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The U.S. men’s national soccer team is now in a World Cup year, which means players are angling for a place on Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-man squad. First, though, they will aim to get themselves on the roster for the March friendlies against Belgium and Portugal in Atlanta.

A call-up to the last training camp before Pochettino selects his World Cup team in late May will not come with summer guarantees. Nor will missing out in March preclude selection to the tournament.

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Over the next two-plus months, though, Pochettino and his staff will keep a close eye on club performances before sending out invitations. Barring injury, most of the regulars are assured of making the list. Several candidates, however, would bolster their case with strong recitals in European leagues, Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga MX.

Here are 10 players with the most to gain:

Ricardo Pepi, PSV Eindhoven

Back in PSV Eindhoven’s starting lineup and bubbling with confidence, the Texas-born striker is poised to move up the U.S. depth chart. With Pepi out of the U.S. picture until the end of 2025 — due to injuries and club playing time — Monaco’s Folarin Balogun strengthened his top-man status and Coventry City’s Haji Wright proved a worthy back-up.

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Pepi, who will turn 23 on Friday, is in great form with goals in five of his past six PSV appearances and five goals and two assists in the seven matches before the winter break. Across all club competitions, he has 10 goals and three assists in 21 games. He is also a hot commodity on the transfer market, with PSV reportedly turning down a $35 million offer from Premier League side Fulham.

Gio Reyna, Borussia Mönchengladbach

The enigmatic midfielder bolstered his U.S. status with superb performances in the November window — his first call-up since March. But to help remain in Pochettino’s good graces and stay in the World Cup mix, the 23-year-old must continue earning starts for Mönchengladbach, the Bundesliga club he joined from Borussia Dortmund over the summer.

A sub most of the first several months, Reyna started the last four matches before the winter break and received mixed reviews. He has yet to record a goal or assist this season.

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Noahkai Banks, FC Augsburg

Though he has never played for the U.S. team, the 19-year-old center back remains an intriguing character as the World Cup approaches. The Hawaiian-born German American received his first senior call-up in September but did not get into either friendly. Having started almost every game since early October for Augsburg in the Bundesliga, Banks shouldn’t be overlooked.

Pochettino’s center back corps is not set in stone. He has used Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards, Charlotte’s Tim Ream, Cincinnati’s Miles Robinson, Toulouse’s Mark McKenzie and Celtic’s Auston Trusty. (Toronto FC’s Walker Zimmerman and Vancouver’s Tristan Blackmon are also in the pool, and Celtic’s Cameron Carter-Vickers is recovering from an Achilles’ tendon injury.)

Johnny Cardoso, Atlético Madrid

If relying solely on his club portfolio, the 24-year-old center midfielder should be a U.S. regular. In the past two years, he has moved from Brazil’s Internacional to Spain’s Real Betis and attracted interest from England’s Tottenham Hotspur before leaping to Atlético Madrid last summer on a $35 million transfer.

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But injuries have hampered his ascent and, oddly, he has never played very well for the national team. His most recent appearances, in the June friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland, were forgettable. Regular assignments with Atlético might earn him one last chance with Pochettino.

Patrick Agyemang, Derby County

The 6-foot-4 Connecticut native took a bit of risk last summer by leaving a certain role in MLS for the uncertainties of the English Championship. Had he sat on Derby County’s bench, Agyemang would have lost all World Cup hope.

But he has adapted well, recording six goals and three assists in 19 starts, including a two-goal effort against Sheffield Wednesday last month. A good run over the next two months would keep him in contention for a March call-up.

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Alex Zendejas, Club América

The only Liga MX candidate under serious consideration, the clever, Mexican-born winger has been terrific for Club América and shown flashes of brilliance for the national team. His volleyed goal against Japan in September was all class. However, he withdrew from the October camp with a knee injury and wasn’t called up a month later.

Luca de la Torre, Charlotte F.C.

Reduced playing time in San Diego last season damaged his U.S. standing, but with a move to Charlotte this offseason, the 27-year-old central midfielder with 32 caps could reenter the conversation. Like most MLS players, though, he will not have much time to make his case: The regular season doesn’t start until Feb. 21.

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Yunus Musah, Atalanta

Once a mainstay in the U.S. lineup – 47 caps before he turned 23 – the versatile Musah has faded from the scene since the Nations League finals last March. After joining Atalanta on loan from AC Milan in Serie A this season, he has been used almost exclusively as a sub. His minutes have picked up recently, hinting at a larger role down the stretch.

Josh Sargent, Norwich City

While Pochettino and U.S. fans have all but given up on the Norwich City striker, there is always that possibility Sargent goes on a crazy scoring surge. After all, he has scored 52 goals the past 3 ½ years in England’s second division. Even if he did go wild, though, there is little faith in a U.S. uniform: He hasn’t scored for his country since November 2019.

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Damion Downs, Hamburg

Sometimes a change of scenery does wonders, and in the case of this 6-foot-4, 21-year-old striker with six caps, this week’s move to Hamburg on loan from Southampton could do the trick. He started once in the English Championship and hadn’t played since Nov. 25.

The recent events in Venezuela involving the removal of President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. military forces are, first and foremost, much, much larger than baseball. The matter is also not the type of subject typically covered on an episode of “Baseball Bar-B-Cast.”

However, the situation in Venezuela does have baseball implications, so on Tuesday, Jordan Shusterman and FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen discussed how the U.S.-Venezuela conflict is affecting MLB teams, players, coaches and scouts in a country that is a significant source of major-league talent.

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“There’s a lot of elements to this that are both interesting and harrowing and concerning,” Shusterman said. “And the reality is I think we’re going to ask more questions than anything in this conversation, but it’s something that we wanted to have space to do.”

The most pressing concern is, of course, the safety of individuals in Venezuela. Some current big leaguers, including Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio, are in their native country for the winter or to play in the Venezuelan winter league. Some teams have international scouts and other staff in the country. Last but not least, there are many amateur prospects in Venezuela, some of whom are slated to sign pro contracts when the window to do so opens Jan. 15.

For the full discussion between Shusterman and Longenhagen, check out the latest episode of “Baseball Bar-B-Cast.”

A worsening situation in Venezuela

According to Longenhagen, FanGraphs’ lead prospect analyst, MLB teams have been aware for some time of the crisis in Venezuela and the potential need to remove individuals from the country.

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“Even around winter meetings … there was already smoke and anticipation among some of my sources that this was a volatile situation, that they might have to extract their young employees from Venezuela in a rushed, potentially harrowing fashion, depending on how things transpired with our government and theirs,” Longenhagen said.

“There were some teams who anticipated this and were already dealing with a lot of the red tape that goes into immigration and work visas and … the logistics of getting Venezuelan players from there to the United States or … the Dominican Republic.”

It’s worth noting that some of the safety concerns and immigration hurdles in Venezuela are not new or unique to the current events, though the situation is considered much more dire now. For example, prior to 2015, there was a Venezuelan summer league, and more MLB teams had a presence in the country, but that has declined over the past decade as the situation has worsened.

“Venezuelan players often showcase in Colombia as a result of how difficult it is to get personnel from the United States in and out of Venezuela,” Longenhagen said.

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“There’s already been a gradual exodus in terms of a permanent presence because the reality is it’s just not safe,” Shusterman said. “But that hasn’t stopped a lot of really promising and important Venezuelan players from signing, making it to the big leagues, becoming superstars, becoming faces of our sport.”

Varying responses among MLB teams

Longenhagen said some teams are more prepared than others to handle this situation and take care of their personnel in Venezuela.

“It runs the gamut right now, how prepared any given individual team is for this,” Longenhagen said. “And I think the fact that it seems to be on each individual team at this moment to try to maneuver and navigate the situation is potentially concerning.”

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Longenhagen mentioned that he has talked to individuals who work in international scouting who are hoping MLB will direct them on what to do or step in to remove players and staff from harm’s way if necessary. Several teams have reportedly checked in on their players currently in Venezuela to make sure they are safe.

The international signing period — in which amateurs from predominantly Latin American countries, including Venezuela, sign their first pro contracts — begins Jan. 15. In the cases of some teams, the prospects who are going to sign next week are already in the Dominican Republic or the United States at a team’s complex. In other cases, those amateur players are still in Venezuela and could face difficulty leaving.

The U.S. imposed temporary flight restrictions in the Caribbean on Saturday, the day of the military operation. Since 2019, the United States has suspended direct flights to and from Venezuela.

Impact on international tournaments

The Venezuelan winter league is in the midst of its season right now. Games were paused for four days over the weekend but resumed Wednesday. Chourio — who hit an extra-innings home run for his team, Aguilas del Zulia, on Friday in its playoff opener — is among the current MLB players competing this winter. Mets infielder Luisangel Acuña is another. Notably, the winter league teams that are based in Caracas, the nation’s capital, were already eliminated.

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Typically, following the conclusion of the winter leagues in the Dominican, Venezuela and Mexico, there is a Caribbean Series tournament featuring the champions of those leagues. That tournament was supposed to be held in Venezuela this year but will now be held in Mexico instead, and Venezuela will not participate.

“My understanding is that the Venezuelan league has decided, ‘We’re not sending anybody. You can’t go to this other league that took the tournament out of our country,’” Shusterman said.

What about the World Baseball Classic? The international tournament begins March 5, and the Venezuelan team is set to compete in a group along with the Dominican Republic, Israel, the Netherlands and Nicaragua, with games held in Miami. As of now, Venezuela is still expected to participate, but the situation remains fluid.

“The reality is we are talking about the safety of players that are people, first and foremost,” Shusterman said. “All of this is way bigger than baseball.”

The Wasatch Mountain Range of the Greater Rockies will serve as the backdrop for the 2027 NHL Winter Classic. University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium will be the site of the league’s signature regular-season event, which the Utah Mammoth will host in the franchise’s third season.

The Mammoth will welcome the Colorado Avalanche in a college football venue that seats approximately 51,400 on fall Saturdays in Salt Lake City.

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The date of the game has yet to be finalized, but NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Mammoth owners Ryan and Ashley Smith revealed the matchup Wednesday, along with Mammoth center Logan Cooley.

The Mammoth, who formed after the Arizona Coyotes were dissolved in April 2024, are currently in their second season.

After an 8-2 start, they’re now 20-20-3 and in fourth place of the Central Division with 43 points.

This season, the Mammoth still have one more head-to-head meeting with the Avalanche, who are the division leaders with a 31-4-7 record. Entering Wednesday, Colorado had a league-best 69 points — 11 clear of the second-place Dallas Stars.

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The Mammoth and Avalanche have met six times over the past two seasons, with Colorado holding a five-point advantage over Utah in the series. Their lone remaining matchup during the 2025-26 season is on Feb. 25 in Salt Lake City.

[Get more Mammoth news: Utah team feed]

Next season’s Winter Classic will mark the Avalanche’s fourth appearance in an outdoor game. Utah, on the other hand, will soon become the 32nd NHL franchise to play in an outdoor game.

The Classic started as an annual tradition on Jan. 1, 2008. At the time, the Buffalo Sabres played the Pittsburgh Penguins at what was then known as Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, home of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.

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This year’s Winter Classic was held Jan. 2 at the Miami Marlins’ loanDepot Park. The New York Rangers defeated the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers 5-1.

It was the fifth straight Classic at a baseball park.

That streak will end next season in Salt Lake City, where the University of Utah’s campus will take center stage, as Rice-Eccles becomes the fourth college football stadium to host the event.

Notably, Rice-Eccles also put on the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics. It’s scheduled to fulfill the same role when the Games return to Utah in 2034.

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Can the Philadelphia Eagles find a way back to the Super Bowl? Yahoo Sports’ Andrew Siciliano sits down with wide receiver Jahan Dotson to talk about the Eagles’ chances in the playoffs. But first, Jori Epstein joins Andrew to discuss the aftermath of John Harbaugh’s firing and what it may mean for Mike Tomlin’s future in Pittsburgh. Later in the show, the duo breaks down how the Raiders can rebuild with the No. 1 pick and Jerry Jones’ handling of the defensive coordinator opening in Dallas.

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(4:00) – Fallout of John Harbaugh firing: Lamar Jackson & Mike Tomlin

(24:00) – Jahan Dotson joins the show!

(32:45) – Raiders starting their rebuild

(44:50 ) – Jerry Jones mentions Venezuela in press conference

(55:05) – Can Titans GM keep bias out of coaching search?

(1:05:00) – One More Thing

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Forecast

Every Wednesday in January, Matt Harmon and Justin Boone take a look back at the 2025 fantasy season to find lessons they learned and can apply to the 2026 fantasy season. For today’s pod the two look at their biggest takes from last summer to see what they got right and wrong at the QB and RB position. To end the show, Harmon debuts our new ‘Dynasty Debates’ segment where listeners send in their most pressing dynasty questions this fantasy offseason.

(4:50) Things we got WRONG at QB: Matthew Stafford, Bryce Young, JJ McCarthy

(21:45) Things we got WRONG at RB: Cowboys Backfield, Seahawks Backfield, Saquon Barkley

(33:45) Things we got RIGHT at QB: Drake Maye, Trevor Lawrence, Dak Prescott, Kyler Murray

(41:50) Things we got RIGHT at RB: Ashton Jeanty, CMC, TreVeyon Henderson, Chase Brown, RJ Harvey, Bijan Robinson

(51:15) Dynasty Debates: Matt and Justin answer your questions

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

Content warning: The following article contains depictions of domestic violence.

The Kansas City Chiefs released a statement Wednesday confirming they are aware of domestic violence allegations against wide receiver Rashee Rice, without mentioning Rice by name. The organization declined further comment.

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Via Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star:

“The club is aware of the allegations on social media and is in communication with the National Football League. We have no further comment at this time.”

The allegations come from Dacoda Jones, who has two children with Rice and said in an Instagram post on Wednesday that she had broken up with him two months ago. Among other things, she accuses him of putting hands on her, locking her outdoors in 10-degree weather, multiple instances of cheating, cutting up her shoes and clothes and abandoning the family in Kansas while leaving for his native Texas.

The Instagram post includes several pictures of bruises on Jones’ face, legs, shoulders and chest as well as damaged property around her home. Jones also implies there’s an existing legal agreement with Rice “because of everything he’s put me through,” which he allegedly doesn’t follow.

From her post:

“I’ve known this man for YEARS. He tries to put on this persona like he’s dad of the year. He does the bare minimum and I have to beg for that. I’ve protected his image too long and I’m done doing that. It’s time to protect my peace, protect my children and stand up for myself.”

The allegations represent a potential second major off-field issue involving Rice, who was suspended for the first six games of this season due to a hit-and-run incident in April 2024.

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That incident involved Rice driving at high speeds in a Lamborghini on a Dallas highway, racing a friend in a Corvette. The two cars caused a major collision, triggering criminal charges and a wave of lawsuits from the cars’ occupants. Rice eventually agreed to plead guilty to two felony charges and was sentenced to five years of probation and 30 days in jail.

Rice also agreed to a $1.1 million settlement with one of the victims, whose attorney later claimed he hadn’t sent a cent months later.

The Chiefs stood by Rice throughout the process, with star tight end Travis Kelce among the players to wear a “Free 4” shirt during warm-ups while the wideout was serving his suspension. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes said a month after the crash that he was trying to mentor Rice into becoming “the best person you can be in society,” while head coach Andy Reid praised his growth in training camp in August.

When on the field, Rice has been one of the most productive members of the Kansas City offense. The former second-round pick has 1,797 receiving yards in 14 touchdowns across 28 career games and ranked 11th in the NFL in receiving yards per game in 2025. However, he also missed most of 2024 due to an LCL and hamstring injury and was placed on season-ending injured reserve in Week 17 this season due to a concussion.

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Rice isn’t the only Chiefs wide receiver facing allegations from a former partner, as Xavier Worthy’s ex-fiancee was granted a protective order in March after accusing him of abuse. Worthy later filed a lawsuit alleging she assaulted him and stole or destroyed more than $150,000 in cash and property.

Situated high on the list of contending teams yet to make a splash this offseason, the Chicago Cubs finally made a major move Wednesday, agreeing to acquire right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera in a trade with the Miami Marlins. In return, the Marlins will receive a trio of hitting prospects, most notably 23-year-old outfielder Owen Caissie, who made his MLB debut in 2025, plus two lower-level bats in shortstop Cristian Hernandez and corner infielder Edgardo De Leon.

To this point, fresh off their first postseason appearance since 2020, the Cubs’ winter activity had consisted almost entirely of signing free-agent relievers, with the return of left-hander Caleb Thielbar (one year, $3.75M), the additions of right-handers Phil Maton (two years, $14.5M), Hunter Harvey (one year, $6M) and Jacob Webb (one year, $1.5M), and the acquisition of another southpaw in Hoby Milner (one year, $3.75M).

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While those signings addressed a bullpen that badly needed restocking, much larger questions loomed over Chicago’s offseason. Would the Cubs add an impact starting pitcher to upgrade a rotation that could use a boost, even after retaining lefty Shota Imanaga via the qualifying offer? And if they have no interest in pursuing a reunion with top free agent Kyle Tucker, would the Cubs pursue a different big-time bat to replace his production?

[Get more Chicago news: Cubs team feed] 

Speculation continues regarding the plan for the position players. So far, the only hitter added to Chicago’s major-league roster has been first baseman Tyler Austin, returning to MLB for the first time since 2019 after a highly successful half-decade in Japan.

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But the acquisition of Cabrera marks a serious effort by president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer to meaningfully improve the starting staff — the kind of move a lot of Cubs fans had been waiting for all winter. No, Cabrera does not come with the track record of high-end results normally befitting a significant offseason splash. But from an upside standpoint — and considering he’s under contract through 2028 — Cabrera unquestionably fits the bill as a worthwhile target and a pitcher for whom Chicago can project exciting growth with the right tweaks.

What the Cubs are getting in Cabrera

Cabrera has always thrown extremely hard, having first touched triple-digits nearly a decade ago as a teenager, in turn jumping on the radar as one of the Marlins’ most tantalizing pitching prospects. Injuries and occasionally severe struggles with command have interrupted his progress toward becoming a reliable rotation member, even once he finally arrived in the majors in 2021. But Cabrera has always had a deep enough pitch mix and thrown just enough strikes to avoid being converted to a reliever, and he rewarded Miami’s patience with a breakthrough in 2025.

Last season, Cabrera sharply decreased the usage of his four-seam fastball, from 27% to 13%, instead amplifying the use of a two-seamer while more effectively deploying his two fantastic secondary offerings: one of the nastiest curveballs in the league and a changeup that averages a ridiculous 94.2 mph. After a rough April (7.23 ERA in 18.2 IP), Cabrera’s upgraded mix helped him excel the rest of the way in 2025, with a 2.95 ERA across 119 frames, which ranked eighth-lowest among National League starting pitchers over that span. Add a career-low 8.3% walk rate — an encouraging step in the right direction after he began the season with a 13.3% free-pass percentage — and it’s no surprise that Cabrera was considered an alluring trade target this winter.

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But for all the positive indicators in Cabrera’s profile, there’s also substantial risk involved. Beyond the inconsistent strike-throwing, the biggest reason Cabrera has yet to amass enough of a résumé to earn more of a reputation as a quality starting pitcher is his troubling injury history. Since his debut in 2021, the right-hander has repeatedly battled arm ailments, including elbow tendonitis in 2022, shoulder impingements in 2023 and 2024, and an elbow sprain at the start of September. He returned in time to make two starts at the end of the regular season and finished 2025 with a career-high 137 ⅔ innings, but that late-season scare is difficult to shrug off considering his spotty track record of durability.

This unavoidable red flag with Cabrera looms even larger considering it was just a year ago when the Marlins and Cubs nearly made a trade for Jesús Luzardo before Chicago reportedly backed out due to concerns about Luzardo’s medical records. Luzardo was eventually traded to Philadelphia and went on to throw a career-high 183 ⅔ innings, a reminder that predicting pitcher health is a fickle exercise. Perhaps Cabrera will prove more dependable than expected as a Cub, but his availability will certainly be something to monitor.

What the Marlins are getting in return

At first glance, Miami’s three-player return for Cabrera might look light compared to the four-prospects-plus-a-draft-pick haul that Tampa Bay netted last month for right-hander Shane Baz, another starter with three years of team control left and terrific stuff who has yet to fully actualize his potential. Perhaps Cabrera’s trade value was diminished by concerns about his durability, but it’s worth noting that the Marlins landed a headliner who is expected to contribute in the majors right away. Whereas the Rays netted a slew of exciting prospects who might not be big leaguers for a while (if ever), in Caissie, the Marlins added a player who could pay dividends immediately. As such, a lot is now riding on Caissie to validate the Marlins’ decision to build a Cabrera trade around him.

That’s not to dismiss Hernandez and De Leon, as both could emerge as useful players down the road. De Leon showed impressive power as an 18-year-old in the Arizona Complex League last summer. Hernandez’s shaky hit tool has slowed his development despite promising speed and defense, but his physical traits have enticed talent evaluators for years; he received one of the largest signing bonuses ($3M) in his international signing class in 2021.

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But make no mistake: This deal is about Miami’s belief that Caissie can become an important part of its lineup for the long haul and could contribute to a winning ballclub in 2026. In the Marlins’ outfield, he’ll join Kyle Stowers and Jakob Marsee, two other left-handed hitters who were acquired in trades that blossomed in a big way for the Fish last season.

This is actually the second time Caissie has been traded in his young career, having been dealt to the Cubs in the trade for Yu Darvish just a few months after the Padres selected him out of a Canadian high school in the second round of the 2020 draft. Since then, Caissie has ascended the minor-league ladder, consistently demonstrating his premium left-handed power while working to keep his strikeouts at a manageable level. He has posted an above-average wRC+ at every minor-league level, thanks in large part to his power production but also due to his ability to take walks, ensuring strong on-base skills that have helped mask the elevated whiffs.

A crowded outfield depth chart in Chicago resulted in Caissie playing a whopping 226 games in Triple-A over the past two seasons — a uniquely bloated total for a top prospect — and he performed quite well across that sample (.887 OPS). With Tucker expected to depart in free agency, it seemed like the door was open for Caissie to finally get some real run as a Cub in 2026. Instead, Chicago traded him to address another roster deficiency, amplifying the existing questions about the team’s plan to replace Tucker in the outfield and the lineup in both the short and long term.

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After a forgettable (and incredibly brief) big-league cameo in August, Caissie has yet to prove that his offensive profile will translate at the highest level. His 28% strikeout rate over a sizable sample of Triple-A plate appearances could portend an extended adjustment period in the majors. But nowadays, it’s hardly uncommon for some sluggers to be productive while striking out a bunch — just ask Caissie’s new teammate Stowers. And with another wave of promising arms prepared to backfill Cabrera’s innings, the Marlins were smart to target Caissie in this trade as they continue to build a more formidable position-player core.

No. 4 UConn again survived a scare at Providence.

The Huskies had to rally from an early 13-point hole Wednesday night before eventually pulling off a 103-98 overtime win against the Friars at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. That gave the Huskies their 11th straight win and kept them perfect in Big East play this season.

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Providence erupted near the end of the first half to take control of the contest. It mounted a 21-4 run and took a 13-point lead just before halftime. Solo Ball drilled a 3-pointer with about 30 seconds left to cut the deficit to 10 at the break. Providence went 7-of-12 from behind the arc in the first 20 minutes.

Though the Huskies didn’t go away, they couldn’t close the gap. Providence repeatedly responded after every little run the Huskies mounted. The Friars even went up by 11 after a fast-break layup from Ryan Mela with about three minutes left in the game.

The Huskies responded with seven quick points in less than a minute. Alex Karaban then hit a floater in the middle of the lane with just more than 90 seconds left to cap the 9-0 run and get UConn back within a single possession, forcing a Providence timeout.

Though Karaban and Jaylin Sellers traded deep 3-pointers, it was Tarris Reed who eventually secured a putback that forced overtime at the end of regulation.

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Braylon Mullins put UConn back in control of the game. Mullins hit a deep shot from the corner to give the Huskies their first lead of the game since the early minutes, and then he drilled a 3-pointer to help spark a 10-3 run that eventually locked down the five-point win.

Ryan Mela led the Friars with 19 points off the bench, and Jamier Jones finished with 18 after he went 6-of-9 from the field. Providence ended up shooting 14-of-24 from behind the arc. Providence was looking for its first win over UConn since 2023. The loss dropped the Friars to 8-7 and marked their third in four games to start Big East play.

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Mullins led the Huskies with 24 points, including six 3-pointers. He was one of four Huskies who dropped at least 20 points in the win, and all five of their starters hit double figures. Karaban added 23 points, and Silas Demary Jr. had 23 points and 15 assists.

The Huskies are 15-1 and 5-0 in conference play. Their lone loss came against Arizona in mid-November. While the rest of their conference slate won’t be easy by any means, UConn is clearly a full step ahead of the rest of the Big East this season.

The Trae Young era in Atlanta is over, with the former All-Star reportedly moving to the Washington Wizards to start his career anew.

Going to Atlanta is CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, with no picks involved.

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Let’s try to approach this deal from both sides.

Atlanta Hawks

Look, the Hawks would obviously have preferred a major package centered around draft picks and young players, but that type of deal was never in the cards, with Young having a player option worth $49 million next season and his reputation as a winner being routinely questioned.

That doesn’t mean it’s addition by subtraction. Getting McCollum and Kispert is not a bad get, and the deal improves when you consider McCollum is an expiring contract, meaning the Hawks will replace Young’s $49 million next year with just $13.9 million through the Kispert contract.

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(If they re-sign McCollum, that number needs to be added, but he’s likely signing for a number that’s far below the $30.6 million he’s earning this year.)

Atlanta got much-needed financial flexibility in the deal and is now committed to building around Jalen Johnson, recognizing that Young was always going to hinder roster construction around its burgeoning 24-year-old star.

Atlanta now enters a new future, where defense, cohesive offense and togetherness should become the staple of a new tomorrow.

Grade: B+

Washington Wizards

Oh, boy. This can go in so many directions for the Wizards.

Young, who is used to having the offense run through him, could lean into his worst tendencies, hurting the development of Washington’s young core, chief among them Alexandre Sarr, Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson.

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Alternatively, Young could view this as a fresh start and an opportunity to redefine himself as a more team-oriented point guard who optimizes his own shot selection and makes an attempt at being better off the ball in order to share the wealth.

If the Wizards, somehow, persuade Young to decline his player option next season in order to sign an extension worth $35 million a year, this deal goes down much, much easier. That type of salary commitment would allow Washington to be a bigger player in free agency or swing larger trades during the summer.

We’ll see what they do from a contractual point of view, but it would be a bad idea to immediately offer Young an extension close to the value of his player option, as that would clog up Washington’s cap sheet.

Grade: Fluid B

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Overall thoughts

Young is good, and clearly the Wizards didn’t relinquish a lot to get him, which makes this a decent gamble. But Young was available for that price for a reason, and that’s why things are fluid in terms of grading the deal from their perspective.

We should all hope Young uses this trade as motivation to turn his game into something that better develops and helps the players around him. The pull-up 3-pointers from the logo need to go away and more off-ball shots should be prioritized for the betterment of the team.

If nothing else, this will be enormously interesting to track.

A shorthanded Denver Nuggets squad went more than 6 1/2 minutes without a point in the third quarter of a 114-110 road win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.

David Adelman’s Nuggets endured that scoring drought, which featured 11 straight missed field-goal attempts and was accompanied by a 12-0 Celtics run, and soon enough were back to swapping leads with one of the hottest teams in the NBA.

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In the fourth quarter, Denver (25-12) delivered 14 consecutive points that dug Boston (23-13) a hole it couldn’t quite climb out of. The resilient Nuggets pulled off the momentum swing with centers Nikola Jokić and Jonas Valančiūnas, as well as forward Cam Johnson, still sidelined.

Unsung heroes rose to the occasion, as was the case in an overtime win versus the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. This time, standout point guard Jamal Murray picked up where he left off in Brooklyn over the weekend. He followed his 16-assist outing against the Nets with a career-high 17 assists against the Celtics, along with 22 points, 8 rebounds and only 2 turnovers.

Jokić missed his fifth game in a row after suffering a hyperextended left knee in a Dec. 29 defeat to the Miami Heat, the second game of a seven-game Nuggets road trip that finally came to an end Wednesday at TD Garden. Denver is now 3-2 in the absence of its MVP favorite.

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In each of those five contests, wing Peyton Watson has scored at least 21 points. He erupted for a team-high 30 points on 10-of-15 shooting on Wednesday in Boston. He was lights-out from the left corner and finished 6 of 7 from beyond the arc.

The teams made a total of 20 3-pointers in the first half, which started with Celtics star Jaylen Brown scoring 15 points in the opening quarter. He clocked out with 33 points but also had seven turnovers.

Following halftime, both sides cooled off significantly — all the way to the near-freezing temperature outside the arena — as they went a combined 5 of 23 to start the third quarter. The Celtics rediscovered their groove first, but the Nuggets eventually countered, thanks to 3-pointers from Murray, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Aaron Gordon.

Boston got a boost from guard Anfernee Simons at the end of the third and start of the fourth quarters, as he chipped in 15 points off the bench. Along the way, center Neemias Queta put in serious work on the glass. He wound up with 20 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards — rebounding numbers a Celtics player hasn’t recorded since Robert Parish in 1989.

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In the final frame, the Nuggets got sizable contributions from guard Jalen Pickett and center Zeke Nnaji. Neither was averaging more than 3.8 points per game coming in. They teamed for 19 points on Wednesday.

Pickett paired a 3 with a layup. Nnaji blocked a Derrick White shot, leading to a Watson bucket on the break. Shortly after, he flushed home a two-handed dunk to help Denver pull away.

Boston staged a late-game comeback, even pulling within three points after a trio of Payton Pritchard free throws, but it was too little, too late after a Nuggets run that turned a three-point deficit into an 11-point advantage.

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Denver found a way to persevere despite its missing pieces and fatigue. In the process, the Nuggets logged their 15th road win of the season, the most of any team in the NBA.