Several NBA teams unveiled their statement jerseys for the 2022-23 season, with the most prominent of those teams being the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers' alternate look for the season will feature purple uniforms with yellow and black trim.
Purple base & Gold details
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 15, 2022
Introducing the 2022-23 Statement Edition@bibigoUSA x #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/8uitexSjqX
The gold is more prominent in this year's jersey, while they also switched the numbers to black with white trim.
The Lakers will wear the statement jerseys during select games this season.
The Lakers are coming off a disappointing 2021-22 season that saw them finish with a disappointing 33-49 record. Injuries were a big problem, but nothing regarding the team seemed to click. There are going to be big expectations for a bounce-back season.
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The NBA offseason has slowed down a ton since the end of the Summer League but despite that, one headline has remained the talk around the league. That would be the ongoing saga between the Golden State Warriors and restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. Of course, it has been reported that Kuminga has turned down the Warriors’ contract offer and while other teams have offered him a contract in free agency, they have failed to meet Golden State’s high asking price in a potential sign-and-trade. As the Warriors continue to await Kuminga’s decision, they have already missed out on many free agent targets as they have failed to make any additions to their roster outside of the 2025 draft. Because of this, Golden State is likely wanting Kuminga’s ongoing situation to end as soon as possible so that they can start upgrading their roster and Sports Illustrated’s Rohan Raman recently released a mock trade that would send the young forward to the Portland Trail Blazers. Warriors predicted to trade Jonathan Kuminga to Trail Blazers In the trade, the Warriors would send Kuminga and two first-round picks to the Trail Blazers in exchange for Toumani Camara and Robert Williams III while also receiving a 2026 second-round pick from the Atlanta Hawks for Gui Santos. Portland would also send Matisse Thybulle to Atlanta for Kobe Bufkin and a 2030 second-round pick. This would be an interesting trade for every team involved as the Trail Blazers would land another young player to build around while the Warriors would address two key needs on their roster. For Golden State, adding a young defensive-minded forward in Camara would be a great addition to their roster as he would provide them with another great scorer and defender in their lineup. The Warriors would also fill their hole at the center position by adding Williams III who is a great defender and solid inside scorer, though he has had injury problems throughout his career. While this trade would work out for the Warriors, it would be a major risk for them to give up two future first-round picks and the Trail Blazers may also be unwilling to move on from Camara after he showed out for them last season.
Despite being viewed as a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe ended up sliding into the third round. The 22-year-old who was the starter for Alabama for two seasons was selected with the No. 92 pick by the Seattle Seahawks. Although every player's dream is to go in the first round, Milroe likely couldn't have gone to a better situation. There is virtually no pressure on him as the Seahawks signed former Minnesota Vikings quarterback, Sam Darnold, to a three-year, $100.5 million contract this offseason, and also have Drew Lock, who has started 28 career games on the roster as well. However, based on ESPN's initial depth chart, Milroe may be climbing the depth chart sooner than most expected. Seattle Seahawks Depth Chart As reported by ESPN, the Seahawks depth chart goes as follows: QB1: Sam Darnold QB2 Jalen Milroe QB3 Drew Lock If this truly ends up being the case, Milroe has taken major strides following his final season at Alabama. During his final year in Tuscaloosa, Milroe was criticized heavily for forcing passes into windows that weren't there after being late on reads. In his final season at Alabama, Milroe threw a career-high 11 interceptions to just 16 touchdowns, an increase of five more interceptions than he threw in 2023. Although training camp is still ongoing and the preseason games have yet to be played, clearly, Milroe is finding some success in the pacific northwest.
One out, seventh inning, 2-2 tie in Arlington. Ben Rice watched from the dugout as manager Aaron Boone called Paul Goldschmidt to pinch-hit for Austin Wells. When Goldschmidt crushed a 0-2 fastball over the left-field wall for the go-ahead run, the New York Yankees had their first lead since the fifth inning. More importantly, they had it because Rice's catching ability made the crucial substitution possible. The 26-year-old's emergence as a multi-position weapon couldn't be more timely. The Yankees entered Wednesday's Texas series finale having blown a seven-game AL East lead since May 28, sitting 6.5 games behind Toronto and 3.5 behind Boston for the first wild card. They'd started August 0-5, desperate for any break before facing Houston at home. Rice represents the internal solution they've needed. His .779 OPS sits well above the .719 MLB average, powered by 16 home runs and elite contact metrics. Baseball Savant ranks him in the 95th percentile or higher in hard-hit percentage, average exit velocity, expected slugging and expected weighted on-base average. Those numbers seem impossible considering where Rice started. The 2021 12th-round Dartmouth pick hit .171 in 178 plate appearances last season. But knowing he'd catch in 2025, Rice added 10 pounds to his frame and worked relentlessly on his receiving skills. The defensive flexibility pays dividends beyond Wednesday's game. Rice has posted a +2 fielding run value across 84 innings caught and 180 innings at first base. Not spectacular, but competent enough to create the matchup advantages Boone exploited against the Rangers. Rice embodies exactly what championship teams find within their system. Aaron Judge remains the Yankees' best player, but Rice may be their most valuable in pure utility terms. His ability to produce above-average offense while handling two premium positions creates strategic options other teams lack. Wednesday's sequence proved the point. Without Rice's catching ability, Boone couldn't have pinch-hit Goldschmidt in that crucial spot. The move worked because Rice had spent months building trust through consistent performance at both positions. The Yankees still trail Toronto by 6.5 games with the Astros series looming next. Their playoff chances remain fragile yet likely, per FanGraphs, after months of disappointing baseball. But Rice's ascension from .171 hitter to essential depth piece shows what's possible when overlooked talent meets opportunity. If the Yankees accomplish anything meaningful this season, they'll trace it back to moments like Wednesday's seventh inning. Not because of Goldschmidt's clutch homer, but because Ben Rice made that moment possible.
Ennis Rakestraw will not play in 2025. The second-year corner was already known to be a candidate to miss time, but the Lions placed him on injured reserve Thursday. Only players released via an injury settlement are eligible to play after being moved to IR at this point in the offseason. Given his status as a 2024 second-round pick, that will obviously not be the case for Rakestraw. After what was essentially a redshirt rookie season, this news is a significant blow for team and player. Lions head coach Dan Campbell recently said Rakestraw was going to miss time due to a shoulder injury. Surgery took place on Thursday, and NFL insider Jordan Schultz notes the procedure was a success. That is of course only a small consolation considering the fact Rakestraw’s rehab process will cost him the entire campaign. The 23-year-old logged just 141 total snaps across eight games last season. A starting cornerback role was not in play since Detroit still has Terrion Arnold and Amik Robertson in the fold and replaced Carlton Davis with D.J. Reed via free agency. Still, Rakestraw was in position to occupy a backup spot on the perimeter, so an injury to Arnold or Reed could have elevated him to first-team action. Now, the Lions’ secondary depth will be tested after the unit dealt with numerous injuries last season. Luq Barcoo and D.J. Miller were signed earlier this week. Veteran Avonte Maddox represents an experienced option amongst the team’s remaining backups, although he is best suited for slot and/or safety duties. Rock Ya-Sin has spent his entire career as a corner, but the Lions have tried him at safety this offseason. In the wake of Rakestraw’s injury, it will be interesting to see that plan changes and Ya-Sin’s attention turns back to the cornerback position. With nearly $48M in cap space, Detroit can easily afford a one-year deal amongst the remaining free agents at the CB spot. Asante Samuel Jr., Rasul Douglas and Kendall Fuller are some of the veterans still looking for a gig at this point in the offseason. With a vacancy in the secondary, it will be interesting to see if the Lions pursue a contract with any member of that trio or another cover man on the market.
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