Stacey King’s family has broken its silence after the NBA champion and beloved broadcaster’s unexpected death.
King’s sons, Erick, Garrett and Brandon, issued an emotional statement through the Bulls on Tuesday, thanking fans for the outpouring of support and remembering their father as more than the larger-than-life personality Chicago came to know.
ESPN Chicago’s David Kaplan said King died after a fall at his home. Medical examiners said King was found at his River Forest, Ill., home and that a head autopsy was needed to confirm the cause of death, ABC7 Chicago reported.
Stacey King playing for the Bulls in 1990. Getty Images
King’s sons said many knew him as a champion, broadcaster and “larger-than-life personality,” but they knew him as an “even greater father, friend, and man.”
The family also shared one of its favorite memories of King’s ability to connect with people.
When fans would ask if he was a professional athlete, King would smile and say, “No, I’m just a tall black guy.”
His sons said that his sense of humor and warmth never left him.
The family said the messages, phone calls, prayers and stories they have received since King’s death have brought comfort.
Stacey King had been a Bulls broadcaster since 2006. NBAE via Getty Images
The Bulls selected King with the No. 6 pick in the 1989 NBA Draft out of Oklahoma, and he became part of Chicago’s first three-peat alongside Michael Jordan from 1991-93. He played eight NBA seasons before retiring in 1997.
After his playing career, King became one of the most recognizable voices around the Bulls as a longtime television analyst, known for his energy, humor and signature calls.
Jordan said Monday that he was “deeply saddened” by King’s death, remembering their years together as teammates and King’s role in defining an era of Bulls basketball.
Former Chicago Bulls television announcer Stacey King attends the first half of an NBA basketball game, Nov. 17, 2025, in Denver. AP Photo/David Zalubowski
The Bulls also paid tribute to King after his death, with owner Jerry Reinsdorf remembering him as one of the unique personalities and “unmistakable voice” in the organization’s history.
King’s family thanked the Bulls organization and Bulls Nation for embracing him throughout his playing and broadcasting career, saying his connection with the city and fans meant the world to him.
“We love you, Dad,” the family added. “Your legacy will live on.”
Jun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) passes the ball to forward Victor Wembanyama (1) against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during game three of the 2026 NBA Finals in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
I’ve never been much for horror films.
Sure, I’ve always been fascinated by the destabilizing and open-ended duality of The Shining (Stephen King owes Kubrick a debt for improving on the book, the ungrateful wretch), or the bizarro excesses of a young Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive, and though I have enjoyed the return of more psychological horror over the past decade, by-and-large it’s a genre I don’t engage with much.
Most perplexing to me is the popularity of horror films that rely on the jump scare. The jump scare is a time-honored convention at this point in the genre, but there’s a very fine line between using it as an intelligently startling punctuation, and having it function as the only real draw/form of stimulation.
Personally, I adjust to over-stimulation far too quickly for these kinds of films to be very effective. As a younger man, drinking began to lose the appeal once I needed to imbibe larger and larger quantities of alcohol, even as the effect lessened.
Now, in the relative sobriety of middle-age, I find that one or two drinks can really do the trick. The same feels true for the jump scare. Too many, and I begin to lose interest. I find an extended section of growing unease to be far more effective.
Why is probably why I spent most of my weekend dreading the thought of having to write about Game 3.
Unlike the previous series against the Thunder, there haven’t been any blowouts. Losing feels bad, but in a blowout at least it goes quickly. You lose your attachment to the game pretty quickly when you’re down 20+ in the fourth quarter. It almost seems like it hurts less, or at the very least, allows you to pull the chute earlier.
Each Finals game has felt like base-jumping into the Overlook Hotel. The endless seesawing of the score starts to play tricks on your mind. How many times have the Spurs had the lead? Have they actually ever really had the lead? I could have sworn they were up by 8. Or 10. Or 6. Wait…they’re tied??
The margin starts to feel as inflationary as our national currency (or gas prices), and everything seem relative. What even is a lead? Five points ahead is basically a tie at this point. It’s all a fugazi. It’s fairy dust. Even worse, the games were starting to give me a feeling that the only slasher franchise I’ve ever regularly engaged with gives me.
Anytime something important needed to happen, the Knicks seemed to hit any and every shot in spite of the odds.
A long-distance prayer at the end of the shot clock?
They’re going to make it.
The perfect pass out of a near-perfect defensive rotation?
They’re gonna find it.
A critical rebound that mutiple Spurs are in position for, and have hands on?
And in the second quarter of Game 3, the Final Destination vibes started to kick in again.
The Spurs were amazing for the first ten-or-so minutes of the 1st quarter, before the Knicks caught back up with the highest-scoring quarter of the series for either team.
New York hit 6 of their 13 threes in that quarter. They went 13/16 from the field as a whole. Everything was going in. Perfectly contested shots. Leaning shots off one leg. Shots majestically arcing over Wemby’s Lovecraftian reach. (Brunson in particular seems to have mastered this) Shots with seemingly no arc at all.
They went 8 for 8 from the free-throw line, and they didn’t even seem to need it.
The Spurs had been up by 12 at the start of the 2nd. Now they were down by 7 going into the half. Intellectually I knew that 7 points wasn’t much, but I was starting to feel like the Spurs were up against something supernatural.
Had James Dolan finally given in and sold his soul to dark forces? Was Adam Silver the demiurge? Were the current Knicks being possessed by the ghosts of Willis Reed, and Dick Barnett, and Dave DeBusschere?
And so it continued. The Spurs would claw out a lead. The Knicks would then make impossible plays and shots and/or the Spurs would slip up in unusual ways. And even though they only ended up with eight turnovers, it felt like every pass from San Antonio was either reckless or hazarded by their opponents, to the point that I thought it might be giving me heart palpitations or angina.
If this had been a bog-standard slasher film, I’d have adjusted to it by then, but as in the case of Final Destination, it was the sheer improbability and unpredictability (or false certainty) that was keeping my blood pumping.
I was either standing or pacing for most of the fourth quarter, my daughter tucked in on the couch, a serene and innocently slumbering opposite. I couldn’t carry her to her room in the middle of that madness! Who knows what might have happened?!
I had honored my contractual agreement for pre-bedtime cuddles. What my daughter had failed to grasp was the nature of the contract I had signed in watching this potentially paranormal snuff film of my favorite team’s hopes and dreams on the apparently haunted hardwood of Madison Square Garden!!
(Who says dramatic monologuing isn’t the spice of life?)
And the Spurs clawed out one final lead. They were about to be up double digits.
And then the Knicks successfully challenged the foul, with Keldon Johnson found to be the real culprit like some awful Scooby Doo reveal, which wiped out Wemby’s make and the free-throw.
And the Brunson hit a shot. And then Anunoby. And the valiant De’Aaron Fox answered, but Brunson continued to close the gap.
An alley-oop to Victor, but it didn’t seem to matter. The fix was in, and it felt malevolently Calvinistic. The Knicks were the Elect. Everything was predetermined. We’d seen this movie before. At least twice. And I was definitely not crashing out in a pseudo-theological way at all.
And then Castle hit a three.
And it wasn’t just a three. It was an end-of-the-shot-clock plea for intercession. A life exchange momentarily shifting someone else’s name onto Basketball Death’s list in place of your own. The resuscitation of an NBA team that was flat-lining. A tiny miracle of the sort that had been evading the Spurs all series.
And you could tell the invigoration was real, because no one hung their head or checked out when OG Anunoby ended up at the free-throw line. Or when Jalen Brunson benefited from one last gasp of ludicrous magic by hitting a step-back three to cut the lead to three points.
And then Fox, the 2023 NBA Clutch Player of the Year, who’s had to pick his spots for most of the series, picked the last perfect spot of the night, with a mid-range jumper right over the formidably-defending Anunoby, and the light at the end of the tunnel was there. The edge of the maze. The weirdly rampant zombie-killing lawn mower.
And I was relieved, which feels like the wrong word, because I wasn’t sure what to write. But also the right word, because I really had to pee.
The ending of the film version of the shining is ambiguous. We don’t actually know what happened to Jack, or who/what he even is. The Final Destination films are heading into their seventh installment, with no more hint of clarity or cessation than in the films before.
The Spurs still have to play Game 4. They’ll still be at The Garden. There’s no way of knowing if this was a respite, or a turning point. Anticipation is its own kind of psychological horror.
But for one night, the Spurs disrupted the conspiratorial delusions of at least one Spurs fan.
I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I don’t know if they’ve broken the cycle. But I know that I can’t stop watching.
I can’t help it. It’s the best show around.
Takeways
For most of the postseason, the Spurs have actually shot a little above (79.5%) their season average (78.7%) at the free throw line, but they shot 75% during the first two games, and it cost them. Shooting closer to their average last night (78%) was almost certainly a deciding factor when the margin is so thing, so let’s hope they continue to trend upwards in the respect. People always talk about championships being won in the margins to the point of eliciting the occasional eye roll, but that’s how much a 3% difference can matter. Maybe Mitch Johnson should set up a practice where players shoot free-throws while Sean Sweeney stands next to them doing his best Chucky Doll impression? I’ve got all kinds of ideas, if only they’d ask me.
The Spurs also managed to finally knock down their threes to the tune of something close to their season average (35%). Variance is a beast that both teams are falling victim to in that arena, but the Spurs shot 30% from three over those first two games, and the law of averages has somewhat avenged them. Thankfully, the Knicks are finally sinking back down to just below their regular season average (with some Spursy assistance, of course) after going on a very extended hot streak over multiple rounds, but the Spurs aren’t going to win the day in MSG again if they get a repeat of those first two performances, so light your payer candles before the game, because I get the feeling they’re going to have to weather a fierce response.
Keldon Johnson looked a little bit better after a pair of games that had me questioning how he could be effectively used in this series. But by limiting his usage, and picking his spots more like De’Aaron Fox, he ended the game with the team-high plus minus and has pulled himself out of the depths of a negative net rating. However, as much as I like the more discerning approach, I get the feeling that the Spurs are going to need *at least* one big game out of Keldon in order to bring home the trophy, so he still needs to keep his eye out for opportunities while biding his time more efficiently. Both of the previous series have featured at least one game with Keldon on a heater. Does he have one more in him against a team that has clearly prepared for thwarting him? I guess we’ll see.
Carter Bryant hit a three! It’s his first of the series, and we like to celebrate the little victories as well here at PTR. Naturally we all expect him to instantly morph into Steph Curry and change the complexion of the series. That seems fair. Maybe I can go out and buy one of those wishing willows from Obsession. I’m sure that won’t backfire at all. It’s not like it’s a Monkey’s Paw.
The Athletic's Scott Wheeler released his latest 2026 NHL Mock Draft. In it, he predicted the entire first round.
When it came to the Montreal Canadiens, Wheeler predicted that the Canadiens will select left winger Adam Novotny with their first-round pick.
Novotny is an interesting prospect heading into the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-1 forward demonstrated plenty of promise this season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Peterborough Petes, so he would be a nice pickup for the Habs if selected.
In 58 games this season with the Petes, Novotny recorded 34 goals, 31 assists, and 65 points. With numbers like these, the big winger showed that he is capable of putting the puck in the net, which certainly adds to his appeal.
The potential for Novotny to blossom into an impactful NHL forward is there, so it would make sense if the Canadiens ended up selecting him in the first round this year. This is especially so when noting that they could use more depth on the wing.
It will be interesting to see if the Canadiens end up selecting Novotny from here. The fit looks strong on paper.
President Donald Trump was booed, loudly and at length, when he appeared on the Jumbotron during the national anthem before Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden Monday night.
The arena had been chanting “U-S-A! U-S-A!” as Avery Wilson began to sing The Star Spangled Banner. The Trump’s face appeared on the screen for the first time since he had entered the arena, saluting the flag and the arena erupted in boos.
While the booing was clear on the ABC broadcast, people inside the arena also posted videos capturing the booing.
The Athletic's Esfandiar Baraheni recorded the moment it turned.
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) June 9, 2026
Trump wasn’t rattled, at least not publicly. Boarding Air Force One after the game, the president told reporters, “I think it was mostly cheers. It was loud. And it was enthusiastic.”
He attended as the guest of Knicks owner James Dolan and became the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game. The Knicks lost 115-111. They lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is on Wednesday at MSG, ESPN reported that Trump will not attend.
Joining Trump in the suite were White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, EP Administrator Lee Zeldin, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Trump's granddaughter, Kai Trump. Also in the suite was Envoy Steve Witkoff, Director of White House Oval Office operations Walt Nauta, longtime Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn, and executive assistant to the president Natalie Harp.
CNN reported that his son-in-law Jared Kuschner was also in the suite.
May 24, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) throws a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
The Jays officially activated Dylan Cease off the IL and sent Adam Macko back to Buffalo.
Macko pitched in 12 games for the Jays, with a 1.50 ERA. In 12 innings he had allowed 11 hits, 1 home run, 2 walks and 12 strikeouts. Batters hit .244/.282/.333 against him. I liked that he could throw more than an inning at a go. I am sure we’ll see him again.
Dylan Cease made 11 starts, before going on the IL, with a 3-3 record, and a 3.05 ERA. Batters hit .215/.302/.307 against him. I’m very happy to have him back and even more happy that we won’t be seeing ‘bullpen days’ so often. Spencer Miles can slot into a long relief role (along with Woods Richardson).
And Max Scherzer will be getting tomorrow’s start, with someone else getting moved out.
Alejandro Kirk is DHing for the Bisons tonight, he’s only a few days from being back.
Tonight’s lineups. The big news is Vlad hitting leadoff (and DHing). Springer gets a day off. I’ve said I’d like to see Vlad leading off for a while now. I hope he buys into the idea. Course, this doesn’t mean that he’ll be in that spot tomorrow.
When you're an interim head coach in the NHL, it's not a great sign to be a month and a half into your offseason with the word interim still attached to your title, hanging around like a bad party guest.
DJ Smith was the Senators' head coach for four and a half seasons (2019-2023) and had hoped to land the Los Angeles Kings head coaching job full-time for this fall.
"That's a question for Ken (Holland)," Smith said shortly after the Kings lost in round one. "All I know is, as a coach and as a coaching staff, is your team prepared? Are they detailed? And do they show up every night in the answer to that question? Yes, they did, under me.
"Ken's been around a long time. He's won Stanley Cups; he's one of the best in the business. He's a Hall of Fame general manager. He's gonna make that decision. So that's not up to me to decide. I know I did my absolute best."
Apparently, that wasn't enough. On Tuesday, the Kings hired Peter Laviolette for his seventh tour of NHL duty.
The 61-year-old has been a head coach for 1,594 career games with the New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders. He won a Cup with Carolina in 2006 and made it to the final with the 2010 Flyers and 2017 Predators.
Until now, Smith had a chance to end the ex-Senators coaching curse. Instead, he will remain part of a 22-year run of head coaches who left the Senators organization and never found another NHL head coaching job elsewhere.
The last one to do so on a non-interim basis was Jacques Martin. He was fired in 2004, then found head coaching jobs in Florida and Montreal.
Since Martin parted company with the Sens the first time, the Sens' list of head coaches who've come and gone includes Bryan Murray, John Paddock, Craig Hartsburg, Cory Clouston, Paul MacLean, Dave Cameron, Guy Boucher, Marc Crawford and, of course, Smith.
Murray stayed with the Senators, moving away from coaching to take the club's GM job. However, everyone else on the list left the organization, continued to pursue their coaching careers, but never again became a full-time NHL head coach.
After leaving Ottawa:
Paddock coached nine more years in junior, the AHL, and as an NHL assistant. His final year was with Regina, coaching Connor Bedard.
Hartsburg coached for seven more seasons in junior as a head coach and an NHL assistant. His swan song was 2015-16 with Columbus, where he was let go when John Tortorella took over, as he inevitably does everywhere.
Clouston coached three more years in junior, the last in 2015 with Prince Albert. After he was fired, little did the Senators know he'd coach Mark Stone, a prized future asset, the following season in Brandon.
MacLean got work as an NHL assistant for a bit and now makes the odd appearance as a TSN Sens analyst.
Dave Cameron has coached for the last seven seasons, been an NHL assistant, a head coach in Austria, and, for the last five years, the head coach of the Ottawa 67s. He just signed a two-year extension.
Since his firing, Guy Boucher has only coached for one year at a top level as an assistant with Toronto, then one year as a KHL head coach.
Crawford coached for four more seasons as an assistant in Chicago then worked for a while as a head coach in Switzerland.
And with a clearing of his throat, Smith rounds out the list.
There's no word yet on the immediate future of Smith. He may return to his spot as a Kings' assistant, but it's certainly true that, more often than not, new head coaches like to handpick their own guys.
And so the curse of the ex-Senators' head coaches continues.
Joe DeMayo and guest co-host Sal Licata deliver the latest episode of The Mets Pod, as the Mets come home from a west coast trip.
Sal and Joe discuss the overall state of the team, the stalled rehab of Jorge Polanco, the emergence of Carson Benge, the slight steps forward for Bo Bichette, and the latest makeup of the starting rotation.
Later, the guys go Down on the Farm for a status update on 2025 first-round draft pick Mitch Voit, and answer Mailbag questions about the development of A.J. Ewing, the bar for being buyers at the trade deadline, and the potential trade return for Freddy Peralta if the Mets decide to deal him away.
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Madison Square Garden waited 26 years to host an NBA Finals game, but the home fans saw a loss on Monday night when the San Antonio Spurs beat the Knicks in Game 3 to trim New York’s series lead to 2-1. After the game, there were multiple reports of Knicks fans physically attacking Spurs fans on the streets. The viral videos of the assaults are so ugly that Victor Wembanyama, Karl-Anthony Towns, and others players pleaded with fans to stop the violence.
In separate incidents, Knicks fans jumped men wearing Spurs jerseys around the city after the loss. The videos are horrifying. This is totally unaccepted behavior from some stupid, young members of the fanbase. No should should be assaulted just because they are wearing another team’s jersey.
The videos elicited a response from star players on both teams. Here’s Wembanyama’s comments on the incidents, via ESPN:
“My thoughts of course [are] that we can’t forget it’s a game,” Wembanyama said. “We’re just playing a game out there. I am all for passion, but [with] the respect of each other. It’s unacceptable.”
Spurs teammate Julian Champagnie added: “I feel like, for the fans, it should never be that serious where you have to jump people, beat people up, follow people home. Whether we win, they win, it doesn’t really matter. Everybody should be able to come and enjoy the game, no matter who they’re rooting for.”
Towns encouraged fans to “Leave the physicality to everyone on the court.”
Warning: The video below contains violence that readers may find disturbing.
Christian Scott (SP Mets): Rostered in 26 percent of Yahoo leagues
Let's go with a repeat for the first time this season. Scott was first recommended in this space on Apr. 28, when he was coming off a miserable season debut and was three-percent rostered in Yahoo. His subsequent four starts were decent, but they didn't produce much fantasy value, as he threw only 18 1/3 innings between them and recorded no victories. However, his last three times out have seen pitch 5 2/3 scoreless innings twice and allowing one run over five innings once. He's also picked up his first two wins in that span. He's currently sporting a 2.50 ERA and a 26 percent strikeout rate.
⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
Scott, who missed last year after UCL surgery, has returned with a little extra velocity this season, averaging 95.5 mph with his fastball. He seems like he should be particularly tough on righties with his big sweeper, but he's had terrific success against lefties thus far, limiting them to a .179 average and no homers in 84 at-bats. His cutter has been a factor there, but really, no one is doing much damage against his fastball. He's given up a total of five singles and five doubles on the pitch through eight starts.
Eventually, lefties are going to have more success against Scott. His subpar splitter and lack of a traditional changeup will turn into an issue, and he'll start giving up some homers. However, he should remain a legitimate middle-of-the-rotation starter with some extra fantasy value in a good situation in Queens. Even in 10-team leagues, he should be rostered at this point.
Jordan Lawlar (3B/OF Diamondbacks): Rostered in six percent of Yahoo leagues
Slated to play regularly in the Diamondbacks outfield at the beginning of the year, Lawlar lasted all of six games before a HBP left him with a fractured wrist. He's getting close to returning now, having gone 2-for-8 in three games in the Arizona Complex League and 3-for-11 (with all of the hits going for extra bases) through three games with Triple-A Reno on a rehab assignment. Does he still have a spot awaiting him?
Jordan Lawlar rips a triple and would later come around to score on a wild pitch to put the aces within 1⃣ pic.twitter.com/59RNiXsksw
In the absence of Lawlar and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who returned from Tommy John surgery to make a brief cameo before hurting him hamstring and returning to the injured list, the Diamondbacks have promoted top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt and Tommy Troy to fill outfield vacancies. Waldschmidt has come in at .278/.321/.371 through 105 plate appearances while playing mostly center, and Troy is batting .275/.370/.400 in 46 plate appearance as the left fielder. Waldschmidt's modest success is the product of a .435 BABIP that is unsustainable, but his 33 percent strikeout rate will certainly get better with time. Troy has shown a more polished approach with his 15 percent strikeout rate and 13 percent walk rate to date.
Lawlar earned his shot in part by hitting .333/.448/.604 in 59 plate appearances this spring. He's also a lifetime .326/.413/.578 hitter in 94 career Triple-A games, and he's younger than Troy and only a couple of months older than Waldschmidt. He deserves the long look that seemed promised to him at the start of the season. I'm a little nervous about whether it will happen, but his upside will still make him worth taking a chance on once he's activated. Lawlar probably won't hit for a particularly strong average, but he has four-category ability. He totaled 11 homers and 20 steals in just 63 Triple-A games last year. The D-backs can make room for everyone if they want. Bailing on Ildemaro Vargas, who has long since returned to pumpkin form, would help.
Braden Montgomery (OF White Sox): Rostered in eight percent of Yahoo leagues
The White Sox are just promoting a quality prospect every week at this point. Montgomery, who was selected 12th overall in the 2024 draft by the Red Sox and then traded in the Garrett Crochet deal, joined the team on Tuesday after hitting .313/.429/.606 in 27 games for Double-A Birmingham and .315/.417/.495 in 29 games for Triple-A Charlotte. Overall, the switch-hitter had 10 homers and five steals (in 11 attempts) in 56 games between the two levels.
Braden Montgomery blasts his 10th homer of the year, fourth at Triple-A
Montgomery's bat speed is impressive, particularly from the left side of the plate, and it's easy to see him becoming a 25- or 30-homer guy in time. He's been striking out 25 percent of the time in the minors, in part because he's pretty patient and often finds himself in deep counts. Most likely, his K rate will spike to 30 percent or higher in his introduction to the minors. He also doesn't really max out his power right now, too often hitting the ball on the ground. He'll probably keep up his trend of strong BABIPs because he hits the ball plenty hard, but it might not be enough to lead to mixed-league value right away. It doesn't help that he's just not a skilled basestealer at this point of his career. Major league coaching could help there.
Picking up Montgomery wouldn't be a terrible idea for those in 12-team leagues in need of an outfielder. He's certainly not being called up to sit, and if he gets off to a fast start, the White Sox could wind up hitting fourth or fifth to help break up their lefties. He's already hitting sixth against a righty tonight in his debut.
Waiver Wire Quick Hits
- Paul Goldschmidt is only 12 percent rostered despite playing regularly for the Yankees of late and hitting .274/.351/.526 on the season. He might return to being useless in shallow leagues if Giancarlo Stanton pulls off a comeback from his calf strain later this month, but he's well worth playing right now.
- The Rockies are giving 24-year-old Cole Carrigg his first MLB promotion after placing Tyler Freeman on the concussion IL on Tuesday. There's still good reason for skepticism about his bat, but he busted out on a big way at Triple-A Albuquerque, hitting .338/.414/.529, and he loves stealing bases; he was 30-for-37 in 57 games this year and 46-for-56 in 123 games in Double-A last year. There's also plenty of room for him in the lineup right now with three outfielders on the IL. With three games in Coors and then three games in Vegas this weekend against the A's, it wouldn't be a bad idea to give him a shot.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 06: Frederik Andersen #31 of the Carolina Hurricanes makes a save against Colton Sissons #10 of the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period in Game Three of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 06, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Three nights ago, Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes contained just about everything. First there were not one but two disallowed Vegas goals, then four straight tallies which actually counted for Vegas including a Mitch Marner natural hat trick and also a missed penalty shot from him. It seemed like an easy victory was on deck for the Golden Knights but Carolina scored three goals in just over 30 seconds plus one nearly at the buzzer to tie the game 4-4. It took until the second overtime for Shea Theodore to bounce a puck off the end boards to give Vegas the 5-4 victory and 2-1 series lead.
All that in just one game! What will Game 4 have in store? Will Carolina tie the series 2-2 or will Vegas take a commanding 3-1 lead?
This wild Stanley Cup Final is back on tonight with Game 4 here in Las Vegas.
The story and stats, 3 things to watch, lineups, status report and more:https://t.co/yp8VetYgps
After the hat trick and four-point performance in Game 3, the Conn Smythe is now Mitch Marner’s to lose as he now leads the postseason leaderboard with 28 points. Vegas also survived a scare with defenseman Brayden McNabb getting dozens of stitches to the nose after taking a puck to the face and he should be in the lineup again tonight.
Projected Lineup
Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev
Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner
Tomas Hertl — Colton Sissons — Mark Stone
Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson
Dylan Coghlan — Jeremy Lauzon
Carter Hart
Adin Hill
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes tested their 6-0 overtime record and came up a bit short in Game 3. Their ability to stage a comeback is impressive but they need to stop digging out of holes. If they could score earlier in games that would help their cause. After backup goaltender Brandon Bussi nearly saved the day in relief in Game 3 will Carolina turn to him to start Game 4? The team was mum on the issue at morning skate.
When it comes to the Philadelphia Flyers' prospect pool, something that is not discussed nearly often enough is the lack of long-term goaltending depth.
Fortunately, with Dan Vladar emerging as a legitimate NHL starting goalie, the Flyers won't have to worry too much about the present day, but the future is still blurry.
While the book isn't closed on him yet, Aleksei Kolosov does not appear to have a clear path to a future with the Flyers at the NHL level, and Carson Bjarnason, in his first full season as a pro player, struggled after a decent start in the AHL.
That leaves the Flyers with the promising but enigmatic Egor Zavragin, who was just traded to a new KHL team and is set to sign a one-year contract extension overseas.
In the 2025 NHL Draft, the Flyers had plenty of opportunities to draft top-tier talents with their spare first- and second-round picks, but those selections were instead allocated to produce Jack Nesbitt, Shane Vansaghi, Jack Murtagh, and Carter Amico.
Top goaltending prospects they could have gotten instead include Joshua Ravensbergen, Semyon Frolov, Alexei Medvedev, and Jack Ivankovic.
Heading into the 2026 NHL Draft, the goalie class looks a bit weaker than normal, though the Flyers still have plenty of options to consider.
Chief among those is USHL Youngstown Phantoms goalie Tobias Trejbal, ranked 34th overall in the class by EliteProspects and compared to Dan Vladar.
Trejbal, 18, is a hulking 6-foot-5, right-catching goalie who would be the first of his kind in Philadelphia since Steve Mason (or Mike McKenna, or Cal Petersen...)
The Czech netminder is an above-average athlete who is already well refined for his age and experience, though, as is the case with many big, athletic goalies, his reads and play tracking will need to continue to improve.
But, from the Flyers' perspective, if that's all they feel really need to work on with Trejbal, then he's a slam-dunk selection if Philadelphia trades back in the first round or moves up to the top of the second.
“I remember Montreal asked me some weird questions," Trejbal said.
"Like, 'If you were in the Sahara and there were two guys, one had a bottle of water and the other had a baseball bat. What would you do?' So, their guy told me, 'I have a wife at home. I have kids at homes like, are you gonna really kill me?’ I said, 'Yeah, your family is at home. They’re safe, and I have my whole life in front of me, and I want to play in NHL, so I will smack you with the baseball bat.'"
On the topic of projects, WHL Medicine Hat Tigers goalie Carter Casey, like Bjarnason, is a superb athlete playing in the Western league, though he isn't very refined at all.
But, with Kolosov, Bjarnason, and Vladar holding things down for now, the Flyers can afford to be patient with someone like the 18-year-old Casey.
Casey could be a riskier investment early in the second round, but the Flyers, who own the 53rd overall pick, could easily justify that chance.
Also in the WHL is Harrison Boettiger of the Kelowna Rockets, who is more of an average athlete but a master of positioning himself and being where he needs to be to make any kind of save.
Boettiger would be a safer, lower-ceiling option for the Flyers than the other two, and some teams might value that more than others.
Where the Flyers are, I would put Boettiger below Trejbal and Casey.
Because the Flyers don't have fourth- or fifth-round picks, we'll jump lower down the list, where we find another Czech goalie in Michal Orsulak.
A righty like Trejbal, Orsulak is massive at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, and went 24-4-4 with the WHL's Prince Albert Raiders to the tune of a .907 save percentage, 2.22 GAA, and four shutouts.
Orsulak was actually ranked above Trejbal and Casey by NHL Central Scouting, placing second in their North American goalie rankings behind only Brady Knowling.
EliteProspects is a bit lower on the 18-year-old, as he is unranked on their 2026 draft guide, so we can expect some variance in where he goes later this month.
Anywhere between the third and fifth rounds is a good spot for Orsulak, who has plenty of potential worthy of tempting the Flyers to trade up or invest early.
One last goalie that everyone seems to have forgotten about, and is certainly worth following towards the end of the draft, is Latvian netminder Linards Feldbergs.
You may remember Feldbergs as the goalie who dominated for a poor Latvia team at the 2025 U20 World Juniors, where he went 2-3-0 with a 3.13 GAA but a jaw-dropping .929 save percentage.
The 20-year-old over-ager has put up numbers everywhere he's gone, and his playoff numbers with the QMJHL Sherbrooke Phoenix and USHL Sioux Falls Stampede only further prove that he steps up when the lights get brighter.
Feldbergs is committed to the NCAA's Merrimack College for the 2026-27 season, and while no major colleges or NHL teams have given him a shot, his athleticism, resolve, and lunch-pail mentality should be enough to put him on the Flyers' radar late in the draft.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 08: The shoes of James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at Rocket Arena on March 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 12: Cole Carrigg #86 of the Colorado Rockies runs to third base during the seventh inning of the Spring Training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on March 12, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Tuesday afternoon prior to starting their series against the Chicago Cubs at Coors Field, the Colorado Rockies announced a series of roster moves. The most prominent of these moves has potentially seismic organizational implications.
The Rockies have selected the contract of top outfield and shortstop prospect Cole Carrigg (no. 4 PuRP), adding him to the 40-man roster and setting him up for his Major League debut. Carrigg will wear no. 16, last worn in 2025 by first baseman Blaine Crim. He is currently in tonight’s starting lineup, batting seventh in the order and playing in center field.
Carrigg, 24, was a second round pick in the 2023 draft out of San Diego State. With the Aztecs he was a true super-utility player, logging innings at every single position including both pitcher and catcher. However, he has been largely a center fielder and shortstop since joining the Rockies organization—with limited appearances behind the plate with the Arizona Complex League Rockies and Low-A Fresno Grizzlies in 2023.
The Rockies assigned Carrigg to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes to start the season after he spent all of 2025 with the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats.
Carrigg has quickly become a star in Albuquerque. Over 57 games with the Isotopes he has hit .338/.414/.529 with 15 doubles, five triples, six home runs, 42 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases. Carrigg is among the Pacific Coast League leaders in multiple offensive categories, and has also drawn 27 walks to 39 strikeouts.
To open a spot on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Keegan Thompson has been designated for assignment.
Thompson, 31, was obtained via waiver claim from the Cincinnati Reds this off-season. While he performed well in Triple-A with a 3.34 ERA over 11 appearances—five of which were starts—and 19 strikeouts over 32.1 innings, he has struggled on the Rockies’ active roster. Thompson has posted a 8.25 ERA in five appearances and 12 innings of work.
In addition, the Rockies have recalled right-handed reliever Jeff Criswell from Triple-A Albuquerque.
Criswell, 27, had a promising debut in 2024 with a 2.75 ERA in 13 appearances and 27 strikeouts over 19.2 innings. However, he missed the entirety of the 2025 season after requiring Tommy John surgery.
In order to open another roster spot, outfielder Tyler Freeman has been placed on the 7-day concussion injured list.
The San Antonio Spurs have officially made the 2026 NBA Finals a series after taking Game 3 on the road in Madison Square Garden. However, their victory may have come at a heavy cost. After reviewing a first quarter shove of New York's Jalen Brunson by Victor Wembanyama, the league's head of officiating, Monty McCutchen, has admitted they missed a foul call on the play. Even worse for San Antonio is that it could turn into a retroactive flagrant.
NBA head of officiating Monty McCutchen, appearing now on ESPN, acknowledges that a foul was missed on Victor Wembanyama's first-quarter shove of Jalen Brunson and says the league's review is still ongoing regarding whether the play will be deemed a retroactive flagrant foul. https://t.co/W4wAe20h0F
While there is no trouble just yet, Wembanyama has put himself in danger with this foul. Should the league upgrade it to a flagrant 1, Wembanyama would be subject to suspension if he were to commit another similar foul.
Wembanyama's absence from the Spurs would almost certainly mean defeat in the NBA Finals. Wembanyama cannot afford to play so recklessly for the remainder of the series.
Here's what to know about the foul and what it could mean for the Spurs.
What happened between Wembanyama and Brunson?
The play in question came in the first quarter of the Spurs' Game 3 win over New York. Brunson and Wembanyama got tangled up during a possession and video shows Wembanyama tossing Brunson to the ground during the play.
Not yet. In the NBA playoffs, players are allowed three penalty points before a suspension is enacted. Wembanyama has already obtained two penalty points for his Flagrant 2 foul against Naz Reid in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Should the NBA determine that Wembanyama's shove warrants a Flagrant 1 distinction, Wembanyama would have three penalty points for the postseason, meaning one more flagrant foul (1 or 2) would lead to immediate suspension.
What determines a Flagrant 1 or 2 in the NBA?
Per NBA Rule 12, a Flagrant 2 is called when contact with an opposing player is determined to be "unecessary and excessive." A Flagrant 1 is called when the contact is only unecessary.
A Flagrant 2 is also grounds for an immediate ejection from the game and comes with a minimum $2,000 fine.
Seeing a lot of confusion right now about whether Victor Wembanyama will be suspended for Game 5, so here’s what NBA rules say might happen:
