The second round of the 2026 PGA Championship is complete, the cut has been made, and Moving Day awaits at the year’s second major. What does Round 3 have in store?

Let’s break it all down. Here are five things to know for Saturday at Aronimink.

The leaders

The crowded first-round leaderboard got a little more streamlined after Round 2, with two players emerging from the heap: Alex Smalley and Maverick McNealy, who, at four under par overall, are one shot ahead of the rest of the field. Just behind them, though, are six players at three under and seven more at two under — a group that includes major winners Hideki Matsuyama (three under), Justin Thomas (two under) and Scottie Scheffler (two under).

Golf is a fickle game, and over the course of four rounds, pretty much anything can happen. Case in point: Scottie Scheffler, the four-time major winner and defending champion who entered the week as the prohibitive betting favorite. Scheffler looked rock-solid on Thursday, surging to a share of the lead at three under par. But on Friday, Scheffler’s bogeys outnumbered his birdies, 4-3. At two under overall through 36 holes, he’s far from out of it, but the off day is proof that Aronimink has some teeth, and lifting the Wanamaker trophy on Sunday isn’t going to come easy — even for the World No. 1.

Rory’s resurgence

Rory McIlroy’s PGA Championship prospects looked pretty grim after the first round, when four straight bogeys resulted in a score of four-over 74 — and a placement of T105 on the leaderboard. But the six-time major winner dug deep on Friday, firing a three-under 67 to launch himself 75 spots up the leaderboard to one over par — not only deep into the safe side of the cut line but also well within striking distance for the next 36 holes. Just like that, the reigning Masters champion is only five shots back.

A club pro’s triumph

At this PGA Championship, the club-pro storylines centered once again on Michael Block, who enjoyed a star turn when he finished T15 at Oak Hill in 2023. Of the 20 club pros who qualified for this week’s field, Block appeared to be the best bet for the top finish, especially after he posted an opening round of even par on Thursday. But a second-round 75 put him on the wrong side of the cut line by one shot. In his place, however, another club pro shined. Ohio’s Ben Kern posted rounds of 74-67 to sit at one over par (T30). Kern is the lone club pro to make the cut this year.

This is Kern’s third appearance at the PGA Championship, and he’s actually made the cut once before, in 2018 at Bellerive, when he finished T42. So far, he’s well-positioned to top that mark this year.

Moving Day awaits

Ravichandran Ashwin might see the Chennai Super Kings as the franchise closest to his heart, but he is also agonised by the troubled times the Punjab Kings have had to face recently. After going unbeaten in seven matches on the trot, PBKS went on to lose five matches in a row. Two of these matches took place in Dharamsala, their second home venue. While the likes of Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, and even Sunrisers Hyderabad — the most successful franchises in the league — continue to play all of their home matches at a single venue, Ashwin didn’t mince his words as he blasted the Punjab Kings owners to pick two different venues for the team.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Ashwin questioned why Punjab picked two different home venues while traditional top teams like CSK, KKR, MI, and SRH continue to play their home games at a single stadium.

“Let me ask you a question. KKR, CSK, and MI, the three teams that have won the highest number of trophies-3, 5, and 5-out of the 19 seasons, they have won 13 trophies in total. SRH has won two (Deccan Chargers and SRH). Take it as 15. Have these teams ever changed their home venue?” Ashwin said in the video.

“Look, we can say from the outside that Punjab aren’t doing well, but because I have personally been there, I know it is wrong. We won five matches in Mohali, then we changed venues and got knocked out of the tournament,” he added.

No Permanent Fortress: The Hidden Reason Behind Punjab’s Struggles

Ashwin: KKR, CSK, and MI are three teams that have won a lot of trophies – between them, they hold 13 trophies. Have these teams ever changed their home venues

We can all say that Punjab is struggling with… pic.twitter.com/kXixirotiR

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— AkCricTalks(@AKCricTalks) May 16, 2026

Punjab find themselves in a situation where they need to win both of their remaining games to secure a top-four spot. However, one of these matches will be played in Dharamsala. Ashwin feels the venue change is to blame for the below-par performance from the Shreyas Iyer-led side, as they haven’t been able to adapt to the conditions quickly enough.

“So, I am saying that, sure, Punjab have suffered consecutive defeats, but they are not playing in Mullanpur; they are playing in Dharamsala, where the wicket is not that good to bat first on. The ball stays a little low in the first half, so it will take time for them to adapt.

“Their batting order is scoring 30-40 runs fewer, or 20 runs fewer, because they have to adapt. We can all say that Punjab are struggling and have suffered five consecutive defeats, or that ‘this is what happens in Punjab’. No, they have played two of those games at a changed home venue,” he said.

While there is little that can be done as far as the schedule for the remainder of the IPL 2026 season is concerned, Ashwin has a direct question for the organisers: why are Punjab Kings being made to shuffle across different home venues while others play at the same stadium?

Featured Video Of The Day

Tushar Deshpande’s Brilliant Final Act Ensures Thrilling Win For RR Over Gujarat Titans

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings’ Scottie Thompson during a game vs Phoenix Fuel Masters in the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals. –PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines—Barangay Ginebra Scottie Thompson had one thing in mind during the Gin Kings’ PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals affair with Phoenix.

There can’t be a second game.

Following Ginebra’s 112-81 domination of the Fuel Masters at Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo on Friday, Thompson said his eagerness to end the series in just one game served as fuel for his stellar performance.

“We didn’t want to think that we should play one more game,” he said. “We didn’t want to think that way. We just wanted to focus on this game and this game alone.”

“Every possession counted. We didn’t want another game because it would’ve been a 50-50 game, if ever. Phoenix is a tough team for us.”

Thompson turned in an all-around effort of 16 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.

The Ginebra floor general backstopped import Justin Brownlee, who had 24 points, five rebounds and five assists to send Phoenix packing.

Ginebra advanced to the semifinals for a best-of-seven series against Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, which earlier defeated San Miguel in its own quarterfinal bracket.

Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham (2) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers’ Dean Wade (32) in the first half of Game 6 of a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Friday, May 15, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

CLEVELAND — Cade Cunningham scored 21 points and the top-seeded Detroit Pistons dominated the second half, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-94 on Friday night to force a Game 7 in their NBA Eastern Conference second-round series.

The decisive game is Sunday in Detroit.

“It’s going to be a fun environment for us and we’re excited to get back to the crib,” Cunningham said.

READ: NBA Playoffs: Pistons on brink of elimination after blowing lead

The Pistons’ 21-point victory tied a 66-year-old NBA playoff record for the largest Game 6 road win by a team trailing 3-2 in a series. The St. Louis Hawks beat the Minneapolis Lakers 117-96 in a the 1960 West Division finals.

Jalen Duren had 15 points and 11 rebounds while Daniss Jenkins also scored 15 for the Pistons, who have won four games this postseason when facing elimination.

They were down 3-1 to Orlando before winning the last three to advance out of the first round.

“We did what needed to be done. When we’re at our best, it’s the defense and the physicality that’s going to carry us,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “I was pleased that we were allowed to play our style of basketball tonight where we can be legally physical and handsy, and just make it difficult on people.”

READ: NBA Playoffs: Cavaliers rally past Pistons in OT for 3-2 lead

Cunningham made five 3-pointers as the Pistons went 16 of 36 from beyond the arc, tied for their most this preseason. Duncan Robinson, who missed Wednesday’s Game 5 with a lower back injury, had four 3-pointers and scored 14 points off the bench.

Paul Reed also had 17 points as Detroit’s reserves outscored Cleveland’s 48-19.

“It has been a collective effort. We needed every bit of it. Great team win,” Cunningham said.

Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren (0) shoots as Cleveland Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley (4) defends in the first half of Game 6 of a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Friday, May 15, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

James Harden scored 23 points for Cleveland, which suffered its first home loss of the postseason. Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley scored 18 apiece.

“We never really kicked it to that second level. And we need to get to that third and fourth level. It was never just a consistent flow at either end of the floor, which is frustrating,” Harden said.

Detroit asserted its will on the offensive boards and took advantage of Cleveland turnovers. The Pistons converted 13 offensive rebounds into 20 points. The Cavaliers had 20 turnovers, which resulted in 28 Detroit points.

The Pistons were up 54-41 at halftime and started the second half with a 12-2 run. The Cavaliers rallied to get within 74-68 before the Pistons put it away with a 13-2 spurt.

Mobley missed a dunk and Marcus Sasser drove the length of the floor for a layup at the buzzer to give Detroit a 84-70 lead at the end of the third quarter.

“It starts with us in the starting lineup. We got hit in the mouth and we didn’t punch back,” Mitchell said.

In late October 2000, New York City was the epicenter of the baseball world, as the New York Yankees and New York Mets faced off in the 2000 World Series.

With the two teams set to face-off in a three-game series at Citi Field beginning on Friday night (watch Game 2 of the series on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app), here’s a look-back at the 2000 Subway Series.

Yankees Win Game 1 In Extras

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Irony from the jump.

The Mets sent Al Leiter, who spent the first two-plus seasons of his MLB career with the Yankees (1987-89), to the mound for Game 1 in Yankee Stadium, and the left-hander carved up his old team the first two times through the order.

Leiter kept the Yankees off the board through the first five innings, giving up just four baserunners on three hits and one walk. Then, the Yankees broke the ice in the bottom of the sixth inning.

After two of the first three runners of the inning got on base, left fielder David Justice laced a two-run double to left-center field, giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead. With that said, after six scoreless innings from Andy Pettitte, the Mets got to the Yankees’ left-hander in the top of the seventh. After back-to-back singles and a walk, pinch hitter Bubba Trammell leveled the score at 2-all for the Mets with a two-run single. Two batters later, Pettitte was relieved by right-hander Jeff Nelson, who gave up a go-ahead single to second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo.

The Yankees didn’t plate a run in the seventh or eighth innings, but they managed to send the game to extra innings on a Chuck Knoblauch sacrifice fly in the ninth. Both teams went scoreless in the 10th and 11th innings, with the Yankees stranding two runners in both innings and also doing so after tying the game in the ninth.

In the bottom of the 12th, the Yankees finally got the winning run home, as second baseman José Vizcaíno hit a walk-off single with two outs in the inning.

The 2000 World Series marked the first time that two New York baseball teams met in the World Series since 1956, when the Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in seven games. (Photo by Al Tielemans/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X61664 TK1 R13 F14)

Vizcaíno finished with a game-high four hits for the Yankees, who won 4-3.

A Contentious Game 2

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Yeah, drama was aplenty in Game 2.

In the top of the first, Mets star Mike Piazza broke his bat on a foul ball, and part of the bat went to Yankees starter Roger Clemens, who hurled that piece of the bat down the first-base line where Piazza was standing at the time. Both benches cleared temporarily, but no one was ejected, and the inning resumed moments later, with Piazza grounding out to end the inning.

The Yankees went 4-2 against the Mets in the 2000 regular season. (Photo by John Iacono /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X61660 TK2 R7 F28)

That skirmish has continually distracted from the memory of Clemens dominating the Mets in Game 2 from start to finish. The eventual seven-time Cy Young Award winner pitched eight scoreless innings, posting nine strikeouts and only surrendering two baserunners (two hits).

As for the Yankees’ bats, they went right to work on Mets left-hander Mike Hampton, with first baseman Tino Martinez and catcher Jorge Posada each driving in a run on a single in the bottom of the first. Third baseman Scott Brosius then led off the bottom of the second with a solo home run. A fifth-inning Paul O’Neill single, a seventh-inning sacrifice fly from Brosius and an eighth-inning RBI single from Martinez — who, along with Yankees star shortstop Derek Jeter, had a game-high three hits — would give the Yankees a 6-0 lead entering the ninth inning.

But then it got dicey for the Yankees — like, wildly dicey.

Nelson began the ninth inning for the Yankees and proceeded to give up a single, a two-run home run to Piazza and then another single, forcing manager Joe Torre to go to Mariano Rivera, who also struggled. While Rivera got out two of the first four batters that he faced, MLB’s eventual all-time saves leader (652) proceeded to give up a three-run homer to center fielder Jay Payton, making it a 6-5 game.

All that said, Rivera got infielder Kurt Abbott to strikeout looking to end it, with the Yankees evading a catastrophe, winning 6-5 and taking a 2-0 series lead to Queens.

The Mets Wake Up

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One could argue that the ninth inning of Game 2 gave the Mets some momentum that they capitalized on in Game 3.

The Metropolitans struck first in Game 3, as third baseman Robin Ventura hit a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the second. Granted, the Yankees tied the game with a third-inning RBI double from Justice and took the lead in the fourth on an RBI triple from O’Neill.

Mets first baseman Todd Zeile evened the score at 2-all in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI double, and they took the lead for good in the eighth on an RBI double from left fielder Benny Agbayani. Later in the inning, Trammell drove in another run on a sacrifice fly, and Armando Benítez shut the door on a Game 3 win for the Mets in the top of the ninth.

The Mets won 94 games in the 2000 regular season, while the Yankees won 87 games. AFP PHOTO/Don EMMERT (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images)

As for the pitching performances, right-hander Rick Reed got through six innings for the Mets, while the Yankees stayed with Orlando Hernández (AKA “El Duque”) through 7 ⅓ innings and had him throw 134 pitches; the right-hander was credited for all four earned runs. 

The Yankees Send The Mets Back To Bed

The air in Shea Stadium evaporated on the first pitch.

Jeter smacked the first pitch thrown by Mets’ starter Bobby Jones into the left-field seats, giving the Bronx Bombers the early edge. The following inning, Brosius drove in a run on a sacrifice fly, with the Yankees tacking on a third run in the third on an RBI ground out from second baseman Luis Sojo.

Those three runs would be all the Yankees needed.

Now, the Mets did promptly respond, as Piazza hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third, but it would be the last runs scored in a 3-2 Yankees victory.

Derek Jeter hit .317 in the 2000 MLB playoffs. (Photo by Al Tielemans /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X61704 TK4 R13 F24 )

For the Yankees, starter Denny Neagle lasted just 4 ⅔ innings, but David Cone, Nelson, Mike Stanton and Rivera combined for 4 ⅓ scoreless innings of relief and gave up just three total baserunners (two hits and one walk) — and Rivera got a two-inning save.

Yankees Pull Off The 3-Peat

The Yankees didn’t just win the 2000 Subway Series: They won it in Queens.

Center fielder Bernie Williams brought in the first run of the game on a solo home run in the top of the second, but the Mets scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning on an infield error off the bat of Leiter and then an infield hit by Agbayani. Later, “The Captain” evened the score at 2-all, as Jeter hit a solo homer in the sixth.

The Mets rode with Leiter until the cows came home, as the southpaw was still on the mound with two outs in the ninth inning, but Sojo delivered the final blow for the Yankees, hitting a go-ahead, two-run single, which knocked Leiter out of the game; he threw 142 pitches. Meanwhile, the Yankees got seven innings from Pettitte, who threw 129 pitches.

Rivera closed out Game 5 for the Yankees in the bottom of the ninth, putting a bow on the first three-peat in MLB since the Oakland Athletics accomplished the feat from 1972-74, and it remains the sport’s most recent three-peat.

The Yankees won four World Series in five years from 1996-2000. (Photo by Ken Sawchuk/Newsday RM via Getty Images)

Jeter was the 2000 World Series MVP, as the Hall of Fame shortstop — who’s sixth in MLB history with 3,465 career hits — went 9 for 22, hit two home runs and finished the series with a .409/.480/.864 slash line. Meanwhile, O’Neill finished the Subway Series with nine hits and posted a .474/.545/.789 slash line; Brosius finished with a .308/.389/.538 slash line; Martinez hit .364; Pettitte pitched a combined 13 ⅔ innings over his two starts, recording a 1.98 ERA.

For the Mets, Zeile had a team-high eight hits, while Piazza had two home runs and a series-high four RBIs; Leiter pitched a combined 15 ⅔ innings.

A five-game, best-of-seven series is what it is: a convincing series win for the victors. With that said, all five games in the Subway Series were decided by two or fewer runs, the Yankees out-scored the Mets 19-16, and it marks the only time that the two teams have squared off in the World Series.

This was the closest thing the New York sports world has received since the Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants did battle in countless World Series before the Dodgers and Giants moved to the West Coast.

Always the bridesmaids, eh Minnesota? For the third straight season, the Timberwolves have outperformed playoff expectations. Their 2024 upset over the Denver Nuggets is one of the more memorable playoff series in recent memory. They reached the Western Conference Finals as a No. 6 seed a year ago, and they once again slayed Nikola Jokić in the first round this season before falling to Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs in six games in the second round. There is clearly something in the DNA of this team that translates to the postseason. As a group, they are playoff risers.

As a collection of individuals, they have lately seemed outgunned. Minnesota’s only legitimate shot at a championship came in 2024. They had home-court advantage in the Western Conference Finals. They’d played two overtime games against the eventual champion Celtics in the regular season and went 3-1 against Dallas in the regular season. But Karl-Anthony Towns had the most disastrously timed slump of his career. He shot 15 of 54 in Games 1, 2 and 3 against the Mavericks. That gave Luka Dončić enough room to squeak out three single-digit victories. Minnesota couldn’t recover. The Mavericks reached the 2024 NBA Finals.

Months later, Towns was gone. Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick took his place in a move that was seemingly financially motivated. Minnesota was afraid of paying Towns supermax money with Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert making the max as well and a new Jaden McDaniels deal looming. The ups and downs of Towns’ journey with the Knicks have been well-chronicled. At various points, Minnesota has been widely declared the trade’s winner.

Yet they’ve had an undeniably Towns-shaped hole in their roster in their past two playoff defeats. The Timberwolves and Thunder played only two games in last year’s Western Conference Finals decided by less than 25 points in Oklahoma City’s favor. Randle scored 11 combined points in those two competitive games. Through the first five games of Minnesota’s loss to San Antonio this year, Edwards was the only Timberwolf to average more than 15.2 points per game. Randle, brought in to replace Towns, was at 14.8.

Beating Oklahoma City last year and San Antonio this year wasn’t really a reasonable expectation for the Timberwolves in either series, and you can’t boil down those defeats to any single factor more complex than “those teams were way more talented.” But if you were to point to the single thing Minnesota most lacked, it would probably be a second, genuine offensive star. Without one, those stout opposing defenses could key in further on Edwards. He averaged just 23 points in the Oklahoma City series and resolved to work on his mid-range and post games to give himself more ways to score tough, contested points. He improved significantly on those fronts this season, but played hurt against the Spurs. He surely would’ve been better healthy. He also probably would have benefitted from the presence of another All-Star level scorer.

Missing KAT?

The scorer the Wolves gave up is currently lighting the Eastern Conference on fire. The Knicks have won their last seven games by 185 combined points. Through 10 games, Towns has a playoff Box Plus-Minus of 14.4. Forget about leading this year’s postseason. According to Mat Issa, only three other players have ever done that across a postseason that included at least 10 games: 2009 LeBron James, 1991 Michael Jordan and 2017 Kawhi Leonard. Pretty good company!

The Wolves, again, chose depth. Circumstance has slowly chipped away at that depth. Nickeil Alexander-Walker walked after last season as the Timberwolves elected to duck the second apron. He immediately became the NBA’s Most Improved Player. Mike Conley will be 39 at the start of next season. He overperformed in this postseason, but he’s no longer a starting-caliber player. DiVincenzo tour his Achilles tendon against Denver. He’ll miss all or most of next season.

The Timberwolves have done an admirable job of recovering. Ayo Dosunmu proved a critical Alexander-Walker replacement. Terrence Shannon Jr., a late first-round pick, gave them good minutes this postseason. But without someone doing the heavy offensive lifting alongside Edwards, it’s just hard to imagine Minnesota ever really competing with the Spurs or Thunder. That’s where Tim Connelly’s two other big swings enter the equation.

The Rudy Gobert (and Rob Dillingham) trades in hindsight

The Rudy Gobert trade, in a vacuum, was good. It turned the Wolves into perpetual bridesmaids after decades of never getting invited to the wedding. It’s also the single biggest reason they may not get to be the bride.

Gobert has lived up to every reasonable expectation Minnesota could have had for him. This has been, bar none, the most successful era in franchise history, and Gobert’s defense is among the drivers of Minnesota’s “playoff riser” track record. He’s vital to their culture. He’s generated star-level value. And the cost of acquiring him was still simply too great.

That has less to do with the actual assets traded — though Walker Kessler becoming a reasonable Gobert facsimile at a tiny fraction of the cost certainly stings — than it does the opportunity cost of the deal. Having Anthony Edwards unlocks potential trade acquisitions that would otherwise be unfathomable to a market like Minnesota. Had the Timberwolves kept their picks, his recruiting power would have opened just about any star acquisition door in basketball. We got reports in February that Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to play with him. That door, at least without the inclusion of rising star Jaden McDaniels, is probably closed with those picks gone.

The Timberwolves made an all-in push when Edwards was 20. That push got him deep into the playoffs far earlier than many of his contemporaries and lifted the franchise to previously unreached heights. But the trade also nudged Towns out the door and seemingly placed a cap on the upside of the roster they’d be putting around Edwards in his mid-20s. He’s 24 right now, probably not even at his peak. Yet his next two highest-paid teammates are 33 (Gobert) and 31 (Randle), likely trending down, and his team has almost no draft capital with which to build around him. Without the tools to go get Edwards a genuine, star-level sidekick, Minnesota appears, at least for the time being, locked behind Oklahoma City and San Antonio in the Western Conference pecking order.

Lead Timberwolves executive Tim Connelly seemingly foresaw these potential issues and took a somewhat drastic step in order to try to avert them. In 2024, he traded his unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a top-1 protected first-round swap in 2030 to snag the No. 8 overall pick. He used it on Rob Dillingham. 

The concept was sound. Because of the Gobert trade, Minnesota no longer had the assets to trade for a traditional, veteran star when one would eventually become needed, and because of their salary crunch, they wouldn’t have been able to afford bringing in such a player anyway without slicing through the identity of the roster they’d already built. So they took a big swing on Dillingham, betting that they could develop him into the long-term No. 2 scorer that they would need, and thanks to the four cheap years on his rookie deal, they could do so without his presence interrupting the roster they already had.

That bet went bust. It’s too early to say that Dillingham simply isn’t that caliber of player, but he wasn’t in Minnesota. The Timberwolves didn’t trust him enough for a substantial role. He wound up becoming the bait to get Dosunmu as an Alexander-Walker replacement at this year’s trade deadline.

And that takes us to where the Timberwolves sit today. They are only around $26 million below next year’s projected second apron line, but with only 10 roster spots accounted for. One Dosunmu is re-signed, they’re probably going to come close to that line. Their only tradable future first-round pick this offseason is their 2033 selection. They are therefore mostly bereft of financial flexibility and draft capital to move with right as the second-best player in franchise history (at least) hits his prime. If the goal is merely to remain in the mix, the Timberwolves are fine where they are. If the goal is to improve enough to compete seriously with the Thunder and Spurs and ultimately win a championship, circumstances are getting quietly dire.

What’s next and potential targets

Connelly may take another run at Antetokounmpo. He’s among the most aggressive general managers in basketball, he’s not going to sit still. But the only asset Minnesota has that could seriously move that needle is McDaniels, and he’s the best player they have whose age is aligned with Edwards’. In addition to the depth you’d have to sacrifice in going after Antetokounmpo, you’d be giving up a chance for Edwards and McDaniels to be franchise pillars for the next decade. 

Given the offensive steps McDaniels took this season, that would be an awfully bitter pill to swallow. He’s not the No. 2 option they need, but he doesn’t need to be since his value is primarily derived from being one of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders. That he’s consistently creating his own shots and making 3s now is more than enough. He’s a star in his role even if he isn’t a star in the broader NBA context. Turn him and a bunch of other stuff into Antetokounmpo, and Minnesota would be left with perhaps the NBA’s best duo, but serious questions virtually everywhere else on the roster. 

Is that worthwhile for a 31-year-old with injury issues? It’s debatable, and would depend on how much faith Minnesota has in its ability to successfully fill in the margins around those two. As Antetokounmpo reportedly prefers to stay in the Eastern Conference, though, it may be out of their hands.

Here’s the likelier path. The Timberwolves elect to keep the basic foundation of their roster together: Edwards as the centerpiece, McDaniels and Gobert as the defensive cornerstones, Dosunmu and Naz Reid as their bench core. From there, they consider pooling their few remaining valuable assets — that 2033 first-round pick, the No. 28 pick this year, their rookie contracts like Shannon and Joan Beringer — into a high-risk, high-reward addition that could potentially become that second option. The matching money would ideally start with Randle and potentially include DiVincenzo simply because of his injury.

The obvious name in this regard would be Ja Morant. The fit here is iffy. Shooting was never quite Minnesota’s strength even with DiVincenzo. Morant needs the ball in his hands to provide offensive value, and he’s rarely contributed much of anything defensively. The Timberwolves pride themselves on their defensive culture, and they’re not going to be overly eager to take the ball away from Edwards. Whether it’s Minnesota or somewhere else, Morant is about as all-or-nothing as an acquisition gets. There is a well-below 50% chance he recaptures the enormous rim pressure that made him a star, stays healthy and stays on the straight and narrow. If he does? He’s a superstar again. If he doesn’t, given his lack of role player skills, he’s an overpaid and underqualified supporting piece.

If you’re looking for a better basketball fit, the swing would be Kyrie Irving. We don’t yet know what Masai Ujiri plans to do with him, but he’s indicated that aside from Cooper Flagg, virtually everything in the organization is up for evaluation. Dallas is similarly asset-thin, as it owes out its first-round picks between 2027 and 2030. Irving would be a chance to replenish that base for Flagg’s timeline. He shoots and is at least capable of scaling up defensively in big moments. He’s also 34 and coming off of a torn ACL. If Minnesota tries this and it doesn’t work, it’s a borderline disaster.

Here’s an under-the-radar option: now that San Antonio knows Dylan Harper is bound for future stardom… how eager would the Spurs be to get off of the four-year max contract it owes to De’Aaron Fox? That probably depends on how the rest of their postseason goes. Minnesota was reportedly interested in Fox at last year’s trade deadline. He comes with some of the same theoretical concerns that Morant does, but not to nearly the same extremes. He’s not a good shooter or defender, but he’s functioning just fine on a team that plays great defense and has plenty of other ball-handlers.

This is probably as good as it gets when it comes to win-now star additions that don’t completely alter the fabric of the roster. The Timberwolves just don’t have the firepower to trade for anyone too much more exciting. That’s the alternative path here. If Minnesota determines it has no path to beating Oklahoma City or San Antonio in the next year or two, maybe now is the time to retrench.

That obviously wouldn’t mean blowing up the roster, but there is a deceptively young core here. Edwards, McDaniels, Reid, Dosunmu, Shannon, Beringer, Bones Hyland and Jaylen Clark are all 26 or younger. Perhaps the move here is seek value for the older players — Gobert, Randle, DiVincenzo if someone wants to take a flier on him returning next year or just get his Bird Rights for 2027 free agency — so that in a few years, they’re better-suited to take another real, big swing.

How much value is really out there for those players? Gobert just played the best defensive series anyone ever has on Jokić. Even at 33, he’d likely fetch a decent first-round pick. Randle is harder to peg, but lottery reform probably helps him in this regard. He’s a regular-season floor raiser, someone who takes a lot of shots and needs the ball in his hands a lot. He’s not good enough to do that for a true contender, but now that there’s suddenly value in winning 35 games, more teams might be interested.

Minnesota probably won’t ever regain the asset flexibility it spent on Gobert. That ship has sailed. But if they take a step back for a couple of years, quite a bit could open up for them. Their 2033 pick becomes tradable this offseason, and their 2035 pick unlocks two summers from now. If they’re mediocre in 2028, they can benefit from lottery reform since that’s one of the few remaining picks of their own that they still control. They are two years below the second apron away from unfreezing their 2032 pick. By then, they’ll have accumulated enough tradable draft capital combined with whatever they get for trading the old guys to potentially dive back into the deep end of the star trade pool. 

Who knows? Maybe the NBA expands in the next few years and Minnesota gets to move to the Eastern Conference. There’s no shame in taking the back door into the Finals. Towns may do that in New York this June.

Getting Edwards on board with stepping back would likely be a tough sell. He’s extension eligible this offseason, though he likely won’t sign since he’s not yet supermax eligible. He needs to sign off on any plan. He’s both young enough to justify a step back and good enough to justify a step forward.

The Timberwolves will need to decide on one of those paths, because there’s no path to the top of the West for this group. They weren’t competitive with the Thunder last year, and they would’ve lost to the Spurs in five were it not for an outlier Wembanyama ejection this season. Their plucky playoff over-performance just isn’t enough to overcome the substantial talent gap between them and the two best teams in the NBA.

China Media Group (CMG), the parent company of Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, has secured a major broadcasting agreement with FIFA for the upcoming World Cups, bringing an end to prolonged negotiations just weeks before the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Under the newly finalised agreement, CMG has obtained exclusive media and sublicensing rights in mainland China for four major FIFA tournaments, the men’s World Cups in 2026 and 2030, along with the Women’s World Cups in 2027 and 2031.

The rights package covers free-to-air television, paid broadcasting, online streaming, and mobile distribution platforms. 
However, the financial details of the agreement were not officially disclosed.

China remains one of football’s biggest global audiences, with an estimated 200 million fans following the sport despite limited recent success for the men’s national team, which has only qualified for one World Cup back in 2002.

FIFA Highlights Importance of Chinese Market

FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström welcomed the partnership and highlighted the significance of the Chinese audience in global football.

According to Chinese outlet The Paper, the broadcasting rights for the 2026 World Cup alone are reportedly valued at around $60 million.

Deal Trends Across Chinese Social Media

News of the agreement quickly became one of the most-discussed topics on Chinese social media platform Weibo, generating over 27 million views within 45 minutes of the announcement.

For previous editions of the World Cup, CCTV had typically finalised broadcasting agreements much earlier and launched extensive promotional campaigns ahead of kickoff.

Digital Streaming Expansion Expected

Reports suggest CCTV has approached China Mobile’s streaming platform Migu regarding a potential distribution partnership for the 2026 World Cup.

China has increasingly embraced digital streaming for major football events. During the 2018 World Cup, CCTV sublicensed streaming rights to Migu and Alibaba-owned Youku for the first time. In 2022, CMG further expanded distribution by partnering with Migu, Douyin, and regional television broadcasters.

AIFF Deputy General Secretary M Satyanarayan had expressed confidence that India’s massive football audience and commercial value make it highly unlikely for FIFA and major broadcasters to overlook the market entirely.

The delay in securing a deal is believed to stem from ongoing disagreements over broadcasting rights valuation. According to reports, FIFA has already reduced its original pricing expectations, but Indian broadcasters are still reluctant to match the revised figures, resulting in continued negotiations as the countdown to the tournament continues.