Why? Because the Pistons’ struggling All-Star center has been on the Lakers’ radar for the past few months, and the consensus was that the Memphis Product’s uninspiring play in the series could bolster Los Angeles’ odds of prying him from Detroit this summer.
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Considering that’s exactly what occurred, Lake Show Life’s Tyler Watts believes the Lakers could pull off a beneficial free agency move.
“Jalen Duren’s playoff struggles increased Lakers’ chances of stealing All-Star big man,” Watts wrote Monday.
“Luka wants a lob threat center to be his pick-and-roll partner. Duren scored 1.45 points per possession in those situations during the regular season, which is better than 91.8 percent of NBA players. Now imagine what he could do playing with the best pick-and-roll creator in the world?”
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“The 22-year-old big man must be put in positions to succeed. He shouldn’t be creating off the dribble or having to do too much. The Lakers are the perfect spot. Luka will feed him lobs and easy buckets at the rim. Duren can focus on protecting the rim and anchoring the defense.”
As Watts alluded to, Duren’s performance in the playoffs wasn’t an accurate representation of who he is as a player. In addition to being a low-post bruiser capable of bullying weaker opponents in the paint, Duren is an explosive vertical athlete who can track down just about any pass and finish above the rim emphatically.
Don’t sleep on the former lottery pick’s rim protection, either, as he’s fully capable of severely altering shots with his length and impressive hang time.
Of course, the Lakers’ chances of landing Duren will hinge on the Pistons’ stance on their 19.5 points-per-game center.
After drawing the highest bid at breeze-up sales, Tron Bolt is gearing up for a Group 1 challenge following his decisive midweek triumph at Randwick’s Kensington venue.
“There’s the Sires’ Produce in Queensland. It’s two-and-a-half weeks (away), or the same day at Rosehill there’s a 1300. It will be one of the two,” trainer Chris Waller said of Tron Bolt’s next start.
“Ideally, he can win then or run well and go to the J J Atkins.
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“He was a nice Ready-To-Run horse, and he’s impressed us since day one.”
This Toronado offspring, Tron Bolt ($2.70), ran third in his April debut at Kembla Grange but dominated Wednesday’s Hawaii Five Oh @ Vinery Stud Handicap (1400m).
With James McDonald aboard, he surged late to prevail by three lengths over Rolling Home ($8.50), as stable companion Unhinged ($2.50 fav) filled third a long head behind.
Chris Waller has proven adept at selecting two-year-olds that mature into Queensland carnival stars, notably for the J J Atkins, viewing Tron Bolt as ideal.
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“It works well, and we’ve had it in mind for him for a while,” he said.
“He obviously needed to win today. He is a lovely, scopey horse, that’s why I’m thinking a mile.”
This week’s announcement of a spell for St Gotthard, the Ken Russell Memorial Classic winner from Saturday, doesn’t weaken Waller’s Atkins assault.
Stormy Marco, victor of the Clarendon Stakes, and Nation’s League, the runner-up who scratched midweek at Kensington, accompany Tron Bolt towards the juvenile prize.
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“They need to keep improving,” Waller said.
“I like to give them a run or two at two, otherwise they find it hard to measure up at three.”
Mention modern minimalism and most golfers know what you’re getting at. The term describes light-on-the-land designs that move with the terrain rather than riding roughshod over it. It’s been the dominant aesthetic in golf course architecture for decades. But it’s also evident in clubhouse design.
Consider Desert Mountain Club.
The North Scottsdale landmark, hosting this week’s U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship, has seven clubhouses, one for each of its courses. But its signature structure — and the central stitch in the club’s social fabric — is the Cochise-Geronimo clubhouse: a 72,000-square-foot space that is as subtle as it is sublime.
On a recent visit, GOLF.com received a guided tour from architect Bob Bacon, who set out to create something functional, enduring, and understated. In his view, the desert is “a visually fragile environment” where trees top out around 20 feet. “If you’re not careful,” Bacon said, “buildings can overwhelm it instantly.” So he designed a structure that doesn’t jump out of the mountain. It grows out of it. Walls reach into the landscape, anchoring the building to the earth, transitioning from the ground rather than leaping up from it.
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“It looks like it belongs there,” Bacon said.
The stonework deepens that sense of rootedness. Bacon described the materials as an homage to the Anasazi ruins at Chaco Canyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in New Mexico. That’s a cultural reference as much as an aesthetic one, lending the building “a timeless anchor.”
“This is the southwest,” Bacon said. “It needs to be durable. It needs to look like it’s been here forever.”
The features of the building are both hard-lined and fluid. The interior gives way seamlessly to the exterior, allowing for an interplay that Bacon said is only possible in the southwest. Even the views are carefully managed: the clubhouse offers 360-degree sightlines across desert and peaks, but Bacon resisted the temptation of unframed panoramas, which he believes are almost numbing in their lack of nuance. So he designed columns and rooflines to frame the vistas, re-proportioning sky and ground to keep the emphasis on the horizon while creating multiple intriguing views instead of a single, uninterrupted vista.
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He wasn’t chasing any particular architectural style, he said. The goal was something functional, beautiful and unobtrusive. Which is to say, both simple and complex.
Minimalist? Sounds about right. You can watch the entire clubhouse tour below.
Manchester City can still win the Premier League title heading into the final week of the league season
Manchester City know that anything less than two wins against Bournemouth and Aston Villa will see Arsenal crowned Premier League champions. The Gunners defeated Burnley 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium thanks to Kai Havertz’s first-half header, which extended their lead at the top of the table to five points.
City can still mathematically catch Mikel Arteta’s side, but know they need to win both of their remaining Premier League fixtures and hope Arsenal drop points on the final day of the season against Crystal Palace.
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If the Gunners do draw with the Eagles on the final day of the season, the Premier League title could be go down to goal difference.
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City have already beaten Arsenal last month, giving them a head-to-head advantage should the two teams be level on goal difference, though City have scored more goals than the Gunners. Pep Guardiola’s side picked up their second trophy of the season after beating Chelsea 1-0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.
The City boss urged his side to take the title race to the final day of the season and said: “The important thing is to arrive at the end with options.
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“All we want is to be with our people in the last game to try to fight. To extend for these last four or five days what we have to do is win at Bournemouth.”
City head to the Vitality knowing they’ll face a Cherries’ side in the race for European football and if they drop points on the road, Arsenal will be crowned champions.
“They are 16-17 games unbeaten,” Guardiola said looking ahead to the Bournemouth clash. “The run is unbelievable.
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“The only chance we have is to win the game. We have to break that run, otherwise it will be over.
“When you arrive in the last fixtures and you are playing for something important, and the opponent is not playing for anything it is always easier.
“That is not the case tomorrow and they have had 10 days just thinking about us. Now we start to think about them.
“But it is what it is. We are used to it. It is not complicated. We have to win.”
Our intro here pertains to Aaron Rai’s iron covers and his two gloves and his other unique characteristics, so I can understand if you want to click away, as the subject, while charming, has been talked about a bit excessively at this point. But there’s been something else going on with his quirks. I think it tells the bigger story.
It’s the thought of why he never changed.
After all, we’re a society of mostly conformists. There’s comfort in that — and the absence of discomfort. Golf and life can be hard enough, but sticking out adds another element.
Unless, of course, you don’t give a you-know-what.
“I think my dad played a really big role in that,” Rai said Sunday night. “For the most part, it was just the two of us who used to go onto the golf course and practice together, probably up until I was 13 or 14. So I think he was very much an advocate to really just stay in your lane, focus on the things that you can do.
“And I didn’t really mix with a lot of other junior golfers, which didn’t give me a perspective of what was normal. So I think he kind of sheltered me to be able to develop in a way that made sense for me, in a way that I guess was a little bit unique with two gloves, with iron covers, et cetera.
“I think by the time he probably allowed me to play more kind of club golf, play professional golf, I felt like I was strong enough in why I did certain things to be able to continue to move that forward. I knew the reasons why I do them. I believe in the reasons why I do them. So I had no reason to really shift from that as I got older. So, yeah, that’s probably the main reason behind it.”
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That all said, I think it’s OK to emulate this thought.
As we look back at the PGA Championship week that was at Aronimink Golf Club, let’s make that observation No. 1 then. We’ll try for 49 more, and, to help the mood, we’ll mix in some Philly music.
2. My grandpa had iron covers. Red ones even.
3. Let’s talk more about Rai. I liked this answer when he was asked about his wife, Gaurika, who’s also a pro golfer:
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“She’s been incredible. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I wouldn’t be here without her. Both as a companion, as a friend, as someone I’m sharing my life with, but also as a real support system for my game. She’s a professional golfer herself. So her mindset, her advice, her thoughts, whether it’s technique or the way I’m holding myself is absolutely invaluable. She encompasses so many different sides in her opinions.
“We even had a conversation yesterday for probably 30 minutes in the car just before we got back to the hotel, just speaking a little bit about today. Again, some of the things that she mentioned in the conversations were really with me today.
4. What was that conversation in the car about? The Athletic’s Gabby Herzig wrote about that, and you can read her story here.
5. Who wins in a match between husband and wife?
“We practice quite a lot together. Honestly she beats me more times than I beat her,” Rai said. “When we have putting contests, chipping contests, we do some wedge games on TrackMan, I do well to keep up with her. She really is that good.
“We play a little bit on the course, but I’ve played Sawgrass — that’s where we live — a little bit more than her, and I think that little bit of experience helps. But it’s still very close with us even on the course.”
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6. How did the Rais meet? Golfweek’s Adam Schupak wrote about that, and you can read his story here.
7. Where was Rai planning to celebrate after his win? As he said he wasn’t sure, Gaurika shouted at his press conference, “He’ll probably have Chipotle.”
“I do love Chipotle on the road,” Rai said. “So we’ll probably go to Chipotle.”
8. I also thought Rai’s story on how he played courses growing up was interesting.
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“Up until the age of around 12 years old, I used to play off basically a customized course length, which gradually got longer and longer every year from the age of kind of 7 to 12,” he said. “… I was playing off the fairways and trying to make the course short enough for me to score par or better even as an 8-, 9-, 10-year-old.
“I thought it was a great idea. My dad thought it was a great idea.”
As he aged, Rai farther and farther moved back.
“My dad really thought that idea was great in terms of just installing the abilities and the skills to be able to score and the distance would just follow with age and with growth.”
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9. Of course, if you’re going to read just one Rai story today, please make it be this one here. It’s about the time Rai and I hunted for ghosts. Seriously.
10. You can learn a lot about a person through the thoughts of others, and I liked this one here, from pro Paul Waring.
I’ll never forget watching Aaron Rai do putting drills at 7pm on the Wednesday of the 2022 Irish Open. It was hammering down, he was soaked and still stayed out.
I cheered every putt he holed with a Guinness in my hand under cover of the terrace.
12. The week-long talk of no one pulling away on the leaderboard? Behind a four-under 31 on the back nine on Sunday, Rai ended it, along with the tournament itself. His 68-footer for birdie on 17 will also go down as one of the PGA’s all-time moments.
13. So why were there so many players at or around the lead throughout the tournament? Certainly, there’s always the possibility of that happening — who’s to say that the best in the world can’t all go out and shoot the same score?
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But Aronimink seemed to dictate play — there weren’t many ways to approach holes, other than the safe route, so most everyone did that. Find the fairway, find the safe pocket on the green, hit a couple of putts and move on.
The question is, how much of that is the course’s fault, and how much of that is the players’?
14. Let’s talk more about Aronimink — and two of the big questions of the week: Was it a good course for the PGA? And was it set up properly?
Hmm, how much time do you have?
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But maybe the answer is easier than you think, if you ask yourself this:
Did you like watching?
I think that’s mostly what matters in this. Golf is entertainment.
15. I did laugh when I heard Brandel Chamblee say on Golf Channel’s “Live From” show that a course manager knows they’ve set up a course right when the players start to [expletive].
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16. Here are a couple player thoughts on Aronimink and the setup that I thought were interesting:
Said Rory McIlroy on Saturday: “Look, when you have a set of greens like this, you can start to frustrate people pretty easily, I think. You heard it in me last night. You heard it in Scottie [Scheffler]. I saw some of his comments. Shane [Lowry]. I think there was a lot of guys that were frustrated yesterday coming off the course.
“Again, it’s frustrating to us, but at the same time, it creates a helluva entering championship. If I wasn’t playing this tournament, I’d love what’s going on this week, but watching and playing are two different things.”
17. Said Patrick Reed on Saturday: “It’s just different. I mean, I think that’s the easiest way. It’s a different challenge, and that’s the cool thing about it is it’s on its own.
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“But the great thing about all the golf courses we play, no matter where it is, whatever major championship we’re playing, if you’re hitting the ball well and you’re putting well, you’re going to be able to handle anything. We’re the best players in the world, so when they throw a really hard challenge at us, that’s when the top players are going to show up.”
18. Music break! The Roots’ “The Seed (2.0)” was heavily played during ESPN’s and CBS’ coverage, so let’s use it here. It’s a favorite.
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19. What would I, the 15-or-so handicap, shoot, with the wind, the rough and the pin locations, along with just the course itself?
How much time do I have?
20. But man, a lot of folks were wrong about how the course would play. The predictions of low numbers had Jon Rahm feeling strange.
“I would like to know who came up with that, by the way,” he said on Saturday. “Honestly, when I heard people talking about 20-under par, it made me question my ability to read a golf course, because I was looking at the greens and where they could put pin locations, and possible wind, I just — my mind was never — I actually got worried. I’m like if somebody shoots 20-under, the amount of records they’re going to break this week would be unheard of.
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“You know why I think that can happen is also the fairways up here by the numbers are probably wide. They don’t play as wide as they really are. Holes like 7, 10, 15, with how much slope you have to the fairway, you have to hit a very accurate golf shot to be in it. Like that, you can add 2, too, 4 — maybe not on 6, but like I said, 10, 12, 15, 16, right?
“You need to hit — with the slope of the fairway and the wind going with the slope of the fairway, it plays a lot more difficult than I think a lot of people would have foreseen at first with how much they’re rolling out.”
21. Let’s talk about some players.
In the first major since LIV Golf learned that it was losing its funding from the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, Rahm, one of LIV’s biggest stars, tied for second. I thought one of the more interesting quotes of the week came during his pre-tournament press conference, where he was asked what he learned from a strong showing at last year’s PGA.
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“It was really fun to be out there in the landscape nowadays in which as players in LIV we hear a lot of things from articles, from social media, from comments,” Rahm said. “While I understand why things are being said, it’s something you have to deal with.
“To go on that Sunday playing against Scottie, that has the lead, and to feel the support and love from the crowd is what made it really enjoyable. To realize that sometimes the truth is very different from what this makes or made up to be. When I made that birdie putt on 11 and I hit those good shots on 12 and 13 and almost made the putt on 13, the support from the crowd and the cheering from the crowd was what made it so much fun.
“It was a realization of having such support from the crowd and playing good golf that made me realize in a way how I’m truly perceived from the public, as opposed to what I read sometimes.”
22.Bryson DeChambeau, another LIV star, shot seven-over over two rounds and missed the cut, after missing the cut at the Masters.
What are your expectations for him at the U.S. Open, where he’s won twice?
23.Cam Smith had missed four straight cuts in the majors, then tied for seventh at the PGA. He recently started working with swing coach Claude Harmon III, after moving on from Grant Field, whom Smith had been guided by since he was 9.
“Probably one of the most difficult phone calls I’ve ever had to make,” Smith said Sunday.
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“And, yeah, it’s still kind of lingering, but I feel like I’ve made the right call, and I can see it in my golf and just my strike of the ball and seeing some different shots. It’s been nice.”
24.Patrick Reed played the Masters in April, didn’t play for four weeks, then tied for 10th at the PGA. Interestingly, he’ll have the same schedule heading into the U.S. Open — no tournaments for four weeks — as he’s been mostly playing a DP World Tour schedule while serving a PGA Tour suspension due to his time with LIV Golf.
“Yeah, this year’s a little different,” he said. “Honestly, I enjoyed my time at home. I enjoyed actually getting to grind, to prepare, and work on things and get ready for this week. … Who knows, it might be a new thing.”
25. My favorite exchange of the week? This one:
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Moderator to McIlroy, after he shot a four-over 74 in the first round: “How would you describe your opening round?”
McIlroy to moderator: “Sh*t.”
26. My favorite story this week? This one, from Justin Thomas, who was asked on Sunday if there was an “art” to sitting on a clubhouse lead.
“I don’t know if there’s an art,” he said. “I can tell you how there isn’t because it happened to me one time in Hartford, Conn., one year. It was actually the same day that [Jim] Furyk shot 58, I think it was. I shot like 61 or 62, and I finished pretty similar, like the leaders were on the middle of the front nine.
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“I had a buddy that was out there watching me, and we went in the clubhouse and probably had like four or five beers at lunch. Next thing you know, it’s two-and-a-half hours later, and I’m still the leader in the clubhouse. The wind picked up 15, 20 mph, and the leaders were on like 15. Jimmy [Johnson] was caddieing for me at the time. He’s at a Subway like an hour and a half away. He’s like what do we do?
“I’ve never not wanted to be in a playoff before, but I kind of didn’t want to be in a playoff then. That wouldn’t have been a good situation.”
27. It’s strange not seeing Scottie Scheffler in the top three or so, right? That’s Tiger-like.
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28. Alex Smalley will win a major. Maybe this year still.
29. I think Xander Schauffele will win another major. Maybe this year still.
30. I think Ludvig Aberg will win multiple majors. Maybe this year still.
31. I think Garrick Higgo will never miss another major tee time again. Notably, Golfweek’s Schupak reported here that Higgo has also parted ways with his caddie.
37. The video below, as always, is great. Padraig Harrington’s social media accounts shared it on Saturday night — after Harrington finished his third round. A true content machine.
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38. Here are a few of my favorite reads this week from the GOLF.com staff. From Michael Bamberger, his story here that wrapped up the tournament was great.
39. From Dylan Dethier, his story here on Rai was great.
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40. From Sean Zak, his story here on the PGA at Aronimink was great.
41. From Josh Schrock, his story here on Cam Smith was great.
42. Those four jawns above were pretty good jawns, right?
43. Music break! I mean, if I didn’t go with the “Rocky” theme song, what am I even doing here?
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44. With that comes an admission: I’ve never seen the original “Rocky.” I’ve watched “Rocky III” and “Rocky IV” about 3 million or 4 million times each. But never the original. (Or “Rocky II,” for that matter.) I have no excuse. I’m watching it tonight.
45. Or maybe I should watch “The Dark Knight” like McIlroy. He said he was going to watch the movie on Saturday night.
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46. Another admission: I’ve never had a cheesesteak. My dad was a meat butcher for 50 years, and I like sub sandwiches, but somehow it’s escaped me. That won’t change tonight — because I want the best. Where should I go both in Philly and outside of Philly? My email is nick.piastowski@golf.com.
47. Who wins the next two men’s majors? Let’s go with Aberg at the U.S. Open, and Matt Fitzpatrick at the Open Championship.
48. Who wins the next four women’s majors? Let’s go with Nelly Korda at the U.S. Women’s Open, Lydia Ko at the Women’s PGA (which would give her four of the five women’s majors), Charley Hull at the Evian and Minjee Lee at the Women’s Open (which would also give her four of the five women’s majors).
49. A quick and deserved nod to Leonie Harm, who, on Sunday, won the Amundi German Masters — 13 years after she suffered multiple injuries after she was hit by a drunk driver while running. In 2023, she wrote a story for Golf Digest about her experience, and you can read that here.
The San Antonio Spurs will be without their starting point guard to open the Western Conference Finals.
De’Aaron Fox will miss Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday (Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet+, 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT) due to an ankle injury, per multiple reports.
Fox had yet to miss a playoff game for San Antonio this season, averaging 18.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.1 steals across 11 appearances.
The news comes as a sudden shift after head coach Mitch Johnson previously said the all-star guard was expected to suit up.
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Earlier on Monday, Fox indicated that his status would ultimately come down to how his ankle responds during an adjusted pregame routine, adding that he was “just going through the day” to determine his availability.
Fox first suffered the injury in Game 4 of the West Semis vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves when Ayo Dosunmu landed on the Spurs guard’s right ankle while diving for a loose ball midway through the third quarter. Fox has been dealing with ankle soreness since then.
It’s unclear who will start Game 1 against OKC in place of Fox, but sophomore Stephon Castle and rookie Dylan Harper will likely take on the bulk of ball-handling duties in the veteran’s absence.
Minnesota Wild fans reacted strongly after GM Bill Guerin once again spoke about the team’s search for a true No. 1 center this offseason.
Speaking Monday, Guerin admitted the Wild are still trying to improve down the middle and said the team would stay aggressive if the right opportunity comes up.
“The talk here is always the No. 1 center. You know, obviously, that’s, we’ll see what’s available,” Guerin said. “I think I’ve shown you, and our fans, and everybody involved that if there’s something out there that can make our team better, I’m willing to do it, and I won’t sit on my hands.”
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After Michael Russo shared Bill Guerin’s comments on X, much of the reaction centered around Minnesota’s recent move involving Quinn Hughes
The Wild had previously landed Hughes after former New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald failed to work out a move for him, and there has already been speculation about whether Hughes could eventually sign a long-term contract with the Wild.
Another fan questioned why Minnesota did not address the issue earlier.
“Shoulda gotten THAT at the trade deadline instead of Hughes,” the comment read.
Some fans also questioned whether the Wild even have enough assets or cap space to add a top-line center this summer.
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“I don’t see how we have the assets or cap space for that,” the fan wrote.
“And how long have we been looking for a number one center? maybe he should take every draft pick that he has left and draft nothing but centers and pray that one pans out.”
Others suggested bringing back former Wild forward Mikael Granlund from the Anaheim Ducks.
“Bring Granlund back…” the comment read.
Minnesota had also reportedly explored a move for Robert Thomas before the trade deadline in a package involving Jesper Wallstedt and Danila Yurov, though nothing ultimately materialized.
Bill Guerin believes Wild are close despite playoff disappointment
Even after the playoff exit, Bill Guerin still believes that the Minnesota Wild are moving in the right direction. Minnesota was eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round last week, ending what was still the team’s deepest playoff run in more than a decade.
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The Wild had not made it past the opening round in 11 years, but Guerin admitted the loss was still difficult to accept because of the expectations surrounding the group.
“This one, for me personally, and I know in talking to John and talking to some of the players, this is the worst one,” Guerin said during the team’s season-ending press conference.
“This one hurts the most because I think there was the reality of doing something special.”
Still, Bill Guerin said the Wild believe they are getting closer, especially with more cap flexibility and the progress the team made this season.
Stephen A. Smith is firing back at Jaylen Brown after the Boston Celtics star called the popular ESPN personality the “face of clickbait media” during a Twitch live stream over the weekend.
Brown referred to Smith as a “clown” as well, but the veteran sports pundit took time on Monday’s edition of “First Take” to address those comments in a long rant of his own.
“I’m not going to disrespect Jaylen Brown,” Smith said. “…He’s pointing the finger in the wrong direction. Point it at yourself, bro.”
Stephen A. Smith questioned whether NBA players feel safe in Memphis, and Grizzlies guard Ja Morant responded during an NBA event in 2024.(Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
Smith had criticized Brown for saying this past season with the Boston Celtics, which ended in the first-round of the playoffs with a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, was his favorite with the franchise. Brown responded on Sunday night by telling the ESPN personality to “be quiet.”
“Did he just say I needed to be quiet? Be quiet for who?” Brown said Sunday night. “Man, f— Stephen A. Stephen A, Stephen B, Stephen C. My offer still stands. You want me to be quiet and stop streaming, well, I want you to be quiet and get off these networks because you’re not using your platform to do real journalism. You’re using your platform to use clickbait.”
“Tell this mother—-er to retire because he’s the face of clickbait media at the point and maybe with his retirement we can spark a movement to get the rest of these mother—-ers out of here — or to also have some type of … forget journalistic integrity, actual integrity in order to hold themselves accountable to the bulls— takes they put out.”
Smith doubled down on his previous comment, though, in Monday’s monologue.
“The Boston Celtics, the most storied franchise in basketball annals, 18 [championships]. You helped deliver one of them just two years ago. Two years later, y’all surrender a 3-1 lead for the first time in its history, in franchise history, with you driving the bus. And 24 hours after you didn’t go to the basket in the final two minutes, after y’all launched three-point shots on six separate occasions and missed every one of them. [In] 24 hours after that was over, you went on camera as a representative for the Boston Celtics and called it your favorite season. A season where Jayson Tatum was on the bench for 60 games, a season that ended with you losing a 3-1 lead, a season that ended with you getting bounced in the First Round. You went on and said that was your favorite season.”
“Since you represent the franchise, I was simply providing a heads up that it wasn’t wise from somebody who is considered relatively wise to say that 24 hours after being sent home, after surrendering a 3-1 lead in the postseason for the first time in franchise history. That’s what I said.”
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Celtics star Jaylen Brown fired back at ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith after the “First Take” host told Brown to “be quiet” following Boston’s playoff collapse.(Imagn Images)
Smith ended his rant with a warning for Brown.
“In the end, Jaylen Brown, be careful what you wish for,” he said. “You really want me to start reporting on that level? You understand? Locker room, how the organization might feel about you, how the city might feel about you, how Jayson Tatum may or may not feel about you. Sneaker deals, endorsement deals, the list goes on and on.
“The season is over, bro. You’re on Twitch trying to do what I do, and me needing to step away. It makes no sense. I’m not being disrespectful. I’m simply making the point it is not wise after 24 hours of having your season over in the First Round for you to be coming out talking about how that’s your favorite season. It ain’t the smartest thing in the world to do.”
Smith also prefaced his statement by saying how he’s been on Brown’s side throughout the season, as well as in the past. He brought up his philanthropy within his community and explained how much he respected Brown.
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Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa., on April 30, 2026.(Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
As Smith mentioned, the Celtics were shockingly bounced from the NBA Playoffs after losing three straight games to finish their first-round series with the Sixers. During the regular season, with Tatum rehabbing his way back from injury, Brown was the focal point of the Celtics, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.
Boston ended up earning the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference after going 56-26, but they couldn’t finish against Philadelphia, ultimately setting unfortunate franchise history in the process.
Former UCF cornerback Mike Hughes poses with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after the Minnesota Vikings selected him with the 30th overall pick on Apr. 26, 2018, at the NFL Draft in Arlington, Texas. Hughes entered the league as one of Minnesota’s top defensive additions during a first round focused heavily on athleticism and secondary depth. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
If you’ve been craving the city of Minneapolis to host the NFL Draft at some point, your wish has been granted.
The Twin Cities will soon join the league’s rotating list of draft host cities.
Credible reporting emerged Monday, explaining that the 2028 NFL Draft will indeed be held in the Twin Cities after Minneapolis submitted a bid earlier in the offseason. It’s happening.
The Viking ship monument stands outside U.S. Bank Stadium before the Minnesota Vikings hosted the Los Angeles Chargers on Sep. 24, 2023, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The landmark has become one of the signature gathering spots for fans arriving downtown on game days, reflecting the atmosphere surrounding Vikings home contests throughout the NFL season. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Sources: 2028 Draft Coming to Minny
It’s damn near official. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted Monday, “ESPN sources: The 2028 NFL Draft is expected to be awarded to Minneapolis at this week’s league meeting. The NFL’s fan engagement and major events committees have been working with the city and the Vikings on plans for the 2028 Draft.”
Kevin Seifert from the same network added, “Local organizers spoke in March about the broad strokes of this bid, saying U.S. Bank Stadium will be a “foundational piece” of the draft footprint. But we’re awaiting more details on exactly what that would look like.”
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In 2023, the draft occurred in Kansas City. The year after that? Detroit. In 2025, Green Bay got the nod. And last month, Pittsburgh hosted the event. The NFL has apparently decided that America’s breadbasket is the best spot to grow the business when rookies enter the league.
The Case for Minneapolis
In April, Minnesota Sports and Events (MNSE) Executive Vice President of Business Development & Tourism Matt Meunier explained why Minneapolis wanted the event: “In terms of the location of the draft, the red carpet and all the ancillary events that go with hosting the draft, all those things are under evaluation by the league right now, so it’s to be determined, but what we can say is TCO Performance Center is a really viable option.
“Flag football, youth football is going to continue to be more prominent as it relates to the NFL and leaning into 2028 and the L.A. Olympic Games, so there’s potential to stage some youth football and community legacy events out at TCO Performance Center, but in addition to that, every event Minnesota Sports and Events hosts, we’re really intentional about staging events throughout the region and not just downtown Minneapolis. We want to unite everybody with this event.”
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Vikings Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Lester Bagley added, “The Vikings are vested and invested, and we will provide financial support, staff support and organizational energy.”
Rallying cries from Meunier and Bagley worked.
The State of the Team by Then?
The event is two regular seasons and another full offseason from now. The Vikings could look markedly different in 2028, believe it or not.
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Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner poses with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after the Minnesota Vikings selected him with the 17th overall pick on Apr. 25, 2024, at the NFL Draft in Detroit, Michigan. Turner entered the league as one of the draft’s premier defensive prospects and a major addition to Brian Flores’ aggressive defensive scheme in Minnesota. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
By that draft, Minnesota will know if J.J. McCarthy is its long-term solution at quarterback. Kyler Murray is in the mix this season to compete with McCarthy for the gig — may the best man win later this summer. The evaluator of that battle? Head coach Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings’ skipper enters Year No. 5 with the franchise without a playoff win, and most head coaches don’t get that grace from their ownership or general manager.
The Vikings, on the other hand, fired O’Connell’s boss, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, in January while retaining O’Connell. Before too long, O’Connell probably has to win a postseason game or two to stay off the hot seat.
Meanwhile, Brian Flores runs the Vikings’ defense, but his relationship feels like a year-to-year arrangement, as he deserves another head coaching job soon. Minnesota is also searching for a new general manager; the eventual candidate will likely be in charge of the team during the 2028 NFL Draft, barring a strange mishap.
Get Ready for a Ginormous Party
That’s all the football stuff — who will be in charge and why the Vikings wanted the event in the first place. Now: the fun part.
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The draft in the Twin Cities will be an epic three-day experience. Virtually every city that hosts it tells wonderful tales about its success thereafter. VikingsWire‘s Glenn Erby on the event: “The NFL Draft has evolved into a three-day football festival featuring nonstop television coverage, celebrity appearances, concerts, and millions of fans attending in person and online.”
“From 1965 through 2014, the draft remained in New York City before the NFL shifted toward rotating host cities in 2015, beginning with Chicago. Since then, the event has traveled throughout the country, including stops in cities such as Philadelphia, Kansas City, Detroit, Las Vegas, and Green Bay.”
USC wide receiver Jordan Addison stands on stage after the Minnesota Vikings selected him with the 23rd overall pick on Apr. 27, 2023, at the NFL Draft in Kansas City, Missouri. Addison joined Minnesota as a first-round playmaker expected to complement Justin Jefferson and expand the Vikings’ passing attack for the foreseeable future. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
If you need a quick way to think of it — it’s just a giant party for three days, celebrating the influx of youth into the sport.
“Minneapolis would become the latest city to capitalize on the draft’s economic impact, tourism boost, and national spotlight,” Erby added.
League owners will vote on Minneapolis as the host city this week and are widely expected to green-light it. Start planning your 2028 draft weekend.
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The draft will physically take place at a spot adjacent to U.S. Bank Stadium, per sources.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
The Edmonton Oilers keep looking for a new head coach, but it seems like their whole plan is maybe moving a little fast. As TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reports, Edmonton is expected to move toward a formal interview with former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube, after some early talk with general manager Stan Bowman.
Meanwhile, the Oilers are still trying to figure out if they’ll get the green light to speak with former Vegas Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy, and that whole situation is still hanging in the air.
Ryan Rishaug said that talks between Berube and the Oilers have already happened, and that a formal interview is expected soon. If that really comes together it could put the former Stanley Cup-winning coach right up there as one of the top options in Edmonton’s search.
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Berube comes with a lot of NHL experience that might really appeal to an Oilers team that is still hunting for consistency even after years of playoff appearances. He put up an 84-62-18 record in Toronto, before being dismissed after a pretty disappointing season under the new general manager John Chayka.
Before Toronto, he coached both the Philadelphia Flyers, and the St. Louis Blues too. His main highlight was in 2019 when he helped the Blues win their first Stanley Cup title.
Could Bruce Cassidy Still Enter the Edmonton Oilers Coaching Search?
Even though Berube looks like the frontrunner, the Oilers are still keeping an eye on Bruce Cassidy’s situation closely too. TSN insider Pierre LeBrun mentioned that Vegas still hasn’t given any NHL team permission to talk with Cassidy, because he’s stuck under contract for another season.
Cassidy became available after Vegas let him go in April, even though he still had a competitive season to back it up. His solid defensive framework and that championship experience, are reportedly what make him a pretty attractive option for Edmonton’s front office.
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The Oilers ended up firing Knoblauch after that disappointing first-round playoff exit, against the Anaheim Ducks. Even though Edmonton made the playoffs in each of its three seasons, and even pushed all the way to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, management seemed to feel that big changes were necessary moving forward.
General manager Stan Bowman later admitted the whole organization really needed a bit of improvement, after that inconsistent season where the captain Connor McDavid publicly said the Oilers were “an average team”.
Sorsby has retained Jeffrey Kessler, the attorney who won an historic victory in House v. NCAA, to fight the governing body’s gambling investigation into his recent betting activity. The legal team is seeking a resolution to the case by June 15, a week ahead of the June 22 declaration deadline for the NFL Supplemental Draft.
The NCAA opened an investigation into Sorsby after he allegedly placed various bets on sporting events during his career at Indiana. Sorsby is on an indefinite leave of absence from the football program to seek treatment for gambling addiction. The NCAA has yet to rule on the case, but in a Monday statement, Texas Tech announced that Sorsby has been ruled ineligible based on an “agreed-upon stipulation of facts between Texas Tech University, the NCAA and Brendan Sorsby.” Texas Tech added that it “intends to quickly initiate the reinstatement process.”
The filing argues that Sorsby suffers from a “mental health condition” and has been “clinically diagnosed” with a gambling addiction.
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“The NCAA has weaponized his condition to shore up a facade of competitive integrity, while simultaneously profiting from the very gambling ecosystem it polices,” the injunction reads.
“The NCAA has not received a reinstatement request for this case,” the statement reads. “The NCAA generally doesn’t comment on pending reinstatement requests, but the Association’s sports betting rules are clear, as are the reinstatement conditions. When it comes to betting on one’s own team, these rules must be enforced in every case for the simple reason that the integrity of the game is at risk with a statement.
“Every sports league has these protections in place, and the NCAA will continue to apply them equally because every student-athlete competing deserves to know they’re playing a fair game.”
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Far-reaching impact
One of the top-rated players in the transfer portal this cycle, the former Cincinnati quarterback was ranked as the No. 2 overall player after throwing for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns and five interceptions for the Bearcats last season.
“We love Brendan and support his decision to seek professional help,” Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire said in a statement after Sorsby announced he was stepping away from the program to get help this spring. “Taking this step requires courage, and our primary focus is on him as a person. Our program is behind Brendan as he prioritizes his health.”
Texas Tech made an aggressive push this offseason to position itself as a legitimate conference contender, and Sorsby’s signing was a major part of that effort. He brings experience, toughness and the kind of live-game seasoning coaches covet in the expanded playoff era, especially when programs are spending more than $5 million in the portal market. If Sorsby earns an injunction, the Red Raiders immediately stabilize the most important position on the field with a quarterback capable of operating an uptempo offense and handling pressure moments.
Without him, however, the equation changes considerably.
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The timing of the decision matters almost as much as the outcome. Summer chemistry work, player-led practices and preseason installation are all affected when a staff doesn’t know who its QB1 will be. With the NFL evaluation window also in mind entering mid-June, that helps explain the urgency from Sorsby’s representation. Texas Tech’s investment in roster construction suggests the program believes its championship window is open immediately if Sorsby is eligible.
Backup plan
McGuire revealed Monday that Sorsby’s projected backup, Will Hammond, is expected to be cleared for all football activities on August. 21 and would ideally be ready to go for the Red Raiders’ Week 3 Big 12 opener against Houston.
Hammond was an integral part of last year’s conference title-winning team as the first player off the bench behind Behren Morton. He threw for 680 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions last season as a redshirt freshman over eight appearances, including a pair of starts. He also rushed for 299 yards and five scores.
NCAA needs a win
The NCAA has spent the last several years navigating transfer waivers, junior college seasons, COVID-19 exemptions and evolving eligibility interpretations with inconsistent results. An injunction win for Sorsby would only reinforce the growing perception that eligibility rules remain fluid in the modern era.
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