Giannis Antetokounmpo unlikely to draw interest from 1 team
Rumors continue to circulate about a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, but one team does not appear to be in the running.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have been named as a potential landing spot for Antetokounmpo, even as recently as Friday. However, Chris Hine of the Star Tribune reported Saturday that Minnesota is not a serious suitor for Antetokounmpo, and those reports may have been an effort on the part of the Milwaukee Bucks to drum up interest.
My quick $0.02 on yesterday … that Giannis update felt like Milwaukee trying to drum up more of a market at the 11th hour before having to make a call. (At least that’s how it was viewed after checking in w/ some folks). Get the sense any Wolves-Giannis deal still very unlikely.
— Chris Hine (@ChristopherHine) June 13, 2026
On paper, the Timberwolves have the pieces to be players in the Antetokounmpo bidding. The team is at an interesting inflection point with regard to their future. In addition, their star player supposedly wants to see some upgrades to the roster. Whether the Timberwolves could get Antetokounmpo without gutting their core is a fair question, though.
While it is likely that Antetokounmpo will be traded this summer, other teams appear to be leading the race for him. Minnesota will likely prioritize other moves.
Antetokounmpo is not the only star the Timberwolves have been linked to since their season ended.
Yankees All-Star suffers injury setback
The New York Yankees had hoped to get a key member of their lineup back soon, but that will no longer be the case.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Saturday that Giancarlo Stanton suffered a setback to his calf injury while running the bases this week. Stanton will undergo more tests, and it appears almost certain that his return will be delayed.
Giancarlo Stanton felt a tweak/twinge in his calf while running bases this week, Aaron Boone said. More imaging is possible. Boone had expected Stanton to return early this coming homestand, that is now in jeopardy.
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) June 13, 2026
The Yankees open a homestand on Tuesday and hoped to have Stanton back at some point during the week. That is clearly unlikely now.
At this point, Stanton has more or less acquired the dreaded injury-prone label. He suffered the calf strain in April, and the issue was initially believed to be minor. Nearly two months later, he still has not returned. That came on top of the elbow injury he was dealing with before the start of the season.
Stanton has not played 100 games in a season since 2024. He hit .256 with three home runs in 24 games when healthy this season.
Knicks address claims that Spurs are trying to ban their fans
The New York Knicks were forced to respond Saturday amid claims that the San Antonio Spurs were revoking tickets from New York purchasers.
As they have done all playoffs, the Spurs attempted to limit ticket sales for Saturday’s Game 5 to fans living within a 150-mile radius of Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. A message on Ticketmaster warned that purchases made by those outside of that radius “will be canceled without notice and refunds given.”
This was interpreted by a number of sources, including the New York Post, as a threat to revoke tickets that had already been purchased by Knicks fans. The Knicks issued a statement indicating that they had received assurances from the Spurs that no Knicks fans would have their tickets revoked.
MSG Sports statement on Game 5 tickets says MSG has confirmed with Spurs ownership that Spurs will not be revoking any Knicks fans’ tickets for tonight. Full statement: pic.twitter.com/Hb1hUWwHIK
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 13, 2026
The confusion stemmed from the Spurs’ restrictions on Ticketmaster. There is not a great deal they can do about tickets that are bought and sold on the secondary market.
Knicks fans have had no trouble taking over opposing arenas throughout the postseason. Expect a large contingent of them to make their way to Saturday’s Game 5 in spite of the Spurs’ efforts to foil them.
George Kittle takes pointed shot at the NFL
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle had a message for the NFL during Team USA’s FIFA World Cup opener on Friday.
The Americans played their first game at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, a 4-1 win over Paraguay. Because FIFA requires games to be played on natural grass, SoFi and the other stadiums hosting games have been made to remove their usual turf and replace it for the event.
Kittle was all too eager to point that out during the game.
“Also this grass looks great on Sofi’s field… wonder if we could get that all season,” Kittle wrote on X.
Also this grass looks great on Sofi’s field… wonder if we could get that all season
— George Kittle (@gkittle46) June 13, 2026
The NFL has long refused to mandate grass fields, as many NFL stadiums are also used for concerts and events that would damage grass fields much more than they do to turf. On the other hand, players have overwhelmingly indicated that they have a preference for playing on grass.
Some stadiums are known to be worse than others in the turf department. The league maintains that all turf used during games meets the league’s expectations for a playing field, but seeing World Cup players get to play on grass while they do not has been understandably annoying for a lot of NFL players.
Kittle would be more concerned by this than most. He suffered a torn Achilles in the playoffs last season on Philadelphia’s hybrid turf field.
Victor Wembanyama accused of getting Knicks fan kicked out of $20,000 hotel room
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama was accused of getting a family kicked out of a $20,000 penthouse hotel room next to his own.
Knicks fan Phil Godlewski claimed he booked a penthouse suite at the Ritz-Carlton in New York to attend Game 4. Wembanyama was staying in the other penthouse, which Godlewski was unaware of. The only interaction Godlewski’s party had with Wembanyama was when one of Godlewski’s friends wished Wembanyama good luck when the Spurs center was leaving his room.
Godlewski told Angela Barbuti of the New York Post that shortly after, they were asked to leave by hotel management for “harassing and waiting for the players to exit their rooms.”
“Not only did they not block out the hotel, but they put us on the same frigging floor as Victor Wembanyama,” he said.
“If you don’t want anyone around the Spurs, especially Victor, don’t book the penthouse directly next to him. It was a huge mistake on their part,” Godlewski said.
Godlewski also claimed that his 11-year-old son wanted to burn his Wembanyama jerseys after the interaction, and that the Spurs’ Game 4 collapse was “instant karma” for the situation.
Whatever the case, there are certainly legitimate concerns about Wembanyama’s safety in New York, as Knicks fans have engaged in some regrettable behavior. If this did happen as the fan described, it is also fair to question why the hotel would have been booking the penthouse opposite Wembanyama to someone else as long as those concerns existed.
Donovan McNabb’s son has made his college decision
Donovan McNabb’s son will be playing college football in 2027, and he will be doing so out west.
Donovan McNabb Jr., the son of the longtime Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, has committed to UNLV, he announced on Friday.
All the glory to the one above I’m Home!!!🎰🎰🎰 #Rebels pic.twitter.com/0vHm625Zb0
— 3⭐️Donovan McNabb Jr (@donovanmcnabbjr) June 12, 2026
McNabb had offers from the likes of Kansas State, Iowa, Minnesota, and Iowa State. He was also linked to Syracuse, where his father played collegiately.
The younger McNabb is a three-star wide receiver out of Brophy College Prep near Phoenix, Ariz. He caught 23 passes for 280 yards and five touchdowns as a junior in 2025, notably playing alongside Larry Fitzgerald’s son Devin, who has already committed to Notre Dame.
McNabb himself is remembered for his 13-year NFL career which was primarily spent with the Philadelphia Eagles. The quarterback was a six-time Pro Bowl selection and guided the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance in 2005, where they lost narrowly to the New England Patriots. For better or worse, that Eagles team is also well-remembered for the initial connection and eventual fallout between McNabb and Terrell Owens.
Donovan Jr. is not the first of McNabb’s children to go to college on an athletic scholarship.
James Harden arrested on weapons charge
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden was arrested early Saturday on a weapons charge.
Harden was arrested in Texas and charged with unlawful carrying of weapons, according to TMZ Sports. The Cavaliers guard allegedly had an unholstered handgun in his car sitting in plain sight of officers.
Harden’s charge is a misdemeanor. He has a court date scheduled for June 22 regarding the incident.
While Harden’s off-court behavior has drawn scrutiny before, this is his first real brush with the law. Presumably, it will not have too much of an impact on his upcoming free agency. The expectation is that the Cavaliers will negotiate a new contract with him after trading for him during the season.
Harden averaged 20.5 points and 7.7 assists for Cleveland in 26 games during the regular season. His playoff performances were a mixed bag and left a lot to be desired against the New York Knicks, but the Cavaliers certainly traded for the 36-year-old with the intention of keeping him around for at least another year or two.
Everyone said the same thing about the NBA’s Game 5 referee assignment
The NBA’s referee assignments for Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday has everyone saying the exact same thing.
The league on Saturday announced its officiating crew for Game 5 in San Antonio, a game in which the New York Knicks will be looking to finish off the series and win a championship. The immediate headliner was Scott Foster as crew chief.
Scott Foster has been named crew chief for Knicks' potential NBA Finals clincher vs. Spurs in Game 5 👀 pic.twitter.com/hvAJyfGjZs
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 13, 2026
Even though there is no real statistical data to back it, Foster is nicknamed “The Extender” for the perception that underdogs win games he is assigned to in the playoffs, thus extending playoff series. With the Spurs down 3-1, the joke on social media immediately became that the league is looking to push the Finals to a sixth game.
Scott Foster https://t.co/VI49lHFfLO pic.twitter.com/JdaaLQ8qUh
— Sergio Rabinal (@S_Rabinal) June 13, 2026
Adam Silver has made a boss call for the Spurs.
— ArsMan (@shankha_79) June 13, 2026
Scott Foster aka THE EXTENDER is here. https://t.co/qUpj2kO7YT pic.twitter.com/c8w4m6LQJI
Scott Foster legacy game tonight 🤞🏼 https://t.co/KsWI4sUJMP
— Alex (@Alexzachary305) June 13, 2026
The Knicks actually have not lost in any of the three games Foster has officiated during these playoffs. He did make one notable call against them, though.
Ironically, the Knicks allegedly benefited from Foster’s “Extender” status in last year’s playoffs. If the Spurs win on Saturday, expect Foster to get a lot of the credit, whether it is deserved or not.
Kyle Busch’s widow reveals promise she made him in final moments
Samantha Busch has opened up about the heartfelt promise she made to her husband, NASCAR champion Kyle Busch, during his final moments in the hospital.
The couple, married for 15 years, share two children: son Brexton, 11, and daughter Lennix, 4.
Kyle Busch passed away on May 21 at age 41 after a severe illness that progressed from pneumonia to sepsis.
In an emotional Instagram post shared on Wednesday, Samantha reflected on watching Brexton return to the racetrack, describing the experience as both heartbreaking and beautiful. She sees glimpses of Kyle in their son — his determination, passion, and spark — which reminds her that Kyle’s legacy endures through the dreams he inspired in his children.
“In the hospital, I made Kyle a promise. I promised him that I would do everything I could to help our children pursue their dreams no matter what,” she wrote.
For Brexton, whose love for racing mirrored his father’s, this means supporting his passion on the track, where the family has created countless memories over the years. Samantha emphasized that racing was a shared bond between father and son, not something imposed. She added that she will stand by her children as they chase their aspirations, whether in motorsports or elsewhere.
The racetrack remains a place of comfort and connection to Kyle, even amid the profound absence.
“So, we race on,” Samantha concluded, honoring the life and dreams they built together.
UFC significantly increases bonuses for Freedom 250 card
UFC CEO Dana White announced on Friday that the promotion will award record fight-night bonuses at UFC Freedom 250, the historic event taking place Sunday on the South Lawn of the White House.
The card will feature two $400,000 bonuses for the fighters in the Fight of the Night and two $425,000 bonuses for Performance of the Night winners. The increases stem from a new partnership with World Liberty Financial, which is contributing an additional $250,000 to the bonus pool, alongside support from Crypto.com.
These figures more than triple the standard $100,000 post-fight bonuses implemented earlier in the year and surpass the previous high of $300,000 awarded at UFC 300. In total, the 14 fighters on the card are competing for approximately $1.65 million in bonus money, providing substantial incentive for exciting performances.
White made the announcement during a press conference at the Lincoln Memorial, emphasizing that the show will proceed regardless of weather concerns.
The event, headlined by Ilia Topuria versus Justin Gaethje and featuring Alex Pereira against Ciryl Gane, airs live on Paramount+ starting at 8:00 p.m. ET Sunday night.
The elevated payouts underscore the unique significance of this landmark UFC card.
Family says ex-NFL player Sam Beal still missing
Former New York Giants defensive back Sam Beal remains missing, nearly one year after his last known contact in July 2025,” his sister Essence Zhane revealed in a Facebook post on Friday night.
Beal, 29, was last seen on July 12, 2025, when he dropped his girlfriend off at a family member’s house in Michigan and borrowed her vehicle, stating he was heading to work. Instead, he traveled to Virginia Beach, Virginia, an area with no known connections. His final message to his girlfriend indicated he planned to return home, but he has not been heard from since.
The girlfriend’s vehicle was later recovered abandoned in Virginia Beach. Inside were Beal’s shoes, socks, and sand on the floorboard. He had left with only the clothes he was wearing, a pair of slides, and his wallet containing his banking cards and driver’s license.
A Michigan native and Western Michigan product, Beal was selected by the Giants in the 2018 supplemental draft. He appeared in nine games over three seasons, recording 27 tackles before his release in 2021. Following football, he faced personal challenges, including incarceration on child support issues from September 2024 to February 2025. After his release, loved ones noted he had stopped taking prescribed medication and made concerning statements about his well-being.
Zhane has repeatedly appealed for information.
Authorities and family continue to seek leads. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Kentwood Police Department at (616) 698-6580 or the Virginia Beach Police Department at (757) 385-4141.
Golden Knights coach calls his shot: There will be a Game 7
Facing elimination after a 4-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, Vegas Golden Knights coach John Tortorella made a bold declaration.
With his team trailing 3-2 in the series, Tortorella vowed that the Golden Knights would force a Game 7 by winning the next contest in Las Vegas and subsequently return to Raleigh.
“We’ll be back here,” Tortorella said, via ESPN. “I’m going to leave my clothes here. That’s for sure. They’ll be in the hotel.”
The statement echoes the confidence of past playoff guarantees, though the Knights face significant challenges. Carolina has seized momentum with strong play, while Vegas is dealing with the likely absence of key center William Karlsson due to an upper-body injury. Goaltender Carter Hart has also struggled, allowing four or more goals in each of the first five games of the series.
Despite the deficit, players like Jack Eichel emphasized the group’s resilience. The Golden Knights, who have thrived in must-win situations throughout the postseason, will host Game 6 on Sunday night at T-Mobile Arena. A victory would return the series to Raleigh for a decisive seventh game.
Tortorella’s team has shown fight all year, and now they must deliver on his prediction to keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive.
Aaron Boone: Yankees don’t owe Aroldis Chapman squat
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone made it clear Friday that the organization does not owe Aroldis Chapman an apology for how the reliever’s tenure in the Bronx ended in 2022.
The comments came one day after Chapman, now closing for the Boston Red Sox, reiterated his belief that general manager Brian Cashman should apologize if a reunion were ever to occur.
Chapman was left off the Yankees’ ALDS roster against Cleveland after missing a mandatory workout. He had dealt with an infected tattoo earlier that season, lost the closer role, and posted a 4.46 ERA. Boone stood by the decision, noting Chapman had apologized at the time.
“At the end of the day, he wasn’t at the workout,” Boone said, via the New York Post. “I made the decision, based on a lot of things and thought, to leave him off because I thought that was the right thing to do at the time. Chappy apologized, and really, it’s water under the bridge for me.
“I love Chappy. I have a really good relationship with him to this day. But the ending of the ’22 season was what it was. He wasn’t there, and I made the decision that I didn’t think it was best for him to come back at that point. He maintained that he was throwing and would be ready as the playoffs unfolded that year. But ultimately, I made that decision.”
Asked directly if Chapman deserved an apology from Cashman, Boone responded bluntly: “No.”
Cashman had previously questioned whether Chapman was fully committed that season.
Chapman, who has thrived with a 0.46 ERA and 13 saves for Boston this year, remains a potential trade candidate, but any return to New York appears highly unlikely given the history.
Jalen Brunson sends cold message ahead of Game 5
Jalen Brunson is not letting the New York Knicks’ 3-1 lead alter his approach to Game 5.
The Knicks star spoke to the media on Friday ahead of the Knicks’ first chance to close out the NBA Finals inside the San Antonio Spurs’ building at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
A reporter asked him about what the moment felt like in his head. Brunson, with a hood over his head, maintained an emotionless gaze as he responded.
Reporter: “Jalen, I’m sure you’ve thought of this moment for a long time. But does it feel different? Does it feel like you guys are one step away from a championship, or even different from the other games in the finals?
Brunson: “0-0.”
Jalen Brunson was asked if it feels like the Knicks are one win away from a championship:
— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) June 12, 2026
"0-0." pic.twitter.com/B2zq4kNneH
The Knicks have three cracks at winning the championship, but Brunson sounded like a man ready to finish off his opponents in Game 5.
While New York holds a commanding lead in the NBA Finals, all four of the series’ first four games went down to the wire. Erase Victor Wembanyama’s errant pass in Game 2 and De’Aaron Fox’s boneheaded decision to challenge OG Anunoby late in Game 4, and San Antonio could have easily been the ones up 3-1.
Brunson clearly understands that’s the case. The moment the Knicks get complacent, the Spurs could inch their way back towards making this a series again.
Game 5 tips off on Saturday night.
England’s World Cup team has equipment stolen by thieves
England’s stateside visit has already gone haywire before the team’s first match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Three Lions had equipment stolen as the team prepared to move from their pre-tournament home base in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., to Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Mo. England concluded their preparations on Thursday and were given the day off before flying out to Kansas City on Saturday.
England’s Football Association had been setting up the team’s new home base ahead of the players’ arrival when staffers noticed several items missing upon unloading a team van.
According to The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg, the most significant items stolen were match boots for several of the team’s stars. The team was also short on its inventory of official tournament balls, training kits, and other equipment.
The Kansas City Police Department reportedly confirmed that two suspects were taken into custody over the incident.
“We are investigating a possible theft of equipment from a team vehicle that arrived in Kansas City with items missing this evening,” the KCPD said in a statement.
England still has some time to go shoe shopping, with the team’s first match in the group stage not kicking off until next Wednesday against Croatia. They may need some time to break in the new cleats, though.
The reason Team USA subbed out Christian Pulisic early revealed
Christian Pulisic was not on the field as the final whistle was blown in Team USA’s win over Paraguay.
Team USA won its 2026 FIFA World Cup opener convincingly on Friday, despite Pulisic getting substituted just before the start of the second half. Sebastian Berhalter came in to replace Pulisic in midfield as play resumed after the break at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino explained that the decision to remove Pulisic early was due to a minor injury scare the veteran star suffered in the first half.
“We didn’t want to take any risks,” Pochettino told reporters.
Pulisic later chimed in as well, revealing that he took a kick in the back of the calf that prompted the team to give him the rest of the night off.
“I just got a bit of a kick in the first half, so I’m really hoping that it’s nothing,” Pulisic shared. “Taking a little bit of precaution today, but I’m hoping I’ll be fine the next few days.”
Pulisic may have remained in the game had Team USA not come out firing in the first half. With the Americans racing out to a 3-0 lead before halftime, there wasn’t much logic in keeping Pulisic in the contest with a gimpy leg.
Pulisic did his part in the victory, recording the assist on Folarin Balogun’s first goal to give their team a 2-0 lead. Balogun’s 31st-minute goal was gently tucked in off a Pulisic pass into the box.
🚨 GOAL USA! 🚨
— Everintrigued (@EverIntrigued) June 13, 2026
Folarin Balogun makes it 2-0 for the United States off a beautiful assist from Christian Pulisic. Absolute class from start to finish. 🔥🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/6OUMHFzyCE
As things stand, Pulisic does not sound like he’s in danger of missing Team USA’s second game in the group stage next week against Australia.
Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski throws fastest pitch by a starter in MLB history
Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski overheated the radar gun on Friday with his flamethrower of a fastball against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The hard-throwing right-hander came out firing against the first batter he faced at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wis. Philadelphia’s free-swinging leadoff hitter, Kyle Schwarber, never stood a chance.
Misiorowski started Schwarber off with a couple of borderline pitches that were deemed balls. The Brewers star got back in the count with back-to-back heaters in the zone to set up a 2-2 pitch for the ages.
Misiorowski struck Schwarber out on a 104.5-mph fastball, foul-tipped into catcher William Contreras’ glove. It was the fastest recorded pitch thrown by a starting pitcher in MLB history.
JACOB MISIOROWSKI JUST HIT 104.5 MPH — THE FASTEST PITCH BY A SP IN MLB HISTORY pic.twitter.com/J9fXQauDeS
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) June 12, 2026
Not only did Misiorowski blow by Schwarber with straight gas, but he also located it perfectly in the bottom outside corner of the strike zone.
Schwarber didn’t see a single pitch under 103 mph in his first at-bat. He wasn’t alone in being rendered ineffective by “The Miz,” who struck out 15 batters in the best start of his young career.
Misiorowski took a page out of Greg Maddux’s playbook with a 95-pitch complete-game shutout for a 6-0 Brewers win. Coincidentally, Schwarber was the only Phillies player to get a hit in the evening.
Every baseball fan entered Friday knowing Misiorowski was one of the hardest-throwing starting pitchers in the game. Then he showed the world he had another level to get to.
Fans all had the same complaint while watching FOX’s broadcast of Team USA World Cup opener
FOX drew the ire of soccer fans everywhere with how it handled its broadcast of Team USA’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opener.
Team USA took on Paraguay on Friday night in their first group stage contest on home soil at Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium) in Inglewood, Calif. For casual American soccer fans tuning into the World Cup clash, it was also their first encounter with the newly implemented “hydration breaks.”
FIFA instituted the three-minute breaks for what was touted as a measure for player welfare, with some competing nations not used to potentially sweltering heat in some host locations. The mandatory breaks occur midway through each half, at around the 22nd and 67th minutes of every match.
But the weather was far from threatening for the USA-Paraguay matchup, with temperatures in the mid-70s. Many complained about the breaks, which FOX used to broadcast commercials similar to quarter breaks in the NBA or NFL.
They aren’t even hiding what these hydration breaks are about. It’s 75 degrees under a roof at SoFi, the announcer says “that’s the end of the first quarter,” and then it’s straight to commercials. The game is gone.
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) June 13, 2026
So we're doing hydration breaks even when it's 71 degrees and no direct sun, huh? Kinda crazy the sport just decided to change format from 2 halves to 4 quarters.
— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) June 13, 2026
So water breaks are just Soccer being 4 quarters and a halftime?
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) June 13, 2026
The amount of commercials during these hydration breaks during the USMNT-Paraguay World Cup opener…
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) June 13, 2026
What happened to the game I love? 💔 pic.twitter.com/7PAzqukEGb
One of the best things about the fan viewing experience in soccer is that stoppages are minimal, with the halftime break being the only lengthy gap in the action. While the hydration breaks were framed as being pro-player, the biggest beneficiaries from the change are obviously the broadcasters and FIFA itself. More breaks means more ad time.
The 2026 World Cup started, and there’s already been some outrage over the breaks. FOX was also under fire on Thursday when it missed several seconds of game action during Mexico’s tournament opener against South Africa.
Team USA at least made waiting through the commercials worth it for its fans during Friday’s first half. The home team scored three goals to take a 3-0 lead into the mid-game break.
Mavericks’ stance on a Kyrie Irving trade is revealed
You can safely check Uncle Drew off the list of offseason trade candidates.
The Dallas Mavericks have been indicating to teams that nine-time NBA All-Star guard Kyrie Irving is not available for trade, veteran NBA writer Marc Stein reported to Substack on Friday. Stein notes that the Mavericks have been receiving trade calls for Irving but that they are standing firm in their stance that Irving is not for sale.
Irving, now 34 years old, missed all of the 2025-26 NBA season while recovering from an ACL tear. He is under contract for $39.5 million next season and holds a $42.4 million player option for 2027-28 as well.
The Mavericks have undergone a lot of change over the last several months with the firings of both GM Nico Harrison and head coach Jason Kidd as well as the trade of 10-time All-Star center Anthony Davis. That has naturally led to questions over Irving’s status as well, especially since he is one of the oldest players left on the Dallas roster.
In recent weeks, we had heard that there were four specific NBA teams being mentioned in connection with Irving. Since the Mavericks only went 26-56 this season as well, a full-on rebuild would make plenty of sense for them at this point.
But Irving still played one particularly meaningful role for Dallas during his injury recovery this season. Now it sounds like the Mavericks are still trying to keep Irving around as a seasoned elder statesman of sorts for them.
Timberwolves keeping 1 surprising player ‘off-limits’ in Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talks
The Minnesota Timberwolves are reportedly keeping a little-known teenager off the table in any Giannis Antetokounmpo trade discussions.
The Miami Heat have widely been considered the frontrunners in the Greek Freak sweepstakes this offseason. But that doesn’t mean the Milwaukee Bucks aren’t taking phone calls from other team executives.
According to a report from The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Eric Nehm, the Bucks are currently “seeking clarity” on what other teams aside from the Heat are willing to offer for Antetokounmpo. The Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, and the Timberwolves are all considered contenders for the Bucks star’s services.
Per the report, Milwaukee’s desired trade return from Minnesota would be a package that includes Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, Terrence Shannon Jr., and two first-round picks. The Timberwolves, however, supposedly have two players (aside from the obvious name: Anthony Edwards) on their exclusion list in any trade talks: McDaniels and 19-year-old Joan Beringer.
Beringer, a 6’11” big man from France, played sparingly this year in his first season in the NBA. The No. 17 pick in last year’s draft took the floor in 40 regular-season contests, averaging just 3.9 points and 2.3 rebounds. His offense consisted almost entirely of dunks, which is why his field goal percentage sat at 66.3 percent.
To exclude a player like that in any Antetokounmpo trade talks would seem borderline foolish, given how raw Beringer looked in his rookie campaign. But once upon a time, Giannis looked just as raw as Beringer did when he entered the league in 2013. Minnesota may want to hold on to their French lottery ticket for the time being.
Nobody should expect Beringer’s “off-limits” tag to stick, however, if he’s the only piece holding up a trade that sends Antetokounmpo to Minneapolis.
