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Lakers guard Austin Reaves exited Friday’s win over the Clippers with calf soreness and didn’t return, setting him up for an MRI.
“He was experiencing some tightness in the calf, some soreness,” coach JJ Redick told reporters, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “Was held out as a precaution.”
The Lakers have been riding a hot streak following the trade for Luka Doncic and have won 17 of 21 overall. A lot of those games have come at home, mostly against teams trying to avoid the play-in tournament. But still. They did beat the Nuggets in Denver during this stretch. (At the same time, they lost to the horrible Hornets in LA.)
The big question surrounding the Lakers isn’t the greatness of Doncic or LeBron James, but whether they have enough around those two. Reaves is certainly another reason to believe, so it’d be bad if he misses any time at all.
Los Angeles is already without forward Rui Hachimura, out with a knee issue. The severity of that injury appears to be up in the air at the moment.
“It’s still not quite clear on when he will be available to play,” Redick said of Hachimura. “But we’re optimistic.”
The Lakers (37-21) play the Clippers again on Sunday, at home, with two more home games to follow after that (Pelicans, Knicks). They will then go on a fairly difficult road trip that includes visits to the Celtics, Bucks and Nuggets.
More must-reads:
- Jayson Tatum provides constructive criticism on LeBron James' golf swing
- Former NBA champion shares shocking opinion on Luka Doncic
- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
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Draymond Green Defends Mavericks GM Nico Harrison Over Luka Doncic Trade
Los Angeles Lakers All-Star guard Luka Doncic lost more than 30 pounds this summer due to a new training and dietary program he started, according to the latest edition of Men’s Health. Doncic, 26, added weight and agility training to his workout regimen alongside a gluten-free and low-sugar diet. He also does intermittent fasting to help him push his meals to after he’s done with his first morning workout. Doncic's body transformation has led to added criticism for Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, who traded the franchise star to the Lakers in February. But Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green defended Harrison in a post on Threads. Green Supports Harrison Against Fan's Criticism A fan shared that it’s funny Harrison took issue with Doncic’s work ethic and conditioning when he traded him to the Lakers in for All-Star forward Anthony Davis, just for him to lose weight now and work more on his conditioning. Green doesn’t see it that way: “Does Luka have that same fire if not traded from Dallas? Nico can be right [in] his thinking and end up wrong in the end because he doesn’t play the game and Luka is one of the greatest talents we have seen,” he replied. “But it doesn’t just mean (expletive) on Nico either.” Losing Weight Was All Part of Doncic’s Offseason Plans To further support Green’s argument, The Athletic published a report on Tuesday claiming that Doncic was planning on losing weight regardless of whether he was on a new team. “Doncic and his management team began working with Anze Macek and Javier Barrio, the drivers of his physical wellness team in 2023, well before Nico Harrison traded him to the Lakers,” the report reads. “The belief among Doncic’s team was to some degree that as he matured as an NBA professional, he’d adopt some better habits and completely buy into a stricter strength and conditioning program instead of the more competition-driven approach he’d been comfortable with.” A fitter Doncic could be good news for the Lakers and bad news for the Mavericks ... and the rest of the NBA.
Oilers to Acquire a Top-Tier Goalie. An Official Trade Offer Is on the Table in a Blockbuster Deal
The Boston Bruins have been under pressure to retool after a disappointing season, and now a potential blockbuster move could shake the entire NHL. A major trade proposal has surfaced that could send a star goaltender to the Edmonton Oilers, a move that would give them the elite presence they've lacked in net while forcing Boston closer to a rebuild. The deal being floated by multiple outlets would send Edmonton's current starter, Stuart Skinner, along with Matthew Savoie, Beau Akey, and a 2028 first-round pick to Boston, while the Oilers land a goaltender capable of changing their Cup window overnight. Edmonton's push for a franchise goalie could reshape the Western Conference and challenge the Dallas Stars' path to the Cup If this trade goes through, the Oilers would instantly address one of their biggest weaknesses, setting up a showdown with teams like the Dallas Stars, who already see Edmonton as one of their toughest rivals. Boston, on the other hand, would fully commit to a rebuild, pairing Joonas Korpisalo with Skinner in what could be one of the NHL's weakest tandems, likely boosting their draft lottery odds in one of the most hyped draft classes in recent memory (NHL.com). An insider noted, "They weren't the only ones who had inquired about Swayman, but yes, I was told they poked around." That comment shows just how wide the interest is for this level of goalie talent (Heavy.com). I think this kind of trade would completely shift the balance of power in the West, making Edmonton even more dangerous for teams like Dallas, who could end up facing a vastly upgraded Oilers team in the playoffs. If Boston truly embraces a rebuild, moving their top goaltender could be the first domino in a massive roster overhaul, something that could shake the market for weeks.
Report: Bengals draw hard line in Trey Hendrickson contract talks
Cincinnati Bengals star defensive end Trey Hendrickson has been holding out from training camp as he seeks a new contract, and it does not sound like the two sides are all that close to a deal. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said on "SportsCenter" Monday that there has been "some progress" in negotiations between the Bengals and Hendrickson's representatives over the past week or so. The real disagreement has to do with guaranteed money, and Cincinnati's brass is not budging. "Hendrickson wants a stronger guaranteed structure, particularly later in what should be a multiyear deal. In talking to people with the Bengals they feel like, 'Hey, we've probably relented as far as we can go.' So this is a classic stare-off right now, and it's time to buckle up," Fowler said, via Andrew Peters of Bleacher Report. Hendrickson is set to earn $16M in base salary in the final year of his contract this season. He recently said he has shown a willingness to take less than market value on a new deal, but the Bengals do not want to guarantee him money beyond the 2026 season. Based on what he has said, the 30-year-old Hendrickson is not seeking to become the highest-paid defensive player in football. In order to accomplish that, he would have to top the three-year, $123M extension T.J. Watt signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. Hendrickson had 35 sacks over the past two seasons, which was the most in the NFL during that span. He had 17.5 sacks each season and finished second in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2024. The Bengals took care of one major offseason issue on Sunday when they finally signed first-round pick Shemar Stewart to a rookie deal. All it will take is one side to budge in the team's ongoing stalemate with Hendrickson, but all parties seem to be dug in as training camp rolls on.
Seattle Mariners Now Connected to Several High-End Relievers on Trade Market
In need of relief help at the looming trade deadline, the Seattle Mariners have now been connected to several high-end arms. First, former executive Jim Bowden of 'The Athletic' says that the team is a player for both David Bednar (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Ryan Helsley (St. Louis Cardinals). 'The reliever market led specifically by David Bednar #Pirates and Ryan Helsley #Cardinals is moving quickly all of a sudden today with #Phillies #Mets #Dodgers #Tigers #Mariners #Rangers all in play... both could get moved prior to Thursday trade deadline day now.' Bednar, 30, is under team control through the 2026 season and has gone 2-5 with a 2.37 ERA this season. He's appeared in 42 games, saving 17, and he's struck out 51 batters in 38.0 innings. A two-time All-Star, he'd pair with Andres Munoz, Matt Brash and Gabe Speier at the back-end of the M's bullpen. He led the National League in saves (39) in 2023. Helsley, 31, is a free agent at the end of this season and should cost less in terms of prospect capital. He's gone 3-1 in 36 games, registering a 3.00 ERA and striking out 41 in 36.0 innings. He led baseball in saves last season with 49. Beyond those two, there have been rumblings that the M's are interested in both Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax of the Minnesota Twins. Both pitchers are under team control through 2027. The Mariners have interest in Twins utility player Willi Castro as well, per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. Duran has 16 saves this season and features a 100+ mph fastball and a devastating "splinker" while Jax features an upper-90s fastball and a devastating sweeper. The Mariners are currently 57-50 and in sole possession of the second wild card spot, though they are just 0.5 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. They'll play the A's on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. PT.
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