Minnesota's Anthony Edwards will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his ailing right knee and could miss up to two months, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania. However, Edwards could return sooner than eight weeks, depending on what the doctors find during the surgery.
This is a proactive move by the Timberwolves, who look at how they have played and the landscape of the West early in the season and think they can be in the mix to come out of the conference. By having the surgery now, Edwards will be back around Christmas at the latest, and the team will have plenty of time to ensure a high seed and get its chemistry right before the playoffs.
While it's just four games, Edwards has played at an MVP level to start the season and has led the Timberwolves to a strong 3-1 record. He's averaging 33.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 40% from 3-point range.
More scoring and shot-creation load will now fall on LaMelo Ball and Jaden McDaniels.
On Tuesday, Williams was asked about the league’s ruling and said that if he had to do it again, he’d do it.
“Do I agree with it? Not necessarily, but it’s the league’s rule,” Williams told Khobi Price of the California Post. “I paid my fine. If I gotta flop again to get a win, then that’s what I’ll do.”
Ziaire Williams on the NBA fining him $2K for flopping late in Sunday's win over the Jazz.
Said he doesn't necessarily agree with the league's ruling ("I thought it was a good defensive play) and is hoping to appeal the fine. Added: "if I gotta flop again to get a win, then… https://t.co/oFY6KESqeGpic.twitter.com/etqpUqo0PH
Lakers forward Ziaire Williams opens up about being fined $2,000 for flopping. NBAE via Getty Images
Williams added that he asked his agent, Aaron Mintz of CAA Sports, to look into appealing it.
“I thought it was a good defensive play,” Williams said. “… I sent it to my agent; hopefully we can appeal it, but if not, it is what it is.”
Williams was asked if the money has already been pulled from his bank account. “Oh, I’m pretty sure they did. I don’t know where that money is going, but they [took] it out of that account real quick.”
Williams’ flop happened at the 4:44 mark of the fourth quarter after he exaggerated contact when Jazz guard Keyonte George drove to the basket.
George’s attempted play was a midrange shot that would’ve put Utah up by three points. Instead, he was called for an offensive foul — resulting in Los Angeles gaining possession of the ball.
The Lakers’ Ziaire Williams opens up about being fined $2,000 for flopping on Sunday. NBAE via Getty Images
While the Lakers went on to win the game, Williams said his play isn’t the worst flopping play the NBA has seen and is curious to see what happens the rest of the season.
“I’m not mad about [it] or anything, and it’s not going to affect the way I play defense. I’m always going to do what it takes to win,” Williams said.
The Lakers’ Ziaire Williams attempts to block Jaren Jackson during the Lakers’ comeback victory Sunday. Getty Images
The Chicago Blackhawks are off to a lousy start in 2026-27. They came in with the expectation that young players would take a step forward and that they'd be playing more meaningful games in March.
They weren't unrealistic and saying it's playoffs or bust, but they wanted to stay much closer to the playoff line as the season moved along.
That isn't trending to be the case for the Blackhawks after about a month of the season. They are already well below .500 and are more points out of the playoffs than they are in the standings. That's never a good sign, even early.
When that is the case, teams start to look ahead to the upcoming draft. The Blackhawks would never admit it, but they are trending towards having another top pick. In 2022, they picked 7th. In 2023, they picked 1st. In 2024, they picked 2nd. In 2025, they picked 3rd. In 2026, they had the 4th overall pick but traded it. There have also been other first-round picks sprinkled in there from trades.
On Monday, NHL Central Scouting revealed its preliminary rankings for the 2027 NHL Draft. If the season continues on its current path, the Blackhawks will make it a 5th straight year with a top-5 pick.
You can see the prospect ranking from NHL Central Scouting here. The most notable name here that you will see as many people's projected number one is Michigan defenseman Landon Dupont. If the Blackhawks were to win the 2027 NHL Draft Lottery, they would absolutely consider him.
Highly anticipated prospect Landon DuPont was among players to earn an A rating on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list for the 2027 #NHLDraft.
Other prospects include Nazar Privalov, Alexis Joseph, Sergei Skvortsov, and Carter Meyer, among others. All of them have an A grade, which means that they are receiving a first-round grade. B grades are for second and third-round grades; C grades are for fourth and fifth-round grades, and W grades for for sixth and seventh round grades. LV means "limited viewing", which means that the league's scouts would like to view the player before giving him a grade.
Of the A-grade players, 21 are forwards, 5 are defensemen, and 1 is a goalie. That is a drastic difference from the preliminary ranking of the 2026 class, which had 15 forwards, 10 defensemen, and no goalies.
The goaltender is Vilmer Salen Forsberg, who currently plays for the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs. It is unlikely that the Blackhawks will draft a goalie high due to having Spencer Knight and Drew Commesso in the mix, but they do have some recent ties to Brantford when it comes to drafting.
Only time will tell how these projections play out as the season goes along. For the Blackhawks, they would prefer to not be thinking about the draft so soon, but their performance isn't doing them any favors. At some point, the losing will force the reality that one of these top prospects will be a possibility.
With NHL Central Scouting releasing its preliminary list of players to watch from the 2027 draft class, @theTonyFerrari breaks down some of the noteworthy names and where they currently stand among this crop of talent: https://t.co/ougXG50TMi
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(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Anthony Edwards was among the NBA’s leading scorers through the first week of the season, and he was helping make the Minnesota Timberwolves the most exciting team in the league. Now the 25-year-old superstar is set to miss the next two months as he’s set to undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Edwards’ knee had been bothering him during preseason, but he fought through it to drop 45 points in the season opener, and then 47 points in an overtime loss to the Cavs on Monday night. One day later, the team decided its best for Edwards to take care of his knee now so he can be healthy for the most important games of the season. This injury seemingly ends Edwards’ MVP case — candidates must play at least 65 games — and will probably put a big dent in Minnesota’s regular season record.
There have been so many injuries already early in the season. The Oklahoma City Thunder likely lost Jalen Williams for the year to a nasty dislocated ankle, then lost Cason Wallace for several months to a torn labrum. The Pistons are already down Jalen Duren to a hamstring strain, and the Utah Jazz are now without Jaren Jackson Jr. for two months after a torn MCL. The Orlando Magic have already seen Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs go down. That’s just the start of it.
Injuries impact every season, and they’re coming for this one early. Here’s hoping Edwards can get right again for the games that really matter.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 26: Chandler Simpson #14 of the Tampa Bay Rays makes a catch at the warning track during the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 26, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have Game 4 of the World Series this evening, and with the Brewers holding a commanding 3-0 lead, its very possible this is the last major league baseball game we will have in 2026.
If the Brewers take Game 4, it will not only be the first title in their history, but also the first World Series sweep since 2012, when the Giants swept the Tigers.
I’d like to see the Rays win tonight if for no other reasons than this: More baseball is always good, and we don’t know when MLB players will next take the field after this World Series due to the looming owners’ lockout.
7 p.m. CT: Brewers at Rays (Brewers lead series 3-1)
TV: Fox-TV, Fox One (streaming). Announcers: Joe Davis, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci.
Milwaukee Brewers fans cheer for their team before Game 4 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The 2026 World Series shifted to Tampa Bay for Game 3 on Monday night, but the change in scenery failed to slow the Milwaukee Brewers. The National League champions won 10-1 to move within one victory of their first World Series title. After scoring two runs in the third inning, the Brew Crew erupted for eight runs with two outs in the fifth. Left-hander Robert Gasser was unfazed by the hostile road environment, allowing one hit over six scoreless innings.
The Rays are fighting history, as no team has ever overcome an 0-3 deficit in the World Series. Tampa Bay must win Game 4 tonight to keep its season alive and force a Game 5 on Wednesday. However, the Brewers are looking to finish the series in four games and join the 1976 Cincinnati Reds as the only teams to sweep both the NLCS and the World Series.
The only teams to sweep the NLCS and World Series…
Through three games, the Brewers have simply been the better team. Milwaukee’s offense has delivered more clutch hits, while its starters and relievers have outperformed their Rays counterparts. Both teams feature strong bullpens, but Tampa Bay’s relief corps faltered at the worst possible time. If the Rays hope to begin a comeback, they must generate more offense and eliminate defensive and base running errors.
