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The Magic are filling one of their open two-way slots by converting Mac McClung‘s Exhibit 10 contract to a two-way deal, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
A 6-foot-2 guard, McClung is the reigning G League Most Valuable Player and a two-time dunk contest champion. In 41 Showcase Cup and regular-season games for the Osceola Magic last season, he averaged 25.5 points, 6.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds in 35.5 minutes per contest, with an excellent shooting line of .492/.380/.846.
Despite excelling in the G League and showing off impressive athleticism in the last two dunk contests, McClung has struggled to break through at the NBA level. Since making his regular-season debut nearly three years ago, he has appeared in just four NBA games — one for the Bulls in December 2021, one for the Lakers in April 2022 and two for the Sixers in April 2023.
McClung will now have a chance to suit up for the Magic this fall as one of the team’s two-way players, alongside Trevelin Queen.
Orlando still has one more two-way slot available, with Exhibit 10 camp signees Jalen Slawson, Ethan Thompson and Alex Morales all eligible to be converted by Monday. The team could also decide to look outside the organization to fill that final two-way opening.
More must-reads:
- Warriors forward, others seeking extensions worth north of $30M annually
- The 25 greatest NBA rivalries of all-time
- The 'Orlando Magic players to score 40 points in a game' quiz
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New evidence casts doubt on when Clippers cut ties with fraudulent company
The Los Angeles Clippers said they had cut ties with jersey sponsor Aspiration during the 2022-23 season. New reports about their owner's investments with the company cast doubt on that timeline. When Pablo Torre first reported on Aspiration's suspicious $48M endorsement deal with Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers responded in a statement to the Los Angeles Times that stated, "The team ended its relationship with Aspiration years ago, during the 2022-23 season, when Aspiration defaulted on its obligations." Ballmer invested millions in March 2023 But owner Steve Ballmer invested an additional $10M into the company on March 9, 2023, when there were just 14 games remaining in the 2022-23 season. Perhaps the team officially "cut ties," but as Ballmer owns 99% of the team, it's hard to argue the team was separate from the man who owns them and continued to give them money. The team gave Aspiration $118M over an 18-month span, nominally to purchase carbon credits well in advance of their new arena opening. One of their pre-payments of $32.4M coincides with Leonard signing his infamous, no-obligation $28M endorsement deal with the company. If the Clippers were really cutting ties with a company that supposedly tricked them and defaulted on its obligations, then why was their primary owner still pouring money into the company? At this point, the NBA investigation is underway, but there's enough evidence of sketchy behavior that Ballmer and the Clippers need a better explanation for their conduct than simply claiming they were duped.
Cleveland Browns may be without a Pro Bowler against the Packers, and Green Bay suffers legit scare on Thursday
The Cleveland Browns have their attention on the Green Bay Packers with their first NFC opponent coming to town in Week 3. Cleveland opened the season with two AFC North losses against the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens and will now look to get right against perhaps the league’s best team. Green Bay has had the best defense this season through two games the league has and they bring a good quarterback with Jordan Love. Cleveland looks like they’ll get RT Jack Conklin back this week against the Packers, while DT Mike Hall did not participate on Thursday as part of his plan returning from the knee injury. It could be another week before the former second-round pick is out there. Joel Bitonio has not practiced yet this week with a back injury and tomorrow will tell whether or not he will be able to play against the Packers. Returner DeAndre Carter returned to practice for the Browns on Thursday from concussion protocol. The Packers suffer scare with one of their offensive stars Tucker Kraft is one of the league's more underrated tight ends and he suffered a knee tweak at practice on Thursday that was a scare, but he is expected to be fine. The star tight end had 124 yards and a touchdown against the Washington Commanders last week and will be a major weapon that the Packers and Love will look to target. Cleveland’s defense is allowing 146 passing yards per game through two games, which is third in the NFL. The Browns' offense will have to give the defense a chance to stay in this one at home. If Cleveland doesn’t have Bitonio against the Packers, they’ll be turning to backup offensive lineman Tevin Jenkins. Cleveland’s defensive front has been maybe the best in the NFL through the first two games, so they’ll only benefit when they put Hall’s interior rushing ability into the mix. It just may be too early for that to happen in Week 3 against Green Bay. window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-424').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-424').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*');
Fantasy Football Week 3 Start ‘Em and Sit ‘Em – Bench Hill?
The NFL’s Week 3 action begins with the Buffalo Bills taking on the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football. Following Thursday Night Football, Sunday’s slate presents some fun matchups for fantasy football. Ending the Week 3 lineup will be an exciting matchup featuring the Detroit Lions vs the Baltimore Ravens. Who’s worth a start and who’s worth benching this week? Here are five players to start and sit entering Week 3. Five Players to Start 1. Rome Odunze vs. Dallas Cowboys – No. 30 vs WRs (NFL Fantasy) Considering the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants had a thrilling 40-37 showdown last week, definitely start Rome Odunze. Last week, in a 52-21 loss against the Lions, Odunze was targeted 11 times and caught seven passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns. In the Cowboys’ matchup against the Giants, New York’s receivers did very well. Malik Nabers scored 37.70 points. He caught nine passes on 13 targets for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Their secondary wide receiever, Wan’Dale Robinson, scored eight passes on 10 targets for 142 yards and a touchdown. The Bears feature two receivers in Odunze and D.J. Moore, but Odunze has been the alpha between the two early on this season. He can contribute mightily to fantasy teams in Week 3. 2. Drake Maye vs Pittsburgh Steelers – No. 28 vs QBs (NFL Fantasy) After allowing Justin Fields (29.52) and Sam Darnold (15.80) to some solid performances in the first two weeks, starting Drake Maye is a good idea. To start the season the Steelers have let up 200+ yards in the passing game and have struggled to guard the middle of the field. With weapons like Stefon Diggs and DeMario Douglas, Maye could have a big day and potentially throw for multiple touchdowns. Even with the Steelers having Ramsey in the secondary, their safety play has allowed big plays across the field. Until the Steelers fix their defensive miscues, starting the quarterback facing them makes sense. According to StatMuse the Patriots are 8-2 against the Steelers in their last 10 matchups. 3. Jonathan Taylor vs. Tennessee Titans – No. 22 vs RBs (NFL Fantasy) After a 165 yard performance vs the Denver Broncos, Jonathan Taylor will face the Tennessee Titans in a AFC South matchup. His 165 yard game netted him 29.5 points against a good Broncos defense. The Titans are currently giving up an average of 5.4 yards per carry. Seeing these numbers should give fantasy owners plenty of confidence to start Taylor against the Titans. Last time the Colts played the Titans on Dec. 22, 2024, Taylor rushed for 218 yards and three touchdowns. 4. James Cook vs Miami Dolphins – No. 27 vs RB’s (NFL Fantasy) James Cook is another running back on this list that’s coming off another 100+ yard performance. Not only did he score two touchdowns but he rushed for 132 yards vs the New York Jets. The Dolphins are coming off another bad game and are on a short week. With little time to truly fix their run game, Cook can take advantage of a good situation. Though he’s only averaged 37.3 rushing yards vs the Dolphins, there’s optimism he can have his first big game against Miami on Thursday night. 5. Kyle Pitts vs Carolina Panthers – No. 30 vs TEs (NFL Fantasy) With Michael Penix and Kyle Pitts’ chemistry continuing to grow, Pitts is finally inching towards becoming a trustworthy start. Though he hasn’t had a big game yet this season, Week 3 looks to be ideal against the Panthers. His four catches for 37 yards in a 22-6 win may seem disappointing, but there’s hope that he can bounce back. Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride averaged 13.0 yards per catch in Week 1 against the Panthers. Even Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange average 14.8 yards per catch against the Panthers defense. If Pitts gets big receptions in space he could be a threat in fantasy football this week. Five Players to Sit 1. Jacory Croskey-Merritt vs. Las Vegas Raiders – No. 5 vs RBs (NFL Fantasy) Even with his expectation to take more snaps in the absence of Austin Ekeler, sitting him this week may be the best option. The Raiders are only allowing an average of 13.20 points to running backs. Having to face Maxx Crosby should caution fantasy owners from starting Croskey-Merritt. Last week, Chargers backs Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton combine for 10.3 fantasy points. 