ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 16: Starting pitcher Grant Holmes (66) of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch during the Tuesday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the San Francisco Giants on June 16, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves are headed out west to face the Padres and they could use a series victory to get back on track. The. The Braves did take two from the Brewers, but they won in games where the Braves did not produce much offense.
The Braves will likely need their offense to kick it into gear tonight since Grant Holmes is on the mound. Holmes has arguably had the worst two game skid in his career his last two outings. In his last two starts he combined for only 5.2 innings pitched while giving up six runs, eight hits, and walking five hitters to only four strikeouts. He also got saved a few times when he loaded the bases multiple times where a lot more damage could have been done.
It is no secret now that Holmes struggles the second time through the order. The average hitter is hitting .320/.395/.660 against him. If a hitter had that slash line for an entire season, they would get MVP votes. For reference, if a hitter had an OPS of 1.055, they would have the second highest OPS in MLB behind the otherworldly Yordan Alvarez.
No player on the Padres has faced Holmes in more than five at-bats, so there is not a lot of past matchup data to draw conclusions from. Ty France has seen Holmes the most and in his five at-bats is hitting .400 with a 1.100 OPS. Manny Machado has a hit against Holmes both times he faced him.
Unless something crazy happens, it is likely that we will see a lot of bullpen arms used today. It will be interesting to see if it will be a planned long reliever like Didier Fuentes or someone like that.
Michael King will be taking the mound for the Braves. The last time King faced the Braves it was his first start of 2025 where he only lasted 2.2 innings when he gave up four hits to include a HR, four walks, three earned runs, and three strikeouts. The Padres ended up winning that game, but it was not because of King.
King has been very good this season when looking at his on the field surface numbers. He has a 3.60 ERA in 85.0 innings over fifteen starts with a WHIP of 1.188. His underlying metrics show a different story with his expected ERA (xERA) being 4.79 which is in the bottom 25.0 percent of pitchers. He also has an expected batting average against (xBA) him of .252 which places him in the bottom 37.0 percent of pitchers.
Hopefully King’s regression to the mean will start tonight with the Braves. The difficulty with King will be that his best skill this season is preventing hard contact, and that is what the Braves’ greatest strength is offensively.
Every player on the Braves’ active roster outside of Eli White has faced King before. Rowdy Tellez leads the team with fourteen at-bats against King, but likely won’t get the start. Unfortunately, no one on the Braves has established success. Albies has a HR in two at-bats, and Kim has a hit in his one at-bat, but everyone else has an OPS that is .715 or lower against King.
On paper, the Padres seem to have the advantage in this game, but you never know when one of the Braves start to get hot. That seems to be the trend this season. Dominic Smith had a spurt, Matt Olson had a hot streak, Drake Baldwin and Michael Harris have been steady, and Ozzie Albies seems to now be heating up.
Grab your coffee because the first pitch is at 10:10 pm EDT.
The Hockey Hall of Fame unveiled its Class of 2026 on Monday, a group headlined by Patrice Bergeron — who spent 20 years in Boston winning six Selke Trophies and a Stanley Cup — alongside goaltenders Carey Price and Pekka Rinne, power forward Keith Tkachuk, women's hockey pioneer Cindy Curley, and builder Brian Burke.
For Oilers fans, it's that last name that carries the most history.
Burke and Edmonton go way back — and not always warmly. Before winning the Stanley Cup in 2007, he orchestrated the trade that sent Chris Pronger from the Oilers to the Ducks, a deal that will forever go down as the start of the Oilers Decade of Darkness.
His link to the Oilers was memorable, given his feud with former Oilers executive Kevin Lowe. Burke once threatened to rent a barn to fight Lowe after a heated offer sheet dispute — a threat serious enough that Commissioner Gary Bettman called within ten minutes to threaten a suspension.
Lowe, for his part, was equally colorful in return, calling Burke "a moron" and "an absolute media junkie" on the radio. The Ducks let Edmonton have Dustin Penner (the target of the offer sheet), and it didn't go down as well as the Oilers would have hoped.
Eventually, the two patched things up, but it was a time in which offer sheets aren't as prevalent as they are in today's NHL.
Burke also held the title of president of hockey operations with the Calgary Flames — Edmonton's fiercest rival — before later joining the Pittsburgh Penguins in the same capacity.
Love him or hate him, few figures have shaped the modern NHL front office more than Burke. The Hall of Fame nod is well earned.
The New York Yankees, ranked first in the AL East with a 46-30 record, face the Detroit Tigers, who are fourth in the AL Central with a 33-44 record. The New York Yankees are favored with a -125 moneyline compared to the Detroit Tigers' +105. Starting pitchers are Gerrit Cole for New York, with a 2.57 ERA, and Framber Valdez for Detroit, with a 4.09 ERA.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are going to be an interesting team to watch this off-season. While they made the playoffs in 2025-26, they are a team that is still focused on the future. Due to this, it is fair to wonder if they could end up trading some of their veteran players.
