Heat likely to lose 1 player after trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Miami Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster trade early Tuesday, but the consequences of that deal are likely to lead to a key player departing.
Multiple reports Tuesday indicated that the Heat are highly unlikely to be able to keep Norman Powell after acquiring Antetokounmpo. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Heat accept that it will be “very difficult” for the Heat to keep Powell financially, and that the team expects him to be involved in a sign-and-trade.
The Detroit Pistons are expected to be one of the teams interested in Powell, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
The Pistons have interest in Norman Powell (per @JakeLFischer ) and have the cap space to bid more than what Miami can (if Wiggins stays) because the Heat has a $209 M hard cap. But there are plenty of other SG options, including Coby White, Simons, Grimes, Hardaway Jr., Duncan…
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) June 23, 2026
Powell is an unrestricted free agent and could reasonably command a salary worth upwards of $20 million per year. The Heat are already approaching luxury tax territory without him on the books, making it highly unlikely that they can afford to keep Powell while giving themselves any wiggle room to add other players.
Powell, 33, was a first-time All-Star for the Heat last season. He averaged 21.7 points per game and shot 38 percent from three while appearing in 58 games.
Cristiano Ronaldo had a 2-word message for his critics
After several days of criticism, Cristiano Ronaldo got the last laugh by scoring twice in Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup match, and he made sure everyone knew it, too.
Ronaldo had two goals in Portugal’s 5-0 win over Uzbekistan in Houston on Tuesday. They were his first two goals of the World Cup, and came after several days of questions about whether he should even be starting for the team. He undoubtedly heard that talk, because as he was leaving the field after the game, he had a two-word message for the camera.
“I’m back,” Ronaldo said twice.
Cristiano Ronaldo makes it known.
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 23, 2026
HE'S BACK 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/5nLsp32IUU
Ronaldo was criticized for his performance in Portugal’s 1-1 draw with DR Congo that opened the tournament. There was a perception in some circles that he was too focused on scoring himself instead of ensuring that the team would be successful, and he was under a lot of scrutiny for this match. He promptly scored twice in the first half, served as a decoy on a third goal, and came close to a hat trick on multiple occasions in the second half.
The World Cup is one of the few trophies that Ronaldo has not yet won during his glittering career, much to his frustration. Portugal has a real chance this year, but he will need to be at his best for that to happen.
Becky Hammon addresses her much-criticized Jalen Brunson take
Becky Hammon addressed her much-criticized take about Jalen Brunson after the New York Knicks guard defied her expectations and led the team to an NBA title.
In 2023, Hammon infamously went on ESPN and said the Knicks lacked a “1A” player, and dismissed Brunson as a potential fit for that role due to his lack of size. That obviously aged poorly, as Brunson was the key figure behind the Knicks’ title in 2026.
On Tuesday, Hammon, now the coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, finally confronted that opinion and the sharp criticism it has received since the Knicks’ win.
Hammon admitted that Brunson had “prove(d) history wrong,” and that he clearly showed he is an “outlier” in the same mold as Steph Curry. She was dismissive of those who felt she should apologize, however.
“I mean, he was that 1A dude, but like, apologize? I’m never gonna apologize for having an opinion. That’s what ESPN pays me for,” Hammon said.
Hammon con’t: “I mean, he was that 1A dude, but like, apologize, I'm never gonna apologize for having an opinion, that's what ESPN pays me for.”
— Madeline Kenney (@madkenney) June 23, 2026
Hammon was not the only one who questioned whether Brunson could be the guy on a championship team, but her saying so has received outsized attention recently. Brunson himself has alluded to those who doubted him, but he said he did not have to say anything to them and could just let his accomplishments do the talking.
Hammon obviously believed what she said. She was wrong, and has admitted as much. That should be more than enough for everyone, even if she does not go as far as one fellow critic did when it comes to offering apologies.
Micah Nori’s contract with Blazers has a very strange detail
The Portland Trail Blazers have hired Micah Nori as their new head coach, but they did not exactly make a strong commitment to him.
Details of Nori’s contract were reported after his hiring Tuesday, and they contained one bizarre detail. Nori is only getting one guaranteed year on his deal, with team options for each of the two seasons after that.
BREAKING: Micah Nori has agreed to become the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, sources tell @TheAthletic. Nori was lead assistant of the Minnesota Timberwolves for the past five years. Nori, 52, signed a one-year deal with team options for each of the next two seasons.
— Jason Quick (@jwquick) June 23, 2026
A professional coach being given a one-year contract has very little precedent. The Los Angeles Angels gave manager Kurt Suzuki a one-year deal at the start of the season, which also garnered attention for how unusual it was.
The deal comes under the new ownership of Tom Dundon, who has drawn criticism for making cost-cutting moves that some have derided as outright cheap. One has to wonder if Dundon’s budget has something to do with the unusual contract structure, especially since the outgoing Blazers coach was pretty cryptic about why he chose to depart.
Nori is a top assistant who has been linked to other head coaching jobs in each of the last two offseasons. One would have assumed he would be able to get more job security out of his deal, but that is clearly not the case.
Brendan Sorsby blocked from entering the NFL this year
Brendan Sorsby’s hopes of entering the NFL are finished after the league informed him Tuesday that they will not hold a supplemental draft this year.
In a letter to Sorsby, the NFL said the Texas Tech quarterback had not offered the league a compelling reason to hold a supplemental draft, as his petition was filed three business days before the deadline and only after litigation efforts against the NCAA had been exhausted.
“he issues presented by your Petition are too significant, and too closely tied to the League’s core integrity interests, to permit meaningful review within the timeline presented,” the league said in its letter.
The NFL has decline Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby's application to enter the supplemental draft. @SINow has obtained the letter the league sent to Sorsby to inform him of the decision.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) June 23, 2026
Here is the text of it … pic.twitter.com/oaclD85Cnt
Essentially, the league said it did not have enough time to look into the conduct that got Sorsby’s NCAA eligibility revoked, and that the quarterback failed to sufficiently address the gambling allegations made against him or demonstrate accountability for his conduct. The letter advises him to prepare for the 2027 NFL Draft, which will be his next possible route into the league.
Sorsby’s legal counsel indicated that the quarterback will pursue litigation against the NFL over the decision. That will be a difficult case to win, as league rules give it the sole discretion over whether to hold a supplemental draft or not.
The decision is a massive setback for Sorsby, who is now without a place to play football in 2026. His eligibility to play for Texas Tech had been reinstated by a judge, but the NCAA was going to contest that ruling and the Red Raiders were facing significant backlash over his potential eligibility. That led Sorsby to try to enter the supplemental draft, but that, too, is off the table.
Sorsby initially had his eligibility revoked after he was found to have wagered $90,000 worth of sports bets during a four-year span in his college career, including some on his former team, Indiana. He indicated that he had sought in-patient treatment for a gambling addiction this summer.
Blazers have hired a new head coach
The Portland Trail Blazers have settled on a new head coach.
The Blazers are hiring Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori as their new head coach, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. He replaces Tiago Splitter, who served as interim coach last season.
Just in: The Portland Trail Blazers are hiring Minnesota Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori as the franchise's next head coach, sources tell ESPN. Nori — widely regarded as one of the league's top assistants — has been in the NBA coaching ranks since 2009 and now takes over… pic.twitter.com/j5PDc5KlFF
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2026
Nori has long been a top-tier head coaching candidate. He drew interest in both 2024 and 2025, but never landed a job elsewhere until now. He has been an NBA assistant since 2009 and has been the Timberwolves’ lead assistant since 2021. He drew significant attention in 2024, when he served as the on-court coach for the Timberwolves during the playoffs after Chris Finch injured his patella tendon and was consigned to crutches.
Nori was also a finalist for the Dallas Mavericks job before they ultimately went with Michigan head coach Dusty May.
The Blazers needed a new coach after Chauncey Billups was placed on leave in October amid an arrest over an alleged illegal gambling scheme. Splitter led Portland to a 42-39 record and a surprise playoff berth, but he took the Chicago Bulls job instead and seemed pretty pleased to be getting out of Portland.
Nori will have some talent at his disposal. Deni Avdija is coming off a breakout campaign, and Damian Lillard will be back from injury. There is a real chance that the team could take another step forward under Nori.
Erling Haaland had an unexpected prediction for Norway’s match against France
A big match is coming right up for Erling Haaland and Norway, but he does not seem to be sweating it.
Norway will be facing off against fellow undefeated Group I side France on Friday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. It is a match that will decide the winner of the group, as both sides are sporting 2-0-0 records.
But Haaland has jokingly already surrendered to France.
“Honestly, I don’t care too much now,” Haaland said about the France showdown following Norway’s 2-1 win on Monday against Senegal at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
“We’re through, we managed to get through, which is incredible, so I couldn’t care too much about that game now. They’re probably going to win against us, they’re probably going to win the whole tournament.
Erling Haaland was asked about Norway’s Group I decider against Kylian Mbappe’s France.
— Sacha Pisani (@Sachk0) June 23, 2026
“I don't care much. They'll probably beat us and win the title.” 😂 pic.twitter.com/tYuEEdPZhl
The 25-year-old Erling Haaland likely just wanted to celebrate the win over Senegal rather than worry about France, who have beaten Iraq and Senegal by a combined score of 6-1. That gives France a +5 goal difference, slightly better than Norway’s +4.
But the only math Haaland and Norway need to think about is the final score against France, as a win would give them top spot in the group and momentum heading into the knockout stages.
OG Anunoby’s NBA Finals memorabilia could fetch an outrageous auction price
Folks with millions to spare could own one of the most celebrated pieces of sports memorabilia in New York sports history, as the ball OG Anunoby tipped in to give the New York Knicks the win in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals goes up for auction.
The ball will be sold by Sotheby’s via an auction that begins on June 30. The famous auction house has listed the item on its official website.
Calling the Wilson-branded basketball “The Hand of OG,” Sotheby’s expects the auction to draw as much as $3 million, according to Bryan Fonseca of The New York Post.
The ball holds immense historical significance. Without Anunoby’s putback, the San Antonio Spurs would have likely tied the series at 2-2 heading into a pivotal Game 5 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
Instead, Anunoby’s clutch basket gave the Knicks the improbable 107-106 win and a 3-1 series lead. A game later, New York defeated Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, 94-90, to capture the franchise’s first NBA title in 53 years.
Anunoby’s shot also capped an incredible Knicks comeback from 29 points down.
During the five-game Finals series, Anunoby finished behind just Jalen Brunson in the scoring among Knicks players with 21.2 points per outing, while shooting 52.5% from the field and 50% from behind the arc.
Caitlin Clark had a wild response to growing suspension concerns
Indiana Fever star point guard Caitlin Clark can already see her suspension coming.
The former WNBA Rookie of the Year was called for a technical foul in the fourth quarter of the Indiana Fever’s game Monday against the Phoenix Mercury at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., after clapping at a foul call following a physical confrontation with former teammate DeWanna Bonner.
That was Caitlin Clark’s fifth technical of the season, putting her three away from an automatic suspension.
Even after the game, Clark remained incredulous over her latest technical foul.
“It’s ridiculous,” Clark said in the postgame press conference, via Chloe Peterson of the Indianapolis Star.
“I got a technical for clapping. We should all just go on the calendar now and pick a game that I’m going to be suspended for if I’m gonna get technicals for clapping … if any technical should be taken away, it should be that one, if it’s truly for clapping, that’s what they said they gave it to me for was for clapping. It’s just ridiculous, so I don’t understand it at all.”
The Fever have only played 17 games so far, which means Clark will have to avoid reaching the technical foul threshold for suspension over the next 27 Indiana games.
The former Iowa Hawkeyes star can be fiery with her ways on the court, but she will have to work on keeping her emotions in check,as she’s someone the Fever can’t afford to lose.
MLB pitcher nearly throws perfect game in his first start after long injury absence
Brandon Woodruff was simply incredible on the mound for the Milwaukee Brewers in his return to action on Monday.
Making his first start since April 30, Woodruff silenced the Cincinnati Reds’ offense, taking a perfect game into the sixth inning as the Brewers notched a 2-1 victory in the series opener at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Woodruff was previously placed by Milwaukee on the injured list since May 1 due to right shoulder inflammation before getting activated for a start versus the Reds.
The Reds couldn’t touch the 33-year-old right-hander until Tyler Stephenson managed a single off Brandon Woodruff with one out in the sixth inning. Overall, the two-time All-Star gave up zero earned runs and just a hit, while issuing no walks and punching out a total of 10 Cincinnati batters.
A magnificent return from Big Woo pic.twitter.com/vhy0Qtjrhl
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) June 23, 2026
Woodruff also hit a milestone along the way against the Reds, as he earned his 900th career strikeout in the game.
The return to form of Woodruff is a great development for the Brewers’ pitching rotation. With Jacob Misiorowski pitching like a Cy Young Award favorite and Kyle Harrison surprising many with a strong campaign so far, Woodruff further strengthens the group.
On the season, Woodruff is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA and 0.89 WHIP through seven starts.
Mark Cuban reacts to Dusty May’s move to the Mavericks
Mark Cuban sees great things ahead for the Dallas Mavericks under Dusty May.
The Mavericks pulled off a surprise on Monday when it was reported that they were hiring May as the franchise’s next head coach. Cuban, who was formerly the majority owner of the Mavs, seems happy with the direction the team has taken in finding Jason Kidd’s replacement on the sidelines.
“He is an Indiana grad. I met him way back when he worked as a student manager and video coach. I’m sure he will do a great job,” the 67-year-old Cuban said, via Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.
Cuban’s love for the Mavericks is never to be questioned, and the same can perhaps be said of his relationship with Indiana. He played a significant off-field role in helping Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana Hoosiers win the national title by donating a large sum to the university.
Although better known for his success with the Florida Atlantic Owls and the Michigan Wolverines, May has ties to the Hoosiers. Just like Cuban, May graduated from Indiana and was a student manager for the Hoosiers’ basketball program under the legendary Bob Knight.
May is a proven winner at the college level, and it is now time for him to show he can find success in the pros. That will be easier said than done, but with Cooper Flagg as the franchise’s cornerstone and NBA champion executive Masai Ujiri running the show behind the scenes, May could have his breakthrough in Dallas sooner rather than later.
Magic Johnson shares a unique opinion on Giannis Antetokounmpo trade
Magic Johnson doesn’t want people to forget about the other player heading to the Miami Heat alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Hours after the stunning report of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat, the NBA legend offered a unique perspective on the move, praising Bobby Portis, who is coming to Miami alongside the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player.
“People are going to talk about Giannis Antetokounmpo, and they should because he and Nikola Jokić are the two best players in the league, but don’t sleep on how important the Heat getting Bobby Portis is,” Johnson wrote in a post on X. “Bobby’s ability to shoot from the 3-point line and his toughness, he will be a major part of the Heat success!
Portis can be expected to have a prominent role on the Heat, who appear to have gotten worse in terms of perimeter shooting after giving up Tyler Herro in the trade. Coming with Herro to Milwaukee are Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis and three first-round picks.
The 31-year-old Portis has made a living in the league as a solid stretch four, a role that makes him a fit alongside Antetokounmpo on the floor.
For all his talents, Antetokounmpo has never developed a reliable outside shot. He is a career 28.5% shooter from behind the arc.
Portis, on the other hand, has shot 39.3% from three on a 30.1% three-point attempt rate in his 11 years in the NBA.
Everyone made the same joke about the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade
One player became the butt of every joke on Monday with the news that Giannis Antetokounmpo was headed to South Beach.
The Miami Heat finally ended the longstanding Giannis trade saga with a blockbuster deal that sent Tyler Herro, Ke’lel Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis, three first-round picks, and a pick swap to the Bucks. Aside from acquiring the two-time MVP, the Heat also received Bobby Portis in the trade.
One name that was surprisingly omitted from the trade was Giannis’ brother, Thanasis Antetokounmpo. The Antetokounmpo brothers had been teammates in Milwaukee since 2019, and many expected him to be included in whatever deal the Bucks struck for Giannis.
Several fans had some fun at Thanasis’ expense after Giannis supposedly left him behind in Wisconsin.
Thanasis sneaking on Giannis’ flight to Miami pic.twitter.com/PMnjUQuckd
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) June 23, 2026
Thanasis seeing his name isn't listed in the Giannis trade package pic.twitter.com/YyxXFF4grH
— Underdog (@Underdog) June 23, 2026
Pat Riley and the Heat front office when Giannis asks them to save 2 roster spots for thanasis and his younger brother pic.twitter.com/cTMLmZ60rS
— John (@iam_johnw) June 23, 2026
Thanasis Antetokounmpo after not being included in the trade: pic.twitter.com/619YR4hz0H
— Sleeper (@SleeperHQ) June 23, 2026
It’s long been an open secret that the Bucks had been keeping Thanasis on the roster to appease Giannis. The 33-year-old Antetokounmpo brother has hardly produced on the court in his six active seasons with the Bucks. He averaged 2.3 points and 1.5 rebounds through 230 games for Milwaukee.
With numbers like that, it’s hard to imagine the Bucks wanting to keep Thanasis around without Giannis. The same goes for 24-year-old Alex Antetokounmpo, whom the Bucks had on a two-way deal last season.
In all fairness to Thanasis, he’s currently a free agent and could not have been a part of the Giannis deal unless it was a sign-and-trade. He can simply sign with the Heat outright. It’ll be interesting to see, however, whether Pat Riley gives him a call this offseason.
With Miami parting with several rotation players in the exchange, there may be room for Thanasis yet.
Report reveals Celtics’ final offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo that Bucks turned down
The Boston Celtics came up just short of having Giannis Antetokounmpo don the iconic Beantown green.
The Giannis trade sweepstakes reportedly came down to two teams: the Celtics and the Miami Heat. The Milwaukee Bucks ultimately chose the Heat’s smorgasbord of players and draft compensation over the Celtics’ trade package centered around Jaylen Brown.
Previous reports indicated that the Celtics were pushing for a 1-for-1 swap between Antetokounmpo and Brown, who’s coming off a career year in which he finished sixth in MVP voting. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Celtics eventually caved from that position.
Per Shams, Boston “aggressively pursued” Antetokounmpo with an offer of Brown plus two first-round picks. While Brown was far and away the best player on the table for the Bucks, the Heat deal offered them much more in terms of young assets. Miami’s offer included three first-round picks, a pick swap, and three promising young players still on their rookie contracts. That’s on top of former All-Star Tyler Herro, who is also just 26.
The Celtics and Bucks were likely looking for a third team that would take Brown in exchange for draft capital, but no such deal came to fruition.
Boston’s failed bid for Giannis puts the team in an awkward position with Brown, who must have thought he had finally gotten past the trade rumors involving him once the Celtics won the championship in 2024.
There’s reportedly at least one other team interested in Brown, who may very well be the next high-profile Eastern Conference star on the move.
Heat land Giannis Antetokounmpo in blockbuster trade
The summer of Giannis Antetokounmpo has finally reached its climax.
The Milwaukee Bucks have reportedly agreed to trade Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat in a deal widely rumored for the past month. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Bucks will receive Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, one pick swap, and a second-round pick in the exchange. Milwaukee is also sending Bobby Portis to Miami to match salaries.
The Heat’s No. 13 pick in Tuesday’s draft is among the three first-rounders headed to the Bucks’ draft coffers.
BLOCKBUSTER: The Milwaukee Bucks are trading franchise icon Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, 3 first-round picks (including No. 13), 1 pick swap and 1 second-rounder, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/NQT5ZhdJU9
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2026
Giannis to the Heat seemed like the most likely scenario for the last several weeks before the trade was consummated. Miami was able to fend off the Boston Celtics, who were said to be dangling All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown in trade talks.
Boston and Miami were reportedly the final two teams in the running for Antetokounmpo, with Milwaukee opting for a package of youth and draft assets rather than one centered around Brown.
The Greek Freak posted a message on Monday afternoon that many read as a sign that a move was imminent in the hours leading up to the NBA draft.
The social media smoke definitely signaled some very real heat.
Timberwolves’ plan after moving on from Julius Randle revealed
The Minnesota Timberwolves are looking in-house to replace Julius Randle’s production at the power forward spot.
The T-Wolves reportedly agreed to trade Randle on Monday in a surprising move that did not include any potential replacement headed back to Minnesota. Instead, Timberwolves president Tim Connelly let Randle go in an outright salary dump that even forced Minnesota to move down in Tuesday’s draft to make it come to fruition.
According to Timberwolves reporter Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, Naz Reid is going to replace Randle in the starting lineup. He will join Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels as the power forward of Minnesota’s revamped frontcourt. Krawczynski called it a “big statement of belief” in Reid and McDaniels making another leap without Randle ahead of them in the pecking order.
Naz Reid is going to be the starting power forward for the Minnesota Timberwolves for the first time in his career. This move is a big statement of belief in Reid and Jaden McDaniels to take the next steps in their development.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) June 23, 2026
The 26-year-old Reid has served as the Timberwolves’ super sixth man in each of the last three seasons. He won the Sixth Man of the Year award in the 2023-24 season with averages of 13.5 points and 5.2 rebounds on 47.7 percent shooting from the field and 41.4 percent from distance.
While his outside shooting has dipped a bit in recent years, Reid has largely maintained his steady production off Minnesota’s bench. He now gets his first real chance at a starring role for the T-Wolves.
Reid actually outplayed Randle during the Timberwolves’ Western Conference semifinals clash against the San Antonio Spurs. Reid, at times, looked like Minnesota’s second-best player behind Anthony Edwards — the role Randle failed to fill in the series.
In six games against the Spurs, Reid tallied 14.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists off the bench. He was Minnesota’s lone rotation player to shoot above 50 percent in the series.
Timberwolves trade Julius Randle in offseason stunner
The Minnesota Timberwolves are moving on from All-Star forward Julius Randle.
The T-Wolves have reportedly agreed to trade Randle and the 28th pick in Tuesday’s draft to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team deal with the Chicago Bulls. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Bulls acquire Nets center Nic Claxton in the exchange, while the Timberwolves receive the 33rd pick from Brooklyn.
With Minnesota giving up the better pick in the trade, the deal amounts to an outright salary dump of Randle’s contract.
Just in: Minnesota is sending Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick in the NBA Draft to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team trade that sends Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls, sources tell ESPN. The Timberwolves will acquire Brooklyn’s No. 33 pick for Randle and No. 28. pic.twitter.com/TvADMMNDlg
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2026
Randle put in a strong regular season in his second year with Minnesota. He averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists on an efficient 48.1 percent shooting clip. For most of the year, he looked like a capable second star next to All-NBA T-Wolves guard Anthony Edwards.
However, Randle’s performance level fell off significantly in the playoffs, particularly in the Timberwolves’ second-round series against the San Antonio Spurs. In six games against the Spurs, Randle’s numbers dropped to 12.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and just 1.5 assists on a ghastly 34.2 percent from the field.
Randle skipped his exit interview entirely after Minnesota’s Game 6 loss, which did not sit well with the Timberwolves’ brass.
With Randle gone and Karl-Anthony Towns now an NBA champion with the New York Knicks, it’s now indisputable which team won the blockbuster Knicks-Timberwolves trade back in 2024.
1 All-Star pitcher looks likely to be dealt ahead of the trade deadline
One All-Star pitcher might not be so lucky this year after surviving his team’s fire sale last year.
The Minnesota Twins would like to trade away right-hander Joe Ryan ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline in order to accelerate their rebuild, MLB writer Pat Ragazzo reported on Monday. Ragazzo also mentions catcher Ryan Jeffers as another player whom the Twins want to move.
Ryan, 30, has been with the Twins for his entire MLB career since 2021. He developed into an All-Star last season, going 13-10 with a 3.42 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 194 strikeouts through 30 total starts.
This season, Ryan has looked even better. He is now 5-3 with a 2.99 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 99 strikeouts across 16 total starts for the Twins.
With Minnesota sharing an mutual option with Ryan for 2027 (before he can become a free agent ahead of the 2028 season), the time could be ripe for them to cash out on the ace righty. The Twins are also just 38-41 on the year as well (though that is actually only one game out of a Wild Card spot in the AL).
Minnesota still has about a month-and-a-half to figure out their proper course of action before the trade deadline. But it will be interesting to see if one particular team rekindles their interest in Ryan in light of this latest update.
Jazz Chisholm pulls an unprofessional move during game
The optics are still not looking great for New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm.
Chisholm sparked backlash during Monday’s game against the Detroit Tigers. In the fifth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit, Mich., Chisholm was seen sucking on a lollipop while he was on the field at second base in the middle of a Detroit at-bat.
Here is the video.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is playing second base with a blow pop in his mouth pic.twitter.com/sJo7B2ZAzq
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 22, 2026
The Yankees were down 4-1 at the time that Chisholm pulled the stunt and went on to lose to the Tigers by a final score of 5-3. Chisholm went 1/4 during the game with two strikeouts and is now batting a dismal .226 on the year.
While eating a lollipop in the middle of a game is not the worst thing that a ballplayer can do, it did show a lack of professionalism on Chisholm’s part and spoke to a larger attitude problem that the two-time MLB All-Star has been exhibiting. Ever since first arriving on the Yankees in 2024, the 28-year-old Chisholm has already displayed some childish behavior on multiple occasions.
Chisholm also sparked an outcry last month after appearing to wear an AirPod during a game (though that has since been debunked). But there probably is not any explanation that can suffice for Chisholm’s blow pop stunt while down by multiple runs in the middle of Monday’s game.
Anthony Davis is being linked to 1 team in trade rumors
The well may not be dry just yet for Anthony Davis.
The Portland Trail Blazers would be “waiting with open arms” to trade for the Washington Wizards star big man Davis, NBA writer Jake Fischer reported Monday in a Bleacher Report feature. Fischer notes that it is “plausible” that the Wizards could indeed be sending Davis packing this offseason.
Davis, the 10-time NBA All-Star, was surprisingly sent by the Dallas Mavericks to the rebuilding Wizards in a trade last February. But he failed to play in even a single game for Washington due to a hand injury and now appears to be all but publicly pressuring the Wizards to trade him again.
Contract-wise, Davis is owed $58.5 million next season and has a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28. He becomes eligible for a new contract extension in August and is now reportedly seeking the max on any new deal.
That might not be feasible for any team to hand out to Davis, let alone the Wizards. Washington just committed a sizable amount of money to their star point guard Trae Young earlier in the day on Monday, and now they need to continue developing their young core around Young (instead of shooting themselves in the foot by maxing out an injury-prone Davis at 33 years old).
As for the Blazers, they earned a surprise playoff berth this year at 42-40 but were still largely held back by a lack of reliable size. Robert Williams III is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and now it sounds like Portland would be willing to roll the dice on Davis as a high-risk, high-reward frontcourt partner to 22-year-old shot blocker Donovan Clingan.
