NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 09: Anfernee Simons #22 of the Chicago Bulls warms up prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on February 09, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mike Gansey isn’t done yet.
The Sixers have agreed to terms with free-agent Anferenee Simons, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The deal is for two years and $12.3 million.
Just in: Free agent guard Anfernee Simons has agreed to a two-year, $12.3 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, with a player option in second season, sources tell ESPN. Simons chose the 76ers over other suitors believing his fit is perfect with the revamped 76ers roster. pic.twitter.com/RUbhPzxxxp
If Simons has any type of success in Philadelphia, he’ll likely turn down that player option and elect free agency. While we don’t know for sure, it seems like Simons’ contract will take up the rest of the Sixers’ tax-payer mid-level exception. The bulk of that is going to Dean Wade. This also makes it likely that Ariel Hukporti’s slightly-above-minimum deal will be part of the team’s bi-annual exception.
One of the Sixers’ greatest weaknesses last season was their bench. They lacked scoring punch as Quentin Grimes struggled for much of the second half of the season and postseason. Simons, 27, is a terrific scorer and shooter. Splitting last season between the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls, Simons averaged 14.3 points in 24.9 minutes per game. He hit 38.5% of his threes on an extremely healthy volume, attempting nearly 10 triples per 36 minutes.
That shooting becomes especially important after the Jaylen Brown trade. Say what you want about Paul George, but his elite three-point shooting was much needed on a team that lacked outside shooters. This will also allow rookie Labaron Philon Jr. to come along slowly and not be forced into big minutes for a team who is suddenly all-in.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Utah Jazz have reportedly agreed to a sign-and-trade with the Los Angeles Lakers in which the Lakers will get Walker Kessler on a brand-new four-year, $130m deal with a player option after year three. In return, the Jazz will receive two unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 as well as two pick swaps in 2028 and 2030.
BREAKING: The Los Angeles Lakers are acquiring Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030, sources tell ESPN. Kessler will sign a massive four-year, $130 million deal with the Lakers. pic.twitter.com/rt8b17fEQZ
Walker Kessler is a good young player with plenty of room to improve. This move undoubtedly makes the Utah Jazz a worse team in 2026-27. Still, it is hard to imagine a more perfect center to start next to Jaren Jackson Jr. than Walker Kessler. So why do the Jazz make this move right now? Are they going to waste Jaren and Lauri together? Let’s dive in.
The Jazz are finally operating as if they are an actual NBA team competing to get better and win a championship. For many years during the dark ages of rebuilding and acquiring talent, decisions like this didn’t really matter nearly as much because the Jazz weren’t really trying to win basketball games. Now that the Jazz have acquired the talent they tanked for so long to obtain, like Jaren Jackson Jr. and Darryn Peterson to join guys like Lauri Markkanen, Ace Bailey, and Keyonte George, they are tasked with evaluating which players and contracts best open the biggest window into contention possible.
Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver announces the second pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson after he was selected by the Utah Jazz at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesSALT LAKE CITY, UT – FEBRUARY 11: Jaren Jackson Jr., #20 of the Utah Jazz boxes out Doug McDermott #7 of the Sacramento Kings during the first half of their game at the Delta Center on February 11, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Let’s be honest: with or without Walker Kessler, the Jazz probably weren’t beating the Thunder or Spurs in a seven-game series next season. The future is bright, but openly acknowledging that is okay. Both teams have the luxury of elite, all-NBA-level talent on rookie-scale, team-friendly contracts. The Jazz simply do not possess that same level of flexibility.
So… What does any of that have to do with the Jazz not bringing Walker Kessler back? Bringing back Walker Kessler at that number, quite frankly, would have forced the Jazz into a difficult space roster-building-wise. I still think the Jazz were willing to do it because they are a better team with Walker Kessler than they are without him, but that extension makes it very difficult to extend Keyonte George and keep a guy like Lauri Markkanen. But when a desperate Lakers team offers two unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps, you don’t overthink it. You pick your jaw up from the floor, and you make that deal without hesitation. Those picks are so far into the future that there is no telling what the Lakers roster could look like at that point.
Draft picks in the NBA are currency. Draft picks are the means by which big-time deals get done. I do not anticipate that the Utah Jazz made that deal for Walker Kessler with the expectation of actually making the draft selections in 2031 and 2033. By making that deal, the Jazz have unlocked the assets to pursue virtually any trade they want. They also preserve the financial flexibility to keep Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen together for longer if they choose. Now, the Jazz window opens and overlaps just as the two top dogs in the Western Conference lose flexibility. Victor Wembanyama is in the last year of his rookie contract, and will surely get a massive payday from the Spurs. Stephon Castle is also likely to be paid handsomely within the next two years when his rookie contract ends. The Oklahoma City Thunder are already starting to feel the effects of decreased salary flexibility, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is set to make $20m more following the 2026-27 season. Can you see where this is headed for Utah?
The Jazz undoubtedly are a worse basketball team today than they were yesterday. I still expect them to compete for a playoff spot in 2026-27, but it isn’t as sure as it would have been had we retained Walker Kessler. That said, it is hard not to be ecstatic about the flexibility the Jazz now have with both their salary cap and draft picks. The Jazz took a small step back in the short term to put themselves in line to take a giant step forward, right as their fellow Western Conference giants are having to come back to the pack a little bit themselves.
It is hard not to be excited as a Jazz fan right now… The Jazz may have taken a small step backward today, but they are positioned to take a much larger step forward in the not-so-distant future. Our ceiling has never been higher.
LeBron James is searching for his next NBA team and the highly-anticipated decision could have implications for his son, Bronny James.
James has reportedly already narrowed down his search to two finalists, but he won’t rush into anything. The four-time NBA champion informed the Los Angeles Lakers he would not return for the 2026-27 season on Tuesday.
James seemingly calculated the timing of his announcement to the organization as Bronny’s $2.3 million contract with the Lakers became fully guaranteed the day before, making the third-year guard eligible to be traded.
LeBron James and his son, Bronny, became the first father-son duo to play in the NBA together. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectBronny’s $2.3 million contract with the Lakers became fully guaranteed on Monday, making him trade eligible. Getty Images
Now, it appears James’ new destination could also signal the end of Bronny’s tenure with the Lakers. NBA insider Dave McMenamin reported a subsequent move could be made with Bronny once James joins a team.
“LeBron has spoken at length about how meaningful it has been to be teammates with his son, and those feelings only grew late last season when they shared the court in competitive games.
“It’s easy to think the James family would want that connection to continue,” McMenamin writes.
If Bronny doesn’t leave LA, he would continue to develop under head coach JJ Redick and glean from the Lakers’ star-studded trio in Luka Doncic, Walker Kessler and Austin Reaves.
James and Bronny became the first-father son duo to play together in an NBA game, first sharing the court as Lakers teammates in October 2024. The pair also became the first father-son pair to take the court in an NBA playoff game.
Bronny has always been evaluated under the microscope of being James’ son, which may be a factor into whether he stays under the bright lights of Hollywood or joins his father via trade.
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Fedotov signeing in the KHL comes after he spent all of this past season in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters. In 47 games during the 2025-26 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate, he had a 23-16-6 record, an .887 save percentage, a 2.87 goals-against average, and two shutouts
Fedotov was selected by the Flyers with the 188th overall pick of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. After spending several seasons in Russia, Fedotov made the move to North America late during the 2023-24 season with the Flyers.
In 29 games over two seasons with the Flyers, Fedotov posted a 6-14-5 record, a 3.29 goals-against average, and an .874 save percentage. His time with the Flyers ended this past off-season when he was traded to the Blue Jackets in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JUNE 27: Travis Bazzana #37 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring on a double hit by Kahlil Watson in the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Progressive Field on June 27, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hey, look at that… it’s the most important series of 2026 so far.
The White Sox are 45-40 with a +25 run differential, seventh in MLB in wRC+ at 106, 23rd in baserunning runs above average at -2.4, 14th in Defense at -9.9, 15th in starting pitcher ERA at 4.34 (4.26 FIP) and 16th in bullpen ERA at 4.13 (4.31 FIP).
The Guardians are 45-42 with a -8 run differential, 25th in MLB in wRC+ at 91, 9th in baserunning runs above average at +3.1, ninth in Defense at -4.8, sixth in starting pitcher ERA at 3.66 (4.01 FIP) and 13th in bullpen ERA at 3.95 (3.87 FIP).
MATCHUPS: Game one, Thursday, 6:40PM ET Cecconi RHP 4.18 ERA vs. Martin RHP 3.00 ERA (2.81 FIP) Game two, Friday, 7:10PM ET Williams RHP 3.81 ERA vs. Kay LHP 4.56 ERA (4.86 FIP) Game three, Saturday, 7:10PM ET Messick LHP 2.85 ERA vs. Burke RHP 4.39 ERA (4.07 FIP) Game four, Sunday, 2PM ET Bibee RHP 3.69 ERA vs. Fedde RHP 4.47 ERA (6.06 FIP)
If Travis Bazzana and Kyle Manzardo have a good series, the Guardians should win this series. If they don’t, they won’t.
Watch out for freakin’ Randal Grichuk who is putting up a 167 wRC+ somehow right now, Sam Antonacci at 135 wRC+, Miguel Vargas at 135 wRC+, Tristan Peters at 118 wRC+ and Colson Montgomery at 117 wRC+. And, don’t excuse the Guardians’ this series because Jose Ramirez is hurt, as the White Sox’ best hitter, Munetaka Murakami, has yet to face Cleveland pitching this season. Chase DeLauter at 116 wRC+, Travis Bazzana at 111 wRC+, Brayan Rocchio at 106 wRC+, Kahlil Watson at 103 wRC+, Kyle Manzardo at 102 wRC+, Austin Hedges (STILL!!!) at 102 wRC+ and David Fry at 101 wRC+ lead the Guardians.
Hopefully, Cade Smith, Carl Willis and them boys can iron out things at the back end of games and make this series a lot more paltable for Guardians’ fans than the recent three-game stretch in Chicago was. That late inning Pope Leo magic is something to watch for.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JUNE 26: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws a pitch in the third inning against the Chicago Cubs at American Family Field on June 26, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every day, Pinstripe Alley offers updates on what the Yankees’ top American League opponents are up to through the Rivalry Roundup. The AL East is well-trodden ground there, but with the end of the month upon us, we’re going to take a peek around MLB as a whole and check in with each of the other five divisions. Who’s surprising? Who’s underwhelming? Who’s simply mediocre at the moment? Read on and find out.
Note: Records and stats are for games played as of Tuesday night.
First Place: Milwaukee Brewers (52-31)
Top Position Player: Brice Turang (2.9 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Jacob Misiorowski (4.3 fWAR)
In our initial check-in at the end of April, the Brewers sat in third place, 3.5 games out of first. After yet another winning month in June, Milwaukee has gone 36-17, opened up a 5.5-game lead in the Central, and trail only the Dodgers for the best record in all of MLB.
You don’t do that without having a good team top to bottom, but the headliner of this Brewers’ squad has been pitcher Jacob Misiorowski. Pretty much every start, he manages to set some new stat for fastest pitches thrown by a starting pitcher, and topped 105 MPH recently.
He also has the overall stats to match, with a 1.45 ERA and a 1.84 FIP.
While “The Miz” gets the headlines, they’ve gotten good efforts from all over the field. One notable one has come from former Yankee Jake Bauers, who has a 144 wRC+ in his 74 games.
Second Place: Chicago Cubs (48-38, 5.5 GB)
Top Position Player: Pete Crow-Armstrong (5.1 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Ben Brown (2.0 fWAR)
Despite the Brewers remaining on fire, the Cubs have only lost a game’s worth of ground since the end of May. They were pretty good themselves in June, going 16-10.
That being said, this could be a bit of a danger zone for the Cubs. At time of writing, they have 10 different pitchers on the injured list, including their ace from last year Cade Horton. Of the starters they still have healthy, Shota Imanaga is probably the best, but even he’s been below average for the season.
Throughout all those injuries, the Cubs have been kept going by a good offense. Pete Crow-Armstrong has been excellent in all areas of the game. Of their most used players are every position, only one dips below a 90 OPS+ on the season.
Third Place: St. Louis Cardinals (44-38, 7.5 GB)
Top Position Player: JJ Weatherholt (3.3 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Dustin May (1.8 fWAR)
The Cardinals remain pesky and as of now, they’re currently tied for the final NL Wild Card spot.
On offense, a decent chunk of their lineup has below average numbers for the season, it’s just the ones that don’t have generally been very good. Jordan Walker, Iván Herrera, Alec Burleson, and Lars Nootbaar all have an OPS+ over 120. JJ Weatherholt is at 117 and has defense that also grades out very well. Nelson Velázquez has been around the league without much success, but he’s been a revelation in St. Louis so far, with a 180 OPS+ is his 16 games so far.
One interesting thing to watch will be their pitching, though. Michael McGreevy had put up a good ERA so far, but has a FIP that suggests that might not be sustainable. On the other hand, Dustin May has a FIP that suggests he might be a bit better than his ERA. Andre Pallante is slightly above average according to both, and the rest of their rotation has been below average.
Fourth Place: Pittsburgh Pirates (43-43, 10.5 GB)
Top Position Player: Bryan Reynolds (2.5 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Paul Skenes and Braxton Ashcraft (2.8 fWAR)
The Pirates aren’t too far out of the last NL Wild Card, just a game in the win column behind the aforementioned Cardinals. They also have the raw talent that could go on a run, but they’ll need some things to go their way.
On the mound, Paul Skenes has been perfectly good, just not the Paul Skenes we saw win the NL Cy Young last year. His 3.10 ERA and 2.75 FIP is strong, and he and Braxton Ashcraft have provided a nice little duo at the top of the rotation, just not quite enough for the Pirates to take a clear step forward.
On offense, they’ve gotten good performances from all over the roster, although two of their more talented hitters — Spencer Horwitz and Oneil Cruz — are currently on the IL. If young prospect Konnor Griffin can take a step forward over the rest of the year and there’s not much regression elsewhere, it wouldn’t be that crazy if the Pirates stole the last NL playoff spot.
Fifth Place: Cincinnati Reds (39-45, 13.5 GB)
Top Position Player: Elly De La Cruz (2.4 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Chase Burns (2.8 fWAR)
The Reds record isn’t terrible considering that they’re a last-place team, but if you’ve only seen them take two out of three over the Yankees, you might not realize that they’ve been pretty bad for a while now. At the end of April, they led the division, and were 3.5 games up on the Brewers. Since then, they’ve gone 19-34, losing 17 games worth of ground in the process.
In June, their offense sputtered, averaging just 3.81 runs per game. The top end of their lineup — aka the likes of Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart — has been perfectly good, it just falls off a cliff. While he’s on the IL at the moment, Ke’Bryan Hayes has posted a 16 OPS+. I repeat: 16. Their pitching outside Chase Burns, Andrew Abbott, and a couple bullpen arms has also been a bit of a mess.
Bill Simmons wasn’t coherent. He’d just woken up from anesthesia.
But when his wife picked him up from his colonoscopy Wednesday, she revealed news to her husband that he couldn’t believe: Jaylen Brown was traded to the 76ers for a package including Paul George.
“I think I’m dead. I think I died. The anesthesia killed me,” Simmons said on his self-named podcast Thursday of what he said in the moment.
“I was just trying to process it. … it’s like I had the head injured.”
Bill Simmons describes hearing about the Jaylen Brown trade from his wife picking him up from a colonoscopy:
“I think I’m dead. The anesthesia killed me. Are there more first round picks?
When this trade happened I had a camera in my ass, and I had Paul George rammed up my ass” pic.twitter.com/sSZLVujEga
— The r/BillSimmons Podcast (@rBillSimmonsPod) July 2, 2026
Simmons’ wife told him their daughter, a major Brown fan, was extremely upset due to the trade.
The Ringer founder was stumbling out of the hospital when the trade happened Wednesday afternoon.
“When this trade happened, I had a camera up my ass, and I had a Paul George rammed up my ass. That’s how I’m going to remember July 1, 2026,” Simmons said of his reaction to the trade.
After spending 10 years with the Celtics, Brown was traded to the 76ers on Wednesday for George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
The first-rounders are for 2028 and 2031, while the second-rounders are for 2028 and 2030.
Paul George drives against Jaylen Brown during a playoff game. AP
The Celtics’ decision to move on from Brown comes shortly after he was rumored to be the centerpiece in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.
Antetokounmpo ultimately went to the Heat, but Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens still remained non-committal on Brown’s future with the team.
Jaylen Brown poses during a playoff game against the Knicks. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
During a decade with the Celtics, Brown left no stone untouched, winning Finals MVP in 2024 and averaging more than 20 points per game every year since the 2019-20 season.
George will have major shoes to fill this upcoming season after averaging 17.3 points per game with the 76ers last year.
On Thursday, Major League Baseball announced suspensions for four players involved in Tuesday’s bench-clearing incident between the Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals.
Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras and Nationals starting pitcher Cade Cavalli both received seven-game suspensions for sparking the incident. Sox utility man Nate Eaton received a three-game suspension for his tussle with Nats right-hander MIles Mikolas, who was suspended for five games.
Willson Contreras throws his helmet during a benches clearing incident after Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli told him to “sit down boy” pic.twitter.com/IBEyYXKReN
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 1, 2026
Why such a harsh suspension for Contreras? According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, the seven-game ban is due to the veteran slugger throwing his helmet in the skirmish and also “violating the league’s social media policy by posting on Instagram during an in-progress game.” After the incident, Contreras responded to a fan’s insulting Instagram comment with, “Come meet me at Fenway.”
Cavalli’s seven-game suspension comes after he instigated the altercation by yelling “Sit down, boy!” after striking Contreras out.
Contreras’ absence comes at a terrible time for a Red Sox club that lost two of three to Washington and is six games back in the American League Wild Card race. He has by far been Boston’s best hitter all season, leading the team in homers (18), RBI (53), and OPS (.906).
The Red Sox will look to get back on track Friday when they begin a three-game series in Anaheim.
After San Jose Sharks General Manager Mike Grier finished with his big moves on July 1, he had a few smaller moves to make in order to round out organizational depth.
On Thursday, the Sharks announced that they had signed four players, all of which are expected to end up playing for their American Hockey League affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, this coming season.
The most notable name among the group was former Tampa Bay Lightning forward Alex Barre-Boulet. Barre-Boulet is the most likely of the signings to appear in an NHL game this coming season, but he's likely going to bring some high-end scoring to the Barracuda. Last season, the 29-year-old forward finished second in the AHL in points, trailing just Syracuse Crunch standout Jakob Pelletier.
Barre-Boulet joins the Sharks organization on a two-year contract with a cap hit of $875k per season.
The Sharks then went on to sign two of Barre-Boulet's teammates with the Colorado Eagles last season, Kyle Keyser and Tye Felhaber. Felhaber is the more likely of the two to be an impact player for the Barracuda, as last season he scored 15 goals and 31 points in 63 games for Colorado.
Keyser, on the other hand, is a goaltender who regularly splits his time between the AHL and the ECHL. As a result, he'll likely serve as the backup for the Barracuda behind Matt Davis, unless Connor Hasley is able to take over that role.
Brett Leason, the Sharks' final signing to this point, is another player who has an opportunity to get called up to the NHL at some point this season. The 27-year-old was an NHL regular for the Anaheim Ducks just a couple of years ago, but given the Sharks' logjam of bottom-six forwards, he seems destined to be a high-end role player for the Barracuda.
Last season, Leason scored 14 goals and 44 points in 56 games with the Hershey Bears.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 27: Michael Lorenzen #24 of the Colorado Rockies delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field on June 27, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies enjoyed a well-rounded victory Wednesday night against the Miami Marlins and will now look to secure a series split in today’s finale.
Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.83 ERA) will make the start for the Rockies as he looks to continue the success he found in June. Lorenzen was roughed up in his first outing last month, but seemed to figure some things out and then delivered four solid starts. He has worked at least five innings in each of his last four outings while allowing more than two runs just one time. He has continued to keep walks in check and can get his strikeout stuff working more consistently to keep hitters off balance. In his last start, he allowed two runs on seven hits over 5.2 innings with just one strikeout. Lorenzen has been quite successful against the Marlins in his career, posting a 2.62 ERA over 18 appearances, including seven starts. His first start of 2026 came against the Marlins, where he allowed three runs on seven hits over 4.1 innings of work.
Ryan Gusto (0-2, 5.06 ERA) will get the nod for the Marlins. Gusto made 27 appearances last season, primarily with the Houston Astros, before getting sent to Miami at the trade deadline. He made just three appearances with the Marlins before being sent down in August, and then got injured when he was recalled near the end of the month. He spent the first two months of 2026 in Triple-A, where he posted a 3.83 ERA in 10 appearances. He was recalled to the big leagues at the start of June, throwing 20.1 innings with a 5.31 ERA over six games, including five starts. He has generally worked into the fifth inning but has yet to complete five innings. He hasn’t given up many hits and can get strikeouts, but he’s been on a shorter leash when starting games. In his last outing, he threw 3.1 shutout innings and allowed just three hits with four strikeouts on 63 pitches.
A number of former San Jose Sharks were on the move on Wednesday, with some others still remaining on the free agent list. Some players were departing the Sharks for the first time this summer, while some had stints with the team in teal in years past.
Leaving San Jose
There were five players whose contracts with the San Jose Sharks ended on July 1 that have already found a new home for the 2026-27 season and beyond.
The longest-tenured Shark to move on was Mario Ferraro, who had spent his entire career up to this point in the Bay Area. Now, he'll be heading north of the border. The 27-year-old defenseman signed a three-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets with an average annual value of $4 million, well below what many expected him to get on the open market.
Another departing blue liner, Vincent Desharnais, was a player that the Sharks were looking into potentially keeping, but instead he's heading to the nation's capital. The 30-year-old defenseman received a four-year contract from the Washington Capitals, with an average annual value of $4.2 million, slightly higher than Ferraro's figure.
While those were the only two NHL-caliber Sharks to find a new home on the first day of free agency, there were a number of San Jose Barracuda also on the move. Egor Afanasyev returned to North America last season with the hopes of carving out an NHL role for himself, instead he spent the entirety of the season in the American Hockey League with the Barracuda. Now, he's heading back to his native Russia, as he's signed with Avangard Omsk for the 2026-27 season.
A pair of Barracuda players opted to remain in California, as Jett Woo and Laurent Brossoit both signed with the Anaheim Ducks and are expected to report to their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls.
Sharks of Yesteryear on the Move
Former San Jose Sharks netminder Vitek Vanecek found himself a new home after a less than stellar season with the Utah Mammoth. The 30-year-old joined the New York Islanders on a one-year deal worth $1 million.
Former Sharks forward Lane Pederson is returning to California, as he signed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings worth $1.75 million that carries a cap hit of $875k.
The Sharks' 60th overall selection in the 2016 NHL Draft, Dylan Gambrell, has also earned himself another NHL contract, as he signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Wild worth $850k.
Former Sharks forward Jack Studnicka earned himself a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers with the same financial terms as the aforementioned Pederson.
The previously mentioned Ferraro won't be the only former Shark heading to Winnipeg, as he'll be joined by Noah Gregor who signed a one-year contract with the Jets worth $850k.
Enforcer Jeffrey Viel earned himself the most term of any former Shark, signing a five-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning worth $12.5 million.
Kaapo Kahkonen will be staying in Montreal after a short stint as an unrestricted free agent. He signed a one-year contract worth $1 million to serve as a depth goaltender option.
While Mike Grier was busy doing business of his own, a number of former Sharks were finding themselves a new home and there will certainly be more to come in the coming days.
The NBA is looking to speed up the flow of the game, and is tentatively planning to take a page out of the NBA G-League’s book to make it happen. The NBA made an announcement on Thursday that it would test out the “one free throw rule” during the 2026 Summer League, gauging whether or not it should become a staple of the NBA.
This might sound extremely confusing at first glance, so let’s break down how this would work. During the passage of a normal game (i.e. not in the final two minutes or overtime) all free-throw opportunities would be condensed into one shot, awarding points equal to the number of shots previously attempted in the past. So, a basic foul on a missed shot attempt would reward one free throw worth two points. If a player was driving, getting the bucket and the foul (the And-1), then it would result in one shot worth one point. If a player was fouled in the act of attempting a three, then they would receive one shot worth three points.
It’s that final element which is most fascinating, because it creates a significant advantage for elite shooters from beyond the arc who are also fantastic free-throw shooters. For example, the rule effectively does nothing to someone like Steph Curry, who shot 39.3% from three and 92.3% from the free-throw line last season, but it could have a big effect on someone like Anthony Edwards, who shot 39.9% from three and 79.6% on free throws.
While it’s certainly unlikely that we’re going to see some mammoth shift in fouling because of this, having an all-or-nothing approach to free throws is fascinating, because it will add significant pressure on players who already aren’t the best shooters from the charity stripe.
This isn’t the only change being proposed to NBA rules, because the other comes from innovations to the basketball itself.
The connected basketball will be tested at the upcoming NBA summer leagues.
The basketball contains an embedded sensor that detects contact with the ball. The sensor does not materially affect the ball’s weight, feel or playability.
Adding more technology here isn’t a bad thing and should eliminate some bad calls in the process. It seems like a win-win, so long as the technology works.
Athletics top prospect Ryan Lasko was hospitalized after a scary collision in the outfield with his teammate Devin Taylor.
Lasko, who played center field for Double-A Midland Tuesday, collided with Taylor after both players attempted to dive for a ball hit in the gap. Lasko was down for about 10 minutes before he was carted off the field and transported to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano.
Athletics top prospect Ryan Lasko was hospitalized after a scary collision in the outfield with his teammate. MiLB Athletics top prospect Ryan Lasko was hospitalized after a scary collision in the outfield with his teammate. MiLB Athletics top prospect Ryan Lasko was hospitalized after a scary collision in the outfield with his teammate. Getty Images
Lasko is in stable condition after undergoing spinal decompression and stabilization surgery, which resulted from a C6-C7 vertebra fracture. He currently has no feeling in the lower half of his body.
“The positive in the statement from the doctor is that there is not a definitive statement saying he’s not going to regain feeling in his lower half,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said, who provided the comment ahead of the team’s series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday.
A's No. 18 prospect Ryan Lasko was carted off the field after this terrifying collision with his teammate in center field. No update yet on his condition. #Athleticspic.twitter.com/eZ4LH20JmM
“We send prayers to him, to his family, to his teammate and the team, really. This is a trying and emotional time for them. We need to be there to support them, and I know we are. [A’s director of player development] Ed Sprague flew down [to Texas] this morning. Lasko’s family was with him there. All the teammates are going to go visit him at some point and show support.”
The 24-year-old was a second-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Rutgers University. Lasko spent time with the big league team in camp this spring, where Kotsay and the A’s coaching staff were impressed by the outfielder’s defense.
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Los Angeles, CA - April 10: Lakers guard Luke Kennard, #10, left, makes a basket over Suns guard Grayson Allen, #8 in the first half at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Friday, April 10, 2026. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
It didn’t take long for the Phoenix Suns to find a replacement for sharpshooter Grayson Allen, whom they dealt to the Charlotte Hornets to acquire power forward Miles Bridges. In the first hours of NBA Free Agency, the team agreed to a two-year $13 million deal with sharpshooter Luke Kennard, who is set to fill the bench role that Allen gave the Suns the past few seasons.
When they were at Duke together, here’s how the two teams’ games compare to each other.
Attributes/Intangibles
Grayson Allen
Height: 6’3”
Age: 30
Weight: 198 pounds
Contract: Going into the third year of a 4-year $70 million contract he signed back in 2024
Years in the NBA: 8
Games played: 454
Luke Kennard
Height: 6’5”
Age: 30
Weight: 205 pounds
Contract: Just signed a two-year, $13 million deal
Years in the NBA: 9
Games played: 538
Some extra tidbits
Despite Allen being the older player, Kennard is the one who’s been in the league longer. Allen played four years at Duke, while Kennard spent just two seasons there. Kennard has played roughly a full season more of games and 10 more playoff games, but Allen has one more playoff appearance after making them in five out of his last six seasons.
Last season’s averages: 8.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game on 53.3/47.8/91.3 shooting splits in 78 total games with the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers.
Some extra tidbits
Allen had his best season last year, but lower-body injuries required him to miss 31 games. Allen has typically played more minutes with his teams than Kennard has, and scores slightly less efficiently. Both take more threes than twos. Kennard has never started more than 25 games in a season, while Allen has played the role of reserve and starter almost evenly throughout his career. He started in 74 games his first season in Phoenix, only seven the next, and in 53% of his games during the 2025-2026 campaign.
Playstyles
Grayson Allen
A shooter mostly to start his career, Allen has developed his playmaking and passing abilities in recent seasons. He had his two highest assist seasons with Phoenix, and when Bradley Beal and Devin Booker endured injuries in the 2023-2024 campaign, he was thrust into numerous ball-handling and point guard duties. In February of 2024, when Booker and Beal missed time, Allen averaged 4.1 assists per game and had a career-best 14-assist game against the Utah Jazz, playing point guard.
This past season, taking the most shots of his career (he took 13.1 per game, his second-most is 9.1), Allen’s efficiency dipped as he became more of a volume scorer and someone Phoenix relied on to create offense. He got to the line more than he ever has per game, which coincided with more shot attempts and turnovers. Additionally, he’s become more of a defensive playmaker, diving for loose balls, and was second on the team in steals per game last year.
Luke Kennard
For the entirety of his career, Kennard has been a marksman. He holds the highest three-point percentage out of any active player, including the NBA’s all-time leader in three-pointers made, Steph Curry.
Playing alongside dynamic playmakers such as Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Ja Morant, he’s at his best when he’s being set up for shots, which is why one of the best games of his career came in Games 1 and 2 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs this year against the Houston Rockets when he scored 27 points and 23 points respectively as James was looking for him to find open shooters.
Unlike Allen, Kennard hasn’t been thrust into a main scoring role recently. He hasn’t taken more than 10 shots per game or averaged more than 26 minutes a game since his third season, and his role in Phoenix projects to be no different.
While the Phoenix Suns are getting a cheaper, arguably better shooter, Luke Kennard is not the offensive nor defensive playmaker that Grayson Allen has become, but they filled a hole that they created when they acquired Miles Bridges.
The Cubs’ 10 walk-off wins have come in 43 home games, just a bit more than half the home season. That means nearly a quarter of the home wins in 2026 have ended in a pile-up around a Cubs player and an excited crowd at Wrigley Field.
The franchise record for walk-offs in a season is 14, set in 1930. Walk-offs aren’t something you can necessarily predict or shoot for, but there’s a real chance that record is broken this year. The MLB record is 17, set by the Pirates in 1959, and tied by them in 1977.
There have been 13 seasons in the Modern Era (since 1900) when the Cubs have had more than 10 walk-off wins. I thought I’d take a brief stroll through that history on today’s off day, look at each of the years and how the Cubs finished that season, and pick one game from each year that I think was the most memorable.
(A tip o’ the cap to BCB’s JohnW53, who compiled the list of years for me.)
1930: 14 walk-offs
The Cubs nearly won a second straight NL pennant in 1930. They held first place from Aug. 11 to Sept. 12, and won 90 games. They only missed out on the pennant because the Cardinals went 21-4 in September. That resulted in team owner William Wrigley, incensed because the Cubs didn’t win, firing manager Joe McCarthy, a colossal blunder.
All 14 of the walk-offs happened by Aug. 29. In those days teams had long homestands and long road trips and the Cubs played 21 of their last 26 games on the road.
The best of the 14 has to be the game of June 25, a 13-12 win over the Phillies. The Cubs trailed 8-4 going to the bottom of the seventh, but led 12-10 before the Phillies tied it in the top of the ninth. The Cubs got the tying run to third on a dropped pop-up, a sacrifice bunt and a passed ball, and then Gabby Hartnett singled in the game-winner.
1932: 13 walk-offs
This time, the Cubs took first place in the league Aug. 11 and held on to it, winning the pennant by four games.
Again, all the walk-offs were done early, by Sept. 5, mainly because they had another long road trip in September, 18 games.
The best walk-off in ‘32 was one I’ve written about here many times, most recently last November. Here’s how it went down:
Kiki Cuyler pretty much singlehandedly won this game, 10-9 over the Giants in 10 innings. He had five hits in six at-bats. His single in a four-run Cubs ninth tied the game 5-5. The Giants scored four in the top of the 10th, taking a 9-5 lead. In the last of the 10th, after the first two men were out, the Cubs scored two and have two on for Cuyler, who hit a walkoff home run for a 10-9 win, their 12th straight.
In addition to all of that, there was a total eclipse of the sun that day, which, though not 100 percent total in Chicago, did darken the sky somewhat an hour or so before game time. Also, during the game the Cubs batted out of order at one point, but no one noticed, so they got away with it.
Fun times. It was the Cubs’ 12th consecutive win, in a streak that eventually reached 14.
2015: 13 walk-offs
There were lots of fun walk-offs in this 97-win season, but I think the one I remember most was one over Cleveland, in a game rescheduled to Aug. 24 because of an earlier rainout.
The Cubs took a 1-0 lead to the ninth, when Jon Lester ran out of gas and allowed the tying run.
With two out in the bottom of the inning, Kris Bryant launched Zach McAllister’s first pitch into the right-field bleachers for the walk-off 2-1 win. That led to what was termed the “Strop Strut”:
Watch Pedro Strop “strut” the final 60 or so feet home alongside Bryant. Fun times.
1915: 12 walk-offs
Despite all the walk-off wins, the 1915 Cubs, playing in their final season at West Side Grounds, finished 73-80 and in fourth place in the National League.
This is a very long time ago and so I just picked a game that looked fun – 14-13 over the Cardinals on June 24. The Cubs led 7-3 after five, then gave up a five-spot to St. Louis in the sixth. The Cubs led 10-9 going to the ninth, but the Cardinals scored four in the ninth to go up 13-10. The Cubs then matched those four runs, winning the game on a steal of home by Heinie Zimmerman.
1923: 11 walk-offs
Again, this is over a century ago. The team finished fourth, 12.5 games out of first, but had some memorable wins.
On July 26, they trailed the Giants 10-6 going to the bottom of the eighth. A run in that inning made it 10-7, then in the ninth the Cubs had five straight hits – single, single, double, single, single – and the last single scored the fourth run of the inning for an 11-10 win.
1927: 11 walk-offs
Ninety-nine years ago, the Cubs finally returned to contention, nine years after their last pennant. They held first place for much of July and August before fading in September.
The Cubs led that game 4-0 going to the eighth but the Phillies scored five to take the lead. A home run by Earl Webb in that inning tied the game 5-5 and three ninth-inning singles, the last by Webb, won the game.
1931: 11 walk-offs
The Cubs were never really in contention in 1931, finishing third, 17 games out of first place.
In the first game of a doubleheader Sept. 13 against the Braves, the Cubs led 7-5 going to the ninth, when Charlie Root gave up two runs to tie the game. No one scored in the 10th. In the bottom of the 11th, a one-out double was followed by an intentional walk, then a ground out moved the runners up a base. Another intentional pass loaded the bases, and Rogers Hornsby hit a pinch-hit walk-off grand slam for an 11-7 win. It was one of 11 slams Hornsby hit in his career, but the only one as a pinch-hitter.
1936: 11 walk-offs
The Cubs again held first place in ‘36 for much of July and early August, but went 29-31 in August and September to finish second at 87-67, five games behind the pennant-winning Giants.
On May 6, the Cubs trailed the Braves 8-6 going to the bottom of the ninth. RBI hits by Chuck Klein and Frank Demaree tied the game at 8. In the bottom of the 10th a walk and sac bunt was followed by another intentional walk. Augie Galan struck out, but Billy Herman singled in the game-winner and the Cubs won 9-8.
1946: 11 walk-offs
The year after the ‘45 pennant, the Cubs finished third at 82-71, but still gave 1.3 million fans – the largest total since 1930 – some thrills with a lot of walk-off wins.
On June 6, the Cubs led the Giants 6-0 going to the top of the eighth, but allowed a pair of three-run innings in the eighth and ninth and the game was tied. It wound up in extras. No one scored in the 10th or 11th. In the bottom of the 12th with one out, the Cubs loaded the bases on a single, forceout that allowed the runner at first to advance, intentional walk and another single.
Frank Secory, who played three years for the Cubs from 1944-46 and who later served as a National League umpire from 1952-70, pinch-hit for pitcher Hank Wyse. He hit a walk-off grand slam, one of just seven home runs he hit in his MLB career. The Cubs won 10-6.
1967: 11 walk-offs
Now we’re getting into more “modern” times. The Cubs had only one winning season between 1947 and 1966, but suddenly were in contention by mid-1967.
On July 22, the Cubs trailed the Giants 5-3 going to the bottom of the eighth. Randy Hundley’s RBI double in that inning made it 5-4. In the ninth, Billy Williams homered with one out to tie the game and Ron Santo followed with a triple. The Giants intentionally walked the next two hitters to load the bases with one out, and Hundley singled in the game-winner for a 6-5 win.
The Cubs had been tied for first briefly earlier that month, but fell behind the Cardinals. This walk-off win tied them for first again, the first time they’d been in first place that late in the season since 1945. They faded and finished third, but it was still their best season in 22 years.
1969: 11 walk-offs
Much has been written about this star-crossed season, so I’ll just say that the best walk-off win of this year was a game that’s one of the most famous in Cubs history, the Opening Day walk-off home run by Willie Smith that gave the Cubs a 7-6 win and kind of turbocharged that whole summer.
Here it is:
1984: 11 walk-offs
This time, the Cubs did make the postseason (and we won’t talk about that) with a 96-win season, their most wins since 1945.
No question, we have another top walk-off in Cubs history, perhaps the single most famous game in Cubs history, the Sandberg Game.
This season did not end well. With the Cubs five games out of first with 16 left, they went 2-14 (and started 1997 0-14, so… a pretty bad run).
But ‘96 was fun up to mid-September, anyway.
On Opening Day at Wrigley Field, April 1, the Cubs had a 4-3 lead in the eighth but the Padres tied the game off Doug Jones, yet another former Astros reliever who had a bad year with the Cubs.
In the 10th, the Cubs loaded the bases off future Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman on two singles and a walk.