Rakell was given the No. 21 spot on Johnston's trade board. It is not necessarily surprising, as questions about Rakell's future in Pittsburgh have come up since the end of the club's playoff run. He was also the subject of trade speculation this past summer.
If the Penguins do shop Rakell, he should generate a good amount of interest. The 33-year-old winger is still an impactful top-six forward at this stage in his career, as evidenced by his 24 goals and 48 points in 60 games this past season.
As for Rust, he landed the No. 22 spot on Johnston's trade board. Like Rakell, Rust has also been talked about often in the rumor mill often this summer, just like was last year.
Trading Rust would be a big deal, as he has spent all 12 seasons of his NHL career with the Penguins. However, the Penguins could also get a serious return for him if they moved him this off-season. The veteran forward had 29 goals and 65 points in 72 games this past season with Pittsburgh. This was after he had 31 goals and 65 points in 71 games for the Penguins in 2024-25.
The hockey world was put into a frenzy on Sunday by the Brady Tkachuk trade from the Ottawa Senators to the Florida Panthers.
When it came to the Tkachuk trade rumors over the past two years, the New York Rangers were certainly linked to him, whether that speculation was true or not.
However, Tkachuk reportedly released a four-team trade list, which included the Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and Carolina Hurricanes.
“At the outset of discussions between Staios and the Tkachuk camp, Oster presented a list of four teams Tkachuk would consider in a potential trade: the Wild, the Carolina Hurricanes, the Vegas Golden Knights and, of course, Brady’s brother Matthew’s team, the Panthers,” NHL insider Pierre LeBrun wrote.
“At no time did Tkachuk promise to waive for all four teams. And that’s an important distinction, because as the process went and as Ottawa talked trades with the four teams, one thing became apparent: This was really just about Tkachuk wanting to be in Florida.”
The Rangers were notably not one of the teams on Tkachuk’s list.
It shows that, despite New York being a desirable market for players to flock to, the Rangers are not ready to truly emerge as a Stanley Cup contender, which is deterring star talent from seeking a trade to The Big Apple.
Dylan Larkin reportedly requested a trade from the Detroit Red Wings and submitted a list of three teams he would like to be traded to, which includes the Panthers, Golden Knights, and Wild, with the Rangers absent from his list.
En route to missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury issued a letter to fans in January outlining the team’s plan to “retool” the roster and focus on the future as opposed to the immediate present.
Drury then went ahead and traded the Rangers’ to point producer, Artemi Panarin, and is rumored to be shopping Vincent Trocheck this offseason.
Withstanding some of the organization's mixed messaging about fast-tracking the retool, whether it’s from Drury or head coach Mike Sullivan, the Rangers are not a team constructed to win now, and until that changes, star players will only continue to bypass the Blueshirts as one of their preferred destinations.
That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020.
So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order.
“We’ve said it for a long time, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.”
After the recent trade with the Maple Leafs, the Flyers have only four picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET.
“I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said June 2 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success.
“And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.”
“What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014).
“But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.”
Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.
Next up:
Elton Hermansson
Position: Winger Height: 6-foot Weight: 182 Shoots: Right Team: MoDo
Scouting report
Hermansson is a player that fuels on point production, scoring with plenty of finesse and confidence.
The 18-year-old put up 11 goals and 10 assists over 38 games this season in HockeyAllsvenskan, a Swedish pro league that’s a tier below the SHL.
He had a very productive 2026 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship, a tournament that ended last month. Hermansson recorded 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in seven games for Team Sweden, which won gold.
But his work ethic and battle level without the puck are suspect.
“He had that U-18 tournament, which was impressive,” Daily Faceoff associate editor and prospect analyst Steven Ellis said June 9 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Extremely offensive, great creator. But it’s kind of offense or bust for him and I think that’s part of the issue.”
“I think he has got to work on his B game, making sure he’s more effective and you can throw him in for a checking role,” Ellis said. “He doesn’t hit many guys, that’s kind of the thing. I think if he adds a little bit more speed, he’d be really interesting.
“But I think from a pure skill perspective, few guys can go out there and dangle like he can, few guys can go out there and create the offensive opportunities like he can. It’s just can he do a bit more than that? I think that’s where there’s a question mark for me.”
While immensely skilled, Hermansson is not the biggest and there are some concerns with his competitiveness.
Can he be a true play-driver or does he rely a little too much on others? Will he consistently play 200 feet? The Flyers will have to answer those questions if they see Hermansson as an option at No. 21.
