LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 14: Meleek Thomas #15 of the Cleveland Cavaliers poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 14, 2026 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers traded out of the first round in this past year’s draft. At the time, there was frustration for a team that has very limited opportunities over the next five years to take first-round talent. With the 34th selection, the Cavaliers were able to take Meleek Thomas, whom draft experts had in the first round of their mock drafts.
The Cavaliers were immediately validated for their trade down and selection of Thomas in the Summer League. He set Las Vegas ablaze to the tune of 27.3 points per game. This not only led all players in the circuit but also earned Thomas a spot on the Summer League First Team. Thomas was the only non-lottery player to earn this selection.
It’s early, but the Cavaliers appear to have selected a player with a solid foundation.
The Cavaliers have shuffled their bench this offseason, leaving some question marks. When Summer League ended, the bench still consisted of Max Strus and Dennis Schröder. With both now residing on other teams, the bench has a lot of “mystery box” players. Mario Hezonja, Tyrese Proctor, Craig Porter Jr., Khalifa Diop, and Nae’Qwan Tomlin are all interesting players; however, they are a far cry from what you would call “stable” or “safe” options.
This is where the Cavaliers will enter a conundrum early in Thomas’s career. It is more likely than not that one or more of the players listed above will not meet the expectations or needs the Cavaliers have for them in their role at the start of the season. If so, Thomas will be thrust into meaningful minutes.
Thomas has already shown a knack for putting the ball in the basket. In Summer League, Thomas accompanied his 27.3 points per game with sizzling .500/.438/1.000 shooting splits over four games. Thomas is a natural scorer, but don’t expect the level of efficiency and opportunity that was present in Summer League.
In Vegas, the Cavaliers had one true prospect to showcase, and that was Thomas. That wouldn’t be the case in the regular season. With James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, Thomas will need to be more complementary. At Arkansas, he did something similar with fellow NBA draftee Darius Acuff Jr.; however, the opposition now is much more formidable.
The worst-case scenario for Thomas is that the Cavaliers whiff on quite a few of their mystery-box role guys, and the pecking order on the bench needs major renovations. Thomas will get less of the Jaylon Tyson treatment from a few years ago — one where he got to develop and play in garbage time to get his feet under him — and instead be thrust out there to salvage poor decisions made by the front office in constructing the bench. That may not be best for his overall development.
Thomas is a natural scorer, which should help in the early returns of his first minutes in the NBA, and is his most likely role if he does get thrown into early minutes. However, it would be a disservice to Thomas to isolate his development to solely being a scorer. Koby Altman hinted at the draft presser that the Cavaliers want to allow him to develop his facilitating and offense-running capabilities. It will be nearly impossible with one of the two All-Star guards also on the floor. It will be interesting to see how the front office and coaching staff toggle Thomas between a project and a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency role.
The Cavaliers are in win-now mode, so they are more likely to sacrifice long-term upside for an opportunity to improve the roster now. Therefore, Thomas could be put in a position where he will need to sink or swim this season, even if it isn’t what’s most beneficial for his development.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 28: Samuel Girard #49 of the Pittsburgh Penguins carries the puck against Colin Blackwell #15 of the Dallas Stars at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 28, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Penguins would probably figure to not use waivers to boost their lineup, given all the depth they already have. However with four players placed on IR yesterday plus the statuses of Bryan Rust (injured) and Andrei Kuzmenko (personal) still up in the air for the start of the season, the waiver wire could hold a little more intrigue now than it might have recently given the outflow of bodies from the roster in recent days.
The timing for this works out, there are currently 71 player on waivers today that could be claimed and announced at 2pm eastern. Waiver claims are typically used by NHL teams as short-term patches and temporary fixes for the sort of issues that a team like Pittsburgh is dealing with right now. The majority of players waived at the beginning of the season tend to go back on the waiver wire once claimed, which would presumably be the situation in Pittsburgh since the main goal would be to get to the other side on the injuries their players are dealing with at the moment.
Here are some currently available candidates that stand out. The Penguins currently have 48 of their 50 available pro contracts spoken for, giving them the ability to add one player via waivers if they really wanted to do so.
Colin Blackwell, C, Dallas Stars
Blackwell is a speedy, pesky fourth-line grinder with legitimate defensive value. He’s only 5-foot-8, but he plays way bigger than that, with a gritty motor and a physical edge.
Blackwell is a black hole offensively (only four goals in 70 games and poor offensive play-driving metrics), but his defensive metrics are very solid, and he’s a high-quality penalty killer, having averaged over two minutes per game on Dallas’ 13th-ranked PK last season. He’s worth a look for a team that wants some shorthanded help and fourth-line speed.
Blake Lizotte was already back at practice yesterday, and if the team senses his absence will not last much longer then adding another player in that same sort of mold wouldn’t make much sense. However, given the current centers from practice yesterday were players who aren’t traditional PKers in Sidney Crosby, Tommy Novak and Hendrix Lapierre, plus the injured Lizotte, it’s not difficult to see that that if the Penguins were to dip into waivers at all for a temporary replacement if would be someone exactly like Blackwell who is known for his PK work and defensive impacts and can work as a center. Blackwell also adds some value of being a right-handed center, which the Penguins currently don’t have any of with Ben Kindel on IR.
