For the past decade, Jaylen Brown meant a lot to the city of Boston. Yet as is often the case when a player gets traded away, his departure was a bit unceremonious.
After having his name floated in trade rumors multiple times over multiple years, Brown was dealt away to Philadelphia in early July, ending his 10-year career with the Celtics.
Unlike most athletes, though, Brown decided to give himself the chance to say goodbye on his own terms, hosting a block party on Boston Common over the weekend. The turnout was impressive and the vibes were positive, as Brown and the fans in attendance shared their mutual appreciation for each other throughout the day.
Celtics insider Chris Forsberg was in attendance for the event and found it to be a meaningful experience.
“It was still super fun to see the way that Boston turned out for Jaylen,” Forsberg said on the latest Celtics Talk Podcast. “And one thing I think that struck me is that it was a reminder how much he meant to the city — the city that he really, more than maybe any player in my time here, tried to wrap his arms around and was so involved. And so when it ends with Mayor [Michelle] Wu coming out and giving him the street sign for Jaylen Brown Way and saying maybe at some point down the road this will be a real thing, then getting the key to the city, it was — I was surprisingly moved by everything that went down.”
Kayla Burton added that the abrupt end of Brown’s Celtics career never felt right, making this unique celebration feel appropriate.
“It didn’t feel right. … I just felt like they didn’t do him right. We didn’t do him right in terms of the farewell goodbye,” Burton said. “So I’m glad this happened because it did kind of solidify the, ‘Thank you, Jaylen, for giving your blood, sweat and tears to the city of Boston.’
“He’s done so much,” Burton continued. “When you look at the Celtics and when you think of specific players that really are heavily involved in the Boston community, his name is at the top of the list. He is so involved, going to schools, Harvard, MIT, being at community centers, going to help the Boys and Girls Clubs around Boston. … So it’s more than just the basketball aspect. And that’s why I think that was that moving part too, is because he’s trying to create this Black Wall Street and doing so many things for young boys, young girls of color, and it means something to the city of Boston. So there is that element of it too, which is why I think it was as moving as it was.”
Both Forsberg and Burton believe Brown’s No. 7 will hang in the rafters at TD Garden after his playing career ends, but that’s a conversation for another day. For now, it can be stated with no doubt that Brown is now the rare athlete to be traded away from Boston while managing to gain some level of closure.
MAR DEL PLATA, ARGENTINA - AUGUST 27: Jose Alvarado of Puerto Rico looks on during the FIBA World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifiers Group F game between Argentina and Puerto Rico at Polideportivo Islas Malvinas on August 27, 2026 in Mar del Plata, Argentina. (Photo by Micaela Rostom/FIBA via Getty Images) | FIBA via Getty Images
I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I do really love international basketball. Really, I love all forms of national-team events. It’s the reason I watch the World Cup religiously and ignore soccer’s existence for much of the following four years. It’s why I tune in to a lot of sports I usually wouldn’t during the Olympics, both summer and winter. Basketball is no exception, except it’s a sport I do actually watch quite a lot.
It’s a good thing this isn’t a big international basketball summer, as the Knicks are enjoying their offseason following their historic playoff run and third NBA championship. The next two summers, though, are full of it. The FIBA World Cup will take place in Qatar next summer and will determine who plays at the 2028 LA Olympics.
You do have to qualify for that, however, which is what’s gone on this summer. Dozens of countries around the globe are taking to the court in hopes of qualifying for the FIBA World Cup, a place that these nations almost have to be at to even have a chance of calling themselves Olympians.
As such, many NBA players are getting reps in this offseason overseas, particularly the Euros. Just look at Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama squaring off in a heated game during a qualifer to a qualifier in the middle of the offseason:
Two current Knicks and three former Knicks* competed in the most recent window of games across the world, so let’s check in on them and how they balled out for their country:
Pacome Dadiet (Ivory Coast)
Dadiet is a native of France; that much is true, but he was born to Ivorian immigrants along the southern coast, just outside of Nice, so he elected to represent Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). This was actually his senior national team debut after playing for France as a teenager.
Ivory Coast entered the second round of qualification in a very good spot with a 5-1 record that carries over into Group F. With the window’s games being played in Dakar, Senegal, the Ivorians first squared off with Mali last Thursday, winning a narrow 83-77 result.
