Nationals play the Reds leading series 1-0
Washington; Tuesday, 6:45 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Reds: Chase Burns (0-1, 6.19 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 25 strikeouts); Nationals: Brad Lord (2-5, 3.46 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 56 strikeouts)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Reds -136, Nationals +115; over/under is 9 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Washington Nationals host the Cincinnati Reds, leading the series 1-0.
Washington is 40-60 overall and 20-30 in home games. Nationals hitters are batting a collective .246, which ranks eighth in the NL.
Cincinnati is 24-27 on the road and 52-49 overall. The Reds have a 44-6 record in games when they out-hit their opponents.
Tuesday's game is the fifth time these teams square off this season. The Nationals hold a 3-1 advantage in the season series.
TOP PERFORMERS: James Wood has 21 doubles and 24 home runs while hitting .275 for the Nationals. Brady House is 15 for 39 with three doubles and two home runs over the last 10 games.
Elly De La Cruz has 18 doubles, three triples and 18 home runs for the Reds. Matt McLain is 12 for 40 with two doubles and two home runs over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nationals: 3-7, .236 batting average, 6.13 ERA, outscored by 24 runs
Reds: 6-4, .257 batting average, 3.89 ERA, outscored opponents by seven runs
INJURIES: Nationals: Trevor Williams: 60-Day IL (elbow), Keibert Ruiz: 7-Day IL (concussion), Derek Law: 60-Day IL (forearm), Dylan Crews: 10-Day IL (back), Orlando Ribalta: 15-Day IL (biceps), DJ Herz: 60-Day IL (elbow), Josiah Gray: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Reds: Ian Gibaut: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Wade Miley: 15-Day IL (flexor), Rhett Lowder: 60-Day IL (forearm), Hunter Greene: 15-Day IL (groin), Carson Spiers: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Tyler Callihan: 60-Day IL (forearm), Brandon Williamson: 60-Day IL (elbow), Julian Aguiar: 60-Day IL (elbow)
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Every Big Ten team's best and worst-case scenario for 2025
There's just over a month before toe meets leather on the 2025 college football season, and teams across the country are gearing up for their 12-game regular season slates. This fall, teams across the Big Ten will battle for a national championship, playoff appearance, or simply to make a bowl game. Here's a look at the best- and worst-case scenario for every team in the conference entering the season. Illinois Nov 30, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini running back Aidan Laughery (21) runs for a touchdown against Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Best case scenario: 11-1 Worst case scenario: 6-6 The Fighting Illini have a wide range of possible outcomes in 2024, with several toss-ups throughout the year. Ohio State is seemingly the only guaranteed loss, while Western Illinois, Western Michigan and Purdue should be easy wins. Playing at Duke, at Indiana, vs. USC, at Washington and at Wisconsin will likely all be close games, and dropping a stinker against Rutgers, Maryland or Northwestern isn't out of the picture. If all goes well, Illinois will be in College Football Playoff contention, but several tricky road games could derail things. Advertisement Indiana Indiana's Mike Katic (56) and the Hoosiers hoist the bucket after the Indiana versus Purdue football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. Best-case scenario: 10-2 Worst-case scenario: 7-5 The Hoosiers open with one of the softest nonconference slates in the country, hosting Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and Indiana State, which should result in easy victories. After that, things get trickier with matchups against Illinois, Iowa, Oregon, Penn State and Wisconsin on the docket. Two or more losses against that group seems extremely likely, especially considering Indiana will be on the road against the Hawkeyes, Ducks and Nittany Lions, three of the toughest environments around. Iowa Dec 4, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Detailed view of Iowa Hawkeyes helmet on the sidelines in the Big Ten Conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Best-case scenario: 9-3 Worst-case scenario: 6-6 The Hawkeyes have won eight or more games every season since 2015, but that streak is at risk in 2025. The annual CyHawk rivalry game could prove tougher than usual with Iowa State coming off a Big 12 conference championship appearance. Additionally, Iowa will be an underdog in conference games against Penn State, Oregon and USC, and games against Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska could be tricky. With one of Iowa's toughest schedules in recent history, achieving eight wins again would be a successful season. Advertisement Maryland Oct 19, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Mike Locksley during the second half Southern California Trojans at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 7-5 Worst-case scenario: 4-8 The Terrapins are in danger of the wheels falling off after a disappointing 4-8 season a year ago. The nonconference slate features three supposed cupcake games, but NIU could give Maryland a run for its money. In Big Ten play, the Terrapins received a relatively easy draw, with Michigan and Illinois as the two toughest opponents. Wisconsin, Washington, Nebraska and Indiana could be tricky, depending on how their rosters mesh, and Maryland isn't clearly above teams like UCLA and Michigan State. Finding wins in conference play will be tricky for the Terrapins in 2025. Advertisement Michigan State Aug 30, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back Nate Carter (5) follows blocker Michigan State Spartans offensive lineman Kristian Phillips (71) during the game against the Florida Atlantic Owls at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports Best-case scenario: 7-5 Worst-case scenario: 4-8 The Spartans should have free wins over Western Michigan and Youngstown State and will be favored over Boston College in nonconference play. Playing Michigan and Penn State pencils in two losses, and most of the toss-ups (Nebraska, Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa) are on the road. The Spartans should go undefeated through nonconference play and pick off a couple Big Ten opponents, but the conference slate is tough. Michigan Dec 31, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive lineman Ike Iwunnah (92) celebrates a sack with Michigan Wolverines linebacker Ernest Hausmann (15) against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 11-1 Worst-case scenario: 8-4 In addition to their annual rivalry against Ohio State, the Wolverines travel to USC and Oklahoma, but the rest of the schedule seems manageable for them. Michigan is riding momentum after beating the Buckeyes and Alabama in back-to-back games to close out last season, and should get a significant improvement in quarterback play from either 5-star Bryce Underwood or veteran transfer Mikey Keene. The Wolverines should compete for a playoff appearance and possibly a conference championship. Advertisement Minnesota Jan 3, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Darius Taylor (1) scores a touchdown against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the second quarter at the Duke's Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 10-2 Worst-case scenario: 6-6 The Golden Gophers should go 3-0 in nonconference play, with a trip to Cal as the toughest test. Conference games against Rutgers, Purdue and Northwestern should be comfortable wins, giving Minnesota bowl eligibility, but there are also some likely losses, including at Ohio State and at Oregon. Nebraska Dec 28, 2024; Bronx, NY, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Emmett Johnson (21) celebrates with teammates after a touchdown during the second half against the Boston College Eagles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 8-4 Worst-case scenario: 6-6 The Cornhuskers have a relatively easy nonconference slate, but playing Michigan, USC, Penn State and Iowa make for uphill battles. Maryland, Northwestern and UCLA should provide easy wins in conference play, giving Nebraska bowl eligibility for the second consecutive season if it takes care of business. Advertisement Northwestern Nov 30, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats wide receiver A.J. Henning (8) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the second half at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 6-6 Worst-case scenario: 3-9 A nonconference road trip to Tulane won't be easy for a team of Northwestern's caliber, though Western Michigan and UL Monroe are all but guaranteed victories. Hosting UCLA and Purdue gives the Wildcats a good shot of beating some of the conference's bottom-dwellers, but wins outside of that will be hard to come by. The schedule-makers did Northwestern no favors by including Oregon, Michigan, Penn State, USC and Illinois, which will all be heavy favorites over the Wildcats. Ohio State Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate their 34-23 win over Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025. Best-case scenario: 12-0 Worst-case scenario: 9-3 Fresh off a national championship, the Buckeyes have a chance to be the best team in the country once again, but their schedule features some elite opponents. A nonconference matchup with Texas and Big Ten games against Penn State and Michigan make for three major hurdles, and road trips to Washington, Wisconsin and Illinois could be trap games. Still, it's hard to see Ohio State dropping more than three contests. Advertisement Oregon The Oregon Ducks mascot walks the sideline during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. Best-case scenario: 12-0 Worst-case scenario: 9-3 Nonconference games against Oregon State and Oklahoma State are interesting but should result in multiple-score victories for the Ducks. Oregon can't play itself and also avoids Ohio State and Michigan, so the only major tests should come at Penn State and at USC. Traveling to Iowa could be tricky, and dropping a rivalry game against Washington isn't out of the picture, so it's possible the Ducks regress to 9-3. Penn State Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) celebrates a touch down in the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 12-0 Worst-case scenario: 9-3 The Nittany Lions benefit from an extremely weak nonconference schedule but have tough games at Ohio State and vs. Oregon, which should be close contest. Penn State may also be tested at Iowa or vs. Indiana, but the Nittany Lions have historically handled business when favored. Advertisement Purdue Purdue Boilermakers running back Devin Mockobee (45) celebrates with Purdue Boilermakers quarterback Hudson Card (1) and Purdue Boilermakers offensive lineman Jalen Grant (75) after scoring Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, during the NCAA football game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Northwestern Wildcats won 26-20. Best-case scenario: 5-7 Worst-case scenario: 2-10 The Boilermakers should be able to pick up wins against Ball State and Southern Illinois but likely won't take down Notre Dame. In conference play, Ohio State, Michigan, USC and Illinois look to be losses, while games against Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington and Indiana won't be easy either. Purdue's best chance for a Big Ten win will come at Northwestern or vs. Rutgers, but neither are a given. Rutgers Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights wide receiver Ian Strong (9) against the Kansas State Wildcats during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 6-6 Worst-case scenario: 3-9 The Scarlet Knights benefit from a soft nonconference schedule and games against Purdue and Maryland, but the rest of the schedule is a murderer's row featuring most of the top teams in the conference. Picking up conference wins will be difficult, and reaching bowl eligibility will likely require an upset or two. Advertisement UCLA Oct 5, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Jaylin Davies (6) gestures at the line of scrimmage during the second quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 6-6 Worst-case scenario: 3-9 The Bruins have a tough nonconference draw with Utah, UNLV and New Mexico State, plus Penn State, Ohio State and USC in conference play. Games against Northwestern and Maryland should lead to conference wins, but the rest will be tough. USC Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Best-case scenario: 10-2 Worst-case scenario: 6-6 The Trojans have a tough nonconference battle against Notre Dame but should also rack up two easy victories against Missouri State and Georgia Southern. In Big Ten action, USC takes on Oregon, Michigan, Illinois and Iowa, which should prove difficult, but playing UCLA, Northwestern and Purdue balances it out with some supposedly easy wins. Advertisement Washington Oct 5, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies running back Jonah Coleman (1) celebrates after rushing for a touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines during the fourth quarter at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 9-3 Worst-case scenario: 6-6 The Huskies should pick up a trio of easy nonconference victories, plus wins over Maryland, Rutgers and Purdue. Playing Ohio State and Oregon will be tough, but those games come at home. The toughest road trips are at Michigan and Wisconsin, which are tough but winnable. Washington should have no trouble reaching bowl eligibility, but there are several expected losses against top conference foes. Wisconsin Nov 29, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Tawee Walker (3) during the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 7-5 Worst-case scenario: 3-9 The Badgers have two cupcakes to open the season followed by a trip to Alabama, meaning a likely 2-1 start. Wisconsin has a brutal stretch in conference play featuring games at Michigan, vs. Iowa, vs. Ohio State, at Oregon, vs. Washington, at Indiana, vs. Illinois and at Minnesota, in which the Badgers may be underdogs in every game. This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Best and worst-case scenarios for every Big Ten team in 2025
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New Bears coach Ben Johnson has ‘lofty,' historic goals for QB Caleb Williams in their first season together
New Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has some extremely high goals for Caleb Williams this season, which would put the second-year quarterback in an elite group if he can pull it off. Johnson made it clear on Tuesday, one day before the Bears officially open training camp, that he wants Willaims to complete 70% of his passes this season. Williams echoed that sentiment later, and added that he wants to throw for 4,000 yards, too. Advertisement Not only would that make him the first quarterback in Bears history to reach the 4,000-yard mark, but Williams would become just the 10th quarterback in NFL history to hit both of those marks. 'We certainly have goals that we strive for. It's not a secret,' Johnson said . 'I would love for him this season to complete 70% of his balls, so you would like to think that over the course of practice we're completing 70% or more, or that's hard to just magically arise in a game. 'It's a lofty goal, but it's one we're going to strive for.' [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Williams, who the Bears took with the No. 1 overall pick out of USC last year, threw for 3,541 yards with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions as a rookie in Chicago. The Bears went just 5-12 under his watch, missed the playoffs for a fourth straight season and ended up firing head coach Matt Eberflus. That led to the Bears hiring Johnson, who was previously the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator. Advertisement Williams completed just 62.5% of his passes last season, too, so that 70% mark that Johnson set would be a significant increase. In fact, only four true starting quarterbacks who played the entire campaign last season completed 70% of their passes or better. Lions quarterback Jared Goff led the way with 72.4%. It would take a significant jump for Williams to pull that off, though it would undoubtedly both throw himself into the MVP conversation and mean that the Bears are among the best in the NFC if he can get it done. With Johnson now leading the way, and a very solid group around him, the goals in place for Williams aren't unobtainable by any means. He's very likely to make a significant improvement after his rookie season, too. Advertisement Whether he can hit those admittedly lofty goals from Johnson, though, remains to be seen.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NBA's best available free agents: The top bigs, ball-handlers and wings still on the market
Three weeks after the start of the NBA's 2025 free agency period, most of the biggest prospective difference-makers have come off the board. That doesn't mean, though, that the market is devoid of talented players — veterans of all shapes, sizes, experience levels and skill sets who might be capable of meaningfully, tangibly helping a club next season. (NOTE: What follows will focus on unrestricted free agents. If you'd like to read about the games and statuses of restricted free agents Josh Giddey, Jonathan Kuminga, Quentin Grimes and Cam Thomas, then, boy, do I have just the link for you!) Advertisement Let's take a spin through the some of the best unsigned talent still on the board, starting with the big fellas, and a perennial postseason participant in search of a new home: Best available free agents: Bigs • Ball-handlers • Wings BIGS Al Horford The just-turned-39-year-old might not be on the market for long. He's been tipped for weeks to join the Golden State Warriors, though as of press time, the deal remains unconsummated. So as long as he isn't inked, Horford is the best big man available — one who's only available, really, due to the Celtics responding to the shocking combination of Jayson Tatum's ruptured Achilles tendon and their earlier-than-expected exit from the playoffs by pivoting into cost-saving mode and away from the kind of immediate title contention that an 18-year vet would reasonably want to pursue as he nears the end of the line. Advertisement [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Horford's shooting efficiency dipped last season from what he provided during Boston's run to the 2024 NBA championship. He continued to produce, though, averaging 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 combined steals and blocks in 27.7 minutes per game, and remaining a key contributor for a Celtics team that won 61 games, finished in the top five in the NBA in both offensive and defensive efficiency — and performed better on both ends of the floor with the rock-solid vet on the floor. He'll organize coverages, space the floor, move the ball and generally provide whatever you need on any given possession, and do it while providing the kind of steady hand and measured leadership you need in the postseason. Chris Boucher The last remaining member of the Raptors' 2019 NBA title team, Boucher developed from the fringes of the rotation into a key frontcourt reserve over seven seasons in Toronto. Injuries and inconsistency have dampened his effectiveness from the 2020-21 peak that saw him finish eighth in Sixth Man of the Year voting — he's played just under 1,600 minutes over the last two seasons combined — but the 6-foot-9, 200-pound Boucher can still both hoist triples and wreak some havoc defensively. Advertisement Only 26 NBA players last season blocked 20 shots, snagged 20 steals and made 70 3-pointers while shooting 36% or better from long distance. Boucher was one of them. That kind of potential two-way impact could be worth a flier on a short-money deal this late in the calendar. Trey Lyles The glass-half-empty take: Lyles is about to turn 30 and hitting free agency coming off his worst season in several years, shooting just 42% from the floor and 34% from 3-point range for an exceedingly underwhelming Kings team. Glass-half-full: He missed training camp with a groin injury and never quite got out from behind the 8-ball, and he'd shot better in each of the previous three seasons, during which more functional and less weirdly duct-taped-together Sacramento teams played better — sometimes significantly so — with Lyles on the floor than off it. Advertisement There's always been a bit of jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none to the Kentucky product's game; he's not the kind of obvious, demonstrative talent on either end of the floor that demands to be built around. At his best, though, Lyles is a capable gap-filler — the sort of extra-pass-and-timely-rotation-making grout and mortar that holds possessions together. If he can also make shots more like he did from 2020 to 2024 (.594 true shooting percentage) than he did last season (.551), then he's worth a look for a frontcourt rotation that's a live body short. Thomas Bryant Bryant has spent the last three seasons backing up Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokić, Bam Adebayo and Myles Turner — gigs that haven't exactly afforded him a ton of opportunities to log heavy minutes. When he has seen the floor, though, he's flashed ability as a pick-and-roll dive man, a pick-and-pop floor-spacer, an offensive rebounder and an active participant in the transition game — a useful combination of skills off the bench for a team with postseason aspirations. Advertisement He also came up big in a couple of big spots during Indiana's remarkable run to the NBA Finals, making a number of huge plays in closeout victories over Cleveland and New York. 'Look, Thomas has an indomitable spirit, as a person and a player,' Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said after Indiana's win over the Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals, in which Bryant scored 11 points in 13 minutes. 'Even when he's not in the rotation, he's over there in a defensive stance on the sidelines, and he is into it, and he's ready. He is ready.' Seems like a pretty decent guy to have around! Precious Achiuwa It was a frustrating 2024-25 for Achiuwa, who missed the first six weeks after suffering a preseason hamstring injury and saw his minutes and opportunities dwindle once Mitchell Robinson returned to New York's rotation after the All-Star break. But while the 25-year-old's interior finishing and perimeter shot-making both remain below league-average for an NBA big, he's still a mobile and versatile defender capable of moving his feet in space who has posted strong block, steal and rebounding rates in a rotation role, and who's just a year removed from playing real minutes (albeit due to a raft of injuries) for the Knicks in the postseason. Advertisement If you're looking for a high-efficiency modern offensive big man, Achiuwa is probably not for you. If you need an energetic rebounder and defender to set screens and dive, though, he's got the tools to be effective in a defined role. Also on the market: Tristan Thompson, DeAndre Jordan, Taj Gibson, Alex Len, Bismack Biyombo, Charles Bassey BALL-HANDLERS Russell Westbrook Only 14 NBA players last season logged at least 2,000 minutes and averaged at least 13 points, six assists and four rebounds per game. It's a list loaded with MVP, All-NBA and All-Star candidates … and Russ was on it. Westbrook doesn't play at that exalted level anymore; as his shooting efficiency dips, his turnover rate rises and his defensive effectiveness vacillates, he can prove to be a tricky on-court fit. But at age 36, 17 seasons into a Hall of Fame career, he's still a productive player — one who injects energy into an offense in transition, operates effectively in the pick-and-roll and puts pressure on the rim, taking well over 40% of his field goal attempts at the basket last season and making 64% of them. Advertisement Westbrook can sometimes burn too hot for his own or his team's good; he shot just 34.8% from the field and 21.9% from 3-point range with more turnovers than assists in Denver's second-round loss to Oklahoma City. (It's worth noting that, after the series, he had surgery to repair two broken bones in his shooting hand.) But the fire he plays with and the burst he still brings to bear both remain rare, even after all these years, and capable of helping contribute to success. You might not feel super comfortable needing to turn to Russ in a gotta-have-it playoff game. At this point in the calendar, though, I'm not sure anybody left on the market is likely to prove more helpful in getting you through the regular season and to that kind of moment than he is. Malcolm Brogdon One of just two players in NBA history to win both Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year (shout out to Mike Miller), Brogdon's star has dimmed in the two years since he shined as Boston's top reserve, with a pair of trades — first to Portland, in the deal that made Jrue Holiday a Celtic, and then to Washington, in the swap that brought Deni Avdija to the Blazers — shuffling him to non-competitive teams and a host of injuries limiting him to just 63 games over the past two seasons. Advertisement When healthy, Brogdon is a useful piece in the backcourt. He's a 38.8% career 3-point shooter, adept at knocking down shots off the catch or off the bounce. He's a low-turnover secondary ball-handler and pick-and-roll facilitator — a heady playmaker with playoff experience. He's a high-volume driver who can draw fouls and finish through contact. And while he's not a great defender, he at least has enough size (6-4, 230 pounds) to be tough to hunt and bully defensively. The recent injury history is enough to give interested suitors pause, but if he's able to stay on the court, Brogdon could be a low-cost, high-reward option for would-be contenders with a need in the backcourt. Ben Simmons We're going on five seasons since Simmons last made an All-Star team, cracked double figures in points per game, played more than 51 games, or even attempted six shots or two free throws per game. Whether you chalk it up to a mental block dating back to that pass against the Hawks in the playoffs, the ongoing physical toll of persistent back injuries, some combination of both, or something else entirely, it seems reasonable to conclude that the former No. 1 overall draft pick isn't likely to return to the All-NBA heights he reached once upon a time in Philadelphia. Advertisement Even so: 6-10, 230-pound dudes who can facilitate, rebound and defend multiple positions in multiple contexts don't grow on trees. According to The BBall Index's charting, only four players in the NBA last season (minimum 500 minutes played) finished in the 70th percentile or better in defensive positional versatility, defensive playmaking, perimeter isolation defense and help defensive activity: Draymond Green, Scottie Barnes, Jonathan Isaac … and Simmons. That doesn't mean he's likely to find a major role on a team of consequence; barring a sudden, 180-degree reversal in his willingness to take shots at the basket, to accept contact in the process, and to both take and make free throws, that ship has all but certainly sailed. (To wit: After catching on with the Clippers following his buyout in Brooklyn, Simmons played just 16 minutes per game, ostensibly as a backup center, and logged a total of 42 minutes in L.A.'s seven-game playoff loss to the Nuggets.) But even a half-decade removed from his peak, Simmons' physical tools and pedigree are still enticing enough — the Suns, Celtics, Knicks and Kings have all registered at least some level of interest, according to Marc Stein — that he'll likely wind up getting another shot to prove he can still make a positive impact. Monte Morris Morris was once widely viewed as one of the best backup point guards in the NBA — a steady enough set of hands that, when Jamal Murray missed the entire 2021-22 season, the Nuggets just tossed him the keys to run with Nikola Jokić. He'd average 12.6 points and 4.4 assists per game on 48/40/87 shooting splits, helping Denver to 48 wins and a playoff berth (though, obviously, the giant Serbian guy deserved most of the credit for that). Advertisement The following season, though, Morris found himself on the move in a trade to Washington for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — a deal that solidified the Nuggets' championship roster and gave Morris another chance as a starting point guard, but that started what's been a rocky road for the Iowa State product. Since: four teams in three seasons, swapped for second-round picks twice and returned to reserve duty, with declining shooting efficiency (often a troubling development for a smaller guard) contributing to reduced opportunities. Morris still has one of the steadiest sets of hands in the game: a 3.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last season, a top-20 mark among players to appear in at least 40 games. If the shooting can tick back up toward his prior career numbers, the just-turned-30-year-old could be a strong pickup for a roster in need of a high-floor, low-mistake table-setter. Cameron Payne The well-traveled Payne has cemented himself as a backup point guard for a number of playoff teams in recent years, bouncing from Phoenix to Milwaukee to Philadelphia and, last season, to New York, where he shot 36.3% from deep with a 3.9-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio as one of the relatively few reserve options that Tom Thibodeau felt he could trust. Advertisement Payne repaid that trust early in the postseason, helping spark a fourth-quarter run as the Knicks climbed out of a fourth-quarter deficit in Game 1 against the Pistons at Madison Square Garden … … but struggled mightily thereafter, shooting just 23.3% from the field over New York's next 13 playoff games before getting removed from the rotation midway through the Eastern Conference finals in favor of the more defensively capable Delon Wright and Landry Shamet. Even after putting him on the bench, though, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau continued to praise Payne as a consummate professional who's all about doing what's best for the team — traits that, when combined with low turnovers and high-volume 3-point shooting, tend to keep you employed for a long while in this league. Also on the market: Delon Wright, Cory Joseph, Patty Mills, Jared Butler, Markelle Fultz, Elfrid Payton WINGS Malik Beasley After becoming just the fifth player in NBA history to make 300 3-pointers in a single season, helping the Pistons to return to the playoffs for the first time in six years, and finishing second in Sixth Man of the Year voting, Beasley seemed poised to cash in with a lucrative multi-year deal to return to Detroit as soon as free agency opened. And then we learned Beasley was the subject of a federal gambling investigation related to instances of 'unusually heavy betting interest on [his] statistics' during his tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks — a revelation that put the kibosh on the 28-year-old's contract talks. Before long, the Pistons pivoted, bringing in reserves Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson — a high-usage reserve guard and a high-volume movement shooter, effectively filling both of the roles Beasley had played in Detroit last season. Advertisement Obviously, Beasley's legal status would seem to be the primary factor in determining his NBA future; you'd imagine that, unless he's unequivocally cleared of any wrongdoing in the federal gambling probe, no team in the league will be willing to even tiptoe toward bringing him in. If such an exoneration does come, though … well, the only other guys who've ever shot 41% from 3 while taking them as often as Beasley just did are Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, and they're not available. If Beasley is, and if the feds give the all-clear, some team will absolutely kick the tires on a buy-low reclamation project. Gary Payton II Payton's value is probably always going to be both highly situation-dependent and heavily in the eye of the beholder. Advertisement On one hand, he's played 1,000 minutes once in nine NBA seasons, and has never come close to averaging even 20 minutes per game. He's a 6-2 guard who's barely made a third of his 3-point tries for his career, who has never consistently or effectively created his own shots at the NBA level, and who turns 33 in December. He doesn't seem like a guy you necessarily want to pay if you have the option of giving a younger guard with more potentially unrealized upside an opportunity to see if he can develop into something more. On the other, Payton was a legitimate rotation piece on a championship team three seasons ago. He is consistently one of the best and most disruptive point-of-attack defenders in the NBA on a possession-by-possession basis, routinely sitting at or near the top of the leaderboard in steals and deflections per 36 minutes and ranking in the 93rd percentile or higher in defensive estimated plus-minus in three of the last four seasons. He doesn't shoot all that much, but he makes 'em from the corners, shooting 37% or better on those looks in each of the last four years. He moves well off the ball, times his cuts well, punches above his weight class as a screener in guard-guard pick-and-rolls, generates extra possessions on the offensive glass, and generally delivers a lot of value without needing the ball in his hands a lot … which makes him seem like a guy you do want to pay if you're trying to fill in the gaps around a high-volume, attention-demanding shot creator. Advertisement Like, say, Steph. But will the Warriors, who've yet to make any moves while they sort out the Kuminga situation, have room to bring GPII back? If not, it'll be interesting to see which teams might consider themselves the right kind of fit for a productive but particular player. Amir Coffey The myriad injuries that have beset the Clippers seemingly every season have afforded Coffey, undrafted out of Minnesota in 2019, to work his way from the G League into consistent rotation run, averaging 20.7 minutes per game over the last four seasons. He shot 40.9% from 3-point range on 3.4 attempts per game while spending time at the 2, 3 and 4 spots for Tyronn Lue; he's also consistently ranked as a net-negative producer in his minutes, with the Clippers routinely performing much better when he's off the court than on it. Advertisement Coffey will likely find himself squeezed out of a spot on a Clippers roster that has added veterans Chris Paul, Bradley Beal, John Collins and Brook Lopez to holdovers Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Ivica Zubac, Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn and Nicolas Batum. You'd expect a 6-7 wing who just shot 40% from deep to get a chance to catch on elsewhere, though; whether he sticks might depend on whether he can show more, especially on the defensive end, in a different context. Alec Burks Entering his 15th NBA season, Burks' value at this stage largely depends on whether his jumper is falling. (Who among us, right?) But if you need a professional guard with size and experience who can handle the ball, attack an already bent defense and offer a spot-up threat, Burks showed last season that he can still be equal to the task. Advertisement After stepping into a larger-than-perhaps-anticipated role in Miami after The Jimmy Unpleasantness turned into The Post-Jimmy Era, Burks averaged just under eight points and three rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game, shooting 41.7% from 3-point range in the second half of the season. Asking him to shoulder too much of the shot-creation workload or assume bigger defensive responsibilities probably won't end too well, but the 34-year-old still has enough gas left in the tank to be worth a look for a team in need of an experienced complementary catch-and-shoot threat and second-side slasher. Seth Curry Look, I'm not going to blame you if you weren't, like, super locked in to the exploits of the 2024-25 Charlotte Hornets — a basketball team that only intermittently resembled a basketball team, and that faced existential questions about what it was even trying to accomplish most nights (and especially the ones where LaMelo Ball wasn't present). Advertisement What I will say to you, though, is that under cover of national-media darkness, Seth Curry shot 45.6% from 3-point range on 182 attempts — the fifth time he's made 45% of his triples while taking at least 100, tying Kyle Korver for the second-most such seasons in NBA history, behind only Hubert Davis — which led the NBA. He also ranked in the 85th percentile or higher in points per possession finished as a spot-up shooter, pick-and-roll ball-handler, attacking in transition or working in isolation, according to Synergy. He's also a 6-2 combo guard who's a glaring defensive minus, who has battled injuries and played limited minutes the past few seasons, and who will turn 35 before training camps open in September. (To some extent, Seth's sort of like the yin to GPII's yang.) Even so: teams will always be looking for elite, capital-S Shooters, especially when they're also low-turnover ball-handlers with experience, pedigree and professionalism. Whether it's a playoff hopeful in need of another floor spacer or an up-and-coming team looking for a good vet to show its youngsters the ropes, it's likely that somebody's going to give Curry the opportunity to get back on the court for a 12th NBA season this fall. Also on the market: Landry Shamet, Brandon Boston Jr., Lonnie Walker IV (though he might be returning to Europe), Talen Horton-Tucker, Dalano Banton
