CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 30: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians scores on a single hit by Bo Naylor during the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Progressive Field on August 30, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Two teams hanging around .500 and the top of their respective divisions meet at Progressive Field tonight.
The Mariners are 41-41 with a +4 run differential, 16th in wRC+ at 101, 26th in Baserunning runs above average at -3.7, last in Defense at -31.4, sixth in starting pitcher ERA at 3.78 (3.56 FIP) and eighth in bullpen ERA at 3.59 (3.54 FIP).
The Guardians are 42-39 with -8 run differential, 24th in wRC+ at 92, 14th in baserunning runs above average at 1, 11th in Defense at -5, fifth in starting pitcher ERA at 3.73 (4.07 FIP) and 14th in bullpen ERA at 3.88 (3.82 FIP).
Put the ball in play! That’s my advice.
MATCHUPS:
Game One, Friday 7:10PM ET Luis Castillo, RHP 5.22 ERA vs. Joey Cantillo, LHP 4.05 ERA
Game Two, Saturday 7:10PM ET Logan Gilbert, RHP 3.29 ERA vs. Slade Cecconi, RHP 4.48 ERA
Game Three, Sunday, 1:40PM ET George Kirby, RHP 3.94 ERA vs. Gavin Williams, RHP 3.82 ERA
Watch out for Dominic Canzone 154 wRC+, Randy Arozarena 134 wRC+, Luke Raley 122 wRC+ and J.P. Crawford 115 wRC+ from the Mariners.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 02: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers defends Hugo Gonzalez #28 of the Boston Celtics during the second quarter in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at TD Garden on May 02, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NBA Summer League is right around the corner, and the Celtics will soon be back in action.
The Celtics Summer League roster is expected to include last year’s draft class — Hugo Gonzalez, Amari Williams, and Max Shulga — as well as this year’s draft class, Houston big Chris Cenac Jr., and St. John’s forward Dillon Mitchell.
In addition, the Celtics signed Houston guard Milos Uzan and Indiana forward Tucker DeVries to Exhibit 10 contracts, and those two players are expected to lace up on the Summer League team as well.
The team will be coached by Celtics assistant coach Amile Jefferson, who previously played at Duke University with Jayson Tatum. Last year’s squad was coached by longtime assistant coach Matt Reynolds.
The Celtics’ official Summer League schedule
Friday, July 10: Celtics vs. Raptors, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
Sunday, July 12: Celtics vs. Hornets, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Monday, July 13: Celtics vs. Hawks, 6 p.m. ET, Prime
Wednesday, July 15: Celtics vs. Kings, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Jun 23, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Yankees pitcher David Bednar (53) pitches in the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
It’s approaching the halfway point of the season, and we have a pretty good idea of who these Yankees are. Their starting rotation is a top-five group in Major League Baseball, possessing both elite talent at the front and enviable depth at the back. The offense is a bit more top-heavy, but still plenty powerful, and the fact that they’ve managed to stay afloat despite missing Aaron Judge says plenty about the overall quality of the lineup. Comparatively speaking, it’s clear that the bullpen is the weakest link on the team.
However, when you step back and compare them with other bullpens around the league, the Yankees’ relief corps haven’t been all that bad. Through Tuesday’s action, they own a collective 3.39 ERA, the fifth-best mark in the majors. That ERA isn’t all smoke and mirrors, either, as their 3.69 FIP places them eighth in MLB. By fWAR they slip to ninth, but that’s mostly due to their low innings total, which is in turn a byproduct of the starting pitching holding up their end of the bargain. Just looking at the stats, it could be argued that the Yankees have a top-10 bullpen.
Reader, I know you put your phone down just now. How could this Yankees bullpen, who makes your blood boil and your stomach churn on a near-nightly basis, be a top-10 unit? Believe me, I know how you feel. This bullpen doesn’t inspire me with confidence, either. But that doesn’t mean we should dismiss data pointing to the contrary. In fact, a closer look reveals that two things can be true at the same time: There are concrete reasons why this bullpen doesn’t feel dominant, but at the same time, they do enough things well to be effective.
First, about the optics of this bullpen. My hypothesis is that it feels unreliable mainly because they lack strikeouts. Their K rate is a lackluster 22.5 percent, 15th out of 30 teams, and basically the same as the league average for relief pitchers (22.4 percent). Fernando Cruz leads the team with a 30.2-percent strikeout rate, which is certainly a robust mark; however, it’s only the 18th-best figure in MLB this year. No other Yankees reliever sniffs the top 30. There’s no sugarcoating it; this bullpen is pedestrian at generating strikeouts.
