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Since Jaren Jackson Jr. signed a $239.9 million contract extension with the Memphis Grizzlies on July 13, he quietly became eligible to be traded on Tuesday, just as he more loudly enters a trade discussion.

According to Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko, if the Grizzlies move on from Ja Morant, as expected, “there’s a growing thought [among rival executives] that Jackson could be the next domino to fall at some point.”

The question, then: What might a trade market for Jackson look like? Robust, to be sure. There are not a lot of 26-year-old, two-time All-Stars in the NBA. Even fewer who have won a Defensive Player of the Year award. And almost no others who can also both space the floor and create for themselves offensively.

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Think of the champions of the 2020s — the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder — all of them featured at least one of these skeleton-key bigs who can shrink the court defensively and expand it on the other end, unlocking a title.

In that sense, Jackson may not be just another name on the trade market. He could be the reason the next champion was able to counteract Chet Holmgren against the championship favorite in OKC. Jackson can play alongside a center, too, as a floor-spacing forward opposite the Thunder’s double-big lineups.

He might also be the reason the Grizzlies are willing to accept less than equal value for Morant. They recently began entertaining offers for the two-time All-Star point guard, prioritizing a package of “draft picks and young players” in return, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Except, as the market surfaced, Memphis was seeking “at least” a single first-round draft pick as a haul, per Substack insider Marc Stein.

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Remember, four-time All-Star point guard Trae Young was traded last week for the expiring contracts of CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. No draft picks were exchanged in the transaction. It was essentially a cost-cutting measure for the Atlanta Hawks, and the Grizzlies will hope Morant’s market is not the same.

If it is, though, what message does that send? By seeking a package of picks and young players for Morant, Memphis is telling the rest of the league that it is building for years down the line, when Jackson will be entering his 30s and approaching the end of his current contract. It would make sense, then, to deal Jackson, too, for that same package of picks and young players, which is why rival execs are circling.

Here are nine possible contenders who could make a play for Jackson.

The package: Hugo González, salary filler and picks

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The Celtics own the league’s second-best offensive rating (121.4), and they are starting Neemias Queta at center. While Queta has impressed as a rim-runner and rim-protector, he is hardly a floor-spacer. Nor is he as switchable defensively as Jackson. In other words, Jackson represents a pretty significant upgrade.

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Jackson has shot as well as 39.4% on 6.5 3-point attempts per game, though the past two years he has settled into a slightly above-average status, shooting 37.1% on a handful of 3-point attempts per game. His total package placed him 17th last season on the All-NBA ballot, just shy of a third-team nomination.

We have seen Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis help Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to a championship, and there is no reason to think Jackson could not also vault Boston’s wings into more serious contention. Tatum’s rebounding ability offsets Jackson’s deficiency in that regard. It really is a hand-in-glove fit, so long as the Celtics could keep their core together. Plus, Jayson, Jaylen and Jaren has a nice ring for a trio.

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It would be tough for Boston to part ways with González, who entered the NBA this season as a helpful contributor. He is a 19-year-old 3-and-D wing who can attack close-outs and has shown flashes of a more expansive offensive game. He already does all of the little things that help Boston win in a way that shows he wants to be great. González may be the single highest-ceiling prospect the Grizzlies could acquire for Jackson.

The package: Austin Reaves, salary filler and picks

And Reaves may be the single-best current player the Grizzlies could get in return for Jackson. Reaves is making an All-Star bid, averaging a 27-5-6 on 51/37/87 shooting splits for a team on pace to win 51 games.

Imagine Jackson as a pick-and-roll partner to Luka Dončić and LeBron James. He would also solve some of their issues on defense, where they rank 26th, despite Marcus Smart’s presence. One strategy, if you must build around both Dončić and James, is to match them with former Defensive Players of the Year.

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The Grizzlies’ defensive rating is 4.3 points better, allowing 113.3 points per 100 meaningful possessions (or the equivalent of a 13th-rated defense), whenever Jackson is on the floor, per Cleaning the Glass. Opponents are also shooting 8.4% worse than their season averages around the rim whenever Jackson is defending — still an impressive number, though that figure was even better during his DPOY campaign.

The package: Anthony Black, salary filler and picks

Black is averaging a 15-4-4 on 47/35/72 shooting splits in a breakout third season, starting half of the Magic’s games. The arrival of Jackson, however, would give Orlando a legitimate force at every position on the floor in a lineup that boasts Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane.

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As is, the Magic start Wendell Carter Jr., a fine player, at center. He is no Jackson. In fact, Carter might be considered a light version of Jackson. He does not protect the rim as well, holding opponents 3.9% below their season averages at the basket, and he does not space the floor as well, either, shooting 32% from 3-point range on 2.4 attempts per game for his career. Jackson can do everything Carter can, only better.

This move would reunite Jackson with Bane, his former Grizzlies teammate. The Grizzlies outscored opponents by five points per 100 non-garbage possessions when the two shared the court together last season, significantly better than their season-long net rating of -1.4. Together they helped Memphis to 48 wins in the crowded Western Conference last season. Imagine what they could do for a Magic team that could have won 48 games without them, if not for injuries. Better than that is the stuff of contention.

It is concerning, though, how little Orlando has left in its draft tank after making the deal for Bane, which cost them the rights to four first-round picks. They still have another, but would Memphis want to put all of its stock into the Magic’s draft capital while making them a contender for the foreseeable future?

The package: Jalen Green, salary filler and picks

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The hard-playing Suns have been one of the season’s biggest surprises, ranking 14th on offense (114.7 points scored per 100 possessions) and sixth on defense (112.2 points allowed per 100 possessions). They are half a game back from a guaranteed playoff spot in the West. And they should want to be better.

Jackson would represent a significant upgrade over existing centers Mark Williams, Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach, none of whom is a floor-spacer. If they have the chance to drive their offense into the top 10 while maintaining their current level of defense, if not improving on that end, why not take it?

What is most impressive: The Suns have almost exclusively done all of this without Green, who has been nursing a hamstring injury for the entire season. We do not yet know what the 23-year-old is fully capable of for a winning team, since the 52-win Houston Rockets cast him off in favor of Kevin Durant, but the Grizzlies may be willing to take the chance that the former No. 2 pick still has All-Star potential.

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How much better the Suns could make the deal, given how low their draft stash is, makes for concern.

The package: Jaden Ivey or Ron Holland, salary filler and picks

The Pistons have long been rumored as a possible destination for Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, whose ability as a 3-point shooter would make him an ideal fit alongside Duren in the frontcourt.

Jackson is not the offensive threat that Markkanen is, but his shooting ability allows him to fit next to Duren as well, while providing a secondary level of rim protection that Markkanen cannot. In that sense, the Pistons would lean into their hard-nosed identity on defense, rather than trying to forge a new one.

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Detroit’s double-big combination of Duren and Isaiah Stewart is outscoring opponents by 7.7 points per 100 meaningful possessions, operating like a top-five outfit on both ends. Consider adding Jackson to that mix, as the Pistons play with a level of size, physicality and versatility for a full 48 minutes that few teams could match. It would be a counterpunch to Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein in Oklahoma City.

The package: Keldon Johnson or Devin Vassell, salary filler and picks

I cannot imagine the Spurs would give up Dylan Harper or Stephon Castle in any deal, excluding one for Giannis Antetokounmpo, at this point. The three-guard combination of Harper, Castle and De’Aaron Fox has been phenomenal for San Antonio. It is hard to mess with that, even for a player of Jackson’s caliber.

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So, instead, the Spurs would have to build a package around Johnson or Vassell. They have the expiring contracts of Harrison Barnes and Kelly Olynyk, plus plenty of draft picks, to sweeten a pot.

I cannot tell you how terrifying it would be to put Jackson, a former Defensive Player of the Year, alongside Victor Wembanyama, who may perpetually win that award for as long as he can meet the 65-game threshold. Not even the mighty Denver Nuggets’ offense would want to see that combination.

The package: Collin Murray-Boyles, salary filler and picks

The Raptors have surprised most everyone, playing their way, as of now, into a guaranteed playoff spot, and they have done so with Jakob Poeltl — a traditional big — at the center position. They are clearly in the market for an upgrade, as their reported interest in Anthony Davis indicated, and why not be even more motivated to part with a picks-laden package for a 26-year-old who played 74 games last season?

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Jackson would add a layer of offensive versatility to a team that boasts Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley and still only manages to rate 19th on the offensive end. Meanwhile, the Raptors would sacrifice little, if anything, on their top-10 rated defense, swapping Jackson for Poeltl.

But would the Grizzlies want any of Toronto’s long-term salary? Barnes, Quickley and Poeltl are all on the books at above-market rates through at least the 2028-29 season. Likewise, Ingram and Barrett are owed a combined $69.6 million next season. So, while the Raptors have young players to add to a deal — Jamal Shead, Gradey Dick and Ja’Kobe Walter among them — they may not meet Memphis’ presumed cost-saving ask.

The package: Jonathan Kuminga, salary filler and picks

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The Warriors have, for all intents and purposes, given up on Kuminga, benching the 23-year-old former top-10 pick for large swaths of this season, even as his skill set represents a lot of what they are missing.

So, why would Memphis want Kuminga? It is a good question to ask. He has shown flashes of brilliance, especially on the offensive end, and the Grizzlies might envision a higher ceiling for him in new scenery.

For Golden State it makes all the sense in the world. They need a bit of rejuvenation on both ends of the floor for an old team that features Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Horford. Why not chase a 26-year-old who can improve their standing offensively and defensively? Jackson could both play alongside Green and serve as his long-term replacement on a team forever trying to sustain Curry’s prime.

The package: Zaccharie Risacher, salary filler and picks

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Like the Raptors, the Hawks reportedly expressed interest in trading for Davis, potentially offering recent No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher in return. It would follow, then, that Atlanta should have interest in pursuing a floor-spacing, rim-protecting big who better fits the timeline of the 24-year-old Jalen Johnson.

The Hawks have the single-best asset to offer for anyone — the New Orleans Pelicans’ unprotected first-round pick in June — though they may not part with that for anybody but Antetokounmpo. They have other draft assets they could offer, even after they failed to acquire picks in return for Trae Young.

We’re back hoops fans with another Yahoo Fantasy x Arena Club drop for Week 13. Yahoo Fantasy Basketball Slab Packs are a brand-new weekly drop featuring real, graded trading cards of the hottest fantasy performers in the NBA.

If you’re new to Arena Club, here’s the lowdown. Arena Club is the premier online marketplace for sports cards, giving collectors a way to rip packs virtually, buy and sell graded cards and track their entire collection — all in one place. Whether you’re in it for the hobby, the thrill or the chase, Arena Club brings the excitement directly to your screen.

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[Rip your exclusive Yahoo Fantasy + Arena Club slab pack here]

Each week, Arena Club curates real, graded NBA cards and builds two types of Yahoo Fantasy Slab Packs:

Every pack contains a graded card of an active NBA player — but the real treasure is the weekly Chase Cards, featuring some of the top fantasy basketball performers from the past week. These limited-edition hits can reach values up to 20x the cost of the pack.

Weekly NBA Slab Packs go live every Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET and remain available through Friday at 1 p.m. ET (or until they’re gone). It’s the ultimate mid-week boost for fantasy hoopers and collectors alike.

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To top it off, use promo code YAHOO at checkout for 20% off your first slab pack or card purchase on ArenaClub.com or the Arena Club app.

This Week’s Featured Players

Rip a slab pack today for a chance to pull one of the week’s biggest fantasy basketball stars:

Stephen Curry, Warriors

Steph had a good start to 2026 by scoring at least 27 points in his first five games since the calendar flipped before having a quiet game on Tuesday.

LeBron James, Lakers

What LeBron is doing at 41 years old is something we may never see again in the NBA. Last week, he had his best fantasy output of the season with 26 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists with 3 steals for 64 points.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks

Since returning from injury at the end of December, Giannis has at least 45 fantasy points in all nine of the games he’s played. The most was 70 last week vs. the Nuggets, when Antetokounmpo scored 31 points with 8 boards, 11 assists and 3 stocks.

Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

San Antonio remains cautious with its franchise cornerstone as Wemby hasn’t played over 30 minutes in a game since November. He would be averaging over 30 points per game if he were playing more.

Kevin Durant, Rockets

Durant continues to anchor a Houston team looking to get out of play-in territory in the West standings. He’s scored 30+ points in three of this past six games.

Weekly Drops. Real Cards. Real Value. Real Thrill.

With new cards releasing every week based on real fantasy performance, the Yahoo Fantasy x Arena Club partnership delivers a constantly refreshing lineup of NBA stars — and the chase cards you’ll be talking about all season.

Don’t miss this week’s release.

Rip your slab pack, hit a chase card, and upgrade your collection today!

[Get your Yahoo Fantasy Basketball Slab Pack now]

Paul George brings the ball up the right side of the floor Monday night with 7:16 remaining in the first quarter, with Brandon Ingram pestering him the entire way, in the 76ers’ 115-102 win over the Raptors.

Former MVP Joel Embiid trots to the left wing to set a screen for Tyrese Maxey to get open. It’s poetic in a sense; Embiid is literally clearing a path for Maxey here, but Maxey taking more ownership of the offense in light of Embiid’s absences — arguably becoming the new face of the franchise in the “process” — has been an important plot point of the season.

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Raptors rookie Alijah Martin works hard to prevent Maxey from using the screen altogether, much less receiving the ball after it:

Ultimately, Maxey is able to shake free, setting the stage for a drive with Paul George to his right and Embiid to his left:

In a rare occurrence, Maxey doesn’t win the drive. Martin recovers nicely, and Scottie Barnes — an All-Defense candidate this season — helps off Dominick Barlow to take away space from Maxey.

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(To that end: Per Second Spectrum, Maxey is seeing a help defender on over 81% of his drives this year. That’s the eighth-highest mark among 54 players who have logged at least 300 drives this year. Teams are, rightfully, terrified of Maxey’s speed and overall ability to pressure the rim.)

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Maxey hits Barlow with a pass, and Barlow immediately pitches it back to George near half-court. As this reset happens, Embiid moves to the middle of the floor to serve as an outlet. 

Embiid gets a touch while the Sixers to his right reconfigure their spacing. Barlow trots down to the dunker spot. George fills the right wing, with Maxey setting up shop in the right corner. VJ Edgecombe works himself deep in the left corner, maximizing the space that Embiid has to his left if he wants to attack that way:

Collin Murray-Boyles takes an initial bump from Embiid before defending a (short) isolation. Murray-Boyles flashes his hands to poke at Embiid’s dribble and throw off his rhythm, then smartly removes them before Embiid’s able to draw a rip-through foul on his gather. Embiid kicks it to Edgecombe, who immediately attacks a subpar closeout from Immanuel Quickley:

From there, it’s easy. Edgecombe drops the ball off for Embiid, and Embiid drills a short jumper to tie the game.

On its surface, it’s a mundane possession within a 48-minute game. Honestly, it’s pretty good defense from the Raptors — they rank seventh in defensive rating for a reason! — up until the closeout, and even that wasn’t the worst one I’ve ever seen.

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Even for Embiid, this is a boring possession by his standards. He’s had flashier moments during this run, one that’s seen him average a whopping 28.2 points on 61.6 true shooting over his last 11 games in which the 76ers have gone 7-4. Heck, he had a flashier finish in the first half of this very game.

But that initial possession offers a window into what the Sixers are growing into. It’s an example of the sort of blend they’re looking for.

This season has largely, and rightfully, been defined by their backcourt. Maxey has taken more ownership of the offense, leading the NBA in touches per game, but the Sixers have been intentional about moving him around the board to stress defenses.

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He’s received slightly more off-ball screens than he did last season (11.7 per game to 12.5), while nearly doubling the amount of off-ball screens he’s personally set (2.8 to 4.8). Between the off-ball work — you never know where Maxey is going when he sets or receives a screen — the pick-and-roll play and his transition exploits, Maxey has been able to take on more responsibility and explode as a scorer (30.9 points on 53/41/88 splits) while his average touch time and dribbles per touch have decreased from last season.

[Get more 76ers news: Philadelphia team feed]

Edgecombe has been a revelation this season, ranking third among rookies in scoring (16.1 points), second in assists (4.4) and first in steals (1.6). The Sixers have trusted him to initiate more offense than I expected heading into the season, and you really see that pop in the non-Maxey minutes. That, combined with the level of responsibility he’s had on the defensive end, has made him one of the best and most impactful rookies in this year’s class — and one of the most important players on the roster.

While the minute load for Maxey and Edgecombe was a bit stress-inducing earlier in the year, their impact and on-court chemistry presented obvious long-term intrigue. It was easy to be excited about what they were, and what they could be in the eventual post-Embiid Era.

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That Embiid is now slotting so easily into this, that the on-court relationship between the three appears to be mutually beneficially, is incredibly encouraging. Maxey and Edgecombe benefit from the gravity Embiid still possesses.

Empty corner (or empty side) ball screens between Maxey and Embiid continue to throw teams for a loop. There’s the natural switch-or-not dilemma that teams have to deal with. That’s now compounded with the pitch-and-catch chemistry these two continue to develop.

Second-side handoffs between Embiid and Edgecombe often inject new life into half-court possessions.

The Embiid post touches remain difficult to deal with; give him one-on-one coverage, and he can sprinkle in enough jumpers or draw enough fouls to keep pressure on you. Send double-teams toward Embiid, and you have to worry about where and how those guards are spaced.

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Spacing either of them one pass away makes it difficult for you to send quick doubles. Maxey is draining over 45% of his catch-and-shoot 3s — it’d be the third time in his career reaching that benchmark if it holds. Edgecombe doesn’t consistently get the hard closeouts that Maxey does, at least not yet, but it’s worth noting he’s converting over 40% of his catch-and-shoot 3s. Slotting either of them two (or more) passes away means either of them can be receiving a pass against a defense that’s deeper into their rotation behind the double-team. Considering both guards double as good and willing cutters on top of the shooting, you quickly reach a point where you run out of answers when the offense is humming.

On the year, the Sixers boast a solid plus-4.7 net rating in the minutes Maxey, Edgecombe and Embiid have shared together. During this 11-game run from Embiid, the Sixers have been even better: plus-8.4 in nearly 200 minutes together.

To the latter sample, they’ve scored at a top-five rate (118.5 offensive rating; OKC currently ranks 5th at 118.2) with those three on the floor. Quietly, they’ve defended at a top-three rate (110.1 defensive rating; the Spurs rank 3rd at 111.6) in those minutes.

A big part of the Embiid resurgence has been his growing comfort patrolling the lane defensively. Opponents are converting roughly 52% of their shots at the rim against Embiid during this stretch, putting him in line with top-tier defenders like Rudy Gobert (53.7%) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (53.2%). And while the split isn’t as drastic as we’ve seen in past years, teams are still less likely to even attempt shots at the rim when Embiid is on the floor.

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(As the half-joke goes, you can tell how good Embiid is feeling by how willing and often he jumps. Per Second Spectrum he’s logged 11 games with at least 40 leaps this season; nine of them have come within this 11-game stretch, including six of his last seven. You’re welcome for this very important research.)

There’s still plenty of season left, so I don’t blame anyone who may have standings or injury-related angst before we get to the postseason. Still, the Sixers being a pretty firm member of the East playoff discourse is a win in and of itself. They’re currently only a half-game out of the No. 4 seed, 2.5 games behind the second-seeded Knicks.

All I’ll say for now is keep an eye on how the Sixers are playing right now. Pay attention to how they’re trying to build things out. If it keeps trending this way, I don’t think anyone is going to enjoy dealing with them in a playoff setting.

Adam Thielen announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday. The 35-year-old wide receiver spent 12 years in the league and played for the Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

“What a ride it has been!” Thielen wrote in a social media post. “13 years what a blessing! Have been blessed with so many great relationships and mentors over the years that I am forever grateful for! Thank you to everyone who has supported me through the years, it has meant everything to my family and I!”

After going undrafted out of Minnesota State in 2013, Thielen signed a practice squad deal with the Vikings and a season later ended up grabbing a spot on the team’s 53-man roster.

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[Get more Steelers news: Pittsburgh team feed]

From 2016-2022, Thielen averaged nearly 1,000 yards and 7.7 touchdowns per season with the Vikings. He made two Pro Bowls over that period, earning a second team All-Pro nod in 2017. Though his yardage totals dropped at the back end of that stretch, Thielen made up for it with his end-zone dominance. He caught 14 touchdowns in 15 games in 2020 and 10 in 2021 despite playing in only 13 games.

Following the 2022 NFL season, Thielen joined the Panthers on a three-year deal. He gained over 1,000 receiving yards in his first season with team.

In August, Thielen returned to Minnesota via trade. His role in his second stint was a limited one, and after seeking to be moved the Vikings placed him on waivers in early December, allowing the Steelers to pick him after the receiver announced this would be his final season.

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Thielen’s final NFL game came Monday night during the Steelers’ wild-card round defeat to the Houston Texans, where he caught two passes for 25 yards.

If Mike Tomlin wanted to continue coaching the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026, he would have been given that opportunity. Steelers owner Art Rooney II told reporters Wednesday that he was ready to run it back with Tomlin for another season after the team lost 30-6 to the Houston Texans in the wild-card round.

Rooney said Wednesday he was expecting to have that conversation with Tomlin on Tuesday, but that things changed when Tomlin said he intended to step down. While Rooney didn’t expect the conversation to take that turn, he admitted he “wasn’t shocked” that Tomlin decided to leave the team.

Tomlin surprised many in the NFL world Tuesday after announcing he was stepping down as the Steelers’ head coach after 19 seasons on the job. Tomlin, 53, put up an incredible 193-114-2 regular-season record with the Steelers over that period and notably never experienced a losing season with the franchise. Tomlin led the team to 13 playoff appearances, winning the Super Bowl in 2008.

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Rooney said he believed Tomlin’s decision to walk away from the Steelers is “family related.” Rooney said he did not attempt to talk Tomlin out of the decision and that Tomlin said he was not looking to get back into coaching any time soon.

Tomlin is still under contract with the Steelers for two more seasons. If he wanted to return to the NFL to coach another team while still under contract with the Steelers, Pittsburgh would be eligible to receive compensation for Tomlin should another team show interest. Tomlin also reportedly has a no-trade clause in his deal, so he would have to approve his destination. Rooney declined to discuss specifics regarding Tomlin’s contract Wednesday.

With Tomlin gone, the Steelers are looking at some major changes heading into 2026. For just the third time since 1969, the Steelers will hire a new head coach. When asked what he’s looking for in the team’s next coach, Rooney said leadership was the most important trait required for the job.

In addition to choosing a new head coach, the team will likely be in the market for a new quarterback as well. Veteran Aaron Rodgers is a free agent after spending his age-42 season with the Steelers in 2025. While Rodgers could return to the team in 2026, Rooney doesn’t believe that will be the case, saying Tomlin’s presence was a major factor behind Rodgers joining the franchise last offseason.

Rodgers has not stated whether he intends to play in the NFL in 2026. He finished the 2025 NFL season with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 16 starts.

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Given the unrest at quarterback, the Steelers could be in for a bit of a rebuilding year under their new head coach. Rooney cautioned against that language, however, saying the team would prefer to compete Day 1 under their next coach.

Whoever the team selects as its next head coach has big shoes to fill. Rooney described Tomlin’s tenure with the Steelers as a “winning era.” The Steelers were in contention during every single season in which Tomlin was the team’s head coach. In his 19 seasons in that role, Tomlin coached only one game in which the Steelers had no shot at making the playoffs.

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Though the Steelers remained competitive in 2025, the end of the Tomlin era also came with frustrations. Despite making the playoffs virtually every season, Tomlin went 0-7 in the team’s last seven postseason games. The inability to make deep postseason runs under Tomlin in recent seasons likely weighed on the coach, and may have played a role in his decision to step away from the franchise.

Holding the new head coach to those same expectations could prove difficult. While the end of the Tomlin era was disappointing for some, his sustained excellence will be tough to match.

The Steelers have had a knack for choosing the right head-coaching candidates in the past. It’s up to Rooney to prove the team can work its magic yet again following Tomlin’s exit.

The Charlotte Hornets will honor 16-year NBA veteran Dell Curry on March 19, when the team retires his No. 30 jersey.

Curry is now more widely recognized as the father of Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry. However, long before his eldest son started making waves in the NBA and rewriting records, Dell was known as one of the best long-distance shooters of his era.

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Charlotte was fortunate to have Dell Curry for 10 of his 16 years in the league. During his tenure with the Hornets, the team made four appearances in the Eastern Conference playoffs, advancing to the semifinals on two occasions. Curry played much of his career in a reserve or sixth-man role and earned the Sixth Man of the Year award during the 1993-94 season.

[Get more Hornets news: Charlotte team feed]

That year, Curry played all 82 games, averaging a career-high 16.3 points, along with 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists, while shooting 40.2% from 3-point range. The season before winning the Sixth Man award, Curry finished fourth in voting, and he remained in the top five in two of the three seasons following his win. In 1994-95, he finished second behind New York Knicks power forward Anthony Mason for the Sixth Man Award.

Although Curry played for five different teams (Jazz, Cavs, Hornets, Bucks, Raptors) over his career, his prime years and best on-court performance were with Charlotte. During his decade with the Hornets, he averaged 14 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.1 steals, and shot 40.5% from three. Curry was selected 15th overall in the 1986 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz.

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In recent years, Curry has served as an ambassador for the Hornets and spends time watching his sons, Stephen and Seth, drain 3s from all over the court. Dell is also a broadcaster for the Hornets, calling games on FanDuel and Amazon Prime Video’s NBA coverage.

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said Wednesday that he was “confident” he wouldn’t face charges following a battery accusation that was made against him.

News emerged Sunday via the South Bend Tribune that an assistant high school wrestling coach accused Freeman of battery at a wrestling meet on Jan. 3. Freeman was not charged by the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office because prosecutors said they “would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime occurred.”

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Chris Fleeger claimed that Freeman pushed him while attending his son’s wrestling meet. Fleeger said that Freeman initiated a “two-hand push” against him. However, there was no evidence found to support Fleeger’s claim.

“A review of the video evidence does not support those assertions,” prosecutors said about an alleged push. “While the video of the incident is from a distance, officers were able to identify Mr. Freeman and the complainant. In the video officers were able to observe Mr. Freeman moving to leave a crowded gym with his son. The exit doors were partially blocked by other people. As Mr. Freeman walked toward the doors, the video shows the complainant moving from his position near the doors and approach Mr. Freeman. Mr. Freeman turned toward the complainant and paused for approximately one second. Mr. Freeman then left the auditorium at a walk.

“The video shows that while Mr. Freeman’s right arm is not fully visible, his left hand remained in a pocket during the interaction between the complainant and Mr. Freeman. The head and body movements of both the complainant and Mr. Freeman do not support the supposition that any violent physical contact occurred.”

In his opening remarks at his news conference on Wednesday, Freeman issued a lengthy statement regarding the accusation. After news of the accusation became public, Notre Dame immediately stood behind Freeman and said that video evidence would “fully exonerate” him.”

“First of all I want to thank Notre Dame for their support and immediate response to this matter. I’m grateful for their trust and defense of me even before the video evidence was released. I also want to thank Penn High School administration, the community and countless others who have reached out to me and my family.

“I want to commend the journalists who handled the reporting with integrity. I know many of you in this room were aware of the situation as it was unfolding and I appreciate your patience in not rushing to report without having all the facts and information.

“It is also important to me to express my extreme disappointment with one particular local media outlet and a reporter who I believe chose to do the opposite. Had they handled themselves more professionally and waited for more facts to become available, this would not have become a sensationalized story making national headlines.

“Because they chose not to do so, my family and I have been dragged through the mud unnecessarily with clickbait headlines. The reality is, I behaved in a respectful and professional manner while protecting my family and that should have been the only headline. Journalistic integrity should matter. Of holding ethical principles in news reporting with accuracy and fairness should matter.

“I know I am a public figure and I understand the scrutiny that comes with that. That scrutiny should not extend to my children or any other child of a public figure.

“Lastly, I want to thank the Mishawaka police department and St. Joseph County prosecutors for their efforts in this matter. They examined all the evidence, including video footage and witness statements and concluded that no criminal battery took place and that no charges should be filed.

“I was confident in this outcome because I know I did not intentionally touch anyone in a rude, angry or disrespectful way. I’m glad this matter has been thoroughly reviewed and resolved. Out of respect for everyone involved I won’t comment further and we’ll move forward with my family and team.”

Freeman also reiterated at his news conference that he was staying at Notre Dame. With nine NFL coaching jobs currently open, he has been mentioned as a possible candidate to go to the NFL. However, he said in December that he was staying at Notre Dame and continued that position on Wednesday.

“I didn’t have to reevaluate,” Freeman said. “Other people may say I reevaluated, I didn’t ever have to reevaluate. Again, the only statement was ‘Let’s run it back’ and I was intentional about that. I don’t need to come out with a statement every time one of these job openings happen. You know I always say the future is uncertain. That’s what I tell our players, that’s what I tell myself, it’s the reality of life. But everything I want and everything that I need personally can be achieved right here as the head coach of this program.

“And so I hope this is something we have to address every year. I really do, because it means we’re having a lot of success right here at Notre Dame. And if this isn’t something we have to address then there’s bigger issues within what we’re doing as a football program because as your program has success these type of things are going to occur.”

NFL Free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft will completely shake up the fantasy football landscape in the coming months.

Before the roster movement begins, Justin Boone is identifying one fantasy-relevant player from every team who’s most likely to break out during the 2026 season.

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Early Breakout Candidates

Chicago Bears – Colston Loveland, TE

While some teams barely have one breakout candidate to highlight this far ahead of the season, the Bears have multiple in Loveland and wideout Luther Burden III.

Loveland was the TE18 in fantasy points per game during his rookie campaign, but over the final nine weeks of the fantasy season, he really began to assert himself by emerging as the fifth-highest scoring tight end during that span.

The 21-year-old has become a focal point of the Bears’ passing attack down the stretch, posting stat lines of 6-94-1, 10-91-1 and 8-137-0 over his last three outings, including Chicago’s Wild-Card victory vs. the Packers. He also saw 38 targets combined in those contests.

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After Trey McBride and Brock Bowers, you could make a case for Loveland being the next most valuable tight end in 2026 fantasy drafts. At worst, he should be viewed as a top-five player at the position heading into next season.

His teammate Burden also started to spread his wings late in the year, with six catches for 84 yards and eight catches for 138 yards and a score during his two appearances in the fantasy playoffs.

Though Burden has just as much upside as Loveland, he (currently) has more competition to deal with in the receiver room. Either way, I’ll be targeting both players heavily next season.

Fantasy breakout potential: ★★★★★

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Detroit Lions – Isaac TeSlaa, WR

The Lions are one of those offenses that have a plethora of playmakers, which makes it tough for anyone new to emerge as a significant fantasy option.

It’s still hard not to recognize what TeSlaa did as a part-time player during his rookie season. Even in a passing attack that features Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs, the 23-year-old TeSlaa scored six touchdowns in his first campaign.

The fact that he did it on just 16 total receptions is remarkable, yet unsustainable at the same time. However, it’s clear the Lions value TeSlaa after they traded three third-round picks to move up and acquire him in last year’s draft. So, you can expect his role to grow in Year 2 beyond just being a random contested-catch specialist.

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For a true fantasy breakout to occur, it’ll likely require an injury to one of the top two receivers. That makes TeSlaa a late-round target only for fantasy, but a very intriguing dynasty stash.

Fantasy breakout potential: ★★★☆☆

Green Bay Packers – Tucker Kraft, TE

Kraft was one of my favorite tight ends to draft last summer and it felt good having him in lineups during the first eight weeks of the season, when he was the top-scoring fantasy tight end overall (14 FPPG).

Unfortunately, an ACL tear in early November ended that party far too soon and prevented him from having a full breakout campaign.

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Though his recovery will need to be monitored throughout the offseason, there’s very little doubt that a healthy Kraft will return as one of the top pass-catchers and a yards-after-catch monster in Green Bay’s offense. He’s led all tight ends in average YAC per reception each of the last two seasons.

The 25-year-old will also likely have an injury-discounted ADP in 2026 fantasy drafts, despite having top-five potential at the position.

Fantasy breakout potential: ★★★★★

Minnesota Vikings – Jordan Mason, RB

The first order of business for the Vikings will be finding some legitimate veteran competition for J.J. McCarthy at quarterback.

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If Minnesota can get even average QB play, this team will go back to being a solid playoff contender and an offense fantasy managers want to be invested in.

Despite the struggles of the offense as a whole, Mason had stretches of quality production in his first year with the team. When Aaron Jones Sr. was out of the lineup for over a month early in the season (Week 3 to Week 7), Mason was the RB16 in FPPG.

When Jones sat out Week 18, Mason had his second-highest yardage total of the season with 94 yards on 14 carries versus the Packers.

Jones will turn 32 next December, which is concerning for a player with his extensive injury history:

Jones has now missed 11 games over the last three seasons and it’s entirely reasonable to question his durability moving forward.

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Mason has had moments as a fantasy difference-maker over the last couple of seasons, but in 2026, we could see him actually take over the backfield in a Vikings offense that should be more dangerous if they can find a reliable starter at quarterback.

Fantasy breakout potential: ★★★★☆

Early Breakout Candidates

Virginia has added a second quarterback through the transfer portal.

Per CBS Sports, former Pitt QB Eli Holstein has signed with the Cavaliers, just days after Virginia added former Missouri QB Beau Pribula. Holstein was considered one of the best quarterbacks still remaining in the transfer portal after Pribula had signed with the Cavaliers and Sam Leavitt made his commitment to LSU official.

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Holstein played two seasons at Pitt and opened the 2025 season as the Panthers’ starter before he was replaced by Mason Heintschel. Over eight games this past season, Holstein was 77-of-125 passing for 1,081 yards and 12 TDs with six interceptions.

In 2024, Holstein played in 10 games and was 180-of-291 passing for 2,228 yards and 17 TDs with seven interceptions. He transferred to Pitt after spending a season at Alabama and has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Pribula has just one season of eligibility left, so Holstein could ostensibly start in 2027 if he doesn’t win the QB competition over the spring and fall. Pribula is also on his third school after he spent just one season at Missouri following a transfer from Penn State.

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The Cavaliers are needing to replace Chandler Morris at QB following the team’s most successful season ever. Virginia went 11-3 in 2025 to set the school record for wins in a season. It was just the second time in school history that Virginia had won 10 or more games.

Georgia Tech has added one of the top running backs in the transfer portal.

Former Michigan and Alabama running back Justice Haynes has signed with the Yellow Jackets, per multiple reports. Haynes was well on his way to a 1,000-yard season for the Wolverines in 2025 before he was sidelined by injury. Haynes rushed for 857 yards on 121 carries while scoring 10 touchdowns across just seven games.

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Haynes had 26 carries for 152 yards and two scores in Michigan’s 31-20 win over Michigan State on Oct. 25. That ended up being his last game of the season because of a foot injury.

He spent just one season at Michigan after spending the first two seasons of his career with the Crimson Tide. Haynes rushed 104 times for 616 yards and nine scores in his first two years of college football.

At Georgia Tech, Haynes will be a focal point of an overhauled offense as the Yellow Jackets look to repeat their 2025 success. QB Haynes King is out of eligibility and offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner took the same position at Florida. Backup QB Aaron Philo also transferred to the Gators.

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Junior Malachi Hosley was the team’s leading running back in 2025 with 98 carries for 697 yards and seven scores. King was GT’s do-it-all player; he rushed for over 950 yards and 15 scores while throwing for over 2,950 yards.