The Warriors reportedly are filling their third and final two-way spot on their roster, and it’s going to a potentially surprising player.
Golden State is signing big man Graham Ike to a two-year, two-way contract, ClutchPoints’ Kenzo Fukuda reported Sunday, citing a source.
Ike went undrafted out of Gonzaga earlier this year before signing with the Warriors for to play in the NBA Summer League — where Golden State won the championship. Across six games in Las Vegas, Ike averaged 10.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in 22.1 minutes, while shooting 46.7 percent from the field.
Source confirms this to @ClutchPoints. A two-year deal, two-way contract for Graham Ike.
The Gonzaga big man averaged 10.0 points, 7.2 rebounds in 21.2 minutes in Summer League. The quote he took to heart from Mark Few going into the league: “Don’t tip-toe into a bar fight.” https://t.co/7W0gUw19Q3
In five college seasons at Wyoming and Gonzaga, the 6-foot-9 Ike posted 17.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game across 146 appearances. He led the West Coast Conference in 2025-26 with a 56.3 field-goal percentage and was named to the AP All-America third team.
The 24-year-old claims the Warriors’ final two-way spot ahead of the team’s 2026 second-round draft pick Lajae Jones, who appears set to spend the upcoming season with G League Santa Cruz. LJ Cryer and Malevy Leons are the other two-way players for Golden State entering training camp.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 05: Alex Tuch #89 of the Buffalo Sabres carries the puck against Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 5, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Penguins listed the players who will take part in the first preseason game on Monday night against Buffalo.
The roster for tomorrow's preseason game vs. Buffalo has been announced ⬇️
Below is the Penguins’ lineup for Monday night’s preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres at PPG Paints Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM ET, and fans can watch the game on SportsNet Pittsburgh, or tune into the game on the Penguins’ official flagship radio station, 105.9 ‘The X’.
FORWARDS
10 – Andrei Kuzmenko 11 – Filip Hallander 13 – David Gustafsson 16 – Justin Brazeau 17 – Bryan Rust 19 – Connor Dewar 22 – Hendrix Lapierre 25 – Elmer Soderblom 26 – Tristan Broz 40 – Tanner Howe 62 – Carter Sanderson 81 – Ben Kindel 85 – Avery Hayes
DEFENSE
27 – Ryan Graves 32 – Tomas Galvas 38 – Owen Pickering 44 – Chase Pietila 45 – Harrison Brunicke 57 – Trevor van Riemsdyk 58 – Kris Letang
GOALIES
1 – Sergei Murashov 30 – Joel Blomqvist
One forward and one defenseman listed will be scratched. Based on early practice pairs, that might be Tomas Galvas since all the other players have their partner from the early practices listed. The team might want to see Galvas in a game situation and shake up those pairings for this game.
For the forwards, the camp line of Kuzmenko, Kindel and Rust have been working together and might be a future middle line for the team in the regular season. Besides them, a host of fringe players fighting for a spot in the lineup – if not the roster all together – will be in the mix. Between Hallander, Brazeau, Dewar, Lapierre, Soderblom, Broz and Hayes there should be a lot of motivated forwards looking to stand out and show why they belong in the picture when it comes to the crowded situation at the bottom of the lineup.
Competition continues in net with the two goalies battling for one NHL roster spot both dressing for tomorrow’s game. Typically goalies early in the preseason are planned to split the time in net, though it hasn’t been announced yet who will start and if the other will get the opportunity to get into the game.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 20: Patrick Sandoval #43 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on September 20, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Boston Red Sox played today like a team that knew the region’s attention would be turned to the New England Patriots. Patrick Sandoval started the game and almost immediately ended it, surrendering four runs before even recording an out. The offense, for most of the day, was non-existent. They loaded the bases in the fifth inning, but Roman Anthony ultimately struck out to end the inning with no runs scored.
Immediately after the Patriots took a knee to end the game, the offense started to wake up. Trevor Story hit a solo home run to cut the Rays’ lead to four, and Caleb Durbin singled to force the Rays to Kevin Kelly to finish the game. He did so, and the Red Sox will need to wait for at least another hour or so to find out if they’ve clinched the division. Go Braves.
Seriously, like nothing happened. The whole game took only 2 hours and 20 minutes, and the only runs scored came via home runs outside of the first inning. If you didn’t watch, you didn’t miss much.
Three Studs
Patrick Sandoval
Today’s game, in the grand scheme of things, probably doesn’t matter. Entering the game, the Red Sox needed to win one of their final seven games to clinch a postseason spot (if Houston wins out). Sandoval had a brutal first inning, but settled in and ultimately got through seven innings. At this point, it’s about lining up the pitching staff, resting the bullpen, and getting to the postseason as healthy as possible. Sandoval lost the game for the Red Sox early, but at least he ate some innings in a fairly meaningless game.
Trevor Story
He hit a home run. That’s all.
Mike Yastrzemski
A three-run home run gave the Braves a 4-1 lead over the Astros in the sixth inning. If the Braves can hold on, the Red Sox will be going to the postseason.
Two Duds
Patrick Sandoval
Sandoval isn’t very good. He has one good pitch, and it’s only a useful pitch if he can throw strikes with his other pitches, which he often can’t. Because of that, it’s often a tightrope act for Sandoval, who has to navigate his way through traffic in seemingly every inning. On Sunday, he fell off the tightrope and allowed four runs in the first inning. The offense couldn’t pick him up, and that was that.
The Offense
They only scored one run and barely made any noise all afternoon. Again, it doesn’t really matter, but they’ve gotta swing the bats to go anywhere in the playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic reacts on the court during the fourth quarter of a game against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center, March 10, 2025. The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 111-108.
This means that Dončić has to leave his two daughters (Gabriela, who was born November 2023, and Olivia, who was born last December) in Slovenia, with his ex-fiancée, Anamarie Goltes.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic reacts on the court during the fourth quarter of a game against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center, March 10, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Dončić is clearly upset about parting ways with his two daughters, which he revealed with a heartbreaking Instagram post on Sunday.
The post showed several photos of the Lakers star interacting with his two daughters. It was captioned (in translated English), “G+O, no matter where in the world your daddy is. No day passes when you wouldn’t be in my heart. Wherever I go, you are always with me. I love you! ”.
Dončić has had a tumultuous past year or so regarding his family. Goltes was seeking child support from the Lakers superstar for the couple’s two kids earlier this year, after news broke that the two had broken up.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic reacts on the court during the second quarter of a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
Goltes submitted a request to dismiss her petition for child support back in August. But she still lives in Slovenia and shares custody, which is clearly hitting Dončić hard.
Perhaps the Lakers star can use this as motivation once Los Angeles’ regular season begins.
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LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 18, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) hits a 2-run homer in the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants in the Dodgers 8-2 win at Dodger Stadium on September 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
With Mookie Betts in the leadoff role for only the sixth time this season—having gone deep three times in his first five games there—the Dodgers host the Giants, aiming for a sweep. Left-hander Jack Dreyer will be the opener for Los Angeles in a bullpen game.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 14: Will Warren #29 of the New York Yankees delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field on September 14, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The final road game of the 2026 regular season is upon us, as the Yankees will conclude it with a seven-game homestand before likely hosting the Red Sox for the Wild Card Series. If the season ends there, this is the end of the line for the gray uniforms for 2026, but obviously, we all hope we’ll see them next in Tampa (and more) in early October.
Looking to end a road slate that has been very generous to the Yankees on a high note is Will Warren, who’s finishing his sophomore season strong after his great start to the campaign unraveled into a bit of a mess over the summer. Rotation reinforcements that threatened to throw him in the bullpen never came with the recurring injuries, so he’ll finish 2026 with 30 starts for the second straight season. This is No. 29, as he enters with a 3.89 ERA (108 ERA+) and 4.07 FIP in 148 innings. No matter what happens from here, Warren has had a successful year in solidifying himself as a true MLB-caliber rotation arm.
Opposing him will be a former Cy Young winner trying to round into form off Tommy John surgery in Corbin Burnes, whom Yankees fans remember well from his lone season in Baltimore in 2024. Returning from a 16-month absence on September 8 to help with the playoff push, Burnes has allowed five runs across 7.2 innings with six strikeouts to two walks against the Royals and Marlins. He isn’t totally built up, having thrown 75 pitches in his last start, so expect him to settle around 80-85 today. He’s always befuddled the Yankees, pitching to a 1.93 ERA across 23.1 innings in his career, but he doesn’t have a win in any of those four starts.
