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Derbyshire 372 for 4 (Godleman 102, Hudson-Prentice 99, Reece 96, du Plooy 50) v Middlesex

Middlesex's decision to forego the toss and bowl might have looked the logical route to follow given the colour of the pitch here. Instead, it exposed their bowlers to a day of mostly unrewarding toil on a slow surface that offered them little apart from the slightly unreal experience of watching Billy Godleman, once a Middlesex player, compile a 115-ball hundred.

By his own confession, Godleman's default approach in red-ball cricket, for the most part, in a career that had him tipped to play at the highest level in his formative years at Lord's, has been based on survival first.

This is the Godleman who went back to Lord's in only his second match as a Derbyshire player in 2013, opened the batting on day one against his former employers and took 244 balls to reach fifty, the slowest in the history of the County Championship, allowing himself the liberty of just one boundary. He is not quite so conservative these days, yet still hardly a dasher.

So it must have been quite an eye-opener for the likes of Steven Finn and Dawid Malan as Godleman took it upon himself to throw caution to the wind and attack the new ball in a way that had seasoned followers of the Derbyshire captain scratching their heads to recall anything quite like it.

Wielding the bat in a way that suggested he had woken convinced that the day would be his, even the fact that his first boundary almost took out his stumps off an inside edge and the second flew over the slips did not alter his mood. At one point, to general consternation, he went down the pitch to Toby Roland-Jones and belted the ball over long-off for six.

This time he reached his half-century in 35 deliveries, which a check through his career record confirmed was unprecedented, as everyone watching suspected.

He should have then been out almost immediately, dropped at backward point by Steve Eskinazi without adding to the 51 he had scored up to that moment. It was the leg-spinner Nathan Sowter's first over and the chance could not have been more straightforward.

Now Godleman became a little more watchful. His next 12 runs took him seven balls longer to acquire than his first 51. Luis Reece began to catch him up, reaching his own half-century from 92 deliveries. Curiously, given that he had batted with a much more conservative approach than his partner, he should have been out twice, dropped by Max Holden at midwicket without scoring off Roland-Jones and again at slip by Sam Robson on 33, in the unlucky Sowter's second over.

They reached lunch on 113 without loss. The Middlesex bowlers may have bemoaned their luck but they had also offered too many relatively easy run hits, either by bowling too short or too wide.

Godleman pushed on again in the second session, completing what was also the fastest hundred of his first-class career when he cut Sowter to the third-man boundary for his 16th four, raising his arms above his head in celebration and shouting something as he looked towards the heavens. Again, he offered a chance immediately after passing the milestone. This time it was taken, at slip, as Sowter's luck improved as he found some turn and bounce to find the edge.

Reece, joined by the splendidly-named Fynn Hudson-Prentice, who will never be troubled to remember his Championship debut for Derbyshire, was by now scoring runs with increasing confidence and a hundred seemed to be his for the taking too. It was no wonder, then, that he threw his head back in disbelief as he was dismissed on 96, wondering what had possessed him to meet a seemingly innocuous ball from seamer George Scott straight to Roland-Jones at mid-on.

Yet if Reece could consider himself unlucky, it was nothing compared with the agony that would befall Hudson-Prentice, whose maiden Championship innings for the county was just one run from turning into a dream start.

A 23-year-old all-rounder who was released by Sussex, his home county, at the end of the 2016 season, Hudson-Prentice has been given the chance to resurrect his county career after spending last season and the start of this one on the MCC Young Cricketers' programme at Lord's, where his progress will have been noted by Steve Kirby, the former MCC head coach who is now Derbyshire's assistant coach.

He made a good enough impression there to earn some Second XI cricket with Derbyshire this early summer, two hundreds in May convincing the county to offer him a contract until the end of 2021.

So far, it looks a good decision. Well organised at the crease, he took on a high-quality attack with confidence and no little skill, numbering some crisp drives among his 13 fours and lofting Sowter for a towering six. Middlesex took the new ball and Tom Helm had him edging to second slip only to be called for over-stepping. It seemed destined to be a perfect day.

Yet, on 99 and facing the same bowler, an attempt to pull away a short ball went just wrong enough for the ball to travel upwards rather than flat. He looked on from the crease, willing Middlesex's bad day in the field to continue, before dropping his head in stricken resignation as square-leg Finn clasped the ball safely to his chest. Helm struck again in the same over, dismissing Alex Hughes with the best delivery of the day to claw back something for Middlesex.

NBA free agency is almost here.

Teams and players will be allowed to begin negotiations Sunday at 6 p.m. ET. The first two days of free agency in 2018 included Paul George and LeBron James making major decisions -- what will Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and others do this year?

Stay up to date with the latest deals and rumblings.

More: Trade tracker | Rating every move

June 30 updates

4:47 p.m. ET: Once free agency opens at 6 p.m. ET, Brook Lopez is planning to sign a four-year, $52 million deal to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.


4:40 p.m. ET: Free agent guard Garrett Temple is expected to sign a two-year, $10 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets, a source told ESPN's The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears. The deal includes a team option for the second year.


3:31 p.m. ET: Kevin Durant will announce his free-agent decision Sunday night via The Boardroom Instagram account, a source tells ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.


3:25 p.m. ET: The Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard have agreed to a four-year, $196 million super maximum contract extension, sources confirmed to ESPN's Brian Windhorst. Lillard, 28, has two years and around $61 million left on his current deal.


3:12 p.m. ET: ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports the Boston Celtics are in exploratory talks with the Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets on a three-team sign-and-trade involving Kyrie Irving (Nets), Kemba Walker (Celtics) and Terry Rozier (Hornets).


2:05 p.m. ET: Jonas Valanciunas is expected to commit to a three-year, $45 million contract to return to the Memphis Grizzlies, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The 27-year-old center declined a $17.6 million player option on his 2019-20 contract, clearing the way to become an unrestricted free agent and negotiate a new, longer-term deal.


12:37 p.m. ET: EuroLeague forward/center Nicolo Melli has finalized a two-year free-agent deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Melli, 28, was the EuroLeague Finals' top scorer for Fenerbahce in Turkey last season.


11:46 a.m. ET: The Dallas Mavericks expect to agree to a three-year, $33 million contract extension with center Dwight Powell in the opening stages of free agency Sunday evening, sources confirmed to Tim MacMahon. Powell recently exercised his $10.3 million player option for next season with the plan to work out an extension to stay in Dallas long term.

June 29 updates

7:29 p.m. ET: Free-agent center Enes Kanter is drawing interest from a number of teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers and Sacramento Kings, league sources tell ESPN's Royce Young. Kanter started last season with the New York Knicks before landing with the Portland Trail Blazers after a midseason buyout. Kanter served as a starter in the postseason following Jusuf Nurkic's season-ending injury.

6:03 p.m. ET: The Brooklyn Nets are expected to renounce All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell and allow him to become an unrestricted free agent, or explore sign-and-trade scenarios with Russell and his reps once Kyrie Irving signs with the team, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski. Russell and the Los Angeles Lakers are interested in a reunion, and the team has reached out to his agents to set up a meeting.

6:01 p.m. ET: Free agent Derrick Rose will meet with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, with both sides motivated to find a pathway to a two-year contract, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.

6 p.m. ET: Free agent Jimmy Butler is expected to meet with the Miami Heat on Sunday and the Houston Rockets early next week, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski. The Philadelphia 76ers haven't ruled out working with Butler on sign-and-trades, which Miami and Houston need to acquire the All-Star guard.

6 p.m. ET: Free agent Kyrie Irving is meeting with the Brooklyn Nets in New York on Sunday and both sides are motivated to move quickly toward reaching a 4-year, $141M deal, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.

5:16 p.m. ET: The Cleveland Cavaliers have come to an agreement with JR Smith to push back the guarantee date of his contract from June 30 until July 15 to allow the team more time to trade him, sources tell Brian Windhorst.

5:01 p.m. ET: Charlotte has declined to exercise the qualifying offer on Frank Kaminsky, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski. There's significant interest in Kaminsky in the marketplace.


4:43 p.m. ET: Charlotte has been scouring the free-agent point guard market, considering such options as Elfrid Payton, T.J. McConnell, Ish Smith and Emmanuel Mudiay, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.


4:38 p.m. ET: Kemba Walker plans to be in Boston on Sunday to finalize a formal agreement with the Celtics, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski. As reported this week, the Celtics and Walker both intend for the All-Star guard to commit to a four-year, $141 million maximum contract once free agency opens. Walker is traveling to New England to meet with Celtics officials at 6 p.m. ET.


4:33 p.m. ET: Free agent Nikola Mirotic plans to return to Europe after five seasons in the NBA and sign with EuroLeague team Barcelona, according to multiple reports.


3:52 p.m. ET: Boston is declining to extend a qualifying offer to guard Brad Wanamaker, who becomes an unrestricted free agent, a league source tells Adrian Wojnarowski. The Celtics could still revisit Wanamaker in free agency.


3:17 p.m. ET: Boston has extended a qualifying offer to center Daniel Theis, making him a restricted free agent, a league source tells Adrian Wojnarowski.


2:44 p.m. ET: Another quality big on the market: Houston center Nene is declining his $3.8M option and will become a free agent, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.


1:37 p.m. ET: The Nuggets are extending a qualifying offer to forward Trey Lyles, who'll become a restricted free agent, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.


1 p.m. ET: The Milwaukee Bucks plan to waive veteran guard George Hill, who was part of the team's "Bench Mob" during its run to the Eastern Conference finals this season, a source confirmed to ESPN. Hill joined the Bucks in December when the Cleveland Cavaliers dealt him in a three-team trade. He averaged 6.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 47 regular-season games for Milwaukee.


