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Over the last few days, the topic of NBA players being overrated has gained the attention of the Indiana Pacers, specifically Tyrese Haliburton and Rick Carlisle. However, in the face of negativity, and after the Game 2, 123-115 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Pacers' Pascal Siakam received the ultimate praise from Haliburton.
The Athletic published an anonymous NBA player poll with one topic dominating the internet: most overrated player.
Haliburton took the infamous title, with Carlisle responding accordingly. The Pacers point guard briefly responded to such a label given to him by his NBA peers, but didn't take long to focus on his All-Star teammate, Siakam.
Through two games in the 2025 NBA playoffs, Siakam is averaging 25.5 points on 58 percent shooting from the field, 50 percent from 3, and 100 percent from the charity stripe. Despite Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo's dominant 35 points in the same allotted span, Siakam has the wins and efficiency that top the two-time NBA MVP regarding who's the better player in the series so far.
In light of Siakam's past two games and, more importantly, his overall production since becoming a member of the Pacers, Haliburton called the 2025 All-Star "possibly the most underrated player in the NBA."
Although Siakam lacks the athleticism of his positional counterparts, his poise, footwork, and overall efficiency provide advantages that opposing players often fail to match.
Without Siakam in the Pacers' lineup, it's plausible to believe the Bucks could be up 2-0, or at least tied 1-1 in the opening series. Haliburton, as the most popular player on the team and an Olympic gold medalist, understands the gravity of Siakam's presence on and off the court.
While people may throw stones at Haliburton, they don't underestimate the heart of an NBA champion, which Siakam has displayed since joining the Pacers.
More must-reads:
- Former NBA champion shares shocking opinion on Luka Doncic
- Bulls sign HC Billy Donovan to multiyear extension
- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
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Chicago Bulls Could Reportedly Release 14-Year NBA Veteran
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"
Oilers to Acquire a Top-Tier Goalie. An Official Trade Offer Is on the Table in a Blockbuster Deal
Maple Leafs Top Prospect Shatters Expectations at World Junior Showcase
The World Junior Summer Showcase is in full swing, and Maple Leafs top prospect Ben Danford is shattering expectations, truly proving how good of a player he can be. The Toronto Maple Leafs' defensive prospect, Ben Danford, is among the 44 players who were invited to Hockey Canada's World Juniors Summer Showcase. Hockey Canada finally unveiled the 44 prospects who will head to Minnesota for the showcase, after they held the roster release back while the organization dealt with several injuries, which begins Sunday and runs through August 2 in Minneapolis. Defensive prospect Ben Danford is the only Maple Leafs player invited to the annual showcase, where Canada's World Junior staff will get their first look at what their team might look like for the 2026 World Juniors, which will also take place in Minnesota in December. Danford is being called the best player at the World Juniors Summer Showcase Danford has been exceeding expectations, and one source revealed that he has been the best player at the World Junior Showcase so far. The source said Danford is steady, smart, and hard to ignore on the ice. 'Ben Danford has been the best player at the World Junior Showcase he's steady, smart, and impossible to ignore. Makes every shift count, whether he's breaking up plays or starting the rush. Canada's blue line is in good hands.' - An unnamed source The Maple Leafs selected Danford with their first pick (31st overall) at the 2024 NHL Draft. During his visit to Toronto's development camp earlier this month, the defender revealed that he's receiving mentorship from current Leafs defensemen as well as some alumni like Mark Giordano. The 6-foot-2 Danford could make for an excellent fit for Canada should he make the team. He is responsible in his own end, and he demonstrated leadership capabilities when he was named captain of the Oshawa Generals ahead of the 2024-25 OHL season.
Phillies star confronted MLB commissioner in team clubhouse
Throughout the season, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred visits all 30 team clubhouses in an attempt to strengthen his relationship with the players. But when Manfred visited the Philadelphia Phillies last week, he did anything but strengthen his relations, at least not with Phillies star Bryce Harper. As reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan, Harper wasn't a fan of a conversation that seemed to be heading toward the possibility of implementing a salary cap in the game. Harper stood nose to nose with Manfred, telling him, "If you want to speak about that, you can get the [expletive] out of our clubhouse." Passan's report says that Manfred reportedly responded that he was "not going to get the [expletive] out of here." Manfred's main source of argument comes from his view that it's an important issue to discuss and has a direct impact on the game of baseball. Nick Castellanos, who's been known to have a fiery side of personality himself, helped to mediate the situation by saying, "I have more questions" to Manfred. Because the meeting continued, things settled down, and eventually, Manfred and Harper shook hands. Though Harper did not answer phone calls from Manfred the next day. "It was pretty intense, definitely passionate. Both of 'em. The commissioner giving it back to Bryce and Bryce giving it back to the commissioner. That's Harp. He's been doing this since he was 15-years-old," Castellanos told ESPN. Both Harper and Manfred declined to comment to ESPN on the matter. Manfred is certainly in a difficult spot with players themselves against a salary cap, as well as the MLB Players Association, which is adamantly against it. But some team owners are for it, most notably Baltimore Orioles owner David Rubenstein, who purchased the club in August 2024. It's certainly worth noting that the 1994 players' strike was a result of the league's effort to move to a salary-cap system. That is the worst-case scenario for MLB. And it seems to stress out Manfred. "Rob seems to be in a pretty desperate place on how important it is to get this salary cap," Castellanos added in his comments to ESPN, "because he's floating the word lockout two years in advance of our collective bargaining agreement [expiration]. That's nothing to throw around. That's the same thing as me in a marriage saying, 'I think divorce is a possibility. It's probably going to happen.' You don't just say those things." It's also important to note that Harper is a client of baseball super agent Scott Boras, and Castellanos is a former Boras client who now represents himself. Boras is known for bargaining for a ton of money for his clients, so that may provide one explanation of many for why Harper would be so against the discussion. It seems the only thing all parties can agree on is that no one wants a work stoppage in Major League Baseball. But that might just be where the agreements end.
Steelers Defender Already Flashing Signs Of Dominance In Training Camp: 'He's Feeling A Bit More Comfortable'
The Pittsburgh Steelers have made multiple significant upgrades on the defensive side of the ball throughout the 2025 offseason. Pittsburgh traded veteran free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange of Jonnu Smith and superstar cornerback Jalen Ramsey, as the team was able to make a crucial upgrade in the secondary. The Steelers also signed generational linebacker TJ Watt to a three-year extension as well, as Watt is now the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Despite multiple new players looking to make an impact in 2025, many returning players will look to play at an elite level as well. Among those players is linebacker Patrick Queen, as the veteran will look to play a bigger role throughout his second season in Pittsburgh. Queen appeared in all 17 games last season for the Steelers, as the former Baltimore Raven is a reliable linebacker who has remained extremely durable throughout his career. When asked for his opinion on Queen's performance throughout the opening week of training camp, Steelers insider Mark Kaboly took a moment to share his thoughts. "I'll tell you another guy who's stepped it up in non-padded practices, Patrick Queen," Kaboly stated. "He seems like he's feeling a bit more comfortable here, so that's huge." Kaboly then went on to speak about Queen's availability in 2025, claiming that the veteran will more than likely be on the field for almost every defensive snap. "It looks like they are going to have two three-down linebackers," Kaboly explained. Kaboly's comments may not come as surprising to many, as Queen was elite during his time in Baltimore and is widely expected to play at that level again in his second year in the Steel City. Despite being a Pro Bowler in 2024, Queen had an up and down season throughout his first year in Pittsburgh. The veteran was credited with one sack and two forced fumbles in 2024, as the former Raven was unable to record a single interception throughout the entire season. With Queen set to have a bounce back year in 2025, many feel as if the Steelers have a top defensive unit in all of football. Pittsburgh's defense features an encouraging mix of younger and veteran players, as Queen finds himself playing amongst some of the top pass rushers in the league. Queen looking more comfortable throughout his second training camp in Pittsburgh is a massive win for the Steelers, as the linebacker may very well get back on track in 2025. Steelers' Patrick Queen Could Play A Major Off-Field Role In 2025 With Queen set to thrive in 2025, the Steelers are expected to continue evaluating the veteran throughout the course of training camp. Pittsburgh is expected to keep a close eye on rookies Jack Sawyer and Carson Bruener as well, as both players will look to shine in their first year with the Steelers. Queen may emerge as an excellent mentor for both Sawyer and Bruener, as the rookie linebackers will be under the wing of multiple elite veterans throughout their rookie season. Sawyer, a fourth-round selection out of Ohio State, is a promising young linebacker who will look to turn heads throughout training camp. Sawyer was a star at the college level as well, as the former Buckeye played a crucial role in Ohio State's National Championship run last season. Bruener is expected to be a top beneficiary of Queen's presence, as the former Washington star will try to fight his way towards a bigger role in 2025. With Queen set to play at an elite level once again in 2025, the Steelers' defense is widely expected to be a top unit in all of football. Queen should be an excellent mentor for the younger members of the defense as well, as the veteran could help multiple players thrive this season. With the first few days of training camp officially complete, the Steelers are expected to continue evaluating the performance of Queen and other key players.
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