Jun 5, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs silver dancers perform during a timeout from the game against the Miami Heat in game one of the 2014 NBA Finals at AT&T Center. The Spurs beat the Heat 110-95. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
On Monday, the Spurs issued this press release:
The San Antonio Spurs have announced the return of the Silver Dancers for the 2026-27 season. pic.twitter.com/aD7hXQqUgi
“The San Antonio Spurs today announced the expansion of their in-game entertainment lineup with the return of the Silver Dancers for the 2026-27 season. The Silver Dancers will join the Spurs Hype Squad as part of a dynamic entertainment team designed to elevate the game-day experience and connect with fans both in the arena and throughout the community.“
The Silver Dancers were supplanted by the Hype Squad is 2018. They will now share the spotlight as they integrate into the current rotation of in arena entertainment.
Jordan Mandelkorn, Vice President of Marketing, Creative & Retail for Spurs Sports & Entertainment, stated:
“We’re always looking for ways to make the Spurs game-day experience more exciting and engaging for our fans. The Silver Dancers and Hype Squad each bring their own energy, skillset and connection to our fans, and we’re excited to expand our entertainment lineup in a way that reflects the spirit of the Spurs both on the court and in the community.”
Those interested in auditioning for either the Silver Dancers or Hype Squad can do so through Sunday, June 28. Information is available at Spurs.com/Auditions.
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A busy lead-up to the draft. Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
Farewell to Simon Nemec:
TRADE ALERT: We’ve acquired two conditional first-round picks, a 2026 second-round selection, and defenseman Etienne Morin from Calgary in exchange for defenseman Simon Nemec and forward Maxim Tsyplakov.
Assessing the Simon Nemec trade: “This trade ensures the Devils avoid a risky contract and arms them with draft picks that can be leveraged as currency to add top-six winger help.” [The Athletic ($)]
“The Brady Tkachuk blockbuster to the Florida Panthers underscores an unfolding truth in today’s NHL. Power is shifting in favor of the NHLs star players. New Jersey Devils fans watching the Hughes speculation might feel uncomfortable. However, they’re not in a Tkachuk-like predicament… yet.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]
NEWS | The Washington Capitals have acquired forward Jordan Kyrou from the St. Louis Blues for forwards Connor McMichael and Milton Gastrin and Washington’s first-round pick (16th overall) in the 2026 NHL Draft.#ALLCAPS | @Shift4
Seems like Morgan Rielly could be on the move soon:
Morgan Rielly’s agent J.P Barry has submitted a list of 4 Western based teams Rielly is willing to go to. This will be a team by team assessment and depending on the fit, there could be some flexibility to add teams to the list.
“Commissioner Gary Bettman said that the NHL found no basis to prevent the Edmonton Oilers from hiring coach Mike Babcock but that the league expects ‘a certain level of decorum and conduct’ from him.” [ESPN]
“The NHL is exploring putting a second team in Texas, with Austin and Houston as potential targets, commissioner Gary Bettman announced on Tuesday following a board of governors meeting.” [ESPN]
“Will Connor Hellebuyck be the next American-born star to leave a Canadian NHL franchise? It appears the Team USA Manifest Destiny is real, and we have to take the trade rumors seriously at this point.” [Daily Faceoff]
“For decades, NHL teams asked players to be loyal and commit on long-term deals that locked them up from their teenage years until retirement. These teams then acted in cutthroat ways to buy out or otherwise dump them, however, when their play declined. That paradigm has now changed entirely, to where star players (and their agents) realize they hold the cards, especially with how free agency has been hollowed out and how vital the trade market has become to building a top team. Whether that shift has created a permanent imbalance in the league, with talent flowing from north to south, remains an open question. But it’s one worth asking yet again, as another top player heads to Florida and another Canadian team’s GM is left scrambling to fill a gaping roster hole.” [The Athletic ($)]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
Happy birthday to Doug Jones, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 2021, Four Cubs pitchers combine on the seventh no-hitter of the season, one shy of the all-time record, in a 4-0 win over the Dodgers. Zach Davies pitches the first six innings, then Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin and Craig Kimbrel add one inning each to complete the feat , and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
1908 – Honus Wagner does it all today, smacking a home run and double, then breaking a 3-3 tie with an eighth-inning single. He ends his scoring with a steal of home as the Pirates win, 5-3, over the Reds.
1960 – Willie Mays hits two home runs, singles, steals home, and makes ten putouts to lead the Giants in a 5-3 win at Cincinnati. Mays has three RBI and three runs scored.
1991 – California’sDave Winfield goes 5 for 5 and hits for the cycle as the Angels defeat Kansas City, 9-4. In so doing, he becomes the oldest player in history (39) to accomplish the feat.
1993 – Carlton Fisk of the White Sox, plays his 2,226th and final major league game, surpassing Bob Boone‘s record of 2,225 for most games caught. Fisk reluctantly retires with 3,999 total bases, the most ever for a catcher.
1994 – Aided by a nine-run 6th inning, Houston goes on to defeat the Dodgers, 16-4. 1B Jeff Bagwell drives home six of the Astros’ runs as he slugs three homers, including two in the sixth inning. He is the 28th player in major league history to homer twice in the same inning.
2000 – The Reds beat the Padres, 11-5, as Barry Larkin goes 5 for 5 with two home runs, four RBIs, and four runs scored.
