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Winners and losers of the NHL offseason include teams in big markets spending and improving

NHL: Detroit Red Wings at New York Rangers

Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane (88) and New York Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (44) fight for the puck during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Danny Wild-Imagn Images

NHL teams committed more than $862 million in salary to 102 players on the first day of free agency, not counting entry-level or minor-league contracts.

Chicago signed Bowen Byram to the biggest contract at $75 million, making him the highest-paid defenseman in the league at $12.5 million a year, at least for now. Philadelphia spent the most at just under $90 million, though like the Byram deal much of that does not go into effect until the 2027-28 season.

Some of that money will be well spent, and other dollars will be regretted for years to come. Here’s a look at the early returns on offseason winners and losers:

NHL free agency winners

NEW YORK RANGERS: Fundamentals-first coach Mike Sullivan should be happy because his blue line got better even if No. 5 pick Alberts Smits needs another year to make the leap. General manager Chris Drury acquired defensemen Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson in separate trades, which should ease the burden on Adam Fox, Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Igor Shesterkin. Trading Vincent Trocheck to Utah opens a hole at center, but the addition of winger Pavel Dorofeyev makes up for a talent deficiency up front enough to say the Rangers got better.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS : New GM John Chayka acknowledged: “We did a lot of buying and selling over the last month. And at times maybe it didn’t make a lot of sense in terms of the individual moves. But as we thought about kind of the bigger picture and what we’re trying to create, it all kind of lined up for us.” It’s hard to argue with remaking the roster by adding goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, defensemen Darren Raddysh and Emil Andrae, and forwards Nick Paul, Colton Sissons, Jack Roslovic, Brandon Duhaime and Teddy Bleuger. Gone are Joseph Woll, Simon Benoit, Brandon Carlo, Nick Robertson, Matias Maccelli and more. With Auston Matthews’ future in question, Chayka is off to a good start as far as personnel goes and he also has No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna to weave into the mix.

SAN JOSE SHARKS : Mike Grier got immediate help by trading for Darnell Nurse and signing Mason Marchment and Jacob Trouba. They are veteran players who could help the team make the playoffs next season. He also kept stocking the cupboard of high-end-potential prospects by drafting Ivar Stenberg and two others in the first round. The short-, medium- and long-term future is bright now that San Jose is a destination with Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks on the rise.

FLORIDA PANTHERS: Even losing Bobrovsky, the 2024 and ’25 Cup champions added Brady Tkachuk to play with brother Matthew, brought back Radko Gudas and extended Eetu Luostarinen. The Panthers look loaded for another run and have tons of future salary cap space to play with.

NHL free agency losers

DETROIT RED WINGS: Detroit has not made the playoffs since 2016, now the NHL’s longest drought. And there is lingering uncertainty with captain Dylan Larkin wanting out. The Red Wings’ muddled path forward was evident Wednesday with the signing of Viktor Arvidsson and trade pickup of Keegan Kolesar representing their most notable additions. GM Steve Yzerman has the leverage of time in waiting for the best offer for Larkin. And yet the situation has the potential of becoming a bigger distraction and handcuffing Yzerman from building the roster further.

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: Hindsight might reveal the Flyers were smart in not spending big on assets and salary cap space to get Nurse, John Carlson (who signed with Tampa Bay) or Byram. But their biggest need was a No. 1 defenseman who could run the top power play unit, and that remains a giant void. GM Daniel Briere did make a big move for years down the road by locking up Tyson Foerster for almost the next decade.

NHL free agency jury’s out

BUFFALO SABRES: The Sabres lost more proven talent than they brought in during the past two weeks, trading Byram to the Blackhawks and Alex Tuch to Washington. Landing defensive prospect Daxon Rudolph with the fourth pick in exchange for Byram helps down the road, as do the acquisitions of promising young blue liners Olen Zellweger and Louis Crevier. Buffalo has so far struck out in trade talks to get Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck this summer, after St. Louis D-man Colton Parayko declined to a move at the deadline. That leaves Jarmo Kekalainen banking on Buffalo’s talented pipeline of youth to step up to build on a season in which the Sabres won their first Atlantic Division title and snapped a league-record 14-year playoff absence.

