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The Heat and Thomas Bryant have reached an agreement on a new one-year contract, league sources tell Marc Stein. The deal will be worth the veteran’s minimum, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
Bryant, who initially signed a two-year, minimum-salary contract with the Heat last summer, averaged 5.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in just 11.6 minutes per game across 38 appearances.
Miami had envisioned him as the backup at the five behind Bam Adebayo, but the fit wasn’t quite as smooth as either side has hoped, and the 26-year-old was in and out of the rotation for much of the season.
Because the second year of that initial contract was a player option (worth $2.85M), Bryant was able to opt out and talk to other potential suitors on the open market. However, it seems as if he wasn’t offered any opportunities he liked more than one to remain in Miami for another season.
Bryant will earn slightly less ($2.8M) on his new contract than he would have on his option, while the Heat’s charge for cap and tax purposes will be just $2.09M. He’ll join a group of centers that features Kevin Love (who also agreed to a new deal with the Heat) and rookie Kel’el Ware.
Orlando Robinson also remains on the roster on a non-guaranteed contract, but the new deals with Bryant and Love, along with the selection of Ware, make it less likely that he’ll be back, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
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Pelicans' exec makes team's stance on Zion Williamson crystal clear
It’s wild how quickly the NBA narrative can flip. A year ago, Zion Williamson was in every trade rumor possible. People were questioning his health, his work ethic, even his future in New Orleans. And the Pelicans? They didn’t really deny any of it. It felt like both sides were one step away from walking. But things have shifted this offseason — quietly, but clearly. The Pelicans could’ve pulled the plug. Zion’s contract gave them outs, and the trade market might’ve still brought back some real value. Instead, they stuck with him. And based on what one of their own just said, they’re not just keeping him around — they’re still betting big on him. In a recent interview with Spotrac’s Keith Smith, an anonymous Pelicans executive made it crystal clear. “Zion is still our guy. We’re all in on him. We think he’s going to have a huge year. We’ve had some bad injury luck and some things that just haven’t worked out. This partnership hasn’t even come close to reaching our best yet.” That’s not something you say if you’re halfway in. They backed it up with their offseason moves, too. They traded CJ McCollum and brought in Jordan Poole, a high-usage creator who can take pressure off Zion. They drafted Jeremiah Fears with the No. 7 pick, a dynamic young guard. They added Kevon Looney, a reliable veteran who brings playoff experience and toughness. Those aren’t tear-it-down moves — those are “let’s try this another way” moves. Of course, Zion’s health is still the question. That never really goes away. He played just 30 games last season, but in those games he looked solid: 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per night on 56.7 percent shooting. The explosiveness was there. The playmaking was sharp. And the hope for New Orleans is that this time, he can finally sustain it. What’s interesting is how the front office is trying to create a better environment around him. Joe Dumars has stepped in to lead basketball operations and is reportedly building a closer relationship with Zion — dinners, real conversations, not just surface-level stuff. It feels like, for once, the team is trying to meet him halfway. It’s a risk, sure. But it’s a calculated one. The West is brutal and the margin for error is thin. Still, if Zion can stay healthy for 60 games, and if Poole finds a rhythm and guys like Trey Murphy and Herb Jones keep improving — this team has a shot to be in the mix. The quote from the exec says it all. They could’ve hit reset, moved on, cleaned house. But they didn’t. They’re still in. And now it’s on Zion to hold up his end of the deal. After everything that’s happened, they’re telling the world they still believe. Now it’s time to find out if they’re right.
