Skip Bayless explains why he would not put now-Denver Nuggets point guard Russell Westbrook in his Hall of Fame.
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Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa extension highlights the value of Russell Wilson’s deal for Steelers
Russell Wilson’s $1.2 million contract looks better every day.
News broke Friday afternoon that Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has agreed to a four-year, $212.4 million extension with Miami. The deal averages $53.1 million a year with $167 million guaranteed. It’s the richest contract in Dolphins’ history.
Tagovailoa is now the seventh NFL quarterback making over $50 million annually, and the 15th making $40 million or more.
In short, about half of the league’s starting quarterbacks are each costing approximately 20 percent of their team’s total cap space in 2024.
Considering positional value, it’s hardly surprising. However, players like Tagovailoa and Daniel Jones, good quarterbacks who still haven’t proven to be franchise-defining, Super Bowl-caliber passers, are getting contracts comparable to Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. The going rate for starting quarterbacks is hopelessly inflated.
Now, I’ll throw another number at you: $1.2 million. That’s Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson’s contract in 2024. Thanks to the Broncos still owing Wilson around $39 million this season, he was able to sign for a hilariously low number in Pittsburgh.
At this point in his career, Wilson may not be on the caliber of any of the $40 million-plus quarterbacks in the NFL today. But he’s still a tremendous bargain. Despite his Steelers contract, he’s far more than 1/45th of the quarterback that Tagovailoa is.
This isn’t to say that Wilson is the missing piece for a Steelers’ Super Bowl run — but considering the state of the quarterback market, he and talented backup Justin Fields ($3.2 million cap hit) present an exceedingly rare opportunity this season for the Steelers. $1.2 million quarterbacks with Wilson’s abilities don’t grow on trees — if he plays solidly in 2024, or even on the same level he did last year in Denver, you can bet he’ll command a much larger contract next season.
Now, it’s up to Wilson, the Steelers, and general manager Omar Khan to capitalize on the franchise’s extra spending money in 2024. With a bargain like Wilson, the Steelers can’t be content to rebuild this season — it’s as good an opportunity as any to commit to winning now.
Kevin Durant's lighthearted take on being posterized by Anthony Edwards
Kalan Hooks, ESPNJul 25, 2024, 10:29 PM ET
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As the countdown continues for Team USA men’s basketball’s quest for gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the intensity during their practices is reaching new heights.
On Thursday, the Minnesota Timberwolves posted a photo on social media of guard Anthony Edwards welcoming Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant to the court with a poster during a scrimmage.
friendly fire. 👀 pic.twitter.com/QlhXdNi7U9
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) July 25, 2024
The viral post has received 232,000 views and counting.
Durant, who sat out of Team USA’s five USA Basketball showcase exhibitions due to a calf injury during training camp, returned to the hardwood Wednesday where he met Edwards at the rim.
After the post circulated on social media, Durant responded to the dunk by quoting an August 2018 tweet from New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum when
Source: Westbrook inks 2-year deal with Nuggets
Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN Staff WriterJul 26, 2024, 03:59 PM ET
CloseOhm Youngmisuk has covered the Giants, Jets and the NFL since 2006. Prior to that, he covered the Nets, Knicks and the NBA for nearly a decade. He joined ESPNNewYork.com after working at the New York Daily News for almost 12 years and is a graduate of Michigan State University.
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Russell Westbrook was in Denver on Friday to sign a two-year, $6.8 million deal with the Nuggets, a league source confirmed to ESPN.
Westbrook was expected to join the Nuggets after he was traded by the LA Clippers to the Utah Jazz last week in a sign-and-trade deal for guard Kris Dunn. That trade, which included a second-round pick swap, was made to pave the way for the former MVP to sign with
How the NBA got into business with an African dictator
Mark Fainaru-Wada, ESPN Staff WriterJul 26, 2024, 07:00 AM ET
CloseInvestigative reporter for ESPN’s Enterprise and Investigative Unit since 2007 Co-author of New York Times best-selling books “League of Denial” and “Game of Shadows” Co-winner, 2004 George Polk AwardOpen Extended Reactions
KIGALI, Rwanda — In the summer of 2018, inside a national arena that felt more like a small-college gym, the NBA commissioner shot free throws with the president of Rwanda.
It was a meeting of disparate men with complementary motives.
Adam Silver, a lawyer and NBA lifer who grew up in a wealthy New York suburb before presiding over one of the most progressive leagues in sports, was in Rwanda to build on a mission to extend the NBA’s reach to every corner of the world.
The NBA, Rwanda & Sportswashing
Investigative reporter Mark Fainaru-Wada examines the partnership between the NBA and Rwandan President Paul Kagame in an ESPN special
Russell Westbrook joins Nuggets on two-year, $6.8 million deal after contract buyout with Jazz, per report
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Russell Westbrook is signing a two-year, $6.8 million deal with the Denver Nuggets after being bought out by the Utah Jazz, per Shams Charania. Westbrook was originally dealt by the Los Angeles Clippers to the Jazz as part of a sign-and-trade deal that sent Kris Dunn to the Clippers. Dunn will officially head to the Clippers on a three-year, $17 million deal as part of the sign-and-trade, per Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes. The Clippers also sent a second-round pick swap and cash to the Jazz.
Westbrook opted into the final year of his deal earlier this summer, which was worth a little over $4 million. But that never meant he would stay in L.A. for next season. Westbrook and the Nuggets had previously been rumored to have mutual interest in each other, and now he’ll be joining the
Steelers 7 Shots: Tracking each day’s winner in 2024 training camp drill
Offense vs. defense. Seven shots to the red zone. Which unit wins out?
The Pittsburgh Steelers kicked off their 2024 training camp practices Thursday, July 25… which can only mean one thing… 7 Shots is back, baby! Everyone’s favorite Steelers training camp tradition returns once again.
This drill emphasizes work inside of the red zone, with the offense and defense conducting seven reps from the 2-yard line. Those reps are split between the first and second-team offenses, though the exact division of reps varies from day to day, usually based on how the early reps play out.
With QB1 Russell Wilson sidelined with a calf injury, Justin Fields had his chance for first-team reps over the team’s first two training camp practices. Though he’s had plenty of highlight plays and has been dubbed a winner in each of the first two days of camp, he had a rough outing in the team’s first 7 shots drill of the year. Per Mike Defabo of The Athletic, Fields went 1-for-5 with the rest of the first-team offense. His lone completion on the day went to new Steelers WR Van Jefferson.
QB Kyle Allen managed to go 2-for-2 in his reps, including completions to TE MyCole Pruitt and rookie WR Roman Wilson.
Here’s a look at how the team’s been performing in the 7-shots period, with win/loss records for each day in training camp. We’ll be updating this each day with new results.
Steelers 7-Shots results (2024 training camp)
Friday, July 26: Defense wins, 4-3 (Fields and first team went 1-5)
Barkley rebounds? TNT star might mull new job
ESPN News Services
Jul 26, 2024, 02:17 PM ETOpen Extended Reactions
The most interesting potential free agent target in the NBA might be a 61-year-old who retired nearly 25 years ago.
TNT Sports analyst Charles Barkley told The Athletic on Friday that he would listen to NBA partners ESPN, NBC and Amazon if the remainder of his current 10-year contract with the cable network is not honored. TNT Sports lost out on the NBA in the league’s recently announced 11-year, $76 billion rights agreement.
“My deal is 10 years, $210 million,” Barkley told The Athletic. “[TNT Sports] has to come to me ASAP and they have to guarantee my whole thing or they can offer me a pay cut, which there is no chance of that happening and I’ll be [a] free agent.
“My thing was, ‘Wait, y’all f—ed up, I didn’t f— up, why do I have to take a pay cut?'”
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2024 Olympic basketball odds: Team USA favored to win gold
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are here, and as usual, basketball will be one of the sports that generates great excitement from fans and bettors.
After failing to medal at last year’s FIBA World Cup, Team USA will look to bounce back in a big way.
The USA has won four consecutive Olympic gold medals and seven of the last eight, dating back to 1992.
This year’s Olympic roster has a combined 13 NBA titles and eight NBA MVP awards, and is headlined by LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, among others.
exhibition game against South Sudan. In a game in which the Americans were favored by 41.5 points, they narrowly escaped, 101-100.
LeBron led the team with 25 points, six rebounds and seven assists.
The close call helped South Sudan’s gold medal odds climb up the board to +25000 from +40000.
Team USA’s odds stayed put at -500, despite the near miss.
Would the 1992 Dream Team or 2024 US Team win a game against each other?
One debate that has prevailed among bettors and basketball junkies leading up to Paris is whether the current team could have defeated the 1992 Dream Team.
FOX Sports betting analyst Sam “Sammy P” Panayotovich spoke to an oddsmaker who explained how he’d hypothetically handicap a Dream Team vs. USA 2024 Team matchup.
“The easy answer is to make it a pick ‘em,” longtime Vegas bookmaker turned media personality Dave Sharapan told Sammy P. “Ain’t no way in hell we’re making Michael Jordan a ‘dog. So you go out to Dream Team -3.”
On a recent episode of “The Carton Show,” FOX Sports basketball reporter John Fanta said that “there is cause for concern” for Team USA.
“It just feels like they’re disjointed watching them. It’s not team basketball all the time. The rest of the world — these teams play at a very high, fundamental way.”
So are you backing Team USA to win the gold medal in Paris?
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Steelers QB Russell Wilson isn’t too concerned about his calf injury
Wilson said the injury is “nothing to worry about at all.”
Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson talked to the media Friday about the calf issue that has kept him out of the Steelers’ first two training camp practices of the year.
Russell Wilson said he injured his calf while pushing a sled during the conditioning test.
He said it’s “nothing too serious.” Didn’t put any timeline on his return. pic.twitter.com/XJn2VCZ1PB
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) July 26, 2024
Per a video from The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo, Wilson explained that he “tweaked” his calf while doing a sled push during conditioning drills, later stating that it’s “nothing to worry about at all.”
When asked if he’d be able to play if it was a game, Wilson answered without hesitation: “Definitely.”
Wilson stated he’s still getting “mental reps” in and that he’s thankful he was able to work with the Steelers’ receivers prior to training camp.
“Good news is that I feel good and we’ll get there in time,” he added.
Wilson’s timeline for returning remains unclear, but the Steelers’ quarterback didn’t seem all too concerned. Despite not practicing, he’s still been throwing to receivers after the session is over.
Like he did yesterday, Russell Wilson throwing to teammates after practice Friday pic.twitter.com/UdKsNMBn5f
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) July 26, 2024
In the meantime, Wilson’s unavailability has opened the door for the rest of the Steelers’ quarterbacks depth chart to log valuable training camp reps.