Here’s the Guardians lineup:
Here’s the White Sox lineup:
Let’s go, Guardians!
GUARDIANS AT WHITE SOX: Kay vs. Williams, discussion
Elly De La Cruz to be activated, Hunter Greene to start at AAA Tuesday
The Cincinnati Reds are itching ever-closer to getting the band back together. Considering it’s their lead singer and lead guitarist that are the pieces they’ve been missing, that’s pretty huge.
MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reported earlier on Monday night that the Reds plan to activate shortstop Elly De La Cruz on Tuesday following a rehab stint spent with AAA Louisville. Despite having missed some three weeks with a right hamstring injury, Elly’s 2.1 bWAR still ranks second overall on the Reds, his .855 OPS in 257 PA a sorely missed impact bat in the heart of the team’s order.
Meanwhile, the guy who’s been their ace and All Star for the better part of three years is also on the cusp of a return to the big leagues. I only hesitate to call Hunter Greene ‘Cincinnati’s ace’ given the co-brilliance we’ve seen so far this year from Chase Burns, but Greene – when healthy – remains one of the absolute most elite starting pitchers on the planet. That said, the AAA Louisville Bats announced on Monday evening that Greene would start for them tomorrow (Tuesday) at Slugger Field.
Greene got work in at Cincinnati’s complex in Arizona and impressed for the ACL Reds previously in his rehab from preseason elbow surgery. That he’s now slated to throw at the highest levels of the minors is indicative of how close he is to making his return to the Cincinnati rotation, of course.
Maybe, just maybe, the Reds will get to run out their full squad this season before it’s too late after all.
Game 80: Dodgers at Twins
First Pitch (CT):6:40
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App
Know Yo’ Foe:True Blue LA
After an ultra-successful roadtrip last week, the Twins will face their biggest test yet in the villainous, evil, powerful, omniscient Los Angeles Dodgers. However, because it’s baseball, even the best are fallible and while the Dodgers’ do have the best record in baseball, it’s only by a game or two.
How did they get here? Glad you asked. I could give you a bunch of fancy stats that show you that they’re really good, but we don’t even need that this time. The Los Angeles Dodgers have allowed the fewest runs in baseball (by a decent margin) while scoring the second most. That’s a pretty simple recipe for “best record in baseball.” Plus, they’ve done it while having All-Stars Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernandez, Will Smith, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Edwin Diaz, Blake Treinen, and Evan Phillips miss most of the season. To say nothing of starting second baseman Tommy Edman and old friend Brock Stewart both returning from the IL this past week for the first time all season. Man, this team is DEEP.
The starting pitcher tonight is technically reliever Will Klein, but he’ll be followed by bulk man Eric Lauer, a lefty. Under Rocco Baldelli, we saw the Twins go with their right-handed lineup in these situations regardless of the opener, but that won’t be the case tonight, especially with how well Trevor Larnach has hit of late. We’ll see if Austin Martin or Kyler Fedko get brought in second time through the lineup or if Shelton will stick with the regulars and hope to get into LA’s bullpen.
Oh also there’s this guy named Shohei Ohtani. Maybe you’ve heard of him before. He’s won MVP in four of the past five seasons and is well on his way to his fifth in perhaps his most impressive season yet. Ohtani still ranks in the top five in nearly every relevant offensive category while also pitching like a Cy Young. Plus, he’s doing this in an era where both pitching and hitting are harder than they’ve ever been. He’s unquestionably the best baseball player of all time and probably the best athlete ever. It’s completely insane.
