All season long, as Michigan kept racking up wins with a roster on which multiple players developed into likely lottery picks, a number of NBA front offices had their eyes on Wolverines head coach Dusty May as a potential target.
Dallas got him.
May is leaving Michigan after leading the team to a national title to become the new head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, a story broken by Shams Charania, Adam Schefter and Pete Thamel of ESPN and confirmed by multiple other reports. This is a huge win for the new Dallas head of basketball operations, Masai Ujiri.
May replaces Jason Kidd, whom Ujiri let go despite $40 million remaining on his contract.
May jumps to one of the most coveted open jobs in the NBA coaching realm because the Mavericks have Cooper Flagg to build around. They also have Kyrie Irving (returning from a torn ACL) and Klay Thompson as the veteran All-Stars on the roster, plus a quality front line with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II.
May, 49, took over a Wolverines team that had lost a program-record 24 games the season before he took over and led an impressive turnaround. He led the team to a 64-13 record in those two seasons, with two Big Ten titles and, last season, a national championship. He developed three Michigan players — Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara — who are expected to go in the lottery (or at least the top 20) in this year's NBA Draft. Prior to that, May led Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in 2023.
Ujiri reportedly looked at several college coaches, including Duke's Jon Scheyer and Florida's Todd Golden, and wanted to bring back former Dallas assistant coach (then San Antonio assistant) Sean Sweeney, but Sweeney chose to take the Orlando coaching job.
BROOKLYN, NY - APRIL 7: Gary Harris #11 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on April 7, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Gary Harris picked up his $3.8 million player option to remain with the Bucks next year, Spotrac’s Keith Smith reported on Monday; the 31-year-old combo guard had until June 29 to pick up the option. This was widely expected, given it’s extremely unlikely that Harris would have had better offers on the table if he declined the option and entered unrestricted free agency.
Harris inked a two-year, $7.4m contract—with the second year a player option—before the 2025/26 season after leaving the Orlando Magic. Originally meant to bring in guard depth, veteran leadership, and steady three-point shooting, Harris averaged a career-low 2.7 PPG, along wth 1.3 RPG and 1.1 APG on .442/.412/.889 shooting splits. In 48 appearances, he averaged just 13.8 minutes per contest.
When he returns to Milwaukee for his 13th NBA season—assuming the Bucks don’t just waive his contract and pay him out, which could well happen—his biggest challenge will be remaining on the court. Harris struggled to break into the Bucks’ guard rotation at the start of the season and was sidelined by nagging groin and hamstring injuries towards the end.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 06: Head coach Dusty May of the Michigan Wolverines cuts down the net after defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63 in the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 06, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
May is 49 years old, and felt destined to be one of college basketball’s top coaches for the next 15 years. This is a major first move from the Mavs’ new braintrust of Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz. Ujiri built the Toronto Raptors 2019 championship team, and was hired as Dallas’ new president earlier this offseason. Schmitz came over from the Portland Trail Blazers to be the team’s new GM after building his reputation as a razor-sharp draft analyst for ESPN.
May built an incredible Michigan team through the transfer portal by bringing together three de facto bigs and teaching them to play together. His teams are typically slightly better on the defensive end of the floor. Michigan finished with the No. 1 defense in America this year, as well as the No. 4 offense. It will be fascinating to see if he continues to lean into supersized lineups in the NBA.
The real intrigue for May is the opportunity to coach Flagg, who just won NBA Rookie of the Year. Flagg is perhaps the best young building block in the NBA after Victor Wembanyama, and he doesn’t even turn 20 years old until December. The Mavs are building around Flagg, and May will be the person leading his development.
May has a cool and calm demeanor that resonates well with players, and should continue to work in the NBA. He deserves to be seen as a great developmental coach after turning Lendeborg, Johnson, and Mara into lottery picks this past season when none of them were projected in that range at the start of the year. It feels like he has the ideal mentality to be an NBA coach, but life is always tough in the Western Conference, even with Cooper Flagg on your side.
The history of college coaches jumping to the NBA is a mixed bag. Larry Brown won a national championship at Kansas in 1988, and then won an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004. Brad Stevens took Butler to the title game in college basketball before becoming a fantastic head coach (and later lead executive) for the Boston Celtics. Billy Donovan won two national championships at Florida, and then jumped to the NBA where he had a solid pro career but never won a championship. There are also some busts, like John Calipari and Rick Pitino, who made the leap to the NBA and then went back to college after failing.
I followed Michigan during its national championship at the Big Ten tournament, Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, and Final Four and national championship. I came away so impressed with May in terms of his leadership, demeanor, and schematic ability. May knew he was likely never going to have another team as good as his 2026 group again. Building through the transfer portal and fundraising NIL dollars every year is incredibly stressful. I can absolutely see the appeal of this move to the NBA for both sides.
In the end, this is about the opportunity to coach Cooper Flagg, who is already excellent at 19 years old. The Mavs also reportedly considered Duke coach Jon Scheyer and some former NBA coaches like Terry Stotts, but May offers the most upside to me because of his youth and pedigree. The Mavs swung for the fences with their first big decision of the Ujiri era, and I think they hit it out of the park.
NBA success is far from guaranteed for May. It’s going to be a big adjustment to leap to the pros. The Mavs don’t need to win right away, though. They’re on Flagg’s timeline. May can grow alongside Flagg, and I think he has the smarts and the temperament for the job long-term. What a move by the Mavs.
The St. Louis Blues’ involvement in trade rumors continues to grow, with the most recent link connecting them to Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson.
According to CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal, he’s hearing that the Blues are “sniffing around” in trade discussions involving Pettersson.
“Somebody told me this morning that St. Louis is sniffing around Pettersson,” said Dhaliwal. “I’m looking into it to see if it’s true. The way it’s been told to me is if the Canucks think they have a deal for Pettersson that makes sense for them, I am sure they will then take that deal to Pettersson’s agents, J.P. Barry and Pat Brisson, to see if Pettersson will waive.”
The reports are interesting to say the least. While trading for Pettersson would have its benefits, as it truly gives the Blues a strong one-two punch down the middle of the ice, Pettersson is now 27 years old and carries a contract worth $11.6 million for six more seasons.
The Blues would need to drastically alter their lineup to become contenders, and unless they do so, trading for Pettersson would only upgrade their roster marginally, and not enough to compete with the best teams in the Central Division, like the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, and even the Utah Mammoth.
27 is not old in the slightest, but by the time the Blues are ready to compete again, Pettersson could be trending towards the downswing of his career, which brings plenty of risk.
Add to the fact that the two worst seasons of his NHL career have come in his last two campaigns, and it brings another element of uncertainty and risk.
The Canucks are open to retaining some of Pettersson’s salary, which does soften the blow of making such a monumental move.
In addition to the Blues, the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings are reportedly interested in Pettersson, while other teams around the NHL could explore trade options once a price tag becomes clearer.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.
See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source.Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Boston Bruins have to make a decision on Pavel Zacha at some point over the next year.
The veteran forward has one more season left on his contract. He can become an unrestricted free agent in July of 2027.
The B’s need to determine whether it makes sense to give Zacha an extension or consider trading him.
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported last Friday that the Bruins are “listening” to teams that call about Zacha.
“There’s a big difference between listening and wanting to move him, though,” LeBrun wrote.
“My understanding is that the Bruins’ top priority this summer is to extend Zacha if possible. That can happen as of July 1. He’s got one year left on his deal at a $4.75 million AAV and obviously will be looking for a raise after posting career bests with 30 goals and 65 points this past season. But how those talks go will be balanced with whether teams step up in a real way in trade talks.
“This is an intriguing situation to monitor, to say the least. So many teams are looking to upgrade at center, and some of them have called over the past week or so. Zacha has a no-trade list that allows him to say no to eight teams, and I’m told he submitted that list to Boston on April 1.”
Does it make more sense for the Bruins to trade Zacha or extend him? Let’s break down the pros and cons.
The case for trading Zacha
Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Pavel Zacha can become a UFA in 2027.
The list of unrestricted free agent centers who could be available July 1 is pretty weak. In fact, if Zacha was a free agent this summer, he’d easily be the best center on the market. Boone Jenner is probably the best center who can be a UFA in July, and Zacha is absolutely better than him.
Centers are highly coveted. It’s a very important position. And with not many good ones seemingly available, it might make sense for the Bruins to capitalize on Zacha’s value because it might never be higher, especially when you consider he’s coming off a fantastic season in which he tallied career highs of 30 goals and 65 points.
The Florida Panthers traded forward Mackie Samoskevich to the Seattle Kraken last week in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick (No. 25 overall) and a conditional second-round pick. Samoskevich had a career-high 32 points last season — less than half of Zacha’s output. He’s also six years younger than Zacha, but the B’s forward is easily a better player right now.
That kind of package would be too low of value for Zacha. There’s zero point in trading him for future assets (like a late first-round pick) unless a team like the Winnipeg Jets, who need a second-line center, was willing to give up the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft. The No. 8 pick could allow the B’s to draft a potential franchise defenseman.
If trading Zacha could fetch a veteran right-shot defenseman with offensive skill, that would be worth considering as well. The Bruins desperately need another legit top-four defenseman on the right side of the blue line. If the B’s could trade Zacha as part of a package for a better center, that would be worth exploring, too. Red Wings captain and No. 1 center Dylan Larkin reportedly has requested a trade.
One argument for trading Zacha is if you don’t think it makes sense to give him a long-term extension with a potential salary cap hit in the range of $7-8.5 million. Charlie Coyle just signed for six years at $6 million per season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. It wouldn’t make sense for Zacha to take a penny less than that. Zacha is five years younger and more productive offensively than the 34-year-old Coyle.
Zacha has been a reliable 20-plus goal scorer for Boston, but he’s only hit the 30-goal mark once and he has scored only two goals in 31 career playoff games between the Bruins and Devils. He has consistently underwhelmed in the postseason.
Another reason to trade Zacha would be looking at the landscape in the Eastern Conference and determining the Bruins are unlikely to contend with teams such as the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres. But after making the playoffs this past season, it doesn’t seem that the B’s want to take a step back, even if that would make the most sense long term.
If the Bruins could upgrade at center in a Zacha trade, or acquire a lottery pick that would get them a top prospect, it should be considered.
The case for keeping and extending Zacha
The Bruins are already thin at center. Taking Zacha off the roster makes one of the team’s most glaring weaknesses even worse.
If Elias Lindholm was producing at a real top-six center level, then it would make more sense to cash in on Zacha’s value after his great season. But Lindholm, who signed a seven-year, $54.25 million deal just two years ago, has been a major disappointment.
Zacha is the Bruins’ best center. He centered a line with Casey Mittelstadt and Viktor Arvidsson — a trio which, according to MoneyPuck, ranked fifth in goals scored per 60 minutes (4.21) among all lines that played 350-plus minutes last season.
So if the B’s traded him without finding a comparable player or an upgrade at the position, it would make the offense worse next season.
Young forwards James Hagens and Fraser Minten have a ton of potential and could be top-six centers in the near future. But they aren’t performing to that level right now, and there’s no guarantee they will ever reach that level. If Hagens and/or Minten do reach their potential, the B’s could always slide Zacha into a third-line role.
Zacha has averaged 21 goals and 57 points in his first four seasons with the Bruins. He’s a reliable player. He’s not elite, but his floor is higher than most forwards on the roster. A healthy Zacha can be penciled in for 20-30 goals and around 60 points. That’s valuable for a team like the B’s that lacks a ton of offensive firepower.
