March 2026

There were 1,682 posts published in March 2026 (this is page 112 of 169).

NBA third-quarter report cards: Grading all 15 teams in the West, where only two teams get high marks

We have turned a corner around the 2025-26 NBA regular season’s 60-game mark, and that means it is well past time for our third-quarter report cards. After tackling the Eastern Conference, we move to the West, where we have given out two A’s.

That’s right: The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are the class of the conference, favorites to meet in what could be a brutal Western Conference finals.

As we have seen this week, the Denver Nuggets are right there with them when Aaron Gordon is in the fold alongside Nikola Jokić, and they are a tandem again. And the Minnesota Timberwolves can get there on the right night. Whether they can do it four times in seven tries a few times over is another matter. What a gauntlet it will be.

The Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers are no slouches, either, though their offense and defense, respectively, may prevent them from contending at the top.

These are things we have known for some time. The play-in tournament field is settling into form, too, as are the tankers, including one F grade. The biggest movers? Those Los Angeles Clippers, who went from an F in the first quarter to a D at midseason and now a C. Might Darius Garland help get them to a B by end of year?

(Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

We are, after all, grading to date, not only for the third quarter, in order to give you a complete picture of the season, not just a 20-game snapshot. We are also grading against expectations. Have you completed the task you set out to do, even if that meant to properly tank, or did you exceed expectations, as have the Phoenix Suns?

But we do not want to give away too much. On to our third-quarter report card.

(For reference: First-quarter grades • Midseason grades)

Dallas Mavericks • Denver Nuggets • Golden State Warriors • Houston Rockets • Los Angeles Clippers • Los Angeles Lakers • Memphis Grizzlies • Minnesota Timberwolves • New Orleans Pelicans • Oklahoma City Thunder • Phoenix Suns • Portland Trail Blazers • Sacramento Kings • San Antonio Spurs • Utah Jazz

  • Three-quarter MVP: Cooper Flagg (20-7-4 on 47/30/80)

  • Offensive rating: 109.5 (29th) • Defensive rating: 114.2 (16th)

  • Best lineup: Flagg • Max Christie • Caleb Martin • Naji Marshall • Dwight Powell (+26 in 46 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 10-29 • Against losing teams: 11-15

This was not supposed to be like this. The Mavericks thought they would compete. … Since the trade deadline, when the Mavericks dealt Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards for some picks, they are 2-12. … They are 2-18 since Jan. 24. … This is no culture in which to develop Flagg. … He is a winning, connective player, absent fellow winners to connect. … Kyrie Irving is not returning as a reinforcement, either. … Look at Dallas’ best lineup. Look at those players. … At least Dallas will add another high-end lottery pick in the draft. … Maybe he wins with Flagg. … Do not let Nico Harrison off the hook. Dealing Luka Dončić for Davis, and then dumping Davis, is a disastrous development.

  • Three-quarter MVP: Nikola Jokić (29-13-10 on 58/39/83)

  • Offensive rating: 120.1 (1st) • Defensive rating: 116.5 (22nd)

  • Best lineup: Jokić • Jamal Murray • Christian Braun • Cameron Johnson • Aaron Gordon (+60 in 172 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 18-19 • Against losing teams: 21-7

When Jokić is playing, regardless of who shares the court with him, the Nuggets are scoring 125.3 points per 100 possessions, better than history’s best offensive rating. … When Jokić is on the floor with Aaron Gordon, Denver is almost as stout as Oklahoma City’s top-rated defense. … That is reason to believe in these Nuggets still, despite all their red flags (a series of injuries, Johnson’s play, an otherwise porous defense and that troublesome record against good teams, to name a few). … They’re a game from the play-in tournament, performing like they are prepared for their forthcoming test, even giving the Thunder a game, only we have not seen them studying together too much. … You would like to see more than 12 games as a group from their best lineup.

