CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 28: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers guards LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena on January 28, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Lakers 129-99. 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
The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking for ways to improve their roster after being swept in the Eastern Conference Finals by the eventual champion New York Knicks. One of the players that could provide an instant upgrade for the Cavs would be 41-year-old free agent LeBron James, who’s still playing at an All-Star level.
However, a third stint in Cleveland doesn’t seem to be on the horizon. All signs point to James re-signing with the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Bringing James back to Cleveland would’ve been tricky. They’re currently over the second apron and wouldn’t be able to bring him back on anything above a veteran minimum contract. However, if there is interest on both sides, it would be possible to make something work.
As of now, the Cavs haven’t shed the salary they would need to make a reunion with James possible. Trading role players like Dennis Schroder or Max Strus (who will be entering the last year of his contract) would be the first steps if you wanted to clear salary space for a possible James reunion. At the same time, trading either or both players may be in the best interest of the team anyway, given their cap situation.
Things can change quickly in the NBA. But as of now, it seems like James won’t be coming back to save the Cavs for a third time.
James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds on .515/.317/.737 shooting splits in 60 games last regular season. In the playoffs, James produced 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 6.7 rebounds on .458/.327/.746 shooting splits for a shorthanded Lakers team that was missing Luka Doncic in the postseason.
BUFFALO (AP) — The Buffalo Sabres are moving on from defenseman Michael Kesselring.
Buffalo sent the 26-year-old Kesselring and the 27th overall pick in the upcoming NHL draft to San Jose on Wednesday for the 20th overall selection.
The Sabres acquired Kesselring in a trade with Utah in June 2025, hoping the 6-foot-5 blueliner would provide some physicality and grit to Buffalo's defensive core.
Injuries, however, intervened. Kesselring had just two assists in 34 games with the Atlantic Division-winning Sabres. He appeared in just one playoff game, seeing a scant 4 minutes, 25 seconds of ice time.
“Michael has a big frame with solid two-way ability,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said in a statement. “He is a responsible player in the defensive zone with a well-rounded offensive game, and will be a good upgrade for us patrolling the blueline.”
Kesselring, a sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft, has 12 goals and 43 assists in 190 career games with Arizona, Utah and Buffalo.
One of, or maybe even the most intriguing, players in the 2026 NHL draft is Swedish center Viggo Bjorck.
The skilled right-handed shooter put up an impressive six goals and 15 points in 42 games in the SHL, regarded by most as the second-best hockey league in the world. Outside of the SHL, he posted eight goals and 20 points in nine J-20 playoff games in Sweden.
Bjorck also won gold with Team Sweden at the World Junior Championship, scoring three goals and nine points in seven games. He then earned a spot on Sweden’s World Championship roster, becoming the youngest Swedish player to ever participate in the event. In eight games, he scored one goal and six points, but made a noticeable impact in Sweden’s top six.
Bjorck is a feisty player who loves to have the puck on his stick. He excels at zone exits and entries, routinely doing so with possession. He’s also stellar at finding pockets of space in the slot to fire shots on goal, very similar to players like Brayden Point and Logan Stankoven.
Those are two players he’s been compared to, largely due to their play styles, but also physically.
Bjorck, alongside fellow 2026 NHL draft prospects, recently completed the Scouting Combine, where he was listed at 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds. While his game is polished on both ends, his skating is high-end, and he competes hard, his size as a center is undersized, which is holding him back from being a top-five or top-three pick in the draft.
The Panthers don’t usually go down the route of selecting undersized players, but Bjorck’s skill, two-way prowess, and compete level are all traits that should make him a great NHL player.
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 17: Robbie Ray #38 of the San Francisco Giants reacts during the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves during the continuation of a game from June 16, at Truist Park at Truist Park on June 17, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants’ 7-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday was a story of two games. No, literally. A story of two games, played on two days. Two games that the Giants won, resulting in — stay with me — one game that the Giants won.
It began on Tuesday night when, against the the judgement of nearly everyone at the park, the game was started despite pouring rain in Atlanta. The rain seemed to benefit the hitters on each side, as they jumped on pitches that were lacking in their usual spin. Luis Arráez led off the game with a double, and moved to third when Bryce Eldridge singled. After an unproductive out by Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers loaded the bases with a walk, before a Jung Hoo Lee sacrifice fly put the first run on the board. In all, Grant Holmes threw 28 pitches in the first inning, and looked entirely uncomfortable in the storm, though his long, soaked hair looked fairly majestic.
In the bottom half of the inning, it became abundantly clear that the struggles in the top half had been due to the weather, as Adrian Houser immediately suffered the same fate. The first batter he faced, Drake Baldwin, absolutely annihilated the baseball, hitting one of the longest home runs in the Majors this year (473 feet!!!), despite it being his first at-bat in roughly a month.
A single, a walk (by former Giant Dominic Smith), and another single (by former Giant Mauricio Dubón) later, and Atlanta had not just equalized, but taken a 2-1 lead. Houser, like Holmes, had thrown 28 pitches in the first inning, and looked equally uncomfortable in the downpour.
Yet the game continued into the second inning, where the wetness continued to favor the hitters. Casey Schmitt led off with a single, and Drew Gilbert followed with a walk. Following an atrocious at-bat by Daniel Susac (a three-pitch strikeout that featured two failed bunts, and a whiff at a pitch in a different area code), Arráez loaded the bases with a Sandovalian golfed single. In one of the best at-bats of the season, Eldridge tied the game by working a walk, which featured a tremendous ABS challenge. Chapman, having failed in his prior attempt, exacted revenge this time around, successfully achieving a sacrifice fly (though sacrifice liner is a more accurate term, with Dubón making a brilliant catch in center to rob Chapman of a hit).
With that, the Giants not only led, but won the first game 3-2.
That was all the baseball that would be played, though we didn’t know it for a while. The rain had stopped, and the game had not entered a delay, but the baseball was over. The grounds crew took the field in an attempt to restore the soaked infield, and they stayed there for a good 45 minutes. At no point did the game ever officially enter a rain delay, to the confusion of the fans at Truist Park and the ire of the broadcasters and reporters in attendance. Finally, roughly an hour and a half after play had been paused (but not delayed!), it was announced that the game had been postponed, and would resume on Wednesday before the scheduled game.
In doing so, a gift was handed to Robbie Ray, a player in dire need of some help. Because the game was postponed after it began, the lineups were already set … which means Atlanta’s lineup was full of left-handed hitters to combat Houser. Ray, who doesn’t get to face left-handed hitters all that often, found the tonic he was searching for in Atlanta’s arrangement.
He struck out his former teammate Mike Yastrzemski to begin the second half of the first game, and then struck out Ha-Seong Kim, en route to a three-up, three-down first/second inning. He handled the third easily, giving up just a walk. In the fourth, he set down the side in order on just 12 pitches, finishing things off with another strikeout of Yastrzemski. He opened the fifth with back-to-back strikeouts, before issuing a walk that he easily worked around. Only eight pitches were required for a dominant sixth.
Ray was cruising, and he was cruising for the first time in a while. It was a delight to see. He resembled the Ray of early last year, who was both dominant and unfazed. In the seventh, he gave up a leadoff double, but looked completely unbothered, never letting the runner reach third while striking out Yastrzemski for a third time, and also the ever-dangerous Baldwin.
After opening the eighth with an out, Ray ceded a single to Matt Olson. With 94 pitches thrown, Tony Vitello deemed that a good enough effort for Ray, who left the mound having thrown 6.1 scoreless frames, while allowing just four baserunners and striking out eight.
It was a performance worth admiring, even if such performances are a little bittersweet right now. Ray finding his form doesn’t really help the Giants this year, given the hole they’ve dug; right now his success correlates mostly with the return the Giants will get when they presumably trade him next month.
So until then: enjoy the strikeouts, and enjoy the grunts.
While San Francisco opted to move up their scheduled Wednesday starter (Carson Whisenhunt has been recalled from AAA Sacramento to pitch the evening game), Atlanta chose to keep their rotation in order, and handle Wednesday’s resumption with a bullpen game.
For a while, it worked. James Karinchak handled the third inning, and set down the Giants in order. Dylan Dodd came on for the fourth, and did the same. With a pair of lefties due up in the fifth, the southpaw Dodd was given a second inning, and that’s where the Braves’ plan went awry. He retired Eldridge and Chapman easily, but Devers had different plans. Despite generally struggling against lefties this year, Devers jumped on a 1-1 sinker at the top of the zone, and comfortably cleared the fence with it.
What came next was even more surprising: on the very next pitch (a nearly identical pitch, I might add), Lee followed Devers and did the exact same thing.
It was a stunning sequence of events, and the context from the broadcast only made it more stunning: it was the first time since Barry Bonds and A.J. Pierzynski, a whole 22 years ago, that a pair of Giants lefties had gone back-to-back off of a left-hander. What a beautiful thing.
The Giants continued to rely on the long ball, getting their next run in the eighth inning, when Willy Adames took Anthony Molina deep for an awe-inspiring 424-foot solo bomb. By the time the ninth inning rolled around, not only did the Giants have a cozy lead, but they had scored all of their resumption runs on homers.
That would finally change in the ninth with a rally befitting the start of the game on Tuesday: Arráez and Eldridge hit back-to-back singles, with the former scoring on a Chapman ground ball, locking in the final score at 7-2.
Meanwhile, the bullpen held strong enough. Dylan Smith took over when Ray departed with one on and one out in the eighth, and quickly got out of the inning, though he did give up a single. Smith stayed in for the ninth and impressively struck out Riley, as he looked to be cooking.
It came to a screeching halt after that, though, when he gave up a single to Yastrzemski, before issuing a four-pitch walk to Kim, who currently boasts an .089 batting average. Even with the five-run cushion, and even with another nine innings to cover in a few hours, Vitello decided to take no chances, and brought in his recently-appointed closer, Caleb Kilian.
I’ve had my quips with Vitello opting to name Kilian the closer, but one of my favorite things is when the Giants make me look dumb. And Kilian made me look dumb. With two on and the top of the lineup stepping up, Kilian pounded the strike zone with a flurry of unhittable pitches, striking out Baldwin and Eli White to end the game.
It might have taken a few days, but the Giants won, and even managed to look great doing it.
But as Jalen Brunson and his teammates make their way up Broadway, they won’t just be celebrating a title, they’ll be traveling one of the most storied stretches of road in American history.
Here's a look at the history of New York City's famous Canyon of Heroes.
Long before championship floats and organized celebrations, New York’s signature tradition began with a spontaneous moment.
In 1886, during festivities marking the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty, office workers in Lower Manhattan tossed ticker tape — thin strips of paper used by stock machines — out of their windows, according to Alliance for Downtown New York, an advocacy group. The paper blew through the narrow streets, creating what historians describe as a blizzard or snow-globe effect.
By the early 20th century, ticker-tape parades are now official civic events reserved for historic moments and celebrated figures. The route along Broadway, stretching from Battery Park to City Hall, runs through the Financial District. Lined with towering skyscrapers, the narrow corridor became known as the "Canyon of Heroes" which also includes over 200 black granite plaques that commemorate and list every single ticker tape parade in New York City history.
Who has received a ticker-tape parade?
The city has hosted more than 200 such parades for more than 125 years, honoring everyone from military heroes and presidents to athletes and astronauts.
The first individual honored was Admiral George Dewey in 1899, drawing massive crowds after his Spanish-American War victory.
Albert Einstein (1921), the only scientist to receive the honor
Charles Lindbergh after his 1927 transatlantic flight
Jesse Owens and the U.S. Olympic team in 1936 after the Berlin Games
V-J Day in 1945, marking the Allied victory over Japan
Winston Churchill in 1946, symbolizing Allied leadership
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during their U.S. visit
The Apollo 11 astronauts following the 1969 moon landing
The 1969 "Miracle Mets"
American hostages released from Iran in 1981
"Hometown Heroes," honoring essential workers during COVID-19 in 2021
The New York Liberty after their 2024 WNBA championship
How much confetti is expected for the Knicks parade?
Expect a blizzard.
Roughly 2,500 pounds of shredded, recycled paper will flutter down on the Canyon of Heroes as the Knicks make their way from Battery Park to City Hall to collect the Keys to City from Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
In the lead-up to the parade, the Downtown Alliance distributed 256 bags of confetti to roughly 25 office buildings along the route, where workers and volunteers will toss it from windows overhead, according to PIX11.
City officials expect the celebration, and the confetti amount, to match the scale of the moment.
"It may well be the largest parade in New York City history," Mamdani said.
NASHVILLE (AP) — The Nashville Predators hired longtime NHL player and former Boston Bruins executive Jamie Langenbrunner as a special assistant to new general manager Chris MacFarland on Wednesday.
Langenbrunner, who scored 243 goals with Dallas, New Jersey and St. Louis during an 18-year career that included a pair of Stanley Cup victories, will focus on professional scouting, collegiate free-agent scouting and recruiting, and special assignments with the Predators.
The 50-year-old Langebrunner spent more than a decade with the Boston Bruins after retiring in 2013. He worked in various capacities with the Bruins, including stints as a development coach and director of player development before becoming assistant general manager in 2022.
A member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, Langenbrunner won the Cup with Dallas in 1999 and New Jersey in 2003. He also served as captain of the silver-medal-winning U.S. Olympic hockey team at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 09: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves looks on prior to the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Kyle Sheridan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
As expected, the Atlanta Braves are likely going to take things very cautiously with Ronald Acuña Jr. and his most recent Grade 1 hamstring. Walt Weiss spoke with the media following Wednesday afternoon’s tough loss against the Giants and he was asked about Acuña’s status at the moment. If you were thinking that Acuña would be making a quick return, you can probably put a pause to that speculation right now.
Weiss said Acuña is a “long way” from returning. Because the hamstring strain is in the same spot, the Braves will be more cautious than they were when Acuña missed nearly three weeks with the previous strain
As frustrating as this is to see, it’s likely the right decision. While it’s hard to predict injuries, this is the safer route than rushing to get him back out there. Despite the current rough patch that the Braves have hit, they’re still comfortably ahead in the NL East and 20 games over .500 so they can afford to give Acuña as much time as he needs to get fully healthy again. It’s what I suggested in earlier posts about him and it’ll likely be the path that the Braves take when it comes to getting theri star outfielder right again.
So yeah, it’s a bummer but it’s likely the right path for the Braves to take. I’d imagine that we’ll probably see Acuña back in action after the All-Star break, maybe a little bit sooner if he’s further along in his recovery thane expected. We’re definitely not going to be seeing him in the field for the rest of June and it’s looking likely that he’ll be out for most of July as well. Again, it’s rough but it’s the sensible course of action.
Meanwhile, we also got some news on who the 27th man will be for the second game of today’s doubleheader. It’ll be Jair Camargo, who will likely serve as the emergency catcher while Sandy León likely starts tonight’s game as the catcher. If Drake Baldwin does play, it’ll likely be as the DH.
Cookie Carrasco and catcher Jair Camargo (27th man) will join the Braves roster for the second game. Camargo provides length in the pen. Camargo’s presence will allow Baldwin to stay in the DH spot if something happens to Leon in the second game
Also, Carlos Carrasco is back with the big league Braves. Welcome back, Cookie — hopefully the DFA cycle continues to work out for both parties since it’s almost certain that it’ll be happening again at some point in the near future. For now, the Braves have covered themselves depth-wise for tonight’s night cap and hopefully the decisions will help to yield results for Atlanta as they attempt to get this series evened up.
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 14: Kahlil Watson #71 of the Cleveland Guardians poses for a portrait at Cleveland Guardians Photo Day during 2026 Spring Training at Goodyear Ballpark on February 14, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As another Cleveland outfielder hits the IL, Kahlil Watson gets his shot at a big league debut.
Chase DeLauter and his broken rib will spend some time recovering, joining José Ramírez and Angel Martinez on the IL. These are severe blows to the Guardians’ offense. The team needs to be aggressive about trying any and all solutions, which is why I’d like to see plenty of Cooper Ingle and Ralphy Velazquez in left field and even some Juan Brito and Angel Genao at third base in Columbus. In addition to those moves, giving Kahlil Watson a look makes sense.
Watson is a 23 year-old left-handed hitter whom the Guardians acquired from the Marlins in 2023 for Josh Bell. Watson put up a 123 wRC+ (.382 wOBA, .321 xwOBA) in Columbus, with a 28/14.6 K/BB%. He has a 26.8% out-of-zone swing rate and a 12.6% swinging strike rate. He has a 72% contact rate and an 82.6% in-zone contact rate. The concerns with Watson are, indeed, if he will chase and whiff too much to be an effective ML player. He has made his noise mostly at Columbus with an OPS over 1.000 at that hitter’s park, but he does still have a .762 OPS on the road. His game will be to play good defense, take enough walks to earn himself a few pitches to hit, and to do maximum damage on those pitches when he sees them; we need that .236 ISO to show up in some form or another to compensate for what is sure to be a healthy amount of strikeouts. Watson is no sure thing as a prospect, but he has shown enough to earn himself a look as a strong-side platoon outfielder on a team in dire need of help roaming the grass.
Reports are mixed on his defense. He has looked mostly competent in center field, but is not the defender there that Petey Halpin is, for sure. He also has had pretty extreme splits vs. LHP, but that’s why we have Stuart Fairchild, folks! Watson is known to be a passionate and competitive ballplayer which can provide a needed push for a locker room that has to be a little down right now.
Welcome to the big leagues, Kahlil! We are desperate for a spark on offense, and everyone will be hoping you can provide it.
Jun 17, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Jake Rogers (34) talks to starting pitcher Case Mize (12) before pitching against Houston Astros center fielder Jake Meyers (6) (not pictured) in the fourth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
The finale and rubber-match of a three-game series in Houston, in which the Tigers blew a golden opportunity for a series victory on Tuesday night, saw them struggle against a solid-but-not-great starting pitcher and lose the game by a 4-2 score.
Casey Mize, who just returned from the Injured List with a right adductor strain in the groin (ouch), made his tenth start of the season for the Tigers. He was put on the shelf in late May and was recativated today; he spent a couple of weeks on the IL a month earlier for the same affliction. When he’s been healthy this season he’s been fantastic, with a WHIP under 1.00 and only a pair of home runs given up. Stop pulling that groin, young man! (Take that any way you like.)
Facing Mize and the Detroiters for the Astros was Peter Lambert, who’s in his first year in Houston. He’d been up-and-down with the Rockies since 2019, so a return to (almost) sea level was probably a welcome development. His season so far has been pretty solid, but like his colleagues on the ‘Stros, he walks too many batters. He seems to have genuinely found a home in Houston’s rotation, though, which is nice for him.
Both pitchers were in control early on; through two innings each team only had one baserunner, although the Astros had some hard contact with only a harmless double to show for it. What wasn’t so harmless was Jeremy Peña’s fourth home run of the year with two out in the third to put Houston up 1-0.
The Astros loaded the bases with two out in the bottom of the fourth and Jake Meyers at the plate, but Mize made Meyers fly out harmlessly to centre and the quandary was quelled. Lambert, however, was rolling: through five innings he only gave up a Dillon Dingler single and had Tiger hitters flummoxed with a half-dozen different pitches. It’s like that thing you hear about occasionally, the “paradox of infinite choice.” Remember when there were three television channels? You found a show to watch. Looking at an endless scroll of streaming-movie choices? Impossible to find anything you like. Something like that.
Houston extended its lead in the fifth with a single-productive groundout-double combination to go up 2-0. Plenty of long at-bats, plus it being Mize’s first start back from being on the IL, shortened Mize’s start; he exited after the second out in the fifth in favour of Kyle Finnegan with a runner on second. The change did not do the Tigers good, as Finnegan surrendered an RBI double to Isaac Paredes to put the lead at 3-0.
Houston went up 4-0 in the sixth after a double, a pair of walks and a single; it would’ve been 5-0 but Meyers was thrown out at home on the relay from Kerry Carpenter.
Leading off the ninth, Kevin McGonigle hit his own solo home run off tough lefty Josh Hader for a 4-2 score. Nice to see the Kid taking a tough lefty oppo to stay hot. But from there Hader slammed the door on the Tigers and that was the end of the proceedings.
In case you missed it, Gleyber Torres is back on the IL with his oblique, something that flared up with a swing-and-miss on Monday night. My goodness, what a season it’s been for him.
In other, weirder injury news, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reported that Wenceel Pérez was injured after Tuesday night’s game after a plyo band — basically a bungee cord used for workouts — hit him in the face. No word on whether it was his own or someone else’s. We thought nothing could surprise us anymore this season, but the creativity on display is unmatched.
Colt Keith missed Tuesday’s game due to wrist discomfort, but he was back in the lineup today.
On this day in 1579, Francis Drake claimed modern-day California for England. The most recent episode of Map Men, in its hilariously British-humour kind of way, tries to answer the question of who circumnavigated the Earth first, Drake or Ferdinand Magellan (spoiler: neither, probably). Both those voyages sounded pretty miserable.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 6: Former teammates LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Love #42 of the Miami Heat hug after the game on November 6, 2023 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 2023 NBAE (Photo by Eric Espada/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As free agency nears, it’s become evident that the most likely outcome for LeBron James is that he continues his career as a Laker.
During Wednesday’s episode of ESPN’s “NBA Today,” longtime NBA journalist Marc J. Spears stated that not only does he believe LeBron will return to Los Angeles, but Kevin Love could be joining him.
"I'm hearing that [LeBron's] likely coming back [to the Lakers]. … Kevin Love could likely be joining the Lakers too."@MarcJSpears gives some insight on what could be next for LeBron 🏀 pic.twitter.com/EV1Qwqiixf
While the kind of numbers LeBron could be receiving on his new deal is still unknown, it’s no surprise that he is likely to return. He’s been with the franchise for eight seasons, has won a title in LA, his son is on the team and he is still playing at a high level, averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game.
With Luka Dončić now the franchise player, LeBron can continue helping the Lakers transition into this new era while remaining on a team with title aspirations. The partnership between the Lakers and LeBron remains beneficial for both parties.
Now, what is surprising is hearing that Love could be joining the Lakers.
Love has been connected to the Lakers before, with reports indicating LA wanted to sign him back in 2015, but that never happened. Instead, Love signed a long-term deal with the Cavaliers and went on to win a title with LeBron in 2016.
Clearly, the bond between James and LeBron remains strong, and it is likely one of the reasons he would want to join the purple and gold next season.
At his age, Love is no longer putting up numbers anywhere near his career averages. He averaged just 6.7 points and 5.8 rebounds for the tanking Jazz this past season.
However, he would come in to be a veteran and an end-of-the-bench big man who can provide leadership to this team. Considering that Love has 16 years of NBA experience, he could help teach young players how to be pros and serve as one of the team’s vocal leaders.
A lot can change between now and when free agency begins, but bringing back LeBron would be a big win for LA, and Love coming on as a veteran would be a nice addition as well.
His departure means the Iowa Wild will soon be led by their third head coach in three years and the fourth since Bill Guerin took over Minnesota's hockey operations in 2019.
But while another coaching search will dominate the headlines, Iowa's problems extend far beyond who's standing behind the bench.
The Iowa Wild finished the 2025-26 season with a 27-36-9 record, placing 28th out of 32 AHL teams. It marked the third consecutive season Iowa finished near the bottom of the league standings.
