While the article acknowledges that it might not have looked like Montreal has been very busy this offseason, it goes on to praise the two impact signings Kent Hughes has made: the contract extensions of Ivan Demidov and Jakub Dobes. It adds that the two players are vital to their core and that signing extensions early to keep offer sheets at bay is huge. There’s little doubt that Anaheim Ducks GM Pat Verbeek would agree.
The fact that the Sainte-Flanelle failed to sign a free agent in what was a largely underwhelming crop of players shouldn’t be seen as a failure on the part of the Canadiens, even if Hughes has failed to make an impact signing on the free market since his arrival at the helm.
Even if it’s not a very exciting approach, betting on organic growth has served the Habs well since the start of the Hughes, Jeff Gorton and Martin St-Louis era in Montreal. One of the best examples of that, without a doubt, is the progress in Nick Suzuki’s game. Not only has the pivot established himself as a real first-line center, putting an end to years of debate amongst pundits, but he’s improved across the board. In the last five years, his point production has gone from 61 to 66 to 77 to 89 to 101, and he’s also gained respect across all markets as a top defensive forward, as evidenced by his Frank J. Selke win.
His linemates have also experienced similar growth; Cole Caufield’s production has improved from 43 points to 64 (projected over 82 games since he put up 36 points in 46 games because of a shoulder injury), then to 65, 70, and 88. This past year, he even scored 51 goals, becoming the first Hab to reach the 50-goal mark since Stephane Richer. Caufield’s growth isn’t just about the numbers, though; it’s about the fact that he’s become a much more threatening player from everywhere in the offensive zone. The league cannot just worry about taking away the one-timer from the flank option; the sniper has other plays in his playbook.
As for Juraj Slafkovsky, he has gone from 51 points to 73 points, but he’s also started playing a much grittier game. He has accepted that he can best serve his team by bringing speed and physicality to the top line and retrieving the puck in deep and feeding it to his linemates. Even better, he’s wised up to the fact that once that’s done, his work isn’t over; he’s learned to then get to the busy areas and pick up the “garbage goals” on the doorstep, scoring 30 goals in a season for the first time in his career.
Lane Hutson has gone from a fantastic 66-point rookie season to an even more impressive 78-point sophomore year. The blueliner has doubled his goal production, going from six to 12 thanks to increased confidence in his own shot. He tested goaltenders over 30 more times this past season, and his shooting percentage has gone from 6.7% to 9.7%. With the work he has put in ahead of practices, working on his shot for ages with Adam Nicholas and Ivan Demidov, it’s hardly surprising.
Speaking of the young Russian, his first season in the NHL was a resounding success, and he did so while playing alongside two players who aren’t top-six players on a Cup-contending team. If Montreal can get some reinforcement on its second line ahead of the season, Demidov’s production could explode. Even if they don’t, having a year of NHL hockey under his belt will only make him more effective, and that should result in increased production as well.
Given how young the Canadiens are and the upward trajectory of their best players, it’s hardly surprising that the Habs brass feels content to bet on their continued progression. Besides, while the salary cap is forecast to rise in the foreseeable future, that growth won’t last forever, and sooner or later, teams throwing big contracts to free agents will run out of cap space. The Canadiens will be right there with both cap space and money to spend, since Hughes has managed to sign his core to team-friendly deals and has even found a way not to pay Kirby Dach $4 million, even if that was the qualifying offer he was due.
By then, the Habs are also hoping that their winning record and culture will have made Montreal a destination of choice for free agents. Make no mistake, the Canadiens are not inactive; they’re just playing the long game, and the rest of the league knows it, even if it’s not always evident to fans.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 30: Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks boxes out during the game against the New York Knicks during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
They’re currently projected to be only $1.9 million below the cap before re-signing Austin Reaves, signing Collin Sexton with the room mid-level exception and signing Kevon Looney to a veteran-minimum deal. That’s not even enough for a minimum contract.
That hasn’t stopped the Lakers from pursuing Jonathan Kuminga in free agency, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN.
Slater reported that the Lakers have been “subtly improving their offer in recent days while reiterating to Kuminga his importance to what the Lakers are building around [Luka] Dončić, a likely starting role and what the opportunity could do for his career.” However, Kuminga and his agent believe “there are still avenues to better deals as the offseason dominoes continue to fall.
Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Timeslater reported that the Lakers have offered Kuminga a two-year, $20 million deal. That allows us to connect some dots.
How the Lakers can create more cap space
The Lakers’ easiest path to creating more cap space would be salary-dumping Jarred Vanderbilt or waiving him and stretching the dead cap hit from his remaining contract over the next half-decade.
If the Lakers managed to dump Vanderbilt’s $12.4 million contract into another team’s cap space or a salary-cap exception, they’d have plenty of spending power to offer Kuminga a $10 million annual salary.
A waive-and-stretch would get them in that ballpark as well.
Vanderbilt has a $13.3 million player option next year, so the Lakers would have to stretch the remaining $25.7 million on his contract on their books evenly over the next five years. That comes out to a dead cap hit of roughly $5.1 million, giving the Lakers another $7.3 million in spending power this offseason.
Combine that with the $1.9 million that they currently project to have, and they’d be up to nearly $9.2 million in cap space. That would allow them to offer Kuminga a two-year, $18.8 million deal.
The Lakers could create even more cap space by dumping Dalton Knecht for a minimum contract, or moving the recently acquired Jaden Hardy for someone earning less. If they need to manufacture a bit more cap space for Kuminga or another free agent, President of Basketball Operation Rob Pelinka has outs.
The question is how he can sweeten any offer.
The Lakers have already traded away all of their first-round draft capital through 2033 aside from a 2032 pick swap and all of but one of their own second-rounders. They did acquire two second-rounders from the Washington Wizards (2031 and 2032) in the Deandre Ayton trade, but those three picks are the only tradable picks that they have in either round.
Perhaps a team would be willing to take a free flier on Knecht, whom the Lakers selected with the 17th overall pick two years ago. He hit 37.6% of his three-point attempts as a rookie, but his shooting percentage plunged last year, and his playing time went right along with it.
There’s always a chance that the Lakers have slightly more cap space than estimated, too. They haven’t made any of their signings official yet, and contract reports tend to round up generously in favor of agents at this time of year.
