Author: Michael

Dutch driver Dilano van ‘t Hoff died in a crash during a Formula Regional European Championship race at Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps circuit on Saturday. He was 18.
Van ‘t Hoff was racing for Dutch MP Motorsport — a team for young drivers with future aspirations of racing in Formula 1.

Team statementSpa-Francorchamps, 1 July 2023
MP Motorsport is deeply saddened to confirm that our driver, Dilano van ’t Hoff has passed away as a result of a crash during the second race of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine at Spa Francorchamps. pic.twitter.

Brook Lopez has agreed to a two-year, $48 million deal to return to the Bucks, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Milwaukee retained its center after Lopez registered one of the best seasons of his career, one where he averaged a career-high in blocks (2.5) and three-point percentage (37.4%) during the regular season. He also finished second in this year’s voting for Defensive Player of the Year and earned his first All-Defensive First Team selection.
Prior to signing a new deal with Milwaukee, Lopez was a key target for the Lakers in free agency.

Who is on the move? All the latest information you need to know is right here.

The Hornets have agreed to a five-year maximum contract extension with point guard LaMelo Ball worth up to $260 million, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The former All-Star was limited to just 36 games last season due to a fractured ankle, but when healthy has proven to be one of the league’s top guards. Ball is just one full season removed from his first All-Star appearance after averaging 20.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in the 2021–22 season.
Prior to his injury last season, Ball was averaging a career-high 23.3 points per game to go along with 8.

You wanna break some barriers? Oh, they’re breaking them down in the minors, baby! In a moment for the record books, Rachel Balkovec, skipper of the New York Yankees’ Low-A affiliate, was ejected Friday by a female umpire.
It was Rachel’s first ever ejection and, my guess is, the first time a woman umpire did the tossing.
I can’t verify that for sure, but I feel pretty secure in saying we’ve never had a female ump toss a female manager in a professional baseball game.
Somewhere, Aaron Boone — who gets ejected 15 times a month — is smiling.

The 76ers and veteran point guard Patrick Beverley have agreed to a one-year deal, he revealed on The Pat Bev Podcast‘s Twitter account on Saturday. Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com reports the pact will be a fully guaranteed one-year deal for the league minimum.
The soon-to-be 35-year-old Beverley has bounced around the NBA the past couple seasons, but has proven to be a defensive force. He’s been named to the league’s All-Defensive team three different times in his career, while shooting 37.3% from deep over his 11 NBA seasons.

For all the chest thumping coming out of Portland the last few weeks, all the plans to wheel and deal early in free agency, all the public statements declaring the Blazers’ intention of building a winner around Damian Lillard, this was the only inevitable outcome.
Damian Lillard requesting a trade.
And Portland agreeing to accommodate him.
It’s a shame that Lillard had to request a trade, really. He didn’t want to. Lillard has given 11 years to Portland. He made seven All-Star teams. Seven All-NBA teams. He’s the greatest player in Blazers history.

The Lakers have been active in free agency as the team looks to build on its Western Conference finals appearance, and the franchise now has re-signed point guard D’Angelo Russell to a two-year, $37 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
After a failed pursuit of Kyrie Irving at the trade deadline this past season, the Lakers pivoted to Russell, who began his career in Los Angeles before spending several seasons with the Timberwolves. Russell’s role as the Lakers’ point guard proved pivotal to the team’s play at the end of the regular season.

Damian Lillard has been the heart of the Blazers for more than a decade. While the franchise is planning ahead, he should get a chance for a title.

David Pollack might be temporarily out of a job. But he’s certainly not lacking in character.
The 41-year-old was a casualty in ESPN’s mass, cost-cutting layoffs Friday. And he’s one of the most surprising.
So the college football analyst took to Twitter to show his gratitude for those who have helped him along the way.
“I just wanted to say thank to so many people. I just appreciate so many people along the journey,” Pollack said. “Twelve, 13 years ago, ESPN taking a chance on me. All the people I get to work with. I got to work with so many great people and do so many things.