Kevin Durant has never been one to shy away from social media rants.
The 16-time All-Star didn’t hold back when responding to Suns owner Mat Ishbia’s comment on trading for Durant.
Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns reacts during the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
“I kind of just threw money at the problem,” Ishbia said of Phoenix’s deal with the Nets to acquire Durant. “Bringing in super-talented players like Kevin Durant doesn’t necessarily lead to championships.”
Durant didn’t take kindly to those words.
“#blameKD even though KD stayed on top of his game at 36 and got u back this “culture” you love so much. Aye, Matthew acts like I got arrested for a DUI or sumn. Back to threads ,” Durant wrote in a post on X.
The Suns parted ways with Durant in July 2025 when they traded him to the Rockets in a seven-team deal. Durant’s tenure in Phoenix was somewhat disappointing given the Suns only won one playoff series and missed the postseason during the 2024-25 season.
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, center, holds his jersey after being introduced during an NBA basketball team availability by owner Mat Ishbia, left, and general manager James Jones. AP
The two-time NBA champion averaged 26.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists across 2 ½ seasons with the Suns. Ahead of the 2025 trade deadline, the Suns were secretly shopping Durant and attempted to orchestrate a multi-team trade to send him back to Golden State.
Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns on the court during the first quarter. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Durant found out about the trade talks from outside parties and admitted he was initially upset after the Suns’ front office caught him by surprise. Since then, the relationship between Durant and the Suns was never the same.
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 12: AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards looks on during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on October 12, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Earlier this week, we had discussions about the Washington Wizards considering a rebrand. And here are the survey results. Forty six percent, or a little less than half of respondents believed that the team needs a new logo, or colors or both.
To me, again, I don’t think a new logo or colors are necessary. And we don’t need a FanDuel wager on this topic either though some other companies will try. Let the winning take care of itself. That’s when every jersey, color and nickname is beautiful.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia detailed this week why he believes acquiring Kevin Durant was a mistake, and the 16-time All-Star responded with a social media post that featured a sarcastic hashtag along with seven crying laughing emojis.
“#blameKD even though KD stayed on top of his game at 36 and got u back this “culture” you love so much,” Durant posted on X while resharing a story containing Ishbia’s quotes.
“Aye, Matthew acts like I got arrested for a DUI or sumn. Back to threads.”
The Suns acquired Durant from the Nets in a trade deadline blockbuster in 2023, sending Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four unprotected first-round picks and a first-round pick swap in 2028.
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) controls the ball during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
KD played two-plus seasons in Phoenix, averaging 26.8 points per game in 145 regular-season appearances.
But the Suns won just one playoff series during Durant’s tenure and missed the playoffs altogether in 2025, leading to his trade to Houston that summer.
“The team was, I think, the eight or nine seed when I bought the team, and we had some good young players,” Ishbia said earlier this week in a CNBC interview. “Can we get over the top? And I basically was told like, ‘Hey, as an owner, stay out of it and give them some money.’ And so I said, ‘Hey, listen, we’ll go into the luxury tax. Go do whatever it takes to try to win a championship.’
“And so we did that. But it was more going and getting Kevin Durant… that was not aligned with my vision. We had a couple of years, and it did not succeed, as we’re well aware of at this point. After that year, I decided to trade Kevin Durant, bring in my GM, bring in a coach, and get extremely involved personally with the type of guy and type of person we want at our organization, not just on the court, but off the court.”
Ishbia, who bought a majority stake in the Suns from Robert Sarver for $2.28 billion in February 2023, upset Durant by trying to trade him at the deadline in 2025. They eventually dealt him to Houston that July for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, one first-round pick and five second-rounders.
They finished 45-37 and advanced out of the play-in tournament before getting swept by Oklahoma City in the first round of the playoffs.
Phoenix Mercury and Suns owner Mat Ishbia, left, and Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein talk during a WNBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday, August 16, 2026. Getty Images
“I’m not saying it’s Kevin Durant or not Kevin Durant,” Ishbia said. “I’m not going to go name every one of my players, but we’ve defined what matters to us. We have a thing called the Suns’ DNA, the type of player that we believe in, that we want, and it’s a team that the fans will be proud of.
“Everyone thought we were going to be the worst team in the league last year,” Ishbia said. “We made the playoffs, won 45 games. We’re going to build on that. And so, what I’ve learned, my biggest lesson to kind of come back, one, it’s not positive or negative about Kevin Durant. What it is is we have to define what we’re about in Phoenix and then stick with it and believe in our vision and our path.
“And I didn’t do that at the beginning. I kind of just threw money at the problem. Now I got personally involved with every decision, from the 14th man on the roster to the first man on the roster, every aspect of it, fan experience, players, coaches. I’m putting my heart and soul into it.”
Durant and the Rockets (52-30) were the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference, but they were also bounced in the first round in six games by the Lakers.
“I always had fun out there,” Durant said in August on his Boardroom platform. “I don’t want to undercut my time in Phoenix because I feel like we have some great moments on the court. But I feel as though we were an older group who kind of stuck in our ways as veterans, and veterans kind of like to do their own thing a lot. When you’re a younger group, it’s more of a tight-knit group.
“They’re all learning together, it’s kind of like a college feel, and I think that’s the difference.”
MACAO, CHINA - OCTOBER 11: Sergio de Larrea #55 of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets as part of 2026 NBA China Games on October 11, 2026 in Macao, China at Venetian Arena. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This week’s poll question centered on preseason expectations with the three players I consider most important to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2026-27 season: Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving, and Sergio De Larrea.
Cooper Flagg played in both Macao games against the Houston Rockets where he had one fine game and one very good game, each in limited minutes. Kyrie Irving played in just one contest so far and looked electric. As of this writing, he’s yet to play at the American Airlines Center but might play tonight against the Atlanta Hawks (by the time you’re reading this, that game will be over). Sergio De Larrea’s played in all three games and has looked great.
After our poll, fans seem to agree that De Larrea has outperformed any expectations so far in preseason. Acquired in a weird draft-night trade with both the Knicks and the Lakers, the tall and skinny point guard was a welcome surprise to a team that needed (and still needs) playmakers.
Sergio performed well at Las Vegas Summer League, but I am betting most fans tuned out after Morez Johnson couldn’t play the first two games (and the second was bad). Given how the Mavericks are built at the moment, De Larrea has that rare blend in front of him of opportunity and talent to actually join the Mavericks regular rotation. If you map out who might be playing where and for how long in the upcoming season, it looks hard to slot him in, but I think his shooting and floor vision force the issue. I can’t wait to see what he does given the chance.
On the national front, the SB Reacts poll had to do with guessing the future MVP.
A near majority of voters selected Victor Wembanyama which feels a bit crazy to me. He BARELY hit the game minimum last season. SGA feels like a much safer pick (and he’s the favorite over at FanDuel) and Joker not even being on the board here is nuts.
May 3, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon (19) at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In truth, the decision for the Least Valuable Player of the 2026 Yankees only ever boiled down to two players. The two standout candidates for this ignominious award were Ryan McMahon and Trent Grisham, and for very similar reasons. In addition to their black hole bats polluting the lineup, there was apprehension from the start that they could ever provide the amount of value commensurate with the amount of money they were earning. The pair combined to cost the Yankees a hair over $38 million in 2026 — 11.3-percent of their estimated $335.8 million luxury tax payroll — and yet combined to produce just 1.2 fWAR, or a measly 2.8-percent of the team’s 43.1 overall fWAR. McMahon narrowly edges Grisham for the distinction for the 20-point gap in their wRC+ (78 vs. 98) and regression in the one area where he was supposed to excel: defense.
When it became apparent that a key cog of Operation Run It Back concerned persisting with McMahon as the team’s starting third baseman, the mental gymnastics required to rationalize this decision began tying fans’ minds in knots. “If the Yankees can find a way to help his bat take advantage of the Yankee Stadium short porch and bring it closer to league average production, this along with his reliably stellar defense at the hot corner creates a player with plenty of value to the 2026 team,” was a common refrain.
The problem with this wishful thinking became immediately obvious when you realize that McMahon has never posted a league average or better season at the plate by wRC+ despite playing the first eight-and-a-half seasons of his career at Coors field, rendering the belief that you could suddenly transform a 31-year-old hitter into something he had never been a folly.
McMahon’s season began worse than even the most pessimistic fan could have predicted with just a 51 wRC+ and 33-percent strikeout rate through the end of April. The walk rate that had provided a nominal floor of offensive value was drying up and he was bleeding bat speed, leading to a tweak in the width of his batting stance that provided a modest improvement but still nothing close to the 91 wRC+ hitter he had been over the previous five seasons. McMahon missed 38 games after dealing with a late-June throat infection and a mid-August Grade 2 thumb sprain, but by that point was already ceding reps at third to a pair of ostensibly worse defenders in José Caballero and Amed Rosario.
The Gold Glove caliber defense which convinced the Yankees to acquire him from the Rockies at the 2025 trade deadline had deserted him. It got to the point where the Yankees were giving practice reps to Anthony Volpe at the hot corner — a position he had never played in his professional career — in the days leading up to the playoffs. It culminated in a play which really summarized his season in a nutshell, McMahon booting a routine grounder from Yandy Díaz, the first batter the Rays sent to the plate in Game 2 of the ALDS. That error started an avalanche of defensive miscues that ended with four errors in an ugly 5-2 loss.
For a player brought in for his defense, it begged the question “what do you even do here?” McMahon rode the bench in Game 3 as the Yankees got swept, bringing an end to possibly the worst season of his big league career when combining all the factors. He finished with a putrid .213/.279/.357 triple slash line, with 11 home runs, 41 RBIs, a 78 wRC+, and 0.5 fWAR in 360 plate appearances across 124 games. His .279 OBP and 78 wRC+ placed him among the 20 worst hitters in MLB with at least 350 PAs in 2026. His 11 home runs, 78 wRC+, 7.8-percent walk rate, zero Statcast Outs Above Average, and 0.5 fWAR were all the lowest marks of his career since the COVID-shortened season of 2020 and easily the worst marks of any season in which he played at least 100 games.
He also cannot be separated from the broader context of the team. His presence on the roster emboldened the Yankees to re-up with Rosario over the winter to reprise his platoon partner role. That turned into an unmitigated disaster, Rosario immediately forgetting how to hit against lefties — the one thing he was supposed to be good at — while producing an almost impossibly bad -7 OAA in just 394 innings, his seven errors at third coming in moments that contributed to costing the Yankees a shot at the division.
The most disheartening aspect of the whole charade is that everybody could see it coming. It is therefore not so much an indictment on McMahon — a known quantity who happened to regress in the one area where he still provided some value — as it is on the Yankees front office for allowing third base to remain a perennial black hole. In the words of our fearless leader Andrew Mearns, it all started with “the original sin of giving DJ LeMahieu six years to save on taxable AAV.”
Since signing LeMahieu to that second contract prior to the start of the 2021 season, eleven players have taken at least 100 plate appearances while manning third base for the Yankees. Below is a breakdown of the amount of guaranteed money paid out to each of those players and the offensive production and value they provided:
It total, the Yankees have paid out $222.5 million to players who have soaked up the majority of playing time at the hot corner. The 89 wRC+ those players have returned ranks 21st in baseball while the 11.5 fWAR is only a touch better in 19th place. Plenty of teams have committed nine-figure sums to the position during that span — Manny Machado, Rafael Devers, Nolan Arenado, Anthony Rendon, Carlos Correa, Austin Riley, Alex Bregman, José Ramírez, Matt Chapman, and Kevin McGonigle have all signed deals in excess of $150 million — but outside of Rendon and Correa no team gets a consistently worse return on the amount of money they invest in third base than the Yankees.
McMahon is just the latest figurehead of this maddening trend. The Yankees owe him $16 million in 2027. After a disastrous 2026 campaign, the question for McMahon is not whether he can fulfill that outlay with value on the field. It’s whether the Yankees will follow a similar path as they did with LeMahieu in 2025, Aaron Hicks in 2023, and Jacoby Ellsbury in 2019 and cut bait this offseason, eating the dead money for the privilege of not having to subject fans to his poor play.
Bernard-Docker has yet to play a game this season for the Red Wings due to falling down on their depth chart. Thus, it is not necessarily surprising to see the former Sabres defenseman now hitting the waiver wire.
Teams looking for more defensive depth could consider taking a chance on Bernard-Docker with a waiver claim. However, if he clears waivers, the Red Wings will then be able to assign him to their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Bernard-Docker appeared in 63 games during this past season with the Red Wings, where he posted one goal, four assists, five points, and 25 penalty minutes.
The Sabres acquired Bernard-Docker during the 2024-25 season from the Ottawa Senators as part of the Dylan Cozens-Josh Norris blockbuster. However, his time with the Sabres was short, as he left the team that following off-season. In 15 games with the Sabres during the 2024-25 season after being acquired from Ottawa, he posted one goal, four points, nine hits, and a plus-3 rating.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ryan Leonard scored a highlight-reel goal and the Washington Capitals beat the New Jersey Devils 4-2 on Saturday afternoon.
Ilya Protas, Dylan Strome and Boone Jenner also scored and Vincent Desharnais had two assists for the Capitals, who have won back-to-back games.
Arsenal Gritsyuk and Timo Meier scored for the Devils, who dropped to 4-4-0 to open the season.
The Devils got on the board first roughly halfway through the first period, when Gritsyuk beat Logan Thompson through traffic at the end of New Jersey’s second power play of the period.
With 3:18 to go in the first, though, Leonard would even the score and change the momentum with his spectacular goal. In the final seconds of Washington’s power play, Leonard took the puck up ice himself, going coast to coast before beating Luke Hughes, cutting to the inside and deking out Jake Allen for his third goal of the season.
From there, the Capitals took over the game, starting with back-to-back goals in a span of 4 minutes, 46 seconds to open the second period. First, Protas buried a cross-zone feed from Alex Ovechkin to give Washington the 2-1 lead. Then, Strome finished off a passing play from Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou to put Washington up by two.
Later in the frame, Jenner tucked in a point drive that bounced to the front for his fourth goal in five games, extending the lead to 4-1 going into the third.
New Jersey pushed hard in the third and pulled within two late when Meier scored with 18.4 seconds to go in regulation, but otherwise, Thompson shut them down with 29 saves on 31 shots to secure the win for the Capitals.
Allen had 21 saves in the loss for New Jersey.
Up next
Capitals: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.
Devils: Return home to face the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.
The New Jersey Devils suffered a 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday afternoon at Capital One Arena. The club dropped to a 4-4-0 record.
Arseny Gritsyuk and Timo Meier scored, while goaltender Jake Allen made 21 saves on 25 shots. The two teams will meet again on Nov. 12, 2026.
Gritsyuk opened the scoring at 10:04 in the first period, one second after the Devils' power play expired. Dawson Mercer and Stefan Noesen assisted on the goal, with each extending their point streak to three games.
Before the first period ended, the Capitals tied the game on the power play when Ryan Leonard’s wrist shot beat Jake Allen. Washington’s goaltender, Logan Thompson, picked up an assist on the play.
A little over a minute into the second period, Washington took the lead when Ilya Protasscored his first of the 2026-27 season. With his assist, Alex Ovechkin earned his 93rd career point against New Jersey.
Dylan Strome extended the Capitals' lead to 3-1 within the first five minutes of the second period. Newcomers Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou earned the assists. Another addition, Boone Jenner, extended Washington’s lead to 4-1 after 40 minutes.
In the third period, New Jersey outshot Washington 17-5 and scored on the power play in the final minute of regulation. Timo Meier scored his first of the season, and Gritsyuk collected his second point of the afternoon. After 60 minutes, Thompson picked up his fifth career win over the Devils.
The team was without Luke Evangelista (illness) and Connor Brown (lower-body injury). Defenseman Brenden Dillon served as a healthy scratch for the third straight game.
The Devils return home to prepare for a three-game homestand hosting the Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, and Los Angeles Kings. The schedule doesn’t get easier from there, as the team will be on the road the following week to face the Dallas Stars, Avalanche, and Vegas Golden Knights.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Ryan Leonard scored a highlight-reel goal and the Washington Capitals beat the New Jersey Devils 4-2 on Saturday afternoon.
Ilya Protas, Dylan Strome and Boone Jenner also scored and Vincent Desharnais had two assists for the Capitals, who have won back-to-back games.
Arsenal Gritsyuk and Timo Meier scored for the Devils, who dropped to 4-4-0 to open the season.
The Devils got on the board first roughly halfway through the first period, when Gritsyuk beat Logan Thompson through traffic at the end of New Jersey’s second power play of the period.
With 3:18 to go in the first, though, Leonard would even the score and change the momentum with his spectacular goal. In the final seconds of Washington’s power play, Leonard took the puck up ice himself, going coast to coast before beating Luke Hughes, cutting to the inside and deking out Jake Allen for his third goal of the season.
From there, the Capitals took over the game, starting with back-to-back goals in a span of 4 minutes, 46 seconds to open the second period. First, Protas buried a cross-zone feed from Alex Ovechkin to give Washington the 2-1 lead. Then, Strome finished off a passing play from Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou to put Washington up by two.
Later in the frame, Jenner tucked in a point drive that bounced to the front for his fourth goal in five games, extending the lead to 4-1 going into the third.
New Jersey pushed hard in the third and pulled within two late when Meier scored with 18.4 seconds to go in regulation, but otherwise, Thompson shut them down with 29 saves on 31 shots to secure the win for the Capitals.
Allen had 21 saves in the loss for New Jersey.
Up next
Capitals: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.
Devils: Return home to face the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 11: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers is introduced before the game against the Orlando Magic during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 11, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers held their annual Wine & Gold scrimmage in front of season ticket holders at Public Auditorium on Saturday morning.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson has mentioned throughout preseason that he was treating this event as the fourth exhibition game, and he was true to his word. The Cavs split into two teams, played a 36-minute game, and had regular NBA refs.
So while this wasn’t an official preseason game, it was their final dress rehearsal before the season tips off on Thursday.
The starters for each team are below. It’s worth pointing out that Sam Merrill, Nae’Qwan Tomlin, and Khalifa Diop did not participate.
Wine
Gold
Donovan Mitchell
James Harden
Meleek Thomas
Tyrese Proctor
Jaylon Tyson
Craig Porter Jr.
Mario Hezonja
Peyton Watson
Jarrett Allen
Evan Mobley
Gold dominated this game from start to finish, winning 96-82. They jumped out to an early lead thanks to strong showings from Harden and Mobley. Wine couldn’t contain the Harden and Mobley pick-and-roll, which led to easy paint touches for Mobley and his teammates.
Wine’s perimeter defense struggled throughout. And while Mitchell did his part offensively, it wasn’t enough to make the game competitive down the stretch.
“I felt like they were giving up layup after layup after layup and then paint points and it’s like, at a certain point, you gotta him them and make them aware that’s not acceptable,” Atkinson said afterward.
There were no official stats, but the consensus was that Mobley was the leading scorer. He hit a few threes, attacked the basket continually, and overall had a strong all-around game.
“Evan was elite,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson singled out Harden and Mitchell for having good games, but he was quick to point out that Mitchell was part of Wine’s defense, which was a problem. Tyson also got a mention from Atkinson afterwards for his offensive production.
The game wasn’t the only noteworthy thing that took place at Public Auditorium on Saturday. At halftime, several fans and some members of the Cavs participated in a half-court conference. Porter and Allen missed their attempts, but Atkinson nailed a half-court shot as the final contestant.
The #Cavs held a halfcourt shot contest for $10k during the Wine and Gold Scrimmage. When no one could make it, players started trying.
Then head coach Kenny Atkinson stepped up and nailed his attempt, winning all 20 contestants $500 gift cards and getting his team hyped 😂 pic.twitter.com/VQFFo011T2
After the game, rookies Thomas and Ernest Udeh Jr. were forced to sing karaoke.
#Cavs Meleek Thomas and Ernest Udeh Jr. gave the Wine and Gold Scrimmage crowd a show for their rookie performance, singing Katy Perry's "California Gurls" 😂 pic.twitter.com/4E6jeFU1tK
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Guardians throwback shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cleveland gear HERE.
You don’t want to take too much from a scrimmage that some guys wore sweatpants in, but there were a few observations worth pointing out.
First, this was the best Mobley has played this preseason. Offensively, he effectively attacked off the dribble by pushing the ball off live rebounds and operating at the top of the arc in isolation. This was on top of doing a good job defensively of keeping Wine from getting to the rim.
Most importantly, Mobley looked comfortable paired with Harden.
“I like it,” Mobley said when asked about playing alongside Harden more. “I think we’re trying to build a lot of two-man games and more camaraderie. I like the play that we had, and I think the more that we play together, we’re just going to have more and more chemistry.”
Mobley’s two-man game with Harden was impressive. Mobley did a good job making contact on the screen and rolling hard in the pick-and-roll. Both of which are necessary to create space when paired with Harden. The duo also ran a few inverted pick-and-rolls with Harden as the screener that produced good results.
“James has been great in pick-and-rolls and setting up big men for a long time,” Mobley said.
“I love what I’m seeing from Evan and James,” Atkinson echoed. “[They’re] really starting to get on the same page. I think that’s part of Evan being in the paint more. James missed him a few times at the rim today, but the intent is there.”
Atkinson has hinted throughout preseason that he’ll start the season pairing Harden and Mobley together. Figuring out the right other three guys to play around them is important as well to that group’s success.
“Because Evan can stretch [the floor] a little bit, you don’t have to be as intentional about the shooting piece,” Atkinson said when asked what is needed from the other three players in those lineups. “I think you can throw any three guys out there.”
While any three guys might work, Watson is a seamless fit alongside Harden and Mobley. There were several times the defense was able to cut off the pick-and-roll, which forced the ball out to Watson on either the weak-side wing or corner. That set him up for a few catch-and-shoot threes that he knocked down. More importantly, Watson also showed that he can put the ball on the ground and create his own shot. That last part has the potential to be extremely helpful against opponents that sell out to stop the Harden and Mobley pick-and-roll.
Thomas seems much more comfortable creating offense off-ball. The rookie got to his spots on the court when he wasn’t playing alongside Mitchell, but he struggled to have that same impact when he was featured more off-ball.
The Cavs are still trying to figure out what lineups Thomas can be most effective in.
“He’s really good on the ball,” Atkinson said. “We’re just trying to find that right balance.”
Atkinson thinks that Thomas could be a good pairing alongside Mitchell. He wants to see Thomas play more of the role Dennis Schroder did alongside Mitchell last season. In those lineups, Mitchell was able to shift off-ball.
Grouping Mitchell and Thomas together might also work due to how they’ve connected off the court.
“Donovan has taken a special liking to Maleek,” Atkinson said. “He almost feels like ‘I have to build that relationship, build that trust, and then coach them up.’ I always say, player development coaches get way too much credit. It’s having really good, smart vets that elevate guys. We do our little part, and I think we put them in the right places, but it’s really the coaching from your best players that elevates younger players.”
How many more strikeouts will Colson Montgomery suffer in Chicago? | (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
Sure, White Sox fans are divided between the majority who consider 2026 and the possible hand from Pope Leo the greatest case of divine intervention since the parting of the Red Sea, and those who think a little more intervention in the way of actually getting hitters to put the bat on the ball in the playoffs would have been nice. But even those who are upset about the way the season ended instead of overjoyed how the first 166 games went have nothing on Dodger followers.
My son, who lives in L.A., says there is widespread — well, at least a little spread — belief that Dodgers owners got the players to throw the series to the Brewers so there won’t be a big outcry for a salary cap come negotiating time. Apparently, QAnon is alive and well.
OK, that’s absolutely ridiculous. There’s no reason to believe a shred of it. But was there ever a reason to believe the negotiating story of the owners?
COMPETITIVE BALANCE? REALLY?
No question, having three of the four final teams standing be from small markets, including the two smallest metro areas, doesn’t exactly help the argument that there has to be a salary cap to even out the old playing field. Pretty much just makes it look like organizational competence is what really counts. But what unsuccessful owner wants to admit that?
Sure, it’s worth a try on MLB’s part. It’s good P.R., and makes it look like you really care about the game and the fans, not just how many billion pieces of eight you can jam into your pockets.
“We’re out to screw over the players and if fans miss a season, tough,” just doesn’t have the ring of a great sales pitch.
If you want to believe the owners’ main concern is really competitive balance, by all means go for it. Goodness knows gobs of Americans have come to believe even stranger things.
But — small question — if the owners really want negotiations to be for the good of the game, why, oh why, is Jerry Reinsdorf on their negotiating committee, the player- and fan-hating White Sox chairman who has been the strongest voice of obstruction and stupidity on their side for decades? Sure, a 91-year old whose team just had a surprisingly good season would seem on the surface to be someone who would want to solve problems and move on, but Reinsdorf’s bitterness runs too deep for that — players take his money, fans (and taxpayers) don’t give him enough of it, so to hell with them. And why is the equally incompetent Dick Monfort of the Rockies the chairman?
The only big spender on that six-member committee is Hal Steinbrenner of the Yankees, presumably a counterweight to Mark Attanasio of the Brewers, who will really have trouble keeping a straight face when uttering “competitive balance.”
AS FOR THE PLAYOFFS
The Brewers and Guardians being alive as of this writing means that Christian Yelich and José Ramírez are both still playing, which is great for their teams and for the sport, which is a very, very fine thing, two superstars who do things right on and off the field. Yeah, I know — Sox fans are supposed to hate Ramírez for how badly he beats us (.811 career OPS), but if you don’t like watching how he plays the game, you just don’t like baseball.
AND AS FOR THE WHITE SOX
Speculation is already well underway as to how the team should proceed in order to keep doing a George Jefferson (movin’ on up), both within the world of Soxdom and from outside.
Naturally, there are things being said and written about the need for major free agent pitcher acquisitions. But after we all get a good laugh about that, since those speakers and writers seem to neglect there are 29 other teams who might like some good pitchers and would even pay for them, we can move on.
The more likely avenue would be trades, given the plethora of shortstops in the system — even with Caleb Bonemer in Arizona learning to play the outfield, presumably to initially platoon with one of the incumbents, none of whom hits lefties at all (a couple of key successes down the stretch notwithstanding).
(At least one speculator suggests trading Andrew Benintendi for a starting pitcher, apparently not realizing the other side would have to be brain dead to agree to such a thing.)
