SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: William Hickey #66 and Cameron Carr #43 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a basket in the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Chase Center on July 06, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers will begin the second leg of their Summer League stint in Las Vegas against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. This will be the first game of a back-to-back as they take on the Dallas Mavericks the following day.
Start time and TV schedule
Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
When: 7 p.m. PT, July 10
Where: Thomas & Mack Center
Watch: Prime Video
The Lakers will be challenged right away in their first game in Las Vegas against the Thunder. Assuming both teams field their complete rosters, Los Angeles will see OKC’s top pick, Aday Mara, as well as Bennett Stirtz, who was taken at No. 16 in this year’s NBA Draft.
While the Thunder remain stacked with talent, the Lakers have quality players as well. Lakers rookie Cameron Carr played very well at the California Classic. This is Carr’s time to shine, and if he plays well in Las Vegas, the entire NBA world will be discussing him this weekend.
LA will also feature other young players, such as Adou Thiero. He didn’t play in Summer League last year since he was recovering from knee surgery, but now he’s healthy and available.
He had an up-and-down California Classic, showing signs of brilliance but also some questionable performances.
Both Carr and Thiero left the California Classic with minor injuries. Thiero was dealing with a wrist injury, and Carr had problems with his toe, but Lakers coach Ty Abbott said both will be ready to go on Friday.
Cameron Carr said he is over the toe issue that limited him in the 3rd Cali Classic game. “It just looked a little weird.” Lakers coach Ty Abbott said that Carr and Adou Thiero (wrist) will play in Vegas Friday, but it hasn’t been determined how much they’ll play in LV overall. pic.twitter.com/bBM9uIjAK2
Beyond this duo, Lakers fans should be keeping an eye on how the two-way players Chris Mañon, AK Okereke and Peter Suder do.
In a competition like this, it’s not at the level of a typical NBA game. But it is a good test for young players.
Ideally, they all play well, no one gets hurt and the Lakers like what they see from their young core. The Thunder should provide a good test for them on Friday night. Here’s hoping they ace it in Las Vegas.
Jun 2, 2026; San Antonio, TX, USA; New York Knicks forward Mohamed Diawara (51) practices during media day for the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
The brief hiatus from basketball has ended, and it is time to put on your best basketball-watching attire and enjoy some Knicks Summer League play in Las Vegas.
After the wild ride that was the 2026 NBA Playoffs and the ultimate high of the Knicks bringing the Larry O’Brien Trophy back to New York, it is important to reset the evaluators and remember what mid-July basketball means. These games are not about raw shooting percentages or final scores. Sloppy play and chaos become the norm when a roster is put together in a week. Instead, the focus should steer towards processing speed, offensive set execution, and general defensive awareness.
By leading the Knicks to a championship, Mike Brown has solidified his status as a top NBA coach. Earning a spot on Brown’s rotation involves defensive discipline, aggressive closeouts, and making intelligent extra passes.
Here is what to watch for as the Knicks take on their cross-town rivals.
With New York’s veteran core taking the summer to bask in championship glory, Pacome Dadiet and Mohamed Diawara should see massive usage. For the summer, this team is theirs. The goal here is clear. The coaching staff needs to see Dadiet’s ability to create his own separation and effectively initiate offense against set defenses. For Diawara, the focus is defense. Coaches will want to see if he can consistently disrupt passing lanes and quickly switch onto smaller guards.
Friday’s game also marks our first look at second-round selections, Jack Kayil and Tyler Nickel. Kayil’s addition to the roster is a last-minute surprise, as many of us expected him to remain overseas. For Kayil, the intrigue lives in his physical and intellectual approach to the guard position. Keep an eye on how he uses his solid frame to handle pick-and-roll coverages. Possessing advanced playmaking instincts, the real test will be whether he can find consistency with his outside shot. The key aspects of Nickel’s game to keep an eye on are his off-ball movement, floor spacing, and defensive mechanics. His success shooting the basketball is well documented, but how is he with the other pieces that make a complete player?
Of course, one cannot ignore Tyler Kolek’s absence from the roster. This is a major statement by New York’s front office and coaching staff. Keeping Kolek away from the often-disorganized Summer League play suggests that the staff views him as a finished enough product to enjoy a little more vacation time.
The Nets are bringing a “loaded” young group to Vegas. They are set to feature the 2025 draft selections heavily: Drake Powell, Ben Saraf, and Danny Wolf. The tactical challenge New York will face immediately is Egor Demin. Demonstrating a bounty of aggressiveness, Demin showcased his ability to attack the paint during the California Classic. If this continues, the Knicks’ interior defensive rotations will be tested right from the beginning. New York will face a different test on the perimeter. Brooklyn’s #6 overall pick, Mikel Brown Jr., should be the focal point of most of the Nets’ offensive sets. Brown should put the Knicks’ perimeter defenders to work early. The wings need to stay glued to him while also collapsing effectively when Demin drives into the paint. If New York can force Brooklyn’s role players to beat them, they are doing their jobs correctly.
