PHOENIX — Pat Murphy says he knows he belongs with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Now the two-time NL manager of the year has agreed to a new contract that assures he will remain in Milwaukee for some time to come.
Murphy has led the Brewers to division titles and has been selected as NL manager of the year each of his first two seasons on the job. He had been Milwaukee’s bench coach on Craig Counsell’s staff for eight seasons before taking over as manager.
“I don’t want to be with any other organization,” Murphy told reporters Friday from the Brewers’ spring training complex after the deal was announced. “I feel really connected. This is going on my 11th season. I feel really part of it. I feel like this is where I’m supposed to be.”
Murphy’s contract had been set to expire at the end of the season before he and the Brewers agreed to terms on this new deal. He had taken over as Milwaukee’s manager after Counsell let his contract run out following the 2023 season and then signed a lucrative deal with the rival Chicago Cubs.
Counsell said he talked to Murphy on Thursday night.
“Thrilled for him,” Counsell said before the Cubs’ Cactus League opener in Mesa. “Absolutely thrilled for him.”
The Brewers didn’t release terms of Murphy’s contract. The Athletic, which first reported Murphy’s new deal, said he now has a three-year contract with a club option for 2029.
“I really didn’t have any doubt that this was going to work out,” Murphy told reporters. “I’m really grateful, really thankful.”
Murphy, 67, owns a 190-134 record as Milwaukee’s manager and has helped the Brewers wildly outperform preseason forecasts each of the last two years. The Brewers earned a franchise-record 97 wins last season, won a third straight NL Central title and beat Counsell’s Cubs in the NL Division Series before getting swept in the NL Championship Series by the eventual World Series-winning Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Brewers went 93-69 and won the NL Central championship in 2024 before losing an NL Wild Card Series to the New York Mets.
Along the way, he has delighted Brewers fans and gained attention for his unique style, which has included pulling out pancakes from his pocket during a televised dugout interview and having his sons frequently sitting alongside him at postgame news conferences.
“He fits a young team really well, getting guys to believe in themselves — the kind of players who have made up our team over the years, where guys maybe hadn’t had success in other places and kind of come here and find their footing, find success and find themselves,” Brewers outfielder/designated hitter Christian Yelich told reporters.
Murphy is the first Brewers skipper ever to get named manager of the year. The only other people ever to get selected as manager of the year in consecutive seasons are Atlanta’s Bobby Cox (2004-05), Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash (2020-21) and Cleveland’s Stephen Vogt (2024-25).
“He’s special,” Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold told reporters. “I love the fact he wants to continue to challenge everyone in the room and try to make everyone better. I think he’s not afraid. He’s competitive. He’s going to fight you tooth and nail for a win and to make you better off the field. He cares about people. I love that about him.”
Murphy’s only previous major league managerial experience came when he went 42-54 on an interim basis with San Diego in 2015 after the firing of Bud Black. He was a minor league manager in the Padres organization from 2011-2015.
Before that, Murphy posted a combined 947-400-2 coaching record at Notre Dame (1988-94) and Arizona State (1995-2009). He coached Counsell at Notre Dame and helped Arizona State reach the College World Series championship game in 1998.
He had a total of 1,000 college wins in a career that also included stints at Division-III Maryville (1983) and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges (1986-87).
“I really feel lucky driving to work every day,” Murphy told reporters. “I feel lucky this is what I do for a living. I feel lucky that someone says, ‘Yes, yeah, we want you to be in this position for our organization. I feel lucky and I feel fortunate. I know how tough it is to get there.”
May 12, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, US; A draft prospect during the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery at McCormick Place. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
Tonight, the Bucks play the Pelicans in The Big Easy. As you might be aware, New Orleans has the right to swap their first-round pick in this June’s draft with Milwaukee’s, thanks to 2020’s Jrue Holiday trade. They won’t actually receive that pick because the most favorable of the Bucks’ and Pelicans’ picks will go to the Hawks, but we’re here to talk about the Bucks, so forget that for now.
The debate that’s been raging on for weeks, if not months now, since Milwaukee’s season turned south (though it’s currently trending back up) has been whether or not to purposefully lose to improve their draft odds; i.e., to tank. Since the Pelicans are much worse than the Bucks this year, the logic goes that the Bucks can keep losing and get a better pick. But because of that pick swap, it’s not so simple. Let’s dive in.
Bucks draft odds
The lottery is pretty straightforward for each individual team: if you finish in a certain place, then you get certain odds. It turns into a flaming nest of vipers when you consider two teams, though, because their odds are “non-independent”—math speak for the fact that if one team wins the lottery, the other team can’t! Unfortunately, we have to enter that nest of vipers thanks to Milwaukee’s potential pick swap with New Orleans.
To do so, we considered every possible lottery order: 14 teams could win the lottery, the remaining 13 could get second, the remaining 12 could get third, and the remaining 11 could get fourth (the rest of the lottery lands in inverse order of record after that), for a total of 14 * 13 * 12 * 11 = 24,024 possible orders. We then calculated the probability of each order. The odds of each team winning the lottery are easy enough, but then it gets complicated: for each subsequent pick, you have to readjust the odds based on the teams whose lottery balls are no longer in contention (since they can’t win multiple picks). And that’s before the swap enters the picture: if the Bucks end up with a better pick than the Pelicans, they swap picks.
Taking that all into consideration, we calculated the Bucks’ odds of receiving lottery picks 2–14 (first overall is impossible) based on them finishing sixth through 14th and the Pels finishing first through seventh (which we considered the most likely scenarios) in the lottery standings, where the worse your record is, the higher you place. Here is the Bucks’ average draft pick in the table below:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
6
6.2
6.3
6.5
6.6
6.8
n/a
6.8
7
6.8
6.8
7.0
7.1
7.3
7.5
n/a
8
7.4
7.5
7.6
7.7
7.9
8.1
8.3
9
8.3
8.4
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.8
8.9
10
9.3
9.4
9.4
9.5
9.6
9.7
9.8
11
10.4
10.4
10.4
10.5
10.5
10.6
10.7
12
11.4
11.4
11.4
11.5
11.5
11.6
11.6
13
12.5
12.5
12.5
12.5
12.6
12.6
12.7
14
13.7
13.7
13.7
13.7
13.7
13.7
13.7
The case for tanking
Morgan: The case for tanking is pretty simple: the worse you finish, the better the draft pick, and (hopefully) the better the player. On its own, that is obvious. Indeed, in each column above, you can see the Bucks’ average draft position gets lower the closer you get to the top of the table.
Furthermore, in each row, you can see the numbers get smaller the closer you get to the left of the table. The worse that the Pelicans finish, the better it is for the Bucks, albeit more marginally. That’s because Milwaukee would net a better pick post-swap in the cases where they are picked in the lottery before New Orleans.
It becomes less clear with the swap involved, since finishing below New Orleans increases the chances that Milwaukee would have to swap back anyways. However, the numbers show that it still bears fruit. In the example above, if the Bucks are sitting in 7th and the Pelicans are sitting in 6th, passing Nola would increase the Bucks’ average draft position by 0.7 spots (from 7.5 to 6.8). That’s not nothing!
At this point, it’s a lost season, and I would at least like to end up with something to show for it. For me, that would be a slightly better chance at a slightly better draft pick.
The case against tanking
Van: Not so fast, my friend! Entering play today, PlayoffStatus.com gives the Bucks a 40% chance of making it into the play-in field, though that’s not the playoffs. Basketball-Reference is much lower on their odds, and the chance of them making it to the first round (or further) just gets lower and lower. As are the odds of them obtaining a higher draft pick than their lottery position: currently 10th. Here is where that could place the Bucks’ draft pick, factoring in the swap with the Pelicans, and depending on how their opponent tonight finishes in the standings:
MIL Pick
NO 1st
NO 2nd
NO 3rd
NO 4th
NO 5th
NO 6th
NO 7th
1
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
2
0.9%
0.9%
0.9%
0.8%
0.7%
0.6%
0.5%
3
2.0%
2.0%
2.0%
1.9%
1.7%
1.5%
1.2%
4
3.3%
3.3%
3.3%
3.1%
2.8%
2.6%
2.3%
5
9.6%
4.3%
1.6%
0.4%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
6
0.0%
5.3%
5.4%
3.7%
1.4%
0.0%
0.0%
7
0.0%
0.0%
2.6%
4.8%
5.3%
3.2%
0.0%
8
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
1.1%
3.5%
5.9%
5.4%
9
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.4%
2.1%
5.4%
10
60.5%
60.5%
60.5%
60.5%
60.5%
60.7%
61.5%
11
21.4%
21.4%
21.4%
21.4%
21.4%
21.4%
21.5%
12
1.7%
1.7%
1.7%
1.7%
1.7%
1.7%
1.7%
13
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
14
<0.1%
<0.1%
<0.1%
<0.1%
<0.1%
<0.1%
<0.1%
Average
9.3
9.4
9.4
9.5
9.6
9.7
9.8
As you can see, their chance at moving up from 10th is very slim—no better than 15.9%, regardless of where New Orleans finishes. But that’s actually a better chance of them moving up than it would be without the swap, and with it, they can move up to a variety of positions 2–9. If Milwaukee finished 10th but was guaranteed to keep their own pick, they would only be able to move up to picks 1–4, and that would only happen 13.9% of the time. So as long as their record is better than the Pelicans’, they’re more likely to get a better pick than they would have otherwise; even if New Orleans is seventh, Milwaukee moves up more often.
I also want the Bucks’ pick to be as high as possible, but other teams—looking at you, Bulls—are better set up to tank, and have tanked harder or sooner than the Bucks. Let’s consider scenarios, though, where Milwaukee is able to slip lower and lower in the standings: what would happen to their chances of getting any given pick if they fell one spot to ninth?
MIL Pick
NO 1st
NO 2nd
NO 3rd
NO 4th
NO 5th
NO 6th
NO 7th
1
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
2
1.4%
1.4%
1.4%
1.3%
1.1%
0.9%
0.8%
3
2.9%
2.9%
2.9%
2.7%
2.4%
2.1%
1.8%
4
4.6%
4.6%
4.6%
4.4%
4.0%
3.7%
3.2%
5
13.4%
6.1%
2.3%
0.6%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
6
0.0%
7.3%
7.6%
5.3%
2.1%
0.0%
0.0%
7
0.0%
0.0%
3.5%
6.6%
7.6%
4.7%
0.0%
8
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
1.5%
4.7%
8.2%
8.1%
9
44.7%
44.7%
44.7%
44.7%
45.3%
47.4%
52.0%
10
28.2%
28.2%
28.2%
28.2%
28.2%
28.4%
29.5%
11
4.0%
4.0%
4.0%
4.0%
4.0%
4.0%
4.1%
12
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
13
<0.1%
<0.1%
<0.1%
<0.1%
<0.1%
<0.1%
<0.1%
Average
8.3
8.4
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.8
8.9
Sure, their average position improves since they climb up the lottery standings, as does their chance of moving up from ninth. And as long as New Orleans’ record remains bottom-five, their odds of rising above ninth are better than they would have been sans swap. But they’re still not good. What if they somehow tanked all the way down to the league’s sixth-worst record?
MIL Pick
NO 1st
NO 2nd
NO 3rd
NO 4th
NO 5th
NO 6th
NO 7th
1
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
n/a
0.0%
2
2.8%
2.8%
2.8%
2.5%
2.1%
n/a
1.5%
3
5.4%
5.4%
5.4%
5.0%
4.4%
n/a
3.3%
4
7.5%
7.5%
7.5%
7.2%
6.6%
n/a
5.4%
5
22.0%
10.4%
4.1%
1.1%
0.0%
n/a
0.0%
6
6.4%
17.9%
19.0%
15.7%
10.6%
n/a
0.0%
7
27.1%
27.1%
32.3%
37.6%
39.9%
n/a
23.3%
8
23.1%
23.1%
23.1%
25.1%
29.9%
n/a
44.9%
9
5.1%
5.1%
5.1%
5.1%
5.8%
n/a
18.9%
10
0.3%
0.3%
0.3%
0.3%
0.3%
n/a
2.1%
11
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
n/a
0.1%
Average
6.2
6.3
6.5
6.6
6.8
n/a
6.8
Herein lies the rub. They could tank and tank, improving their average pick position, but risk swapping back multiple spots. Even if the Pelicans have the league’s worst record, the odds the Bucks will be picking after sixth are 55.5%, with a 28.4% chance they fall multiple spots. And if New Orleans were to improve and finish fifth, then Milwaukee would be swapping back 75.8% of the time and dropping at least two spots in 36% of lottery outcomes. And if the Pelicans surpassed the Bucks, they lose their chance at sixth completely, and 65.9% of the time, they’d pick no better than eighth.
This goes along with what Jack was saying before the break: if the Bucks are going to tank, you have to do so relative to the Pelicans. Lose at the same rate as them, win at the same rate as them. But moreover, why go through all the trouble of tanking down to sixth when it only increases the likelihood you’ll have to move back? Yes, your pick is almost certainly better than if you hadn’t tanked, but most of the time you’ll be swapped back. That outcome gets more and more likely the closer you get to the Pelicans. And the Bucks finish seventh, they are statistically more likely to draft seventh than they would be to draft sixth if they finish sixth. So what’s the real benefit of finishing sixth when you’ll seldom receive that, let alone a more favorable pick?
Ultimately, this decision probably rests with Giannis. He won’t play tonight, but if he’s back soon, he wants to try for a postseason spot, even if it’s via the play-in. Recent comments suggest he has no interest in tanking, so the Bucks will go as Giannis goes. With an extension offer due to him in October, and persistent rumors that he could just ask for a trade before then swirling, Milwaukee should follow his preferred path if they want to keep him long-term. Unless he misses further time, in which case: roll the tanks! However, with how well the post-trade deadline Bucks have played, that might not be in the cards either.
PORTLAND, OREGON - JANUARY 17: JJ Redick head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks with the team during the first quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on January 17, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Tom Hauck/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While most of the NBA season is over, the most important stretch is about to begin. The Lakers are currently fifth in the West but only one game back from the No.3 spot. So, they can still gain ground and even homecourt for the playoffs if they go on a run.
But do they have the ability to do so? Lakers head coach JJ Redick certainly thinks they do.
“We’ve got an opportunity to, I think, play our best basketball after the All-Star break,” Redick said after Thursday’s practice. “We’ve got a number of indicators on both sides of the ball that we’re doing some things that are trending in the right direction. And I think it’s coming at a good time as we’re getting fully healthy.”
Entering their first post-All-Star break matchup against the Clippers, the Lakers are fully healthy with no injuries to report. That means they’ll have their three best players, LeBron James, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves on the floor together once again.
This is something that’s only happened in 10 games this year. If they can remain healthy and play the rest of the way, they can absolutely raise this team’s ceiling and stack wins.
However, LA needs more than these three syncing together to maximize their potential. Luckily, Redick sees signs that the Lakers have been improving over the last couple of weeks.
“Defensively, since we went to zone the last 14 games, we’ve been much better,” Redick said. “When we have been in our zone, started possessions in our zone, we’ve been the number one half-court defense. Our transition possessions allowed are going down. I think a lot of that has to do with sprinting back into our zone.
“Offensively for us, we’ve had some of our highest paint touch rate games and we’ve proven that when we touch the paint, we’re elite, and we’ve got to continue to build on that. And I think, we’ve shown that when we pass the ball and we trust each other and we generate not just potential assists, but assists and connect that way that we win basketball games.”
Over the past 14 games, the Lakers have a defensive rating of 112.7, which is 13th in the NBA. That’s a stark improvement for LA, considering that on the season their defensive rating is 116.6, placing them 23rd in the league.
During this stretch of games, the Lakers are also averaging 25.9 paint touches, fourth-most in the NBA. They also went 9-5 in these contests and that type of winning should be good enough to rise up in the Western Conference standings.
If the Lakers can take this momentum and their newfound health and combine it for success in their last 28 games, then this season can still be a successful one for the purple and gold.
Execution will be key and that’ll start with their upcoming contests against the Clippers. From here on out, the year goes from a marathon to a sprint. Hopefully, LA has the legs to finish strong.
The Los Angeles Clippers have time to adjust to their new roster, with a Play-In spot all but guaranteed.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers don’t have that luxury, facing urgent pressure in the crowded seeding race.
My Clippers vs. Lakers predictions avoid putting faith in either Los Angeles team, instead focusing on the most consistent player in the city, one of many NBA picks for Friday, February 20.
Clippers vs Lakers prediction
Clippers vs Lakers best bet: Kawhi Leonard Over 27.5 points (-110)
Even as Bennedict Mathurin went off for 38 points on 22 shots last night, Kawhi Leonard still took 18 shots to score 23 points. Logic assumes Mathurin’s workload will not remain at that rate; more will shift back to Leonard, who is playing the best basketball of his Los Angeles Clippers tenure.
In five games on the second night of a back-to-back this season, Leonard has averaged 26.4 points, three of those games with James Harden in the lineup. In the two without him, the two most recent, Leonard scored 29 and 27 points.
Clippers vs Lakers same-game parlay
The Lakers are coming off a full week of rest, while the Clippers needed the final seconds to beat the Nuggets last night.
That edge alone provides value in the home LA team.
Clippers vs Lakers SGP
Kawhi Leonard Over 27.5 points
Lakers -7
Under 225
Our "from downtown" SGP: Clippers Fade Late
This SGP jumps too far at the thought of the Clippers covering the first-half spread but losing ATS by the end of the full game, even if that's logical on the second night of a back-to-back.
Clippers vs Lakers SGP
Kawhi Leonard Over 27.5 points
Lakers -8
Clippers 1H +4
Under 226.5
Clippers vs Lakers odds
Spread: Clippers +8 (-110) | Lakers -8 (-110)
Moneyline: Clippers +240 | Lakers -300
Over/Under: Over 226.5 (-110) | Under 226.5 (-110)
Clippers vs Lakers betting trend to know
While the Clippers have cashed the first-half moneyline in 29 of their last 50 games (+11.35 units, 15% ROI), the Lakers have cashed the first-half moneyline in only 14 of their last 40 games (-25.50 units, 35% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Clippers vs. Lakers.
How to watch Clippers vs Lakers
Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Friday, February 20, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Clippers vs Lakers latest injuries
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So as you're building your L.A. rivalry same-game parlay & if you’re building your card, then these are the NBA picks the system flags for value on February 20.
Clippers vs Lakers computer picks for February 20
Clippers
Lakers
Leonard o26.5 points -110
Doncic u29.5 points -120
Collins o5.5 rebounds +105
James o1.5 3-pointers made -115
Lopez o1.5 3-pointers made -120
Ayton u7.5 rebounds +100
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Clippers computer picks
Kawhi Leonard Over 26.5 points (-110)
Projection: 28.2
Kawhi Leonard has been reliably scoring in the mid-20s this season, regularly putting up 25+ points in recent games and rarely following up a sub-27 outing with another one below that mark. That trend supports confidence in him hitting this points threshold.
With the Los Angeles Clippers’ offense running through him and sharps like Bennedict Mathurin likely to see reduced volume in this matchup, Leonard is poised to take on a larger scoring load.
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John Collins Over 5.5 rebounds (+105)
Projection: 6.2
The Los Angeles Lakers have played at the league’s 10th-fastest pace over their last five games, which should boost possessions for John Collins and the Clippers.
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Brook Lopez Over 1.5 3-pointers made
Projection: 2.0
When it comes to three-pointers, the Los Angeles Clippers's remarkable 38.0% rate of sunk threes as the road team places 3rd-most in the league over the last 15 games.
This year, opposing starting shooting forward's have totaled 5.8 3-point attempts per game (most in the league) against the Los Angeles Lakers, resulting in a favorable matchup.
The Lakers have played at the 10th-speediest pace-of-play in the league over the last 5 games, which ought to increase possessions for the Clippers.
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Lakers computer picks
Luka Doncic Under 29.5 points (-120)
Projection: 28.4
Luka Doncic’s scoring has varied significantly against this opponent. While he’s had big outings, there have also been games where his shot volume and efficiency dipped, indicating volatility vs. the Clippers.
And with complementary scorers like LeBron James and others healthy and available, Luka may share more offensive load tonight, reducing his sole scoring burden and making this Under projection more plausible.
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LeBron James Over 1.5 3-pointers made (-115)
Projection: 1.7
At home, the Los Angeles Lakers have knocked down 38.7% of their three-point attempts — the third-best mark in the league over the last 20 games.
They’ve also played at the league’s 10th-fastest pace over their last five, setting up LeBron James to benefit from the increased tempo and clear the Over on this prop.
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Deandre Ayton Under 7.5 rebounds (+100)
Projection: 7.4
The Lakers are likely to see fewer scoring opportunities against the Clippers, who have played at the second-slowest pace in the NBA over the past 25 games.
While offensive rebounds can extend possessions and create extra chances for points and assists, the Lakers rank near the bottom of the league, averaging just 8.4 offensive boards per game over their last 15 outings which can take a piece out of the Deandre Ayton's production on the boards tonight.
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How to watch Clippers vs Lakers tonight
Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Friday, February 20, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
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Captain Mitchell Marsh crashed a belligerent 64 off 33 balls as Australia finished their dismal T20 World Cup with a nine-wicket romp past Oman in Kandy on Saturday morning AEDT.
For quite some time now, Jordan Kyrou and the St. Louis Blues have appeared to be at odds, and a recent report suggests that their relationship could be coming to an end very soon.
“I’d be surprised if Kyrou was a member of the Blues next season,” said Pagnotta.
He’s not certain whether it will happen before the trade deadline or in the off-season, but he believes Kyrou is open to being traded and would waive his no-trade clause for the right situation.
Kyrou has struggled production-wise this season, with 13 goals and 32 points in 47 games. However, Kyrou has turned it around recently. In his last eight games before the Olympic break, the 27-year-old notched five goals and 12 points.
Kyrou will generate plenty of interest on the trade market if/when he becomes available. The Blues’ season is continuing to dwindle, and it’s almost a guarantee that they will be sellers.
Throughout the season, we’ve seen names like Brayden Schenn, Justin Faulk, Robert Thomas, Jordan Binnington, and Pius Suter, alongside Kyrou, placed on trade boards.
Kyrou has spent his entire NHL career with the Blues. Kyrou was selected by the Blues in the second round (35th overall) in the 2016 NHL draft. In 463 games, Kyrou has notched 163 goals and 364 points.
The price to acquire Kyrou will be high, given his skill set and the control he brings. He is currently in the third year of an eight-year, $8.125-million contract he signed in 2022.
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PORTLAND, OR - FEBRUARY 3: Nigel Hayes #21, Rasheer Fleming #20, and Khaman Maluach #10 of the Phoenix Suns listen to the national anthem before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on February 3, 2026 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jaden Coleman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns have assigned 10th overall pick Khaman Maluach and 31st overall pick Rasheer Fleming to the Valley Suns.
OFFICIAL: The Suns have assigned Rasheer Fleming and Khaman Maluach to the Valley Suns of the NBA G League.@GLeagueSuns take on the Sioux Falls Skyforce on the road at 6PM.
No strangers to this, Maluach and Fleming have been assigned to the G-League multiple times this season, with both good and bad games coming from it. Maluach is of particular interest to Suns fans, who are eager to see the top pick develop.
TEMPE, AZ – NOVEMBER 14: Khaman Maluach #10 of the Valley Suns celebrates during the game against the Rip City Remix on November 14, 2025 at Mullett Arena in Tempe, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In his six games with the Valley Suns, Maluach is delivering a respectable 15.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game on 57.4%/35.7%/87.5% splits. If Maluach ever emulated those numbers in the NBA, I would be ecstatic.
In his five games with the Valley Suns, Fleming is averaging 17.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals on 50.8%/40.0%/71.4% splits. Fleming has played 30 games for the Phoenix Suns this year on limited minutes as he continues to develop and earn the trust of Head Coach Jordan Ott.
The Valley Suns are scheduled to take on the Sioux Falls Skyforce tonight at 6PM.
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Minnesota right-hander Pablo López will have season-ending Tommy John elbow surgery, expected once the Twins discovered their ace’s torn ulnar collateral ligament.
The team said Friday that López’s surgery will be performed next week in Texas by Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister. López turns 30 early next month.
It will be the second Tommy John surgery for López. He had the procedure as a minor leaguer with the Seattle organization and missed the 2014 season.
López ended a bullpen session early during the Twins’ first full-squad workout Monday. First-year manager Derek Shelton said he was hopeful the move was precautionary, but a day later general manager Jeremy Zoll told reporters of the UCL tear.
López was the Twins’ opening-day for the past three years and was planning to pitch for Venezuela in next month’s World Baseball Classic.
López made his major league debut with the Miami Marlins in 2018 and spent five seasons with them, then was traded to the Twins.
He made the All-Star team in his first year with Minnesota and helped the franchise end a record 18-game postseason losing streak for North American professional sports, going 2-0 with an 0.71 ERA in two starts in the 2023 playoffs.
López is making $21.75 million this season and is signed through next year.
A shoulder injury limited him to 14 starts last season after he made 32 in each of three consecutive 10-win seasons, the first in his final season with the Marlins. López was 5-4 with a 2.74 ERA in 2025 and is 59-53 with a 3.81 ERA for his career.
2026 is already void of Pablo Days. | Stephen Maturen / Getty Images
As many suspected once the news of Pablo López’s ligament tear broke, the right-hander’s season is over.
One day into the 2026 season, the Twins lost their #1 starter to an elbow injury during live batting practice. López will now spend the season recovering after doctors reconstruct his elbow.
