May 13, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown claps during the second half of the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers during game five of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Our relationship with professional athletes is always at a distance. But what if it wasn’t?
The Detroit Lions have a ton of charasmatic players throughout their locker room, and I’m sure on more than one occasion you’ve wondered (or dreamed) about hanging out with them outside of the realm of football. So for today’s Question of the Day, let’s explore that.
Which Lions player would you like to grab dinner with?
My answer: My first inclination is to cheat and say Dan Campbell, but since the question (that I wrote) explicitly says player, I’ll stick to a player.
There are a couple routes I could go with this. If I wanted to have dinner with someone who had awesome stories to tell, I’d probably go with rookie Skyler Gill-Howard (and his great origin story) or Ahmed Hassanein. We have all heard pieces of their origin stories. However, to hear their point of view through their eyes would be incredible. Plus, I’m sure they’d have even more stories to tell.
Or, I could simply just go with some excellent company. From my team experiences, guys like Colby Sorsdal, Sione Vaki, Derrick Barnes, Jack Fox, and Khalil Dorsey—among many others—are some of the nicest people in the locker room.
Finally, it would make sense to go with someone who would be extremely entertaining. If that’s the priority, I would likely go with someone like Kerby Joseph, Teddy Bridgewater, or Jameson Williams.
I’m a little more lowkey, so I think grabbing a beer and burger with a few of those people from the “nice” group would fit my vibes.
Which Lions player do you think would be the bet to grab a dinner with? Share your answer in the comment section below.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:L, 2-5 (7) and L, 1-3 (7) vs. Norfolk Tides — yeah, they had a … less enjoyable doubleheader than the A-ball team
Game 1
C J.C. Escarra 0-3, BB, fielding error DH Spencer Jones 3-4, HR, RBI, K, SB — .960 OPS at Triple-A after 14th homer in 48 games (109.1 mph off the bat on a hanging slider, 412 feet to the opposite field) 2B Marco Luciano 1-4, K RF Yanquiel Fernández 0-4 3B Oswaldo Cabrera 2-3 1B Tyler Hardman 1-3, fielding error SS Jonathan Ornelas 1-2, 2B, BB, K CF Duke Ellis 0-3, K LF Kenedy Corona 1-3, HR, RBI, 2 K — actually outdrove Jones on his homer, 421 feet
Kyle Carr 4 IP, 8 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 5 K, 2 HR, WP (loss) Yerry De los Santos 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K Eric Reyzelman 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
DH J.C. Escarra 0-4, K — hitless day in seven at-bats CF Spencer Jones 0-2, 2 BB 2B Oswaldo Cabrera 0-2, 2 K RF Yanquiel Fernández 1-3 3B Tyler Hardman 2-2, BB — only good game from the nightcap 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. 0-3, K, GIDP SS Jonathan Ornelas 1-3, fielding error LF Cole Gabrielson 0-3 C Abrahan Gutierrez 1-2 PH Marco Luciano 0-1
Adam Kloffenstein 4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 5 K, HR, WP (loss) Will Brian 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 0 K Kervin Castro 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Double-A Somerset Patriots:L, 2-5 vs. Hartford Yard Goats
LF Jackson Castillo 1-4, K CF Jace Avina 1-3, 3B, BB, RBI — triple in the first RF DJ Gladney 0-4, 3 K 3B Coby Morales 1-4, RBI, 2 K 2B Connor McGinnis 0-4, 2 K DH Miguel Palma 1-4, 2 K 1B Josh Moylan 1-4, 2 K C Manuel Palencia 0-4, K SS Owen Cobb 0-2, BB
Cade Smith 4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 7 K, HR, WP (loss) Kelly Austin 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, HR Matt Keating 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K Geoffrey Gilbert 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, HR
Cade Smith (@Yankees No. 16 prospect) struck out seven batters over 4.2 innings in his 15th Double-A appearance tonight!🔥 pic.twitter.com/H6tjGAYmQl
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades:W, 7-1 vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks
3B Roderick Arias 1-4, 2B, BB, 3 K, 2 SB, throwing error SS Core Jackson 1-3, BB, 2 K, SB DH Eric Genther 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, K, SF — solo shot in the third 1B Kyle West 1-4, K LF Wilson Rodriguez 1-2, 2B, 2 BB, SB 2B Enmanuel Tejeda 1-3, RBI, K, SF, CS C Josue Gonzalez 1-2, 2B, BB, RBI, SF, passed ball CF Camden Troyer 1-4, RBI, 2 K RF Luis Durango 1-4, 2B, RBI, 2 K — very egalitarian day for Tampa, everyone had at least one hit, no one had more than one
Rory Fox 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 9 K, 2 WP, HBP (win) — personal career-high with nine strikeouts Thomas Balboni Jr. 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, HBP Wilmy Sanchez 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K Kevin Stevens 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
SS Jackson Lovich 1-3, BB, SB, CS 2B Hans Montero 1-2, HR, 2 BB, 2 RBI, 3 SB — 25-for-28 on steals C Luis Puello 1-3, 2B, BB, RBI 3B Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 0-2, 2 BB, fielding error DH David McCann 2-4, HR, BB, 4 RBI — go-ahead three-run bomb in the fourth LF Brando Mayea 1-4, GIDP RF Willy Montero 1-4, K 1B Christofer Reyes 1-3, K CF Isael Arias 0-3, K, SB
Sabier Marte 1.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, HR — first start above Rookie ball was tough, left in a 6-1 deficit Parker Seay 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (win) Brian Hendry 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K — rehab assignment Austin Breedlove 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (save) — A-ball debut as well
#Tarpons C/1B David McCann (2-for-3, HR, BB, 4 RBI, R) paced the bats in DH G1 w/ 4 RBI, including this GW 3-run HR – his 8th HR (4th w/ Tampa). Now has 21 RBI in just 24 games in Low-A. #Yankeespic.twitter.com/KYPqMDNdz7
3B Jackson Lovich 3-4, 2B, HR, RBI — #atripleshy (homer went 417 feet at least, 107.8 mph off the bat) 2B Hans Montero 2-4, K, SB, throwing error SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 0-2, BB, RBI, K, SF 1B David McCann 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI, K, HBP — two-run double in the fifth to make it 3-0 RF Brando Mayea 0-2, BB DH Engelth Urena 0-3, 2 K LF Gabriel Lara 1-2, 2B, BB, K C Ediel Rivera 1-3, RBI, K, throwing error CF Isael Arias 1-2, 2B, BB, SB
Tyler Boudreau 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 4 K, HR (win) Greysen Carter 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 1 K
#Tarpons INF @JacksonLovich (4-for-7, HR, 2B, BB, RBI, 3 R, SB) hit safely in both ends of the DH, including his league-best 16th HR – a 417 ft shot hit 107.8 mph off the bat. Lovich also leads FSL in SLG (.532), OPS (.894), XBH (34), TB (134) + 2nd in RBI (54) & H (81). #Yankeespic.twitter.com/o0RXjHHkba
Florida Complex League Yankees:W, 3-2 (7) vs. FCL Phillies
3B Richard Matic 0-2, BB LF Wilberson De Pena 1-3 C Queni Pineda 1-3, 2B, RBI, K, SB SS Leni Done 0-3, throwing error CF Jose Castro 0-3, 2 K DH Francisco Vilorio 0-2, K 2B Dexters Peralta 1-2, K RF Estivenzon Montero 1-2, HR, 2 RBI — go-ahead two-run shot in the fifth was the decisive blow 1B Justin Capellan 0-2, K
Edinzo Marquez 3.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 7 K Alexander Almonte 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, HBP (win) Jorge Luna 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 0 K (save)
Dominican Summer League Yankees:W, 8-6 at DSL Phillies
CF Isaias Castillo 0-4, 3 K, HBP SS Stiven Marinez 2-4, BB, RBI, K, 2 SB RF Yostin Pena 0-5, RBI 2B Juan Torres 2-5, K C Juan Martinez 2-3, 2B, 2 BB, 2 RBI, 2 SB, 2 passed balls — go-ahead two-run double in the sixth 1B Jose Peralta 0-4, BB, 3 K, SB DH Abrahan Pichardo 0-5, 3 K LF Eliezer Adames 2-4, K, fielding error 3B Adrian Feliz 1-3, HBP — scored tying run on a wild pitch in the four-run sixth
Dominican Summer League Bombers:L, 5-11 vs. DSL Colorado
2B Dariel Santana 1-5, 2B, 2 K, SB, picked off SS Mani Cedeno 0-2, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 SB, fielding error 3B Alfred Ciriaco 0-1 C Alessandro Rodriguez 1-3, RBI, K, SF DH Carlos Bello 1-2, 2 BB, picked off CF David Carrera 1-4, RBI — tied game in the eighth on an RBI grounder 3B-SS Germayhoni Beltre 0-4 RF Sebastian Pinto 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, GIDP — second career homer 1B Jesus Guerrero 1-3, BB LF Eddison Charles 0-2, 2 BB, 2 K
Argenis Veloz 3 IP, 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, HBP, WP — pro debut Brandy Luis 3 IP, 6 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K Ronald Tejada 2.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 2 K (loss) Diego Carrillo 0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, HBP — Tejada got the loss, but Carrillo got smoked in the go-ahead six-run ninth
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - MARCH 21: Deven Sheerin of the LSU Tigers in action against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Alex Box Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Mac Brod/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)
After two season in Baton Rouge, Deven Sheerin will head to professional baseball after being selected #128 overall in the 4th round of the MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. He was the first LSU pitcher to be selected and third player overall, following Derek Curiel and Jake Brown.
While Sheerin was a Tiger for multiple season, he only played for one of them. Soon after transferring to LSU in the summer of 2024, he tore his ACL and missed the entire 2025 National Championship season. This past year was his first on the field and he made up for lost time.
In 37.2 innings pitched, Sheerin held a 4.78 ERA. He struck out a whopping 58 batters, averaging over 1.5 Ks per inning. Pumping in fastballs up to 97-98 mph and following them with a wicked slider, the redshirt-sophomore’s most important quality during the 2026 season was his ability to throw strikes. LSU’s pitching staff led the SEC in walks allowed, so his command, along with his dominant stuff, led Sheerin to being LSU’s most consistent pitcher throughout the season.
With a 3/4 arm slot delivery, paired with a stretch in which he steps way across his body, he is a nightmare for right-handed hitters. He very well could become a dominant Major League bullpen arm, especially considering how fresh he is. With only 107.2 innings pitched across three seasons in college, Sheerin is delivering a massive amount of promise to the Phillies organization.
Slot value for the 128th pick is $597,400, so it will be interesting to see the final singing bonus that Philadelphia gives him.
PHILADELPHIA — Three months and 16 days have passed since opening day, and now that the All-Star break is here, do we really know anything more now than we did back in March?
The Los Angeles Dodgers still are the best team in baseball and, with a 61-34 record entering Saturday, could realistically pop the champagne corks in August, running away from everyone in the National League West.
The Colorado Rockies, even with a new front office, still stink at 39-57, and are on their way to their fourth consecutive 100-loss season.
The Milwaukee Brewers continue to embarrass every prognosticator and algorithm that predicted this would be the year they’d be sitting home in October, and now watch them sit with a 7 ½-game lead in the NL Central entering Saturday.
And as far as everyone else, welcome to the land mediocrity, where 24 teams are within six games of a playoff berth, putting the Aug. 3 trade deadline into chaos.
While everyone has breathlessly been talking about the trade deadline since mid-April, producing tens of thousands of words on paper and on the airwaves, what if this turns out to be the dullest trade deadline in decades?
What if the Detroit Tigers, who have the American League’s best record since June 1, actually hang onto two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal?
What if the Boston Red Sox, who perhaps have the most valuable trade chips in starter Sonny Gray, closer Aroldis Chapman and first baseman Willson Contreras, believe they’re a legitimate contender after winning 12 of their past 14 games, climbing to within 1 ½ games of a wild-card berth?
What if no one is desperate enough to spend hundreds of millions to take Rafael Devers, Willy Adames or Matt Chapman off the San Francisco Giants' hands?
What if there are so many teams in the wild-card race at the trade deadline, with perhaps 84 victories getting you into the dance, no one wants to sell?
Well, after three months of gathering no clarity except for the fact that this may be the Dodgers’ best team yet in their dynasty, here are the top five story lines for the second half of the season:
Will Detroit Tigers trade Tarik Skubal?
Skubal is the difference between a glorious trade deadline and perhaps a dull one.
He’s also the one player who could be the Dodgers’ kryptonite, knowing that any team that has Skubal in the postseason has the potential to end the Dodgers’ dreams of a three-peat.
Can you imagine the Brewers with Skubal and Jacob Misiorowski in the same rotation? Or the Atlanta Braves with Chris Sale and Skubal? How about the New York Yankees with a four-headed monster of Skubal, Gerrit Cole, Cam Schlittler and Max Fried?
Or, what if the dude goes nowhere.
Skubal is back, healthy, and he also could be the one salvaging the Tigers’ season. Everyone in the AL Central had a chance to put the Tigers away when they lost 21 of 25 games and dropped to 22-38. But instead, Skubal came back and the Tigers took off. They have gone 21-12 since June 1 and are suddenly back in the race. They entered Saturday 4 ½ games out in the AL Central and 2 ½ games back in the wild-card race.
Forget the narrative that the Tigers could thread the needle and trade Skubal while also acquiring players.
Either they go all in, or all out.
If the Tigers keep Skubal, and perhaps grab another late-inning reliever, they suddenly could be awfully scary with Framber Valdez, Casey Mize, Jack Flaherty and a future Hall of Famer named Justin Verlander.
When will Aaron Judge be back, and what would it mean to Yankees?
Well, let’s put it this way: Aaron Judge better return this year from his fractured rib or the Yankees will have a long, cold winter in the Bronx.
Just in case anyone wondered how valuable Judge is to the Yankees, all you have to do is look at this season. They are a World Series contender with Judge in the lineup. They are a flawed, mediocre team with zero hopes of catching the Tampa Bay Rays without him.
Judge, who has been on the IL since June 5, will have his rib re-imaged during the All-Star break. That should provide a timeline for his return, with the Yankees hoping he’ll be back sometime in August.
"I don’t think we’re anticipating it’s coming back clean," Yankees GM Brian Cashman said. "I think we’re anticipating and hopeful that it’s showing the healing process. … The time frame that it would take to heal should allow him to be back with us this season."
Judge broke his rib diving in the outfield April 26, but he played with the injury for another month before going on the IL.
So how badly have they missed him?
Let us count the ways: The Yankees have lost 15 of their past 22 games. They’ve scored an MLB-low 73 runs since June 18. And they’ve struck out an MLB-leading 230 times since June 18.
"Clearly, you miss him," Cashman told reporters. "That’s certainly part of it. But that’s not an answer to why we’re struggling with some consistently really good players that are going into collective slumps at the same time. That has nothing to do with Aaron Judge."
Then again, it has everything to do with Judge.
They simply are a different team without him, and the quicker they get him back, the better chance they’ll have to run down the first-place Rays.
Can anyone beat Dodgers? Anyone?
The Dodgers have been a runaway freight train since the first pitch, winning 15 of their first 19 games, and now on pace to win 106 games for their best winning percentage since they won 111 games in 2021 – back in the days when they couldn’t get out of the first round.
They’re doing all of this despite Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow – who are earning $53 million – combining for 42 ⅔ innings; right fielder Kyle Tucker, who’s earning $60 million, hitting seven homers; and $23 million closer Edwin Diaz sidelined since mid-April with four saves.
So, imagine when Snell, Glasnow and Diaz return? Imagine when Tucker starts showing a semblance of himself again? Imagine when Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Max Muncy get hot at the same time?
Realistically, this is why the NL teams will be more aggressive than the American League teams at the deadline, knowing they have to go through Los Angeles to be in the World Series. The Philadelphia Phillies, with Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler and Jesus Luzardo, can certainly match up with the Dodgers in a short series, but they could use another starter and certainly a right-handed hitting outfielder. The Brewers will take Misiorowski against anyone, but what if they had Skubal to go with him? Or if the Braves added Skubal or Sonny Gray to go alongside Chris Sale.
The Dodgers can be beaten, and they were awfully fortunate enough to get past the San Diego Padres two years ago and the Toronto Blue Jays a year ago. But now is the time to take your best shot.
A year from now, it wouldn’t surprise a soul if the 2027 Dodgers have Skubal in that rotation, too.
Will those fabulous Cinderella stories crash and burn or will the magic continue?
These teams opened the season in a full-scale rebuild, retool or reboot, and here they shocking the world in the first half.
Who would have imagined that the Marlins, who traded away prized young starting pitchers Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers during the winter, would be winning 16 of their past 20 games for their greatest 20-game stretch since 2004. They are an MLB-best 26-9 since June 1, with shortstop Otto Lopez hitting an MLB-leading .341, and have the same record as the Phillies. They have a two-game lead in the wild-card race.
The Cardinals traded away everything but the St. Louis Arch during the offseason in their first fire sale in two decades, but here they are, hanging just two games back of a wild-card berth.
The Nationals traded prized starter MacKenzie Gore and let everyone know that CJ Abrams and James Wood were available during the winter, too, but now have a winning record and are hovering in the wild-card race.
And then there are the White Sox, the team that utterly embarrassed themselves two years ago by losing an MLB-record 121 games. But even after slugger Munetaka Murakami went down with an injury for 35 games, the White Sox still are tied for first place in the AL Central.
It’s absurd. It’s insane. It’s baseball.
No one in their right mind had any of these four teams competing this year, let alone having a legitimate chance to be playing in October.
It’ll be a fascinating watch at the deadline just to see how much the front offices believe in their teams themselves.
