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Knicks Notes: 2025 NBA Draft prospects to know, update on coaching search

The Knicks are on the clock

They have the 50th pick in Thursday night's second round of the 2025 NBA Draft.

Who do they like?

As we noted earlier on The Putback, New York hosted former Alabama and Rutgers big man Clifford Omoruyi as part of a group workout this week.

In talking to opposing teams this week, the name that kept coming up was Florida State's Jamir Watkins. Watkins has several fans in the Knicks' organization. Several opposing teams don't think that the Knicks would let Watkins slip past No. 50.

Will Watkins be there at No. 50? ESPN's most recent mock draft has Watkins going at No. 38.

Watkins, a 6-foot-6 guard, averaged 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game as a senior.

He can defend multiple positions and is seen as a solid on-ball defender. The Trenton Catholic product averaged 1.9 steals as a junior at Florida State.

Nov 14, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans acting head coach James Borrego talks with forward Zion Williamson (1) against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Nov 14, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans acting head coach James Borrego talks with forward Zion Williamson (1) against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / © Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

BORREGO UP NEXT

James Borrego will get an interview with the Knicks for their head-coaching vacancy, league sources confirm. Borrego is an assistant with New Orleans. He has head coaching experience but is the second current assistant coach to interview with the Knicks. New York brought in veteran assistant Micah Nori earlier this week for an interview.

The Knicks' other known interviews are Taylor Jenkins and Mike Brown. Coaches have talked about the opportunity that the Knicks have ahead of them -- given the devastating injuries to Eastern Conference stars Tyrese Haliburton, Jayson Tatum and Damian Lillard --in the interviews. The importance of player health has also been discussed in the interviews.

Also on the coaching search, Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison issued the strongest statement to date on the future of Jason Kidd.

"Are there rumors out there about J-Kidd? I thought I shut them down," Harrison told reporters in Dallas. "Yes, he will be the head coach next year."

Kidd has been seen as a possibility for the Knicks, so Harrison's forceful statement is noteworthy. The Mavericks had previously denied the Knicks' request to speak to Kidd but hadn't publicly addressed the rumors.

If you look at the landscape, logic says Kidd will be getting an extension from the Mavs. Houston's Ime Udoka and Chicago's Billy Donovan both received extensions after the Knicks requested -- and were denied -- permission to speak to them about the head-coaching vacancy. (Udoka's extension, according to ESPN, was in the works well ahead of the Knicks' request.)

Still, Kidd has veteran representation at the Excel Sports agency. So you would think that all of the rumors around Kidd and the Knicks would result in some added compensation for the head coach.

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Mets' Ronny Mauricio impresses with three-hit performance vs. Braves as potential option looms

The Mets continue to shuffle their lineup and roster as they look for stability during this recent rough stretch.

Entering Wednesday's game against the Braves, the Mets were 1-9 in their last 10 games, and their offense has been inconsistent to say the least. That has led to the team optioning Francisco Alvarez and Luisangel Acuña back down to Triple-A, and with the imminent return of Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio may be next. But the young infielder had himself a day against Atlanta in the Mets' 7-3 win. Mauricio, starting at second base, went 3-for-4 and smashed his third home run of the season.

Among those hits was a single from the right side, something the switch-hitter hasn't done all year. It was an encouraging day for the 24-year-old, who had his best offensive day this season, and for Mets skipper Carlos Mendoza.

"You saw balance there with the way he was finishing," Mendoza said of Mauricio after the win. "He laid off some pitches low, down in the zone. And then when he got pitches, he got himself in really good hitter's count. He was short to the ball, used the whole field, good to see him from the right side. Overall, better swing decisions and I think he was more under control with balance."

Across 17 games since he was called up back on June 3, Mauricio has yet to find consistency at the plate. He entered Wednesday slashing .185/.241/.320 as he split time with the other young Mets infielders. Mauricio's first three-hit performance this year saw his slashline jump to .224/.274/.414, but is it enough to prevent him from being optioned?

It's unlikely, as Vientos, who shined in his potentially final rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse earlier in the day, and with Brett Baty's defense and relatively more consistent bat, it likely means Mauricio will be returning to Syracuse, at least for the time being.

But Mendoza was asked about what he's seen from Mauricio this season as he re-acclimates to the majors after missing the entire 2024 season with a knee injury.

"Just watching with how he’s dealing with some adversity at the big league level, especially after what he went through last year, it’s not easy to do," Mendoza said. "He’s a young player who is going through it not just individually but as a group having a hard putting a rally together and we’re not winning games. And for him to continue to come in every day, ask for extra work, extra hitting, that’s what you want to see from everyone, but especially from your younger players." 

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Utah Mammoth Acquire And Sign JJ Peterka From Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres moved on from right winger JJ Peterka in a three-player trade with the Utah Mammoth.

Buffalo traded Peterka, 23, to the Mammoth in exchange for defenseman Michael Kesselring and right winger Josh Doan. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman were among those who reported the trade before the teams announced it Wednesday night.

Peterka also signed a five-year contract with an average annual value of $7.7 million, Utah announced.

“J.J. is a highly skilled, creative, young forward with extremely high upside,” Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong said in a press release. “He will help solidify our scoring and add to what is already a great young core of forwards on the roster. Signing J.J. to a long-term extension is another positive step towards building a sustainable contender here in Utah, and today is an exciting day for our entire organization.”

Before the trade, Peterka was a pending RFA for the Sabres, coming off his third full NHL season. He had a career-high 68 points this past season, recording 27 goals and 41 assists. He was also among the first six players added to Germany’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

With this new contract, Peterka is signed through the 2029-30 season, after which he’ll be 29 years old and a UFA.

JJ Peterka (Rob Gray-Imagn Images)

Acquiring Peterka adds to the Mammoth’s group of young forwards. Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther, Barrett Hayton, Matias Maccelli and Jack McBain are 25 or younger. Even captain Clayton Keller is only 26.

As for the Sabres, they received another 23-year-old in Doan and a 25-year-old D-man in Kesselring. 

This past campaign was Doan’s first full season in the NHL. The Scottsdale, Ariz., native scored seven goals and 19 points in 51 games for Utah. He carries a $925,000 cap hit and is entering the final year of his entry-level contract.

Kesselring is entering the final year of a two-year contract worth $1.4 million per season. In his first 82-game NHL season, he scored seven goals and added 22 assists for 29 points in 82 contests. Kesselring also averaged 17:41 of ice time per game and ended the campaign with a plus-four rating.

“In general, you're always going to say that you'd love to have a good depth on the D,” Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said earlier on Wednesday in a press conference before the trade. “Especially, right-shot D are hard to come by.”

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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Flyers Miss Out On Egregious J.J. Peterka Trade

The Flyers were rumored to be interested in J.J. Peterka. (Photo: Kyle Ross, Imagn Images)

Yeah, the Philadelphia Flyers can't simply go out and trade for everyone they want, but the J.J. Peterka trade between the Buffalo Sabres and Utah Mammoth will leave many fans scratching their heads.

On Wednesday night, multiple reports indicated that the Mammoth and Sabres had agreed to a swap of players, with Peterka heading to Utah and forward Josh Doan and defenseman Michael Kesselring heading to Buffalo.

Immediately after, it was reported that Peterka agreed to a five-year contract with the Mammoth worth $7.7 million annually.

Peterka, 23, scored a career-high 68 points this season in addition to 27 goals. The young German isn't much of a power play producer and is equal parts defensive liability and speed demon.

All in all, Peterka is a buccaneering player with some warts, but also dynamite offensive potential that allows him to turn games on their heads in a flash - literally.

Peterka had previously been linked to Philadelphia in some very recent Flyers trade rumors, though the price was said to be too great.

Flyers Have New Trade-Up Possibility in NHL DraftFlyers Have New Trade-Up Possibility in NHL DraftIf the Philadelphia Flyers wish to move up in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, the Los Angeles Kings have presented them a golden opportunity to do so.

Well, unless the Flyers were adamant about not giving up a specific player, the price really wasn't that great.

Doan will become a good middle-six winger at his peak, though his true ceiling in terms of production remains questionable. Kesselring is who he is: a big, 6-foot-5 right-shot defender, which the Sabres need, and a player with good underlying analytics at that.

After the Trevor Zegras trade, the Flyers didn't get greedy with Peterka, though the price, at least on the surface, appeared to be more than reasonable.

Hypothetically, if the Flyers traded for and signed Peterka in addition to Zegras, they'd still have roughly $7.3 million in remaining cap space to sign Cam York and Jakob Pelletier.

And that's with Ivan Fedotov still on the NHL roster and Ryan Ellis not on LTIR.

Given Peterka's player profile, it's likely the Flyers see Owen Tippett as their own version of him, and they've already invested in Tippett with an eight-year, $49.6 million deal.

The big difference is that Tippett, who is, in fairness, much more physical, has yet to flirt with 60 points, while the younger Peterka nearly reached 70 points playing on the disaster that was the Buffalo Sabres this season.

Regardless of if it's Tippett or Peterka, the Flyers, now led by a new voice in Rick Tocchet, still need to find ways to coax more consistency out of their rush-dependent forwards.

If they can't, it doesn't matter which players they trade for and how cheap they came on the NHL trade market.

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Suns pick up two centers, draft Duke's Khaman Maluach, then trade for Hornets Mark Williams

The Phoenix Suns essentially traded for two centers in the first round of the NBA Draft, and it all came together fast.

First came the surprise news that they were trading for Charlotte's Mark Williams, a talented center with health and injury concerns (he was the player the Lakers agreed to trade for at February's deadline, but backed out after his physical). Phoenix sent Charlotte the No. 29 pick in this draft (originally Cleveland's) as well as a 2029 first-round pick, a trade broken by Shams Charania.

Then came the No. 10 pick, which is Phoenix's, but it just re-acquired it in the Kevin Durant trade (because that trade can't be made official until July 6, the Rockets made the pick for the Suns). Phoenix used it on Kahman Maluach, the 7'2" center from Duke.

Maluach was born in South Sudan — something he is very proud of — but has been a challenge for him after the U.S. Government, under President Trump's orders, revoked visas for South Sudanese living in the United States. The NBA league office has worked with Maluach to keep him in the United States.

This is part of the Suns' retooling their roster around Devin Booker, giving him a couple of big centers in the paint who can be big screeners and lob threats on offense, as well as rim protectors on defense. It was a good night's work for Phoenix.

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Nets 2025 NBA Draft: Every pick from Brooklyn

Here are all of the Nets' picks from both rounds of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn...

Round 2

No. 36 pick: Traded to the Phoenix Suns

Brooklyn is dealing its only pick in the second round of the draft on Thursday to the Suns in exchange for two future second-round picks, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

Round 1

No. 27 pick: F/C Danny Wolf, Michigan

The 6-foot-11, 252-pound big man is more of a point-forward than he is a center with his versatile skillset. He was named to the All-Ivy First Team and was the Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player during his sophomore year at Yale before transferring to Michigan for the 2024-2025 season.

Wolf averaged 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game over 37 games for the Wolverines. He earned All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Tournament Team honors while helping Michigan reach the Sweet Sixteen before losing to top-ranked Auburn.

NBA.com: Wolf has interesting versatility with his 7-foot frame, able to dribble and pass in the halfcourt and in transition. He also makes up in footwork and physicality what he lacks in athleticism. His jumpshot can come and go, but his touch is good enough to be a strong baseline for further development. Wolf has shown enough in most aspects of the game to play both on and off the ball.

No. 26 pick: G Ben Saraf, Israel

Saraf, 19, began his professional career at 16 years old in the second-division Israeli Basketball National League before joining Elitzur Kiryat Ata of the Israeli Basketball Premier League ahead of the 2023-2024 season. He averaged 10.7 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.2 rebounds and was named Israeli League Premier Rising Star.

Playing for Israel, Saraf led the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket tournament in scoring with 28.1 points per game and was named tournament MVP. The guard joined Ratiopharm Ulm of the German Basketball Bundesliga for the 2024-2025 season, averaging 12.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game.

NBA.com: Passing is his best skill and the lefty Saraf is an excellent playmaker. He has above-average height, can make almost every type of pass and makes reads with ease. Saraf drives often, focusing on downhill moves and change of direction rather than shifting left to right on the perimeter. He pulls up with confidence from the mid-range and has a solid form that could lead to improved 3-point shooting as he develops.

No. 22 pick: G/F Drake Powell, UNC

Acquired on Tuesday along with Terance Mann in a three-team deal with the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks, the Nets used their third first-rounder on the freshman from UNC. Powell became the first player from North Carolina drafted in the first round since, coincidentally, the Nets took Day'Ron Sharpe with the No. 29 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-6 and 190-pound wing was a top-15 ranked, five-star recruit and 2024 McDonald's All-American and stayed in his home state of North Carolina to play for the Tar Heels. He was a bit inconsistent during his freshman season, averaging only 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists across 25.6 minutes in 37 games, but still showed off his athleticism and potential. He came on stronger toward the end of the season, including a 16-point performance against Miami. Overall, Powell shot 48.8 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from three.

NBA.com: Powell’s offensive game is still developing. He has a knack for finishing through contact and plays with an aggressive motor, which combines well with his elite athleticism. He’s also a connective playmaker. Powell can also get the job on defense due to his instincts and his athleticism, and his reads should improve as he gets more experience under his belt. As raw as he is, the potential is there.

No. 19 pick: G Nolan Traoré, France

Traoré, listed at 6-foot-5 and 175 pounds, is an athletic guard from France. He averaged 11.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists across 22.8 minutes per game in 29 contests with Saint-Quentin of the LNB Élite.

In 2024, the then-18-year-old set an Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT) Finals single-game record with 45 points in U18 PFBB INSEP Paris’s 101-96 victory over U18 FC Barcelona.

NBA.com: Scouts will rave about Traoré’s potential and athleticism, as he’s a player who looks more than ready to play at the NBA level from a physical perspective. He has excellent vision for his age, above-average speed and an elite acceleration that makes him not only the fastest player in this class, but one of the fastest players in the NBA if he ends up being drafted. Plus, he also has an outstanding bounce and physical abilities that should get most scouts excited. He also understands how to create his own shot, and his playmaking ability is above-average as well. There are areas in which he needs to improve, though, most notably his defense.

No. 8 pick: G Egor Demin, BYU

While many thought GM Sean Marks would make a splash and trade up, the team kept the eighth overall pick and used it on guard Egor Demin from BYU. The 19-year-old from Russia played for Real Madrid before his lone season of college basketball, in which he averaged 10.6 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game over 33 contests.

Demin showed why he was a five-star prospect and took home Big 12 All-Freshman Team and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors. He totaled 180 assists to set a BYU single-season record by a freshman and will get plenty of opportunities to run the show in Brooklyn.

NBA.com: Demin is a 6-foot-9 point forward with some of the best passing skills in the draft. He has the vision, size and creativity to make almost every type of pass with accuracy and seems to prefer setting up his teammates rather than scoring. While Demin isn’t a great jump shooter, he is crafty around the basket and in the mid-range area with fakes and a soft touch. Defensively, he’s at his best anticipating the offense, jumping into passing lanes and using active hands to generate steals and blocks.

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Juan Soto makes MLB, Mets history with two home runs in Wednesday's 7-3 win over Braves

Juan Soto's two home runs in Wednesday's 7-3 win over the Atlanta Braves made MLB and Mets history.

It was Soto's 27th career multi-homer game, breaking a tie with 1951 Baseball Hall of Fame selection Jimmie Foxx (26) for the most in MLB history by a player before turning 27 years old.

Soto also joined former eight-time All-Star Darryl Strawberry (May 1987) as the second Met with 10-plus home runs and 20-plus walks in a calendar month.

"Just watching him go about his business, day in and day out -- how steady he is with his personality, he same guy that we saw early in the year when it seemed like the world was coming to an end because Juan Soto wasn't hitting is the same guy that we're seeing right now," Carlos Mendoza said. "Back then, he didn't get too low. Right now, he's not too high.

"That, for me and for all of us, is pretty impressive to see that type of consistency and through a stretch where we're not winning games and it's hard for us. That's what's pretty incredible -- his routine, his personality, the way he's interacting with the players, with the coaches, with support staff. That's what, for me, makes him who he is."

In his past 25 games, dating back to May 30, Soto is slashing .333/.486/.774 with 11 home runs, 20 RBI, 24 walks and 24 runs.

"I think it's starting to happen," he said. "My swing, everything is going the right way. That's only personal because, at the end of the day, we're trying to win games.

"It doesn't matter if I hit two, three, 10 homers. What I care is about winning games. It hasn't been that good at all, so we've just got to try and keep going."

As the Mets look to turn a corner, Soto is rounding into form.

"I think just how consistent his ABs are," Jeff McNeil said of what stands out. "Every time he gets to the plate, I feel like he's at worst going to be on first right now. He's taking great at-bats. He's getting good pitches to hit. He's not missing."

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Report: Grizzlies trade picks with Blazers to land Cedric Coward, then Portland shocks by picking Hansen Yang

The Trail Blazers provided the biggest shock of the night, confusing their fans in Portland but delighting a lot of fans in China.

The Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trail Blazers agreed to a trade just before the Blazers were set to pick at No. 11: Memphis would get the No. 11 pick, while Portland would get the No. 16 pick, Orlando's 2028 first-round pick, and two second-round picks, a story broken by Shams Charania of The Athletic. (Because the league had not yet approved the trade, Portland made the 11th pick for Memphis, and Memphis would do the same for Portland at 16).

After trading away Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies needed more size and shooting on the wing, so with this trade they snapped up Cedric Coward. While Coward didn't play a game since November for Washington State due to a shoulder injury, but as he went through the draft process he caught a lot of team's eyes: He's 6-5 with a 7-2 wingspan, an impressive 32.5-inch standing vertical leap at the NBA Draft Combine, and shot 38.8 percent from 3 in college. While he needs some development, he has all the tools to be a good fit next to Ja Morant. This was their guy, and they went and got him.

Then, Portland made the shock of the draft by selecting Hansen Yang, a center from China, who was projected to go in the second round (although there had been whispers that he might have a first-round promise, which was expected to be late if it existed at all). Nobody saw this coming.

Yang impressed at the NBA Draft Combine as a 7'1" center with a good feel for the game and impressive passing. He showed off a respectable jump shot as well. There were things to like. Yang is also a massive star in his native China (Chinese NBA reporters left the NBA Finals at points to cover his draft prep work because that was the bigger draw).

However, he's not an NBA-level athlete, not explosive and not stronger than his NBA competition — he's big but not moving guys off the block to get to his spot like Karl-Anthony Towns. Yang has thrived in the Chinese league as a post scorer, but that's not really a thing in NBA offenses (and there are questions about how he'd do at it). Additionally, there are concerns on the defensive end, where he can alter and block shots when he camps in the paint, but he would get torched when pulled out onto the perimeter.

Most teams saw him as more of a draft-and-stash in the second round, and maybe bring him to training camp and see how it goes. Now Portland has bet big on him.

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Ex-Blues Forward Expected To Re-Sign With Current Team

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, former St. Louis Blues forward Brandon Saad is expected to re-sign with the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Saad, 32, signed a one-year contract with the Golden Knights in late January of this season after he and the Blues mutually agreed to terminate his contract. Now, with this report from Friedman, it appears that Saad will be sticking around in Vegas instead of hitting the market as an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1.

Following joining the Golden Knights, Saad posted six goals, 14 points, and a plus-6 rating in 29 regular-season games. He also had two assists in eight playoff games for Vegas. 

In four seasons with the Blues, Saad recorded 76 goals, 68 points, 144 points, and a minus-15 rating in 274 games. In 43 games with the Blues this season before having his contract terminated, he posted seven goals, nine assists, and a minus-14 rating. 

Blues Have Very Important Move To MakeBlues Have Very Important Move To MakeThe St. Louis Blues are entering this off-season with a handful of players on expiring deals. This includes goaltender Joel Hofer, as he is a pending restricted free agent (RFA).

Photo Credit: © Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

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Yankees' Max Fried spins seven-inning gem in 7-1 win at Reds, becomes MLB's first 10-game winner

The Yankees avoided a series sweep with Wednesday's 7-1 win at the Cincinnati Reds, where ace left-hander Max Fried's seven-inning gem salvaged the three-game set.

Takeaways

  1. After his latest stopper outing, Fried (10-2, 1.92 ERA) is MLB's first 10-game winner. He yielded one run (unearned) on four hits while striking out seven, keeping the Reds (42-39) scoreless if not for third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s throwing error with two outs in the fourth inning that allowed Spencer Steer to score Elly De La Cruz. New York (46-34) has won 13 of Fried's 17 starts this season. Where would the Gerrit Cole-less Yankees be without Fried?
  2. Trent Grisham's season-high four hits, which started with a leadoff double and included a second-inning RBI single off Brady Singer (7-6, 4.31 ERA) that put the Yankees on the board, fueled New York's 13-knock night and gave Fried more than enough run support. Grisham is slashing .251/.351/.481 with 15 home runs and 32 RBI through 69 games this season.
  3. Jazz Chisholm Jr. followed Tuesday's 2-for-4 evening with a two-run home run in the third inning, his 11th long ball this season, to pad Fried's cushion and further the Yankees' control. New York tacked on insurance runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth innings, but Chisholm's blast was all that Fried needed.
  4. Giancarlo Stanton was among the Yankees' RBI contributors, taking a positive step in his eighth game back this season. He earned his second RBI of the year's small sample size as he returns from elbow injuries by scoring Grisham on a groundball to shortstop with two runners in scoring position and one out.

Who's the MVP?

Fried, who made sure that New York came away with the win in a tone-setting 106-pitch (65-strike) outing.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees have Thursday off before they return to Yankee Stadium for their three-game series against the Athletics (33-49), which starts with Friday's 7:05 p.m. opener. Right-hander Will Warren (4-4, 4.66 ERA) is New York's projected starting pitcher.

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Juan Soto leads Mets' offensive explosion in 7-3 win over Braves

Juan Soto launched two homers and made MLB history along the way as the Mets beat the Braves, 7-3, on Wednesday night at Citi Field.

The Mets picked up 13 hits and were 3-for-6 with runners in scoring position. The victory ended the Mets' three-game losing streak and are now 28-12 at home this season.

Here are the takeaways...

-With Mark Vientos on the verge of returning to the Mets lineup, Ronny Mauricio's spot on the roster is in jeopardy. So the infielder, of course, got the Mets on the board with a solo shot in the third inning, the third longball this season. Mauricio sent a 96 mph fastball from Didier Fuentes, making his second career start, 378 feet over the right field wall.

Mauricio's blast was the first of an awakening for the Mets' offense. The team scored five runs on six hits, with Soto starting the hit parade with his 18th blast of the season. Sac flies from Starling Marte and Francisco Lindor, and RBI singles from Brett Baty and Brandon Nimmo accounted for the scoring. Ten Mets came to the plate.

Soto would launch his second homer of the night in the seventh to put the Mets up 7-1. It's Soto's 27th multi-homer game of Soto's career, the most by any player before they turn 27, passing Jimmie Foxx. Soto now has 10 home runs in June.

-Clay Holmes is coming off a start where he walked a career-high six batters, walked two in the first two innings, but kept the damage limited. He allowed a solo shot to Drake Baldwin in the fourth and worked out of a second-and-third jam with two outs to complete his start. The right-hander threw 96 pitches (60 strikes), allowing the one run on three hits, four walks and two strikeouts.

-The Mets bullpen bounced back in a big way. The combination of Brandon Waddell, Jose Butto and Ryne Stanek allowed just one hit and one walk with four strikeouts in three scoreless innings. The debuting Jonathan Pintaro started the ninth but allowed two runs on two hits and two walks in 0.2 innings, forcing Carlos Mendoza to bring in Edwin Diaz. Diaz got the final out to end the Mets' losing streak.

-Four Mets had a multi-hit game, including Soto, Baty and Mauricio and Jeff McNeil. Mauricio went 3-for-4 and picked up his first hit from the right side as he tries to make a case to stay with the club.

Game MVP: Juan Soto

With the offense needing a spark, Soto got the Mets on the board first and put the game away with his two blasts.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets and Braves complete their four-game series on Thursday night. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m.

Griffin Canning (7-3, 3.91 ERA) will take the mound looking to split the series, while the Braves will send Grant Holmes (4-6, 3.71 ERA) to the bump.

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Could One Of Canucks Goaltenders Thatcher Demko, Kevin Lankinen, Or Artūrs Šilovs Be Traded Before The 2025–26 Season?

The Vancouver Canucks should consider themselves lucky in the goaltending department, as they currently have Thatcher Demko, Kevin Lankinen, and Artūrs Šilovs within their organization. Year after year, the team receives solid goaltending regardless of any injuries or issues that arise. It’s been this way virtually since Roberto Luongo suited up for his first game as a Canuck. However, one of the negatives that come with having multiple great goaltenders is not being able to play them both. After the events of the 2024–25 season, Vancouver has found themselves in a bit of a goaltending conundrum. 

Demko is the goaltender who has been with the Canucks the longest, having been selected 36th overall by the team in the 2014 NHL Draft. Widely recognized within the fanbase as the “goaltender of the future” early on, Demko made his mark particularly during the 2020 Bubble Playoffs, in which he extended his team’s postseason run to Game 7 of the Pacific Division Finals with a .985 SV% and a 0.64 GAA. He finished second in voting for the Vezina Trophy in 2023–24 after registering a 2.45 GAA and five shutouts in 51 games played. 

Injuries forced Demko to the sidelines for the better part of March 2024 to December 2024, as well as parts of 2025. Because he missed so much time, trade talks began to catch fire, especially given the play of Lankinen and Šilovs. Having been brought in only a couple of weeks before the start of the 2024–25 season, Lankinen was a new face within the organization, but quickly established himself as a force in the net. He shattered career highs in his 51 games played with the Canucks, logging a 2.62 GAA and a .902 SV% as well as four shutouts. As a result, Vancouver signed him to a five-year contract extension in February. 

Lankinen’s extension was one of a couple dominoes that helped the Demko trade rumours start circulating. The other was Šilovs, an extremely clutch goaltender who rose to fame during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He slotted in for the injured Demko and Casey DeSmith in Game 4 of the Canucks’ first-round series against the Nashville Predators, backstopping the team to a Game 7 defeat in the Pacific Division Finals. While his regular season numbers with Vancouver dipped a bit, he came up big for the Abbotsford Canucks during their five-round 2025 Calder Cup run. He made 672 saves in 24 games played and logged five shutouts — three of which were in series-clinching wins. These efforts resulted in the goaltender being named MVP of the playoffs. 

Why The Canucks Should Sign Thatcher Demko To An Extension On July 1Why The Canucks Should Sign Thatcher Demko To An Extension On July 1The Vancouver Canucks have quite a few important decision to make during the 2025 off-season. On top of signing free agents, Vancouver can sign extensions with some key players, including goaltender Thatcher Demko. While the Canucks will have a year to lock up the 2024 Vezina runner-up, agreeing to a new contract with Demko sooner rather than later is the better option. 

Having these two goaltenders step up in opportune times resulted in Demko’s name being sent around the rumour mill. With a stacked goaltending cabinet, it felt like moving a goaltender would be inevitable for the Canucks. However, earlier today, TSN’s Darren Dreger noted that this may not be the case anymore — at least, not for Demko. 

“It changed a little bit as today unfolded,” Dreger said about Demko’s situation on OverDrive earlier today. “It does sound like progress is being made on a multi-year extension.” 

Adding to this, Dreger noted that if Vancouver goes down the extension route for Demko, then trading Šilovs would probably be their next best option, seeing as his stock is currently sky-high. Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin was asked about the Calder Cup Playoff MVP earlier today in a media availability, to which he didn’t quite give a solid answer. 

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“I’m happy for Arty, we know that he’s a really good goalie and this is just justifying that,” he said of his performance in the AHL playoffs. “That being said, we’ve still got a couple of good goalies in the system with Tolopilo and Ty Young that are more than ready to play as well. We’ll see here over the next couple of days, where things go with Thatcher and we’ll make decisions after that.” 

Jan 18, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko (35) and goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) celebrate thier victory against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Vancouver’s goaltending situation may become clearer once the 2025 NHL Draft and free agency period pass, as that’s when most of the NHL’s moves will occur. 

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Ronald Acuña Jr. of host Braves to compete in Home Run Derby on July 14 at Truist Park

NEW YORK — Ronald Acuña Jr. of the host Braves was announced Wednesday as the first of the eight hitters who will compete in the All-Star Home Run Derby at Atlanta’s Truist Park on July 14.

Acuña, who homered on the first pitch of his May 23 return to the Braves following a torn left ACL, will participate in the derby for the third time.

He lost to New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso 20-19 in the semifinals in 2019 after opening with a 25-18 victory over Pittsburgh’s Josh Bell, then lost to Alonso 20-19 in the first round at Dodger Stadium in 2022.

“I’m even more excited to be doing it here in Atlanta in front of our fans,” Acuña said through a translator in an interview on ESPN. “I’m excited to do it at home and do it for them ... and put on a great show for them.”

A four-time All-Star, Acuña began the night batting .385 with nine homers and 16 RBIs in 29 games this season. He was the 2023 NL MVP, when he equaled a career high with 41 home runs.

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Nets select G Egor Demin with No. 8 pick in 2025 NBA Draft

Despite owning five first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, GM Sean Marks and the Nets stayed put at pick No. 8 to select guard Egor Demin from BYU.

Demin, 19, is listed at 6-foot-9 and 190 pounds. He was born in Moscow, Russia and played for Real Madrid before heading to college for the 2024-25 season.

The guard averaged 10.6 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds over 27.5 minutes of action across 33 games with the Cougars, leading them to an 11-seed in the NCAA Tournament. BYU made it to the Sweet Sixteen before falling to Alabama.

He earned Big 12 All-Freshman Team and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors while setting a BYU freshman single-season record for assists with 180.

Demin should fit in nicely on a rebuilding Nets team without a true lead guard. His size adds another layer to his potential as a playmaker at both the point guard and shooting guard spots. After being drafted, Demin spoke with reporters and said "it's an honor" to join the Nets.

"Obviously for me, it's a great opportunity to be on a team where I will be able to develop myself and also impact the game in the ways I can," Demin said. "Just learn a lot from the guys who are already on the team, from the coaching staff, from the front office.

"That's a historical club, historical organization right. Obviously it's a lot related to Russia in the past. A lot of Russian players were going through this organization. For me it's an honor to be a part of the Nets."

Brooklyn's last lottery pick came in the 2010 NBA Draft when they selected Derrick Favors from Georgia Tech with the No. 3 pick.

Demin added that he models his game after Luka Dončić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and takes pride in his passing ability.

"The passing is something that I was always doing. This is who I am," Demin said. "I believe in the game of basketball as a creative place. It's like art for me. I want to play beautiful. I want to play pretty. I want to play efficient. For me, there is never the sacrifice of something, sacrifice of myself for the team, it's about making a right decision - which I'm always trying to do."