Apr 26, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Seattle Mariners first baseman Connor Joe (9) celebrates after hitting a double against the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Good morning everyone and happy Friday!
The Mariners dropped the first game of the Athletics series last night by a 7-4 score as the M’s pitching staff couldn’t quite stem the flow of A’s runs. They’ll get another opportunity to notch a win today with first pitch scheduled for 7:10pm PT.
Andy McCullough at The Athletic checked in on several managers who are on the hot seat as the season draws to a close — including our own Dan Wilson. ($)
The Tigers have been one of the unluckiest teams in recent memory. Jay Jaffe at Fangraphs marveled at the difference between their actual record and Pythagorean record.
In case you missed it, the Los Angeles Clippers were handed down several punishments for circumventing the salary cap to sign star Kawhi Leonard — an investigation initially launched by podcaster Pablo Torre. Matt Yoder wrote about the importance of unbiased journalism in an era where basically everyone is bought and paid for.
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 03: Adley Rutschman #31 of the Boston Red Sox rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Thursday, September 3, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Alyssa Piazza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With a mostly successful series against the Angels behind them, the Yankees had the benefit of a day off on Thursday, before heading down the coast to San Diego. As the American League playoff picture remains clustered, New York was able to make up some free ground in the division, while several other playoff hopefuls duked it out on a busy night of baseball.
Let’s take a look at what went down around the Junior Circuit.
Texas Rangers (70-71) 6, Tampa Bay Rays (83-57) 0
In case the title didn’t spoil anything, the Tampa Bay bats went cold in Texas on Thursday. They managed just three hits in their scoreless effort, as the Rangers earned a good all-around win to crawl closer to .500.
Things were scoreless through three innings in this one, before singles from Justin Foscue and Ezequiel Duran in the fourth and fifth respectively put the Rangers up 2-0. Later on in the fifth, Corey Seager delivered the big blow when he mashed a two-run shot for his 14th homer of the season.
While the bats had built a 4-0 lead, Cal Quantrill was giving it his all on the mound. The veteran right-hander ultimately tossed seven scoreless frames, allowing just a pair of hits while striking out five Tampa Bay hitters.
Quantrill’s efforts, along with a pair of scoreless innings from Jakob Junis and Chase Silseth, kept the Rays out of the run column all night, as they dropped one on the road. For good measure, a triple from Evan Carter and a sacrifice fly from Jake Burger plated the final runs of the night, as Texas cruised to a 6-0 victory. Despite sitting a game under .500, they are still just a half-game out of the final AL wild card spot.
Other Games
Houston Astros (72-69) 6, Chicago White Sox (73-67) 2
It was a busy night in the West, as the Astros maintained their lead with a win as well. After a Jose Altuve two-run homer had them up early, a pair of RBI knocks from the Sox had things squared up after two innings. In the bottom half of the fourth, extra-base hits from Isaac Paredes and Daulton Varsho scored three runs, before a Christian Walker single plated the fourth run of the inning. From that point, both squads were done scoring on the night, as Hunter Brown settled in to his solid six-inning outing, before the Houston ‘pen secured things in the latter portion of this one. With the win, the Astros maintain their two-game lead out west.
Boston Red Sox (76-65) 6, Seattle Mariners (66-75) 5
In an AL East battle, the Red Sox held on for a big win over the O’s in a close affair. Both squads plated a run in the first, before Baltimore jumped ahead in the third inning, with solo home runs coming from Luis Robert Jr. and Pete Alonso. From there, however, the Sox began to chip away. Adley Rutschman swatted his second homer of the game in the sixth (in his return to Baltimore), before Isiah Kiner-Falefa tied the game with a single an inning later. Finally, it was homers from Nick Sogard and Roman Anthony that decided this one, which put Boston up 6-3. The O’s fought hard, including another homer in the ninth that got them to within one run again, but it wouldn’t be enough.
Toronto Blue Jays (70-71) 6, Cleveland Guardians (70-70) 3
A four-run fifth inning was the difference-maker for the Jays on Thursday. A two-run double from Nathan Lukes was the big hit in the inning, and was part of his solid night that saw him tally a pair of hits. It was a shaky outing for relative newcomer José Soriano, who gave up three runs in 4.2 innings, but the Jays bullpen kept the game scoreless over the final 4.1 innings. The Guardians stay at three games back in the Central, while Toronto is fully entrenched in the hectic AL wild card picture.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 02: Henry Bolte #33 of the Athletics is congratulated by teammates following a two run home run against the Texas Rangers during the fourth inning at Globe Life Field on September 02, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Friday A’s fans!
Last night, the Athletics kicked off a four-game series against their division-rival the Seattle Mariners with a 7-4 victory.
With 21 games remaining, the team’s focus should be on building for next season while trying to avoid the dreaded 100-loss mark. The Athletics have a golden opportunity to play spoiler in upcoming matchups against the Mariners, Cleveland Guardians and Houston Astros, three teams vying for playoff berths. Given how tightly contested the American League West is, how the Mariners and Astros fare against the A’s could help decide who represents the division in the postseason.
When assessing what went wrong, individuals will justifiably single out the pitching staff, which for a second straight season failed to pitch effectively during home games at Sutter Health Park. That resulted in the dismissals of pitching coach Scott Emerson and general manager David Forst, while manager Mark Kotsay remains employed for now.
However, the A’s have enjoyed some positives. Top prospects Henry Bolte, Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, Tommy White and Gage Jump have made their MLB debuts, with Bolte and Jump particularly proving they have the ability to be pivotal pieces of the team’s roster moving forward. Right-hander J.T. Ginn emerged as the most consistent member of the club’s starting rotation, while Hogan Harris and Luis Medina became the most reliable members of the below-average bullpen.
Down on the farm, the Athletics’ top two picks of the 2025 MLB Draft, left-handed pitcher Jamie Arnold and outfielder Devin Taylor, showcased their vast potential in their first professional season. Additionally, fellow left-hander Wei-En-Lin’s Double-A dominance earned him a spot among MLB Pipeline’s Top-100 prospects before he suffered season-ending Tommy-John surgery.
Finally, in the low minors, recent international signing Breyson Guedez put his name on the map with a standout first season in the U.S., while this year’s first-round pick, Drew Burress, began his professional journey with a flourish at Single-A Stockton.
Despite all the losing, there remains hope that improved roster construction and better injury luck could help the Green and Gold return to prominence next season. That is, of course, if there is a season. How many games do you think will be missed because of the looming lockout?
What do you think of this person’s take? If there is a season next year, which pitcher should the A’s target in free agency this offseason to strengthen their rotation?
Next years rotation out of spring training in my eyes going into the offseason:
Guaranteed spot:
Severino Ginn
Not a guaranteed spot, but almost a guaranteed spot
Quite the Triple-A introduction for Devin Taylor. His rapid ascent through the minor leagues puts him firmly on the A’s radar as a potential impact call-up next season. Taylor could replace Brent Rooker as the team’s designated hitter, take over one of its corner-outfield spots or even be used as trade bait to acquire a talented pitcher for the Green and Gold.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 12: Gage Wood #14 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches in the MLB All-Star Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Wood you believe that a pitcher in his first full professional season could strike out 10 in four innings? That’s one way to Gage a prospect’s progress.
Scranton/Wilks-Barre 4, Lehigh Valley 3
The RailRiders walked off the IronPigs on an Oswaldo Cabrera single. Alan Rangel went 5.1 innings with four hits, two runs (one earned), and six K; Kyle Backhus had a blown save, and Kirby Snead took the loss. Gabriel Rincones Jr. was two for four with a double, and Carter Kieboom was two for two with a double after coming in to replace Alex Binelas, removed with an injury, at first base.
Reading 10, Hartford 5
The Fightin Phils had 14 hits on the night against the Yard Goats. Pedro León and Caleb Ricketts had three apiece, Dante Nori, Raylin Heredia, and Aroon Escobar had two each. Bryan Rincon had a rough night (0 for five, three K) in a rough stretch (his fifth consecutive game without a hit). Gage Wood had a whopping 10 strikeouts in just 4 innings, walking two and allowing two runs on four hits.
Hub City 2, Jersey Shore 1
The BlueClaws capitalize both halves of their compound name, but the Spartanburgers don’t. That’s not really important. What is important is turning your hits into runs. Both Hub City and Jersey Shore had six hits, but the Spartanburgers eked one more run out of their half-dozen knocks. Four of those six BlueClaw hits came from the duo of Nathan Humphreys and Daunte Stuart, who had two each; Humphreys also reached base on an HBP. Starter Ryan Dromboski allowed all six Hub City hits and both runs over five innings of work; though one of those runs was unearned thanks to an error from Scott Mudler at first. He struck out five and walked one.
Clearwater 9, Fort Myers 3
In game one of this doubleheader, the Threshers got the better of the Mighty Mussels thanks to a six-run fourth. Eight of the Clearwater nine had hits, with Reece Moroney and Matthew Ferrara having two each; the former also reached twice via the free pass. Tyler Spangler and Jonathan Hogart matched Moroney for walks, and Will Gasparino outdid them by taking three. Starter Sean Youngerman went five inning with three hits, one ER, and three K. Interestingly, all of the Thresher hits were singles; they had to push their baserunners home the old fashioned way (though with the aid of copious free passes and a few HBPs).
Clearwater 6, Fort Myers 5
Clearwater went into the seventh (and final, given the MiLB doubleheader rules) inning down five. They then proceeded to score six. A parade of singles, aided by a walk, a wild pitch, and an error, spelled victory for the Threshers. Jack Hopko’s single to center ended the memorable affair. As in the first game, Reece Moroney and Matthew Ferrara both had two hits. Starter Zuher Yousuf went four innings with five hits, 3 ER, and 4 K, surrendering two homers. Richie Cortese got the win thanks to pitching a hitless inning in the top of the seventh.
26 August 2026, North Rhine-Westphalia, Cologne: A bumblebee flies into the flower of a dahlia at Flora. Photo: Oliver Berg/dpa (Photo by Oliver Berg/picture alliance via Getty Images)
I thought I had a ton of content to include in the notes, then realized there were just a handful of bullet points to it, so I needed to wait a few days to pad it further. Maybe we’re not so close to the new season as I initially thought.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has his own answer to the “King of New York” debate.
Jalen Brunson, however, wants absolutely no part of that.
“Imagine I get on this call with you, right? I’m like, ‘Yo, no king of New York’s here,’ whatever, whatever. You guys are going to look like, ‘What the f**k, this dude is so self-centered.’”
NYP’s Stefan Bondy believes Josh Hart and the Knicks remain on track to stay together long term, even if an extension does not happen immediately. He thinks, however, Karl-Anthony Towns’ next contract could become one of the Knicks’ biggest financial decisions. Meanwhile, Bondy sees Deuce McBride as an increasingly likely trade asset.
Jalen Brunson already has an eye on life after basketball.
“I would coach high school or the pros. I would not want to coach college.”
Julius Randle says he has no bitterness about watching the Knicks win a championship after his departure. Never stop liking Jules, fellas.
Josh Hart surely knows who won the Mikal Bridges trade.
Miles McBride brought the Larry O’Brien Trophy back to his old high school community. Deuuuuuuuuce!!!
Jose Alvarado is aiming significantly higher than simply remaining a useful Knicks reserve, hunting for that 6MOY award next season.
“I still haven’t done what I wanted to do with my career. I got a lot of goals that I want to push for and this is probably going to be the most hard-working summer I probably put in. I want to be in the conversation of Sixth Man of the Year one day. Obviously I got to work, obviously situations where the minutes, consistency and stuff like that is always going to be a problem because I know I’m never going to pass the eye test. If you look at me, I’m not the most tallest, most athletic to the NBA world. So I just know going into a room, I got to be the most out-working person, hardest-working person and the rest will take care of itself.”
The Knicks are still looking for a third center, and SI’s Joseph Randazzo floated Chris Boucher as a possible veteran option.
Believe it or not, OG Anunoby is headed to network television.
Jordan Clarkson has apparently been officially friend-zoned by Bebe Rexha. In a busy week for JC, he also crossed paths with rising tennis star Alex Eala at the U.S. Open, with the two bonding over their Filipino heritage.
Philadelphia keeps signing superstars, the latest being 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall.
Kevin Durant has a clear post-playing-career ambition already in mind: running Team USA.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 28: President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti and general manager Mike Chernoff of the Cleveland Guardians watch batting practice prior to a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field on April 28, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Guardians lost another series yesterday, dropping the finale to the Blue Jays 6-3. Yet, in a weak American League and American League Central, there is still room to hope.
The Tigers come to town today, starting with a doubleheader at 2:10PM and 7:10PM ET today.
Jeff McNerny and I commiserated about this mediocre Guardians team on the Disgusting Baseball Podcast last night.
Around MLB:
The White Sox, Orioles and Mariners lost, and Astros and Rangers won.
The Los Angeles Clippers got handed arguably the worst punishment in NBA history for salary cap circumvention, fined millions of dollars as well as losing consecutive first round draft picks. Beginning in 2029, the Clippers will forfeit their top draft picks until 2033, leaving the NBA draft with less draft selections than normal. And Warriors star Draymond Green does not agree with how the draft pick forfeiture is being handled.
Green offered a proposal for what the league should do with the lost draft picks on his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show.” And he is all for making sure that the picks go to different teams so that the number of draft selections stays the same, giving incoming prospects the same opportunity to hear their names called.
“Here’s one thing I will say,” Green said. “Usually in these situations where draft picks get snatched, you look up and it’s just 29 first round picks. I think the NBA needs to do something about that. And I think the NBA needs to do something about that for a few reasons. Number one, it’s not fair to guys who have the opportunity to be one of 60 and then all of a sudden teams lose three picks somewhere in the 30 team system and you get three picks snatched and then there’s 57 draft picks this year.
“That’s not fair to three guys who can possibly get their name called, who’ve worked their whole lives for an opportunity at being one of 60. I think that sucks for guys who have worked their ass off. I think it sucks for the NBA as a whole. I think at some point the NBA has to figure out a system where when a pick gets snatched, maybe it goes into a lottery to certain teams. Maybe you can do something to where those picks didn’t go somewhere else. But just getting rid of the picks as a whole, I don’t think that’s fair, I don’t think that’s great for the NBA. You want 60 draft picks… I think those picks should go elsewhere… .”
The investigation into the Clippers began in September 2025 after a journalist reported that Kawhi Leonard and a company called Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC. — a company that went bankrupt the same year– were involved in an endorsement deal that could have broken NBA rules.
The Clippers maintained they did nothing wrong, but after the league investigation wrapped up, they found the team guilty and handed down a harsh punishment that included a one-year suspension for owner Steve Ballmer from all league and team activities, a $30 million fine and the stripped draft picks. As for Leonard, a trade back to the Toronto Raptors was halted during the investigation.
Green’s proposal hasn’t been discussed in any capacity but is interesting because it would allow the league to continue normally while still punishing the Clippers for their wrongdoings. And while there is no indication yet that Green’s thought will be taken seriously, it is an interesting one that could benefit the NBA.
Green is entering his 14th season, both in the NBA and with Golden State, and while his podcasting career is going strong, he is eager to continue playing at a high level and lead the Warriors back to the postseason. A four-time NBA champion, Green hopes he can win at least one more ring before riding off into the sunset.
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced that they have signed Brendan Brisson to a one-year contract on Friday. His salary cap hit is $850,00, according to PuckPedia. In the minors, he'll earn $300,000.
Brisson, 24, is coming off a one-year contract. He was a pending RFA at the beginning of this off-season, but the New York Rangers decided not to qualify him, which made him a UFA.
The left winger still has a lot to prove at the NHL level. In his career, he's played 27 games across parts of three seasons, registering two goals and nine points.
Brisson spent this past season with the Rangers, but played just three games in the NHL. Most of his time was in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack. In the minors, he produced 19 goals and 37 points and a minus-32 rating on a team that finished last in the league.
In terms of his role in the Maple Leafs organization, he'll be a depth player who spends most of his time in the minors with the Toronto Marlies, coming off a Calder Cup championship.
Brisson is still a relatively young player. If he shows some promise in the minors this coming season, perhaps the Leafs would be inclined to keep him around a bit longer. And in a perfect world, Brisson should have many years of professional hockey in his locker.
The Vegas Golden Knights were the team that drafted Brisson. He was selected in the first round of the 2020 draft with the 20th overall pick. Before being traded to New York, he made nine NHL appearances for Vegas and didn't mark a single point while averaging 9:52 per game. With the AHL's Henderson Silver Knights, he scored five goals and 19 points in 45 games.
His best stint in the NHL was in 2023-24 when he played 15 NHL games that year. Brisson went on to score two goals and eight points for the Golden Knights.
The 2022-23 season marked his best AHL season, scoring 18 goals and 37 points in 58 contests.
Brisson had a rather impressive stretch before entering the professional leagues. In 2019-20, he was a member of the Chicago Steel in the USHL. In what was his rookie season, he scored 24 goals and 59 points in 45 appearances. That was good enough to get him named the USHL rookie of the year.
The 6-foot forward also has a World Junior Championship gold medal under his belt from the 2021 tournament. Brisson notched two goals in seven games for Team USA.
He also competed in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics for the Americans, recording two goals in four games.
Brisson was also successful in the NCAA, playing two seasons for the University of Michigan in 2020-21 and 2021-22. In his rookie season at the college level, he scored 10 goals and 21 points in 24 games. He followed that up with a 21-goal and 42-point campaign in 38 games the next year.
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BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 2: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox prepares to receive the Wally the Green Monster hat for his solo home run from Wilyer Abreu #52 against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning at Fenway Park on September 2, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning! Roman Anthony has been on fire since finally finishing his rehab assignment. In his five games since returning he has slashed .455/.500/.909 with 2 homers, 2 doubles, and a triple. He is so good that he is somehow 5th on the team in position player bWAR despite being 16th in games played.
But there is one stat he’s lagging behind on this week: he has just 2 RBI, both of which came on his two solo shots.
This raises the question: should the Sox consider batting him somewhere other than leadoff?
On one hand, you don’t want to mess with what’s working. And it goes without saying that a hitter who gets on base as much as he does is exactly what you want at the top of the order. But it is worth considering the obvious fact that production with the bases empty doesn’t help the team as much as production with someone on.
Moreover, the Sox do have a pretty good candidate to take that leadoff spot: Nick Sogard has posted a .368 OBP since returning to the big leagues in late July, with 21 walks and 9 doubles in 34 games. It’s hard not to salivate at the thought of Anthony hitting with Sogard already on second ahead of him.
Talk about the batting order and whatever else you want in this space and, as always, be good to one another.
Barring a catastrophe, the Houston Rockets will make the playoffs in 2026-27.
Making the playoffs is no longer enough.
If they don’t win a series this year, they’ll need major systemic changes. It isn’t even up for debate. It might start with firing Ime Udoka, but that’s actually my next article.
(In the industry, that’s called a plug).
For now, let’s drink a half-full glass of optimism juice. The Rockets certainly have the talent to advance to (at least) the second round. After the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, they should be able to beat anybody in a playoff series (although the newly formed Timberwolves would like a word, and Jokic is still a Nugget…anyway, optimism).
Here are three keys to a successful 2026-27 season
1. Improved Shooting
As was the parlance in the 1990s, no duh.
It’s less about accuracy and more about volume. The Rockets were 10th in three-point percentage in 2025-26 (36.4%), but 28th in threes attempted per game (31.5). If they’d taken one three all year and hit it, they’d have shot a historic 100.0% from three-point range.
Fred VanVleet, who shot 7.7 threes per game in 2024-25, will help. More would be nice. Expanding Reed Sheppard’s role could suffice, but that’s at odds with VanVleet getting his shots up, and with Marcus Smart in the fold…well, we’ll see what happens.
Could Alperen Sengun get one more up per game, and ideally start hitting more? Amen Thompson is too far from a “credible shooter” to even wishcast.
It would be optimal if Kevin Durant would slightly adjust his shooting profile, but that’s unlikely. He’s been the perfect shot creator, in a vacuum, for his entire, illustrious career. He now finds himself on a team that needs fewer mid-range shots and more threes, but he’s a pretty old dog to expect a new trick from.
Wherever the Rockets find more threes, they need more threes.
2. Veteran Health
This one is also obvious.
They’re all obvious, OK? There’s no hidden blade. The Rockets are arguably the best rebounding team ever. They’re a top-end defensive team. They need better shooting; they need luck, and they need one more equally obvious thing that’s going to be the third key.
(In the literary world, that’s what we call poor foreshadowing because everyone knew it was coming anyway).
Last year, Durant was available for a remarkable 78 games. Then, he was largely unavailable in the playoffs when it mattered. That sure was annoying.
VanVleet infamously suited up for 0 contests. Can he play back-to-backs? Can Steven Adams?
Does any of it matter if the young guys can’t step up?
3. A Breakout Season
Sengun still has not put together a season where he maximized his impact on both ends of the floor. As I recently covered, neither has Amen Thompson.
With Thompson’s fresh extension, those two now account for roughly 40% of the team’s cap space. So, they’re the obvious breakout candidates:
But they’re not the only ones.
Some of us have long suspected that Jabari Smith Jr. could be a late bloomer. This would be a good year to bloom. A Reed Sheppard who isn’t wearing a “right this way, gentleman” T-shirt on defense could change the team.
Even Tari Eason has demonstrated more of an ability to get to his midrange jumper than some fans have given him credit for (although, if he could just return to his previous defensive impact, that would be good enough).
Generally speaking, the obvious route would be for one of Thompson or Sengun to step up from “fringe All-Star” to “fringe All-NBA”. If Smith Jr. could make a leap from “fringe starter” to “fringe All-Star”, that would also be impactful, and so forth. The Rockets need their veterans to stay healthy, but they’ll only go as far as the young guys can carry them:
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - AUGUST 30: Ty France #25 of the San Diego Padres slides in to third base against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fourth inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field on August 30, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres dropped two of three games to the Pittsburgh Pirates before going on the road to face the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians. They return to Petco Park battered and bruised after a 1-5 road trip to host the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals.
Despite the struggles the Padres will still play meaningful games over the final 22 games of the regular season thanks in large part to the Philadelphia Phillies who took two of three from the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend. San Diego is a half game out of the final Wild Card position and holds their postseason fate in its hands. The most glaring area of need after their trip to Cincinnati was hitting with runners in scoring position. Over the final two games against the Reds, both losses, the Padres went 1-for-17 in that category. Between the lack of timely hits and the untimely inability to play fundamental baseball the current potential playoff berth picture could and probably should look much worse.
San Diego will have to improve in all three phases of the game if it is going to put an end to its current streak of poor play. At times, the offense has looked unstoppable, but then it just disappears. The same could be said for the starting pitching, which had back-to-back poor outings from Randy Vasquez and Casey Mize. The bullpen, which has been the strength of the team throughout the season, has been hittable and no one outside of Yuki Matsui has been immune.
Hopefully the hometown crowd and the friendly confines of Petco are just what the Padres need to get right, but if for some reason they are not, it could be a slow and agonizing end to the season. We should have a feeling one way or the other when San Diego opens its series against New York tonight at 6:40 p.m.
Padres News:
Padres manager Craig Stammen has some decisions to make and could have more if Nick Pivetta and/or maybe Joe Musgrove return from the IL. Fair or not, his first year and how it will be remembered hinges on how he manages the next 22 games.
There are probably questions from the Friar Faithful about what went into the decision to call up top prospect Ethan Salas. AJ Cassavell of Padres.com has the answer.
As soon as we saw that Ben Simmons was returning to the NBA, one thought came to mind:
FREAKING STATS!!!
Simmons, who just turned 30 in July, has had one of the strangest careers in NBA history, with an unprecedented first four seasons followed by injuries, mediocrity and inconsistency. He’s always been either really, really good or really, really bad. The good part of his career was so good that despite the last few years, his overall numbers are still remarkable.
Which is why we’re here!
So here we go with 10 Ben Simmons stats you won’t find anywhere else!
1. Ben Simmons had 32 triple doubles in his first 300 career games, and only three players have had more in their first 300 games, and all three are legends: Oscar Robertson (109), Luka Dončić (54) and Magic Johnson (52). Charles Barkley had the next-most among 76ers in their first 300 games with six. Overall, Simmons’ 33 career triple doubles are 14th-most in NBA history.
2. With career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game, Simmons is one of only six players in NBA history to average 13 points, 7.0 points and 7.0 assists per game. The others: Dončić, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Robertson and Nikola Jokić.
3. Only Simmons, Jokić and James also averaged 13, 7 and 7 and more than half a block per game. Only Johnson, James and Simmons averaged 13, 7, 7 and at least 1.5 steals. So in NBA history only Simmons and James have averaged 13 points, 7.0 assists, 7.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks per game
4. Simmons is the 2nd-youngest player in NBA history to score 4,000 points with 2,000 rebounds and 2,000 assists. He reached the last of those milestones – assists – on March 25, 2001, in a win over the Lakers at Staples Center at the age of 24 years, 240 days. Dončić reached all three milestones before turning 23.
5. Simmons is one of only four players in NBA history to shoot over 55 percent in his career but below 14 percent from 3-point range (minimum 30 3-point attempts). Simmons is a career 55.8 percent shooter but 13.9 percent from 3. The others are former 76er Montrezl Harrell, Mason Plumlee and Bo Outlaw.
6. In 2018, Simmons became only the second rookie in NBA history to average at least 8.0 assists, 8.0 rebounds and the first since Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson with the Cincinnati Royals in 1961. Simmons averaged 15.8 points, 8.2 assists and 8.0 rebounds, and 57 years earlier Robertson averaged 30.5 points, 9.7 assists and 10.1 rebounds per game. But Simmons shot 55 percent from the field and Robertson just 47 percent, so Simmons to this day is the only rookie ever to average 15 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game and shoot over 50 percent from the field. The only other 76er to do that at any point in his career is Wilt Chamberlain in 1968, with 24.3 points, 23.8 rebounds (!) and 8.6 assists per game and 60 percent from the field.
7. In Simmons’ first four seasons with the 76ers, he averaged at least 14 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists and shot at least 54 percent from the field. Every other 76er in franchise history combined has had two such seasons – Wilt Chamberlain in 1967 and in 1968. The only other NBA player with four consecutive seasons reaching those plateaus is Jokić, who has done it six straight years since 2021.
8. With career posteason averages of 12.2 points, 6.6 assists and 7.2 rebounds per game and 57 percent from the field, Simmons is the only player in history over 12, 6 and 6 and 55 percent in the playoffs. The only other player to average 12 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds and shoot over 50 percent in the postseason is Jokić (27.4, 7.7, 12.4, 52 percent).
9. Since leaving the 76ers after the 2022 season, Simmons has averaged just 5.9 points in 108 games with the Celtics and Clippers but 5.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. He’s the only player in NBA history to average over 5 ½ rebounds and assists in any 108-game span while still averaging below 6.0 points per game.
10. When Simmons plays his first game with Sacramento after playing for the 76ers, Nets and Clippers, he’ll be the first overall No. 1 pick to play for four teams since former teammate Markelle Fultz, who the 76ers selected No. 1 in 2017, a year after Simmons. Fultz has played for the 76ers, Magic, Kings and Raptors.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 4: Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Balmer before a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Intuit Dome on February 4, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Wally Skalij/Getty Images) 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. | Getty Images
In case you missed it (or were sitting under a rock for the last couple of days) the Clippers got hammered by the league with penalties stemming from their circumvention dance with Kawhi Leonard and his uncle.
I’m sure that most of you also realized that the Celtics have a Clippers pick in 2028. But there are complicated provisions related to where the pick lands, swaps with other teams, and it just makes my head hurt to think through the different variations.
With all that said, the clearest explanation I saw on this comes from BRobb at MassLive.
Celtics get a 2028 first-round lottery pick via swap from PHI/LAC if:
The Clippers’ pick lands between 1 and 16 and/or Sixers’ pick lands between 1 and 8. Celtics would get the higher of these picks in this scenario via a swap with their own pick.
Celtics get a 2028 first-round pick outright from Clippers if:
The Clippers pick falls between 17 and 30 and Sixers pick falls between 9 and 30. In that scenario, Celtics get the Clippers pick outright without having to swap their own.
There are flow charts and percentage tables out there if you are interested. But I’ll find it hard to follow all the math until we at least get into next offseason and see what the Clippers end up doing.
So the bottom line is that we should be doing something that we would do normally: Rooting against the Sixers and Clippers. I guess I don’t have any specific dislike of the Clippers, more of a sad pity for their fans. But in this case the team dug the hole with their own aspirational shovels.
It will be interesting to see how the Clippers navigate the next couple of years. I’ve seen some suggest that they should lean into taking on bad contracts (for the cost of other people’s draft picks). Balmer is banned from the team for a year, but his money is still limitless, so they could just pay their way through this. But it will still be very hard without all those draft picks.
Anyway, the Celtics have an asset in that 2028 pick and it seems to have gotten a bit better because of all this. Now we wait and see what Brad Stevens intends to do with that asset.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 11: Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs (37) makes a save as Washington Capitals left wing Brandon Duhaime (22) tries to tip the puck past him during the first period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals on April 11, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s something of a similar story in Pittsburgh. After finishing second in the Metro last season, after a string of campaigns in the division’s basement before that, the Penguins enter 2026-27 looking to prove their resurgence was more than a one-year fluke.
They’ll do so with a lineup that’s seen plenty of turnover this summer. New offensive talents Andrei Kuzmenko and Nick Robertson are dotted among the forward corps’ bottom six, and new blue-liners Trevor van Riemsdyk and Kaedan Korczak will slot in to replace key depth pieces. The most important change, though, might be the fact that the net will be turned over to young Arturs Silovs.
The 25-year-old split netminding duties with a veteran partner for the entirety of last season — first with Tristan Jarry and then Stuart Skinner following the trade that brought the two-time Cup finalist to Pittsburgh. It was Skinner who got the start for the first few games of the post-season, before Silovs took over and nearly pulled Pittsburgh back from an 0-3 series deficit. With Skinner headed to Winnipeg, it’ll be up to Silovs and young Sergei Murashov to keep Sidney Crosby’s club in the post-season picture once again.
It’s an interesting choice by them. The low-hanging fruit would be to pick Sidney Crosby or Erik Karlsson and call it a day. Neither of which would be an incorrect answer. Without excellent seasons from the team’s best forward and/or its best defenseman, Pittsburgh’s season is bound to have a very low ceiling.
The choice of Silovs isn’t a bad one. It highlights what we mentioned over the summer – the veteran goalie role filled by Tristan Jarry and then Stuart Skinner last year is out the door. Both players have been maligned at times, not for unfounded reasons, but both were solid last year for the Pens. Between their combined stints, the ‘veteran goalie’ provided a +13.92 goals saved above expected last season (7.59 for Jarry, 6.33 for Skinner). Jamming that together like some Frankenstein creation and the Jarry/Skinner combo would have been the 13th best GSAE goalie in the NHL last season.
Silovs was way down the list at -5.69, 75th among 89 NHL goalies. Sergei Murashov was at -1.66 in his limited NHL action.
If those trends were to continue, the Pens would be just as doomed as any variable. Though you wouldn’t see the perspective strictly from stats like save percentage or goals against average, the Pens got a big boost from their vet goalies doing more than their share to step up and make a clutch stop when needed. They didn’t get that as much from the younger goalies, and now the younger group is all that remains moving forward.
As always, there is more to the story. News came out after the year that Silovs was battling through a knee injury late in the season. That didn’t prevent him from playing three tremendous playoff games to keep Pittsburgh’s year alive. The Pens will be counting on that version of Silovs – seen before in the playoffs in Vancouver and in glimpses with Latvia internationally, to step up his level of play. More importantly, he’ll have to maintain it, or keep the valleys as low and brief as possible. That’s been a challenge for him in the past, it grows in significance now that there isn’t an established NHL starter to fall back upon.
In the end, with the way the Pens are built, they will both help a goalie with tremendous support offensively to make up for their shortcomings defensively. This isn’t a team built to try and win 2-1 or even 3-2 type of games. The Pens are going to go out there and try to score four or five goals on any given night and hope that’s enough to stand up for the win. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t their night. As seen last year, they don’t need a Vezina caliber goalie in net, they just need an anchor that can buckle down and pick them up or hold them in games until the offense can kick in and out-score their issues.
That will be Silovs’ big task moving forward as the 1A goalie entering the year. He played 39 games last season and likely won’t be asked for a large increase in that department. In the games he plays, however, the Pens are definitely going to need Silovs to step up and deliver a better GSAE than he was able to provide last season. It’s a big ask and can’t be expected that Silovs alone can rank 13th like the Jarry/Skinner combo did. It’s just going to have to be a lot better than 75th this time around.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 30: Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics speaks to the media after Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Boston Celtics 106-93. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks now have five Europeans on their roster, and the NBA is getting increasingly more international and influenced by the European style of play.
After primarily focusing on the European perspective in part I and part II, it’s time to take a look at this topic from the other side in part III: the American perspective, and one European NBA coach.
Toni Canyameras, a reporter for the Spanish sports media Mundo Deportivo, covers the NBA from Toronto and has the unique perspective of a European reporter on the ground.
In collaboration with Toni Canyameras, who has been asking multiple current and former NBA coaches about their view on this exact topic through the last few seasons, we dive into how the coaches on the floor view this.
It seems fitting to start with the first European head coach in the NBA who led a team an entire season and who is the first European coach to lead an NBA team to the playoffs. That’s of course Toronto Raptors head coach – and Serbian – Darko Rajakovic, who took over in Toronto in 2023.
Last season, Toni Canyameras asked him why Serbia produces so many great players – like Nikola Jokic. His answer can be used to help explain European success on a bigger scale, as well. This is what he said:
“Serbia has a huge basketball tradition. It’s a country that has had a lot of success over the last decades and the last half century. Basketball is the number one sport in the country, there is a lot of pride, a lot of pressure when you play for the Serbian national team.”
“Serbia is a small country with only 6 million people. So many great players come from there, because basketball is so special, means so much to people – and all the kids grow up watching the stars back in the day: Djordjevic, Divac, Bodiroga… and now watching Nikola Jokic, Bogdanovic and all the young players in the league,” Rajakovic said.
In Serbia, they can’t afford to waste talent, he points out, making the development of every single player a focus.
“Player development there is very important because it is a small country. We don’t have talent to waste, so every kid shows up to play basketball being short or tall, being skinny or not skinny. We are trying to maximize every single kid that wants to play basketball and I think that helps coaches to maximize potential.”
🏀 🇷🇸 The #NBA season is approaching and the nice pregame quotes of Rajakovic, too
👉🏽 Like this reflection on why Serbia produces players like Jokic
“Basketball means so much. Player development is important because is a small country and there’s no talent to waste” pic.twitter.com/HtZuKFlzjz
This insight gives a great perspective into what seems to be the more effective developmental system of Europe. The smaller talent pool in general may not be a downside all the time at all, but could serve as a way to help find the unique strengths of every talented player rather than try to make everyone fit into a box.
If nothing else, the European boom, the European NBA revolution – or if you will, the increasing dominance of European players in the National Basketball Association (of America), does not stem from having the most athletic or explosive players – and focusing on developing that type and skillset.
Because in order to compete, Europeans had to stand out in other ways. Ahmet Melik Subaşı, Turkish basketball executive and author of part II of this series, touched on that in his piece.
“In tactical terms, they either had to develop superior systems that would allow them to play the game more efficiently with less effort and despite having lower physical standards, or they had to develop players whose fundamental skills were so exceptional that they could compensate for the physical gap – players capable of creating magic with the ball,” he pointed out in part II.
Former Blazers coach Chauncey Billups agrees. Back in 2024, he said that the gap between Europe and the US had closed – exactly because Europe has a better player development system, teaching players how to play modern basketball:
“I do think that the gap has closed. I can tell you the difference. In the United States, when we grow up learning the game, we grow up learning skills, dribbling moves, we love highlight reels, shooting.”
“I think that in international basketball, they learn how to play modern basketball from a very young age, when to drop back, how to get off screens, how to handle the pick and roll, how to read the game properly. We aren’t taught that, so international players have an advantage over us because they are taught the game the right way.”
The advantage the other way around, mostly focused on individual skills and athleticism, is not enough by itself anymore, according to Billups:
“We have an advantage because individually, we are very gifted. You see players like the Joker (Nikola Jokic) or Luka (Doncic). These guys can’t beat me in a one-legged race or jump higher than me, but nobody in the NBA can defend them because they play mentally, with their heads, and their skill level evens things out. It’s a dynamic combination.”
This dynamic combination of European skill and IQ has led to the international players winning the NBA MVP since 2019, and Europeans receiving all but the last two (which went to another international: Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander). On top of that, the top three finalists for MVP have consistently been Europeans, as well, with players like Slovenian Luka Doncic, Serbian Nikola Jokic, and Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo being repeat offenders, with Frenchman Victor Wembanyama entering the race last year.
But how are these players, along with a long list of European NBA players able to continue this dominance in the best league in the world without some of the athletic and individual gifts – which Billups mentions?
Basketball IQ is one thing that keeps recurring in the NBA coaches’ answers. Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla tends to agree:
“You study some trends, things they do there, and it shows they have really smart players and coaches. I like the development system they have from kids to adults. They play with the same shot clock, they understand how to read the game, they do things faster at a younger age, which develops decision-making and basketball IQ,” Mazzulla said in 2024.
But things have also changed in the way Americans develop young players, longtime NBA coach Steve Clifford told Toni Canyameras. Clifford says he doesn’t think the American players’ basketball IQ is being developed in the same way as it used to be:
“My conclusion about basketball in my country is this: kids come into the league right after college games. Their shot creation, dribbling skills, and shooting accuracy are better than ever; they’re better with the ball, but their basketball IQ isn’t even close to what it used to be. Their understanding of how to work as a team offensively and defensively isn’t even close to what it used to be, because they don’t use the best coaches,” he said.
He makes the point that American players generally aren’t spending enough time playing college basketball, which is where you find some of the best US coaches.
“There aren’t high school coaches like there used to be. We have phenomenal college coaches, but the players aren’t even there for a year, just seven months. They don’t get the benefit of playing four years for Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski, longtime Duke head coach). We’re getting kids who don’t know about basketball, how to play. Their shot creation and accuracy are phenomenal, but their basketball IQ is nonexistent.”
Their basketball IQ is nonexistent. A powerful – albeit painful – sentence that may encapsulate a lot of the reasons why Europeans have taken the lead on how to develop players and dominate the game.
But Clifford isn’t done:
“Europeans, in most countries, learn when they are 13 or 14 years old. They go to these academies and are taught to play 3×3, 4×4, they are taught how to help each other, so there is a clear difference.”
He doesn’t have a lot of faith in American development catching up any time soon, however:
“Frankly, I don’t think it’s going to change. The United States is a money-making machine and there’s no way the teaching will go back.”
Doc Rivers, in 2025 when he was still the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, talked about the shortage of American centers and why European centers are playing bigger roles on NBA teams, generally:
“I just think they don’t have an AAU. And I hate to say that, I think AAU can serve a better purpose for us. But the European kids practice a lot, they practice on fundamentals. They spend hours in the gym practicing, where the US kids play games and they don’t practice on fundamentals and skills,” he told Toni Canyameras, which echoes the point multiple Europeans made in Part I of this series.
“I think right now we’re in the middle of having to change that and if we don’t change that, we’re going to continue to be outplayed,” Doc Rivers said.
It is worth noting that the narrative of Europeans being “soft” and not as physical as the Americans, which was prevalent a decade or two ago, seems to have disappeared.
It turns out that in the most physical position – the five center position – Europeans are outplaying the Americans, as Doc Rivers touches on. Almost all of the big men, who play significant roles on NBA teams at this point in time, are Europeans.
Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively could be an exception, if he can manage to stay healthy. We saw him play up against Wembanyama in his rookie season, and he has a lot of what it takes to make a real impact. In 2024, I wrote a piece touching on exactly that, where I called Lively’s skillset a great sign for the future of the American big man.
But not all NBA coaches buy into the viewpoint that the Europeans are ahead of the Americans.
Toni Canyameras asked Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder back in 2024, what he saw as the differences between the American player development system and the European system:
“I don’t think there’s a huge difference between what we have here and in Europe, but there are certainly some differences. I think here, when we think about development, we always think about 1-on-1 and 2-on-2. The fact that in Europe they’re trained in a 5-on-5 system means you could say they’re taught how to play with other people through passing. There are some things that carry over to the United States and things we can learn from,” Snyder said.
And when you ask Europeans what the difference is between the two styles, that’s exactly what they respond. Playing through passing, sharing the ball, team basketball versus individualism.
Could that mean that Europe has closed the gap by playing their own style, as other coaches have implied?
Former NBA coach Monty Williams was not so sure. Toni Canyameras asked him this question based on the results in the last World Cup tournaments.
“That question has come up a lot, and I truly believe the world has improved, but I’m not going to say the gap is closed because we’ve never seen our best talent in these particular World Cup tournaments. It’s a difficult question, and I don’t want to sound disrespectful. I’ve seen the spirit of those teams. I’ve been in the corridor with our guys, listening to their music, and other teams singing their anthems, preparing for the matches. I understand how important it is for every country we face there.”
National team success is one way to gauge dominance. Here, Germany and Spain won the last two World Cup tournaments. Another is the nationality of the players topping the MVP ladder and other awards.
Basketball is a competition where the best team wins. Not the best player, or the one with the best highlight reel. There’s no way around the fact that individualism doesn’t serve anyone in a team sport – and it doesn’t create a winning mentality or team success.
And it looks like we’re seeing the brunt of that mindset right now. If and when the American developmental system and players change the focus to become more team-oriented again, Europeans will lose some of their edge. If they manage to get back to teaching players how to develop their basketball IQ early on, Europeans will have to level up again.
And for all of us, who love the competition of team sports, this is a great race to witness. The race to greatness will sharpen both sides and result in the very best basketball possible. And that should be the aim above all else – to get to witness the very best by the very best.
Thank you to Toni Canyameras for quotes, links and collaboration.