Pittsburgh could always choose to go with what they’ve got, but if they don’t quite like the situation of PKers around at the moment (or if they need a fairly capable stand-in for Lizotte at that fourth line center spot for a couple of days or games) then grabbing someone like Blackwell would make sense, even if they’ll have to turn around and waive Blackwell themselves in the near future.
Sam Lafferty, C, Florida Panthers
Lafferty has appealing physical traits with a heavy 6-foot-2 frame and blazing-fast speed. He can serve as a fine fourth-line winger to play an uptempo north-south, dump-and-chase style and can play center in an emergency.
Lafferty is very limited, though — his offensive value is almost nil, and he doesn’t provide the PK value that another waiver option like Blackwell does.
Lafferty is a former Penguin, though he’s been gone since 2021 and the entire coaching and management has turned over in Pittsburgh since then to render those ties moot at this point. There is some connective tissue from the past, Kyle Dubas acquired Lafftery for Toronto in 2023 that’s probably more relevant than his previous Pittsburgh stint.
Much like the Blackwell note, this would be contingent on the statuses of Rust and Lizotte. If the team is pretty confident that one or both of those players will be back soon, they wouldn’t need Lafferty. If that’s not the case, then there could be some value in picking up a veteran option who is used to bouncing from team to team and providing some speed, energy and PK to tide the team over until their own options get back.
John Beecher, C, Florida Panthers
Beecher is never going to be known for his point production, but he’s a big forward who is a top skater in the league. His puck game is a significant issue, though, and he generates his value through his speed and compete. He could have value as a depth forward for a team.
The Pens seem to like their own internal options similar to Beecher (specifically, Elmer Soderblom and Fillip Hallander) more than someone like Beecher. Still, the same notes above apply for adding a 6’3”, 220 pound center who has some speed and ability to join the PK unit as a patch is out there if they want it.
Dylan Garand, G, New York Rangers
Garand has been inconsistent as a pro after a sterling junior career. He has the quickness, technique and reads of a legit pro goaltender, but he is on the smaller side, and although he moves well, he isn’t the truly premier athlete you would want for a barely 6-foot goalie. I see the argument for a pickup, but he’s probably a No. 3 goalie for an NHL team.
The Pens seem content and even eager to let Sergei Murashov have a shot at the NHL. Right now would be a way to pick up a goalie for free, though. Garand is 24 years old, he wouldn’t offer a lot of experience (his three career NHL games are even less than Murashov) so it might be off the table. But Garand has the ability and upside to think that some NHL team might take a chance and put a claim in for him. Dubas has been no stranger to accumulating mid-20’s talent and seeing what happens with the opportunity and it’s not like the current Penguin goaltending situation is solid enough to let this opportunity pass without even having a discussion.
—
In the end, the smart money might be on no activity this afternoon for the Pens. The appearance of Lizotte back in practice goes a long way in the hopes that his missed time won’t amount to enough to make it necessary to grab a replacement caliber player to fill in. Given the total quantity of injuries it’s at least a topic worthy of some debate to figure out just how the Penguins want to get through the early part of the season until some of their important depth players return to the lineup.
If the Senators were looking for bulletin-board material heading into the 2026-27 season, they didn't have to look very far.
They only had to visit NHL.com.
The NHL's official website released its annual predictions for the upcoming season, with 14 writers and editors selecting their division winners, wild-card teams and eventual Stanley Cup champion.
Travis Green is asked Saturday about Jake Sanderson after he left the game in his preseason debut.
Not one of the 14 picked the Senators to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Zero.
That's a pretty notable snub for a team that reached the postseason in each of the past two seasons and only one impactful player loss.
But that's clearly the biggest reason for the national skepticism: Brady Tkachuk is gone.
The Senators finished fifth in the Atlantic Division last season with a 44-27-11 record and earned a playoff berth before being swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in the opening round.
But between an early season wrist injury, a brace he'd wear for most of the season, the distraction of podcasts and Olympics, and fading interest in being a Senator, Ottawa fans are keenly aware that losing last year's version of Tkachuk isn't all bad.
Every one of the 14 panelists selected three teams from the Atlantic Division, along with two wild-card teams from the Eastern Conference. The Sens weren't included in any of those selections.
Montreal, Florida and Tampa Bay were the three teams most frequently chosen from the Atlantic, while Buffalo, Boston, Toronto, the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils also appeared among the Eastern wild-card selections.
But the Sens don't necessarily have to look outside their own locker room for reasons to believe they can remain in the playoff conversation.
The Sens finished ninth overall in goal scoring last season. Tim Stützle scored a team-high 34 goals last season. Drake Batherson scored 33, Dylan Cozens had 28 and Shane Pinto added 23. The Senators also added William Eklund, who had 53 points with San Jose last season, and veteran Andre Burakovsky to help address the offensive loss created by Tkachuk's departure.
Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot give the Senators an excellent one-two punch on the blue line.
Then there's goaltending. The Sens made the playoffs with goaltending that was well below average in the first half of the season. And that's putting it mildly.
After the Olympics last season, Linus Ullmark went 12-4-3 with a .902 save percentage and a 2.51 goals-against average over 19 games. He carried that strong finish into the playoffs against Carolina. And he now has what the Senators believe will be better support with two new Swedish goalies directly behind him on the depth chart.
And if you like intangibles, there also won't be the level of noise and controversy that swirled around this team for a lot of last season. It's amazing that the Sens powered through all that and still made the playoffs.