Lineups
| Twins | Opponent |
| SP: Zebby Matthews | SP: Klein opener, Lauer bulk |
| 1. Trevor Larnach, LF | 1. Shohei Ohtani, DH |
| 2. Byron Buxton, CF | 2. Andy Pages, CF |
| 3. Kody Clemens, RF | 3. Freddie Freeman, 1B |
| 4. Josh Bell, DH | 4. Mookie Betts, SS |
| 5. Royce Lewis, 1B | 5. Max Muncy, 3B |
| 6. Victor Caratini, C | 6. Kyle Tucker, RF |
| 7. Brooks Lee, 3B | 7. Tommy Edman, 2B |
| 8. Luke Keaschall, 2B | 8. Dalton Rushing, C |
| 9. Ryan Kreidler, SS | 9. Ryan Ward, LF |
Red Sox at Rockies lineups: Nobody wants this
This? Folks, this is bad. The last-place Red Sox, at 31-44, are better than the last-place Rockies, at 30-48. That’s the good news. It’s extremely relative. The Red Sox are a walking catastrophe. If it wasn’t for the Scottish fans, would Fenway have hummed even a little last week? I think not. Now they’re in baseball hell. This was once a World Series matchup. We’re as far from that as possible. And I’ll be here to recount every moment! LMAO. At least Jake Bennett is pitching. Something is potentially fun.
Dodgers vs. Twins game chat
The Dodgers begin a nine-game road trip facing the Twins.
Monday’s game info
- Teams: Dodgers at Twins
- Ballpark: Target Field, Minneapolis
- Start time: 4:40 p.m. PT
- TV: SportsNet LA
- Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)
Game Thread: Guardians (41-37) at White Sox (39-37)
The White Sox are back at Rate Field after an abysmal road series (losing six of seven) that pushed them back to second place in the American League Central. Facing two divisional rivals this week, the White Sox have a chance to move past the Guardians again, but the next two series are do-or-die and could prove whether or not this team is legitimate or falling apart at the seams.
Thankfully, we have some good news: Kyle Teel is back! With his return, though, comes a sacrifice to the baseball Gods, meaning Edgar Quero has been optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. Teel has been mashing in Charlotte, finishing with a line of .500/.529/.750 in 16 at-bats with the Knights. Quero, on the other hand, has been struggling both behind the plate and at the plate.
Anthony Kay (6-2) is on the mound tonight with Kyle Teel behind the plate and batting third. Kay will look to bring his ERA back down after a rough few starts recently. The rest of the lineup is consistent with what we’ve seen for the past two weeks, so not a lot of surprises.
Gavin Williams will start for the Guardians. Williams is 9-4 with a 3.83 ERA and is sitting at 103 strikeouts on the season so far.
First pitch is 6:40 p.m. CT. You can watch the game on CHSN or listen on ESPN Chicago 1000.
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Game Discussion for St. Louis Cardinals vs Arizona Diamondbacks Monday
The St. Louis Cardinals will begin a homestand and welcome a former teammate as the Arizona Diamondbacks come to town. It’s Andre Pallante taking the mound for the St. Louis Cardinals while the Diamondbacks starter will be Merrill Kelly. Let’s hope Nolan Arenado gets the welcome home he deserves Monday night. First pitch at Busch Stadium is scheduled for 6:45pm and the broadcast will be available on Cardinals.tv.
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The Spurs could add veteran depth by trading the 20th pick in the NBA Draft
The 2026 NBA Draft is hours away. The Spurs are no longer a lottery team, so there’s not as much anticipation in San Antonio about where the top prospects will land, but the Silver and Black does have the 20th overall pick and three second-rounders to play with. If you are interested in what the potential targets could be, read Jacob Douglas’ comprehensive guide.
There is another way the Spurs could use their picks, however. If there’s no one in their range they think is worth bringing along, or if there’s a veteran they think could help immediately and would be available via trade, Brian Wright might just go that route instead of adding more youngsters to the roster. Let’s take a look at some trade possibilities using the available picks.
Spurs send Luke Kornet and the 20th pick to the Mavericks for Daniel Gafford and the 30th pick
The Mavericks are reportedly trying to trade into the top 20 and are willing to use Gafford to do so. The athletic rim-running center is not as important as he once was for their system now that his set-up man, Luka Doncic, isn’t around, and Dallas might be targeting big man Aday Mara with the ninth pick, according to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegl. Since they have Derek Lively around, moving Gafford, who dealt with injuries last season but is used to playing heavy minutes, would help them avoid a logjam while moving up a few spots from 30th.
