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For Philadelphia 76ers fans expecting notable roster changes this summer, a new report from ESPN has mostly bad news for you.

There were high expectations for the Sixers’ postseason chances in Philadelphia a few weeks ago. They made a stunning comeback from down 3-1 in the opening round series and eliminated the Boston Celtics. Several sports analysts also suggested that they were the former favorites to reach the NBA Finals. They then ran into the New York Knicks buzzsaw and were eliminated from the playoffs.

Change was clearly coming, and it came Tuesday when they officially fired president of basketball operations Daryl Morey. Head coach Nick Nurse will stay on for at least one more season, but what about his roster? This was clearly not enough to defeat New York. Additionally, busted stars Joel Embiid and Paul George are costly obstacles to improving the roster.

Many have suggested in recent days that the 76ers won’t do much this summer. And it seems that sports officials believe they shouldn’t. A Western executive told ESPN, “Run it back, manage Joel as best you can, be a playoff team and try to stay healthy. I think you can do a lot at the margin.”

Additionally, ESPN NBA insider Tim Bontemps said, “It doesn’t make sense for Philadelphia to pay a heavy price of assets to give up any veteran star.”

Team President’s ‘catchy’ debut thanks to Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe

Yet making a move on the sidelines, as the West executive has suggested, may be difficult, because as NBA insider Brian Windhorst points out in the same report, the 76ers are apparently avoiding moving closer to the second NBA tax apron. This is reportedly why they moved Jared McCann before this year’s trade deadline, and has made similar trades in recent years.

However, the ESPN report offers some hope. Although the Sixers have stuck with George and Embiid, teams all around the game have relied heavily on the backcourt duo of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. An East executive told the outlet that they are “arguably the most exciting backcourt in the entire league.”

Additionally, multiple executives who spoke to NBA insiders claimed that the young and talented duo is a major reason why the chance to become the next team president is “tempting” for potential candidates.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, ESPN personality Stephen A. There has been serious internal discussion about Smith coming to WWE.

The report adds to the ongoing conversation about TKO’s impact on WWE programming, with Meltzer stating that those who were critical of Pat McAfee’s involvement in the build-up to WrestleMania 42 are among those favorable to Smith internally.

Meltzer addressed the topic by discussing Kevin Nash’s recent comments urging TKO to stay away from WWE creative. He said that TKO’s intervention happens occasionally but its timing is bad.

Meltzer said, “They don’t really do it a lot, but from what I was told, they don’t do it a lot, but they always seem to do it at the most inopportune times.” “It happened at WrestleMania this year, it definitely happened, yes. We haven’t seen anyone put pressure on them.

“I mean, we haven’t seen anything with Stephen A. Smith — yet, boy, that name has been talked about. And I know it’s serious discussion. To put it this way, a lot of people who weren’t really happy with Pat McAfee are on Stephen A.’s side, as far as internally.”

Smith himself addressed the possibility last month, confirming that WWE President Nick Khan had spoken to him about the on-screen role. The 58-year-old said he was not interested in any physical involvement, but did not completely rule out an appearance. Given his respect for old school heel managers like Bobby Heenan, if Smith were to move forward a managerial character would be the most natural fit for him.

WWE’s relationship with ESPN has grown significantly since the two parties reached a PLE deal in September 2025, with WWE receiving prominent daytime coverage during WrestleMania week and stars such as Dannhausen and Seth Rollins making appearances on ESPN in the Backlash build. This relationship makes Smith a more natural crossover candidate than most celebrity names coming forward for WWE roles.

Ticket sales for tonight’s WWE SmackDown from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida are significantly lower than where the company last played the building.

According to Racelytics, 6,704 of the existing 7,877 tickets have been sold, with approximately 1,173 tickets still available in the primary market ahead of the show.

The comparison to WWE’s most recent Jacksonville date makes for difficult reading. When WWE last played the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on May 17, 2024, the company sold 10,093 tickets for the SmackDown tapings — a difference of about 3,400 tickets from where Tonight’s Show is currently playing.

Both dates are the same on the calendar, with a difference of only one week in time of year, making the drop-off hard to explain as a seasonal factor. However, it is interesting that this is happening in the city that is seen as the home of AEW since its inception in 2019.

It’s the go-home SmackDown for Backlash on Saturday in Tampa, a card that would normally generate increased interest in surrounding television programming. WWE’s year-to-date average for 2026 sits at 10,556 tickets per show, meaning tonight’s attendance will be well below that benchmark, even if the remaining tickets are sold before the bell.

Tonight’s SmackDown card featured Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss taking on Fatal Influence in a six-woman tag match with implications for the Backlash title match, Tiffany Stratton defending the Women’s United States Championship against Kianna James in Stratton’s first title defense, a Gunther in-ring promo following his attack on Cody Rhodes, and a Gingerbread Man final. The Rite segment in which Sami Zayn was included as part of the production. Their United States Championship rematch at Backlash.

Fans have become more vocal than ever about the product WWE is offering its audiences, as TKO seeks to maximize returns for profit in order to pay off the debt taken on to purchase WWE. WWE will try to rebuild any distrust with fans, otherwise they will risk losing more fans.

We have bad news for Los Angeles Lakers fans who are hoping that Luka Doncic can return for their semifinal series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Lakers surprised many in the NBA when they were able to overcome injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and defeat the Houston Rockets in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. However, they have an even bigger challenge ahead as they climb into the semi-finals against defending champions Thunder.

Unlike previous rounds, the Lakers will have Reaves available from the start. This is a huge boost for a team that could use all the help they can get against a team they went 0-5 against and lost by an average of 29 points this season. If they have any chance of pulling off another major upset, they need to get their MVP candidate Doncic back on the court.

However, it looks like that is not happening in this series. During a media discussion on Wednesday, the six-time All-Star revealed that when he was originally diagnosed with his Grade 2 hamstring injury, doctors told him it would take eight weeks to recover. This would mean no return during the Western Conference Finals.

The five-time All-NBA player recently talked about receiving platelet-rich plasma treatment in Spain and how he hopes the procedure can speed up his recovery. He has also started running. However, no contact work has been done with them yet.

Oklahoma City’s dominance over the Lakers continued on Tuesday as they won 108-90 in Game 1 of their series.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

The Boston Celtics got some terrible news about their top star just hours before a do-or-die Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Celtics 2025-26 season could surprisingly end in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs if they can’t figure out how to slow down the 76ers in the last two games and get a win at home tonight. Although they struggled in Games 5 and 6, there are still many who think they can pull out a win in Game 7.

However, the prospects for doing so have become increasingly difficult. According to Chris Haynes, “Jason Tatum has been downgraded to questionable for Game 7 tonight because he is dealing with knee stiffness.”

This is terrible news for Boston at the worst time. Still, it’s something the team should be concerned about in the long term, too. In recent days, there has been discussion about Tatum dealing with calf strain. Which makes sense because he made a surprisingly quick return to the floor from a torn Achilles in early March.

However, his knee problems are unexpected. Is this due to overcompensation as he builds confidence in his surgically repaired tendon? Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton both suffered similar injuries during last year’s playoffs, and the pair missed the entire 2025-26 season.

Being doubtful does not mean that he will not be able to play Saturday’s match. However, the Celtics have lost by double digits in each of the last two games the six-time All-Star has been on the floor. It’s hard to imagine that they’ll be able to overcome a fully healthy Philly team without him tonight.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

There are no great replacement options available now for embattled New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza.

The start to the Mets’ 2026 campaign has been a complete disaster. Heading into tonight’s series opener against the Washington Nationals, they are tied for the worst record in baseball at 9-19. Recently the club has reached its lowest point after losing 12 matches, which will be considered one of the worst in the team’s history.

To make matters worse, at this time a year ago they had the best record in baseball. That is, they suffered a massive decline at the end of the season under manager Carlos Mendoza. The captain needed a fast start with this hugely expensive team to quell speculation about his job. Now, it looks like it’s only going to be a matter of time before he’s ousted.

Changing a manager during a season is a very difficult task. However, last week the Boston Red Sox presented a golden opportunity for the Mets when they surprisingly fired manager Alex Cora after a 10–17 start. Most people in and around Boston feel that their struggles are due to the team built by CBO Craig Breslow, not Cora’s coaching.

Alex Cora is no longer an option for the New York Mets’ replacement for Carlos Mendoza

The Red Sox’s decision opened the door for the Mets to go with a manager who has a World Series win (2018) and three trips to the playoffs on his resume. Unfortunately, Cora will no longer be an option for New York. At least not for the rest of the season.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported, “Alex Cora was offered the Philadelphia Phillies managerial job before Don Mattingly, but he declined it.” “He has decided to spend time with his family.”

The Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson on Tuesday after leading his team to an equally poor 9-19 start this season.

If Cora wasn’t willing to take the job for a talent-rich Phillies team, it’s highly unlikely he would take the same position with the Mets. Although he could still become the next manager of either team, this would not happen until after the season.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

The New York Knicks battled the Oklahoma City Thunder for three quarters, but walked away with another disappointing loss, 111-100, with a long list of what-ifs. It wasn’t about the effort. Jalen Brunson again played brilliantly and the defense competed for long periods of time.

But when you look at the numbers and the key moments, there are two things most responsible for this loss, and both can be completely fixed if the Knicks are serious about making noise in the playoffs.

CT disparity and Knicks’ ill-discipline

The first thing to start with is free throws, because that’s where this game was really lost. The Thunder hit 38 free throw shots. The Knicks made 17 shots. That’s a 21‑try difference and an 18‑point difference on the line in an 11‑point loss.

New York already ranks near the bottom of the league in free throw attempts per game, and it showed again. Instead of attacking the rim and forcing OKC to commit fouls, the Knicks resorted to jumpers while getting to the other end and getting pucks.

Mike Brown also acknowledged this: “It was a hard-fought ball game, but the thing I was most disappointed with was the energy we used on the officials. They shot 38 FTs. Were all of them legal? IDK. Some of them were because we overreached,” according to James L. Edwards of The Athletic.

This is where disappointment is justified. The Thunder are smart and experienced at making contact, but the Knicks played right into their hands. Karl-Anthony Towns’ flagged-1 on Chet Holmgren early in the third was the perfect example.

You can’t give free points and extra possessions to a good team and then complain about the whistle. Until the Knicks get mentally stronger, play defense without drawing fouls, and put more pressure on the rim themselves, games like this will continue to get out of hand.

The Knicks bench was a complete ghost

If CT was the first problem, the bench was the second. New York did not get a single bench point until Jose Alvarado’s three-pointer with 6:45 left in the second quarter. This is embarrassing for a team with playoff hopes. While OKC’s second unit brought the energy, pressure and scoring, the Knicks’ bench gave them almost nothing except missed shots, careless fouls and turnovers.

This is where criticism should be brutal. The starters did enough to give the Knicks a chance. Brunson, Hart, Bridges and Towns continued to pull the team back into the game. But every time the bench came on, the energy was gone and the scoreboard was against New York.

If this team is to be taken seriously, the bench needs to stop being a problem that starters are asked to fix and start becoming a real advantage. Right now, it’s the opposite, and that’s a big reason the Knicks came out of this with another avoidable loss.

RELATED: NY Knicks Legend Tells the Brutal Truth About Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade

Jayesh Pagar is currently pursuing Sports Journalism from London School of Journalism and has four years of experience… More about Jayesh Pagar

It’s hard to be a Brooklyn Nets supporter these days as they remain near the bottom of the NBA. They are on the verge of missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

Brooklyn’s ineptitude was on full display Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Barclays Center.

It soon became a one-sided affair as the Thunder exerted their power. At halftime, the defending champions were comfortably ahead of the Nets 60–24.

Yes, that is correct. 60-24. Even the man in the White House can’t claim it’s fake news.

Fans at the X were quick to roast the Nets for their low output.

@TGJC1979 said, “The Nets are spending nearly $154 million this season, and have scored 24 points in 24 minutes of professional basketball.”

@dbell983 said, “The Nets need to be investigated. 24 points at halftime in a real game is crooked behavior.”

@EVBettors said, “Bam Adebayo scored more points in his 83-point game in the first quarter than the Nets scored in the first half tonight.”

“The Nets are terrible. I hope they get the top pick,” @Heathh_hayesss posted.

@no_real_id commented, “Adam Silver’s NBA featuring the Nets vs. the Thunder, SMH.”

The Nets recorded their lowest production in the first half since the 1997–1998 season.

They were reportedly willing to trade their best player, Michael Porter Jr., in February as they were potentially aiming for a higher opportunity to get the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft.

Brooklyn lost to Oklahoma City, 121–92.

Jalen Wilson led the team with 15 points and five rebounds off the bench. They fell to 17-52, including 9-25 at home.

The Los Angeles Lakers took care of business against the New York Knicks on Sunday despite missing LeBron James due to left elbow and left foot injuries.

The Lakers won a hard-fought 110–97 victory and improved to 39–25. The Knicks were held under 100 points for only the second time in 13 games, underscoring the Lakers’ commitment to defense.

Marcus Smart expressed the Purple and Gold’s determination against New York. Although he shot poorly with 1 of 10 field goals, including 0 of 5 from three-point range, he was weak on defense.

Spectrum Sportsnet’s Mike Bresnahan stressed that Smart’s value may not be easily seen, but he can set the tone even without scoring. he registered a game-high plus-27 Despite only making one basket vs. the Knicks.

“Marcus Smart, 1 of 10, I don’t even care about that. (Especially) when you’re plus-27 despite a terrible shooting night,” Bresnahan said.

“There was a lot of aggressiveness on his part, and that’s why the Lakers went out and got him. They needed that toughness on the perimeter.”

Marcus Smart sets the tone defensively in win over Knicks, finishing at +27 🔒@Mike_Bresnahan ‘Access Sportsnet: Breaks Down His Impact on the Lakers’. pic.twitter.com/O8eoeYXjJx

– Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) 10 March 2026

The 32-year-old Smart, who also had three rebounds, four assists and two steals, faced criticism for attempting back-to-back three-pointers instead of passing the ball to James or Luka Doncic during a key stretch in Thursday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets.

However, Smart never lacks confidence, even in pressure-filled moments. Bresnahan said the former Defensive Player of the Year has regained his feeling with the Lakers.

“He’s healthy, and I’ll keep saying that because I think he’s been good for years. We didn’t get to see that the last two years. He was working hard in Memphis (Grizzlies), and then he got traded to the (Washington) Wizards,” Bresnahan said.

“It’s good to see him healthy and playing like the old Marcus Smart on defense.”

The Lakers signed Smart to a two-year, $11 million contract in the offseason. He had a slow start, but has since carved out a regular starting role due to his overall impact.

The 2025-26 season remains as unfavorable as ever on the injury front for the Denver Nuggets. Most of their key men have missed significant time due to injuries, and on Wednesday night, it was Jamal Murray’s turn to suffer an illness as he was forced out of the contest against the Boston Celtics early.

The good news is that the Nuggets still took care of business against the Celtics at home, earning a 103-84 win over one of the hottest teams in the association, and the team has proven time and again that they can handle the absence of their key players.

But it seems like Murray should never have suited up for the Nuggets on opening night. After the game, head coach David Edelman revealed that Murray had been heavily medicated beforehand to try to get him healthy enough to play, but he couldn’t move forward easily For the entire game.

“He looked terrible. They gave him all the medications. It didn’t help. All kinds of physical things were happening,” Edelman said, via Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette.

Jamal Murray could be in line for a few days’ rest with the Nuggets

Murray deserves credit for trying to carry on and play despite the illness. But the Nuggets need to prioritize the long game.

The battle for position in the West is as heated as ever, but there’s no reason to risk life and limb in a regular season game.

Murray scored only two points in eight minutes of play, before exiting the game due to illness. The Nuggets have a day off before facing the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road, though it remains to be seen whether Murray will be healthy enough by then.

Earlier this week, sports witness Juventus’ interest in Tottenham defender Destiny Udogi has been covered.

Calciomercato IT were convinced that the left-back is being eyed as a replacement for Andrea Cambiaso, who has struggled this season.

It was believed that the Juve player had lovers hiding around him. His exit will create space for the Tottenham player, who has developed since arriving from Udinese in 2022.

There was uncertainty about Spurs’ stance and ability to match Juve’s asking price. Now more information is coming to light.

Juventus can spend big on Tottenham player

alljuve Now report on the Italy international, who is currently injured but has played 13 times in the Premier League this season.

The outlet says the Tottenham player is being considered as a target in Turin according to information from club sources. Udogi could become a key option for the Bianconeri in the summer.

The deal is likely to be complicated due to the player’s contract at the London club. His deal expires in 2030 and despite this, Juve are preparing a significant financial investment to bring Udogi back to Italy. They are not intimidated about the price tag by Tottenham, with Cambiasso’s exit likely to finance the transfer.

It is believed that the 23-year-old will be a ‘hot’ name in Turin for the next few weeks. He is seen as the ideal solution to the left’s problems.

Injuries are derailing Tottenham’s progress

Due to muscle and knee injuries, Udogi has seen his playing time decline this season. Even last season under Anze Postecoglou, he suffered a hamstring injury which kept him out for a few months.

Although he has improved as a player, it remains to be seen if he can take the next step at Tottenham. The instability at the London club isn’t helping, as they now have their third manager in 12 months in Igor Tudor.

On Sunday afternoon, the NBA All-Star Game will take place from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, home of the Clippers. Unfortunately, Golden State Warriors star point guard Stephen Curry will not be able to attend the event due to his recovery from a knee injury, but he was still in attendance at the media day to answer some questions.

One of the major talking points at this year’s All-Star Game was the players’ lack of effort in the game in recent years, and now, Curry has offered a possible solution to the problem.

“I guess, the only thing I would think about is shortening the game. That might be the only real suggestion I would have, because it’s hard to replicate the intensity of a regular season game and no one is asking anyone to treat it like a playoff game with these types of stakes, but maybe a shorter game,” Curry said, per Chaz NBA, via Hoopship on YouTube.

The league has tried several different formats in the All-Star Game in recent years, this year going with a USA vs. World setup that would consist of multiple 12-minute games in a round robin tournament, followed by a championship match.

Last season the players did not bother to put in much effort with various tactics employed by the league office to resolve the issue, and many fans doubt that this year will be any different, despite the fact that the players’ lack of effort has now become a major talking point for the event.

Curry is known as one of the few players who wants to put on a show for the fans during All-Star weekend, and it will certainly be disappointing for fans in attendance that he is unable to go.

Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 pm ET.