Yes, some preseason injuries have certainly emerged as a cause for concern in Ottawa, but no one who's nicked up has been described as having anything that's long term. And it's goes without saying that every preseason prediction about every NHL team comes with the caveat of "if they can stay healthy."
Yes, the Atlantic is deep, just like it was last year. Some will rise, others will sink. But we'll take GM Steve Staios at his word that he "has no intention of taking a step backwards this season."
That's the prediction that will matter, because no matter how much other teams have improved, 99 points will probably get you into the playoffs.
No matter what, when the season begins on Oct. 3, the Senators won't be playing for the approval of 14 NHL.com writers. They won't be playing to stick it to their former captain.
They'll be playing for each other and a third consecutive trip to the playoffs.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: AJ Dybansta #4 of the Washington Wizards poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 15, 2026 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards are hosting Media Day at CareFirst Arena starting at 11 a.m. ET. Greg Finberg is in Congress Heights for us. Monumental Sports Network will air the coverage and I’ll post an embed as soon as we can. Enjoy the first day of the NBA calendar!
Wizards Media Day is here!
We’ll speak with Brian Keefe at 11 a.m., followed by 12 Wizards players, including Trae Young, Anthony Davis and AJ Dybantsa.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 31: A close-up photo of the Philadelphia 76ers hardwood classic edition jersey during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on January 31, 2026 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In what can only be described as a no-brainer, the Sixers will bring back their Allen Iverson era black jerseys for the 2026-27 season.
According to Nike/the NBA’s uniform rules, the Sixers technically could not wear the black jerseys this season. You’re not allowed to wear throwback uniforms unless it falls on an anniversary (like last season when the team celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 2000-01 team). As they say, rules are meant to be broken.
And thank goodness.
These jerseys are iconic. So much so, Jaylen Brown couldn’t wait to get his hands on one to wear for a live stream. And when the news broke of LeBron James signing in Philly, guess which jersey was photoshopped onto him? That’s right. Tyrese Maxey and other Sixers are also huge fans of these jerseys.
In total, the Sixers will wear six different jerseys this season, including the return of the black “Hardwood Classic”.
In addition to the red, white and blue jersey variants that have become standard for the Sixers and the return of the Iverson-era black uniforms, the team will also debut their new “Specter” uniform (the black with red stars) this season. The league and Nike announced earlier this month that eight of the NBA’s oldest franchises will wear the new line of uniforms this season. It is not exactly clear yet how often or when these jerseys will be utilized specifically.
All of the Sixers’ jerseys will also feature a new patch sponsor, replacing the Crypto.com logo that has featured on the team’s jerseys and courts for years now. The Sixers have a new, multi-year deal with Bloom Energy. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported on social media that the deal is worth over eight figures, annually making it one of the most lucrative in the league.
Olympic gold medallist also won world and European titles
‘I’m proud of where I’ve got to and what I’ve done’
The Olympic gold medallist Katy Marchant has announced her retirement from elite cycling. The 33-year-old took gold alongside Emma Finucane and Sophie Capewell in the women’s team sprint at the 2024 Paris Games, the same year she won world and European titles.
“I’ve achieved more than I could ever have dreamed of achieving,” Marchant said only a few months after stating a goal of racing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. “It just feels really strange. It’s not been a difficult decision. Don’t get me wrong, there’s been moments where I’ve thought: ‘Could I just, should I just, what if I just?’ But I know what it takes to push on for another two years.
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 27: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 and Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks smile during a press conference after the game against the Detroit Pistons during Round 1 Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2025 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The moment you’ve been waiting for months has finally arrived, folks!
After a considerably shorter offseason than we Knicks fans are accustomed to, the build-up to the 2026-27 NBA season officially begins today with Media Day.
The reigning, defending, undisputed NBA champions are back together after their run to the championship, with their first press conference of the new season scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. ET.
All players and head coach Mike Brown will meet with reporters and turn their attention toward the challenge of doing it all over again, as well as dealing with questions about health (Jalen Brunson’s wrist), money (Karl-Anthony Towns’ extension), and destiny (Deuce McBride’s future), among many other things.
Ultimately, Media Day will give us all the first real chance to “officially” hear from the Knicks since the offseason began, with plenty to discuss before the team gets back on the court when Training camp (Tuesday, Sept. 29) and the preseason (Oct. 5 against the Philadelphia 76ers) get going. The Knicks will also face Washington, Minnesota and Toronto twice before the exhibitions wrap up Oct. 15.
Then, the real real thing will arrive when New York raises the curtain and the banner (should we say banners, though?) on the 2026-27 regular season at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, Oct. 20, hosting Philly.
Follow along throughout Media Day as the quotes, photos, videos and assorted preseason optimism start pouring in. Drop everything you hear, see and think about today’s festivities in the comment section below and discuss it all with your fellow Knicks fans, and we’ll put it all together in multiple posts during the next few hours and days for you to find everything in one place.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 9: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers embraces LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers after the game on December 9, 2022 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 2022 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Nearly two months from the day his signing was announced, LeBron James will speak to the Philadelphia media for the first time. There’s still over three weeks before he can play his first regular season game with his new team, but saying this hasn’t gotten old yet: LeBron James is a member of the 76ers.
The last two years have been a whirlwind for the franchise. No one would have predicted they would be signing the best player in the history of the sport 15 months after a season so disastrous the topic of Joel Embiid going into medical retirement was legitimately broached. Now they have loaded up to compete in an Eastern Conference as loaded as it’s ever been.
The acquisition of James was very different from the three previous times he switched teams in his career. He is no longer the seismic presence that instantly launches a team into title contention. Not only did he not take the max contract for the first time in his career, but the 41-year old signed with Philadelphia for the league minimum.
Since James chose the Sixers as his new team, the predominant question that’s been raised for this team is how will they share just the one basketball across this star-studded starting five? James will be at the center of that answer. Shortly after he chose the Sixers, it was reported that James will be the primary point guard.
That was always the logical step. While both Embiid and Maxey have made strides in becoming better passers, neither of their elite skillsets contains facilitating — the same can be said for Brown. There’s been a lot of concern over how that will impact Maxey in particular. His massive jump in scoring production has come as a product of having one of the highest usage rates in the league.
Maxey will definitely sacrifice some on-ball reps, and probably a few points per game because of it, but at the team’s benefit. Maxey is a lethal shooter, and one that’s always been consistently considerably better shooting off the catch.
He’s one of the best play finishers in the league and he hasn’t had that opportunity in years because the Sixers have needed him at the center of everything. It won’t look quite the same because James Harden is so unique in how he dominates the ball, but Maxey should get a similar amount of high quality looks playing off the ball he had back in the 2022-23 season.
Being a long time offseason workout buddy with James, their fit feels like it will be figured out the easiest. While boasting an even higher usage rate for much of his career, the pairing with Embiid doesn’t feel like it will be that hard to figure out. Embiid is obviously an elite hub himself operating from the free throw line, but like Maxey, his best years came because of his pick-and-pop with Harden.
James and Embiid are both so talented, they won’t have to do much more than that to create good shots when they are on the floor together. How often they are on the floor together is a legitimate concern. The aforementioned health of Embiid is something that will always be a question mark. James’ durability is one of the most incredible feats in sports, but even the healthiest 41 year old, turning 42 early in the season, should not take on the full grind of an 82-game season.
He’s yet to pick up a major injury so far in his career, but as a Laker he picked up nagging injuries that caused him to miss big chunks of seasons for the first time in his career. He played 55 and 56 games in the 2021-22 and ‘22-23 seasons, respectively. Amazingly, he played 70 games in each of the next two seasons, and a lot of that came down to the Lakers needing him on the floor to get through the season and to the playoffs. He played in 60 games last season, dealing with and on and off glute injury.
The priority for James and Embiid needs to be getting them through the regular season and as healthy as possible for mid-April. That will come at the cost of sacrificing game reps during the regular season to build chemistry. It’s a tough balance to strike, one they attempted but never really succeeded at with Embiid and Paul George.
They’re going to have very different versions of this team depending on who is available on any given night. It’s tough to win games like that, but the Sixers won 45 of them last year. There’s no one more prepared to do that than Maxey and with an objectively better roster this year, the team should be up to the task.
The key to eating those regular season innings is the trickiest fit with James to figure out, and that’s Jaylen Brown. There’s no one part of Brown’s game you can easily point to and say, they can just run that action with him and LeBron. It’s easy to say he’ll be great to eat up these reps in the games James misses, but ideally, they will share the court a lot together.
It will take a sacrifice that’s never been asked of a guy who’s won a Finals MVP before, but the fact that it will take that level of buy-in from everyone on the team could bode well for this effort. No one can afford to get mad about their touches, all five of them will have to figure this out.
The level of talent in the starting five is fantasy team levels of star-studded. There’s no frame of reference for fitting this much together outside of firing up 2K. It certainly isn’t the path the Sixers thought they’d take when they set out star hunting eight years ago.
But when you get the chance to add LeBron James and Jaylen Brown to your team, you don’t turn it down.
The NBA offseason is officially history. With the Knicks set to host media day on Monday, there will surely be plenty of questions for the defending champions.
Contract extension talks for Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and Miles McBride will be central topics in training camp. Also, the team’s mindset in a championship-defending season will be another big theme brought up. Let’s look at what players are facing the most questions heading into the new season.
Karl-Anthony Towns
Coming off a title, the Knicks are still on cloud nine. Jalen Brunson just continued the good times hosting the season premiere of Saturday Night Live.
However, one potential rain cloud on the way is Towns’ contract extension talks. The team and the big man have yet to come to terms on a new deal. Towns can sign for a maximum of four years and $276 million. SNY’s Ian Begley noted last week that the Knicks have made offers to Towns that started between $45 million and $50 million per season, which would equal a range of $180 million to $200 million over a four-year deal.
Towns is vital to New York’s championship hopes. The center’s mix of elite outside shooting and post-up makes him a difficult cover for opposing defenses. He has also grown as a playmaker and defender over two seasons in New York.
If the Knicks and Towns can’t come to an agreement, the team would be in serious trouble. First, if he accepts his $61 million player option for next season, New York would likely cross the second apron. If Towns opts out, he can enter unrestricted free agency and sign with another team. That would leave the Knicks with limited options to replace him.
Towns and the Knicks have all season to come to terms on a deal, so the alarm bell hasn’t officially been rung yet. Will he sign an extension? That will be a question that hovers over the team until an agreement is reached.
Miles McBride
Another contract extension to watch is McBride. The reserve guard is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
McBride’s extension hinges on what happens in Towns and Hart’s contract extension talks. Specifically, if Towns signs an extension at a lower cap figure than his $61 million player option for the 2027-28 season, the Knicks might have room to negotiate with McBride and re-sign him. If not, then the Knicks could move the guard either in-season or he can leave as a free agent.
McBride is a key part of New York’s plans. He’s a high-volume three-point shooter and is accurate from long distance. McBride has shot 39.6 percent from beyond the three-point arc over the last three seasons. A very good point-of-attack defender, the former second-round pick has also been able to guard some wings, despite being listed at just 6-foot-2. Over the years, McBride has proven effective from the bench, but he’s also been able to fill in as an occasional starter at either guard position.
At 26 years old, is there still any more room for McBride to grow? In the NBA Finals, he struggled with the San Antonio Spurs’ full-court defensive pressure, scoring just 11 points in five games. While McBride’s development will be important to watch, how the Knicks handle the guard’s pending free agency will ultimately be a storyline all season.
Mohamed Diawara
It would be easy to go the contract extension route and have Hart as a topic. But I think the Knicks and Hart have an easier path to an extension since his fit to the current Knicks roster is ideal. Also, the Knicks have a team option on Hart for the 2027-28 season.
Let’s focus on Diawara. Entering his second year, Diawara showed signs of being a rotation player with solid defense and a better-than-expected jumper. However, he eventually fell out of New York’s rotation in the second half of the regular season. The Knicks believed in Diawara’s potential, signing the French forward to a four-year, $11.2 million contract.
Diawara had a rough Summer League showing, but he still has promise as a useful rotation player. At 6-foot-9, he offers a mix of length and skill that could be helpful to a Knicks bench that is small. The perimeter bench players in the rotation are all 6-foot-5 or under. Can Mike Brown find minutes for the forward?
As I mentioned earlier in the offseason, Diawara’s development with the Knicks will be important for the future of the franchise. As the club looks to avoid the second apron over the next few years, there’s a chance key rotation players will depart. Developing young players on cheap contracts will be important to New York in maintaining a contender.
Basketball season is near and the Warriors are getting ready to begin training camp, hoping to bounce back after missing the NBA playoffs last season. But when the season begins, the franchise will be missing a couple of key players such as Moses Moody, who is recovering from a knee injury.
Moody is set to miss the early portion of the 2026-27 NBA season, but during media day on Monday, he reflected on his rehab and why stayed positive in the wake of his horrific injury.
“It’s funny. My first thought on the ground was, I know this is going to be a good thing at some point. I’m going to say I’m happy this happened,” Moody told reporters. “So what’s the point of being upset about it right now if I’m going to be happy that it happened?
“Then the next step is I got to make it a good thing. So whatever time it allowed me to have, do something with that time. I’d be happy that I had the time to do. Then on the basketball court, being able to slow down and train my movements and body and a bunch of stuff that might normally get passed up because I got so many other things to work on. I can slow down and go step by step. I feel like I’ve done that.”
Moody’s left patellar tear is an injury that can make a player feel down about the situation, especially with the long and grueling rehab process that is required to return to play and the pain and emotions that come with it. But Moody quickly thought about how he could make the most of it, alluding to how he was feeling the moment he went down in that March 26 game against the Dallas Mavericks.
“Well, it didn’t hurt, first off. I guess you don’t got a lot of nerves in that area,” Moody told reporters. “Another one that I think about is, how do you actually feel versus how you’re supposed to feel? And I’m looking at it, and I’m, like, I should probably be in pain and screaming and all that right now, but actually it doesn’t hurt. Now I’m just waiting until I get up or whatever is next.
“That was the feeling for me. So as I sit there calmly and think, that was the first thought that came to my head. Looking back on it, I think it’s pretty cool that that’s how that went.”
Moody still has a little ways to go but is progressing well in his rehab. Moody currently is participating in light on-court activity and described the process as tedious, but also said how much he has enjoyed working through this career hurdle.
“Yeah, I would describe it as light on-court activity,” Moody told reporters about where he is in the rehab process. “I’m in a good spot with it all. It’s been a fun process, tedious, you know, day by day and everything, but I’ve enjoyed it.”
“Yeah, I’m confident with the plan. I think everything has been on track for what Rick [Celebrini] has estimated and everything,” Moody told reporters. “Yeah, I’m in a good spot.”
The Warriors open their season Oct. 21 on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers. Expectations for the team heading into the season are not super high, but the Warriors are determined to be competitive early on so that when they do get Moody back, they can reach another level and prove to the league that they once again are contenders.
Sep 27, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Texas Rangers designated hitter Elias Diaz (35) sits in the dugout after losing to the Minnesota Twins and getting eliminated from the playoffs at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Good morning.
Shawn McFarland writes that the Texas Rangers finally succumbed to working with a threadbare pitching staff in a season finale loss that left no doubt that there would be no October baseball.
Jeff Wilson writes that the Rangers went 2-4 in their final two series of the year against two teams with losing records to drop the American League West by a game.
Kennedi Landry writes that the Rangers are disappointed with their play this season as they missed the postseason for a third straight year.
Evan Grant writes that, despite being in the worst division in history, it was the big guys who didn’t show up for Texas in the end.
ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle writes that Jacob Latz establishing himself as a contributing big leaguer can be taken as a silver lining for the Rangers in 2026.
