Ben Simmons’ injury triggers a significant development
Ben Simmons’ NBA comeback ended before it could officially begin.
Just days before the start of the 2026-27 NBA season, the former NBA Rookie of the Year Award winner was ruled out for the entire campaign with an Achilles tear he suffered during practice on Sunday.
Sacramento signed Simmons to a one-year, $3.5 million contract in September, sparking excitement among fans about the former LSU Tigers star’s return to the NBA after missing the entire 2025-26 season.
But even with Simmons facing a long journey to recovery from his injury, the Kings are expected to keep him.
As John Hollinger of The Athletic pointed out, Sacramento is unlikely to release Simmons because of a salary continuation rule.
That provision states that players on non-guaranteed contracts who are injured must be paid until they recover. Simmons’ deal with the Kings is guaranteed for only $1 million, but the salary continuation rule means the team will have to pay him his full salary whether it keeps him or not.
A former No. 1 overall pick, Simmons last played in a non-preseason NBA game during the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Clippers. He has career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists with a 55.8% shooting from the field across 383 games (344 starts).
James Harden is not ruling out a drastic move after he retires
James Harden and his beard are one of the most recognizable duos in basketball, but there might come a time when he’ll get rid of his facial hair.
The Cleveland Cavaliers veteran guard isn’t ruling that out, but for now, he’ll keep his iconic look as he continues his basketball career.
“I’m definitely going to keep it while I’m playing basketball, honestly, like once I am away from the cameras, you know, all the time then I can figure out if I wanna try to cut it and see what that looks like, but for now, for sure, until I’m retired, I’m keeping this beard,” the 11-time NBA All-Star Harden said of his beard in a recent interview posted by the league on X.
"Until I’m retired, I’m keeping this beard." James Harden is known for his iconic beard… but is it here to stay forever? 🤔 @JHarden13 begins his first full season with the @cavs next Thursday (10/22) vs. the 76ers at 7pm/et on ESPN! https://t.co/l2NxeUNnqV
— NBA (@NBA) October 15, 2026
It’s difficult for most basketball fans to conjure up an image of Harden without his beard. One of his nicknames is “The Beard,” which essentially sums up everything one has to know about how important his beard is to his identity on the court.
The former Arizona State Sun Devils star, who turned 37 in August, probably still has a few years left before calling it a career, so we may have to wait a while to find out whether he would actually shave it all off after hanging up his sneakers.
Harden and his beard will make their appearance for an 18th season in the league, beginning on Thursday, when the Cavs play LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa.
Notable update on Mike Evans’ injury emerges after 49ers-Commanders game
It wasn’t all that rosy for the San Francisco 49ers in their 23-17 win over the Washington Commanders on Monday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
San Francisco star wide receiver Mike Evans couldn’t finish the contest, leaving the game in the first half with Achilles tendinitis.
It was an aggravation of an Achilles issue that put Evans’ status for Week 6 in question in the days leading up to the showdown against the Commanders.
After the game, San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said, “I don’t believe so” when asked if Evans would need further testing on his Achilles, via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.
San Francisco will next play the Atlanta Falcons in a Week 7 game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., but Shanahan hinted Evans might not be available for that.
“I hope he recovers throughout the week, but you don’t think it’s a long-term thing, but right now it ended up costing him two quarters and hopefully he’ll be able to play next week, but if not, we’ll have to have the rest of the group step up and hopefully get him healed up by after the bye week,” Shanahan said.
The 49ers keep winning games despite a banged-up wide receiver room, with Ricky Pearsall, De’Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson, Deebo Samuel Sr., and Christian Kirk all sidelined entering Week 6.
Despite leaving the game early, Evans still led all 49ers players with 94 receiving yards on three catches and five targets.
Dan Quinn speaks out after MNF broadcast appears to catch him making a serious blunder
Dan Quinn has addressed the viral clip of him seemingly making a critical mistake during Monday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Washington Commanders had 4th-and-2 at the 49ers’ 13 early in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. With the Commanders trailing 13-3, Quinn had his team go for it rather than settle for three points.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels ended up throwing the ball out of bounds. The ESPN broadcast then shifted to Quinn, who appeared to be calling for a field goal before he realized his team had actually turned the ball over on downs.
“That was fourth down?” Quinn appeared to say with the camera panned to him.
Not a professional lip reader but did Dan Quinn just say/ask “That was fourth down?” https://t.co/ZUQZuMfDxA
— Mike Mutnansky (@MikeMutnansky) October 20, 2026
Even the ESPN broadcast believed Quinn had mistakenly thought his team had an extra down left.
this is SOOOO BAD how does the HEAD COACH not know the down??? https://t.co/UaXmbWzgvj
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 20, 2026
Quinn, however, claimed the internet lip-readers out there got it wrong. He pointed to the flag thrown against the Commanders for an illegal shift as what he got confused by in the clip.
“No, I definitely knew it was fourth down,” Quinn told reporters after the game. “We were going for it. I think what you’re referring to is that I was probably saying like, with the illegal shift, there’s not a penalty to go for a field goal.”
"I definitely knew it was 4th down." Commanders HC Dan Quinn on the 4th down play that Jayden Daniels threw the ball away in the second quarter. https://t.co/SiBP2SIClg
— ESPN (@espn) October 20, 2026
Quinn’s explanation didn’t make sense. If he had actually known it was fourth down, then it should have been obvious that the 49ers would decline the penalty to secure the turnover.
Daniels throwing the ball out of bounds instead of taking a risk on fourth down also added to the case against Quinn actually knowing the correct game situation.
The Commanders lost 23-17, dropping them to 1-4-1 in the standings and placing Quinn in the hot seat heading into the team’s bye week.
Junior Caminero copied LeBron James’ message after eliminating Cleveland in ALCS
Junior Caminero’s postgame message sounded very familiar to Cleveland sports fans.
The Tampa Bay Rays standout led his team to a 7-3 win in a Game 6 clincher over the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. Caminero went 2-for-3 with a walk, including a two-run homer that gave the Rays a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the 7th.
Caminero’s jam-shot blast off the Trop foul pole instantly became the stuff of legend. The man made sure to celebrate the momentous big fly accordingly.
JUNIOR CAMINERO OFF THE FOUL POLE THE TROP IS ELECTRIC! https://t.co/E0hC0eAmBK
— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2026
After the game, Caminero addressed Rays fans both in attendance and watching from home.
“Tampaaaaa! This is for YOU!” Caminero shouted into the mic.
“TAMPA THIS IS FOR YOU” Junior Caminero channels his inner LeBron James https://t.co/nHIyW9fCUo
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 20, 2026
Caminero’s message sounded exactly like LeBron James’ message to the City of Cleveland when the Cavaliers won the NBA championship in 2016.
🗣️ "CLEVELAND, THIS IS FOR YOU." LeBron James had this iconic line after leading the Cavs to the 2016 title 🏆 LBJ returns to Cleveland as LAL & CLE face off on ESPN at 7pm/et 🍿 https://t.co/w3c2tReRyq
— NBA (@NBA) January 28, 2026
It’s unclear whether Caminero was actually going for the LeBron-esque celebration or if it was just a coincidence. But it must have been at least a little unsettling to hear for any Cleveland sports fans who had just watched their Guardians lose to Caminero’s Rays.
One big difference in the Caminero moment was that it came before Tampa Bay’s trip to the World Series. James had led the Cavaliers to their first championship in franchise history, and Caminero has a chance to do the same against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Steelers signing familiar face to reunite with Aaron Rodgers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are running it back with one of Aaron Rodgers’ longtime targets.
The Steelers have reportedly signed wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to a new contract. According to The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo, the veteran wideout will start on the Steelers’ practice squad.
Valdes-Scantling was released by the Los Angeles Chargers over the weekend. He played in three games for the offensively inept Chargers, tallying just two catches for 22 yards.
Source: The #Steelers are expected to sign veteran WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling to their Practice Squad, reuniting him with Aaron Rodgers. MVS was also with Pittsburgh last season, but spent the start of this season with the Chargers. https://t.co/E5hg9JQGXs
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) October 20, 2026
The 32-year-old began next to both Rodgers and Mike McCarthy in 2018, when the Green Bay Packers drafted him in the fifth round. Valdes-Scantling developed into one of Rodgers’ most dependable targets. He recorded 123 catches for 2,153 yards and 13 touchdowns during his four seasons with the Packers.
Valdes-Scantling signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022. He won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs before brief stints with the Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, and San Francisco 49ers.
Rodgers lobbied for the Steelers to sign Valdes-Scantling last season. He caught 10 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown across 5 games in a Steelers uniform.
Valdes-Scantling joins a Steelers wide receiver room severely depleted by injuries. Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson are expected to remain on the injured list until the second half of the season.
Brutal update emerges on Rams kicker Blake Grupe
One tackle attempt has ended Blake Grupe’s season.
The Los Angeles Rams kicker made headlines when he risked his body trying to make a tackle during Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. Grupe threw all his weight — all 156 pounds — to shove Cardinals kickoff returner Devon Duvernay to the sideline at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
The collision with Duvernay sent Grupe flying, knocking him out of the game in the first quarter. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game with a leg injury and replaced by punter Ethan Evans.
Many suspected Grupe’s injury to be serious at first glance. ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed everyone’s suspicions on Monday, reporting that Grupe had sustained a torn ACL.
Rams kicker Blake Grupe tore his ACL.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 19, 2026
The Rams had just signed Grupe off the New York Jets’ practice squad to replace struggling kicker Harrison Mevis. Grupe converted a 44-yard field goal before sustaining the season-ending injury.
Spectators were torn over Grupe’s heroics during Sunday’s game. Some folks praised him for leaving it all out on the field. But others felt that Grupe’s tackle attempt was foolish considering his diminutive frame.
After losing out on a golden opportunity with the Rams, Grupe probably won’t be making many tackles going forward.
Junior Caminero had the craziest pimp job of his clutch Game 6 HR
Junior Caminero rose to the occasion in Game 6 of the ALCS.
The Tampa Bay Rays star Caminero stepped up to the plate in the seventh inning of Monday’s game with his team leading the Cleveland Guardians 3-1. Facing Guardians star closer Cade Smith with a runner on base, Caminero launched an absolute rocket to left field off a first-pitch ambush.
Caminero’s laser shot struck off the foul in left field for an epic two-run home run. As he was rounding the bases, Caminero stopped entirely (before he even touched first) to beat his chest and pose for the exuberant fans at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Here is the video.
JUNIOR CAMINERO BIG DONG https://t.co/0rTL3nZ6ln
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) October 20, 2026
The Rays entered play on Monday with a 3-2 series lead over the Guardians. As such, that home run by Caminero was effectively a pennant-clincher (and with a fitting celebration for a moment of that magnitude to boot).
Now a two-time All-Star, Caminero, 23, has really come into his own this season for Tampa Bay. He produced 42 home runs and 101 RBIs while playing in all 162 games and is also backing up some of the trash that he was talking before the postseason (and then some).
Timberwolves sign key player to surprising new deal
The Minnesota Timberwolves are covering their bases when it comes to Jaden McDaniels.
McDaniels was set to enter the season with three more years on his current contract and over $84 million in guaranteed money. On Monday, the Timberwolves reportedly wanted to add another year and much more money to that deal.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that McDaniels has agreed to a one-year, $40 million contract extension. The new deal keeps the 26-year-old under contract through the 2029-30 season.
Minnesota Timberwolves All-Defense forward Jaden McDaniels has agreed to a one-year, $40 million extension that will keep him under contract through the 2029-30 season, agents Nima Namakian of Innovate Sports and Bill Duffy of WME Basketball tell ESPN. https://t.co/PYtDRrLves
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 20, 2026
The deal is significant for McDaniels for multiple reasons. It raises the ceiling on the dollar value he can sign his next extension in 2028. Should he not sign an extension, Jaden could enter free agency in 2030 with the ideal 10 years of NBA service time.
The news was somewhat surprising, considering McDaniels is from the same 2020 draft class as the Timberwolves’ star backcourt of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. All three were already under contract through 2029 until McDaniels landed his extension.
McDaniels, known as a standout defender, improved as a scorer last season. He averaged a career-high 14.8 points in Year 6 on a 51.5 percent shooting clip and shot over 40 percent from the three-point arc.
With new money coming in, McDaniels probably feels a bit better after having his car stolen from his home earlier in the offseason.
Rays benefit from a controversial check swing call in ALCS Game 6
The Tampa Bay Rays got an early boost during Game 6 of the ALCS.
Tampa Bay hosted the sixth installment of their series against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday. In the second inning at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., Rays second baseman Richie Palacios was up to bat against Guardians reliever Tim Herrin.
With two runners in scoring position and two out, Palacios checked his swing on an 0-2 offering from Herrin that was way out of the zone. Cleveland appealed to third base umpire Bill Miller, but Miller ruled that Palacios had not gone around.
Then three pitches later, Palacios proceeded to hit a two-run double to open up the scoring and give Tampa Bay an early 2-0 lead. Here is the video of the full sequence.
Richie Palacios drove in the go-ahead runs after umpire Bill Miller ruled no swing https://t.co/B8nsnP84Qu
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) October 20, 2026
Take a look at the side angle of Palacios’ check swing.
This was called a ball on a check swing by Richie Palacios in an 0-2 count. He would go on to hit a 2 RBI single later in the at bat. Did he go around? https://t.co/yeyQCuxwje
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 20, 2026
Check swings are obviously outside of the purview of the automated ball-strike (ABS) system, and they are not reviewable plays for the purposes of challenges either. Tampa Bay entered play on Monday with a 3-2 lead in the series over Cleveland and have largely looked to be the better and more fundamentally sound team. But it certainly seemed like they may have benefited from a friendly call on Palacios’ non-swing there.
Terry McLaurin carted off the field with scary knee injury
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin left Monday night’s game with a concerning knee injury.
McLaurin sustained the injury while running a route later in the first quarter of Washington’s matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The star wideout was battling with Niners cornerback Deommodore Lenoir near midfield before he crumpled to the ground in serious pain.
You can watch the play below:
Not good for Terry McLaurin, who goes down holding his knee https://t.co/qmYXT4T7zo
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) October 20, 2026
McLaurin’s left leg appeared to cave in as he tried to shed his defender.
Trainers inserted McLaurin’s left leg into an aircast and helped him onto a cart. Players from both teams wished him well before they drove him off the field.
Commanders WR Terry McLaurin was carted off the field with an apparent knee injury. https://t.co/ohVT3BY6JG
— ESPN (@espn) October 20, 2026
McLaurin left the game with one catch for 27 yards. He was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the contest, with further tests awaiting him
The 31-year-old entered Monday’s game as the Commanders’ second-most-targeted receiver behind Stefon Diggs. In his first four games, McLaurin tallied 14 catches for 203 yards and a touchdown.
Angel Reese has a vulgar message for opponent in WNBA Finals Game 2
Angel Reese is keeping that same energy in the WNBA Finals.
Reese and the Atlanta Dream met the Golden State Valkyries for Game 2 of their WNBA Finals series on Monday. In the first quarter at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., Reese went viral over her vulgar message for Valkyries center Aminata Gueye.
Reese had just drawn a foul on Gueye and was at the line shooting two free throws. The USA broadcast showed Gueye talking some trash to Reese before her foul shots.
The reigning WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Reese calmly sank the first shot and then sent a profane message to Gueye in response. “You can’t f–k with me,” said Reese. “Bum a–.”
Reese then proceeded to sink her second free throw as well. Here is the video of the incident.
“You can’t fu*k with me bum ass” – Angel Reese https://t.co/6lLFOTFeo0
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) October 20, 2026
At 24 years old, Reese is a three-time WNBA All-Star, a three-time league rebounding leader, and one of the most well-known players in women’s basketball. Conversely, Gueye, also 24 years old, is far less known and has averaged just 3.3 points per game off the bench in the playoffs as a rookie for the Valkyries.
That said, it really does not matter who Reese goes up against at this point. As we have seen multiple times just this season alone, Reese will bust out the insults on the court to just about any opponent.
Carlos Mendoza withdrew his name from 1 MLB manager job before joining Phillies
Former New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza is now with the Philadelphia Phillies after being hired as the team’s third base coach.
However, Mendoza was a candidate for the Seattle Mariners managerial opening, according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Castillo added that Mendoza withdrew his name from the job and then landed with the Phillies.
Carlos Mendoza was a candidate for the Mariners’ managerial job before withdrawing his name to become the Phillies’ third base and infield coach, sources told ESPN. The Mariners and Astros are currently the two teams looking for a manager.
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) October 17, 2026
Mendoza was in his third year as the Mets manager before being fired at the end of June. The Phillies also had a decision to make after Don Mattingly was the interim manager following the firing of Rob Thomson during the season.
The Phillies then stuck with Mattingly after Alex Cora decided not to coach in 2027, and the former Boston Red Sox manager was expected to be the top target for Philadelphia.
The Mariners had an opening after Dan Wilson was fired following the final regular-season game. Seattle had Torey Lovullo on their list, but he stuck around with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Mendoza decided not to go further in the Mariners’ process and instead went to Philadelphia, and he could be next in line if the Phillies move on from Mattingly at some point in the next year or two.
Kawhi Leonard has heartfelt reaction after learning of Ben Simmons’ Achilles tear
Ben Simmons is out for the season after suffering an Achilles tear, and Toronto Raptors star Kawhi Leonard had a strong message of support.
Leonard was asked about it on Monday, and while the Raptors star said he didn’t know about Simmons’ injury, he said it was “sad” and told him to “keep grinding.”
‘Oh, damn man, that’s sad!’ 😔 Kawhi Leonard reacts to the news of Ben Simmons tearing his Achilles tendon and being ruled out of his coveted NBA comeback. #NBA https://t.co/Hlc67aIFrG
— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) October 19, 2026
Simmons hadn’t played in the NBA since the 2024-25 season, but he was working hard to make a comeback.
The Sacramento Kings gave Simmons a one-year deal, and reports surfaced that he was expected to be in the starting lineup on opening day.
Then, Simmons suffered an injury at practice over the weekend, and he has been ruled out for the entire season, a crushing blow.
Simmons was selected first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016, and he also played for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers before sitting out the entire 2025-26 NBA campaign.
While Leonard hasn’t suffered a torn Achilles before in his career, he has dealt with plenty of injuries, especially in recent years.
Simmons will now try to recover in hopes of making his official NBA comeback in the 2027-28 NBA season.
Hornets make major commitment with $209 million extension
The Charlotte Hornets underwent a lot of changes this offseason, but young forward Brandon Miller isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
With the rookie-scale extension on Tuesday evening, the Hornets and Miller agreed to a massive five-year deal worth $209 million.
BREAKING: Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller has agreed on a five-year, $209 million rookie-scale contract extension, representatives AJ Vaynerchuk and Joey Middleton of VaynerSports tell ESPN. https://t.co/6enF8nrHOB
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 19, 2026
The Hornets selected Miller at No. 2 overall in 2023, and the expectation was that the two sides would agree on a deal. NBA insider Jake Fischer even predicted a five-year, $208 million deal, so it was almost exactly what the Hornets ended up giving Miller.
Miller played in 65 games last season, averaging 20.2 points per game with 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists, and the Hornets wanted to keep him around for the foreseeable future.
Charlotte traded away star guard LaMelo Ball this offseason, so the roster looks quite different, but Miller should take over as the star in town, especially after this new deal.
Scoot Henderson, who was the No. 3 pick in 2023, did not agree to an extension with the Portland Trail Blazers prior to the deadline, and he was taken one pick after Miller.
The Hornets and Miller will begin the 2026-27 NBA season on Wednesday against the Brooklyn Nets on the road.
Report: Astros could trade 3 notable players this offseason
The Houston Astros could be doing some major housekeeping in the coming months.
Astros infielders Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker are expected to be discussed as potential trade pieces this offseason, according to a report by Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Rome further adds that Houston shortstop Jeremy Peña will also be an “ideal trade candidate” as he is set to be a free agent after the 2027 campaign.
The Astros are coming off an underwhelming season in which they went 81-81 but managed to sneak into the playoffs. Still, Houston ended up getting swept in the AL Wild Card series by the Chicago White Sox.
Now the Astros are facing the dilemma of how to trim payroll heading into 2027. With Carlos Correa (ankle) set to return by then, the infield is the area that makes most sense for Houston to pursue a consolidation trade or two.
Paredes, 27, hit .262 with 25 home runs and 94 RBIs this season. Walker, 35, had a far lower batting average at .226 but was in the same ballpark power-wise with 29 home runs and 87 RBIs.
Peña, 29, also had a standout season himself, batting .277 with 22 home runs and 56 RBIs. All three players are righty-hitting infielders entering their final years under contract in 2027, so it seems highly unlikely that they will all survive the winter on a Houston team that has already been making some big changes since their season came to an end.
Yankees make a major decision on manager Aaron Boone
The New York Yankees are officially riding things out with Booney.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone will be returning for the 2027 MLB season, Pete Caldera of USA Today reported on Monday. It will be the final guaranteed year of Boone’s contract, and the Yankees are giving him the opportunity to coach it out.
Boone, 53, has served as the manager of the Yankees ever since 2018. Over that span, Boone has posted an overall record of 790-565 (.583).
The Yankees have also produced seven 90-win seasons, won four division titles, and made three ALCS appearances during Boone’s time in charge. Most notably, Boone even led New York to the 2024 World Series, marking their first AL pennant since their 2009 championship season.
But over the last couple of seasons, the Yankees have seemingly stagnated under Boone’s leadership. 2026 marked the second straight year that New York was eliminated in the ALDS as cultural issues and simple mistakes with fundamentals have continued to plague them.
Nevertheless, the Yankees are set to give Boone one more ride in 2027. This was the expected outcome all along, albeit with Boone potentially coaching as a lame duck if the team’s fortunes do not improve dramatically.
Lakers release former first-round pick ahead of opening night
The Los Angeles Lakers had a decision to make to finalize the roster, and it came on Monday.
Dalton Knecht, who was the Lakers’ first-round pick in 2024, has been released, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The Los Angeles Lakers are waiving 2024 No. 17 pick Dalton Knecht, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/SaeDxdSBUo
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 19, 2026
The Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies, along with LA, were the three teams left that had to get to the 15-player mark before Monday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline.
Knecht was one of a couple of players that was identified as a trade candidate, and he was then named as the “odd man out” in October, so it’s not a huge surprise to see him finally be released.
At the 2025 deadline, Knecht was set to go to the Charlotte Hornets in a trade that would’ve brought center Mark Williams to LA. However, the trade didn’t end up going through due to medicals, and Knecht never found a rhythm after that.
Knecht was selected at No. 17 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft after he played for the Tennessee Volunteers, and he will now be eligible to sign with another team once he clears waivers.
The Lakers begin the 2026-27 NBA season on Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif.
Rams get brutal injury news on Davante Adams
The plunge into hell continues for the Los Angeles Rams.
Rams star wide receiver Davante Adams is expected to miss 6-to-10 weeks with a hamstring injury that he sustained during the team’s Week 6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported on Monday. Rapoport adds that Adams is expected to undergo surgery on his hamstring tendon in order to clean it out.
Adams suffered a non-contact injury in the second half of the Rams’ 18-16 defeat to the Cardinals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. Here is the video of the play.
Non-contact injury for #Rams WR Davante Adams. Came out of the game https://t.co/wSh2CYsLuD
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) October 18, 2026
The 33-year-old Adams had caught 30 passes for 480 yards and four touchdowns over the first six games of the season. He had looked resurgent at times (especially during fellow receiver Puka Nacua’s earlier injury absence) and was even getting some of his vintage swagger back.
But now the six-time Pro Bowler Adams will likely miss roughly the next two months of the season because of his hamstring ailment. The Rams have their bye week coming up in Week 11, but Adams’ absence will almost certainly stretch into December with the given timeline.
After the loss to Arizona, the Rams now sit at a disappointing 2-4 this season. Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie, and Kobie Turner are among the other Rams who are currently hurt, and even their kicker just suffered a fluke injury during a tackle attempt on Sunday.
Duke player issues statement about swatting away female staff member
The Duke Blue Devils football player who drew criticism for swatting at a female staff member has issued a statement about the incident.
Cornerback Kimari Robinson issued the statement on social media and offered an apology for his actions. He wrote that he was emotional because of his concern for injured teammate DaShawn Stone, and that he had privately apologized to the staffer after the game.
“Immediately after the game, I apologized to her personally and checked to make sure she was okay,” Robinson wrote. “The injured player on the ground, DeShawn Stone, is like family to me, and I was scared he might be seriously hurt. But being worried about him does not excuse how I treated her. I should have controlled my emotions, and I didn’t.”
https://t.co/wHbfy4zhKP
— Kimari Robinson (@krobinson7__) October 19, 2026
Robinson drew widespread criticism for the viral video, in which he forcefully pushed the staff member after she brushed him aside to tend to Stone (video here). While most understood his concern for an injured teammate, they also felt that Robinson was out of line to react the way he did.
As for the game, Duke suffered a 24-20 loss to their ACC rivals Tar Heels, 24-20. The Blue Devils are now on a two-game losing streak and drop to 4-2 overall and 1-2 against ACC teams.
