It's a big season for Florida State men's basketball, as Leonard Hamilton has stepped down after 23 years as the head coach in Tallahassee, making way for his former point guard, Luka Loucks. Any time a coaching change happens in college basketball, rosters usually undergo heavy overhauls. That's starting to happen now for the Seminoles.
Sophomore forward Jerry Deng will enter the transfer portal for the second time. He started his career at Hampton and transferred to FSU last offseason, going on to average 7.0 PPG while shooting 37% from three-point range this season. At 6'9" and with a shooting ability like that, there should be some interest in him.
The Rochester, New York, native had some big performances toward the end of the season, scoring 16 points against North Carolina at home and 12 against Duke on the road. He had a rough shooting stretch to start ACC play, but he went 15/35 (42.9%) from deep over the last seven games of the season.
While he's a great shooter, Deng's biggest issue is that he doesn't provide much else. He's not a great defender, rebounder, or playmaker, and it seems Coach Loucks is going to prioritize strong skill sets as well as shooting, not one or the other. He'd be a solid 10th man, but he was relied upon way too much by FSU this season. He joins Taylor Bol Bowen, Waka Mbatch, Anastasios Rozakeas, Justin Thomas, and Chandler Jackson as Seminoles in the transfer portal.
Coach Loucks will have a busy offseason ahead as he figures out how to navigate the transfer portal as a first-time college coach and shape the roster as he sees fit. FSU had stalled out recently, winning 17 games in each of the last two seasons.
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It was a huge year in his first season at Arizona for Tobe Awaka and a year to sit and learn for Motiejus Krivas after suffering a season-ending injury early in the season. They return as two of the top bigs for the Wildcats under coach Tommy Lloyd. Here are five takeaways from Thursday’s press conference with Awaka and Krivas. Tobe Awaka did not consider transferring Awaka made it clear at Thursday’s press conference that he “had his eyes set” on returning to Arizona. “I felt like I had a coach that trusted me in coach Lloyd,” he added. “He has a great supporting staff as well, so in my mind there was no better place to be.” After playing a limited role across two years at Tennessee, Awaka saw his role take a significant step forward with the Wildcats. After not starting one game with the Volunteers, he started 36 of the 37 games he appeared in last season, and he figures to remain in a big role down low as one of the top offensive rebounders in the country. When reflecting on what he learned and how he grew last season, Awaka attributed his success to his teammates and coaching staff. “I think as a player, I really sort of grew learning how to play a game and how to make certain reads,” Awaka said. “I was sort of put in more uncomfortable situations in practice and games, and I think I became a better player because of it.” Motiejus Krivas fully healthy There were high expectations for Krivas going into next season. He appeared in the first eight games of the year before a lower leg injury cut his season short. Now with a new season around the corner, he is back to practicing in “full force” as he noted in Thursday’s press conference. “I’m feeling great so far,” Krivas said. He added that it was at the end of spring or the start of summer when he was fully cleared to do everything at practice. After having to sit for the majority of the season, Krivas learned not to take anything for granted. “Nothing is given to you,” he said. “I learned to become a student of the game and don’t feel bad for myself, but try to take every practice I used to watch or every game and learn something new from it.” Three-point shooting Krivas has not attempted a single three-point shot across 44 games he has played in with Arizona and Awaka attempted just five shots from deep across the 37 games he appeared in last year. It is something they have both talked about working on with their games this summer as a way of opening up the offense, most notably in rotations where they are on the court together. “For me, it has been a big area of focus,” Awaka said. “Just getting reps in on the move and stationary. Obviously it’s just really to help expand the offense, make it flow easier and give our guards easier driving lanes so there's not too much pressure on him.” It is an area of the game many bigs have worked on under Lloyd throughout his coaching career at Arizona, most recently with Henri Veesaar last season who attempted far more three-point shots in year two compared to year one in the system at Arizona. Krivas also added how it can help open up the offense when the bigs are able to play on the outside and shoot from deep. The group of new players The common theme among the players this summer, more notably the newcomers, is all about the physicality and maturity of the new players who are joining the team this year. That includes the incoming freshmen of Koa Peat, Brayden Burries, Dwayne Aristode and Bryce James. “They are very well mannered and mature in just how they carry themselves,” Awaka said. “They’re very focused and driven. They play really hard, so that’s great to see and obviously they have the skill set and the ability to play at this level.” Speaking specifically about James, Awaka immediately noted his sense of humor. “He is a regular kid and he’s been really fun to be around,” he added. “I feel like he has really ingratiated himself within the group. He is working hard in the weight room, on the court, learning the whole concept of college basketball and defensive schemes… It has been fun to see him grow.” Learning from last year’s tough schedule It was a gauntlet for Arizona immediately in non-conference play last season and it’ll be no different this year with a schedule that starts with a game against the defending national champions in Florida. Awaka talked about his biggest takeaway from last year’s schedule being more from a “schematics standpoint.” “Just how we want to run our offense and how we want to play defense, I think that’s what we sort of took the most,” he added. “I think also our unity as a team grew. I feel like within adversity, that drew us together… I definitely feel like it was sort of a bonding moment for the whole team.”
