LeBron James, Dwyane Wade & Chris Paul on Vacation | 2016 NBA Offseason
(Mike Ehrmann/Getty) With NBA free agency beginning Friday, the Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade will once again try to agree to a new contract to keep the 34-year-old guard with the team.
But that plan has already hit a speed bump. According to ESPN"s Brian Windhorst, citing unnamed league sources, the two sides couldn"t find a "common ground" in contract discussions Tuesday, leading Wade"s representatives to let teams know Wade would be on the market this summer.
This could easily be a negotiating tactic by Wade and his team to try to force Miami"s hand. As Windhorst notes, Wade and the Heat had several contentious weeks last summer while Wade was a free agent before they eventually agreed on a one-year, $20 million deal.
Yet there"s reason to believe that this summer could actually be different. While a divorce between Wade and Miami, where he has spent all 13 years of his career, seems unimaginable, the Heat are facing some difficult decisions this offseason.
The Heat are considered one of the frontrunners to nab Kevin Durant if he leaves Oklahoma City, and they are also trying to retain breakout center Hassan Whiteside and forward Luol Deng. Simply put, the Heat can"t afford to pay all four players at their market value.
Deng would seemingly be the odd man out, but even then the Heat can"t logistically sign Durant, Whiteside, and Wade to maximum or near-maximum contracts at the same time. It would take major concessions from all three. This is dependent on Durant choosing to sign with the Heat, of course, but they are one of the teams he is scheduled to meet with when free agency begins.
This all leads to an awkward atmosphere for Wade and the Heat to negotiate under. According to Windhorst, the Heat have $40 million in cap space. If they were to sign Wade to a deal that pays him $20 million a year, they won"t be able to afford Durant unless they clear more cap space. Ditto for Whiteside, whose max contract with the Heat would pay him over $24 million a year.
The Heat would have to first sign Durant (or any other big free agent) with their cap space, and then, because they own Wade"s Bird rights, they could go above the salary cap to re-sign Wade. Yet this is asking Wade to wait in limbo while the Heat handle seemingly bigger priorities, something that doesn"t exactly stroke any star"s ego.
There"s also the matter of what Wade"s market value is. Wade was mostly healthy and productive last season, playing 74 games while averaging 19 points, four rebounds, and four assists one of his best regular seasons in several years. But he is 34; how much are the Heat willing to pay him, and for how long?
None of this means a divorce is inevitable, but it is unlikely that these contract negotiations will be settled quickly. At the very least, for the Heat and Wade to remain together it seems as if there will have to be some big concessions from both sides.
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This week, "Around the Rim" pays homage to legendary coach Pat Summitt, who died Tuesday morning, by bringing in writers, coaches and players to reflect on her life and legacy.
Women"s basketball analyst LaChina Robinson welcomes freelance writer and editor Maria Cornelius, who covered Summitt for InsideTennessee.com, as well as espnW"s Mechelle Voepel. Both of whom tell stories of Summitt"s relationship with the media and her impact on women"s basketball.
In the second half of the show, Robinson speaks with former player and current South Carolina assistant coach Nikki McCray, who sheds light on what it meant to play for the late coach, Summitt"s influence and the keys Summitt gave her as she left Tennessee.
Robinson also talks with Vanderbilt assistant coach Carolyn Peck, who began her coaching career at Tennessee. She weighs in on Summitt as a leader, as a role model and the late coach"s relationship with her players.
ESPN First Take Today (6/29/2016) - Dwyane Wade & LeBron James? Kevin Durant?
It seems weird imagining Dwyane Wade in anything other than a Miami Heat uniform.
Wade has been there since 2003. He"s a three-time champion with the Heat. He"s as much a part of that organization as Pat Riley, Alonzo Mourning or even Micky Arison. They have a "Heat Lifer" business branding that he embodies perfectly. However, for the second straight summer, we"re looking at the Heat and Wade struggling to see eye-to-eye on a contract for the future Hall of Famer.
Once again, Wade wants more money and security than the Heat apparently are willing to offer right now. That"s causing Wade to look elsewhere to put pressure on the team to come through and pay him. Since he"s at the end of his prime, getting one more big deal makes sense for Wade. But the Heat have an incentive for keeping his cost relatively low and making that agreement happen sooner rather that later.
With the gap between Wade and the Heat happening again, ESPN"s Brian Windhorst went on Miami radio and said Wade"s representatives have recently reached out to a couple of teams, including the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks, about potential interest.
Via Pro Basketball Talk:
Over the last 24, 72 hours, Dwyane"s representatives have been calling around the league to several teams. Not to every team, not to 29 teams, but to a few teams and have said to them, "Hey, Dwyane is going to be available and is going to take offers."
I know San Antonio is one of the teams that"s been contacted. I know Dallas is one of the teams that"s been contacted.
How much should either side try to call a potential bluff here?
For the Heat, Wade doesn"t want to leave Miami. It"s his home and he"s built an incredible career. He could be one of the last superstars, much like Kobe Bryant, to spend his entire career with one team. That"s meaningful for everybody involved. But they also have to make sure they have the flexibility to use any potential cap space when Kevin Durant, Hassan Whiteside or any other free agent target they have this summer is still available.
Wade agreed to a one-year, $20 million deal last summer when he had these same issues coming to an agreement on a long-term deal with the Heat. This summer, he has a $30 million cap hold as the Heat retain the right to go over the cap to sign him. But really, the only way they have an abundance of cap space this summer is either by Wade signing elsewhere right away or coming to an agreement with the shooting guard quickly for a deal with an annual salary number much lower than his $30 million cap hold.
They don"t have Whiteside"s full Bird rights, which means they can"t just go over the salary cap to re-sign him. That limits their flexibility greatly.
For Wade, he has to weigh just how much of this strategy is a threat and how much of it could be a reality. Another future Hall of Famer, Paul Pierce, was supposed to spend his entire career with the Boston Celtics. Then they traded him to the Brooklyn Nets and since then he"s been nomadic in his signings. He signed with the Washington Wizards before finding his way back to Doc Rivers to play for the Los Angeles Clippers. It won"t sully his career in any way, but it does keep him from that one franchise distinction some guys really desire.
Wade on the San Antonio Spurs would likely have to come at a salary reduction. It"s unlikely they"ll give him a huge, long-term deal. They"re trying to find their own flexibility in possibly adding someone like Mike Conley or Pau Gasol or maybe even Kevin Durant. Wade could fit with Gasol in their salary cap space but again, he"s not getting paid the number he"s likely seeking from Miami.
The Dallas Mavericks have much more flexibility in what they can offer, but after committing so much money to Wes Matthews at the shooting guard position, throwing big money at Wade also seems unlikely. Although, they"ve struck out so much on free agency over the last few years that maybe they"d want a win in convincing Wade to come to their team as a lead guard.
Either way, one of these sides will have to blink at some point and do it soon for the Heat"s sake of continuing to strengthen their roster.
Dwyane Wade may look into signing with the San Antonio Spurs or Dallas Mavericks. USATSI
Wednesday afternoon was an absolutely wild one for the hockey world, as some of the leagueselite names were involved in some major deals just prior to the opening of free agency later this week.
First, after years of will they or wont they, the Oilers finally traded Taylor Hall. It was not worth the wait for Edmonton fans.
The 24-year-old left winger and former top overall pick was dealt to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for defenseman Adam Larsson and nothing else. Seriously, thats it. A one-for-one deal.
From what I understand this is a one for one deal @hallsy04 for Adam Larsson..
Gene Principe (@GenePrincipe) June 29, 2016
Sure, the Oilers have a plethora of young offensive talent that tends to happen when you win the draft lottery every year and keeppicking forwards and desperately need defense.
But, with that being said, this trade is absolutely horrendous. As a Bruins fan, I knowa bad trade when I see one. (On that note, its worth recognizingthat current Oilers and former Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli has now traded both the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks from the 2010 draft, and gotten fleeced on both of them.)
Hall is one of the leagues bestwingers on the left side, with 132 goals and 328 points in just 381 games played. Again, hes still 24 years old. Hes an elite talent. Larsson is a fine 23-year-old blue-linerwith what is likely a bright future ahead of him, but hes not great. Not yet, anyway. He plays solid defense and has point totals of 18/6/3/24/18 in five NHL seasons.
When you trade elite talent away, you should be getting elite talent or a massive package of assets in return. The Oilers got neither.
Then, in a second major movea short time later, the Canadiens traded their franchise defenseman, P.K. Subban, to the Nashville Predators for Shea Weber. For those keeping track at home, thats twoatrocious one-for-one swaps in less than an hour that left hockey fansshaking their heads.
College World Series | High Five | She Wants a Ride?
OMAHA, Neb. - The following severe weather policy, approved by the NCAA, Creighton University, the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA) and College World Series of Omaha, Inc., is in effect for the 2016 NCAA Mens College World Series (CWS).
Due to the severe weather and the concern for student-athlete welfare, the 2016 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship Game between Arizona and Coastal Carolina has been postponed until Thursday, June 30 at Noon (CT). The game will tentatively be televised on ESPNews. Gates at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha will open at 11 a.m. (CT).
Reserved seat tickets will be available Thursday, June 30 at the TD Ameritrade Park Omaha box office beginning at 10 a.m. (CT). Approximately 1,300 tickets will be available for the CWS Finals Game Three. Season-ticket holders should use the CWS Finals Game Three ticket or Flash Seats seat locator for admission.
Tickets
Only tickets for Thursdays game will be available for sale on Thursday, June 30. A limit of 10 tickets per person, per game will be enforced. Depending on demand and ticket availability, ticket limits may be raised. A random drawing will be conducted Thursday morning at the box office in order to provide the fairest ticket sales process and minimize ticket scalping. Fans are advised to arrive by 9 a.m. (CT) to participate in the random selection process. For more information regarding the box office line random queuing process, please visit NCAA.com/CWSTickets.
Fans who are unable to secure their desired tickets at the box office are encouraged to visit the NCAA Ticket Exchange, a fan-to-fan marketplace, or access Ticketmaster.com. General admission (GA) individual tickets ($11.50) and GA book of 10 tickets ($85) also are available at the box office beginning at 10 a.m. (CT). General admission tickets are first-come/first-served seating in bench-style seats in the outfield. Gates for all ticket holders open one hour in advance of game time. For information on all official ticket options for the College World Series, please visit NCAA.com/CWSTickets.
Parking Passes
Parking passes in Lot D are by the day. Lot D pass holders should bring the parking pass for Wednesday, June 29. Parking passes in Lot B are by game. Lot B pass holders should bring the CWS Finals Game Three pass for entrance into the lot for the Noon (CT) game.
When it comes to professional athletes, there is a fine line between talent and stardom. They"re two different things. One is usually attained because of the other, but talent does not guarantee that a player becomes a star.
The Nashville Predators traded an immense talent for one of the true stars of the game Wednesday afternoon amid a flurry of stunning activity in the NHL. To land defenseman P.K. Subban the Predators traded away the face of their franchise, their captain and a player whose brand was synonymous with all of the things that have become valued so highly in hockey circles.
They lose all that in Weber, who is no doubt a special player. But P.K. Subban is not just a player. P.K. Subban is an event. P.K. Subban is truly a star.
In many ways Subban and Weber are polar opposites in everything but their talent. And that might be exactly what the Nashville Predators need. In Subban, the Predators are gaining a star whose brilliance is unmatched by previous players in the organization. Peter Forsberg and Paul Kariya were Predators once, but that was after their best years were behind them. Many players that Nashville developed in their system, Weber included, turned out to be great talents.
Subban comes in at 27 years old, with a Norris Trophy not terribly far in his rearview mirror. This is peak Subban, which means the Predators are getting something that they have never had on their roster -- an honest to goodness celebrity hockey player with the talent to match.
Weber may have been known in and around Nashville and has been one of the biggest names in the NHL. Subban transcends hockey, though.
There"s a very specific reason for that. He is one of the few that allows himself to be more than a hockey player. He is what hockey has so sorely lacked for so long. He both is and has a personality.
Subban puts himself out there and has ingratiated himself to the world at large by being unflinchingly himself. He is doing that in a sport where individuality can often be viewed as a character flaw instead of a weapon of mass marketing. He is also unafraid to step out from the hockey bubble, and like anyone that lives inside a bubble, those that choose not to aren"t welcomed back.
P.K. Subban can be the star that takes Nashville to the next level. USATSI
Subban celebrates his individuality because it seems like no one else is willing to. He is not marketed as one of the league"s stars. And that was while he was playing in Montreal, the most traditional market the league has to offer.
There are so many things about Subban that make him stand out, and almost all of them are positive. Subban has interests away from the game and pursuits that are solely his own. He is among the NHL"s most charitable individuals, having recently donated more than $10 million to a local children"s hospital in Montreal. He has dreams of being a fashion designer and even custom designed his own skate for last year"s Winter Classic (which were awesome, by the way). He might be the best interview in the league, candid and honest and unafraid of being held accountable. He brings humor and levity to various situations and seems to have a vested interest in those he comes in contact with to be happy.
For whatever reason, all of that clashed with the Montreal Canadiens. That, plus it never appeared that his style on the ice meshed well with coach Michel Therrien. There were also always rumblings of uneasiness in the locker room, things that we may never know fully.
Subban took the high road, even though he received word of the trade while vacationing in Paris. He delivered this message to the fans that treated him so well in Montreal, but also had a very important message for the fans he"s about to make in Nashville: "Get ready."
Get ready, indeed. With the slate wiped clean, Subban goes to a new team with a core that is starting to look like the kind that can go on championship runs together if the right pieces get filled in around them. The Preds got younger at a key position and have Subban under contract for the next six years.
They also have a player that is now better suited for playing coach Peter Laviolette"s attacking style. Not that Weber wasn"t suited for it, because he adapted and fit in fine, but now the Predators can get even faster thanks to Subban"s puck-moving and skating abilities. Speed with talent and smarts kills in the NHL today. Just ask the Pittsburgh Penguins.
With Weber gone, even though he represents the very best of what this team was and what it has become, this is a new era of Nashville Predators hockey. The tide has been turning for a while, but the Subban addition takes things to another level. For too long the Predators have simply been either ordinary or just good enough to get by.
General manager David Poile has been aggressive in his restructuring of the franchise, which is amazing considering he has been with the club from the very beginning. What he tried for nearly 15 years hadn"t been working, but this new approach looks and feels fresh. It also feels like it could work.
Poile nabbed core forwards Filip Forsberg, James Neal and Ryan Johansen through trades. Now he adds Subban to that mix, which also includes defensemen Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis and goalie Pekka Rinne. Aside from the goaltender, who has trended downward in recent years, those are all players right in the sweet spot of their careers.
And with all of that in mind, the Predators very well could be a team that spends to the cap this year, which is not something we always see from them.
All of this suggests that the time for the Predators to make a move is now. Subban certainly senses that, too, and feels he might be in a better place to help make that happen.
If the Predators do make that move, they"ll be doing it with a player unlike any other they"ve had before.
Nashville may be a small market, but they have loyal and passionate fans. Subban, however, can be a game-changer on so many levels. An attraction in and of himself, he"s one of the players you pay to watch. He"s also the kind of player that demands attention because he is one of the few in the NHL that won"t shy away from it when it comes his way. That"s going to go a long way in attracting new fans and bringing more attention to the Predators than they"re used to getting.
Subban is the kind of player whose impact on Nashville can stretch far beyond his career. He can change the franchise forever. And while he"s doing that, he"ll also be able to make one of the most storied franchises in the history of the sport ask itself what the heck it was thinking when they let a star like him go.
Nigel Farage to MEPs: "most of you have never done a proper job"
It is not inconceivable that MPs could ignore the wishes expressed in the referendum and decide to keep Britain in the EU. After all, at some point the means of leaving has to be put to a vote of Parliament. If Brexit does not get through, it doesnt happen. Which bit of parliamentary sovereignty do people not understand?
But what is constitutionally possible is politically improbable. More likely, because this could secure a majority in Parliament and stop the UK cracking up, is that we leave the political bits of Europe and stay in the single market, perhaps by joining the EEA.
This might entail a deal on immigration, possibly a return to the original Common Market idea of free movement of labour, not of people. But our erstwhile EU partners would need to agree to change the rules; and it will mean seriously disappointing those who voted Leave thinking they would stop immigration outright. They will be angry. And where will they turn? We havent heard the last of Nigel Farage.
