The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has cranked up its search for the senior team coach, with the side's next assignment - a one-off Test against Afghanistan - less than a month away. The board's shortlist included Mike Hesson, Grant Flower, Paul Farbrace, Russell Domingo and Chandika Hathurusingha, after Andy Flower declined the board's offer a second time. The BCB may be in a race with other subcontinent boards, with India, Pakistan and Afghanistan also looking for a head coach, and ongoing issues between Hathurusingha and Sri Lanka Cricket.

Farbrace, it is understood, is out of the running after he declined the BCB's offer to take things further.* It is the second time the former England assistant coach has done so; he was among those being discussed for the role even though he had declined the board's offer in March last year. The BCB eventually appointed Steve Rhodes then, with whom it parted ways immediately after the World Cup.

ESPNcricinfo has learned that Hesson, the former New Zealand coach, is a frontrunner, with BCB president Nazmul Hassan and some directors expressing interest. However, Domingo, who coached South Africa from 2013 to 2016, was the first coach to be interviewed as the board began its process in Dhaka on Thursday. Grant Flower, who was Pakistan's batting coach, and Hathurusingha remain on the periphery of the board's interest.

Hathurusingha, who coached Bangladesh from 2014 to 2017, is known to be a favourite of the BCB president and a few directors, even though he quit to take up the Sri Lanka job in October 2017. However, ESPNcricinfo understands that Hathurusingha's ongoing struggle with Sri Lanka Cricket, which resulted in his suspension this week, has resulted in a difference of opinion between the Bangladesh board directors over his prospects. Still, the BCB will reportedly conduct a telephone interview with Hathurusingha, which doesn't rule him out of contention.

The, BCB, meanwhile, was impressed with Domingo's presentation during the interview.

"We have started working with our shortlisted coaches," the BCB's media committee chairman, Jalal Yunus, said. "We have just conducted an interview with Russell Domingo, the former South Africa coach. He is a real professional. He is well qualified. He gave us a presentation about what he thinks about Bangladesh cricket. It was satisfying for the BCB.

"We will interview the rest of the coaches on our shortlist. We have two more to interview in the next few days, and then we will choose between these coaches."

Additional reporting by George Dobell.

*08.15 GMT, August 8: The article was updated when news of Farbrace's decision came in.

Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez have been dropped from the PCB's annual central-contracts list for the 2019-2020 season. The board has trimmed the pool from 33 to 19, reducing the number of categories from five to three. Only three players - Babar Azam, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Yasir Shah - have been included in the top-most bracket. The players' performances and prospects were taken into consideration under the new system, which sees a significant increase - in the range of 25-40% - in the financial value of the annual contracts.

Malik, who recently retired from ODIs, and Hafeez were in categories A and B respectively last year. Other important demotions include Mohammad Amir and Fakhar Zaman, who were in categories A and B respectively last year and are now in Category C category, and Test specialist Azhar Ali, who averaged 28.23 last year, and was demoted from category A to B.

Imam-ul-Haq, Haris Sohail, and Mohammad Abbas, meanwhile, have been promoted from category C to B. Asad Shafiq was retained in B.

Amir's demotion comes in the wake of his retirement from Tests while Malik's decision to only play T20Is may have played a part in his omission. Asif Ali, who has been among Pakistan's major investments in the recent past, was left out along with Junaid Khan, Hussain Talat, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Nawaz, Ruman Raees, Rahat Ali, Usman Salahuddin, Sahibzada Farhan, and Saad Ali.

The PCB's new annual contracts will be valid from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020, with Pakistan playing 42 days of international cricket, including 32 in Tests, in the next 12 months. Although the focus of the shortlisted pool has been around backing young players, the PCB, commenting on the exclusion of Malik and Hafeez, said both players 'will remain available for selection'.

At age 38, Hafeez's prospects on the international circuit appear somewhat bleak. At the World Cup, the bowling allrounder scored only 253 runs at an average of 31.62 in eight innings and took two wickets in seven innings. In Tests, over the past 12 months, he has amassed only 200 runs in nine innings while his performance in ODIs - 507 runs in 18 matches, at an average of 33.80 - has been lukewarm at best. In the shortest format, though, he has been prolific, averaging 81 in six innings since August last year.

Given the PCB is without a selection committee at the moment - chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq had decided against renewing his contract once his stint ended in July - the list of contracted players was drawn up by the PCB director Zakir Khan (international cricket operations), Haroon Rasheed (domestic cricket operations), Muddasir Nazar (director, National Cricket Academy), and Wasim Khan (managing director, PCB).

"We have significantly increased the financial value of the 2019-20 retainers across each category," Wasim said in a statement. "This is over and above what had been agreed in the current agreement, which is due to run until 2021.

"The PCB have set high standards and targets in its strategic plan for the upcoming season. We want to attach a high value to receiving a central contract. We have complete faith and confidence that these players will set up and produce on-field performances that will help us collectively achieve our objectives and targets."

Category A (PKR 1.1m) : Babar Azam, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Yasir Shah
Category B (PKR 750,000) : Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Abbas, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Wahab Riaz
Category C (PKR 550,000): Abid Ali, Hasan Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood and Usman Shinwari

Out: Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Faheem Ashraf, Junaid Khan, Bilal Asif, Saad Ali, Mir Hamza, Umaid Asif, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Nawaz, Rumman Raees, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Rahat Ali, Usman Salahuddin
Players who were demoted: Fakhar Zaman (B to C), Mohammad Amir (A to C), Hassan Ali (B to C)
Players who were promoted: Haris Sohail (C to B), Imam-ul-Haq (C to B), Mohammad Abbas (C to B), Wahab Riaz (C to B), Shaheen Afridi (E to B), Mohammad Rizwan (E to C) (edited)

Mahela Jayawardene and Tom Moody, head coaches of Khulna Titans and Rangpur Riders, have slammed the constant changes to the Bangladesh Premier League's rules and regulations. Their criticisms follow the BPL governing council's announcement of August 4, which said that existing teams require a fresh franchise agreement to be part of the next four-year cycle as BPL franchise owners. One of the key issues affected by this announcement is also the transfer of players, like Shakib Al Hasan's recent move to Rangpur Riders from Dhaka Dynamites.

BCB director Mahbubul Anam, at a press conference on August 4, stated that player deals will become null and void because the franchises haven't signed the new deal with the BCB yet. "Since we have not yet made a new agreement for the new cycle, we cannot endorse whatever deals that have been struck by the franchises for the seventh edition," he said.

But according to a May 11, 2019, letter sent to the franchises, the BCB told them to "take necessary preparation" for the upcoming edition. According to multiple franchise officials, the renewal of their franchisee agreement is a mere formality, which they would have done in the background, while preparing for tournament.

Moody, who coaches Riders stated that "the consistency of the playing conditions and the rules set out for the franchises" was one of the most important elements in a T20 league, while Jayawardene said that changing the rules every year was "not healthy" for franchise cricket.

The timing of the governing council's announcement has irked most teams, who signed up local and foreign players for their four direct signings, and were planning to speak to existing and prospective sponsors. It has also brought into question the manner of functioning of the BPL governing council. Their press conference on August 4, which was attended by BCB director Mahbubul Anam, governing council chairman Sheikh Sohel and BPL secretary Ismail Haider Mallick, was called four days after Shakib Al Hasan left Dhaka Dynamites to join Rangpur Riders.

The Dynamites team also expressed its disappointment at not having been informed of the transfer by the player. The Dynamites franchise is owned by Beximco, where BCB president Namzul Hassan and Mallick are both employed. Their current coach is Khaled Mahmud, the BCB director. Shakib has played for the Dynamites since 2016, coincidentally, after having moved there from the Riders.

BPL's current rules suggest that Shakib, one of the league's "icon" players, is free to move. This rule was changed to reflect this a few seasons ago, and previously Mashrafe Mortaza and Mushfiqur Rahim also moved to move to the Riders and Rajshahi Kings, respectively, in 2016. Under the same rule, Khulna Titans and Comilla Victorians have reportedly roped in Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur for the 2019-20 edition.

"If we see things constantly changing on a whim the integrity of the tournament can be questioned both locally and internationally." Tom Moody

Moody, who guided the Riders to their maiden title in 2017, said that constant rule changes could bring the integrity of a tournament into question, locally and internationally.

"Having been involved in many T20 leagues over the past 12 years it has become very clear that one of the most important elements is the consistency of the playing conditions and the rules set out for the franchises," Moody said. "It is not important only for the franchises or the management, it is crucial for the fan base to have an understanding of what playing group not only local but international they are following. It gives them a loyal fan base. If we see things constantly changing on a whim the integrity of the tournament can be questioned both locally and internationally."

Jayawardene, who has been the Titan coach since 2017, said the constant changes were not fair on teams.

"Having long-term planning is important because what I felt when you keep changing rules every year and even while the tournament is on it is not healthy for any franchise cricket. If you see all the other tournaments around the world they always have consistent set of rules which guides all franchises and it is quite fair for everyone," he said.

Moody and Jayawardene are not the first to question the procedures and the fairness of rules in the BPL. The tournament has seen several modifications of rules and regulations, and playing conditions, and has faced issues of conflict of interest since its inception. Board officials either directly owning or indirectly connected with franchises is one of the issues. Apart from Hassan and Mallick's links with Dynamites, the Titans chairman Kazi Inam Ahmed is a BCB director, while chief selector Minhajul Abedin ran the Chittagong Vikings franchise last season.

JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- Tiger Woods is used to seeing a big crowd of spectators surrounding the first tee box and lining the fairway ropes when he begins play in a tournament.

On Thursday morning, he will be greeted by a few volunteers, officials, media and a lot of empty space at Liberty National.

The site of the Northern Trust tournament was hit by a heavy storm Wednesday afternoon, and grandstands, hospitality venues, signage and tents were damaged. Although the grounds crew was working overnight to get the golf course playable, there was enough damage to spectator areas that PGA Tour officials decided Wednesday night to keep spectators from entering until 10 a.m. ET Thursday.

That means players such as Woods, who begins the first round of the FedEx Cup playoff opener at 7:43 a.m., probably will play about nine holes without any spectators on the grounds.

The first round is scheduled to begin at 7:10 a.m.

"We're an outdoor sport, so Mother Nature is bound to show up and change our well-laid plans on occasions,'' Julie Tyson, executive director of the tournament, said in statement.

The PGA Tour reported there were no injuries at Liberty National, despite heavy rain and winds that gusted up to 60 mph. The forecast calls for the weather to improve, with a small chance of rain and high temperatures in the 80s over the weekend.

CLEMSON, S.C. -- Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Wednesday that the decision not to send former quarterback Kelly Bryant a national championship ring was simple and shouldn't be construed as anything other than Bryant was no longer a part of the team.

"He wasn't on the team. You've gotta be on the team to get a ring," Swinney told ESPN. "I love Kelly and appreciate what he did for us, but he decided to move on."

Bryant, now at Missouri as a graduate transfer, started the first four games last season for Clemson but was demoted in favor of freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence following the Georgia Tech game. Bryant elected to transfer after being told by Swinney that Lawrence would move into the starting role and subsequently left the team in late September. At the time, Bryant called his demotion a "slap in the face."

Swinney said he has not spoken with Bryant since he left Clemson, but looks forward to doing so when the time is right. Bryant told ESPN last month that he still keeps in touch with several of his Clemson teammates and would certainly accept a ring if one was offered.

"Hopefully we'll be able to visit and sit down and have a good conversation, but he's focused on what he's trying to do, and we wish him the best," Swinney said. "He's a graduate of Clemson and always will be and was a heck of a player for us, but my job is to do what's best for the team."

Bryant and Lawrence split most of the reps through the first four games. Bryant passed for 205 yards in a 28-26 road win at Texas A&M the second week of the season. But after Lawrence passed for four touchdowns two weeks later in a 49-21 win over Georgia Tech, Swinney decided to go with Lawrence as the starter and informed Bryant of his decision that next Monday.

"It was close coming out of camp and I was like, 'All right, we've got to take it to the games and see how it plays out,' and after that Georgia Tech game, it was obvious," Swinney said. "Trevor had to have an opportunity to be the guy. I didn't anticipate Kelly leaving. I thought Kelly would stay and keep playing and compete. But he chose to move on. Trevor took it and ran with it and got better and better."

Bryant, who will be a senior at Missouri, was 16-2 as a starter at Clemson after waiting his turn behind Deshaun Watson and led the Tigers to a College Football Playoff appearance in the 2017 season.

After taking over for Bryant as the starter last season, Lawrence led the Tigers the rest of the way to an unbeaten 15-0 record and their second national championship in the past three years. He finished his freshman season with 3,240 passing yards and threw 30 touchdown passes and four interceptions. He's already being mentioned prominently among NFL scouts as perhaps the top overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft when he becomes draft-eligible.

"It was an emotional time for all of us," Swinney said. "My hope for Kelly is that he has great success at Missouri."

The recency bias -- our tendency to trust the most recent result first -- tends to grab hold after a record-setting season such as Patrick Mahomes' in 2018, so here is your reminder: It is not imperative that you build your fantasy football team around a quarterback via the draft. That might be true on the gridiron, but it's certainly not true in our game, where you can stream quarterbacks.

Mahomes' single-season record-setting 417.1 fantasy points in 2018 might give the impression that quarterbacks can lead you to a league championship, but the only part of that argument that holds water is that Mahomes did so only because of how little he cost you at the draft table: He was the No. 16 quarterback and No. 122 player off the board, on average, in ESPN leagues. Bang for the buck.

The leaguewide single-season record of 8,824.4 fantasy points scored by the position as a whole also might grant said impression, but again, the argument carries little weight because of the distribution of said points across all quarterbacks.

Consider this: If we compared Mahomes' performance to what the NFL's league-average starting quarterback would've amassed in a 16-game schedule, his 2018 was actually only the 10th-best season in the game's history. In fact, Peyton Manning's 2013 actually delivered his teams more points relative to the league average, as did Tom Brady's 2007 and both Drew Brees' and Aaron Rodgers' 2011.

Again, bang for the buck, as while Mahomes' performance was historically great even considering these facts, had you paid a top-quarterback-in-the-game price to acquire him -- as you most certainly will have to this year -- he'd have provided you less of a return than you might think.

There were also a single-season record eight quarterbacks who reached the 300-point plateau in fantasy in 2018, and a record 14 who reached 280, further illustrating how the bar for scoring has been raised across the position's entirety. As their scores increase in the upper tiers, they do so closer to the position's replacement level (defined as the typical performance you could expect from any player freely available on your league's waiver wire in any given week).

That's why the "streaming quarterbacks" strategy has grown in relevance alongside the positional rise in scoring. Because so many quarterbacks can deliver you a lofty fantasy point total nowadays, there's an argument to be made for paying an absolute minimum for them at the draft table, then piecing the position together throughout the year.

How, then, does one employ such a strategy?

Your draft-day approach

To start off, "streaming quarterbacks" should never be misinterpreted as "Take your quarterback last." Quarterbacks still generate more fantasy points than any other position in the game -- nearly five full points more than any other individual spot in a standard (10-team) ESPN league. Deliberately ignoring the position at the draft is a lazy approach that runs the risk of dipping you too deep into the streaming -- or worse, replacement-level -- pool, and it also takes you out of the bargain-shopping market, where you can often find a lot of matchups value.

Mahomes, who is currently going 17th overall in ESPN live drafts, becomes a stronger selection the longer he lingers in the draft, but he's not worth that price because unless he repeats his 2018 performance, he won't provide you enough of a return to justify it. Worse yet, selecting him anywhere close to that soon will make you hesitant to ever bench him, even facing one of the league's toughest defenses while another quarterback on your roster or the free-agent list presents the much better chance at the bigger score.

While that's an extreme example of an unlikely scenario, always be prepared to bench your quarterback if he's not aligned to deliver you a worthy weekly fantasy point total. What if Mahomes looks human in September, directly in advance of a tough Baltimore Ravens matchup in Week 3? It could happen, even if the odds seem awfully low today.

As is, Deshaun Watson should give Mahomes a run for the position's top point total in 2019, and the ESPN projections agree: Mahomes is projected for 332.5 points, Watson 319.6, with the difference being effectively a rushing score and 70 rushing yards, or a pair of passing scores and 125 passing yards. Aaron Rodgers, incidentally, is 8.2 points behind Watson in the projections, and a whopping 17 quarterbacks are projected to score 270-plus points.

Because my research reflects that those in 10- or 12-team leagues should be able to have a relatively easy time drafting a quarterback who can deliver a 17-point weekly average -- there was an average of 13 of them per week who scored that many during the past five seasons -- there's no reason to take a passer projected to average 20.8 points per game before the fifth round, unless you somehow believe Mahomes will repeat.

If Mahomes lasts that long, he's well worth the price, as Watson would be in Round 6, Andrew Luck, Rodgers or Matt Ryan in Round 8 or 9, or Baker Mayfield, Cam Newton or Russell Wilson in Round 10. Be prepared to pounce when a quarterback falls -- if it does happen in your league -- because the best way to employ a streamer's strategy is to pair your play with a more proven option whom you bench when he's on bye or facing a mediocre-to-poor matchup.

Be active with start/sit moves, but know that the fill-ins almost always come at little to no cost, at least in single-quarterback leagues.

Week-by-week streaming planner

During the regular season, the goal is to activate the quarterback who faces the most appealing matchup, whether drawing from an option already on your roster or adding one available via free agency.

Returning to that number 17, which slips to about 14.5 in either a 10-team, two-quarterback league or a 16-team league, that needs be your weekly point-total goal. If the quarterback doesn't have a realistic chance at getting there, move on to one who will, even if that means benching the one you drafted for a waiver-wire add.

Using fantasy points allowed, which we'll provide throughout the season, it's easy to determine which defenses offer the best/worst matchups for your quarterbacks. My weekly Matchups Map provides an even more recent look, using only the most recent five weeks' data in order to account for injuries and team trends.

In the past five seasons combined, there were 90 instances of a completely undrafted quarterback scoring at least 17 points while facing one of the season's eight worst defenses in terms of fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. That's an average of barely more than one per week, but if we then raise the bar to include those selected in Rounds 10-16 -- players who are often freely mixed and matched, added and dropped, based upon performance -- then 206 quarterbacks reached that threshold (an average of 2.4 per week).

Here are some specific quarterbacks and their matchups that, at the onset of the season, stand out as likely streaming candidates. Remember that team defensive performance tends to shift dramatically from year to year -- and sometimes even week to week -- so a good Week 8 matchup today might no longer be so when that week comes around.

Week 1: Jameis Winston (SF), Jimmy Garoppolo (@TB), Andy Dalton (@SEA), Nick Foles (KC) and Joe Flacco (@OAK).

Week 2: Josh Allen (@NYG), Jameis Winston (@CAR), Jimmy Garoppolo (@CIN), Andy Dalton (SF) and Derek Carr (KC).

Week 3: Kirk Cousins (OAK), Josh Allen (CIN), Lamar Jackson (@KC), Jameis Winston (NYG) and Kyler Murray (CAR). This shapes up as a fantastic week for streaming.

Week 4: Kyler Murray (SEA), Matthew Stafford (KC), Philip Rivers (@MIA), Marcus Mariota (@ATL) and Eli Manning (WSH).

Week 5: Mitchell Trubisky (@OAK), Kirk Cousins (@NYG), Kyler Murray (@CIN), Nick Foles (@CAR) and Marcus Mariota (BUF).

Week 6: Jameis Winston (CAR), Lamar Jackson (CIN), Kyler Murray (ATL), Sam Darnold (DAL) and Ryan Fitzpatrick/Josh Rosen (WSH).

Week 7: Kyler Murray (@NYG), Lamar Jackson (@SEA), Jimmy Garoppolo (@WSH), Joe Flacco (KC) and Case Keenum/Dwayne Haskins (SF).

Week 8: Marcus Mariota (TB), Kirk Cousins (WSH), Matthew Stafford (NYG), Derek Carr (@HOU) and Jameis Winston (@TEN).

Week 9: Matthew Stafford (@OAK), Kyler Murray (SF), Jameis Winston (@SEA), Kirk Cousins (@KC) and Marcus Mariota (@CAR).

Week 10: Philip Rivers (@OAK), Kyler Murray (@TB), Jimmy Garoppolo (SEA), Sam Darnold (NYG) and Marcus Mariota (KC). This is a remarkably deep week for potential streamers, considering six other teams are on bye.

Week 11: Kyler Murray (@SF), Philip Rivers (KC), Andy Dalton (@OAK), Derek Carr (CIN) and Matthew Stafford (DAL).

Week 12: Sam Darnold (OAK), Mitchell Trubisky (NYG), Matthew Stafford (@WSH), Jameis Winston (@ATL) and Case Keenum/Dwayne Haskins (DET). This shapes up as one of the weaker weeks for streaming, with four teams on bye.

Week 13: Kirk Cousins (@SEA), Lamar Jackson (SF), Nick Foles (TB), Derek Carr (@KC) and Sam Darnold (@CIN).

Week 14: Marcus Mariota (@OAK), Mitchell Trubisky (DAL), Joe Flacco (@HOU), Sam Darnold (MIA) and Philip Rivers (@JAX).

Week 15: Matthew Stafford (TB), Nick Foles (@OAK), Jimmy Garoppolo (ATL), Marcus Mariota (HOU) and Joe Flacco (@KC).

Week 16: Philip Rivers (OAK), Kyler Murray (@SEA), Mitchell Trubisky (KC), Jameis Winston (HOU) and Case Keenum/Dwayne Haskins (NYG).

Week 17: Excluded due to the likelihood of playoff teams resting starters.

As you can see, Winston stands out as an excellent draft-day value, due to his low ADP (166th overall) combined with his extremely favorable first-month schedule, including three straight plus matchups to begin the campaign. He'd be an ideal late-round selection for, say, Rodgers managers, who should be aware he begins the year facing the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos.

Garoppolo and Dalton, too, match up well in the season's initial weeks, making them strong bench picks for streaming purposes.

LAS VEGAS -- Kyle Kuzma was fast asleep in a Shanghai hotel when his manager woke him up in the middle of the night to tell him the Los Angeles Lakers had traded for Anthony Davis.

In a blockbuster trade, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart -- once considered the future of the Lakers -- were dealt to New Orleans for the Pelicans' All-Star big man in June.

Kuzma, now the final young Laker standing from the core group Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka assembled, says he's ready to become that third star LeBron James and Davis will need after free-agent target Kawhi Leonard opted to join the LA Clippers in free agency.

"I don't feel no pressure, but I believe that I am capable of being that superstar," Kuzma told ESPN. "I put a lot of work in. My progress through my journey shows that I can be there. I developed every single year, dating back to college, and I don't see that development stunting at all."

Kuzma added, "Last year I didn't shoot the ball well, and I still averaged almost 20 [points per game]. If I can shoot the ball well and keep developing the facets of my game defensively, I don't see why I can't [be that third star]."

From making it out of the tough environment of Flint, Michigan, to becoming a little-known, late-first-round draft pick out of Utah, Kuzma noted how he has continually beaten the odds and exceeded expectations.

Currently on the USA Basketball training camp roster, the 24-year-old hopes to launch himself into the biggest season of his basketball career by making the U.S. team and playing in next month's FIBA World Cup. It's a big summer for the third-year forward, who averaged 18.7 points and 5.5 rebounds last season. Kuzma, who saw his 3-point shooting dip from 36.6% as a rookie to 30.3% last season, believes he fits in seamlessly alongside James and Davis.

"I've never been a ball-dominant guy," Kuzma said. "I've always played off the ball. It is going to be a little bit easier, going to have a lot of open shots. It is my job to trust my summer workouts and what I've done. Just breathe, focus and knock those shots down, because I'm going to be open."

The Lakers once envisioned Kuzma drilling perimeter shots off passes from Ball and Ingram. That ended in June, with Kuzma learning of the trade from his manager, Vin Sparacio, half a world away while in Shanghai for business.

"It's like 3 a.m., I'm asleep, he ran into my room and damn near threw water on me," Kuzma said. "For those guys, especially speaking of Zo, BI, they are best when they have the ball in their hands. It is kind of tough when we get vets that are ball-dominant guys. So it kind of stunted their growth."

Now, Kuzma sees Ingram and Ball -- the No. 2 overall picks in 2016 and 2017, respectively, by the Lakers -- thriving and being able to play the way they need to in New Orleans alongside Zion Williamson.

"They were excited," Kuzma said of Ingram, Ball and Hart after the trade. "It's a little bit less pressure. They didn't [actually] say that. But obviously being in L.A., there's more pressure. They can be themselves now. They can go to New Orleans and develop into the superstars they were supposed to be."

Shortly after Kuzma learned about the Davis trade, he texted Ingram, Ball and Hart in the group chat they have. It wasn't long ago that all four used to roast one another with jokes about what each was wearing or their appearances.

They've since outgrown the roasting. But they haven't grown apart despite now being on different teams.

"Really, they told all of us," Kuzma said of the Lakers not wanting to part with their former first-round picks. "They didn't want to trade none of us, obviously. We were a great young group of guys that had a lot of promise. Anytime you got three, four young guys as a core in the NBA, you don't want to trade those guys. But you have an opportunity to get a generational talent, stuff is bound to happen."

Kuzma added, "I thought that we made some growth over the two years together. Obviously, a lot of people didn't necessarily see it because of injuries -- BI, Zo not really playing a lot of games over the past two years. But when we played together and we were on the court together, good things happened."

USA notes: Marcus Smart did not practice and is out the rest of the week due to a left thigh strain. The Boston Celtics guard will be evaluated next week when Team USA is in Los Angeles. ... Memphis power forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who is on the men's select team, had his right leg looked at toward the end of practice. "I thought I did something but I didn't," Jackson said. "I just had to check it with [the team physician]. It's fine."

PHOENIX -- Relief pitcher Greg Holland, a three-time All-Star who led the National League in saves in 2017 with 41, was designated for assignment Wednesday by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Holland, in his ninth season and first with the Diamondbacks, is 1-2 with a 4.54 earned run average in 40 games. He has 17 saves in 22 chances but saw his ERA climb from 2.33 at the end of June to its current number.

He has given up at least one earned run in seven of his past 13 appearances.

Holland, 33, lost his closer's job after a blown save on July 26 and is the second D-backs reliever to be designated for assignment this week after Zack Godley on Aug. 5. Holland had 47 saves in 2013 and 46 in 2014 with the Kansas City Royals.

The Diamondbacks reinstated utility player Blake Swihart from the 60-day injured list Wednesday. Godley was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays.

BALTIMORE -- The Bronx Bombers are doing their best bombing in Baltimore.

In the city where Francis Scott Key penned "The Star-Spangled Banner," the New York Yankees went deep five times against the Orioles in Wednesday's 14-2 win at Camden Yards. That gave them 52 homers against Baltimore and broke the record for most by a team against a single opponent in one major league season.

The record-breaking 49th homer came in the top of the fifth inning, when Gio Urshela sent a 97 mph sinker from reliever Miguel Castro over the left-center-field fence for a two-run shot.

Urshela also homered in the sixth. Catcher Kyle Higashioka went deep in the fourth and ninth innings, and left fielder Cameron Maybin launched a 436-foot solo blast in the ninth.

Higashioka's fourth-inning homer off starter John Means tied the MLB record held by the 1956 Yankees, who hit 48 homers against the Kansas City Athletics. The Yankees have 11 players with multihomer games against Baltimore this season, breaking the record of 10 set by San Francisco against the Dodgers in 1958.

"We have guys up and down the lineup who can hit the ball, so it is no surprise to see what we did,'' Higashioka said. "It was nice to be a part of it.''

The Yankees finished 10-0 at Camden Yards. According to Elias Sports Bureau, it's the 14th time in MLB history that a team has gone 10-0 or better on the road against an opponent and the first time since the 2002 Red Sox went 10-0 at the Rays.

They have four games remaining against the Orioles this season, all next week in New York.

"Everyone has a lot of confidence, I think, in one another," manager Aaron Boone said. "That's the sense you get because we've proven throughout the year they can get it done throughout the lineup. Whether it's been the bottom of the order, the middle, the top, it seems like it's come from a lot of different places. They take a lot of pride in making it difficult on the pitchers and passing the baton and they have a lot of confidence in the guys in front of them and behind them."

On Monday, the Yankees set a record by hitting their 32nd home run at Camden this season. That was the highest total by a visiting team at any stadium in one season, breaking the record of 29 held by the 1957 Braves (at Cincinnati's former Crosley Field).

They've only added to it since. Leading the barrage for New York is infielder Gleyber Torres, who has launched 10 of his 23 homers this season against the Birds. Nine of catcher Gary Sanchez's 24 home runs have been at Baltimore's expense, and more than half of outfielder Clint Frazier's 11 dingers (six) have come against the O's.

The Yankees slugged 17 home runs in their three-game sweep of the Orioles, hitting five on Monday and six on Tuesday. According to ESPN Stats & Information, they're the second team in MLB history to hit five or more homers in three straight games, joining the 1977 Red Sox, who did so against the Yankees at Fenway Park.

Going yard against Baltimore is nothing new. Orioles hurlers have surrendered 234 home runs, most in the majors and 34 more than the next-closest club (Seattle). They are on pace to finish the season with 332 homers allowed, which would shatter the record of 258 currently held by the 2016 Cincinnati Reds.

The Yankees have hit 203 home runs this season, second in baseball behind the Minnesota Twins (224).

Overall, MLB home run numbers have spiked this season. Through Tuesday's games, 3.6% of all plate appearances had resulted in a home run, up from 3.0% last season. In 2017, MLB hitters collectively posted a 3.3% home run rate that was the highest in league history.

BALTIMORE -- Orioles slugger Chris Davis had to be restrained during a clash in the dugout with manager Brandon Hyde in Wednesday night's 14-2 loss to the New York Yankees.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Davis was lifted for pinch hitter Jace Peterson. Shortly afterward, the MASN broadcast showed a clip of Davis getting into a heated exchange with Hyde, an interaction between the top and bottom halves of the inning.

"It was just a disagreement that we had in the dugout," Hyde said. "What was said and what we talked about, I'm not going to get into. We're going to keep it in house, and it's private. It's something that happens sometimes and frustration boils over a little bit when we're not playing our best baseball the last couple of games. Unfortunately, I'm embarrassed it was caught on camera and people had to see it, but sometimes those things happen."

Hyde said he took the veteran first baseman out of the game.

"We had words and I took him out of the game," the manager said. "Me and Chris have a good relationship and these things happen in competitive environments and it's something that'll pass and we'll get through it, but it's unfortunate that it happened in the dugout."

Although the exact nature of Wednesday's incident is unclear, it appeared as though Hyde, whose team was losing 6-1 at the time, said something to Davis before heading down into the tunnel toward the home clubhouse.

The 33-year-old first baseman quickly became agitated and moved toward his skipper, but was restrained by veteran outfielder Mark Trumbo and hitting coach Don Long.

"There was obviously a little bit of a disagreement," Trumbo said. "I think this game was particularly tough. Almost nothing went our way. So I think that everybody was pretty frustrated, and those things, they tend to happen. Hopefully they don't happen in front of everybody, but in this case, it kind of did. Not ideal, but not that big a deal. This stuff happens. It rarely gets talked about because you don't see it all the time, but tensions are always high in the big leagues. Tonight, just a little bit too much, I think."

The Orioles' loss Wednesday gave the Yankees a three-game sweep. Baltimore pitchers gave up five home runs in the finale, and surrendered a total of 16 homers during the three-game series. The Orioles have now served up 52 long balls to the Yankees this year, setting a major league record for most home runs allowed to one opponent in a season.

Before getting swept by their division rivals, the last-place Orioles had played better recently, posting a 17-16 record over their previous 33 games. Including the sweep, the O's are now 2-13 against New York, and have lost all 10 of their matchups at Camden Yards this season.

Davis, who signed a seven-year, $161 million free-agent contract with the Orioles in January 2016, has struggled mightily at the plate. Entering play Wednesday, the former home run champ was hitting .183 and had struck out 110 times in 246 at-bats.

Earlier this year, he set a major league record by going hitless in 54 consecutive at-bats, a streak that dated to September of last season.

As his struggles have continued, the left-handed swinger has been used more and more sparingly against southpaw starters. He was in the lineup against Yankees left-hander James Paxton on Wednesday, just his 12th start against a lefty this season. In his only plate appearance before getting pulled, he struck out swinging.

Peterson, who replaced Davis, is also a left-handed hitter.

Hyde is in his first season as a big league manager. The 45-year-old former Cubs bench coach has guided the Orioles to a 38-76 record, the second-worst mark in the majors behind the Detroit Tigers (33-78).