CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 29: Kyle Manzardo #9 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 29, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cleveland defeated Cincinnati 6-1. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Ohio Cup is officially Cleveland’s for the 2026 season. Yippee.
Cleveland has regained possession of the coveted Ohio Cup. Ontario Street will soon be flooded w/ fans reveling in the euphoria that only this feat can create.
Kyle Manzardo was named Ohio Cup MOP.
The Reds were using the cup to hold toothbrushes in their bathroom, by the way.
The Cleveland Guardians beat the Cincinnati Reds in last night’s series finale 6-1 behind a four-run fifth. Joey Cantillo was scoreless, but had a high pitch count and only threw four innings. Erik Sabrowski, having not pitched in nearly a week, earned the win. The team has a much needed off day before they start a two series homestand. Cleveland will host the Arizona Diamondbacks this weekend and the New York Mets to start the post trade deadline portion of the baseball season.
Tom Hamilton said, on last night’s broadcast, that the team is “actively trying to improve” at the trade deadline but could not elaborate further.
AL Central Update
The time to scoreboard watch is now. As the Guardians were defeating the Reds, the New York Yankees gave up a four run lead late in the game against the Chicago White Sox, tying the game at 4-4 going into the ninth. The White Sox ultimately walked it off in the twelfth inning.
The Detroit Tigers were humiliated by the Baltimore Orioles. Behind Tarik Skubal, who threw his 1000th strikeout yesterday, the Tigers gave up a seven run lead to lose 10-9 in extras.
Kansas City did Cleveland a solid. The Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 4-0. Minnesota remains 1.5 games back from Cleveland for that last Wild Card slot. Yesterday’s loss came on the heels of Byron Buxton being sent to the IL again.
Trade Updates
The trade deadline is days away, and there are some moves starting to trickle in. At the time of writing, it was announced by Jeff Passan that the Rangers are acquiring RHP Chase Silseth and catcher Logan O’Hoppe from the Los Angeles Angels. The Rangers are reported to be optioning O’Hoppe to Triple-A Round Rock Express.
Right handed starter Dustin May is on hug watch as he was seen hugging several of his Cardinals teammates after his start last night.
Jon Morosi reports that the Dodgers are eyeing Tarik Skubal, because of course they are.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: Cameron Boozer #27 of the Memphis Grizzlies looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets during the Semifinals on July 18, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center 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 Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the fire sale trade of Ja Morant to Portland, Memphis is fully committed to rebuilding around Cameron Boozer. They got a pretty good idea of his talents in Las Vegas during Summer League play, but like all players outside of Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, Boozer has limitations.
The Grizzlies already had massive Zach Edey, and they picked up Isaiah Stewart, who will also be helpful around the rim. Former BC big man Quinten Post may also be a factor.
The thing about rim protection is that you can guard the rim on the floor too, as Maliq Brown demonstrated over the last two years for Duke.
Boozer may not have massive hops, but he plays good positional defense, and maybe he picked up a thing or two from Brown, who stopped quite a few shots before the shooter left the ground.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 26: Kevin Durant #7 and Fred Vanvleet #5 of the Houston Rockets sit on the bench during the second quarter of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Four of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 26, 2026 in Houston, 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. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Rockets are expected to sport a starting lineup featuring Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun for the upcoming season.
Inserting VanVleet as the starting point guard could elevate Houston’s first five and make it one of the best in the league. Bleacher Report contributor Greg Swartz ranked all 30 starting lineups and placed the Rockets at No. 9.
“The Houston Rockets’ starting five should be far more balanced in 2026-27 if VanVleet can play like his pre-ACL tear self,” Swartz wrote.
“Houston tried to go ultra-big at times with no true point guard, leading to a bogged-down offense that needed more playmaking and outside shooting. VanVleet, 32, will need to prove he’s healthy and beat out Marcus Smart for the position. Houston will also be a team to monitor in the trade market if a star point guard becomes available.”
The only teams that ranked higher on Swartz’s list include the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder and Philadelphia 76ers, who just signed LeBron James to a two-year, $8 million deal.
Van Vliet will have to adjust and shake his rust off after spending over a year on the sidelines, but the Rockets will be a better team with him on the floor. The Rockets will have a floor general that makes the players around him better, setting themselves up for more high-percentage looks. That could make a massive difference in the Rockets’ offense next season.
TDS Community, how do you feel about the team’s starting five going into the season? Let us know in the comments section below.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 2: The Coyote, the mascot of the San Antonio Spurs, high fives a student volunteer during the NBA Cares/BBVA Compass "Team. Works. In Schools." refurbishment project on May 2, 2012 at the E.T. Wrenn Middle School in San Antonio, 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 2012 NBAE (Photo by Chris Covatta/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Here in San Antonio, summer is in full effect. But don’t let the weather fool you, the first day of school is just around the corner. Teachers in my district return Monday with student first day the following Wednesday. If you are local and have school age children, the Spurs are hosting their fifth annual back to school event with supplies and services on August 8th.
