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Lakers legend Derek Fisher surrendered $21 million for daughter’s medical care

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows A man in a black suit with a white shirt and white tie at the 8th Annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, Image 2 shows Two Lakers players celebrate during the NBA finals

In 2007, Derek Fisher requested his release from the Utah Jazz so that he could relocate his family back home to Los Angeles to receive medical help for his 11-month-old daughter Tatum, who was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer.

Almost 20 years later, Fisher revealed in an interview that he sacrificed $21 million on the three years left of his contract so that his daughter could receive the medical care she needed in Los Angeles.

“The people that she would need if I was working, they were here,” Derek said. “So the decision to move to back to LA didn’t matter if I was playing basketball or not.”

Derek Fisher surrendered $21 million for his daughter’s medical emergency care. ULOW LONDON FEATURES

Fisher went on to say that he and the Jazz explored a trade opportunity with the team, but due to him and his family being on a short timeline, and his determination to return to Los Angeles, the two sides agreed on a zero-dollar buyout, giving Derek the “freedom of choice.”

With so much uncertainty in the air, Fisher admitted that he wasn’t focused on playing basketball again but was prioritizing the health of his daughter and getting her back to Los Angeles.

“We’re going to have to live in a city that has the hospitals and the medical care that my daughter needs, regardless of basketball,” Fisher said.

The former Lakers point guard added that his wife at the time, [Candace], who is a Los Angeles native, still had family living in the area, and they were available to help with additional treatment for Tatum.

With his family relocated back in Los Angeles, Fisher ended up signing a three-year $14.1 million contract with the Lakers.

In 2004, his first stint with the Lakers came to an end after helping the team three-peat from 2000-2002, while being paired alongside Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

Derek Fisher as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. AP

During the 2007 Western Conference Semifinals, the Little Rock, Arkansas native was traveling between New York and Utah to see Tatum while she was receiving treatment.

A year after he appeared in 82 games with the Jazz in 2007, Fisher helped Bryant win two more NBA championships in 2009 and 2010.

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Athletics part ways with longtime GM David Forst

The Athletics have parted ways with General Manager David Forst, the team announced on Friday, Aug. 7.

The move comes as the team has a 45-70 record and is fourth in the AL West. They have lost eight straight games.

"David has been an integral part of the A's and our success for nearly three decades," team owner John Fisher said in a statement. "His leadership, dedication, and commitment to this team have helped shape our baseball operations department and position us for the future. We are grateful for everything David has done for our organization."

Forst had been with the A's organization for 27 years and was in the final year of his contract. He expressed no interest in relocating to Las Vegas in two years when the organization moves from its temporary home in Sacramento.

Assistant General Manager Dan Feinstein will take Forst's place through the end of the season as the organization looks for a permanent replacement, according to a team release.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Athletics part ways with longtime GM David Forst

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Ha-Seong Kim returns to lineup for Braves’ opener at Yankees

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 28: Ha-Seong Kim #7 of the Atlanta Braves goes to first base after drawing a walk against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the six inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on June 28, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

As the Braves kick off a three-game series on the road against the Yankees, Ha-Seong Kim will make his return to the lineup, playing shortstop and hitting ninth.

It’ll be his first game action since June 30, not long after which he was placed on the injured list with middle finger inflammation.

Before his IL stint, he hit .068 in 73 plate appearances after a delayed start to the season due to a separate injury. This return feels like his last chance to validate the $20 million contract he was given and prove he belongs on a potential postseason roster.

With a strong left-handed pitcher in former Brave Max Fried taking the mound for the series opener, the Braves are moving Ozzie Albies up in the order. Notably, above left-hander Matt Olson, to the No. 3 spot behind just Ronald Acuña Jr. and Drake Baldwin.

Baldwin will DH Friday, giving Sean Murphy another catching start in his recent return from the IL.

The Yankees, notably without Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger, will hit Ben Rice, he of the 31 homers this season, second in the batting order, and recent prospect call-up shortstop George Lombard Jr. seventh.

This will be Fried’s first career start against his former team. As such, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the only six members of Atlanta’s roster who have faced him joined the Braves within the last two seasons.

Former National Lane Thomas has faced Fried the most, a whopping 19 times. Although it should be a favorable matchup for Thomas as a right-handed hitter against a left-handed pitcher, he’s 1-for-19 against Fried with one single, one RBI and three strikeouts.

None of the Braves who have faced Fried have had much success against him. Mike Yastrzemski and Ha-Seong Kim are both 2-for-7 (.286) to lead the way on a roster which is a combined 11-for-65 (.169) against the southpaw with two homers (one each from Jorge Mateo and Dominic Smith), five RBIs, 13 strikeouts and three walks.

Braves debutante right-hander Tyler Mahle has faced the Yankees twice, once with the Twins in 2023 and earlier this season with the Giants. He took the loss in both starts but wasn’t particularly bad either time, allowing two earned runs in each appearance (4.32 ERA) over a combined 8 1/3 innings, giving up nine total hits with 10 strikeouts and four walks.

Among current Yankees with more than two at-bats against Mahle, Paul Goldschmidt (11-for-29 for .379 average with three homers and five RBIs) and Ryan McMahon (5-for-18 with two homers and eight RBIs) lead the charge.

Overall, the active Yankees are a combined 20-for-82 (.244) with three doubles, two triples, five home runs and 17 RBIs against Mahle, striking out 24 times while walking eight.

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Boston Celtics Daily Links 8/7/26

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 05: The Nike basketball shoes Tre White #78 of the Miami Heat during their 2026 California Classic Summer League game at Chase Center on July 05, 2026 in San Francisco, California. 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 Thien-An Truong/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Herald Jaylen Brown opens up about Celtics departure, Jayson Tatum relationship

Globe5 takeaways from Jaylen Brown’s introductory press conference with 76ers

‘It’s time to move forward’: After a decade with the Celtics, Jaylen Brown eager to start new chapter with the 76ers

‘Still processing’: Jaylen Brown veers away from Celtics frustration, says he hasn’t spoken much to Jayson Tatum since 76ers trade

Jaylen Brown had his first press conference as a 76er. Here’s what he said about the Celtics, Jayson Tatum, and more.

CelticsBlogJaylen Brown’s decade with the Celtics prepared him for the Sixers’ spotlight

Banner Years: 1962, Celtics survive two Game 7s in toughest challenge yet

Chris Cenac Jr. showed us everything at Summer League

Predict the Celtics win total this year (Staff Roundtable)

CLNS MediaDid Tatum and Brown Relationship Factor in Celtics trade decision?

REACTION: Jaylen Brown’s First Press Conference Since Leaving Celtics

NBC Sports Boston Has Jaylen Brown talked with Jayson Tatum since trade? ‘Not really’

NESN3 Celtics With Most to Prove in 2026-27 Season

Celtics’ Paul George Named One of NBA’s Most Overpaid Players

76ers Share New Details About How Jaylen Brown Trade with Celtics Came Together

We Now Know if Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum Have Talked Since Celtics-76ers Trade

Mass LiveWhere Celtics roster stands after signing both 2026 draft picks

Former Celtics guard makes NBA comeback, signs deal with Nuggets

Jaylen Brown talks Celtics frustrations, but declines to go into details

Sixers president reveals further details on Jaylen Brown trade

Jaylen Brown addresses Jayson Tatum relationship after Sixers trade

Celtics WireWhat should we take from Jaylen Brown’s first presser with the 76ers?

Optimizing every player on the Celtics roster for Mazzulla ball

Jaylen Brown 76ers presser hints at cracks in ties with Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Havlicek Stole the Pod: Predicting NBA’s East for 2026-27, where Celtics will finish in it

Celtics history: Lester Hudson born; Tristan Thompson traded

The most unlikely NBA star is Celtics point guard Payton Pritchard

Jaylen Brown closes book on time with Celtics at 76ers introductory presser

Will the Dillon Mitchell signing impact the Celtics repeater tax status?

