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Rookie guard Nique Clifford trying to ‘build the ground up' for Kings

Rookie guard Nique Clifford trying to ‘build the ground up' for Kings originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings’ tough start to the 2025-26 NBA season could be a sign of things to come for the foreseeable future. 

With a team rebuild looking increasingly likely, young players like rookies Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud’s development will be crucial. The two already have seen some substantial playing time along with compliments from general manager Scott Perry. 

Clifford sees himself and Raynaud as players to help Sacramento build toward contention. 

“We came in together, so we want to see each other be successful and kind of help build the ground up for Sacramento Kings basketball,” Clifford told reporters Wednesday (h/t Sean Cunningham/KCRA). 

Clifford, 23, has played 23 of Sacramento’s 26 games this season. With injuries knocking out their star players, the No. 24 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has started three games. 

Raynaud also has seen plenty of action early into his NBA career. He has started in four games, particularly due to star center Domantas Sabonis being out for an extended period with a torn meniscus. 

Clifford and Raynaud have bonded through the experience. 

“I think it’s good to have a guy with you going through the same process of being a rookie and learning and trying to adjust within the flow of what we’re going through,” Clifford explained. 

With the Kings likely to make many of their veteran players available in the trade market, Clifford and Raynaud could see much more playing time in the near future. 

Clifford is averaging 4.1 points and 2.5 rebounds in 16.6 minutes per game. His fellow rookie, Raynaud, is averaging 8.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game. 

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Phillies assistant GM Ani Kilambi departs for Nationals

Phillies assistant GM Ani Kilambi departs for Nationals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies are losing a key member of their front office.

The Washington Nationals are hiring Phillies assistant general manager Ani Kilambi to serve as their next general manager, making him one of the youngest GMs in Major League Baseball.

Kilambi, 31, joined the Phillies in 2021 after spending six seasons with the Rays organization, where he served as director of decision science and assistant director of research and development. Prior to his work in baseball, he earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, double-majoring in Statistics/Operations Research and Management Science.

With the Phillies, Kilambi oversaw the research and development department, an area the organization significantly expanded under his direction. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the department nearly doubled in size during Kilambi’s first two seasons.

With the support of president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and then-general manager Sam Fuld, an organization once viewed as lagging behind analytically became one of the stronger research groups in the sport.

The move comes roughly seven weeks after Washington hired Blake Butera, 33, as its manager — another sign of the Nationals’ shift toward a younger leadership group. The club has finished last in the National League East in five of the past six seasons.

Jorge Velandia, hired in 2020, remains the Phillies’ other assistant general manager. It is not yet clear whether the club plans to fill Kilambi’s role before the season.

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Sabres Get Great News Ahead Of Flyers Matchup

The Buffalo Sabres are set to face off against the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 18. The Sabres will be looking to stay hot, as they are entering the matchup against the Flyers with a three-game winning streak. 

Now, the Sabres have gotten some very good news ahead of their contest against the Flyers.

According to head coach Lindy Ruff, Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring will be returning to the team's lineup for their game against the Flyers. 

Hearing that Kesselring is getting back into the lineup against the Flyers is undoubtedly good news for the Sabres. Kesselring is expected to be an important part of the Sabres' blueline this season, and he should provide them with a nice boost because of it.

Kesselring's most recent appearance for the Sabres was on Nov. 15 against the Detroit Red Wings, so he has been sidelined for awhile. This was also after he missed the beginning portion of the season due to injury. Now, with Kesselring returning to the lineup, he will be aiming to stay healthy from here for the Atlantic Division. 

In nine games so far this season with the Sabres, Kesselring has recorded zero points, seven hits, and nine blocks. This is after he set career highs with seven goals, 22 assists, and 29 points in 82 games for Utah this past season. 

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Linus Ullmark Leaves Practice Early As Senators Provide Key Injury Updates On Chabot, Pinto, And Eller

As the Ottawa Senators get set to host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre, Wednesday morning’s practice delivered a mix of interesting injury news.

On the positive side, defenseman Thomas Chabot was back on the ice with his teammates. Chabot was injured on November 11 in a game against the Dallas Stars, attempted a return 11 days later, and re-injured himself against the San Jose Sharks.

He hasn’t played since the Sharks game, but his return to full practice is an encouraging sign. Chabot was paired with Belleville call-up Dennis Gilbert during drills, suggesting the Senators are still preparing to play without him for now. But simply being back on the ice is a step toward getting the blue line back to full strength and players slotted into their natural roles.

"I mean, it's been a long road," Chabot admitted. "But no, it's good to be back practicing with the guys. Helps the mental side of things and the morale a little bit to be back on the same schedule as the team. It was a fun day, it was a great practice. I went through the pace of a normal NHL practice, the contact, and competing a little bit. So it felt nice to be out there.

While Chabot said he didn't know if he'd be playing on Thursday, head coach Travis Green confirmed that he will not.

Green provided some more details on Lars Eller, revealing that he has a broken foot from blocking a shot and is expected to be sidelined for about three weeks. So that probably means that centre Stephen Halliday will remain with the club into the new year.

There was also a brief scare in practice at the goaltender position. Linus Ullmark left practice early after speaking with the Senators’ athletic therapist, Dom Nicoletta, near the bench. Jake Sanderson also exited early, although Green (as he does) downplayed any concern, saying he isn’t worried about either Ullmark or Sanderson.

Since Chabot was injured, Green has been working Sanderson like a rented mule, so it wouldn't be a surprise if the Sens' top defenseman has carte blanche to bail on any practice if he isn't feeling it that day.

Senators Fire Their American Hockey League Head Coach On Wednesday

Senators Fire Their American Hockey League Head CoachSenators Fire Their American Hockey League Head CoachThe slumping Belleville Senators have fired their head coach, promoting assistant Andrew Campbell to the interim role.

Ullmark has started in three-quarters of the club's games so far, but hasn't been injured or overworked in a back-to-back. At the moment, he stands 41st in the NHL in goals against average (3.00) and 49th in save percentage (.879). If he's suddenly not feeling his best, that doesn't bode well for an imminent turnaround.

Finally, there has apparently been some progress on Shane Pinto’s recovery from a lower-body injury. Pinto has been out since December 4th after taking a body check from former Ottawa Senator Mika Zibanejad. Green says Pinto has now resumed skating, another encouraging development as the Senators work through their injury picture.

Following their Wednesday skate, the Senators held their annual 'Melnyk Skate for Kids' hosted by team co-owners Anna and Olivia Melnyk, carrying on a tradition started 20 years ago by their late father, former Sens owner Eugene Melnyk.

The Senators will host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night at the CTC.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was originally published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Read more:

Top Prospect Carter Yakemchuk Injured In Collision During AHL Game
Senators' First Step Toward Stanley Cup Playoff Return Is Better Goaltending
30 Games Into The Season, What Is The Ottawa Senators' Identity?
Speculating On Yakemchuk's NHL Arrival Time
Popular Former Senator Forward Attempting Comeback At Age 38
Four Ottawa Senators Make Annual List Of Most Punchable NHL Players

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Mets’ Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes to join Team USA in 2026 World Baseball Classic

Mets pitchers Nolan McLean and Clay Holmes were added to Team USA's World Baseball Classic 2026 roster on Wednesday.

Both right-handers will make their WBC debuts early next year, giving Team USA three confirmed starters after Pirates ace Paul Skenes accepted an invite this summer.

Holmes is coming off an impressive first season with the Mets. After converting from a closer to a part of the rotation, he pitched to a 3.53 ERA and a 1.304 WHIP across 33 games (31 starts).

McLean is perhaps the biggest surprise addition to Team USA. The rookie right-hander made a big splash for the Mets when he was called up in August. In just eight starts, McLean became the team's most reliable starter, with a 2.06 ERA to go along with a 1.04 WHIP.

Both starters join Mark Vientos (Nicaragua) and Francisco Lindor (Puerto Rico) as participants in next year's tournament. Juan Soto, who could join the Dominican Republic team, has not been confirmed.

The 2026 WBC is set to start on March 5. 

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(12-17-25) Jets-Blues Gameday Lineup

ST. LOUIS – Perhaps an infusion of new blood can spur the St. Louis Blues in the right direction.

That’s what they’re hoping for when the Blues (12-15-7) entertain the Winnipeg Jets (15-15-2) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. (FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).

It’s because Otto Stenberg and Jonatan Berggren will each make his Blues debut in the game.

For Stenberg, it will be his first NHL game and the second of three first-round picks from the 2023 NHL Draft to play in the NHL along with Dalibor Dvorsky, who was the No. 10 pick; Stenberg was No. 25, and defenseman Theo Lindstein, who is in Springfield of the American Hockey League, was No. 29.

Stenberg was called up from Springfield on Thursday, the latest of Thunderbirds recalls with the rash of forward injuries the Blues are dealing with.

On Tuesday, he was skating on a line with Jake Neighbours and Dvorsky.

“Of course, I’m excited,” Stenberg said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s something special. Just try to act like a normal game, soak it all in and enjoy, but I’ll just try to prepare like a normal game, I guess.

“Just play my game and do what got me here in Springfield before I get here. Be myself I guess. I’ll try to do my best to give the team energy. Try to play as good as I can and help the team any way I can.”

Berggren, claimed off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, will also be in the lineup.

The 25-year-old, a second-round pick in the 2018 draft, had an inkling that something might happen, and was hopeful of it, too. He last played for the Red Wings on Dec. 11 and prior to that, Nov. 24.

“It’s a business and when you don’t play many games in a row in Detroit to kind of know (something was going to happen),” Berggren said. “Maybe it was something I was hoping for too to get a fresh start. I’m really happy that the Blues took me.

“It’s been a lot for sure. I’m just so excited to come to St. Louis and meet the guys and meet the coaches and just play hockey. It’s been a lot, but I’m also excited.”

Blues coach Jim Montgomery said the infusion of new players could be just what the team needs.

“Every time you get new blood, it’s like the first game of the year, everybody’s hopes and desires are all positive and a positive attitude usually permeates in the group so it’s going to bring us good energy,” Montgomery said.

Stenberg will have his parents, David and Cecilia and girlfriend on attendance after some scurrying of getting plane tickets from Sweden.

“My mom and dad are actually coming here. And my girlfriend is here; she came here from Springfield,” Stenberg said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. I think they got tickets yesterday.”

Berggren, who had two goals and four assists in 15 games with the Red Wings this season after 12 goals and 12 assists in 75 games last season, hopes to add some offensive prowess into the lineup for the Blues, and the fact he’s played with a couple of the guys and that there are fellow Swedes, should make for an easy transition.

“I’m a skillful forward that likes to play with the puck and likes to create offense,” he said. “I feel like this team has skillful players and like to play offensive style of hockey. That’s kind of what I want to do too. I’m excited.

“It’s a lot of Swedes and guys I played with in Detroit too and Grand Rapids. It makes it a lot easier to adapt to the team when you know people from before.”

Montgomery said the Blues took a flier on Berggren because, “the speed and skill is something we believe with our current situation that he could add to our group, and that’s what we’re expecting him to fit in. We have a lot of Swedes so the language barrier won’t be so hard.

“You have a technical package ready to show your players that this is what we want to do in all three zones with the puck and with the schedule this year, I watched the Florida-Tampa game and I don’t recognize some of the names that are on the ice and that’s happening to everybody this year.”

- - -

Tuesday’s game is the first between the Blues and Jets since that epic first-round seven-game series from last year’s playoffs.

“I think for our group it means a lot, and not because of the outcome of the series,” Montgomery said. “Obviously we felt we would have liked to win Game 7, but more importantly, I think it’s we were playing a really good brand of hockey and for a lot of players, I think that brings excitement to get back to that brand of hockey that we were playing.

“It brings back more of what a great series it was. I saw some things like they ranked the best series of the playoffs, it was ranked No. 2 behind the Final, which was epic with a lot of great comebacks in that series. It was old-school hockey. It was mean, it was hard, it was vicious and in the end, you had two teams that really I think were competed and emptied the tank so much that the handshake line was what you want in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.”

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Blues Projected Lineup:

Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Robbi Fabbri

Otto Stenberg-Dalibor Dvorsky-Jake Neighbours

Brayden Schenn-Pius Suter-Jonatan Berggren

Alexey Toropchenko-Oskar Sundqvist-Mathieu Joseph

Philip Broberg-Colton Parayko

Matthew Kessel-Justin Faulk

Cam Fowler-Logan Mailloux

Joel Hofer will start in goal; Jordan Binnington will be the backup.

Healthy scratches could include Tyler Tucker and Matt Luff. Dylan Holloway (high ankle sprain), Jordan Kyrou (lower body), Jimmy Snuggerud (wrist), Nathan Walker (upper body) and Nick Bjugstad (upper body) are all out.

- - -

Jets Projected Lineup:

Kyle Connor-Mark Scheifele-Gabriel Vilardi

Nino Niederreiter-Vladislav Namestnikov-Cole Perfetti

Morgan Barron-Adam Lowry-Alex Iafallo

Cole Koepke-Jonathan Toews-Gustav Nyquist

Josh Morrissey-Dylan DeMelo

Dylan Samberg-Neal Pionk

Logan Stanley-Luke Schenn

Connor Hellebuyck will start in goal; Eric Comrie will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Colin Miller, Tanner Pearson and Haydn Fleury. The Jets have no injuries.

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Inter Miami re-signs Luis Suárez for 2026 season after winning MLS Cup

The former Liverpool and Barcelona striker, who turns 39 in January, has been productive but was benched for the tail end of Miami’s title run

Inter Miami have re-signed striker Luis Suárez through the 2026 season, the MLS Cup champions announced Wednesday.

The legendary Uruguay international had 17 goals and 17 assists in 50 appearances for the team in 2025. However, Inter Miami became a buzzsaw after Suárez was dropped to the bench by head coach Javier Mascherano. Replaced by Mateo Silvetti after Miami’s 2-1 loss at Nashville SC in Round One, Miami won their next four games and outscored opponents 16-2 in route to the MLS Cup title.

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Giants DFA outfielder Joey Wiemer to open roster spot for pitcher Jason Foley

Giants DFA outfielder Joey Wiemer to open roster spot for pitcher Jason Foley originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

One comes in; one goes out. 

The Giants designated outfielder Joey Wiemer for assignment Wednesday to make room on the roster for pitcher Jason Foley, who signed a one-year contract with the club Tuesday. 

Wiemer was acquired from the Miami Marlins on Nov. 21 in exchange for cash considerations. 

The outfielder posted a solid rookie season with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023, hitting 13 home runs in 132 games played. Wiemer played just 48 games over the past two seasons. 

Wiemer’s short time with the Giants organization might not be over yet, as a DFA’d played can be outrighted to the minor leagues if he clears waivers. 

San Francisco currently has eight outfielders on its 40-man roster, including Justin Dean, who was claimed Nov. 6 off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers.  

Now one week removed from the MLB Winter Meetings, the Giants have yet to make a splash free agency signing, but there still is plenty of time in the offseason for the San Francisco front office to operate.

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Blues Assign Hugh McGing To Springfield Thunderbirds Following Successful NHL Stint

The St. Louis Blues have assigned winger Hugh McGing to the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds. 

McGing was called up from the AHL on Dec. 9, playing in three games, scoring once and adding an assist. He played in a limited role, averaging 10:52 of ice time, but garnered positive results with his ice time and notched his first career NHL goal and point. 

Since his call-up, the Blues have seen additional injuries, most notably to Dylan Holloway, but have also made moves in response. They recalled 2023 first-round pick Otto Stenberg and claimed winger Jonatan Berggren off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings. Both Swedish wingers are confirmed to be in the lineup tonight against the Winnipeg Jets. 

McGing's success during this NHL stint came as a bit of a surprise, but a pleasant one at that. In 18 AHL games this season, the 27-year-old has scored just four goals and six points. Last season, he finished with a modest 14 goals and 34 points in 68 games.

Drafted in the fifth round (138th overall) in the 2018 NHL draft, McGing was always expected to be a long shot to make the NHL, but getting into the lineup and making a difference allows us to recognize his hard work and the development of the Blues staff. 

McGing showed several positive traits during his call-up and should be high up in the pecking order the next time the Blues need to make a corresponding move due to an injury. 

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The Canucks Could Face 9 Or More Former Players During Their Current Road Trip

The Vancouver Canucks are two games through their mid-December road trip, having already won 2–1 against the New Jersey Devils and 3–0 against the New York Rangers. Already, they’ve faced four of their former players, and could easily take on five more by the end of this trip. With at least one former Canuck faced during each stop in this trip, let’s take a look at these former players’ connections to Vancouver. 

After Devils goaltender Jake Allen was given the start on Saturday for his team, it was former Canuck Jacob Markström who took on the team that he played for over six seasons. Vancouver and Markström parted ways during the 2020 off-season, in which the goaltender signed a six-year contract with the Calgary Flames in free-agency. The Flames traded Markström to the Devils back in June of 2024. 

Another former Canuck who suited up against Vancouver on Sunday was Juho Lammikko, who spent a total of 75 games with the team. Lammikko was acquired by the Canucks back in October of 2021 alongside Noah Juulsen (who appears later on this list) in exchange for former fifth-overall draft pick Olli Juolevi. Lammikko went on to spend three seasons in Switzerland before making his NHL return with the Devils this year. 

As well as Markström and Lammikko, another former Canuck who is now with the Devils is Zack MacEwen, who began his NHL career with Vancouver but was ultimately claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Flyers and proceeded to bounce around the league. He did not play against the Canucks when they stopped in New Jersey on Sunday. 

J.T. Miller made his presence known in Vancouver throughout the near-six years he spent with the team. Now the captain of the Rangers, Miller played in his second game against his former team on Tuesday. Vancouver traded Miller to New York, the team that drafted him 15th overall back in 2011, at the end of January. 

Only a couple of months after Vancouver moved on from Miller, Carson Soucy found himself packing his bags as well. Soucy was traded to the Rangers only one day before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, with Vancouver receiving a third-round pick (which later became center Kieren Dervin) in exchange. Soucy signed with the Canucks back in July of 2023 and amassed five goals and 11 assists in 99 games played with Vancouver during his time there. 

While he isn’t a current player, Rangers Head Coach Mike Sullivan did spend some time as a member of the Canucks. Serving as an assistant coach during the 2013–14 season, Sullivan was part of John Tortorella’s staff in a season that saw the Canucks finish fifth in the Pacific Division with 83 points. 

Vancouver’s game against the New York Islanders may or may not feature two former Canucks. The reason for this is the fact that Bo Horvat, former Canucks captain and 2013 ninth-overall pick, is currently injured after sustaining a lower-body injury last week. The forward spent nine years as a member of the Canucks, four as captain, and was regarded as an important piece in the team’s core prior to being traded in January of 2023. Horvat is currently day-to-day and could return to his team’s lineup within the next week or so. 

Dec 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Vancouver Canucks right wing Conor Garland (8) celebrates his empty net short handed goal against the New York Rangers with teammates during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

While Horvat’s potential — but likely — absence means Vancouver will face one less former player, this doesn’t mean that their match against the Islanders will be without a former Canuck. Marc Gatcomb, who has played in the Islanders’ past two games, did not end up playing for Vancouver but spent some time with their AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks. Gatcomb’s time with Abbotsford spanned 112 games, during which he scored 12 goals and 16 assists. 

The next stop on Vancouver’s road trip is Boston, where they’ll take on two former Canucks (and Flames) who both signed with the Boston Bruins back in 2024. Traded to Vancouver in a blockbuster in January of 2024, Elias Lindholm only played in 26 regular season games with the Canucks but scored six goals and six assists. He has since moved on to the Bruins, where he has put up 22 goals and 45 assists in 105 games. 

Also traded to Vancouver from Calgary during the 2023–24 season, Nikita Zadorov joined former Flames and Canucks teammate Lindholm in Boston after signing with the team during the 2024 off-season. Vancouver initially acquired Zadorov in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round and 2026 third-round pick. Zadorov quickly became a fan-favourite in Vancouver due to his sharp personality and intense style of play. 

Vancouver’s final stop in this east coast road trip is Philadelphia. The Flyers currently have one former Canucks player and a former Canucks Head Coach. The player, who’d been with the Canucks for four years before signing with the Flyers in free-agency this off-season, is none-other than Juulsen. He was sent from the Florida Panthers to Vancouver via trade alongside Lammikko back in 2021 and skated in 109 games with the Canucks. 

Now Head Coach of the Flyers, Rick Tocchet spent nearly three years as the Canucks’ Head Coach. During this time, he helped coach Vancouver to Game 7 of the second-round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He finished his time in Vancouver with a record of 108–65–27, good for a points-percentage of .608. As the Flyers’ Head Coach, Tocchet has established a current record of 17–9–6. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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Draymond Green details why Warriors haven't found ‘consistency' with rotation

Draymond Green details why Warriors haven't found ‘consistency' with rotation originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Approximately one third of the 2025-26 NBA season has passed, yet the Warriors’ 13-14 record leaves much to be desired.

Golden State had been without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in the starting lineup since defeating the Houston Rockets on Nov. 26. The team went 2-0 when both stars were sidelined with injury but officially fell below .500 against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday in their first game back together.

Green explained Wednesday on his self-hosted podcast “The Draymond Green Show” why there have been consistent inconsistencies in coach Steve Kerr’s rotation.

“Everyone needs consistency, but we haven’t consistently been good,” Green told his viewers. “You build consistency with something that’s working, if it’s not working you don’t keep doing the same thing, you try to find what is going to work, find groups that work together and until then you’re tweaking things.”

Green also acknowledged some Warriors fans have expressed their frustration about which players were getting playing time.

“I see people that are like, ‘Aw man Steve [Kerr] needs to build consistency.’ For sure, of course, absolutely, everyone wants consistency, but you don’t want consistent s–t, you want to consistently get better,” he said.

Kerr’s most recent starting lineup is one he plans to stick with for the foreseeable future.

The four-time NBA champion stressed the importance of switching things up when you don’t get a good on-court result.

“And if you’re not, you’re making changes trying to make that happen, you’re not going to keep doing the same thing,” Green said. “You keep doing what you’re doing, you’re going to get what you’re getting,” he said.

Green recorded an impressive 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in his return but eight turnovers added to the Warriors’ fourth-quarter collapse in Portland.

“So, I understand why there hasn’t been the consistency or continuity that people have been speaking about, because you have to find what works,” he added. “Then once you find something that works, you don’t go away from it, you lean into that.”

Finding what works is easier said than done when it comes to having one of the oldest rosters in the league, but Green reminded everyone that there is still time to tinker with rotation chemistry during the Warriors’ upcoming schedule.

“You have to find what works first, and again we’re still figuring that out, it’s still early, only 27 games in, plenty of time, but you want to make the corrections now rather than later,” he gathered. “You don’t want to put yourself up against the eight-ball, make the corrections now, and we can get through those things.”

The Warriors will face the Phoenix Suns twice in three days beginning Thursday at Chase Center, and it will be interesting to see if Kerr backtracks his commitment to start the same rotation in the second contest on Saturday in Phoenix no matter the result.

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Mets finalizing deal with reliever Luke Weaver

The Mets are finalizing a two-year contract worth $22 million with right-handed reliever Luke Weaver, per multiple reports.

New York's move for Weaver comes a week after closer Edwin Diazleft to sign a three-year deal with the Dodgers.

Weaver will join a back end of a bullpen that could be anchored byDevin Williams, who -- like Weaver -- left the Yankees for the Mets this offseason.

Weaver, 32, was strong for the Yanks last season, with a 3.62 ERA (3.89 FIP) and 1.02 WHIP with 72 strikeouts in 64.2 innings.

He relies primarily on a four-seam fastball and changeup -- pitches that both graded out as well above average last season.

As far as Weaver's other advanced statistics from 2025, he was elite when it came to xERA (90th percentile), xBA (95th percentile), chase percentage (91st percentile), whiff percentage (89th percentile), and strikeout percentage (82nd percentile).

His best season came in 2024, when he had a 2.89 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 84.0 innings while striking out 103 -- a rate of 11.0 per nine.

Per Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, roughly 10 teams had expressed interest in signing Weaver.

Along with Weaver and Williams, the Mets' bullpen in 2026 is expected to include left-handers A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley -- though the start of Minter's season could be a bit delayed following lat surgery this past May.

Huascar Brazoban also figures to be in the bullpen mix, as do hard-throwing prospects Dylan Ross and Ryan Lambert.

Other relievers who could compete for roles include Jonathan Pintaro (who made his big league debut last season), Adbert Alzolay (who is on a two-year minor league deal and missed the 2025 season), Justin Hagenman, Richard Lovelady, Alex Carrillo, and Joey Gerber.

Meanwhile, the Mets have also reportedly been discussing trade ideas with the Padres, with relievers Mason Miller, Jeremiah Estrada, and Adrian Morejon's names among those that have come up.

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2026 NBA All-Star voting opens: Who should make the USA vs. World teams for new format?

The polls have opened.

Voting for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game opens on Dec. 17, and for the next month, fans can now cast one vote a day for the starters in that game — to be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.

Fans will vote for the five starters – with no regard to position — and those votes (combined with player and media votes) will pick the starters for the game Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., the home of the LA Clippers. This year's game will feature a new three-team format (eight players each), with two USA teams and one World team competing for the title (more on the format below).

Voting, however, remains the same as it has in recent years. Fans with an NBA ID can submit one ballot per day via the NBA App and NBA.com, and certain days — Dec. 21, Dec. 25, Dec. 30, Jan. 7 and Jan. 14 — are designated "3-for-1 days" where votes count triple.

Who should make the All-Star Teams?

Everyone — the fans, the players, the select media — has the same vote, picking the five starters from each conference (a vote of the coaches picks the seven reserves for each conference). But that's no fun, so here are my picks for the starters and reserves — plus some snubs —from each conference.

Eastern Conference

Starters
Jalen Brunson
Cade Cunningham
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Donovan Mitchell
Jaylen Brown

Reserves
Tyrese Maxey
Karl-Anthony Towns
Jalen Duran
Jalen Johnson
Scottie Barnes
Norman Powell
Josh Giddey

Snubs: Evan Mobley, Desmond Bane, Brandon Ingram, Bam Adebayo

Analysis: I went with four guards in the starting five (if you count Brown as a guard), and I feel like Maxey could get a starting spot and it wouldn't be a bad call. Duran, Johnson, Towns and Barnes have to be locks. On the bubble, Powell has earned this in Miami, and the same with the way Giddey has played in Chicago.

Western Conference

Starters
Luka Doncic
Shai Gilgious Alexander
Nikola Jokic
Alperen Sengun
Kevin Durant

Reserves
Victor Wembanyama
Anthony Edwards
Stephen Curry
James Harden
Chet Holmgren
Austin Reaves
Jamal Murray

Adam Silver special designation: LeBron James

Snubs: Deni Adjiva, Devin Booker, Lauri Markkanen, Julius Randle.

Analysis: While this is how I would like to see the vote go, the reality is that there is a 0% chance LeBron won't be voted in as a starter (same with Curry). The problem is there are so many deserving players in the West I was looking for a way to get another player in the mix.

Leaving out Adjiva is painful, he has earned it, but I would say the same things about all the snubs in the West. I can make the case for any of them to be in, but I'd be taking out someone equally deserving. On the margins, what Reaves and Murray have done for winning teams gets them the nod.

World Team

The way my picks shake out, there are eight international players for the World Team:

Luka Doncic
Shai Gilgious Alexander
Nikola Jokic
Alperen Sengun
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Karl-Anthony Towns
Victor Wembanyama
Jamal Murray

Bet against that group at your own risk.

All-Star Game format

The timing could not be better for the NBA All-Star Game to return to NBC and debut on Peacock — the 2026 game lands right in the middle of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. That set up perfectly for the first-of-its-kind All-Star Game pitting the best of the USA vs. the NBA's deep international talent pool.

For fans, the voting is essentially the same, they will help select the five starters from each conference, with the one change being votes will be positionless — if you want to vote for five centers to start, you can. From there, the coaches select the seven reserves from each conference, a total of 24 players.

Those 24 All-Star players will be divided into three teams — two USA teams and one world team — that will compete in a round-robin tournament of four 12-minute games. Each of the three teams will have a minimum of eight players (if the USA or World teams are short on players, the league office will select a player or players to reach the required number).

At the end of the round-robin, the two top teams will play a championship game (the fourth 12-minute game of the day) for the title.

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Adam Silver says 'sometime in 2026, we'll make a determination' on expansion

LAS VEGAS — While speaking in Las Vegas, one of the cities that could feel strung along by the NBA's expansion process, Commissioner Adam Silver said a decision was coming next year.

"I think now we're in the process of working with our teams and gauging the level of interest and having a better understanding of what the economics would be on the ground for those particular teams..." Silver said, speaking with the media before the NBA Cup title game. "Then, sometime in 2026, we'll make a determination."

That does set a timeline for what happens next. NBA expansion — almost certainly to Seattle and Las Vegas — has been discussed for years. At first, Silver said he wanted to get a new CBA with the players in place, and then a new television deal in place, before seriously studying expansion. Even when those things happened, it felt like the league was dragging its feet with a slow process, including last summer when Silver said the owners commissioned "doing an in-depth analysis of all the issues around expansion, both economic and non-economic." All of that while the owners seem to want to move full speed ahead with an NBA Europe league that would be separate.

Silver said he was sensitive to the idea of just leaving Seattle and Las Vegas on the hook.

"It's not a secret we're looking at this market in Las Vegas. We are looking at Seattle. We've looked at other markets, as well," Silver said. "I'd say I want to be sensitive there about this notion that we're somehow teasing these markets, because I know we've been talking about it for a while.

"As I've said before, domestic expansion, as opposed to doing a new league in Europe, is selling equity in this current league. If you own 1/30 of this league, now you own 1/32 if you add two teams. So it's a much more difficult economic analysis. In many ways, it requires predicting the future.

"At the same time, I think Seattle and Las Vegas are two incredible cities. Obviously, we had a team in Seattle that had great success. We have a WNBA team here in Las Vegas in the Aces. We've been playing the Summer League here for 20 years. We're playing our Cup games here, so we're very familiar with this market."

It will ultimately come down to whether a supermajority of the existing owners think the one-time massive cash infusion they would receive from expansion fees — hundreds of millions that go straight to the bottom line, not shared with the players — is worth giving up a percentage of the league long term. Not every owner is convinced that it is a good trade-off, even as franchise values rise.

The slow pace of expansion has led to a lot of speculation about NBA team relocation, with a franchise in a smaller market being sold and moved to Seattle or Las Vegas. Silver said he had no control over that.

"The league doesn't have the right to relocate a team..." Silver said. "But relocating a team requires that team's desire to be relocated, specifically the governor; it's a process where you apply to relocate.

"I'd also say just because some markets don't generate the same revenue as others, it doesn't mean they are markets that are not worthy of NBA franchises. If you look in our constitution, the factors that the owners are required to look at in making the determination whether to relocate a team go to support that team has historically had in that community, the operation of that team, the competitive opportunity in that market."

Whatever happens, it looks like a decision will be made next year.

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Blue Jays newcomer Cody Ponce takes page from playbook of his brother-in-law, NFL star George Kittle

TORONTO — After a short and unsuccessful stint in the major leagues, Cody Ponce was pitching in Asia and still trying to find a mental approach that worked for him on the mound.

So he started emulating his brother-in-law, NFL star George Kittle. That led to a huge turnaround for Ponce and a three-year, $30 million contract with the AL champion Toronto Blue Jays this offseason.

“He helped me bring out my inner child again,” Ponce said on a video call with reporters. “And that was something that I felt like I was lacking for the two years prior while I was in Japan.”

A journeyman career changed dramatically in 2025 as Ponce went 17-1 over 29 starts with the Hanwha Eagles in South Korea. He had 252 strikeouts and a 1.89 ERA, helping him win the MVP award in the KBO.

Ponce gave credit to his wife, family, teammates — and Kittle, the spirited San Francisco 49ers tight end. Ponce is married to Kittle’s older sister, Emma, and he noticed how her not-so-little brother keeps things playful on the gridiron at times despite the sport’s obvious physicality and intensity.

“I saw the way he was playing the game of football and was not in awe, but (more) in this view of, wow, you can play such an angry game and be having fun at the same time. But yet still have this type of tenacity, this type of drive, this type of competitiveness, and be doing it all at the same time.

“I was like, that is something that I want to try to figure out.”

Ponce said he’s adjusted his approach so he feels more like a Little Leaguer again. He has made it a point to watch “Star Wars” — sometimes the movies, sometimes the TV series — before every start.

The 6-foot-6, 255-pound right-hander, who signed with the Blue Jays last week, is also focused on his body, putting in three to four hours a day of recovery work, activation, alignment and training.

On the mound, he credited former teammate — and former Blue Jays pitcher — Hyun Jin Ryu with helping him expand his arsenal by not relying on one type of off-speed pitch.

“Two types of cutters, two types of curveballs, two types of changeups,” said Ponce, who also throws a splitter and a mid-90s (mph) fastball. “Creating different pitches, and just the pitchability.”

Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease, who recently signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Blue Jays, will anchor a Toronto rotation that appears to be one of the deepest in baseball.

Ponce joins a mix of starters that also includes Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage and José Berríos. Bowden Francis, Eric Lauer and others could also factor in.

“I want to win baseball games,” Ponce said. “I want to win a World Series. So anything that I can do to be the best help that I can to this team, that’s what I’m going to do.”

The 31-year-old native of Pomona, California, said he got a chance to watch some of the Blue Jays’ playoff run last October. Toronto made it to the World Series before losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games.

“The competitive nature of the team, the atmosphere that you can see on the bench during games — everybody was very lighthearted, but everybody was still very dedicated to wanting to win a ballgame each and every single night,” he said.

Ponce was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of the 2015 amateur draft. He made his big league debut with Pittsburgh in 2020 and went 1-7 with a 5.86 ERA over parts of two seasons with the Pirates.

Ponce split time in Japan between the Nippon Ham Fighters and Rakuten Golden Eagles from 2022-24. He was 15-24 with a 4.54 ERA over three seasons.

He also spent several months in Japan’s minor leagues before his breakout season in South Korea.

“I just wanted to go out there and perform the best I could and try to (create) a possibility of coming back with at least one offer,” he said. “And then this kind of all happened.”