And, Bob Nightengale notes that former Rangers general manager Jon Daniels has dropped out of the running for the top decision-making job with the erstwhile Oakland Athletics. Considering the level of talent they deployed in their 9-0 series finale loss to Houston, I can’t say I blame him.
Rece Hinds is among many Orioles who provided no value — or negative value — this season. | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With the 2026 season officially behind us, Camden Chat will spend the next several weeks reviewing the performances of some of the Orioles’ most prominent players this year.
But before that, let’s pour one out for all the non-prominent players who made an appearance for the 2026 Orioles. The blink-and-you-missed-them, “wait, that guy was an Oriole?” kind of roster fillers who spent only a couple of weeks — or days — with the club before vanishing into the ether.
The Orioles used 60 different players this season, an almost paltry number compared to a year ago when they set an MLB record with 70 (which was broken days later when the Braves used their 71st). So here’s a quick look at the members of the 2026 Orioles who didn’t play enough, made too little of an impact, or just were too darn forgettable to merit an individual post in our upcoming series.
The injury-stricken veterans
For a second straight year, injuries were a key factor in the Orioles’ underperformance. Quite a few players that the O’s were counting on to contribute ended up missing significant time. And one of the cruelest blows came in the first week of the season, when Zach Eflin — who’d made an outstanding return from 2025 back surgery, dazzled in spring training, and won a rotation spot — left his season debut with elbow soreness and was forced to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery after just 3.2 innings of work. For that to happen after he’d battled so hard to come back, you have to feel for the guy. The Orioles might have interest in re-signing Eflin, who should be ready to return sometime early next season.
Also suffering an all-too-early injury was Ryan Mountcastle, the second-longest tenured Oriole (he debuted a week after Keegan Akin in 2020). It was a surprise when the O’s brought back Mountcastle for a $6.7 million deal instead of non-tendering him last offseason, and he was an even worse fit once the Orioles signed Pete Alonso, but the idea was that Mountcastle could serve as a right-handed power bat against lefties. In just his 15th plate appearance, Mountcastle broke his foot while running the bases in April, then strained his oblique while preparing to rehab in July. He never returned, and that’s likely the end of his seven-year tenure in Baltimore.
One guy who did return, quite unexpectedly, was Félix Bautista, whose torn rotator cuff and torn labrum in Aug. 2025 were expected to sideline him for the entire 2026 season. The big right-hander worked his way back in late September, albeit after the O’s were out of contention, and gave up three runs in two appearances. His velocity was noticeably down, but maybe having a full offseason will help him come back stronger in 2027. We can only hope.
The random relievers
The Orioles’ Opening Day bullpen included a number of unheralded names. Two of them didn’t last long. The 35-year-old lefty Dietrich Enns, who’d pitched well down the stretch for the Orioles the previous season, issued 11 walks in 16 innings and was banished to Triple-A. He continued to pitch so poorly with Norfolk — a 6.13 ERA in 31 games — that the O’s never brought him back. And right-hander Yaramil Hiraldo was dreadful, coughing up nine runs and 10 walks in 9.1 innings in three stints in the majors.
Anyone remember Lou Trivino? The veteran righty pitched twice, was bombed for six runs, and then returned to the Phillies from whence he came. Lefty Nick Raquet made four appearances; righty Jose Espada made one. And the O’s employed not one but two right-handers named Cameron: Cameron Foster, part of the Gregory Soto trade return, pitched six uninspiring games, and Cameron Weston tossed a scoreless inning in his major league debut before the Mets claimed him on waivers.
The hapless fill-in catchers
When Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo weren’t behind the plate this year, boy, did things get ugly. We’re going to have a separate post about the disaster that was Carlos Narváez, but a few others also tried their hand, with terrible results. Who could forget the painful experience of watching Sam Huff step to the plate? He had the swing of someone who had never held a baseball bat before. The O’s also brought back Chadwick Tromp for a second straight season, but jettisoned him after he went 3-for-24.
Third catcher Yohel Pozo brought good vibes to the Orioles but spent most of his time glued to the bench. He appeared in only 16 of the Orioles’ 51 games in August and September. We’ll toss Maverick Handley into this category even though he never actually caught an inning for the Orioles this year, making one pinch-hit appearance before the O’s waived him. And the Orioles briefly brought in longtime Tiger Jake Rogers to help their catching situation, but then threw him into the Rutschman trade with Boston after just three games. Rogers ended up playing with four different teams in less than two weeks.
The bench (lack of) depth
The Orioles’ obsession with stockpiling right-handed outfielders for the bench, presumably to match up against opposing southpaws, had one tiny flaw: none of them could actually hit. Rece Hinds may have cemented his status as one of the worst short-term Orioles in history with a truly galling final game last Friday in which he struck out in all five at-bats and committed multiple misplays in the outfield. You can’t make this stuff up. Hinds was 5-for-28 as an Oriole, and if you include his stints with the Reds and Marlins, he was 2-for-28 against lefties. Seriously, do the O’s even know how to check platoon splits? They’re right there on Baseball Reference.
Also failing to deliver against lefties was rookie Christian Franklin, acquired at the trade deadline from the Nationals. His .180 overall batting average in 21 games was bad enough; his .167 mark against southpaws was worse. The Orioles did finally acquire a guy who might’ve helped against lefties, veteran Luis Robert Jr., only for him to get injured after just three games. Their $3 million gamble in claiming him on waivers was a bust.
Long before those guys came along, the first-half Orioles tried their luck with utility man Weston Wilson, who played 19 games and even made three mop-up pitching appearances. He spent the rest of the season with the Mariners, where he was an even worse hitter (and pitched once more, for old time’s sake). But perhaps the most bizarre experiment was that of Johnathan Rodríguez, a marginal minor league hitter whom the Orioles immediately installed as their cleanup hitter on three different occasions. You’ll never believe this, but the O’s lost all three games.
Poor Heston Kjerstad clearly has no future in this organization. The O’s left him in Triple-A almost all season, then went out of their way not to play him once they finally called him up in September. He got just 19 at-bats, with four hits, and could become a 40-man roster casualty this winter.
Three other position players appeared in just one or two games each. Pop quiz! See if you can match these first names — Luis, José, and Michael — to these last names: Barrero, Siani, and Vázquez. Give up? Me too.
Some of the players discussed in this article might find their way back to an Orioles roster in the future. Most of them we’ll never see again. They won’t be missed.
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 26: Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers is greeted by manager A.J. Hinch #14 while being hugged by daughter Genevieve Verlander as he is taken out of the game during the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park on September 26, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Monday, everyone, though it is a bittersweet one as it is the first Monday of the offseason for Tigers fans. While the postseason will get into gear this week, the Tigers played their final games of the year over the weekend, and even those were a bit of a bummer. Thankfully, the festivities of saying goodbye to one of the greatest Tigers of all time helped create an atmosphere of happiness at the park as fans had an opportunity to send off Justin Verlander and cry a few tears in the process. It was a lovely weekend that reminds us all of the beauty of this game.
We’ll cover the highlights of the weekend in a different post, so here we’ll touch on some broader baseball topics like the first offseason managerial cuts, some previews of the postseason, and looking at what might have been the final game of another old friend, Max Scherzer.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 13: Alec Bohm #28 of the Philadelphia Phillies doubles in the eighth inning during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Sunday, September 13, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn May/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Phillies and the Braves appear to be postseason-linked in the same way that Martin Perez and I are — perhaps not inextricably, but… annoyingly? Yeah, that’s the right adverb.
On the plus side for the Braves, the Phillies are neither particularly good, nor did they really get a chance to set things up for a playoff round. Among the four possible teams the Braves could have conceivably faced in the first round, the Phillies are:
Last in position player value (26th overall);
First in pitching value (second overall); and
Have less combined fWAR (35.7) than the Cubs have position player fWAR (37.8). The Padres are about three wins ahead in terms of fWAR, and the Cubs nine wins ahead, but the Diamondbacks finished about three wins behind. (I would’ve preferred to play the Diamondbacks.)
The Braves dominated the Phillies this year, but the Braves are also aren’t very good on paper (+5.4 position player fWAR, -8.2 pitching fWAR), and a lot of that split in record occurred because these two teams played seven of their 13 games when the Phillies were foundering and the Braves were destroying all (baseball) life on earth during the first two months of the season. So, eh.
The other consideration has to do with the narrative. In 2022, the Braves finished with 14 more in-the-standings wins than the Phillies, and went 11-8 against them during the season, but lost the NLDS, three games to one. In 2023, the Braves finished with 14 more -in-the-standings wins than the Phillies, and went 8-5 against them during the season, but lost the NLDS, three games to one.
In 2026, the Braves finished with six more in-the-standings wins than the Phillies, and went 9-4 against them during season, and… I dunno.
In reality, there’s not too much be drawn from whatever happens in a best-of-three, especially when these two teams aren’t really even all that different. But, it’d probably be less of a weight on my soul if there wasn’t even the opportunity for people to draw a line through three, instead of two, points of anecdata and present as incontrovertible proof of… something. Sure, the Braves could also pull off a pseudo-exorcism of a not-particularly-real demon by just winning a coin flip-ish best-of-three, but I don’t think that’d be as gratifying as “bUiLt FoR oCtObEr” is annoying.
Anyway, what do you think — are you in the, “Yes, let’s play the Phillies!” camp, or somewhere else?
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros looks on before the game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on September 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game 162 doesn’t hit quite like it used to with the proliferation of Wild Card spots, but as long as there are still some stakes, it offers some excitement. Selfishly, I always prefer when the Yankees don’t have stakes and I can just neutrally watch the chaos, which is what yesterday at least partially offered — just with an unnecessarily long stay of execution waiting for a Yankees rain delay to officially turn to cancellation. The AL West Rock Fight between Houston and Texas came to its beautifully dumb, record-low conclusion, and there was still a Wild Card spot up for grabs in the Senior Circuit as well. Beyond that, it was a day of tune-ups.
So while Game 162, Here’s what went on among the final American League contenders.
Houston Astros (81-81) 9, The Athletics (64-98) 0
Well, we’ve reached the end of the long, dumb road of AL West baseball in 2026, where no one had a positive run differential. The Astros are your first .500 division champion in MLB history, beating out the 82-80 Padres of 2005 and the 82-79 Mets of 1973. Those Padres immediately got bounced in a Cardinals sweep, but those Mets upset the Big Red Machine and then took the dynasty Oakland A’s to Game 7 of the World Series, even holding a 3-2 series lead at one point. You just have to get in, and you never know! So while we’ve had our chuckles with this awful division in 2026, look: the Astros will home-field advantage over the overachieving White Sox in the Wild Card Series. If they get past them—which would be no great shock—then they only have to beat an 85-win Guardians team in the ALDS to go to the ALCS, and who knows what happens from there?
