The struggling New York Yankees welcomed back a pair of everyday players Friday, July 3 - yet lost another left-handed pitcher to an elbow injury.
Carlos Rodón was placed on the 15-day injured list due to elbow inflammation, the club announced. It's another setback for a rotation that lost fellow lefty Max Fried on May 13 with an elbow bone bruise.
Rodón's season debut was delayed until May 10 as he recovered from offseason surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow. He posted a 3.30 ERA in nine starts; in his last outing, he gave up no earned runs over five innings but walked four against Boston.
The club did welcome back outfielder Trent Grisham, who was out since mid-June with a hamstring strain. Infielder Ryan McMahon (throat, ear infection) also returned after he was placed on the IL June 24.
The club has been without reigning MVP Aaron Judge since May 31, and it has been nearly a month since his June 5 IL placement for a stress fracture in his right rib. At that time, the club said the injury would be re-scanned in four to six weeks, but the club did not anticipate that occurring as the four-week mark arrives.
The Yankees, following sweeps by Boston and Detroit, have lost seven consecutive games and nine of their past 11.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 1: Trey Lyles #41 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 1, 2024 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Friday, the Wolves signed ten-year NBA veteran Trey Lyles to a one-year contract, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Krawczynski also reported that this signing does not take the Timberwolves out of the LeBron James sweepstakes and is just a signing to add depth at a position Minnesota did not currently have on the roster.
Last season, Lyles played in the EuroLeague for Real Madrid in Spain, averaging 12.6 points per game while shooting 42.1 from beyond the arc across 61 games. Before that, Lyles played 10 seasons with the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, and, most recently, with the Sacramento Kings.
The Wolves are now down to two open roster spots, at least one of which they are required to fill. Without a cost-cutting trade, they project to have less than $4 million in space under the second apron, which is Minnesota’s hard cap due to the Julius Randle and LaMelo Ball trades being combined.
Assuming the Lyles signing is at the minimum, here is where the Timberwolves' cap sheet stands
They have just under $4 million in space under the second apron. If they were able to make a cost-cutting trade, it would open up them up to use the full $6 million taxpayer mid-level pic.twitter.com/RfI74PQiIx
Given the lack of financial space, the Wolves’ options for the 14th and likely final roster spot are slim. Free agent Rui Hachimura would be a perfect fit, but would likely demand a contract far greater than the Wolves in their current state could offer.
The Wolves could also decide to make one more depth signing, assuming LeBron James does not choose to come to Minnesota, and roll with both Ayo Dosunmu and Jaden McDaniels in the starting lineup until a better option for a starting-caliber power forward makes itself available.
Apr 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles (12) tries to get to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Kicking off in full gear
The last 48 hours feel more like a week has passed, even though NBA Free Agency just started a couple of days ago. The Raptors have landed the central piece that opens themselves a new championship window, and this time it won’t be on a one-year rental — the Klaw will stay in Toronto for the foreseeable future. However, Kawhi Leonard’s return was not the only news that had just recently headlined this year’s free agency. Somewhere 500 miles down the road, a new Big Three had just formed in the City of Brotherly Love.
The Boston Celtics just shipped disgruntled star Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks, and a couple of future second-rounders, shaking up the landscape in the Eastern Conference, as the 76ers emerge as a new powerhouse to rival their division co-contenders up north.
The Celtics, themselves, have also added another big man to bolster their front court by snatching center Mitchell Robinson from the defending champion New York Knicks, who, barring this move, have dealt new contracts to players with expiring deals to keep their championship roster intact. Further south in South Beach, the Greek Freak just joined the Miami Heat, who, alongside Bam Adebayo, will surely be an immovable force in the paint for any opposing team.
The Raptors’ trade for Leonard indicates that the front office sees a path towards winning a second championship. While he will surely elevate the team on both ends of the floor as one of the best two-way talents in the league, Toronto still has a glaring gap to fill, as other Eastern Conference teams are acquiring talent and front-court depth.
The Raptors’ search for a center
Well, this cannot be overstated, but it’s a sentence that has been echoing for the better part of last season. I may now sound like a broken record by saying this, but look around — other Eastern Conference teams are stacking up their front court with size and strength that works strongly against the Raptors’ style of play. Don’t believe me? Let me take you to the series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Toronto loves to play up-and-down basketball. As a matter of fact, the Raptors led the league in fast-break points with 18.6 ppg. The Cavs’ twin-tower duo in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen not only possess incredible rim-protecting prowess, but both are also agile enough to get back on defense to prevent the Raptors from having a clear lane to the hoop. Hence, the Raptors had to grind out most of the series with half-court sets that they struggled to convert on.
With most of the Raptors’ offense operating off of slashers, namely Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett, the Cavs pack the paint with rim-protectors, like Allen and Mobley, to force them to settle for perimeter shots that have not been consistent. Raptors’ starting center Jakob Poeltl’s inability to stretch the floor also plays to the Cavs’ favour in maintaining this defensive scheme. Besides his lack of outside shooting and a nagging back injury, Poeltl is also an easy target on switches, with quicker guards flying past him through their speed, while athletic big men such as Allen and Mobley can also beat him on offense. Hence, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic prefers to play an undersized Collin Murray-Boyles at the five, which comes with disadvantages.
Apr 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles (12) tries to get to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
While Murray-Boyles is a versatile defender, which makes him a more viable option to guard the pick-and-roll, he is also not much of a perimeter threat like Poeltl, which clogs driving lanes for Barnes and Barrett on offense. As I mentioned, he is also undersized, which warrants double teams with other Raptors forwards when either Mobley or Allen is in the painted area, and allows more explosive guards like Donovan Mitchell to attack him off the dribble and use his aggressive defensive style against him to draw fouls. Murray-Boyles also gives up a good amount of size in the interior, which the Cavs took full advantage of for easy putbacks, touch passes, free throws, or extra possessions.
What does this search mean in matching up with the rest of the East?
With Philly’s addition of former Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, the 76ers form an offensive juggernaut with three individuals who can score at all three levels. While the Raptors will bank on versatility and switchability to contain Brown’s shotmaking and Tyrese Maxey’s bursts of speed, they won’t be able to match up with Embiid’s size and skill down low. They will either give up easy points, foul him, or double him and leave a man open on the perimeter. A touch pass from Embiid will collapse the defense, forcing players to scramble and cover ground quickly, and that will lead to closeouts that Brown and Maxey could blow past by to the rack.
As was mentioned, the Celtics add another tall and strong frame in Robinson, who proved to be crucial to the Knicks’ title run with his incredible offensive rebounding and reliable rim protection. Meanwhile, the Knicks pose the same threat as those previous teams, and now boast a championship pedigree. Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Heat will also be a match-up nightmare for teams that rely on points inside the paint.
The realistic solution
Poeltl is still locked up to the Raptors for four more years after opting in to his $19 million player option last summer. Besides him, Murray-Boyles is the only serviceable option at the five, but is a tad undersized for the center position. Toronto will have limited cap room to work with after the Kawhi trade and will only be able to offer a veteran minimum for another backup big. With limited trade flexibility on Poeltl’s contract because of his injury history, the Raptors hope that he will remain healthy and regain his form so that Murray-Boyles can slide back up to the four, as the Raptors try to keep up with the rest of the East.
DALLAS, TX - JUNE 29: The Dallas Mavericks Introduce Dusty May as Head Coach Press Conference on June 29, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. 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 Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the offseason and free agency in full swing, the Dallas Mavericks have begun to reshape their roster with the additions of Santi Aldama and the likely addition of Marcus Sasser once the league-wide moratorium on signings ends on July 6. Newly minted head coach Dusty May is also rumored to be adding former New Orleans Pelicans head coach, Willie Green to his staff for the upcoming season. There will undoubtedly be more tweaks to come, all of which will shed light on what the Mavericks will look like come October – and by extension, their play style.
Removing some of the guesswork is none other than May himself. In a recent sit-down with Mavericks’ Chief Communications Officer, Gina Miller, May detailed exactly what his expectations are for the team going forward.
There were three specific comments that indicate the foundation the new-look Mavericks will be built on.
“I want us to play with top-five pace”
This should be music to the ears of Mavs’ fans. The Dallas offense often looked dysfunctional last season, and while some of that was due to injuries and personnel changes, there is no disguising the fact the Mavs could barely participate in a critical part of modern NBA basketball – the three-point shot.
The Mavericks were ranked 26th in the league in three-point percentage at 34.4% (just 0.4% above last place) and 27th in the league in three-point attempts per game at 31.9 (fewer than two attempts per game above last place). The Mavs ranked 23rd in points per game with 114.1.
Dallas is clearly looking to get younger, more athletic and versatile with the additions of Aldama and Sasser, along with rumors of interest in Anfernee Simons, so it’s becoming clear how the roster moves align with May’s vision.
“Defensively; to be incredibly competitive”
A renewed interest in defense will be a welcome sight in Dallas. The Mavs showed flashes last season, but far too often were exposed repeatedly. It wasn’t necessarily for lack of trying or interest, but once again injuries played a part along with personnel that were not always up to the task.
The Mavericks gave up 119.6 points per game, ranking them 23rd in the league with only a single 30-win team ranking below them. Everyone else they outpaced had a win total in the 20-game range, except for two teams with win totals in the teens. It was not good company to keep.
Knowing defense will be a priority is a meaningful positive, but it’s going to take the right players to do the job and we can already see that in the roster that is taking shape. Drafting Morez Johnson, Jr., trading for seven-footer Aldama and being rumored to be looking at Sasser (somewhat undersized, but Kelvin Samson-taught), while bringing Green onto the coaching staff, all demonstrate that the front office and May are on the same page with how they want the team to play.
“I want us to be the best passing team in the NBA”
This may be the most intriguing of the bunch. The Mavs had a patchwork back court last year, with rookie Cooper Flagg opening the season as the point guard. From there, the likes of Ryan Nembhard and Brandon Williams took up plenty of minutes as the Mavs operated without Kyrie Irving.
Dallas ranked 22nd in the league in assists per game at 25.3. They were just better than half an assist out of 29th overall. It was a major concern, to say the least.