For the Spurs, the move is all about getting more athletic and upgrading their backup center position. Kornet was solid in the regular season as a rim protector, screener, and rebounder, but he struggled in the playoffs. Gafford offers most of what Luke does while also being a much more dangerous lob threat and a proven postseason contributor on some Mavericks teams that went deep in the playoffs. The trade would involve adding salary, but San Antonio is not close to the aprons, so it wouldn’t be a major issue this season, and if Gafford doesn’t work out, he’s on a movable contract. Brian Wright would also have the 30th and 35th pick if someone drops, and he wants to move up a couple of spots in the first round.
Assuming the Spurs consider Gafford an upgrade and try to get him, the issue is that they could have competitors. The Hornets seem like a prime destination for a big man, since they lack a starting-quality veteran, and they have the 18th and 14th picks. The Bulls also have a hole at center and have the 15th pick. The Raptors, picking 19th, could offer their pick and some talent back. It might be hard to get the deal done even if San Antonio is motivated, but it could be worth trying, especially if Dallas values Kornet as a good stopgap option as a backup.
Spurs send the 20th pick to the Bucks for Bobby Portis
The Bucks are going to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo. If they go with the Heat’s offer and opt to rebuild, they would have no use for Portis, who is a fan favorite and still productive, but will turn 32 during next season. A first-rounder should be enough to entice them to trade him, especially while taking no salary back. Portis seems to really like Milwaukee, but if they opt to go young, he’d likely see a change of scenery with good eyes. And landing in San Antonio, where he would play with and back up Victor Wembanyama, would surely interest him.
The move couldn’t be completed until the new season, because the Spurs would be using their mid-level exception to absorb his contract. The reason for San Antonio to go through with this is that Portis seems to fit what they need in terms of big man depth perfectly. He can play power forward and center on small lineups, hit threes at a high level, and bring toughness and rebounding.
Will there be a better option in free agency to use the mid-level exception on, allowing the Silver and Black to not have to trade a pick while still heading into opening night without a hole at power forward? It’s possible, but Portis seems like a good option, especially if the Spurs don’t have anyone they love in the 20th pick’s range.
Spurs send the 20th pick to the 76ers for Dominic Barlow, the 22nd pick
Barlow, a former Spurs two-way player, had a bit of a breakout season with the 76ers last season. By necessity, Philadelphia gave him almost 24 minutes per game, and he responded by averaging 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. He didn’t really make a big leap on his biggest weakness, three-point shooting, but he made a lot of hustle plays and looked good on defense. He was impressive enough that they converted his two-way contract into a standard deal.
Now, Barlow is cheap and was reasonably productive, so why wouldn’t the 76ers just pick up his cheap option for the 2026/27 season? Well, Daryl Morey, who signed and converted Barlow’s contract, is gone, replaced by Mike Gansey. Gansey might not be a Barlow fan, and if he’s presented with the opportunity to climb two spots to make sure he gets the player he likes by trading a player he doesn’t consider a part of the future of the team, he’d likely pull the trigger.
Is Barlow good enough to solve the Spurs’ depth issues at the big forward/center spots? Not really, but he’s just 23 years old, knows the franchise, and is likely more ready to contribute than most rookies would be. And since in this scenario he’d only cost moving down two spots and would be absorbed using an exception (which again, means waiting a while until the deal can be finalized), it wouldn’t be the worst idea to give him a new opportunity in San Antonio. If whoever Brian Wright wants could be there at 22nd, adding some cheap, young depth in the process could be smart.
Should the Spurs trade the pick for a veteran or trade down and pick someone up? Who do you think they should target if they are willing to move the 20th pick?
Mohamed Diawara nearing $10 million Knicks return in key depth move
Mohamed Diawara and the Knicks are very close to a reunion.
Although the final terms are not yet determined as the Knicks work through their cap situation, Diawara is progressing toward a multiyear deal worth more than $10 million, a source confirmed to The Post.
Diawara, a 21-year-old wing, was a rookie revelation for much of last season as the 51st overall pick, logging 69 games while averaging 3.6 points and shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc.
He was projected as a G-League project but elevated into the rotation by mid-December and quickly earned coach Mike Brown’s trust. Diawara’s breakout was Dec. 29 against the Pelicans, when he dropped 18 points in just 18 minutes while knocking down seven treys.
With a 7-foot-4 wingspan on a 6-9 frame, Diawara always projected as a strong defender. But his offense — specifically the confidence to launch 3-pointers — was a pleasant surprise for the Knicks.
His reward is a hefty raise after earning just $1.27 million last season, the lowest salary on the Knicks. Assuming he agrees to terms with the Knicks, Diawara will forgo restricted free agency — where the Knicks would’ve had the option to match any offer.
Despite his regular-season success, Diawara was out of the playoff rotation and mostly watched the championship run from the bench. He played just six games in the postseason and shot 23 percent, with Landry Shamet, Miles McBride, Jose Alvarado and Jordan Clarkson getting the majority of backup wing/guard minutes.
The Knicks have at least two other important free agents — Shamet and Mitchell Robinson — who can hit the unrestricted market June 30. Alvarado could also hit free agency if he declines his $4.5 million player option. The point guard agreed to push back the deadline for a decision on that option from Monday to Friday, which is a strong signal that he’s working to re-sign with the Knicks.
Team owner James Dolan declared recently on WFAN that he won’t allow the Knicks to go into the second apron of the luxury tax, although many around the league are skeptical he’ll follow through after winning the championship. The Knicks cannot re-sign Robinson and Shamet without going into the second apron.
“I think there’s still a priority to re-sign your own free agents, even if it means exceeding the second apron,” Bobby Marks, an ESPN front-office insider, told The Post. “I think the second apron is a detriment for teams that are not at a championship level.”
The Knicks proved they are at a championship level and are close to locking up one of their young depth pieces on a multiyear deal.
Leon Rose’s club also owns the 24th, 31st and 55th picks in the upcoming draft.
Former Canucks President And General Manager Named To Hockey Hall Of Fame Class Of 2026
Brian Burke is officially becoming a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The former Vancouver Canucks General Manager was one of six individuals named to the Hockey Hall of Fame’s class of 2026, the likes of which features former Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron, Keith Tkachuk, three-time World Championship silver medalist Cindy Curley, and legendary goaltenders Carey Price and Pekka Rinne.
Burke, whose career as an NHL executive and with the league itself spans over 30 years, first got his start with none-other than the Canucks as the team’s Director of Hockey Operations in 1987. He spent five seasons with Vancouver before serving as GM of the Hartford Whalers. After six seasons as the NHL’s Director of Hockey Operations, Burke returned to Vancouver — this time adding the role of General Manager to his collection.
During his second stint with the Canucks, Burke pulled off one of the most notable moves the franchise has ever made to this day. In an ambitious draft-day move, Burke acquired the second and third-overall selections in the 1999 NHL Draft, selecting franchise icons and now co-Presidents of Hockey Operations Daniel and Henrik Sedin.
Burke’s career as an NHL executive also features tenures with the Anaheim Ducks (with whom he won his first Stanley Cup), Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He has also owned a variety of WHL franchises including the Tri-City Americans and Chilliwack Bruins.
The 2026 Hockey Hall of Fame induction weekend takes place from November 7 to 9.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Diamondbacks @ Cardinals discussion
Hey, a day without a roster move. Who knew? In the absence, I’ll need to find something else to talk about. I saw this post on Reddit, which broke the seal on something I haven’t dared mention, for fear of angering the baseball gods. The D-backs have been the best team in the majors on Mondays, something of which I am very aware with regard to my recaps. They have just one Monday loss, that being all the way back on April 13. They lost 9-7 in Baltimore, and even that was a game they were leading 7-1 in the middle of the sixth inning. But overall they are 6-1. It’s the highest W% in the majors, and also gives them the biggest gap to their W% the rest of the week, at +386 points.
