MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves finalized their cost-cutting move with point guard Mike Conley by signing the 19th-year veteran on Wednesday, two weeks after trading him away.
Conley was first sent in a three-team deal to the Chicago Bulls, who then packaged him with Coby White in a swap with the Charlotte Hornets the following day. The day after that, Conley was waived.
Being traded twice made Conley eligible to rejoin the Timberwolves, who were thus able to sign him to a minimum contract after lowering their luxury tax bill beneath the first apron by jettisoning his original salary. Getting under the first apron and the rules around it allowed the Timberwolves the salary cap flexibility to acquire guard Ayo Dosunmu in a separate deal with the Bulls.
Conley's production and playing time have dwindled this season, but he has long been a revered presence on the team for his leadership, savvy and experience. He's a four-time winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award and a two-time teammate of the year honoree by the league.
The Timberwolves (34-22) are in sixth place in the Western Conference. They host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday in their first game after the All-Star break
That was the first word that came to mind for Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing on Tuesday, when asked to describe how Shohei Ohtani’s first live pitching session of the spring looked from behind the plate.
“He was locating all his pitches, getting the misses that he wanted,” Rushing said. “Yeah, he looked really, really good today.”
When it comes to Ohtani, that has been the common refrain around Dodgers camp in the early days of spring training.
For his time since signing with the team three years ago, the two-way star is coming off a fully healthy offseason, unencumbered by the Tommy John surgery he had at the end of 2023 and the labrum repair he underwent after 2024.
Also for his first time as a Dodger, Ohtani enters this season preparing to play both ways on a full-time basis, setting his sights on not only a fifth career MVP award but also contention for Cy Young honors (something never before won by a Japanese player).
“He seems like he’s on a mission, pitching-wise,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said later Tuesday afternoon. “And whenever we’ve seen him on a mission, good things happen.”
Indeed, there seems to be little question this year about whether Ohtani can re-emerge as one of the top pitchers in the sport –– a status he earned by posting a 2.84 ERA over three seasons with the Angels from 2021-2023, then a 2.87 mark in 14 workload-restricted outings in his return from Tommy John with the Dodgers last season.
For his time since signing with the team three years ago, the two-way star is coming off a fully healthy offseason Getty ImagesOhtani enters this season preparing to play both ways on a full-time basis, also eyeing a Cy Young Award (seen above held by last season’s AL winner Tarik Skubal). Getty Images
But, there are still uncertainties over how aggressively the Dodgers will utilize him in 2026, with the club trying to strike a delicate balance between his dueling (and potentially draining) roles on the mound and at the plate.
“Obviously, last year, he was coming back from surgery, and so we were very deliberate about a lot of things,” Friedman said. “This year we will be less so, but still mindful of it.”
This week, the challenges of that process have begun to come into focus.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
Manager Dave Roberts called it a positive sign that Ohtani was already facing hitters on Tuesday, with the right-hander throwing 18 pitches and hitting 98 mph with his fastball over a one-inning outing.
“He’s certainly way ahead of where he was last year on the pitching side,” Roberts said. “That’s a good thing.”
Yet, Ohtani’s return to full-time pitching will still face some workload-related hurdles –– with the Dodgers prioritizing his availability as a pitcher come this year’s playoffs, as well as the long-term health of his now twice-surgically-repaired arm.
Manager Dave Roberts called it a positive sign that Ohtani was already facing hitters on Tuesday. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“Obviously, we have designs of playing through October this year, and Shohei being a big part of that on the mound,” Friedman said. “That, coupled with the idea that he wants to pitch for the next eight years, and we want him to pitch for the next eight years, (is why we’re) just trying to be really mindful of all of that.”
Right now, the most pressing question has to do with Ohtani’s pitching status for opening day.
Though he won’t pitch in next month’s World Baseball Classic for Team Japan, his absence from Dodgers camp will make it harder for him to stay on a normal ramp-up schedule while he serves as a designated hitter in the international tournament. Roberts said it’s “very unlikely” Ohtani pitches in any Cactus League games before he departs for the event later this month, meaning his first actual game action on the mound might not come until the final week of spring training.
Friedman still expects Ohtani to be ready to make starts at the beginning of the regular season, and said he “certainly wouldn’t bet against” the 31-year-old’s chances in the Cy Young race.
But he also cautioned that the Dodgers will do a lot of “reading and reacting” to determine Ohtani’s pitching schedule over the course of the season –– acknowledging that “it’s hard to say” whether Ohtani (who is expected to get more extended breaks between his pitching outings than normal starters do, upwards of perhaps 6-8 days on some occassions) will make enough starts to legitimately vie for the sport’s top pitching award.
