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NBA trade rumors: LaMelo and Lonzo Ball teaming up? How Cavaliers’ apron issues could lead to Hornets deal

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The Lonzo Ball trade has been a swing and a miss for the Cleveland Cavaliers. After winning 64 games a year ago, Cleveland determined that it needed to both improve its point-of-attack defense and find a bench ball-handler to replace departing free agent Ty Jerome. It hoped to address both needs in one move with Ball. But after a resurgent season in Chicago last year, he’s struggled mightily for the Cavaliers.

Now the Cavaliers have seemingly replaced him in their rotation with Keon Ellis and Dennis Schröder. They are around $14 million above the second-apron line, and are seemingly motivated to get below it in order to both save money on their payroll this year and ensure that their 2033 first-round pick is not frozen moving forward. In other words, the Cavaliers would probably love to dump Ball and his $10 million salary. We fortunately have a very capable and sympathetic dumping ground seemingly waiting in the wings.

The Charlotte Hornets have $14.4 million in room below the luxury-tax line, giving them plenty of space to absorb money before the 3 p.m. ET NBA trade deadline on Thursday. They have a full roster of 15 players, but could easily waive someone deep on their bench if need be. They have their full $14.1 million mid-level exception at their disposal, which they could use to absorb a contract of Ball’s size. Oh yeah, and they employ his younger brother, star guard LaMelo Ball, one of the faces of their resurgence this season.

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Five NBA trade deadline bold predictions: Knicks make a blockbuster, Cavs shake things up, big names stay put

Brad Botkin

Five NBA trade deadline bold predictions: Knicks make a blockbuster, Cavs shake things up, big names stay put
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All of this lines up quite nicely, and according to Jake Fischer, the Cavaliers and Hornets have indeed held preliminary conversations about a Ball trade that would help Cleveland get below the second apron before Thursday’s deadline.

While such a move would mostly be a financially motivated trade with perhaps some minor draft capital attached, the deal would have broader implications in Charlotte. Earlier this season, there were rumors that LaMelo Ball and the Hornets may be headed for a split. By trading for Ball’s brother, the Hornets would be signifying their renewed commitment to LaMelo as they’ve gone from cellar dweller to legitimate postseason sleeper. The Hornets are the hottest team in the NBA as the deadline hits. They’re still five games below .500 (23-28), but they’ve won seven games in a row and are now just one game back of the Hawks for the East’s final play-in spot.

The bigger question here, though, is if the Hornets would fulfill LaVar Ball’s dream of seeing all three of his sons, including LiAngelo Ball, play on the same NBA team. It’s something he’s talked about quite a bit:

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  • In 2017, LaVar Ball pushed for all three seasons to play together on the Lakers, right after they drafted Lonzo No. 2 overall. “The chemistry they have, you’ve seen it already. That’s why I see that far ahead: All three of my boys on the Lakers at the same time,” Ball said. “Put them together and watch what they do. It’ll be magic.”
  • In 2018, LaVar laid out a plan for his three sons to unite in free agency, rather than with the Lakers. “I want all three boys to play for the Lakers,” LaVar told Donatas Urbonas, a Lithuanian journalist. “But if that does not happen, I’m telling you the story what’s gonna happen first. If they don’t take Gelo this year, I bring back Gelo here to play with Melo for two years. Lonzo will be on his third year, and I let every NBA team know that Lonzo is not going to re-sign with the Lakers but will go to any team that will take all of my three boys. That’s my plan.”
  • In 2020, Ball guaranteed a championship if his three sons played together for the Hornets after they drafted LaMelo. “Get all three of them, I guarantee they win a championship. Folks don’t understand that.”

So, the $10 million question here: would the Hornets sign LiAngelo, unite all three brothers and fulfil LaVar’s prophecy? Sadly, that is probably unlikely. While LiAngelo has played 31 games for the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s G-League affiliate, he retired from basketball last August to focus on his music career after the success of his song “Tweaker.” The last professional game he played came in spring of 2024, for Astros de Jalisco in Mexico. In other words, his playing days are likely over. But hey, two out of the three ain’t bad.

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TGL semifinals on Sportsnet: Jupiter vs. Boston

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Tiger Woods’ Jupiter Links meet Rory McIlroy’s Boston Common with a spot in the TGL championship on the line on Tuesday.

Live coverage on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ begins at 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT.

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Tim Bradley u-turns on Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia 2 prediction: “It should be easy”

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A rematch between Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney is fast becoming one of the biggest fights in the sport of boxing, with the fact that both men now hold welterweight world titles only adding to the allure of the second instalment of their fierce rivalry. In anticipation, Tim Bradley has reversed his prediction for the proposed contest.

Haney and Garcia first collided in April 2024, and Garcia looked to have secured a career-best win while simultaneously handing Haney the first defeat of his career.

However, the result of the bout – a majority decision in Garcia’s favour – was later overturned when he tested positive for a performance enhancing drug during, with the official outcome of the clash becoming a no-contest.

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Both men have since moved up to the welterweight division and earned a world title, with Haney holding the WBO strap and Garcia in possession of the WBC crown.

A rematch between the duo would not only settle one of the most intense rivalries of recent times, but also a unify belts in a standout division.

When discussing the bout back in November, two-division world champion Tim Bradley spoke with confidence, suggesting that the demons and the mental impact of their initial encounter would mean a Garcia win.

“Just as well as Devin did a great job, I still see a little residue, it’s still there. It could be a part of his strategy, defence first, I get it.

“At the back end of the fight, he was winning easily, he didn’t want to take too many chances, he didn’t want to open himself up, but I saw Norman marching forward, letting his hands go and there was less and less activity from Devin – I can’t ignore that.

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“It could be by design, maybe not. I’m just saying, Garcia has his number.”

Now, four months later, Bradley seems to have adopted a different mindset, releasing a video titled Haney will beat Garcia in the rematch. ‘Desert Storm’ now backs Haney to avoid the mistakes he made first time around.

“Looking at the fight, the first fight. Devin, in that fight, besides the rounds that he got knocked down in, he was winning those rounds, outboxing Ryan.

“He was taking the initiative at times, coming forward, forcing Ryan onto his back foot but keeping his distance at the same time and avoiding getting countered or hit with that big left-hook.”

“If Haney doesn’t touch the canvas, if he doesn’t get caught, if he doesn’t fall asleep, if he controls what is going on at all times and he is on his P’s and Q’s, he should be able to outbox Ryan Garcia with ease. He shouldn’t have a hard time outboxing a Garcia.”

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Before Haney-Garcia II talk can gather too much momentum, ‘The Dream’ looks poised for an alternate unification opportunity, with reports suggesting that he will face off with WBA titleholder Rolando Romero on Saturday, May 30.

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When does Invincible season 4 premiere? First look, returning voice cast and more

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Invincible season 4 is the next part of the amazing animated superhero series on Prime Video. It will show what has happened to Mark Grayson as he deals with the results of his previous choices. Season 4 comes at a time when season 3 ended with its hero having gotten darker, and so the story will be more intense and emotionally complicated.

The show has a loyal fan base since it first aired in 2021 because of its mixture of superhero elements and focus on the characters. In season 4, the series will most likely unfold more aspects of the universe, bringing in new enemies as well as making the existing disputes more complex.

The new season is still based on the comic book series by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley, and the show hasn’t lost its interest in major fights as well as in individual problems.

Invincible season 4 premieres on March 18, 2026, on Amazon Prime Video, continuing Mark Grayson’s story with returning voices like Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, and J.K. Simmons alongside new cast additions.


When and where is Invincible season 4 releasing?

Invincible season 4 is coming to Amazon Prime Video on March 18, 2026. It can be streamed in over 240 countries and territories as it rolls out globally via the platform. Like all the previous seasons, season 4 will be included in the Prime Video library and accessible only to Prime subscribers.

The release keeps the show on track since the first two seasons were released on Prime Video as well. Even though the time when each episode will be made public has not been disclosed yet in the draft, the series has used both weekly and split-release formats before.

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So, fans might see season 4 mainly as one of the platform’s top animated titles. Subscribers can also watch all the previous seasons, so it is possible to catch up on the earlier stories before season 4 is out. The series is still one of the most popular animated shows on Prime Video, with a great audience and critical response.

Read More: Will there be a Virgin River season 8? Renewal status explained/explored


More details on Invincible season 4

Invincible season 4 (Image Via Prime Video)Invincible season 4 (Image Via Prime Video)
Invincible season 4 (Image Via Prime Video)

Invincible season 4 will begin right after the events of the last season, when Mark Grayson’s story came to a rather bleak point. Naturally, the new season dives deep into the repercussions of his actions, especially as he fiercely resolves to shield those dearest to him.

Prime Video says,

“As the world slowly recovers from its recent ordeal, a changed Mark is battling to safeguard his home and his loved ones, a path that leads him to a confrontation with a threat that might change the destiny of humanity forever”.

New villains like Thragg, Dinosaurus, and Universa are among the introduced characters in Invincible season 4. They are likely to be instrumental in widening the conflict as Mark and his team confront more and more perilous situations. The story still revolves around Mark’s difficulties in juggling his superhero obligations and his personal life, which is, in fact, the show’s main focus so far.

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The voice cast of season 4 reunites some of the familiar faces, with Steven Yeun reprising his role as Mark Grayson, Sandra Oh coming back as Debbie Grayson, and J.K. Simmons returning as Nolan Grayson. The show carries on with a huge ensemble cast that features famous actors like Gillian Jacobs, Seth Rogen, Walton Goggins, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jason Mantzoukas, Zazie Beetz, and Mark Hamill.

Besides the familiar voices, Invincible season 4 unveils a brand new set of actors to the cast, such as Lee Pace, Matthew Rhys, and Danai Gurira. These new faces are likely to stir up the series’ dynamics, especially as they unfold their roles as the main villains of the story.

Characters like Atom Eve and the Guardians of the Globe who are an integral part of the show’s main storyline will also continue to be a part of the season. As the storyline goes on, Invincible season 4 will be the characters developing their already intertwined relationships and, at the same time, widening the scope of their conflicts.

Read More: Shrinking season 3 episode 7 ending explained: What happened to Maya?

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The show will premiere exclusively on March 18, 2026, on Prime Video.