SURPRISE, Ariz. — Top prospect Sebastian Walcott of the Texas Rangers is having elbow surgery, and the infielder is expected to miss most of the season.
Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young said Thursday that Walcott has a UCL injury and was experiencing elbow discomfort. He could be back by the end of the season but it’s too early to tell.
The 19-year-old Walcott is the No. 7 prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. He hit .255 with 13 home runs, 59 RBIs and 32 stolen bases at Double-A Frisco last year.
Walcott received a non-roster invite to spring training.
Spinners Crishan Kalugamage and Ben Manenti helped debutants Italy to a historic first win at the cricket T20 World Cup with a 10-wicket hammering of Nepal on Thursday.
The hardwood at the Kia Forum won’t just echo with sneakers on Friday night—it will hum like a red carpet rolled out for a Hollywood premiere. The 2026 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game tips off at 7 p.m. ET in Inglewood, broadcast nationally on ESPN, and for one evening Los Angeles becomes the center of a different basketball universe, where celebrities will lace them up to try and do what the pros do.
This is what All-Star Weekend in L.A. does best. It blurs the line between sport and spectacle until you can’t tell where the crossover dribble ends and the crossover appeal begins.
The roster reads like a group chat that should never work—and yet somehow does.
Giannis Antetokounmpo holding a basketball on the court. Getty Images
Let’s start with the red team coached by two-time NBA MVP and champion Giannis Antetokounmpo. His coaching staff are his brothers—veteran forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo and rising pro Alex Antetokounmpo—turning the bench into a family affair. They will also be joined by four-time World Series champion and former MVP Mookie Betts, the Dodgers’ superstar whose athleticism seems transferable to anything involving timing and torque.
The rest of the roster is a who’s who of actors, athletes, influencers, and stars.
Keegan-Michael Key, the Emmy-winning actor, writer and producer known for his razor-sharp sketch comedy, brings timing that has made him a Hollywood staple.
Reigning MVP Rome Flynn, an Emmy-winning actor and musician, returns to defend his crown with the quiet confidence of a man who’s already stolen the show once.
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Chinese superstar Dylan Wang, an actor and singer with a massive global following, makes his third appearance and carries international flair with him.
ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania, the league’s newsbreaker-in-chief, trades breaking news bombs for jump shots in one of the weekend’s most ironic plot twists.
Jenna Bandy, a social media basketball personality known for viral trick shots and gym runs with NBA players, arrives ready to test internet legend against real hardwood.
Hornets Co-Chairman and Governor Rick Schnall steps out of the boardroom and onto the floor, representing ownership with a jersey instead of a blazer.
Basketball referee Chris Reid looks up at player Tacko Fall. Getty Images
At 7-foot-6, former NBA center Tacko Fall remains the tallest person in any gym he enters.
NBA legend Jeremy Lin smiling and clapping in the stands at the Phoenix Suns vs. Brooklyn Nets game. Getty Images
Former NBA champion and global icon Jeremy Lin returns to an All-Star stage that once felt like destiny during Linsanity.
GloRilla performing onstage, wearing a blue, black, and yellow striped shirt, a yellow baseball cap, and holding a microphone. Getty Images for iHeartRadio
Memphis-born rapper GloRilla, whose rise to multi-platinum status mirrors the rhythm of the streets, adds edge and energy. Oh, and she’ s engaged to All-Star Brandon Ingram of the Toronto Raptors.
Brazilian soccer legend Cafu, a two-time FIFA World Cup champion, brings world-class footwork to a sport that prefers hands.
Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions running with the football. Getty Images
Detroit Lions All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, an L.A. native with route-running precision, will test whether NFL hands translate to alley-oops.
The blue team is coached by Emmy-winning actor and comedian Anthony Anderson, comedian and actor, Donald Faison, and Lethal Shooter, aka Chris Matthews, a shooting coach who’s helped train NBA stars and other celebrities on the hardwood for years. He’s a former Washington State men’s basketball player who spent time playing professionally overseas.
The rest of the blue team roster is sure to shine as well.
Simu Liu, a Canadian actor who’s best known for his portrayal of Shang-Chi in the Marvel flick, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” He’ll reprise the role in the upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday” blockbuster. He previously participated in the 2023 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.
Social media influencer Cody Jones, who helped create the ultra-popular YouTube channel Dude Perfect. He’s 6 feet 6, and is known as “Tall Guy” by Dude Perfect’s millions of fans.
Badshah performs at the opening ceremony of the DP World ILT20 2023. Getty Images
Hip-hop artist Badshah, whose hits “Genda Phool” and “Paagal” have garnered hundreds of millions of listeners online. His appearance in Friday’s game will mark the first time an Indian rapper has ever taken part in the All-Star event.
Andre De Grasse is a 31-year-old Canadian sprinter who’s won seven Olympic medals in his illustrious track career. His last medal came in 2024, when he earned gold in the 4x100m relay in Paris. Friday will be a homecoming of sorts for De Grasse, who spent some of his collegiate career at USC.