PEORIA, AZ - MARCH 21: Jonathon Long #91 of the Chicago Cubs runs to first base during the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Sports Complex on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Bryan Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Cubs signed left-hander Josh Fleming and assigned him to Triple-A Iowa.
Iowa right-hander Andrew Wantz went to the development list.
Josh Fleming made his Cubs debut and allowed two runs on four hits over four innings. Fleming walked two and struck out two.
Corbin Martin came on to pitch the fifth inning. The first batter he faced hit a solo home run, but he retired the next three in order. That was enough for the official scorer to award Martin the win.
DH Christian Bethancourt hit two home runs tonight. The first was a solo home run in the fourth inning and the second one was a three-run home run in the eighth off a position player. (Those were the only three runs not scored off a real pitcher.) Bethancourt now has 11 home runs this season. He finished the night 3 for 5 with a double and the two home runs. He also walked once. Bethancourt had five overall RBI and scored three times.
Shortstop Scott Kingery went back-to-back with Bethancourt in the fourth for his third home run on the season. Kingery went 1 for 6.
Left fielder Jonathan Long is putting his early-season struggles behind him and tonight he was a perfect 5 for 5 with a walk, two doubles and his tenth home run on the year. The home run came with the bases empty in the sixth. Long scored five runs and drove in two. Long is hitting .382 with three home runs so far in eight games in July.
Everyone in the lineup had at least two hits or a home run. Right fielder Brett Bateman went 3 for 6 with a double and a steal. He scored three times and drove in one.
First baseman BJ Murray went 3 for 5 with a walk. He scored three runs and drove home three. Murray is now hitting .334 with a .429 OBP on the season.
Second baseman James Triantos was 3 for 5 with a double and a walk. He drove in two and scored one run.
Third baseman Owen Miller doubled twice in a 2 for 5 effort. He had three RBI and scored twice.
Catcher Moisés Ballesteros was 2 for 5 with a double and a walk. He scored twice and drove in four.
Center fielder Chas McCormick was 2 for 6 with one run scored.
Nick Dean started and kept the Shuckers scoreless for the first 1.1 innings. Did did not allow a hit. He walked one and struck out two.
After Kenyi Perez tossed 2.2 scoreless innings in relief of Dean, Yenrri Rojas came on to pitch the fifth. Rojas got through the fifth OK, but then he couldn’t find the plate, gave up four runs in the sixth and he got the loss.
The final line on Rojas was four runs on just one hit over 1.2 innings. Rojas walked four and struck out four. Three of the four runs came after Rojas exited for Tyler Schlaffer, who gave up a grand slam to top overall prospect Jesús Made.
The Smokies managed just four hits. Shortstop Ed Howard had two of them, including a solo home run in the eighth inning. It was Howard’s second home run this year. Howard was 2 for 3.
Starter Emilio Ramos only allowed one run on three hits over three innings, but that was enough to earn the loss. Ramos walked two and struck out three.
Shortstop Derniche Valdez didn’t hit a home run tonight, but he did go 2 for 4 with a double. Valdez scored twice.
Third baseman Ludwing Espinoza, in his first game for the Birds since April, was 3 for 5.
Right fielder Eli Lovich was 2 for 3 with an RBI double and a walk.
Left fielder Ethan Conrad, in his Pelicans debut, was 0 for 5 with two strikeouts. Hey, it was a better debut than Kris Bryant’s first game with Boise way back when.
No Town Like Motown - December 4, 2007 - Vol. 61, Issue 11 - Ken Campbell
NO, WE DON’T HAVE A LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE RED WINGS.
But thanks so much for asking.
Last season, we anointed Ken Holland as the No. 1 GM in the league. A couple of issues back, we came to the determination the Wings have the premier defense corps in the NHL this season.
And now this. Hey, if the skate fits…
After an exhaustive study of each of the NHL’s 30 organizations, we can say with confidence the Red Wings are the No. 1 franchise in the league and it isn’t even close. In our examination of nine on- and off-ice criteria focused primarily on the past five seasons, the Wings not only finished first in the NHL, but the gap between themselves and the second-place Ottawa Senators was bigger than the chasm between any other two teams in the league.
That was the case when we ranked the league’s GMs and came up with Holland, and the NHL’s blueline corps and also settled on the Red Wings. It wasn’t even close, as evidenced by the fact that when we ranked Detroit’s defense corps No. 1, we said, “it’s not even close.” When we picked Holland as the top GM in the league, we quoted a fellow NHL executive as saying, “To me, Ken Holland is the best GM in hockey and there’s nobody even close to him.”
But what makes the Red Wings so dominant in a league that has been overrun by parity? They have not won a Stanley Cup since 2002, but that’s one more than 25 other teams in the league have won in that time span. Simply put, the Wings are very strong in every organizational aspect. They’ve been perennial playoff contenders; been dominant in the regular season; have one of the best ownerships and front offices in the league; have drafted relatively well considering their dearth of high draft picks; their franchise value is high; and, until this season, their attendance has been among the most robust in the NHL.
They are, if you will, the model franchise. They have managed to be a powerhouse with an unlimited budget and unlike some other big-market teams, have yet to become a casualty of the salary cap. They continue to develop solid, if not spectacular players and their late-round picks – such as Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and (maybe one day) Niklas Kronwall – have proven to be major home runs.
Jul 9, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Jake Bauers (9) dives and avoids the tag from St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Jose Fermin (15) during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
For the first time since the first half of Tuesday’s doubleheader, the Brewers took the first lead of the game early on and never looked back. Backed by Logan Henderson’s stellar first start since May 22, Jake Bauers had the decisive three-run home run in the top of the third inning to carry the Crew to an 8-4 win.
In a rare five-game series, the Brewers went into Busch Stadium and showcased a little bit of everything from comebacks to dominant pitching. And, for the first time since July 2008, the Brewers won four games in St. Louis, pushing themselves 18 games above .500.
Henderson came out firing in the bottom of the first inning as he struck out two of the top four hitters in the Cardinals lineup in Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson.
In the top of the second inning, the offense was jump-started by Bauers with a single to center field. After a wild pitch sent Bauers to second base, Andrew Vaughn then grounded into a fielder’s choice. During the play, Bauers pulled off an acrobatic move to prevent himself from being tagged out as the lead runner.
Because of the “Okie-Doke” move (name of the acrobatic play per Bauers in a postgame interview), Sal Frelick drove in the first run of the game to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead. Then, almost instantly, Cooper Pratt added another run with a base hit up the middle to extend their lead to 2-0. Pratt continues his hot stretch at the plate as he now has nine hits over his last 22 at-bats with four RBIs and six walks.
After Henderson’s clean 1-2-3 second inning, Garrett Mitchell and Jackson Chourio set the Brewers up for another big inning. Brice Turang drove in his first RBI of the game with a base hit himself to extend the Brewers lead to 3-0. A couple of batters later, Andrew Pallante missed with a curveball up to Bauers, and he ripped it to right field for a three-run home run to further extend the Brewer lead to 6-0.
Henderson continued to dominate in his first outing since returning from the injured list, as he retired 10 batters in a row before giving up a double to Burleson to give the Cardinals life. After a groundout from Walker, Lars Nootbaar singled on a base hit to center to put the Cardinals on the board for the first time tonight to make it 6-1.
After Henderson’s first blip on the radar in the bottom of the fourth inning, he hit JJ Wetherholt to lead off the bottom of the sixth, snapping a mini streak of four batters set down in a row. He then struck out Iván Herrera before walking Burleson, signaling the end of his return to the Brewers rotation.
Replacing Henderson was Chad Patrick, who instantly gave up a three-run home run to Walker, cutting the Brewers’ lead down to 6-4. That was the lone blemish on the night for Patrick as he settled in, retiring the next five batters he faced.
Aaron Ashby came in for relief in the bottom of the eighth inning, where he looked to end his streak of stressful outings. That did not happen tonight, as he allowed a base hit to Wetherholt and walked Herrera with no outs. Having to face the tying run at the plate for the rest of the way put fans and the players alike on edge, but Ashby prevailed as he forced a groundout to Burleson, struck out Walker, and got Nootbaar to pop out.
Team Venezuela helped add an insurance run in the top of the ninth as Chourio doubled to open the inning and William Contreras hit a sac fly — aided by aggressive baserunning and a nice slide by Chourio — to push the Brewers’ lead to 8-4.
Bauers, Frelick, Pratt, Turang, and Chourio each finished with a pair of hits as part of a balanced offensive attack tonight, with the Crew finishing with 11 hits and three walks as a team. Henderson worked 5 1/3 innings in his start, striking out four and allowing three runs, while Patrick, Ashby, and Abner Uribe were effective in relief to lock this one up.