Dadiet, playing alongside his older brother, Maxence, for the first time, had nine points and nine rebounds, going 4-for-12 from the field and 1-for-8 from three. What the Knicks will like here are the five offensive rebounds, something the team might need some help with after the departure of Mitchell Robinson.
On Saturday, they faced off with Egypt and won another close contest, 72-66. Dadiet scored 13 points with six rebounds in 25 minutes, going 5-for-15 from the field and 3-for-7 from deep, while the team lost his minutes by 12 points.
Ivory Coast re-took the court the next day on Sunday for a game against Angola and got blown out, losing 91-70 to conclude the August window. Dadiet had 10 points, seven assists, and five rebounds across 31 minutes, going 2-for-9 from the field and missing all four of his threes. The jumper still isn’t there right now.
As with every other FIBA Qualifier, the remaining three dates will all be in the February 2027 window, meaning any NBA talent will have no control over what their country does from here. Ivory Coast sits at 7-2 and would likely only need to win one of their final three games to get to Qatar.
Jose Alvarado (Puerto Rico)
The only Olympian on the current Knicks’ roster, Alvarado played for his father’s country in Paris back in 2024 and continues to represent them on the international stage. Unfortunately for Alvarado, the prospects of getting back to Paris are increasingly slim.
Puerto Rico advanced by the slimmest of margins in Group B with a paltry 2-4 record, which unfortunately carried over into Group F play in the second round. In the two games in the August window, where Alvarado was able to participate, they could not manage a win.
The first game last Thursday against Argentina got away from them in the second half, as they lost 89-75 in Mar de Plata. Alvarado had 19 points, six rebounds, and four assists, but also committed five turnovers in 36 minutes of work, going 7-for-15 from the field and 3-for-8 from deep. As the clear focal point of the offense, he was consistently targeted.
On Monday, P.R. stayed in South America, visiting Uruguay in Montevideo and losing 80-75, falling behind early and never recovering. Once again playing considerable minutes, Alvarado was held to just three points on 1-for-9 shooting, but dished out nine assists with just two turnovers in 33 minutes of action, posting a positive plus-minus.
With four matchdays remaining in November and February, Puerto Rico is going to have to likely win at least three to have a shot at the FIBA World Cup, sitting at 2-6 with the Bahamas currently sitting in fourth at 4-4 as the last team in.
Dillon Jones (USA)
Does Dillon Jones count as a current Knick or is he an OAKAAK? The two-time NBA champion is currently a free agent, but is a strong contender to take one of the team’s open two-way spots after participating in Summer League. Nonetheless, he’s in the gray area… for now.
The state of USA Basketball is as follows. We care a lot about the Olympics; we care a bit about FIBA; we don’t give a damn about anything else. Unlike other countries, which have some of their best and brightest playing these qualifiers, Team USA is currently a smorgasbord of ex-college stars and guys with brief stints in the league. Here’s who Jones was teammates with this week. All of these would qualify as “good pulls” if you want to prove your ball knowledge:
Mike James – former Brooklyn Net teammate of KD and Kyrie
Jaron Blossomgame – 27 career games with the 2019 Cavs, All-ACC guard at Clemson
Cole Swider – former Laker who split time at Syracuse and Villanova in college
DeJon Jarreau – All-AAC guard for Houston who’s played 26 career NBA games for Memphis and Indiana
Kevon Harris – played 36 games for Orlando, Stephen F. Austin grad
Pedro Bradshaw – played college at Bellarmine and Eastern Kentucky
Darius Brown II – UDFA out of Utah State who played three minutes for Cleveland on February 24th
Tyler Smith – 33rd pick by the Bucks in 2024, 35 career games
James Nunnally – 37 career games from 2013-21 with five teams. Best known for being the worst card in NBA 2k16
Garrison Brooks – started for UNC and Mississippi State across a five-year collegiate career. Was a Knick for three days in September 2022
Orlando Robinson – 115 games for four teams
I mean, look at this group.
They started the August window last Thursday in Santiago against Chile, riding a Swider 19-point game to a blowout victory. Jones didn’t play much, only four minutes where he had a rebound and an assist.
