On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Report: Victor Oladipo 'increasingly unlikely' to get max contract
Things haven't gone well for Victor Oladipo since joining the Miami Heat at the trade deadline and it could lead to reduced value as a free agent this offseason.
According to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, it's "increasingly unlikely" that Oladipo lands a max contract extension.
"It is increasingly unlikely that Victor will get anything near a maximum deal this summer, in terms of annual dollars or even years, from the Heat or elsewhere," Winderman said. "Thursday's injury rekindled plenty of questions that never were far removed from the conversation."
Oladipo suffered a knee injury and didn't travel with the team on its current road trip. In four games with Miami, the 28-year-old is averaging 12 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 37.2% from the field and 23.5% from deep.
The two-time All-Star has had an up-and-down season thus far after beginning the year with the Indiana Pacers before being dealt to the Houston Rockets and later the Heat.
Despite his struggles, Heat star Jimmy Butler believes Oladipo will end up being a "huge help" for the team.
More must-reads:
- Heat's Victor Oladipo to miss at least four games with knee injury
- Heat's Tyler Herro accepts bench role: I try to 'keep the flow going'
- The '40 points in an NBA Finals game' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Ex-NBA Big Kendrick Perkins Makes a Bold Claim About LA Lakers Duo
The Los Angeles Lakers are thriving, and LeBron James hasn’t even stepped foot on the court yet. Nobody expected a collapse for a LeBron-less Lakers team, especially considering Luka Doncic is leading the charge. But the NBA has seen plenty of scoring outbursts this year, and both Doncic and Austin Reaves are responsible for a handful of them. In Kendrick Perkins’ eyes, the Lakers have the hottest duo in the league with Doncic and Reaves. via @KendrickPerkins: I think it’s safe to say that Luka and Reaves are the Best Duo in Basketball right now It’s very early in the year, so it’s difficult to truly crown a top player, duo, or team this season. However, Perkins’ opinion once again shines a light on just how dominant Doncic and Reaves have been, and they haven’t even done it all together. Through the Lakers’ first seven games, Doncic has appeared in four matchups. In his first two games of the season, Doncic scored over 40 points in each of the games, logging double-doubles in both outings. He missed three games due to a minor setback, and then returned to the floor with a 44-point outing, marking his third-straight 40-point effort, along with a double-double. Sunday’s action against the Miami Heat didn’t feature a 40-point game, but Doncic was still quite productive. The star guard produced 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 10-point win. Looking over at Austin Reaves the star guard has played in all seven games for the Lakers this year. He started the season off with showings of 26 points and 25 points. Reaves went off with a 51-point double-double against the Sacramento Kings. He followed that performance up with a 41-point outing against the Portland Trail Blazers. Reaves didn’t continue rattling off 40-plus-point efforts, but he maintained productive scoring as Doncic returned to the lineup. Against the Memphis Grizzlies last Friday, Reaves scored 21 points in 36 minutes. In the following game against the Miami Heat, he dropped 26 points and 11 assists in 37 minutes of action. When it comes to point totals, Doncic and Reaves are the top two teammates in that category so far. Reaves is second in the NBA with 218 points, trailing the reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Doncic comes in at 12th, with 165 points, trailing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Donovan Mitchell, just outside of the top 10. Want to read more about the daily ripple effects of the NBA? Make sure you bookmark Fastbreak on SI for the top hoops stories of the day from a league-wide scope. The Latest on Fastbreak on SI
Seahawks GM's comments offer clue at potential NFL trade deadline partners
If there was any question about whether the Seattle Seahawks should be buyers or sellers going into the NFL trade deadline, last night's crushing victory over the Washington Commanders answered it. After eight games played, Seattle has a top-five scoring offense, a top-five scoring defense and a special teams unit that's making high-impact plays routine. That gives the Seahawks all the reason in the world to be aggressive at the trade deadline, and the latest reporting suggests that's exactly what they're going to do. General manager John Schneider may have offered a hint in his pre-game radio hit with KIRO, saying that the Seahawks spoke with teams at the Maryland-Indiana game on Saturday. That give us an idea of who they might be dealing with, based on the reports of the other teams who sent personnel to that game. That includes the San Francisco 49ers, the New York Jets, the Carolina Panthers, the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Commanders, who may have had some extra face time with the Seahawks during last night's game. We can safely cross the 49ers off the list of potential trade partners, but we can't do that with any others. The one question mark is the Panthers - and nobody seems to know which way they're leaning. Carolina is a surprise 5-4 after shocking the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, but the gap between the Panthers and the NFC teams currently on pace for a playoff spot is pretty massive. That makes the Jets, Browns and Commanders the most likely candidates to make a deal with the Seahawks from this list but we also have to assume they're talking with other teams. Pete Carroll's Raiders are another obvious potential trade partner based on their relationship and the fact that they're 2-6 going into the deadline. The Seahawks have also had a long history of making deals with the Philadelphia Eagles, who need cornerback help an have reportedly been considering a deal for Riq Woolen. On that note, the math may have changed last night due to the injuy to Josh Jobe, who was ruled out early with a concussion. Woolen responded with his best game of the season - which might be just enough to convince the Seahawks to keep him around for the playoffs.
Intriguing reunion on table for Steelers with trade deadline nearing
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a team that is looking to solidify itself as a competitor in the AFC for the 2025 season, and the franchise should be looking to make some moves around the trade deadline. The organization already brought in safety Kyle Dugger from the New England Patriots, and he made an immediate impact in a win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. The Steelers could use some help on the offensive side of the ball as well, but more additions could be made to shore up the defense as well. There is some positional uncertainty at safety for the Steelers as well as a bunch of injuries. The position has changed a ton throughout the season, and the Steelers could certainly use some more depth in the area. Unfortunately, Minkah Fitzpatrick would only be an option if he were to be cut as Pittsburgh cannot trade for him within two years of trading him away. However, his former running mate, Damontae Kazee, is a potential option for the Steelers after he was released by the Cleveland Browns on Monday. Kazee is a veteran with a good amount of experience, and he could certainly sign with Pittsburgh if the front office wants him to return to the black and gold. However, there are other safety-needy teams throughout the league as well. The coaching staff in the Steel City understands and appreciates familiar voices on the roster, and Kazee could provide decent depth while also being familiar with the defense and everyone in the building. Juan Thornhill and Chuck Clark have been other contributors at safety for the Steelers in 2025, but there is a real chance that Kazee might be a better option than either of those players. Both Thornhill and Clark have seemed to be at the center of communication issues in the secondary, and whenever there is an obvious coverage bust, Clark seems to always be one of the players closest to it. Kazee signed with the Browns during the 2025 offseason, and he had only played in four games through the first nine weeks of the season. He had been on the field for just 11 defensive snaps, as he seemed to be more of a special teamer in Cleveland. Despite the reduced role in 2025, he could provide some value to Pittsburgh, even if he is just signed to the practice squad. The fan base in Pittsburgh might not have always loved Kazee, but he played a lot of football for the Steelers throughout the three seasons he spent with the team. At the very least, he provides depth for Pittsburgh at a position of need, and he wouldn't be expensive to sign. This is the type of signing the Steelers would make, and it completely makes sense to do so. Pittsburgh Steelers have found a successful safety combination Ahead of Pittsburgh's game on Sunday against the Colts, it was announced that cornerback Jalen Ramsey would be playing exclusively free safety. He had been playing some safety throughout the year depending on what the opposing offense was doing, but on Sunday, he did not leave the position. It was Ramsey and Dugger leading the way in the defensive backfield, and the duo had a pretty good day. It will be interesting to see if that is something the Steelers continue to use in the coming weeks, but it probably should be since it was so effective against the best offense in the NFL.
Canadiens Player Sends Clear Message After Senators Targeted Ivan Demidov
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jayden Struble didn’t hesitate when Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins came back through Bell Centre on Saturday night. Weeks after Cousins’ preseason slash on Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov, Struble delivered his own message during Montreal’s 4–3 overtime win. The Habs defenseman dropped the gloves with 18 minutes, 45 seconds left to play in the third period and the game tied at 2, settling a feud that lingered since training camp. “When you have a guy like that taking a shot at your star young player, that was a bad play,” Struble said. “None of us liked it. We were thinking about it. This is the first time we played him since. That’s on our minds. You can’t go around trying to hurt our best players.” Cousins spent most of the night trying to avoid both Struble and Montreal’s usual enforcer, Arber Xhekaj, before finally being caught after two full periods. The fight was brief but decisive, ending with Cousins bloodied and leaving the game. Struble, 24, said there was no personal vendetta, just a need to hold opponents accountable for their actions, even more in preseason exhibitions. Back in October, the NHL fined Cousins $2,148.44, the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement. Cousins was only assessed a minor penalty for slashing during that preseason matchup. Struble made it clear on Saturday that Montreal won’t forget when a player crosses the line, saying, “We’ll protect our guys. That’s how it should be.” For the Canadiens, the moment carried meaning beyond retaliation. Demidov, the target of Cousins' slash in September, tied the game late in regulation before Alex Newhook sealed the win in overtime. The Canadiens and the Senators will meet three more times this season, the next matchup scheduled for Dec. 2 once again in Montreal.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
