The Warriors are casting a wide net in search of roster upgrades, and that includes some of the NBA’s most seasoned veterans.
While Golden State reportedly has interest in free agents Al Horford and Damian Lillard, it also could look to add Suns shooting guard Bradley Beal, who could be bought out by Phoenix soon and become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
If the Warriors are interested in signing the 32-year-old three-time NBA All-Star, it appears the interest will be mutual, as Golden State is one of the teams Beal has thought about joining after a potential buy-out with the Suns, The Athletic’s Fred Katz reported Monday, citing league sources.
“One week removed from the start of NBA free agency, most of the league is without cap space or the necessary exceptions it would take to give Beal that much money on a two-year contract,” Katz wrote. “Various organizations Beal could consider can’t give him that much, either. According to a league source, the list of teams Beal has thought about includes the LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks.”
Katz also reported, citing league sources, that the Suns and Beal are “increasingly optimistic” that the sides will agree to the terms of a buyout, which makes Beal becoming an unrestricted free agent likely.
The Suns reportedly were interested in trading Beal leading up to the NBA’s Feb. 6 trade deadline during the 2024-25 season, but likely due to the two years and approximately $110 million potentially remaining on his contract — and his rare no-trade clause — were unable to move him and appeared stuck with a seemingly unhappy player with a massive contract.
Hence, the buyout.
After leading the NBA in scoring with 31.3 points per game as a member of the Washington Wizards during the 2020-21 season, Beal’s offensive output has decreased in the years since as he battled injuries with the Suns.
In 53 games (38 starts) with Phoenix last season, Beal averaged 17 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game on 49.7-percent shooting from the field and 38.6 percent from 3-point range.
It remains to be seen what Beal’s market would look like if he is bought out by the Suns, but he could be an intriguing low-cost, high-upside option for the Warriors if they chose to pursue him.
Its Monday, July 7 and the Phillies (53-37) are in San Francisco to open a series against the Giants (49-42).
Cristopher Sánchez is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Landen Roupp for San Francisco.
The first-place Phillies have won two in a row. Yesterday, Zack Wheeler was all but untouchable throwing a complete game one-hitter in a 3-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Austin Hays solo blast in the fifth inning was the lone blemish on the scorecard for Wheeler. Bryson Stott (HR) and Kyle Schwarber (2B) drove in the Philly runs.
San Francisco took two of three over the weekend against the A's. Sunday, Willy Adames went yard and drove in three runs to pace the Giants to a 6-2 win. San Francisco has won four of their last five. They now sit seven games behind the Dodgers in the National League West.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Phillies at Giants
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025
Time: 9:45PM EST
Site: Oracle Park
City: San Francisco, CA
Network/Streaming: NBCSP, NBCSBA, MLBN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Phillies at the Giants
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Phillies (-136), Giants (+116)
Spread: Phillies -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Giants
Pitching matchup for July 7, 2025: Cristopher Sánchez vs. Landen Roupp
Phillies: Cristopher Sánchez (7-2, 2.68 ERA) Last outing: 7/2 vs. San Diego - 7IP, 1ER, 5H, 0BB, 5Ks
Giants: Landen Roupp (6-5, 3.48 ERA) Last outing: 7/2 at Arizona - 4IP, 2ER, 5H, 4BB, 4Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Phillies at Giants
The Phillies have won 4 of their last 5 games against NL West teams
10 of the Phillies' last 12 road games stayed under the Total
The Giants have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 2.30 units
In 19GP since arriving from Boston, Rafael Devers is hitting .239
Bryson Stott is 2-12 (.167) to start July
Alec Bohm has hit in 8 straight games (9-29)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Phillies and the Giants
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Phillies and the Giants:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia Phillies on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the San Francisco Giants at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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It's Monday, July 7 and the Marlins (40-48) are in Cincinnati to take on the Reds (46-44). Janson Junk is slated to take the mound for Miami against Brady Singer for Cincinnati.
After going on a season-long eight-game winning streak, the Marlins are 2-3 in the past five games and coming off a series where they lost two out of three to the Brewers. However, Miami travels to Cincinnati where who they beat two out three times earlier this season.
