Mohamed Salah suffered a twisted ankle in Liverpool's 2-1 victory over Leicester City on Saturday, with scans revealing no further damage to the forward.

The Egypt international limped off on 89 minutes at Anfield after a wild challenge from behind by Hamza Choudhury, which Jurgen Klopp labelled "dangerous as hell."

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Assessments were carried out at Melwood on Sunday and to Liverpool's relief, no major concerns were flagged by the medical staff.

Salah will continue to be monitored and treated at the training complex during the international break with the club declining to rule him in or out of the clash against Manchester United on Oct. 20 as it is too early in the healing process.

With 13 days to recover, the 27-year-old is likely to line up against struggling United, who are already 15 points adrift of Liverpool.

Salah had already been excused from the Egypt squad for the friendly against Botswana next week prior to his injury.

"The technical team of the national team confirms the decision to exempt Liverpool star Mohamed Salah from joining the current camp for the desire to rest him and ease the burden of games in this period," a statement from the Egyptian football federation read.

"[That is] in order [for him] to recover and get rid of the stress resulting from his successive participation with his club so that he is in full physical and mental health to participate in the next official commitments."

Christian Pulisic has said it hurt to be left out of the squad for Chelsea's Champions League win over Lille, but he won't "give up, ever" after being given limited playing time this season.

On the bench for much of Chelsea's 4-1 win over Southampton, Pulisic provided a brilliant assist for the final goal, scored by fellow substitute Michy Batshuayi, when he did get on the pitch.

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The United States international's chances have been limited further by the return to fitness of Callum Hudson-Odoi, and his 10 minutes against Southampton represented his first appearance in the league since a 2-2 draw with Sheffield United at the end of August.

"Of course," Pulisic said, when asked if it was difficult to be left out of the matchday squad for last week's Lille game. "You want to play, be on the field and be in the team as much as you can and it hurt not to be there, but I'm happy I got my opportunity today.

"I did the best I could with the minutes I got. I tried to help the team as best I could. Today, I guess I'm happy but I'm going to keep working harder, and I'm never going to stop to try to get more minutes.

"I'm not just going to throw a fit and give up ever, so if I'm on the bench it doesn't mean the gaffer doesn't think I'm a part of the team, I've just got to keep pushing and earn my spot.

"That's my job [to get assists]. I'm in an attacking role and I'm going to do the best I can, to try to get goals and assists. I think that's been good so far, so I just want to continue to work hard."

Pulisic was asked if he was surprised not to be starting more regularly.

"It's tough to say. I want to be starting, I want to be starting every game. I'm working hard in training, I want to be there, I hope everyone can see that, so with moments like this I hope I can make a case for myself.

"He [Frank Lampard] likes players who work very hard and show a lot in training and I just have to continue to do that, do my best in training and try to earn my position."

Lampard has suggested the winger needs time to settle in England after his move from Borussia Dortmund in the summer, but Pulisic suggested that hasn't been much of a problem.

"Culture-wise, it's been easier than Germany to be honest. From the football side, I guess you could say that. Obviously, I haven't been getting as many minutes as I would like. I will just keep going, keep pushing. I know my time's going to come.

"This number [the £58 million transfer fee] doesn't mean anything to me. Obviously, I go out and try to give my best every time I'm on the pitch. I'm not sure what the price tag means to you, but I just have to keep trying to perform at my best for myself and for the team.

"You can't completely ignore it [criticism]. I don't live under a rock. I hear things, I see things, but I do my best to block it out. I'm just working hard for myself.

"The outside opinions don't matter as much to me as to what's in the team and myself and the people who care about me. So I'm just going to keep working and do my best and not worry about it."

Pulisic will now join up with the national team for their CONCACAF Nations League games against Cuba and Canada this month, and he agreed the international break has come at a good time.

"Yeah, definitely. When I go there I definitely want to go in and get minutes and just gain more international experience. It can only help me here."

Time makes fools of us all. Or, in the case of Major League Soccer, it turns good teams into bad teams, bad teams into good teams, and mediocre teams into more solidly mediocre teams.

For the final Power Rankings of the year, we thought we'd take a look back at the first ranking of the year and compare. More than a few teams outperformed their early season spot, some by a lot.

Not that we were wrong. The Power Rankings are always 100% accurate at the time of writing. Who said anything about fools?

For one last time, let's go ranking.

Previous rankings: Week 30 | Week 29 | Week 28 | Week 27 | Week 26 | Week 25 | Week 24 | Week 23 | Week 22 | Week 21 | Week 20 | Week 19 | Week 18 | Week 17 | Week 16 | Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1

1. LAFC (21 wins, 9 draws, 4 losses)

Week 1 ranking: 3

Next MLS match: Oct. 24 vs. Minnesota or LA Galaxy

Back in March, LAFC was a "potential MLS Cup contender coming off a disappointing home playoff loss." Now, they're a "record-setting team led by an otherworldly talent going into the playoffs as a massive favorite to lift the MLS Cup title in their stadium."

2. New York City FC (18-10-6)

Week 1 ranking: 8

Next MLS match: Oct. 23 vs. Toronto or D.C. United

NYCFC started the season at No. 8 in the rankings, largely because 2018 ended with a whimper against Atlanta United and there were real doubts that Dome Torrent was cut out for MLS. Turns out he was! The Bronxites head into the postseason as the second-best team in the league

3. Atlanta United (19-4-12)

Week 1 ranking: 6

Next MLS match: Oct. 19 vs. New England

In retrospect, it seems harsh that the Five Stripes were ranked outside of the top five to start the year. Remember, though, that the club was in transition with Frank De Boer taking over from Tata Martino, Miguel Almiron leaving for Newcastle and having lost their first match of the year to D.C.. Things are much better now.

4. Toronto FC (13-11-10)

Week 1 ranking: 13

Next MLS match: Oct. 19 vs. D.C. United

The Reds were a mystery coming into the season. Would they look more like their 2017 championship version or the team that missed the playoffs in 2018? Victor Vazquez and Sebastian Giovinco both left in the winter. Middle-of-the-pack seemed fair, but now Toronto is a second-tier championship contender.

5. Seattle Sounders (16-8-10)

Week 1 ranking: 2

Next MLS match: Oct. 19 vs. FC Dallas

The Sounders flipped their usual script -- slow start, late push -- with a fairly even season that lagged mostly in the summer. The Week 1 ranking proved to be a little too high, but Seattle finished strong enough to rank in the top handful of teams in the league.

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6. Philadelphia Union (16-7-11)

Week 1 ranking: 18

Next MLS match: Oct. 20 vs. New York Red Bulls

Philly's regular season ended with a thud, but that shouldn't take away from just how far they've come. After Week 1, we had the Union ranked 18th -- just on the edge of the bottom quarter of the league. A true team ethic kicked in over the year, moving Philadelphia way up the ladder.

7. Minnesota United (15-8-11)

Week 1 ranking: 12

Next MLS match: Oct. 20 vs. LA Galaxy

The Loons just made the top half the first week rankings, a nod to the potential following a busy offseason. Turns out all of the predictions that Minnesota would ride Ike Opara, Ozzie Alonso and a handful of other veterans to the playoffs were correct. The Loons finally made it and will host a playoff game.

8. D.C. United (13-10-11)

Week 1 ranking: 1

Next MLS match: Oct. 19 vs. Toronto

D.C. started the season in the top spot because they defeated the defending champ in their opener. They have not lived up to that initial ranking. The Black & Red were good enough to make the playoffs and not a whole lot more, though there's a chance to surprise in the postseason.

9. New England Revolution (12-12-10)

Week 1 ranking: 17

Next MLS match: Oct. 19 vs. Atlanta

We're not taking any responsibility for being "wrong" on the Revs, not with the way their season played out. Week 1 was a lifetime ago: Before Bruce, before Gustavo Bou, before New England rounded into a dangerous MLS team that might be a bad matchup for Atlanta in Round 1.

10. Real Salt Lake (15-5-13)

Week 1 ranking: 14

Next MLS match: Oct. 19 vs. Portland

RSL turned a 14th-ranked start into a 10th-ranked finish. They were roughly who we thought they were, with the caveat that we didn't really think they'd get here the way they did. It's been a weird one beneath the Wasatch.

11. Portland Timbers (14-7-13)

Week 1 ranking: 7

Next MLS match: Oct. 19 vs. Real Salt Lake

The rollercoaster ride for the Timbers got off to a wild, wintry start when the they drew in a blizzard in Colorado. That landed them at the No. 7 spot (they were the reigning Western Conference champs). Nowadays, Portland is a brow-furrowing outfit with a tough playoff draw.

