Atlanta, GA – With contracts and signings, comes trouble sometimes. Players are upset to have not been reached out to, they are upset to not get enough money, and they are upset if they believe they might be replaced. And over in Atlanta with the Atlanta Falcons, they have some unspoken issues between their new quarterbacks resurfacing.
During the last off season, veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins signed a 4 year- $180,000,000 contract with the Falcons. Cousins was previously with the Minnesota Vikings for 5 seasons as a starting quarterback, for most of that time.
A new episode from a documentary on Netflix called “Quarterback” was premiered and Cousins shared his thoughts on the 8th overall pick in the 2024 draft from the Falcons. They selected Michael Penix Jr. who is of course a quarterback who had played for the team in the 2024-25 season after being drafted.
Cousins shared that he was not informed that the Falcons would select a quarterback so high in the draft, but he did know that they ultimately would. Consequently, he most likely felt blindsided and upset that he signed with a team who is building up their quarterback roster. And the feeling is understandable as he probably thought he would be playing, but that is up for debate still as Penix Jr. has already begun building a relationship with the team as their quarterback. Cousins also shared that prior to the draft, if he had known their plans that he most likely would have just resigned with the Vikings.
As the 2025 season rolls around we will see how this plays out for more than just the Atlanta Falcons, as there will be many teams who still need to decide who will become their QB1 to hopefully lead them to successful seasons.
The Milwaukee Bucks are just a few years removed from an NBA championship, as they won it all in 2021. However, the organization is not in an easy position, as their star player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, wants to ensure he plays with a competitive team. General Manager Jon Horst and his front office, so far in free agency, have made some intriguing moves that they hope will contribute alongside Giannis in competing for an NBA Championship.
Horst began free agency by re-signing five players from the 2024-2025 Bucks team that finished 48-34, which was good enough for the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference. Those five players are Kevin Porter Jr. (2-year deal), Bobby Portis (3-year extension), Taurean Prince (2-year deal), Jericho Sims (2-year deal), and Gary Trent Jr.(2-year deal). The most notable players brought back were Bobby Portis, Gary Trent Jr., and Kevin Porter Jr. Trent played a crucial role for the Bucks in the postseason when they matched up against the Indiana Pacers. In Game 3, he scored 37 points, and in Game 5, he scored 33 points. Portis is the longest-tenured Buck out of the list and was on the championship team in 2021. Portis can stretch the floor as a power forward and provides consistent scoring for this Bucks offense. Porter Jr., for now, is the starting point guard for this Bucks team (we’ll explain why later), so his ball-handling and shot creation are needed, whether Horst brings in any other guards or not. Prince and Sims should both be good contributors to the rotation and provide some depth for next year’s squad. Despite bringing back five players, this Bucks team still lost quite a bit of talent from the rotation.
Next year’s team will be without Pat Connaughton, Damian Lillard, and Brook Lopez. Let’s start by getting the elephant out of the room by talking about the stunning move of releasing Damian Lillard. Many fans, when they heard about the news, were confused and wondered why. The explanation lies in the fact that the Bucks wanted to spread out Lillard’s contract over more years in order to create more cap space, so they could sign more free agents. Hence, by cutting Lillard, instead of paying him around $56 million for the next two years, they now only pay him $22 million but for 4 years. This strategic contract decision is very similar to what many NFL teams do nowadays with “void years”. These years essentially allow NFL teams to load up on talent and absorb the cap hit years down the line, when the salary cap increases due to higher league revenue (this strategy allowed the Philadelphia Eagles to field so much talent this year, despite the sheer number of players not on rookie deals). From an organizational perspective, it’s a genius move for the Bucks if the cap goes up; however, it’s unclear if their star player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, was approving of this decision. The next impactful player the Bucks lost was Brook Lopez. I think most Bucks fans were actually more sentimental about this departure than the Lillard decision. Lopez was a core player on that championship team, as his three-point shooting and defensive ability made him a mismatch for any team to face. Lopez signed a 2-year, $18 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. While Bucks fans have fond memories of him in a Bucks uniform, he is 37 years old, and Father Time is slowly creeping in the rearview mirror. The last player that will not return is shooting guard Pat Connaughton. The Bucks sent him and two of their own second-round picks to the Charlotte Hornets for Vasilije Micić. Connaughton was entering the final year of his contract by picking up his $9 million player option. Given the Bucks’ limited salary cap flexibility, it made sense to trade him, as the prior season he had played the fewest minutes since joining Milwaukee. Similar to Lopez, Pat was also a rotational player for that 2021 championship team, which makes Antetokounmpo and Portis the last active players that were on that 2021 championship team. A key sign signaling to fans and Eastern Conference teams that Jon Horst and his front office are willing to make changes in order to get back to the NBA Finals.
