The Brewers kept the World Series celebration going on Thursday, taking the Commissioner’s Trophy to Lambeau Field in Green Bay for Thursday night’s Packers-Panthers game.
Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff led the Brewers onto the field during the first half of the “Thursday Night Football” game to thunderous cheers from the fans at Lambeau as a number of Milwaukee players followed him out of the tunnel, clapping and pumping up the crowd.
One Brewers player even partook in a time-honored Lambeau Field tradition.
Right fielder Sal Frelick performed a Lambeau Leap to the delight of the crowd, throwing up his hand in the air as the fans mobbed him in jubilant celebration.
The Milwaukee players were later shown on the video board with the trophy while they appeared to be seated in a suite, wearing cheesehead hats that had the word champion written on the side.
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick leaps into the stands to celebrate with fans on Oct. 29, 2026, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Frelick began pumping up the crowd once again when he noticed the camera was stationed on him.
The Milwaukee Brewers display the World Series trophy to the crowd during a time out at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. on Oct. 29, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Brewers’ presence seemed to rub off on the Packers as they went into halftime with a 20-10 lead over the Panthers.
Milwaukee is celebrating the franchise’s first World Series title, which it captured on Wednesday night in a 5-1 win over the Rays in Game 5 in Tampa.
The festivities will continue on Friday when the city of Milwaukee hosts a championship parade for the Brewers.
The MLB offseason is officially underway with the Brewers crowned as World Series champions.
The Dodgers, who stood behind Milwaukee and the Fall Classic, lost a number of players to free agency Thursday morning.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal celebrates after striking out Atlanta Braves’ Austin Riley during the fifth inning of Game 1 of a National League Division Series baseball game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Dodgers free agents
A total of nine Dodgers players have hit the open market:
The Padres, who also faced the Brewers in the postseason amid their unsuccessful World Series run, lost nine players to free agency.
Adrian Morejon (relief pitcher)
Ty France (first baseman)
Casey Mize (starting pitcher)
Robbie Ray (starting pitcher)
Jason Adam (relief pitcher)
Walker Buehler (starting pitcher)
Ramon Laureano (outfielder)
Luis Rengifo (utlityman)
Austin Hays (outfielder)
San Diego has also multiple players with player options, team options and mutual options this winter. Michael King, who had a $28 million option for 2027, opted out of his deal with the Padres likely in hopes of finding a long-term deal on the market.
San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King delivers against the Chicago Cubs in the sixth inning of Game 1 of the National League Wild Card baseball playoff series Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in San Diego. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
Relievers Yuki Matsui and Wandy Peralta also have player options for next season. The deadline for player options is Monday, Nov. 2.
Starting pitcher Nick Pivetta and relief pitcher Kyle Hart both have team options for the 2027 season. The Padres are expected to negotiate a new contract with Pivetta, who has a $14 million option for next season.
Team options have to be decided by Monday, Nov. 2.
Three Padres have mutual options this offseason: Miguel Andujar (infielder), Griffin Canning (starting pitcher), and Lucas Giolito (starting pitcher). All mutual options are expected to be declined by Monday, Nov. 2.
San Francisco Giants relief pitcher JT Brubaker after getting pulled in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Giants Free Agents
As for San Francisco, the Giants had only one player become a free agent at the start of the offseason — JT Brubaker (relief pitcher).
Boston, MA - July 20: Boston Red Sox shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng celebrates scoring a run. The Boston Red Sox played the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on July 20, 2026. (Photo by Christian Kantosky/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Well look at that, the Detroit Tigers have already made a trade. Andrew Parker of Sox Prospects reports, and Chris Cotillo confirms, that the Tigers have acquired infielder Tsung-Che Cheng from the Boston Red Sox for cash considerations. Cheng will join fellow Taiwanese infielder Hao-Yu Lee in Detroit. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter is a solid shortstop with a little bit of major league experience.
The Red Sox 40-man roster was getting a bit crowded, so this clears a spot for them. Of course, the Tigers 40-man roster is also a little crowded with eight players due to be added back to the 40-man roster off the 60-day injured list. The point here appears to be developing some other options at the shortstop position beyond Kevin McGonigle. John Peck gives them a right-handed bat, and Cheng a left-handed one. If this spells trouble for anyone on the Tigers it’s probably Trey Sweeney.
Cheng signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a 19-year-old international free agent for $380,000 back in 2019. The Pirates finally released him last offseason and he was picked up by the Washington Nationals and then placed on waivers, where the Red Sox acquired him.
Cheng has some tools. He’s fast, he can play an average major league shortstop, and he has experience at second base, and a little at third as well. The problem is that he strikes out quite a bit, and his power is just fringe average. He struck out 23.8 percent of the time in Triple-A last year, though he does walk a good amount, 13.5 percent in 2026 at Triple-A, and posts solid chase rates. Still, he does swing a miss more than you’d like, and needs to trim that down to be a regular platoon player. More likely the Tigers want to work with him and stash him in Toledo with Trei Cruz gone, Sweeney lost and not recovering from a major shoulder surgery, and few other shortstop options beyond McGonigle and Peck.
Obviously the offseason just began, and for all we know, Cheng will end up getting waived by the Tigers before the offseason finally ends. He’s out of options and not a particularly notable player. For now this is a depth pickup. Perhaps they see something to unlock in his bat, and it doesn’t hurt that Hao-Yu Lee and Cheng are familar with one another as former teammates for Chinese Taipei’s 2019 U-18 World Champion team. Sometimes a little more comfort factor for international players can help.
Another trade:
Red Sox are trading IF Tsung-Che Cheng to the Tigers for cash, I’m told.
Bo Bichette’s decision to opt into a second year with the Mets was not a surprise to anyone in the organization. He had one of the worst statistical seasons of his career offensively – not exactly the kind of year players try to ride into free agency. He spoke glowingly of new manager Andy Green. And he seemed to find comfort in the clubhouse and on the New York stage – as if he had arrived with something to prove and finally remembered he was capable of proving it.
But while the Mets have expected for several weeks now that Bichette would be back, his return nevertheless qualifies as crucial to their offseason. With Bichette, the Mets lineup in 2027 will include all the key components of a group that posted the fifth-best OPS in the majors after August 1… even with Juan Soto injured for part of that time.
The top of the order looked versatile and energetic when Francisco Lindor was healthy and leading off and Soto was healthy and hitting second and Bichette was behind them, putting the ball in play with Carson Benge there to drive everyone in. Bichette’s return means the Mets can build on the offense they unearthed late last year, rather than having to reconfigure it.
But because Bichette’s decision was not a surprise, expectations for the Mets season should not pivot because of it. They still need, and plan to pursue, starting pitching. They will still explore options to upgrade offensively at first base, though exactly how high they will aim – and how much money or prospect capital they are willing to spend there – remains unclear.
And they still seem likely to give one of their infield prospects a chance somewhere in the majors next season. With Bichette back, the most obvious place for a prospect to elbow in would be second, though because Bichette has also played second base, the Mets could make room for a prospect at third.
Still, Stearns’s affinity for defensive versatility does not necessarily mean the Mets could not acquire a third baseman not yet imagined. The surest thing for the Mets next year would be to pencil Bichette in at third, then find a proven offensive producer at second base instead of relying on some combination of Marcus Semien, Brett Baty, and/or a prospect. But if the market yielded a proven third baseman, the Mets could theoretically also acquire one of those, move Bichette to second and figure out what to do with Semien and Baty later. Internally, the Mets felt their defense did improve last year, even with Bichette, Baty, and others at new positions.
At this moment, however, the Mets seem perfectly willing to believe in their in-house options at second base: After watching what Benge and A.J. Ewing did after being called up last year, one can forgive the Mets' optimism about what Jefferson Rojas, Emilien Petre, or Mitch Voit could do upon arrival.
Speaking of Benge and Ewing, Bichette’s return will impact the Mets’ lineup through them as well: Bichette, their de facto older brother and alleged batting practice fashion inspiration, will be back to help them navigate the toughest thing they have had to navigate so far: Year two.
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 31: Michael Lorenzen #24 of the Colorado Rockies looks on from the bench in a game against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on May 31, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A lot happened with the 2026 Colorado Rockies.
They were certainly less bad than they were in 2025. (Let us never speak of that wretched year again.) But they were still pretty bad.
Back on Opening Day when we were so much younger, we all made predictions, which you may read here and here.
So as we sum up the year that was and look to the one that will come, here’s tonight’s question for all you Purple Row Night Owls: What did you get wrong about 2026?