Of Celtics wing trio, Jordan Walsh sees role for Scheierman, Gonzalez, self

The AthleticBrown on if he’s talked to Tatum since trade from Celtics: ‘Not really’

Boston Sports Journal Simone: Jaylen Brown’s first press conference since the trade left plenty of room for speculation

Hardwood HoudiniNBA expert’s Jaylen Brown 5D chess theory gains legs as Steph Curry rumors intensify

Sixers GM is just as shocked as Celtics fans that Jaylen Brown is a 76er

The Celtics’ major center change will test Joe Mazzulla like never before

Why Pablo Torre’s latest Kawhi Leonard bombshell is great news for the Celtics

These 12 games gave Celtics compelling evidence to part ways with Jaylen Brown

76ers GM confirms painful truth that Jaylen Brown trade led LeBron to Philly

Miracle Steph Curry Celtics trade would be ultimate salt in the wound for Al Horford

The hidden CBA trap that could complicate the Celtics’ plan to trade Paul George

Celtics’ Moneyball extensions send clear message about Joe Mazzulla

Jaylen Brown addresses character attacks at 76ers presser: ‘Saying I had a disease’

Jaylen Brown’s ‘not really’ response on Jayson Tatum fuels Celtics-76ers feud

CLNS Media/YouTubeChris Cenac Jr. Speaks after Celtics Academy Summer Camp | Celtics Interview

Predicting the Celtics Ceiling Next Season with Nik Land | You Got Boston

Jayson Tatum & Jaylen Brown Have NOT SPOKEN Since Trade | Garden Report Reacts

Did Tatum and Brown Relationship Factor in Celtics trade decision? | Jaylen 76ers Intro

Locked on Celtics Jaylen Brown Speaks: Jayson Tatum RIFT? Silence About Trade. Just Moving On

Yahoo SportsSuns, Pistons, Hornets and Celtics all make sense in hypothetical Draymond Green trades

ESPNJaylen Brown has ‘nothing but respect’ for Jayson Tatum after trade

HeavyJaylen Brown Says he Hasn’t Talked to Former Celtics Teammate Since Trade

Celtics’ New Star Paul George Called Out as ‘Most Overpaid’

BasketNewsFinal word on Stephen Curry-Celtics trade rumors revealed

The Sports HubJaylen Brown comments on Jayson Tatum

Clutch PointsPaul George riding a motorized suitcase has fans losing it in dog days of offseason

76ers’ Mike Gansey tips cap to Brad Stevens on Jaylen Brown trade

What Cedric Maxwell told Jaylen Brown about Jayson Tatum’s Celtics return from injury

AudacyWhat Jaylen Brown said about his Celtics departure at his introductory press conference

Barstool Sports“When I First Got Traded, I Just Threw My Phone Across The Room” – Watching Jaylen Brown’s Sixers Introductory Press Conference Was As Surreal As It Gets

Bleacher ReportJaylen Brown Says He, Jayson Tatum Haven’t Talked Since 76ers Trade, Talks Relationship

The NBA’s Most Overpaid Players at Every Position

SI .comNBA Draft: Analyzing Chris Cenac Jr.’s Long-Term Potential Value

Solving the Boston Celtics Retired Number Problem

NBA/YouTubeJaylen Brown’s FULL 76ers Introductory Press Conference

ESPN/YouTube‘It’s ALARMING’ 😳 Perk on Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum NOT SPEAKING since 76ers trade | NBA Today

Celtics Roundtable Jaylen Brown Declines to Really Open Up on Celtics Departure, But Shows Frustration

Basketball Network Jaylen Brown opens up about his connection with Jayson Tatum: “There are ups and downs in any type of relationship”

Blue Man HoopCeltics may have ruined Stephen Curry hopes with Jaylen Brown trade demand

Essentially Sports “It’s Really Alarming”: Celtics Champion Shocked by Jaylen Brown’s Comments on Jayson Tatum in 76ers Introductory Presser

The Sixer Sense 76ers’ Jaylen Brown just left Celtics with a new problem

Jaylen Brown’s Tatum comments adds more fuel to Sixers-Celtics rivalry

The TechSuccess doesn’t guarantee loyalty: How the Celtics lost Jaylen Brown

The Sporting NewsJaylen Brown acknowledges his unique dynamic with former co-star Jayson Tatum

Basketball News “He Was an Innocent Bystander”: NBA Legend Isiah Thomas Calls Out Celtics for Jaylen Brown Trade

Fan Recap Jaylen Browns First 76ers Comments Will Sting Celtics Fans

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Yankees Mailbag: Recapping the deadline and lineup concerns

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 04: Ben Rice #22 and Luis García Jr. #26 of the New York Yankees talk before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Yankee Stadium on August 4, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Good afternoon everyone, it’s time to dive back into the mailbag and answer some of your questions. Remember to send in your questions for our weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

The idiot that said, “Harper is coming” asks:How do you feel about this deadline for the Yankees?

I went into detail on the Trade Deadline a couple of hours after it wrapped up, and you can read those full thoughts here, but to give a more concise answer I think circumstances wound up hurting the Yankees but they still failed to do as much as they probably should’ve. The teams that I think lined up the best to be trade partners with the Yankees, the Padres and Twins, decided in the final days to push themselves into the buyer camp instead of the seller camp. After sitting on it for a few days, the former makes some sense relative to where they are in the field, and the asking price for trading Mason Miller clearly wasn’t being met so they might as well try to make the most of having him. Still, that blocked them out of some significant upgrades they could’ve pursued and pushed them into conversations for some backup options, which still didn’t materialize.

The failure to land a catcher at the deadline at all though, coupled with trading away a good portion of relief depth without landing a reliever, is a big miss on Brian Cashman’s part. Austin Wells had been a deadweight with the bat the entire season, and his backup options could neither outhit him nor handle the pitching staff nearly as well as he could. A backup at the very least was warranted, but instead they’ve had to settle for some minor league signings with Christian Bethancourt and the recently-added Mitch Garver to perhaps shake up the depth chart there. The bullpen became less of a need as their journeyman pieces started to go on elite runs becoming the new core of the bridge to David Bednar, but there’s still some valid concern that they’ll get worn down from overuse so getting at least one arm when so many of them got shipped out to augment the lineup would’ve been a good countermeasure. Ultimately, Cashman did get a good deal swiping Luis García Jr. from the Nationals and he got the right-handed outfielder the Yankees were seeking, so it wasn’t a dud deadline, but it’s safe to say it was overall disappointing.

Lidbit asks: If Spencer Jones provides league average offense this year, will the Yankees, and should the Yankees, pencil him in for center field next year and allow Grisham to walk?

I don’t believe they’ll pencil Spencer Jones into starting center next year, as he’s still definitely a work in progress at the plate and his defense is passable but not anything to write home about yet. I don’t think they’ll need Jones to shine to impact their decision-making on Trent Grisham though, as the Yankee center fielder has had a turbulent year since signing his qualifying offer. Grisham’s first month was not pretty, but his underlying metrics indicated that he was getting significantly unlucky at the plate and that there was hope he could turn things around. That came about in May has he posted a .797 OPS and turned into a heater for Grisham in June, the outfielder smacking the ball to the tune of a .981 OPS that month.

Unfortunately, he cratered again in July posting even worse numbers than he did in his ice cold April, and he hasn’t shaken out of it in August yet. His defense, meanwhile, has gotten exposed in an outfield that no longer flanks him with Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, two of the games best corner outfielders. Grisham himself is probably due for a shift over to a corner position, and that would put him out of the running for another year in pinstripes as those two stars are firmly entrenched long-term. It was worth a shot bringing Grisham back, surprising as it was at the time that he took the QO, but I don’t think he’ll be getting re-signed in the winter (or whenever free agency opens considering the impending lockout).

Jmack175 asks:Assuming Judge and Stanton come back at some point, how will they get García Jr. and Rice in the lineup at the same time without Rice having to be behind the plate (which I assume is off the table at this point as it should be)?

It’s a question worth asking, as while the Yankees surely saw the need to upgrade the offense here and now and worry about slotting in the healthy lineup later eventually they’ll need to do that. I don’t know how much you can bet on Stanton contributing to this season (and for that matter, I have no idea how much of Judge we’ll see despite his reassurances), but if they do get the full arsenal of bats to deploy then Aaron Boone will have to manage around a trio of bats that would benefit from the DH slot in García, Rice, and Stanton. Only two of them can play first base, and only García has any positional flexibility that the team could utilize as Rice’s catching days do seem to be a thing of the past. García has played second base prior to this season, but since he’s a platoon bat who should be playing against right-handed pitchers that doesn’t give us a solution — Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been a far better hitter against right-handed hitters as well with a 105 wRC+ compared to a 70 wRC+ against lefties.

