The Phoenix Mercury are finalizing a trade to acquire five-time All-Star forward Alyssa Thomas from the Connecticut Sun, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

Thomas, who had played her entire career with the Sun, leaves Connecticut as one of the greatest players in franchise history after helping the organization to six consecutive semifinal appearances as well as Finals berths in 2019 and 2022.

Thomas was an unrestricted free agent, but the Sun cored her, meaning the only way she could leave the team was to be traded. Thomas also had to sign off on her ultimate trade destination. Because the transaction involves a sign-and-trade, the move can't be made official until Feb. 1.

The 6-foot-2 Thomas is regarded as one of the best defenders and facilitators in the league, establishing herself as one of the top players in the world as she has finished top-five in MVP voting each of the past three seasons.

Thomas, also a 2024 Olympian with USA Basketball, earned six All-Defensive Team nods in her career and is the league's all-time triple-double leader with 11 in the regular season and four more in the postseason. She averaged 10.6 points, 7.9 assists and 8.4 rebounds last year with the Sun.

Aside from bringing in Thomas, the Mercury were already poised to look different next season. Brittney Griner is exploring free agency for the first time in her career, and Diana Taurasi is considering retiring.

In their first season under Nate Tibbetts, the Mercury were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Lynx.

Connecticut recently hired former Belgium national team coach Rachid Meziane to lead the organization, replacing Stephanie White, who left for the Indiana Fever.

NEW YORK -- The San Antonio Spurs-Los Angeles Lakers game that got postponed earlier this month due to the wildfires in Southern California will now take place on March 17 instead.

The NBA also announced on Tuesday the new date for the Milwaukee Bucks-New Orleans Pelicans matchup from last week that got postponed due to the New Orleans snowstorm. That game will now take place April 6.

Seven other games slated for March or April also were rescheduled Tuesday to accommodate the new dates for the Spurs-Lakers and Bucks-Pelicans matchups.

The Orlando Magic had three games moved. A home date with the Chicago Bulls was switched from March 12 to March 6, a road game with San Antonio was pushed back from March 17 to April 1 and a road game with New Orleans was moved up from April 6 to March 13.

The Bucks had the dates flipped for two March road games with the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers game was pushed back from March 18 to March 20, while the trip to Golden State was moved up from March 20 to March 18.

The Toronto Raptors' road game with Golden State was moved from March 19 to March 20. Milwaukee's home game with New Orleans was switched from April 9 to April 10.

The Golden State Warriors announced they will retire Andre Iguodala's No. 9 jersey on Feb. 23 when they host the Dallas Mavericks.

Iguodala is just the seventh Warriors legend to have his jersey raised to the rafters at Chase Center. Iguodala joins Wilt Chamberlain (No. 16), Chris Mullin (No. 17), Nate Thurmond (No. 42), Alvin Attles (No. 16), Rick Barry (No. 24), and Tom Meschery (No. 14).

Iguodala becomes the first Warrior from the four-championship Golden State dynasty core to be honored with the jersey gesture. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will certainly join Iguodala once they retire.

"Without those guys, I wouldn't be in this position," said Iguodala, who retired in October 2023. "I think they understand how important I was. But obviously Steph, Klay and Draymond, just being so unique in who they are, it's just a powerful formula. It would be really hard to duplicate."

Iguodala helped Golden State win titles in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022. It seems appropriate that Iguodala will have his jersey raised when Thompson returns to face his old team again. Iguodala helped the Warriors' Big Three reach six NBA Finals in his eight seasons with the club, including five straight. The 6-foot-6 swingman won Finals MVP in 2015, averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists in the six-game Finals win. He was inserted into the starting lineup after Golden State trailed 2-1 in the series to Cleveland Cavaliers and the Warriors won three straight games.

He averaged 6.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 26.0 minutes over eight seasons (2013-19, 2021-23).

"Andre will go down as one of the smartest, shrewdest and most unique and successful players ever to wear a Warriors uniform," Joe Lacob, Warriors co-executive chairman and CEO, said in a statement. "We thought all of that could be true when we acquired him in 2013, but the reality -- four titles, six Finals appearances, a Finals MVP -- exceeded even our wildest imaginations.

"He was the perfect player and person at the perfect time for our team, and the sacrifice he made in coming off the bench in 2014 sent a message that he came here to help us do one thing: win. The proof is in the rafters, and his number belongs alongside the banners he helped us raise."

Iguodala is one of only 11 players to win four NBA championships and an NBA Finals MVP, joining Curry, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, John Havlicek and Tony Parker.

