There’s been no shortage of both drama and celebrities when it comes to the NBA Finals in New York City. Wednesday night was no different, with the seats packed with stars in Madison Square Garden — and we got the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history, as the Knicks came back from 29 points down to win, taking a 3-1 lead in the series.
It wasn’t just an amazing game, but a heck of an experience when it comes to seeing how the celebs reacted when they realized the Knicks made history in front of them.
I also love that this was shot in black and white by Ben Stiller from courtside in the most dramatic, artistic way possible. To be honest, I’d love a subplot in the next season of Severance where Mark S is told the Knicks win the finals and he assumes it has to be a deepfake by Lumon.
Taylor would go on to party in the tunnel as well.
I truly, honestly, love this for him. Chalamet comes by his Knicks’ fandom honestly, and his love of the team has been established for a long, long time. Well, a relatively long time when you’re 30-years-old. My man ended up being so hyped up that he grabbed a mic from Entertainment Tonight and cut his own promo in the tunnel after the game.
— timothée chalamet nation (@timotheenation) June 11, 2026
Fat Joe
This is easily my favorite one, because Fat Joe is taking credit for the Knicks win. He tracked down Stephen A. Smith after the game and claims that his dancing (and possibly the glare off his chains) caused Victor Wembanyama to miss two critical free throws at the end of the game. This might be the only time I’ve seen SAS struggle to know what to say.
Fat Joe might’ve saved game 4 😨😳 Stephen A Smith was speechless after the Knicks won pic.twitter.com/Cy9QJkNPzL
Mike Brown gave at least a little credence to the idea that Fat Joe helped out.
"Fat Joe's sitting there with all these chains on, and every time he jumped up, freakin' lights with those chains — they blinded me. So it was a little hard. Fat Joe, keep wearing the chains, because you look smooth." – MIke Brownpic.twitter.com/1W6Fb1kuTt
Even if you hate the Knicks, you have to feel some joy for a long downtrodden hardcore fan like Spike.
Just listen to the joy from this man:
Shoutout to Wu-Tang and everyone who saged MSG properly, LOOK HOW HAPPY SPIKE LEE IS. Probably one of the best nights of his life 🥹 pic.twitter.com/rpUqUboZ6G
The four-time PGA Tour winner made a hole-in-one and then got to watch his New York Knicks pull off the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. It doesn't get much better than that.
But before the tip of Game 4, Gotterup shared his latest ace and drew the conclusion that the club he used was a sign of things to come. "5-iron. Ace. Knicks in 5 #thesigns," he captioned with his celebratory pick. And so far, he's right:
And, yeah, that's me liking the heck out of that post because GO NEW YORK, GO NEW YORK, GO! The Knicks' improbable win Wednesday night means they have a chance to close out the series in Saturday's Game 5 as the team tries to win its first NBA title since 1973, which 26 years before Gotterup was born.
We don't know if it will actually happen (Please, golf gods or any gods make it happen), but we do know one thing for sure. Chris Gotterup will be watching.
It's time for The LeBron James Decision, part (who's really keeping count anyway).
James, 41, will be an unrestricted free agent in a few weeks when the NBA's free agency period begins June 30.
The league's all-time leader in seasons played will be able to verbally agree to sign with a team and negotiate deals, but will not be able to put pen to paper and officially sign a new contract until July 6.
James hasn't publicly indicated he knows what he wants to do. He said during an episode of his "Mind The Game" podcast with Steve Nash that his decision could come late this summer.
"I'm still in the moment of like, just taking my time," James said. "I haven't even really thought about it too much. Obviously, I understand that I'm a free agent and I can control my own destiny, (if it's) being here with this (Lakers) franchise for the foreseeable future, or if it's going somewhere else. ... I think at some point you know, up until late June, as July rolls around, free agency starts to get going and July's rolling and maybe into August we start to kind of like, get a feel of what my future may look like."
"Staying with the Lakers is widely believed to be (James') preferred choice because he is so entrenched in Los Angeles now after eight seasons with the purple and gold," Stein and Fischer wrote. "Yet league sources maintain that Golden State remains legitimately interested in adding LeBron to their Stephen Curry/Jimmy Butler/Draymond Green core coached by Steve Kerr … with the pitch presumed to include the idea that LeBron could commute from Los Angeles to some TBD degree without having to move his family."
Family is one of the main factors in James' decision, he said so on his podcast. He's expressed a desire to be playing somewhere close to his wife and daughter, who live in LA, and close to his son, Bryce, who plays at Arizona.
Also, his first born son, Bronny, is his teammate on the Lakers and has two years left on his contract. Therefore, it's plausible that James re-signs with the purple and gold on another two-year, player-option deal with a no-trade clause.
"That's very important, and it's up there. I mean, 1A and 1B is like, where do I feel comfortable with doing my career, but also with my family," James said. "How do they feel about whatever the decision that I'm able to come up with and make? That's a joint decision as well. I give them the insight, both my boys, my daughter and my wife. You know, so you know it's 1A and 1B. I don't think one is higher than the other, whatever the case may be."
During a radio appearance on the "Willard and Dibs" show on the Bay Area's 95.7 The Game, ESPN NBA senior writer Marc J. Spears said the Warriors need to get creative with bringing someone else in because he was told that James is staying with the Lakers .... although it's still worth it to see if James is interested.
"Somebody that would know that's close to (James) suggested to me that he thought he was staying in Los Angeles," Spears said. "But you got to be creative. You got to see if LeBron James is interested."
"Somebody that's close to [LeBron James] suggested to me that he was staying in LA. The Warriors need to be creative from a veteran standpoint to bring somebody else in that could give an extra boost to this team."@MarcJSpears on the Warriors' offseason plans | @WillardAndDibspic.twitter.com/koC9fbUXwW
"The idea of a third stint for James as a Cleveland Cavalier is harder to envision not only because of the severe financial limitations that the Cavs would face in trying to bring him back to Northern Ohio but the sheer distance from what has been established since the summer of 2018 as James' Southern California base," Stein and Fischer wrote.
James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists on 51.5% field goal shooting in 66 games during the 2025-26 season. James would be returning for his 24th NBA season, extending his own record.
As for which team James will be suiting up for in Year 24, well, the countdown to the start of the James sweepstakes is on.
Taylor Swift, Este Haim and Alana Haim had a dance party after the Knicks pulled off the biggest win franchise history over the Spurs in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals.
The trio, who brought the energy on Celebrity Row at Madison Square Garden, danced to the song “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper, as seen in a video by the singing sisters on social media Wednesday night.
“Girls just wanna have PUN,” the caption read, referring to their blue and orange shirts with Knicks puns.
Swift’s shirt said “Stevie Knicks,” which was a nod to her the legendary singer, who she’s been friends with for some time.
Alana donned a shirt with “Knickelback,” a twist on Canadian rock back, Nickelback.
Taylor Swift, Alana Haim and Este Haim dancing after the Knicks’ Game 4 win on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. TikTok/Haim Sisters
Este’s shirt, “Knickole Kidman,” was a reference to actress Nicole Kidman.
They were courtside with actress “Law & Order: SVU” star Mariska Hargitay — a close friend of Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson — who also donned a “Stevie Knicks” shirt.
Swift, who owns multiple properties in New York City, and Co. were dancing and cheering throughout the game.
A video also emerged of an overzealous fan attempting to take either a selfie or shoot a video being shooed away by security.
Swift, who will tie the knot with fiancé, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce at MSG on July 3, was waving a towel and cheering during the celebrations.
The Knicks set the record for the biggest NBA Finals comeback, according to ESPN.
They sealed the win with a heroic play from forward OG Anunoby, who tipped in a rebound of a long 3-pointer by Brunson with 1.2 seconds remaining to give the Knicks the lead.
“It was cool, everyone’s pretty excited, I’m excited too,” Anunoby said after the game, which had reporters laughing. “Were enjoying it right now but we’re just look toward the next game.”
Taylor Swift alongside the Haim sisters. TikTok/Haim Sisters
ECB chiefs were in ‘shock’ after nightclub incident
The England and Wales Cricket Board is considering imposing a complete ban on alcohol while players are on international duty as they ponder the best response to the incident at a Chelsea nightclub that led to Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson being dropped for next week’s second Test against New Zealand, and to the stream of embarrassing stories over the past eight months.
Rob Key, the ECB’s managing director of men’s cricket, admitted on Thursday that it is now hard to say the players can show they are to be trusted to behave responsibly. The two players broke a midnight curfew and were then allegedly involved in a fight that broke out in the early hours of Monday morning, though there is no suggestion that either were active participants. “Everything we’ve looked at so far, everything we’ve found out, it looks like they were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Key said. “They weren’t aggressive or anything, and actually it looks like they were on the receiving end of some pretty poor behaviour from other people.”
New York Knicks fans have been waiting 53 years for a championship, and now they are only one win away after watching their team pull off the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history in Game 4. The Knicks somehow erased a 29-point second half deficit to win the game just before the buzzer on OG Anunoby’s tip-in to take a commanding 3-1 series lead ahead of Game 5 in San Antonio on Saturday.
It’s understandable that New Yorkers are excited, but the behavior from certain segments of the fanbase in this series has been disappointing and totally inappropriate. Knicks fans beat up Spurs fans in the streets after their Game 3 loss, and following the Game 4 win, Knicks fans were throwing objects at Victor Wembanyama as he went back to the team hotel.
Knicks fans were waiting to jeer the Spurs as they arrived at their hotel after Game 4, which is weird behavior by itself. Wembanyama appeared to be hit by an egg as he walked off the bus.
Booing the opponent’s star player is fair game, but throwing things at him on his way to bed is just completely out of line. Knicks fans should be embarrassed. It’s a terrible look for the city and the fanbase. Wembanyama deserves a lot more respect than that, not just as a player but as a human.
Knicks fans are disgracing themselves in this series as their team puts itself on the brink of achieving an impossible dream. I’m not going to tell Knicks fans to act like they’ve been there before, because almost 70 percent of New York City residents weren’t born when the team won its last title in 1973. Still, let’s try to have a little respect for the opponent. This behavior is gross, and it needs to stop immediately.
De’Aaron Fox’s 28-year-old legs ain’t what they used to be.
The guard’s confidence burned the Spurs and potentially sealed their Finals fate when his — as labeled by Charles Barkley — “dumbass” decision to attempt a layup in the final 11 seconds resulted in a block and paved the way for OG Anunoby’s game-winning and series-changing tip-in in the Knicks’ win.
“I just thought I’d be able to outrun him,” Fox said.
"I just thought I'd be able to outrun [OG Anunoby]."
De'Aaron Fox explains his late game shot that was blocked by OG Anunoby.
Fox’s decision from the 107-106 loss now has a spot alongside Ray Allen’s 2013 3-pointer in the pantheon of brutal Spurs Finals moments and it may be hard for fans to forgive him for this one.
The veteran guard’s questionable decision perhaps will be what swings this series.
With the Spurs leading 106-105 and roughly 18 seconds remaining, Jalen Brunson missed a shot and the fight for the rebound led to the ball being tipped past half court.
Fox had a clean path to the ball and gained possession near the paint with approximately 13 seconds remaining with Anunoby on his tail and then made a decision that could be rued in San Antonio for decades.
Rather than pull up and make the Knicks foul him, which would give the Spurs the chance to grab a two-point lead and potentially three, he opted to go for the contested layup.
Anunoby, one of the sport’s premier defenders, blocked Fox, which led to the Knicks gaining possession and he became a Knicks legend with his tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining resulting in a 3-1 series lead.
The situation facing Fox when he attempted to score. @ESPN/X
“Haven’t scored,” Fox said of his decision. “Try to get a layup get up three, force them to need a 3. OG made a good block.”
Fox has earned universal criticism for his decision, especially since the easy option to force the Knicks into a foul seemed like the most logical decision.
Charles Barkley shredded Fox on ESPN during his tirade against a Spurs team he labeled as “the dumbest basketball team in the history of civilization.”
Anunoby moments before his block. Getty Images
He described Fox’s decision as “bonehead.”
“That was a dumbass play,” Barkley said. “He did not have to shoot that ball.”
To make matters worse for Fox, his sloppy play in the second half helped fuel the Knicks’ comeback.
He turned the ball over four times in the second half, including one in the fourth quarter — although one could argue his decision in the final minute may as well have been a turnover.
The veteran is the elder statesman in a young Spurs lineup that primarily lacked playoff experience before this run to the Finals, yet all that experience failed him when he needed it most.
“We’ve got to try to put it behind us,” Fox said, per The Athletic. “Get back to the things that we’ve done well in these games. … We have to figure out a way to hold the lead. We’ve been able to build double-digit leads in all four of these games, and we’ve got to figure out a way to sustain that.
“It obviously looks like a steep hill, but this is something that’s happened before. … We feel like we have a team that is able to come back from this, but we have to take this one game at a time.”
Video of the final play of the Knicks’ thrilling Game 4 win over the Spurs show Karl-Anthony Towns deflected the inbounds pass from Dylan Harper, potentially disrupting what would have been a game-winning basket.
A fan’s breakdown of the play on X showed that Stephon Castle had back cut to the basket and was wide open for an alley-oop. It would have taken a pinpoint pass from Harper to execute the play, but any chance of that was destroyed once Towns disrupted it.
Castle fumbled the catch before gathering the ball, but that allowed the defenders to catch up and the star guard had his back to the basket and he ultimately did not get up a shot up with just 1.2 seconds left.
It did not appear that Towns’ play was initially caught by the ESPN broadcast in the chaotic celebration that followed at Madison Square Garden after the Knicks had rallied from 29 points down against the Spurs to take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.
“For us, when we got in there at halftime, we understood we were disappointed with the performance we had in the first half. That’s, of course, the result of walking in,” Towns’ said of the Knicks being down 76-49 at the break and looking for sure headed to a second straight loss at MSG.
“But I’ve always talked about the unity and the connectivity of this team. Went in there, people spoke up. Jose (Alvarado), just saying, regardless how the result of the game comes out, we can’t at least not work on our standards and be who we are.”
Warning: Graphic Language
Karl-Anthony Towns saved the whole comeback. I can only respect it and shake his hand pic.twitter.com/ieLNqtSO0M
Anunoby inbounded the ball to Jalen Brunson, who launched a deep 3-pointer that came up short. However, Anunoby was streaking in and tipped the ball in with just over a second left.
Karl-Anthony Towns celebrates the Knicks win over the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 10, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
“That’s why every time we’re in the game with OG, third quarter, second quarter, he may not be feeling like he’s playing his best,” Towns said. “Every time I talk to him, I say, I already know what OG Anunoby is going to do in the fourth quarter, and he did exactly what I thought he would do. He gave us a chance to win, and that’s all you could ask for from the best two-way player in the NBA.”
Towns finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds after he received his second foul just a minute into the game on a controversial overrule that forced him to the bench.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 25: Justin Edwards #11 of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on March 25, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Throughout this season, Philadelphia 76ers’ young forward Justin Edwards struggled to maintain a meaningful spot in the team’s rotation.
Edwards, in his sophomore season, featured in 64 contests for the Sixers, starting in 12, for 15.3 minutes per night — with those minutes varying wildly from night to night. Some games, Nick Nurse went to him early and often, racking up some serious minutes off the bench for Edwards. When the team struggled with injuries, he even started some contests. But other times, Edwards seemingly disappeared, playing little or no time at all. He ended up averaging 6.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists throughout 2025-26.
These numbers represent some slight statistical regressions compared to his rookie year, but context surrounding those numbers is important, as Edwards’ opportunities this season were much different than those of last season.
Let’s look back. Edwards was originally brought to Philly in the summer preceding the 2024-25 season as an undrafted free agent. A few months later, the Philadelphia-native was thrust into basically a regular starting role for a Sixers squad absolutely desperate for bodies to simply play out the rest of the campaign. After playing in just two of the first 30 games of that season (and for nine minutes total), Edwards then played in 42 of the last 52, starting in 26 of those, for 27.2 minutes per night. His rookie season ended with him averaging 10.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
In February of that year, Edwards was converted from his original two-way contract to a standard NBA deal. From undrafted to some guaranteed millions of dollars. Talk about a jump-start.
This season, things were different. Though the Sixers still dealt with a number of availability issues, the desperation level was never quite as high as 2024-25. This meant a much smaller role for Edwards as a sophomore, with the vast majority of his time coming off the bench and totaling 178 less minutes played than his rookie campaign throughout the course of the season.
Nevertheless, Edwards found ways to really shine in spots. His best game of the season came on March 19, when Edwards posted a career-high 32 points on 11-for-18 field goal and 7-for-11 long-range shooting in 33 minutes. The Sixers defeated the Sacramento Kings 139-118.
That game was part of a stretch in mid-March within which Edwards started seven straight contests for the Sixers, who were without four of their usual starters at the time (Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr.). In those seven contests, Edwards fared relatively well overall, averaging 15.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.0 steals in 27.6 minutes per game. He shot 40.5% from long range on 5.3 attempts during that time.
That impact, and where it was made, reflects something Edwards needs to hone in on to become a fully viable rotation player: three-point shooting. It has been one of the most promising things about his game, with Edwards hitting 37.2% from long range in his sophomore season, a slight improvement over the 36.3% he posted his rookie year. He always seems confident about it, with zero hesitation when the opportunity presents itself for him to pull up from long range. It wasn’t always perfect by any means, but it’s noteworthy that Edwards was much better from beyond the arc with more volume shooting. In the 12 games this season he attempted at least five three-pointers, he shot 50.6% from behind the arc (40-for-79). In the 52 games he shot 4 or less attempts, he sank just 26.7% (27-for-101).
He already has a decent feel or awareness in the game and is a solid defender, but he’s not the best rebounder for his size nor does he have much of an aggressive dribble-drive game. Sincerely honing in on becoming a consistent, accurate volume three-point shooter is what could make it possible to somewhat overlook some of those weaknesses enough to get him in the regular rotation. The Sixers desperately need perimeter threats that opposing defenses can’t just leave wide open inconsequentially, leaving a role prime for the taking for Edwards if he can take that step forward.
And at just 22 years old, there’s still time to develop. If there is one coach that will let Edwards develop with meaningful NBA minutes, it’s Nick Nurse, who clearly has confidence in the young forward as evidenced by his willingness to keep calling upon him off the bench. But, as he enters his third NBA season, one can imagine the expectations for Edwards will be higher than ever, and patience for rough performances could be much lower.
And it’s not like he won’t have motivation. Edwards will be playing to earn the next step of his NBA career, as he is entering season two of his three-year deal with the Sixers, but with the 2027-28 season being a team option. So, in 2026-27, Edwards needs to play at a level that either convinces Philadelphia to pick up that option, or convinces another team to take a chance on him should the Sixers decline.
A lot on the line for the young forward in the coming season.
The Mariners (36-33) and the Orioles (32-37) close out their four-game set tonight at Camden Yards with Baltimore looking to even the series at two games apiece following last night’s 7-2 win. The win snapped the Orioles four-game losing streak.
Baltimore broke a scoreless game open in the sixth on a Pete Alonso home run followed by run-scoring hits from Leody Taveras and Blaze Alexander, then blew it open in the seventh when Jackson Holliday launched a grand slam to make it 7–0. Orioles starter Brandon Young was dominant, tossing seven scoreless innings while allowing just two hits while striking out five. Seattle scratched across two late runs in the eighth finishing with only four hits on the night.
Tonight’s pitching matchup features a pair of right-handers: Bryan Woo (5–4, 3.74 ERA) for Seattle versus Kyle Bradish (3–7, 3.89 ERA) for Baltimore. Woo has quietly delivered one of the steadier seasons in the Mariners’ rotation, pairing strikeout ability with a strong WHIP, while Bradish has pitched better than his record suggests although he does live a little on the edge as he does allow traffic on the bases.
From a lineup perspective, there are clear trends to watch. For Seattle, J.P. Crawford (13-for-37 over his last 10 games) highlights a lineup that’s been relatively steady over the past month. On the Baltimore side, Pete Alonso is heating up (3 HR, 7 RBI in his last 10 games). The O’s are hitting .254 as a team over its last 10 games.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Mariners vs. Orioles
Date: Thursday, June 11, 2026
Time: 7:00PM EST
Site: Camden Yards
City: Baltimore, MD
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, ESPN
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The Latest Odds: Mariners vs. Orioles
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Jackson Holliday has hit safely in 3 of his last 4 games (3-13)
Julio Rodriguez is 1-12 in this series
Leody Tavares has hit safely in 3 straight games (4-11)
Josh Naylor is riding a 6-game hitting streak (9-25)
Gunnar Henderson is 2-11 in this series
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Mariners vs. Orioles
The Orioles are 33-36 on the Run Line this season
The Mariners are 27-42 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 32 times in Seattle’s 67 games this season (32-34-3)
The OVER has cashed 39 times in the Orioles’ 69 games this season (39-27-3)
Expert picks & predictions: Mariners vs. Orioles
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 10: A.J. Ewing #9 of the New York Mets looks on during the second inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field on June 10, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets suffered another embarrassing loss to one of the teams they are chasing in the Wild Card standings. The pitching struggled all game, especially David Peterson, who gave up six runs out of the bullpen. The offense was again non-existent outside of Francisco Alvarez, who accounted for all their runs with one swing of the bat. They will now look to avoid a sweep in the series finale.
In other news, another blue and orange team managed to complete a thrilling comeback victory. Go New York, Go New York, Go.
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 11: Lars Nootbaar #21 of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrates a home run with third base coach Ron 'Pop' Warner #75 during a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on May 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It feels like Lars Nootbaar has been someone that could fit well on the Rays’ roster over the last few years. I think the timing could be right to acquire him this season if the Cardinals are willing to part ways with him. Nootbaar combines above-average on-base ability, defensive versatility, and multiple years of team control – traits the Rays consistently target. With Jonny DeLuca, Jake Fraley, and Jacob Melton all dealing with injuries, the fit between player and roster is stronger now than it has been at any point in recent years.
Nootbaar is a solid defender in a corner outfield spot and he is capable of playing center as well. His offensive profile is largely OBP driven (over .340 vs righties for his career) – making him a good fit to hit near the top of the lineup and potentially leadoff against right-handed pitchers. This could also give the Rays more flexibility with Chandler Simpson’s lineup placement. Whether Simpson remains in the leadoff spot or moves lower in the order, adding another high-OBP hitter would help lengthen the lineup against right-handed pitching.
Despite the fact that Nootbaar has been injured for a large part of the season, the cost to acquire him should be relatively high. The Cardinals are still in contention in a competitive NL Central race, and Nootbaar is under team control until 2028. So what could it cost the Rays to land Nootbaar?
I could see the Rays also needing to offer a player from the group of upper-minors prospects who are going to be Rule 5 eligible this winter. This group includes names like:
INF Cooper Kinney
1B/DH Xavier Isaac
C Tatem Levins
OF Brock Jones
OF Homer Bush Jr.
INF Brayden Taylor
1B Tre Morgan
This group contains prospects with varying levels of risk. Some project as role players or complementary pieces, while others still possess everyday upside but face enough uncertainty that the Rays may be willing to discuss them in the right deal. I think it would take a package of multiple players between the two groups listed above.
The NL playoff race will play a role in the type of package the Rays would need to offer. It would hurt a bit to lose a player from the first group and another from that second group, so that’s a good signal that it would be enough to land someone as valuable as Nootbaar.
A package built around one prospect from the first group and another from the second would sting, which is usually a sign that the deal is in the right neighborhood. Nootbaar is a controllable everyday player who fits the Rays’ current roster, and acquiring that type of talent generally requires giving up prospects with a legitimate chance to contribute in the majors.
The Dodgers took a big lump Wednesday in Pittsburgh, losing a close game that was an Ohtani start in which he surrendered his first inning of multiple runs. And as always, there are always more bumps in the road.
Will Smith will be hitting the injured list, after his lingering neck issue isn’t getting better fast enough to return to the field. The Dodgers primary backstop has been out of the lineup since he was pulled in Saturday’s game.
Daulton Rushing was already slated to pitch all three games in Pittsburgh, and the Dodgers cleared a roster spot on Wednesday by releasing utility player Tyler Fitzgerald.
The Dodgers have two options in Triple-A, Eliezer Alfonzo and Chuckie Robinson.
“We had Chuckie last year, and we had Eliezer all spring,” Roberts said. “So both those guys are confident. They’re kind of a little older, so they’ve been around, and we’re very familiar with both those guys, so it should be pretty seamless.”
The Dodgers chose Robinson, and he is expected to be in Pittsburgh on Thursday.
Maddie Lee of the L.A. Times has more details on the logistics here.
Freddie Freeman collected his 2500th hit on Tuesday, and now has his sights set on 3000. But, he acknowledges that it might not be in the cards.
Three big things could stand in his way – his age, his want to spend more time with his family, especially now having a newborn at home, and that another certain player will be occupying the DH position for the Dodgers for quite awhile.
“Over the last year or two, 3,000 is a number that I would love to get to. But I have one more year under contract. There’s still a lot of other factors that go into it. I have four kids now. We have to see what’s going on there. But I would love to get to 3,000 hits. I would love to. I’m not going to deny that. But do I know if I’m going to get there? I don’t know. But we’ll start the trek tomorrow and we’ll see if we can get some more numbers and we’ll see if people still want me to play after 2027.”
Only 33 players currently have more than 3,00o hits. Bill Plunkett of the OC Register discusses other implications of chasing that number here.
Jack Harris of the California Post has some more quotes from the multi-time All-Star on where his head is at at this point in his career.
The Toronto Maple Leafs do not have their own first-round picks for the 2027 and 2028 NHL Drafts after the club traded them both away on the same day in March of 2025 in two separate deals with the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers.
In one deal, the Leafs sent their 2026 first-round pick to the Bruins, along with Fraser Minten, in exchange for defenseman Brandon Carlo. The other deal saw the Leafs pick up Scott Laughton from the Flyers in exchange for a 2027 first-round pick and Nikita Grebenkin. Both of those picks had trade protection: the Boston deal was top-5 protected, while the 2027 draft pick was top-10 protected.
However, a very fortunate bounce of the lottery balls in May saw the Leafs win the No. 1 overall selection for 2026, punting what the Leafs owed to the Bruins. But what about that 2027 pick?
Well, what we did know was that the Leafs were only going to be able to keep one of their first-round draft picks over the course of that three-year span. Once the Leafs landed the 2026 top selection, it negated the original protection conditions for the 2027 and 2028 picks.
But who gets what? There was a difference of opinion between the Flyers and Bruins as to who should have which pick, and in what year.
When I attended the lottery, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said they were still going over the terms of both trades to make a official ruling. But according to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz, the Flyers will get the 2027 pick and the Bruins will get the 2028 pick. However, the wrinkle here is that if Toronto’s pick falls in the top 10 next year, Toronto will actually get to choose which team gets which pick, due to the top-10 protection language in the Flyers trade.
Per a league source, the NHL has informed the Flyers that while they own the Maple Leafs' 2027 first round pick (Laughton trade), the Leafs still have the option to transfer it to Boston if it's in the top 10. In that event, the Flyers would receive Toronto's 2028 first rounder.
It’s really bizarre. If the Leafs' own pick falls in the top 10, they could be strategic and give it to the Flyers instead of helping their divisional rival, the Bruins, assuming, of course, that it matters to Toronto. Still, it is highly unusual that the Leafs would get to choose.
Can you image if the Leafs win the lottery, they’d have to commiserate on that while also deciding which of Philly or Boston gets it? It would be weird, if not entertaining.
I could have seen a world where Boston would have laid claim to a top-10 pick, given that they were bumped out of their 2026 selection, forcing the Flyers to wait an additional year. But a ruling is a ruling. And for the Leafs sake, they have to hope the most hilarious thing doesn’t happen here.
Of course, this is not to be confused with the 2027 first-round selection Toronto acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Nic Roy. That deal, too, is top-10 protected.
Jan 9, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) shoots the ball against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
There’s a debate brewing online and in the Reddit threads as the NBA Finals roll along, and it’s one that forces fans to decide whether they want to approach it logically or emotionally. Because once emotion enters the conversation, things tend to get flustered, frustrated, and disappointing in a hurry.
The debate? Who is better, Jalen Brunson or Devin Booker?
This is meant to be a fun debate, and since I saw it on Reddit, it got the juices flowing a bit. It’s the offseason, we’re bored, so why not spice up our lives a little bit with some comparative Suns-based convo? I will say that once I took the Reddit argument to Twitter, the internet reminded me that barstool-esque topics, especially when it involves Devin Booker, get into people’s feelings. And quick. They begin projecting intent and assuming that if you are critical of a player in any capacity, you must hate them.
So I’m stating that on the front in. Don’t hate Devin Booker. Love ‘em. Love having him on this team in this city. My intent is to have a basketball conversation. All right, with the Booker Stan Clause addressed, let’s talk about it.
I understand this is an inherently speculative and subjective argument, although you can certainly point to objective statistical analysis to support your side. But there’s no real reason for the debate to exist outside of the fact that Jalen Brunson is currently playing in the NBA Finals. And because Brunson is only 60 days older than Devin Booker, the comparison becomes unavoidable.
You start looking at the players on the Suns and measuring them against the players still competing at the highest level, in the biggest games, at the end of the season. This isn’t supposed to be some grand architectural discussion about whether you would trade Devin Booker for Jalen Brunson. We know neither the Phoenix Suns nor the New York Knicks would entertain that idea. And when you consider the $19.3 million gap in what they’re paid, it doesn’t make much sense anyway.
These are offseason barroom conversations. They’re not designed to tear down one player or elevate another. They’re conversations about skill sets, styles of play, financial implications, strengths, weaknesses, and how different players impact winning. These are the debates we used to have sitting at the bar before smartphones could provide an answer in five seconds. We couldn’t instantly pull up statistics. We had to talk about what we saw. That being said, feel free to pull up this article at a bar to make your case, one way or the other.
What I see when I watch these two players is something completely different. On one side, you have Devin Booker. He’s smooth. He’s methodical. He’s a jump shooter with what is arguably the best jumper in the NBA. He’s a bigger player who, when he’s at his best, is a shooting guard.
The problem is that traditional point guards have largely disappeared from the league. And the few true facilitators who still exist aren’t exactly available. As a result, Point Book has become a permanent part of the Devin Booker experience. Had he played 20 years ago, there’s a strong argument he would have been the best shooting guard in basketball. Instead, he exists in an era dominated by combo guards, where primary ball-handling responsibilities are often shared. In that sense, Booker is a product of the times.
On the other side is Jalen Brunson. He’s one of those smaller combo guards, but he’s a true three-level scorer. He can get to the rim, operate in the midrange, and knock down the three-point shot. And when the game gets tight, I believe he’s the better clutch player.
That’s what my eyes tell me. And when I started digging into the numbers, they backed up what I was seeing.
Devin Booker vs. Jalen Brunson Career Clutch Statistics
Based on career clutch statistics, Jalen Brunson comes out ahead of Devin Booker in just about every metric that matters. And that’s where this conversation becomes uncomfortable for Suns fans. That’s where the debate takes a turn.
Because if you’re carrying the flag for Devin Booker in this argument, there isn’t a lot of statistical ground to stand on. You can point to the double teams Booker faces. You can argue that there are plenty of possessions where he makes the correct pass, only to have a teammate miss the shot, costing him a potential assist. That’s fair. But Brunson sees those same coverages. He sees doubles. He sees traps. He sees defenses loading up to stop him. He’s simply quicker at navigating them.
When you compare assist-to-turnover ratios, Brunson comes out ahead there as well.
You can also point to the talent around each player and argue that Brunson has had better teammates throughout his career. There’s probably some truth to that. But the statistics we’re discussing encompass the entirety of their careers, the good years and the bad years alike. And when viewed through that lens, Booker has spent significant portions of his career playing alongside players like Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Chris Paul. Those are All-Star-caliber teammates who should, and did, make life easier.
That’s where the challenge lies. If the argument becomes that Booker needs elite talent around him to maximize his effectiveness, what does that ultimately say about Booker?
Meanwhile, Brunson spent his early years playing next to Luka Doncic. Once he arrived in New York, the only All-Star teammates he’s shared the court with have been Julius Randle and Karl Anthony Towns. Yet his impact late in games remains undeniable. The numbers support it. The eye test supports it. And that’s what makes this debate more difficult than many Suns fans would probably like to admit.
I’ll pause here and say this: I want my answer to be Devin Booker. As a Phoenix Suns fan and a Devin Booker fan, I want him to be the better player in this comparison. But sometimes reality points you in a different direction. Sometimes the eye test tells you one thing, and the statistics back it up. That’s where this conversation becomes frustrating for the fan base. Because Booker makes $19.3 million more than Jalen Brunson.
When you’re making $57.1 million a season, the expectation is that when the moments are brightest and the games get tightest, you’re the guy who comes through. That doesn’t always mean scoring. It can mean making the right pass, creating for teammates, controlling the pace, or making winning plays. But when you look at a career assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.7, a career 25.4% shooting mark from three in clutch situations, and overall negative clutch metrics, those numbers become difficult to ignore. And unfortunately, that’s the fuel for the fire for those who believe moving on from Devin Booker is the right decision.
This is where I reset the conversation.
This is where I step away from the barstool debate and remind everyone that even if he isn’t Jalen Brunson, he’s still Devin Booker. Even if he isn’t a superstar, he’s still a star. That matters, especially when you consider the position the Phoenix Suns currently occupy.
The Suns are in a transitional era. They’re in what I like to call their Dead Cap Era, one we’ll look back at someday and share memories much akin to The Timeline Era. They’re trying to run a race with an anvil tied to their ankle. That anvil is $23.2 million in dead money, and there are limits to what you can accomplish when you’re carrying that kind of weight.
What else is weighing them down? The fact that they don’t control their own first-round draft picks until 2032. That’s six summers away.
So while the cap limits their ceiling and the lack of draft capital limits their floor, the smartest path forward is to remain competitive, continue building the culture, establish an identity, and focus on continuity and internal development as the primary means of improvement.
Because while Booker may not be as effective in clutch moments as Brunson, he’s still a top 20 player in the NBA. He’s still someone capable of helping you win basketball games during this stretch of organizational uncertainty.
And if you decide to trade him? You’re trading him to a team that immediately becomes better because of his presence. That, in turn, lowers the value of the draft capital you’re receiving back. And since the Suns don’t control their own picks, there’s very little benefit to the losing that would almost certainly follow.
That’s why, even if the Brunson comparison doesn’t land in Booker’s favor, it doesn’t automatically mean moving on from him is the right answer.
Perhaps that’s the real takeaway from all of this. The Brunson versus Booker debate doesn’t have to end with a winner and a loser. It’s a reminder that not every star carries a franchise the same way, and not every path to winning looks identical. Brunson may have the edge in the moments that matter most, but Booker remains the player Phoenix has, the player Phoenix needs, and the player who gives this organization its best chance to navigate an uncertain future without losing its direction along the way.
Now pass me another Four Peaks Kilt Lifter. And where are my wings?
Presented by Tri State Cadillac. 