What is the future of managers on the hot seat, particularly first-year and interim managers?
Tony Vitello: The Giants took an unprecedented gamble when they hired Vitello from the University of Tennessee, and it has badly backfired. It certainly hasn’t helped that the Giants surrounded him with a huge contingent of young and inexperienced coaches, but they are the biggest mess outside Queens.
They’ve embarrassed themselves with their performance, leaving them no choice but to place every veteran on the trade block but starter Logan Webb.
It might be too embarrassing to fire Vitello after one year, but it wouldn’t surprise a soul to see Vitello return to the college ranks if the right opening comes his way.
Craig Stammen: Remember when the Padres stunned everyone by hiring Stammen, a former reliever who had no managerial or coaching experience, to be their first-year manager, choosing him over the likes of Bruce Bochy, Albert Pujols, Brandon Hyde and Phil Nevin?
It’s not as if Stammen can be blamed for all of their offensive troubles and battered starting rotation, but someone is going to have to take the fall, and it’s not going to be general manager A.J. Preller, who has already hired six different full-time managers.
Kurt Suzuki: Suzuki, another manager with zero experience before agreeing to a one-year contract to manage the Los Angeles Angels, has yet to make a difference. No one is saying the Angels are his fault by any means, and folks believe that he has a chance to be a good manager in the future, but it’s unlikely he’ll get that chance with the Angels.
There’s a new sheriff in town in John Mozeliak, and he’s expected to hire a new GM, who surely will want his own guy. The popular choice will be Albert Pujols, who actually had the job until he wanted a five-year contract and the ability to hire his own coaching staff. We’ll see if there could be a compromise this time around, particularly with Mozeliak his former GM in St. Louis.
Andy Green: Green is just a temporary hold until the New York Mets hire a new manager after the season when he returns to the front office. New Hall of Famer Carlos Beltran should be the leading candidate after having the job pulled away from him in 2020.
Don Mattingly: Mattingly was hired to be the Phillies' interim manager after Alex Cora rejected the job when Rob Thomson was fired. It was supposed to last only until the end of the season, but Philadelphia has performed so well under Mattingly that he might win NL manager of the year. And now he says that he’d love to stay if given the opportunity.
The job is still expected to be offered again to Cora after the season, but if the Phillies win the World Series, all bets are off.
Joe Espada: This is Espada’s third year with the Houston Astros. They have yet to win a postseason game, failing to make the playoffs last year for the first time since 2016. Simply, the Astros have to at least make the playoffs, if not play deep into October, for Espada to survive.
Torey Lovullo: Just three years ago, the Arizona Diamondbacks were in the World Series. They haven’t made the playoffs since and are teetering on irrelevancy. Mike Hazen, D-backs president of baseball operations, continues to support Lovullo, but Lovullo is on the final year of his contract and there have been zero talks of an extension. It might be playoffs or bust.
Matt Quatraro: The Kansas City Royals just locked up Quatraro in January with a three-year contract extension through 2029. They certainly had no intention of considering pulling the plug after one year of the new deal. Then again, they never imagined this might be their most disappointing season in franchise history.
Aaron Boone: GM Brian Cashman once again reiterated his support for Boone, believing he’s the right man for the job, and exonerating him for their struggles this year. Yet, if the Yankees don’t win the AL East this year, if the Yankees don’t play deep into October, or if somehow the Yankees miss the playoffs altogether, Cashman might have no choice but to make a change for only the fourth time in 30 years.
Around the basepaths
The Rays, who suddenly are seeing that the AL is wide open for the taking, plan to be aggressive buyers at the deadline. They not only have their eyes on Skubal, but they have shown interest in seeing whether the Diamondbacks would move second baseman Ketel Marte and Giants All-Star second baseman Luis Arraez as a backup plan.
The Diamondbacks shopped Marte during the winter, but pulled him off the market before spring training. He now has 10-and-5 rights and is expected to veto all trades, which Arizona has told teams.
Skubal has informed friends that he badly wants to stay in Detroit the rest of the season, believing they have a legitimate shot at the World Series, and has zero appetite to be traded. "I’ve never lost faith," Skubal says.
Marlins owner Bruce Sherman is telling his employees that he wants to keep ace Sandy Alcantara, who went 6-0 with a 3.35 ERA in June, and has absolutely no intention of trading him at the deadline.
The Seattle Mariners are letting teams know that they are willing to trade one of their prized starters for a back-end reliever and right-handed hitter, most likely Luis Castillo. They not only have a surplus of starters at the big-league level with a six-man rotation, but they have the finest pitching prospect in baseball with Kade Anderson. Anderson’s numbers are mind-boggling at Class AA where he has a 1.36 ERA and .160 opponent’s batting average in 14 starts. He has 99 strikeouts with just 10 walks in 66 ⅔ innings. That’s a 41.4% strikeout rate and 3.8% walk rate. The Mariners would also be clearing payroll by dealing Castillo, who is owed $22.75 million this year and next year.
Just in case a thousand or so reporters want to ask once again, Mike Trout wants to stay with the Angels and has no interest in being traded. He also has all of the power with a full no-trade clause to go along with his 10-and-5 rights.
The Yankees are making it no secret that they want to acquire catcher Hunter Goodman of the Rockies or Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers. Yet, the Rockies plan to keep Goodman, who has the second-most homers in the NL behind Kyle Schwarber, and the Twins have no interest in trading Jeffers unless they fall out of the mediocre AL Central race, hanging just 2 games back.
Now with the seven veteran umpires who are 59 years or older who qualified for MLB’s buyout, there will not be a single umpire 60 or older in the major leagues next season, perhaps for the first time in modern-day MLB history.
The Phillies have included Diamondbacks left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. among their possible trade targets for a right-handed hitting outfielder, which also includes Angels right fielder Jo Adell. Gurriel, however, is hitting just .222 with two homers, 20 RBI and a .565 OPS in 45 games since opening the season on the IL.
The Royals will listen but have no intention of trading Michael Wacha, who not only made the All-Star team for the first time in 11 years but is considered an invaluable clubhouse leader. He also is under team control at $14 million a season through 2028.
Kudos to MLB for selecting Alan Porter, born and raised in Philadelphia, to be the crew chief and home-plate umpire at the All-Star Game.
Red Sox fans should send thank-you notes to former GM Chaim Bloom, now with the Cardinals, for sending them Cy Young candidate Sonny Gray and slugger Willson Contreras in the offseason. The Red Sox would be a disaster without them.
Remember Josh Hader? He’s back to being one of the finest closers in the game. Hader has appeared in 15 games for the Astros since debuting after opening the season on the IL, and he has given up just two hits and one run in 15 innings, striking out 24. He's perfect in all nine of his save opportunities and generating a stunning 43.8% chase rate. Hader, who is in the third year of a five-year, $95 million contract, is not available in trade talks.
The Diamondbacks, who have been mired in mediocrity, could have starters Eduardo Rodriguez, Michael Soroka, Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen available along with closer Paul Sewald.
Chicago Cubs ace Justin Steele, who hasn’t pitched since April 7, 2025, is expected to start throwing off a mound the first week of August, but Cubs manager Craig Counsell said it will be too late in the season for him to rejoin the rotation and instead would be used in the bullpen in September.
The Astros, who have gone 26-19 since May 21, desperately want another starter. Their rotation is yielding a 5.29 ERA, second-worst in MLB.
The Dodgers’ big midseason acquisition will be two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell. He hasn’t faced a hitter since his lone start May 9, but after undergoing arthroscopic elbow surgery to remove bone chips he has started facing live hitters again. He claims this is the best he has felt in two years, with his shoulder pain gone, too. Snell has thrown only 64 innings since signing his five-year, $182 million contract, but he was invaluable in last year’s postseason – 3-0 with an 0.85 ERA the first three rounds – and has a chance to have a major impact again this October.
While the Texas Rangers could be interested in trading shortstop Corey Seager this winter, his trade value has absolutely plummeted. He has been on the IL six times in the past two years, and is owed $155 million over the next five seasons.
Rival executives are intrigued to see whether A.J. Preller trades Padres All-Star closer Mason Miller at the deadline with their team spiraling downward, but they laugh at the notion they will receive anything close to the package they surrendered to the Athletics to acquire him. Shortstop Leo De Vries, the No. 2 prospect in baseball, was featured in that swap.
The Mets’ best trade chip might not be starter Freddy Peralta, but actually reliever Luke Weaver. Peralta, who has been a disappointment with the Mets, will be strictly a rental as a pending free agent. Meanwhile, Weaver has thrived and is under control through 2027. Weaver is yielding a 1.89 ERA in 38 innings pitched, and hasn’t given up an earned run in 24 appearances since May 1.
Loved seeing Blue Jays manager John Schneider letting Dylan Cease have a chance to throw only the second no-hitter in franchise history when he entered the ninth inning having already thrown a career-high 115 pitches. "I’m a fan of baseball," Schneider said. "I think if a guy has a chance to throw a no-hitter, I think you let him do it, and you make adjustments after that."
