The Suns are sending Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and a 2033 first-round pick to the Hornets for Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and 2027 second-round pick, the Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin has confirmed.
Bridges has spent the first eight seasons of his NBA career with Charlotte. He averaged 17.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season.
Allen, also an eight-year NBA veteran, has spent the last three seasons in Phoenix. He led the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage in his first year with the Suns. This past season, he averaged a career-high 16.5 poitns per game.
O'Neale, a nine-year vet, scored a career-best 9.8 points per game last season with the Suns.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 21: Rickard Rakell #67 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates with Sidney Crosby #87 after a 5-4 shootout win over the Winnipeg Jets at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 21, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
It ended up being a mostly uneventful draft weekend for the Pittsburgh Penguins as far as major short-term changes went. They acquired Hendrix Lapierre for draft picks, used some of their stockpile future of picks to get extra 2026 mid-round selections and went about their business of drafting players without many fireworks going down with massive moves.
The big landmark for the NHL offseason is coming up on Wednesday for the July 1st free agency market that officially opens up at noon. Heading into that event, here’s where the Pens stand.
First line forwards: Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust
There’s always at least moderate smoke in the national media picture regarding the potential availability of Rakell and Rust to be traded, yet no trade has happened or seemingly been close. If you look at the ice time splits under Dan Muse last season, there’s these three forwards (who all averaged between 18-20 minutes per game) and then everyone else. The team could always opt tactically to nudge Egor Chinakhov to play with Crosby-Rust again and place Rakell on the second line, but these three right now are the central figures on the team as far as forwards go.
Other key NHL forwards: Evgeni Malkin, Egor Chinakhov, Ben Kindel, Tommy Novak
As of now, these four forwards look to be the base of the ‘second’ and ‘third’ lines, though nomenclature is about the only differential given how Muse has split ice time and assignments. Malkin averaged 14:26 of ES ice time last year, compared to Kindel’s 12:36 – based on the ages of both those numbers will likely be evening out a bit next season. These names can bounce around the lineup, including between center and wing in some cases, but all are in place to take important roles for the team for the players that will probably be in the 13-14 minute of ES ice time per game next year. As mentioned above, there’s the possibility that Chinakhov will grow further into the higher classification of player as the year goes along, but starting him out in this pile feels right for this moment.
‘Fourth’ liners: Connor Dewar, Blake Lizotte
Most fourth liners across the league aren’t pushing 14 minutes per game like these two who tend to take regular shifts throughout the game and are relied on for a ton of defensive zone starts while matching up against scoring line opponents. Dewar and Lizotte will be the backbone of an important line next season that will be listed as a ‘fourth’ line it will still carry a very important part of the action.
Fill out forwards (3 lineup spots): Elmer Soderblom, Justin Brazeau, Hendrix Lapierre, Rutger McGroarty, Avery Hayes, Ville Koivunen, Filip Hallander, Tristan Broz
This group of players will likely float between different roles as the season goes along. Brazeau has played a limited amount but in key places in the lineup, he could yet reprise his role with Kindel and still end up seeing 11-12 ES minutes per game. Soderblom performed well down the stretch. Wingers like Brazeau and Soderblom could see time on lines with good players and yet still end up as the third and seldom-used part of the puzzle.
Lapierre was acquired for two draft picks, including a third rounder, so one would presume he will factor into the lineup at the start of the season in some form. What line that would be, and even whether that is at center or on the wing still could be considered up in the air right now.
Younger forwards who finished the season in the AHL will be knocking on the door but will need strong preseasons to find a role and/or trades sending out vets who currently occupy spots above them. Lapierre’s acquisition without any forwards under contract departing serve to make the math that much worse for players in the grouping of forwards attempting to graduate into the NHL full-time, at this moment anyways.
Left Defense: Parker Wotherspoon, Sam Girard
There’s not a lot currently in the rumor mill tying the Pens to Darnell Nurse, despite Pittsburgh being on a list of three places Nurse would accept a trade. If that avenue isn’t one Pittsburgh is interested in travelling, left defense could be an area to watch for offseason moves since it’s arguably the weakest spot on the roster. Ryan Shea’s camp has to be encouraged that Brett Kulak signed a $4.5 million contract for five years as an indicator the free agent market will be very rewarding for Shea. The Pens will have to find a Shea replacement or risk going into camp depending on a young player like Owen Pickering or Jake Livanavage to step into the playing lineup or have Ilya Solovyov go from a depth option to regular. What the Pens would truly need and want is to find the 2026 version of Wotherspoon as a free agent that wouldn’t cost an arm and leg on his contract and still be able to fill an important role. Finding and securing such a target is usually a very tall task.
Right Defense: Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang
It might already be time to put Harrison Brunicke’s name in pencil (or a sharper writing implement) to round out the lineup after a strong showing in the AHL playoffs. Regardless, at the very least the need is obvious that Pens could use more depth, a swing player like Connor Clifton would be a small but important piece of insurance. That might not be Clifton himself as he heads to free agency but given the ages of Karlsson and Letang plus the inexperience of Brunicke, another NHL caliber right shot defender wouldn’t be an unnecessary add even with the suspected elevation of Brunicke.
Goaltender: Arturs Silovs, Sergei Murashov/Joel Blomqvist
All indications are that the Pens are comfortable with going very young in net next year by having one of Murashov or Blomqvist in their goalie tandem. Murashov has clearly edged ahead of Blomqvist on the organizational depth chart, though Blomqvist being an older and more experienced player makes it easy to project NHL action next season at some point. Neither goalie will require waivers in 2026-27, so the possibility is open to rotate these goalies on/off the NHL roster depending on how circumstances dictate. That wouldn’t happen as a yo-yo after one bad performance, it’s just good news for the Pens that they don’t have to place all their hopes in one singular AHL goalie moving up next year when they have two decent options. That depth makes the situation encouraging after Murashov’s great year in Wilkes, if he stumbles or shows a need for more development time the team looks fairly content with having Blomqvist there to pick up any slack or in the event of an injury.
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Overall, the Penguins don’t look like they have a splashy move up their sleeves for this summer. The thought of giving 30-year old players like Alex Tuch or Darren Raddysh eight years on a contract likely never entered their minds, just as they have shown no signs of wanting to keep Anthony Mantha. The free agent class isn’t terribly impressive and in a climate where players have more say in trades than ever, Pittsburgh doesn’t look like it’s the destination of preference for players like Dylan Larkin – and there’d be no reason to suspect Zach Werenski or any other high-profile players that get to pick their spots either. The draft going by without dealing a veteran like Rakell or Rust might be an indicator that both players will return for another season with the Pens now that the event is over and 2026 picks have been made.
After the draft in 2025, the Pens made three summer trades. Most were fairly minor in the big scheme of things that saw backup goalie Alex Nedeljkovic and Vlad Kolaychonok traded out with the Silovs and Matt Dumba as a cap casualty joining the team. Summer 2024 was similar, there was a prospect swap (McGroarty for Brayden Yage), a couple of cap-related moves that saw Cody Glass and Kevin Hayes added while the ill-fit of Reilly Smith was sent away but little else in terms of truly impactful movement.
This summer could still see a name from the NHL roster above traded out before the league settles into ‘cottage season’ and activity dies down later in the summer, but at this point of the calendar in the usual flow of player movement most of the activity could be limited to whatever free agency deals end up getting struck. An outlook on the Pens shows they have some veteran players that could still be trade targets and a need to address defensive depth either in a trade or by signing a free agent or two.
Jun 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Eric Lauer (33) gets ready to throw a pitch during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images | William Navarro-Imagn Images
The Dodgers for the first time in their history will play a baseball game that counts in West Sacramento, facing the nomad Athletics for a three-game series beginning Monday night at Sutter Health Park.
It’s a battle of southpaws to start on Monday, with Eric Lauer for the Dodgers and Gage Jump for the A’s.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 27: Ha-Seong Kim #7 of the Atlanta Braves takes batting practice prior to the game between the Atlanta Braves and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday, June 27, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Bryan Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Beautiful day in the Bay for the 50th win of the season, who says no?
Well, it may be the Braves offense, if last night is any indication. Logan Webb was as excellent as advertised, unfortunately. It’d be great to see some signs of life in this last West Coast road game of the season by solving Robbie Ray to take the rubber match and series.
The Braves’ lone hit last night came from today’s leadoff man Mauricio Dubón, who remains in left field. Otherwise, it’s a familiar sequence of Michael Harris II, Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, and Drake Baldwin. Baldwin gets the day off behind the plate today with Joey Bart serving as the battery mate for Chris Sale and batting seventh. Mike Yastrzemski started the first two games of this homecoming series, but will sit today with Eli White in right field. Notably, Ha-Seong Kim will start his third consecutive game at shortstop and batting ninth. He worked a walk last night, which I’ll delusionally hope and pray is the beginning of a turnaround.
As the excited caption indicates, Heliot Ramos returns from the IL after being sidelined with a right quad strain. He’ll bat sixth as the designated hitter.
With the most experience against Sale, third baseman Matt Chapman will lead off for San Francisco. Victor Bericoto returns to right field after sitting yesterday. Rookie catcher Drew Cavanaugh will get his first day off since debuting Friday as Eric Haase rounds out the lineup batting ninth.
If nothing else, the 9 or 10 pm ET start times are behind us, Braves Country. Today’s first pitch is at 4:05 pm ET.
The Sebastian Cossa era in Detroit is over, and some Edmonton Oilers fans might be wondering whether Stan Bowman missed a golden opportunity. There was chatter that Cossa was a goaltender the Oilers had on a short list of goalies they'd targeted.
Ultimately, the netminder was traded in a different deal, and it's probably for the best. That might sound odd to say, but if you're in the camp that Edmonton missed out, here's why you shouldn't lose any sleep over it.
Utah acquired the 23-year-old goaltender from the Red Wings on Friday, with a 2026 first-round pick as the centerpiece of the deal. It was a fairly high price to pay, and an asset the Oilers didn't have to match.
Ultimately, this wasn't a decision Bowman passed on — it was never really on the table. The Oilers lacked draft capital to make the deal. Frankly, the lack of a stocked cupboard of picks to make any number of trades is a problem.
But even if the price had been different, the fit was questionable. Cossa has been excellent in the AHL, posting a 26-8-4 record with a 2.33 GAA, a .915 save percentage and five shutouts this past season. He's a legitimate prospect with a big future. What he isn't, yet, is a proven NHL starter — and that distinction matters enormously for a team trying to win a Stanley Cup around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl right now.
What's key to remember here is, this is a goalie with a grand total of one NHL game on his resume.
Going into 2026-27 with a Tristan Jarry-Cossa tandem would have been a bet on potential over production at the worst possible time. Edmonton needs a goaltender who has been there, handled pressure, and won meaningful games — not one still working his way up. Utah, a younger team with more runway, is the right landing spot for Cossa at this stage of his development.
They can afford to be patient.
The Oilers need to solve their crease situation this summer, and Cossa was never going to be that solution. The fact that Utah made that decision easier by outbidding everyone with assets Edmonton didn't have is, frankly, a lucky break. It allowed Bowman to get out of his own way and focus on adding a proven veteran. Time will tell if he can do so.
Yes, a potential option is off the board. And yes, the Mammoth might have acquired a terrific goaltender. Then again, there's a chance it takes Cossa a couple of years to get close to realizing his potential. It could be years before he hits his ceiling, whatever that might be.
The Oilers don't have time to wait, and it would have been a high price to pay, especially if the risk didn't pay off.
During the bottom half of the third inning in the Angels’ 5-2 victory against the Athletics on Saturday night, interim general manager John Mozeliak appeared on the broadcast and spoke briefly about how he plans to help fix the Angels.
Angels interim GM John Mozeliak hopes to turn things around in Anaheim, but it likely won’t be a quick process. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson
As Mozeliak was being interviewed by Angels play-by-play commentator Wayne Randazzo and color commentator Mark Gubicza during the game, Mozeliak admitted that for the Angels to start winning they need to fix the way they operate, from the major-league level all the way down to the minors.
“The tough part is … being patient,” Mozeliak said. “Because it’s not a light switch, you can’t just automatically become great at scouting and developing players.”
Some key moments in the interview with Interim GM Mozeliak on the Angels' broadcast today pic.twitter.com/Pz8sJWwMMX
For over the past decade, the Angels have failed to reach the postseason, produce a winning record and have consistently been one of the worst farm systems.
Even while having a roster that boasted three future Hall of Famers — Albert Pujols, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani — the Angels have consistently placed in the bottom half of the American League during this stretch.
The Angels have not had much to celebrate this season, but interim GM John Mozeliak hopes to change that.
“You look at any major-league team you admire, and how they go about it, that’s what you need to have to be successful,” Mozeliak said. “If you know people that … know me, or how I … think about management or leadership, it is about creative autonomy. Letting the people that are supposed to be doing these jobs do it.”
Mozeliak said it is up to the scouting directors to do their jobs and that he will be available to help with the draft. He admitted he hasn’t been out scouting this past spring but understands the evaluation process.
Before the interview concluded, Mozeliak said the Angels need to take a hard look at themselves, including how things are run and how they can improve.
“It’s not to say everything they do is wrong, it’s not to say that there is no chance or opportunity [to win] games. So that’s the patient part,” Mozeliak said. “So, I really look forward to that challenge, getting to know all the people that work here for the Angels, and I know that this is a special place. Therefore, I know I want to get it right.”
Hargitay, best known for her work in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” is acting in solo show “Every Brilliant Thing” through July 5.
Brunson and his wife, Ali Marks, attended the performance at Hudson Theatre, and the Knicks star reportedly got a standing ovation during one point in the show.
According to People, there is a part of the production in which Hargitay’s character looks through a box of items.
Jalen Brunson supported Mariska Hargitay at her new Broadway show “Every Brilliant Thing” on June 26, 2026. Bruce Glikas/WireImageJalen Brunson (l.) and wife Ali (second from r.) pose for a photo with Mariska Hargitay (second from l.) and her husband Peter Hermann (r.) on June 26, 2026. Bruce Glikas/WireImage
On Friday, that box included a Brunson Knicks jersey, leading the crowd to go wild for the point guard.
Brunson, who has spoken about his big “SVU” fandom, has developed a close friendship with Hargitay and visited her backstage after the show alongside Marks. Hargitay’s husband, Peter Hermann, was also present for the meet-up.
“It was so sweet,” a source told People. “He was congratulating her and telling her how much he loved the show. She was so thrilled he was there. You could see how much admiration they have for one another.”
Jalen (r.) and Rick Brunson (l.) celebrate with Mariska Hargitay (c.) on a float during the Knicks’ championship parade on June 18, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostHargitay, seen next to Taylor Swift, was an ever-present during the Knicks playoff run IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
While the Knicks’ Celebrity Row is always filled with A-listers, none of them seem to hold a candle to Hargitay when it comes to Brunson.
He previously admitted that he looks for her during every home game.
“Love her to death [and] she knows it,” he said on “The Richard Jefferson Show.”
Predators Take Shape —July 1, 1998 - VOL. 59, Issue. 39 - Jeff Legwold
Nashville Predators’ GM David Poile has the requisite combination of realism and optimism for a man at the helm of an expansion team in today’s NHL.
“Obviously we’re not going to compete for the Stanley Cup right away,” Poile said following the June 26 expansion draft and June 27 entry draft in Buffalo. “But our thinking is we want to be better in the second year than the first, better in the third than we were in the second. We’re trying to build this up.”
The biggest building block so far came in the entry draft when the Predators moved up from No. 3 to No. 2-by surrendering their second round selection-to secure Plymouth Whalers’ center David Legwand. The 17-year-old from suburban Detroit-he turns 18 in August-has already been called the possible cornerstone of the franchise. (See pg. 31 for more on Legwand).
Poile also obtained nine players through trades just hours after the expansion draft and signed another in free agency (left winger Patrie Kjellberg) the same night. He subsequently traded center Mike Sullivan, who the team selected from the Boston Bruins in the expansion draft, to the Phoenix Coyotes for a seventh round pick in the 1999 entry draft.
“I think people now see David will make the deals he thinks will help us,” Trotz said. “He’s not afraid.”
But he is a realist. Poile drafted three unrestricted free agents in the expansion draft with the knowledge he wouldn’t even open negotiations with two of them (defenseman Al lafrate being the exception). Instead, the Predators will gladly take the compensatory draft picks they’ll be awarded when defenseman Uwe Krupp and goalie Mike Richter sign elsewhere later this summer.
Armed with the knowledge he wasn t going to lure big-name players to Nashville right away, Poile had to decide what kind of team to mold. With the recent push to find ways to open up the game, the GM figured it would be prudent to acquire speed, both up front and on the defense corps.
So the Predators selected players such as center Greg Johnson from the Chicago Blackhawks and defenseman Joel Bouchard from the Calgary Flames. They also went for guys who had put up decent scoring numbers in the minors, but who hadn’t yet done it consistently at the NHL level. Included in that group are forwards Craig Darby from the Philadelphia Flyers, Andrew Brunette from the Washington Capitals and Paul Brousseau from the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“Maybe a player blossoms because he gets more of a chance with us,” Poile said. “That’s how we are selling it, that they can come in and have a chance to contribute if they want to make the commitment.”
“And we wanted some character guys, guys who were going to show up every night,” Trotz said. “I’ve said we’re going to play in-your-face hockey and we’re going to.”
Trotz has called Doug Brown, selected from the Detroit Red Wings, the “poster child” for the Predators. “Here’s a guy who plays every game as hard as he can play it, is a great person on and off the ice and has terrific leadership skills.”
The Predators also have grit in the form of defenseman Jayson More (a free agent signee), and center Scott Walker, taken from the Vancouver Canucks in the expansion draft.
Since Brown’s 19 NHL goals for the Stanley Cup champions in 1997-98 is the most by any player on the current Predators’ roster, grind-it-out hockey will be the team’s trademark.
“We all need goals,” Poile said. “But 50-goal scorers are not available in the expansion draft. We took players who we think are hard-working, character guys who will not be afraid of challenges. We want people who persevere.”
New goalie Mike Dunham meets that criteria. The 26-year-old has played well during his pro career, but not often. That’s because with the New Jersey Devils he was cemented behind star Martin Brodeur. “At every level of his career he has had success,” Poile said of Dunham. “Now we have lifted away that obstacle (Brodeur).”
“This is a great opportunity,” Dunham said. “I’m going to approach it one save at a time. You can’t overwhelm yourself.”
In the end, the Predators likely came away with more speed and fewer goals than they anticipated. Now Nashville will wait for the likes of Legwand to grow up, for those such as Brunette to help it along, for those such as Brown to show it the way.
And they’ll look for those such as tough left winger Denny Lambert and rugged defenseman Bob Boughner to make sure they have enough room.
“We challenged (management) to come up with the best players for our franchise,” said owner Craig Leipold. “And we feel absolutely great about this team.”
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JUNE 17: Kyle Leahy #62 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers a pitch against the San Diego Padres in the first inning at Busch Stadium on June 17, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will wrap up their homestand Sunday taking on the Miami Marlins. The Cardinals will start Kyle Leahy while the Marlins will send RHP Tyler Phillips (1-2, 3.09 ERA, 49 SO) to the mound. First pitch scheduled for 1:15pm central time at Busch Stadium with the game TV broadcast being handled by Cardinals.tv.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: Marcus Smart #36 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, 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 Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last summer, the Lakers’ acquisition of Marcus Smart wasn’t initially considered a home-run deal.
However, the Lakers believed he’d bounce back and be a winning player again in their environment. They were right.
Now, that deal he signed with the Lakers seems like a bargain, and Smart might think so as well.
In a recent report on The Stein Line, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer explained which team is likely to consider picking up Smart if he opts out of his deal.
The Rockets do, however, loom as a possible free agent destination for another one of Udoka’s former players in Boston: Marcus Smart.
League sources say that Smart, who is expected to draw interest from Houston and possibly other teams in free agency, is very much giving consideration to declining his $5.4 million player option for next season with the Lakers before Monday’s deadline to do so and then proceed to the open market.
This is a tough situation for the Lakers. Losing Smart to the Rockets, the team they eliminated from the playoffs, would be awful. From the Rockets’ perspective, they’d love Smart. They clearly lack dependable guard play, and Smart would enter right away and be one of their best backcourt players.
This move would make Houston better and LA worse, and replacing what Smart did at $5.1 million last year is next to impossible.
He played in 62 games for the Lakers last year. It was the most he’s played since the 2021-22 season when he was the Defensive Player of the Year. He also started in 51 games, making him one of the most important players on the roster.
It’s important to note that this report doesn’t say he will leave, just that he’s considering it. The Lakers reportedly want Smart back, and that could still happen whether he opts in or out.
Still, it’s not an ideal scenario for the Lakers, and they’ll have to see how it plays out. Hopefully, Smart stays one way or another. He was arguably LA’s third-best player last year, and losing him wouldn’t make the Lakers a better team.
Yesterday, the White Sox got their seventh walk-off win from their seventh different player … and it was No. 7, Jacob Gonzalez. | (Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images)
Fresh off their seventh walk-off win of the year, which followed the second-biggest win margin in team history, the White Sox try to sweep the Royals out of the palace this afternoon and send them back to Kansas City, where the song says everything is up to date, but the baseball team isn’t.
Facing a Royals lineup that has only managed one run per game so far this series will be lefty Anthony Kay, who has had a very up-and-down June, being belted around by the Yankees and Phillies but dominating not just the very weak-hitting Tigers and Guardians but also the mighty Dodgers. For the season, Kay has an excellent 6-2 record but a meh 4.24 ERA and very poor 5.06 FIP and 1.389 WHIP.
The Royals counter with righty Luinder Avila, who sports a terrible 5.06 ERA, largely because he has trouble figuring out where home plate is, having walked 27 in 42 2/3 innings. Avila has been good his last two times out, holding the Rays and Nationals to one run each, but was crushed by the Astros the game before that, giving up eight runs before being pulled in the first inning.
Avila faces a White Sox lineup which has only had three at-bats against him, those coming on May 14 when he came into the game in relief.
Kay gave faced K.C. in both April and May. Lane Thomas (2-for-6) and Bobby Witt Jr. (2-for-5) hit him well, Salvador Pérez (1-for-7) didn’t.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. Central, on a sunny and humid day with temps in the mid-70s and wind in from left around 10 mph. Usual broadcast suspects.
Jun 27, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman Nick Loftin (12) reacts during an injury delay against the Chicago White Sox during the ninth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
The Royals have followed up winning 5 of 6, by losing 4 games in a row. In those 4 losses they’ve scored 7 runs, allowed 42. Been no hit for 8.1 innings in one of them and lost 13-2 and 22-1. To say the least, ever since Tuesday night, it’s been rather painful to watch the Royals in action.
The Royals are just 2-7 versus the upstart White Sox, losing the last 6 matchups, in fact the only two wins the Royals have over the Southsiders this season are a pair of 2-0 games. So, when the White Sox score a run against the Royals this season, they are 7-0.
Jac Caglianone was in the lineup today but got scratched due to left groin soreness. Nick Loftin has to be feeling the same to be honest. I don’t say that to poke fun at Nick, because mercy that looked extremely painful yesterday.
Anyways, Bobby Witt Jr. is playing shortstop again today, so that’s a positive. Luinder Avila starts today. It’ll be interesting to see which Avila shows up today.
Here is the Royals lineup.
UPDATED LINEUP:
CF Lane Thomas SS Bobby Witt Jr. C Carter Jensen DH Starling Marte 1B Salvador Perez 2B Michael Massey LF Isaac Collins 3B Tyler Tolbert RF Kameron Misner
The Chicago White Sox are 43-38 on the season and winning the AL Central. Imagine hearing that in 2024. They have lost 100 games three straight seasons and were the worst team ever two years ago. “How have they already surpassed the Royals?” I scream into the abyss. Alas, they have a lot of young guys playing well this season, and seem to be getting revenge on KC for the last two seasons.
Lefty Anthony Kay starts today for them. Kay spent the last two years in Japan, and is having a decent season this year, sporting a 4.24 ERA over 76.1 innings. Kay has started twice against KC this season, in total he has gone 11.2 innings, allowing 9 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks and 10 strikeouts.
First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m. CT and can be watched on Royals.TV. The Royals are off tomorrow before starting a 3-game series at home against Tampa Bay.
Knicks forwardOG Anunobywas at Citi Field on Sunday afternoon, throwing the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the Mets' matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Jose Reyes, who previously invited Anunoby to come throw out the first pitch, was behind home plate to catch it.
Anunoby, whose miraculous tip-in gave the Knicks a win in Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, has been a Mets fan dating back to his childhood. Reyes was on the cover of MLB 2K8, and he became Anunoby's favorite player because of that.
The forward averaged 21.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in the five-game series as the Knicks clinched their first title in 53 years.
"I used to play baseball so I think I’ll throw a strike," Anunoby said during a brief news conference before throwing the first pitch. "I’m anticipating a strike so I’m really excited."
Here's a look at his first pitch:
To a huge Citi Field ovation, OG Anunoby throws out the first pitch to Jose Reyes! pic.twitter.com/sAu4jQyKI3
Khalid Robinson couldn’t leave basketball. But he never knew coaching would be in his future.
When Robinson stepped foot on Fordham’s campus, his plan already was known. Robinson, a Political Science major, had his sights set on law school until he began studying for the LSATs.
“I just realized this is not what I’m passionate about,” Robinson said to NBC Sports Bay Area. “And I said, ‘What in life am I passionate about?’ It’s basketball. That’s kind of where and when I decided to make the shift to try and get into coaching.”
Robinson walked onto Fordham’s basketball team as a sophomore after taking one year off as a player. The New York native describes his old playing style as a “do-it-all, high energy player.” Willing to make the right play, do the dirty work, crash the glass and be a fierce defender, Robinson played 40 games in four years at Fordham and started six of them.
He scored a total of 13 points in his college career, yet earned the respect of teammates and coaches so much that Robinson was named a team captain in each of his last two seasons. Even then, all the traits of what it takes to be a great coach were clear.
Now as he enters his 11th season with the Warriors, Robinson is about to step into a new role as the team’s NBA Summer League head coach. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr met with Robinson after the season ended and told him the news, and that he thought manning the sidelines throughout summer league would be a great opportunity for Robinson’s personal and professional career development as the next challenge.
Naming Robinson as the Warriors’ summer league head coach falls in line with how Golden State has gone about business in getting coaches to the next step. Like the Warriors’ last three summer league head coaches, Jacob Rubin, Anthony Vereen and Lainn Wilson, Robinson has gone from being a video intern a decade ago, to one season as assistant video coordinator, six seasons as special assistant to the head coach and was promoted to assistant coach going into the 2024-25 NBA season.
As Robinson, 35, prepares for his first chance to be a head coach, he has picked the brains of Rubin, Vereen and Wilson about their experiences, including what they would have done differently after going through the process, along with communicating with Kerr about what he wants to get done in the summer to help get ready for next season. The best advice he has received is probably the most obvious.
“Keep it simple,” Robinson says. “It’s a new group that for the most part hasn’t played with each other, so simpler is better. Simple allows the guys to play harder with more focus. You just want the guys to be organized. If they’re organized, they can play harder and be more effective.”
All eyes will be on Warriors first-round 2026 NBA Draft pick Yaxel Lendeborg, who does plan on playing in summer league. Lendeborg went through an ankle sprain and left knee bone bruise during Michigan’s title run but says he’s fully healthy now after taking four weeks to heal.
Lendeborg is a seasoned 23-year-old who will turn 24 on Sept. 30. The challenges the Warriors are placing on him this summer aren’t so much about numbers. They aren’t interested in him taking a certain number of shots or scoring a certain number of points. The goal in getting him up to speed to play significant minutes early on is becoming a Warrior in every way possible.
“First, it’s just adapting to the concepts that we’re trying to teach this summer and the things we’re trying to get better at,” Robinson said. “And I think it’s also just challenging him to be an all-around great defender on the ball and off the ball. He has great instincts and great feel. … Offensively, just being who he is – getting to the rim, being aggressive taking and making open threes and using his playmaking.
“Yaxel has a lot of facets to his game that can help us, and we’re going to challenge him to bring that every day in practices and games, and to do it with consistency.”
Robinson wants his team to be a connected group that has great communication. He wants them to be very physical defensively to take away easy buckets and play fast in transition. What he really wants is for them to build an identity that represents the Warriors’ culture.
Summer league records aren’t indicative of a team’s success in the NBA season. Development is the main priority. Wins and losses can get thrown to the side, for the most part. Winning also can’t become an afterthought.
“It’s a mix of both,” Robinson says. “We want to develop our guys and help them get ready for preseason and next season, but we want to win. We want to establish this culture. We’re about winning here, and when these guys come in, we want them to know what we’re about. We’re going into this thing like we want to win. We want to develop and get these guys better on individual skills and team concepts.
“But we want to win games. Building these habits of consistent competition and playing to our identity is part of it.”
Does that sound like somebody who could have said goodbye to basketball when his playing days ended? That alternate reality still pops into Robinson’s head without a second of regret. Robinson isn’t someone who would thrive sitting at a desk all day. He needed to be around players and coaches. He needed the Warriors, like they’ve needed him more every year.
“Ron Adams always talks about coaches being teachers in a way,” Robison remembered. “It allows you to help teach people, and you learn from them in the process, you learn from players in the process. I ended up in the right place.”
Robinson’s head-coaching debut begins Friday night at Chase Center as the Warriors take on the Los Angeles Lakers in the California Classic.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Alexander Command poses for a portrait after being selected 12th overall by the New Jersey Devils during day one of the 2026 NHL Draft on June 26, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Joe Hrycych/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good afternoon, Devils fans. Today, we’re doing a short rundown of the Devils’ picks and draft-related moves from the past few days. Below, you can find links to each of the relevant picks and trades.
* Acquired when trading down from 35th to 37th ** Acquired when trading down from 140th to 149th
The New Jersey Devils truly did not have a ton of draft capital leading up to this year’s event. Prior to the Simon Nemec trade, they lacked third and seventh-round selections. By acquiring the 35th overall pick (along with two future firsts) for Simon Nemec and making two trade down moves, Sunny Mehta was able to spin a few extra picks over what the Devils were supposed to be selecting. This is quite good, as it seemed the Devils were targeting Vanhanen in the early second round along with a goalie in Rusakovich when they traded down in the fifth round.
In all, I think the Devils largely did a good job of getting value equal to or above their draft slots throughout the draft, with few exceptions. As I mentioned in the Alexander Command post, our 12th overall selection had an identical NHLe projection to third overall pick Caleb Malhotra (32 draft year NHLe/32% star probability and 67% NHLer probability per Hockey Prospecting). Vanhanen, meanwhile, was much lower on the NHLe boards (8% star probability and 29% NHLer probability) while being very well regarded by microstat trackers. I would give the Command pick an A (especially when considering his super-high compete level and intensity) and the Vanhanen pick a B+.
The Devils’ third pick, Nikita Shcherbakov, is not someone who is going to be well-liked by NHLe-focused draft projectors. Shcherbakov is a large Russian mobile defenseman. On tape, his skating looks awesome, but he has not been an eye-popping point producer in Russian juniors. However, with a decent 10 points in 35 VHL (second-tier to the KHL) games, Shcherbakov may be able to get into a full-time role with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the KHL next season. To be honest, I am not sure they had to grab Shcherbakov this early in the draft, but maybe a suitable trade down was not available. I would give this pick a C+.
The trade of the Devils’ 108th pick for Amadeus Lombardi, while going down prior to the draft, is important to note. Lombardi, a center, has had 35 goals and 82 points over his last 91 AHL games across the last two seasons, which is far more than the Devils have had from any AHL center over the last couple of years. Per AHLTracker, Lombardi has been very good at five-on-five, with his team having a 58.7 goals for percentage with him on the ice this season. Considering that fourth round picks are usually a few years away from the NHL, I thought it was a solid, B-grade move to acquire someone who is ready for that chance to see if he’s capable of a fourth or third-line role in the NHL.
My favorite Day Two pick came in the pick they gained when trading down from 35th to 37th. That 119th pick was used to select Lavr Gashilov out of the Russian junior MHL, and he may have been the highest-NHLe value forward pick they could have made in this slot. Gashilov is a super-skilled center whose rankings are all over the place, but his raw point production could have been that of a player justifiably selectable in the mid-first round. His tape may be more limited, and he does have to work on his skating and defense, but players who go the farthest in the NHL are generally those who are dominant scorers in their teenaged years. With Gashilov only under contract through the upcoming season, it may be less difficult to get him over to North American hockey as well. Since skating is one thing I have little problem letting a young prospect work on (it’s not like he has to learn how to score), I give this one an A+. He had one of the best seasons ever for a draft eligible player coming out of the MHL.
After trading down from 140 to 149, the Devils selected their annual goalie in Daniil Rusakovich, and he had some pretty good numbers in Russian juniors. Rusakovich had a ,913 save percentage in 20 MHL games this season after having a .909 save percentage in 31 Belarusian U17 games the year prior. HockeyProspecting gives him a 35% NHLer probability based on his draft year performance and league, which is in line with many future NHL goaltenders with a wide range of abilities, from Nico Daws to Joel Hofer to Igor Shesterkin. Goalies are hard to predict, so this gets a flat B.
The Devils’ pick at 172 was probably the “weakest” of the draft, but it was the sixth round. Luke Wilfley did not have the kind of profile I would consider selecting, but he grades high as a physical rush shooter with average transition skills who has not turned the puck over much at all in juniors. If Wilfley was not so young, I would probably give this pick a D, but the fact that he is still 17 at the time of this article means I will bump him up to a C-. Adding in that he has learned over the years from David Clarkson tells me he has a good idea of what his path to the higher levels is. I am not super high on the pick, but he could surprise.
With the third-to-last pick of the draft, it’s almost impossible to project a future NHLer. But we will be hoping that Quinn McKenzie, who honestly had a decent draft season with 51 points in 65 OHL games, has something in store for us. Selected 222nd overall, McKenzie grades rather well as a defensive forward with some offensive and transitional drive in microstat evaluations, though he does have a bit of a turnover problem. Scouts regard McKenzie as a super high motor player, with Brock Otten from OHL Prospects saying, “he reminds me a bit of when you hit the Go-Kart track.” McKenzie will need that motor to make his game work at his smaller stature, but I would give this pick a A, all things considered. Even though McKenzie is not in the HockeyProspecting database, Thomas Vandenberg, who went in the fourth round to Los Angeles, had 50 points in 59 OHL games and had a 14% star probability with a 59% NHLer probability. With a few fewer goals and one more point in six extra games, I would estimate that McKenzie would come in around 6-8%/25-40% if he were available.
And, I mean, fun fact: if you look at the “Devils in the System” page on Elite Prospects, these are the top ten players ranked by their most recent raw production outside of NHL games:
Matias Vanhanen, 87 points in the WHL
Lavr Gashilov, 69 points in the MHL
Quinn McKenzie, 51 points in the OHL
Jeremy Hanzel, 49 points in the ECHL
Alexander Command, 45 points between the U20 Nationell (44) and U18 Region (1)
Amadeus Lombardi, 42 points in the AHL
Xavier Parent, 39 points in the AHL
David Rozsival, 37 points in the USHL
Angus Crookshank, 36 points in the AHL
Brian Halonen, 34 points in the AHL
What Sunny Mehta understood here is that not only does the prospect pipeline desperately need forwards, it needs scoring forwards. When Tom Fitzgerald made his first pick of the 2025 Draft at 50th overall, he selected Conrad Fondrk, who only had 39 points in 55 games between the U.S. National U18 Team and the USNTDP Juniors. He proceeded to have eight points in 25 NCAA games this season, the lowest of their three 2025 draftees to play NCAA games this year. North American reputations for defense don’t mean much when your players can’t put the puck in the net. Also adding a player with more AHL points than any of their potentially returning AHLers with a fourth round pick is a solid immediate depth move.
Adding a goalie, a large shutdown defenseman, and a gritty shooting forward on top of that tells me that overall, I would give Sunny Mehta about a B+ on his first NHL Draft with the Devils. Retrospectives will be telling here, but if I had to predict where I think each of these guys will end up right now, it would be this:
Alexander Command: middle six two-way all-around pest center (ideal NHL ETA: 2027-28)
Matias Vanhanen: plug-anywhere top nine playmaking wing, to be paired with shooting centers (ideal NHL ETA: 2028-29)
Nikita Shcherbakov: sixth or seventh defenseman with penalty killing use (ideal NHL ETA: 2029-30)
*Amadeus Lombardi – fourth-line center for the New Jersey Devils in 2026-27 for at least 40 games*
Lavr Gashilov: NHL power play monster and sheltered scoring line center or wing (ideal NHL ETA: 2028-29)
Daniil Rusakovich: Second or third rotational goaltender (ideal NHL ETA: 20230-31)
Luke Wilfley: AHL grit forward, probably some super-high scoring ECHL seasons or a trip overseas at some point (ideal NHL ETA: 2030-31)
Quinn McKenzie: AHL scorer or NHL high-intensity fourth-line plug-in forward who can spark teams; possibly someone who spends his 30s overseas after a few partial or full NHL seasons (ideal NHL ETA: 2030-31)
In all, I am pretty good with that draft. I don’t think it will be too long before all of Command, Vanhanen, and Gashilov are in the NHL and able to contribute, as they are the players I am definitely most hopeful for out of this year’s Devils draft pool. I think I would have preferred to see a trade with one of their second-round picks for someone who can help in 2026-27, but the Devils do have a lot of first-round draft capital to work with in their next two drafts that could be leveraged in the days after July 1, when some no-trade clauses weaken. We will see: this B+ grade is on the value and fit of the picks taken and not representative of the whole offseason, which may not even be at its peak. I am particularly excited about the fit that Command will have on the Devils, lining up behind Hischier and Hughes and possibly being the guy who successfully takes pressure off of them. Beyond Command, I think Gashilov is a steal in the making.
But what do you think of the draft as a whole? If you have not yet done so, check The Feed for any polls that are still open on the draftees, and I will update this post here with the full results when all of them close later tonight. For now, thanks for reading.
(@haloshub) 
