For a second year in a row, it was made clear in the playoffs that the Montreal Canadiens needed to get tougher. Not necessarily bigger, but tougher. When the puck drops in the postseason, the intensity goes right up, and it shows in how much more physical the play becomes. The Habs have a lot of skillful players, but they’re not stacked when it comes to players ready to land big, bone-crushing hits.
Josh Anderson does what he can, and while he’s very good at it, his age shows as the playoffs move forward. The gritty winger has never shied away from physical play, but his style has landed him on the injury list a few times, and as the Canadiens moved through the rounds, the wear and tear started to show.
Zachary Bolduc has shown he also has some potential when it comes to laying down punishment, but at 6-foot and 187 pounds, he could use some bulk. A prime candidate to bolster the Canadiens’ physicality could be A.J. Greer, but he probably won’t come cheap when he hits the free agency market on July 1st.
Kent Hughes is likely keeping tabs on a few players in the league who could come in and give the Canadiens more grit. Still, he’s no doubt also aware that Florian Xhekaj now has two years of professional hockey experience under his belt and that it could be worth allowing him to make the jump with the big team next season.
At 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, the winger isn’t as big as his brother Arber Xhekaj, but he does know how to use his big body to good use. In 64 games with the Laval Rocket this season, the winger registered 29 points, including 17 goals and spent 182 minutes in the penalty box. The younger Xhekaj also knows how to fight, and since Martin St-Louis appears reluctant to give much ice time to the older Xhekaj, the youngster could offer a good alternative.
If the Canadiens can’t improve their bottom six via trade or free agency, it will be worth giving Xheakj a try. Pascal Vincent, the former coach of the Rocket, recently said on The Sick Podcast that he is a big fan of his, which is a pretty good endorsement.
The Detroit Red Wings are not giving up on William Wallinder just yet as the club on Thursday, re-signed the 23-year-old Swedish defenseman to a two-year, two-way contract, signaling that despite a slower than expected development timeline, Detroit still believes in what the towering blueliner can become.
For a franchise that has shown a willingness to invest in its prospects, the deal is a logical next step for a player who is finally starting to show the kind of growth the organization has been waiting for.
Wallinder was never a sure thing offensively, but the expectations that came with being selected 32nd overall in the 2020 NHL Draft were significant regardless. At six-foot-four and 209 pounds, he possesses the kind of frame that organizations dream about on the blue line, and his game is built around using that size to his advantage.
He is primarily a defensive defenseman with some offensive upside, the kind of player who can protect his own zone and make life difficult on opposing forwards when his game is clicking.
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 25, 2026
The development curve, however, has been gradual over 194 AHL games with the Grand Rapids Griffins across three seasons. Wallinder has posted seven goals and 47 assists for 54 points along with a plus-11 rating with his offensive growth slowly climbing, from 15 points in his first full season to 19 the following year before finally cracking 20 this past campaign.
What stands out most about this past season is not the point total but the dramatic swing in his defensive numbers. After posting a combined minus-eight rating over his first two AHL seasons, Wallinder turned in a plus-21 this past year, a shift that speaks to real growth in how he reads and manages the game in his own end.
Playing alongside experienced veterans on the Grand Rapids blue line, including Erik Gustafsson, appears to have accelerated that development in ways that the raw numbers alone do not fully capture.
The two-year, two-way structure of the deal gives Wallinder time to continue developing without the pressure of immediately cracking Detroit's NHL roster, while also keeping the door open if he takes another step forward and forces his way into the conversation.
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Tobi Lawal has followed Jeremy Sochan and Amari Williams in going from the UK Under-19 development league to the NBA [Getty Images]
Britain's Tobi Lawal says he is going to "live" in the gym as he bids to establish himself as an NBA player after being selected in the NBA Draft.
The 23-year-old was picked 48th overall by the Dallas Mavericks after two years as a starter in the college game at Virginia Tech.
The 6ft 8in forward only began playing competitive basketball when he was 16 and developed his game with the City of London Academy.
He then left south London to play at high school in Maine before spending his first two years in college at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Like many prospects selected in the second round, he is viewed as a project player so will now focus on "getting a better feel for the game".
"I hope this provides inspiration to young kids that anything is possible," he said.
"I'm touching close to what I could be and how good I could become. I definitely believe that it can help me become as great as I want to be.
"In London it is hard to get in the gym. Now the gym is right next to my house. I love being in the gym. I love growth - as a person, in my faith and as a player. Now I can do that, I'm going to live there."
Lawal was one of 30 players picked during the second round of the NBA Draft in New York, which concluded on Wednesday.
The first 30 players were picked on Tuesday, with the Washington Wizards selecting former Brigham Young University small forward AJ Dybantsa first overall.
AJ Dybantsa was the leading scorer in the United States college system last season with an average of 25.5 points per game [Getty Images]
The draft can help NBA franchises turn around their fortunes, while relatively unheralded prospects can become NBA legends.
