Rodeo bull "Sauce Boss" recaptured after five-day search in Western Colorado
The bull was found a few times (including by a homeowner) roaming around in thick brush behind the Horse Ranch Neighborhood, but crews had difficulty trying to actually get the bull down.
Sauce Boss, the bull, had escaped from the Snowmass Rodeo.
Snowmass Village
Michelle Lubetzky, playing volleyball near the rodeo Sunday, was familiar with the bovine search.
"Apparently it has blended well with, with the scenery in Aspen, I don't know," Lubetzky said, laughing.
One homeowner told CBS Colorado the bull had actually been roped before his eventual capture Sunday, but because of heavy rain, he was able to escape once again.
Sunday cowboys took horses again up the trail to try and find the bull, and succeeded, leading him down and back towards the rodeo at the bottom of the hill. Homeowners tell CBS the bull is expected back in the rodeo for Snowmass Village next Wednesday.
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Bucks push back Jackson's guarantee date
Orlando continues to lock in its core, while Bradley Beal appears likely to exit Phoenix soon. Isaiah J. Downing / Imagn Stacy Revere / Getty Images Per a league source, Andre Jackson Jr. and the Bucks have agreed to push back the guarantee date on Jackson's contract for the 2025-26 season. That date was previously the end of the day today. In exchange for pushing back the date, a portion of Jackson's $2.2 million contract is now guaranteed. By moving the guarantee date back, the Bucks will be able to maintain some flexibility as they attempt to fill out the rest of their roster for the 2025-26 season. Darren Yamashita / Imagn Images The Heat-Clippers-Jazz trade is official. Miami and Utah declined to provide statements on players. But Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank offered some words Monday. On John Collins: "This was an opportunity to address a position and a skill set that we felt needed reinforcement,' Frank said. 'John is a power forward in his prime with great athleticism who can also play small-ball five. He scores at all three levels, excelling in space and transition, as a runner, roller and vertical threat. He stretches the court with his shooting and helps win the possession battle with his rebounding. We're excited to add John to the group.' On Norman Powell: 'Norm has been a vital part of our organization over the past three and a half years,' Frank said. 'We want to thank him for everything he did for the Clippers, on and off the court. He is a true pro. He is also an incredible scorer, efficient and prolific, with a relentless work ethic. Norm is a huge reason we won 50 games last season, and we're going to miss him.' GO FURTHER Trade grades: Norman Powell bolsters Heat offense as Clippers take new path A bit of housekeeping on the Kings' Dennis Schröder sign-and-trade with Detroit, in which Sacramento will take him by way of its Kevin Huerter traded player exception ($16.8 million) and the Pistons get a hefty TPE in return ($14.1 million, per our John Hollinger): Per the team release, the Kings gave Detroit a 2026 protected second-round pick in the deal, and per a team source, the Kings also netted a 2029 second-rounder from Detroit. Schröder, of course, landed a three-year, $45 million deal in which, per the team source, the third year is only partially guaranteed. Benny Sieu / Imagn Images To officially sign Myles Turner, the Bucks needed to create some cap space. They did that by waiving nine-time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard and Vasilije Micić, two moves that became official Monday. A league source tells The Athletic that, as part of a buyout, Micić agreed to give back $6.1 million, which shrunk the Bucks' cap hit on his contract from $8.1 million to only $2 million. Micić will now be able to pursue opportunities in Europe or the NBA. That move enables the Bucks to stretch the contracts of both Lillard and Micić and avoid crossing over the stretched money threshold laid out in the NBA's collective bargaining agreement. No team is allowed to have more than 15 percent of its salary cap taken up by stretched money, and those two moves would help the Bucks avoid that next season. In waiving-and-stretching Lillard, the Bucks will have $22.5 million of dead money on their books for the next five seasons. In stretching Micić's contract, the Bucks will add roughly $666,666 to their books for the next three seasons. Nathan Ray Seebeck / Imagn Images Paolo Banchero and the Magic have agreed to a five-year max extension, and the Magic will be over the second apron in 2026-27 if Banchero satisfies the criteria for a 30 percent of the cap "supermax" in his contract extension. While Orlando has the means to get back under — notably by declining the fourth-year option on little-used Jett Howard's contract and/or trading one of their surplus centers — the big picture is that the Magic are now a very expensive roster with little wiggle room. The Magic have at least $155 million committed to their four highest-paid players (Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs) in each of the upcoming three seasons. GO FURTHER Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic agree to 5-year, $239 million max contract extension: Source Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images Adding Kyle Lowry, as confirmed by The Athletic's Tony Jones, leaves the 76ers $19.7 million from the second apron with 14 players signed. Restricted free agent Quentin Grimes is presumably left to fill the 15th roster spot. If Brooklyn wanted to add some spice to this offseason, the Nets could generate enough cap space to sign Grimes for more money than the Sixers could meet in a salary match, although Philly has some easy outs (such as trading or using the stretch provision on Andre Drummond) to generate extra room. As a reminder, the two picks going back on the Blazers' ledger as a result of the modified Jrue Holiday trade are New York's 2030 second and Portland's 2031 second. Michael Reaves / Getty Images The New York Knicks have officially announced their hire of Mike Brown as the team's next head coach. "After a thorough and extensive search process, we are pleased to announce Mike Brown as the head coach of the New York Knicks," team president Leon Rose said in the news release. "Mike has coached on the biggest stages in our sport and brings championship pedigree to our organization. His experience leading the bench during the NBA Finals, winning four titles as an assistant coach and his ability to grow and develop players will all help us as we aim to bring a championship to New York for our fans." Alex Bierens de Haan / Getty Images Speaking to reporters in his first public appearance since officially acquiring forward Kevin Durant, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone outlined a shift in Houston's timeline, firmly moving on from their rebuilding days and opening their championship window. "In terms of developing guys, we're not a developmental team anymore," Stone said on Monday. "That shift happened probably a year or two ago and the goal of this group is to win basketball games — as competitive as we can be." Former players Jalen Green and Cam Whitmore were once part of what team officials deemed their "Core 6", the six first-round talents drafted since 2021. Houston's decision to move on from them (and swingman Dillon Brooks) to clear room for Durant, a 14-time All-Star, falls in line with the organizational symmetry between management, ownership and head coach Ime Udoka on doubling down on the urgency to win now. Stone also touched on Houston's other additions (Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela), as well as Jabari Smith Jr.'s extension. But Durant's presence is by far and large the biggest storyline of the summer. The Oklahoma City Thunder have set the standard this season, and teams like the Rockets are gearing up for a championship push with the future Hall of Fame scoring savant in tow. "Hopefully he makes us a better offensive team while at the same time being another long, capable wing defender," Stone added. "To be a champion you have to beat them. Oklahoma City had an amazing year and set an extremely high bar in the playoffs." Kiyoshi Mio / Imagn According to a league source, the list of teams Bradley Beal has thought about should he receive a buyout from the Phoenix Suns includes the LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks. Because of a quirk in the collective bargaining agreement, Beal, who has $110.8 million and two years remaining on his contract, must give back at least $13.8 million for the Suns to be allowed to stretch him. If he did, Phoenix would then have a dead cap hit of $19.4 million on its books in every season through 2029-30. Beal, who turned 32 last month, averaged 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 50/39/80 shooting splits last season. It may not be so easy for him to find $13.8 million on the open market. One week removed from the start of NBA free agency, most of the league is without cap space or the necessary exceptions it would take to give Beal that much money on a two-year contract. Various organizations Beal could consider can't give him that much, either. Read on to learn more. GO FURTHER Bradley Beal buyout with Suns is looming: What I'm hearing about the guard's future The Indiana Pacers announced they have re-signed James Wiseman. The former No. 2 overall pick, now 24, tore his Achilles tendon last October in his first and only game of last season. The Bradley Beal era in Phoenix appears to be nearing an end. The Suns and Beal are increasingly optimistic that the two sides will agree to terms on a buyout, league sources tell The Athletic. The move would make Beal an unrestricted free agent. The goal for the Suns is to negotiate a buyout, waive him and then stretch his remaining salary over five years, which would reduce his annual cap hit on the Suns' books. The move would not only get Phoenix out of the second apron, a dreaded payroll threshold where only the most expensive teams venture, but also out of the luxury tax altogether. But the Suns can't just waive Beal; they need his help. Read on to learn more. GO FURTHER Bradley Beal buyout with Suns is looming: What I'm hearing about the guard's future The Jrue Holiday-Anfernee Simons trade was amended after the Blazers reviewed Holiday's medical information, a league source confirmed. Boston was originally slated to receive two-second round picks in the trade, but it is now a straight swap of Holiday for Simons. The Oregonian was first to report on the amended deal. Jaxson Hayes waived his implicit no-trade clause to re-sign with the Lakers, sources tell The Athletic. The NBA CBA allows players who sign one-year contracts to veto a trade. However, this provision can be waived as part of negotiations. The New Orleans Pelicans have signed No. 40 pick Micah Peavy to a four-year contract that includes a combined guarantee of $3.4 million in the first two years of his deal, a league source confirmed. The Pelicans are up to 14 guaranteed contracts on the books. Ronald Cortes / Getty Images Luke Kornet's contract with the San Antonio Spurs is descending. It has a partial guarantee on Year 3 and no guarantee on Year 4, a league source says. Here is the breakdown: 2025-26: $11 million 2026-27: $10.45 million 2027-28: $9.9 million ($2.55M guaranteed) 2028-29: $9.35 million (non-guaranteed) Here is the Bucks' press release on signing Myles Turner. The Pacers also said goodbye to their longtime center. Masai Ujiri shared a goodbye/thank you message for Toronto through his Giants of Africa organization. Clippers coach Tyronn Lue should be thrilled about the offensive possibilities and lineup optionality coming his way this autumn. On the flip side, lead assistant Jeff Van Gundy is going to be hard-pressed to keep the Clippers' defense in the top 5 again next season. One major concern I have for the Clippers' offense, though: This was already the team with the fewest 3-point attempts off the catch in back-to-back seasons, and their two best shooters were Norm Powell (traded) and Amir Coffey (free agent). Page 2 Orlando continues to lock in its core, while Bradley Beal appears likely to exit Phoenix soon. Isaiah J. Downing / Imagn The Bucks pulled Ryan Rolins' qualifying offer, but they never renounced their early Bird rights on him. Thus, they were able to keep him on their salary book for $2.5 million while they signed him to a new deal using those rights. The fact that they were able to do this is a strong indication that Vasilije Micić's impending buyout will be a very deep one, as he would have to agree to a haircut of at least $6 million on an $8.1 million deal for this year in order for the Bucks to fit their reported commitments under the salary cap, most notably a four-year, $107 million deal for Myles Turner. If Micić reduces his guaranteed money to $2.04 million or less, the Bucks can legally stretch both his contract and that of Damian Lillard; that seems to be the only way that Milwaukee's offseason commitments can work at the moment. GO FURTHER Bucks once again go big to win back Giannis — this time with a historic, daring gamble The Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to a three-year, $12 million deal with Ryan Rollins, a league source confirmed to The Athletic . Rollins, 23, appeared in 56 games for the Bucks last season and started 19 games at the end of the season with Damian Lillard sidelined with a blood clot in his right calf. On the season, Rollins averaged 6.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 14.6 minutes per game, but those numbers jumped up to 10.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 24.4 minutes per game once Lillard went down. Bucks general manager Jon Horst made a bold decision to waive Lillard, a nine-time All-Star, and stretch the remaining two seasons of his contract with $22.5 million of dead salary hitting their books in each of the next five seasons. To address that opening on their roster, the Bucks have opted to go in a younger direction by re-signing Rollins and 25-year-old Kevin Porter Jr. this offseason. Those two young guards handled the point guard position with Lillard out at the end of the season. The Guerschon Yabusele signing is official. He took a little less than the midlevel exception so that the Knicks now have room to sign two veteran players to minimum deals, as the New York Post reported yesterday. Here's the salary breakdown, per a league source: 2025-26: $5.5 million 2026-27: $5.8 million (player option) The Clippers have made the Brook Lopez signing official, which is worth noting not because Lopez heading to LA is a surprise but because of the type of transaction this will now become. Lopez inking his deal today means the Clippers are using a large portion of the $14.1 million midlevel exception to sign him, which would not leave them much money to sign Bradley Beal (if he works a buyout with the Suns) or another more expensive player. (There's optimism on both sides that Phoenix and Beal will eventually reach an agreement there, league sources tell The Athletic. ) If the Clippers wanted to wait out the Beal market, they could have waited to finalize Lopez's contract, then turned the transaction into a sign-and-trade, sending out someone like Bogdan Bogdanović, Norman Powell or Derrick Jones Jr. and retaining the ability to use the $million midlevel exception for Beal or someone else. KD is now officially a Rocket. I can confirm via a league source that the Grizzlies are trading center Jay Huff to the Pacers for a second-rounder and a second-round pick swap. Picks going to Memphis are a 2029 second and a 2031 swap, team sources tell our James Boyd. Huff's $2.3 million salary is small enough to fit into the microscopic trade exception made by Indiana's trade of James Wiseman at the 2025 trade deadline. He has an extremely team-friendly deal, making a non-guaranteed $2.6 million in 2026-27 and having a team option for $3 million in 2027-28. He is also a living, breathing, center, which is something the Pacers sort of need right now after losing Myles Turner, and his stretch game should fit well in Indiana's system. He is not, alas, a starter, or anything remotely close to one, so that part of the puzzle remains unsolved in Indy. Meanwhile, trading Huff moves Memphis closer to the point where it can execute Jaren Jackson Jr.'s renegotiate-and-extend without needing to stretch the money on Cole Anthony once he's bought out and also opens up a roster spot for the reported acquisition of Jock Landale. The Grizzlies can bridge the rest of that salary-dump distance by moving John Konchar, who has two years and $12.3 million remaining; his $6.1 million slot would temporarily be replaced by a $1.2 million cap hold. The Wizards get a much more cap-friendly, offense-first young wing on which to take a gamble in Cam Whitmore than the rumored Jonathan Kuminga (team officials pushed back strongly on the idea that Washington had increased interest in the Warriors' restricted free agent). Whitmore, a Baltimore area native like Wizards guard Bub Carrington, starred locally at Archbishop Spaulding High School in suburban D.C. before going to Villanova. He'll get every chance to earn minutes on the wing, but he'll have to show more consistent effort and focus at the defensive end to stay on the floor. The Wizards under GM Will Dawkins and President of Monumental Basketball Michael Winger are emphasizing defensive switchability with their incoming players. Whitmore has yet to show that in his two years in the league with Houston. But he's a big, big offensive talent who'll turn 21 next week, and the Wizards need as much help at that end of the floor as they do the defensive side. The Wizards will stuff Cam Whitmore into the previous Pelicans trade so they don't have to use any of their exceptions to take in his salary. The outbound salaries of Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey allow Washington to take back up to $47.7 million in salary. The combined inbound salaries of CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk and Whitmore are ... $47.65 million. Nice work. Houston and New Orleans will also need to exchange some small bit of consideration to meet the "touching" requirements for a three-way trade. By moving Whitmore, the Rockets are now approximately $1.3 million below the first apron, where they are hard-capped by the Dorian Finney-Smith acquisition. With their 14th roster spot, they can either retain the non-guaranteed Nate Williams or waive him and sign one more veteran to a minimum deal. The Rockets will also generate a $3.5 million trade exception, which is likely worthless but you never know. Kirby Lee / Imagn Images I can confirm via a league source that the Rockets are trading Cam Whitmore to the Wizards in exchange for two second-round picks. A team source tells our David Aldridge that the transaction will be an expansion of an earlier-agreed-to deal between Washington and New Orleans. Over the past two seasons, the Rockets attempted to harness Whitmore's talent on multiple occasions — sending the Villanova product down to the G League to aid his development and meeting with him periodically over his role — but the 20-year-old's frustration with a lack of playing time never waned. Head coach Ime Udoka, who had challenged Whitmore publicly and privately to adopt a more team-first approach on both ends of the ball, simply couldn't justify his place in the rotation ahead of other players. Still, Whitmore's combination of youth, athleticism and offensive talent are impossible to ignore and should serve him well on a younger team in the early stages of a rebuild like Washington. At his best, Whitmore is a powerful scoring force who has the potential to play a meaningful role on a Wizards team in asset-accumulation mode. Getting the third-year wing to buy into the team concept, having been traded while still on a rookie deal as a first-round pick, should be an easier task now. Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images I've seen lots of outside speculation about the possibility of the Lakers receiving something for Dorian Finney-Smith in a hypothetical sign-and-trade. Unfortunately for LA, there doesn't seem to be any traction on that — and I don't anticipate this reality changing. The Rockets are in the process of turning the Kevin Durant trade into a seven-team deal, a move that seems increasingly likely to happen, league sources tell The Athletic . And the reason that deal would go down is, in part, so they could acquire Finney-Smith with a straight signing. Houston has only the midlevel exception to sign a player, which meant they had to turn either the Finney-Smith or Clint Capela agreement into a sign-and-trade. That's what they're doing in this seven-team deal, which is not yet complete and which would include Capela heading from Atlanta to Houston. Because Capela will come to Houston in a sign-and-trade and thus isn't going into the midlevel exception, the Rockets can use the MLE to sign Finney-Smith straight up. And why would they choose to send a player or draft pick to the Lakers when they don't have to? As of now, Finney-Smith is not a part of this seven-team deal. The only players who were in the NBA last season who are part of it today are Capela, Durant, Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, Daeqwon Plowden and David Roddy, league sources say. Stephen Lew / Imagn Something struck me as I walked through the Minnesota Timberwolves team store at Target Center before a game last season. The wall of jerseys included all of the usual suspects: Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid. Then one jersey caught my eye. On the bottom row of the wall was an entire rack of No. 9 jerseys with 'ALEXANDER-WALKER' arched over the number in the same way Nickeil Alexander-Walker would contort his spine to navigate around a screen at the top of the 3-point arc. There must have been a dozen of them there waiting for purchase. And I wondered how many team stores around the NBA felt compelled to stock the eighth man's jersey? How many teams got enough requests for a player averaging 9.4 points and 25 minutes per night that they stopped filling them on an order-by-order basis and just started making them in bulk? It is the perfect way to describe what Alexander-Walker meant to this organization and this fan base in 2 1/2 seasons in Minnesota. Like the Timberwolves, Alexander-Walker experienced many a dark day in the early portion of his career. Like Timberwolves fans, he was looked over and discounted when he first arrived here, considered a throw-in in the trade that brought Mike Conley to the Wolves. Like the City of Hoops, which is nestled in the State of Hockey, Alexander-Walker just put his head down and kept working amid all the sneers and dismissals, emerging as an inspirational symbol for basketball's renaissance in Minnesota. That is why a somber tone followed the excitement of last weekend, when the Timberwolves locked up two critical components of last season's run to the Western Conference finals by signing Julius Randle and Reid to long-term contracts totaling $225 million. As happy as Wolves fans were, especially for the folk hero that is Naz Reid, they knew that the moves came with a price. They knew that Alexander-Walker was going to have to go. For someone who spent a relatively small amount of time with the Timberwolves, Alexander-Walker leaves a lasting legacy. Read more here. GO FURTHER Nickeil Alexander-Walker was a true Timberwolves success story Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images We're a few days into free agency, and aside from the annual drawn-out saga of restricted free agents, we're basically done. Having prepped for recruiting dog-and-pony shows while working in an NBA front office, good riddance. But I think there's another key reason we aren't seeing as much of that game anymore: Players of that caliber just don't become unrestricted free agents, or if they do, it's a set piece that they'll rejoin their current team. One of the consequences of the more generous extension terms in the collective bargaining agreement is that it's in the interests of both players and teams to continue extending the contracts of most star and near-star players. As a result, both the market of unrestricted free agents and the number of teams with the salary-cap space to pursue them have rapidly diminished. All the action has moved to the trade market, and the hot part of the trade market isn't in summer; it's the deadline in February. In the last three years, that's when talent such as Jimmy Butler, Luka Dončić, De'Aaron Fox, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Mikal Bridges all changed teams, as well as countless starter-caliber players a rung or two below on the hierarchy. Once upon a time, teams made all their moves in June and July and then played out the season; the trade deadline was reserved for smaller tweaks. Occasionally, it works out that way, but much less often. Now, we're seeing a new phenomenon where some teams spend the summer prepping their rosters so they can wheel and deal the first week in February: by adding middle-class contracts or giving short balloon contracts to fringe players just so there is tradeable salary on the books come winter, or by lining up future draft picks so the Stepien rule doesn't torpedo a blockbuster trade, or by managing the tax aprons so their midseason trade flexibility isn't compromised. Sadly, we must conclude that it's a February league now, and when I decided to write a column on the biggest winners and losers of free agency so far, it wasn't hard to pick out the biggest loser. July. GO FURTHER Winners (Hawks), losers (July) and more from NBA free agency's first days One of the biggest takeaways from Houston's early playoff exit — aside from the lack of experience — was that its season-long half-court spacing (and subsequent 3-point shooting) issues had reached their apex. And it had become so entwined in their identity that the ineffectiveness took shape right from the opening tip in the most important game of their season. Houston shot just 5-of-17 from 3 in an elimination game, scoring a poor 78.0 points per 100 half-court plays. Charlotte, which ranked last in the league in the same category during the regular season, averaged 90.0 points per 100 plays. It was clear internally that the organization, which already had a talented defense, needed its offense to drastically improve outside of bullying teams on the offensive glass. In any trade that involved the now-departed Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, Houston would need to bring in floor spacers. Those two comprised a large chunk of the Rockets' 3-point department, finishing first and third, respectively, in attempted 3s per game, and were among the top six in conversion rate. With Kevin Durant and Dorian Finney-Smith now in Houston, the Rockets can become one of the league's most efficient half-court offenses and deadliest outside shooting units. Read on here to see how, and watch my video on Durant's overall impact here. GO FURTHER How additions of Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith can fix Rockets' spacing woes Maddie Meyer / Getty Images We knew the Celtics would be taking a step back this year, but yikes. Jrue Holiday, Porziņģis and Luke Kornet are gone, Al Horford seems like he might be next, and the Celtics still are looking at deals to trim salary further. Boston knew this day was coming; the Celtics were openly talking about it even as they were smashing Dallas in the 2024 NBA Finals. The repeater penalty in the 2023 CBA basically demands that Boston finish 2025-26 below the luxury-tax line, and they still have to whittle down $20 million in salary to get there. That said, the Celtics have taken the scalpel about as painlessly as possible so far. Dumping Holiday and receiving two seconds was a minor miracle, and Boston can likely take back significant draft capital if deals emerge for mainstays like Derrick White, Sam Hauser and Jaylen Brown. Everything is on the table in a 'gap' year while Jayson Tatum rehabs a torn Achilles. Newcomers Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang shouldn't get too comfortable, and what would it take for you to drive off the lot with a lightly used Baylor Scheierman? The real challenge, perhaps, comes next summer. Having torn so much down, how can the Celtics quickly build it back up so they can thrive again with a healthy Tatum? For more, read my free agency winners and losers column. GO FURTHER Celtics depth chart: More changes coming, but where does the roster stand? Joshua Gateley / Getty Images This is an excerpt from The Bounce, The Athletic's daily NBA newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Bounce directly in your inbox. Let's run through some current tiers in the West. Tier 1: Championship contenders — Thunder 🏆, Nuggets The Nuggets took OKC to seven games despite not really being very good. Now they have reliable depth. Plus, Aaron Gordon's hamstring should be fine. Two true titans now. Tier 2: Worthy challengers — Rockets, Timberwolves Minnesota has made the conference finals two straight years. Losing Nickeil Alexander-Walker is tough, but they have some young players to fill the rotation. Continuity matters. Houston acquiring Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela has the Rockets on the verge of jumping into contender status. Tier 3: I can see the vision, if all breaks well — Warriors, Clippers Both of these teams have to be really lucky with extended injuries. Enduring a long season is tough, but being healthy in the postseason would make them a nightmare opponent. Tier 4: You're good but missing something — Lakers, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Spurs The Lakers losing Finney-Smith hurts their defense quite a bit. Dallas is missing Kyrie Irving to start the season, and we don't know how he'll return from the ACL injury this year. I like what Memphis has done, but they have a very young core. The Spurs probably need a year of jelling. Tier 5: Let's hope for the best — Suns, Kings, Pelicans, Blazers, Jazz Portland is kind of here by default, but I like the way they're building. The rest of these teams? They're either falling apart or putting players together haphazardly. Jason Miller / Getty Images By Mike Vorkunov, Jon Krawczynski and James L. Edwards III Lawsuits and liens have trailed free agent guard Malik Beasley since he entered the league in 2016, and he has drawn concerns from at least one team about his off-court life. Now, he faces even more scrutiny. Beasley, 28, is a person of interest in a gambling investigation out of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, his attorney, Steve Haney, confirmed to The Athletic over the weekend. No charges or formal allegations have been filed against him. 'This is simply an investigation,' Haney said. 'At this point, Malik has not been charged with any crime and there has been no formal accusation of wrongdoing. Hopefully, everyone will afford him that same presumption of innocence that everyone else deserves.' The investigation into Beasley came at what should have been a moment of triumph for him. After playing for five teams over his last four seasons, he was set to cash in this month following a strong campaign with the Detroit Pistons, where he averaged 16.3 points per game and made a career-high 41.6 percent of his 3s. The Pistons had been in talks with Beasley and his agent leading up to June 30's official start of free agency, and were prepared to offer him a three-year, $42 million contract that included a team option for the last year, according to two sources briefed on the negotiations. But the NBA reached out to the club several days before free agency began and let it know about the federal investigation involving Beasley. The Pistons quickly pivoted away and are now unlikely to sign him. The league has not said whether it has also investigated Beasley. The NBA has previously said it is cooperating with the federal investigation. The contract would have been a windfall, although Beasley has already made nearly $60 million over his nine seasons in the NBA, including $6 million with Detroit this past season. But he has a line of creditors who have taken to courts to try to recoup the money they believe they were owed. He has been sued at least five times over the last eight years, according to available public records, and has more than a dozen different liens filed against him. Read more here. GO FURTHER Malik Beasley facing complaint from former agency amid gambling investigation Page 3
Associated Press
12 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Peralta pitches 6 shutout innings and Brewers chase Yamamoto early in 9-1 rout of Dodgers
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Washington Post
14 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Diamondbacks All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte scratched with groin tightness
SAN DIEGO — All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte of the Arizona Diamondbacks was scratched from the starting lineup Monday night against the San Diego Padres due to right groin tightness. The Diamondbacks said he was given the day off for recovery and is day-to-day. Marte was voted by fans as the starting second baseman for the National League All-Star team. He is hitting .293 with 19 homers and 40 RBIs. Blaze Alexander started at second and batted ninth against Padres starter Yu Darvish, who made his season debut. Geraldo Perdomo moved up one spot to second in the order. ___ AP MLB:
