospects to be very interesting. While he doesn’t possess the offensive game to make too much of an impact in the NBA, there’s no denying his abilities on the defensive end and on the glass at both ends. That ability brings a lot of value in at least a rotational role on the Wizards’ bench. You never know for sure if a second-round pick will stick, but I’m willing to bank on a big body in the lane who can guard the rim like he does.
Okpara will be joining a Wizards team that’s undergone quite the facelift. They have some interesting pieces in guard Trey Young and big man Anthony Davis. The Wizards also took BYU forward AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick, so there’s star potential there.
Like Gillespie, we’ll see how summer ball goes for Okpara, and what kind of impact he can make with his new team.
TORONTO, CANADA - JUNE 23: Joey Loperfido #10 of the Houston Astros celebrates his go-ahead, three-run home run in the 11th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre on June 23, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tara Walton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Christmas came six months early for the Astros. After Joey Loperfido tripled with 1 out in the 8th, Blue Jays reliever Jeff Hoffman inexplicably attempted to pick him off at third base. His errant throw would send him home, making Loperfido the hero for the second straight day.
Gifts continued in the bottom of the 8th when Luis Urias would get doubled up off of second base, after a sensational play by Cam Smith, thwarting any threat for Toronto.
The final gift would add an insurance run, as Brice Matthews scored when Guerrero was pulled away from first on a sloppy throw. The combination of miscues would make the final score 3-1.
Not only were the Astros beneficiaries of Toronto’s charity, but they would also retire the opening batter in all nine innings, a rare feat for this staff. Mike Burrows brief flirtation with the bullpen has already paid dividends. Burrows’ lone mistake would be a solo shot to Nathan Lukes, but after that, he’d finish strong.
In the 6th inning, Burrows would retire Springer, Lukes and Guerrero with relative ease. Burrows would go six, strike out three and only walk one runner. By contrast, his counterpart, Trey Yesavage issued five walks on the night.
Issac Parades would start the scoring with a double which brought home Jeremy Pena who was the first runner of the night after drawing a walk.
Two weeks ago in Anaheim, Joe Espada summarized what every Astros fan was feeling stating “We’ve got to start winning some series”. After taking the rubber match from the Jays, Houston has now won their last four series, and in total have won 8 of their last 12 games.
Steven Okert would notch the win, his first of the season. Josh Hader would record his 6th save of the season. He’s now 6 for 6 in save opportunities.
Houston now heads to Detroit for a 4 game series with the Tigers beginning tomorrow night.
The Astros are now 39-43, 4 games under .500. They are even in the win column with Toronto, and trail the Jays by 1 game in the Wild card race.
Houston is 2.5 games behind Seattle in the AL West.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 25: A scoreboard operator carries a number to post on the manual scoreboard on the left field wall at Fenway Park between innings of the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles on May 25, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the Milwaukee Brewers came to town, we talked about their Famous Racing Sausages as a tradition they could leave behind to inspire a new mascot race at Coors Field.
With the Colorado Rockies taking the series today and sending the Boston Red Sox back to Fenway, it feels like a good time to discuss Boston’s historic home and chat all things ballparks.
Along with the Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field, Fenway Park comes up frequently as being at the top of people’s bucket lists for MLB parks they are most excited to visit. Getting to step into the oldest cathedrals of the game is truly a treat. They’re a blast from the past and capture the heart of baseball.
On top of those, there are so many wonderful modern classics with stunning backdrops, fun features, exciting fan bases, and amenities that are worth a visit. Thanks to some work travel, I had the chance cross off Pittsburgh’s PNC Park, the new Yankee Stadium, and Fenway over the span of a few months last year. It was an incredible stretch of stadiums, views, and experiences that I feel lucky to have gotten.
I’m currently at 12 of 30 MLB ballparks visited (in addition to a handful of minor league stadiums) and I’m excited to get to more. While nothing will overtake the Coors Field-shaped space in my heart, I loved the bay views in San Francisco, the delicious food in Seattle, the history of Chicago and Fenway, and the aforementioned mascot race shenanigans in both Milwaukee and Washington, D.C.
Which brings us to tonight’s chat! We want to hear about all the places you’ve been or hope to get to.
Are you “Chasing 30”, on a mission to visit every team’s ballpark? How many have you been to so far?
Which park are you visiting next?
Of the ones you’ve been to, which is your favorite?
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Buster Posey, the president of operations for the San Francisco Giants, makes a statement ahead of an MLB game against the Athletics at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. Protesters are expected to gather outside Oracle Park to demonstrate against four pitchers who wrote Bible verses on their caps and opted out of wearing the team's Pride-themed gear during the Giants' Pride Night celebration on June 12. (Photo by Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Like most San Francisco Giants fans, I remember May 25, 2011 vividly. But it’s been more than 15 years since that fated day in which a young blossoming superstar, the budding pillar of the franchise, fractured his fibula and tore multiple ligaments in his leg during a collision at the plate. So some of the features of that memory have grown blurry.
I don’t remember who was pitching, or who hit the ball that sent Scott Cousins barreling around third base and straight into Buster Posey. I can’t recall the outcome of the game, or the Giants’ place in the standings at the time.
What I do remember is this: in the face of excruciating physical and emotional pain, Posey remained stoic. Years before the hundreds of millions of dollars in salary and investments would roll into his bank account, and before countless dreams had been checked off his personal to-do list, Posey sat on the plate at his home ballpark, knowing that not just his season, but his entire career was in jeopardy. His eyes were dry and his jaw was strong. He took in the scene, refused to call for a cart to wheel him away, and, with he help of the training staff, stood up and slowly hopped off the field, tall and upright. Beat and battered, but never broken.
318 days later, he was back on the field for Opening Day. 523 days later, he hoisted a World Series trophy over his head. 541 days later, he was honored as the league MVP.
That year-and-a-half sequence defined Posey as one of the toughest athletes of his era. Staring at the utmost adversity, Posey refused to blink.
It set the tone for the rest of his career. He was talented and selfless and a tireless worker, yes, but above all else he was tough. And in turn, the Giants were.
Which makes his latest turn all the more confounding, concerning, and infuriating.
On Tuesday, Posey — no longer the face of the roster, and now the face of the front office — met with the media. It was Posey, as he so often did in the batter’s box, calling his own number. It wasn’t a media session mandated by the league, or demanded by the reporters. It was just Posey, leader of a team in turmoil on and off the field, making himself available.
And looking weaker than I ever could have imagined he would.
Posey opened with a milquetoast statement regarding the team’s Pride Night debacle, and the subsequent fallout within the queer community, one that had about as much substance as a Jack Harlow song played in reverse. At best, it was a “there are good people on both sides and I care more about baseball” deflection; at worst, it was a child placing his head in his hands and screaming “mom I don’t want to.”
“I’d like to recognize that the organization has shared its response to Pride Night, and I understand that there’s strong feelings on this topic,” Posey said, the prevarication only just revving up. “There’s differing perspectives, and out of respect to everybody involved, it’s not something that I’m going to revisit. I understand that some fans are upset and frustrated, and I promise you this is something we’ve talked about a lot internally, and we’ll continue to do so. Our focus is on the team right now, the upcoming draft, the trade deadline, and trying to win games. So anybody that has baseball questions, I’m happy to take baseball questions from you now.”
It was bland and corporate, and a little spineless. But if that was leaning back at a pitch high and tight, what followed was Posey watching a fastball down the middle, and turning around to walk away before it even made it to the catcher. Calling off the at-bat after two pitches. Unwrapping his protective gear, walking out of the ballpark, and driving home in the fifth inning.
The reporters in attendance, to their credit, pushed back. Fairly, I might add. And even gently at first. Softballs initially, perfect for someone who used to be able to square up a 100-mph fastball with ease.
But Posey tucked his tail and tucked his head. In a staggering display of weakness, at the team’s lowest moment in decades, Posey stuck his fingers in his ears, squeezed his eyes closed, and sang, “la la la la I can’t heeeaaaaaarrrrrr youuuuuu.”
It was genuinely difficult to watch.
Did you object to Pride Nights as a player, and did anyone explain the importance to Tony Vitello and the players?
“If you want to ask baseball questions, I’ll answer baseball questions.”
Will you reach out to the gay community about what has unfolded?
“If you want to go to baseball questions, I made my statement, I’ll answer baseball questions.”
Do you have a response to the commissioner throwing the Giants under the bus?
“I’ll answer baseball questions.”
Why will you only answer baseball questions when the team is embroiled in something so important?
“I’m gonna only answer baseball questions.”
Is this not your job? Should we speak with Larry Baer?
At that point, Posey was beyond answers, and looked pathetically around for help, until a poor communications director was forced to repeat the same line: “We just need to keep it baseball related.”
You made this a baseball issue by hosting Pride Night, and letting players take the field having violated MLB’s rules.
“Buster made his statement. If you guys have any baseball questions, he can answer those, or we’re gonna be done.”
Cowardice. Weakness. Spinelessness.
And broken.
All hidden behind the vacant face of a man who clearly would rather face Clayton Kershaw 1,000 times over before having to spend another 10 seconds being asked for accountability over a blatant lack of inclusion and failure of leadership.
It’s clear that the Department of Justice’s hogwash meddling with the situation has spooked the Giants, and it’s fair to think that Posey’s hands were slightly tied by an unwanted political presence hovering over the entire situation. It also does essentially nothing to cover up the immeasurably pathetic display that took place at Oracle Park.
Posey could have no-commented questions about the hats that Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker defiled. He could have no-commented the team’s communication with its players, the involvement of the DOJ, and Rob Manfred harshly criticizing the team.
Here, I wrote him a statement he could have said. I’m writing this on the fly. I didn’t take any time to think it over. I’m not going to edit it. I’m improvising here. Let’s see what I’m about to come up with.
I, along with the entire Giants organization, support and celebrate San Francisco’s vibrant and historic LGBTQIA+ community. We are aware that many in the community are hurting based on the actions and response of our team, and we are dedicated to making sure that every Giants fan feels at home at Oracle Park. We will meet with local leaders in the community to see how we can learn and grow from this year’s Pride Night, and I personally will be donating $100,000 to the SF LGBT Center. Unfortunately, for legal purposes, I can’t currently comment on the hats, our communication with the commissioner’s office, or anything regarding the DOJ’s investigation. We’re going to keep our discussions with players internal.
See how easy that was? It’s not a perfect statement because, again, I wrote it on the fly. It took 45 seconds. It probably has a spelling error in it. It features an organization I just learned about when I googled “LGBTQ youth centers San Francisco.”
But it does the important thing: it makes it clear where Posey stands. It makes it clear where the organization stands. It takes the absolute bare minimum level of accountability. It does nothing to interfere with the commissioner or the Department of Nonsensical Whining.
In the absence of that tiny act of accountability and inclusion, why do anything at all? Why hold a media session? Why face the cameras and reporters at all, if you can even call what Posey did “facing?” Why write a test that didn’t need to be written just to get all the answers spectacularly wrong?
A stable of unforced errors, buried beneath a cascade of cowardice. The antitheses of meeting the moment. The polar opposite of what the fanbase deserved and needed.
There was a time when I never would have dared to utter the word “weak” in association with Buster Posey. Now I fear I need a stronger word.