“It’s a heavy, heavy load that he takes on, that is different from every other player in baseball,” Friedman said. “A lot of it is going to be reading and reacting based on how he’s feeling, how he’s recovering, what the load looks like. But at some point, stepping up that level of aggression (for him as a pitcher) as we get deeper into the season, that will be a little bit different than last year.”
Friedman still expects Ohtani to be ready to make starts at the beginning of the regular season. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
What the Dodgers are most confident in for now is the quality of Ohtani’s stuff.
In the wake of Tuesday’s live session, Rushing said Ohtani’s throwing mechanics already look “cleaner” than when he was returning from Tommy John last year, praising his execution of a sinker/slider/splitter arsenal.
“I think he’s moving down the mound a lot better this year than he had in the past,” Rushing said. “His body is starting to feel recuperated, rejuvenated.”
And when asked about his expectations for Ohtani’s pitching this year, the second-year catcher called his superstar battery mate “limitless,” marveling at the way “he can do basically whatever you ask him to.”
“He is the greatest, and he wants to be the greatest,” Rushing said. “He sets the bar for this clubhouse, the way he works, being obviously as good as he is right now. And he only wants to get better.”
Time will tell how that materializes in his usage plan for 2026.
Former MLB speedster Terrance Gore died in early February from complications following surgery to remove his appendix, according to his wife, Britney.
In a heartbreaking social media post shortly after his death, Britney said the 34-year-old underwent “what was supposed to have been a simple procedure.”
Gore passed away earlier this month after undergoing an “emergency” surgery. AP
“He went in for an emergency surgery. He had his appendix removed,” she said. “He came out of surgery and was doing OK.
“And had some complications after, possibly with the anesthesia, and went into cardiac arrest.”
Gore’s untimely death shook his family and the baseball community.
He is survived by his wife and three children.
“Our hearts are shattered, my babies are shattered,” Britney wrote in her first post on social media following her husband’s death. “Our whole family is lost. This was so unexpected.”
A fan favorite across parts of eight MLB seasons, Gore was remembered fondly for his game-changing speed and role on three World Series-winning teams.
The Macon, Ga., native debuted in the majors with the Royals in 2014, serving as a baserunning specialist for Kansas City’s back-to-back American League pennant-winning teams.
The three-time World Series champion spent parts of eight seasons in the majors, finishing his career with the Mets in 2022. Michelle Farsi/New York Post
Gore swiped a combined four bases during those two postseasons, including the Royals’ run to a World Series title in 2015.
“Terrance brought a high level of excitement and anticipation to the game,” former Royals general manager Dayton Moore said after Gore’s passing. “He was unstoppable as a base stealer, and he inspired athletes throughout our country to pursue baseball. He was loved and respected by his very special teammates, who will continue to love his family during this time of sadness.
“There have been very few players who can take over a baseball game,” Moore added in an interview with the Royals team website. “That’s exactly what he did. He became a fan favorite. He was beloved by his teammates. And he was just fearless and impactful on the bases but also off the field.”
After spending his first five years in Kansas City, Gore won another pair of championships with the Dodgers (2020) and Braves (2021).
Despite notching just 85 plate appearances in 112 regular-season games, Gore stole 43 bases in 52 attempts, including five in the postseason.
He finished his MLB career with the Mets in 2022, recording three steals and one hit over 10 games.
The Richard R. Robinson Funeral Home Eastside Chapel in Macon will hold a visitation on coming Friday, with a celebration of life the following day at Jones County High School Gym in Gray, Ga.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 29: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays against Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on November 29, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The future of LeBron James remains as uncertain as ever as Los Angeles Lakers’ governor Jeanie Buss sounds doubtful the King will be returning next season, according to Alex Sherman of CNBC. Either because of retirement or choosing to play for another team (potentially his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers?).
“Never say never, but you know, he certainly hasn’t given us an indication,” Buss said. “He’s earned the right to decide how his career will go, and you know, he continues to impress.”
James, to this point, has kept his cards close to his vest. He’s refused to give any hint as to where he’ll be playing next season, or if he’ll be playing at all. This is a can that he keeps kicking down the road. Naturally, that means the next few months are going to be a never-ending cycle of speculation.
So, buckle up.
It only makes sense that in all of this chaos, the Cleveland Cavaliers are repeatedly found at the center of it.
Can anyone come up with a better ending to LeBron’s historic career than returning home for one final championship run? Another title in Cleveland would be more valuable than winning anywhere else. It’s the type of thing that sounds too perfect.
But the stars are alligned. The Cavs have dug themselves out of another rebuilding process and could, hypothetically, add James back into the mix on a minimum contract. Whether or not James would agree to that is another story. The point is, it’s possible.
Still, LA is not out of the picture. Sure, they’ve made Luka Doncic the new cornerstone of their franchise and have largely put James on the back burner (at least, aesthetically). But the Lakers are still reportedly open to having James back next season. I’d imagine all 30 NBA teams would welcome James, but you get the point.
“If James wants to play a 24th season, he would be welcomed back in LA. Pelinka declared before the start of this season that he would love it if James retired a Laker, and that sentiment was meant to reflect a 2026 retirement or a 2027 retirement, if James intends to extend his career.”via ESPN
TAMPA — Anthony Volpe woke up from surgery in October to a surprise, but not an excuse.
Speaking Tuesday for the first time since going under the knife to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, the Yankees shortstop still refused to use the injury as an explanation for his poor play last season, despite the damage being worse than tests had suggested as he played through it.
Access the Yankees beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.
“I know I could have played better,” Volpe said Tuesday after the Yankees worked out at George M. Steinbrenner Field. “I felt strong and good enough to go. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have. But you definitely learn a lot about yourself. Then when you see what ended up happening and having to get surgery, you learn a lot about the mindset and how you got to be self-aware and aware of certain things going on. If you’re going to play through it, how to perform and do the best you can.”
It remains impossible to determine just how much the ailing left shoulder impacted Volpe’s play after he initially injured it on a dive on May 3, 2025.
He said Tuesday that “it just didn’t feel like my right shoulder — my left side didn’t feel like my right.”
New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe fields a ball during spring training. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
But the end result was his worst year in pinstripes on both sides of the ball.
The 24-year-old struggled defensively, especially during the summer months, and was far less dependable than when he won a Gold Glove as a rookie in 2023. Offensively, it was more of the same inconsistency as he hit just .212 with a .663 OPS and 19 home runs.
Now, after three full seasons in the big leagues, Volpe is still facing questions about his future, and exactly what the Yankees have in him, though he will not get a chance to show it until late April or early May after starting the season on the injured list to finish off his rehab.
“The chip I’ve had on my shoulder has been there for my whole life, my whole career,” Volpe said. “I just can’t wait to go back out there and play and feel good and perform and help the team win. At the end of the day, if I do that and I play the way I know I can play, everything will take care of itself.
“I appreciate everything — I appreciate the accountability, I appreciate everything that comes with being the shortstop for the New York Yankees. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. That’s why I just can’t wait to get out there.”
Volpe will just have to wait a little longer for that to happen. He began his hitting progression Monday with dry swings — which will soon be followed by hitting off a tee — but otherwise is a full go defensively besides diving, which will be the last step in his recovery before he is cleared.
The rehab process has been a painstaking one, with Volpe describing the first half of it as feeling like “rock bottom” physically.
Anthony Volpe throwing a ball during practice at Steinbrenner Field, the team’s spring training home in Tampa, Fla. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“But I really wanted to make sure the rest of my body was ready to go and ready to play 162,” Volpe said. “Probably at the turn of the new year is when I started to feel good and started to do baseball activity. That was definitely nice.”
During the first few days of spring training, Volpe has been throwing, taking ground balls with the rest of the starting infield and going through defensive and baserunning drills. Before camp is over, he will likely advance to hitting on the field and perhaps playing in Grapefruit League games
José Caballero is expected to start the season at shortstop until Volpe returns, but once he does, it will be a critical year for the homegrown player trying to prove he still has a place in the organization’s future.
“There’s been a lot of positives in the whole process, just slowing stuff down and working literally from the ground up,” Volpe said. “So to take those things and go from there has been nice.”
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton feels his Yankees career is lacking.
“It’s definitely incomplete,” he said Tuesday ahead of his ninth season in pinstripes. “The point of being a Yankee is being a champion.”
Now 36 and entering the final two guaranteed seasons of a $325 million, 13-year contract he signed with the Miami Marlins, Stanton has gone on the injured list in seven consecutive seasons but has been a force when healthy.
“I’m good. Ready to go,” Stanton maintained. “As I said before, it’s not going anywhere. It’s always going to be maintenance, but it didn’t hinder me from any work.”
He said the preparation is “a lot of hold, strengthening, make sure I’m able to maintain holding and swinging with power and throwing.”
A five-time All-Star and the 2017 NL MVP, Stanton has a .258 average with 453 homers — most among active players — and 1,169 RBIs in 16 big league seasons. He is key component in the Yankees batting order.
“With us over the last couple of years (having) become more and more left-handed, his presence in the middle is just really big,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s like having that guy lingering there, that’s Big G in the middle.”
Stanton had 38 homers with 100 RBIs in his first season with New York in 2018 but missed 266 of 708 games over the next five seasons because of a series of strains of right biceps, right knee, left hamstring (twice) and left quadriceps along with right ankle inflammation and left Achilles tendinitis.