Me, I thought Michael Lorenzen would be a positive addition to the rotation, and if you’d told me in March that he would be DFA’d I wouldn’t have believed you.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Mark Jankowski scored in the third period for a three-goal lead, Pyotr Kochetkov made 24 saves and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 on Thursday night.
Kochetkov improved to 9-0-0 and set the franchise record for longest season-opening winning streak. Jordan Martinook and Logan Stankoven also scored and Seth Jarvis added two assists as the defending Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes won for the fourth time in five games.
Jet Greaves stopped 24 shots for Columbus. Denton Mateychuk and Kent Johnson scored in the third period.
Jankowski's goal, 16 seconds into the third period, felt like added insurance, but turned out to be the difference in the game.
Martinook beat Greaves from the left circle to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead with 4:09 left in the first period.
Stankoven made it 2-0 with his team-leading ninth goal of the season, 7:47 into the second period. Stankoven has five goals in six home games this season.
The Lakers, like every other NBA team, are operating under small sample sizes.
And with the 2026-27 NBA season just 1 ½ weeks old, that’ll be the case for at least a few more weeks until teams get closer to Thanksgiving.
But a team’s first few games are informative, and the Lakers have already provided enough information to show the type of team they’ll be – their areas of strengths and concerns after a 4-1 start.
Here are five standout statistics from the Lakers’ first five games entering Friday’s NBA Cup Group Play matchup against the Warriors in San Francisco:
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers react during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers in Los Angeles on Oct. 27, 2026. Getty Images
Factor in their passing (Doncic with 8.3 assists; Reaves with 5.4) and they’re not only two of the ten players in league who were averaging 24 points and 5 assists entering Thursday, but also the only pair of teammates in the league doing so.
Doncic and Reaves working so well together, while also producing gaudy stat lines, isn’t surprising.
They combined to average 62.7 points and 17.1 assists during the Lakers’ 10-4 start to last season while LeBron James was sidelined.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic works the ball against Utah Jazz’s Darryn Peterson in Salt Lake City, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. Getty Images
The star guards also averaged 58.1 points and 13.1 assists during the Lakers’ 16-2 stretch in the late winter/early spring.
It’s unlikely Doncic and Reaves will come even close to being the highest-scoring duo in a season. The record of 72.3 points, which is held by Wilt Chamberlain (50.4 points) and Paul Arizin (21.9 points), seems unbreakable.
But being the highest-scoring duos in a season since the NBA-ABA merger (1976) isn’t out of the question.
James Harden and Russell Westbrook, who combined for 61.5 points per game while with the Rockets in 2019-20, currently hold that distinction.
Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball against the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
122.5
Considering the aforementioned combined offensive firepower of Doncic and Reaves, the Lakers entered the season with expectations of being an elite offensive team.
And they’ve been that.
Their offensive rating entering Thursday ranked third in the league behind the Trail Blazers (126.8) and Rockets (122.5).
They were at the top or near the top in several offensive categories, including true shooting percentage (65.8%; No. 1), effective field goal percentage (61.7%; No. 1), 3-point percentage (39.2%; No. 2) and halfcourt offensive rating (106.6; No. 2).
Walker Kessler of the Los Angeles Lakers goes up for a rebound during a game against the LA Clippers in Inglewood, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
64.5
That’s the Lakers’ defensive rebounding percentage, which ranked as the third-worst mark in the league.
What’s been the most surprising is that the Lakers have actually been a worst defensive rebounding team with Kessler on the court compared to the bench.
They’ve collected 10.4% more defensive rebounds with Kessler off the court – a trend that likely won’t continue.
“Where he can continue to grow with us, he was, like per 36 numbers, per minute numbers, he’s not rebounding at the rate [we expect],” coach JJ Redick said. “And obviously that’s an area of concern for us right now. So need to be him doing better, particularly on the defensive glass. That’s where I think he can give us the biggest boost right now defensively.”
Los Angeles Lakers guard Collin Sexton, right, celebrates after scoring against the Los Angeles Clippers in Inglewood, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
7th
That’s where the Lakers ranked in terms of offensive transition frequency and points per transitiion possession after being more middle of the pack last season.
This is despite losing LeBron James, one of the best transition players in league history.
“Doing a decent job of throwing the ball ahead,” Redick said. “And I think [we] have had some really good moments of sprinting for layups. The other thing I think we’ve done a decent job of and part of it is the throws aheads: By throwing the ball ahead and by running, you create early cross-matches. Those early cross-matches are a little more comfortable.”
65.2%
That’s the percentage opponents are shooting against the Lakers at the rim.
While it’s an average number compared to the rest of the league, it’s a significant improvement from last season’s mark of 71.5%, which was the second-worst mark among all 30 teams.
Ryan Pulock #6 of the New York Islanders skates with the puck against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Oct. 15, 2026.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Islanders’ early-season glut of injuries took another victim Thursday night before their 4-3 overtime win over the Wild had gotten properly underway.
Ryan Pulock left the game with an upper-body injury early in the first period after playing just 51 seconds and didn’t return, leaving the Isles with just five defensemen for, essentially, the duration.
Coach Pete DeBoer had no update on Pulock’s status after the game. The Post has learned, however, that the Islanders expect Pulock to miss at least a game or two, starting with Saturday afternoon’s home game against the Oilers.
Ryan Pulock of the New York Islanders skates with the puck against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Oct. 15, 2026. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Matt Kessel — who sat as a healthy scratch Thursday after playing seven straight games — is the obvious candidate to come back into the lineup as Pulock’s replacement. However, the Islanders will need to think about whether to call someone up as an extra defenseman, having eschewed doing so at forward while down to just 12.
Pulock’s injury adds to what has been a mess of them early in the season.
The Islanders are missing Calum Ritchie and Matias Maccelli for the short term with lower-body injuries, Alexander Romanov for the long term after he tore his ACL and Mat Barzal for a duration of indeterminate length due to a flare-up of his previously injured left kneecap.
Though their defense held up impressively Thursday without Pulock, it will only get harder from here with a trio of Cup contenders coming to UBS in the Oilers, Hurricanes and Devils.
Kyle MacLean was back in the Islanders lineup Thursday, playing his same spot on the fourth line with Casey Cizikas and Mitchell Chaffee. Kessel came out, and Scott Mayfield stayed in, with the Islanders reverting to 12 forwards and six defensemen.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 04: Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres heads to the dugout prior to game two of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on October 04, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Padres star RHP Michael King declined his player option today and will be a free agent. Will be one of the most coveted players on market.
As was expected throughout all of baseball, San Diego Padres ace starter Michael King has opted out of his contract with the team. King signed a three-year deal before this season and had $58 million remaining over the next two years. By opting out, he receives a $5 million buyout for 2027, effectively giving him a 2026 salary of $22 million.
No quick contract agreement
His opt-out indicates that there was no quick resolution to the wish on both sides for King to remain a Padre. Widely considered the second-best pitcher to enter the free agent market, after Tarik Skubal, King figures to command a multi-year, high-value deal.
In a recent article in The Athletic, Jim Bowden estimated a four-year, $118 million deal. If that is close to accurate, it is only somewhat more than the right-hander would have gotten with his Padres deal, but with the addition of two more years. At 31 years of age, King is still in his prime and could easily fulfill a four-year deal with that value.
What will free agency bring for King
After a less-than-enjoyable turn through free agency last year (King expressed his dissatisfaction with the process at his signing press conference), the process will most likely prove to be a more lucrative experience this time around. King had just come off an injury-plagued season in 2025 when he re-signed with the Padres during the last offseason. His performance this year, a 2.59 ERA over 100 2/3 innings, showed he is fully back from those injuries and is a staff ace.
Padres are short starters
His value to the Padres is probably higher than with any other team that can make offers to the New York native.
The Padres have Randy Vasquez as the only reliable starter on the roster.
Joe Musgrove returned to the team with three postseason innings out of the bullpen, but his presence in the rotation next season is not assured.
Nick Pivetta has a $14 million team option after missing much of the season with a strained flexor tendon. This is the second season in a row that Pivetta has missed significant time with the same injury. His reliability and health are in question, and that large of an option has to be a major source of anxiety for the organization.
JP Sears is not an effective major league starter for the Padres. At best, he provides emergency depth in the minor leagues. Jhony Brito is unproven and recently completed rehab for his Tommy John surgery, certainly not a reliable option either.
All other pitchers who started for the Friars in 2026 are free agents as of Thursday morning.
Will anything change in the next five days?
There is a five-day window of exclusive negotiations for the team and the free agent. After that, the player is free to talk to any other organization.
If King wants a home prior to the uncertainty of the labor situation, he will have until Dec. 1 to make a decision.
The resources of the Padres are unknown at this point. In his season-ending media availability, general manager A.J. Preller alluded to the meetings that would be taking place within the organization to decide a budget and a plan for the offseason. No results from those discussions have been shared with the public.
It remains to be seen what financial flexibility the team will have for signing players before the new CBA is active. Preller hinted that there was some money to spend, but no one knows how much that will be.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 28: Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on October 28, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It hasn’t been the start to the season that the Utah Jazz were hoping for. Let that be my late submission for Understatement of the Year, as the upstart Jazz have not only lost four of their first five games (their lone victory a one-point stand against a New Orleans team that remains winless at the time I’m writing this article) but have seen three members of their starting unit go down with injury.
Most notable of all were veteran bigs Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. making early trips to the locker room during the same half of play against Memphis. The two players head coach Will Hardy described as Utah’s best will both miss time, and the reserves haven’t been able to keep their head above water in their absence.
To be fair, Utah’s schedule hasn’t exactly been favorable to this point in the year. They had two dates with the Grizzlies, who might be the biggest surprise of the early year, as they sit with an unblemished record of 4-0.
It doesn’t help morale that Walker Kessler, who Utah could have retained this offseason had they been willing to pay top dollar, has been excellent in Los Angeles. The Jazz were forced to dip to their fifth-string center, Tony Bradley (always good to see a familiar face), in their second loss to the Grizz.
A glimmer of hope, however, has been the outstanding play from fourth-year point guard Keyonte George. Utah’s front office raised their hands in an overwhelming vote of confidence in Key by extending his tenure for five more years and a sizable stack of cash. Their investment is already paying off early.
Taking charge and planting his rear end in the director’s chair, George shouted into the megaphone as he dropped a season-high 31 points against the NBA Finals runners-up. They leaned on him, and they leaned hard. Hard enough that Will Hardy felt inclined to give his young point guard a breather at the beginning of overtime.
Keyonte has been exceptional this year, but the team became far too reliant on his scoring ability late into the game, and the wheels fell off in the critical stretch of added time.
Perhaps rolling out Isaiah Collier over Darryn Peterson was a sound decision on paper — putting the ball in the hands of the more experienced player is logical — but the offense stalled as Collier pounded the air out of the ball, and costly turnovers saw Utah’s early three-point advantage give way to a rapid 12-0 run. It was miraculous to see what was essentially the Jazz’s second and third unit go wire-to-wire against a healthy San Antonio side, but it’s clear Utah’s sculpture has plenty more rough edges to carve away.
And they can start by taking down a frisky Portland team in the Delta Center.
The Blazers are unbeaten behind a core of players that fascinates and perplexes me. On the surface, it’s a roster that is well-balanced and carries some real firepower.
Deni Avdija was silently one of the best forwards in the NBA last season, a master of rim-pressure and free-throw trips. He’s running the show again this season, averaging a team-high in minutes, points, and steals.
But he’s not alone this year; Portland’s front office upgraded the backcourt significantly. Shifting the uneven Scoot Henderson to the second unit in favor of Damian Lillard, who’s picking up right where he left off before being traded to Milwaukee two seasons ago. Torching the net for nearly 43% from three-point land through three games, he’s averaging 21.4 points per game.
And he’s got a running mate in Ja Morant. Morant, who was dumped from the Grizzlies’ sinking ship (which is floating quite comfortably today, interestingly enough), has played very well with his new team and, shockingly, has been shooting the leather off the basketball at 44.4% from three.
Add Jrue Holiday, Donovan Clingan, and Toumani Camara to the mix, and it’s no wonder why the Blazers opened the year 3-0 — this is a frisky, dangerous team.
So how will the Jazz fare against their Northwest Division rivals in Salt Lake City? The inertia doesn’t bode well.
Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk and a Utah Jazz columnist for the Standard-Examiner. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently writes from his desk in Japan.
Jordi Fernández said after Thursday’s practice that Dëmin’s injury is not long-term.
But without the second-year player, another 2025 first-round pick, Nolan Traore, will likely be counted on more.
Traore, who played well against the Celtics in his first start of the season before leaving due to cramps, has impressed when he’s been able to stay on the court.
He’s been able to use his speed, which Day’Ron Sharpe called his “biggest threat.”
Dëmin and Traore were the two highest draft picks by the Nets a year ago and they had five in total.
On Thursday, the team announced it was picking up the third-year options on all of them, including Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf.
