Mark Cuban says the Mavericks won’t trade Anthony Davis after Nico Harrison’s firing: ‘We want to try to win’

Anthony Davis, at least according to Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban, isn’t going anywhere. 

Cuban told The Athletic’s Joe Vardon in an email on Wednesday that the team will not be trading Davis this season.

“We won’t. We want to try to win,” Cuban said when asked if he and Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont would pursue a deal for Davis.

Cuban’s response came shortly after ESPN reported that multiple Mavericks sources said the opposite, and that Dumont and the team will actively explore the trade market for Davis. 

Despite Dallas’ intentions, the start of the season has been difficult this fall. The Mavericks are currently 4–11 and sit 13th in the Western Conference. Their slow start, combined with injuries and limited future trade assets, has fueled speculation about Davis’ future — especially after the firing of former general manager and president of basketball operations Nico Harrison.

Harrison, who was officially fired on Nov. 11, is best known for orchestrating the trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers and brought Davis to Dallas ahead of the deadline last year. That led to a massive public backlash in Dallas that just never went away.

In Harrison’s absence, Cuban has taken on more of a leadership role, functioning in what has been reported as a “GM by committee” recently. Cuban, who bought the Mavericks in 2000, sold a majority share of the team to the Adelson family for about $3.5 billion in 2023. He now serves as an adviser to Patrick Dumont, the Sands Corporation president and COO, who is Miriam Adelson’s son-in-law. Despite Cuban’s involvement, Dumont makes the final decisions for the franchise.

Cuban, who publicly stated he was “not involved” in the trade that sent Dončić to L.A. and “didn’t agree with it, had reportedly been pushing for Dumont to fire Harrison before his dismissal. 

Although Davis has been with the Mavericks since February of last season, it still feels early to fully evaluate his fit with the team, given how little he has played. Last season, he appeared in just nine games after suffering an adductor strain in his Mavericks debut, which sidelined him for 18 games.

This season, the 32-year-old has played in just five games and has missed the last 10 with a left calf strain. The team has remained cautious, avoiding any risk of reinjury. Dallas announced earlier this week that he will be reevaluated in 7-10 days. When healthy, the 10-time All-Star has performed at a high level, averaging 20.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game this season. 

Point guard Kyrie Irving continues to recover from a torn ACL, prompting head coach Jason Kidd to experiment with using No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward, at the position. The experiment, however, was short-lived, and he has since returned to his natural position at forward. That’s yielded positive results. The former Duke star has averaged 15.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists through 15 starts.

While the Mavericks will undoubtedly look different with both Davis and Irving healthy and on the court, speculation about Davis’ future with the organization likely won’t go away anytime soon, no matter what Cuban says.

Lewis Hamilton cools Ferrari storm after John Elkann’s “talk less” comments

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Lewis Hamilton has played down the comments made by Ferrari chairman John Elkann, who appeared to criticise the drivers after a disappointing Brazilian Grand Prix weekend from the Scuderia team. 

Elkann made headlines after the outfit’s double retirement in Sao Paulo. 

“Brazil was a huge disappointment,” he said publicly. “If we look at the Formula 1 championship, we can say that on one hand we have our mechanics, who are winning the championship with their performance and everything they’ve done on the pitstops.

“If we look at our engineers, there’s no doubt that the car has improved. If we look at the rest, it’s not up to par.

“We certainly have drivers, for whom it’s important that they focus on driving and talk less, because we still have important races ahead of us and it’s not impossible to get second place.”

This has come amid a winless season for the Italian squad and after a race which saw the team slip from second to fourth in the constructors’ standings. Now just four points behind Red Bull Racing, it remains far from championship leaders McLaren

Talking to the media in Las Vegas, Hamilton responded to the comments made. 

“I mean, I’m always willing to do less media!” he laughed. “But no, seriously, I think… look, I think we all need to take responsibility in this team and we all need to play our part and I know that there’s so much passion in this team, every single member of this team.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the extraordinary effort every single person back at the factory continues to put in week on week. And naturally, knowing that the team is Ferrari, there’s always a huge amount of attention, not always in a positive way, but we’re all fully committed to turn this around and I’m fully committed to helping this team rebuild and grow.

“Every challenge is an opportunity for us to grow and learn and I firmly believe that we will get to where we want to be.”

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Ferrari arrives in Vegas hoping to enjoy better luck than its last race in Brazil, which resulted in its second double DNF in just seven races. Hamilton assured the media that this hasn’t affected morale at the factory. 

