NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 25: Khaman Maluach of the Phoenix Suns speaks to the media after being drafted tenth overall during the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 25, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Maluach was drafted by the Houston Rockets then traded to the Phoenix Suns. 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 Mike Lawrie/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Who: Malika Andrews, Jay Bilas, Bobby Marks, Brian Windhorst, Shams Charania
When: Tuesday and Wednesday, June 23rd and 24th, at 5 p.m. Arizona Time. Tuesday is the first round, and Wednesday is the second.
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
TV: First Round: ESPN, ABC. Second Round: ESPN
As of right now, the Phoenix Suns have just the 47th pick in the draft, yet Bright Side is staying prepared with East Coast Correspondent at the Barclays Center, ready for the action.
The Washington Wizards will be picking first, where they’re widely expected to take either Kansas’ Darryn Peterson or BYU’s AJ Dybantsa. Picking second is Utah, which is likely to take whoever the Jazz don’t want of the two, or Duke’s Cameron Boozer.
After trading their first-rounder to the Charlotte Hornets during the 2025 trade deadline to get rid of Jusuf Nurkić, Phoenix looks to be without a first-rounder for the first time since 2023. In the first round last year, Phoenix selected Center Khaman Maluach 10th after reacquiring their first-rounder when they dealt Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. In 2024, they selected Ryan Dunn 28th after trading their 22nd overall pick to the Denver Nuggets for the rights to draft Dunn.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 22: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Kansas Jayhawks celebrates during the second half against the St. John's Red Storm in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The tape has been watched, the numbers have been crunched, and the 2026 NBA Draft cycle is finally coming to a close. The draft begins on Tuesday night with the Washington Wizards on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick. By now, everyone has an opinion on this class.
The Nets now take Mikel Brown Jr. over Darius Acuff: The tea leaves are suggesting that Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. will be Brooklyn’s pick at No. 7. This would be wonderful news for the Sacramento Kings, because they reportedly covet Arkansas’ Darius Acuff at No. 7.
It feels like the Hawks will choose between Kingston Flemings and Aday Mara: Atlanta has already re-signed C.J. McCollum, but it was only a one-year deal. Flemings is almost unanimously viewed as a better prospect than Mara. I don’t think this will be that difficult of a call for the Hawks. Flemings is the pick for this mock.
I was tempted to put a Michigan man at No. 9, but stuck with Brayden Burries: Basically everyone’s mock draft has Dallas taking Burries. I thought about putting Yaxel Lendeborg or Morez Johnson here as the Dusty May hire, but ultimately decided to finish the drill.
Let's check the latest NBA Mock Drafts for what the Dallas Mavericks might do… they seem to be a mystery
The Bucks have options at No. 15: Milwaukee brought in Labaron Philon for a workout during the pre-draft process, so I’m assuming they like him. The other guys they brought in for workouts are already gone in this projection (Acuff, Brown, and Lendeborg), and I doubt Cenac is a realistic option here. The Bucks already have two pretty good guards in Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr., and they also added another developmental guard in Kasparas Jakucionis in the Giannis trade. Morez Johnson and Karim Lopez could also make sense here.
I have no idea what the Bulls do at No. 15: I think Chicago would run to select Morez Johnson or Aday Mara, but both are off the board in this projection. I have Hannes Steinbach tabbed here. He’s one of my favorite players in the class (No. 10 on my final board), but he’s not exactly the defensive anchor the Bulls need next to Caleb Wilson long-term. It’s worth noting the Bulls added another center on Monday by taking on Nic Claxton from the Nets in the three-team Julius Randle deal. I have no idea which way new top executive Bryson Graham would be leaning if the board breaks like this.
Chris Cenac falls: I put Cenac top-20 a couple days ago, but that feels a bit too rich. He feels like a little bit of a project as a toolsy big man who needs to develop both physically and mentally right now. Cenac drops to the Knicks at No. 24 in this mock while San Antonio goes with a more ready-made contributor in Baylor wing Cam Carr.
How to watch the 2026 NBA Draft
Here’s how to watch the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft:
Date: Tuesday, June 23
TV and streaming: ESPN
Time: 8 p.m. ET
The second round will begin at the same time and on the same network on Wednesday, June 24.
Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Carter Bryant stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 14th pick by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Arizona has been having men’s basketball players drafted since before the NBA was a thing.
The first Wildcat selected to play pro ball was Linc Richmond, who in 1948 was taken in the 4th round of the Basketball Association of America Draft, though he returned to the UA for one more season and never played professionally. The BAA and National Basketball League would merge a year later to form the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The first UA player to get drafted into the NBA and play was Leon Blevins, a 7th-round pick in 1950 who appeared in two games for the Indianapolis Olympians.
All told, Arizona has had 79 NBA/ABA draft picks, a number that will go up by at least two this week. And with Brayden Burries a lock to go in the 1st round Tuesday, while Koa Peat could join him later on, the Wildcats also are set to climb the list of schools with the most first-rounders.
The UA currently ranks 8th all-time, with 27. That’s one behind Indiana, which isn’t likely to add to its total, giving Arizona the chance to move up to 7th if Burries and Peat both go in the first round.
Kentucky is No. 1, at 60, with Duke right behind it with 59 and then North Carolina (55).
Arizona last had consecutive drafts with a 1st-round pick in 2017 (Lauri Markannen) and 2018 (Deandre Ayton). It’s had multiple first rounders on five occasions, most recently in 22nd when Bennedict Mathurin went 6th overall and Dalen Terry 18th.
Assuming he doesn’t fall out of the top 14, Burries would be Arizona’s 18th lottery pick.
Though they aren’t likely to hear their names called during the first round, Wednesday’s second round could see as many as three UA players (Tobe Awaka, Jaden Bradley and Anthony Dell’Orso) get picked. The only time Arizona has produced four draft picks in one year was in 2001 when Richard Jefferson went 13th overall to the Houston Rockets while Gilbert Arenas, Michael Wright and Loren Woods were all 2nd-round selections.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 25: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks prior to the start of the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 25, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. 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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA Draft will be held tonight and tomorrow at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the new home of Julius Randle. For once, the Knicks are not scouting for a young buck who can elevate their roster–because they won the championship! You may still have a scrap of confetti lodged in the back of your throat. It’s the cost of fandom.
Free of desperation, Leon Rose & Co. can use tonight’s picks (24, 31, 55) in any number of ways, whether by selecting three talents to be developed at the Westchester farm; swapping for better positioning or an active player, or even punting on the draft altogether.
Leon has never been afraid to hop around the board, and championship contenders often consolidate draft assets rather than adding multiple guaranteed contracts. With the 24th and 31st picks sitting just seven spots apart, New York has ammunition to explore a move up if a desired dude begins to slide. This class of prospects is loaded with big young men, so we expect at least one to leave wearing an orange and blue cap. The Knicks might also pick up a guard while they’re at it. Read our draft guide here.
Details
Round 1: Tuesday, June 23 Time: 8:00 p.m. ET TV: ABC and ESPN Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY Streaming: ESPN App
Round 2: Wednesday, June 24 Time: 8:00 p.m. ET TV: ESPN Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY Streaming: ESPN App
The Trevor Zegras era in Anaheim was one full of high highs, but came crashing to earth with an unceremonious thud exactly one year ago today when he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for center Ryan Poehling, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick.
The Anaheim Ducks drafted Zegras with the ninth overall pick in the 2019 draft, and he’d be the first of seven top-ten selections in consecutive years made by the Ducks through their long rebuild process.
During two of the darkest years in the Ducks’ franchise history, Zegras became one of the faces of the NHL, dazzling with highlight-reel plays on a seemingly shift-by-shift basis. He was the Calder Trophy runner-up in his rookie year of 2021-22, scoring 61 points (23-38=61) in 75 games, and would follow it up with 65 points (23-42=65) in 81 games during his 2022-23 sophomore season.
A lengthy contract negotiation following the expiration of his ELC in 2023 caused Zegras (along with Jamie Drysdale) to miss the majority of the 2023-24 training camp, the first under then-new head coach Greg Cronin. After a surprisingly difficult start to the season, where he was attempting to play through injury, Zegras landed on IR with a lower-body injury (osteitis pubis) early in the season.
He would return to the lineup after missing 20 games, only to break his ankle seven games later. He’d finish the 2023-24 season missing a total of 51 games and only scoring 15 points (6-9=15) in 31 games.
During Zegras’ second stint out of the lineup, Jamie Drysdale was traded to Philadelphia, and speculation surrounding Zegras’ future with the Ducks began. From there, his name was in trade rumors for the next 18 months until his eventual departure seemingly became an inevitability.
With rumors and speculation swirling for the duration and Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek appearing non-comital toward his talented forward’s future with the organization, Zegras totaled 32 points (12-20=32) in 57 games during another injury-riddled 2024-25 season.
Zegras’ hands are only rivaled by his vision and creativity on the ice. His game lacks the pace and intensity that many covet, but by all accounts (including former head coach Greg Cronin), he attempted to tweak and alter his game to fit the club’s system and intended direction.
On May 8, 2025, the Ducks hired Joel Quenneville as their next head coach. The system Quenneville intended to and eventually implemented, along with his previous success with comparable stylistic players to Zegras like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Huberdeau, had optimists believing a Zegras bounce-back season with the Ducks in 2025-26 was in the cards.
To add to that notion, on June 12, 2025, five weeks after Quenneville was hired, the Ducks acquired Chris Kreider, an offseason training partner and friend of Zegras. With a new compatible coach and a new compatible teammate, it seemed like Verbeek was making moves to get the most out of Zegras as he was entering his prime NHL years.
Zegras was traded 11 days after Kreider was acquired, and that idea was put to rest for good.
Zegras, of course, had his bounce-back year with the Flyers, notching a new career high in points by scoring 67 (26-41=67) in 81 games and leading Philadelphia back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season and advancing to the second round.
The Ducks found success of their own in 2025-26, making the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18 with Ryan Poehling playing a huge role on the Ducks’ bottom six and penalty kill all season. He was one of their most effective two-way, shutdown forwards and contributed a career-high 36 points (11-25=36) in 75 games and added five more (4-1=5) in 11 playoff games.
Poehling will continue to be a significant part of the Ducks’ build toward contention, as on March 5, he signed a four-year contract extension that carries an AAV of $3.75 million.
With the second-round pick acquired in the trade, the Ducks selected forward Eric Nilson (45th overall in 2025), son of former NHL forward Marcus Nilson (48), out of Djurgardens IF in Sweden.
Nilson played the 2025-26 season for Michigan State in the NCAA, scoring 11 points (3-8=11) in 35 games during his freshman season and adding three points (1-2=3) in seven games for Sweden at the 2026 World Junior Championships, where he won a gold medal. Nilson projects as a competitive, two-way, middle-six center at the NHL level.
Verbeek’s cited intention of this trade stemmed from roster construction, as he felt Poehling filled a specific role he was looking for, and Zegras did not. Critics of this trade will reference timing as their biggest gripe.
As the months of trade rumors piled up, it became clear Zegras wasn’t in Verbeek’s long-term plans for the Ducks. It was also clear from the second that the trade was submitted that Zegras was sold at his lowest possible value after back-to-back seasons of poor production and injury came on the heels of back-to-back 60-plus point seasons to begin his career.
Those who felt the value was off will suggest Zegras’ value could have been increased by playing any number of games under Quenneville. Others will argue his value could have increased by simply waiting a week or two until the dust of the draft and free agency settled. Much like in 2026, the 2025 offseason, whether analyzing the trade or free agency market, didn’t provide enough available players for the number of teams looking to add top-six forward talent.
Ryan Poehling had an excellent first year with the Anaheim Ducks and will likely remain an impactful piece on the depth chart through his prime years in the NHL. Ducks assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Martin Madden compared Eric Nilson to William Karlsson at the time of his draft, and if Nilson reaches 80% of what Karlsson became, the Ducks will be overjoyed.
The snag with this trade will remain timing, as one may have hoped for a more sizable return when moving on from a talented former face of a franchise (and for a brief period of time, a former face of the NHL).
Jimmy Haslam is one of the rare sports owner to have his fingerprints all over a pair of massive deals in two different sports in the same month.
With the Milwaukee Bucks trading Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, barely three weeks after the Cleveland Browns traded Myles Garrett, Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo Sports reports that the Browns owner was a "driving force" in the decision to pick the Heat deal over an offer from the Boston Celtics that included Jaylen Brown.
As O'Connor explains it, "Haslam didn’t want to risk Jaylen Brown wanting out of Milwaukee in a year after dealing with Giannis and Myles Garrett trade demands." Instead, Haslam wanted the "certainty" that comes from having draft picks. (Until, of course, those players selected with the extra picks want out, too.)
Haslam's involvement with the Bucks is no surprise. It became clear last month that he’d be taking a more active role in the NBA team he partially owns.
Which serves as a reminder that owners always have the right to take an active role in roster management — regardless of whether they have the skills, knowledge, and/or ability to do so.
In Cleveland, Haslam has been the common denominator through the last 14 years of dysfunction. Now, dysfunction could be descending on Wisconsin's NBA franchise.
At least dysfunction is easier to spell than Antetokounmpo.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22: Taylor Ward #3, Leody Tavares #30 and Tyler O'Neill #9 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrate after ninth inning of a 6-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels during a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 22, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you didn’t know any better, if you hadn’t been watching the rest of the 2026 Orioles season, you could be tempted after a game like this one to conclude that things are definitely going to be okay with the Orioles. Maybe we are in the middle of where they’re finally doing it. Maybe. They certainly need games like this one to happen more often than they have been. Kyle Bradish had a masterful outing against his former organization, pitching eight shutout innings with nine strikeouts to help push the Orioles to a relatively easy 6-1 win over the Angels.
The Orioles led this game from their very first batter. Taylor Ward, who hit 36 home runs for the Angels a year ago, greeted his former team with a 419 foot home run over the center field fence. Ward, traded for Grayson Rodriguez over the offseason, has not been homering at such a mighty rate for the Orioles. This was just his fifth long ball of the season.
One run was nearly enough for Bradish to do the thing on its own. That’s not to say that it always looked that way. The Angels threatened to get the run right back in the bottom half of the first after a couple of one-out singles. We’ve seen many a game this year where the defense or the pitcher or both just collapse and give up the lead they just got.
On Monday night, Bradish did not do the collapse. He rocked. That first inning was the closest they ever got to scoring against him. He rolled through the next seven innings, never allowing more than one runner to reach in any other inning. The only time he let the leadoff batter reach base, he induced a ground ball double play immediately afterwards. And, crucially, he was fairly efficient with his pitches, the real thing that let him get through eight. In all, Bradish tossed 101 pitches. It wasn’t a complete game, but it was the kind of start the O’s have been sorely lacking from him and others this year.
While Bradish was dominating, the Orioles offense did not do that thing where they score early and then fall asleep. Well, mostly. Angels starting pitcher Sam Aldegheri did retire nine straight Orioles after giving up the leadoff homer to Ward. That streak came to an end as Gunnar Henderson drew a walk leading off the fourth inning. Pete Alonso muscled a soft liner that floated over the shortstop’s head into left field.
We’ve seen the Orioles blow plenty of “two on, none out” rallies this season. Coby Mayo ended any question about that happening by connecting on a bottom-of-the-zone changeup and driving it out into the seats in left field. It didn’t clear the fence by too much, but enough is enough. This would have been a home run in 28 stadiums, but not Camden Yards. On the road, count it as an Earl Weaver special, with the Orioles now holding a 4-0 lead.
The offense continued to add on for Bradish with a run apiece in the fifth and seventh innings, not that he needed it. In all, it was a strong, 11-hit effort. Henderson collected three of those hits, dragging his on-base percentage back over .300 for the first time since, if you can believe this, April 15. That’s another guy that the Orioles need to be able to have “back” if they’re going to sustain good things this season. Each of the top four hitters in the lineup scored at least one run and drove in at least one run.
Unfortunately, the win did not come without a cost, as there was an in-game injury that caused more than a little bit of chaos. Starting third baseman Blaze Alexander fouled a ball off of his knee on the way to striking out in the second inning. An inning later, Alexander was unable to take the field and the Orioles had to put in a sub for him.
Problem: With Jackson Holliday apparently not available due to groin tightness, with recent Orioles roster decisions leaving them bereft of any further bench infielders, and with Mayo already in as the designated hitter, that meant it was emergency substitute time. I’m talking Leody Taveras playing third base level of emergency, the first time Taveras has ever played anywhere on the infield in a professional career that spans back to 2016. Naturally, the very first ball in play after Taveras entered the game was a grounder to third. He fielded it and threw it to first. Alonso had to make a nice save to stop it from being an error, but still, the chance was completed.
After the game, manager Craig Albernaz said that Alexander suffered a contusion from the foul ball and it locked up on him an inning later. The Orioles don’t seem to be concerned about a long-term injury problem here, but unless Alexander and Holliday can play tonight, they might need to make a roster move for an infielder so they don’t have to get weird again. Taveras only got the one ground ball chance before the Orioles gave up the DH to shift Mayo to third in the eighth inning.
The Angels finally got on board in the ninth. Jorge Soler hit a leadoff homer against Rico Garcia. That continues a tough June for Garcia, as he’s allowed five earned runs in seven innings pitched. Even so, his ERA remains low at 1.95, and in Monday’s game that was the only guy he let on base, so the game never got too dramatic there towards the end.
This is the sixth time this season that the Orioles have won three straight games. They have failed to win a fourth straight the previous five times. Is this the time they can change that, facing the team with the worst record in the AL? Tuesday’s game will answer the question one way or the other. Shane Baz is set to start the 9:38 Eastern game for the Orioles, with the Angels sending Ryan Anderson to the mound. Anderson has a 12.83 ERA in five games. It’s time to finally do this thing, Orioles. It’s long past time.
**
It is the longtime tradition on Camden Chat to choose the Most Birdland Player after each victory. What is “Most Birdland”? It cannot be explained. You just have to feel it. Sometimes, this is the most valuable player of a game, and other times, it is not. Let us know your pick for this excellent victory in the comments below.
MILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 26: Junior Bridgeman speaks the during a press conference introducing him as a Milwaukee Bucks co-owner on September 26, 2024 at the Froedtert & Medical Science of Wisconsin Sports Science Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
According to all reports, Milwaukee was negotiating with both the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, who brought totally different offers to the table. The Bucks ended up accepting the Heat’s offer of young players and draft picks over getting a star player, Jaylen Brown, and a couple of picks from the Celtics. The latter deal was more similar to Cleveland’s return for Garrett.
Haslam was reportedly influenced by his recent experiences with Garrett and Antetokounmpo in pushing for the offer from the Heat:
Sources say Bucks owner Jimmy Haslam was a driving force in taking the Heat deal for Giannis over Boston’s offer. Haslam didn’t want to risk Jaylen Brown wanting out of Milwaukee in a year after dealing with Giannis and Myles Garrett trade demands. Haslam wanted certainty, and…
So, Haslam didn’t want a star player who might ask for a trade. Instead, he wanted players who maybe could become stars but wouldn’t be demanding a deal out of Milwaukee. The Browns/Bucks owner also wanted more draft assets for players who potentially could become stars down the road.
In a star-driven league with just five players on the court at all times, Haslam’s decision-making is questionable. At some point, Milwaukee will need a couple of stars if they want to get back to a championship level, and, in the NBA, those stars are likely to request/demand a trade if they are not satisfied with how the team is being built. A far bigger part of the NBA than the NFL that Haslam is used to.
To get here, it took whiffing on Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Kevin Durant (twice), Kyrie Irving (twice), James Harden, Bradley Beal (twice), Chris Paul, DeMar DeRozan and, yes, even Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Yet, with a midnight blockbuster Monday, June 22 that ships Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, team president Pat Riley proved, once again, that he can deliver a hoops wonder to Bayside. And with that, he appeased a fan base that had started to grumble and wonder if it was time for him to step down. Now, the hard work begins.
Make no mistake: this move triggers immense pressure. With Antetokounmpo in the fold, the expectation becomes that Miami is to compete for championships.
There’s precedent for that, too.
Since Riley took over the franchise, each acquisition of a legitimate superstar in their prime – from Shaquille O’Neal in 2004, to LeBron James and Chris Bosh in 2010, to Jimmy Butler in 2019 – has produced trips to the NBA Finals, at a minimum.
Those moves delivered the franchise’s three championships, and Butler was the lone addition unable to win a title.
Antetokounmpo, provided he stays healthy, makes Miami far more dangerous than it would’ve been under its previous roster construction. But does he catapult the Heat over the Knicks? Or a healthy Pacers or Celtics?
Antetokounmpo shrinks the gap, certainly, but the retooled roster still has massive holes.
For one, the Heat desperately need shooting.
Norman Powell, the 2026 All-Star shooting guard, is an unrestricted free agent, and the Heat would love to re-sign him. He’s a career 39.6% 3-point shooter, and Antetokounmpo’s gravity would only help create more space for him. But even if Miami is able to swing his return – Powell was spotted back in the building in early May so there may be mutual interest – the Heat will still need to add reliable snipers along the perimeter. They’ll have to do it on the cheap, too.
After all, the Heat did gut their roster somewhat, so they’ll have to replenish depth, especially at point guard and center, where Kasparas Jakučionis and Kel’el Ware were primed to improve.
The Heat will need Andrew Wiggins to decline his $30.2 million player option, with the hopes that he re-signs on a friendlier arrangement to open up cap space. Because if there’s one thing the last two NBA champions have proved, it’s that depth is essential, particularly if injuries mount.
Miami will also need coach Erik Spoelstra, widely considered one of the premier minds in the sport, to get in the lab and cook up a scheme that highlights Antetokounmpo’s transition offense and passing ability. He will have to find ways to expand captain Bam Adebayo’s portfolio.
The Heat project to be an exceptional defensive team; Adebayo and Antetokounmpo instantly become the top rim-protecting duo in the conference, and players like Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, Dru Smith, Pelle Larsson and Bobby Portis – also acquired in the Bucks trade – embody grit and defensive toughness.
That should help against explosive offensive teams like the Knicks and Celtics. The task, however, will be to score consistently, especially off of jumpshots.
Because Boston’s failed pursuit of Antetokounmpo proves president of basketball ops Brad Stevens grasps just how aggressive he needs to be to maintain Boston’s competitive edge. Put another way: just because the Celtics missed out on Antetokounmpo doesn’t mean they won’t relentlessly try to improve their roster. Expect them to be active in the coming weeks.
The Knicks launched a well-deserved celebration, but they’re built for cohesion and consistency.
"He keeps demanding that I land a whale," Riley told the LeBatard Show in February during the Miami Heat Gala when asked about Heat owner Mickey Arison. "I might be out there looking, but I got a guy in the chair back there with a big harpoon and that’s (executive vice president of basketball operations) Andy Ellisburg.
"And once I identify it, he goes schoooop," Riley continued, while arcing his hand in a fishing motion.
Riley and Ellisburg caught the one that had long eluded them, but the job is not done. Not close to it.
extremely rare evidence of Anthony Rendon playing baseball | Getty Images
After a rousing review of everyone’s favorite Mariners conspiracy theories last week, I decided to come back to a familiar topic: how much we, as Mariners fans, dislike the rest of the AL West. I asked everyone rank the other AL West teams from most hated to least hated in order to get the pulse of the general Mariners fan consensus these days, and the results had a few surprises!
I’ll throw some hot take rankings on the results using my patented and very scientific Mariners Hot Take Ranking System:
Okay, let’s get into it.
THE RESULTS:
Most votes for #1 most hated rival: the Houston Astros
Second most votes for #1 most hated rival: the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Most votes for #2 most hated rival: the Texas Rangers
Least amount of votes for any of the top 3 most hated rival spots: the West Sacramento Athletics
ANALYSIS:
Gonna go ahead and give a BEAVAN to ranking the A’s as the least hated rival. We all could have guessed this. Most of us still feel bad for all the fans who had their team sold and moved on them, only to have to suffer the further injustice of seeing the A’s play in a minor league stadium for at least two seasons a few hours away from the Bay Area in Sacramento. It’s a lousy situation all around and the final scores at that lil’ bandbox stadium reflect that. Whatever is going on in West Sacramento right now is none of our business as Mariners fans, even when the Mariners play there. I hope A’s fans find peace.
The Texas Rangers got a lot of votes for number two most hated rival, inserting themselves between the Astros and Angels in some fashion for most. I feel like hatred for the Rangers has increased in last 8 years or so due to their World Series run and their continued refusal to not have a pride night (the only team in MLB!), among other dubious choices and political signaling which I will not be getting into further. In fact, I can’t say any of the other things I despise about the Rangers without inviting commentary that will break the site guideLLines and make Sweezo want to Albert Belle me at the next softbaLL game (details coming soon!). Anyways, I give this one an IWAKUMA.
Ultimately I figured the Astros would continue their legacy of being hated for the top-to-bottom shitbirds they are, but the currently 32-48 (!!!) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim getting so many most hated votes surprised me a bit. Don’t get me wrong, I loathe them. They are a stain upon all that is good and just in the world of baseball. They are the last stop on countless players’ career journeys and have proven repeatedly to be extremely hazardous to pitcher health, even downright hostile. And that’s without even diving into the tragic death of Tyler Skaggs. Nevertheless, I thought that the Angel’s complete nosedive in irrelevancy (more so that usual even!) would have spared them some hatred, but nope! Mariners fans do not forget.
Speaking of not forgetting, ha ha oh yes the Astros. Boy, do we still hate the team that still fields players from the 2019 cheating scandal who were never actually punished. And we should because while MLB fined and suspended the owners, executives, and coaches, it’s still up to the court of public opinion to let these players know that a line was crossed and we still do not approve.
Giving these rankings of the Angels and Astros a BOSIO because to me there is nothing more workmanlike than clocking in to hate these bastards on any given day.
What did we miss? Any other personal pet peeves about the AL West rivals? Disagree with the rankings? Let’s hear it in the comments!
Vecenie: “Cenac has been an exceptionally difficult prospect to find a home for. The consensus seems to be that he’s going to go somewhere in the top 20, and he was among the second batch of players invited to the green room. However, the feedback I get from teams is that he’s more like a late first-rounder. He’s seen as a high-upside swing for teams that can afford to be patient and wait for him to improve his feel for the game.
“The 76ers need another big, and Cenac could potentially slide to the four at times if his feel for the game improves. But he is more of a project than some of the other players the 76ers could take. This is a very difficult team to mock right now, as sources around the league are still trying to figure out what new head of basketball operations Mike Gansey’s type will be.”
Woo: “The 76ers brought in a range of candidates for this pick last week and can go best available at this spot in new president Mike Gansey’s first draft at the helm.”
O’Connor: “Veesaar is an agile big with real shooting touch, connective playmaking, and baseline big skills with the ability to set screens and catch lobs. He also offers rim protection and is a locked-in help defender. He could even play next to (Joel) Embiid. In all three of his collegiate seasons, he made a massive leap in production each year. The Sixers would need that ascent to continue.”
Veesaar has major offensive talent for a center prospect. The 22-year-old Estonian posted 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game last year at UNC.
Mann: “The Sixers are in the unique situation of having a dominant center who likes to score near the rim sometimes and doesn’t have an appetite for the grittier work in the paint. So I get the sense that they are looking for a convergence of exceptional physicality, the ability to create offense in the paint and near the rim, and skill and versatility at the 4. Luckily, there are a number of candidates who can help them with that at this stage of the draft. Peat has an unusual cross section of lateral quickness and brute strength on the defensive end, and he’s also a pretty terrific passer once he’s caught the ball on the move inside the arc.”
Along with the basketball traits Mann outlines, Gansey’s front office certainly seems like it could be on board with the intangible impression that Peat is a winning, hard-nosed player.
Salerno: “Peat is someone who has been connected to the 76ers throughout the draft cycle. If he’s off the board, I see the 76ers going BPA. Evans went from almost strictly a pure catch-and-shoot 3-point specialist at Duke during his freshman year to a legit No. 2 scoring option on the No. 1 overall seed in college basketball. Evans almost doubled the amount of 3-pointers he took from this year to last and still knocked them down at a 36.1% clip.”
Kalbrosky: “Even though the All-SEC guard was not playing at 100 percent during March Madness due to injury issues, he played well in the tournament, recording 35 points during a loss against Michigan. He also notched 29 points in his first-round game and 12 assists in his second. The guard averaged 22.0 points per game this season, and he improved his 3-point shooting from 31.5 percent as a freshman to 39.9 percent as a sophomore, while also managing 5.0 assists per game in the process.”
Philon would be an interesting fit for the Sixers as a smaller guard; he was the lightest projected first-round pick at the NBA draft combine, weighing in at 176 pounds. The hope would be that his bucket-getting abilities translate to the NBA.
Carr’s stock rose when he scored 30 points and knocked down six three-pointers in a combine scrimmage. He averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists as a junior. Carr would be the second straight Baylor first-round pick by the Sixers, who took VJ Edgecombe at No. 3 last draft.
The Philadelphia Flyers may have missed out on a Brady Tkachuk trade that was never going to break for them, but they can still go out and strike a deal for a power forward to complement their current forward group.
With a bit of luck in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Flyers were able to come away with top prospect Porter Martone, who is now the only stereotypical power forward the organization has in its long-term top-six.
Owen Tippett has developed a power forward game, though he isn't exactly the type to muck it up like a Tkachuk would.
Matvei Michkov and Travis Konecny will, but they don't have the size to back up the bark.
To bridge the gap, and to get the power forward goal-scorer Flyers fans have long wanted, the front office can instead consult the NHL trade market.
The low-hanging fruit here, of course, is Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies, whose name has been dangled in trade rumors all year long. Plus, it has been widely reported that the 23-year-old nearly ended up on the Montreal Canadiens at the NHL trade deadline.
In any event, Knies remains with the Maple Leafs, who could still be motivated to find a trade in the right situation.
The 6-foot-3 left winger has scored 52 goals across the last two seasons, and still managed a career-high 66 points in what was an overall catastrophic season for the Maple Leafs.
Knies can hit, fight, and most importantly, score, and his age and continued ascension make him an obvious target for the Flyers.
Should the Flyers want to find their Tkachuk alternative at the center position and knock down two needs at once, they need only to look at his Ottawa Senators.
Cozens, 25, has dished out north of 200 hits in each of his last two seasons, comes with 30-goal upside, at a minimum, and can do a bit of everything.
His 17 minutes of average ice time tell us that he isn't being used as a No. 1 center, and perhaps he never will be, but with the Flyers, Cozens would get that opportunity.
Philadelphia covets Cozens's 6-foot-3 size, as well as his being a right-shot center, which head coach Rick Tocchet can use for matchup purposes.
Senators center Shane Pinto certainly deserves some consideration, but he cannot provide the same elements Cozens can despite the Flyers reportedly preferring the former the most.
While with Knies, the Flyers have already made one deal with the Maple Leafs, while talks with the Senators have been ongoing for sometime.
The Senators are reportedly interested in defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, so that is a logical starting point between the two sides.
Last but certainly not least is Dallas Stars superstar Jason Robertson who, while he doesn't bring the nastiness Tkachuk, Knies, and Cozens might, still plays a game that allows his size and hockey IQ to do the talking.
Undoubtedly a far better player than Tkachuk, Robertson, 26, is a pending RFA with three 40-goal seasons under his belt, which includes a 109-point campaign back in 2022-23.
It goes without saying that 100-point players don't grow on trees, and this is as good an opportunity as any for the Flyers to nab one for themselves.
Robertson is a complete 200-foot player who is among the most impactful forwards in the entire NHL.
That's someone the Senators could conceivably target to replace Tkachuk, but the Flyers have plenty of ammo of their own to compete with the package Florida just sent to Ottawa.
In any case, the Flyers will have to give in order to get, with no player on this short list coming in at a minimal price tag.
Player: Sergei Murashov Born: April 1, 2004 (22 years old) Height: 6’2” Weight: 185 pounds Hometown: Yaroslavl, Russia Catches: Right Draft: 2022, Pittsburgh Penguins (fourth round, 118th overall) 2025-26 Statistics: Five NHL games played (1-1-2 record, .897 save percentage, 2.56 goals against average) and 38 AHL games played (24-9-8 record, .919 save percentage, 2.20 goals against average). Contract Status: Signed through the 2026-27 season at a $936,000 cap hit before hitting restricted free agency ahead of his age-23 season.
Mursahov took a few major steps toward coming the Penguins’ potential goaltender of the future this season.
Part of that involved Murashov making his NHL debut during a four-game stretch in November, followed by one appearance in mid-December.
Murashov spent most of the season in the AHL, where he ranked third in the league in both goals against average (2.2) and save percentage (.919) during the regular season.
He improved those numbers even more with a 2.11 GAA and .931 SV% in the postseason as he helped the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins reach the Eastern Conference Final of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Penguins general Manager Kyle Dubas said last fall he felt goaltenders had the best chance of succeeding in the NHL after putting together “a very long stretch of dominant play at the American League level.”
With Murashov having achieved that and with Stuart Skinner hitting unrestricted free agency this summer, there’s a chance Murashov could be one of the goaltenders on the Penguins’ roster to start next season.
HDSV%: .800 HDGAA: 0.79 GSAA: 0.31 Shots Against/60: 22.25 Saves/60: 20.14 HD Shots Against/60: 3.97 HD Saves/60: 3.18 Rush Attempts Against/60: 1.32 Rebound Attempts Against/60: 2.38 Average shot distance: 36.31 feet Average goal distance: 21 feet
It’s difficult to draw any major conclusions from these numbers, which took place over just five NHL games. Murashov faced 15 higher-danger shots and made 12 high-danger saves over that span.
— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) February 28, 2026
Questions to ponder
Kyle Dubas said at the end of the Penguins’ regular season that whether Murashov could continue taking on a heavy workload during the WBS Pens’ conference finals run would serve as a “massive test” for the goaltender.
Murashov went on to start all six games of the series for the WBS Penguins before the team was eliminated in Game 6 overtime by the Toronto Marlies.
But that run is likely not enough to secure Murashov his spot in the NHL next season. Joel Blomqvist also had a strong season in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he posted a .913 SV% and 2.40 GAA in 26 games.
“My full expectation is that the two of them, Sergei and Joel, will be competing for a roster spot here this year… They both have earned, over years now, the chance to compete for that,” Dubas said in his end-of-season media availability.
The major question for Murashov next fall will be whether he is able to build on his AHL success to beat out Blomqvist, who has 15 games of NHL experience from the 2024-25 season, for a roster spot in Pittsburgh.
Ideal 2026-27
The ideal next season for Murashov could be earning a roster spot with the Penguins out of training camp and functioning as a tandem, potentially alongside a more experienced netminder, as he adjusts to the NHL.
Who that other goaltender would be remains to be seen, although Arturs Šilovs is an option should the team re-sign him in restricted free agency.
Bottom line
Murashov has already proven himself to be one of the best goaltenders in the AHL. The big question for next season will be whether he is ready to make the jump to the next level with the Penguins.
Final Grade
Murashov’s work with the Penguins arguably came over too small of a sample size for a grade at the NHL level, although the Penguins ultimately went 1-2-2 over his five appearances.
His grade at the AHL level has to be an A. Murashov was stellar throughout a campaign that led to him being named to the league’s Top Prospects Team as voted on by AHL general managers at the end of the season.
May 28, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Tyron Guerrero (41) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
There’s no such thing as too much pitching. Pitchers inevitably get hurt. Relievers go on cold stretches. Starters tire down the stretch. The baseball season is a war of attrition, and pitchers are the main casualties. There’s a reason why teams hand out minor league deals to every pitcher with a pulse during Spring Training. For the Red Sox, one of those pitchers was Tyron Guerrero.
Coming into the season, Guerrero had last appeared in the Majors in 2019 when he posted an ERA over six with the Miami Marlins. Since then, he’s spent time in Japan, Mexico, and the minors. His numbers didn’t jump off the page in any of those stops, but if you watch him pitch for about three pitches, you’ll know why he was given a chance back in the States — he’s huge, and he throws really, really hard.
Guerrero’s sinker averages 99.9 miles per hour. Among pitchers with at least 150 pitches thrown (an arbitrary threshold to include Guerrero), that ranks 5th in all of baseball, behind names such as Jacob Misiorowski and Mason Miller. When you figure in his 7.1 feet of extension, the perceived velocity is 101.3 mph, 3rd among 507 qualifiers. That isn’t enough to make someone stick in a major league bullpen, but it’s enough to give them a chance.
Guerrero has taken that opportunity and run with it. He allowed 4 earned runs over his first 3 appearances, ballooning his ERA to 9.82. Since then, he’s been lights out, allowing just 1 earned run over his last 9 appearances (7.2 innings). He’s struck out almost 40% of the hitters he’s faced this season and walked just one (2.1%). Last time he was in the majors, he walked over 16% of hitters while striking out 19.9%. In Japan in 2025, he walked 8.5% and struck out 21%. We’re dealing with a small sample this season, but the improvement is clear. The question is: is it for real, or is it small sample luck?
With so few appearances under his belt, it’s hard to say if Guerrero is for real, although there are some encouraging signs. The biggest of which is that he’s in the zone. His sinker’s zone rate is over 60%, the highest mark of his career. I don’t have his rates from overseas, but I’d be willing to bet the current mark is above those marks as well. His slider – his most used secondary pitch – is also above 50%. Those two pitches have posted well above average strike rates, helping him limit the walks.
Each pitch also provides whiffs. The sinker’s swinging strike rate is over 15%, while the slider’s is almost 20%. At 100 mph with movement, that mark feels sustainable. The slider, as long as it’s near the zone, should also continue to return whiffs as hitters gear up for the fastball. Seriously, how do you hit this?
That’s really all there is to the arsenal. Throw one million miles per hour and dare people to hit it. Every now and then, pull the string and drop in a slider. It’s a formula that’s worked for a long time and will continue to work as long as Guerrero is in or around the zone.
That’s all fairly uninteresting, but the Red Sox do have an interesting choice to make with Guerrero. Given his age (35) and contract, he’ll likely never hit free agency (barring a significant chance to the CBA). According to Spotrac, the righty is still pre-arbitration, meaning he has several years of team control before he hits free agency.
As I mentioned in the open, contenders always need bullpen help. Adding strikeouts to a bullpen is always an attractive proposition. Guerrero, with his premium velocity, might become a name that teams are circling ahead of this year’s deadline. But, should the Red Sox trade him? Dan Secatore described the tightrope the Red Sox need to walk at this year’s deadline yesterday. The pitching is excellent, the offense is not, but they’re not that far off from competing in a top-heavy American League. Despite a disastrous season, they’re poised to turn things around in 2027 and compete again with a few shrewd moves to bolster the lineup. Adding prospects, either to flip for other pieces or to develop into major leaguers, is never a bad idea.
At the same time, the Red Sox have not developed relief pitchers over the past several years. Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock have been staples at the back of the bullpen for a few seasons now, but Chapman is all but certain to be traded. Justin Slaten has excellent stuff, but he’s struggled with injuries and hasn’t been dominant for a long stretch. Outside of those finds, the Red Sox haven’t had any late-inning arms to rely on. With that in mind, do you hold onto Guerrero and trust him to continue his dominance, slotting into the seventh or eighth inning for 2026, or trade him now while there is some value to be had? I lean towards the former, but could see the argument either way.
Don’t look now, but the Detroit Tigers have gotten hot again, having won four in a row after beating the New York Yankees at Comerica Park on Monday night, 5-3. Framber Valdez held the visitors to just one run over six innings while Riley Greene and Kevin McGonigle led the offense to victory.
The Motor City Kitties have a chance to clinch their fourth series win against a division-leading team on Tuesday night with right-hander Casey Mize on the mound. The 29-year-old is coming off a quality start against the Houston Astros, which saw him surrender three runs on six hits (one home run) and a walk while striking out three to earn his fourth loss of the 2026 campaign.
Opposite him is left-hander Carlos Rodón, whose season was stunted by offseason elbow surgery and then tightness in his right hamstring during spring training that delayed his debut. Since finally making his first start on May 10, the 33-year-old has produced mixed results — his first two starts were rough, but he followed that up with three games of sub-1 ERA before regressing a bit over his last two outings.
Take a look below at how the two match up on Tuesday.
Detroit Tigers (34-44) vs. New York Yankees (46-31)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:Pinstripe Alley Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 79: RHP Casey Mize (2-4, 2.58 ERA) vs. LHP Carlos Rodón (3-2, 3.50 ERA)