12. FC Dallas (13-9-12)

Week 1 ranking: 15

Next MLS match: Oct. 19 vs. Seattle

FC Dallas was smack in the middle of the pack back in March. They probably deserve to be in that same region in October, though the playoff berth they earned on Sunday puts them in the field of 14. We'll resist the urge to give them bonus points for having a player named "Cobra."

13. Colorado Rapids (12-6-15)

Previous ranking: 21

Down near the bottom after week one, it certainly seemed like the Rapids belonged there for oh ... four-and-a-half months. Then a coaching change happened. And another. And through it all, Colorado stayed alive for the playoffs. They didn't make it, but were playing better than some clubs that did as the regular season ended. What a ride.

14. LA Galaxy (16-3-14)

Week 1 ranking: 10

Next MLS match: Oct. 20 vs. Minnesota

The Galaxy blew a lead to lose 4-2 against Houston on Decision Day, ensuring the it wouldn't be able make it back into a top 10 position -- which is where they started the season. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is good enough all by himself for a top-half ranking, but that defense ...

15. New York Red Bulls (14-6-14)

Week 1 ranking: 5

Next MLS match: Oct. 20 vs. Philadelphia

The 2018 Shield winners started the year in the top five after a draw in Columbus. Time revealed, thanks to a poorer defense and a drop off by Bradley Wright-Phillips, that New York wasn't good enough to rate that high when all was said and done. Sunday's loss in Montreal hurt a lot.

16. Columbus Crew (10-8-16)

Week 1 ranking: 9

The Crew were deemed top 10 material when we began proceedings. They aren't a top 10 team now. Injuries, absences and the transitional nature of the Columbus soccer scene undermined the club's chances to make the playoffs.

17. Chicago Fire (10-12-12)

Week 1 ranking: 22

The Fire proved to be just about as mediocre as their Week 1 rank indicated. A flirtation with the playoffs shouldn't obscure the problems Chicago had this year scoring goals or putting together consistent performances. It's mostly about the future in the Windy City, with the move back to Soldier Field coming next year.

18. Vancouver Whitecaps (8-10-15)

Week 1 ranking: 19

Back where they started, though to be fair, they never really budged from bottom five or six teams all year. The Whitecaps earned an extra spot or two with a decent close to the season, after they'd already been eliminated from postseason consideration.

19. Houston Dynamo (12-4-18)

Week 1 ranking: 16

The Zombie Dynamo showed up to beat the Galaxy on Decision Day, marginally inflating their ranking. It's not enough to push them up to their original spot in the order, back when there was reason to think Wilmer Cabrera might be able recapture some 2017 magic.

20. Orlando City (9-10-15)

Week 1 ranking: 20

The Lions began the year with a whole lot of hope and ended it with further disappointment. Our first impression was an accurate one. Whether Orlando was "better" in 2019 is a relative question, since we can't use a playoff appearance as a yardstick.

21. San Jose Earthquakes (13-5-16)

Week 1 ranking: 23

We thought the Quakes were going to be very poor after a Wooden Spoon season and a bad opening performance. They weren't as bad as we thought they'd be, but a six-game losing streak to end the year pulled them down towards the foot of the rankings.

22. Sporting Kansas City (10-8-16)

Previous ranking: 4

SKC gets the "Welp!" award for the rankings this year. The perennial Western Conference contender and first place finisher in 2018 spent most of the year running around like an aimless chicken who can't score goals, which is exactly the kind of approach that leads to a bottom-end rankings finish.

23. Montreal Impact (12-5-17)

Week 1 ranking: 11

The Impact looked dangerous enough with their sit-and-counter style to earn a spot in the top 11 back in March. A coaching change and a very poor second half later and they're just one few spot off the bottom.

24. FC Cincinnati (6-5-23)

Previous ranking: 24

FCC started at the bottom, moved up a spot or two at times during the campaign, and ended up at the bottom. It was always in the cards for the first-year franchise.

Toss Sri Lanka elected to bat v Pakistan

Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first in the second T20 against Pakistan, in Lahore. There is the threat of dew later in the evening, but it had not proved to be a major obstacle for their bowlers two nights ago, when they won the first match.

Pakistan have made two changes to their side, dropping allrounders Iftikhar Ahmed and Faheem Ashraf, replacing them with specialists Fakhar Zaman and Wahab Riaz. Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal, who had made 4 and 0 respectively on Saturday, remain in the XI. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are unchanged. The weather is expected to remain good for the duration of the game.

Pakistan: 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Babar Azam, 3 Ahmed Shehzad, 4 Umar Akmal, 5 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt.) (wk), 6 Asif Ali, 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Shadab Khan, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Mohammad Amir, 11 Mohammad Hasnain

Sri Lanka: 1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Avishka Fernando, 3 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 4 Shehan Jayasuriya, 5 Minod Bhanuka (wk), 6 Dasun Shanaka (capt.), 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Isuru Udana, 9 Lakshan Sandakan, 10 Kasun Rajitha, 11 Nuwan Pradeep

ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Redskins dismissed their coach. They haven't solved their problems.

Washington fired Jay Gruden, 52, on Monday morning and it's a hard decision to argue. The Redskins are 0-5 this season and haven't won a playoff game since 2005. They reached the postseason once under Gruden -- in 2015 -- and his 35-49-1 record in Washington further backed up the need to move on. His firing became inevitable long before the news was announced.

Bill Callahan takes over as interim coach, but the big question remains: Can owner Dan Snyder and team president Bruce Allen, who was hired late during the 2009 season, figure out a way to win? The Redskins are 59-89-1 since Allen arrived.

The Redskins have now fired five coaches during Snyder's tenure, which began in 1999. He will hire his eighth coach after the season. None of the first seven -- including Marty Schottenheimer (one year), Joe Gibbs (four) and Mike Shanahan (four) -- had winning records in Washington. That's one Hall of Fame coach (Gibbs) and two who are debated as being worthy.

Whoever the Redskins hire will join an organization with two playoff wins since Snyder bought the team. Washington has finished last in the division eight times during his ownership.

This year the Redskins, and by extension Gruden, were in trouble before the season began.

• Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams remains a holdout, a huge blow to the offense.

• Top tight end Jordan Reed suffered a concussion in the third preseason game and hasn't played.

• Washington started newcomer Case Keenum at quarterback because rookie Dwayne Haskins wasn't ready and veteran Colt McCoy was dealing with the effects of a broken leg suffered in December.

All of this was a tough mix for Gruden, who had to win immediately. And once the season kicked off, more problems emerged.

Coordinator Greg Manusky's defense -- expected to be a team strength -- has struggled badly. Cornerback Josh Norman has not played to his contract and linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, who counts $13.95 million against the cap, has been too quiet on the field. That's too much money as a group for too little in return.

The Redskins also have been among the most-injured teams over the past three-plus seasons. In 2017 and 2018, for example, 52 players were placed on injured reserve. This season, the Redskins have dealt with numerous injuries again as 10 players are on injured reserve, including starting running back Derrius Guice.

There was clear frustration during the past year, with Gruden feeling a loss of power in key decisions. Some of that was overblown: He was involved in setting free-agency boards as well as draft boards and knew, for example, that Washington would pursue safety Landon Collins and possibly trade for Keenum.

But some of it was true: While the Redskins' front office was enamored of Haskins, a local talent, the football people in the building knew it would take a while for him to develop into a starter. The Redskins still selected him 15th overall anyway because, well, they had their orders. You can't ignore months of scouting and build a winning organization. Whether it was strictly Snyder's decision or not -- and it might be a terrific pick in the long run -- it wasn't one that would benefit a coaching staff in a must-win season. That's why they wanted someone who could help now. They like Haskins and like working with him, but they placed him in a difficult spot.

There were reports Gruden did not want to part with certain players or keep others during final cuts, notably receiver Josh Doctson (cut) and running back Adrian Peterson (kept). And at the end of last season, Gruden said multiple times the Redskins' front office and coaching staff needed to be "on the same page."

That said, there is a feeling around the league the Redskins have underachieved -- especially on defense, an area where Gruden hurt himself during his tenure. He was, for the most part, hands-off defensively and his defenses generally struggled. Gruden retained Jim Haslett as his defensive coordinator for his first season in 2014, but they parted ways after that season. Wade Phillips was a candidate, but Gruden opted to bring in Joe Barry. That didn't work out and two years later, Barry was fired. Gruden then hired Manusky, a coach players respect. That move also has failed to produce the desired results.

Gruden is considered a strong offensive mind by executives and players, but under him the Redskins often hurt themselves with penalties and undisciplined play. Though players liked him, some pointed to issues with accountability -- one former Redskin said some fines, for example, were not collected while those levied against players who coaches knew it wouldn't affect, were collected. Other players wanted more transparency from the coaching staff about decisions that affected them. And Gruden's blunt honesty during news conferences would occasionally get him in trouble.

The Redskins are at a precarious point in their franchise history. Here's a team whose fan base has been mired in a mix of apathy and anger, causing attendance and TV ratings to drop. It has been a decade in the making and there's a lot of work to be done to reverse that slide -- work that goes beyond just firing the coach.

This isn't about Snyder's meddling; heck, he gave Gruden five-plus years, more time than any other head coach he has employed. This is all about knowing how to put together a winning organization. Based on one simple fact -- the Redskins' two-decade record of 139-185-1 under Snyder -- they have failed to do so.

They fired Gruden; it's a coaching move Snyder has done in the past. Now, once more, comes the hard part: finding someone who can win in Washington.

As recently as five years ago, a column about midseason trades would have been more of a wish list than anything else. NFL teams rarely traded veteran players at all, let alone in the middle of campaigns. Last season alone, though, we saw Amari Cooper, Eli Apple, Damon Harrison, Josh Gordon, Golden Tate, Dante Fowler Jr., Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Demaryius Thomas all change teams during the season, and that's without even counting the Khalil Mack megatrade, which took place eight days before the season began.

A wild offseason only stoked the trade winds further. With superstars holding out and/or unexpectedly leaving their teams over the past few weeks, the trade possibilities have grown more obvious. We still have just over three weeks to go before the trade deadline on Oct. 29, but now is about the time when teams should start thinking about whether they should make a move before things get too deep into the season.

I've gone through the league and identified 10 players who seem like plausible fits for trades for various reasons. When I wrote a similar piece last year, I unsurprisingly got none of the trades exactly right. Wide receiver Golden Tate did end up unexpectedly leaving the Lions, though he went to the Eagles, not the Titans. And linebacker Jamie Collins did end up reuniting with the Patriots, although that came via free agency. I don't expect any of these trades to happen exactly, but this is a useful exercise into estimating what it might take for a team to make a swap and which players might be available in the market.

For each player, I've tried to identify at least one trade candidate that would make sense. I've tried to take each team's trade history and particular style into mind. I'll begin with one of the league's most promising young defenders before working over to the offensive side of the ball:

Jump to a player:
CB Artie Burns | WR Stefon Diggs
RB Kenyan Drake | RB Melvin Gordon
WR A.J. Green | CB Trumaine Johnson
OL Billy Price | CB Jalen Ramsey
WR Emmanuel Sanders | OT Trent Williams

Jalen Ramsey, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Let's start with the market's most eligible player. The Jaguars have so far resisted trade talks for their star cornerback, but since he requested a trade after Week 3, he has yet to suit up for the team. The two-time Pro Bowler initially missed practice with an illness and then to witness the birth of his child, but he has officially missed games against the Broncos and Panthers with a back injury.

Owner Shahid Khan has publicly said he doesn't want to trade Ramsey. The team has supported Ramsey over the past two weeks, but this is also an organization run by Tom Coughlin. Before the events of the past few weeks, Ramsey famously showed up to training camp in an armored truck with a hype man insisting the Florida State product was about to get a new deal. Personally, I found it wildly entertaining. I'm not sure Coughlin felt the same way.

The Jaguars hold most of the cards here, at least for now. Ramsey is still in the fourth year of his rookie deal. Jacksonville has already picked up his fifth-year option for 2020 and would be able to franchise him afterward. He is realistically years away from unrestricted free agency if the Jaguars don't want him to leave.

The scenario that comes to mind for me, though, is Jadeveon Clowney. The Texans weren't able to come to terms with Clowney on an extension as their franchise player, and by the time they eventually gave up on re-signing him, they had no leverage and were forced to eat half of his contract just to get a third-round pick and a pair of backup linebackers from Seattle. The Jaguars are some ways away from that point, but as they get closer to the end of Ramsey's deal, his trade value is going to decline. (Ramsey, coincidentally, spent his Sunday in Houston with Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.)

If the Jags think Ramsey isn't going to re-sign with the team down the road, or if Coughlin has grown sick of him, they might find that Ramsey's trade value is at its highest right now and make a move. There are a handful of teams with designs on competing for a title that could justify making a significant move for a player like Ramsey. I'm not going to do this for every player, but I'll come up with three trades for Ramsey:

The trade: Kansas City Chiefs send a 2020 first-round pick, 2021 first-round pick and a 2021 fourth-round pick to the Jaguars for Ramsey and a 2021 second-round pick

If the Jaguars really do want two first-round picks for their star cornerback, they're probably going to need to send back something in return. The Dolphins were able to get two firsts and a second-round pick for Laremy Tunsil, but they also needed to send Kenny Stills as part of the deal and were dealing with a coach masquerading as a personnel executive. It would be tough to recreate that sort of package, even given how talented Ramsey is as a player.

This is about as close as the Jags could get. The Chiefs are likely to be picking in the bottom of the first round, which reduces the value of these picks, and the Jaguars would be sending a second-rounder back, but this fits the criteria of getting two first-rounders in return for Ramsey. Kansas City is perennially in need of help at cornerback, and while it has mined the veteran free-agent charts for Bashaud Breeland and Mo Claiborne, Ramsey would be the last piece of the puzzle for a team that has a championship-caliber offense with Patrick Mahomes.

The trade: Baltimore Ravens send a 2020 first-round pick, 2020 fourth-round pick (compensatory) and a 2022 first-round pick to the Jaguars for Ramsey and a 2022 fourth-round pick

Another team rumored to be in the Ramsey discussions, the Ravens have their own young quarterback to build around in Lamar Jackson. They also had what looked to be a suffocating defense after holding the Dolphins and Cardinals to 27 points through the first two weeks of the season, but offseason departures and in-season injuries have revealed some cracks in the armor of what has perennially been a great defense. The Ravens lost slot corner Tavon Young to a season-ending neck injury and haven't had Jimmy Smith since Week 1. Starting safety Tony Jefferson also suffered an ACL injury yesterday and is likely to miss the rest of the season.

Baltimore was counting on its defensive backs to be the strength of their team. Instead, they're quickly becoming a concern. Trading for Ramsey would be a drastic move, but in a wide-open AFC North, it would give the Ravens a better shot at competing now and in the seasons to come. Ramsey is a Hall of Fame-caliber talent, and the Ravens have been privileged enough to grow used to fielding multiple Hall of Famers on their defense. Earl Thomas is starting at safety, and the Ravens would have a chance to line up Ramsey and Marlon Humphrey as their starting cornerbacks moving forward. This deal lets Baltimore push one of the first-round picks all the way into 2022.

The trade: Los Angeles Rams send a 2020 first-round pick, 2021 second-round pick, 2022 second-round pick (conditional) and CB Marcus Peters to the Jaguars for Ramsey and a 2022 fourth-round pick (conditional)

If the Jaguars think they have a shot at competing for the AFC South and don't want to give up a key talent for the remainder of 2019, though, there's an interesting possibility with the Rams. It's fair to say that Peters, once an All-Pro with the Chiefs, has never really found his comfort level in L.A. He struggled mightily for stretches in 2018 before eventually improving, but he has been a problem again in 2019. For one, he was the responsible party on the 67-yard Mike Evans touchdown in Week 4.

Peters is in his fifth-year option, and the Rams might not be in a place in which they want to extend his contract. Here's where they could get creative. In recent years, the Rams have been aggressive about trading draft picks to acquire young talent on rookie deals in advance of giving those players extensions. One of those players was Peters, who was eventually accompanied to town by Brandin Cooks and former Jaguars end Dante Fowler. Trading for Ramsey would follow that strategy, assuming it hasn't changed after the Rams extended Jared Goff this summer. Both Peters and fellow starting corner Aqib Talib are free agents after the season.

The Jaguars would get a first- and second-round pick for Ramsey and what amounts to a season-long audition for Peters, who the team could insert in the lineup as a replacement. The Jaguars could extend the audition by franchising Peters in 2020, which is why the 2022 picks come into play. If the Jags find that Peters is a long-term solution and he plays at least one game for the team in 2021, the conditional picks on both sides don't transfer. If the Jags move on from Peters before the 2021 season, though, the Rams will swap their 2022 second-rounder with the Jags' fourth-round pick.

Trumaine Johnson, CB, New York Jets

Speaking of Rams cornerbacks, it's hard to recall a free-agent signing that has gone worse than the Johnson deal in New York. Signed by a now-deposed Jets front office last offseason, Johnson was disappointing in his debut season in New York and was benched after the Week 1 loss to the Bills this season. He played just 12 defensive snaps over the ensuing two games, and while he was restored to the lineup Sunday, he had another poor game in coverage and committed two penalties.

It's all but a sure thing that Johnson won't be on the Jets in 2020, given that there's no guaranteed money left in the 29-year-old's deal after this season. Getting him off the roster in 2019, though, will probably require an in-season restructure. Johnson has an $8 million base salary, and while the trading team would only be on the hook for a prorated portion of that figure, it would still amount to more than $5.6 million over the remainder of the season. No team is going to give that up for a player the Jets don't want around.

If the Jets restructure Johnson's deal, though, they could move on from a frustrating player and save some small amount of money while picking up a late-round draft pick. If they can reduce his salary to the minimum, he would likely have some modest value in a swap. All we need is a team who could use help at corner ...

The trade: Philadelphia Eagles send a 2021 seventh-round pick to the Jets for Johnson

Teams have torched the Philadelphia secondary this offseason. The Eagles have reportedly made offers to try to acquire Ramsey, which would be a surprising move given how Philly has typically deemphasized spending at cornerback to ramp up along the line of scrimmage and on the offensive side of the ball.

Howie Roseman is arguably the most aggressive and creative general manager in the league when it comes to trades, though, and taking a flier on Johnson without having to give up anything more than a future seventh-round pick would give the Eagles another option as they try to find cornerback help. In fact, let's get to another viable Eagles deal ...

Artie Burns, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers

One of the many frustrating picks in the bottom half of the first round in 2016, Burns was benched during a brutal streak last September and has been buried on the Steelers' depth chart ever since. He has played just two defensive snaps through five games, and after the team declined his fifth-year option in May, it became clear that his professional future is away from Pittsburgh. Any team acquiring Burns would owe the 24-year-old only approximately $675,000 over the remainder of the season.

In May, I suggested that the Eagles should trade for Burns while using the leverage of the compensatory pick formula in their favor. The Eagles had signed linebacker L.J. Fort, but if they cut Fort, the Steelers would then lose the third-round pick they were projected to gain in the 2020 draft as part of losing Le'Veon Bell. (It's a complicated formula.)

Well, in the meantime, the Eagles already have cut Fort. The Steelers can free up a compensatory pick by cutting wide receiver Donte Moncrief, whose role in the Pittsburgh offense has vanished after early-season drops. Moncrief was inactive for Sunday's loss to the Ravens, and his release before the November deadline seems inevitable. The Eagles could still very well deal a late-round pick to their in-state brethren for Burns, but I think there's a more logical deal with a team going nowhere ...

The trade: Miami Dolphins send QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and a 2020 seventh-round pick to the Steelers for Burns and a 2020 sixth-round pick

The Steelers are down to undrafted free agent Devlin Hodges at quarterback after Ben Roethlisberger went on injured reserve and Mason Rudolph suffered a concussion during Sunday's loss to the Ravens. Rudolph will likely be back soon, but the Steelers already traded their first-round pick to the Dolphins to acquire Minkah Fitzpatrick. They're expecting to compete this season and have little to gain from a losing season.

Acquiring the veteran quarterback Fitzpatrick wouldn't give the Steelers an immediate fill-in, but he could either serve as a short-term replacement for Rudolph while he recovers or a veteran backup for the second-year quarterback if he gets injured again. It would be nice to come away with a quarterback who already knows the Pittsburgh scheme, but at this point, beggars can't be choosers, and there's not much left on the market.

The draft pick-hungry Dolphins get a minor swap of draft picks. They also take a flier on Burns. While they are deeper at cornerback than they are at any other position, using the rest of the season to evaluate a guy who once looked like he would be a starting-caliber corner seems like a good use of $675,000.

Kenyan Drake, RB, Miami Dolphins

Speaking of the Dolphins, there are still a few trade candidates left on their roster. The likes of Fitzpatrick and wide receiver DeVante Parker could still be on the move, but there's clear logic in moving on from Drake, who is a free agent after the season. The 25-year-old's numbers have fallen off this season, which isn't a surprise given Miami's dismal offensive line. Any team acquiring the running back would owe about $1.4 million over the remainder of the season, and while the Dolphins wouldn't get much for him, they could lock in a draft pick without having to worry about sitting out free agency as part of the compensatory pick formula this offseason.

The trade: Green Bay Packers send a 2020 sixth-round pick to the Dolphins for Drake and a 2020 seventh-round pick

If you saw Aaron Jones destroy the Cowboys on Sunday, you might argue that the last thing the Packers need right now is a running back. Jones was impressive in an every-down role, but the Packers have repeatedly said that they prefer to use a rotation at running back to keep Jones fresh. The only reason Jones played nearly 70% of the snaps Sunday was because backup running back Jamaal Williams was out with a concussion, and the Packers don't yet trust sixth-round pick Dexter Williams for game day.

With Jamaal Williams' status unclear, swapping late-round picks for Drake would give the Packers a versatile veteran behind Jones. The Packers also could come away with a compensatory pick for Drake after the season. While they have been active in free agency under Brian Gutekunst, the lofty raises coming to edge rushers Preston Smith and Za'Darius Smith next year suggest that the team will be less active on the market in 2020. Drake could turn out to be a profitable rental for Green Bay.

Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Another running back who could possibly make a quick return to the market, Gordon's future with the Chargers remains in question. His holdout turned out to be a waste of time, as the Chargers didn't give in to his demands, while Austin Ekeler impressed as the primary back in Gordon's absence. In his 2019 debut Sunday, Gordon carried the ball 12 times for 31 yards and turned six targets into seven receiving yards in a 20-13 loss to the Broncos. The loss dropped the Chargers to 2-3 in advance of a home game against the Steelers on Sunday.

The former first-round pick has just under $3.3 million left in prorated salary on his deal. I don't think the Chargers are desperate to move on from Gordon -- they could wait out this final year and then either franchise him or pick up a compensatory pick in the 2021 draft -- but if he struggles and the Chargers lose to the Steelers and Titans in advance of the Oct. 29 trade deadline, would L.A. consider moving on from Gordon and going with Ekeler as its starter?

The trade: Buffalo Bills send a 2020 third-round pick and RB T.J. Yeldon to the Chargers for Gordon and a 2020 fifth-round pick

After beating the Titans on Sunday, the 4-1 Bills have an 74.3% shot of making it to the playoffs, per ESPN's Football Power Index. FPI had the Bills at only 18% before the season, so the hot start has them in a different place and with different expectations than where they were before 2019 began.

Getting Gordon would give the Bills another valuable option for Josh Allen, who rebounded from a dismal performance against the Patriots in Week 4 with arguably his best game of the year against the Titans in Week 5. Allen's struggles against the Pats pointed out just how much Buffalo will need its running game and receivers to make an impact with the ball in their hands against top-level competition.

Buffalo has Frank Gore and rookie Devin Singletary in the backfield, but Gore is 36 and Singletary has missed the past three games with a hamstring injury. Can the Bills get by with that duo into January? Maybe. Gore and Singletary could still have viable roles in the offense even after adding Gordon, though, and the Bills could either choose to re-sign the Chargers standout or go after a compensatory pick during the offseason.

A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Arguably the most notable player who could get traded this season, Green has yet to play this season after undergoing ankle surgery in July. The 31-year-old is also in the final season of the four-year, $60 million extension he signed with the Bengals in 2015, and while draft classmate Julio Jones came to terms with the Falcons on a new deal last month, Green hasn't done the same with the Bengals. With Cincinnati 0-5 and possibly prepared to rebuild with a new quarterback if it moves on from Andy Dalton, it might make sense to trade Green if the price is right.

Naturally, the easy joke is to just assume the Patriots will end up with Green. He is very talented, and the Patriots need a wideout. Typically, the Pats get their way. The easy logic led to the Patriots signing Antonio Brown, though that lasted for only two weeks. I think there's a more logical fit for Green than New England, however ...

The trade: San Francisco 49ers trade a 2020 first-round pick and a 2021 second-round pick to the Bengals for Green and a 2020 second-round pick

The plan has always been for Kyle Shanahan to have a dominant wide receiver in San Francisco. For the majority of his career as a coordinator, he was able to funnel targets to his "X" receiver. In Houston, it was Andre Johnson. After two years in Washington, Shanahan and his father signed Pierre Garcon. Josh Gordon was supposed to be that guy in Cleveland, then Jones was the prototypical wideout for Shanahan in Atlanta. Shanahan signed Garcon to join him in San Francisco, but injuries limited him to just 16 games over two seasons with the 49ers before the team declined his option in February.

While the 49ers are 3-0, they don't have much of an identity at wide receiver. No wideout has played more than 62% of the snaps for the 49ers this season, and Shanahan has given each of the five wide receivers on his roster meaningful playing time. There's nothing inherently wrong about that plan, but it's not how the offensive guru has approached his receiving corps in years past.

With the 49ers' playoff chances spiking from 30.8% before the season to 71.2% percent in advance of Monday night's game against the Browns, trading for Green in the hopes he can make an impact during the second half of the season makes a lot more sense. Trading for a focal point in Green would give the 49ers two top-tier pass-catchers (along with George Kittle) and allow players such as Dante Pettis and Marquise Goodwin to move into complementary roles, where they might be more productive. The 49ers have been one of the most run-happy teams in the league; adding Green would make Jimmy Garoppolo's life easier, too.

A first-round pick for Green, even given his advancing age and the need for a new deal, would give the 49ers one of the few pieces they lack. I'm throwing in the swap of second-round picks, mostly so the 49ers don't have to go without first- and second-round picks in 2020 after trading the latter for Dee Ford. It's also an upgrade for the Niners, as the Bengals are likely to finish with one of the juiciest second-round picks given their 0-5 start and the range of possibilities for the 49ers during the 2020 season. Cincinnati would get another first-round pick, which it could use to help move up for its new quarterback or to find that passer another weapon.

Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Denver Broncos

One of the most impressive comebacks of the year belongs to Sanders, who tore his Achilles in December and seemed unlikely to be ready for the start of the 2019 season. Instead, he came back during preseason and hasn't missed a beat. Despite playing in what might charitably be described as a conservative offense under Joe Flacco, the 32-year-old Sanders has 24 catches for 307 yards and two touchdowns this season. Sanders has been limited in practices with a quad injury, but he certainly looks healthy enough to finish the final year of his current deal.

He has a little more than $7.2 million in prorated salary left in 2019, which reduces his trade value and makes it more likely that he wouldn't be dealt until the final days before the deadline. If a team waited until after Week 8 to trade for Sanders, though, it would owe only $5.4 million. I can think of one team that needs help at receiver and once expressed interest in Sanders ...

The trade: New England Patriots trade a 2020 sixth-round pick to the Broncos for Sanders

Sanders' versatility and ability to move around the formation appeals to the Patriots, who once signed Sanders to an offer sheet as a restricted free agent during his time with the Steelers. It's unclear how much cap space the Patriots have given the Antonio Brown grievance, but they might need the Broncos to restructure Sanders' deal to absorb some of the remaining base salary, which would influence the quality of the picks heading back to Denver.

The Patriots will get back rookie first-round pick N'Keal Harry at midseason, but with Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon and Phillip Dorsett all banged up, adding Sanders would make a lot of sense for Tom Brady & Co.

Trent Williams, OT, Washington

After Gordon returned from his holdout, the last veteran refusing to report is Williams. Washington's star left tackle has shown no signs of softening his stance and returning to the team, and it's difficult to see what would coax the seven-time Pro Bowler back onto the field with the team 0-5. Reports have alternately suggested that he wants a new contract and/or that he is frustrated with the team's medical staff.

Washington could choose to toll Williams's contract if he doesn't return to the team, which would leave him where he is now, with two years and just under $22 million remaining on his current deal. They've reportedly rebuffed trade offers for him, which is understandable given that they don't have a long-term replacement at left tackle and would likely see trading their former first-round pick as rewarding him for bad behavior.

If Washington does trade Williams, though, there are plenty of teams who should be interested. One obvious candidate?

The trade: Cleveland Browns trade a 2020 first-round pick to Washington for Williams

The Patriots would also seemingly be interested in Williams, but it's difficult to make the pieces come together. They're already committed to the injured Isaiah Wynn at left tackle, who should be back in November, and the Pats don't have the cap flexibility to clear out room for Williams unless they simultaneously trade for Williams and give him a new extension immediately. (I don't think Washington would be willing to eat money as part of a deal.)

One team that still does have cap space, though, is Cleveland. The Browns are getting by with Greg Robinson at left tackle, but he has already been ejected once and has 45 yards in penalties through four games. With Cleveland in prime position to win an injury-riddled AFC North, its biggest weakness remains along the offensive line. Trading for Williams would suddenly give Baker Mayfield a plus offensive tackle who should remain a standout for several years to come.

Billy Price, C, Cincinnati Bengals

I'll sneak one more offensive lineman in here. Price hasn't lived up to expectations since the Bengals took him with the 21st pick of the 2018 draft. Expected to step in as the starting center, Price struggled during his rookie season and then failed to win a competition for the job in August, losing out to Trey Hopkins. Price has seen action instead at left guard behind Michael Jordan, but he didn't play a single offensive snap against the Cardinals on Sunday and has played just 29.3% of Cincinnati's offensive snaps all season.

The trade: Kansas City Chiefs trade a 2021 fifth-round pick to the Bengals for Price

If anyone is fond of taking on talented reclamation projects along the offensive line, it's the Chiefs and offensive line coach Andy Heck. Kansas City made a similar trade in 2017 for Cam Erving, a first-round pick at center who failed to impress in Cleveland across multiple offensive line spots. He has impressed enough with the Chiefs to earn a contract extension, though he's stretched in his current role as the team's left tackle in place of the injured Eric Fisher.

The Chiefs lost starting guard Andrew Wylie during their loss to the Colts on Sunday night, and while it's unclear whether the injury is serious, any significant absence would tax an already-thin line. It would hardly be shocking to see the Chiefs pursue someone like Price to serve as a utility lineman on the interior while eventually hoping to groom the Ohio State product into a starter.

Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Let's finish with a big name and make something ridiculous. It was a wild week for Diggs, who missed practice in midweek with what was said at the time to be an illness. The Vikings fined him for missing practice, which should tell you what they think about the illness. He was active for Sunday's win over the Giants and suggested afterward that he wanted to stay in Minnesota, though he did follow that comment with a wink.

The chances that the Vikings trade Diggs, at least during the regular season, are slim. He's a valuable player on a team that expects to contend for a Super Bowl. Minnesota has little help at wideout behind him, so if they traded the Maryland product, they would be down to Adam Thielen and the likes of Laquon Treadwell, Olabisi Johnson and Davion Davis starting across from him. No Vikings fan wants to see more Treadwell. Minnesota would play more 12 personnel without Diggs, but it would realistically need to get a wide receiver back as part of the deal.

I don't think a Diggs trade is realistic, so let's go all the way in the other direction and make a three-way swap:

The trade: Oakland Raiders get Diggs from the Vikings and a 2020 sixth-round pick from Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings get DeVante Parker from the Dolphins and the lesser of 2020 first-round picks from the Raiders
Miami Dolphins get 2020 fourth-round picks from both the Vikings and Dolphins

Let's start with the Vikings. Trading Diggs frees up $6 million or so in cap room, which gives them enough space to absorb the first year of Parker's two-year deal. While Parker has been frustrating in years past and probably won't ever have the breakout some were projecting for him in Miami, he has unquestioned physical talent and is the sort of wideout who can make teams pay vertically for pushing a safety into the box when the Vikings use play-action. He also has no guaranteed money left on his deal after this season.

I can't imagine the Vikings taking anything less than a first-round pick as part of the deal. The Raiders have both their own first-rounder and the first-round pick they'll receive from the Bears as part of the Khalil Mack trade. The Raiders could hold onto the better of those two picks as part of this deal, though they'll swap their fourth-round pick with a sixth-rounder from the Dolphins to help pay the freight for getting Parker to Minnesota. The Dolphins, in pick accrual mode, should be pleased with their return for a wideout who likely doesn't figure into their long-term plans.

Would the Raiders trade significant draft capital for a disgruntled wideout who is skipping practice months after the Antonio Brown fiasco? At the very least, star tackle Trent Brown seems to think so.

It's too simplistic to compare Brown and Diggs; for one, Brown's behavior in the building in Oakland doesn't appear to be similar to what Diggs has done in Minnesota or even how Brown acted in Pittsburgh. When the Raiders acquired Brown, they were trading for a 31-year-old who signed a new contract upon arrival. Diggs is 25 and just over a year into a five-year extension. I can't fault the Raiders for trading for Brown, but it was a risk that obviously failed to pan out.

Taking one risk doesn't mean you should never take a risk again, especially on a player with Diggs' upside. The Raiders need help at wide receiver, especially given that Tyrell Williams and J.J. Nelson were both unable to play against the Bears in London. With the Raiders winning and the Chiefs and Chargers both losing, Oakland now has a 23.6% shot of making the playoffs this season. I don't know if I'd sell out my future to try to make it to the postseason one last time in the Bay Area, but Diggs is a player who can theoretically help now and help after the move to Las Vegas, too.

There's probably not a realistic chance of the Vikings trading Diggs in midseason. Then again, I didn't think that Brown or Odell Beckham Jr. were going to get traded this offseason, and both those deals happened in the same month. We are blessed to live in strange NFL times.

The NBA league office has informed teams that they are not permitted to scout practices involving projected 2020 top-10 draft picks LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton this season, a source told ESPN.

Representatives from NBA teams were expected to attend five New Zealand Breakers practices in Memphis and Oklahoma City this week as part of the National Basketball League team's trip to the United States for preseason games against the Grizzlies and Thunder. Teams were informed Sunday afternoon that NBA scouts are not allowed to be present to watch Hampton and the Breakers practice, a source said, though the league may discuss further clarification Monday, as no final decision has been made regarding the rest of the season.

A Sunday evening practice was closed to NBA teams that had traveled to Memphis with the intent of scouting Hampton in practice.

Ball plays for the Illawarra Hawks in the NBL, the top pro league in Australia and New Zealand. Ball and Hampton both are from the U.S.

Seventy NBA representatives have RSVP'd to attend the pro day for projected No. 1 pick James Wiseman and the Memphis Tigers on Monday afternoon, according to the team's Twitter account. The expectation around the league is that most, if not all, of those scouts will continue on to the Grizzlies' practice facility immediately after to attend Breakers practice, if permitted.

The ban stems from an interpretation of the NBA's no-contact rules, which prohibit teams from having contact with draft-ineligible players outside of a handful of approved settings, such as official games (including the Breakers' matchups this week against OKC and Memphis), select college practices and international practices involving only international players. Ball and Hampton are currently considered draft-ineligible since they have not yet officially declared for the 2020 draft through the league office.

Hampton and Ball also are not considered international players under current NBA rules, as they did not maintain a permanent residence outside of the U.S. for at least the three years prior to the draft. Therefore, practices for teams like the Breakers and Hawks that have a mixture of draft-ineligible players and players who have already been through the draft process are currently off limits to NBA scouts, based on the league office's current rule interpretation. However, 27 NBA scouts were in attendance at the NBL Blitz in Hobart, Tasmania, in September, and many of them were present at practices for both Hampton and Ball. That may result in a fine, according to the letter of the rule, depending on the NBA's final interpretation.

The NBA's no-contact rules were last updated in June 2017, and Ball and Hampton appear to be caught in a gray area. The rules might need updating or reinterpretation now that alternative paths to the NBA draft are becoming more popular with players such as Ball, Hampton, Mitchell Robinson and Anfernee Simons, who all decided to forgo the NCAA one-and-done route. The most recent 20-page no-contact memo features the word "college" 57 times and references international players 12 times, but situations like Ball and Hampton's in the NBL are not specifically addressed. The memo does have an exception for contact with players in the NBA G League.

In the past, if NBA teams wanted to scout practices featuring American prospects playing internationally -- such as Brandon Jennings, Emmanuel Mudiay, Terrance Ferguson and Brian Bowen -- they would simply travel overseas and attend without consulting the league office. Since the Breakers' tour of the U.S. presented all 30 teams with the unique opportunity to evaluate Hampton in an NBA arena, this matter was put under the spotlight and brought to the league's attention in a more visible way.

Hampton, Ball and NBA teams wishing to scout their practices have a case to argue that the two are already draft-eligible for 2020. When the NBA releases the early-entry list for prospects who have elected to make themselves eligible for the draft, Ball's and Hampton's names will be included, whether or not they send a letter to the league office prior to the early-entry deadline. That is because they signed professional basketball contracts with teams in leagues other than the NBA prior to Jan. 1, 2020, making them "also eligible" for selection in the 2020 draft, according to league rules.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The hand was raised for the first question on OKC's first media day without Russell Westbrook.

At the podium on Sept. 30 was Chris Paul, and as the microphone landed in a reporter's hand and he began to identify himself, Paul interrupted.

"Berry Tramel," Paul said with a smile. "What's going on? You didn't have to say your name. Long time no see."

Tramel, The Oklahoman columnist and long-standing presumed adversary of Westbrook who was routinely on the other end of the "next question" shtick, replied sharply: "You're going to get a bad reputation treating me like that."

It wasn't an audible gasp from the assembled media, but the narrative of the moment was overflowing as reporters hammered away at their keyboards making note.

If you were looking for a sign that this season was going to be something different for the Oklahoma City Thunder, here it was.

Paul flashed the charm in full during his session, detailing expectations for the season, sharing how excited he was in a fresh start, while also playing up the nostalgia element.

"It's different being back," said Paul, who played his first two seasons in Oklahoma City when the then-New Orleans Hornets temporarily relocated because of Hurricane Katrina. "I had the opportunity to start my career here in 2005, so [I am] blessed and fortunate to be back."

Paul shouted out an arena employee he remembered. He plugged Charleston's, a long-standing OKC restaurant chain he used to eat at "every day pregame," and he remembered practices at nearby Southern Nazarene University.

As he exited the podium, Steven Adams entered, and Paul gave him a fist bump. Paul and Adams already have a connection building, with Paul frequently expressing how excited he is to play with the Big Kiwi, but there is still an obvious getting-to-know-you period going on.

"You've gotta teach me that," Paul said to Adams as they crossed on the steps, mimicking a squat.

"What, the Haka?" Adams said, referencing the ceremonial dance in Maori culture.

"Yeah, that," Paul said.

Chapter 2 for the Thunder was officially underway. And for the first time, no original members remain from the team that relocated from Seattle 11 years ago.

One franchise pillar's absence more noticeable than all the rest.

OKC'S LOCKER ROOM was always a few degrees warmer than the rest of the building -- that was the way Westbrook liked it. Newer teammates would sometimes remark how hot it was, but the general response was always the same.

If you've got a problem with it, take it up with Russ.

The thermostat has since returned to normal levels, and there have been other tangible differences to these Thunder that are easy to identify: Sam Presti has a beard, Billy Donovan has a new haircut. New assistant coaches, and a lot of new players.

But as they move on from Paul George and from Westbrook, a player intrinsically connected to the fabric of the franchise, it's the abstract differences that are felt most. Media day lacked the traditional buzz, with fewer stations and fewer reporters. Gone were questions about championship expectations or pressure to contend.

Inside the locker room, Westbrook's spot is now shared by training camp invitees and will likely be empty on opening night. Once upon a time, James Harden was at the locker to the right of Westbrook's, and Kevin Durant to the right of Harden's. Harden was traded, Durant left, and for the past few years, the lockers next to Westbrook's stayed empty.

He'd use the chair placed in front of Harden's as a footstool before every game, sitting alone with earbuds in, shooting side-eyes to anyone new who entered the room.

"Someone was there, and now they're not," Adams said of Westbrook's departure. "As morbid as this may sound, [it is] similar to someone passing away. But not like that. But you get the gist.

"You carry on, because life goes on, but little things come up, like a parking spot."

Adams said he now parks in Westbrook's traditional spot sometimes. A year ago, that would've been akin to walking into a lion's den and pulling on its tail.

The Thunder have orbited in Westbrook's universe the past few years, and his gravity was felt in every room of every building he occupied. For some, it was exhausting to deal with on a day-in, day-out basis. Every decision, every policy, whether minor or major, flowed through Westbrook.

Small things were debated and decided, meticulously planned and plotted. Routine was religion.

"We're still the Thunder, at the end of the day. The team name didn't change just because he left."

Thunder SG Terrance Ferguson

The Thunder rode that wave with Westbrook to the bitter end, loyally defending his flaws and quirks, and often taking criticism for it.

But with Westbrook vacating his spot in the locker room, and in the parking lot, there is a vacuum in leadership and personality around the team. Paul will organically fill some of it, Adams has already picked up the culture torch and the gaggle of young players will add an energetic dynamic.

Still, there are gaps to fill, and no one really knows what this team's identity will look like.

"Russell obviously had an unbelievable career here, and I think that's been well-documented," Presti said. "And now there's opportunity for us to chart a new path."

THE BALL BOUNCED twice and hung on the side of the rim for just a moment. Paul and Danilo Gallinari camped underneath the basket, waiting.

It was mid-third quarter of the annual Blue/White scrimmage -- held at the Thunder's original practice facility, in Edmond, Oklahoma, on Sunday -- and as the ball finally spilled over the side of the basket, Paul pulled his arms back and the 6-foot-8 Gallinari snagged the rebound.

An unremarkable signal of point guard deference known and observed by almost every short player in league -- let your big guys get their boards, and let them hand you the ball. That, notoriously, was not the way Westbrook approached rebounding in OKC. His mindset is one of basketball capitalism: If you want it, go get it.

Adams was often caught in the middle of the Westbrook stat-padding debate, with the triple-double truthers claiming Westbrook "stole" rebounds from him. Adams never felt that way about it, always taking the team-rebounding approach and never caring about a single tally mark next to his name in the stat sheet. As long as someone got it and they could stop playing defense, he was all good.

Last season, per Second Spectrum data, Adams ranked third in the league in total boxouts (713) and eighth in defensive boxouts (491), but 58th in defensive rebounds per game (Stephen Curry averaged more). Westbrook had 46 total boxouts last season yet pulled in 47 more total rebounds than Adams. Some of it was by design (it helped the Thunder play faster), some of it was just the nature in which Westbrook plays, some of it probably had at least a little something to do with round numbers and historical significance.

"The aim was to just get the ball down as fast as possible, right? So one of the things that was good with Russ is he could just go get the ball," Adams said.

"He'd just go get it, and then we'd start right away. We'd just sprint."

In the intrasquad scrimmage, Adams twice ripped down a defensive rebound and quickly brought it up the floor himself to initiate the offense, Draymond Green-style. He launched two full-court touchdown outlets off defensive boards to leaking teammates.

In 19 minutes, Adams grabbed 21 rebounds.

"Now it's just a bit more traditional sort of joint: You rebound, try to find the closest guy to outlet," Adams said. "As opposed to Russ, bro, as soon as [teammates] see he had it, they're gone."

There have been a couple of times, Adams admitted, he's had to remind himself in practices to actually, you know, get the rebound.

"It's like my guy is over here, and I'm boxing him out so far, and the ball just hits the ground," Adams said. "Which, for a coach, is not a bad thing.

"But for practicality, obviously, someone needs to go get the f---ing ball."

AS THE DOORS swung open to the first day of practice last Tuesday, Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander competed in a free throw contest at the basket that used to be reserved for Westbrook to shoot -- alone, always alone -- after practices.

It all feels different, because it is. Westbrook's absence is impossible to ignore.

Few players generate the kind of influence and magnetism he does. He set standards, he helped establish culture and identity. He was the constant, the reliable cornerstone. He oversaw a decade of success in OKC that featured the second-best overall record in the league and 107 playoff games. An MVP award, historic achievements, city- and state-wide impacts ranging far wider than basketball. The Thunder and Westbrook's brand were synonymous.

But personality is different than identity, and the Thunder's runs deeper than any one player. Westbrook was no doubt the most iconic, but he didn't take with him the values that had been established.

"We're still the Thunder, at the end of the day," Terrance Ferguson said. "The team name didn't change just because he left."

The Thunder are transitioning now, though, and there's some curiosity about how fans will react to lean years as they reposition the roster. More players will leave, more players will arrive and the turbine will continue to spin.

"You're just here to help," Adams said. "And if you can place your brick, whatever you want to call it ... then that's a privilege, you know. That's just cool.

"So even if they did trade me, it's obviously just a huge honor. And I know with every player that's here, it's been a huge honor to contribute to the history that Oklahoma is making."

Presti hasn't been shy about laying out the upcoming plan. There's a rebuild on the horizon, but it hasn't arrived yet. You can't rebuild a house you haven't yet torn down.

The Thunder have fought off a rebuild for years and are one of only a couple teams that haven't fully deconstructed in the past 10 years. And while that day is coming, they expect to have a quality team in 2019-20.

"Teams are organisms. Teams are always changing," Presti said. "You can bring back the same exact people. But the team will be different, and teams change day to day, and the reason why is because they're made of humans, right?

"So everyone is different, and I think our team will adapt accordingly."

Paul is the new de facto face of the team, and a natural leader who already has group texts going and has spent time trying to connect with his new teammates and coaches. While there's an uncertainty around everyone on the roster -- especially Paul -- there's also an investment in the season. Paul has plenty to prove, and the Thunder couldn't be clearer that they have no intention to tank.

"The one thing this organization does really well is you keep consistent with the values," Adams said. "Doesn't really matter who the players are, you've just got to uphold -- we still represent Oklahoma, the people here. We still have a duty to the people that we have to fulfill."

The expectations have changed. The style of play will be drastically altered. The vibe, the details, the routines, the fashion choices -- they, too, will all be different.

There's yet another future Hall of Fame guard wearing a Thunder uniform. There's Adams, there's Gallinari, there's Dennis Schroder, there's a collection of interesting young players.

There isn't, though, a Russell Westbrook.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- On the face of it, a pitching matchup between Charlie Morton and Zack Greinke is more than tune-in-worthy. Both are outstanding pitchers, among the best in baseball. This season, Greinke tied for fourth in the majors with 18 wins; Morton won 16. Greinke was ninth in ERA (2.93); Morton was 11th (3.04). Greinke ranked sixth in innings pitched (208 2/3); Morton was ninth in strikeouts (240).

That, in itself, is enough reason to watch Morton's Tampa Bay Rays take the field for Game 3 of their American League Division Series against Greinke and the mighty Houston Astros. Houston won the first two games of the MLB postseason matchup, both at Minute Maid Park, largely due to the dominance of starters Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole. With the Rays trying to keep their season alive, starting pitching has become the dominant theme of the series. This, too, is a good reason to watch Morton and Greinke go toe-to-toe.

Of course, you will have to take our word on all this. "It's nice," Greinke said during his pre-start news conference on Sunday, when asked his thoughts on the series thus far. The entire affair was a 43-word classic by Greinke that was belligerently dull, even by his standards. Oh well.

That old-school starting pitching narrative is fairly ironic as it applies to the Rays, a tech-savvy franchise with an organizational approach so innovative -- even disruptive -- that if the chronically under-supported franchise ever decides to relocate, maybe it should consider moving to Silicon Valley. But the narrative is a rich one, not just because of the respective statuses of Morton and Greinke, but because of a treasure trove of subplots that will be trotted out Monday.

Let's start with Greinke, one of three active 200-game winners in baseball, whom the Astros acquired at the trade deadline in a blockbuster deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Houston already had arguably the AL's best roster, but it did seem as though a midrotation starter would bolster the Astros' outlook. Well, when you've got Verlander and Cole heading up the rotation, the bar for a third starter can be held pretty high. Thus it falls to Greinke to follow the big footprints left before him by Houston's co-aces in Games 1 and 2. And he'll do so with a very different style, or so we think.

"I'm not sure about that," Greinke said. "I haven't thought about it too much."

OK, then.

How big were those aforementioned footprints? Verlander held Tampa Bay to one hit over seven scoreless innings on Friday, striking out eight and walking three, a pitching line that translated to a game score of 80. Cole one-upped the guy known to his teammates as -- ironically -- "JV" by striking out 15 in Game 2, falling just two shy of Bob Gibson's postseason record. The Rays went scoreless against Cole, too, as he went 7⅔ innings, allowing four hits and one walk. His game score was 85. During each of the previous two years, there were only two game scores of 80 or better during the entire postseason -- the Astros have matched that by themselves in two games.

For all his regular-season excellence, Greinke's postseason record is spotty. He's 3-4 with a 4.03 ERA over 11 playoff starts, with a game score log that tops out at 78. In other words, Greinke has never done in the postseason what he just watched teammates Verlander and Cole do during the first two games against Tampa Bay.

Greinke has been outstanding since joining the Astros, though he's had plenty of support. He's 8-1 over 10 starts with a 3.02 ERA. The Astros have averaged 6.9 runs per game with Greinke on the mound, which doesn't hurt. And as much attention as Houston's starters have drawn the last few days, it almost overshadows an Astros offense that has scored more runs than any team except the Yankees over the last three seasons.

That means Greinke may have a buffer that Morton doesn't. The Rays may almost be looking forward to facing Greinke after watching two games of blistering heat from Verlander and Cole, but they've also got to tamp down an offense that has scored nearly seven runs per game with Greinke starting. And if the Astros get their offense churning, they'll be doing it against a pitcher they know a heck of a lot better than the recently acquired Greinke.

"For me, there's really no mystery with the Astros," Morton said. "It's just kind of they are who they are to me. I mean, I know those guys pretty well, on and off the field. I'm well aware of the challenges that they present. And I know what they're made of."

Morton went 29-10 with a 3.36 ERA for the Astros during the 2017 and 2018 seasons before departing for the Rays last winter for a two-year, $30 million free-agent deal (plus a vesting option for a third season), a contract that has been a bargain during his first season with the Rays. Morton's innings total (194 2/3) might look modest by traditional standards, but he threw 53 more frames than any other member of Tampa Bay's staff. The Rays have talent, depth and a preponderance of stuff, but they also battled a landslide of pitching injuries all season. It's not a stretch to say that without the modicum of stability Morton provided, the Rays would not be playing the Astros in the playoffs.

"What we've seen the last two games against Houston, they had it on their side with Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "They've kind of been there, done that, both of them. Now we've got a guy that the irony is that he was a part of that group, but he's doing it in a Rays uniform now. So that helps.

"As far as Charlie on the mound, I would say I think it's a similar feeling as to how clubs feel about when Verlander takes the mound or Gerrit Cole takes the mound."

None of this comes as any kind of surprise to the Astros, with whom Morton established himself as a beloved clubhouse leader and pillar of the community. In modern baseball, players change teams. It's the nature of things. And sometimes, those players will end up facing their old team. It happens all the time and it's a reliable subplot for those who cover the sport. But sometimes the "taking on his old team" narrative rings a few extra tones. This is one of those times.

"I love Charlie," Astros manager AJ Hinch said at the series' outset. "And everything that he's about. I routinely text with him to check on him and his family. It's weird, still weird, to see him across the way. It's still weird to see him in a [different] uniform, especially in this building at this time of the year."

Morton's embrace of the city of Houston, and the love it showed him in return, was never more evident than in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in late August of the Astros' championship season of 2017. After the club was temporarily relocated to Tropicana Field for a "home" series against the Texas Rangers, the Astros made an emotional return to Houston the following week, and when they took the field against the New York Mets, they became a symbol for a community determined to move forward in the wake of tragedy.

During that time, Morton was as eloquent as anyone in articulating what everyone was dealing with.

"Having my family here, my wife and my kids, and to see the goodness in people ... you know it's here," Morton said back then. "In times like this, when people are going through some of the worst times they've experienced, the goodness in people really shines. It makes it easier for us on the road and unable to do anything. I'm just really, really proud to be an Astro. I'm so proud to be a small part of the city and the community."

Houston began its recovery, and the Astros refocused themselves on the quest for their first title. And just two months later, they finished that quest -- and it was Morton on the mound at the end, delivering the climactic pitch to Corey Seager at Dodger Stadium. No matter what happens, Morton will always be the pitcher who was on the hill when Houston captured its first World Series.

Now, Morton's task is very different. He must take on a group of former teammates whom he knows so well, both as people and as a dangerous team, and there is no time for nostalgia and remembrance. The Astros have yet another ace lined up to pitch against a hungry Rays offense and all of those potent bats lined up to knock their old teammate off the mound. The scene will once again be the Trop, but instead of the 3,000 or so fans who showed up to watch the displaced Astros and Rangers back in 2017, a rare full house is expected to be on hand Monday. Same place, completely different vibe and a tremendous opportunity for the Tampa Bay franchise.

"Trying to connect this organization, this team, with the fan base here because I feel like there's a certain window you have, a lot of times, to establish that," Morton said. "Especially with younger fans, people that are first-generation Floridians.

"So I think that's something that certainly motivates me a little bit for, you know, being now a local, living in Bradenton. But playoff baseball and success, I mean, there are a myriad of motivations that come with that."

These are the ironies and subplots that make the fabric of postseason baseball so rich. The teams have more narrow-focused goals in mind. The Rays just want to survive to play on Tuesday. The Astros want to end the series right away, so they can line up their staff for what looks like an inevitable clash with the powerful bats of the Yankees, and in doing so, putting off any decision on who might be their fourth starter until the next round.

"We would love to be done and close the series out," Hinch said. "There's no reason for us to want to play any more games other than the ones we have to. If you can escape a series without using, for us in particular, JV and Cole [a second time], that would be outstanding setting up for the next series."

So, yes, it's a good pitching matchup and it's the playoffs, and that's always enough. But Greinke vs. Morton is more than that, for both pitchers, and if you like your baseball with a few extra layers of rich subtext, don't miss Game 3 on Monday.

"Everybody has a better day when they cross paths with Charlie Morton," Hinch said. "I think everybody in this room would agree. Everybody in our room would agree. Everybody across the way. But I also think we showed pretty well that we can set that [aside], compartmentalize that a little bit and try to beat him."

Results from road race action in the Welsh capital plus the ULTRA LONDON, Loch Ness Marathon and more

Coverage of IAAF World Championships action in Doha can be found here, while an English National Road Relays round-up is here and other recent highlights are below.

Cardiff University / Cardiff Half Marathon, Wales, October 6

Leonard Langat took 73 seconds off the course record to win the Cardiff University / Cardiff Half Marathon on Sunday.

The Kenyan secured success after a sprint finish to pip his compatriot and 2016 champion Shadrack Kimining by a mere two seconds.

Langat won the race in 59:30, while long-time race leader Kimming had a 10-second PB to reward his efforts in second place in 59:32.

“I was feeling comfortable behind Shadrack and I pushed on in the final 500 metres,” said Langat. “I kept the pace up right to the finish because I was feeling so strong.”

The first British athlete home was Mohamud Aadan in 11th place in 64:15. Peter Le’Grice was one place further back in 64:21, a 35-second PB, while Charlie Hulson took the Welsh title, which has been dominated by Dewi Griffiths in recent years, with a PB time of 64:28 – a 51-second improvement on his previous best set in Copenhagen last month.

Hulson, a former English cross-country champion, is preparing for his marathon debut in Valencia in December and was delighted with his run in Cardiff.

“I’m still relatively young for the marathon,” said the 26-year-old, “but I enjoy the longer work and there is no point in waiting around to have a go at it.

“I felt fairly comfortable at the pace at which I was running, but I won’t be going off that quick on my marathon debut. Anything under 2:13.00 I will be happy with and the long term goal is to make the Welsh team for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022.”

There was another dramatic finish in the women’s race as Kenya’s Lucy Cheruiyot and Ethiopia’s Azmera Abreha ran side-by-side down the finishing straight, with Cheruiyot’s compatriot Paskalia Kipkoech not far behind.

In the end, the extra strength of Cheruiyot carried her to victory, although both she and Abreha were given the same time of 68:20. Kipkoech was a further five seconds behind in 68:25.

The first British athlete home in the women’s race was Jenny Spink in seventh in a time of 73:26. Rebecca Hilland came home in 10th in 77:42, while Carys Hughes won the Welsh title in 78:20, stripping 2 min, 49 sec off her previous best time.

In the elite men’s wheelchair race, Danny Sidbury won comfortably despite having to pull over to find some tools to tighten one of his wheels after it threatened to fall off.

Following the event, which featured a record 20,432 starters from a 27,500 entry, organisers announced the sad news of a fatality, with 35-year-old Nicholas Beckley said to have died in hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest.

“Nicholas Beckley, aged 35, died at the University Hospital of Wales, Heath, Cardiff, having collapsed at the finish line after completing the race,” organisers said in a statement. “He suffered a cardiac arrest and received immediate attention in the medical centre located at the finish line.

“Nick, who worked as a Senior Planner at Cardiff Council and was an alumni of Cardiff University, had run the race twice before and was a regular runner and football player.”

Matt Newman, CEO of event organisers Run 4 Wales, said “The thoughts of everyone connected with the race are with Nick’s family and friends at this difficult time. The medical team and emergency services reacted with great speed and professionalism to his collapse on the finish and he received specialist medical care within a minute of finishing.

“We will remain in close contact with the family and will continue to support them in every way we can.”

ULTRA LONDON, October 5

The inaugural edition of the event, which had 500 entries, saw runners take on either a 55km or 27.5km ultra running challenge in the UK capital.

Thomas Kingham (pictured) won the men’s 55km in 4:15:15, with Miki Neant claiming the women’s title in 5:03:09, while the 27.5km winners were Florent Papeil in 2:10:36 and Clémentine Ebel in 2:25:20.

The longer distance saw runners set out from Woolwich and travel through nine of South London’s boroughs, while those taking on the 27.5km course started at the midway point at Crystal Palace before participants finished together in Richmond upon Thames.

On Shrewsbury Half Marathon, October 6

The men’s race saw eventual winner Tom Roberts and runner-up Jack Pickett run together for a large section of the course, but it was Roberts who eventually pulled away to claim victory in a time of 69:54 ahead of Pickett’s 71:56.

Third place was claimed by Callum Welman in 76:16.

The women’s race was dominated throughout by Jackie Skinner, who took the win in a time of 81:27. Second place went to Rachel Sweatt in a time of 82:49 and Elliw Haf crossed the line five minutes later to take third place in a time of 87:48.

Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running, Scotland, October 6

Isaiah Kosgei clocked 2:29:31 to win the men’s marathon and Katie White ran 2:42:04 to break the course record in the women’s race.

The 10km winners were Cameron Strachan in 30:31 and Megan Keith in 34:42.

MBNA Chester Marathon, October 6

Tom Charles won the men’s race in 2:29:29, while Abbey van Dijk claimed the women’s title in a time of 3:01:51.

Bournemouth Marathon Festival, October 5/6

Lloyd Biddell won the men’s marathon in 2:25:48 ahead of Phil Wylie (2:33:26) and Steven Yates (2:41:06) while the women’s race was won by Gill Bland in 2:59:41 ahead of Jen Granger (3:00:30) and Juliet Champion (3:02:57).

James Hoad (69:45) and Sophie Delderfield (81:17) won the half-marathon races.

Mattoni Liberec Nature Run, Czech Republic, October 5

The second running of the Mattoni Liberec Nature Run 12 & 23km was dominated in cold and rainy conditions by Vít Pavlišta in the 23km race (1:26:16), while Marcela Rambová (1:47:57) was the women’s race winner.

The 12km distance was won by Robert Heczko (43:31) and Tereza Hrochová (48:11), who managed to improve the women’s event record by five minutes.