Today in Cubs history:
1894 – The Chicago Colts score five runs in the top of the ninth to take the lead over Baltimore, but the National League leaders respond with three runs in the bottom of the inning to claim an 11-10 win.
1374 – Sudden outbreak of St. John’s Dance causes people in the streets of Aachen, Germany, to experience hallucinations and begin to jump and twitch uncontrollably until they collapse from exhaustion.
1853 – US President Franklin Pierce signs the Gadsden Purchase, buying 29,670 square-miles (76,800 square km) from Mexico for $10 million (now southern Arizona and New Mexico).
1889 – Butch Cassidy commits his first bank robbery with Warner and two McCarty brothers at the San Miguel Valley Bank in Telluride; they steal about $21,000, equivalent to about $735,000 today.
1963 – First demonstration of a home video recorder at BBC Studios in London.
1968 – Joe Frazier stops Mexican challenger Manuel Ramos in 2nd round TKO at NYC’s Madison Square Garden in his first heavyweight boxing title defense.
1973 – Marlene Raymond (15), limboes under a flaming bar at 6 1/8″.
2013 – Stanley Cup Final, TD Garden, Boston, MA: Chicago Blackhawks defeat Boston Bruins, 3-2 for 4-2 series victory; Blackhawks’ 5th Championship.
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 23: Brandon Marsh #16 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a two-run home run against the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Nationals Park on June 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Usually, we eschew stories about other sports, but this is a pretty funny Phillies connection to be made. The Trail Blazers hired Micah Nori as their next head coach. Does that name sound familiar?
Every story is local: Phillies outfield prospect Dante Nori’s dad is an NBA head coach now. https://t.co/DwrSdAasP6
Deadlocked at 0-0 for the first few innings, Syracuse finally broke the ice with a two-run fourth but they wouldn’t hold the lead for long, as the IronPigs plated four runs in the bottom of the inning on a Dylan Moore grand slam. Syracuse scratched back, scoring a run apiece in the fifth and sixth, and despite allowing another Lehigh Valley run in the bottom of the sixth, retook the lead in the seventh, when the rehabbing Francisco Lindor led off the inning getting on base thanks to an error and Tyrone Taylor drove him in with a home run to left center. After a balk in the bottom of the inning tied things up at 6-6, those rehabbers once again had an impact on the game in the top of the eighth. Lindor singled, Taylor doubled, and with runners on second and third, Ronny Mauricio singled to drive both home and give Syracuse the lead, a lead they would finally hold onto.
Nick Lorusso homered in the top of the first to give the Rumble Ponies an early 1-0 lead, but the SeaWolves reversed things in the fourth with a big six-run inning and controlled the rest of the game from there on in. Jose Ramos hit a solo homer of his own in the sixth, but a lot of good it did, as it was Binghamton’s only additional run. So much for the Rumble Ponies starting the second half on the right hoof.
Both teams scored a few runs in the early innings, but Jersey Shore landed what seemed at the time to be the decisive blow, plating five runs in the fifth and surging ahead to a 7-3 lead. To their credit, the Cyclones kept things competitive, scoring three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to bring them within one. A few innings later, in the eighth, the recently reassigned Sam Biller successfully plated that run, tying things at 7-7. In the tenth inning, Hoss Brewer hunkered down and was able to prevent the BlueClaws from scoring. In the bottom of the inning, Daiverson Gutierrez led off the inning and drove the first pitch he saw in the zone for a line drive into left that the fielder played poorly to win the ballgame.
The St. Lucie Mets were on the basepaths all evening, logging 10 hits, drawing 4 walks, and getting on base an additional 4 more times thanks to defensive miscues on the part of the Mighty Mussels. They made the most of those opportunities, stealing eight bases in ten attempts. The team hit only two extra base hits, a Julio Zayas double in the first and a Jeremy Rodriguez double in the fourth, but kept the train going, scoring six runs; with a few more extra base hits, this one could’ve been a true blowout, as St. Lucie only went 3-18 with runners in scoring position and left 9 runners on base.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 05: Kody Huff #68 of the Cleveland Guardians walks across the field before a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch on March 05, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As a Guardians fan you may not be very familiar with Kody Huff, but you are way too familiar with Gabriel Arias. Let’s adjust the familiarity vortex there, real soon.
Gabriel Arias currently has a 54 wRC+ and a 46% strikeout rate. I think it is fair to note that his planned rehab was cut short by the injury to José Ramírez. Still, for his career, Arias has a 74 wRC+ and a 34% strikeout rate. Among ML hitters with 1,000 or more plate appearances since 2022, he ranks last with a swinging strike rate north of 20%. He is just a terrible hitter.
Enter Kody Huff. Acquired from the Rockies for Cal Quantrill, Huff is a right-handed hitter having a breakout season as a 25 year-old in Cleveland. Huff has a 141 wRC+ with a 17/15 K/BB%, with a home OPS of 979 at Columbus and a .875 OPS in road games. He also has a 1.012 OPS against LHP this year. Admittedly, his wOBA of .407 is belied a bit by a .366 xwOBA… but .366 reduced down to, I don’t know, .315 in the bigs would still be a huge improvement over current options, especially if it included production vs. southpaws. Huff has seen his hitting output skyrocket with slightly higher exit velos (+1 mph in average exit velo) and moving about 9% of his prior groundball rate to line drives and 6% to flyballs. Nothing looks particularly unsustainable… he simply seems to have made some hitting growth later in his development, as catchers often do.