12:50 p.m. ET: Denver is picking up the option on Paul Millsap's $30 million contract, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski, who added that Denver will bring back Millsap for the final season of his three-year contract at $30.3 million, will have available their $9.2 million midlevel exception AND still stay under the luxury tax. Denver is loaded to compete for the Western Conference title.


11:50 a.m. ET: Free-agent stars Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard have been discussing scenarios that could include a future with them playing together, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski. For now, there are two clear possibilities for the two All-NBA forwards to sign with the same franchise: the LA Clippers and New York Knicks.


11:16 a.m. ET: The Golden State Warriors and Shaun Livingston have agreed to move back the guarantee date on his $7.7 million contract to July 10, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski. There had been a June 30 date for the Warriors to guarantee his full deal for 2019-20 -- or waive him with a $2 million payout. Moving back the date gives the Warriors some flexibility in decision-making as free agency unfolds for them.

June 28 updates

11:11 p.m. ET: Point guard Darren Collison, set to be a free agent this offseason, decided to announce his retirement in an announcement to Marc J. Spears of ESPN's The Undefeated. Collison spent ten seasons in the NBA out of UCLA, including the 2018-19 season with the Indiana Pacers. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Collison was set to secure an annual salary of $10-12 million; instead, the Inland Empire native will focus on faith and family.


9:25 p.m. ET: Kevin Durant will speak to the Brooklyn Nets, LA Clippers, New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors at the start of free agency, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Durant is recovering in New York from surgery to repair a torn left Achilles' tendon, and he plans to communicate with teams from there. The two-time Finals MVP may extend his decision making process into the next week.


7:17 p.m. ET: Zach Lowe bounces around the free-agency questions big and small as we wait on Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the other massive dominoes. One topic is if Boston signs Kemba Walker, Malcolm Brogdon loses a suitor. The Bucks are bracing for a monster Brogdon offer sheet. They have a walkaway number somewhere, sources say.


5:48 p.m. ET: Kawhi Leonard will speak to the Los Angeles Lakers in the next few days and has made a personal request that only owner Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson, the team's former president of basketball operations, be involved in the meeting, sources told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. Johnson told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne on Friday that he will help the Lakers in free agency in any way he can, but he said NBA rules do not permit him to be part of official team meetings with prospective free agents.


3:07 p.m. ET: The Golden State Warriors are planning to offer All-Star guard Klay Thompson a five-year, $190 million maximum contract when free agency opens Sunday at 6 p.m. ET -- which is expected to accelerate the process of general manager Bob Myers and Thompson's agent, Greg Lawrence, quickly reaching a formal agreement, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.


7:19 a.m. ET: Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst examine where the Warriors are as they embark on a summer with their dynasty on a knife's edge. Much of it centers on a huge volume of money. By the time free agency opens Sunday at 6 p.m. ET, the Warriors will have offered both Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant full five-year maximum contracts. Even with the reality that Durant might miss all of next season recovering from a torn Achilles and Thompson might miss the bulk of it coming back from an ACL tear, this remains the Warriors' first choice.

June 27 updates

3:16 p.m. ET: Free agent Kawhi Leonard is expected to allow the Toronto Raptors to make the final presentation among the teams meeting with him in Los Angeles next week, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.


2:18 p.m. ET: The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Moritz Wagner, Isaac Bonga and Jemerrio Jones to the Wizards as part of the Anthony Davis deal with New Orleans, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe. As part of the deal to unload those contracts and salary, Davis plans to waive his $4 million trade bonus, which will push the Lakers cap space to $32M for the start of free agency. The Lakers will send a future second-round pick to the Wizards with the three players, and Washington will send cash to New Orleans, league sources said. The deal will become official on July 6.


11:49 a.m. ET: The Boston Celtics have emerged as the front-runners to sign Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker in free agency, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

June 26 updates

5:45 p.m. ET: The New Orleans Pelicans have declined to tender the qualifying offer to Cheick Diallo, making him an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.


5:07 p.m. ET: Toronto Raptors center Marc Gasol is exercising his $25.6 million player option for next season, returning to the defending NBA champions, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.


3:58 p.m. ET: The Houston Rockets are canvassing NBA teams with significant salary cap space to individually offer center Clint Capela, guard Eric Gordon and forward P.J. Tucker as a prelude to its pursuit of a sign-and-trade deal for Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Jimmy Butler, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe.


11:40 a.m. ET: Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant has declined his $31.5 million player option and will become an unrestricted free agent, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Durant and business manager Rich Kleiman are in New York, evaluating free-agency options.

June 25 updates

10:47 p.m. ET: Are both L.A. teams players in the Kawhi sweepstakes? Adrian Wojnarowski details how the race for Kawhi Leonard still remains between the Toronto Raptors and LA Clippers, but Kawhi's camp is still keeping an eye on how much money the Los Angeles Lakers can free up this summer.


