CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: Isaiah Evans shoots the ball during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena 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
Cameron Boozer’s NBA track is pretty set: unless something very strange happens, he’ll go between the #1 and the #4 picks, and lately, a lot of people have suggested that maybe he’ll be the first pick.
Time will tell, obviously.
For his Duke teammate, Isaiah Evans, his path is less certain. He didn’t test that well athletically at the combine, and that is a negative.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 25: Goga Bitadze #35 of the Orlando Magic dribbles the ball as Johni Broome #22 of the Philadelphia 76ers plays defense during the 2025-26 NBA Emirates Cup on November 25, 2025 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Sixers were at the forefront of the sensation that was the 2025 rookie class. They immediately slotted No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe into the starting lineup on opening night and played him 35 minutes a night. Edgecombe’s production correlated with team success all season as Philadelphia made it back to the playoffs and won a round.
They certainly did not get as much instant success from their second-round pick. At No. 35 overall, the Sixers selected Johni Broome out of Auburn. The 6-foot-8 forward was an interesting prospect to say the least. He had just carried his Tigers to the National Championship, but was set to turn 23 years old just weeks after being drafted and had some really troubling measurables coming out of the combine.
It wasn’t a shock that Broome spent more of his rookie season with the Delaware Blue Coats than the main club. He played in 18 games with the Coats compared 11 for the Sixers. In only one of those 11 games did Broome see minutes in non-garbage time.
Even in blowouts with the benches emptied, Broome looked concerningly a step behind the competition on the floor. This was most notable in the game he got the most extended run, a game in which he played 17 minutes in a 41-point loss to the Orlando Magic.
His 2-of-9 performance that night is a big reason he ended his rookie season shooting 16% from the field. Despite hardly ever seeing an NBA floor the rest of the season, Broome was able to go through the proper rite of passage for a Sixers rookie. He tore his meniscus in late February, sinking chances he had at getting reps in Delaware down the stretch of the season as well.
Broome did get cleared to return for the end of the season, but only appeared again in a couple fourth quarters in the second round of the playoffs in which the New York Knicks had thoroughly smashed the Sixers. Broome’s rookie season ended with him averaging 0.9 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.
The playing time and production are so minute it’s impossible to really evaluate, and yet at the same time it still feels bad enough to be concerning. He simultaneously didn’t get much of a chance at the NBA level yet did enough to make his detractors already write him off.
There’s already a debate over how bad of a miss it was drafting Broome at 35. On one hand, it’s only a second-round pick, but a pick as high as 35 is often viewed a little more highly.
There was only one player to go after Broome in the second round who was an obvious, that being Maxime Raynaud of the Sacramento Kings. As a center, Raynaud was an easy draft miss Broome skeptics pointed to given the uncertainty that is Joel Embiid’s health status. It didn’t help that Raynaud made Second Team All-Rookie.
No NBA career should be judged by the first 11 games alone. Broome did at least have some success in Delaware. Over eight games he averaged more than 19 points a game, including a 50-burger in February just weeks before he injured his knee. Removing his G-League production though, Broome has yet to show any real flash at the professional level.
A Montreal Canadiens legend is among the candidates for the Toronto Maple Leafs' head coaching job.
According to TSN's Darren Dreger, former Canadiens star Patrick Roy is among the names interviewing for the Maple Leafs' bench boss gig this week. Dreger also shared that Peter Laviolette will be interviewing for Toronto's job as well.
With Roy being a Canadiens legend, it would certainly be strange to see him end up being the Maple Leafs' head coach. However, with Roy being one of the top head coaches without a job right now, it makes sense that he is speaking with the Maple Leafs.
Roy was let go by the New York Islanders with just four games left in the 2025-26 season. This is after he led the Islanders to a 42-31-5 record and 89 points. Roy was replaced by Peter DeBoer.
Roy has a 130-92-24 record as an NHL head coach. He also won the Jack Adams Award for the 2013-14 season, where he led the Colorado Avalanche to a 52-22-8 record and 112 points.
In 551 games with the Canadiens, Roy had a 289-175-66 record, a .904 save percentage, a 2.78 goals-against average, and 29 shutouts. He also won two of his four Stanley Cup championships with the Canadiens.
The Mets were soundly defeated by the Mariners 8-3. All three Mets runs were driven in by Carson Benge, who had the first multi-home run game of his career.
The Syracuse Mets broadcast booth has become a launching pad for broadcasters looking to break through.
A.J. Ewing may seem like the prototypical leadoff hitter, but Carlos Mendoza is reluctant to move him there with the success Carson Benge has had in the leadoff spot.
Keith Hernandez joined Jeff Passan on his podcast to discuss playing baseball and the life he’s led after retiring from the game, especially in his second life as Mets broadcaster.
Francisco Alvarez began his rehab assignment in Syracuse with a bang, and his quick recovery is attributed (by him) to his mindset.
With all the issues the Mets have faced with their pitching, Sean Manaea is making a case for his re-insertion into the starting rotation.
Around the National League East
Dominic Smith has come back better than ever with the Braves, and he’s providing more than just statistical value for Atlanta.
The Braves held on to beat the Blue Jays 4-3. Bryce Elder got the win pitching 6.2 innings and giving up 3 runs, allowing six hits and one walk while striking out six.
The Phillies narrowly beat the Padres 3-2. Aaron Nola pitched five innings and allowed two runs on four hits while striking out eight.
The Marlins easily won 7-3 against the Nationals. Heriberto Hernández drove in three runs on two home runs, with Joe Mack also driving in three runs.
Around Major League Baseball
ESPN put out their baseball winners and losers for the month of May, and what to keep an eye on as the 2026 season inches closer to it’s halfway mark.
Aaron Judge has been dealing with nagging shoulder soreness which has been revealed to be a bone bruise, prompting a meeting with doctors last night.
Corbin Carroll is crushing lefties, and it’s not an accident—it’s by design.
Steve Sypa reached the ten week mark for the Mets Minor League Players of the Week.
With the Knicks reaching the NBA Finals and a period of franchise prosperity, Michael Drago wondered how long it will take for the Mets to do the same.
This Date in Mets History
46 years ago today, the Mets selected 1986 World Series Champion and future Mets Hall of Famer Darryl Strawberry first overall in the draft.
We’re going to start this piece with a general disclaimer: Aaron Judge is still an excellent MLB hitter. He is also 261 plate appearances into his worst season since 2021, a “mere” five-and-a-half win campaign that saw him finish fourth for AL MVP. We can also all be honest that that is a significant drop from Best Right-Handed Hitter’s Peak In Baseball History, and from a team construction standpoint, that means other guys in the lineup need to pick up those runs that a 200 wRC+ bat would have produced.
So what gives? We know there’s been some pain for the last month or so, as Judge is currently day-to-day with a bone bruise. We’re a third of the way through the season. How much of this regression is based on the fact that he’s 34 now, how much is because of some problems in approach, how much is just more or less bad luck, and how much is the injury affecting him?
The good news is some of this could clear up on its own. One of the things that’s powered Judge in his post-COVID peak has been that he’s hit to his expected levels — he’s never had a 2025 Ben Rice type of year where he should be hitting better than he is, until now. It’s pretty routine stuff by now for an analyst to say “OK, his xBA, xSLG, and xwOBA are all higher than his actual numbers, we should expect an improvement, something back to that 170-175 wRC+ that FanGraphs’ Depth Charts projects for the rest of his season. Good news!”
There’s still a difference between 170, which gets you MVP votes, and 200, which makes it a no-contest. Solving that delta is now our quest, and I worry how much of it comes from the fact that 34 doesn’t play the way it used to. As Judge has set or approached career high after career high over the past five years, the name he keeps bumping up against is Barry Bonds, and while I do think Bonds is one of the three or so most talented hitters to ever play the game, he had a certain degree of pharmaceutical help. I don’t think steroids are some kind of super soldier serum, but the core benefit of helping your body rebuild muscle faster helps extend careers — Bonds’ best seasons were his age 36-39, and I just don’t think that’s in the cards for Judge.
