Skubal is predicted to sign a deal that will make him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball, but it begs the question of what the figure will look like and for how many years.
ESPN MLB insider Buster Olney appeared on “Baseball Tonight” on Tuesday and said he’s heard from “multiple agents” that Skubal’s future contract could be more similar to Kyle Tucker’s instead of Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s — both of whom are on the Dodgers.
.@Buster_ESPN says one agent predicted Tarik Skubal's deal will look more like Kyle Tucker's than Yamamoto's: "6 time 60."
That would be a shorter, higher-AAV deal than ESPN's 8-year, $352M projection and would, in Buster's words, "set a record for pitchers by far." #Dodgers… pic.twitter.com/lsdxsiNEgk
“I had one agent predict to me that they are gonna kind of do. … It’s going to be more Kyle Tucker-type structure, like six times 60,” Olney said. “Which would set a record by far.”
A year ago, the Dodgers were the kings of the offseason when they signed Edwin Diaz and Tucker to contracts that pay them high annual figures.
Tucker signed a four-year, $240 million deal with the Dodgers. The Dodgers adjusted his contract and paid him $33 million last season and will have him making $81 million this season.
The current record contract for a pitcher who isn’t Shohei Ohtani (two-way player) in baseball belongs to Zack Wheeler, who signed a three-year, $126 million contract with the Phillies before the 2025 season — paying him an annual salary of $42 million.
ESPN MLB insider Buster Olney suggests Tarik Skubal could sign a deal similar to Kyle Tucker. Caroline Brehman/UPI/Shutterstock
Skubal is the crown jewel of the offseason this year, and the Dodgers know it.
After they acquired him during the trade deadline this season, the Dodgers saw firsthand how good Skubal is. He made 10 starts for LA and finished with a 5-2 record, 2.61 ERA and 70 strikeouts.
Last week, Jack Harris of the California Post had an exclusive with Dodgers owner Mark Walter and was told the team is committed to doing everything it can to continue winning for at least the next 10 years.
ESPN MLB Insider says Tarik Skubal is expected to sign a deal similar to Kyle Tucker. Wally Skalij for CA Post
TORONTO (AP) — Nick Schmaltz scored the winner on a power play with 6:48 left in regulation and the Utah Mammoth beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Dylan Guenther and Andrew Peeke also scored for Utah. Sebastian Cossa made 27 saves. Clayton Keller added three assists and Mikail Sergachev had a pair.
Jack Roslovic scored twice for Toronto, which got 33 stops from Sergei Bobrovsky. Auston Matthews assisted on Roslovic's goals.
Schmaltz snapped a 2-all tie when he buried a loose puck in the crease on the man advantage after Bobrovsky made a huge stop on Keller.
Down 2-1 in the third period, the Maple Leafs tied it at 9:05 when Rosolvic moved in alone on Cossa and scored his second of the night on a backhand shot.
A two-time Stanley Cup champion signed over the summer to a big-money deal in free agency for the next three seasons, Bobrovsky entered with a 3-5-2 record, .885 save percentage and a 3.29 goals-against average.
The 38-year-old, who had allowed three goals or more in nine of 10 starts entering Tuesday, was helped out by some posts in the first, but could do nothing against the NHL’s top-ranked power play when Guenther shot through a screen with 12.4 seconds left on the clock in the first.
Toronto tied it at 10:20 of the second when Roslovic scored past Cossa moments after Maple Leafs defenseman Troy Stecher’s stick exploded on an odd-man rush before Peeke pushed the visitors ahead with a controversial goal at 13:42.
Peeke’s blast through traffic beat Bobrovsky at 13:42 of the second for a 2-1 lead. Mammoth center Barrett Hayton appeared to interfere with the netminder when their skates touched, but the officials ruled the sequence a good goal. The Maple Leafs then declined to challenge and risk a minor penalty.
The Mammoth will have played 13 of their first 19 games on the road before returning home on Nov. 12 against the St. Louis Blues.
Up next
Mammoth: At Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
Maple Leafs: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.
PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 3: Connor Dewar #19 of the Pittsburgh Penguins moves the puck against the Vegas Golden Knights at PPG PAINTS Arena on November 3, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Pregame
A couple of debuts for the Penguins tonight, Justin Brazeau is in the lineup for the first time this season and the newest jersey hits the ice for the first time.
The Penguins get two power plays early in the game, they don’t score on either but keep puck possession and get a few looks on net with nothing against – so that’s not nothing for them.
Hendrix Lapierre takes a penalty later in the period and the Vegas power play shows how it’s done. Mitch Marner shoots from deep and the puck kicks out on the rebound right to Tomas Hertl. That’s bad, as is the fact the closest player to Hertl is a fellow Golden Knight. Hertl lifts the puck past Arturs Silovs, 1-0.
Fun Fact: This is the first power-play goal allowed by the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena this season 😏 pic.twitter.com/b86evCgbWI
Sidney Crosby makes a little overeager of a back check on Marner and takes a penalty for tripping near the end of play.