In 2024-25, Iowa finished 27-37-8, ranking 30th out of 32 teams. The year before, they posted the exact same 27-37-8 record and finished 29th.
Three straight seasons near the bottom of the standings would be concerning for any organization. However, the bigger issue is that Iowa hasn't been able to offset those struggles with a steady pipeline of NHL-ready talent.
The standard defense of poor AHL results is simple: winning isn't the primary objective. Development is.
That's true. But the problem for Minnesota is that Iowa hasn't done enough of either.
Over the past three seasons, the club has struggled at both ends of the ice. Iowa ranked 30th in the AHL in goals against in 2023-24, allowing 245 goals. They slipped to 31st in goals against in 2024-25, surrendering 251 goals. This season, they finished 31st in goals scored.
They haven't been able to defend. They haven't been able to score. And they haven't been able to win.
What's particularly puzzling is that these struggles have occurred while Minnesota has repeatedly been praised for possessing one of the NHL's deepest prospect pools.
For years, the Wild's sytem ranked among the league's best. Yet many of those highly touted prospects either bypassed Iowa entirely or spent years there without becoming NHL regulars.
Since Guerin became general manager in 2019, only three of his Wild draft picks have appeared in at least 45 games for both Iowa and Minnesota: Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren and Daemon Hunt.
Rossi and Ohgren were traded as part of the blockbuster deal that brought Quinn Hughes to the Wild. Hunt was traded to acquire David Jiricek before eventually being reclaimed on waivers from Columbus.
And Jiricek was a failed development project.
He played 51 AHL games with Iowa and 31 NHL games with Minnesota. The Wild traded Hunt, a 1st-round pick in 2025, 3rd and 4th-round picks in 2026 and a 2nd-round pick in 2027 for Jiricek before trading him for Bobby Brink one year and three months later.
Meanwhile, several other notable prospects spent years developing in Iowa with little NHL opportunity to show for it.
Ryan O'Rourke, the 29th overall pick in 2020, played 229 games for Iowa but never appeared in an NHL game with Minnesota. After going unsigned, he spent part of this past season with three different teams.
Carson Lambos, a first-round pick in 2021, has played 207 games in Iowa and has appeared in just one NHL game with Minnesota.
David Spacek, selected in the fifth round in 2022, has suited up for 192 AHL games while appearing in only two NHL contests for the Wild.
Jack Peart, a second-round pick in 2021, has played 123 games in Iowa without making his NHL debut.
Michael Milne, a third-round selection in 2022, played 172 games in Iowa and appeared in one NHL game before being traded to Tampa for a guy who spent a few months in the Wild's orgazation.
In fact, only five drafted players who have played both NHL or AHL games for the Wild since Guerin became general manager remain in the organization today.
Jesper Wallstedt, Lambos, Spacek, Hunter Haight and Hunt. That doesn't necessarily mean those players won't become NHL contributors.
Wallstedt has emerged as a legit NHL goaltender and was the Wild's starter in thr playoffs. While Lambos and Spacek may still have opportunities ahead of them.
Haight seems like he has an NHL future but whether that is actually with the Wild will remain to be seen.
This does raise questions about Iowa's overall track record as a development environment. The constant turnover hasn't helped.
Mike Murray originally oversaw Iowa before transitioning into a role focused solely on assisting Minnesota. Matt Hendricks later took over as Iowa's general manager.
Behind the bench, Tim Army gave way to Brett McLean. McLean left after two seasons to join the Vancouver Canucks' NHL coaching staff. Cronin lasted one season before accepting a position with St. Louis.
Now another coaching search begins.
At some point, Minnesota has to determine whether the issue is coaching, management, roster construction, player evaluation or the development system itself.
Because after three consecutive bottom-five finishes, the questions are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
The Wild don't need Iowa to win a Calder Cup every season.
But they do need Iowa to become a place where prospects improve, earn NHL opportunities and learn how to win.
Right now, the results suggest that isn't happening nearly enough.
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Jose Alvarado is ready to follow the Knicks’ lead if a White House visit comes together.
The Knicks guard said in a TMZ interview that he would be open to making the trip to Washington, D.C., if the newly crowned NBA champions decide to go as a team.
“If there’s a chance, I’m going wherever my teammate goes,” Alvarado told TMZ Sports while leaving iHeart studios in New York.
Jose Alvarado holds the NBA Finals trophy draped in a Puerto Rican flag. Getty Images
The question came just days after the Knicks finished off the Spurs on Saturday to win the NBA Finals, setting off a week of celebrations across the city.
Championship teams have traditionally been invited to the White House, though the custom has become more complicated in recent years, with some teams skipping the visit or sending limited groups.
President Donald Trump watches Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
There has not yet been a reported invitation for the Knicks, but President Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden after receiving an invite from team owner James Dolan.
Alvarado’s answer suggested he is not looking to make an individual statement either way.
Instead, the 28-year-old said he would go with whatever the group decides.
Knicks' Jose Alvarado weighs in on the potential White House visit after NBA finals win. pic.twitter.com/f0Bi3ElC9H
Jun 17, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Andrew Painter (24) stands on the mound against the Miami Marlins in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
It was a semi-getaway day for the Phillies and Marlins and after getting embarrassed a bit by the Phillies the previous two games, Miami came out swinging. On the day, they battered Andrew Painter and the rest of the Phillies’ pitching staff, putting up twelve runs on thirteen hits. It started early
The Phillies got a good day from Trea Turner (three hits on the day), Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott (two hits each) on offense, but it just wasn’t enough. Even after Painter departed, the bullpen also had a rough day. Tanner Banks allowed four runs in his inning of work, Orion Kerkering was a bit shaky and it got so bad, Garrett Stubbs was called upon to pitch in the ninth even though he was catching start the day.
But the big story was and is Andrew Painter.
Andrew Painter still has a viable path to being an MLB starter, especially with his willingness to mix pitches lately.
But it starts with finding a fastball he can execute at a high level with some degree of nastiness. Whether it's a Sinker or Cut Fastball, he needs it. pic.twitter.com/8vxNoGy3Ga
The fastball is just complete garbage right now, his command is sketchy at best and to be as kind as possible, his spot on the team is just nowhere near as guaranteed as it was when the season started.
The Phillies have bullpen action in the second inning as Andrew Painter once again is getting hit around. The rookie's spot in the rotation is tenuous.
You can almost feel the lack of confidence exuding off Painter when he’s on the mound, the lack of trust in his fastball something of an issue. Yes it takes players varying amounts of time to recover from a Tommy John surgery like Painter had, but he simply doesn’t look as though he belongs at the major league level.
Even it means making a move to Bryse Wilson or Alan Rangel, Andrew Painter needs to be sent down to Lehigh Valley, for the betterment of him as a pitcher and the betterment of the team.
They cannot continue to run him out there, back to back, with a struggling Aaron Nola as well. It’s taxing on the bullpen and taxing on the team as well. There has to be some consideration for the group as a whole and whether or not he puts them in the position to win. Right now, he does not.
The Phillies will be fine as a whole, but Andrew Painter? He’s bad right now.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JUNE 10: Jake Bennett #64 of the Boston Red Sox pitches in the bottom of the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on June 10, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox dropped the series opener against the Blue Jays following a series win over the weekend against the Texas Rangers. Boston sits at 6-15 against the American League East entering play Wednesday as Jake Bennett returns to the mound for his fourth big-league start. The left-hander allowed four earned runs in five innings against the Tampa Bay Rays his last time out.
Here’s who the Red Sox send to the plate behind him Wednesday night.
The Blue Jays counter with Bradydon Fisher in place of Max Scherzer, who gave up three runs in 3 ⅔ innings against the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate in Worcester in a recent rehab outing before returning to the injured list.
Knicks' Jose Alvarado weighs in on the potential White House visit after NBA finals win. 