Four days later, on Monday, they came home to face Colombia in Washington, D.C., where they won 102-80. Jones again played only four minutes, scoring two points with a rebound and an assist.
While already qualified for the Olympics by being the host country, the U.S. will want revenge after a terrible 2023 World Cup showing, so these are still important to them. With four matchdays remaining, the Americans are firmly on top with a 7-1 record, as close to clinched as possible. They won’t need any NBA talent for this.
OAKAAK Corner
Mamadi Diakite (Guinea) – Guinea went 4-2 in Round 1 and took two of their three games in the August window, with the former Knick being a big part of them being on track to compete in Qatar next summer.
He had 14-11-6 in a bad shooting game in the loss against South Sudan, but rebounded to put up 11-4-4 with five stocks in the win over Cabo Verde, while posting 12-5-5 with four stocks against Cameroon.
Diakite played seven total games as a Knick in 2023-24, including four in the postseason in garbage time, as the rotating 15th roster spot. He currently plays in Dubai.
Willy Hernangomez (Spain): There is no Knick from the late-2010s dark ages that I have more of a heart for than Hernangomez, who I believed in way too much. Spain went 5-1 in the first round and looked as formidable as ever entering Group E play, but have hit a major roadbump.
Willy, playing alongside his brother Juancho, scored seven points with two rebounds in a 95-89 loss to Portugal to open the August window, before being held off the board in just eight minutes of play in an overtime loss to a Giannis-less Greece.
Evander Kane has been a lightning rod for controversy throughout his lengthy NHL career, from the infamous “track suit” incident with Winnipeg that resulted in him being dealt to the Buffalo Sabres in 2015, to financial and marital issues that occurred while a member of the San Jose Sharks. Kane had his contract terminated by the Sharks in 2022 for breaching the NHL’s COVID protocols, and this week former teammate Kurtis Gabriel revealed on social media details of the controversial forward’s reputation.
“Every meeting, Evander Kane shows up late,” Gabriel, who played 11 games for the Sharks in 2021, said on the SJHN podcast. “A team meeting in a hotel in the morning; there’s breakfast, you have to be at the meeting. You are always 15 minutes early... we start the meeting, the door clicks open, here comes Evander, in his flip-flops, in his tracksuit, when we are in a suit and tie.”
The revelation drew responses from Kane and Christina Marleau, the wife of teammate Patrick Marleau, who texted to Gabriel that they would not let their sons in the locker room when Kane was around.
Where will Connor Hellebuyck end up?
The 35-year-old winger had his share of incidents during his time with the Sabres, being suspended by the club for one game for oversleeping after going to the NBA All-Star Game in Toronto and missing practice the following day, to being arrested for an incident in a Buffalo nightclub on NHL Draft night in 2016, in which the charges were later dropped.
Kane, who is currently an unsigned unrestricted free agent, spent four seasons with the Edmonton Oilers before being dealt to his hometown Vancouver Canucks last summer, where he finished with 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) in 71 games.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 21: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts as he leaves the game during the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on August 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers offense showed up finally on Tuesday night, but eight runs were not enough to overcome the terrible pitching performances by Eric Lauer and those that followed him. If the Dodgers muster even half of that on Wednesday, they should be in pretty good position as Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound.
In his last outing, Yamamoto went 6 1/3 innings, allowing only a leadoff homer to Braves catcher Drake Baldwin, and then nothing else as he went toe-to-toe with Chris Sale. Sale of course completely shut down the Dodgers going for the complete game shutout, as the Dodgers couldn’t muster anything against him.
It was indicative of what has happened to Yamamoto throughout most of his career and especially this August, as he had a 1.95 ERA and only a 1-2 record to show for it. L.A. has scored three or more runs behind him only twice in his past six starts, and five of those games were decided by one run, giving him little margin for error while he’s on the mound.
This time the Dodgers will be facing the Cardinals bullpen. Ryan Fernandez went 1.2 innings in Tuesday night’s game, but every other arm in the ‘pen hasn’t seen much usage in the last few days and should be fresh and ready to go.
