#draft-picks

#draft-picks

Despite being a near-unwatchable product on the field in recent years, the Washington Nationals have had pretty fantastic luck when it comes to having the odds bounce in their favor. Specifically, the ping pong balls for the MLB Draft Lottery have resulted in their favor more often than not, but the team has been unable to take full advantage. Them not being able to take advantage is actually no fault of their own but is in fact due to an outright stupid rule change that Major League Baseball implemented a few years ago.

Williams, a former first-round pick from Alabama, has racked up 322 tackles, 101 QB hits and 40 sacks since joining the Jets in 2019. He was the Jets' 2019 first-round draft pick, has been a key piece of the defense since his arrival. He has gone to the Pro Bowl in each of the last three seasons and was first-team All-Pro in 2022.

Wiggins, 30, will earn $28.2 million this season and holds a $30.2 million player option for 2026-27. I wouldn't have classified him as a potential purple-and-gold target before Dončić's long-term future was secured, but things are different now. So my sense is that the Lakers would have interest if the Heat, in coming weeks or months, decide to prioritize financial flexibility and look to reduce payroll.

The Bulls enter 2025-26 coming off their fourth-straight play-in appearance and second-straight 39-win season. Their biggest move of the offseason was flipping Lonzo Ball for Isaac Okoro, which was more poor asset management on the Bulls' part after what was reportedly available at the deadline. Ball does have notable health concerns. But they sold low on an expiring contract to take on more guaranteed money not only in 2025-26, but the following season as well.

The Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers are finalizing a trade for wide receiver Adam Thielen to return to Minnesota, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Vikings will receive Thielen, who spent the first 10 years of his career in Minnesota, a conditional 2026 seventh-round draft pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick, sources told Schefter, while the Panthers will get a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick.

Kyson Witherspoon, the No. 15 pick, signed for a $5 million signing bonus, according to MLB.com's Jim Callis. That's slightly under his slot value of $5,114,200.

The first half is dead. Long live the first half. Now, it's time for an All-Star break breather and the Home Run Derby tonight!

Caitlin Clark selected her Indiana teammate Aliyah Boston first overall in the WNBA All-Star Game draft, showcasing a strong start with a well-rounded team including Kelsey Mitchell.

The NBA offseason is heating up, with the Memphis Grizzlies trading guard Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic, amid detailed grade assessments from ESPN.