Going for a big fish in the free agency market doesn’t seem to be on the agenda for Trajan Langdon and the Detroit Pistons’ front office.
Not only did Langdon mention that a star acquisition would likely have to come through the trade market, but he made it pretty clear that the current core in place is good enough to earn another year to prove they are going to take another step in the right direction.
Will the Pistons simply run it back? They probably can’t keep everybody. And if losing someone like Malik Beasley or Tim Hardaway Jr. is in the cards for Detroit, one Pistons-centric writer suggests a move for Minnesota Timberwolves veteran Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
“He’s a big shooting guard with a long wingspan who can defend several positions on the perimeter and knock down 3-point shots,” writes PistonsPowered’s Aaron Kellerstrass. “He’s not the creator or scorer that [Derrick] White is, but NAW has shown scoring ability in the past, especially when he played for New Orleans when he was considered more of an offensive prospect.”
As everybody spent the 2024-2025 NBA season linking Trajan Langdon to other Pelicans prospects such as Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, this is an angle that goes in a direction off the radar.
Alexander-Walker is one of the better two-way reserve guards in the NBA. Since spending two full seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Alexander-Walker has had perfect attendance. Averaging 24 minutes off the bench, he’s played in all 82 games over the past two seasons.
Availability was key for the Pistons, who are coming off a relatively healthy year.
One has to assume that the Pistons are going to do what they can to keep Malik Beasley in the mix. After signing the veteran guard to a one-year deal, Beasley played in every matchup as well. Seeing the court for 28 minutes per game, Beasley scored 16 points per game, while knocking down 42 percent of his threes. He was the league’s runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award.
Beasley made it clear he would like to return to the Motor City for at least another year. The Pistons would be wise to consider it. However, the case for Alexander-Walker is a strong one.
“This is a guy who could potentially score 15 points per game with a few more shots, and he’s already a very good defender who would fit right into the culture the Pistons are building,” Kellerstrass added.
What Langdon saw out of Alexander-Walker in New Orleans was slightly different than what the Timberwolves see. As he improved a lot defensively, Alexander-Walker has been more embraced on that end of the floor.
Offensively, he’s seeing fewer attempts compared to earlier in his career. While the three-point volume doesn’t match Beasley’s, the efficiency is in the same ballpark. Over the past two seasons, Alexander-Walker averaged 38 percent from deep.
Even a return for Beasley shouldn’t cross out Alexander-Walker entirely. With Tim Hardaway Jr. potentially parting ways with the Pistons in free agency, Alexander-Walker could be viewed as a potential replacement for the small forward. Two years ago, Alexander-Walker spent most of his minutes as the two-guard. This year, 48 percent of his minutes came at forward, where his efficiency differential was nearly doubled, according to Cleaning the Glass.
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Recent league rumblings suggested that the Sacramento Kings will be signing Russell Westbrook to bolster their backcourt depth. While signing the nine-time All-Star would certainly be in their interest, the Kings appear to have other priorities in mind. Sacramento has been particularly active in trade talks this offseason. From being involved in negotiations for Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga to supposedly facilitating a trade for DeMar DeRozan, the Kings will be making some changes. Westbrook's arrival is imminent, as his agent, Jeff Schwarz, has been in constant communication with the Kings' front office. However, the organization is reportedly aiming to complete trades involving Malik Monk and Devin Carter before moving forward with Westbrook, per ABC10's Matt George. The trade market for Monk and Carter hasn’t been promising. Carter has been mentioned as the central figure in Sacramento's trade package for Kuminga. The Warriors haven't viewed this favorably, as they have shown an interest in Keon Ellis instead. Meanwhile, the Kings' decision to trade Monk is an intriguing one, especially in light of the season he had. Primarily acting as a bench player, the guard put up 17.2 points and 5.6 assists per night, while shooting 43.9% from the field and 32.5% from beyond the arc. At only 26 years old, Monk has proven himself a valuable contributor with his athleticism and shot-making ability. This move seems driven by roster imbalance and cap constraints. With a crowded backcourt and limited cap space, the Kings have been forced to make tough choices. Facilitating a trade for the guard has proven to be a challenge. Even though trade efforts for Monk began earlier this month, Sacramento hasn’t made much progress. While this could complicate matters under normal circumstances, it likely won’t derail Westbrook’s eventual signing. Apart from a few teams, the 36-year-old hadn't garnered much interest for his talents. When considering that the market for Westbrook was held up by Ben Simmons' pending decision to sign with a team, it is evident that Sacramento took a more proactive approach. This could have positive results in light of the season the veteran guard had. Coming off a solid season with the Denver Nuggets, Westbrook showcased that he could be perceived as a reliable floor general even at this stage in his career. For the 2024-25 season, he put up an average of 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists, while shooting 44.9% from the field and 32.3% from three-point range. He also showed that he could shine in a more prominent role, drawing on the task of being a starter in Jamal Murray's absence. That stretch led to a modest boost in production, reinforcing his value on a playoff-caliber team. Sacramento hasn’t made its direction for the upcoming season entirely clear. But given the current roster construction, a top-10 finish in the West seems unlikely.
Only eight plate appearances into his New York Yankees career, Ryan McMahon has already been more productive than the team’s previous third base options. What might sound hyperbolic or outright false at first glance is actually true, at least from a certain point of view. Analytics — specifically, Wins Above Replacement — proves that argument, and it’s one that Yankees manager Aaron Boone should be ashamed of. McMahon went 2-for-3 with a two-run double in Sunday’s victory over the Phillies, giving him four hits in his first eight at-bats. FanGraphs ruled that McMahon is already worth 0.2 fWAR through two games in a Yankees uniform. Amazingly, McMahon has a higher fWAR than the trio of DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Jorbit Vivas, who have played a combined 148 games in the infield thus far. LeMahieu provided -0.1 fWAR over 45 games before being unceremoniously cut earlier this month, while Vivas (-0.2) is currently at Triple-A. Peraza and his -0.6 fWAR remain on the active roster, though he’s shifted into a bench role. Baseball-Reference has been slightly more generous, giving Peraza -0.2 bWAR. Boone stuck with LeMahieu and Peraza until he couldn’t anymore, and it’s partly why the Yankees have dropped to 5 1/2 games back in the AL East. Injuries and age took their toll on LeMahieu, who only played second after returning from calf and hip problems. Peraza owns a .152 average and .452 OPS in 170 plate appearances. We’ll see if McMahon can elevate the Yankees, who open a pivotal four-game set with the rival Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.
Luis Díaz’s move to Bayern Munich for a reported €75 million (around £65.5 million, including add-ons) wasn’t just a blockbuster summer transfer; it was a prime example of Liverpool playing the market smartly. While fans might feel watching the Colombian winger leave after three impactful years at Anfield, the reality is that the Reds cashed in at the right time, on their own terms. Bayern’s earlier bid of €67.5 million was turned down, but when Díaz made it clear he was ready for a new challenge, and Liverpool saw contract extension talks stalling, they took control of the situation. The club chose to sell at full market value rather than risk losing a valuable asset for less down the line. In today’s climate, getting top dollar for a player pushing 30 with no new deal in sight is no small achievement. They signed him from Porto in January 2022 for £37.5 million, rising to £50 million with add-ons. The sale now not only brings in profit but also helps Liverpool enhance their galactic transfer window even further. The Reds Played This Window Like Pros Liverpool has had a busy, record-breaking summer of high spending, with over £300 million spent on fresh faces like Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, and Hugo Ekitike. Those names don’t come cheap, but while many clubs overextend during rebuilds, Liverpool has kept things tidy on the financial front. Offloading Díaz, along with departures like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Caoimhin Kelleher, and Jarell Quansah, has brought in nearly £125 million in total, helping to balance their books and avoid falling foul of FFP regulations. Liverpool found the sweet spot between emotion and economics in a transfer market where clubs either panic-buy or cling onto stars for too long. No Room For Stalemates Let’s not forget, this wasn’t just about money. Behind the scenes, Díaz’s future was uncertain for months. Liverpool made two attempts to extend his contract, but neither went anywhere. Sources close to the player had hinted at his decision to leave as early as summer 2024, especially after his stock rose following a strong 2023/24 campaign. Bayern came knocking with a better deal in July 2025, and the writing was on the wall. The club’s decision to leave Díaz out of the pre-season friendly against AC Milan, despite no injury concerns, was a clear sign that things were moving quickly. Rather than drag the saga out and risk it affecting the dressing room, Liverpool acted decisively. A Big Departure, But Vision Remains Since his Liverpool debut, Díaz has made 148 appearances, scoring 40+ goals and providing around 23 assists. He was electric, unpredictable, and crucial for the club during the 2024-25 season, notching 17 goals and eight assists in 50 games as the Reds lifted the Premier League title. He offered more than just stats; his flair on the left wing, defensive work rate, and ability to change games were undeniable. Liverpool has a long history of letting stars go when the timing is right, and this move feels consistent with that tradition. A Squad Ready To Evolve With Díaz gone and Darwin Núñez also rumored to be on his way out, Liverpool’s front line is undergoing a reshuffle. The likes of Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, and new boy Ekitike give Slot plenty to work with, but the real excitement lies in the club’s pursuit of Alexander Isak. The Newcastle striker is being lined up as a potential record-breaking signing, with Liverpool preparing a huge bid to bring the Swedish international to Anfield, and they’re thinking of breaking the British transfer record for the second time in a single window. Isak has reportedly rejected offers from Saudi Arabia, making Liverpool his preferred destination. The Díaz funds could prove vital in landing him, proof that Liverpool aren’t just cashing in, they’re already preparing the next chapter.
Austin Hill was the subject of much scrutiny following Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hill appeared to intentionally hook Aric Almirola with six laps to go in the Pennzoil 250 after Almirola had gotten Hill loose in Turn 3. Almirola believed Hill's actions to be intentional, as did several members of the media. On Monday's episode of "Actions Detrimental with Denny Hamlin," Hamlin became the latest NASCAR personality to call out Hill's decision. "It looked like he right-rear hooked the No. 19," Hamlin said. "I'm just saying, there's no way you can be that dumb. It feels like if there's anyone that would fly off the rails, it's probably (Hill)." Hamlin went on to say that it was possible that Hill's wheel had yet to stop spinning from the contact in the previous corner that forced Hill to save his car. A one-race suspension for Hill would not be surprising, given the fact that NASCAR has suspended drivers for retaliatory crashes in the past. A one-race suspension would force Hill to miss Saturday's race at Iowa Speedway, a race he finished 29th in a year ago. A decision regarding a potential suspension would likely come on Tuesday when NASCAR issues its weekly penalty report.