While Michigan football has generally avoided large scandals over its history, the program has faced a handful of controversial events.
Report: Jonathan Kuminga doesn't want to be ‘pawn' for Warriors in 2025-26
Report: Jonathan Kuminga doesn't want to be ‘pawn' for Warriors in 2025-26 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
It appears that one of Jonathan Kuminga’s top priorities regarding a potential return to the Warriors is security.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported Friday on “NBA Today” that the fifth-year NBA veteran forward will not be returning to Golden State if he doesn’t believe he is in the organization’s long-term plans.
“Kuminga wants more of a player-friendly deal — more of a signal that he’s a building block and not just a trade asset; the word I’ve heard from the Kuminga side is ‘pawn,’” Slater said. “He doesn’t want to sign this two-year, $45 million deal with a team option where he is clearly just being used to be traded mid-season.
“That’s not something he wants to sign up for.”
Kuminga, like most players, doesn’t want to be trade bait — he wants a home.
The Bay has been just that for the 22-year-old, since the Warriors selected Kuminga with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. But Golden State and Kuminga have yet to strike a deal.
Slater explained what aspects could change Kuminga’s mind.
“Now, if you’re talking about a three-year deal (or) something with a player option that shows him a little bit more commitment, that’s something he’d be interested in,” Slater said.
Time is running out for the Warriors to extend the hypothetical player-friendly deal to Kuminga. In the same breath, the forward must not love what offers he has seen from other teams, considering the restricted free agent is yet to agree to an offer.
Slater concluded by saying that neither side — Kuminga and the Warriors — has budged this summer.
“As of now, the Warriors have been hesitant to do that,” Slater said. “Kuminga is signaling to those around him that he’s very willing and prefers the qualifying offer over the two-year, $45 million deal, and that’s dangerous for the Warriors.
“They could try to call his bluff, but right now, it seems to be trending toward the qualifying offer.”
Giants put Matt Chapman on IL with right hand inflammation, recall Landen Roupp
Giants put Matt Chapman on IL with right hand inflammation, recall Landen Roupp originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Matt Chapman is back on the injured list, as the Giants third baseman appears to be dealing with renewed soreness in the right hand he injured in June.
San Francisco placed Chapman on the 10-day IL and reliever Ryan Walker on the paternity list. Landen Roupp — who will start Friday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays — was reinstated from the IL, while right-hander Keaton Winn was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento for the first time this season.
Chapman initially suffered a right hand sprain while diving into first base on June 8; he spent almost a month on the IL rehabbing the injury.
The five-time Gold Glove winner has struggled mightily at the plate as of late, which could be the result of this lingering hand issue. Chapman has hit just 6-for-45 in August with a measly .478 amid the Giants’ team-wide struggles this month.
Roupp was put on the IL on July 25 with right elbow inflammation after recording a 3.11 ERA in 20 starts so far this season. The 26-year-old allowed two runs in three innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday.
Winn made 21 appearances with San Francisco in 2023 and 2024, recording a combined 6.08 ERA.
The most damning NCAA quote about Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan football tenure
Jim Harbaugh "ran a program that was largely dismissive of rules compliance. There was little, if any, emphasis on following the rules," the NCAA said.
Five Goalies Poised To Break Into The NHL Full-Time In 2025-26
Anticipate a wave of newer faces looking to prove themselves in net this NHL season.
Last season, only the Calgary Flames’ Dustin Wolf was able to take the reins and break into a full-time NHL role, playing more than one-fifth of the season in the big leagues.
This year, a handful of NHL teams have seemingly prioritized younger netminders moving up ahead of the 2025-26 season.
The group below will only include netminders who have yet to have played around 18 games in an NHL season beforehand, so the Buffalo Sabres’ Devon Levi, who played 23 in 2023-24, and Vegas Golden Knights’ Akira Schmid, who surpassed the mark twice before, won’t be considered as they’ve already accrued enough NHL pedigree.
Yaroslav Askarov, San Jose Sharks
Yaroslav Askarov has been the talk of hockey circles ever since being selected 11th overall by the Nashville Predators in 2020. Boasting superhuman feats of athleticism and an optimal frame at 6-foot-3, he’s bound to be an NHL starting goaltender. However, it took a move to San Jose to get there.
Askarov is the most likely of this bunch to have a Dustin Wolf-like breakthrough, as he’ll likely split the crease equally with Alex Nedeljkovic, who was acquired this off-season from the Pittsburgh Penguins. The real question isn’t whether he’s ready for NHL minutes, but more so whether he can handle just how defensively poor the San Jose Sharks will be as they continue to build for the future.