The Brewers finish their time in St. Louis this season going 5-2 and 8-2 overall. They’ll have one final series against the Redbirds in Milwaukee to close out the season. Milwaukee is set to finish their long road trip in Pittsburgh, as they visit the Pirates for the first time this season. Tomorrow night will be the start of the final series before the All-Star Break as the Brewers face off against the Pirates, with first pitch at 5:40 p.m.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 6: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz reacts after getting hit in the jaw against the Memphis Grizzlies during the first half of a 2026 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League game at the Jon M Huntsman Center on July 6, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. ( Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s on nights like these that I’m reminded of the ravine that divides the NBA from all other levels of basketball. This Summer League tilt was sloppy on both sides, and not many fringe players earned an NBA contract tonight, by the looks of it.
This matchup has always been about the number-one pick AJ Dybantsa and the number-two pick Darryn Peterson. Rivals since high school, these two are in an eternal struggle for the designation of being “number-one”. They wanted to be the best in their high school class. They wanted to be the first off the board in the NBA Draft. Rest assured, these two will be battling for Rookie of the Year honors by the season’s end.
Both stars were fully aware of the magnitude of this game, and both wanted to be the first to strike in the Thomas and Mack Center.
Dybantsa took his first touch all the way to the basket and forced up an off-kilter shot that missed everything.
Peterson took the ball the other way and forced up a top-of-the-key three-pointer that missed badly.
Dybantsa quickly picked up the slack, flipping an under-and-around lay-in and following that up with a good leading bounce pass through traffic to find a cutting teammate.
From there, the 1-2 combo settled in and let the game flow around them.
For the first time in a Utah Jazz uniform, Darryn Peterson walked among mortal men as a commoner. He had a very slow start in his Las Vegas debut, opening the night 0-for-3 from the floor and even whiffing on his first all-or-nothing foul shot. His steps were hurried, and he stood unstable before his first trip to the bench. Not quite so infallible outside of the mountain air in Salt Lake City.
AJ claimed the first quarter, dicing up the defense with fadeaways, dribble chains, and this vicious, inhumane slam that will dominate your social media feed for the next day or so.
Washington set the tone for some — should we say physical — defense out on the perimeter, and the officials gave the Wizards liberty to reside in Peterson’s chest for the majority of the game. The number-two pick couldn’t get himself into a rhythm as he’d step out of bounds, dribble off his foot, and sputter under the heat of the Wizards’ aggressive double-team scheme.
They were incredibly handsy from end to end, frustrating Jazz ball handlers as the whistles piled up at the other end.
AJ Dybantsa lives at the foul stripe — that’s his superpower — and he has since his days at BYU, where he led the nation in foul shots taken per game. Perfectly within his idiom, Dybantsa was 6-of-7 from the foul stripe — keeping in mind the experimental do-or-die free throw rule. Considering how much more physical the Wizards played at the defensive end, it’s a mystery how the Wizards managed to reside in the comfort of the bonus for the entire first half.
Neither player was efficient from the floor, but Dybantsa won the first half of this marquee matchup.
Dybantsa finished the first half with 19 points on 4-of-12 shooting.
Peterson lagged behind with 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting and a pair of dimes.
The lead shrank to single digits, and what appeared to be a blowout in the first half — Washington led by as much as 20 — rapidly drew tighter in the second half. It had become a two-possession game before the clock hit 0:00 in the third quarter.
Both stars lived up to the bill in this one, clearly displaying their individual talents despite their efficiency not leaping off the box score.
Peterson’s tendency to cough up possession has to get straightened out. He’ll be a target for his whole career, so learning to handle and exploit on-ball pressure will be critical to maximize his effectiveness and keep his teammates involved.
Cody Williams stole the show a bit for the Jazz, despite a rocky opening to the night. Though he struggled to stop Dybantsa on the defensive end, he notched 16 points on great efficiency (6-11, 2-3 3PT) plus 5 rebounds. He’s not a ball-handler, despite the Jazz’s wishes, but thrived on a newly added stepback mid-range jumper tonight.
Dybantsa had a strong night, finishing with 27 points on 7-for-18 shooting, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals.
The Wizards ultimately won this game behind the strength of their NBA guys, Tre Johnson and Will Reily, who combined for 41 to pair with Dybantsa’s 27. They also strongly benefited from Jamir Watkins, Darryn Peterson’s assignment fouling a grand total of 9 times (not a typo).
Peterson likewise fouled 9 times in this one, an ugly blemish on what was an unsteady night for the rookie. He finished with 24 points on 6-18 shooting and 2-7 from three-point land (thanks to a bank-shot heave at the final horn). Dybantsa will be crowned the winner of this head-to-head with Peterson thanks to better highlights and the team win, but neither player dominated, despite what X will likely tell you.
Washington defeats Utah with a final score of 92-88.
Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently lives in Japan and has covered the NBA and college athletics since 2024.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9: AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards looks to pass the ball as Cody Williams #5 of the Utah Jazz plays defense during the game during the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League on July 9, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center 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 Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
AJ Dybantsa made his Wizards debut as Washington defeated the Utah Jazz 92-88 to open 2026 Las Vegas Summer League play.
The Wizards’ starting lineup — Will Riley, Tre Johnson, Dybantsa, Jamir Watkins and Felix Okpara — was comprised of all five of their selections from the previous two NBA Drafts.
Riley opened the game at point guard, while Dybantsa played on the wing and Okpara manned the paint.
Johnson scored from all three levels for a quick nine points on 3-3 FG. He ended the half with 18 points on 7-11 FG and finished the game with 26 points.
Dybantsa’s first points came off a contested reverse layup. A minute later, he got to his spot and drilled an and-1 mid-range jumper. Then came the boom.
Washington’s No. 1 pick got into the lane and posterized a Jazz defender, flexing as the crowd inside Thomas & Mack Center rose to its feet.
Dybantsa flashed his elite first step and relentless rim pressure while drawing contact at will. He ended the first half with 17 points on 4-12 FG.
Watkins assumed the Darryn Peterson assignment and defended him well. The second-year wing, who recently signed a two-way contract, held Peterson to just 6-for-18 FG, 2-for-7 3PT and eight turnovers. He committed 9 fouls (the Summer League foul limit is 10), but overall, his defense made Peterson work for every point.
Dybantsa shook off a quiet start to the third quarter with a pair of impressive finishes, the first a one-legged mid-range jumper as the shot clock expired. The next was an acrobatic, English-filled layup that came off a tough drive.
The BYU product missed all five of his 3-point field goals. And despite creating impressive separation on a few turnaround jumpers, he left most of those short as well.
But as far as Summer League debuts go, it appears Dybantsa’s couldn’t have gone much better. He finished with 27 points — tied for the most by a No. 1 pick in their Las Vegas Summer League debut — seven rebounds and two steals on 7-for-18 FG.
Dybantsa exited the game with one minute remaining with what he called “leg soreness,” but he said on the ESPN broadcast he is okay.
NBA Summer League’s new rule limits free-throw attempts to just one shot, no matter the type of shooting foul or bonus situation. Dybantsa shot 7-for-8 from the line, but if standard rules applied, he would’ve attempted a whopping 15 free throws.
Will Riley used a mean spin move and an and-1 finish to propel the Wizards to a narrow victory. He finished with 17 points on 5-for-12 FG.
Hofstra pitcher Carlos Martinez has loved baseball since he was an infant, sitting in a stroller behind the dugout fence while his dad coached Little League.
Now the 21-year-old righty may get drafted into the bigs this weekend.
“Hopefully, I’ll get my name called on the first day,” he told The Post. “My goal is to play professional baseball and be one of the best at it.”
Martinez is ranked 212 in ESPN’s top 250 MLB prospects ahead of the draft, and the senior-to-be — a Yankees fan from Queens — enjoyed the mentorship of Hofstra’s coach, former big leaguer Frank Catalanotto.
“He’s just given me a lot of confidence,” Martinez said. “I feel like I can compete with anybody on the planet.”
Long Island high school shortstop Aiden Ruiz is also hoping to hear his name called, as there’s been much noise around the Stony Brook School star who just graduated.
“I’m pretty calm right now. I haven’t thought too much about it, but as we get closer, I mean, it’s a thought every kid is going to have,” added the Vanderbilt commit, also from Queens.
“I feel like I am very consistent, I’m very hard working, and that’s just going to carry on and off the field,” Ruiz said of his defining qualities.
Should the 19-year-old have to wait another two years for a path into an MLB system, he’s OK with that too.
Hofstra pitcher Carlos Martinez said he is hoping to be drafted on the first day of the upcoming MLB draft. YouTube
“I’ll go to college and go win a national championship with Vanderbilt,” Ruiz said.
Chris McHugh, a Commack High School 2023 graduate and North Carolina State first baseman, also attended the draft combine in June as a top prospect.
American Soccer Club will take on New Haven United FC for the NPSL’s North Atlantic Conference championship after a 3-1 playoff win over the New York Shockers on Wednesday night.
“They’re up for it — it’s a healthy rivalry that we have with them,” head coach John Fitzgerald told The Post of the Connecticut team.
Their last meeting was plenty dramatic at Mitchel Field, when a storm forced an evacuation of the stadium while AFC trailed in the final minutes.
The Tomcats responded when the clouds cleared with a last-minute tying goal to end the match at 2-2 in June.
“I think the boys are feeling good,” Fitzgerald said of Sunday’s match.
On Thursday night, the Knicks guard took to X to reply to the Celtics announcing Robinson as a key big man on their team, writing to Boston, “Yo admin delete this.”