“Aha, he’s a catcher,” you say. “How can we fit him on the roster with our catching all-stars Patrick Bailey and Austin Hedges??” Leaving aside all sarcasm there (Bailey and Hedges are excellent defenders and both have hit fine with Cleveland this year), Huff has started 20 games at first base and 9 at third base this year.
Huff is fine at third base. He has a good arm and looks smooth picking the ball. He may actually be a pretty good first baseman. And he’s got a solid reputation as a catcher. I think the team should pause Huff’s catching work and tell him, “Kid, you are gonna fill in for José and get some great reps at third base.” Then, DFA Arias (who will get through waivers, and if he doesn’t, who cares?) and add Huff to the roster. If he hits and Jose is back, then keep Huff in the David Fry role.
It’s probably bad that I want to solve our offensive woes with catchers. But in Ingle and Huff, I see professional hitters. And we need more of those in Cleveland, by George. Get Huff the magic dragon up!
The Detroit Tigers’ four-game winning streak came to an end on Tuesday night in a 4-3 loss to the New York Yankees to even up the three-game home series. Casey Mize cruised through the first five frames before surrendering three runs in the sixth and the offense just did not have enough gas to get over the hump before they ran out of time.
On Wednesday night, left-hander Tarik Skubal will make his third start since returning from the injured list after having an innovative nanoscope procedure performed on his pitching elbow. The 29-year-old has not found his old form just yet, posting a 4.35 ERA and a 5.42 FIP in his last two games stretching over 10 1/3 innings of work, allowing 12 hits (three home runs) and two walks while striking out 12 and hitting a batter.
Up against him will be fellow southpaw Ryan Weathers, who is having his best season since his 2024 campaign with the Miami Marlins. The 26-year-old hit a rough patch recently, putting up an 8.47 ERA and a 7.63 FIP over three starts stretching across 17 frames before bouncing back his last time out, allowing one run on a solo shot over 6 1/3 innings, striking out eight vs. one walk for a no-decision in a 5-1 home loss against the Chicago White Sox.
Here is a look at how the two matchup in the series finale.
Detroit Tigers (34-45) vs. New York Yankees (47-31)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:Pinstripe Alley Media: Detroit SportsNet, Amazon Prime Video, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 80: LHP Tarik Skubal (3-3, 3.02 ERA) vs. LHP Ryan Weathers (2-5, 4.13 ERA)
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:W, 7-2 at Indianapolis Indians
3B Oswaldo Cabrera 3-6, 2 RBI, 2 K, fielding error – after a dreadful start to the year, Oswaldo has come alive with a .967 OPS in June 2B Marco Luciano 2-4, BB, K, SB RF Yanquiel Fernández 1-4, BB, 2 K, GIDP CF Garrett Martin 3-5, HR, 4 RBI, 2 K, SB – he did it all last night 1B Tyler Hardman 0-5, 3 K DH Ernesto Martinez Jr. 0-2, 3 BB, K, SB SS Jonathan Ornelas 0-4, 2 K C Payton Henry 0-4, K LF Duke Ellis 1-4, RBI, BB, K
Alexander Cornielle 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 2 K Zach Messinger 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 0 K Carson Coleman 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (win) Yordanny Cruz 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (hold) – good to see a steady outing from Cruz Bradley Hanner 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Double-A Somerset Patriots:L, 4-0 at New Hampshire River Cats – Somerset stifled, four hits, all singles
LF Jackson Castillo 2-3, BB, SB CF Jace Avina 0-4, K RF DJ Gladney 1-3, BB, K DH Nick Torres 1-4 3B Coby Morales 0-4, K C Tomas Frick 0-3 1B Josh Moylan 0-2, BB, K SS Owen Cobb 0-3, 2 K 2B Connor McGinnis 0-3, K
Cade Smith 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 1 HR (loss) – probably the 24-year-old’s best start of the year, tough luck loss Chris Kean 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K Tony Rossi 1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Cade Smith (@Yankees No. 16 Prospect) notched his THIRD quality start of the season! 🤩
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades:L, 5-4 at Bowling Hot Rods
3B Kaeden Kent 1-5, K SS Core Jackson 1-4, 2 K, throwing error DH Eric Genther 0-4, RBI, 2 K 1B Kyle West 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, K RF Wilson Rodriguez 2-3, BB 2B Roderick Arias 1-4, 2 K, SB C Josue Gonzalez 0-3, RBI, SF CF Camden Troyer 0-4, K LF Luis Durango 2-4, 2B, SB
Bryce Cunningham 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HR – 2024 second-rounder has given up three runs over his last three starts Hansel Rincon 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K Brandon Decker 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K Aaron Nixon 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (hold) Brady Kirtner 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 BB 0 K (loss, blown save)