The logjam ultimately might only be solved by having Stanton take occasional starts away from one of García or Rice and sitting as a pinch-hit option otherwise. There just isn’t a perfect answer to give to the positional dilemma the Yankees would face trying to deploy their full strength lineup, though if you insert Judge and Bellinger back into the starting picture suddenly you’re a lot less desperate to stuff every bat that can perform above replacement level in. That can work in September when the rosters expand to 28 players, but in the postseason perhaps that costs someone like Paul Goldschmidt his spot as the team will need to carry a backup outfielder still. Goldschmidt stepped up early in the year when the team needed him most, but much like last season his bat has faded as the year has gone on, and I can see the team viewing him as the most expendable come crunch time.

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Huge weekends from George Lombard, Kaelen Culpepper, Jackson Jobe

Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, our weekly fantasy baseball waiver wire guide. We'll be doing things a little differently this season, with Eric Samulski publishing the initial waiver-wire article on Friday afternoon. Then James Schiano updates it every Sunday to make sure you get the most up-to-date information.

The premise of the article is pretty straightforward. We'll give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When we list a player, we'll list the category where we think he’ll be helpful or the quick reason he’s listed. We hope this helps you determine whether the player fits your team's needs. Not every "trending" player will be a good addition to your specific roster.

To qualify for this list, a player needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. We understand you may say, “These players aren’t available in my league,” and we can’t help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they’re available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types.

⚾️ Baseball is back on NBC: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Hitters

George Lombard Jr. - SS, NYY (45% rostered)

(PROSPECT CALL-UP, POTENTIAL COUNTING STATS UPSIDE)

It's been a pretty electric debut for Lombard Jr., as James covered in a video this week, but we want to caution that the 21-year-old remains a work in progress from an offensive standpoint at this stage of his development. He’s shown some real over-the-fence pop at the Triple-A level this season with a 47.7% hard-hit rate and 92.7 mph average exit velocity. He hasn't shown elite bat speed so far in the majors, and he had a nearly 11% swinging strike rate in Triple-A and a below-average zone contact rate, which is likely to get worse in his first MLB plate appearances. That said, he doesn't chase outside of the zone much, and plays strong enough defense that he figures to play every day. He doesn't have the 2026 fantasy upside as some of the other middle infielders we'll talk about today, but he likely has the most secure position.

Sunday update: Lombard-mania has already reached a fever pitch. He homered again on Saturday and has a four-game hitting streak to start his career. Also, he was in the middle of the Yankees' comeback win on Friday night. Down by two in the ninth inning with one out, he showed off his 98th percentile spring speed to leg out an infield single. Then after they tied it, he made an excellent play in the hole to help hold the Braves scoreless in the 10th. In the bottom of that inning, he drew a tough walk to set up Ryan McMahon for a walk-off sacrifice fly. We're still a bit worried about his contact rate as he acclimates to the big leagues, but everything has gone right so far.

Jung Hoo Lee- OF, SF (41% rostered)

(REGULAR PLAYING TIME, HOT STRETCH)

So Lee was not traded and will remain an everyday player for the Giants, hitting second in the lineup. In 17 games since the All-Star break, he's hitting .309/.360/.544 with three home runs, nine runs, 10 RBI, and two steals. That's kind of who Lee is: it's not sexy, but it's solid production across most categories. In 5 OF leagues, he has lots of value. We also saw that Mickey Moniak - OF, COL (39% rostered) dipped below the roster limit for this article. The outfielder has a new contract and was, obviously, not moved at the deadline, so his playing time remains locked in. He's hitting .278/.318/.571 on the season with 19 home runs and 52 RBIs. He's also in the lineup against lefties and should be rostered in far more leagues.

Lawrence Butler - OF, ATH (34% rostered)

(POWER UPSIDE, REGULAR PLAYING TIME)

A few weeks ago, Eric had Butler in an article on players likely to have a second-half surge. In that article, Eric mentioned that the early part of the season was clearly a struggle for Butler after undergoing offseason surgery on both knees. He wasn't hitting well in May and June, but the hard-hit rate was going up, the groundball rates were coming down, and his bat speed was back up around 74.3 mph, so it seemed like better times were coming. So far, in 19 games in the second half, Butler is hitting .263/.338/.474 with two home runs, 11 runs scored, and eight RBI. He's playing against lefties and also sporting an 11.6% barrel rate and 48.8% hard-hit rate. We've seen what happens when he gets hot. Maybe it's happening now.

Sunday update: the Athletics have faced six lefties in their last nine games as of Sunday and Butler has started against all six. That playing time is enough to be excited about what he can do for the rest of the season.

Cole Carrigg - OF, COL (27% rostered)

(COORS FIELD, POWER UPSIDE)

Eric featured Cole Carrigg as a player who could gain fantasy value after the deadline since both Mickey Moniak and Jake McCarthy were allegedly on the trade block. We thought the Rockies may move more than one outfielder, but they did trade away Brenton Doyle, which paves the way for Carrigg to be the regular starting center fielder going forward. He has hit well in his rookie season, slashing .301/.387/.510 in 47 games with five home runs, 33 runs scored, 28 RBI, and five steals. He has well below-average barrel and hard-hit rates, so he’s not tearing the cover off of the ball, but he has good bat speed and is making better-than-league-average zone contact, which is a nice profile in Coors Field.

Andruw Monasterio - 1B/2B/3B/SS, BOS (25% rostered)

(PLAYING TIME, HOT STREAK)

We had Monasterio in here last week and both he and the Red Sox have had a tremendous start to this week. Since July 1st, Monasterio has hit .345/.406/.607 with three home runs, 13 runs, 16 RBI, and two steals. His .262 ISO is the third-best on the team and the 13th best in baseball among qualified hitters over that strech. The Red Sox did not deal for a shortstop to take away his playing time, so the only threat to Monasterio is Trevor Story, who is still recovering from a sports hernia and hasn't begun a rehab assignment. After having an inconsistent start to the season, Vaughn Grissom- 1B/2B/3B, LAA (5% rostered) has been great since July 1st, hitting .312/.350/.473 in 24 games with three home runs and 17 RBI. Some of that success has come with a shift to be less fly ball focused. Before July, Grissom had a 43.2% fly ball rate. That has fallen to 25.4% since the start of July. His groundball rate is up from 38.8% to 46.5%, and his line drive rate has also increased. He has also tried to go to the opposite field more, not only raising his opposite field rate by 5% but changing the angle of the sweet spot of his bat as it travels through the zone from zero degrees (right back up the middle) to three degrees towards the opposite field side. He’s still able to turn on the ball when he needs to, but the new approach has led to more base hits despite a small dip in hard contact.

Sunday update: Monasterio can't be stopped. He reached base six more times between Friday and Saturday with three hits, three walks, three RBI. It's a good time to ride the hot-hand with Monasterio if you need help at literally any infield spot because he's eligible for all four.

Nolan Arenado - 3B, ARI (25% rostered)

(BORING PRODUCTION, REGULAR PLAYING TIME)

We get it, you don't want to roster Arenado because he's old and boring. However, since July 1st, Arenado has seven home runs, 16 runs scored, and 19 RBI. He has a 9.2% barrel rate over that time, and his .257 ISO ranks 26th among 176 qualified hitters. There is still some power in this bat, and that makes him a solid deeper league target.

Cole Young - 2B, SEA (20% rostered)

(HOT STREAK, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

Over his last 25 games, Cole Young is hitting .284/.346/.505 with five home runs, 13 runs scored, and 10 RBI. I know the counting stats leave a little to be desired, but his 144 wRC+ is the second-best on the Mariners, and he has always been a young hitter with a strong sense of the strike zone and good plate discipline metrics. He might be more of a fit in deeper formats because his main value is batting average, but he really is contributing a little bit across the board. Jackson Holliday - 2B/SS, BAL (24% rostered) would be another option just for batting average needs. Since July 1st, he's hitting .296/.433/.338 in 28 games with nine runs, six RBI, and two steals. I know he's a big name prospect, but there's really not much here other than batting average.

Luis Rengifo- 2B/3B/OF, SD (18% rostered)

(HOT STREAK, STOLEN BASE UPSIDE)

It's unclear how long this will last, but since the All-Star break, Rengifo is hitting .355/.452/.484 with two home runs, 13 runs scored, eight RBI, and three steals. He's been playing every day and even hitting second against lefties. This isn't something we're buying into full-time, but it's worth taking note of now.