In terms of roster construction, this immediately knocks askew any perceptions of trying to win with this roster constructed from pockets sewn shallow. Joe Ryan, who spent last year in Cy Young contention, stays at the top of the rotation unless or until he gets traded; behind him, the Twins have a handful of back-of-rotation players, at least one of which now have to elevate their play if the team hopes to, as ownership insists, win with the guys they have.
We’ve already discussed on the site the different options Minnesota has to fill out their rotation, whether through elevated an untested player or bringing in someone still on the market. But whichever option the front office chooses, the team now lacks one of their best players, an energetic fan favorite.
The news of López’s surgery was not a surprise, but to all Twins fans, it was a disappointment, and fewer and fewer will be looking forward to the 2026 season. It’s still baseball, but the excitement that comes with spring has faded.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Eric Lauer #56 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 15th inning in game three of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After that Canada/Finland, I’m sure I’m five pounds lighter.
Tomorrow, we get our first real fake baseball game of the year. The Jays are playing the Philles in Dunedin. It is a 1:00 pm start time and it will be on Sportsnet 1. Eric Lauer is listed to start the game.
And speaking of Lauer, he told Gregor Chisholm that, he felt, the Jays told him he would be in the starting rotation this season. But, after adding, Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, there might not be a spot for him.
“It is a little frustrating,” Lauer admitted during an interview with the Star this week. “I mean, I was told last year some things, like, for certain would happen this year, and then we made some moves.
“We got some great guys, so I’m not mad about that, but I think I’m still in a position where I’m in a great spot to produce and all I have to do is go out there and do it.”
I do feel for him. He was terrific last year, and, generally, that would mean he would have a spot in the rotation. But the team does have to do what they think is best, they had the chance to improve the pitching staff. It would be wrong not to do it.
Having the extra arm is great for the team, but not so great for Eric. If he starts the season in the bullpen and stays there for a couple of months, it would be hard to see him switching back to the rotation. If he really wants to be a starter, I guess he could ask for a trade, though it might be hard to leave a team that made it to the World Series.
He is a free agent after the season. If he were to get 30 starts and pitch the way he had last year, he’d be looking at a big contract. If he is a long reliever, he would likely be looking at far less of a payday.
Beyond that there isn’t a lot for Jays’ News:
Kevin Gausman talked about the possibility of retiring after the season. I’m expecting that he’ll be good enough this year to get offers that he would have a hard time refusing.
Shane Bieber is further ahead than the Jays thought he would be. He’s throwing ‘120 feet’. There is no rush to get him onto the mound, but he might get there sooner than we figured.
Shi Davidi tells us that Ricky Tiedeman feels good, thinks he’s ready to contribute and that he threw two simulated innings yesterday.
Steve Borthwick needs a charge of electricity after the power cut in Scotland and team’s 21-year-old forward could fire up title challenge
The third weekend of the Six Nations used to be a time for contemplation and reflection. After the fury of the first two rounds, everything would stop for a much-needed fallow week in which to restore energy levels. And now? The battle-scarred gladiators are about to “go again”, putting their bodies on the line out on the pitch or, in the case of travelling supporters, in the pub.
Player welfare rules OK? That debate still rumbles on but certain other areas – fitness, mental resilience, squad depth – traditionally reserved for the tournament’s closing fortnight are increasingly front and centre. The rhythm of this year’s championship is subtly different, particularly for sides such as England with only two home fixtures. Slip up for a second successive Saturday and that’s it, folks, until November in terms of high-profile Twickenham opportunities.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 19: Kristaps Porzingis #7 of the Golden State Warriors dribbling the ball is guarded by Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics in the second half of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on February 19, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kristaps Porzingis made his Golden State Warriors debut Thursday night against the Boston Celtics. While the team’s newest big man showed some signs of rust after nearly a month away from game action, he said afterward that he’s feeling good despite being “far from perfect shape.”
Porzingis said he’s “far from being in perfect shape” but “feeling good” after his debut for Golden State.
“This is a good first step to keep building. … I think it’s just a matter of time to get in a better rhythm from this point on.”
Porzingis finished with 12 points in 17 minutes, shooting 5-of-9 from the field, along with one rebound, one assist, and one block. He also committed two turnovers — something head coach Steve Kerr said is to be expected as the 7-foot-2 center continues adjusting to the Warriors’ system.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr thought Kristaps Porzingis “looked good” in his team debut. Credited the Celtics for the way they performed.
“I felt like we were kind of slow to get moving. It was good to see the fight and rhythm we found late.”
For now, the numbers matter less for Porzingis — especially without Stephen Curry available. He settled in as the game went on, hitting deep threes and offering rim protection when the opportunity was there.
If that progression continues, Porzingis could quickly become a key piece for a team looking to find its footing and make a late push toward the postseason.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Friday, February 20th:
It didn’t matter if it was off the dribble or from cuts, the Celtics’ offense made burnt toast out of the Warriors’ defense. It didn’t matter if it was the glass, the paint or trying to go body-on-body, Boston owned the trenches. The Warriors watched the Celtics assert themselves and didn’t have any answers.
In the first quarter, in which the Warriors only trailed by four points, the Celtics doubled them in rebounds (16 to eight) and scored 10 more points in the paint (18 to eight). By halftime, in which the Warriors now were facing a 23-point deficit, the Celtics had 24 rebounds to the Warriors’ 14 and doubled them in points in the paint, 32 to 16.
Could you have gotten more for Kuminga if you’d looked hard to trade him a year or two ago?
“I don’t think so,” Lacob said. “People say I loved him as a player, I was protecting him, I was whatever. That’s just not true. I did like him. I like all our players. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be acquiring them if we didn’t all like them. But you know, it just didn’t work. It looked like it was going to work. It was off and on a lot.”
Sources with knowledge of Thursday’s meeting as well as a late January competition committee meeting told ESPN that these concepts have been discussed to curb tanking:
First-round draft picks can be protected only for top-four or top-14-plus selections
Lottery odds freeze at the trade deadline or a later date
No longer allowing a team to pick in the top four in consecutive years and/or after consecutive bottom-three finishes
Teams can’t pick in the top four the year after making the conference finals
Richard had a huge sequence in the first quarter. After Boston had pushed the lead to 10 points, Richard drained threes on both ends of the two-for-one to end the frame, getting the Dubs right back into it. The team couldn’t maintain that performance, but Richard did. He was one of their biggest offensive weapons, and his defense was swarming. I’m looking forward to seeing how he finishes out his highly successful rookie campaign.
Grade: A
A post to end the week:
Jimmy Butler has shared the following statement with me and other @warriors season ticket holders:
“Dear Warriors Season Ticket Family,
I have played in front of many incredible crowds over my 15 seasons in the NBA, but there was always something about playing in the Bay Area…
Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt (77) during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
I don’t have anything especially profound to share with you other than one new fact. We’ll have live game discussion threads for all of the St. Louis Cardinals regular season games obviously, but also now for all of the Spring Training games.
In a normal world, there wouldn’t be a lot to talk about during Spring Training, but the St. Louis Cardinals are in a pivotal year where there should be plenty to discuss. How does JJ Wetherholt look so far? Do Jordan Walker’s swing decisions look any better? We’ll have so many opportunities to overanalyze and overreact to everything and anything the St. Louis Cardinals do until they break camp for the regular season.
First Spring Training game is Saturday, February 21 at 12:05pm central time as the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Washington Nationals. I plan to be here and I invite you to the Spring Training baseball discussion party, too.
SCOTTSDALE, - MARCH 16: A general view of Salt River Fields prior to the 2024 Spring Breakout Game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Saturday, March 16, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
And so, it begins! The first time our D-backs have taken the field since September 28, and we now begin the slow march towards Opening Day, in slightly less than five weeks. You may be looking at the line-up above, and be going “Who?” with regard to our first starting pitcher of the season, Thomas Hatch. Well, unless you did the smart thing, and have been reading our series on non-roster invitees, anyway. 🙂 But to save you a click, he seems very much like a depth piece, with underwhelming numbers, and the peripherals don’t exactly stand out at great either. Still, someone has to throw these innings.
After Hatch, we should expect to see some or all of these over the rest of the game: RHP Andrew Hoffmann, LHP Philip Abner, RHP Isaiah Campbell, RHP John Curtiss, RHP Taylor Rashi and RHP Bryce Jarvis.
Otherwise, and with the obvious exception of right field, this looks – at least for the first couple of innings – quite close to what might be our Opening Day line-up. But plenty of time for things to change, between now and then. The good news. Today’s game will be a free broadcast through dbacks.tv. You just need to register with an email address. The bad news? It’s the Rockies broadcast, so you should probably expect only tangential mention of the Diamondbacks. Still, it’s baseball, and you can watch it. Beats working, certainly.
Clippers
Lakers