We see this reflected in bat speed, one of those things that does decline as you age. Judge’s swing speed is down a full mile per hour, and the resulting second- and third-order effects are there. One mile isn’t a huge decline, but it leads to a waterfall of decline elsewhere — barrel rate, hard-hit rate, and average exit velocity are all down ticks. Bat speed is also primarily generated by the lower half. If you watch Judge’s swing, so much of his power comes from a pretty flawless weight transfer against baseball’s stiffest front side. This is why I don’t necessarily think the bat speed is going to come back after Judge recovers from this bone bruise.
Here’s where this becomes a problem; Aaron Judge is no longer the best fastball hitter you’ve ever seen. Last year he was +25 in run value against heaters, 2024 +33, and 2022 +32. This is a roughly cumulative stat, but in a third of a season he’s at +3 in 2026. In a world of Cam Schlittlers and Jacob Misiorowskis, hitters have to bring their own velo against ever-climbing fastball speeds. The slower your bat speed, the less damage you can do against higher velocity.
A first glance at that decline in production and particularly the way Judge’s pull rates have increased might make you think he’s cheating on fastballs, starting the hitting chain earlier. I actually don’t think that’s the case here; his pull rate is back over 40 percent, which is seven points higher than last year, but pretty in line with his other two MVP campaigns. The pull rate isn’t the problem; the problem is what the pull rate represents.
This is where I ask, dear reader, to come with me beyond the spreadsheets into something a little murkier. Michael Kay has talked over and over this season how proud Judge is of his 2025 batting title, that he wants to see himself as a complete hitter, not just a slugger. Part of this is Kay needing to be a play-by-play announcer and needing to guide us all through the various, complicated stories that emerge in 162 games; that’s his job. As we journey into the mystical world of psychology though, you have to wonder how much Aaron Judge is trying to decide what kind of hitter he wants to be.
Last year Judge really fell in love with the opposite field. He’s always had plenty of power to center and right, but all those singles and doubles to the other side were what gave him the batting title. Contrast that with 2024, when his pull rates were more in line with what’s happening this year.
It’s worth noting that clutter of singles in the infield hole last year, which was probably a good share of luck in getting that batting title. The main point is how many more hits were to the opposite field, even though Judge was a more productive overall hitter two seasons past. I think this is the first concerning bit of his approach in 2026 — it must be extremely tempting to still be the .331 hitter even as some of the effectiveness against fastballs begins to fade.
The second concerning piece, and I would argue more important one, is this strange passivity he has. He’s taking pitches in the zone at the highest rate since his 2016 disaster debut, taking first pitches at a lower rate than last year, and most concerning to me, taking meatballs at the highest rate again since 2016. Aaron Judge should never be taking a meatball. If you throw a pitch in the heart of the zone against Aaron Judge, you should be forced onto to the IL with a neck strain from how quickly you whip your head around to watch it leave the ballpark. Yet Judge has seen 42 percent of his 2025 pitch total, and has been one-fourth as effective against pitches in the heart of the zone.
In spite of Judge’s strikeout rate climbing over the past few years, he’s whiffing less, when he swings he’s making more contact. He is just not swinging enough, content to give pitchers a 0-1 head start, or allow a 1-1 offering to become a 1-2 hole.
Compare what he was swinging at last year. He wasn’t chopping away at pitches he couldn’t drive — everything is still in the zone. Indeed, the great advantage of being Aaron Judge is if it’s in the zone, you can probably put a charge into it. I don’t want him to become a slapdick slasher but there’s no reason, when you have arguably the most pure power in the integration era, that you should close off so much of the zone. Hell, maybe Judge’s most impactful home run came on a swing way inside:
You’re Aaron Judge, you have power no matter where the ball is. Stop taking the cutter at the thigh mid-in, you can probably get the barrel around on it. Actually not probably, we have almost a decade of evidence that you can turn that into a mistake pitch.
Here’s where we need to separate approach from the injury, and here’s where I think the fact Judge has seemingly played in pain for the last month factors in. Let’s look at that heatmap of 2026 again:
Aaron Judge is hunting for one specific pitch in one specific location, and willing to take on everything else. To me it seems logical that if baseball activities are causing you near-constant discomfort, you’re really going to focus on getting the A-Swing off on The Pitch you want, as opposed to previous seasons where any pitch above the belt could get the A-Swing. This would be the thing I’d be most confident in Judge changing should he be able to return to full health.
So we’re 1,200 words in. What exactly do we have in Aaron Judge?
He’s better than he’s playing now, and that’s without changing anything in his worrisome two-prong approach. I fully expect that if he’s just doing the exact same thing he’s doing, a month from now he’ll be boasting a better overall batting line. A certain amount of this is priced in already; all else equal he should be more productive than he has been.
I think there’s some age-related regression going on, and that in and of itself isn’t really a bad thing. The fun part about regressing from a 10-win, 200 wRC+ player is there’s so much room to catch a root as you slide down. I think we can be more than reasonable and say that even with the tick back in bat speed, Aaron Judge can be what he was in his rookie year — in my opinion the deserved AL MVP, but if nothing else finishing on the podium.
And then there’s this twin killing, the two things that I think are a bit of an anchor around the Captain’s neck, or at least, his swing. He needs to decide on the pull factor, especially if fastballs are getting just a tick too fast. Should that be the case he either needs to focus on getting around sooner, or take advantage of that natural, godlike power and wait on fastballs, to take them the other way with authority. Given that he is seeing fewer fastballs overall this season, I would tend toward the latter strategy; waiting on the heaters and driving them to right will also have you cocked and locked for offspeed or breaking pitches in the zone.
Health will answer the question around his passivity, though. The Yankees preach discipline and controlling the zone and being savages in the box, and Michael Kay will talk a lot about how often Judge is in 3-2 counts, but a 3-2 count in and of itself isn’t a good thing if you’ve let hittable pitches go to get there. An increased aggressiveness is the key to turning Aaron Judge from a damn fine hitter back to the best we’ve ever seen, but we’ll need to wait and see if that’s a philosophy change, or a constraint imposed because of injury.
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 16: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks looks on during the game during the 2025 NBA Emirates Cup Final on December 16, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Spurs struggled against the Knicks in the regular season. Should New York be considered the favorite because of those matchups?
Marilyn Dubinski: While the Spurs’ loss in New York was their lone blemish of February, if we’ve learned anything in these playoffs, it’s to disregard the regular season. The Cup Final came with Wemby still coming off the bench (and admittedly not focused since he had lost his grandmother), and the Spurs won their home game (albeit behind a franchise record 11 threes from Julian Champagnie). All those games were outliers in their own ways, and both teams have come a long way since then. It’s also hard to know what exactly to think of the Knicks right now because of how quickly they went from disappointing to close the regular season to flying through an easy first three rounds in part due to upsets on the other side of the East bracket. I think it will be a very tight match-up, but homecourt advantage will be the difference for the Spurs.
Mark Barrington: No, because both teams have gotten a lot better since then. It’s hard to know how good the Knicks are right now, since they’ve been lapping the field in the kiddie pool that is the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Can Landry Shamet continue to look like a bigger, stronger Steph Curry? [I think his shooting returns to Earth in this series, although he will continue to be a key player for them.]
Is Jalen Brunson going to be able to create enough space with his compact structure and elite body control? [I think that Victor’s length will bother him in the paint.]
Will KAT avoid taking 4 or 5 dumb fouls per game? [As if. KAT gotta KAT.]
Is Josh Hart the ultimate glue guy? [Yes.]
Will Mitch Robinson even play, and if he does, can he hit a free throw? [Jeremy Sochan is teaching him the one-handed free-throw technique as we speak.]
The deal is that the Knicks aren’t a known quantity at this point. They’ve had an incredible run so far, but they’ve hardly been tested. They’ve beaten the teams in front of them, and handily. I feel like it’s a pretty even matchup at this point.