  • Three-quarter MVP: Stephen Curry (27-4-5 on 47/39/93)

  • Offensive rating: 114.1 (16th) • Defensive rating: 113.1 (13th)

  • Best lineup: Curry • Moses Moody • Brandin Podziemski • Draymond Green • Al Horford (+25 in 35 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 15-23 • Against losing teams: 17-10

Give the Warriors credit. All of their best lineups featured Jimmy Butler, who suffered an ACL injury, and they are still in position to make a play-in bid, despite missing Curry for 25 games, too. … The Green-Horford duo allows 111.2 points per 100 possessions, equivalent to a top-five rating. … Curry’s personal offensive rating: 118.0 points per 100 possessions, also top five. … He can’t get back from a knee injury soon enough, after back-to-back losses to the Jazz and Bulls, two tanking teams. … To make the playoffs, to put a scare into someone, there would be honor in that. … Allow us a wild thought: Curry, Butler, Green, Horford and … LeBron James. Golden State in their golden years.

  • Three-quarter MVP: Kevin Durant (26-6-5 on 51/41/89)

  • Offensive rating: 116.9 (8th) • Defensive rating: 111.9 (6th)

  • Best lineup: Durant • Amen Thompson • Josh Okogie • Jabari Smith Jr. • Alperen Şengün (+60 in 346 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 20-15 • Against losing teams: 20-9

Durant, man, what a legend. He might be the most consistent scorer in NBA history. … Those numbers of his, closing in on the 50/40/90 club again, you can pencil them in every year. … What was once a promising Şengün season has turned sour, given his defensive on/off numbers. … Another interesting lineup: Durant, Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela (+52 in 75 minutes). … They grab 8% fewer offensive rebounds sans Steven Adams. Noticeable difference. … Both of the Thompson twins need jump shots. An offseason challenge. … For Sheppard, there is only so much trial and error a team can get away with in the West. He has to be good.

  • Three-quarter MVP: Kawhi Leonard (28-6-4 on 50/37/91)

  • Offensive rating: 115.8 (12th) • Defensive rating: 115.3 (19th)

  • Best lineup: Leonard • Kris Dunn • Derrick Jones Jr. • John Collins • Brook Lopez (+10 in 110 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 15-26 • Against losing teams: 17-6

Will Leonard reach 65 games for the second time since 2016-17? He may have an All-NBA First Team case if he does. … The loss of Ivica Zubac to a trade was meaningful. But the loss of Yanic Konan Niederhauser to injury may have been more significant. … (Why with Niederhauser do we always mention his middle name? Is it because it is Konan? It is because it is Konan.) … With Darius Garland in the lineup, the Clippers are outscoring opponents by 24.9 points per 100 possessions. It’s only been four games, but still. … They are 5-1 in their last six games with the league’s best offensive rating (124.1) in that span. … Hey, we almost got through this without mentioning Aspiration.

  • Three-quarter MVP: Luka Dončić (33-8-9 on 47/36/77)

  • Offensive rating: 116.6 (9th) • Defensive rating: 115.7 (20th)

  • Best lineup: Dončić • Austin Reaves • Marcus Smart • Rui Hachimura • Deandre Ayton (+47 in 96 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 17-20 • Against losing teams: 23-5

How dare Ayton scoff at the idea of playing like Clint Capela. The Lakers should be so lucky. … Notice who is not in the Lakers’ best lineup: LeBron James. … They are, in fact, playing better without him. … When Dončić and Reaves share the court with James, they play like a bottom-five offense. Without him? They perform like the league’s best offense. … Net rating of Dončić, Reaves, James and no Smart: -9.8. Net rating of Dončić, Reaves, Smart and no James: +29.2. … James is a free agent at season’s end. Who pays him and how much? Massive questions without answers. … It would be kind of cool to see James lean into becoming a role player, but his 3 and D are both lacking. … Can he just be connective tissue in his old (basketball) age? Or else retirement calls.

