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Islanders Free Agency News: Anders Lee to Utah, Darche talks 2027-28

Trust the punt. | NHLI via Getty Images

The Islanders made a few depth signings on the first day of free agency, and evidently, one was to replace the departing Max Shabanov, who very understandably chose not to return. But the big splash (or unsplash?) was the confirmation that captain Anders Lee was existing after 923 regular season plus another 46 playoff games with the organization that drafted him.

Lee, who reports indicated was only offered short term (a year…maybe two late?) by the Islanders, left to take a three-year deal at age 36 with Utah, who also added Vincent Trocheck from the Rangers. A reasonable deduction would be that Lee expects to be able to play at least three more NHL seasons, and he didn’t want one of those to be here if he was just going to be cast away next summer.

For GM Mathieu Darche, the name of the game was flexibility, as each addition he made was for one year, and he referenced an expected $40 million in cap space available next summer.

The Signings

More on Darche’s remarks below, but first, the additions:

  • A depth goalie: Vitek Vanicek was inked to a one-year deal, taking on the David Rittich role in that he can be in the AHL if and when Semyon Varlamov is healthy but can be the backup if Varlamov has a setback. [Isles]
  • A depth defenseman: Matthew Kessel joins after several seasons as a callup/7th-8th D with the Blues. He’s perfectly fine as a guy who can step in, likely with more of a coach’s trust than Adam Boqvist was able to garner. [Isles]
  • A middle-six forward: Matias Maccelli joins, most recently from the Leafs. He’s a creative Finn who plays “the right way” and Pete DeBoer said he liked his game when both were out West. Here are 7 facts about Maccelli (relax, relax, he’s not Italian). [Isles]
  • Another depth forward: Mitchel Chaffee joins with just 109 NHL games at age 28. [Isles] He’ll be a callup/injury fill-in type.
  • An AHL forward: Matt Luff was also re-signed at age 29. He was with Bridgeport late last season after yet another Blues-Islanders exchange. It’s a two-way deal, so maybe he sees some NHL time in an injury crisis, but otherwise he’s an experienced AHL (sometimes All-Star) for…Hamilton. [Isles]

Oh, but prospect camp was also underway:

  • Catching up with Victor Eklund. [Isles]
  • Notes and observations on a few guys from the Blue & White scrimmage. [Isles]

Back to free agency and Lee’s departure: Darche spoke with media, confirming the previously reported gap between Lee and the team on term and setting the context for what the GM did on July 1. [Newsday | Post | THN]

With the captain gone, it’s likely Bo Horvat and Brayden Schenn (whose $6.5M cap hit for the next two years is above what Lee just got) will be the veteran leaders now, with a side of Kyle Palmieri.

The Islanders comms staff was ready with a tribute video to Lee. Damn, he’s done a lot for this organization.

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Elsewhere

  • After all that drama, the Blue Jackets and Zach Werenski kissed and made up. [Athletic | NHL | ESPN]
  • Tee hee: the Leafs bet big on Sergei Bobrovsky’s aging years. [NHL]
  • Ranking the day’s best and worst deals (Maccelli’s is seen as a win): Zuccarello to the Kings for just $1 million somehow, while the Sharks gave Jacob Trouba four years at $8.25 million(!). WTF. [Athletic]
  • The Oilers did a lot of shuffling, including adding goalie Frederik Andersen and finding a no-salary-retained taker for Darnell Nurse. [NHL]
  • The Canadiens extended Ivan Demidov for eight years and $73 million, starting a year from now. [Sportsnet]
  • The Panthers didn’t stop with Brady Tkachuk, and they’re happy with their shuffle. [NHL]
  • John Carlson signs for two years in Tampa, continuing a tradition of players who choose the Lightning over the Hurricanes. [Sportsnet]

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Tigers add pitching depth with USF’s Kaden Smith

BATON ROUGE, LA - APRIL 17: Alex Box Stadium during a game between the LSU Tigers and the Texas A&M Aggies on April 17, 2026, at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Less than a week after receiving the surprising news of Marcos Paz’s departure, Jay Johnson and his staff brought in RHP Kaden Smith from South Florida. He took to Instagram to announce his decision.

In his sophomore year, Smith posted a 4.24 ERA in 46.2 innings pitched. He struck out 52, while walking 25. Of his 16 appearances, 8 of them were starts. He allowed less than a hit per inning with his total of 41, which suggests that command is his biggest issue. Hitting 17 batters further solidifies that conclusion.

As a freshman in 2025, Smith began his collegiate career at TCU and made 14 appearances for the Horned Frogs. He threw 12.0 innings with a 5.25 ERA, while striking out 12 and walking 6.

Following Landon Hood and Diego Velazquez, Smith becomes the third pitcher that Johnson and co. have added in the portal, along with incoming freshman Braxton Beaty. It w0uld appear that the to-be junior is coming in to bolster a bullpen that is seeking drastic improvement after a disastrous 2026 season, but the starting experience is certainly a plus.

