The Yankees are, indeed, running it back as the team is reportedly re-signing first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
According to multiple reports, the deal is for one year.
There have been rumblings of a reunion between Goldschmidt and the Bronx for the past few weeks. Goldschmidt, who started the majority of the games at first base last season, will likely defer to youngster Ben Rice in 2026. However, the Yankees saw the value in bringing in Goldschmidt as a late-game defensive replacement and his penchant for hitting left-handed pitchers.
Goldschmidt's first year in the Bronx started off great. While his power numbers were down, the former NL MVP was hitting .356 entering May. He maintained his .300 average through most of June before his production began to taper off. Despite that, Goldschmidt still had a very good 2025, slashing .274/.328/.403 with an OPS of .731, 10 home runs, 45 RBI across 146 games.
He also gave the Yankees a defensive stalwart at first.
While the money figures have not been disclosed, Joel Sherman of the NY Post reports that Goldschmidt had opportunities to make more money for another team, but wanted to return to the Yankees.
The Goldschmidt acquisition is just another in an offseason full of re-signings by GM Brian Cashman. In addition to Goldschmidt, Trent Grisham accepted his qualifying offer, while the Yankees picked up Tim Hill's option and re-signed Ryan Yarbrough, Paul Blackburn, Amed Rosario and Cody Bellinger, all of whom were on the team last season.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 5, 2026: Los Angeles Lakers forward Maxi Kleber (14) scores on a slam dunk over Philadelphia 76ers forward Trendon Watford (12) at Crypto.com Arena on February 5, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Maxi Kleber is far down the list of impactful players on the Lakers roster. He is often only playing during garbage time and doing little during those minutes to make a compelling case for extended play.
However, against the Sixers, Kleber had his best performance as a Laker.
His 4 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists don’t tell the full story of how well he played in this game. From grabbing offensive rebounds to defending multiple positions, Kleber was doing everything that impacts winning. It’s why, during his 26 minutes of play, he had a plus-minus of +23, the best on the team.
After the win, Marcus Smart discussed why Kleber is a guy that everyone loves.
“The ultimate professional,” Smart said. “I mean, there’s a reason why Maxi is still in this league, still going, and it’s the reason why he’s on this team with us and it’s the reason why we celebrate him the way we do because he comes in every day, no matter what, and he gives that.
“Whether it’s in practice, whether it’s in the game, whether he plays two minutes, whether he plays 20. We enjoy watching him actually do that because we know how hard he works and we know what he’s going to give every night. That’s nothing of a surprise for us. We’re just excited to see him out there getting a chance to do it.”
As a defensive role player, Smart is well aware of what it takes to embrace a position on a team. For Kleber, his role is smaller than Smart’s, but just as important to the team’s fabric. He’s a leader and an example for the younger players to look up to on how to carry themselves in the NBA.
“Maxi, it doesn’t matter if he’s played and had a big impact and then is a DNP the next game…his spirit, his approach, his being a teammate and rooting for other people, it never changes,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. “For all our guys, he’s an easy guy to root for.”
Against Philly, Kleber ended the game with one of his best moments of the night.
With the Lakers leading by eight points with under a minute to go, LA needed one more score to put the game to bed.
LeBron James put the exclamation point on the win with an emphatic dunk, but Kleber is the one who set it up. As James drove inside, Kleber set a Gortat screen on Joel Embiid, stopping the Sixers big man from contesting LeBron’s drive.
While James drove to the rim, Kleber put his hands up to indicate to the refs that he was not fouling Embiid. When LeBron completed the play, Kleber kept his arms up and pumped them in the air in celebration.
Kleber won’t often play 20-plus minutes, but he stays ready to contribute. And thanks to Kleber’s level of preparedness, the Lakers turned a double-digit deficit into a feel-good win.
With pitchers and catchers now teetering on the edge of reporting, and with a number of definite changes over the month since we last checked in, I figure it was a good point to update the expected roster. So here are the players I currently expect to be present, when the team takes the field in Dodger Stadium on March 26. Changes from the previous edition are in bold.
Starting rotation
Merrill Kelly ($20m)
Ryne Nelson ($3m)
Brandon Pfaadt ($3.4m)
Eduardo Rodriguez ($21m)
Michael Soroka ($7.5m)
No changes here since last time. There is still the dangling and oft-floated possibility of Zac Gallen returning to the team. While there would be some irony to this, the pitcher having declined a hefty qualifying offer from the team at the start of the off-season, I don’t see it happening, unless Gallen comes insanely cheap. The team has its starting rotation, and won’t be bumping Soroka to very expensive long-relief. That aren’t actually short in rotational depth, with the likes of Cristian Mena, Kohl Drake and Dylan Ray – and that’s just the ones currently on the 40-man roster. You can never have too much pitching, true. But Zac simply doesn’t seem to fit the team’s need.
Bullpen
Ryan Thompson ($3.95m)
Kevin Ginkel ($2.725m)
Taylor Clarke ($1.55m)
Kade Stroud
Andrew Saalfrank
Juan Morillo
John Curtiss
Drey Jameson
This was, almost universally, the area of the team seen as needing most help. So far, it appears Mike Hazen is mostly content to wait for reinforcements in the shape of, probably, first A.J. Puk, and then Justin Martinez. However, the addition of Clarke and the trade earlier in the week for Stroud should be helpful, and push some lesser arms into lower-leverage situations. That does now feel like five of the (likely) eight bullpen slots for Opening Day are accounted for. That’s a clear improvement on the three we had locked down, when we checked in last month.
As before, the remainder of the positions could be anyone, and will likely be up for grabs in spring training. Keep an eye on the non-roster invitees: there’s a good chance one or two end up at the back of the bullpen. Jonathan Loaisiga is one to watch, and if Derek Law is healthy and back to anything like his 2024 form, he has the experience to be a significant asset to the Arizona bullpen. I’d currently be inclined to pencil Curtiss as the long reliever – though he’s not on the 40-man roster, there will be spots opening up. He performed well for the D-backs, with an ERA and FIP around four. Almost half of his outings (13 of 30) saw John going more than three outs too.
While the free-agent pickings remaining are increasingly scant, I do note that Jalen Beeks is one of the names still available at the time of writing. If we’re going to re-unite with a free-agent pitcher from the 2025 D-backs, Beeks seems more likely than Gallen. He was both effective and durable, and at a cost of $1.25 million, Jalen was reasonably priced as well. I’m a little surprised he hasn’t been signed by anyone. Perhaps we have a gentleman’s agreement in place with Beeks, but the team are waiting until the IL becomes available, and 40-man roster spots open up, to announce it officially. /adjusts tin-foil hat.
Starting line-up
Catcher: Gabriel Moreno ($2.55m)
First base: Carlos Santana ($2m)
Second base: Ketel Marte ($15m)
Shortstop: Geraldo Perdomo ($6.25m)
Third-base: Nolan Arenado ($5m)
Left field: Jordan Lawlar
Center field: Alek Thomas ($1.96m)
Right field: Corbin Carroll ($10.62m)
Designated hitter: Pavin Smith ($2.25m)
The D-backs made 84 errors last year, the vast majority (77) coming on the infield. That’s a drastic increase over the total errors in both 2023 (56) and 2024 (62). While errors are an unreliable stat, the more advanced metrics also show a clear downturn in Arizona’s defense in 2025. It was no secret it was going to be a focus this winter, and the addition of Arenado and Santana should help get things going back in the other direction. It’s interesting, because early in the off-season, Hazen was speaking about keeping things in-house: “I feel like we have more options internally, position player-wise, to solve some of our issues that we may have defensively and offensively.”
After the trade of Alexander, Hazen also confirmed that while Lawlar will still see some work in the infield this spring, “I think the majority of his work is gonna come in the outfield.” That’s presumably to allow him to fill in left field while the team waits for the return of Lourdes Gurriell. However, that need may not be as long as initially suspected. Last month Hazen said the outfielder “was well ahead of schedule” in his rehab from ACL surgery, though wouldn’t be drawn on a specific date. The original expectation was 9-10 months from the procedure, which works out to around late June. Less than that would certainly be helpful, though how effective he’ll be is also an issue. As discussed earlier, Ryan Waldschmidt could be another option.
Santana and Smith would form a natural platoon at first, but Santana definitely has the greater defensive reputation, while Smith is the better bat. So we could end up seeing both in the line-up on the same day. We don’t really have any obvious DH candidates otherwise: last year, it was mostly Smith, plus Randall Grichuk, with Marte and Adrian DelCastillo seeing time there too. If we don’t want to overtax Gurriel when he comes back, he could play there against left-handed pitching.
Bench
James McCann ($2.75m)
Tim Tawa
Jorge Barrosa
Adrian Del Castillo
The usually well-informed John Gambadoro says that the team “will be looking trade/free agency for a Blaze Alexander replacement – someone who can play 3B/2B. Could also be looking for LF help with Blaze’s departure.” Certainly, that makes sense, since Blaze’s departure does leave the bench looking a little thin. McCann is obviously there as catcher, and Tawa offers a lot of positional flexibility (can he play two positions simultaneously?). But Barrosa still has no bat, while DelCastillo has virtually no professional experience at any other position bar catcher, and as a left-handed bat does not platoon well with Smith as designated hitter.
So I would not be at all surprised if there are indeed further moves to come at the back end of the roster. Exactly what that will be, and whether the cost will be in salary or prospect capital, is uncertain. And speaking of which…
Payroll
I’m going to skip the detailed math from last time, regarding players on the IL, pre-arbitration candidates, etc. and go straight to the Fangraphs figure , which currently has the team at $173 million. That compares to a closing figure last year of $188 million. The team did say they wanted to cut payroll, but technically $187,999,999 would do that. So they still have almost $15 million to spend, right? Uh… Probably not: and that’s another reason why I doubt Gallen will be here. There may be room for some more free-agent spending, such as on Beeks. But we have absolutely no idea how much, if any, is left.
Rather than going all-in immediately, Hazen may also want to keep some resources back, and see how the season progresses. If things are going well, then he can look to take on the salary of a rental at the trade deadline. It’s hard to be sure what would count as “going well”. Yes, we will be getting reinforcements for the pitching staff, in Corbin Burnes, Puk and Martinez, who might help in the second half. But how players perform on their return from Tommy John is never certain. Expecting everyone to go right back to pre-operation form is likely an optimistic assumption.
So, there we go. I’ve no doubt things will change further between now and Opening Day. But I definitely feel things look more solid than they were a month ago. What do you reckon? Who would you change? See you in the comments…
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 07: James Harden #13 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of Team Durant speak during the first half against Team LeBron in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers the first time partially because he wasn’t able to recruit a co-star to Northeast Ohio. Sixteen years later, James might find himself on the other end of the equation.
Former Cavalier and ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins said on a recent episode of the Road Trippin’ Show that the new backcourt duo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden is ready to recruit James back to Cleveland for next season.
“My sources told me that Donovan Mitchell and James Harden are ready, are starting to push to go and recruit LeBron James this offseason,” Perkins said. “My sources tell me that as soon as James Harden got on the phone, got around the team, the initial was, ‘We’re about to make this run, we’re about to go all out. We want LeBron James.’”
Kendrick Perkins says sources told him Donovan Mitchell and James Harden are already recruiting LeBron back to the Cavs 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/L4KdfTbZ1x
Whether or not James returns next season remains to be seen. However, if what Perkins is saying is true, it’s good to see that the Cavs backcourt is bought into this team.
What we do know is that Harden wanted to come to Cleveland. He waived his partial no-trade clause to be here. And, Mitchell is excited to play with him.
We’ll see how that group pairs on the court before worrying too much about how they sell other players on joining them.
PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 1: A generic basketball photo of the Official Wilson basketball during the game between the LA Clippers and the Phoenix Suns on February 1, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Not much movement for the Phoenix Suns at the deadline, but in an effort to reset everythign for you, it’s time to provide a summary of where things stand for the team after the NBA trade deadline:
With all that in place, what are you looking for next from Suns? What do you think is their most pressing need this offseason? Come chat with us in the comments below.
DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 5: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during the game against the Detroit Pistons on January 5, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With an eight-game winning streak on the line, the New York Knicks (33*-18) face the Detroit Pistons (37-13) tonight at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. For the good guys, Karl-Anthony Towns is questionable with a right eye laceration, Josh Hart is questionable with a left ankle sprain, OG Anunoby is probable with a right toe soreness, and Miles McBride is out with a left ankle issue. For Detroit, Jalen Duren is day-to-day with right knee soreness and Tobias Harris is day-to-day with left hip soreness.
Tip off is 7:30 p.m. EST on Amazon and MSG. This is your game thread. This is Detroit Bad Boys. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. No hair pulling or name calling. And go Knicks!
* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 05: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons drives around OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks during the first half at Little Caesars Arena on January 05, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The playoff rematch between the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks won’t quite have the spark we were hoping for. The Pistons’ injury report is littered with important players. Jalen Duren is questionable after playing just 13 minutes in yesterday’s loss to the Washington Wizards due to right knee soreness. Tobias Harris, who missed that game, is now listed as probable. Duncan Robinson also makes an appearance with a left quad contusion. He’s also listed as probable. The Knicks are even worse off. Karl-Anthony Towns is doubtful with an eye laceration. Miles McBride remains out, and OG Anunoby is questionable with right toe soreness. New addition Jose Alvarado can’t suit up yet.
The Pistons are also playing on the second night of a back-to-back, but perhaps fitting for this team’s personality, Detroit excels on no rest. They are 7-1 this season on the second night of back-to-backs this season. That is the best winning percentage in the NBA.
Game Vitals
When: 7:30 p.m. ET Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan Watch: Prime Video Odds: Pistons -5.5
Winnipeg Jets Valuation - Jan. 2 2026 - Vol. 79 Issue 6 - Jared Clinton
NHL VALUATIONS
$1.35B FORBES
$1.33B SPORTICO
$1.5B ROUSTAN
OWNERSHIP - MARK CHIPMAN
IT’S HARD TO believe it has already been 15 years since the Jets returned to Winnipeg. And as time passes, it’s equally hard to believe that Mark Chipman was able to make his dream – and the dream of many of his fellow Winnipeggers – a reality.
Consider that when the original Jets franchise left Winnipeg in 1996, it came at a time when relocations were coming in fairly quick succession. The Minnesota North Stars, Quebec Nordiques and Hartford Whalers had, in the several years prior, moved to Dallas, Colorado and North Carolina. Look back a couple of decades further, too, and the NHL had moved on from Atlanta, Kansas City and Cleveland. And more often than not, it’s been the case that the league has not returned to the markets from which it has departed. For a time, Minnesota and Atlanta were the lone exceptions.
But while other former NHL cities bided their time waiting for the big league’s return, Chipman’s gambit was a clever one. In the wake of the Jets flying south to Arizona, he snapped up the then-IHL’s Minnesota Moose, moved the club to the old Winnipeg Arena and, over the next decade-plus, offered what those in the C-suite refer to as proof of concept: Chipman’s True North Sports & Entertainment showed – through fan support and building a new downtown arena, among other things – that Winnipeg was ready for the NHL’s return.
At no point since the Jets’ return has True North rested on its laurels, however. On ice, the ownership group has backed the product financially, including ponying up big money in recent contracts for stars Mark Scheifele, Connor Hellebuyck and Kyle Connor. This, too, comes after the team captured the Presidents’ Trophy. Meanwhile, away from the rink, True North has put shovels in the ground and reshaped much of Winnipeg’s downtown core.
With the arena as the centerpiece, the real-estate arm of the business set to work creating True North Square. The four-tower site offers residential, office and retail spaces, with room set aside for an incoming hotel property. Last December, True North expanded its reach and influence in downtown with the acquisition of the former Portage Place mall. Plans are in place to develop the space – a sprawling 1.2 million square feet – with parks, retail and community spaces. The anchor tenant will be a 265,000-square-foot healthcare facility, while a partnership with Southern Chiefs’ Organization will also see True North develop a 15-storey residential tower, which will designate as many as 40 percent of its units as affordable housing.
FEATURED BUSINESS EXECUTIVE - JOHN OLFERT
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
IT WAS ONLY A decade into his professional life, 10 years after his graduation from the University of Winnipeg in 1991, that John Olfert began his tenure with True North. In his earliest days with the company, he served in various roles, eventually rising to chief financial officer in 2002, in the midst of True North working toward the construction and eventual opening of the now-Canada Life Centre in 2004.
In the 20-plus years since, Olfert has been integral to the business operations and expansion of True North Sports & Entertainment’s on- and off-ice ventures. To wit, he helped execute the purchase of the Jets, brought the AHL’s Manitoba Moose back to Winnipeg and was at the center of True North’s acquisition of the iconic Burton Cummings Theatre.
GOVERNOR & ALTERNATE GOVERNORS - MARK CHIPMAN
ALTERNATE GOVERNORS: Kevin Cheveldayoff, John Olfert, Patrick Phillips
FEATURED HOCKEY EXECUTIVE
KEVIN CHEVELDAYOFF - GENERAL MANAGER AND EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
KEVIN CHEVELDAYOFF DOESN’T ALWAYS get the credit he deserves. Whether it’s player polls or comments from the athletes themselves, Winnipeg tends to top the list of least-desirable destinations. That puts Cheveldayoff at a disadvantage in free agency and has played a part in key contributors asking out. Yet, in almost every instance, Cheveldayoff and the Jets have come out on the winning side of those deals, whether it was the Jacob Trouba swap, the Patrik Laine deal or even the subsequent Pierre-Luc Dubois trade.
Perhaps the ace up Cheveldayoff’s sleeve, though, is that Winnipeg has proven to have something of a Hotel California-esque trait of late: once talent checks in, they don’t want to leave. Scheifele, Hellebuyck and Connor are examples, but the Jets have also had little trouble negotiating long-term extensions for Gabe Vilardi, Neal Pionk and Adam Lowry. In no small part, that comes down to culture on and off the ice – and Cheveldayoff is key in the development of that culture.
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY
THE JETS, DON’T view social media as a necessity but an opportunity – a chance to communicate with the community, engage with fans and take viewers, in the arena or at home, into the game in new ways. And that approach hasn’t gone unnoticed. At the NHL’s club business meetings last July, the Jets were presented with the Stanley Award as social media club of the year.
What has helped set the Jets’ social offerings apart is their dedication to creating social-first content. The strategy has been led, in part, by Adam Krueger, who joined True North in 2022 after several years with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. He leads the Jets’ social team as director of social and content. Meanwhile, Tyler Esquivel is one of the familiar faces to fans. As the Jets’ content manager, Esquivel often appears on camera interviewing fans and players alike.
One area of particular success for the Jets has been YouTube, where the team has grown its channel and found new ways to take fans behind the scenes. Among the offerings is a live pre-game show, hosted by former national broadcasters Sara Orlesky and Jamie Thomas, and live post-game interview footage that provides instant access to thoughts from players and the coaching staff. The game-day coverage is in addition to off-ice video content, including personality pieces such as Home Ice and the Ground Control podcast.
Perhaps the most significant piece of the Jets’ YouTube puzzle, though, is Runway, a behind-the-scenes documentary series that follows the team throughout the season. Following in the footsteps of several other clubs, such as the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins, the series launched in 2022-23 and has gained increased traction not only online but through its use as intermission content during TSN broadcasts.
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Dec 15, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers resident of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey speaks with the media before a game against the Detroit Pistons at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
To say James Harden and Daryl Morey have a history together would be an understatement. They were one of the most successful marriages in basketball until they weren’t. Morey fully believed in Harden’s style of play for the better part of a decade. He worked with him and Mike D’Antoni to create an efficient, small-ball team with the Houston Rockets that was truly ahead of its time.
That Rockets group never reached the Finals, but were good enough to do so. They unfortunately ran into the Kevin Durant Golden State Warriors — a team that was possibly the best collection of talent assembled on an NBA roster.
The Harden and Morey partnership continued with the Philadelphia 76ers. It worked well there until it came time to negotiate a new deal. Harden wanted a long-term max contract extension after the 2023 season. The Sixers didn’t give it to him, which led to Harden calling Morey a liar to a somewhat disinterested crowd in China.
Harden’s breakup with Morey and the Sixers was messy. Those hard feelings seemed to have lingered two and a half years later.
Morey had a press conference on Friday afternoon addressing the Sixers’ moves at the deadline. In them, he said that the rest of the conference didn’t make any trades that impacted their ability to compete in the East, which would include the Cleveland Cavaliers trading for Harden.
“Folks have speculated on the improvements of our East competitors,” Morey said, “I don’t see it personally. There weren’t any needle movers in my opinion.”
Daryl Morey: "Folks have speculated on the improvements of our East competitors, I don't see it personally. There weren't any needle movers in my opinion"
It’s hard to see this as anything other than a shot at Harden.
Even if you don’t think the Darius Garland for Harden swap drastically improves the Cavs, the change is significant enough to be a “needle mover.”
Also, the Cavs are one of the hottest teams in the league. They’ve won eight of their last 10 game mostly without Garland, and vaulted past the 76ers in the process. Adding someone coming off an All-NBA season would seem to qualify as changing the landscape of the conference.
The Cavs play the 76ers once more this season on March 9. We’ll see what kind of showing Harden has in that game.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MARCH 14: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors and Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the Washington Wizards talk after the game on March 14, 2022 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to February Daily Topics at Golden State of Mind. A question (almost) every day this month to give the community a prompt to talk about!
The 2026 NBA trade deadline is officially behind us, and it’s safe to say, the Golden State Warriors ended up right in the middle. Golden State sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Kristaps Porziņģis and, to help facilitate that move, traded Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Toronto Raptors for a second-round pick.
That’s perhaps more than fans were expecting, but less than they were hoping for, given the rumors of Giannis Antetokounmpo that had swirled for weeks. It wasn’t a big swing, but it wasn’t nothing, either.
The Warriors finally found a home for Kuminga. They cleared future salary space by offloading Hield’s contract. They opened up cap space and a roster spot for Pat Spencer (who used his final game of two-way eligibility on Thursday), and likely another player as well. They grabbed a former All-Star in Porziņģis, and will have a few months to see how well he fits, and decide if they want to re-sign him this offseason.
So what grade do you give Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the rest of the front office for both their maneuverings and their lack thereof?
Personally? I’m not a fan. There’s nothing they could have done about Antetokounmpo — they put all their chips on the table and Milwaukee decided otherwise. But the end result felt like they were trying to straddle both sides and failed to land on either. Getting rid of Hield’s contract gives them flexibility in the offseason, but they also could have just made that move over the summer, to see if something better materialized. Really, the only reason for making the move they made is to see if they want to re-sign Porziņģis, and his health — he’s played 17 games this year, and 60 just once in the past nine seasons — has me scared that the Warriors will do exactly that. Add in his declining play and the rape allegations that have been levied against him, and it’s not really the move I was clamoring for. But they do get some credit for ending the Kuminga saga, and getting an intriguing, All-Star talent without sacrificing a draft pick.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.
VIGO, Spain (AP) — A late goal from Raúl García de Haro gave Osasuna a 2-1 win over Celta Vigo in La Liga on Friday and dealt the home side a first defeat at Estadio Abanca-Balaídos since November.
García de Haro got on the end of Alejandro Catena’s clever knock down with 11 minutes remaining to side-foot the ball home at the far post.
Ante Budimir put visiting Osasuna ahead shortly before halftime with his 11th goal of the season only for Borja Iglesias to equalize from the spot for Celta eight minutes into the second half.
Celta’s winless run was extended to four games in all competitions and left it in seventh place.
Osasuna was one place behind and closed the gap between the teams to four points.
“This is out second consecutive away win,” Budimir said. “We competed very well and we got what we deserved through hard work.”
As the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic break begins, the San Jose Sharks are enjoying a season that even their most optimistic fans might not have anticipated. Sitting just five points outside the Western Conference Wild Card playoff spots after 55 games, the Sharks are quietly positioning themselves for a potential return to the Stanley Cup postseason.
While the front office will turn its attention to cheering on Macklin Celebrini and the other Sharks representing their countries, the looming NHL Trade Deadline is also on the horizon. The question now is how GM Mike Grier will navigate it. Will he lean toward adding veteran depth to give the team a playoff boost, or will he hold back, conserving assets for the future?
This season has already been a massive success for the Sharks. Now that's not to say that they can't improve any further before the playoffs begin, but when you think back to the last handful of seasons and how the Sharks were literally in last place in just about all of those years, to come back this year and be considered a fringe playoff contender is a huge improvement.
The Sharks of today remind me a bit of the Colorado Avalanche in the early 2010s. That Avalanche team built its core through the draft, selecting players like Gabe Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and others. But beyond their young stars, they also focused on strengthening their defensive corps, acquiring Erik Johnson from the St. Louis Blues and drafting Bowen Byram, while adding key pieces like Nazem Kadri and Andre Burakovsky. Over the years, they steadily worked to improve their goaltending and overall depth.
Credit: Walter Tychnowicz. Mikko Rantanen was a huge factor in the Avalanche Stanley Cup run in 2022, but he was drafted and developed, much like what the Sharks are attempting to duplicate.
It was a long, deliberate process—it didn’t happen overnight. After the 48-point season in 2016–17, the organization faced tough decisions and difficult conversations, and not everyone was willing to stick around. The bottom line, though, is that they persevered and stayed the course together.
The Sharks might reach that level faster than the Avalanche did. They have a generational talent in Celebrini, a dynamic playmaker in Will Smith, and recently added Kiefer Sherwood to bolster the roster. With the team’s recent success, some have argued that GM Mike Grier should be serious buyers at the trade deadline in hopes of making a deep playoff run. However, there’s a significant risk-reward calculus involved in pursuing that approach.
Perhaps it was just the word usage, but when I hear serious buyers, I'm thinking the go for broke mentality, which I don't think is necessarily a good strategy. We're very early into the Sharks rebuild. You have a very solid foundation. Now you just need to add pieces that can steadily build this team into a Stanley Cup contender. I think the Sharks are already playoff contenders. Yes, they've lost their last four games; the Olympic break is upon us, and now the team can sit down and evaluate to see where they need the most help.
Defense
The Sharks have allowed 193 goals this season, the sixth-most in the Western Conference—and you can’t place all the blame on the goaltenders. Yaroslav Askarov has been brilliant at times, but he’s also had his share of forgettable moments. More often, though, the problem lies elsewhere: when a team consistently turns over the puck in its own zone, it inevitably leads to scoring chances against. At some point, goals are going to happen—that’s the law of averages in a nutshell.
The next step for the Sharks to improve their chances of becoming true playoff contenders isn't offense, it's adding a shutdown defenseman. For instance, Ryan Shea, a Pittsburgh Penguin, is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He has emerged as a dependable, steady, and physical force on the Penguins’ blue line, frequently paired with Kris Letang in a shutdown role tasked with containing opposing top-six forwards.
Credit: Timothy J. Ludwig. Ryan Shea would be a great add for the Sharks if they're able to snag him.
Letang, who's won three Stanley Cups as a Penguin, is one of the best offensive defensemen of his era, is currently week-to-week with a fractured foot and has a significant injury history, but his accomplishments are written in stone. And Shea is having a career-best season right now. Through 56 games, he's posted three goals and 19 assists for 22 points with a plus/minus rating of +21. The Penguins are a rebuilding team. It wouldn't hurt to try to float a trade idea and offer a 2026 second round pick to sweeten the deal, but these are just ideas.
The bottom line is that the Sharks aren't going to make a deep playoff run one way or another this year, but the foundation to becoming a Stanley Cup champion down the line is here. It's just about adding the right pieces and getting the juicy flavors and the chemistry flowing. The Sharks are easily the most improved team in the NHL. What happens next is up to them. The puck is in their court.
The Montreal Canadiens will be a team to watch once the NHL Olympic trade freeze passes. With the Canadiens currently being second in the Atlantic Division standings, it would not be surprising in the slightest if they look to add to their roster ahead of the trade deadline.
Now, the Canadiens are being connected to one of the NHL's top trade candidates.
During his most recent 32 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman wrote that he believes the Canadiens "like" Nashville Predators star center Ryan O'Reilly.
The Canadiens being viewed as a possible suitor for O'Reilly is not surprising in the slightest. The 34-year-old would be a great addition to the Canadiens' top six if they acquired him, as he is a very good two-way center who produces well offensively, kills penalties, and is a well-respected leader. With this, he would be a big-time pickup for a Canadiens club on the rise.
O'Reilly would also be more than a rental for the Canadiens if acquired, as he has a bargain $4.5 million cap hit until the end of the 2026-27 season. Thus, he would help the Canadiens beyond this season, which adds to his appeal.
In 57 games this season with the Predators, O'Reilly has recorded 20 goals, 36 assists, 56 points, and a plus-8 rating.
METZ, France (AP) — Struggling Metz held high-flying Lille to 0-0 at home but the point was not enough to lift it off the bottom of Ligue 1 on Friday.
Metz had not won in eight games and it looked second best for much of the match against a team whose early season promise had tapered out after a run of four league defeats.
But visiting Lille could not breach a staunch Metz defense.
Lille had to settle for fifth place, six points behind Lyon.
Metz remained rooted to the bottom of the table with the same points as Auxerre and a point behind Nantes, both of which have a game in hand.