The return of Irving will be a significant boost to the Mavericks being able to successfully orchestrate their offense, but they will need all the help they can get. If Sasser lands in Dallas, it could spell the end of Brandon Williams’ tenure. Irving, Sasser and Nembhard can all distribute, and that says nothing for some of the other players the Mavericks drafted. Sergio de Larrea is a long, tall guard, and May’s desire to be the best passing team correlates with Dallas’ move up in the draft to select him. That’s not to suggest de Larrea will be playing a significant role right away, but as with each of the other tenets May is building around, they clearly are informing the personnel decisions being made.
If May can see his vision through, the Mavericks should be an exciting team to watch, and ultimately a successful one. There is still plenty of time remaining in the offseason, and likely more roster shaping to come, but it’s terrific to see May has a clear vision and is being supported by the front office to get the players needed to fulfill that vision.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN. - MAY 2026: Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers (27) scored on a double by Minnesota Twins first baseman Kody Clemens (2) in the third inning, Sunday, May 17, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minn. The Minnesota Twins hosted the Milwaukee Brewers at Target field. (Photo by Jerry Holt/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images) | Star Tribune via 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.
torturedsoulv1 asks:How many relievers do you think the Yankees need? How many do you think they will actually trade for?
They could probably use a couple, if we’re being honest, but they’ll swing for at least one. Camilo Doval has all the tools to be a quality reliever and yet has utilized them to be supremely frustrating since arriving over from San Francisco at last year’s deadline. He’s the most likely candidate to get jettisoned off the roster in a bullpen shakeup, as I just can’t see the team trusting him with late leads down the stretch and they have more effective pitchers for mopup duty. Jake Bird started off looking like a lost cause but has turned things around in May and June, so he’s got a place for now though he also has an option remaining if the team wants to stash him back down in the minors in case he runs into another stretch of looking unplayable. Tim Hill has also seemingly lost some of the magic of his lanky lefty ways, so if they could find an effective left-handed upgrade they might take it, but he’s not pitching as bad as he was during a terrible May anymore.
Up until yesterday, I would’ve said the plan was to look for said lefty as a trade acquisition and rely on Carlos Lagrange as the right-handed upgrade, but now that he’s on the IL with a shoulder injury I think that shuts the door on a 2026 debut for him even in a relief role. It’s more possible now that they push for two arms, especially given their apparent reluctance to trust Yovanny Cruz with a role in this bullpen despite his success in the few outings he’s gotten, but perhaps Cruz slots into the spot they intended for Lagrange instead once he’s allowed back up to the majors.
OLDY MOLDY asks: Will there be any real impact bats available at the trade deadline?
The most impactful one for the Yankees would be Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers, whom the Yankees could help push towards being sellers by waking up and beating thoroughly this weekend. Though he’s only played in 37 games this season because of a hamate injury, Jeffers was posting a career-best season before he got shelved and is close to a return after hitting for consecutive days. His 164 wRC+ would blow the rest of the Yankees’ catchers out of the water, and he’s had enough success as an above-average hitter over the last three seasons to warrant belief that he’ll provide some thump to a position that has desperately needed even close to average production. Austin Wells at this point has been in the doldrums long enough to believe that his bat just isn’t going to come around, even if he does pull out of the simply miserable run he’s been on this year, and Jeffers’ defense is solid enough to warrant significant playing time down the stretch. Since he’s on his last year of arbitration as well, it shouldn’t be too costly to rent what is the ideal addition to an offense that desperately needs some help.
The idiot that said, “Harper is coming” asks:Now that we’re more than halfway through the 2026 season, what does Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s offseason look like if his current level of play continues? He’s currently slightly below league average offensively, and by some metrics below average defensively at his best defensive position. Do the Yankees extend the qualifying offer to him? If so, does he take it?
Jazz has had a fascinating year — not a good one, but a fascinating one. It’s entirely possible that he goes on a second-half run like Gleyber Torres did in 2024 to recoup some of the value he’s lost over the first 80-plus games played, but as of right now if the qualifying offer came his way I’d have to assume he takes it and tries again on the open market with hopes of a rebound year establishing his numbers as a Yankee as the expectation for whoever signs him. Should the Yankees extend that offer to him, though?
They offered it to Trent Grisham last offseason, and by all reports were surprised when Grisham actually ended up accepting the deal. That may have led to their offseason plans changing, though with the benefit of hindsight I’m not sure if they were ever really going to be that invested in the Kyle Tucker Sweepstakes which meant that Cody Bellinger’s return was always the top goal and Grisham’s return obviously didn’t impede that. What it did mean was that their playbook was more restricted, and with Bellinger asking for more money than they thought reasonable that led to a significantly drawn-out winter. This time around I’d have to assume they’d be more aware of the possibility of Chisholm accepting, and in fact a qualifying offer might be the only way that Jazz sticks around another year in pinstripes if his asking price isn’t completely deflated.
The 2026 class of free agents don’t look to have any game-changing targets at positions of need for New York, and while there may be interest in renting Tarik Skubal’s services I doubt they’ll wade into the bidding war for his long-term contract so the money’s there to gamble on one more year with Chisholm should the team want to. Add onto that the impending lockout hanging over the sport, and a short commitment that would avoid scrambling to put together the team if/when baseball is played in 2027 doesn’t sound like a bad idea.