For the Reds, they've dropped two straight series and the past two games losing by a combined 8-2 to the Phillies. Cincinnati is 2-4 over the last six games, but hosts the Marlins in a four-game series before a three-game set with the Rockies before entering the All-Star break, which is an ideal setup.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts. Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Odds for the Marlins at the Reds
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Marlins (+117), Reds (-140)
Spread: Reds -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Game details & how to watch Marlins at Reds
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Great American Ball Park
City: Cincinnati, OH
Network/Streaming: FDSNFL, FDSNOH
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Probable starting pitchers for Marlins at Reds
Pitching matchup for July 7, 2025: Janson Junk vs. Brady Singer
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Marlins and the Reds
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Marlins and the Reds:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cincinnati Reds on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Miami Marlins at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Marlins at Reds
Cincinnati is 9-8 when Singer pitches this season, including 0-3 in the past three
Miami is 4-4 this season when Junk pitches
The Reds have won 4 of their last 5 home games against National League teams
The Under is 30-19-3 in the Reds' matchups against National League teams this season
The Marlins have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 1.63 units
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
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It's Monday, July 7 and the Rockies (21-69) are in Boston to take on the Red Sox (46-45). Austin Gomber is slated to take the mound for Colorado against Richard Fitts for Boston.
The Red Sox are coming off a three-game series sweep of the Nationals putting up 27 runs to Washington's 9. Boston is hot as they boast a 5-1 record over the last six games and 6-2 in the past eight.
Colorado is 3-4 over the last seven games, but 3-9 in the past 12, so some would say they have played better recently but a 2-1 series loss to the Chicago White Sox would say otherwise. This is the start of a six-game road trip for the Rockies before entering the All-Star break.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Odds for the Rockies at the Red Sox
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Rockies (+194), Red Sox (-239)
Spread: Red Sox -1.5
Total: 10.0 runs
Game details & how to watch Rockies at Red Sox
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: COLR, NESN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Red Sox
Pitching matchup for July 7, 2025: Austin Gomber vs. Richard Fitts
Red Sox: Richard Fitts, (0-3, 4.50 ERA) Last outing: 3.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 1 Strikeout
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rockies and the Red Sox
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Rockies and the Red Sox:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Boston Red Sox on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Colorado Rockies at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 10.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies at Red Sox
The Red Sox have won 14 of their 24 matchups against National League teams this season
4 of the Rockies' last 5 road games stayed under the Total
Colorado is 1-3 in Gomber's four starts and lost the previous three
Boston is 1-6 when Fitts pitches this season but coming off a 5-3 win over the Reds in his previous outing
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
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According to the NBA’s list of official roster transactions, the Boston Celtics have made just one move since mid-April: signing 2025 first-round pick Hugo Gonzalez to his rookie-scale contract.
Those trades and signings were all agreed to, per multiple reports, but as of Monday, none of those transactions have been made official, despite teams being able to announce such moves beginning at noon ET on Sunday, July 6, when the NBA’s new league year officially began.
So, what’s the delay here? Why haven’t we gotten introductory press conferences for Anfernee Simons (acquired in the Holiday trade) or Georges Niang (acquired in the Porzingis trade) — or at least confirmation that these deals are complete?
The most likely explanation is that more moves are coming.
But if you factor in the additions of Garza and Minott, the C’s technically would be over the second apron if they made all of their reported moves official, with $208.5 million committed in salary for 2025-26.
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Since it’s unlikely that Boston would enter next season as a second apron team without a legitimate shot at title contention, the Celtics need to make at least one more move to dip below that $207.8 million threshold.
And while the C’s technically could lop off less than $1 million to accomplish that goal, it’s possible they could make a more significant move to cut costs, either to get under the first apron ($195.9 million) or get out of the luxury tax entirely ($187.9 million).
Boston’s quickest pathway to cutting salary is rerouting Simons, who is set to make $27.7 million in 2025-26 on an expiring contract. The current construction of the Celtics-Blazers trade has Holiday going to Portland in return for Simons and two second-round picks, but since the deal hasn’t been announced yet, Boston could expand the trade to find a third team to take on Simons’ contract.
The same goes for Niang, who is set to make $8.2 million on an expiring contract but could be rerouted for additional savings as well.
Cost-cutting aside, the Celtics also have an unbalanced depth chart at the moment. Assuming Al Horford departs in free agency, Boston’s frontcourt will consist of Neemias Queta, Garza, Xavier Tillman Sr. and rookie Amari Williams. With Derrick White and Payton Pritchard holding down the backcourt, it would make sense for the C’s to flip Simons for a big man, or if they can’t find any takers for Simons, consider moving Niang or Sam Hauser for a low-cost center.
Between the Celtics’ current financial situation and their need for frontcourt help, all signs point to president of basketball operations Brad Stevens pushing over at least one more domino to set the wheels in motion on making the team’s pending moves official.