3B Jackson Lovich 0-4, K CF Brando Mayea 0-4 DH Luis Puello 0-4, K LF Logan Maxwell 0-1, BB, SB LF Gabriel Lara 0-2, K SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 2-3, RBI, SF, SB RF Willy Montero 1-4, 2B, 2 K 1B Hans Montero 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K, SB C Engelth Urena 0-3, K 2B Luis Escudero 0-2, BB, 2 K
Justin West 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 8 K (win) Kevin Stevens 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (hold) Greysen Carter 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 0 K (hold) Matthew Tippie 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (save)
Florida Complex League Yankees:L, 10-6 (7) vs. FCL Tigers
3B Richard Matic 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, K CF Wilberson De Pena 1-1, 2B, 3 BB, 2 SB, fielding error – a nice .417 OBP on the year for the 19-year-old DH Queni Pineda 0-3, BB, 2 K 2B Leni Done 0-3, RBI, BB, K, SB LF Jose Castro 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI, CS RF Francisco Vilorio 0-3, K SS Dexters Peralta 0-3, fielding error C Justin Capellan 1-3, 2B, K, throwing error 1B Christofer Reyes 0-3
Hueston Morrill 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K Jerson Alejandro 1 IP, 0 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 1 K Sunayro Martina 0.2 IP, 3 H, 6 R (5 ER), 1 BB, 0 K (loss) – a 4-1 fourth-inning lead evaporated quickly Rafael Arias 1.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR Edinzo Marquez 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 K Brian Arias 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Dominican Summer League Yankees:W, 11-3 vs. DSL Cardinals
DH Isaias Castillo 0-2, RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, SB SS Stiven Marinez 1-5, 3B, RBI, K, fielding error CF Yostin Pena 3-4, K, 2 SB 2B Juan Torres 2-3, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, BB 1B Cesar Lopez 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, BB C Juan Martinez 1-3, K, SB L Manuel Aguilar 1-4, 2B, 3 K RF Eliezer Adames 0-2, RBI, 2 BB, K 3B Emmanuel Orozco 0-2, RBI, 2 BB, K, SB
Fredy Penuelas 3 IP, 5 H, 2 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 4 K Angel Salazar 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K (win) — one of the cleanest DSL lines you’ll see Luis Ilarraza 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 3 BB, 3 K (hold) Varis Villarreal 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Dominican Summer League Bombers:L, 12-5 at DSL Tigers 2
SS Mani Cedeno 1-5, 2B, 2 K 2B Carlos Bello 2-4, 2 2B, K, SB C Alessandro Rodriguez 0-3, RBI, BB, K, SB, two throwing errors, one pickoff error – oops RF David Carrera 1-4, HR, RBI, K 3B Kevin Beltre 0-4, K DH Poly Ojeda 0-1, 2 BB 1B Adrian Feliz 0-2, K 1B Jesus Guerrero 1-2, 2B, RBI, K LF Sebastian Pinto 0-1, BB LF Eddison Charles 1-2, K, SB CF Alfiery Matos 0-4, K
Randy Angomas 2.1 IP, 3 H, 5 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 4 K Kevin Centeno 2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR Carlos Hampshire 2.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R (3 ER), 3 BB, 2 K Lenin Caceres 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Jun 19, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt (12) fields the ball against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers continue to boast arguably the top farm system in all of baseball and that’s even with a large number of graduations that have happened through the first two and a half months of the season. Because of those graduations, and a pretty good sample size of play down in the minor leagues, it’s time to make some updates and adjustments to our Brewers Top 50 prospects list from the pre-season.
There are some notable risers and fallers with their performances early this season. The recently extended Luis Lara is certainly one of them with his breakout season. But he’s not the biggest riser on this list.
Biggest risers: 2B/LF Dylan O’Rae (+17 spots), OF Braylon Payne (+16), RHP Jayden Dubanewicz (+14), RHP Jaron DeBerry (+10), OF Luis Lara (+9)
Biggest fallers: 1B/3B Eric Bitonti (-8 spots), RHP Melvin Hernandez (-4), OF Jose Anderson (OUT)
Graduations: RHP Brandon Sproat, RHP Logan Henderson, LHP Robert Gasser, LHP Shane Drohan, RHP Carlos Rodriguez, 1B/LF Tyler Black
1. Jesus Made, SS
2. Luis Pena, SS
3. Cooper Pratt, SS
There are no changes to the top three spots in the Brewers farm system. However, since the pre-season, Jesus Made has vaulted to the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball status and Cooper Pratt signed an eight year contract extension with the Brewers. Pratt was recently called up to make his MLB debut and has taken over the starting shortstop job in Milwaukee, which will likely be his for years to come, that is unless one of the other two names above him take that title.