10:38 p.m. ET: Could Golden State risk losing Klay this summer? Adrian Wojnarowski explains that if the Golden State Warriors don't offer the max to Klay Thompson, he could be open to meeting with teams, including the LA Clippers.


6:08 p.m. ET: Once free agency starts on Sunday, the Houston Rockets are planning to recruit Jimmy Butler to push the Philadelphia 76ers for a sign-and-trade deal that would allow the All-Star forward to join James Harden and Chris Paul, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Rockets don't have the salary cap space to sign Butler, so they'd need the threat of the Sixers losing him for nothing to a team with the available room to motivate the Sixers into a trade.

June 24 updates

5:51 p.m. ET: Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers demurred when asked if he was optimistic heading into formal conversations with injuerd stars Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson this week regarding their respective futures with the team. Durant has a player option for next season that he has been expected to opt out of all year. Thompson will be an unrestricted free agent.


4:11 p.m. ET: The Portland Trail Blazers have traded Evan Turner to the Atlanta Hawks for Kent Bazemore, a league source tells ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Turner, a former No. 2 overall pick of the Philadelphia 76ers, spent the past three seasons with the Blazers. Bazemore has been with Atlanta for the past five seasons, making him the longest tenured current Hawk prior to the trade.


3:51 p.m. ET: Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Monday morning that he's excited about his team being unexpected players in free agency: "I like the fact that we have different opportunities. We have some flexibility, but I don't really know what is realistic yet. That's what we'll spend the rest of this week trying to figure out. What even do we have a chance to do, and where should be our priorities? But I'm excited about the opportunity."

June 21 updates

12:24 p.m. ET: Phoenix Suns guard Tyler Johnson has exercised his $19.25 million player option for the 2019-20 season, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.


10:10 a.m. ET: Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside has exercised the $27.1 million player option on his contract for 2019-20, league source tells ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

June 20 update

4:51 p.m. ET: The New Orleans Pelicans have picked up the 2019-20 team option on Jahlil Okafor, ESPN's Malika Andrews reports. Okafor -- who was drafted third by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2015 and spent time playing with the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets -- signed with the Pelicans during the summer of 2018.

June 19 updates

10:58 p.m. ET: The Milwaukee Bucks are trading guard Tony Snell and the 30th pick in Thursday's draft to the Detroit Pistons for forward Jon Leuer, a league source told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Pistons now have the 15th and 30th picks in the draft. Milwaukee saves $4 million in salary this year, and remove Snell's $12 million salary hit in 2020-21.


3:22 p.m. ET: Milwaukee Bucks All-Star forward Khris Middleton is declining his $13 million player option and will become an unrestricted free agent, his agent, Mike Lindeman of Excel Sports, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Middleton and the Bucks are planning to work together toward a new long-term deal, league sources said.


12:44 p.m. ET: The Memphis Grizzlies have traded guard Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz for Grayson Allen, Kyle Korver and Jae Crowder, the 23rd pick in Thursday's draft and a future first-round pick, league sources told ESPN. The Jazz will send a protected 2020 first-round pick to the Grizzlies, league sources told ESPN. That pick will convey as a late lottery pick in 2020 or 2021, or become a lightly protected pick from 2022 to '24. The deal will be complete on July 6.

June 18 updates

11:35 p.m. ET: The Los Angeles Lakers are scrambling to reshape the parameters of the Anthony Davis trade with New Orleans and create the capacity for $32 million-plus in salary-cap space when the free-agent moratorium ends on July 6, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Lakers were engaging additional teams on Tuesday to take on the contracts of three of the remaining four players on the team's roster -- Mo Wagner, Isaac Bonga and Jemerrio Jones -- league sources said. Kyle Kuzma and LeBron James are the only other two Lakers remaining on the team's end-of-season roster.


7:51 p.m. ET: All-Star center Al Horford is prepared to enter free agency to find a three- or four-year deal outside of Boston, after the gulf between the two sides became too great for them to close on a new deal, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Horford declined to exercise his $30.1 million option for the 2019-20 season earlier today.


3:38 p.m. ET: The New York Knicks have declined a recent trade offer that would have sent the No. 3 overall draft pick to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the eighth and 10th picks, a source told ESPN's Jonathan Givony. The Hawks have been aggressively exploring trade scenarios in which they would package the Nos. 8 and 10 picks to move up in Thursday's NBA draft, the source told Givony.


3:25 p.m. ET: All-Star center Al Horford of the Boston Celtics will decline to exercise his $30.1 million option for the 2019-20 season and become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. While Horford, a five-time All-Star, will move into the free-agent marketplace on June 30, there's motivation for both Horford and the Celtics to work toward an agreement on a new long-term contract, league sources tell ESPN.


3:24 p.m. ET: Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes is declining his $25.1 million player option and becoming an unrestricted free agent, his agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports, tells ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Barnes and the Kings remain open to exploring a long-term deal after a successful partnership in the final few months of the 2018-19 season, league sources said.

