Saints’ self-destruction has left Kim Hellberg and Sergej Jakirovic tantalisingly close to fulfilling their dream in Saturday’s Wembley trip
When the television cameras zoomed in for a closeup it became clear Hayden Hackney was crying.
Middlesbrough’s best player had just watched his teammates lose the second leg of the Championship playoff semi-final 2-1 in extra time at Southampton. As he left his seat behind the away dugout and wandered across the pitch, the Redcar-born midfield playmaker looked utterly heartbroken.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 19: Kristaps Porzingis #7 of the Golden State Warriors slaps hands with teammate Al Horford #20 as Porzingis walks off the court against the Boston Celtics in the first half at Chase Center on February 19, 2026 in San Francisco, California. 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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors are facing another difficult roster balancing act this offseason, particularly when it comes to their center rotation of Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.
In a column by The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami, he questioned whether Golden State would realistically want to bring both veterans back next season. The conversation stems from head coach Steve Kerr’s recent comments about how difficult it was to manage a roster where several players either could not play back-to-backs or missed extended periods of time throughout the year.
Also, Butler and Moody will count on the roster but won’t be playing for a while next season. So the other 13 spots shouldn’t and can’t be filled with players likely to miss a lot of time.
In this environment, I don’t see how the Warriors can bring back both Kristaps Porzingis (unrestricted free agent) and Al Horford (player option for next season), even if both are interested in returning. I think they’re not likely to bid too high if De’Anthony Melton declines his player option. And I don’t see much chance of using up a roster spot for Seth Curry again.
Although Porzingis averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 15 regular season appearances for Golden State, he also missed 16 games during that stretch, continuing the availability concerns that have followed him throughout much of his career. Horford, meanwhile, averaged 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists across 45 games this season. However, he was unable to play back-to-backs all year long due to veteran load management, contributing to him missing 37 regular season games.
Still, both players remain intriguing fits for the Warriors because of their floor spacing, defense, basketball IQ, and overall versatility. They just both come with durability concerns which Golden State will need to seriously evaluate given the current state of the roster.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Friday, May 22nd:
The Warriors were optimistic Porziņģis could stay healthy and produce after acquiring him from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield before February’s trade deadline, but that wasn’t meant to be as Porziņģis played just 15 games and struggled to stay on the floor. He developed a strong relationship with vice president of player health and performance Rick Celebrini, but he was noncommittal about a return while discussing his future at the end of the season. The biggest question surrounding Porziņģis: What does his market look like after two injury-plagued years? The Warriors would be wise to wait out the rest of the league and see who they are bidding against before deciding whether or not to bring the big man back.
11. Golden State Warriors: Cameron Carr, SG/SF, Baylor
Throughout Steve Kerr and Mike Dunleavy’s first press conference since the end of the season, the Warriors’ coach and general manager mentioned multiple times a lack of depth on the wings from injuries to Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody. Our last mock draft’s pick, Yaxel Lendeborg, fills that need. Going with Carr might be the perfect balance of a player who can help now and projects major future upside.
The combine did wonders for Carr. He came in a little under 6-foot-5 barefoot and a lanky 184 pounds with an eye-popping 7-foot wingspan. Carr shot lights out in drills and then wowed everyone during his one scrimmage, where he scored 30 points with six 3-pointers and seven rebounds.
With his length and silky-smooth jumper, Carr can play shooting guard and small forward depending on who’s around him. The Baylor product can both splash threes as a great movement shooter and swat shots away as a two-way player for years to come. As a 21-year-old who will turn 22 in late November, Carr is a great combo of present and future for a Warriors team that wants to get younger and more athletic. –DJ
In addition to his interest from Chicago, I’m told Jerry Stackhouse will also be interviewing for Portland’s next head coaching position this weekend. https://t.co/F2obTZ3NpQ
Whatever is happening, Gilgeous-Alexander is peeling himself off the floor more often these days. In Game 1 on Monday night, Gilgeous-Alexander fell six times on his shots, the most he had tallied in any game this playoff run.
He wasn’t done. SGA topped that high mark in Game 2 on Wednesday night, falling a staggering nine times on his shots (including fouled attempts). That’s more than Wembanyama has fallen in this entire postseason on his shot attempts. Considering that Wembanyama has gotten a whistle nearly every time he has fallen (seven out of eight), maybe he should dive more often. Or not.
Per a report by Justin Kroll of Deadline, Golden State Valkyries wing Gabby Williams is among three WNBA players who are currently slotted to appear in Courtside, a sports-based romantic comedy film by Run-A-Muck, a multi-platform company that is launching a women’s sports division with this project. Williams, former WNBA big Theresa Plaisance, and Indiana Fever point guard Sydney Colson are all currently a part of the project. Colson is also an executive producer.
Entering the season, most prospect lists had 3-4 Phillies prospects listed amongst their top-100.
Baseball America had three: shortstop Aidan Miller (No. 14), starting pitcher Andrew Painter (No. 32) and outfielder Justin Crawford (No. 75).
Baseball Prospectus was a bit more bullish, listing five: Miller (13), Painter (51), starter Gage Wood (77), infielder Aroon Escobar (78) and Crawford (98).
But with 50 MLB games now under their belts, Painter and Crawford have graduated and are no longer considered prospects. Therefore, some of the updated lists are light on Phils prospects.