“I’d never compare it to another team because it’s just so different,” he continued. “But I’m constantly inspired when I go back to the factory. Firstly, going back to Ferrari, to the factory, every single time it’s an amazing feeling.
There is just something so romantic when you go to Ferrari.

“And I see, as I said, I think there’s great harmony within the team, even with all the ups and downs that we’ve been having. And I just think everyone’s just focused on learning from, taking the learnings from this year to build on a better future.

“And that encourages me every time I go and see everybody back at the factory. Of course, there’s areas that we need to improve. We’ve spoken on those.

“That’s what we’re working on.”

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2026 F1 Academy grid takes shape as six drivers confirmed

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The 2026 F1 Academy grid is beginning to take shape as six drivers have been confirmed for next year ahead of the 2025 season finale in Las Vegas.

In addition to some new faces for 2026, the McLaren Formula 1 team is set to expand its support of the all-female racing series by backing two cars next year, and the LEGO Group is also set to join the championship, fielding one car.

Which F1 Academy drivers are confirmed for 2026?

19-year-old British driver Alisha Palmowski will return for her second year in F1 Academy with the Red Bull Racing Pepe Jeans Academy Programme. After winning the first race of 2025 in China, Palmowski went on to secure three podiums. She currently sits fifth in the drivers’ standings ahead of the final round in Las Vegas.

“We’re very excited that Alisha will be continuing her journey in F1 Academy with Red Bull Racing,” Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal Laurent Mekies said. “She has had a very promising rookie season and is going from strength to strength. She embodies the Red Bull spirit and is a fantastic flagbearer for Red Bull Racing in F1 Academy.”

“I’m really excited to continue my F1 Academy journey with Red Bull Racing,” Palmowski added. “I’ve loved being part of the team this last year and can’t wait to continue working hard next season.”

20-year-old Rafaela Ferreira is also set to return with the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Academy Programme in 2026. She has secured five points-scoring finishes so far in her rookie season. Ferreira currently sits 12th in the standings.

“Everyone at VCARB is thrilled to have Rafa represent our team for another season,” Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer said. “She has become a big part of our family over the last year, and both Alan and I are excited to see how she continues to develop going into her second season.”

Ferreira added: “Returning for another season in F1 Academy will give me the chance to further develop my skills as a driver and I’m honoured to represent the VCARB family in the series.”

Lisa Billard will enter her rookie F1 Academy season in 2026 with Gatorade. At just 16 years old, she has secured her seat after earning a Wild Card entry for Round 6 for F1 Academy in Singapore. She was the women’s champion in the 2025 French F4 Championship at Le Mans, and was the first female to win a race in the French Junior Karting Championship.

“Single-seater racing pushes your body to the limit,” Billard said. “You can lose up to four kilograms of fluid, burn huge amounts of calories, and race in hot temperatures. So, working with a brand like Gatorade and GSSI to understand my hydration and recovery couldn’t be more important. I’m so excited to take on my first season of F1 ACADEMY in 2026, with the support of Gatorade behind me.”

Esmee Kosterman will join the 2026 grid with the LEGO Group. The 20-year-old driver secured the full-time seat after featuring in Round 5 at Zandvoort this year as a Wild Card entry. She became the first woman to win in the Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup series in 2023.

“To be the first driver for LEGO Racing is such an exciting opportunity, and I can’t wait to continue my racing journey with F1 ACADEMY,” Kosterman explained. “I’ve long been a fan of the LEGO brand, its creativity and what it stands for and to bring it to the track from the 2026 season onwards is incredible. I hope this inspires future generations of female drivers, that with hard work and determination, anything is possible!”

Ella Lloyd will take part in her second F1 Academy season in 2026 as she continues with the McLaren Driver Development Programme. In her rookie season, the Welsh driver has secured five podium finishes and a race win. As a result, she sits third in the drivers’ standings ahead of the final round in Las Vegas.

Ella Stevens has secured the second seat backed by McLaren as she joins the Woking outfit’s Driver Development Programme. She finished runner-up in the 2025 British KZ2 Karting Championship and is the only woman to win in the UK’s premier karting class.

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No. 9 Maryland scores first 20 points, routs Bethune-Cookman 95-49

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Maryland scored the first 20 points, and the ninth-ranked Terrapins remained undefeated and recorded a season high in scoring Thursday night with a 95-49 rout of Bethune-Cookman.

Kyndal Walker scored a career-high 13 points, and Oluchi Okananwa and Kaylene Smikle each also had 13 points for Maryland (6-0). The Terps have won every game this season by at least 18 and have scored at least 80 points in each outing.

