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Deadspin | Bryce Harper, bullpen carry Phillies past Giants  Apr 6, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) throws to first for an out during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images   Bryce Harper had three hits and drove in three runs, the Philadelphia bullpen threw five shutout innings and the visiting Phillies opened a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants with a 6-4 victory Monday night.  Tim Mayza, Jonathan Bowlan, Jose Alvarado, Brad Keller and Jhoan Duran picked up starter Andrew Painter with 15 outs of two-hit ball, allowing the Phillies to rally for the fifth win in their last six games.  After the Giants had gone up 4-0 against Painter, the Phillies started a comeback against Giants starter Adrian Houser with a two-run fifth. Harper had an RBI double in the inning.  Houser carried the two-run lead into the seventh, but then left after allowing singles to Justin Crawford and Trea Turner to open the inning.  Left-hander Ryan Borucki (0-1) then walked Kyle Schwarber to load the bases, after which Harper singled to right field, tying the game.  Alec Bohm followed with a go-ahead double, scoring Schwarber, and Brandon Marsh made it 6-4 with a sacrifice fly off the third Giants pitcher, Caleb Kilian.  Houser was charged with four runs on nine hits in his six-plus innings. He walked two and struck out three.   The Philadelphia bullpen took it from there, striking out six in its five innings. Bowlan (1-0), the pitcher of record when the Phillies went ahead in the seventh, was credited with the win. Duran, who gave up a two-out double to Willy Adames in the ninth, earned his fourth save.  Painter was pulled after four innings, during which he allowed all four Giants runs and nine hits. He walked one and struck out one.  Matt Chapman had a two-run triple and Heliot Ramos an RBI single in a three-run third inning for the Giants that opened the game’s scoring. Luis Arraez made it 4-0 in the fourth with a sacrifice fly.  Harper had two doubles among his three hits for the Phillies, whose 11 hits matched the Giants’ total. Crawford, who scored twice, Bohm and J.T. Realmuto had two hits apiece.  Adames, with two doubles, joined Chapman and Arraez with two hits apiece for San Francisco, which lost its fourth straight to fall to 1-7 at home.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Bryce #Harper #bullpen #carry #Phillies #Giants

Deadspin | Bryce Harper, bullpen carry Phillies past Giants
Deadspin | Bryce Harper, bullpen carry Phillies past Giants  Apr 6, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) throws to first for an out during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images   Bryce Harper had three hits and drove in three runs, the Philadelphia bullpen threw five shutout innings and the visiting Phillies opened a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants with a 6-4 victory Monday night.  Tim Mayza, Jonathan Bowlan, Jose Alvarado, Brad Keller and Jhoan Duran picked up starter Andrew Painter with 15 outs of two-hit ball, allowing the Phillies to rally for the fifth win in their last six games.  After the Giants had gone up 4-0 against Painter, the Phillies started a comeback against Giants starter Adrian Houser with a two-run fifth. Harper had an RBI double in the inning.  Houser carried the two-run lead into the seventh, but then left after allowing singles to Justin Crawford and Trea Turner to open the inning.  Left-hander Ryan Borucki (0-1) then walked Kyle Schwarber to load the bases, after which Harper singled to right field, tying the game.  Alec Bohm followed with a go-ahead double, scoring Schwarber, and Brandon Marsh made it 6-4 with a sacrifice fly off the third Giants pitcher, Caleb Kilian.  Houser was charged with four runs on nine hits in his six-plus innings. He walked two and struck out three.   The Philadelphia bullpen took it from there, striking out six in its five innings. Bowlan (1-0), the pitcher of record when the Phillies went ahead in the seventh, was credited with the win. Duran, who gave up a two-out double to Willy Adames in the ninth, earned his fourth save.  Painter was pulled after four innings, during which he allowed all four Giants runs and nine hits. He walked one and struck out one.  Matt Chapman had a two-run triple and Heliot Ramos an RBI single in a three-run third inning for the Giants that opened the game’s scoring. Luis Arraez made it 4-0 in the fourth with a sacrifice fly.  Harper had two doubles among his three hits for the Phillies, whose 11 hits matched the Giants’ total. Crawford, who scored twice, Bohm and J.T. Realmuto had two hits apiece.  Adames, with two doubles, joined Chapman and Arraez with two hits apiece for San Francisco, which lost its fourth straight to fall to 1-7 at home.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Bryce #Harper #bullpen #carry #Phillies #GiantsApr 6, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) throws to first for an out during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

Bryce Harper had three hits and drove in three runs, the Philadelphia bullpen threw five shutout innings and the visiting Phillies opened a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants with a 6-4 victory Monday night.

Tim Mayza, Jonathan Bowlan, Jose Alvarado, Brad Keller and Jhoan Duran picked up starter Andrew Painter with 15 outs of two-hit ball, allowing the Phillies to rally for the fifth win in their last six games.

After the Giants had gone up 4-0 against Painter, the Phillies started a comeback against Giants starter Adrian Houser with a two-run fifth. Harper had an RBI double in the inning.

Houser carried the two-run lead into the seventh, but then left after allowing singles to Justin Crawford and Trea Turner to open the inning.

Left-hander Ryan Borucki (0-1) then walked Kyle Schwarber to load the bases, after which Harper singled to right field, tying the game.

Alec Bohm followed with a go-ahead double, scoring Schwarber, and Brandon Marsh made it 6-4 with a sacrifice fly off the third Giants pitcher, Caleb Kilian.


Houser was charged with four runs on nine hits in his six-plus innings. He walked two and struck out three.

The Philadelphia bullpen took it from there, striking out six in its five innings. Bowlan (1-0), the pitcher of record when the Phillies went ahead in the seventh, was credited with the win. Duran, who gave up a two-out double to Willy Adames in the ninth, earned his fourth save.

Painter was pulled after four innings, during which he allowed all four Giants runs and nine hits. He walked one and struck out one.

Matt Chapman had a two-run triple and Heliot Ramos an RBI single in a three-run third inning for the Giants that opened the game’s scoring. Luis Arraez made it 4-0 in the fourth with a sacrifice fly.

Harper had two doubles among his three hits for the Phillies, whose 11 hits matched the Giants’ total. Crawford, who scored twice, Bohm and J.T. Realmuto had two hits apiece.

Adames, with two doubles, joined Chapman and Arraez with two hits apiece for San Francisco, which lost its fourth straight to fall to 1-7 at home.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Bryce #Harper #bullpen #carry #Phillies #Giants

Apr 6, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) throws to first for an out during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

Bryce Harper had three hits and drove in three runs, the Philadelphia bullpen threw five shutout innings and the visiting Phillies opened a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants with a 6-4 victory Monday night.

Tim Mayza, Jonathan Bowlan, Jose Alvarado, Brad Keller and Jhoan Duran picked up starter Andrew Painter with 15 outs of two-hit ball, allowing the Phillies to rally for the fifth win in their last six games.

After the Giants had gone up 4-0 against Painter, the Phillies started a comeback against Giants starter Adrian Houser with a two-run fifth. Harper had an RBI double in the inning.

Houser carried the two-run lead into the seventh, but then left after allowing singles to Justin Crawford and Trea Turner to open the inning.

Left-hander Ryan Borucki (0-1) then walked Kyle Schwarber to load the bases, after which Harper singled to right field, tying the game.

Alec Bohm followed with a go-ahead double, scoring Schwarber, and Brandon Marsh made it 6-4 with a sacrifice fly off the third Giants pitcher, Caleb Kilian.

Houser was charged with four runs on nine hits in his six-plus innings. He walked two and struck out three.

The Philadelphia bullpen took it from there, striking out six in its five innings. Bowlan (1-0), the pitcher of record when the Phillies went ahead in the seventh, was credited with the win. Duran, who gave up a two-out double to Willy Adames in the ninth, earned his fourth save.

Painter was pulled after four innings, during which he allowed all four Giants runs and nine hits. He walked one and struck out one.

Matt Chapman had a two-run triple and Heliot Ramos an RBI single in a three-run third inning for the Giants that opened the game’s scoring. Luis Arraez made it 4-0 in the fourth with a sacrifice fly.

Harper had two doubles among his three hits for the Phillies, whose 11 hits matched the Giants’ total. Crawford, who scored twice, Bohm and J.T. Realmuto had two hits apiece.