Perhaps it’s not terribly surprising news, given the departure of Painter and Crawford, but it’s still a bit depressing when you consider Miller has yet to come close to playing an actual baseball game this season.
There were encouraging reports this week that Miller’s back issue was slowly getting better. Don Mattingly said Miller is “beginning to do light baseball activity,” which everyone hopes is more than playing catch with the Iron Pigs’ ball boys. But it does not appear he is swinging a bat as of yet.
Miller’s back injury is a cause for concern, even as the Phils attempt to downplay it. Information about it has been scant so far this spring, and it’s obvious Miller could lose a significant amount of important development in AAA. At this point, there should be no expectation of him joining the big league club at all in ‘26.
With Miller out, Wood is scheduled to make his first start for Reading since his promotion tonight (Friday), and is the only prospect in the system deemed worthy of inclusion among the game’s best.
That’s not to say there aren’t some intriguing prospects in the system, particularly at AA, where Escobar, center fielder Dante Nori, reliever Alex McFarlane, shortstop Bryan Rincon and Carson DeMartini.
McFarlane: 16 games, 0.57 ERA, 15.2 IP, 21/7 K/BB ratio
At the moment, none of the four position players listed project as potential All Stars. McFarlane could be a bullpen piece as soon as this year, so there is some hope there. But a top 100 prospect he will not be.
One of the items Dave Dombrowski was supposed to address was the farm system and, with Painter and Crawford in the Majors, the hope is those two will be the first promotions to make a major impact on the big league club. So far, the results are mixed, but plenty of time remains.
But entering the season, the Phils’ farm system, even with Painter and Crawford included and Miller’s back injury largely unknown, MLB Pipeline ranked it No. 20. They wrote:
It’s a good thing when your top three prospects — all Top 100 guys — will have the chance to contribute to the big league roster this year. Two of them, Andrew Painter and Justin Crawford, should make the Opening Day roster. Just beyond the Top 100 prospects, there’s excitement brewing with 2025 first-rounder Gage Wood and 2026 international signee Francisco Renteria, who is already creating buzz in the organization.
Renteria is certainly an intriguing prospect the team has sunk a lot of money into ($4 million for a 17-year-old), but he’s only just begun playing in the Phils’ Dominican Summer League.
Clearly there’s a lot of work still to do to get the organization’s farm system to a point it’s among the game’s best. The first step would be for Aidan Miller’s back to start cooperating.
A delectable Friday slate is upon us, and I have a few plays that should satisfy those cravings, as we are diving into a loaded menu of props and a few spicy sprinkles across this piece.
Tonight, we will be eyeing Jack Flaherty, Kyle Schwarber, and Shea Langeliers in what could be a profitable evening at the diamond in our MLB player props.
A prop I have been monitoring over the last few weeks has become one of my favorite sweats. Sure, I am 1-1 so far taking the over on Jack Flaherty walks, and sure, he had none the last time I was on the prop.
However, the first time, he walked three guys in his first 39 pitches. The Detroit Tigers right-hander owns an 18.4% walk rate on the road this season, allowing 3.6 walks per road outing.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the Baltimore Orioles have six hitters with at least a 7.7% walk rate. Zoom in a little more, and four guys own a walk rate of 11.1% or higher. Overall, as a team, they sport a 10.3% walk rate, tied for 10th in baseball.
If trying to find the zone on the road is Flaherty's kryptonite, I want to continue taking the over on his walks, especially away from home. I'd pass on this prop if you have to pay juice. Look for a book offering plus money, as the risk outweighs laying any extra vig.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: AppleTV
Kyle Schwarber Over 1.5 Hits, Runs, RBI (+100)
We will be going to the bank twice today, first to Citizens Bank Park, then to our personal banks to deposit our winnings (hopefully), as Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber finds himself in a great spot this evening against Cleveland Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams. The Phillies designated hitter owns the highest hitter rating in this matchup, per Batters-Box.
In 96 elite ratings at home, Schwarber has produced incredible trends, recording at least a hit 64.58% of the time and cashing this prop 56.25% of the time. The slugger has also surpassed 2+ HRR in eight of his last 10 elite ratings.
Left-handed hitters have given Williams hell this season, as he has allowed a ton of hard contact and plenty of home runs, nine through 10 starts. On top of that, against the last 60 lefties he has faced, the right-hander owns a 1.93 HR/9, while those hitters sport a .685 xSLG.
If you are able to find Schwarber's hit prop below -150 and you are in the juice-paying business, take it. However, only take his HRR prop if you can get it at plus money. His hit prices are surprisingly low this evening.
Also, do not be afraid to sprinkle on the big fella to leave the yard today either, as he homers 35.42% of the time at home when carrying an elite rating.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CleGuardians.TV, NBCSP
Shea Langeliers Over 1.5 Hits, Runs, RBI (-115)
We are ending the evening with a BANG, a Shea Langeliers bang, by taking the over 1.5 hits, runs, RBI prop this evening against San Diego Padres right-hander Walker Buehler, who owns the second-worst pitcher rating on the day on Batters-Box.
The Padres starter also has poorly rated average hitter matchup numbers in wOBA, ISO, and strikeout percentage.
Over his last couple starts, Buehler has allowed right-handed hitters to make a ton of hard contact and elevate the baseball, posting just a 34.9% ground ball rate over the last 60 right-handed hitters faced.
The Athletics star catcher owns the third-highest elite rating in this matchup. In 16 elite ratings away from home, Langeliers has produced strong trends:
1+ Hit: 62.5%
1+ RBI: 56.25%
2+ HRR: 50%
Home Run: 31.25%
Langeliers also owns the third-highest arsenal coverage on the day among elite-rated hitters, crushing nearly 75% of Buehler's offerings. On top of that, he has been terrorizing right-handed pitching this season, owning a 16.19% barrel rate.
With how strong the percentage changes are for the Athletics slugger, I also sprinkled on his home run prop as well. If you cannot find a number hovering around -115 for his HRR, take his bases prop at plus money.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSCA, Padres.TV
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Needing a healthy arm following the injury to Clay Holmes, the Mets are calling up top pitching prospect Jonah Tong, the team announced Friday.
In a corresponding move, New York is designating veteran relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel for assignment.
Manager Carlos Mendoza had hinted at Tong being called up on Wednesday after he was scratched from his Triple-A start, saying the 22-year-old was "in play" to pitch against the Miami Marlins over the weekend.
Tong struggled in his brief major league stint at the end of the 2025 regular season, going 2-3 with a 7.71 ERA over five starts, but the team is still high on his future.
Kimbrel, 37, has struggled over 14 appearances with the Mets. The veteran is 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA and recently tossed 2.2 innings against the Nationals, but let up an eighth-inning HR in the loss. In addition to the results on the field, the move shouldn't come as too much of a surprise with A.J. Minter nearing a return to the majors.
The Lakers are ready to empty the tank. So long as they can land Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Bucks.
ESPN insider Shams Charania revealed on “The Rich Eisen Show” on Thursday what the Lakers would need to give up to land Antetokounmpo.
The Lakers reportedly are ready to go all in to acquire Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“The Lakers expressed interest in Giannis at the deadline,” Charania said. “Right now what they’ll be able to offer is three first-round picks in cap space and essentially absorb Giannis’ contract.”
If the Lakers can pull off the trade for Antetokounmpo, they would give up the No. 25 pick in this year’s draft and two unprotected future first-round picks. By doing this, they would create cap flexibility and would be able to absorb Antetokounmpo’s salary.
Giannis says he prefers Miami over LA
Dragic: “Vacation, LA or Miami?”
Giannis: “Miami. Miami, Miami. I think LA superficial. I don’t like LA”
Antetokounmpo, 31, has two years left on his deal with a player option following the 2026-27 season. He will make $58.5 million this season and $62.3 million the following year.
Even with potentially adding Antetokounmpo, Charania said the Lakers want to bring back LeBron James, who is mulling retirement.
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania revealed what it would take for the Lakers to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Rich Eisen Show
Charania also said Antetokounmpo and James’ cap situations would theoretically overlap, so the Lakers would need to figure something out if they wanted to team Antetokounmpo with James, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
But while the Lakers have been dreaming of a star-studded cast like this, they will also need to convince Antetokounmpo to play in Los Angeles. In the past, he has said LA is “superficial.”
Charania also noted Milwaukee could get better trade offers from other teams.
“I do think when you look at the best of the options that Milwaukee could get, I think there’s other avenues potentially there,” Charania said. “But certainly, if in the world that he would end up there, their worlds would be intertwined in a way.”
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Summer's here, and the time is right for doffing in the seats.
A cavalcade of young, sweaty youths have overtaken Major League Baseball stadiums from coast to coast, extending a trend that has its roots in the bleachers of college football stadium.
"Tarps Off," as the kids call it, first gained traction in October 2025, when a harmless bet resulted in an Oklahoma State fan removing his shirt and twirling it amid a section of lifeless fans at a football game, according to crowd behavior anthropologists.
Soon, the act spread to Wisconsin and UCLA and North Carolina and Virginia Tech, young men channeling a sentiment originally expressed in Petey Pablo's first single from his 2001 debut album:
North Carolina, raise up. Take your shirt off, twist it 'round your handSpin it like a helicopter
How 'Tarps Off' came to MLB
Naturally, "Tarps Off" went into hibernation during the winter, yet emerged in the most unlikely of places: Denver's Coors Field.
Barely two months after Punxsutawney Phil allegedly cursed us with a few more weeks of winter, fans of the sad-sack Colorado Rockies brought the tradition to the big leagues on April 8, with a singular fan in Section 329 going guns out as the club aimed to complete a sweep of the Houston Astros.
Soon, a group of young men huddled around the iconic purple row that marks one mile above sea level at the ballpark. The crowd swelled. The Rockies won.
And "Tarps Off" was a thing.
'Tarps Off' goes mainstream
The trend soon accelerated thanks in part to the superstitious culture surrounding baseball. When members of the Stephen F. Austin club baseball team populated a section in the 200 level of Busch Stadium at a May 15 game and the Cardinals rallied for a 5-4, 11-inning walk-off win over the Kansas City Royals, manager Oliver Marmol couldn't help but notice.
And correlate the shirtless bros with a team W.
"Whoever started that in right field, I'll do whatever I need to do to make sure they come every game," Marmol said after the game, in something of a preamble to the Tarps Off Constitution. "Because that was awesome. Not only them, but everybody that showed up today. That was a fun environment."
Marmol didn't stop there, inviting the pectoral preeners into the Cardinals clubhouse and offering to buy tickets to any fan wanting to "sit in the right field loge and bring the energy."
'Tarps Off': What's next?
That created a wave of "Tarps Off" movements. In Anaheim, where "Sell the team!" and "Arte sucks!" chants became de rigueur as owner Arte Moreno pilots the franchise to its 11th consecutive losing season, the chant gained extra spice when paired with the shirtless crowd.
Now, it's been seen in virtually every ballpark, with various between-innings dance cams honing in on men of all ages pumping their fists and waving their shirts and ramping up their Vitamin D intake. It is sure to be a summertime staple, particularly as temperatures reach triple digits and a day at the ballpark becomes not unlike a good schvitz in the sauna.
At some point – and perhaps that point has arrived – it will be viewed as a little too tired, too contrived, too 2025. At the same time, in an era when sports leagues and franchises are shaking down municipalities for new stadiums that expand luxury areas while squeezing out the cheap seats and creating scarcity that drives up ticket prices, "Tarps Off" truly belongs to the people.
The lords of the loge. The vamps of the view section. Even if the practice, rooted in spontaneity, is now remarkably mainstream.
Corbin Carroll delivered the game-winning RBI in the ninth inning for Arizona to beat Colorado, 2-1, in Thursday's series opener. Friday's matchup is the second of a four game series.
The Diamondbacks have extended its winning streak to five consecutive games. In the last week (six games), Arizona is hitting an MLB-best .300 with the second-most hits (60). The Diamondbacks managed four this yesterday and eight walks to eight strikeouts as an offense.
Colorado is in a rough patch with three straight losses and four of the past five. The Rockies pitching staff has a 5.03 ERA (23rd) over the last week and has the second-highest amount of walks (29) in that span (six games). Colorado has been outscored 17-5 in the last three games and 33-22 in the previous six.
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 Rockies at Diamondbacks
Date: Friday, May 22, 2026
Time: 9:40 PM EST
Site: Chase Field
City: Phoenix, AZ
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
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 Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll is hitting .282 with 46 hits and 90 total bases over 163 at-bats
The Diamondbacks’ James McCann is hitting .203 with 12 hits and 17 strikeouts over 59 at-bats
The Rockies’ Troy Johnston is hitting .324 with 48 hits and 67 total bases over 148 at-bats
The Rockies’ Ezequiel Tovar is hitting .206 with 34 hits and 48 strikeouts over 165 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 Rockies at Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks are 30-19 ATS this season, ranking third-best
The Rockies are 27-24 ATS this season
The Diamondbacks are 25-22-2 to the Over
The Rockies are 27-23-1 to the Under
The Diamondbacks are 15-8 ATS at home, ranking second-best
The Rockies are 14-12 ATS on the road and 9-17 on the ML
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rockies and the Diamondbacks
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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 Friday's game between the Rockies and the Diamondbacks:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Diamondbacks on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Diamondbacks at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 9.0
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UPDATE: Added prediction for who will win & a +900 SGP!
Anyone who’s ever played pickup basketball knows exactly how frustrating Game 2 was for Evan Mobley.
There is nothing worse than starting a game red-hot, only to have your teammates completely freeze you out to jack up contested shots.
It happens at the YMCA, and apparently, it happens in the Eastern Conference Finals. Cleveland cooled a sizzling start from their 7-footer by forcing a barrage of missed threes in Wednesday’s loss.
My Knicks vs. Cavaliers predictions recognize Mobley’s massive scoring upside tonight—even if his own team forgot about him—and our best NBA picks are riding the Over on his points prop for Game 3.
Knicks vs Cavaliers Game 3 prediction tonight
Who will win Knicks vs Cavaliers Game 3?
Knicks: New York's extended break between series is showing. The Cavaliers went from a seven-game frying pan into the fire of the Eastern Conference finals, with little rest and recovery.
Cleveland’s legs look heavy in the final frame, Donovan Mitchell is playing through pain, and New York just has too many offensive options to counter.
The Knicks have been barnstormers in the playoffs, going 4-1 SU and ATS on the road.
Knicks vs Cavaliers best bet: Evan Mobley Over 15.5 points (-125)
Evan Mobley came out guns blazing in Game 2, scoring 14 points in the first half — just a bucket shy of his O/U of 15.5.
However, Mobley wouldn’t score again. His usage dipped from 21.4% in the 1H to an embarrassing 5.3% in the final 24 minutes.
While the New York Knicks did a better job denying the Cleveland Cavaliers’ bigs, Cleveland is at its best when Mobley gets going, and it needs to keep the 7-footer involved.
Mobley will enjoy an uptick in scoring at home, and his Game 3 projections sit as high as 18 points.
COVERS INTEL: Evan Mobley went 6-for-8 from the floor in Game 2 and did not attempt a single shot in the second half. The last four times he failed to reach double-digit FGAs (without injury), Mobley bounced back with performances of 14, 17, 23, and 25 points in the following game.
Knicks vs Cavaliers Game 3 same-game parlay
At least the Cavaliers get to sleep in their own beds before Game 3. Cleveland looks tired, and head coach Kenny Atkinson is outclassed against a loaded Knicks attack and a crafty Mike Brown. New York has been excellent on the road, boasting a 4-1 SU mark as a visitor in the playoffs.
Mobley had topped his scoring total in five straight games before going MIA in the second half of Game 2 — falling just two points shy of his O/U. He left points at the foul line, and Cleveland needs to focus on getting him touches, as we’ve seen the Knicks struggle against talented bigs in the postseason.
The athletic forward hasn’t been as active in the offense as he works his way back from a tender hamstring, but he’s one player who doesn’t shrink in enemy territory. Anunoby scores almost two points more per game on the road and has averaged 26.7 points per game in three road playoff games.
Knicks vs Cavaliers SGP
Knicks moneyline
Evan Mobley Over 15.5 points
OG Anunoby Over 14.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Uh Oh(io)
The Knicks offense is a well-oiled machine at this point in the playoffs. With the Cavs blitzing Brunson, he’s finding open teammates for a ton of assists.
Anunoby’s energy thrives on the road, and Karl-Anthony Towns is taking plenty of 3-point attempts, coming away with three triples in Game 2.
Projection models call for 17+ from OG, 7+ dimes from Brunson, and a pair of treys from KAT in a Game 3 win for New York.
Should this spread hold up, New York will be an underdog for just the 20th time all year. The Knicks are 11-8 ATS in the previous 19 games as a pup, with the final score playing Under the total in 14 of those 19 outings. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Cavaliers.
How to watch Knicks vs Cavaliers Game 3
Location
Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
Date
Saturday, May 23, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Knicks vs Cavaliers latest injuries
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Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies wait to play as it rains on the at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Aug. 13, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals weekend series versus the Cincinnati Reds will have to wait until Saturday as the team just announced that Friday night’s game has been postponed due to weather. Saturday will now see a double-header (weather permitting, of course) with the first game being at 12:10pm central time and the night game scheduled to start at 6:10pm central time. Both games viewable on Cardinals.tv.
When NHL teams are searching for a new head coach, just like the Toronto Maple Leafs are after firing Craig Berube, there's a common theme of a range of candidates coming from a coaching carousel.
Typically, veteran coaches who get relieved land on their feet with another team in short order. It happened to Peter DeBoer when he was fired by the Dallas Stars last off-season, and hired by the New York Islanders at the tail-end of the past regular season.
Jay Woodcroft spent this past season as an assistant coach of the Anaheim Ducks. He has played a role in the young Ducks having a breakout season, especially offensively.
Woodcroft has looked after the Ducks' power play and is an offense-minded coach. That would explain the rapid and impressive growth of Anaheim's young star forwards, such as Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier and Beckett Sennecke.
Before joining the Ducks at the start of this past campaign, he was the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers for parts of three seasons.
He was hired by Edmonton midway through 2021-22 and was let go 13 games into the 2023-24 campaign. Therefore, Woodcroft only led the Oilers for one full year in 2022-23.
Nonetheless, he had a good year with the Oilers, leading that team to a 109-point finish and a 50-23-9 record.
He has experience in managing superstars in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, which would translate to coaching Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Woodcroft also got to work alongside a future Hall of Fame coach in Joel Quenneville this past year.
It's also worth noting that Toronto is Woodcroft's hometown.
Dean Evason has much more experience as an NHL head coach compared to Woodcroft, but the 61-year-old isn't exactly a veteran, as he's coached 378 regular-season games in his career.
Nonetheless, he's spent parts of seven seasons as a coach in the NHL, with his time shared between the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets.
Evason's first stint was with Minnesota, which lasted three full campaigns after leading the Wild bench for 12 games in 2019-20 as the successor to Bruce Boudreau. Since then, Evason led the Wild to the post-season in every campaign, except in 2023-24 when he was fired after a 5-10-4 start to the year.
In 2024-25, he joined the Blue Jackets and coached them to a very respectable fourth-place finish in the Metropolitan Division. Columbus missed the playoffs by just a pair of points in the standings, but the team's effort following the loss of Johnny Gaudreau was inspiring.
Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell felt that he needed to make a coaching change 45 games into the following season, and Rick Bowness came in to replace Evason.
Drew Bannister wasn't a head coach in the NHL for a very long time. In fact, he only coached the St. Louis Blues for 76 outings between 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Bannister's tenure as the head coach of the Blues started when he was named the interim bench boss when Berube was fired, and coached the final 54 games of that season. He ended that year with a respectable 30-19-5 record.
When the next season rolled around, Bannister stayed on board after inking a two-year contract extension, removing his interim tag. But just 22 games in with a 9-12-1 record, Jim Montgomery became available after losing his job with the Boston Bruins, and Blues GM Doug Armstrong jumped on the opportunity to bring him in.
That move came at the cost of Bannister's job, before he really had the chance to coach at the NHL level.
Before becoming the head coach in St. Louis, Bannister led from behind the bench for the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds. In his stint with the Thunderbirds, he guided them to a Calder Cup final appearance in 2021-22.
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Vegas Golden Knightscaptain Mark Stone took the ice for morning skate ahead of Game 2 of the Western Conference Final. He has missed the last four postseason games with a lower-body injury.
Per Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella, he will miss a fifth straight game. Tortorella confirmed that Stone is OUT for Game 2.
All signs pointed to Stone missing Game 2. At morning skate, the team did not do line rushes, but Stone participated in drills. He stayed out on the ice with the scratches and hung back when they headed off. Once Stone was the only player on the ice, he skated laps around the rink with Golden Knights skills coach Sean Ferrell for several minutes.
Stone has been out since Game 3 of the Golden Knights’ Second Round series against the Anaheim Ducks. He played just 4:24 before suffering a non-contact injury in the first period. He returned to the bench during the second period, but after testing his legs during a TV timeout, slammed his stick down and headed down the tunnel.
This is the first time Stone has been on the ice with the full team since his injury, although he did skate with the scratchesprior to Game 1. This could be a positive development as the Golden Knights continue on in the Western Conference Final against the mighty Colorado Avalanche.
Charles Barkley must’ve forgotten he’s an ESPN guy now.
The “Inside the NBA” co-star, who used to be seen on TNT broadcasts before the show moved over to the Worldwide Leader this season, criticized ESPN’s lead NBA insider Shams Charania after he broke news on social media about the NBA MVP award before the official league announcement.
“(Amazon) paid $2.5 billion for the next 11 years. I think they deserved an exclusive. I think the NBA should be embarrassed that that got out. “You know, you can’t charge these networks that much money and then don’t give them some exclusives on some things. I mean, I just think that’s unfair.”
The NBA was scheduled to announce Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the NBA MVP during its Amazon Prime Video studio show on May 17, but got scooped by Charania at 9 a.m. ET, citing multiple sources.
Gilgeous-Alexander won the MVP award cleanly, as a panel of 100 media members gave him 83 first-place votes for 939 voting points overall to claim his second straight award.
Nikola Jokic came in second place with 10 first-place votes and 634 points — the second straight year he’s been runner-up to SGA.
May 15, 2018; Chicago, IL, USA; NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum hands Phoenix Suns player Josh Jackson the number one pick card during the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery at the Palmer House Hilton. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
The offseason continues to roll along. Days keep falling off the calendar, and somehow we’re already nearly a month away from the 2026 NBA Draft. Yes, technically it’s still over a month away, which is the funny part about the NBA calendar. The season flies by, then once the offseason hits, time suddenly starts moving like you’re standing in line at the DMV.
That said, we’re officially at the point where draft conversations start taking over the landscape. We begin scouting prospects, building boards, and debating which direction the Phoenix Suns should ultimately take. They have a pick this year, albeit the 17th pick in the second round and 47th overall, but it still presents an opportunity. An opportunity to grow, an opportunity to develop, and an opportunity at hope. Sure, Paul Millsap is probably the best player ever drafted at 47, but maybe that changes. Maybe this year’s pick will be impactful for Phoenix.
Before we can arrive at a definitive answer of which way we think the Suns should go, I think it’s important to first understand what paths actually exist for Phoenix and why those paths matter. Because this isn’t simply about identifying a prospect and calling it a day. There are multiple layers attached to this conversation. Roster construction. Financial limitations. Development timelines. Prospect evaluation. Organizational direction. All of it intertwines together when you’re trying to determine what the Suns should do next.
So let’s talk about it.
Understanding Phoenix’s Roster Picture
Before we even begin exploring who might be available at pick 47, it’s important to first understand who and what the Phoenix Suns currently are from a roster construction standpoint entering this offseason.
This is a team coming off an unexpectedly successful season in which they won 45 games and, quite honestly, still left plenty on the table. Between injuries and a handful of late-season collapses, Phoenix realistically could have been a 50-win team. When you combine that with the messaging from the organization about continuity and development being priorities, there really isn’t a ton of wiggle room attached to this draft class from the Suns’ perspective.
You already have Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming entering their sophomore seasons on guaranteed contracts. Koby Brea returns on a two-way deal. Add Oso Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn into the equation as third-year players, and the youth movement is already alive and well in Phoenix. With Devin Booker leading the way alongside Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green, the Suns largely appear set on the identity they want to carry into next season.
There are still obvious questions surrounding the futures of Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, and Mark Williams, especially when you factor in the financial implications of retaining all three. We still don’t fully know how aggressive Phoenix wants to be relative to the luxury tax and first apron.
When you look at the roster holistically though, it feels like there may only be one true open roster spot available if the organization successfully brings back the players it wants to retain. That likely leaves Amir Coffey as the odd man out, especially considering Haywood Highsmith is already on a non-guaranteed contract that Phoenix can choose to keep active.
Could the Suns use that roster spot on the 47th pick? Absolutely. Could they leave it open in case they move Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, or even Jalen Green in a trade? Sure.
Still, if Phoenix keeps the pick and drafts at 47, the most likely outcome is that player spends significant time on a two-way contract and in the G League. That’s typically what happens with selections in this range, especially when you consider Isaiah Livers will no longer be eligible for a two-way deal next season. And realistically, if the Suns move Allen or O’Neale, they probably aren’t bringing back two players in return. More likely it’s one smaller contract paired with draft compensation.
Phoenix also values flexibility. The organization has consistently preferred keeping that 15th roster spot open throughout the season, and we saw them operate that way last year. If one of their two-way players starts to pop (a la Jamaree Bouyea), that flexibility allows the team to convert them later without having to make a corresponding move.
So that’s where the Suns currently stand from a high-level roster construction perspective. Now comes the harder question. What path should they actually take in the draft?
Three Directions the Suns Could Take
Perhaps it’s rudimentary to say, still, the Phoenix Suns really only have three paths in this draft.
They can trade up.
They can trade out.
Or they can simply make the pick.
Hey, I never said every offseason decision facing Phoenix was overly complicated. This one is actually pretty straightforward.
We’ve already discussed the possibility of trading into the first round, especially with the Oklahoma City Thunder reportedly exploring moving one or both of their first round picks in exchange for future draft capital. If that’s truly the case, Phoenix could probably find a willing partner if it decides moving up is the correct path.
That changes the conversation entirely, though. The 47th pick is most likely a two-way developmental player. If you trade into the lottery range, or even the middle of the first round at 12 or 17, that player immediately occupies a standard roster spot and becomes part of your NBA roster infrastructure moving forward.
We learned from last season that the organization is not interested in automatically handing rotation minutes to young players simply because of draft status. Players still have to earn those opportunities, which honestly is a healthy organizational approach. At the same time, if you trade up that aggressively, there has to be a legitimate developmental plan in place. You need a pathway for that player to realistically become part of the rotation in the near future.
With cap limitations tightening and future draft capital already somewhat limited, Phoenix cannot afford to move up simply for the sake of moving up. If they trade into the first round, it essentially signals they’ve identified a prospect they believe fits both the short-term and long-term vision of the organization, and they’re fully committed to developing him. Otherwise, you’re burning future assets without maximizing the value attached to the move.
There’s another path we really haven’t discussed much either, the possibility Phoenix simply trades out of the draft entirely.
I don’t personally view that as the most likely scenario because the Suns will have an open two-way slot available, and it would make sense to use pick 47 to take another developmental swing. Still, the possibility exists. Maybe Phoenix moves Royce O’Neale and receives a smaller contract and future draft compensation in return, with the 47th pick included in the deal. Unlikely. Still possible.
Maybe the organization simply decides that the current roster is largely complete, aside from some fringe adjustments, and prefers to defer draft capital to create more flexibility in future seasons. The Suns still own a 2027 first round pick, albeit one tied up in swap complications and worst-of-the-worst protections. If Phoenix wants another season to evaluate exactly who and what this roster is before making larger decisions next offseason, moving this year’s second round pick for future value could make some sense.
Then there’s the simplest option of all. Keep the pick. Draft someone at 47, bring him in on a two-way contract, and continue leaning into internal development. Honestly, that still feels like the most likely outcome. Which naturally leads us to the next philosophical thought exercise.
Talent vs. Fit
This is always one of the more fascinating draft conversations. Are you somebody who drafts purely based on talent and the best prospect available? Or are you somebody who believes certain positions can become oversaturated, leading you to prioritize organizational fit and immediate need instead?
Personally, in most situations, I value talent over fit. The one major exception for me was the 2017 NBA Draft, when I felt adding Josh Jackson was duplicative of T. J. Warren, while De’Aaron Fox sat there on the board as a young point guard who matched the same, dare I say, “timeline” as Devin Booker. But generally, I will always lean toward talent over fit because fit is temporary, while talent can become permanent.
If you pigeonhole yourself into falling in love with a prospect simply because he checks a current organizational need, it becomes an incredibly narrow way to view roster construction. Especially when you’re talking about players on rookie scale contracts. At that point, you’re potentially standing in your own way by drafting the puzzle piece that fits today rather than the player who could someday become the puzzle master.
That said, pick 47 doesn’t necessarily carry the same weighted philosophical debate because that player is not expected to contribute immediately. These conversations feel much heavier when discussing lottery picks, although even there, I still prefer drafting talent first.
When you start looking at the range around 47, there’s a real possibility that some guards become available who intrigue the Suns. Jeremy Fears Jr. and Jaden Bradley are two names that have surfaced recently. If Phoenix believes one of those players is the best talent available at 47, then that’s the direction they should go, even if the current guard room already feels crowded.
Because again, the expectation is not that this player contributes immediately. The expectation is that maybe, two or three years down the line, he develops into something meaningful. And honestly, who exactly the Suns will be two or three years from now is impossible to know.
Now maybe you’re somebody who values fit more heavily, and that’s perfectly fine. It’s a philosophical preference. One I personally disagree with, still a valid philosophy nonetheless. If that’s your approach, then maybe you target a player who fills a positional need for Phoenix today. I just wouldn’t recommend approaching pick 47 through that lens.
Whoever the Suns select, there is almost certainly spending significant time with the Valley Suns in the G League next season, developing reps and refining their game. Realistically, that player is going to have little to no immediate impact on the current roster construction of the Suns.
So, from a high-level philosophical standpoint, this is where the Phoenix Suns currently sit and the paths that lie before them.
A lot can still happen between now and draft night. Phoenix could make a trade or two to open additional roster spots, which would naturally alter the organization’s overall draft approach. Maybe they decide to accelerate parts of their timeline and aggressively pursue a move into the lottery. Maybe they remain patient and continue leaning into continuity and internal development. There’s still plenty of time for any of those scenarios to unfold.
The draft begins at 5 p.m. Arizona time on June 23, and if the Suns stand pat, the more important date for Phoenix fans is probably June 24 at 5 p.m., when the second round officially begins. That’s when Phoenix enters the conversation, assuming they keep the 47th overall pick and decide to continue investing in the slow-burning process of internal development.
The 2026 Western Conference Finals feature three very particular players: (1) a tall, lanky unicorn of a player who can move like a guard and shoot lights out from long range; (2) an explosive point guard (drafted fourth overall in his class) who is a triple-double threat on any given night; and (3) a left-handed, six foot five guard (drafted in the top 3 of his class) who comes off the bench but immediately makes an impact when he steps foot on the floor. Did we just describe the 2012 Oklahoma Thunder or this latest iteration of the San Antonio Spurs?
If you look closely enough at anything, you can often cherry pick eerie similarities between two different things. Give me an hour with a cup of coffee, and I can absolutely mirror The Godfather to Gabby’s Dollhouse: Cakey Cat is such a Fredo Corleone. Of course, the 2026 Spurs are not exactly the same as the 2012 Thunder. However, it shouldn’t be too uncanny to see the type of players NBA GMs prefer (e.g., height and length, athleticism, work ethic, basketball IQ, etc.). If anything, Stephon Castle is more DJ Catnip than Michael Corleone, but if you try to convince me that Victor Wembanyama isn’t Sonny Corleone with the way he threw them sharp elbows in the last round then don’t bother reading my modernized Godfather fan fiction where Google Maps takes Sonny on a faster, alternate route and he avoids the tollbooth massacre.
All of that is to say teams (and good front offices, at least) gravitate toward certain types of players and roster constructions. In the case of both the Spurs and the Thunder of the 2000 teens (I’m workshopping that one, it’s not the best. Life was easier when we could just say the ’60s, ’80s, and ’90s), they gravitated toward a generational centerpiece player who forced mismatches based on his very unique physical build and offensive skill set. Next, it only seemed natural to pair this rainbow unicorn with a point guard that can get him the ball and be their own scoring option when need be. The rising star that comes off the bench who happens to be left-handed is just a happy coincidence that both the Spurs and Thunder share. But if Dylan Harper shows up next season in a full on lumberjack beard, all bets are off that we aren’t living in a mirror universe designed to irritate big market NBA teams like the Lakers and Knicks.
At least that’s where I hope the similarities end. The infamous breakup of the big three in OKC reads like an NBA Greek tragedy in terms of “what could have been.” Sure, they ran into the Heatles, but what if Harden never left for the Rockets? What if Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook buried the hatchet and instead buried more teams in the playoffs? Watching every iteration of the Spurs from the ’99 Twin Towers to the 2014 Beautiful Game/Foreign Legion, you see the different types of teams they faced, defeated, lost to, etc. Of those teams, the Durant/Westbrook/Harden Thunder were particularly scary. Guarding them was a nightmare that I’m sure kept a lot of head coaches up at night. When Kawhi Leonard clawed the ball away from a screaming down the lane Russell Westbrook in the final moments of overtime in Game 6 of the 2014 Western Conference Finals, I let out a guttural cry of glee, relief, and sports exorcism. Revenge against the Miami Heat cannot happen without going through this scary Thunder team just like Michael couldn’t take revenge on the other crime families without going through his own family betrayal (looking at you, Salvatore Tessio).
Mind you, this is year one of this current iteration of the San Antonio Spurs. At the time of this article, they are tied 1-1 with the 2025 defending champion Oklahoma Thunder. They are the underdogs (like their mirror-verse 2014 Thunder counterparts), and while the series already is and will be memorable, at this current trajectory it does not look like this will be the last time these two teams meet. Sure the pieces around the main characters might change, but given what we’ve seen so far from both teams, both the Spurs and the Thunder are destined to clash again. Two of the smallest market teams consistently rising to the top is no accident. Ping-ponging lottery luck does help a lot. Castle falling to fourth helps a lot. But what teams do when certain basketball players are available to them plays a significant part in their success.
It goes to say how much nature (player skills and talents, draft lottery position) and nurture (team culture, front office) both having to coalesce just right to produce the perfect product we see on the court. Even if 2012 doesn’t seem that far away (oh my goodness, it’s 14 years ago!), it was a different time then—whereas it seems today we have more access to players’ thoughts, opinions, and feelings thanks to social media. Maybe the tension between the Thunder’s big three were obvious to teammates and people around the team, but we just weren’t as aware because “clickbait” and “engagement farming” weren’t as prevalent yet. Maybe it was all a nothing burger in that the tension was trivial because in the end a player might just want more money, a different environment, or be the main character on his own team—all of which are reasonable reasons to leave a team.
Knowing how the Spurs operate and based on what fans see from this current Spurs team, we are mostly (cautiously optimistically) confident that these players will be together for a while. And as a personal fan of De’Aaron Fox, don’t take this article to be De’Aaron Fox erasure. We’re seeing how his absence impacts the team because his presence would certainly help decrease turnovers, stabilize the offense, provide another body to match the insane depth of the Thunder, and be the closer that the Spurs need. Fox is 28 years old. He’s on his own personal basketball journey. He led the plucky but fun 2023 Sacramento Kings team against the Golden State Warriors in Round 1 where they ultimately lost a Game 7 to the Warriors. Now, he’s on the same ride with these young Spurs hoping to punch a ticket to the NBA Finals. This team has already out-kicked its coverage in terms of playoff expectations, and there are still obstacles like Fox and Harper’s health, but the biggest obstacle remains the same: the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The more things change, the more they remain the same. That’s a direct quote from CatRat. If your six-year-old daughter doesn’t make you watch Gabby’s Dollhouse, then you can just take my word for it and not bother fact-checking me.
COVERS INTEL: Evan Mobley went 6-for-8 from the floor in Game 2 and did not attempt a single shot in the second half. The last four times he failed to reach double-digit FGAs (without injury), Mobley 