Taylor Frankie Paul smiling at the Los Angeles premiere and FYC event of Hulu’s “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” Season 2. Getty Images
Reality TV star Taylor Frankie Paul of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” fame gained national notoriety in 2022 after she revealed on social media intimate details about her, her husband and their Mormon friends’ sex lives.
World-renowned businessman and majority owner of the Phoenix Suns, Matt Ishbia, will also participate. He purchased the team, along with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, for $4 billion in 2023. Before his professional career took off, he was a walk-on point guard at Michigan State.
NBA fans will remember Jason “White Chocolate” Williams. A 6-foot-1 guard, played in the NBA for 12 seasons after being taken with the seventh overall pick in the 1998 draft. He logged 10.5 points and 5.9 assists per game in his career, and was a fan favorite for his flashy style of play.
Nicolas Vansteenberghe attends Glamour Women of the Year. Getty Images for Glamour
Nicolas Vansteenberghe is a model who amassed millions of followers on social media after he had a successful run on the reality TV show “Love Island.”
Multi-platinum producer Mustard, is one of the most famous record producers on the planet. He has mega hits with artists like YG, Ty Dolla Sign, Tyga and, of course, Kendrick Lamar.
Adrien Nunez pointing at the camera. Getty Images
Adrien Nunez played college basketball at Michigan and built up quite the social media following while suiting up for the Wolverines, but he’s now most known for his singing voice. The country musician’s songs, including “LOW ROAD,” have garnered millions of streams.
And finally, there’s Chargers legend Keenan Allen. Allen needs no introduction — he’s one of the best receivers to ever suit up for the Chargers. He’s made the Pro Bowl six times and has logged over 11,000 receiving yards in his 11 seasons with the Bolts.
The broadcast will have its own firepower. Mark Jones handles play-by-play with Richard Jefferson on analysis and Monica McNutt roaming the floor.
Before tipoff, “Hoop Streams” streams live at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN’s YouTube and Facebook platforms, hosted by Vanessa Richardson alongside NBA champion Iman Shumpert, setting the digital stage for what’s to come.
Then there’s halftime act, where K-pop group CORTIS—newly minted members of the NBA’s “Friends of the NBA” program—become the first K-pop act to headline the Celebrity Game break.
The Ruffles Celebrity Game has always been playful, but in Los Angeles it feels intentional. This city understands performance. It understands legacy. It understands that sometimes the purest joy in sports comes when ego takes a backseat to laughter and competition shares space with charisma.
On Friday night at the Kia Forum, the game will matter just enough to feel real and just little enough to feel free. And in a weekend built around the best basketball players on the planet, the celebrities will remind us that the sport’s greatest trick isn’t perfection. It’s connection.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 13: Terrence Shannon Jr. #1 of the Minnesota Timberwolves dribbles the ball during the game against the Guangzhou Loong Lions on October 13, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Terrence Shannon Jr. is about to return to the Timberwolves and team up with another Illini.
A foot injury has sidelined TSJ since Christmas, but he finally returned this week for the Iowa Wolves in the G League to ramp back up before rejoining the T-Wolves in the NBA.
In his first game on Tuesday, he scored 11 points.
On Wednesday, he lit it up, going for 36 points on 10-of-15 shooting in just 21 minutes.
Terrence Shannon Jr was sent down to Iowa for a rehab game last night where he scored 36 points in 21 minutes, on 10/15 shooting.
Obviously the Illini legend is way too good for the G League, and he’ll get his chance to team up with Ayo Dosunmu for the first time after the All-Star Break next week.
Burnley have the chance of a Cup run, Leicester fear an unwelcome repeat and Brighton fans get a raw deal
Chelsea have kept two clean sheets in 10 games since appointing Liam Rosenior as head coach last month. Repeated doziness at the back has cost them. They have held commanding advantages against Charlton, Crystal Palace, Wolves and Leeds, only to give away silly goals. It is a bad habit and proved costly when a 2-0 lead was squandered during Tuesday’s draw with Leeds. Rosenior was livid afterwards, and is waiting for a consistent performance. Chelsea travel to Hull , Rosenior’s former club, on Friday night. They will surely advance against Championship opponents, but how they do it will matter. It is time for them to get serious. Jacob Steinberg
Hull City v Chelsea, Friday 7.45pm (all times GMT)
The news on Monday that the team had lost reliever Andrew Saalfrank for the season, after shoulder surgery, was not exactly the way the Diamondbacks wanted the week of pitchers and catchers reporting to start. Since debuting as a September call-up in 2023, Saalfrank has posted a 1.79 ERA, and was better even than that last year, with a 1.24 ERA. Of course, that was limited to only 28 appearances, coming after he had finished serving a suspension for gambling. But going into the off-season, he was one of only a few relievers who seemed locked in for a 2026 bullpen spot. So discovering he won’t be appearing is a significant blow.
What can the team do in the left-handed bullpen department? Let’s look at the various areas from which they could pull.
The 40-man roster
There are currently seven left-handed pitchers on the 40-man roster. However, for one reason or another, most of there are not credible replacements for Saalfrank.
Mitch Bratt – Outside of his 2023 stint in the Arizona Fall League, he has been almost exclusively a starter. While using him in the bullpen is possible e.g. Ryne Nelson, that would most likely be as long relief, not the situational lefty role Saalfrank occupied.
Kohl Drake – The same goes for Drake, perhaps even more so. He will be part of the team’s rotational depth in 2026, and quite close to the top of the AAA depth chart. The Diamondbacks will want to keep him stretched out down in Reno, for that purpose.
A.J. Puk – Puk said yesterday he is hopeful he can return by early May. Because his procedure was less invasive, that should reduce the rehab time. He may start in low-leverage situations, but I would expect him to take over the closer’s role quite quickly, with Justin Martinez likely out until late August.
Eduardo Rodriguez – Simply put, earns too much money to be moved to a bullpen role at this point, with two years still left on his contract.
Blake Walston – It’s been a while, Walston having Tommy John surgery in mid-March 2025. While there have been no updates since, expectation at the time was about fourteen months, so we are probably looking at late May before he can pitch.
That leaves just two candidates: Philip Abner and Brandyn Garcia, and they have less than twenty innings of major-league experience between them. That’s not necessarily a show-stopper – Saalfrank claimed the job fresh out of the minors, making more appearances in the 2023 playoffs than in the regular season. But it’s not a great body of work on which to base things. Abner looked decent in 2025, with a 2.86 FIP, but that’s off a pitiful sample size of 3.2 innings. Garcia, who came over from Seattle in the Josh Naylor trade, has slightly more experience and put up a decent 3.07 FIP between the Mariners and D-backs. Rolling the dice with either would be a risk.
Non-roster invitees
While there are a lot of non-roster invitees to spring training, only three are left-handed pitchers. Conveniently, I wrote about those at the link above. Inconveniently, none of them are a good fit for the role. While Tommy Henry is in camp, he is recovering from Tommy John surgery last June, so clearly isn’t going to be ready. Spencer Giesting and Yu-Min Lin are both young starting pitchers, and would be better served in their development by staying in that role, rather than getting intermittent work out of a major-league bullpen. So I don’t see any of the trio as being a credible replacement for Saalfrank on Opening Day.
Outside the organization
I would definitely not be surprised to see the team go outside the current system to find a replacement, and there are a couple of names of definite interest, and both should already be known to Arizona fans. The first is former D-back Anthony Banda, who was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers – they simply had too many lefties. It’s generally expected they will be able to find a trade partner for him before he hits waivers. He has had an ERA+ of 130 across the last two years, covering 119 appearances, and at $1.625 million for the year, seems well worth that price. Should the D-backs be in on him? There is always a general reluctance to deal within the division, but he certainly would fill a need.
The other possibility is the free-agent market, and a reunion with Jalen Beeks. He was the busiest member of the Diamondbacks pitching staff last year, appearing 61 times, and with a solid ERA+ of 115, while being paid $1.25 million. He would be another reasonably cheap option, and unlike Banda, would not cost prospect capital. There are other decent left-handed veterans still on the market. Justin Wilson was good with the Red Sox, and Danny Coulombe – a local kid, who went to Chaparral HS, possibly overlapping with the SnakePitette – was great with the Twins, then terrible after being traded to the Rangers at the deadline. Does Mike Hazen have the money left for any of these?
Conclusion
While there is no requirement to have a left-hander in the bullpen, it has been standard practice for the D-backs in the Lovullo era, and we all know how he likes to play match-ups. So, given the paucity of the options currently in the system, I would not be surprised to see the team look for an outside replacement. This could come via a trade, a free-agent signing or even adding a non-roster invitee or two to the squad, and seeing who impresses in spring training. At least the timing of Saalfrank’s surgery gives time for alternatives to be assessed. Which this sucks, it would have sucked considerably harder if it had happened on the eve of Opening Day.
PITTSBORO, Miss. (AP) — In saying “the NCAA ignored its own rules,” a Mississippi judge granted Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss a preliminary injunction Thursday against college athletics' governing body, allowing him to receive an extra year of eligibility so he can play next season.
Judge Robert Whitwell took about 90 minutes to explain his decision that he agreed with Chambliss' argument that the player's medical history was not properly considered by the NCAA. The 23-year-old Chambliss has been in college for five years, but was healthy enough to play just three years.
Chambliss began his college career at Ferris State in 2021, redshirted his first season and did not play in 2022 because of medical reasons.
He played two more seasons at the Division II school in Michigan, leading the Bulldogs to a national championship before transferring to Ole Miss before the start of this past season.
Chambliss completed 294 of 445 passes (66.1%) for 3,937 yards with 22 touchdowns and three interceptions for Ole Miss (13-2), which set a school record for wins, including two after making the College Football Playoff for the first time. He ran for 527 yards and eight more TDs.
The Rebels lost 31-27 to Miami in the College Football Playoff semifinals on Jan. 8.
The Yankees were in pursuit of a few right-handed bats this offseason, and they reportedly checked in with the Phillies on outfielder Nick Castellanos.
According to the NY Post's Jon Heyman, the Yankees looked into making a trade with the Phillies for Castellanos earlier in the offseason, but stopped their pursuit after receiving mixed reviews about the slugger.
New York would eventually re-sign Paul Goldschmidt to fill that right-handed bat role off the bench, while also periodically spelling Ben Rice at first base against left-handers and for late-game defense. New York had also considered signing Ty France, Randal Grichuk and Austin Slater, who played with the Yanks in 2025, as right-handed options this offseason.
As for Castellanos, the Phillies officially released him on Thursday for a few reasons. He had a subpar 2025 season where he slashed .250/.294/.400 with an OPS of .694 and 17 homers. There were also reports of conduct detrimental to the team, including bringing a beer into the Phillies dugout during a game last June, which Castellanos admitted to on Instagram.
Castellanos is owed $20 million in 2025.
After seven productive seasons with Detroit, Castellanos made stops in Chicago -- with the Cubs -- Cincinnati and eventually Philadelphia after signing a four-year deal before the 2022 season. He made two All-Star teams (2021, 2023) and won a Silver Slugger in his 13-year career.
Castellanos, who turns 34 in March, will now look to take his talents elsewhere.
While many players scattered for rest and relaxation over the Olympic break, Matvei Gridin had a different itinerary.
Instead of a beach getaway, the Calgary Flames rookie headed to Rockford, Illinois to take part in the 2026 AHL All-Star Challenge — a reward for a strong first half with the Calgary Wranglers and another step forward in his development.
It may not have been a traditional vacation, but it was an opportunity Gridin embraced. Named an AHL All-Star for his performance this season, the 19-year-old has been a key contributor for the Wranglers, collecting 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 34 games.
Gridin picked up two assists in his first game, with his All-Star nod capping off what has been a steady upward climb in his first full professional campaign. His progress hasn’t been limited to the AHL, either.
With confidence building at both the AHL and NHL levels, Gridin’s All-Star appearance is less about a midseason showcase and more about a player trending in the right direction as the Flames prepare for the season’s final push.
As the sports and entertainment world turns its attention to Hollywood, LeBron James will be front and center.
By far the biggest NBA storyline at the All-Star break, and after, will be James — and what his future holds.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) dribbles during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. APLeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on February 10, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
While he has yet to publicly state what his future will hold, many analysts and reporters around the league believe the 41-year-old James will return for his 24th NBA season — which would extend his NBA record.
The storyline concerning many isn’t so much about whether he will return next year, but rather, which uniform he will be wearing?
NBA Insider Jake Fischer said during a livestream a few weeks that, “the Lakers are ready to move on from LeBron James and I think LeBron James is ready to move on from the Lakers as well.”
ESPN insider Brian Windhorst added fuel to the fire when he stated on Wednesday’s The Rich Eisen Show that James would reportedly be interested in four teams if he and the Lakers parted ways: Warriors, Cavaliers, two undisclosed teams.
When broached with the subject of teaming up with James, Warriors star Draymond Green was candid in his response.
“I’ve always wanted to [play with him]” Green said in an exclusive interview withTheCalifornia Post. “Saying I wanted to go to his team, that’s not the case. I’m very comfortable in my situation with 30 [Steph Curry] and what we’ve built and what we have. But I think him and Steph shared the want to take the court together, and they got the opportunity to do that in the Olympics in Paris. I’ve always wanted the opportunity. Just to experience it, to see how he thinks, to see, all right, what I could do to help him and his thinking. Or what can I learn and pick up about what he’s thinking.”
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after making a dunk during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) APLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James watches from the sideline as guard Bronny James (9) walks up the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. AP
While his desire is to play with James, Green said, “I don’t see a path to it.”
The idea of teaming up with Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Green could be enticing to James, but that situation only works if James is willing to take a paycut around the veteran minimum.
Playing in Cleveland was considered a long shot until the Cavs made a deal at the trade deadline where they sent Darius Garland to the Clippers and brought back James Harden. Harden has a player option for $42.3 million next season, which makes his future and the Cavaliers cap space unknown for next year.
Similarly to Golden State, James ending up in either place would require him to take a pay cut.
As for the other two teams, that’s anyone’s guess.
James has kept his future close to the vest and when he’s ready, he’ll reveal it for all to know.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 11: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs talks to the media after the game against the Golden State Warriors on February 11, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
“Can you just let me have this?”
We were fifteen minutes from the California border, and the trees in Oregon were getting taller and taller. Having flown into Medford, we were now two hours into the drive to Cresent City and seven hours into a journey that had started at 5am, and the anticipation had reached its peak.