The Rays will turn to right-hander Griffin Jax for the biggest start of his career. Jax has struggled this postseason, allowing four earned runs in six innings over two appearances. Earlier this year, the Brewers scored five runs against him in an outing in which he recorded just three outs. Facing elimination, Rays manager Kevin Cash will keep Jax on a short leash and pull him early if he runs into trouble.
Here’s how the Rays stack up for this must-win Game 4:
The Brewers will counter with right-hander Dustin May. He has made four appearances this postseason, but only one was a start, in which he lasted three innings. Given that, May likely will serve as the opener, pitching two or three innings before handing the ball to left-hander Shane Drohan or another Brewers pitcher.
CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 7: Head Coach Jordan Ott of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the game against the Chicago Bulls on October 7, 2026 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Fall is settling into the Valley of the Sun, and the nights are finally becoming crisp. I think nothing of it when my wife gets up in the middle of the night to turn off the ceiling fan. Unfortunately for me, the ceiling fan switch sits next to two other switches, one of which controls the outlet on my side of the bed. How I became the lucky bastard who inherited the switched outlet is one of life’s great mysteries, but here we are.
So when I woke up this morning and discovered that my phone hadn’t charged all night, I quickly pieced together what had happened. While stumbling around in the darkness, the Mrs. had initially missed the ceiling fan switch and inadvertently turned off the outlet powering my charger. And as I stood there staring at my lifeless phone, the first thought that entered my basketball-obsessed brain was, “Well, crap. I’ve been disconnected. Much like the Phoenix Suns defense.”
I landed that plane, didn’t I?
After surrendering 143 points in the season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers, your instinct was to chalk it up as a variance game. “Shit happens,” as Forrest Gump says, and with all the emotion Portland was riding into its season opener surrounding the return of Damian Lillard, you could rationalize the Suns being unprepared to match that energy.
But since then, they’ve surrendered 122 points to the Santa Cruz version of the Golden State Warriors and another 125 to an extremely banged-up Oklahoma City Thunder team. It’s beginning to look less like that season opener was a fluke and more like the defensive identity of the Phoenix Suns, much like a lonely iPhone in the night, is disconnected.
Watching their collective performance has been a shock to the system for a team that built its reputation on that side of the ball a season ago. And the only thing more disappointing than watching it unfold is opening up the stats section on NBA.com to assess the damage. Because yes, it is damaging.
The Suns are allowing 123.7 points per game, which shockingly is only the fifth-most in the NBA. But their 124.5 defensive rating? Yeah, that’s the worst in the league. Their rebounding percentage sits dead last at 42.9%, and they’re tied for allowing the most second-chance points at 23.0 per night.
This team reminds me of the one we watched during the back half of last season. You know the one. The team that went 14–16 over its final 30 games. But there was justification for that team being as discombobulated as it was, right? Injuries were the culprit, not the system. You could point to the fact that over those final 30 games, Devin Booker missed 10, Dillon Brooks missed 20, and Mark Williams missed 10. The stability Phoenix had experienced for most of the season had disappeared, and the results reflected it.
What we witnessed at the end of last season looks an awful lot like what we’re seeing at the beginning of this one. Opposing teams are manipulating the Suns’ defense in ways that are both predictable and unacceptable. Guards are slicing into the lane unimpeded, getting to the rim for layups that are weakly contested because the rotating big man arrives late. And why is he late? Because he’s busy guarding his own guy. You can’t have catastrophic defensive collapses where nobody stops the ball and then expect your center to magically erase the mistake at the rim.
When perimeter defenders are continually beaten, and penetration occurs, the defense collapses to compensate. And when that happens, wide-open three-pointers become available. The Suns currently rank 29th in perimeter defense, with opponents shooting 40.7% from beyond the arc through the first three games.
Oh, and the rebounding? Per Basketball University, the Suns are permitting their opponents to grab 43.3% of their own misses. If Phoenix does somehow stop the opposition on a possession, odds are they’ll get another crack at it.
Phoenix is currently allowing opponents to grab 43.3% (!) of their own misses. Impossible to produce good defense when you have to defend 1.5x more possessions than you should have to.