4. Luis Lara, OF (Up 9) 5. Jett Williams, SS (Down1) 6. Josh Adamczewski, IF/OF (Up 8)
Luis Lara and Josh Adamczewski are the big risers into the Top 10 in this update. Lara has completely crushed Triple-A pitching and earned himself a long-term contract extension from the Brewers. It’ll only be a matter of time before he joins Cooper Pratt in Milwaukee. Jett Williams has struggled a bit offensively this year, leading to Lara surpassing him. Josh Adamczewski also put up big numbers in High-A Wisconsin before earning the mid-season promotion to Double-A Biloxi. 7. Jeferson Quero, C (Up 2) 8. Andrew Fischer, 3B (Up 2) 9. Blake Burke, 1B (Up 3)
Jeferson Quero continues to be blocked by William Contreras and Gary Sanchez, though he was able to make his MLB debut earlier this season. Quero has been solid in Triple-A and is ready when an opportunity presents itself. Andrew Fischer has been the talk of this Brewers system almost with his home run barrage this summer that pushed him up to Double-A. The strikeout rate is still a concern long-term, but in spite of it he’s hitting nearly .300 with an OPS over 1.100. Blake Burke, another former Tennessee Volunter, is also mashing in Biloxi with 15 homers himself, plus even more stolen bases. Keep an eye on Burke. 10. Bishop Letson, RHP (Down 2) 11. Marco Dinges, C — 12. Tyson Hardin, RHP (Up 4) 13. Braylon Payne, OF (Up 16) 14. Coleman Crow, RHP (Up 9)
Bishop Letson really struggled to start the season in Double-A, but has finally started to turn things around, which keeps him in the Top 10. Tyson Hardin has done much better after a promotion to Triple-A and he finds himself pretty close to making it to the big leagues given the amount of injuries the Brewers have had in their rotation. Braylon Payne has been one of the biggest risers in this update as he’s hitting the ball extremely hard in High-A and he’s also dropped his strikeout rate. That K rate will remain important to watch as the 19 year old develops. Coleman Crow has also gotten himself to the bigs and risen up the list. He’s on the IL, which has prevented him from graduating, but he will return and graduate soon. 15. Brady Ebel, SS (Up 2) 16. Luke Adams, 3B/OF (Down 1) 17. JD Thompson, LHP (Up 3) 18. Tate Kuehner, LHP (Up 6) 19. Jayden Dubanewicz, RHP (Up 14)
Luke Adams missed a ton of time early in the season with a wrist injury so the sample size is a bit smaller than the other hitters. Since returning from the IL, Adams has looked great and he could leap back up in the August re-rank. Lefties JD Thompson and Tate Kuehner get a nice boost as their development remains on track. Jayden Dubanewicz is another big riser as his stuff has looked nasty and he’s already pushed his way to High-A Wisconsin. In his first two starts there, he’s struck out 11 and is yet to walk a batter. Dubanewicz could be that next pitching lab success story. 20. Craig Yoho, RHP (Down 2) 21. Brock Wilken, 3B (Down 2) 22. Mike Boeve, 1B/3B (Down 1) 23. Brett Wichrowski, RHP (Up 2) 24. Bryce Meccage, RHP (Up 2)
Brock Wilken has not adjusted well to Triple-A, still hitting below the Mendoza Line with not a lot of home runs to make up for it. It’s not too late for him, but that future infield is looking crowded already and there are a lot of good ones right around him in the upper minors. Mike Boeve has looked a little better a year removed from shoulder surgery, but his numbers still haven’t returned to what they were pre-injury. 25. Ethan Dorchies, RHP (Up 2) 26. Manuel Rodriguez, RHP (Up 2) 27. Josh Knoth RHP, (Up 5) 28. Dylan O’Rae, 2B/OF (Up 17) 29. Jaron DeBerry, RHP (Up 10)
Some of the numbers are unsightly for the young pitchers across the lower levels when it comes to ERA, but that doesn’t mean their stuff has diminished. Numbers are like that all across those levels this year so I’ll take them with a grain of salt and not ding guys like Dorchies or Rodriguez too much. Knoth is returning from TJS and has looked good, ramping the velo up to 97 MPH but generally sitting around 94 with his fastball. Dylan O’Rae is having a great year after missing 2025 with wrist surgery. Jaron DeBerry is also putting himself on the radar in the upper minors with some strong outings this year. 30. Diego Frontado, SS (Up 8) 31. Ricki Moneys, SS (Up 6) 32. Brian Fitzpatrick, LHP (Up 8) 33. Josiah Ragsdale, OF * 34. Frank Cairone, LHP —
Down in the DSL, two of the Brewers big signings this year were Frontado and Moneys and they are living up to the hype, showing off power and bat-to-ball skills, giving them a big boost in this update. Brian Fitzpatrick put himself clearly in the big league bullpen picture before an elbow injury sidelined him. Josiah Ragsdale is the first player to make this list after missing the pre-season top 50. He’s showcased a combo of speed and contact skills with a little bit of pop in High-A. Frank Cairone is back in Arizona after recovering from a January car accident. He’s yet to see game action, but could be in ACL games soon. 35. Braylon Owens, RHP * 36. Tyler Renz, RHP — 37. Alexander Frias, OF * 38. Eric Bitonti, 1B/3B (Down 8) 39. Mark Manfredi, LHP *
Another handful of new faces here. Braylon Owens, a 10th round pick last year, has done really well in High-A and is among the organization’s leaders in ERA, strikeouts, and WHIP. Alexander Frias has finally gotten promoted to Low-A Wilson after tearing up the Arizona Complex League. He looks like he has big-time potential. Eric Bitonti is striking out at a high clip still in High-A and it worries me about his long-term viability. Mark Manfredi is up to 97 MPH on his fastball and his strikeout rate has ticked way up this year. Keep an eye on Manfredi as a bullpen option in Milwaukee in the near future. 40. Griffin Tobias, RHP (Up 4) 41. Handelfry Encarnacion, OF — 42. Pedro Ibarguen, OF (Up 4) 43. Jacob Morrison, RHP (Up 6) 44. Cameron Wagoner, RHP *
Some young players still with good potential with Tobias, Encarnacion, and Ibarguen here. They’re in the lower levels, Ibarguen in particular has had a nice year in Low-A. Jacob Morrison, out of Coastal Carolina last year, is on the IL right now but looked good in his limited action in Low-A. Cameron Wagoner is throwing upper 90s and hitting triple-digits on occasion after missing a long stretch due to injury. He could move up quickly as a bullpen arm. 45. Brailyn Antunez, OF * 46. Melvin Hernandez, RHP (Down 4) 47. Chase Bentley, RHP * 48. Joey Broughton, LHP * 49. MaKale Holden, RHP * 50. Luis Lameda, SS *
Brailyn Antunez was the big international signing last year, but struggled in the DSL. Upon heading to the ACL this year, there’s been some positive reports, and it’s starting to translate into on-field results. Melvin Hernandez has not pitched at all this year due to visa issues, per a source. He’s still a talented arm when he is on the field. This list is rounded out with some of the young, projectable talent the Brewers possess. Chase Bentley had the biggest “Day 3” signing bonus the Brewers gave out last year and has looked good. Broughton is back from TJS finally and has done well upon his promotion to Low-A. MaKale Holden also got a big bonus last year and has showcased some nasty stuff. Luis Lameda is hitting over .300 with more walks than strikeouts for Low-A Wilson.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: Otega Oweh looks on during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Good morning, BBN!
