Rich Paul makes concerning comments about Luka Doncic
Rich Paul does not seem to think there is much hope left for Luka Doncic this season.
The Klutch Sports CEO Paul made some interesting comments about the Los Angeles Lakers star Doncic this week. On the latest episode of “Game Over,” the podcast that Paul co-hosts with Max Kellerman for The Ringer, Paul indicated that Doncic may be facing an even longer injury absence than expected.
“Luka and [Austin] Reaves are injured,” said Paul, per Sports Illustrated. “Luka is out, it’s trending he’s going to be out a lot longer than Austin Reaves.”
Doncic is dealing with a Grade 2 hamstring strain and has been ruled out for the rest of the regular season (with an “out indefinitely” tag being placed on him beyond that). As for Reaves, he has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 oblique strain and is expected to be out for 4-to-6 weeks.
We heard earlier this week that the 27-year-old Doncic was attempting an improbable early return and undergoing an unusual treatment in Europe to try to improve his odds. But Paul may have just tipped off the fact that Doncic’s hamstring injury is actually worse than the Lakers are leading on.
Paul, who is the agent of LeBron James (plus other current Lakers players such as Jarred Vanderbilt, Adou Theiro, and Bronny James), is clearly well-connected in L.A. If Paul’s comments here are to be believed, it might not be until next October (for the 2026-27 NBA season) that we see Doncic back on the court again.
Fan accidentally shows full moon on live broadcast trying to catch a foul ball
The full moon was out on a beautiful Tuesday night in Tampa Bay, but not the kind fans would have wanted to see.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Matt Shaw was at the plate with two outs in the top of the 9th inning of what was basically a decided game at Tropicana Field in Tampa, Fla. The visitors were up 9-2 on the Tampa Bay Rays, making Shaw’s at-bat pretty negligible as far as the game goes.
One fan’s embarrassing moment woke up the broadcast and basically everyone within the right-field seating section. Shaw fouled off a 1-1 pitch that twisted right all the way to the seats in foul territory.
The fan had a beat on it and slipped while trying to make a play, leading to him accidentally mooning the broadcast and everyone within his immediate vicinity. You’ve been warned.
Full moon in the Cubs/Rays game pic.twitter.com/o0MAsvhWYV
— Luke (@EverlastingLuke) April 8, 2026
Shaw ended up flying out to end the inning two pitches later. The silver lining for the fan was that the moment happened with a half-inning to go and virtually no chance at extras. Imagine botching a play like that in the first inning and having to sit there for hours longer.
The fan at least got to keep the foul ball.
Draymond Green offers a sharp criticism of Giannis Antetokounmpo
Draymond Green is not a fan of what his fellow Defensive Player of the Year winner is doing right now.
The Golden State Warriors star Green touched on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s situation with the Milwaukee Bucks on the latest episode of his self-titled podcast. Green indicated that Antetokounmpo was being ungrateful towards the Bucks.
“I love how Giannis treats the Milwaukee Bucks organization,” said Green. “He treats them like, ‘Screw y’all, and I don’t care what y’all gotta say.’ Meanwhile, they’ve given all his brothers an opportunity to play NBA basketball. It’s the craziest thing I’ve seen.
“He’s on the sideline, cheering and happy for his brothers,” Green added of Antetokounmpo. “Meanwhile, [he’s] sitting in the back, two [middle] fingers in the air, telling the Milwaukee Bucks to get the hell out of his face. And ‘I’m gonna get y’all investigated.’”
Green is referencing how Giannis’ brothers, Thanasis and Alex, are both currently on the Bucks roster and receiving minutes. Thanasis, in particular, has been in Milwaukee for six total seasons now, despite doing little to show that he actually deserves to be on an NBA roster apart from who his brother is.
In any case, Giannis’ relationship with the Bucks has now gotten absurdly toxic, especially amid the recent NBA investigation into Milwaukee’s reported disagreement with Antetokounmpo over his playing status. But Green is taking the rare (and unexpected) step this week of siding with the team over the player in this dispute.
Mavericks respond to JJ Redick claiming they botched Austin Reaves’ MRI
The Dallas Mavericks are calling cap on JJ Redick’s claim that they had failed to conduct Austin Reaves’ MRI properly.
The Los Angeles Lakers head coach turned heads last week when he accused the Mavericks’ medical team of scanning “the wrong area” of Reaves’ body after he suffered an oblique issue. Reaves needed to undergo a second MRI, which confirmed the Lakers guard needed to miss the remainder of the regular season.
The Mavericks basically called Redick a liar, asserting that there was “no error” in their scan of Reaves’ oblique.
“Our medical team followed standard imaging protocols based on the information provided at the time,” the Mavericks said in a statement, via ESPN. “There was no error in the scan performed.”
A Lakers spokesperson reportedly declined to comment on the matter.
Some fans joked that the supposedly botched scan was a petty form of retribution for the Lakers taking away Luka Doncic from the Mavs. Many were dumbfounded that last year’s controversial blockbuster trade did not include Reaves heading to Dallas in return.
Reaves and Doncic remain out of the Lakers’ lineup due to injuries that both suffered in their Thursday matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. While Reaves’ injury timeline is mostly set at 4-6 weeks, Doncic is reportedly looking at alternative treatment methods to potentially expedite his return.
Report: Doc Rivers gave cringeworthy speech to Bucks before game
Doc Rivers probably isn’t beating the “out of touch” allegations.
The Milwaukee Bucks head coach Rivers reportedly gave an extremely cringeworthy speech to the team before a game on March 2 against the shorthanded Boston Celtics. Shams Charania of ESPN shared the details during an appearance Tuesday on “NBA Today.”
“Look at my resume and Google me,” Rivers allegedly said to the Bucks. “I took teams to the playoffs and championship that weren’t supposed to be there. I thought this was one of them.”
"Look at my resume and Google me. I took teams to the playoffs and championship that weren't supposed to be there. I thought this was one of them.”
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 7, 2026
— Shams on what Doc Rivers said to the Bucks in a team meeting.
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
pic.twitter.com/n9HvH4KHqd
The speech, which was reportedly “not well-received” by the team, ended up going for naught. The Bucks then got demolished by the Celtics that night, losing by a final score of 108-81 (despite Boston being without starters Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Neemias Queta for the game).
The irony of Rivers’ comments is that he is known as one of the greatest playoff underachievers in NBA history. While Rivers has had a couple of quality coaching jobs over the years (e.g. leading the All-Star-less 2018-19 LA Clippers to 48 wins and pushing the full-strength Kevin Durant-era Golden State Warriors to six games in the playoffs), he has almost always had prolific talent at his disposal. Rivers led the Big Three-era Boston Celtics, the Lob City-era and the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George-era LA Clippers, and the Joel Embiid MVP-era Philadelphia 76ers … but only had one NBA title (and a whole bunch of postseason chokes) to show for it.
That said, the bigger takeaway here is that Rivers’ position as the head coach of the 31-47 Bucks is becoming increasingly untenable (with a previous report also suggesting that Rivers had lost the locker room). One possible replacement for Rivers has already emerged as it is beginning to look like a parting of ways between Rivers and the Bucks after the season is inevitable.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider completely crashes out on umpire after getting ejected
John Schneider made sure to get more than his money’s worth during Tuesday’s game.
The Toronto Blue Jays manager Schneider was ejected Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers for arguing a balk that was called on Toronto pitcher Kevin Gausman. In the fifth inning at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ont., Gausman was facing Dodgers infielder Alex Freeland with a runner on first base when home plate umpire Dan Merzel called Gausman for a balk.
Merzel did not call the balk immediately as Gausman was shifting around on the mound and only made the ruling after the pitch had been delivered. Schneider then came out of the Toronto dugout asking for an explanation and eventually got thrown out by Merzel after things got heated.
Immediately upon being tossed, Schneider completely crashed out on Merzel. He slammed his hat down and got right up into Merzel’s face to give Merzel a piece of his mind.
Here is the video of the full sequence (featuring an irate Schneider turning about five different shades of red over the course of the encounter).
Blue Jays manager John Schneider LOST HIS MIND because the umpire ejected him for arguing a balk call pic.twitter.com/EyZrxaK4UH
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 8, 2026
The Blue Jays lost Monday’s series opener to the Dodgers by an ugly final score of 14-2. With the Dodgers also beating the Blue Jays in the 2025 World Series as well, frustrations had clearly been brewing for Schneider (who has also produced other ruthless moments against rival teams over the years).
Notable update emerges on Victor Wembanyama’s injury
Victor Wembanyama appears to have successfully Matrix-dodged a bullet.
An MRI on the San Antonio Spurs star Wembanyama came back clean, indicating that he avoided serious injury (Chris Haynes of NBA TV reported Tuesday). Wembanyama will now be listed as day-to-day moving forward.
The 22-year-old Wembanyama went down during Monday’s win over the Philadelphia 76ers. In the second quarter at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, 76ers forward Paul George ran into Wembanyama on an attempted fast break by the Spurs.
Wembanyama immediately hit the deck in pain and was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game due to a rib contusion. Here is the video.
— Polo (@PoloTheHooper) April 7, 2026
The 60-19 Spurs are currently 2.5 games back of the 62-16 Oklahoma City Thunder for the best record in the league. While they most likely will not be able to catch the Thunder (especially with Wembanyama now listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers), the clean MRI is undoubtedly good news for the Spurs.
As it stands right now, Wembanyama only needs to make one more 20-minute appearance during a game in order to qualify for this season’s NBA awards. The 7-foot-4 center also recently laid out his argument for why he should win MVP over OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Michael Malone explains decision to take North Carolina job
The North Carolina Tar Heels surprised everybody by hiring former Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone.
After firing Hubert Davis as the men’s basketball coach, North Carolina has decided on Malone in an unexpected move. Malone has never been a college head coach before, and he is just one year removed from being fired by the Nuggets.
During Malone’s introductory press conference in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, he opened up on making the move to the college ranks.
“I have a chance to be a part of something special,” Malone said. “This was the only college job I’d ever consider. Any other job, I wouldn’t even answer the phone.”
"I have a chance to be a part of something special. … This was the only college job I'd ever consider."
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) April 7, 2026
Michael Malone on his decision to become the head coach of @UNC_Basketball. pic.twitter.com/g3HFnzQ6s4
North Carolina is a blueblood in college basketball, and Davis took the Tar Heels to the national title game in his first year after replacing the legendary Roy Williams.
North Carolina made headlines in 2024 after hiring Bill Belichick as the football coach, so the Tar Heels are now dipping into the NBA realm in hopes of bringing the basketball program back to a national title game.
Malone’s daughter, Bridget, is also a volleyball player at North Carolina, so that is an interesting tie in the hire.
Now, Malone has high expectations, which grew even more after reports swirled of his contract being in the six-year, $80 million range, which puts him in the top-five in the sport at approximately $8 million annually.
Lakers legend Michael Cooper has landed a college basketball head coaching job
Michael Cooper, a five-time NBA champion as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, is now a head coach in college basketball.
Cooper has been hired by Cal State Los Angeles, a Division II school, according to Benjamin Royer of The Orange County Register.
Division II Cal State LA hires Lakers great Michael Cooper as men’s basketball head coach.
— Benjamin Royer (@thebenroyer) April 7, 2026
Cooper had served as associate head coach since 23’.
Cooper has led teams in the WNBA (LA Sparks, Atlanta Dream), women’s college basketball (USC) and in what’s now called the G League.
Cooper has been an assistant at Cal State LA since 2023, and he is now the head coach after Jim Saia stepped down following 10 seasons in charge of the program.
Cooper was a member of the Lakers from 1978 through 1990, and he played on the legendary Showtime Lakers squad alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Cooper does have head coaching experience, although not in college. He was the Los Angeles Sparks head coach from 2000 to 2004, then coached the Albuquerque Thunderbirds in the NBA G League before returning to the Sparks in 2007.
Cooper was a WNBA head coach again, this time with the Atlanta Dream from 2014 to 2017, before spending time in LA as the head coach for Chadwick City High School and Culver City High School.
Even though Cal State LA is in Division II, hiring a Lakers legend such as Cooper is a splashy move, and it could attract some players to the program.
Cal State LA finished with a 9-19 record this season.
Marcus Spears urges 1 team to draft Alabama QB Ty Simpson
With Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza essentially locked in at No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, the next best QB in this NFL Draft class is Alabama’s Ty Simpson.
Simpson has been a buzzy name as of late, and he makes sense for teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are waiting on an Aaron Rodgers decision, and the Los Angeles Rams, who have Matthew Stafford for potentially his final NFL season.
Where Simpson lands in this draft remains to be seen, and he could go in Round 1 or fall out of the first day completely.
However, former NFL player Marcus Spears said the Steelers should draft Simpson even if Rodgers returns for another season.
“There’s a lot of glaring issues in Pittsburgh, but the one glaring issue that you cannot win without in this league, is high-level quarterback play,” Spears said during an episode of “NFL Live.”
Spears said they should select Simpson “regardless” if Rodgers is in town or not for the 2026 season.
"There's a lot of glaring issues in Pittsburgh, but the one glaring issue that you cannot win without in this league, is high-level quarterback play."@mspears96 thinks the Steelers should draft Ty Simpson regardless if Aaron Rodgers is there 👀 pic.twitter.com/AOYe18XK3y
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 7, 2026
Steelers owner Art Rooney II said he anticipates a decision from Rodgers before the NFL Draft, and Brooke Pryor added that the Steelers might select a QB if Rodgers doesn’t come back.
But, Spears says that Simpson should be the pick at No. 21 even if Rodgers comes back, especially with the only other signal-callers on the roster being Will Howard and Mason Rudolph.
At the end of March, Adam Schefter said that Simpson is “confidently” a first-round pick, but it might be a matter of which team takes the chance on the former Crimson Tide star.
The NFL Draft begins on April 23 in Pittsburgh, and Simpson’s name is one of the most polarizing to watch until the draft kicks off.
Cubs get crushing injury update on Cade Horton
The Chicago Cubs’ hopes of winning the National League Central have taken a massive blow just two weeks into the regular season.
Starting pitcher Cade Horton, who finished 2025 as the National League Rookie of the Year runner-up, is set to miss the entire season as he will undergo elbow surgery, Craig Counsell announced on Tuesday.
#Cubs Cade Horton will have surgery on his UCL and miss the rest of the season.
— Taylor McGregor (@Taylor_McGregor) April 7, 2026
Horton was removed from his latest start against the Cleveland Guardians in the second inning due to right forearm discomfort.
Horton was quickly placed on the Injured List, and a report on Tuesday said the Cubs pitcher would see a specialist after the initial MRI was “not good.”
**Breaking News** Per @JesseRogersESPN on Kap and JHood on @Espn1000 Cubs star Cade Horton will visit Dr. Keith Meister in Texas today after his MRI was not clean and not good. Trending down a bad path.
— David Kaplan (@thekapman) April 7, 2026
The Cubs entered the season with high hopes despite Kyle Tucker leaving in free agency. Chicago did sign Alex Bregman this offseason, which helped offset the departure of Tucker.
Horton, who turns 25 years old in August, went 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA in 23 regular-season games last season, but he lost the NL Rookie of the Year award to Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin.
Horton had a 2.45 ERA in 7.1 innings in 2026, but this is a devastating blow to the Cubs.
Bulls are demanding their next GM keeps Billy Donovan
The Chicago Bulls are taking a very firm stance on coach Billy Donovan and his future with the organization.
Bulls CEO Michael Reinsdorf laid down something of an ultimatum for general manager candidates on Tuesday when discussing the organization’s future. He said the Bulls will keep Donovan as long as the coach wants to say, and went as far as to add that the organization would not even consider GM candidates that were not committed to keeping Donovan as coach.
Reinsdorf:If we're interviewing someone and they're not sold on Billy and a Hall of Fame coach and person who has won championships in college and gone deep in playoffs in OKC and, given teams he was given, achieved good results in Chicago, then they're not right candidate for us
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) April 7, 2026
Reinsdorf’s comments are particularly wild considering Donovan reportedly is not a lock to return next season.
As respected as Donovan is, this could limit the pool of GM candidates interested in the Chicago job. Some might want to pick their own coach, or at the very least, they would rather not have as firm a condition as that upon walking in the door. It could also raise questions as to just how much control a new GM would be given with the Bulls.
Donovan is wrapping up his sixth season as Chicago’s head coach. He is 224-254 overall with just one playoff appearance, but the Bulls clearly aren’t holding him chiefly responsible for that lack of success.
Chris Sale angrily hit himself in the head with a baseball
Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale is known for his temper, but he demonstrated a whole new way to berate one’s self during Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels.
Sale had a meltdown in the fourth inning of Monday’s game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Ca. After the first two batters reached, he missed on a 3-2 pitch to Jeimer Candelario. Once he got the ball back from his catcher, he took it and smashed it against his head in frustration.
Chris Sale was not happy with himself… and he let it show pic.twitter.com/esRZUWuutB
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 7, 2026
Sale’s gesture did not turn the tide. He later issued a bases-loaded walk and hit by pitch, at one point slamming the rosin bag down on the mound in frustration. The Angels wound up pushing three runs across in the inning with the benefit of just two hits.
In the past, Sale has not been shy about letting off steam. Most famously, he cut up a bunch of throwback jerseys he didn’t want to wear while he was with the Chicago White Sox. He’s even had meltdowns while on minor league rehab before.
Sale wound up allowing six runs in four innings and took the loss, though he did strike out seven. He had allowed just four hits and one earned run over 12 innings in his first two starts of the season.
Diego Pavia is set for his first pre-draft visit
Former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia has landed an intriguing pre-draft visit.
Pavia is visiting the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. It is the first known visit Pavia has taken with an NFL team outside of the NFL Combine.
#Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, the 2025 SEC Offensive Player of the Year, is visiting the #Panthers today, source says.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 7, 2026
The 24-year-old helped Vandy to its first win over a top-5 team in program history. pic.twitter.com/9fHT9XmhBZ
Pavia is not regarded as a top prospect, so it is interesting to see the Panthers use a visit on him. Bryce Young remains the team’s starting quarterback and that is unlikely to change, so Pavia would likely be a late-round backup option if the Panthers really wanted him.
Pavia is considered undersized for a quarterback, which limits his ceiling. There are also concerns about his maturity, though he has somewhat tried to minimize those.
Still, Pavia was a Heisman Trophy finalist who threw for 3,539 yards with Vanderbilt last season. He will likely get the chance to latch on somewhere, and it may be with the Panthers.
Star running back is notable no-show for NFL offseason workouts
One high-profile running back was a notable no-show for the first day of voluntary workouts on Tuesday.
Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane was not in attendance for the team’s first day of voluntary workouts. Achane is entering the final season of his rookie contract and wants an extension.
Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley said he did not read too much into Achane’s absence and called it “part of the business.”
Dolphins new HC Jeff Hafley says he believes just about everyone is here for voluntary OTAs except star RB De’Von Achane who isn’t.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) April 7, 2026
Hafley called it “part of the business” & believes it’ll work out.
Achane is 1 of NFL’s best RBs & eligible for new contract. OTAs are voluntary. pic.twitter.com/1d6Zd8997p
Achane emerged as Miami’s most important offensive player last season, so it is no huge surprise that he wants the security of a long-term deal. The former third-round pick ran for 1,350 yards and scored 12 total touchdowns en route to his first Pro Bowl selection.
Achane was the subject of some offseason trade rumors after the team overhauled its offense by letting the likes of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle walk. The Dolphins have made it clear, however, that an extension for Achane is a priority for them as well. It simply has not gotten done yet.
Michael Malone’s North Carolina salary has been revealed
Michael Malone is being paid handsomely to become the new head basketball coach at North Carolina.
The Tar Heels officially announced Malone’s hire on Tuesday, confirming him as Hubert Davis’ successor at the school. Brian Murphy of WRAL obtained details on the new coach’s contract, which comes out to six years and $50 million.
Malone immediately becomes one of the highest-paid coaches in college basketball. In fact, his deal is the exact same one Dan Hurley signed with UConn in 2024 amid interest from the Los Angeles Lakers. It means Malone will make just over $8 million annually, behind only Bill Self of Kansas in terms of average annual value.
That is a hefty sum of money for someone who has not coached at the college level before. The Tar Heels are putting an immense amount of faith in Malone by paying him as one of the sport’s elite coaches sight unseen. Malone was successful at the NBA level, but the college game will certainly bring added challenges that were not present at the professional level.
It certainly works out nicely for Malone. He gets a massive payday and he gets to spend more time around his family by moving to North Carolina.
Dawn Staley issues statement about incident with Geno Auriemma
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has publicly addressed her incident with Geno Auriemma after last week’s Final Four game.
Staley released a statement urging everyone to “turn the page” on the incident in which Auriemma berated Staley after the Gamecocks’ 62-48 win over UConn. She ended by urging everyone to focus on growing the sport instead of fixating on an alleged feud.
“I spoke with Geno, and I want to be clear — I have a great deal of respect for him and what he’s meant to this game,” Staley said. “One moment doesn’t define a career, and it doesn’t change the impact he’s had on growing women’s basketball. The standard at UConn is what it is because of him, and that’s something this game has benefited from.”
The mission is unchanged – let's grow our game 🫡 pic.twitter.com/mJxqlUy6CK
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) April 7, 2026
Auriemma was widely criticized for his treatment of Staley, who he claimed snubbed him prior to the game. While the UConn coach later issued an apology, it avoided mentioning Staley by name, drawing further criticism.
Staley avoided giving the controversy any more oxygen while her team was still alive, but spoke out after the Gamecocks were blown out by UCLA in the championship game. She is clearly ready to put the incident behind her.
Fernando Mendoza makes significant decision about the NFL Draft
Likely No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza has made a significant decision regarding the NFL Draft.
Mendoza has informed the NFL that he does not intend to attend the draft in person. Instead of traveling to Pittsburgh, he plans to watch the draft with family and friends in Miami.
Projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza has informed the NFL that he is not planning to attend the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh this month, per sources. Mendoza wants to share the draft experience with his family in Miami. pic.twitter.com/ApUc7UmIDX
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 7, 2026
It is rare for a top pick to pass on the NFL Draft, but not unprecedented. Trevor Lawrence did so in 2021 when he, too, was considered a slam dunk to go first overall.
Mendoza undoubtedly knows where he is going. Nobody is making it much of a secret. Perhaps Mendoza’s decision would be different were the draft in Las Vegas or somewhere nearby, but knowing how tight Mendoza is with his family, this is pretty perfectly in character for him.
While Mendoza is headed to the Raiders, he appears unlikely to start in Week 1. Either way, he is clearly the future of the franchise, whether he is present in Pittsburgh or not.
Bucks accused of blowing off Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade requests
The Milwaukee Bucks’ relationship with Giannis Antetokounmpo has fallen apart, and a new story reveals just how bad it has gotten.
The Bucks receive a big share of the blame for the relationship going sour in the new story by Shams Charania of ESPN. He reports that Antetokounmpo had serious doubts about the Bucks’ ability to contend before the season, but ultimately agreed to give the new roster a chance to show what it could do.
Antetokounmpo ultimately lost faith in the Bucks’ ability to contend, but tried to set up an amicable split. His representatives informed the Bucks quietly that Antetokounmpo was ready to be moved, and even met with ownership to request that the team “do right” by him. The team seemed willing to accept that, but slow-walked trade talks and wound up keeping Antetokounmpo beyond the trade deadline.
“Giannis has wanted to handle this professionally by being very up front with the team,” one source told Charania. “This could have been a happy resolution but instead might end up being a nasty breakup.”
The Bucks, on the other hand, have suggested that Antetokounmpo is “distant” from the rest of the team, and believe the constant speculation about his future has taken a toll on the locker room. Ownership and top executives have reportedly accepted that a trade is inevitable, however.
Ultimately, the situation seems to have been toxic for a while, and both sides share some of the blame. The issues have really spilled into the public domain lately, with the sides at odds over whether he can even play right now. Everyone involved desperately needs to move on, and it appears likely to happen this offseason.
Todd Bowles speaks out on the tension between Baker Mayfield and Kevin Stefanski
The NFC South got a little spicier when the Atlanta Falcons hired Kevin Stefanski in January to be their new head coach. That means Stefanski will be facing his former Cleveland Browns quarterback and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal-caller Baker Mayfield twice a season.
The two don’t seem to have each other’s number on speed dial, which became even more apparent when Mayfield ripped his former coach following the news of Stefanski landing a job with the Falcons. Mayfield said he felt like “a piece of garbage” when he did not hear from Stefanski after his trade to the Carolina Panthers in 2022.
Whatever the case between the former Browns figures, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles wants them to settle their feud in a less confrontational manner.
“I think that’s something that they have to figure out from that standpoint since we can’t have a boxing match where they get in the ring with each other and knock each other out,” Bowles told Josina Anderson of the Exhibit News Network.
Bowles also made it clear which side he is on.
“You know we’re going to back our guy Baker, and I’m sure they’re going to back their coach as well. It’s a division game, so it’s already going to be a tough-fought, hard-fought game, so it just adds to it,” added Bowles.
Mayfield toned down his rhetoric about Stefanski when he spoke about his former coach again in February, but it’s his initial reaction that fans seem to remember more.
Expect Mayfield to have all the motivation he needs to beat Atlanta in 2026, especially in their first meeting.