The coolest thing for Tigers rookie shortstop Kevin McGonigle making the All-Star team? "Mike Trout texted me," McGonigle said. "Trout texted me and congratulated me. That's the one, I was like, wow, that's pretty wild." McGonigle is the first Tigers position player to make the All-Star team at 21 years old or younger since Hall of Famer Al Kaline in 1954 and 1955.
Ever since several D-backs officials and players expressed their frustration with Ketel Marte for sitting out their game against the Dodgers and starter Shohei Ohtani, Marte has since played in every game – starting all but six times this season. "He’s very driven as an athlete overall," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "I think he wants to be elite and be recognized as one of the best players in the league. I know that he knows to do that, you got to play. You’ve got to play a lot and post and perform. He’s been doing that really well."
The Brewers’ urgency to acquire a starter at the deadline was heightened with the uncertainty of veteran Brandon Woodruff pitching again this season. They would also like to acquire an impact bat for the left side of their infield.
The Cincinnati Reds already are getting plenty of interest in Spencer Steer, who can play first base, third base and left field. He’ll be in high demand with so few impact bats available at the deadline.
While the Giants love having second baseman Luis Arraez, who’s willing to sign an extension, the cold-hearted truth is that they need to clear infield spots for Casey Schmitt and Bryce Eldridge, leaving Arraez out of the picture. They also already have six players earning more than $20 million this year.
You know the Pittsburgh Pirates are serious about getting into the playoffs when they traded away their Competitive Balance pick (No. 34 overall) to the White Sox for shortstop Jacob Gonzalez and left-handed pitcher Brandon Eisert. The Pirates, who have already hit more home runs than all of last season, badly needed another infielder with rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin sidelined for two months with his left ring finger injury, and they were willing to sacrifice a valuable draft pick.
You think the Dodgers wish they had kept Yordan Alvarez, the Cleveland Guardians had kept Junior Caminero, the Rays had kept Cristopher Sanchez or the Giants had kept Otto Lopez? They will be bringing back the painful memories of "what if" at the All-Star Game.
The most underrated part of the All-Star weekend is the Swingman Classic with Ken Griffey Jr., featuring HBCU programs across the country, showing their talents in front of scouts.
Hall of Famer Frank Thomas, formerly of FOX, is launching his own sports network.
Stat of the week, courtesy of @MLBRandomStats: From 1901-2015, there was not a single pitcher who had a perfect game through 6 innings and was pulled from the game. From 2016-2025: Three pitchers were pulled with perfect games through 6 innings. This week: Twice in four games.
Quote of the Week: Padres third baseman Manny Machado on their first half woes: "Obviously, you know, there’s a lot of things that haven’t really been going our way. It’s baseball, man. That’s the beauty of it. And I’ve been a part of it, and it’s a beautiful game, and we’re all stupid to be playing it. We’re all stupid to be playing it, because it’s a life of struggle."
The Hens got really pretty good pitching in this one despite a dire lack of offense considering they drew 12 walks in this game. They can split the series now with a victory on Sunday.
Max Clark led off the game with a walk and took second on a Gage Workman single. Corey Julks reached on a comebacker to the pitcher, and a Trei Cruz sac fly scored Clark. That was all they got out of the bases loaded, no outs setup, however.
Dylan File gave up a run in the bottom half, and then another one in the second inning, but managed to avoid blowing up.
In the third, Workman and Julks walked to start the inning, and Brett Callahan doubled them home for a 3-2 lead. Trei Cruz then walked, and Jace Jung as well. A Cal Stevenson sac fly scored Callahan for a 4-2 lead, but that was all they’d get out it.
File gave up a solo shot to open the bottom of the third, so it was 4-3 Hens at that point. Despite the parade of walks, the Hens couldn’t score again, going 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Fortunately, Ricky Vanasco gave them 1.2 scoreless innings of relief and Tyler Mattison and Nick Sandlin took it the rest of the way.
Callahan: 1-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, BB, 3 K, 2 SB
Clark: 0-3, R, 2 BB, K
File: 4.1 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 1:35 p.m ET start on Sunday. The minor league calendar will result next Friday after All-Star week concludes.
The SeaWolves, in Moon Mammoths gear, got themselves into position to split this homestand on Sunday with good pitching and the offense taking advantage of seven walks issued by Harrisburg.
Hayden Minton got the start, and he was really good in a short outing. The right-hander fired four scoreless with two hits and a walk allowed against five strikeouts.
The offense was a little quiet early on but in the bottom of the third, Viandel Pena and Bennett Lee drew one-out walks. Seth Stephenson popped out, but Peyton Graham drilled a single up the middle to score Pena. Justice Bigbie went oppo for a single to score Lee, and then Bigbie stole second base. Andrew Jenkins line a single to right fielder Johnathon Thomas, scoring Graham, but Bigbie was cut down on a good throw to the plate. 3-0 Erie.
In the fourth, E.J. Exposito walked, and two batters later Pena mashed his first homer since signing with the Tigers last week. 5-0 Erie.
Tyler Owens took over from Minton after the latter walked the leadoff man in the fifth. Owens escaped that situation, and lefty Carlos Peña took over from there. He fired four scoreless and pounded the zone, avoiding walks and generally smothering the Senators.
Max Burt added a solo shot in the sixth to put this one away.
Pena: 1-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, BB, 2 K
Burt: 1-3, R, RBI, HR, BB, K
Minton: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m. ET on Sunday.
West Michigan Whitecaps 4, Fort Wayne TinCaps 2 (box)
Charlie Christensen spun a gem and the Whitecaps pounded out 10 hits to outlast Fort Wayne on Saturday. They took a 4-1 lead in the best of six series in the process.
Christensen’s huge extension, funky angle, and quality secondary stuff overwhelmed the TinCaps. He no-hit them for 4.2 innings, walking two and striking out five. He threw 46 of 75 pitches for strikes along the way.
Clayton Campbell got the ‘Caps offense going with a leadoff double in the bottom of the second. Juan Hernandez singled him home with two outs for an early lead. That was well as they had trouble with Fort Wayne pitching early on.
Juanmi Vasquez allowed a pair of runs in the top of the sixth as the TinCaps fought back to take the lead, but in the bottom half the Whitecaps bounced right back.
Jackson Strong greeted new reliever Nick Falter with a double down the right field line and then stole third base. Campbell singled him in and then was balked to second. Hernandez would single him in with two outs.
In the seventh, Bryce Rainer smoked an opposite field double and stole third. A Campbell sacrifice fly brought him home to make it 4-2 Whitecaps.
Bryce Rainer struck out in his first three at bats of the night, but he smokes a double to left in his fourth. And then he strikes a funny pose. @wangler_nathan on the call. pic.twitter.com/SEObQmTHjg
Jalen Evans, Eliseo Mota, and Logan Berrier each spun a scoreless inning to shut the door.
Campbell: 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, K
Hernandez: 3-4, 2 RBI, K
Rainer: 1-4, R, 2B, 3 K, SB
Christensen: 4.2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 2:00 p.m. ET start on Sunday at LMCU Park.
Dunedin Blue Jays 7, Lakeland Flying Tigers 3 (Gm1) (box)
The Flying Tigers bullpen crumbled in the seventh to lose this game, which was suspended on Friday due to rain.
On the plus side, Cale Wetwiska is healthy and looked great. The hard-throwing right-hander has good extension and plenty of life on his mid-90’s heater, and the Blue Jays had no luck against him. Wetwiska fired four scoreless, punching out six and allowing just two hits. His slider was sharp, and he mixed in a pretty solid changeup a couple of times to left-handed hitters.
They got him an early lead when Edian Espinal singled with one out and Jesus Pinto reached on an error. Carson Rucker walked to load the bases, but Anibal Salas grounded into a force, scoring Espinal. That was all they’d get as Jack Goodman grounded out, but they had a 1-0 lead.
The rains rolled in to stay in the fifth inning, causing a delay and cutting Wetwiska’s start short.
Marco Jimenez handled the bottom of the fifth when play eventually resumed on Saturday.
In the top of the sixth, Jude Warwick was hit by a pitch leading off the inning, and then stole second base. Beau Ankeney singled him to third and Hunter Dobbins doubled in Warwick. Somewhat frustratingly, that was all they got as Nick Dumesnil struck out, Espinal grounded into a force of Ankeney and home, and Pinto grounded out as well.
Marco Jimenez walked the leadoff man in the bottom half, and Xiomer Guacache took over, allowing a run to score after issuing a pair of walks of his own. After escaping that mess, Guacache got into trouble in the bottom half of the seventh. Yendy Gomez then gave up a grand slam. 6-2 Dunedin.
Jude Warwick stayed hot of late, mashing a solo shot to center for his seventh homer of the season. Gomez allowed a run in the bottom of the eighth, and that was all she wrote.
Warwick: 1-3, 2 R, RBI, HR, SB
Pinto: 1-4, 2B, K
Wetwiska: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 6 K
Dunedin Blue Jays 6, Lakeland Flying Tigers 5 (F/8)(Gm2)(box)
Paul Wilson’s second start for Lakeland this year went poorly, and a late rally fell just short in this one, scheduled for seven innings, and the Blue Jays walked them off in the eighth.
Wilson was a little wild to start the game, but escaped the first unscathed. Not so the second inning, where he was knocked around a little but was just as much a victim of his own poor fielding in giving up four runs. The long inning cut his outing short due to pitch count concerns.
The Flying Tigers struggled early on but the bats got hotter as the game progressed. In the top of the fourth, Jordan Yost single the opposite way, and with two outs, Nick Dumesnil singled him to third. Edian Espinal sprayed an RBI single to left to make it a 4-1 game.
Win Scott took over from Wilson and got them through the fourth. Luke Hoskins took over from there and tossed two scoreless frames.
Beau Ankeney continued to mash, crushing his 15th homer in the top of the sixth to make it a 4-2 Blue Jays lead. Josue Briceño singled next, but was forced by a Dumesnil ground ball. Espinal and Pinto walked, and then Zach MacDonald was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Unfortunately, Jack Goodman struck to strand the bases loaded.
Beau Ankeney blasts a solo homer to left to pull Lakeland within two. It’s his 15th home run of the season. pic.twitter.com/SwleD34uDh
In the seventh, Yost singled with one out and Ankeney reached on an error. Briceño hammered a double to right center field, scoring Yost, but Ankeney was thrown out at the plate, and the inning ended in a 4-4 tie after Antonio Florida preserved the tie and sent it to extras with a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh.
Josue Briceño crushes the ball to right center to tie the game for Lakeland, but Beau Ankeney gets thrown out at home. pic.twitter.com/che3EdWGRL
In the eighth, with Dumesnil starting on second, Espinal lined out to right field, allowing the runner to take third. A Pinto sacrifice fly made it 5-4, but that was all they’d get.
Florida popped up the first batter in the bottom half, but the runner on second, Angel Guzman stole third despite it looking like Espinal threw him out in time. a passed ball walked the next hitter and allowed Guzman to race home, as Espinal collected the ball and fired to Florida for the tag. He was called safe, and Florida didn’t like it, spiking the baseball and getting ejected. Then manager Salvador Paniagua took umbrage and got himself tossed as well.
Shenanigans in Dunedin! Blue Jays SS Angel Guzman appears to get thrown out at 3rd, and again at home, but he’s called safe both times. Lakeland pitcher Antonio Florido gets tossed for spiking the ball, then Flying Tigers manager Salvador Paniagua gets his money’s worth. pic.twitter.com/ZLonGrZiZI
Owen Hall couldn’t find the strikezone and was mauled for four runs as a result. The offense didn’t swing the bats too well either, and the Blue Jays pulled away to win.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 22: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics and Derrick White #9 during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at TD Garden on March 22, 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 Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the wake of a franchise-altering Jaylen Brown trade, Brad Stevens spent the majority of his press conference hammering home the idea of optionality as a key to their path forward. The team has choices without locking themselves into any direction.
It’s hard to remove the emotions from this trade, but leaning on one of Stevens’ other favorite sayings, we can start to see things from a 10,000-foot view. From a higher altitude, the vision for Boston next season becomes more appealing.
As currently constructed, they have the makings of a great team, and most importantly, an elite defensive unit.
Last season, they fared well on that end with the 4th best defensive rating (111.7). They consistently found the right recipe to succeed, usually by dictating where other teams’ offense came from.
Looking at their opponents shot diet, just 20.8% of shots came at the rim, the best in the NBA by a decent margin. Similarly, they managed to push teams toward mid-range attempts. These factors contributed to them suppressing their opponents’ efficiency. They held teams to the third lowest true shooting percentage behind the Thunder and Spurs.
There was one hole in an otherwise strong defense.
The Celtics ranked 29th in opponent turnovers, and 29th in dTOV, which quantifies the amount of defensive net rating attributed to forcing opponent turnovers versus league average. Live-ball takeaways weren’t part of their formula, and their hands matched that, too. Boston ranked 6th lowest in deflections during the regular season, and the number cratered further in the playoffs, where they averaged the fewest in the league at 10 per game.
The absence of takeaways showed up on the other end of the floor as well. Boston had the fewest transition possessions per game in the league, and ranked 25th in points off turnovers. Without forcing live-ball mistakes, they miss out on chances for easy offense.
They still finished with the fourth-best defense in the league despite rarely forcing turnovers.
Of the three teams with better defensive ratings, the Pistons and Thunder ranked first and second in the league at generating turnovers. The Spurs ranked 28th, but made up for it with a 7’5 alien patrolling the paint.
Boston doesn’t have that kind of alien, so more disruption on the ball and in the passing lanes is the clearest lever to pull. That’s exactly what they added this offseason.
Paul George graded out at +1.0 dTOV last season, 93rd percentile among his position. He brought in 1.7 steals to go along with 4.1 deflections per game. He has extremely quick hands and reflexes allowing him to poke the ball free on drives or get a hand on a seemingly open pass.
Mitchell Robinson offers a similarly complementary defensive profile. His +0.3 dTOV ranks in the 85th percentile at center, backed by 1.2 blocks and 0.9 steals a game. He turns possessions over with a STOP% in the 90th percentile, which is a great boost for a team that didn’t have much defensive impact at center behind Queta.
They’ve added two core rotation pieces that historically grade out extremely well defensively, and fill some real gaps.
The draft additions are both signs of what the organization is valuing as well. Dillon Mitchell graded out in the 89th percentile in DBPM and 93rd in steal rate at St. John’s. Chris Cenac Jr. is a mobile big with a 7’5 wingspan and reason to believe he can be more impactful defensively than his Houston stats showed. A combined 9 stocks in their first Summer League appearance is a good introduction.
Put it all together, and Boston has the resources to supercharge their defensive identity.
They can let Hugo and Walsh hound ball handlers while White, Tatum, and George shrink the rest of the floor with their defensive playmaking and help instincts. Then there’s the combination of Queta and Robinson to send back shots at the rim.
For what it’s worth, the Celtics do a great job limiting opponent free throws. They’re tied for the third-fewest opponent free throw attempts allowed in the NBA at 21.2 per game. Being disciplined is a skill that they use to their advantage. But it can also be a sign of a less aggressive approach, reflected in their low forced turnover rates.
There are two ends of the spectrum. The Pistons force the most turnovers per game, but they also allow the most opponent free throws in the league. The Thunder rank second in forcing turnovers, while allowing the seventh-fewest opponent free throws. Boston has room to force more turnovers without completely losing their free throw rate advantage.
They would be wise to amp up the pressure and take a few more calculated risks in the passing and driving lanes. The additions of George, Robinson, Mitchell, and Cenac Jr. all point in that direction. As a team that already wins the possession battle on offense, they have an opportunity to widen that gap on the defensive end.
Mazzulla was blunt about the collapse against Philadelphia, calling the criticism his staff faced deserved. The self-reflection could lead to a few places, but the numbers and film point to one. The defense had a hole. They’ve acquired the right tools to tweak the formula and become a more well-rounded defense that’s difficult to break.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 11: Commissioner of Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred speaks during the 2026 MLB Draft presented by Nippon Express at Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday, July 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning! If you are reading this, know that I am quite tired from a day of helping coordinate Yankees MLB Draft coverage — which was splended, in my opinion — as well as a stirring 4-2 comeback win by New York in DC. Oh and there’s always the undisclosed personal stuff too, which was fulfilling! But yes, I am tired. So that’s the vibe. By the time Day 2 of the draft begins though, I’ll be caffeinated and ready.
Today on the site, it’s a big ol’ Draft Dump Day! Rounds 5 through 20 are today, so Madison, Jake, and I will have coverage on all those picks, grouped into three different posts (Rounds 5-10, 11-15, and 16-20). Additionally, Scott will discuss erstwhile Yankees prospect Carson Coleman’s return to the organization this year after a couple years of injury as a Rule 5 Rangers pick, Peter will write up the latest Rivalry Roundup, and John will celebrate the birthday of a former Yankees reliever whose career seemingly just ended within the past couple years: lefty Chasen Shreve.
Today’s Matchup:
New York Yankees vs. Washington Nationals
Time: 1:35 p.m. EST
TV: YES Network, Nationals.TV
Venue: Nationals Park, Washington, DC
Questions/Prompts:
1. Which of the Yankees’ eighth-inning homers yesterday encouraged you the most: Ryan McMahon’s, Trent Grisham’s, or Paul Goldschmidt’s?
2. Who do you think was the best player taken on Day 1 of the MLB Draft? Was it No. 1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky, or do you think Grady Emerson or Vahn Lackey was the real prize at No. 2 or 3?
LAS VEGAS — Chaney Johnson might be undersized, underrated and an underdog. But he won’t be outworked.
The second-year Net — who hustled his way from undrafted rookie last season to a two-way contract — is making an impression in Summer League with his hustle and athleticism.
“I knew Chaney was a beast. It’s further confirmed,” assistant coach Dutch Gaitley said. “In the ESPN thing, they asked about all of our rookies: ‘Who’s the one guy you haven’t talked about?’ I was like, ‘It’s Chaney Johnson.’ And the reason is Chaney has to play at the center just because we need him to play the center.
“If we needed Chaney to play point guard, Chaney would play point guard. He does whatever is called for the team. He’s an outstanding teammate. He plays as hard as anybody on the court. I think he’s got a really bright future.”
He’s scored double figures in all four of his appearances — from the California Classic to Las Vegas — and done it all playing out of position, asked to play center.
“That dude is a dog,” Egor Demin said. “He’s the type that he’s the favorite teammate of anybody, because he does all the hard work without feeling like we owe him something. He just does it because that’s what he’s doing.
“Sometimes I feel bad because we don’t reward him enough for his work out there to help us to be successful. He takes it very humbly from a standpoint of, ‘Hey, I’m here for you and anybody else.’ The level of my appreciation towards him is hard to explain. He’s amazing.”
Johnson is averaging 15 points on 64.7 percent shooting, 8.8 rebounds and 2.8 steals this summer.
And he’s done it being tasked with playing center despite standing just 6-foot-7.
Chaney Johnson rises up for a dunk during the Nets’ 83-76 Summer League loss to the Hawks on July 11, 2026 in Las Vegas. NBAE via Getty Images
“I hang my hat on going out there and playing hard, just controlling everything I can control,” Johnson said.
Asked if center is a position he could grow into, he replied, “It’s whatever gets me paid, you know what I’m saying? I’ll do whatever it takes. So whatever the team needs, I’m there.”
On the other end of the spectrum, Drake Powell is mired in a horrendous funk. He’s mustered just 11 points through four appearances, shooting 1-for-28 overall and 0-for-14 from deep.
Demin and rookie Mikel Brown Jr. were rested Saturday but are expected to play Tuesday vs. the Kings. … Joshua Jefferson made his debut with nine points on 1-for-8 shooting.
Danny Wolf had 20 points on 9-for-16 shooting with five boards but had just one assist with four turnovers.
“We need the inverse,” Gaitley said.
Rookie Zuby Ejiofor from St. John’s had 13 points and six boards for Atlanta.
PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 23: Coleton Brady #19 poses for a photo during the 2026 Draft Combine at Arizona Grand Resort Phoenix on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Aryanna Frank/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After day 1 of the MLB Draft wrapped up, RHP Coleton Brady made the decision to join Jay Johnson in Baton Rouge.
Brady was ranked as high as #71 by The Athletic, but was generally a bit higher by most other publications. The next highest was #134 by ESPN, while MLB.com, Perfect Game, and Prep Baseball Report each had him between #173 and #183. That range falls out between the competitive balance round B (following round 2) and round 6.
Coming out of TNXL Academy in Florida, Brady is very young, not turning 18 until the fall. He stands at 6’5, 215 pounds, making for an extremely projectable frame. He deploys a 3-pitch mix, including a fastball in the low 90s, a slider, and a changeup.
That’s four members of Jay Johnson’s 2026 recruiting class that have officially announced their intentions to enroll at LSU. Brady follows Braxton Beaty, Nathaneal Davis, and Lucas Nawrocki. More are expected to follow.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 26: Aaron Judge #99 and George Lombard Jr. of the New York Yankees smile during a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 26, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CBS Sports | Dayn Perry: We noted yesterday that Brian Cashman was taking a close look at the Yankees’ catching situation, the club’s catchers putting in an absolutely putrid offensive performance in 2026. New York is reportedly scouting Twins backstop Ryan Jeffers, the 29-year-old impending free agent having a career year, posting a .294/.408/.540 slash line. Jeffers recently returned from a hamate bone injury, and though teams are usually loath to add a new player to their catcher’s room midseason, the Yankees might just be the kind of team that’s desperate enough to change things up behind the plate.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: The Yankees’ top prospect, George Lombard Jr., is nearing a return from a hand injury. If Yankee brass is to be believed, he also could be nearing a call-up to the majors. “He’s certainly close to pushing himself into the mix, for sure,” Aaron Boone said Friday. “I’ve loved his trajectory, his development. This year, he’s continued to get better.” The 21-year-old struggled upon promotion to Triple-A this year, but was heating up before getting hurt, posting a .923 OPS in his 27 most recent games.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: Aaron Boone challenged Jasson Domínguez earlier this week. “I expect more,” Boone said. “I feel like really all year he’s giving solid at-bats every day, but hasn’t had that breakthrough yet. His on-base percentage should not be whatever it is (.276). He’s so much more than that.” Domínguez responded well on Friday night in Washington D.C., hitting a home run from the left side and a single from the right. In spite of a serious of injuries that have impacted his development the last few years, offensive expectations for Domínguez are high. Domínguez’s batting line has mostly hovered around average in the majors, with the Yankees surely hoping for a bit more from his talented, switch-hitting bat.
I’d also be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge all the excellent work that was done here yesterday regarding the Yankees’ first day of MLB Draft activity! Here’s the linked rundown from PSA:
Bo Bichette was out of the lineup for a second straight game Saturday as Mets interim manager Andy Green said the third baseman was dealing with “right ankle soreness” after taking several foul balls off his leg while the Mets were in Atlanta.
Bichette was healthy enough to pinch hit for Zack Short with two on and one out in the bottom of the seventh of Saturday’s 4-0 loss to the Red Sox at Citi Field.
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He walked to load the bases before being removed for pinch runner Tyrone Taylor.
Green said Bichette was best used simply as a pinch hitter.
He could also sit Sunday as the team heads into the All-Star break.
“It’s a day-to-day thing,’’ Green said before the game. “He’s played through a lot. The guy is a warrior.”
Bichette has had an inconsistent season with the Mets after signing with the team in the offseason, but had been heating up recently.
In Atlanta, Bichette went 8-for-18 with a double over the four-game series.
But in three games since then, Bichette was just 2-for-13 before being held out of the lineup Friday and Saturday against the Red Sox.
Still, after opening the season with a .570 OPS in his first 61 games, Bichette put up an OPS of .870 in 33 games heading into Saturday.
With Bichette on the bench, the Mets used Brett Baty at third base again Saturday. Baty went 0-for-3 with a walk to snap his career-long hitting streak at 10 games.
Bo Bichette, pictured earlier in the month, was out of the lineup for a second straight game Saturday due to “right ankle soreness.” Getty Images
Marcus Semien is “nearing a rehab assignment,” Green said before Saturday’s game. Semien has progressed well after being sidelined with a left hip-flexor strain since June 25.
Complicating matters is that the upcoming All-Star break will make minor league rehab games harder to find.
Green, who was the team’s senior vice president for player development until taking over in the dugout, said he’d be hesitant to play Semien — or any other player — in a Florida Complex League game due to the inconsistent pitching they’d see there.
Green said Semien was able to “run aggressively” and was moving around well, but might be held back by the lack of high-level rehab games.
The same could be true of Luis Robert Jr. (lumbar spine disc herniation).
He had a productive night at the plate with Double-A Binghamton in a rehab game Friday and is getting closer to being activated, according to Green.
The outfielder has been out since late April.
Robert’s return, whenever it happens, could give the Mets some decisions to make.
The team is determined to keep Ewing in center field and not move him to second base outside of emergency situations, despite his ability to play there.
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Kodai Senga has pitched himself out of almost every role with the Mets, but there were some encouraging signs from his scoreless inning in relief in Friday’s loss. Green didn’t rule out using the right-hander in that capacity again.
“It’s something he’s unaccustomed to,” Green said. “We’ll see how he responds to those types of opportunities.”
Green added Senga, with his upper-90s velocity and forkball, “can be a back-end piece” in the pen, but the Mets will determine whether he’s able to handle the role physically.
“We’ll learn that in time,’’ Green said. “Kodai has a chance to be an elite starter and an elite back-end piece.”
The Mets announced right-hander Alex Carrillo was released from the major league roster while right-hander Matt Seelinger was outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse.
LAS VEGAS — For Keon Ellis, it was about wanting to be where he’s wanted.
Getting to join a Nets team in desperate need of his defense, and reunite with coach Jordi Fernández, was the perfect free agent situation.
“From what I heard, he was pulling for me really hard,” said Ellis, who played two years in Sacramento when Fernández was the Kings’ associate head coach. “And I know the way he coaches. He’s very passionate. He’s about the right things. He wants to win. So, the familiarity right there was definitely good.”
Considering the familiarity between the player and coach, and how the Nets need his 3-and-D profile, it’s hard to see the fit not working out.
“With how much they were offering, that just speaks to how much the team wants you as well. So, that. And then obviously, you’ve got some guys on the staff that you’ve been with before, so you know the ropes a little,” Ellis said. “And then the opportunity here as well. When you combine all those things, they just lined up.”
Point-of-attack defenders who can actually shoot — prototypical 3-and-D types — are pricey in the NBA, but Ellis may provide some of that archetype.
Per 100 possessions last season — split between the Kings and Cavaliers — Ellis ranked in the 93rd percentile in steals (2.7), in the 95th percentile in blocks (1.5) and the 96th percentile in both turnovers forced (1.6) and deflections (6.4).
His stop percentile of 4.4 ranked in the 98th percentile.
“It’s just about the effort. I go out there and I just try to make it tough on guys,” Ellis said. “You’re playing against the best players in the world. They’re gonna score; they’re gonna get to their spots. You’re gonna have bad defensive games [and] good defensive games. But the mindset of every night trying to do the right things, be in the right spots and just attack the game plan. That’ll help everyone accomplish the goal.
Keon Ellis, who played for the Cavaliers last season, said he feels the Nets are a good fit because they appreciate his skillset. Getty Images
“I’m not the greatest defender ever, but with team defense, everyone’s on the same page, that helps everyone a little bit better. Just me coming in, I’m more of a lead by example kind of guy. So I think just me going in and playing hard, that’s what motivates the next guy to go just as hard.”
Two seasons ago, Ellis was even better. He was the only player in the league to rank in the top 10 in both steals (1.5) and 3-point percentage (.433).
But he backslid somewhat this past campaign. After averaging 24 minutes in the regular season and notching a plus-4.5 net rating, Ellis struggled in the postseason. He averaged just seven minutes and recorded a minus-15.9 net rating in 12 appearances for Cleveland.
Still, playoff woes are a luxury for the rebuilding Nets, a long way from those sorts of worries. Considering how defensively challenged they were — and how badly Drake Powell, their only guard who plays tough point-of-attack defense, has been struggling on offense in summer league play so far — it’s hard to see Ellis not playing a huge role.
Ellis is confident he can get back to his 3-and-D form of two years ago.
“Just the consistency and an established role. A lot of things were up and down and moving parts, and you just never really knew what was going on,” Ellis said. “The consistency really helped with that, that year. You knew what was going on. There weren’t too many moving parts. So, that was just the biggest thing.”
Ellis is looking forward to getting settled in Brooklyn — even if he’s suffering from sticker shock.
“Oh, my God. Trying to find a house, it’s tough,” Ellis laughed. “I have to sacrifice something, some space, the prices, it’s a lot. But I’m definitely excited to be able to kind of just walk around the city and hit different spots and all the restaurants. I hear there’s a lot of good food and a lot of things to do. So I’m definitely excited to see about that, but I’ll definitely be losing some square footage.”
BOSTON - 1984: The 1983-84 NBA Champion Boston Celtics pose for a team portrait at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Front row (left to right): Quinn Buckner, Cedric Maxwell, Vice Chairman of the Board Paul Dupee, Chairman of the Board Don Gaston, President and General Manager Arnold (Red) Auerbach, Coach K.C. Jones, Vice Chairman of the Board Alan Cohen, Larry Bird, M.L. Carr. Back row: Team Physician Dr. Thomas Silva, assistant coach Jimmy Rodgers, Gerald Henderson, Stott Wedman, Greg Kite, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, Dennis Johnson, Danny Ainge, Carlos Clark, assistant coach Chris Ford and Trainer Ray Melchiorre. 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 NBAE 2002 (Photo by NBA Photos/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
My dad was born a few years before the Boston Celtics, in 1943, and he grew up playing basketball in the small town of Forestburg, South Dakota.
His parents had traveled with his father’s construction crew in his early years, but settled down near the farm where his mother grew up when he reached school age.
He was a point guard for the Forestburg Buccaneers, who were coached by Quentin C. Miles, a legend in South Dakota basketball circles. Born in 1921, Q.C. grew up playing the game when there was still a jump ball after every made basket. Miles, who also taught physics and chemistry, coached Forestburg into the state’s B tournament in 1958, where my dad saw limited action as a freshman.
Dad watched basketball on TV whenever he had the chance, and that’s how he became a Celtics fan. They were televised fairly often, and dad wanted to play like Bob Cousy.
Life, of course, intervened. Dad went to Augustana College in Sioux Falls, where he took a degree in mathematics and then a Master’s in the same subject from the University of North Dakota—at the same time that a very young Phil Jackson was tearing up the hardwood there under the direction of Bill Fitch and Jimmy Rodgers.
He spent a year teaching at Minot State before being drafted into the Army. He spent three and a half years in Arlington, Virginia, where he met my mom, before returning to Minot State.
Things didn’t work out in Minot, and my dad ended up looking for work back home in South Dakota. He would later joke that the typical response at job interviews to his Master’s in math was, “so you’re an accountant…?”
He eventually landed a gig with the state doing budget projections and data analysis for the Department of Social Services, and proceeded to raise a family of six kids in a white ranch style house with black trim near an elementary school on the east side of Pierre.
Mostly he was home every night a little bit after 5:00. There were occasions when he’d have to work after hours, and sometimes we’d get to go to the office and see where he worked on those weekends or evenings.
But, again, mostly his job was a 40-hour a week undertaking that left him plenty of time for the rest of us.
I only remember one or two business trips from those years, and the one that stands out came in January of 1984, when he had to go to Kansas City, Missouri.
He and some of his staff were put up at the Adam’s Mark near the Truman Sports Complex, a once luxurious hotel that’s fallen on hard times. It’s been fixed up for the World Cup, and the hope is that it will be the center of a mixed use development in the future, but in 1984, it was a top of the line facility.
And on Tuesday, January 17, of that year, dad and one of his work buddies traveled into Kansas City to watch the Kings play the Celtics.
The Kings were just about at the end of their run in Kansas City. These Kings were a vagabond team, starting off as the Rochester Royals before moving to Cincinnati, and then into a situation where they split time between Kansas City and Omaha and carried an awkward designation using both cities. The Kings dropped Omaha from their name after three years, although they did continue to play the occasional game there.
The Kings would move to Sacramento a little over a year after my dad saw them play. When they moved, I remember him saying that he wasn’t surprised because there were plenty of empty seats when he was there. In Sacramento, the Kings spent two years playing in a refurbished warehouse while waiting for a permanent home.
While in Kansas City, the Kings played at the Kemper Arena, a dimly lit venue with a bit of an old-school vibe to it, featuring a steep upper deck that provided good sightlines at the expense of leaving fans feeling like they perhaps needed sherpas to assist them in finding their seats.
The arena opened in 1974 on the former site of the Kansas City Stockyards. It was named after Rufus Crosby Kemper, Sr., a member of a wealthy banking family who donated $3.2 million to the construction of the $22 million arena.
Exterior view of the Crosby Kemper Arena (now Hy-Vee Arena) in Kansas City, Missouri, September 8th 1975. (Photo by UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images) | Getty Images
From the exterior, the arena is dominated by three huge structural assemblies that carry the roof; there were no windows to speak of in 1984, and no principal entry point, just four facades covered in white steel panels. There were luxury suites on the concourse level, a relative novelty for the time, and a total capacity of 16,659 for basketball.
Its roof collapsed in 1979, and it hosted the NCAA’s Final Four championship round in 1988; the winner, Kansas, was effectively the home team, hailing from Lawrence, not even an hour down the turnpike from the arena.
What is now the Hy-Vee Arena is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, being the first major U.S. commission for noted architect Helmut Jahn. It’s currently a multipurpose facility that targets youth sports. The arena has basically been split in half, with a floor added between the upper and lower decks creating two arenas stacked on top of each other.
But for one night in 1984, it was the place where my dad got to see Larry Bird play.
It was cold out, and dark, with temps in the teens and a light snow falling as my dad and 11,477 other fans trekked into the West Bottoms neighborhood off I-670 where the Kings played, just about a stone’s throw from the Kansas state line.
The Celtics were coached by KC Jones—his first year in that role—and the Kings were coached by Cotton Fitzsimmons, a Hall-of-Famer whose best years were coming up in a second stint coaching the Phoenix Suns. Cotton was in his last year with the Kings, with whom he managed to eke out a slightly better than .500 winning percentage over a six-year run—and this was no mean feat, by the way, as just five of the Kings’ 32 coaches have winning records.
The Kings were led by Eddie Johnson, Larry Drew and Mike Woodson (now an assistant coach with Sacramento), and were on their way to a 38-44 record.
The Celtics… well, the Celtics were on their way to another championship and another banner.
Boston was wrapping up a three-game road trip. They had just suffered their worst loss of the season, a 106-87 drubbing at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks, on Sunday. In that game, Bird hit just three shots on thirteen attempts.
Kansas City was coming off a win against the hapless San Diego Clippers, who were themselves just about to relocate to Los Angeles.
My dad had been watching the Celtics play on TV for more than half his life by this point in time, and he was finally going to get to see them in person.
They did not disappoint.
Larry Bird hit 15 of 21 shots and finished with 38 points, nine rebounds and thirteen assists, while Dennis Johnson, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale finished with 20 points apiece. As a team, the Celtics shot 59%.
They shot 67% in the first quarter and established their final nine-point margin of victory by the close of that quarter.
To their credit, Kansas City kept Boston honest despite enduring a poor shooting night from the team’s stars, Eddie Johnson and Larry Drew (a combined 11-32 from the field). On the offensive end of things, they were led by reserve center Lasalle Thompson and Mike Woodson, who finished the game with 21 and 18 points, respectively.
The Kings made things interesting early in the fourth quarter, clawing their way back from a sixteen-point deficit to draw nearly even with the Celtics, 95-94, with just under nine minutes left in the game.
The Celtics responded with a 20-9 run.
Bird, McHale and Parish accounted for fifteen of those twenty points.
Bird was at the peak of his abilities in 1984, the first of three consecutive years in which he would win the league’s MVP award, and he was the unquestioned star of a game that featured four future Hall-of-Famers.
After the game, Kings rookie Dane Suttle said, “He lets people see what they came to see.”
For a kid from Forestburg, this was certainly true.
P.S. If you want to see a great photo from that game, click here. We don’t have the rights to this photo, but I can still share it from my Newspapers.com account.
The All-Star break seems to have come early for the Dodgers.
Because, based on their performances the last few days, they look like they’re already on vacation.
The latest example came in Saturday night’s 9-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.
There was more sloppy defense, continuing a trend that had already cost the Dodgers two games earlier this week. There was also an uncharacteristic collapse from All-Star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who gave up five of his six runs in a sixth-inning meltdown that put the score out of reach.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who allowed six runs in six innings, adjusts his cap after getting out of the fifth inning in the Dodgers’ 9-2 blowout loss to the Diamondbacks on July 11, 2026 in Los Angeles. AP
This time, though, it was a listless offense that served as the most glaring example of their recent incompetence.
For five innings, the Dodgers did nothing against Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt. And even after they knocked him out with a couple runs in the bottom of the sixth, they squandered a chance to keep building a rally and get themselves back into the game.
Instead, they rolled over meekly the rest of the evening, watching Landon Knack come out of the bullpen for his season debut and give up three more runs to add insult to injury.
What it means
The Dodgers might be cruising toward October already.
But that doesn’t mean they can just sleepwalk their way to continued success.
On Saturday, they were hurt by a couple of misplays at third base from Max Muncy, who committed a throwing error in the third inning and couldn’t stop a double down the line from Tim Tawa in the sixth.
On the latter occasion, Yamamoto couldn’t negate the mistake either. Instead, he followed up an intentional walk to Nolan Arenado by serving up a back-breaking, three-run homer to James McCann, giving him a season-high six runs allowed this season.
Max Muncy, who had a couple of defensive miscues earlier in the game, fields a ground ball in the eighth inning of the Dodgers’ blowout loss to the Diamondbacks. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Who’s hot
On Saturday? Not much of anyone in the Dodgers’ lineup.
The night started with nine consecutive outs against Pfaadt, who was making just his sixth start of the season after a move out of the bullpen. Then came several missed chances, including a two-on, no-out opportunity in the fourth and the short-lived rally in the sixth.
A double from Tommy Edman and RBI singles from Andy Pages and Mookie Betts got the Dodgers on the board in that latter frame, and forced Arizona to turn to the bullpen with Muncy and Kyle Tucker on deck.
The pitching change to left-hander Brandyn Garcia, however, worked perfectly, with Muncy taking a called third strike and Tucker frustratingly lacing a lineout to shortstop.
Mookie Betts rips an RBI single in the sixth inning of the Dodgers’ blowout loss to the Diamondbacks. William Liang-Imagn Images
On the whole, the Dodgers finished the night with just six hits and were 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
Who’s not
Knack made his long-awaited return to the majors on Saturday, getting activated off the injured list pregame following an elongated rehab stint in triple-A Oklahoma City.
Nevertheless, his season debut did not go well, with the right-hander giving up one quick run in the seventh and two solo home runs to Arenado and McCann (his second of the night) in the eighth.
Knack was only activated now because the Dodgers –– fresh off their bullpen game Friday night –– were in need of bullpen coverage.
Struggling right-hander Kyle Hurt was optioned in a corresponding move, but manager Dave Roberts said he expected Hurt to rejoin the team sometime during the second half.
Up next
The Dodgers will try to avoid getting swept as they round out the first half on Sunday, with Emmet Sheehan (4-6, 4.91 ERA) facing off against Arizona rookie Mitch Bratt (who is replacing the injured Zac Gallen).
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Mohamed Diawara #51 of the New York Knicks looks to pass the ball during the game against the Brooklyn Nets during the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League on July 10, 2026 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
To start what should be a pretty obvious point to get across, if you seriously have concerns about a player because of Summer League, you should do the following:
Use your free will to turn the game off
Do something else (read a book, watch the World Cup, go outside)
Watch a YouTube video of the Finals run
Relax
The greatest prospect of all time could go 1-for-45 in a Summer League game, and it wouldn’t matter at all. The only use of Summer League is extra reps for young guys, and so that fans can get a quick look at the shiny new toys they got in that year’s draft.
As someone who is very opposed to Shiny New Toy syndrome, I too have fallen for our latest toy, ol’ Double (K)Nickel’s
But while Nickel has looked outstanding as a spot-up shooter, pretty much everyone else sucks. Pacôme Dadiet has done some good things, and Jack Kayil looked solid in the second half on Saturday, but other than that? Yeesh. The one center they have is doing this.
Frankly, watching them is a chore. They’ve scored a pitiful 65 and 49 points in their two games. The latter total is the first time in 10 years that someone scored less than 50 in a Vegas Summer League game. The 2016 Kings, led by Skal Labissiere, are not ones to emulate.
It’s fair to have been extremely disappointed in just how feeble they’ve looked, even if we’re literally just over four weeks removed from an NBA championship and this roster has as little projectable talent as humanly possible.
Over the next three games, the four guys we’ve been looking forward to seeing will continue to be showcased, but you really have to hope we can at least get something out of Mo Diawara, who’s been… bad, to say the least.
Mohamed Diawara per game through 2 summer league games:
Hell, this isn’t even the “well, it’s only Summer League” excuse. For a player specifically like Diawara, this setting is literal hell for him.
I worried in my pre-summer storylines piece from earlier this week that Diawara would be tasked with handling the ball too much. While he’s not completely running point guard, he’s getting pretty much all of his touches 30+ feet from the basket as an initiator.
He is not an initiator.
Summer League is for testing boundaries and challenging guys with roles they aren’t comfortable with. For Diawara, the Knicks are giving him some truly unreasonable challenges.
A guy with a very limited offensive bag at the moment is being tasked with initiating an offense with negative firepower (except for Nickel). Pretty much every shot he’s taken is either a grenade, contested, or not in rhythm. I didn’t watch much of Saturday’s game with other things on TV, but Friday’s looked like the team was intentionally trying to make things harder for him.
Diawara is a sponge. His play quality reflects that of his teammates.
We saw him have some extremely impactful minutes in the regular season when he had real NBA rotation players around him. This is the same guy who fearlessly rained threes on the Western Conference champions and locked up Jaylen Brown.
Mohammed Diawara
2/8/2026
10 PTS | 3 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 100 FG%
The Knicks rookie gave fans reasons for excitement many times throughout the season including elite defense against Jaylen Brown and the Celtics along with perfect shooting pic.twitter.com/R9G2Vqgmr1
The ugliest minutes for Diawara have come when his teammates around him are at his level. Starting when he was permanently booted from the rotation in late March to all the garbage time minutes he received in the playoffs, he looked clunky. His shots were way off, his touches were in awkward spots, and he was asked to do too much.
Now in Summer League, he is the best player out there. When a 20-year-old who was picked No. 51 overall less than 13 months ago is the best player on the floor, that’s a problem. It’s even more of a problem when there’s no point guard to run the show.
Ultimately, that’s what makes this look so ugly. The entire offense is disjointed because there’s no floor general to stabilize it. It’s five headless chickens running around trying to put a ball in the basket. Their shot quality is disgustingly bad.
I was disappointed when I saw Tyler Kolek wasn’t doing Summer League because I feared this. I truly believe that you’d be seeing a lot more quality looks and Diawara being able to really do what made him so effective last year off the ball if he had a maestro like Kolek out there.
Does Kolek have anything to prove out here? Probably not, but for a guy who received zero seconds of meaningful playoff action, he isn’t totally above this.
Ultimately, if you decided not to watch a second of the next three games, I wouldn’t blame you. We’ve watched too much good basketball of late to see our logo associated with whatever this is. Hopefully, things get better with Kayil seemingly fully integrated into the plans now.
At the end of the day, we’re still champs until we ain’t.