The scoring talent is absolutely there and that could intrigue the Flyers. But a different player may give them more answers.
May 16, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Yerry De los Santos (73) reacts during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images
The New York Yankees announced on Monday that they called up right-handed relief pitcher Yerry de los Santos to the major leagues to shore up their bullpen ahead of their series with the Detroit Tigers. The team made the announcement via X.
Prior to tonight’s game, the Yankees recalled RHP Yerry de los Santos (#73) from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The hard-throwing sinker-changeup specialist takes Elmer Rodríguez’s place after his spot start on Sunday. De los Santos beats Yovanny Cruz, who was also in contention for a spot on the major league roster.
De los Santos has already been called up twice this year, pitching in a couple of games and completing 5.1 innings with a solid 1.69 ERA. He has walked three and struck out six hitters.
The 28-year-old has enjoyed a fairly successful campaign in Triple-A so far with the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, posting a 3.41 ERA and a 3.14 FIP in 31.2 frames. He boasts a 27.7 percent strikeout rate and a 6.2 percent walk rate.
Cruz has also been solid in Triple-A this year with a 3.46 ERA and a 31.3 strikeout rate, but has been crushed to the tune of a 5.68 ERA this month and has pitched just five games in June. Perhaps he’s dealing with an undisclosed and minor issue, or just going through a bit of a slump.
During his career in the majors, de los Santos has shown a live arm and has always been seen as a promising pitcher, but an inability to get lefties out has limited his ceiling. So far, he has a 5.01 FIP vs. lefty hitters and a 3.12 mark vs. righties in MLB.
However, he appears to have made some strides in that department this year in the minor leagues, where he boasts a .164 batting average against while facing lefties and a .253 mark vs. righties. Whether he can keep up those gains against some of the most talented hitters in the world remains to be seen. If he pitches well, de los Santos could have a chance to stick around for a while.
Patrice Bergeron, Brian Burke, Cindy Curley, Carey Price, Pekka Rinne and Keith Tkachuk have been named to the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026, the Hall announced Monday. The inductees will enter the Hall in November.
Bergeron won the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward six times, most of any player. He won his final Selke in 2022-23, his last year before retiring.
He was not just a defensive whiz. He scored 1,040 points, all for the Boston Bruins. His most productive offensive rates occurred while centering Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. The 2003 second-round pick developed into one of the top power-play specialists while working the bumper position.
He won the Stanley Cup in 2011. The Quebec native helped Canada win Olympic gold in 2010 and 2014. He also claimed international titles at the 2004 World Championship and 2005 World Junior Championship. Coaches regularly used Bergeron with Sidney Crosby during international competition.
Burke will enter the Hall in the builder category. He served as general manager for the Hartford Whalers, Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs, winning the Cup with the Ducks in 2007. In Vancouver, Burke executed the trades that allowed the Canucks to draft Daniel and Henrik Sedin in 1999.
Burke was president of hockey operations for the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins. He also worked for the NHL as senior vice president and director of hockey operations.
Curley played at Providence College. The forward helped the Friars win back-to-back NCAA championships in 1984 and 1985.
The native of Stow, Mass., was a member of Team USA’s inaugural World Championship team in 1990 and won three silver medals while playing for the Americans at the event.
Price played his entire career for the Montreal Canadiens. The netminder won a franchise record 361 games.
He reached his peak in 2014-15, when he posted a .933 save percentage and a 1.96 goals-against average in 66 appearances. The smooth-moving Price won the Hart Trophy as league MVP and the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie that season.
Price, a native of Anahim Lake, British Columbia, won Olympic gold with Team Canada in 2014. He was also a gold medalist at the 2007 World Junior Championship. His career ended early because of a knee injury.
Rinne played all 683 of his games with the Nashville Predators. The 2004 eighth-round pick developed into a workhorse for the Predators, playing a career-high 73 games in 2011-12. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2017-18 with a .927 save percentage and a 2.31 GAA.
The Finnish goalie represented his country at the 2014 and 2015 World Championships. He helped the Finns win silver in 2014.
Tkachuk was one of his generation’s most dangerous power forwards. The left-shot Tkachuk scored 1,065 points, including 538 goals, for the Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues and Atlanta Thrashers.
In 1996-97, Tkachuk, a native of Melrose, Mass., scored 52 goals for the Coyotes. He became the first American to lead the NHL in goals.
Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, Winnipeg Jets, Providence Friars, Providence Friars, NHL, Women's Hockey, Men's Olympic Ice Hockey, Women's Olympic Ice Hockey
SAINT PAUL, MN - MARCH 18: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins celebrates after scoring a goal against the Minnesota Wild during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on March 18, 2023 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
It’s been a pretty good start to the summer for Patrice Bergeron.
