I guess it’s safe to say the Spurs are playing the long game. They just drafted three promising first-rounders a week ago. Now we get the blockbusting news that they’ve traded their best player, All-Star guard Dejounte Murray, for three future first round picks in 2023, 2025 and 2027. San Antonio also gets forward Danilo Gallinari in this deal with Atlanta. I learned a long time ago not to question the Spurs. Still, it’s tough to see Murray go. Dejounte Wednesday night very graciously tweeted his thanks to Spurs fans and the city of San Antonio. Right back atcha, D.
Sixers’ guard James Harden has declined a $47.3 million dollar contract option and will become a free agent. Harden has expressed the possibility that he will negotiate a new deal in Philly that gives the team more roster flexibility. Doesn’t matter. They’re the Sixers. Their annual vacations start the day after they lose in the second round.
Deshaun Watson’s hearing enters a third day. The end result is not in doubt.
This is cooler than cool, in my view. Bengals’ running back Trayveon Williams is going to co-teach a class at Texas A&M’s law school. Williams played his college ball for the Aggies. Along with fellow A&M alum and business consultant Alex Sinatra, Williams will teach a class on college athletics, with a particular focus on NIL and athlete advocacy. This implies that there are at least two people in the world who understand NIL. We need that!
I’m told that DeSoto High School receiver Johntay Cook II is pretty good. Apparently the Longhorns think so. Cook Wednesday joined that long and heralded list of Texas commits for 2023.
Holding my breath hoping Yordan Alvarez and Jeremy Pena are ok following their collision in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s 2-0 win over the Mets. Verlander was nails in becoming the majors’ first ten-game winner of the season and sending the Mets to their first three-game losing streak of the year.
Congrats to Seattle guard/legend Sue Bird, who Wednesday night rang up a record 324th WNBA career victory.