Any extension for Zacha that carries a cap hit between $7-8 million wouldn’t be an albatross given how much the salary cap is supposed to rise over the next few years. He shows no signs of slowing down. He’s also very durable and hasn’t missed more than four games during any of his four seasons in Boston.
The biggest reason to keep Zacha is to contend with the core of David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman. Many of Boston’s best players are in the win-now stage of their careers:
Morgan Geekie, LW, 27 years old
Jeremy Swayman, G, 27
Charlie McAvoy, D, 28
Pavel Zacha, C/W, 29
David Pastrnak, RW, 29
Elias Lindholm, C, 31
Nikita Zadorov, D, 31
Hampus Lindholm, D, 32
Viktor Arvidsson, LW, 33 (UFA this summer)
Trading Zacha for draft picks and/or prospects — assets that won’t make the 2026-27 roster better — does not give Pastrnak/McAvoy/Swayman the best chance to win in the short term.
Verdict
Keeping and extending Zacha makes the most sense for the Bruins unless they can trade him in a package for a better center or acquire a top 10 pick. He’s a good two-way player with enough versatility to be productive at center or on the wing.
‘No compelling justification’ for not submitting a sample
‘Unpredictable testing is essential to protect clean sport’
Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon singles champion, has been banned from professional sport for four years after she refused an anti-doping test.
According to an independent tribunal, Vondrousova provided “no compelling justification” for declining to provide a sample after being notified at her home by a doping control officer in December. The 26-year-old is suspended from all professional events until 21 June 2030.
The Houston Astros (37-42) open a three-game set in Toronto (38-39) tonight. The Astros took two of three over the weekend against Cleveland and have now won four of their last five to pull within three games of first in the American League West and within two of the final Wild Card spot. Toronto was rained out yesterday in Chicago after splitting the first two games of that series. The Jays have now won four of their last five games and sit 8.5 games in back of the Yankees in the AL East but in that aforementioned third and final Wild Card spot.
Toronto has been solid at home (21–18), while Houston has struggled on the road at 17–21.
The pitching matchup tonight features a pair of staff aces as Hunter Brown takes the ball for the ‘Stros against Dylan Cease of the Jays. Brown will be making his second start for Houston since returning from the disabled list. He is 1–0 with a sparkling 1.10 ERA with 24 strikeouts across just over 16 innings. The Blue Jays were expected to counter with right-hander Shane Bieber, but due to yesterday’s postponement, Bieber has been pushed back a day and Cease will start. This will be Cease’s 14th start of the season. He is 4-3 with a 2.71 ERA and 110 strikeouts (third in MLB).
Houston’s offense centers around their Triple Crown candidate, Yordan Alvarez. The designated hitter ranks fourth in the game with a .322 average, second with 25 home runs, and fifth in baseball with 56 RBIs. Ernie Clement struggled over the weekend but leads the Jays with a .292 average. Kyle Okamoto strikes out about once every three at bats but does damage when he makes contact with a team-leading 16 home runs.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game Details and How to Watch: Astros vs. Blue Jays
Date: Monday, June 22, 2026
Time: 7:07PM EST
Site: Rogers Centre
City: Toronto, ON
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Sportsnet, SCHN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Astros vs. Blue Jays
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Houston Astros (+104), Toronto Blue Jays (-126)
Spread: Astros +1.5 (-206), Blue Jays -1.5 (+168)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Astros vs. Blue Jays for June 22
Astros: Hunter Brown Season Totals: 16.1 IP, 1-0, 1.10 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 24K, 9 BB
Blue Jays: Dylan Cease Season Totals: 73.0 IP, 4-3, 2.71 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 110K, 31 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Astros vs. Blue Jays
Jeremy Pena has 3 HRs in his last 4 games
Cam Smith was 1-9 over the weekend against Cleveland
Isaac Paredes was 6-12 over the weekend against Cleveland
Vlad Guerrero Jr. has hit safely in 3 of his last 4 games (5-15)
George Springer is 9-24 over his last 6 games
Ernie Clement is 1-15 over his last 4 games
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Astros vs. Blue Jays
The Jays are 37-40 on the Run Line this season
The Astros are 37-42 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 42 times in Houston’s 79 games this season (42-34-3)
The OVER has cashed 38 times in the Toronto’s 77 games this season (38-35-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Astros vs. Blue Jays
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between the Astros and the Blue Jays:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Astros on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 7.5
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 19: Cavan Biggio #4 of the Houston Astros takes ground balls during spring training workouts at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (32-42) won 7-6 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land jumped out to an early lead getting a 2 run home run from Alexander in the first inning. They got 2 more runs in the 2nd inning on a Salazar RBI single and Alexander walk. Javier got the rehab start and allowed 3 runs over 4.2 innings. Sugar land picked up a run in the 6th on a Ferreras RBI triple but the Isotopes tied it up in the bottom of the inning. After the Isotopes took the lead in the 7th, Biggio came through with a clutch 2 run home run in the 8th to give Sugar Land the lead. Ullola was great in relief tossing a perfect 1.1 innings as he closed out the 7-6 win.
Note: 9 of Ullola’s last 10 outings have been scoreless.
Ryan Weiss, RHP: 3.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (WIN)
Miguel Ullola, RHP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (SAVE)
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (31-38) won 5-3 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks the scoring started in the 2nd inning scoring a run on a Biggers groundout and Schiavone bases loaded walk. They got another run in the 4th on a Brutcher groundout. Gillis got the start and pitched really well tossing 6 scoreless innings with 5 strikeouts. The offense added some insurance getting 2 runs in the 7th on bases loaded walks to Encarnacion and Bush. The pen gave up a few runs late but held on the Hooks won 5-3.
Brett Gillis, RHP: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (WIN)
Railin Perez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Jose Guedez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Jack Dashwood, LHP: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Hudson Leach, RHP: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K (SAVE)
A+: Asheville Tourists (18-50) lost 7-2 (BOX SCORE)
Asheville got on the board in the first inning when Walker, who doubled to lead off the game, scored on a groundout. Howard started for Asheville but struggled allowing 7 runs over 4.1 innings. Rodriguez pitched in relief and was solid tossing 2.2 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts. The offense got a run in the 9th on a groundout but that was it as Asheville fell 7-2.
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (33-35) lost 14-6 (BOX SCORE)
Smith started for the Woodpeckers and pitched well allowing 1 run over 5 innings of work. The offense got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Flores RBI single. In the 4th inning, Neyens connected on a 3 run home run to give the Woodpeckers the lead. The offense added another run in the 5th on a Cauro sac fly. After the Cannon Ballers got 2 runs in the 6th, the Woodpeckers responded with one on a Flores RBI double. The Woodpeckers took a 6-3 lead into the 8th inning but Serrano really struggled in relief allowing 10 runs. The offense was unable to respond as the Woodpeckers dropped the series finale 14-6.
The last coach to jump from college to NBA was John Beilien in 2019 — another Michigan man. Larry Brown was the last men's basketball coach to leave for the NBA after winning a national title the season before (with Kansas in 1988).
May and Michigan had been in talks about a new contract, but as of May 18, the deal hadn’t been signed, May confirmed to USA TODAY's Jordan Mendoza. May said there are “minor details” being adjusted between both parties, but he said he was committed to staying with the Wolverines.
“We’d like to build one of the most consistent, greatest basketball programs in the country,” May said.
A request for clarification on whether May had signed his contract was not immediately returned to USA TODAY Sports at the time this story published.
May, 49, went 64-13 in two years in Ann Arbor after guiding Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in 2023. He compiled a 190-82 record (.699) in eight college seasons.
May was busy this offseason reshaping Michigan's roster after key players Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. declared for the NBA Draft, and Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg exhausted his eligibility.
Michigan brought in a a trio of proven transfers in Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati), JP Estrella (Tennessee) and Jalen Reed (LSU) to pair with a top-five freshman class in the nation, led by McDonald's All Americans Brandon McCoy and Quinn Costello.
May's previous deal was set through 2030, and offered him an annual increase of $250,000 for the next four seasons, according to his contract obtained by USA TODAY Sports. His base salary in 2025-26 was $4.6 million and was set to increase to $4.85 million this season, under his previous contract.
May's buyout on his previous contract was reduced to $5 million after April 30, 2026.
The former Oklahoma State coach worked with May as one of Michigan's top assistants, overseeing the defensive game plans for the Wolverines. Given his head coaching experience and familiarity with the program, Boynton would be a seamless fit to take over for May.
Boynton joined May's staff in 2024 after serving seven years as Oklahoma State's head coach. Boynton was on Brad Underwood's staff for a year at OSU before Underwood left for Illinois. Boynton was elevated to head coach and posted a 119-109 (.522) record, which included two NIT quarterfinals appearances and a trip to the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Boynton ran the defense under May — his work helped the Wolverines outscore opponents by nearly 20 points per game. Boynton has the qualifications and experience to step into the job at a late date and potentially keep the roster intact, or at least strong enough to stay a factor in the Big Ten and Final Four hunt.
Josh Schertz, Saint Louis
The list of outside candidates begins with Schertz, a close friend of May’s and a coach with a similarly prolific up-tempo offensive scheme. His system could be installed fairly seamlessly and mesh well with the Wolverines’ current roster. Schertz has also proven himself by winning 32 games at Indiana State in 2024 and then leading Saint Louis to 29 wins and the second round of this year’s tournament, where the Billikens were bulldozed by Michigan.
Nate Oats, Alabama
Oats signed a massive extension that links him to Alabama through 2032 and has experienced his share of controversy, most recently this past season with Charles Bediako’s eligibility debate and guard Aden Holloway’s suspension in the wake of felony drug charges. But he’s also won 70% of his games, reached the Final Four, made two Elite Eight trips and advanced out of the tournament’s opening weekend in each of the past four years. He also spent a decade coaching high school basketball in Michigan before being hired as an assistant at Buffalo in 2013.
Billy Donovan
Donovan is currently out of coaching after stepping down from his spot with the Chicago Bulls after the end of the regular season. While he had his share of NBA success, Donovan is best known for the powerhouse he built Florida, where he claimed back-to-back national championships. Despite his time away from the college game, Donovan has essentially been linked to every major NCAA job opening since he left the Gators over a decade ago. Is Michigan the position that would bring him back?
T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State
Otzelberger seems very content in Ames, having already declined overtures from more historically relevant programs since kickstarting the Cyclones’ current run in 2022. Since taking over five seasons ago, he’s led Iowa State to three Sweet 16 berths, four 20-win seasons and at least 25 wins in each of the past three years.
Brian Dutcher, San Diego State
Formerly a longtime Michigan assistant who was on the staff for the 1989 national champions and then spent another 18 years under former Michigan coach Steve Fisher with the Aztecs, Dutcher has won at least 21 games in every season since replacing Fisher in 2017 and led SDSU to the national title game in 2023. A few factors not in Dutcher’s favor are his age — he’ll turn 67 in October.
According to the NCAA on Jan. 14, 2026, the Division I Cabinet enacted immediate rules changes for the transfer portal, including those for a team going through a coaching change.
Per the NCAA:
When a head coaching change occurs, a 15-day period will open five days after the new head coach is hired or publicly announced. If a new head coach is not announced within 30 days of the previous head coach's departure — and the 31st day after the head coach's departure is after the championship game — a 15-day window will open. The additional head coach departure window is available only after the basketball transfer window opens through Jan. 2.
Five days after Michigan hires or publicly announces its hire, the 15-day transfer portal will open, allowing players to enter and potentially sign with a team. The 15-day window will open if the Wolverines are unable to make a hire within 30 days of May's departure for the NBA.
That is separate from a 15-day transfer window that opens the day following the championship game, which in 2026 was on April 4.
This story will be updated.
USA TODAY Sports reporter Zac Al-Khateeb and Detroit Free Press reporter Tony Garcia contributed to this story.
The Ottawa Senators shook the NHL to its core on Father's Day, trading away their captain, Brady Tkachuk, to the Florida Panthers in exchange for the 9th overall pick, the 25th overall pick, a 2029 first-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick.
The move ranks among the most seismic trades in recent memory. Tkachuk had two years left on his contract and was slated to hit free agency in 2028.
There had always been noise about Tkachuk maybe not wanting to commit to Ottawa, or wanting to leave via free agency in 2028.
Publicly, Tkachuk always said the right things, declaring loyalty to Ottawa as its captain.
Still, behind closed doors, Tkachuk reportedly remained uncertain. According to Elliotte Friedman, when Senators General Manager Steve Staios met with Tkachuk and his camp following the end of this season to gauge interest in extending, there wasn't certainty.
The uncertainty was something Ottawa could not live with, and they quietly began exploring the market for him.
Tkachuk holds a full no-move clause, so he handpicked the usual suspects-Florida, Vegas, Minnesota, and Carolina-with almost everyone involved knowing he wanted to unite with his brother Matthew in Florida.
Staios received a massive haul for Tkachuk, setting Ottawa up to immediately acquire a game-changer to keep their opening window of contention going.
It's something out of an alternate universe for the New York Islanders.
Back in 2016, the Islanders had just won their first playoff series in over 20 years. The vibes were great, and the team felt like they were on an upswing.
That summer, talk quietly began in Canadian markets, specifically Toronto and Montreal, about John Tavares becoming a massive free-agent target in two years' time.
At the time, the New York Islanders dismissed it and kept trying to build upon the success of the 2015-16 season.
Tavares had a no-move clause, which was modified to a no-trade clause that kicked in on July 1, 2016.
Then, in 2016-17, the team missed the playoffs. The Islanders had one year until Tavares hit free agency. When then-general manager Garth Snow presented options, Tavares refused to commit to the Islanders.
Publicly, Tavares said everything right. Behind closed doors, uncertainty grew. Tavares had a list of teams he would accept a trade to; there's no question.
Unlike Ottawa, the Islanders took their chances, hoping a strong 2017-18 season would convince Tavares to stay.
Instead, the team regressed even further. They held two first-round picks for the 2018 draft entering the season, thanks to the Travis Hamonic trade with the Calgary Flames at the 2017 Draft.
So, with renewed optimism and assets to dangle, the Islanders hoped 2017-18 would go well.
It did not. The Islanders were not in contention for the playoffs most of the season, but hung around just enough to leave a little doubt.
At the 2018 trade deadline, Tomas Tatar went for a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks. Evander Kane went for a 1st and a 4th. Ryan Hartman went for a 1st, 4th, and a prospect.
Paul Stasney, the top center dealt on deadline day, went for a 1st, 4th, and a prospect.
Seven first-round picks changed hands at the 2018 deadline, with teams eager to wheel and deal.
The Islanders stood pat, and just months later, John Tavares walked away for nothing.
It was a total catastrophe for the Islanders, one that could've set the Islanders back for a very long time.
If not for a pair of Hall of Famers arriving that same summer in Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz, the Islanders could've seen their young core featuring the emerging Mathew Barzal, Brock Nelson, Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, and more all go to waste.
While it all ended up working out ok for the Islanders, it's still worth thinking about what could have been had the Islanders stockpiled assets for Tavares, a player who would've fetched the Islanders two first-round picks and more just at the 2018 deadline, let alone a year or two in advance of free agency.
Ottawa, with their trade of Brady Tkachuk yesterday, claimed complete control of the situation this entire summer.
No leaks, no hints this was coming.
Just a quiet, efficient business that ends with three first-round picks to go out and get a different playmaker, one who wants to make it work in Ottawa.
We have some new Huskies to discuss and a new name in the mix for the final roster spot that could be very intriguing. Also, shoutout to Colben Landrew for getting a Team USA nod in the U18 AmeriCup.
In this episode of the podcast, we discuss the state of the roster, Steph Castle in the NBA Finals, Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed’s NBA Draft prospects, and the addition of new assistant coach Mike Pegues.
The Braves (48-28) head west for a three-game series with the Padres (39-37). Atlanta enters losers in three of the last four series, whereas San Diego has lost six of the past eight series.
Atlanta is 8-8 in June, which is a surprise to most people. The Braves rank 13rd in ERA (4.32), 22nd in OBA (.266), and hitting .226 themselves (25th). Atlanta is tied for the fewest runs scored this month (61) with the second-fewest homers (17). It's safe to say this team is in a slump, but maybe they're inching out toward the other side after a series win over Milwaukee.
San Diego is 7-11 in June and struggling offensively. The Padres are hitting .225 (26th) with 69 runs in 19 games (24th) and the third-fewest home runs (18). On a good note, the Padres' pitching rotation ranks fourth in ERA (3.84) despite being fifth-worst in OBA (.271).
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Braves at Padres
Date: Monday, June 22, 2026
Time: 10:00 PM EST
Site: Petco Park
City: San Diego, CA
Network/Streaming: ESPN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Braves at the Padres
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Atlanta Braves (-110), San Diego Padres (-110)
Spread: Padres +1.5 (-194), Braves -1.5 (+159)
Total: 7.5
Probable starting pitchers for Braves at Padres
Monday's pitching matchup (June 22): Grant Holmes vs. Michael King
The Braves’ Michael Harris II is hitting .306 with 77 hits, 14 home runs and 41 RBI over 252 at-bats
The Braves’ Austin Riley is hitting .211 with 58 hits and 89 strikeouts over 275 at-bats
The Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. is hitting .285 with 82 hits, 2 home runs, and 26 RBI over 288 at-bats
The Padres’ Manny Machado is hitting .179 with 49 hits and 70 strikeouts over 273 at-bats
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Braves at Padres
Atlanta is 43-33 ATS, ranking sixth-best
San Diego is 41-35 ATS, ranking tied for 10th-best
Atlanta is 37-33-6 to the Over, ranking ninth-best
San Diego is an MLB-best 42-33-1 to the Under
Atlanta is 24-14 ATS on the road, ranking second-best
San Diego is 20-18 ATS at home
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Braves and the Padres
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Braves and the Padres:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Braves on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Braves at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Over on the Game Total of 7.5
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
On this day one year ago, Grant Taylor joined some select Chisox starter-reliever company. | (Photo by Colton Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
1913 Behind Ed Walsh’s shutout, the White Sox beat the St. Louis Browns, 2-0, in the second game of a doubleheader at Comiskey Park. It was the team’s 1,000th victory. Outfielder Shano Collins drove in both runs for the Sox in the win.
Walsh’s shutout was actually the second attempt at 1,000 wins for the White Sox. In the doubleheader opener on this day, Jim Scott tossed a complete game, 85 game score (among the 250 or so best scores in White Sox history) with five hits, one walk and a club-record 15 Ks (including six straight) — yet still lost the game, 2-0. Death Valley Jim didn’t help his cause in the ninth, when his throwing error led to St. Louis’ second run. However, the opener loss was all on the Sox offense and its two singles; the unit didn’t get a runner to second base until the eighth inning, and only two got that far all game.
1938 White Sox outfielder Hank Steinbacher became the second player in franchise history to rap out six hits in a game. Steinbacher went 6-for-6 (five singles and a double) with two RBIs and three runs in Chicago’s 16-3 win over the Senators at Comiskey Park. The outburst raised his batting average to .337, and he finished the season at .331.
The other six-hit game for the White Sox had come all the way back in … 1936.
1958 Some 45 years after winning Game No. 1,000 in franchise history, Ed Walsh Day was celebrated at Comiskey Park. The Sox honored their Hall of Fame pitcher, who recorded 195 wins, with a ceremony whose proceeds went to help pay his medical bills. Urban “Red” Faber and Ted Lyons were among those who attended.
Less than a year later, the man who won 40 games in 1908 was dead of cancer.
1975 In just his fifth game of the season and first-ever start for the White Sox, Jesse Jefferson threw 5 ⅓ no-hit innings against the Minnesota Twins to highlight a 9-2 romp at Comiskey Park. Jefferson’s nightcap masterpiece spurred the anemic, 26-38 White Sox to a doubleheader sweep in front of 23,299.
In the second inning, Twins rookie (and future Minny manager) Tom Kelly lined a grounder through the box that Jefferson instinctively attempted a kick-save on; the righthander recovered the ball and threw Kelly out, but landed hard on his right wrist.
Still, Jefferson powered through nearly four more innings before yielding a single to left field by future Hit Man Eric Soderholm. A double-play ball to third base should have gotten Jefferson out of the inning, but second baseman Bill Stein threw wildly to first and prompted manager Chuck Tanner to yank Jefferson; Cecil Upshaw finished out the game, going 3 ⅓ innings for his first save of the season (and what turned out to be the final save of his nine-year closing career).
1983 Noted team prankster, pitcher Jerry Koosman, somehow “discovered” Gaylord Perry’s false teeth on the mound at Comiskey Park during a game against the Mariners. He offered to return them, but Perry declined. The White Sox won the game, 6-3.
1986 Two days after the firing of Tony La Russa, Jim Fregosi signed on as White Sox manager. The Sox has lost seven of La Russa’s final 10 games as skipper, burying the club in the AL West race.
“The team is 9 1⁄2 games out, that’s nothing,” Fregosi said. “I don’t see any reason we can’t turn things around and compete in our division. This is a young club, there’s talent here. There’s some speed, there’s defense and there’s power. We have to put it all together.”
The White Sox briefly did put it all together under Fregosi, winning 11 of his first 15 games and clawing back to 38-43 and 6 1⁄2 back. However, they would get no closer, finishing 72-90 and in fifth place, 20 games behind. Under Fregosi, the White Sox did improve, however, going 45-51.
1993 On Carlton Fisk Night, the veteran set the major league record for games caught, at 2,226, breaking the old record held by Bob Boone. Teammates surrounded Fisk on the field for pregame ceremonies and presented him with a motorcycle that they chipped in $500 each and bought for him. The cycle was driven to home plate byBo Jackson.
Then the Sox went out and beat the Rangers, 3-2, on a game-winning single in the ninth inning by Lance Johnson,with Donn Pall getting the win in relief. Fisk went 0-for-2 in the game, and sent his jersey to the Hall of Fame afterwards.
2010 What would stand as the hottest winning stretch of the 21st century continued with a 9-6 win over Atlanta, moving the White Sox one game better than .500. The game featured a bizarre play that factored in the win: With two outs in the fourth inning and the Sox ahead, 6-3, Alex Ríos tapped a grounder that worked its way inside third baseman Brooks Conrad’s jersey, ending in an infield single. Paul Konerko then singled, and Carlos Quentin homered to make the jersey mishap cost the Braves.
2025 By saving a 4-2 win at Toronto, Grant Taylor became the third White Sox pitcher since 1969 to start the opener of a series and earn the save in the series finale. It was also Taylor’s first MLB save.
Taylor had started the game on June 20, pitching one scoreless, hitless inning as the opener. For his save two days later, Taylor gave up a hit but threw a scoreless frame to improve the White Sox to 25-53.
Francisco Barríos first achieved the feat, in 1976, followed by Dennis Lamp in 1982.
Jun 12, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) reacts after he hit a double against the San Francisco Giants during the third inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | John Hefti-Imagn Images
The New York Mets (34-43) welcome the Chicago Cubs (40-37) for a four game series at Citi Field this week. Last week, when playing the Braves and Phillies, there was chatter about how, if the Mets wanted to make any real run the the postseason, they needed to beat the teams ahead of them in the standings. Well, the same goes for the Wild Card standings, of which the Cubs currently own a spot.
The past two weeks of the Mets’ season have been a great sample size of just how frustrating 2026 has been thus far. After taking two of three from one of the best teams in baseball, the Braves, the Mets lost two of three to the last place Cardinals. Then, after winning their first matchup with the Phillies all year, they get routed for the next two games. With every sliver of hope comes the reality of disappointment.
While it was always an uphill battle to face Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler, the Mets didn’t have to make it so easy for the Phillies to absolutely steamroll them in those games. In what has not exactly been a distinguished start to his Mets’ career, Freddy Peralta had easily his worst start as a Met, getting [looks up technical term] his tits lit by Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper en route to a 15-3 loss. Ten earned runs in two and two-thirds innings sort of says it all, doesn’t it?
While David Peterson wasn’t quite that awful in his Sunday start, he has lost any and all ability to look overpowering, crafty, or generally effective. In his defense, he did suffer a bit from poor defense behind him, but Peterson’s stuff has looked flat for the entire season.
These two starts going ineffective is terrible news for the Mets for many reasons, but mainly because their options for replacements are extremely limited. Not that Peralta or likely even Peterson won’t be pitching for the club, but their current starting five includes a number of question marks. Sean Manaea has been much better as of late, and probably has earned more confidence than I’m giving him, but the start to his season was both so unusual and so ineffective. Kodai Senga looked bad in his first start back from rehab assignment. Tobias Myers is just back from the IL, but was greeted by a [looks up technical term] dogshit start.
Christian Scott is on his way back, which is a very good thing, but beyond him, everyone else on the farm needs more seasoning. It would be lovely if Jonah Tong looked ready, but a 6.30 ERA in Triple-A says otherwise. Jack Wenninger is looking better in Syracuse, but still isn’t really knocking on the door just yet.
The good news is that, if not in this series, then over the weekend, Francisco Lindor is set to return to the Mets. This will help on both sides of the ball, as well as in the leadership and vibes departments, but right now this team’s issue is their starting pitching.
The Cubs find themselves in third place in the National League Central, three games over .500. Their June started off a disaster, but they’re 6-3 over their last three series, and are the current holders of a Wild Card spot. Former Mets farmhand, dealt for Javier Báez at the 2021 trade deadline, is having an unbelievable season, putting up 4.6 bWAR already. Both he and Ian Happ have 16 home runs on the season. Seiya Suzuki is also have a phenomenal year, with all three aforementioned players putting up OPS+s of 127 or higher.
However, as good as the Cubs’ offense has been, their pitching has been weak. While no one is having a dumpster fire of a season like some Mets starters are, there’s only one starter that really is standing out. Ben Brown has emerged as a potential superstar down the road, putting up a 1.85 ERA across 68 innings pitched thus far. Due to a rainout, Brown might miss the New York series entirely, which would be a fantastic turn of events for the Mets.
Monday, June 22: Kodai Senga vs Shota Imanaga, 7:10pm EDT on SNY
Oh, for Senga to show what he did in 2023 and the start of 2025 again. Will we ever get that again? I honestly don’t know. We certainly didn’t get it in his first start in almost two months last week, where he gave up four earned runs in four innings against the Reds, including two home runs and four walks.
In this battle of Japanese starting pitchers, Imanaga is clearly having the better season, despite having a truly terrible stretch from mid-May to early June, where he gave up, in a row, eight, seven, five, and six earned runs. However, over his last two starts (ten innings), he gave up just one earned run, while walking three and striking out ten.
Tuesday, June 23: Nolan McLean vs Edward Cabrera, 7:10pm EDT on SNY
Against the Reds on Wednesday, McLean looked dominant, striking out nine, walking one and giving up just one run on three hits. This was a nice bounce back performance after slowly rebuilding from a few truly bad starts last month. Of note: McLean hasn’t given up a home run since May 25th, which is the longest streak (4 games) of his career without a dinger.
Cabrera’s ERA has added more than two runs in May and June, and it’s not hard to see why: he’s given up more than two earned runs in all but two starts since April 11. Against the Giants and Rockies over his last three starts (two against Colorado), he’s given up 15 earned runs in 13 and a third innings pitched.
Wednesday, June 24: Sean Manaea vs Javier Assad, 7:10pm EDT on PIX11
What a weird year for Manaea. He’s now made two starts ina row, each one he’s gone at least five with no more than two earned runs with just one walk and 11 strikeouts. This is not exactly Cy Young stuff, but compared to the mop up man who looked almost unplayable in April, this is a huge boon.
Assad’s ERA took such a drubbing early in the season that it has taken him two months to bring it down to earth. But in May and June, Assad has actually been quite good, with only three earned runs in 25 innings. He appears back in the rotation full time after being in the bullpen for the bulk of the season thus far.
Thursday, June 25: Freddy Peralta vs TBD, 7:10pm EDT on SNY
This has been a rough contract year for Peralta, who had dreams of 8-year deals that get less and less likely with every mediocre to bad start. Even when he’s good, he doesn’t go deep, and when he goes deep, he’s often not good. I still make this trade every time, but this has not gone the way the Mets had hoped.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 22: Paul George #8, Tyrese Maxey #0, and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets on January 22, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Two years ago, the Sixers waltzed into the offseason with roughly $60 million of salary-cap space. Those days are long gone.
With Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey all on max contracts, the Sixers already project to be over the 2026-27 salary cap even with only six players under guaranteed contracts. Once they fill out the rest of their roster, the luxury-tax line and the aprons will be their bigger concern.
The good news is that the Sixers do still have a fair bit of flexibility (for now) under the tax line and aprons. The bad news is that it won’t take much to wipe that out, particularly with Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes both set to become unrestricted free agents.
With that in mind, here’s our primer on where the Sixers stand financially heading into the draft and free agency.
The Sixers’ current cap sheet
The three-year max extension that Embiid signed in September 2024 is set to begin this season. Until we know the exact salary-cap figure, we won’t know exactly how much he’ll earn on that contract.
Typically, a max extension for Embiid would begin at 35 percent of the 2026-27 salary cap, which is currently projected to be $165 million. That would put Embiid’s starting salary at $57.75 million, with 8 percent annual raises from there.
However, the maximum salary in the first season of a new contract is never less than 105 percent of the player’s previous salary. Since Embiid earned $55,224,526 this past season, his max salary would be no lower than $57,985,752, which is the figure we’ll use for now.
Beyond that, there isn’t much uncertainty about the Sixers’ financial picture heading into the offseason. They have team options on Dominick Barlow ($3.4 million), Trendon Watford ($2.8 million) and Dalen Terry ($2.6 million). Only $250,000 of Jabari Walker’s $2.6 million contract is guaranteed, and Adem Bona’s $2.3 million contract is fully non-guaranteed, although it’d be surprising if they waive him. A veteran-minimum contract for anyone with two or more years of NBA experience is projected to be $2.45 million, so the Sixers would save roughly $150,000 by keeping Bona around.
With that said, here’s their full cap sheet heading into the offseason, including the nearly $3.6 million cap hold for the No. 22 pick. We used their total guaranteed salary rather than their total salary while calculating their proximity to the tax line and aprons so you can see the maximum amount of flexibility that they could have this summer.
Player
2026-27 (all)
Joel Embiid
$57,985,752
Paul George
$54,126,380
Tyrese Maxey
$40,770,520
VJ Edgecombe
$11,663,880
No. 22 pick
$3,597,840
Dominick Barlow
$3,415,000 (team option)
Trendon Watford
$2,801,346 (team option)
Jabari Walker
$2,584,539 ($250,000 guaranteed)
Dalen Terry
$2,584,539 (team option)
Justin Edwards
$2,411,090
Adem Bona
$2,296,271 (fully non-guaranteed)
Johni Broome
$2,150,917
GUARANTEED
$172,706,379
TOTAL
$186,388,074
SALARY CAP
$165,000,000
CAP ROOM
-$21,388,074
LUXURY TAX
$201,000,000
TAX ROOM
$14,611,926
1ST APRON
$209,000,000
1ST APRON ROOM
$22,611,926
2ND APRON
$222,000,000
2ND APRON ROOM
$35,611,926
Having more than $28 million of wiggle room below the tax line might sound nice on the surface, but that’s with only seven players under contract (including the No. 22 overall pick). Even if the Sixers filled out the rest of the roster with players on minimum deals, that would add $19.6 million of salary to their books, putting them less than $10 million below the tax.
How do Oubre and Grimes fit in?
The Sixers have full Bird rights on both Oubre and Grimes, which means they can re-sign either one to anything up to a max deal even though they’re already over the cap. Their proximity to the tax line and aprons might determine which one (if either) they’re willing to bring back.
If the Sixers sign either Grimes or Oubre to a contract starting higher than $11.1 million, they’d be guaranteed to go over the tax line once they filled out all 15 roster spots. If they re-sign both of them, they could have a tough time staying under the first apron.
There are no team-building restrictions for crossing over the tax line. You shouldn’t care about the Sixers paying the tax unless you’re a member of the Harris or Blitzer family.
The aprons are the bigger concern.
Which MLE will they have?
As long as the Sixers are under the first apron, they’ll have access to the $15.0 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception and the $5.5 million bi-annual exception. Using either one of them would hard-cap the Sixers at the first apron, which is currently projected to be roughly $209 million.
If the Sixers cross the first apron, they’ll lose access to the non-taxpayer MLE and will instead have only the $6.1 million taxpayer MLE. If they cross the second apron, they won’t have a mid-level exception at all. They’d only be able to hand out minimum contracts to non-incumbent free agents.
The Sixers could enter the offseason with $36-plus million of breathing room below the first apron, but that’s before factoring in them potentially keeping Barlow (likely), Watford (maybe?), Terry (ehh…), Walker (duh) and Bona (double duh). That also doesn’t account for new contracts for Oubre and/or Grimes.
If the Sixers use the non-taxpayer MLE, it’ll likely signal that they’re moving on from both Oubre and Grimes. If they bring back both, there’s almost no way that they can use the non-taxpayer MLE and stay under their first-apron hard cap without moving one of Embiid, Maxey or George.
So, the short answer is that we don’t know which mid-level exception the Sixers will have this offseason or which one they’d even plan to use. They wound up using most of the taxpayer MLE last season, although they didn’t spend any of it during the offseason. They saved it to use in-season, which they mostly did on Barlow.
Under former team president Daryl Morey, the Sixers seemingly tried to avoid hard-capping themselves at the first apron over the past few years. It’s unclear whether they’ll immediately alter that approach under new team president Mike Gansey, although he’s coming from a Cleveland Cavaliers team that boasted the league’s most expensive payroll this past season. He has plenty of experience running pricey teams.
If both Oubre and Grimes sign elsewhere, the Sixers might not have a choice but to spend the non-taxpayer MLE in an effort to replace them. They’ll have to ask themselves which path gets them closer to a championship in both the short and long term and go with that.
Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