But after sign-and-trading for Walker Kessler and signing Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton, the Lakers are more or less out of cap space and exceptions. With only one open roster spot left, the Lakers will need to create more spending power to entice Kuminga or another free-agent target.
The Lakers’ lack of tradable draft picks could impact their ability to outright salary-dump Vanderbilt. They’d have to determine whether signing Kuminga would justify giving up the 2032 first-round swap rights or any of their tradable second-round picks. If not, a waive-and-stretch would be their most likely path forward.
Either way, the Lakers do have a feasible path to offering Kuminga or another free agent somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 million per season. Anything beyond that would likely require moving one or both of Hardy and Knecht. And anything north of $20 million is a pipe dream.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 2: Hugo Gonzalez #28 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Celtics have finalized their Summer League roster, and it’s loaded with young talent. Here’s the full list of 16 players that will appear on the team:
All 16 rostered players will get at least some run at Summer League, but there are 7 players I’m most eager to watch.
Hugo Gonzalez: Hugo Gonzalez is, to me, the most notable player in the field. The 20-year-old had a good rookie season with the Celtics, and he’s looked really solid playing with the Spanish national team this month. Gonzalez averaged 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game as a rookie, and was one of the NBA’s plus-minus darlings. Gonzalez never spent a second in the G-League.
Everybody knows that the Celtics did not want to trade Gonzalez this offseason to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo. How that decision ages remains to be seen, but every scout I’ve talked to around the NBA has gushed about what they’ve seen from Gonzalez so far. I’m excited to see how he looks at Summer League, especially when compared to last summer.
Chris Cenac: Chris Cenac is the Celtics’ highest-profile rookie; the 19-year-old forward is coming off of his freshman year at Houston and was selected 27th in the draft last month. He’s a highly-recruited 7-foot center who was one of the top interior prospects in his recruiting class, and he’ll take one of the Celtics 15 roster spots this year.
While Brad Stevens indicated he did not necessarily expect Cenac to play much next season, we’ve already seen his last two first-round picks (Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman) become impactful rotation players in their first two seasons. Just how raw is Cenac? And how does he hold up defensively? Summer league should shed some light on where he’s at in his career.
Dillon Mitchell: Dillon Mitchell is the Celtics’ other drafted rookie; the 22-year-old, drafted 40th overall, is coming off of a standout season at St. John’s. Mitchell is a super-athlete who is a good finisher, rebounder, and defender, though his inconsistent shot hurt his draft stock.
My big question is: just how good of a defender is he in this context? And, how can he fit in offensively despite effectively being unable to shoot? Mitchell is likely to end up on a two-way contract with the Celtics this season, so he’s one of the players I’m most interested in
Amari Williams: Williams was the Celtics’ 46th overall pick last season and was on a two-way contract for most of the year. He finished the year on a standard deal (mostly due to the Celtics working to stay under the luxury tax line) but did have some stellar moments with the parent club.
Williams will again be on a two-way contract with the Celtics this season, as the Celtics look to continue developing him into a center of the future. He’s currently behind Neemias Queta, Mitchell Robinson, and Luka Garza in the depth chart, but showed he could be impactful in spots last year.
John Tonje: John Tonje was on a two-way contract with the Celtics last year (acquired in the midseason trade that sent Chris Boucher to the Utah Jazz). While he hasn’t agreed to a two-way contract with Boston next season, he remains in the mix and could return in the same role. Tonje is a bucket-getter who looks to carve out a role in the NBA after an elite season at Wisconsin. He didn’t get much run in Boston, but scored a career-high 13 points in the season finale last year.
Tucker DeVries: Tucker DeVries is on an Exhibit 10 contract, so he’ll be joining the Celtics for training camp (and potentially competing for a two-way contract). DeVries is an undrafted rookie out of West Virginia who is 24 years old and a proven sharpshooter. He’s a polished offensive player with a high basketball IQ that could ultimately (one day) end up being a Sam Hauser replacement.
Milos Uzan: Milos Uzan is also on an Exhibit 10 contract, so, like DeVries, he’ll be joining the Celtics for training camp when Summer League is over. Uzan is a 22-year-old point guard out of Houston, where he was teammates with Cenac. He’s a poised point guard who is known for steady decision-making and veteran leadership.
Another Summer League note: Hank Morgan returns for his second consecutive Summer League with the Celtics. Morgan, who laced up for the Maine Celtics, was the G-League’s only former Division III player last year.
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 15: Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers is introduced before the game against the Detroit Pistons during Round Two Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2026 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jaylen Brown is here, the splashiest acquisition in a very splashy Sixers offseason orchestrated by new personnel chief Mike Gansey.
Anfernee Simons, a willing and much-needed bench scorer, is also here. Same for Ariel Hukporti, an intriguing big man coming off a title run with the Knicks.
Hey, and LeBron James might end up here, too. Never say never, right?
Against that backdrop, Dean Wade has fairly tiptoed into town, lunchpail in hand and valuable toolkit in his back pocket.
Signed to a reported four-year, $39 million free-agent contract, Wade is the ultimate 3-and-D guy, a sturdily built 6-foot-9 forward who can make open triples and guard all five positions. Whether he starts, or (in the event of a LeBron signing) comes off the bench, those are two very useful skills to possess.
And two things that might escape notice, given everything else that is going on. Or might go on, in the weeks and months ahead.
During a Zoom call with reporters Tuesday, he called defense “a thankless job,” and that is inarguable. Nobody in the Association wants to crouch in a stance, hike up their shorts and joust with the breathtakingly skilled guys headed their way. But Wade, an undrafted free agent signed out of Kansas State by Cleveland in 2019 (where Gansey was an executive at the time), discovered early on that that was his ticket to playing time.
Never mind that Wade had been a scorer in college. Never mind, he said, that he was “never really known as a defender” at that point in his career. He learned to become one. And he has learned to like it.
“I think the most appealing part of defense is … when people iso one on one,” he said. “It is head-up – just who’s better, and I’ve got to play with that little chip on my shoulder. I love that competitive spirit, where it’s just whose will’s going to kind of outlast whose.”
By his second season he was getting regular time, and that remained the case during the duration of his seven-year stay in Cleveland. He averaged a modest 5.3 points and 3.6 rebounds over that time, but shot nearly 37 percent from three and just generally proved to be a useful piece to the puzzle.
Along the way he crossed paths with former Sixer Georges Niang, a Cavalier in 2023-24 and part of 2024-25. And Niang – “maybe the funniest human I’ve ever met,” Wade said – told him a little something about Philadelphia. How, yes, the town’s athletic supporters can be tough, but are ultimately, “the best fans in the world, as long as you’re playing the right way.”
Suffice it to say that Wade will endeavor to do just that, while continuing to keep a low profile – something that comes naturally to him.
He hails from the farming community of St. John, Kansas (pop. 1,200). His dad, Jay, played football at Kansas State and Western Illinois, while his mom, Trish, played basketball and volleyball at Barton Community College and Florida Southern.
She would later win three state championships in 17 seasons as the volleyball coach at St. John-Hudson, while coaching her daughter Teresa, among others. (Trish, who also coached track at her children’s alma mater, now heads the volleyball squad at Nickerson High School.)
So it’s not hard to see where Dean got his athletic ability. Also his competitiveness.
“When I was younger, I hated losing,” he said. “I was the worst loser – like, my parents would beat me in a card game, and I would lose my mind.”
One of the fringe benefits to having a mom in coaching is that she had the key to the high school gym, which according to Dean was just two doors down from the family home.
“I lived in the gym,” he said.
He would ultimately lead his school to three state championships. Still, pro basketball seemed a long way off.
“Even thinking about the NBA when I was growing up was never a real thought in my mind,” he said. “I was like, ‘Oh, that’s a cool dream, but I never really thought I would have the opportunity to play.’”
But he never felt overmatched in AAU competition, and his family fostered his dream.
“Especially my sister,” he said. “She kicked that self-doubt right out of me before I could.”
Kansas State would ultimately unearth him, and he became a two-time All-Big 12 performer while averaging 12 points a game on .498/.386/.711 shooting over four seasons. And before he knew it, the NBA became a distinct possibility.
“Even when I was (on) a two-way (contract as a rookie),” he said, “I was like, ‘Man, I feel like I could still play in this league – compete at the highest level in this league.’ I never had any doubt in my mind.”
Not by then. And not anymore. Now he comes sneaking into town, carrying a mindset and a skillset that could prove very useful. And never mind that nobody else might notice.
The most infamous moment in LeBron James’ career remains “The Decision,” in which the then-25-year-old turned picking a new team into an overblown one-hour TV special that will never be repeated. Now, we’re getting the modern equivalent of it — and it’s sad as hell.
Rather than just picking a team and moving on, the entire LeBron courtship has turned into fuel for Rich Paul’s podcast, and that fire was given more oxygen on Tuesday when Sixers president Bob Myers went on the show to make a public pitch to LeBron, rather than talking to him in private.
Sixers President Bob Myers went on Rich Paul’s podcast directly making a pitch for LeBron James to sign with Philadelphia.
We’re witnessing another unique free agent process from LeBron and Klutch Sports. pic.twitter.com/7yGiLg2DgD
It’s one thing to watch the greatest basketball player on the planet self-produce his own free agency broadcast, but it’s on a whole other level to see an NBA executive fawn over LeBron like the contestant on a dating show. It’s all so sad, and so transparent — because Rob Myers doesn’t give a rat’s ass about Rich Paul’s podcast, but understands it’s the cost of doing business when it comes to trying to land LeBron.
Frustrating, execs like Myers understand that James legitimately does give them a better chance of winning. At this point in his career the 41-year-old has become the ultimate glue guy who can functionally fit into any lineup and be a factor, which is an incredible proposition for a team like the Sixers who now have Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey — but critically miss the connective piece that could really push them over the top.
Now we need to wait and see if any other NBA general managers follow suit. Will more line up to appear next to Rich Paul and make their pitch? I hope not, but in this era … yeah, it’s going to happen.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins placed Byron Buxton on the 10-day injured list after the center fielder aggravated a hip injury that has lingered through much of the season.
Buxton, who was voted an American League starter for the All-Star Game, will be sidelined through the break. The 32-year-old Buxton, who has battled injury problems his entire career, is headed to the IL for the first time this season.
Buxton missed five games in May when he originally suffered the right hip impingement. He sat out four more games after he tweaked the same spot. He returned to the lineup against the Yankees in New York, but left after making an awkward slide while attempting to steal second.
“We dealt with the hip earlier in the year, gave it some time and it calmed down, and then gave it some time again, and it reaggravated,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said. “I just think with where we’re at in the schedule, how he’s feeling, knowing that he was going to be down a few days, it was probably the best-case scenario for everybody.”
Buxton is hitting .271 with a team-leading .904 OPS in 75 games this season. His 25 home runs are tied for third-most in the American League. He was voted in as an All-Star starter in 2022, when he homered in the AL’s 3-2 victory. He was named as a reserve last season.
The Twins recalled outfielder Alan Roden from Triple-A St. Paul to fill Buxton’s roster spot.
The Yankees (50-41) and Rays (53-36) continue their four-game series Wednesday night at Tropicana Field. They have split the first two games with the Rays getting the win last night 6-4.
The scoring came early last night with the Yankees jumping out to a 3-2 lead after three innings thanks to Ben Rice’s 26th bomb of the season. Tampa Bay erased the deficit, however, with a four-run fourth, getting an RBI double from Richie Palacios before back-to-back homers by Hunter Feduccia and Yandy Díaz. Rookie left-hander Ian Seymour struck out 12 Yankees in 5.1 innings, continuing a troubling trend for New York's offense, which fanned 17 times on the night for the second consecutive game. Let that sink in…34 strikeouts in 68 ABs over the last 18 innings.
Wednesday's pitching matchup features a couple of All-Stars: Gerrit Cole for New York against Shane McClanahan for Tampa Bay. Cole takes the mound with a record of 3-3 and a 4.01 ERA, while McClanahan is 7-5 with a 3.05 ERA. The Yankees’ ace has gradually rounded into form since returning in May from Tommy John surgery last season. In his last start on July 3, Cole struck out seven and allowed just two runs over five innings in a 5-2 win over the Twins. McClanahan, meanwhile, tossed six shutout innings on July 1 against Kansas City, allowing just three hits with no walks while striking out four in a 4-0 Rays’ victory.