Yamamoto has faced the Cardinals twice before, and has yet to allow a run in 11 innings pitched.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 8,1990: Michael Carbajal (L) throws punch against Leon Salazar during the fight at the Rawhide Western Theme Park in Scottsdale, Arizona. Michael Carbajal won the IBF light flyweight title by a KO 4. (Photo by The Ring Magazine via Getty Images)
Today’s Lineups
PHILLIES
DIAMONDBACKS
Kyle Schwarber – 1B
Lars Nootbaar – LF
Trea Turner – SS
Corbin Carroll – RF
Bryce Harper – DH
Gabriel Moreno – DH
Luis Arraez – 2B
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Bryson Stott – 3B
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Brandon Marsh – LF
Tim Tawa – 1B
Justin Crawford – CF
James McCann – C
J.T. Realmuto – C
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Bryan De La Cruz – RF
Jordan Lawlar – CF
Andrew Painter – RHP
Jose Cabrera – RHP
The line-up above shows Cabrera as the “starter”: it’s quite possible he will end up throwing most innings today, but the actual first pitcher to take the mound today will be Taylor Clarke, in what looks likely to be a vaguely bullpen game for Arizona. There haven’t actually been too many of those this year for Arizona, compared to previous seasons. It’s hard to get an exact count, but simply looking at games where the “starter” has lasted two or fewer innings, seems to be the first bullpen game of 2026. The only <= 2 IP starts were Michael Soroka’s injury-curtailed one, and Ryne Nelson’s 0.1 IP, 8 ER outing.
There were two bullpen games last year, both with Jalen Beeks as the opener. But 2024 had six of them, starting as early as April 30 with Brandon Hughes. And if you’re thinking “who?” there, you’re probably not alone. Admittedly, there was a fairly good excuse. That was the famous “bee delay” game, which ended up icing Jordan Montgomery. But there was a genuine opener used by Arizona on May 20, when Joe Mantiply started in Dodger Stadium, and pitched a scoreless inning. It feels like it was something which was very much in vogue around the 2023-24 seasons, but has since fallen out of vogue.
There had been whispers in some circles that we might see Corbin Burnes come off the IL for this outing. But the team decided he was still not quite ready for prime-time. He would only have been able to throw about 45 pitches, and the team wants more. Torey Lovullo said, “We’re going to continue to allow Corbin to increase that overall pitch count in a setting we can control… He’s going to go out there and compete. We want to put him in the best situation possible for when he does re-enter our rotation, that he can pitch a little bit deeper into the game and not leave a little bit of a blank spot.” Should see him next week.
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DETROIT, MI - MAY 17: Donovan Mitchell #45 and Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talk during the game against the Detroit Pistons during Round Two Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are sticking with the theme of having a destination training camp. But unlike the last two seasons, when they took a quick plane ride south to Sarasota, Florida, to train at IMG Academy, the Cavs will be taking a much longer trip across the pond as they’ll be conducting training camp in Spain.
Cleveland will be holding training camp at The Embassy in Andalusia. The Embassy is a high-performance basketball training center in Fuengirola, Spain, which is along the Costa del Sol. Training camp will be from September 30 through October 5. The Cavaliers will then start preseason action on October 8 against the Boston Celtics shortly thereafter.
“[W]e’re excited to bring our group together in a setting designed to help us prepare, connect and build the habits and chemistry that will carry us into the season ahead,” Cavs’ President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman said in the team’s press release announcing the location for the upcoming training camp. “It’s also an exciting opportunity to experience the culture and passion for basketball in Spain.”
The Embassy was designed by former Spanish national players Berni Rodríguez and José Calderón. Calderón played for the Cavs in 2017-18 and is a current member of the front office.
The Cavs have also announced that they will conduct media day shortly before heading overseas. That will take place on Monday, September 28.
Cleveland will begin the regular season on the road against LeBron James and the newly revamped Philadelphia 76ers on October 22.
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 22: A view of a tarp on the field during a weather delay before the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on June 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s the fourth inning of a scoreless game and the Atlanta Braves are knocking on the door with the bases loaded and one out in the top half of this frame. We’ll have to wait and see if the Braves can cash in on the opportunity since some inclement weather that had been knocking on the door at Natioanls Park finally came through and made it too bad to play in.
Today's game is currently in a delay due to inclement weather. We will provide an update as more information becomes available.
Please visit https://t.co/gCCIe3IKat for more info or text SEPT2 to 91347 to receive notifications.
So on that cliffhanger, we wait. Stay tuned right here as we’ll have updates for you as they come in. In the meantime, why don’t you give the new SB Nation App a whirl? We’ve got more information for you right here in case you’d like to try it out!
UPDATE [2:52 p.m. ET]: If you’re watching the TV broadcast, this won’t be a surprise. The grounds crew in Washington appears to be removing the tarp and play could be resuming in the near future. For what it’s worth, CJ Nitkowski guessed that it might be sometime after three, which it would have to be considering we’re knocking on the door of 3 o’clock.
UPDATE [3:00 p.m. ET]: Alright, we got a start time. 3:20 p.m. ET, folks. Lock in, everybody.
Today's game will resume at approximately 3:20 p.m.
The transfer window has broken all rational rules and limits, leaving us to marvel and, ultimately, pick up the bill
There was a research study a few years back into a key period in the life of the TV show Location, Location, Location. You know the one. Half an hour of mid-morning drift. Hosted by two people whose common quality is they both look as if the minced essence of Wellington boots, the Volvo XC40 and the phrase “picky bits” has been reconstituted into human shapes, then sent out to judge people for buying houses.
The big reveal was always the bit where they came back a year later and saw how much the value had shifted. Because all conversations about houses are, in the end, an excuse to talk about money. Oh wow, it’s gone up by £20,000. You are good. Oh no, you’re now bankrupt and your flat looks like a hostage cell with fairy lights. Unlucky. You are bad.
The transfer window has broken all rational rules and limits, leaving us to marvel and, ultimately, pick up the bill
There was a research study a few years back into a key period in the life of the TV show Location, Location, Location. You know the one. Half an hour of mid-morning drift. Hosted by two people whose common quality is they both look as if the minced essence of Wellington boots, the Volvo XC40 and the phrase “picky bits” has been reconstituted into human shapes, then sent out to judge people for buying houses.
The big reveal was always the bit where they came back a year later and saw how much the value had shifted. Because all conversations about houses are, in the end, an excuse to talk about money. Oh wow, it’s gone up by £20,000. You are good. Oh no, you’re now bankrupt and your flat looks like a hostage cell with fairy lights. Unlucky. You are bad.
The Blue Jays (68-71) and the Guardians (70-68) continue their crucial three-game series in Cleveland tonight. The Guardians strengthened their hold on the final Wild Card with a 6-1 win last night over the Jays in the series opener. With the win, Cleveland extended their lead over the Blue Jays to 1.5 games in the race for the final Wild Card spot.
Toronto arrived in Cleveland after taking three of four from Seattle over the weekend but saw that momentum snuffed out by Gavin Williams. The Guardians’ ace was elite striking out 13 and allowing just one unearned run over seven innings. Patrick Bailey, Angel Genao, and Angel Martinez each ripped two-run homers to provide the offense for Cleveland. With the win, the Guardians are now 11-4 since August 12.
Toronto sends its ace, Dylan Cease (9-5, 2.33 ERA) to the mound tonight. Among the Cy Young favorites in the American League, Cease has been lights out for the last two months. In just two of his last 11 starts Cease has allowed three earned runs and in five of those 11 he has not allowed a run (earned or otherwise). Cease has thrown 67 innings since July 1 and allowed just 11 earned runs while striking out 89. Cleveland counters with left-hander Joey Cantillo (9-7, 3.70 ERA). His latest outing came August 26 against the Angels, when he worked six innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits in a Cleveland victory. Cantillo has been particularly effective lately, posting a 2.16 ERA across his last three starts. During that stretch he has allowed just four earned runs in 16⅔ innings.
Cleveland has won three of five games against Toronto this year and can clinch the season series with a win tonight.
Lets dive further into tonight’s game 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: Blue Jays vs. Guardians
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The Latest Odds: Blue Jays vs. Guardians
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Toronto Blue Jays (-131), Cleveland Guardians (+109)
Spread: Blue Jays -1.5 (+135), Guardians +1.5 (-163)
Blue Jays: Dylan Cease Season Totals: 150.1 IP, 9-5, 2.33 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 217K, 65 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Blue Jays vs. Guardians
Dylan Cease has struck out 8+ hitters in 4 of his last 5 starts
Patrick Bailey is 4-7 in his career against Dylan Cease
Jose Ramirez is just 6-30 against Cease
Nathaniel Lowe has homered twice in 13ABs against Cease
Kazuma Okamoto is 2-3 including 1 HR in his career against Joey Cantillo
Joey Cantillo has struck out 5+ hitters in 6 of his last 8 starts
Steven Kwan has hit safely in 9 of his last 11GP (17-46)
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: Blue Jays vs. Guardians
The Jays are 67-72 on the Run Line this season
The Guardians are 71-67 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 68 times in Toronto’s 139 games this season (68-66-5)
The OVER has cashed 65 times in Cleveland’s 138 games this season (65-73)
Expert picks & predictions: Blue Jays vs. Guardians - September 2
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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 Guardians and the Blue Jays:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Blue Jays on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Blue Jays on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 7.0
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Juraj Slafkovsky said something that stopped a lot of people, of many different fan bases, in their tracks.
“It’s not really about the money for anyone in Montreal,” Slafkovsky said. “We’d rather just focus on collecting those rings.”
The Montreal Canadiens have spent the last few years building their contracts around that mentality. Nick Suzuki is signed for $7.875 million per season. Cole Caufield makes $7.85 million. Slafkovsky is at $7.6 million. Lane Hutson signed for $8.85 million, Noah Dobson is at $9.5 million, and Ivan Demidov signed an eight-year extension worth $9.15 million per season.
Montreal's highest-paid player, Dobson, didn't even sign his contract with the team; he was traded to them from the New York Islanders.
Montreal has its core under contract for years, until the first extension expires in 2030. Every one of those players could be part of the Canadiens through the rest of the decade if they continue to re-sign at this rate.
Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers have spent a lot of time trying to build around large contracts at the top of the roster. Leon Draisaitl carries a $ 14 million cap hit. McDavid is at $12.5 million. Evan Bouchard's new contract pays him $10.5 million per season. Those three contracts account for $37 million before Stan Bowman gets to the rest of the lineup.
The players have earned their money. Draisaitl has won multiple Hart Trophies, Art Ross Trophies, and Ted Lindsay Awards while producing at a level few players in the league can reach. McDavid is arguably underpaid for what he does. Bouchard put himself in a position for a major contract through his production from the blue line.
Edmonton has generally paid it's star players what they deserve.
Montreal has created an internal salary structure that its players appear willing to follow. Suzuki signed his eight-year deal in 2021. Caufield followed in 2023. Slafkovsky signed his extension in 2024, Hutson followed, and Demidov joined the group this summer.
Demidov had 62 points as a rookie and signed as soon as he became eligible. Hutson signed after winning the Calder Trophy. Slafkovsky agreed to his contract at 20, with plenty of years still ahead of him. None of them waited until the last possible moment to find out what unrestricted leverage or another season of production could bring.
They wanted the contracts done. They wanted to stay in Montreal. They wanted the organization to have money available to keep building the roster.
An extra million dollars on six contracts is $6 million that can't be spent somewhere else. A few players taking reasonable long-term numbers can create enough room for another forward, defenceman, or goaltender. It can give Kent Hughes money at the trade deadline without offloading someone else first. It can also keep a roster together when younger players begin needing new contracts.
Obviously, the Oilers have some discount contracts. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins signed for eight years at $5.125 million in 2021. Zach Hyman signed for $5.5 million and gave Edmonton one of the best contracts in NHL history. McDavid's current $12.5 million deal was a show-me deal to the Oilers, but a cheap one at that.
There has never been a salary structure throughout the entire roster that everyone seemed determined to maintain. Edmonton negotiated each contract on its own terms and dealt with the cap situation that followed.
That approach is common throughout the NHL. Players spend their careers working toward unrestricted free agency and the opportunity to secure their largest contract. Agents have a responsibility to maximize earnings. Careers can end quickly, and teams regularly trade, waive or buy out players when their contracts stop working for the organization.
Slafkovsky's comments provide some insight into how the players in Montreal see it. He is talking about winning a Stanley Cup. The players appear to view their contracts as part of keeping the group together long enough to do that.