Just a few days after the Bruins announced that they’ll be retiring his #37 this season, Bergeron learned today that he has been elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
This year was the first year Bergeron was eligible for induction, and it’s no real surprise that he got the call the first time around.
Bergeron will officially be inducted into the HHOF in this year’s induction ceremony on November 9.
The Leafs usually have a Hockey Hall of Fame Game around the induction too…might be a nice time for the Bruins to visit town.
From an NHL news release, Bergeron had this to say:
“This honour is the pinnacle of my career and represents the coaches and players that I went to battle with. It’s a surreal honour and I’m thankful that hockey has given so much to me and my family.”
Joining Bergeron in the 2026 class are:
Brian Burke (in the Builder Category)
Cindy Curley, a Massachusetts native who starred at Providence College and with the U.S. Women’s National Team
Pekka Rinne
Carey Price
Keith Tkachuk
It’s cool to see Bergeron go into the Hall with two other stars of his era in Price and Rinne, the former of whom had plenty of great match-ups with the Bruins teams of Bergeron’s prime years.
Tkachuk is the outlier here in that he comes from a different era of the NHL, but he finally earned enough votes this year to get himself in.
(Maybe Brady can demand to be included in the HHOF too.)
Looking at the stats that got Rinne elected as a Hall of Famer, I can’t help but wonder if he’ll one day be joined by a fellow Finnish goalie who spent his whole career with the Bruins.
Rinne has around 60 more career wins than Tuukka Rask, though he also started 122 more games than Rask.
Other than that, their career numbers are pretty similar. Rask has a slightly better save percentage and GAA, while Rinne had more shutouts.
Rask had better playoff stats than Rinne as well, while each of them won a single Vezina Trophy and were in the top-ten finalists five times.
Anyways, we can argue about that another day.
Congrats to Patrice Bergeron, who is already in the IIHF Hall of Fame and in the Hall of Fame of My Heart!
The projected top four in this year’s NBA draft — AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson — are all No. 1-caliber most years. The next wave of Mikel Brown Jr., Darius Acuff Jr., Keaton Wagler, Aday Mara, Kingston Flemings and Nate Ament have incredibly high ceilings. Teams that fell in the lottery will wind up with strong prospects.
Yes, this draft is that deep. Experts have been raving about this class for months, calling it one of the best in recent memory.
“There’s four or five at least perennial All-Stars in this group,” a longtime NBA scout said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Not rotational players, but actual All-Stars.”
It gets going Tuesday night at Barclays Center. The Post’s Zach Braziller breaks down the eagerly anticipated first round with his mock draft:
1. Washington Wizards
AJ Dybantsa, BYU (F, 6-9 , 217 pounds)
I can see the Wizards debating No. 1 right up until their selection. There is no easy answer. Darryn Peterson may have the highest upside, but there are major red flags, from his health issues in his one season at Kansas to his at times inconsistent motor. Cameron Boozer is a safe bet to be a productive player for a long time to come, but he may not be a superstar, due to athleticism questions.
That’s why Dybantsa is the pick in the end. The BYU one-and-done standout has the fewest concerns, the highest upside and floor. It’s easy to envision him leading the league in scoring one day.
2. Utah Jazz
Darryn Peterson, Kansas (G, 6-5 , 199 pounds)
There were times at Kansas that Peterson looked like the college version of Kobe Bryant – the game came easy to him. He dominated Dybantsa in a one-on-one matchup for a half, before an injury limited him to three second-half minutes. Peterson met with the Jazz over the weekend, after initially only spending time with the Wizards.
Duke forward Cameron Boozer. Getty Images
3. Memphis Grizzlies
Cameron Boozer, Duke (F, 6-8 , 252 pounds)
If not for injuries to his supporting cast, Boozer may have become the first freshman to lead his team to a national title since Anthony Davis in 2012. He’s a two-way dynamo, a bruising forward with playmaking skills who was just the sixth freshman to be the consensus National Player of the Year after averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and shooting 39.1 percent from 3.
4. Chicago Bulls
Caleb Wilson, North Carolina (F, 6-9, 211 pounds)
Five years from now, don’t be surprised if the Bulls landed the best player in this draft. Wilson is that talented. A supreme athlete, willing defender and fierce competitor, in a normal draft he is the No 1 pick. He brings a combination of production in his lone year of college – Wilson averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists for the Tar Heels – along with immense potential growth.
5. Los Angeles Clippers
Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville (G, 6-7, 221 pounds)
When healthy, he made Louisville appointment viewing. The electric guard has drawn Damian Lillard comparisons – although a back injury, which limited him to 21 games, is somewhat of a concern. Brown set an ACC freshman record with a dazzling 45-point showing in a rout of NC State and made at least three 3-pointers 10 different times.
