With their sizable amount of cap space this summer, the big move the Detroit Pistons made was reuniting with Tobias Harris on a two-year deal. As the veteran forward gears up for his second stint with the franchise, he praised the work of one of their under-the-radar signings.
Harris was one of two players the Pistons signed this summer that spent last season with the Philadelphia 76ers. The other was Paul Reed, who landed in Detroit after being waived by the Eastern Conference contender.
Reed, a former second-round pick, managed to carve out a role for himself during his short stint with the Sixers. Last season, he was the primary backup to former MVP Joel Embiid. Now, he finds himself in camp once again battling for a rotation spot.
Having gotten the chance to see Reed's work up close for years, Harris understands the work he's put in to get to this point. While speaking to reporters at training camp, the Pistons veteran praised his strong work ethic.
“Paul is a heck of a player. He has worked his tail off, day in and day out," Harris said. "I'm proud of the work he has put in. He is a player to watch out for.”
Reed, 25, is coming off his best season in the pros thus far. He played in all 82 games for the Sixers, and averaged 7.3 PPG and 6.0 RPG off the bench. Reed also connected on 37% of his threes, but on very low volume.
As a small-ball center, Reed gives the Pistons some optionality. He did play alongside Embiid for brief stretches, and Detroit could do the same with him and Duren. That said, he'll likely be competing for the backup minutes with Isaiah Stewart.
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Nikola Vucevic is coming off another season of strong production for the Chicago Bulls. He put up averages of 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest while shooting 53.0% from the field and 40.2% from the three-point range in 73 games. Vucevic has been mentioned in a lot of trade rumors over the previous few years. According to Jake Fischer (via Bleacher Report, h/t Yahoo Sports), the Bulls could buyout the two-time NBA All-Star. Fischer: "There hasn't been much of a market for Nikola Vucevic all along... I think that this juncture, we're probably more likely to see a Nikola Vucevic buyout mid-season than we are to see a trade." Vucevic was the 16th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft out of USC. He has also spent time with the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers. His career averages are 17.2 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per contest while shooting 49.7% from the field and 34.8% from the three-point range in 972 games. Via @EnjoyBBall: "The last 4 players to average 17+ PPG 10+ RPG with 900+ career games: •Nikola Vučević •Kevin Garnett •Tim Duncan •Shaquille O'Neal" The Bulls finished the 2024-25 season as the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference with a 39-43 record. They lost to the Miami Heat in the play-in tournament, so they missed the NBA playoffs for the third straight season. Via @TheLeadSM: "Complete list of players to average 18+ PPG and 10+ RPG on 60%+ TS% last season: - Giannis - Jokic - Sabonis - KAT - Nikola Vucevic"
The Tennessee Titans have officially given up on one of their former first-round draft picks. Wide receiver Treylon Burks has been waived by the Titans, the team announced on Monday. The decision to cut Burks comes two days after the 25-year-old suffered a broken collarbone during training camp practice. Burks injured himself while making a fantastic one-handed catch on a deep ball from rookie quarterback Cam Ward. Early reports suggest Burks will be out for several weeks and miss the start of the 2025 season. The Titans drafted Burks with the No. 18 overall pick in 2022. They acquired the selection when they traded A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles, and they had hoped the former Arkansas star would eventually develop into their top wide receiver. Burks, a three-time All-SEC selection, battled injuries throughout his first three NFL seasons. He played in just five games last year and finished with four catches. Ward said last week that he believed Burks was going to be one of Tennessee’s “best targets” this season, so the timing of the injury was unfortunate.
The Boston Bruins have been under pressure to retool after a disappointing season, and now a potential blockbuster move could shake the entire NHL. A major trade proposal has surfaced that could send a star goaltender to the Edmonton Oilers, a move that would give them the elite presence they've lacked in net while forcing Boston closer to a rebuild. The deal being floated by multiple outlets would send Edmonton's current starter, Stuart Skinner, along with Matthew Savoie, Beau Akey, and a 2028 first-round pick to Boston, while the Oilers land a goaltender capable of changing their Cup window overnight. Edmonton's push for a franchise goalie could reshape the Western Conference and challenge the Dallas Stars' path to the Cup If this trade goes through, the Oilers would instantly address one of their biggest weaknesses, setting up a showdown with teams like the Dallas Stars, who already see Edmonton as one of their toughest rivals. Boston, on the other hand, would fully commit to a rebuild, pairing Joonas Korpisalo with Skinner in what could be one of the NHL's weakest tandems, likely boosting their draft lottery odds in one of the most hyped draft classes in recent memory (NHL.com). An insider noted, "They weren't the only ones who had inquired about Swayman, but yes, I was told they poked around." That comment shows just how wide the interest is for this level of goalie talent (Heavy.com). I think this kind of trade would completely shift the balance of power in the West, making Edmonton even more dangerous for teams like Dallas, who could end up facing a vastly upgraded Oilers team in the playoffs. If Boston truly embraces a rebuild, moving their top goaltender could be the first domino in a massive roster overhaul, something that could shake the market for weeks.
The Boston Red Sox got some bad news in the infield. Rookie infielder Marcelo Mayer has gotten a lot of time at second base and third base. Since Alex Bregman returned, Mayer has gotten most of his action at second base while also filling in as the Red Sox worked Bregman back slowly. Unfortunately, he's on the Injured List, though, due to a wrist sprain. MassLive.com's Christopher Smith shared the lastest update on Mayer from Red Sox manager Alex Cora on Saturday noted that he's "not gonna play soon." "No new updates on Marcelo Mayer's wrist sprain, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said," Smith shared. "'Just waiting for results and see specialists and all that stuff,' Cora added. 'He's not gonna play soon. So have to make sure where we're at and what the course of action is going to be.'" Losing Mayer is tough. Defense has been a question mark for Boston once again this season but Mayer has helped in that area. With Mayer out, Ceddanne Rafaela is expected to get a lot of action at second base. That helps to alleviate the logjam in the outfield, but also removes arguably the best defensive center fielder in the game. Boston isn't at full strength and Cora noting he's "not gonna play soon" certainly doesn't sound positive. Before going down, Mayer was slashing .228/.272/.402 with four homers, 10 RBIs, and eight doubles. Will the Red Sox add another piece ahead of the trade deadline? It absolutely makes sense at this point.
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