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Matt Olson's solo homer (15)

Matt Olson's solo homer (15)

Yahooa day ago

'Get that swing on and believe in it' – Kepler on his 8th inning solo home run
'Get that swing on and believe in it' - Max Kepler on his 8th inning solo home run vs. the Toronto Blue Jays.'Get that swing on and believe in it' – Kepler on his 8th inning solo home run originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

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Raptors rumors: What Toronto is ‘coveting' with No. 9 pick
Raptors rumors: What Toronto is ‘coveting' with No. 9 pick

Yahoo

time32 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Raptors rumors: What Toronto is ‘coveting' with No. 9 pick

The post Raptors rumors: What Toronto is 'coveting' with No. 9 pick appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Toronto Raptors struggled mightily last season, but the ping pong balls still were not on their side. The Raptors are now staring at the No. 9 overall pick in the NBA Draft despite coming off of a 30-52 season. Advertisement There are a lot of different directions that the Raptors can go in with that pick, even though they are going to miss out on the two biggest stars of this class in Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper. Even the second tier of stars, such as VJ Edgecombe and Tre Johnson, are likely to be well out of reach for Toronto. Still, the Raptors have options at No. 9. They still need a center, and Duke big man Khaman Maluach is the top big man in the draft. Maluach has a small chance to slide down to No. 9, but the Raptors could also solidify the front court elsewhere if the 7-foot-2 freshman is off the board, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. 'Duke center Khaman Maluach is largely viewed as the leading center prospect in this class,' Fischer wrote. 'And Toronto, sources say, is among the clubs that highly value the 7-foot-2 big man who played for South Sudan's national team in the 2024 Summer Olympics. 'The Raptors, though, have left various rival teams with the impression that they covet multiple centers at the No. 9 slot … meaning they might have another big man in mind should Maluach come off the board by the time Toronto is on the clock.' Advertisement Maluach's skillset makes him an enticing pick for every team. He has only been playing organized basketball since he was 14 and has already improved a ton in that time. He has shooting touch that he wasn't asked to use much at Duke, but he is a great two-way player who is an elite lob threat and good shot blocker with swtichability on defense. Even if Maluach is gone, there are a number of other intriguing center prospects that the Raptors can look at with the No. 9 pick. At the top of that list would be Georgetown center Thomas Sorber, who is a much smaller prospect who plays below the rim but has incredible intangibles and feel for the game for his age. The Raptors could also look to take a guard with this pick, but there are still options in the front court if they want to go in that direction. Related: Raptors rumors: Kevin Durant trade a backup option to Giannis Antetokounmpo Related: 3 players Toronto Raptors must avoid in 2025 NBA Draft

RUMOR: What Jake Fischer is hearing about Kevin Durant trade pursuit
RUMOR: What Jake Fischer is hearing about Kevin Durant trade pursuit

Yahoo

time32 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

RUMOR: What Jake Fischer is hearing about Kevin Durant trade pursuit

The post RUMOR: What Jake Fischer is hearing about Kevin Durant trade pursuit appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Toronto Raptors have spent the last two years under construction, focusing on the development of their fairly young roster rather than competing for Eastern Conference supremacy. Although Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick and Jakob Poeltl form an intriguing core, most people assume that team president Masai Ujiri has been biding his time before pursuing a superstar. The time to strike may soon arrive. Advertisement The Phoenix Suns and Kevin Durant understand that a split is in the best interest of all involved and are moving toward a trade this offseason. Toronto is expected to make a play for the future Hall of Famer, as it tries to quickly reinsert itself back into the playoff picture. Considering the question marks swirling around the East going into the 2025-26 campaign, Ujiri may believe that one transformative talent can launch the squad into contention. However, such a player is not typically acquired without making a considerable sacrifice. Three specific members of this squad are emerging as possible trade candidates this summer. 'Sources say that the Raptors would be willing to part with either RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley for a significant roster upgrade,' NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on The Stein Line. 'Several league figures with knowledge of the Raptors' thinking have likewise asserted that they could show a willingness to move center Jakob Poeltl as well … provided that the trade in question brought back Durant.' Michael Scotto of HoopsHype also mentioned Barrett's possible presence on the trade market, noting that the Raptors are likely to 'gauge' league-wide interest in the Toronto native and former top-five draft pick. Raptors have much to consider One cannot ignore the risk of dealing away a big chunk of the starting lineup for someone who will turn 37 in September. Durant remains an offensive juggernaut — posted 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 52.7 percent from the field and 43.0 percent from 3-point range last season — but he is not the future of the franchise. Advertisement Can Durant and Barnes successfully lead a talented yet unproven group that also includes Ja'Kobe Walter and Ochai Agbaji? Masai Ujiri would need to engage in some additional roster shuffling to position Toronto for a true turnaround. The No. 9 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is an intriguing asset, but, as Fischer notes, it could be included in a swap for the Suns' No. 29 selection in a potential Kevin Durant trade. The Raptors have a tough balancing act to master. Competing in the present while also planning for the future is a risky undertaking that has conquered many executives in professional sports. Given the interest surrounding the two-time NBA Finals MVP, they may not have much time to figure it out. Related: NBA rumors: Insider labels $107 million Raptors star as best 'sneaky trade target' Related: Kon Knueppel turns heads with shocking NBA draft testing results

Who's The Real Bryson Stott And Could The Phillies End Up Trading Him?
Who's The Real Bryson Stott And Could The Phillies End Up Trading Him?

Forbes

timean hour ago

  • Forbes

Who's The Real Bryson Stott And Could The Phillies End Up Trading Him?

The Bryson-Stott-leadoff-hitter experiment appears to be dunzo. And it's a bit of a surprise considering how it began. When the Phillies slotted Stott into the leadoff spot on April 11, it looked like they found their guy to bump previous leadoff hitter Kyle Schwarber to cleanup to protect Bryce Harper. From his first day leading off to April 30, Stott batted .306 with an .832 OPS. But then Stott slipped into a protracted slump, batting .197 since May 1 with an unsightly .284 slug over that span. And by June 9, Stott's leadoff role ended indefinitely. Over the past 10 games, he's batted near the bottom of the order, mostly in the No. 7 spot. Philadelphia Phillies' Bryson Stott has struggled at the plate this season. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Beyond the whole leadoff thing, the Phillies must reassess what they got in Stott, who looked like a bedrock piece after batting .280 with 15 home runs and 31 stolen bases in his first full MLB year in 2023. It was believed that an elbow injury hindered his 2024 season. He said his elbow felt great this spring but the results have been the same, if not worse. He has slashed .244/.313/.352 over 854 plate appearances while playing Gold-Glove-caliber second-base. So will the real Bryson Stott please step forward? Is he the dynamic 2023 guy? Or the inconsistent slap-hitter over the past 800-plus plate appearances? Yeah, probably the latter, considering the sample size. Now, let's pose the difficult question — difficult because Stott is so popular in Philly: Could the Phils include him in a trade-deadline deal to obtain a big bopper or lights-out closer? Stott is a commodity that could lure a buyer who wants to dump salary and/or get younger. At 27 years, Stott is still young enough that a team could invest in his future potential but here's what really makes him enticing: He's a low-cost option (making $3.2 million this season before arbitration) and remains under team control until after the 2027 season. It's a scenario — to dangle Stott as trade bait — that Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski could/should consider, if he hasn't already. Hypothetically, let's say Philadelphia trades Stott as part of a deal to get their impact bat — centerfielder Byron Buxton, anybody? — then who would play second? Maybe rookie Otto Kemp, whose bat looks capable and has played 72 games at second in the minors, but he also has looked a little awkward in the field. Or maybe the team gives super-sub Edmundo Sosa a full-time gig but, in reality, Sosa's greatest value lies in his versatility. Inquirer baseball scribe David Murphy makes a great point that shipping out Stott for a more dangerous hitter may not be worth 'sacrificing his defense and shaking up the clubhouse to that degree.' However, the pressure is on Dombrowski to find the magical ingredient that gets this team back to the World Series for one more shot at a title, so it wouldn't be inconceivable if Dombrowski were to do something drastic and move Stott before the deadline. And if he leaves, Philly fans will never forget this incredible moment that he gave them:

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