I do feel kinda bad about this, because it feels like certain other recappers have been getting the sticky end of the lollipop with regard to the team’s performances. So, I looked at the entire schedule, and here’s how Arizona’s record has broken down by day of the week so far:
- Monday: 6-1
- Tuesday: 5-7
- Wednesday: 8-4
- Thursday: 3-6
- Friday: 5-7
- Saturday: 4-9
- Sunday: 7-5
So, yeah: poor Dano has definitely been rather unlucky with his recaps his year. He is currently on a four-week losing streak, the longest sequence of L’s on any day this year. Though most days of the week have seen a losing record. After Monday, it would be Wednesday which has the next best win percentage (and the highest number of raw wins, having got off to a 5-0 start), while Sunday’s have actually been decent as well. We’ll see what happens today. If I can extend my winning streak to six today, I’m out of state next week, and then there’ll be just one more Monday before the All-Star break…
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Dodgers dominant farm system makes them most dangerous team at MLB trade deadline: ‘Beats the alternative’
The Dodgers’ plan, as it always is when the subject of the trade deadline is raised, was simple as their front office mapped out this season.
Spend big in the winter. Build as strong of a roster as possible at the outset of the campaign. And hope that, come the deadline, they wouldn’t be in a position where they have to go out and buy more talent at inflated midseason prices.
“Our goal this whole time,” general manager Brandon Gomes told the California Post recently, “was to have made all of our headline acquisitions in the offseason.”
So far, so good on that objective.
Three months in, the Dodgers have the most wins in the majors.
Even with several star players sidelined with injuries, they have built a nine-game lead in the National League West that — given the reinforcements they’ll have coming off the injured list in the coming weeks and months — already feels close to insurmountable not even halfway through the year.
Still, as is also the case at the deadline every year, the Dodgers will be looking for upgrades as they chase a third-straight World Series.
They could be a player for two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. They could try to shore up a bullpen that has been up and down since Edwin Díaz underwent an elbow procedure back in April.
At the very least, they’ll be lying in wait to see how the market develops.
And if the opportunity for a splashy acquisition strikes, they’ll have plenty of ammunition to swing almost any caliber of deal.
For all the uncertainties that remain more than a month out from the Aug. 3 deadline, the one thing the Dodgers know is that they have is a deep, talented and highly-coveted minor-league farm system.
They figured that would be the case entering the year, when their pipeline was once again ranked among the best in the sport, receiving near unanimous top-five rankings from industry outlets.
But since then, the performance of their minor-leaguers — and a loaded group of hitters in the outfield, especially — have surpassed expectations and amplified their organizational strength.
“We’re basically [ranked] 1-2 across the minor leagues in OPS, expected OPS. Top 5-10 in strikeout rate. Top 2-3 in walk rate,” Gomes said. “All the things that you really want to be good at, we’re performing at a really high level.”
Individually, standout performers have emerged at almost every level.
In triple-A, James Tibbs III is putting together a monster season in his first full year in the Dodgers organization, having already hit a Pacific Coast League-leading 20 home runs with a 1.000 OPS to showcase his potential as a former first-round draft pick.
In double-A, Josue De Paula has had a similar breakout, ranking second in the Texas League in batting average (.321) and third in OPS (.978) while tapping into natural power that has long made him a top prospect in the sport.
Mike Sirota might be having the best individual campaign of anyone, having already been promoted from high-A and double-A while carrying a 58-game on-base streak across both levels.
Even the team’s most recent first-round pick, University of Arkansas product Charles Davalan, is quickly finding success in pro ball, slugging .453 clip as the best hitting prospect in high-A Great Lakes.
And that’s not even to mention Zyhir Hope (another double-A outfielder ranked by MLB Pipeline as the team’s No. 2 prospect, behind De Paula), Eduardo Quintero (the club’s reigning minor-league player of the year from last season), Emil Morales (a toolsy 19-year-old shortstop already playing in high-A) or Kendall George (who avoided knee surgery, per Gomes, after a freak incident with a team bat dog with double-A Tulsa).
“Having our guys perform is obviously good for the short-term and the long-term,” Gomes said.
As for how much the performance this year will aid the Dodgers’ at this deadline specifically:
“It sure beats the alternative,” he quipped with a grin.
While the Dodgers system was already highly ranked before the year, the strength of their pipeline then had been more depth over elite star power.
Now, however, with so many promising bats having emerged this season, both the floor and the ceiling of the organization have gone up.
In Baseball America’s latest prospect rankings, the club had five players in the top-60 — headlined by De Paula at No. 5 and Sirota at No. 17.
Come Aug. 3, it will only give the Dodgers extra ammunition to work with, allowing them to hunt either a big fish (like Skubal, the type of needle-moving superstar the Dodgers always want to explore when they become available) or search the market for smaller impact additions (as they did at last year’s deadline, when they bolstered their bullpen and bench) without sacrificing too much of their internal future options, as well.
“As we get closer [to the deadline], we’ll continue to assess what’s going on,” Gomes said. “But we’re really excited about just the overall development and performance of a lot of these guys.”
Indeed, deadline concerns aside, Gomes emphasized what this year has shown about the club’s player development system.
He noted that, beyond the surface-level stats, there’s been “a big emphasis on two-strike hits, taking your RBI, moving the runner and not just saying, ‘Hey, we’re gonna hit for power.”
“Not that that was ever the message,” he added. “But there’s just been much of a focus on taking pride in shooting a ball and getting your knocks … How focusing on those little things can in turn help win games.”
He cited a couple other players who have embodied that approach, including single-A third baseman Chase Harlan (who has a .324 batting average) and former first-round pick shortstop Kellon Lindsey (who has hit .400 in a small but encouraging sample across the rookie ball and single-A).
“I know people don’t care about minor-league win percentages, but we kind of do,” Gomes said, with all four full-season affiliates currently comfortably above .500. “I think it’s a good proxy of how well your farm system is performing, and how to understand what it takes to win.”
That’s why, while the deadline provides an opportunity to cash in such prospect capital, the Dodgers will be selective with anything they give up.
For as good as their big-league roster looks right now, the performance of their prospects this year has kept the future looking similarly bright.
And even if they add to their big-league depth, the Dodgers could also look for ways to bolster their farm system ranks too, as they did with the Tibbs/Ehrhard trade last year.
“It’s been a fun group to watch,” Gomes said.
And it has made the Dodgers even more of a team to watch as the deadline heats up over the next couple weeks.
Trade Talk: A three team deal with the Lakers and Nuggets
The Dallas Mavericks are now just hours away from Tuesday night’s Draft, where they currently hold the #9 and #30 picks. This three-team swap adds some complexity to the conversation, so let’s get right to it!
Prior Trade Talks:
- Sacramento Kings for Malik Monk
- Philadelphia 76ers for former MVP Joel Embiid
- Oklahoma City Thunder for Isaiah Joe
- San Antonio Spurs for Keldon Johnson
Once again joining me for this potential transaction are MMB’s Jack Nowicki and Bryan Porter.
The trade proposal
The Mavericks move Daniel Gafford to the Lakers and pick up Cameron Johnson (DEN), Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL), the #26 pick (DEN) in this year’s draft and the #25 pick (LAL) in this year’s draft. Meanwhile, the Nuggets get Caleb Martin (DAL), Dalton Knecht (LAL), the #30 pick (DAL) and the #48 pick (DAL) in this year’s draft.
The discussion
Mike: After Nico Harrison’s infamous dealings with the Lakers, they’re quite possibly the last team I’d want to deal with. The only exception to that rule would be if the Mavs were obvious winners. For that to be the case, I believe a three-team deal like this would be necessary. Here Dallas winds up with the same number of picks in this year’s draft, but much improved ones at that. They keep #9, and make #30 and #48 into #25 and #26. Those aren’t particularly high, but they are a massive improvement. My biggest reservation is helping the Lakers with arguably their largest need, while trading the only center that is currently reliable without moving into the top 20 in the draft.
Bryan: I hear that, and I’m not keen to help the Lakers either… which is why we aren’t. Daniel Gafford, in my mind, has an incredibly narrow skillset that happens to match up with Luka Doncic’s strengths, but is nothing special. Getting a first round pick for him rocks. Picks #25 and #26 would be an offer too good for teams looking to add young end of rotation guys with specific skillsets, such as Detroit at #21, Toronto at #19, or Charlotte at #18 – we would still have a path to a pick in the teens, or could use #9 and #25 to potentially move up to #7 or #8 if none of the lead guards are going to fall to us at #9.
