Oct 5, 2025; Tottenham, United Kingdom; Minnesota Vikings former linebacker Ben Leber watches during an NFL International Series game against the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings re-upped with quarterback Carson Wentz on Thursday, and according to one of the team’s former linebackers, Ben Leber, a beloved member of the Vikings community, Wentz is in line to start as the QB1 in 2026 — not Kyler Murray.
Leber’s depth-chart idea turns a quiet signing into a real debate.
Most onlookers expect Wentz to end up with the QB3 job, not the QB1 title.
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Leber’s QB Take Puts Carson Wentz Front and Center
Leber brings the heat on VikingsTwitter.
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ben Leber (51) celebrates with intensity during the fourth quarter on Oct 17, 2010, at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota, reacting to a key moment as the Vikings close out a narrow 24-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in front of a charged home crowd. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports.
Leber: Wentz is the Vikings’ QB1
Minnesota added Wentz, and most fans didn’t bat an eye, as the veteran did a serviceable job holding down the fort during J.J. McCarthy’s absence (high ankle sprain) last September and October. And Wentz played so well — evidently — that Leber envisions a starter’s job in 2026.
He tweeted after the Wentz addition, “I believe there will be a true QB competition. So as of right now I would guess the depth chart would be: Wentz, Murray, McCarthy. May the best man win.”
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Here’s the full tweet:
I believe there will be a true QB competition. So as of right now I would guess the depth chart would be: Wentz Murray McCarthy
Most Twitter (X) users read Leber’s comments a few times to confirm Leber’s account was real and not a parody. That happens.
But it was not parody, and Leber meant what he tweeted. Wentz met with the New York Jets one week ago to explore a relationship with Aaron Glenn’s team, where he could possibly start or serve as the QB2 behind the newly acquired Geno Smith. In the end, Wentz and the Jets did not reach an agreement, and Wentz came back to Minnesota.
Wentz must believe he can win the QB2 job over McCarthy. Or — if Leber is correct, against all odds, fans might be watching a Murray v. Wentz battle at training camp in Eagan.
SI.com‘s Jonathan Harrison on Leber’s bold take: “That would be shocking for numerous reasons. First off, with other options still available to him, Murray decided to sign with the Vikings after his release from Arizona. Presumably, that would mean he was told by the Vikings’ coaching staff he would be the starter or have a good shot at winning the ‘competition.’ There is no definitive answer, and there likely won’t be one until we see the snap distributions at training camp.”
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“When pressed at a press conference following the Murray signing, O’Connell said he doesn’t have to name a starter now. Minnesota is a team that views itself as a contender. If it’s true that Wentz would have kept the job had he stayed healthy, his return likely signals that McCarthy really isn’t in the competition at all.”
The Wentz Numbers a Season Ago
With Wentz, Murray, and McCarthy perhaps duking it out via Battle Royale — per Leber — for the starting quarterback spot this summer, let’s take another look at how Wentz played in 2025.
The offense hummed more steadily with Wentz calling the shots. Minnesota scored over 20 points in four of the five games he started, even crushing the Cincinnati Bengals by 38 points. McCarthy, on the other hand, only hit that 20-point mark four times in ten starts, and his performance was all over the place week to week.
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Out of 40 quarterbacks with at least 200 dropbacks, Wentz was 25th in EPA per play, while McCarthy was way down at 37th — usually where you find rookies or guys who are still figuring things out. This difference was super clear on those long drives where you need to be patient.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) addresses media members during a press conference on Sep 26, 2025, at Sport Ireland Campus in Dublin, Ireland, speaking ahead of an international matchup as the team prepares for its overseas appearance and engages with local and traveling reporters. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Why the difference? It mostly comes down to style. Wentz liked to make quick decisions and throw short passes, which kept the offense moving and reduced mistakes, even though the offensive line wasn’t always reliable. Plus, the run game didn’t help much, since Aaron Jones only played in one of those five games. McCarthy, though, preferred to throw the ball deep and take some risks, which led to some big plays but wasn’t as consistent.
Wentz completed 65.1% of his passes for 1,216 yards, with six touchdowns and five interceptions. McCarthy had more of those exciting, long plays, but his execution wasn’t as steady from drive to drive. Generally speaking, Wentz ran a smoother offensive operation, even if his performance was mediocre.
McCarthy on Notice?
Let’s be frank: McCarthy has experienced an absolutely dreadful offseason. The offseason from hell, in fact.
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The guy who drafted him, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, got fired on January 30th. If the Vikings owners ever needed something to scapegoat the McCarthy draft pick, well, they already have it by canning the man who nominated McCarthy as the franchise quarterback.
The Vikings signed Murray, who has a better resume than McCarthy per efficiency by leaps and bounds. When Minnesota signed Murray one week ago, McCarthy was demoted with the snap of two fingers. Not good news for the guy lined up as the franchise quarterback in 2024.
One week later, Minnesota signed competition in Wentz for McCarthy’s QB2 job. It’s like a nightmare for a young passer in the middle of his development.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz goes through pregame warmups on Oct 19, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, preparing for a matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles while working through throws and timing drills as part of his routine before kickoff. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
McCarthy strutted into the summer of 2025 with the QB1 logo on his chest. Now, he must fight to avoid a QB3 fate.
Manchester City will take on Southampton in the FA Cup semi-finals after beating Liverpool 4-0 last weekend.
15:17, 09 Apr 2026Updated 16:24, 09 Apr 2026
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Manchester City will return to Wembley Stadium to take on Southampton in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday, April 25. The game will kick off at 5.15pm with the match available on BBC One and TNT Sports 1. City reached the last-four last weekend when they beat Liverpool 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium.
Erling Haaland scored the opener on 39 minutes from the penalty spot before adding a second shortly before half-time. Antoine Semenyo added a third shortly after the break with Haaland completing his hat-trick just before the hour mark.
The victory ensured City would be back at Wembley just five weeks after beating Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final. Mikel Arteta’s side were expected to reach the semi-finals when they travelled to Championship club Southampton.
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However, the Saints pulled off a major shock to beat the Gunners 2-1 with former City youth player Shea Charles scoring the winner five minutes from time. Should City beat Southampton, they will face either Chelsea or Leeds in the final on Saturday, May 16. Their semi-final will be played on Sunday, April 26, at 3pm.
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Were City to win the FA Cup, they would complete a domestic double this season. Pep Guardiola’s side also have the chance to make it a treble if they can win the Premier League.
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during a press conference after Super Bowl LX at Moscone Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Feb. 9, 2026.(Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire)
The reported investigation comes as Trump administration officials and lawmakers have warned about revisiting the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. The law allows the NFL to negotiate league-wide TV deals without violating U.S. antitrust rules, provided it meets certain conditions, including protecting customer access.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, addressed the issue in a letter to the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission. He requested a review of the league’s antitrust exemption status.
Meanwhile, surging streaming prices and sky-high ticket costs have combined to leave the average American NFL fan boxed out of watching their beloved game altogether or making it impossible to find.
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A Fox News poll in March indicated that 72% of sports fans think major sporting events should stay free on broadcast TV, amid reports that the NFL is considering allowing teams to sell the rights to preseason games to streaming services.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said on “Fox & Friends” last month that officials are reviewing thousands of comments on whether a significant share of sports should remain free on broadcast television.
The Amazon Prime Video Thursday Night Football logo appears on a television camera during the second half of the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Las Vegas Raiders at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., on Nov. 29, 2024.(Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
Carr said the FCC is looking into whether sports leagues should continue to benefit from a special antitrust exemption, and that public comments solicited on the matter largely support keeping games more accessible.
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“We actually got thousands and thousands of comments. It was a big number for the FCC… The vast majority so far, based on an initial assessment, support keeping a significant portion of these sports games on free, over-the-air broadcast TV,” Carr said.
“So, we’ll be looking at it. There could be actions at other portions of the government, and Congress as well, if these sports leagues continue to push this issue.”
Carr made his feelings clear, stating he thinks the experience of finding a game to watch has become frustrating and costly.
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“You effectively have to have a computer science degree to decipher this,” he said, adding that, historically, broadcast TV and sports leagues have had a mutually beneficial relationship that allowed leagues to grow while supporting local news.
“We’re at a tipping point where these leagues can push it so far, putting games behind paywalls, that they undermine their ability to claim that antitrust exemption.”
NFL fans themselves have also spoken out about the league’s streaming strategy.
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OutKick’s Davey Hudson took to the streets of Nashville and New York City last month to talk to aggrieved football fans.
“I think it’s frustrating when you just want to watch a game, and you have to figure out what app it’s on. And then you’re paying for multiple apps all the time,” one fan said.
Another fan was blunt, calling the current system of watching games “f—ing stupid.”
“Well, it’s f—ing stupid, you have to get five different platforms to watch all of the games that you want to, and still you have to pay on top. It’s ridiculous at this point,” the fan said.
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One fan called it a “pain in the a–” to keep track of where and when the games are being streamed.
A different fan called it a “money grab,” citing Netflix as the latest streaming service the NFL brought in to start broadcasting its games.
NFL fans who want access to every game need to purchase YouTube TV for “NFL Sunday Ticket,” in addition to the costly subscriptions for all the streaming services the NFL broadcasts on. Those streaming services are Amazon Prime, Peacock and Netflix. The combination of those respective services is over $1,500 a year, and that doesn’t include the fees that come with basic cable packages or high-speed Wi-Fi that is needed to accommodate the platforms.
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Fox News’ Ryan Canfield contributed to this report.
Dad And Dave and Awesome Artist, fellow Ciaron Maher charges, will share the Saturday bill with Amazake.
National assistant trainer Jack Turnbull from the Maher team indicated Dad And Dave will look to stake his claim as a Derby hopeful during Saturday’s event, whereas Awesome Artist might proceed to the Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) at Flemington on April 25.
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With eight starts still seeking a first win, Amazake boasts impressive staying qualities and is far more filled out than during his spring efforts.
The gelding earned third place in the Group 3 Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield en route to a distant finish in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington, something Turnbull admitted was too soon.
“We gave him a crack because he ran a place in the Norman Robinson, but he was up against Observer at that stage who was a cut above,” Turnbull said.
“Time has been his friend and he’s a fuller horse now and more mature.
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“I think he’ll be fine now, so we’ll give him his chance, so he’ll run on Saturday and then onto the Derby in South Australia.
“He’s still a maiden, which you wouldn’t believe, but he’s won good prize money and has been running in good form races and only getting beaten a couple of lengths, with excuses.
“He’s in good shape.”
Coming off the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on March 21, Amazake and Dad And Dave placed fourth and ninth.
The newly published The UK Health & Fitness Market Report 2026 shows penetration has reached a remarkable 18 per cent of over-16s, with a record 12.2 million members.
Released this morning at an event in London, this is the second report into the UK fitness sector commissioned by UK Active, following last year’s debut. It is produced in collaboration with Sport England and 4Global, with analysis from Grant Thornton UK.
The data represents a sample coverage of 74 per cent of private operators, 85 per cent of public operators and 88 per cent of independent operators.
The headline stats are impressive: total income has reached £6.5 billion, up from £5.7 billion in 2024.
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Visits to clubs have risen by 10 per cent since 2024 – reaching 679 million and showing continued growth in demand from people of all ages.
The sector is generating £7.5 billion in attributable social value through health and fitness, measured in terms of life satisfaction and reduced health conditions.
The total number of clubs has reached 5,842 – an increase of 4.2 per cent since 2024.
Outgoing CEO of UK Active, Huw Edwards, says: “Today’s report provides clear evidence that the UK is home to one of the strongest health and fitness sectors in the world and a much-needed success story for UK plc.
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“Consumer demand for the services provided by gyms, pools and leisure centres is growing year-on-year, and our members are rising to the challenge by investing in new clubs and services.
“The most exciting thing is the untapped potential to get millions more people active if the sector gets the right support from the government to remove the barriers to growth and help us reach more communities.”
Utku Toprakseven, chief development officer, at 4Global, says: “This year’s analysis highlights a maturing sector, where operators are generating more value per member through more frequent usage, diversified offers and stronger alignment with consumer needs. At the same time, the data reinforces the critical role of the sector in supporting national health outcomes, with £7.5 billion of social value being generated through sustained participation.”
Rob Turner, partner, consulting, at Grant Thornton UK, says: “This sector is a key contributor to both the UK economy and the nation’s health. The growth in gym numbers and their rising popularity strongly support the Government’s Prevention Agenda and will, in turn, ease pressure on the NHS.
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“Additionally, fitness spaces are also evolving into key social hubs, with wellness becoming a core part of personal identity, and more than just exercise. For public and private investors alike, this is a high‑growth market with significant long‑term potential.”
The UK Health & Fitness Market Report 2026 is sponsored by headline partners BLKBOX, and Matrix, and contributing partners Precor and Technogym.
Meetings have taken place to discuss the notion of pooling the media rights in College Football, with a focus on the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.
The move would change the sport in a major way.
On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, Spencer McLaughlin and ‘Locked On Georgia Tech’ host Jarvis Davis discuss the QB battle in Atlanta.
Will Alberto Mendoza emerge to start for Brent Key’s Yellowjackets in 2026?
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Baylor heads into the 2026 season with Florida transfer QB DJ Lagway ready to take control for the Bears.
What is Dave Aranda looking for this Spring?
00:00 Discussing media rights in college sports 07:02 College football media rights talks 08:46 Pac 12 losing Power 5 status 13:35 Georgia Tech Quarterback depth chart 16:52 Building a run-focused offense 22:21 Impact of quarterback’s running ability 29:04 Baylor football schedule breakdown 32:55 Aranda’s future and team outlook
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants LIVE Updates, IPL 2026: Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi have stabilised Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) innings after the early dismissal of Finn Allen against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their crucial IPL 2026 clash in Kolkata on Thursday. KKR have reached 89/1 after 9 overs, with Rahane and Raghuvanshi nearing half-centuries. LSG pacer Mohammed Shami bowled a terrific first over, after which Prince Yadav took the first wicket. KKR are desperate to notch up their first win of the season after getting off to their worst start in IPL history. (LIVE SCORECARD)
LSG playing XI: Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Manimaran Siddharth, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Shami, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince Yadav.
KKR vs LSG LIVE Score | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants, IPL 2026 LIVE Updates, straight from Eden Gardens, Kolkata:
NEW DELHI: The focus ahead of the IPL 2026 clash between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) has been on whether Cameron Green will return to bowling. During the warm-up ahead of the match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday, the all-rounder was seen bowling in the nets, raising hopes that he might soon resume full duties after missing out with the ball in earlier matches.KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane made it clear that Green’s bowling is key to improving the team combination.
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Pathum Nissanka reveals KL Rahul’s advice, opens up on powerplay plan
“When he (Green) is allowed to bowl, we will see him, the combination gets better, so Rovman Powell plays, when Cam Green bowls then we have an extra bowler,” he said at the toss after being asked to bat first. He also confirmed a lineup change, adding, “Just one change – Sunil (Narine) comes in place of Blessing, Varun is still recovering from his hand injury.”Talking about batting approach, Rahane said, “We just want to, as a batting unit, watch the ball and react, rather than putting pressure on ourselves, trying to focus on a certain target and then try to achieve that. I think just being in the moment, try to react and watch the ball.”The discussion around Green started after KKR’s loss to Mumbai Indians, where he didn’t bowl and the team struggled to defend a big total. Rahane’s earlier comment, “That question you need to ask Cricket Australia,” added to the confusion and sparked debate about player workload and outside influence.Later, Cricket Australia clarified that there was no sudden restriction. Green has been managing a lower back issue and is gradually working towards bowling again. His recent net session suggests progress, though it’s unclear if he will bowl today against LSG. For such a high-profile player, expectations remain high for both batting and bowling contributions.
KKR vs LSG Playing XIs
Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Ajinkya Rahane(c), Finn Allen, Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi(w), Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Navdeep Saini, Kartik TyagiKolkata Knight Riders Impact subs – Manish Pandey, Vaibhav Arora, Tejasvi Dahiya, Rahul Tripathi, Tim SeifertLucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Manimaran Siddharth, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Shami, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince YadavLucknow Super Giants Impact subs – Ayush Badoni, Matthew Breetzke, Shahbaz Ahmad, Mayank Yadav, Himmat Singh
Trainer Adrian Bott has shaped Sir Delius’s autumn efforts towards one standout race, pitting him against two outstanding mares and a reliable foreign star, yet he believes the horse is perfectly timed to excel.
Bott lacks certainty on overcoming Autumn Glow, Aeliana or Dubai Honour, but expects Sir Delius’s top performance this campaign in Saturday’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.
“He has been building well. He’s right on track now and hopefully we’ll see him run a personal best this preparation,” Bott said.
“Some of his best performances in the spring still may not be enough with the form Autumn Glow is in, but in saying that, it’s different conditions to what they met at last time.
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“I expect it to be a decent pressure race. I feel he’s at his best now this prep to perform well.
“This is the run and the race where we’ve tried to have him peaking.”
The connections ended the preparation early, and Bott indicated racing was essential for him to find form this season.
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“We were able to go into the spring off the back of a Queensland campaign and had residual fitness early in that preparation,” he said.
“We’ve come off a longer break and it’s taken a bit of time to build into that. It was unsuitable at the mile first-up and he showed improvement second-up when we just gave ourselves a bit to do.”
From an awkward outside post in the Ranvet Stakes (2000m) second-up, Sir Delius raced rearward, but barrier three should allow a better spot Saturday per Bott.
Autumn Glow enters unbeaten as the one to fear, but her first try at 2000m in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes might be exploitable, Bott suggests.
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“It’s new ground for her, if we’re trying to find anything to grasp onto,” Bott said.
“I have respect for her, not just her. Aeliana was very good last start. Lindermann even prior to that. It’s a proper weight-for-age 2000 metre race.”
The Queen Elizabeth Stakes often delivers boilsovers, like Intergaze’s victory over Octagonal in 1997 and Grand Armee’s triumph against Lonhro in 2004.
Nigeria’s failure to qualify for back-to-back FIFA World Cups has sparked fresh calls for reform, with former Super Eagles midfielder Etim Esin urging a major overhaul of the country’s football system.
The Super Eagles, who first appeared at the World Cup in 1994, have now missed two straight tournaments. After falling short in the race to Qatar 2022, Nigeria again suffered heartbreak in the qualifiers for the 2026 finals, losing on penalties in the African play-off.
Esin did not hide his disappointment, blaming poor planning and a lack of accountability within the football leadership. He stressed that the country needs a clear long-term strategy if it hopes to return to the global stage.
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While criticising the current structure, Esin pointed to a solution he believes could change the direction of Nigerian football. He strongly backed Michael Emenalo as the right man to help rebuild the system.
Emenalo is widely respected in football circles for his work behind the scenes at top European clubs. During his time at Chelsea FC, he rose through the ranks to become technical director, playing a key role in recruitment, youth development, and overall club structure.
He was instrumental in bringing in players who later became global stars, while also strengthening the club’s academy and loan system. His influence helped maintain Chelsea’s competitiveness both domestically and in Europe.
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After leaving Chelsea, Emenalo continued his administrative career at AS Monaco, further building his reputation as one of the most experienced football executives in the game.
Esin believes that bringing someone of Emenalo’s calibre into Nigeria’s football leadership could provide the structure and vision that has been missing in recent years.
Alongside Emenalo, he also highlighted the importance of experience on the players’ side, backing former captain John Obi Mikel to play a role in shaping the future.
Mikel has been vocal about the current state of Nigerian football, describing the failure to reach the World Cup as a major setback for a country with such talent. He warned that Nigeria risks falling behind other African nations that are making steady progress.
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With the next World Cup cycle already approaching, pressure is growing on football authorities to act quickly. For Esin, the message is clear — only strong leadership and proper planning can return the Super Eagles to where they belong on the world stage.
Just when you thought NBA tanking couldn’t get any more egregious, the Sacramento Kings appeared to take it to a whole new level on Tuesday night.
With 3:15 to play in the fourth quarter and the Kings leading the Warriors 101-100, Sacramento coach Doug Christie directed his team to intentionally foul. This is not up for debate. You can see Christie motioning from the sideline for Doug McDermott to foul Seth Curry, a 90% free-throw shooter, 50-plus feet from the ball.
At first glance, this looked like just about the most brazen act of tanking imaginable — to foul a historically good free-throw shooter intentionally when you are currently winning — and that’s really saying something in a league where a third of the teams have been actively trying to lose for the past two months.
As expected, the NBA is looking into this. Commissioner Adam Silver has a major tanking problem on his hands, one that is genuinely threatening to undo the integrity of the league itself. If the investigation finds that Sacramento was taking active steps towards losing on purpose in this blatant a fashion, expect swift and severe punishment. Draymond Green believes the league needs to “fine the hell out of people” in the business of tanking.
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It’s hard to disagree with Green. The Kings, however, are maintaining that Christie simply made a mistake by not realizing his team was in the bonus, that he didn’t instruct his team to foul because he wanted to put Curry on the line, but rather because he wanted to stop play to use a timeout he was set to lose once the clock got below three minutes, according to ESPN.
It’s a plausible explanation. It is true in the NBA that you can only have two timeouts available to you for the final three minutes of the fourth quarter, meaning if you have three left, you are going to lose one anyway. So coaches often use this timeout if possible before it goes poof. But if you don’t have possession of the ball, the only way you can call the timeout is at a play stoppage. So you foul to stop play. That wouldn’t be a problem if you weren’t in the bonus; the Warriors would just take the ball out of bounds after the timeout. But again, the Kings were in the bonus. Incompetence is bad, but it isn’t as bad as tanking in today’s NBA. Either way, Curry got free throws after the timeout.
As it turned out, he only made one of them, and McDermott wound up hitting a 3-pointer on the other end for the Kings on a play that looked to be specifically designed during the timeout.
The Kings, for what it’s worth, have gone 7-9 over their past 16 games. Which is to say, if they really are in the pursuit of purposeful losses, they’re not doing a very good job at the moment. They have gone from what was a pretty clear path to a bottom-three record to being tied in the loss column with the Jazz and Nets behind the Wizards and Pacers. Only three of those teams are going to end up with the maximum 14% chance at the No. 1 pick.
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On March 15, after Sacramento beat Utah, Christie said “tanking is the last thing I’d do” as “I respect the game too much” and believes it hurts the development of young players.
Perhaps this will all be enough for the league to conclude that this really was just a mistake by Christie and not an act of overt tanking. But there is surely another way this can go, if only on optics alone. Again, Silver knows how bad this tanking epidemic is right now. He’s already said there will be significant changes to the system next year to disincentivize the act. For now, anything that carries even the faint scent of intentional incompetence is likely going to be made an example of.
“Overt behavior like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition and we will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games,” Silver said in a statement after the Jazz and Pacers were fined a combined $600,000 sitting healthy players back in early February.
This is not a problem with anything that even resembles a simple solution. A bunch of ideas have been thrown around in terms of lottery reform, and our Sam Quinn has already detailed how each of them could backfire. In the absence of removing the incentive to lose entirely, more than just flattening the odds (which, it could be argued, has actually made the problem worse), teams presented with new rules will simply find new ways of evading them.
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You can’t blame them. The chance to acquire franchise-changing talent is worth just about any punishment a commissioner can levy. So again, Silver may have to simply drop the burden-of-proof standard and start fining teams major money for anything that even resembles tanking, even if it was an honest mistake.
Because in the end, there will always be some kind of explanation. Injury management. Minutes restrictions. Honest mistakes. Silver might just have to stop accepting any of them if he doesn’t want his league to sink into a state of crisis.
Some might call that an exaggeration. Maybe it is. But what else do you call it when you’re headed toward half the league having more incentive to lose than win? There is zero chance common fans have any idea who a lot of these players getting real minutes for these teams are. It’s almost at the point where, by February, half of the league is going to be composed of big-league teams and the other half Triple-A.
And they play each other. Every night. And call it honest competition. Silver can say whatever he wants about the NBA being a highlight league, but in the end, people come for real competition. Hell, he’s rightfully worried about the All-Star game not being competitive enough. He obviously gets it.
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And so do the teams. They know what they’re doing. Even if Christie really did make an honest mistake in this instance, to act as though any of these tanking teams, Sacramento included, has been doing everything in its power to win over these past few months is insulting. Nobody is dumb enough to believe that, if only because we know teams are too smart to do it.
It needs to be fixed. How to do that, well, that’s why Silver makes more money than just about anyone reading this article. It might start with making the Kings write a very big check that, in this case, maybe they shouldn’t have to write.
Baylor heads into the 2026 season wi
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