BetweenthePinstripes asks:Are the Yankees ever going to win again?
Jun 30, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves shortstop Jorge Mateo (2) celebrates with second baseman Ozzie Albies (1) after scoring a run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves are using this four-game series as the turning point from their June hitting woes, right?
The lineup is almost identical to Thursday’s quiet finale. So, the question is, what are we hoping to accomplish with the same look after a disappointing ending to the previous game?
If there are any English fans in today’s crowd, they might be in for a treat, as Micahel Harris II has shown a good offensive production (2.000) in his past three at-bats against New York Mets’ Christian Scott.
Now, Scott was fully sidelined last year due to Tommy John surgery, and that’s a big reason why the rest of the offense doesn’t have a lot of experience recorded against him. And though offensive production is helpful, it doesn’t always equate to runs. Very much needed runs that the Braves need to get back in the win-column, and consistently stay there.
The plan is obvious: the Braves need hits. Something’s not clicking from bat to mindset, and it’s costing the team these games that’ll count near the end.
Braves beat writer Mark Bowman shared a stat on Atlanta’s offensive production in their past 19 games.
The Braves have produced a .580 OPS while losing 14 of their past 19. Before this year, their most recent seasons that included a 19-game stretch with a sub .580 OPS were: 2016: 93-loss season (felt like 193) 2014: Second-half disaster led to Frank Wren being fired 1989:…
Every team goes through its tough stretches, but now it’s a matter of figuring out what the hindrance is to fix it before the All-Star Break, and preferably bring the second half of the season in on a good note.
First pitch is 7:15 EST.
Note: The Mets Lineup was not available at the time of publication
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 22: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves look on during the game during Round 1 Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on April 22, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Tim Connelly and the Minnesota Timberwolves have already made their summer splash, and it was not exactly a toe-dip into the pool.
Acquiring LaMelo Ball from Charlotte was the kind of move that immediately changes the way everyone has to think about this roster. The direct cost was steep: Naz Reid, the 2033 first-round pick, multiple swaps and second-rounders. The indirect cost was Julius Randle, who had to be shipped to Brooklyn in what was essentially the salary-clearing first domino that made the bigger move possible and opened the door for an Ayo Dosunmu signing. Put the two transactions together and the Wolves have dramatically reshaped themselves in the span of a week, moving away from the big-body, frontcourt-heavy identity that defined the last few seasons and into something faster, flashier, younger and, potentially, more dangerous.
The Wolves now have one of the most electric backcourts in the league. Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, the No. 1 and No. 3 picks from the 2020 NBA Draft, are about to enter their primes together. If you are a Wolves fan who has spent the past few years watching half-court possessions occasionally turn into a clogged sink, this is the kind of pairing that makes your basketball brain start lighting up like a Christmas tree. LaMelo’s passing should take pressure off Edwards. His pace should create easier looks before defenses get set. His creativity should unlock Jaden McDaniels as a cutter, Rudy Gobert as a lob threat, and Ant as the most terrifying off-ball weapon he has ever been allowed to become.
There is only one problem. The Wolves now have a power forward-sized hole in the middle of their roster.
For years, Minnesota’s identity was built around size. They had Gobert, Naz, and Randle. Before that, they had Karl-Anthony Towns. The Wolves were a team that walked into the gym and immediately made opponents feel smaller. Now, after the LaMelo trade and the Randle salary dump, the frontcourt looks awfully thin. Gobert remains, Joan Beringer is waiting in the wings, and McDaniels can slide up in certain lineups. But if Minnesota is serious about contending for a title, there is no way around it: the Wolves need a real answer at power forward.
Which brings us to the weirdest and most surreal possibility on the board: LeBron James.
Earlier this week, James informed the Los Angeles Lakers he would not be returning, a decision that felt less like a shocking divorce and more like the inevitable ending of a marriage that had quietly been sleeping in separate bedrooms for six months. The Luka Doncic trade changed everything in Los Angeles. Once Luka arrived, the Lakers’ future was no longer centered around LeBron. Austin Reaves then inked a massive $185 million max contract, further confirming that the franchise had pivoted into its next era.
LeBron was no longer the sun around which the Lakers orbited. He was still important, but no longer the organizational center of gravity. Once the team was no longer his, once the money was no longer flowing his direction, and once the Lakers looked more like a team hoping to survive the first round than one built to win the whole thing, it made perfect sense for LeBron’s loyalty to evaporate.
So now comes the question that always follows LeBron when a chapter ends: Where does he take his talents next?
The obvious answer is Cleveland, and honestly, it is probably the correct one. If LeBron is thinking about legacy, sentimentality, and the perfect final act, going home makes all the sense in the world. Return to the franchise that drafted him. Return to the city he already delivered a championship to. Bookend the greatest career in modern basketball history where it all began. It would be clean. It would be poetic. It would give every NBA producer exactly the kind of montage material they dream about.