Adames, with two doubles, joined Chapman and Arraez with two hits apiece for San Francisco, which lost its fourth straight to fall to 1-7 at home.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Bryce #Harper #bullpen #carry #Phillies #Giants

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‘Stick together’: Vinicius hails Yamal for condemning anti-Muslim chants<div id=""><p class="article__subhead"><em>‘If we keep fighting together, future players won’t have to go through this again,’ the Real Madrid player said.</em></p></div><div><div class="byline byline--single-avatar"><div class="avatars-container"><a class="avatar" tabindex="-1" aria-hidden="true" href="https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458"><div class="responsive-image"><img loading="lazy" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2017-06-08T131939Z_1189275883_RC11B0FE7F20_RTRMADP_3_GULF-QATAR-JAZEERA-1714943623.jpg?resize=96%2C96&quality=80 96w" sizes="(max-width: 96px) 96px, 96px" aria-hidden="true"/></div></a></div></div><div class="article-dates"><p><span class="screen-reader-text">Published On 7 Apr 2026</span><span aria-hidden="true">7 Apr 2026</span></p></div></div><div aria-live="polite" aria-atomic="true"><p>Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has praised Barcelona player Lamine Yamal for publicly <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/4/2/yamal-slams-anti-muslim-fan-chants-as-spains-world-cup-final-hopes-tainted">condemning</a> anti-Muslim chants in a recent match, saying players need to stick together in the fight against discrimination.</p><p>Vinicius spoke on Monday, less than a week after Yamal criticised the <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/4/1/spains-fa-condemns-islamophobic-chants-during-game-with-egypt">chants by Spanish fans</a> in Spain’s friendly against Egypt last Tuesday. Yamal, who is Muslim, said the chants were disrespectful and intolerable.</p><p>Vinicius, a Brazil international, has often been subjected to racist taunts while playing in Europe and is vocal about the fight against racism. He said “it’s always complicated” to talk about the subject but “these things happen a lot.</p><p>“Hopefully we can continue with this fight,” he said.</p><p>“It’s important that Lamine speaks about it. It could help others. We are famous, we have money, we can balance these things better, but the poor people and the Black people who are everywhere, they surely struggle more than we do. So we have to stick together, those who have a stronger voice, the players…”</p><figure id="attachment_4468835" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4468835" style="width:770px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" class="size-arc-image-770 wp-image-4468835" src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2026-01-11T190547Z_1265518044_UP1EM1B1H1LE1_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-SPAIN-BAR-RMA-1775556273.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C513&quality=80" alt="Soccer Football - Spanish Super Cup - Final - FC Barcelona v Real Madrid - King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - January 11, 2026 FC Barcelona's Lamine Yamal in action with Real Madrid's Alvaro Carreras, Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior and Real Madrid's Rodrygo REUTERS/Stringer" fetchpriority="low"/><figcaption id="caption-attachment-4468835" class="wp-caption-text">FC Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior play for Spanish football rivals [File: Reuters]</figcaption></figure><p>Vinicius accused Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni of calling him a monkey after the Brazil forward celebrated in front of the home fans when he scored for Madrid in a Champions League match last month in Lisbon. Benfica fans insulted Vinicius from the stands.</p><p>“I’m not saying that Spain or Germany or Portugal are racist countries, but there are racists in these countries, and in Brazil and other countries as well,” Vinicius said. “But if we keep fighting together, I think future players and people in general won’t have to go through this again.”</p><p>Vinicius spoke on the eve of the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal between Madrid and Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.</p><p>Last week, Yamal, who is Muslim, slammed the “intolerable” chants at the ⁠⁠RCDE Stadium near Barcelona, the home ground of La Liga club Espanyol.</p><p class="p1">“[The chanting] was aimed at the opposing team and was not something personal against me, but as a Muslim it is still a lack of respect and something intolerable,” Yamal wrote on Instagram.</p><p class="p1">“To those who sing these things: using a religion as a form of mockery on a pitch shows you up as ignorant and racist.”</p><p>Yamal, whose father moved from Morocco to Spain, came down hard on the fans.</p><p>“I know I was playing for the rival team and it wasn’t something personal against me but as a Muslim person it doesn’t stop being disrespectful and something intolerable.</p><p>“I am a Muslim. Yesterday at the stadium the chant ‘the one who doesn’t jump is the Muslim’ was heard.”</p></div>#Stick #Vinicius #hails #Yamal #condemning #antiMuslim #chantsNews, Sport, Football, Islamophobia, Racism, Europe, Spain

The NBA world is waiting on LeBron James, and he reportedly has a short list of finalists he’s considering signing with in free agency. When will LeBron make up his mind? Who knows. He’s the top unrestricted free agent on the market by a mile despite turning 42 years old in December, and he can take as long as he pleases before he announces his next move.

Once James is off the board, the top players available will mostly be younger restricted free agents unlikely to change teams barring a surprise. Jalen Duren reportedly wants to leave the Detroit Pistons, but unfortunately for him he doesn’t have any leverage since his team has the ability to match any contract offer. Peyton Watson is in a fascinating situation because Denver probably has to cut salary elsewhere to retain him. Bennedict Mathurin is probably looking at a return to the Clippers, where he should be in line for more minutes following Los Angeles’ decision to trade Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors.

You can find every signing and trade during 2026 NBA free agency at our tracker. Now, let’s rank the best remaining free agents left on the market.

Need a pure off-ball shooter? Gary Trent Jr. might be the best available. Over the last five seasons, he’s made 38.5 percent of his three-pointers on 11.1 attempts per 100 possessions. His pull-up three ball off the dribble is less reliable after only hitting 28.6 percent of those last season.

Brown can still be a connective guard even if he’s lost the scoring juice he once showed on the 2023 champion Nuggets. He can be a low-cost shooter and defender in the backcourt who can soak up some minutes, but he doesn’t really move the needle in a major way anymore.

Williams is a 26-year-old point guard who took a leap in the second half of last season. He’s an excellent driver who can touch the paint and force his way to the foul line. His lack of size and shooting caps his value somewhat, but he feels like he could be one of the more high-upside players still available.

The idea of Kuminga as some young superstar in waiting has totally dissipated at this point. If he wants to carve out a lucrative NBA career, he’s going to need to realize he needs to improve his defense, rebounding, and spot-up shooting with his bully-ball drives as only part of the package, not the entire sell.

Payton still grades out as an impactful player because he’s an efficient scorer (63.5 percent true shooting last season) who grabs a lot of offensive rebounds for a guard and forces turnovers on defense. He’s only good for 15-20 minutes a night at this point at age-33, but he could add value for a contender on a cheapo contract.

Hachimura is big and strong for a wing with a nice spot-up three-point stroke. He made 42.6 percent of his threes during his three full years on the Lakers, but his volume wasn’t great at only 6.4 attempts per 100 possessions. He doesn’t rebound or defend all that well, and his playmaking is non-existent.

Mathurin can score in bunches, but he’s never been particularly efficient because he’s a low-ish volume 33.6 percent three-pointer shooter for his career. He can really rebound the ball for a wing. Still only 24 years old, he should get a solid deal to return to the Clippers, but probably needs to make himself more of a dirty work guy going forward.

Watson has always been a good wing defender, but he exploded as a scorer when Nikola Jokic got hurt midway through last season. Watson eventually went down with a hamstring strain that took him out of the playoffs, so there are still questions on if his improved scoring punch is actually sustainable. His shot diet features a lot of mid-range looks, but he did show some ability to knock them down at a better-than-average clip last season before the injury.

Harden opted out of his player option to give the Cavs more flexibility to try to sign LeBron James. He’s one of the best regular season guards ever, but on the brink of his 37th birthday, it’s becoming foolish to think he’ll ever avenge his playoff demons.

James is probably the second-best player in league history, and it still feels like he’s a top-50 player in the league as he readies to turn 42 years old midway through next season. I’d love to see him in Minnesota, but I still think it’s Warriors or Cavs for his future.

Will Duren consider playing on the qualifying offer to get out of Detroit? That would be massively risky if the Pistons are offering him $140 million guaranteed. Take the money, Jalen, and try to help the Pistons get to the NBA Finals next year after a deeply disappointing playoff run.

#NBAs #free #agents #wave #signings">NBA’s 11 best free agents still available in 2026 after first wave of signings  The NBA world is waiting on LeBron James, and he reportedly has a short list of finalists he’s considering signing with in free agency. When will LeBron make up his mind? Who knows. He’s the top unrestricted free agent on the market by a mile despite turning 42 years old in December, and he can take as long as he pleases before he announces his next move.Once James is off the board, the top players available will mostly be younger restricted free agents unlikely to change teams barring a surprise. Jalen Duren reportedly wants to leave the Detroit Pistons, but unfortunately for him he doesn’t have any leverage since his team has the ability to match any contract offer. Peyton Watson is in a fascinating situation because Denver probably has to cut salary elsewhere to retain him. Bennedict Mathurin is probably looking at a return to the Clippers, where he should be in line for more minutes following Los Angeles’ decision to trade Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors.You can find every signing and trade during 2026 NBA free agency at our tracker. Now, let’s rank the best remaining free agents left on the market.Need a pure off-ball shooter? Gary Trent Jr. might be the best available. Over the last five seasons, he’s made 38.5 percent of his three-pointers on 11.1 attempts per 100 possessions. His pull-up three ball off the dribble is less reliable after only hitting 28.6 percent of those last season.Brown can still be a connective guard even if he’s lost the scoring juice he once showed on the 2023 champion Nuggets. He can be a low-cost shooter and defender in the backcourt who can soak up some minutes, but he doesn’t really move the needle in a major way anymore.Williams is a 26-year-old point guard who took a leap in the second half of last season. He’s an excellent driver who can touch the paint and force his way to the foul line. His lack of size and shooting caps his value somewhat, but he feels like he could be one of the more high-upside players still available.The idea of Kuminga as some young superstar in waiting has totally dissipated at this point. If he wants to carve out a lucrative NBA career, he’s going to need to realize he needs to improve his defense, rebounding, and spot-up shooting with his bully-ball drives as only part of the package, not the entire sell.Payton still grades out as an impactful player because he’s an efficient scorer (63.5 percent true shooting last season) who grabs a lot of offensive rebounds for a guard and forces turnovers on defense. He’s only good for 15-20 minutes a night at this point at age-33, but he could add value for a contender on a cheapo contract.Hachimura is big and strong for a wing with a nice spot-up three-point stroke. He made 42.6 percent of his threes during his three full years on the Lakers, but his volume wasn’t great at only 6.4 attempts per 100 possessions. He doesn’t rebound or defend all that well, and his playmaking is non-existent.Mathurin can score in bunches, but he’s never been particularly efficient because he’s a low-ish volume 33.6 percent three-pointer shooter for his career. He can really rebound the ball for a wing. Still only 24 years old, he should get a solid deal to return to the Clippers, but probably needs to make himself more of a dirty work guy going forward.Watson has always been a good wing defender, but he exploded as a scorer when Nikola Jokic got hurt midway through last season. Watson eventually went down with a hamstring strain that took him out of the playoffs, so there are still questions on if his improved scoring punch is actually sustainable. His shot diet features a lot of mid-range looks, but he did show some ability to knock them down at a better-than-average clip last season before the injury.Harden opted out of his player option to give the Cavs more flexibility to try to sign LeBron James. He’s one of the best regular season guards ever, but on the brink of his 37th birthday, it’s becoming foolish to think he’ll ever avenge his playoff demons.James is probably the second-best player in league history, and it still feels like he’s a top-50 player in the league as he readies to turn 42 years old midway through next season. I’d love to see him in Minnesota, but I still think it’s Warriors or Cavs for his future.Will Duren consider playing on the qualifying offer to get out of Detroit? That would be massively risky if the Pistons are offering him 0 million guaranteed. Take the money, Jalen, and try to help the Pistons get to the NBA Finals next year after a deeply disappointing playoff run.  #NBAs #free #agents #wave #signings

reportedly has a short list of finalists he’s considering signing with in free agency. When will LeBron make up his mind? Who knows. He’s the top unrestricted free agent on the market by a mile despite turning 42 years old in December, and he can take as long as he pleases before he announces his next move.

Once James is off the board, the top players available will mostly be younger restricted free agents unlikely to change teams barring a surprise. Jalen Duren reportedly wants to leave the Detroit Pistons, but unfortunately for him he doesn’t have any leverage since his team has the ability to match any contract offer. Peyton Watson is in a fascinating situation because Denver probably has to cut salary elsewhere to retain him. Bennedict Mathurin is probably looking at a return to the Clippers, where he should be in line for more minutes following Los Angeles’ decision to trade Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors.

You can find every signing and trade during 2026 NBA free agency at our tracker. Now, let’s rank the best remaining free agents left on the market.

Need a pure off-ball shooter? Gary Trent Jr. might be the best available. Over the last five seasons, he’s made 38.5 percent of his three-pointers on 11.1 attempts per 100 possessions. His pull-up three ball off the dribble is less reliable after only hitting 28.6 percent of those last season.

Brown can still be a connective guard even if he’s lost the scoring juice he once showed on the 2023 champion Nuggets. He can be a low-cost shooter and defender in the backcourt who can soak up some minutes, but he doesn’t really move the needle in a major way anymore.

Williams is a 26-year-old point guard who took a leap in the second half of last season. He’s an excellent driver who can touch the paint and force his way to the foul line. His lack of size and shooting caps his value somewhat, but he feels like he could be one of the more high-upside players still available.

The idea of Kuminga as some young superstar in waiting has totally dissipated at this point. If he wants to carve out a lucrative NBA career, he’s going to need to realize he needs to improve his defense, rebounding, and spot-up shooting with his bully-ball drives as only part of the package, not the entire sell.

Payton still grades out as an impactful player because he’s an efficient scorer (63.5 percent true shooting last season) who grabs a lot of offensive rebounds for a guard and forces turnovers on defense. He’s only good for 15-20 minutes a night at this point at age-33, but he could add value for a contender on a cheapo contract.

Hachimura is big and strong for a wing with a nice spot-up three-point stroke. He made 42.6 percent of his threes during his three full years on the Lakers, but his volume wasn’t great at only 6.4 attempts per 100 possessions. He doesn’t rebound or defend all that well, and his playmaking is non-existent.

Mathurin can score in bunches, but he’s never been particularly efficient because he’s a low-ish volume 33.6 percent three-pointer shooter for his career. He can really rebound the ball for a wing. Still only 24 years old, he should get a solid deal to return to the Clippers, but probably needs to make himself more of a dirty work guy going forward.

Watson has always been a good wing defender, but he exploded as a scorer when Nikola Jokic got hurt midway through last season. Watson eventually went down with a hamstring strain that took him out of the playoffs, so there are still questions on if his improved scoring punch is actually sustainable. His shot diet features a lot of mid-range looks, but he did show some ability to knock them down at a better-than-average clip last season before the injury.

Harden opted out of his player option to give the Cavs more flexibility to try to sign LeBron James. He’s one of the best regular season guards ever, but on the brink of his 37th birthday, it’s becoming foolish to think he’ll ever avenge his playoff demons.

James is probably the second-best player in league history, and it still feels like he’s a top-50 player in the league as he readies to turn 42 years old midway through next season. I’d love to see him in Minnesota, but I still think it’s Warriors or Cavs for his future.

Will Duren consider playing on the qualifying offer to get out of Detroit? That would be massively risky if the Pistons are offering him $140 million guaranteed. Take the money, Jalen, and try to help the Pistons get to the NBA Finals next year after a deeply disappointing playoff run.

#NBAs #free #agents #wave #signings">NBA’s 11 best free agents still available in 2026 after first wave of signings

The NBA world is waiting on LeBron James, and he reportedly has a short list of finalists he’s considering signing with in free agency. When will LeBron make up his mind? Who knows. He’s the top unrestricted free agent on the market by a mile despite turning 42 years old in December, and he can take as long as he pleases before he announces his next move.

Once James is off the board, the top players available will mostly be younger restricted free agents unlikely to change teams barring a surprise. Jalen Duren reportedly wants to leave the Detroit Pistons, but unfortunately for him he doesn’t have any leverage since his team has the ability to match any contract offer. Peyton Watson is in a fascinating situation because Denver probably has to cut salary elsewhere to retain him. Bennedict Mathurin is probably looking at a return to the Clippers, where he should be in line for more minutes following Los Angeles’ decision to trade Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors.

You can find every signing and trade during 2026 NBA free agency at our tracker. Now, let’s rank the best remaining free agents left on the market.

Need a pure off-ball shooter? Gary Trent Jr. might be the best available. Over the last five seasons, he’s made 38.5 percent of his three-pointers on 11.1 attempts per 100 possessions. His pull-up three ball off the dribble is less reliable after only hitting 28.6 percent of those last season.

Brown can still be a connective guard even if he’s lost the scoring juice he once showed on the 2023 champion Nuggets. He can be a low-cost shooter and defender in the backcourt who can soak up some minutes, but he doesn’t really move the needle in a major way anymore.

Williams is a 26-year-old point guard who took a leap in the second half of last season. He’s an excellent driver who can touch the paint and force his way to the foul line. His lack of size and shooting caps his value somewhat, but he feels like he could be one of the more high-upside players still available.

The idea of Kuminga as some young superstar in waiting has totally dissipated at this point. If he wants to carve out a lucrative NBA career, he’s going to need to realize he needs to improve his defense, rebounding, and spot-up shooting with his bully-ball drives as only part of the package, not the entire sell.

Payton still grades out as an impactful player because he’s an efficient scorer (63.5 percent true shooting last season) who grabs a lot of offensive rebounds for a guard and forces turnovers on defense. He’s only good for 15-20 minutes a night at this point at age-33, but he could add value for a contender on a cheapo contract.

Hachimura is big and strong for a wing with a nice spot-up three-point stroke. He made 42.6 percent of his threes during his three full years on the Lakers, but his volume wasn’t great at only 6.4 attempts per 100 possessions. He doesn’t rebound or defend all that well, and his playmaking is non-existent.

Mathurin can score in bunches, but he’s never been particularly efficient because he’s a low-ish volume 33.6 percent three-pointer shooter for his career. He can really rebound the ball for a wing. Still only 24 years old, he should get a solid deal to return to the Clippers, but probably needs to make himself more of a dirty work guy going forward.

Watson has always been a good wing defender, but he exploded as a scorer when Nikola Jokic got hurt midway through last season. Watson eventually went down with a hamstring strain that took him out of the playoffs, so there are still questions on if his improved scoring punch is actually sustainable. His shot diet features a lot of mid-range looks, but he did show some ability to knock them down at a better-than-average clip last season before the injury.

Harden opted out of his player option to give the Cavs more flexibility to try to sign LeBron James. He’s one of the best regular season guards ever, but on the brink of his 37th birthday, it’s becoming foolish to think he’ll ever avenge his playoff demons.

James is probably the second-best player in league history, and it still feels like he’s a top-50 player in the league as he readies to turn 42 years old midway through next season. I’d love to see him in Minnesota, but I still think it’s Warriors or Cavs for his future.

Will Duren consider playing on the qualifying offer to get out of Detroit? That would be massively risky if the Pistons are offering him $140 million guaranteed. Take the money, Jalen, and try to help the Pistons get to the NBA Finals next year after a deeply disappointing playoff run.

#NBAs #free #agents #wave #signings
England vs India, 2nd T20I Live Score: England 115/3 (12); Bethell, Banton build partnership  Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, for the first time ever, walks out to open the batting alongside Abhishek Sharma. What a moment for the teenager.Slightly overcast conditions favourable for bowling and Jofra Archer takes the new ball for England, this is going to be a really good contest. Here we go. Sooryavanshi at the non strikers end, Abhishek on strike, first ball, oohhhh swing and a miss from Abhishek, Archer gets the half-volley to move away from the batter.Archer charges in, swing and a miss again from Abhishek, serious pace from Archer, gets the extra bounce and good carry to the keeper.In the arc, leaning edge from the bat and the ball flies away behind square for FOUR! First boundary of the innings! Abhishek’s third swing and a miss off the over, he has no answers to Archer’s fiery pace at the moment.Make that another dot ball, length ball zips off the surface and carries to the keeper. Oooooh that was quick, short and pacy angled at Abhishek’s body who adjusts well to get some bat on that. Just the four of the first over.   #England #India #2nd #T20I #Live #Score #England #Bethell #Banton #build #partnership

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