  • Three-quarter MVP: Cedric Coward (13-6-3 on 47/34/84)

  • Offensive rating: 113.7 (19th) • Defensive rating: 116.3 (21st)

  • Best lineup: Coward • Vince Williams Jr. • Jaylen Wells • Santi Aldama • Zach Edey (+34 in 36 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 8-30 • Against losing teams: 15-11

Why is Ja Morant still on this team? Because the Grizzlies couldn’t find any takers. … With Zach Edey in the lineup in 11 games this season, Memphis outscored opponents by 18.3 points per 100 possessions, submitting the league’s best defense. Without him, a bottom-five defense has been beaten by 4.4 points per 100 chances. … Promise for the future. … Speaking of which, who is the Grizzlies’ MVP to this point? That was no easy question to answer. … It is Coward, though, as promising a player as there is on this roster. … He is a piece of the future, not the piece. … They do not want another No. 11 pick. And by dealing Jaren Jackson Jr. they are doing their best to acquire one.

  • Three-quarter MVP: Anthony Edwards (29-5-4 on 49/40/79)

  • Offensive rating: 116.0 (11th) • Defensive rating: 112.4 (9th)

  • Best lineup: Edwards • Donte DiVincenzo • Jaden McDaniels • Julius Randle • Rudy Gobert (+128 in 676 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 17-18 • Against losing teams: 23-7

Michael Jordan said he loves the passion Edwards plays with on both ends and told him, “You need to continue improving on your game.” … A heady challenge from the G.O.A.T. But a necessary one. If anyone understands what it takes to win from the 2 position. … It isn’t out of the realm of possibility to consider Edwards could one day be a 30-point 50/40/90 guy. … A sub-.500 record against winning teams but 5-5 against OKC, San Antonio and Denver is reason to believe in these Wolves. … More reason to consider them contenders: That starting lineup. It has played 160 more minutes than Detroit’s starting lineup and almost twice as many minutes as any other lineup in the NBA. … Rudy Gobert is all but assured of making a ninth All-Defensive team in 10 years.

  • Three-quarter MVP: Trey Murphy III (22-6-4 on 47/39/89)

  • Offensive rating: 113.1 (22nd) • Defensive rating: 117.7 (26th)

  • Best lineup: Murphy • Jeremiah Fears • Herbert Jones • Saddiq Bey • Derik Queen (+17 in 117 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 5-34 • Against losing teams: 16-11

Notice, again, who is absent from the Pelicans’ best lineup: Zion Williamson, who is playing like a 41-year-old LeBron, only at the age of 25. … There was a time when we could not fathom the possibility that Williamson, in his prime, could approach the 65-game mark and not be in the All-NBA conversation, but here we are. … Be careful who we saddle with the Face of the League label so early. … Dejounte Murray in six games back from an Achilles injury: 16-5-5 on 47/27/89 shooting splits. Encouraging! … Since Jan. 14, the Pelicans are 12-12 with a (slightly) positive net rating (+0.1). … Queen and Fears appear to be players. … But the team is in line to hand a top-10 pick to Atlanta.

  • Three-quarter MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (32-5-7 on 55/38/90)

  • Offensive rating: 117 (7th) • Defensive rating: 106.2 (1st)

  • Best lineup: Gilgeous-Alexander • Cason Wallace • Lu Dort • Chet Holmgren • Isaiah Hartenstein (+71 in 165 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 27-11 • Against losing teams: 24-4

The difference between OKC’s defense and the Western Conference’s second-best defense, that of the Spurs, is the difference between San Antonio and the 16th-rated Mavericks. … The Thunder are 15-0 when that top lineup takes the floor. … Another top five-man unit: SGA, Wallace, Dort, Holmgren and Jalen Williams (+69 in 117 minutes), though they are “just” 8-4 in their games together. … They might be the favorite, with or without Williams. That depth is something. … Should we be concerned at all about their offense? Not when SGA is on the court. Did you see him close out the Nuggets — and maybe the MVP conversation — on Monday? He is offense unto himself. … And adding Jared McCain gave them just the offensive boost they needed off the bench.