Shots are 10-7 Vegas after one. Familiar story where Pittsburgh wasn’t bad, but couldn’t cash in on their power play and the Golden Knights did which leads to the difference on the scoreboard early on.
Second period
Vegas gets nearly a full two-minute power play to start the period, the Pens handle it much better and barely let them get setup.
The Pens’ first line puts on some pressure and causes Trevor Connelly to lift a puck over the glass. Crosby sets Ville Koivunen up for a glorious chance but he shoots in wide. (Kinda wish that was Evgeni Malkin or Bryan Rust, eh?)
Rest of the period drains out. Vegas looks like a team that played in Boston last night. The Pens, well, not sure what their excuse is for a sluggish opening 40 minutes. Silovs has kept them within striking distance.
Third period
The Pens come to life early in the third, Crosby wins a faceoff against Jack Eichel in a strength-on-strength matchup. Kaeden Korczak generates a goal against his former team by throwing a point shot down that Eichel gets a piece of, but the puck rolls right to Tommy Novak who is able to knock it in from in front. 1-1.
The goal helps open up the game and make it more entertaining with chances at both ends. Vegas goes back to the penalty box when Blake Lizotte gets his stick chopped out of his hands. The Pens keep zone possession for the full two minutes and work a number of nice passes but can’t find a goal.
The pressure mounts and it’s Rickard Rakell who puts the Pens ahead. Novak drives strong to the net and slides a puck across the crease. The Vegas defender made a false step towards Novak, leaving Rakell wide open to almost scoop the puck to the top of the net. 2-1, 10:02 left in the game and Vegas doesn’t even have a shot on goal officially in the period.
Vegas gets their first chance and they make it count. The Pens are still super-aggressive and get burnt when a pass from low to high goes past Kris Letang and Connelly has a breakaway. Connelly puts a heck of a forehand deke to tie the game at 2.
Jeremy Lauzon gives the Pens a power play with 4:03 to go and things are looking promising. Even more so when a high-stick hits Crosby and Pittsburgh gets a long 5v3 to score the potential game winner. They don’t really even come close.
You could almost sense an even up call would come if the situation presented itself, and wouldn’t you know it that Novak gave the refs a chance to send him to the box just seconds after the Pittsburgh power play ended. They did and Vegas was looking at a late power play to make the most of it. Wouldn’t you know who won the pony. Declan Carlile has Tomas Hertl in front of the net, until he doesn’t. Hertl’s second of the night puts the Golden Knights back in front late.
And that does it, no time really for a comeback effort. Pens fall in regulation.
Some thoughts
What did everyone think of the new jerseys from seeing them on the ice? Everyone’s always got their own subjective take on it, for us it’s a forced smile and ‘looks nice’. The 60th anniversary logo super-imposed for TV on center ice was pretty cool (couldn’t put something like that down in reality?) and the blue matte helmets were a good touch. Maybe it’s just a dark blue concept jersey that wasn’t truly a replica of the past carries a little too much baggage, but hey, surely they’ll sell a few and serve their purpose.
The good news for the Pens is their top line is in fine form. Rakell now has goals in five of his last six games, including four straight. Sidney Crosby is starting to look more like Sidney Crosby when it comes to creating chances in the last week or so. Novak played an inspired game and recorded two points. Good signs there.
That said, the other side of the sword is those three players are the majority of the power play, and it still isn’t clicking right. ‘Fun’ little quirk of the game where they can look so good at 5v5 and not carry it over to when they should have more time and space to operate.
To pile on, just can’t go 0-for-6 on the power play and let a golden opportunity of a 5v3 with time running out and the win just sitting there. Just can’t happen if you want to win a game.
Further, the PK has been a strong point early in the season but giving up two goals, including one near the death of regulation, is a bitter pill to swallow. I’d still put the disappointment/anger level deserving on the power play group at least 90/10 as a split, but in the bigger picture that PK group still got picked apart (to be fair by some extremely talented stars on the other side).
Carlile has had his minutes and role reduced, aside from inexplicably still being trotted out for the top PK group. 14:39 played tonight and two total goals against. I dunno, maybe try Ilya Solovyov or Jake Livanavage next time? Neither of them are going to fix the penalty kill but Carlile’s drifting into unplayable form at this point.
Chinakhov did get three shots on goal, but his biggest impact in his limited 11 minutes and change was turning the puck over for a goal against. Tough sledding for him right now, might be a little harsh but it seems like he’s drifting back into ‘inconsistent Columbus’ version more this season than the sensation from the change of scenery boost seen last year.
I’m sure Letang will get crushed for his part in the second goal against, simply for the optics of being aggressive when the Pens finally took a lead, but you know what? I don’t knock the idea behind it. It was only a 2-1 score, Pittsburgh had all the momentum and was sensing the chance to double the lead and really take control of the game. Things went off the rails when Chinakhov’s back pass got deflected up in the air and the end result stunk, but sometimes keeping the pedal down is the right idea, wrong ending. Most of the Vegas players were at the tail end of a shift there. It’s about context and situation there, if there’s 2-3 minutes left, the right play is to be conservative. Almost nine? I’m chalking that up here for any defensemen in that situation to attempt to support the attack.