But if this is about basketball fit? If this is about competing for one more championship without simply stapling himself onto a ready-made machine? Then the Minnesota Timberwolves make almost too much sense.
That sounds ridiculous at first, mostly because the phrase “LeBron James should sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves” still feels like something you would hear from a guy calling late-night sports radio. But before you dismiss the idea, first strip away the market-size reflex, the weather jokes, and the decades of Timberwolves dysfunction, and look at the actual basketball situation. Minnesota has the exact positional need LeBron fills. Minnesota has a superstar in Anthony Edwards who is ready to win now but still young enough to benefit from LeBron’s leadership. Minnesota has a gifted playmaker in LaMelo Ball who could absorb more basketball knowledge from LeBron in one season than most players get in a decade. Minnesota has defensive infrastructure in McDaniels and Gobert that could cover for some of the natural defensive slippage that comes with LeBron’s age. Minnesota has a roster that would not ask LeBron to be the franchise savior, but would absolutely need him to be a central piece.
That distinction matters. If LeBron joined Oklahoma City, San Antonio or New York, it would look like coattail riding. Maybe that is unfair. Maybe at this stage of his career he has earned the right to do whatever he wants. But perception matters, especially when your legacy is already being argued in every barbershop and television studio in America. Joining the defending champion Knicks or attaching himself to Victor Wembanyama’s rocket ship in San Antonio would not carry the same weight as going somewhere like Minnesota and finishing the job for a franchise that has never touched the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
That is the part that should intrigue him. The Wolves are not some prebuilt dynasty begging for a luxury attachment. They are a talented, hungry, flawed contender with a superstar, a new elite playmaker, a defensive spine and one obvious missing piece. LeBron would not be along for the ride. He would be part of the reason the ride works.
A starting five of LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, LeBron James and Rudy Gobert would immediately become the best starting group in the NBA. That is not homerism. LaMelo orchestrating. Ant detonating. McDaniels defending the toughest perimeter assignment. LeBron manipulating matchups, organizing the floor and punishing teams that overload on Edwards. Gobert protecting the rim and cleaning up everything behind them. You would have passing, athleticism, defensive versatility, size, star power and enough collective basketball IQ to make every opponent miserable.
More importantly, the roles actually make sense. LeBron would not need to carry a franchise for 82 games. He would not need to be the nightly engine the way he was for so many years. Ant would remain the alpha scorer. LaMelo would handle a major share of the creation. Gobert would anchor the defense. McDaniels would take the toughest wing matchups. LeBron could conserve energy, pick his spots, punish mismatches, quarterback the offense in big moments and become the veteran adult in the room that this team has often lacked when games require maturity.
And let’s be honest, the Wolves have not been a shining example of maturity. They have talent. They have explosive upside. But they have also had stretches where composure evaporates, the offense gets sticky, and the team looks like it needs someone to walk into the huddle and remind everyone how championship basketball actually works. LeBron would bring that instantly. He would bring the kind of veteran authority that cannot be manufactured by a coaching staff or created through a team-building retreat.
For Edwards, it could be transformative. Ant is already one of the league’s best players, but he is still learning the full responsibility of being the face of a championship team. LeBron has lived that burden longer than anyone. If Edwards is truly going to become the player who brings a title to Minnesota, spending a year or two next to the greatest basketball mind of his generation could accelerate that process in ways that are difficult to quantify.
The same goes for LaMelo. For all his gifts, Ball has never been in a winning environment like this. He has never had to organize a team with title expectations. He has never had to make every possession matter deep into May and June. LeBron would not just help him on the floor. He would teach him what winning basketball actually demands.
Of course, there are reasons to be skeptical. LeBron is old by NBA standards, even if he continues to treat aging like an optional side quest. The Western Conference is brutal. Minnesota is not Los Angeles. It is not Miami. It does not offer sunshine and glamour. There is also the very real chance that LeBron simply wants the cleanest storybook ending, and Cleveland provides that in a way no other team can.
But if he means what he says, if the contract is secondary, if market size is secondary, if weather is secondary, if the goal is genuinely to find the best basketball fit and compete for one more championship, then Minnesota should be near the top of the list.
Maybe at the very top.
Because the fit is almost too perfect. The Wolves need a power forward. LeBron needs a team where he can still matter deeply without having to drag everyone across the finish line himself. Minnesota needs leadership. LeBron needs one more meaningful swing. The Wolves need someone who can elevate Edwards and LaMelo. LeBron needs a situation where winning a title would add something real to his résumé rather than simply confirming what everyone already knows.
Winning in Minnesota would matter.
It would not be dismissed as ring chasing. It would not feel like joining the machine. It would be a risk, and that is exactly why it would carry weight. If LeBron James came to the Timberwolves and helped deliver the first championship in franchise history, that would not be a footnote. That would be one of the great final chapters in NBA history.
Will it happen? Probably not.
This is still the Timberwolves. We are still talking about LeBron James. Common sense and Minnesota sports rarely find themselves sitting at the same table for very long. But for once, the crazy idea is not actually crazy because of the basketball. The basketball makes sense. The roster fit makes sense. The need makes sense. The legacy argument even makes sense.