Ben Rice will once again lead off, followed by Cody Bellinger, Heliot Ramos, and Luis García Jr. We’ve seen better ABs and swings from George Lombard Jr. lately, who’ll bat fifth. Spencer Jones is back after a one-day absence due to a sore foot and will bat in front of Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, and José Caballero.
Lars Nootbaar will also be a repeat leadoff hitter for the D-backs, followed by Ketel Marte, Gabriel Moreno, and Geraldo Perdomo. Corbin Carroll is batting fifth, Nolan Arenado will bat sixth, and former Blue Jay Jesús Sánchez bats seventh ahead of last night’s hero Pavin Smith and Tim Tawa.
How to watch
Location: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
First pitch: 4:10 pm ET
TV broadcast: YES, DBACKS.TV
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY), ESPN 620 AM, La Campesina 101.9 FM & 860 AM (AZ)
3 Nov 2001: Fans hold banners before the start game 6 of the World Series between The Arizona Diamondbacks and the New York Yankees at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks won 15-2 to force a game 7. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn/ALLSPORT | Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
YANKEES
DIAMONDBACKS
Ben Rice – DH
Lars Nootbaar – LF
Cody Bellinger – LF
Ketel Marte – 2B
Heliot Ramos – RF
Gabriel Moreno – C
Luis Garcia – 1B
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
George Lombard – SS
Corbin Carroll – RF
Spencer Jones – CF
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Anthony Volpe – 2B
Jesus Sanchez – DH
Austin Wells – C
Pavin Smith – 1B
Jose Caballero – 3B
Tim Tawa – CF
Will Warren – RHP
Corbin Burnes – RHP
The final game at Chase Field in the 2026 regular season. Though hopes of any post-season are likely dampened by the early lead the Phillies have taken over the Mets in New York. Still, the team are set to remain at least theoretically in contention for playoff spot until at least Tuesday night. And, of course, the more they win, the more the meaningful part of the season can be extended. The majority of the National League has already been mathematically eliminated, but despite injuries, under-performance in some quarters, and too much off-field drama, Arizona are still here. Somehow, this is Torey’s fault. 🙂
It’s effectively another “rehab” start for Corbin Burnes, though having thrown 75 pitches last time, there shouldn’t be much of a limit on him there this afternoon. His last outing, against the Marlins, was a bit rough, allowing five runs over 4.2 innings, though giving up home-runs on consecutive pitches was a factor there. He’s going to be a key part of the rotation in 2027. But it’s an area which has struggled of late, with Arizona’s starters getting just one win (Eduardo Rodriguez against Houston two Sundays ago) since the opener of the double-header in San Francisco on August 29. That’s an eighteen-game span.
Conversely, the bullpen is 7-2 with a 2.54 ERA this month. It has been a bit of a wild ride, undeniably. But it’s the fourth month they have won seven games this year. I know relief wins is far from a perfect start, but with seven games to go, their 35 wins is already tied for the second-most relief W’s in franchise history. It trails only 2023’s thirty-eight victories, and that bullpen had a higher ERA (4.22 vs. 3.91). Whenever the story of the 2026 D-backs gets written – and we’ll probably be starting with that in the next week! – the relievers are going to be a very interesting chapter.
Stick around for the guest recap, which will hopefully appear this week. But it’s TheRealRamona, so I have faith!
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 19: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres is congratulated in the dugout after scoring a run during the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Petco Park on September 19, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Miami Marlins (76-79) at San Diego Padres (86-69), September 20, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JANUARY 04: Jordan Goodwin #23 of the Phoenix Suns reacts after a three-point shot against Alex Caruso #9 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on January 04, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Thunder 108-105. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.
Jordan Goodwin
Guard/Forward, 6’3”, 215 pounds, 28, 6th season
The 2025-2026 Phoenix Suns season was defined by surprises. Few expected them to make the playoffs, not many saw Dillon Brooks averaging a career high in points per game, and after getting an invite to training camp, few were prognosticating Jordan Goodwin would become a reliable rotation for Jordan Ott and his staff. His second stint on the Suns, the three-year $19 million deal he inked this summer puts him in Phoenix for the foreseeable future.
Averaging career-highs in nearly every statistical category, the coaching staff trusted Goodwin to start in Game 1 of the playoffs and when the team clinched their playoff birth against the Golden State Warriors, he had 17 points, four threes and nine boards.
Building on the best season of his career and locked into a longterm deal, he’s set help anchor the team’s defensive rotations, recreate the gritty identity many teams viewed the Suns as from a season ago and play wherever he’s needed on a given night.
Last Season
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
70
22.5
8.7
4.9
2.2
1.5
41.3%
37.1%
69.6%
113.4
110.1
+93
It was not a guarantee Goodwin would make the team’s roster last season. Signed in late August, he beat out Jared Butler for one of the team’s final roster spots.
Mostly playing a reserve role for the Suns last season, Goodwin was a key part of the team’s rotation. With his improved shooting and ability to guard multiple positions despite being undersized, the coaching staff trusted him late in games to make big plays, which was best on display in the team’s miraculous comeback against the Minnesota Timberwolves when the team rallied from eight down in the final 50 seconds to win.
While he missed a brief stretch in late February and early March after suffering a calf strain in the team’s double overtime thriller against the Orlando Magic, Goodwin remained mostly healthy throughout the regular season, playing in 70 games. At the end of the season, he started a few games after Collin Gillespie started to struggle and the team was struggling. He started in both play-in games and in Game 1 of the playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder but was sidelined the rest of the series after going down early in the contest with calf soreness.
His best game of the year? His career-high 26-point contest against the Thunder back in January when the Suns rallied from down double digits to defeat the defending champs.
Contract and Roster Context
Goodwin inked a three-year $19 million deal with a player option for the final season to return to Phoenix in June. The contract increases in value by year and starts at 3.55% of the cap up to 3.72%, an important metric to be paying attention to in the second apron era of the NBA salary cap. The deal is the largest and longest of the veteran’s six-year career.
He can’t be traded until January 15th, 2027.
What He Brings
Toughness.
Jordan Goodwin is the Suns version of the Thunder’s Alex Caruso or the New York Knicks’ Josh Hart. No task is too small for him, and he’s comfortable playing any position from shooting guard to power forward. He helps keep Devin Booker and Jalen Green fresh on offense by taking on the other team’s best perimeter scorers and is able to battle inside to secure offensive rebounds at an elite rate for players his size. He ranked 42nd in the entire NBA in total offensive boards. Amen Thompson and Dyson Daniels were the only guards ahead of him.
Another reason Goodwin has become so valuable to the team? He’s finally hitting threes consistently. Knocking down more than 37% of his triples on nearly 4.5 attempts per game. When he shot 5.6 triples per game in February, the most attempts per game he shot in any month of the season, he hit the deep ball at a 40% clip. His ability to space the floor is what makes him more valuable to the team than he was in his first stint on the Suns when he hit just 29% of his threes.
What Needs to Improve
It would be in the Suns’ best interest if Goodwin could become a consistent ball handler and playmaker. With Grayson Allen now in Charlotte, the team lacks any strong ball handlers off the bench outside of Collin Gillespie. After bringing in sharpshooter Luke Kennard this offseason, the main objective of the team’s second unit should be to get as many threes up as possible.
Goodwin started his career playing point guard, and he’s listed as one on Basketball-Reference, but in most lineups he played in last season, he was not the team’s primary ball handler. When he was with the Washington Wizards and in his first stint with the Suns, he had point guard responsibilities, but his second stint in Phoenix has had him playing mostly the two-four spots. It’s definitely something he is capable of.
Prediction
I expect a similar year from Goodwin a season ago, but with increased volume. Last year, he averaged 22:27 minutes per game; I expect that number to jump up to closer to 25-27 minutes per game. The team knows what they have in him, and their trust in him clearly increased as the season went on.
Look for a small statistical increase and a larger impact on both ends.
Jordan Goodwin is an important part of the brand of basketball that the Phoenix Suns are trying to build. He’s someone a lot of the league had doubted (even the Suns did) and proved people wrong. Now there’s no proving people wrong; he’s gotten paid. The team clearly believes in him. With higher expectations and a contract after a career year, it’s time for his impact to increase.
DENVER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 19: A bronze statue honoring Todd Helton is unveiled in front of the ballpark before the Colorado Rockies game against the Seattle Mariners at Coors Field on September 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The season could end today.
Well, the Mariners season has been effectively over for weeks now, but a loss and a Rangers win would be the dagger to finish off whatever long-shot odds remain in 2026. I hate to say I’m rooting for it, but a win today would extend the misery and hand the knife to the Astros next week. On the other hand, dropping a series to the worst team in the majors would be a hard way to go out on its own. You know, I’m starting to think there aren’t a lot of fun ways to lose a baseball season.
Lineups
SEA Starter: Kade Anderson COL Starter: Tomoyuki Sugano
Game Information:
Game time: 12:10 PT TV: Mariners TV Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 29: TJ Friedl #29 of the Cincinnati Reds throws the ball during the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on August 29, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Isaac Wasserman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds effectively called time for two of their more prominent players on Sunday afternoon prior to the series finale in Great American Ball Park against the Chicago Cubs. For one in particular, it’s more likely than not time called on his entire Reds career.
Cincinnati placed star pitcher Chase Burns on the 15-day IL with a right groin strain, effectively ending his season given how little remains on the 2026 schedule. Replacing him on the roster will be Carson Spiers, who has worked his way all the way back from Tommy John surgery that ended his 2025 season early.
Spiers, though, wasn’t on the 40-man roster, so the Reds needed room there.
That 40-man spot came at the expense of TJ Friedl, unfortunately.
Freidl, Cincinnati’s regular leadoff man and everyday CF from 2023 through the start of the 2026 season, has seen his play decline precipitously year over year. Last season saw him post a brilliant .364 OBP en route to a 2.4 bWAR season, work that echoed a breakout 2023 that saw him hit .279/.352/.467 with 18 homers in route to a nearly 4 WAR campaign.
2026, though, has been a far cry from that. It’s been a far cry from even a typical regression, as everything from his hitting to his speed, his fielding, and his ability to work walks has cratered completely. Given that he’s heading into his second trip through arbitration this winter after $3.8 million this season, he was an obvious non-tender candidate at season’s end on the heels of his .510 OPS so far through 91 games at the big league level, and the Reds opted to make the cut now rather than later.
There’s certainly a chance that Friedl’s awful year means he’ll be available on a minor league contract this winter, and the familiarity and fondness of him within the Reds means it’s not completely outlandish to think he might come back in 2027 on that kind of deal. However, every other team out there will get the chance to see if they can fix him, too, and the odds do seem long of a reunion even of that variety.
Sep 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan (80) walks to the dugout after striking out Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McLain (not pictured) during the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers made a number of pitching moves ahead of Sunday’s series finale against the San Francisco Giants. Tarik Skubal, who started on Saturday, was placed on bereavement leave, which facilitated the return of Emmet Sheehan from Triple-A Oklahoma City. In addition, reliever Kyle Hurt was recalled and Seth Halvorsen optioned in a swap of right-handers in the bullpen.
Sheehan was just optioned on Monday and normally would have needed to stay in the minors for 15 days, but because he’s replacing a player on the bereavement list (or injured list or paternity list) that allows the right-hander to return early.
All 26 outings by Sheehan this season have been starts, but on Sunday he’ll follow an opener in left-hander Jack Dreyer. Sunday provides at least a practice run of Sheehan’s most likely role in the postseason, pitching in bulk relief.
“Emmet’s a part of the conversation,” manager Dave Roberts said Sunday, “but if there is a role in the postseason it would be out of the ’pen.”
Bereavement leave lasts for a minimum of three days and up to seven, so Skubal wouldn’t be activated until Wednesday at the earliest. But considering the left-hander just started on Saturday, don’t expect him to be activated until his start day, likely next weekend in San Francisco.
Halvorsen has allowed nine runs in 10 innings with the Dodgers, including three home runs, with six strikeouts and two walks. He pitched a scoreless inning on Saturday, which was his third appearance in four days.
Hurt pitched a scoreless inning for Oklahoma City on Friday, his only appearance in the last week. Since getting optioned on September 5, Hurt pitched in three games for Oklahoma City, all scoreless innings. This season with the Dodgers, Hurt has a 4.33 ERA and 3.84 xERA in 43 games, with 56 strikeouts and 23 walks in 43 2/3 innings.
Saturday was his 15th day on optional assignment in Triple-A, making Sunday his first day eligible to return from the minors.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 17: The sneakers worn by Dain Dainja #84 of the Miami Heat during the game against the Detroit Pistons during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 17, 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 Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Minnesota is going to look very different this season with Julius Randle and Naz Reid gone and LaMelo Ball in.
Coach Chris Finch understands he has a lot of puzzle pieces to fit together, and he discussed that with Britt Robson of MinnPost. That starts with how LaMelo and Anthony Edwards fit together, and what that means for the team's offensive identity.
"As I sit here now, I want to see how it plays out. Your identity is driven by your best players, for sure, and we still have them. I can see a lot of our offensive identity still flowing through Ant. It is just that I think we have a chance to play faster, be a better passing team, maybe people benefit from off-ball movement more. With Rudy, a lot of different things, so I can see everything kind of get a little polished, if you will. But ultimately a lot of our identity is still going to flow through Anthony a lot."
Finch also talked about the Timberwolves needing another step forward from Jaden McDaniels, and how he wants to play faster and get more passing into the offense (Minnesota was 16th in the league in assists per game last season).
He also said they need 19-year-old big man Joan Beringer, who showed promise as a rookie, to step up into the backup center role behind Rudy Gobert.
"You have to realize, as with all young players, there is going to be inconsistency. The way I'm looking at it, is it self-imposed inconsistency or is it just young-player-growth inconsistency? I think with Joan you are certainly going to have the latter.... He's got to figure out the balance of retaining the effort while regulating wanting to go after everything all the time...
"The fouls. He always ends up on the ground, you know? And oftentimes takes himself out of position by being overly aggressive. But learning to dial that back is better than the other way around, trying to ramp somebody up all the time."
It's a lot of questions, but it is what makes Minnesota one of the must-watch teams to start the season.
This picture taken on September 3, 2026, shows a dugong swimming at Ngederrak Reef off the coast of Koror, Palau, where the marine mammals feed on seagrass beds. US military plans to rebuild the main port in a pristine Pacific archipelago have stirred painful memories of World War Two and have locals concerned about being caught in a potential superpower conflict. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP via Getty Images) / TO GO WITH: Palau-US-defence-environment, FOCUS by Kirsty NEEDHAM | AFP via Getty Images
Been moving back to Mexico since I departed from Spain on Wednesday morning. Yeah, that’s more than half a week, but that’s also what happens when you arrive and your place isn’t ready to live in, you have to split time between there and a shared AirBnB place, you have to spend a night in each of the four rooms it has, and finally, on Sunday morning, you move into your original place, only to find out the refrigerator has some issues and you can’t put food in it. Let’s go!
Josh Hart says the Knicks have officially moved on from celebrating last season’s championship and are fully focused on defending it.
“This year was amazing. But I think all of us, the thing that makes us special is right now we’re looking forward. I think all of us are kind of tired of hearing the congratulations, and we’re ready to get to work. We’re ready to put the work in, grow, build and see where we are at the end of the year.”
Jalen Brunson had a hilarious reaction after seeing Josh Hart receive his own Yankees bobblehead. “Oh f–k no,” Brunson joked.
The Knicks have officially turned their final roster spot into a training camp competition. After signing John Konchar and Drew Eubanks, New York also added Bruce Brown, Ochai Agbaji and James Wiseman on non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contracts.
The Knicks have paused single-game ticket sales after discovering an internal pricing mistake that led to unexpectedly expensive face-value tickets, including more than $1,000 for Opening Night.
Former Knicks lottery pick Mike Sweetney has died at age 43. Sweetney was selected ninth overall in the 2003 NBA Draft out of Georgetown and appeared in 119 games for the Knicks.
Mitchell Robinson revealed he missed his introductory press conference with the Celtics because his younger brother had been hit by a car earlier that morning. Robinson later asked fans to pray for his brother, saying, “Yesterday, around 6 a.m., he was hit by a car.”
The Athletic included Jalen Brunson among the active players it considers absolute locks to have their jersey retired.
“The Knicks won a championship, and Brunson was their best player. Case closed.”
SB Nation projects the Celtics to finish first in the Eastern Conference regular season but still considers the Knicks the team to beat when the playoffs begin.
Jayson Tatum addressed the offseason trade that sent longtime teammate Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, saying there is no bad blood between them.
