NFL teams have crazy demand to take on Tua Tagovailoa’s contract
The Miami Dolphins would like to find a trade for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, but his contract is making that nearly impossible.
The Dolphins have tried unsuccessfully to trade Tagovailoa, but opposing teams simply do not want to take on the contract. One team executive told Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports that the only way their team would have taken on Tagovailoa was if the Dolphins threw in a first-round pick to sweeten the deal, which is not going to happen.
In all likelihood, the Dolphins will be left with no choice but to release Tagovailoa with a post-June 1 designation. That would allow them to spread his $99 million cap hit over two seasons.
The Dolphins signed Tagovailoa to an ill-fated contract extension in 2024, and the quarterback has struggled with injuries and inconsistent play since. He threw a career-worst 15 interceptions last season, and the Dolphins had essentially lost faith in him by the end of the year. He still has three years left on that contract, making it even less appetizing for other teams.
Tagovailoa has been prominently linked to two teams once he is inevitably released.
Aaron Rodgers has telling quote about Mike McCarthy
Aaron Rodgers’ offseason of teasing about his future has begun, but he may be dropping some hints about his future already.
Rodgers appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” Wednesday and was once again evasive about his future. He did have high praise for new Steelers coach Mike McCarthy, however, and did not exactly tone down speculation about a possible return to Pittsburgh.
“He’s one of the great guys in the league,” Rodgers said of McCarthy, via ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “Deep down there’s so much love and appreciation for the time we spent together.”
Rodgers added that he has not received any contract offer from the Steelers, and there is no deadline for a decision on whether he will play next year or not.
Aaron Rodgers tells @PatMcAfeeShow that the #Steelers have put "no deadline" in front of him, nor have they officially offered any contract that he's "had to debate." He called himself "a free agent," but also – as of yet – has not unequivocally said he even wants to play.
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) March 4, 2026
If the past has taught us anything, we know that Rodgers could keep us waiting a while for any decision. The odds of him playing another year with Pittsburgh seem to be decent, however, especially after they hired McCarthy to replace Mike Tomlin as head coach. He and McCarthy worked together with the Green Bay Packers very successfully, and Rodgers appears to harbor warm feelings toward him.
Rodgers, 42, was good enough to guide the Steelers to an AFC North title and a playoff appearance last season. He threw for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, and seemingly made a good impression on the entire organization.
Tom Brady’s trainer Alex Guerrero causing problems for Raiders
Tom Brady’s longtime trainer Alex Guerrero has accompanied him to the Las Vegas Raiders, and is causing some tension within the organization.
Guerrero’s official title with the Raiders is wellness coordinator, but he is seen as a direct pipeline to Brady, who is not around the organization all the time. Guerrero’s presence has “frustrated” many Raiders players and coaches, including Maxx Crosby, according to Mike Silver of The Athletic.
Guerrero is known to inform players of impending transactions and has even suggested to staff members that their jobs might be at risk if they do not follow his instructions. That is said to be one of a number of factors to cause serious trust issues within the organization.
This is not the first time Guerrero has caused some friction, as his role with the New England Patriots was a source of controversy at times. There were reports that Guerrero and Bill Belichick had friction at one point, with Guerrero accused of giving players advice that was contrary to what Patriots coaches wanted them to do.
Brady has always stayed loyal to Guerrero, and the two developed the now-famous “TB12 Method” together. It is easy to see why the Raiders would view him as Brady’s eyes and ears around the building, and why that could erode trust and create suspicion within the organization. Ultimately, Brady has never left Guerrero’s corner, and he probably isn’t about to now.
All-Pro CB Trent McDuffie traded to NFC contender
The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams are completing one of the first blockbuster trades of the NFL offseason.
The Chiefs are trading cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Rams, according to multiple reports. The Rams are sending their first-round pick to the Chiefs, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, along with three other draft picks.
Trade is agreed to:
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 4, 2026
Full trade, per source:
Rams receive:
🏈CB Trent McDuffie
Chiefs receive:
🏈1st-round pick, No. 29
🏈5th
🏈6th
🏈2027- 3rd https://t.co/Td10TtMn7W
McDuffie is expected to sign a long-term contract with the Rams following the trade.
The Rams had a major need at corner, and this fills it. McDuffie is regarded as one of the game’s best defensive backs, and has been part of two Super Bowl champions. He was named a first-team All-Pro in 2023, but was about to become very expensive as he enters his fifth NFL season.
The Chiefs get some solid draft capital back as they essentially try to rebuild on-the-fly. They have been successful in this way before, though they will obviously miss McDuffie.
Ultimately, the Rams remain fully committed to their longstanding view on draft picks. It has worked for them so far and kept them among the group of Super Bowl contenders for years.
Fans noticed the same thing about Angel Reese while she watched her brother play in an NBA game
There are two NBA teams that Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese has a special interest in. One is the Orlando Magic, who have her boyfriend, Wendell Carter Jr., on the roster. The other is the Washington Wizards, who signed her brother, Julian Reese, to a two-way contract in February.
The former LSU Tigers star got to catch both teams on the same night on Tuesday, as the Magic hosted the Wizards at the Kia Center in Orlando, Fla.
Although Carter did not see action due to an ankle injury, Angel was still able to enjoy watching the game, with Julian making his second career start in the NBA. Wearing a Wizards jersey, Angel was shown on the broadcast during a break in the contest.
Angel Reese is court-side watching her brother Juju Reese in his 2nd career NBA game ❤️ pic.twitter.com/2xPhBstc9R
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 4, 2026
Fans on social media, however, couldn’t help but notice her checking her phone instead of having her eyes on the court.
Looks like she’s watching her phone, not her brother
— Market Participant (@amktparticipant) March 4, 2026
You mean she's watching her phone.
— MLMX (@mlmx_sol) March 4, 2026
Someone said she's watching her phone 😭
— Ivan (@UTDIvan_) March 4, 2026
She was watching her phone, not her brother.
— OneNutMIA (@OneNutMIA) March 4, 2026
Watching via stream East on her phone?
— Guy Broman (@TheGuyBroman) March 4, 2026
Then again, in this day and age, hardly anyone can sit through an entire TV episode without checking their phone.
As for the game itself, Julian scored an efficient 9 points in 33 minutes of floor duty, shooting 4/6 from the floor while adding 8 rebounds and 3 assists in a 126-109 loss. That was also a much more improved showing by Julian than in his NBA debut on Monday, when he only had 2 points in 28 minutes in a 123-118 loss to the Houston Rockets at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
The Wizards simply are far from being a serious playoff contender, so developing young talents like Julian feels like a bigger priority at the moment for Washington.
Austin Reaves had an honest admission about guarding Zion Williamson
Austin Reaves knows how to choose his battles on the court.
The Los Angeles Lakers guard knew better than to get in the way of New Orleans Pelicans hulking forward Zion Williamson in Monday’s game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif.
Speaking about it after the Lakers’ 110-101 win, Reaves explained his mindset.
“Don’t be scared to get out of the way. I was terrified,” Reaves said, via Spectrum SportsNet. “There was no way in hell I was taking a charge. He was running too fast. I just kind of slid out the way let him have a layup.”
That approach ultimately did not affect the outcome of the game in favor of Los Angeles.
Williamson scored 24 points on 10/18 shooting to lead New Orleans, but the Lakers still came out on top, thanks in part to Reaves’ 15 points, albeit on a salty 4/15 shooting. Luka Doncic paced Los Angeles with 27 points, while LeBron James added 21.
Now on a three-game winning streak, Reaves and the Lakers can keep it going and improve their 37-24 record on Thursday, when they show up at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., to face Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
Johnny Manziel urges Kyler Murray to join an NFC team
The Kyler Murray era in Arizona is soon to be over officially, as the Arizona Cardinals have informed the quarterback that they intend to release him on March 11.
Murray is still just 28 years old and is far from a complete failure in the NFL, despite how things have gone for him in Arizona.
He can be expected to find a new landing spot before the start of the 2026 season. If it were up to a fellow Heisman Trophy–winning QB, there’s one team in the NFC North where the former Oklahoma Sooners star should take his talents next.
After ESPN shared the news on Murray on Tuesday via Instagram, former Cleveland Browns QB Johnny Manziel left a comment, urging Murray to connect with the Minnesota Vikings.
“Wowowowowowow. Hit up Josh McCown and let’s get active Minnysota,” Manziel wrote, referring to the Vikings and the team’s quarterback coach.
Johnny Manziel wants to see Kyler Murray in a Vikings uniform next. pic.twitter.com/tn3L4HjbN5
— Don March (@ItsAlwaysMarch) March 4, 2026
Of course, the Cardinals can still trade Murray to get an asset or two in return, but unless there’s a major change of heart from the team, the two sides are parting ways one way or another.
The Vikings have a profile of a team that needs a change of scenery under center after watching JJ McCarthy put together an unimpressive 2025 season.
The same can be said about Murray, who could use a fresh environment to jump-start his pro career after appearing in only five games and passing for 962 yards and 6 touchdowns against 3 interceptions in 2025.
Video: Bill Self’s ejection gets a dramatic assist from the smoke machines
Where there’s smoke, there’s a coach being ejected. That was true during at least one moment in Tuesday’s game between Bill Self’s No. 14 Kansas Jayhawks and the unranked Arizona State Wildcats at the Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Ariz.
With 6:07 remaining in the first half, an offensive foul was charged against Kansas freshman guard Darryn Peterson. Self clearly did not like the call, as he vehemently protested it, leading to consecutive technical fouls that caused him to be thrown out of the game.
Self then started to walk off the court as Arizona State fans cheered in the background. As he was about to enter the tunnel, multiple smoke machines went off, as though to add some more flavor to the raucous atmosphere inside the building. You can watch that moment here.
Whoever was in charge of those smoke machines was probably waiting all season long for such an opportunity to present itself.
Without Self calling the shots from the sidelines, the Jayhawks struggled to catch up to Arizona State, which ended the first half with a 20-point lead and later came away with a 70-60 win, leaving Kansas with its second straight defeat and third in four games.
The ejection was just Self’s second since taking over as the Jayhawks’ head coach in 2003.
Self and the Jayhawks, who dropped to 21-9 overall and 11-6 in Big 12 play, will look to get it together on Saturday against the visiting Kansas State Wildcats at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan.
Miami head coach does not want Bruce Pearl’s opinion on his team
The Miami (Ohio) RedHawks are just a win away from completing a historic undefeated regular season.
After guiding his team to its 30th consecutive victory to start the 2025-26 campaign, RedHawks head coach Travis Steele took time to address the critical comment made by former Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl about his team’s March Madness credibility.
It can be recalled that Pearl implied the only way for the RedHawks to dance in the NCAA Tournament is to win the Mid-American Conference tourney. Otherwise, Miami does not belong in the Big Dance even if they finish with a spotless regular-season record.
Understandably, Steele doesn’t agree with Pearl’s sentiment one bit, but he expressed it in a far less incendiary manner than Miami’s athletic director.
“I like Bruce (Pearl). Bruce is a great guy. But I’m not calling Bruce and asking him for his opinion on our team,” Steele said after his RedHawks improved to 30-0 overall on Tuesday by defeating the Toledo Rockets at Millett Hall in Oxford, Ohio, via Mike Petraglia of the Jungle Roar Pod.
“All respect to Bruce, he’s a way better coach than I’ll ever be. He’s a Hall of Famer… But we control our own destiny.”
Steele is right. Miami has control of its March Madness fate. As long as the RedHawks avoid a stunning loss in their regular-season finale on Saturday against the Ohio Bobcats at Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio, and win all their games in the MAC tournament to earn an auto-bid, there is nothing Pearl or the selection committee can do to keep them from having a spot in the field of 68.
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.