So maybe it is wishful thinking. Maybe it is offseason fever. Maybe we are all just staring at the power forward depth chart and talking ourselves into the most dramatic possible answer. But if LeBron is really searching for the best place to compete, contribute and chase one last title in a way that still feels meaningful, there may not be a better option on the board than the Minnesota Timberwolves.
That might be the strangest sentence of the entire offseason.
The Minnesota Timberwolves currenlty sit at +2700 odds to win the NBA title at FanDuel Sportsbook. If they ever did land LeBron, those are going to be the best odds you’ll see all season!
The Ducks have seven days to decide whether to match the offer. If they don't, they will receive four first-round draft picks from the Flyers.
Carlsson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft, had 29 goals, 38 assists for 67 points in 70 regular season games last season with the Ducks. He added 11 points in 12 playoff games to help lead Anaheim to the second round.
According to puckpedia.com, the Ducks will have $17 million left in cap space if they match the offer sheet. They still have to re-sign restricted free agents Cutter Gauthier and Pavel Mintyukov and beef up their defense after the departures of Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas. Plus, rookie of the year finalist Beckett Sennecke needs to be re-signed next summer.
The Flyers' offer sheet is the NHL's second since the July 1 signing period opened. The New Jersey Devils gave a one-year, $4.775 million offer sheet to the Utah Mammoth's Barrett Hayton.
Follow along for live updates on Day 3 of NHL free agency:
Rittiich gets a one-year, $1 million contract and join Jake Allen in the Devils' netminding tandem after spending last season as Ilya Samsonov's backup on the New York Islanders. The Devils traded goalie Jacob Markstrom to the Panthers on June 30.
The Stars are bringing Benn back for an 18th season. The captain gets a one-year contract for $850,000, plus an additional $1,150,000 in potential performance bonuses. He had 36 points last season and needs eight more to reach 1,000 career points.
Jul 1966; Unknown Location, USA; FILE PHOTO; Baltimore Orioles outfielder (20) Frank Robinson at bat during the 1966 season. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images (c) Copyright Malcolm Emmons
The Cincinnati Reds welcome the Baltimore Orioles to Great American Ball Park on Friday for a quick three-game set. The 7:10 PM ET series opener will feature southpaw Trevor Rogers on the bump for the O’s, while the Reds will roll out veteran righty Brady Singer.
It’s a matchup that’s somewhat emblematic of the two similarly disappointing teams. Baltimore, at 40-48, sits 13 games out in the American League East division and mired in 4th place, and this is after they had a brilliant run in 2023-2024 with a young core that was the envy of the entire sport. Since then, though, they’ve stalled (or outright regressed), their failures in free agency and trades paired with a litany of pitching injures/problems not able to return them to the top of the highly competitive division.
Trevor Rogers, in many ways, is a pretty good representation of that this season. Last year was his first full year with Baltimore after being acquired from Miami in 2024, and in 109.2 IP he pitched to a brilliant 1.81 ERA and 2.82 FIP to earn some mid-ballot Cy Young Award votes. This year, though, he owns a 4.99 ERA and 3.99 FIP through 79.1 IP, his K/9 down significantly while his H/9 is up over 60% from 2025.
That’s a similar story for Reds starter Brady Singer, really. His strikeouts are down, his hits allowed are way up, and the front-facing 5.12 ERA seems to be a pretty good representation of just how bad he’s been. He allowed 19 homers all last season (in 169.2 IP) and has already yielded 19 in just 77.1 IP in 2026.
Maybe, just maybe, the Reds have the chops to make a run from their current 40-46 position in the NL Central’s cellar. They’ll get Hunter Greene back this weekend, which is huge, and they did finally manage to slay the Milwaukee dragon for a day in their most recent game to prove that no, in fact there is not a tangible curse preventing them from ever beating a good team again.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 15: Andre Pallante #53 of the St. Louis Cardinals is congratulated by Andrew Knizner #7 after the win against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on April 15, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will travel to Wrigley Field for an All-American 4th of July weekend as they’ll challenge their arch-rivals, the Chicago Cubs. Andre Pallante will try to give the Cardinals another strong start. He’ll be facing LHP David Peterson. First pitch is scheduled for 3:15pm central time and the game TV broadcast will be handled by Cardinals.tv. A heads up that Saturday’s game will be on Fox while the Sunday Cards/Cubs game will be on Peacock.
LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul set the record straight regarding the narrative that the NBA record-breaker only intends to play one more year before retiring during a July 3 episode of his “Game Over’ podcast with Max Kellerman.
He later added: “No one said this is going to be his last year. No one said that. Also, once he got the green light from Savannah and Zhuri — cause they’re the only ones left in the house — once he got the green light, you can do whatever you want to do.”
Hearing this might come as a surprise to many, given that James is 41 years old and will be turning 42 in the middle of next season, and has made it clear that whichever NBA team he signs with in free agency this offseason will be the final team of his legendary career.