Cooper Pratt - SS, MIL (17% rostered)

(REGULAR PLAYING TIME, STOLEN BASE UPSIDE)

Pratt has been an on-base machine for the Brewers this season. In 29 games since July 1st, he's hitting .322/.402/.456 with two home runs, 16 runs scored, 15 RBI, and five steals. We know the Brewers like to run, and because Pratt is getting on base so much, they're letting him loose. He's tied for 17th in steals since July 1st, but is also one of only nine of those hitters to be batting over .300, and only CJ Abrams, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Pratt have that batting average plus 15+ RBIs over that timeframe. If you're just looking for speed, then Nasim Nuñez - 2B/SS, WAS (21% rostered) continues to steal bases, even if the batting average has started to dry up. He has eight steals since July 1st, which is fourth in all of baseball.

Sunday update: Pratt has just been placed on the injured list, so he's not longer a viable waiver option.

Joshua Báez - OF, STL (16% rostered)

(PROSPECT STASH, POWER UPSIDE)

We're starting to see plenty of prospects getting called up, so Báez's time is coming. We should note that the Cardinals would likely forgo his rookie eligibility in 2027 if they called him up now, so we're not likely to see Baez until around August 14th, but this could be the time to stash him without there being a waiver wire frenzy. With Lars Nootbaar out of the way, the door is open for Báez to make his MLB debut soon. The 23-year-old outfielder is one of the team’s top hitting prospects and possesses tantalizing power and speed upside to make an impact for fantasy managers down the stretch, even if he struggles with some swing-and-miss. Báez has hit 32 homers with 18 steals with a .896 OPS across 98 games with Triple-A Memphis. This comes after a 20/54 season across High-A and Double-A in 2025. Those tools make him one of the better lottery tickets to stash for a final push in fantasy leagues. Yes, he strikes out a lot, and there will be swing and miss, but the other tools should make up for it.

Sunday update: Báez hit yet another home run on Friday night — his 33rd at Triple-A this season — and will likely be up with the Cardinals by this time next week.

Angel Genao - 2B/3B/SS, CLE (15% rostered)

(PROSPECT CALL-UP, SNEAKY POWER/SPEED)

Genao may not be a household name, but he's the 39th-ranked prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline and James highlighted his potential in a video this past week.
In 72 games at Triple-A, Genao hit .309/.395/.494 with 13 home runs, 53 RBI, and 11 steals. If you're comparing him to Lombard Jr., Genao had slightly worse batted ball data in Triple-A, with a 45% hard-hit rate and 89.7 mph average exit velocity. He also has a 69 mph bat speed in his brief MLB sample, but he also pulled the ball a ton in Triple-A, with a 49% pull rate. Most of that was on the ground, so we're not expecting to see tons of home run power right away, but Genao also had a 92% zone contact rate and 7% swinging strike rate in Triple-A, so he makes plenty of contact. He has started at second base and third base since being recalled, and we think there's a good chance he plays most days with the Guardians using the DH spot to rotate other hitters through to keep them in the lineup.

Sunday update: Genao had two more hits on Saturday night including his first career home run. He's started all four games since being promoted with two coming at third base and the other two at second. He should both play enough and be productive enough to be viable in deeper leagues.

Tyler Stephenson - C, CIN (14% rostered)

(ONE-CATCHER LEAGUE OPTION, UPSIDE BET)

Stephenson is another hitter that was featured in Eric's second-half surgers article. Since June 1st, Stephenson has been one of the best offensive catchers in baseball, slashing .308/.378/.519 in 41 games with six home runs, 16 runs scored, and 16 RBI. His 141 wRC+ over that span is 4th-best among the 20 catchers with at least 140 plate appearances. The only three catchers better than him have over 210 plate appearances, while Stephenson has 148. His batting average ranked 3rd amongst those 20 catchers over that span, as does his on-base percentage, and his hard-hit rate (47.4%). Endy Rodríguez - C/1B, PIT (7% rostered) is another option, but likely one more suited for deeper formats. Rodriguez is hitting .269/.376/.470 in 44 games this season with seven home runs, 20 RBI, and six steals. The fact that he can provide value in all five categories is a nice separator for him from other catchers.

Sunday update: Rodríguez was scratched on Saturday with left hip discomfort and is out of the lineup again on Sunday. He is considered day-to-day as of now.

Héctor Rodriguez - OF, CIN (10% rostered)

(RECENT PROSPECT CALL-UP, POWER UPSIDE)

When he blurbed the announcement that Rodriguez was called up on Tuesday, George Bissell wrote: “Rodríguez is one of the more electrifying talents in the Reds’ system and will get his first opportunity at the highest level after hitting .274/.347/.533 with 27 round-trippers and six steals in 455 plate appearances for Triple-A Louisville. The 22-year-old outfielder is worthy of a speculative pickup in deeper mixed leagues based on his over-the-fence power upside. He figures to play every day for Cincinnati over the final two months.” We know the results haven't been there in his first few games, but we wouldn't abandon hope for him yet.

Sunday update: the Reds have faced four right-handed pitchers and two lefties since Rodriguez was promoted. He started against the righties and sat against the lefties, so this is a classic strong-side platoon situation.

Spencer Horwitz - 1B, PIT (9% rostered)

(PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

Spencer Horwitz is back from his hamstring injury and concussion, and with Ryan O'Hearn now on the injured list with a quad injury, there are plenty of reps at first base for Horwitz. He's gone only 2-for-16 with four RBI in his five games back, but Horwitz is hitting .271/.375/.439 in 79 games with 10 home runs and a 45/41 K/BB ratio. He has tremendous plate discipline and good contact skills and hits in the middle of the order against all right-handers. He will sit against lefties, so that's something to keep in mind, but Horwitz is a good corner infield target in deeper formats. Nathaniel Lowe - 1B, CLE (3% rostered) is also an interesting target. Yes, he's leaving the friendly confines of Great American Ballpark, but he's going to start for the Guardians against all right-handed pitchers. On the season, he's slashing .288/.364/.530 against righties with a .242 ISO, 25.8% strikeout rate, and 13 home runs. If you're in a league where you can sit him when the Guardians face a lot of lefties, he's going to give you solid value.

Kaelen Culpepper - SS, MIN (9% rostered)

(PROSPECT PROMOTION, POWER/SPEED COMBO)

Culpepper was called up on Friday and James recorded this video ahead of his debut about how his skills could translate to the big legaues. I'd probably add him over Genao because I think he's guaranteed more playing time and has more stolen base upside. Culpepper is the Twins' second-ranked prospect and the 29th-ranked prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. He has a .271 average with 14 home runs, 46 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 74 games for Triple-A St. Paul this season, but has gone 11-for-40 (.275) in 10 games since returning from a glute injury in mid-July. Culpepper is one of the highest-ranked prospect hitters we're likely to see called up this summer and has a power/speed combination that's worth a gamble in most fantasy leagues.

Sunday update: Culpepper homered in his first major league game on Friday night and reached base three more times on Saturday. Two of those were via being hit by pitches though and he's out of the lineup on Sunday. He stayed in the game and there's been no injury designation as of now, so we're still excited to bid on him tonight.

Tim Tawa - 1B/2B/OF, ARI (5% rostered)

(STARTING JOB, POWER UPSIDE)

Even after the Diamondbacks acquired Lars Nootbar, Tawa continues to play all the time. He's played primarily first base and third base so far this week, but those spots are open. In 26 games since July 1st, Tawa is hitting .275/.292/.495 with five home runs, 14 runs scored, 18 RBI, and two steals. That's with an 11.8% barrel rate and 50% hard-hit rate. Tawa has good bat speed at 73.9 mph and has an above-average zone contact rate, so even though he chases a bit more than we'd like, this might work out.

Griffin Conine - OF, MIA (4% rostered)

(PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, POWER UPSIDE)

Conineis another good option if you're in a daily moves league or a mid-week lineup change league since he won't play against lefties. Conine is hitting .241 in 30 games since July 1st, but that comes with seven home runs, a 16.4% barrel rate, and a 54.5% hard-hit rate. There is some power in his bat as well, but the team context will keep the counting stats down.

