We're in the sweet spot of the NBA rumor mill season: The NBA Draft is behind us, NBA free agency starts in less than a week, and deals are getting done. We've had two massive trades already (three if you want to count Julius Randle to Brooklyn, which set the table for LaMelo Ball to Minnesota). What are the latest rumors? Here's a roundup.
Mitchell Robinson likely not returning to New York
Knicks owner James Dolan has been clear during a couple of interviews since New York won its first title in 53 years: He wants to keep this roster together, but he would not go into the second apron to do it.
That's where the math gets ugly, and why the Knicks traded out of the first round of the NBA Draft (first round picks get a guaranteed contract). Even with all their moves, expect Mitchell Robinson to be the odd man out, reports Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
Heard it’s unlikely Mitchell Robinson will be back with Knicks next season. He’s longest tenured Knick but also an unrestricted free agent. Owner James Dolan said he’s unwilling to pay into second apron so running it back with bench is not feasible.
Other teams around the league have been preparing for this, and Robinson — coming off a title run where he was crucial for the Knicks off the bench — will have a number of suitors.
Kawhi Leonard open to return to Raptors, Spurs
Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers are in the midst of negotiating a contract extension, but the sides are reportedly not close to a deal. Leonard, 35 and coming off an All-NBA season, is entering the final season of his current deal at $50.3 million, and the Clippers want him to take a healthy pay cut. Leonard doesn't like the number the Clippers are presenting.
Which has led to some speculation about a trade. However, if that happens, Leonard has some leverage because the team that deals for him will want him to sign an extension — and he would do that with his two former teams, San Antonio or Toronto, reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line. He would not do that with two other teams that have had their eye on him, Miami and Detroit, Fischer reports.
Toronto reportedly has been interested if Leonard becomes available. San Antonio has not been reported as an interested party, and whether the organization would want a reunion after a messy exit the first time around in 2018 is, to put it politely, up for debate. It's also unclear if any other interested teams (Golden State has been mentioned) would get a thumbs-up from Leonard.
Lakers reportedly open to Jarrett Allen for LeBron
With all due respect to Brian Windhorst — a genuinely good person and great reporter, someone I like and respect — this is a reach. At best.
Discussing a potential LeBron James return to Cleveland, Windhorst said this on ESPN Cleveland radio (hat tip Real GM).
"I think if the Cavs were willing to do that, they could have LeBron, obviously LeBron would have to want to sign with the Cavs," - @WindhorstESPN says the Lakers would KILL to get Jarrett Allen in a trade for LeBron. pic.twitter.com/WiFmIABUiE
"There is a thought process out there in Los Angeles and if the Cavs were interested in this, the Lakers would sit up in attention right now. That they would sign-and-trade LeBron for Jarrett Allen. I think if the Cavs were willing to do that, they could have LeBron. Obviously, LeBron would have to want to sign with the Cavs. But if your pathway to pay LeBron the money is to trade Jarrett Allen for him, the Lakers would kill for Jarrett Allen."
First, Windhorst is right, if LeBron wanted this and the Cavaliers were open to it, the Lakers would jump at trading for Allen. All Cleveland could offer to LeBron as a free agent is the veteran minimum, and if you think LeBron would play for the minimum you have not been paying attention to his career. Allen is set to make $28 million next season (and has two guaranteed years at $62.7 million beyond that), and a salary basically matching that number might be palatable to LeBron.
However, there are a few issues here. First, and Windhorst brushes past this but it's huge: Does LeBron want to return to Cleveland? He plays with his son on the Lakers, in a city where his family has made a home and is happy and settled. Does he want to move to Cleveland (or Akron) for a year? Does he want to leave the West Coast?
Second is the money issue. Completing a sign-and-trade for LeBron would hard cap the Cavaliers at the first apron, expected to be about $209 million. Cleveland currently has about $222 million in projected salary on the books, so while LeBron may take a little less and James Harden takes a lower per-year number on his extension, that's still $13 million to cut, which will hurt the team's depth. Then there's the question of just how open Cleveland really is to trading Allen, although they may have to in the coming years for financial reasons.
All of which is to say, this is a long shot. At best. But with the Lakers and LeBron reportedly not really discussing a number yet in any detail, speculation about his future will fill the void.
Other NBA rumors, news
• Detroit still interested in Herro. Tyler Herro reportedly is excited to be back in Milwaukee, where he was born, to play for the Bucks... except they may not keep him if the right offer comes in. Detroit, still looking for an elite second playmaker to put next to Cade Cunningham, is still interested, reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line.
• Atlanta picked up its $2.41 million team option on Mouhamed Gueye for next season, which was expected. He played a big role as a backup big for them last season.
• Expect Jazz to keep Walker Kessler. Don't take my word for it (although league sources have told NBC Sports that other teams don't think he's really available), listen to Jazz owner Ryan Smith on Run it Back.
"We love Walk. He's a big piece of where we're going."
San Diego Padres Catcher Freddy Fermin (Photo by Mike Nowak/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres welcomed Freddy Fermin back to the starting lineup after missing a little more than a week while recovering from concussion symptoms. He guided spot starter JP Sears to a victory and secured a series sweep over the Atlanta Braves. The lone negative is Fermin failing to make an impact from the bottom third of the lineup.
He went 0-for-2 in his return, which dropped Fermin’s season batting average to .145 with a disappointing .505 OPS in 124 at-bats. The lack of offensive consistency has been a season-long issue. The Padres cannot go through another rough stretch of the bottom of the order struggling to score runs.
It is time for the front office to acquire a better hitting option at the catcher position.
Padres reluctant to call-up Salas
At first when Fermin went out of the lineup, the Friars were reluctant to bring Ethan Salas to the majors. It seemed like a smart decision, as the organization wanted him to continue his development in Triple-A. But any thought of a promotion to the majors has been put on hold, as Salas has been put on the minor league injured list.
The organization seems to be at the crossroads, as acquiring another catcher seems inevitable. Fermin’s return should not deter the front office’s aggressiveness. It is time to find someone who can compete for playing time. Given the bleak state of the minor league system’s catching depth, it is wise for the Padres to look for answers on the trade market.
The lineup does not need a blockbuster move
Let’s forget the notion of a blockbuster move; the lineup does not need an impactful bat. But you want to deal for a catcher who can knock in runs from the bottom third of the order.
You may see Colorado Rockies Hunter Goodman or Detroit Tigers Dillon Dingler become viable catching trade options as we get closer to the deadline. Both are good pitch framers who can provide a clutch hit late in close games.
The front office will need to do its due diligence on identifying the right addition to the roster.
The Friars need an upgrade at the catching position. If they cannot secure the right fit for the lineup, it might limit their chances to clinch a postseason berth.
Four years ago, the hockey world saw a pretty similar Jason Robertson scenario that is occuring this summer. The superstar for the Dallas Stars took a while to come to terms on an extension with his team, but it ended up getting across the finish line.
Now, however, things may be a bit different.
Unlike four years ago, there is pretty legitimate smoke surrounding trade rumors. Multiple sources have reported that the two sides are still talking, but it's also been revealed that at least two teams - the Seattle Kraken and St. Louis Blues - were given permission to speak with Robertson about a contract extension, but he had no interest in signing there. He also, reportedly, already turned down an eight-year, $96 million offer from Dallas.
Jason Robertson has rejected an 8-year, $15mil AAV contract offer from the Seattle Kraken, per @FriedgeHNIC
The fact that Dallas is open for business on Robertson means there is a more than decent chance he gets dealt in the next 24 hours ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft. There are a few teams still rumored to be interested in acquiring Robertson.
On the surface, a marriage between the Penguins and Stars on a Robertson deal might not make much sense, especially for Pittsburgh. They have draft capital - more than any team in the next three drafts - but they only have three of their own first-round picks over the next three years. They have a number of prospects close to NHL-ready who are intriguing, but few who are blue-chip - in fact, blueliner Harrison Brunicke may just be the only "blue-chip" prospect in their system.
Some late evening chatter: - Belief Sabres inquired about Knies - Penguins, Blackhawks, Mammoth among other teams interested in Robertson - Teams calling Flames on Frost, Whitecloud - Oilers have discussed Nurse talks, and goalie search today - Some teams curious about DeBrincat
And, on top of all of that, Pittsburgh is in a period of transition. They made the playoffs last season, they have new ownership, and GM and POHO Kyle Dubas has expressed that the team wants to take "big steps toward contention" next season while also getting younger, which is hard to do without the premium young players to keep the team competitive while they continue to build.
Well, Robertson happens to fit that mold. And, as it turns out, the fit for both teams might be better than folks think.
So, what would it take for the Penguins to land one of the biggest 20-something stars on the market and one of the best players who will be available in the next several years? It will take a lot, but it might be something the Penguins can pull off without severe detriment to their future.
Dubas and the Penguins are in the midst of a pivotal summer in the trajectory of the franchise. Their new ownership - the Hoffmann Family of Companies - badly wants to win, they still have Sidney Crosby playing at a very high level, and they also desperately need elite talent either infused into their system or onto their NHL roster for many years to come.
If the Penguins want to be better next season, trading both Rust and Rakell - let alone, in the same deal - is quite the risk. After all, they'd be subtracting their two best wingers, both of whom produce around 30 goals per season and between 60-70 points. In some ways, this feels like an overpay for one guy.
However, Roberston is a 45-goal, 100-point player, and you have to pay up big-time to land these kinds of players. And, really, it may not be as much a detriment to lose both Rust and Rakell as it appears to be.
Robertson would be paired with one of the greatest players and greatest playmakers of all time in Sidney Crosby, which - no slight to Roope Hintz or Wyatt Johnston - is a significant upgrade for Robertson as far as a center who can aid his production even more. The Penguins will also - assuming he's re-signed - have Egor Chinakhov for a full season. He scored at a 34-goal, 69-point pace during his time with the Penguins last season, and Pittsburgh believes he has star pedigree.
Even with just those two, it's almost enough to offset the losses of Rust and Rakell. Add in the fact that, with the acquisition of Hendrix Lapierre from the Washington Capitals and the potential emergence of a center like Tristan Broz next season, the Penguins might be able to move Ben Kindel up to second-line center duties between Evgeni Malkin and Chinakhov or Tommy Novak, with the other flanking Crosby and Robertson.
Plus, there are options on the UFA market for the Penguins, too, to help offset that loss in the top-six. Mason Marchment comes to mind, as does Viktor Arvidsson. There's also the opportunity for one of the Penguins' younger wingers like Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, Mikhail Ilyin, or Avery Hayes to be slotted in the top-six alongside talent that should help them progress in a meaningful way. They can also flip Novak and some assets for an upside winger - perhaps for Jason's brother, Nicholas, in Toronto, who would probably love to play with his brother and who Dubas has some familiarity with.
The Penguins have the cap space to do all of this and sign Robertson long-term, and he would be around and still be effective post-Crosby. He's 26, so he's the exact kind of player Dubas and the Penguins should covet. Also, if the Penguins land Robertson, it's unlikely they'd be selecting in the top-10 of the draft next season, anyway, so that 2027 conditional first probably isn't going to be a franchise-changing player.
Sure, the Penguins could use some of those assets to trade up in the draft for a young prospect who is, ultimately, still a "maybe." Or, they could use those assets to acquire a certain elite commodity.
This is the type of player a team serious about contending short- and long-term pays up for. If the possbility is there, Dubas should throw out next to everything he can.
Sure, it's fair to question why Dallas would want two wingers on the wrong side of 30. Rust is 34, and Rakell is 33. Both are still very good and consistent players, but they are aging, and that's no secret.
Yet there are 50-60 goals between Rust and Rakell, regardless of their age. There are also 120-140 points between them, assuming they stay healthy, and they've developed chemistry from playing together for several years. Most of all, Rust and Rakell make $5.1 million and $5 million for two more years, respectively, and if the Penguins retain on one of them, Dallas would have both for around $8 million - $7 million less than what Robertson is allegedly asking for.
What does that mean? Well, it means that Dallas has more cap space to work with to build out an even better roster. They would be able to use the extra cap space from the money saved sans Robertson and any other savings from shed contracts plus the assets acquired in the trade to leverage for some coveted talent younger than Rust and Rakell.
Two firsts can land Dallas a good player. Then, they'd have Rakell, Rust, and said player, which could net more value than Robertson alone would.
When a team is in win-now mode like Dallas is, it needs to take the best available players, period. Getting, potentially, three very good players for one great player helps distribute scoring throughout the lineup and gives Dallas the chance to win in the near-term, as is the goal. A package centered on right-now help makes more sense for them than a package focused on futures, anyway.
And, even if they surrender those two firsts, the trade tree should age quite well: Whoever they get for those firsts should make an impact. Will Horcoff is a promising goal-scoring prospect who had a great first full season with the University of Michigan with 29 goals and 39 points in 40 games - and he spent half the season at age `18, scoring at a goal-per-game pace during that time. Quinn Beauchesne, a right defenseman, is more of a wildcard prospect who is farther out, but his raw skill and ability in transition are intriguing.
Maybe this has to be a three-team trade with something else signficant coming back for those assets from Pittsburgh plus a sweetener from Dallas themselves - maybe involving the Detroit Red Wings and captain Dylan Larkin - in order for the trigger to be pulled. But it fulfills needs for the Stars, and the near-term intrigue is something that could help them win a Cup within the next two years.
Well, that's the million-dollar question, isn't it?
Robertson has, reportedly, already turned down three offers, which means that he is likely trying to have some control over where he goes. This does handcuff Dallas a bit from a leverage standpoint, as teams are not going to trade for Robertson if he is not interested in signing long-term with them. Because of this, even if he technically has no trade protection, he basically kind of does.
So do the Penguins make sense for him? Maybe, maybe not. St. Louis is in a similar kind of place in terms of being caught somewhere between true contention and rebuilding, which is a murky place to commit to.
However, there are some encouraging things happening in Pittsburgh. Dubas has managed to infuse the system with some legitimate talent that should help the NHL roster in the coming years, and if he acquires Robertson, he certainly wouldn't be done working his magic. He is the exact kind of player Dubas wants, and he's the kind of player the Penguins desperately need.
And, at the end of the day, any extension would also, presumably, come with trade protection. Robertson could always ask out to go to a contender if things go very, very south for the Penguins post-Crosby.
But the prospect of playing for a team trying to make themselves sustainable contenders - and a team willing to pull all stops to make that happen - isn't the worst place to be. And that's especially true if the opportunity to flank one of the greatest players of all time in his final years and, perhaps, extend his shelf life, is in play.
If a potential deal between the two teams exists, it seems it would, ultimately, be up to Robertson. But, given the storied history of the Penguins and their out-loud commitment to building a winner - plus the results in the form of five Stanley Cups to show for it - it would be unwise to completely discount the possibility that Robertson may find intrigue in Pittsburgh.
Ben Humrichous went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft, as expected, but quickly signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Brooklyn Nets. Humrichous was overlooked coming out of high school but worked his way into earning an opportunity with an NBA organization.
Humrichous is originally from Tipton, Indiana, and graduated from Tipton High School as a zero-star recruit. He began his college career at the NAIA level before transferring to Evansville and eventually Illinois for his senior and super senior seasons. At 6-foot-9, he always had the physical tools to develop into someone capable of playing professional basketball.
The former Illini forward started his college career in the NAIA ranks and worked his way to high-major basketball at Illinois over his final two seasons. The Indiana native averaged 14.7 points per game while shooting an impressive 41.4% from beyond the arc at Evansville before transferring to Champaign. He averaged 5.8 points per game last season but was excellent defensively and on the glass. His commitment to getting stronger and improving defensively is a major reason why he earned a contract with the Nets.
It was not a smooth ride for Humrichous during his two years in Champaign, but he trusted the process and became a key contributor on last season’s Final Four team. He began his Illinois career as a starter and an important offensive piece before transitioning into a reserve role with fewer scoring opportunities. He could have left Illinois following a disappointing first season in Champaign, but he stayed, embraced his new role, and helped the Illini make a deep postseason run.
NBA Fit
It is unlikely that Ben Humrichous will ever appear in a regular-season game for the Brooklyn Nets or another NBA team, but he will get his opportunity this summer. He will join several former Illini on the NBA Summer League circuit as they fight for a roster spot.
Illinois fans have recently watched Coleman Hawkins, Giorgi Bezhanishvili, Quincy Guerrier, Dain Dainja, Marcus Domask, Justin Harmon, and Malcolm Hill compete in NBA Summer League. Former Illini Malcolm Hill grinded through Summer League and the G League before eventually earning his opportunity in the NBA. Humrichous and Kylan Boswell will be the next Illini looking to follow a similar path.
Boswell also went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft but get his opportunity to prove himself during Summer League with the Charlotte Hornets. It will be challenging for both players to make an NBA roster next season, but a continued commitment to development could give them a chance.
Humrichous is a versatile 6-foot-9 forward who can provide shooting, defense, and rebounding off the bench, much like the role he played at Illinois. Boswell is just 20 years old and brings tough on-ball defense and a different style than the big guards that have become increasingly common across the NBA.
Be on the lookout for the NBA Summer League schedule to watch Ben Humrichous, Kylan Boswell, Keaton Wagler, and several other former Illini in action this July.
The Mets had at least something go right for them, as Juan Soto avoided the injured list and was back in the lineup for the series finale against the Cubs after exiting Tuesday’s game with back tightness.
Carlos Mendoza hoped pregame that Soto — who also missed time earlier this season with a calf injury — would be able to play, prompting the Mets to release their starting lineup later than expected until they received some clarity. He hit third and served as the designated hitter, with MJ Melendez in left field. Mendoza, who didn’t have any clarity on when Soto could return to the outfield, was satisfied that Soto even wanted to play — as opposed to just being available as a pinch hitter after missing both games Wednesday.
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“That’s a good sign,” Mendoza said before Soto went 1-for-3 with two walks during their 4-3 loss in 10 innings.
A trip to the IL would’ve been another nightmare for the Mets in a season full of them. Soto, who entered Thursday’s game with a .299 average, .965 OPS and 17 homers, has been one of the only pieces of their lineup to produce.
Francisco Lindor just returned from his calf strain Wednesday and Luis Robert Jr. (lumbar spine disc herniation), Jorge Polanco (left Achilles bursitis, right wrist contusion) and Marcus Semien (left hip flexor strain) are all on the injured list.
Mets left fielder Juan Soto reacts after he grounds out with the bases loaded to end the sixth inning on June 25, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The hope that Soto was only day to day turned out to be accurate.
He avoided another stint on the IL after missing 15 games in April. The Mets, for once, caught an injury break.
“He looked normal,” Mendoza said. “There was no hesitation. I mean, he was swinging as hard as possible. Normal at-bats.”
Mendoza opened his pregame press conference with a statement about his native country of Venezuela, which sustained a devastating pair of earthquakes with 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes Wednesday. At least 188 people were killed, more than 200 people were trapped and more than 1,500 people were injured, according to the Associated Press.
Before the second game of the Mets doubleheader Wednesday, Mendoza said his phone “started blowing up,” and he was able to contact his parents after initially not knowing what was going on. His family and friends — as well as the family of Mets catchers Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens — are in a good place, Mendoza said, but the country was still navigating the aftermath of the tragedy.
“I want to send my thoughts and prayers to all the people back home in Venezuela after what we all saw [Wednesday],” Mendoza, who said he’s doing “all right” amid the earthquake. “Obviously there’s a lot of people, a baseball community that’s been affected by. Sending my thoughts and prayers there.”
Lefty Zach Thornton, who made his MLB debut last month, will pitch Friday against the Phillies with Christian Scott (right hip impingement) getting activated from the injured list to start Saturday. The decision comes after David Peterson was traded to the Cubs.
Thornton — the No. 12 Mets prospect, according to MLB Pipeline — allowed four runs on four hits while striking out three batters and walking two across 4 ¹/₃ innings against the Nationals in his lone MLB start. In 12 appearances and 11 starts for Triple-A Syracuse this season, Thornton, a fifth-round pick in 2023, has collected a 1-5 record with a 4.25 ERA.
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Lindor was out of the lineup Thursday after making his injury return Wednesday, with Mendoza acknowledging Wednesday that he’ll need to have days off mixed in before becoming an everyday player again. … Soto advanced to the second phase of All-Star voting. … Reliever Dedniel Núñez, who underwent Tommy John surgery last season, joined Single-A St. Lucie to begin a rehab assignment.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 23: Darryn Peterson poses on the red carpet prior to Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Utah Jazz are entering next season with a prospect many are considering the best prospect in team history. But is he really? Let’s take a look at all the prospects in team history and decide who were the top ten best prospects in Jazz history. It’s important to note that this is not a list of the best players in Jazz history, but the best prospects. Basically, how much hype and expectation did each player have coming into the league when they were drafted?
10. John Stockton
This was a choice between John Stockton and Truck Robinson. Truck Robinson was a second-round pick who was considered undersized but overcame it and became a monster rebounder and two-time all-star. John Stockton was famously booed by Jazz fans when he was drafted at pick #16 and played a backup role his first three seasons.
Because he was at least a first-round pick, Stockton gets the nod. But even he was surprised he was picked so high, most had him as a late first-round pick or later. Utah kept it secret that they had an interest, but probably didn’t have to.
9. Donovan Mitchell
Once again, this isn’t a list of best players for the Jazz, just the most hyped prospects in team history. Like Stockton, Mitchell talked about how he wasn’t sure he’d even be drafted when the Jazz picked him at pick #13.
What Mitchell did have was a fantastic wingspan (6’10” for a 6’1″ player) and impressive athleticism (40″ vertical). The signs were there for him to have some nice upside but no one expected him to become what he did.
8. Enes Kanter
Most people forget that Enes Kanter was the #3 overall pick. The pick was conveyed from the trade with the Brooklyn Nets. Kanter was a top prospect from Kentucky, but was ruled ineligible by the NCAA and didn’t play. Because he was from Turkey and there was no film on him in college, he was a massive unknown with all sorts of potential outcomes. A lot of Jazz fans were throwing out names like Dirk Nowitzki at the time, but that was clearly not what he became.
I remember poring over grainy clips from Turkey like the Zabruder film and not really having any idea what he could be. The fact that Kentucky wanted him encouraged fans like me that there had to be more to him than what we saw. Because of the unknown, there was hype, but it was nothing compared to the excitement we’re feeling right now.
7. Karl Malone
Because Karl Malone came from a small school and was little known, he didn’t have much hype at all coming out of school. He did have impressive physical tools, but there were questions about his style of play, and there were rumors that he was hard to deal with. Because of that, Malone fell a little later than expected to #13 in the draft.
It obviously turned out well for Utah, but it was not clear how things would work out for the physical specimen from Louisiana Tech.
6. Dante Exum
Dante Exum is the first player on this list who had some serious hype coming to the NBA. Utah was at #5 in the draft, and it was the hope that Exum could actually fall out of the top so Utah could draft him. With his large 6’6″ size with 6’10” wingspan, overzealous draft analysts compared him to guys like Penny Hardaway. Needless to say, Jazz fans were very excited about Exum.
When he joined the Jazz, the summer league hype for him was huge, and he gave fans something to cheer for with a great first game. Obviously, things didn’t turn out as everyone hoped, but the buildup to drafting Exum was fun, and Jazz fans had serious excitement about him. You had to be there.
5. Ace Bailey
Like Exum, Ace Bailey went #5 in the draft to the Utah Jazz and came with impressive physical tools and potential. So far, Bailey has shown real flashes of what he can do, much better than what we saw from Exum. He also had a better opportunity as the Jazz were tanking for a lot of his season, which gave him a lot of time to play.
The reason Bailey gets the nod here, and could be argued to be higher, is that before his college season started, many experts had him slated for top-3, even #1 by some. But his performance at Rutgers wasn’t quite as strong as expected. He still put up numbers, but they weren’t dominant, and there were some questions about his skill set. Bailey also received bad advice from his player-manager, Omar Cooper, and didn’t give any teams a workout. He tried to work his way to Washington, but Utah selected him even without a workout. Bailey is still receiving a lot of hype and has a chance to become a real star for Utah if he continues to improve.
4. Deron Williams
Williams came into the league with some huge hype as a draft riser who led his team to the national championship. He was considered a strong pick because of his high IQ, court vision, and strong frame. Because of his great positional size, he also looked like a potential star who could punish opposing guards. That’s exactly what he did.
Williams was such a good prospect that Utah made sure to get him by trading to draft him at #3. Williams went on to become a multi-year All-Star and a 2-time All-NBA Second Team selection. And no matter what anyone says, he outplayed Chris Paul during his tenure with the Jazz.
LAS VEGAS – FEBRUARY 16: Deron Williams and Chris Paul of the Sophomore team seen prior to the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend on February 16, 2007 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2007 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
3. Darrell Griffith
The Golden Griff was considered by many as the best talent in the 1980 draft, not unlike Darryn Peterson. His nickname “Dr. Dunkenstein” was well earned, with his legendary reported 48-inch vertical during the draft. Griffith was a national champion and Wooden Award winner, and Utah was excited to draft him as the potential face of the franchise and future star.
You could argue that Griffith probably deserves the #1 spot, so this might be recency bias, and the fact that I wasn’t there for Griffith. As the only other #2 pick for the Jazz, he is well-deserving of, at minimum, this #3 spot.
2. Dominique Wilkins
This is one of the more interesting notes in Jazz history. Wilkins was very hyped coming out of college and looked like the prototypical NBA superstar. His athleticism, size, and scoring were as good as they come. The issue was that he didn’t want to play in Utah. Utah drafted him and had to trade Wilkins because of his refusal to play with the team. Things have changed a lot since then, but we still see a little of this. The good news? It appears that Utah is slowly gaining a better reputation and will hopefully continue to prove itself as a place where players would love to go.
In his own words, here’s how Wilkins described the Jazz draft situation.
1. Darryn Peterson
Yes, Darryn Peterson really is the best Jazz prospect ever. His mix of talent, skill, and athleticism is as high as any prospect you’ll ever see. Coming into Kansas, Peterson was considered by many as the #1 pick. Because of his issues at Kansas, Washington was given enough pause to draft AJ Dybantsa, but that doesn’t take away from just how awesome Peterson has the potential to be. Personally, because of where he was mocked all year, and even up until draft night, I look at him as maybe the first #1 pick for the Utah Jazz. He’s for sure the best all-around talent coming out of college the Jazz have ever drafted.
But now, it all comes down to how he joins the team. The hype and potential couldn’t be highert, the hope is that he can live up to it.
According to FanDuel, Peterson has the second-best odds to win Rookie of the Year. If he plays at the level of his hype, that should be easy.
BOSTON — Trent Grisham could be about a week away from returning to the Yankees.
The center fielder met the team at Fenway Park on Thursday and is set to go through a full slate of baseball activities during this series — he did some defensive work in the outfield and took batting practice before Thursday’s series opener — before likely going out on a rehab assignment.
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Grisham, who has been on the injured list since June 13 with a moderate right hamstring strain, has a chance to return sooner than the Yankees initially expected if he can get through the final steps of his recovery without issue.
“He’s doing really well,” manager Aaron Boone said Thursday. “It’s been encouraging. He’ll probably hit the bases … a couple times this weekend while we’re here. But he’s getting close.”
Grisham will then “probably” play in at least a rehab game or two, Boone said, to make sure he is all good to cover center field before making his return.
Trent Grisham (12) celebrates at the end of the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Bronx, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice advanced to the second phase of All-Star voting Thursday, giving them a chance to start for the American League in the Midsummer Classic next month in Philadelphia (though Judge would obviously not be ready to play in the game because of his rib injury).
In the first phase of fan voting, Judge received the most votes of any AL outfielder while Bellinger finished fourth (the top six outfielders advanced).
Rice, meanwhile, finished second among AL first basemen, receiving just over half as many votes as Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Rice and Guerrero will be pitted against each other (as will the six outfielders) for the starting honor in the next round of voting, which concludes July 2.
Paul Goldschmidt, who led off the game with a double against Red Sox lefty Connelly Early, is batting .418 with a 1.323 OPS in 79 at-bats against lefties.
After the game, the Yankees optioned J.C. Escarra to Triple-A, clearing the way for Ali Sánchez to be activated off the paternity list Friday.
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This marks the second Yankees-Red Sox series since Alex Cora got fired, but Boone — who said he has spoken to his friend and former counterpart “a couple times” since he was let go — indicated it was still strange not to see him in the dugout across the field.
“Alex always had such a big presence to him that it definitely was a little bit different,” Boone said.
Fernando Cruz — who did not pitch Thursday — has stranded 28 of his 32 inherited runners this season, including 24 of his past 25 since April 25.
Jun 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) sets up to catch a fly ball hit by Texas Rangers center fielder Wyatt Langford (not pictured) during the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Rangers 6 Blue Jays 5
Well, they made it close.
A terrible night for Kevin Gausman, for the second start in a row. Tonight he gave up a run in the first and five more in the third, and that was pretty much the game. He did work his way through six innings.
And Simeon Woods Richardson pitched the last three innings, without giving up a run. Pretty soon he’s going to earn a change to be more than just a mop up guy. 10 innings and he still hasn’t given up a run as a Blue Jay.
Offensively? We didn’t score until the fifth inning, putting up three runs with back-to-back singled to start the inning by Kazuma Okamoto and Alejandro Kirk. A Nathan Lukes walk loaded the bases. Then a sac fly by Davis Schneider and a Myles Straw double brought in our runs.
And we got two more in the ninth. Ernie Clement singles and, after a Vladimir Guerrero strikeout, Okamoto hit his 18th home run of the season. But Kirk ground out and Brandon Valenzuela struck out and that was the game.
We only had six hits and one walk, so there weren’t many base runners. Clement and Okamoto had two hits each. Kirk and Straw had one each.
Just another one of those days where we didn’t hit enough. One for three with RISP but we didn’t have enough RISP. It seems to be the story of the season to this point.
Jay of the Day? Straw was the only one getting the number (0.10 WPA). Let’s give an honourable mention to Okamoto.
Other Award: Gausman (-0.29) and Vlad (-0.10).
Tomorrow we have Patrick Corbin (2-3, 4.73) against Nathan Eovaldi (7-7, 4.24). As I say too often, a win would be nice.
Jun 25, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) looks on as Boston Red Sox third baseman Caleb Durbin (5) hits a two run home run in the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
Good news! Apparently whatever ailment preventing the Red Sox from playing competent baseball at Fenway Park this year is contagious. The New York Yankees may have the best record in the American League, but tonight they put on a total clown shown and gifted away a rather amusing victory with a big, fat bow on it.
The Red Sox of course were still the Red Sox, going 1-12 with runners in scoring position and failing to score a single earned run, but for one night, their shortcomings were dwarfed by their opponent. If you go by official errors, the Yankees were charged with four, but it you watched the whole thing play out, it felt like they had twice that many.
It started early and often with two mistakes in the first inning: First Austin Wells got nailed on catcher’s interference, and then Cam Schlitter threw a ball into centerfield to set up a second and third situation for the Sox. Even though these two errors didn’t amount to anything, it was a major harbinger of things to come.
In the second inning, the Yankees started things off by letting this pop up drop (which was generously ruled a hit):
Once again, the Red Sox didn’t score – And they even failed to score again in the third and fourth innings despite another pop up dropping in foul territory.
However, in the bottom of the fifth, the flood of mistakes finally caught up with New York and the game turned rather quickly. On another night, the ball below becomes an inning ending double play, but with the circus in town, it went right through Amed Rosario’s legs to get the Red Sox on the board.
Later in the inning, Jarren Duran recorded a sac fly on a shallow fly ball to left field thanks in part to a very unimpressive throw from Jose Caballero. (To be fair and give the Red Sox some credit, they fully expected a throw like this and challenged his arm.)
Then came the big blow. In an inning that should have been over, the Yankees proved the even against the 2026 Red Sox, if you keep making enormous blunder after enormous blunder, you’re eventually going to pay the piper in this league. Here, it happened in the form of a Caleb Durbin home run down the left field line. It was definitely a Fenway home run, but the Yankees fully earned this one with the way they played all night, and so did Durbin for that matter getting back in the lineup one day after dislocating his pinky.
That homer turned out to be all the runs the Red Sox needed, but the Yankees were not done handing out gifts. Here’s Yerry De los Santos trying to field a bunt in the eighth:
Connelly Early: This is the other main story from the game that kind of got buried in the Yankee calamity. Early survived a shaky first inning, showed steady improvement the deeper he worked into the outing, and his fastball was touching 95mph. Great night for him in both the micro and the macro.
Garrett Whitlock: Nice bounce back outing after some shakiness in Colorado. He put up an easy, stress free zero in the top of the eighth.
Three Duds
Marcelo Mayer: 0-4 with two strike outs that also included a pop up with the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the eighth inning. If he had a halfway decent night with the bat, the Red Sox probably score ten runs given all the ducks he left on the pond.
Greg Weissert: Nearly set the game on fire in the seventh inning. Needed Danny Coulombe to get Ben Rice to clean up his jam.
Earthquakes: Normally, the third dud would go to either Wilyer Abreu or Willson Contreras, who went a combined 0-8 with three strikeouts from the three and four spots in the lineup. However, given what’s happening in their home country right now, they get a total pass for this one.
Pick whatever Yankee error was your favorite. Their incompetency powered the Red Sox win with Boston failing to score a single earned run all night. Let’s just hope the Yankees saved some errors for the rest of the series.
All-time greats have questions to answer in SW19 while Raducanu and Draper have to show they can stay fit
Serena Williams left it until the last minute to take the final available singles wildcard at Wimbledon and dramatically escalate her comeback from retirement. It is hard to imagine this was all part of her master plan. If she knew she was ready to compete against the best in the world from the beginning of the grass court season, Williams would have surely tested the waters at Queen’s Club or in Berlin, rather than playing doubles. But here she is, unable to resist the pull of Wimbledon, where she has won seven times in singles. Williams’s career has been filled with so many magical moments and at 44 years old, after four years of retirement, she is back at SW19 attempting to create a few more magical moments.
For what felt like the millionth time this season, the Mets made some mistakes in Thursday’s loss to the Chicago Cubs that cost them the game.
Tied 0-0 entering the sixth inning, Freddy Peralta, who had been cruising over the first five innings, got Dansby Swanson to hit a routine grounder to shortstop Ronny Mauricio. The ball was hit right to Mauricio and all he had to do was make the throw to first base for the first out of the inning.
Instead, Mauricio made a low throw and the ball skipped to first baseman Mark Vientos, who couldn’t handle it for a throwing error charged to the shortstop.
The error paved the way for Chicago’s three-run inning, all of which were unearned, and forced Peralta to throw 30 pitches before getting pulled with two outs in the frame.
Not only was manager Carlos Mendoza unhappy after the game with the error because of how routine the play was, the point in time at which it happened also bothered him, not to mention it came on the heels of a game where New York made six errors.
“Especially the leadoff one there – it’s a completely different inning, especially for Freddy’s outing there,” Mendoza said. “It’s just routine plays that are costing us. At this level, you expect to make plays like that, those are routine plays. You understand that they’re not gonna be perfect, but those are as routine as it gets and teams are making us pay for it, especially the past few nights.
Prior to the error, Peralta had kept the Cubs scoreless for five innings and pulled a complete 180 following his season-worst start against the Philadelphia Phillies the last time out. Of course, it’s impossible to say what would’ve happened had the error not happened, but at the very least, it forced Peralta to throw more pitches and ended his night prematurely.
Nevertheless, the right-hander knows mistakes are part of the game and felt he should’ve done more to pick up his defender.
“It happens. I was just trying to calm myself and make my pitches and try to get a ground ball for the double play,” he said.
The Mets, officially at the halfway point of the season, have now lost six straight games, are a season-low 13 games below .500 and their season is on life support.
So, what, if anything, can be done about it?
“I cannot speak for everybody, but what I can say and what I feel is just, losing is no fun,” Peralta said. “And at the end of the day, I know we need to win and that we have a team that is supposed to win. What I can say is we’ve been trying and we’ve been working really hard to get through this and trying to make adjustments.
“Right now we just need to keep trying and play better, myself too. We all need to play better and just try to come back and remind ourselves that we are big leaguers and we are great at this game. We just need to put everything together and try to put up a W every day.”
2005 Draft Revisionist History—May 22, 2026 - VOL. 79, Issue. 11 - Jared Clinton
HERE’S A HORRIFYING THOUGHT for Kings faithful: Kopitar in Anaheim Ducks colors. But if the chance arose for a 2005-draft mulligan, that’s exactly where Los Angeles’ all-time scoring leader would have ended up. And a one-two punch of Kopitar and Ryan Getzlaf down the middle could have ushered in an era of Ducks dominance.
If each club, with the gift of hindsight, selected the best available player, there’s also an interesting conundrum in Carolina. At the time, the Hurricanes couldn’t have known a 22-year-old Cam Ward was about to put forth a Conn Smythe-winning performance as Carolina captured the 2006 Stanley Cup. But if he had, and Price was waiting in the wings, how would the Canes have addressed their crease?
Price in Carolina could have also opened the door for Tuukka Rask in Bleu, Blanc et Rouge. Having spent his career in Boston – by way of the Maple Leafs, as Toronto fans surely recall – the thought of Rask as a Hab will give many a Bruins fan a migraine.
And it’s not just Price and Rask who make for interesting re-draft fodder. The 2005 draft has a claim to producing the best goalie crop in post-lockout history. Five keepers, each of whom would be first-round selections in a do-over, produced 150-plus wins, and four eclipsed the 200-win plateau, the most of any draft since the lockout.
Here’s how the 2005 draft would look if every team owned a crystal ball. Where the player was actually picked is in parentheses.
Victor Cruz popped the question for a celebratory Thursday night.
The Giants legend and Super Bowl champion proposed to Orange Calderon, an artist, record producer and DJ, who shared photos of the moment on Instagram.
“Mrs. Cruz” has a nice to it,” she wrote as the caption.
Cruz, 39, picked out a big oval-cut diamond for the next step in the relationship that started to take form last year.
The couple was spotted at various public events that sparked dating rumors, including arriving together at Coachella in April and have various recent travel social media posts together.
Victor Cruz and Orange Calderon at Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Instagram @orangecalderon
Cruz, a Knicks fan, was also seen with the musical artist on celebrity row throughout the historic season that was capped off by an NBA title — a first in 53 years.
He was in attendance for Game 4 of the NBA Finals, witnessing OG Anunoby’s show-stopping game-winning tip-in that gave the Knicks a commanding 3-1 series lead.
“Still not over this! @nyknicks,” Cruz wrote on Instagram after the game.
Victor Cruz and Orange Calderon at Game 4 of the NBA Finals series between the Knicks and Spurs. Instagram @orangecalderon
The engagement comes five years after Cruz’s split from ex-girlfriend, actress Karrueche Tran, in February 2021.
The two were an item for three years before calling it quits due to long distance. At the time, Cruz lived in New Jersey with his daughter, Kennedy, while Tran was in Los Angeles.
Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast to discuss everything Pistons. Submit your question to the comments section here or on X/Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @blakesilverman.
Join us live on Saturday morning for the show where Tyler Metcalf from No Ceilings NBA will join the show to review the NBA draft. What will Ebuka Okorie bring to the Pistons? How about Ugonna Onyenso? And what else could the Isaiah Stewart trade be setting up?
Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.
The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.
The St. Louis Blues have reportedly tried to trade for a big-name player, as Jeff Marek reports that they attempted to acquire Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson, but the player was not willing to sign with the Blues.
Marek mentioned that the Blues offered a package that included multiple first-round picks, but the deal did not go through because Robertson preferred not to sign in St. Louis.
This report comes after Elliotte Friedman revealed that the Seattle Kraken had a trade in place for Robertson and had offered him an eight-year, $15 million contract, but they, too, were denied.
Frank Seravalli also mentioned that the Toronto Maple Leafs attempted to be involved in the Kraken-Stars deal by offering Matthew Knies to the Stars in hopes of landing the Kraken’s seventh-overall pick.
Robertson has reportedly turned down offers from the Blues and Kraken and has also told the Ottawa Senators he would not be willing to sign there.
The 26-year-old has also declined offers from the Stars, but those contract offers were likely less than what the Blues and Kraken could offer.
Following Robertson’s denial, several reports link the Blues to Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish. The Ducks are looking for a first-round pick, and Pierre LeBrun has noted that both the Blues and New York Rangers have submitted offers to the Ducks.
GM Doug Armstrong has mentioned that they might not sit on their first four round picks, and as the draft inches closer, Armstrong’s activity on the trade market ramps up.
Earlier today, Andy Strickland reported that the Blues are looking to move up in the draft, potentially as high as second overall.
Lots of moving parts and plenty of action are expected to come from the Blues.
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to it,” she wrote as the caption. 