6. Brooklyn Nets
Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas (G, 6-2, 185 pounds)
Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. Getty Images
You remember the Nets, right? Professional basketball team that plays in anonymity in Brooklyn. It’s just so easy to forget about them considering the Knicks’ spring takeover en route to their first championship in 53 years. The Nets falling to No. 6 after a tanking campaign that resulted in 20 wins was not ideal, but in this draft, it’s not a complete disaster. While the Nets are flush with point guards after drafting Egor Demin and Nolan Traore in the first round a year ago, they lack the Arkansas lead guard’s promise. He was the first player to lead the SEC in both points and assists since Pete Maravich in 1970.
7. Sacramento Kings
Keaton Wagler, Illinois (G, 6-5, 188 pounds)
There were supposedly 149 high school prospects better than Wagler in his class. Then, he started 6-for-21 in his first three games against high-major competition. From there, the freshman was one of the premier guards in all of college basketball, averaging nearly 18 points per game while shooting a shade under 40 percent from 3 on significant volume. Most importantly he won, leading Illinois to its first Final Four in 21 years. The Kings, who have suffered through 18 losing seasons over the last 20 years, can certainly use a player who impacts winning.
8. Atlanta Hawks
Aday Mara, Michigan (F, 7-3, 225)
The biggest riser in this draft, the 7-foot-3 Mara was a defensive linchpin for national champion Michigan. He’s a natural fit for the contending Hawks, who desperately need a quality big man to join their young core of Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and Nickeil-Alexander Walker.
9. Dallas Mavericks
Kingston Flemings, Houston (G, 6-3, 183 pounds)
One NBA scout believes the Houston one-and-done guard is being undervalued. He defends, can make shots and is used to being coached hard after a season with Kelvin Sampson. “I think he’s going to end up being really good. He does all the things you want your point guard to be able to do,” the scout said.
10. Milwaukee Bucks
Nate Ament, Tennessee (F, 6-10, 210 pounds)
Ament has the length, shotmaking and physical tools teams covet on the wing. His efficiency numbers at Tennessee – 39.9 percent shooting and 33.3 percent from 3 – were underwhelming, and he needs to get significantly stronger to avoid getting picked on defensively. Still, those are things that can be easily addressed, and Ament will have time to develop with the rebuilding Bucks.
11. Golden State Warriors
Brayden Burries, Arizona (G, 6-2, 215 pounds)
The Warriors are looking to win and not rebuild, making this a no-brainer choice. Burries can contribute immediately at both ends of the floor, and if his shooting in his freshman year at Arizona (39.1 percent on 4.6 attempts from 3) is an indication of his development in that area, his ceiling may be higher than some have projected.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan (F, 6-9, 241 pounds)
There isn’t a better story in this draft. Six years ago, Lendeborg was working at a warehouse, thinking his basketball career was over. His mother refused to allow him to give up. From junior college in Arizona to UAB and Michigan this past season, the 6-foot-9 forward from Pennsauken, N.J. is living out a dream he didn’t even think was possible.
13. Miami Heat
Hannes Steinbach, Washington, (F, 6-10, 248 pounds)
All it takes is one elite skill to stick in the NBA, and Steinbach can count rebounding as his. He led all of college basketball in that category (11.8) in his lone season at Washington, and his 22 double-doubles equaled Boozer for the most nationally. The German forward will get you extra possessions – he averaged 4.2 offensive rebounds, third most in the country – and he has a refined post game.
14. Charlotte Hornets
Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan (F, 6-9, 250 pounds)
The unsung hero of Michigan’s first national championship team in 37 years. He’s a switchable defender, has untapped offensive upside and is a max effort guy that plays with an edge – attributes the Hornets could use up front, especially with Miles Bridges, Grant Williams and Josh Green all slated to hit free agency.
15. Chicago Bulls
Cameron Carr, Baylor (G, 6-5, 184 pounds)
One of my favorite fits in this draft: The silky-smooth Carr with the uptempo Bulls. He has pogo sticks for legs and in-the-building range. Pairing Carr with Wilson is a fun young tandem for new coach Tiago Splitter to work with.
16. Memphis Grizzlies
Karim Lopez, New Zealand Breakers (F, 6-8, 222 pounds)
The lone international prospect in my first round, Lopez needs time to further develop his perimeter jumper and ball-handling skills. But the Mexican-born Lopez has NBA athleticism, plays with physicality and has the potential to be a defensive menace with his 7-foot wingspan. He scored 358 points in 2025-26 in the Australian National Basketball League Next Stars program, the most ever by a draft-eligible player, and that list includes LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey and Alex Sarr. A popular comparison: Aaron Gordon.
