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John Tavares Attends Birth Of Fourth Child, Maple Leafs Make Changes Ahead Of Avalanche Game In His Absence

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares was absent from Friday's practice in Las Vegas for personal reasons. He travelled back home to be with his family for the birth of his fourth child, Tucker, head coach Jim Hiller revealed.

With that terrific news for the Tavares family, it also means that the 36-year-old won't be available for the Maple Leafs when they head to Denver and take on the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.

It'll be a big loss for Toronto in terms of the role that Tavares supplied in the lineup. He's scored a goal and three assists in his first five games and is averaging 17:10 of ice time per game so far.

As he's predominantly been the second-line center for his entire tenure with the team since joining in 2018-19, there is an opportunity for others on the roster.

Hiller decided to bump up Nick Paul to the second-line center position, with Easton Cowan and William Nylander as the left and right wingers, respectively. That left a third line with Gavin McKenna, Colton Sissons and Bo Groulx, and Zack MacEwen, Teddy Blueger and Brandon Duhaime on the fourth line. The first line remains the same as in the game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.

"I'm just thankful for the depth that we have in the center position," Hiller said after practice. "I think (Paul's) played really well this year. We've really liked him together with Sissons. Whether it's been McKenna or Cowan, they've been solid defensively and been a dangerous offensive line. So, I think both he and Sissons, they're solid two-way players, but there's offense there too. So, playing with Nylander and Cowan, I think that can be a good offensive line as well."

Though Paul is getting a likely short-lived promotion in the absence of Tavares on that second line, he doesn't intend to change his style of play very much.

"I think I just play the same way," Paul said. "Obviously, when plays are there to be made, obviously make them, but for me it's just hard forecheck, turn pucks over and get into their hands and in around the net. So nothing really changes from my game."

Paul has spent some time with Cowan, as they've shared the third line together for a considerable amount of time in this young season, but with Nylander is a different story. At any rate, Nylander thought their first look together at practice went well.

Maple Leafs Recall Miles Wood From AHL Marlies, First Time Since Blue Jackets TradeMaple Leafs Recall Miles Wood From AHL Marlies, First Time Since Blue Jackets TradeThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced they have recalled Miles Wood from the AHL's Toronto Marlies. It's his first look with the team since being acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

"I think it was clicking pretty good," Nylander said of his line at practice. "I haven't played with (Paul) yet, but I know what he's done in Tampa. I've seen him in the first couple of games here with us. I love the way he plays the game. I think it'll be a lot of fun."

Nylander nodded at Paul's competitiveness and ability to play on both sides of the puck effectively. "A very dependent guy," he said about Paul.

In Paul's first five games, the 31-year-old has put up one goal and one assist, scoring his goal against the Golden Knights, nicking the puck off his shin pad from a Darren Raddysh one-timer.

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Tyrese Haliburton hopes to squash Damian Lillard beef over signature celebration

At least one party in one of the long-standing beefs in the NBA is looking to make amends.

Indiana Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton opened up about his strained relationship with Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, dating back to intense battles during Lillard’s days with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Speaking in an episode of “The Zach Lowe Show” that published Thursday, Oct. 8, Haliburton addressed the origin of the rift, which came during the 2025 in-season tournament, which has since been rebranded to the NBA Cup.

It was then that Haliburton hit a big 3-pointer late in a game against the Bucks and then mocked Lillard’s long-time “Dame Time” celebration, by looking at his wrist, mimicking looking at a watch.

“Do I regret it? No, because it was obviously a lot of fun for our organization, and the run we went on in the in-season tournament was a lot of fun,” Haliburton told Lowe. “It just added to it, so it was fun.

“I think what I do regret more than anything is what me and Dame's relationship has become. Because he was a guy who checked on me a lot, early in my career, especially when I got traded. We talked a lot, and I got his permission to be announced as the letter O, because that's his thing."

Haliburton, the No. 12 overall selection in the 2020 NBA Draft to the Kings, was traded midway through his second season when Sacramento shipped him to the Pacers.

The two players have shared several links; both ruptured their Achilles tendons during the 2025 NBA Playoffs and both missed the entire 2025-26 NBA seasons. And both have battled throughout their careers, most notably during Lillard’s two seasons in Milwaukee, from 2023-25.

The Pacers and Bucks, who are Central Division rivals, produced several fiery games in which tempers flared; the Pacers eliminated Milwaukee in consecutive postseasons while Lillard was there.

"I would love to have a conversation, because I just think it became more than it ever needed to be," Haliburton added, referencing the "Dame Time" celebration. "A miscommunication. Put it on me. I was young. In the moment, I was having fun with it, but it was probably a little much, and whatever happened from there happened.

"But he's a guy who I have looked up to the majority of my life," Haliburton said. "Part of the reason I wear (jersey number) 0 is Damian Lillard. He's a guy I would love to at least be more cordial with again, but it's love, for sure."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tyrese Haliburton hopes to squash Damian Lillard beef over signature celebration

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Kings owner’s ‘prolonged roast’ of team backfires before season

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows A man wearing a white and blue baseball cap and a purple hoodie, looking at the camera, Image 2 shows Vivek Ranadive, Mike Bratz, and Willie Cauley-Stein smiling together indoors

The Sacramento Kings have been making headlines before the NBA season, albeit not for things they would like.

This continued with a story NBA insider Zach Lowe shared during an episode of his podcast that was released on Thursday night.

“I have a good Kings story for you… I heard this about a week ago; I’ve called up people who can verify it. It has been verified. They went out to [a] fancy training dinner, team, the whole team, the staff, everything. And at the dinner, Vivek Ranadivé spoke, and he kind of turned the dinner into a roast of lots of people in the room, telling them all the ways in which they have been failing as players, coaches, executives, whatever,” Lowe said.

NBA insider Zach Lowe sharing a story about the Sacramento Kings. (X/@ZachLowe_NBA).

“And I checked with the Kings, and they confirmed the gist of what I would say. Some people were alarmed and were like, ‘This is not going over the way you intended.’ Some people thought, ‘I get what he’s doing. He’s using the fact that we’ve become a media punchline to motivate us,'” he continued.

“He’s not saying, ‘I, Vivek Ranadivé, believe these things about you. But here’s what people say about you. Prove us wrong. But it was described to me as a prolonged roast that landed with some of the audience, and some of the audience not as much.”

Kentucky center Willie Cauley-Stein, right, smiles as he talks with Sacramento Kings majority owner Vivek Ranadive, left, and Kings assistant general manager Mike Bratz after a pre-draft workout with the Kings in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, June 11, 2015. AP

It would be interesting to hear about this “prolonged roast” from Kings players, particularly the ones who didn’t take kindly to whatever Ranadivé (who has been a Kings owner since 2013) had to say.

Sacramento Kings forward Leaky Black (19) gets poked in the eye by Los Angeles Lakers forward Adou Thiero (1) as he goes for a rebound during the second half of a game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, Oct. 8, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
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Pacific Northwest Sportswatch Daily Listings

(All times Pacific)
Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts
Saturday, October 10
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
3:30 p.m.

UCLA at Oregon — CBS

6 p.m.

San Diego State at Oregon State — USA

SOCCER (MEN'S)
7:30 p.m.

MLS: Seattle Sounders vs. New England Revolution — Apple TV

8:30 p.m.

MLS: Portland Timbers vs. Sporting Kansas City — Apple TV

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

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Bronny James’ ‘Just Can’t Wait to Be King’ rendition hits different after LeBron’s Lakers exit

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Los Angeles Lakers player Bronny James stands on the court with his hands on his hips during a game against the Golden State Warriors, Image 2 shows LeBron James in a photoshopped Philadelphia 76ers jersey during a game against the Brooklyn Nets

Bronny James is now out of father LeBron’s shadow on the Lakers.

Perhaps not having his dad in the Lakers’ locker room will free Bronny up to showcase more of his personality. It definitely freed him up to showcase his singing voice, which was shown during a Sports Illustrated video clip of the Lakers’ team trip to Slovenia.

Bronny James of the Los Angeles Lakers stands on the court during the second half of a preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center in San Francisco, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. Getty Images

The 22-year-old Lakers guard was climbing into a golf cart and belted out, “I just can’t wait to be king!” which is the title of a song from Disney’s “The Lion King.”

Clips of Bronny’s singing have gone viral on social media, and fans are pointing out the lyric’s irony, given LeBron’s “King James” nickname.

Bronny still has a long ways to go before living up to his father’s “King” moniker. After all, he averaged 2.9 points over 8.9 minutes per game during the Lakers’ campaign last season.

But Bronny should have more of a defined role on Los Angeles’ roster this season, in part because his father’s 33.2 minutes per game must be taken by somebody after LeBron joined the 76ers in free agency.

LeBron James of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Oct. 8, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images

Lakers fans would love if Bronny was able to turn these song lyrics he was singing into the truth.

Bronny James of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during a game against the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Oct. 8, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
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Ways in which the Cincinnati Reds ranked last in 2026

St. Louis Cardinals v Cincinnati Reds

You may have noticed that there are Major League Baseball games being played in front of packed houses each and every day this week. You may also have noticed that none of them have featured the Cincinnati Reds.

That’s because the Reds, unfortunately, were terrible this year. And terrible teams don’t get to play October baseball.

For this, the first Friday of the offseason, we will turn back to the Red Reporter tradition of listing, because on Fridays around these parts that’s what we do – we list. Here is a likely incomplete list of ways in which the Cincinnati Reds ranked dead last during the 2026 season, a list that tells just about every possible story as to why they aren’t playing in playoff games this week:

Hitting

  • Strikeout rate (25.5%)
  • BABIP (.278)
  • Batting average (.229)
  • On-Base Percentage (.305)
  • Hits (1231)
  • Singles (783)
  • wRC+ (91)
  • OFF (-66.3)
  • Swords (277)
  • Hit Into Play (3.536)

Pitching

  • xERA* (4.92)
  • BB/9 (4.19)
  • BB (668)
  • K/BB (1.94)
  • FIP** (4.82)
  • ERA** (4.84)
  • WHIP** (1.44)
  • Runs** (826)
  • ERA-** (113)
  • SIERA* (4.52)
  • Exit Velocity* (89.5)
  • Barrel %* (8.7%)

Fielding

  • rSZ (-12)

These are all the ways in which the 2026 Cincinnati Reds were last, according to FanGraphs. Good thing it was only hitting the ball, pitching the ball, and fielding the ball where they struggled.

* last except for the Colorado Rockies, who barely even exist

** last except for the Colorado Rockies, who barely exist, and the Athletics, who have no home and played in a AAA stadium

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Canadiens’ Engstrom Had Good First Test

Amid the turmoil of the Montreal Canadiens’ defeat to the Nashville Predators, defenseman Adam Engstrom finally earned a spot in the lineup after watching the Canadiens' first three games from the press gallery. The Swede was paired with Arber Xhekaj, and the youngster played on his off side, on the right.

While it wasn't easy, Engstrom made it look effortless, repeatedly picking up the puck on his backhand before quickly getting it back to his strong side. He had some early jitters and committed two giveaways, but both were in the first frame, and he tidied up his play after that.

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After the game, the 22-year-old was pleased with his team’s performance despite the loss:

It felt good; we controlled the game, but they got a couple of bounces and scored on their power plays. I mean, we outshot them pretty heavily, so sometimes that stuff happens, and they got the win today, so I think we played a pretty good game.
- Engstrom on the team's performance

Even though it was his first game this season, he ended up on the penalty kill in the third frame after Arber Xhekaj got a 10-minute misconduct at the end of the second frame. That didn’t surprise him:

One of our D who usually kills got in the penalty box, so they needed me, and I’ve been practising PK; I play it in Laval too, so it was nothing special for me.
- Engstrom on playing on the PK

It’s still a big vote of confidence from the coaches, though; they could have gone with four more experienced options: Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Alexandre Carrier and Lane Hutson, all of whom logged PK minutes yesterday.

The Swede finished the game with a plus-one rating because he was on the ice when Alex Newhook found the back of the net, even though he wasn’t involved in the play; that also means he wasn’t on the ice for any of the Preds’ goals. He spent 11:49 on the ice and, aside from the early jitters, played well without needing the coach to shield him.

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Ditching Kevin Gausman: The Final Analysis

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 12: Kevin Gausman #34 of the San Francisco Giants looks on before Game 4 of the 2021 Divisional Series during Game 4 of the NLDS between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium on Tuesday, October 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

With the conclusion of Kevin Gausman’s 5-year, $110 million contract that he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays after the Giants left him on read following the 2021 season, we can now see if the gamble to replace him in the aggregate as the team’s co-ace or, simply, the #2 starter to pair with Logan Webb, worked out as well as ownership expected it to after Farhan Zaidi no doubt offered his recommendation.

It’s important to keep in mind that after the Barry Zito, Jeff Samardzija, and Johnny Cueto deals ($346 million for 21.7 fWAR across 2,407 IP) and the Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain extensions ($153 million for 1 fWAR across 781 IP), the team’s ownership group decided that long-term pitching contracts weren’t good investments anymore and effectively banned them.

Sure, the Giants did wind up signing Logan Webb to a 5-year, $90 million extension back in 2023, but that caught a pitcher just as he was entering his prime rather than pay a premium to get (mostly) the downside of a guy’s career. I’ve already written about how Webb might already be at that point, but the Giants only have two years left on that deal. Kevin Gausman’s free agency started with a big red flag: year 1 of the deal would be his age-31 season. Instead, the team opted to go with short-term solutions while they waited for the farm system to produce the next crop of Logan Webbs or Matt Cains. Did the gambit pay off?

I’ve already checked in on the strategy a few times over the years, including a Giants-Blue Jays Series Preview from July, but that was before the deadline. That post included this graphic, which covered nearly the whole topic —

But now, with the season having concluded and Gausman’s Cubs team eliminated from the postseason, we can now look back and see how the entire strategy played out. AND, also, that this graphic was missing a VERY important pitcher, who I’ll get to in a moment.

Gausman wound up making all of his starts in his 5-year deal, allaying the injury concerns. From 2022-26, he threw 911.1 innings in 157 starts, went 57-53 with a 3.68 ERA (3.93 FIP), 9.65 K/9, 2.33 BB/9, and 1.00 HR/9.

The #2 starter trio of Carlos Rodon (2022), Alex Cobb (2022-2023), Robbie Ray (2024-2026), and Blake Snell (2024) threw 918.2 innings in 167 starts, went 57-42 with a 3.69 ERA (3.31 FIP), 9.8 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, and 0.9 HR/9. Here’s that graphic, refreshed:

Well, by every measure, Gausman won the move. Even in in the traditional counting stats. The Giants saved themselves $1.9 million and lost 6.1 wins above replacement over the last 5 years. Those 5 theoretical wins wouldn’t have amounted to very much in the grand scheme of things — the Giants would still be 391-419 since the start of the 2022 season — but on a weekly or monthly level, Gausman pitching consistently might’ve had a positive knock-on effect with the rotation and then bullpen.

Or, he could’ve gotten injured.

And, of course, the other way the Giants might have eked out a win with this strategy is in the returns they got for Cobb (who was on the IL at the time and hadn’t pitched an inning for the team in 2024) or Ray (to division rival San Diego). But they held on to Rodon and Snell at those respective deadlines. Of course, Snell then threw a no-hitter in his first start after the deadline, but the Giants never seemed all that interested in keeping him at all costs. And the return for Gausman (I know I misspelled Tyl Southisene’s name, but I’m not editing that image again) seems like it could be solid for Toronto as much as the Giants’ returns could be; though, they obviously win by that comparison based on volume alone or simply because they got Jacob Bresnahan.

Now, you could argue that there was a tweak in the strategy starting in 2024, when the team knew Alex Cobb wouldn’t be healthy enough to start the season, and possibly miss a decent chunk of the year. So, they hedged a bit by trading for Robbie Ray (and alleviating some of the dead money owed to Mitch Haniger) and setting themselves up for the next couple of years. They also stayed engaged with Blake Snell until they landed him (perhaps to his and the team’s detriment). So, at some point, the team recognized that money had to be spent on the rotation. But, wow, nearly $34 million for 3 extra wins above replacement across 5 seasons.

To be fair, although the Giants let their fear of age and injury prevent them from committing five years to Kevin Gausman but instead give out shorter terms to four pitchers with age and injury decline in their profiles, they did aim very high and succeeded in bringing in two Cy Young winners and another who was both not 30 and had garnered Cy Young votes the previous year (Rodon). So, it’s not like they pivoted from Kevin Gausman to Adrian Houser and Tyler Mahle.

And you might quibble that Cobb doesn’t belong in this conversation at all. That he doesn’t amount to a co-ace or even a #2 starter. I don’t think that’s true, though. The reporting at the time suggested this was exactly the case. The Giants already knew they had a great one in Logan Webb, and so pairing him with a player of a similar profile helped him get better. So, Cobb belongs in the conversation. And he pitched well in the two seasons he managed to give them (he was an All-Star in 2023).

By the way, Cobb’s All-Star appearance wasn’t the only one of the group’s. Robbie Ray was an All-Star for the Giants last season. Carlos Rodon was an All-Star and got Cy Young votes in his lone Giants season. Blake Snell pitched a no-hitter. No postseason appearances, though, because the Giants weren’t good enough to make it into the lowered standard of the third Wild Card.

Gausman had Cy Young votes in the first two seasons of the five-year deal and was an All-Star in 2023. He didn’t throw a no-hitter, but he did have 3 complete games including 2 shutouts. He also made 8 starts in the postseason (and one relief outing) for Toronto and Chicago, posting a 4.12 ERA in 43.2 IP.

Spending $143.9 million over 5 years to come away with no positive memories but maybe 5-7 years of Jacob Bresnahan dominating at the major league level doesn’t feel like this strategy worked. The Giants seemed to have paid more than it paid out. At the end of the day, that was the concern once it became clear this was the team’s plan, and just because it’s come to pass doesn’t mean it should be shrugged off. But it also shouldn’t be totally condemned, either.

No, not because Cobb, Ray, and Snell spent a lot of time on the IL — injuries are a terrible excuse for sustained poor performance — but because it kinda worked? The Giants basically signed these guys in a pocket of high performance and got out maybe a season too soon rather than be stuck with a long-term contract that’s hard to move… not trying to compare that to Chapman/Adames situation the team now finds itself in, but it is interesting to note.

Wow. I can’t believe I’m not going to talk about the Giants’ decision to move on from Kevin Gausman ever again (unless they bring him back in free agency this offseason). But what do you think? In the final analysis, was ditching Kevin Gausman the right move?

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Boston Celtics Daily Links 10/9/26

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 28: The sneakers worn by Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 28, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

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Former Avalanche Defenseman Part of Historic Night Now Placed on Waivers

Former Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ilya Solovyov is back on waivers after the Pittsburgh Penguins made him available Friday.

Solovyov made Pittsburgh’s opening-night roster but has yet to play this season. If he clears waivers Saturday, the Penguins can assign him to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Colorado claimed Solovyov off waivers from the Calgary Flames on Oct. 3, 2025. He scored his first NHL goal with the Avalanche on Jan. 10, finding the net in a 4-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Solovyov after capturing his first NHL goal.

His stay in Colorado was brief. Ten days after scoring his first NHL goal, Solovyov was traded to Pittsburgh. The Avalanche received forward Valtteri Puustinen and a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Colorado later used the pick to select Shawn Carrier.

Solovyov Has Yet to Play This Season

Solovyov appeared in 14 regular-season games for Pittsburgh after the trade, recording five assists. He also played three games in the playoffs before the Penguins were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers.

Across his time with Colorado and Pittsburgh, Solovyov played 30 NHL games last season. He finished with one goal and seven assists while averaging just under 13 minutes of ice time per game.

His next move depends on whether another team claims him. If he goes unclaimed, Pittsburgh can send him to the AHL, where he would have a chance to keep playing while waiting for another NHL opportunity.

The Penguins have also welcomed forward Bryan Rust back to the lineup. Rust missed the start of the season with an upper-body injury suffered during a preseason game against Buffalo on Sept. 26. He returned Wednesday against the Washington Capitals.

Solovyov has already spent time with Calgary, Colorado and Pittsburgh. With his latest waiver placement, he could soon be looking for an opportunity with a fourth organization.

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Dillon Dube Doubtful For St. Louis Blues On Saturday

ST. LOUIS -- Dillon Dube missed practice on Friday and is doubtful to play for the St. Louis Blues on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets with a neck injury.

The forward, who scored a shorthanded goal early in the third period of a 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, went into the boards head-first after getting bumped by Will Smith early in the first period of a 3-2 overtime loss.

"We're just being precautionary, MRIs on his neck," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. "He went into the boards there awkwardly in the first minute of the game, I think it was. Obviously a tough kid that played really well for us in the minutes that he played. Scored a big goal that should have been the game-winning goal for us. We haven't gotten the results back yet.

"I'd say doubtful (for tomorrow), but I can't rule him out. He's got a lot of Western Canadian in him. He's going to rub a little dirt on the neck and he'll be fine."

Dube played in his third straight game and recorded his first goal in the NHL since Nov. 16, 2023, and should he miss Saturday, look for Zach Dean to move into his spot and play on the fourth line alongside Pius Suter and Ross Johnston.

What does Montgomery need to see?

"Tenacity, speed, physicality, relentlessness on pucks and starting to develop habits of our structure, where to stop, where to go, routes to be run," Montgomery said. "It's really early for him and we're trying to get him as many reps as we can so he can use his God-given speed to his advantage."

Instant Analysis: Blues Let Another Winnable Game Slip Away, 3-2 In Overtime To Celebrini-Less SharksInstant Analysis: Blues Let Another Winnable Game Slip Away, 3-2 In Overtime To Celebrini-Less SharksHome opener dampened by more solid play, lack of finishing; top line is doing Blues no favors right now despite creating more opportunities; McMichael, McTavish chemistry continues to shine;
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The Premier League is back: welcome to the new era of post-verdict unreality | Barney Ronay

As the top flight returns, armed with the knowledge its serial champions have been the authors of a 10-year sham supremacy, the first question is simple: how is it going to feel?

The internet: an apology. It turns out you were right. It was actually a simulation all along. Now, talk to me about chemtrails again. And yes, maybe Vinícius Júnior has been replaced by a handsome, baffled-looking waxwork.

Welcome to the weirdest weekend of them all. We are now post-judgment, post-statement, postlapsarian. As the Premier League prepares to snap back into what must be described, out of habit, as reality, armed with the knowledge its serial champions have been the authors of a 10-year sham supremacy, the first question is fairly simple. How is it going to feel?

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Jordan Goodwin is one of the most underrated players in the NBA

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 17: Jordan Goodwin #23 of the Phoenix Suns reacts after scoring against the Golden State Warriors during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 17, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 111-96. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Fourteen months ago, Jordan Goodwin was a waiver claim. He was fighting for a 14th roster spot.

Now he’s one of the first guys every Suns fan points to when somebody asks what changed in this building. Dillon Brooks gets the lion’s share of credit, and deservedly so. But Jordan Goodwin’s impact should not be discounted.

His energy, effort, and overall attitude every time he steps between the lines is contagious. And he’s only getting better.

Rewind: Shams reported the Suns would keep the 6’3″ combo guard for the 2025-26 season after he won a training camp battle, with guard Jared Butler believed to be his main competition for that final spot. This was after Butler had a monster preseason, and some Suns fans questioned the decision. A year later, he agreed to a three-year, $19 million deal to stay in Phoenix in June 2026.

Suns fans know by now… it’s no secret. Some national people know, but not to the extent they should. He is not talked about enough. And he certainly needs to be in the conversation about being an All-Defensive team guy. Because he is, and should have been last year.

In Detroit, Goodwin put up seven points on 3-of-6 shooting, six rebounds and three steals in just 11 minutes. Two nights later in Chicago, he had five points, six steals, three rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes off the bench.

That is nine steals and nine rebounds in 27 total minutes. I’ll repeat that.

Nine Steals and Nine Rebounds in 27 minutes.

This was no preseason fluke either… Suns fans know this is what he does. Goodie led the Suns with 106 steals last season, averaging 2.4 steals per 36 minutes (almost the most on the team).

He plays way bigger than 6’3”. At times, it feels like having an extra forward on the court.

Goodwin was second on the team with 136 offensive rebounds and was one of five guards in the league who averaged more than two offensive boards per game. Against the Pistons, three of his six rebounds came on the offensive glass. He is perhaps the best rebounding guard in the NBA, especially if you filter that to 6’3” and under.

Crashing the glass. Swiping the ball. Diving for loose balls. Deflecting passes. Pressuring ball-handlers. He truly does it all.

And now, the shot is falling. The offensive value feels like a bonus at this point. He is no longer just a defensive specialist. He is making teams pay for leaving him open. He can handle the ball and make plays for others when needed.

I will not stop writing about how much they missed him against the Thunder in the playoffs.

Stop calling him a glue guy like it’s a consolation prize. He deserves just as much credit as Dillon Brooks does for turning the culture around in Phoenix. The Suns got a bargain of a deal to bring him back, and I’m glad they locked him and Collin Gillespie up at the prices they did before they hit the open market.

Jordan Goodwin remains criminally underrated to many, but not to anyone paying attention.

PHOENIX, AZ – NOVEMBER 2: Jordan Goodwin #23 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on November 2, 2025 at PHX Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images