SEATTLE, WA - OCTOBER 10: Troy Melton #52 of the Detroit Tigers pitches in the 10th inning during Game Five of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Detroit Tigers and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Friday, October 10, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jane Gershovich/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
While we’re a SABER based site that tries to keep a cool head, every baseball fan has their favorites. Whether due to personality, background, or skill set, some players just naturally appeal to you. In other cases, team needs push additional hope onto a player of still questionable ability. All these factors can play a role in rooting interest.
So who, perhaps even despite your better judgement, are you really pulling for in spring camp? Maybe there’s a reliever that caught your eye, or a minor leaguer you’ve believed in is finally getting a chance to show their stuff in major league camp. Perhaps you’re just particularly worried about a position like shortstop or center field, and hoping someone can really show out and lend some confidence at that spot headed into the season.
Personally, I can’t help riding with Colt Keith this season. It feels like most of the fanbase has already moved on from the former top prospect. Still only 24 years old, Keith has handled himself pretty well and been a productive hitter overall through two seasons. However, he hasn’t gotten to the power production we saw in the minor leagues, and has had stretches of looking a bit overwhelmed. It doesn’t help that the Tigers have had him preparing for a different position every offseason, without any kind of consistency to help him settle into the roster. That’s just a function of need, but I can’t help feeling like Colt is going to break through as a more impactful hitter through his mid-20’s, so he’ll be someone I’m paying extra attention to this spring.
I can’t help having a soft spot for Keider Montero as well. On at least 10 teams around the league, the right-hander would be a lock for a starting rotation job with the chance to grow in that role. Instead, he’s handled a lot of mixed use pretty well, and really came through for the Tigers in the ALDS last October too. He’s still flawed, but he does have the stuff to succeed and I’m hoping he’ll put it together more in 2026.
DENVER, COLORADO - FEBRUARY 9: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts after making a three point basket during the first quarter of the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on February 9, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Swann/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Vibes matter in the NBA. They always have.
The Cleveland Cavaliers built a historic 64-win team last year largely on vibes. Sure, immense talent across the roster is a barrier for entry. But we’ve seen talented squads struggle to play with the joy and harmony the Cavaliers played with last season.
Even the Cavs themselves had trouble replicating it.
This team fell flat on its face in the first two months of the season. Constant injuries threw multiple curveballs at them, while disappointing efforts and dysfunctional chemistry led to a 17-16 record by late December. Nothing was working, and the team was running out of time to figure it out.
During that brutal stretch to open the season, Kenny Atkinson referenced his championship with the Golden State Warriors — and how adversity can be par for the course.
“Everyone thinks it’s a smooth ride, but it definitely isn’t smooth,” Atkinson said. “That year we won the championship, I think we had a stretch where we went 7-16, we lost 9-out-of-11 at one point, 7-of-8 [in a different stretch] — nothing was screaming championship that season, as a matter of fact, it was like ‘oh my gosh, this is falling apart.”
That quote feels more relevant now, on February 10th, as the Cavaliers have won 16 of their last 21 games and have the best record in basketball since December 29th. They’ve turned things around in the midst of more injuries and franchise-altering trades.
All the while, they feel more legit than ever before as a result of overcoming their slow start.
“We’re continuing to show that [toughness],” said Sam Merrill after Cleveland’s latest win over the Denver Nuggets. “I say this all the time, it hasn’t been perfect this year. Wasn’t perfect last year, but I think this group is continuing to grow.”
The Cavs began their recent road trip with a few devastating blows. Darius Garland had re-injured his toe just a few games before the trip, while Evan Mobley would go down with another calf injury shortly after. So, Cleveland hit the West Coast undermanned and was promptly dismantled by the Phoenix Suns. It felt like this could be another two steps backwards for a team that had just started to gain momentum in January.
Instead, the team rattled off four consecutive wins and picked up some new talent along the way.
Jarrett Allen put up a historic 40 points and 17 rebounds to beat the Blazers. After that, the Cavs dealt Garland for 11-time All-Star James Harden in a gutsy, all-in move that shocked the NBA. Cleveland proceeded to thrash the LA Clippers one night after the trade — before welcoming Harden to their lineup for a thrilling win over the Sacramento Kings later that week.
The Cavs then traveled to Denver for their final game of the trip. Playing in high altitude after a grueling two-weeks away from home took a visible toll on them. They looked exhausted, at times, and trailed for 43 minutes of the game. Yet they never folded, and it was a combination of Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, and Jarrett Allen who pulled this team across the finish line for their fourth straight win.
“We found a way to get it done,” said Harden. “It’s our second game [together]. No practices, a couple of film sessions, not the way it’s supposed to happen.”
Getting this team back into a groove is one thing. Inserting another ball-dominant guard into the mix without throwing off the chemistry is another challenge altogether. Pulling off both of those feats in consecutive comeback victories is special. This Cavs team is harkening back to the good vibes that made them successful a year ago.
“There are so many things that we’ve found, and we still haven’t practiced yet,” said Mitchell. “We’re just hoopin off vibes.”
Talent can only get you so far. The Cavs saw this for themselves in November and December. But as the front office pushes the right buttons to add more talent to the roster, the Cavaliers have responded by getting themselves organized and on the same page. Winning only makes the process that much easier. Just as quickly as things fell apart, they can come back together again.
“It’s go time,” said Harden, before heading back to Cleveland for his home debut. You won’t want to miss it.
DALLAS, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 03: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks controls the ball during the second half against the Boston Celtics at American Airlines Center on February 03, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. 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 Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA trade deadline charts the course for the rest of the season, and now it’s in the rearview mirror ahead of the 2026 playoffs. In the wake of the trade wreckage, there’s a small inner circle of championship contenders, and a slightly larger group of teams with a puncher’s chance of winning it all. Some teams, even good ones, realized they probably have no shot at the title, so they decided to simply cut their payroll or make smaller moves around the margins that could impact the roster next year. Then there are the teams whose top objective was maximizing their ping-pong balls for the upcoming NBA Draft lottery for a stacked 2026 class with three potential No. 1 overall talents leading the way. Read our latest 2026 NBA mock draft for more on this class.
It was easy to see a massive tank race eventually forming even before this season started. Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer, and BYU wing A.J. Dybantsa were all no-brainer elite prospects coming out of high school who were destined to leave NBA GMs salivating. When North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson and Houston guard Kingston Flemings also emerged as excellent prospects in their own right, the 2026 draft had a legit top-5 that rivals any in my 13 years on the beat here.
The current NBA rookie class is already so good, and next year’s could be even better. As the trades were going down on deadline day, I noticed there were a ton of teams incentivized to lose every game the rest of the season if they could. It might be even worse than it looks:
We are about to see the gnarliest tank race in NBA history. The bottom 8 teams + the Bulls + the Bucks if they can pacify Giannis would all prefer to lose every game the rest of the season. There is no competitive integrity to be found here. pic.twitter.com/BnNhTNT1NU
Three of the biggest trades at the deadline involved tanking teams as buyers: the Jazz acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. for a package headlined by three future first-round picks, the Wizards made a shocking deal for Anthony Davis, the Pacers went out and got Ivica Zubac for two premium future first round picks. Does that mean that these teams are going to start trying to win games immediately?
Of course not! Utah’s pick is top-8 protected to the Thunder, and they just pulled all of their starters with a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter and lost. The Wizards have already indicated Davis and Trae Young probably won’t play a game for the organization this season. Zubac had been healthy and productive for the Clippers this season, and now the Pacers will have to figure out how to proceed with him after trading a top-4 protected 2026 first-round pick that morphs into an unprotected 2031 first-rounder if it lands in the protected zone.
NBA draft lottery odds by spot and rules
The bottom three teams all have a 14 percent chance at the No. 1 overall pick and a 52.1 percent chance to land in the top-four. Final lottery positioning is still important: teams can only fall a maximum of four spots after the lottery, meaning the team that finishes with the worst record can do no worse than the No. 5 pick, the team with the second-worst record can’t fall further than No. 6, and so on.
Here are the odds for the No. 1 pick and each top-4 slot from every spot in the lottery:
At this point, the entire bottom-10 is incentivized to try to lose out. Let’s run through the stakes for each team looking at the standings as of Tuesday morning:
Sacramento Kings (12-43): Tried to win with veterans like Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, Russell Westbrook, and DeMar DeRozan, but never had any chance. The roster never fit, and most of the key pieces struggle to impact winning despite putting up solid numbers. This tank is as ethical as it gets, but this franchise just feels hopeless.
Indiana Pacers (13-40): Gap year without Tyrese Haliburton. Pick is traded to the Clippers for Zubac, 1-4 protected. The Pacers basically decided they only want Boozer, Peterson, Dybantsa, or Wilson, and were otherwise willing to give up the pick. Pacers brass is going to be watching the lottery with bated breath. Indy deserves lottery luck more than any other team after watching Haliburton get hurt in Game 7 of the NBA Finals last year.
Washington Wizards (14-38): The Wizards will be resting Trae Young and Anthony Davis the rest of the season it seems. Washington’s rebuild could suddenly look really interesting if they can land inside the top-4.
New Orleans Pelicans (15-40) -> Atlanta Hawks: The Pelicans traded their unprotected 2026 first-round pick to Atlanta to move up to select Derik Queen. New Orleans was always in danger of being horrible this season, and that’s exactly what happened. The Hawks played their cards perfectly and could luck into a top prospect without tanking.
Brooklyn Nets (15-37): The Nets owe a pick swap to the Houston Rockets next year, so they need lottery luck now while they can still get it.
Utah Jazz (16-37): The Jazz are blatantly tanking by resting their starters in the fourth quarter. The Jazz would seemingly love to keep Dybantsa in Utah.
Dallas Mavericks (19-33): The Mavs have to get lucky in the lottery too without control of their first-round pick until 2031 due to trades the franchise made to build around Luka Doncic. Whoops. Dallas cashed in on a 1.8 percent chance from the No. 11 spot last year to Cooper Flagg, and needs to find him a co-star this year.
Memphis Grizzlies (20-31): Traded Jaren Jackson Jr. after trading Desmond Bane over the summer. The Grizzlies are loaded with future picks and are set to rebuild around Zach Edey, Cedric Coward, and the rest of their young core.
Milwaukee Bucks (21-30): The Bucks can pick as high as No. 2 this year with lottery luck, because the Hawks have the most favorable of their pick and the Pelicans’ pick. The front office probably wants the team to try to lose out, but will Giannis Antetokounmpo push them to compete if he comes back healthy?
Chicago Bulls (24-30): The Bulls have refused to tank for years, but finally played the role of sellers at the trade deadline. If the NBA wants to reward teams who don’t lose on purpose, the Bulls deserve some lottery luck. They haven’t had a top-3 pick since they selected Derrick Rose at No. 1 in 2008 despite having the NBA’s fifth-worst cumulative record since the start of the 2017-2018 season. The Bulls have some solid role players, but they haven’t had a superstar in a long, long time.
The NBA’s tanking problem could solve itself after this year … for a little bit
Why did the Jazz and Wizards both make win-now trades for veterans after being long-time tanking teams? My theory is because the 2027 NBA Draft doesn’t look like it’s worth tanking for. While we knew prospects like Victor Wembanyama, Cooper Flagg, and Cameron Boozer were studs by the time they were sophomores in high school, there’s no one that looks the part of a future NBA superstar yet in the current senior class. I’d say the top prospects in 2027 right now are Tyran Stokes, Caleb Holt, and Anthony Thompson, but none of them are even close to a sure thing. The 2028 NBA Draft also doesn’t have an obvious top prospect at this point.
Obviously, a lot can change between now and the day of the 2027 and 2028 drafts, but at this point I’m expecting weaker classes the next two years. I want to stress I could be very wrong about that, but it’s just how it feels right now based on the top player juniors and seniors plus the international classes. My guess is the Wizards and Jazz wouldn’t have made their deadline deals if another Wembanyama or Flagg was coming next year.
Every draft has good players, even bad ones. I covered the 2013 NBA Draft here when Anthony Bennett went No. 1. That was a bad draft. It also had two Hall of Famers picked after the lottery in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert, plus a ton of solid players mixed in. My two cents is that every draft has good players, but not every draft is worth tanking for.
The NBA has already introduced anti-tanking measures this year. These are all up for debate:
Shams: NBA looking into ways to prevent teams from tanking.
Proposed ideas include: – Limiting pick protections to either top 4 or 14 and higher – Not allowing a team to draft in the top 4 in consecutive years – Locking lottery positions after March 1
There’s nothing the NBA can do this year to discourage tanking. I predict the next two years won’t have anything like this tank race.
The lottery has given us some true stunners in recent years. The Hawks moved from No. 10 in the lottery to the No. 1 pick in 2024. The Mavericks moved up from No. 11 to win the rights to Cooper Flagg. That’s some hope to cling to for Chicago, Milwaukee, and Memphis right now.
Most teams still have about 30 games left before the end of the year. That means there’s going to be a lot of bad basketball in the name of trying to get the best odds possible to land a top prospect. I don’t think this will be an issue every year, but there’s no saving the NBA’s competitive integrity for the rest of this season.
MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 09: Players of Team United States pose for photographs during training on day three of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 09, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hockey will get underway this week at the Milan Olympics featuring NHL players for the first time in more than a decade.
Here’s a reminder and refresher that the rules at the Olympics will be a bit different than when you watch your typical NHL game.
During the preliminary rounds of the Olympic hockey tournament, if games are tied after regulation, there will be a five-minute 3-on-3 overtime, followed by a five-player shootout if the tie isn’t broken.
In the quarterfinals and semifinals, the overtime period will be extended to ten minutes.
In the gold medal game, there will be no shootout, but the overtime period will be played as 3-on-3.
During the Olympics, fighting is not allowed and the penalty for doing so is ejection. Playing without a helmet subjects players to a minor penalty.
Roster sizes allow teams to have a maximum of 23 players, consisting of 20 skaters and 3 goalies.
Teams are allowed to dress two more players than allowed during NHL play, meaning that a game lineup can feature 13 forwards and 7 defensemen.
Rink sizes at the Palaltalia Santa Giulia and the Fiera Milano arenas will be NHL-sized, smaller than traditionally used for the Olympics.
Feb 25, 2021; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; A general view from the left field corner of Clover Park during New York Mets spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
This post is part of a series of daily questions that we’ll ask the community here at Amazin’ Avenue throughout the month of February. We hope you find the questions engaging and that our prompts can spark some fun conversations in the comments. We’ll see you there and plan to have staff chiming in, too.
What are your favorite and least favorite things about spring training?
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 11: Caleb Durbin #21 of the Milwaukee Brewers is hit by a pitch in the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals at American Family Field on July 11, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Who is he and where did he come from?
Caleb Durbin is an infielder who played college baseball at D-3 Washington University (in St. Louis) and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 14th round of the 2021 draft. He was traded from Atlanta to the Yankees after the 2022 season for Lucas Luetge, and then again to Milwaukee after the 2024 season as part of a package that landed Devin Williams. A year later, Durbin comes to the Red Sox from the Brewers, along with fellow infielders Anthony Siegler and Andruw Monesterio and the 67th draft pick (Comp B), in return for pitchers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan, and infielder David Hamilton.
Is he any good?
It depends on where you’re setting your expectations. If you’re looking for the middle-of-the-order power bat that Craig Breslow stressed was a top need on multiple occasions, you’re not going to find that with the 5’7”, 183 lb. Durbin.
What you will find is someone with an average-to-plus hit tool, who can make the plays defensively at multiple positions, with a lot of speed on the bases. Durbin slashed .256/.334/.387 in his rookie season, with 11 home runs and 18 stolen bases, which led to third place in Rookie of the Year voting.
The ball is usually put into play when Durbin is at the plate. He was one of only five qualified hitters in all of MLB who had less than a 10% strikeout rate (9.9%), but also had just a 21st percentile walk rate (5.9%). On Monday, Breslow noted Durbin’s Air Pull%, which is well above average at 20.4%. For a right-handed hitter at Fenway, that’s never a bad thing, both for home runs and for doubles.
Defensively, Durbin started 119 games at third base, but just three games at second base for the Brewers in 2025. He was a +5 in Defensive Runs Saved at 3B, but was exactly in the middle of the range with a “0” in Outs Above Average on Statcast. He can also play shortstop in a pinch. With an emphasis on a staff filled with groundball pitchers, Durbin should be part of an improvement on the defensive side in 2026.
He’s getting hit by a pitch, something that Durbin can do with the best of them. He led the National League with 24 HBPs a season ago. While that may seem like a flukey stat, there is an art to getting hit by a pitch. If you have ever had a teammate who got hit by a ton of pitches and always found a way to make it look like an accident, you know what I’m talking about. Durbin had double-digit HBPs in each of his three minor league seasons, in significantly fewer plate appearances.
In fact, the Red Sox have brought the top two in HBP over from the NL, as new first basemen Willson Contreras was hit by 23 pitches a year ago. Is it possible that this was intentional?
In Durbin’s case, as mentioned earlier, his 5.9 BB% was in the bottom quarter of the league. But what if you include his 4.7 HBP%? A “walk rate” of 10.6% doesn’t sound so bad, and it’s a higher rate than Durbin strikes out at. In general, hit batsmen happened on 1.1% of the plate appearances in MLB in 2025, and Durbin was drilled at more than 4X that rate.
What’s his role on the 2026 Red Sox?
There were no definitive answers on day one from Red Sox executives, nor Alex Cora. It seems like Durbin would slot in at either second or third base, with Marcelo Mayer playing at the other spot. Upon prospect graduation, the 6’3”, 188 lb. Mayer had a 60-grade arm on Baseball America, where Durbin had a 50-grade arm. My best guess is that Mayer, with more size and a bigger arm, will play third base with Durbin starting at second, a position that he played the majority of the time coming up through the minor leagues. When left-handers are on the mound, Mayer may take a seat in favor of second baseman Romy Gonzalez, which may slide Durbin over to third base on those days. Roster Resource currently projects Durbin to hit seventh in the lineup behind Carlos Narvaez and ahead of Mayer, at least against RHP.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 29: Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians attends a press conference announcing a new seven-year contract through 2032, which extends the contract by four additional seasons, at Progressive Field, on January 29, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last year, the Guardians completed the largest comeback in MLB history to win the AL Central.
This year, the entire roster is set to return, with several top prospects knocking on the door to debut.
However, the team has slashed payroll by almost $30 million and failed to find a proven centerfielder or a proven right-handed lefty masher for the middle of their order. They also will be without elite closer Emmanuel Clase and up-and-coming young starter, Luis Ortiz, who are likely to be out of baseball entirely after allegedly gambling on the game. Meanwhile, the Tigers have signed Guardians’ nemesis Framber Valdez to pair with Tarik Skubal.
Are you more excited for 2026 than you were for 2025? Why or why not?
The Olympics break gives us plenty of time to observe, analyze, and reflect on what we’ve seen so far this season in the NHL. One topic that has been of interest to me on the NHL media site is the coach’s challenges statistics. Last week, I took a look at the offside challenges to see if Montreal Canadiens’ coach Martin St-Louis was right when he said he felt his team had lost a lot of goals to offside challenges. This week, I thought it could be interesting to look into goaltender interference challenges.
Of the 163 coaches’ challenges that have been initiated this season, 67 were for goaltender interference, and they led to 24 goals being disallowed. For a 36% success rate, given the fact that an unsuccessful challenge leads to a minor penalty, one has to be careful when using that from the coach’s toolbox.
How many times has Martin St-Louis tried to use it? Twice. How many times was he successful? Once, against the Chicago Blackhawks. He was unsuccessful when he pulled that card against the Colorado Avalanche, but there was no harm done since they managed to kill the penalty.
Which team has used that card the most? The Washington Capitals made six challenges, two of which were successful. Their four unsuccessful challenges led to two power-play goals against the Ottawa Senators and the Vancouver Canucks.
Four teams have made 5 coaches’ challenges: the Calgary Flames, the Blackhawks, the Senators, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Calgary was successful twice and didn’t give up any power-play goals when the challenge failed. Chicago also saw two goals being disallowed, and didn’t give up any power-play goals either. As for Ottawa, goals were disallowed twice, and there was no harm done on the power play conceded. Meanwhile, none of the Penguins’ challenges were successful, but they only gave up one power-play goal.
Just one team made four coaches’ challenges: the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Ontario outfit was successful three times but allowed a power-play goal when its challenge failed.
Which team has suffered the most from interference calls? Chicago. Conor Bedard and Co. are the only team with three goals disallowed, while eight teams had two, and five teams (including the Canadiens) had one.
It’s interesting to see that the Hawks, who are one of the teams that have used the challenge more often, are also its biggest victims. As for the Canadiens, it appears that they are much more disciplined around the net than they once were, back when Brendan Gallagher was younger, for instance.
Only twice this season has a team challenged a Canadiens’ goal for goalie interference. In contrast, in 2015-16, the first year those stats are available, a Habs’ goal was challenged for goaltender interference nine times, leading to four disallowed goals. There’s definitely been some progress there.
The Philadelphia Flyers can get a big piece of their 2026 draft scouting done just by watching the Winter Olympics this year.
Of course, the Flyers will be tuned in to see how the likes of Travis Sanheim, Dan Vladar, and Rasmus Ristolainen fare, but it's not just their own guys - veterans - who they want to keep an eye on.
Latvia, an underdog nation that always poses a tough fight regardless of their talent deficiencies, will be boasting a teenaged NHL draft prospect expected to be a top-15 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft in June.
Defenseman Alberts Smits, a 6-foot-3 rearguard who is already playing in his second pro season in Finland's Liiga with Jukurit, is primed to feature on a Latvia squad that has only Florida's Uvis Balinskis ahead of him in terms of NHL-level talent.
Rodrigo Abols probably would have been able to give the Flyers the inside scoop if it wasn't for his injury, but the Flyers will just have to watch Smits play for themselves instead.
Smits, 18, has played 37 games for Jukurit this season, scoring six goals, seven assists, and 13 points. The two-way defender plays north of 20 minutes a night fairly often for his club, too, which is an encouraging sign of trust and maturity in a pro league for a player of his age.
It's worth noting, too, that Jukurit was 12-41-6-1 last season, and with Smits now playing for them as a regular, have already improved to 14-23-3-6.
Still not great, yes, but the 2026 NHL Draft prospect has had an undeniable impact on the club.
Smits is big and rangy with his 6-foot-3 frame, is an aggressive risk-taker offensively and in transition, and uses his size and details to execute defensively.
The Latvian defender is neither Cale Makar nor Radko Gudas, but Smits has everything he needs to be a successful top-4 NHL defenseman, which should be attractive to the Flyers at this stage in the rebuild.
Perhaps a player like Edmonton defenseman Mattias Ekholm would be a fair comparison.
And, considering the massive investments the Flyers have made to the right side of their defense in recent years--Jamie Drysdale, Oliver Bonk, Spencer Gill, and Carter Amico all come to mind--they can't continue to neglect the left side or other positions of need.
Time will tell if they are in a more favorable position to land someone like Tynan Lawrence, but Smits should be right up there in this conversation.
The 18-year-old will be the only 2026 draft prospect playing in this year's Winter Olympics, so Smits is a unique situation worthy of the Flyers' undivided attention for the next few weeks.
Last Wednesday, the Spurs hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder in their fifth and final regular season meeting. In a release just prior to the game, the Thunder released their injury list:
Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) Chet Holmgren (low back spasms) Alex Caruso (right adductor strain) Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain) Lugentz Dort (right patellofemoral joint, inflammation) Isaiah Hartenstein (right eye, corneal abrasion) Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain) Nikola Topić (surgical recovery) Ousmane Dieng (not with team) Thomas Sorber (right ACL, surgical recovery)
Since 2023, NBA rules dictate that teams ensure star players are available for nationally televised and in-season tournament games that presumably attract more fan interest. The NBA defines a star player as any named to an All-Star or All-NBA team over the prior three seasons.
SGA is the reigning NBA MVP as well as All-NBA first team and an All-Star. Jalen Williams made All-NBA third team, as well as being named an All-Star.
According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, this triggered the investigation.
According to a league source, the NBA is investigating the Oklahoma City Thunder for player absences due to injury during their nationally televised game last week against the San Antonio Spurs.
If found guilty of “affecting the integrity of the game,” the Thunder could face possible fines from $100,000 fine for a first violation, $250,000 for the second violation and an increase of $1 million for any subsequent violation.
Upon hearing about the horde of injured Thunder players, I was taken back to November 2012 when Popovich was fined $250,000 for sending Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Danny Green back to San Antonio while the rest of Spurs played a nationally televised game against the Heat in Miami.
Can help but think this situation would make the greatest to ever coach the game smile that crocked little smile and chuckle under his breath.
Check back for updates.
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 07: Amir Coffey #2 of the Phoenix Suns warms up before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Suns fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The trade deadline has come and gone for the Phoenix Suns, and no splashes were made. And honestly, no splashes were needed.
Across the league, this deadline was shaped less by talent chasing and more by balance sheets. We are three years into the current CBA now, and teams are feeling it. Financial discipline won the week. Phoenix was no different. They moved out $7 million in salary by sending Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis elsewhere and took back $4.6 million in return. Mission accomplished. Under the luxury tax.
In a Western Conference that is unforgiving and packed with teams trying to separate, the deadline can be a chance to fortify. Add talent. Raise the ceiling. Push chips in for a postseason run. The Suns chose not to do that. Instead, they stayed the course they set back in October. Compete, develop continuity, protect flexibility. Keep the long view intact.
So what does that mean?
Did the Suns get better at the deadline? Did they stay the same? Or did they get worse by standing still while others shuffled pieces around?
That is the question now that the dust has settled and is the subject of this week’s Suns Reacts poll.
Cast your vote below. Then hit the comments and tell me why you landed where you did.
Avery Hayes isn’t the only Penguins prospect who is coming out of a big week.
Kale Dach, Calgary Hitmen forward and seventh-round 2025 draft pick, was named the WHL’s Rookie of the Week after racking up six points (four goals, two assists) in four games.
What's up, Dach?
For the second time this season, Pittsburgh Penguins prospect and @WHLHitmen forward Kale Dach has been named the @SandmanHotels WHL Rookie of the Week 🥬
This is the second time Dach has won the weekly honor. He was also named the WHL’s December Rookie of the Month after scoring 14 points (eight goals, six assists) with three game-winning tallies in nine games.
Dach’s former teammate Ben Kindel was racking up his own WHL weekly rookie honors during his first season in the league in 2023-24.
Penguins VP of Player Personnel Wes Clark said last June that the original plan for Dach, who was selected with the Pens’ final pick of the 2025 draft, was to have him play alongside Kindel for a season with the Hitmen.
Kindel ended up making the jump to the NHL earlier than expected, but that hasn’t stopped Dach from finding success. He has 58 points (27 goals, 31 assists) in 45 games this WHL season.
Dach, who turned 18 in February, is heading to the NCAA next year after committing to join Penn State.
Up in the AHL, Hayes was named the AHL’s Player of Week five days after scoring two goals in his NHL debut.
Hollywood script-writers could never dream up a week like the one Avery Hayes just had. But the reality is, he's the Howie's Hockey Tape AHL Player of the Week.
The 23-year-old forward was one of the first players the Penguins signed after Kyle Dubas took over in June 2023. He has 26 points (16 goals, 10 assists) in 32 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season.
The NHL isn’t the only league currently on break. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pens action is also paused until Feb. 14 for the AHL All-Star Game. Sergei Murashov and Tristan Broz are representing the Penguins at the event in Rockford, Illinois on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Feb 17, 2019; Sarasota, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles players stretch on the field prior to workouts at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
As the Orioles make their way to Sarasota for spring training this week, they’ve got an exciting new addition waiting for them. (No, it’s not a pitcher. If only!)
Yesterday the O’s unveiled a new, $23 million player development complex at their spring home of Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota. The 47,700-square-foot facility, which team president Mike Elias described as “the best spring training setup in the state of Florida,” comes with plenty of amenities for both training and entertainment.
The complex includes a biomechanics pitching lab, equipped with 30 cameras to help provide feedback on pitch design and swing mechanics. There’s a new outdoor turf agility field that’s about twice as big as the old one. And there are now four indoor batting cages and eight indoor pitching mounds to help players get their work in on rainy days. I’m kind of surprised the Orioles didn’t have those before, but better late than never, I suppose. Plus, the facility includes classrooms for scouting and player education, along with a player lounge featuring ping-pong, foosball, and video games. It seems like an impressive setup, and it’s doubly impressive that the O’s built the facility in less than a year, having only started construction after spring training last season.
If the Orioles make full use of these new amenities, good things can happen. Maybe a struggling pitcher will be able to use the biomechanics lab to make some key adjustments to his repertoire. Perhaps the upgraded agility field will help players get into better physical shape as they ramp up for the season. And maybe a team-wide ping-pong tournament can help boost camaraderie as the O’s roster looks to gel. Couldn’t hurt!
It’s a reminder that there are smart ways to invest resources into a team other than just signing players. (But to be clear, signing players is still important.) The Orioles saw an opportunity to revamp and improve their training facilities and made it happen quickly. On its own, a new spring training facility might not make the difference between a winning 2026 season and a losing one. But every little bit helps. And it’s a good sign that the O’s are doing what it takes to boost the organization by any means necessary.
There’s going to be plenty of attention on Dustin Lind, who’s looking to succeed where the previous two seasons’ of O’s hitting coaches have failed. Unlike those other guys, Lind has Pete Alonso to work with, which is a good start.
Meoli is beating the drum for the O’s to sign their young players to extensions. I agree, but if it hasn’t happened yet (Samuel Basallo excluded), I have the feeling it’s not going to.
Keith Law ranks the Orioles’ best prospects, including some you might not be as familiar with. I must admit that Andrew Tess was a new name for me, but Law is on his bandwagon.
My initial thought was “no.” But after thinking about it some more, my answer is still “no.”
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Five former Orioles were born on this day: right-hander Jorge López (33), shortstop César Izturis (46), catchers Alberto Castillo (56) and Lenny Webster (61), and the late lefty Billy O’Dell (b. 1933, d. 2018).
On this date in 2009, the Orioles signed free agent infielder Ty Wigginton. The man affectionately dubbed “Wiggy” was not a particularly good player for the Orioles, posting a 93 OPS+ and negligible defense in two seasons with the Birds, but somehow was selected to the 2010 AL All-Star team thanks to the “every team has to have a representative” rule. Good ol’ Wiggy.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 02: Justyn-Henry Malloy #44 of the Detroit Tigers looks on against the Washington Nationals during the third inning of game two of a split doubleheader at Nationals Park on July 2, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
DRaysBay works best as a place for community and conversation. Accordingly, in the lead up to the new season, we are posting “Daily Questions” in the month of February. I look forward to seeing you in the comment section!
The Rays have penciled in many starters that aren’t going anywhere — Junior Caminero, Yandy Diaz, Jonathan Aranda, these are all locks.
Which role player or guy on the fringe of the 26-man roster could come out of nowhere and surprise us this year?
