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Deadspin | Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans set scoring marks in rout of Jazz Apr 7, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins (24) shoots the ball against Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Rookie Jeremiah Fears scored a career-high 40 points and Jordan Poole added 22 of his 34 points in a decisive third quarter as the New Orleans Pelicans closed out their home schedule with a 156-137 victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday. Rookie Micah Peavy scored a career-high 20 points, Jordan Hawkins added a season-high 25 and rookie Derik Queen had 17 points with 12 rebounds as the Pelicans ended an eight-game losing streak. Kevon Looney also had 12 rebounds. Fears set a Pelicans franchise record for rookie points in a game as the Pelicans set a team mark for total points in a game. New Orleans (26-54), which has been eliminated from playoff consideration, finished with a 17-24 home record. New Orleans went 3-0 against Utah this season and won while playing without their four leading scorers, Trey Murphy III (ankle), Zion Williamson, Saddiq Bey and Dejounte Murray (hand). Williamson and Bey dressed but remained on the bench, as did Herbert Jones. Kennedy Chandler scored a career-high 31 points and rookie Bez Mbeng added a career-best 26 for the Jazz, who lost their 10th consecutive game with two games remaining. Cody Williams scored 19 points and Brice Sensabaugh added 18 as Utah dropped to 3-22 since Feb. 12. The Jazz (21-59), who are at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, were without Lauri Markkanen (hip), Keyonte George (hamstring) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee). The Jazz got off to a strong start, leading 34-24 after one quarter by making half of their 26 shots from the floor and their eight shots from 3-point range. Utah continued to hold a 69-61 lead at halftime. Poole was the star of the third quarter by scoring his 22 points in the period on 8-of-12 shooting, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range. The Pelicans outscored the Jazz 50-27 in the quarter by shooting 72% while taking a 111-96 lead. Fears was 17 of 29 (58.6%) from the floor in the game to better his previous season high of 28 points. New Orleans shot 57.5% from the floor, tied for its second best in a game this season, while the Jazz shot 51%. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Jeremiah #Fears #Pelicans #set #scoring #marks #rout #Jazz

Deadspin | Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans set scoring marks in rout of Jazz
Deadspin | Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans set scoring marks in rout of Jazz Apr 7, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins (24) shoots the ball against Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Rookie Jeremiah Fears scored a career-high 40 points and Jordan Poole added 22 of his 34 points in a decisive third quarter as the New Orleans Pelicans closed out their home schedule with a 156-137 victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday. Rookie Micah Peavy scored a career-high 20 points, Jordan Hawkins added a season-high 25 and rookie Derik Queen had 17 points with 12 rebounds as the Pelicans ended an eight-game losing streak. Kevon Looney also had 12 rebounds. Fears set a Pelicans franchise record for rookie points in a game as the Pelicans set a team mark for total points in a game. New Orleans (26-54), which has been eliminated from playoff consideration, finished with a 17-24 home record. New Orleans went 3-0 against Utah this season and won while playing without their four leading scorers, Trey Murphy III (ankle), Zion Williamson, Saddiq Bey and Dejounte Murray (hand). Williamson and Bey dressed but remained on the bench, as did Herbert Jones. Kennedy Chandler scored a career-high 31 points and rookie Bez Mbeng added a career-best 26 for the Jazz, who lost their 10th consecutive game with two games remaining. Cody Williams scored 19 points and Brice Sensabaugh added 18 as Utah dropped to 3-22 since Feb. 12. The Jazz (21-59), who are at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, were without Lauri Markkanen (hip), Keyonte George (hamstring) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee). The Jazz got off to a strong start, leading 34-24 after one quarter by making half of their 26 shots from the floor and their eight shots from 3-point range. Utah continued to hold a 69-61 lead at halftime. Poole was the star of the third quarter by scoring his 22 points in the period on 8-of-12 shooting, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range. The Pelicans outscored the Jazz 50-27 in the quarter by shooting 72% while taking a 111-96 lead. Fears was 17 of 29 (58.6%) from the floor in the game to better his previous season high of 28 points. New Orleans shot 57.5% from the floor, tied for its second best in a game this season, while the Jazz shot 51%. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Jeremiah #Fears #Pelicans #set #scoring #marks #rout #JazzApr 7, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins (24) shoots the ball against Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Rookie Jeremiah Fears scored a career-high 40 points and Jordan Poole added 22 of his 34 points in a decisive third quarter as the New Orleans Pelicans closed out their home schedule with a 156-137 victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday.

Rookie Micah Peavy scored a career-high 20 points, Jordan Hawkins added a season-high 25 and rookie Derik Queen had 17 points with 12 rebounds as the Pelicans ended an eight-game losing streak. Kevon Looney also had 12 rebounds.

Fears set a Pelicans franchise record for rookie points in a game as the Pelicans set a team mark for total points in a game.

New Orleans (26-54), which has been eliminated from playoff consideration, finished with a 17-24 home record.

New Orleans went 3-0 against Utah this season and won while playing without their four leading scorers, Trey Murphy III (ankle), Zion Williamson, Saddiq Bey and Dejounte Murray (hand). Williamson and Bey dressed but remained on the bench, as did Herbert Jones.


Kennedy Chandler scored a career-high 31 points and rookie Bez Mbeng added a career-best 26 for the Jazz, who lost their 10th consecutive game with two games remaining. Cody Williams scored 19 points and Brice Sensabaugh added 18 as Utah dropped to 3-22 since Feb. 12.

The Jazz (21-59), who are at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, were without Lauri Markkanen (hip), Keyonte George (hamstring) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee).

The Jazz got off to a strong start, leading 34-24 after one quarter by making half of their 26 shots from the floor and their eight shots from 3-point range. Utah continued to hold a 69-61 lead at halftime.

Poole was the star of the third quarter by scoring his 22 points in the period on 8-of-12 shooting, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range. The Pelicans outscored the Jazz 50-27 in the quarter by shooting 72% while taking a 111-96 lead.

Fears was 17 of 29 (58.6%) from the floor in the game to better his previous season high of 28 points.

New Orleans shot 57.5% from the floor, tied for its second best in a game this season, while the Jazz shot 51%.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Jeremiah #Fears #Pelicans #set #scoring #marks #rout #Jazz

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Apr 7, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins (24) shoots the ball against Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Rookie Jeremiah Fears scored a career-high 40 points and Jordan Poole added 22 of his 34 points in a decisive third quarter as the New Orleans Pelicans closed out their home schedule with a 156-137 victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday.

Rookie Micah Peavy scored a career-high 20 points, Jordan Hawkins added a season-high 25 and rookie Derik Queen had 17 points with 12 rebounds as the Pelicans ended an eight-game losing streak. Kevon Looney also had 12 rebounds.

Fears set a Pelicans franchise record for rookie points in a game as the Pelicans set a team mark for total points in a game.

New Orleans (26-54), which has been eliminated from playoff consideration, finished with a 17-24 home record.

New Orleans went 3-0 against Utah this season and won while playing without their four leading scorers, Trey Murphy III (ankle), Zion Williamson, Saddiq Bey and Dejounte Murray (hand). Williamson and Bey dressed but remained on the bench, as did Herbert Jones.

Kennedy Chandler scored a career-high 31 points and rookie Bez Mbeng added a career-best 26 for the Jazz, who lost their 10th consecutive game with two games remaining. Cody Williams scored 19 points and Brice Sensabaugh added 18 as Utah dropped to 3-22 since Feb. 12.

The Jazz (21-59), who are at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, were without Lauri Markkanen (hip), Keyonte George (hamstring) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee).

The Jazz got off to a strong start, leading 34-24 after one quarter by making half of their 26 shots from the floor and their eight shots from 3-point range. Utah continued to hold a 69-61 lead at halftime.

Poole was the star of the third quarter by scoring his 22 points in the period on 8-of-12 shooting, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range. The Pelicans outscored the Jazz 50-27 in the quarter by shooting 72% while taking a 111-96 lead.

Fears was 17 of 29 (58.6%) from the floor in the game to better his previous season high of 28 points.

New Orleans shot 57.5% from the floor, tied for its second best in a game this season, while the Jazz shot 51%.

–Field Level Media

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Exclusive – “Nobody came in. Everybody came back with a no”: Lalit Modi on the IPL pitch that failed 999 times <div id="content-body-70837809" itemprop="articleBody"><p>There is a tendency now to treat the Indian Premier League (IPL) as if it arrived fully formed, with billion-dollar valuations trailing in its wake.</p><p>In Lalit Modi’s telling, it was anything but. It was imagined early, abandoned once, challenged by rivals, dismissed by the market and then, almost improbably, forced into existence.</p><p>“The idea to me was always to be the biggest league in the world,” Modi, the first chairman of the IPL, says. But the idea predates the IPL. “When I conceived it in the early ‘90s, it was called the Indian Cricket League. If you check who owns the domain name, it is not Subhash Chandra. It’s Lalit Modi.”</p><p>According to Modi, that first version, an eight-team, city-based competition, came close to life in 1995. “It was all set up, approved by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). We spent $17 million to $20 million. All the top players were hired. It was an eight-team format: Delhi Panthers, Mohali Stallions, Gwalior Cobras, Calcutta Tigers, Bangalore Bulls, Chennai Tuskers.”</p><p>It collapsed just as quickly. “There was a requirement of too many underhand payments, and I decided this is not the way it’s going to work. And we shelved it,” Modi says.</p><p>The idea waited. When it returned a decade later, it entered a changed ecosystem and a rivalry.</p><p>“When I was launching the IPL, the first person I went to was Subhash Chandra. I said, ‘Would you like to buy the IPL rights?’” Modi says. Chandra declined and built his own league. “He picked up two of my people to develop the Indian Cricket League.”</p><p>Modi calls him “a great adversary”, but is clear about the flaw in Chandra’s system of “owning all the teams, all the broadcasting and all the players”. His own model would move the other way.</p><p>Yet the larger obstacle was indifference.</p><p>“We went to all the broadcasters. Nobody came in. Everybody came back with a no.” Investors were no better. “I’m making presentations to over 1,000 businessmen. Ninety-nine per cent didn’t understand what we were talking about.” Even within the BCCI, “not a single person could understand except for two.”</p><p>The problem, he realised, was cultural.</p><p>“I needed to attract the audience of the Saas Bahu shows on TV. That’s where the money was. The bulk of the Indian advertising money sat on the eight o’clock time slot,” he says. “I decided to do a paradigm shift. Night cricket. Eight o’clock start. Music, dancing, fun.”</p><p>The logic is blunt. “I needed to attract women and children… that is where the money was.”</p><p>The product still needed a trigger. And it arrived, unscripted, in 2007.</p><p>“You know the story of Yuvraj Singh’s six sixes already,” Modi says. “India winning over Pakistan, huge, huge. We bring them back as heroes. Millions of people come. That helped it.”</p><p>The IPL had its first advertisement.</p><p>But emotion could not substitute structure. “I explained, the first pillar is the broadcaster. Without broadcasting, we don’t have a pillar,” he says.</p><p>Sony’s interest came with a condition: “We will buy it, provided you have the top 100 players.”</p><p>“The task became to find the top 100 players,” Modi says. “You need Team India, without doubt. If you don’t have Team India, you have a problem.”</p><p>Even as he scrambled for players, the media rights auction brought the league to the brink.</p><p>“So, Sony signed the contract as a sub-licensee of World Sports Group. There were only three bidders, ESPN, World Sports Group, and Sony,” he says.</p><p>“ESPN’s bid was revenue sharing. ‘If we do well, we’ll give you 50 per cent.’ I threw them out.</p><p>“Before I opened the Sony bid, minutes before, they withdrew. It was hand in glove. I’m in front of live media. I don’t know what’s going to come.</p><p>“I opened the World Sports Group bid. It’s a billion dollars. It was a mindset number… I needed the headline to be, ‘IPL has the audacity to ask for a billion dollars’. So, we have a billion-dollar cheque guaranteed. We don’t have a broadcaster at that point in time.”</p><p>From there, he says he turned to franchise owners.</p><p>“4th of January was the opening of the franchisee tenders. The minimum bid price was 50 million paid over 10 years,” Modi says. “If you bid a minimum of 50, I’m going to give you back five. You’re only giving me five; the rest is your ego money.</p><p>“You’re going to get ticketing revenue, team sponsorship, food and beverage, and 60 per cent from the central pool.”</p><p>He tried to sell belief. “If you believe in me, it’ll be so big, you don’t have to ever look back.”</p><p>But few did.</p><p>“None of them believed it, Airtel, Tata group, Birla group, ICICI, HDFC. None of them believed it,” Modi says.</p><p>So, he made the risk explicit. “If the IPL doesn’t work in year one, I will tear up all these agreements and cancel IPL year two.”</p><p>It was not just a league being launched. It was a wager.</p><p>“I put my entire career on the line. I put all my goodwill on the line,” he says. “We formed our own team, paid from our own pocket… and with Sharad Pawar, we got it up and running.”</p><p>“And fortunately for us, it worked.”</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 08, 2026</p></div> #Exclusive #Lalit #Modi #IPL #pitch #failed #times

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Indian sports wrap, April 8: Ojas, Pragati steal show in Puebla; Bhubaneswar hosts All India Public Sector Badminton Tournament <div id="content-body-70837824" itemprop="articleBody"><h4 class="sub_head">ARCHERY</h4><p><b>Archery World Cup: Ojas, Pragati shine in qualification</b></p><p>Ojas Deotale and Pragati took the top spots among Indian men and women, respectively, in the qualification round of the Archery World Cup Stage-1 in Puebla, Mexico.</p><p>Overall, Deotale was 12th with 705 points. Pragati was sixth with 694 points.</p><p>All four Indian male archers shot 700-plus scores.</p><div class="fact-box"><h5 class="main-title"> SCORES </h5><h5 class="sub-title">Qualification round – COMPOUND</h5><p> Individual: Men: Ojas Deotale (12th, 705), Abhishek Verma (16th, 702), Sahil Jadhav (18th, 701), Kushal Dalal (19th, 700); Women: Pragati (sixth, 694), V. Jyothi Surekha (10th, 691), Madhura Dhamangaonkar (15th, 689), Aditi Swami (17th, 689); Team: India: Men (first, 2108), Women (first, 2074), Mixed (fourth, 1399). </p></div><p><i>-Y. B. Sarangi</i></p><h4 class="sub_head">BADMINTON</h4><p><b>NALCO hosts All India Public Sector Badminton Tournament in Bhubaneswar</b></p><div class=" article-picture center"><img src="https://ss-i.thgim.com/public/other-sports/uiyp49/article70837860.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/1.jpeg" data-original="https://ss-i.thgim.com/public/other-sports/uiyp49/article70837860.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/1.jpeg" alt="A glimpse from the opening ceremony in Bhubaneswar." title="A glimpse from the opening ceremony in Bhubaneswar." class=" lazy" width="100%" height="100%"/><div class="pic-caption"><figcaption class="figure-caption align-text-bottom"><p> A glimpse from the opening ceremony in Bhubaneswar. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement </p><img class="caption-image" src="https://assetsss.thehindu.com/theme/images/SSRX/lightbox-info.svg" alt="lightbox-info"/></figcaption></div><p class="caption"> A glimpse from the opening ceremony in Bhubaneswar. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement </p></div><p>The All India Public Sector Badminton Tournament commenced in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, with National Aluminium Company Limited, a Navratna CPSE under the Ministry of Mines, Government of India, hosting the prestigious national-level event.</p><p>The four-day tournament, organised in coordination with the All India Public Sector Sports Control Board, New Delhi, is being held from April 7 to 10 at the KIIT Biju Patnaik Indoor Stadium in Bhubaneswar for the first time.</p><p>The tournament has drawn participation from over 200 players representing 14 public sectors, including Coal India Limited, Steel Authority of India Limited, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Oil India Limited, Food Corporation of India, Reserve Bank of India, Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Life Insurance Corporation of India, Employees State Insurance Corporation, among others.</p><p><i>-Team Sportstar</i></p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 08, 2026</p></div> #Indian #sports #wrap #April #Ojas #Pragati #steal #show #Puebla #Bhubaneswar #hosts #India #Public #Sector #Badminton #Tournament

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#Wimbledon #Sinner #cruises #straight #sets #victory #Borges">Wimbledon 2026: Sinner cruises to second round with straight sets victory over Borges iDefending champion Jannik Sinner progressed to the third round of Wimbledon with a straight sets victory over Portugal’s Nuno Borges on Centre Court on Wednesday.The World No.1 had to dig deep in the first round to overcome Miomir Kecmanovic in a five-set thriller but got past his opponent in the second round without much trouble to defeat Borges 7-6, 7-6, 6-4.Sinner will face fellow Italina Matteo Berretini in the third round.Published on Jul 01, 2026 #Wimbledon #Sinner #cruises #straight #sets #victory #Borges

Deadspin | MLB roundup: Dodgers’ Dave Roberts becomes fastest to 1,000 wins Jun 30, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) gestures towards the crowd after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Athletics as he earns his 1000th career win as a manager at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images Tommy Edman had four hits, including a homer, and drove in four while manager Dave Roberts recorded his 1,000th career regular-season victory as the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the Athletics 9-3 on Tuesday in West Sacramento, Calif. Roberts, who is in his 11th season, became the fourth manager in Dodgers history to reach the 1,000-victory mark. Roberts’ 1,606 career games (1,000-606) are the fewest needed to reach 1,000 wins, 35 fewer games than the previous fastest mark, held by Cap Anson (1875-98). Miguel Rojas also went deep and drove in two runs and Mookie Betts had three hits as the Dodgers won for the seventh time in their past eight games. Los Angeles had 14 hits for a total of 31 over two nights while dominating the A’s both times. Justin Wrobleski (10-2) struck out a career-high 11 while throwing seven innings of three-run ball for Los Angeles. Colby Thomas went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer for the A’s. Jeffrey Springs (3-8) gave up six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. Mariners 8, Angels 3 Bryan Woo set the single-season record for most consecutive scoreless innings at T-Mobile Park as Seattle defeated visiting Los Angeles. Woo opened with six scoreless frames to reach 32 overall before reliever Eduard Bazardo allowed a pair of inherited runners to score in the seventh. Woo (7-6), who won his fifth straight home start, was charged with two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander walked one and struck out five. The Mariners managed just three hits off Angels starter Jose Soriano (8-5) through the first five innings before opening the sixth with three straight singles against him to break a scoreless tie and spark a five-run inning. Phillies 8, Pirates 0 Cristopher Sanchez worked seven strong innings while guiding Philadelphia to a win over visiting Pittsburgh. Sanchez (10-3) allowed just three hits and two walks, striking out nine as he became the first starting pitcher to reach 10 wins this season. Justin Crawford had three hits and three RBIs for the Phillies, while Trea Turner added a homer, a double and three RBIs on his 33rd birthday. Esmerlyn Valdez’s four-game homer streak came to an end, although the Pirates rookie still went 2-for-3 with a walk. Bubba Chandler (3-8) yielded five runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. Tigers 9, Yankees 3 Riley Greene belted a pair of homers in consecutive at-bats off Cam Schlittler, Tarik Skubal pitched six innings and visiting Detroit cruised past New York. The Tigers slugged five home runs against the Yankees for the first time since Aug. 30, 2018, as Kerry Carpenter, Spencer Torkelson and James Outman also went deep. Skubal (4-4) allowed two runs (one earned) and one hit while fanning nine. Ben Rice homered, but the Yankees lost their season-high sixth straight game. Schlittler (8-5) was tagged for a career-worst six runs on seven hits in four-plus innings. He served up four homers, also a career high. Cubs 9, Padres 7 Dansby Swanson led a long-ball barrage with two home runs, and host Chicago held on for a win over San Diego. Alex Bregman hit a three-run shot and Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong had solo homers for the Cubs, who won their fourth straight. Matthew Boyd (3-1) allowed three runs over five-plus innings. Ryan Rolison recorded the last out to earn his first career save. Fernando Tatis Jr. hit two home runs and Manny Machado and Gavin Sheets also homered for the Padres, who have lost four in a row. JP Sears (1-1) gave up seven runs (six earned) in 4 2/3 innings. White Sox 9, Orioles 3 Colson Montgomery and Junior Perez homered during a seven-run third inning as visiting Chicago beat Baltimore, taking the first two games of the three-game series. Jacob Gonzalez had three hits and drove in three runs and Andrew Benintendi provided three hits as the White Sox won for the sixth time in eight games. They will win a series against Baltimore for the first time since July 2021 regardless of the result in the Wednesday afternoon series finale. Chicago’s Erick Fedde (3-6) went five innings and yielded three runs on five hits. Gunnar Henderson had two hits and scored two runs for the Orioles, whose losing streak grew to four games. They have lost six of their past seven games. Rangers 4, Guardians 2 Cleveland left fielder Cooper Ingle threw the ball into the stands, incorrectly thinking it was the third out of the seventh inning, to bring home Ezequiel Duran as the go-ahead run, leading Texas past the host Guardians. Duran led off the seventh with a single against Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee and moved to second on a groundout by Evan Carter. Alejandro Osuna followed with a routine fly to Ingle, who caught it and promptly threw it over the screen into the crowd down the left field line. Jacob deGrom (7-5) earned his fourth victory in his past five decisions for the Rangers, striking out nine over seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Bibee (2-9) also worked seven strong innings but received the loss when Ingle committed what was scored as a two-base error and an unearned run. Nationals 8, Red Sox 1 Cade Cavalli allowed one hit and struck out a career-high 13 batters in seven innings as visiting Washington defeated Boston. The only run Boston scored against Cavalli (5-4) was unearned. He didn’t issue a walk in his 100-pitch outing. The Red Sox managed just four hits as their five-game winning streak ended. CJ Abrams homered as the Nationals won for the third time in four games and leveled the three-game series at one victory apiece. James Wood finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Diamondbacks 8, Giants 2 Arizona ran its season-long winning streak against San Francisco to eight games, riding home runs from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Ketel Marte to a victory in Phoenix. Recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A and making his first big-league start since April 11, Brandon Pfaadt (1-1) gave up one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Gurriel, Marte, Gabriel Moreno and Max Kepler had two hits apiece for the Diamondbacks. Luis Arraez singled, tripled and homered for the Giants, and Rafael Devers also went deep. Landen Roupp (5-8) permitted six runs and walked six in 2 2/3 innings. Mets 3, Blue Jays 0 Nolan McLean struck out seven in six scoreless innings and visiting New York defeated Toronto to split the first two of a three-game series. McLean (5-5) allowed five hits and two walks, while Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens provided support with solo home runs. Former Blue Jay Bo Bichette went 1-for-4 for the Mets and made some excellent defensive plays at third base. Toronto starter Kevin Gausman (4-7) completed six innings, allowing one run on five hits. Luis Urias had two singles and a walk. Cardinals 5, Braves 3 Matthew Liberatore threw five strong innings and Nathan Church ended a long homerless streak to lead St. Louis over host Atlanta. Liberatore (4-5) allowed one run on one hit and four walks, striking out nine, to earn his first victory since May 31. Church blasted a three-run homer to cap a four-run rally in the fourth inning when the Cardinals took the lead. It was Church’s sixth home run but first since April 26. Ozzie Albies drove in two runs for the Braves. Martin Perez (5-6) yielded four runs on five hits in five innings. Brewers 7, Reds 2 Jake Bauers and Jackson Chourio homered and Brandon Sproat pitched effectively into the sixth inning as Milwaukee defeated visiting Cincinnati. The Brewers have won six straight against the Reds, including all five games this season. Bauers and Sal Frelick each had three hits to pace Milwaukee’s 14-hit attack. The Brewers gained control with four runs in the fourth off Rhett Lowder (3-6), opening the inning with five consecutive singles en route to a 5-1 lead. Sproat (3-4) allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. Rays 10, Royals 4 Junior Caminero homered in his fifth consecutive game, a three-run shot to highlight Tampa Bay’s six-run third inning, and the Rays won their sixth straight game, beating host Kansas City. Ryan Vilade also homered and Griffin Jax (4-5) allowed three runs and struck out five over six innings to win his third straight start for the Rays. Caminero has clubbed eight of his 23 home runs in the past seven games. Bobby Witt Jr. socked a two-run homer in the third and an eighth-inning solo shot as part of a three-hit night for the Royals, who have lost five of six. Astros 6, Twins 4 Yordan Alvarez capped a six-run fourth inning with his third grand slam of the season as Houston rallied past visiting Minnesota. Alvarez tied the franchise record with his seventh career grand slam, joining Alex Bregman, Carlos Lee and Jose Altuve. It was his 26th home run of the season. The Astros evened the three-game series at one win apiece behind Alvarez and a resilient effort from Mike Burrows (4-8), who overcame a ragged first inning to go five frames of four-run ball. Twins starter Joe Ryan (5-5) permitted six runs on six hits in four innings. Ryan Kreidler hit a two-run single, and Kody Clemens produced two hits and two runs. Marlins 14, Rockies 3 Javier Sanoja, Joe Mack and Owen Caissie each hit a home run in Miami’s blowout win over Colorado in Denver. Sanoja hit a three-run shot in the third, extending the Marlins’ lead to 5-1. Mack’s two-run blast in the seventh and Caissie’s three-run homer in the eighth were late highlights from a huge offensive game for the Marlins, who have won six of their past seven. Eury Perez (4-6) earned the win in his second start since returning from the injured list. Perez struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on two hits and four walks. Mickey Moniak homered for the Rockies. Tanner Gordon was tagged for five runs in five innings. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #MLB #roundup #Dodgers #Dave #Roberts #fastest #winsJun 30, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) gestures towards the crowd after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Athletics as he earns his 1000th career win as a manager at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

Tommy Edman had four hits, including a homer, and drove in four while manager Dave Roberts recorded his 1,000th career regular-season victory as the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the Athletics 9-3 on Tuesday in West Sacramento, Calif.

Roberts, who is in his 11th season, became the fourth manager in Dodgers history to reach the 1,000-victory mark. Roberts’ 1,606 career games (1,000-606) are the fewest needed to reach 1,000 wins, 35 fewer games than the previous fastest mark, held by Cap Anson (1875-98).

Miguel Rojas also went deep and drove in two runs and Mookie Betts had three hits as the Dodgers won for the seventh time in their past eight games. Los Angeles had 14 hits for a total of 31 over two nights while dominating the A’s both times.

Justin Wrobleski (10-2) struck out a career-high 11 while throwing seven innings of three-run ball for Los Angeles. Colby Thomas went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer for the A’s. Jeffrey Springs (3-8) gave up six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Mariners 8, Angels 3

Bryan Woo set the single-season record for most consecutive scoreless innings at T-Mobile Park as Seattle defeated visiting Los Angeles.

Woo opened with six scoreless frames to reach 32 overall before reliever Eduard Bazardo allowed a pair of inherited runners to score in the seventh. Woo (7-6), who won his fifth straight home start, was charged with two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander walked one and struck out five.

The Mariners managed just three hits off Angels starter Jose Soriano (8-5) through the first five innings before opening the sixth with three straight singles against him to break a scoreless tie and spark a five-run inning.

Phillies 8, Pirates 0

Cristopher Sanchez worked seven strong innings while guiding Philadelphia to a win over visiting Pittsburgh.

Sanchez (10-3) allowed just three hits and two walks, striking out nine as he became the first starting pitcher to reach 10 wins this season. Justin Crawford had three hits and three RBIs for the Phillies, while Trea Turner added a homer, a double and three RBIs on his 33rd birthday.

Esmerlyn Valdez’s four-game homer streak came to an end, although the Pirates rookie still went 2-for-3 with a walk. Bubba Chandler (3-8) yielded five runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Tigers 9, Yankees 3

Riley Greene belted a pair of homers in consecutive at-bats off Cam Schlittler, Tarik Skubal pitched six innings and visiting Detroit cruised past New York.

The Tigers slugged five home runs against the Yankees for the first time since Aug. 30, 2018, as Kerry Carpenter, Spencer Torkelson and James Outman also went deep. Skubal (4-4) allowed two runs (one earned) and one hit while fanning nine.

Ben Rice homered, but the Yankees lost their season-high sixth straight game. Schlittler (8-5) was tagged for a career-worst six runs on seven hits in four-plus innings. He served up four homers, also a career high.

Cubs 9, Padres 7

Dansby Swanson led a long-ball barrage with two home runs, and host Chicago held on for a win over San Diego.

Alex Bregman hit a three-run shot and Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong had solo homers for the Cubs, who won their fourth straight. Matthew Boyd (3-1) allowed three runs over five-plus innings. Ryan Rolison recorded the last out to earn his first career save.

Fernando Tatis Jr. hit two home runs and Manny Machado and Gavin Sheets also homered for the Padres, who have lost four in a row. JP Sears (1-1) gave up seven runs (six earned) in 4 2/3 innings.

White Sox 9, Orioles 3

Colson Montgomery and Junior Perez homered during a seven-run third inning as visiting Chicago beat Baltimore, taking the first two games of the three-game series.

Jacob Gonzalez had three hits and drove in three runs and Andrew Benintendi provided three hits as the White Sox won for the sixth time in eight games. They will win a series against Baltimore for the first time since July 2021 regardless of the result in the Wednesday afternoon series finale.

Chicago’s Erick Fedde (3-6) went five innings and yielded three runs on five hits. Gunnar Henderson had two hits and scored two runs for the Orioles, whose losing streak grew to four games. They have lost six of their past seven games.

Rangers 4, Guardians 2

Cleveland left fielder Cooper Ingle threw the ball into the stands, incorrectly thinking it was the third out of the seventh inning, to bring home Ezequiel Duran as the go-ahead run, leading Texas past the host Guardians.

Duran led off the seventh with a single against Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee and moved to second on a groundout by Evan Carter. Alejandro Osuna followed with a routine fly to Ingle, who caught it and promptly threw it over the screen into the crowd down the left field line.

Jacob deGrom (7-5) earned his fourth victory in his past five decisions for the Rangers, striking out nine over seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Bibee (2-9) also worked seven strong innings but received the loss when Ingle committed what was scored as a two-base error and an unearned run.

Nationals 8, Red Sox 1

Cade Cavalli allowed one hit and struck out a career-high 13 batters in seven innings as visiting Washington defeated Boston.


The only run Boston scored against Cavalli (5-4) was unearned. He didn’t issue a walk in his 100-pitch outing. The Red Sox managed just four hits as their five-game winning streak ended.

CJ Abrams homered as the Nationals won for the third time in four games and leveled the three-game series at one victory apiece. James Wood finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs.

Diamondbacks 8, Giants 2

Arizona ran its season-long winning streak against San Francisco to eight games, riding home runs from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Ketel Marte to a victory in Phoenix.

Recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A and making his first big-league start since April 11, Brandon Pfaadt (1-1) gave up one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Gurriel, Marte, Gabriel Moreno and Max Kepler had two hits apiece for the Diamondbacks.

Luis Arraez singled, tripled and homered for the Giants, and Rafael Devers also went deep. Landen Roupp (5-8) permitted six runs and walked six in 2 2/3 innings.

Mets 3, Blue Jays 0

Nolan McLean struck out seven in six scoreless innings and visiting New York defeated Toronto to split the first two of a three-game series.

McLean (5-5) allowed five hits and two walks, while Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens provided support with solo home runs. Former Blue Jay Bo Bichette went 1-for-4 for the Mets and made some excellent defensive plays at third base.

Toronto starter Kevin Gausman (4-7) completed six innings, allowing one run on five hits. Luis Urias had two singles and a walk.

Cardinals 5, Braves 3

Matthew Liberatore threw five strong innings and Nathan Church ended a long homerless streak to lead St. Louis over host Atlanta.

Liberatore (4-5) allowed one run on one hit and four walks, striking out nine, to earn his first victory since May 31. Church blasted a three-run homer to cap a four-run rally in the fourth inning when the Cardinals took the lead. It was Church’s sixth home run but first since April 26.

Ozzie Albies drove in two runs for the Braves. Martin Perez (5-6) yielded four runs on five hits in five innings.

Brewers 7, Reds 2

Jake Bauers and Jackson Chourio homered and Brandon Sproat pitched effectively into the sixth inning as Milwaukee defeated visiting Cincinnati.

The Brewers have won six straight against the Reds, including all five games this season. Bauers and Sal Frelick each had three hits to pace Milwaukee’s 14-hit attack.

The Brewers gained control with four runs in the fourth off Rhett Lowder (3-6), opening the inning with five consecutive singles en route to a 5-1 lead. Sproat (3-4) allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Rays 10, Royals 4

Junior Caminero homered in his fifth consecutive game, a three-run shot to highlight Tampa Bay’s six-run third inning, and the Rays won their sixth straight game, beating host Kansas City.

Ryan Vilade also homered and Griffin Jax (4-5) allowed three runs and struck out five over six innings to win his third straight start for the Rays. Caminero has clubbed eight of his 23 home runs in the past seven games.

Bobby Witt Jr. socked a two-run homer in the third and an eighth-inning solo shot as part of a three-hit night for the Royals, who have lost five of six.

Astros 6, Twins 4

Yordan Alvarez capped a six-run fourth inning with his third grand slam of the season as Houston rallied past visiting Minnesota.

Alvarez tied the franchise record with his seventh career grand slam, joining Alex Bregman, Carlos Lee and Jose Altuve. It was his 26th home run of the season. The Astros evened the three-game series at one win apiece behind Alvarez and a resilient effort from Mike Burrows (4-8), who overcame a ragged first inning to go five frames of four-run ball.

Twins starter Joe Ryan (5-5) permitted six runs on six hits in four innings. Ryan Kreidler hit a two-run single, and Kody Clemens produced two hits and two runs.

Marlins 14, Rockies 3

Javier Sanoja, Joe Mack and Owen Caissie each hit a home run in Miami’s blowout win over Colorado in Denver.

Sanoja hit a three-run shot in the third, extending the Marlins’ lead to 5-1. Mack’s two-run blast in the seventh and Caissie’s three-run homer in the eighth were late highlights from a huge offensive game for the Marlins, who have won six of their past seven.

Eury Perez (4-6) earned the win in his second start since returning from the injured list. Perez struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on two hits and four walks. Mickey Moniak homered for the Rockies. Tanner Gordon was tagged for five runs in five innings.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #MLB #roundup #Dodgers #Dave #Roberts #fastest #wins">Deadspin | MLB roundup: Dodgers’ Dave Roberts becomes fastest to 1,000 wins Jun 30, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) gestures towards the crowd after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Athletics as he earns his 1000th career win as a manager at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images Tommy Edman had four hits, including a homer, and drove in four while manager Dave Roberts recorded his 1,000th career regular-season victory as the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the Athletics 9-3 on Tuesday in West Sacramento, Calif. Roberts, who is in his 11th season, became the fourth manager in Dodgers history to reach the 1,000-victory mark. Roberts’ 1,606 career games (1,000-606) are the fewest needed to reach 1,000 wins, 35 fewer games than the previous fastest mark, held by Cap Anson (1875-98). Miguel Rojas also went deep and drove in two runs and Mookie Betts had three hits as the Dodgers won for the seventh time in their past eight games. Los Angeles had 14 hits for a total of 31 over two nights while dominating the A’s both times. Justin Wrobleski (10-2) struck out a career-high 11 while throwing seven innings of three-run ball for Los Angeles. Colby Thomas went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer for the A’s. Jeffrey Springs (3-8) gave up six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. Mariners 8, Angels 3 Bryan Woo set the single-season record for most consecutive scoreless innings at T-Mobile Park as Seattle defeated visiting Los Angeles. Woo opened with six scoreless frames to reach 32 overall before reliever Eduard Bazardo allowed a pair of inherited runners to score in the seventh. Woo (7-6), who won his fifth straight home start, was charged with two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander walked one and struck out five. The Mariners managed just three hits off Angels starter Jose Soriano (8-5) through the first five innings before opening the sixth with three straight singles against him to break a scoreless tie and spark a five-run inning. Phillies 8, Pirates 0 Cristopher Sanchez worked seven strong innings while guiding Philadelphia to a win over visiting Pittsburgh. Sanchez (10-3) allowed just three hits and two walks, striking out nine as he became the first starting pitcher to reach 10 wins this season. Justin Crawford had three hits and three RBIs for the Phillies, while Trea Turner added a homer, a double and three RBIs on his 33rd birthday. Esmerlyn Valdez’s four-game homer streak came to an end, although the Pirates rookie still went 2-for-3 with a walk. Bubba Chandler (3-8) yielded five runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. Tigers 9, Yankees 3 Riley Greene belted a pair of homers in consecutive at-bats off Cam Schlittler, Tarik Skubal pitched six innings and visiting Detroit cruised past New York. The Tigers slugged five home runs against the Yankees for the first time since Aug. 30, 2018, as Kerry Carpenter, Spencer Torkelson and James Outman also went deep. Skubal (4-4) allowed two runs (one earned) and one hit while fanning nine. Ben Rice homered, but the Yankees lost their season-high sixth straight game. Schlittler (8-5) was tagged for a career-worst six runs on seven hits in four-plus innings. He served up four homers, also a career high. Cubs 9, Padres 7 Dansby Swanson led a long-ball barrage with two home runs, and host Chicago held on for a win over San Diego. Alex Bregman hit a three-run shot and Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong had solo homers for the Cubs, who won their fourth straight. Matthew Boyd (3-1) allowed three runs over five-plus innings. Ryan Rolison recorded the last out to earn his first career save. Fernando Tatis Jr. hit two home runs and Manny Machado and Gavin Sheets also homered for the Padres, who have lost four in a row. JP Sears (1-1) gave up seven runs (six earned) in 4 2/3 innings. White Sox 9, Orioles 3 Colson Montgomery and Junior Perez homered during a seven-run third inning as visiting Chicago beat Baltimore, taking the first two games of the three-game series. Jacob Gonzalez had three hits and drove in three runs and Andrew Benintendi provided three hits as the White Sox won for the sixth time in eight games. They will win a series against Baltimore for the first time since July 2021 regardless of the result in the Wednesday afternoon series finale. Chicago’s Erick Fedde (3-6) went five innings and yielded three runs on five hits. Gunnar Henderson had two hits and scored two runs for the Orioles, whose losing streak grew to four games. They have lost six of their past seven games. Rangers 4, Guardians 2 Cleveland left fielder Cooper Ingle threw the ball into the stands, incorrectly thinking it was the third out of the seventh inning, to bring home Ezequiel Duran as the go-ahead run, leading Texas past the host Guardians. Duran led off the seventh with a single against Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee and moved to second on a groundout by Evan Carter. Alejandro Osuna followed with a routine fly to Ingle, who caught it and promptly threw it over the screen into the crowd down the left field line. Jacob deGrom (7-5) earned his fourth victory in his past five decisions for the Rangers, striking out nine over seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Bibee (2-9) also worked seven strong innings but received the loss when Ingle committed what was scored as a two-base error and an unearned run. Nationals 8, Red Sox 1 Cade Cavalli allowed one hit and struck out a career-high 13 batters in seven innings as visiting Washington defeated Boston. The only run Boston scored against Cavalli (5-4) was unearned. He didn’t issue a walk in his 100-pitch outing. The Red Sox managed just four hits as their five-game winning streak ended. CJ Abrams homered as the Nationals won for the third time in four games and leveled the three-game series at one victory apiece. James Wood finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Diamondbacks 8, Giants 2 Arizona ran its season-long winning streak against San Francisco to eight games, riding home runs from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Ketel Marte to a victory in Phoenix. Recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A and making his first big-league start since April 11, Brandon Pfaadt (1-1) gave up one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Gurriel, Marte, Gabriel Moreno and Max Kepler had two hits apiece for the Diamondbacks. Luis Arraez singled, tripled and homered for the Giants, and Rafael Devers also went deep. Landen Roupp (5-8) permitted six runs and walked six in 2 2/3 innings. Mets 3, Blue Jays 0 Nolan McLean struck out seven in six scoreless innings and visiting New York defeated Toronto to split the first two of a three-game series. McLean (5-5) allowed five hits and two walks, while Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens provided support with solo home runs. Former Blue Jay Bo Bichette went 1-for-4 for the Mets and made some excellent defensive plays at third base. Toronto starter Kevin Gausman (4-7) completed six innings, allowing one run on five hits. Luis Urias had two singles and a walk. Cardinals 5, Braves 3 Matthew Liberatore threw five strong innings and Nathan Church ended a long homerless streak to lead St. Louis over host Atlanta. Liberatore (4-5) allowed one run on one hit and four walks, striking out nine, to earn his first victory since May 31. Church blasted a three-run homer to cap a four-run rally in the fourth inning when the Cardinals took the lead. It was Church’s sixth home run but first since April 26. Ozzie Albies drove in two runs for the Braves. Martin Perez (5-6) yielded four runs on five hits in five innings. Brewers 7, Reds 2 Jake Bauers and Jackson Chourio homered and Brandon Sproat pitched effectively into the sixth inning as Milwaukee defeated visiting Cincinnati. The Brewers have won six straight against the Reds, including all five games this season. Bauers and Sal Frelick each had three hits to pace Milwaukee’s 14-hit attack. The Brewers gained control with four runs in the fourth off Rhett Lowder (3-6), opening the inning with five consecutive singles en route to a 5-1 lead. Sproat (3-4) allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. Rays 10, Royals 4 Junior Caminero homered in his fifth consecutive game, a three-run shot to highlight Tampa Bay’s six-run third inning, and the Rays won their sixth straight game, beating host Kansas City. Ryan Vilade also homered and Griffin Jax (4-5) allowed three runs and struck out five over six innings to win his third straight start for the Rays. Caminero has clubbed eight of his 23 home runs in the past seven games. Bobby Witt Jr. socked a two-run homer in the third and an eighth-inning solo shot as part of a three-hit night for the Royals, who have lost five of six. Astros 6, Twins 4 Yordan Alvarez capped a six-run fourth inning with his third grand slam of the season as Houston rallied past visiting Minnesota. Alvarez tied the franchise record with his seventh career grand slam, joining Alex Bregman, Carlos Lee and Jose Altuve. It was his 26th home run of the season. The Astros evened the three-game series at one win apiece behind Alvarez and a resilient effort from Mike Burrows (4-8), who overcame a ragged first inning to go five frames of four-run ball. Twins starter Joe Ryan (5-5) permitted six runs on six hits in four innings. Ryan Kreidler hit a two-run single, and Kody Clemens produced two hits and two runs. Marlins 14, Rockies 3 Javier Sanoja, Joe Mack and Owen Caissie each hit a home run in Miami’s blowout win over Colorado in Denver. Sanoja hit a three-run shot in the third, extending the Marlins’ lead to 5-1. Mack’s two-run blast in the seventh and Caissie’s three-run homer in the eighth were late highlights from a huge offensive game for the Marlins, who have won six of their past seven. Eury Perez (4-6) earned the win in his second start since returning from the injured list. Perez struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on two hits and four walks. Mickey Moniak homered for the Rockies. Tanner Gordon was tagged for five runs in five innings. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #MLB #roundup #Dodgers #Dave #Roberts #fastest #wins

Kawhi Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to one of the most improbable championships in NBA history back in 2019 during his only season with the franchise. Leonard would leave for the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency weeks later, and ever since both parties have failed to recoup the same level of success they enjoyed together.

The idea of Leonard returning to Toronto felt like it was never going to happen, but things can change fast in the NBA. Six years after they teamed up on an unforgettable run to the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Kawhi and Raptors are together again.

Toronto acquired Leonard from the Clippers in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, 2031 and 2033 unprotected first-round draft picks, a 2027 first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks, according to Shams Charania.

The Raptors believe they can compete to win the East again with Leonard in tow. The Clippers are rebuilding. Let’s grade this trade for both sides.

Raptors grade for Kawhi Leonard deal

Toronto returned to the playoffs last year after three years in the wilderness, and pushing an eventual conference finalist in the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first-round. The Raptors mostly did it with defense, riding a top-5 unit to 46 wins while the offense was league-average. If Toronto wanted to improve this year, they had to boost the offense without sacrificing the defense, and they did exactly that by landing Leonard.

Kawhi immediately fixes a lot of Toronto’s biggest issues if he can stay healthy. He gives them half-court shot creation, three-point shooting, and another ferocious wing defender who can roam off the ball as his younger teammates take on tougher assignments. Leonard quietly had one of the best years of his career at 34 years old last season, putting up a career-best 43.3 points per 100 possessions while also rebounding the ball as well as ever. He graded out as the fifth-best player in the league last season by EPM, and finished even better than that in a lot of other all-in-one advanced metrics.

You don’t need a fancy algorithm to tell you Kawhi is really good at basketball when he’s on the floor. He’s a super efficient scorer from all three levels who doesn’t turn the ball over, rebounds well, and can still be a terror defensively. It’s pretty amazing that Toronto was able to land him without really giving up much value.

Ingram had a nice year last season, but he was absolutely not on a team-friendly contract with $82 million owed to him over the next two seasons. Dick has mostly been a bust. This is all about Toronto giving up two future first-round picks and a pick swap. You can argue the Raptors are mortgaging their future to chase a championship right now with Kawhi, but he’s worth it as long as he can stay on the floor. It’s wild that the Raptors gave up more draft capital to get Kawhi in 2026 than they did in 2018.

The only risk here for the Raptors comes with Kawhi’s looming contract extension. He’s 35, and obviously he has a long history of not being healthy before this past season. Judging this move in a vacuum, though, it’s a home run for Toronto. I don’t know why other possible contenders didn’t get in on the bidding.

Clippers grade for Kawhi Leonard deal

It’s understandable that the Clippers didn’t want to give Kawhi a contract extension, and that made trading him an easy choice. His value was never going to get higher than it is right now after a terrific season. I’m just not sure the Clippers got the best deal they could have.

The bidding for Kawhi seemed like it was a bit depressed because he indicated he was only willing to sign an extension with the Raptors or San Antonio Spurs. My response to that: who cares! Leonard is so good that other contenders should have been trying to trade for him. We’ve already seen him lead a championship run as a rental, and it might actually be a good thing for another team that he won’t take a contract extension right now if his body breaks down again. I think Denver, Boston, Detroit, Philly, and more should have gotten in on the bidding. The Raptors’ offer wasn’t that strong.

My guess is the Clippers flip Ingram either at the trade deadline or next summer as an expiring contract. The two first-round picks are the real prize here, and the Clippers did well to also get a future pick swap.

The Clippers’ future rests on the shoulders of No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler, with Darius Garland as a sub-headliner, and now they have more future assets to continue to build around them. LA has a lot of work to do, but getting out of the Kawhi business is a smart move because they couldn’t compete for a title with him. They did well in this trade for an expiring contract.

#Kawhi #Leonard #trade #grades #Raptors #Clippers #blockbuster #returns #legend #Toronto">Kawhi Leonard trade grades for Raptors, Clippers blockbuster that returns legend to Toronto Kawhi Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to one of the most improbable championships in NBA history back in 2019 during his only season with the franchise. Leonard would leave for the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency weeks later, and ever since both parties have failed to recoup the same level of success they enjoyed together.The idea of Leonard returning to Toronto felt like it was never going to happen, but things can change fast in the NBA. Six years after they teamed up on an unforgettable run to the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Kawhi and Raptors are together again.Toronto acquired Leonard from the Clippers in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, 2031 and 2033 unprotected first-round draft picks, a 2027 first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks, according to Shams Charania.The Raptors believe they can compete to win the East again with Leonard in tow. The Clippers are rebuilding. Let’s grade this trade for both sides.Raptors grade for Kawhi Leonard dealToronto returned to the playoffs last year after three years in the wilderness, and pushing an eventual conference finalist in the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first-round. The Raptors mostly did it with defense, riding a top-5 unit to 46 wins while the offense was league-average. If Toronto wanted to improve this year, they had to boost the offense without sacrificing the defense, and they did exactly that by landing Leonard.Kawhi immediately fixes a lot of Toronto’s biggest issues if he can stay healthy. He gives them half-court shot creation, three-point shooting, and another ferocious wing defender who can roam off the ball as his younger teammates take on tougher assignments. Leonard quietly had one of the best years of his career at 34 years old last season, putting up a career-best 43.3 points per 100 possessions while also rebounding the ball as well as ever. He graded out as the fifth-best player in the league last season by EPM, and finished even better than that in a lot of other all-in-one advanced metrics.You don’t need a fancy algorithm to tell you Kawhi is really good at basketball when he’s on the floor. He’s a super efficient scorer from all three levels who doesn’t turn the ball over, rebounds well, and can still be a terror defensively. It’s pretty amazing that Toronto was able to land him without really giving up much value.Ingram had a nice year last season, but he was absolutely not on a team-friendly contract with million owed to him over the next two seasons. Dick has mostly been a bust. This is all about Toronto giving up two future first-round picks and a pick swap. You can argue the Raptors are mortgaging their future to chase a championship right now with Kawhi, but he’s worth it as long as he can stay on the floor. It’s wild that the Raptors gave up more draft capital to get Kawhi in 2026 than they did in 2018.The only risk here for the Raptors comes with Kawhi’s looming contract extension. He’s 35, and obviously he has a long history of not being healthy before this past season. Judging this move in a vacuum, though, it’s a home run for Toronto. I don’t know why other possible contenders didn’t get in on the bidding.Clippers grade for Kawhi Leonard dealIt’s understandable that the Clippers didn’t want to give Kawhi a contract extension, and that made trading him an easy choice. His value was never going to get higher than it is right now after a terrific season. I’m just not sure the Clippers got the best deal they could have.The bidding for Kawhi seemed like it was a bit depressed because he indicated he was only willing to sign an extension with the Raptors or San Antonio Spurs. My response to that: who cares! Leonard is so good that other contenders should have been trying to trade for him. We’ve already seen him lead a championship run as a rental, and it might actually be a good thing for another team that he won’t take a contract extension right now if his body breaks down again. I think Denver, Boston, Detroit, Philly, and more should have gotten in on the bidding. The Raptors’ offer wasn’t that strong.My guess is the Clippers flip Ingram either at the trade deadline or next summer as an expiring contract. The two first-round picks are the real prize here, and the Clippers did well to also get a future pick swap.The Clippers’ future rests on the shoulders of No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler, with Darius Garland as a sub-headliner, and now they have more future assets to continue to build around them. LA has a lot of work to do, but getting out of the Kawhi business is a smart move because they couldn’t compete for a title with him. They did well in this trade for an expiring contract. #Kawhi #Leonard #trade #grades #Raptors #Clippers #blockbuster #returns #legend #Toronto

according to Shams Charania.

The Raptors believe they can compete to win the East again with Leonard in tow. The Clippers are rebuilding. Let’s grade this trade for both sides.

Raptors grade for Kawhi Leonard deal

Toronto returned to the playoffs last year after three years in the wilderness, and pushing an eventual conference finalist in the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first-round. The Raptors mostly did it with defense, riding a top-5 unit to 46 wins while the offense was league-average. If Toronto wanted to improve this year, they had to boost the offense without sacrificing the defense, and they did exactly that by landing Leonard.

Kawhi immediately fixes a lot of Toronto’s biggest issues if he can stay healthy. He gives them half-court shot creation, three-point shooting, and another ferocious wing defender who can roam off the ball as his younger teammates take on tougher assignments. Leonard quietly had one of the best years of his career at 34 years old last season, putting up a career-best 43.3 points per 100 possessions while also rebounding the ball as well as ever. He graded out as the fifth-best player in the league last season by EPM, and finished even better than that in a lot of other all-in-one advanced metrics.

You don’t need a fancy algorithm to tell you Kawhi is really good at basketball when he’s on the floor. He’s a super efficient scorer from all three levels who doesn’t turn the ball over, rebounds well, and can still be a terror defensively. It’s pretty amazing that Toronto was able to land him without really giving up much value.

Ingram had a nice year last season, but he was absolutely not on a team-friendly contract with $82 million owed to him over the next two seasons. Dick has mostly been a bust. This is all about Toronto giving up two future first-round picks and a pick swap. You can argue the Raptors are mortgaging their future to chase a championship right now with Kawhi, but he’s worth it as long as he can stay on the floor. It’s wild that the Raptors gave up more draft capital to get Kawhi in 2026 than they did in 2018.

The only risk here for the Raptors comes with Kawhi’s looming contract extension. He’s 35, and obviously he has a long history of not being healthy before this past season. Judging this move in a vacuum, though, it’s a home run for Toronto. I don’t know why other possible contenders didn’t get in on the bidding.

Clippers grade for Kawhi Leonard deal

It’s understandable that the Clippers didn’t want to give Kawhi a contract extension, and that made trading him an easy choice. His value was never going to get higher than it is right now after a terrific season. I’m just not sure the Clippers got the best deal they could have.

The bidding for Kawhi seemed like it was a bit depressed because he indicated he was only willing to sign an extension with the Raptors or San Antonio Spurs. My response to that: who cares! Leonard is so good that other contenders should have been trying to trade for him. We’ve already seen him lead a championship run as a rental, and it might actually be a good thing for another team that he won’t take a contract extension right now if his body breaks down again. I think Denver, Boston, Detroit, Philly, and more should have gotten in on the bidding. The Raptors’ offer wasn’t that strong.

My guess is the Clippers flip Ingram either at the trade deadline or next summer as an expiring contract. The two first-round picks are the real prize here, and the Clippers did well to also get a future pick swap.

The Clippers’ future rests on the shoulders of No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler, with Darius Garland as a sub-headliner, and now they have more future assets to continue to build around them. LA has a lot of work to do, but getting out of the Kawhi business is a smart move because they couldn’t compete for a title with him. They did well in this trade for an expiring contract.

#Kawhi #Leonard #trade #grades #Raptors #Clippers #blockbuster #returns #legend #Toronto">Kawhi Leonard trade grades for Raptors, Clippers blockbuster that returns legend to Toronto

Kawhi Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to one of the most improbable championships in NBA history back in 2019 during his only season with the franchise. Leonard would leave for the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency weeks later, and ever since both parties have failed to recoup the same level of success they enjoyed together.

The idea of Leonard returning to Toronto felt like it was never going to happen, but things can change fast in the NBA. Six years after they teamed up on an unforgettable run to the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Kawhi and Raptors are together again.

Toronto acquired Leonard from the Clippers in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, 2031 and 2033 unprotected first-round draft picks, a 2027 first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks, according to Shams Charania.

The Raptors believe they can compete to win the East again with Leonard in tow. The Clippers are rebuilding. Let’s grade this trade for both sides.

Raptors grade for Kawhi Leonard deal

Toronto returned to the playoffs last year after three years in the wilderness, and pushing an eventual conference finalist in the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first-round. The Raptors mostly did it with defense, riding a top-5 unit to 46 wins while the offense was league-average. If Toronto wanted to improve this year, they had to boost the offense without sacrificing the defense, and they did exactly that by landing Leonard.

Kawhi immediately fixes a lot of Toronto’s biggest issues if he can stay healthy. He gives them half-court shot creation, three-point shooting, and another ferocious wing defender who can roam off the ball as his younger teammates take on tougher assignments. Leonard quietly had one of the best years of his career at 34 years old last season, putting up a career-best 43.3 points per 100 possessions while also rebounding the ball as well as ever. He graded out as the fifth-best player in the league last season by EPM, and finished even better than that in a lot of other all-in-one advanced metrics.

You don’t need a fancy algorithm to tell you Kawhi is really good at basketball when he’s on the floor. He’s a super efficient scorer from all three levels who doesn’t turn the ball over, rebounds well, and can still be a terror defensively. It’s pretty amazing that Toronto was able to land him without really giving up much value.

Ingram had a nice year last season, but he was absolutely not on a team-friendly contract with $82 million owed to him over the next two seasons. Dick has mostly been a bust. This is all about Toronto giving up two future first-round picks and a pick swap. You can argue the Raptors are mortgaging their future to chase a championship right now with Kawhi, but he’s worth it as long as he can stay on the floor. It’s wild that the Raptors gave up more draft capital to get Kawhi in 2026 than they did in 2018.

The only risk here for the Raptors comes with Kawhi’s looming contract extension. He’s 35, and obviously he has a long history of not being healthy before this past season. Judging this move in a vacuum, though, it’s a home run for Toronto. I don’t know why other possible contenders didn’t get in on the bidding.

Clippers grade for Kawhi Leonard deal

It’s understandable that the Clippers didn’t want to give Kawhi a contract extension, and that made trading him an easy choice. His value was never going to get higher than it is right now after a terrific season. I’m just not sure the Clippers got the best deal they could have.

The bidding for Kawhi seemed like it was a bit depressed because he indicated he was only willing to sign an extension with the Raptors or San Antonio Spurs. My response to that: who cares! Leonard is so good that other contenders should have been trying to trade for him. We’ve already seen him lead a championship run as a rental, and it might actually be a good thing for another team that he won’t take a contract extension right now if his body breaks down again. I think Denver, Boston, Detroit, Philly, and more should have gotten in on the bidding. The Raptors’ offer wasn’t that strong.

My guess is the Clippers flip Ingram either at the trade deadline or next summer as an expiring contract. The two first-round picks are the real prize here, and the Clippers did well to also get a future pick swap.

The Clippers’ future rests on the shoulders of No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler, with Darius Garland as a sub-headliner, and now they have more future assets to continue to build around them. LA has a lot of work to do, but getting out of the Kawhi business is a smart move because they couldn’t compete for a title with him. They did well in this trade for an expiring contract.

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