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Featuring Gabriel Medina, Tatiana Weston-Webb, Vahine Fierro, Caroline Marks, Sawyer Lindblad, Ramzi Boukhiam, Ryan Callinan, Kanoa Igarashi, Johanne Defay, Tyler Wright, Cole Houshmand, Yago Dora, Jack Robinson, Liam O'Brien, Jake Marshall, Barron Mamiya, Crosby Colapinto, Seth Moniz, Ethan Ewing, Kelly Slater, Italo Ferreira, John John Florence, and Mihimana Braye. Rep your country in Tahiti this summer with limited-edition WSL merchandise celebrating the summer of Teahupo'o 2024: USA All the Way: https://www.wslstore.com/collections/... Vai Brasil: https://www.wslstore.com/collections/... Aussie Aussie Aussie: https://www.wslstore.com/collections/... Go Japan: https://www.wslstore.com/collections/... Allez La France: https://www.wslstore.com/collections/... Vai Italia: https://www.wslstore.com/collections/... At the first stop following the Mid-season cut, Championship Tour surfers are prepared to meet the most critical wave on Earth. Teahupo’o is one of the most awe-inspiring waves on the planet. What sets Teahupo'o apart is its raw power, sheer size, and cavernous barrels. In order to find triumph in Tahiti, the world’s best surfers must prepare to test their mettle against this force of nature, and in doing so, will push the boundaries of their sport. Tahiti is the ultimate proving ground. It all starts at the End of the Road. Subscribe to the WSL

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TODAY'S BEST

Commanders reportedly hesitant about one issue with Terry McLaurin deal
NFL

Commanders reportedly hesitant about one issue with Terry McLaurin deal

The 2024 offseason expanded the $30M-per-year wide receiver club to six members. D.K. Metcalf, Ja’Marr Chase and Garrett Wilson have taken it to nine this year. Terry McLaurin is undoubtedly pushing to bump that number to 10, after seeing 2019 Day 2 classmates Metcalf and A.J. Brown land among that contingent. McLaurin reported to training camp Sunday and landed on the active/PUP list. As our Rory Parks explained, skepticism exists about how injured the Commanders’ top wide receiver really is. An ankle injury has keyed the PUP stay, but it can be safely assumed McLaurin would be ready to practice if an extension comes to pass. Nevertheless, the Commanders have been surprised by the difficulty of these talks. Using an injury to avoid practicing while negotiating — developments the Jonathan Taylor and Micah Parsons sagas brought — represents a third tactic, joining the holdout and the increasingly utilized hold-in amid extension talks. McLaurin shifted from a holdout to the injury route; no matter how he is accomplishing not practicing, the seventh-year veteran is aiming to land a lucrative third contract. His age provides a complication for Washington. McLaurin is going into an age-30 season, separating him from Brown and Metcalf. Both Ole Miss products were drafted just before McLaurin, a 2019 third-round pick, but they are each two years younger. This strengthened their cases for big-ticket third contracts. McLaurin went first to ignite the second-tier boom on the receiver market in 2022, agreeing to a three-year, $69.6M extension. That shaped the Metcalf and Deebo Samuel extensions, both of which coming in higher than McLaurin’s despite the latter’s consistency with suboptimal quarterback situations. McLaurin’s AAV has dropped to 17th at wide receiver. The Commanders are prepared to extend their top wideout, but Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline indicates the "holdup" is regarding the $30M-AAV number. Some around the league point to the team not wanting to go into that neighborhood for McLaurin, despite his five 1,000-yard seasons. Courtland Sutton and McLaurin are nearly the same age, and the Broncos’ top target signed a four-year, $92M extension. That matches where the Titans went for Calvin Ridley (now 30) in 2024. McLaurin, though, has a better resume than both and should be aiming higher. The Commanders have a Jayden Daniels rookie contract to structure another McLaurin extension around as well. Adam Peters was around for the 49ers’ 2022 Samuel extension but not Brandon Aiyuk‘s $30M-per-year deal. (The Samuel extension also did not work out for the 49ers, who proceeded with a salary dump of sorts by trading him to the Commanders.) The second-year GM taking a hardline stance with McLaurin would be an interesting route given the WR’s importance to a sudden contender. Peters confirmed talks are ongoing, with that comment coming after McLaurin expressed frustration about the negotiations. A potential gap between the pack of 20-somethings (and Tyreek Hill) north of $30M AAV and the Tee Higgins–Jaylen Waddle–D.J. Moore tier could be relevant here, and it will be interesting to see if McLaurin settles for something just south of that $30MM benchmark. Guarantees and contract structure, of course, will be important to determining the value as well. A short-term extension should be reached soon, per Pauline, but if the Commanders hold the line at or around $30M, the McLaurin matter could drag on for a while longer.

Oilers to Acquire a Top-Tier Goalie. An Official Trade Offer Is on the Table in a Blockbuster Deal
NHL

Oilers to Acquire a Top-Tier Goalie. An Official Trade Offer Is on the Table in a Blockbuster Deal

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.

Maple Leafs Top Prospect Shatters Expectations at World Junior Showcase
NHL

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.

Chicago Sky Coach Issues Strong Statement After Loss to Caitlin Clark-Less Fever
WNBA

Chicago Sky Coach Issues Strong Statement After Loss to Caitlin Clark-Less Fever

The Chicago Sky put up a good fight on Sunday against the Indiana Fever. Despite not having the services of two-time All-Star Angel Reese due to a back injury, the shorthanded Sky battled hard against an Indiana side that was also missing the injured Caitlin Clark. In the end, however, Chicago still lost out, 93-78, marking their third defeat to the Fever in three games played this season. This was also the Sky’s fifth consecutive loss as they fell to 7-18 on the season. Sky Coach Tyler Marsh Reacts to Fever Defeat In his postgame press conference, Chicago head coach Tyler Marsh sent a defiant message following the disappointing loss. The rookie shot-caller heaped praise on his players’ effort in the game. "You learn to be proud of efforts like these,” he said, via Sky reporter Karli Bell. “One thing about us is we're not going to give up." Reese wasn’t the only player sidelined on Sunday. Ariel Atkins, Moriah Jefferson and Hailey Van Lith also sat out due to respective injuries. Courtney Vandersloot has also been out of commission after undergoing season-ending surgery on her ACL in June. It was Rachel Banham who led the charge for Chicago in this one, going off for a season-high 26 points on six triples. It still wasn’t enough, though, as the Fever still managed to hold off the Sky. "I thought we played three quarters of really tough basketball," Marsh added. The Sky will need to focus on the silver lining from this tough loss as they prepare for their next game. This comes in the form of a road matchup against the 12-13 Washington Mystics on Tuesday. At this point, it remains to be seen if Reese will be ready to go for that one.

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