Smith mostly deploys a 3-pitch mix, including two different breaking balls and a fastball that can get in to the mid-to-high 90s, according to Jacob Rudner of Baseball America.

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Ranking the most shocking trades in NBA history after Jaylen Brown-Paul George swap

Ranking the most shocking trades in NBA history after Jaylen Brown-Paul George swap originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The 2026 NBA offseason has been full of surprises.

Multiple All-Stars have been traded, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Julius Randle, Ja Morant and LaMelo Ball, but none were more surprising than what happened Wednesday.

The Boston Celtics dealt Jaylen Brown, a 10-year veteran and former Finals MVP, to the rival Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a 36-year-old Paul George and draft picks. The move sent shockwaves across the NBA, with players, analysts and fans scratching their heads at the Celtics’ thought-process.

It wasn’t the first time in recent memory that an NBA trade has stunned social media and shaken up the NBA. With that in mind, here’s a look back at five of the most shocking trades in league history:

5. Chris Paul to the Los Angeles… Clippers?

The deal:Los Angeles Clippers acquire Chris Paul; New Orleans Hornets Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and 2012 first-round pick. The bigger deal, though, was the one that didn’t happen. Paul seemed poised to join the crosstown Lakers before the league, which owned the Hornets at the time, vetoed the trade that would’ve paired him with Kobe Bryant.

The fallout: Paul’s run with the Clippers was the most successful in franchise history. He helped turned the club in a perennial contender out West, but they often fell short in the postseason (topping out in the second round). Paul and Blake Griffin formed an electric duo for six seasons before the point guard was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2017. The Hornets missed the playoffs for three straight seasons but did draft Anthony Davis.

4. Celtics send stars to Nets for draft picks

The deal: Brooklyn Nets acquired Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry; Boston Celtics acquire Gerald Wallace, Keith Bogans, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, three first-round draft picks and a first-round pick swap.

The fallout: At the time, the Celtics’ decision seemed foolish. None of the players were major contributors for their suddenly rebuilding team, and the Nets seemed too good for the picks to end up being valuable. Well, the veteran club slowly deteriorated and bottomed out, leaving the Celtics with the picks that eventually became Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. This was the trade that rebooted Boston and set Brooklyn back for years.

3. Thunder deal James Harden to Rockets

The deal: Houston Rockets acquire James Harden, Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward; Oklahoma City Thunder acquire Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick.

The fallout: Fresh off an NBA Finals loss with three stars under 25, the Thunder looked like the NBA’s next dynasty. But they wouldn’t pay the full rookie max extension for Harden, so they sent him to the Rockets before he could hit restricted free agency in a stunning deal days before the season started. The Thunder never made it back to the Finals with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The Rockets also never reached the big stage, but Harden transformed from a sixth man to a league MVP as Houston became a contender.

2. Jaylen Brown to Philly, Paul George to Boston

The deal: Philadelphia 76ers acquire Jaylen Brown; Boston Celtics acquire Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.

The fallout: We still don’t know how this deal will play out on the court, but the buzz is that this deal heavily favors the Sixers. Time will tell if the Celtics sold Brown at the right time, or if the draft picks end up panning out like they did in the 2013 Nets trade. For now, the Sixers appear to be an East favorite and the Celtics are being pushed down the pecking order.

1. Lakers get Luka Doncic from Mavericks

The deal: Los Angeles Lakers acquire Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris; Dallas Mavericks acquire Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick; Utah Jazz receive Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.

The fallout: Like the Celtics-Sixers trade, we’re still waiting for the full picture to be painted from this trade. Unlike Brown, Doncic was never even discussed as a trade target when he was dealt late on a February night before the trade deadline. Then, when you look at the return package, it made this even more stunning. The Mavericks eventually got the first pick with some lottery luck, and the Lakers haven’t gone past the second round in Doncic’s first two seasons. But the Mavs have already traded away Davis and are rebuilding around Cooper Flagg, with GM Nico Harrison fired less than a year after the trade.

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Ranking the most shocking trades in NBA history after Jaylen Brown-Paul George swap

Ranking the most shocking trades in NBA history after Jaylen Brown-Paul George swap originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The 2026 NBA offseason has been full of surprises.

Multiple All-Stars have been traded, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Julius Randle, Ja Morant and LaMelo Ball, but none were more surprising than what happened Wednesday.

The Boston Celtics dealt Jaylen Brown, a 10-year veteran and former Finals MVP, to the rival Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a 36-year-old Paul George and draft picks. The move sent shockwaves across the NBA, with players, analysts and fans scratching their heads at the Celtics’ thought-process.

It wasn’t the first time in recent memory that an NBA trade has stunned social media and shaken up the NBA. With that in mind, here’s a look back at five of the most shocking trades in league history:

5. Chris Paul to the Los Angeles… Clippers?

The deal:Los Angeles Clippers acquire Chris Paul; New Orleans Hornets Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and 2012 first-round pick. The bigger deal, though, was the one that didn’t happen. Paul seemed poised to join the crosstown Lakers before the league, which owned the Hornets at the time, vetoed the trade that would’ve paired him with Kobe Bryant.