Both Taylor and I had dreamed of seeing the Redwoods since we were children, and now we were approaching them rapidly as the road receded before us. Not rapidly enough for Taylor, though, who could barely sit still, pointing out every large tree on the horizon, oohing and aahing at the unquestionably beautiful southern wilds of The Beaver State.
And then she saw it, stretching well above the canopy, some 200 or so feet of a monster Douglas Fir, towering over the other pines.
“That’s it! That’s it! My first Redwood!”
Her eyes welled with the emotion of a fulfilled dream as she looked over at me meaningfully, the orchestral folk of Noah Kahan swelling in the background.
“Isn’t is amazing?”
Wordlessly I looked slowly from my girlfriend to the tree, and back again.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s not a Redwood.”
“What? Are you messing with me?”
“No, it’s just that the bark looks wrong, and so do the branches. I think it’s just a really tall pine tree.”
“Oh my God, can you just let me have this?”
As it turned out, no, I could not. And thus began one of those incredibly productive conversations that usually start with a seemingly innocuous question, and end in a mutually agreed-upon silence.
In Taylor’s defense, she was sleep-deprived from all the packing and planning and coordination, and we had been packed together in very close quarters for most of the day. She also does not love flying, and I may have playfully ribbed her a bit while we were experiencing turbulence. She was not completely out of pocket to have questioned whether I was messing with her or not.
It’s also an easy mistake to make when you’ve not spent a lot of time in the proximity of forests. She has spent most of her life on the fringes of San Antonio. I, on the other hand, spent most of my childhood summers in the confines of the Piney Woods of East Texas.
I had never seen a Sequoia, but I knew my pine trees. And I was not about to let my first Redwood be a pine tree.
It’s the same way I feel about some of the expectations and enthusiasm surrounding the Spurs this season. I hate to break it to some of y’all, but I’m pretty sure this is not a championship team.
I know this, because, like you, I’ve seen them before. I know what a championship roster looks like. I know what they play like. I’ve seen how they carry themselves.
And in spite of (or rather, because of) last night’s win, I can tell you that they’re just not quite there yet.
Facing the snake-bitten and limping Warriors, they came out sluggish in the first quarter and gave up 38 points to a roughly .500 team without the scoring prowess of Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis, and the still-lethal Steph Curry.
But the Warriors execute. They still retain some of the focus, organization, and aura of a champion. They have a seasoned all-time coach who knows how to press each and every advantage that comes to light. They have championship vets who know how to push their teammates and frustrate their opponents.
These are things you have to earn, and you can only earn them by going through the fire together. Free agency can only aid you so much (especially in the current CBA era), and drafting accumulates talent, not experience.
And these Spurs are talented, to be sure. With the 3rd best record in the league, they tower over most of their peers, not unlike their prodigiously gifted leader. But there’s still some sloppiness they must curtail. Turnovers they can ill afford in the postseason. Concentration that fluctuates with seemingly every quarter. Vulnerabilities at positions like Power Forward, and functional big man depth that must be addressed.
There’s little reason that the Spurs should have entered the 3rd quarter down to the Warriors after the destruction they visited on the similarly vulnerable Los Angeles Lakers the night before. Yes, it was the second night of a back-to-back, but the Spurs are so very young, and the Warriors and Lakers are so very old.
And yet, there’s no question that they’re beautiful to watch when they’re locked in.
Victor Wembanyama is more efficient than ever and is becoming more and more capable of taking on thuggish play from the Draymond Greens of the world. De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper orchestrated the offense to near-perfection in the 2nd half, relegating the errors of the 1st half to distant memories.
Stephon Castle squeezed the opposing guards like an ill-fed python let loose in a barn full of rats, and Keldon Johnson ran wild and unimpeded like a bull in Pamplona, tossing the frames of the very foolish and the very brave aside in equal measure.
Thinking that this will be their year is an understandable error of enthusiasm after long years in the NBA cellar, and therefore an expression of hope, which is no great sin. It’s an error each and every one of us has been guilty of at one time or another.
And yet…
After 20 minutes or so of relative silence, the highway diverged into a wood more lushly green than yellow, and we saw it. Spanning what must have been 300+ feet, it dwarfed the previous pine of contention; the base so wide, that it blocked the view of the other tree trunks around it. There could be no question that it was a real Redwood.
For a moment, we stared at each other, neither one saying a word.
“Wow.”
“Look! There’s another one!”
“Oh yeah, look at that one!”
“They just keep coming!”
“Oh my God.”
After ten or so minutes of this, Taylor leaned over the center console onto my shoulder, and we watched the colossal trees pass by in silent awe, as the 199 carved and curved its way though the vastness of the ancient forest on the way to the 101, and eventually, the Pacific Coast Highway.
“So, it really wasn’t a Redwood after all.”
“No, but I really wanted it to be one. For you.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Takeaways
It’s going to be interesting seeing what MATFO decide to do with Harrison Barnes in the off-season. On the one hand, he’s reliably no drama, still defends and shoots well enough to play with both the starters and bench as needed, and is active in the community. On the other hand, it’s feels like some slippage is finally starting to occur, especially when it comes to his ability to handle to faster, younger players, and getting open off ball. Defenses are beginning to key on Julian Champagnie on the occasion that they share the court, because Barnes is just no longer the cutting threat that he once was, and daring Barnes to punish them for leaving him open. And while Barnes seems to have broken out of his slump (43% from 3 over the last 10 games), he’s shooting just 35% on open threes where the defender is 4-6 feet away. I’m not sure what Barnes will be worth on the open market, but financials are going to start getting tricky for the Spurs soon, and rooting for him to slump for a lower contract isn’t going to help the Spurs. If, on the other hand, he gets molten-lava hot again, a hopeful contender will be likely to give him a look. I’m hoping the Spurs will be able to sign him for something reasonable, as they definitely need to retain shooting, but I’m guessing it will all depend on what role he’s willing to accept for an equally no-drama franchise that find itself on the cusp of contention. Here’s hoping Carter Bryant continues his ascent!
While I don’t always understand what Mitch Johnson is trying to accomplish with his rotations (an inexplicably point-guard-less lineup continues to baffle me), he again made a game-saving adjustment in recognizing that Castle was off offensively, and playing Fox and Harper together for an extended stretch. When Castle is on, he’s just about as good a facilitator as you could hope for, but when he’s off…whew boy, it is not pretty. Recognizing that Curry’s absence meant he could pick his spots with Castle was incredibly savvy of the younger coach in the match-up, and once he figured it out Steve Kerr really didn’t have an answer. There’s no question that Johnson’s still figuring things out, but a move like that could be the difference in winning and losing a series, and I’m feeling more and more confident that he’s capable of pulling that sort of thing off.
According to Win Shares, Keldon Johnson has been worth five wins for the Spurs this season, but by my count, it’s closer to double that, as he has consistently come in clutch in tight games for San Antonio. The Spurs have 19 clutch-time wins, and the bench is 5th in the league in net rating, and Keldon has been a big, big part of that as the unquestioned leader of the bench mob. At the very least, there’s an argument to be made that the Spurs wouldn’t have even made it clutch time so often without the bench keeping them in the game until the starters figured it out. Still carrying career highs in almost every shooting category, Keldon is 3rd on the team in scoring efficiency and 2nd in shooting efficiency. Someone get this guy a 6th man of the year award, stat!
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 23: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns reacts after not drawing a foul against the Atlanta Hawks during the third quarter at State Farm Arena on January 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is a fine line Dillon Brooks has been walking all season, and it is not an easy one for him to stay on. He is an emotional player. He feeds off that edge as it pushes him into a zone. It is how he impacts games. It is also how he has stayed in the league for nine years.
But emotion cuts both ways. Actions carry consequences, and eventually, the bill comes due.
Wednesday night against Oklahoma City, the Suns were already in a hole. Down 19 in the second quarter, fighting uphill, searching for any kind of rhythm. Then the whistle came from official James Williams. Technical foul on Dillon Brooks.
You knew it. I knew it. He definitely knew it. That was technical foul number 16 on the season, and with it came the inevitable result. A suspension was no longer a possibility. It was a certainty.
This is the cost of living on that edge. Sometimes it fuels you. Sometimes it burns you. And on Wednesday night, the line finally snapped. The 16th tech on Brooks is the most in the league, three ahead of Luka Doncic and double teammate Devin Booker, who has 8, which is sixth most in the NBA.
In reality, it has been even louder than that. This was the 19th time Dillon Brooks has been hit with a technical foul this season. Three of those were rescinded, but the damage still counts. 19 free throws were handed to the other team because emotion spilled over the line.
Now do the math. Brooks has played 49 games. That puts him at roughly one technical every 2.5 games. That is not an edge anymore, that is a pattern. For reference, the honor for the most technical fouls in one season goes to Rasheed Wallace in 2000-01. He had 41 technical fouls, playing in 79 games (clearly the suspension rules weren’t in place back then) for an average of one tech every 1.9 games.
And today, it became official. This one is not getting wiped away. There will be no quiet reversal. This one sticks.
Which means the bill is real. And it is finally due.
Brooks spoke about the situation after the game last night.
“The ref said I play the victim, so I’m not talking no more about that. Said I’m playing the victim all of the time, and when I don’t play victim, I’m a bad guy.”
“We haven’t won a game with Gucci reffing,” he added, referencing James Williams, who strikingly resembles rapper Gucci Mane, “that should be on notice…we’ve had him 4-5 times already.”
"Said I'm playing victim all the time. & when I'm not, I'm a bad guy."
"If you're going to be bad, be bad the whole game."
"We haven't won a game with Gucci reffing… that should be on notice… we've had him 4-5 times already."
It’s unfortunate because the suspension will come right out of the All-Star break. First up for the Suns on February 19? The San Antonio Spurs against Victor Wembanyama. Brooks is a vital cog in what the Suns want to do defensively, especially against a player like Wembanyama. And now he will not be there. Not because of injury. Not because of rest. Because of accumulation.
With 27 games left, the margin gets razor-thin. Every two technicals now equal another suspension. He can pick up number 17 and keep playing. Number 18 means he sits. Number 20 means he sits again. Number 22, same deal.
So the challenge for the final third of the season is not only the level of competition on the schedule. It is availability. It is whether a player who rides emotion like a wave can avoid crashing headfirst into the reef. Because the Suns need Dillon Brooks on the floor. And right now, keeping him there is becoming just as difficult as stopping anyone they are about to face.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 11: Infield Coach Ron Washington #37 of the San Francisco Giants practices drills during Spring Training at Scottsdale Stadium on February 11, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the key moments in the film “Moneyball” comes when Brad Pitt’s Billy Beane and Brent Jennings’ Ron Washington visit Chris Pratt’s Scott Hatteberg to inform him they’re offering him a contract to play first base for the Oakland Athletics, even though he’s only played catcher in his big-league career so far. Beane insists that it’s not that hard. Washington disagrees.
24 years later, the 73-year-old Washington is the San Francisco Giants’ new infield coach. And he’s got another relative newbie at first base in Rafael Devers, who was enmeshed in a huge first base controversy last season with the Boston Red Sox after they signed third baseman Alex Bregman in free agency, moved Devers to DH, then asked him to play first.
But if Hatteberg could develop into a first sacker at age 32 with an elbow injury that hampered his throwing, then Devers, just 29 years old and already familiar with playing infield, should surely develop, right? Here’s the “Moneyball” playbook.
Get rejected by the Boston Red Sox
Done and done! Not only did the Sox trade Devers to the Giants in a deal where they seemed most interested in salary relief — they have only one player left from that return left on their roster — they bad-mouthed Devers after the deal, saying he had “not lived up to his responsibilities” by refusing to switch positions midseason. A team source also lamented what Devers’ actions would do to a club “increasingly reliant on young, impressionable players.” Won’t someone think of the Red Sox children!
(Note: The Red Sox were “increasingly reliant” on young players because they didn’t want to pay Mookie Betts or Xander Bogaerts.)
Find a wife
Hatteberg’s wife, Elizabeth, helped him prepare for his position change by hitting grounders to him off a tee at a tennis court near their home. However, Devers does not have a wife, so he’ll have to get someone else to do it. Is Bob Melvin busy? Does Devers live near a tennis court? If Devers chooses to seek out the wife first, it’s possible that Washington is not the right man to help with his Hinge profile.
Become a pickin’ machine
According to Chapter 8 of “Moneyball,” titled: “Scott Hatteberg: Pickin’ Machine,” Washington spent the six weeks of spring training in 2002 encouraging Hatteberg as he learned the new position. Every time Hatteberg dug a throw out of the dirt, Washington would yell, “Pickin’ machine!”
Is Devers really going to be worse than some of the Oakland first basemen Washington had to work with before? This is a group that included both Jason and Jeremy Giambi (R.I.P.), Olmedo Sáenz, Matt Stairs, and John Jaha. The bar for becoming una máquina recolectora is not too high.
Receive huge from Buster Posey
Obviously, this is the pinnacle of success every San Francisco Giants aims for.
Luis Arraez
Probably would not have been signed by 2002 Billy Beane.
As for Bryce Eldridge in left field… look, Wash is only in charge of the infield and he can only do so much.
The Minnesota Twins signed three-time All-Star reliever Liam Hendriks to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training on Thursday.
Hendriks, who turned 37 on Tuesday, made his major league debut with the Twins on Sept. 6, 2011, and appeared in 30 games from 2011-13 before finding great success and dealing with much adversity in his career.
The right-hander appeared in just 14 games last season with the Boston Red Sox, going 0-2 with a 6.59 ERA, seven walks and 12 strikeouts in 13 ⅓ innings.
The native of Australia went on the injured list with right hip inflammation, suffered a setback and missed the rest of the season. He had a right elbow ulnar nerve transposition procedure in September and became a free agent in November.
Hendriks underwent treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in early 2023 and made his debut that season on May 29 for the Chicago White Sox. But he pitched in only five games – going 2-0 with one save and a 5.40 ERA in five innings – before an elbow injury required Tommy John surgery and led to a lost 2024 campaign for rehabilitation.
For his career, Hendriks is 33-36 with 116 saves, a 3.88 ERA, 166 walks and 739 strikeouts in 663 2/3 innings over 490 regular-season games (44 starts) for the Twins, Kansas City Royals (2014), Toronto Blue Jays (2014-15), Oakland Athletics (2016-20), White Sox (2021-23) and Red Sox (2025).
From 2019 to 2022, Hendriks was selected to three All-Star Games and in the other year, 2020 with Oakland, he finished ninth in the American League Cy Young Award voting and 13th for AL Most Valuable Player.
You must have clicked here because you want to know why the Minnesota Timberwolves should be realigned1 to the National Basketball Association’s Eastern Conference. If so, you’re in the right place! If not, I assume you are here because:
You think a different NBA team should be moved to the Eastern Conference.
You are doing research on migration patterns of the Canis lupus (Yes, that is what our blog is named after).
You are Adam Silver.
No matter how you ended up here, I’m offering you a brief, but thorough guide for why Adam Silver and his grunts should select the Timberwolves as the team to be realigned if NBA expansion is coming in the near future. Scientific. Rational. Not just a simple desire, as other teams wish for.
Here is the ultimate, undeniable guide for why Minnesota should be the lucky team chosen to join the far less competitive Eastern Conference, if Seattle and Las Vegas are awarded new teams to join the West.
1 – Using “recategorized” instead of “relocated” was the writer’s choice to not invoke fear and stir up past fan trauma about the actual act of relocation. For the record: The Timberwolves are not in jeopardy of relocation.
1. Geography
The most common argument you will see from other teams for why they should join the East are the longitude and latitude lines on a map.
“New Orleans/Memphis is literally the furthest east of all Western Conference teams!”
Oh, if it were only so simple. As much as some may like to draw a line straight down the middle of the United States and divvy up teams that way, that would result in 15 teams in the Western Conference, if you include Minnesota and Houston. That leaves 17 teams in the Eastern Conference.
That would not compute.
When you actually look at the map of NBA teams, it paints a much different picture. Consider that Seattle and Las Vegas’ potential teams are added to this map, a very clear photo begins to develop. There is a large scatter plot of teams in the Northeast quadrant of the map.
Though Memphis and New Orleans are in fact the two teams furthest east, they are also much closer to other west teams.
It would make the most geographic sense to lump Minnesota with teams like Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, and others into a division. The question of how to split up divisions is a different topic. Four divisions of eight? Eight divisions of four? That’s for Silver to figure out.
Whatever the case, it’s clear the Timberwolves topographically should be in the Eastern Conference.
2. Retribution
That’s right. The Timberwolves organization are owed this. Because of how far away they are from their conference foes on the west coast, let alone their immediate division rivals, Minnesota is frequently near the top of the list for miles traveled in an NBA season.
Though Minnesota comes in at 11th in terms of miles traveled this current season, they bump up to ninth when looking at just Western Conference teams.
There are coastal teams like Portland or Golden State who often have to go cross country, racking up miles along the way. Then there are more central teams like the Texas organizations that are burdened with having to go equally east and west. However, no one would argue that the NBA should randomly pluck one Californian or Texan team to be realigned to Eastern Conference.
We should really only be looking at Memphis, New Orleans, and Minnesota.
The graphic above would lead you to believe the Grizzlies are a no-brainer pick here, but they traveled well over 9,000 miles to play two games in Europe this season. You subtract that from their total and they are suddenly sitting in the lower third of this chart, just a handful of spots below the Pelicans.
The Wolves are easily the most traveled, and tired, team among these three every season.
So let’s give them a break, for Christ Johnson sake. They’ve served their terms on The Wall and deserve rest. Not only will limiting their air travel be the fair thing to do, but it would also save our environment by limiting the unnecessary aviation CO₂ emissions.
It’s only right.
3. Ratings
Alright, Adam Silver. If you’ve read this far, I ask you to read just a little further.
We all know what you really care about. The brand and bottom line of the NBA. You could say the the league has never been more popular around the world. I’d agree with you! The parity has made for a more fun and unpredictable product. Unfortunately, the malevolent, overly competitive Western Conference has come back like the bogeyman they once were during the Warriors, Spurs, and Lakers dynasties.
Do you really want fans not caring about the season, knowing one of those selfish western teams is penciled into the NBA Finals at the start of the season?
What you need is a worthy competitor from the East.
Let’s not realign the rapidly rebuilding, and uncompetitive, Pelicans or Grizzlies in the same conference with shamelessly tanking teams like the Pacers, Wizards, Nets, Bucks, and Bulls. This would only further compound the narrative that “The East is free.”
Meanwhile, it’s a bloodbath on the other side. Stars like LeBron James, Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Kevin Durant are eliminating each other in the early rounds of the playoffs like it’s a Royal Rumble. Hell, even aging superstars like Steph Curry and Kawhi Leonard could get squeezed out of the postseason tournament entirely.
How’s that good for the game?
Now imagine this.
Anthony Edwards playing in front of his hometown Hawks four times a season.
Anthony Edwards in Madison Square Garden four times a season.
Anthony Edwards in the NBA Finals against Victor Wembanyama.
Jan 17, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) fouls Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
What people want to see are the biggest stars on the biggest stage. The East, with all due respect to the recovering Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum, lacks that punch. A face of the league that can threaten the daunting Western Conference horde. Sure, Anthony Edwards has said he doesn’t care to be that face.