Victor Wembanyama, for example, was the first overall pick in 2023 and he not only helped the San Antonio Spurs end their play-off drought this year but they went all the way to the NBA Finals.
They were beaten by the New York Knicks, with this year's Finals Most Valuable Player being Jalen Brunson, a second-round pick in 2018. Others include Nikola Jokic, Draymond Green and Dennis Rodman.
The Washington Wizards had this year's first pick and were expected to go for 19-year-old AJ Dybantsa instead of point guard Darryn Peterson after giving Trae Young a contract extension.
After a 17-65 record last season, the Wizards are expected to improve with the 6ft 9in Dybantsa joining a core which includes Young and Anthony Davis, and they hope to reach the play-offs for the first time since 2020-21.
With the second pick the Utah Jazz had to choose between Peterson and power forward Cam Boozer, son of Jazz legend Carlos, who now works in their front office.
Yet they plumped for Peterson so the Memphis Grizzlies took Boozer, who won multiple awards as a freshman with Duke last season, with the third pick.
They also collected five future second-round picks to move back from 16 to 21 in the first round, where they made 19-year-old Karim Lopez the first Mexican-born player to be drafted in the first round.
The 6ft 8in forward was the highest-rated prospect in this year's class from an international league having played for the New Zealand Breakers the past two seasons.
The Grizzliesalso acquired former first-round pickIsaiah Stewart and with the 32nd pick selected versatile guard Richie Saunders, who is 25 and was a late bloomer after serving a two-year church mission prior to starting college.
Despite finishing with the NBA's top record for the second straight year, the Oklahoma City Thunder had two top-16 picks.
They were expected to challenge for back-to-back championships but were upset by San Antonio in this year's play-offs.
The Spurs, led by the 7ft 4in Wembanyama, could be OKC's biggest rival in the Western Conference for years to come so they remedied that by using the 12th pick on 7ft 3in Spanish centre Aday Mara. They then added point guard Bennett Stirtz with the 16th pick.
Trades agreed for Antetokounmpo and Ball
Several teams traded picks and players this week as they aim to rebuild their roster for the 2026-27 season, with two big-name veterans set for blockbuster moves.
Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to join the Miami Heat, with the Milwaukee Bucks choosing Miami's package over that of the Boston Celtics, which would have included their five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown.
The Bucks used one of the picks they acquired from Miami to select Tennessee forward Nate Ament 13th overall, shortly after taking Arizona guard Brayden Burries with the 10th pick.
The 2021 champions then completed the draft by selecting Malique Lewis of Trinidad and Tobago with the 60th and final pick. The 21-year-old forward has spent the past two seasons playing for South East Melbourne Phoenix.
Miami's anticipated trade for Antetokounmpo, though, has transformed them from afterthoughts to legitimate contenders, with their championship odds having been slashed in half this week.
Only Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Boston and the New York Knicks are seen as having a better chance of becoming the 2027 NBA champions.
This week's other big trade has seen the Charlotte Hornets agree to send guards LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves, in exchange for Naz Reid and a host of draft picks, according to reports.
Minnesota, who lost to San Antonio in the play-offs, made the moves after star player Anthony Edwards said he would ask for a trade if they did not build a championship-level roster around him.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 25: Brandon Lowe #5 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the first inning during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Thursday, June 25, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rayni Shiring/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Pirates 5, Mariners 1
Hey Lloyd, do some delivery for the truck to the airport : J.P. Crawford, 0.06 WPA
The audio truck today: Cole Young, -0.18 WPA, Rob Refsnyder in a single PA, -0.12 WPA
Game thread comment of the day:
This was laugh-out-loud funny and the highlight of the game.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 12: Jericho Sims #00 of the Milwaukee Bucks reaches for the ball against Adem Bona #30 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With free agency about to start in the coming days, the Milwaukee Bucks have an answer in regards to the future of center Jericho Sims.
Sims played in 67 games for the Bucks last season, averaging 5.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for Milwaukee.
With the roster looking very different compared to last year after the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, there is a lot of opportunity for players to earn minutes and roles within the roster. Sims will likely compete with Kel’el Ware and Myles Turner (if he’s on the roster by the start of the season) for playing time at the center position.
Sims began his career as the No. 58 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft by the New York Knicks out of the University of Texas. Sims spent the first three years of his career with the Knicks before being traded in the middle of his fourth season from the Knicks to the Bucks. Sims had his first full year in Milwaukee during the 2025-26 campaign and showed flashes of potential throughout the year.
With the Bucks entering a new era under head coach Taylor Jenkins, it will be intriguing to see how he fits into Milwaukee’s new system and how much he can grow as a player.
Brew Hoop community, how do you feel about Sims’ return to the Bucks? Let us know in the comments section below.
HOUSTON, TX - JUNE 20: Bryan Abreu #52 of the Houston Astros pitches during the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Saturday, June 20, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Logan Riely/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Bryan Abreu is with the team in Detroit ahead of today’s game with the Tigers:
Bryan Abreu flew to Detroit last night and is currently running poles on the field at Comerica Park alongside Enyel De Los Santos.
Effective today, the Astros reinstated RHP Bryan Abreu from the Restricted List…LHP Colton Gordon was optioned to Triple A Sugar Land following last night’s game.
Abreu is 2-3 with 5 Saves this season. He holds a 6.39 ERA and 1.82 WHIP this season.
Abreu has allowed only 1 ER in his last 7 appearances (6 IP) on 5 hits, 1 walk, and 8 strikeouts.
Sine May 1, Abreu has pitched 16 innings, allowing 5 earned runs (2.81 ERA) on 11 hits, 9 walks (1.25 WHIP) and 17 K. Only 2 of those walks have come in June.
(this story has been updated from it’s original publishing)
TORONTO, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 29: General Manager Bobby Webster of the Toronto Raptors listens in to press conferences during the Toronto Raptors' media day at Hotel X on September 29, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 NBA Draft is over. We let our immediate thoughts marinate and after sitting in the Toronto Raptors’ post-draft press conference availability, here are our final grades:
Rebecca: B
Allen Graves
It’s not hard to see why the Raptors see value here. An obvious option as a pick and pop player with solid shooting last season. He has good size and can probably contribute as a spacer immediately if his numbers stay consistent with the jump to the NBA. Graves had a fairly small sample size (only 93 attempts).
I also don’t love some of his decision-making, especially in the paint. This could be due to a lack of capable shooters around him in Santa Clara but he forces possessions inside rather than kicking to the open shooter. That should be easy to fix, especially with options like Walter and Barrett in the corner.
Overall – I think most of us agree that we wanted a centre or point guard.
Jaden Bradley
A point guard!
For what’s available at this point in the draft, I really like this pick. He’s a big guard who has plenty of experience in his four years in college. He can easily slot in and support off the bench which matches the Raptors’ timeline a little bit better.
He’s shown drastic improvement defensively, and with solid three-point shooting, he can help space the floor for the bench.
Josiah: B+
The Raptors made two very Raptors picks in Graves at No. 19 and Bradley at No. 50. Both have intriguing defensive potential, with Graves’ sky-high steal rate at Santa Clara a key pillar in his analytics-friendly profile and Bradley’s point-of-attack defensive pressure. Both have questions on the offensive side of the ball. The wisdom of the crowds (and it is a very crowded mock draft space indeed) has Graves ranked a little lower than No. 19, and Bradley a little higher than No. 50, but the fit in Toronto could smooth both of those pre-draft projections.
Toronto has drafted at least one player in the 6’7-6’9 height range in every draft since 2020. They’ve taken a player from college with every pick since Bruno Caboclo (now only two years away!) in 2014. Grades for players approximately four seconds into their NBA careers aren’t exactly a science, but in a draft process that’s more art anyways, I’ll trust the quality draft history.
Kristian: A-
It’s become a tradition synonymous with this time of the NBA calendar for Raptors fans. We get ourselves excited – and attached – to players we’ve invested hours watching on YouTube or reading about during commutes. When it’s finally time for our picks to be announced, we stand or sit in front of the TV with bated breath, before subsequently going through a violent swing of emotions because the Raptors front-office again chose to go with what they believe internally.
While we’ve had our misses, the Raptors have traditionally drafted well, particularly with later first-rounders. I believe Allen Graves will join a growing list of prospects we eventually learn to be grateful for. If most things fall into place, Graves could provide Head Coach Darko Rajakovic with an Al Horford-Boris Diaw type of player. At pick 19, that’s an absolute steal, knowing how much of a two-way force both players were. Go watch some footage of either player in their primes and tell me that archetype wouldn’t look great next to Scottie Barnes.
As for Jaden Bradley, there’s immense value in bringing on a senior with an established portfolio. The 2025-26 Big 12 Player of the Year is expected to come in and challenge the veterans.
That’s the goal of these young guys, to push the player ahead in the depth chart,” said Assistant General Manager Dan Tolzman. “He’s not going to take a back seat.”
“He’ll come in and fight.”
Julian: A-
Allen Graves
Graves is the prototypical Raptors pick. A big forward with two-way chops who the Raptors won’t have to hide on defence. I understand the logic behind the Graves pick: Vision 6’9″ and all of that, but after adding Collin Murray-Boyles last year, I believed that we were finally in a position to start drafting for fit.
Free agency is never a sure thing for Toronto, and while our reputation has improved greatly since the 1990s and 2000s, the Raptors have never been a destination for FAs, which is part of the reason I am wary about the belief the franchise has in being able to add size and guard play without the draft.
I think Graves has the potential to slot in well into lineups as a backup forward where CMB is playing the 5, but I am concerned that due to the similarity of play-style between him, Boyles, and Scottie, he won’t get the minutes he deserves to prove that he can hang with the big dogs, just like CMB benefited so much from last year. Nevertheless, if anyone can develop Graves, it would be us. I was shocked at last year’s pick and have been extremely pleased with the results. I’m willing to give my faith to the Raptors again.
Jaden Bradley
If the first round is about taking swings at prospects, second round conservatism is far from a bad thing. Bradley has shown what he can do on the college court, and taking a senior for the experience amidst a bunch of players all hitting that 22-24 age range is a great idea for team fit.
Bradley looked cool, calm, collected, and in control during March Madness, and getting that level of veteran talent out of the draft is more than worth it. 3-and-D is a phrase that has been overused ad nauseam, but Bradley himself has made it clear that he sees that as a big part of his role here in Toronto
Getting a guard that will be hard to either target on defence or sag off during offence is always going to be a good move, and will save the energies of Scottie Barnes and CMB, redirecting defensive attention where it is really necessary. Having someone else to drop dimes and shoot threes alongside – or in stead of – Quickley and Shead is not a bad thing at all. And if the minutes aren’t there, time in the G-League is nothing to be ashamed of in this franchise – Bradley will bring high quality play alongside intangibles wherever the Raptors choose to slot him in.
Major League Baseball proposed limiting most free agent contracts to five years and 15% of a team’s salary cap and to eliminate deferred compensation, fleshing out additional details of a salary cap plan likely to spark a confrontation with the players’ association.
During a bargaining session Thursday at the union’s office, MLB said it would accept the union’s proposal granting free agency a year early for players who have reached age 30 as part of a salary cap system. MLB also proposed boosting the minimum salary from $780,000 to $1 million for those with two years of big league service.
MLB also proposed increasing the pre-arbitration bonus pool from $50 million to $65 million next year and $75 million by 2032, the sixth season of MLB’s proposed seven-year deal.
MLB also said it would agree to eliminate the qualifying offer for free agents that has restricted the market for some players.
Bargaining started May 13 for a contract to replace the five-year deal that expires Dec. 1, and owners proposed a salary cap for the first time since the union fought off the system during a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95. MLB is expected to impose a lockout in December, halting free agent signings and trades.
After the prior agreement expired in December 2021, intensive bargaining did not start until late February as the threat approached of losing regular-season games — along with revenue and salary. The sides reached an agreement on March 10, the 99th day of the lockout, preserving the 162-game schedule.
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 25: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on January 25, 2024 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Austin Reaves’ new $185-million deal guarantees him a deal richer than any undrafted player has ever received.
The deal coming in at such a big number might have Laker fans thinking they just offered him the max and got it over with, but that’s far from the case.
Reaves mentioned feeling relief that an agreement was reached, and that’s likely because, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Lakers weren’t initially offering him a max deal.
On Thursday’s episode of “First Take,” Windhorst said the Lakers were offering Reaves much less, putting his future with the team in question.
“Austin Reaves, from what I understand, two days ago was somewhere around $30 million a year in his offer from the Lakers. A very good contract. It is a far cry from what they offered him yesterday. What they offered him yesterday and what he agreed to was more than $45 million a year. That’s a 50 percent increase in like 24 hours. That’s why Austin Reaves was falling down on the golf course yesterday. Because he got his contract offer up 50 percent.”
Of course, paying him less would’ve been ideal for the franchise, but even less ideal would’ve been watching Reaves flourish in Detroit and having fans wonder why LA let a homegrown talent like that walk away.
The Lakers couldn’t risk that, so they did the smart thing and paid Reaves the max to ensure he’d remain in Los Angeles.
The Lakers’ front office does deserve credit for being tough negotiators here. They tried to get a deal done for less than the max, but didn’t mess around when it became clear that’s what it would take to keep him.
Now, the Lakers have their backcourt locked up, and considering how quickly they reportedly went from an offer around $30 million to one over $45 million, it’s unlikely there are any hurt feelings over this process.
In free agency, the market dictates what one is worth. Clearly, there was some interest in Reaves as a max player from other teams, so the Lakers stepped up and made sure they had a fair offer on the table.
But before they just gave Reaves a higher number, they tried to do something team-friendly, and that was a good way to go through this process.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: A general view of the New York Yankees playing against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on March 27, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants wrap up this three-game series against the Athletics this afternoon from Oracle Park.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be Landen Roupp, who will enter today’s game with both a chorus of boos and a 4.15 ERA, 3.00 FIP, with 89 strikeouts to 33 walks in 80.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 4-3 loss to the Miami Marlins on Friday, in which he allowed two runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and a walk in six innings.
Taking the mound for the A’s will be left-hander Jeffrey Springs, who enters today’s game with a 5.55 ERA, 5.71 FIP, with 72 strikeouts to 27 walks in 82.2 innings. Springs also leads the league in the most home runs allowed this season with 21. His last start was in the Athletics’ 12-11 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, in which he allowed six runs on four hits with four strikeouts and four walks in three and two thirds innings.
While the 2026 NBA Draft is now in the rearview mirror, the Lakers are still making roster moves. A move they made June 25 is sure to bring a lot of smiles to basketball fans.
Jon Chepkevich ofDraft Express broke news on Thursday that the Lakers have signed Robbie Avila to an Exhibit 10 contract after Avila wasn’t drafted.
This contract means that Avila has agreed to a one-year, nonguaranteed deal for the league minimum salary with the Lakers.
Former Saint Louis forward Robbie Avila (right) signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Lakers. AP
This Exhibit 10 contract can also be converted to a two-way contract, which would then result in any bonus money (which can reach up to $75,000) becoming guaranteed.
Avila is a 22-year-old, 6-foot-10 center who played his first two college basketball seasons at Indiana State before transferring to Saint Louis.
He averaged 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game with the Billikens during his senior season, which was enough to earn him A-10 Player of the Year honors.
Avila has become a college basketball fan favorite because of his unique, eccentric look. He doesn’t have the typical body type of a basketball star, plus the glasses he wears on the court have provided several hilarious nicknames, including “Cream Abdul-Jabbar” (which is fitting, now that he’s with the Lakers).
Now Los Angeles didn’t sign Avila because it would go over with fans. He’s a versatile forward who is an excellent passer for his size and position. Plus, Avila shot 41% from 3-point range during his senior season and 37.9% from 3 throughout his college career, which shows he can expand the floor.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JUNE 25: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates his third home run of the game against the Kansas City Royals during the eighth inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field on June 25, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In an ugly display of baseball futility, the Royals dropped the series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays, 13-2. The Rays, utilizing their bullpen for the entire game, didn’t allow a Royals hit until the ninth inning when Carter Jensen hit a two-run home run, extending his hitting streak to 15 games.
There really isn’t anything else positive to say about the Royals today. They stunk. They slept through this game on both sides of the ball. The Rays totaled 15 hits, four of which left the yard, and another two went for doubles. Royals pitchers, led by starter Seth Lugo, struck out only five and walked two.
Just a pathetic display of baseball from the Royals.
Things went south pretty quickly. In the bottom of the first, after Jonathan Aranda singled with one out, Rays third baseman Junior Caminero took Lugo deep on a hard-hit, towering flyball to left field. 2-0, Rays.
It stayed that way until the bottom of the fourth when Victor Mesa Jr. hit his third home run of the season, this one a three-run homer.
5-0, Rays.
Meanwhile, the Royals offense looked awful against opener Casey Legumina and then Ian Seymour. Seymour dominated the Royals–the lefty pitched 6-and-2/3 innings, struck out seven, walked one, and surrendered zero hits. He picked up the win to improve to 4-1 as the Rays win their second consecutive game to improve to 45-33 on the season. They are second in the AL East, 2.5 games back of the Yankees, while also holding the top Wild Card spot.
Lugo, clearly, didn’t pitch as well. He stayed in a bit longer and gave up another home run to Caminero and then another run for funsies. On the day, he pitched five innings, gave up seven hits, struck out three, walked two, and allowed seven runs, all earned. He’s now 3-5 with a 4.18 ERA. What a tantalizing trade piece.
Just because Lugo left the game didn’t mean Caminero was done, though. He hit another home run, this one a three-run shot off, uh, Tyler Tolbert, to make it 13-o in the eighth. Today marks Caminero’s first career three-home-run game. I doubt it’s his last. That dude is good.
There’s never been a no-hitter and an individual with 3 HR in the same game
With Junior Caminero, the Rays are the 2nd team in at least the expansion era (1961) to have an 8+ inning no-hit bid and an individual 3-HR game in the same game, joining 6/27/25 CIN
The Royals finally gained a baserunner in the sixth when Starling Marte worked the first of his two walks on the day. He added another in the ninth before scoring on Jensen’s homer off the Husk of Craig Kimbrel.
Not much else to say. The loss drops the Royals to 34-48. An ugly loss during an ugly season.
That’s Thursday morning baseball for you. If you watched today’s game, go do something fun now. You deserve it.
As the night closed on the second round of the NBA Draft, the New York Knicks, fresh off their NBA Championship, finally made (and retained) two draft picks. However, that's a story for another time. The real story is that, during the NBA Draft, the Knicks acquired the draft rights to three international players, which means that the Knicks now hold the draft rights to 19 different international players.
Yes, you read that right. The Knicks hold the draft rights to 19 different international players. If you wanted to follow Basketball Reference’s leadand only count active players, the Knicks hold the rights to 13 international players. No other NBA team currently holds the rights to more than four.
So what are the Knicks doing? Is there a benefit to them holding the draft rights to this many players?
In short, no. Having the draft rights to international players does have a benefit, especially for a team like the Knicks, who are relatively cap-strapped, since they don't want to go over the second apron. If you have the draft rights to an international player, you can technically have that player as part of your organization without having to pay them. So if you, like the Knicks, drafted a 20-year-old guard from Germany and didn't want him to count against your salary cap, you could keep him in Germany for another year or two and allow him to grow and develop his game without having to count him towards your salary cap. Those players could then come stateside to be a part of your team or be used in a trade as a little sweetener. For the player who is retired, like some of the players the Knicks have the rights to, there's no real reason beyond the team simply not wanting to renounce the rights.