Moisés Ballesteros - C, LAA (4% rostered)

(STARTING JOB, POWER UPSIDE)

Ballesteros should be the regular DH with the Angels, especially with Jorge Soler designated for assignment. It hasn’t been a great rookie season, with a .228/.296/.371 slash line and six home runs in 186 plate appearances. However, he has a 9% barrel rate and 47% hard-hit rate and is not striking out, so there are some things to really like about what Ballesteros was doing in a part-time role. Now freed from worrying about his job, perhaps that gives him the confidence to get going at the plate a bit. His value is also huge in two-catcher formats, and if you're in a league where he's not yet catcher eligible, well, the Angels have actually been giving him some time there, so he might gain it soon. Agustín Ramírez - C, MIA (31% rostered) has also been called back up. However, he sat both games against a righty and played on Thursday against a lefty. With so many solid left-handed bats in the Marlins lineup that need to be in that DH spot, there is a chance that Ramirez is just on a short side of a platoon. Keep an eye on it.

Sunday update: Sunday is catcher-eligibility day (in most leagues) for Ballesteros as he's starting his 10th game behind the dish. That's enough to make him highly valuable in two-catcher leagues and possibly even standard mixed leagues if you're desperate for catcher production.

Coby Mayo - 1B/3B, BAL (2% rostered)

(POWER UPSIDE, REGULAR PLAYING TIME)

The former top prospect has some contact concerns that likely won't be fixed unless he makes a swing change, but he has been producing with a .259/.310/.630 slash line in his last 22 games with five home runs, 11 runs scored, and 10 RBI. The Orioles should play him for the majority of the rest of the season to see if he has a role on their team in 2027.

Abimelec Ortiz - 1B, WAS (1% rostered)

(STARTING JOB, POWER UPSIDE)

It seems that Abimelec Ortiz is getting the first crack at the starting first base job after Luis Garcia Jr. was traded to the Yankees. Ortiz, who came over in the MacKenzie Gore trade, had a slow month of April, but then began to warm up, hitting .249/.336/.557 in 58 games at Triple-A. His 17 home runs over that 58-game span ranked 4th in the International League behind Joshua Baez, Hector Rodriguez, and Matt Wallner. His .308 ISO ranked 2nd, trailing only Baez, and his .893 OPS ranked 22nd. On the season at Triple-A, Ortiz had a 14.8% barrel rate and 45.3% hard-hit rate, with just a 19.5% strikeout rate and 9.7% swinging strike rate, so this is not an empty power profile. Ortiz’s 75.5 mph bat speed would also rank 23rd among qualified hitters this season, tied with Elly De La Cruz, and he homered off Cam Schlittler on Monday in New York. His power is legit, and he figures to play against all right-handers in a good lineup. Of course, if James Wood is out for an extended period of time, then the lineup around him takes a big hit.

Sunday update: Ortiz has hit second against five straight right-handed pitchers. That alone makes him valuable in deeper leagues.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers

Clay Holmes - SP, CHC (42% rostered)

Clay Holmes will make his return from the injured list and his Cubs debut on Saturday. Before fracturing his fibula, the veteran had a 2.39 ERA and 1,10 WHIP in 52.2 innings for the Mets this season, and while he's unlikely to produce at that level going forward, and he won't give you strikeouts, he's still likely going to be a great source of ratios, especially on a team with that kind of infield defense which will vacuum up his grounders.

Sunday update: making his first big league start in nearly three months and first as a Cub, Holmes pitched poorly on Saturday. He let up four runs in four innings, walked two, and only struck out one batter. His velocity was down a tad compared to earlier this season and he didn't force a single swing-and-miss with his sweeper. Hopefully this was just mostly him shaking off some rust.

Keider Montero - SP/RP, DET (36% rostered)

The injury to Jack Flaherty meant that Montero got another shot in the Tigers' rotation, and then both Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize were traded, so Montero is locked into the rotation. Montero was also a pitcher in Eric’s article last week on starting pitchers without elite stuff who produce value with command and a deep pitch mix. This season, Montero tightened up both his curve and his slider, throwing them both a bit harder and with less movement. That took away a decent amount of swing-and-miss on his slider, but it also gave him far better control of the slider. The new movement profile on the slider has been far better against lefties and, surprisingly, even though the overall SwStr% is down against righties, his slider is performing even better in two-strike counts. With a five-pitch mix and improved command, Montero has landed himself firmly on a list of pitchers who can outperform their stuff. He also gets the Guardians and Pirates next, which is not a bad run.

Dustin May - SP, MIL (33% rostered)

May got traded to the Brewers at the deadline, which is a big team context upgrade. In his first start with his new team, he threw six innings while allowing two runs on three hits. The Brewers have plenty of pitchers who need to have their pitch counts monitored, so May could continue to pitch deep into game and this is clearly an organization we know can get the most out of their pitchers.

Luke Weaver - RP, NYM (29% rostered)

When Eric published an article a few weeks ago about players who could gain value after the trade deadline, he mentioned Weaver as his favorite relief pitcher stash. The 32-year-old had been great for the Mets with a 2.03 ERA and 28% strikeout rate in 40 innings, and the belief was that Weaver's $11 million salary next year was not a total burden for a team to take on. Well, he winds up with the Pirates, and while they may give Mason Montgomery a few save chances against left-handed-heavy pockets, Weaver has pitched too well not to get a crack at their closer role. He's a priority add if you need saves.

Grant Taylor - RP/SP, CWS (27% rostered)

In his last 15 innings, Taylor has three saves, a 1.20 ERA, and a 28% strikeout rate. We're not sure what more he needs to do to be added. Sure, he's not the locked-in every-day closer, but he will get saves, and he will help your ratios. That's good.

Sunday update: Taylor converted the save on Saturday against the Guardians. It was his first since July 19th, but the White Sox only other save since then went to Bryan Hudson on July 22nd. Taylor will still get save opportunities if they arise.

Jackson Jobe - SP, DET (26% rostered)

The Tigers freed up two spots in their starting rotation after trading away Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize. Jobe, who’s been out all season after last year’s Tommy John surgery, has already made four rehab starts and has allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in seven innings since getting to Double-A. He’s a big name prospect, but remember that he’s coming off a major arm surgery and had just an 18% strikeout rate in 49 innings for the Tigers in 2025.

Sunday update: Jobe had an electric return to the big leagues on Saturday. He fired five scoreless, one-hit innings against the Giants with four strikeouts and one walk. It took him just 71 pitches to do so, but it makes sense that the Tigers were careful with him back after more than a 14-month layoff. His average fastball velocity was over 98 mph, about two ticks harder than it was last season, and force five swings-and-misses. The rest of his repertoire looked sharp as well and out confidence is growing in what he can do for the rest of the season.

Kade Anderson - SP, SEA (22% rostered)

Will Kade Anderson be called up? Probably, but likely not until the middle of August. However, now could be the time to stash him. The left-hander certainly seems ready. He has a 1.13 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, and 40.9% strikeout rate in Double-A. The Mariners have said that they will use him as a starter when he's up, and Bryce Miller's struggles may make that happen sooner rather than later.

Brandyn Garcia - RP, ARI (18% rostered)

The Diamondbacks didn’t add a closer at the deadline. In fact, the Diamondbacks didn’t really add anything at the deadline. That means Garcia will continue to operate as the lead in their committee until Justin Martinez returns in September. Even then, Martinez will be coming off major arm surgery, and the Diamondbacks could be in a playoff race. How much would they put on his plate right away? On the season, Garcia has a 2.03 ERA and 31% strikeout rate in 31 innings, so if he added some saves to that profile, that would be helpful in all fantasy leagues. It seems like that's happening.

Jacob Webb - RP, CHC (17% rostered)

In one save appearance since Ryan Zeferjahn joined the team, it was Webb who got the chance and converted. On the year, Webb has a 2.49 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 26.5% strikeout rate with six saves in 50.2 innings. Maybe he remains the closer until Daniel Palencia (shoulder) comes back, and Palencia's health it no sure thing.

Sunday update: Webb converted another save on Friday and he is still the closer in Chicago.

Cristian Javier - SP, HOU (11% rostered)

It's unclear what the Astros are doing in their rotation. Javier was set to start on Sunday, but now he may piggyback with Tatsuya Imai. That said, we're fans of what Javier has done the last two games, adding in a cutter and using it 15% of the time. It has lessened his need to rely on the four-seamer and also increased the whiff on his sweeper. Those are good things.

AJ Smith-Shawver - SP, ATL (9% rostered)

Smith-Shawver pitched against the Mets last Wednesday and looked pretty good for four innings before tiring. His velocity was up across the board, and he seemed to change his slider into a cutter, which isn't a bad move. The four-seam vertical movement was great, and I have to think more whiffs will come on that pitch. We're still talking about a pitcher with a limited MLB sample size who is coming off of Tommy John surgery, so don't expect anything amazing, but he could be a deeper league option when he rejoins the rotation in another week (from what we're hearing).