Tampa Bay Rays ownership has yet to decide whether it will proceed with the development of a $1.3 billion baseball stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, principal owner Stuart Sternberg said.

The plan to build the stadium in the Historic Gas Plant District to replace outdated Tropicana Field was met with excitement last summer when the team and public officials announced the deal. Despite local government agencies approving the sale of bonds to pay their share, the stadium plans remain up in the air, apparently over delays that likely would cost the Rays millions of dollars.

The team has until March 31 to meet specific conditions to gain public financing, including showing proof that the Rays can meet their minimum $700 million obligation toward the project. The team is responsible for that amount, plus any cost overruns -- and the latter appears to be the sticking point.

The project already is behind schedule, with construction initially set to begin this winter in time for a 2028 opening.

"We'll decide how we want to proceed at that point, well before that point," Sternberg told the Tampa Bay Times on Monday of the upcoming deadline. "We have to make a decision, so we'll have something by then."

If the team doesn't meet the deadline, the public financing portion of the deal could collapse.

These were the first public comments by Sternberg this year. In a letter sent to the Pinellas County board of commissioners last fall, the team said delays meant the 30,000-seat ballpark wouldn't be ready for the start of the 2028 season, and that a 2029 opening would be too costly.

The lack of commitment from Sternberg left at least one public official frustrated.

"Sell the team," Pinellas County commissioner Chris Latvala posted to X on Monday.

This is just the latest stadium problem for the Rays, who averaged 16,515 fans in 81 home games last season -- third worst in Major League Baseball.

Tropicana Field sustained significant damage in October due to Hurricane Milton, rendering the stadium unplayable in 2025. Instead, the Rays will use the New York Yankees' spring training site in Tampa as their home field this season.

The Rays have played at Tropicana Field since 1998, their inaugural season.

PITTSBURGH -- Adam Frazier is heading back to the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to multiple reports.

The club has agreed to terms with the veteran second baseman/outfielder on a one-year deal worth $1.525 million, per the reports. The deal is pending Frazier passing a physical.

Frazier, 33, spent the first five-plus seasons of his career with the Pirates from 2016 to '21. He hit .283 with 39 homers and 204 RBIs in 608 games with Pittsburgh. Frazier made the All-Star Game in 2021 before being traded to the San Diego Padres.

Frazier has bounced around recently, playing for the Seattle Mariners in 2022, Baltimore Orioles in 2023 and Kansas City Royals last season. Frazier hit .202 in 104 games with the Royals in 2024.

The deal gives the Pirates a versatile option who can play a corner outfield spot or second. Pittsburgh could have an immediate opening in right field after opting not to retain Bryan De La Cruz.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

MLB The Show 25 will feature three athletes for the first time, with Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz, Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes gracing the cover as the video game embraces a "dynamic era" of young MLB talent.

The decision to go with younger stars coincides with the video game franchise celebrating its 20th anniversary with its release on March 18.

"Historically, we've chosen a single cover athlete for MLB The Show, someone who is at the pinnacle of the sport," Todd Liss, group manager of MLB The Show's global marketing team, told ESPN. "However, with the unprecedented young talent coming into the league, we wanted to represent the changing current climate of baseball and showcase it on our cover. These three players are changing what's possible in baseball, and we're changing how many players can be on the cover of The Show."

The stars of today and tomorrow:

Elly De la Cruz
Paul Skenes
Gunnar Henderson

Your #MLBTheShow25 Cover Athletes! #ForgeYourJourney and pre-order on February 4th.
Available on March 18.

Learn more at https://t.co/baliy5VGpN pic.twitter.com/5npCRnCTv9

MLB The Show (@MLBTheShow) January 28, 2025

Skenes, the National League Rookie of the Year, is the first full-time pitcher on the global cover of the game.

Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way star, appeared on the cover of MLB The Show 22, and others to get the honor include Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2024), Fernando Tatis Jr. (2021), Bryce Harper (2019) and Aaron Judge (2018).

The Pirates brought Skenes up to the majors last May, and the 22-year-old phenom posted an 11-3 record with a 1.96 ERA. In July, he became the fifth rookie pitcher to start an All-Star Game.

De La Cruz debuted in the majors in June 2023, appearing in 98 games. Last season, he became the youngest player in MLB history to hit 25 home runs and steal 60 bases.

In his first full season in 2023, Henderson hit 28 home runs with 82 RBIs, aiding in Baltimore's first playoff berth since 2016. Last season, Henderson earned All-Star honors for the first time with 37 home runs and 92 RBIs.