For the Knicks, it's grown into something else. One of the players they acquired the draft rights to this season is 39 years old and was drafted back in 2009. The Knicks also retain the rights to three players who are over 40 years old, including one who is 43 years old now and was drafted back in 2005.
So, who are these players the Knicks have the draft rights to, and will any of them ever play in the NBA?
New York Knicks International Draft Rights
James Nnaji
Nnaji is one of the few players fans may know on this list because he made headlines when he enrolled in college and played at Baylor despite having already been an NBA draft pick. He averaged just 1.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 18 games for the Bears. Nnaji was taken by the Pistons with the first pick in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft. He was almost immediately traded to Boston and then Charlotte within two days. The Knicks acquired him in October 2024 as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns deal. He's just 21 years old and still an active player who played for the Knicks in summer league last year.
Rokas Jokubaitis
There was a lot of hype around Jokubaitis from long-suffering Knicks fans. The Knicks originally drafted the Lithuanian point guard with the fourth pick in the second round back in the 2021 NBA Draft. He has played in the summer league for the Knicks twice, averaging 9.8 points and 3.8 assists in 2024-25. He's just 25 years old, but he no longer seems like a realistic option to ever play for the Knicks.
Melvin Ajinca
Ajinca was originally drafted by the Knicks in the 2024 NBA Draft and immediately traded to Dallas. Two nights ago, the Mavericks traded the 21-year-old French forward back to the Knicks. He played 63 games for ASVEL Basket this past season, averaging 6.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.9 assists while shooting 36.6% from the field. Even though he's young, he's a long shot to ever play for the Knicks.
Hugo Besson
Besson is one of the youngest players on this list and is currently active. The 25-year-old French point guard was drafted by the Pacers in the 2022 NBA Draft and immediately traded to Milwaukee. The Bucks then traded his rights to the Knicks in February of last season, along with Delon Wright. Besson played in the summer league in 2024-25 and played 23 minutes a game in Turkey this season, averaging 11.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 46 games.
Tadija Dragicevic
Dragicevic is the first of the 40-year-olds that we'll discuss (I'm 41, so this is an OK topic of conversation). The 6'9" Serbian power forward was originally drafted by the Jazz in 2008 and has since had his rights traded four times. The last of which was a 2020 trade from Houston to New York. Dragicevic was 34 years old at the time the Knicks acquired his rights.
Bojan Dubljevic
Dubljevic is a Montenegrin power forward who was originally drafted by the Timberwolves in 2013. They traded him to Portland six years later, and then the Knicks acquired him from Portland in 2023 when he was 31 years old. Even then, he was not going to come play in the NBA, and that's even less likely now at 34 years old, even though he is still playing in Spain and averaging 20 minutes a game with 7.4 points and 6.4 rebounds a game.
Axel Hervelle
Hervelle is 43 years old and was drafted by the Nuggets in the second round in 2005. He was traded to the Rockets in 2009 and then later acquired by the Knicks in 2020 when he was 37 years old.
Ognjen Jaramaz
Jaramaz is one of the few players originally drafted by the Knicks. The Knicks took the Serbian shooting guard with the 28th pick of the second round in the 2017 NBA Draft, and he played in NBA summer league for them that season. He played in the Adriatic League this season, averaging 6.5 points and 2.2 assists per game at 30 years old.
Petteri Koponen
Koponen is one of the only first-round picks on this list. He was drafted by the 76ers with the 30th overall pick in 2007 but was immediately traded to Portland. Portland traded him to Dallas in 2011 before the Knicks acquired him in June 2024, when he was 36 years old.
Sergio Llull
Llull is one of a few international players the Knicks acquired the rights to from the Rockets in 2020, along with Austin Rivers. The Spanish point guard was originally drafted by the Nuggets in 2009 and was immediately traded to Houston. Lull is still playing in Spain at 37 years old and is also an Olympic Silver Medalist.
Luka Mitrovic
A Serbian power forward, Mitrovic was drafted by the 76ers in the 2015 draft and was traded just a month later to the Kings. The Knicks acquired the 33-year-old last June in a trade with the Clippers that also sent Mohamed Diawara to the Knicks in exchange for Kobe Sanders. Mitrovic played summer league for Sacramento in 2016-17 and is currently playing in Moscow, where he averaged 5.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists this season.
Mojave King
King is a 24-year-old guard from New Zealand who was drafted by the Lakers in the second round in 2023 and has already been traded four times. The most recent of which was when the Rockets dealt him to the Knicks just two days ago. He played in the G League back in the 2023-24 season and averaged 11.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while playing in Australia this season. He did shoot 41.1% from beyond the arc, but he still seems like a long shot to ever make it to the NBA.
Brad Newley
Newley is one of the 40-year-olds to whom the Knicks own the draft rights. The 41-year-old was originally drafted by Houston in 2007 and traded 10 years later to the Lakers. The Knicks then acquired his draft rights in 2022 when he was 36 years old.
