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The Utah Jazz are positioned to be in a stellar spot ahead of this year's NBA draft lottery.
With the way the NBA lottery odds are set up down the board, the league's worst team, in this case, the Jazz, has equal 14.0% odds to land the number one pick along with the second and third-worst teams. However, the absolute lowest Utah can fall come lottery day will be 5th-overall, a selection they'll have a 47.9% chance to get.
It's a result partially thanks to the Jazz's final loss of the year, but also due to the Washington Wizards edging out a last-second, buzzer-beater victory against the Miami Heat on Sunday from Bub Carrington. Washington lifted to their 18th win for the year, and with it, have a floor of getting the sixth-overall pick.
BUB CARRINGTON ENDS HIS ROOKIE SEASON WITH A GAME-WINNER
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 13, 2025
ONLY ROOKIE TO PLAY ALL 82 GAMES pic.twitter.com/kxKFeEK2KK
So while it was a grueling season to endure for the Jazz and fans having to witness the long-spanning tank, it ended in about the best way one could expect. Utah is now primed to secure one of their top-five players on the board come June's draft, hopefully taking helping this rebuild take a major step in the right direction.
The clear number one priority will be none other than Duke's Cooper Flagg, but other top-tier prospects that fall below him, like Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, VJ Edgecombe, or Tre Johnson, will inevitably be names to watch as well once Utah starts shuffling through their pre-draft motions.
For now, though, the Jazz are largely in a waiting game until the draft lottery ensues, helping this team and front office get a clearer picture of how this offseason could pan out, and with it, getting this group on the right track for the 2025-26 campaign soon ahead.
They'll have about a month between now and when their ping-pong ball fate comes to form, with the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery taking place on May 12th in Chicago.
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Scotland media react to Scott McTominay display vs Denmark
Scott McTominay’s reinvention since leaving Manchester United has been one of the major stories of the last 18 months in European football. The midfielder has managed, in a single season, to transform himself into the driving force of the Napoli side that went on to win Serie A and restore their status among Italy’s elite. Having swapped Old Trafford for the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in 2024, he quickly became a focal point in Antonio Conte’s system and finished his debut campaign as the league’s Most Valuable Player after steering Napoli to the title. McTominay made 36 appearances for Napoli in 2024/25, scoring 13 goals and registering four assists, comfortably the best return of his senior career, sealing a Ballon d’Or nomination. However, this season has been more challenging for the Scotland international. Opposition sides have clearly adjusted to his late runs and aerial presence, while Napoli themselves have not found the same rhythm. McTominay has still chipped in with goals, but with only a handful of strikes so far and more time spent shuttling between roles than dominating games. Unfortunately it seems the form that lit up Italy has been harder to rediscover, a trend that had also been visible with Scotland after Euro 2024. That backdrop is what made Tuesday night at Hampden so significant. With Scotland needing to beat Denmark to leapfrog them and reach the 2026 World Cup, Steve Clarke’s side arrived into a tense, almost wary atmosphere. However, Scott McTominay took matters into his own hands, opening the scoring inside three minutes. Attacking a cross from Ben Gannon-Doak, the former United midfielder adjusted his body and sent an acrobatic overhead effort skidding into the bottom corner. The finish instantly shifted the mood inside Hampden and reminded everyone why Napoli built their title-winning midfield around him. He raced towards the main stand, arms outstretched, as team-mates piled in behind him and the stadium erupted. The Herald’s reaction to the goal described it as a goal: “which will live long in the memory of everyone who was fortunate enough to witness it”. However, from there, Scotland were forced to suffer. A lengthy VAR check eventually handed Denmark a penalty, converted by Rasmus Hojlund, before the visitors went down to ten men and the game descended into chaos. Lawrence Shankland, Patrick Dorgu, Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean traded goals in a breathless finale that finally ended 4-2 to Clarke’s side. For Scotland, the result ends 28 years of waiting and confirms their place at a World Cup finals for the first time since 1998, with Clarke writing himself into national folklore. For Scott McTominay, it is another landmark in a career that, unfortunately for Manchester United fans, has accelerated since leaving Old Trafford.
Steelers work out two QBs amid Aaron Rodgers injury
With Aaron Rodgers dealing with a left wrist injury, the Pittsburgh Steelers worked out veteran quarterbacks Jason Bean and Tanner Mordecai on Tuesday, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. The Steelers currently have three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster and zero on their practice squad. Backup Mason Rudolph, and third-stringer Will Howard will both move up a spot on the depth chart for at least a week, leaving the Steelers without a third option should either of them get injured. Bean, 26, signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Kansas in 2024. He did not make the 53-man roster, but stuck around on the practice squad for the entire season. He was waived during final roster cuts this year and did not draw practice squad interest from the Colts or any other team. Mordecai is also a 26-year-old who entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie in 2024. Mordecai finished his college career at Wisconsin and signed with the 49ers last spring. He spent the season on San Francisco’s practice squad and was repeatedly cut and re-signed during training camp as the team balanced their other roster needs. He was waived due to injury a final time during roster cuts. The Steelers did not sign Bean or Mordecai, though that could be coming in the next few days as they continue to assess Rodgers’ wrist. They could also work out other available quarterbacks later this week.
Brock Purdy sends warning to NFL after successful return to 49ers lineup
Quarterback Brock Purdy enjoyed a successful return to the San Francisco 49ers lineup when he guided the club to an impressive 41-22 win over the Arizona Cardinals that improved San Francisco to 7-4 this past Sunday. While speaking with NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated for a piece published Tuesday, Purdy indicated he has already shaken off any rust that had accumulated during the fall. Brock Purdy feels he will be "good moving forward" "Six weeks off in-season for me, mentally, it was, 'I want to jump back in and get to where I was,'" Purdy explained. "It’s part of the game where, as a quarterback, you want to get into a rhythm." Purdy got into that rhythm by completing a pair of passes before he connected with tight end George Kittle for a 30-yard score in the first quarter of Sunday's game. From there, it was largely smooth sailing for the 49ers. "So to have a couple plays before that, get some good completions, and some chunks of yards throwing the ball down the field, it felt good. And then to have Kittle to cap off the drive on an explosive down the field, that felt pretty good," Purdy continued. "I guess, mentally, it was, 'We’re back, I’m into a rhythm, and it’s gonna be good moving forward.'" San Francisco backup Mac Jones went 5-3 across the eight games that Purdy missed due to a toe injury he suffered in Week 1 and then aggravated in Week 4. As recently as last week, some suggested the 49ers should stick with Jones over a version of Purdy who may be hobbled through January (or even February). However, Purdy silenced such chatter when he completed 19-of-26 passes for 200 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions against the Cardinals. During his chat with Breer, Purdy insisted he wasn't bothered by his toe at all in Week 11. Brock Purdy took big positive away from return to lineup "I felt great going into the game in terms of my toe, my health and everything," Purdy added. "Percentage-wise, I don’t really know. I wouldn’t say I’m 100% — but pretty close. And I think just, overall, when I got out on the field, I didn’t think about my toe. I was just going through my reads, dropping back, playing quarterback. Scrambling and rolling out and everything, it felt fine. I didn’t think about it once. That was positive." Purdy's toe will now get some extra rest, as the 49ers next host the Carolina Panthers (6-5) for a "Monday Night Football" showdown on Nov. 24. As of Tuesday afternoon, ESPN BET had the Niners as seven-point favorites for that matchup.
What the Josh Naylor deal with Mariners means for Guardians' offseason plans
Josh Naylor signed a five-year deal with the Mariners, ruining a potential reunion. Details of that contract are trickling out. The deal is worth $92.5 million over five years, cementing him as a Mariner for the foreseeable future. Naylor was linked back to the Guardians for the past several weeks as a potential first baseman for the team. With him off the board, who should the Guardians target? CJ Kayfus was the primary first baseman after trading Naylor last season. Kayfus, in 44 games, had a .220 average, mashed four home runs, drove in 19 runs, but struck out 38 times. Kyle Manzardo had the largest sample size, but is arguably not an every day first baseman. In 142 games, Manzardo had a .234 average and smashed 27 home runs, good for second on the team. Manzardo should get regular playing time, but with the Guardians playing Kayfus as often as they did at first, the second half of last season tells you how they feel about Manzardo at first. The obvious home run hitter, literally and metaphorically, is Munetaka Murakami. He is coming from Japan’s Nippon league, and has the record for most home runs in a season there. He also mashed 22 home runs in 56 games last season. Murakami is a third baseman and first baseman. Still, there is no reason the Guardians cannot use him primarily as a first baseman and Designated Hitter, while being the primary backup at third base for Jose Ramirez to get the occasional breather on defense. Murakami fills several holes, mainly on offense, and the Guardians should strongly consider him. Another Japanese prospect makes this list. Kazuma Okamoto. He is a bat-to-ball player who hit for a high average of .322 with modest power (15 home runs), and he does have the ability to play third base as well if need be. Okamoto is not as powerful as Murakami, but is a better contact hitter. Other prominent names on the market that play first base are: Luis Arraez, Paul Goldschmidt, Josh Bell, Ryan O’Hearn, Wilmer Flores, and Rhys Hoskins. Luis Arraez is essentially another Steven Kwan, albeit with a significantly worse glove. Goldschmidt mashed lefties last season for the Yankees, but fizzled down the stretch. Goldschmidt, 38, was ultimately not playing in September and the playoffs for the Yankees due to his regression throughout the season. Ryan O’Hearn (32) and Josh Bell (33) are both power bats, but are extremely streaky hitters with gloves that are nothing special. Wilmer Flores (34) had a negative WAR last season and brings down batting average and speed to any club he joins. The market is not rich with prospects, to say the least. The most likely scenario for the Guardians is riding with how they ended 2025, with Kyle Manzardo and CJ Kayfus alternating time at first base. If the front office decides to go a different direction, there is no better direction than the 25-year-old slugger from Japan, Munetaka Murakami. He brings power, average, swag, and he can give Jose Ramirez some days off from playing the hot corner as well, not to mention the buzz he would bring to the club and the city if he were to sign.
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