Noticeably slimmer in 2024, he limited his lost time to 28 games for a strained left hamstring. Stanton finished with 27 homers and 72 RBIs in 114 games and added seven homers and 16 RBIs in 14 postseason games.
He isn’t thinking about career stats.
“Numbers like the next one and the next one is good for now,” he said. “Those numbers, 500 or what not, is the same as we’re going to win the World Series right now. You got each day to do work and prove and do something positive.”
Stanton is owed $64 million in guaranteed money by the Yankees: $29 million this year, $25 million in 2027 and a $10 million buyout of a $25 million club option for 2028. He comes at a discount because the Marlins owe the Yankees $30 million to offset part of what remains in his contract: $5 million each on July 1 and Oct. 1 in 2026, 2027 and 2028.
However, his salary for purposes of the Yankees’ luxury tax payroll is $25 million and since New York is likely to pay the top tax rate of 110%, he adds $27.5 million to the team’s tax bill.
Teammates look to Stanton for succinct tips before they bat.
“He just processes things really well and really gains from the things he sees: the experience, the times he faces a pitcher, how he processes that and puts it to use in future at-bats against guys,” Boone said. “I think he knows himself incredibly well as a hitter, but his presence with just the makeup of our club is huge.”
Volpe hopes to return in April
Shortstop Anthony Volpe won’t be ready for the March 25 opener but hopes to return in April following surgery on Oct. 14 to repair the labrum in his left shoulder.
He started a hitting progression Monday with dry swings — no ball involved — and hopes to advance soon to hitting off a tee and soft toss.
“My body’s ready to go defensively and running, so the hitting will be what we work through next, and judging on how everything’s gone so far, I’m just excited,” he said.
Volpe hurt the shoulder on May 3. He returned to the lineup two days later but struggled for much of the season. He had a pair of cortisone shots and hit .212 with 19 homers and a career-high 72 RBIs. He went 1 for 15 with 11 strikeouts in the AL Division Series loss to Toronto, making an out in his last 13 at-bats.
Volpe’s surgery was more extensive than had been expected following an MRI.
“When I woke up from the surgery and we went through everything, we kind of had an idea of what the best case and what the worst case and everything in between would have been, so I wasn’t shocked” he said. “I was just more excited and in pain and motivated.”
Looking back, his left shoulder and side didn’t feel like his right after the injury. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said following the surgery that Volpe could start hitting in four months but couldn’t dive on the shoulder for six months.
“The first half rehabbing was tough. It felt like rock bottom as far as physically,” Volpe said. “Probably at the turn of the New Year is when I really started to feel good and I started to do stuff, baseball activity.”
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 30: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers brings the ball up court during the third quarter against the Boston Celtics at Rocket Arena on November 30, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 117-115. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Donovan Mitchell is having the best season of his career. If the rest of the league hasn’t noticed yet, at least Mitchell himself and one of his teammates certainly have.
What am I talking about? Well, The Athletic released their latest player poll, conducted over All-Star weekend. In the survey, they asked, “Who is the best player in the NBA?” to which Mitchell received the third most votes, behind only Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and tied with Luka Doncic.
That would make Mitchell not only the best player in the Eastern Conference according to his peers, but also the best American player in the league.
But there’s one catch. And it’s a big one.
The Athletic only polled 18 players for this specific question. Jokic received six votes, SGA three, while Luka and Mitchell received two.
So who voted for Mitchell?
Well… Mitchell voted for himself. Telling The Athletic’s Joe Vardon, “Come on, Joe, I gotta say me, always.”
The other vote? Mitchell’s teammate Jaylon Tyson, who was also at All-Star weekend competing in the Rising Stars challenge. I have to respect a teammate who rides or dies for the other.
This means we can’t really take anything from this poll. Something tells me the voters were a little biased.
Either way, Mitchell deserves some recognition. He’s averaging 29 points and 5.9 assists per game while carrying the Cavaliers through a rough start to the season. Now he’s catapulting his team back into the mix as Eastern Conference contenders and is meshing nicely with his new backcourt partner, James Harden.
The Athletic polled more than 30 players who were in Los Angeles. The full anonymous results of that poll can be found here. Other questions from the survey include “Who has the best player podcast?” and “What’s the biggest problem facing the league today?”
Legendary Nuggets coach and Brooklyn native Doug Moe died Tuesday at the age of 87.
Moe spent a decade coaching in Denver, during the franchise’s most successful time period, while having coached in San Antonio and Philadelphia. Moe had a successful career on the court as well, earning three All-Star nods in the ABA from 1968 to 1970 and won a championship with the Oakland Oaks in 1969.
Moe grew up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn and recalled playing at Foster Park in an article published by the New York Times in 1984. He credited spending his youth playing basketball in the borough for his understanding of the game.