It's Monday, July 7 and the Rays (49-41) are in Detroit to take on the Tigers (57-34). Shane Baz is slated to take the mound for Tampa Bay against Jack Flaherty and Detroit.
Detroit is coming off a three-game sweep of Cleveland where they outscored the Guardians, 10-3. Tampa Bay is coming off a 7-5 extra innings win over Minnesota, but lost the series 2-1 to the Twins, and the last three series for that matter. However, the Rays took two out of three games in Tampa Bay earlier this season versus the Tigers.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Odds for the Rays at the Tigers
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Rays (-136), Tigers (+116)
Spread: Rays -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Game details & how to watch Rays at Tigers
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: Comerica Park
City: Detroit, MI
Network/Streaming: FDSNSUN, FDSNDT, FS1
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Probable starting pitchers for Rays at Tigers
Pitching matchup for July 7, 2025: Shane Baz vs. Jack Flaherty
Tigers: Jack Flaherty (5-9, 4.84 ERA) Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 9 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rays and the Tigers
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Rays and the Tigers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Detroit Tigers at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rays at Tigers
Tampa Bay is 2-1 versus Detroit this season
Tampa Bay is 8-1 in the last nine starts for Baz
Detroit is 0-4 in Flaherty's last four starts
The Tigers have won 4 of their last 5 home series
Each of the last 3 matchups between the Tigers and the Rays have gone over the Total
The Rays have covered in 4 of their last 5 on the road, profiting 1.03 units
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
The Eastern Conference title race ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season is more wide open than it’s been in a long time.
That’s what happens when the best team — the Boston Celtics — loses its top player (Jayson Tatum) to a ruptured Achilles and has to trade away multiple starters due to the second apron of the luxury tax. The reigning East champion Indiana Pacers also lost their best player, Tyrese Haliburton, to a torn Achilles during the playoffs. You can take them out of the East title mix.
That leaves the Cavaliers, Magic, Knicks, Bucks, Hawks and maybe the 76ers as the top teams in the conference, and all of them have plenty of flaws and/or concerns.
Which East teams have fared the best in free agency and trades during the offseason to this point? Let’s rank the top 10 teams in the East based on betting odds to win the conference and analyze their moves.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Odds to win East: +245
Key additions: Lonzo Ball (trade)
Key departures: Ty Jerome (free agency), Isaac Okoro (trade)
Getting Ball from the Bulls was a nice addition for the Cavs. When healthy, Ball is a very good playmaker and can add some scoring off the bench. They’ll need that offense after Jerome departed in free agency following a career season in which he placed third in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
The Cavs also re-signed Sam Merrill to a four-year, $38 million contract, which is good value. Overall, Cleveland didn’t have a ton of options to bolster their roster as a second-apron team, but running it back with mostly the same roster isn’t a bad idea considering the Cavs won 64 games last season.
2. New York Knicks
Odds to win East: +290
Key additions: Jordan Clarkson (free agency), Guerschon Yabusele (free agency)
Key departures: None
The Knicks appear to be bringing back mostly the same roster that defeated the defending champion Boston Celtics in the second round and advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 2000.
The additions of Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele give the Knicks some much-needed scoring depth off the bench.
Perhaps the most notable offseason move for the Knicks was firing head coach Tom Thibodeau and replacing him with Mike Brown.
3. Orlando Magic
Odds to win East: +550
Key additions: Desmond Bane (trade), Tyus Jones (free agency)
When healthy, the Magic were a very good team last season thanks to their young core of Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner. Banchero, in particular, has superstar potential.
Orlando will be a trendy pick to win the East next season. Credit to the Magic front office for making a bold Bane trade and trying to take advantage of what could be a very wide open East in 2025-26.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Paolo Banchero is a rising star in Orlando.
4. Philadelphia 76ers
Odds to win East: +1000
Key additions: VJ Edgecombe (draft)
Key departures: Guerschon Yabusele (free agency)
The 76ers once again are among the favorites (based on conference title odds) to win the East.
On paper, the Sixers have a good roster. Joel Embiid is an MVP-caliber center and Paul George is a very good two-way wing. But how many games are these guys going to play? Embiid played just 19 games last season and 39 games in 2023-24 due to injuries. George was limited to 41 games last season. Banking on either player to be healthy for a full campaign would be a mistake.
The Sixers do have some impressive young talent. Tyrese Maxey is an All-Star caliber player. Quentin Grimes was a nice pickup from the Mavericks last February. Jared McCain made a nice impact offensively as a rookie. VJ Edgecombe, who Philly selected No. 3 overall in the 2025 draft, could be a very good player.
It’s easy to see why there’s some optimism surrounding this team. But again, the health of Embiid will ultimately make or break the Sixers’ season.
5. Milwaukee Bucks
Odds to win East: +1100
Key additions: Myles Turner (free agency), Gary Harris (free agency)
The Bucks still have Giannis Antetokounmpo, and that by itself is a win for the franchise. But have they done enough this offseason to convince the superstar forward to stay in Milwaukee long-term?
Losing Brook Lopez and signing Myles Turner was an upgrade at center. Waiving Damian Lillard and tying up $20-plus million in cap space for the next five years as a result was a shocking and bold gamble, even though the star point guard could miss all of next season recovering from a torn Achilles.
And aside from the Turner addition, the Bucks have mostly brought the same team back, so are they really a contender in the East? Milwaukee re-signed Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis, Taurean Prince, Ryan Rollins and Gary Trent Jr.
The Bucks need an upgrade at point guard, but with Antetokounmpo still in the fold, they could maybe be a top-four team in a weak East next season.
Key departures: Clint Capela (free agency), Caris LeVert (free agency) Georges Niang (trade), Terance Mann (trade)
The Hawks have been a huge winner of the offseason so far. They reportedly acquired Kristaps Porzingis for very little in a trade with the Celtics and Nets. They got rid of Terance Mann’s contract in the same deal. The Hawks also picked up an unprotected 2026 first-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans in a draft day move, giving them one of the most prized assets in the league.
Atlanta could be a sneaky contender in the East next season, especially if All-Star caliber point guard Trae Young has another great campaign. And with one year left on his contract, he has plenty of motivation to take his game to a higher level.
7. Boston Celtics
Odds to win East: +1500
Key additions: Anfernee Simons (trade), Georges Niang (trade), Luke Garza (free agency), Josh Minott (free agency)
We all knew the Celtics were going to shed salary to get under the second apron, and that’s exactly what they looked to accomplish early in the offseason by reportedly trading away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis.
Getting a young guard with high offensive potential in Anfernee Simons from the Trail Blazers as part of the Holiday trade was a nice pickup for the C’s. Simons’ defense is lackluster, but he can score 20 points per game and shoots 3-pointers at a high rate.
The C’s added a few end-of-the-rotation guys in Luke Garza and Josh Minott in free agency. It’s possible that with more playing time and an increased role, one or both players could see an uptick in performance.
Al Horford remains a free agent, and the latest reports suggest he could sign with the Golden State Warriors. Luke Kornet signed a four-year, $41 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs early in free agency. Losing both Horford and Kornet would be a tough blow to Boston’s frontcourt. The Celtics’ starting center right now is probably Xavier Tillman Sr. or Neemias Queta. That’s not an ideal scenario.
Of course, the one story hanging over the franchise is Jayson Tatum’s recovery from an Achilles injury suffered in mid-May. With Tatum potentially missing most or all of next season, it’s fair to wonder if the Celtics will try to get their salary structure/luxury tax situation in order this season to ensure they have the flexibility to make bold moves once Tatum is back to full strength.
Key departures: Tim Hardaway Jr. (free agency), Dennis Schroder (free agency)
The Pistons took a huge step forward last season, improving their win total by 30 and making the playoffs for the first time since 2019. It hasn’t been a great offseason, though.
They lost plenty of scoring depth with the departures of Schroder and Hardaway. Malik Beasley’s future is uncertain, too, as the NBA investigates him for gambling allegations. If Beasley — who finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting — doesn’t go back to Detroit, replacing him with Duncan Robinson is a downgrade. LeVert is a nice player, but certainly not a difference-maker.
If the Pistons are going to be better next season, they’ll need their young players (Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren, Ron Holland, etc.) to take another positive step in their development.
9. Indiana Pacers
Odds to win East: +3300
Key additions: Jay Huff (trade)
Key departures: Myles Turner (free agency)
Losing starting center Myles Turner wasn’t a complete shock, but it was pretty surprising to see him go to the Bucks after they created salary cap space by waiving Damian Lillard. A lot of the other good centers who were available this offseason have already found a new team, so the Pacers don’t have many viable options left to replace Turner.
Similar to the Celtics, the 2025-26 season likely will be one of transition for the Pacers. The loss of superstar point guard Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles during Game 7 of the NBA Finals has taken away Indiana’s ability to get back to the conference finals for the third straight year.
10. Miami Heat
Odds to win East: +6500
Key additions: Norman Powell (trade), Kasparas Jakucionis (draft)
Key departures: Duncan Robinson (free agency)
It’s been a mostly quiet offseason in Miami, except for Monday’s three-team trade with the Clippers and Jazz in which the Heat acquired Norman Powell.
Duncan Robinson was a good 3-point shooter but was also overpaid and a poor defensive player. Powell, who averaged 21.8 points and shot 41.8 percent from 3-point range for the Clippers last season, is a nice upgrade for Miami.
The Heat also re-signed Davion Mitchell to a two-year deal.
The Heat are not contenders and likely destined to be in the mix for a play-in spot yet again. That’s what happens when Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are your best and most expensive players.
Janet Marie Smith, the Dodgers' executive vice president of planning and development, was part of a team that conceived and executed the redesign of the hallway leading to the Dodgers clubhouse. It's an ode to the iconic LAX mosaic murals installed in 1961. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
What would a baseball team in Los Angeles want from a retired artist and designer in New York?
Janet Bennett wasn’t sure.
Generations of Angelenos are familiar with her signature project. You probably have walked right past it. Those colorful tile mosaics that decorate the long corridors toward baggage claim in five terminals at Los Angeles International Airport? She designed them.
You might have memorized the trivia: When you passed the red tiles, you were halfway down the corridor. “Red means halfway” was shorthand for locals in the know, just like “E Ticket” or “the #19 sandwich.”
“It just says L.A. in so many ways,” said Janet Marie Smith, the Dodgers’ executive vice president of planning and development.
For the clubhouse walkway, Dodgers executive vice president of planning and development Janet Marie Smith and architect Brenda Levin opted for multiple shades of blue tiles. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers wanted to get in touch with Bennett because they were about to install a similar tile wall at Dodger Stadium. Smith could not find Bennett, but she reached out to someone who had liked an article about Bennett that had been posted on LinkedIn. Same last name, same spelling. Smith crossed her fingers.
Turned out to be a relative of Bennett. The Dodgers sent some sketches of their project and asked Bennett for her thoughts.
“I was a little disappointed I didn’t work the project,” Bennett said over the telephone, chuckling, “but I don’t think I could have done it at this stage.”
"Once we got tile in our head, how could you not think of the LAX walls?" said Janet Marie Smith, the Dodgers' executive vice president of planning and development. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Bennett is 96, happily living one block from Central Park. The LAX project was completed in 1961 — the year before Dodger Stadium opened.
What the Dodgers really were offering was the recognition denied to Bennett six decades ago.
“I realized they just wanted my blessing,” Bennett said. “They wanted the connection. And that was very satisfying.”
And, yes, she had some thoughts for the Dodgers. She wrote them a letter by hand, the old-fashioned way. The letter got lost in the old-fashioned mail, but Bennett’s daughter had thought to take a picture of the letter, and she sent it to the Dodgers via email.
Bennett’s advice for the colors of the tiles?
“Don’t limit it,” she wrote, “to the Dodger blue.”
On game days, Dodgers players take an elevator to the lowest level of Dodger Stadium. As they exit, they look to their right to see the Dodgers’ World Series championship trophies and most valuable player awards, to their left to see the Gold Glove awards.
When they turn toward the clubhouse, they see Cy Young and Silver Slugger and manager of the year awards on the right, rookie of the year awards and then the Dodgers’ retired numbers on the left.
“It’s meant to be uplifting and motivating, and a reminder to everyone — our players included, who take that path — of what a storied franchise this is,” Smith said.
The fans in the fanciest seats, the ones you see on television right behind home plate, can take that path too — but only until they reach the double doors, the ones with “DODGERS CLUBHOUSE” painted above them.
Pass through those doors, and you used to see a gray wall decorated with signage pulled from storage — signs from events held at Dodger Stadium long ago, and others commemorating milestone seasons. As part of the clubhouse renovations last winter, Smith and her team imagined how to freshen up that walkway.
“We wanted to try to get it out of its funk of just being a concrete wall,” she said. “And, once we got tile in our head, how could you not think of the LAX walls?”
Tile mosaic wall designs line departure halls in various LAX terminals. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers’ clubhouse features a tile wall “in the hydrotherapy area,” Smith said. The tiles there are all Dodger blue.
For the clubhouse walkway, Smith and architect Brenda Levin opted for multiple shades of blue tiles, interspersed with white tiles — a decision reinforced when they received Bennett’s suggestion to go beyond Dodger blue. The wall includes more than 714,000 individual tiles, Smith said.
“I think they did an excellent job,” Bennett said. “They got the rhythm of vertical stripes, which has a very athletic look.”
To Smith, a fierce advocate of sports venues reflecting their host cities, the tile wall reflects home.
“In many ways, that is a symbol: not just of L.A., but of ‘Welcome to L.A.’ ” she said. “That felt right to us.
“It’s not screaming at you. But, if you know, you know. We’ve always wanted that area to feel like a ‘Welcome to L.A.’ to our players.”
If you know, you know, but the players may not know. Dave Roberts, the Dodgers’ manager, said he did not know the story behind the wall until Smith explained it to him.
“It’s a great little touch,” Roberts said.
Smith said players and team executives have asked about the wall. Many of them did not know about the LAX walls, but she understood why.
“They don’t fly commercial,” she said.
If you merit an obituary in the newspaper, the first sentence generally includes your claim to fame. In 2007, The Times published an obituary with this first sentence: “Charles D. Kratka, an interior designer and graphic artist whose Modernist projects included the mosaic walls in tunnels at Los Angeles International Airport, has died.”
Said Bennett: “I just about freaked out.”
After Bennett had finished the LAX mosaics, she left town. By the time the airport unveiled them, she said, she was in Latin America. Until she saw that Times obituary, it had not occurred to her that anyone else might have gotten the credit for the LAX project.
In the obituary, the airport historian credited Kratka with the design, and so did the director of volunteers at the airport museum. In 2017, so did an official LAX document: “Completed in 1961, Charles Kratka’s mosaic murals have become iconic symbols of Los Angeles International Airport.”
At the start of the Jet Age, when airplane travel was a glamorous affair and even passengers in the cheaper seats enjoyed in-flight meals served with silverware, Bennett said the murals were designed to evoke the wonder of a cross-country trip: blue for the ocean at each end of the corridor, and in between green for the forests, and yellows, oranges and browns for farmland, prairies and deserts.
Tile mosaic wall designs line departure halls in various LAX terminals. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Bennett freely admits that Kratka was involved in the project. The city hired Pereira and Luckman as architects for the LAX expansion, and Kratka was the firm’s head of interior design.
“He was my boss,” Bennett said.
Bennett said the mosaic design was hers, although she said she did not recall whether she had chosen to use glass for the tiles.
“Everything from that point on was mine,” she said.
Bennett and her family have pushed for LAX to recognize her as the designer. Airport officials acknowledge Bennett’s participation in the project but, amid a search for records from six decades ago and without Kratka to provide his version of events, they believe a conclusive determination would be difficult. And, back in the day, credit was more commonly attributed to a firm rather than to an individual designer.
When I asked for a statement saying whom LAX currently credits with the design, an airport spokeswoman said, “LAX has no official comment.”
At LAX, there is no sign crediting anyone — not Bennett, not Kratka, not Pereira and Luckman, not anyone else — for the murals. However, the Dodgers have given Bennett her due at Dodger Stadium, on a sign directly across from their tile wall.
“This mosaic wall draws inspiration from architect Janet Bennett’s iconic mosaic murals at Los Angeles International Airport,” the text begins, “that transformed a transit space into a work of art.”
Nique Clifford might be entering his rookie NBA season, but he’s ready to contribute right away.
The 23-year-old, whom the Kings traded up to select in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, sat down with NBC Sports California’s Morgan Ragan following his introductory press conference and broke down what he’ll bring to Sacramento during his rookie year.
“Just a level of energy every day. A level of positivity,” Clifford told Ragan. “I feel like I could bring that every single day to the people around me and help my teammates be better and just push everyone around me to be better and want to get better.
“And then on the court, versatility. Being able to go out there and defend, rebound, just play super hard. And then when I get my opportunity to knock down shots and make the right play offensively.”
Clifford’s versatility is what attracted the Kings to him, as he takes great pride in being a two-way player.
The former Colorado State standout told Ragan that mindset began at an early age.
“I think it goes back to how I was raised,” Clifford said. “My dad always taught me to play both ends of the floor. You have to take pride offensively just as much as you do defensively. Not wanting your man to score on you. I was just instilled with that at a young age.
“You see the great players, Michael Jordans, the Kobes, people like that, they played both sides of the floor. I feel like that’s true greatness.”
This fall, Clifford will have to back his words on the court.
Nique Clifford might be entering his rookie NBA season, but he’s ready to contribute right away.
The 23-year-old, whom the Kings traded up to select in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, sat down with NBC Sports California’s Morgan Ragan following his introductory press conference and broke down what he’ll bring to Sacramento during his rookie year.
“Just a level of energy every day. A level of positivity,” Clifford told Ragan. “I feel like I could bring that every single day to the people around me and help my teammates be better and just push everyone around me to be better and want to get better.
“And then on the court, versatility. Being able to go out there and defend, rebound, just play super hard. And then when I get my opportunity to knock down shots and make the right play offensively.”
Clifford’s versatility is what attracted the Kings to him, as he takes great pride in being a two-way player.
The former Colorado State standout told Ragan that mindset began at an early age.
“I think it goes back to how I was raised,” Clifford said. “My dad always taught me to play both ends of the floor. You have to take pride offensively just as much as you do defensively. Not wanting your man to score on you. I was just instilled with that at a young age.
“You see the great players, Michael Jordans, the Kobes, people like that, they played both sides of the floor. I feel like that’s true greatness.”
This fall, Clifford will have to back his words on the court.
The Miami Heat have reportedly added a dynamic scorer.
Norman Powell is headed to Miami, John Collins is off to the LA Clippers and Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson and a Clippers 2027 second-round pick are going to the Utah Jazz in a three-team trade, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Monday.
The Heat get a skilled scorer in Powell, who averaged a career-high 21.8 points per game (24th in the NBA) with the Clippers last season while shooting 42% on 3-pointers. The 32-year-old guard spent three-plus seasons with the Clippers after being dealt from the Portland Trail Blazers in February 2022.
Miami is shipping out two veterans in Love and Anderson. Love, a five-time All-Star, averaged 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds across 23 games for Miami in 2024-25. Anderson, meanwhile, played just 25 games with the team and averaged 6.7 points per game after being traded from the Golden State Warriors.
The Clippers bring back Collins. The forward averaged 19.0 points (tied for the team lead) for the Jazz across 40 games last season. He spent two years in Utah after playing with the Atlanta Hawks for his first six NBA seasons.
The Miami Heat have reportedly added a dynamic scorer.
Norman Powell is headed to Miami, John Collins is off to the LA Clippers and Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson and a Clippers 2027 second-round pick are going to the Utah Jazz in a three-team trade, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Monday.
The Heat get a skilled scorer in Powell, who averaged a career-high 21.8 points per game (24th in the NBA) with the Clippers last season while shooting 42% on 3-pointers. The 32-year-old guard spent three-plus seasons with the Clippers after being dealt from the Portland Trail Blazers in February 2022.
Miami is shipping out two veterans in Love and Anderson. Love, a five-time All-Star, averaged 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds across 23 games for Miami in 2024-25. Anderson, meanwhile, played just 25 games with the team and averaged 6.7 points per game after being traded from the Golden State Warriors.
The Clippers bring back Collins. The forward averaged 19.0 points (tied for the team lead) for the Jazz across 40 games last season. He spent two years in Utah after playing with the Atlanta Hawks for his first six NBA seasons.
Brendon McCullum calls for pitch with pace and bounce
Injury-plagued bowler last played for Test team in 2021
Jofra Archer is poised to make his long-awaited comeback in the third Test against India this week, with Brendon McCullum, the England head coach, calling for Lord’s to deliver a pitch that has pace, bounce and sideways movement.
Archer, 30, joined the England squad at Edgbaston last week but was held back from what became a crushing 336-run defeat by Shubman Gill’s tourists. And now at one-all in the series, England’s seam attack seems likely to be refreshed amid a strong hint from McCullum that this means Archer’s return.
As Toronto Maple Leafs 2024 first-round pick Ben Danford finishes a battle drill at the organization's development camp, he receives a stick-tap from Jake Muzzin.
The 36-year-old, who moved into a development role with the Maple Leafs last summer after scouting for the 2022-23 season, has been working behind the scenes with Toronto's top defensive prospects this past season.
Muzzin would have calls nearly every week with prospects like Danford and 2023 sixth-round pick Noah Chadwick throughout the year, dissecting their game and, at times, texting them clips of plays from NHL games he was watching. He’d even come to Danford’s games, too.
"A couple times a month [I'd have calls with Muzzin]," Danford said in a one-on-one with The Hockey News Toronto on Friday.
"It was mostly just my kind of video, my shifts. If he would send me a text or something, it might be a clip of an NHL game on just that night. Maybe a D-man had a broken play and it turned into the other team scoring, like things you don’t want to see, so things like that.
"But when it was Zoom calls, it was just looking at my shifts, focusing on myself, really just watching me, how I can make my teammates better, plays I can do better, and stuff like that."
The 19-year-old Danford is coming off his third season with the OHL's Oshawa Generals, where he captained the club to the OHL Championship Final against Easton Cowan and the London Knights. Oshawa was able to steal one game from London before the Knights won the title and went on to win the Memorial Cup.
Cowan didn’t take to the ice during development camp, though when he spoke about Danford, he recalled how difficult it was to go up against him.
"Some people say he blocks shots like (Chris) Tanev, and he has sneaky-good offensive skill… I’m glad he likes me again [after the playoff series]."
"Once you hit that blue line, he’s coming at you and he’s coming at you fast. And he has a really good stick as well, which makes it a lot harder for a player trying to get by and not turn that puck over at the blue line."
When Danford arrived in Toronto a week before development camp, he was able to skate a few times with Tanev. The young defender praised the veteran defenseman for his character, both on and off the ice, adding he’ll be skating with him more over the summer.
"He’s been phenomenal. I’ve looked up to him for quite a few years now. I feel like that’s someone I can really learn off of," said Danford. "He’s just that rock-solid D-man that can contribute second-piece offense as well."
Danford might not have had as many points this year compared to last season, though he's certainly taken a step away from the puck. He's become stronger, more physical, and is constantly working on becoming a much meaner defender who'll one day step onto the Maple Leafs' blue line.
"His game is starting to calm down," said assistant GM, player development, Hayley Wickenheiser. "He's a great skater. He moves as well as anyone on the ice here. Sometimes he tries to do too much when he plays in the OHL with Oshawa, and we've just been talking to him about taking the time to play calm, getting inside lanes to block shots."
Throughout Toronto’s 2025 development camp, defensemen have raved about having players like Muzzin and Mark Giordano—who addressed the prospects—being around the facilities.
"Those guys were unreal NHL defensemen," Danford said. "To learn off of (Muzzin) and what he’s taught me already in my first year with the Leafs, I think, yeah, I just want to keep working with him. He’s great, we have a really good relationship."
Working first-hand with Muzzin this year has been an eye-opening experience for Danford.
"If I could ever play like the way he did, I’d be pretty happy with my NHL career. He was a feisty player, someone who was physical. He’d lay hits. He’s a two-way guy. He put up some really good numbers some seasons," the defensive prospect said.
"But defensively, just his details, and I mean, he won a Cup. I mean, to do that, it’s a dream come true, so if I can ever do that, it would be awesome."
Chadwick as well.
"I couldn’t really ask for anything better. He’s a fantastic human being. Good character. He’s special to work with and passed a lot of good lessons on to me. Just hoping to continue to build my game with him as I step into pro."
Danford is a strong skater who can move laterally very well. He’s got all the tools to be an NHL defender, from the size, speed, and strength in front of the net. There are a couple of areas of his game that need work if he wants to step into an NHL role sooner rather than later.
"Who knows when I’m going to make the jump to pro, but I think I need to get bigger and stronger and faster," said Danford. "The way (NHL players) can move and stuff and how strong they are on pucks, that’s a really big eye-opener, so I feel like that’s something that I can really get better at."
The most important piece of advice he’s received from Muzzin, though, is to keep things simple with the puck.
"I mean it’s simple, like the word is simple actually," he smiled.
"To get to the next level, the coaches need to trust you and you need to limit your mistakes when you first come up, so that all starts now in junior. Limiting my mistakes, keeping it simple. When that first pass is there, take it, don’t overcomplicate things.
"Just use my skating to my advantage, we both think that’s something that can really help me to get to the next level, so I think that’s one thing, though, just really simplify things, don’t overdo things."
It’s a fascinating situation for Toronto’s top defensive prospects. They have someone a couple of years removed from his hockey career, helping them develop into players who hope to one day play consistently in the NHL.
A player’s game can get to another level when you’re constantly surrounded by players who are still in the league, or those who’ve retired recently.
"I feel like because he just retired, you can relate off him just as much," Danford said. "He knows what the speed and the game is like at the NHL level, he had a long career, a successful one, so it’s really cool to work with him and everything just because of that for sure."
Having players like Muzzin, Tanev, Giordano, and Kyle Clifford around, plus even Wickenheiser and Danielle Goyette, allows prospects an up-close-and-personal view of what’s needed to take another step in their game.
The hope for Toronto is that a few of these prospects can turn into homegrown defensemen who can play a key role with the Maple Leafs down the line, something they haven’t had since drafting Morgan Rielly in 2012.
"I think for these players, they love and look up to the players that played," Wickenheiser said. "When they talk, the players listen. They’ve been through it. They know what it’s like, and they bring a lot of wisdom and experience that they can still relate to."
(Top photo of Muzzin and Danford: Nick Barden / The Hockey News Toronto)
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