Per a Spurs press release:
“Spurs Sports & Entertainment (SS&E) is hosting its fifth annual Back to School Bash at Frost Bank Center on Saturday, Aug. 8 from 12-3 p.m. Parents, students and teachers in grades K-12 are invited to attend this event for free school supplies and resources while supplies last. Registration is now open and required for attendance.“
Services include:
School supplies for K-12 grade levels
Dental screenings
Heart screenings
Glucose screenings
Haircuts
Information booths for school enrollment, extracurricular activities, mental health support and family support services.
Patricia Mejia, Chief Impact & Inclusion Officer at SS&E stated,
“Every student deserves to begin the school year with the tools and confidence they need to succeed. Back to School Bash is about removing barriers for families while bringing our community together to support students and educators. We’re grateful to our partners who make this event possible and help set thousands of young people up for a strong start to the school year.”
Parents and/or guardians are required to be present with their children. Participating educators must have their teacher ID upon entering the event. Items and services will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and only while supplies last.
Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.
Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: Bruce Thornton #2 of the Houston Rockets drives to the basket during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2026 NBA Summer League Semifinals game on July 18, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center 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
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
On episode 211 of the Bucketheads Podcast, Justin and Connor are joined by Will Guillory of The Athletic. Guillory covers the Houston Rockets, which is now the home of two former Buckeyes, Bruce Thornton and Jae’Sean Tate.
Guillory was on site in Las Vegas for all the Summer League action, so we discussed Thornton and his performance. Where does Thornton fall in the rotation? Can he expect minutes early? Was Guillory surprised by the decision to draft Thornton? And what does Guillory like about Thornton’s game?
We also talked about Jae’Sean Tate and his role with the Rockets, Kevin Durant and working with the players, and some of the stories he has written in his career.
Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review! We have episodes every Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn published his annual article ranking every NHL team by contract efficiency, and, unsurprisingly, the Montreal Canadiens fared very well. A week ago, he released a ranking of the league’s 10 best contracts, and he had Habs defenseman Lane Hutson’s in the top spot, which no doubt went a long way towards Montreal being second in this latest ranking.
The only team that beats the Habs in contract efficiency, according to Luszczyszyn, is the Caroline Hurricanes, since he gave an A grade to seven of their 20 contracts. As for the Habs, they have six grade-A contracts, but five of them are A-plus. Montreal went from number 14 in those rankings last season to second this season, and chances are, it will keep climbing next offseason when some of its worst contracts, according to the model (Phillip Danault, Josh Anderson), come off the books.
Unsurprisingly, those two contracts, which both get a C-minus grade, were not signed by GM Kent Hughes. The architect of this iteration of the Canadiens has done wonderful work on the team's financial structure. Getting both Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky to sign for less than captain Nick Suzuki was a stroke of genius, and so were the deals he signed with Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov. The Russian player’s eight-year, $9.2 million cap-hit deal is looking better by the day. Hours after Luszczyszyn released his rankings, it was announced that Macklin Celebrini had signed a five-year contract extension with the San Jose Sharks with a $18.8 M cap hit, which means that Demidov will be earning less than half of what the Sharks’ prodigy will make.
While Hughes’ fingerprints are all over those contracts, it’s important to remember that he wasn’t alone in making them happen. Much has been made of the fact that Anaheim Ducks’ GM Pat Verbeek hadn’t signed his RFAs in advance, leaving himself vulnerable to offer sheets, but no matter how much a GM wants to sign a player to a new deal, if the player doesn’t want to do that, it won’t happen.
In a recent episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman interviewed Matt and Ryan Keator, who are Leo Carlsson’s agents, and they revealed that Anaheim was very keen on signing a new deal before his ELC ended. Still, the agents convinced the player not to do that. In a nutshell, they didn’t want Carlsson to regret signing a deal before he had all the information about the market and could make an informed decision. For Hughes to be able to sign those deals, the Canadiens players had to be ready to do what Carlsson ultimately didn’t want to do: put pen to paper without knowing what the market would look like a year later down the line. They had to tell their agents they weren’t after the most money possible; they were after an opportunity to win in Montreal, and they were willing to give the Canadiens ample time to do that.
Photo credit: The Athletic
Not only did the Canadiens’ core players sign team-friendly deals, but they signed away years of UFA status. Celebrini, Connor Bedard and Carlsson all only signed five-year deals, meaning that after those five years, they’ll be free as a bird to cash in on the free agency market. If they won’t commit to their team before the expiry of their deal, they may very well be allowed to walk for free. In five years from now, if you are the San Jose Sharks or the Chicago Blackhawks and your team is looking good ahead of the playoffs, you can’t just trade away such important core pieces right before the playoffs. It certainly puts a lot of pressure on their team’s front office to win and win fast.
Meanwhile, in Montreal, most of the core players signed eight-year contracts; it started with Suzuki (under Bergevin), followed by Caufield, Slafkovsky, Noah Dobson, Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov. That wasn’t all Hughes’ doing either. Players talk to each other, and Demidov was very open with the media, telling us that he and Hutson had long discussed the importance of being in Montreal. Those players all left money on the table and very likely did it against their agents’ advice; that was clear when Hutson’s negotiations dragged on, and he stepped in himself to put an end to the deadlock.
Yes, Hughes has done great work putting this team together, but the players also did a great job building a culture in which the team and winning come first; that’s how the Canadiens landed in second place in Luszczyszyn’s rankings.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JULY 06: Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens (left) and lead owner Bill Chisholm speak during a media availability at The Auerbach Center on July 06, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you’ve been side-eyeing the Boston Celtics for the past few weeks, you haven’t been wrong to.
If you’ve been on the fence ever since last offseason, you weren’t wrong then, either. You were just early.
Ever since Bill Chisholm curated an ownership group backed by deep-pocketed investors, including private equity firm Sixth Street, there hasn’t been much for fans to rally around. The franchise spent the better part of the past year shedding payroll to avoid the league’s luxury tax penalties, and last season they hit the jackpot — before blowing it all off in the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers in the organization’s most catastrophic postseason exit.
Jayson Tatum’s ruptured Achilles tendon, which jeopardized his entire 2025-26 season, became a convenient cover for Boston’s new ownership after the team’s second-round exit against the New York Knicks. Championship expectations were immediately removed, hence allowing for the dismissals of Kristaps Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford and Luke Kornet in a justified manner that didn’t pressurize Stevens or Chisholm’s high rollers above.
Just when fans thought the pre-15-game-win-streak Boston Red Sox were the biggest concern in town, Chisholm emerged as the suspicious selling point representing the incoming ownership group. His Massachusetts upbringing helped ease the fear that the Grousbeck family would hand the team over to an emotionless corporate shark looking to turn the Celtics into their next ATM. Why? Because it’s easy to assume that Chisholm’s New England roots signal an inherent emotional attachment to the team and its success to that of the thousands who enter TD Garden each night throughout the season.
That assumption wasn’t entirely unreasonable.
After all, the Grousbecks ultimately turned down longtime business partner Stephen Pagliuca’s offer, which reportedly did not include private equity backing. Pagliuca stood by Wyc Grousbeck in 2002 when they purchased the Celtics for $360 million and began restoring a storied franchise that had fallen off a bit. Over the next 22 years, Pagliuca and Grousbeck guided Boston to four NBA Finals appearances and two championships.
Boston, MA – September 24: Boston Celtics governor Bill Chisholm and Wyc Grousbeck attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly named William Felton "Bill" Russell bridge, which was previously the North Washington bridge, on September 24, 2025. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Every step of the way, through the team’s highs and lows, Grousbeck and Pagliuca made their intentions clear. The Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett trade with the Brooklyn Nets, the Isaiah Thomas-for-Kyrie Irving flip — those were all moves made with the next banner in mind. As difficult as those decisions might’ve been, along with plenty of others, there was always a clear, rational explanation behind pulling the trigger to support the trust Grousbeck and Pagliuca built with the city.
Chisholm and his associates haven’t earned that. Yet.
So far, they’ve mastered shedding payroll while still working on selling the idea that every decision is made in pursuit of a championship.
“This was all about basically trying to win,” Chisholm told reporters after the Brown trade on July 6, per NBC Sports Boston, “and I think really trusting in our process. We have the best front office in the NBA. They put in their work, and they came to the conclusion this was the best way for us to win. That’s the mandate, is to win. I just have to keep saying that. We’ll spend whatever it takes to do that. The mandate is to win. Brad and his team came with his recommendation that this is the way we’re going to win. And I looked at it and had the same reaction. I was like, ‘Wow.’ This is the fan in me. It was really tough.”
Trading Brown, in his prime, for George, who will turn 37 next May, was a decision made to win? To win now? To maximize Tatum’s prime at this moment?
Stevens’ mismanagement of Brown’s departure, for a return most Celtics loyalists would’ve considered laughable if proposed by any basketball blogger beforehand, warrants scrutiny. Is the CBA a factor? No doubt. Did the Celtics long know that before this offseason? No doubt. So perhaps it would’ve been in their best interests to go full throttle for Giannis Antetokounmpo and leave no regrets at the negotiating table with the Milwaukee Bucks.
“I think that we did the deal because Paul George is a good player and we got draft assets,” Stevens told reporters.
The transparency that once existed under Grousbeck and Pagliuca is seemingly fading under Chisholm. The Celtics had their chance to use Antetokounmpo as a legitimate basketball-first pursuit, and they fumbled at the goal line. Instead, they pivoted and traded for an injury-prone, aging George while doubling down that trading Brown was a basketball decision the front office came up with?
That doesn’t add up. How does removing Brown, after carrying a depleted Celtics to 56 wins and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, suddenly solve any basketball-related issue?
Boston, MA – May 2: Boston Celtics owner Bill Chisholm talks to guard Jaylen Brown after the game. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers played in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
That’s where the disconnect begins.