Nuggets head coach Doug Moe pleads with his team during a timeout in the closing seconds of a NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets in May 1986. AP
”After school and on Saturdays, we would play there until dark,” Moe said. ”I would play against guys a lot older and they would beat the heck out of me. But I learned a lot.”
The Nuggets described Moe as a “one-of-a-kind leader and person who spearheaded one of the most successful and exciting decades in Nuggets history.”
Moe served as head coach with the Nuggets from 1980-1990 and won 432 games, the franchise record for most wins until Michael Malone broke it in 2024. The Nuggets made the postseason in nine straight years during his tenure as head coach.
“He will forever be loved and remembered by Nuggets fans and his banner commemorating his 432 career victories as head coach will hang in the rafters to forever honor his incredible legacy,” the team said in a statement. “The organization’s thoughts are with Doug’s wife Jane, his son David and all of his family and loved ones who are hurting in this moment.”
Moe got his coaching start as an assistant under his former University of North Carolina teammate Larry Brown in 1972 when he was the coach of the ABA Carolina Cougars.
Nuggets head coach Doug Moe, center, directs his team from the bench during an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns on April 21, 1982. AP
The Brooklyn native received his first head coaching job in 1976 with the Spurs, where Moe spent the next four seasons before taking the Nuggets job.
After his dismissal in 1990, Moe’s next coaching gig didn’t come until 1992 during a brief stint as the head coach of the 76ers. He would return to Denver in the early 2000s as a special consultant and assistant coach from 2002-2008.
“It’s a sad day in Denver,” former Nuggets player Bill Hanzlik wrote on X. “Just learned one of the Absolute Best, Doug Moe has passed away peacefully holding the hand of his wife Jane Moe this morning. God Bless you BIG STIFF from your No Hoper Hanz.”
When it rains, it pours. For Frank Vatrano, it might as well have been hailing. Entering the first season of a three-year extension that he signed just over a year ago with the Ducks, Vatrano was set to play for Joel Quenneville again. Quenneville was someone Vatrano knew previously from playing under him with the Florida Panthers. Vatrano was also coming off his third consecutive 40-point season, with his tenure as a Duck being the most productive of his career.
However, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Vatrano in 2025-26. He’s having his worst statistical season by far since becoming a full-time NHLer, relegated to the fourth line and barely accumulating any special teams minutes. His average time on ice (12:21) is the lowest it’s been since the 2021-22 season, when he was playing for the Panthers.
To further exacerbate things, Vatrano suffered a shoulder injury on Dec. 27 against the Los Angeles Kings after his skate got caught in the ice and he slammed into the boards. He did not return to the game and the Ducks announced on Dec. 31 that Vatrano would be out for approximately six weeks due to a shoulder fracture.
Dec 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA;Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) is defended by Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) as he handles the puck in the first period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
“My immediate reaction was, ‘Am I paralyzed?’ I went in pretty (dangerously) there. I went in neck-first, and you’re always taught as a kid when you're going into the boards neck-first that you don't go in (with your head bent down), you kind of just bail, and that's what I did. I bailed and I let my shoulder take the blunt of it. I'm lucky I was taught that at a young age, because I don't know where I would have been if I didn't know how to protect myself from the injury that I had. It could have been a lot worse.”
The Ducks have gone 9-8-1 in the 18 games that Vatrano has missed, equalizing their seven-game losing streak with a subsequent seven-game winning streak. They finished out the pre-Olympic break portion of the season with two consecutive wins.
“I think the whole league has gone through it this year, with losing streaks and whatnot,” Vatrano said. “We crawled our way out of it, it was a team effort to crawl out of it. We didn't like the way that we were playing. I think we were playing too high-risk. I think we sharpened some things up defensively. We know we could score goals, but we want to keep the puck out of the net, so I think we've been doing a good job at that. We've been playing very hard defensively and just overall being a tough team to play against.”
Dec 7, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) on a drive against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
“No one ever wants to watch from up top (in the press box), but I think when you watch from up top, you can kind of see the game in a whole different perspective. Things are kind of slowed down up there. You see the plays develop and you put that in your mind when you're out there on the ice. You have extra plays to make and you have extra time, so you definitely benefit from that side of things.”
The Olympic break has given Vatrano ample time to rehab his injury without missing more games than he would have during a normal NHL season. While coming out of the break could feel like a mental reset on his season, he prefers to think of ways he can positively impact the team, even if his individual performance hasn’t been up to his standard.
“When things aren't going well, sometimes other things happen. That seems like that's what happened to me. When things aren't going well on the ice, then you either get hurt or something happens. You never really want to take a reset. You always want to be able to help the team, regardless of how the season's going for you. You want to feel (like you’re) a part of the group and help them go forward. To take the positive out of it, it's kind of time for me to sit back and work on my game a little bit and try to get back a little bit.”
Nov 8, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) celebrates with team mates after scoring a goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
“Frankie gives us hard work, gives us an honest effort,” Quenneville said. “One of the guys (who is) well-liked (and gives us) enthusiasm. Whether it was his shot or his production, it's been off a little bit, and I think that he needs to get himself feeling good and getting that some confidence in his game and with the puck on his stick, go from there.”
With Vatrano and Leo Carlsson (Morel-Lavallée lesion) back in the fold, this is the closest the Ducks have been to full health since training camp. Quenneville will have plenty of options to choose from when crafting his lineups moving forward.
LeBron James’ future has never been more uncertain.
If you had asked me at the top of the season whether I thought James was going to return for Year 24, my answer would’ve been yes. People around James thought the same thing, including Kevin Love, his former teammate on the Cleveland Cavaliers and close friend.
Love, who won a championship alongside James in Cleveland in 2016, hung out with James the night before the Lakers played Utah on Nov. 18. At the game, Love made it clear he didn’t want to make any assumptions about James.
LeBron James’ future has never been more uncertain. APMany thought James would return for his 24th season, including former teammate and close friend Kevin Love. AP
But when I asked Love if he thought this could be James’ last season, he told me, “I don’t think it will be,” adding, “But at the end of next year, there’s a high likelihood that will be the case.”
Things may have changed since then.
James truly seems undecided about his future. When asked about his plans ahead of the All-Star Game on Sunday, he balked. “I want to live,” he said. “When I know, you guys will know. I don’t know. I have no idea.”
It’s hard to imagine that one of the greatest players of all-time doesn’t have things mapped out, especially James, who’s masterful with the media and deeply cares about his narrative. But it’s also possible that he just wants to see how he feels.
There are some days when the 41-year-old is the embodiment of joy, as he was against Dallas on Thursday, when he was dancing and grinning before tipoff and went on to become the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double with 28 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
But then there are days when it’s obvious he’s questioning whether he still wants to do this, such as when he was embroiled in drama around Jeanie Buss last month. Or when he was slumped in a chair after a close loss to Oklahoma City last week and acknowledged he was “tired as f—-,” adding, “Sorry if I sound irritated, but I’m 41. My [patience for] irritation is being very, very low as the days go on.”
So, as that sand falls through the hourglass on one of the most storied careers in NBA history, no one knows what James is really thinking.
But if I had to rank the likelihood of what he’ll do, here would be my order.
Team USA Stripes forward LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on in game two against Team Starsduring the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
1. James returns to Cleveland
James cried while watching a video tribute in Cleveland last month. That’s a rare occurrence for the superstar, who showed that type of emotion when he won the 2016 championship with Cleveland and again when he became the league’s all-time leading scorer in 2023.
James returning to Cleveland would bring his illustrious career full circle. It’s where he was drafted in 2003 as an 18-year-old with the weight of his world on his shoulders. It’s where he quickly transformed into the face of the league. It’s where he called himself the greatest player of all-time after he led the Cavs to come back from a 3-1 series deficit in the 2016 NBA Finals against Golden State, something no other team has done. To this day, he still refers to himself “just a kid from Akron” after his accomplishments. His heart is still in Ohio.
Not to mention, the Cavs have made it clear that they’re in win-now mode after trading for James Harden earlier this month, as well as acquiring Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis at the deadline. James praised the Cavs’ moves Tuesday on his podcast, “Mind the Game,” saying, “They’re going for it.”
James’ and the Cavs’ timelines are aligned. While the Lakers are building around Luka Doncic and looking toward their future, the Cavs are all in right now. It makes you wonder if James could return to where his career began and vye for a championship alongside Donovan Mitchell.
As for Mitchell, he recently praised James, telling me, “Just being here in Cleveland, you want to replicate what he did.” When asked if he wanted to team up with the megastar, Mitchell flashed a smile. “That ain’t up to me,” he said. “I’m focused on these guys in the locker room. And from that point, everything else kinda goes where it does.”
Team USA Stripes forward LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates after game two during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
2. James returns to the Lakers
Heading into the season, I thought James was going to retire in a purple and gold jersey. He loves Los Angeles. Would he really want to pull his daughter out of school and uproot his family? Or be apart from them for a year? He has been in LA eight straight seasons, his longest consecutive stretch anywhere in his career.
But now I’m not so sure about everything.
The ESPN report last month that Buss was frustrated with James over various issues, including his “outsized ego” and the control that he and Klutch wielded over the organization surely didn’t help things.
The Lakers’ priority is Doncic and his future. It’s not clear how James fits into that equation, especially considering they’re aiming to re-sign Austin Reaves to a big contract as well as take a major swing this summer (Read: Giannis Antetokounmpo). James is earning $52.6 million this season and historically has been opposed to taking dramatic pay cuts.
Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said in Sept. that he’d love James to retire a Laker.
But Buss reportedly expressed doubt Tuesday over whether James would return to LA for another season, either because he’d retire or go elsewhere, telling CNBC, “Never say never, but you know, he certainly hasn’t given an indication. He’s earned the right to decide how his career will go, and you know, he continues to impress.”
USA Stripes forward LeBron James dunks over World guard Norman Powell, of Jamaica, during the NBA All-Star basketball game Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) AP
3. James retires
I’m ranking this low because it’s hard to imagine James not wanting a farewell tour. Also, he’s still playing at an extremely high level, averaging 22 points on 50.2 percent shooting, 5.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists a game. He’s still capable of being the best player on the floor on any given night. James has always said he’s not going to do this until the wheels fall off. He’s not even remotely close to that point.
4. James joins Golden State
James famously said on “The Shop” in 2022 that if he could play with any player, it would be Steph Curry. James and the 37-year-old Curry met in four straight Finals from 2015-2018 and have a deep well of respect for each other. They’re both in the sunset of their careers and, alongside one another, could be championship contenders.
But would James really join a new franchise in his final season? Curry’s franchise?
Seems highly unlikely.
That said, there’s definitely some level of mutual interest there. The Warriors reportedly made an unsuccessful attempt to trade for James ahead of the Feb. 2024 deadline. And when I asked Draymond Green last month if he’d want to play with James, he didn’t hesitate, “I’ve always wanted to,” he said.
Barrel Man, one of the Brewers mascots operates a TV camera before the Milwaukee Brewers faced the Colorado Rockies for the home opener at Miller Park in Milwaukee, April 6, 2015. Barrel Man was originally the Brewers logo from 1970-1977. He became an official mascot in 2015. | Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
After an offseason full of turmoil with the Brewers’ broadcast plan, the team has a new home on Brewers.TV, an offshoot of MLB.TV, which is now owned by ESPN as part of the league’s new media agreement.
While the team has not yet announced local carrier information — you can keep track of that here — the team has announced their spring broadcast schedule, with most games available for listening via radio or MLB audio and a handful of games on Brewers TV.
I’ve also included the team’s two Spring Breakouts (prospect showcases), their exhibition against Great Britain’s World Baseball Classic team, and their two exhibitions against the Reds leading up to the regular season in late March.
Here’s the schedule, including game times and where to watch/how to listen (note: 620 WTMJ is the Brewers’ flagship radio station, though all games on WTMJ are broadcast across the Brewers Radio Network):
Saturday, February 21: vs. Cleveland @ 2:10 p.m. (620 WTMJ)
Sunday, February 22: @ White Sox @ 2:05 p.m. (Brewers TV)
Sunday, February 22: vs. Royals @ 2:10 p.m. (94.5 ESPN Radio)
Monday, February 23: @ Padres @ 2:10 p.m. (Brewers TV & 620 WTMJ)
NORTH PORT, Fla. — The Atlanta Braves added veteran first baseman and outfielder Dominic Smith to their major league spring training camp on Tuesday as a non-roster invitee.
Smith, 30, will provide depth behind starting first baseman Matt Olson as well as a possible option in left field or designated hitter.
Smith, who played his first six seasons in the majors with the New York Mets, hit .284 with five homers and 33 RBIs in 63 games with the San Francisco Giants last season. He also has played for Washington, Boston and Cincinnati.
Smith is a .250 career hitter in nine seasons. He has 69 homers, including a career-high 12 for the Nationals in 2023.
With the signing of Haywood Highsmith the other day, the Suns now have a full roster with 15 players ready for the playoffs.
Free agent forward Haywood Highsmith has agreed to a multiyear deal with the Phoenix Suns, his agent Jerry Dianis tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/UbkwghKYRL
This has many speculating that he will eventually be waived, and one of the standout two-way players on this team will be converted to the main roster.
Both Isaiah Livers and Jamaree Bouyea have been solid products for this squad and have shown they deserve the conversion. With the Suns signing Highsmith and keeping Amir Coffey, though, the wing room will be full. That leaves Bouyea as the most likely to be converted, with the Suns needing some guard depth as well due to injuries this season. Bouyea has delivered on both ends, being another happy story from the Suns’ front office, making moves on the margins.
This trade by the Suns will almost certainly create a spot for Jamaree Bouyea in the near future.
With Bouyea expected to get converted, we can speculate when that will happen. Since the Suns ducked the luxury tax at the trade deadline, they do not want to do it again. With each day getting closer to the end of the season, the guaranteed money on a contract shrinks. Therefore, Bouyea will be converted once he has reached his limit of 50 games played and can no longer play, at which point he will be on the main roster. This season, he has only played in 28 games for the Suns, so that still leaves 22 games of availability. With only 27 games left in the season, it would be expected that this would happen right before the season ends, to save as much as possible. That being said, if they want to sign someone to a two-way deal, the deadline is March 4th, so that it could happen before then.
