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Athletics Community Prospect List: Montero Wins 8th-Best In System

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 27: A general view of an Oakland Athletics logo and hat before the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on September 27, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images

*In an effort to make the nomination voting easier for everyone, I will comment, “NOMINATIONS”, and you may reply to that with your picks and upvote the player you’d like to see on the next nominee list.

We’re almost done with our top-10 prospects! Shortstop Edgar Montero has won the fan vote for the eighth-best prospect in the farm system. An international signee just last year, the switch-hitting shortstop is a well-rounded batter in the box and has made huge strides on defense, so much so that the A’s are reportedly planning to continue developing him at shortstop even though scouts believe that as the 19-year-old gets older he’ll need to move to third base. The A’s have some serious talent at shortstop coming up the pipeline, and that’s without even counting the recently-extended Jacob Wilson.

We have a new nominee and that player is right-handed pitcher Cole Miller. The former 4th-rounder missed his first professional season after undergoing Tommy John surgery soon after signing an above-slot bonus to join the A’s and forgo college. In his first taste of the pro ranks Miller did not disappoint as he showed his plus-fastball and improving secondary offerings. The righty is way down on the farm and won’t be an impact in the next couple of years but if things break right he could become one of the team’s better pitching prospects down the line. Just need to coach him up this coming year and we could see an aggressive promotion.

The process for this public vote is explained below. Please take a moment to read this before participating:

  • Please only vote for one. The player with the most votes at the end of voting will win the ranked spot. The remaining four players move on to the next ballot where they are joined by a new nominee.
  • In the comments, below the official voting, the community will nominate players to be put onto the ballot for the next round. The format for your comment should be “Nomination: Player Name”.
  • If a prospect is traded, his name will be crossed out, and all other players will be moved up a space. If a prospect is acquired, a special vote will be put up to determine where that player should rank.

Click on the link here to vote!

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A’s fans top prospects, ranked:

  1. Leo De Vries, SS
  2. Jamie Arnold, LHP
  3. Gage Jump, LHP
  4. Wei-En Lin, LHP
  5. Braden Nett, RHP
  6. Henry Bolte, OF
  7. Johenssy Colome, SS
  8. Edgar Montero, SS

The voting continues! Which A’s prospect do the fans believe is the ninth-best player in the system? Here’s a quick rundown on each nominee— the scouting grades (on a 20-to-80 scale) and scouting reports come from MLB Pipeline.

Nominees on the current ballot:

Tommy White, 3B

Expected level: Double-A | Age: 22

2025 stats (A+/AA): 395 PA, .275/.334/.439, 23 doubles, 0 triples, 12 HR, 51 RBI, 29 BB, 54 K, 3 SB

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 45

White’s right-handed power is legitimate and he can hit the ball a long way to all fields thanks to his strength and bat speed. He might be known for his home run totals but he’s a better overall hitter than people think, finding the barrel consistently and limiting strikeouts. His knack for contact can lead to him expanding his strike zone, but he doesn’t swing and miss very often.

It will be White’s bat that carries him to the big leagues. He’s a well-below-average runner who likely lacks the range and tools to stick at third base, where he toiled as a sophomore and junior, earning praise for playing through a shoulder injury at LSU in 2023. He’s likely headed to first base long term, which could give the A’s a glut of serious offensive talent between him and first-rounder Nick Kurtz.

Shotaro Morii, SS/RHP

Expected level: Low-A | Age: 19

2025 stats (Rookie Affiliate): 188 PA, .258/.399/.384, 8 doubles, 1 triple, 3 HR, 27 RBI, 36 BB, 47 K, 4 SB

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades (hitter): Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

Scouting grades (pitcher): Fastball: 55 | Slider: 40 | Curveball: 45 | Splitter: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

At the plate, Morii features a smooth left-handed swing with tremendous balance. His power stands out, as he clubbed 45 home runs as a high schooler. He is considered an advanced hitter with good barrel control. On the mound, his fastball has been clocked as high as 95 mph and sits around 92-93. He also brings a splitter with nasty movement, a true 12-to-6 curveball and a tighter slider with solid bite and depth, though that offering will probably require some fine-tuning. Having only been pitching with regularity for less than two years, Morii’s arm is relatively fresh as he enters the organization.

Morii’s high-octane throwing arm plays well at shortstop, but some evaluators see a possibility of moving to third base as his 6-foot-1 frame fills out. While scouts see Morii’s long-term future in the batter’s box, the A’s plan on giving him every opportunity to succeed as a two-way player, with excitement already building over his impressive physical traits and desire to become one of the next great players out of Japan.

Devin Taylor, OF

Expected level: High-A | Age: 22

2025 stats (Single-A): 188 PA, .264/.388/.481, 5 doubles, 0 triples, 6 HR, 18 RBI, 21 BB, 37 K, 2 SB

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Arm: 45 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

Taylor shows the potential to become a plus hitter in terms of both average and power while controlling the strike zone. A left-handed hitter with plenty of bat speed and strength, he hits the ball extremely hard and generates power to all fields. He likes to swing the bat but has cut down on his chases this spring. He makes consistent contact and has no problems handling breaking pitches.

The majority of Taylor’s value will come from his offensive production. His speed, arm strength and defensive instincts all grade as fringy, which will limit him to a corner outfield spot in pro ball.

Steven Echavarria, RHP

Expected level: Double-A | Age: 20

2025 stats (A+): 4.59 ERA, 25 starts (26 appearances), 104 IP, 88 K, 42 BB, 8 HR, 4.10 FIP

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

The A’s believe Echavarria’s stuff played better than the overall numbers might suggest. His fastball reached 98 mph and sat 95-96 with good ride up in the zone. The issue was struggling to command his arsenal when he would fall behind in counts. His mid-80s slider flashes plus, and his upper-80s changeup continues to improve. He also throws a two-seamer in the 92-93 mph range. He clearly dealt with some control issues, but the A’s are not at all sounding the alarm, instead patiently working with the teenager on adjustments.

Echavarria profiles as a starter for the long-term with his 6-foot-1 frame and sound delivery. Previously having shown an ability to consistently throw all of his offerings for strikes prior to the Draft, he will continue to work to rediscover that control in his second season of pro ball.

Cole Miller, RHP

Expected level: Single-A | Age: 20

2025 stats (ROK, Single-A): 1.90 ERA, 12 starts (15 appearances), 52 IP, 45 K, 11 BB, 1 HR, 3.38 FIP

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

The A’s were working on some mechanical adjustments with Miller prior to his injury. His electric fastball ticked up to 96 mph in high school and displayed excellent movement down in the zone. The mid-80s slider is a hard breaker and was showing signs of improvement. His low-80s changeup showed some potential as an average third pitch.

There was real excitement within the organization for Miller’s professional debut. His three-pitch mix and large 6-foot-6 frame give off the potential of a workhorse-type starting pitcher in the big leagues. The A’s also loved the competitiveness they saw from him on the mound while scouting him. After an unfortunate delay, he finally got his first opportunity to make an impression this summer.

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Lakers trade Gabe Vincent to Atlanta for Luke Kennard, no further trades expected

Hawks guard Luke Kennard shoots the ball during a game on Dec. 6.
The Lakers acquired guard Luke Kennard from the Hawks in exchange for Gabe Vincent. (Nick Wass / Associated Press)

The Lakers made a deal around the margins when they acquired sharpshooter Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks for Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round draft pick on Thursday morning, according to people with knowledge of the deal not authorized to discuss it publicly.

The Lakers like the idea that Kennard’s shooting can create space on the court for Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, who just returned to play Tuesday night at Brooklyn after missing 19 games because of a left calf strain.

Kennard, a 6-foot-5 guard, is shooting an NBA-best 49.7% from three-point range with the Hawks this season over 46 games, all off the bench. He has shot 44.2% from three-point range during his nine-year career.

Kennard is averaging 7.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He is shooting 53.8% from the field.

Read more:Anthony Davis reportedly dealt by Mavericks a year after Lakers traded him for Luka Doncic

He might not be the defender the Lakers were hoping to get, but Kennard’s ability to hit open shots was seen as a positive, sources told The Times.

The Lakers are not expected to make any more moves today — the NBA deadline for deals is noon PST — and instead look to make a big splash this summer when they have more resources available.

The Lakers will have about $60 million in salary-cap space this summer and three first-round picks in 2026, 2031 and 2032 they could use to sweeten potential trade offers.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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BYU coach says 'F The Mormons' chants at Oklahoma St. show there's 'too much hate in the world'

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — A BYU sports team was the target of a derogatory chant in an opponent's venue for at least the fourth time in a year, and the Big 12 again announced that the conference is looking into the matter.

Kevin Young, coach of the 16th-ranked Cougars men's basketball team, said after a 99-92 loss at Oklahoma State on Wednesday night that he heard “F The Mormons” chants coming out of the student section.

“It's a great win for Oklahoma State University. Their fans should be proud," he said. "It would be great if some class was warranted in there as well. I've got four small kids at home. I'm a Mormon. When I go home, they're going to ask me about it, same way as they asked me about it last year at Arizona. There's just too much hate in the world to be saying stuff like that. We've got enough problems in our world without going at people's religion and beliefs and whether it's in vogue or not.”

BYU is the flagship school for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church.

OSU President Jim Hess said in a statement that any behavior that targets or demeans others has no place at his school.

“The Cowboy Code calls us to treat others with respect and dignity, and we are reviewing what occurred and will address any violations of our standards of conduct appropriately,” Hess said. "Oklahoma State University values the relationship we have with BYU and deeply respects their community and their faith. I have reached out to BYU leadership directly to express our commitment to upholding the standards we expect from our community. We will continue to work with our students and fans to ensure that the atmosphere at our events reflects the values of the Cowboy family.”

The Associated Press left a message seeking comment from BYU.

Last February, Arizona apologized after the school said some fans participated in an “unacceptable chant” following the basketball team’s 96-95 loss to BYU in Tucson. According to online video, fans could be heard yelling a profane phrase directed at Mormons as the teams were leaving the court.

In September, Colorado apologized and was fined $50,000 by the Big 12 after football fans directed expletives and religious slurs at Mormons during a 24-21 loss to the Cougars in Boulder. In November, Cincinnati apologized for football fans' anti-Mormon chants during a 26-14 loss to BYU in Ohio.

In a statement Thursday, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said the conference is investigating what happened in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on Wednesday night.

“All parties have been notified,” he said. “The Conference has zero tolerance for behavior of this nature and will address the matter in accordance with Big 12 sportsmanship policies.”

Young said only four or five of his players are Mormon.

“I understand what we represent. Even for a guy like AJ, that stuff is unwarranted. Like I said, man, I try to talk to our guys about being examples in the world, why we can use basketball to really just bring people together and not tear people apart. It's something we talk about a lot. It's just disappointing.

“I hope someone prints that, I hope it's in bold on someone's publication and just try to maybe together as a society we can just help the world kind of move forward and not divide each other with hate and things that are really nonsensical.”

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Highlights: Johnson and Wembanyama combine for 47 points in win over Thunder

Feb 4, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) drives to the basket past Oklahoma City Thunder guard Brooks Barnhizer (23) during the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Coming off a win against the Orlando Magic, the Spurs faced off against the Oklahoma City Thunder for the fifth time this season. Before the game, it was announced that OKC’s starting five, plus some key rotation players, would be out due to their respective injuries. Stephon Castle returned after missing Sunday’s win versus Orlando, but Dylan Harper was ruled out due to an ankle injury. After dominating the first quarter 39-26, the Spurs led by as much as 22. As they took a 15-point lead into halftime, the Spurs came out sluggish to start the third. They allowed multiple OKC runs and struggled to drain a three. They missed 12 consecutive threes and allowed OKC to cut their deficit to just four points in the fourth quarter. Nonetheless, the Spurs finally buckled down and closed out the OKC B-Team 116-106.

Keldon Johnson dropped a team-high 25 points (10-17 FG, 4-8 3PT), six rebounds, two assists, and a block. KJ was the first one off the bench in the first and quickly went to work. He dropped 12 points in the first quarter and dropped 12 in the third. The 12 he scored in the third was all consecutive. He provided the much-needed scoring punch off the bench, just like he has all season. Once again, KJ for 6MOTY.

KJ IS EN FUEGO! KJ drained four threes, including this laser from the top of the key!

Victor Wembanyama dropped a double-double: 22 points (9-16 FG) and 14 rebounds to go along with two assists and two blocks. Wemby scored and got to the foul line repeatedly. However, he struggled from the foul line and shot three of eight. Nonetheless, Wemby’s impact was prevalent on the glass and on defense. His presence is so menacing that Isaiah Joe beat him to the rim but quickly threw his layup attempt off the backboard to a bit, Wemby, into goaltending it. Fortunately, Wemby did not fall for it. Look for him to get his focus back at the foul line.

W3MBY! Wemby gets Cason Wallace up in the air and snatches back his dribble for the open stepback trey!

AREA 51! Steph drives in and dishes a sweet backwards bounce pass to a cutting Wemby for the slam!

FLYING SAUCER APPROACHING! Wemby cleans up the Devin Vassell miss with a two-handed jam!

WEMBY DOUBLE DAGGER! Wemby rejects Aaron Wiggins on one end and finishes the alley-oop on the other end for the and-one to close out the Thunder!

De’Aaron Fox dropped a double-double: 15 points and 10 assists to go along with four rebounds, three steals, and a block. D-Fox was a playmaker on both ends. He dished out dimes and created points off turnovers with his pickpocketing. He also made five shots and made five free throws. One shot in particular stopped a cold streak for the Spurs in the fourth quarter, sparking new life into the offense. Look for him to continue sharing the playmaking load with Steph.

The Fox and the Alien! After Wemby blocks Kenrich Williams’ three-point attempt, D-Fox crosses half court and immediately lobs it to Wemby for the alley-oop connection!

Stephon Castle returned from injury and dropped 14 points, four assists, three rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. Steph was everywhere on defense. He was in the passing lanes like D-Fox, and he also had a few highlight swats. On offense, he battled and slashed in the paint with a dose of midranges. He’s still working on taking care of the ball, but his stature as a tall guard continues to make him a strong two-way player.

HIGH FLYER! Steph catches the lob from D-Fox and rises higher than Wallace for the one-handed jam!

A closer look at the verticality!

FUTURE ALL-DEFENSE! Steph rises and blocks Joe’s dunk attempt at the rim!

Carter Bryant dropped 11 points, five rebounds, two steals, and an assist in 13 minutes off the bench. CB came off the bench and made an immediate impact. He was aggressive on both ends: using his length to defend at a high level and even knocking down three threes. Ever since the Jeremy Sochan trade rumors, CB’s playing time has grown consistently. Look for the rookie to continue to show off his raw athleticism for the rest of the season, especially after this high putback slam!

All in all, this was on the verge of becoming an embarrassing collapse. With OKC not playing most of its key players, the Spurs should have taken care of business earlier than the fourth quarter. It goes back to a pattern for this young team still figuring out how to close out opponents. Despite the collapses, they still find themselves 34-16 and second in the West. Hopefully, the energy they saved will appear in their quick turnaround in Dallas with a hopeful return of Harper.

Finally, here are the full game highlights.

The Spurs travel to Dallas on a SEGABABA to take on the Mavericks at 7:30 P.M. (CST) on KENS.

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Juneiker Caceres is our No. 17 Guardians prospect. Who should be No. 18?

Apr 15, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; A detail of the uniform of Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan during the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the San Francisco Giants at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The people have spoken and Juneiker Caceres is our No. 17 Cleveland Guardians prospect for 2026. Caceres crushed the competition with 42.4% of the vote, running away from the likes of Yorman Gomez (14.1%), Andrew Walters (11.1%), Austin Peterson (10.1%), Josh Hartle (9.1%) and Jacob Cozart (8.1%).

Caceres was signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela for $350,000 in 2024. He made his debut later that year and immediately made an impact in the Dominican Summer League, obliterating baseballs to the tune of a .340/.425/.504 slash at age 16, good for an elite 140 wRC+ while walking more than he struck out.

He carried that momentum to his United States debut in 2025, beginning the year in the Arizona Complex League. Caceres showed no signs of slowing down and in fact improved upon many of his numbers, slugging his first three career home runs and slashing .289/.419/.469 over 40 games while walking 16.9% of the time and striking out 11.3% of the time, good for another elite 139 wRC+.

When the ACL season ended, Cleveland felt obligated to see what the young stud could do at full-season ball and he was shipped to Single-A Lynchburg.

His immediate impact was electric. In Caceres’ first four games at Lynchburg, he had a multi-hit effort in each game, going 8-for-16 with a home run, three doubles, a hit by pitch and a stolen base, almost earning player of the week status.

His pace slowed down over the next 26 games, but he still finished 2025 with an above average 103 wRC+ over 30 games at Single-A — at just 17 years old.

No one has zipped through Cleveland’s system at such a young age in recent memory. Caceres is yet another outfielder worth getting excited about and he could still continue to grow into his 5-foot-10 frame. Look for him to begin the 2026 season repeating at Single-A, but if he hits like he has been, he could be a fast mover yet again.

Now, it’s time to determine who is number 18 in the Guardians’ loaded farm system and you now have a whopping 10 players to choose from! Your options are below:

Impressed at the complex league, then hit the ground running in a late season promotion to Single-A before running out of steam late in his age-17 season. Loaded with potential.

Dauri Fernandez, SS (Age 18)
2025 (ACL) 176 PA, .333/.398/.558, 6 HR, 16 SB, 9.1 BB%, 12.5 K%, 147 wRC+
2025 (A): 24 PA, .273/.250/.318, 0 HR, 2 SB, 0 BB%, 12.5 K%, 57 wRC+

One of Cleveland’s top performers in the Arizona Complex League in 2025. Undersized, but makes solid contact and doesn’t strike out often. Earned a small taste of full-season ball at the end of the year.

Franklin Gomez, LHP (Age 20)
w/ Mets 2025 (A): 14 G, 82.0 IP, 1.85 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 21.4 K%, 11.7 BB%, 1.09 WHIP
w/ Mets 2025 (A+): 6 GS, 48.2 IP, 1.70 ERA, 3.65 FIP, 23.4 K%, 9.9 BB%, 1.83 WHIP

Acquired from the Mets in a trade for international bonus cash, Gomez lit up Single-A in his age-19 season, then improved his walk and strikeout numbers after being promoted to High-A.

Yorman Gomez, RHP (Age 23)
2025 (A+): 17 G, 76.0 IP, 2.84 ERA, 2.92 FIP, 27.3 K%, 9.5 BB%, 1.11 WHIP
2025 (AA): 10 G, 45.2 IP, 3.15 ERA, 2.50 FIP, 28.0 K%, 9.5 BB%, 1.25 WHIP

Venezuelan prospect who broke out in with increased velocity in 2025, putting up nearly identical numbers at both High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron. Gomez was added to Cleveland’s 40-man roster.

Petey Halpin, OF (Age 23)
2025 (AAA) 553 PA, .249/.321/.414, 14 HR, 15 SB, 9.2 BB%, 28.2 K%, 95 wRC+
2025 (MLB): 8 PA, .333/.500/.333, 0 HR, 0 SB, 25.0 BB%, 25.0 K%, 157 wRC+

Earned a cup of coffee in Cleveland last season after an average year at Triple-A at age 23. Impressed with five runs scored in just six games played with the Guardians.

Josh Hartle, LHP (Age 22)
2025 (A+): 22 GS, 103.1 IP, 2.35 ERA, 3.06 FIP, 24.0 K%, 8.9 BB%, 1.05 WHIP
2025 (AA): 2 GS, 10.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 2.79 FIP, 16.3 K%, 4.7 BB%, 1.50 WHIP

Acquired from Pittsburghin the Spencer Horwitz trade, Hartle was one of Cleveland’s most successful starting pitchers in its minor league system in 2025. Stands 6-foot-6, but doesn’t have a ton of velocity.

Austin Peterson, RHP (Age 26)
2025 (AA): 11 GS, 55.0 IP, 1.47 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 23.9 K%, 4.9 BB%, 0.84 WHIP
2025 (AAA): 15 GS, 90.2 IP, 4.27 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 20.2 K%, 7.8 BB%, 1.37 WHIP

Absolutely dominated Double-A to begin 2025 looking well on his way to repeating his tremendous 2024 season, but then struggled after an early-season promotion to Triple-A. Remains on the 40-man roster.

Gabriel Rodriguez, SS (Age 18)
2025 (ACL) 122 PA, .294/.393/.402, 1 HR, 11 SB, 12.3 BB%, 18.9 K%, 116 wRC+

One of Cleveland’s top recent international signings, Rodriguez put up strong offensive numbers in his stateside debut in his age-18 season in 2025. Expected to transition to full-season ball this year.

Andrew Walters, RHP (Age 25)
2025 (AAA): 12 G, 12.0 IP, 1.50 ERA, 1.91 FIP, 46.0 K%, 18.0 BB%, 1.17 WHIP
2025 (MLB): 2 G, 1.1 IP, 13.50 ERA, 9.89 FIP, 33.3 K%, 0.0 BB%, 1.50 WHIP

Walters maintains his rookie status due to limited MLB appearances because of an injury in 2025. If he returns at 100%, he’ll once again be a factor in the back end of Cleveland’s vaunted bullpen.

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Our list so far:
1. Chase DeLauter, LHH OF
2. Travis Bazzana, LHH 2B
3. Parker Messick, LHP
4. Ralphy Velazquez, LHH 1B/RF
5. Angel Genao, SH SS
6. Braylon Doughty, RHP
7. Cooper Ingle, LHH C
8. Khal Stephen, RHP
9. Juan Brito, SH 2B/1B/RF/3B
10. Jaison Chourio, SH OF
11. Kahlil Watson, LHH OF
12. Daniel Espino, RHP
13. George Valera, LHH OF
14. Jace LaViolette, LHH OF
15. Joey Oakie, RHP
16. Alfonsin Rosario, RHH OF
17. Juneiker Caceres, LHH OF

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Timberwolves Trade for Bulls Guard Ayo Dosunmu

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 03: Ayo Dosunmu #11 of the Chicago Bulls dribbles the ball against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum on February 03, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images

For better or for worse, it seems as though the Minnesota Timberwolves have pivoted their focus from the Giannis Antetokuonmpo sweepstakes and filled an immediate need.

Tim Connelly and company have struck a deal with the Chicago Bulls to bring in Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillips for Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and four second round picks.

A crafty scoring guard that fills a desperate need on Chris Finch’s bench, Dosunmu is averaging 15 points on 51% shooting and 45% from three. He gets to the basketball effectively and collapses defenses, which is something the Wolves desperately need. In last year’s playoffs, Anthony Edwards seemed to be the only player on the team able to do so, causing coach Chris Finch to turn to Dosunmu’s fellow Illinois basketball alum in Terrence Shannon Jr. to try and help Edwards out there.

Dosunmu’s shooting percentage by area | 3 Steps Basket

Another important piece of the trade, and Bobby Marks explains, is getting Dosunmu’s bird rights heading into free agency this offseason. Without them, it would have been extremely difficult to re-sign him.

Outside of the Giannis chatter that had been so persistent and was clearly impacting the team on the floor, the Wolves had a glaring hole on the bench for scoring and making a move at the deadline was a must in order to keep its status as a contender.

This also signals a move off of the Rob Dillingham experiment, and allows the former top-10 pick of the Wolves to go to a team where he will get more playing time and more offensive leash.

Dillingham shined in moments during his rookie season, but a clear regression this year and failure to crack the rotation in the minutes he was given signaled that an exit might be imminent.

Also included in the trade is former second round pick Leonard Miller. A promising athlete coming from G League Ignite, Miller too was unable to crack the rotation in his three years in Minnesota. Perhaps a change of scenery more minutes will do both players well on their way out.

Here’s a look at the current roster situation as it stands:

Dosunmu’s first opportunity to make his Timberwolves debut will be Friday night at Target Center against the New Orleans Pelicans.

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NBA Trade Deadline (open thread)

DURHAM, NC - SEPTEMBER 23: Brad Stevens smiles during USA Basketball Press Conference on September 23, 2025 at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Steven Harrison/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It has already been an eventful few days leading up to the NBA trade deadline. Will the Boston Celtics be making any additional moves today? What other moves will reshape the landscape across the NBA?

This is an open thread to share your ideas, pass along rumors, and most importantly to react to the news as it happens. There’s nothing quite like the deadline for following along online and reacting in real time to all the changes.

Will Giannis be moved? Are the Celtics making any other moves? What about buyout guys? How do all the moves impact the overall standings for the rest of the year? Are there any future moves you could see happening in the Summer?

You are also welcome to post interesting or significant updates in The Feed and keep the conversation going there as well. Of course if anything big happens with the Celtics, we’ll have a dedicated post up for that.

Enjoy the festivities!

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NBA trade deadline grades for every 2026 deal

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 05: Anthony Davis #3 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts following a game against the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome on April 05, 2025 in Inglewood, 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 Michael Owens/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The 2026 NBA trade deadline offers a world of possibilities. The league is no longer as top heavy as it was 10 or 20 years ago. In this era, parity reigns supreme, and repeating as champions is almost impossible. With a big class of both buyers chasing the title and sellers chasing ping-pong balls in the NBA draft lottery, this promises to be an active deadline right up to the buzzer.

Will we get a blockbuster on the level of the Luka Doncic-to-the-Lakers stunner last year? Only if Giannis Antetokounmpo gets traded. There’s a list of front-runners who can all make strong offers to land the Greek Freak, but it would be understandable if Milwaukee wants to do everything in its power to keep him happy as a Buck.

Find the details of every trade at the deadline at our trade tracker. Get an early look at prospect scouting with our latest 2026 mock draft. We’ll be grading every NBA trade at the deadline in this post as they happen. Refresh this post often to see our instant analysis on every deal.

Knicks add Jose Alvarado from Pelicans

Knicks acquire Jose Alvarado from Pelicans for Dalen Terry and two second-round picks

Knicks grade: A

Pelicans grade: B+

Alvarado was one of the better backup guards available at the deadline, and New York did well to pounce on him. He has a player option for next season, and should be a solid depth piece for the Knicks’ playoff run.

Bucks beef up the front court in trade with Suns

Milwaukee Bucks acquire Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis from Suns for Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey

Bucks grade: A-

Suns grade: A

The Suns get under a tax apron without having to include a draft pick. The Bucks use their remaining room beneath the tax to pick up a backup center. I like it for both teams. Milwaukee just needed some more bigs, and while Richards isn’t anything special, he’s at least serviceable.

Lakers add Luke Kennard from Hawks

Lakers acquire Luke Kennard from Hawks for Gabe Vincent and second-round pick

Lakers grade: A-

Hawks grade: B+

Both Kennard and Vincent are expiring deals. Getting a second round pick back for a player you had no use for is nice work by Atlanta, but I like it a little more for the Lakers. Putting shooters around Luka Doncic is always a good move, and there aren’t many better shooters in the league than Kennard. Kennard needs to be insulated defensively, but he’s a 44 percent career shooter from deep, and that always works well next to Luka.

Wolves acquire Ayo Dosunmu from Bulls for Rob Dillingham, second-round picks

Timberwolves acquire Ayo Dosunmu from Bulls for Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, four second round picks

Wolves grade: A

Bulls grade: C

The Timberwolves traded an unprotected future first-round pick for Dillingham during the 2024 draft, but he was never able to crack Chris Finch’s rotation. Dosunmu was having a career year for Chicago and fits very well next to Anthony Edwards as a tough on-ball defender who has been on fire as a three-point shooter. Dosunmu is on an expiring contract and it remains to be seen if he’ll be in the Wolves’ future plans, but they didn’t give up much to get him and he could help swing a playoff series in their favor. This is great work by the Wolves.

Celtics-Bulls swap Nikola Vucevic and Anfernee Simons

Boston Celtics acquire Nikola Vucevic from Chicago Bulls for Anfernee Simons and New Orleans Pelicans’ 2026 second-round pick

Celtics grade: B+

Bulls grade: B+

The Bulls seemingly waved the white flag on their play-in chances by trading Nikola Vucevic. Chicago should have been tanking from the start of the season, but I guess “better late than never” applies here. Simons was pretty good in Boston as a super high volume shooter off the bounce (more than 13 threes per 100 possessions at a 40 percent clip), but the Celtics needed an experienced big who spaces the floor and grabs defensive rebounds for their playoff push, and Vuc checks both boxes. Chicago getting a very high second-round pick back for Vuc is nice work.

Blazers acquire Vit Krejci from Hawks

Portland acquires Vít Krejčí from Atlanta for Duop Reath, 2027 second-round pick, 2030 second-round pick

Trail Blazers grade: B+

Hawks grade: B

Krejci is a 6’8 wing who can handle the rock a little bit and shoot it at a high level. The 25-year-old is having his best season as a pro this year by canning 41.6 percent of his three-pointers on 5.2 attempts per game in only 22 minutes. Portland needed more shooting on the wing, and this is a nice buy-low move.

Wizards acquire Anthony Davis from Mavericks for picks and players

Wizards acquire Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum from the Mavericks for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, 2 first-round picks and 3 second-rounders

Wizards grade: B

Mavericks grade: B+

Read our full trade grades here.

Thunder acquire Jared McCain from 76ers for first-round pick, 3 seconds

Thunder acquire Jared McCain from 76ers for first-round pick (originally owned by Houston) and three second-round picks

Thunder grade: A

76ers grade: B-

Read our full trade grades here.

Hornets acquire Coby White from Bulls

Hornets acquire Coby White, Mike Conley Jr. from Bulls for Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng, three second-round picks

Hornets grade: A

Bulls grade: C

Read our full trade grades here.

Cavs acquire James Harden for Darius Garland, second-round pick

Read our full analysis of the deal here.

Cavs grade: C+

Clippers grade: B+

Bulls acquire Jaden Ivey in three-team swap

Read our full analysis of the deal here.

Bulls grade: B

Pistons grade: A

Wolves grade: B

Jazz acquire Jaren Jackson Jr. from Memphis Grizzlies for 3 first-round picks and more

Read our full analysis of the deal here.

Jazz grade: B+

Grizzlies grade: A-

Cavs acquire Dennis Schroder, Keon Ellis from Kings in 3-team deal

Read our full analysis of the deal here.

Cavs grade: A

Kings grade: C

Bulls grade: A

Trae Young traded to Wizards

Read our full analysis of the deal here.

Wizards grade: A-

Hawks grade: B-

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Top 25 Mets Prospects for 2026: Marco Vargas (26)

On January 21, 2026, Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat were traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. This list, and their place on it, was compiled back in late-November. For continuity’s sake, I decided upon including Williams and Sproat’s profile, but for all intents and purposes, every player on our list below the pair can be considered to have moved up, with the addition of prospects 26 and 27 effectively becoming 24 and 25.

Marco Vargas was signed by the Miami Marlins on May 25, 2022, the day before his 17th birthday, agreeing to terms in exchange for a $17,500 signing bonus. Three weeks later, the Chihuahua, Mexico native was assigned to the Dominican Summer League, where he appeared in 53 games for the DSL Miami squad. Vargas won team MVP honors, hitting .319/.421/.456 with 13 doubles, 3 triples, 2 home runs, 14 stolen bases in 20 attempts, and 35 walks to 32 strikeouts. He was sent stateside for the 2023 season and was assigned to the FCL Marlins, Miami’s Florida Complex League team. Appearing in 33 games for them, the infielder hit .283/.457/.442 with 11 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 8 stolen bases in 10 attempts, and 38 walks to 22 strikeouts.

Overview

Name: Marco Vargas
Position: INF
Born: 05/14/2005 (Age 21 season in 2026)
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 170 lbs.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Acquired: Trade (July 28, 2023: Traded by the Miami Marlins with Ronald Hernandez to the New York Mets for David Robertson)

2025 Stats: 13 G, 44 AB, .409/.527/.545, 18 H, 3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 10 BB, 7 K, 2/3 SB, .472 BABIP (Single-A) / 95 G, 355 AB, .239/.328/.296, 85 H, 9 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 48 BB, 82 K, 38/45 SB, .304 BABIP (High-A)

On July 28, 2023, Florida packaged Vargas along with catcher Ronald Hernandez and traded them the Mets in exchange for veteran reliever David Robertson. Vargas remained in the FCL, now with the FCL Mets, and hit .234/.368/.298 in 15 games with them, knocking 3 more doubles, stealing 2 more bases, and drawing 10 walks to 9 strikeouts. At the end of August, he was promoted to Single-A St. Lucie and appeared in 6 games for them, going 8-26 with no extra base hits, 2 stolen bases in 5 attempts, and drawing 5 walks to 7 strikeouts. All in all, he spent the majority of his season in the Florida Complex League and hit an outstanding .269/.431/.398 in 49 games for the FCL Marlins and FCL Mets, with 14 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 10 stolen bases in 12 attempts, and 48 walks to 33 strikeouts

That winter, he was ranked 8th on the 2024 Amazin Avenue’ Top 25 Prospect list. He began the year with St. Lucie got only got sporadic playing time in April thanks to an injury. He was placed on the injured list at the end of the month and activated after the minimum seven days. He got into a handful of games and was placed back on the injured list. In total, he was placed on the injured list four different times throughout the year, it later being revealed that he was dealing with wrist tendonitis. All in all, he only played 37 games in 2024, most coming during a stretch of play in May and in August/September and hit.208/.369/.239 with 4 doubles, 0 triples, 0 home runs, 13 stolen bases in 15 attempts, and 34 walks to 38 strikeouts.

That winter, he was ranked 8th on the 2024 Amazin Avenue’ Top 25 Prospect list. He began the year with St. Lucie but only got sporadic playing time in April thanks to an injury. He was placed on the injured list at the end of the month and activated after the minimum seven days. He got into a handful of games and was placed back on the injured list. In total, he was placed on the injured list four different times throughout the year, it later being revealed that he was dealing with wrist tendonitis. All in all, he only played 37 games in 2024, most coming during a stretch of play in May and in August/September and hit.208/.369/.239 with 4 doubles, 0 triples, 0 home runs, 13 stolen bases in 15 attempts, and 34 walks to 38 strikeouts.

The infielder was healthier in 2025, but he was unable to leverage his health into a stand-out season. Things began well for the 20-year-old, as he hit .409/.527/.545 for St. Lucie in 13 games in early-and-mid-April, but his production took a hit when he was promoted to High-A Brooklyn at the end of the month. Playing in a stadium rough on left-handed hitters, Vargas appeared in 95 games for the Cyclones, Vargas hit .239/.328/.296 with 9 doubles, 4 triples, 1 home run, 38 stolen bases in 45 attempts, and drew 48 walks to 82 strikeouts.

The 5’11”, 170-pound Vargas stands tall at the plate, holding his hands high at the eyes and angling his bat head at 10:30. Between 2024 and 2025, the organization had Vargas close up a little bit to eliminate some movement in his load, and raise the angle of his bat, as to not wrap it behind his head too much. He swings with a slight leg kick and has a quick, balanced, compact stroke from the left-side. Highlighted by his 43.0% Swing% and 81.4% Contact%, both better than the MLB average, Vargas is a selective hitter and makes a lot of contact. While not Luis Arraez by any means, his 19.2 K% and 8% SwStr% were both above-average as well.

When Vargas puts a ball in play, he uses the entire field, pulling the ball at a 36.9% rate in 2025, going back up the middle at a 24.2% rate, and going to the opposite field at a 38.9% rate; his pulled ball percentage and opposite field percentage had a change of roughly 10% during his time in Brooklyn as compared to his time in St. Lucie, 45.9%-29.7% to 35.7%-40.1%, highlighting how Maimonides Park can be extremely suboptimal for left-handed hitters.

Vargas does not hit the ball in the air much, posting a 24.9% line drive rate, 43.0% ground ball rate, and 32.0% flyball rate. In limited at-bats in 2024 and 2025 at St. Lucie, where publicly available statcast data exists, he maintained an 88.1 and 90.1 MPH average exit velocity, with a high-water mark of 103.9 MPH in 2024 and 106.5 MPH in 2025. While those averages would put him in the 73th and 87th percentiles in Low-A baseball in 2024 and 2025, respectively, his max exit velocity readings only put him in the 16th percentile for the 2024 season and 31st for the 2025 season.

While the infielder may not excel necessarily at doing damage himself, his greatest strength is setting up others to do damage. His 12.5% cumulative BB% would have placed him in the top in the Florida State League as well as the South Atlantic League. He rarely swings at questionable pitches and may be a bit too passive at times, electing to let potentially hittable pitches pass him by and settling for the ball instead of chancing on putting the ball in play.

While possessing fringe-average speed, Vargas has shown good basestealing instincts over the course of his professional career. In 2024, he stole 13 bases in 1t attempts in 37 games and in 2025, he stole a cumulative total of 40 bases in 48 attempts in 108 games. He reads pitchers well and is an opportunistic runner, shrewdly choosing his spots.

Defensively, Vargas has played defense all over the infield over the course of his young career, splitting second base and shortstop almost equally. In 2024, he played a total of 52.2 innings at third base, 114.2 innings at second base, and 113.1 at shortstop and in 2025, he played 426.2 innings at second base and 387.2 at short.

While on the smaller side, Vargas is not particularly quick-twitch athletic; he does not have a quick first step nor is he particularly rangy or agile. He will make the routine plays and catch most balls hit to him at short but will be pressed to make more difficult plays. Coupled with his fringe-average arm, and the infielder is far better suited at second base than he is at shortstop in the long run.

2026 Mets Top 25 Prospect List

1) Nolan McLean
2) Carson Benge
3) Jonah Tong
4) Jett Williams*
5) Brandon Sproat*
6) A.J. Ewing
7) Jacob Reimer
8) Ryan Clifford
9) Will Watson
10) Jack Wenninger
11) Mitch Voit
12) Jonathan Santucci
13) Elian Peña
14) Zach Thornton
15) Nick Morabito
16) R.J. Gordon
17) Chris Suero
18) Dylan Ross
19) Ryan Lambert
20) Antonio Jimenez
21) Edward Lantigua
22) Eli Serrano III
23) Randy Guzman
24) Daiverson Gutierrez
25) Boston Baro
26) Marco Vargas

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Phillies have five prospects in the Baseball Prospectus top 101

CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 14: A detail photo of the Spring Breakout 2025 patch on the hat of Aroon Escobar #13 of the Philadelphia Phillies prior to the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark on Friday, March 14, 2025 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Baseball Prospectus was the latest publication to put out their top 100 prospects list yesterday, only they continue to march to their own beat and gave us 101 names. The Phillies figured rather prominently, placing five names in the list this year.

13 – Aidan Miller
51 – Andrew Painter
77 – Gage Wood
78 – Aroon Escobar
98 – Justin Crawford

The writers there have always been down on Crawford, so his ranking that low should be no surprise to people that frequent that site. Seeing Escobar on that list furthers at least my opinion that keeping him around might be more prudent than using him as a major trade piece when further major league reinforcements are needed. Painter dropping that low from his previously lofty perch might be alarming, but maybe shouldn’t. He didn’t have a good 2025.

So, it’s nice that the team has this many prospects that are nationally recognized, but once three of them graduate to the majors this year, things might get a bit dicier.

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Tom Izzo threatens to bench Michigan State star Jeremy Fears Jr. for 'immaturity'

MINNEAPOLIS – In less than a week, Jeremy Fears Jr. went from Aaron Craft to Grayson Allen – from a plucky pest to a potential problem.

That's something the Michigan State men's basketball team cannot afford. Not when coach Tom Izzo has said all season – and then again after losing Wednesday at Minnesota – that “the margin for error is slim” for his team.

Ultimately, the story in the loss to the Golden Gophers wasn’t about another abysmal start, in which the 10th-ranked Spartans saw their starters combine for just seven of their season-low 21 first-half points. Or the way they roared back in the second half yet again, cutting a 16-point deficit to two with inside 20 seconds remaining. Michigan State couldn’t overcome the hole created by its porous defense and the Gophers’ sizzling shooting in a second consecutive loss, 76-73 at Williams Arena.

Jeremy Fears Jr. of the Michigan State Spartans draws a foul against Isaac Asuma of the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the second half at Williams Arena on Feb. 4, 2026, in Minneapolis.

It wasn’t even the 10 points and 11 assists from Fears, the reigning back-to-back Big Ten player of the week. Instead, it was what he did with his legs and arms – and not the basketball. And it left Izzo threatening to bench his starting point guard, a third-year sophomore and emotional leader who missed all but 10 games of his freshman season in 2023-24.while recovering from being shot in the upper left thigh in December 2023.

LEG WORK: Jeremy Fears gets technical foul for kick to Minnesota player's groin

“I go out every game, and I play hard. I don’t intentionally try to hurt anyone or play whatever you want to say,” Fears said Wednesday, after being publicly accused Monday of making “dangerous” plays by Michigan coach Dusty May. “I go out and play every game like it’s my last. So I don’t take a game for granted, I don’t take a moment for granted. So I’m gonna go out there and play as hard as I can every possession, every game.

“It is what it is. At one point, I had basketball taken away from me. It’s something I love to do, I couldn’t do it for a whole year. Most people wouldn’t understand that, and you know, that’s on them, I guess. At the end of the day, I don’t change who I am or what I do. I just go out there and play 150[%], no matter what happens.”

Izzo benched Fears twice in the second half following controversial plays. And he assailed how his captain handled himself at times, with an emphasis on May’s comments.

“I sat him for a while. I don’t know. I don’t even know if I’m gonna start him the next game,” Izzo said. “But I stuck up for him, too. Because what happened in the last game – I’ll just say, what happened in the last game, the way that was handled, was poorly, too. And that starts everything.

“But Jeremy’s gotta grow up a little bit.”

Changing opinions

The tightrope for Fears is narrow between being an agitator who plays ferocious defense while standing fearlessly, as Craft did for Ohio State, and being labeled “dirty,” as Allen was for Duke. In two games, the narrative around Fears has started to shift from being a tough-as-nails trash-talker who draws fouls at an elite rate to a player who, if you get under his skin, will react negatively and put opponents – and his own team − in jeopardy.

Wednesday night was a prime example of that book becoming widely read by opposing coaches, particularly in light of May’s allegations and social media-circulated video clips highlighting moments from the Spartans’ loss to No. 2 Michigan on Friday.

Fears, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound third-year sophomore, received a technical foul with 13:28 to play in the second half for a back kick that connected with the groin of Minnesota’s Langston Reynolds, who initially was called for a foul for a hard bump on Fears. The Gophers’ bench signaled for a review, and Fears received a tech. Izzo benched Fears for the next 1:44, replacing him with Denham Wojcik because backup point guard Divine Ugochukwu injured his left foot in the first half and did not return.

Before that call, the Spartans (19-4, 9-3 Big Ten) had shaken off a brutal first half to cut a 12-point deficit to five. Minnesota then scored four points in a row to spark a 22-11 run that gave first-year coach Niko Medved’s team a 67-51 lead on Reynolds’ three-point play with 4:08 to play.

“I’ll say this: He's taken a lot of heat and all that. He's a great player,” Medved said of Fears. “Coach (Armon) Gates on our staff coached his brother, knows the family. I know he's a great kid. He's a competitor, that's who he is. Yeah, he gets a little carried away, and we saw that on film. …

“He's a guy you'd love to have on your team. But you can't do what he did, and I guarantee you he knows that. But he's a great player.”

Izzo said after the game he had yet to see a replay of the play but felt Fears “got pushed” and wanted to know “if he hit somebody.” When told video confirmed Fears’ leg made contact, Izzo quickly responded: “It does hit him? Then he deserved it. Then it was a good call. I didn’t see that.”

He continued by calling Fears’ response “immaturity.”

“You know what? If he plays that way, he deserves it. OK. He ain’t gonna play that way if I bench him the next game,” Izzo said. “Now, he is a physical player. So is No. 6 [Reynolds], so is No. 5 [Jaylen Crocker-Johnson]. You know, they're physical players. And I think things got blown up in the last game that when that stuff goes public, then you gotta really deal with it. If that's private between a coach and a coach or the front office. But once it goes to [the media], then it gets blown up, blown up.

“If he deserves it, good for him. You know, I've had it with that, too. That's not what I teach. That's not what I coach. I've told him about it.”

Asked if he feels opponents are trying to “bait” him into foolish fouls, as he has done the other way, Fears said, “No, not necessarily.”

“You see different stuff, people see different stuff, call different things,” he said. “At the same time, you just gotta play ball.”

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tom Izzo considers Jeremy Fears benching after Michigan State loss

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Lakers trade Gabe Vincent to Hawks for Luke Kennard

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 11: Luke Kennard #3 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts after making a basket in the second half against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on January 11, 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 Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Lakers made what will likely be their only move of the trade deadline on Thursday morning by trading Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second round pick to the Hawks for guard Luke Kennard, according to multiple reports.

Lakers fans are likely familiar with Kennard from his time with the Clippers as well as the playoff series against the Grizzlies a handful of years ago. He is a lights out 3-point shooter, connecting at a 49.7% clip this season. For his career, he’s a 44.2% shooter from range.

Kennard has earned a reputation as one of the league’s very best 3-point shooters. Over the last five seasons, he’s shot 46% from the 3-point line and averaged nearly five attempts per game. For a Lakers team that currently ranks 22nd in 3-point percentage and 23rd in 3-point attempts per game, Kennard is perhaps as good of a player as they could have landed in a deal like this.

The Lakers have three players on the roster shooting above 40% on wide open threes this year: Rui Hachimura at 44.9%, Luka Dončić at 41.9% and Austin Reaves at 40.8%. The next closest rotation player is LeBron at 34.1%. Luke Kennard is shooting 51.6% on wide open threes this season.

To say he is an upgrade on the team’s 3-point shooting would be an understatement.

By trading their 2032 second round pick in this deal, the Lakers are completely out of second round picks. While that will hurt them in potential trade negotiations moving forward, it doesn’t mean they won’t draft anyone in the second round in the future.

They’ve made a habit in recent years of buying second round picks once the draft comes around, which is one of the ways new ownership can flex its financial muscle as well. Last season, they made multiple trades with cash involved to move up and select Adou Thiero. It would not be a surprise if that becomes a trend.

From a salary standpoint, the Lakers also shaved $500,000 off the trade, creating some room under the second apron, which they are hard-capped at. That would likely only matter when signing buyout players or filling their final roster spot, but it gives them much more breathing room, relatively speaking.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

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Grading, Reviewing Pat Verbeek's Fourth Year as Ducks GM

The Anaheim Ducks hired Pat Verbeek to take the reins as the franchise’s general manager on Feb. 3, 2022 (just six weeks before the 2022 trade deadline). 

The 2025-26 season is his fourth full season in the GM role. He spent the 2022 trade deadline tearing the roster down and his first two full seasons, the two worst in franchise history (2022-23 and 2023-24), stockpiling and laying a new foundation on which his potentially contending teams will one day be built.

Grading, Reviewing Pat Verbeek's Third Year as Ducks GM

Takeaways from the Ducks 4-2 Win over the Kraken

The standings suggested the Ducks turned a corner in 2024-25, making a 21-point leap from 59 (27-50-5) to 80 (35-37-10). Today, with 26 games remaining on the 2025-26 schedule, the Ducks have 63 points (30-23-3) through 56 games and seem to be in the process of making another sizable jump, as they’re on pace to eclipse 92 points and make the playoffs for the first time in eight years.

Tuesday marked the fourth anniversary of Verbeek's hiring, so let’s take a look at all the notable moves he made in the last calendar year to get his club to where they are today:

2025 Trade Deadline

Ducks acquire goaltender Ville Husso from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations

This wasn’t a needle-moving move at the time, but Verbeek was able to get a third-string goaltender for free, with John Gibson dealing with various injuries throughout the course of the 2024-25 season. He fit in well down the stretch, both in Anaheim and with the San Diego Gulls in the AHL. Enough so that the Ducks elected to sign him to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $2.2 million.

Husso has performed at an adequate level for a backup in Anaheim, appearing in a total of 16 games and posting a 7-6-2 record and a .895 SV%.

Grade: C+

Ducks acquire forward Herman Traff and a 2025 second-round pick (Lasse Boelius) from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for defenseman Brian Dumoulin

Just eight months and 61 games after Dumoulin was acquired for a fourth-round pick, Verbeek flipped the veteran defenseman on an expiring deal for a player taken in the third round of the 2024 draft (Traff) and what became the 60th overall pick in 2025 (Boelius). Both players acquired for Dumoulin seem destined for the NHL in the not-too-distant future.

Traff is a big power forward with a heavy shot that he gets his entire 6-foot-3, 198-pound frame behind, and is having an excellent 2025-26 D+2 season for IK Oskarshamn in HockeyAllsvenskan (Sweden’s second-tier professional league), where he’s tallied 38 points (22-16=38) in 42 games.

Boelius is a smooth, puck-moving, yet defensively sound, 6-foot-1 defenseman eating second/third-pairing minutes in his first full season in Liiga (Finland’s top professional division) for Assat, where he has seven points (1-6=7) in 39 games and represented Finland at the 2026 World Junior Championships, where he tallied seven points (2-5=7) in seven games.

Grade: A

2025 Offseason

Ducks Fire Greg Cronin and hire Joel Quenneville

It was somewhat shocking to see Verbeek let go of Greg Cronin just two years after he was hired and following a season in which the Ducks made a 21-point jump in the standings from 2023-24 to 2024-25. However, most metrics, underlying or traditional, indicated the lack of growth from the roster Verbeek was looking for with Cronin behind the bench, and he was the first NHL head coach let go following the end of the season.

Cronin was let go on April 19, and the Ducks found their next head coach on May 8: Joel Quenneville. Quenneville carried with him an impressive resume as a three-time Stanley Cup winner and the second-winningest coach in NHL history, but also a checkered past as the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks during their 2010 sexual assault scandal.


The Ducks under Quenneville have been a roller coaster to this point in the season. After a scorching start, they’ve scored the 15th-most goals per game in the NHL (3.20), and they’ve allowed the fourth most goals per game (3.48). They have the 24th-ranked power play (17.9%) and the 22nd-ranked penalty kill (78.1%).

With him, Quenneville has brought a steady presence on and off the bench and seems to be a good manager of personalities and environment. He’s allowed his youngest and most talented roster players, from Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger to Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Beckett Sennecke, and Cutter Gauthier, to work through their mistakes and learn from failure rather than fear failure.

The system he’s implemented, along with the new coaching staff that includes Jay Woodcroft and Ryan McGill, has shown flashes of how successful it can be when all cylinders are firing. Still, Quenneville’s next step will be to ensure those cylinders fire with greater consistency moving forward.

Grade: B+

Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Ducks acquire Chris Kreider and a 2025 fourth-round pick (Elijah Neuenschwandner) from the New York Rangers in exchange for Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round pick (Artyom Gonchar)

With this trade, Verbeek essentially dropped 15 spots in the draft and parted with a defensively inclined center prospect with a low ceiling (Terrance) to add a talented goalscorer, but a depreciated asset in Kreider, who was coming off of an injury-riddled down year at 34 years old.

Kreider’s been inconsistent for the Ducks so far in his tenure in Anaheim, but he has brought a blend of light-heartedness and professionalism to the Ducks’ locker room, producing 30 points (19-11=30) in 50 games. He has one year remaining on his contract that carries an AAV of $6.5 million.

If there was a nit to pick when evaluating this trade, it would lie in the initial selection of Terrance in the second round of the 2023 draft, when there were several higher-ceiling players on the board in a deep draft. All things considered, this is a positive outcome for the Ducks.

Grade: B

Ducks acquire Ryan Poehling, a 2025 second-round pick (Eric Nilson), and a 2026 fourth-round pick from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Trevor Zegras

Verbeek acquired a good friend of Zegras in the form of Chris Kreider, but after spending a year and a half swirling in trade speculation, Verbeek finally traded Zegras, and the return was underwhelming. Poehling is a nice fit in the Ducks' bottom six and is the Ducks' best defensive forward by a considerable margin. Nilson projects as something similar down the road, and the fourth may have become a roster player already (more on that later).

However, Zegras was sold when his value was at an all-time low, days before NHL free agency was set to open, which eventually led to a market deficiency in the style of player Zegras represents. It was clear Zegras wasn’t destined to remain in Anaheim long-term, but the ideal option seems like it would have been to play him in the Ducks' new, offense-forward system and under Quenneville, who’d had past success with players like Jonathan Huberdeau and Patrick Kane, to recoup some value.

If that was never going to be an option, the next best route would seemingly have been to wait a week to see how many teams swung and missed on top-six forwards in free agency (it was a lot), as the pool was depleted following a myriad of players re-signing with their previous clubs. Zegras seems to have found a long-term home in Philadelphia, regained his shine, and has produced 48 points (20-28=48) through his first 55 games.

Grade: D

Ducks acquire Petr Mrazek, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for John Gibson

In another trade felt like a long time coming, Verbeek handed Lukas Dostal sole possession of the keys to the Anaheim crease with this move. Gibson and Dostal were one of the best tandems in the NHL in 2024-25 (if not the best tandem), but each deserved to be a starter for the 2025-26 season.

This seemed like another underwhelming return, especially given Mrazek’s cap hit and, again, how many teams were looking for goaltending help after the free agency period was underway. After a rough start, Gibson re-found his form in Detroit and has posted a 22-12-2 record, a .904 SV%, and 8.1 goals saved above expected. Mrazek has rarely been healthy for Anaheim this season, and when he has, he’s been inconsistent to say the least, posting a 3-5-0 record, a .858 SV%, and -8.0 GSAx.

Grade: D+

Draft

The Ducks selected ten players in the 2025 NHL Draft, highlighted by tenth-overall pick Roger McQueen. McQueen is a towering, 6-foot-5 right-shot center who covers vast amounts of ice, possessing surprising puck skills, a willingness to physically engage, and a scoring touch. He was a top-five talent who dropped to ten due to a fracture in his back, costing him all but 20 total games in 2024-25. The Ducks, having selected at the top of the previous six drafts, allowed them to take a calculated risk on McQueen, who’s tallied 23 points (8-15=23) through his first 25 games in his freshman season at Providence College in the NCAA.

As mentioned, Boelius and Nilson project to play NHL games with their translatable skillsets. The Ducks took a few interesting swings later in the draft, highlighted by talented winger Emile Guite in the fifth round, who, after a down year in 2024-25, has bounced back with 45 points (23-22=45) in 41 games so far in 2025-26.

Grade: A-

Free Agency

Ducks sign Mikael Granlund to a three-year contract, $7 million AAV

A year after striking out on big offers to high-profile free agents Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, Verbeek made his biggest needle-moving free agency signing to date on July 1, 2025. Granlund’s versatility was a major selling point for Verbeek, and has proved useful during his first few months in Anaheim. He’s provided a lot of the clever, high hockey IQ plays the Ducks lost with Zegras’ departure, and picked up much of the offensive slack when the team had lost star players at various points to injury throughout the middle portion of the season. He’s scored 27 points (12-15=27) through his first 38 games with the Ducks.

Grade: B

 Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
 Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Contract Extensions

Ducks sign Lukas Dostal to a five-year contract extension, $6.5 million AAV

Lukas Dostal filed for salary arbitration on July 5, 12 days before he and the Ducks avoided a hearing and agreed to a five-year extension. Dostal had elevated himself into conversations as one of the NHL's top young goaltenders, and this contract made him the 11th highest-paid goaltender for the 2025-26 season.

Early in the season, reflecting the entirety of the 2024-25 season, Dostal was the Ducks' best player and the primary reason they got off to a 11-3-1 record in their first 15 games. As the salary cap ceiling continues to increase for the duration of his contract, it will likely continue to represent a bargain.

Behind another mediocre defensive team this season, Dostal has posted a 21-13-2 record, a .897 SV%, and 3.7 GSAx.  

Grade: B+

Ducks sign Mason McTavish to a six-year contract extension, $7 million AAV

Verbeek took another contract extension negotiation with an RFA coming off their ELC well into Ducks’ training camp, after doing the same with Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras in 2023. McTavish was eased back into camp (unlike with Zegras and Drysdale), and didn’t seem affected by the extended negotiations, but was relieved nonetheless that it was in the rearview and he’d remain in Anaheim for the better part of a decade.

He continues to be a streaky 2C for Anaheim and has scored 30 points (13-17=30) through 51 games this season. In a league where every team is seemingly looking to add firepower down the middle, the Ducks are in a good place with Leo Carlsson and McTavish as a one-two for the foreseeable future.

Grade: B-

Ducks sign Jackson LaCombe to an eight-year contract extension, $9 million AAV

In a surprise preseason announcement, Verbeek locked up his top defenseman to the largest dollar value contract in franchise history. The sticker shock with this extension was real, but with the rising salary cap and the role LaCombe has played for the team in the last season and a half, this contract will likely age surprisingly well.

LaCombe is 13th among all NHL skaters in terms of TOI/G (24:30), playing top minutes for the Ducks at 5v5, on the power play, and penalty kill. He’s scored 37 points (6-31=37) through 56 games in 2025-26 and will represent the US at the Olympics in Milan. He’s living up to the extension, and it doesn’t even kick in until the 2026-27 season, when his cap hit will take up an even lower percentage of the Ducks’ overall cap space.

Grade: B+

In Season (2025-26)

Ducks acquire Jeffrey Viel from the Boston Bruins in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick

Verbeek’s most recent move was to acquire a 28-year-old (now 29) winger with just 64 career NHL games under his belt, including ten in 2025-26 as the Boston Bruins’ 14th forward. He’s a no-frills, prototypical bottom-six winger who’s made the most of his elevated shot in his first nine games with the Ducks, scoring three points in his first four games with the club, but nothing since.

Ultimately, the trade doesn’t (and won’t) move needles, and Viel’s performed adequately. However, with the injuries the lineup sustained over the last month, it felt like an opportunity to see how some of the younger players with the Gulls could have fared with some NHL experience, and it opens some eyes regarding how Verbeek feels an NHL bottom six should be built.

The fourth-round pick traded will become whichever ends up better between the picks acquired in the Gibson (Detroit) and Zegras (Philadelphia) deals.

Grade: C

Conclusion

The Ducks currently sit in a playoff position and have taken another step in their journey out of the NHL’s basement. With playoff games representing the stated goal for the 2025-26 season, it seems time for Verbeek to make a more significant needle-moving transaction or two to get his club to that point. Reports indicate he’s aiming to land a “big fish,” but his track record calls his ability to pull that off into question.

This past year may have raised concerns about Verbeek’s reading of various markets, but credit is due when it comes to recognizing that an overhaul behind the bench was needed in order for the Ducks’ youngest, most talented, and most important players to take necessary steps in their development and to get the roster, as a whole, to where they are now: in control of their own destiny, with playoff hockey on the line every night.

Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Win over the Golden Knights

Takeaways from the Ducks 2-0 Loss to the Canucks

Rumor: Ducks "Out" on Panarin, Uninterested in Extension

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Flames Reassign Brzustewicz and Gridin to AHL

The Calgary Flames have reassigned defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz and forward Matvei Gridin to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, the team announced Wednesday, following Calgary’s 4–3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

Gridin, 19, made an impact in his most recent NHL appearance, recording a goal and an assist against Edmonton. The rookie forward has collected two goals and four points through 12 games with the Flames during the 2025–26 season. He is also slated to represent the Wranglers at the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic, set for next week in Rockford, Illinois.

Brzustewicz has appeared in 18 games with Calgary this season. The 21-year-old has one goal and one assist in that span.

The reassignment allows both players to maintain regular game action and continue their development with the Wranglers during the Olympic break.