I can’t speak for everyone, for me, the less punchout-heavy a bullpen is, the more stressful the watching experience becomes. This isn’t to say that it’s always fun to watch high-strikeout relievers–most of them have a tendency to lose the zone and start walking dudes by the dozen–but there’s a certain reassurance that comes with knowing that the guy on the mound has a 40-percent chance of striking out any given batter. No contact, nothing left up to the vagaries of the BABIP gods, just pure outs. The Yankees, as currently constructed, don’t have a single guy like that. No wonder they feel a little shaky.
Fortunately, the bullpen does enough things well to make up for their lack of strikeouts. They don’t walk guys; their 8.8-percent walk rate is sixth-best in the majors. They manage contact well; their 18.4-percent soft contact rate ranks third, and their 28.3-percent hard contact rate is the best in MLB. They keep the ball in the yard; their HR/9 is a stingy 0.85, fourth-best among all teams. Put that all together, and you have a highly effective unit that succeeds without a ton of strikeouts.
This doesn’t mean that Brian Cashman should forgo upgrading the bullpen at the Trade Deadline. It’s not an especially deep group, as new additions Camilo Doval and Jake Bird have struggled, and Tim Hill appears to have lost his magic. Paul Blackburn has had his moments here and there, but his track record only inspires so much confidence and it’s telling only long man Ryan Yarbrough has a lower Leverage Index among the regular relievers than Blackburn. Right now, I count three relievers who are firmly within the Circle of Trust: David Bednar, Brent Headrick, and Fernando Cruz. With Bednar firmly entrenched in the closer role, that leaves Aaron Boone with just two reliable options to turn to in the middle-to-late innings. Adding a high-strikeout fireman would do wonders for this bullpen (and my blood pressure).
That being said, it’s important to recognize the solid work that the existing group has put in so far. Though they may not seem like it, or be easy to watch, this Yankees bullpen has been quite effective. The fact that they’re still the weakest link on this team doesn’t reflect poorly on their performance; it just goes to show you how good this team is.
The Senators appear to be back to an all-Swedish goaltending combo.
On Friday, in the lead-up to the NHL Draft, the Senators acquired goalie Samuel Ersson from the Toronto Maple Leafs. In return, Toronto gets Ottawa’s fifth-round draft selection in next year's NHL Draft.
Here's the catch, though. Ersson still needs a new contract. The 26-year-old will be a restricted free agent on July 1. He's coming off a two-year deal at $1.45 million a year.
Ersson spent each of the past four seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers and played a career-high 51 games in 2023-24. In 2025-26, Ersson appeared in 33 games for the Flyers, posting a 14-11-5 record with a 3.12 GAA.
The 6-foot-3 is regarded as one of Sweden's finest goaltenders, just like the man he'll be backing up.
Ersson represented his country at the 4 Nations Face-Off in a third-place finish. He also represented Sweden twice at the World Hockey Championship, winning bronze in 2024 and 2025. He played for Sweden at last year's worlds, even though Linus Ullmark expressed a desire to play at season's end.
The Sens goaltending was all-Swedish two seasons ago when Ullmark was backed up by Anton Forsberg, who has since moved on to Los Angeles in free agency. Last year, the backup duties were split between Leevi Merilainen and James Reimer.
The Ersson acquisition speaks volumes about how mightily Merilainen's stock has fallen. He was anointed as the undisputed backup last season, and the Sens clearly aren't ready yet to give him that opportunity again.
The trade market around the NHL continues to heat up ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft, and another former member of the Minnesota Wild has found a new home.
It marks the second consecutive offseason Chisholm has been dealt after the Wild traded him to Washington during last year's draft.
Chisholm, 26, spent the 2025-26 season with the Capitals, appearing in 26 NHL games while recording one goal and seven points.
Wild fans remember Chisholm from the 2024-25 campaign when he enjoyed the best season of his NHL career.
After being claimed off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets midway through the 2023-24 season, Chisholm became a regular in Minnesota's lineup.
He played a career-high 66 games during the 2024-25 season, posting two goals and 10 assists for 12 points while showcasing his skating ability and puck-moving skills.