Feel rough for Silovs, gave up two power play goals scored by a former 35-goal scorer from point blank range with no resistance from the defense (those guys aren’t going to miss out on those types of chances..). Then a breakaway goal by a former first round pick known for his offense. In between, thought he was very good. Other than the first line forwards (at even strength only) can’t say too much more positive for the rest of the boys in those blue jerseys.
Tonight kicks off four games in six days for the Pens, they played most of the game like it was already their fourth game in six nights. Then again, they have only played three times in the last 10, they looked a lot more in the rust than rest category with this performance. Perhaps getting into a more regular rhythm will do them well.
Tough, tough ending. It was looking likely that the Pens would get one point out of this one. Even two for a while with how great they looked in the first half of the third period. Unfortunately for them, the second half of the period was rough and they end up taking another L.
This one will sting, at least the 11-4-1 Boston Bruins aren’t up next on Thursday night. Oh wait, they are.
Queensland coach James Hopes believes Jack Clayton could “absolutely” bat at No.3 for Australia, as the emerging Sheffield Shield prospect’s Test hopes continue to mount.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Mathieu Olivier scored 28 seconds into the game and Charlie Coyle had two goals and two assists as the Columbus Blue Jackets snapped a two-game skid with a 7-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.
Coyle scored his first goal for the Blue Jackets with 7:57 remaining in the second period on a tip-in, assisted by Zach Werenski and Kent Johnson. He added a wrist shot with 8:39 left in the third, assisted by Cole Sillinger and Damon Severson.
Valeri Nichushkin, Sillinger, Ivan Provorov and Jacob Christiansen scored for the Blue Jackets.
Cale Makar and Nazem Kadri scored for the Avalanche, who had their three-game winning streak halted. Colorado was playing the second game of a back-to-back after beating the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 Monday night.
Cam Talbot made 27 saves in the win for the Blue Jackets. Scott Wedgewood had 12 saves for the Avalanche.
Up next
Avalanche: Host the Nashville Predators on Thursday.
Jalen Brunson’s field goal percentage (39.3 percent), 3-point percentage (33.3 percent) and free-throw percentage (73.2 percent) are all significantly down from last year. In fact, the field goal and 3-point percentage would represent the worst of his career, while the free-throw percentage would be second worst.
There isn’t some deep-lying issue or explanation, though. Brunson believes it’s actually quite simple.
“Missing shots,” Brunson said after practice Tuesday, “I normally make.”
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson reacts after making a 3-point shot against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York. JASON SZENES FOR NEW YORK POST
Brunson’s shooting was always a worry after he underwent surgery to fix a tendon issue in his left wrist during the offseason. He spoke before the season about how it disrupted his normal offseason workouts and caused him to take way fewer shots than he normally does.
It is certainly understandable that there is early-season rust. But, true to his character, he refused to use that excuse.
“Not at all,” Brunson said when asked how much the surgery has affected his early-season form.
The numbers reflect Brunson’s sentiment.
His shot diet, in terms of the percentage of pullups vs. catch-and-shoot and shot distance, is similar to last season’s. As are the percentages of open shots vs. tightly covered shots. This is not a case of worse shot quality leading to worse results.
There is one area in which there has been a big drop, though. He is struggling in what is usually his specialty.
Brunson’s efficiency at the end of the shot clock is way down. He is shooting just 26.7 percent with between 7 and 4 seconds left on the shot clock and 35.7 percent with under four seconds left. Last year, he was at 48.8 percent with between 7 and 4 seconds left on the shot clock and 46.6 percent under four seconds left. Brunson bailing the Knicks out with tough shots late in possessions is usually a staple of their offense and something that demoralizes opposing defenses.
It’s been part of a larger trend with the Knicks and their sluggish offense to start the year. As a team, they are shooting 30.4 percent from 7-to-4 seconds left in the shot clock and 26.5 percent under four seconds left. Those are the second-worst and worst marks in the NBA, respectively.
So often, as Brunson goes, the Knicks go. This is a clear example.
“He’s taking the same shots as in the past,” coach Mike Brown said Tuesday. “In my opinion, he’s just missing shots. He’s taking the right shots. I think all our guys are, for the most part, taking the right shots. Right now, they’re not going in. And that can be for this reason, that reason, I don’t know, and I’m not going to try to overanalyze it. As long as they keep taking the right shots, keep working on the shots, I think eventually they’re gonna fall sooner than later.”
Brown has coached some of the league’s best-ever scorers, including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Stephen Curry. He has seen this before.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots a three-pointer against the Brooklyn Nets at Madison Square Garden in New York, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. Jason Szenes for NY Post
And he knows that usually, these ruts don’t last too long.