The fallout: Paul’s run with the Clippers was the most successful in franchise history. He helped turned the club in a perennial contender out West, but they often fell short in the postseason (topping out in the second round). Paul and Blake Griffin formed an electric duo for six seasons before the point guard was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2017. The Hornets missed the playoffs for three straight seasons but did draft Anthony Davis.

4. Celtics send stars to Nets for draft picks

The deal: Brooklyn Nets acquired Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry; Boston Celtics acquire Gerald Wallace, Keith Bogans, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, three first-round draft picks and a first-round pick swap.

The fallout: At the time, the Celtics’ decision seemed foolish. None of the players were major contributors for their suddenly rebuilding team, and the Nets seemed too good for the picks to end up being valuable. Well, the veteran club slowly deteriorated and bottomed out, leaving the Celtics with the picks that eventually became Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. This was the trade that rebooted Boston and set Brooklyn back for years.

3. Thunder deal James Harden to Rockets

The deal: Houston Rockets acquire James Harden, Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward; Oklahoma City Thunder acquire Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick.

The fallout: Fresh off an NBA Finals loss with three stars under 25, the Thunder looked like the NBA’s next dynasty. But they wouldn’t pay the full rookie max extension for Harden, so they sent him to the Rockets before he could hit restricted free agency in a stunning deal days before the season started. The Thunder never made it back to the Finals with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The Rockets also never reached the big stage, but Harden transformed from a sixth man to a league MVP as Houston became a contender.

2. Jaylen Brown to Philly, Paul George to Boston

The deal: Philadelphia 76ers acquire Jaylen Brown; Boston Celtics acquire Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.

The fallout: We still don’t know how this deal will play out on the court, but the buzz is that this deal heavily favors the Sixers. Time will tell if the Celtics sold Brown at the right time, or if the draft picks end up panning out like they did in the 2013 Nets trade. For now, the Sixers appear to be an East favorite and the Celtics are being pushed down the pecking order.

1. Lakers get Luka Doncic from Mavericks

The deal: Los Angeles Lakers acquire Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris; Dallas Mavericks acquire Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick; Utah Jazz receive Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.

The fallout: Like the Celtics-Sixers trade, we’re still waiting for the full picture to be painted from this trade. Unlike Brown, Doncic was never even discussed as a trade target when he was dealt late on a February night before the trade deadline. Then, when you look at the return package, it made this even more stunning. The Mavericks eventually got the first pick with some lottery luck, and the Lakers haven’t gone past the second round in Doncic’s first two seasons. But the Mavs have already traded away Davis and are rebuilding around Cooper Flagg, with GM Nico Harrison fired less than a year after the trade.

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After years of evading rumors, we’ve finally seen the trade to end the Jays Era

It’s Game 7, and the Celtics are playing small. 

No Jayson Tatum for the night, a DNP for Nikola Vucevic, and Jaylen Brown is on the block with a posted-up Joel Embiid. 

And this wasn’t some small ball hard trap. Jaylen Brown is on an island with a 280-pound former MVP. With nine minutes left in the third quarter, a brief dig from Baylor Scheierman is slight help, but Embiid is unbothered. Easy bucket. 

Three minutes later, it’s truly an island. Near the high post, Brown slaps his hands together hard, and swipes furiously as Embiid jab steps and drives into another hook shot. Two more points. 

They met inside two more times in the fourth quarter. Of course Philly wants that matchup every time. It hasn’t failed. The first time, Brown does everything possible to prevent the entry pass, but Embiid successfully gets the inside edge, and as he’s about to go up for another easy bucket, in comes Brown, swatting the ball off the backboard into the hands of Derrick White. 

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It happens again in clutch time in a 1-point game. Embiid is backing down Brown on the low block, but the smaller Brown is standing his ground. Embiid can’t reach the restricted area and settles for a hook shot that barely reaches the front rim (Neemias Queta actually did help late this time, but it’s Brown’s stop). 

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We didn’t know it then, but it’s the last game of Brown’s 10-year Celtics run, and the bridge that leads to him joining one of Boston’s most historic rivals, a team that has played a part in Brown’s own playoff legacy as a Celtic. 

We have now seen the full picture of Jaylen Brown’s Celtics career. Brown went to war for Boston, just like he said he promised on his draft night. Even if it often meant failure on the biggest stages, even if it meant the brunt of the blame alongside Jayson Tatum as the duo that couldn’t work together. Even if he’s left completely alone on a ginormous elite scorer in a Game 7. Jaylen Brown is never afraid of the moment, and all the consequences that come with it. 

On the night confetti rained down on the Garden as the Celtics captured their first NBA title since 2008, Brad Stevens sounded like a man vindicated. The duo he coached, the duo he stuck with through years of trade rumors and breakup headlines, had finally won an NBA title. 

