The Cleveland Cavaliers will look for their second NBA Cup win as they take on the Miami Heat.
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Welcome to our series grading every member of the San Diego Padres’ 40-man roster. The roster being evaluated is current as of Oct. 18, prior to the end of the World Series. Because of that, it will include players who will be free agents once the postseason concludes. Each player will be graded on their performance in the 2026 season, including the playoffs. That performance will be weighted based on how much time the player spent with the team (availability is the best ability).
When Machado signed with the Padres, it was a massive deal. To be exact, it was the biggest contract that any athlete had ever signed up to that point. Machado signed a 10-year, $300 million deal with San Diego, keeping him in the brown and gold for the rest of his career. He’s largely followed up on that, hitting .275 or better in five of seven seasons and 25-plus homers in all of his years (excluding the shortened 2020 season).
However, 2026 saw a major downtick in his batting average. Including his time with the Baltimore Orioles, Machado had never finished the season with a batting average below .250. He finished 2026 having batted a dismal .217 with a .303 on-base percentage. That said, the power remained. Machado had 52 extra-base hits, with 30 of them being homers.
It wasn’t entirely his fault. Machado’s expected batting average (.243) was twenty-six points above his actual (.217), meaning he was at least somewhat unlucky. He ended the season being mostly average on offense, with a 97 OPS+ (where 100 is average). But Machado was phenomenal in the playoffs, batting .350/.480/.600 in six games.
Even in the offseason, Machado is not immune to controversy. He was a major snub from the Gold Glove awards, with Max Muncy and Javier Sanoja being named ahead of him. This despite the fact that Machado led all third basemen in Fielding Run Value (+7) and Outs Above Average (+12). The question heading into 2027 will be whether he can bat for average after his contact hitting took a dip in ‘26.
Much of this baseball offseason is going to spent with the MLB owners and MLB Player’s Association each publicly jockeying for why they are on the right side of the pending lockout.
The MLB used its official Twitter account Friday afternoon to share the owners’ latest offering, with a pointed interest towards fans and trying to sway them to the side of the ownership.
Here’s MLB’s latest messaging:
Baseball fans have repeatedly told us they have two issues with the game today: blackouts and fairness
We’re proposing to make three major changes to baseball:
This will reduce the revenue disparity in baseball and help us address local blackouts
Major League players’ total compensation would go up and fans would get a more competitive game
It’s a win for everybody
What do we think, folks? I can admit I find it a bit weird that MLB uses its official social media accounts with large followings (13.7 million on X alone) to boost its case.
But I can also admit that getting rid of blackouts sounds good and I’ve been coming around on the net good that a salary cap/floor would bring to baseball.
Location: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
TV: Space City Home Network
Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español)
Rockets: Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun
Jazz: Keyonte George, Darryn Peterson, Josh Green, Ace Bailey, Jaxson Hayes
Can the Rockets continue their win streak? Tune in tonight and come chat with us at TDS or on the SB Nation App! (Unless you’re a Jazz fan, then you don’t have internet.)
The Warriors have come to life this season with the lethal combination of veteran superstar Steph Curry and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.
But the latest injury update indicates Golden State could be without Curry for a month. That propels Lendeborg to the forefront of the Warriors’ game plan over the coming weeks. The rookie revealed his confidence to produce without Curry on the floor is a 6 out of 10 but admitted he’s feeling the pressure.
“The other four is like: Am I going to be able to live up to it?” Lendeborg said.
The Warriors rookie, however, has an idea of what needs to change in Curry’s absence and how he must adapt in terms of carrying the offensive load.
“I gotta be a lot more aggressive. I definitely have to be more in a scorer-first mindset now. My mindset so far has been to support Steph,” Lendeborg said.
“We’ll see how it goes.”
The 24-year-old has provided a youthful spark to the Warriors’ offense, but Lendeborg has been a learner more than a leader to open the season as he adjusts to NBA play.
Now, the Warriors will look to Lendeborg to keep the team afloat in a competitive Western Conference. That’s no easy feat for a rookie, but he’s proven to be a skilled asset for Golden State, and Curry being sidelined gives Lendeborg even more room to blossom into a playmaker.
One year ago, Juuso Valimaki wasn't even sure if he'd ever again play in the NHL.
The 27-year-old defenseman was nine months removed from his second career ACL tear and he hadn't seen NHL action since the start of 2025.