Jordan Brooks had a team-high 13 points for the Wildcats (1-4), who committed 26 turnovers. Maryland held a 36-7 advantage in points off turnovers.

Maryland played without freshman guard Addi Mack, who is averaging 12.2 points and left Sunday’s victory over Princeton with a left ankle injury. The absence of the their third-leading scorer did little to slow the Terps from quickly opening a large lead.

Bethune-Cookman had four turnovers before it took a shot, and eight giveaways in its first 12 possessions as Maryland built a 20-0 lead. Brooks’ 3-pointer with 3:27 left in the first quarter ended the Wildcats’ opening drought.

By the end of the first, the Terps were up 24-5 and the Wildcats had 11 turnovers in 19 possessions.

Bethune-Cookman cut the deficit to 14 in the second, but Maryland closed the half on an 18-2 run capped by Yarden Garzon’s 3-pointer to bump the lead to 46-16. The Terps expanded the margin to 75-33 after three quarters.

Breanna Williams scored a career-high 12 points, while Garzon also had 12 points for Maryland.

Up next

Bethune-Cookman: Visits North Florida on Nov. 28.

Maryland: Hosts George Mason on Sunday.

___

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Lane Kiffin’s daughter reportedly attends LSU Booster Club meeting amid rumors

Lane Kiffin’s daughter reportedly attends LSU Booster Club meeting amid rumors originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Lane Kiffin’s coaching saga added another surprising layer on Thursday when video surfaced of his daughter, Landry, at an LSU Booster Club meeting. This further fuels speculation about her father’s future.

According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Landry attended the event to support her boyfriend, LSU linebacker Whit Weeks, who was one of the speakers. Nakos reported that Landry has been in Baton Rouge throughout the week, just days after other videos were posted online showing members of the Kiffin family touring the city on Monday.

LSU operates several booster organizations with tiered membership supporting athletics. While Landry Kiffin’s appearance at the meeting was tied to Weeks’ involvement, the timing was notable given Lane Kiffin’s status as a top candidate for the Tigers’ coaching vacancy.

Kiffin has Ole Miss at 10-1 and in contention for a College Football Playoff berth, but is also linked to college football’s top coaching openings. Reports earlier in the week indicated that his family toured Gainesville on Sunday before making the trip to Baton Rouge.

Landry Kiffin and Weeks publicly confirmed their relationship during the week of the Ole Miss-LSU matchup on Sept. 27. The Rebels won 24-19 and made for an intriguing storyline. The Kiffin’s presence in Baton Rouge has only add to the coach’s next move. 

Ole Miss is in the midst of a bye week before facing Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl on Black Friday. 

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Report that LaMelo Ball would be open to trade, but he clowns rumor on social media

LaMelo Ball has put up counting stats this season when on the court, averaging 21.6 points, 9.6 assists and 6.9 rebounds a game in the nine games he has played. That said, he is shooting just 38.5% from the floor — 29.8% from 3-point range. He has helped make the Hornets competitive in games, but still they have stumbled to a 4-11 start to the season.

Which is why there is some logic to the idea that Ball would be open to a trade, maybe around the February deadline, and Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports reported that he is.

Star guard LaMelo Ball has grown increasingly frustrated with the organization and is open to a trade away from the franchise, multiple league sources told Yahoo Sports … League sources say the front office is increasingly hesitant about cementing Ball as a long-term foundational piece, has become disillusioned with the 24-year-old and is open to moving him.

LaMelo responded to that on X, shooting the idea down.

If that response doesn’t make it clear, Ball has not asked for a trade. What’s more, the Hornets front office is not looking to move Ball right now, reports Jake Fischer at Bleacher Report. Understandably, Charlotte wants to get Brandon Miller back from his shoulder issue and see what this team looks like when fully healthy (they may be 4-11, but they have played more competitively than their record suggests).

That said, there are playoff teams in need of point guard play — Orlando, maybe Houston and others — who are monitoring the situation. There would be a market for Ball, although because of his injury history and defensive issues, that trade would not bring back as much as the Hornets may imagine.

It’s not just Ball’s situation that teams are monitoring. The same is true of Ja Morant in Memphis and Trae Young in Atlanta, both of them are currently out injured.

Report that LaMelo Ball would be open to trade, but he clowns rumor on social media

LaMelo Ball has put up counting stats this season when on the court, averaging 21.6 points, 9.6 assists and 6.9 rebounds a game in the nine games he has played. That said, he is shooting just 38.5% from the floor — 29.8% from 3-point range. He has helped make the Hornets competitive in games, but still they have stumbled to a 4-11 start to the season.

