Jane Njoku, Author at Matchplug Blog

Carroll injury main issue for Diamondbacks despite being swept

Thursday night was bad in all shapes and forms for the Arizona Diamondbacks after they were shut out for the first time this season, losing 9-0 to the New York Mets. However, what drew the most concern in the midst of the loss was Corbin Carroll and his shoulder discomfort.

The Diamondbacks got swept in a three-game series, for the first time this year. This was their fourth consecutive loss, their longest losing streak of the year.

Most concerning of everything that happened was the team watching again, star tookie Corbin Carroll exit a game because of discomfort in his right shoulder.

Carroll missed a swing at a change-up from Carlos Carrasco in the seventh and then grabbed his right shoulder. He held his right arm close to his body and quickly walked off the pitch with an athletic trainer.

This is the second time in the last week that Carroll’s shoulder acted up. Last Thursday he swung at a pitch and felt discomfort in the shoulder. He remained in the match for another half-inning before he left.

That same right shoulder was what made Carroll miss almost the whole 2021 season following surgery to repair the posterior capsular avulsion and labrum tear.

Arizona ran strength tests on Carroll after the game and confirmed that his shoulder was strong and stable. He did not start the following two games before pinch-hitting on Sunday.

Chosen to be a starter for the National League in next week’s All-Star Game, Carroll began all three matches of the current series with the New York Mets.

Again, Diamondbacks’ manager Torey Lovullo said the first tests on Carroll’s shoulder showed it stable and that he had good strength in it. But, now, he will be sent for an MRI to find out what is causing the discomfort.

“Things checked out a little bit more positively than I was expecting based on what I saw,” Lovullo said. “We all saw the same thing. And you know, it didn’t look good. So for the last three or four innings [of the game] all I was thinking about was ‘How’s Corbin? How’s he emotionally? How’s he physically?’ There’s going to be some imaging tomorrow morning where we’re going to find out what’s going on in there but it’s more positive than I was thinking after I saw what I saw.”

Carroll is one player Arizona can least afford to lose, at this point in the year he is the front-runner to win NL Rookie of the Year.

Despite him being in the lineup, the Diamondbacks still fell out of the game against New York on Thursday.

Wednesday’s loss was a disheartening 2-1 loss where they were one strike away from winning 1-0 before the Mets got two in the ninth and Lovullo proposed that they may have been a hangover from that game that led to this match getting out of control that early.

Ryne Nelson the starter, who was fresh off two fantastic starts, could not ward the hitters off, while the Diamondbacks allowed a popup fall which added to a five-run New York third inning. They had a runner picked off first with two outs and slugger Christian Walker up in the first inning.

“It was a bad game, it was a bad effort in a lot of different ways,” Lovullo said. “They came out hot, swung the bats and just beat us. You know that happens. For these three days, we didn’t play D-backs baseball. Everything was just adding up in a very negative way. It was a total clunker. We’ve got to find a way to get it turned around.”

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Why the Los Angeles Angels will not trade Ohtani

There is a question mark surrounding Shohei Ohtani’s future now that Mike Trout is set to miss the next month, maybe longer. This is happening after the Los Angeles Angels were swept by the San Diego Padres, the most unsuccessful game of a horror stretch where they lost 11 of 15.

Few people in MLB view the Angels’ precipitous fall as a sign that they will trade Ohtani before the August 1 Trade Deadline.

In a different world, star pitchers on expiring contracts are sold for a high price. But the Angels are not that kind of team. They play in a world where Ohtani is one of the most special athletes to ever exist.

Guaranteed, buying a collection of young talent is appealing. Los Angeles has two prospects in the industry’s Top 100, according to MLB Pipeline; the highest-ranked of the two players is catcher Logan O’ Hoppe who is recovering from left shoulder surgery.

To be sure, the team’s baseball operations staff will communicate with other clubs to workshop trade situations if the Los Angeles’ slide persists. That duty falls to the front office. However, offering a favourable deal to ownership, and getting approval for it, is a completely different matter.

If the Angels wanted to maximize Shohei’s trade value, they would have transferred him last year, when they were lesser competitors in the standings and the extra-contractual control would have had more value.

Even if they miss the postseason, there is still some value in retaining Ohtani on the roster until he reaches free agency. They get viewership numbers every time he plays. Marketing revenues and sponsorships are attached to his presence. There is a highly realistic chance of him winning his second American League MVP Award.

Ohtani heads the Majors with 31 home runs, which places him on pace for 56 over the full season. If fans think he is a global sensation now, they should wait until he starts slugging in September with a chance to reach 60 homers.

Angels fans or an executive watching Shohei accomplish these things in another team’s uniform will leave them feeling empty. This is why a situation where they trade him is impossible.

Ohtani’s game cap might no longer have its halo by Opening Day 2024. This is relevant too, as the Angel’s long relationship with him will be moulded by the manner in which they part.

If he is made a solid offer in free agency, but he chooses to sign with a consistent playoff team. It will be hard for an objective witness to blame either party for their actions.

In contrast, a midseason transfer for “maximizing asset value’’ would reduce any chance of Ohtani returning in free agency and may affect the way he will be connected to the organization after his career.

Los Angeles may hush the talks of a trade by winning more matches, but this won’t be easy. They end the first half with the LA Dodgers and open the second half against the Houston Astros who are World Series champions.

Trout will be absent from the lineup while he recovers from hamate surgery, and Ohtani’s next pitching task is uncertain after his most recent start left him with a blister on his right middle finger. The Angels who had the fourth-best record in the American League on June 18 are now trailing behind the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox for the third and final Wild Card spot.

Shohei joining Los Angeles Angels in December 2017 is one of the best trades in sports history, due to the international transfer rules that oversaw the move. All he has done since his signing is to elevate baseball domestically and internationally, with a series of achievements that no one has attained previously. The Angels got value from this relationship a long time ago.

jonathan quick relishes mentor role for rangers

Jonathan Quick to relish mentor role as Rangers backup goaltender

Jonathan Quick was a backup goaltender acting as a mentor at the end of last season with the Vegas Golden Knights. He got his third Stanley Cup championship.

He is going to try for another championship cup this season, this time for all 82 matches and hopefully, another long stay in the Stanley Cup Playoffs while living his dream and serving as a goalie who is considered to be one of the best in the world.

Quick entered a one-year contract worth $825,000 with the New York Rangers on July 1 to be Igor Shesterkin’s backup, who received the 2022 Vezina Trophy selected as the NHL’s best goaltender and was eighth in voting last season.

Hailing from Milford, Connecticut, 70 miles outside New York City, Quick grew up having a poster of Mike Richter on his bedroom wall and was eight years old when he watched Richter assist his favourite team to win the Stanley Cup in 1994.

“Growing up watching the Rangers as a kid, this is just an opportunity you can’t turn down,” Quick said Monday. “Just want to make the most of it.”

Jonathan Quick said the chance he has with New York, and the one he got with Vegas last season, supporting Adin Hill on the Stanley Cup run, was not in his books.

“Up until about five months ago, I thought I was going to be retiring a King,” Quick said. “Those were the discussions that were had.”

Then the Los Angeles Kings where he won the Cup in 2012 and 2014, and the only team he had played for in an NHL career that kickstarted his debut on December 6, 2007, traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 1. One day later, Columbus sent him to the Golden Knights.

Quick appeared in 10 games for the Knights in the regular season and suited up for one of the first eight playoff matches before Laurent Brossoit got injured in Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round against the Edmonton Oilers. He was Hill’s substitute for the rest of the season.

But he was more of a backup. He was Hill’s partner, sounding board and mentor.

“Unbelievable,” Hill said when asked about Quick after Vegas won the Stanley Cup at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on June 13. “I talked to him all the time. Quick has been an awesome guy. He’s one of the best guys I’ve met in the hockey world.”

Being the No.1 goalie since 2008-09 in LA, Quick quickly got used to his new role as the backup/mentor to the Golden Knights. He liked it but does not know how much mentoring he will have to do with Shesterkin in New York.

“Igor, he’s Igor, and he doesn’t need too much mentorship with as good as he is and what he’s already been able to accomplish in his young career,” Quick said. “If there’s times when I can help him, I’m definitely willing to and looking forward to that, and also whenever I’m in the net trying to the team win hockey games.”

Winning matches is crucial to why the New York Rangers signed Jonathan Quick. They cannot depend only on Shesterkin to lead them to the playoffs.

Jaroslav Halak began 24 games last season, winning 10 with a 2.72 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage and one shutout. New York will need the same effort from Quick, should Igor play again between 55-60 games and ideally win close to 40. He started 58 and won 37 last season.

“I think it’ll be seamless,” Rangers general manager Chris Drury said. “He’s excited to be a Ranger. A Connecticut kid that wanted to come here, play here and be a Ranger. He obviously knows all about ‘Shesty’ and his accomplishments, and I think he’s ready to take on the role of mentor, similar to what he did in Vegas. We’re excited to have him.”

mls teams for all stars skills challenge

MLS Teams For All-Star Skills Challenge 2023 Confirmed

MLS has announced the teams that will be used by the American League players and Arsenal FC for the different skills challenges which will happen on July 18 as part of the All-Star Skills Challenge 2023 at Audi Field, Washington, D.C.

Led by Riqui Puig of LA Galaxy, Denis Bounga from Los Angeles FC, Houston Dynamo’s Hector Herrera and Hany Mukhtar from Nashville SC, the MLS intends to win all five skills contests.

What contests will MLS and Arsenal players compete in at the All-Star Skills Challenge?

MLS All-Star Shooting Challenge by AT&T 5G.

MLS All-Star Touch Challenge by Dawn.

MLS All-Star Cross & Volley Challenge hosted by AT&T 5G.

MLS All-Star Crossbar Challenge, by GilletteLabs.

MLS All-Star Passing Challenge, by Bounty.

MLS players to participate in the challenge

Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati – midfielder) | Challenges: Passing, Crossbar.

Thiago Almada (Atlanta United FC – midfielder) | Challenges: pass, touches.

Christian Benteke (D.C. United – forward) | Challenge: shot, cross and volley, crossbar.

Dennis Bouanga (LAFC – forward) | Challenge: shot, cross, volley, crossbar.

Roman Burki (St. Louis – goalkeeper) | Challenge: crossbar, cross and volley.

Jesus Ferreira (FC Dallas – forward) | Challenge: shot, cross and volley.

Hector Herrera (Houston Dynamo FC – midfielder) | Challenge: cross and volley, crossbar.

Tyler Miller (D.C. United – goalkeeper) | Challenge: crossbar, cross and volley.

Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC – midfielder) | Challenge: touch, cross and volley, crossbar.

Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy – midfielder) | Challenge: pass, touch, cross and volley.

Arsenal players to participate in the challenge

Folarin Balogun (forward) | Challenge: shot, cross, volley, crossbar.

Kai Havertz (midfielder) | Challenge: touch, cross and volley, crossbar.

Karl Hein (goalkeeper) | Challenge: cross and volley, crossbar.

Rob Holding (defender) | Challenge: touch, crossbar.

Jorginho (midfielder) | Challenge: touch, cross and volley, pass.

Marquinhos (forward) | Challenge: touch, cross and volley, crossbar.

Eddie Nketiah (forward) | Challenge: shot, cross and volley, crossbar.

Martin Odegaard (midfielder) | Challenge: touch, pass, cross and volley.

Aaron Ramsdale (goalkeeper) | Challenge: cross and volley, crossbar.

Fabio Vieira (midfielder) | Challenge: shot, touch, pass.

How To Evaluate The Credibility Of NBA Expert Pick Sources

NBA expert picks are one of the best ways to enhance your NBA Betting predictions and maximize your betting profits. But with the internet filled with plenty of sources for NBA betting picks, how do you know which ones are genuine? If you keep reading, you’ll learn How to Evaluate the Credibility Of NBA Expert Pick Sources.

When wagering on the NBA, there are a number of factors that can cause you to win or lose. And if you ever want to make money betting on this sport, you must have extensive knowledge about current trends and top players.

You also need to know what wagers are available to you and how to interpret betting odds. Thankfully, there are many sites where you can find NBA expert picks which simplify these things for you and help you earn huge profits.

Free basketball picks are provided by popular sportsbooks. Matter of fact, you will find better deals wagering on these books than you may find at your local bookmaker’s store. Using these free NBA picks allows you to practice your betting skills before you wager any real cash on games.

Picks are helpful and we recommend using them, however, it’s not every site you find that you should be accepting betting recommendations from. That is why we’ll give you a rundown on how to evaluate the credibility of every NBA expert pick source you come across.

Read: How To Use NBA Expert Picks To Improve Your Betting Strategy

5 Ways To Evaluate The Credibility Of NBA Expert Pick Sources

Basketball is a prevalent sport and the NBA is one of its biggest leagues; which makes it a hot spot for bookmakers and tipsters looking to earn money from bettors like you who wager on this industry.

Before you pay anybody who claims to be “an expert” for their picks, ensure that they are a credible source. Finding this out may be a bit challenging if this is your first time betting.

So, in this section, we listed 5 ways to evaluate the credibility of NBA expert pick sources. These are just things to look for in a Prediction Site before accepting their picks.

1. Use Of Advanced Statistics And Trends

Advanced statistics and trends are valuable tools that help bettors make insightful wagers, so it is only right that whatever source you’re using for your NBA picks apply them to their NBA Betting predictions.

There are a lot of ways experts can analyze players and team performances, these include shooting percentages, turnover rates, and metrics such as player efficiency ratings and win shares.

Through the use of advanced analytics, your tipster should identify trends and patterns that are not readily visible with traditional statistics. These include lineup combinations, shot selection, and defensive efficiency.

By analyzing the percentage of shots taken from different sides of the court, they can know which teams are strong or weak in different areas, which can influence their picks. Similarly, player usage rates and efficiency ratings help them know which players make the biggest impact on their club’s success.

2. Expert Sports Analysts And Tipsters

For a sports analyst or tipster to be considered an expert in their field, they must have extensive knowledge of the NBA and provide proven insights into player matchups, recent form and other factors that influence the result of a game.

The analysis and insights offered by these experts shouldn’t just be filled with basketball jargon but should offer you a deeper understanding of the League and direct you on how to make insightful betting decisions.

Any expert who knows their stuff will look at injury reports, player usage rates, and team trends, which in turn aids you in discovering opportunities for valuable wagers.

Furthermore, many experts offer a breakdown of individual games, matchup analysis and predictions which help punters decide on specific matches.

3. NBA News And Updates

Before anyone (bettor or expert) can make accurate betting decisions, they’ll have to stay updated on recent NBA news and developments.

This entails tracking injury reports, trades, and other changes that may impact a club’s performance.

When NBA expert pick sources monitor these developments, they can advise better on specific matchups, and predict changes in team play for the duration of a season.

4. NBA Computer Picks

More sportsbooks are rapidly adopting computer picks when it comes to making selections for bettors and the duplicitous nature of tipsters is the reason for that.

Human tipsters are inherently biased and their personal views can influence their decisions. But, computers don’t care about which player is being analyzed or has a favourite NBA team because they operate solely on statistics.

Therefore, if the stats say the Denver Nuggets are winners and the Miami Heat are overhyped, then it will accurately predict that the Nuggets win and the Heat lose. There is no bias, just pure facts that’ll happen.

Their ironclad nature is why advanced statistics are becoming increasingly popular and will continue to be so in the future. Numbers don’t lie, so when stats say Boston Celtics is a bad bet, it will pay you to take heed.

And because of how honest numbers are, computer picks are now being depended on more than those know-it-all tipsters who claim to know everything in basketball.

5. Ratings And Rankings For Tipsters

Prediction sites that are the most reliable NBA expert pick sources will have picks from experienced tipsters that meticulously analyze every NBA match before giving their predictions.

These sites often go for the best tipsters by holding competitions where the best basketball predictor gets prizes. These contests also push them to have a high success rate.

Other sites will rank their tipsters based on their performance level. From the list, bettors can know who is the most credible predictor. Sites will also check the NBA ROI and average odds for each tip placed by the tipsters.

Additionally, the Prediction Site will use the forecasters’ performances in previous NBA seasons. This data is then analyzed to get an accurate ranking of every tipster giving tips on the website.

Similar Articles:

Breaking Down Sports Stats To Make Better Predictions

Top Tips For Making Accurate Sports Predictions

How Much Can You Make Following A Tipster?

find the best nhl expert picks for betting strategy

How To Find The Best NHL Expert Picks for Your Betting Strategy

The National Hockey League is the biggest and most prominent league in the world. With the NHL regular season constantly happening, using NHL expert picks can offer extra protection for your wagers and help you increase your payouts. In this article, we discuss How to Find the Best NHL Expert Picks for Your Betting Strategy.

NHL expert picks are a priceless tool for punters who wish to maximize their profits. Whether you are a rookie or an advanced sports bettor, expert picks help you make the most of NHL Predictions today and offer valuable insights into which teams will win a game.

With the sports betting climate today, expert picks have become increasingly popular. There are many tipsters offering picks to bettors, so, how do you know which ones are the best for your betting strategy?

The first step would be to use a site like MatchPlug. We are the Best Prediction site for getting accurate NHL expert picks. This is because we work with a team of experienced handicappers who apply their knowledge to selections. They examine factors like injuries, and team trends to deliver the most insightful and correct picks for every match.

MatchPlug’s picks are not just reserved for outright winners, but they also factor in potential value and which bets have the highest success rate. When looking for NHL expert picks, these factors are some of the things to consider. The others you’ll find if you keep reading this article.

Read: How To Find Reliable Soccer Predictions: A Comprehensive Guide

Guide:

What are NHL expert picks?
How do NHL expert picks work?
Types of NHL expert picks
Important factors for making NHL expert picks
Finding the best NHL expert picks for your betting strategy

What Are NHL Expert Picks?

NHL expert picks are predictions for NHL matches, delivered by a team of expert bettors and hockey fans. They do this for punters who prefer to gain prior information before wagering on hockey and experienced bettors who want an edge on future wagers.

These picks help you shape your betting strategy with time, and you can constantly check back for more updates.

How Do NHL Expert Picks Work?

Resident experts for prediction sites make picks based on deep analysis and current player and team news. They provide predictions on the moneyline, puck line and total for the biggest NHL games. And also give their preferred picks for NHL futures bets like the Stanley Cup.

These experts are usually well-versed in and passionate about the game of hockey. They share NHL Predictions today for matchups, scores, puck lines and futures bets.

See: How Much Can You Make Following A Tipster?

Types Of NHL Expert Picks

NHL expert picks assists bettors in making the best choices when wagering on the National Hockey regular season or making picks and predictions for the Stanley Cup finals. Each pick is founded on extensive research and from the largest games throughout the season.

When choosing an NHL pick, handicappers factor in the match venue, head-to-head records between teams and the value of each choice bet, these things give your increase the chances of your predictions winning.

On that note, these are some types of NHL expert picks to be aware of and how they work.

1. Moneyline NHL Picks

In Moneyline pick you choose a team as the potential winner and place a bet on them. The odds differ because not all teams are good, this changes your potential earnings.

Example of a Moneyline NHL pick:

Vegas Golden Knights – 260.
Florida Panthers +220.

This means the Knights are favoured to win, while the Panthers are expected to lose.

2. NHL Picks Against The Spread

Points spread picks show the odds are evened out by giving phantom “points” to the underdogs and taking them from the favourites. In hockey, point spreads are called “puck line bets”.

An example:

Montreal Canadiens +1.5 (-140)
New York Rangers -1.5 (+120).

The Canadiens are the team to lose so the puck line gives them 1.5 points extra to even the odds.

3. NHL Futures Bets

Future bets are when you wager on events that are yet to happen. The most common futures wager you’ll find in NHL is a bet on which team will be Stanley Cup champions. Others you’ll see include season MVP, top regular-season goal scorer, etc.

4. NHL Over/Under Picks

In NHL Over/Under Picks, instead of picking an outright winner, you wager on the total number of points scored within a match by the two teams.

Example:

Vancouver Cannucks – Over 6.5 (-105).
Colorado Avalanche – Under 6.5 (-115).

If more than 6.5 goals are scored in the game, the over wins. If lower than 6.5 goals are scored, the under wins.

5. Prop Betting Tips

Prop betting focuses on you placing your wagers on players’ and teams’ performances that don’t affect the match’s outcome. For example – the team to score first, the first goal scorer, the first player to record a penalty.

6. Grand Salami

Grand Salami in NHL entails wagering on the over or under of total goals scored in a particular matchday in the NHL. It’s like betting a total, except now you’re predicting the total number of goals that’ll be scored that day from every match played.

7. First Period Betting

NHL first-period betting includes hockey odds on every event that happens during the first period of a match – from the number of goals, which team will lead after one period and possible ties.

Important Factors For Making NHL Expert Picks

There are a number of factors that goes into making NHL expert picks selections and predictions. These factors don’t guarantee an outright win, because anything can happen in sports.

But when they are thoroughly researched experts use them to build ironclad, reliable hockey tips that take your betting up a notch. We sampled them below:

1. Player Availability

Hockey is a tough sport, so, a player’s presence is vital in determining a match. Before making selections, tipsters regularly check rosters to find any changes that can affect the team’s chances.

With hockey being a low-scoring game, the smallest changes can massively impact the game’s results.

2. Team Status

Several metrics in a team’s status like their past performance in a current season provide invaluable insights. Experts look at team records, their scoring data and coach outlook while curating the best NHL picks and predictions.

3. Location And Team Schedule

How is the team’s performance away from home? Is their schedule filled with close-call matchups? These are things experts consider when analyzing this sport to help them make their picks.

4. Team News

Paying attention to team news is the best way to get information on teams and players bettors intend to wager on. News to focus on include injuries, suspensions, manager sacking and appointments.

This news can help tipsters understand how the teams will perform because those factors can influence players’ morale positively or negatively.

Finding The Best NHL Expert Picks For Your Betting Strategy

The Best Prediction site you’ll come across will have NHL expert picks displayed for bettors’ use in every match preview they put out ahead of the game. It will contain odds that reflect the chances of each team winning the matchup according to the tipsters.

You can also find picks by checking back regularly for updates. There you’ll see the upcoming games for the day, including all their picks and odds posted. Select the game you prefer, to view it.

NHL expert picks often contain:

NHL teams to play.
Tipster name and rating.
Time and date of the game.
Bookmaker, recent odds and odds got when publishing tip.
Type of bet and market.
Prediction.
Preview and analysis.

Wrap Up:

NHL expert picks help you cover the market for every hockey game from the start of the season to the Stanley Cup Final. They give you an advantage over other punters for your next NHL predictions and wagers.

Picks are updated daily, which means you’ll always have a backup for your wagers for the whole season.

More Resources:

Breaking Down Sports Stats To Make Better Predictions

Proven Strategies For Consistent Winning: Tips For Betting Success

The Ultimate Guide to Winning Tips: Maximizing Your Profits

Anthony Edwards agrees to 5-year extension with Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves are keeping their young star swingman, Anthony Edwards, in the Pack.

According to multiple reports, the Timberwolves and All-Star Edwards have signed a five-year contract extension that may reach $260 million.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has agreed on a five-year designated rookie maximum deal that could be worth $260 million, his agents Bill Duffy and Joe Branch of WME tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/d0UTdqFgD9
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2023

In a statement, Edwards says: "I'm humbled, appreciative and excited to remain in Minnesota as a part of this incredible Timberwolves organization. It's amazing to see where hard work can take you."
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2023

At @TheAthletic with @JonKrawczynski: Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves reach five-year maximum contract extension that could reach $260M: https://t.co/shpMr1D4OA
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2023

Edwards, one of the NBA’s most explosive finishers and a first-time All-Star in 2022-23, averaged 24.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists last season. He was particularly good in the playoffs for Minnesota in its first-round series against the current champion Denver Nuggets.

In that series, he averaged 31.6 ppg, 5.0 RPG, 5.2 APG and 1.8 spg as the Wolves lost the series in five games.

Anthony’s scoring, rebound, assist, steal and shooting numbers have increased each year, and last season, there were only nine players who averaged as many points, rebounds and assists per game as him. Of those nine, he was the youngest at 21. Include the steals per game to that list, and Edwards became the youngest player to have those averages in all of those categories since LeBron James in 2005-06.

Now that Edwards has agreed to this deal, he will join All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns and former All-Star Rudy Gobert as essential pieces on the Wolves who are signed on for the foreseeable future.

By bringing back Edwards, Minnesota secures another part of its young talent base. Early in the summer, big man Naz Reid signed a three-year deal worth up to $42 million.

After he went undrafted in 2019, Reid signed with the Timberwolves on a two-way contract that offseason. Since then, Reid has become a key backup in Minnesota standing behind Towns and Gobert.

Forward Jaden McDaniels whom the Wolves drafted No.28 in 2020, the same class as Edwards may also sign an extension with the team. He has a team option for the 2023-24 season and the one after that.

Damian Lillard asks for trade after 11 seasons with Blazers

Damian Lillard has repeatedly said that he wants to contend for a championship. After 11 years with the Portland Trail Blazers, he has decided to go make that happen somewhere else.

Lilliard requested a trade from the Trail Blazers, a move that will end the seven-time All-Star’s tenure with the team, two people aware of the situation said Saturday. The team later announced that Damian was who made the request.

“We have been clear that we want Dame here but he notified us today he wants out and he’d prefer to play someplace else,” Portland general manager Joe Cronin said in a team statement Saturday. “What has not changed for us is that we’re committed to winning, and we are going to do what’s best for the team in pursuit of that goal.”

Portland Trail Blazers GM Joe Cronin issues statement on Damian Lillard: “We have been clear that we want Dame here but he notified us today he wants out and he’d prefer to play someplace else. What has not changed for us is that we’re committed to winning, and we are going to do…
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2023

Lillard is getting interest from clubs like the Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, amongst others, according to multiple reports. One of the informants told the Associated Press that he preferred Miami; the reigning Eastern Conference champion, although this does not guarantee that the Trail Blazers will work towards this particular move.

Damian is fresh off a season where he averaged 32.2 points for Portland. He is a seven-time All-NBA selection and was chosen to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team but he has never been close to winning a title in his 11 seasons at the NBA.

Lilliard has met with the Trail Blazer many times in recent weeks, requesting that the roster be upgraded to the point where he can compete for a championship. But those efforts, clearly, have not been to his liking which is why he’s asking for a move.

His decision was divulged on the second day of NBA free agency after Portland made a big spend on the first night to reportedly retain Jerami Grant with a $160 million, five-year deal.

As excellent as his resume is, Lilliard has not enjoyed much in terms of postseason success. The Blazers have won just four playoff series in his 11 seasons there, making the Western Conference Finals only once during that period. They went 33-49 this past season, the second successive year of ending well outside the playoff picture.

Lilliard became the all-time scorer in Blazers history, passing Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler for the mark, in a December 19 game with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Dame is the only player in franchise history with seven All-NBA honours and one of three players to be named All-NBA first team while he was with the Trail Blazers (2017 -18). He is a seven-time All-Star, the 2012-13 Kia Rookie of the Year and a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.

He also received an Olympic gold medal, alongside the Heat’s Bam Adebayo at the Tokyo Games and could not stop talking about how much he loved playing with the Heat centre.

Besides being the Blazer’s top scorer, Damian Lillard is also No. 1 in 3-pointers made and attempted by a wide margin including Portland’s all-time leader in free throws made and free throw percentage. He ranks in the team’s top five in games played (769), assists (5,151) and field goals made (6,281) and attempted (14,299).

Lilliard is no doubt a dynamic athlete. He averages at least 24 points per match in each of the last eight seasons, and his career average of 25.2 ppg ranks fourth among active players (with at least 375 games) behind Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid and LeBron James. If that list was extended to every player without game minimums, Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson and Trae Young would be ahead of him too.

The only thing noticeably missing on his resume is a championship. And now he wants a move to change that.

“I would say I want to be remembered for who I was, not as a player, but the principle that I stood on regardless of how successful I was, how major the failure was, the criticism, what people thought I should have done, what people think of me … no matter what was happening, I want to be remembered for who I was,” Lillard said in an interview with former teammate Evan Turner for the “Point Forward” podcast earlier this year. “I stood tall. I’ve stood tall in every situation and I want to be remembered for that.”

It will take a team whether Miami, Brooklyn or any other place a massive haul of both players and Draft picks to convince Portland to trade Lillard. He will make up to $46 million in the coming season and may make as much as $216 million over the next four years if he uses his option for the 2026-2027 season.

Although Dame was loved in Portland, there were rumours surrounding his future with the club when they chose point guard Scoot Henderson with the No.3 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft rather than package the pick for a proven player.

In an interview with Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com a day after the 2023 Draft, Cronin was questioned if the team was in danger of losing Damian Lillard, this is how he answered:

“No, I don’t. I think Dame badly, badly wants to win and he’s probably being more vocal about that than ever but I don’t look at that as a negative. I look at that as he’s passionate about this, it matters deeply to him and it matters deeply to us. I think the reason you haven’t seen major issuers from us or the reason you still see Dame in our gym every day or still meeting with [coach] Chauncey [Billups] and I constantly is because he wants us to work. He’s bought in, he wants it to work here and he’s challenging us to get it done, which I think is more than fair and he’s earned that.”

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Saints Foster Moreau is in ‘full remission’ from Hodgkin lymphoma

New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau announced on Monday via Twitter that he is in full remission from Hodgkin lymphoma.

Moreau was diagnosed with a cancer that affects the lymphatic system, in March after a physical with the Saints. He then took a break from football to focus on treating himself before signing on with the team two months later for a three-year, $12 million deal.

The good news flowed in when Moreau was fit enough to participate in the Saints’ organized team activities at the end of May, with the best news coming at the outset of July.

Foster is entering his fifth NFL season with 91 career receptions, 1,107 yards and 12 touchdowns. He set personal records in both catches (33) and yards (420) playing alongside Derek Carr last year, who he was reunited with in the Big Easy.

Due to Moreau’s familiarity with Carr, he may play a prominent role in the offense, particularly in the early going while the quarterback gets his feet under him playing for a new franchise.

New Orleans will benefit immensely from having Moreau to round out a cast of pass catches that include tight end Juwan Johnson and wide receivers Chris Olave, Michael Thomas and Rashid Shaheed.

The most important thing, however, is that Foster Moreau now has a clean bill of health from cancer.

Bills Damar Hamlin throws first pitch for Yankees’ Hope Week Initiative

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin kicked off the Yankees’ 14th annual HOPE week by throwing out the first pitch at New York’s Monday night game against the Baltimore Orioles.

The Hope Week Initiative will run from July 3-7 and was founded to spread encouragement through acts of goodwill and to generate awareness for special causes and organizations.

Hamlin went to Yankee Stadium before the first pitch with certified CPR instructors to educate Yankees players and New York City Public School Athletics League personnel. Damar with the teachers and coaches, also toured the stadium and attended batting practice.

Speaking to the press, he gave a “big thank you’’ to the Yankees for taking time from their season to focus on this type of cause.

“It’s a crazy feeling,” Hamlin said. “It makes me feel like I’m doing my part and making an impact in changing the world. That’s been my goal for my entire life. Before any of you probably even knew me, I had my eye set on making an impact on the world someway, somehow. I didn’t know how it would be, but I’m fine with this platform, and I’m fine with this story, as well. I’m going to continue to keep doing my part and making an impact on the world and changing things.”

Today, Yankees players and coaches participated in CPR training with @HamlinIsland, @American_Heart, @sarahtaffet, and NYC Public School Athletic Leagues personnel.

In order to save more lives, those outside of medicine need to be prepared to perform CPR 🫶 pic.twitter.com/lBfxao7iRQ
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 3, 2023

Damar getting selected as a HOPE Week participant comes six months after he suffered a cardiac arrest following a collision with Cincinnati wide receiver Tee Higgins during a January 2nd game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. He needed to be resuscitated on the field through CPR and the use of a defibrillator.

He was then transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was said to be in critical condition and spent almost a week there before getting well enough to fly to Buffalo for further treatment.

Since Hamlin was discharged from the Buffalo General Medical Center on January 11, he has received full clearance from doctors for an NFL return, and he took part in team drills for the first time during organized team activities on June 6.

However, beyond his quest to return to the gridiron, Damar has also undergone huge efforts to spread CPR awareness across the country.

He launched a multi-city CPR tour in June through his foundation, Chasing M’s which got over $9 million in donations as a result of his on-field collapse. The tour was created for distributing medical equipment, like automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and to educate youth sports players and coaches on resuscitation techniques. The Bills also offered hands-only CPR training events locally through a partnership with the American Heart Association.

Back on the road to the football field and committed to making a difference along the way, mounting the mound at Yankee Stadium on Monday was Hamlin’s latest inspirational stop.

Thanks to the Yankees, Damar (and Steve Tasker!)

Great day learning to save lives at the ballpark. #HopeWeek pic.twitter.com/s7CWNIu5sc
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) July 3, 2023

Thank you to @HamlinIsland and @sarahtaffet for throwing out tonight's ceremonial first pitches to Tim Lentych and Mike Schuk of the Yankees Training Staff 🫶 pic.twitter.com/0fiBEsJ1QZ
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 3, 2023

To recognize the work that he has done to inspire others, AmeriCorps honored Damar Hamlin with the President’s Volunteer Service Award prior to tonight's game 🫶

Haley Swindal & Julia Steinbrenner presented the award to @HamlinIsland on behalf of AmeriCorps. pic.twitter.com/IK1Vv04Izt
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 3, 2023

Jane Njoku