Hart and Robinson played four years together in New York after the Knicks acquired Hart in a trade with the Trail Blazers in 2023.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (left) and guard Josh Hart celebrate during a 2026 NBA Finals win. Jason Szenes for The New York Post
Robinson and his former teammates have been interacting with each other through social media quite a lot since the center signed a three-year, $47.4 million deal with Boston.
Robinson, who spent eight years with the Knicks, even said he didn’t want to leave New York when chatting online with NBA Finals hero OG Anunoby.
“I tried brother, I didn’t want this to happen,” Robinson replied to an Anunoby comment about his exit on Instagram.
“Hopefully the truth comes out at some point. I’m going to miss you big dawg!”
Robinson’s murky Knicks future was a big talking point immediately after the championship run, especially after owner James Dolan made it clear he had a reluctance to go into the second apron of the salary cap.
“There’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron,” Dolan said in an appearance on WFAN’s “The Carton Show” last month before Robinson signed with the Celtics.
“I’ll write as big of a check as possible, but I can’t write a check that goes into the second apron.”
The second apron is set around $222 million this season, with restrictions and other punishments imposed on teams that go over that.
Mitchell Robinson celebrates during the Knicks championship parade. Getty Images
Robinson was drafted by the Knicks in 2018, averaging 7.5 points, eight rebounds, 0.9 steals and 0.7 assists per game in his eight seasons.
During the Knicks NBA Finals run, he averaged 5.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 0.3 assists per game.
The Knicks have brought back Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado, Mohamed Diawara and Clarkson this offseason and replaced Robinson with veteran Andre Drummond. The deals cost the Knicks $17.5 million against the cap.
Jul 9, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins mascot Billy the Marlin celebrates after the game against the Seattle Mariners at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
At one point Thursday, the Mariners theoretically had a chance to come away with a game from their three-game set against the Marlins. As it turns out, that chance was short-lived. The Mariners were swept away, losing the third and final contest in Miami 8-4.
The game came unraveled in the bottom of the fourth. After the M’s didn’t fully capitalize on some opportunities in the first couple of innings and fell behind a run, Bryce Miller walked his fourth hitter of the evening and allowed a single off the end of the bat by Leo Jiménez to put two runners on with one out. He was able to induce a ground ball from Liam Hicks for a chance at a double play, but Colt Emerson’s throw to first was in the dirt, allowing Jakob Marsee to score from second on the play. To make matters even worse, Emerson pulled his foot from second base early while attempting to turn it, and the Mariners ended up getting no outs from the play following a Marlins challenge.
The Marlins had no mercy and laid down the consequences. A triple down the left field line off of J.P. Crawford’s glove by Otto Lopez and a Kyle Stowers single to right brought in three more runs, ballooning the Marlins’ lead to 6-1 in the blink of an eye. Just like that, the game felt decided.
Believe it or not, things didn’t get off to a horrible start for the Mariners. Thanks to a pair of walks from Marlins righty Janson Junk to begin the game, both Crawford and Randy Arozarena were on base with nobody out in the top of the first. It felt like a golden opportunity to move on from Wednesday’s shutout and put up a crooked number early. Alas, the opportunity in the first wouldn’t come to fruition. Dominic Canzone grounded into an easy 6-3 double play, and even with a runner still on third with two outs, Cal Raleigh struck out to end the early threat.
Miller ran into some trouble in the bottom half of the first. He issued a one-out walk to Lopez, which at the time was his first allowed in four starts. The next hitter, Xavier Edwards, weakly chopped a grounder to the right side in front of the plate, which Miller was able to field but unable to properly deliver to first, pulling Josh Naylor off the bag to put two runners on. Despite a tough sequence, Miller was able to work back-to-back flyouts to get out of the jam.
All in all, it wasn’t the best day from Miller. He’d strike out only three hitters over five innings, allowing nine hits for six runs (four earned) while walking four. His velocity was down across the board.
The top of the second was when Naylor would briefly take over this game — he’d deposit a bloop single right between third and short for one of the cheapest hits you’ll ever see.
After Luke Raley struck out for the first out of the inning, Naylor stole second without a throw. Junk couldn’t throw another pitch before Naylor took off again with his sights set on third base. This time, Junk stepped off and Naylor looked doomed to run into an out on the basepaths — instead, the throw to third was airmailed into foul territory on the left field side, allowing Naylor to trot home and give the Mariners a 1-0 lead.
Cole Young drew a walk and advanced to third on yet another throwing error by Junk on a pickoff attempt to first. After Víctor Robles struck out, Emerson also drew a walk and stole second to give the Mariners a chance with two runners in scoring position and two out. As I alluded to earlier though, they didn’t cash in — Crawford grounded out to end the inning on a ball that deflected off of Junk and over to the second baseman Edwards.
While the bulk of the damage came later, the Marlins did make the Mariners pay in the immediate aftermath of their missed opportunity in the second. Griffin Conine turned on Miller’s first pitch of the bottom half, a 95 mph four-seamer, for a solo homer that evened the score. Later in the inning, Hicks would deliver a double down the right field line to score a runner from first and give the Marlins the lead they would never relinquish.
The Mariners offense briefly showed some glimmers of life later on, even with the game appearing pretty much out of reach. Arozarena and Canzone both hit homers, with Dom’s being of the two-run variety.
With Thursday’s loss, the Mariners fall back to .500. It’s the 11th time this season the Mariners have been equal in wins and losses, excluding Opening Day. They are now in danger of heading into the All-Star break with a losing record; that’ll be the case unless they can earn a series win against the American League-leading Tampa Bay Rays this weekend at Tropicana Field.
I want YOU to decide my next evening wear… | NHLI via Getty Images
It’s mid July, free agency has settled down…how do we get something on the radar? I got an idea and it’s only as fish-sticky as you make it…
Islanders News
In a move that would’ve invited infinite scorn during the Blog Box era, and now only invites…well, scorn but also satire and shrugs, the Islanders are inviting fans to design (via a template) their next third jersey. Here’s their PR hype about it. Here’s Newsday on it. Have fun with your design here. It’s for the 2027-28 season, of course.
It did its job by getting lots of attention and media coverage, and it’s off to a big start with 37,000 submissions so far — some of them probably aren’t even from Rangers fans. [Newsday | ESPN]
The unusual path of March undrafted goalie signing Josh Kotai, and the friends he met along the way. [Isles]
Elsewhere
In a move that surprises very few, the Ducks chose to match the offer sheet to Leo Carlsson. [Sportsnet] So Danny Briere and company singlehandedly shat on everyone’s salary scale for…the drama, I guess. At least they made Pat Verbeek uncomfortable.
Carlsson appreciates the generous raise and generational wealth for his family but insists he “always wanted to be a Duck.” [NHL]
The Mammoth also matched the offer sheet for Barrett Hayton by the Devils, so the lesson here once again: It’s not that NHL GMs are too chicken or buddy-buddy to do offer sheets (though some surely are), it’s that they only make sense and actually work in very specific circumstances, such as when Edmonton screws itself and leaves it exposed. [NHL]
Connor Bedard needs surgery and will be out till November. Dude’s cursed, but the Blackhawks deserve all the misfortune. [NHL]
“Fresh challenges” led Daniel Alfredsson to turn to the Senators’ hated rivals to join their bench. [Sportsnet] That makes for a tough offseason overall for the Sens.
Mark Giordano — who’s worked with Isaiah George and Matthew Schaefer — also earned a promotion to the Leafs’ NHL bench. [THN]
Hayley Wickehnheiser is leaving the Leafs though, unable to find common ground on her role with the new GM. [Sportsnet]
There was a level of interest in Dybantsa’s debut, especially playing against the Utah Jazz and the No. 2 overall pick, Darryn Peterson.
Dybantsa had a highlight dunk while going on to score 19 points and four rebounds in the first half. Peterson added 11 points and two assists in the half.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JULY 8: Jordan Walker #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits an RBI double against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning at Busch Stadium on July 8, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals played the final game of their 5 games in 4 days marathon against Milwaukee Thursday night and many of us are happy to see the Brewers leave town. Jordan Walker would homer, but that wouldn’t be enough for the Cardinals to avoid losing 4 of 5 from the Brew Crew.
There was a lot of early scoring in the game, but unfortunately the guys wearing the wrong uniforms scored them. Andre Pallante has given the St. Louis Cardinals some of the strongest starts over recent weeks. Thursday night’s game was not one of them. The Milwaukee Brewers started the scoring in the top of the 2nd inning when Jake Bauers connected for a one-out single. He advanced to second on a wild pitch by Pallante and then moved over to third on a fielder’s choice. A couple of two-out RBI singles, one by Sal Frelick and the other by Cooper Pratt gave the Brewers a 2-0 lead.
The Brewers added significantly to that lead in the top of the 3rd inning. Three consecutive singles to start the inning by Mitchell, Chourio and Turang upped the Milwaukee lead to 3-0 and then, one out later, Jake Bauers crushed a 391 foot line-drive homer into the right field pen elevating the Brewers lead to 6-0.