Devon Birdsong: The favorite? No, I don’t really think so. Cleveland may have been the team least suited to giving them trouble in the East, and the East is still pretty visibly the weaker conference to begin with. I’m honestly not sure the Knicks would even be here if the Sixers hadn’t summoned the inexplicable magic that put them over the Celtics. I see these teams as being remarkably even, and with a cleaner bill of health than previous matchups, I think you have to take this whole series as a start from scratch. Unlike the Thunder, the Knicks did get at least one real challenge in their opening series against the Hawks, but I still think the Spurs are going to benefit from having had to overcome so much in practically every series. If I were looking at this from an outside perspective, I’d be inclined to agree with Vegas, and slightly favor the Spurs, actually.
Jeje Gomez: Regular season wins and losses don’t matter as much to me when it comes to the playoffs as how the matchup actually went. And considering that, I don’t think the Knicks should be the favorites, but they shouldn’t be underrated either. They do present significant matchup issues for Wembanyama and they have a bunch of wings who can potentially limit San Antonio’s driving game and punish overhelp with their shooting. It’s borderline impossible after the Western Conference Finals to think that there’s a better NBA team than the Spurs, but in terms of matchups, the Knicks are definitely dangerous.
What aspect of the game will determine who gets the ring?
Dubinski: I think it will be a combination of three-point shooting and how it’s defended. The biggest key for the Spurs will be to not leave shooters open to play help defense on Brunson. It worked fine against Minnesota because they were lacking in shooters and Ant wasn’t always looking to pass, but it almost burned them against OKC because Caruso and McCain got hot in stretches, hence why they adjusted back to “Stop everyone else and make SGA beat us”. The Knicks have SEVEN main rotation players who shot over 36% from three on three or more attempts during the regular season, so the Spurs can’t cede that shot. Trust Castle (or whoever is on Brunson), stay at home, and play man-to-man defense. Make them beat you one-on-one.
Barrington: The Knicks are a team that shoots a lot of three-point shots, and in the playoffs, they’ve been going down at a high rate. The Spurs’ defense relies on letting Wembanyama roam to erase the other team’s interior and mid-range shots, which sometimes means they allow opponents to get looks from range. This was effective against the Thunder because they didn’t have a lot of elite shooters. Everyone on the Knicks can shoot three pointers, except Mitchell Robinson, who might not even play. So the Spurs are going to have to keep defenders on the shooters against New York, and that could open driving lanes for Brunson. If the Knicks solve the Spurs’ defense, they will win the series, because the Spurs can’t win a shooting contest against these guys. Well, maybe Julian Champagnie can.
Birdsong: Shooting feels like the easy answer, since the Knicks lead the playoff field in 3pt%, FG%, EFG%, and TS%, but I think it might really come down to two specific match-ups, and one wild card: Anunoby defending Wemby, Castle defending Brunson, and the Karl Anthony Towns factor.
As was pointed out a few weeks ago on Twitter/X, among players who have guarded the Spurs star in at least 100 half-court matchups, Anunoby allows the fewest points per matchup. He has tremendous length and strength in spite of the height disadvantage, and Mike Brown and his staff had plenty of time to see how successful the Thunder were in denying Wemby position. Thankfully, Stephon Castle has had his share of success in giving Jalen Brunson fits when defending him (in 38 possessions where Castle was the primary defender, Brunson scored just 5 points while being held to 28.7% from the field), but there’s an added wrinkle to defending Brunson now that KAT has effectively taken on some serious distribution responsibilities in the postseason. You can’t just focus on Brunson to shut down New York’s ball movement. And this is why Towns is the wild-card of the series. Because of his passing chops (6 assists per game) and his long-distance shooting, he allows the Knicks to run two legitimate big men, and that shooting (almost 50% from three in the postseason) pulls Wemby away from the hoop as the only player with the height to contest it, which leaves the interior up for grabs, and Towns has the ability to hit the open man. I think a lot of this series will hinge on how/if the Spurs are able to defend that with other players. I wonder if we’re going to end up seeing a lot of French Vanilla.
Gomez: Since the shooting has already been mentioned, I’ll go with turnovers and pace. The Knicks play slow and don’t cough the ball up. They have Brunson, who can normally get a good shot whenever he wants in the half-court and a solid, switchy defense. If they dictate how the game is played, the Spurs could be in trouble. If San Antonio can create some turnovers and push the pace, they’ll be in great shape.
Prediction time: Who will win the championship, and how do you think the series will go?
Dubinski: Spurs in 7. I think this will be just as difficult as the last round, perhaps slightly more so based on the match-up. There will be times when one team is hot and the other isn’t, but I believe in the Spurs’ grit, determination, willpower, and ability to make adjustments. (Also, I want them to win at home but don’t think it will be in Game 5. Also, also, I have submitted to the power of the Corgi, so I must trust him.)
Barrington: Spurs in 6. Both teams hold home court until Game 6, when the Spurs take the title in MSG, breaking the hearts of the home fans. June 16, mark your calendars!
Victor Wembanyama is Finals MVP, to no one’s surprise. It’s going to be a stressful couple of weeks, folks.
Birdsong: For me, I see the Knicks as presenting all of the issues the Spurs had with the Timberwolves, but with less glaring weakness. They have the length, size, and toughness, but they also have a plethora of three-point shooters. They have a healthy lead guard who is top-notch at both scoring and distributing. And they have a power forward who can stretch the floor and make the pass in reality, as opposed to in theory.The Minnesota series went six games. Barring major injury, I can’t see this not going the full seven. And in that scenario, I think home-court advantage might be the deciding factor. Spurs in 7.
Gomez: I went with Spurs in six. The Knicks are a horrible matchup, but we’ve seen the Silver and Black find another gear during the playoffs. I expect a close series, even if three-point variance turns a game or two into a blowout either way, but I can see San Antonio showing the killer instinct they displayed against the Thunder if they get a chance to end it on the road.
Aug 13, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco (59) pitches in the first inning against the against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Likely to no one’s surprise, the Atlanta Braves have made another roster move involving right-hander Carlos Carrasco. After being designated for assignment for the third time this season, Atlanta selected him to the major league roster ahead of Tuesday’s game.
The #Braves today selected RHP Carlos Carrasco to the major league roster.
Bryce Elder and the bullpen were huge during Tuesday night’s 4-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
MLB News:
Minnesota Twins right-hander Bailey Ober has been diagnosed with a mild flexor strain. He was placed on the IL earlier this week.
Jon Heasley’s outright has been rescinded and he has instead been placed on the 15-day injured list with a stress reaction in his elbow. The move is retroactive to May 29.
From the Feed:
Cast your vote for Braves Player of the Game here.
MLB Pipeline recently discussed Braves outfield prospect Eric Hartman.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 02: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5 following the MLB game at Chase Field on June 02, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The last baseball player to win an MVP award for three consecutive seasons in the same league was Barry Bonds when he won four from 2001-04. With the way that Shohei Ohtani has been playing over the first two months of the season, his chances of winning a third consecutive NL MVP are very much alive.
But what about the NL Cy Young award?
So far, among all pitchers with at least 55 innings this season, Ohtani continues to possess the best ERA at 0.82, giving him a ridiculous 493 ERA+. Ohtani hasn’t given up more than two runs in a start this year, while tossing a quality start in all but one of his outings.
What does Ohtani have to achieve for him to earn the Cy Young award? There is already heavy competition that features Cristopher Sánchez, Jacob Misiorowski and the reigning NL Cy Young award winner Paul Skenes. Manny Randhawa of MLB.com suggests that Ohtani will have to post an ERA under 2.00, average 10 strikeouts per nine innings and tally at least 170 innings on the season.
Well, he might need some help from the hitters facing Sánchez, Misiorowski and Skenes. But if there’s one thing we know about Ohtani, it’s to never doubt him. He’s too good, and he’s proven time and again that when we think we’ve seen him do it all, we’re wrong.
Ohtani will try to keep up his elite pace on the mound on Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Both Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone were among some of the Dodgers working their way back from injury joining the team in Phoenix on Tuesday.
Since his first start of the 2024 season, it has been a nightmare for Miller. Once heralded as a can’t miss prospect in the Dodgers system, Miller only made two appearances last year and has yet to touch the field this season. Miller has struggled with shoulder and back issues since spring training, but the 27-year-old is expected to begin throwing off a mound soon, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.
“It was shoulder at first. I had some injections right before spring training,” Miller said. “It was pretty good. Then I had a setback with a back injury. But it’s all great right now. I haven’t had any setbacks since that. I’ve been getting stronger and stronger.”
As for Stone, he made just one start in spring training before he was placed back on the injured list. Jack Harris of the California Post notes that there is not timetable for Stone’s return.
“He’s one that I’m really bummed out about,” Roberts said. “I think his makeup is off the charts, good, compete. Right now, his body’s just letting him down a little bit. There’s nothing else he can do. When he … ramps it up, it sort of shows itself again. So right now, I’m not sure exactly where he’s at in this progression. But I’m looking forward to seeing him, though.”
The 1998-99 season was a year of change in the NBA.
Michael Jordan had retired for a second time, and the league's owners, fed up with the league's financial structure and players' rising salaries, locked the players out after failing to reach a new collective bargaining agreement.
Once a deal was reached, the season began on Feb. 5, and the schedule was reduced to 50 games. The San Antonio Spurs tied for the league's best record and beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers, and Portland Trail Blazers on the way to the Finals.
The New York Knicks, as the No. 8 seed, upset the Miami Heat in the first round, becoming the second No. 8 seed to beat a top seed. After sweeping the Atlanta Hawks, they beat the Indiana Pacers in six games to advance to the championship round.
Here are some takeaways from the last Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals matchup:
If fans were coming into this series looking for aesthetically pleasing basketball, they came to the wrong place. Only one time did a team score 90 or more points, and New York failed to even crack 80 points in three separate games. New York shot 39% in the series, including 20% from 3-point land.
Tim Duncan, at 22 years old, was named Finals MVP after averaging 27.4 points and 14 rebounds in the series, which the Spurs won four games to one.
Beginning of a dynasty
San Antonio continued its winning ways for much of the next two decades, winning titles in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014.
Duncan was the catalyst for those winning teams and, in later years, was joined by Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Kawhi Leonard. Duncan was a three-time Finals MVP during the dynasty, and head coach Gregg Popovich retired in 2025 with 1,390 victories, adding 284 more postseason triumphs.
Jalen Brunson, the three-time NBA All-Star for the Knicks, will attempt to help bring home the team's first title since 1973. Brunson's father, Rick, was a second-year guard on the 1999 Knicks roster. Rick Brunson played only 10 seconds in that series, though, getting in the game in the latter stages of the second quarter of Game 3, an 89-81 New York victory at Madison Square Garden without an injured Patrick Ewing.
Rock bottom for the Knicks
After reaching the Eastern Conference finals in the 1999-2000 season and losing to the Indiana Pacers, the Knicks' playoff success — or success in general — became few and far between. New York had nine straight losing seasons, starting in 2001.
The Knicks did not make a conference finals appearance this century until last season, when they suffered another disappointing loss to the Pacers.
There’s one article I love writing every year, and this is it. It takes time, research, holistic thinking, and a few energy drinks to get me there. I’ve juggled countless thought exercises, spoken with numerous people about their thoughts on the Phoenix Suns’ direction, and considered it all.
Who doesn’t love a good puzzle? That’s exactly what this piece is. It’s my chance to take a full look at the landscape of who the Phoenix Suns are right now, what options are in front of them, and how they can navigate the offseason as I try to piece together my blueprint for how I think they should operate.
And make no mistake, this is a complicated puzzle.
I’m sure somewhere along the way, my math is off. Maybe a contract number gets fuzzy. Maybe a roster-construction idea looks cleaner on paper than in reality. That’s part of the process. This isn’t what will happen. This is, more or less, what I hope will happen. What I want to happen.
This is the piece where I zoom out to look at the Suns holistically, then try to answer the questions we’ve been asking since the team was eliminated in the First Round on April 27. What should they do with the draft? What should they do in free agency? Which team options should they exercise, and which players should they let walk?
I’ll start with where I landed when the season ended. At that point, I kept coming back to continuity and development. I wondered if that would still be the direction I believed Phoenix should take once it was finally time to write this article. That was the initial thesis entering the offseason.
Now it’s time to find out if that thesis still holds up, or if working through every decision in front of the organization pushes me somewhere else. So welcome, my fellow readers. Let’s talk about how you fix the Suns.
The Starting Point
You can’t start building out theories on what the Phoenix Suns should do without a starting point, so let’s begin with the basics.
The salary cap this offseason sits at $165 million. The luxury tax line is $201 million. The first apron comes in at $209 million, and the second apron is $222 million.
Right now, Phoenix has 11 of its 15 roster spots filled, though a couple of those spots are occupied by players on team options. Their current payroll, including that dastardly $23.2 million in dead cap tied to Bradley Beal, Nassir Little, and E.J. Liddell transactions, sits at $184.7 million.
There will be no trading of DevinBooker as a part of this path. I believe that it is a valid conversation to have, and we have had it. I am pro-Book in Phoenix…at least for this offseason.
I contemplated moving off of Jalen Green. In my personal opinion, that is the way to go. He is pricey, duplicative of Booker positionally, and inconsistent as a player. But three things prevented me from pulling the trigger as a part of this plan. First, I truly believe the Suns will bring him back, as they want to see if his development can justify his salary. Second, while he might duplicate Booker’s position, he brings a unique skill set, as he can actually put pressure on the cylinder. Now, if only he could finish around the rim more.
And third? It’s hard to find a trade suitor for him. I played with the trade machine and simply couldn’t find any justifiable or likely candidates who would want his services while providing something that makes sense for Phoenix. He will be much more appealing next summer, when his contract becomes an expiring.
Therefore, Booker and Green return. Those are your high-level decisions relative to trades. Now, for the next steps.
Step 1: Pick up the options and structure Dillon Brooks wisely
The Phoenix Suns have two players with team options this offseason that they can exercise: Ryan Dunn and Jamaree Bouyea. If this were a team sitting comfortably under the cap and looking to upgrade the bench with some spending power in free agency, maybe there’s a conversation about declining one of those options. That isn’t where Phoenix is.
Given the financial tightrope they have to walk and the need to maximize every available asset on the roster, both of those options feel like easy decisions. You pick them up.
Then comes the more interesting conversation, Dillon Brooks.
The rumored extension floating around is as much as four years, $125 million. That breaks down to roughly $31.3 million annually. And as much as I value what Brooks brings to this team, that kind of deal would keep him under contract through the 2031-32 season. At this point, I don’t think anyone should be tied to this roster for that long.
Given where the franchise stands and the direction they’re trying to go, flexibility matters. Yes, they want to deepen it. Yes, they want to reinforce the culture. You don’t do that by locking yourself into paying a 35-year-old Dillon Brooks north of $30 million a season. That’s not good business, nor is it smart. Still, you want to reward the player responsible for assisting in defining your culture, and you want to do so in a way that allows you a flexible contract moving forward.
So, in my blueprint and in the scenario I’m building here, Phoenix signs Brooks to a three-year, $81.7 million contract. That lands at an average annual value of $27.2 million and has him under contract through the 2029-30 season. I’d backload the deal and attach a player option to the final year. That gives Brooks security, gives him flexibility later, and still gives the Suns options.
For now, the Suns remain at 11 of 15 roster spots filled, and the payroll stays at $184.7 million. No new players have been added, and no new money has come in. At this stage, we’re focused on securing the future with Brooks and exercising the team options for Dunn and Bouyea.
Step 2: Turn the draft into an opportunity to get younger and cheaper
Before the Phoenix Suns can start navigating restricted and unrestricted free agency, which doesn’t officially open until July 1, the NBA Draft comes first. Two rounds, the first on June 23, the second on June 24. This is Phoenix’s first opportunity to add a player, whether that ends up being somebody on the active roster or a two-way contract.
