PORTLAND, OREGON - JANUARY 11: Shaedon Sharpe #17 of the Portland Trail Blazers talks with acting head coach Tiago Splitter of the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center against the New York Knickson January 11, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images) 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. | Getty Images
The Chicago Bulls are finalizing a deal to name Tiago Splitter as their new head coach. Front office executives chose Splitter to replace Billy Donovan following an intensive search, leaning into Splitter’s proven ability to manage player development and align with a long-term organizational vision.
The Bulls conducted a search that spanned a double-digit number of candidates before narrowing the process. They landed on Splitter due to his ability to lead the team’s player development, organizational alignment with the franchise’s direction and vision, and his leadership and knowledge base as a coach who has risen through the ranks since 2018 and played in the NBA for seven years, winning one championship with the San Antonio Spurs.
Splitter, 41, is a former NBA center who spent seven seasons in the league and won a championship with the Spurs in 2014. After transitioning to coaching via player development roles and an assistant gig with the Brooklyn Nets, he joined the Portland Trail Blazers’ staff in June 2025.
Splitter rose to the lead chair in Portland due to a sudden legal scandal involving head coach Chauncey Billups. At the start of the season, Billups was arrested as part of a federal takedown of a sprawling, illegal high-stakes poker operation. Facing federal charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy for allegedly serving as a ‘Face Card’ to lure victims into rigged games, Billups was placed on leave by the franchise.
Thrown into the fire, Splitter excelled as Portland’s interim head coach. He rallied the roster to a 42-40 record, securing the number seven seed and guiding the Blazers to their first postseason berth in five years. He received praise from his players during exit interviews (but maybe not Shaedon Sharpe, who Splitter had a quick hook for in the playoffs).
With Splitter heading to Chicago, the Blazers are deep into their own coaching search. Two primary candidates remain on their short list: Tyler Lashbrook (assistant coach for the Boston Celtics) and Micah Nori (highly regarded lead assistant for the Minnesota Timberwolves).
Chicago is coming off a chaotic, transitional season in which it finished 31-51, placing 12th in the Eastern Conference and missing the postseason entirely. The injury bug sidelined core pieces like Josh Giddey and Zach Collins for chunks of the year. Throwing in the towel, the front office completely dismantled its veteran core at the February trade deadline, executing a league-high seven trades. The Bulls shipped out stars like Coby White (to Charlotte) and Nikola Vučević (to Boston), leaving a young, messy roster behind. Josh Giddey served as a bright spot, averaging 17 PPG, 9.1 APG, and 8.3 RPG, but he suited up for only 54 games.
Splitter’s hiring seems like a hard pivot to a ground-up rebuild. Having played under Gregg Popovich and coached in the Nets and Blazers systems, he brings a heavy emphasis on ball movement, European-style spacing, and frontcourt accountability. Given that Chicago’s roster is made up mostly by young talent—including Rob Dillingham, Matas Buzelis, and Anfernee Simons—Splitter’s player development background might be exactly what this raw team needs to establish a functional culture.
How might the hire affect New York? Very little. The World Champion Knicks went 3-1 against Chicago and should sweep the next season series. Unless they get tired out from carrying the Larry O’Brien Trophy around.
LAS VEGAS — The Vegas Golden Knights’ improbable run through the Stanley Cup Final came to a crashing halt with a 3-0 loss to Carolina in Game 6.
Vegas, which has been to the Cup final three times in its nine-year existence, never had been shutout in a Stanley Cup Final game.
In all three trips to the final, the champion celebrated on the Golden Knights’ home ice.
In Vegas’ first year, it was Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals celebrating after winning in five games. In 2023, the Knights won the Cup in just their sixth year, beating the Florida Panthers in five games.
This time around, it was the Hurricanes who stormed into T-Mobile Arena and dominated behind the stellar play of goalie Brandon Bussi.
As the Hurricanes raced from the bench to celebrate, and later skated around the ice with the Cup, several thousand Carolina fans in attendance cheered them on.
“It’s not a good feeling right now, this is tough to be on the side of it,” Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “But on the other side, luckily, these chances don’t come around very often. So, it stings. You guys have no idea what some of these guys went through, and just the fact that they’re out there, it’s pretty special to be a part of.”
For Vegas, it was the end of a magical ride that began on March 30, when John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy as coach, with hopes of sparking life into one of the league’s most talented lineups, but one that had lost its spark.
Though Cassidy just led Vegas to the title three years earlier, general manager Kelly McCrimmon felt a new bench boss was needed to spark the Knights’ confidence.
It worked, immediately.
Vegas went from third place in the Pacific Division and in jeopardy of missing the playoffs altogether with the trajectory it was on, to finishing the season 7-0-1 and winning the division.
“He was awesome coming in,” Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore said. “I felt like he really brought a change going into the postseason. ... He’s been great.”
After falling behind 2-1 to the Utah Mammoth in the opening round, the Knights went on an 11-2 run through the playoffs, including a sweep of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final.
The Knights opened the Cup final with a 2-1 series lead, but Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour switched goaltenders — from Frederik Andersen to Bussi — and it proved to be the difference.
Meanwhile, Tortorella stood firm on his goalie choice, Carter Hart, in favor of Adin Hill, the starting goaltender when Vegas won the Cup three years earlier.
Hart became the first goalie in NHL history to allow at least four goals in the first five games of a Stanley Cup Final, and saw his save percentage go from .922 through the first three rounds to .826 against the Hurricanes.
As the Golden Knights head into the offseason, the first order of business for McCrimmon will be to determine whether or not to retain Tortorella for a long-term contract or move on to what would be the team’s fifth coach in 10 seasons.
“I like the team,” Tortorella said. “It’s a good group of guys. Driven. As I said, the experience, they’re good pros. it’s a really good team.”
Tiago Splitter coaches from the sideline during the Trail Blazers’ Oct. 24 win. AP
Billy Donovan stepped down as Bulls coach in April after six seasons with the team. Chicago went 31-51 last season and has not made the playoffs since 2022.
The Trail Blazers excelled defensively under Splitter, ranking in the top 10, as he became the first Portland head coach to post a winning record in his first season with the team since Maurice Cheeks in 2001-02.
Splitter was also the first to win a playoff game in his first season in Portland since Mike Dunleavy in 1997-98.
The Brazilian-born head coach earned his players’ approval in Portland, where the Trail Blazers were also conducting a coaching search.
“He got thrown into a difficult situation. But he’s done a phenomenal job,” Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija said. “He’s getting the best out of all of us, and we love playing for him.”
Portland Trail Blazers acting head coach Tiago Splitter speaks during a post-game news conference after his team’s win over the Golden State Warriors in an NBA basketball game. AP
The other finalists for the Bulls job were Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Atlanta Hawks assistant Ryan Schmidt and current Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr. They all met with Bulls officials this week, ESPN reported.
Chicago originally considered at least 10 candidates but landed on Splitter due to alignment with the franchise’s direction, among other factors.
Splitter played seven years in the NBA, including time with the Spurs, the Hawks and the 76ers.
Tiago Splitter #11 of the Atlanta Hawks defends against Brook Lopez #11 of the Brooklyn Nets. Getty Images
He won an NBA championship with the Spurs in 2014.
After retiring, he started his coaching career as a scout and player development staff member for the Nets, before becoming an assistant under Ime Udoka with the Rockets in 2023.
Splitter’s first head-coaching role was with Paris Basketball during the 2024-25 EuroLeague campaign.
Let's kick off a new week with a collection of MLB picks from our team of baseball experts.
Our headline attraction involves getting the Tampa Bay Rays at +156 to win straight up against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Polymarket.
With Nick Martinez on the bump, you might think L.A. has the edge. But dig a little deeper, and you'll see that's not necessarily the case on Monday, June 15.
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Jon Metler's expert pick: Rays moneyline
Price: 39¢ (+156) at Polymarket
The Tampa Bay Rays are trading at 39 cents on the moneyline, and that's simply too big a number. I make them closer to 45-cent underdogs in this matchup.
At first glance, Nick Martinez appears to be in a difficult spot against a Los Angeles Dodgers lineup loaded with left-handed hitters. However, his elite circle changeup is built to combat left-handed bats and negate a significant on-paper platoon advantage.
The pitch currently carries a +9 run value and features a sharp fade down and away from lefties, making it difficult for hitters to pull the ball with authority. That movement helps suppress power, generate weak contact, and neutralize one of the Dodgers' biggest strengths.
Because Martinez has the perfect weapon to attack this type of lineup, I believe this matchup is much closer than the market suggests, making the Rays a valuable underdog at the current price.
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
How to watch: ESPN
Neil Parker's expert pick: Reds moneyline
Price: 57¢ (-133) at Polymarket
There’s a sizable pitching edge for the Cincinnati Reds tonight, with Chase Burns establishing himself as an elite righty and sporting a tidy 2.95 xERA and 3.21 xFIP across 13 starts.
Of course, New York is sending Tobias Myers to the bump for just his third start of the year after primarily working as a reliever, so the Mets will rely on a bullpen that’s been tasked with 58 1/3 innings over the past six days.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
How to watch: SNY, Reds.TV
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Angels moneyline
Price: 46¢ (+117) at Polymarket
The Los Angeles Angels look like a rare live road underdog in this matchup.
Walbert Urena has been outstanding to begin his career, allowing one earned run or fewer in six of his last eight starts since the beginning of May. That sets up well against an Arizona Diamondbacks lineup that has struggled versus right-handed pitching lately, ranking near the bottom of the league in OPS over the last two weeks.
The Angels are in much better form offensively and should capitalize against Ryne Nelson, who owns a 5.19 ERA and is coming off a pathetic seven-earned-run outing against Miami.
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.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 14: Interim head coach Tiago Splitter of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts during the first half of an NBA play-in tournament game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 14, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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
Splitter is 41 years old. As a player, he was a member of the San Antonio Spurs’ 2014 championship team, and he moved directly into coaching after retiring in 2018. Splitter was an assistant for the Brooklyn Nets from 2019-2023, then spent a season with the Houston Rockets, then became head coach at Paris Basketball, where he led his team to a French Cup championship and qualified for the EuroLeague playoffs. Splitter left Paris Basketball after one season to take a job on Billups’ staff in Portland, and he was unexpectedly thrust into the head coaching seat in the second game of the season after Billups’ arrest. He’s the second tallest head coach in NBA history at 6’11.
The Blazers had not make the playoffs since 2021, but Splitter helped get them back there despite not having his starting point guard Scoot Henderson for much of the season due to injury. Deni Avdija made an All-Star leap under Splitter as he took on a more heliocentric role as an offensive creator by spamming pick-and-rolls as the handler. The Blazers closed the regular season with a 32-20 record over their final 51 games, and posted a top-10 defense over that time. Portland earned its way into the playoffs through the play-in tournament, and they were knocked out by the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the first-round of the playoffs.
Splitter is taking over a Bulls organization in flux. Chicago fired Arturas Karnisovas and replaced him with former Atlanta Hawks exec Bryson Graham earlier this offseason. Hiring Splitter is Graham’s first big decision, and there are more to come. The Bulls pick at No. 4, No. 15, No. 38, and No. 56 in next week’s 2026 NBA Draft, and the Bulls are projected to have the most cap space in the NBA with just shy of $60 million available.
It will be fascinating to see how Graham puts his stamp on the roster. Chicago is projected to take Caleb Wilson at No. 4 in our latest 2026 NBA mock draft. Wilson would be a best player available selection, but he does have some overlap with the existing roster. Chicago’s lottery picks the last two years, Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue, both have similar size and skill sets to Wilson. The team enters the offseason needing a rim protecting center, and a lot of shooting. There’s two solid point guards already on the roster in Josh Giddey and Tre Jones, which will be a welcomed sight for Splitter after he had terrible ball handling in Portland.
It feels safe to project Buzelis at the three, and very likely Wilson at the four in next year’s lineup. Jalen Smith had a terrific year as a hybrid big man, and could be the team’s starting stretch five in 2026-27. Will Graham trade Giddey or Jones? What will he do with his cap space? Graham and Splitter will now work to create a shared vision to shape the next iteration of the Bulls.
Chicago hired Splitter over Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Hawks assistant Ryan Schmidt, and incumbant Wes Unseld Jr. as the other finalists for the job. Under Splitter, the Blazers finished No. 20 in offensive efficiency and No. 14 in defensive efficiency. Portland chucked threes without good shooters, finishing third in three-point rate despite being No. 28 in three-point percentage. The Blazers turned the ball over more than any team in the league, but that was due to talent more than scheme. Portland was an elite offensive rebounding team (No. 2 in o-board percentage), and it finished No. 7 in turnover percentage defensively.
I thought Portland needed to crank up the pace and aggression defensively given their lifeless halfcourt offense. The Blazers ended 21st in seconds per possession after a defensive rebound, and 23rd after a turnover. Granted, Portland’s ball handling was so bad that it’s possible Splitter just didn’t trust his team to push it on the break.
The Blazers ranked No. 29 in the halfcourt offense points per play. Is that because of talent or scheme? Splitter put the ball in Avdija’s hands and let him be a battering ram going to the rim. The offense was bland, but they didn’t really have the creators to do much more. Splitter also ranked dead last in ATOs — after timeout plays — according to Steph Noh.
Will Splitter try to make Giddey or Buzelis his new Avdija? Will Giddey be traded? How will he use Wilson, assuming he’s the pick at No. 4, early in his career? There are so many questions for the Bulls going forward that it’s hard to make any big takeaways from this hire yet. Chicago would be wise to prioritize the future over the present, and put a heavy emphasis on development of its young pieces, rather than relying on veterans who can immediately help them win games. Graham talked about taking the long-view in his opening press conference, but the NBA’s new lottery changes take tanking off the table for all teams.
I thought Portland’s offense was dull under Splitter, but not having your point guard will do that to a team. He’s a young head coach, and coaches can improve over time like players. Splitter definitely did a nice job in guiding the team to the playoffs under tough circumstances. Given the other finalists, this seems like a totally acceptable hire. The Bulls just have a lot more work to do.
Tonight's MLB player props feature a pair of hitters in favorable matchups and one of baseball's premier strikeout artists at plus money.
From a high-upside K prop to two bats poised to make an impact, here are my favorite MLB picks for Monday, June 15.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Zack Wheeler
Over 6.5 Strikeouts
+109
Juan Soto
Over 1.5 Hits, Runs, RBI
-115
Junior Caminero
Over 1.5 Total Bases
-113
Zack Wheeler Over 6.5 Strikeouts (+109)
It has been a minute since a strikeout prop has grabbed my attention enough to back it, but Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler finds himself in a great spot to shove against a struggling Miami Marlins lineup that punched out 10 times on Sunday. Some may view this as a clear bounce back spot for Miami, but I see plenty of reasons to expect another swing-happy performance.
For starters, five Marlins hitters own a strikeout rate of at least 27.9% on the road this season, with four of those bats sitting north of 30.6%. Wheeler's trends are just as enticing. According to Batters-Box, he has recorded 7+ strikeouts in 68.75% of his 32 elite-rated matchups. When carrying an elite strikeout rating, that number jumps to 76% across a 25-game sample.
At home this season, Wheeler owns a 26.6% strikeout rate and a 36.1% chase rate outside the zone. At plus money, this is worth a play. I would take it down to even money, but do not pay juice for it.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSP, MIAM
Juan Soto Over 1.5 Hits, Runs, RBI (-115)
An extremely tough price to pass up for one of the most dangerous bats in baseball, a hitter who is always on base, always a threat to score, and always a threat to collect a hit. New York Mets star Juan Soto to go over 1.5 HRR at -115 is a steal in my opinion.
Especially when he clears this prop nearly 60% of the time when sporting an elite rating. That comes across a 220 elite rating sample size. Soto was in a bit of a slump over the last two weeks, but has since turned it around. In his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, he owns an .868 OPS with a 23.3% walk rate, 59% hard contact, and a 9.1% barrel rate. Not to mention, he has a 99.3% arsenal coverage against Cincinnati Reds starter Chase Burns.
Burns has been allowing a ton of elevation to left-handed hitters this season. At home, those hitters have been elevating the ball nearly 70% of the time. Over his last 60 lefties faced, he has allowed a 12.9% barrel rate and a 70.9% elevation rate, while also carrying a .347 xBA and .679 xSLG against.
Burns does not walk a lot of lefties, but he also is not facing Soto-level hitters every day. I prefer the built-in safety of the HRR prop over the bases market here. Comfortable taking this up to -130.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CINR, SNY
Junior Caminero Over 1.5 Total Bases (-113)
The very first prop I locked in today was for Tampa Bay Rays slugger Junior Caminero to go over 1.5 total bases, as he draws Los Angeles Dodgers left hander Eric Lauer, who enters today with one of the worst pitcher ratings on the slate. He also grades poorly in matchup ISO, strikeout rate, and ground ball rate.
Lauer has been struggling against right handed hitters at home this season, allowing a 71% elevation rate. Overall, right handed bats have posted a .504 xSLG and .349 xwOBA against him, while also producing a 12% barrel rate against the southpaw. In addition to that, 54% of Lauer's pitch mix is valued below league average, per FanGraphs.
Caminero has been handling left handed pitching well this season, hitting .271 with a .457 SLG and .871 OPS. Over his last 30 plate appearances, he is hitting .304 with a .902 OPS, while generating nearly 60% hard contact and a 12% barrel rate in that span.
I am not the biggest fan of paying juice for bases props, but I would take this down to minus 120 at the most.
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 218-376-35, +9.10 units
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.
The Tigers (29-42) open a three-game set in Houston against the Astros (33-40) tonight with both clubs sitting in fourth place and trying to stay at least within eyeshot of the leads in their respective division.
The Tigers remain 9.5 games behind AL Central-leading Chicago. They lost two of three at Cleveland over the weekend but have gone 6-4 in their last ten games to keep hope alive. The Astros are 5-5 in their last ten including taking two of three at Kansas City over the weekend. They are four games back of Seattle in the AL West.
Houston’s strength has been their hitting, but their pitching has been bad on its best days. Detroit’s pitching has been solid, but their offense has been less than reliable. The good news is each is getting the ace of their respective staff back in the near future as both Hunter Brown and Tarik Skubal are finishing rehab assignments.
Tonight, the Tigers send Troy Melton (3-0, 2.81 ERA) to the bump against Houston’s Kai-Wei Teng (3-5, 3.71 ERA). Whereas Melton has been at times dominant for the Tigers, Teng has been steady at best.
The hottest bats for each team include Gleyber Torres who is 14-for-40 over his last 10 games for the Tigers and Houston’s Triple Crown threat, Yordan Alvarez (.326, 24 HR, and 54 RBI).
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Tigers vs. Astros
Date: Monday, June 15, 2026
Time: 8:10PM EST
Site: Daikin Park
City: Houston, TX
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Tigers.TV, SCHN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Tigers vs. Astros
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Detroit Tigers (+102), Houston Astros (-123)
Spread: Tigers +1.5 (-198), Astros -1.5 (+162)
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers – Tigers vs. Astros for June 15
Astros: Kai-Wei Teng Season Totals: 51.0 IP, 3-5, 3.71 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 49K, 24 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Tigers vs. Astros
Yordan Alvarez has hit safely in 5 straight games (10-20)
Christian Walker has hit safely in 4 straight games (4-18)
Isaac Paredes is 0-12 over his last 4 games
Riley Greene is 3-24 over his last 7 games
Kevin McGonigle is 2-19 over his last 5 games
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Tigers vs. Astros
The Tigers are 34-37 on the Run Line this season
The Astros are 34-39 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 32 times in Detroit’s 71 games this season (32-35-4)
The OVER has cashed 39 times in Houston’s 73 games this season (39-31-3)
Expert picks & predictions: Tigers vs. Astros
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Tigers and the Astros:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Astros on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 9.0
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Kim Weiss, who became the second woman to serve as an assistant coach in the AHL earlier this year, was named head coach of the PWHL’s expansion team in Las Vegas on Monday.
Weiss, 37, spent the last two seasons with the Colorado Eagles, the AHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche. She started with the Eagles as a video coach in 2024 and was promoted to assistant coach in January 2026, becoming the second woman to be a full-time assistant in AHL history. The first was Jessica Campbell, who was an assistant for Coachella Valley from 2022 to 2024 before she was promoted to the NHL’s Seattle Kraken.
“I am thrilled to welcome Kim Weiss as the first Head Coach of PWHL Las Vegas,” PWHL Las Vegas general manager Dominique DiDia said in a news release. “Throughout her coaching career, Kim has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to develop players, build strong team cultures, and achieve success at the highest levels of the game.”
Bench boss locked in 🔒
Kim Weiss has joined the team as Head Coach ahead of our inaugural season. She spent the last two seasons with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles where she became the second woman in AHL/NHL history to serve as an Assistant Coach in a full-time role.
During her time in Colorado, the Eagles earned a Pacific Division title (2025) and made two trips to the Calder Cup playoffs, including a run to the Western Conference final that ended last week. A native of Potomac, Md., Weiss served as a guest coach for the Avalanche in 2023-24 and worked during the last four Avalanche development camps. She also served as an assistant coach at Trinity College — her alma mater — with the men’s hockey program in 2023-24.
“It’s an honor to become a head coach at the highest level of the women’s game and I couldn’t be more excited to join PWHL Las Vegas,” Weiss said in a statement. “Much of what I’ve experienced over the last few years wasn’t something I dreamed about growing up because those opportunities simply didn’t exist. I’m incredibly grateful for the people and organizations that have helped me along the way, especially the Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Eagles.
“I’ll carry many of the lessons I learned from one of the best organizations in hockey as we build a first-class environment for our players, staff, and fans in Las Vegas.”
Weiss and DiDia have some history, having played three seasons together at Trinity College, where Weiss served two seasons as captain and set program records in points (108) and goals (62). Weiss also has experience training forward Hayley Scamurra, who signed with Vegas after winning a Walter Cup with the Montreal Victoire.
“Having played alongside her in college, I have seen firsthand the character, integrity, leadership and competitiveness that define her, and her values align perfectly with the culture we are building in Las Vegas,” DiDia said.
Weiss joins a Vegas team that has already signed eight players to its inaugural roster, including Walter Cup champion teammates Scamurra, Erin Ambrose and Maureen Murphy, and 24-year-old former Minnesota defender Kendall Cooper. Vegas has also signed U.S. star Hilary Knight, but according to a source briefed on the situation, Knight will be traded to Detroit for a 2026 first-round pick when the league’s trade freeze lifts on June 16.
Vegas has until Monday at 3 p.m. ET to sign two more players in the PWHL’s complicated, six-phase expansion roster-building process. The team will then continue to add to its roster through the PWHL Draft, which is being held in Detroit on Wednesday, and free agency, which opens on Friday.
The Montreal Canadiens will be a team to keep an eye on during this summer. When looking at their current roster, it is fair to argue that they could use another right-shot defenseman.
Because of this, one trade candidate who the Canadiens should consider targeting this summer is Calgary Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud.
If the Canadiens acquired Whitecloud, he would provide them with another solid right-shot defenseman who could be a fit on their second pairing and penalty kill. However, even if he dropped to bottom pairing minutes, he would still have the potential to be a nice pickup for a Canadiens club that will be looking to take another step forward next season.
Questions about Whitecloud's future in Calgary have come up since the Flames acquired him in the deal that sent Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights. It is understandable, as the Flames are rebuilding and Whitecloud is a solid veteran defenseman with good value. Because of this, the Habs would be wise to at least kick tires on him this off-season.
In 78 games this season split between the Golden Knights and Flames, Whitecloud recorded two goals, 15 assists, 17 points, 124 hits, and 140 blocks. He notably picked up his play in a bigger role with the Flames, however, posting 10 assists in 31 games.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MARCH 31: Cincinnati Reds mascot, Mr. Redlegs, on the field prior to a game against the Texas Rangers at Great American Ball Park on March 31, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s going to be 97 degrees where I live on Wednesday. The dog days of summer are officially here.
In the world of baseball, transaction season heats up with the weather. Such is the nature of establishing a trade deadline around the end of July – this season it’s on August 3rd – as teams become forced to classify the first 100 or so games of their season into one of two distinct evaluations.
Is this team good enough to invest in further? Should we give them the best chances to win as many games as possible this year?
Or, is this team the Cincinnati Reds?
Joking aside, that’s not completely true. While teams get lumped into the buyers or sellers categories as the trade deadline approaches, the Reds often don’t even do enough to qualify for either. And just last summer, they pulled off the remarkable feat of being a buyer at the deadline for a player who actively made them so bad in 2026 that it’s been a net negative investment.
This is a different Reds club than last year, obviously. This time around, their April magic has been replaced by hell from the injury gods, their record in close games having now been turned on its head by a threadbare bullpen. Across the entire sport’s highest level, only the Colorado Rockies have a worse run differential than these Reds, who once again reside in the cellar of the National League Central division.
So, it’s unsurprising that when asked at the end of last week whether or not this club should be a buyer, or a seller as trade season heats up this summer, roughly 3 out of 5 of you responded that they needed to start selling off players.
Digging themselves out of this hole is going to be difficult when Hunter Greene is still several weeks away. It’ll be difficult without half their bullpen, without Elly De La Cruz for another week or so.
The problem is, what Cincinnati has on the fringes of its long-term plan is a handful of players who haven’t exactly stacked up a ton of value on the trade market.
Eugenio Suarez is the biggest name of the bunch, but he’s having the single worst season of his career and will turn 35 years old this summer. The veterans signed to anchor the bullpen – Emilio Pagan, Pierce Johnson, Caleb Ferguson – are either injured or have been already this year, limiting the significance of any return if they are moved. Nate Lowe has hit well for most of the year, but there’s a reason why his market this offseason was so poor the Reds got him on a minor league deal in the first place. And pending free agent Brady Singer has the fourth lowest fWAR of the 130 pitchers who have thrown at least 50 IP so far this season.
So, selling at the fringes here doesn’t even do much to improve the future, aside from saving a few million bucks that the owners likely wouldn’t pour back into the team 100% anyway. The question I should probably have asked – and likely will again soon – is whether there are pieces that still have more team control than that group who don’t look like they fit the future of this franchise’s next window to compete who should be marketed this summer. That’s the kind of move that could bring back something of significance, a move that could shake the foundation of a franchise that’s found a way to stumble through this rebuild almost as badly as it stumbled through the last two.
Regardless, it sure looks like this club has no business being a buyer this summer. And if that’s the case, they might as well end up sellers.
Jun 14, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants designated hitter Rafael Devers (16) reacts after flying out against the Chicago Cubs during the second inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Oh well. You win some, you lose some. Or, in the Giants’ case, you mostly lose. It has been a year since the Giants traded for Rafael Devers, and like most of their big swings since allowing Buster Posey to take the reins of the front office, the team has come up empty and looked bad in the attempt. It turns out that the critics of the deal were spot on. Devers’ contract was underwater from the moment the Red Sox signed him to it and the collapse of his skillset came even faster than the projection. Do the Giants inspire failure or does everything they touch turn to garbage by sheer coincidence? In any case, there’s nothing that can be done to improve Devers’ hitting.
He’s hitting .235/.293/.413 on the season while playing every game. He has 9 homers and is tied for the lead league in doubles with 21; so, you know, it’s not all bad. But the underlying metrics affirm what we’ve seen throughout the year: a hitter who’s a mess at the plate. At the end of May, I looked at Matt Chapman’s hitting metrics and came away with the thought that he’s not in an age-related decline but instead a focus or talent disruption. I see a vaguely similar situation for Devers, too.
He still hits the ball hard. That counts for something. His 49.5% Hard Hit rate is 88th percentile and average exit velocity of 91.9 mph is 87th. His 9.5% Barrel rate is the only other category where he measures as above average (61st percentile); but, these are all still big declines from last year, and especially his heyday of 2021-2024 (.279/.354/.519 — 126 HR 384 RBI — +17.0 fWAR).
He’s also whiffing on pitches at the same rate over the past several years. It’s 31.6% this year (10th percentile), but compare that back to 2021:
The big line of demarcation in his career was going from 2023 to 2024 when the big problem cited for why the contract was already underwater first asserted itself: that’s his contact rate in the strike zone. From 21-23 it was 79.2% on average. In 2024, it dropped to 74.9% and last year it fell to 73.9%. This year, it’s at 74.2%. The league average in this stat is between 76-77% every year. Just to give you some more context, going back to 2021, here are the 10 worst zone contact rate guys who got enough at bats to qualify for the batter leaderboards:
10. Luke Raley, 76.8% 9. Patrick Wisdom, 76.8% 8. Zack Gelof, 76.0% 7. Chris Taylor, 75.1% 6. Christopher Morel, 74.7% 5. J.D. Davis, 74.3% 4. Gabriel Arias, 74.0% 3. Matt Wallner, 73.2% 2. Jose Siri, 72.6% 1. Joey Gallo, 72.3%
Because of his outstanding 21-23, Devers winds up ranking just the 13th-lowest; however, if we adjust the years to 2024-present, Devers experiences a dramatic reranking.
10. Kyle Schwarber, 80.3% 9. Ryan McMahon, 80.3% 8. Adolis Garcia, 80.2% 7. Teoscar Hernanez, 79.9% 6. Mark Vientos, 79.9% 5. Jazz Chisholm, 79.1% 4. Randy Arozarena, 78.4% 3. Oneil Cruz, 77.9% 2. Nolan Gorman, 76.6% 1. Rafael Devers, 74.6%
All this to say that Devers’ continued inability to make consistent contact in the strike zone is now crashing into his other declined skill: pitch recognition. From 21-23 he had a called strike percentage of 10.7%. In 2024 it rose to 12.3% and last year it was 13.2%. This year, it’s 15%. Now, this rate has maybe a lot to do with ABS. Called balls have been turned to strikes against Rafael Devers 7 out of 9 times. He’s won just 1 challenge out of 6.
But the increased called strike rate parallels with a trend of him simply swinging less. Prior to 2024, he was swinging at around 53.5% of pitches thrown. That rate has dropped to 50% the past few seasons. His 30.3% strikeout rate is the highest of his career by far — 22% for his career, 25.5% for 2024-2025. So, what’s happening? He’s swinging less often but getting more called strikes (ABS is a partial culprit, of course) and still swinging and missing a lot when he does pull the trigger.
That bat speed doesn’t look good.
Statcast only tracks bat speed back to 2023, but take a look at this decline:
This is getting down to around LaMonte Wade Jr.’s at the start of last season, when he looked so bad I wondered if it was a portent of doom (it was!). LWJ’s wound up falling all the way down to 70 mph last year, but in a very small sample with the Astros this season (13 PA, where he has a 1.135 OPS) it’s up to 73.2 mph.
So, it’s not impossible that Devers makes some adjustments and optimizes his skills, some of which are working for him this season. But it’s hard to envision him making that turnaround… at least this season.
Luis Arraez was a free agent who set out to prove himself as a second baseman. Yes, Ron Washington has been there to give him some very relevant support, but it started with his tenacity. Jung Hoo Lee’s hitting seems to have improved because he’s been studying Luis Arraez. So, whatever turnaround to his career that might happen will have to come from Rafael Devers himself. Hitting coaches rarely get credit for fixing hitters and the Giants’ current coaching staff seems a lot more hands off or outright bad as any in recent memory.
But before you go thinking that I’m calling Devers’s character into question, let me put it this way: I think he’s taken to first base just fine, and that doesn’t happen if he doesn’t put in the work. When I watch him play the field, I see a goofy guy with a baseball-only body doing his best to field… and he’s okay. Definitely closer to terrible than great, but I wouldn’t characterize the play as outright bad. He’s also playing every day, which I think is a credit to him for having a degree of focus that would keep him interested in doing exactly that.
So, the focus is there, which only leaves buy in. Does he think he needs to make some changes to his swing or approach?
The Giants probably don’t feel like they know him well enough to have that conversation either. The coaching staff turnover being part of that and the green-ness of the current staff the other part. But also, as much as we’d like to think that the data revolution brought Apple Store-level service to every player, where a quant with an iPad just scoots up next to a player and is able to help them with a few graphics and optimized phrasing, I think it still comes down to the player seeking out what they need and doing the important work of actually incorporating changes into their approach. That’s why the headline reads as it does. Athletes aren’t often able to remake themselves on the fly in part because it’s hard to accept that the usual way of doing things has stopped working.
So, I guess in a way, this post is a lot like that Matt Chapman post. Unlike Chapman, though, Devers is definitely experiencing a physical decline of some sort (he’s not hitting the ball as hard), but the decline from a good player to a practically useless one appears to be entirely self-engineered. It’s unlikely that a 29-year old goes out like this based on aging alone. But, as Buster Posey is fond of saying, baseball is hard.
The situation isn’t hopeless, especially since Devers wound up having a good year after a rough time following the trade last year. It’s just that nothing the Giants have done this year and most of the last decade should give anyone hope for a better future.
After making $116 million during his NBA career, former Knicks small forward Trevor Ariza made just $2,316 last month as a trainer for the disabled, according to an income and expense declaration filed in court.
Ariza, 40, was forced to detail his financial position due to a custody battle with his ex-wife.
An NBA champion with the Lakers in 2009, Ariza also declared $50,000 in cash and bank accounts, and $2.5 million in real estate, which he bought while he was playing.
Trevor Ariza waits to sub in for the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. New York Post
His expenses for the month included $2,000 on healthcare, groceries, utilities, education and auto expenses and insurance, and another $1,000 on clothes and cleaning.
The $11,500 declared expenses are glaringly higher than the ex-NBA players’ average monthly salary of $6,000.
Ariza spoke out about his financial situation earlier this year, stating that he has a negative $230,000 in his bank account.
Trevor and Bree Ariza in 2014. WireImage
He also claimed his ex-wife, Bree Anderson Ariza, “refuses to work or contribute financially, despite being able to do so.”
The former small forward has been attempting to lower his child support payments in court over the past year.
“I’ve been exploring deals, trying everything to create income. Nothing stable has come through. Things changed since we finalized this [divorce],” he said.
Trevor Ariza playing for the Lakers in 2022. NBAE via Getty Images
Ariza was drafted by the Knicks with the No. 43 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft and went on to play for 10 different teams throughout his 18-year NBA career.
At his peak, Ariza signed deals worth $34 million, $32 million, $25 million, and $15 million, bringing his career earnings to $116 million.
The San Antonio Spurs learned a few hard lessons during their 2026 NBA Finals loss to the New York Knicks, and to hear Draymond Green tell it, they have another still to go.
The Warriors forward took to his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” to admonish the young Spurs for what he called a “disheartening” lack of leadership as the team left the floor following Saturday’s series-ending defeat without offering any formal congratulations to the victorious Knicks.
“Oh, by the way, y’all ain’t going to come shake [Jalen Brunson’s] hand?” Green said. “No problem. What’s the first thing Jalen Brunson did? Beeline to [Spurs coach] Mitch Johnson. Respect. Much respect. I would have loved for the Spurs players to be there for them to shake [the Knicks’] hands. They walked off. That was disappointing, a bit disappointing.”
New York secured its first NBA championship since 1973 by beating San Antonio in five games, with the title-decider coming on the Spurs’ home floor. When the final buzzer sounded on a 94-90 Knicks win, nearly every Spurs player—including star center Victor Wembanyama—left the floor immediately.
Per reports, only the San Antonio coaching staff and backup center Luke Kornet remained to offer their respects to New York players.
“The reason it was disappointing is because when you go ‘mano y mano,’ toe to toe, blow for blow with a team and they get the better of you, those that become champions look them in their eyes and say ‘respect.’” Green said of the Spurs’ postgame exit. “And then you go to the locker room. That’s what those that become champions do…Look your killer in the face.”
Green did give San Antonio some grace, conceding that the team is generally very young and lacks the veteran presence that might have helped avoid what he saw as a lapse in sportsmanship.
“To see [the Spurs] walk off the court, it was disheartening. I’ll blame it on youth,” Green said. “I’ll blame it on lacking the leader to show them that ‘hey, this is what you do. Not walk off.’ I blame it on that.
“There’s a way to win and there’s a way to lose. And walking off the court, not looking your killer in his eyes, ain’t the way to lose…I hate it. I hate when people do it. And I hated to see those young Spurs do it because I actually think they’re capable of doing something special…and I would urge those young Spurs [to] reach out to Jalen Brunson however you can. Reach out to Karl-Anthony Towns however you can. Reach out to Josh Hart, however you can. You tell [those] dudes ‘congratulations.’”
The Knicks, for their part, didn’t appear all that concerned.
The celebration was ON in the @nyknicks locker room last night after winning their first NBA Championship in 53 years 🏆🍾 pic.twitter.com/3aprwZbaiT
However, it looks like the unsigned restriced free agent could be on his way back to North America to join the Penguins next season instead.
First reported by Swedish outlet Expressen and later announced by Penguins' GM and POHO Kyle Dubas, Okuliar and the Penguins finalized a contract that will bring the Slovakian forward to the organization in 2026-27, nullifying the final year of his current contract with reigning SHL-champion Skellefteå. The deal is a one-year, two-way contract that runs through the end of next season and is worth $850,000 at the NHL level.
The 26-year-old was Skellefteå's best player en route to their title, amassing six goals and 13 points in 15 playoff games, which tied him for first and landed him in second for those categories, respectively, in the SHL playoffs.
In 46 regular season games with Skellefteå, Okuliar had 15 goals and 29 points. Last season followed a 2024-25 AHL campaign with the Charlotte Checkers that included 19 goals and 41 points in 69 games.
The Penguins have signed forward Oliver Okuliar to a one-year, two-way contract that runs through the 2026.27 campaign, worth $850,00 at the NHL level.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound undrafted center has yet to appear in an NHL game, as he has bounced between North America and Europe for most of his playing career. He spent a few seasons in the QMJHL and WHL before returning to Czechia, sprinkling some time in Finland and Sweden as well. He returned to the AHL with the Panthers' organization in 2024-25, went back to Sweden, and is now an unsigned RFA.
Okuliar has also represented Slovakia on several occasions internationally, most recently during the 2026 Winter Olympics - where he registered one goal and two points in six games - and at the 2026 World Championship in Switzerland, putting up two goals and five points in seven games.
Comedian Kevin Hart and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith are among those who think celebrity Knicks superfan Spike Lee should get a championship ring after the franchise won its first title in 53 years.
Hart shouted out Lee in an Instagram video posted on Sunday.
“Give Spike a ring,” Hart said of Lee, who has likely paid many millions for tickets over the last 40 years. “Spike deserves a f–kin championship ring, and I’m saying it here. Give Spike a New York Knicks championship ring.”
Spike Lee celebrates after the Knicks win their first NBA championship in 53 years on June 13, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Responding to a tweet advocating for the 69-year-old director to get a ring, Smith wrote Sunday, “I completely support this for Spike Lee. No Knicks’ fan deserves this more than him.”
Fans were divided in their responses to Smith.
“I’m sorry but this man ain’t shoot one shot or grabbed a rebound,” one X user wrote. “Let him enjoy the parade just like the rest of us. He’s good.”
“No. Players, coaches, executives and other members of the organization get rings, not fans, even if they’re superfans,” another wrote.
One supportive fan wrote, “Give the man his flowers! And the ring.”
“Agree. Fans are part of the team and he’s been there for the good, the bad and the ugly when a lot of us (like me) wouldn’t even watch on TV,” another wrote. “I saw the 70 and 73 teams as a teen and waited in hope for this day but Spike was the ultimate fan!!”
Jalen Brunson lifts the NBA Finals MVP trophy after the Knicks’ championship win on June 13, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Unlike those who frequent Celebrity Row, Lee pays for his seats. As of March 2020, Lee was spending $300,000 a year for his pair of courtside season tickets.
Lee has had tickets since 1985 after the Knicks drafted Patrick Ewing. It’s unclear how much he’s paid in sum over about 40 years, and his seats weren’t always courtside, but it’s safe to say he’s spent several million.
He also travels for the playoffs and was in attendance in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Cleveland and San Antonio throughout the Knicks’ championship run, including Saturday’s clincher.
Zack Wheeler
Juan Soto
Junior Caminero
Kim Weiss, who became the second woman to serve as an assistant coach in the AHL earlier this year, was named head coach of the PWHL’s expansion team in Las Vegas on Monday.