DALLAS STARS: This all depends on what happens with Jason Robertson, a restricted free agent in need of a new contract and one that could exceed $100 million. Jim Nill traded Mavrik Bourque to Nashville for picks and cleared cap space by including Ilya Lyubushkin in that deal. He also acknowledged he had something worked out with Seattle in a trade Robertson vetoed. Reigning Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski declined to join Dallas. Everything hinges on making sure Robertson is signed or somehow recouping assets for a player in his prime coming off a 45-goal, 96-point season.

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Last Call from the road for the first half

SACRAMENTO, CA - JULY 01: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on from the dugout during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Jacob Soriano/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

While the Dodgers have had a dud to close out their series in West Sacramento, there are three important things to take away from the experience:

  1. The Dodgers will likely never play at Sutter Health Park again, barring something extremely unexpected this October, something unexpected happening with labor negotiations, or the Athletics fumbling their new planned stadium in Las Vegas, which would probably require even more baseball adjacent to River City. Honestly, I am not sure which scenario the Commissioner would hate more;
  2. The Dodgers will be homebodies until the All-Star Break. The Dodgers don’t hit the road again until after the All-Star Break, when they will live in New York and Philadelphia for the better part of two weeks; and
  3. The Dodgers have led MLB in road attendance every season since 2021. If you thought the past two series in San Diego and Sacramento felt more like home games than usual, you’re not alone.

Last call to Dodger Stadium South in 2026

Barring something unexpected this season, the Dodgers have made their final visit to San Diego in 2026. Unlike Ferris, Walker Buehler and the Padres had a day to forget against the Chicago Cubs as the death knell for their season continues to chime, before coming to Los Angeles for One Piece Night.

Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune broke the story on the Dodgers’ impact at Petco Park after the Dodgers left San Diego:

…[Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove] is a season-ticket holder now, too, so he understands why the crowds this weekend at Petco Park felt a bit more like the pre-2020 era of this rivalry than a team ranking second in average attendance this season and last season.

“I think it’s our season-ticket holders selling the tickets,” Musgrove said Sunday morning. “I’m not going to tell somebody that can make a lot of money or get some of their money back by selling tickets not to, but I think that’s the main reason. It seems like all of our fans that show up for every other series of the year and fill it out seem to sell their tickets when these series come around.”

Musgrove said Saturday night “was out of control. It was like the most I’ve ever seen Dodger fans in our stadium — 90% Dodgers fans.”

Petco Park averaged 42,434 fans per game last year and was sitting at 41,439 per game coming into Sunday. Both figures rank behind only Dodger Stadium (49,536 and 50,872 in 2025 and 2026, respectively) for most in the majors.

Crowds of 43,153 and 45,159 on Friday and Saturday easily trumped attendance for the Dodgers series here in mid-May, when neither crowd topped 42,000 and one (39,788) didn’t even register as a sellout.

[Emphasis added.]

Dodgers fans travel well, from Japan to Toronto and all points in between. It’s not exactly newsworthy, but further confirmation is always welcome. Once again, Mr. Sanders:

“If I lived in L.A., I would want to come down to San Diego too,” Padres reliever Jason Adam said.

Added Musgrove: “It’s just how it is, man. They’re so close. They got a lot of Dodger fans down here in San Diego already, and I know they’re always looking to fill out our stadium. I think partially because the atmosphere is awesome. It’s a great ballpark, good food, a fun place to watch a game, but also it’s close enough to (L.A.) to try to trump the Padre fans and fill it out with their fans.”

A larger population that’s nearish to a smaller population? It’s basic geography, people. Folks in Milwaukee get used to Cubs’ fans showing up all the time. Although reporter Jeff Passan seemed not to get that memo.

One trick to keep larger fanbases from swarming smaller locales (think Los Angeles to San Diego, New York to Philadelphia, Chicago to Milwaukee, etc.) is to use geolocking to slow ticket sales from the club. When I purchased my seats for the upcoming Dodgers/Phillies series months ago, I had to do the added step of calling the Phillies ticket office. It was a bit annoying, but I understood the logic. The Padres have employed such tactics before and are likely to do so again when they eventually return to the postseason. For a final time, Mr. Sanders:

Former Dodgers ace Walker Buehler had become accustomed to seeing Dodgers fans take over places like Petco Park, Angel Stadium and Chase Field in Phoenix over the years, but even he noted the drastic difference in the composition of the crowd on Friday and Saturday compared with even just the May series here.

“I think here and Anaheim; Arizona always big,” Buehler said of Dodgers fans in visiting parks, “but this weekend was freaking crazy.”

It won’t be that way should the two teams meet in October, as the Padres have taken to limiting postseason ticket purchasers to those in certain ZIP codes to maintain a home-field advantage.

This issue at Petco Park is likely moot for the rest of 2026, but stranger things have happened.

Making (Good) Trouble in River City

Why one would report in a narrow aisle is beyond me, but as you can see above, Sacramento showed up when the Dodgers came to the Sacramento area. As we covered in “Trouble in River City,” John Fisher was likely salivating at the start of the series.

I did try to warn everyone. As I figured, Sacramentans and others showed up, as writer Molly Knight and other journalists reported. Ohtani being in town as opposed to the other side of the state or 1-2 hours away has gravity that is hard to resist. I understand the impulse quite well; I just wish everyone did not have to pay out the nose to experience it.

Unless someone was actively ignoring the last three games or was trapped in a well, the Dodgers effectively had three extra de facto home games this week. Whether MLB will also use this fact to cudgel the Dodgers in the ongoing labor negotiation is an open tongue-in-cheek question for another day.

Reeti Malhotra and Evelyn Ronan of the Sacramento Bee noted the outpouring of Dodgers fans in Sacramento:

Downtown Sacramento was awash in Dodger blue as thousands of fans poured into the capital city for a three-game series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the A’s that concludes Wednesday. The Los Angeles Dodgers opened the series against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Monday, winning the sold-out opener at the minor league stadium as Dodgers fans packed the stands. By Tuesday afternoon, the Dodgers’ effect continued, as downtown and Old Sacramento more closely resembled Chavez Ravine, with fans clad in green and gold standing out amid a sea of Dodger blue baseball caps and L.A.-emblazoned jerseys…

…Ben Cove, a Los Angeles resident and Dodgers fan who flew in for the series, said his trip had been “really all about baseball” and that between games, visiting a sports bar and seeing a local sight or two, he had been hanging out in the Kimpton lobby to see players pass. “We were so fired up to see them in a minor league park, to see Shohei in a minor league park,” Cove added.

[Emphasis added.]

It is nice to know that the article confirmed my hypothesis about where the team was staying while staying in the region. Ms. Malhotra and Ms. Ronan also documented the impact the Dodgers had on local businesses during their stint in River City:

Local business owners welcomed the boost in business as Dodgers fans filled restaurants, hotels and entertainment districts throughout Sacramento and West Sacramento. “You can see it downtown, the restaurants are full, the hotels are busy, and you know, the businesses are busier during those times,” said David Eadie, chief sports and entertainment officer of Visit Sacramento. “With the Giants and the Dodgers being California-based as well, we get a lot of folks traveling in from Southern California and from the Bay Area for those games.”

Bear & Crown owner Jesse Ledin said his British pub-style restaurant in Old Sacramento was “slammed” Monday with Dodgers and A’s fans alike, with levels of foot traffic he usually sees only when the Giants or Dodgers come to town. He said he expected the crowds to continue through Wednesday, when the series concludes.

If patterns hold, one would expect Las Vegas to have similar circumstances and energy once that new venue opens in 2028. As things stand under the current system, the A’s would visit Dodger Stadium next year.

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Fixing the Guardians’ Kyle Manzardo with Runners in Scoring Position

CLEVELAND, OHIO - JUNE 30: Kyle Manzardo #9 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field on June 30, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Kyle Manzardo has a runners in scoring position problem. How significant it is and how likely it is to last is up for debate.

For his career, the 25 year-old has a 107 wRC+, overall. At 959 plate appearances, he’s at a bit of an inflection point for the rest of this season; if he can raise that wRC+ for this season from its current 102 to something more like 115, I think we should feel pretty good about him being in the Guardians’ lineup for the future, given his youth. He has admirably worked on his atrocious defense to become a non-negative at first base, which is a point in his favor as we consider if he can work and grow on areas of deficiency.

Speaking of those trouble spots, Manzardo has a troubling split you have probably noticed at this point. For his career, with empty bases, Manzardo is a career 119 wRC+ hitter. I can’t seem to sort on FanGraphs or Savant for just runners on first, but he has a 93 wRC+ with runners on, which, given the next stat I’m about to give, has to mean he hits very well with just a runner on first. Because, with runners in scoring position, Manzardo has a career 74 wRC+ in 259 plate appearances.

Now, I think it is, first of all, fair to note that 259 plate appearances is still not even half a season’s worth of opportunities. Perhaps this is only an article I should write three years down the line when Manzardo has 600 plate appearances with RISP. But, I don’t think either he or the Guardins have that long to wait, given Ralphy Velazquez’s near advent. Manzardo and the Guardians need to consider the possibility that he has some kind of block once a runner reaches second base.

In looking under the hood, a couple things stand out right away. With no runners on or just a runner on first, Manzardo has a 26% chase rate on pitches out of the zone. With runners in scoring position, that chase rate rises to 34%. With no runners on or just a runner on first, he swings at the first pitch 27% of the time. With runners in scoring position, he swings 33% of the time. I think these numbers show he is getting antsy when there are RBI opportunities, perhaps feeling the pressure of performing as a middle of the order hitter. Now, overall, Manzardo has a 105 wRC+ in high leverage situations. He’s not afraid of pressure, he can handle to a reasonable level the elite relief pitching he sees late in games, and he even displays a cool demeanor. I just think he literally needs to tell himself “No one is on base, and I’m going to approach this at-bat as if it was any other.”

You may be laughing at this simplistic conclusion, but Manzardo has the ability to recognize when most pitches are out of the zone. He has the ability to be selective when deciding which pitches to damage. But, a noticeable portion of these abilities are unaccountably deserting him when a runner reaches second base. Since there’s no logical reason for that, I would argue that it indicates a mental block that needs a mental solution.

Finally, there’s one other stat that stands out about Manzardo, overall. While in the upper levels of the minors, Manzardo ran opposite-field hit rates steadily over 30%. In the majors, he’s at closer to 25%. Manzardo needs the pulled-ball ability to get to his power, but I do think it is reasonable for him to begin thinking in terms of “If all I’m gonna get is pitches on the outside of the plate, I am going to need to serve a few into left field to earn myself pitches to hit on the inside part of the plate.” This is easy for me to type, and hard to do, but I think it’s, again, a slight mindset shift. Yes, you need to get pitches over the middle and inside and pull them in the air. BUT, to get those pitches, you need to make people realize they can get hurt by your good eye and decent contact ability if they insist on going outside, outside, outside. He has flashed a 75% contact rate and a swinging strike rate as low as 11% last season. Those kind of metrics should enable him to discover a few more opposite field hits and make pitchers respect his ability to do harm to stuff thrown on the outside part of the plate.

I love Kyle Manzardo and I still believe he can be a middle of the order hitter for the Guardians. The time for him to put the pieces together and make it happen is now.