The key storyline tonight as it has been the past few weeks revolves around the Yankees offense. Can they snap out of a funk that has seen them score 66 runs in their last 20 games? Currently four games behind the Rays, scoring runs and winning what is a crucial game tonight will not come easy against a Tampa team that is now 32-13 at Tropicana Field this season. The Rays’ win last night was their 32nd in 45 home games this season.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Yankees vs. Rays
Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: Tropicana Field
City: St. Petersburg, FL
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Prime Video, Rays.TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Yankees vs. Rays
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: New York Yankees (-101), Tampa Bay Rays (-120)
Spread: Yankees -1.5 (+176), Rays +1.5 (-215)
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Yankees vs. Rays for July 8
Ben Rice has hit safely in 3 straight games (5-12) with 1 HR in each of his last 2 games
Paul Goldschmidt is without a hit in his last 9 games (0-30)
Cody Bellinger picked up a hit last night and is now 3-33 over his last 8 games
Bellinger has struck out 5 times in his last 8 trips to the plate
Cedric Mullins is 11-33 with 1HR in his career against Gerrit Cole
Amed Rosario is 3-6 in his career against Shane McClanahan
Yandy Diaz went 2-4 last night to snap a 1-19 stretch
Richie Palacios is 7-14 over his last 5 games
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Yankees vs. Rays
The Yankees are 41-50 on the Run Line this season
The Rays are 54-35 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 39 times in Tampa’s 89 games this season (39-46-4)
The OVER has cashed 41 times in the Yankees’ 91 games this season (41-46-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Yankees vs. Rays
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Yankees and the Rays:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Yankees on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 7.0
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DETROIT, MI - MAY 17: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers plays defense on Caris LeVert #8 of the Detroit Pistons during the game during Round Two Game Seven on May 17, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Bucks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
As the dust begins to settle on free agency (and the Giannis trade), we can at least begin to evaluate how the roster is shaking out; when you do that, one thing stands out: there are a lot of guards on the team right now. I mean, not even counting Gary Trent Jr. and that whole clusterf**k of a situation, I can count a total of 6/15 guys who operate at either guard spot (excluding Ousmane Dieng and Caris LeVert, who also need the rock):
Ryan Rollins
Kevin Porter Jr.
Kasparas Jakucionis
Tyler Herro
Brayden Burries
AJ Green
If you add two-ways in Kam Jones and Cormac Ryan, that number of guards reaches eight.
This is not ideal for a range of reasons. There is the obvious concern about not having enough minutes to go around while also keeping one eye on developing key future players like Jakucionis and Burries. In addition, you need to consider the mental impact of players not feeling comfortable in their roles on a game-to-game basis, and their performance suffering as a result. For example, if Burries is never sure when he’ll sub in because he plays 20 minutes one night and 10 the next, how can he be expected to perform?
I understand that on some level, talent is talent, and rebuilding teams really just need to acquire as much talent as possible, position be damned, but there are tradeoffs to that line of thinking. Therefore, my Brew Hoop brethren, I’ll put it to you: is it a good idea to start the season with this many guards, or does Jon Horst need to make some moves to balance this roster out?
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JUNE 28: Jeremy Pena #3 of the Houston Astros swings the bat in the ninth inning during a game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on June 28, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/IOS/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (41-46) won 6-5 (BOX SCORE)
McCullers started for Sugar Land and went 4 innings allowing 4 runs, 2 earned, while walking 3 and striking out 4. The offense got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Meyers 2 run home run. After Rodriguez allowed a run in the 5th, Sugar Land rallied in the 6th for 3 runs to tie it on a Whitcomb RBI single, Meyers walk and Spence hit by pitch. In the 7th, Sugar Land took the lead on a Pena RBI double. Blanco tossed 2 scoreless innings in relief before the game was called due to lightning as Sugar Land won 6-5.
Ronel Blanco, RHP: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (WIN)
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (37-44) lost 3-2 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks got on the board in the first inning on a Bush 2 run home run. Nezuh got the start and pitched really well striking out 11 over 5.1 innings allowing just 1 run. Swanson came on for the 8th but allowed 2 runs as the RoughRiders took the lead. The offense was unable to score again as the Hooks fell 3-2.
Note: Nezuh has 80 K over 65.2 innings this season.
A+: Asheville Tourists (28-53) won 11-3 (BOX SCORE)
Rodriguez started for Asheville and allowed a 1 run before getting out of the first. Asheville got the offense going early scoring 3 runs in the 2nd inning on a Nunez RBI single, Garcia groundout and Nigh RBI double. In the third, Moss added a solo home run. The offense got 2 more runs on a Garcia solo home run and Ochoa sac fly. In the 5th, Nigh added 2 more runs on a 2 run single. The offense got another in the 6th on a wild pitch and another in the 7th on a Powell RBI single. The pen allowed a couple of runs but the offense did more than enough as Asheville won 11-3.
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (41-40) lost 10-9 (BOX SCORE)
Forcucci started for Fayetteville but struggled allowing 4 runs while retiring just 2 batters. The offense got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Flores solo home run. The offense got a run in the 5th on a wild pitch and a run in the 6th on a Salas RBI single. After the Warbirds took a 5-3 lead, Wakefield tied the game in the 7th on a 2 run triple. The Warbirds took the lead in the bottom of the inning but in the 9th, the Woodpeckers rallied for 3 runs on a Luciano sac fly and Flores 2 run single. Fraide allowed 3 runs over 6 innings in relief. The game went to extra innings and in the 11th, the Woodpeckers got a run on a Wakefield RBI groundout. Saunier got the bottom of the inning but allowed 2 runs as the Woodpeckers fell 10-9.
Jul 6, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) throws to first base after forcing out Kansas City Royals first baseman Salvador Perez (13) during the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Trea Turner’s issues at shortstop have officially become too troubling to put off any longer.
In Monday’s get-away game in Kansas City, another Turner error, his 12th of the season, opened the floodgates to a 6-run Royals outburst in the first inning of what would eventually become a 15-1 boat-racing of the Phillies.
Trea Turner's throwing error that opened the door for the Royals to score six first-inning runs off Cristopher Sánchez: pic.twitter.com/LMkT0AVZ2c
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) July 6, 2026
To be fair, Turner’s error prevented the inning from ending, but Sanchez was every bit as responsible for the deluge of runs scored by a heretofore anemic Kansas City offense. The Phils’ ace left-hander clearly didn’t have it on Monday, and the Royals took advantage.
It was additionally damaging to Sanchez in that all the runs were earned, despite the throwing error. Scoring rules dictate one cannot “assume a double play.” The runner was safe at first not on an error, but on a fielder’s choice. The error allowed the runners already on base to move up. So when those runners came in to score, they were all earned, as the scorers could never assume the third out would have been recorded.