Brown spent most of the offseason scrutinized by the national media, and the Celtics had a hand in it. The same JB who shrugged off trade rumors linking him to swaps for Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant, then showed up to work with no issue. The same JB who went the extra mile as a deeply invested leader of the Boston community — more accessible than any other star currently sporting the uniform.
He didn’t lean on hashtags or choreographed pictures for social media. Brown consistently carried himself with sincerity, even when the Celtics weren’t willing to.
Granted, philanthropy means absolutely nothing to ownership. It never has and it never will. But there’s a certain weight that Brown carried. His value to the Boston community wasn’t just sentimental; it represented years of showing up, investing in the city and embracing it to the point where fans weren’t only attached to Brown the player, but even more so Brown the person.
For nearly a decade, the Celtics had been shopping Brown on the trade market. To then reach the point of desperation where the front office forced itself to accept George, two first-round picks, and two second-rounders as the return is like buying skincare at a mall kiosk.
Boston owes George over $54 million this upcoming season, then another $56.5 million with his 2027-28 player option. That’s over $110 million committed to an ex-star whose availability over the past two seasons didn’t even add up to one full season (78 games).
That’s a tough, tough sell for a basketball decision made “all about basically trying to win.”
It becomes an even tougher sell for the fanbase when, after handing Brown to the rival Sixers on a silver platter, LeBron James, too, joins Philadelphia — forming a superteam with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey by signing a team-friendly two-year, $8 million deal with the Sixers.
That doesn’t help Boston’s optics. It certainly doesn’t help their chances in the East either.
Ultimately, Chisholm and company have time to build some trust within the city. It’s really optimistic to believe that will come to fruition anytime soon, but it is possible.
It’s also possible that Tatum’s prime 2026-27 season goes to waste while the Celtics watch Brown, James, and Embiid turn the East into their own personal playground next postseason.
By then, it’ll be up to Chisholm to either sing the same tune or recalibrate. Either way, it won’t be easy — and it’s hard to imagine he and the Celtics don’t know that now.
NEW DELHI, INDIA - JULY 29: Visitors observe a tiger at the Delhi Zoo on the occasion of International Tiger Day on July 29, 2026 in New Delhi, India. International Tiger Day is observed annually to raise awareness about tiger conservation and the protection of their natural habitats. (Photo by Ishant Chauhan/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) | Hindustan Times via Getty Images
Summer so hot and slow I swear it feels like days are going backwards and we’re getting closer to last June than we’re to flipping the calendar page to August. Here’s your dose of links and notes.
Patrick Ewing thanked the Knicks and their fans after returning to the organization and right before joining the Wizards’ coaching staff. Full letter in the link.
Josh Hart fired back at Draymond Green after the geezer said Brunson’s hometown discount didn’t make sense. Green argued that Brunson, as the Knicks’ top player, should have demanded his full value while role players are the ones to make the financial sacrifices.
Hours after saying that, 36-year-old Green signed a $27.7 million deal with Golden State. I’m no nerd, but Green ranked 155th in PER, 253rd in WS, 130th in BPM and 227th in VORP. Isn’t that the production of a bad-to-mediocre role player? Not sure, but Green will get paid the 66th-highest salary in the NBA next season.
Josh Hart is also keeping alive one of Mitchell Robinson’s best traditions. “It’s only right.”
If you were fed up with the NBA and the Knicks playing in a thousand different channels and platforms, you can now add another one. All Knicks non-national broadcasts will air on DAZN for the 2026-27 season.
Back to the usual offseason business, SI’s Isaiah De Los Santos believes the Knicks should keep an eye on the Clippers after they kept crowding their center rotation following the Johni Broome trade. Anything can happen there, with LA boasting a crew comprised of Brook Lopez, Isaiah Jackson, Baba Miller, Yanic Konan Niederhauser, and now Broome too.
Staying Clippers, they were so desperate for attention — the good type, I mean — that they put more than $20 million on LeBron’s table. Sheesh…
New Wolves toy LaMelo Ball has been sued over allegations that he owes a North Carolina landlord more than $100,000 in unpaid rent.
People’s GOAT, Allen Iverson, considers Michael Jordan the greatest player ever, but he has the perfect take for saying so. Apply AI’s mindset, and you’ll be happy!
“The way I look at it, is Michael is always going to be the GOAT to me, you know what I mean? And LeBron to me, I feel like if you go in the dictionary and you look up basketball player, you’ll see LeBron James, you know what I mean? And you know the whole GOAT thing to me I think a lot of times it gets out of hand because I think a lot of times people will take away from one player what they did you know what I mean? To boost up the other player. You know what I mean? That’s not what you do. I feel like a lot of times you know people get caught up in the whole GOAT thing but your GOAT is your GOAT. You have your opinion to name anyone your GOAT if you want to. You know what I mean? You’re not wrong by saying anyone’s your GOAT. I had my fans say I’m the GOAT all the time. I don’t agree with them because I think it’s Mike.”