Of course, on the shortstop front, there’s the question of Colson Montgomery, who managed to have just a 90 OPS+ despite 31 homers, thanks to a .197 average and setting the all-time record for striking out, and whose D is just a C-. Some folks think the Sox can get a pitcher for him. Guess that’s worth a try.
Behind Bonemer and William Bergolla Jr. are Roch Cholowsky and the slick-fielding Billy Carlson — and if you don’t think having a slick-fielding shortstop matters, you haven’t been watching the playoffs — so it could become a question of what you can get for whom.
Also on the strikeout front, there’s speculation about Munetaka Murakami, who K’d 16 times in 31 trips to the plate in the playoffs, but he had a 130 OPS+ for the season and had a .347 OBP compared to Colson’s .282. Besides, he didn’t do those godawful lawyer commercials.
SO?
Hot Stove doesn’t begin until after the World Series. But there’s no reason not to keep the kindling handy, if and when the lockout ever ends.
CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 28: Tacko Fall #99 of the Philadelphia 76ers poses for a portrait during media day at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex on September 28, 2026 in Camden, New Jersey. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Philadelphia 76ers have officially filled all three of their two-way contract spots. Joining Caleb Love and Rayan Rupert, Tacko Fall will occupy the third and final slot.
The 7-foot-6 center gives Philadelphia another option in a frontcourt that has already been hit by injuries. Ariel Hukporti suffered a torn Achilles early in the preseason, while Adem Bona missed the entire preseason as he continues to recover from a foot injury suffered over the summer. Dominick Barlow has also been sidelined with a back issue. In their absence, Jabari Walker has seen extended minutes and has responded well when called upon. Now, Fall adds much-needed size, rebounding and rim protection to the reserve unit behind Joel Embiid.
So why did Philadelphia use its final two-way spot on Fall when he’s missed all of the preseason with a hip injury? Beyond the obvious need for frontcourt depth, there are already several connections between him and members of the organization.
Fall began his NBA career with the Boston Celtics, where he developed a close relationship with Jaylen Brown, a friendship that remains strong today. After his time in Boston, he spent part of the 2021-22 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers while Mike Gansey was a member of the team’s front office. Those existing relationships likely helped keep Fall on Philadelphia’s radar.
Since arriving in Philadelphia, Fall has also built relationships with several players in the locker room. Combined with the team’s need for frontcourt depth, the move makes sense. He brings a unique combination of size and rim protection, while also adding a personality and presence that appears to fit well within the group’s culture.
Fall is 30 years old and has logged fewer than 40 NBA games in his career. While his massive frame makes him an intriguing addition, his role will likely be matchup-dependent. The Sixers aren’t bringing him in to play heavy minutes every night, but rather to provide size, rebounding and rim protection when the situation calls for it. Against bigger frontcourts and physical centers, Fall gives Philadelphia another option off the bench.
For now, the move is more about adding depth than making a splash. With injuries already testing the team’s frontcourt, Fall provides insurance, experience and a unique skill set as the Sixers round out their roster heading into the regular season.
Luis Díaz hat-trick helps Bayern thump RB Leipzig 6-1
Barcelona’s La Liga juggernaut rolled into Seville on Saturday and left with the scoreboard smoking, as the leaders beat Real Betis 5-2 to make it nine wins from nine, stretching their blistering league goal tally to 39.
Lamine Yamal lit the fuse with a dazzling opener before Rodri, Gabriel Jesus, Eric García and the substitute Dani Olmo joined the party, while Valentín Gómez and Ez Abde replied for Betis, who played much of the second half with 10 men after Facundo Bernal was sent off for head-butting Lamine Yamal.
The four Premier League clubs playing in the lesser continental competitions face each other on Sunday – but three are struggling domestically
The sun shone. The temperature was in the high 20s. There was a mood of great conviviality. If you were struggling with the official allocation, it turned out you could just email the president of Torreense and he’d sort you out. Were these “Nuno-tickets” real? It turned out they were. Not only that, but you could sit anywhere you wanted in a stadium too big for the game and, if you happened to have gravitated to the comfortable hospitality seating at the back of the lower tier, the beer was inexplicably free.
Locals in Leiria seemed bewildered but could hardly have been more accommodating. A beer pump had been installed outside a patisserie on the Praça Francisco Rodrigues Lobo, whose owner soon found fans happy to help stack empty barrels if that facilitated the free flow of Sagres. “There was a meeting at the town hall to explain these are not hooligans,” said the owner of a radical leftist flammkuchen restaurant between the square and the cathedral. “They told us the club comes from the labour movement and I found that very interesting.” And how had she found the fans? “Noisy, but with a quirky sense of humour.”
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 14: Nick Richards #8 of the Miami Heat and Day'Ron Sharpe #20 of the Brooklyn Nets boxes out during the game on October 14, 2026 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. 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 Eric Espada/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets ranked 30th in both offensive and defensive ratings last season and that was a good thing if you’re tanking to get a high pick. But if you’re trying to win some games in the next stage of the multi-year rebuild, one or the other will have to improve dramatically.
So far, based on Summer League and preseason, the offense looks improved. The addition of Julius Randle, a bona fide NBA scorer, looks like a big get. Playing next to Michael Porter Jr. both will their get shots. Two members of the Flatbush 5, Egor Demin and Nolan Traore, have grown in a number of ways as well. And even though he’s a rookie, Mikel Brown Jr. looks like he’ll be able to contribute. Here’s some data…
Teams With The Best Offensive Rating In The 2026-27 NBA Preseason :
Now let’s talk about defense. Judging by what we saw vs. the Miami Heat in the final preseason game, it is, to be most kind, a work in progress. Or as Brian Lewis described it Saturday, “sieve like.” MPJ had this to say.
“Yeah, that’ll be the most important thing. Offensively we’ll be able to score with the best of them,” Porter Jr. said. “I think offensively is not a problem. [But] if we want to be good, then defensively we’ll have to lock in.”
Jordi Fernandez, who prides himself as a defensive coach, agrees.
“There’s been two games that we were an aggressive and ball-pressure defensive team where I thought we were pretty good,” the head coach said. “And then two games where we were a poor defensive team with our transition, our rim protection.
“We’ve got to decide who we want to be, and the things that we can control … and do it every game. Don’t rely on shot-making, on things that don’t really matter. Rely on things that are going to make you a winning team.”
Indeed, if the Nets plan on shocking the world, matching last year is not the way to do it.
Although Fernandez noted there were positives in a couple of games, Lewis writes that that doesn’t tell the whole story about the preseason.
The Nets finished the preseason second worst in the league in opponent field goal percentage (.498) and effective field goal percentage (.588).
But their Defensive Rating wasn’t horrid, mainly because they were top 10 in opponent turnovers, turnover percentage and points off turnovers.
The Nets forced 47 through the first two games, allowing an average of just 99 points. And they harassed Washington into another 15 in the second half of Monday’s win, holding the Wizards to 50 points.
But when foes held onto the ball? Trouble.
The Nets forced just eight turnovers in that first half at Washington, and allowed 72 points. And when they only forced 15 in Miami, they allowed 144 points and 58.5 percent shooting.
The biggest defensive deficit in the Miami game was the lack of rim protection which has been pointed out since the Nets traded Nic Claxton in the deal that brought Randle to New York. Making it worse the other night was that Day’Ron Sharpe got into early trouble against Giannis Antetokounmpo, exposing a lack of bench in that area.
“[Fernández preaches] just executing our staples on defense, controlling that, controlling what needs to be controlled, and doing everything with a purpose, but doing it also hard,” Sharpe said. “So that’s the main thing he preaches. If we could do that for four quarters, we’d give ourselves a good chance to win.”
Is there a solution somewhere on the Nets current roster, somebody who could help in the short term? There’s been suggestions that Noah Clowney who once blocked 11 shots in two games over a four-day stretch could play small ball 5 in some situations. Two-way Grant Nelson also had some success blocking shots at Alabama. He is an athletic 7-footer. But neither seems likely to have much of an effect and there’s no indication Sean Marks & co. are working the phones looking for help.
Overall, Brown Jr. told the media that he believes there are fixes.
“Coach always preaches that we can play hard, but we’ve also got to play smart and attention to detail. That’s something that we’ve been inconsistent at, but we’re going to continue to work at it every single day and fix it,” Brown Jr. said.
“It’s just little mistakes we could correct. Just being clean in our shifts, being early and often. It’s not that we’re just completely blowing up on coverages; it’s just about having the right mindset, staying consistent throughout the game for all 48 minutes and keep applying that same pressure, that physicality that coach is talking about. It’s just the little things when it comes to that point. We clean those things up, we’ll be fine.”
Of course, Brown has yet to play his first real NBA game and what’s the definition of “fine,” anyway? If it’s only improvement over last season’s worst-in-the-league numbers, that’s not fine or encouraging. So we will see.