2. Garrett Wilson vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers – N0. 5 vs WRs (NFL Fantasy) With Justin Fields missing Week 3 due to his concussion, there’s a reason to feel unsure about starting Garrett Wilson. After last weeks disappointing performance against the Bills, Wilson will face a well-rounded Buccaneers secondary. Facing a secondary of Antoine Winfield, Jamel Dean, Tykee Smith, Zyon McCollum and Jacob Parrish makes it a difficult decision to start Wilson. With Tyrod Taylor starting this week, his unstable chemistry with the receiving core as a whole may limit the production of Wilson. 3. Tyreek Hill vs Buffalo Bills – No. 6 vs WRs (NFL Fantasy) With Tua Tagovailoa‘s shaky performance to start the season, sitting Tyreek Hill vs. the Buffalo Bills is best. Despite Jaylen Waddle being questionable, the Bills defense could wreck the game for everyone on Miami. According to StatMuse, Hill has not had over 100 receiving yards against the Bills since starting his Dolphins tenure in 2022. The Bills defense has proven they can contain him and prevent him from having big time games. 4. Matthew Stafford vs Philadelphia Eagles – No. 11 vs QBs (NFL Fantasy) Matthew Stafford against the Philadelphia Eagles is a must avoid matchup. The Eagles have a fierce defense, including Jalen Carter and rookie safety Andrew Mukuba. Last week, Stafford struggled in the first half against the Titans before exploding in the second half in a 33-19 win. In the first two weeks, quarterbacks such as Patrick Mahomes and Dak Prescott have struggled against against the Eagles defense. In Week 2, Mahomes went 16-of-29 for 187 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He had to produce a lot with his legs, which Stafford cannot do. In Week 1, Prescott went 21-of-34 for 188 yards. 5. Ashton Jeanty vs Washington Commanders – No. 6 vs RBs (NFL Fantasy) Ashton Jeanty is worth the consideration of a sit this week. In his first two weeks, Jeanty has not cracked 50 rushing yards on 10+ carries. Since he is still adjusting to the NFL from Boise State, it’s okay to let him set on the bench this week or until he proves to be fantasy worthy.
Commanders announce 3 key starters don’t practice before Raiders game
The Washington Commanders are going into the end of the week with a lengthy injury report before they face off against the Las Vegas Raiders. Quarterback Jayden Daniels, wide receiver Noah Brown and tight end John Bates are out of practice for a second consecutive day, putting their statuses in doubt before their Week 3 matchup against the Raiders. Commanders down key players ahead of Raiders game The Commanders aren't in the greatest spot as they prepare to face the Raiders. Daniels is day-to-day with a knee sprain, while Bates is still dealing with a groin injury and Brown is dealing with both groin and knee pain. This could lead to the offense struggling in Week 3 against the Raiders, but not all hope is lost. With Daniels on the sideline, the Commanders could turn to backup Marcus Mariota to make the start against the Raiders. Mariota played for the Raiders in the 2020 season and has started in the past with the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons. Mariota is entering his second season with the Commanders, so he is well-prepared to face any challenges that may come about for Washington. Bates is a strong blocking tight end for the Commanders, so his loss wouldn't be insignificant. If he cannot go, Ben Sinnott, a 2024 second-round pick, would start in his place. Zach Ertz could also be called upon for more work. Brown's injuries could also be costly. If he cannot go, that could mean more work for Deebo Samuel. While Samuel missed the most recent practice due to personal reasons, he is still expected to play against the Raiders. The team will also count on Terry McLaurin, Luke McCaffrey and rookie fourth-round pick Jaylin Lane. To round out the injury report, rookie cornerback Trey Amos was limited with a shoulder injury he sustained in Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers. Offensive lineman Brandon Coleman (shoulder), running back Jeremy McNichols (hamstring) and tight end Colson Yankoff (hip) all fully participated in practice.
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