“It happens,” Brown said. “It happens to the best of them because everybody is definitely human and every human has their ups and their downs when it comes to shooting. That’s why we have to keep embracing the little things, because they’re not gonna always fall.”
It’s rare to see Brunson struggling the way he has to start this year.
But if he’s taking the same shots as normal, it should be expected that the results will soon return to normal.
Luka Doncic’s technical foul with 1:12 remaining in the second quarter against the Heat on Monday has been rescinded following league review.
After Doncic’s postgame news conference following the Lakers’ 138-117 win, Doncic said he wanted to answer more questions — until a reporter asked him why he got the technical.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) drives past Miami Heat guard Klay Thompson during an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea
His eyes bulged, he stood up and he walked out of the room as reporters laughed.
Following the league rescinding the technical, Doncic now only has one on the season.
He’s averaging a league-leading 38.3 points, eight rebounds and 8.1 assists for the Lakers, who are in fourth place in the Western Conference at 6-2.
Luka Doncic (77) of the Los Angeles Lakers defends Giannis Antetokounmpo (7) of the Miami Heat in Los Angeles, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
“Obviously he’s one of the best scorers to ever play this game, if not the best,” said Antetokounmpo, who had 30 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, one steal and two blocked shots. “Not right now. Of all time. I feel like some people are scared to say that. But it’s got to be out there. He’s also an elite passer.”
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 31: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz in action during the first half of a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Delta Center on October 31, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This has not gone as well as we had hoped. Seven games into the season, and all that the “winning time” Utah Jazz are bringing to show and tell is a solitary one-point win against a subpar New Orleans team and a head bowed in shame. It was a depressing show-and-tell presentation for this premature Jazz team.
But growing pains are part of the deal. Winning in the NBA isn’t as simple as a change in mindset; it’s a change in identity. A fundamental shift in the direction of a franchise will take time to set, especially one as drastic as going from hunting the number-one overall lottery odds to walking the thorn-riddled path toward the Western Conference playoffs.
Just as Michael Scott learned that it takes much more than shouting in the office to declare bankruptcy, Utah is learning firsthand that flipping the “winning” switch is much harder than simply making a declaration. The Jazz wanted and expected to win many more basketball games this season; they clearly still have some growing up to do before they can reach that switch.
Still, it wasn’t ridiculous to expect more from this team by now. They traded for Jaren Jackson Jr., one of the best front-court defenders in basketball and a multiple-time All-Star, to pair alongside Utah’s in-house All-Star, Lauri Markkanen. They drafted Darryn Peterson, a player touted as one of the best guard prospects in recent memory and a future star. They re-signed Keyonte George, rewarding him for his steady growth and remarkable leadership.
But 1-6 is 1-6, and the Utah Jazz are way off course at this larval moment in the 2026-27 season. Not all is lost, but much needs evaluation and careful reconsideration. So let’s play a game that I like to call “Doom and Gloom”. The rules are simple: I’ll share an opinion that I’ve thought myself or heard from others about Utah’s unsettling beginning and determine whether said opinion is “Doom”, a bad omen and an imminent issue, or “Gloom”, an overreaction that, while based in reality, doesn’t tell the whole story.
SAN ANTONIO, TX – NOVEMBER 2: Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on November 2, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Evaluating the Biggest Overreactions to the Utah Jazz’s Awful Opening
The Jazz are one of the worst teams in the NBA: Gloom
No, the Utah Jazz are not winning basketball games. Yes, that is a massive problem, and a legitimate cause for concern for a team whose goal is to win basketball games.
But this problem, as with all others, deserves some context before it stirs up panic.
The biggest factor, I believe, is the Jazz’s strength of competition. According to ESPN’s RPI, the Jazz are tied at number-one for the hardest schedule in the entire NBA. They’ve faced the reigning Western Conference champions, San Antonio, twice while the Spurs were at full strength. Who could have foreseen the Memphis Grizzlies, who Utah faced twice, starting the season at 6-1? In fact, all the teams that beat the Jazz at this point of the season are a collective 22-6.
Despite the majority of this Jazz core having played together for years, this is a team still discovering itself. Give them time.
Injuries are going to sink the Jazz’s playoff chances: Gloom
Injury luck has not flipped in Utah’s favor early — five big men have been injured at some point in the season — but to blame their shortcomings on injuries is disingenuous.
Jusuf Nurkic hasn’t been available since the first game of the preseason, Jaxon Hayes went down with an injury against Los Angeles, and then Markkanen and JJJ went down in the same half against Memphis. Markkanen and Hayes returned quickly, but shortly thereafter Mo Bamba — who has been unironically excellent — rolled his ankle in San Antonio.
That’s bad luck, and Utah will obviously underperform without their best players on the court. But playoff-caliber teams regroup and find ways to win while shorthanded. If the Jazz can’t win while JJJ recovers from his MCL injury, their playoff chances were slim from the start.
