No date is reported to be set, but teams typically visit the White House during their regular-season road series against the Washington Nationals. This year, that series is April 3-5 for the Dodgers.
President Donald Trump posted an invitation to the Dodgers on social media shortly after their dramatic win in Game 7:
“Congratulations to the L.A. Dodgers, a game won by incredible CHAMPIONS!!! A lesser group of men would never have been able to win that game, or game 6, for that matter. So many stars made it all happen. Also, congratulations to ownership. What a great job they have done. SEE YOU ALL AT THE WHITE HOUSE!!!”
While there was a backlash to attending the Trump White House last year, the team still put on a united front and had no notable holdouts despite past comments and actions, such as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts saying he would have skipped a visit in 2019 and Mookie Betts skipping a visit with the Boston Red Sox after 2018.
Like he did in 2025, Roberts painted a possible trip as respecting the office of the president in comments to the Times last weekend:
“For me, I stand by: I’m a baseball manager,” Roberts told me [the L.A. Times’ Bill Shaikin] Saturday at the Dodgers’ fan festival. “That’s my job.
“I was raised — by a man who served our country for 30 years — to respect the highest office in our country. For me, it doesn’t matter who is in the office, I’m going to go to the White House. I’ve never tried to be political. … For me, I am going to continue to try to do what tradition says and not try to make political statements, because I am not a politician.”
Not everything is the same around the White House this time, though. There was certainly some tension in Los Angeles in 2025 over Trump’s response to the wildfires that ravaged part of the city, but the president’s approval rating has reached a new low recently in the wake of, among other things, ICE’s deadly actions in Minnesota — not to mention its continued presence in Los Angeles and other communities — and lingering questions about the Epstein files.
The Dodgers have apparently still opted to proceed like last year, but it remains to be seen if they present the same united front.
For Valdez, it’s a lucrative end to a tumultuous winter. Despite a top-tier résumé, the dreadlocked Dominican lingered on the shelf like an unripe banana. Rumors of potential suitors swirled and swirled, with the Orioles, Braves, Blue Jays, Pirates, Mets and Giants all linked to the 32-year-old. But in the end, Detroit emerged from its haze of inactivity with a rather large bag of money and secured the lefty’s services.
Valdez and his agents were likely hoping for a lengthier pact, something in the six- or seven-year range. Perhaps Valdez’s age — he turns 33 in November — made executives skittish about a long-term commitment. Perhaps clubs viewed him more as a dependable No. 2 starter than as a true frontline monster. Perhaps concerns about his makeup — Valdez had a bizarre incident last season in which he appeared to purposefully mislead his catcher, leading to the catcher being hit in the mask — really did scare some teams away. But in the end, Valdez’s assets outweighed his flaws, at least in the opinion of Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris and his front office.
Given Valdez’s track record, it’s unsurprising that somebody finally gave him nine figures. He is one of only two pitchers to throw at least 175 innings in each of the past four seasons. Among active pitchers, he is fourth in career postseason innings behind the imposing trio of Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Gerrit Cole. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2020, Valdez leads qualified starters in groundball rate. His surface numbers took a step back in 2025, but his peripherals stayed relatively in line with career norms.
Valdez weaponizes one of the game’s more unique mixes, a sinker-curveball combo that works against righties and lefties. How his groundball-heavy style jells with the Tigers’ infield defense will be something to monitor. Detroit’s dirtmen ranked 25th last year in outs above average among MLB infields. Colt Keith is below average at third, Gleyber Torres is shoddy at second, and the rotating cast of characters at shortstop — Javier Báez, Zach McKinstry and Trey Sweeney — are subpar in the aggregate.
But even if Detroit’s infielders don’t compete for Gold Gloves, Valdez should be an upgrade for a rotation that had some holes last year behind the back-to-back Cy Young. Jack Flaherty was merely average in 2025. Casey Mize rode a strong first half to the All-Star Game but tailed off down the stretch. Reese Olson made 13 good starts before a shoulder issue sidelined him for the second half. Former top prospect Jackson Jobe will be out most of this season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. It wasn’t exactly the most thrilling group; now they don’t have to be because Valdez changes the dynamic.
So far this offseason, Detroit had garnered ample criticism from pundits for adopting a passive approach ahead of what might be Skubal’s final season in town. The back-to-back Cy Young is set to hit free agency next winter, barring an unforeseen extension with Detroit. On Wednesday, team and player went to battle over Skubal’s 2026 salary in an arbitration hearing of great importance. As of Wednesday night, the result of that hearing was unknown.
Many believed the Tigers’ passivity was related to the uncertainty with Skubal’s salary; whether he’d receive $32 million or $19 million seemed to be keeping Detroit in a holding pattern. Before Wednesday, their only major offseason moves had involved relievers (Kenley Jansen, Drew Anderson), returners (Gleyber Torres) or both (Kyle Finnegan). Torres accepting the qualifying offer represented a significant financial outlay, but his return didn’t make the Tigers any better.
And while it’s no fault of Valdez’s, the price attached to his name might end up being something of an anchor for a Tigers club that has been stingy under the current leadership group. Paying $38.3 million per year — the seventh-largest AAV in the game and second-largest for a pitcher behind Zack Wheeler — for a No. 2 starter is a risky bit of business.
There are still myriad questions about whether Detroit has the offensive firepower to win a pennant. Their most productive hitter last season, Riley Greene, had an abysmal second half and ended up leading the American League in strikeouts. The team’s most valuable position player by bWAR was catcher Dillon Dingler, who clocked just 13 home runs. Only one team over the past decade has won a World Series without a position player finishing in the top three of MVP voting. Even with Valdez in the fold, it’s hard to see Detroit bucking that trend.
With Skubal, anything is possible. But as the previous postseason highlighted, the unicorn can’t do it by his lonesome. Valdez, at the very least, will help the cause. How he and his $38.3 million contract coexist with Skubal, whom the Tigers just argued deserves only $19 million, is an entirely different question.
One of baseball’s most consistent and durable pitchers has his first big free-agent contract. Framber Valdez reportedly agreed to a three-year, $115 million deal with the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The deal reportedly contains deferred money and an opt-out after the second year. The $38.3 million average annual value sets a record for left-handed pitchers. The only pitchers to receive more? Shohei Ohtani, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and Zack Wheeler.
The deal reunites Valdez with Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, who managed the Astros during Valdez’s first two seasons with the team.
Valdez is coming off a season in which he posted a 3.66 ERA over 192 innings. By some measures, it was the lefty’s worst year in the majors.
While it’s always something of a concern to see a player experience decline just before hitting the market, Valdez’s 2025 was strong overall, maintaining his consistency over the past six seasons. Since becoming a regular member of the Houston Astros’ rotation in 2020, Valdez posted ERAs between 2.82 and 3.66 in six straight years. He put up strong innings totals over that period as well, ranking fifth among pitchers with 973 innings pitched since 2020.
The Tigers are pairing Framber Valdez and Tarik Skubal, for now
The deal comes with interesting timing for both the team and player.
Could Valdez’s deal have anything to do with the Skubal situation, especially given the Tigers’ limited resources and the trade rumors around Skubal? There’s no way to know for sure, but it’s certainly significant.
For now, the Tigers are set to pair the best pitcher in baseball with another top left-hander, with Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize and Reese Olson behind them. That’s among the most formidable rotations in the American League.
Is Framber Valdez still an ace?
Valdez is a hard-thrower but not one who racks up big strikeout totals. The lefty usually relies on a heavy sinker, which induces a ton of grounders and double-play balls. When he needs a strikeout, he uses his big, sweeping curveball to generate whiffs at an above-average clip.
That combination has resulted in plenty of success for Valdez, who has two All-Star appearances and three top-10 Cy Young finishes under his belt. He played a significant role in the Astros winning the 2022 World Series. That postseason, Valdez posted a 1.44 ERA across four starts, striking out 33 over 25 innings.
Despite all that success, Valdez faced plenty of questions entering free agency. Given his age, lower strikeout totals and reliance on the defense behind him, Valdez isn’t always viewed as a top-tier ace. And while he got off to a fantastic start in 2025, he didn’t help his free-agent case by floundering down the stretch. In the second half of the season, Valdez stumbled to a 5.20 ERA over 71 innings. Was that a blip on the radar or a sign of things to come?
Given Valdez’s consistency throughout his career thus far, the answer is likely the former. Besides, while his second-half struggles were concerning, his “bad” year was still better than what many pitchers are capable of producing at their best.
So long as Valdez’s sinker maintains its bite and his arm holds up, he should be able to provide near-ace numbers going forward. He walks a finer line than most top-of-the-rotation starters due to his limitations, but his track record suggests he’ll bounce back with the Tigers after a down year — by his standards — in 2025.
It was just one year ago Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the most shocking moves in NBA history. Here’s a timeline of the painful chapter in Dallas Mavericks history — including the firing of Nico Harrison and the offloading of Anthony Davis — after making it to the NBA Finals only 20 months ago.
May 30, 2024: Mavericks advance to the NBA Finals
Dallas advanced to face the Boston Celtics in its first trip to the NBA Finals since winning it all in 2011, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games. Dončić, who finished Game 5 of the West finals with 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting with 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals, was named MVP of the series after averaging 32.4 points across five games.
The Mavericks would fall to the Celtics in the Finals in five games.
July 2: Mavericks sign Klay Thompson to three-year deal
Klay Thompson, a key contributor to the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty, agreed to a three-year, $50 million deal with the Mavericks, who sent two second-round draft picks, one in 2025 and another in 2031, to Golden State as part of the sign-and-trade deal. The 35-year-old was moved to the bench during the 2025-26 season after a slow start.
Dec. 25: Luka Dončić gets hurt
The Mavericks star left the team’s 105-99 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half on Christmas Day due to a left calf injury — an injury that would sideline Dončić for more than a month.
Feb. 2, 2025: Mavericks trade Luka Dončić
In perhaps the most shocking trade in NBA history, Dallas sent Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first-round draft pick in a three-team deal that also included the Jazz.
Following the news of the trade, which broke after midnight on the East Coast, Mavs GM Nico Harrison told ESPN: “I believe that defense wins championships. I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.”
Dončić, who still looked stunned two days after the trade, said he would “take the high road” in response to comments made about him from the Mavericks after the trade was made.
Feb. 8: Fans protest outside of Mavericks’ arena
Ahead of Dallas’ first home game after the trade, Mavericks fans protested outside of American Airlines Center. Some signs called for Nico Harrison to be fired. Other fans called for the team to be sold.
Feb. 8: Anthony Davis makes his Dallas debut, gets hurt
In his first game with the Mavericks, Davis was impressive, totaling 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in only 31 minutes. But, in the third quarter, he exited the game with a lower-body injury. After the game, Davis told reporters that it was “nothing serious.” But the next day it was reported that Davis had suffered an adductor strain and would miss weeks.
Feb. 9: Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont explains the trade
In his first public comments about the trade in an interview with The Dallas Morning News, Dumont cited “character” and “culture” as reasons for the trade. Dumont also said, “If you look at the greats in the league, the people you and I grew up with — [Michael] Jordan, [Larry] Bird, Kobe, Shaq [O’Neal] — they worked really hard, every day, with a singular focus to win. And if you don’t have that, it doesn’t work. And if you don’t have that, you shouldn’t be part of the Dallas Mavericks.”
Feb. 10: Luka makes his Lakers debut
Dončić made his Lakers debut against the Jazz, draining his first points with the Lakers on a 3-pointer from the top of the key just a few minutes into the contest. Dončić finished with 14 points in a 132-113 win. He added five rebounds and four assists in what was his first game back after the calf injury he suffered on Christmas.
Luka Dončić recorded a triple-double against his former team. (AP Foto/Mark J. Terrill)
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Feb. 11: Fans thrown out in Dallas
During a home game against the Sacramento Kings, Mavericks fans were ejected from their seats at American Airlines Center after calling for the firing of general manager Nico Harrison. A fan drew the attention of the video board’s producers during a karaoke segment. But instead of singing along, he appeared to mouth the words “Fire Nico.” Another video showed what appeared to be the same fan and his neighbor holding up signs that distinctly read: “Fire Nico.” They were escorted out of the arena by security.
Feb. 15: ‘Craziest trade I’ve seen’
At the NBA’s All-Star Weekend, the trade was still the talk of the league, even among the stars. “Two weeks later, it’s still the craziest trade I’ve ever seen,” said the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama.
At Adam Silver’s news conference, the commissioner also addressed the trade and concern about the Mavericks’ future in Dallas. “Whether or not history will judge this as a smart trade, they did what they thought was in the best interest of the organization,” said Silver. “I have absolutely no knowledge or belief that there were any ulterior motives. There is no doubt in my mind that the Dumont and Adelson families bought that team to keep it in Dallas. I have no doubt whatsoever that they are committed to the long-term future there.”
Feb. 21: Dirk shares his first reaction to the trade
During an appearance at 96.7 The Ticket’s Ticketstock event, Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki shared his reaction upon first hearing that Dončić had been traded. He also discussed what it was like seeing Luka in a Lakers uniform: “I’ll never be a Lakers fan, but I must always be a Luka fan.”
Feb. 25: Luka faces Mavericks for the first time
Dončić reunited with the Mavericks and recorded his first triple-double as a member of the Lakers in a 107-99 win against his old team. He finished with 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting with 15 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals and two blocks. After the game, Doncic said: “I am just glad it’s over.”
March 3: Mavericks raise ticket prices
The team announced it was raising ticket prices for next season, citing “ongoing investments in the team.” The price hike resulted in an average overall price increase of 8.61%, WFAA reported. As expected, season ticket-holders were not happy about the increase.
March 4: Mavericks lose Kyrie Irving for the season
Mavericks star Kyrie Irving missed the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee. Irving went down early in the team’s 122-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings. Irving was driving to the hoop late in the first quarter at American Airlines Center when his left knee bent awkwardly as he attempted a layup.
March 13: Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont said trade was ‘about the future’
At a speaking engagement a month earlier, Dumont explained the Luka Dončić trade was about the “future” and creating the “most competitive team.”
Dončić both cried and conquered in his return to Dallas, beginning the game with remnants of tears in his eyes before leading his new team to a 112-97 win.
Dončić had 31 points at halftime before stepping off the gas a bit, eventually finishing with 45 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. The win officially clinched a playoff spot for Los Angeles.
The Mavericks would eventually be eliminated in the play-in tournament.
May 12: Mavs win draft lottery
The Mavericks overcame the fourth-longest odds of 14 lottery participants and a 1.8% chance to secure the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. The long-shot win capped a tumultuous season in which the Mavericks’ fan base turned on its beloved franchise after Harrison orchestrated the Dončić deal that’s been widely lambasted as one of the worst in the history of sports.
Irving declined his $43 million player option for 2025-26 with the intention of signing a new three-year, $119 million deal with the franchise. Irving, who underwent surgery in March for his torn left ACL, has not yet played in ’25-26.
June 26: Mavs select Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick
The Mavericks took Flagg with the No. 1 pick. “It’s really amazing,” Flagg told ESPN after being drafted. “It’s a dream come true, to be honest. I wouldn’t want to share it with anybody else.”
At Flagg’s introductory news conference, Harrison famously said: “I think the fans can finally start to see the vision.”
June 30: Mavs sign D’Angelo Russell
The Mavericks struck a two-year, $13 million deal with Russell, as a temporary replacement for Irving. Russell, who has bounced around a lot in recent years, is averaging just 19 minutes per game during the 2025-26 season.
Oct. 22: Flagg, Mavs lose season opener
The No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft posted 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting with 10 rebounds and three turnovers against the San Antonio Spurs in his first true taste of NBA action.
Flagg got out to a slow start this season, as he was forced to play point guard to open the season. The experiment didn’t work. The Mavericks posted one of the worst offenses in the game, and Flagg was quickly moved off the position to play into his strengths.
Oct. 29: Anthony Davis injured again
Davis left Dallas’ game against the Indiana Pacers with what the team described as “left lower leg soreness” and did not return. He would miss 14 games.
Davis is currently sidelined with a left-hand injury that he suffered on Jan. 8. He is expected to miss around six weeks.
Nov. 10: Mavericks lose to Bucks amid ‘Fire Nico’ chants
Mavericks fans had had it. Monday night marked a new low in the Nico Harrison saga as fans in Dallas revived the “Fire Nico” chant during a home game the Mavericks still had a chance to win.
With 1.2 seconds remaining against the Milwaukee Bucks, Mavericks forward P.J. Washington was fouled on a 3-point shot as Milwaukee held a 116-113 lead. When he got to the line with a chance to tie the game with three free throws, Mavericks fans focused their energy not on the outcome of the game, but on their disdain for the Dallas general manager who traded Dončić.
James Harden’s time with the Los Angeles Clippers is officially over.
The Clippers sent Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, they announced on Wednesday afternoon.
Conjecture of a potential trade for Harden gained steam just ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, as Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko reported late Monday evening the Clippers and Cavs were engaged in discussions surrounding the veteran All-Star. Now the two teams have swapped All-Star guards.
“We are trying to get younger while continuing to win, and Darius allows us to do both,” Clippers president Lawrence Frank said in a statement. “He is a two-time All-Star who just turned 26 and a highly skilled point guard with excellent feel … We are excited to win with him and grow with him.”
Harden, assuming all goes well in the coming days, will likely make his debut with the Cavaliers on Saturday in their matchup with the Sacramento Kings, according to Amazon’s Chris Haynes.
The 36-year-old Harden is in the second year of a two-year, $81.5 million deal he signed last June when he declined his player option. Because of the structure of his contract, he could have declined any trade.
Harden does have a $42.3 million player option for 2026-27, but only $13 million of it is guaranteed. Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Harden will have to waive his one-year Bird restriction that functions as a no-trade clause in order to facilitate the trade.
Harden is in his 17th NBA season, and the Cavaliers will be his sixth team since he was drafted third overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2009. He has spent the past three seasons with the Clippers, averaging 21.1 points, 8.5 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.
This season, Harden has played 44 games and averaged 25.4 points per game, his highest since the 2019-20 season. Despite a strong case for his 12th All-Star selection this season, he was left off the roster.
“I can’t overstate what James has meant to our organization in the past two-and-a-half years,” Frank said. “He exceeded every expectation and met every challenge. He put us on his back for long stretches, doing whatever was necessary to win. He’s an all-time great who delivers on a nightly basis. We benefited from his talent, his durability, his competitiveness and his leadership. We’ll always consider him a Clipper.”
What trade means for Cavaliers
The exchange of the two All-Stars offers a fresh start for both players and a reset for both teams as they seek to improve their standing in their respective conference playoff races.
Harden joins a Cavaliers team that entered Tuesday in fifth place in the East at 30-21. The Cavaliers are contenders in the East, but have taken a step back from last season’s 64-18 campaign that produced the best record in the conference.
Various injuries to Garland have played a role in Cleveland’s struggle to repeat last season’s success as he missed 25 of Cleveland’s first 51 games. Even when healthy, there were concerns in Cleveland that Garland’s skill set overlapped that of All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt.
The addition of a high-scoring playmaking guard in Harden doesn’t exactly alleviate those concerns. But the Cavaliers are certainly hoping the addition of Harden will propel them back into the conversation among championship contenders from an Eastern Conference that remains wide open. Harden and Mitchell will combine to produce one of the most potent backcourts in basketball.
What trade means for Clippers
The Clippers, meanwhile, get a two-time All-Star point guard in Garland who, when healthy, could provide an ideal complement to All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard. Garland’s a strong scorer and distributor who averaged 20.6 points and 6.7 assists last season while shooting 40.1% from 3 en route to his second career All-Star selection.
A toe injury sidelined him during Cleveland’s run to the second round of the playoffs. It required offseason surgery and lingered into this season, and Garland has since sustained a toe injury on his opposite foot. He missed Cleveland’s previous nine games with the latest injury prior to Tuesday’s news of the trade. It’s not clear when he’ll be able to make his Clippers debut.
The Clippers got off to a 6-21 start, but have since recovered to a 23-26 record as of Tuesday to get back into the Western Conference playoff race. They’re hoping Garland can help propel them toward the postseason when he’s ready to return to the court.
Jazz get: Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, Jock Landale and Vince Williams Jr.
Grizzlies get: Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang and three future first-round picks: most favorable of 2027 Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers or Minnesota Timberwolves; Los Angeles Lakers’ 2027 first-round pick; Phoenix Suns’ 2031 first-round pick.
Texas A&M (17-4, 7-1 SEC) is currently taking on Alabama for a midweek road trip, looking to reach 8-1 in conference play, and stay atop the conference standings before hosting Florida on Saturday afternoon.
First-year head coach Bucky McMillan has led the Aggies to their second-best start in SEC play since joining the conference before the 2012 season, and wouldn’t be anywhere this season without Spanish sharpshooter Rubén Dominguez, who is averaging 12.9 points per game, 2.4 rebounds, 1.5 assist, and averaging 44.9% from the field, 43.4% frome three-point, and 89.6% from the free throw line.
One of the best three-point shooters in the country, Dominguez is expected to remain a key part of McMillan’s future rosters with two years of eligibility, and in the new age of college basketball, landing international players during the transfer portal period has become a popular trend, and will continue, especially in the SEC.
During Dominguez’s transition to Texas A&M, McMillan and his staff encountered no issues beyond travel, which took longer than for the other 14 new additions to the roster.
However, the drama surrounding former NBA G-League center Charles Bediako, who returned to Alabama late last month, is currently playing vs. Texas A&M, but will be back in court after receiving a temporary restraining order by Judge James Roberts, who has since recused himself from the case.
On Wednesday, Bediako’s attorneys reportedly sent the NCAA a list of admissions regarding the eligibility of international professional basketball players, including Texas A&M star Rubén Dominguez. Within the document provided by Bama247 writer Mike Rodak, Bediako’s legal team listed the Texas A&M sophomore as the 38th example of an international player who was granted eligibility.
“Admit that you have granted eligibility to Ruben Dominguez, a current student-athlete at Texas A&M University and former member of Movistar Estudiantes from Spain.”
Alabama is currently 14-7 and 4-4 in SEC play before the conclusion of Wednesday’s, and if Bediako isn’t granted an eligibility extension, the Crimson Tide will be lacking size in the front court.
Bediako’s attorneys sent the NCAA a list of admissions regarding the eligibility of international professional basketball players. pic.twitter.com/Uheimc2BXq
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The Houston Rockets have had players donning a total of 52 different jersey numbers (and have one not part of any numerical series for Houston assistant coach and general manager Carroll Dawson) since their founding at the start of the 1967-68 season, worn by just under 500 players in the course of Rockets history.
To honor all of the players who wore those numbers over the decades, Rockets Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who wore them since the founding of the team all those years ago right up to the present day.
With seven of those jerseys now retired to honor some of the greatest Rockets of all time to wear those jerseys, there is a lot of history to cover.
And for today’s article, we will continue with the first of 17 players who wore the No. 7, forward alum Toby Kimball. After ending his college career at UConn, Kimball was picked up with the 29th overall selection of the 1965 NBA draft by the Celtics.
The Framingham, Massachusetts native would play the first season of his NBA career with Boston, coming to an end when he was picked up by the (then) San Diego (now, Houston) Rockets in the 1967 NBA expansion draft. His stay with the team lasted until he was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1971
During his time suiting up for the Rockets, Kimball wore only jersey No. 7 and put up 7.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.
All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
Penn State guard Shaelyn Steele fouls Oregon guard Sammie Wagner as the Oregon Ducks host the Penn State Nittany Lions on Jan. 24, 2026, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series favorites heading into the 2026 season, but how does the organization fare in the long-term?
President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman spoke on how the Dodgers plan to maintain their success in the future.
“Infusing young players over that time is going to be really important for us to be able to maintain (this level of success),” Friedman said to Jack Harris of the California Post.
The Dodgers have featured in the playoffs for the last 13 seasons and the team doesn’t plan on messing up that streak in 2026 and beyond.
Despite coming off back-to-back World Series titles in 2026, the Dodgers have the second-best farm system in the league. Their organizational depth is what should carry the Dodgers’ success in the long-term, at least that’s what Friedman hopes for.
The defending champions have several young players waiting on the sidelines for their big league opportunity, and finding a place for them will be key with an aging Dodgers roster.
Apr 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman before a game against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
How Does MLB’s Upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement Affect the Dodgers?
The league’s current CBA is set to expire Dec . 1 and the Dodgers’ recent signing of Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million deal has reportedly infuriated MLB owners heading into the expected labor battle between MLB and the players’ union.
The Tucker deal has given team owners reason to push for a salary cap, and even if that goal isn’t achieved, the result could be harsher luxury-tax penalties.
The Dodgers would inevitably be affected by both outcomes as the organization has already paid more than double for every free agent they’ve signed this winter because of tax penalties.
Friedman revealed there’s really no way the Dodgers can prepare for what will ensue.
“There’s just so much unknown around that,” Friedman said. “I’ve now been through a lot of CBAs and have tried to get cute leading into a CBA. Like, ‘OK, this is where it might be going.’ (Right now), we have no idea. We are sitting in the cheap seats on that. So for us, it’s about, whatever the rules are, reading and reacting to it and doing everything we can within the rules to be as good as we can be.”