Part of me is beginning to wonder whether we were too quick to blame injuries for the way Phoenix struggled down the stretch last season. Because what we’re witnessing at the front end of this year looks remarkably similar to what we saw at the back end of last year. Is it the same issue? Is unfamiliarity the primary culprit? Because if it is, that problem was never fixed last season.
And when I look at teams like the Warriors and Thunder, who have been limping through games against Phoenix over the past two contests, they still appear connected defensively. They have guys out there I’ve never heard of (I’ve got a vanilla iced protein latte for Josh Dix here), yet somehow, strategically and schematically, they’re finding ways to defend as a cohesive unit. Hell, the Thunder were throwing a 2-3 zone at the Suns, and Phoenix couldn’t figure out how to crack it.
Yes, my friends, the Suns look disconnected. And it’s becoming increasingly difficult to determine whether the problem is the personnel or the scheme.
Three games is a small sample, but the similarities to last season’s collapse are becoming difficult to ignore. At some point, Jordan Ott and his staff have to determine whether the system is putting players in positions to succeed or exposing their deficiencies. And the players have to execute their responsibilities within it. There’s accountability on both sides. Because right now, the Suns are playing defense like five individuals sharing a court rather than five teammates sharing a purpose. Somebody needs to find the damn light switch.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 26: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics celebrates after scoring against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at TD Garden on October 26, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rough start might be an understatement for the Brooklyn Nets. The worst part? Opponents aren’t getting any easier.
Brooklyn dropped its third straight game Sunday, falling 136-109 to the Indiana Pacers on the backend of a back-to-back. Now, the Nets head to Boston to face a Celtics team that dealt with its fair share of drama this offseason, but continues to push as a championship threat on the back of Jayson Tatum.
Boston is coming off a 134-99 win over the Chicago Bulls. That sounds like bad news for the Nets who can’t find answers on the defensive end. As Erik Slater noted, the Nets are giving up 23.3 wide-open threes per game (6+ feet of space) and opponents are shooting 50% on those looks. Combine that with poor rim protection and you’re looking at an unconvincing 0-3 start.
Head coach Jordi Fernández didn’t mince words after Sunday’s loss.
“The performance that we put on after the first quarter was just unacceptable. 112 points in three quarters — you’re not winning basketball games.”
The Nets will get some help with Mikel Brown Jr. expected back after sitting out Sunday’s game for injury management. Brooklyn needs to find a response before this early-season skid grows into something they can’t salvage.
Game Info & How to Watch
Matchup: Brooklyn Nets (0-3) at Boston Celtics (2-1)
Time: 7:30 PM EDT
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
TV/Streaming: YES Network and DAZN
Nets-Celtics Injury Report
Brooklyn Nets
Joshua Jefferson: OUT (G League assignment)
Drake Powell: OUT (G League assignment)
Ben Saraf: OUT (G League assignment)
Tyler Bilodeau: OUT (G League assignment, two-way)
Grant Nelson: OUT (G League assignment, two-way)
Boston Celtics
Injury report: TBD
Game Preview
“[Mikel Brown Jr.] will be one of several guards chasing Payton Pritchard around tonight. Pritchard hit for 28 points and seven three-pointers last night as he had the Bulls in a blender. PP has been one of the best reserve guards in recent years and is someone Mazzulla and the team can count on to deliver no matter what the role is on a given night. His ascension allows for more flexibility and makes things easier across the board for his teammates. For Brown Jr, Pritchard offers a great test against on the defensive side of the ball, while playing against elite competition overall. It should be fun to see how he shapes out against one of the most prepared teams in the NBA.” – Brian Fleurantin
💬 Discussion
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Baseball's first World Series was played in 1903 with the Boston Americans defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates that October.
The New York Yankees have won more championships – 27 – than any other team in history. Entering 2026, 25 of Major League Baseball's current 30 franchises have won a championships with the Milwaukee Brewers-Tampa Bay Rays series set to crown a first-time winner.
Here's a look back at all of MLB's World Series champions
And when their power play fails, like it did on Tuesday night against the Buffalo Sabres, it’s a 2-0 loss.
Here are three takeaways from tonight:
Life Apart for WillMack?
For Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, there’s life apart from each other. WillMack were split up for the first time this season, aside from the two games that Celebrini was hurt earlier this year.
Celebrini, put in perhaps more of a primary shooting role because of his more pass-first linemates Collin Graf and Ivar Stenberg, registered three 5-on-5 shots. He had just one in his last two games combined and zero against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, with both contests coming on the heels of Igor Chernyshov’s injury.
That’s not normal for the usually shot-happy Celebrini, who hasn’t been held to zero 5-on-5 shots in consecutive games since his rookie campaign in February 2025.
So it’s good to see him shoot more. Celebrini also fed Graf in the blue paint for what looked like an open-net goal, but Graf couldn’t quite elevate the shot about Colten Ellis’s left pad.
Meanwhile, Smith didn’t play as much — his 16:20 time on ice was on the lower side — but he was part of one of the Sharks’ more dangerous 5-on-5 sequences tonight. Smith picked up a Mason Marchment pass that was behind him in the slot, calmly turned around instead of forcing a weak shot toward the net and passed it back to Michael Misa. Misa and Michael Kesselring pounded the net in tight for three shot attempts, with a couple of them blocked.
Smith benefiting from less attention away from the Celebrini line and being the offensive engine of a more sheltered line isn’t a bad thing for a Sharks squad that sorely needs an offensive lift from anywhere.
And Warsofsky can reunite Celebrini and Smith late in the game, whenever he needs more of an offensive push.
Oct. 19 at the Toronto Maple Leafs (.935 save percentage) and Oct. 22 at the Ottawa Senators (.953), Askarov’s last two games, marked the first time since last calendar year — Dec. 16 and 20 (.900 versus the Calgary Flames and .903 versus the Seattle Kraken) — that Askarov had a .900 save percentage or better in consecutive games.
The last time that Askarov had three straight games with a .900 or better save percentage? You’ll have to go back to his November hot streak last year, when he went 8-2-0 with a .947 mark. From November 1-23, for eight consecutive consecutive contests, Askarov peeled off a .900 or better save percentage.
That will be tough for Askarov to match, but the Sharks will take it.
Punchless Without the Power Play?
The Sharks entered tonight 30th in the NHL with 1.69 5-on-5 Goals per 60. In contrast, their power play was sixth in the league, but it went 0-for-3.
They’re now 31st in the NHL in 5-on-5 scoring — their 1.55 Goals per 60 only above the Philadelphia Flyers’ 1.36.
Of greater concern, San Jose isn’t generating enough chances, but they also are giving up too many. Per Natural Stat Trick, Buffalo out-chanced them 15-10 at 5-on-5 High-Danger.
The Sharks did pick it up after a first period where they were bullied net-front, another area of concern heading into tonight. But overall, they did not play a game that was deserving of a win.
Trouba Takes the “A”
With Alex Wennberg out with a week-to-week upper-body injury, the Sharks needed a new alternate captain.
Jacob Trouba, who captained the New York Rangers from 2022 to 2025, was a natural choice to take Wennberg’s spot.
Good Call?
Last time in this space, I complained about the Sharks overusing their playoff introduction. That’s the slow descent of the Shark Head, accompanied by the clanging of Hans Zimmer’s “Do You Think I’m Saxon?”. It’s truly one of the classic intros in hockey.
The Sharks used it on opening night (that’s special), the next home against the Los Angeles Kings (still opening weekend, I guess?), and after a couple games on the road, a week later against the Edmonton Oilers.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 26: Brandon Woodruff #53 and Jackson Chourio #11 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in Game Three of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 26, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Can the Brewers clinch it tonight?
Can the Rays extend the series, and the MLB season, yet another day?
New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain, left, and catcher Jorge Posada react after Tampa Bay Rays' B.J. Upton hit a two-run double during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010, in New York.
A former Yankee opened up after Jorge Posada revealed he no longer feels welcome by the organization he helped lead to four World Series titles.
Former hard-throwing reliever Joba Chamberlain took to social media Tuesday afternoon to indicate how much the comments say about the current situation in The Bronx for Posada to publicly reveal his feelings, which were aired out during an appearance on The Post’s “The Show” podcast hosted by Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman.
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In a separate post responding to a fan, Chamberlain, who was part of the 2009 World Series-winning Yankees squad with Posada, wrote that it “seems like there are some that they love that are still around.”
Replying to a fan who opined that the Yankees “look down on former players,” Chamberlain wrote, “Who knows anymore.”
Chamberlain and Posada played together from 2007 through 2011.
New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain, left, and catcher Jorge Posada react after Tampa Bay Rays’ B.J. Upton hit a two-run double during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010, in New York. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Posada was asked by Heyman and Sherman about possibly helping the Yankees when he made the surprising comments.
“I mean, I could, but I don’t think they want me there, to tell you the truth,” said Posada, who was inducted into Monument Park and had his No. 20 retired in 2015.
“I don’t feel welcome when I go there, you know? Even in spring training, I don’t feel like — I’m just like, I don’t know, like, I don’t feel welcome. I don’t feel like they want me there, so I don’t go.”
Posada spent 17 years with the Yankees from 1995 to 2011 and was a fan favorite during the dynasty run.
The Yankees great has been around the franchise over the years, having been in attendance for several Old Timers’ Days and being on hand for the 25th anniversary of the Bronx Bombers’ Championship team in 2023. He was also part of the pregame ceremony on Sept. 11 in remembrance of the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
Former New York Yankees player Jorge Posada takes the field for a pregame ceremony in honor of 9/11 before the start of a game at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Posada did not give a specific moment that has led him to feel unwelcome by the Yankees, but did reference the end of his career with the franchise in 2011, when he publicly disagreed with the team over his playing time and his use as a designated hitter.
“I don’t know what happened. I’d rather just move forward,” Posada said. “My last season of my career was a really tough one when it comes to handling everything in my part and also the Yankees toward Jorge Posada.
The Sixers are trying to figure out their personnel and plans behind Joel Embiid. It’s far from the first time.
In many previous seasons, the Sixers have fared dramatically worse with Embiid off the floor. That trend hasn’t changed in the very early days of the 2026-27 campaign.
No numbers are worth any deep scrutiny yet. Still, the backup center spot and defensive rebounding were valid, overlapping concerns going into the season. The Sixers haven’t had great starts in either area.
“If you’re missing some of your size … it obviously becomes a problem and all five guys have to rebound,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said Sunday. “I look at the numbers there and the defensive rebounding, no matter the position, just isn’t good enough. So everybody has to chip in with a few more. That’s got to be the answer for sure.”
From guard to center, the Sixers will need more to avoid another season as one of the NBA’s bottom defensive rebounding teams.
“Boxing out, going to get the ball aggressively,” Anfernee Simons said Tuesday. “Obviously, having tall guys (available) does help. I think it’s going to be a collective thing. … We can try to mitigate the struggles of maybe not having some big guys out there. We’ve just got to be extra tough to be able to withstand that.”
Adem Bona’s work on the glass against Detroit was a significant positive.
The third-year big man played his best game of the young season, recording six points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Continued good minutes by Bona would simplify Nurse’s decisions.
“I think the biggest thing I’m happy about is Bona played more like we’re used to seeing,” Nurse said following Tuesday’s practice. “We probably would’ve went that way if that body of work had been in front of him. It’s easy to say when you’re looking back on it, that you would’ve made some other moves and all that kind of stuff. And listen, we’ve had some amazing moments with LeBron (James) at the five, so I’m going to draw from those.”
Instead of Bona, Nurse started James at center and the Sixers sunk into a 15-1 hole.
James is capable of sliding up to the five, but he doesn’t expect to do it much.
“S—, we have the (former) MVP over here,” James said postgame, pointing toward Embiid’s locker. “I’m not here to have a sustainable role at the five. You’ve got Joel Embiid on the team. … It’s a role that we know we can tap into. I know I can play one through five offensively and defensively. But a sustainable role playing the five? I don’t think that’s it.”
Aspects of the Sixers’ Embiid-less play should improve with reps and sharper role definition. Whether it’s Bona, James, Dean Wade or another alternative at center, the team should fine-tune its principles over time.