I’m here to tell you, you CAN assume a double play. But let’s move on.
One year after having a rennassiance defensive season at short, Turner is once again one of the worst defenders in baseball. His -9 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) is last and in terms of Outs Above Average (OAA), his mark of -6 is 4th-worst among 17 qualified shortstops in MLB.
The time has come. However they want to go about it, the Phillies’ brass must sit Turner down and tell him a transition to the outfield is beginning now.
Trea Turner defensive runs saved since 2023 (tenure with Phillies):
Minus-30 overall (worst among SS)⁰Minus-13 on double plays (worst)
I’ve said it many times — he’s a natural outfielder and will be awesome in center. pic.twitter.com/gY5TCpm3kH
— Paul Hembekides (Hembo) (@PaulHembo) July 6, 2026
Turner is as fast as ever and should be able to make the transition, but it won’t be easy. It may be impossible for them to make the switch mid-season, although Bryce Harper worked out at first base once Rhys Hoskins got hurt and made the transition in the middle of the year. Why can’t Trea?
And it’s not just that Turner is committing errors. He’s failing to finish routine plays. His 22 ground ball double plays turned this year is tied for last among MLB shortstops, despite the Phillies leading the league in ground ball rate (45.2%). His 196 assists are tied for 6th-most, and yet, only 22 double plays.
A temporary double play combination of Edmundo Sosa and Bryson Stott would be an improvement, and Turner’s addition to the outfield would negate the need for the Phillies to trade for one over the next few weeks. As has been noted repeatedly, there is a dearth of quality right-handed hitting outfielders available.
On our latest Hittin’ Season podcast, we discussed the Turner situation and whether the transition can take place now, or must wait until later.
Trea Turner has committed 12 errors at shortstop, yet it feels like a lot more. His -9 Defensive Runs Saved is dead last, and his -6 Outs Above Average is 4th-worst. Should the Phillies move him to the outfield NOW? We discussed on a new Hittin' Season, from @WHYY.
The great fear is that we will gaze in horror this October as Turner commits an error in a key situation in the postseason. Imagine Game 3 of the NLCS and Turner boots a grounder with runners on base that leads to a big inning and costs the Phils a playoff game. It’s a real worry.
Can the Phillies make the switch over the next few weeks? Can they re-make the roster on the fly with Turner in the outfield? How much better would the pitching staff be with the speedy Turner in the outfield and a solid double play combo of Sosa and Stott in the middle of the diamond? While Sosa is not built to play every day, one would think a platoon situation with Stott and some mixing and matching at second base could improve the Phils’ run prevention.
Either way, it’s time for these conversations to begin taking place. If it doesn’t happen this year, the Phillies almost certainly can’t go into 2027 with Turner penciled in as the starting shortstop.
So, why wait? Don’t wait to make an improvement if it can be made sooner rather than later.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - MARCH 15: Caden Scarborough #18 of the Texas Rangers pitches during the game between the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on Saturday, March 15, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Congratulations to Caden Scarborough, who has been named the #3 prospect in the 2026 LSB Midseason Community Prospect Rankings, receiving over 60% of the vote.
Our list so far:
1 — Sebastian Walcott
2 — Caden Scarborough
Moving on…
Because there has been a history of vote-spamming shenanigans in the rankings, I used Google Forms for the last several of community rankings, and it worked out well, so we will use it again. You will need to include your LSB user name when you vote. If you don’t have an LSB user name, you need to use some sort of identifier. While this won’t eliminate the possibility of vote spamming, it will make it harder.
So who is the #3 prospect in the Rangers system right now?
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 13: Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred announces Mitch Volt as the thirty-eighth overall pick by the New York Mets during the 2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike at Coca-Cola Roxy on Sunday, July 13, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Round 1
The Mets ended the 2024 season with an 89-73 record, making them eligible to make the 28th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. Because their 2024 payroll exceeded the competitive balance tax threshold by more than $40 million dollars, their first selection dropped by 10 picks, meaning that their first selection instead was the 38th overall pick, which came in Competitive Balance Round A. With the 38th overall pick, the Mets selected Mitch Voit, a two-way player from the University of Michigan. He signed for $1,750,000, below the MLB-assigned slot value of $2,569,400, and was assigned to the St. Lucie Mets for the remainder of the season, hitting .235/.343/.294 in 22 games with 1 home run, 20 stolen bases in 21 attempts, and 13 walks to 24 strikeouts. Over the winter, he was ranked the Mets’ 9th top prospect by Amazin’ Avenue. He began the 2026 season with High-A Brooklyn and through July 1 hit .250/.356/.417 with 11 doubles, 9 home runs, 26 stolen bases in 30 attempts, and 28 walks to 57 strikeouts.
Rounds 2-10
Due to their signing of Juan Soto, the Mets were not eligible to make a second-round draft selection.
With their third-round pick, the 102nd overall selection, the Mets selected Antonio Jimenez, a shortstop from the University of Central Florida. He signed for $564,000, under the MLB-assigned slot value of $752,000 and was assigned to Single-A St. Lucie. Appearing in 26 games, he hit .263/.345/.274 with 0 home runs, 8 stolen bases in 11 attempts, and drew 12 walks to 15 strikeouts. Over the winter, he was ranked 18 on the 2026 Amazin’ Avenue Top 25 Mets Prospect list. He began the 2026 season with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones and hit .124/.181/.206 with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 3 stolen bases in 4 attempts, and 5 walks to 30 strikeouts. In mid-May, because of his poor performance, he was placed on the Developmental List for roughly a week, and then was assigned to Single-A St. Lucie, where he hit .194/.344/.333 though July 1 with 4 doubles, 2 home runs, 8 stolen bases in 13 attempts, and 13 walks to 29 strikeouts.
With their fourth-round pick, the 133rd overall selection, the Mets selected Peter Kussow, a right-handed pitcher from Arrowhead Union High School in Hartland, Wisconsin. He signed for $897,500, above the MLB-assigned slot value of $555,800, and was assigned to the FCL Mets, but did not appear in a game. Over the winter, he was ranked 25 on the 2026 Amazin’ Avenue Top 25 Mets Prospect list. He underwent season-ending labrum surgery on his right shoulder just prior to the start of the year.