Rich Paul and Max Kellerman speaking on a podcast. Instagram/@SwishculturesLeBron James has made it clear that whichever NBA team he signs with in free agency this offseason will be the final team of his legendary career. Getty ImagesPaul dispelled rumors that the NBA record-breaker only intends to play one more year before retiring AP
Last week, James informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he would not be returning to the franchise after spending the past eight seasons with them. This has sparked a ton of interest in speculating about where the NBA’s arguable GOAT might end up.
After this comment from Rich Paul, the question isn’t just where James will land, but how long he’ll be playing there before calling it a career. The prospect of him potentially playing several more seasons also means he could be interested in fielding more potential teams, particularly ones that aren’t all about winning immediately.
That being said, James naturally still wants to chase a championship, and whichever team he signs with will surely be a championship contender both next season and in the years to come.
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The Philadelphia Flyers have just put the entire NHL notice, signing Leo Carlsson to the boldest offer sheet we have seen in a long time.
Carlsson, 21, signed the Flyers' offer sheet Friday, a five-year pact that carries a monstrous $18 million AAV, which would make him the highest-paid center in the NHL on a $90 million deal.
Within the rules of the NHL's compensation bracket, the Flyers would be required to give up their next four first-round picks to the Anaheim Ducks if they choose not to match.
The Ducks will have seven days to match.
Carlsson, the second overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, erupted for 29 goals, 38 assists, and 67 points in 70 games with the Ducks this season, then added another four goals and 11 assists in 12 playoff games.
This move is the Flyers calling the Ducks' bluff, as the Ducks have made it clear they intent to match any and every offer sheet Carlsson receives.
Now, general manager Danny Briere and the Flyers have asked the Ducks to prove it.
It is worth noting that, at the time of this writing, the Ducks have $35 million in cap space, but they still need to re-sign ex-Flyers prospect Cutter Gauthier, who is also a restricted free agent, as well as defensemen Tyson Hinds and Pavel Mintyukov.
Additionally, the entirety of the right side of the Ducks' defense has departed in free agency, with Jacob Trouba (San Jose), Radko Gudas (Florida), and John Carlson (Tampa Bay) all moving on to new teams.
If the Flyers are successful in their offer sheet and the Ducks do not match, they will be left with $11 million in cap space, still needing to re-sign Trevor Zegras, Nikita Grebenkin, and Jamie Drysdale.
If Samuel Montembeault being cast aside during the Montreal Canadiens’ playoff run wasn’t a clear enough sign that he had become surplus to requirements, the three-year contract extension Kent Hughes signed with Jakub Dobes on Thursday certainly is. The netminder had a spectacular fall from grace last season after making Team Canada for the 4 Nations Face-Off, leaving little doubt that the Habs would like to move him, but not at any cost.
A lot of masked men have changed allegiances over the last few days; Jacob Markstrom has been traded to the Florida Panthers, just like Akira Schmid, leading to Sergei Bobrovsky signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Detroit Red Wings traded Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Mammoth during the draft. The Edmonton Oilers’ never-ending search for a goaltender worthy of Connor McDavid continued with the signing of veteran Frederik Andersen. Samuel Errsson became a frequent flyer (no pun intended), going from the Philadelphia Flyers to the Leafs in a deal involving Joseph Woll before the Swede was flipped again to the Ottawa Senators. Eric Comrie signed with the San Jose Sharks, Daniil Tarasov signed with the Red Wings, Calvin Pickard signed with the Minnesota Wild, Pheonix Copley signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Vitek Vanecek signed with the New York Islanders, and Stuart Skinner signed with the Winnipeg Jets.
Speaking of the Jets, Connor Hellebuyck is reportedly on the market as well; he’s perhaps the biggest name, and once Winnipeg manages to move him, Montembeault may draw more interest from those who lost out on the Jets’ three-time Vezina Trophy winner, or even from the Jets themselves. Despite failing to perform in the playoffs, Hellebuyck is still generating a lot of interest, and it makes sense. Jordan Binnington is entering the last year of his contract with the St. Louis Blues, and his play in the 4 Nations Face-Off and the Olympic gold medal game makes him an intriguing option, even if his NHL stats haven’t been great of late. Furthermore, he did lead the Missouri outfit to a Stanley Cup in 2018-19.
When Hughes spoke to the media after inking Ivan Demidov to an 8-year contract extension, he was asked whether there was a market for Montembeault, and he replied: "Yes." It’s a fair assessment, but it feels like some more dominoes need to fall before Montembeault becomes another team's backup plan. He had a horrendous season last year, but he didn’t forget how to be a goalie out of the blue, and someone’s bound to want to take a chance on him. Unlike Brendan Gallagher, though, Hughes won’t trade him just to trade him; he’ll want something in return, and if all else fails, all three goalies could still be in Montreal at the start of camp. There’s a long way to go before it gets to that, and as the Canadiens’ GM has shown over the years, he doesn’t mind waiting for the right deal to come along.
Continued success raises the bar in a way that leads you to acknowledge Shohei Ohtani is in the middle of his most difficult run of form on the mound this season, when he has still averaged the equivalent of a quality start across his latest three outings—allowing a combined six earned runs in 18.2 innings of work. Always thinking about the big picture with their most prized asset, the Dodgers—currently in the middle of a run with 13 straight games without an off day—decided to push back Ohtani a couple of days, giving him more time to recover in between starts.
