The New York Knicks reportedly held serious trade talks with the Dallas Mavericks for Jalen Brunson before the 2022 deadline, but negotiations broke down after New York refused to include first-round draft picks, according to The Athletic. Dallas, which had declined to offer Brunson a four-year, $55 million extension, pushed for packages involving young players […]
The post Knicks refused picks for Jalen Brunson appeared first on TalkBasket.net.
Sep 19, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) dribbles against the Phoenix Mercury during the first half of game three of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu has been downgraded from questionable to out for Wednesday’s game against the visiting Phoenix Mercury due to a back injury and general soreness.
A four-time All-Star, Ionescu missed the season’s first five games with an injured foot. She collected 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds in New York’s 91-76 setback to the Dallas Wings on Sunday before sitting out an 81-74 loss to the Portland Fire the following night.
Ionescu, 28, averaged 18.2 points, 5.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 38 games (all starts) for the Liberty in 2025.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft has averaged 16.7 points, 5.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds in 182 career games (178 starts) for New York. She helped the Liberty win the WNBA championship in 2024.
–Field Level Media
The Philadelphia 76ers traded Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the deadline, and the young guard stepped into the starting lineup in Game 5 of the conference finals. McCain dropped 20 points, including sinking multiple key baskets, to put OKC up 3-2 in the series. Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell are out, but McCain is filling in admirably. Sixers fans were upset Daryl Morey traded him, and that move looks even worse now.
Morey was confident that the 76ers sold high, but that statement was absolutely foolish. McCain started three games all season before Tuesday night. It was Oklahoma City’s biggest contest of the season, with the series tied at two games apiece. They needed someone to step up, and it was McCain.
The 76ers looked even smarter for firing Daryl Morey after Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. McCain showed his special talent as a rookie. The 22-year-old needed time to find his role this season with the addition of VJ Edgecombe. Instead of giving it to him, Morey sent him packing. The Thunder were eager to get McCain, and he just played a key role in putting them on the doorstep of a second straight NBA Finals appearance.
The 6’3 guard finished with 20 points and three rebounds on Tuesday night. It took him 19 field goal attempts to get there, but the Thunder won his minutes by three points. They needed someone to step up with their second and third best scorers injured. McCain was happy to fire away, and his 33 minutes were the second-most on the team behind only reigning two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The 76ers could have used McCain in the playoffs. Head coach Nick Nurse never wanted to take Tyrese Maxey off the floor because Philly got destroyed in his minutes on the bench. Sixers fans certainly missed McCain even more in those moments, and nobody was upset to see Morey get fired after Philadelphia’s second-round playoff exit.
There has been a whole new level of pain watching McCain play a key role in the Western Conference Finals. Most experts think the Thunder and Spurs are the two best teams in the NBA. The winner of Game 5 took a massive edge in this series. OKC doesn’t get the victory without McCain’s 20 points.
The Sixers want to win a championship with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. They had a young and talented role player on a cheap contract and traded him for draft capital. McCain was the exact player Philly needed in the playoffs, but Sam Presti wasn’t missing his chance to snag the 6’3 guard. Now, the pressure is on the 76ers to nail the draft capital, or this trade hits rock bottom.
Jared McCain just scored 20 points in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s biggest game of the season so far. This was just months after the Philadelphia 76ers foolishly traded the 22-year-old guard for draft capital. The Sixers are supposed to be contending, but they dumped a talented role player on a rookie contract. It made no sense at the time and keeps looking worse. The only good news is that it finally got Daryl Morey out of town.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
May 26, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) celebrates scoring against Colorado Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood (39) during the first period in game four of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images After his team completed a surprising four-game sweep of the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference finals with a 2-1 victory on Tuesday, Vegas Golden Knights coach John Tortorella was already looking ahead to the team’s third Stanley Cup Final in nine seasons.
“Now the real stuff starts,” Tortorella said. “I consider the first three round playoffs. Now we’re playing for the Stanley Cup.”
Mark Stone and Cole Smith scored goals and Carter Hart made 20 saves for Vegas, which won its sixth straight postseason game. The Golden Knights will vie for the championship against the winner of the Eastern Conference finals, either the Carolina Hurricanes or the Montreal Canadiens.
The Golden Knights lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Washington Capitals in five games in their inaugural season in 2018 before defeating the Florida Panthers in five games to win the 2023 title.
The Avalanche, who finished the regular season with a league-best 121 points, became the fifth Presidents’ Trophy-winning team to get swept in a playoff series. They were outscored 14-7 by Vegas.
“I didn’t think we’d win four straight against these guys, but when you have a chance to put them away, you have to put them away,” Stone said. “So that was a big one tonight.”
Vegas center Jack Eichel added, “We should be really proud with what we did and what we accomplished so far. That being said, the ultimate goal is to hoist the Stanley Cup. We still have to win four more games. We have a veteran group, and I think we understand that.”
Gabriel Landeskog scored a 6-on-5 goal with 2:03 left for Colorado’s lone goal.
“It’s empty,” Landeskog said. “It always is, whether you lose in seven, six, five or four (games), it’s an empty feeling. It sucks. There’s no other way to put it.”
No Presidents’ Trophy recipient has reached the Stanley Cup Final since the 2013 Chicago Blackhawks won the championship.
Colorado goalie Mackenzie Blackwood finished with 24 saves. Blackwood, making his series debut, entered the contest with a 0-4-1 career record and a 3.63 goals-against average against Vegas but kept the Avalanche in the game with a number of blue-chip saves.
Nathan MacKinnon, who led the NHL with 53 regular-season goals and was questionable after taking a puck off his right knee in Game 3 on Sunday, led all Avalanche forwards with 22:10 time on ice and had two shots on goal.
Vegas, which scored five unanswered goals over the final two periods to pull out a 5-3 victory in Game 3 on Sunday, made it six consecutive goals when Stone scored at the 4:42 mark of the first period.
Brayden McNabb picked up the primary assist, lobbing a long stretch pass that Stone caught just before the blue line. Stone then went in on a breakaway, deking Blackwood and wrapping a shot around the goalie’s left leg for his fifth goal of the playoffs.
Colorado had a good chance to tie it near the end of the period when Brock Nelson had a breakaway, but Hart made a glove save on his wrist shot.
Vegas took charge in a scoreless second period, outshooting the Avalanche 11-6, including a couple grade-A chances by Pavel Dorofeyev on a power play near the end of the period that Blackwood turned away. Colorado didn’t register a shot on goal over the final 14 minutes of the period.
Smith made it 2-0 with 5:45 to go in the third period when he deflected Dylan Coghlan’s shot through Blackwood’s pads for his third playoff goal and the game-winner.
Colorado pulled Blackwood for an extra attacker with 2:15 remaining, and Landeskog scored just 18 seconds later, deflecting a Martin Necas shot in the slot over Hart’s shoulder.
The Avalanche pulled Blackwood again shortly after the ensuing faceoff but managed just one shot the rest of the way, a slap shot by MacKinnon that Hart saved.
“You go from being in the battle and the buzzer goes and the season’s over,” Landeskog said. “It’s a weird feeling to try to describe to people, but empty is probably the way to do it.”
Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, a two-time winner of the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman and a finalist this season, ended the campaign with a six-game point drought. Makar missed the Games 1 and 2 against Vegas while nursing an upper-body injury.
“Obviously, you have a great season. We have a lot of committed guys,” Makar said. “But playoffs are different. It doesn’t matter who you are coming into the playoffs, everybody’s a different beast. We respect teams, you try and go at them, but sometimes you just run into something that feels like you can’t sustain it.”
–Field Level Media
Feb 23, 2026; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Athletics pitcher Gage Jump (79) throws against the San Francisco Giants in the third inning at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Top prospect Gage Jump is set to join the Athletics’ roster when starter Aaron Civale is placed on the injured list, according to multiple reports Tuesday.
A left-handed strikeout pitcher, Jump has fanned 56 batters in 38 innings over nine starts at Triple-A Las Vegas this season. The 23-year-old has walked 20 and posted a 4.50 ERA with an 0-2 record.
A second-round draft pick out of LSU in 2024, Jump is the No. 41 overall prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline, which rated him third among A’s prospects behind shortstop Leo De Vries and left-hander Jamie Arnold. Arnold was the 11th overall pick in the 2025 draft out of Florida State and is currently pitching at Double-A Midland.
Civale was pulled after four innings on Monday, raising red flags with a velocity drop that manager Mark Kotsay traced postgame to an issue with his right shoulder or lat. The A’s said Civale would undergo testing Tuesday.
He allowed seven runs on nine hits and one walk, tossing only 73 pitches in Monday’s 9-2 loss to the visiting Seattle Mariners. He allowed five runs in five innings to the Los Angeles Angels last week, when he said he had been “working through” the arm issue “for a little bit.”
His fastball velocity averaged 88.3 mph on the stadium radar gun on Monday, more than 3 mph off of his 2026 season average.
Civale, 30, is 5-2 this season and his ERA stands at 4.20 through 11 starts. Prior to facing the Angels and Mariners in the past two turns through the rotation, he had a 2.70 ERA. He surrendered 14 hits (six home runs) and 12 earned runs in those two games.
–Field Level Media
May 25, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots while defended by Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) in the third quarter during game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images CLEVELAND — Karl-Anthony Towns scored 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as the New York Knicks advanced to the NBA Finals with a 130-93 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals Monday night.
The Knicks, who will play in the championship series for the first time since 1999, extended their franchise playoff-record winning streak to 11 games — matching the third-longest run in a single postseason in league history.
OG Anunoby had 17 points and Landry Shamet scored 16 off the bench on 4-for-4 3-point shooting for New York, which built a 29-point lead in the second quarter and went up 123-78 in the fourth. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges finished with 15 points apiece, and Josh Hart added six points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
Donovan Mitchell logged 31 points and Evan Mobley posted 15 points and seven rebounds for Cleveland, which reached the East finals for the first time since 2018. James Harden had 12 points and five turnovers while missing all six of his 3-point tries.
The Knicks’ Mike Brown is off to the NBA Finals for the second time as a head coach, having led the Cavaliers to their first East crown in 2007.
The 37-point defeat was the Cavaliers’ largest ever in a playoff home game.
New York dominated the rebounding battle 60-33 with backup center Mitchell Robinson grabbing 10 boards in 18 minutes.
New York delivered the knockout blow early with a 20-0 run over a span of 5:52 from late in the first quarter into the second. A dunk by Towns punctuated the surge, making the score 50-26.
The Knicks eventually built a 61-32 lead on Shamet’s third 3-pointer of the half.
Mitchell scored 10 points and Mobley had seven in the first six minutes, putting the Cavaliers up 17-14. A 9-0 run then put New York on top for good. Robinson entered for New York and made an impact with six points and four rebounds, sparking a 24-9 run to end the quarter.
Cleveland backup point guard Dennis Schroder was a late scratch with an illness.
Among the Knicks’ celebrity fans seated courtside were comedian Tracy Morgan, filmmaker Spike Lee and actor Timothee Chalamet.
–Brian Dulik, Field Level Media
The New Orleans Pelicans didn’t need the flashiest name on the coaching market. They needed someone who has already shown he can take a messy roster and give it shape.
That’s the clearest way to read the decision after New Orleans hired Jamahl Mosley on May 18, ending James Borrego’s interim stint and bringing in a coach whose best work in Orlando was defined by building habits, structure and defensive credibility.
The Pelicans are coming off a 26-56 season that began with Willie Green being fired after a 2-10 start and ended with Borrego holding together an injury-hit squad. There is still talent on this roster, but the season made clear that talent alone wasn’t enough.
Mosley went 189-221 in five seasons with the Magic, a line that looks ordinary if it’s read without context.
The fuller picture is more useful for New Orleans. Orlando reached the playoffs in each of Mosley’s final three seasons, even though all three trips ended in the first round.
The ending in Orlando was ugly, especially after the Magic blew a 3-1 lead to the Detroit Pistons. But the process before that still matters.
Mosley took a rebuilding team and gave it a recognizable identity. The Magic ranked third in defensive rating in 2023-24 and second in 2024-25 before slipping to 13th in his final season.
That kind of defensive foundation is exactly why this hire makes sense for a Pelicans team that spent too much of last season without a reliable nightly baseline.
American Amanda Anisimova in action during her first round match against France’s Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah on May 25, 2026 at the French Open in Paris.
Amanda Anisimova needed some time to shake off the rust on Monday during her first-round match at the French Open.
It was nine weeks to the day that Anisimova last played a competitive match. But once the No. 6 seed found her form, she rolled to a 6-3, 6-1 victory over France’s Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah on a scorching hot day in Paris.
Anisimova had 24 winners and 24 unforced errors and needed just 69 minutes to complete the victory.
Anisimova’s hiatus was due to a left wrist injury that she described as “nothing too serious.” Her last action was at the Miami Open and on Monday, she was happy to be running around the court at Roland Garros.
“I tried to not really overthink anything,” Anisimova said. “I was super excited to be here, to be fit to play, honestly, and that was the only thing I really thought about is what a great opportunity. … I’m just super relieved that all is good and that I’m ready to play.”
Rakotomanga Rajaonah had 11 winners and 19 unforced errors in defeat.
Anisimova next plays Austria’s Julia Grabher, who registered a 6-2, 6-2 win over Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova.
No. 2 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and No. 3 Iga Swiatek rolled to straight-set wins.
Rybakina had 27 winners and 27 unforced errors while beating Slovenia’s Veronika Erjavec 6-2, 6-2. Swiatek carded 17 winners and 16 unforced errors in a 6-1, 6-2 win over Australia’s Emerson Jones.
Swiatek would have preferred the temperatures weren’t in the low 90s, atypical weather for Paris in May.
She said the heat couldn’t be compared to when the Summer Olympics were held in Paris in late July and early August of 2024.
“It is much different,” Swiatek said. “Maybe it was that hot in the Olympics, but the balls were different, so I wouldn’t treat it as the same tournament.”
No. 7 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine lost the first set and had to win a third-set tiebreaker to land a 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (3) victory over Hungary’s Anna Bondar in two hours, 26 minutes.
Svitolina ended a two-match losing streak against Bondar and now leads the head-to-head competition, 3-2.
“When you are competing at your highest level, it’s all about the small details,” Svitolina said. “It’s physical freshness, it’s mental freshness and, you know, just being strong and collected in these moments.”
Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova took care of Russia’s Anastasia Zakharova 7-5, 6-2. Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, seeded No. 13, notched a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska.
Camila Osorio of Colombia upset No. 14 Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2, 6-4, and Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann knocked off Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova, the No. 20 seed, 6-4, 6-4.
No. 23 Elise Mertens of Belgium beat Germany’s Tatjana Maria 7-5, 6-0 and No. 28 Anastasia Potapova of Russia was a 6-1, 6-2 winner of Maya Joint of Australia.
Meanwhile, American Alycia Parks upset No. 24 seed Leylah Fernandez of Canada 6-4, 6-4, with a 26-10 edge in total winners. No. 25 seed Diana Shnaider of Russia had an easier time beating Mexico’s Renata Zarazua 6-4, 6-1.
No. 29 Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia posted a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Ella Seidel of Germany. Swiss qualifier Susan Bandecchi beat No. 31 Cristina Bucsa of Spain 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
In other first-round matches, Poland’s Maja Chwalinska defeated China’s Zheng Qinwen 6-4, 6-0; Eva Lys of Germany defeated Croatia’s Petra Marcinko 6-3, 6-0; and Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland rolled to a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Panna Udvardy of Hungary.
Daria Kasatkina of Australia defeated Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez 6-4, 6-4. Spain’s Kaitlin Quevedo beat France’s Leolia Jeanjean 7-6 (5), 7-6 (2), and Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan knocked off Talia Gibson of Australia, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova outlasted Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, and Brit Katie Boulter outlasted American Akasha Urhobo 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
–Field Level Media
Robert Williams is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about centers in free agency, with ESPN’s Bobby Marks saying the former Boston big man is “the one name that picked up the most buzz” among teams in Chicago last week. Marks said Williams is the player he would circle on a free-agent wish list because […]
The post Robert Williams drawing strong free-agent interest appeared first on TalkBasket.net.
May 15, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images Rhys Hoskins’ first season with the Cleveland Guardians has been feast or famine, as one would expect for a player who was unsigned until Feb. 23.
The longtime National Leaguer only has 22 hits, but 13 of them have gone for extra bases and he has 19 RBIs.
Hoskins and the Guardians continue interleague play Monday, when the Washington Nationals begin a three-game series in Cleveland. Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee (0-6, 3.75 ERA) takes on Nationals righty Zack Littell (3-4, 5.83) in the opener.
Cleveland wrapped up a seven-game road trip Sunday with its sixth victory, 3-1 over the Philadelphia Phillies as Hoskins delivered an RBI double. The hit raised his average to .188, but manager Stephen Vogt confidently had him batting cleanup.
“We always say great clubhouse leader about Rhys, but he’s so much more than that,” Vogt said. “He’s got a lot left in the tank andrh he’s added a lot to our team. We’re glad we have him.”
Hoskins was drafted by the Phillies and spent his first six seasons with them, ending his stay in 2022, making the three-game series in Philadelphia especially meaningful to him. He held court with dozens of media members before the opener Friday.
The set afforded the 33-year-old first baseman the chance to teach the Guardians about the environment they would face in a notoriously tough city for visiting teams.
“We should feel really good about the road trip,” said Hoskins, who has four homers in 43 games with Cleveland. “Just to play somebody that we’re not used to in a park that is a little unfamiliar, as well. That’s a really good team over there.”
Though the Guardians lead the American League Central Division, opening day starter Bibee is winless through 11 games. His only career outing against Washington was a win in 2024, when he went 6 1/3 innings and gave up a run on three hits.
Cleveland has only scored more than three runs for him three times, while Bibee has limited foes to zero or one run on six occasions. Hoskins believes the tide will turn.
“We have a pitching staff that is going to keep us in ballgames,” he said. “They set the tone and we get the big hits.”
Washington didn’t arrive in Northeast Ohio until late Sunday night as its game in Atlanta was delayed nearly two hours by rain. The Nationals squeaked out a 2-1 victory when Orlando Ribalta recorded the final two outs for his second save.
On Saturday, Jake Irvin worked the first five innings in a combined one-hitter as Washington beat the Braves 2-0. Michael Harris II’s single off Brad Lord in the seventh was the only blemish on the performance.
Irvin went on the 15-day injured list before the series finale with a right shoulder strain. Reliever PJ Poulin, who recorded two saves before being sent to the minors, was recalled from Triple-A Rochester.
“It’s something not too concerning that we think will be a minimum IL stay for now,” Nationals manager Blake Butera said. “Obviously, we’ll monitor it, but the thoughts are that it could have been worse.”
Littell, who will attempt to move Washington back above .500, is 3-0 with a 2.55 ERA in May after going winless over six starts across March and April. He has sparkled in 11 career contests (three starts) against the Indians/Guardians with a 1.59 ERA and 4-0 record.
–Field Level Media