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The man tasked with righting the ship for the lowly Detroit Pistons will at least be an experienced one.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Thursday that Detroit has landed on Trajan Langdon as their new president of basketball operations. Langdon is currently the general manager of the New Orleans Pelicans but will now be leaving to head the Pistons front office.
That is a pretty seismic hire by the Pistons as the 48-year-old Langdon is a highly regarded executive. He had served as GM of the Pelicans since 2019, helping the team rebuild into a playoff team in the post-Anthony Davis era.
A former standout at Duke University, Langdon was the No. 11 overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft. He played three years in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers before spending the next decade on teams overseas. After retiring as a player, Langdon became a scout for the San Antonio Spurs and then the assistant general manager for the Brooklyn Nets before taking the New Orleans general manager job.
Though they have some decent young talent to work with, the Pistons have one of the bleakest outlooks in the NBA currently. They went a league-worst 14-68 this season (after going 17-65 last season) and only ended up with the No. 5 overall pick in this year’s draft to show for it. The Langdon hire at least looks like a strong one, but it may not be nearly as ambitious as the one that was previously rumored for Detroit.
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Celtics Rumors: NBA Insider Provides Major Update on Anfernee Simons, Georges Niang Trades
An insider has revealed how the Boston Celtics could approach the futures of new additions Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang. The Boston Celtics have been trying to find another trade partner to reroute a couple of players they have acquired in trades this offseason, after trading both Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. Boston got Simons in return for Holiday, and Niang (plus a second-round pick) in return for Porzingis. It doesn't seem like the Celtics want to keep either player for the long term. The Celtics are still trying to get under the second apron of the luxury tax, so they need to shed more salary. An insider recently gave an update on their goal of trading these players away to achieve that ultimate goal. More news: Celtics Roster ‘Makes Zero Sense’ Says NBA Insider According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Celtics will likely enter the season with both Simons and Niang on their roster. He does mention that both of them could still be moved, though. "The Boston Celtics have remained active on the trade market this offseason, even after trading for Simons and Georges Niang," Siegel writes. "While they have talked with teams about both players, the Celtics will likely enter the season with these two on their roster. It is very possible that Simons and/or Niang could be flipped to cut costs at the trade deadline, depending on where Boston is in the Eastern Conference standings. The Celtics do want to see how Simons fits in Joe Mazzulla's system, as he is a player they are intrigued by, given his 3-point shooting prowess." Boston would actually benefit from keeping Simons on the basketball court because of his ability to score and get hot from beyond the 3-point arc. More news: Former Celtics NBA Champion Released By West Squad Niang is also a good 3-point shooter, and the Celtics launch more 3's than any team in the NBA. Keeping both players on the roster into next year would fit their style of play. Simons is on an expiring deal, so they wouldn't have him on their cap sheet long term. Niang is also on an expiring contract, so he wouldn't be on the cap sheet after this year, either. If Boston can find suitable trade partners for them, they will likely move them. If not, they will have to keep them on the roster and shed salary elsewhere on the roster. More news: Jayson Tatum Receives Injury Advice From Former Celtics Forward For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, visit Boston Celtics on SI.
Aaron Rodgers responds to criticism from Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw
The Pittsburgh Steelers' signing of quarterback Aaron Rodgers was an immediately polarizing move that did not sit well with large portions of the fan base. It also did not sit well with one of the team's all-time greatest players, four-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Terry Bradshaw. Bradshaw initially referred to the signing of Rodgers as a "joke" and that he should "stay in California and go chew bark" in reference to Rodgers isolating himself in a darkness retreat last year. On Saturday, Rodgers finally had a chance to respond to Bradshaw and did so with a combination of taking the high road, and also trying to make light of it. “I whisper to the gods every single day. I’ve known Terry for a long time, being a part of Fox. Terry’s a legend. He’s an absolute legend. He won four Super Bowls. He’s had a legendary career in the media. But Terry, like a lot of people, doesn’t know me. And so, he’s got an idea of what he thinks about me based on what I’ve done, the documentary, what I’ve said, darkness retreat, whatever the hell you want to talk about. I’d love to get to know Terry on a deeper level. I feel like if he gave me a chance to get to know him, then we’d have a good friendship." He ended the answer by saying, "So, I’d love to get to know Terry on a deeper level if he’s open to it. And maybe we can go chew some bark or whatever the hell he’s talking about together.” The Steelers were in a pretty desperate quarterback situation this offseason after completely overhauling the position for a second year in a row. They missed out on the chance to re-sign Justin Fields, let Russell Wilson walk, missed out on every other veteran who changed teams and passed on the opportunity to select a quarterback near the top of a weak quarterback draft class. (They ultimately selected Ohio State's Will Howard in the sixth round.) The whole Rodgers saga has been quite a soap opera for the Steelers as they waited around for months while he decided on whether or not he wanted to play this season, and if he wanted to play for the Steelers. Add in the fact he has had a tendency to cause some off-field distractions with his comments and weekly "Pat McAfee Show" appearances, as well as the fact he will turn 42 years old this season and hasn't been a top-tier quarterback in three years, and a lot of Steelers fans — and former players — were put off by the idea. The only thing that will matter in the end, however, is how Rodgers plays on the field. He has said all of the right things since joining the team, and his new teammates have all spoken highly of him so far, but it will still come down to results on the field. The Steelers have not won a playoff game in eight years and are facing added pressure each year to end that drought. They are hoping Rodgers has one more good year in him to help them advance in the postseason.
Cleveland Guardians Slapped With Bad News Before Trade Deadline
The Cleveland Guardians are quite a mystery heading into the MLB trade deadline, as no one seems to know whether they will buy, sell or possibly even do nothing before July 31. The Guardians are hovering around .500, but they are still smack dab in the middle of the American League Wild Card race. That's in spite of losing 10 straight just before the All-Star break. Even with Cleveland remaining in contention, there are some who believe the Guardians might sell given their conservative nature, but talk show host Bruce Drennan has provided some rather bad news for the team in that regard: the players they might want to move don't have much value. “No top prospects for a big bat, and I don’t necessarily see us selling players, like Carlos Santana or Lane Thomas. What can you get in return?” Drennan said. Drennan has a point. Santana and Thomas are both impending free agents, and neither has been all that good this season. Santana owns a .665 OPS, and Thomas has been on and off the injured list while hitting just .160 on the year. Of course, the Guardians would surely be able to land a hefty return for players like Steven Kwan and Emmanuel Clase, but it does not seem like Cleveland is going to move either of those two stars. Perhaps the Guardians will surprise some people and go all in by adding pieces at the deadline, but that isn't exactly in their nature. We'll see what happens before the end of the months, but it stands to reason that Cleveland might just stand pat, as Drennan anticipates. Read More Cleveland Guardians Coverage
Green Bay Packers: Released Titans CB, Undrafted Free Agent Fills Final 91st Spot on Green & Gold Roster
Three days into training camp, with a day off Saturday, the Green Bay Packers announced the final signing to fill the 91-player offseason unit: cornerback Garnett Hollis Jr., added as undrafted free agent by the Titans in May but released later to clear roster room. Hollis joins Green Bay Packers’ motley crew of CBs behind top 3 guys Hollis played four seasons in college, his last with West Virginia after transferring from Northwestern. In three years of real playing time, he recorded 120 tackles, 2 INTs, and 12 passes defensed. He started 29 of 39 career games. The 6-foot, 199-pound corner is a native of Nashville, Tennessee, but will head back north for the summer. The Packers have announced that he will wear no. 41 during camp. Although the 90th and 91st signings were named together in the team’s formal release, the arrival of running back Israel Abanikanda, a waiver pickup from San Francisco, was reported yesterday by various sources. Over at cornerback, Hollis will join fellow rookies Jonathan Baldwin, Tyron Herring, and Micah Robinson, Green Bay’s penultimate pick of the 2025 draft at 237th overall. In addition to that group is a number of fringe players with or without NFL snaps. Bo Melton has also completed his CB position switch from receiver. The only sure things at the position are Keisean Nixon, free agent signing Nate Hobbs, and third-year man Carrington Valentine. According to his West Virginia bio, Hollis earned a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern in education and social policy, and worked toward a master’s in sports management while with the Mouintaneers. Although undrafted free agents, let alone 91st signings, have an uphill battle, playing alongside a guy like Valentine, who has made a career for himself as a former 232nd pick, can offer encouragement. Per Spotrac, Hollis, 23, made $82,500 in guaranteed money, including a $12,500 signing bonus, from his contract with Tennessee.
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