When Anthony is eventually waived, and Bouyea is signed, that is where the fun begins, as the Suns will have an open two-way spot and can use it to convert another player who they think deserves some playing time at the end of the season, when teams are locked into seedings.
So let’s look at this great site created by my friend Finn Kuehl, twowaytalents, to see the best available guys the Suns could get to replace Bouyea. This site is absolutely fantastic, showcasing the latest on two-way and G-League players, so I definitely advise checking it out!
Damion Baugh
First, let’s start with the most likely candidate, as he is already in the Valley. Damion Baugh has been incredible for the Valley Suns and has definitely earned the case to get this spot. Funny enough, he also comes from the Suns’ favorite trade partner, the Charlotte Hornets. Baugh went undrafted in 2023 and has floated through some G-League teams before signing a two-way contract last year with Charlotte. With them taking him, he was able to get some playing time and notched 15 games in the NBA.
He ended up in Phoenix on an Exhibit 10 deal and has been the gritty player this team envisions on its roster already. He would fit the hard-nosed defense that Jordan Ott has embraced all season. He would be someone who could come in and help out this team, with all the little things, aiding the shot creators they have throughout the team.
This season, he is averaging 23.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.3 blocks on 41/27/86 shooting splits, in 35 minutes per game. The 6’4” scrappy guard could learn a lot from Jordan Goodwin and Dillon Brooks, who could take the young guard under their wing.
Jared Rhoden
With a list like this, I have to make a homer pick, and Jared Rhoden is that guy. Someone from my alma mater, Seton Hall, and to a team that already has some Big East ties, sign me up! Rhoden has not stuck in the NBA but has had multiple opportunities across the league since going undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft. He had two-way contracts with the Detroit Pistons, and then spent time in Charlotte and Toronto on two-way deals as well. Currently, he is overseas playing for Paris Basketball, part of the LNB Elite and the EuroLeague.
Rhoden could fit this team, as he is a wing player who could help mold the 3&D wing he has tried to be since college. Rhoden has always been known for his three-point shooting, which was his specialty, but his wingspan helps him defend multiple positions on the wing. If all the tools were able to come together, he could be one of those fun spark plugs on the bench who can get hot.
This season for Paris Basketball, he is averaging 12.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.4 blocks on 54/44/81 shooting splits in 22 minutes per game. The 6’5” guard/wing could definitely bring some offensive juice if he were signed back to a two-way and learn from shooters like Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale.
Drew Peterson
Last but certainly not least is Drew Peterson, who could be another fun shooter for this team. Peterson is someone I have liked due to his success with the Boston Celtics on a two-way deal. After going undrafted in 2023, he spent some time with the Miami Heat’s summer league and G League affiliate before being picked up by Boston. He then spent two years there, during which he won a championship in 2023. This season, though, he was not brought back and, in fact, signed with his old assistant head coach, Charles Lee, in Charlotte.
Unfortunately for Peterson, that was cut short early as he was waived right before Christmas, but not due to his terrible play. In fact, the Hornets just needed size and frontcourt bodies as they were hit by injuries. They ended up replacing Peterson with PJ Hall, and now he is on the Pistons’ G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise.
Peterson on this team would be similar to Rhoden: just another sharp shooter and scorer this team could use as a trial to see if they can be a long-term investment. Peterson showed that value by getting minutes in multiple games with the Celtics last year. If a coach like Joe Mazzulla trusts him, I am sure a guy like Jordan Ott would do the same.
The 6’8” wing would definitely fall under the wings of Grayson Allen, where he could learn to continue to be the knock-down shooter he has been so far. This year, he is averaging 15.1 points and 6.9 rebounds. 5.3 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.1 block on 47/36/85 in 31 minutes per game.
Final Thoughts
The Suns very well could not pick someone up and wait to convert Bouyea after the deadline. With that, though, they cost themselves an opportunity to hit on the margins as they have succeeded in the past. Look at the signings of Collin Gillespie, Jamaree Bouyea, and Jordan Goodwin as examples of that. If they could do that again with one of the three men listed above or anyone else, it could help them find more key role players for cheap to build this roster. Something that has proven to be a successful way to build a team under the new CBA.
What do you think about this? Do you like any of these names, or do you think the Suns should get someone else? Let me know your thoughts!
NORTH PORT, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 21: Overall view during an Atlanta Braves spring training workout at CoolToday Park on February 21, 2025 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good evening, folks. I hope today was a good one for you. Here’s a random clip:
