The Trail Blazers are matching restricted free agent Matisse Thybulle’s three-year, $33 million offer sheet from the Mavericks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal has an $11.5 player option in the third year.
The move guarantees some stability in the backcourt amid an impending trade surrounding star point guard Damian Lillard. Thybulle was traded in the middle of the 2023 season from the 76ers as a defensive specialist, having been named to the All-Defensive second-team in both 2021 and 2022.
In his 22 starts for the Trail Blazers last season, he averaged 7.
Author: Michael
While NBA contracts can start being negotiated at 6 p.m. ET on June 30, they cannot actually be signed until 12 p.m. ET on July 6. So to celebrate the end of the free-agency moratorium—and with several deals now in our rearview mirror—let’s run through some winners and losers from the first week or so of the offseason.
The Lakers are building around superstars like LeBron James.
Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports
Winner: Lakers
Allow me to throw my hat in the ring of pundits who believe the Lakers have done a very solid job this offseason.
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — Tiger Woods talks to PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan during The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club on February 15, 2023. | Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images
Sunday night, Tiger Woods finally broke his silence in some regard to the LIV Golf-PGA Tour ordeal that has since taken over the sport.
A month ago, the PGA Tour shockingly announced it had entered into a commercial partnership with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The days since have been wild, confusing, and frankly, contradicting.
On Jun.
Bri Ellis ruffled a lot of feathers when she decided to transfer from Auburn to Arkansas. She doesn’t care.
The 2022 SEC Softball Freshman of the Year is not afraid to embrace the hate and clap right back.
Ellis, who joins the Razorbacks with two years of eligibility remaining, arrives to Fayetteville after two dominant seasons on The Plains. Her .989 career fielding percentage is sixth all-time at Auburn and she slashed .288/.685/.398 with 96 RBIs and 34 home runs in 117 career starts.
The sophomore first baseman played a huge role in the Tigers’ postseason success in 2023.
The trade interest in Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is widespread throughout the league, but his own push to get to the Heat seems to have led to some teams pressing pause on their pursuit. One team that consistently seems to jump back into the conversation for analysts and insiders is the Celtics, and there’s a new wrinkle in the rumblings around their interest now.
As Brian Robb of Mass Live shared, Andscape‘s Marc Spears stated on NBA Today that star Boston forward Jayson Tatum is attempting to get Lillard to the Celtics.
Rumor has it the White Sox could be sellers at the deadline. Amid a season where they are 13 games below .500, and 7.5 games out of first place, one would suspect the Sox would try to sell and revamp before attempting another playoff run.
Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images
Bubba Watson calls it like he sees it. He’s not sure exactly where the Ryder Cup points standings are currently, but has some strong thoughts.
The 2023 Ryder Cup is right around the corner. There has been a long debate as to whether LIV golfers should be eligible for either the American or European side.
Range Goats’ captain Bubba Watson advocated for teammate Talor Gooch and recent PGA Tour winner Rickie Fowler to be on that American team in a recent interview.
The standard and plus edition will both have Bryant on the cover
On Thursday, NBA 2K revealed that Laker legend Kobe Bryant would grace the cover of upcoming release NBA 2K24. The honor comes three years after Bryant’s shocking death in a helicopter crash, along with eight others, including his daughter Gianna.
8️⃣ ♾ 2️⃣4️⃣
Sharing the Mamba Mentality with the next generation. Introducing our #NBA2K24 cover athlete, Kobe Bryant.
Kobe Bryant Edition Black Mamba Edition
Pre-order your copy tomorrow. pic.twitter.
Fantasy baseball analyst Fred Zinkie offers up his blueprint for finishing off Week 14.
Longtime ESPN NBA color commentator Jeff Van Gundy was one of several on-air personalities laid off by the network last week due to Disney-mandated budget cuts.
Van Gundy, who was a staple in the NBA booth since 2007, is now looking to return to the sidelines as a coach, sources told Sports Illustrated‘s Chris Mannix.
Mannix elaborated on the Van Gundy news in a column released on Thursday.
“Jeff Van Gundy, a cost cutting casualty at ESPN last week, has been actively exploring a return to coaching, sources told Sports Illustrated.