June 17 update

4:49 p.m. ET: Brooklyn Nets forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will become an unrestricted free agent after Brooklyn declined to make him a qualifying offer, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Nets now have $46 million available in cap space heading into their decision on retaining restricted free agent D'Angelo Russell.

June 15 updates

6:27 p.m. ET: The New Orleans Pelicans agreed to trade power forward Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for point guard Lonzo Ball, small forward Brandon Ingram, small forward Josh Hart, and four first round picks, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The fourth overall pick in the 2019 draft is included in the trade, along with a 2021 protected pick (top-eight goes to New Orleans) that becomes unprotected in 2022, a 2023 pick swap, and an unprotected 2024 pick that can be deferred to 2025, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Ramona Shelburne. This trade ends a saga that saw Davis fined $50,000 on January 29 for a public trade demand.

June 13 updates

7:45 p.m. ET: Goran Dragic has told the Miami Heat he is exercising his $19.2 million option for next season, according to The Athletic. Dragic was limited to 36 games for the Heat last season, averaging 13.7 points and 4.8 assists


4:47 p.m. ET: Memphis Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas is declining the $17.6 million player option on his 2019-20 contract, clearing the way to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Valanciunas' primary intention will be to negotiate a new longer-term deal with the Grizzlies, league sources said.


June 12 updates

10:49 p.m. ET: Boston Celtics star Kyrie Irving is changing representation and is expected to partner with Roc Nation Sports, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Irving parted ways with longtime agent Jeff Wechsler on Wednesday, clearing the way for him to ultimately work with Jay-Z's Roc Nation prior to the start of NBA free agency on June 30, sources said.

Irving, a six-time All-Star, will become an unrestricted free agent, and league sources say he remains intensely interested in the Brooklyn Nets. The New York Knicks are expected to remain competitive for Irving, too, sources tell ESPN.


4:05 p.m. ET: Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant posted Wednesday on Instagram that he did rupture his Achilles and has undergone surgery to repair the injury suffered in the Warriors' series-extending Game 5 win. He was expected to be among the marquee free agents this summer but might now end up exercising his $31.5 million option to stay with the Warriors, especially if he's going to be sidelined for an extended period.


3:55 p.m. ET: The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are each engaged in trade talks with the New Orleans Pelicans on All-NBA star Anthony Davis, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Zach Lowe, Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst on Wednesday. The Lakers' No. 4 pick has been discussed as a trade chip to help the Pelicans acquire a high-level player in multi-team deals.

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Woj: Kemba ready to join Celtics once free agency starts

Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Kemba Walker and the Celtics will have a deal for four years and over $140 million.

June 11 updates

10:47 p.m. ET: The Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks are teams that may look to lure Kemba Walker if the All-Star guard chooses not to return to the Charlotte Hornets this summer, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Walker, 29, is eligible for a supermax extension after making one of the league's three All-NBA teams last month.


11:53 a.m. ET: The Memphis Grizzlies are hiring Milwaukee Bucks assistant Taylor Jenkins as the franchise's next head coach, league sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Jenkins is third NBA head coach to come directly off of Mike Budenholzer's coaching staff, joining Utah's Quin Snyder and Brooklyn's Kenny Atkinson. Jenkins will be the Grizzlies' fourth head coach in the last five years. Memphis has missed the playoffs each of the past two seasons and went 33-49 this past season.

June 6 update

4:29 p.m. ET: The Brooklyn Nets agreed to trade shooting guard Allen Crabbe, their 2019 first-round pick (17th overall) and a protected 2020 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for small forward Taurean Prince and a 2021 second round pick, according to a report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The trade allows for Brooklyn to clear two max-salary spots in free agency and possibly pursue Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving in July.

May 29 update

11:55 a.m. ET: According to a report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Houston Rockets have let it be known that the entire roster and future draft picks are on the table. Players such as point guard Chris Paul and Clint Capela are realistic trade targets despite both signing new contracts with Houston last summer.

May 27 update

4:32 p.m. ET: The Milwaukee Bucks were the top playoffs seed in the Eastern Conference in 2019, but they were eliminated in the conference finals by the Toronto Raptors. The team has several free agents, including starters small forward Khris Middleton, center Brook Lopez and shooting guard Malcolm Brogdon (restricted). All-NBA first team power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo made it clear he wants Milwaukee to retain "everyone" for next season, according to a report by ESPN's Malika Andrews.

May 23 update

2:24 p.m. ET: The NBA announced the All-NBA teams, allowing players such as Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker and Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard to secure the supermax bag. According to a report by ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Lillard is expected to accept Portland's extension offer, while there is no clear leaning toward what 2019 free agent Walker will decide.

Sources: Valanciunas expected to return to Grizz

Published in Basketball
Sunday, 30 June 2019 11:54

Once free agency opens at 6 p.m. ET, center Jonas Valanciunas is expected to commit to a three-year, $45 million contract to return to the Memphis Grizzlies, league sources told ESPN.

Valanciunas declined a $17.6 million player option on his 2019-20 contract, clearing the way to become an unrestricted free agent and negotiate a new, longer term deal.

In the post-Marc Gasol era, Valanciunas arrived in Memphis with the franchise focused on him as a long-term solution at center next to talented forward Jaren Jackson Jr.

Valanciunas, 27, had the most productive stretch of his career with the Grizzlies after getting traded from Toronto in February, averaging 19.9 points and 10.7 rebounds in 19 games.

Valanciunas, who will be starting his eighth NBA season, has averaged 11.8 points and 8.4 rebounds a game in his career.

Blazers, Lillard agree to $196M deal, sources say

Published in Basketball
Sunday, 30 June 2019 13:18

The Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard have agreed to a four-year, $196 million super maximum contract extension, sources confirmed to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

The All-NBA guard will have a player option for $54.3 million in the last year of the extension, sources said.

Lillard, 28, has two years and around $61 million left on his current deal. The extension would keep him in Portland through the 2024-25 season.

The extension was first reported by The Athletic.

After Portland parted ways with LaMarcus Aldridge, who signed with the San Antonio Spurs before the 2015-16 season, Lillard became the face of the franchise.

The Weber State product, drafted No. 6 overall by Portland in the 2012 NBA draft, has helped lead the Blazers to the playoffs six times --most recently to the Western Conference finals, where they were swept by the Golden State Warriors.

In the first round, Lillard hit a series-clinching 3-pointer at the buzzer to eliminate the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games -- the second series-clinching buzzer-beater of his career (2014 vs. Houston).

Lillard is one of just four players to average at least 25 points and 5 assists per game in each of the past four seasons, along with LeBron James, Stephen Curry and James Harden.

His 12,909 career points rank second in Blazers franchise history, trailing only Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler (18,040).

Sources: Bucks plan to re-sign Lopez for $52M

Published in Basketball
Sunday, 30 June 2019 14:43

Once free agency opens at 6 p.m. ET, Brook Lopez is planning to sign a four-year, $52 million deal to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks, league sources tell ESPN.

It's possible no single player changed his future more over the course of the past 12 months than Lopez did by signing with the Bucks.

After the 2015-16 season -- Lopez's eighth in the NBA -- he had gone a combined 3-for-21 from 3-point range. Since then, though, he's shot a staggering 1,224 triples -- including taking almost twice as many 3s (512) than 2s (274) this past season with the Bucks.

And after signing with the Bucks for their biannual exception last year, worth $3.4 million, Lopez became an essential part of Milwaukee's remarkable turnaround this season and its elite units at both ends of the court.

That allowed Lopez, 31, to enter free agency this summer as one of the top free-agent centers on the market, alongside Al Horford and Nikola Vucevic, and putting him back in line for the kind of payday he received on his prior contract -- a three-year, $60 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets in 2015.

In addition to setting career highs in 3-point makes, attempts and percentage (36.5) this past season in Milwaukee, Lopez also averaged 12.5 points and a career-high 2.2 blocks per game.

Information from ESPN's Tim Bontemps was used in this report.

Police: Ortiz shooting was $30K hit gone wrong

Published in Baseball
Sunday, 30 June 2019 14:07

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Police say a suspected drug trafficker offered to pay $30,000 for the shooting that wounded baseball slugger David Ortiz, who was sitting alongside the intended victim.

National Police spokesman Frank Felix Duran Mejia told a news conference on Sunday that the alleged mastermind of the attack had so far paid only $10,000 to people hired to arrange the killing of Sixto David Fernandez, his cousin.

Duran Mejia said Victor Hugo Gomez Vasquez feared Fernandez would tell police of his presence in the Dominican Republic and blamed the cousin for an earlier arrest. Duran Mejia has denied trying to kill either Fernandez or Ortiz, who remains hospitalized in Boston.

Police say they've arrested 14 people in the case and are searching for others.

Hezemans Rebounds In Czech Republic

Published in Racing
Sunday, 30 June 2019 06:30

MOST, Czech Republic – Loris Hezemans rebounded from from a blown engine on Saturday to win Sunday’s NASCAR Whelen Euro Series ELITE 1 event at Most Autodrom.

Starting second on the grid, the son of racing icon Toine Hezemans overtook polesitter Nicolp Rocca in the first corner and went on to lead all 17 laps of the race in his No. 50 Ford Mustang. The Dutchman brought home his first win of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season and also topped the Junior Trophy classification.

“It’s the best way to come back from the disaster we suffered yesterday,” said Hezemans. “We had a tough first part of the season but we were also there at the front of the pack. Sometimes I made mistakes on my own and sometimes we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It feels so good to be back in Victory Lane.”

Stienes Longin expanded his championship lead by securing his sixth second place finish the year. The PK Carsport driver once again impressed for his consistency and also took advantage of the setback his teammate Rocca suffered. While running less than one second behind Hezemans, the Italian went in the gravel on lap 14 and reported damages to slow his PK Carsport Chevrolet. Rocca salvaged an 11th-place finish.

“The good thing about all those second places is that we scored a lot of points,” said Longin. “It’s always good to be on the podium. And it’s a nice feeling to be leading the championship after another solid race weekend here at Most.”

His teammate Rocca explained the situation that cost him a podium finish.

“I made a mistake and picked up a lot of gravel,” Rocca said. “From then on, it was a fight to shove it away through every corner. In the end I was able to finish the race. It was a good weekend and I had a good car. Now we have to come back stronger next time out.”

Before Most, Romain Iannetta’s best season results were two sixth places at Brands Hatch but the Frenchman stepped on the last spot on the podium with a strong performance in his 60th ELITE 1 start. The Racing Engineering driver had an intense battle with Martin Doubek and Lucas Lasserre throughout the entire race.

Coming from eleventh on the grid, Thomas Ferrando ended up fourth and capped with another solid race his best weekend so far in 2019. The Frenchman was also second in the Junior Trophy classification, while ELITE 2 champion Ulysse Delsaux rounded out the top-five and the Junior Trophy podium after gaining five spots during the race.

Henri Tuomaala grabbed his second Challenger Trophy win at Most by ending up 12th ahead of Dario Caso and Mauro Trione, who joined the Finnish race driver on the podium for the silver-categorized drivers racing in the ELITE 1 Division.

Vinales Proves Unstoppable At Assen

Published in Racing
Sunday, 30 June 2019 07:00

ASSEN, Netherlands – Maverick Vinales earned his first MotoGP triumph of the year Sunday at TT Circuit Assen.

Team Suzuki Ecstar teammates Alex Rins and Joan Mir shot into the lead at the start as polesitter Fabio Quartararo struggled to get up to speed. Vinales briefly got around Quartararo, but Vinales got out of shape at the exit of turn one and Quartararo moved back into third a few turns later.

Rins was looking comfortable at the front, but his race ended on lap three in turn nine when he tucked the front of his bike and slid off the track and out of contention. That let his teammate Mir with the race lead for the first time in his MotoGP career.

Mir didn’t keep the lead long as he ran wide in turn 16, giving the lead to polesitter Quartararo. Marc Marquez and Vinales would soon follow, moving into second and third, respectively.

The lead trio stayed locked together, with Vinales looking eager to move to the front. He attempted to pass Marquez on lap 10 in turn one but ran wide, costing him half a second.

On lap 11 Marquez moved into the race lead, slipping by the struggling Quartararo. Vinales, meanwhile, was quickly reeling in the the lead duo from third. With 11 laps left Vinales moved into the lead, dispatching Marquez as Quartararo continued to struggle with his bike.

With nine laps left a mistake by Vinales opened the door for Marquez to take the lead in turn one, but Vinales didn’t stay down and drove back by Marquez to regain the lead.

Vinales then set consecutive fast laps, forcing Marquez to back off as he couldn’t keep the same pace as Vinales could on his Yamaha. That allowed Vinales to claim his first victory since last year’s Australian Grand Prix.

“It feels like I’m dreaming. These have been difficult times for me, because I’ve been out of the three tracks where I thought I had the most potential with the bike,” said Vinales. “My season has been difficult, but I’ve tried to keep the momentum from Catalunya, because I felt really good on the bike. I’m so grateful to the team, because they did a great job this weekend and prepared well for the last laps of the race. I was strong, even one-to-one on the brakes, I knew I could make the overtakes. It was very important to relieve some of the pressure by taking a victory. I think the team will be more relaxed now. Being back on the top step of the podium again feels really good and bringing Yamaha back to its winning ways is the most important to me. We knew we had the potential but hadn’t been able to show it. It’s always a combination between the team’s, the rider’s, and the bike’s efforts. Sachsenring is a track I’m usually fast at, so we’ll try our best.”

Marquez settled for second, while Quartararo finished third. Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso finished 14 seconds back in fourth, followed by Franco Morbidelli in fifth.

Verstappen Stuns With Austrian Comeback

Published in Racing
Sunday, 30 June 2019 09:58

SPIELBERG, Austria – Max Verstappen overcame a poor start to storm back through the field and win Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring.

Starting second in his Honda-powered Red Bull, Verstappen struggled to get going as the lights went out to start the race. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc rocketed away from the pole as Valtteri Bottas settled into second, with Lewis Hamilton going from fifth to third.

Verstappen, meanwhile, faded from second to seventh in the first few corners. He made up several of those positions quickly and he was back in the top-five within a few laps.

At the front it was all Leclerc, who continued to lead through the pit stops. Verstappen, on the other hand, began to make up ground. On lap 50 he dispatched Sebastian Vettel to take third.

Verstappen quickly set his sights on chasing down Bottas in second. Despite a brief scare caused by an exhaust sensor, Verstappen was able to hunt down and pass Bottas entering turn one on lap 56.

That left only Leclerc in front of Verstappen, who began clicking off fast lap after fast lap to close the gap. With nine-lap fresher tires, Verstappen closed the five-second gap to Leclerc in short order.

By lap 68 Verstappen was there and challenged Leclerc for the lead in the third turn. Verstappen briefly had the position, but Leclerc fought back on the outside and regain the lead in the next corner.

One lap later Verstappen tried again in turn three and this time the two made contact, banging wheels as Verstappen raced clear of Leclerc, who was forced into the run-off area in the process.

Verstappen led the final three laps to earn his second-straight Austrian Grand Prix victory, but stewards announced they would be reviewing the pass for the lead. As of 1 p.m. EST no decision has been announced regarding the review.

The victory, should it stand, is the first this season for a team besides Mercedes. It is also the first victory for the Honda marquee in Formula One since Jenson Button won for the brand in 2006.

Bottas finished third to complete the podium. Vettel took fourth, with Lewis Hamilton finishing fifth after an uneventful race for the championship leader.

Lando Norris matched his career-best with a sixth-place effort for McLaren, followed by Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz Jr., Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi.

While one woman takes a step back, many others are seeing a historical breakthrough in the world of golf. Michelle Wie announced she was shutting it down for the year to get healthy, while Muirfield Golf Club takes a big step forward. Here are the top quotes of the week:

“I always felt like I had the talent and ability to play out here, and it was just a matter of getting out here and getting comfortable. It’s not an easy thing to do, by no means, but I took some time and I feel like I’m finally there. Hopefully I can take advantage tomorrow.” -Nate Lashley after taking a commanding 54-hole lead at the Rocket Mortgage Classic

“This marks a milestone in the club’s illustrious history, and we look forward to welcoming all of our new members to share in the great values and traditions of our club. We are proud of our rich history, but equally excited for its future and the part all of our new members will play in the club’s cherished traditions.” -Alistar Campbell, captain of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers on Muirfield Golf Club's admittance of women members for the first time

“I’ve tried it all. I’ve tried taking more weeks off some years, some years I’ve tried taking less weeks off ... Even tried surgery one summer on my neck. ... I don’t know why it is, I really don’t. But I’m more than aware of it.” -Charles Howell III on his drought of contending in the summer

“Being able to hole a putt on 8, it seemed like I’d had this scenario like all year, just haven’t been able to finish it off. It’s just nice to know that I’m able to do it. That was fun to see today, so I’m really excited. Just kind of needed this in my game, just to start playing more. These two-day tournaments are starting to get pretty old.” -Smylie Kaufman on snapping his streak of 21 straight missed cuts

“The front nine was about as big as the hole’s probably ever looked for me. Just everything went together. It’s kind of hard to explain. I mean, a run like that you kind of just go with it.” -Cameron Champ on his front-nine 28 on Friday at the Rocket Mortgage Classic

“I’ve got some work to do, just tighten some things up. I wasn’t prepared as much as I probably should have been this week, but two weeks off, I’ll have plenty of time and I’ll be ready to go at Portrush.” -Gary Woodland after missing the cut in his first start since winning the U.S. Open

“I don’t know if I’ve ever had the autograph requests that I’ve had. It’s hard to say no, especially when somebody’s out there and they’re asking. It would have been hard for me to hear no when I was a kid, so you try to make time and prepare for that, I guess. I don’t know if I blocked in the amount of time to do that yesterday.” -Woodland on the requests he's had since winning the U.S. Open

“After doing everything I could to play this year, I have made the decision to take the rest of the year off from competitive golf. My team and I believe that this will give me the best possible chance to finally get healthy. I can’t thank you all enough for your never ending love and support. Means the world to me.” -Michelle Wie (via Twitter) on taking the rest of the year off after battling a number injuries in 2019

“I went just to check to make sure that my specs were right. For me personally, the best way to do it is if I can find a SAM lab. Club Champions have those, and those have high enough cameras and stuff that you can actually see what’s going on. So you can tell by that rather than machines, since every machine has a different variance. But cameras don’t really lie.” -Patrick Reed on stopping at a Club Champion store to work out his putting struggles

“I can't believe I'm in this position right now. To win a major championship as my first event is crazy.” -Hannah Green after winning the KPMG Women's PGA Championship

“Yeah, 40, I can’t believe it. I feel 100, but yeah, I’m 40.” -Charles Howell III on turning 40 years old

“Honestly, I don’t even remember. … It was Akron? And I won there, awesome. I mean, that was a long time ago. And then Akron, it was before the Olympics so the schedule was all weird. That’s probably why I don’t remember.” -Dustin Johnson on forgetting how much he's won on the PGA Tour

"It means everything. I started from the ground up ... just slowly built my foundation, and here we are." -Chez Reavie on winning the Travelers Championship

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