17. Oklahoma City Thunder
Dailyn Swain, Texas (F, 6-7, 211 pounds)
A strong perimeter defender who can touch the paint with a creative bag of counters moves sounds like a perfect match for the drive-and-kick Thunder. Swain lived at the rim this past season for Texas and shot an impressive 63 percent there, according to Synergy. Even if his 3-point shot doesn’t improve – Swain shot 34.4 percent from distance on limited volume for the Longhorns – he’s at worst a quality wing contributor for a winning team.
18. Charlotte Hornets
Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama (G, 6-3, 176 pounds)
It’s the annual draft debate: Production or projection? Philon had a fantastic sophomore season for Alabama, tallying 22 points, five assists and shooting 39.9 percent from distance on 6.1 attempts. But teams are concerned about his thin frame holding up against NBA physicality and his agility testing at the combine created questions about his lateral quickness. It’s why he’s still here in the late teens.
19. Toronto Raptors
Bennett Stirtz, Iowa (G, 6-3, 186 pounds)
The shooting-starved Raptors can use someone like Stirtz, one of the top 3-point marksmen in this class. He can initiate offense and spread the floor. The Iowa standout is comfortable on and off the ball, which makes him a fit in Toronto’s Scottie Barnes-centric system.
20. San Antonio Spurs
Chris Cenac Jr., Houston (F, 6-10, 240 pounds)
The Spurs need help on the interior to support Victor Wembanyama, and Cenac can provide backup minutes to the superstar Frenchman and play alongside him. He has potential to stretch the floor and profiles as a high-level rebounder with his 7-foot-5 wingspan, averaging 7.9 boards in only 24.8 minutes as a freshman at Houston.
21. Detroit Pistons
Christian Anderson Jr., Texas Tech (G, 6-1, 180 pounds)
Detroit wants to add offensive firepower, especially from long distance, to make it tougher on teams to load up on star Cade Cunningham. Anderson fits that need as arguably the top shooter in this class.
22. Philadelphia 76ers
Allen Graves, Santa Clara (F, 6-8, 226 pounds)
Graves bet on himself by passing on a huge college payday to go pro after an impressive season at Santa Clara. The 6-foot-8 forward has a 7-foot wingspan, soft touch from deep (41.3 percent from 3 on 2.6 attempts) and possesses offensive hub potential. Has an advanced feel for the game, a byproduct of playing point guard prior to a late growth spurt.
23. Atlanta Hawks
Koa Peat, Arizona (F, 6-7, 245 pounds)
Major bust potential. Non-shooting wings like Peat who don’t project to be a difference-making defender rarely stick in the league. In the Final Four, Peat was overwhelmed by Michigan’s size – the kind of length and athleticism he will see nightly in the NBA.
24. New York Knicks
Isaiah Evans, Duke (G, 6-6, 186 pounds)
Duke guard Isaiah Evans (3) Getty Images
The big guard flashed lottery potential at times as a sophomore, but lacked consistency. He went from a spot-up shooter to a multi-faceted scorer in his second season at Duke, and has upside to be a steal in this spot. A potential Landry Shamet replacement if the valuable reserve leaves in free agency.
An old school-style big man, Reed was dominant in Connecticut’s run to the NCAA Tournament championship game, posting 19.5 points, 13.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks. Improved as a passer and defender this season, and has the physicality and length with his 7-foot-4 wingspan to be effective against more athletic big men.
26. Denver Nuggets
Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State (F, 6-8, 246 pounds)
Editor’s note: The author is part of the Iowa State forward’s fan club, and with good reason. He may not have one elite skill, but Jefferson does everything well. He rebounds, he guards, he distributes, he can score and the 3-point shot is improving, too. Productive college players tend to impact winning at the next level – just look at the world champion Knicks.
27. Boston Celtics
Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s (F, 6-8, 245 pounds)
Detractors point to Ejiofor lacking a true position as an undersized big, and see offensive limitations. A smart team – like the Celtics – focuses on his immense improvement in recent years, his winning traits and high character as valuable assets. The face of the Rick Pitino era at St. John’s has a motor that is difficult to teach. A scout compared him to a modern-day Charles Oakley.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves
Ebuka Okorie, Stanford (F, 6-1, 186 pounds)
He’s undersized, at 6-foot-1, but that didn’t stop the freshman from averaging 23.2 points and shooting 46.5 percent from the field in the ACC. Okorie can contribute right away in a reserve role, and the Timberwolves will be in need of firepower in the backcourt. Donte DiVincenzo is recovering from a ruptured right Achilles tendon and Bones Hyland could potentially leave through free agency.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers
Meleek Thomas, Arkansas (G, 6-3, 190 pounds)
The Cavaliers appear committed to running it back with Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, and that duo could use more perimeter shooting to space the floor. Enter Thomas, a terrific shooter on the move as well as in spot-up situations. Shot 41.6 percent from 3 as a freshman for John Calipari at Arkansas. Should be able to contribute immediately as a microwave scorer off the bench.