  • Three-quarter MVP: Devin Booker (25-4-6 on 45/32/87)

  • Offensive rating: 113.8 (18th) • Defensive rating: 112.6 (10th)

  • Best lineup: Booker • Collin Gillespie • Dillon Brooks • Royce O’Neale • Mark Williams (+56 in 266 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 17-23 • Against losing teams: 21-4

Booker is back in the fold from a hip injury and not a moment too soon, as the Suns’ offense was severely slipping in the absence of him and Brooks. … Phoenix is 5-1 with a top-five offense in its last six games. … It needs Brooks back to solidify the defense in advance of the playoffs. … If it gets there. The recent skid sent the Suns into seventh in the West, where they will have a hard time leapfrogging anyone in front of them. … Jordan Ott has done the most with the least in his conference. The Suns play hard for their coach. … That includes Williams, who was cast aside by the Lakers for medical reasons, only to perform admirably in his 1,322 minutes across 56 games this season.

  • Three-quarter MVP: Deni Avdija (24-7-7 on 46/34/80)

  • Offensive rating: 112.5 (23rd) • Defensive rating: 115.2 (18th)

  • Best lineup: Avdija • Shaedon Sharpe • Kris Murray • Toumani Camara • Donovan Clingan (+15 in 106 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 16-29 • Against losing teams: 15-6

Good news for the Blazers: It would be almost impossible to fall out of 10th place. … Bad news: They may not make it much farther than that, unless they can catch the Warriors, and even then what hope do they have of winning consecutive play-in games? … They have not won two straight games in more than a month, and before then they lost six straight. … Since Jan. 22, when the Blazers took a .500 record into the second half of the season, they are 8-13, owners of a 27th-rated offense. … With Avdija in the fold, though, now back from injury, and even without Sharpe, who could be out through March, they are scoring 117 points per 100 possessions, a top-10 figure.

  • Three-quarter MVP: DeMar DeRozan (18-3-4 on 49/33/86)

  • Offensive rating: 109.7 (27th) • Defensive rating: 119.7 (28th)

  • Best lineup: DeRozan • Russell Westbrook • Zach LaVine • Keegan Murray • Maxine Raynaud (+14 in 90 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 8-35 • Against losing teams: 8-15

The Kings thought they would be decent. … How do we square this: They refused to play Keon Ellis, even though everyone knew he was good, and they gifted him to the Cavaliers, who now count him as integral to their playoff rotation? … Dennis Schröder, too. The Kings signed him, only to undermine him by adding Russell Westbrook, and then traded him, along with Ellis, for De’Andre Hunter’s cumbersome contract. … Make it make sense. … Nothing may ever make sense in Sacramento. … Might the Kings actually secure a top-three pick in this top-heavy draft? They have a 40% chance right now. … With whom are they building around that pick? … Free Domantas Sabonis.

  • Three-quarter MVP: Victor Wembanyama (24-11-3 on 51/35/82)

  • Offensive rating: 117.5 (5th) • Defensive rating: 110.2 (3rd)

  • Best lineup: Wembanyama • De’Aaron Fox • Stephon Castle • Devin Vassell • Julian Champagnie (+82 in 178 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 27-12 • Against losing teams: 20-5

When Wembanyama is on the court, the Spurs operate like a top-three offense and the NBA’s best defense (allowing just 103.8 points per 100 possessions). … Stephon Castle has been sensational when paired with either De’Aaron Fox or Dylan Harper in the backcourt, outscoring opponents by 8.7 and 14.3 points per 100 possessions, respectively. … San Antonio belongs in every conversation of the most serious contenders. … Vassell’s return was big for them. They still might need another wing. … How much do we trust Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson or Julian Champagnie in the biggest moments? … The Spurs have one of the easiest remaining schedules; the Thunder have one of the hardest. The No. 1 seed, then, and the MVP race, is not set.