With their fifth-round pick, the 163rd overall selection, the Mets selected Peyton Prescott, a right-handed pitcher from Florida State University. He signed for $197,500, below the MLB-assigned slot value for the 163 overall pick, $415,100. He was assigned to the FCL Mets but did not appear in a game, because he underwent Tommy John surgery after injuring his elbow while playing in the NCAA Super Regionals against Oregon State. He remains recovering from the procedure and has not yet pitched as a professional.
With their sixth-round pick, the 193rd overall selection, the Mets selected Nathan Hall, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Central Missouri. He signed for $297,500, below the MLB-assigned slot value of $322,300. He was assigned to the FCL Mets but did not appear in a single game. He was placed on the FCL Mets 7-Day Injured List on May 1, when their season began, and recently came off of it, appearing in a pair of games through July 1, throwing two scoreless innings, allowing one hit, walking none, and striking out 1.
With their seventh-round pick, the 223rd overall section, the Mets selected Cam Tilly, a right-handed pitcher from Auburn University. He signed for $397,500, above the MLB-assigned slot value of $254,000. He was assigned to the FCL Mets but did not appear in a single game. He was promoted to the Single-A St. Lucie Mets when the 2026 season began and though July 1 has a 4.64 ERA in 54.1 innings over 12 starts with 51 hits allowed, 22 walks, and 52 strikeouts.
With their eighth-round pick, the 253rd overall selection, the Mets selected Camden Lohman, a right-handed pitcher from Fort Zumwalt North High School in O’Fallon, Missouri. He signed for $797,500, above the MLB-assigned slot value of $213,200. He was assigned to the FCL Mets but did not appear in a single game. He remained with the FCL Mets when the 2026 season began and though July 1 has a 5.79 ERA in 28.0 innings over 9 appearances- 7 starts- with 25 hits allowed, 23 walks, and 34 strikeouts.
With their ninth-round pick, the 283rd overall pick, the Mets selected Anthony Frobose, a shortstop from Lakeland High School in Westchester. He signed for $3990,000, above the MLB-assigned slot value of $196,800. He was assigned to the FCL Mets but did not appear in a single game. He remained with the FCL Mets when the 2026 season began and through July 1 hit .228/.352/.406 in 34 games with 4 doubles, 1 triple, 4 home runs, 10 stolen bases in 13 attempts, and 17 walks to 44 strikeouts.
With their tenth-round pick, the 343rd overall pick, the Mets selected Tyler McLoughlin, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Georgia. He signed for $7,500, below the MLB-assigned slot value of $196,800. He was assigned to the Single-A St. Lucie Mets and appeared in 2 games, allowing 2 runs in 2.1 innings, giving up 1 hit and walking 2 while striking out 4. He remained with the St. Lucie Mets when the 2026 season began and though July 1 has a 8.10 ERA in 23.1 innings over 19 appearances with 26 hits allowed, 23 walks, and 33 strikeouts.
Rounds 11-20
With their eleventh-round pick, the 343 overall selection, the Mets selected Wyatt Vincent, an outfielder from Nixa High School in Nixa, Missouri. He signed for $272,500, above the $150,000 cut-off for selections made after the 10th round, meaning that $122,500 of his bonus counted against the 2025 bonus pool. He was assigned to the FCL Mets but did not appear in a single game. He remained with the FCL Mets when the 2026 season began and though July 1 hit in .256/.358/.511 29 games with 5 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs, 5 stolen bases in 10 attempts, and 14 walks to 30 strikeouts.
With their twelfth-round pick, the 373 overall selection, the Mets selected Truman Pauley, a right-handed pitcher from Harvard. He signed for $400,000, above the $150,000 cut-off for selections made after the 10th round, meaning that $250,000 of his bonus counted against the 2025 bonus pool. He was assigned to the FSL Mets and appeared in 3 games, allowing 1 run in 4.1 innings, giving up 0 hits, walking 4, and striking out 3. On January 20, 2026, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox, along with Luisangel Acuna, in exchange for Luis Robert Jr.
With their thirteenth-round pick, the 403rd overall selection, the Mets selected Frank Camarillo, a right-handed pitcher from the University of California: Santa Barbara. He signed for a sum below the $150,000 bonus threshold and was assigned to the FCL Mets but did not get into game action in 2025. He began the 2026 season with Single-A St. Lucie and appeared in 7 games for them, all starts, posting a 4.35 ERA in 31.0 innings with 27 hits allowed, 11 walks, and 28 strikeouts. He was promoted to High-A Brooklyn in late May made three starts for the Cyclones before having his season paused due to injury; in those three starts, he allowed 7 earned runs in 17.2 innings, good for a 3.57 ERA, allowing 17 hits, walking 4, and striking out 8.
With their fourteenth-round pick, the 433rdoverall selection, Mets selected James Smith IV, a two-way player from the University of Memphis. He elected to not sign with the Mets and returned to Memphis.
With their fifteenth-round pick, the 463rd overall selection, the Mets selected Conner Ware, a left-handed pitcher from Louisiana State University. He signed for a sum below the $150,000 bonus threshold and was assigned to the FCL Mets but did not appear in a single game. He was promoted to Single-A St. Lucie for the 2026 season and though July 1 has appeared in 13 games, making 9 starts, posting a 5.36 ERA in 47.0 innings with 41 hits allowed, 24 walks, and 54 strikeouts.
With their sixteenth-round pick, the 493rd overall selection, the Mets selected Zack Mack, a right-handed pitcher from Loyola Marymount University. He signed for a sum below the $150,000 bonus threshold and was assigned to the Single-A St. Lucie Mets, where he appeared in two games, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings, walking one batter. He remained with the St. Lucie Mets when the 2026 season began and though July 1 has appeared in 15 games, posting a 2.08 ERA in 21.2 innings with 20 hits allowed, 8 walks, and 24 strikeouts.
With their seventeenth-round pick, the 523rd overall selection, the Mets selected Sam Robertson, a shortstop from Northwest Shoals Community College. He signed for a sum below the $150,000 bonus threshold and was assigned to the Single-A St. Lucie Mets, where he hit .172/.294/.172 in 20 games with 9 stolen bases in 10 attempts, 9 walks, and 27 strikeouts. He remained with the St. Lucie Mets when the 2026 season began and prior to being placed on the 7-Day Injured List in early June hit .246/.390/.297 in 43 games with 5 doubles, 1 triple, 24 stolen bases in 30 attempts, and 30 walks to 49 strikeouts.
