Dodgers Trading For Star Shortstop?

While MLB is still in the heat of the World Series, one eliminated playoff team may be moving one of its star shortstops for another star shortstop. That would be surprising under Andrew Friedman, given that the Dodgers usually thrive on a homegrown core.

The latest by Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com is reporting that the Dodgers are open to the idea of trading Corey Seager, their star shortstop for many years, for Indians star shortstop Francisco Lindor. The big reason for this may be because the Dodgers had a .303 on-base percentage during this month's NLDS loss to the Nationals. Many believe that this is unacceptable and if true and the trade is pulled, it also proves that Andrew Friedman found that unacceptable as well.

It's unclear as of yet what the plans are for the Dodgers in 2020 but it seems the Dodgers are open-minded to the idea of a shakeup in this offseason. We had thought they shook it up a little bit with the trade of Yasiel Puig and Alex Wood to the Cincinnati Reds last offseason but they still managed to make the playoffs with the additions of AJ Pollock and Joe Kelly. However, getting to the World Series and winning it was the expectation and they fell way short of it.

Lindor is coming off his fourth consecutive All-Star season and would bring an All-Star caliber and some consistency at the shortstop position. Seager, on the other hand, has yet to replicate the kind of offensive production that earned him the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2016. Although most of that lack of production has been due to injuries, the Dodgers are an impatient organization when it comes to winning and winning now. If they believe that Seager is not going to be the type of shortstop they expected in his rookie year, they will get rid of him.

Seager ranked eighth this year in OPS this year among major league shortstops but was a big outlier in a lineup that has high plate discipline. He swung at 51.1 percent of the pitches that he saw, according to a recent stat from FanGraphs.com. That's the highest of any Dodgers hitter with at least 100 plate appearances.

With Lindor, the Dodgers would be a natural suitor for him, given that he's a switch-hitter that would help cover platoon advantages and the Dodgers, with all the rich talent they have in their farm system, would have enough capital to give Cleveland a promising offer.

Despite the Dodgers winning seven consecutive division titles and finishing this decade with the most regular-season wins in the National League, winning the World Series still eludes them. They haven't won one since 1988 and their is a sense of urgency in the Dodgers that it's a now or never deal. While I would like to see Corey Seager win a World Series in LA, I doubt that he'll be around to see that happen. They will most likely get rid of him or trade him if it means getting closer to their goal.

Lindor would be a great fit for them and would accomplish what they need in a star shortstop right now. It's now or never for the Dodgers and the urgency will be too great for them to miss out on this offer. I would make any deal, if I were Friedman, to get a guy who would be a big asset in that lineup.

Shaq Defends Daryl Morey on China

The NBA-China controversy has enveloped the league and its player for the last week and a half, all starting with Rockets GM Daryl Morey's Twitter post about supporting the Hong Kong protestors. What happened afterward immediately caught the attention of the league and China and could have big financial ramifications for the NBA. Or will it?

One guy is coming to the rescue of Daryl Morey and that is Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal.

O'Neal embraced free speech on Tuesday during TNT's pre-game show, a week after Lakers star LeBron James called Daryl Morey "not educated" on the situation, saying about the situation, "Daryl Morey was right...And they know and understand our values and we understand their values. And one of our best values in America is free speech. We're allowed to say what we want to say and we're allowed to speak up on injustices, and that's just how it goes." This is a perfect quote from O'Neal and one that LeBron probably should've made years ago before he balked at this issue with a quote that seemed to defy business in China more than America's right to free speech.

O'Neal further went on to say, "Whenever you see something going on wrong anywhere in the world, you should have the right to say, 'That's not right,' and that's what he did."

O'Neal did not mention LeBron by name in his comments. However, his comments were clear and crystal and made perfect sense and he wasn't being a hypocrite. It is in stark contrast to LeBron, who seemed to sidestep and not stand up for America's right to free speech, as well as insult Daryl Morey. Did he happen to know Daryl Morey does business in China and understands the issues?

O'Neal's comments will probably not change anything that's already happened, though it could cost him dearly in China, where O'Neal does have business. He's not worried about that, though, so I applaud him for standing up for America's values.

Back on Oct. 4, Morey sent out a seven-word tweet that said, "Fight For Freedom. Stand for Hong Kong." It created a severe controversy that seemed to put the NBA on defense against China and it's clear how there will be severe financial consequences as a result of the tweet. It probably doesn't really matter now, anyway.

As far as the O'Neal comment goes, they are crystal clear. We have rights in this country to free speech and to stand up to something that we feel is not right. In this case, we feel that the injustices done to Hong Kong by China is not right. Hong Kong has obviously had enough of China and its communist ways and Morey is standing up for their right to free speech and protest and democracy. He has the right to do that as an American. We have values, they have values, and we respect and understand our values, and we will do that no matter what.

I applaud and stand with O'Neal. Free speech is the foundation of our democracy and we will continue to hold it dear to our hearts.

Buddy Hield Signs Four-Year Extension With Kings

The Sacramento Kings and Buddy Hield have agreed on a four-year extension that is worth $86MM in guaranteed money, reports Sam Amick of The Athletic (link). The deal will feature another $20MM in incentives. Today was the deadline for the Kings to sign Hield to an extension and it looks like they finally met it.

The four-year deal is worth $94MM that can go all the way to $106MM, including that guaranteed money. We have yet to receive full details on the incentives that come with that deal.

Hield's incentives are likely to be both team and player-based, with such things as All-Star appearances, NBA Finals appearances and many other accolades he receives that can maximize his earnings. There would also be incentives related to his three-point shooting.

Hield's salaries will descend gradually. Much like the one with Harrison Barnes' new four-year deal with the Kings, it will start in the $24MM range and decline to $18MM by the fourth year. That descent will allow the Kings to have some cap flexibility in the later, when they would have to sign new deals with De'Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley, when their new deals could be more pricey.

There are no options in his extension, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (link).

Zach Parise Scores Winner, Wild Beat Canadiens

Early on in the season, the Minnesota Wild were off to a dismal start. It was so bad that they had a players-only meeting before the game against the Canadiens game today. Looks like that meeting seemed to have worked.

Zach Parise scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period and the Wild won their second game of the season, beating the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Sunday afternoon.

Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau said about the rough start, "It's been a tough start for everybody...I love seeing the emotion on the faces, especially when it's good emotion."

Jason Zucker, Marcus Foligno, and Brad Hunt also scored goals for Minnesota. So far this season, these four goals are the highest goal total through eight games this season. They also scored four goals in a 7-4 loss at home to Pittsburgh, which was not their best night.

Devan Dubnyk got his first win of the season, making 29 saves.

Parise's go-ahead goal happened thanks to a perfect pass from Zucker through traffic and sent a shot that beat the Canadiens and give them a 4-3 lead. This came four minutes after Hunt had tied the game on a power play.

This was the second meeting in a four-day span for both of these teams. The Canadiens won the previous meeting 4-0.

It was a much-needed win after a mess to start this season. I don't know if that players-only meeting was necessary right now, but considering that they thought they would be in a good position to start the season, they had to do whatever they needed to create some energy and re-ignite that passion. As for Zach Parise, one of my favorite Wild players to watch, I'm hoping this goal will help him going forward this season. He hasn't been the same players of years past and I think it has really hurt the Wild.

Good win for the Wild and they get their second win of the season. Next up is the Oilers at home on Tuesday night.

Lakers' Kyle Kuzma To Miss Season Opener

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma has been ruled out of the season against the Los Angeles Clippers, head coach Frank Vogel said on Sunday.

Right now, it is unknown how much of the start to the regular season Kuzma will miss. He was cleared for non-contact practice last week after suffering a stress reaction in his left foot during USA Basketball training camp in August.

Vogel said at the practice, "Right now, we're just talking about ramping up his activity, and we're not going to look past two days from now...We're going to try to increase his workload and activities this week, and we'll see where we're at." One prime example of that increased workload is that Kuzma stayed late for extra work with an assistant coach.

Kuzma told ESPN he was a "little more optimistic" about his injury after being able to get back on the court this past week. He said, "I haven't really been doing too much, really, for the last two months, so just being able to shoot jump shots and being around the team a little bit more, it's optimistic, for sure."

Kuzma has been in the pool doing workouts to running on an altered-gravity treadmill for the last few weeks, and it looks like he'll get more time on the court for the next week or so. I can't expect him to play anytime this coming week.

Kuzma averaged 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists last season, his second year in the NBA. He is most likely going to be the third-best player now, with both Anthony Davis and LeBron James in the lineup.

Antonio Brown Will Probably Never Learn

Antonio Brown has been in the news way too much lately. It's never for the right reasons and eventually, it'll say something about his personality, how he thinks, and why he could be at the end of his career, assuming this keeps going.

USA Today columnist Christine Brennan wrote a great piece on Antonio Brown and why NFL teams need to start listening to the NFL and heeding their warnings. You can read the piece here before I get into mine.

Now, Brown has just been released by the New England Patriots, obviously a clear sign that they were tired of all the drama surrounding him and the latest bit of news. In the past week and a half, Brown has faced multiple allegations, including a former trainer accusing him of rape, sexual harassment and sexual assault in a civil lawsuit. Another accusation was back in 2017 when an artist accused Brown of not just making an unwanted sexual advance, but also threatening her in a group text chain this week. It's this last accusation that probably forced the Patriots to finally concede that Brown was no longer worth the distraction. I couldn't agree more because the last one is awful to hear and if true, they were justified.

Now these are just accusations so we don't know exactly how this will all play out in court or in the lawsuit, but the Patriots are finally understanding the situation that Brown has put himself into and they finally said enough. They have thrown him out the door and had to put out a press release, saying it was time to go in a different direction. Better late than never, I guess.

Christine Brennan is absolutely right on one thing: Antonio Brown can no longer get away with this, and he still believes he can. This is not consulting social media advisors to figure out a way to get released from this team. This is full-blown mental breakdown, and it may get worse before it gets better. He's a guy who most likely cannot co-exist in a rapidly changing world where the #MeToo is now everywhere. I don't blame his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and I don't blame the NFL for any of this. This is all on Antonio Brown and this may be a guy who may not be able to learn his lesson.

Antonio Brown is no doubt a tremendous talent, but he's not worth it if he's constantly angry or threatening people or doing whatever to cause a racket. This is not what works in America anymore. You can't get away with it, no matter what. The culture is changing so rapidly and when you change with the rapid culture, you succeed better. Brown is not going to be better in the long run if he doesn't do a better job of understanding that.

The Patriots did the right thing, even if it took them a while to get there. Whether or not teams listen, we will learn soon enough. But I hope the message is clear to anyone out there: You can't get away with this stuff anymore and you must change with the rapid culture. Antonio Brown is a talent but if he doesn't change, he won't be able to use it. My only problem with it is he may never learn that and eventually it may be too late.

Islanders Sign Derick Brassard

Free agent forward Derick Brassard is heading back to the East Coast.

New reports have it that Brassard has signed a one-year deal with the New York Islanders. He spent the end of last season with the Colorado Avalanche and his new deal is worth $1.2MM, so it's a low deal for both him and the Islanders.

The 31-year-old will attempt to get his career back on track after having not lived up to expectations at his last three spots. After becoming a reliable offensive powerhouse for the Columbus Blue Jackets, the New York Rangers, and the Ottawa Senators, Brassard was with the Pittsburgh Penguins and struggled to find his way despite having many opportunities in a talent-rich lineup. He then ended up being traded to the Florida Panthers and then to Colorado last season. With Colorado, he was limited to the fourth line duties in the playoffs and then was not given an offer when his contract expired.

This is very low-risk for both him and the Islanders, which will give him the opportunity to prove himself. He still has elite level talent when given a bigger opportunity and in Pro Hockey Rumors's Top UFAs this offseason, he came in at #25, which means he has value but his production hasn't reflected that of late.

Are the Islanders making a big bet? Not exactly, but they need some sort of veteran presence if they have any chance to make it farther in the playoffs than last year. We'll see if he can bring back that offensive firepower that he had when he was still in his youth.

Minnesota Wild Hire Bill Guerin As GM

The Minnesota Wild have finally found their next general manager.

Michael Russo of The Athletic reported earlier today that the team has hired Penguins assistant GM Bill Guerin. The Wild recently fired Paul Fenton from that position after just 14 months on the job.

For the Penguins, this marks the second assistant GM that has left them to take over their own team. Back in 2017, Jason Botterill was hired away by the Buffalo Sabres to be their GM. Guerin eventually filled that role when Botterill left and was most notable for taking over as GM of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL and was responsible for the development of the players as they made their way up to Pittsburgh.

While Guerin does not have any experience being a full-time GM on the team, there was a lot of confidence that he was on the path towards running his own franchise and he'll take over a Minnesota team that has gone through turmoil in the last 14 months under Fenton.

With Guerin taking the task in Minnesota, he'll have to rescue this team and try to bring it back to prominence. Despite the cracks, the team still has some young talent and veteran talent but have been on shaky ground, going between rebuilding and contending. It has not been a great direction for either.

One of the players that Fenton signed before being fired was Mats Zuccarello to a five-year, $30MM deal. This deal comes with a bit of risk that found its way outside of the playoff race come the end of the last season.

What is more interesting about this hire is that it comes last than a few weeks before training camp is scheduled to open. It is unclear whether or not head coach Bruce Boudreau and the rest of his staff will be around long-term, but my guess is that he will stick around towards the final year of his contract and then Guerin will most likely pick his own guy. Tom Kurvers, who was the interim GM, is most likely to stay in some capacity, though it will not be in some GM role.

There are now three names that I know of that have left the Penguins in the last couple of years that have had mixed success so far. There's Botterill, who left for the Sabres, but has yet to lead them to the playoffs. Then there's Rick Tocchet, who left the Penguins to become head coach of the Arizona Coyotes and have yet to make the playoffs there. Now there's Guerin, who is inheriting a team with a lot of dysfunction in its front office.

It's a smart move for the Wild, because I believe it's time for a guy like Guerin to finally have his own team to run. He's obviously had a lot of success in Pittsburgh, both as a player and then as an executive, so it's clear the Wild need somebody with that role. I believe he will be able to turn around his front office and turn it back into a world-class organization. However, it will take time so I don't expect the Wild to make the playoffs for at least 2-3 seasons. If they can make it in two, that would be great. However, I still see a lot of rebuilding that needs to be done, and I believe Guerin is the guy that can do that and do it well.

The Wild picked the right guy to lead this bunch out of the abyss they're in. As I said, though, it will take a while to bring it back to prominence. At least Guerin knows he has a long road ahead of him with this Minnesota team.

Clippers Hire Tyronn Lue as Top Assistant

Tyronn Lue is no longer out of the job. The Los Angeles Clippers have come to his rescue.

Yesterday, the Clippers and Tyronn Lue agreed on a deal that will make him the lead assistant to coach Doc Rivers. There were recent reports beforehand that that team was closing a deal on Lue, but it wasn't until yesterday when Shams Charania of The Athletic finally confirmed the news.

Lue was the frontrunner to take over as Lakers head coach months ago, but contract talks between the sides fell apart, and the club went on to hire Frank Vogel to replace departing head coach Luke Walton, who took over in Sacramento.

Lue has previously been on Doc Rivers' staff, serving as an assistant on both the Celtics and Clippers before joining the Cavaliers and winning a title as head coach.

Back in May, many reports came out that the Pelicans and Rockets were interested in hiring Lue an assistant and that he turned down multiple offers from many NBA teams since being fired by the Cavaliers last fall.

As a head coach in the NBA, Lue has a record of 128-83 as a head coach, with all of his experience coming with LeBron James. It was clear that LeBron was the reason why Lue did so well as a head coach. Now, it looks like he wanted to either be a head coach again in this league or be a top assistant that made a lot of money. Being just an assistant was not going to cut it for him.

Now, Lue will get that chance with the Clippers back under Rivers and will be up against difference circumstances when the two Los Angeles teams compete against each other in the Western Conference.

Carlos Correa To the IL

Looks like the Houston Astros will be without their shortstop for a little while.

Brian McTaggart of MLB.com is reporting that Astros shortstop Carlos Correa is likely heading to the 10-day injured list after exiting Monday's game with back discomfort. The decision will not be official til later tonight, but manager AJ Hinch and the Astros organization was not optimistic that he would be able to avoid a stint on the IL.

Hinch indicated that Correa's injury is not likely to be a very serious time, but it may take several days to heal fully. This is actually the time that the Astros always want to have a full bench, so missing Correa will be tough.

While the IL stint isn't expected to take long, there are more serious concerns about Correa's health beyond this stint. Last season, he dealt with a back injury that cost him six weeks and bothered him in the postseason. This latest injury is the second time the 24-year-old has had to spend time on the IL this season, after a fractured rib forced him out for two months this summer.

With Correa and shortstop Aledmys Diaz both on the IL, shortstop duties will probably fall on Jack Mayfield or Myles Straw. Straw is currently in the minors but is a candidate to replace the ailing Correa at that position, either temporary or for the future. Nevertheless, any option is a downgrade at that position, since Correa has posted a .914 OPS this season.

Correa, a former first overall selection, has had his availability cut due to injuries and it will now be his third season in which he will not play 110 games, considered important for a shortstop of his caliber.

Steven Duggar Will Not Need Surgery

San Francisco Giants fans can breathe a little bit easier with some bit of good news today regarding outfielder Steven Duggar.

Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News is reporting that Duggar, who has been out with a shoulder issue for weeks, will not need surgery on it and is expected to rehab. The rehab will take between 4-6 weeks.

Duggar has already been ruled out for the remainder of the season and it looks like he'll be out the postseason, too, assuming the Giants don't get far in the playoffs if they get there. However, Crowley reports that the Giants expect him to be ready for the start of spring training.

Phillies Acquire Corey Dickerson

Corey Dickerson has been traded.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo is reporting that the Philadelphia Phillies have acquired the outfielder from the Pirates. Dickerson is a quality bat and will look to be a part of the outfield mix for them before hitting free agency this winter.

Dickerson has missed nearly two months of the season with a shoulder strain but has done well since coming off the injured list. In 141 plate appearances, he's slashed a line of .317/.376/.556. That was capped by a performance last night against the Reds where he hit two home runs and had five RBIs.

Dickerson was an All-Star back in 2017 and has the reputation for being a defensive liability, but surprised many with 16 Defensive Runs Saved last season and took home a Gold Glove for those efforts. He's earning $8.5MM this year and is still owed $2.79MM over the final two months of the season.

For the Phillies, it was an importance to get more outfield mix. They lost Andrew McCutchen to a torn ACL while center fielder Odubel Herrera has been suspended for the remainder of the season under the league's domestic violence policy. Those were two crucial bats that the Phillies needed to replenish and they got it in Dickerson. They tried to address those needs earlier in a June acquisition of Jay Bruce, but he has been injured since arriving there and is now out for a couple weeks with an oblique injury. It was clear the Phillies could not count on him either.

I don't know if acquiring Dickerson will solve their problems immediately but a quality outfielder was what they wanted and Corey Dickerson fits that mold. We'll see what happens in Philadelphia and if Dickerson's presence and offensive capabilities will propel this team into the Wild Card by season's end.

Trevor Bauer Goes To Reds In 3-Team Deal

The first major transaction of the MLB trade deadline happened last night and one pitcher who threw the ball over the Kansas City center field is on his way to a new team.

The Cleveland Indians have traded right-hander Trevor Bauer to the Cincinnati Reds, who sent back right fielder Yasiel Puig and pitching prospect Scott Moss. The San Diego Padres were also involved in the deal: they sent outfielder Franmil Reyes, left-hander Logan Allen, and rookie level infielder Victor Nova. The Padres also landed outfielder prospect Taylor Trammell from the Reds. What is even more stunning about this trade has to do with Puig. The finishing touch on his brief career with the Reds was his involvement in the dust-up with the Pittsburgh Pirates last night. That fight actually went down after the trade agreement was reached. Meanwhile, for Bauer, that throw back towards center field was his finishing touch as a member of the Indians.

The Cincinnati Reds are currently 49-55 and 6 1/2 games out of wild-card position, so that means Cincinnati's chances of earning a Wild Card spot appear dead. Despite that, both president of baseball operations Dick Williams and general manager Nick Frall are optimistic, believing they can make a more serious playoff push in 2020. Picking up Bauer may help with those aspirations and it could help Cincinnati have one of the best rotations come next season. Assuming any more trades happen with the Reds, it would also have Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, Anthony DeSclafani, and Tyler Mahle in that rotation.

As for the Indians, they are still fighting to overtake the Twins in the AL Central, who have come back to Earth. Getting some power and some production in that lineup will really help them. Franmil Reyes has emerged as one of the game's biggest power bats since he debuted in San Diego a year ago.  He is batting .255/.314/.536 with 27 home runs and 354 PA. Another plus for the Indians is that he won't be eligible for arbitration until after the 2021 season so he could be in the Indians lineup for a while.

The Indians are also getting three less established players in this deal in Allen, Nova, and Moss. Logan Allen is only 22 and entered the season as a top-100 prospect but he has struggled this season in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League with El Paso. However, he is still considered one of the higher-end prospects and still has plenty of room for improvement.

Meanwhile, for the Padres, they may have surrendered a lot to get a young prospect and Number 1 in the Reds' farm system. Trammell is still unproven and could spend the rest of this year and part of next in either Double-A or Triple-A. With Reyes gone, the Padres outfield still has two starting corner-outfielder options in Hunter Renfroe and much-more expensive Wil Myers. They also have Josh Naylor, Travis Jankowski, and Franchy Cordero who could also be options, but they are either injured or in the minor leagues.

This is probably the biggest acquisition of the trade deadline so far, because the Indians look like they won the trade. They are the only ones still fighting for a spot and getting valuable pieces and hitters in Reyes and Puig still work. They could still fight for the Wild Card and getting some offensive power is definitely crucial so we'll see where that goes and if it will work. As for the Reds and Padres, they are clearly focused on the future and especially the 2020 season. Getting controllable assets for the next couple of years was on their mind entirely. To me, they are no longer competing even if they could potentially catch Wild Card spots. Now it seems they will focus on their prospects and their future and hope that 2020 will work out better than 2019.

Dodgers Trade Zac Rosscup

Zac Rosscup is officially done playing in the Dodgers organization.

The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired the lefty from the Dodgers, according to a team announcement. He was recently designated for assignment by LA. In return, the Dodgers will receive cash considerations.

Rosscup's new tenure with the Cardinals will most likely begin on assignment in Triple-A.

This will be his fourth team this season, as before getting to LA, he had been with two other organizations. He owns a 5.16 ERA in 83 2/3 innings at the MLB level where he has 12.2 K/9 but his walk rate is an ugly 5.9 BB/9. At issue with him has been the free passes he has given other players, and it was clearly something the Dodgers didn't want as they make a push for the World Series again.

Rosscup being traded wasn't the only news of the day for the Dodgers. It actually comes on the heels of utilityman Kike Hernandez going on the 10-day IL with a sprained hand. The Dodgers also optioned right-hander Jaime Schultz and activated Kristopher Negron from Triple-A to take Hernandez's place on the roster. Also, righty reliever Josh Sborz was recalled to take Schultz's place.

Mets Shipping Out Jason Vargas to Phillies

The New York Mets acquired one starter yesterday from the Blue Jays in the form of Marcus Stroman. Today, they are shipping out another pitcher in Jason Vargas.

Andy Martino of SNY.tv is reporting that the Mets will indeed send the veteran lefty elsewhere and just a few minutes ago, Jeff Passan is reporting are the Phillies are the team that is landing him. The Mets are getting prospect Austin Bossart from the Phillies.

This move was clearly made to open up a roster spot for Stroman, whom the Mets acquired yesterday from the Blue Jays. It also opens up the question about whether or not the Mets will move out any of their other starters by the trade deadline. The biggest name has been Noah Syndergaard, who many have written will be headed to the Padres, including myself.

At the beginning of the season, Vargas, 36, had a poor start but since then has delivered solid results for a Mets team that is both in the Wild Card and out of the Wild Card. He currently carries a 4.01 ERA through 94 1/3 frames. His stats also include a 7.7 K/9 with a 3.7 BB/9. These are solid numbers for any competing team and while his ERA is not all that great, it is still low enough where he can be a solid mid-rotation starter.

As for the return, Bossart, a 26-year-old prospect, is in the middle of the rough season. This is his second season at the Double-A level. He's only hitting .195/.305/.335 with 236 plate appearances, which means he still has work to do if he wants to get promoted to the Triple-A level.

For the Mets, this trade is not about Bossart at all, because they can afford to wait on him while he develops and improves his slashing numbers. This was about clearing space for Marcus Stroman, a player that I still don't why the Mets are traded for him. We know that the Mets are 5.5 games out of the Wild Card, which means they can still ride the wave and get into the postseason or they can fall flat in August and be out of the Wild Card for good.

As for Vargas himself, he finally escapes the Big Apple. Many of you may know him as a quality pitcher who can be in the mid-rotation and get some guys out, but he's also remembered recently for being one of the two guys for the Mets who went after that reporter from Newsday, along with manager Mickey Callaway. Although that shouldn't define him or his career, in this day and era that we live in, it's clearly not a good look. Going to Philadelphia should be a change of scenery and puts him on a team that is in the thick of it in the Wild Card race. If he goes there and produces well and gets a couple of wins under his belt, then I believe the Phillies will get one of those spots.

Brewers Designate Marcos Diplan

Adam McCalvy of MLB.com just tweeted out that the Milwaukee Brewers have designated pitching prospect Marcos Diplan for assignment today in order to make room for recent acquisition Jordan Lyles.

For many, this comes as a surprise. Diplan was once considered a potential starter within their mid-rotation. Although he was never an elite prospect, he was given a chance long enough for the Brewers to believe that he was going to pitch at the MLB level at one point. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that will happen with the Brewers.

Diplan held a 40-man spot since the fall of 2017 but has yet to get past the Double-A level. This season currently, he is struggling with a 4.79 ERA with 9.4 K/9 and 5.7 BB/9 in 114 2/3 frames. Those numbers don't seem like improvement and a promotion to the Triple-A level.

For many, it does indicate that the Brewers could likely ship him out in a trade, either before the trade deadline passes or even in the offseason if he clears and gets sent back down to the minors. Another option is that he could be a waiver claim target for a team that has a long-term outlook. Right now, the Brewers are not thinking long-term, not when they came so close last year to the World Series.

I feel for Diplan because I felt he was going to be in the Brewers' plans for the future, but when you have numbers like I mentioned at the Double-A level, you're not going to get promoted anytime soon. Plus, the acquisition of Jordan Lyles from the Pirates meant that someone was not going to be on the roster soon after that trade. Turns out it was Diplan. I could see him ending up on another team, especially one that will have patience with him and let him develop and see if he can get that ERA lower so that he can be a part of a rotation long-term.

Brewers Acquire Jordan Lyles

The Pittsburgh Pirates have said good-bye to one of their right-handed pitchers.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic is reporting that the Brewers have reached a deal to acquire the right-hander Jordan Lyles from the rival Pirates. Milwaukee will send back Double-A pitcher Cody Ponce.

This is the second straight season that the Brewers have acquired Lyles, as they have also picked him up in an August waiver deal a season ago. Down the stretch last season for Milwaukee, he tossed 16 1/3 innings of 3.31 ERA and helped them get to the NLCS last season. He hit free agency in an offseason and ended up signing a one-year, $2.05MM deal with the Pirates. He's still owed $705K between now and when the season ends.

For the first few months of the season, it seemed like the Pirates had a steal in Lyles after he went with a 3.09 ERA with a 61-to-19 K/BB ratio in 57 innings. That went through the end of May but suffered a hamstring injury last month that sidelined him for a few games and since early June has struggled with control issues. Much of that is the reason why the Pirates slid out of the Wild Card in the middle of July. In the past seven outings, he has allowed 30 runs on 46 hits and 14 walks. Despite that, he maintained his strikeout tendencies of whiffing 34 hitters. Now with the Pirates out of the Wild Card picture, it looks like they were finally ready to see him head to a contender, which is definitely what Milwaukee is.

The ERA is not what the Brewers are putting into when they made this deal. They need a arm to help stabilize the rotation. Brandon Woodruff is out until September with an oblique strain, and Jhoulys Chacin just went on the injured list with a lat strain. Jimmy Nelson, another starter, is also out with an elbow issue, which made this deadline all the more important for Milwaukee to get an arm into that rotation.

As for the return for the Pirates, Cody Bonce is also 25 and was the Brewers' second-round pick back in 2015 but unfortunately, is not among the Brewers' top tier prospects. He was having a strong season, though, with Double-A Biloxi, having pitched a 3.29 ERA with a 44-to-12 K/BB ratio and a 56.5 percent ground-ball rate in 38 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. Within the Brewers organization, he was their No. 27 prospect, according to Baseball America. Because of that, it was why he was not highly regarded as a top tier prospect in their farm system. Now, he'll get a chance within the Pirates organization to see if he can get himself higher up in their prospect pool.

It was clear the Brewers need help and Jordan Lyles is a cheap option for them til they can get all of their starters back. Not only that, but he knows the Brewers system well and their coaches and I think he knows exactly what they need out of him in order to get further in the playoffs (the World Series). The Pirates were not going anywhere and based on the trade, it looked like they were just ready to give up on catching that Wild Card slot, so it made sense for him to go to a contender and prove that he can bring October magic to the Brewers once again.

Noah Syndergaard To the Padres?

Are the San Diego Padres in the market to get one of the Mets starting pitchers?

A recent scenario from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal suggests that the Padres are interested in Mets starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard. What's more interesting is that Rosenthal suggests that if they get this deal done and get money in return, they may use some of that to try to acquire Toronto's Marcus Stroman. It is indeed a bizarre scenario, right?

It is suggested that Syndergaard getting traded may serve as a big blueprint for many teams, especially those who are either out of the playoff picture entirely or who believes they are going to get on a roll. Perhaps the Padres believe they will get on a roll at one point if they get pitching.

It's understandable why the Padres would want to go after some high quality pitching because I have seen that team first hand and they have no quality pitching. Eric Lauer is their best pitcher but even he is not dominant and his ERA is not what the Padres hoped it would be.

The bigger issue with the Padres is not so much getting Syndergaard but who they would have to give up. Two big names come up: Luis Patino and Luis Urias. Urias is the bigger name here and is rated the 9th overall prospect by Baseball Prospectus. Right now, though, he has struggled in his brief MLB stint so far, but that doesn't mean he's still a high quality player when given the opportunity and time. MacKenzie Gore may be another big name in the prospect world that the Padres would have to part with as well. Gore is currently splitting time between High-A Lake Ilsinore and Double-A Amarillo and holds a 2.51 ERA overall. It could be very enticing for the Mets.

I'm not sure if the Padres will pull this deal off but they are looking for starting pitching wherever they can find it. They clearly have the offense they need to make a serious run but if you don't get any quality pitching, then it's not going to matter because 7 GB in the Wild Card could be 10 or 11 when all is said and done. I think the Padres need to do whatever they can to get quality starting pitching right now or they will lose even more ground in the race and end up missing the playoffs again. They may miss it anyway, but at least with Syndergaard, you can get a quality starter that will give you a chance every time he pitches.

Athletics Acquire Jake Diekman From Royals

Jake Diekman is on the move.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Oakland Athletics have acquired the pitcher from the Kansas City Royals. As of right now, the return is unknown, though it's likely to be prospects.

The Athletics are pushing for a second consecutive playoff appearance and in doing so, they would need to acquire some quality pitching. Getting Diekman was crucial but many of his problems have had to do with walks. The lefty hasn't walked under four players per nine innings since 2013. Despite that, he is setting down hitters at a career-best rate. He has struck out 13.61 K/9 over two batters per a nine inning game. That's over his previous season best. Not just that, but his park-adjusted peripherals place him in the top 30 relievers in MLB right now. He'll join an Oakland bullpen that already has MLB's second-highest fWAR total. That's behind only the New York Yankees.

Diekman is owed approximately $700K over the rest of this season and has a $5.75MM option for 2020. That is most likely to be declined if Diekman continues his hot hand right now. Diekman is also joining a bullpen that includes Joakim Soria, Yusmeiro Petit, Liam Hendriks, Blake Treinen, and Lou Trevino. All of them are having fantastic seasons.

The Athletics look to be filling up their roster in a potential Wild Card game where pitching will mater. Frankie Montas is most likely not going to be in the plans this offseason, having been suspended for a PED violation earlier this season. Mike Fiers has played well, but his peripherals suggest he may flounder once they get to the playoffs. Brett Anderson is another who's managed to avoid major injury for a few times in his career.

Jake Diekman is going to a solid team where they have aspirations for the playoffs and even more than the Wild Card. Last season, if you recall, the Athletics did the stupid thing by allowing relievers to pitch them through the Wild Card game, in hopes to save their starters' arms for a Divisional Series. It didn't work, obviously, because the Yankees were the best team in that matchup and took apart the Athletics.

I can't trust the Athletics, because analytics always seem to hurt that team more than most when they get to the playoffs. However, getting Diekman is another crucial bullpen arm that they need going down the stretch and getting into the Wild Card game. We'll see if Diekman can handle the load in Oakland, but I think based on what we saw in Kansas City, he's going to be a big asset for the team's aspirations.

Ty Blach Designated For Assignment

Ty Blach's time with San Francisco may soon be coming to an end.

According to The Athletic's Andrew Baggarly, the Giants have designated left-handed pitcher Ty Blach for assignment today. This move was necessary to make room for prospect Logan Webb's return from the Restricted List.

Blach was a great productive pitcher for the 2016-18 seasons with the Giants. His numbers were slightly up then because of the dimensions of Oracle Park, their home field. The lefty posted the league's lowest strikeout total since debuting in late 2016, but he threw a solid 3.84 FIP in 47 appearances (13 starts) for the Giants last season. Unfortunately, that performance wasn't enough to get any favor with the new Giants management that came in in the offseason.

Much of this season has been spent trying to survive in Triple-A. It hasn't gone well so far for Blach, posting a 5.93 ERA/5.26 FIP. While those numbers may seem respectable in the offensive climate that was the PCL, it unfortunately wasn't enough once it made it to the big league level.

Right now, Blach may end up on a new team or possibly back down in Triple-A, where he's hoping that he can improve on those numbers and get back up to a big league club. It may not be enough, though, as his performances have not improved since 2016 and this latest designation may be the last straw in the Giants organization.

Jose Pirela Traded to Phillies

Jose Pirela's time in San Diego is over.

The Philadelphia Phillies have announced that they have acquired Pirela from the Padres in exchange for cash considerations.

Pirela was recently designated for assignment on Monday by San Diego. The former one-time Yankee was a major asset in the Padres lineup back in 2017 and 2018. However, that time yielded a terrible .249/.300/.345 line in 473 plate appearances for the Padres. Apart from those numbers, he spent time moving around the field save catcher, shortstop, and center field. What he has proven is that he's a reliable defender. This season playing in El Paso, he slashed a .353/.401/.674 with 18 homers. It was clear, however, there was no long-term plans for him in the lineup with all the outfielders they have on their roster.

Now, Pirela will look to be a secondary option in the Phillies lineup. So far, only Brad Miller has proven himself to be a reliable secondary player. Many others on the Phillies in the same role haven't stepped up. Their bench players have a combined -2.5fWAR and they'll need to boost that if they want to lock down one of the two NL Wild Card spots that's up for jobs.

To make room for Pirela on their roster, the Phillies moved right-hander Tommy Hunter to the 60-day DL.

While Pirela did not do much for San Diego in the last few years, it's actually further proof that he could be a reliable bench player. As far as it went, he was not going to have a long-term spot on the Padres roster, considering all the outfielders they have. They have already tried to lessen the numbers by trading Alex Dickerson to the Giants and with the sudden rise of Manuel Margot in one of those spots, it looked like Pirela's time there was going to be done sooner or later.

Right now, the Phillies need bench bats and Pirela can surely provide that. Right now, they almost look like they could miss out on the playoffs, the way that team has played. However, if Pirela can come in and improve their shaky fWAR, they'll have a great chance to lock down a Wild Card spot when all is said and done.

Wish Pirela the best in Philadelphia and I hope it works out there better than it did in San Diego.

Omri Casspi To Play In Israel

Omri Casspi's NBA career looks like it's over.

The veteran forward has reached an agreement with Maccabi Tel Aviv. This is according to Sportando's Emiliano Carchia. The contract is for three years and $3.4MM and it also gives Casspi a managing role in the organization when he does retire.

Casspi is 31 years old and likely saw his NBA career come to an end. The Memphis Grizzlies released him in February to make room for the trades that they did at the trade deadline. In his time with Memphis, he appeared in 36 games, averaging 6.3 PPG on 14 minutes per night.

Casspi was a first-round pick back in 2009 and spent most of his early part of the NBA with the Sacramento Kings. In his 10 years in the NBA, Casspi has spent time with a total of seven teams.

I wish Omri Casspi the best of luck in Israel and thank him for his wonderful time in the NBA.

LA Kings Sign Tobias Bjornfot to Entry-Level Deal

The Los Angeles Kings have gotten one of their draft picks under contract.

Today, the team announced that they have signed defenseman Tobias Bjornfot to a three-year entry-level deal. He was one of two first-round picks for the Kings in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. That pick came to the Kings by way of Jake Muzzin being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He was the 22nd pick in the draft, and the second player picked by the Kings behind Alex Turcotte, who was picked fifth. The Swedish player spent the year in the SuperElit league with Djurgardens J20 and played 39 games there, scoring 11 goals and racking up 22 points. He also played in the SHL, making seven appearances there but being held without a point in each appearance. At the U18 World Junior championships, he helped Sweden win a bronze medal.

What do the LA Kings find in him? He is considered an excellent skater who has a great two-way game. He has also shown himself to run a great power play game to go along with a heavy slapshot that can fight through traffic. Unfortunately, he isn't tall, which is a knock on him, but he's bulky at 205 pounds, which means he can take hits.

Bjornfot may have get a taste of NHL action right away, but if he does well at the AHL level with the Ontario Reign next season, he'll have a good opportunity to showcase himself with the Kings the season after the next one. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do at the AHL level.

Milos Teodosic Off To Play in Italy

Looks like Milos Teodosic's run in the NBA is over.

The former Clippers guard has signed on with the Italian club Virtus Bologna, according to Nicola Lupo of Sportando. The team itself announced the new contract, which will cover three years.

Teodosic had played for the Clippers the last few years but was considered a disappointment after becoming a big star in Europe. Over two seasons, he played only 60 games, including 15 this year. He was eventually waived in February. He averaged 10 minutes a night this season and was frustrated with his playing time going all the way back to November.

In the EuroLeague before coming to LA, Teodosic was a six-time All-League selection and in 2010 was the league's MVP. He helped the Serbian team capture the silver medal at the 2016 Olympics, as well as capturing silvers in the 2009 EuroBasket tournament and the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

To be fully honest, I was hoping for a better outing for Teodosic when he came to LA, just because of all the skills and accolades he accumulated while over in Europe. It became clear, though, that his time with the Clippers wouldn't have panned out as he would've liked. The Clippers never gave him an opportunity to prove himself and the acquisitions they made over the last few years clearly meant he was on his way out the door. Hopefully, he can find better success back over in Europe and especially in Italy.

Best of luck, Milos! Sorry that it didn't work out the way you would've liked it to.

Alex Iafallo Back With The Kings

The Los Angeles Kings are bringing back a familiar name.

John Hovan is reporting that the Kings are re-signing restricted free agent Alex Iafallo to a two-year, $4.85 MM deal. Iafallo recently filed for salary arbitration and was set to have a hearing on that matter on July 20th. Now, it looks like he'll play for an extra two seasons and become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2021.

A free agent signing out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth back in 2017, Iafallo quickly established himself as an important full-time player for the Kings, playing in 75 NHL games in his first pro season. He recorded 25 points in his first season and then improved on that the following year. The only reason for this production is that the Kings were desperate to bring in some youth and skill on their wing. Iafallo has worked very hard to become an important asset on this team and if he improves on any of these names, he could be cashing in on a big contract in two years time, whether it be with the Kings or elsewhere.

The Kings are looking to rebuild their core group in hopes to contend in the future and Iafallo could bring just that. However, if he doesn't prove himself and improve on his game year after year, the Kings could very well auction him off as perhaps a complementary piece for a contending team.

With Iafallo out of the way, the Kings have now several other restricted free agents they need to sign. One of those names is Adrian Kempe. His brother, Mario, was recently brought in by the organization. The Kings still have $9.4MM left in cap room to sign some restricted free agents or bring in new pieces. We'll see where they go and who they bring back and let go.

Red Sox Release Tyler Thornburg

Tyler Thornburg is no longer part of the Boston Red Sox going forward.

The team announced today that they have released the right-hander. It was not a surprise, considering that he declined an optional assignment. He will now hit the open market and hopes to have a few suitors who could look for some relief help.

Thornburg is guaranteed a $1.75 million salary from the Red Sox, regardless of where he ends up. Although his production numbers at the big league level are not impressive, he could still end up on a rivals team, most likely on a minors contract with a chance to prove himself and get back to the majors.

Thornburg was part of the trade that sent Travis Shaw to the Milwaukee Brewers. So far, the trade doesn't seem to be faring all that well for either side. While Shaw has had two quality seasons, he hasn't had quite the numbers the Brew Crew would've expected and they just called up another piece in that swap in infielder Mauricio Dubon. Dubon has handled it well at Triple-A and is viewed as a valuable prospect in the Brewers organization.

As for Thornburg, as I said before, he didn't look to be in the future of the Red Sox organization. Now, he'll have to get a chance to prove himself, most likely at the minor league level, if he ever wants to get back to the majors again. It has been a tough season for him and I feel bad that his time with Boston didn't fare the way he wanted it too. We'll see if he can catch fire elsewhere.

Mariners Get Matt Wisler

Matt Wisler is on the move this Fourth of July.

Today, the Mariners announced that they have acquired right-hander Matt Wisler from the Padres in exchange for cash considerations. With Seattle having an open 40-man roster spot on their team, it won't be necessary for them to make a corresponding DFA or 60-day IL placement. San Diego had recently designated Wisler for assignment last week.

Despite Wisler still being only 26, he has yet to find any footing at the MLB level, and he was a highly touted prospect when he first came into the league. Since then, he has shifted to a full-time relief role. His numbers aren't that great, though. He has a 5.28 ERA and has allowed five home runs in the last 29 innings of work. However, there is some reason for being optimistic about Wisler. He is striking out a career-best 26.4 percent of opponents, there is a 15.6 percent swinging-strike rate and a 35.1 percent opponents' chase rate, which is telling because when batters are not blasting his pitches out of the park, he's getting a very high strike rate on them.

The problem with Wisler's numbers is that opponents are batting .291/.344/.479 against him in 2019. So with those results, it may be time for a new environment and perhaps the Padres understood that more than most. However, it remains to be seen if that will be the case for Wisler.

As for the Mariners, at least they get another fresh arm in the bullpen. Wisler is out of minor league options with the Padres at this point, and the Mariners are looking to rebuild their team, so this move makes sense. Right now, though, he has to improve his arm at the major league level or he'll be designated for assignment and most likely sent back to Triple-A. That's not something that he would be in favor of, considering his potential and why he was such a premier prospect coming into the Major League levels.

Rangers Acquire Jacob Trouba From Jets

The New York Rangers have made a big splash before even the NHL Draft and free agency.

Today, the Rangers announced that they have acquired defenseman Jacob Trouba from the Winnipeg Jets. The Rangers will send defenseman Neal Pionk, as well as the 20th overall pick in this week's draft. That pick had been previously acquired from Winnipeg as part of the Kevin Hayes trade to Philadelphia.

Trouba is coming off a big year that saw him collect 50 points, including 8 goals and 42 points, and averaging around 23 minutes per game in the regular season. However, despite those numbers, there had been rumors swirling that the trade was likely, which expectations that it would happen either before the draft or during it.

Back in 2016, the 25-year-old held out of training camp and had requested a trade at that time before rescinding his request and signing in November of that year. However, there was a belief that his commitment to the team long-term had wavered, especially after opting to go through the arbitration process this last summer.

Now it's up to Rangers GM Jeff Gorton to get Trouba to commit long-term. The Jets had reportedly not granted permission to speak to Trouba about a deal before the trade was made. Now that the Rangers have that option, it looks like they will offer him a $5.5 million qualifying offer later this month before free agency opens. A long-term deal could approach $7MM-$8MM when the contract is said and done.

When he is finally signed and committed, it's likely he will slot in as their top defenseman.

Trouba's acquisition from the Jets come in the wake of Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson signing a massive deal to stay in San Jose. Current Jets defenseman Tyler Myers is also expected to re-sign with the Jets, so it's clear that defenseman are a long-term investment and the Rangers certainly needed one.

As for the Jets, Pionk is a restricted free agent this summer and is eligible for salary arbitration. He has inexperience on an NHL roster so he won't command a large salary and the Jets still have to sign free agent wingers Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor, as well as Myers. Shedding Trouba's contract was crucial in getting extra money to get its stars under contract.

Now we'll see what happens with both the extra prospect they get and the signings they make. While I don't like the deal for the Jets because it gives up one of their star defensemen, they don't have a lot of money to work with, unlike a lot of other team. Plus, Myers is their most important defenseman that they don't want to lose. Having enough money to pay them what he likes is important, so Trouba getting traded was important for him.

The Rangers are getting some massive help here too because they don't have a lockdown defenseman that they can rely on when needed to. When Trouba comes in and signs his qualifying offer, he will immediately fill that hole. They've struggled last season in defense.

Anthony Davis To The Lakers

The LA Lakers are finally getting the prized possession that they've wanted all along: Anthony Davis.

The New Orleans Pelicans have reportedly agreed to trade their All-Star Anthony Davis to the LA Lakers on Saturday.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN is reporting details of the move. In return, the Pelicans will receive Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first-round picks, including the fourth overall pick in this year's NBA draft.

Marc Stein of the New York Times is also reporting that as a result of the details, the Lakers will now go and try to get Kemba Walker away from the Charlotte Hornets. That also assumes the Lakers will reach a deal with Davis that keeps him in LA beyond next season.

The Boston Celtics were also in on getting Davis but were unwilling to include Jayson Tatum in any deals for Davis, which was going be a no no matter what, since Tatum would have to be included in any deal for Davis.

The Pelicans and Davis have seemed to have a falling out with each other. This franchise was coming off a high of its first playoff series win since 2007-08 by sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round in last year's playoffs.

It was shown to be a sign of improvement. However, after a 4-0 start to this season, the Pelicans went 29-49 and that included Davis demanding to be traded.

According to Wojnarowski, Davis' agent, Rich Paul, had told the Pelicans that Davis had no plans to re-sign with the team and had asked for a trade. While that was back in February, it did set in motion plans to trade Davis either to the Lakers or the Celtics.

With Davis under contract for one more season and him firmly being with the Lakers now, it does signal perhaps some relief for the Lakers organization, which was in turmoil for parts of the offseason. It included Magic Johnson's surprise resignation as President of Basketball Operations and a long search for a head coach that ended up with Frank Vogel installed there. They needed something big to happen and they got it in a Davis trade.

Honestly, if this trade had happened back in February instead of now, not only would the Lakers have been in the playoffs, but Magic Johnson probably wouldn't have had to resign, and that would've made a big difference not just for the Lakers but for the league in general. In fact, this now puts them at the top of a very competitive Western Conference and it may keep them there for years to come.

As for the Pelicans, I hope that the players they get back in this deal will help them for the future, because I believe they're getting a good core group of guys who will be under no pressure to improve their game and be a factor in the Pelicans going forward. Although I was stunned that Kyle Kuzma was not involved in this deal, ultimately, I think the Pelicans are in a great spot and with David Griffin leading this team, he is a great negotiator and manager and I think he knows exactly what he needs to do in order to get this team successful for the future. I believe in that and I think this is the right direction for New Orleans.

This was a trade that should've happened months ago. If that was the case, this drama with the Lakers would not have happened. Now that Davis is in LA and where he wants the case, now we'll see if the Lakers will be the most dominant team out there or not. Either way, they got what they wanted and now I see them as a big threat in a tough Western Conference.

Hawks To Acquire Allen Crabbe, Draft Picks From Nets

The Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks have swung a trade that could help the Nets create two max free agent slots going into the offseason.

The Nets have agreed to send Allen Crabbe, the No. 17 pick in the 2019 draft, and a lottery-protected 2020 first-round pick to the Hawks in exchange for Taurean Prince and a 2021 second-round pick. This was first reported on Twitter by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. (link)

The move allows the Nets to clear more than $17 million from their books for the 2019-20 season. Crabbe is on an expiring $18.5 million deal. Prince, the player coming back to the Nets, is only making $3.48 million a year. This will also clear the cap hold for the No. 17 pick. What does that mean? Brooklyn will now go into the offseason with more than $47 million in cap space, enough to bring aboard one max free agent, whether it be Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, etc. It's also possible the Nets will create a second max slot if they renounce D'Angelo Russell's cap hold.

Allen Crabbe was one of the important pieces for the Nets and why they did so well to get into the playoffs. The fact that the Nets are moving on quickly from him signals they plan to get more cap room in order to get two max free agents. There's also been recent rumors that Kyrie Irving would like to sign with the Nets, and according to Woj, Irving is "serious" about it. That means the Nets are trying to beat out the Knicks and other NBA teams for top free agents this summer.

Going to the Hawks, this is a big trade for them for two reasons: Getting Crabbe also gives them extra draft picks, which means two extra first-round selections this year. There have been reports that the Hawks would be willing to add two young prospects to the roster in hopes that they could have more trade discussions with other teams and ship them off in the future.

Both players involved in the deal play similar roles so it was important that the Nets look for a player of equal value on a more team-friendly contract. Prince does just that. The Hawks are also getting a great three-point shooter. He posted a .396PT% since he signed a four-year deal back in 2016. His deal expires after the 2019-20 season, so the Hawks are getting a good shooter and it allows them to keep building their team.

Since it's not yet July, both teams won't be able to complete the deal til then, since the Hawks don't have cap room right now to absorb Crabbe's contract. They'll have to wait one more year til the new league year begins.

Jason Zucker's Trade Market

The Minnesota Wild are trying whatever they can to move Jason Zucker out of town. During the trade deadline, they tried to trade him to the Calgary Flames, which fell through. Then they tried to trade him to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Phil Kessel. That fell through because Kessel was not interested in joining a team that didn't have any possibility of competing this year. Now, it looks like another team has possibly stepped in to acquire his services.

Mike Halford, who works for The Athletic, reported on his radio station on TSN 1040 that that Vancouver Canucks are somehow interested in the Wild forward and that several trade proposals have already landed on the table.

Zucker, 27, is one of the last members of the Minnesota core that former GM Chuck Fletcher built during his time there. GM Paul Fenton is the new guy in charge there and he's already made plenty of moves, shipping out Nino Niederreiter, Mikael Granlund, and Charlie Coyle, hoping that new faces will try and change their outcome in the playoffs. Unfortunately, they didn't make the playoffs this season.

It's clear Fenton is trying to find a long-term approach to this problem and it looks like he's trying to rebuild. It makes sense too, considering all the money the core had brought in, including Zucker. Zucker still has four years and $5.5MM left on his contract, and it's a big cap hit for the Wild as they try to improve their team.

Vancouver's interest in Zucker may be more obvious than it seems. They have a bunch of young forwards who performed well this year and they have plenty of cap space to accommodate Zucker. I understand that he's a long way off from his magnificent 2017-18 season, when he produced 21 goals and 42 points. He is also one of the fastest skaters in the league, something that the young Vancouver forwards have done well in this year. Not just his speed or his value, but the Canucks also have a need on the left-side of their top-six line, which includes Bo Horvat and Elias Pettersson.

Zucker is very much wanted in this league and any team would be lucky to get him. However, I do like the role that he would play in Vancouver. Not only would his skills and production be valuable, but he also does display some leadership. I would think that in Vancouver, that would be very valuable and although the Canucks would have to pay a premium amount to get him, I think he would serve very well there and he would be a valuable piece for their future.

Andrew McCutchen Out For The Year

The Phillies received devastating news about one of their outfielders after a serious injury had him leave the game against the Padres last night.

The Athletic's Matt Gelb is reporting via Twitter that outfielder Andrew McCutchen has been diagnosed with a torn left ACL and will end up missing the remainder of the season.

This past offseason, Philly signed McCutchen, 32, to a three-year contract worth $50 million. In the first two months of the season, McCutchen played well. In 262 plate appearances, he had a line of .256/.378/.457 batting with 10 home runs, 12 doubles, a triple, two steals and 43 walks, that last stat being the best in the NL. He had been the starting center fielder after Odubel Herrera was placed on administrative leave by MLB. However, with this injury, it will leave the Phillies two outfielders down.

2017 first-rounder Adam Haseley was flown in to San Diego to meet them for the Padres series in the event of a serious knee injury for McCutchen. It's likely now he'll step into center field on a regular basis, while recent acquisition Jay Bruce will take left field. Bryce Harper, meanwhile, will continue to man right field.

It would seem more than likely that the Phillies may end up having to look for center field help on the market this year. However, if Haseley's minor league numbers say anything (.275/.358/.466 in 204 plate appearances) it could be that Haseley will perform well in the interim and the Phils may not need to go to the market.

That being said, this is a devastating blow, not just to the Phillies, but to McCutchen as well, and you have to wonder if this knee injury will take him out for the rest of his career. I hope not, and I believe he will come back from this injury. However, he is either close to the end of his career or he's about to get to that point where injuries may have a say on when he retires.

I wish him the best in recovery, and I'm hoping the Phillies, and especially Haseley, can hold this down for the long term, especially if Herrera is going to be on leave for a while, and it looks like he may be. We wish McCutchen the best and hope he can come back from this injury.

Pelicans Begin Listening to Davis Inquiries

Pelicans head of basketball operations David Griffin was probably hoping to hold onto the All-NBA big man Anthony Davis and have him continue to be the All-Star for the Pelicans going into next season. Now, it seems that the Pelicans have finally decided to think about trading him.

Shams Charania of The Athletic is reporting that Griffin has begun to listening to inquiries regarding Anthony Davis. However, that doesn't mean he will be moved this offseason, but now it seems that the Pelicans are more interested in hearing out potential suitors.

Davis and Griffin reportedly met for the first time this offseason in Los Angeles. The meeting was described as respectful and productive. However, Davis's preference to be traded has apparently not changed. So that means either the Pelicans keep trying to win over AD and hang onto him until the 2020 trade deadline or try to see what they get in the draft and perhaps get another valuable prospect  or maybe even more during the free agency period.

Davis has a list of preferred destinations and they include the obvious teams in the Lakers, Knicks, Clippers, and Bucks. It's actually stunning to me that he would think about joining Giannis in Milwaukee, but the other three are the no-brainer ones. Many executives around the time, as reported by Charania, believe that the Lakers and Knicks have the biggest capability of putting together strong packages to land Davis. The Lakers may still have the biggest strength to land him, and I believe they still may end up getting him eventually.

While the Pelicans now appear open to moving Anthony Davis, the same can not be said of Jrue Holiday. There's no indications within the Pelicans front office that they're willing to deal him. For New Orleans, he remains their lone "cornerstone" player, meaning he would become the leader of the team if Davis is moved. I really believe that the Pelicans wouldn't be competitive without him and Holiday is perhaps their best player when and if Davis gets moved.

As for Davis himself and the Pelicans, the recent reporting may lead me to believe that the Pelicans would like to deal Davis this offseason. He does not want to be there and they may be rebuilding at this point. He has to go somewhere where he can not only be an impact player, but also play with other superstars and have a chance to win a championship. If it's with the Lakers, then I'm all for it, because they have the most they can offer New Orleans, including Kyle Kuzma.

I really thought this trade would happen during the deadline, because I thought this trade not only would've make the Lakers competitive and put them in the playoffs this year, but it would have saved Magic Johnson's job and all the turmoil in the Lakers front office would not have happened. That being said, if the Lakers can land Davis and be willing to give up some important pieces, it would be a big thing for them and it would definitely make Davis happy and New Orleans probably would have a brighter future.

Now it seems the Pelicans are more than interested now in dealing Anthony Davis. They may ultimately not trade him, but now it seems that Davis is not swaying his position and David Griffin will try his best to land the best deal possible.

Prospective Guys The Suns May Look At

The Phoenix Suns have a lot to do this offseason regarding potential free agent targets. More specifically, they're looking at point guards they believe can come in and be veterans who can help improve this team.

In a recent tweet from John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 has outlined four targets that the Suns may keep an eye on: Cory Joseph, Patrick Beverley, Darren Collison, and T.J. McConnell.

There are also other potential targets like Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, and D'Angelo Russell. The problem with those guys is that although they are talented point guards who can make a big impact, the Suns don't have the cap room necessary to sign any of them, which could hurt them in the long run and impact their luxury tax. Therefore, the four potential targets that Gambadoro lays out makes much more sense.

In a contradictory report that Gambadoro also writes out, it looks like the Suns are not shopping the No. 6 overall pick, though that could change as we get closer to the draft. As I outlined yesterday, if the Suns are willing to shop that pick, it would be for a veteran point guard, such as Mike Conley. They could still do that, but based on where things stand today, I wouldn't count on the Suns trading out of that pick.

As Jonathan Givony of ESPN noted, the Suns would be willing to move that pick for the right player. Now, the right player can mean a bunch of different things. However, it looks like the Suns' definition of the right player is somebody who is going to come in and make an impact right away, as well as serve as a veteran leadership presence. Seems like Mike Conley could fit that bill, if they can make it work and move a guy or two off their team.

Filling that point guard role will one of many priorities for the Suns this offseason. If the Suns decide to use its mid-level exception or open up cap space, they could pursue that veteran point guard in the offseason then use the pick on somebody other than a point guard.

However, if the Suns decide that they want to use the No. 6 pick on a point guard, they could acquire another veteran leader in free agency who is not a point guard. One name that came up recently is Julius Randle, who is currently on the Pelicans. He's expected to hit free agency this summer and reports are that the Suns would land him if they solve their point guard issues. I wouldn't bet on it right away, since the Suns have to take care of that point guard issue first. However, if they manage to figure it out whether in the draft or in free agency, perhaps then they would take a chance on Julius Randle.

As for the four free agency names earlier, I believe all of them would bring some sort of veteran presence and leadership that the Suns need for their team. Devin Booker is not seen as a leader yet, despite his numbers and his impact on this young Suns team. The one name I would look at if I was the Suns is Patrick Beverley. Although Beverley could very well go back to the Clippers if the Clippers have money to sign him this offseason, it's clear their attempt to get a big-name free agent could push Beverley out the door. Beverley is the biggest name of these four players and may be willing to go to the Suns to help them improve and serve as a leader. That is something I would think he would find very attractive. Then again, it wouldn't be surprising if the Suns decide to go after Mike Conley via trade or even a guy like T.J. McConnell, who has shown some impact and could serve as a big piece in the Suns' plans going forward.