  • Three-quarter MVP: Lauri Markkanen (27-7-2 on 48/36/90)

  • Offensive rating: 113.3 (21st) • Defensive rating: 120.5 (29th)

  • Best lineup: Markkanen • Keyonte George • Svi Mykhailiuk • Kyle Filipowski • Walker Kessler (+34 in 51 minutes)

  • Against .500 teams: 10-30 • Against losing teams: 10-15

Seven-footers to make at least 2.5 3-pointers per game for their careers: Markkanen. That is the list. … In the brief time they played together, Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr., acquired at the trade deadline, outscored opponents by 13.4 points per 100 possessions. Encouraging. … Perhaps too much, at least for this season, when the goal is to secure a top-eight pick (and not lose it to the Thunder). … They would, ideally, like a higher pick than that, but they may have won too much. … George is good. The Jazz are scoring 119 points per 100 possessions, a great number, when he shares the court with Markkanen. … Ace Bailey is gonna be good. … A lot to like about these Jazz.

Closing time: Victor Wembanyama’s late-game defense is the Spurs’ not-so-secret sauce

After Victor Wembanyama hit 3-pointer No. 8 in San Antonio’s home win against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night (sorry, Jaylen Brown), he was subbed out for backup Luke Kornet. 

When Wembanyama returned to the floor, his priorities had changed. Instead of seeking more shots, the 7-foot-5 center erased those launched by the Celtics, and if he didn’t reach them, he changed them. 

This has been a staple recipe for the Spurs this season. When they find themselves in crunch time, they dial up their defense and become far more deliberate in their actions. 

It’s working. 

They’re 16-1 over their past 17 games, which feature wins over the aforementioned Celtics, Pistons (twice), Rockets, Clippers, Thunder, Raptors and Lakers.

They came back from a 25-point deficit against the Clippers on Friday and somehow pulled off the win. 

This isn’t some luck of the draw or some random occurrence. This team is closing games consistently and does so against all caliber of teams. There’s a level of cohesion present not seen on any other NBA team this season. 

Wembanyama has repeatedly spoken of trust. How they all have bought in. How they all respect, support and trust each other to make plays. It’s becoming more and more evident by the day how true that is. The ball is popping, and even players who are new to the rotation, such as Carter Bryant — a rookie — is being trusted to take and make late-game shots.

Of course, this doesn’t happen without Wembanyama.

Over his past six games, the 22-year-old MVP candidate is averaging 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 4.2 blocks in just 31 minutes of play. You’d think the nearly point-per-minute average was his most intoxicating trait, yet it’s secondary to his defense, which is Earth-shattering. 

The Celtics hit just 37.5% of their shots in the fourth quarter last night. The Rockets 34.6% the game before, the Clippers 42.1% and the Pistons 36.8% in the final stanza. That’s an outrageously effective level of defense in the final frame of games, and the Spurs are pulling this off consistently. 

Second-year guard Stephon Castle won’t wow you with raw numbers. His 1.3 steals and 0.3 blocks on the year won’t make anyone look twice — yet he’s among the most impressive young perimeter defenders in the game. 

He doesn’t gamble for steals or chase blocks. Instead, his mission is to optimize his own defensive positioning and make life as difficult as possible for offensive players as he tries to funnel them toward Wembanyama. Often, teams will try to initiate plays away from Castle, as they know what he’s trying to do, and that’s probably the biggest compliment you can give a 21-year-old defender. 

At 6-6 and a sturdy 220 pounds, Castle isn’t relinquishing ground, and his strength allows him to play single coverage on players taller than him. 

With the playoffs nearing, it’s impossible to not consider these Spurs a genuine threat to win the title. The argument against them is their lack of experience. But is that concern overstated? 

