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Raptors discussing possibility of reuniting with Kawhi Leonard

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The Toronto Raptors never wanted Kawhi Leonard to leave seven years ago. And signs point to the two-time NBA Finals MVP returning to the team with which he won the 2019 championship. 

There are plenty of moving parts and some contradictory information kicking around, but two sources close to the situation that I spoke with on Sunday confirmed that the Raptors have discussed the possibility of a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers that would bring the 2025 second-team all-NBA selection back to Toronto. The Raptors’ interest in Leonard was first reported by Marc Stein and Jake Fischer.

The most likely construction of the deal would centre on a package including 2025 all-star Brandon Ingram and third-year wing Gradey Dick, which would work in terms of salary matching, per one source. The Raptors would likely have to add some draft picks as additional compensation. 

Leonard has one-year and $50.3 million left on his contract. According to sources, the 35-year-old is unlikely to get an extension from the Clippers and is open to finding a team that would extend his deal beyond the upcoming season. 

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“The Clippers aren’t going to commit to anything with him, so it looks like he’s trying to strong-arm his way out of there,” said one source.

Said another: “The Clippers are willing to move him … and I think a lot of teams are wary of acquiring Kawhi because you just don’t know if he’s going to play … there’s risk there, obviously. Toronto had him, and so maybe feels more comfortable that he would play for them, could play for them.”

There are also constructions that work with Raptors wing RJ Barrett’s expiring deal as the basis of a trade, but I have been told that the Canadian national team star is not likely to be part of any Clippers deal.

Exactly how determined the Raptors are to make the trade to acquire Leonard isn’t entirely clear either. A couple of different sources on Sunday suggested a move could be pending, but the predominant view seems to be that things are moving a little more slowly. 

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“They’ve talked, but it’s pretty preliminary,” said one source. “It’s not close,” said another. 

The chatter is building momentum as the NBA heads into the opening of its free agency period on Tuesday night. The Raptors have some business to focus on there, too, with power forward Sandro Mamukelashvili expected to opt out of the final year of his $2.8 million deal on Monday. Sources are telling me that he’s expected to attract multiple offers starting at more than $10 million a year, which could make it challenging for the Raptors to keep him. 

How that unfolds will be revealed in the coming days, but there seems to be a consensus that the Raptors are at least seriously entertaining the idea of bringing back Leonard. Toronto originally acquired him in the summer of 2018 in a trade with San Antonio, and he left for the Clippers in free agency in the days after leading the Raptors to their only championship. 

“If the price is right, you have to think about it,” said one league source.

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The market for Leonard doesn’t seem to be all that deep, with teams concerned about his injury history, his age and his proven determination to control his own destiny if the situation he’s in isn’t to his liking. That should help the Raptors, who stand to add a proven championship piece at a relative discount – for the second time. 

It’s certainly a gamble, even if Leonard is coming off a superb season with the Clippers, earning his seventh all-NBA selection after averaging a career-best 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals while shooting 50.5 per cent from the floor and 38.7 per cent from the free throw line and appeared in 65 games. 

Before last season, Leonard had averaged just 44 games per year in his six previous years in Los Angeles, including missing the 2021-22 season with injury. 

But the Raptors still have vice-president of player health and performance Alex McKechnie on staff, which should give them a level of comfort other teams might not have. 

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It was McKechnie who did such good work getting Leonard – who was limited to just nine games due to injury in his last season in San Antonio – through 60 regular-season games in Toronto, then able to lead the NBA in post-season minutes. Part of the approach included strategically resting Leonard to make sure he didn’t fatigue and increase his injury risk. It was one of the first instances of the application of ‘load management’ for a full season and has become much more common since. 

Additionally, if it is Ingram who is the centrepiece of an outgoing trade package, the Raptors might feel more comfortable taking on whatever risk Leonard’s health carries. 

Yes, Ingram played a career-high 2604 minutes for Toronto and appeared in 77 games, the most since his rookie season. 

But the 10-year veteran had averaged just 52 games per year in eight seasons before joining the Raptors. After leading the Raptors in scoring during the regular season (21.5 points per game), Ingram struggled during the Raptors first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, playing just 11 minutes in Game 5 and missing Games 6 and 7 before undergoing surgery for a bone spur in his right heel in early May. 

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Ingram has two years and $82 million on his contract. The second season is a player option, and the expectation is that if he has a season similar to the one he just had with the Raptors, the soon-to-be 29-year-old will be looking for a contract extension of his own. 

Leonard is the better player; there’s little argument there, and Ingram has his own durability concerns. 

In his first full year as the Raptors top decision maker, Raptors general manager Bobby Webster has speculated about the timing of “maybe start[ing] to push some chips into the middle.”

Webster led the Raptors’ efforts to acquire Leonard back in 2018, a risky, franchise-shifting move that led directly to the Raptors only championship. 

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It appears he’s at least considering trying to go down the same path again. 

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10 Medals – 7 Gold, 3 Silver: Indian Boxers Achieve Historic High At Commonwealth Games 2026

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Indian women boxers lived up to their billing with five gold medals while Sachin Siwach and Ankush Panghal sealed men’s titles as the country produced its best-ever performance at the Commonwealth Games on Saturday. Reigning world champion Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Asian Games medallist Preeti Pawar (54kg), Asian champion Priya Ghanghas (60kg), Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg) and Arundhati Choudhary (70kg) won gold medals, while Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) settled for silver.

In the men’s competition, Sachin (60kg) and Ankush (70kg) struck gold, while Jadumani Singh (55kg) and Asian Games bronze medallist Narender Berwal (+90kg) finished with silver medals.

India’s previous best boxing campaign at the Commonwealth Games came in Gold Coast in 2018, when it won seven medals, including three gold.

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With chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “India, India” reverberating around the SEC arena, the Indian boxers enjoyed near home-like support.

“The crowd support was brilliant, it really pumped me,” said the 20-year-old Priya.

Preeti kick-started India’s golden run with a commanding 5-0 victory over Canada’s Scarlett Delgado in the women’s 54kg final.

Jaismine followed with another clinical 5-0 win, defeating Northern Ireland’s defending champion Michaela Walsh in the 57kg summit clash.

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Fighting from long range and relying on her sharp footwork, Preeti made a measured start before gradually finding her rhythm. Once she settled in, the Indian dictated the pace, keeping Delgado at bay with crisp counters and timely combinations to cruise to victory.

Jaismine, meanwhile, was made to work much harder against the vastly experienced Walsh. Commanding the centre of the ring and making full use of her superior reach, the Indian edged the opening two rounds 3-2 before closing out a deserved unanimous victory.

Sakshi, who dropped down from 54kg to 51kg, upset local favourite Ruby White of England in another impressive display.

Priya, sporting a tricolour gumshield, recovered from a slow start to beat Canada’s Marie-Bathoul Al-Ahmadieh 4-1. Trailing 2-3 after the opening round, she unleashed a barrage of punches over the final two rounds to turn the contest around.

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Arundhati completed the women’s golden sweep with a unanimous 5-0 victory over England’s world championship bronze medallist Chantelle Reid in the 70kg final.

Spurred on by chants of “Bajrang Bali Jai”, the Rajasthan boxer celebrated her triumph with a bow-and-arrow gesture.

“The celebration was to send all the negative talk away. I dedicate this win to my family, who have made a lot of sacrifices for me,” she said.

Sachin produced one of the comebacks of the day. Trailing after the opening round and suffering a point deduction in the final round, he forced a standing count against Namibia’s Tryagain Morning Ndevelo before clinching a dramatic 3-2 split verdict.

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“Even though I was losing the first round, I knew I could win the bout,” Sachin said.

Ankush then capped India’s golden evening with a composed 4-1 victory over England’s Dimeji Shittu. Despite being booed by the home crowd, the Army boxer remained unfazed and boxed with discipline throughout.

Lovlina, however, fell just short, losing a closely fought women’s 75kg final to Australia’s Emma-Sue Greentree.

Narender also had to settle for silver after going down to England’s Damar Thomas in the super-heavyweight final.

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Jadumani ended with silver after losing 0-5 to Australia’s Jye Dixon in the 55kg title clash. The Indian had taken the opening round 3-2 after overcoming the height disadvantage, but Dixon responded emphatically with a dominant second round before carrying the momentum into the decider to deny India an eighth gold.


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Tour pro Si Woo Kim offered money … by a tunnel? Here’s the WILD story why

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The Vikings’ Passer Battle Has at Least 1 Answer Already

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Carson Wentz gets ready before the Vikings’ home game against his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, at U.S. Bank Stadium.
On October 19, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz went through pregame drills before the matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles at U.S. Bank Stadium. The veteran passer, facing his former team for the first time in purple, displayed sharp focus during warmups as fans packed the stands for the highly anticipated reunion against one of the NFC’s top defensive units. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.

Much remains uncertain at quarterback. Not so at QB3.

Max Brosmer is trying to take down the elder statesman but appears very unlikely to do so. Carson Wentz got brought back for a reason. The Vikings’ passer battle is mostly focused on chasing a high ceiling with Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy squaring off. Mr. Wentz is in town to ensure that the ship can remain afloat if something terrible happens. That’s a perspective that appears close to certain unless Brosmer goes nuclear.

The Vikings’ Passer Battle Knows its QB3

Wentz has been through a ton in his career. Presumably, he envisioned things going different after getting chosen at No. 2 in the 2016 NFL Draft, but the NFL can be a cruel spot.

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To his great credit, Wentz has responded by embracing his job and doing very well within his role.

Recent seasons have involved being a depth guy. Some of the reason for the modest assignment is that he’s getting older. What’s been more of an issue, though, has been injury. Vikings fans can think back to the missed opportunity after that magical 2017 season when Nick Foles and the Eagles demolished Minnesota in the NFC Championship Game. Don’t forget, folks, that Wentz was the starter for that team before being lost for the year due to injury.

NFL: Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Chargers
Oct 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) drops back to pass against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

What followed has been somewhat of a rollercoaster.

An initial stop in Philadelphia led toward an opportunity in Washington. There was then a chance in Indianapolis, in LA (Rams), and in Kansas City. Those final two stops are of particular note since Sean McVay and Andy Reid are brilliant strategists for offensive football.

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Now entering his second season as a Viking, Carson Wentz understands his job.

The QB3 is being leaned on for steady leadership. Grind through film as he shepherds the younger arms in the quarterback room. At times, Josh McCown and Kevin O’Connell likely turn to him to get his sense of how things are going. He demands a pile of respect inside TCO.

If disaster strikes, Wentz is going to go in there and be totally unflappable. That doesn’t mean he’ll be elite. It does mean he’ll inspire confidence in his teammates. Even better, he’ll give his guys a shot. Justin Jefferson cleared 100 yards a pair of times with Wentz throwing the pigskin. That matters.

Minnesota Vikings QB Carson Wentz in 2025 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Oct 19, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) drops back for a pass during the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.

The Vikings went 2-3 last season with Wentz. A vital detail to remember is that he was playing hurt toward the end. His toughness got to the point of cruelty. Every hit felt terrible for those watching; imagine how he felt.

His overall stats show somebody who completed a tidy 65.1% of his passes. The yards come in at 1,216 and his TD-to-INT ratio was a humdrum 6/5. Again, though, the health issue. Moreover, he got added very late, a misstep by the Vikings’ front office. Giving him a full offseason in Minnesota could have led to a better performance once he was needed.

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Carson Wentz put pen to paper on a single-season contract coming in at $3 million. He secures the team’s floor while offering great leadership, meaning the deal is a bargain.

In the past, Wentz has been to the Pro Bowl and finished as a second-team All Pro in 2017.


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Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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A look back at Zinedine Zidane’s career as he becomes France’s new coach

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2026 AIG Women’s Open Sunday tee times: Round 4 pairings

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The 2026 AIG Women’s Open concludes on Sunday, Aug. 2, with the fourth round at Royal Lytham and St. Annes in England. You can find full AIG Women’s Open tee times for Sunday’s fourth round at the bottom of this post.

AIG Women’s Open Sunday tee times: What to know

If you didn’t have Yealimi Noh in your office pool this week, you’re not alone. The 25-year-old Californian arrived at Royal Lytham and St. Annes with just two top-10 finishes in majors and one LPGA Tour victory to her name.

Now, after a tidy two-under 69 on a wind-swept Saturday, she heads into the final round at seven-under, holding a three-shot lead. It’s the first time she’s ever been the front-runner at any point in a major.

Can Noh hang on?

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To do so, she’ll have to hold off a pack of pursuers. Haeran Ryu, who teed off Saturday with the lead while seeking her third consecutive major title, stumbled to a three-over 74 to fall back to four-under. She’s joined there by fellow American Lucy Li, Germany’s Esther Henseleit, Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki and World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, who is seeking her first major championship.

Fan favorite Charley Hull, meanwhile, isn’t out of the mix. Playing in her home country, she’ll begin the final round at two-under, five shots behind.

Noh tees off at 9:35 a.m. ET alongside Henseleit.

You can watch Sunday’s final round of the AIG Women’s Open from 7 a.m.-noon ET on USA and then from noon-2 p.m. ET on NBC. Additional Sunday streaming coverage will be provided by GolfChannel.com, the Golf Channel app and the NBC Sports app.

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You can check out the complete Round 4 tee times for the 2026 AIG Women’s Open below.

2026 AIG Women’s Open tee times for Sunday: Round 4 (ET)

3:45 a.m. – Casandra Alexander, Mi Hyang Lee

3:55 a.m. – Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, Aunchisa Utama

4:05 a.m. – Aki Iwai, Julia Lopez Ramirez

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4:15 a.m. – Arpichaya Yubol, Anna Nordqvist

4:25 a.m. – Auston Kim, Nasa Hataoka

4:35 a.m. – Amanda Doherty, Jin Young Ko

4:45 a.m. – Alison Lee, Kajsa Arwefjall

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5 a.m. – Minji Kang, Alice Hewson

5:10 a.m. – Maja Stark, Patty Tavatanakit

5:20 a.m. – Amelia Garvey, Cara Gainer

5:30 a.m. – Yana Wilson, Rose Zhang

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5:40 a.m. – Ariya Jutanugarn, Yuna Araki

5:50 a.m. – Annabell Fuller, Yunseo Yang (a)

6 a.m. – Hyo Joo Kim, Nastasia Nadaud

6:15 a.m. – Manon De Roey, Lindy Duncan

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6:25 a.m. – Jenny Shin, Amy Yang

6:35 a.m. – Sara Kouskova, Pia Babnik

6:45 a.m. – Paula Martin Sampedro (a), Mao Saigo

6:55 a.m. – Hannah Green, Brooke M. Henderson

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7:05 a.m. – Dewi Weber, Sei Young Kim

7:15 a.m. – Chizzy Iwai, Yuka Saso

7:30 a.m. – Celine Boutier, Mimi Rhodes

7:40 a.m. – Alexandra Forsterling, Jing Yan

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7:50 a.m. – Lauren Coughlin, Robyn Choi

8 a.m. – Nelly Korda, Rio Takeda

8:10 a.m. – Shannon Tan, Wei-Ling Hsu

8:20 a.m. – Carla Tejedo Mulet, Jin Hee Im

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8:30 a.m. – Ashleigh Buhai, Soo Bin Joo

8:45 a.m. – Lydia Ko, Charley Hull

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Pirates’ Ryan O’Hearn expected to miss six to eight weeks with quad injury

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CINCINNATI — The Pittsburgh Pirates placed Ryan O’Hearn on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a strained left quad and he is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

O’Hearn pulled up and grabbed his left leg while running to first base on a groundout in the ninth inning on Friday night’s 8-7 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. He was helped off the field by manager Don Kelly and a member of the training staff.

The Pirates signed O’Hearn to a two-year, $2- million free-agent contract in January. He is batting .270 with 17 home runs and 69 RBIs in 96 games. He missed two weeks in May with a right quad injury.

O’Hearn has made 49 appearances at first base, 42 in right field, and 17 as the designated hitter. He homered three times and set a Pirates single-game franchise record with 10 RBIs against the Braves on July 7.

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In other moves, the Pirates recalled right-hander Isaac Mattson from triple-A Indianapolis, activated catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores Jr. from the IL and optioned right-hander Antwone Kelly to triple-A.

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“Both of them would be brilliant additions”

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Former Premier League goalkeeper Brad Friedel has urged Liverpool to sign Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue from PSG. He believes that the two players are needed at Anfield to make them a better side.

Speaking to the Daily Star, Friedel stated that Barcola and Doue are on the same level, and it would be hard to pick one of the two. He claimed that Liverpool should be looking to get both of them this summer and not just one and said:

“It’s a toss of a coin between Barcola and Doue. I think both of them would be brilliant additions to L’pool and honestly, I think both of them would be great to help with the loss of goals and assists from Salah. Both players are excellent on the left and can also drift into the middle, which is something Iraola would like a lot in how he plays.”

“Watching both at the World Cup, they both have important assets which can benefit Liverpool and contribute to an exciting style of play. So, both of them would be my preference, to add good depth to the squad because as we’ve seen it’s a long season competing in all competitions so you need plenty of quality in the squad and both of them would be huge players.”

The Reds remain in talks with PSG to sign Barcola, and the Ligue1 are open to a sale.

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Jamie Carragher does not want Bradley Barcola at Liverpool

Jamie Carragher claimed that his former side do not need Barcola. He wants them to sign a right-winger and not another winger who prefers to play on the left and told Sky Sports:

“He’s a great player, there’s no doubt about that – I’d love to get Barcola at Liverpool. But he’s a left winger for me. Liverpool’s big thing that stands out like a sore thumb right now is replacing Mo Salah, a right winger. And I don’t think L’pool have got anybody really in the squad who looks fully comfortable playing right wing.”

“They probably have at least four players in the squad before Barcola joins, if he joins, who could play on the left-hand side comfortably. Now, I’m not saying any of those players are better than Barcola. But in terms of the balance of the squad, it’s not the position L’pool need right now. They need a right winger.”

PSG were looking to sign Yan Diomande this summer, but have switched focus to Maghnes Akliouche and Mika Godts, after Real Madrid hijacked the deal for the Ivory Coast star.