“The criticism is stupid,” he said. “[Tatum & Brown] achieved more than most 25, 26-year-olds ever had. The scrutiny was because they were playing in May & June…I’d rather be in the mix and have my guts ripped out, than suck. And those two have been really good for a long time.”

It’s hard to fathom that two years later, after offseasons enduring trade ideas floated toward the biggest names in the league (including Paul George himself), Brad Stevens settled for a trade offer that, from any outside perspective, is an underwhelming return for an All-Star fresh off a career scoring season. 

It finally happened, and it happened for that? 

Paul George, who admittedly had a good season and an even better postseason, attached to a pair of first round picks and two seconds hardly seems like the proper value from trade talks that ESPN’s Shams Charania reported were with “8-10 teams.” 

It finally happened, and it happened for that? 

It’s pretty unbelievable that the process of trade discussions surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo ultimately ended here, and with the Philadelphia 76ers of all teams. There is not a soul on this Earth that predicted that even weeks ago, and if they did, they either have insider information, or are psychic. 

It’s impossible to consider this the very end of the line for the Celtics’ offseason. After all, it’s only been two days of free agency, and it’s hard to imagine this was a one-step plan, but really consider what’s out there, and what conceivably could be obtained by re-routing Paul George, or moving Derrick White and/or Sam Hauser. 

George and four picks pulled an All-NBA talent, sure, but at 36 years old with an eyesore of a contract featuring a player option, what are the moves that really put the Celtics in a significantly better position to contend in the immediate future than if they just held onto Brown and attempted to figure it out?

Maybe this ends with the popular Portland or New Orleans packages we’ve seen rumored all along, now with additional draft capital to sweeten any deal. Maybe it’s that long-rumored trade for Kevin Durant that was once offered in 2023. Maybe it’s the first domino to acquire Anthony Davis and LeBron James in what would be one of the most wildly incomprehensible jersey swaps you’ve ever seen. What Brad Stevens does next, I have no idea.

Whatever it is, was it really worth it while Jaylen Brown gets slotted into a starting lineup that features Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid, one the Celtics will have to face multiple times, and possibly in a series? 

The 76ers got better. Will the Celtics?

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Yankees news: Judge calls out “lack of focus”

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 30: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on from the dugout during the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on June 30, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: The Yankees’ sidelined captain delivered a pointed analysis of the team’s recent performance in his absence. “Well, it’s not great,” Aaron Judge said said before Wednesday’s game. “Just a little lack of focus. We just gotta dial it in.” His public comments, the first since he landed on the IL on May 31, serve as a rare critique of not just performance but motivation amidst a now-eight game losing streak. Manager Aaron Boone was more measured, acknowledging a “terrible week” but giving a vote of confidence that “the group’s in a good place, as far as their preparation goes.”

New York Post | Greg Joyce: The Yankees have been hit with another setback, this time of a more tangible variety. Several Bombers have been afflicted by food poisoning or a stomach bug, including Spencer Jones, who was scratched from Wednesday’s game, and Ryan McMahon, who had to sit out a rehab game. Boone declined to reveal all the Yankees affected, but made clear the issue was widespread. “We got IVs going and everything today,” Boone said. “Yeah, it’s been an interesting week on a lot of fronts. I had a lineup [Tuesday] night and kind of had to make some tweaks to it. Hopefully as the day unfolds, we got everyone available.”

The Athletic | Chris Kirschner: ($) The malady taking its toll on the Yankees played a role in Boone’s decision-making during Wednesday’s loss. With Max Scheumann fully unavailable, he chose to stick with Oswaldo Cabrera with a chance to win the game in the ninth instead of inserting Paul Goldschmidt. The skipper’s reasoning was that he did not want to be forced into using the 38-year-old at second or third (though relinquishing the DH and moving Amed Rosario to third would have been another option). After the defeat, Jazz Chisholm Jr. echoed his captain’s comments from earlier in the day. “I feel like we’ve got to lock in, do all the small stuff,” the second baseman said. “We make a lot of mistakes, and I feel like we beat ourselves.”

MLB.com | Sam Dykstra: Two Yankees prospects have been selected to the 2026 All-Star Futures Game roster. Shortstop George Lombard Jr., the team’s top prospect, and fireballer Carlos Lagrange, who slots in at number four, will have the opportunity to participate. The exhibition, held the Sunday before the All-Star Game, is an opportunity for MLB to showcase its most promising young talent still working their way through the minors.

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We close with a couple housekeeping notes. Trent Grisham is on his way back to the Yankees after being sidelined with a hamstring strain. He was activated for a quick rehab assignment last night by the Double-A Somerset Patriots, playing center and going 1-for-3 with a double and a walk. Since he wasn’t gone from the team that long, it sounds like he should be back in a Yankees lineup that could really use him by tomorrow.

And Yovanny Cruz went back to Triple-A following yesterday’s loss. David Bednar missed the Tigers series on paternity leave and should be back with the Yankees for their next game.