In the short term, that decision has already seen the negative impact of a blowout loss in a bullpen game preventing a sweep of the A’s in West Sacramento. Now, we’ll see how Ohtani does, particularly how he does with Dalton Rushing behind the plate and not the currently injured Will Smith, a change that has caused some disruption, to say the least. Chuckie Robinson has started two of the last five games behind the plate, and given the recent problems, it would not be a shock had the Dodgers chosen to give Robinson an opportunity with Ohtani starting. Instead, they opted to keep their young lefty bat in the lineup while trying to work through some of these defensive issues.
For the Padres and Michael King, it’s time to try and stop the bleeding on a team that has been hemorrhaging runs as of late. Across their last two games alone, the Padres have allowed an absurd 35 runs, a dozen to the Dodgers on Thursday after 23 to the Cubs. Just to put it into context, even though they have allowed seven runs in each of their previous two games, you’d have to accumulate the Dodgers’ last eight appearances to reach a figure that San Diego has let across in just 18 innings of baseball.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 16: Khaman Maluach #10 of the Phoenix Suns poses for a photo during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 16, 2025 at the 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We are one week away from Summer League tipping off in Las Vegas, and with it comes our first look at Suns basketball since late April, when the team’s season ended with a first-round sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Granted, Summer League is a much different environment. But it’s exciting nonetheless, especially when you have a collection of young players you hope will one day play meaningful roles in the direction of your franchise. The Suns have made it clear that development is one of the organizational pillars they’re trying to build around, and Summer League provides the first real opportunity to put that philosophy into action.
With that in mind, the Phoenix Suns have officially released their Summer League roster, and there are plenty of notable names on it.
Sophomore draft picks Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming headline the roster, as the expectation is that both will see significantly larger roles with the Suns next season.
Fleming appeared in 55 games as a rookie, averaging 4.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game. Maluach, whom the Suns selected 10th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, played the fewest minutes of any player chosen in the top 10 of that class. He logged only 411 total minutes across 46 games. The next lowest total among the top 10 picks belonged to Collin Murray-Boyles, who played nearly three times as many minutes for the Toronto Raptors.
Also on the roster is Koa Peat, whom the organization traded up to select with the 30th overall pick out of the University of Arizona. This will be our first opportunity to see him wearing purple and orange. Peat helped lead the Wildcats to their first Final Four appearance since 2001, averaging 14.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per game as a freshman.
The roster also features two players who spent last season on two-way contracts, Koby Brea and CJ Huntley. Brea appeared in 12 games for the Suns, knocking down 13-of-30 from beyond the arc in limited action. With the Valley Suns, he averaged 15.0 points per game while shooting 36.5% from three on 9.8 attempts per game. Huntley saw action in only four games with Phoenix, totaling 12 points in 40 minutes. But in 29 games with the Valley Suns, he averaged 16.0 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 62.3% from the field.
A couple of other intriguing names on the roster are Sam Hoiberg and Corey Camper Jr., both of whom signed Exhibit 10 contracts with the organization. Hoiberg earned All-Big Ten Defensive Team honors during his senior season at Nebraska, averaging 9.3 points while shooting 38.1% from beyond the arc. Camper finished his collegiate career at Nevada, where the 6’5” guard averaged 16.6 points while posting 45, 40, 80 shooting splits for the Wolf Pack.
Tramon Mark from the University of Texas, a player the Suns brought in for a pre-draft workout, finds himself playing for the Summer Suns. Mark spent six seasons in college after entering as the No. 75 ranked high school recruit in the 2020 class, and he averaged 14.0 points for the Longhorns last season. Another notable name is Jameer Nelson Jr., the son of Jameer Nelson, who played 14 seasons in the NBA and earned an All-Star selection in 2009.
A pair of notable omissions from this year’s Summer League roster are Oso Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn. It appears the minutes they would have occupied are instead being allocated to other young players the organization wants to evaluate, including Rasheer Fleming, Koa Peat, CJ Huntley, and Khaman Maluach. That makes sense. The Suns already have a strong understanding of where Ighodaro and Dunn are in their development. This year’s Summer League is an opportunity to accelerate the growth of the next wave of young talent.
What else stands out from the Summer League roster? Last season, Khaman Maluach was listed at 7’1” on the Suns’ Summer League roster. This year, he’s listed at 7’2”. Koby Brea has also added size, going from 202 pounds to 215. Perhaps the most eye-opening change belongs to Rasheer Fleming. A year ago, he was listed at 190 pounds. He’s now listed at 240.
When the Suns released their Summer League roster a season ago, Rasheer Fleming was listed at 190 pounds. This season, he's listed at 240! 😲
Koby Brea was 202 and is now 215, and Khaman Malauch was 7'1" and is now listed at 7'2". pic.twitter.com/PqOnewTvmH
Whether those measurements are perfectly accurate remains to be seen, but they certainly reflect what the organization appears to be emphasizing: getting bigger and stronger as these young players continue to develop.
The Suns tip off their Summer League schedule next Friday, July 10, at 8 p.m. on ESPNU against the Portland Trail Blazers.