Even before the injury, the 2017 first-round picks was being continuously healthy scratched and things looked like they were quickly heading in the wrong direction.
But fast forward to today and Valimaki is on the blueline of the best team in hockey.
"We knew when we got him what he had been going through," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "Lots of injuries and even last year, he played all year in the minors. Played really well, we just didn't have a spot. Then this year there was an opportunity and he's just taken it. It's nice to see that he's fully back to where he was before and maybe even better. He's really endeared himself to the group and to the coaching staff."
Not only that, but Valimaki also earned the opportunity to play in his home country in front of thousands of Finnish fans and many of his own friends and family as part of the NHL Global Series in Helsinki.
And in Game 1 of the series, Valimaki himself even got on the scoresheet, scoring the Canes' third goal in their 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken.
"I don't think it could have really worked out any better than it did for me," Valimaki said. "Obviously we played a really good game and that's kind of the first point of it, but I'm not gonna lie and say that it wasn't cool to score, because it was. Just really, really happy and grateful for it, for sure."
"Really happy for him," Brind'Amour said on Valimaki. "That was special for him to get that goal. He's a big part of what we're doing."
"That's what you want," said forward Nikolaj Ehlers. "You obviously want the two points, but seeing [the Finns] score makes it a little more special. We're happy we were able to get the win for those guys."
It was a storybook moment for the Finnish defenseman and one that reflects all the hard work that he's put in to get back to this level.
Things haven't been easy by any means, but Valimaki has continued to grind away and find ways to keep getting better and to see him rewarded in that way is very special.
"There's been a lot of ups and downs in my career with injuries and kind of a lot of other things going on, but I think last year was finally where I felt like myself again and I was in a really good head space," Valimaki said. "Just trying to play hockey, enjoy it. There's been times where you kind of forget the fun part and for me, at least, when you're having fun and enjoying what you're doing, I think that's when you play your best. Just trying to carry the momentum now and ride that wave."
Shayne Gostisbehere Continuing To Be Key Offensive Dynamo For Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes Netminder Sets Pair Of Franchise Records
Taylor Hall Makes NHL History With Career Milestone
Hurricanes Captain Returns To Practice Nearly One Month Since Injury
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Would I or wouldn’t I? That is the question. Ever since reports surfaced earlier today linking the Phoenix Suns to disgruntled New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray, I’ve had plenty of friends reaching out to ask whether I’d pull the trigger on a potential deal involving Jalen Green. And I understand why they’re asking. If there’s anybody who’s been more vocal about the belief that Jalen Green doesn’t belong in the Suns’ starting five, I’d certainly be a contender for that title.
So a straight-up swap of Green for Murray makes sense, right? Not so fast.
I understand the appeal. Bringing in Murray would theoretically provide Phoenix with a more traditional point guard, allowing the team to reestablish some semblance of positional clarity and better define the responsibilities of the players surrounding Devin Booker. And who knows? Maybe it would work. A straight-up deal would also save the Suns some money, which is certainly beneficial from a salary cap perspective, although it doesn’t exactly put any additional cash in my pocket.
Murray is somebody I’ve been thinking about since last summer. We’ve discussed potential scenarios involving him for quite some time, and no matter how many times I revisit the possibility, I keep arriving at the same conclusion: I’ll pass on that, thank you.
My hesitation begins with Murray’s health. He suffered an Achilles injury in February 2025, and there’s still uncertainty surrounding whether he can return to the player he was before that injury. That’s a significant concern when you’re discussing acquiring a guard whose effectiveness has historically relied on his mobility, quickness, and ability to operate on both ends of the floor.
And even before the injury, was Murray really a game-altering player? He was a serviceable guard with a defensive reputation, someone capable of contributing in multiple areas without necessarily elevating the overall ceiling of the teams he played for. The last time he was impactful was when he was in a Greg Popovich system that elevates guard play, and even then the team wasn’t winning much with him.
Maybe a player with his skill set would fit more naturally alongside Booker than Green currently does. Considering Green’s $36.3 million salary and declining perceived value, there’s certainly an argument that swapping one distressed asset for another could make sense from a basketball operations standpoint.
But then there’s everything else. Murray’s recent public frustration with the situation in New Orleans, including allegations that he has used burner accounts to comment on videos, gives me a familiar and uncomfortable feeling. I call it PTKD. Post-Traumatic KD Disorder.