With their eighteenth-round pick, the 553rd overall selection, the Mets selected Dillon Stiltner, a right-handed pitcher from Trinity Christian High School in Sharpsburg, Georgia. He signed for $222,690, above the $150,000 cut-off for selections made after the 10th round, meaning that $72,690 of his bonus counted against the 2025 bonus pool. He was assigned to the FCL Mets but did not appear in a game. He remained with the FCL Mets when the 2026 season began and though July 1 has appeared in 7 games, making 3 starts, with a 12.06 ERA in 15.2 innings, allowing 21 hits, walking 11, and striking out 7.
With their nineteenth-round pick, the 583rd overall selection, the Mets selected Joe Scarborough, a right-handed pitcher from Jacksonville State University. He signed for a sum below the $150,000 bonus threshold and was assigned to the Single-A St. Lucie Mets, where he appeared in a single game and pitched two-thirds of an inning, allowing 2 runs on 1 hit and 3 walks. He remained with the St. Lucie Mets to begin the 2026 season and through July 1 has appeared in 22 games, posting a 5.47 ERA in 24.2 innings with 28 hits allowed, 23 walks, and 23 strikeouts.
With their twentieth-round pick, the 613th overall selection, the Mets selected Garrett Stratton, a right-handed pitcher from Rice University. He signed for a sum below the $150,000 bonus threshold and was assigned to the Single-A St. Lucie Mets, where he appeared in a single game and pitched a single inning, allowing 2 hits. He was assigned to the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones for the 2026 season and appeared in 21 games, posting a 2.73 ERA in 29.2 innings with 25 hits allowed, 15 walks, and 44 strikeouts. He was promoted to Double-A Binghamton in mid-July and has appeared in 4 games with the Rumble Ponies since, allowing 2 earned runs in 6.1 innings, good for a 2.84 ERA, with 5 hits allowed, 0 walks, and 6 strikeouts.
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 07: Matt Borgschulte#72 and manager Blake Butera #10 of the Washington Nationals look on against the Minnesota Twins on May 7, 2026 at Nationals Park in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In Blake Butera’s pre-game press conference yesterday, there were two big topics of conversation. One was his decision to use Cole Henry for a second inning and the other was discussing the ongoing player planning meetings, which take place a few times a season. Honestly, the way Butera discussed both really impressed me. He showed his hands-on approach, as well as his ability to be accountable.
After Cole Henry imploded in his second inning of work, and allowed four runs, Butera took full blame for the situation. Henry had not thrown more than one inning in any of his AAA outings since being sent down. Butera said that he and the team did Henry a “disservice” for not properly preparing him for this situation.
Blake Butera said he did Cole Henry “a disservice” last night. Mentioned that they will prepare these relievers more for multi-inning appearances in the minors. Henry did not throw more than an inning at all in his most recent MILB stint
He also said he would 100% wear Henry’s bad outing. All managers make mistakes, but I appreciate the fact that Butera is willing to take it on the chin. It is hard to manage a bullpen without a whole lot of proven options. Sure, Butera has made some big mistakes along the way, but it is no easy task. When Butera feels he has made a mistake, he is willing to hold himself accountable.
By holding himself accountable, it is easier to hold players accountable as well. After all, trust is a two way street. If you call out the players, but never acknowledge your own mistakes, why would the players trust you? It felt like that was going on at times towards the end of the Davey Martinez era.
Martinez openly said it was never on coaching, which in turn shifted all of the blame on the players. If it is never about coaching, why are the coaches even there? For Blake Butera, he spends every day trying to make himself and his players better.
One of the things he talked about during the presser was the player planning meetings. Butera, the coaching staff and members of the front office meet one on one with every player about three or four times a season. Right now, they are in the second round of these player planning meetings.
In these meetings, the players and coaches openly talk about what they are doing well and how they need to improve. This is the kind of one on one teaching that is so important to this new regime. After the last round, Keibert Ruiz exploded offensively after further embracing pulling the ball in the air. I wonder who the breakout for this round will be.
Three weeks ago, over a dozen coaches, trainers and executives gathered for a meeting with Nats catcher Keibert Ruiz.
He entered the room with self doubt.
He left with a plan to become one of the best catchers in MLB. Free and unlocked: https://t.co/iKYePSRUuH
Blake mentioned that he met with James Wood yesterday. He said that the meeting was fairly short because Wood does not have a ton to work on at the moment. Some of the meetings can go a bit longer like Ruiz’s last time.
These player planning meetings really seem like an integral part of the new regime’s philosophy. Everyone in the player development space talks about individualizing and tailoring things to the player, but that is hard to do in practice and is very time consuming. There is a reason many teams just have overarching models. The Nats want to tailor things to the individual as much as they can though.
While Blake Butera has a warm exterior, and truly wants what is best for the player, he is not always Mr. Nice Guy. Last night he was clearly upset with Andrew Alvarez’s performance and his inability to find the zone. He did not like how Alvarez was nibbling and really did not like the fact that he threw a 3-0 breaking ball. Butera said he pitched scared, which is not the first time he has used that line.
Blake Butera was quite upset with the free passes issued tonight. He said certain guys' stuff plays really well up in the big leagues, and those pitchers can't be scared to throw it in the zone.
This is a lot of Butera praise, but it is deserved. He is very good at controlling the clubhouse and fostering an environment that helps players get better. Do his bullpen decisions and insistence on pinch hitting Andres Chaparro for Luis Garcia Jr. frustrate me? Absolutely, but he is still a first year manager who has a near impossible task on the bullpen side of things.
The most important part of being a manager is leading and setting the culture. Right now, I feel like Butera is doing a great job of that. Hopefully the in game decision making sharpens up as he gains experience. Overall, I have been a fan of the Blake Butera experience.
His hands-on style and willingness to hold himself and his coaching staff accountable is a breath of fresh air. Butera and his coaching staff have been a massive upgrade and have helped make this team better. There is simply no way this team would lead baseball in runs with Darnell Coles as the hitting coach. It is not perfect, but Blake Butera has brought new life to this Nationals team.
The Chicago Blackhawks have a lot invested in their top forward, Connor Bedard. They selected him with the first overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft with the expectation that he would be their franchise cornerstone.
