Messi's 29 goals in 2025 were the fourth-most ever over a single MLS season.
Why Pat Spencer passed up opportunities with other NBA teams to rejoin Warriors
Why Pat Spencer passed up opportunities with other NBA teams to rejoin Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Pat Spencer is fueling the injury-stricken Warriors with fiery performances, all while playing under a two-way contract.
In the offseason, Spencer had opportunities to sign with other teams which would have given him an easier path to a roster spot, but opted to rejoin the Warriors, he said Tuesday in an interview with 95.7 The Game’s “Steiny and Guru.”
“Ultimately, I just have a belief in the group that we had at the end of last year,” Spencer said. “I truly enjoy playing for [coach] Steve [Kerr] and competing with him, and just love the group we have in the locker room. And so, it felt like too good of an opportunity to pass up on.”
Spencer, 29, made his NBA debut with the Warriors in the 2023-24 season after he signed a two-way contract in February. Last season, he played in 39 regular-season games, averaging 2.5 points per game. Golden State converted him to a regular contract in March, allowing him to play eight NBA playoff games for the Warriors as well.
His familiarity with the Warriors and developing a relationship with the team were big reasons why he returned on a two-way contract this season.
“Built some real momentum in the playoffs last year, felt like I gained the trust of the veterans in the locker room and much of this staff,” Spencer said. “I’m a believer in people first and foremost. So, just makes sense for me to be back here and give this thing a run one more time.”
Spencer’s play time has increased as the Warriors wait for Steph Curry to return from injury. In the last two games, he made his first two career starts.
With his jump in play time, his production has jumped as well. In his last four games, Spencer has averaged 16.0 points and 5.7 assists per game, leading the team in both categories in that span.
Spencer said playing in Golden State’s system among all-time greats like Curry was another big reason for his return.
“You look at our top-tier guy [Curry], he’s probably someone who runs five miles a game moving off the ball, draws a ton of attention… and quite frankly, it’s won us four championships here,” Spencer said. “It’s something that attracted me to come here. I feel like I can utilize my IQ on and off the ball to play off some obviously incredible hall-of-famers.”
As a two-way player, Spencer is limited to 50 games as an active player. With 17 games played already, the Warriors might have to convert Spencer to a regular contract if they continue to need his fire throughout the season.
How to watch No. 13 Illinois vs. Ohio State: Live stream info, preview for tonight’s game
Blues Recall Veteran AHL Winger
The St. Louis Blues have recalled forward Hugh McGing from the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds.
The 27-year-old has played 18 AHL games this season, notching four goals and six points. McGing has played in 298 games in the AHL, scoring 60 goals and 156 points.
McGing has been called up by the Blues previously, skating in six NHL games, but is still searching for his first goal and point.
McGing's call-up comes following the injury news of Jordan Kyrou. The 27-year-old was involved in a collision during the Blues game against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday and has been given a day-to-day status. Unfortunately, his return date is unknown, and no update has been given about his status for tonight's game against the Boston Bruins.
Matt Luff was recalled last week and made his season debut on Sunday, replacing Kyrou in the lineup against the Montreal Canadiens. He finished the game with one hit and two blocks in 8:33 of ice time.
Clarification on who will be in the lineup tonight, between McGing, Kyrou, and Luff, will likely be provided during this morning's skate or during warm-ups tonight.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CST at the Enterprise Center.
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Red Bull F1 adviser Helmut Marko retires after successful 20-year stint
Austrian key to Vettel and Verstappen world title wins
‘Now is the right moment,’ says influential 82-year-old
Red Bull’s influential auto racing adviser Helmut Marko is retiring from his role at the age of 82, ending a 20-year stint in which he helped Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen develop into four-time Formula One world champions.
Marko’s departure leaves Red Bull without the two main guiding personalities from its 2005 entry into F1 after the team principal Christian Horner was ousted in July and replaced by Laurent Mekies.
Continue reading...Giants' first-round pick makes a huge jump in the 2026 MLB Draft Lottery
Giants' first-round pick makes a huge jump in the 2026 MLB Draft Lottery originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
ORLANDO — Randy Winn had not even fully gotten off the podium in a dark conference room at the Signia By Hilton Hotel when Michael Holmes ran up with a fist bump. The look on the face of the Giants’ director of amateur scouting said it all.
“He’s very excited about that,” Winn said, smiling.
Winn just finished his first year as the organization’s VP of player development, and on Tuesday night, he and the Giants got a huge, well, win.
They moved way up in the MLB Draft lottery and will pick fourth next summer. By record, they should have had the 15th pick, and they entered the night with the 12th-best odds of picking first overall in MLB’s calculations, which punish some teams for repeatedly being in the lottery.
But as other teams got named, Winn realized that something cool was happening. He couldn’t fully focus on that, though.
“My phone was buzzing from former teammates of mine heckling me while I was up there,” Winn said. “I could name a few. It was actually a few of my Tampa teammates sending me text messages saying ‘don’t screw it up’ and some other very nice things. ‘You look terrible up there.’ Those sort of things. Who needs enemies when you have friends like that.”
The reception was surely much different when he returned to the organization’s suite at the hotel here.
This will be the Giants’ first time picking inside the top five since 2018, when they chose Joey Bart second overall. It’s just the fifth time, period, that they’ll pick inside the top five. Three of those previous picks turned into Will Clark, Matt Williams and Buster Posey.
Winn said it was an “exciting time” for the player development staff, and this could be a huge boost to a farm system that is on the rise. They also are poised to sign the top international position player prospect for a second straight year, with Venezuelan shortstop Luis Hernandez likely to sign with the organization in the middle of January. Throw Hernandez in with a top-four pick and last year’s top addition, Josuar Gonzalez, and the Giants will have a needed injection of young talent.
The Giants entered the lottery with a one percent chance of getting the top pick. For a moment, Winn started to dream, but the Chicago White Sox ended up winning the lottery.
“I didn’t want to get too far ahead of myself but I did know that based on how things worked, if we weren’t called by 15 that we would be inside the top six. Once we weren’t six and then once we weren’t five, I was like, well, maybe,” he said. “Drafting is hard, but we’re definitely excited to be picking so early in the draft. It’s been a while since I believe we’ve drafted this high. We’ve got some time and we’ve got some work to do ahead of us.”
Red Sox trade Vaughn Grissom to Angels for outfield prospect
Red Sox trade Vaughn Grissom to Angels for outfield prospect originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Red Sox are moving on from Vaughn Grissom.
On Tuesday, the club announced that Grissom was traded to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for outfield prospect Isaiah Jackson. Jackson was the No. 25 ranked prospect in the Angels’ system, according to MLB Pipeline.
The Red Sox acquired Grissom in the Dec. 2023 trade that sent left-hander Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves. At the time, the move made sense as Sale couldn’t overcome his injury woes. Although Grissom never lived up to his billing as a top prospect in Atlanta, there was hope that a change of scenery could help him develop into a solid middle infielder in Boston.
Instead, Sale revitalized his career with the Braves and won his first career Cy Young award, finishing his first season in Atlanta with an MLB-best 2.38 ERA in 29 starts. Grissom never found a path to consistent playing time with the Red Sox as he hit .190 with no homers and a .465 OPS over 31 big-league appearances, all in 2024.
Grissom spent the entire 2025 campaign at Triple-A Worcester. The 24-year-old slashed a respectable .270/.342/.441 with 13 homers and 48 RBI over 96 games for the WooSox, but he remained stuck behind Kristian Campbell, David Hamilton, Romy Gonzalez, Marcelo Mayer, Nick Sogard, Trevor Story, and Ceddanne Rafaela on the middle-infield depth chart.
As for Jackson, the 21-year-old was selected in the eighth round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Arizona State. He notched 18 homers with a 1.032 OPS over 60 games for the Sun Devils, then played in 10 games for the Angels’ Low-A affiliate.
Parting ways with Grissom cleared a spot on the Red Sox’ 40-man roster.
OG Anunoby's importance to Knicks' championship aspirations evident in return from injury
OG Anunoby is back in the rotation after missing nine games for the Knicks, leaving his mark with 21 points, seven rebounds, and three steals in Sunday’s win over Orlando. Though New York went a commendable 6-3 in that span, Anunoby’s absence and recent return to the lineup only reiterated his importance to this team and its championship aspirations.
The Knicks may have traded two homegrown prospects and signed him to the biggest contract in franchise history for what he can ultimately do in April and May, but Anunoby is giving us a staunch reminder of his value in the regular season, too.
Any Anunoby conversation has to start with his stalwart defense, which has single-handedly lifted the Knicks from mediocrity this season. With Anunoby on the court, the Knicks are allowing 105.4 points per 100 possessions, on par with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but without him, they’re at 116.7, or bottom third in the league.
It’s a stark discrepancy non-existent with any other member of the rotation. His on/off numbers as a Knick remain absurd: he’s a +154 in 426 minutes this season, only recording one negative +/- in a game all year.
These figures don’t just stand out, but reflect the eye test well. Anunoby’s their best one-on-one stopper and off-ball disruptor, often engaged to do both while putting up numbers on the other end.
His presence was especially missed against the tougher opponents they faced during his injury. The Heat, Magic and Celtics all exposed weak points in the Knicks' defense that Anunoby often makes up for.
Anunoby is the stabilizer and anchor with Mitchell Robinson’s minutes and impact limited, and we saw a lack of discipline and late-game execution on that end when Miami snuck by a win. Franz Wagner scored 37 points in Orlando’s win, taking advantage of New York’s lack of size down low and switching options.
When the Knicks desperately needed stops against a star in his bag, they couldn’t turn to Anunoby against Jaylen Brown, who finished with 42 and the W. Now compare these to New York’s win over Orlando on Sunday.
Obviously, there are factors beyond Anunoby, but he’s the biggest one. And we’ve yet to touch on what he’s brought offensively this season as the latest beneficiary of head coach Mike Brown’s new system.
The new spacing, motion, and ball-sharing principles have allowed Anunoby to average one extra drive per game despite playing six fewer minutes, and he’s converting more of them into scores, passes and assists. Getting to utilize his size and strength in more opportunities where help is less present or confident in coming over has opened up a ton for his game, like the game-sealing dunk against Orlando.
He’s also shooting a career-high 40.9 percent from three, given the full green light to use his big frame to shoot over defenders. All this has made his game more efficient without compromising the work he’s done on the other end of the court.
Now the Knicks have him getting back to full strength as they enter the second quarter of the season, having survived an initial wave of injuries with their spot at second in the East intact for now. Not a moment too soon, as New York’s schedule beefs up with Miami-Philadelphia-Minnesota-Cleveland as their Christmas sled and a West Coast trip early in the new year.
Having Anunoby back in tow is huge, and could potentially bring their defense to new heights if they’re able to build on what they learned when he was gone. New York’s defense seemed to improve in some of their later games against the Raptors and Hornets, hopefully as a result of development and not strength of schedule.
Anunoby’s return to the offense shouldn’t be understated either, with Karl-Anthony Towns still finding his footing, Mikal Bridges not exploding without him and some key guys still out. Expect him to have some big games as he finds his rhythm and Jalen Brunson needs a breather.
If this Knicks start hasn’t felt as dominant as some fans might have liked, it’s because it hasn’t been. New York is one team with Anunoby and another without him, and he’s about to remind the basketball world why.
White Sox win MLB Draft Lottery, will pick first overall in 2026
White Sox win MLB Draft Lottery, will pick first overall in 2026 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Chicago White Sox will own the top pick in the 2026 MLB Draft after winning the draft lottery on Tuesday.
The White Sox finished the 2025 MLB season with the second-worst record in baseball, going 60-102 a year after setting an MLB record for most losses in a single season.
After the 2025 season the White Sox were ineligible to participate in the draft lottery because they had won a slot in the 2024 draft, but this time around they had the best odds of capturing the top pick, with a more than 27% chance of earning that selection.
That is exactly what happened during the MLB Draft Lottery at the winter meetings on Tuesday, meaning that the White Sox will have the chance to add an explosive player to their farm system.
The Tampa Bay Rays vaulted up to the second slot in the draft order, with the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates rounding out the top-five.
The Kansas City Royals will pick six, meaning that three of the top-six picks are owned by American League Central clubs.
According to Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline, the 2026 draft class is loaded with college positional players, headlined by UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron, and Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress.
High school shortstops Grady Emerson and Jacob Lombard are also at the top of the projected draft list, along with LSU outfielder Derek Curiel.
The 2026 MLB Draft will take place July 12-13, 2026 in Philadelphia as part of the league’s All-Star weekend.
Bobby McMann Faces Possible Suspension After NHL Department Of Player Safety Announces Hearing For Maple Leafs Forward
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday that Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann will have a hearing following a high-stick on Tampa Bay Lightning forward Oliver Bjorkstrand.
McMann’s stick came down on the Lightning forward, and he was immediately issued a match penalty.
“That's a tough one. It really is. I mean, I got to look at it more closely, which I didn't,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said following the Leafs’ 2-0 win against Tampa. “From our view on the bench, I couldn't really see it too well. So I'll take a look at it; I had a tough time with that, to be honest with you.”
It is rare for a hearing not to result in a suspension of some kind.
The infraction occurred during a larger scrum that saw Gage Goncalves receive a five-minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing Maple Leafs defenseman Dakota Mermis. Mermis left the game and did not return; the Leafs stated he would need further evaluation to determine the extent of the injury.
Here’s the only angle I’ve seen of the Bobby McMann match penalty for high sticking @sdpnsportspic.twitter.com/L2eXdKmlwl
— Jesse Blake (@JesseBlake) December 9, 2025
McMann has recorded eight goals and six assists in 29 games this season. He has never been suspended in the NHL, a factor that may influence the length of any potential ban. However, he did receive a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov on Jan. 3, 2024. The league reviewed that hit but decided against issuing a suspension or fine.
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Plenty of Florida Panthers behind-the-scenes access coming as league brings back 'Road to the NHL Winter Classic'
We’re less than a month away from the 2026 NHL Winter Classic.
This year, the Florida Panthers will host the New York Rangers at loanDepot park in what will be the southernmost Winter Classic ever played.
The game is set for Friday, Jan. 2 with an 8 p.m. ET puck drop.
For fans who are getting excited about the big game, they’ll have more opportunities to wet their appetites in the weeks leading up to the affair.
That’s because on Wednesday, the NHL is debuting a new season of Road to the NHL Winter Classic, the annual series that provides exclusive behind-the-scenes access to both the Panthers and Rangers as they gear up for the game.
The four-part series will premiere Wednesday at 6:30 ET on TNT and will be simulcast on truTV and HBO Max.
Panthers fans should buckle up for more in-depth looks at how their Stanley Cup championship team prepares for games, as well as the injury recovery process for players like Matthew Tkachuk.
For the full series schedule, click here.
You can check out the trailer for Road to the NHL Winter Classic below:
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Jets Missing Ehlers, Hellebuyck Amid 2-6-1 Stretch
It is no secret that Nikolaj Ehlers' offseason decision to move on from the Winnipeg Jets and sign with the Carolina Hurricanes as an unrestricted free agent hurt general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, head coach Scott Arniel and president Mark Chipman.
At the time, the parties involved all said the 'right things', indicating it was a good time for the player and team to go their separate ways.
For an organization so keen on drafting and developing its players to stick around through the completion of their NHL playing careers, the sting of Ehlers' departure met many with sadness, some with skepticism and others with a sense of good riddance.
He did not have the swiftest of starts to his tenure in Raleigh. It took until game No. 12 to record his first goal with the 'Canes and 16 to hit 10 points on the season.
But as of late, the Dashing Dane's feet are moving at their expected rate and he continues to deliver for a team already known for its speed and strong transitional play.
On the season, 'Fly' has six goals and 19 points in 28 games.
In looking at it from a different perspective, the four players brought in to replace Ehlers, Jonathan Toews, Gustav Nyquist, Tanner Pearson and Cole Koepke, have a combined 25 points in 93 games played between the four of them.
It's no secret that the 2025 Presidents' Trophy winners are struggling offensively, which has greatly contributed to their dismal, near-.500 record on the season. Currently sitting at 14-13-1, Winnipeg is 26th place in the league and two points back of San Jose for the final Wild Card playoff spot in the Western Conference.
The most recent attempt to alter the course of the 'one-line team' is separate Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Gabe Vilardi, who are contributing nearly 75 percent of all the team's offence since Connor Hellebuyck went down with a knee injury.
Should that work, the Jets will no longer have a bona fide No. 1 line, but will hope to have goal scorers on each of their four lines - something Arniel is striving for.
Since Hellebuyck's injury, the Jets have gone 3-6-1 and have fallen completely out of the postseason picture. Backup goaltender Eric Comrie has fared alright in Hellebuyck's absence, but the presence of the reigning Hart Trophy winner and back-to-back Vezina and Jennings Trophy victor is most certainly felt throughout the organization.
AHL call-up Thomas Milic also performed well in his NHL debut and subsequent relief appearances. But he has since been relegated back to Manitoba, where Domenic DiVincentiis has now popped up onto the Jets' active roster in replacement as Hellebuyck continues to work his way back from injury.
With the Jets having performed so poorly on their two lengthy road trips thus far (2-4-0 and 1-3-1) Winnipeg needs to capitalize on its current four-game homestand to begin stacking wins together in a venue it knows how to do just that. Its last game at Canada Life Centre was a strong 4-1 performance over the Buffalo Sabres.
The Jets will look to replicate that effort in games against four teams all sitting comfortably in the playoffs (Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals and Ottawa Senators) as the homestand continues over the next seven days.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM central time on Tuesday for Winnipeg's test against their Central Division opponent, Dallas.
ICYMI in Mets Land: All the trade and free agency buzz from the Winter Meetings
Here's what happened in Mets Land at the Winter Meetings on Monday, in case you missed it...
- David Stearnsdiscussed the Mets' search for starting pitching and the expectations for the young internal starters
- With Edwin Diaz still a free agent, Stearns said the Mets' bullpen is not finished
- The Blue Jays are monitoring Diaz's market
- Pete Alonso, who is meeting with the Red Sox and Orioles on Tuesday, remains a priority for the Mets
- The Tigers are willing to listen to offers for Tarik Skubal
- The Mets are interested in trading for Freddy Peralta
- The Mets had a video meeting with free agent right-hander Michael King
- Carlos Mendoza discussed New York's early offseason additions
- Juan Soto is not expected to DH much in 2026
- Christian Scottwill be a full go for spring training after rehabbing from Tommy John surgery
- WATCH: The latest on Alonso
- WATCH: Are the Mets a serious suitor for Framber Valdez?
- WATCH: Stearns discusses the offseason plan
- WATCH: Mendoza is holding himself accountable for how the 2025 season ended
‘Extremely emotional' moments have Murchison ready for NHL debut with Flyers
‘Extremely emotional' moments have Murchison ready for NHL debut with Flyers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Ty Murchison will never forget FaceTiming his parents and sharing the news he had always dreamed of breaking to them.
He was headed to the NHL.
“It was early morning back in Arizona, so I woke them up,” Murchison said. “I was choked up trying to get the words out. As soon as I told my mom, she was screaming for my dad to get in the room.”
The 22-year-old prospect will have his mother Allyson and father Ken on hand for his NHL debut. Murchison will be on the Flyers’ third defensive pair Tuesday against the Sharks at Xfinity Mobile Arena (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
He’ll have around 20 people in attendance.
“I’ve got a big entourage coming from all over the place,” Murchison said Tuesday with a smile after morning skate. “California, Arizona, Prince Edward Island.”
Murchison grew up in California and was drafted by the Flyers out of the U.S. national team development program. He spent four seasons at Arizona State before signing his two-year entry-level contract in March.
He has gone from a fifth-round pick in 2021 to a shot with the Flyers.
“Extremely emotional,” Murchison said Monday after practice. “There have been a lot of periods throughout the last 48 hours where I’ve been getting a bit choked up just thinking about it because I’ve been thinking about this every day of my life.”