30. Dallas Mavericks
Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky (C, 6-9, 253 pounds)
If not for questions about his surgically repaired right knee, the rim-running, shot-blocking prospect would have gone in the lottery. After ACL surgery in March of 2025, Quaintance appeared in only four games a year ago. One of them, a win over St. John’s in which he had 10 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes, showcased his tantalizing talent.
As we slowly inch closer to the 2026-27 season, we're beginning to get an idea of what the new season will look like. With the NHL expanding its regular season schedule to 84 games, the San Jose Sharks certainly won't be the only team with a condensed preseason, but we now know exactly how many games they'll play and when.
The Sharks will open the preseason on the road in Anaheim on September 20. They'll then return home for a quick two game homestand against the Anaheim Ducks and the Vegas Golden Knights before heading for Vegas to close out the preseason on the road.
9/20 1:00 PM - @ Anaheim Ducks
9/22 7:00 PM - vs Vegas Golden Knights
9/24 7:00 PM vs Anaheim Ducks
9/26 7:00 PM @ Vegas Golden Knights
As of now, it's unknown exactly when the regular season will begin, but it's expected to start in late September, leaving little time between preseason and opening night.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks celebrates with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after the victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A new NBA champion being crowned is always followed with the tradition of the other 29 teams asking themselves “what can we learn from this?” or “what does it take for us to reach that mountain?” The thorough ass-kicking the Sixers received from the eventual champion New York Knicks to send them home in the second round of the playoffs made it easy to evaluate their own status as a title contender. In the words of their new front office, they are not one just yet.
Still only a year removed from a franchise-derailing 24-win season, that fact doesn’t present an existential crisis it would have in years past. The Sixers have a long road ahead of them to get back to title contention. A big stretch of that road may very well be patience for VJ Edgecombe to age into his prime.
If this eight-year pattern of no repeat champions continues for the league, there’s definitely a lesson the Knicks have taught the Sixers and the rest of the league when it comes to team building, and it’s that there is no one right way to do it.
The now infamous example of the Knicks bucking conventional wisdom when it comes to roster construction is winning with a small guard as the best player on the team. This has been a hot topic in New York since Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon voiced her concerns about Jalen Brunson being capable of being the best player on a championship team on an ESPN segment back in 2023.
Building their team around a small guard was just the start of the Knicks’ unorthodox path. They hardly built any of their team through the draft. The only rotation regulars they drafted were Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride. Three of their best players spent several years in college as opposed to being one-and-dones. They burned the last of their draft capital in a trade not for a star to push them over the hump, but for a role player.
At no point did the Knicks stop and try to put a team together the “proper” way — they just kept tinkering with pieces around Brunson until the puzzle came into place.
Even perhaps the most universal truth, it takes one of the best players in the world to win a championship, has started to become challenged. Two of these last three champions, the Knicks and the 2024 Celtics, have done so without a top-five player in the league. Both Brunson and Jayson Tatum are surefire All-NBA players, but you’d be hard pressed to find them in the top five in anyone’s player rankings.
The point of this post was inspired the God of Pacers and frankly, basketball coverage, Caitlin Cooper. She pointed out how different in play styles each of the last few champions have been compared to each other. Her observation in the difference in play also highlights how different each team’s path was in getting to the championship.
The Thunder didn’t play like the Celtics, and the Celtics didn’t play like Nuggets, and the Nuggets didn’t play the Warriors, and the Warriors didn’t play like the Bucks. If anything, the lesson from the playoffs is that there isn’t a lesson from the playoffs. Find your own path
The Thunder underwent a long rebuild, but still lucked out a bit in acquiring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a part of the Paul George trade. The Celtics were more traditional in building around two top-five draft picks, but the Nuggets didn’t draft their star until the middle of the second round.
If there is one pattern here, it’s that all of these teams still needed a bonafide star to win a championship. That’s been the case even for Brunson and Tatum.
Now, this will matter a whole let less if the 7-foot-4 alien who just lost to the Knicks ends this era of parity, which he and the San Antonio Spurs still look well set up to do. If they don’t, the good news for the Sixers is they believe they have one, potentially two of those guys who can be that in Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey.
With Paul George and Joel Embiid having years left on their contract, it won’t be a straightforward path to get the Sixers to optimize their backcourt. Recent history has shown the path isn’t always obvious.
They just have to find the one that works for them.
KANSAS CITY, MO - MAY 26: Aaron Judge #99 and Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees stand on second base between innings of an MLB game between the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals on May 26, 2026 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Earlier this afternoon, MLB released its second All-Star balloting update. The Yankees are well-represented, with Aaron Judge, Ben Rice, and Cody Bellinger all in position to advance in the voting.