This urgency to compete has forced the Bucks to be active in free agency, the trade market, and the NBA Draft. Using their 2nd-round pick, the Milwaukee Bucks selected Bogoljub Marković, a center from Serbia. Marković is going to be a project player, but he does have great inside and outside scoring that could translate down the line. Additionally, they signed undrafted free agent Mark Sears. Sears, who started his career at Ohio University, transferred to Alabama and developed a reputation for his great shooting and playmaking ability at the point guard position. All of these rookies won’t be significant contributors next year, but in a couple years, they could find time in the rotation. To make up for it, the Bucks acquired players via trade and free agency that can certainly make an impact immediately.
The Bucks used some of the Damian Lillard money that they saved from cutting him to swipe away Myles Turner from the rival Pacers. Turner is a stretch-four big and has great offensive ability as a center. Defensively, he’s not as talented as Lopez, but offensively, he is the more well-rounded player. The Bucks also acquired Vasilije Micić from the Hornets in the Connaughton trade mentioned above. Micić is a talented playmaker at the guard position and might see limited minutes for the Bucks. The last player that the Bucks signed was veteran shooting guard Gary Harris. Harris is known for his three-point ability and should provide some depth for a backcourt that just lost Damian Lillard.
The 2025 offseason has provided a lot of turnover for this Bucks team, and there still is time for this team to add to their roster. It also must be noted that the Hawks have the right to swap picks with the Milwaukee Bucks. Therefore, it isn’t smart for the Bucks to retool the roster and shoot for the 10th or 9th seed in the Eastern Conference. Given all of the nuance, I applaud the front office for making changes that have the chance to lead them in the right direction. Yet, just like every sport, time will tell if these moves will be vindicated.
Earlier today during the off season as teams prepare for training camp to take place in roughly a month. The Pittsburgh Steelers traded with the Miami Dolphins. They sent 28-year-old, five-time pro bowler Minkah Fitzpatrick back to the sunshine of Miami. In return, the black and gold brigade will get 30-year-old, seven-time pro bowler Jalen Ramsey. They will also acquire Jonnu Smith from the Miami Dolphins. Whether or not this move will work out is beyond me. Still, as a Steelers enthusiast, I can’t help but be somewhat optimistic about the trade. I hope it works out. I must say, Jalen Ramsey has the credentials of an elite cornerback in the NFL. Ramsey has played 135 games in his NFL career. Four of these were against Pittsburgh. He has totaled 24 interceptions and 267 yards. Fitzpatrick on the other hand has 106 games under his belt with 20 interceptions for over 400 yards. Some casual fans analyzing the trade may overlook the draft picks. The Steelers will get a seventh-round pick for 2027. The Dolphins have a fifth-round pick also for 2027. Jonnu Smith who is a lesser-known player in this trade, will be a good backup at TE for Pat Freiermuth. During his carrer, Smith has played in 124 games and gotten over 3,000 yards in his career. The FIU alum will leave his college state of florida and come home to his Birth state of Pennsylvania.
Everyone has a predetermined idea of what this trade means. People also have ideas about how it will affect both franchises in the future. Me personally, I would rather have Minkah but that’s my own opinion. Both the headline players in this trade are stars. Fitzpatrick has garnered himself as an icon with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, will Ramsey be the leading force to his 2nd ring and the franchises 7th Lombardi? It’s unlikely we’ll see that soon. Yet if the rumors that TJ Watt is in the works on a contract extension. Any Steelers fan would be grateful that the defense is building. At present, there are two well-known athletes in the NFL being moved around. This is one of the most popular trades this offseason. During my research of this trade and using what I already know. Here is the official prediction I will make for how the trade affected these teams.
Dan-alytics:
Pittsburgh Steelers:
Lost the trade. Only got a seventh-round pick and while notable figures like Brock Purdy have come from the seventh round. Similar to Miami this pick could either be a diamond in the rough or a complete bust. At this time, it is too hard to tell. Jalen Ramsey has made a name for himself and has mostly been used as a supporting cast member. He will take on this role for the defense. There will be no need for him to act as a leader. This is Cam Heywards, TJ Watt, and Alex Highsmith’s defense and will continue to be for the near future. Jonnu Smith will be a good backup. He will help if Pat Freiermuth ends up getting injured.
Miami Dolphins:
Won the trade. They got a fifth-round pick, which may be a diamond in the rough. This pick gets them some ground to stand on. Minkah, I believe is the better player, but we’ll see how he adapts back in the sunshine state. While they have a semi-decent defense heading into 2025.There is no doubt that Fitzpatrick will be the leader to help Miami rival others in the AFC East.
In conclusion I have one thing to say. Why Not? This isn’t the first time the city of Miami got a generational player from Pittsburgh (Dan Marino).
Los Angeles – This past week was the anticipated 2025 NHL Draft. Sports fans, of all different sports, are nothing short of excited when draft season rolls around. The murmurs and rumblings of who will be picked first is a huge topic.
If you follow along with the NHL, you know that the New York Islanders had the first pick in this year’s draft. The last time the Islanders had the first pick of the draft was in 2009, and they selected John Tavares who went on to become a huge franchise player for 9 years. It was no shock when the Islanders selected Matthew Schaefer to be their first pick this year. Schaefer is a phenomenal player, and at such a young age of 17, shows that skills do not need to come with age. A heart warming moment during this selection was when Schaefer put on the jersey to his new team, revealing he already had a ribbon embroidered onto the jersey for his late mother who pasted due to her battle with cancer.
Speaking of heart warming moments, there were no dry eyes in the audience when the Columbus Blue Jackets first round picks were selected. The team had Meredith Gaudreau, the widow of one of the late Gaudreau brothers Johnny, announce the picks. 10 months ago, the lives of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were ripped away from them, leaving holes in the teams they played for and their families’ lives. The brothers were murdered by a drunk driver while out for a bike ride the morning of their sister’s wedding. Meredith was overwhelmed by the love and support shown to her, not only by the Blue Jackets organization, but from the audience who chanted “Johnny” when she stepped onto the stage.
It was a big night for goaltenders as 2 were picked in the first round of this year’s draft. One being the 20th pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets with Pyotr Andreyanov. The other was the 30th pick from the San Jose Sharks with Joshua Ravensbergen. Goalies being chosen within the first round has been a little controversial for whatever reason, but it was the first time in 4 years that a goaltender was selected in the first round, let alone two of them.
The rest of the draft went well with each team adding new assets to their teams to hopefully make them Stanley Cup contenders for this year’s upcoming 2025-26 season. Fans are excited to see what the offseason brings in contracts and free agencies being prominent and right around the corner. As always though, the big thought after the 2025 draft that is on each fans mind currently is if their team will be in the Stanley Cup Finals next year or not.
Cleveland – With the NBA offseason in full swing, we will begin seeing fan favorites come and go. While there have been many rumors of who we will see return to our beloved Cavaliers in this upcoming 2025-26 season, one of these rumors of Issac Okoro being traded has come true. The five year veteran with the Cavs was a forward guard who has been a big part of the team, when he was not dealing with unfortunate injuries. Okoro played 55 games this past 2024-25 regular season, with an average of 6.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. While his offense may not be impressive to some, he certainly shined in his defense.
Fans were shocked by the news as Issac Okoro is a familiar face who had been with the team for years, so it is never fun news to hear someone who has been loyal to you leave. But, with that being said, it is intriguing to see what Lonzo Ball may bring to the table, as well as the big personalities his brother, father, and himself have. The public, who knows the Ball family, knows they are a wild bunch.
As mentioned, in the trade, Cleveland gained a familiar name of Lonzo Ball. Ball has 6 NBA seasons under his belt, playing for a few different teams. He has spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Chicago Bulls. He did unfortunately miss the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons due to injuries. In his 2024-25 season, Lonzo played 35 games and averaged 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists.
All in all, once the 2025-26 season starts, all fans truly want is a healthy and winning team. After this past run for the NBA Championship was cut short in the Eastern Conference round to the Indiana Pacers, Cavs fans were yearning for more and are optimistic to have another great season.
While we continue on in the summer, we’re having the typical stretch without NFL football. We won’t see a game until July 31st. That’s when we have the Hall of Fame Game between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Chargers. The AFC North though will not have a preseason game until August 7 where Cincinnati and Baltimore have preseason games. During this time of the offseason, not only are the 4 AFC north teams making moves. Every team in the NFL is now making moves for the 2025 season. So here is my way too early predictions for the AFC North standings, and why I see this happening.
4. Cleveland Browns (6-11)
The Cleveland Browns had a 3-14 season in 2024, which was one of the rougher years for the franchise. Going 0-16 in 2017 has been the meme and throughout the sports world. The Cleveland Browns have been a punching bag, and we will see the same situation this season. Even with the worst QB situation in the NFL with newcomers Dillon Gabriel, Sheduer Sanders. As well as veterans Kenny Pickett, and Joe Flacco. They had a good draft. They were patient with getting Mason Graham. They waited and, in doing so, passed on Travis Hunter. I’m confident Cleveland will bounce back, but this is not going to be the year for Cleveland. They need to get the QB room figured out, and then the rest of the offense will fall into place. The Browns had a strong draft. They picked up Harold Fannin Jr., who I think is the greatest Tight End in the draft class, from Bowling Green State University. Cleveland will do their best on defense. Getting linebacker Carson Schwesinger from UCLA helped tremendously and will hopefully give the Browns defense new light. New editions and the leadership of Myles Garrett will be the face defensively. However, there is still much more work to be done. There are too many aging offensive linemen. This is similar to their Ohio counterpart, the Bengals. The QB room is unclear. Finally, the wide receiver core is uncertain. These issues will be the reasoning behind another rough year for the Cleveland Browns. Unfortunately, it will be a down year this season. Here are the results of all the regular season games.
Week 1: Cinncinati Bengals L
Week 2: @ Baltimore Ravens L
Week 3: vs. Green Bay Packers L
Week 4: @ Detroit Lions L
Week 5: Minnesota Vikings (London Game) W
Week 6: @ Pittsburgh Steelers L
Week 7: Miami Dolphins W
Week 8: @ New England Patriots W
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: @ New York Jets W
Week 11: Baltimore Ravens L
Week 12: @ Las Vegas Raiders L
Week 13: San Francisco 49ers L
Week 14: Tennessee Titans W
Week 15: 2 Chicago Bears W
Week 16: Buffalo Bills L
Week 17: Pittsburgh Steelers L
Week 18: @ Cinncinati Bengals L
3. Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)
The Cincinnati Bengals will repeat their 9-8 stretch that happened last year in 2024. Times have been rough for the Bengals, ever since their Cinderella run back in the 2021 season. Joe Burrow, the Louisiana State quarterback, was taken 1st overall in the 2020 draft. He is the star of this franchise. He is going in the right direction with LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase. What is difficult for the Bengals, however, is the absence of a plan for the offensive line. Without it, these weapons can not be effectively utilized. Tee Higgins is another notable figure in the Bengals Offense. He further adds to the idea that Cincinnati has it nearly figured out. However, they are still struggling to find an offensive line identity. Let’s look at the defensive side of the ball because Cincinnati is making advancements towards that side of the game. Keven Winston jr. is recovering from a torn ACL at this time and this will be a damper to defense. If I’m a Bengals fan, I should be looking forward to seeing Oren Burks. He is a linebacker who will be the starter for the season, and some will overlook him. What could be seen, however, are the Bengals getting a good chance here at a veteran. He can be a role model for the stars. He can improve their team chemistry by guiding them. These stars already know their way around the NFL. as for the draft. Although they have made some positive contributions to the franchise, the Cincinnati Bengals will still have an off year.
Week 1: @ Cleveland Browns W
Week 2: Jacksonville Jaguars W
Week 3: @ Minnesota Vikings L
Week 4: @ Denver Broncos W
Week 5: Detroit Lions L
Week 6: @ Green Bay Packers L
Week 7: Pittsburgh Steelers L
Week 8: New York Jets W
Week 9: Chicago Bears W
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: @ Pittsburgh Steelers L
Week 12: New England Patriots W
Week 13: @ Baltimore Ravens L
Week 14: @ Buffalo Bills L
Week 15: Baltimore Ravens L
Week 16: @ Miami Dolphins W
Week 17: Arizona Cardinals W
Week 18: Cleveland Browns W
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
I am a Steelers fan. I feel like we’re all beating a dead horse here. I bet you can already tell what is going to happen. Aaron Rodgers will not live up to the expectations set in place, Mike Tomlin will finish the season above .500 and last but not least. We will lose in the Wild Card. We have not won a playoff game since I was in 3rd grade back in 2016 (I start my first semester of college in August). Let’s keep the preseason pessimism to a low and look towards the improvements for 2025. I believe Will Howard will be a strong quarterback for Pittsburgh this season, and he has the credentials for it. He had over 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns with a national championship playing the toughest college teams you can. This breakout season is nothing to sneeze at, and what makes it so great is now he has confidence. Now will he (and should he) start right out of the gate foe week 1 against the Jets? No, but what I do like is he has veteran guidance and a good position of receivers and a running back in Jaylen Warren if things go poorly. Additionally, our defense is in a strong position. Veterans TJ Watt and Cam Heyward are locked in to the Steelers for the foreseeable future. What got us worried was the capability of Alex Highsmith leaving, but these rumors seem to have died down. The Steelers actively engaged in the draft. They picked up Jack Sawyer. This move simply makes the defense more intimidating in terms of what will be the factor for the Steelers. While the Pittsburgh defense will be their strength; the black and gold brigade will fail to win, if they fail to rebuild the offense.
Week 1: @ New York Jets W
Week 2: Seattle Seahawks W
Week 3: @ New England Patriots L
Week 4: Minnesota Vikings W
Week 5: BYE
Week 6: Cleveland Browns W
Week 7: @ Cincinnati Bengals W
Week 8: Green Bay Packers L
Week 9: Indianapolis Colts L
Week 10: @ Las Angeles Charges W
Week 11: Cincinnati Bengals W
Week 12: @ Chicago Bears W
Week 13: Buffalo Bills L
Week 14: @ Baltimore Ravens L
Week 15: Miami Dolphins W
Week 16: @ Detroit Lions L
Week 17: @ Cleveland Browns W
Week 18: Baltimore Ravens L
1. Baltimore Ravens (14-3)
I think it’s clear that Baltimore will repeat as AFC North champions this year. Lamar Jackson is a top 3 quarterback in the AFC and top 5 in the NFL. Mark Andrews will be a go-ahead target for Jackson when he needs to throw. Receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman will also be key targets. Roquan Smith is unbelievable in terms of raw ability, as well as Kyle Hamilton at safety. What should be noted is their strength of schedule. Baltimore has to play Buffalo Week 1, Detroit Week 3, and Kansas City in week 4. To say this is a tough way to start your regular season would be an understatement. We are talking about Baltimore, and we already should know this one detail. They will grow in adversity and even if the season doesn’t start their way. The flock will end the 2025 season their way. Baltimore is set for the future. We see this in the way they drafted in Green Bay, adding fuel to the fire of this claim. Taking two cornerbacks aids them defensively for the future, as well as the fact of them offensive lineman. The O-Line may seem mundane. Baltimore now has the ability to develop guys. These players will aid the offense and keep Lamar protected. We observed this being one of the main issues. If Lamar Jackson can run more often, this will spell trouble for defenses throughout the NFL. It will especially be troublesome in the AFC North where defenses have tried and mostly struggled to stop him. The Baltimore Ravens have built significant support. Therefore, they will reign on top of the AFC North for the 3rd year in a row.
Week 1: @ Buffalo Bills L
Week 2: Cleveland Browns W
Week 3: Detroit Lions L
Week 4: @ Kansas City L
Week 5: Houston Texans W
Week 6: Las Angeles Rams W
Week 7: BYE
Week 8: Chicago Bears W
Week 9: @ Miami Dolphins W
Week 10: @ Minnesota Vikings W
Week 11: @ Cleveland Browns W
Week 12: New York Jets W
Week 13: Cincinnati Bengals W
Week 14 Pittsburgh Steelers W
Week 15: @ Cincinnati Bengals W
Week 16: New England Patriots W
Week 17: @ Green Bay Packers W
Week 18: @ Pittsburgh Steelers W
There you have it, my way too early predictions for the AFC North in the 2025 NFL season. If you would like me to do the other divisions in the NFL, please let me know. I hope you enjoyed this article. Please let me know if you have any comments. Share what you would change down below.
Wisconsin – When thinking of controversial topics in sports, transfers and the transfer portal is becoming a big one. So to add even more controversy such as tampering, things can get tricky fast.
Xavier Lucas, college football player, has seemingly broken his contract with Wisconsin to go to Miami, so Wisconsin has taken legal actions against the university. Lucas just signed a contract with Wisconsin in December, and school officials claim that representatives from Miami visited Lucas’ home and offered him money to switch schools before the 2 year contract came to an end, when Wisconsin refused to put his name into the portal.
Now the question is if the NIL, name-image-likeness, deals can be the reason a student athlete gets held back at their schools and it does not have to be a deal where the university pays them.
One of Wisconsin’s big reasons for filing the suit is that they believe that the one of the only ways to keep making sure the NCAA sport scene can stay a level playing, is if all of the universities can respect and uphold each other’s contracts that they have. Without schools respecting each other, things could turn into chaos quickly with money being thrown at student athletes all around NCAA.
Of course there are a lot of opinions, and personally being a sport management major and business minor, we have researched the effects of the transfer portal. To me, it is something I think needs some regulation. You see athletes go to 2, 3, 4, and even larger numbers of different schools during their time at college. This not only affects their education, but it can affect their mental health. While your mental health can be a reason for wanting to switch schools, I think it is clear that these young adults just rush into making college decisions based solely on money and not thinking about what they truly want.
I am sure this will not be the last time we see more headlines such as this one in the near future.
Cleveland, OH – We know that the offseason is the prime time where teams make deals, trades, and sign new and returning players. This is no different for the Cleveland Browns who are always making roster moves and trying to develop and change their game plan. This month, the team has made a number of signings, in hopes to build that perfect, winning, team.
First up was former Fresno State wide receiver, Jaelen Gill. Gill was originally signed by the Los Angeles Chargers and then became a free agent. Last season, he spent about five weeks on the Browns’ practice squad.
Next was quarterback Dillon Gabrie who was one of the Browns’ picks in this year’s draft. Gabrie played for Central Florida, Oklahoma, and Oregon. In 2024, he was named a Heisman Trophy Finalist after a career record of 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns.
The next player signed was offensive tackle, Jackson Barton. He was originally a 7th round pick from the Indianapolis Colts in the 2019 draft. He also played 13 games with the Las Vegas Raiders, and 4 with the Arizona Cardinals.
Finally, the most recent sign from the Cleveland Browns was tight end, Sal Cannella. He was signed as a free agent by the Miami Dolphins in 2021. He has also played with the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cannella most recently played in the UFL, United Football League, with the Arlington Renegades and he led the league in receiving touchdowns.
Cleveland, OH – It’s been over seven years since Kevin Durant last won an NBA Championship. Several factors have contributed to this drought, but his time in Phoenix has been particularly stalled by the team’s heavy financial commitment to just three players. Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker account for nearly 70% of the Suns’ total salary cap. This wouldn’t be an issue if the roster gelled and played cohesive basketball. Unfortunately, the Suns haven’t meshed, and they can’t adjust due to the large salaries and Bradley Beal’s no-trade clause. With only one year left on Durant’s contract and at age 36, it’s likely he’ll be traded to a championship contender to finish his career.
Like the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Suns are stuck in the second apron, with a total cap of $228,464,502, about $26 million over the second-apron threshold. The rules for teams in the second apron trying to pull off a trade are: they can’t trade first-round picks seven years out, can’t do sign-and-trades, can’t send cash in deals, and must match salaries to move players. Ironically, these rules were designed to prevent superteams like the 2017-2019 Golden State Warriors, who once had a starting five of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, DeMarcus Cousins, and, yes, Kevin Durant. In a way, Durant is navigating rules inspired by his own move from Oklahoma City to Golden State, which many fans called a “superteam.”
Before I list two possible trades, I want to note how variable Durant’s trade value is. On one hand, he’s a 15-time All-Star, two-time NBA champion, and two-time Finals MVP on two of the greatest teams in NBA history. On the other hand, at 36, he’s at an age where injuries can become a concern. Plus, the second apron limits Phoenix’s trade options. Ultimately, Durant’s trade value hinges on whether a front office prioritizes short-term wins over long-term risks. With that in mind, let’s look at two potential trades involving teams rumored to be in the mix.
As with the Cavs article I wrote last week, I’ll start with a trade proposed by NBA insiders Chris Herring, Zach Kram, Dave McMenamin, Kevin Pelton, and André Snellings. This deal sends Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. In return, the Suns receive Dillon Brooks, Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore, Jock Landale, the No. 10 pick in 2025, and a 2027 first-round pick (via Phoenix). The Suns would get two former first-round picks, Sheppard and Whitmore, who saw limited minutes this year due to Houston’s deep roster. Whitmore has shown flashes of potential, and Sheppard, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, displayed elite three-point shooting and great patience as a guard at Kentucky. Brooks brings toughness and three-and-D versatility to a Phoenix team that needs it, while Landale adds a solid veteran presence. The biggest asset for Phoenix is regaining their 2027 first-round pick, which offers flexibility if they choose to retool which might require them to suffer in the win column for a couple of years. For Houston, this trade addresses their offensive struggles after a first-round playoff exit to Golden State. Durant, with his size, shooting, handles, and finishing ability, is one of the toughest players to guard in the league. Houston also sheds players who don’t fit their rotation. I like this trade for both sides, but I do think Phoenix might want one extra pick in this trade.
The next trade is one I came up with, involves the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns. The Suns will trade Kevin Durant to Miami, and in return, they will receive Andrew Wiggins, Duncan Robinson, Haywood Highsmith, a 2027 Miami first-round pick swap, a 2029 Miami Heat unprotected first-round pick, and a 2030 unprotected first-round pick from Miami. Miami gets a star player to pair with their other two stars, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. For Phoenix, they get a couple of wings who can shoot and play some defense. More importantly, this trade gives them two first-round draft picks starting the year Kevin Durant turns 40 years old. This is a trade for Phoenix to make if they want to retool this team and start a rebuild. As for Miami, they should do this if their mindset is to go all-in since the East looks wide open next year. Overall, I don’t think this trade gets done, but if the Houston deal falls apart, there aren’t many other teams that would make sense for KD.
Kevin Durant’s legacy is complex when fans debate his all-time ranking. However, if he pushes Phoenix to trade him to one of these destinations, he could get that coveted ring that isn’t tainted with discourse on its merit.
Kansas City, MO – There is a debate happening amongst those in Kansas City currently. With the Royals and Chiefs contracts with their respective stadiums being up in a few years they have been spending a lot of time thinking about what would be the most logical next step for them. We know when sports teams relocate it causes chaos, but it also does good things for those teams and new cities financial wise.
So, in hopes to keep the teams where they are. The Missouri governor signed an offer which was approved by the Missouri lawmakers for hundreds of millions of dollars to go to the teams in hopes to persuade them. Of course this sparked controversy among the fellow lawmakers and residents, because that is a lot of money to offer these teams, not even knowing whether they will stay or go as the contracts do not end until 2031.
As we have witnessed, team moves can be so controversial such as our beloved Cleveland Browns. The Browns plans of moving from their lakefront stadium to a brand new, dome included, stadium in Brookpark, OH following the end of the 2028 NFL season caused a lot of debate and mixed emotions among fans and residents in Cleveland, OH. The revenue that teams generate for their cities is huge and can seriously affect them if taken away if there are no other big revenues.
While the teams have not made their decisions yet, it is believed that they will stay in Kansas City, but that is not an official decision.
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