JJ Redick responds to his heated interaction with Luka Doncic
JJ Redick and Luka Doncic recently grabbed people’s attention after a video of a tense interaction between the two key Los Angeles Lakers figures went viral.
That moment now seems like ancient history for Redick. He doesn’t even understand the fuss about it.
“I don’t know why it went viral. It felt very normal to me,” Redick told reporters before the Lakers took on the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
A head coach and a player going at it on the sidelines is certainly not an uncommon sight in the NBA, but it’s always going to get people’s attention, especially when major personalities from a big-market team are the ones involved.
It wasn’t hard to see where the frustration for Redick and Doncic came from, as Los Angeles was in a losing skid when that video was taken. At the end of the day, they both just wanted to win.
Lakers fans can move on from it all and turn their focus on something much more positive.
After beating the Pelicans, 110-101, Redick, Doncic and the Lakers are now on a three-game winning streak. They can extend that to four games when they visit the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Thursday.
Rudy Gobert throws subtle jab at his Timberwolves teammates
Rudy Gobert was not afraid to take a humorous shot at his Minnesota Timberwolves teammates while praising one of the team’s midseason additions, Kyle Anderson.
Gobert spoke to reporters Tuesday before the Timberwolves’ Western Conference clash against the Memphis Grizzlies at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. The Frenchman was asked about what the T-Wolves had missed from Anderson with the latter on different teams over the past season and a half.
“I think just passing the ball,” Gobert answered with a straight face, drawing laughs from reporters in the scrum.
“I’ll be honest, I’ll be straight up. I’m not going to lie. But like, yeah, someone that is looking to pass the ball to his teammates. Simple, right?”
The Timberwolves switched up their starting lineup this season, replacing pass-first point guard Mike Conley Jr. with the more trigger-happy Donte DiVincenzo. The move has coincided with Minnesota dropping from being a top-10 assist team last season to about middle-of-the-pack so far this season.
While DiVincenzo has averaged a career-high 4.2 assists this year, Gobert evidently misses the playmaking that veterans like Anderson and Conley bring to the table.
Gobert didn’t touch the ball much on Tuesday, as Anthony Edwards went off for 41 points in a 117-110 win over the Grizzlies. Ant-Man finished with just two assists, neither coming on a pass to Gobert, who tallied just five points on two field goal attempts.
Anderson, who ironically finished without an assist in his 14 minutes of play, infamously got punched by Gobert during an altercation two seasons ago. Gobert appears to be willing to look past their past transgressions so long as Slo-Mo can throw him a lob every once in a while.
Gobert’s 10.9 points on 6.3 shot attempts per game through 58 contests this season are his lowest averages over a full decade.
Jeremy Lin reveals text he sent that led Kobe Bryant to ignore him ‘for months’
Jeremy Lin spoke candidly about a falling out he had with Kobe Bryant when the two were teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers.
Lin spent one year on the Lakers during the 2014-15 season, which was Bryant’s penultimate season in the league. During a recent episode of Dwight Howard’s “Above the Rim” podcast, Lin dished on one incident that led Bryant to ice him out for several months.
The Taiwanese-American guard recalled a disagreement he had with Bryant during a late-game situation that year. Bryant was supposedly telling Lin to foul intentionally, while then-Lakers head coach Byron Scott urged Lin not to. The conflicting advice kept Lin from fouling right away.
Lin noticed Bryant display negative body language toward him over the incident, prompting the point guard to text his superstar teammate after the game.
“I texted him, ‘Hey man, I don’t appreciate the body language,’ Lin recounted to Howard. “And he came back with a sharp response, and I came back at him.
“It ended cordial, where I ended up saying, ‘I’m not saying you can’t teach me. You’re obviously a hundred times the player that I am. I want to learn anything and everything I can from you. I’m just asking if, could you just say and do it in a way that’s respectful to me as a man.’”
According to Lin, Bryant initially responded positively, saying he understood the message and even gave him specific areas to work on. Lin then revealed that Bryant didn’t speak to him “for the next five months.”
Lin shared that the two patched things up later on, and Bryant revealed he just wasn’t used to being challenged the way Lin did.
Lin told the story after Howard shared a similar experience he had with Bryant during the big man’s own ill-fated first run with the Lakers in the 2012-13 season. Bryant infamously gave Howard the silent treatment as the pair’s personalities clashed on and off the court.
Grizzlies announce brutal news about Zach Edey
Zach Edey’s 2025-26 season will go down as a complete wash.
The Memphis Grizzlies announced the bad news on Tuesday night that their center Edey has undergone season-ending surgery on his left ankle to address ongoing discomfort and bone stress. Memphis’ release adds that Edey is expected to make a full recovery ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season.
Edey has a lengthy history of ankle sprains and missed the start of this season after undergoing surgery last June in order to re-stabilize his left ankle (which he had re-sprained during an offseason workout at the time). The former National College Player of the Year then returned in mid-November and played in 11 total games for Memphis, averaging 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game.
But Edey went out of the Grizzlies lineup again in December after being diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left ankle. He had not played for Memphis ever since then and has now been forced to undergo another surgery on that troublesome ankle.
It was obviously a longshot that Edey was going to play again this season. The Grizzlies stink right now at 23-37 (11th in the Western Conference) as they pivot into a full rebuild amid their trades of Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. in recent months as well as the continued injury woes of Ja Morant.
But the surgery news for Edey is a major concern, especially because of his size (7-foot-3 and 305 pounds). While Edey is still only 23 years old, his already-extensive injury history seems very troublesome for his career outlook (particularly given how ugly some of his ankle sprains in the past have looked).
Giants cut ties with team captain in surprising move
The New York Giants are parting ways with a key piece of their 2025 roster.
The Giants on Tuesday informed linebacker Bobby Okereke that the team was set to release him, according to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz. Okereke was one of the team’s five team captains last season and also the franchise’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year club awardee.
Sources: The #Giants have informed LB and defensive captain Bobby Okereke that he will be released.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 4, 2026
The team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year amassed 385 tackles in 3 seasons with the Giants (143 last season), but now will get a head start on free agency. Okereke was entering… pic.twitter.com/xAPk7jqEmf
The Giants linebacker was slated to make $9 million next season, entering the final year of his 4-year, $40 million contract. Instead, the Giants cut ties with Okereke to give themselves more wiggle room ahead of the free agency period.
The move is surprising on the surface, given that Okereke led the Giants in both combined tackles (143) and solo tackles (78) by a wide margin. The numbers, however, didn’t tell the whole story, as PFF graded Okereke as a subpar run stopper and about average in coverage and in rushing the passer last season.
Schultz added that the 29-year-old Okereke is expected to have a strong market for his services, both as a player and as a veteran voice in the locker room.
The Giants hold the fifth overall pick in the draft next April, which the team could use to add Okereke’s replacement. Several mock drafts have New York taking Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles once the team is on the clock.
Fans are calling cap on AJ Dybantsa claiming he ‘might not leave’ BYU
AJ Dybantsa claims he may not declare for the NBA draft just yet, but fans aren’t buying what the BYU star is trying to sell.
Dybantsa turned heads on Tuesday when he told Utah-based outlet Deseret News that he “might not leave” BYU just yet. In an interview, Dybantsa told reporter McKay Coppins that his mom wants him to finish his degree before moving on to the next chapter of his career.
“I’ve just got to get to the end of the season. … Because my mom wants me to graduate. Yeah, so I might not leave. But I might leave. I don’t know,” Dybantsa told Coppins.
Dybantsa added that fans may “get into my head” about staying for “one more year, maybe three more years.” Some of those same fans believed Dybantsa wasn’t being truthful. Many called him a bold-faced liar on social media.
That boy’s a terrible liar
— 2-WAY PLAYERS MATTER! (@stillDCFamily) March 3, 2026
Top prospects say this every year, he’s leaving college 😂
— Trevor (@3ringNBA) March 3, 2026
That’s a cool story bro we’ll see you on draft day
— 🎩 (@HR_6IX) March 3, 2026
Even former NBA players such as a TNT analyst Greg Anthony weren’t convinced Dybantsa would truly consider spurning a pro paycheck.
"Oh, he's gonna leave." 😂@GregAnthony50's reaction to AJ Dybantsa saying he might not declare for the draft 😅 pic.twitter.com/EABnmaBQlb
— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) March 4, 2026
When asked further about why his mom wants him to stay, Dybantsa said it was about being prepared for life after basketball. He noted that such a move would provide him with a “backup plan” in case he suffers a career-threatening injury.
The fact that Dybantsa is already making millions in NIL money makes the decision more plausible. Several former NBA stars with little financial literacy ended up squandering their wealth after their careers. But if anything, AJ’s reasons for staying make it a smarter idea to declare for the draft now while he’s still a healthy, highly touted prospect.
Cooper Flagg, the 2025 first overall pick, signed a 4-year, $62 million rookie contract last season. Dybantsa could secure similarly life-changing money if he becomes a top-2 pick this year, as many expect.
Ronald Acuña Jr. has a boneheaded moment during World Baseball Classic game
Ronald Acuña Jr. has apparently learned the new rules a little too well.
The Atlanta Braves star Acuña went viral on Tuesday for his boneheaded moment while playing in a World Baseball Classic exhibition game. Acuña was at the plate batting for his native Venezuela in the second inning against the Houston Astros at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Fla.
An 0-1 delivery from Astros pitcher Ryan Weiss was called a strike despite seemingly being high. That led to Acuña turning to the home plate umpire and pressing on his helmet to initiate an Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge.
The only problem is that the ABS system is used in MLB games … but not in World Baseball Classic games. Here is the funny video.
Ronald Acuña Jr. tried to challenge a pitch, but in the World Baseball Classic there's no ABSpic.twitter.com/hAyhzxOltm
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) March 4, 2026
ABS, which has been tested out in the minor leagues since 2022, is finally being implemented in Major League Baseball this year. MLB has started to roll it out during spring training games before the formal debut of ABS during the 2026 regular season and beyond (though they also tried it out during last year’s All-Star Game).
In fairness to Acuña, he was facing an MLB pitcher playing for an MLB team at the time that he attempted to initiate the ABS challenge. But the Astros went on to beat Team Venezuela by a final score of 3-1 on Tuesday, adding some insult to injury for Acuña after his ABS gaffe.
How much money Jurickson Profar is losing to PED suspension
Jurickson Profar will be missing out on quite the payday after testing positive for one of MLB’s banned substances.
Profar was slapped with a 162-game suspension on Tuesday after Exogenous Testosterone, a performance-enhancing drug, was detected in his system. It’s the second time in Profar’s career that he has been hit with a PED-related suspension.
The Atlanta Braves outfielder was suspended for the first 80 games of the 2025 season after similarly testing positive for a banned substance, which Profar swore he did not take intentionally.
Profar is in the second year of the 3-year, $42 million contract the Braves signed him to before the start of last season. The Curaçaoan slugger will forfeit his $15 million salary for the 2026 campaign because of the suspension. The financial blow comes a year after he lost about $6 million in wages due to his previous suspension.
Profar is one PED strike away from being hit with a lifetime ban from MLB. The 33-year-old would be able to apply for reinstatement, but would automatically miss at least two seasons. Even if he were reinstated, such a ban would wipe away two of his remaining prime seasons.
In his first season with the Braves, Profar hit .245 at the plate with 14 home runs and 43 RBIs with an OPS of .787 across 80 games. He was fresh off his first All-Star campaign with the San Diego Padres in 2024, wherein he recorded 24 home runs and even earned a few MVP votes.
Ex-Hawks star joins calls for the cancellation of ‘Magic City Night’
A former Atlanta Hawks star is now among those objecting to the team’s plans for a “Magic City Night.”
Earlier this week, the Hawks announced plans to honor Magic City, a well-known strip club in Atlanta that has become a cultural institution for the city. The Hawks plan to hold “Magic City Night” during a March 16 home game against the Orlando Magic, featuring music, merchandise, and the strip club’s iconic lemon pepper wings.
The plans sparked some backlash from some, including San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet. The seven-footer Kornet called for “Magic City Night” to be cancelled, expressing concern that the event would be demeaning to women. You can read Kornet’s full remarks here.
On Tuesday, Golden State Warriors center Al Horford, a former Kornet teammate on the Boston Celtics, echoed Kornet’s sentiment. “Well said Luke,” wrote Horford while reposting Kornet’s statement about “Magic City Night.”
Interestingly enough, the 39-year-old Horford used to star for the Hawks. He was drafted by Atlanta in 2007 with the No. 3 overall pick and played nine seasons there until 2016. Horford was a four-time All-Star and a one-time All-Defensive selection while with the Hawks and also featured during their franchise-record 60-win season in 2014-15.
Given his ties to the Atlanta area, Horford’s opinion here probably carries a bit more weight. But it remains to be seen if the Hawks will cave to the increasing public pressure on them or simply decide to hold “Magic City Night” as scheduled instead.
Marcus Smart takes a shot at Grizzlies fans
Marcus Smart is joining the bandwagon of Memphis hate.
The Los Angeles Lakers guard Smart appeared this week on NBAT2’s “GRILLED” show. During the episode, Smart got in a shot at fans of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Smart was asked which city had the ugliest fans and replied, “Memphis.”
“I feel bad for ’em because Memphis is for the people,” Smart added. “They love, and they support. But they just ain’t it. They just ain’t it.”
Here is the video.
come on marcus smart………. pic.twitter.com/Ub9oFKTJa9
— Devin Walker (@Devin_Walker2) March 3, 2026
The former Defensive Player of the Year Smart, 31, actually had a brief tenure with the Grizzlies from 2023-25. But that means that he had some time to get up close and personal with the Memphis faithful.
While Smart did try to soften the blow by praising Grizzlies fans for their fervent support of their team, those comments do not come across as much better. They also come a little over a week after Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards took a cold swipe at Memphis for supposedly being “dirty.” That then led to Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green agreeing with Edwards’ assertion that Memphis needs some work in terms of their accommodations.
Pelicans feud with Stephen A. Smith over Zion Williamson comments
After roasting Zion Williamson this week, Stephen A. Smith is getting roasted right back.
The New Orleans Pelicans star Williamson made some comments earlier in the week disputing a popular narrative about him. Williamson slammed his critics for claiming he doesn’t care about basketball (see his full remarks here).
In response on Tuesday morning, the ESPN personality Smith went in on Williamson. Smith ripped Williamson for supposedly being a “food addict” and pinpointed that as the alleged source of Williamson’s problems instead.
"You got people that are alcoholics, you got people that are drug addicts and stuff like that. What was Zion’s problem? Food! Food addict!" – Stephen A. Smith responds to Zion Williamson pic.twitter.com/5TdvA4FZPR
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 3, 2026
That led to a ruthless reponse from the Pelicans’ official X page. The Pelicans posted a curated video montage of Smith being absolutely awful at sports over the years. They also included the caption, “Stick to solitaire Stephen” (referencing Smith’s infamous solitaire scandal from last year’s NBA Finals).
Stick to solitaire Stephen pic.twitter.com/1hBtJThJdx
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) March 3, 2026
Smith then retorted by claiming that those videos were many decades old and added that he would now be roasting the Pelicans on the next morning’s edition of “First Take.” The Pelicans then fired back with a GIF image of Max Kellerman, Smith’s former ESPN co-host whom Smith forced off “First Take,” seemingly for being too good at debating him.
https://t.co/Rgq8Y1zJv5 pic.twitter.com/ShVwloRERf
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) March 3, 2026
While the oft-injured and oft-out-of-shape Williamson is regularly targeted by critics, there is some history here with Smith in particular. Back in 2024, the Pelicans already had a nearly-identical feud with Smith over Smith’s opinions about Williamson.
AJ Dybantsa makes stunning comments about his future
AJ Dybantsa may be about to throw the NBA a curveball.
The BYU star freshman Dybantsa made some stunning comments in an interview this week with The Deseret News’ “Deseret Voices” podcast. Dybantsa said that it is possible that he could decline to enter the NBA Draft this year and instead return to college to finish his degree.
“Well, I might not leave,” said Dybantsa when asked if he believes that he will be the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. “Like, I might not leave college.
“My mom wants me to graduate,” Dybantsa added. “So I might not leave. But I might leave.”
The 19-year-old Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 small forward, is averaging a Division I-leading 24.9 points per game this season to go along with 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game for BYU. He is considered a virtual lock to go with a top-two pick in this year’s NBA Draft, if not at No. 1 overall.
Dybantsa is already getting a significant amount of NIL money while at BYU and thus has at least some incentive to stay beyond his freshman year to finish his degree. Of course though, the smart money is still on him turning pro this summer since the incentive in the NBA is much greater, especially for elite prospects. Dybantsa could always complete his degree after or in the middle of his NBA career and also has something to think about with fellow marquee prospect Darryn Peterson currently seeing his draft stock slip.
Kyler Murray urged to make drastic career shift after Cardinals released him
Fans are pushing for Kyler Murray to trade in his shoulder pads for a Rawlings glove.
Several reports emerged Tuesday on the Arizona Cardinals’ plan to release Murray on the first day of the new league year on March 11. Murray unofficially confirmed the news with a heartfelt post thanking Cardinals fans for supporting him throughout his seven seasons with the team.
Murray is still guaranteed $36.9 million from the Cardinals for next season, meaning the 2-time Pro Bowler is free to play for any team he desires for the minimum. Some fans believe that the team should be the Athletics, who still hold Murray’s draft rights in MLB.
I would love to see Kyler Murray go play baseball
— Austin Bechtold (@AustinRBechtold) March 3, 2026
I honestly don't know why Kyler Murray doesn't go play baseball. He'd be in the bigs by September 2027.
— David In Austin (@DavidInAlief) March 3, 2026
genuinely more intrigued in kyler murray the baseball player tbh. he needs to make the leap while theres still time lol https://t.co/6KN0JYZqzi
— cleveland browns hate acct (@Jordan_T729) March 3, 2026
The Athletics drafted Murray 9th overall in 2018, the same year Murray went first overall in the NFL draft. Murray opted to pursue the latter, which offered him a lot more guaranteed money right off the bat.
With money no longer an issue, at least for next season, Murray could theoretically pursue his biggest career what-if while still on a starting quarterback’s salary. Such a switch-up, however, would be much easier said than done, as Murray has not played high-level baseball for nearly a decade.
In his final year at Oklahoma, the two-sport athlete batted .296 with 10 home runs, 47 RBIs, and an OPS of .954 across 51 games.
Phillies’ player facing 80-game suspension
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas was competing for a roster spot this spring and was set to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.
However, Rojas won’t be playing in the WBC, and he could miss 80 games this season due to a failed PED test. Wilber Sanchez first reported the news of Rojas’ positive test that resulted in him not being able to play in the WBC.
Johan Rojas da positivo a sustancias prohibidas.
— Wilber Sánchez (@wilberdata) March 2, 2026
El jardinero dominicano de los Philadelphia Phillies no podrá participar en el Clásico Mundial de Béisbol 2026 tras dar positivo a una sustancia para mejorar el rendimiento.
Rojas se encontraba compitiendo en los entrenamientos… pic.twitter.com/cDE6IFh9J8
Jon Heyman of The New York Post also confirmed the positive test on Tuesday.
While no announcement has been made by MLB, the policy states that the first violation is an 80-game suspension, the second is an entire season, and the third will result in a lifetime ban.
Rojas is 25 years old and he has played in 250 games over three seasons with the Phillies. In 2025, he played in 71 games, hitting just .224 with one home run and 18 RBIs, but he was expected to compete for a roster spot during spring training.
On Tuesday, news broke that Atlanta Braves designated hitter Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension due to his second positive PED test, although both Profar and Rojas are appealing.
Jason Witten’s son announces his college decision
Longtime Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten is now a tight ends coach for the Oklahoma Sooners.
Now, Witten’s son, Cooper, is following him to Norman as he committed to Oklahoma on Tuesday. Cooper Witten is a linebacker in the Class of 2027, and he picked Oklahoma over Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Georgia.
Boomer Sooner!! https://t.co/3jfKaPKn2C
— Cooper Witten (@CooperWitten_) March 3, 2026
Cooper played for his dad, who was the head coach at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas, and now both Wittens will be going to Norman.
Jason Witten was hired as the new tight ends coach for the Sooners in January, but he played college football at Tennessee before becoming a star for the Cowboys.
Cooper is the No. 2 outside linebacker in the 2027 recruiting class, according to ESPN, and the No. 30 overall player in the cycle, so it is a solid get for Oklahoma.
Four-star offensive tackle Cooper Hackett, who is at No. 27 on ESPN’s list, is also committed to Oklahoma.
Since Brent Venables became the new head coach at Oklahoma following Lincoln Riley’s departure, the Sooners have gone 32-20 with two 6-7 seasons and two 10-3 seasons.
Oklahoma is trending in the right direction, however, as the Sooners earned a No. 8 seed in the College Football Playoff before losing to No. 9 seed Alabama 34-24.
And, the addition of Witten as part of a talented 2027 class shows the future is bright in Norman.
BYU basketball lands another five-star recruit
The BYU Cougars men’s basketball program continues to land five-star recruits.
On Tuesday, five-star senior Bruce Branch III announced he is committing to BYU. Branch made the announcement on ESPN during an episode of “NBA Today.”
Before announcing his college commitment to BYU, Bruce Branch III got emotional talking about his mom 🥺
— ESPN (@espn) March 3, 2026
He is the No. 6 recruit in the @SCNext Class of 2026. pic.twitter.com/EhxTcxd60F
Branch was the No. 2 prospect in the Class of 2027, but he reclassified to the Class of 2026. He ranks as the No. 6 prospect in the SC Next 100 list.
BYU landed Egor Demin, who was drafted by the Brooklyn Nets at No. 8 overall in 2025.
Then, BYU won the AJ Dybantsa sweepstakes as he chose the Cougars over schools such as Alabama, Kansas, Kansas State and North Carolina.
Dybantsa is currently in the conversation for the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, along with Kansas star Darryn Peterson.
Branch plays high school basketball at Prolific Prep in Florida. He chose BYU over USC, a school which he visited recently, although he also had interest from Arizona, Kansas and other blueblood programs.
Branch is now the fifth member of BYU’s 2026 recruiting class, which features four-star high school senior Dean Rueckert and four-star junior college transfer KJ Perry.
Richard Pitino had a blunt response amid Providence rumors
Richard Pitino, the son of St. John’s coach and college basketball legend Rick Pitino, is in his first year as the head coach at Xavier.
However, rumors have swirled recently that the younger Pitino could have an interest in the Providence job if it opens. With his name being tossed around, Richard Pitino made it clear that he doesn’t plan on leaving Xavier, at least not yet.
“I promise you I will never leave after a 14 or 15 win season because that’s not my intent at all,” Pitino said, via James Madden of Zagsblog. “You know, I appreciate greatly what Xavier has given me.”
“Will I say I’m never going to leave? I have no idea,” the Xavier coach added. “What I can tell you, what I really, really, really pride myself in is building a championship program.”
Rick Pitino coached at Providence from 1985 to 1987, and he even took the Friars to a Final Four in 1987. Richard Pitino also graduated from Providence and was the manager for the men’s basketball team, so there is another obvious connection there.
Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 ignited such rumblings, saying that Pitino would “highly consider” the Providence job if the Friars move on from head coach Kim English.
Pitino spent one season at Florida International, followed by eight at Minnesota before going to New Mexico. He then took the Lobos to the NCAA Tournament the last two seasons before going to Xavier.
This year has been a tough one for Xavier. The Musketeers enter Tuesday with a 14-15 overall record and a 6-12 record, but it sure doesn’t sound like Pitino will leave.
Trey Hendrickson pens heartfelt message after Bengals’ decision
With the NFL franchise tag deadline passing on Tuesday, several players are now headed for free agency.
One of them is Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. The Bengals decided not to use the tag on Hendrickson this time around, meaning he is an unrestricted free agent.
After the decision by Cincinnati, Hendrickson took to Instagram to pen a lengthy, heartfelt message to the Bengals and the fans.
Hendrickson’s message included thanks to the organization, teammates, coaches, staff and the fans.
Hendrickson’s future with Cincinnati was up in the air, although a report at the beginning of February suggested that the Bengals could still use the franchise tag on the star edge rusher.
Hendrickson held out last summer in hopes of a new deal, but the Bengals decided then to increase his salary from $14 million to $30 million.
However, Hendrickson played just seven games in 2025 due to injury, although he had back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons before that.
Some other NFL players who did not receive the franchise tag designation include Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III, Jacksonville Jaguars RB Travis Etienne and Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum.
This year’s NFL free agency negotiation window opens at noon ET on March 9, but the new league year begins on March 11, and that is when players can officially sign new contracts.
With Hendrickson a free agent, he should have a strong market, even after an injury-riddled season.
Russell Wilson addresses his feud with Sean Payton
Russell Wilson took an uncharacteristically public shot at Sean Payton last year, and he opened up a bit about why he decided to speak up when he did.
Wilson and Payton have had a poor relationship since Wilson left the Denver Broncos two years ago, but the situation boiled over last year when Wilson publicly called Payton “classless” in response to comments the Broncos coach made that were seen as a slight at Wilson.
“I don’t say much. I hardly ever say anything. I think there’s a time and place. But sometimes you get fatigued of people talking about you,” Wilson told the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast. “We’re all human. It’s one thing for people that aren’t in the field talking — I don’t worry about that stuff. But to me, when you’ve been in the ring and you’ve been on the same side, and I’ve got the same amount of rings as you got — I’ve got a lot of respect for him as a playcaller, but to take a shot, I don’t like, and I don’t think it’s necessary, especially when I’m not even on the team anymore.
“So for me, I realized I’ve stayed quiet for so long. There’s a time and place where I’m not. It’s not a matter of disrespect. Just don’t disrespect me.”
Russ finally addresses the Sean Payton fallout
— Bussin' With The Boys (@BussinWTB) March 3, 2026
OUT NOW 🎙️ https://t.co/4iBSSmNLMa pic.twitter.com/vx9aEDgQe9
Wilson was upset when Payton divulged that he had hoped the New York Giants would keep Wilson as starter until after his Broncos played them, implying that Wilson is an easier opponent than Jaxson Dart. Payton later denied that he had been trying to disrespect Wilson with the comment.
Wilson is, indeed, known for his rather amiable public persona. He has made exceptions with Payton, such as when he accused the Broncos of trying to get him to waive his injury guarantee or risk getting benched.
Payton is not the first of Wilson’s former coaches the quarterback had a strained relationship with, though Wilson did eventually smooth things over with Pete Carroll.
Report addresses potential rift between Luka Doncic and JJ Redick
Video of Luka Doncic having a tense moment with JJ Redick has circulated around social media and led to speculation that there is a rift between the Los Angeles Lakers coach and his star player. That is apparently not the case at all.
In an appearance on ESPN’s “NBA Today” Tuesday, reporter Dave McMenamin addressed rumors of tension between Doncic and Redick. He said there is nothing to it, and chalked up any issues to the team’s recent three-game losing streak.
“A league source said when he saw the video: LA is different. The smallest thing becomes the biggest thing,” McMenamin said. “A source close to Luka told me that him and JJ have a strong, close relationship that dates back nearly a decade, and they’re both fiercely competitive, and they push one another. A team source said: ‘Find me a star in the NBA that isn’t frustrated amidst a three-game losing streak.’ It’s much ado about nothing.”
"A source close to Luka told me that him and JJ have a strong close relationship that dates back nearly a decade and they're both fiercely competitive and they push one another. A team source said find me a star in the NBA that isn't frustrated amidst a 3 game losing streak. It's… https://t.co/ohH5ZnxhQC pic.twitter.com/4RQkPIATkd
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) March 3, 2026
Doncic and Redick appeared to have a chilly interaction during Saturday’s game against Golden State (video here). At the time, the Lakers had lost three in a row, but snapped that skid with a 129-101 victory that day.
Redick’s relationship with LeBron James has also been scrutinized at times. That is what happens when he has to manage two of the game’s biggest stars in one of the league’s largest media markets.
