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The Guardian
3 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Inside a plan to use AI to amplify doubts about the dangers of pollutants
An industry-backed researcher who has forged a career sowing doubt about the dangers of pollutants is attempting to use artificial intelligence (AI) to amplify his perspective. Louis Anthony 'Tony' Cox Jr, a Denver-based risk analyst and former Trump adviser who once reportedly claimed there is no proof that cleaning air saves lives, is developing an AI application to scan academic research for what he sees as the false conflation of correlation with causation. Cox has described the project as an attempt to weed 'propaganda' out of epidemiological research and perform 'critical thinking at scale' in emails to industry researchers, which were obtained via Freedom of Information Act requests by the Energy and Policy Institute, a non-profit advocacy group, and exclusively reviewed by the Guardian. He has long leveled accusations of flimsiness at research linking exposure to chemical compounds with health dangers, including on behalf of polluting interests such as cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris USA and the American Petroleum Institute – a fossil fuel lobbying group he has even allowed to 'copy edit' his findings. (Cox says the edit 'amounted to suggesting a small change' and noted that he has also obtained public research funding.) Both the tobacco and oil industries have a history of weaponizing scientific uncertainty, experts say, with some arguing that similar tactics drive the Trump administration's current deregulatory efforts. The president's May 'gold standard' science order, for instance, empowered his appointees to 'correct scientific information' and 'discipline' those who breach the administration's views, prompting outrage from some scientists. Cox has obtained funding to develop the new AI reviewer from the American Chemistry Council (ACC), the nation's largest chemical industry advocacy group, which counts oil and chemical giants such as Exxon and DuPont as members. Experts say the ACC's sponsorship raises questions about whom the project will benefit. Asked about these concerns, Kelly Montes de Oca, spokesperson for the ACC, said: 'This research has the potential to support scientific understanding and analysis of chemical exposure and human health, enhance transparency and reproducibility, advance the safety of chemical products and processes, and inform science-based global regulatory approaches.' Cox said in an email to the Guardian that his assistant 'is specifically designed to be helpful to those who wish to understand the objective implications of data without any distortions from the kinds of well-known human heuristics and biases that make objective analysis difficult for humans'. 'My work aims to help anyone interested in using sound technical methods to pursue scientific truth,' he added. The questions sent to him by the Guardian contained 'many fundamental inaccuracies', he said. Cox said the tool is currently being tested on submissions to academic journals – including Risk Analysis, which he edits – to evaluate research submissions before they are submitted to the peer review process. Asked for a response to concerns about the project's funding, Cox said that he has publicly acknowledged the ACC's support in all relevant publications and said the tool 'has no axe to grind and no positions to push'. But the ACC is not a neutral force, said Chris Frey, the associate dean for research and infrastructure at the North Carolina State University's College of Engineering who chaired the Environmental Protection Agency's clean air scientific advisory committee from 2012 to 2015. 'They lack impartiality in that they want to minimize regulatory burden on their members,' said Frey. In mid-February of 2023, Cox struck up a conversation with the AI assistant ChatGPT. He later sent the chat to his University of Colorado email address, which is subject to public record request laws. After asking the chatbot to write a sonnet about Abraham Lincoln, he turned the conversation to a more serious topic: the tiny toxic particles known as PM2.5, also known as fine particulate matter. Scientists have long found links between PM2.5 exposure and a wide variety of health concerns, from asthma and lung disease to heart attacks. But for years, Cox has raised uncertainty about those connections, publishing work 're-assessing' the mortality risks associated with exposure to the pollutant in animal agriculture and challenging the link between PM2.5 from gas stoves and childhood asthma. On that February day, Cox asked ChatGPT a simple question: 'Does PM2.5 cause lung cancer?' The bot responded by noting the 'strong scientific evidence' demonstrating the link. A seemingly dissatisfied Cox went on to ask if it is 'known with certainty that PM2.5 causes lung cancer', calling on ChatGPT to identify potential confounding factors in the research on the air pollutant. He took brief tangents to pose riddles to the bot and to request additional sonnets – including one about PM2.5 itself, yielding the line 'no nose can catch you, for you are so fine'. Eventually, Cox asked ChatGPT whether the association between PM2.5 and lung cancer can be explained by a 'combination of residual confounding, measurement errors, and modeling biases'. The bot maintained that 'the observed association is likely to be real and not fully explained by these factors'. From a conversation Cox had with ChatGPT in February 2023 Write a sonnet about PM2.5 and lung cancer Oh, deadly PM2.5 in the air, So small and yet so full of poison's might, A silent killer that we cannot bear, You infiltrate our lungs both day and night At the time of the conversation, Cox had already been interested for years in making 'smarter and more trustworthy AI', he told the Guardian. He had published a paper on the topic in 2021, and the following year – months before ChatGPT's release – had begun developing his own AI tool. The ACC had partly funded that work, he said. Cox also had a meeting with the Long-Range Research Initiative, a lobbying group focused on 'innovations in chemical safety science' which includes Exxon, just hours before he had the February 2023 ChatGPT conversation, the emails show. In an email seeking funding to develop an AI tool, Cox seemingly referenced that 'long experimental chat'. Among the recipients were George Maldonado, the editor of the academic journal Global Epidemiology, and ACC toxicologist Rick Becker. Cox wrote in the email that his questions eventually led ChatGPT to 'concede that we don't actually know that PM2.5 at current ambient levels causes lung cancer in humans – but it was a struggle to get there!' The chatbot 'does an excellent job of reflecting the 'party line' that is most prevalent on the web, fallacies and all', Cox continued in the email. But new AI software could be used to do ''critical thinking at scale' (if I may be grandiose!)', he said. The following day, Cox emailed a larger group of researchers, including Becker and two ExxonMobil scientists. ChatGPT, he wrote, 'seems to me to display a very strong starting bias that can eventually be overcome by sufficiently patient questioning'. That bias involved conflating 'evidence of association with evidence of causation', he said. From an email Cox sent to industry researchers in February 2023 We can help bend applications of this technology toward scaled-up critical thinking instead of scaled-up groupthink and propaganda 'I am hoping to build a critical mass of interest and get some funding in this area so that we can help bend applications of this technology toward scaled-up critical thinking instead of scaled-up groupthink and propaganda,' he added. Cox's past work may shed light on the 'groupthink and propaganda' that his work questions. In one 2023 study he co-authored, he found that exposure to the 'forever chemical' known as PFOA can occur in safe doses. The research was conducted with the organization Toxicology Excellence for Risk Assessment, headed by the contentious toxicologist Michael Dourson, who has also received funding from chemical makers. Another study the same year, which Cox co-authored with a Chevron toxicologist, said molybdenum – a petrochemical present in lubricants Chevron produces – was 'not a risk factor for changes in serum testosterone'. And in a third 2023 study, Cox said his research found no link between childhood asthma and gas stove exposure. At a 2018 conference, Cox also claimed there is no proven connection between air pollution and respiratory problems or heart attacks, while he said in a 2012 paper – funded in part by tobacco company Philip Morris USA – that he found smoking half a pack of cigarettes daily did 'not appear to be associated' with increased risk of coronary heart disease. In an email to the Guardian, Cox said the methods he applies are 'drawn from the scientific mainstream – not from ideology or partisanship'. 'Some critics have mischaracterized my work as an attempt to delay regulation or promote industry interests. That is not true,' he said. 'I do not advocate for or against any policy outcome. I advocate for grounding decisions in empirically supported causal understanding.' Cox served as an adviser to policymakers in his role on an EPA advisory committee. He has also argued against the proposed tightening of a regulation at an Occupational Safety and Health Administration hearing, in his capacity as an ACC consultant. Adam Finkel, a risk analyst and environmental health sciences professor at the University of Michigan, said though he believes Cox to be in some ways a 'genius' and skilled risk analyst, he also seems to be 'deceiving himself and everyone else' about the impacts of bias on his research. 'How you interpret any information is by imposing your preferences,' said Finkel, who is also a former director of health standards programs at the US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 'There is no possible way to get around imposing some set of preferences.' Some degree of uncertainty is inherent to scientific analysis. But when assessing whether or not there is a causal effect between exposure to something potentially harmful, Finkel said, Cox looks for 'perfect certainty', which 'can lead to years and decades of doing nothing and harming people while you wait for the certainty to come'. While Finkel has 'fundamental belief that our system is under-protective' when it comes to public health, Cox seems to believe the opposite. Asked for comment, Cox said: 'I have never advocated that we should not act until we have certainty. Rather, I have advocated choosing to act on the best available information.' He said his work has acknowledged causal relationships between smoking and lung cancer, asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, and, in 2011, crystalline silica exposure and lung disease. But at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration hearing at which he spoke in 2014, Cox asserted on behalf of the ACC that the federal government had not demonstrated a link between certain levels of silica exposure and lung disease. 'He'll accept that at very high doses, this stuff is bad for you,' said Finkel. Policy is meant to ensure that level of exposure doesn't occur, he added. Maldonado, editor of Global Epidemiology, responded positively to Cox's AI assistant proposal, the emails from 2023 show. Within weeks, his journal published another one of Cox's conversations with ChatGPT in his journal. 'The purpose of this comment is to provide an example of a Socratic dialogue with ChatGPT about the causal interpretation of an important epidemiological association between exposure to fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5) and mortality risk,' says the paper, which states that it was partly funded by the ACC and counted climate denier Steve Milloy as one of its reviewers. When the bot said 'it is well-established that exposure to ambient levels of PM2.5 does increase mortality risk', Cox accused it of confusing evidence of association with evidence of causation. Eventually, ChatGPT said: 'It is not known with certainty that current ambient levels of PM2.5 increase mortality risk.' But the distinction between correlation and causation is 'epidemiology 101', said Gretchen Goldman, president of the scientific advocacy group Union of Concerned Scientists, who co-authored a 2019 paper critiquing Cox. 'From day one of a study, researchers consider, analyze and guard against possible confounding factors,' said Goldman. 'This uncertainty is always present, but that of course doesn't mean the research is wrong.' Demonstrating clear causal links between pollutants and health impacts can be complicated, especially because unlike in testing pharmaceuticals, it can be difficult and unethical to establish control groups for comparison. 'If you're looking at the effects on an actual population that's been exposed in real life to pollutants, you can't do those controlled types of studies,' said Frey of North Carolina State University's College of Engineering. 'That leads to thinking about ways to make inferences from real world data that might, for example, mimic a random, controlled trial.' But though demonstrating true causality can be complex, Cox has long overstated scientific uncertainty while downplaying evidence, said Frey. 'Science denialism often sounds convincing because it contains some truthiness to it or elements of truth or elements of valid points, but it's often based on either overemphasis or omission and doesn't portray a full picture,' he said. As chair of EPA's clean air scientific advisory committee during Trump's first presidential term, for instance, Cox proposed eliminating all research from the agency's consideration that did not demonstrate 'manipulative causation', wherein intervention on one variable would change the probability of an outcome. 'I see it as being about using widely accepted, non-controversial principles of causal analysis and inference,' Cox said of his push for this change. But in effect, the alteration would have dramatically and unnecessarily 'winnowed down' the body of evidence to which the EPA could have referred and removed research from consideration which 'in fact robustly' demonstrates that certain compounds cause harm, Frey said. 'That effort and his work generally have not been viewed as compelling by the mainstream scientific community,' he added. Industry interests have promoted uncertainty to defend their business models, Frey said. The oil sector, for instance, had strong evidence that fossil fuels warmed the planet as early as the 1950s yet publicly called the link 'weak' or even 'non-existent' for decades. Cigarette manufacturers also long promoted the idea that the connection between cigarettes and health harms was tenuous, with one tobacco executive even saying in 1969 that 'doubt is our product'. 'It's a well-worn tactic,' said Frey. Cox kept corresponding with industry scientists about his new tool, all the while holding similar conversations with ChatGPT about causation in research. In May 2023, for instance, Cox posed questions about the causal claims in a recent landmark study linking gas stove exposure to childhood asthma, the emails show. Later that month, Cox sent a slideshow to the ACC's Becker and several other industry-related scientists. His reviewer, it showed, had identified issues with the recent gas stoves study, and another major assessment which linked PM2.5 exposure to cardiovascular issues. This tool could 'benefit authors, reviewers, reporters, media (if we make the summary reports good enough), and decision-makers and policymakers trying to evaluate studies and decide how trustworthy their methods and conclusions are', Cox said. In a proposal sent days later, he added that it is 'probably good enough to be commercially useful'. In July 2023, Cox presented his new tool to members of the Long-Range Research Initiative – which also funded his earlier work – including to representatives from Exxon. Ahead of the meeting, Cox sent the group a conversation he had with the reviewer, which used a 2020 paper demonstrating a causal link between PM2.5 and mortality as an example of the kind of conflation his tool could spot. Maldonado, the editor of Global Epidemiology, offered to give the tool a 'friendly trial' at his journal. From an email Cox sent to the American Chemistry Council's Becker in July 2023 Such automated critical reasoning can help to thoroughly review, and potentially to improve, the scientific claims and scientific integrity of causal reasoning and presentation of evidence underlying many regulatory risk assessments After the meeting, Cox sent a two-part project proposal to the ACC. 'Such automated critical reasoning can help to thoroughly review, and potentially to improve, the scientific claims and scientific integrity of causal reasoning and presentation of evidence underlying many regulatory risk assessments,' Cox said. For part one, an academic paper on the project which would be published in Maldonado's Global Epidemiology, he asked for $75,000. For part two, a pilot testing the reviewer on submissions to the same journal, he asked for $80,000. In his response to questions from the Guardian, Cox confirmed the ACC's funding but not a dollar amount. Cox published the 'phase 1' paper about his new AI reviewer in the journal Global Epidemiology in June 2024. He also appears to have secured $40,000 for Global Epidemiology to participate in the second phase, but the partnership 'did not come to fruition' because too few authors were willing to participate, Cox told the Guardian. Maldonado did not respond to a request for comment. By April 2024, Cox told the ACC's Becker in an email that his reviewer tool was 'ready for a demo', claiming its reviews are 'already better than many human reviews, although not as on-point and insightful as the best human reviews'. But in an email last May to toxicologist Ted Simon, Cox said 'the real goal' of the tool was to enable it to do literature reviews, examining wide swaths of published information in a particular subject area. That month, ExxonMobil scientist Hua Qian ran a test of the tool. Now, Cox told the Guardian, the tool was being tested by researchers submitting work to the journal he edits, Risk Analysis, and other academic journals, including Decision Analysis. About 400 people have tested the tool so far. Itai Vardi, a manager at the Energy and Policy Institute, who shared the trove of emails with the Guardian, said the project could have disastrous consequences for academia, particularly epidemiology. 'AI language models are not programmed, but built and trained,' he said, 'and when in the hands and funding of this industry, can be dangerous as they will further erode public trust and understanding of this crucial science.' Asked about critics' concerns about the ACC's funding for the project, Cox said: 'People who are concerned about the use of sound science in areas where politics has dominated might understandably be concerned about the use of such tools.' But people should 'favor the development' of the AI tool if they want to 'apply sound science to improve our understanding of the world and how to act more effectively', he said. 'The fact that the ACC … are starting to step up to the challenge of designing AI to increase the objectivity, transparency, and trustworthiness of scientific research seems to me to be a great public benefit,' he said. But the ACC 'cannot be trusted as a source of 'objectivity, transparency, and trustworthiness of scientific research',' said Frey, when that research is 'aimed at understanding the human health harms caused by chemicals manufactured by their members'. And for him, Cox's use of the term 'sound science' also prompted concern. ''Sound science' is a term popularized by the tobacco industry as part of a campaign to create burdens of proof far beyond those required for policy decisions,' Frey said. Indeed, in the 1990s, Philip Morris USA – for whom Cox has done research – ran a 10-year 'sound science' public relations campaign to sow doubt about the harm cigarettes cause. In an email to the Guardian, Cox noted that 'reputable scientists' use the term to refer to reliable, verifiable research that follows accepted scientific methods. He dismissed the idea that causation can be difficult to prove in epidemiology. 'My response to people who are concerned that we should treat evidence of repeated associations as if it were evidence of interventional causality is that this outdated style of thinking is tremendously harmful and counterproductive in designing effective measures to successfully protect human health and safety,' he said. Asked for examples of harmful policies created by overreliance on association, Cox named several scientific studies, including a 1996 experiment which was stopped because interventions that were expected to slash participants' chances of getting lung cancer 'based on repeatedly observed associations' actually increased that risk. He did not name any policies. Other experts note that regulations and policies are not meant to require proof of causality – the Clean Air Act, for instance, says standards 'allowing an adequate margin of safety … are requisite to protect the public health'. Cox, however, has critiqued proposals to strengthen controls on pollution on the grounds of imperfectly demonstrated causality. It is the sort of logic that Cox's new AI tool could automate, which could benefit corporate interests, said Vardi of the Energy and Policy Institute. The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post See our guide at for alternative methods and the pros and cons of each. 'Instead of having scientists-for-hire do that denial work, which advances their economic interests, the industry is funding efforts to outsource it to a machine in order to give it an image of unbiased neutrality,' Vardi said. Cox, for his part, said: 'A scientist-for-hire could use such an AI system to check whether the conclusions affirmed or denied in a scientific paper follow from the data and analyses presented, but my AI systems don't concern themselves with affirming or denying any specific positions or conclusions. That is left for people to do.' Though Cox claims his AI tool is neutral, Finkel said his early ChatGPT conversations shed light on its potential dangers. 'He was torturing the machine only along one set of preferences, which is: 'Can I force you to admit that we are being too protective?'' Finkel said. 'That's not science.' Cox said his conversations with ChatGPT aimed to uncover hidden uncertainties. But a different chatbot could be trained to identify instances in which government is 'under-regulating', Finkel said. On an academic level, Cox's interest in certainty might seem reasonable, but in the real world, it is dangerous to apply his standard of causality, said Finkel. 'For almost anything that we now know is harmful, there was a period in time when we didn't know that,' he said. If Cox's standards are taken seriously, he added, we could see 'generations, decades of misery while we wait for him to be satisfied'. This article was amended on 27 June 2025. An earlier version referred to the tobacco company 'Philip Morris'; it was has been clarified that this is a reference to Philip Morris USA, rather than Philip Morris International; the latter became a separate company in 2008.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
2 teens arrested in connection to deadly shooting in Aurora: Police
DENVER (KDVR) — Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with a shooting that left one person dead and another injured in Aurora last month. The second of two suspects was arrested Friday, the Aurora Police Department announced. A 17-year-old boy who is not being identified due to his age was arrested last Tuesday, and a 19-year-old man, identified as Yoel Uriel Romero, was arrested Friday morning. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Police said both suspects face felony charges of second-degree murder and aggravated robbery, and official charges will be filed by the 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office. The shooting happened on May 21 in the 3100 block of Ursula Street. Police responded to the scene around 7:15 p.m. and found two victims with gunshot wounds. Officers gave first aid until medical responders arrived. One victim had life-threatening injuries and was rushed to a local hospital, where he died. The Adams County Coroner's Office identified him as Ernesto Jae Sandoval, 18. The other victim was a 17-year-old boy from Denver. His injuries were non-life-threatening, and police said he was expected to recover. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to send a tip to Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
7 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
NBA offseason, free agency live updates: Naz Reid staying with Wolves; more news, analysis
The Wolves are re-signing one of their own. And there's new basketball leadership in Toronto. Follow for the latest. Getty Images I realize this isn't the biggest transaction of the cycle, but I'm shocked the Heat picked up Keshad Johnson's team option for $1.955 million. I thought for sure they would decline it and try to bring him back on a 2-way contract, as he made little impact after the Heat signed him to a roster contract midway through last season. Also, since the Heat are once again dancing with the luxury-tax line, note that because Johnson was undrafted, he counts the same as a veteran minimum ($2.296 million) for tax purposes. Matthew Stockman / Getty Images The Denver Nuggets can offer Nikola Jokić an extension this summer for three years and more than $200 million, and they intend to do so, Josh Kroenke, the team's vice chairman, said today. But do they expect Jokić to accept immediately? Kroenke didn't have an easy answer for that. "We're definitely going to offer it," Kroenke said today. "I'm not sure if he's going to accept it or not, because we're also going to explain every financial parameter around him signing now versus signing later. Be completely transparent. That's the way we always are. And then he makes the best decision for himself and his family, and we'll support him." It would likely behoove the Nuggets for Jokić to lock in as soon as possible but Kroenke left the door open that he won't. If he's right, that doesn't mean it suddenly becomes a situation worth watching. Jokić has two years and a player option left on the supermax deal that kicked in prior to the 2023-24 season. But the Nuggets have had a lot of turnover in the last few months. They fired head coach Mike Malone and replaced him with David Adelman. They fired general manager Calvin Booth and didn't directly replace him, instead hiring former Timberwolves exec Jon Wallace as Executive Vice President of player personnel and promoting Ben Tenzer to EVP of basketball operations. Those will represent the new braintrust in Denver and report to Kroenke. Kroenke noted Tuesday that the structure might be "unorthodox" but said that goes in line with how the franchise has gotten to this point. "Most everything that has got us to this point has been unorthodox," Kroenke said. "We've hired first time guys before. And our best player is the 41st pick, and (has) a very unorthodox manner (with) the way he plays the game. So everything about us is unorthodox. I think, from a process standpoint, I think it was important for us as an organization, and myself and my father to really slow down, take stock of what the organization really needed at this point in time, talk to a lot of different people from a lot of different areas, and gain a lot of different perspective, both in the basketball world and out of the basketball world. Really, kind of nailing down what the Denver Nuggets need, and that's the margins on the outside of our roster. And I think that both John and Ben's complementary skill sets are really going to help us address those things in a creative way moving forward." CJ McCollum is expected to add veteran leadership on the Wizards' roster, which team officials deem important with unrestricted free agent guard Malcolm Brogdon likely to sign elsewhere this summer. McCollum, who is more comfortable playing off the ball than Jordan Poole is, also should help enhance playmaking and shot-creation opportunities for the Wizards' young players. McCollum is a lower-usage player than Poole and also has a better assist-to-turnover ratio than Poole. One of the Wizards' priorities is to retain their own first-round pick for the 2026 draft. Because of a trade made in 2020, Washington would convey its 2026 first-round pick to the New York Knicks if it falls outside the top eight. By making today's trade with the Pelicans, the Wizards are giving more player-development opportunities for their youngest players and, in the process, likely will increase the likelihood of retaining their 2026 first-round pick. So, the Wizards made a trade in the summer of 2025 to acquire a bunch of veterans who have contracts that will expire after next season, creating cap space in the summer of 2026, allowing the Wizards to make trades to acquire more veterans on onerous contracts, offering teams financial flexibility/savings in return for draft compensation. You have to love the NBA. After the Jordan Poole-C.J. McCollum trade, the Wizards could have eight players under contract whose salaries add up to only about $51 million heading into the summer of 2026. The salary cap projects to be $170 million in 2026-27. Washington will have massive sway in the market next summer, however it wants to use it. Jordan Poole has two years left on his current deal ($31.8 million next season, $34 million in 2026-27). With this trade, the Pelicans get some additional playmaking with Dejounte Murray sidelined due to an Achilles injury and more draft capital. C.J. McCollum, who averaged 21.1 points per game in his four seasons with the Pelicans, is heading into the final year of his deal. Detroit Pistons team president Trajan Langdon said the Pistons 'aren't going to be super aggressive' this summer. He said Detroit is more interested in improving internally and around the margins. Tim Warner / Getty Images How are West teams adjusting to the idea that it probably takes a 60-win-caliber team to realistically hang with Oklahoma City in a playoff series? A 50-win Denver team and a 48-win Memphis team fired their coaches in the final weeks of the season; Memphis then traded Desmond Bane for four first-round picks in a bid to remix a core that wasn't going to be good enough in the Age of Thunder. The Houston Rockets, meanwhile, bravely went the other way, pushing some chips in on a young team to acquire Kevin Durant after a first-round playoff defeat. Even after acquiring Kevin Durant, the Rockets feel like they're one move away from being on Oklahoma City's level. In a related story, they still can trade five future first-round picks. GO FURTHER With Thunder on top, NBA's 'wide-open' Western Conference is a thing of the past Michael Reaves / Getty Images The Ace Bailey question has taken the draft world by storm this week, after he canceled a workout with Philadelphia. However, Bailey's evaluation is complicated, and this has been true for months, not days or weeks. The intel that NBA teams have on Bailey, from having spoken with over a dozen sources throughout the season and pre-draft process, is that his teammates enjoyed being around him. He has a lot of infectious energy. But he's a bit immature and can struggle with focus, those sources said. His pre-draft interviews with teams at the NBA Draft Combine did not go particularly well, as it seemed like he went into them a bit ill-prepared for what was being asked of him, according to sources. They weren't so bad as to knock him off of anyone's board, but they raised further questions about what exactly has been happening with his pre-draft process, as he's largely been shielded from teams. It's easy to chalk this up to Bailey being a teenager, and it's completely reasonable to think that he'll mature as he gets older. You can also chalk up the lack of preparation for interviews to questionable representation, and there are certainly many scouts and executives around the NBA who have questions about how effectively he's been repped. Right now, we're down to two possibilities. Either Bailey's agent Omar Cooper — whose lone experience repping a potential top-five pick was with Isaac Okoro in 2020 before Okoro left to be represented by Excel — is effectively steering Bailey toward a desired location, or he's bungled the process and will cause an unplanned slide for Bailey on draft night. The reality is that he just might not be for everyone. Read more intel in my latest NBA mock draft. GO FURTHER NBA mock draft 2025: Why Ace Bailey is the mystery man of draft week Kirby Lee / Imagn TNT Sports analyst and former NBA player Grant Hill will join NBC Sports' NBA coverage as a game analyst for the 2025-26 season. 'I'm incredibly excited to join NBC Sports as part of their NBA coverage. The NBA has been such a meaningful part of my life, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue sharing the game I love with fans across the country,' Hill said in a release. 'To be part of NBC's return to the NBA — a network with such a rich basketball legacy — and its debut on Peacock is truly an honor. I can't wait to get started this fall.' Hill will continue his role at TNT Sports as a college basketball analyst for the men's NCAA Tournament as well as TNT's Big East and Big 12 basketball coverage. GO FURTHER Grant Hill joining NBC's NBA coverage as analyst for 2025-26 season Matthew Stockman / Getty Images The value of these finals, of the success of the Pacers and Thunder, is depth. This might seem axiomatic: having a lot of good players is important. Duh. But it's never that simple. A salary cap league, especially one with the newish apron constraints imposed in 2023, demands choices and opportunity costs. The Oklahoma City and Indiana front offices understand this — the Thunder had five players who averaged 13 or more minutes per game this postseason while taking up less than 10 percent of the cap; the Pacers had six. 'Depth, in general, is really important,' Thunder GM Sam Presti said at preseason press conference. 'I think depth relative to the parity in the league that we see now is directly linked, because the teams are so deep.' Depth is probably more valuable than ever. It's harder to put a roster together with more than two max players, so the strength of a team can no longer tilt heavily in favor of top-heavy talent. That means organizations not only have to hit on picks in the draft — i.e. Cason Wallace and Jalen Williams — but they also need to establish a player development program that can make contributors out of second-round picks, undrafted players and waiver wire finds like Lu Dort, Kendrich Williams, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Developing these kinds of players will become increasingly important for the Thunder if and when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams sign expensive contract extensions. But it's also important because teams need depth to hang in the NBA now because of the move to a faster pace and to withstand the increased physicality that has come out of looser refereeing. Depth keyed the Pacers' finals run, as they used a deep rotation to funnel in players who can run fast, play hard and beat up the opposing team. Indiana has accomplished their own mix of strong drafting and player development, from finding a key player in the second round (Andrew Nembhard) to optimizing 'second draft' acquisitions (Obi Toppin and Aaron Nesmith). Here are several other lessons teams should learn from these two NBA Finalists. GO FURTHER Pacers and Thunder provided an NBA Finals blueprint. Can other contenders copy it? Matthew Stockman / Getty Images Imagine being one of the other 14 teams in the West. How on Earth are you supposed to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder? Reminder: The Thunder won the conference by 16 games in 2024-25 and still may not have come into the best version of themselves. The entire logic of team-building in the West for the last half-decade has been that 'it's wide open.' Get yourself to a win total in the low-to-mid 50s, and then anything can happen in the playoffs. Veteran teams with title experience, like the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, could talk themselves into being contenders with a middling playoff seed as long as there wasn't a scary, dominant team in the conference that required a higher level. That's been the case the last few seasons, as the previous three Western Conference finalists before the Thunder won 53, 53 and 50 regular-season games, respectively. Now, that entire logic is flipped upside down; it's definitely not wide open, unless your desired endgame is losing in five in the conference finals. For those who aspire for more, it's either get to the Thunder's level or go home. What does a higher bar do to change the logic in an already cutthroat conference? Read the rest of my story here. GO FURTHER With Thunder on top, NBA's 'wide-open' Western Conference is a thing of the past Eric Hartline / Imagn The Trail Blazers briefly acquired Jrue Holiday in the 2023 trade that sent Damian Lillard to Milwaukee, but redirected Holiday to the Celtics less than a week later. During the brief period Holiday was technically on the Portland roster, he and Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups connected over what Billups has called 'a great conversation.' Billups, who was traded by the Pistons four years after helping them win the 2004 championship, helped Holiday deal with getting blindsided by the Bucks' decision to trade him. During that chat, Holiday also expressed that he would prefer to be moved to a contender. Billups wanted to help the veteran reach 'a great position and a great spot' for him. 'It meant a lot,' Holiday told The Athletic in 2024. 'Being able to see a coach that has my best interests (in mind). And you could see it and you could hear it, which a lot of times maybe some players don't get a chance to see that from a coach. So he definitely had my best interest (at heart) from the beginning. And he just always looked out for me.' This time, the Blazers appear to intend to keep Holiday, and he could help them with his defense and leadership. Dealing away Anfernee Simons also appears to clear the path for Scoot Henderson, the third pick in 2023, who only started 10 games in his second season. Simons started all 70 games he played. Read more on what this trade means for the Blazers and Celtics here. GO FURTHER Celtics trade Jrue Holiday to Blazers for Anfernee Simons, second-round picks: Sources Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said on Indiana's 107.5 The Fan that re-signing Myles Turner this offseason remains a priority. Of course, Carlisle noted that he wouldn't get into contract numbers or anything like that. But he expressed complete faith in the front office. Brian Fluharty / Getty Images Even after trading Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Celtics still need to trim nearly $20 million to get under the second luxury tax apron and another $20 million beyond that to escape the luxury tax entirely. Because of that, league sources believe the Holiday trade will be only the first domino to fall for Boston. The Celtics are still shopping other players, including Kristaps Porziņģis, with an eye on alleviating their salary-cap dilemma, according to league sources. Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Anfernee Simons can help replace some of the lost scoring with Jayson Tatum out for next season with a torn Achilles. He's a very talented scorer and an underrated playmaker. He's not quite a lead guard, but he does a good job of taking care of the ball, moving it and stretching the floor. He's a career 38.1 percent 3-point shooter, and more than half of his shot attempts last season came from 3-point range. That fits in very well with the Celtics' brand of offense that puts up a ton of 3-pointers and tries to bury your defense with them. Simons is not shy to let it fly. The question will be whether he fits defensively. He's not nearly the defender Jrue Holiday is, even compared to last season's slowed-down version of the six-time All-Defense selection, who battled injuries. That will be Joe Mazzulla's challenge: Getting Simons to move as necessary for Celtics guards to maintain teamwide intensity. Even though we are seeing the Celtics shed some salary, it doesn't mean they're going to be bad. They'll still compete and be a playoff team. They just won't look like a 60-win monster. Read more on why I gave this trade a B for the Celtics. GO FURTHER NBA trade grades: Does Anfernee Simons maintain Celtics' status as East contenders? C. Morgan Engel / Getty Images The New York Knicks will interview Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori for their head coaching job, a league source confirmed to The Athletic. ESPN was first to report the news. Nori, 51, has been a longtime, respected assistant coach at several stops. I covered him while he was with Dwane Casey in Detroit. He's a great basketball mind and better personality. Nori ran the offense in Minnesota while Karl-Anthony Towns was there. There isn't a player who will say a bad word about him. GO FURTHER Knicks head coach search: Could a new name enter the conversation?
Globe and Mail
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- Globe and Mail
Rider Justice Launches New Season of Chasing the Ride Video Podcast Highlighting Motorcycle Culture and Community
Denver, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - June 27, 2025) - Rider Justice, Colorado's premier motorcycle law firm founded by attorney Scott O'Sullivan, is proud to announce the launch of a new season of its original video podcast, Chasing the Ride. The series, which debuted in January 2024, is available on YouTube at The initial five episodes were filmed at the 2024 Colorado Motorcycle Expo in Denver and featured compelling interviews with riders, advocates, and industry leaders. Hosted by Scott O'Sullivan and co-hosted by nationally known motorcycle personality Dumptruck, the podcast quickly gained momentum for its authentic storytelling and deep connection to the riding community. The series boasts interviews with nationally recognized names such as legendary motorcycle photographer Michael Lichter, social media influencer Levi Sandoval, and Kase van Rees from the smash YouTube brand TFL (The Fast Lane). New episodes were filmed at the 2025 Expo, continuing to spotlight the voices and spirit of Colorado's vibrant motorcycle scene. Scott O'Sullivan and co-host Dumptruck at a Chasing the Ride podcast recording featuring Michael Lichter and Derek Mayberry. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: The new season also includes special dealership editions featuring Rider Justice partners from Mile High Harley-Davidson in Parker and Aurora, Grand Prix Motorsports, and Foothills Motorcycles. These locally focused episodes shine a light on dealership staff and their personal stories, offering listeners an inside look at the heart of Colorado's riding scene. These interviews are conducted by Scott O'Sullivan alongside Phil Spence, a longtime friend of the brand and co-host for the dealership edition episodes. Together, the Chasing the Ride co-hosts guide candid, entertaining, and hilarious conversations that explore the freedom, resilience, and camaraderie of life on two wheels. To watch the latest episodes and subscribe to the series, visit the Chasing the Ride YouTube channel: About Rider Justice Rider Justice is Colorado's leading motorcycle injury law firm and a fierce advocate for motorcyclists' rights. Founded by personal injury attorney Scott O'Sullivan, the firm provides legal representation, community education, and unwavering support for the riding community. Rider Justice | The Motorcycle Advocacy Arm of The O'Sullivan Law Firm To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: To view the source version of this press release, please visit
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
6 people hospitalized in head-on collision on Colorado 93 near Golden
DENVER (KDVR) — A head-on collision on Colorado 93 sent six people to the hospital early Friday morning. Just after 5 a.m., Colorado State Patrol said it responded to a two-vehicle, head-on crash with a Chevrolet Traverse and a Jeep Compass. Six people were sent to the hospital, with a driver and passenger suffering from serious bodily injuries. The extent of injuries to the other people is unknown. See the latest traffic conditions in Denver on FOX31 The road that connects Golden to Boulder was closed for two and a half hours, but CO 93 has since reopened. CSP is currently investigating the crash. At this time, it is unclear which vehicle the injured individuals were in or the cause of the crash. The state patrol is asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact Colorado State Patrol Dispatch at 303-239-4501 and reference case number 1A251688. Tipsters should be prepared to leave their name and contact information so CSP can return the call. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