'It Was A Special First Year': Yaroslav Askarov Thankful For Former Sharks GoalieWhen Yaroslav Askarov came to North America, he was partnered with former San Jose Sharks goalie Devin Cooley on the Milwaukee Admirals.
Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild
If you haven’t been paying attention to Jesper Wallstedt this past season, it’s likely for the best.
A season plagued by inconsistency and injury led to the 2021 20th overall pick cementing the worst season of his professional career, recording an .879 save percentage over 27 games with the AHL’s Iowa Wild.
This regression certainly wasn’t what GM Bill Guerin and the Minnesota Wild were expecting from him after extending him earlier that season to a deal worth $4.4 million total through 2026-27.
With the two-year contract extension kicking in this season, and with Marc-Andre Fleury retiring, the team has little choice but to play him so they don’t bury over $1 million in the minors.
Given his struggles last season, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him get sheltered minutes to start the year, with the bigger games going to Filip Gustavsson, in the hopes Wallstedt gets back into top shape and confidence. However, playing behind a more structured team, such as Minnesota, might just be what he needs to get back to the form scouts, pundits and fans alike were praising just a year ago.
Leevi Merilainen, Ottawa Senators
Leevi Merilainen’s rise through the Senators’ depth chart has been seismic.
He went from a relative unknown in his draft year to a Liiga starter by 20. As of last season, the 22-year-old was able to shut down top teams when called up as the Ottawa Senators faced injuries to goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Anton Forsberg. He recorded an 8-3-1 record, 1.99 goals-against average and .925 save percentage in 12 games.
With Forsberg heading to the Los Angeles Kings in free agency, Merilainen will have the opportunity to get those guaranteed minutes. If he can continue to suppress the high-flying offenses of playoff teams in 2025-26, he may finish the season with a workload closer to a tandem goaltender than a backup.
Jet Greaves, Columbus Blue Jackets
When undrafted six-foot goaltender Jet Greaves was called up to the Columbus Blue Jackets for nine games in 2023-24, fans were pleasantly surprised that the underdog put up a respectable .908 save percentage despite a 3-6-0 record.
Greaves’ 11-game stint in 2024-25, when he went 7-2-2 while posting a .938 SP, 1.91 GAA and two shutouts, showed there might actually be something there.
The Blue Jackets decided to give the kid from Cambridge, Ont., a shot, as he’ll look to back up six-year NHL veteran Elvis Merzlikins. With Merzlikins only averaging an .890 save percentage over the past three seasons, Greaves’ role may expand throughout the season if he continues to perform well.
Could The Penguins' Arturs Silovs Become The Next Dominik Hasek?How's that for a headline, eh? When the Vancouver Canuckstraded 24-year-old Arturs Silovs to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday for a fourth-round pick and a middling prospect in Chase Stillman, they did so with their fingers crossed that he won't make them look ridiculous.
Arturs Silovs, Pittsburgh Penguins
Arturs Silovs’ 2024-25 season was as up and down as they come.
Across 10 games with the Vancouver Canucks, he looked far from NHL-ready, sporting a dismal .861 save percentage with a 2-6-1 record.
In the AHL, however, the playoff MVP led the Abbotsford Canucks to a Calder Cup win with a .931 save percentage across 24 games.
A move to the Pittsburgh Penguins has opened up another opportunity for NHL minutes, but it won't come easily.
Silovs will have to battle 2020 second-round pick Joel Blomqvist for those backup minutes behind Tristan Jarry.
The edge should go to Silovs. While Blomqvist’s .885 SP over 15 games last season was better, Silovs would have to pass through waivers if the Penguins want to assign him to the AHL, while Blomqvist wouldn’t.
Given the added stakes of being waiver-eligible for the first time, this is a make-or-break season for Silovs on whether the 25-year-old netminder can finally put it all together and become an NHL regular.
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Dylan Beavers, Landen Roupp and Nolan McLean
FANTASY BASEBALL WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS
Dylan Beavers (OF Orioles): Rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues
This has to be the time. With just 45 days left in the season as of Friday, the Orioles can now safely promote Beavers and keep him Rookie of the Year eligible in 2026. The move should have happened the day after Ramón Laureano was traded, and Beavers being trapped in Triple-A has only become more ridiculous with Tyler O’Neill and Colton Cowser landing on the IL. The Orioles have used Dylan Carlson, Daniel Johnson, Greg Allen, Ryan Noda and Jeremiah Jackson to cover the outfield in recent days, even as Beavers has hit .305/.420/.518 with 18 homers and 23 steals for Triple-A Norfolk.