Emir Preldzic
The Turkish forward owns the honor of being the most traded player on this list. He was originally drafted by the Suns in the 2009 NBA Draft and has been traded seven different times. The Knicks acquired him in 2021 from the Suns when he was 33 years old. At 38 years old now, it's safe to say that Preldzic is not coming over to the NBA.
Nikola Radicevic
Radicevic was another Denver draft pick, originally selected in the 2015 draft and traded five years later to the Pistons. The Knicks acquired the 32-year-old back in 2022 in a deal that sent Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel to the Pistons. Radicevic is playing in Lithuania and averaged 8.3 points, 3.8 assists, and 2.0 rebounds in 21 minutes per game.
Juan Pablo Vaulet
Vaulet is relatively young for this list at 30 years old. The Argentine forward was drafted by the Hornets in 2015 and immediately traded to the Nets. He was traded back and forth between the Nets and Pacers a couple of times, and then traded from the Nets to the Knicks in July of 2024. He is still playing in Europe and averaged 10.3 points and 4.4 rebounds in 20 minutes per game this season
Latavious Williams
Williams is the lone American on the list. The 37-year-old was drafted in the middle of the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft by the Heat and immediately traded to the Thunder. The Thunder traded him to the Pelicans in 2015, but he was traded to the Knicks in the Jose Alvarado deal this year. Williams has played 11 international games in the last two seasons, including eight games this season in Venezuela.
Wang Zhelin
Zhelin is a Chinese center who was originally drafted by the Grizzlies in 2016. The Knicks acquired the 32-year-old from the Lakers in 2022 in exchange for the rights to Louis Labeyrie (more on that below). Zhelin is still playing in China and averaging 11.2 points and 6.6 rebounds a game.
Chinemelu Elonu
Elonu is 39 years old. The 6'10" 235-pound (maybe when he played) Nigerian center played at Texas A&M from 2006 to 2009 and was a 2nd round pick of the Lakers in the 2009 NBA Draft. The Knicks just acquired his draft rights last night.
Louis Labeyrie
Labeyrie is a fun one because the Pacers drafted him in 2014 and then immediately traded him to the Knicks. The French forward actually played in the Summer League for the Knicks, but never came over to join the team. They traded him to the Lakers in 2012, but clearly coveted his draft rights again, so the Knicks traded for the 34-year-old during this year's draft. He played in France this season and averaged 5.9 points and 4.1 rebounds in 20 minutes per game.
After trading Bowen Byram and Michael Kesselring already this off-season, the Buffalo Sabres should be looking to add at least one more defenseman this summer. While they brought in Louis Crevier from the Blackhawks in the Byram trade, Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn are also pending UFAs for Buffalo.
Now, the Sabres are being linked to a Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman.
According to The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta, the Sabres have had trade discussions with the Maple Leafs about Brandon Carlo.
With the Sabres needing another right-shot defenseman, it makes sense that they have a defenseman like Carlo on their radar. When playing at his best, the veteran blueliner is a solid stay-at-home top-four defenseman. Because of this, he would have the potential to be a nice pickup for a Sabres club that needs blueline help.
If the Sabres acquired Carlo, he could slot well on their second pairing with Owen Power. He would also offer them a clear option for their penalty kill because of his defense-first style of play.
In 55 games this past season with the Maple Leafs, Carlo posted zero goals, seven assists, and a plus-4 rating.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 28: Monkey D. Luffy One Piece/TOEI Animation is seen during 98th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 28, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Macy's) | Getty Images for Macy's
One date that was curiously absent from the 2026 Dodgers home schedule filled in just before Memorial Day: almost one year to the day, the Straw Hat Pirates of One Piece will make their return to Dodger Stadium.
Straw Hats, it’s time. ONE PIECE Night returns to the ballpark on 7/2!
By all accounts, last year’s festivities were enjoyed by most. We at True Blue LA got far more mileage than expected with last year’s announcement and subsequent festivities, with one major point that we will focus on in a moment.
Last year, the Dodgers and Toei Animation did a joint press release. This year, the Dodgers have largely been mum on the specifics, but one would expect another drone show, intro video, and features around the ballpark on July 2nd.
Frankly, it would be shocking not to see something similar on July 2. As an aside, in the video, Luffy wears 56 as a bit of a Japanese pun – “go” means five, “mu” means six, and the fruit that gave Luffy his stretchy powers is called the Gomu Gomu no Mi (The Gum Gum Fruit).
The theme night will again include a Dodgers-branded signature straw hat, similar to the one Luffy wears, now for the first 52,000 ticketed fans instead of 40,000. The main newsworthiness of last year’s event is the same draw for this year’s event: this year’s promotional card for the One Piece trading card game.
Using last year as an example of why this news is a big deal, it’s not every day that the Dodgers give away a promotional item that last year’s model is still selling for two and a half to five thousand American dollars online.
First, the character is generally known as Luffy (pronounced Loofy, not Luff-y — don’t be Michael Kay), not Monkey; it’s Japanese.