The 6-foot-2, lefty-shot defenseman earned his opportunity with the big club. He plays with a hard-nosed style and definitely opened some eyes in training camp. With AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley, Murchison has recorded a goal, three assists and a plus-9 rating in 21 games.
“He’s the type of guy that’s a culture guy,” Rick Tocchet said Monday. “I thought from Day 1 — and I don’t think we gave him an exhibition game — he was really impressing me in practice. He was pissing guys off, he was blowing up guys on cycles and stuff like that. And he has played really well.
“That’s what we’re trying to build around here, guys that are competitive. I don’t know how he’s going to play, but I do know he’s competitive and he skates well. I think he deserves a shot. That’s how we build the crest around here.”
Flyers’ defensive pairs
Nick Seeler-Travis Sanheim
Emil Andrae-Jamie Drysdale
Ty Murchison-Noah Juulsen
Murchison said he likes to play “a fast-paced, physical game.” The Flyers are hoping he can help them squash plays quickly, an aspect of defending that Tocchet has wanted improvement from his team.
The Flyers have had some competition on their back end. Murchison will become the ninth defenseman to suit up for them this season.
“It’s good for the room, they see a guy like that working his way up, it puts other people on notice,” Tocchet said. “That’s how you build the competitive balance in the locker room.”
Kings reportedly open-minded about trading star players before deadline
Kings reportedly open-minded about trading star players before deadline originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Kings are gearing up to re-enter familiar territory: rebuild mode.
With a 6-18 record, Sacramento and first-year general manager Scott Perry are “open-minded” about discussing trades throughout the roster, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported in a story published Tuesday, citing sources.
“The Kings and first-year general manager Scott Perry are using this season as a patient evaluation campaign, trying to build a gritty culture,” Charania wrote. “Teams are monitoring veterans Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, along with 25-year-old guard Keon Ellis.”
Sabonis was acquired from the Pacers in February 2022 in a trade that sent budding star Tyrese Haliburton to Indiana. He became a foundational piece in the Sacramento core alongside guard De’Aaron Fox, and the duo led the Kings to their first playoff appearance since the 2005-06 season the following year.
The Kings acquired DeRozan in a sign-and-trade deal in July 2024. LaVine was acquired nearly seven months later in a trade that sent the disgruntled Fox to the San Antonio Spurs.
Despite having three All-Star caliber players, the Kings’ 2024-25 season ended with a disappointing 40-42 record and an elimination in the NBA Play-In Tournament. In the wake of that result and a subsequent struggle out of the gate this season, the team is closer to entering a rebuild phase than contending for another playoff appearance.
In an appearance on FanDuel TV’s “Run it Back,” The Athletic’s Sam Amick corroborated Charania’s report.
“Now, you have the shifting of the storyline and the framing, which is – it’s time to rebuild. That’s a tough pill to swallow…” Amick said. “…And right now, GM Scott Perry is trying to keep [Kings owner Vivek Ranadive] at bay and convince him that this might take three, four, five years to turn around…”
“…I mean really, you’re just talking about Nique Clifford and a couple other guys who are part of the future. The rest of them, they’re trying to test the market and figure out what kind of moves they can make,” Amick said.
Amick said that DeRozan, out of the three Kings stars listed, could be “easy enough” to move, but his partial guarantee for next season could make negotiations tricky.
LaVine and Sabonis’ remaining money could make their contracts tougher to move. Amick notes that the only “concrete” team that has some level of interest in Lavine is the Milwaukee Bucks, while for Sabonis, not many teams are interested in having their offenses run through the center position.
“That’s why Scott Perry is asking for a long runway and a lot of patience here, because the market for their guys, I don’t think, is great,” Amick noted.
Keegan Murray might be the player who the Kings would be most reluctant to part ways with, Amick said. The 25-year-old forward signed a five-year, $140 million contract extension prior to the start of the season.
But, as Amick mentioned, with the blockbuster trade of Luka Dončić last season, there might be no truly untouchable player in the NBA.
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