Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania recently talked about the league's perspective of Joe Mazzulla.
Mazzulla, who has basically hit the ground running since entering the scene last season, is closing in on win no. 100 as coach of the Boston Celtics.
"Around the league, he has been known as someone who has obviously paid the dues [and] has been working and grinding at it for several years now," Charania said. "I haven't heard much other than the hardworkingness."
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The most fascinating saga of the NBA offseason, whether Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors will stay together, added another chapter to the ongoing stalemate. Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard reported that Kuminga will likely be a Warrior this upcoming season. With all the speculation surrounding the young forward's future, all signs point to the 22-year-old staying with the organization for now. If it brings him back on any deal, it would be a lose-lose situation for both parties. Both parties are at a stalemate and are willing to be patient. With each passing day, the uncertainty of the situation hinders the Warriors' ability to make moves to improve the roster, develop chemistry and bond as a team. Kawakami talked to a source within the organization that said Kuminga won’t be traded this summer. This could be a negotiation tactic for the Warriors to receive a more desirable trade package. If Kuminga comes back to the organization after all the speculation regarding his frustration with the coaching staff, personal preferences and desire to be in a different location, it would be a major distraction for the whole season. Instead of focusing on the season and being at their best, fans, critics and media would be constantly pestering players and coaches with unwanted questions and comments regarding the dramatic offseason before and after every game the Warriors play. The tension between coaches, players, the front office and Kuminga and his camp would be at an all-time high the entire season. It would be virtually impossible to focus on being the best team they could be and competing at the highest level. Kuminga’s restricted free agency has ultimately come down to two decisions: staying in Golden State and accepting the qualifying offer of one year for $7.9 million or the two-year contract worth $45 million. Both the Warriors and Kuminga are willing to stand their ground, be patient and see which side blinks first. It would be unwise for an organization to sign a player who doesn’t want to be with it and feels unwanted. A split between the two parties seems like the best course of action for all.
The Dallas Cowboys have a big problem on their hands right now. Micah Parsons has formally requested to be traded, and he took to social media to vent his concerns and frustration with his contract extension situation. However, team owner Jerry Jones isn't ready to budge. If anything, the controversial business mogul doesn't sound too worried about that. Talking to the media, he implied that he had already shaken hands on an extension with Parsons, so he just has to wait now: "I bought the Dallas Cowboys with a handshake," Jones said, per The Athletic's Jon Machota. "It took about 30 seconds. I gave the number, shook hands, the details we worked out later." Jones, one of the most successful businessmen of his generation, pretty much stated that he wouldn't change the way he does business. "Just so you understand the way that I communicate with people that a I negotiate with. Let's leave it at that," Jones continued. "There's is no question that in the case of a player contract, you have to have it in writing. All parties do. We have a contract in writing, yet we're still talking about renegotiating, so so much for that." Parsons has every right to feel frustrated. He's one of the best pass-rushers in the game, and he's the youngest in the short list of superstars at the position. The Cowboys have a long history of dragging out negotiations for as long as they can, and that's usually rubbed their players the wrong way. Parsons is still under contract, and the Cowboys can technically wait to give him an extension because the market isn't likely to go any higher after T.J. Watt already got a deal done. But sometimes, it's not just about money, and these power struggles are terrible for team morale.
Over the past couple of years, the WNBA has seen a major uptick in ratings and overall fan engagement. Unfortunately, that has also come with negative attention. It may have reached a new low, as there have now been three separate incidents in which a fan has thrown a sex toy on the court. This time, it nearly hit Indiana Fever veteran Sophie Cunningham during a matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday. Cunningham had already joked about it on social media, and given her outspoken nature and reputation as a bit of an instigator, she didn't shy away from it: She also laughed it up on her Instagram story: Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts, however, didn't think it was a laughing matter. Following the game, she put the fans on blast for their "stupid" behavior. "It's ridiculous. It's dumb. It's stupid," Roberts said, per Yahoo Sports. "It's also dangerous, and you know, player safety is No. 1, respecting the game, all those things. I think it's really stupid." There's no place for any of this in sports, much less in women's sports. The league needs to crack down on this and take the necessary measures to prevent it from happening ever again. The WNBA is finally thriving after years of surviving, and while the fans will eventually grow to respect the product, not all publicity is good publicity.
ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick gave Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones a reality check on Wednesday. During the most recent edition of "Get Up," Riddick blasted the longtime Cowboys owner's handling of edge-rusher Micah Parsons' contract negotiations. It's the second time in as many weeks that Jones has received an unkind reality check over the Parsons situation. While the two-time first-team All-Pro has been extension-eligible since the end of the 2023 regular season, the Cowboys have strung along talks, pushing Parsons to request a trade on Aug. 1. Riddick blasted the approach, suggesting it's time Jones stops living in the past. "He may say, 'I did this kind of thing with Emmitt [Smith], we still won Super Bowls,'" Riddick said. In 1993, the Pro Football Hall of Fame running back missed the first two games of the regular season due to a contract dispute. He eventually signed a four-year, $13.6 million contract on the Thursday before Week 3 and after the Cowboys had started 0-2. Smith led the league in rushing that season, and the Cowboys would go on to win their second consecutive Lombardi Trophy. Riddick made it clear to emphasize that the situation is far different from the one with Parsons. "You had Troy [Aikman], you had Michael [Irvin] ... You had an all-time team. They don't have an all-time team right now," Riddick said. "He's the one that says all the time, 'I'm all in... My clock is ticking. I need to win another championship.' This isn't the blueprint for it," the former NFL defensive back added. "You don't have that team anymore, but you're conducting business like it's back in 1993 again, and it's not," he finished. The Cowboys haven't won a Super Bowl since 1995. Over the past 29 seasons, Dallas has more losing seasons (nine) than postseason wins (five). The Cowboys are often more relevant for their off-field drama than on-field accomplishments, and that's no different this season. It's a song and dance Jones has perfected, and it's one preventing Dallas from maximizing its future.
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