“We brought them in for a reason,’’ Fernández said. “We believe every single one of them has a future in this league. Everyone has different paths to get there and that’s OK. I think it shows we believe in the process.”
Powell (G-League assignment) was listed as questionable for Friday’s game, while Saraf (G-League assignment) is out.
Nolan Traore looks to make a play during the Nets’ overtime loss to the Celtics on Oct. 27, 2026 in Boston. Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Mikel Brown Jr. accepted the blame Tuesday for making a pair of late mistakes in the loss to the Celtics.
His coach and teammates were quick to defend him and praise the rookie for taking accountability.
“Honestly, we’re not in that situation without Mikel hitting a couple big shots down the stretch,’’ Michael Porter Jr. said. “So people can look at the mistakes, but it doesn’t get to where we’re at [Tuesday] without him doing what he did.”
“That’s the type of person he is,” Fernández said of Brown. “He’s tough. He holds himself accountable. Other people have excuses. That’s not who he is. … He’s not down on himself. He likes big moments. I’m excited for him to keep giving us those moments.”
Through four games, Sharpe is averaging a career-high 21.5 minutes per game.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is that he’s also averaging 3.8 fouls per game, significantly higher than the 2.4 fouls he put up a year ago.
“I just think you can’t be over-physical,’’ Sharpe said. “That has me in trouble with fouls. I’m not trying to foul. I’m so busy trying to be impactful. I’ve got to start playing harder, with purpose [and] control my physicality.”
The Warriors sent the “Inside the NBA” crew personalized jerseys — Charles Barkley’s was extra special.
Barkley went viral after an “Inside the NBA” segment of “Who He Play For?” because of the Hall of Famer’s inability to accurately pinpoint where players landed in the offseason. From Moe Wagner to Taurean Prince, Barkley went 0-for-5 in the game.
Charles Barkley has been on “Inside the NBA” for more than two decades. NBAE via Getty Images
Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith allowed Barkley to try again. He failed a second time.
Then, the crew gave him a third chance. And thrice Barkley failed.
It was a hilarious segment and a prime example of why “Inside the NBA” continues to be one of the best studio shows in sports. A week later, the Warriors sent Barkley a personalized jersey with the name “I Don’t Know” printed on the back.
“Inside the NBA” host Ernie Johnson Jr. (left) and analysts Kenny Smith (center) and Charles Barkley sit on set at the TNT studios. AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser
Warriors sent personalized jerseys to the Inside crew
Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York.
CHICAGO — The Knicks will start their secondary title defense like they began their primary — against LeBron and the 76ers.
The group stage of the NBA Cup kicks off for the Knicks on Friday night in Philadelphia, a rematch of the regular-season opener from 10 days prior.
The Knicks lost that matchup, 106-100, because Tyrese Maxey took off and LeBron finished. This time, the Knicks (2-3) are coming off consecutive victories — against the Pistons and Bulls — while Philadelphia (4-1) is still riding the pace and skill of Maxey, the reigning Eastern Conference player of the week.
LeBron James looks to make a move on Josh Hart during the Knicks’ season-opening loss to the 76ers. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“We just need to obviously not do what we did [the last time we played them],” Jalen Brunson said.
The Knicks are in the toughest NBA Cup group with the Sixers, Pacers (game on Nov. 13), Cavs (Nov. 25) and Heat (Nov. 27). The winner automatically advances to the quarterfinals, along with two wild cards from the six groups.
Last year, the Knicks won the tournament, with the semifinals and finals held in Vegas. This year, if they advance, the semis are at the home team’s arena and the final is at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indiana, the historic basketball site from “Hoosiers” and home of Butler University.
Despite winning the NBA Cup, Knicks owner James Dolan declined to hang the banner until they won the NBA Finals.
NJalen Brunson drives past Tyrese Maxey during the Knicks’ loss to the 76ers in their season opener. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Pacôme Dadiet will hit free agency in the summer because the Knicks, as expected, are declining to pick up his $5.4 million team option for next season, a source confirmed.
Dadiet, a 2024 first-round pick, has been out of the rotation again and is worth more to the Knicks as a trade chip on an expiring deal than on the books for over $5 million next season.
The 21-year-old Frenchman has logged one minute this season. For his career, Dadiet is averaging 1.6 points on 33 percent shooting. He’s the lone Knicks first-round pick on the roster.
ESPN first reported that the Knicks were declining Dadiet’s option. The deadline is Saturday.