Say what you want about Jalen Green; we don’t see him coming unhinged online when people challenge his fit.
One of the things I’ve genuinely appreciated about this current iteration of the Phoenix Suns is how relatively quiet they’ve been away from the basketball court. Outside of a few entertaining trolling commercials from Dillon Brooks, this group has largely avoided the public drama that surrounded previous versions of the franchise. They’re not regularly lashing out at fans. They’re not creating unnecessary distractions through social media. They’re not turning every criticism into a public confrontation. They appear to handle their business internally, and I have tremendous respect for that.
Perhaps that appreciation comes from personal experience. I’ve been on the receiving end of Kevin Durant’s verbal lashings because I dared to express an opinion about the basketball team I cover. My apologies. I have opinions, I have a platform to express them, and that’s precisely what I intend to do. As Don Draper might remind these players, that’s what the money is for.
Now, perhaps a change of scenery would do wonders for Murray. Maybe getting out of New Orleans, joining a different organization, and playing alongside Booker would provide the reset he needs, both professionally and personally. That’s entirely possible.
When evaluating a potential acquisition, I keep returning to the same fundamental question I’ve been asking about Jalen Green: Does he make your basketball team better? And with Murray, I’m not convinced the answer is yes.
When you examine his time in Atlanta and New Orleans, his on/off impact has generally been underwhelming. He’s spent much of that period posting negative net rating results, raising questions about how much his individual production actually translates into improved team performance.
That’s what makes this entire conversation so fascinating. In theory, the Suns would be acquiring a player with a negative statistical impact to replace another player with a similarly negative impact. You’re essentially exchanging one set of problems for another, hoping that the new problems are somehow easier to manage. I’ll take the guy with a better attitude every day out of the week.
There are potential advantages, of course. Murray would be cheaper, providing some financial flexibility. His presence could help clarify the responsibilities within the starting lineup, allowing Booker to operate more naturally in his preferred role while Murray handles additional facilitating duties. Even that doesn’t solve every issue with the roster. The overlapping skill sets of Miles Bridges and Dillon Brooks would still exist. The Suns would still have problems with size, rebounding, and interior production. There would be no guarantee that Murray’s arrival would suddenly create the offensive connectivity Phoenix has been searching for.
So where do I ultimately land? I think the Suns should wait.
If Murray is disgruntled today, there’s a pretty good chance he’ll still be disgruntled two months from now. His desire for a change of scenery doesn’t necessarily create an obligation for Phoenix to rush into a transaction, especially when the player they’d be acquiring comes with legitimate questions of his own. Meanwhile, the Suns still have an opportunity to evaluate Jalen Green and determine whether there’s a way to make his skill set work within the current roster.
Quite honestly, I believe the best immediate solution is moving Green to the bench. Allow him to operate with the second unit, where he can play a style more familiar to him without constantly navigating the responsibilities and tendencies of Devin Booker. Give him an opportunity to rebuild his confidence, establish some offensive rhythm, and continue developing the distribution skills the organization clearly wants him to improve.
The Suns’ bench has already demonstrated a greater understanding of its collective identity. The players know their responsibilities, understand how to complement one another, and have shown an ability to sustain productive stretches without relying on one individual to orchestrate everything. Perhaps placing Green in that environment would help him develop comfort and confidence, ultimately making him a more effective contributor when his minutes overlap with the starters’.
If it doesn’t work? Well, at least Phoenix will have gathered additional information before making another significant roster decision. No need to make a trade just to make a trade. Isn’t that what got us into this mess?
The reality is that there’s no obvious correct answer here. Green hasn’t demonstrated that he’s the right fit. Murray hasn’t demonstrated that he’d necessarily be a better one. Both players carry significant salaries, legitimate concerns, and enough uncertainty to make any potential transaction a gamble. And if the Pelicans and Suns ultimately decide to swap them, what exactly are we accomplishing?
“Here’s your problem. We’ll take it off your hands if you take ours.” “Thank you very much. Have a nice day.” I like our problem better. Green is younger and more athletic, seems to be a better locker room guy, is less injury-prone, and seems to be simply having a hard time navigating his new role.
The Suns have a roster that needs work, and Jalen Green hasn’t made the transition Phoenix hoped he would. But that doesn’t mean Dejounte Murray is the answer. There’s a difference between identifying a problem and finding a solution. Swapping two players with question marks attached to their names might make the transaction look productive, but it doesn’t necessarily make the basketball team any better. How about we focus on getting some rebounding, eh? Suns are 9th in assists. They’re dead last in rebounding. Let’s focus on fixing what’s broken.
Give Green a chance to find his footing in a different role. Give Murray and the Pelicans some time to sort through their situation. The Suns don’t have to be the organization that solves everybody else’s problems, especially when they have enough of their own.
The Atlanta Hawks (7-5) take on a rebuilding Chicago Bulls (1-9) without their starlet rookie Caleb Wilson in an NBA Cup matchup.
Starting lineup
G Kingston Flemings
G Nickeil Alexander-Walker
F Dyson Daniels
F Jalen Johnson
C Onyeka Okongwu
Please join in the comments below as you follow along.
Location: United Center, Chicago, IL
Start Time: 8:00 PM EST
TV: Peachtree TV (WPCH), Atlanta News First (WANF)
Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)
Streaming:Amazon Prime, NBA League Pass (out of market), Youtube TV (NBA League Pass out of market)
The Lakers received positive injury news following multiple scares in Wednesday’s 123-112 win over the Bucks.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said Austin Reaves suffered a left heel bruise in the third quarter of that game and is listed as day-to-day ahead of Sunday’s contest against the Suns.
The Lakers’ medical staff and Reaves jointly determined that he didn’t need further imaging after seeing how he felt Thursday morning. Reaves had X-rays Wednesday evening and they came back clean.
When asked if Reaves’ injury was minor, Redick didn’t hesitate.
“I would assume a day-to-day injury is minor, yeah,” Redick said.
As for Luka Doncic, who tweaked his right ankle in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s game?
“Luka is fine,” Redick said. “I think the expectation would be he’s available.”
Collin Sexton is also listed as day-to-day after receiving multiple stitches to close a deep cut over his right eye after he and Bucks guard Ryan Rollins bumped heads in the fourth quarter.
Redick said a concussion was ruled out for Sexton.
Meanwhile, Quentin Grimes, who missed the Lakers’ last two games because of a sprained right pinkie, participated in the live portion of the “stay ready game” at Friday’s practice.
Grimes, who had his pinkie taped, said the swelling has gone down and his finger is “basically back to normal.”
“I definitely expect to play, for sure,” Grimes said of Sunday.
It’s all positive news for the Lakers, who have won seven straight games and have the best record in the league at 11-2.
While Doncic spoke after Wednesday’s game saying his ankle was “painful a little bit but I’ll be fine,” there was significantly more worry around Reaves, who did not speak to the media after the Lakers’ win and was expected to receive more imaging upon the team’s return to Los Angeles — until it was deemed unnecessary.
When Redick was asked if Doncic advised Reaves about the heel injury that he suffered in 2024, the coach said he wasn’t sure.
“I know those guys text 47 times a day, so maybe there’s a chance,” Redick said. “Austin said he woke up yesterday at 7 a.m. and he had four texts from Luka, so maybe one of those was the heel text. I don’t know.”
Redick was sure about one thing, though.
Following a brutal stretch of three road games in four days, including a back-to-back, the Lakers had a much-needed three days to regroup before playing the Suns.
Redick and his staff spent the last three days auditing the Lakers, who are the top-rated team in the league on offense but are No. 18 on defense.
His analytics team prepared a 21-page presentation.
“We know we want to be a top-10 defense,” Redick said. “We know we are not going to be able to do that unless we become better than a bottom-10 transition team and better than a bottom 10-defensive rebounding team.”
It’s another Cup game, so prepare your eyes for a whacky court as the Knicks (6–5) visit the Indiana Pacers (4–8) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The old rivals square off in NBA Cup East Group B play. The head of Indy’s snake, Tyrese Haliburton, remains out with a left hamstring strain, while the Knicks have a clean injury report (as of this a.m. writing). New York is favored because they have give up the second-fewest points per game and because, uh, they’re World Champions.
The Pacers are 1-5 at home. Yikes. Tip-off is 7:00 pm EST on Prime Video. This is your game thread. This is Indy Cornrows. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Enjoy each other’s company, respectfully. And go Knicks!
Our third pitcher, and the second in a row in the Vote, moved on, and in decisive fashion, as righty starter Tanner McDougal easily outpaced the field, with 30 of 63 votes (48%). It’s the second straight rout in our polling, and the third-biggest share percentage won so far:
McDougal, a fifth round pick in 2021, finished as our No. sixth-voted prospect last year, after not making the Vote in 2025. He finished at No. 33 in the 2024 Vote.
McDougal is the second right-handed starting pitcher to advance so far:
Past No. 8s in the SSS Top Prospect Vote
2026 Christian Oppor (24%)
2025 Kyle Teel (30%)
2024 Jordan Leasure (23%)
2023 Cristian Mena (27%)
2022 Romy González (41%)
2021 Gavin Sheets (29%)
2020 Luis Basabe (32%)
2019 Blake Rutherford (34%)
2018 Jake Burger (29%)
This latest round also marked the first votes earned for both Alex Weingartner and newcomer Sebastian Romero. It also saw the second straight tie between not one but two pairs of players, Kyle Lodise/Landon Thome and Weingartner/Kyle Casteel.
Currently rehabbing after shoulder surgery but expected to miss little or no time in the spring is first baseman Anthony DePino, who will be making his all-time Vote debut as well.
Kyle Casteel
Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
Age 19
2026 high level Butler Area (H.S.)
Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 10-0 ▪️ 13 games ▪️ 65 ⅔ IP ▪️ 0.64 ERA ▪️ 103 K ▪️ 11 BB ▪️ 0.685 WHIP
Casteel is the sort of player you dream of getting to start off the $150,000 round of 10 picks: A player who the White Sox had been talking to regularly that, based on how the first round fell, now was draftable knowing the club could meet the prep’s demands. It’s undoubtable that Casteel is far better than the 315th pick (MLB had him ranked at No. 162 overall), and thus the White Sox pocketed a player who should have been selected in the fifth round. Casteel has power and control, and while the White Sox will bring him along with care, he has a rare profile in a pitching-starved White Sox system.
Anthony DePino
First Baseman
Age 24
2026 high level Birmingham (AA)
Age relative to high level -0.7 years
Overall 2026 stats (High-A/AA) 125 games ▪️ 25 HR ▪️ 82 RBI ▪️ .262/.363/.481 ▪️ 6-of-7 (85.7 %) SB ▪️ 64 BB ▪️ 128 K ▪️ .991 FLD%▪️ 3.1 WAR
DePino was drafted as a poor man’s Jake Burger, which is a pretty fair compliment, for starters. But his breakout 2026 puts him straight on an actual Burger arc. His first full pro season was outstanding, far better than expected for a seventh-rounder out of the baseball hotbed of Rhode Island. DePino so impressed that he was tabbed for Arizona Fall League play, but ended up missing that final session of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Kyle Lodise
Shortstop
Age 22
2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 24
2026 high level Winston-Salem (High-A)
Age relative to high level 0.0 years
Overall 2026 stats 111 games ▪️ 20 HR ▪️ 77 RBI ▪️ .230/.380/.440 ▪️ 42-of-51 (82.4%) SB ▪️ 92 BB ▪️ 141 K ▪️ .957 FLD%▪️ 3.6 WAR
Lodise made a return visit to Winston-Salem in 2026, and his first full professional season went extremely well. With a low average and slug to burn, the shortstop fits right in with the org profile of swinging hard, damn the contact. Thankfully, Lodise is selective enough at the plate to produce astronomical OBPs. And his power bat is showing better than advertised at this point.
Javier Mogollón
Second Baseman
Age 21
2026 high level Winston-Salem (AA)
Age relative to high level -2.0 years
Overall 2026 stats (Low-A/High-A) 91 games ▪️ 14 HR ▪️ 57 RBI ▪️ .262/.368/.448 ▪️ 36-of-44 (81.8%) SB ▪️ 53 BB ▪️ 123 K ▪️ .965 FLD%▪️ 2.5 WAR
The diminutive (5´8´´, 160) infielder wowed in rookie ball and though his climb has slowed, Mogollón has steadily risen up our ranks, from No.62 in our 2024 Top 100 to the cusp of the Top 10 today. That said, he’s seen two straight seasons shortened by hamstring issues. At least in 2026, Mogollón was able to return before season’s end, providing a clutch bat coming that provided a .313/.389/.813 slash and eight RBIs en route to sweeping to a SALLY title.
Cole Prosek
Third Baseman
Age 19
2026 High Level Magnolia Heights (H.S.)
Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 41 games ▪️ 18 HR ▪️ 79 RBI ▪️ .545/.678/1.177 ▪️ 62 R ▪️ 7 SB ▪️ 31 BB ▪️ 12 K
Coming to Chicago as a second-rounder, Prosek seems more highly-regarded by evaluators than the guy picked ahead of him by the White Sox, low first round choice Landon Thome. That’s a curious thing, but Prosek dominated his prep competition even more thoroughly than Thome. Plus, while the White Sox regard Prosek as a second baseman, his prep time was spent significantly at the hot corner, and he has experience behind the plate as well.
Sebastian Romero
Center Fielder
Age 18
2026 high level DSL White Sox (Rookie)
Age relative to high level -0.6 years
Overall 2026 stats 52 games ▪️ 11 HR ▪️ 54 RBI ▪️ .277/.391/.538 ▪️ 7-of-10 (70.0%) SB ▪️ 18 BB ▪️ 61 K ▪️ .963 FLD%▪️ 1.6 WAR
The sexy international prospect for 2026-27 is Romero, who had a boisterous pro debut, flashing perhaps all tools but hit. Or, at least the bat control aspect of the hit tool, because 18 walks — just three more free passes than hit-by-pitches — indicates a willingness to swing at ANYTHING, as does his 61 Ks against woeful DSL arms. However, when contact is made, ball go boom.
Landon Thome
Shortstop
Age 19
2026 High Level Nazareth Academy (H.S.)
Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 7 HR ▪️ 29 RBI ▪️ .545 AVG ▪️ 49-of-50 (98.0%) SB
How crazy is it to have two high school teammates (Thome and Jaden Fauske) on our first ballot of the voting year … or any ballot, ever? The White Sox were so hot to dip back into Nazareth’s roster that they dealt promising 2023 first-rounder Jacob Gonzalez to Pittsburgh to acquire the draft pick to snag him; clearly the club was not confident Thome would drop into the second round. Unlike his father, Hall-of-Famer and White Sox adviser Jim, Landon is better regarded for his speed and defense than his ability to put the ball over the fence. Slugging will come in time for junior, however.
Joey Volchko
Right-handed starting pitcher
Age 21
2026 high level University of Georgia (NCAA)
Age relative to high level +0.1 years
Overall 2026 stats 11-2 ▪️ 18 starts ▪️ 1 CG ▪️ 95 1/3 IP ▪️ 3.68 ERA ▪️ 119 K ▪️ 46 BB ▪️ 1.343 WHIP ▪️ 2.1 WAR
This big-armed righty can touch 100 mph with his fastball, but wildness concerns might have precipitated Volchko’s drop to the White Sox in the third round in spite of MLB ranking him as a second round (68th-best) talent. He’s a big-game pitcher who dragged the Bulldogs to their first College World Series win in 18 years with a complete-game effort over the University of Texas. There’s a chance Volchko ends up as a high-leverage bullpen arm, but he will get every chance to stick as a starter.
Alex Weingartner
Right Fielder
Age 19
2026 high level St. Augustine College Prep (H.S.)
Overall 2026 stats 30 games ▪️ 7 HR ▪️ 36 RBI ▪️ .495 AVG ▪️ .817 SLG ▪️ 33 SB ▪️ 21 BB
Oddly enough, Weingartner may be a doppelganger for the player listed right below; both he and George Wolkow were prep plums selected lower than their skill and scout rankings indicated, and both players scored sweet bonuses from the White Sox to lure them from potential college commitments. Both have rocket arms (Weingartner, in fact, pitched for his St. Augustine Hermits in 2026) as well.
George Wolkow
Right Fielder
Age 21
2024 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 14
2025 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 13
2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 16
2026 high level Winston-Salem (High-A)
Age relative to high level -2.0 years
Overall 2026 stats 123 games ▪️ 22 HR ▪️ 100 RBI ▪️ .239/.317/.446 ▪️ 15-of-22 (68.2%) SB ▪️ 50 BB ▪️ 179 K ▪️ .971 FLD%▪️ 1.6 WAR
Wolkow sacrificed speed and what batting eye he had for power in 2026, and while that made for some impressive counting stats (22-100 plays on the back of any baseball card) the hole in his swing hasn’t been sewn. If the White Sox brass is having Wolkow bet on his best tool, power, at all others’ expense, he’s slipping into the Colson Category.
Dejounte Murray has had enough of New Orleans.
The former All-Star requested a trade from the Pelicans, with his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, and team officials beginning to work toward finding him a new home, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported.
The Pelicans then put out a statement and said they are looking into “potential trade options.”
“Today, Dejounte Murray’s representatives informed us of his request to be traded,” the Pelicans said in a statement shared on X. “We will evaluate potential trade opportunities that are in the best interest of our organization.”
The trade request comes less than two days after Murray took to social media to suggest there was “sabotage” going on behind the scenes with the team.
After the Pelicans’ blowout 145-111 home loss to the Nets on Wednesday, Murray took to X, pointing out that the team was 1-8 with him in the lineup this season and 3-0 without him.
“From what’s going on INSIDE, this sounds like someone hit you to say this!! THE ‘SABOTAGE’ IS REAL!!” Murray wrote in the since-deleted post.
Murray, 30, reposted Charania’s report on Friday afternoon.
At least one potential suitor has already emerged.
The Suns have expressed interest in acquiring Murray, per NBA insider Chris Haynes.
Murray has had a disastrous tenure with the franchise since he was traded by the Hawks in July 2024 for a package headlined by Dyson Daniels and two first-round picks.
Daniels has since emerged as one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, while Murray has appeared in just 54 games in a Pelicans uniform, suffering a fractured hand in his New Orleans debut before tearing his Achilles in January 2025.
The Pelicans, who hired Jamahl Mosley as their head coach during the offseason, have lost four straight games, including a 51-point drubbing at the hands of the Warriors on Monday.
Murray is making $32.8 million this season and holds a $30.8 million player option for the 2027-28 campaign after signing a $114-plus million veteran extension in 2023.
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Meredith dropped from match-day 23 after defeat to England
Valetini named in XV with Australia out to avoid fourth straight loss
The Wallabies have restored Carter Gordon and Rob Valetini to their starting crew, convinced the pair will be the difference makers as they seek to right their creaking ship in dangerous Scottish waters.
Announcing the team to face Scotland on Sunday (Monday AEDT), coach Les Kiss made it clear he sees Gordon as the playmaker who can finally nail down the No 10 role that has become the Wallabies’ maddening hot-potato position, with seven different starting flyhalves used since the last World Cup.
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The Golden State Warriors are facing perhaps their largest challenge of the season tonight: a road game against Victor Wembanyama and the defending Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs, without Steph Curry. This won’t be easy.
Here’s the full injury report for both teams:
Out — Steph Curry (right oblique tear)
Curry was injured early in Wednesday’s game against the Houston Rockets, and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. Needless to say, that’s a huge hit for the team, and now begins the quest of trying to tread water with Curry sidelined.
Out — Brandon Williams (left hamstring strain)
That aforementioned task is a little bit harder because the team is missing one of their top bench scorers in Williams, who was injured during Monday’s victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Out — Jimmy Butler III (right ACL repair surgery)
Out — Moses Moody (left patellar tendon repair surgery)
Out — Kristaps Porziņģis(not with team)
No news on either of these three, which is probably a good thing at this point.
Probable — Charles Bassey (left toe soreness)
Bassey has been huge for the Warriors so far this season, especially in the past few games. So it’s a big win that he’s likely good to go for this game.
Out — Tobias Harris (left calf strain)
Harris is playing for his sixth team in his 16th NBA season, but has yet to make his season debut after injuring his calf during training camp.
Out — Jayden Quaintance (right knee surgery)
Quaintance was the Spurs first-round pick in June’s draft, taken 20th overall. Unfortunately, a knee injury has kept him from making his NBA debut, and it will likely be quite a while before he’s cleared.
Questionable — Devin Vassell (left adductor tightness)
Vassell, as consistent as they get, has been having his typical strong season thus far. But after playing in San Antonio’s first 10 games, he’s missed the last two with injury … and could miss a third.
Questionable — De’Aaron Fox (left hip soreness)
Wembanyama is the star of the Spurs, but Fox is often still their motor, thanks to his ball-handling, playmaking, and incredible speed. Fox is having another strong season after making the All-Star Game a year ago, and the Warriors will be given quite a gift if he’s unable to play.
Enjoy the game, everyone. It tips off at 6:30 p.m. PT.