Utah’s young core is a disappointment: Semi-Doom
Alright, it’s time for some therapeutic pessimism. On the topic of Utah’s young players, I have to be painfully honest: Utah’s tanking-fueled draft yield has been tragic.
Let’s look at the Jazz’s body of work in terms of draft picks. Of their four lottery picks, only two are still on Utah’s roster. First to leave was Taylor Hendricks, who spends his days at the end of Memphis’ bench and doesn’t appear likely to sign an extension at the end of the season. It’s a similar story for Cody Williams, who, despite generating plenty of preseason static in Minnesota, has appeared in five games and scored zero points.
Utah traded up to pick Florida star Walter Clayton Jr. last year, and he’s already on his third NBA team.
As for the draftees still on Utah’s roster, Isaiah Collier’s team option was just declined, and Kyle Filipowski hardly sees the court even as injuries pile up in Will Hardy’s frontcourt rotation.
Sensabaugh’s minutes have been uneven, but he’s filled his role well and had the trust of his head coach to replace Darryn Peterson in the lineup when their first clash with San Antonio entered overtime. Still, his status with the team is uncertain as he approaches the final year of his contract.
That list doesn’t inspire much optimism, but it isn’t all bad in terms of the youth of Utah.
Keyonte George has been excellent this year, with the exception of a stinker against San Antonio. Ace Bailey is a revelation, making winning plays with and without the basketball, playing stellar defense, and becoming an offensive rebound magnet. And Darryn Peterson, despite looking uneven out of the gate (more on this later), has still shown flashes of what makes him such an enticing prospect.
Semi-Doom is a bit of a cop-out, I’ll admit. But there’s still reason to believe in Utah’s young core, even if the majority of their swings have inarguably whiffed.
The team has bad body language: Doom
Even worse than seeing Utah lose five consecutive games is seeing how the team has responded to adversity.
Without a rallying cry or an increased sense of urgency, this team is full of players with no experience winning at an NBA level. They haven’t been able to hit that next gear, and the team mopes on the court, on the sideline, and in timeouts.
This is all about perception, so I might be out of line, but winners turn losing streaks into winning streaks. Utah is giving its fanbase little reason to expect a turnaround because they don’t appear to expect one themselves.
Darryn Peterson is off to a slow start: Gloom
Being a guard in the NBA is incredibly difficult, and development isn’t linear.
What we’re seeing in Peterson isn’t a lack of basketball talent, ability, or confidence. In fact, he’s displayed all three of those qualities in droves in his young career. Instead, we’re observing the metamorphosis of a college star into an NBA-level player. Darryn Peterson joins a Utah Jazz team where he is the fourth offensive option behind Markkanen, George, and Jackson Jr. Finding his place in the rotation and getting accustomed to his new circumstances was bound to bring growing pains.
The biggest concern has been his lack of athletic burst and top-end speed, keeping him away from the basket. Instead, he’s sustained himself on a diet of floaters and mid-range jumpers, while getting comfortable with a quick-trigger three-point shot.
For every poetic dribble combo leading into a buttery-smooth jumper, Peterson is due for a forced off-balance fling. He’s playing in the big leagues, which means the competition is bigger, stronger, and faster than he’s ever faced.
And I’m still highly encouraged by what he’s displayed to this point. The jumper looks slick, comfortable, and will find its target with greater consistency over time. Keyonte was a sub-40% shooter from the field as a rookie; he shot 45.6% in his third year.
The offense isn’t clicking: Doom
Alright, I’ll wave the red flag for this one. Utah’s offense has been abhorrent this season, and we can’t blame tanking on their ratings anymore.
Currently possessing the 29th-ranked offense in the entire NBA, the Jazz have scored under 100 points in their last two games. Lauri Markkanen played in both of those games and has performed well beneath his standard. At just 16.5 points per game, the player who has been Utah’s offensive pillar and averaged over 26 points per game a season ago is shooting below 40% from the field.
Against San Antonio on Monday, Markkanen and Peterson were the only Jazz players to score in double digits.
The absence of Jusuf Nurkic has been devastating to Will Hardy’s offensive game plan. Heavily reliant on ball screens and passing from the center position, Jaxon Hayes simply isn’t the playmaker this system requires to succeed. Nor are Mo Bamba or Tony Bradley.
Having to adjust on the fly, the Jazz offense has been clunky, ineffective, and overly dependent on self-creation to pose any real threat. Either one player’s injury has truly been that catastrophic to Utah’s offensive integrity, or Will Hardy is struggling to conjure up an alternative play style. Either way, none of this is good.
Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk and a Utah Jazz columnist for the Standard-Examiner. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently writes from his desk in Japan.
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 24: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs plays defense during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on October 24, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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 Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (4-3) no doubt have a bad taste in their mouths after Monday’s 115-100 loss to the bottom-dwelling Sacramento Kings. And despite the San Antonio Spurs’ own stumbling start to the 2026-27 season, a trip to the Frost Bank Center may not be the easiest palate cleanser to swallow.
After back-to-back losses to start the year, San Antonio (5-2) has found its stride in five straight wins as all-universe life form Victor Wembanyama has started to heat up, scoring 36 and 43 points in back-to-back games last week. He only had to play 24 minutes in the Spurs’ 119-97 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday, which means he’s been resting up for the matchup against the Mavericks since sometime in the third quarter, close to a full 48 hours before Wednesday’s tip. The Spurs host the rival Mavs at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Here are three giant obstacles the Mavs will have to climb in order to get a win against last year’s NBA Finalists from the Western Conference.
Without Flagg, who was nursing a shoulder injury, and with Kyrie Irving sitting out suffering from “injury management” on the second night of the first back-to-back set of the season, the young Spaniard Sergio de Larrea took the reins for the Mavericks and turned heads for 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting (3-of-4 from 3-point range) in just his third-ever NBA game. The undermanned Dallas bunch kept it close for three quarters before San Antonio put the Mavs away late behind a balanced effort that saw Wembanyama score a game-high 23 points and Dylan Harper add 22 more.
There’s nothing figurative about the next tall hurdle the Mavs will have to get over (or through) if they want to get an ever-elusive win in San Antonio. They’ll have to contain Wembanyama.
His 23 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots in the teams’ first meeting is a pretty good reference point. In that one, it wasn’t really Wemby who overwhelmed the Mavs as much as it was the trio of swingmen in De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, who got anything they wanted against Dallas “swinging door” defense.
Daniel Gafford will no doubt be instrumental in Dallas’ effort to rein Wembanyama in on Wednesday. He’s strung together two really good games, is averaging 1.9 blocked shots of his own so far this season and has pulled down seven or more rebounds in five of the team’s first seven outings — the last five, actually. He’s been much more effective and efficient than he was last season, when he was hampered by nagging injuries throughout the year. He’s been an important cog while the Mavs wait on the rest of the tall tall trees, in Dereck Lively II and Santi Aldama, to get healthy.
Aldama is close, inching ever closer to making his Mavericks debut, as his progress on the injury report suggests. He has been upgraded to questionable for Wednesday’s game as of Tuesday night. But for now, the tall task of limiting Wembanyama falls primarily on the shoulders of Gafford, who stands at least six inches shorter than the Frenchman.
Let’s see how many bodies the Mavericks throw in Wemby’s direction on Wednesday.
Friday’s win over the Rockets is just the latest evidence. The Mavericks don’t have another player on the roster who can do the things that Irving can do — namely, dribble the basketball. He’ll be the best-rested guest in the West, so there are no excuses, either.
In order for the Mavs to have a big night, it starts with a big night from the point guard position. Look for Irving ot log at least as many minutes (35) as he did against Houston and for the Mavericks to make this one a nail-biter down the stretch because of his disruption.
How to watch
The Mavericks and the Spurs will tip off on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN, which means tip-off probably won’t be until about 8:50 in reality. You can catch the stream on MavsTV, and the radio broadcast will be on KRLD 105.3 The Fan.
It was a first period to forget for the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena.
After 20 minutes, Detroit found itself trailing 2-0 while being thoroughly outplayed, getting outshot 13-2 in the opening period.
And now, injury has been added to the insult. The Red Wings announced that goaltender John Gibson suffered a lower-body injury and would not return to the game.
UPDATE: John Gibson (lower body) will not return to tonight's game.
Gibson surrendered two goals to Lightning forward Brayden Point (both of which were assisted by Nikita Kucherov, who shocked fans with a trade request last week) on 13 shots.
If he's unavailable for Detroit's next game, which is Thursday evening at home against the visiting Vegas Golden Knights, expect Michal Postava to be called up once again from the American Hockey League affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins.
Postava recently picked up his first NHL victory after having been called up under emergency conditions due to an injury to Tarasov, stopping 25 of 28 shots as part of a 4-3 shootout victory on Oct. 26.
So far this season, Gibson, who is playing in the final season of his contract, is 4-5-1 with a 3.37 goals-against average and a .860 save percentage.
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New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) celebrates a 3-point basket against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in Chicago on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. Getty Images
“That’s a great compliment,” Clarkson said after practice Tuesday. “Especially, he’s been around a lot of guys and a lot of players, been on great teams. But for me, I’m just here to try to support the group. And we’re here for one goal — and that’s to win.
“That’s the reason he’s a great coach, he’s been doing an amazing job bringing this group together and all of us buying into what he believes in and getting us group of men to go out there and compete all on one accord is a tough job and he [did] a great job of that last year. We’re starting this journey again, he’s doing it again.”
Clarkson, after a DNP against the Pistons on Oct. 27, has thrived the past three games, part of a theme of Knicks bench players stepping up while the starters struggle. Clarkson’s ability to go stretches out of the rotation and not miss a beat when he’s called upon is something Brown has raved about.
“You have a veteran that’s been there, done that, and he’s willing to accept the role that most guys wouldn’t accept,” Brown said. “If he’s willing to accept it, which is what he did last year, and still try to uplift everybody and connect everybody while he’s going through what he’s going through, that’s the ultimate team player.”
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts during the second quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Madison Square Garden in New York, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Josh Hart is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Bulls at Madison Square Garden due to right ankle soreness.
He missed the team’s preseason finale against the Raptors due to right ankle soreness and missed time last year due to a sprained right ankle.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 25: Austin Hays #15 of the San Diego Padres bats during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park on September 25, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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).
Another Bargain DH
Austin Hays was signed to a one-year, $6 million deal by the Chicago White Sox ahead of the 2026 season. After a calf strain put Hays on the 10-day injured list, he dealt with recurring soreness that halted his rehab assignment. That led to him being placed on the 60-day IL, and Hays played in just 12 games before being designated for assignment and released by the organization. He produced modest results during that time, slashing .233/.250/.326.
Overall Grade: B+
After that, he was released on Aug. 7. Hays almost immediately signed a big-league deal with the Padres, just two days later. He delivered in his very first at-bat, hitting a pinch-hit two-run homer against the Houston Astros. After that, he didn’t produce very much for some time. His slug went down quite a bit, but his contact hitting improved.
In 26 games with the Friars, Hays batted .316/.344/.456. It was a small sample, but it was light years ahead of what he was able to do with Chicago. In his final 15 games of the season, Hays batted .414 with a 1.005 OPS. His only problem was an inability to walk, with just three walks during his San Diego tenure.
His lack of playoff success with San Diego hurt his image with the Friar Faithful. He didn’t record a single hit and reached base only once. Hays is now an unrestricted free agent heading into 2027 and could be re-signed by the Friars to fill out bench depth. His calf injury derailed his 2026 season but he could still be a viable option for teams trying to improve their bench picture.
Kawhi Leonard is headed back to Toronto. Getting back on the court is the next step.
The Raptors announced Tuesday, Nov. 3 that Leonard, 35, has completed treatment for swelling in his left knee and will begin the return-to-play process in Toronto. The team will update his progress in one week.
Leonard has missed five consecutive games. He felt something in the knee during pregame warmups Oct. 25 and was scratched from a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. An MRI showed no structural damage.
Coach Darko Rajakovic said Oct. 29 that Leonard was getting his treatment outside of Toronto. At the time, NBA insider Chris Haynes reported Leonard would miss at least three to four weeks. The Raptors didn't say Tuesday whether that window has changed.
This left knee problem is new.
Leonard already has injury history with the right knee. Leonard tore the ACL in his right knee in the 2021 NBA playoffs and the meniscus in the 2023 playoffs – both with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Leonard played in the Raptors' first two games, both wins. He averaged 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals but shot just 32.4% from the field. Last season, he played 65 games for the Clippers and averaged 27.9 points.
The Raptors (4-3) are 2-3 without him. The next update is due Nov. 10.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Adrian Morejon #50 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the seventh inning in game two of the National League Wild Card Series at Petco Park on September 30, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s Tuesday night here at BCB After Dark: the most-talked about late-night spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in out of the fall chill. There’s no cover charge. We still have a few tables available. We can check your coat. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
On Tuesday night. I don’t normally do any movie stuff. But I want our evenings to be lively, so that means we need some music. That time is now.
I’ve often said that there is a lot of great jazz that serves as theme songs to television shows. Here’s one you may not know unless you’re an old school anime fan. This is composer Yoko Kanno and her orchestra “The Seatbelts” playing “Tank!,” the opening credits song to Cowboy Bebop.
Welcome back to those who skip all that jazz.
The Cubs obviously need to rebuild their bullpen. While it isn’t in team president Jed Hoyer’s DNA to spend a lot of money on a relief pitcher, there is some reason to believe that he might make an exception this year. And as it would have it, there are two elite relief pitchers available in the free agent market: left-hander Adrián Morejón and right-hander David Bednar.
As luck would have it, Kiley McDaniel has an article up today that has contract estimates up for all the top free agents, including Morejón and Bednar. Now these are just estimates and could be very wrong, but we’re going to use them for the purposes of voting tonight. Taking into account both the player and the contract, would you rather the Cubs sign Morejón or Bednar.
Morejón has been the Padres setup man behind Mason Miller the past few years, but he’d be a closer on pretty much any other team. The 27-year-old (28 by Opening Day) left-hander from Cuba went 9-3 with a 2.83 ERA and three saves. He’s spent his entire career in the Padres organization and has been an excellent reliever over the past three years, posting ERAs of 2.83 in 2024 and a 2.08 ERA in 2025. His four-seam fastball averaged 99 miles per hour this past season, but that’s not even his go-to pitch. That’s his sinker, which also comes in at 99 mph with movement.
Morejón has excellent strikeout, walk and ground ball numbers. He struck out 30 percent of batters he faced last year while walking just eight percent. When batters do put the ball in play, 58 percent of the time it was on the ground last year. That ground ball number is a bit of a outlier in his career, but his career ground ball number is a still very good 50 percent.
