Lakers have no shot at competing for the next decade as long as OKC and SAS stay healthy. Lebron is smart enough to know that.
If he resigns with the Lakers, you have to question why he is still playing basketball.
Vincent Mercogliano: Re Vincent Trocheck: The Rangers are sending signals, as they have been since the deadline, that they're not opposed to keeping him - Flying V (6/12)
I felt this way in real time, but watching the game back, I don't know if you can play a worse half of a basketball game then De’Aaron Fox did last night.
Mitch Johnson disasterclass in coaching as well. Knicks in 5 tho.
#NYK
An anonymous NHL executive on Gavin McKenna:
“He’s like Artemi Panarin. He’ll get his accolades, but he’ll also be on 3-4 teams and never make real noise in the playoffs.”
H/T: The Athletic
The Larkin trade request has the league buzzing, and while everyone is understandably trying to figure out what comes next without any concrete answers, a few thoughts from the #NYR perspective…
- I’d be stunned if the Rangers don’t make the call. (If they haven’t already.) I believe he’s a name they’ve inquired about in the past and would love to get their hands on to fuel the retool. I’ve been saying for weeks my sense is they want to take a big swing and this certainly falls into that category. I’ve also repeatedly heard they’ll try to leverage their Team USA connections if the opportunity presents itself, which checks a box in this case.
- Of course, there are many other hurdles to consider, starting with Larkin’s NMC. He’s presumably frustrated with missing the playoffs in Detroit, so would he waive to come to the last-place team in the East?
- If so (big if), what could the Rangers offer that would tempt the Wings? Would Trocheck + No. 26 get their attention? How about Lafrenière? Would Drury go so far as to offer the fifth pick? That feels like a bridge too far, but he’s short on prime assets to dangle. That adds to the difficulty of the task.
- One thing is for sure: Larkin’s trade request will have a direct effect on the market for Trocheck. He’s three years younger with a better scoring track record and just as many intangibles. Teams searching for a C (of which there are many) will likely prioritize Larkin, therefore dropping Trocheck in the pecking order.
- Regardless of what comes next, the offseason just got more interesting! (And that’s a good thing for the sport — and its fans!)
Darren Dreger: My Rangers sources say that things have cooled around Vinnie Trocheck...and the thinking now is maybe they keep him; that can change with a phone call - Morning Show/McKenna & Starr (6/3)
Word around the NHL is that the #NYR are looking to take a swing or two this summer to accelerate their retool, but identifying what that might look like is difficult given the lack of high-end talent readily available.
My latest for @TheAthletic examines some of the situations to monitor, and it’s free and unlocked for all 👇🏼 https://t.co/d9HpiNTCV7