The St. Louis Cardinals would not just roll over and let the game get too far out of hand fortunately as their bats woke up in the bottom of the 4th inning. After Iván Herrera struck out, Alec Burleson squared up a 79 mph changeup and ripped it to the wall in right-center for a double. Two batters later, Lars Nootbaar smacked a 92 mph four-seam fastball into right-center for a RBI single making it 6-1 Brewers.
Andre Pallante’s stat line for the game was not a happy one. He exited after giving up an infield hit in the top of the 6th inning allowing 8 hits, 6 earned runs while striking out 2 and walking 2. Luis Gastelum took over for Andre and pitched himself out of a jam. With two on and no outs, he got Ortiz to foul out to Herrera, struck out Mitchell (his first career strikeout, congrats) and then Chourio on a ground out to keep the Brewers from piling on more runs. That would prove to be a bigger moment a half inning later.
In case you didn’t hear, Jordan Walker joined the lineup for the All-Star Game Home Run Derby next Monday. He celebrated that Thursday night by blasting a ball 406 feet into Big Mac Land with JJ Wetherholt and Alec Burleson on base in the bottom of the 6th inning to make a game of it cutting the Brewers lead to 6-4.
The Brewers unfortunately refused to stand still and allow the Cardinals to completely grab the momentum in the top of the 7th inning as Luis Gastelum served up a 93 mph four-seam fastball to Brice Turang who launched it onto Freese’s Landing in center increasing the Milwaukee lead back to 3 at 7-4. That shot resulted in Gastelum’s exit and Gordon Graceffo’s entry to try and lock down the Brewers and keep them within striking distance. Gordon was successful in that effort. Graceffo was also the Cardinals solution for the top of the 8th inning after the St. Louis lineup failed to generate any positive motion in the bottom of the 7th inning and he again kept the Brewers from scoring.
The St. Louis Cardinals would put together a threat in the bottom of the 8th inning. JJ Wetherholt beat out an infield single to leadoff the inning, his second hit of the game and third time on base. Iván Herrera drew a tough walk off of Brewers reliever Ashby. Alec Burleson hit into a fielder’s choice, but beat out the grounder to prevent the double play which meant new home run derby entrant Jordan Walker was the potential tying run. Jordan sadly whiffed on a sweeping curve for the second out. Lars Nootbaar ended the Cardinals scoring opportunity in the bottom of the 8th with a weak pop-out. Bummer.
For the Cardinals to have a prayer in the bottom of the 9th, Matt Svanson would need to keep the Brewers off the board in the top of the inning. The first batter he faced was Jackson Chourio that ripped the 3rd pitch he saw into the right field corner for a leadoff double. Chourio would advance to third on a flyout by Turang and then score on a sacrifice fly to right from William Contreras upping the Milwaukee lead to 8-4. Prayer for no more Brewer runs denied.
The Cardinals bottom of the 9th hopes would be carried by the bottom of the lineup. They’d have to overcome the arm of the flame-throwing Abner Uribe. They would go down relatively quietly as the Cardinals watched the Brewers bus pull out of town with 4 victories out of 5 for the week.
The St. Louis Cardinals begin the last homestand prior to the All-Star Game break with the Atlanta Braves coming to town. The Cardinals will hand the ball to Kyle Leahy while the Braves will put the formidable Chris Sale on the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15pm central time at Busch Stadium and the TV broadcast will be handled by Apple TV.
Philadelphia is putting all hands on deck to get LeBron James to the City of Brotherly Love.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley made his pitch for James, who is currently a free agent, to join the 76ers next season.
“If you want to go out with a bang, I feel like a great spot would be in Philly and bring a championship to Philadelphia,” Barkley told reporters on Thursday. “You’ll be remembered forever.”
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs drills during minicamp. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Barkley also said Philadelphia is one of the best sports towns in the world, and has praised the city’s fans since joining the Eagles in 2024.
“They’re crazy, but in a different way,” Barkley said. “When you’re on the Giants’ side, oh these motherf—ers are insane. On this side, you see they just love it.”
Barkley has been a superstar since touching down in Philadelphia, putting up 3,145 rushing yards, 30 rushing touchdowns in his two years with the Eagles, earning his first All-Pro honors for his 2024 season.
The ex-Giant is one of many prominent figures across sports and entertainment trying to get James to play in their city for what could be his final season in the NBA.
LeBron James has officially announced that he is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons with the franchise. Best Image / BACKGRID
James, 41, is testing free agency after spending eight seasons with the Lakers.
He reportedly is open to numerous teams, with the Cavaliers, Heat, and 76ers being seen as the favorites, according to ESPN’s Shams Chariana.
James is entering his 24th season after being selected No. 1 by the Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA Draft.
Cricket Australia has confirmed next summer’s Big Bash League opener will take place in Chennai, with the Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers set to play at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday, December 12.