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LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 13: Chaz Lanier #20 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket during the game against the Houston Rockets during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 13, 2025 at the 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons have set the schedule for their first four games of Las Vegas Summer League, which kicks off on July 9. The team will be led by first-round pick Eubuka Okorie, and his offensive skillset seems made in a lab to dominate Summer League competition, so hopefully, we’ll have some enjoyable games to watch. Second-round pick Ugonna Onyenso is also expected to suit up for the Pistons.
The slate is as follows (all times Eastern):
July 9 at 5:30 p.m.: Pistons vs. 76ers (Prime Video)
July 12 at 4 p.m.: Pistons vs. Cavaliers (Prime)
July 13 at 4 p.m.: Pistons vs. Knicks (Prime)
July 15 at 6 p.m.: Pistons vs. Suns (ESPN U)
If you’re thinking about marquee matchups, this is a fairly limited slate for Detroit. Okorie will face off against fellow first-round pick Labaron Philon Jr. in the opener against the Sixers. They will face second-round pick Meleek Thomas and the Cavs in game 2. The Knicks’ newest addition is Jack Kayil (feel the excitement!). Finally, the Suns will be welcoming Koa Peat to the fold.
Each team is slated to play at least five games, with the final games determined by teams that are eligible to meet in the semi-finals, featuring four teams. All other fifth games will be consolation prizes. Then, the two semi-final winners will face off for the the championship game on July 19. That last one is for the true basketball sickos.
As far as who will make up the rest of the roster, I imagine we will see Chaz Lanier, last year’s second-rounder suit up. He will be joined by Jaden Henley, who recently inked an Exhibit 10 deal with the Pistons as part of a Las Vegas invite. He is a 6-foot-7 wing most recently of Grand Canyon. The Pistons also signed Corey Stephenson to an Exhibit 10 deal. He is a forward most recently from Florida International University.
The viral Warriors 2026 NBA Draft “war room” clip just showed Warriors owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy going over their decision to draft Yaxel Lendeborg, but coach Steve Kerr made his opinion known ahead of time as well, if only subtly.
“Our group asked him a couple days before the draft, ‘What’s the biggest need when you look at our roster?’” Dunleavy told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Bonta Hill and Monte Poole. “And he said, ‘There’s a huge gap in the middle of it with our forward position. We need a guy that can fit in there and connect the game.’
“And I was thinking to myself, ‘Is he trying to push us in a way to take Yaxel, or is he just speaking freely?’ And, sure enough, we ended up with a guy that potentially could do that. So, I think everyone is aligned on the same page and feels good about where we’re going.”
Lendeborg averaged 15.1 points — on a 64.6 true shooting percentage — as well as 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists his junior year at Michigan. Additionally, he was second in the nation in win shares (7.9) and plus/minus rating (plus-16.7), only behind No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer.
As for Kerr, Dunleavy says that following the coach’s decision to return to the team, he has seen an unmatched level of dedication.
“His commitment to this whole thing has been tremendous, not only just with the draft, but preparing for next season with our coaching staff and how we want to play,” Dunleavy told Hill and Poole. “He spent a lot of time with these guys. …
“He was at the workouts, he went out and got meals, we watched film with these guys. It’s definitely a thing where I wanted Steve, our head coach, to be comfortable with the player we were getting and the person. I feel, no doubt, with Yaxel we vetted that out really well.”
Lendeborg’s first season will be Kerr’s 13th as coach of the Warriors, and with Jonathan Kuminga being dealt last season, the Warriors adding a wing seems to be just what the doctor ordered.
A feverish start to the 2026 NHL offseason just got a tad bit more interesting, as a former Philadelphia Flyers starting goalie, who was already traded once, finds himself on the move again.
On Friday, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson, first acquired in the Joseph Woll trade, has been traded to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick.
The Senators have done plenty of wheeling and dealing the last two weeks, moving on from captain Brady Tkachuk and replacing him with William Eklund and two prospects.
This new Maple Leafs trade confirms two things: Toronto will be sticking with a combination of Anthony Stolarz, Dennis Hildeby, and Artur Akhtyamov, and Ottawa has found its backup goalie… at least for now.
Last season was a tough one, both for Ersson and for Senators prospect Leevi Merilainen, who were among the two worst goalies in the entire NHL statistically.
Ersson, a pending RFA, at least has some experience as a starter for the Flyers and shown his potential when the environment around him is strong.
The Flyers obviously did not feel that this kind of form was sustainable (it wasn't), prompting them to go and get Woll as an upgrade behind incumbent starter Dan Vladar.
It is interesting, though, that Ersson was included in the Woll trade, only for the Maple Leafs to turn around and flip him for a late-round draft pick.
And it is interesting that Ersson, who had a dreary end to his Flyers career, fetched a useful asset in return at all after the way last season went.
In any case, Ersson needs a new contract, and we will soon find out if he's the next successful goalie to take off after leaving Philadelphia.
DUBROVNIK, CROATIA - JUNE 13: Basketball Player and Team AlUla Co-Owner, Lebron James looks on in the E1 Owners Suite during the E1 Series Dubrovnik GP on June 13, 2026 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. (Photo by Joe Portlock/Getty Images) | Getty Images
To the surprise of few, LeBron James’ free agency is already off to an odd start this offseason.
A topic already of much debate before free agency has even officially started, how the Lakers and LeBron handled the coming weeks was always going to draw much attention. It turns out, however, the two sides have opted not to handle things at all yet.
Once the NBA Finals concluded, teams could begin negotiating with their own free agents. The Lakers clearly took advantage of that and reached a deal with Austin Reaves on Wednesday.
However, there has not been the same level of communication with LeBron. After checking in with him once that window opened, the two parties have not spoken since, as Shams Charania of ESPN revealed on NBA Today on Thursday.
“There was a check-in call made, to my understanding, early in free agency once teams were able to start negotiating with their own free agents. Since then, there hasn’t been much communication, from my understanding, between the Lakers and LeBron James’ side and certainly not an offer yet.”
On Friday, Charania reiterated that the Lakers had not yet offered LeBron a contract and that the discussions between the sides has been limited.
"The Lakers have not made an offer to LeBron as of yesterday."
Is this odd? Certainly. But does this rule out him returning to the Lakers? Certainly not.
To be fair to LeBron, he did just spend quite a few days reuniting with the 2016 Cavs team on the 10-year anniversary of their NBA title. Multiple of the former players in attendance, namely Richard Jefferson, chronicled online the days of golfing, cigar-smoking and, surely, wine-drinking that took place. LeBron likely had no interest in talking to the Lakers at that point.
At the same time, LeBron is no longer the Lakers’ top priority. Clearly, retaining Reaves ranked higher on the priority list this summer. Finding a center for the future is a priority. Filling out the rest of the roster is a priority.
There’s also the possibility that the Lakers know LeBron’s options are limited and will call his bluff. Perhaps they’re focused on filling out their roster and are leaving LeBron as the last part of their roster build and will present him a contract option based on what’s left for them.
It’d be a bold move and not one the Lakers typically make, but clearly this isn’t going to be a normal free agency situation for LeBron. Whatever course either the team or LeBron takes, it will be one of the team’s central focuses in the coming week.
SAN FRANCISCO – After three consecutive drafts in which the Warriors quickly introduced their second-round picks to the ways of the NBA, general manager Mike Dunleavy is ready to alter the script.
“We’ll get him through summer league and see how things go and see what happens next year,” Dunleavy told NBC Sports Bay Area on Friday. “But we like him as a long-term project in terms of the things we look for and what we value.”
Don’t expect to see Jones starting at forward two weeks into his rookie season, as second-round pick Will Richard did last season. There is very little likelihood that Jones will make his NBA debut in the starting lineup, as second-rounder Quinten Post did the year before, or appear in 68 games, as second-rounder Trayce Jackson-Davis did in the 2023-24 NBA season.
Jones’ road to the NBA has been bumpier than those of Richard, Post and Jackson-Davis. Jones began his collegiate career at Tarleton State (Texas) University, spent a year at Barton Community College, then a year at St. Bonaventure before transferring to Florida State for his senior season.
“There’s an underlying dryness, that sense of humor that he has that we appreciate,” Dunleavy said. “But he’s a kid that’s all about basketball. He’s pretty focused on the game, on getting better. He’s had a unique path, too, at multiple different schools. But we’re comfortable with him.”
It’s not that the GM is closing the door on Jones contributing as a rookie. With Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody both projected to miss at least the first half of the 2026-27 season, the Warriors currently have an acute shortage of wings.
Jones, who turned 22 last month, is 6-foot-7, 220 pounds with elite athleticism, decent shooting range, a willingness to attack the rim and a defensive mentality. His first opportunity to make his case for NBA-readiness will come next week during the California Classic Summer League at Chase Center.
Part of that comfort comes from Golden State’s familiarity with Jones’ coach at Florida State, Luke Loucks, who spent five years on the Warriors’ staff under coach Steve Kerr, beginning as an intern and eventually being elevated to assistant coach before leaving in 2021.
Between Loucks and former NBA journalist Adrian Wojnarowski – the general manager of men’s basketball at St. Bonaventure – there was plenty of intelligence available to Dunleavy and his lieutenants in the front office.
“Anytime we can do a background with people that we know and trust, it’s important,” Dunleavy said. “He was even at St. Bonaventure’s with Woj, who we have a comfort level with covering the NBA; he knows the NBA. Luke especially, too, being on our coaching staff, knowing what Coach Kerr and our group look for, we felt very comfortable with not only the player that he could be and fit in with us but the personality, too.”
The general belief among the Warriors is that Jones’ defensive development is ahead of his offense – but that his superior athleticism would stand out on their relatively unathletic roster.
Ukrainian will give up three world heavyweight titles
‘I’m not leaving the sport … I still have my last dance’
The world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has announced he will relinquish his title belts. The Ukrainian currently holds the WBC, WBA and IBF versions.
The unbeaten 39-year-old insists he is not retiring but says the “well-considered” decision will “open new opportunities”.
The Colorado Avalanche have announced they have re-signed Brent Burns to a one-year deal worth $850 thousand. Still, he can earn just over $2 million in performance bonuses, and Brett Kulak to a five-year deal worth $22.50 million with a $4.5 million AAV. Both contracts come with no trade protection.
Brett Kulak, five years x $4.5M AAV Brent Burns, one year, base salary is $850k but can earn just over $2M more in performance bonuses. Great to have Burns back for another year! https://t.co/Ceecg90PdB
After being acquired by the Avalanche from the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he had one goal and six assists for seven points, he finished with three assists in 27 regular-season games with the Avalanche. While the production was lower than his time with the Penguins, the playoffs were where he really shone. In 13 games, he had one goal and five assists, with that one goal coming against the Minnesota Wild in Game 5 as the game-winner.
Despite the offensive numbers, Kulak's game is all about what he does on the defensive side of the ice, and it really showed. Paired with Sam Malinski, Kulak delivered a quality defensive pairing that showed great offensive play from Malinski and allowed him to show off his skills while having a reliable defensive structure with Kulak in case of any mistakes, something Malinski has struggled with at times when paired with other defensemen.
Playing just over 19 minutes a game last season, there were times when they needed him more to hold onto leads and help kill penalties on the penalty kill, where there were games where he played less because they were behind, so they ran Malinski and Makar more for the offensive push.
Burns joined last offseason and finished with 12 goals and 23 assists for 35 points. In the playoffs, he finished with four assists in 13 games. For what was, at the time, a relatively small signing, often seen as a 6-7 man in the defensive pairings, Burns at times showed his importance to the team.
Though at times his age did show, especially on the defensive end, where he would either be beaten by a faster player or make a defensive mistake, compared with his AAV and production, there were often bigger faults than the ones he made.
Entering his 23rd NHL season, he would tie for ninth place in most seasons played in league history, joining players like longtime teammate Patrick Marleau, Ron Francis, and Al MacInnis.
With this move, the Avalanche now round out their defense with the same players as last season and have $5.6 million in cap space to either spend in free agency or make a trade. With the 2026 NHL Entry Draft tonight, we shall see if the Avalanche make any other moves with the draft capital and cap space they have.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 20: A close up of the diamond 2K Summer League ball and championship rings after the game during the 2025 NBA Summer League Championship game on July 20, 2025 at the 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Sixers fans will now know the first time they’ll be able to watch No. 22 overall pick Labaron Philon Jr. play his first NBA minutes. The league announced the dates, matchups and times for this year’s Summer League. The post sent out by the league is a big jumbled mess of all the games, but thankfully Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice.com has posted just the Sixers matchups.
2026 Summer League schedule for the Sixers in Las Vegas (they are skipping Salt Lake City this year):
It will start later this year with three less games because, as Aaronson points out, the Sixers will not be participating in the Salt Lake City Summer League. The Sixers had played in Utah over the summer for the last decade, but this year they’ll wait for Las Vegas like the rest of the league.
That game against the Pistons on the 9th will take place at 5:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcasted on Amazon Prime Video. On the 11th they’ll take on the Pacers, also at 5:30 and on Prime. The 14th against Houston will also be on Prime at 4 p.m. ET. The 15th against the Magic will be also be at 4 but will be broadcasted on ESPNU, because all the games on one network would just be too easy.
Now it’s just time to see who else will be joining Philon on the Summer League roster. Recent second-round picks like Johni Broome and potentially even Adem Bona could see another year of reps. The Sixers have yet to announce any signings of undrafted free agents, but according to his alma mater, Bowling Green, Javonte Campbell has received an invite. Campbell was a four-year college player and reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year.
𝙅𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙡: 𝙉𝘽𝘼 𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝘽𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙
Congratulations to MAC Defensive Player of the Year Javontae Campbell on signing with the @sixers for the NBA Summer League!
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 24: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics looks on against the Philadelphia 76ers during game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 24, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 108-100. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons are either one of the most aggressive teams in the NBA right now or they simply have so many options in how to reshape their team that rival agents and execs are dropping their name everywhere.
The latest bit of news/speculation/rumor-mongering involves the team’s chase for a second star to put alongside Cade Cunningham. The latest name to enter the fray — Jaylen Brown.
That news comes as reporting has trickled out of Boston that the Celtics might be aggressive in trying to relocate a potentially disgruntled star, and news out of Detroit that Detroit and big man Jalen Duren are at an impasse on sealing a new long-term deal.
In the past few days, Detroit has been linked to Kawhi Leonard. The team’s interest in Leonard dates back many months, but it has never been clear whether Leonard or his incumbent team was interested in relocating.
The idea picked up steam after some NBA insiders mentioned it during the NBA Draft broadcast on ESPN, but as early as the rumor lived, it shall die. Marc Stein and Jake Fischer write on Substack that Leonard has made it clear that he would have no interest in signing an extension if traded to Detroit, and the clarity of that message has made it clear to Detroit’s brass that they should move on.
The Pistons were also interested in Austin Reeves (agreed to new deal with the Lakers) and Coby White (agreed to new deal with the Hornets). The two report that Detroit remains interested in Tyler Herro, who Milwaukee is willing to move after obtaining him in the Giannis trade. They are also reportedly eyeing impending Heat free agent Norm Powell.
Earlier Friday, it was reported that the Pistons traded for Oklahoma City Thunder sharpshooter Isaiah Joe in exchange for two second-round picks. That move effectively makes the long arc of Detroit’s transactions look like this:
Pistons send:
Jaden Ivey and Isaiah Stewart, Pick 28 (Joshua Jefferson)
Anyway, with the addition of Joe, it is unclear if Detroit still feels a pressing need to add a player of the caliber of Norm Powell or even Tyler Herro. Stein and Fischer say interest remains.
Back to Brown.
Brown would be a huge addition to the Pistons, comparable to Leonard. He would also be quite expensive. The conversation surely starts with Jalen Duren in a sign-and-trade deal and continues on to include players like Duncan Robinson, probably Ron Holland as a defensive addition and young prospect, and one or two future first-round picks.
Is that palatable when it would also mean paying the $180 million over the ages 30-32 seasons for Brown? Your mileage may vary. And that doesn’t even take into full account the fact that Brown’s displeasure in Boston may begin and end with it not being his team. Would he be any more of “the guy” when trading Jayson Tatum for Cade Cunningham?
I would speculate that Cunningham would be much more apt to distribute to Brown than to make sure he’s leading the team in shots, but there is no confusion — this is and will be Cade Cunningham’s team.
It might all be moot as it should be noted that other reports with other sources are telling an entirely different story. Chris Haynes reports that the Pistons “are conveying that Jalen Duren will not be moved and are solely focused on coming to terms on an agreement to keep their All-Star center, league sources tell me.”
It looks like the battle lines are being drawn by both sides as the negotiations reach the 11th hour.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 15: Tyler Nickel #5 of the Vanderbilt Commodores warms up prior to the 2026 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament Championship game at Bridgestone Arena on March 15, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As we patiently wait to know more about Jose Alvarado’s decision, it looks like Mitchell Robinson we’ll be gone within a week.
Sad day in this crib.
On the bright side of things, here are a bunch of quotes from and about the two newest Knickerbockers.
Vanderbilt’s Tyler Nickel on the hardest question he’s gotten during team interviews:
“Three people I would want to have dinner with, dead or alive.”
On the toughest pre-draft question an NBA team asked him:
“Somebody asked me, three people I would want to have dinner with, dead or alive, and that was tough; I didn’t expect that one. I think I ended up saying Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr., and LeBron.”
On being drafted by the Knicks:
“I feel crazy right now, just working my whole life to be in this position and obviously ultimately being drafted, it’s a dream. I feel like I’m in a dream right now.”
On going from Rockingham County to New York:
“It doesn’t even sound real. It doesn’t even sound like it would happen. It’s been a minute since it happened to anybody even in the area.”
On his mentality:
“[I’m] just fearless. Like, extremely fearless. It doesn’t matter who’s on the court, what’s going on, I’m never going to fear another man that walks this earth ever in any regard.”
On his confidence:
“Where I kind of like grew up, dude, if you didn’t believe in yourself to get to a certain level, it wasn’t gonna happen. You kind of have to have almost, to other people, a delusional sense of confidence. I trust myself so much just because of my work.”
On being himself:
“I’m never going to apologize for being myself or stop being myself just because people assume certain things or feel a type of way about it. People are going to feel some type of way about you regardless of what you do. So you might as well just be yourself in the process.”
“We are talking about a 19-year-old guy, but his mind and body aren’t those of a 19-year-old. This is the first thing that got my attention.”
Alan Ibrahimagic (Germany U19 Coach)
On Jack Kayil’s unselfishness:
“Sometimes he’s a little bit too unselfish: he always tries to find another teammate before looking at himself. He could be a much better scorer than he is right now. But with that said, he’s one of the best two-way guards in Germany.”
WHSV @jarvisharen: "If I'd have told you someone from Rockingham County's gonna be playing in New York City"
“He’s not taking his talent for granted, and he’s not just thinking that everything will fall in his place. He’s really working for everything he has, and that will take him a long way.”
On Kayil’s development as a point guard:
“He needs to get into the point guard mindset of running the team, controlling the next play, thinking always one step ahead: getting the ball to the ones who need it and getting others to the right spots, reading the game earlier and better.”
“‘You guys think this was all you and we’re not good enough’ … We’ve been hearing that all year and for our whole lives” — Landry Shamet on how the entire Knicks group has been written off at one point or another 🚨 NEW YM3 WITH SHAMET + JOHN TURTURRO DROPS TOMORROW 🚨 pic.twitter.com/625SpOKWC1
— TheOldManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) June 25, 2026
Fran Fraschilla
On trusting the Knicks’ scouting department:
“I trust the Knicks — they have a great scouting department. They hit on guys like this. … Let’s put it this way, I’ll say this — Walt Perrin and Brock Aller, they know what they’re doing. It’s not a given that either of these guys is gonna be a home run, but I would trust their judgment given their recent track record.”
On Jack Kayil:
“He’s a big, strong but young point guard who gained a lot of experience in a relatively high-level European league. It’s to his credit that he just led his Alba Berlin to an unexpected championship. That’s in his favor. Skillwise, he’s still a work in progress, but his athleticism and toughness give him a chance someday soon to be an NBA player. I’m guessing that the Knicks think he needs a little bit more seasoning. I would be surprised if he was on the roster, but he wouldn’t embarrass himself. But he’s not ready to be a contributor on an NBA championship team.”
On Kayil’s long-term outlook:
“He’s improving. He’s headed toward being an NBA player. I don’t know that he’s there yet, but he certainly made a big step this year, winning a championship. He was a focal point as a 20-year-old on a team with men, grown-ups.”
On Kayil’s strengths and weaknesses:
“He’s a point guard. He’s a creative playmaker who has the ability to create his own shot, but his shooting needs to improve. Having said that, he takes a lot of tough shots, because his team gets low in the shot clock. His shooting definitely needs to improve for him to be viable at some point in the future. I’m sure he’ll work on it.”
On Tyler Nickel:
“I like his size, his toughness and his shooting. He’s got the toughness to be an NBA player, and he certainly shoots it well. And I think that’s why they drafted him. He’s not a skinny, 170-pound kid. He’s well put together, very experienced, been to three schools, and was really a good player this year in the SEC. He’s got a quick release, deep range, and he’s fearless. The toughness and the fearlessness, off the bat, give him a chance to make an NBA roster.”
On Nickel’s NBA translation:
“He’s got a quick release and he is fearless. Fearlessly tough with it. He has amnesia after every shot — make or miss. …. Right off the bat, his outside shooting is very translatable. I would say lateral quickness, defensively, in the best league in the world will be his primary adjustment. But if you watch YouTube, you’ll see some sneaky athletic dunks.”
