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The NBA Cup has come to an end, and while the Houston Rockets didn't end up as champions, they can walk away from the tournament with their heads held high.
Bleacher Report writer Andy Bailey declared the Rockets one of the winners of the NBA Cup.
"Houston has Alperen Şengün, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Reed Sheppard and Cam Whitmore (when he's healthy) in its rotation. All are 23 and under," Bailey writes.
"All of the above helped force the league to give them more national TV exposure. And if they keep their respective teams on this upward trajectory, they could be part of the solution to bring fans back to the league en masse."
While the Rockets have a sneak preview as to what they can do for the long haul, they still haven't accomplished anything of note. They have to continue playing as well as they did during the tournament in the rest of the regular season leading up to the playoffs in order for any of the NBA Cup to have any sort of meaning.
The Rockets are back from four full days of rest as they take on the injured and struggling New Orleans Pelicans at home. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT from Toyota Center.
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Mock Trade Has Knicks Acquiring Former NBA Champion, Rising Center From Jazz
The New York Knicks have made some key additions to their roster this offseason as they try to make a run at the NBA Finals next season. Of course, the Knicks are coming off an impressive season that saw them reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. With their core of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby returning next season, the Knicks will likely enter next season as one of the favorites to come out of the weakened East. New York also upgraded their bench this offseason by signing Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele and they still have one roster spot open. While the Knicks are expected to use their final roster spot on a veteran in free agency, Sports Illustrated’s Rohan Raman recently released a mock trade that would see them add three key players from the Utah Jazz, including a former champion and rising center. Knicks predicted to land Walker Kessler, Kevin Love from Jazz In the trade, the Knicks would send Mitchell Robinson, Pacome Dadiet and a 2026 first-round pick to the Jazz for Walker Kessler, Kevin Love and Svi Mykhailiuk. New York would also send Tyler Kolek to the Atlanta Hawks, who are the third team in this deal. For the Knicks, this trade would allow them to add even more talent to their bench while also moving on from Robinson who has been a solid player for them but has also struggled with injuries. Of course, the headline of this trade for the Knicks is Kessler, whom they have targeted over the past few seasons. Kessler is a great defender and inside scorer who has continued to work on his mid-range and three-point shots. The young center would be a great addition to the Knicks’ bench as a replacement for Robinson and New York could also pair him and Towns in the starting lineup if needed. New York would also land another veteran in Love who has championship experience and would provide them with a solid shooting big man off the bench. While this trade would likely work out well for the Knicks, it is likely that the Jazz would want a much larger trade package for them to move on from Kessler.
Dream Dealt Unfortunate News on Brittney Griner on Thursday
Neck pain isn’t usually headline news, unless it belongs to Brittney Griner. Atlanta Dream fans hoping for another dominant night on Thursday just had their mood checked. Griner is officially out again, and suddenly that winning streak feels a little more fragile. The Dream hit the road to face the struggling Chicago Sky, a team sitting at 8-21 and already missing rookie standout Angel Reese. But while the Sky limp into Wintrust Arena, the Dream aren’t walking in at full strength either. On Wednesday, the team ruled out Griner for a third straight game due to her lingering neck injury. According to the WNBA’s official injury report, she’s still not ready for game action. Griner’s absence is a blow. The nine-time All-Star has been averaging 10.6 points and 5.6 boards while shooting over 51 percent from the field this season. She signed with Atlanta as a free agent this offseason, helping turn the Dream into a serious contender after last year’s playoff sneak-in. But with their star center on the bench again, the Dream will have to get creative, and gritty. Brionna Jones, Naz Hillmon Set to Step Up With Griner out, Atlanta is expected to lean on Brionna Jones and Naz Hillmon to carry the frontcourt load. Jones, another offseason addition, has already started taking on a bigger role. The team will need her presence inside to stretch the Sky’s defense and crash the boards. It’s not all gloom, though. Griner’s "doubtful" tag before last week’s Mercury game was the same story, and she’s reportedly getting closer to a return. But Atlanta’s not taking risks with their veteran star, and they shouldn't. Still, with Rhyne Howard also sidelined due to a knee issue, the Dream are down two primary weapons. That makes Thursday’s game less about comfort and more about character.
Jaydon Blue injury update: Major news emerges on Cowboys RB after Thursday practice exit
According to Nick Harris of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue suffered a bone bruise in his heel on Thursday. Blue was stepped on during practice, initially looking at an ankle sprain. Thankfully, the MRI came back with some positive news. “Cowboys RB Jaydon Blue’s MRI revealed a bone bruise in his heel after it was stepped on in today’s practice, according to a @startelegram source,” Harris said via X. “No ankle sprain. Good news for the young back who has emerged as an offensive playmaker in camp.” Blue previously told Harris that an ankle injury was what he suffered. Questions about the running back’s availability for Saturday’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams are now present. Something to watch as kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT from SoFi Stadium. Dallas took Blue in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, hoping to address its running back situation. Blue played his college ball inside the Lone Star State, suiting up for the Texas Longhorns. Plenty of guys at the position have come out of Austin and found quick success. Blue is hoping to be the next one. For now, there is an injury for him to deal with. No exact timeline has been provided per a report or by a team official. Hopefully, Blue is able to get things cleared up quickly and get his first taste of the NFL before Sept. 4’s season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. More on Jaydon Blue, Cowboys running back situation Running back was a position the Cowboys needed to desperately figure out this offseason. Rico Dowdle, the team’s leading rusher, was no longer on the roster. Behind Dowdle, Dallas did not have much else. A nice mix of veteran presence and youngsters was needed. Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders provide the former, while Blue was a part of the draft class alongside Phil Mafah. A combination of those four figures to be on the opening night roster. Exactly how head coach Brian Schottenheimer splits up the carries is not yet known. Blue’s injury certainly does not help the situation. Cowboys players, in general, have been going down throughout training camp thus far. Making sure everyone is healthy will be critical heading into the season. Especially an explosive back like Blue, someone who can change the outcome of any game in just the snap of your fingers.
Cardinals All-Star Addresses Future; Hints Time In St. Louis Is Ending
The St. Louis Cardinals made changes this summer but the winter is going to be even more transformational. Trading away guys like Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz, and Phil Maton certainly hurt. But, these were necessary moves with the Cardinals' chances at a playoff spot just barely hanging on for dear life. The Cardinals are one game below .500 at 57-58 right now through 115 games played as of writing ahead of their showdown with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday afternoon. Sure, the Cardinals could go on some long winning streak and change the perception around the club once again. That would be great, but right now, the odds of the club making the playoffs are slim and that's why the Cardinals traded the three relievers before they could hit the open market in free agency. Once the season ends, bigger changes are coming, though. Cardinals at crossroads that will start to be answered this winter The Cardinals used the trade deadline to move on from some of the team's players heading to free agency that didn't have no-trade clauses. The Cardinals opted against trading players under team control beyond this season and guys with no-traded clauses made it clear that they wanted to stick around, including Miles Mikolas, Sonny Gray, and Willson Contreras. Nolan Arenado also reportedly didn't expand his list of approved teams from this past offseason. Of the no-trade clause guys specifically, Gray, Contreras, and Arenado still control their destiny beyond the season. Mikolas will be a free agent and spoke about his future and noted he wants to continue pitching, but made it sound like he won't be back with Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I want to finish strong," Mikolas said. "And I want to do my best to be a good example for the young guys. There are some young guys in here who I’ve seen from their rookie years, seen them mature and get better. Hopefully, I’ve left a little bit of an imprint on them. Show the younger guys what it’s like to go about your work – day in, day out, rain or shine. I’ll be in here tomorrow working out, busting my tail in the gym, getting my work done with the trainers, watching video, trying to get better. Bottom line: I want to finish strong and show teams that I’ve still got a lot of good baseball left in me... "I know teams look beyond that. They’ll look at everything. Teams are going to sign you after they go back and look at all of your starts and go, ‘What was the difference? Can we fix him? Can we help him? Can we do this? Can we do that?’ If my stuff is good – and the ball is coming out of my hand good – and I’m available wire to wire, that’s something. That’s something I take a lot of pride in...I’ll play as long as I can. The ball is still coming out of my hand pretty good for being almost 37. I’ll play as long as they let me." Mikolas has been with the Cardinals since 2018 and has earned two All-Star nods with the team, but his future is in question now.
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