With the Suns picking 47th overall, and knowing Isaiah Livers no longer qualifies for a two-way deal, the most likely outcome is pretty straightforward. Phoenix drafts somebody at 47, probably Jaden Bradley out of the University of Arizona, and develops him in the G League. And honestly, I’m not opposed to that. That’s a solid place to develop a young point guard, and the Valley Suns could certainly use more distribution and facilitation. It’s the safe play. Probably the most logical play, too. Maybe it’s Bradley. Maybe it’s somebody else. The conservative move is using that pick on a two-way player and keeping the 15th roster spot open for flexibility.
But that’s no fun.
If we’ve learned anything about this front office, it’s that they aren’t afraid to move around in the draft. Two offseasons ago, Phoenix traded up to grab Oso Ighodaro. Last offseason, they used leftover assets from the Kevin Durant deal to move up and make the first pick of the second round for Rasheer Fleming.
So that’s the route I’m taking here. The Suns move up. And to do it, they make a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. The trade? Phoenix sends Royce O’Neale to Memphis along with two second-round picks, including No. 47 in this year’s draft, and in return receives Taylor Hendricks and the 32nd overall pick.
Adding Taylor Hendricks gives Phoenix another three-and-D forward, and another player the team can continue to develop at only 22 years old. The 6’9” power forward was selected ninth overall in the 2023 NBA Draft out of the University of Central Florida and was later moved to the Memphis Grizzlies in the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade this past February, along with additional players and draft capital.
He didn’t see a ton of run in Memphis. Across his three-year career, he’s averaged 7.3 points and 4.1 rebounds on 45/35/71 splits. There’s some upside there for sure.
The bigger part of this deal is financial. Phoenix moves off Royce O’Neale and his $10.9 million salary for a player making $7.8 million. And another plus with Hendricks? He’s on an expiring contract.
Of course, the immediate question is: why would Memphis do it?
From my perspective, the Grizzlies are in the middle of stripping things down to the studs and reshaping the roster. Veteran presence still matters in that environment. Royce gives them a proven rotation wing and one of the better three-point shooters in the league, plus Phoenix is attaching another second-round pick to the deal.
That becomes a conversation you can talk yourself into. And Memphis already owns the third and 16th picks in the first round. A lot of early mock drafts have them looking at frontcourt players like Cameron Boozer from Duke University and Jayden Quaintance from the University of Kentucky. If that’s how their board falls, a contract like Hendricks becomes a lot easier to part with.
And for Phoenix, that creates an opportunity to add another young, switchable forward and save money in the process.
So step one of navigating the draft is complete. You’ve traded Royce O’Neale to acquire Taylor Hendricks, and in the process, you moved up 15 spots in the draft. Oh, and you saved $3.1 million in the process. Now what?
You draft Zuby Ejiofor out of St. John’s University and add another forward to the organization.
He’s 6’9”, 240 pounds, and he plays a highly fundamental game. He isn’t somebody you’re expecting to consistently knock down threes, especially after shooting 30.5% last season at St. John’s. What interests me more is the 16.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, and the motor that comes with it.
He’s productive in the paint. He brings physicality. He plays with attitude. And all of that feels aligned with who and what this Suns team is trying to become. At 22 years old, he’s not some raw teenage prospect. He’s older, more developed, and somebody who feels like a cleaner fit for what Phoenix is building.
The next question becomes contract structure. Do you place Zuby on a two-way deal, or do you use a standard roster spot? For this exercise, I’m going with the standard deal. That puts him around $1.4 million. Noah Penda, who went 32nd overall last season, landed around $1.3 million, and with the rookie minimum projecting around $1.4 million for the 2026-27 season, that’s the number I’m using here.
So that’s how we navigate the draft. You move off Royce and save $3.1 million. You move up 15 spots. You add two 22-year-old power forwards to the mix, and one of them comes on an expiring contract. So where does that leave things?
Pre-draft, Phoenix sat at $184.7 million with 11 players rostered. Post-draft, you’ve lowered payroll by $1.7 million and bumped the roster to 12 players.
And because you moved off Royce for a player on an expiring contract, the 2027-28 cap sheet starts looking cleaner, too. And, as we get ready to navigate restricted and unrestricted free agency, every dollar counts.
Step 3: Bring back your depth via free agency
This is where the challenge really begins. And this is where you can’t help feeling frustrated that the Phoenix Suns are carrying $23.2 million in dead cap this season. Up to this point, Phoenix sits $17.1 million below the luxury tax and $25.1 million below the first apron. That feels manageable on paper. Then you remember there are still three open roster spots and three players you’d ideally like to bring back. That’s when things get interesting in a hurry.
So what do they do? And how do they do it? You start by figuring out what actually matters most to Phoenix. Is avoiding the luxury tax the top priority, especially with repeater tax implications hanging out there? Or is this a team willing to cross that $201 million line if it means keeping continuity intact? And beyond that, how comfortable are they with going over the first apron, knowing the restrictions that come with it and how much harder it makes roster building?
Personally, I don’t think Phoenix is overly concerned with being above the luxury tax. At least I hope they aren’t. Mat Ishbia has shown he isn’t afraid to spend. Yes, this would be spending on a team you probably wouldn’t label a true contender today. That part is fair. At the same time, they clearly want to stay competitive. They clearly want to protect continuity. And if that means paying into the tax to make it happen, I believe the organization would be willing to do it.
And there’s one important caveat to always keep in mind. It’s about where you are on the final day of the NBA season. So in theory, the Suns can bring back Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, and Mark Williams, then buy themselves time. Time to evaluate. Time to see how the roster performs. Time to make decisions based on what the team actually looks like once the season starts. And for a front office trying to balance flexibility with continuity, that matters a lot.
And that’s the direction that I think this team will go. And honestly? I think it’s the right way to go. So let us begin with what bringing back Mark Williams looks like.
Bringing Mark Williams back gives Phoenix an important buffer as Khaman Maluach continues to develop. We know Mark’s injury history, and although he played a career-high 60 games this past season, his career average remains 41.5 games played per season. There’s a real chance he misses time this season, and if that happens, the door naturally opens for Maluach in year two. And that can work in Phoenix’s favor. If Maluach pops, if he looks ready and starts showing real growth, then you’ve put yourself in a position where Mark becomes more expendable and potentially somebody you can shop on the market come the trade deadline. If Maluach still looks raw, then you still have stability at the center spot whenever health allows.
The obvious question with Mark is price. What is he worth? What does his market actually look like? My guess is there won’t be a huge amount of interest. This year’s unrestricted free agent center market has plenty of options, and a lot of teams can find comparable production for cheaper or find somebody with a cleaner injury history. And maybe Phoenix sees it that way, too. Maybe they decide not to bring him back and go fishing in that pool.
For continuity purposes and for Maluach’s development, I think they keep him. And I think they do it on the qualifying offer.
Yes, Bobby Marks floated out $14 million annually as something Mark could potentially get on the open market. If another team wants to pay that, then you tip your cap, thank him for his time, and move on. You look at options on the unrestricted free agent market. That’s easy.
If that market doesn’t materialize, I bring him back at $9.6 million for this season, knowing he’d hit unrestricted free agency next summer. And by then, Phoenix should have a much clearer picture of what it actually has in Maluach. That makes the decision cleaner. That makes the timeline make more sense. And it gives the Suns another year of stability at a position where having it matters.
Jordan Goodwin is somebody the Suns should absolutely bring back. He’s part of the culture. Part of the identity. He’s gritty, he hustles, and he sets the tone every night he’s on the floor. He feels like the soul of this team. That’s not something you casually let walk out the door. At the same time, because of the apron restrictions, it may become a real possibility. And if that happens, it hurts.
Phoenix has Early Bird Rights on Goodwin, which gives them flexibility. They can structure a deal anywhere from roughly $4 million to $9 million annually. Then the question becomes whether Goodwin is willing to take a hometown discount or if he wants to test the market.
And honestly, that would make sense. He’s 27 years old. This could very well be his best chance to land a meaningful contract. There aren’t many teams with major spending power, which helps Phoenix a bit. Yes, another team could use part of a mid-level exception or the non-taxpayer mid-level to make a run at him, although those routes come with their own restrictions.
That’s why in this scenario I’m betting on continuity. I’m betting on fit. And I’m betting both sides find common ground. The number I land on is two years, $11.3 million. That feels fair for Goodwin. It rewards the role he’s carved out and keeps Phoenix intact.
That number could rise if the Suns decide to move off Mark Williams and go searching for another center in unrestricted free agency. In this version of the offseason, they don’t. They keep Williams. They keep Goodwin. And they keep building around the identity they spent all season trying to establish.
Lastly, there’s Collin Gillespie. He showcased exactly what he can bring this season and earned himself a real raise. And he’s a fantastic story. Honestly, he’s the kind of story you want your organization connected to. A player you brought in, developed, watched grow from a two-way contract into a guaranteed deal, and now he’s positioned to cash in because of the work he put in.
Now he hits unrestricted free agency, and Phoenix has to pay him accordingly. For me, that number comes to three years at $32.4 million. Yes, that’s a sizable number for a backup point guard. I’m still doing it. He’s worth it. He fits what Phoenix is trying to build. He understands the system. He’s earned trust. He brings steadiness when he’s on the floor, and there’s real value in knowing exactly what you’re getting from that position every night.
Could another team offer more? Absolutely. And maybe one does. Much like Jordan Goodwin, there’s more financial flexibility here if Mark Williams walks and Phoenix reallocates those dollars. In this version of the offseason, I’m keeping the group together.
And part of making that work is including a player option in year three. That gives Gillespie flexibility and gives him the chance to bet on himself if his progression continues. Which feels fair. Because if that growth keeps trending the way Phoenix hopes, he’ll have earned the right to cash in again.
So when restricted and unrestricted free agency wraps up, you’ve accomplished the mission. Three more players added. Three roster spots filled. Fifteen players under contract. Mark Williams comes back at $9.6 million, Jordan Goodwin returns for $5.5 million, and Collin Gillespie gets $10 million. That puts Phoenix at $25.1 million spent in free agency and brings the payroll right up to $208.1 million.
Now, if we’re being exact, and I know some of you absolutely will be, the final number lands at $208,116,977.
Boom. Under the first apron. Mic drop.
This keeps the Phoenix Suns under the first apron while filling every roster spot and maintaining continuity across the board. Your depth is fortified, and you have enough financial flexibility to keep options available if adjustments are needed later in the season.
I’ve avoided the daunting first apron, and that matters because crossing that line starts cutting into your flexibility in a real way. If you want to make trades, salary matching must be within 100%, and you can’t take back more money than you send out. You lose access to acquiring players via sign-and-trades. You also can’t sign a player waived during the regular season if his original salary was greater than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. In this scenario, those restrictions stay off the table.
Phoenix still has some flexibility. A lot of that flexibility comes through Haywood Highsmith. The “Locksmith” is owed $3.8 million next season, although only $1 million of that is guaranteed. His deal doesn’t fully guarantee until January 10, 2027. By then, you should have a much better understanding of his role, what this team looks like, and what steps you may need to take to get under the first apron, if necessary.
The same applies to Jamaree Bouyea. His team option can be exercised now, and that salary also doesn’t become fully guaranteed until January 10, 2027.
So yes, this is a tightrope. And it’s a tightrope the Phoenix Suns are going to keep walking for a while because of the dead cap on the books, all the way through 2030 (thank you, Bradley Beal). They have to be careful. The Suns have to balance fiscal responsibility with competitiveness. That isn’t easy, but it is the right thing to do. It’s not flashy, it’s not sexy, but that is the path that will open more doors than it locks. Don’t let your short-term greed get in the way of your long-term greed.
This is my blueprint. Yes, Phoenix lands around $209 million in payroll in this scenario. And yes, being roughly $8 million over the luxury tax means that bill turns into something closer to $26 million once repeater tax penalties are factored in. That’s expensive, that’s the cost of doing business, and that’s the cost of carrying dead cap. That’s the cost of trying to stay competitive. That’s the cost of continuity.
And when I look at the roster I have created, I believe it works. You still have an open two-way slot, and I believe it’s competitive. I believe it preserves optionality if the organization decides it needs to pivot. And I believe it gives you a healthy mix of veterans, youth, and upside worth investing in.
That’s who Phoenix is right now. This isn’t a team polishing the edges of a championship contender. This is a team trying to strengthen the path it’s on. They are a team focused on development, leaning into continuity, trying to figure out if this next era of Suns basketball is actually sustainable. Because if it is, you can start making different decisions a year or two from now. You can get more aggressive, adjust the vision, and attack the next phase.
Currently, this is who the Suns are. And this is the path I’d take. I know it’s optimistic to believe that Williams would come in at the qualifying offer and that Gillespie would take a $32.4 million deal. Perhaps they don’t. Perhaps the Suns let Williams walk, sign an unrestricted free agent center on a veteran minimum deal, and reinvest those savings into Gillespie and Goodwin’s contracts. ‘Tis possible.
At the end of the day, there’s no perfect answer here. There probably never was. The Suns are navigating the consequences of past decisions while trying to build something healthier moving forward, which naturally makes every offseason choice a balancing act.
That’s why I keep coming back to continuity and development. Let this group grow. Let the younger players keep earning opportunities. Let Jordan Ott continue shaping the identity Phoenix spent all last season trying to establish. Then evaluate from there. Allow health to be your friend, considering your three highest-paid players missed a combined 96 games last season. See what they can do from here, and for the love of AC Green’s celibacy, avoid three-guard lineups. Maybe a year from now, the vision looks clearer. Maybe the next pivot presents itself naturally.
For now, the smartest move feels like patience, trust in the foundation, and giving this version of the Suns another real chance to prove what it can become.
Garrett and James have spent years building a relationship rooted in their common ties to Cleveland. One brought the city their first championship in 52 years, the other became the face of the Browns.
Rams defensive end Myles Garrett talks to reporters at a press conference at the team’s practice facility on June 2026. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Their connection eventually extended beyond admiration. Garrett joined Rich Paul’s Klutch Sports Group, and purchased a minority ownership stake in the Cavaliers franchise.
Garrett even trained alongside James during the offseason and leaned on him for advice when his frustrations with the Browns boiled over in the winter of 2025, ultimately leading to Garrett demanding a trade out of Cleveland.
LeBron even tweeted congratulating Garrett for breaking the NFL’s single-season sack record last season.
“He’s been a positive force in my life,” Garrett said during his introductory press conference at the Rams practice facility on Tuesday. “Giving me advice when he can. Always helping trying to work through different situations early on in my career.”
But then, unsolicited Garrett may have made his recruiting pitch to LeBron to return to the Lakers for next season.
LeBron James stands on the court in the closing minutes of the Lakers’ Game 4 home loss to the Thunder on May 11, 2026 in the second round of the NBA playoffs. AP
“We’ll see how long LBJ is around here,” Garrett said with a smile. “I’m not sure what his future looks like, but if he wants to stay around for a couple more years, I know they’ll accept him with open arms.”
LeBron’s future remains one of the NBA’s biggest unanswered questions. He is officially a free agent and soon will be able to sign with any team he chooses. He could also opt for retirement or run it back with the Lakers. All possibilities are on the table.
But Garrett’s message was clear as day. He waived his no-trade clause and came to L.A. to chase championships, and now that he’s in the same city as his longtime mentor, he would be happy to share the city’s sports spotlight with The King for a few more years.
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More than a decade later, Paul is still reflecting on the emotional roller coaster that surrounded one of basketball’s biggest “what if” scenarios.
Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets (L) passes the ball as Derek Fisher of Los Angeles Lakers defends. EPA
Appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show,” the future Hall of Fame point guard revisited the controversial scrapped trade that would have paired him with Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles before then-NBA commissioner David Stern stepped in and vetoed the deal.
“It was very wild to say the least,” Paul said. “I remember where I was, and me and Kobe had actually got on the phone and talked that night. And then yeah, it was basically like a little s–t storm from there.”
NBA commissioner David Stern takes a question from a reporter during a news conference AP
At the time, Paul’s New Orleans Hornets were owned by the NBA and operated by Stern after former owner George Shinn’s financial issues forced the league to take control of the franchise. Paul explained that once the lockout ended, he believed the trade was complete.
In an earlier interview with McAfee, Paul noted concerns from team owners after the league emerged from contentious collective bargaining negotiations may have been a significant turning point.
Paul was serving on the executive committee during those talks.
Chris Paul revisits the NBA’s vetoed Lakers deal and the Kobe partnership that never happened. REUTERS
That is when everything changed.
“It was a crazy time, and just knowing the emotional roller coaster that it was at the time was, was really different. But I got the phone call basically that this trade ain’t happening no more.”
The fallout changed NBA history. Rather than joining Bryant, Paul was eventually traded across the hallway to the Clippers, where he helped launch the “Lob City” era alongside Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.
While Paul built a lasting legacy with the Clippers, the thought of a Bryant-Paul backcourt remains one of the league’s most fascinating alternate realities. For Lakers fans, it’s still impossible not to wonder how many championships that partnership might have produced.
Sporting “Fight Like A Girl” T-shirts, players, coaches and staff surrounded Sarah Nauser and her supportive husband, Lonnie, in her customized wheelchair, designed to take her wherever her beloved Royals are playing. Tuesday night, on Lou Gehrig Day across MLB, that place was Great American Ball Park.
“Especially the way things have gone for us these last couple weeks, and to get texts from Sarah or Lonnie after a game, like, ‘Hang in there, it’ll turn’ and ‘Stay positive,’” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, “and then you think for a second, coming from her and the horrible disease that she’s battling, and the way she supports us, it has to feel more important to us because of her and what she means to us, the city, the team and the organization. If you don’t feel that way, I think there might be something missing in your heart.”
The Royals greet superfan Sarah Nauser ahead of their game against the Reds. (photo via Mike Petraglia)
Nauser is a lifelong, passionate fan of the Royals whose moving battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) has deeply intertwined her life with the Major League Baseball franchise.
Raised in Blue Springs, Mo., Nauser grew up playing softball and spending her nights cheering at Kauffman Stadium, which she fondly calls her “happy place.” Nauser pursued a career in law enforcement and served as an officer for the Kansas City (Mo.) Police Department (KCPD).
Royals starter Noah Cameron racked up eight punchouts in his seven innings of work against the Cincinnati Reds Tuesday night.
Pasquantino was coming off a coffee-fueled spring during Team Italy’s run at the World Baseball Classic, right in the center of it as the captain. Then the crash hit. Pasquantino posted a .467 OPS in April and is slashing .213/.303/.342 now in 55 games this season. His strikeout rate has ticked up to 18.4% from 15.7% last year. Pasquantino showed the type of hitter he can be last year with 32 homers and 113 RBIs, and the Royals’ offense doesn’t work if Pasquantino isn’t mashing in the middle of it. They haven’t given up on him yet, nor will they. But a hot June from Pasquantino could be just what he and the Royals need to get out of their current funk. — Anne Rogers
Will this finally be the year for Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to capture the AL MVP? The Athletic thinks so, despite the Royals ranking 29th in their latest power rankings.
Top awards candidate: Bobby Witt Jr., AL MVP
Royals fans, I think this is the year.
The league-leader in fWAR is putting up another five-tool season. He should, at the very least, have another 20-20 season, potentially 20-40. No one has more Outs Above Average than Witt’s 15, or has generated as much defensive value as he has.
With Aaron Judge looking mortal — and by mortal, I mean not putting up a wRC+ that mirrors the speed of F1 cars or an OPS that looks like the seating capacity of a small theater — attention can turn to Witt.
It’s been 46 years since the Royals have had an AL MVP. If he keeps it up, that won’t be the only accolade he’ll have for his age-26 season. 2026 All-Star, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, Platinum Glove and AL MVP winner Bobby Witt Jr. has a really nice ring to it.
As mentioned already, they have a system that features a wealth of Top 100 talent, which could provide the Royals lower-ranked farm system with some much needed reinforcements. While they may not have the available trade capital to warrant one of those Top 100 names – not the top end ones at least, perhaps they could target lower names on their organizational Top 30 list. After all, how will they promote any of them if they keep buying every marquee free agent?
As has become custom in L.A., the Dodgers have multiple high profile starting pitching names on the IL at the moment. Perhaps Royals starters like Kris Bubic (when healthy) or veterans Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo are options if to bolster their staff. The same goes for relievers, as the injury bug has bitten them there too. Daniel Lynch IV and Matt Strahm are potentially a pair of high-leverage arms that the Dodgers could very well covet.
In six outings and 28.1 IP, Lamkin absolutely dominated Midwest League pitching. He posted a 1.27 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, a 34.9% K%, and 24.8% K-BB% with the River Bandits. In May, with the Quad Cities, he allowed two runs on six hits with no walks while striking out 14 in 10.2 IP. That strong start in May led to his promotion to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
Lamkin had a rough Double-A debut on June 14th, allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out seven in 5.2 IP. However, he had a much stronger second start on May 20th. He went 6 IP, allowed one hit, one run, no walks, and struck out eight. Overall, the percentiles have been good for Lamkin in his two starts in Double-A, as he is generating a 34.9% K% (92nd percentile), a 35.1% whiff rate (82nd percentile), and a 37.4% CSW% (98th percentile).
Would you believe this is the first game the Royals have won that wasn’t on a weekend since May 5 against Cleveland? As I sat down to write this, I thought it felt different to write about a win in an individual game, knowing the Royals are out of it. The focus is just different when writing about a team with no real playoff hope. We haven’t dealt with that for the last two seasons. And then I realized that I haven’t written about an individual game that was a win for almost a month. Since I don’t really write on weekends and just capture the weekend as a whole on Mondays, the only wins we’ve seen for a while have been written about in the Weekend in Review. Boy, it’s been a bad stretch.
But if you’re looking to the future or at least signs of life for the future, this win was a good one. I’d put it up there with the blowout of the Angels from late April or maybe the first win of the Cleveland series as one of the most complete games they’ve played. It had a starting pitcher who hadn’t ever really done well in that role, putting together a good game. One of the young bats had a nice day. Another bat who could be important had a good day. And it felt like the team got all their frustration out on one swing in the first and looked like it exhaled for the first time in weeks. Let’s start with the young pitcher.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 05: A general view of the MLB 2026 All Star Game Logo during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Athletics on May 5, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
It’s that time of year again. Phase 1 of voting for the 2026 All Star Game begins today!
Last year, I had the idea to coordinate a group effort with the community to try to get specific San Francisco Giants players into the game. It did not work. And I didn’t really expect it to. But that doesn’t mean we can’t try again this year!
As a reminder, fans can only vote for position players. I think concentrating on just a couple of players is the best strategy. So right now, the players we are going to push for are:
Luis Arraez – 2B
Casey Schmitt – DH
For Phase 1, you can submit up to five ballots per day. The website for voting is not live yet, voting begins at 9:00 a.m. PT. But you should be able to find it on MLB’s All Star page once it’s up.
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue this four-game road series against the Milwaukee Brewers this afternoon at 4:40 p.m. PT.
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 31: Hunter Goodman #15 of the Colorado Rockies bats in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on May 31, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The world of advanced metrics continues to grow in the quest to analyze and understand the smallest idiosyncrasies that make baseball players who they are.
Recently, MLB released new swing path and attack angle data for 2026 that may help give us an idea of where the Colorado Rockies are at and if there is an area for improvement.
What are swing path and attack angle metrics?
For those unfamiliar, the four metrics that make up this category of Statcast metrics are as follows:
swing path (tilt)
attack angle
ideal attack angle
attack direction
Swing path tells the shape of the swing on the way toward contact, with the tilt being defined as the angle of the bat path over the last 40 milliseconds prior to contact. This metric is used to determine how steep or flat a swing is; in layman’s terms, the higher the number, the steeper the swing.
Attack angle describes what is happening with the bat at the point of contact. It defines what vertical angle the bat is moving at as it impacts the ball (or comes closest to doing so, on misses). Positive numbers indicate a bat that is moving upwards, while negative numbers indicate a bat moving downwards at the point of contact. The ideal attack angle is defined as “the percentage of swings with an attack angle between5° and 20° at the point of contact.” Hitting the ball with an upward-moving bat creates a higher exit velocity and optimal launch angle, which are necessary to hit doubles, triples, and home runs.