Wembanyama has literally played in the gold medal game of the Olympics and has been to the Finals in the French league. Castle helped Connecticut win the national championship. 

This isn’t to say their lack of NBA experience won’t play a factor. It very likely will. But over the course of a best-of-seven series, with a defense this potent and a superstar that might be the most productive per-minute player in the world, it’d be outright foolish to dismiss them. 

You Can Already Save $50 on the New M4 iPad Air

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That didn’t take long. The M4 iPad Air just came out today, and you can already pick one up at a (small) discount. The wifi 128GB version of the new iPad Air is currently $749, down from $799. While $50 or $800 is not a big discount, the fact that Amazon is cutting the price on Apple’s latest flagship iPad on its release day is unusual. This price cut applies to the bigger 13-inch model, while the smaller 11-inch model iPad Air is $559, $40 off the list price of $599 and matching Walmart’s pre-order deal.

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M3 iPad Air owners should not get too excited—there’s nothing notable here other than the presence of the more powerful M4 chip, which will may offer a noticeable efficiency boost over its predecessor. That’s likely due to having one more efficiency core than the M3 Air. The biggest difference, however, is the extra 4GB of RAM (12GB total). This means you can multitask for longer with multiple tabs and apps running.

According to Apple, this new iPad should be up to 30% faster than the previous generation, although we won’t know for sure until reviewers have tested it out. Other upgrades include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and compatibility with the Thread smart home standard. The other specs are the same: 12MP rear and front cameras, USB-C connectivity with Touch ID, 10 hours of video playback, and 128GB of storage for the base model.

If you still have the M3 iPad or another recent iPad, it’s probably not worth upgrading. However, if you have an older iPad (or none at all), this is a good opportunity to get Apple’s latest iPad for the best price you’re likely to see for a while.

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NL Central season preview: Will the Cubs or Brewers emerge as division champs? Can the Reds and Pirates get in the postseason mix?

Although not regarded as baseball’s toughest division, the NL Central is stronger than many fans might think. After all, last year, the five Central clubs combined for more wins than any other division outside the AL East, and they were the only NL group to earn three postseason berths. 

The NL Central has been dominated in recent years by the Brewers, who have finished first in three straight seasons and led the majors with 97 wins last year before bowing out to the Dodgers in the NLCS. After an offseason in which they made several moves but arguably took a small step backward, the Brewers will likely have the Cubs and Reds nipping at their heels in 2026. Chicago isn’t far off, having finished sixth in baseball with 92 wins last year, and ]

Best-case scenario for 2026: A successful season would be one in which several of the team’s 20-somethings take steps forward. This includes Ivan Herrera, who fared well at the plate last season but needs to improve his catching skills, and Lars Nootbaar, who regressed as a hitter in 2025. It also includes Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker, who were once considered notable prospects and are now barely hanging on as major-league players. On the mound, Matthew Liberatore and Michael McGreevy will hope to improve while Dobbins and Fitts aim to build on the promise they showed in limited opportunities in Boston. And JJ Wetherholt, the organization’s top prospect, should debut early in the season and show the fan base that he can lead the next generation of Cardinals.

Worst-case scenario: The last time the Cardinals failed to tally 70 wins in a 162-game season was 1978. They could revisit that lowly territory this year. The rotation is the most concerning area, as St. Louis lacks a single arm that averaged a strikeout per inning last season. That collective inability to put batters away puts tremendous pressure on the defense and limits the starters’ ability to work deep into games, which is a big problem for a team that has a few effective relievers but lacks bullpen depth. And after the team traded away multiple veterans, the bottom half of the lineup could be abysmal.

Make-or-break player: Ivan Herrera, who could soon give the Cardinals a No. 1 catcher who can produce impactful offensive numbers from the heart of the lineup, something most teams lack. The 25-year-old has already proven his offensive acumen by hitting .284 with an .837 OPS in 2025. Now he needs to establish himself behind the plate after an elbow injury limited him to designated hitter for most of last season. Herrera underwent surgery to remove bone spurs in his elbow in November, which should alleviate any physical limitations. The onus is now on him to lead a young pitching staff by improving his pitch framing and controlling the running game. Failure to do so could relegate him to DH duties, which would limit his overall value.

Season prediction: The 2026 Cardinals are likely to battle the Pirates to stay out of the NL Central basement. But staying ahead of Pittsburgh shouldn’t be the goal this year. Rather, the focus should be on setting up Wetherholt, Dobbins, Fitts, Gorman and Walker to be long-term contributors to the club. An iconic franchise with a dedicated fan base, the Cardinals can work through a few down years if the rebuild sets them up for a long stretch of success.

Projected record: 83-79, 43.3% odds to make the playoffs, 25.0% odds to win the division

What happened last season? The Pirates finished 71-91, marking their seventh straight losing season and the ninth year in a row that they finished fourth or fifth in the division. Their offense was abysmal, ranking last in baseball in scoring and hitting 31 fewer home runs than any other team. But there was still a reason to be excited in Pittsburgh, thanks to Paul Skenes. In the second season of what should be a Hall of Fame career, Skenes again posted an ERA under 2.00 and won the NL Cy Young award. Led by Skenes, the pitching staff finished seventh in ERA, the Pirates’ first top-10 ranking since 2015. The other hurlers weren’t particularly special, but the likes of Mitch Keller, Carmen Mlodzinkski, Dennis Santana and Braxton Ashcraft did their part to stabilize the group.

What happened in the offseason? The low-budget Bucs were more active than usual, perhaps reacting to the need to build around Skenes while they can. In December, they were part of a three-team trade that cost them starter Mike Burrows but landed slugger Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum and reliever Mason Montgomery. In January, they handed out the largest free-agent deal to a hitter in franchise history when they signed Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year, $29 million contract. And in January, they added DH Marcell Ozuna on a one-year pact. Overall, this was hardly the type of offseason that would create news in a major market, but for the Pirates’ front office, it was progress.

Best-case scenario for 2026: While the offseason improvements should help, the real potential for this team comes from the prospect group. Shortstop Konnor Griffin is regarded by many scouts as the best prospect in baseball, and he could join the starting lineup early in the season. Bubba Chandler, arguably baseball’s top pitching prospect, should earn an Opening Day rotation spot. Those two, along with prospects such as Hunter Barco and Jhostynxon Garcia, could join the current core of players and finally give the Pittsburgh fan base a winning team. There’s also substantial improvement potential within the current roster, as key catalysts Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds are coming off disappointing seasons. Add the arrivals of Lowe, Ozuna and Mangum, and the Bucs might have just enough firepower to stay in the postseason race until September and even steal a wild card.

Worst-case scenario: Counting on prospects is always risky, and while Griffin and Chandler have exciting futures, there’s no guarantee they will make impacts as rookies. There’s also significant downside within the veterans. Cruz continues to strike out at an alarming rate, Lowe has a lengthy injury history, O’Hearn has a mediocre career .743 OPS, and Ozuna was benched at times by the Braves last year. Jared Jones, who is being counted on to make a successful return from 2025 elbow surgery, has already been placed on the 60-day IL. If the offense fails to make notable improvements, another 90-loss season will be on the table for the Pirates.

Make-or-break player: Oneil Cruz. While the offseason additions are nice, this organization desperately needs Cruz to get his career back on track. The 27-year-old is a Statcast darling who posts eye-popping numbers in key areas such as average exit velocity, barrel rate, arm strength and average sprint speed. Unfortunately, his incredible offensive potential has thus far been limited by an alarming strikeout rate. And despite his speed and throwing ability, he has been an average defensive player. While Lowe, Reynolds, O’Hearn and Spencer Horwitz can be productive and steady, Cruz is the member of the group who has the potential to singlehandedly change the look of this lineup.

Season prediction: Although the Pirates are trending in the right direction, they probably aren’t yet ready to join the wild-card contenders. A successful season in Pittsburgh would be one in which the team achieves a better than .500 record while getting contributions from Griffin and Chandler. If that happens, ownership will be under pressure to further invest in the roster next winter, rather than wasting another season with Skenes on the roster.

Steve Kerr reaffirms desire for 72-game NBA season after Stephen A. Smith criticizes stance: ‘I’m not an idiot’

Steve Kerr is going to speak his mind. That’s what he’s done throughout his 12-season tenure as the Golden State Warriors’ head coach. Backlash doesn’t deter him.

He said Tuesday before the Warriors’ 130-124 overtime defeat to the Chicago Bulls — their fifth loss in the past six games — that he wasn’t even aware of Stephen A. Smith’s response to him once again pushing for a shortened NBA season that he believes would lead to a more competitive and healthier league.

Although Smith prefaced his opinion by conceding that Kerr often makes profound statements that deserve everyone’s attention, the ESPN pundit went on to criticize the nine-time NBA champion’s desire to reduce the league’s 82-game schedule by 10 games.

“Minimum salary in the NBA is over 1.2 million. The median salary in the NBA is over seven million. The maximum salary in the NBA goes anywhere on average like $54 million. We’re talking about individuals signing $250, 350 million contracts. And now you come to us talking about there should be 10 less games?” Smith said on Tuesday’s episode of “First Take.” 

“What the hell do you want next? You want us to put a diaper and a bib on these guys?”

Smith added: “I assure you, you don’t hear players that are making a million dollars or even making $5 million talking about how there should be less games. You know why? Because they want to position themselves to make that paper. Only when you get to that point do you say stuff like that. Steve Kerr didn’t say that when he was playing. … The NBA just signed an 11-year, $77 billion contract. How do you get that if you don’t play those games?”

This all came up again because Kerr was asked Monday ahead of the Warriors’ 119-116 loss to the Utah Jazz what he would address if he was the NBA commissioner.

“That was my answer,” Kerr said Tuesday. “And the reason is cause my No. 1 concern is the quality of the NBA product. And I think limiting the schedule would encompass a lot of issues: Player health, player availability, tanking — I think all of that stuff would improve. And I think the quality of play would improve. 

“We don’t practice much at all. If we had those extra days for practice and a fresher team, the quality of the product would be better.”

Kerr then got to the part of the discussion Smith was targeting.

“I know that it’s a question of revenue,” he said. “I’m not an idiot. Everybody would have to agree — to improve the product, we would actually have to make a little less revenue. It’s not really an American concept anymore, but I’m of the belief that it should be. 

“I think quality is going to matter long term. And I think for the long-term health of the league, we need to think about this. And that means everyone would have to consider the ramifications. So of course it’s about money, but you have to be careful, too. Just having more of something doesn’t automatically mean you’re going to make more money if the product isn’t good. I know it’s a controversial subject, but I’m going to keep speaking my mind cause I think it’s important.”

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The Warriors have been riddled by injuries this season. They’re currently 32-33 and ninth in the Western Conference standings.

Most notably, they lost six-time All-Star forward Jimmy Butler III to a season-ending ACL tear, and two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry has missed the past 15 games with a lingering knee injury. 

Kerr said back in November that he was “very concerned” about the league’s dramatic change in pace and frequency of play leading to more injuries across the NBA.

At the time, the Warriors were on a six-game road trip, during which Kerr said they hadn’t had a single practice because of their cluttered slate.

As of Tuesday, NBA teams were averaging 115.2 points per game, the most since the 1969-70 season, according to ESPN, which also reported that players had combined to cover 37.1 miles per game during the 2025-26 campaign at an average speed of 4.29 mph. 

Those are both highs since player tracking started in 2013-14, per ESPN.