As a refresher, MLB uses a (semi-convoluted) multi-phase system for its All-Star ballots. We’re currently in Phase 1, which will end on Thursday. At the conclusion of Phase 1, the top vote-getter in each league will automatically earn a starting spot in the All-Star Game. Then, the top two (top six for outfielders) finishers at every other position advance to a run-off stage in Phase 2.
Judge leads all Yankees and all outfielders with 1,788,499 votes, pulling ahead of Mike Trout by just about 50,000 votes. Despite the right rib fracture that’s kept him out the last three weeks, Judge looks likely to make the team. However, he isn’t the top overall vote-getter in the American League at the moment, thanks to a surprise surge from Ernie Clement of all people. The Toronto second baseman paces the Junior Circuit with 2,054,130 votes.
Rice is second in voting at first base, a bit of a travesty given the middling year that the leader, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., has put together so far. The Yankee first baseman’s 174 OPS+ dwarfs Guerrero’s 101 figure, but Guerrero now leads by about half a million votes. No matter, Rice should advance comfortably to the runoff stage with a chance to make his first All-Star team.
Also polling well is Bellinger, who clocks in with 1,067,622 votes, fourth among outfielders behind Judge, Trout, and Byron Buxton. Remarkably, the 2019 NL MVP has not made an All-Star team since securing that MVP award, but he has a great shot at breaking the streak this year. Bellinger has been excellent in every phase of the game for the Yankees, and his 3.8 rWAR is actually tops among AL outfielders.
In the running at second base is Jazz Chisholm Jr., though he is far back of the leader Clement. Chisholm stands in fourth with 419,777 votes, about 100,000 votes behind the second-place second baseman, Ezequiel Duran, so he has his work cut out for him if he wants to advance to Phase 2.
Outside of Judge, Rice, Bellinger, and Chisholm, no other Yankee hitter is really within striking distance in the voting. The team will surely also send a pitcher or two to the All-Star Game, but the pitchers that make the roster are not chosen by fan vote. You can find full details on the voting thus far, as well as results for the National League, here.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 9: The sneakers worn by Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the New York Knicks on April 9, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
May 3, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (2) reacts after a play against the Toronto Raptors during the first half of game seven in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Max Strus’s 2025-26 season was definitely not the plan either the Cleveland Cavaliers or Strus envisioned. However, the Cavaliers needed Strus for the postseason, and from that perspective, he was up to the task.
Regular Season Stats
11.2 points
5.4 rebounds
2 assists
44.3% FG
40.2% 3PT FG
77.8% FT
Late last August, it was announced by the Cavaliers that Strus underwent surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his left foot. It was initially estimated he would be sidelined for three to four months. Well, one setback after another, it became a real concern whether Strus would even be able to suit up for the Cavaliers at all this past season. Then, it was announced with 12 games left in the regular season that Strus would be able to get some minutes under his belt before the postseason.
Strus did his best to make up for lost time in his return. Against Dallas, Strus was running around like a man on fire. His lack of conscience resulted in a 7-9 shooting night (6-7 from three), ending with 24 points and eight rebounds in 23 minutes.
While it wasn’t like the Cavaliers were a Strus away from being a title team, he is one of the more adaptable players on the roster. Strus is someone who isn’t just a one-dimensional offensive player, which plagues more of the team’s role players. His ability to operate as a secondary ball handler, get defenders to bite on pull-ups, and try on defense are little things that add to his well-rounded game.
Strus, in his limited 12 games in the regular season, scored in double digits six times. Not too shabby for someone who missed the first 85% of the season. It felt like Strus was able to fast-track his ramp-up period in time for the Cavaliers to make a serious playoff push.
In the postseason, Strus had pivotal performances as the Cavaliers made their run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Strus couldn’t find a rhythm against the Knicks, but neither could anyone on the team. However, in the first two rounds, Strus was tasked, along with Dean Wade, with guarding the bigger-bodied ball handlers like Scottie Barnes and Cade Cunningham, and performed admirably.
Strus is far from an elite defender; however, he did a great job of hustling enough to stay on their hips and playing the role of on-ball pest. Offensively, Strus provided enough with his movement shooting and as a secondary ballhandler.
When you take the one-thousand-foot view of Strus’s season, it is incredible that a guy who could not play for 70 games to start the season was able to step into 25+ minute playoff games for a month and a half. Strus has always been an emotional leader of the Cavaliers. He is someone who has an edge that the team can respond to. This year showed just how valuable he is.
Patrice Bergeron, Brian Burke, Cindy Curley, Carey Price, Pekka Rinne and Keith Tkachuk have been named to the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026, the Hall announced Monday. The inductees will enter the Hall in November.