"Testament to the guys that have been drafted and gone through the minor leagues to get to this point," Henderson told ESPN about the up-and-coming group. "They don't brag about it, and they just go out there and continue to work hard and try to be the best player that they can [be]. I feel like that's what you want as a fan and that's what we try to go do each night out."

Skenes referred to his fellow cover stars as "so dynamic." He jokingly said Henderson seems like "just a good old country boy from Alabama," and he highlighted De La Cruz's work ethic and ability to make "unbelievable plays all the time."

"Just a guy that you don't really want on the basepaths because he's just gonna wreak a lot of havoc," Skenes said.

All three players agree on the impact that placement on the video game's cover can potentially have on baseball's youth.

"There are a lot of other guys who weren't finalists for Rookie of the Year or MVP or anything like that who are very, very good young players that aren't as well-known as guys like me or Elly or Gunnar," Skenes told ESPN. "But it's just the talent pool is so deep from young guys, and it's cool to kind of see."

De La Cruz said it sends a message to other young talent in the minors to keep working hard to achieve their dreams.

Skenes, who grew up a fan of the Los Angeles Angels, said current young stars are benefiting "a little bit" from past athletes, using Mike Trout as an example of a player that has helped pave the way for younger stars.

"Those guys making a difference in the big leagues and growing the game from a very early point in their career, I think that's kind of [what] put us in this position," Skenes said. "So, I think it's kind of our job to continue that so that the next generation can reap the benefits as well."

Henderson and De La Cruz said they played the video game growing up, and Henderson said he frequently took in the "Diamond Dynasty" mode, where users can collect cards to build their team. De La Cruz said MLB The Show 15, which featured Cuban-born outfielder Yasiel Puig on the cover, and MLB The Show 17, which had Ken Griffey Jr., are his favorites.

Skenes, on the other hand, admitted he didn't play the game consistently.

"I'm not very good at it, to be honest," he quipped.

The deaths of five people, including Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, in a helicopter crash at the King Power Stadium were accidental, according to an inquest jury on Tuesday.

Vichai, the Thai tycoon who pumped millions of pounds into the clubthat famously won the Premier League title in 2015-16, was killed along with four others when his helicopter crashed in the club's car park and exploded after a match on Oct. 27, 2018.

The Leonardo AW169 helicopter had cleared the top of the stadium before starting to spin, and plummeted to the ground before bursting into flames.

The crash also killed pilot Eric Swaffer, his partner Izabela Lechowicz, and Vichai's staff members Nusara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punparev. The inquest lasted two-and-a-half weeks.

Philip Shepherd, the Vichai family's legal representative, said Swaffer was a "highly competent and very experienced pilot who did everything in his power" to control the helicopter when the tail rotor failed shortly after takeoff.

Vichai's family are actively continuing their legal action against Italian defence company Leonardo, the manufacturer of the helicopter.

They are seeking compensation for loss of earnings and other damages, valued at 2.15 billion ($2.67bn) -- the largest fatal accident claim in English legal history.

According to Forbes magazine, Vichai was the fifth-richest person in Thailand at the time of his death with an estimated net worth of $4.9bn.

Leonardo was not immediately available for comment but said this month that it would defend itself against the High Court claim.

It expressed its deepest sympathy for the victims of the crash, saying their deaths were "an unquestionable tragedy".

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) ruled in 2023 that it was not possible for the pilot to recover from the tail rotor failure.

The pilot had managed to land softly enough for four of the five people on board to survive the impact, according to post-mortem examinations, only for them to be killed by fire.

Investigators found that problems with the bearing in the tail rotor of the helicopter began a sequence of failures leading to the crash.

Ever since the buzzer sounded on October's thrilling WNBA Finals, anticipation has been building about what 2025 might have in store. On Sunday, a blockbuster three-team trade started the wheels spinning.

For the first time in WNBA history, a trade involving multiple No. 1 draft picks is sending Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces and Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks. The Seattle Storm received multiple draft picks as well as forward Li Yueru from the Sparks.

It's the first of what is expected to be many moves this offseason.

From Jan. 11-20, teams were allowed to extend reserved, restricted and core qualifying offers to players. Some notable stars -- Plum, the New York Liberty's Breanna Stewart, Indiana Fever's Kelsey Mitchell, Connecticut Sun's Alyssa Thomas, Dallas Wings' Satou Sabally and Seattle Storm's Gabby Williams -- received a core qualifying offer, what is often referred to as "being cored."

Negotiations officially opened last Tuesday, and players can sign contracts starting Feb. 1. With a new CBA featuring massive salary bumps expected to come into effect in 2026, expect to see players sign only one-year deals.

Loyd isn't a free agent but requested a trade from the Storm. And earlier this month Sabally announced she had played her last game for the Wings and is working to find a new home. Because she has been cored, that would have to come via trade.

Other big-name free agents to watch include Sun teammates DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones, who are both unrestricted free agents, as are the Storm's Nneka Ogwumike, Phoenix Mercury's Brittney Griner and the Liberty's Courtney Vandersloot. And questions still surround the future of WNBA legend Diana Taurasi, who indicated toward the end of the 2024 season that it could be her last in the league. There's also uncertainty surrounding the future of Elena Delle Donne, who is technically an unrestricted free agent yet hasn't appeared in the league since 2023.

Keep it here all offseason long for the latest buzz, news and reports surrounding the WNBA. The 2025 season -- the league's 29th -- will tip off May 16.

Trade grades | Top free agents | Predictions | Core designation | Offseason guides

Jan. 26 update

8:21 p.m. ET: In the first trade in league history involving multiple former No. 1 draft picks, the Las Vegas Aces acquired Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd while sending Aces guard Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania, Alexa Philippou, Ramona Shelburne and Kendra Andrews.

In the three-team trade, the Storm are also acquiring the No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft and forward Li Yueru from the Sparks, as well as Las Vegas' 2026 first-round pick, sources told ESPN. Los Angeles receives the 2025 No. 9 pick and a 2026 second-round pick from Seattle. The Aces receive the 2025 No. 13 pick from the Sparks.

The deal will be made official Feb. 1, sources said.

MORE: WNBA trade grades: How Plum-Loyd blockbuster shakes up three teams -- and possibly the Paige Bueckers sweepstakes

Blockbuster WNBA deal: The Seattle Storm are trading six-time All-Star Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces in a multi-team move that sends three-time All-Star Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks, sources tell me, @ramonashelburne, @alexaphilippou, @kendra__andrews. pic.twitter.com/OlRb37RKIA

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 27, 2025

Jan. 20 update

Brittney Griner, who has spent 11 seasons in Phoenix since the Mercury drafted her No. 1 in 2013, is testing the free agent market for the first time in her career, according to The Associated Press. The center is meeting with multiple teams while in Miami competing for Unrivaled, according to Griner's agent.

Jan. 17 update

The Connecticut Sun extended a core qualifying offer to Alyssa Thomas.

Jan. 16 update

The Indiana Fever extended a core qualifying offer to Kelsey Mitchell.

Jan. 14 update

The Seattle Storm designated Gabby Williams as their core player, meaning she will not become an unrestricted free agent, ESPN's Kevin Pelton reported.

Williams joins Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces), Satou Sabally (Dallas Wings) and Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty) as players with the core designation, which allows them to sign the one-year qualifying offer at the WNBA's highest possible salary ($249,244) but prevents them from signing with another team as a free agent.

Jan. 9 update

Unrestricted free agent Satou Sabally will be moving on from the Dallas Wings after spending the first five years of her career there, she told reporters Thursday from Miami.

"I'm working with (the Wings) and finding a next home for me," Sabally said. "I've already played my last game in Dallas."

What is the WNBA's core system?

The WNBA's core player designation is akin to the NFL franchise tag. A team can "core" a player to prevent them from becoming an unrestricted free agent by retaining their exclusive rights.

A core qualifying offer is a guaranteed one-year contract at the supermax, but the team and player can negotiate different terms to a deal. Each team can core only one player, and the 2020 CBA reduced the number of times players can be cored in their career gradually from four to three and, as of 2022, to two, a major change that opened up free agency movement throughout the league.

Six players -- Sabally, Plum, Stewart, Mitchell, Thomas and Williams -- have been cored so far in 2025, the most in one offseason under this current CBA. But that doesn't mean those players will return to the teams that cored them. Sabally has already said she's moving on from Dallas. With the Wings coring her -- which they likely did to ensure they'd get some return for Sabally leaving -- the only way for her to change teams is via trade.

According to tracking via Across the Timeline, the last time multiple players were cored and traded in one offseason was 2020 (Tina Charles and Skylar Diggins-Smith), but expect other big names to join Sabally in departing their franchises this free agency via that mechanism. And that doesn't even include a trade that's suspected to come when Seattle parts with Loyd, as the star requested out in December. -- Alexa Philippou