Edmonton has spent years searching for value around McDavid and Draisaitl because every dollar matters once the top of the roster has been paid. Stan Bowman looks for players willing to sign short contracts, veterans whose markets disappeared and young players capable of producing on inexpensive deals. One bad contract can remove much of the remaining flexibility.
The same issue exists throughout the league. Toronto infamously paid the core-4 and then had nothing left. Colorado just signed Cale Makar to a $20.4 million contract. Florida might run out of cap space this year. Tampa Bay has had to let players go after winning their recent Stanley Cups.
Every contender eventually has players who need to get paid.
Montreal's current players seem determined to keep that problem under control before it arrives. Their comments underline that the message has become part of the culture, and every new extension gives the next player another reason to take less so he can win more.
The Oilers should want that.
McDavid and Draisaitl say they want to win a Stanley Cup. The team has made decisions around giving them that opportunity, and both players have already committed significant portions of their careers to Edmonton. Creating an internal expectation around contracts could become another part of keeping a winning roster together.
Why can't more NHL teams convince their stars that leaving money available can help them win? Why can't players decide that keeping another teammate around has value of its own? Why can't a room establish a number and have its core buy into it?
Montreal has managed to get several players thinking that way at the same time. The Canadiens now have years to see what they can build with the room those contracts provide.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and NBA have each reached out to scoreboard manufacturer Daktronics, seeking information about the company’s dealings with Kawhi Leonard.
Howard Atkins, acting chief financial officer of Daktronics, disclosed the development Wednesday, Sept. 2 in an earnings call and said the company was cooperating.
“Let me now briefly address a matter that has been in the media concerning the NBA’s investigation of Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers in connection with the league’s collective bargaining agreement that many of you may have heard about,” Atkins said during the call.
“As you might expect, we have received requests for information from the NBA. Additionally, the Securities and Exchange Commission is seeking information from us concerning the company and Mr. Leonard. We take these requests seriously and are cooperating. At this point, out of respect for the respective processes, we will not be providing further comment.”
It is unclear if this latest development may further delay the disclosure of the findings of the league’s investigation. Training camps are set to begin at the end of the month.
Kawhi Leonard investigation: What to know
In early August, the podcast “Pablo Torre Finds Out” reported on Daktronics’ alleged partnership with Leonard, which was the second such relationship to come under scrutiny. Previously, Leonard’s ties to a now-defunct green financial services company called Aspiration sparked an investigation into alleged no-show endorsement deals that purportedly funneled money to Leonard.
Daktronics, which is based in South Dakota, is the company that designed the video board inside the Intuit Dome, the home venue of the Clippers.
Torre had previously uncovered thousands of pages of legal documents, including a contract signed by Leonard for $28 million over a four-year term to market and endorse Aspiration, which previously received a significant investment from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.
In the contract, a clause states that KL2 Aspire LLC, a company managed by Leonard, could “decline to proceed with any action desired by the Company,” which allegedly set up a framework for Leonard to receive payments without performing any work. Another clause states that Leonard would receive payments only if he continued to be a player on the Clippers.
Then, on Sept. 11, Torre reported that a December 2022 payment of $1.75 million to Leonard that had been running late, was made just nine days after a company led by Clippers minority owner Dennis Wong invested in Aspiration.
Clippers trade remains on hold
The Clippers and Raptors agreed June 30 to a trade that would send Leonard to Toronto, but both franchises released statements July 9, indicating that the execution of the trade was being delayed until the investigation had concluded.
Both teams also acknowledged that the NBA contacted each party and said the trade “can only be finalized if the Raptors’ ownership group assumes the risk of penalties related to Kawhi’s contract that could theoretically result from the ongoing investigation.”
The Clippers have undergone a youth movement as the team continues its rebuild. In February, the team traded James Harden to the Cavaliers and, in a different deal, Ivica Zubac to the Pacers. The Leonard deal earlier this summer signaled a desire to build for the future. Los Angeles finished ninth in the Western Conference with a 42-40 record and lost in the Play-In Tournament to miss the postseason.
In exchange for Leonard, the Clippers are set to receive Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, one pick swap and two second-round picks.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - AUGUST 27: Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the second inning at Busch Stadium on August 27, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One reason why the Orioles are where they are right now is they just can’t keep up a consistent high level of play. This is playing out in miniature over the first two games against the Rockies. Monday’s game brought the highest of highs with Colton Cowser’s amazing game-ending home run robbery to give the Orioles a fourth straight victory. Last night brought frustration and disappointment as the Orioles lost a game against a starting pitcher they had no business losing a game against.
Now, the Orioles need a win in the series finale so that we can all feel a little better. Losing two out of three to the Rockies, one of MLB’s worst teams, would not be a very auspicious beginning to the September stretch run that the Orioles are going to have to make. You can’t go around scoring two runs per game in Coors Field, against the Rockies pitching staff and get anywhere good. They lost a game to the Guardians with last night’s loss, so now they’re 1.5 games back – tied with the Rangers – in the wild card race.
It’s maddening with these guys. They should be better than this, even with all of the challenges they’ve faced this season. They just aren’t. Maybe they can be better over the final 23 games. They probably need to go 14-9 from this point on. Or, you know. Maybe they can’t be at least as good as that.
We are running a poll this week that is asking Orioles fans which area of the team they are most worried about when it comes to postseason contention. Have you voted yet? I’ll make it easy for you and embed it right here:
The performance of the hitters over the first two games of this series may tilt the poll a particular way. We’ll see! Results will be shared on Friday or Saturday.
Orioles lineup
Jackson Holliday – DH
Pete Alonso – 1B
Gunnar Henderson – SS
Luis Robert Jr. – LF
Samuel Basallo – C
Coby Mayo – 3B
Dylan Beavers – RF
Blaze Alexander – 2B
Colton Cowser – CF
Trevor Rogers gets the start for the Orioles. As you all probably remember, he’s been pretty good since June 1, though he was also not good in his last start, giving up six runs in five innings. It did not help the season ERA. He’s going to need to have a good September in order to get that number down to 3.something before the end of the season.
I hope Luis Robert Jr. makes a nice first impression on Orioles fans in his first start. I actually don’t have any hopes but it would be nice if he did it anyway.
Rockies lineup
Jake McCarthy – LF
Connor Norby – 3B
Hunter Goodman – C
TJ Rumfield – 1B
Cole Carrigg – CF
Jordan Beck – RF
Adael Amador – DH
Ryan Ritter – 2B
Ezequiel Tover – SS
Familiar face Tomoyuki Sugano is starting for the Rockies. He has an ERA over five. These guys better score more than two runs. Preferably more than four.
Yaxel Lendeborg names a future Hall of Famer as someone he looks forward to matching up against.
Yaxel Lendeborg has yet to play a minute in the NBA but already has his eyes on a player he wants to “lock up.”
The X account @EnjoyBBall posted a video that featured Lendeborg.
The Warriors rookie forward paused to think about who he’d want to face, and he revealed it to be the team’s former two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant.
Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg sitting courtside during a WNBA game. NBAE via Getty Images
“I want to lock up everybody I guard up, obviously,” Lendeborg said. “… Probably KD, man; I want to try to lock him up, see what I can do.”
Lendeborg said that given his 6-foot, 9-inch frame and weighing 230 pounds, he believes Durant would give him a good matchup just because of their size similarities. Durant is 6-11 and weighs 240.
Before entering the NBA draft, Lendeborg built a reputation as a strong, versatile defender in college. He finished last season averaging 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game for Michigan.
Lendeborg’s college basketball career began as a junior college product at Arizona Western College, and he attended UAB for two seasons and later transferred to Michigan, where he helped lead the Wolverines to an NCAA championship against UConn.
During Michigan’s Sweet 16 matchup against Alabama, he put on a clinic with 12 rebounds, two steals, seven assists and 23 points in 34 minutes.
Kevin Durant and Steph Curry as members of the Golden State Warriors. AP
The Warriors are scheduled to report for training camp on Sept. 29 and hope Lendeborg is a spark plug for their veteran-led team, centered around future Hall of Famer Steph Curry.
Aside from lining up across from Durant, Lendeborg also named Irving, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo as other NBA players he hopes to guard one day.
“All because they’re similar to my height, besides Kyrie and, you know, very fluid. So very excited about those,” Lendeborg said.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 01: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers swings at a pitch during the third inning against the Athletics at Globe Life Field on September 01, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Athletics of some location out west @ Texas Rangers