Now, Bedard is three years into his NHL career, and there are many things that must be sorted out. For one, he hurt his shoulder during a summer practice, and there is still no update from the team on his status.
Two, he is a restricted free agent with no contract going into 2026-27. There is no way to know if the injury is going to impact that, or if there will be news on it before training camp begins in September.
A rumor has also swirled that the Philadelphia Flyers actually sent an offer sheet to Connor Bedard before Leo Carlsson signed his offer sheet for five years and $18 million per, but Bedard declined to sign it. That, however, is not confirmed and nothing more than a rumor at this point.
If that were true, it would be a great sign that he is loyal to the Chicago Blackhawks organization under any circumstances.
On Tuesday, new Blackhawks forward Cole Smith spoke to the local media for the first time, and he said something about Bedard that also speaks to his dedication to being a loyal leader on the team.
"(Bedard) sent me a text, which is pretty cool from a young guy," Smith said of his new teammate. "(I'm) looking forward to meeting him, seeing what makes him tick."
The fact that Bedard was willing to quickly send a text message to new Blackhawks teammates shows leadership and a desire to make these guys comfortable. He has no obligation to do so, especially being a 20-year-old currently sitting with no contract.
Moves like this not only make it clear that he wants to be a member of the organization that drafted him, but also that he wants to be the captain. He wore an "A" full-time after the trade deadline, and his actions support that decision. It may become a "C" once the pen hits the paper.
During the 2025-26 season, Bedard had 30 goals and 45 assists for 75 points in 69 games played. He also looked like a player who was faster and stronger for most of the campaign. His mid-season shoulder injury slowed him down a tad, but there is no denying that he is blossoming into one of the elite centers in the game.
Part of his getting better has to do with the training that he puts in during the off-season. He avoided the World Championships with Canada twice now in favor of preparing for the upcoming NHL season.
He hurt his shoulder (again) this time around, but it was all in an attempt to get better. He clearly wants to be elite. Every other player is more likely to put in the necessary work to improve if the team's best player is doing the same thing.
With Bedard's skill comes a bit of leadership responsibility, and he is warming to the task in a big way. At this point, there is no reason to question his desire to be a great leader on and off the ice for the Chicago Blackhawks.
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It feels like the Finals just ended, but you can already watch NBA action with Summer League already in action. Starting Thursday, July 9, the main course will be served with the 2026 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring young stars for every team in the league.
Read on for all the information you need on how to watch all the hoops from Vegas, including the top selections from the stacked 2026 NBA Draft.
2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League schedule
The 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League begins on Thursday, July 9 and runs through the championship round on Sunday, July 19. Each team will play four preliminary matchups before the consolation and championship rounds.
You can find the full schedule of every game here.
How to watch 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League
All 76 games will be split between ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and Prime Video. The schedule linked above carries the broadcast/streaming channel for each game.
What are the rosters for the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League?
Every team's roster for Vegas is available here. Injury management can always change who plays, but most of the incoming rookies are expected to participate.
What are the rule changes for NBA Summer League?
The league is testing out two new additions to gameplay during this Summer League.
The first is the "one free throw rule." This rule dictates that any foul that would typically result in any number of free throws will lead to one free-throw attempt. That one attempt will be worth the total number of points of the free throws it replaces.
So, for example, if a player is fouled in the act of shooting a 3-pointer, he will go to the line and shoot one free throw. If he makes it, it will be worth three points.
The rule is designed to speed up play. It has been in use in the NBA G League since the 2019-20 season and was also implemented in this summer's California and Salt Lake City summer leagues.
The other change is the use of "connected basketballs" in each game. These balls have an embedded sensor that detects contact with the ball. The NBA will collect the data to "support future officiating applications, such as last-touch out-of-bounds calls.”
The league says the sensor is not noticeable, doesn't change the feel or play of the ball and does not cause a major weight difference.
AJ Dybantsa, Wizards Summer League schedule
Dybantsa will make his Wizards debut on the first day of action in the traditional "No. 1 pick vs. No. 2 pick" opening matchup against Darryn Peterson and the Utah Jazz. He will also get the chance to square off against top-10 picks Darius Acuff Jr., Caleb Wilson and Keaton Wagler in Washington's preliminary games.
Friday, July 10: vs. Chicago Bulls, 8:00 PM ET (Prime Video)
Monday, July 13: vs. Dallas Mavericks, 7:00 PM ET (ESPN)
Tuesday, July 14: vs. Golden State Warriors, 7:00 PM ET (ESPN)
Thursday, July 16: vs. Atlanta Hawks, 8:00 PM ET (Prime Video)
Darryn Peterson, Jazz Summer League schedule
Peterson has already showed off his impressive game in Salt Lake City Summer League, dropping 28 points on the Hawks and going for 25 points and 12 assists against Cam Boozer and the Grizzlies.
Thursday, July 9: vs. Washington Wizards, 9:00 PM ET (ESPN)
Sunday, July 12: vs. LA Clippers, 10:00 PM ET (Prime Video)
Monday, July 13: vs. Chicago Bulls, 10:00 PM ET (ESPN)
Wednesday, July 15: vs. San Antonio Spurs, 9:30 PM ET (Prime Video)
2026 NBA Draft No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson shows off his skills against Cameron Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies with an impressive 25-point, 12-assist performance.
Cameron Boozer, Grizzlies Summer League schedule
Boozer also made his debut in Salt Lake City and combined the productivity and efficiency he rode to Naismith player of the year honors as a freshman. Boozer averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and four assists while shooting 65% from the field and 62.5% from three.
Friday, July 10: vs. Chicago Bulls, 8:00 PM ET (Prime Video)
Monday, July 13: vs. Dallas Mavericks, 7:00 PM ET (ESPN)
Tuesday, July 14: vs. Golden State Warriors, 7:00 PM ET (ESPN)
Thursday, July 16: vs. Atlanta Hawks, 8:00 PM ET (Prime Video)
Caleb Wilson, Bulls Summer League schedule
Wilson is the other of the top-four picks who is still yet to appear on the court with his new team. He will play each of the other three in Vegas.
Friday, July 10: vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 8:00 PM ET (Prime Video)
Monday, July 13: vs. Utah Jazz, 9:00 PM ET (ESPN)
Tuesday, July 14: vs. Washington Wizards, 8:00 PM ET (Prime Video)
Thursday, July 16: vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 6:00 PM ET (Prime Video)