The 33rd overall pick in the 2022 draft, Beavers has taken a major step forward this year in simultaneously adding power and cutting back on his strikeouts. He fanned 23.5% of the time in a 2024 campaign spent mostly in Double-A. This year, he’s at just 17.9% and has barely more strikeouts (74) than walks (67) in 413 plate appearances. His power potential is still in question. He’s big-time flyball hitter with pretty average exit velocity numbers and only an average pull rate. Yanking more of his 360-foot flies down the right field line is going to be a must for him in the majors. Fortunately, Camden Yards is kind to left-handed power.
Beavers might not be someone who succeeds right away. His patience at the plate has been greatly rewarded with the tight, ABS-controlled strike zone in Triple-A, and he’ll be seeing pitchers with better stuff get strike calls off the corners in the majors. Hitting for average probably won’t happen immediately. Still, he’s been ready for his first look for weeks now, and even if he doesn’t thrive immediately, his basestealing ability could help him amass some mixed-league value.
Landen Roupp (SP Giants): Rostered in 29% of Yahoo leagues
Roupp missed most of 2023 and spent much of 2024 in the bullpen, throwing just 76 2/3 innings, making one wonder how he was going to hold up as a full-time starter for the Giants this season. He was already up to 101 1/3 innings -- just six off his career high from 2022 -- when he went on the IL last month with elbow inflammation. That’s not great, of course, but it did give him the break he probably needed to help remain strong into September.
The 26-year-old Roupp has impressed for the most part in his return to the rotation. He had a 4.73 ERA in his first eight starts, but his peripherals were better than that suggested. Since then, he’s come in at 5-3 with a 2.05 ERA in 12 turns. His 53/28 K/BB over 61 1/3 innings during the span isn’t great, but Roupp gets plenty of grounders with his sinker and can punch guys out with his curve or change when he gets to two strikes.
The Giants have tough road series next week in San Diego and Milwaukee, but after that, they’ll finish up with a pretty easy schedule and play six of their last 10 series at home. It bodes well for the team’s pitching and makes Roupp and Justin Verlander a little more interesting the rest of the way. Maybe hold Roupp out if he is activated to start against the Padres (he might make a second rehab start instead), but after that, he should be a nice play.
Nolan McLean (SP Mets): Rostered in 16% of Yahoo leagues
Looking for a boost, the Mets pulled the plug on Frankie Montas this week, sending him to the bullpen. Coming up in his place is the 24-year-old McLean, who will make his major league debut Saturday against the Mariners. He’s earned the chance by going 8-5 with a 2.45 ERA and a 127/50 K/BB in 113 2/3 innings between Double- and Triple-A this year. Since the beginning of July, he’s fanned 29.2% of the hitters he’s faced.
McLean has mostly thrown mid-90s fastballs and sinkers, mid-80s sliders and high-80s cutters this season. His curveball has gotten good reviews, but he’s used it just nine percent of the time in Triple-A. He’s more often around the strike zone with the other offerings, though walks still can be a problem. Fortunately, he gets plenty of grounders when hitters make contact against him, and he can erase some of those walks with double-play balls.
The danger with McLean in the majors is that he’ll rack up too high of pitch counts to get through five innings and qualify for wins. He should be pretty effective, though, and the Mets, on paper at least, have an excellent bullpen behind him, so if he does get through five with a lead, there’s a good chance it’ll be held on to. He seems well worth taking a chance on.
Waiver Wire Quick Hits
- Kyle Harrison has pitched 10 scoreless innings in his last two outings for Triple-A Worcester and has a 1.59 ERA in his last six starts, so it seems like time for Boston to give him a real shot. I’m not high on Red Sox starters for the most part, but Harrison is missing enough bats to be interesting.
- Cubs prospect Owen Caissie would have gotten the thumbs up here if he was due to play regularly, but he’s not likely to get that kind of opportunity unless an outfielder ahead of him gets hurt. Caissie, promoted to the majors for the first time Thursday as a result of Miguel Amaya’s ankle injury, was batting .289/.389/.586 with 22 homers in Triple-A and is very likely ready to contribute against right-handed pitchers.
Why didn’t Michigan football receive a postseason ban from NCAA for sign-stealing scandal?
Here's what you need to know on why the NCAA didn't issue a postseason ban to U-M as part of its punishments for the sign-stealing scandal report.
What is a show-cause order? Explaining NCAA’s Michigan penalties
The NCAA announced Friday that multiple "show-cause orders" were included in penalties against Michigan football. Here's what that means:
Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors reportedly have ‘renewed' contract discussions
Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors reportedly have ‘renewed' contract discussions originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors have reestablished contract negotiations.
Golden State’s front office has remained at an impasse with the 22-year-old restricted free agent this offseason over a new deal, though both sides are trying to work through their issues.
“Well, there’s been renewed conversations between the two sides,” NBA insider Anthony Slater said Friday on ESPN’s “NBA Today.” “There’s dialogue, but as you all know, talking doesn’t necessarily equal movement. They’ve shared contract concepts and opinions about the whole thing between each other this last week, dating back to last weekend.
“Kuminga wants more of a player-friendly deal, more of a signal that he’s a building block, not a trade asset.”
After trading for Jimmy Butler last season, Kuminga fell out of Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s regular rotation. The lack of meaningful playing time, coupled with his free agency status, has led to both sides looking into trade possibilities. While a potential trade framework was in place with the Sacramento Kings, nothing materialized.
Both sides appear willing to work out a deal to keep Kuminga in Golden State, but the 22-year-old still is not sold on being what amounts to a backup for games when Butler and Steph Curry can’t carry the offensive load.
Kuminga was selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, with Golden State expecting the raw but talented forward to develop into an All-Star caliber player. While he has shown flashes of brilliance, it hasn’t been enough to win a spot in the starting rotation with Butler in the fold.
The 22-year-old has few other options given the lack of interest from other teams and his restricted free agent status.
Hopefully, both sides can work through their differences and figure out a resolution before the start of official team training camp next month.
NCAA says Michigan’s sign-stealing violations ‘required’ a postseason ban. So why didn’t the Wolverines get one?
The end of Michigan's sign-stealing saga demonstrates the NCAA’s dwindling regulatory authority.
NBA schedule 2025-26: Breaking it down by the numbers, including most back-to-backs
The NBA schedule for the 2025-26 season is out. We've broken down the league’s return to NBC and debut on Peacock and the more than 100 games you can watch across this network, as well as the 20 must-watch games of the season.
Now let's dive into the details of the schedule and talk about who has the advantage and disadvantage in back-to-backs, nationally televised games and more — including the most bobblehead nights.
Which teams have the most nationally televised games?
Four teams are maxed out at 34 games on national television:
• Lakers
• Warriors
• Knicks
• Thunder
The Timberwolves and Rockets follow those four with 28 each. Rounding out the top 10 are the Nuggets (26), Celtics (25), Cavaliers (24) and Mavericks (23).
Every team has at least two nationally televised games.
With the addition of Peacock NBA Mondays and many NBA Cup games being broadcast on Amazon Prime exclusively, the number of national broadcast games jumped this season to 244, up from 172 a season ago. Once the NFL season nears its end, the NBA will ramp up with nationally televised games nightly.
Where to watch NBA action this season ⬇️
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) August 14, 2025
Season-long national games:
▪️ Mon: Peacock
▪️ Tue: NBC/Peacock
▪️ Wed: ESPN
▪️ Fri: Prime Video
Additional weekly national games starting midseason:
▪️ Thu: Prime Video
▪️ Sat: ABC | ESPN | Prime Video
▪️ Sun: ABC | ESPN | NBC/Peacock pic.twitter.com/eZgo8viuEX
If you remove the games exclusively on streaming platforms from the national broadcast game list, only counting the games on NBC, ABC and ESPN, the teams with the most games are: Knicks (21), Lakers (20), Thunder (20), Warriors (19) and Nuggets (18). Worth noting that both the Rockets and Timberwolves will have 17 of those games. It's also worth noting that all those games on over-the-air broadcasts also will be available on streaming services such as Peacock for the NBC games as well.
Which teams have the most back-to-backs?
Every team has between 13 and 16 back-to-backs, with the average being 14.4 (down slightly from 14.9 a season ago). The five teams with the most (16) are:
• Hornets
• Nuggets
• 76ers
• Suns
• Wizards
Just as interesting is the number of times a team faces an opponent on a back-to-back. At the top of the list, the 76ers face 18 teams on the second night of a back-to-back, while the Nuggets are at the low end of that scale with 12.
Utah, Philadelphia, and Sacramento each have 14 rest advantage games, tied for the most in the league, according to Positive Residual.
There are no four games in five nights in the schedule.
Other schedule notes
• Getting rest before big games. The NBA noted that teams do not play the day before these games:
*All opening-week national TV games
*All Emirates NBA Cup games
*All Christmas Day games
*The four-game Peacock/NBC schedule on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
*The 10-game ABC Saturday schedule and eight-game ABC Sunday schedule
*The 11-game NBC Sunday schedule
• Pelicans have toughest NBA schedule. Remember when the Pelicans traded their 2026 first-round pick to Atlanta so they could move up and draft Derik Queen in this year's draft? Keep that in mind as you check out Positive Residual's projections for the most difficult schedule in the NBA this season:
The NBA Calendar App has been updated with the 2025-26 regular season schedule. Here are the teams with the toughest schedules.https://t.co/kRbrpZbnf2pic.twitter.com/29JUwiyWHQ
— Positive Residual (@presidual) August 14, 2025
Note that an older team in the Warriors is fourth on that list, with the Mavericks fifth.
• Impact of Clippers' new arena. Interesting note from The Athletic's Law Murray:
• Clippers lead the league in bobblehead nights. Clippers fans love bobbleheads?
LA Clippers have six different bobblehead nights this upcoming season for home games.
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) August 14, 2025
Jan. 12: Kris Dunn Bobblehead
Feb. 2: Chris Paul Bobblehead
Feb. 22: James Harden Bobblehead
Mar. 4: Bradley Beal Bobblehead
Mar. 16: Nicolas Batum Bobblehead
Mar. 25: Kawhi Leonard Bobblehead
Kris Dunn is a nice player, but is he bobblehead worthy?
Watch Steph Curry knock down incredible half-court shot at his basketball Camp
Watch Steph Curry knock down incredible half-court shot at his basketball Camp originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Steph Curry still has “it,” in case you were wondering.
The Warriors sharpshooter showed off his long-range prowess at his annual “Curry Camp” on Friday, nailing a shot from well beyond the half-court line. Such performances have almost become routine for Curry, who has cemented himself as the greatest shooter in the history of professional basketball.
Curry’s camp hosted 26 local boys and girls high school basketball players in Menlo Park for an intensive experience with world-class instruction. This year is an important one for the Curry brand as the camp has expanded into Asia, with stops in Japan, China and Hong Kong, culminating in the first-annual CurryCon.
The 37-year-old has been hard at work this offseason, with a focus on improving his footwork and getting his body in tip-top condition for his 17th NBA season this fall.
Curry wasn’t the only member of his family to show off their basketball skills, as his 7-year-old son, Canon, demonstrated that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Before Curry’s emergence in the NBA, the 3-point shot was regarded as more of a novelty than a legitimate offensive strategy. Once Golden State’s dynastic run was in full swing, it became apparent that the long-range game was here to stay. Now, opponents have to guard Curry from the second he possesses the ball until he takes a shot, which has forced the 37-year-old to make a few tweaks to his game.
With Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Curry all back on board for the Warriors, the franchise is hopeful that the trio can take them back to the NBA Finals.
Michigan hit with major fine for sign-stealing scheme. Jim Harbaugh’s NCAA exile extended 10 years
NCAA rules that Michigan engaged in a scouting scheme, but it did not impose a postseason ban. Jim Harbaugh is effectively banned from collegiate ranks until 2038.
Point shaving scandal in college basketball is on the cusp of indictments
The move to legalize sports gambling has brought on some unintended consequences. In the MLB and NBA we have seen players get pinched for fixing bets. In college baseball, an SEC head coach was fired for suspicious activity in a Cincinnati sportsbook. More are likely on the way. The next could arrive in college basketball. […]
Jaccob Slavin Ranks As 8th-Best Defenseman In The NHL Network's List
In the NHL Network’s latest list of the ‘Top-20 players right now’, Jaccob Slavin ranked as the eighth-best defenseman.
Around this time last year, Slavin slotted in as the 13th-ranked defenseman on the list, so he moved up five spots.
From his time playing for Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off and obviously for his time with the Carolina Hurricanes, Slavin has gained recognition as one of most productive shut-down blueliners in the entire NHL.
“Jaccob might be the best defender in the NHL, and he has already cemented himself as one of the best players to ever put on a Hurricanes uniform,” Hurricanes General Manager Eric Tulsky said. “He is a crucial leader for our team, both on and off the ice, and keeping him in Carolina long term was a top priority.”
This past season, the 31-year-old defenseman recorded six goals, 21 assists, and 27 points in 80 games while averaging 21:34 minutes.
Tom Dundon Is “Very Excited” About Purchase Of The Trail Blazers Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon’s next big splash is likely coming in the NBA.
The defensemen who ranked ahead of Slavin on this list include Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Zach Werenski, Miro Heiskanen, Victor Hedman, Josh Morrissey, and Rasmus Dahlin.