Andrew Painter - SP, PHI (8% rostered)

Andrew Painter is back in the rotation and remains as inconsistent as ever. He had one pretty solid start where he led with his secondaries in order to hide his average fastball. He had another start where he threw too many fastballs and left the start with hamstring cramps or tightness. All of which makes it hard to recommend Painter in a shallower format, but the fact that we saw that one start with 50% sliders makes us know that he has it in there. He also has a great schedule coming up with matchups against the Cardinals, Twins, and Cardinals.

Ben Joyce - RP, LAA (5% rostered)

Joyce was activated off the injured list this week and could get right back into the mix for saves after recovering from shoulder surgery. He has thrown a few scoreless innings in his early rehab appearances and has been hitting 103 mph on the radar gun. The Angels don't create many save opportunities, but Joyce could wind up as their primary closer down the stretch. They could also turn to Sammy Natera Jr. - RP, LAA (3% rostered). In our fantasy winners and losers article after the trade, D.J. Short wrote up Natera Jr. and said, "Well, somebody has to close games for the Angels, right? Ryan Zeferjahn, Kirby Yates, and Brent Suter were all shipped out of town on Monday, so Natera could earn a role by default. The 26-year-old southpaw has been awesome since his call-up in June, posting a 2.28 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings. He began his professional career as a starter, but has found a home as a reliever over the past two seasons while getting a ton of whiffs on his fastball and slider. If Natera can continue to limit the walks, he has a real future."

Sunday update: Joyce pitched the eighth inning of a one-run game on Friday night before José Fermin (0% rostered) converted the save. He could still work his way into the ninth inning mix before long.

Jacob Lopez - SP, ATH (5% rostered)

Remember when Lopez went on that insane 11-13 start stretch of tremendous production last year? Well, it's happening again. In four starts since rejoining the rotation, he has a 2.29 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 32.5% strikeout rate in 19.2 innings. He also did that against Washington (before all the trades), Boston, Minnesota, and Cincinnati in Cincinnati. We know Sacramento is scary, but we also know that finding good pitchers in deeper formats is incredibly challenging.

Steven Cruz - RP, KC (5% rostered)

Much like with Joyce, Cruz is likely to get saves on a team that doesn't get a lot of save opportunities. Still, since July 1st, he has a 1.84 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and three saves in 14.2 innings. That comes with just a 20% strikeout rate, which is not ideal, but we don't think he's going to kill your ratios if you're hunting for saves.

Sunday update: just when it felt like Cruz was firmly the Royals' closer, Nate Pearson (0% rostered) converted the save for on Saturday. With that being said, Cruz got a hold in the eighth inning and faced the heart of the Cubs' order. It looks like he's at least the most trusted reliever in their pen, that just may not lead to as many saves as we'd hope.

Hunter Dobbins - SP, STL (2% rostered)

Eric talked about Dobbins a lot with Nick Pollack on the recent "On the Corner" episode. The long and short of it is that Dobbins has taken Dustin May's spot in the rotation, and he came out last start throwing a brand new fastball that was far more like a cutter. He was attacking lefties up and in with it and then using breaking balls underneath the zone. It all looked really good. It was just one start, but he was solid for Boston last year too, so it might be worth a shot in deeper formats.

George Klassen - SP, LAA (2% rostered)

Eric had Klassen in that same article on players who could see a boost after the trade deadline, and he is now being called up to fill one of the rotation spots vacated by Jose Soriano being traded and Ryan Johnson being optioned. As we've before, not many of us trust the Angels’ pitching development; however, I did like Klassen as a pitcher when he was back in the Phillies’ system. There remains a chance that he could become an impactful starter if he can harness his command. In six starts in July, he had a 2.48 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 38/11 K/BB ratio in 36.1 innings. Maybe he’s putting it together?

Sunday update: Klassen had an inefficient return to the majors on Friday with four walks and three strikeouts across four innings against the Marlins. His swing-and-miss stuff is legit, but he needs to reign in his command.

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Former Sabres Still Unsigned Free Agents – Tanner Pearson

As the National Hockey League enters the second month of free agency, a number of former Buffalo Sabres still remain unsigned. At this point of the offseason, players who have not latched on with an NHL club might consider playing in Europe, or taking a short-term deal or professional tryout to earn a one-year deal. 

A player who has sidetracked numerous times by injuries and has become a journeyman of late is winger Tanner Pearson. A 2012 first round pick of the Los Angeles Kings, the Kitchener, ON native played 25 regular season games as a rookie and 24 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on the Kings second run to a Stanley Cup in 2014. 

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He spent five seasons in Southern California, and after struggling at the start of the 2018-19 season, Pearson was traded to Pittsburgh, and then dealt to Vancouver for Erik Gudbranson. He posted a career-high 45 points (21 goals, 24 assists) in 69 games before the league was shut down due to the COVID pandemic. 

Which Atlantic Division clubs had the best and worst offseasons?

After another two seasons with the Canucks, Pearson suffered a serious hand injury that limited him to 14 games in 2022-23. He was dealt before the 2023-24 season to Montreal, and has played for Vegas, Winnipeg, and was acquired by the Sabres in a separate deal after Buffalo swapped Isak Rosen to the Jets for Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley. The deal was strictly for veteran depth, as he played only four regular season games for the Sabres and not at all in the playoffs.  

Outlook: With it being the first week of August, it is getting to the territory where players are taking any offers from teams in Europe before their training camps begin, or pondering professional tryouts with NHL clubs. Pearson has signed one-year deals the last two seasons, and for clubs looking for roster fillers or veteran fourth line depth, it is possible that he could find another short-term deal before training camp, but the more likely possibility with his injury history is a professional tryout to gauge his durability. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

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Jack Kayil headed overseas; Tyler Nickel expected to go pro

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 17: Tyler Nickel #55 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks during the 2026 NBA Summer League on July 17, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Knicks’ two second-round picks remain without NBA contracts, but each appears to have a clear path forward. The first, Jack Kayil, announced Friday that he’ll spend the 2026-27 season with Alba Berlin rather than join New York immediately.

As reported by Ian Begley (SNY), the move had long been viewed as the most likely outcome, as the Knicks’ second-apron salary constraints made signing the 20-year-old guard difficult. A larger role in Europe should give Kayil valuable developmental minutes while New York retains his NBA rights.

Tyler Nickel, meanwhile, remains unsigned. Although recent reports suggested he could return to college under the NCAA’s new eligibility rules, Begley reports that league sources expect Nickel to begin his professional career. Because the Knicks are tight against the second apron, signing Nickel to a standard NBA contract could complicate their search for a veteran third center, making a two-way deal the most logical outcome.

Begley reports, “In recent weeks, the Knicks have also been in touch with several free agent centers who could fill the third center role. Logic tells you that if they wanted to sign one of these centers on a guaranteed one-year deal, the Knicks would have done so already.”

With Kayil staying overseas, the Knicks have 13 players on standard contracts and all three two-way spots still available as training camp approaches.

Go Knicks.

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Everyone is waiting on Jonathan Kuminga to make a decision

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 30: Jonathan Kuminga #00 of the Golden State Warriors looks on from the bench against the Dallas Mavericks during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on December 30, 2023 in San Francisco, California. 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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

While the Lakers have been hard at work rebuilding their roster during this summer of optionality, they are still missing a starting-level wing.

This deep into free agency, the best player available at that position is Jonathan Kuminga. While the Lakers have been linked to him all offseason, a deal has yet to be reached and the five-year wing remains on the market.

On Friday, Anthony Slater contributed to a piece on ESPN updating where things stand regarding Kuminga and the Lakers.

“The opportunity appealed to Kuminga, but the sign-and-trade contract offer (years, money, package going back to Atlanta) didn’t satisfy all sides. The Lakers remain interested in him, league sources said, but movement toward a deal has remained stalled for weeks.”

It’s been reported before that talks with LA and Kuminga have stalled. So, it’s no surprise that this stalemate continues. The Lakers, as Slater has reported, have remained interested. They have continued calling about the talented wing.

While this Kuminga free agency has been long and tiring for fans, it’s all part of the negotiations.