The franchise is a cockroach. It was delightful when Detroit dusted them in two in 2024 and when they missed the playoffs outright in 2025. But they’re not dead yet. Technically, they already knew that they were AL West champions a couple innings before the final out of this one because the Rangers lost first to clinch it, but as is probably evident by the score, their in-state rivals were rendered a nonfactor. It’s Houston’s eighth division title in the last decade.
Houston dropped four runs on A’s reliever Brady Brasso in the third, and a pair in the sixth and seventh all but put the champagne on ice. Christian Walker homered and was joined by Jeremy Peña, Yainer Diaz, and Cam Smith with multi-hit games. Yordan Alvarez fell short to Pete Alonso in his Triple Crown bid since the latter led the AL in homers (43) and RBI (113), but Yordan took home the batting crown with a .316. His 6.8 fWAR and 181 wRC+ will likely help him to an MVP as well come November.
Anyway, here’s the Astros celebrating in the A’s visitor batting cages because, well, their clubhouse is literally a minor-league clubhouse and there’s not enough room. That’s small potatoes compared to other things, but we must not be desensitized to the fact that John Fisher made this once-great franchise a joke.
We’ll keep it snappy here since you already know the story. The Rangers never had a lead to make the Astros sweat at all in this one as offseason addition MacKenzie Gore looked gassed from the jump and cramping forced him out in the third. Chase Silseth gave up a two-run shot to Josh Bell and Minnesota kept the runs coming. They led 5-1 for a good chunk of this one, and though Elías Díaz hit a solo shot for Texas in the eighth, former No. 1 overall pick Royce Lewis went yard in what could be his final game with the Twins. And while Corey Seager went yard for a two runs in the ninth, Andrew Morris fanned Jake Burger and got Ezequiel Duran to fly out to put the Rangers to bed. Their championship 2023 was a high-water mark for the franchise, and yet it represents a true baseball anomaly, as that remains the only season in the past 10 in which they made the playoffs.
This game was relocated from Boston to St. Petersburg due to the nor’easter, and the assumption was that they would have to play it because there were NL Wild Card stakes for Chicago. As it turned out, the Cubs were already locked into the No. 5 seed by Saturday night, so they just had to play a meaningless game at the Trop because, well, they were there already, might as well scrimmage?
If anyone was happy about the situation, it was Alex Bregman because he hadn’t had many reps since returning from a scary facial fracture. Bregman clobbered a pair of homers to give Chicago a 3-2 lead by the third, and there the score remained until the ninth, when the former Red Sox third baseman was at it again. An RBI double marked his fourth hit and RBI of the afternoon, and two more runs scored. Unsurprisingly, none of Boston’s primary cast of characters from the pitching staff appeared in this one as they rest up for Tuesday in the Bronx.
Tampa Bay Rays (98-64) 3, Philadelphia Phillies (88-74) 7
The Phillies did their best 1964 Phold impression over the past couple weeks with 10 losses in their last 15 games entering Sunday and four in a row to keep the Wild Card-contending Diamondbacks alive heading into Game 162. They should have clinched days ago! But they kept putting up duds, even against a Rays team that didn’t have anything to play for outside of staying healthy as they await their Division Series for next weekend.
The Phils finally (phinally?) got it together on Sunday with old standby Zack Wheeler on the bump. He fired six innings of one-run ball while his offense woke up after days of malaise, scoring four in the first two innings off Nick Martinez with the last two on an emphatic two-run Kyle Schwarber double. Three more scored against Jesse Scholtens, two on homers by Bryce Harper and Edmundo Sosa. Starter Jesús Luzardo also returned from the IL and contributed a scoreless inning in relief. The party was on at Citizens Bank Park, and like Houston, they rendered their foe’s final score irrelevant (Arizona lost to San Diego shortly after this one went final anyway). They’ll go down to Atlanta and face the Braves in what couldbe another great playoff series between these division rivals; the winner there draws the tough task of dethroning the two-time defending champions in LA.
Cleveland Guardians (85-77) 2, Kansas City Royals (68-94) 3
After clinching the AL Central and a first-round bye on Saturday, the Guardians got to sit in cruise control on Sunday, rest regulars, and make sure no one got hurt. Mission accomplished in Game 162, an unimportant loss in Kansas City. Jo Adell and Daniel Schneemann both homered and likely Game 1 or 2 playoff starter Parker Messick threw three good innings before departing. Vinnie Pasquantino hit a pair of dingers off Austin Peterson to secure the win for the Royals, with his eighth-inning shot putting them ahead at the end of a tough season.
Chicago White Sox (84-78) 4, Colorado Rockies (58-104) 2
The Pale Hose didn’t have much to play for on Sunday either, but they still won because hey, the Royals are bad, but the Rockies are the worst team in baseball and will have the best odds for the No. 1 overall pick in 2027 come Draft Lottery time. Speaking of, remember how the White Sox had the No. 1 overall pick this year? It’s still wild that they are already in the playoffs, even in this unimpressive expanded field. They end the year with a 24-win improvement that would’ve impressed almost anyone anyway. Randal Grichuk and Brenton Doyle both homered to give them the win on Sunday.
The White Sox finished with a record three games better than the Astros, but because seeding rules are seeding rules, they will have to win two out of three in Houston to advance to the Division Series and a date with Cleveland.