Day 1 of the NBA Draft was a success, with so many kids realizing their childhood dreams.
Despite the up-and-down story of his time at UK, I’m happy for the kid. He’s worked really hard to get to this point, and I hope he has a very successful NBA career.
However, with Day 1 wrapped up, Day 2 should bring some great stories as well. Most important for UK fans is seeing where UK legend Otega Oweh ends up.
He’s been all over NBA Draft boards for the second round, with some not even having him be taken. Hopefully, that’s not the case, and he gets drafted sooner rather than later.
The Boston Celtics selected Houston center Chris Cenac Jr. with the No. 27 overall pick in Tuesday’s first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, but the main topic of discussion during team president of basketball operations Brad Stevens’ press conference at the end of the night was Jaylen Brown’s future with the franchise.
Brown reportedly was part of a trade offer the Celtics made to the Milwaukee Bucks for superstar big man Giannis Ante. The Bucks ultimately chose to send Ante to the Heat late Monday night and accept Miami’s trade package instead.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday afternoon the Celtics were “listening” to teams calling about Brown.
Stevens said he’s been in contact with Brown throughout the offseason.
“We had a couple of meetings earlier at the end of May, also before he went back overseas a couple of days ago, or 10 days ago or so,” Stevens said. “Spent a lot of time just the two of us sitting down together, and then have been, like every offseason, in regular touch with his agent all the way through the last couple of days. Obviously, with all the rumor mill and all that stuff, and his name being splashed all over the place, that’s not easy – but we certainly wanted to be as proactive and upfront with that as possible, and I thought we had really good, candid conversations.”
Stevens was asked if Brown will be on the Celtics at the beginning of next season.
“Jaylen Brown is a big part of us,” Stevens said. “I’m never going to predict the future, but every indication, everything that I think about over the past few years has been building around those guys, right? So obviously, you never know.
“But at the same time, the one thing I want to make very clear is how valued he’s always been. He’s been amazing. He’s been an amazing teammate, a great person to be around. And whether that run ends 10 years from now when he retires, or before, there’s a lot to celebrate. We have a great relationship, an open relationship where we talk about everything. But I don’t want to predict the future. I look at it as, this is our team.”
Sixers new President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey made his first significant move since joining the franchise last night, selecting Labaron Philon Jr. out of Alabama with the 22nd pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The pick was a bit of a surprise to many, including Gansey himself, who had Philon higher on the team’s draft board.
“Little bit surprised he fell to us,” Gansey said. “but there’s so many good guards in this draft that all those guys who went in the teens, they might be top 10 in normal drafts. … He was someone we just couldn’t pass up.”
As with every draft pick, the people that made the Sixers’ pick were pleased. But what about the self-appointed “experts” across the NBA universe? How did they evaluate Philon? We scoured the Interwebs to find out.
Vecenie: “His improvement as an on-ball player this season while transitioning into that role could not have gone better, as he led the Alabama offense to a top-three mark in the country while putting up video-game-like numbers.”
Hollinger: “A scoring guard with a splendid array of finishes, Philon should add some juice to the non-Tyrese Maxey minutes in Philly once he gets his NBA sea legs. The Sixers have no viable backup point guard at the moment, so Philon could play right away.”
Bobby Marks, ESPN – Calls Philon the best pick of the first round
“I ranked the Alabama guard as the 13th-best prospect in the draft. What stood out for me is how Philon took the constructive criticism from the 2025 draft combine and applied it this past season. He improved his 3-point shooting from 32% to 40%.
The biggest takeaway is that NBA teams wanted to see Philon as a primary playmaker — he averaged 5.1 assists as a sophomore at Alabama. With the 76ers, Philon will join an explosive backcourt with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.”
Kevin O’Connor, Yahoo! Sports Senior NBA Analyst – Grade: B
“While Philon appears to be a good value pick at this point, it’s an odd fit for a Philly backcourt that suddenly feels a bit light with him, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe… Philon is also a below-the-rim athlete and is listed under 180 pounds, so his slight frame remains the one thing standing between him and stardom. Is this a team that actually cares about competing today or is this more of a pick for the future?”
Adam Finkelstein, CBS Sports Director of Basketball Scouting – Grade: B+
“Philon gives Philadelphia a dynamic scorer who attacks with pace, has worked his way into a shot-maker, and showed more defensive chops as a freshman. A gifted shot creator, Philon stuffed the stat sheet as the focal point of one of college basketball’s fastest offenses, and did it with 50/40/80 shooting splits. If he can tap back into some of the defensive tools he showed as a freshman, there could be real value here.”