“I think the biggest thing is with Process, we play a lot of five-out because it’s good for us,” Tyrese Maxey said Sunday. “When we go small ball, it would be good for us to play in a little bit of a different way. Maybe four out, one in. Create some driving lanes with Dean or Bron or somebody else off the top of the key just in case (Jaylen Brown) or somebody wants to crash the paint or something like that.
“We’re going to figure it out. I think it was game four. I’m not too worried about that.”
Tacko Fall, who received the Sixers’ third and final two-way slot, has been out with a left quadriceps strain and won’t be available Wednesday night when the Sixers visit the Pacers. Fellow center options Jabari Walker (left knee soreness) and Dominick Barlow (lower back stress reaction) will remain sidelined as well. The 7-foot-6 Fall did return to practice Tuesday as a full participant, a team official said. VJ Edgecombe practiced and was off the Sixers’ injury report after missing Sunday’s game with an abdominal contusion.
DETROIT, MI - JULY 12: Detroit Tigers third base coach Billy Boyer (88) looks on during a regular season Major League Baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Detroit Tigers on July 12, 2026 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In all the talk around Mariners managerial candidates, it felt like a lot of the candidates who were being proposed were the obvious ones – Jason Kanzler was the first real dark horse candidate that popped up, and has apparently made it quite far in the process. But if the Mariners are really looking for new voices and ideas, it seems to me that it would be productive to look into some under-the-radar names, people who are more up and coming rather than established names. That inspired me to do some digging around the league and try to identify at least one candidate from each organization who I think would be an interesting fit in Seattle.
Admittedly, some teams are more scoop-able than others. For this reason I’ve left off most of the AL West, teams undergoing their own coaching changes (again, most of the AL West, plus the Red Sox), some organizations that have recently undergone sweeping coaching changes (the Rockies, the Nationals), and some teams that I just couldn’t come up with a good name for or don’t think have really strong coaching and player development (it’s the Reds. Sorry, Cincinnati).
I am a big proponent of joining professional organizations and ongoing professional development (both attending and presenting). Therefore, in identifying candidates, I first and foremost looked for people who are interested in the art of coaching; I cross-referenced names with members of the ABCA (American Baseball Coaches Association) and tried to track down articles and quotes to get a sense of their coaching philosophy or managerial style (and in some cases, guest appearances on the ABCA podcast). I also gave some preference to those with geographical ties to the West Coast or the Seattle area in particular, because unfortunately that is a very real thing to have to consider, as we saw with why Rocco Baldelli reportedly dropped out of the race. Finally, I considered how long a candidate has been with a particular organization or how deeply tied they seem to be to their current organization – for example, I really like Ron Wotus with the Giants, but his connections to that organization run so deep it’s hard to imagine him anywhere else.
With the Mariners reportedly seemingly narrowing it down to Joe Espada and Jason Kanzler for a managerial role, this article is less useful than it was when I started doing all this research, but maybe some of these people would be under consideration for a non-managerial role. Actually, since there are a lot of candidates here who are more nontraditional as far as big-league managing experience, this article might be more useful. At least that’s what I’m telling myself after hours of scrolling LinkedIn profiles, social media accounts, and podcast appearances.
In order to avoid publishing The Odyssey-but-make-it-coaching, I’ll be splitting these up by divisions; we’re starting with the AL Central. Let’s see how many I can get done before the Mariners announce a hire.
AL Central:
Patrick Leyland (White Sox)
Current role: Manager, Double-A Birmingham Barons
Age: 35
Bonus points: coaching bloodlines (son of Jim Leland); former Mariner farmhand (2015)
Leyland has been coaching in pro ball since 2018, and has managed at the minor-league level since 2022, all in the White Sox organization; he’s yet to make it to the big-league level. Like dad Jim, Pat has found more success as a coach than as a player, which he says informs how he relates to players.
Relevant quote: “Not that it disqualifies any other coach, because there’s more than one way to do things, but I know I can relate to our players,” he said. “I understand what they’re going through. I tell them that I wasn’t a very good player, and I know how hard this can be. I can be a shoulder to lean on, especially when things aren’t going well. I had to fight and claw and find a way to grind things out.”
Double bonus points: normally a cool customer, was ejected once all season in a home game on the last day of the MiLB season for sticking up for his hitter who got pitched inside and absolutely made a meal of it.
Kevin Howard (Royals)
Current Role: Assistant Director of Player Development
Age: 45
Bonus points: Has a connection to current Mariners farm director Justin Toole; former Mariner farmhand (2008); College World Series champion (Miami, 2001) under Jim Morris, who Howard cites as a mentor.
Following a 12-year playing career (drafted in the 5th round out of Miami in 2002) Howard spent a year coaching high school/small college before being hired by the Guardians as a hitting coordinator. In 2021 he moved to the Mets as Director of Player Development, then was moved to hitting coach; in 2023 went to the Royals in his current role. During his time with the Mets, Howard spoke to his alma mater about desiring an on-field role because he really values building relationships.
Relevant quote: “I was willing to work hard. I wanted to get to the Major Leagues so bad. I was willing to do whatever I could, but some of the stuff that I try to instill in our players is having a growth mindset and I did not have a growth mindset. I had a fixed mindset and I didn’t want to listen. I didn’t want people to tell me anything because I took it personally. If I could go back, that’s definitely something I would change and I think that would have made a major impact on how much I could have improved.”
Billy Boyer (Tigers)
Current role: Third base coach (MLB)
Age: 42
Bonus points: Born in Auburn, WA; attended Enumclaw HS; PNW coaching experience (student manager at UW, coached at Seattle U, coached at Pierce College during the program’s first NWAC Championship in 2012)
Boyer, whose name is probably most recognizable on this list, has a reputation as a strong infield defensive coach – his big-league coaching journey started with the Twins as an infield and baserunning coach before he moved to the Tigers, transitioning from a quality control coach to third base coach this past July after the team and Joey Cora parted ways after the Tigers finished near the bottom of the league in stolen bases despite an organization-wide emphasis on that. The Tigers also reportedly wanted Boyer to work with upcoming superstar Kevin McGonigle, but a report from the Detroit News at the end of September called Boyer’s status “unclear” amidst a bunch of other coaching changes.
Relevant quote: I thought this thread on rhythm, tempo, and timing was a nice encapsulation of Boyer’s approach and an interesting supplement to Perry Hill’s “6 Fs”.
Most infield development stops at reps & fundamental mechanics.
But elite infield play is built on some internal operating systems:
Rhythm, Tempo & Timing.
These aren’t buzzwords they're the feel behind elite consistency.
Bonus points: Spent first 16 years of his life living in Saudi Arabia with his international-school teacher parents; triple sport athlete in college
Non-bonus points: said he fell in love with baseball because of Kirby Puckett and the Twins
The Twins were a HEADACHE to go through, y’all. Apparently the only thing the Pohlads love more than saving money is hiring franchise legends, nepo babies, and lifelong fans. Hallberg was with the Giants for six years before moving to the Twins, close to his Wisconsin-based family. It’s too bad, because I really like data-minded Hallberg, who was part of implementing an aggressive ABS challenge system with the Twins this spring.
Relevant quote: “When you can switch count leverages in big moments and change base/out states (run expectancy charts), those are all factors, and how many run-scoring opportunities you get,” Hallberg said. “When you’re down in the game and you make their closer (enter) and keep fighting throughout the night, some of those overturns (Wednesday) gave us the opportunity to come back. It stung to lose the game, but our guys fought and our competitive spirit was intact. We made them work. We got their closer up. That impacted the next day, and I hope our team continues to do that throughout the season.”
(Also quoted in that article is someone else I considered while tussling with the Twins’ org chart, Mike Rabelo, who doesn’t have a lifelong love of the Twins sparking his interest in baseball, but is also tragically very east-coast-based)
Alyssa Nakken (Guardians)
Current role: Assistant Director, Player Development
Age: 36
Bonus points: West Coast ties
It’s time that the Mariners reverse-scoop from the Guardians’ staff. Coming back to the West Coast would be an easy landing for Nakken, whose previous big-league experience was with her hometown Giants; she’d also walk into a clubhouse led partially by Josh Naylor, who is an outspoken advocate of women having a place in baseball. This is assuming, of course, Nakken would prefer a role back on the field, as she moved from the Giants to the Guardians to take a more front-office role after the birth of her first child. Look, just let me have this one beautiful dream, okay.