Shaquille O’Neal predicted Joel Embiid will enjoy a true comeback and remain healthy all season long, topping whatever Nikola Jokić does and reclaiming the Best Big Man label. The odds!
Golden State passed on trading for Jaylen Brown before last season’s deadline because the organization could not agree that Brown was the right player to lead the franchise after Stephen Curry. Meanwhile, LeBron chose the Sixers because they traded for Brown.
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 08: Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Nicholas Robertson (89) carries the puck during the third period of an NHL game between the Washington Capitals and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 08, 2026, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Mathew Tsang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It is time for another round of preseason over/under for the 2026-27 Pittsburgh Penguins.
This past week we looked at Ben Kindel and the team’s youngest players (or potential young players). This week we are going to take a look at some of the newest offseason additions and what they might be capable of this season.
Let’s get started.
Nicholas Robertson: Over/under 20.5 goals
Of all the players the Penguins brought in this offseason, I think Robertson is the one that has the best chance to really make a big impact, both now and in the long-term future.
He is still only 24 years old (soon-to-be 25) and has at least shown he has NHL skill, and perhaps still some untapped potential.
He has averaged a 17-goal pace per 82 games so far in his career, with that number inching closer to 19 goals per 82 games over the past three seasons. He has also done that by mostly playing in a depth role and logging only 12 minutes of ice-time per game.
On a per-minute basis, he has been one of the most efficient goal-scorers in the NHL over the past three years. His 1.09 goals per 60 minute of 5-on-5 play since the start of the 2023-24 season places him 29th in the entire league among the 517 forwards that have logged at least 500 minutes of ice-time. It also ties him with Jack Eichel and Jordan Kyrou, and puts him ahead of players like Brandon Hagel, Jake Guentzel and Pavel Dorofeyev.
That does not mean he is as good as those players. It just means that he has produced well in the limited minutes he has received.
He fits the mold of so many players the Penguins have acquired over the past year-plus: Early-to-mid-20s, strong rate stats, played well in softer and lesser roles, and players that might be looking for either a fresh start or an increased role. They have had some success with some of those guys (even if in a small sample size), including Egor Chinakhov, Elmer Soderblom and Parker Wotherspoon (before trading him this offseason).
Maybe Robertson can blossom here the same way. It might not work as well as it did with, say, Chinakhov, but I like the roll of the dice for the price that it cost.
The Penguins are hoping per-minute production can turn into bigger overall production with an increased role. Can it turn into 20-or-more goals?
Andrei Kuzmenko: Over/Under 20.5 goals
If you were looking for a parallel move a year ago, it would be Anthony Mantha.
Veteran player.
Some track record of success.
Some inconsistency.
Recent injury concerns.
Short-term, one-year prove-it contract that could make him a potential trade candidate later in the season if things work out individually, but not necessarily on a team level.
I do not expect Kuzmenko to come in here and score 33 goals and lead the team in goal-scoring the way Mantha did a year ago, but I also don’t think he’s going to be a complete zero, either.
There is obviously some offensive talent here, and he has a pretty good shot. He broke into the league with 39 goals in his first season, scoring on more than 27 percent of his shots, but has not really come close to duplicating that total in the years since.
He did score 22 goals in year two, but has scored just 24 goals in 118 games since.
Injuries, and also bouncing around to three different teams in three years, have certainly caused much of his career to get sidetracked, as well as his own shortcomings and inconsistencies. But for whatever flaws he has to his game, he is a high percentage shooter and he can put the puck in the net. He has finished with a shooting percentage of 18 percent or higher in three of his four years in the league, while never having a season below 13.8 percent. He is also especially productive on the power play as a goal-scorer.
Is 20 goals really out of reach here?
He has topped that mark two times in four years, and was scoring at a 20-goal pace in the 52 games he played a year ago on a significantly worse offensive team (Los Angeles Kings) with far less talent around him.
A lot of it will be dependent on his ability to stay on the ice. But based on his career it’s a reasonable goal. A very reasonable goal.
Hendrix Lapierre: Over/under 10.5 points
Lapierre was one of the Penguins first moves of the offseason, but I figure it is probably the one forward move that will make the least impact. At least offensively speaking. The Penguins are so deep at the forward positions, both with established players and potential young players, that I don’t really see him being much more than a fourth-liner or extra forward.
He has 47 points in 158 career games. His rate stats are passable, but not quite on the level of a Robertson or even a Soderblom, and I just don’t know where his minutes or production are going to come from.
He is still somewhat young, but it just seems like organizational depth, with maybe the hope of catching lightning in a bottle and getting a solid depth forward.
Kaedan Korczak: Over/under 15.5 points
Korczak has never been a really big offensive producer, but Vegas consistently produced strong results when he was on the ice in terms of pushing play, out-chancing their opponents and out-scoring their opponents. He played a lot of sheltered minutes in a lower-pairing role, but he played them exceptionally well and probably earned a bigger look. I think in a lot of ways he is the defensive version of their gambles on players like Chinakhov, Soderblom and Robertson.
He averages a 20 point pace per 82 games, and is coming off a 16-point season in 74 games.
Declan Carlile: Over/under 20.5 points
I am going to go out on a limb here and say that not only is Carlile this year’s version of Parker Wotherspoon, but that he is also better than Wotherspoon. It may not result in quite as many points (Wotherspoon had 30 points a year ago), mostly because I’m not sure he is going to get as much ice-time next to Erik Karlsson (though, I suppose he could) but I could see him having a shockingly good year.
He played extremely well in Tampa Bay after being thrown into an NHL role, and his profile is very similar to what Wotherspoon was before arriving in Pittsburgh. This could be a sneaky good signing. Perhaps even a sneaky productive signing.
Trevor van Riemsdyk: Over/under plus-10 rating
Plus-minus has its flaws, but I am really just trying to give something else to guess on beyond goals and points. I am not looking at this as an end-all, be-all evaluation of his overall play. So plus-minus it is.
With Korczak, Carlile and van Riemsdyk all joining the roster, the Penguins turned over half of their defensive lineup this offseason, and that does not include the potential for players like Harrison Brunicke or Owen Pickering to play their way onto the roster and into the lineup. It is certainly a very different group, and it has decent a chance to be better defensively. Will it be good enough to get them closer to the top contenders in the Eastern Conference? That remains to be seen. But I do like the chances to at least be better.
Of all the defensive players they brought in, van Riemsdyk is probably the best pure defender among the group, and has posted plus-minus ratings of plus-10, minus-7, plus-20 and plus-6 over the past four seasons.
There were six Penguins players that were plus-10 or better a year ago. Is it a mark van Riemsdyk can reach this season?
Barring unexpected moves, the Warriors will run it back with a mostly similar roster to last season’s 37-45 10th-seed team.
And that development isn’t sitting well with Dub Nation and members of the national media.
Former NBA player and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins is the latest to criticize Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy for not improving the roster around two-time NBA MVP Steph Curry.
“At some point, we can’t just keep talking about them trying to go fishing and they throwing the bait out in the water,” Perkins said on ESPN’s “First Take” on Wednesday. “We’re talking about Steph Curry here. Like, you got to get it done. You just traded away Jonathan Kuminga last season, a guy that you drafted in the lottery that they gave up on, and now all of a sudden you’re sitting here while the West is getting better, while the San Antonio Spurs, who just went to the NBA Finals, added Tobias Harris to their roster without giving up anything. Oklahoma City Thunder is gonna be there. LaMelo Ball just went to Minnesota. Everyone is making powerful moves while Mike Dunleavy is just sitting there on his hands. And at some point, he has to be on the clock. The pressure is on him to do right by Steph.
“[Brian Windhorst], you just highlighted that Steph Curry is gonna be 39 years old next year. Or this season? Like, like Steph is not just sitting around saying I wanna play for fun. This man played at an All-NBA level last season and somehow with Draymond [Green] opting out, with all these things happening, you couldn’t win the battle of LeBron James and land him to Golden State and you get beat, you let Bob Myers beat you out again, like winning again in Philadelphia. It’s not a good look.
“And right now when you look at this Warriors team … they’re a play-in team that’s going to make it to the postseason. So when I look at the Golden State Warriors, Mike Dunleavy gotta do something. Joe Lacob has to put him on the clock and apply pressure on him to upgrade this roster.”
“We’re talking about Steph Curry here, like you gotta get it done.“@KendrickPerkins comments on Golden State needing to step up after not signing LeBron James 👀 pic.twitter.com/jO6nDpTRUp
And as the Warriors tried to convince James to join Curry, there were reports that acquiring center Anthony Davis from the Washington Wizards would help sway LeBron.
But as ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported Thursday, the Warriors “never seriously engaged” the Wizards for Davis due to their reluctance to part with Jimmy Butler and numerous first-round draft picks.
Instead, the Warriors stood pat, bringing back Green, guard De’Anthony Melton and centers Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Charles Bassey.
The only additions to the roster are No. 11 overall draft pick Yaxel Lendeborg and second-round pick Lajae Jones.
As much as the Warriors like Lendeborg, who won NBA Summer League MVP while helping the team win the Vegas championship, it’s unlikely that he will be enough to push Golden State from a play-in team to a Western Conference contender.
So, the Warriors, with a few depth roster moves left to make, will head into the 2026-27 NBA season hoping for a healthy Curry and waiting for Butler and Moses Moody to return from respective knee injuries.
That game plan isn’t inspiring confidence from Perkins and members of Dub Nation.
New Zealander will take over for South Africa series
Trescothick named interim coach for Pakistan Tests
Stephen Fleming has been confirmed as the new coach of the England men’s Test team, with Joe Root returning for a second spell as captain. Marcus Trescothick will take interim charge for the three-game series against Pakistan which starts at Headingley in three weeks, with Fleming due to arrive in the country “later this summer” and assume the reins for this winter’s trip to South Africa.
Following what the England and Wales Cricket Board described as “a rigorous process, which involved numerous high-quality candidates”, Fleming emerged as a unanimous choice. Rob Key, the managing director of men’s cricket, who led the recruitment process, said England were “very fortunate that someone of his calibre is willing to take on the challenge”, adding: “I believe he is the best person to guide a team stacked full of potential and turn that talent into a world-class outfit that can not only achieve success but sustain it.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 04: Manager Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees in action against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium on June 04, 2026 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Guardians 2-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s trade deadline season, and though this has been a tame deadline period so far, the continuous swirl of rumors and (eventually) actual transactions will be the focus of much of the baseball world in the coming days. Yesterday, we discussed which players the Yankees were most likely to move, and today, we ask: what weakness do the Yankees most need to address, and which one are they most likely to address?
The answer to this question has been fluid throughout the year. Early on, it seemed obvious to most that the Yankees would need to make big additions to their bullpen, yet here we are at the end of July, and the Yankee relief corps has the second-best ERA in the majors. Paul Blackburn has proven to be the second coming of Luke Weaver, Brent Headrick almost never allows runs, David Bednar has been the top-tier closer the team envisioned, and Matt Blake’s latest reclamation project, Angel Chivilli, has looked dynamite since his most recent call-up. Add in the fact that players like Will Warren and Ryan Weathers (and perhaps Carlos Lagrange?) could get shifted to the bullpen if they’re not traded, and the unit looks like an area of strength, not weakness.
At other times, the matter of the infield appeared to be most pressing. Ryan McMahon and Jazz Chisholm Jr. each got off to nightmarish starts, and the shortstop duo of Anthony Volpe and José Caballero has had its ups and downs. But even on the dirt, things don’t look nearly as shaky as they did two or three months ago. Since seeing his OPS bottom out at .498 on April 22nd, Chisholm has played exactly as expected, with a .239/.309/.463 slash line and 16 homers plus 21 steals. McMahon has run a roughly .750 OPS over the last two months while bringing his usual quality defense at third base. And despite his penchant for high-profile miscues, Volpe’s combination of high-OBP and good range at short has made him a valuable contributor.
Then, there’s the most obvious need now, at catcher, with Yankee backstops having combined to “hit” .181/.261/.284. But even adding a catcher comes with major complications, as most teams are loath to make significant changes to their caching room midseason. For as awful as Austin Wells and Co. have been with the bat this year, a catcher’s primary job is to catch, to field his position, to manage his pitching staff. The Yankee backstops have done that portion of their job with aplomb this year (it’s probably not a coincidence that the Yankees prioritize defense at catcher and have the best team ERA in baseball), and it’s not trivial to just add a plus bat to that room without shaking things up on the run-prevention front.
Add it all up, and it leaves the Yankee roster in a weird spot heading into a crucial deadline. The roster has been slammed by injuries and has some seemingly clear places to upgrade, but actually making those upgrades is less straightforward than it might appear. What do you think? Where are the Yankees most likely to make moves in the next four days?
On the site today, Josh analyzes Matt Chapman as a possible hot-corner target, and Jeff writes up the great Casey Stengel as part of our Yankee Birthday series. Also, Andrew provides the day’s Rivalry Roundup, Matt delivers the All-July Team, and Peter provides his Sequence of the Week, which features great work from David Bednar.
ESPN | Jorge Castillo: The two New York teams are expected to have wildly different trade deadlines, with the Yankees presumed to be buyers and the Mets perhaps the biggest sellers. While there’s a couple possible deals to be had between the two clubs — hello, Luke Weaver? — the largest possible splashes for the Yankees look like they could come from the West Coast. The San Diego Padres offer two relievers that could reinforce the bullpen, and the Angels feature both Zack Neto and Reid Detmers as alluring trade targets.
FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: With Cody Bellinger out 4-6 weeks with a hamstring strain, the Yankee lineup and outfield are starting to look pretty bald. The team is already suffering significantly without Aaron Judge in the lineup, and while they still have a chance to win the AL East, they need someone to step up and start hitting, or they have an increased need to bring in an impact bat before the Trade Deadline.
Front Office Sports | Eric Fisher: As a longtime lover of MLB.tv, I get to benefit from what might be sports’ best livestreaming experience. From what I’ve heard from New York locals, the Gotham Sports App has not been a very good livestreaming experience. The platform has repeatedly had playback, UI, and general quality issues over the past two seasons, and it seems it is being sunsetted by the YES and MSG networks. Streaming service DAZN is being tapped as the replacement for Gotham Sports, and I’ll keep using MLB.tv.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: The Yankees announced who will be coming back to the Bronx on August 8th for the 78th edition of Old-Timers’ Day. Hall of Famers Joe Torre and Mariano Rivera lead the way, and they’ll be joined by Monument Park honorees Ron Guidry, Willie Randolph, Bernie Williams, Tino Martinez, Paul O’Neill, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte. The first-time Old-Timers are Dellin Betances (born in 1988, gulp), Todd Frazier, David Weathers, and Adam Ottavino (who just pitched last year). Check out the full list!
TSN: If you know me, you know I’m a born hater. I want Shohei Ohtani to grow old and die warm in a bed surrounded by loved ones and I hope he has a rock in his shoe every single time he steps on a baseball field. Yesterday was a win for the haters, as Alek Manoah was released by the Angels. One imagines Gerrit Cole opened a particularly special bottle of wine last night’s game with the White Sox.
Chicago starter Sean Burke’s 83rd-percentile extension (6.8 feet) allows his 94.9 mph heater to play like 96+ mph, lowering hard contact (35.0% Hard-Hit rate), which should slow a longball-reliant Yankees lineup.
Conversely, Yankees starter Ryan Weathers' shorter extension (5.8 feet) leaves his four-seamer sitting in the zone, exposing him and his .441 xSLG to Chicago's .168 ISO against lefties.
I am fading Weathers' poor fastball optics and backing the White Sox moneyline, playable to -125.
COVERS INTEL: New York's bullpen has surrendered a 13.0% walk rate over the last 14 days. Facing a White Sox order slugging .407 with RISP, unearned traffic makes Chicago a solid choice.
Yankees vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 Runs (-116)
The White Sox and Yankees present strong value on the Over 7.5.
Weather's short extension robs his fastball of late deception, and Chicago's lefties are recognizing it early, exposing his 1.42 HR/9 to their .168 ISO against southpaws.
Burke isn't airtight either: a 3.81 home xFIP and 1.11 HR/9 should allow the Yankees bats to do their share of the scoring today.
Both bullpens raise the floor even further; Yankees relievers are walking 13.0% of hitters over the last 14 days, while Chicago's pen carries a 4.09 ERA.
I am taking the Over to 8.5 runs.
Phil Naessens' 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 9-13 -2.01 units
Over/Under bets: 10-10 -1.55 units
Yankees vs White Sox weather
It will be a warm and humid day with light winds blowing in from centerfield.
Yankees vs White Sox odds
Moneyline: Yankees -104 | White Sox -100
Run line: Yankees -1.5 (+156) | White Sox +1.5 (-178)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+104) | Under 8.5 (-117)
Yankees vs White Sox trend
White Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 during game 4 of a series. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. White Sox.
How to watch Yankees vs White Sox and game info
Location
Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Thursday, July 30, 2026
First pitch
2:15 p.m. ET
TV
YES, CHSN
Yankees starting pitcher
Ryan Weathers (4-7, 4.25 ERA)
White Sox starting pitcher
Sean Burke (7-5, 3.19 ERA)
Yankees vs White Sox latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 25: Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers talks with Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors after the Lakers defeated the Warriors 118-108 at Chase Center on January 25, 2025 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
Would LeBron James have joined the Golden State Warriors if they’d traded for Anthony Davis? We’ll never know, but a portion of the team’s front office wanted to try.
According to Logan Murdock of The Ringer, “a small contingent of Golden State’s front office” wanted to trade Jimmy Butler and presumably some number of draft picks for the Washington Wizards’ center, but ultimately decided not to for two reasons:
Anthony Davis and his agent, Rich Paul, have made it clear he wants an extension.
He’s injured a lot, playing just 29 games since the Dallas Mavericks inexplicably traded Luka Doncic to get from the Lakers in early 2025.
Look, if you’re too injury-prone for the Warriors, that’s really saying something. Kristaps Porzingis missed 90 games the last two seasons and the Warriors gave him $40M. Of course, they could have simply traded for Davis and hoped he would play for the $121M still left on his existing contract, but perhaps they just didn’t want Paul to call them over and over asking about it.
And who knows if James would have come anyway? It’s not like Paul hasn’t used one of his clients to get another one of his clients paid before. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who just got a buyout from the Memphis Grizzlies to join James on the Philadelphia 76ers, signed a $17.75M deal with the Lakers in 2017. He got that deal in part so Paul had an excuse to talk to the front office without tampering, a year ahead of James’ free agency.
Two years later, when the Lakers traded for Davis, Rob Pelinka made the trade official before the NBA draft, which cost him a chance to offer Kawhi Leonard a full max contract. Paul agreed to have Davis waive his $4M trade kicker, but only if the Lakers agreed to re-sign KCP if The Claw went elsewhere. Leonard went to the Clippers, since the Lakers didn’t offer him a no-show endorsement deal with a shady tree-planting company, and Caldwell-Pope got a two-year deal.
We’d say that Davis was likely to play more games than Butler next season, but Danny Emmerman claimed Butler was trying to come back to the Warriors “as early as Christmas.” That seems unlikely, but so does the idea of Anthony Davis going a whole season without pulling his hamstring, or spraining his ankle, or crashing a scooter while recovering from plantar fasciitis.
The real question is, How big was this small contingent of front office people and were any of them named Lacob? If the answer is, zero Lacobs, it makes sense why the deal never got done.
COVERS INTEL: New York's bullpen has surrendered a 