Things have largely gone cold on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade front, but that does not mean teams are not thinking of the possibility of that changing. Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard noted that the Warriors are being cautious in negotiations with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, as he could be possible trade bait if Antetokounmpo is traded by the Milwaukee Bucks. The Warriors are adamant about not giving away Kuminga for less than his full trade value, which is why his situation remains unresolved with August looming. Kuminga and the Warriors have yet to agree on a contract, and it remains unclear when the situation will be resolved. He has a $7.9 million qualifying offer on the table, and signing it would allow him to approve any trade he is involved in. If he signs a multiyear extension, he would not be eligible to be traded until January, which could complicate things if Antetokounmpo decides late in the offseason that he wants a move. Presumably, Kuminga would be a key part of any trade the Warriors make involving Antetokounmpo. However, with no market materializing, there seems to be a growing chance he could remain with the team next season. The former No. 7 overall pick averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.8 steals per game last season. He appeared in 47 games, making 10 starts and averaging 24.3 minutes per game. However, he has been unable to consistently lock down a major spot in coach Steve Kerr’s rotation, which reportedly led to some tension between the two last season. Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, still seems unlikely to be traded, but teams are still going to prepare for the possibility.
The New York Yankees already made headlines by acquiring third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday. That may not be their only move ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. According to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, the Yankees have an extensive shopping list. While a right-handed hitting infielder is a priority, New York is also looking for help in the rotation and bullpen. Acquiring McMahon may have contributed to the push for a right-handed hitting infielder. McMahon has struggled against left-handed pitching throughout his career, posting a .231/.307/.378 batting line in 1,079 plate appearances, hitting 34 homers and 35 doubles. Those struggles have been even more pronounced this year. McMahon is slashing .207/.289/.310 in 97 plate appearances against southpaws, with two homers and three doubles. Kirschner specifically listed Minnesota Twins utility man Willi Castro as someone the Yankees are targeting, whose career .260/.306/.399 batting line in 689 plate appearances against lefties would make him a solid complement to McMahon. Likewise, the club's pursuit of pitching makes sense. Marcus Stroman has been much better since returning from the injured list at the end of June, but he cannot be considered a reliable option. Rookie Will Warren has been inconsistent, and with Clarke Schmidt likely lost until 2027 due to Tommy John surgery, the rotation needs work. New York's relief corps may be further down the team's needs. While every contending team looks to bolster the bullpen ahead of the trade deadline, the Yanks' upgrades could come from within. Relievers Fernando Cruz and Mark Leiter Jr. are expected back in August, while fellow reliever Yerry De los Santos was activated from the IL on Saturday. The Yankees still have a lot of work to do ahead of the trade deadline. It could be a busy next few days in the Bronx.
The Boston Bruins are gauging trade interest in forward Pavel Zacha, according to The Fourth Period. Following a down season and a trade deadline where Zacha’s name was thrown around but was ultimately not moved, Bruins GM Don Sweeney is trying to move the 27-year-old Czech center. Zacha is playing in the final season of a contract that has a $4.75 million cap hit. Zacha, acquired from the New Jersey Devils in 2022 for Erik Haula, has been a solid pickup for Boston. He posted 21 goals and 57 points in 78 games in 2023-24, though his production dipped slightly to 47 points over a full 82-game slate last season. He can play up and down the lineup and has a strong two-way game. Who Has Shown Interest in a Zacha Trade? Two teams reportedly monitoring Zacha are the Vancouver Canucks and the Utah Hockey Club. Both teams are seeking top-six forward depth and would value Zacha’s steady offensive contributions. The Canucks have been busy all summer, signing and trading players. They have also been linked to Jack Roslovic talks in free agency, meaning they wouldn’t be adding both. Utah has been looking to make a splash this season and work their way up the standings in an attempt to compete for the playoffs. The Bruins would likely demand a notable return, but neither team is looking to send players back. The trade would likely involve a high pick or a mid-tier prospect. Zacha controls part of the process with an eight-team no-trade list. He’s owed just $3.75 million in actual salary each of the next two seasons, further boosting his trade appeal.
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