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Examining All Moves Made By Panthers Over Past Few Days, Exploring How Roster Could Shake Out

It’s been quite a couple days for the Florida Panthers.

As the calendar flipped from June to July and a new league year began, the Panthers kept very busy both signing and trading for new additions to the franchise.

Over the past several days, Florida seemed to get progressively busier, culminating in a wild July 1 that saw them make nearly a dozen moves to fortify their roster for what the team expects to be a return to Stanley Cup contention.

The fun started on Monday, when Florida traded the rights of A.J. Greer to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange to the rights of defenseman Radko Gudas, both of whom were set to hit free agency two days later.

Later that night, the Panthers picked up their first goaltender, acquiring Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights for a 2028 third-round pick.

It was maybe 12 hours later that Florida completed their goaltending tandem, trading for former Cats tendie Jacob Markstrom, along with forward Angus Crookshank, and sending Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist and Ben Steeves to the New Jersey Devils.

That leads us to Wednesday, the first of July and the start of a new NHL league year.

To say that the Panthers were busy despite having the majority of their NHL roster being accounted for would be an understatement.

By the time the day was done, the Cats had fortified their depth at the NHL level while adding several pieces that will help their AHL squad who are also prime candidates for call-ups if and when the Panthers need it.

Here are the moves Florida made on Wednesday:

Sign forward Eetu Luostarinen to an eight-year extension

Sign forward Sandis Vilmanis to an eight-year extension

Sign defenseman Radko Gudas to a six-year contract

Sign forward Cole Schwindt to a two-year contract extension

Sign defenseman Alexander Petrovic to a two-year contract

Sign forward Lars Eller to a one-year contract

Sign defenseman Donovan Sebrango to a one-year contract extension

Sign defenseman Toby Bjornfot to a one-year, two-way contract extension

Sign forward John Beecher to a one-year, two-way contract

Sign forward Sam Lafferty to a one-year, two-way contract

Sign forward Boko Imama to a one-year, two-way contract

Sign defenseman Casey Fitzgerald to a one-year, two-way contract

There could be more moves coming, including a new contract for goaltender Akria Schmid, which Zito indicated would be coming at some point. 

“I’m not anticipating real difficulty," he said when asked about Schmid on Wednesday. "I’ve spoken to him, he’s excited to be here.”

Based off their current cast of characters, here is a projected look at their forward lines and defensive pairings could break down when Opening Night arrives.

Keep in mind that an NHL roster can only carry a maximum of 23 players, so there can only be a total of three extra players (healthy scratches). We’re listing several options for those extra spots, as the final decisions will likely come down to how each player performs during training camp.

Brady Tkachuk – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand

Jonah Gadjovich – Lars Eller – Garnet Hathaway

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Dmitry Kulikov – Radko Gudas

Jacob Markstrom

Akria Schmid

Extra forwards: Cole Reinhardt, Cole Schwindt, Sandis Vilmanis

Extra defensemen: Uvis Balinskis, Alex Petrovic

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Panthers Signing Eetu Luostarinen To 8-Year Contract Extension

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Ivar Stenberg shines in Sharks Development Camp, signs entry-level contract

Ivar Stenberg shines in Sharks Development Camp, signs entry-level contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Sharks signed Ivar Stenberg to an entry-level contract on Thursday.

Terms were not disclosed.       

“I’m just super thankful and super excited to be a Shark,” Stenberg said.

The 5-foot-11 winger, the No. 2 pick of the 2026 NHL Draft, is expected to compete for a spot in the Sharks’ top nine this upcoming season.

“There’s no doubt,” Sharks director of player development Todd Marchant said about Stenberg’s NHL-readiness. Though he cautioned, “there’s a curve that each player has to go through.”

Stenberg did nothing to shake the Sharks’ confidence in development camp.

While San Jose Barracuda head coach John McCarthy didn’t want to go as far as declare Stenberg NHL-ready right away, he did explain how both Stenberg and 2024 No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini separated themselves in their first development camps.

“Making plays in small, tight areas,” McCarthy said. “They can obviously separate with their speed, with their feet, create time and space with their hands. Smart players that see the ice well and make a lot of really good plays.”

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"An Easy Decision": Viktor Arvidsson Speaks After Joining Red Wings

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As part of their signings on the opening day of the NHL Free Agency period, the Detroit Red Wings inked veteran forward Viktor Arvidsson to a two-year contract with a salary cap hit of $5 million.

Arvidsson, who played last season with the divisional rival Boston Bruins, scored 25 goals with 29 assists, helping his club reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs after finishing fourth overall in the Atlantic, eight points ahead of Detroit. 

The Swedish-born forward, who was selected by the Nashville Predators in the fourth round (112th overall pick) of the 2014 NHL Draft, is already familiar with head coach Todd McLellan after having played under him while with the Los Angeles Kings from 2021 through 2024. 

For him, it was an "easy" decision to agree to join the Red Wings. 

"I've known Todd since before, and really liked playing under him and stuff like that," Arvidsson said on Thursday. "It was an easy decision, and I'm happy to be a Red Wing. It's going to be fun." 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

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Not only is Arvidsson a quick skater who can play with an edge, but he also brings an effectiveness in five-on-five scoring that the Red Wings have sorely lacked. 

"I'm going to bring a competitive aspect to the game, and try and be a role model for the younger guys, and just to bring some leadership and try to play hard, and put my best in front and just go from there." 

Arvidsson played with fellow Swede Lucas Raymond during the Winter Olympics in Milan, and also has trained with Axel Sandin-Pellikka during the offseason. 

He's played twice now in the Stanley Cup Final, with the Predators in 2017 and with the Edmonton Oilers in 2024. Meanwhile, the Red Wings are stuck in the NHL's longest postseason drought. 

Red Wings Sign Veteran Forward Viktor Arvidsson Red Wings Sign Veteran Forward Viktor Arvidsson On the opening day of the NHL free-agency period, the Detroit Red Wings are adding some veteran talent up front with the signing of Viktor Arvidsson.

Having already skated in 91 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, Arvidsson wants to be part of the solution that brings postseason hockey back to Detroit. 

"That's always my goal, to get together as a group and win games together," he said. "Every team is saying this when Training Camp starts, that they'll be a team that makes the playoffs." 

It's a tough League to go into and make the playoffs, but second of all, go all the way. That's my goal every year: to play meaningful hockey." 

Arvidsson has scored 219 goals with 224 assists in 682 regular season games, with another 17 goals and 29 assists during the postseason. 

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ESPN analyst on Jaylen Brown trade: 'One of the dumbest trades in NBA history'

The reaction out of Boston-based and Celtics-focused NBA commentary has centered on what's perceived to be a poor return for Jaylen Brown in the team's trade with the Philadelphia 76ers. Most Celtics fans aren't happy about it, and neither are the people who talk about them for a living.

ESPN analyst and former Celtics player Kendrick Perkins declared it "one of the dumbest trades in NBA history."

In the trade, the Celtics have agreed to ship Brown to the 76ers in exchange for veteran Paul George, two first-round draft picks and two second-round selections, a person with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.

Ringer podcast host and noted Celtics fan Bill Simmons said Thursday he was just emerging from being under anesthesia after a colonoscopy and thought "I died," when he learned about the Brown trade, and that Boston had only gotten Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks for Brown.

USA TODAY Sports NBA reporter Lorenzo Reyes contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ESPN analyst on Jaylen Brown trade: 'One of the dumbest trades in NBA history'

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LeBron James, Lakers front office had ‘disconnect’ after Russell Westbrook trade

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 30: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Russell Westbrook #0 and LeBron James #6 (2nd L) of the Los Angeles Lakers look on against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 30, 2023 in New York City. The Nets defeated the Lakers 121-104. 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 Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

For those paying particularly close attention to the Lakers during the LeBron James era, there was a clear inflection point.

Riding high after a title in 2020 and feeling hard done by due to injuries the following season, the Lakers front office and LeBron had a harmonious relationship. Looking for an offseason shakeup, the franchise offered up two trades to LeBron: one for Buddy Hield and one for Russell Westbrook.

Fans know how things played out from there and it took the team many years to recover from acquiring Westbrook. When a deal plays out that disastrously, multiple figures are to blame.

Rob Pelinka, now President of Basketball Operations, deserves a lion’s share of the blame, particularly for even offering up the decision to a player on the team. But LeBron doesn’t escape unscathed, either, as he did offer his input.

As it turns out, that moment fractured the relationship between LeBron and the front office so severely that it never recovered, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported in his article on Thursday.

There was more of a disconnect between James and the organization, sources said, one that started during the doomed 2021-22 season following the Russell Westbrook trade and never fully recovered.

The shift in how the two sides collaborated after that move was evident. Originally, Pelinka freely shared that he consulted with LeBron and Anthony Davis on roster moves. After the Russ trade, the same synergy didn’t exist.

LeBron, in a calculated move, distanced himself from the front office and any decision-making that happened from that point forward. Similarly, Pelinka said he was the sole decision-maker as well.

That the relationship between the two sides never recovered from that moment isn’t particularly surprising. It’s a cloud that will hang over the post-title tenure for LeBron and Pelinka. It was a huge mistake that backfired in the worst way possible.

Even if the Lakers had modest success after that, it’s a defining moment in both their times with the Lakers and one that, understandably, changed the dynamics between the player and franchise.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

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Report: Willie Green to join Dusty May’s staff

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 14: Head coach Willie Green of the New Orleans Pelicans watches the action in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Smoothie King Center on April 14, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Free agency is upon us and the Dallas Mavericks have begun making moves, adding Santi Aldama to the roster on Wednesday night with the possible addition of Marcus Sasser forthcoming. As the roster begins to take shape, we are now hearing reports that the coaching staff is as well.

Marc Stein is now reporting that Willie Green will be joining the ranks as a top assistant to Dusty May.

After putting together a 12-year playing career through 2015, Green got his first coaching stint with the Golden State Warriors as an assistant in 2018. He rode that first job on the sidelines all the way to the NBA Finals where the Warriors came up short, then moved over to the Phoenix Sun as an assistant for two years before becoming the head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans. He held that position up until this past season when he was dismissed in mid-November after a dismal 2-10 start to the season. As a head coach, Green has a win-loss record of 150-190. The .441 winning percentage may not be the most stellar number, but considering the lengthy injury absences to key players, some of that is understandable. Green took the Pelicans to the Playoffs on two occasions, going 2-8 overall including a sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder. He had two winning seasons over the five total seasons he was at the helm.

Although he didn’t have the most successful run in New Orleans, Green is generally considered to be a defensive-minded, player-friendly coach who could be a nice fit next to May. His ability to make genuine connections with players could serve both him and the team well, as the Mavericks build around young star Cooper Flagg, newly drafted Morez Johnson, Jr. and a developing roster that is likely to get younger. Nothing is official yet, and the Golden State Warriors are rumored to be in the mix for his services, but it seems a strong possibility he will be in Dallas alongside May.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

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Sixers reportedly agree to terms with Anfernee Simons

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.

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.

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The Utah Jazz Ceiling Has Never Been Higher

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.

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 Images
SALT 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.

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LeBron James’ shrewd tactic could cement Bronny’s NBA future

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 Connect
Bronny’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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Former Flyers Goaltender Heading Back To The KHL

A former Philadelphia Flyers goalie is heading back to the KHL.

According to Tony Androckitis of Inside AHL Hockey, former Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov has signed a two-year contract with Spartak Moscow of the KHL. 

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. 

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Series Preview: White Sox at Guardians

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.

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MLB End-of-June Check-In: NL Central

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.

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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.