Kurt Helin, Lead NBA Writer, NBCSports.com – Grade: B
“In the modern NBA, you can’t have enough shot creations, and while the 76ers have some dynamic guards in-house already (Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe), Philon could be a high-level reserve. He is a high-IQ, very skilled player who can run a team and get buckets. There are questions about his ceiling, but at pick 22 it’s worth the risk.”
Steph Noh, Senior NBA Writer, The Sporting News – Grade: B+
“Philon is a crafty guard who figures out ways to get into the paint and get his shot off. He greatly improved his shooting as a sophomore, hitting 40 percent from deep last season. He’s a good-not-great passer who can add some secondary playmaking. His defense wasn’t great last season, but he did show better skill two years ago with a smaller offensive role as a point-of-attack menace.”
The Warriors clearly thought very highly of University of Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg.
Not only did Golden State select the 6-foot-9 wing with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday night, but had him ranked as one of its top prospects in what was widely considered a very deep draft.
The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami reported in his latest column, citing a team source, that the Warriors only had one other prospect ranked higher on their board than Lendeborg.
“One team source indicated that the Warriors had Lendeborg rated about even with [Brayden] Burries and only had Duke’s Cam Boozer clearly placed on a higher level in this draft,” Kawakami wrote.
“That might or might not be some slight retro-editing of their true big board (they weren’t going to take a lead guard in this draft and that position dominated the top nine selections). But either way, the Warriors definitely always were very high on Lendeborg and definitely always weren’t so worried about his birthdate.”
The soon-to-be 24-year-old Lendeborg was one of a few prospects frequently mocked to Golden State in the weeks leading up to the draft for his potential fit with the Warriors, which the team, according to Kawakami’s report, clearly valued over some of the other consensus top prospects, most of which were guards, in the picks leading up to Golden State’s No. 11 selection.
Boozer, the only prospect the Warriors reportedly had ranked higher on their board than Lendeborg, was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies with the No. 3 pick.
Of course, as Kawakami alludes to, teams frequently state after the fact that the player they ended up selecting was one of, if not their highest-ranked prospect coming into the draft.
Whether or not that actually was true.
Regardless of where the Warriors actually had Lendeborg ranked pre-draft, it’s no secret the organization genuinely is excited about the pick.
Jayden Quaintance is a very talented basketball player.
Need proof? Quaintance was drafted 20th overall by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Draft Tuesday night, despite potentially needing a procedure that could sideline him for a good chunk of his rookie season.
Players have to have talent to be drafted into the NBA, so that tells you how talented Quaintance is. Even though we only saw him for four games in Kentucky last year, he showed why the Cats coveted him in the transfer portal.
Quaintance missed most of last season, either recovering from a torn ACL or managing the same knee he injured in his freshman season in 2025 at Arizona State. While that knee is fully intact, Dr. Riley Williams III — head team physician and orthopedic surgeon for the Brooklyn Nets and famous for performing surgery on Paul George’s gruesome open tibia-fibula fracture with USA Basketball in 2014– recommended a follow-up procedure that could keep him off the floor for six months, according to KSR’s Jack Pilgrim.
Six months. That’s at least until December.
You have to feel for Quaintance. None of this is his fault. Injuries happen. By the time he takes the floor with the Spurs, if he has this procedure, it will have been nearly two years since he originally tore his ACL. That’s a long time to be dealing with a significant injury.
The good news is that San Antonio is a great destination for Quaintance. A model organization that is coming off an NBA Finals berth and has a budding superstar in Victor Wembanyama. We will see a lot of Quaintance once he’s able to take the floor, given that the Spurs will be on national television many times this upcoming season.
The goal for Quaintance is a long career. That is why caution may be the best approach.
Following the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, Sean Marks faced, through a screen, bewildered media simply trying to make sense of what the hell had just happened. The Brooklyn Nets not only did not trade any of their five first-round picks, but, judging by consensus, reached on plenty of prospects. The first season of tanking had come and gone without an exciting swing to show for it. Consensus can be and is often wrong, but after June 25, 2025, the Nets felt like a franchise gone haywire.
On the morning of June 24, 2026, the Nets are a franchise ready to face the day. They have not been handed ideal circumstances. The road ahead is not going to be easy. But cautious optimism is warranted.
Brooklyn took Mikel Brown Jr. at #6 overall, a prospect they were heavily linked to in the days leading up to the draft but by no means the safe option. He missed a handful of games at Louisville with a bad back, posted a 45.7 eFG% against top 50 NCAA teams, didn’t play much defense, and struggled to protect the ball. But one look at the highlight tape — full of strong finishes, whirlwind passes, and pull-ups from another county — lights a fire…
Jordi Fernández has squeezed more than he had any right to out of his guards over the last couple seasons, providing Shake Milton an NBA swan song, Dennis Schröder the best stretch of his career, and Nolan Traore (perhaps the league’s worst scorer as a rookie) weeks of decent production. Now, Fernández has Mikel Brown Jr.
When asked what stood out about the 20-year-old, Sean Marks said: “Just how dynamic of a player he is. A playmaker, a scorer, the pace with which he played the game. I think he’s a cerebral player, has really great feel, and just excited to get a guy like that who has some intangible skills as well. When you look how athletic he is, as I mentioned before, the speed with which he can play, those things translate to our league. And then you get to meet the guy, you know, and he really has a chip on his shoulder, he really has something to prove, and I think those are some of the things that stood out to us.”
