After playing in 59-straight games following his trade to the LA Clippers, star point guard James Harden has missed the last two games with a left shoulder strain. Harden traveled with the Clippers on their two game road trip to Chicago and New Orleans, but did not play in either game.
The Clippers are back home on Sunday evening facing the Atlanta Hawks, and Harden is being listed as questionable. It is the same left shoulder strain that has Harden on the injury report again, but it seems possible that he makes his return from injury in this game.
With Russell Westbrook sidelined due a fractured left hand, the Clippers have been starting Bones Hyland at point guard in Harden's absence. Hyland had a career game against the Chicago Bulls, finishing with 17 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals, but struggled the very next night in New Orleans, scoring just 5 points on 2/9 shooting.
If Harden is able to return, Hyland will likely move back to a backup point guard role, where he still could see extended minutes if the Clippers opt to ease Harden back into action. For now, the star point guard is being listed as questionable, and he will likely receive a final status when Ty Lue addresses the media prior to this game in Los Angeles.
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Cam Reddish spent part of the 2024-25 season playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. He had averages of 3.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals per contest while shooting 40.4% from the field and 27.7% from the three-point range in 33 games. On July 24, Reddish still remains a free agent who is available to sign with any team in the league. Recently, many fans on social media urged to the Atlanta Hawks to bring back Reddish (h/t Hawks Lead). He was the 10th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft (by the Hawks) out of Duke. @BigGerm478: "BEEN SAYING THIS" @_VictorRashad_: "lol I’ll rt this one . We need him to come back and accept his role ! He’d be an amazing fit" @getoffmypxge: "Let’s come home cam" @mdotMika: "I always wanted him back since he left… showed who he can be in the 2021 playoff stimt" @tjhook47: "Bring Cam back to the A, Hawks!" @natefrazi3r: "dream offseason would be complete" @Chicosnametag: "We lost caris levert he def fits" Reddish played part of three seasons for the Hawks. He had averages of 11.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals per contest while shooting 38.5% from the field and 32.9% from the three-point range in 118 games (62 starts). The 25-year-old has also spent time with the Portland Trail Blazers and New York Knicks over six seasons. Via @ohokvontae: "I still can’t believe Cam Reddish didn’t at least become a high floor rotation player in the league. I’ll never understand how that happens."
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
After years of speculation and nothing materializing, the New York Yankees have at last acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz are headed to the Mile High City in return. They were the number eight and 21st-ranked prospects in the Yankees' farm system, per MLB.com. Given the Yankees' struggles at the third-base position over the last few years, bringing in a guy who was an All-Star in 2024 and will be much more reliable is a win. Former MLB player and current analyst Cameron Maybin certainly believes that, as he was pushing the McMahon-to-New York narrative over the last week and feels it could be a great fit for both sides. "The third baseman they need plays in Colorado...I'm telling you! Defensively more than adequate and Taylor made for the ballpark offensively," Maybin wrote on social media. Maybin went on to mention how McMahon will feel reinvigorated joining a World Series contender like the Yankees after the last six-and-a-half years of being at the bottom in Colorado. The 30-year-old is not having his best season, slugging 16 home runs and 35 RBI with a .217 average through 100 games with the Rockies, per MLB.com stats. However, he's consistently been a 20-plus home run hitter who drives in runs at a strong rate and has a large sample size of doing so. Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez (.252 average, 36 HRs, 86 RBI) has seemed to be No. 1 target for most teams, and for good reason, but given the Yankees' current situation and weaknesses, McMahon made more sense. Not only does he play a better third base, which New York desperately needs, but he has another two years of control after 2025, whereas Suarez would have been a rental. The acquisition cost was nothing crazy, and adding a lefty bat with some power to potentially take advantage of the short porch at Yankee Stadium is always a bonus. Some may not be satisfied until they see McMahon positively impacting the New York Yankees, but rest assured, this is a very solid pickup.
The Cincinnati Bengals have finally reached an agreement with first-round pick Shemar Stewart, putting an end to what became the story of the offseason for the team. Stewart, drafted 17th overall in this year's draft, has finally agreed to a four-year, fully guaranteed $18.97 million deal that includes a $10.4 million signing bonus, according to his agent Zac Hiller of LAA. Now with this deal done, every first-round pick is signed. The road to this deal was a bumpy ride. For months, negotiations between Stewart’s camp and the Bengals front office stalled due to disagreements over contract language, particularly around guarantees. The team pushed to include contract language that could void the deal under certain off-field circumstances, but since other Bengals first-round picks did not face similar terms, Stewart stood firm and refused to sign. Both sides remained firm throughout the offseason, leading to a long standoff and a lot of reports of frustration from both sides. Despite the frustration and disagreement, the Bengals and Stewart’s group continued to engage in conversations, trying to find a resolution to the issue. And finally, after weeks of back and forth and weeks of controversy surrounding what Stewart may be forced to do, both parties appear to have met in the middle and found common ground. For the Bengals, getting Stewart signed and ready for training camp is a major win. Stewart was viewed as a developmental prospect who needed plenty of on-field reps to reach his full potential. Stewart's absence from earlier camps had slowed a lot of his progress. With the contract dispute resolved, he can now focus entirely on gaining important reps and continuing his development over the coming weeks. Now with this contract done and over with, the team can put their full focus on Trey Hendrickson, who is also seeking a long term deal. If the Bengals can get a deal done with Trey before the season kicks off, they would secure their edge-rushing room for not only 2025, but for years beyond. For a team looking to go all in on making the playoffs, signing Stewart was long overdue. Now it will be vital for the team to get Stewart up to speed with the rest of the roster, and allow him to get as many reps as possible before the 2025 season begins.
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