Which is why there is some logic to the idea that Ball would be open to a trade, maybe around the February deadline, and Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports reported that he is.

Star guard LaMelo Ball has grown increasingly frustrated with the organization and is open to a trade away from the franchise, multiple league sources told Yahoo Sports … League sources say the front office is increasingly hesitant about cementing Ball as a long-term foundational piece, has become disillusioned with the 24-year-old and is open to moving him.

LaMelo responded to that on X, shooting the idea down.

If that response doesn’t make it clear, Ball has not asked for a trade. What’s more, the Hornets front office is not looking to move Ball right now, reports Jake Fischer at Bleacher Report. Understandably, Charlotte wants to get Brandon Miller back from his shoulder issue and see what this team looks like when fully healthy (they may be 4-11, but they have played more competitively than their record suggests).

That said, there are playoff teams in need of point guard play — Orlando, maybe Houston and others — who are monitoring the situation. There would be a market for Ball, although because of his injury history and defensive issues, that trade would not bring back as much as the Hornets may imagine.

It’s not just Ball’s situation that teams are monitoring. The same is true of Ja Morant in Memphis and Trae Young in Atlanta, both of them are currently out injured.

WWE star blasts Aaron Rodgers ahead of Steelers-Bears Week 12 game

Chicago Bears superfan and WWE superstar Seth Rollins tore into Pittsburgh Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers ahead of the Week 12 matchup between the two historic franchises.

On Thursday’s edition of Good Morning Football, Rollins cut a fiery promo on the 41-year-old veteran quarterback — hoping that Rodgers can play through the wrist injury so that his beloved Bears can enact revenge on the former Packers signal-caller.

“I’ll tell you where I’d like to begin — I hope that his little wrist is okay,” Rollins said. “I hope that he suits up this Sunday in Chicago — because this is not the same Bears team that he has faced years and years and years and years in Chicago. And he’s not on the same team that he was in Green Bay. This Steelers team is not those Packers teams. And he is not the same Aaron Rodgers that he’s always been. He’s on the backside of his career. …

“This is going to be a different story — you’re going against the first-place Chicago Bears. This is two first-place teams going head-to-head in Chicago. Ben Johnson is going to stick it to you, man. Dennis Allen is going to find a way to blitz, drop you on your back. I swear, we’re not going to come out here next week having the same conversation about Aaron Rodgers owning the Chicago Bears. He’s going to be giving up his ownership.”

Including playoffs, Rodgers holds a 26-5 record over Chicago — dominating the Bears during his almost two-decade-long tenure with the Packers.

Rollins may have his wish granted, as Rodgers returned to practice on Thursday. But the six-time world champion may have bitten off more than he could chew, as if there was any quarterback you wouldn’t want to challenge before facing the Bears — it’s definitely Rodgers.

For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including Pittsburgh’s Week 12 matchup against the Chicago Bears, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers challenged by WWE star, Bears fan Seth Rollins

Bucky Irving update from NFL insider suggests Bucs RB won’t be back ‘anytime soon’

Bucky Irving update from NFL insider suggests Bucs RB won’t be back ‘anytime soon’ originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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According to a new report, it might be more than injury that is keeping Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving off the field.

Irving has been sidelined since he suffered foot and shoulder injuries in Week 4. He returned to practice last week but did not suit up, and he is practicing yet again this week but has not progressed past being a limited participant.

Buccaneers legend Ronde Barber revealed that Irving will not play on Sunday despite his return to practice, and Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio has echoed that.

However, Florio adds that he doesn’t believe Irving will be back anytime soon and he seemed to indicate that the reason isn’t injury-related.

“I’m not so sure Bucky Irving is going to be back this weekend based upon something I heard when we were in Philadelphia,” Florio said to co-host Chris Simms (H/T JoeBucsFan.com).

“I’ll tell you off-air what I heard,” Florio added. “I want to be careful. It just underscores the very real existence of inside information. Because it’s something that probably shouldn’t be out. But I don’t think he’s going to be back anytime soon.

“It definitely is more information than what’s in the injury report.”

Florio did not provide more details than that.

This would seem to indicate that Irving might have an off-the-field issue that will keep him out of the lineup even longer, but that has obviously not been confirmed and we wouldn’t even begin to speculate on what could be the issue.

This is just the latest turn in the Irving saga. He has been draped in mystery because of his injury, which has kept him out far longer than expected.

We had assumed Irving’s extended absence was simply a result of a setback or the injury being worse than initially believed, but now we have to consider other factors based on Florio’s report.

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