By trading Nic Claxton for Julius Randle, Brooklyn’s short-term mission is clear: Win a few more games. They have a stable of decent rotation players that, if nothing else, shouldn’t be destructive in their minutes, from Ziaire Williams to Day’Ron Sharpe to Josh Minott. Even Egor Dëmin fits that bill as a complementary piece with room to grow.
Brown Jr. is what they didn’t have, a dynamic young player whom fans can dream about. He is not Yaxel Lendeborg or Aday Mara or even Kingston Flemings; they could all be better than Brown Jr., who was not the safe pick … but that’s exciting.
During his rocky season at Louisville, Brown Jr.’s commitment was questioned repeatedly by a rabid college fanbase, and later by NBA scouts. His maturity, his resiliency, his father’s involvement were all put under a microscope. The Brooklyn Nets, per MBJ’s admission, met with him three times including a visit to his home in Florida.
“It’s really important to see how what makes these guys tick,” said Marks. “Where they come from, why they have the habits they have, you know, and their parents have a lot to do with it. And it was an absolute pleasure to meet the parents of Mikel, and get to see his family background and see where he’s from, and sort of the history of how he’s grown up, and so forth.”
Brooklyn did far more than their due diligence and took Brown Jr. anyway. For a franchise infamously committed to off-court character, this should relieve Nets fans. It is the inverse of what the Sacramento Kings did, taking Alex Karaban at #29 overall due to his winning reputation as a UCONN Husky, a clear attempt to bring a “high-character” rookie into their locker room even if his basketball talent did not merit a first-round selection.
Said Marks: “I think something that we saw with Mikel … was just how anxious and excited he was about getting out there in the NBA. Getting out there: ‘I’ve got something to prove.’ You know, it’s hard to measure but I think that’s something that will definitely translate, when you have a chip on your shoulder and you’re an extreme competitor.”
At #28, the Nets drafted another competitor, lauded for not just his playmaking but his toughness in Joshua Jefferson. And, finally, a guy with a BMI over 20! Our tremendous draft guide over at Swish Theory called the Iowa State product “one of the best 240-pound passers in the world” already, and it’s tough to argue with…
Joshua Jefferson – who has elite vision for a big and is a downhill threat – joins the Nets
– Elite passing metrics (27.7 ast %) – Efficient scoring on volume – Lockdown D (5.5 DBPM) – Strong scoring instincts – Insane defensive tape – High usage, low TOs pic.twitter.com/feP40lg0os
“Josh was a guy that we have absolutely been all over all year long,” said Marks, “and watched just how he played the game. You know, his skill set definitely translates. High IQ, and I think when you watch him play, and I said before: Iowa State plays through him. His teammates feed off of him, he’s definitely a facilitator out there, the toughness that he has, there was a lot of intangibles, and then he’s a winner. An absolute, flat-out winner.”
Jefferson, of course, does not arrive without concerns. As a 22-year-old, he’ll be expected to produce quickly even in a crowded forward room with Danny Wolf and Noah Clowney, not to mention Julius Randle. He is not a plus-vertical athlete for his size, and his scoring numbers left much to be desired in his senior season, perhaps plagued by a loose handle and lack of burst around the rim.
But Jefferson can clearly play, and throughout the season frequently got late-lotto buzz. This feels like the happy medium of Brooklyn valuing pedigree and production, even if he is an older prospect.
Sean Marks is already thinking about where the burly forward can fit in, too: “The way Josh plays with the ball, the DHOs, the reads, the passing ability — that is absolutely going to fit within Jordi’s system and Jordi’s style, and how he wants to play. Mikel, the same thing: He can break down defenses his speed, his craftiness, and obviously, athleticism yet again. Those things — you hear Jordi talk about paint touches all the time.”
It’s not that Mikel Brown Jr. and Joshua Jefferson are guaranteed to be productive NBA players. Far from it. Rather, it feels like the Brooklyn Nets have made the most of a mediocre situation, unafraid to trade for Julius Randle even if it invites insulting comparisons to the New York Knicks. They made no bones about selecting a potentially electric scoring guard, giving fans something to cheer about while doing their homework on the kid. What does it mean for Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf? That doesn’t matter right now; if Jefferson is quickly better than Wolf and Clowney, that shouldn’t matter either.
“I’m excited to see the current roster grow,” said Marks. “I’m going to start to see what falls our way, whether it’s in free agency or trades. I mean, we’ve kept ultimate flexibility over the last year or two, and I think we’ll continue to do that. And then, at the right particular time, when guys that we feel have that real Brooklyn grit — which is what we want to add — and we see them in here long term with us and they can continue to take us to another step in the right direction, we’ll add those guys to this to this group.”
I begrudge no Nets fan for bemoaning the results of the last two NBA Draft Lotteries. Egor Dëmin seems like a functional rotation piece, alas it’s hard not to wonder about what could have been. Same goes for this year, even if Brown Jr. explodes out of the gate. But while Brooklyn may not be a championship contender anytime soon, they are putting one foot in front of the other. They should be easy, if not enjoyable to watch next season. And as Marks alluded to, they still have 11 future firsts to throw around in the trade market.
Much is riding on Mikel Brown Jr.’s thin shoulders. He is not just the most exciting, but the most important rookie the Nets have had since moving into Barclays Center.