Mike: This proposal setting us up for a second move solves any gripe I had about not moving into the top 20! Some pick wheeling-and-dealing that sees #25 and #26 turn into one of the #18-#21 range really changes the complexion of this proposal as it stands. If we could swing that one-two punch to end up with a top 10 and top 20 pick in this draft, then I think I’m all out of complaints. Also, with all due respect to him, getting off Caleb Martin is a big win for the Mavs’ wing-heavy team. The only question then is whether the Nuggets real need to shed money is great enough for them to take on Martin and Knecht to do so.
Jack: Overall, this trade would make a lot of sense if #25 and #26 could be packaged in a trade-up like Bryan mentioned and you echoed. It has been reported multiple times that the Mavericks want to move up in the draft, and having #25 and #26 gives them real ammo to do so. The addition of Cam Johnson also fills a crucial need within the Mavericks starting lineup, as his shooting would pair perfectly next to Cooper Flagg. My only concern would be the addition of yet another older role player, as Johnson is already 30 years old. This trade does make sense for both other teams, but I wonder if Knecht would be sent elsewhere as Denver needs to save as much money as possible.
Bryan: Knecht also has a team option next year, so they could not exercise it and keep roughly $4 million off their books. Also, I agree Johnson would fill a key shooting role for Dallas this year, then fall off the books for flexibility moving towards the summer of 2028. Ideal preparation for adding a major player via trade when Flagg is due his rookie max extension.
Mike: Johnson’s shooting is a great point, and really an unsung element to this proposal. He shot 43% from downtown last season and my goodness could this team use a whole lot of that. If he were able to do that here on a Mavs team that would be reincorporating the capable deep threat of Kyrie Irving, it would be a night-and-day difference from what we saw take place last year. His age doesn’t quite fit the bill of a “youth movement” but I’m a little less concerned with it since we’re swapping 30 year olds (Martin for Johnson) and it seems like an older veteran like Klay Thompson is likely to play out his final years elsewhere. Speaking of vets on the move, what do you each think of Vanderbilt – is he the price of doing business in your opinions, or does he open up an opportunity to more willingly trade P.J. Washington or Naji Marshall?
Bryan: Vanderbilt is for sure the toll you pay to add a late first round pick and Johnson for lesser players. Vanderbilt is a good locker room guy, but not someone to be relied upon for more than a good change-of-pace stint at forward once in a while. He would not be in the rotation and would only be on the books for next season and the one after, so he’s salary ballast in this deal and likely another deal a year from now when he’ll be expiring.
Jack: Vanderbilt is the cost of doing this trade, but I don’t think adding him would be that much of an issue. First of all, his contract is not overly expensive and only has two years left, meaning it won’t affect your books for very long. The other aspect is that he effectively replaces Caleb Martin within the rotation with his defense and lack of shooting.
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Mets, Cubs rained out, will play doubleheader on Wednesday
The Mets’ series against the Cubs will have to wait until Tuesday to get underway, as inclement weather has resulted in the postponement of the game between them that was schedule for 7:10 PM EDT in Queens. The teams will make up the game as part of a day-night doubleheader on Wednesday with the first game starting at 1:10 PM and the second staying in its original 7:10 PM time slot.
The Cubs enter the series with a 40-37 record, and at the time of this writing, they’re in the third Wild Card spot in the National League. They’re two games back of the Cardinals for second place in the National League Central and seven games back of the division-leading Brewers.
The Mets, of course, are in much poorer shape. They’re 34-43 on the season, and they’re closer to the cellar-dwelling Rockies in the standings than they are to the Cubs. You can read all about the four-game set between these teams in Brian Salvatore’s series preview.
Cincinnati Reds vs. Milwaukee Brewers – Brady Singer vs. Brandon Woodruff
The Cincinnati Reds are back in Great American Ball Park on Monday night to play host to the Milwaukee Brewers. Their division rivals are once again in 1st place in the NL Central, with the Reds occupying their familiar place of last.
Brady Singer and Brandon Woodruff get the starting assignments for their respective clubs in the series opener, which will begin promptly at 7:10 PM ET unless it doesn’t.
Here’s how both teams will line up to start: