An initial video on Wednesday night captured the moment, but if you weren’t looking for it, you likely missed it. That was not the case with the latest video to surface on the internet.
Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott, seen in the new video, was keenly aware of the situation as it unfolded.
His baffled reaction to the bare butt went viral on social media in the wake of the Dodgers’ win.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tanner Scott reacts after the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves in game four of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Park in Cumberland, Georgia, Oct. 7, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Hilariously, another Dodgers teammate took a different approach, walking up to the bare naked player and poking him in the cheek.
Scott, who made three appearances against the Braves during the NLDS, could be seen walking into the clubhouse, seeing the bum, recognizing it was on camera, pointing it out, then walking away, as if deciding it was not his problem to deal with.
Perhaps Scott will address the situation at some point. But he has bigger fish to fry with the Brewers’ lineup, which includes star 22-year-old Jackson Chourio.
It Los Angeles manages to beat Milwaukee and advance to their third World Series in as many years, hopefully there’s some more discretion about what’s being shown on camera during the victory celebration.
Tanner Scott reacting to a Los Angeles Dodgers player’s butt during the team’s NLDS celebration. (X/@yestosehunn).Los Angeles Dodgers players celebrate winning Game 4 of baseball’s National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Atlanta. AP Photo/Mike Stewart
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Jose Ramirez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a double against the Chicago White Sox during the fourth inning in game three of the American League Division Series at Rate Field on October 07, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians won both games in Chicago and now head home to see if they can solve their homefield woes and their inability to hit White Sox ace Sean Burke.
Make sure you read Jake’s great recap from last night here.
Patrick Bailey has a 145 wRC+ since I tweeted that his lack of offense probably made trading for him a mistake. (To be clear, this had nothing to do with the return for Bailey, which I always was clear was fine).
The Guardians internet sphere is going nuts about using Smith with a 5-run lead. I have to say I find that crazy as someone who has watched a lot of Matt Festa this season and who watched Espino in Chicago on Wednesday. In regards to reliever familiarity, also important to read this from Mike Petriello who does not find reliever familiarity to be that significant of a factor. I like Smith’s chances of being fresh with 48 hours of rest and Vogt went to Gavin Williams at exactly the right spot last night.
Zack Meisel has an article about the Guardians bullpen.
Jose was chirping back at a hostile White Sox crowd yesterday. He now has a 185 wRC+ in the ALDS for everyone who said he was washed and unclutch (language warning):
MACAO, CHINA - OCTOBER 9: Fred VanVleet #5 of the Houston Rockets plays defense during the game against Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks as part of 2026 NBA China Games on October 9, 2026 in Macao, China at Venetian Arena. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks tipped off a four-game preseason slate on Friday against the Houston Rockets, losing 135-117 at the Venetian Arena in Macao, China.
Dallas’ goal in the preseason opener was clearly to get a good look at all the new players on the roster, to see how the rookies mix in and to see what pieces fit where. Both Morez Johnson Jr. and, inexplicably, Daniel Gafford hit 3-pointers in the first quarter for the Mavericks, but the Rockets led 27-19 after one as Yao Ming looked on from his courtside seats.
Cooper Flagg stood alone in the second for the Mavs, as the rest of the team looked stuck in the mud on the offensive end. The Rockets built a lead as large as 23 before taking a 65-45 lead into the halftime break. The Mavs pulled to within on 27-23 on an alley-oop dunk by Flagg early in the second before the Rockets outscored Dallas 38-22 for the rest of the half. Tari Eason hit a 3-pointer from the right wing as time expired to end a Mavs mini-run late in the quarter and give the Rockets 20-point edge at the break.
The Mavs cut into the lead early in the third before the Rockets built it back to 20-plus late in the third and early in the fourth, behind a game-high 20 points from Tari Eason and 17 more from Fed VanVleet. Flagg led Dallas with 19 points in the loss, and Naji Marshall added 16.
Flagg pours it on
From tipoff, Cooper Flagg was getting after it on the defensive end. Though he was credited with just one steal in the first quarter, he forced the Rockets into three of their first five turnovers. He scored just one bucket in the first quarter, an uncontested drive and dunk as both teams were dipping their feet into the preseason water.
Cooper Flagg throws it down for his first preseason bucket 💥
Flagg made a couple of highlight plays early in the second, blocking Amen Thompson’s driving layup attempt on one end before receiving an alley-oop to finish off the break on the other as he scored Dallas’ first four points of the frame. He picked up his third foul of the game with 9:22 left in the second quarter, but head coach Dusty May left him in for a few minutes because, hey, it’s the first preseason game of the year. Flagg rewarded May by hitting his first 3-ball of the game the next time down, drawing Dallas to within 34-26 with 8:45 left in the half.
All signs to Flagg easing his way into a transcendent second year. He looked free to roam a little and disrupt things on the defensive end, which was good to see. That’s how he can be an elite defensive disruptor.
Flagg scored 17 easy points in the second. He got exactly where he wanted, mainly the nail, but he also excelled on the fast break. This kid is already, say nothing of what he’s going to be, amazing to watch. His comparative readiness to go and the ease with which he adapted to in-game circumstances in the first preseason game stood in stark contrast to the rest of this roster.
If this game is indicative of what kind of leap Flagg could take in his second NBA season, we could already be looking at a top-15 NBA player. His strength and confidence with the ball was the most obvious point of growth on Friday. The scoring and defense were always going to be there.
Flagg sat out the second half after scoring 19 points and grabbing six boards on 7-of-14 shooting in 19 first-half minutes.
Get a look at Risacher
Zaccharie Risacher started the first preseason game for the Mavericks, and take a mental snapshot of that. If his effort was indicative of what he’ll bring to Dallas this season, Risacher won’t sniff the starting lineup in any meaningful games any time soon.
He was timid — soft at times. His first 3-pointer barely grazed the rim, and he missed all three of his shot attempts in the first quarter, when he and Flagg got a little more run than the rest of the starting five. It seemed like first-year head coach Dusty May really wanted to get a look at the player Dallas traded Ryan Nembhard for this offseason — only to find out that there’s a reason that all it took to acquire Risacher was an end-of-the-bench undrafted rookie like Nembhard.
Much has been made of how much good a change of scenery could do the former No. 1 overall draft pick and how he’s apparently now 6’10”, but until he starts doing anything at all on a real live basketball court, expectations should be tempered. He scored his first bucket of the game on a broken play inside late in the second quarter and finished the game with nine points and eight rebounds in 24 minutes.
Risacher looked a little more comfortable in the second half. He curled around a screen and pulled up for his first 3-pointer of the preseason with 7:50 left in the third as the Mavs worked their way out of the 20-point first-half hole. Then, he started a fast break the next time down that ended in Max Christie’s driving jam, which made it a 72-61 game.
Risacher finished a tough baseline drive through Eason’s defense with 5:08 left in the third before bricking an awkward-looking 3-point attempt from the top of the key two possessions later. Then, he put his head down and got to the basket again for a finger roll to give him seven points in the quarter.
May announced before the game that Kyrie Irving would rest for the first game of preseason play on Friday, likely to make his debut on Sunday, when Dallas plays even earlier in the morning than Friday’s 7 a.m. tip.
“The leverage he provides the other guys, I think that’s one area we can make a big improvement offensively,” May said in his pregame comments. “Simply having a floor general like him on the court with the young group I think will open up a number of things.”
At times, it felt like that center of gravity was exactly what was missing for the Mavericks in Friday’s preseason opener against the Rockets. It felt like if you added Irving to the mix in a lot of scenarios that went wrong for Dallas on Friday, things could have gone the other way on those possessions.
It was a good early reminder. Patience is going to be key this season — in so many ways. This team has a couple of things going for it, but there are is a ton more that needs to be worked out and will take time to get worked out.
Sergio de Larrea is going to be one of the most intriguing pieces of this Mavericks’ roster all season long. He quietly knocked down his first two 3-point attempts before using some of his extended run in the fourth quarter to drop a nice assist nearly the length of the court to a sprinting Tobi Lawal for his fourth assist of the game.
Then, for good measure, he knocked down a third straight 3-pointer in the game’s final minutes to give fans something extra to ruminate on.
This kid can play. He showed his special passing and playmaking abilities in Summer League play, and he flashed them again in smaller doses in the team’s first preseason game. He seems one step ahead of Tarik Biberovic in terms of development at this early juncture.
De Larrea finished with 11 points, six assists and four turnovers in 23 minutes against the Rockets on Friday. Two-way rookie Tobi Lawal led the Mavs’ bench unit with 13 points in 15 minutes.
More reports surfaced Thursday on the Detroit Red Wings and the offers they have received for restricted free agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson.
According to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun, as many as ten teams have contacted Detroit about the 23-year-old Swedish blueliner, who was the sixth overall pick in 2021. The Boston Bruins are among the clubs that have reached out.
LeBrun noted, as most reports have so far, that Detroit's preference is to re-sign Edvinsson. He added that the Red Wings have become flexible on term and are willing to offer whatever length Edvinsson prefers. The main obstacle is the annual cap hit, with LeBrun saying there is still "a sizeable gap" between the two sides.
David Pagnotta reported that several other teams have also inquired in the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, Seattle Kraken and Nashville Predators.
It remains to be seen whether a deal can get done, but the longer Detroit waits, the more costly it could become to bring Edvinsson back. If a worthwhile offer lands on general manager Shawn Horcoff's desk, it could also push Detroit to move the defenseman.
Edvinsson is coming off a disappointing second season in which he recorded 25 points in 72 games, down from 31 points as a rookie, when he was expected to take a step forward.
The market may be anchored by Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium, who signed an eight-year deal carrying an annual cap hit of $9.38 million. That contract should be viewed as the baseline for Edvinsson's next deal, though the Red Wings may be trying to push back against it.
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 26: Wyatt Langford #36 of the Texas Rangers celebrates with teammates after defeating the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Saturday, September 26, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Ritter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 08: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals throws to first base during the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Kauffman Stadium on September 08, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals made plenty of spectacular plays in the field in 2026, even as the season didn’t go the way they hoped. They finished tied for seventh in baseball in Outs Above Average with +19, with Bobby Witt Jr. standing out as a likely Gold Glove candidate, with Michael Massey, Maikel Garcia, and Kyle Isbel also standing out.
From diving catches to leaping grabs and game-saving throws, there were plenty of moments that reminded us just how much fun great defense can be. Here are the best defensive plays by the Royals in 2026.
May 5 vs. the Guardians – Bobby goes deep in the hole
We’ve almost become immune to how great Bobby is on defense now. The 2025 Platinum Glove Award winner showed why he’s the best in baseball several times this year, including this play in May where he went DEEEEEP in the hole to get Cleveland’s Rhys Hoskins.
May 31 vs. the Rangers – Carter Jensen’s sliding catch
Carter Jensen impressed in his rookie season, and will likely earn some support for Rookie of the Year. Most of his damage was done with the bat, but he had some highlights on defense behind the plate as well. On May 31, he showed his athleticism with a terrific sliding catch on a bunt attempt by Rangers outfielder Michael Helman.
June 19 vs. the Cardinals – Massey flips to Tolbert
Even when Bobby Witt Jr. takes the occasional day off, the Royals can still flash leather up the middle. Tyler Tolbert was Bobby’s understudy, and he learned a lot by watching the maestro. In June, he paired up with Michael Massey, who made an impressive diving stop, flipping to Tolbert for the out.
July 28 vs. the Twins – Isaac Collins protects the lead with a catch
The Royals were clinging to a one-run lead in the ninth against the Twins in a late July game when Luke Keaschall laced a line drive toward the line in left. Isaac Collins went all out to make the catch and preserve the lead.
Alex Lange would blow the game anyway (shocker!). But Collins did his part!
Remember Derek Jeter’s iconic jump-throw? Well Bobby Witt Jr. can do it too, only Bobby actually covers a ton of ground out there. He showed off his athleticism in an August game against the Cubs, ranging deep in the hole to retire Alex Bregman.
August 15 vs. the Angels – Tyler Tolbert full extension
Tyler Tolbert showed a bit of everything this year, from speed, to surprising power, to highlights on defense. In an August game against the Angels he was in centerfield, and went full extension to rob Denzer Guzman of extra bases.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 3: Isaiah Drake #93 of the Atlanta Braves hits a triple during the Atlanta Braves post-season workouts at Truist Park on October 3, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was another bad day for the Glendale team all around. They have been struggling to get any sort of good play from the team. and after allowing six runs in the second inning of this game it was a quick decline to a 1-4 start. The positive for Braves fans is that Isaiah Drake is healthy and has now recorded a hit in each of his first three games this fall. Drake may be stuck down at the bottom of the Glendale order but he’s gotten substantial playing time early this season, and that’s going to be massive for him after he missed so much time at the end of the year. He has been consistent with putting up a hit and a stolen base in each game, and this most recent outing was his best of the trio as he hit the ball harder than his prior two outings. He had a 100 mph single for his lone hit and impressively has been doing a great job at making contact with everything thrown at him. He only has two whiffs in 24 swings in the first three games, and though he was a tad aggressive in his first two appearances in this game he didn’t have any bad chases. So far Drake’s presence and performance is a highlight for Braves prospects from this fall and if he continues to get this amount of playing time we should have a decent sample of games to review at the end of the year.
Jul 21, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Athletics pitching coach Dan Hubbs (right) with manager Mark Kotsay against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Good morning everyone! Happy Friday!
The 2026 League Championship Series matchups are almost set!
In the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers will face the Milwaukee Brewers for a second consecutive October. Fans of every team except for the Dodgers will be rooting for the Brewers to spoil the defending champions’ bid for a third straight World Series title. That semifinal series begins Sunday night, with a potential marquee pitching matchup between Milwaukee right-hander Jacob Misiorowski and Dodgers left-hander Tarik Skubal
In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays swept away their division rival, the New York Yankees, to advance to their first ALCS since the COVID-shortened 2020 season. They await the winner of the Chicago White Sox-Cleveland Guardians Division Series, which will be decided on Saturday night’s Game 5 in Cleveland. The White Sox failed to capitalize on two chances to clinch a postseason series at home, which would have been the first time since 1906.
Baseball fans should savor the final few weeks of the postseason, as the owner-imposed CBA lockout could lead to a prolonged hiatus between the end of this season and the start of next season.
While the salary cap is the main issue, it will not the only change brought up in negotiations. Ideas to shorten the season and implement an international player draft are just two of the additional topics that the league and the players union will discuss at the bargaining table.
It will be interesting to see how active the free agency and trade markets will be in November before the Dec 1. lockout freezes all league activity. Normally, MLB free agency is spread out, with player signings happening occasionally throughout the offseason. However, some free-agents could sign sooner this winter to secure their futures. As a result, the Athletics must give their new general manger the resources to bolster the team immediately.
What do you think will come out of the latest lockout? Of the remaining teams, which would you most like to see win the World Series?
MLB has proposed returning to a 154-game Regular Season, best-of-seven Division Series, and opponent selection in the Wild Card and Division Series
Starting in 2029, shortening the season to a 154-game schedule would create a standard weekly off day benefiting player health, and… pic.twitter.com/Zp5zO6xSGr
The Cubs had one of the worst pitching staffs in all of Major League Baseball in 2026. As you can see, they lapped the field offensively. If they’d had an even league-average pitching staff they likely win 100 games and we’d still be watching Cubs postseason games today.
Cubs President of Baeball Operations Jed Hoyer, in his season-ending presser, acknowledged part of this problem:
About the Cubs bullpen, Hoyer said: “I did a poor job on the bullpen this year, full stop.”
The thing is, that’s not the only issue with the Cubs pitching this year. The starting rotation, as I detailed in yesterday’s article praising Craig Counsell for doing as much as he possibly could with it, was also pretty terrible.
And so the pitching issues don’t end with the bullpen, and that calls into question the entire way Chicago Cubs pitching is put together.
I wrote an entire article on that topic here in early September. That article mostly focused on what the Cubs could do going forward the rest of the season. What I left out, and what I want to focus on now, is how Cubs pitching is put together.
You have likely noticed the long streams of pitchers throwing 98, 99, 100 miles per hour or more coming out of most other teams’ minor league systems. The Cubs don’t have that. This year’s bullpen included just two guys who can do that, and one of them (Ryan Zeferjahn) wasn’t even in the organization until the trade deadline. The other, Daniel Palencia, spent much of the 2026 season on the injured list.
Meanwhile, other teams — I’m looking at you in particular, Brewers — seem to have an endless line of guys who can throw triple digits, beginning with Jacob Misiorowski, but also including multiple guys in their bullpen.
To me, that’s an indictment of two parts of the Cubs organization. First is pitcher development. They just don’t seem to have the right infrastructure to even take guys that they do have, who can throw this hard, and make them into good MLB pitchers.
As Josh wrote in his Arizona Fall League preview, the Cubs have a guy like this right now on the Mesa Solar Sox roster. Jhon Cabral was signed after the Marlins let him go, because:
Cabral is a fireballer who can hit 100 miles per hour with regularity. He also has no idea where the ball is going, which is why the Marlins released him. In the 82.2 innings he’s thrown in his minor league career, he’s struck out 82 and walked 121. But it’s hard to give up on triple digits.
I have my doubts as to whether the Cubs have the right pitching infrastructure to fix this. They had a guy like this in the AFL last year, too, JP Wheat, who wound up walking 16 of the 37 batters he faced in AFL play. He wasn’t much better at South Bend this year, with a 30.1 percent walk rate.
An even better example is Trevor Megill, who the Cubs acquired in the 2019 Rule 5 Draft. Megill pitched in 28 games for the Cubs in 2021, posting an 8.37 ERA, but striking out 30 in 23.2 innings. Gotta be something there, right? Well, the Cubs didn’t think so because they exposed him to waivers. The Twins claimed him and he pitched for them in 2022, and eventually they traded him to the Brewers for a minor leaguer.
As you know, the Brewers helped Megill figure something out and he’s posted 81 saves for them over the past three seasons, and he just doesn’t walk guys (7.5 percent walk rate in 155 innings from 2024-26).
Now what kind of secret sauce do the Brewers have? It’s clear they know something about pitching development, because they “fixed” Megill, and also graduated Misiorowski, Abner Uribe and Logan Henderson from their minor league system over the last couple of years.
Another example is Jeremiah Estrada, who had good velocity but not good results in parts of two years with the Cubs. He was let go on waivers after the 2023 season and was claimed by the Padres. Here’s how the Padres “fixed” Estrada:
Ruben Niebla, Estrada’s new pitching coach, wanted to see him throw in hopes of identifying a pitch that might complement his dynamic-yet-overused four-seam fastball.
They tried cutters, curveballs, changeups and sliders, continually altering the grips on most of them, and then Estrada unveiled the pitch that would change the trajectory of his entire career: a split-changeup, one he developed out of desperation and now sheepishly calls a “chitter.” He held it with an altered version of what’s called a “Vulcan” grip, lodging the baseball between his middle and ring fingers, and Niebla didn’t think he could command it. Then he threw it. It traveled in the mid-80s with hellacious sink and arm-side run. The first remark came from the catcher:
“Holy s—.”
Then Estrada threw another one.
“I was like, ‘Oh god,'” Niebla said. “I looked at the numbers, the characteristics, and I was like, ‘That’s actually not bad. Do it again.'”
What was initially supposed to be a 15-pitch bullpen session stretched out to about 70. By the end of it, Niebla became convinced that Estrada, 25, had identified the type of secondary offering he had spent his entire career searching for.
“He said, ‘OK, your splitter’s your f—ing pitch,” Estrada recalled. “It felt good because I worked hard for that pitch. I made that pitch.”
Now why couldn’t the Cubs have done that? Why aren’t they doing that with other pitchers in their system? Am I saying Jed Hoyer needs to dump Tommy Hottovy and the rest of the Cubs pitching infrastructure and start over? Yeah, probably so. Whatever Hottovy and Tyler Zombro are doing just isn’t working. For example, look what they did to Edward Cabrera’s pitch mix. Here’s what Cabrera threw in 2025 with the Marlins:
That produced the best year of Cabrera’s career — most starts, most innings, best bWAR. Now look at the mix he threw for the Cubs this year:
More changeups and curveballs this year and fewer sliders, and the changeup, which was supposedly Cabrera’s signature pitch, showed a drop in velocity. Did this lead to poor performance? Did it lead to more blisters, which put him out for several weeks? I don’t know the answers, but the question is: Why change something that was working?
Some of you are going to say that the way to start to fix Cubs pitching is “Sign Tarik Skubal.” Which, okay, but… who’s to say that they wouldn’t mess him up like they apparently have with some other pitchers? Sure, sign and trade for good pitchers … but also, the infrastructure needs to be overhauled.
The other part of the Cubs organization that needs to change is scouting. Hoyer absolutely needs to get a budget line back for scouting and either hire back the scouts who were let go in the recent purge, or get new ones, or both. Hoyer’s front office has become known for relying only on analytics to evaluate players. Now, let me say right now that there is absolutely nothing wrong with evaluation through analytics. They are a necessary part of modern baseball. But sometimes, there’s nothing wrong with a good scouting evaluation from a pair of human eyes. Scouting is the reason, for example, that the Cubs traded for Jake Arrieta, who had posted a 7.23 ERA in Baltimore in five starts in 2013. A Cubs scout saw something in Arrieta and helped convince Theo Epstein to make that deal. I’m pretty sure you remember how that worked out.
The bottom line here is that something’s not working with Cubs pitching, and it might be that they have to tear things down and start over. Your move, Jed Hoyer.
The Warriors are holding on to the final years of a tremendous stretch. If they want any chance of competing deep into the NBA playoffs, Batman will need Robin.
Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler are the one-two punch that led Golden State to the second round of the Western Conference semifinals two years ago. Butler is coming off a torn ACL, and owner Joe Lacob has blunt expectations for when he returns to the court.
“My guess is he’ll come back and be pretty damn good,” Lacob said, “because he’s Jimmy Damn Butler and he works hard.”
Jimmy Butler had to be helped to the locker room after appearing to injury his knee pic.twitter.com/sOSpAxbbAP
It’s been nearly nine months since Butler’s knee injury, and he has been recovering well. Butler sat down with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke in Hawaii during training camp for an update.
“I’ve started to run,” Butler stated. “I can dunk. I probably shouldn’t be doing that, but I can.”
Butler’s eagerness to get back on the floor is no surprise. His competitive spirit has never been a concern with every team he’s played for.
“I’m moving in the right direction,” Butler continued. “I’m also moving at a faster pace. I’m stoked. I’m excited about it because now I’m starting to see the progressions that are leading me back to the basketball court.”
Since his time with the Warriors, Butler is averaging 19.1 points along with 5.5 rebounds per game. His stats are great, but his impact is felt more than numbers can quantify.
If the Warriors are able to get Butler back sometime near the All-Star break, that would be a positive. Down the stretch of the regular season is when competition will pick up in the West.
One thing is for certain: Lacob expects Butler to ball out.
Four days after Towns expressed frustration with what he intimated was an insulting offer, the Knicks released a statement Friday morning that attempted to temporarily put the kibosh on both negotiations and distractions.
It was further evidence that the sides weren’t close to an agreement before the regular-season opener Oct. 20.
New York Knicks center Karl Anthony-Towns is seen during speed shooting drills during practice at media day during the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, Tuesday, June 2, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
“As an organization, our entire focus is on preparing for the upcoming season and delivering another year for our fans to be proud of,” a Knicks spokesperson said. “As a result, we will not be negotiating contract extensions until later in the season and will remain solely focused on preparing for the start of the season.”
Josh Hart and Miles McBride, in addition to Towns, are currently eligible for extensions. They can negotiate until June but agreements are often settled before the season to avoid distractions.
Instead, the Knicks sent out a message that they are done talking – for now – as they navigate owner James Dolan’s mandate to stay under the second apron.
If Towns left the Knicks in free agency, the max he could make is $265 million over four years.
“Simply put: I want to do something to keep the team together and can work with the Knicks and also (a contract that) values me,” Towns said Monday. “And none of those things are close to happening.”
Asked if he expected to be rewarded after breaking the franchise’s 53-year title drought, Towns responded, “No s- -t, Sherlock. I just won a championship. You’d think it was pretty easy. Unless you guys (the reporters) think I have something else to prove.”
Knicks guard Josh Hart practices on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, N.Y. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Towns, who will make $57 million this season, left Thursday’s preseason loss to the Wizards without speaking to the media.
He holds the leverage of a $61 million player option for next season. If there’s no extension agreement and he shines again this season, Towns can decline the option and seek a lucrative offer in 2027 free agency. If he struggles, Towns can pick up the option and play next season on the highest salary of his career.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns speaks to the media during media day at the Knicks training facility in Tarrytown, New York, Monday, September 28, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Hart holds less leverage with a team option for next season. He said on Media Day that there was no progress on his extension negotiations and didn’t expect an agreement before the season started.
McBride has no options and, with no extension, will definitely become a free agent after the season.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 07: The San Diego Padres look on from the dugout against the Milwaukee Brewers during the ninth inning in game four of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on October 07, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Just over 24 hours from being knocked out of the National League Division Series by the Milwaukee Brewers the San Diego Padres are left to wonder what might have been while at the same time changing gears to start looking toward the future. How soon that future arrives is unknown as MLB prepares for what for what appears to be an unavoidable lockout in the offseason. Work can still be done prior to a lockout and that has surely already started.
Padres fans have several questions about multiple players on their roster. Some hold all the control and have the option to opt out of contracts, while some must wait for the team to decide if they are going to retain their services. Others will have the option to hit the open market and see what other teams would be willing to pay for their services.
One of the players who will be discussed throughout the offseason up to and likely even after a lockout is resolved is first baseman Ty France. The Padres have struggled to find a reliable player at that position who can provide both offense and defense and the likely 2026 team MVP was a revelation for San Diego this season. He signed a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training prior to the season, but has earned a pay raise and a contract that will give him some piece of mind for at least a couple years. People who question whether the Padres should bring France back will say he needs to prove he can perform at the same level in consecutive seasons before they are willing to endorse his return.
The Warriors are back in action and hungrier than ever to return to the NBA playoffs after missing them entirely last season. Coach Steve Kerr is still leading the charge after rumors circulated that he would step down after last season. But Kerr and the Warriors agreed to a new contract, keeping him in charge of the franchise for at least the next two seasons.
Kerr seems more motivated than ever since announcing his return, implementing changes to the offensive system while also figuring out ways for the team to improve their spacing on the floor. Owner Joe Lacob has noticed Kerr’s renewed fire and is happy that he got his coach back, even if they do not see eye-to-eye on everything.
“I think he’s very motivated,”Joe Lacob told The San Francisco Chronicle’s Ron Kroichick. “I looked around and said, ‘Am I really gonna get a better coach than Steve Kerr?’ Look, he’s a great coach with a tremendous track record of success. We don’t agree on every little thing all the time, but for the most part we do agree on things.”
One of the most notable things that the two do not always agree on is Kerr’s outspoken political views. That topic was brought up back in April when ESPN’s Marc Spears said during a radio show appearance that Kerr was being stifled on that.
Kerr dismissed the issue and said the topic did not come up with Lacob or general manager Mike Dunleavy when he negotiated his new contract. Kerr even told the San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami that Lacob lets him say what he wants as long as there is no controversy.
Lacob echoed that same sentiment while doubling down on the trust that he has in his coach.
“Steve knows there are times he has said things which I did not agree with,” Lacob told the Chronicle. “But I do trust him to say the right things, do the right thing. Now sometimes he goes a little far and I have to go back and say, ‘Hey, Steve, maybe that was a little far.’ (laughing)…
“But we don’t have to agree on everything. Steve’s a really smart guy and we’re lucky to have him as our head coach. I really love our relationship, so I would not make anything more of it than it is.”
Kerr might be known for his highly public views, but his success as a coach overshadows all that. A four-time NBA champion during his time as the Warriors coach, he is ready to see how the next couple of seasons go and is hopeful that he can win at least one more title while the franchise still has future Hall of Fame guard Steph Curry.
The Warriors began their preseason with a 104-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 4. They begin the regular season against the Los Angeles Lakers on the road on Oct. 21. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
J.R. Smith was ordered to have “zero communication,” except through an attorney, with the woman he is accused of causing “serious bodily injury” during an incident that led to his arrest in Texas last month, according to an emergency protective order obtained by the California Post.
Smith, a two-time NBA champion guard with the Cavaliers and Lakers, has also been barred from going within 333 yards of the woman’s residence or place of employment, the EPO states.
He was also ordered not to possess any guns or ammunition.
This booking photo provided by the Hunt County Sheriff shows Earl Joseph Smith III, also known as J.R. Smith III, on Monday, September 28, 2026. Hunt County Sheriff
The EPO, signed by a judge on Sept. 29, is to remain in effect until Dec. 29.
The 41-year-old was accused on Sept. 18 of “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly” causing injury to a woman who was a member of his family or household or with whom he had a dating relationship, a criminal complaint filed on Oct. 2 states.
The complaint accuses Smith of hitting, grabbing, or pushing her with his hand.
The woman’s identity was not disclosed.
Smith, released on $5,000 bond on Sept. 29, has since been charged with one count of assault causing bodily injury family violence, per court records.
New York Knicks alumnus JR Smith sits on celebrity row during the first quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, Thursday, May 29, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
Smith was arrested while pulled over for a traffic stop in Texas — during which police checked his license plate and discovered Earl Joseph Smith III (his legal name) had an active warrant out of the Southlake Police Department for a charge of family violence assault causing bodily injury, Royse City Police Department said in a statement to The Post.
Smith’s attorney, Justin A. Moore, told The Post last week that “JR is eager to see this matter resolved and has full confidence in the legal process.
“He is presumed innocent and we will address this matter in Court. We ask that everyone respect the privacy of all involved throughout the process.”
Lakers guard J.R. Smith handles the ball against the Denver Nuggets during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs, Friday, September 18, 2020, at The AdventHealth Arena in Orlando, Florida. NBAE via Getty Images
Smith, who played 16 seasons in the NBA, was named the Sixth Man of the Year with the Knicks in 2013, and won his first championship with the Cavaliers alongside LeBron James in the 2015-16 season.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 30: Philadelphia shortstop Trea Turner (7) fields a ground ball during the Philadelphia Phillies versus the Atlanta Braves in game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series on September 30th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s no secret that the Phillies have a poor defense. In fact, they have one of the worst defenses in the sport, as they ranked dead last in total defensive runs saved with -51 and their outs above average were only slightly better, coming in at 21st with -15. If you’re more of a traditional fielding stats kind of person, the Phillies 80 errors were still only middle of the pack as the 17th most in the majors.
Of course, whenever you discuss the Phillies defense, Trea Turner’s name is likely one of the first ones to come up. He rebounded defensively in 2025 to turn in a very good year at shortstop, but 2026 proved it to be an aberration. Turner was one of the worst defenders at any position this season by any metric you want to use, as his 21 errors were tied for the most in baseball and his -17 defensive runs saved were also tied for the worst. There will be much discussion over this winter about where Turner should play in 2027 and whether it is finally time to move him off of shortstop and possibly shift him to the outfield.
Elsewhere, Bryce Harper regressed heavily at first base and was a below average outfielder when he returned there mid-season in the wake of the Luis Arraez trade. Impending free agent Alec Bohm was right behind Turner with -10 defensive runs saved. J.T. Realmuto continued to decline behind the plate but at least owned the best ABS challenge success rate (81%) among all catchers who issued at least 15 challenges. Rookie center fielder Justin Crawford showed his potential in the field but also showed why he’s still very much considered a work in progress.
If you’ve been watching anymore of the postseason in the week since the Phillies were eliminated, you’ll see how it’s almost a night and day difference with how most of the remaining teams play defense when compared to the Phillies. Improving the Phillies anemic offense should be priority number one this offseason, but finding a way to improve their porous defense should be a very close second. If the team is going to rely on its pitching going forward as much or even more than it has in the past, it would behoove them to make their pitchers’ lives easier by giving them a better defense to pitch in front of.
So, how would you attempt to fix the Phillies defense this offseason? Can it even be fixed in one offseason?
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