Second, last year, the Dodgers gave away a promotional trading card on One Piece night: a promotional card compatible with the One Piece trading card game, featuring Monkey D. Luffy holding a baseball in a Dodgers uniform.
— One Piece Merch News (@OPMerchandise) July 4, 2025
Here is what I reported at the time:
To the unaware, the card, featuring art from the manga’s creator, Eiichiro Oda, looks like a simple trading card. However, over the past couple of years, games like the One Piece card game and the Pokémon Trading Card Game have developed subcultures centered on collecting rare cards from randomized packs.
These packs, which were originally sold for less than $10 per pack, now sell for significantly more (think anywhere from $25 to $500 or higher per pack). This explanation is generalized for brevity. It is not hyperbole to point out that some of these cards are valued and sold in excess of $1,000 per card…
…Still, after checking online, seeing that secondary sellers are selling the Luffy promo card for an average of $350-$500 is shocking. While prices have dipped from the initial frenzy, I would not expect prices to approach something reasonable until the market crashes.
The market did not crash, dear reader, as much as fans of the One Piece card game would have wanted it to.
The price of the 2025 Luffy Dodgers promo just kept going up and up, as the market for a limited-edition, one-off promotional card clearly demonstrates supply and demand. Now, the 2025 Luffy Dodgers promo card cannot be found in mint condition for sale for less than $2,250. Seeing prices for a mint condition of this card in excess of three thousand dollars is not uncommon.
Capitalism, everybody! For the nuances of how the economies of trading card games and the like work, see the attached link.
The Dodgers have announced that each ticketed fan will be limited to one set of items, as last year, the folks doing the giving away were a bit overwhelmed, per reports, which is odd considering how adroitly they handled themselves during multiple Shohei Ohtani giveaways, but such is life.
Consider the following pullquote as an informal public service announcement:
If you are going to the July 2nd game, do not throw the promotional card away or sell the card to anyone asking for it. I would bring a book, and stash the card in there for safekeeping, but you do you.
Author’s note: Taking this advice does not create privity between yourself and the author, true blue la, sbnation, or any subsidiary of vox media, inc.
Do I expect this year’s card to be comparable in value to last year’s version? Honestly, no.
This year’s card is not as striking as last year’s card, and in these matters, aesthetics matter.
Next, I think the cat is out of the bag, and the situation is eerily similar to the speculation bubble in American comic books that nearly nuked pre-Disney Marvel. This argument needs context, so we must rely on movie critic Bob Chipman for the analogous on-point argument.
The contents of the video essay are predictably evergreen for any overvalued asset.
The reason why last year’s card will always be inherently more valuable than this year’s card is the small number of promotional cards that survived that night at Dodger Stadium. Most of the fans that attended 2025’s One Piece night thought they were getting a couple of ticky-tacky baubles, not something that could potentially be sold for consequences-level money.
Now, people know better, as word (and articles like this one) has gotten out; by definition, more promotional cards will survive, which will increase supply, lower demand, and potentially save us all from a part three in 2027.
I suddenly envisioned a future in which I would have to write a synopsis of One Piece for a non-anime baseball audience. While I am having this existential meltdown, you might be having a different thought. If you don’t have tickets to this game, you might be suddenly inspired to see the spiraling San Diego Padres for some reason. Accordingly, you might be tempted to pick up game tickets for Dodger Stadium on July 2.
This article serves as a public service announcement on that front, too.
Game tickets for 7/2 cost how much?!?
Do you like paying NLDS prices for game tickets in July? Why do I ask? Well…
The embedded Bluesky post is not a typo; the lowest price seat from the team is $376. These seats are in the upper deck. Prices get exponentially worse from there. Not “NBA Finals in New York for the first time in a generation” bad, but still astronomical for a summer regular-season game.
In comparison, the following night, the lowest price seat from the team is $81. The secondary ticket market is similarly overheated, with the lowest prices just shy of $400.
From anecdotal evidence, the ticket prices for the game shot up by a third once the existence of this year’s promo card was confirmed. Do I expect ticket prices for this game to drop? No, if anything, I expect the opposite.
Now, if one wanted to avoid this upcoming madness, one could make a tidy little profit by reselling one’s game ticket. One just might do that; I couldn’t possibly comment.
There is a hidden advantage to sitting this out: the likely confusion that will likely bleed into that night’s broadcast, especially if the game is a blowout.
Would I enjoy Joe Davis and Orel Hershiser trying to decipher this madness on the telecast? Very much so. Would I enjoy listening to Stephen Nelson try to explain this madness to Rick Monday on the radio? Very much so. Would I enjoy Eric Karros harrumphing in confusion at the festivities? Less so, but fun can still be had in this scenario.
I would hope for a blowout in either direction to ensure that Nelson/Tim Neverett and Monday have no choice but to fill time by talking about it.
Will noted One Piece fan Shohei Ohtani enjoy the festivities? Probably. Regardless of whether you are going, want to go, want to flee, or you should flee, you cannot claim that you were not told.