Sixers star Jaylen Brown is listed as questionable for Friday with knee soreness. Neither Joel Embiid nor LeBron James are on the injury report.
With the MLB offseason officially underway, the Mets kicked things by claiming infielder/outfielder Kyren Paris off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels.
To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, New York designated outfielder Cristian Pache, who played in 15 games for the Mets last season, for assignment.
Paris played in just eight games with the Halos in 2026 after appearing in 44 games the year before where he hit six home runs in 126 at-bats. The youngster also added four doubles, one triple, seven steals and 20 runs scored to give him a 0.8 WAR as a reserve player.
About to turn 25 years old in November, Paris has spent his entire four-year career in Los Angeles where he's slashed .147/.238/.272 in a super utility role. In 88 career games (72 starts), Paris has played second base, shortstop and all three outfield positions, although the infield is where he's the best defensively.
Paris has spent the majority of his career in the minors, splitting time last season between Double-A and Triple-A. Despite a lackluster performance in Double-A, Paris shined in 62 games for Triple-A where he slashed .307/.427/.554 and showed off his power and speed with 31 extra-base hits, a .981 OPS and 16 steals.
In 455 career games in the minors, Paris has hit .243 with a .779 OPS and 150 steals.
As for Pache, he joined the Mets last offseason on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training before eventually signing a one-year deal worth $850,000. The soon-to-be-28-year-old fought for the club's fourth outfield spot in spring training and despite a solid showing, Pache began the season in the minors.
After making his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves in 2020, Pache has been a journeyman and has played for six different organizations. He's never been able to produce consistently at the plate and even struggled across 93 games with Triple-A Syracuse this season.
The outfielder was called up by the Mets in early August for depth and went 1-for-8 at the plate.
The Nets came up just short of beating the Celtics in Boston in their last game, but the end result is they fell to 0-4.
For a team that’s trying to change the direction of a franchise that knows tanking all too well — and lost its first seven games a year ago — they know the results have to change.
And they believe they’re close.
Moritz Wagner reacts during the Nets’ overtime loss to the Celtics on Oct. 27, 2026 in Boston. Getty Images
“We haven’t won yet, so obviously we want to get the zero out of that column and get a one right there,’’ Michael Porter Jr. said after practice in Brooklyn on Thursday. “It’s important. That’s why that loss the other day hurt. We felt we were in a position to win the game, but if we play like that and can continue to improve, then we’ll get there.”
Their next chance comes Friday at Barclays Center against the Pistons, followed by games on the road versus Indiana and the Knicks, so it won’t come easily.
Unlike the previous two seasons, when the Nets could have benefited from losing but did not fare well in the draft lottery, this year their first-round pick goes to the Rockets as a result of the trade that sent James Harden to Brooklyn.
So the time to start winning is now.
“We’ve just got to get that first win,’’ Day’Ron Sharpe said. “Once we get that first win, we can use it as momentum.”
And the lack of a victory is on the players’ minds.
They entered Thursday as the only winless team remaining in the Eastern Conference and one of just three in the league.
Jayson Tatum (center) celebrates with teammates after hitting the game-winning basket against the Nets in overtime. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
“For sure,’’ Sharpe said of whether the record was something the team thought about. “You don’t want to have a zero on the board. Last year, we started 0-7 and we’re not trying to do the same thing this year.”
To prevent another round of Groundhog Day — without the silver lining of a potentially high pick — the Nets will have to play like they did in Boston — without the late-game miscues that ended up costing them.
“We’re almost right there,’’ coach Jordi Fernández said. “It came down to late-game execution.”
But he added, “I think games like this in the future will lead to more wins.”
As Porter noted, the Nets are again playing with some key new players, from veterans like Julius Randle to rookie Mikel Brown Jr.
“It’s gonna take some time to develop some chemistry and I think from Game 1 to the last game, there’s been some growth,” Porter said. “Teams that are brand-new like this, it takes a while. We understand that and I think we’re willing to be patient with the process and continue to stack days and it’ll turn around for us.”
Fernández agreed and doesn’t want his team to press.
“We want to play with an edge, not anxiety,’’ Fernández said. “I just want to see continuity from what we did in the game against Boston. There’s no doubt in my mind, the first [win] is gonna come … I believe in the process. Right now, I’m not anxious about a win. I want to play consistently the right way. That [Boston] game is a clear example of who we want to be.”
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