Unlike Bednar, Morejón has never been an everyday closer because of Robert Suarez and Mason Miller. So if you believe there is something special about pitching the ninth, then Morejón is a bit of a risk.
McDaniel expects that Morejón will command a four-year, $88 million deal.
The other option is 31-year-old right-hander David Bednar. You’re probably familiar with Bednar’s from his time as a closer for the Pirates. He was an all-star closer for Pittsburgh in 2022 and 2023 before things kind of fell apart for him in 2024. Things got so bad that he was actually demoted to Triple-A for a few weeks in 2025.
But since his return from the minors, Bedar has been lights out. He did well enough the first half of 2025, with 17 saves, for him to be a deadline deal trade to the Yankees. He served all of 2026 as the Yankees closer, garnering 35 saves.
Bednar doesn’t have the same kind of velocity as Morejón, but his four-seamer is still a very good 96 mph on average. But his go-to pitch is his 91-mph splitter, which McDaniel called the best splitter in baseball. He also has a good curveball, giving hitters a third look.
Bednar doesn’t strike out as many batters as Morejón with 27 percent. But he also walks a bit fewer at seven percent. His ground ball rate of 51 percent was also a career-high for Bednar, over his career numbers of 41 percent.
If you care about saves, Bednar has 146 career saves compared to eight for Morejón.
Comparing their respective WAR numbers, both Morejón and Bednar had a bWAR of 1.9 last season. Fangraphs liked Morejón better, 2.8 to 1.9.
Both Morejón and Bednar have qualifying offers, so they will both cost the Cubs a draft pick should they sign one of them.
So, Morejón at four years, $88 million or Bednar at three years, $60 million? Which deal would you jump at if you were Jed Hoyer?
Thank you for stopping by tonight. Please get home safely. Tell your friends about us. Let us get your coat. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomrorrow night for more BCB After Dark.
Jordi Fernández sat inside the visitors news conference room at Madison Square Garden and looked at the paper boxscore in front of him following the Nets’ 103-90 loss Monday to the reigning champs.
“I mean, you hold a team to 103 points in the NBA, you should be able to win a lot of games,” Fernández said.
Even if tanking is in Brooklyn’s rearview mirror, its offense remains stuck in the past.
In Fernández’s first season, Cam Thomas — who is no longer in the NBA — was the leading scorer on a 26-win team that ranked 28th in scoring (105.1) and offensive rating. Last season’s 20-win squad — featuring Michael Porter Jr. and a collection of underwhelming young role players — finished last in the league in scoring (105.9) and offensive rating.
Brooklyn Nets forward Julius Randle (30) drives to the basket against New York Knicks center Andre Drummond (0) on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in New York. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
This season, the Nets received a much-needed infusion of talent — two-time All-NBA selection Julius Randle and No. 6 overall pick Mikel Brown Jr., along with Mo Wagner and Keon Ellis — but the team has struggled to develop offensive chemistry.
Through seven games, the Nets (1-6) rank 29th in scoring (105.6), 28th in offensive rating, 29th in assist to turnover ratio (1.21), 28th in turnover percentage (18.3) and 28th in field goal percentage (41.7).
Entering Wednesday’s game against the Hornets (3-5) — which may see second-year star Kon Knueppel make his season debut — Brooklyn is averaging 94 points over its past three games. In Monday’s loss to the Knicks, the Nets scored a season-low 90 points, allowing a late lead to evaporate as they shot 3-for-16 with five turnovers, while scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter.
“I think it’s more about us not being organized, and then if you have empty possessions, you don’t run anything for anybody, like nobody’s in the right spot,” Fernández said. “You don’t touch the paint. You don’t move. You don’t reverse the ball, and you get either no shots or terrible shots. … Everybody’s got to do their jobs because whether we call a play or not, you got to run to your spots, and we didn’t do it enough times, and that’s the frustrating thing. When we do it, we get good results. When we don’t do it, we get bad results.
Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez watches his team during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
“We still gotta run more and find those easy ones. We’re not there yet, but I think we’re gonna keep working, keep watching it, and then we’ll see good results. … The things that we didn’t do as well in the fourth, I’m going to take responsibility and help them.”
There is only so much a coach can do.
Randle is averaging a career-high 4.1 turnovers per game and shooting 41.5 percent from the field, well down from his career mark (47.2). Brown is shooting under 30 percent from the field in the first five games of his career. And the point guard spot has been split by a pair of 20-year-olds (Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traore).
Mikel Brown Jr. (0) of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket against the New York Knicks on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York. NBAE via Getty Images
There has been bad spacing, poor ball movement and constant confusion. There is plenty of blame to go around.
“Just gotta remain disciplined,” Randle said. “We know what we need to do … you can’t just put it on one person. It’s a team game. It’s five players out there, so we got to be better at communicating, understanding the moment, what’s going on. It’s all five of us. We all got to be better out there.”
