EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- The doors to the Los Angeles Lakers' practice court swung open Monday, and as reporters trickled into the gym, a team spokesman joked that "our new free agent" was at the far basket, getting up shots.

Dave Chappelle, welcome to the Lakers.

The comedian and actor, whose recent Netflix stand-up special "Sticks and Stones" caused a stir and whose body of work earned him the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor earlier this month, was the latest guest speaker in Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka's "Genius Talks" series.

"He's great," Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. "That guy's incredible. He really is. Our whole mindset with the genius series is to just get people that are the best at what they do. He's the best of all time at stand-up comedy and his parts in acting and everything. We just like to get a peek, get a glimpse into what it took to become the best for those guys. He had some great messages for our guys."

The guys had messages for him, too. After Chappelle addressed the team, he took to the court wearing a black-and-white flannel shirt with the sleeves cut off, and Lakers guard Quinn Cooks offered tips on the mechanics of his step-back jump shot.

Good to see you, Dave. #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/rkL3ZCWJ9r

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 18, 2019

It was also a chance for Chappelle to enter into LeBron James' work space the way James once entered his when the basketball superstar took the stage at a comedy event with Chappelle that James arranged for him and his teammates when he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"LeBron made a good point that not only is [Chappelle] funny and makes people laugh, but he informs you a lot of what's going on in the world," Lakers guard Danny Green said. "His life experiences have made him or changed him, and it helps us grow as people. African Americans have been in his position before. So he sees a lot of us in himself and passed on some really good knowledge today, some things to take home with us to think about."

Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma said Chappelle couldn't help but be hilarious, even though the tone of his talk was meant to be inspirational.

"He's just a funny person," Kuzma said. "I think [he] may have tried to be serious, but he ended up just kind of being funny because that's who he is. Just telling us what he thought about life and how to be happy."

Chappelle joins the list of luminaries such as Denzel Washington, Kendrick Lamar and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson who addressed the team in recent years. He was the second "Genius Talks" speaker this season, following magician David Blaine.

Although the team couldn't agree on a favorite bit from Chappelle's career -- Vogel mentioned his role as the blustery comic Reggie Warrington in the feature film "The Nutty Professor," and Kuzma pointed to an R. Kelly skit from "The Chappelle Show" on Comedy Central -- there was universal reverence for Chappelle's appearance.

"It is cool," said Vogel, who had a brush with another famous comic named Dave when he was a guest on "The Late Show with David Letterman" as a kid, showing off his ability to spin a basketball on a toothbrush while brushing his teeth.

"I wouldn't say I get star-struck, but it's definitely cool to see somebody you admire and have been entertained by. It's neat and great for all of us -- coaches, players, something we really enjoy."

From celebrities sitting courtside at games to celebrities speaking to the team at practice, the Laker experience is clearly unlike that of any other team in the league.

"It's one of a kind, and it's definitely a Laker perk," Kuzma said. Vogel recalled flying to L.A. for his introductory news conference and sitting next to the actress Lea Thompson, who played Marty McFly's mom in "Back to the Future" on the flight.

"She and her husband are both Lakers fans, and obviously 'Back to the Future' is iconic," Vogel said. "It was really neat for both of us, and that's probably the best example for me of Hollywood and basketball intertwining."

Green, an 11-year veteran playing for his fourth franchise, can appreciate how special it is.

"Definitely multiplied, magnified times 10 from anywhere else I've been," he said. "How many fans and celebrities on the road cheering, it feels like America's team everywhere we go. But also all the types of celebs I got to grow up watching and still a fan of, sitting courtside and want to be friends and say hello and speak. It's kind of crazy and surreal."

TORONTO -- Hayley Wickenheiser, regarded as the greatest player in the history of women's hockey, joined four others in the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2019 induction on Monday night in Toronto.

The class also included former Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars center Guy Carbonneau; former Stars, New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Sergei Zubov; Vaclav Nedomansky, a leading scorer in Czechoslovakia who became the first player to defect to North America; current Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford, a three-time winner of the Stanley Cup; and Boston College coach Jerry York, the all-time wins leader in Division I.

Wickenheiser played 23 years with the Canadian women's national team, helping it win four Olympic gold medals and seven International Ice Hockey Federation world championships. She retired as the leading scorer in Olympic women's hockey history with 18 goals and 33 assists in 26 games, and was Canada's flag bearer at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.

Wickenheiser was a trailblazer in the sport, becoming the first woman to play full-time professionally, in a position other than goaltender, when she suited up with HC Salamat, a Finnish men's team. Called "one of the game's great ambassadors" by Hall of Fame chairman Lanny McDonald, Wickenheiser is currently assistant director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs while also going to medical school at the University of Calgary.

"Being in the Hall ... look at all the names on the wall," she said when getting her Hall of Fame ring this weekend. "The NHL impacted my life. I didn't grow up having female hockey players to look up to. As I stand here today, I can say that's changed a lot. That feels really great to be amongst the best in the game, and that there's a place in the world for some little girl to do the same."

Carbonneau played 1,318 NHL games and captured the Stanley Cup three times, twice with Montreal and once with Dallas. He was considered one of the best defensive centers in league history, winning the Selke Trophy for best defensive forward three times and finishing in the top four for the award eight times.

Zubov was the antithesis of Carbonneau: a Russian-born player who was a finalist for the Norris Trophy, given to the NHL's best defenseman, just once in his 1,068-game career. But after his retirement in 2009, there was a reassessment of his career through an analytic prism, and Zubov's offensive consistency and defensive prowess were seen as criminally overlooked during his career.

"I don't know that we even used the term hockey IQ at the time, but his understanding of the game was extremely high," former Stars assistant coach Rick Wilson told NHL.com recently. "He saw things as well as anyone when he was on the ice. It wasn't only a creative mind, it was sort of semi-genius."

Known as "Big Ned," Nedomansky won Olympic silver and bronze as a legendary player in Czechoslovakia. He defected in 1974, playing just over three seasons in the World Hockey Association with the Toronto Toros and the Birmingham Bulls. At 33, he joined the NHL and played for the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers.

"It's like a circle in my career: From my first days in Toronto, to my last days in Toronto. I'm very happy," he said.

Rutherford was a journeyman goalie in his 13-season NHL career before moving into management. In 1994, he became director of hockey operations and a part owner of the Hartford Whalers, eventually moving over to the Carolina Hurricanes when the team relocated. He built a Stanley Cup winner in 2006 with the Canes, but it was his second act that made him a Hall of Famer in the builder category: taking over the then-floundering Penguins in June 2014 and winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017.

"My playing days built a foundation for me to become a manager. Most of the stuff I learned was through tough times," he said at the Hall of Fame ring ceremony. "Winning the first Stanley Cup, there was excitement to it. Going to Pittsburgh and winning back-to-back ... that's really hard to do."

York made some waves in the Toronto media by choosing to coach Boston College in its game against Vermont this weekend rather than attending some of the Hall of Fame events. The Eagles won both games.

This year's class included some players on the men's side who had been waiting for their call, but next year should have a first-ballot inductee: former Calgary Flames star Jarome Iginla, who is 16th all-time with 625 goals scored.

Among the players in the mix in 2020 are fellow first-year eligible player Shane Doan, a winger who played his entire career with the Coyotes organization; Daniel Alfredsson, the Ottawa Senators star who has been passed over in three classes; Alex Mogilny, the first Russian player to defect and an offensive dynamo who has been eligible since 2009; and Jeremy Roenick, the brash former Chicago Blackhawks star who had 1,216 points in 1,363 career games. He has been eligible since 2012.

In 2021, Henrik and Daniel Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks are eligible. No word if they'd enter on the same plaque.

The LA Galaxy have picked up their contract option to keep Argentine forward Cristian Pavon through the 2020 season.

The Galaxy announced the widely anticipated move Monday to retain the 23-year-old Pavon, who joined the club in August from Boca Juniors.

Pavon had three goals and eight assists in just 11 regular season games for the Galaxy under ex-Boca coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto.

Pavon will now occupy a designated player spot with the Galaxy. They have a vacancy after Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced his departure from the club last week.

Pavon will be a key element of the Galaxy's attack with Ibrahimovic's departure.

The Galaxy are also seeking another striker, with European reports linking them to a pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani.

Spain coach Robert Moreno is to be dismissed from the role, sources have told ESPN's Rodrigo Faez, after Moreno's side thrashed Romania 5-0 in their final Euro 2020 qualifier on Monday.

Former Spain coach Luis Enrique is set to make a sensational return five months after resigning from the role due to the illness of his daughter Xana, who died in September.

Multiple Spanish outlets reported the move following Monday's match.

The Spanish football federation announced that their president, Luis Rubiales, and sporting director, Jose Francisco Molina, will hold a news conference on Tuesday.

Moreno -- Luis Enrique's long-time assistant who was given the top job in June -- refused to give the usual postmatch news conference and did not speak to any media, where he bid farewell to the players after the game in tears.

According to sources, Moreno told players: "Thank you very much; you deserve the best. We have been through tough times, and you have been great professionals."

The relationship between Luis Enrique and Moreno has soured in recent weeks, sources added, with the two angry at each other. If confirmed, Luis Enrique is to choose Juan Carlos Unzue as his assistant.

Moreno said in September that he would step down from the job if Luis Enrique were to return.

Moreno, an international relations graduate who had no playing career, was thrust into the biggest job in Spanish football in unusual circumstances following Luis Enrique's resignation in June.

Questions about Moreno's suitability for the role began to emerge following sluggish 1-1 draws away to Norway and Sweden in October, although Spain responded to those results by hammering Malta 7-0 on Friday to clinch top spot in Group F.

Doubts grew about Moreno's future when federation president Rubiales declined to say whether he would be in charge at Euro 2020.

Moreno said before the Romania game that he was not ruffled by Rubiales' dithering over his future and suggested he was confident he would remain in charge.

"It's normal that you are questioned in your job, especially if you are in the spotlight, and all I can do is focus on my work. I think I have a 10 out of 10 chance of staying," he said.

Information from Reuters was used in this report.

The timing could not have been better really. A day after Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced he was leaving the LA Galaxy and leaving a Zlatan-sized hole in MLS' star power, the Montreal Impact announced the appointment of Thierry Henry as manager.

First and foremost, Henry, who was officially introduced on Monday, brings name value to the league and is a marketing coup for the Canadian franchise. A superstar player in both Europe and later MLS, the Frenchman remains a massive name in world football and his arrival in Quebec has already attracted headlines from around the world. The club can expect even more global exposure once the MLS season kicks off in February.

However, what the Impact will hope most will be that Henry brings as much success on the pitch as he does limelight off it. The task ahead won't be easy though, as Montreal finished ninth in the Eastern Conference and 18th of 24 teams overall last season.

Montreal has become something of a manager's graveyard within the confines of MLS. The Impact have burned through six previous coaches -- including recent caretaker manager Wilmer Cabrera -- during its eight seasons in the league. Owner Joey Saputo has long had a reputation for meddling in the affairs of his managers, going so far as to make post-game visits to the locker room if he didn't like what he saw on the field.

Nevertheless, Henry would not have accepted the challenge if he didn't believe he had a chance to turn the club's fortunes around. He will surely make some signings in the offseason as a big rebuilding job awaits him with many current players out of contract in December (Bacary Sagna, Rod Fanni, Ignacio Piatti, Samuel Piette and Orji Okwonkwo just to name a few). At least Bojan Krkic, Henry's former Barcelona teammate, still has one year left on his deal and "Titi" will surely lean on him heavily.

But Henry will like the fact that he will be able to build his squad in the way he wants to. One of the problems he had during his time at Monaco last season was that he inherited an unbalanced squad, aging and with some key players still upset about the sacking of his predecessor, Leonardo Jardim.

And Henry's stature in the world of soccer may be just what is needed for Saputo to back off. Unlike most foreign managers in MLS, Henry's time with the New York Red Bulls will make him well aware of the arcane roster rules and salary limitations that the league imposes. The Frenchman knows what he's getting into.

Whether Henry has the patience to manage players far less talented than he was in charge of in Ligue 1 remains an open question. Henry certainly can't expect the talent level to be any higher in MLS.

What can Impact fans can expect from the Frenchman? The only way we can judge him as a manager is to look back at his 104 days in charge in the principality club. In terms of results, it was a disaster: four wins, five draws and 11 losses in 20 games with just 23 goals scored and 43 conceded. The team was 19th in Ligue 1 when he arrived and still 19th when he left three months later.

Tactically, the 42-year-old tried a lot of different options, probably too many. In terms of formations, he experimented with: 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, 5-4-1, 4-1-4-1, 3-4-2-1, 3-4-1-2 and 5-3-2!

He looked lost at times, but he played mostly with a back five. His philosophy was always to play a possession game and to have a lot of movement. We didn't see much of it though, maybe because he didn't have enough time to really implement his ideas or maybe because his message was a bit confusing for the players. That said, he always encouraged his men to play, take risks and be creative.

In his defence, he had a lot of injuries during his time in Monaco, including ones to key players. He had to put a lot of faith very quickly in youth such the Badiashile brothers (Benoit and Loic), Han-Noah Massengo, Sofiane Diop or Moussa Sylla.

For someone with such charisma and such a profile, you would have thought that man-management would be his forte. He had a strong relationship with some of his players but it was mostly difficult with most of the squad. Although he was now the manager, he still behaved like he was one of the players. Back then, sources told ESPN how Henry would tell the players how to, literally, play football at training.

Months after Henry's dismissal, Aleksandr Golovin, Monaco's midfielder, revealed more details of the Frenchman's tenure in an interview with a Russian YouTuber.

"When things were not going well at training, he became nervous and shouted a lot. He would come on the pitch and show us what to do. He would take the ball and tell us to try to get it off him! There were times when we would lose a game and he would get upset with the team and would not talk to us for a whole day! For me, he had not made the transition from player to manager. He was not ready" said Golovin.

With Henry, controversy was never far either. On Dec. 11, he humiliated his 20-year-old goalkeeper, Loic Badiashile, for not properly pushing his chair back under the desk at the end of their pre-match news conference before the Borussia Dortmund game in the Champions League. In his last game in charge, he was caught on camera insulting Kenny Lala, the Strasbourg right-back. There were more incidents

The failure was not just his fault though. There were -- and still are -- plenty of problems at Monaco. It was very dysfunctional context especially for a first-time manager. Someone with more experience could have dealt better with the situation, not he.

Henry should have learned a lot from his three months there and it certainly should make him a better manager. He had only been Belgium assistant coach before, so a lot that comes with being a manager was new to him. In Montreal, he will certainly be more prepared and more ready than he was in Monaco.

*Editor's note: This piece also contains contributions from ESPN FC's United States and MLS correspondent Jeff Carlisle.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper would not address the future of coach Ron Rivera and general manager Marty Hurney during a Monday meeting with Charlotte-based reporters, but made it clear he will not accept long-term mediocrity.

Tepper also made it clear no decision has been made on the future of quarterback Cam Newton, saying that can't happen until the first pick of the 2015 draft is completely healthy.

Newton, who has one year left on his contract, recently was placed on injured reserve with a Lisfranc injury that sidelined him after an 0-2 start.

Tepper's meeting with reporters was held 24 hours after the Panthers fell to 5-5 with a 29-3 loss to Atlanta that put a big dent in their playoff aspirations.

Tepper said he didn't sleep well after the Atlanta loss, the second time in four games the Panthers were blown out by an opponent. They were beaten 51-13 at San Francisco on Oct. 27.

"Every time we have a loss, my mood is s----y,'' said Tepper, adding that he never accepted losing on the business side, where he accumulated a $12 billion net worth as a hedge fund manager.

The Panthers have a 13-14 record since Tepper purchased the organization for an NFL-record $2.275 billion from former owner Jerry Richardson in 2018. If they post a losing record this season, it will be the second in a row and third in the past four seasons since reaching the Super Bowl in 2015.

Carolina's record against NFC South opponents since 2015 is 7-14, compared to 14-4 in the three previous seasons.

Tepper's frustration over losing was evident as he continually said long-term mediocrity would not be accepted. He also said fans, many of whom left the stadium early on Sunday, were smart enough to recognize long-term mediocrity.

Rivera, who this year surpassed John Fox as the winningest coach in team history, has an overall record of 76-61-1. The Panthers have a record of 195-198-1 since becoming a franchise in 1995.

Tepper made wholesale changes to the business side after purchasing the team from Richardson, who put the team up for sale amid allegations of sexual and racial workplace misconduct. The NFL fined Richardson $2.75 million after a lengthy investigation.

Tepper did not make changes to the football staff last season after a 7-9 record following a 6-2 start because Newton's sore right shoulder played a factor in a seven-game losing streak.

Newton's shoulder healed after offseason cleanup surgery, but he suffered a Lisfranc injury in the third preseason game and re-aggravated it in the second game. Tepper said that ideally Newton, 30, will recover fully from the injury and perhaps one day lead the Panthers to a Super Bowl.

Tepper said Newton has done a lot of good for the team and Charlotte, calling him one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.

Tepper also made it clear he liked Newton's replacement, Kyle Allen, suggesting the second-year, undrafted quarterback has played above expectations despite throwing four interceptions against Atlanta and nine in the past four games.

The Panthers are 5-3 under Allen this season and 6-3 overall dating back to a victory in last season's finale at New Orleans, where the Panthers play on Sunday. Allen started his career with a 5-0 record, making him the seventh quarterback in NFL history to get off to such a start.

Tepper defended the organization's decision not to go to Colin Kaepernick's workout in Atlanta on Saturday, saying the team has a young quarterback in Allen, a third-round pick in Will Grier, and Newton, so there was no interest in signing a veteran quarterback.

Tepper also said he has a copy of the video of Kaepernick's workout, so attending the session wasn't necessary.

Neither Rivera nor Hurney were a part of Tepper's meeting. Earlier in the day, Rivera expressed hope the Panthers still could make a playoff run. He said they still control their own destiny with two games left against the Saints (8-2), a rematch against Atlanta (3-7) and contests against Washington (1-9), Indianapolis (6-4) and Seattle (8-2).

"Probably the biggest thing is we control it,'' Rivera said of the team's playoff hopes, even though the Panthers currently stand ninth in the NFC playoff hunt. "It's one game at a time. It's one focus at a time. That's probably the biggest thing we have to do, is focus in on the next opponent.

"That's just getting ready for New Orleans."

Tepper's focus, with future plans to move the team headquarters to a state-of-the-art facility in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and ultimately get a new stadium in Charlotte to host the Panthers and an MSL team, is to give fans hope and end the long-term mediocrity.

While he didn't mention Rivera or Hurney, he appeared to be putting them on notice.

As Tepper indicated the day he was hired, his first priority is winning.

CINCINNATI -- Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd wasn't bashful about voicing his frustration after the least productive outing of his career.

Boyd had only one catch for zero yards in the Bengals' 17-10 loss at Oakland, Cincinnati's 10th defeat in as many games this season. The fourth-year receiver was targeted a mere three times, his fewest amount since 2017.

With star wide receiver A.J. Green sidelined all season with an ankle injury, Boyd has been the primary target. But in rookie quarterback Ryan Finley's second career start, Boyd was a nonfactor and uncharacteristically unhappy about his usage.

"I feel like I'm the go-to guy with A.J. down," Boyd said. "I felt like [my] targets were not where they should have been. I feel that I'm a game-changer and I could have utilized my talents in any way to move the chains, and nothing was coming my way."

Boyd, who signed a new four-year, $43 million deal this offseason, was specifically frustrated about not getting the ball on a fourth-and-4 at Oakland's 27-yard line. Finley opted to throw to rookie Damion Willis, who was double-covered in the end zone. The pass was incomplete.

Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said it wasn't a bad read by Finley, who was 13-of-31 passing for 115 yards and an interception. However, Callahan also conceded Boyd was open.

Boyd said Monday he understands that quarterback is the toughest position to play and that Finley is inexperienced, but pointed to other rookies around the league enjoying success. He said it shouldn't take long to build trust with Finley.

"The way I'm playing, the level that I bring, I believe I get open in any one-on-one coverage across the board against anyone," Boyd said. "All you gotta do is just read the defense. If he sees he has me, just gotta put it there, and I'm going to make a play for him."

Boyd was also frustrated about not being lined up enough on the outside and the uncertainty of when to come down to block safeties, saying the main discussion in Monday's meetings was more about run blocking than running routes. Bengals coach Zac Taylor met with Boyd on Monday and understood his frustration regarding his usage.

"He's certainly one of our best players, so we've gotta get him more involved," Taylor said.

Taylor has lamented Cincinnati's inability to get open. On Sunday, Boyd was the team's only wide receiver who averaged more than two yards of separation on his targets, according to NFL Next Gen. Boyd is 402 yards shy of notching back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.

While he noted the milestone is important to any receiver, that's not the main reason he was frustrated on Monday. He went as far as to say he wouldn't want to go to the Pro Bowl if the Bengals continue to lose or finish with a winless record.

"I don't feel like that's an achievement that they should give me," Boyd said. "It's really not about stats. It's about me wanting to make plays, wanting them to trust me, wanting them to throw me the ball so I can help get a win."

And while he is upset about the lack of looks in his direction on Monday, he said he will not beg Taylor and Callahan to force-feed him the ball. Given the state of the offense and the lack of options at receiver, it should be implied.

"I mean, I just feel like what's understood doesn't need to be explained," Boyd said. "I'm not the type of player that's going to go and tell them to throw me the ball, force me the ball and get it done, regardless if that's what's going in my mind. But I know they see it, and I know that they know I'm a reliable guy."

LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard will miss Monday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, sources told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

Leonard suffered a left knee contusion in the second half of the Clippers' loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday and did not play against New Orleans on Thursday or Atlanta on Saturday.

Leonard has missed five of the Clippers' 14 games this season and has yet to play alongside teammate Paul George, who made his Clippers debut on Thursday.

George has helped mitigate Leonard's absence, having scored 70 points in just 44 minutes in the past two games.

Leonard has been effective as well, when he has been on the court, averaging 26.8 points per game to go with a career-high six assists.

NEW YORK -- Outfielder Yoshitomo Tsutsugo has been made available to major league teams through the posting process by Yokohama of Japan's Central League.

Major league clubs have until 5 p.m. ET Dec. 19 to negotiate with Tsutsugo, who turns 28 on Nov. 26.

A corner outfielder, Tsutsugo hit .272 this year with 29 homers and 79 RBIs. He has a .285 average with 205 homers and 613 RBIs in 10 seasons with Yokohama.

Under the agreement reached between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball after the 2017 season, the posting fee to Yokohama will be 20% of guaranteed money in a major league contract through $25 million, plus 17.5% above that through $50 million, plus 15% over that. A supplemental fee would equal 15% of any earned bonuses, escalators and compensation from option years that are exercised or become guaranteed.

The MLB commissioner's office announced the posting on Monday.