Attack direction, then, helps indicate the horizontal angle the bat is traveling as it makes contact. This is mostly used to determine whether a batter is a “pull” or “oppo” hitter.
For our purposes, we will be focusing on attack angle since swing path is more of a stylistic choice. (It’s not as simple as “more is good” or “less is bad” in that department.) Attack angle, however, tells a bit more about the Rockies’ offense and what’s going on.
The Rockies as a team
Entering June, the Rockies sport a team attack angle of 10°, which lands even with the league average alongside 13 other teams.
However, the Rockies have an ideal attack angle of 49.1%, which ranks 26th in baseball, just ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays (49%), Los Angeles Angels (48%), Athletics (47.8%), and Pittsburgh Pirates (46.6%). The league average for ideal attack angle is 51.2%.
This means that while the Rockies have an attack angle that falls in line with the majority of MLB on swings, they have managed to make contact with that ideal attack angle less than half the time. Evidence is shown in their 26% whiff rate that comes from a league-leading 51.8% swing rate.
Like other stats in baseball, however, there are nuances to attack angle because it depends on pitch location and pitch type as well. Attack angles will be higher on low pitches and lower on higher pitches. The Rockies have a 13° to 16° angle range on lower pitches and about a 9° angle on higher pitches. A higher angel will lead to more flyballs, while a lower angel will lead to more line drives. Negative angles end up with more groundballs.
The Rockies have a league-leading 21.2% line-drive rate, suggesting a flatter swing at the point of contact, despite a team swing path of 34°, which ranks as the fifth-steepest in baseball. A flatter swing isn’t inherently bad, as line drives are a quality result of making contact, but it does point to the lack of power the team has in the home run department. They rank 22nd in flyball rate at 37.9% and 20th in homerun-to-flyball rate at 9.6%.
The difference in the Rockies’ offense is also reflected over the last two months. In April, the Rockies had an ideal attack angle of 50.8%, while May dropped down to 47.2% and saw the club hitting more ground balls and fewer flyballs.
An important element to understanding attack angle is that it is a timing metric.
During a swing, there are numerous attack angles, and the one that matters is the point at which contact occurs. Pitches are thrown from a downward angle (usually around 6° to 10°). An upward (positive) attack angle allows your bat to travel along the same plane as the ball, giving a wider margin for error to make solid contact. Having an undesirable attack angle might be about being early or late, as well as the way the hitter is moving the bat. It’s not a case of “more is better” because too much or too little can be a problem, hence the ideal range.
Individual Rockies
Attack angle gives us a better understanding of a hitter’s profile, and so, let’s take a look at a couple of the Rockies to illustrate the make-up of the team.
Hunter Goodman
Hunter Goodman falls in line with many of the power hitters across the league. Averaging an attack angle of 15°, Goodman often catches the ball with an upward trajectory, which translates to a team-leading 14 home runs. Keep an eye on the red arrow in the video below (starting at four seconds) that showcases his attack angle through his swing to the point of contact.
What’s interesting is that Goodman’s 24° swing path is the “flattest” on the team, while the attack angle is the highest among the qualified hitters. The video shows that while Goodman has a more direct swing path to the ball, he manages to create lift by angling his bat in those final four milliseconds to lift the ball. He currently has a career-high 27.5% line drive rate and is matching his career-high 33.6% fly ball rate. Add in his incredible bat speed, and you get a hitter who can pound the ball at the expense of more strikeouts.
Most importantly, Goodman has an ideal attack angle 65.3% of the time, which ties him for fourth-highest in baseball among qualified hitters. That means that for roughly every six or seven swings out of 10, he is getting the most offensive value potential, which is what you want out of your power bat.
Kyle Karros
On the other side of the spectrum is Kyle Karros. Featuring a 33.3% line drive rate, Karros has generally been more of a contact-first bat with not a lot of oomph. A lower-than-league-average bat speed and an attack angle of 7° have led to more line drives and ground balls in his young big league career.
What makes Karros’ swing interesting is that he has one of the steepest swing paths on the team at 37°, and yet meets the ball on a more even plane at the point of contact. It messes with a preconceived notion that a player with a steeper swing would naturally hit the ball with a higher attack angle, just as a player with a flatter swing would have a lower attack angle.
However, the attack angle is a good measure of swing adjustments for a player, and Karros has demonstrated that over the last week. Starting on May 25, Karros has averaged an attack angle of 12° with 48.8% ideal attack angle rate. The swing path hasn’t changed, but Karros managed to elevate the ball more, which has resulted in two home runs (even if one was against a position player) and a ball in the air 33% of the time. Ideally, Karros raising his average attack angle even just a few degrees upward to the 10° mark could help him find that power a bit more consistently and cut down on the grounders.
More to be learned
There is so much more that can be learned from exploring the intricacies of these metrics that can’t be covered in this article. You can gain a lot just from a glimpse at the basic metrics, and I encourage you to explore these metrics and visuals on Baseball Savant.
For instance, look at the entire 2026 Rockies offense in this image. Some interesting things are going on here.
In general, the Rockies are a team that focuses on line drives and could benefit from more players finding an optimal swing more often than not. These metrics are all about maximizing offensive value, something the Rockies aren’t quite doing across the board at times.
One size does not fit all when it comes to swinging the bat. Each batter is unique with different stances and mechanics, and these metrics tell just a small part of the story and help paint the picture of an offensive profile.
The Albuquerque Isotopes put together a rough game at the plate as they managed just four runs in the middle innings, but struck out 13 times against one walk. Andrew Knizner had a home run as part of a two-hit night but that was about all that highlighted the offense. Still, they could have done just enough to win, but Isotopes starter Valente Bellozo saw his solid start fall apart in the fifth inning. Scoreless through four, Bellozo coughed up six runs and recorded just one out. The bullpen combo of Mason Green and Ryan Miller limited Salt Lake to just one run the rest of the way, but the offense couldn’t make up the lost ground.
Despite collecting six hits, the Hartford Yard Goats were shut out as they struggled to get runners in scoring position and went 0-for-3 when they did. GJ Hill led the way with two hits, but eight strikeouts and three double-plays killed any momentum for the Yard Goats. Jake Brooks started on the mound and delivered six solid innings, allowing four runs on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Cade Denton was roughed up in relief, unfortunately, as he allowed five runs on six hits in two innings of work.
Spokane lost a close one as a two-run seventh by Hillsboro made up the difference. The Indians controlled the first half of the game 5-0 through four innings before Hillsboro got after starter Everett Catlett for four runs in the fifth. Tyler Hampu took the loss after allowing three runs on two hits in his 1.2 innings of work. Offensively, Spokane had 11 hits with Robert Calaz going 3-for-4 with a home run. The team struck out six times with two walks and went 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
A close-knit game saw the Fresno Grizzlies come out on top thanks to a two-run ninth inning rally to walk off the Lake Elsinore Storm. Trailing 5-4 in the ninth, Cameron Nelson laced a one-out double to score the equalizer run before coming in to score the winning run on a Roldy Brito single. Fresno had 10 hits with Nelson collecting a triple as well, while Tanner Thach and Clayton Gray each had a home run. Angel Jimenez started for the Grizzlies and went five innings, allowing just two runs on two hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Jhon Medina and Dylan Crooks followed in relief and struggled with command, issuing six free passes and allowing three runs in 2.2 combined innings of work. Seth Clausen took the win with his 1.1 scoreless innings of work.
The trade deadline is just two months away so it’s time to start considering some questions. Mark Feinsand mentions the Rockies as a likely seller, though they may not have many assets. He points to Antonio Senzatela, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Brennan Bernardino as likely candidates with the most value.
Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP) has been on a tear for Albuquerque the last two weeks. Geoff Grammer considers the possibility of Condon getting back on track for a 2026 MLB debut.
This week, Evan Lang and I talk about Ezequiel Tovar heating up at the plate, the need for reinforcements in the pitching department, and reflect on May with our players of the month.
