Before Thursday’s overtime defeat against the Seattle Seahawks, Nacua made comments about the officiating on a live stream with streamer Adin Ross.
Advertisement
“The refs are the worst,” Nacua said. “You don’t think [a ref] is texting his friends in the group chat, like, ‘Yo, you guys just saw me on ‘Sunday Night Football’? That wasn’t PI, but I called it.’ … These guys are human beings, too.”
When asked about Nacua’s comments, head coach Sean McVay said he was unaware and declined to directly address the tweet. He also defended Nacua by calling him “a great kid that’s continuing to learn about the platform he has.”
“I’ve never quite seen anything like what happened on the 2-point conversion, where you’re lined up to kickoff, then they say it’s a fumble because you have a clear and obvious recovery,” McVay said. “Now, you tack it on, make it a 30-30 game. Very interesting. Didn’t get clear explanation of everything that went on just because of the timing of it.
“Never been a part of anything like that, and I’ve grown up around this game. I’m not making excuses … but we do want clarity and an understanding of the things that we can do minimize that when we rejected the 2-point conversion.”
Advertisement
Nacua’s comments came after a 12-catch, 225-receiving-yard, two-touchdown performance on 16 targets against the Seahawks. Nacua has recorded 573 receiving yards over the past three weeks. He leads the NFL with 114 receptions and is second in receiving yards with 1,592. He has eight receiving touchdowns on the season.
With the NBA Cup past us — congrats to the Knicks! — we’re inching closer to the turn of the calendar. As such, it’s about that time we seriously start considering All-Star selections. All-Star voting officially opened Wednesday, giving us an opportunity to highlight some of the tremendous seasons taking place right now.
Advertisement
In case you need the reminder, we’ll have a new All-Star format this season as the NBA attempts to breathe life into its premier showcase game on Feb. 15. We will see the introduction of a Team USA vs. Team World format, but with a bit of a twist.
There will be three teams of eight players (24 total, no positional limit) involved in a round-robin mini-tournament. Among the player pool, 12 must come from each conference.
The teams will play each other once — Team A vs. Team B, the winner facing Team C in the second game, then the loser of Team A vs Team B facing Team C in the third game — with each game consisting of a 12-minute period.
The top two teams will play each other in the championship game. If the initial three games end with each team having a 1-1 record, the tiebreaker will be the overall point differential.
(Jonathan Castro/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
Last month, I took an all-encompassing view of what the All-Star teams — and the three-team constructions — may look like. For this piece, I want to focus on the potential first-time selections. The only thing more exciting than a new All-Star format is a group of newbies entering the fray for the first time. A couple of notes before we get rollin’ and scrollin’:
While there isn’t an official games-played minimum for All-Star festivities, I personally use it as a consistent guardrail since I’m keeping tabs for award selections anyway. A 65-of-82 limit comes out to roughly 79% of games played; the league average for games played right now is about 27, meaning players would need to have appeared in at least 20 contests for me through Dec. 19. It’s why honorable mentions from last month’s piece, like Aaron Gordon (13 games) and Stephon Castle (17 games), or guys like OG Anunoby (17 games) won’t appear here.
For this piece, I’ve separated players into three categories. The “Clear Your Schedule” group are essentially the locks — or at least, players I feel should be locks. The “Stay Ready” group consists of players who are on the bubble — I can make arguments for them, but could also see them losing out to bigger names, their own teammates, or both. The “Make Sure Your Vacation Is Refundable” group is a tier below that — really good seasons that I don’t expect to be rewarded, but I’ll leave the “injury replacement” or “Team World needs someone” doors cracked open.
Let’s dig in, shall we?
EAST
Clear Your Schedule: Jalen Duren (DET), Jalen Johnson (ATL)
Duren is, figuratively and literally, at the center of the East-leading Detroit Pistons’ success this year. Boasting a career-best 18 points (62.9% on 2s), 11 rebounds (career-best 4.2 offensive rebounds), 0.9 steals and 1 block, Duren has leveled up in important ways on both ends of the floor.
Advertisement
Duren’s screen-setting has made life easier for MVP candidate Cade Cunningham. His decision-making in space has popped as well; whenever Cunningham draws a second defender, Duren has more consistently taken advantage of those opportunities with quicker processing as a passer (shoutout the dump-offs and lobs to Ausar Thompson) and improvement as a short-roll scorer. He’s quietly making 53% of his floater-range shots this season, and he’s been one of the league’s most effective drivers (1.18 PPP on 80 drives, per GeniusIQ tracking data) when he’s put his head down.
On top of that, Duren has grown into a legitimately positive defender. When asked to drop back in coverage, there’s a bit more nuance and understanding to the space he gives and when he decides to take that away with handplay or full commitments. He’s more often asked to defend at the level of screens, where his athleticism more readily shines. The Pistons are allowing a sturdy 0.8 points per possession on trips featuring a ball screen defended by Duren; only the Rockets’ Steven Adams has produced a lower figure (0.796), and that’s with Duren outpacing him by 200 reps (513 to 313) to this point.
As for Johnson, it’s hard to express how much fun it’s been to watch him 1) build on the All-Star campaign he was establishing last season before injuries derailed it, and 2) grow as a legitimate offensive engine.
Advertisement
The box-score numbers speak for themselves: 23.6 points (57/39/82 splits; 62% true shooting), 10.5 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.6 steals. He and Nikola Jokić are the only two players averaging at least 20-10-8-1 this season — pretty good company, if you ask me!
Beyond the “what” is the “how” of Johnson’s game. He’s been empowered more as a grab-and-go threat, and the Hawks have done well to move him around the board as an early ball-screen initiator, high-post hub, and even a recipient of off-ball screens to get him head starts as a driver. From there, his (late) jump passing, budding midrange jumper (41% on middies, up from 37% last season) and bulldozer drives have popped all season.
He more than held down the fort without Trae Young, who made his return on Thursday night after missing 22 games with a knee sprain. If Johnson isn’t firmly Atlanta’s best player yet, he’s at least established himself as the Hawks’ most important player moving forward.
Stay Ready: Norm Powell (MIA), Franz Wagner (ORL)
Powell put together a fringe All-Star case last season with the Los Angeles Clippers and has leveled up again with the Miami Heat. In their wide-open offense, Powell is averaging career highs in points (24.4 on 54/43/86 splits), rebounds (3.8) and assists (2.5). Though the Heat have notably cut down their screening usage this year, they’ve been smart to weaponize Powell with a mix of handoffs, regular pindowns and staggered screens to get him shots — or driving opportunities — with a head start.
Advertisement
This isn’t the space to have a Wagner vs Paolo Banchero debate, but I think it’s fair to note that Wagner (who is currently out with a high ankle sprain) has at least been the most consistent of the two this year — and #TheThing is happening again. Wagner’s box-score averages are strong again: 22.7 points (54/36/82 splits), career-best 6.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals. His drives and early transition seals in particular have been big parts of the Magic’s paint-heavy attack, and he’s an underrated part of Orlando’s top-10 defense.
Make Sure Your Vacation Is Refundable: Josh Giddey (CHI), Michael Porter Jr. (BKN)
The Bulls have fallen off the proverbial cliff after an entertaining (and impressive) 6-1 start. Still, Giddey is in the midst of a career year. He’s one of three players — Jokić and Johnson being the others — currently averaging at least 20 points (20.3), 9 rebounds (9.4), and 8 assists (8.9), and he’s still knocking down 3s at career-best efficiency (40.4%) and volume (4.8 attempts). The Australian having Team World eligibility could open a door for him.
Advertisement
In more of the injury replacement realm, could I quickly highlight the season Michael Porter Jr. is having in Brooklyn? He’s averaging nearly 26 points per game while shooting the leather off the ball (39.6% on 9.2 attempts), and I’ve really enjoyed the way head coach Jordi Fernandez has utilized him to this point. He’s done a great job of scheming around Porter Jr.’s on-ball limitations, instead moving him around the board as an off-ball weapon — and helping him develop great two-man chemistry with Nicolas Claxton, another guy having an under-the-radar breakout.
WEST
Clear Your Schedule: Austin Reaves (LAL), Chet Holmgren (OKC)
The Reaves case is an easy one to make, at least today: he’s right at the 21-game threshold for me. Still, in light of LeBron James missing the beginning of the season, and Luka Dončić missing a handful of contests, Reaves leveling up to this degree should be celebrated.
Advertisement
Before suffering a calf strain, Reaves was having the season of his life: 27.8 points (61/37/88 splits), 5.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1 steal per game. He found a new level of command offensively, balancing full-steam drives with more off-tempo ones to keep defenders off balance — and thus, making it easier for them to fall susceptible to Reaves’ deep foul-drawing bag. The playmaking has perked up, and his growing comfort as an off-the-dribble 3-point threat — this is the first season he’s taken more 3s off the bounce than off the catch — has made him one of the league’s best offensive players.
While we’re on offensive leaps, I’d like to toss Holmgren’s hat into the ring. It’s a career year for Holmgren, averaging a shade under 19 points in 29 minutes. He’s draining over 40% of his 3s for the first time in his career, but I’ve been more impressed with his work inside the arc. He’s more comfortable and effective as a driver, and the midrange shot-making from him — 53% on the season, per Cleaning The Glass — has been outstanding and timely. Add in his defensive chops and the fact he’s putting this season together on one of the best (regular-season) teams in NBA history; I’d be shocked if he wasn’t a lock.
Stay Ready: Jamal Murray (DEN)
I suppose there’s some potential for Murray being a “West is deep” casualty if the Nuggets slide from the 2-seed to the 4-seed, but I’d also be surprised if he ultimately doesn’t make it — especially considering his Team World eligibility. Murray’s been awesome this season, boasting career-highs in points (25.2), rebounds (4.3), and assists (6.6). He’s never shot this well (45.6%) or this much from deep (7.3 attempts), but the drives have really stood out to me. Among 53 players to log at least 200 drives so far this year, only three have produced more efficient offense on a per-possession basis than Murray (1.17).
Advertisement
Make Sure Your Vacation Is Refundable: Deni Avdija (POR)
It’s pretty easy to make an All-Star case for Avdija. In what has easily been the best season of his career, the sixth-year swingman is averaging 25.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists for an injured-but-pesky Blazers group. Jokić, Luka Dončić and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the only other players averaging at least 25-7-6 this year.
Avdija leads the league in drives (527) and is producing elite offense (1.10 PPP) on those forays due to his finishing ability and (understandably annoying) foul-drawing craft. In light of the injuries and lack of reliable shooting around him, the Blazers have needed every one of those drives. It helps explain why they’re a slight positive with Avdija on the floor, but fall off a cliff whenever he goes to the bench.
Advertisement
Between the depth of the conference, the Blazers’ current record (11-16, half a game ahead of Dallas for 10th), and the looming LeBron All-Star case — he hasn’t played (well) enough for top-12 status this year, but he’s LeBron James in what could possibly be his last All-Star appearance — I have my doubts about Avdija’s case.
The trial lasted three months, and jury deliberations began Monday.
Advertisement
Settlement terms have not been made public. The Skaggs family was seeking $118 million in potential lost earnings plus added damages. After the settlement, the jury foreman said the jury had agreed to award Skaggs’ family around $100 million before they were told to stop deliberating, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“The Skaggs family has reached a confidential settlement with Angels Baseball that brings to a close a difficult six-year process, allowing our families to focus on healing,” the family said in a statement. “We are deeply grateful to the members of this jury, and to our legal team. Their engagement and focus gave us faith, and now we have finality. This trial exposed the truth and we hope Major League Baseball will now do its part in holding the Angels accountable. While nothing can bring Tyler back, we will continue to honor his memory.”
The Angels issued a statement that read in part: “The death of Tyler Skaggs remains a tragedy, and this trial sheds light on the dangers of opioid use and the devastating effects it can have.”
Skaggs died in his hotel room while on a road trip with the team in 2019. He was 27. Toxicology reports revealed Skaggs died due to a combination of “alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone intoxication with terminal aspiration of gastric contents.”
Advertisement
It was later revealed that Skaggs was receiving pills from Eric Kay, then the team’s communications director. Kay was found guilty of distributing pills laced with fentanyl to Skaggs and was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for his actions.
In 2021, Skaggs’ wife, mother and stepfather filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against the team, contending the Angels should have known Kay was distributing pills to Skaggs.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in November that the league will review testimony from the trial, with possible punishment for the Angels coming at some point in the future.
Our top-notch fantasy analysts will answer your lineup questions live during the 90-minute show, starting at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Advertisement
Yahoo Fantasy’s Matt Harmon, Justin Boone and Chris Allen join host Jason Fitz to guide you right up to kickoff of the 1 p.m. ET games. The crew will cover it all in their holiday/ugly sweaters!
Here’s what’s coming up on this week’s show:
Justin Boone’s live rankings updates
Top fantasy storylines:
Backup RBs turned starters in semifinals
Aftermath of Week 15 injuries
Will George Pickens let you down this week?
Identifying matchup-proof players
Previewing some of the week’s key fantasy games:
Patriots vs. Ravens on SNF
Sharing our favorite player props for the week
And most importantly — answer YOUR lineup questions
Analyst Scott Pianowski will be answering start-sit questions on Twitter/X (@YahooFantasy) beginning at noon ET — just tag your questions with #AskFFL (consider it your fantasy Bat Signal).
Analyst Joel Smyth will also be live on TikTok at noon ET, ready to help with any last-minute decisions.
Fantasy impostor syndrome is real. After 10 weeks in the 14-team RotoWire Staff Hockey League, I’m in first at 9-1. I’ve also accumulated the most fantasy points from the head-to-head matchups. At the same time, my opponents have scored the second-fewest points. And while I’ve got a couple stars at forward and defense, none of my four goalies (Karel Vejmelka, Juuse Saros and the Detroit tandem) would be called elite.
Advertisement
Regression is coming. I can feel it. Some players are performing well above expectations. And Connor Bedard just went down, though he should be back sometime next month. I’ve been pretty fortunate with injuries overall, so I’m just waiting for a flood that may never end up happening. The key is to stay active and (relatively) positive to ensure fantasy decisions aren’t made too quickly and/or without proper consideration.
So be sure to take your time and check out the latest suggestions.
(Rostered rates as of Dec. 19)
Forwards
Ryan O’Reilly, NSH (Yahoo: 32%): O’Reilly has been a fairly reliable scorer throughout his career with only a handful of injuries over 17 seasons. Even on a subpar Nashville offense, he’s recorded 27 points — with 14 coming in the last 11 games. O’Reilly also centers the top line during all attacking situations, having recently rejoined the lead power play while reuniting with Filip Forsberg. Throw in a handful of shots and his continued mastery on faceoffs (averaging almost 10 wins on a 57.7% success rate) to further enhance his fantasy appeal.
Advertisement
Vasily Podkolzin, EDM (Yahoo: 30%): It’s taken a while for Podkolzin to get settled in the NHL since he was drafted 10th overall by Vancouver in 2019. He showed some flashes of brilliance last year and even racked up 10 points during the playoffs. Podkolzin has potted five goals over eight outings to go with an assist, 13 shots and 26 hits. And while there’s no man-advantage minutes, the even-strength spot next to Leon Draisaitl will do just fine.
Mikael Granlund, ANA (Yahoo: 24%): A lower-body injury kept Granlund out for more than a month, and then he returned to post six straight scoreless efforts before a goal and assist on Tuesday. He may have been shut out on the scoresheet during that stretch, but he managed to contribute 11 shots, seven blocks and six hits on 18:27 of ice time per game — 3:46 of that on Anaheim’s lead PP. As long as Granlund stays healthy and is surrounded by skilled teammates, he needs to be on more lineups.
Boone Jenner, CBJ (Yahoo: 22%): On the topic of multi-category veterans missing significant action, Jenner recently came back and has delivered two goals, two assists, 11 shots, 14 hits and six blocks from four matchups. It’s been a while since he’s been able to go even close to a full campaign without getting hurt, though he’s a fantasy player’s dream when available. Jenner should also get more clicks holding down a top-six slot and skating on the Blue Jackets’ second power play.
Anders Lee, NYI (Yahoo: 20%): Lee can claim three performances of at least three points this season while being blanked 21 times. That kind of inconsistency and a middle-six role will put a dent in your coverage, but maybe not for a forward with a somewhat successful pedigree who continues to direct plenty of pucks on net. Lee’s latest mini-run has him tallying three goals, five assists and 16 shots from seven games with three of those eight points of the PP variety. Expect him to keep producing, as three of the Isles’ next five opponents are bottom-10 defenses (Canucks, Sabres, Blue Jackets).
Advertisement
Vladimir Tarasenko, MIN (Yahoo: 13%): Quinn Hughes’ arrival in Minnesota should benefit some of his new teammates, especially those who regularly share the ice with him. Tarasenko lines up with the blueline star on the first PP, a group that also boasts Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek. That’s a pretty big opportunity, provided he can stay there for more than a couple of outings. Mats Zuccarello could eventually replace Tarasenko within that elite unit after he comes back, though the latter is there right now and grabbed three points on Tuesday with a goal and three shots Thursday.
Chandler Stephenson, SEA (Yahoo: 12%): Stephenson set a career high last year with 18 PPPs and is already at eight, with four during his current seven-game scoring streak that also covers 20 shots and 68 faceoff wins. And he’s been doing all that on a 19:57 average ice time. It’s hard to rely on any Kraken forward for offense, as the club ranks 31st in average goals, yet Stephenson seems too hard to pass up based on recent form and ice time.
Jackson Blake, CAR (Yahoo: 12%): After a successful second half last season and a hot start to this campaign, Blake registered a string of zeroes surrounding a night where he delivered two goals, an assist and five shots. He’s gotten back on track, picking up points in each of his last two contests — two of the three on Carolina’s top power play — while joining forces with Logan Stankoven and Nikolaj Ehlers at five-on-five. Blake is talented and part of a top-10 offense, so he deserves more fantasy attention. Give him a chance.
Defensemen
Zeev Buium, VAN (Yahoo: 58%): To no one’s surprise, Buium immediately operated as Vancouver’s top power-play quarterback and posted two PPPs during his debut on Sunday. He doesn’t do much in other areas but still offers offensive upside outside of that prime man-advantage placement. Even with the Canucks rebuilding, Buium represents their future centerpiece who’s also going to log decent ice time right now. Get him while he’s still available.
Advertisement
Josh Manson, COL (Yahoo: 25%): December has so far been productive for Manson, as he’s notched six assists, 13 shots, a plus-8 and 26 hits. The 17-minute average may be a bit low and his points probably can’t be sustained based on previous output, though he’ll keep getting chances being paired at even-strength with Brent Burns. And even if the scoring dries up, Manson’s secondary stats should keep him on enough fantasy lineups.
Sean Durzi, UTA (Yahoo: 9%): Durzi has been impacted by injuries the last couple of seasons, with the latest setback sidelining him for six weeks. While his stats weren’t great right after he returned, he’s found the scoresheet from five of the last six games in which he’s totaled six points, 13 shots, 16 PIM and 10 blocks. Durzi is also on Utah’s backup man-advantage, where he registered a PPA on Tuesday. And if you’re concerned about him maintaining this type of offense, don’t forget he recently established back-to-back campaigns with at least 38 points.
Tony DeAngelo, NYI (Yahoo: 4%): A significant share of DeAngelo’s scoring used to be dependent on the power play, yet that’s changed the last couple years. In fact, his first 10 points this season came at five-on-five, as the Isles had been horrendous while up a man. And DeAngelo’s last three have all been PPPs as part of a solid second unit. He’s not going to supply much else besides offense, though that should be enough to warrant additional coverage.
Goaltenders
Pyotr Kochetkov, CAR (Yahoo: 57%): Brandon Bussi was featured last week and is now up to nine straight wins. Kochetkov returned two weeks ago and is essentially splitting the starts, as Frederik Andersen hasn’t played since Dec. 4. Kochetkov has performed well in his last two outings, only allowing a combined four goals while coming out on top in both. Bussi may be the one grabbing the headlines, though Kochetkov is Carolina’s long-term No. 1 and will be given enough opportunities to prove that. Playing behind a strong attack and league-leading defense for shots allowed also won’t hurt his fantasy production.
Advertisement
Joel Hofer, STL (Yahoo: 11%): We’re not sayingJordan Binnington is in danger of losing his starting role in St. Louis, but he’s been pulled twice this month with a 3.89 GAA and .870 save percentage from his last 11 appearances going into Thursday. Over that same stretch, Hofer has posted a 2.22/.920 line alongside three shutouts, including one on Wednesday against the Jets. If Binnington continues to struggle, Hofer should keep getting enough work.
The Biffles were among seven people on the Cessna Citation that crashed as it was attempting to land shortly after takeoff from Statesville Regional Airport. All seven on board were killed including Greg’s 14-year old daughter Emma, Greg and Cristina’s 5-year-old son Ryder, Dennis and Jack Dutton, and Craig Wadsworth.
Advertisement
Cathy Grossu told CBS news that Cristina texted her “We’re in trouble, emergency landing” after the plane took off. Then Grossu got an alert from Cristina’s phone.
Cathy Grossu said she and her daughter were texting “all day long,” including during the flight.
“Then she said something like ‘We’re in trouble, emergency landing.’ And I texted back, ‘What’s wrong with the plane?’” Grossu told CBS News. “Then the next thing was [the SOS alert] that you get from your automatic Apple phones when you have an accident or something. And so I knew that something was wrong.”
Grossu called the airport. She said she was told there was a fire.
“That’s when we knew that they crashed,” Grossu said.
The NTSB has officially begun its investigation into the crash and said Friday that the black box from the plane has been recovered. A preliminary report from the investigation could be complete in 30 days. The plane was owned by Biffle’s company GB Aviation Leasing LLC.
NTSB board member Michael Graham said at a news conference Friday that it’s still unclear who was flying the plane. Both Dennis Dutton and Biffle were certified to fly the plane while Dutton’s son Jack was classified to fly single engine aircraft.
Advertisement
The plane crashed just short of the runway at Statesville Regional after it turned around upon takeoff. The plane hit trees, two light stanchions and the airport’s perimeter fence before it came to a stop.
Biffle, 55, won 19 Cup Series races over a career that spanned two decades. He finished second in the points standings in 2005 and is one of two drivers to have both an Xfinity Series championship and a Truck Series championship. Biffle last raced full-time in NASCAR’s top series in 2016 and got his last NASCAR national series win in 2019 when he won a Truck Series race.
With All-Star voting officially live, Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones give their current All-Star teams — the games played minimum is (annoyingly, amusingly) in play for Nekias.
Advertisement
From there, they salute the NBA Cup champion Knicks and dive further into the shifts they’ve made offensively. They discuss the uptick in tempo, the empowerment of non-Brunson/KAT initiators, their lineup versatility and more.
The NBA has informed its teams that the league will be enacting several sports betting policies, including a change to injury reporting rules — and that it’s looking to address the tanking issue that’s pervaded the association for years, ESPN’s Shams Charaniareported Friday.
The news comes as professional sports leagues try to restrict the scope of prop bets in the wake of federal investigations that have brought criminal charges against members of the NBA and MLB regarding integrity-threatening gambling scandals.
Advertisement
Notably, Charania reported that the NBA is pushing gaming companies for changes to prop bets concerning individual players.
He listed specific examples of those potential changes:
limiting maximum amount that can be bet
limiting population of players
eliminating problematic bet types, like bets on an action on a single play
“Unders” have especially come under scrutiny in recent months after NBA guard Terry Rozier was among more than 30 people arrested by the FBI as part of two separate illegal gambling-related cases. He was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
Prior to a March 2023 game in which he played only about 10 minutes for the Charlotte Hornets, Rozier is alleged to have shared inside information about his early exit, allegedly leading to his co-conspirator bettors wagering more than $200,000 on his under prop bets, according to investigators.
Advertisement
Former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones was also arrested. The 49-year-old Jones, who was mentioned in both indictments, allegedly used his NBA ties to share inside information with bettors for profit, including medical information that had not been released to the public.
Jones’ case has called into greater question load management in the NBA and, more specifically, the obscurity surrounding some injuries that unexpectedly sideline players throughout the season. While load management can aid players’ longevity, within a season and a career, it also negatively affects the fan experience, as fans routinely miss out on seeing players perform in games they’ve paid to attend.
Advertisement
According to Charania, teams will now have to resubmit injury listings on game day between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. local time. They will also have to update public reports every 15 minutes, per Charania.
Those modifications should provide fans and/or bettors more clarity on the injury front and perhaps will limit anyone privy to player-resting information from leveraging it.
The third person arrested in this fall’s scandal with a direct connection to the NBA was Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups. In March 2023, someone matching the exact description of Billups allegedly informed Eric Earnest, one of the six defendants charged, that a collection of the Blazers’ top players wouldn’t play in a game against the Chicago Bulls. Earnest allegedly passed on that insider information, and, before it became public and betting lines shifted dramatically, more than $100,000 was wagered against the Blazers by co-conspirators. The Blazers, who were 32-40 at the time and on the brink of missing the playoffs, lost convincingly, and those bets paid off.
As for tanking, Charania reported Friday that the NBA told its teams that it’s conducted another review of potential league policy changes that could disincentivize losing for its bottom dwellers. Those include, according to Charania, possible modifications to rules surrounding draft pick protections as well as potential draft lottery rules revisions.
The league has already tried to combat tanking with a play-in tournament and flattened lottery odds.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame gave basketball fans their first glimpse of what the Class of 2026 could look like when it announced its list of eligible candidates on Friday during “NBA Today.”
The new candidates include the 1996 USA Basketball Women’s National Team, Mike D’Antoni, Jamal Crawford, Elena Delle Donne, Blake Griffin, Joe Johnson, Candace Parker, Bruce Pearl and Kelvin Sampson. Returning eligible candidates include Marv Albert, Mark Few, Doc Rivers and Amar’e Stoudemire. The entire list of eligible candidates can be found on Hoop Hall’s website.
“The candidates for the Class of 2026 have each left an indelible impact on the game of basketball,” said John L. Doleva, president and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “Through defining performances, influential leadership, and achievements that helped elevate the sport on the national and international stage, this year’s ballot recognizes those whose legacy continues to shape how the game is played, coached, and celebrated.”
Advertisement
Last year’s class featured NBA players Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard and WNBA legends Sue Bird, Sylvia Fowles and Maya Moore, along with coach Billy Donovan, referee Danny Crawford, Miami Heat owner Micky Arison and the entire 2008 U.S. Olympic “Redeem Team.”
Finalists for this year’s class will be selected at a later date. The full Class of 2026 will be unveiled during a nationally televised broadcast on Saturday, April 4, during Final Four Weekend. Enshrinement Weekend is scheduled to begin Aug. 14.
MLB’s final competitive balance tax calculations for the 2025 season arrived Friday, cementing the Dodgers as the most expensive team in the history of baseball. Their CBT payroll: $417,341,608. Their luxury tax bill: $169,375,768. That brings the total cost of the team to $586,717,376 in MLB’s eyes.
L.A.’s tax payment is larger than the CBT payrolls of 12 MLB teams, including their NLCS opponent Milwaukee Brewers. It is also larger than the combined luxury tax bill of every team in MLB that isn’t the Dodgers or New York Mets.
In total, nine teams were hit with a luxury tax bill, with the Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays rounding out the league’s five biggest payrolls.
Here’s the full list of numbers, via USA Today’s Bob Nightengale:
Per Nightengale, the league’s total tax bill comes out to a record $401.3 million.
Advertisement
It should be noted that CBT payrolls aren’t as simple as what a team is paying the players on its roster. Salaries are averaged out over the course of a contract, with inflation from deferred money factored in, which is how Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million contract counts for only $46.1 million per year. Money from buyouts and player benefits is also factored in.
The Dodgers’ rotation is not cheap. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
(Gregory Shamus via Getty Images)
But you don’t need complicated accounting to tell you the Dodgers spent an ungodly amount of money last year and the year before — and likely for years to come. The team has seven nine-figure contracts on the books in Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Freddie Freeman, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Will Smith, all of whom were major contributors to this year’s team.
Advertisement
All of those players will be around for 2026, with Edwin Díaz, Teoscar Hernández, Tanner Scott, Tommy Edman, Blake Treinen and Max Muncy also receiving eight-figure salaries. The team already has $395.9 million on the books for next year, per FanGraphs.
How can the Dodgers do all this? Well, they’ve been reaping the benefits of the most lucrative local cable deal in baseball for a decade now, they have the largest ballpark in MLB with one of baseball’s biggest fan bases, and they’re enjoying all of the financial benefits of Ohtani’s contract, which might be the best bargain in sports. The rich got richer, then kept getting richer still.
All of this will come up when MLB and the MLB Players Association sit down to negotiate the next collective bargaining agreement. The league has been pushing hard for a real salary cap in recent years, with the Dodgers’ recent success making them an easy boogeyman, but the players’ union has made a cap a nonstarter for decades now.