We’ve gotten indications on what all parties are looking for in a trade that puts Kuminga in a Lakers uniform. The Hawks reportedly want a first-round swap, Kuminga wants a deal that he’s enticed to sign, and Los Angeles’ alleged contract offer hasn’t accomplished that.

Until all parties can agree, this will continue to drag on. Ultimately though, this is Kuminga’s decision.

While a trade would give him the most money, he is an unrestricted free agent and can select his destination. The information on what is possible will likely remain the same at this point, and he has to decide what he wants to do.

The Lakers can provide Kuminga with the opportunity for a starting position on a team with title aspirations. If he plays well in a purple and gold uniform, it could do wonders for his stock around the NBA.

It’s been a long odyssey here in the Kuminga sweepstakes, but so far the Lakers have done the right thing. They’ve been patient, remained interested, but haven’t done anything desperate or foolish to acquire him.

In the best-case scenario, Kuminga is a Laker, but that’s his decision to make now. Hopefully, he comes to a conclusion soon so this can all come to an end.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

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Mets claim infielder Gabriel Arias off waivers from Guardians

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Edwin Arroyo (2) steals second as Cleveland Guardians second baseman Gabriel Arias (13) attempts to tag him in the second inning between the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co

After he was designated for assignment on Tuesday, the Mets claimed infielder Gabriel Arias off of waivers. Arias, in his age 26 season, has played part of five seasons for Cleveland, logging time at all four infield positions.

Signed by the Padres as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2016, Arias was part of the trade between Cleveland and San Diego that sent Mike Clevinger to the Padres in 2020. Arias made his big league debut in 2022, appearing in 57 games. Arias played more than 100 games in both 2023 and 2025, and is a career .219/.275/.359 hitter.

Defensively, Arias has an above average arm, and has logged 187 games at shortstop, and has played every non-catching or pitcher position on the diamond. He’s out of minor league options and will be eligible for arbitration next season.

In 2026, Arias missed eight weeks with a left hamstring injury. In total on the season, he’s batting .244/.284/.386 with five home runs and four stolen bases.

Arias is a useful player to have on your roster due to his versatility. If he’s assigned to the major league roster, he would likely take the spot currently claimed by Cristian Pache.

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The Canadiens' Three Best Draft Picks Since The Start Of The Hughes-Gorton Regime

A lot has happened since Montreal Canadiens’ owner Geoff Molson decided to clean house and start afresh with a new management regime. Molson hired Jeff Gorton as the vice president of hockey operations (he’s now president of hockey operations) and Kent Hughes as GM and allowed them to undergo a full rebuild.

On Wednesday, we covered the three best moves (signings and trades) of the Hughes regime, and today, we’ll take a look at the three best draft picks of the Hughes-Gorton regime. The tandem has now overseen five drafts with a scouting team led by Nick Bobrov and Martin Lapointe, and while it’s still early to judge some of their picks, it’s not too early to look back at some of the ones that have already turned out to be a success.

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Lane Hutson

The diminutive defenseman is easily the best pick of the Hughes-Gorton regime, not only because of how talented he is, but also because he was drafted 62nd overall at the 2022 draft. That rank means that all teams repeatedly passed on the offensive-minded blueliner before the Canadiens used the pick they got from the Edmonton Oilers in the Brett Kulak deal to select the defender.

Four years later, Hutson has two professional seasons under his belt, and he’s exceeded all expectations. From a 66-point record-setting rookie season (he tied Larry Murphy’s record for most assists by a rookie defenseman in the NHL and became the highest scoring rookie in Habs history with 66 points), the Michigan native went to a 78-point sophomore season and put the league on notice that he would soon enter the James Norris Trophy conversation (he was sixth in voting this past season) and that he could already be mentioned in a conversation about Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes and Zach Werenski.

After his rookie season, the Canadiens knew they needed to ink him long-term, and they managed to do it at a very reasonable price because, like many of his teammates, the blueliner cares more about winning a championship than he does about earning as much money as possible. That team-first mentality is something the Canadiens evaluate before drafting a player; that’s a huge part of the interview process at the NHL combine. The Habs don’t just look at a player’s stats; they take a long, hard look at their character as well.

Ivan Demidov

One year after passing on Russian prospect Matvei Michkov at the 2023 draft, the Canadiens used the fifth overall pick at the 2024 draft to pick Ivan Demidov. Thanks to Bobrov’s contacts in Russia, the Habs had been keeping tabs on Demidov for a long time. When the other four teams picked Macklin Celebrini, Artyom Levshunov, Beckett Sennecke and Cayden Lindstrom in the first four spots, the Habs pounced on the opportunity to draft Demidov. While nobody could argue that Celebrini wasn’t a deserving first-overall pick, the jury is still out on the other three players that were picked ahead of Demidov.

Right-shot defenseman Levshunov currently plays on the Chicago Blackhawks' second-pairing, has 30 points to his name, and has yet to be signed to a contract extension. Sennecke plays on the Anaheim Ducks' second line, has 60 points to his name and is not yet eligible for a contract extension. In contrast, Lindstrom has yet to play a single game in the NHL, didn’t play until the playoffs the season after he was drafted, and could only muster 10 points in 31 games in his first season in the NCAA.

Demidov has already established himself as a top player for the Canadiens and was the dynamo of the second line, putting up 62 points in his rookie season. The Russian rookie wasted no time at the end of the season telling the media he loved playing in Montreal and wanted to stay long-term. His new contract extension was unsurprisingly an eight-year deal with a $9.15 million cap hit. There’s no doubt that he left money on the table, something that was acknowledged by Hughes at the signing press conference when he told the press that Demidov wanted to be part of something rather than be the main star of the team.

Demidov’s performance and willingness to buy into the team culture make him an excellent pick for the Gorton-Hughes regime, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a Canadiens fan who still laments the Habs passing on Michkov the year before. The Philadelphia Flyers pick at the 2023 draft put up 63 points in his rookie season and only 51 points in his sophomore season after turning up in less-than-ideal shape at training camp. Meanwhile, Demidov has been spending his summers in Montreal and now has the keys to the Habs' training facilities in Brossard so that he can train whenever he pleases. His work ethic and love for the game are both incredibly obvious, and he’s a perfect role model for Canadiens’ prospects.

Juraj Slafkovsky

The Bell Centre was stunned when Hughes selected Juraj Slafkovsky first overall at the 2022 draft. Most fans were hoping the Habs would pick Shane Wright and fill their need for a top-flight center; there were plenty of Canadiens jerseys featuring Wright’s name and number in the arena, but they decided to go for the promising power forward. He shone brightly at the 2022 Olympics, and that performance, coupled with his interview, convinced the Canadiens that he was the right player for them.

Four years later, nobody can argue that Wright would have been a better option; he’s still struggling to establish himself with the Seattle Kraken, and it’s been reported that they are open to trading him. In 169 NHL games, Wright only has 78 points for 0.46 points per game. Meanwhile, Slafkovsky leads the draft class with 184 points in 282 NHL games. That’s a 0.65 PPG average. Utah Mammoth pick Logan Cooley is second with 152 points in 211 NHL games, but that also gives him a 0.72 PPG average, slightly higher than Slafkovsky.

The Canadiens didn’t draft him as a pure point producer; however, they also drafted him for the style of play he could practice with his imposing frame, something the Canadiens really need, especially in the playoffs. Slafkovsky had a breakout season last year, putting up 73 points in 82 games and finally finding his identity. He understood what Martin St-Louis has been asking him to do since he joined the Habs for the 2022-23 season; he’s playing with pace to inflict maximum impact when he’s racing for the puck in the corner and colliding with opposing defensemen. He’s going into traffic in front of the net and using his big frame to wreak havoc, obstructing the goaltender’s view and being ready to pounce on rebounds.

Just like Hutson and Demidov, he’s also committed to the Canadiens long-term, having signed an 8-year contract extension which carries a $7.6 million cap hit back in July 2024. He agreed to sign a contract which had a lower cap hit than captain Nick Suzuki and sniper Cole Caufield, fitting in nicely with the salary structure Hughes was slowly putting in place. He’s yet another player who bought into what the Hughes-Gorton regime was selling: it’s all about doing what’s good for the team.

Honorable mentions to Michael Hage (21st overall at the 2024 draft) and Alexander Zharovsky (34th overall pick at the 2025 draft), who will be easier to evaluate once we see what they can do in the NHL. Bryce Pickford also falls in the honorable mention category, having had a season for the ages on the blueline in the WHL. It remains to be seen how well his game will translate to the NHL, but 45 goals in 55 games by an 81st overall pick is quite impressive.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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How much would Brandin Podziemski’s contract extension cost the Warriors?