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Paul George is (still) good

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 08: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers is introduced before the game against the New York Knicks in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 08, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Let’s go over the numbers: 17.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game on 49% from the field and 55% (!) from three. Those are the stats that Paul George averaged in the Celtics-76ers first round series this past season. Now, those percentages won’t hold up over a regular season and his age and injury concerns are real, but the Celtics are getting a good player in Paul George.

He isn’t better than Jaylen Brown and the rest of the return does feel like it is lacking. However, when he is on the floor, George remains a good player.

An elite three-point shooter, George shot 39% from three in the regular season last year and 49% in the playoffs. Sure, PG is overpaid (he has a year and a player option at $110.7 million left on his current deal) but he remains very high level 3 and D wing at this point in his career, who can still put the ball on the floor and get to his spots.

His athleticism isn’t what it once was, but his silky-smooth scoring ability remains, as does his defensive prowess.

On the ball, he gave both Brown and Jayson Tatum a ton of problems in their playoff series and off of it, he doesn’t have the silly mistakes that Jaylen was susceptible to.

George is also an analytics darling, of which Brown is not.

(I feel it is important to note here that I am not implying that George is a better player than Brown by giving you these numbers, just that George is good.)

We do have to talk about the games played issue that has plagued George over the past few seasons. Since his trade to the Clippers in 2019, over the past seven seasons, five with the Clippers and two with the Sixers, George has played in 48, 54, 31, 56, 74, 41 and 37 games. That is 341 of 554 potential games, 62%.

That certainly is not ideal and the Celtics are hoping George will remake his 2023-24 campaign when he played in 74 games but that seems like a stretch.

I think George’s fit with Jayson Tatum is also smoother than Brown’s was. George is a better off-ball player than Brown is with his three point shot being a big part of that. According to Second Spectrum, George shot 42% on catch-and-shoot threes a season ago, while shooting 34% on pull up threes last season (in the playoffs he shot 68% on pull up threes).

George is also someone who is still good at attacking closeouts. He doesn’t get to the rim at all, ranking in the 15th percentile of wings in rim rate, but he does get to the mid-range well to knock down some of those. You’d like to see some of those mid-range shots become threes, however.

No, Paul George is not a better player than Jaylen Brown is, but that doesn’t mean the Celtics are getting a bad player in this deal. If he is on the floor, and that is a big if, Paul George is going to help the Celtics win games next season.

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76ers snatch Jaylen Brown from Celtics in blockbuster steal

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 30: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts against the Atlanta Hawks during a game at State Farm Arena on March 30, 2026 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. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

When the offseason began, it felt inevitable that Jaylen Brown would spend the summer answering questions about his future, whether it happened in Boston, Milwaukee, or elsewhere.

What nobody expected, however, was that those questions would end with Brown wearing a Philadelphia 76ers jersey.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Celtics traded Brown to Philadelphia in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks.

Now, being entirely honest, the writing was very much on the wall. Just a few days after trying to include Brown in a Giannis Antetokounmpo package, after endless rumors and commentary on the Celtics’ plans to get rid of Brown, and even after Brown himself never said he wanted out of Boston, we all knew where this was going.

Again, waht no freaking body could see coming was a trade that sent the 2024 Finals MVP to the team that knocked it out of the playoffs last May.

If Brown had been traded for Giannis, most people would’ve understood it, and nobody would have batted much of an eye. Instead, Boston pivoted to deal after deal, asked teams for up to four or five first-round picks, and ultimately found no real market for a seemingly overvalued player that ended up near-dumped by the C’s.

For context, Brown averaged career highs in 2026 with 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while leading the Celtics to 56 wins, even with Jayson Tatum missing most of the season recovering from his Achilles injury. He finished sixth in MVP voting and made Second Team All-NBA.

In exchange for that Brown, all the Sixers sent the other way was a package centered around a 35-year-old Paul George (who missed ample time last season with a suspension and is more injured than not) and four future draft picks (definitely not the ones the Celtics wanted).

There’s been nonsensical trades this season, but this one puts the cherry on top of the poop sundae Boston has been carefully preparing. Shout-out, Philly, you got a good one here.

George is still a very good player when he’s available, but availability has become an inevitable part of the PG8 equation. He played just 37 games last season, only more than 56 once since he left OKC in 2019, and he’ll turn 36 before next year’s playoffs. Will the draft picks help Boston? Probably, but this is most definitely not another KG-Nets-like trade for the C’s.

For the Sixers, not only do they get rid of Paul George and replace them with a younger, ten-times better player, but Brown also gives them another star capable of carrying the offense when Joel Embiid isn’t on the floor, which they know will happen at some point during both the regular season and the playoffs.

Brown also joins VJ Edgecome and Tyrese Maxey, none of whom will need to create that much by themselves anymore, let alone after Brown proved he can be a 1A leader after becoming Boston’s primary option last year. The former Leprechaun has also played at least 63 games in each of the last five seasons, a bill of health Philadelphia isn’t accustomed to seeing around those places.

As for the Knicks, this trade feels a little like a wash. I wouldn’t call it a win, but with a little bit of time to let it marinate, I might end up leaning that way.

For one, Boston signed Mitchell Robinson from the Knicks on Wednesday, and the lineup was looking complete with a healthy Tatum ready to go. Now, the PG-Celtics are definitely worse than they were 12 hours ago. Not only that, but the Celtics have replaced a player smacked right in the middle of his prime with one nearing the end of his.

The Sixers, on the other hand, are definitely much better. But there’s always a but, and we all know what the but is here. Maxey is a budding star. VJ is another one. Embiid was one. Brown is a superstar. Have you seen all Sixers play together for more than two games in a row? I bet you’ve not. Let’s see how the joints hold up heading into April and go from there.

I was going to write a bit about the impact of the trade in the broader Eastern Conference picture, but I’m doing that in a separate post because this one is running too long.

Let me finish with this. The Knicks are 7-3 against the Celtics in the last two seasons. They are 14-2 against Philly. I just don’t see those records flipping any time soon.

You can follow Antonio on Twitter at @chapulana.

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Bazball ends with a whimper to expose emptiness of English men’s cricket | Jonathan Liew

Trent Bridge was not just the end of Ben Stokes’ international career, it was further confirmation that the Bazball project stood for nothing

By the very end, Trent Bridge was practically empty. This felt bleakly appropriate. If the age of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum lived by re-engaging a sceptical public, winning big series, doing the unprecedented and elevating Test cricket above its three-an-over purgatory, then this was exactly how it had to die: the first England team in history to lose a home three-match series after being 1-0 up. The run rate on that final day? Exactly three runs an over.

But then if we have learned anything from Stokes and McCullum over the last few years, it is that details – like preparing for an Ashes tour – are for losers and weak men. Is demoting Emilio Gay to No 6 in his third game really the best way of saving a Test? Was there a way for Harry Brook to face more than nine balls in England’s second innings? Can we really expect a Brook side – Hazball – to behave any differently? But these questions do not concern the England management, and so by extension they should not concern you either.

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Winners, losers from Jaylen Brown to 76ers for Paul George trade

It's hard to describe just how out of left field this trade felt when it landed, so let's let Tyrese Maxey handle it.

When we woke up on July 1, all the talk — including from league sources speaking to NBC Sports — was about how there was no market for a Jaylen Brown trade. The question was whether Brad Stevens and the Boston front office would be forced to tell Brown there was no trade and that they needed to work things out, or whether the relationship was too fractured. Well, we got that answer.

Let's pick the winners and losers from this trade, but first a reminder of who was involved.

Philadelphia receives: Jaylen Brown
Boston receives: Paul George, two first-round picks (2028, 2031), two second-round picks (2028, 2030)

Winner: Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia was already a win-now team (Joel Embiid is already 32, the clock is ticking), and it just landed an All-NBA player in his prime, someone who just finished sixth in MVP voting last season. And as a bonus, they got off a contract considered one of the worst in the league in Paul George.

Philadelphia got the best player in this trade, and now look at their starting five:
PG: Tyrese Maxey
SG: VG Edgecombe
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Dean Wade
C: Joel Embiid

There is a price for Philadelphia here, and that starts with Brown being owed more than Paul George, a little over $180 million across the next three seasons — and he's eligible for a two-year extension worth over $140 million. Then there is giving up the draft picks, there is real value in two first-round picks.

But that's the cost to turn a team into a contender, the 76ers would gladly pay it. And if Embiid is healthy, this team can compete with the Knicks (and maybe Detroit or Indiana or anyone else) to win the East.

That's the definition of a win.

Loser: Boston Celtics

The Celtics flat out got worse with this trade.

This was a team that won the title a couple of years ago and entered this year's playoffs as the betting favorite. This trade made them actively worse while Jayson Tatum is in his prime. They are not as bad as some pundits want it to sound — they still have Derrick White, Tatum, George (if he's healthy), Payton Pritchard and more. This is still a top-six team in the East. But they got worse and are not contenders as we stand here.

I'm not in the room and it's hard to get my head around what Brad Stevens and company were thinking. According to the reporting from people close to the Celtics, Brown did not ask for a trade. Stevens said multiple times that he and Brown had a good relationship. Yet this relationship was somehow so broken that Stevens felt forced to make a below-market offer in what feels like a panicked, rushed trade.

It's not all bad. Boston got two very valuable picks, and George is a solid role player at this point in his career who can help the Celtics, but I don't get giving up an All-NBA player for this package. It's not enough. And that the Celtics let it get to the point that they felt they had to make this trade is an indictment of them.

Winner: Baylor Scheierman

Maybe we should throw Hugo Gonzalez into this mix as well, but the Celtics' young backup wings had earned more run based on their play last season. Now, they are about to be thrust into a much bigger role and get a real opportunity. They earned the chance, we'll see what they do with it.

Winner: Jaylen Brown

I don't know that Jaylen Brown wanted out of Boston. What I do know is he said this past season — with the ball in his hands as the primary shot creator, the guy on the top of opponents' scouting reports — was his favorite in the NBA. Then he should love this next season. It's not that Philadelphia doesn't have other shot creators and guys who need touches — Maxey, Embiid — but Brown is going to get the chance to be the headliner of a contender. You don't trade for Brown to play a role, you trade for him to take charge, and that's what the 76ers will ask him to do.

Loser: Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum is in his prime and wants to win — and his team just took a step backward. I don't pretend to know how tight Tatum and Brown are, or what Tatum says about Brown away from the cameras, but he cannot be happy about his team trading away a Finals MVP and turning a division rival into a contender. More is going to fall on Tatum's shoulders, and while that may be good for his personal stats, it's not going to be good for the team. Or helping them win another ring.

Winner: 76ers fans

Do I even need to explain this one? Philadelphia fans have every reason to be hyped up heading into next season because their team just made the leap to contender status. That's not a ring, but there is a genuine hope for one now and that's all a fan can ask for.

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Ranking the most shocking trades in NBA history after Jaylen Brown-Paul George swap

Ranking the most shocking trades in NBA history after Jaylen Brown-Paul George swap originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The 2026 NBA offseason has been full of surprises.

Multiple All-Stars have been traded, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Julius Randle, Ja Morant and LaMelo Ball, but none were more surprising than what happened Wednesday.

The Boston Celtics dealt Jaylen Brown, a 10-year veteran and former Finals MVP, to the rival Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a 36-year-old Paul George and draft picks. The move sent shockwaves across the NBA, with players, analysts and fans scratching their heads at the Celtics’ thought-process.

It wasn’t the first time in recent memory that an NBA trade has stunned social media and shaken up the NBA. With that in mind, here’s a look back at five of the most shocking trades in league history:

5. Chris Paul to the Los Angeles… Clippers?

The deal:Los Angeles Clippers acquire Chris Paul; New Orleans Hornets Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and 2012 first-round pick. The bigger deal, though, was the one that didn’t happen. Paul seemed poised to join the crosstown Lakers before the league, which owned the Hornets at the time, vetoed the trade that would’ve paired him with Kobe Bryant.

The fallout: Paul’s run with the Clippers was the most successful in franchise history. He helped turned the club in a perennial contender out West, but they often fell short in the postseason (topping out in the second round). Paul and Blake Griffin formed an electric duo for six seasons before the point guard was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2017. The Hornets missed the playoffs for three straight seasons but did draft Anthony Davis.

4. Celtics send stars to Nets for draft picks

The deal: Brooklyn Nets acquired Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry; Boston Celtics acquire Gerald Wallace, Keith Bogans, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, three first-round draft picks and a first-round pick swap.

The fallout: At the time, the Celtics’ decision seemed foolish. None of the players were major contributors for their suddenly rebuilding team, and the Nets seemed too good for the picks to end up being valuable. Well, the veteran club slowly deteriorated and bottomed out, leaving the Celtics with the picks that eventually became Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. This was the trade that rebooted Boston and set Brooklyn back for years.

3. Thunder deal James Harden to Rockets

The deal: Houston Rockets acquire James Harden, Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward; Oklahoma City Thunder acquire Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick.

The fallout: Fresh off an NBA Finals loss with three stars under 25, the Thunder looked like the NBA’s next dynasty. But they wouldn’t pay the full rookie max extension for Harden, so they sent him to the Rockets before he could hit restricted free agency in a stunning deal days before the season started. The Thunder never made it back to the Finals with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The Rockets also never reached the big stage, but Harden transformed from a sixth man to a league MVP as Houston became a contender.

2. Jaylen Brown to Philly, Paul George to Boston

The deal: Philadelphia 76ers acquire Jaylen Brown; Boston Celtics acquire Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.

The fallout: We still don’t know how this deal will play out on the court, but the buzz is that this deal heavily favors the Sixers. Time will tell if the Celtics sold Brown at the right time, or if the draft picks end up panning out like they did in the 2013 Nets trade. For now, the Sixers appear to be an East favorite and the Celtics are being pushed down the pecking order.

1. Lakers get Luka Doncic from Mavericks

The deal: Los Angeles Lakers acquire Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris; Dallas Mavericks acquire Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick; Utah Jazz receive Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.

The fallout: Like the Celtics-Sixers trade, we’re still waiting for the full picture to be painted from this trade. Unlike Brown, Doncic was never even discussed as a trade target when he was dealt late on a February night before the trade deadline. Then, when you look at the return package, it made this even more stunning. The Mavericks eventually got the first pick with some lottery luck, and the Lakers haven’t gone past the second round in Doncic’s first two seasons. But the Mavs have already traded away Davis and are rebuilding around Cooper Flagg, with GM Nico Harrison fired less than a year after the trade.