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb sends strong message after tempers flare at training camp
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb reminded teammates to keep their cool after the team had multiple skirmishes during the first two days of training camp. Rookie defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku and tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford got involved in a brief scuffle on Tuesday. At the following practice on Wednesday, a fight broke out between safety Markquese Bell and TE Tyler Neville. New head coach Brian Schottenheimer then stopped practice and pulled the whole team together. He said the next player who threw a punch would be kicked out of practice (via Joseph Hoyt of The Dallas Morning News). "We've got to be professional," Lamb said of the incident after practice, per ESPN's Todd Archer. "I get it that we have a lot of animosity and tension between us and understanding that we want to proclaim our dominance and show like aggressiveness on both sides of the ball, but then again, to what extent?" Fighting in training camp isn't uncommon. It's an intense environment. Many are trying to prove themselves before teams trim their rosters to 53 players. However, too much brawling can threaten to tear a locker room apart. A lack of discipline was also one reason the Cowboys replaced Mike McCarthy with Schottenheimer this offseason. According to NFLPenalties.com, Dallas drew the league's sixth-most flags (128) last season. Per Archer, there were no more fights after Schottenheimer pulled the team aside. Still, the incidents raise questions about his ability to maintain control. The coach spent Wednesday morning's meeting discussing two plays where DE Sam Williams was too physical and sent to the sideline. His players must not have received the message. It's good for Dallas that Lamb seems to be echoing Schottenheimer's sentiments, but the rookie HC still must get through to his team. Rebounding from a 7-10 season could already prove challenging for the Cowboys. As of Wednesday, ESPN's Football Power Index gives Dallas a 34.5% chance to make the playoffs. Infighting will make that even more difficult.
Aaron Rodgers Throws Interception on First Steelers Pass
The first training camp practice of the year didn't get off to a roaring start for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. In a video posted by SteelersWRobbie on X, Rodgers can be seen getting intercepted by inside linebacker Patrick Queen while targeting wide receiver DK Metcalf on the first pass of team drills at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. Prior to that, however, Rodgers got in plenty of work with Metcalf without any defenders on the field as the pair continues building chemistry. While Rodgers throwing a pick on his first official attempt of camp isn't a good omen, it doesn't signal any impending struggles during what's likely to be the 41-year-old's final season of his career. The four-time MVP is still adapting to his new surroundings, and it wouldn't come as a surprise if he were to be a bit behind schedule as things get underway in camp. To liken the situation to baseball, it's rare to see pitchers have their best stuff or throw at maximum velocity in spring training. The same goes for Rodgers in this case, as it's unreasonable to expect that he'd be at the top of his game right off the bat. Though Metcalf's initial target from Rodgers as teammates produced a negative result, the pair should connect with regularity throughout the season. They held a throwing session at UCLA shortly after Metcalf was dealt to Pittsburgh from the Seattle Seahawks in March, and he was among the Steelers receivers who joined Rodgers for a workout in Malibu earlier this offseason. During an appearance on the "Pat McAfee Show" in June, Rodgers revealed that Metcalf was a major factor in him deciding to sign with the Steelers following his release from the New York Jets. "DK is a lead-by-example guy, and he's a big reason why I'm in Pittsburgh as well," Rodgers said. "Conversations that we had, and just the kind of person that he is." Rodgers, who threw for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns with the Jets last season, owns the lowest interception percentage in league history at 1.4, so Steelers fans shouldn't expect to see too many mistakes from the future Hall of Famer this season.
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani ties franchise record with HR vs. Twins
MLB's midseason break was kind to Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter and starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani. On Wednesday, the three-time MVP tied a Dodgers franchise record with a home run in his fifth consecutive game, taking Minnesota Twins right-handed starting pitcher Chris Paddack 441 feet to centerfield on an 0-2 79 mph curveball in the bottom of the first inning. Ohtani entered the All-Star break with 32 home runs but had just two in his 12 previous games before beginning his current streak. He's appeared in 101 of L.A.'s 103 games, putting him on pace for 159 games this season. If Ohtani continues at his home run trajectory, he'll set a personal record for single-season home runs, breaking the record he established last season, his first with the Dodgers. Per ESPN Bet, Ohtani (-1800) is an overwhelming favorite to be named NL MVP for the second consecutive season. With every home run hit, his odds of receiving a fourth overall MVP award likely increase. Also helping Ohtani's case is his return to the mound after not pitching a season ago while rehabbing from 2023 surgery. The Dodgers have slowly eased him back, with Ohtani throwing 12 innings in six starts, allowing nine hits and two earned runs with 13 strikeouts. Per Baseball Savant, he ranks in the top six percent in average fastball velocity (97.8 mph), a promising sign as he continues his progression. While the Dodgers keep him on a pitch count, Ohtani didn't need much warming up at the plate following the in-season break to find his swing. Some might argue he's already in postseason form.
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