INGLEWOOD, CA - APRIL 15: Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors smiles during the game against the LA Clippers during the SoFi Play-In Tournament on April 15, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

In today’s Dub Hub:

The Golden State Warriors have made it clear they intend to run it back next season after keeping most of their roster intact. So, with this emphasis on continuity, the organization will have to rely on internal improvement from its current players, specifically 23-year-old guard Brandin Podziemski as he enters his fourth NBA season.

After jumping into a full-time starting role late in the 2025-26 season, Podziemski finished the year averaging 13.8 points, 2.7 assists, and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 45.5% from the field and 37.1% from three-point range. His continued development has not only raised expectations entering next season, but also sparked discussions about what his next contract could look like.

According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, Podziemski’s next contract could carry an average annual value between $22 million and $24 million. However, Siegel also reports the Warriors would likely prefer a deal in the $15 million to $18 million range.

Via ClutchPoints:

In terms of what a new deal for Podziemski could possibly look like, it is likely that the AAV would be between $22 million and $24 million. While the sweet spot for the Warriors would be a deal somewhere between $15 million and $18 million, Podziemski and his camp would want to exceed this in their asking price due to his contributions as a starter and improved production during the 2025-26 season.

Siegel also noted there is no urgency for Golden State to reach an extension with Podziemski before the start of the season, particularly with Stephen Curry’s contract situation being a higher priority. As a result, Podziemski could ultimately play out the final year of his rookie contract before becoming a restricted free agent next offseason.

With Curry (38), Draymond Green (36), and Jimmy Butler (36) all in the latter stages of their careers, Podziemski’s youth and durability are becoming increasingly important to the Warriors’ long-term outlook. Whether that ultimately costs $18 million or $24 million per year is up for debate, but it remains clear he has emerged as a key piece of the franchise’s future.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Friday, August 7th:

Warriors News:

What does the Warriors’ best-case scenario look like this season? | The San Francisco Standard

The rationale for such stagnation traces back to GM Mike Dunleavy’s belief that last year’s issues weren’t so much roster-related as they were a result of injuries and general sloppiness. Additionally, in a vacuum, the free agents available weren’t much more appealing than the internal options, and making a move just to make a move isn’t necessarily a good process. Melton is as valuable as, say, Anfernee Simons (if not more).

Even if the rationale might be sound, the ceiling is low.

What does the best-case scenario look like for running it back?

How Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy foreshadowed the team’s quiet NBA offseason | NBC Sports Bay Area

“Do we need to get better roster-wise? I think so,” the GM acknowledged in May. “But we didn’t get to a point where we played a team where the roster is better than ours. For that reason, we were more focused on the stuff that we can control.

“We’ll always look to be better, talent-wise, roster-wise, all that. But . . . the discussions weren’t really about that. It was more with the team that we have. How can we be better? And what are the things we need to do to build on for long-term success?”

Dub Nation had been warned. The priority was internal development rather than external additions. Do not expect gifts in July.

And none came.

Draymond Green selects himself third in a redraft of the 2012 NBA Draft class

NBA News:

Sources: Anthony Davis, Wizards table contract talks until season starts | ESPN

One source told Charania that this gives both sides the first 20 or so games to marinate over a potential extension and see how the early part of the season goes for the Wizards and for the 10-time All-Star.

Davis became eligible Thursday to sign a contract extension for up to four years and $275 million. The first year of the extension would replace a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28.

Pablo Torre reports on alleged undisclosed sponsorship between Kawhi Leonard and Clippers’ scoreboard-maker Daktronics

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Warriors Draymond Green doesn’t care that he doesn’t have a no-trade clause

“I think it was something that we could have fought over, but it wasn’t worth fighting over,” Green said, as transcribed by NBC Sports Bay Area. “I think if the Warriors want to trade me at some point in the season, they want to trade me. I’ve never been a guy who wants to stay somewhere where I’m not wanted.”

A post to end the week:

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

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VJ Edgecombe details LeBron James’ FaceTime on decision that left him ‘geekin’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, Image 2 shows LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers on court against the Cleveland Cavaliers
lebron james vj edgecombe 76ers lakers

The Philadelphia 76ers won the LeBron James free agent sweepstakes this summer.

VJ Edgecombe, like many basketball fans, was extremely excited to welcome the four-time NBA champion to the team. The 21-year-old had the chance to speak with James directly after the two-year, $8 million deal was announced, which he detailed during an interview at the ABCD Basketball Camp.

VJ Edgecombe was born two years after LeBron James made his NBA debut in 2003. Now, they’re teammates. NBAE via Getty Images

“I FaceTimed Bron. I was in disbelief, but I had to act cool. I had to act like I’d been there before. I’m on the phone all cool and stuff. My headphones on, I’m playing the game. Had to act all cool, but it’s really Bron. I was really geekin’ I ain’t gone lie,” Edgecombe said.

The ongoing free agency saga surrounding James was the headline story of the NBA summer and the 41-year-old’s decision to join the 76ers was quite the stunning denouement.

James is set to star alongside Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey as well as the young rising star in Edgecombe.

The latter of who was born in 2005, two years after James made his NBA debut in 2003. Now, Edgecombe and James are set to be teammates, which makes the guard’s giddiness that much more authentic as he quite literally grew up watching the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

The 76ers face immense pressure to win a championship this upcoming season and Philadelphia’s roster is equipped to do just that. The arrival of James has made Edgecombe the fifth option for the 76ers, but he’s expected to continue developing around some of the league’s biggest stars.

At 41 years old, LeBron James was the top free agent of the summer. Getty Images
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Yankees add Mitch Garver on minor league deal

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 01: Mitch Garver #18 of the Seattle Mariners reacts during the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins at T-Mobile Park on August 01, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

What was it we were saying about the Yankees failing to add a catcher in early-August? Scratch that, because Mitch Garver is on his way. Once a rather productive major league backstop, Garver, who was serving in a bench role for the Mariners, was released just a few days ago, making his time on the open market a very short one as the Yankees have snatched him up on a minor league contract.

Considering the lack of production the Yankees have had from the catching position and the track record of Garver, it wouldn’t take a lot for him to receive a chance with the big league club—even if his 2026 production was subpar enough for Seattle to let him go. The 35-year-old right-handed hitter had a miserable .596 OPS, and he wasn’t much better last year, when he had a .639 OPS with the M’s.

The issue with Garver is that his offensive production needs to be legitimately strong, since unlike the catchers currently used in the majors by the Yankees, his defensive work leaves a ton to be desired. Dating back to 2022, the majority of the playing time received by Garver has been at designated hitter, with 223 games there to just 146 behind the plate. It’s a small sample, but Statcast has him below average in every facet of catcher defense both this year and last year.

We’ll see how he does initially in Triple-A, but this is a move to watch, particularly in the context of Garver’s career numbers against left-handers; he boasts an .820 OPS versus southpaws. If Garver can find a way to hit lefties consistently like he once did, there may be an opportunity to be had here, but he needs to perform with the bat, given how much the Yankees emphasize defense behind the plate.

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Mets claim infielder Gabriel Arias off waivers from Guardians

The Mets have claimed infielder Gabriel Arias off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians, the club announced on Friday.

Arias, 26, was designated for assignment by Cleveland earlier this week. In 42 games this year, he has three doubles, five home runs, 11 RBI with a .244/.284/.386 slash line for a .669 OPS (87 OPS+, 85 wRC+). 

His final appearance with the club came on Tuesday against New York, he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Strikeouts have been an issue for Arias, with 57 in 127 at-bats on the year after going down on strikes 162 times in 432 at-bats a year ago.

A corresponding roster move was not immediately announced.

He's known as a versatile infielder – during his five big league seasons with the Guardians, he has started at all four infield positions and all three outfield positions – with one of the strongest arms in baseball: 94th percentile in arm strength in 2025 and 85th percentile this year. (By position, he's made 174 starts at shortstop, 64 at third base, 29 at second base, 16 at first, 17 in right field, two in center, and one in left.)

Over his 362 career games at the MLB level, he has 30 home runs, 53 doubles, four triples, 111 RBI, and a .219/.275/.359 slash line for a .635 OPS (76 OPS+, 77 wRC+).