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Canucks Pick Up Jamie Oleksiak On First Day Of Free Agency

Jamie Oleksiak, who came to the Kraken in 2021 as part of the expansion draft, will be headed to the Vancouver Canucks for the 2026-27 season.  The 6’7”, 252 pound defenseman has skated in 758 NHL games over 13 seasons, the past five of those in Seattle.

During his time in Seattle, Oleksiak appeared in 389 regular season games.  He posted 17 goals for a total of 89 points.  He hit a career-high 9 goals (25 points) in the 2022-23 season.  Known primarily for his size, Oleksiak’s control and agility mean he moves like a much smaller skater as he out-maneuvers the opposition to move the puck up ice.  

Courtesy of Seattle Kraken
Courtesy of Seattle Kraken

Selected by the Dallas Stars in the first round (14th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Oleksiak has played with the Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Kraken.  The veteran defenseman agreed to a 2-year, $5 million AAV contract with the Canucks.  

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Jaden Schwartz Heads To Colorado Jaden Schwartz Heads To Colorado The Avalanche bolster their veteran presence, locking down the former Kraken forward with a three-year deal to bring playoff experience and scoring depth to Denver’s lineup.
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Devils Sign Winger Riley Tufte to 1 Year, $850,000 Deal

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 28: Riley Tufte #10 of the Boston Bruins checks Adam Fox #23 of the New York Rangers during the third period at the TD Garden on November 28, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Rangers won 6-2. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In one of the more under the radar moves today, the Devils announced the signing of 28-year-old winger Riley Tufte to a one-year, one-way NHL contract. A link to the press release can be found here.

A 6’6”, 245lb behemoth, Tufte has been one of the most prolific scorers in the AHL, finishing tied for third in the league last season with 32 goals in only 64 games as Tufte missed some time in the minors during a call-up to the big club. Tufte has played 28 games total in his NHL career as a journeyman tweener splitting time between the Stars, Avalanche, and most recently, the Bruins, and has three goals and an assist at the highest level on his resume.

All in all, it’s a no risk signing. At worst, the Utica Comets, who failed to score over 200 goals as a team last year, should have some much needed goal scoring next season. At best, the Devils found a diamond in the rough, who was being underutilized and never really given a long look at the NHL level.

What do you think? Post your comments below.

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Minor League Recap: Columbus Only Team Victorious

Clippers 5, Bats 4

Justin Campbell’s awaited AAA debut wound up ending before it could even start. He was scratched from his start after injuring his oblique in warmups. As someone who was waiting all week to watch this start, it was very disappointing but I am also very glad that it appears we avoided the worst case scenario here. Trent Denholm got the start in place of Campbell and pitched pretty well considering the circumstances. He tossed 6 innings and struck out 8 batters and allowed 3 earned runs on 6 hits. Franco Aleman lowered his ERA to 0.32 after striking out the side and recording his 9th save of the season.

The offense was powered by Angel Genao’s 4-5 performance that included an RBI single and a double. He is now hitting .283 with an .823 OPS since being promoted to AAA. P:etey Halpin also had a big game, going 3-5 which included a triple and an RBI double. Juan Brito and Dayan Frias also had multi hit performances.

RubberDucks 9, SeaWolves 18

This was the other debut I was excited to watch tonight, as Braylon Doughty had his first start in AA! It went better than Campbell’s debut, but not by too much, as he allowed 8 runs over 2.1 innings pitched. Welcome to AA kid! Doughty is an extremely talented prospect who I have no doubt will bounce back from this and I can’t wait to see his next start.

Alfonsin Rosario just keeps trucking along, going 2-4 with his 14th HR of the season. He is now hitting .260 with a .913 OPS on the season. He is starting to prove that he may be ready for a promotion to AAA. Jaison Chourio and Jose Devers also had multi hit performances. Bennett Thompson made quite a bang in his AA debut! He recorded just one hit but that hit happened to be a grand slam in the bottom of the 3rd inning.

Captains 7, Whitecaps 10

Despite losing tonight’s game, the Captains still recorded 15 hits on offense. Welbyn Francisca continues to be scorching hot at the plate, going 2-4. Nolan Schubart went 2-5 with his 17th HR of the season. Both him and Welbyn have OPS’s over .900 on the season. We also saw multi hit performances from Tommy Hawke, Jeffrey Mercedes, Esteban Gonzalez, and Tyler Howard.

Jacob Zibin fared much better in his second High-A start, allowing three runs in 5 innings and striking out four.

Howlers 5, Woodpeckers 9

We saw multi hit performances from Jonathan Martinez and Gabriel Rodriguez in this one. Juneiker Caceres went 1-4 with a walk. Cannon Peebles went 1-3 with a walk and a 2 RBI double.

Ryan Prager didn’t have his best stuff tonight, but was still able to limit the damage to just two runs over 3.2 innings pitched. He wound up walking five batters and striking out four, which is not what we are accustomed to seeing from him.