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The Golden State Warriors have a lot to figure out this offseason, and much of it will ride on how the rest of this year plays out. Speaking with The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami on The TK Show, Warriors owner Joe Lacob went over some of the team's future plans that could begin as soon as this summer.
"Plan 1A, we'd actually like to be out of the tax, and we think we have a way to do that," Lacob said "That kind of is the plan. Not just on the second apron, and I’ll tell you why that’s important. The truth is, we need to be below the tax two years out of the next four to get this repeater thing off our books. It’s just so prohibitive. Not say we wouldn’t do it if we had to, but you got to look at what the downside is to doing that."
As Lacob explained, getting below the luxury tax is not just to save him money, but to help Golden State's front office have as much flexibility as possible under the league's new CBA.
Additionally, Lacob told Kawakami, "Plan 1B is we can make big changes if we had to. If this team were to slide all the way down and not do well at the end of the year, you know there’s going to be big changes. If we do really well, we might decide to go the other way."
Making it clear that a lot rides on this season, Lacob revealed some of his future plans for the Warriors.
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Celtics' sale comes with significant and surprising twists
The sale of the Celtics to an investor group led by William Chisholm has received unanimous approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors, the league announced. The results of the vote were never really in doubt, but it’s significant that there was no opposition to Chisholm’s purchase. The league states that the deal is expected to be finalized soon. Chisholm, a Massachusetts native and lifelong Celtics fan, reached a tentative agreement in March to purchase the franchise for $6.1 billion, which set a record at the time as the largest amount ever paid for a North American sports team. That number has since been exceeded by the sale of the Lakers for $10 billion. Chisholm submitted the highest offer among four groups that were bidding for the team. According to Brian Robb of MassLive, his other stakeholders include Aditya Mittal, Robert Hale and Bruce A. Beal Jr., along with Sixth Street, a private investment firm. Chisholm’s group will obtain a 51% stake in the team from the Grousbeck family in the first phase of the sale and will purchase the remaining shares in 2028. When the sale was first announced, Wyc Grousbeck intended to remain in his role as the team’s governor through the 2027-28 season. However, in a surprising twist, a report on Tuesday indicates that’s no longer possible because Grousbeck will control less than the 15% minimum stake that the NBA requires for the person who holds that position. Instead, Chisholm will become lead governor as soon as the sale is official with Grousbeck serving as alternate governor and CEO through the 2027-28 season. Chisholm will take over the Celtics during a time of transition after years of being one of the NBA’s elite teams. Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles injury coupled with a second-round playoff exit have placed an emphasis on cost-cutting measures to lower the team’s tax bill and escape second-apron restrictions. Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet are already gone from last year’s roster, and more money-saving moves may take place before the new season begins.
Browns' Shedeur Sanders could be losing valuable opportunity after injury update
Just when it seemed everything was going right for Shedeur Sanders, the Cleveland Browns' rookie quarterback caught an unlucky break on Wednesday. The 23-year-old QB was sidelined during Wednesday's joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles after suffering an oblique injury. Per Kelsey Russo of the team website, the 2025 fifth-round pick won't practice Thursday and is considered day-to-day. He is deemed unlikely to play in Saturday's preseason game against Philadelphia, scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on NFL Network. Before Wednesday's practice, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed rookie QB Dillon Gabriel will start against Philadelphia as long as he's healthy enough to play. The 2025 third-rounder missed Cleveland's preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers because of a hamstring issue. However, Stefanski previously said Sanders would get more reps this week after a solid preseason debut. The former Colorado Buffaloes star received the start in the 30-10 win over Carolina, going 14-of-23 passing for 138 yards and two touchdown passes. Not playing against Philadelphia could disrupt Sanders' momentum. More importantly, it may eliminate another opportunity for him to overtake Gabriel in Cleveland's four-way QB competition. Sanders is listed as the Browns QB4 behind Gabriel, Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco on the team's unofficial depth chart. Despite questions about Gabriel's size (5-foot-11, 205 pounds), the coaching staff seems to favor him over Sanders. Earlier this offseason, Gabriel's processing speed reportedly impressed Browns coaches, giving him an edge over Sanders. The former Oregon Ducks star also received reps with the first-team offense during OTAs and mandatory minicamp, while his fellow rookie didn't. If Gabriel plays well against the Eagles, that would continue to affirm the coaching staff's confidence in the 24-year-old QB. Neither Sanders nor Gabriel is expected to be the Week 1 starter for the Browns. It's likely going to be Flacco, who helped Cleveland make the playoffs in 2023 when he went 4-1 during a late-season stretch. Still, another solid preseason showing could help Sanders position himself to replace 40-year-old Flacco in the future. With the setback, it may take more time to climb the depth chart.
5 wide receiver trades Commanders must consider as depth continues to unravel
The Washington Commanders have a problem quietly brewing in their wide receiver room. If the same trend continues, it could provoke general manager Adam Peters into drastic action before Week 1 against the New York Giants arrives. Second-team All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin's contract battle remains at the forefront. The wide receiver and Washington haven't found any middle ground on an extension as yet. Not even his trade request moved the needle, although the wideout and Peters remain on speaking terms based on their recent conversation at practice. Washington's pass-catchers have found life difficult over the last two weeks. The dynamic has changed without McLaurin, and the lack of consistency during joint practice and the preseason game against the New England Patriots brought this firmly under the microscope. Ideally, McLaurin will get back onto the field sooner rather than later. He is the franchise cornerstone — the alpha who makes everyone better. But make no mistake, Peters is going to be watching how others perform closely in the coming weeks. Scouring the waiver wire for reinforcements is possible. The Commanders have maxed out their tradable assets throughout the offseason, but Peters is in win-now mode. If he can strike a deal for a pick swap or late-rounder, that changes the landscape considerably. With this in mind, here are five wide receiver trades the Commanders must consider as their depth continues to unravel. Wide receiver trades Commanders must consider as depth continues to unravel Commanders could trade for Kendrick Bourne This would have to be the right trade at the right price. Adam Peters hasn't dismissed anything, but acquiring Marshon Lattimore, Deebo Samuel Sr., and five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil makes it much more difficult. That doesn't mean Peters won't try if the correct opportunity presents itself. And the front-office leader might turn to someone he knows well from a previous stop. According to reports, Kendrick Bourne is being phased out of the New England Patriots' offense. Injuries have stunted his production over the last two seasons, and it seems like new head coach Mike Vrabel prefers others. Peters was part of the brain trust that identified the wideout as an undrafted free agent target with the San Francisco 49ers. Therefore, he could decide to get involved if the AFC East club makes him available. This will cost almost nothing. But if Bourne can stay healthy, he could be another useful, experienced addition to the Commanders' passing attack. Commanders could trade for Tim Patrick The Washington Commanders have had plenty of success with veteran players a little down on their luck who manage to galvanize their careers under head coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. General manager Adam Peters won't hesitate to roll the dice once again if he believes it can benefit the franchise. Although he's had some devastating injury problems in recent years, Tim Patrick represents an intriguing option who could reportedly be available. He put together a full campaign with the Detroit Lions last season as a rotational piece who logged 59 percent of offensive snaps. But considering he missed the 2022 and 2023 seasons with a torn ACL and torn Achilles, respectively, staying injury-free was a major positive. Patrick will have gained tremendous confidence from this experience. At 6-foot-5, he represents a matchup nightmare when fit and firing on all cylinders. While asking him to be a WR 1 or WR2 is a stretch, the Commanders wouldn't need that from him in this scenario. What they'd want is for Patrick to be a red-zone asset and take away attention from others in key down and distances. That seems like an attainable objective, but whether the Lions would want to move him to an NFC rival is highly debatable. Commanders could trade for John Metchie III The fact that John Metchie III is playing in the league represents an achievement in itself. A prolific wide receiver at Alabama, he was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia shortly after being selected No. 44 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. But after successful treatment, he finally got to fulfill his dream during the 2023 campaign. Metchie's brought in 40 receptions from 67 targets for 412 receiving yards and one touchdown over his two active seasons. It was always going to be a slow burn back to his old self, but the Texans don't have the luxury of waiting around. This is a business, after all. Metchie made the team last summer when trade speculation was rife. The same rumors are swirling this time around, and the Texans might be more receptive depending on the compensation package. It would be a low-risk, high-reward pickup by the Commanders. Metchie is incredibly talented. Building back momentum gradually was always the primary objective for the pass-catcher. What Peters needs to figure out is whether he could bring something different to Washington's receiver unit if he decides another fresh face is needed. Metchie deserves a bit of good luck. Landing in Washington would represent all that and more. Commanders could trade for Adam Thielen The Carolina Panthers suddenly have an embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position. They boast a nice blend of youth and experience, led by first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan and Pro Bowl pass-catcher Adam Thielen. After contemplating retirement this offseason, Thielen decided to stick around. He thought something special was building in Carolina with resurgent quarterback Bryce Young. At the same time, there is a youth movement underway with McMillan, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and sixth-round rookie Jimmy Horn Jr. Thielen remains the team's most consistent receiver. He's an exceptional route-runner with assured hands in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field. The former undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State figures to play a key role for Carolina again in 2025, and general manager Dan Morgan also bumped his pay this offseason. That said, everyone has a price. Adam Peters won't push the boat out too much for someone who's probably a one-year rental. But if the Washington Commanders need to find more dependability in the passing attack, this is the exact sort of player they should be looking for. The Panthers would be extremely reluctant to part ways with Thielen. That might change if they're out of contention by the trade deadline, but not right now. Commanders could trade for Romeo Doubs This might be more on the expensive side, but it's starting to look like Romeo Doubs could be on the chopping block. And in this scenario, there would be a couple of legitimate suitors who'd believe there is still some untapped potential left. Doubs is a curious case. He's 6-foot-2 with a large wingspan. He has every athletic intangible imaginable to be dominant. No fewer than 15 touchdowns over his first three NFL seasons are encouraging, but the former Nevada standout also boasts 22 drops. That is far from ideal. It's also a reason why Doubs is being touted as potential trade bait at some stage this offseason. Nothing concrete has emerged as yet. Doubs fell hard during training camp practice this week, but it's reportedly too serious. But this does nothing to diminish the concerns that he might not even meet expectations in Green Bay after a promising start. It's also worth remembering that Doubs is entering the final year of his deal. The Packers could decide to cash in now rather than risk losing him for nothing next spring. If general manager Brian Gutekunst goes down this route, this could provide the Commanders with a boom-or-bust option who could make a real difference if he transitions smoothly. More Commanders news and analysis
Yankees Announce Paul Goldschmidt News After Loss to Twins
The New York Yankees won their first series of August in a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins from Monday to Wednesday, but they're still in trouble. They're only one game ahead of the Cleveland Guardians for the third and final AL Wild Card spot with six weeks left in the regular season. The Yankees beat the Twins 6-2 on Monday and 9-1 on Tuesday before losing 4-1 on Wednesday, but Tuesday's victory came at a price. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt left early and didn't play on Wednesday, a night in which New York especially needed his bat. The Yankees released an update on Goldschmidt after Wednesday night's game, via MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. The 37-year-old has a low-grade knee sprain with inflammation. He's slashing .276/.331/.422 with 10 homers and 40 RBI over 112 games. Fellow first baseman Ben Rice went 1-for-4 in Goldshmidt's stead on Wednesday. The 26-year-old is slashing .233/.326/.456 with 17 homers and 38 RBI over 101 contests. Paul Goldschmidt comments on injury Goldschmidt said that he hopes he can avoid the IL with a "short-term" absence, via Hoch. While Rice is a high-upside player in his second year, the seven-time All-Star is still a more dependable contact hitter at this point. Goldschmidt is third on the squad with 110 hits, although his younger counterpart's OPS is 30 points higher. The Yankees need the veteran back as soon as possible to help them maintain their Wild Card spot. His presence allows Rice to play catcher, which is optimal given Austin Wells's struggles. The 26-year-old is slashing just .206/.264/.408 with 15 homers and 56 RBI over 94 games. Up next for New York is a road series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Goldschmidt's former team.
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