Apr 22, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; The Los Angeles Lakers logo at center court during game three of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
LeBron James and Anthony Davis might not be the only former top overall picks on the Los Angeles Lakers’ roster for long.
Lakers writer Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints reported Friday that the team has had internal discussions about adding veteran guard Markelle Fultz. The 26-year-old Fultz remains an unsigned free agent after spending the last five NBA seasons with the Orlando Magic.
Fultz was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers (over later lottery picks such as Jayson Tatum, De’Aaron Fox, Lauri Markkanen, Donovan Mitchell, and Bam Adebayo). But he is universally seen as a bust, having averaged just 7.7 points per game on 41.4 percent shooting for the 76ers before being traded less than two years after he was drafted. Fultz’s Philly tenure was also marred by an ugly and bizarre saga with his jump-shooting form.
The former University of Washington star Fultz did manage to rebuild his reputation some though in a lower-stress environment in Orlando, posting 14.0 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest in the 2022-23 campaign. With the Lakers getting next to nothing from their backup point guard Gabe Vincent, Fultz could have some appeal for them. But it could require much more (such as a trade for this rumored target) for the Lakers to turn around their mediocre 13-11 season.
Feb 8, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia speaks to the media at an introductory press conference at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia may be trying to expand his portfolio out to professional baseball.
Dan Hayes of The Athletic reported on Friday that Ishbia is interested in a potential purchase of Major League Baseball’s Minnesota Twins. Ishbia’s brother Justin would also be involved in the possible ownership bid.
The Twins, who took home the AL Central crown in 2023 and won a respectable 82 games in 2024, have been owned by the Pohlad family since 1984. But the family has been exploring the potential of a sale ever since last October amid a successful tenure that has produced 11 division titles and two World Series victories over the years.
Ishbia, the billionaire CEO and chairman of mortgage lender giant United Wholesale Mortgage, has owned the Suns since early 2023. Already, Ishbia has developed a reputation as one of the most aggressive and spend-happy owners in the NBA, swinging trades for All-Stars Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal and sending the Suns soaring into the second apron of the luxury tax. Phoenix leads the league in total payroll this season at over $217 million.
There have recently been rumors that the Twins could be looking to shed more of their own payroll, which has steadily dropped year-over-year. As such, Minnesota fans would likely welcome the Ishbia brothers as the possible new Twins owners given the strong track record of spending.
Oct 3, 2021; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan walks on the field before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
The San Francisco 49ers are taking steps to deal with linebacker De’Vondre Campbell after he refused to enter Thursday’s loss against the Los Angeles Rams.
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Friday that the team will be moving on from Campbell in some form after he refused to play. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network added that the Niners are essentially deciding whether to suspend Campbell or to simply cut him immediately.
The 49ers were left with no choice but to get rid of Campbell after the linebacker essentially left them hanging during Thursday night’s defeat. If his decision alone did not seal his fate, the reactions of his teammates certainly did. At this point, the actual decision is a formality, with the method being the only lingering question.
Campbell has played in 13 games this season with 12 starts, tallying 79 total tackles. He was being moved out of the starting lineup to accommodate the returning Dre Greenlaw, and had given some hints that perhaps this sort of thing was coming all along.
Sep 26, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; A detailed view of the Las Vegas Raiders shield logo at midfield at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Raiders defensive end Charles Snowden III was arrested this week on a charge related to driving while under the influence, and some troubling new details from the incident have surfaced.
Snowden was taken into custody early Tuesday morning after Las Vegas Metropolitan Police received a report of a “suspicious vehicle” on Rainbow Boulevard. According to new police documents that were obtained by TMZ, Snowden was found passed out behind the wheel of a running vehicle when officers arrived on the scene.
Police wrote in the documents that they discovered that Snowden’s 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee had “almost rolled off a four foot retaining wall.” Snowden was “passed out in the driver’s seat with the engine running.”
Officers had to bang on Snowden’s window repeatedly in order to get him to wake up. The report states that the 26-year-old had brief bouts of consciousness but fell back to sleep several times while police were trying to communicate with him. After about 10 minutes, Snowden finally turned the vehicle off and exited.
Snowden smelled of alcohol and could not balance on his feet, according to police. He was eventually arrested and charged with DUI of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance, which is a first-offense misdemeanor in Nevada.
The Raiders said in a statement on Thursday that they are aware of the incident and gathering more information.
Snowden is in his first season with the Raiders. He has appeared in all 13 games and has 30 total tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Snowden signed with the Chicago Bears as a rookie in 2021 and played in just two games. He spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad last season before signing with Las Vegas late in the year.
Aug 17, 2020; Bronx, New York, USA; A general view of rain falling on the New York Yankees logo on the first base dugout roof during a rain delay in the game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
New York Yankees fans were all saying the same thing about the team’s trade for Devin Williams.
The Yankees on Friday acquired Williams in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. The AL East squad is trading pitcher Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin to Milwaukee in exchange for the All-Star closer.
Cortes, 30, was an All-Star in 2022, but he struggled in 2023. Last season he went 9-10 with a 3.77 ERA and made 30 starts, though the Yankees also brought him out of the bullpen. Durbin batted .287 with an .867 OPS in 82 games at the Triple-A level with 29 stolen bases.
Yankees fans seemed to think that wasn’t a significant price to pay for Williams, who had a 1.25 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings last season.
Yankees fans were elated about the trade and praised team general manager Brian Cashman as the “Cashgod” for the move.
The Yankees were unable to re-sign Juan Soto, who took $765 million from the Mets. Since then, the team has given Max Fried $218 million and acquired Williams in a trade. Cashman is trying to make things up to Yankees fans. He is off to a good start in helping the reigning AL champs gear back up for 2025.
Sep 13, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) runs up the first base line after hitting a home run to right field against the Oakland Athletics during the seventh inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
The Houston Astros have traded outfielder Kyle Tucker in a blockbuster move.
The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a deal to acquire Tucker from the Astros, according to multiple reports. The Astros will receive third baseman Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski, and prospect Cam Smith in the deal.
The prospect of a Tucker trade was not really on the table until very recently, and things came together quickly once the Astros decided to pursue it. The New York Yankees were also heavily involved in talks, particularly after Juan Soto signed with the Mets. Ultimately, the Cubs were the team that got the deal done.
The Cubs just acquired Paredes last season at the trade deadline, and he profiles as a likely replacement if and when Alex Bregman departs the Astros in free agency. Smith, the other major get, was the Cubs’ first-round pick in the 2024 draft, and plays both third base and the outfield.
The Cubs are acquiring an All-Star player in Tucker. For the last four seasons, he has been an above-average hitter and a Gold Glove outfielder. He has hit 30 home runs in a season twice and boasts a .274 career average. Even though injuries impacted him in 2024, he still hit .289 with 23 home runs in just 78 games.
Tucker is entering his last season of team control. If the Cubs want to keep him beyond 2025, they will likely have to hand out a huge contract to make it happen.
Oct 21, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) warms up before the game between the Browns and the Denver Broncos at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Odell Beckham Jr. has an opportunity for a fresh start after he was waived by the Miami Dolphins on Friday, and an NFC contender is currently the betting favorite to sign him.
Beckham is expected to clear waivers on Monday, at which point he would be be free to sign with any team. SportsBetting.ag has listed odds for which team is most likely to sign Beckham if the veteran wide receiver plays again this season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers top the list at 3/1.
The team that is viewed as the next-most likely suitor for Beckham is the Washington Commanders. Here are the teams with odds of 14/1 or better:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3/1
Washington Commanders 7/2
Kansas City Chiefs 4/1
Denver Broncos 6/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 7/1
Indianapolis Colts 8/1
Los Angeles Chargers 10/1
Atlanta Falcons 12/1
Seattle Seahawks 12/1
Los Angeles Rams 14/1
The Buccaneers have been thin at wide receiver since Chris Godwin suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 7. Mike Evans has also missed time with a hamstring injury, and he has still been limited in practice.
Tampa Bay is 7-6 and in first place in the NFC South heading into Week 15, so they are hoping to make a playoff run. It is unclear if they would view Beckham as being a worthy — even if inexpensive — addition.
Another team that might make sense for OBJ is the Steelers, though they are only listed with 7/1 odds. George Pickens has been nursing a hamstring injury, and Pittsburgh does not have much depth at the position.
Of course, it is entirely possible that the 32-year-old Beckham will not land another job this season. He had just 9 catches for 55 yards in 9 games with the Dolphins. His season debut was also delayed a bit because of his latest injury.
Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Friday, April 3, 2020. Photo Credit: Junfu Han via Imagn Content Services, LLC
The Michigan Wolverines are losing one of their quarterbacks to the transfer portal.
Quarterback Alex Orji, who is in his third year at Michigan, will be leaving the program. He will have two years of eligibility remaining, according to Hayes Fawcett.
Orji appeared in 19 games for Michigan. He went 24/45 for 153 yards and 3 touchdowns. As a rusher, he has carried the ball 74 times for 383 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Michigan mostly used Davis Warren at quarterback this season. Orji often played as a change-of-pace option, though he started in September against USC and Minnesota. Jack Tuttle started two games at quarterback in October.
Orji may have caught a glimpse of his future and realized his path to playing time would be limited. Michigan has No. 1 recruit Bryce Underwood coming in 2025. Not only that, but Kirk Herbstreit’s son is also a quarterback for the 2025 recruiting class who will be coming to Ann Arbor.
Orji will have to find a new landing spot for 2025. Michigan does have one game remaining in their season. They will be facing Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl on December 31.
Oct 12, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) warms up before the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
Travis Hunter sparked some speculation when he singled out the NFL quarterback he would enjoy the chance to play with.
The Colorado two-way star intrigued viewers on a recent livestream by singling out a comment about him playing with New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. Hunter went out of his way to read the comment, which was enough to spark plenty of speculation.
“Trav and Drake Maye? That’d be tough,” Hunter said.
Hunter and Maye playing together is actually plausible. The Patriots will likely have to keep losing, but as of now, they would pick third in next year’s NFL Draft. That is a reasonable spot where they could expect to have a chance at Hunter, though he might not last too much longer if he were to fall past there. The fit makes sense, though, as the Patriots need an impact playmaker on offense for Maye to target.
Maye has not attracted the attention that Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels have this season. However, some have argued he has been just as impressive, if not moreso considering the lack of weapons the Patriots have on offense. In nine games, the quarterback has thrown for 1,696 yards and 11 touchdowns to go with 8 interceptions.
Oct 21, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban does his traditional walk around at Bryant-Denny Stadium before a game against the Tennessee Volunteers. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
Nick Saban on Friday discussed how Bill Belichick will do as the head coach job at North Carolina.
Belichick surprised many people this week when he accepted the job with the Tar Heels. Saban, who is a longtime friend of Belichick, joined “The Pat McAfee Show” for a regular visit and talked about the new North Carolina coach.
Saban thinks Belichick went to UNC because it’s a new challenge for him.
“I’m happy for Bill. I think he probably wanted a new challenge, and this is certainly going to be a great challenge for him,” Saban said. “And I think Bill’s a great coach.”
Saban then went on to say that the biggest challenge for Belichick will be recruiting.
“I think the biggest challenge … the difference in college is, how do you bring guys to the team? It’s different than drafting some guys than it is having to recruit them. Because recruiting is like a full-time, relationship-building, 365 days a year in terms of not only evaluating players that you want, but creating the relationships with ’em to get them,” Saban said.
Saban emphasized how much time goes into recruiting players.
“But I think the biggest thing that will be a challenge for him is the time that you have to spend recruiting, making phone calls, talking to parents, and all those types of things to get the kind of players that you need,” Saban said. “The biggest adjustment for him will be the time spent recruiting.”
Belichick has not coached in college before and has not had to deal with recruiting players. Will he be up for the challenge or possibly surprised by just how much work it takes? We will find out.
The Tar Heels went 6-6 this season, which wasn’t enough for Mack Brown to keep his job. Belichick will need to do better than that.
