Tag: ESPN

Tim MacMahon: Suns should call Thunder about a possible Kevin Durant reunion

Tim MacMahon: Suns should call Thunder about a possible Kevin Durant reunion.

After being swept in the first round, the future looks bleak for the old and expensive Phoenix Suns. This could mean drastic offseason changes, such as Kevin Durant’s departure.

The 35-year-old is in the twilight of his career with limited chances left to win another championship. Being swept in the first round despite averaging 26.8 points on 55% shooting will surely not sit well with the future Hall-of-Famer.

This could cause Durant to force the Suns’ hand and trade him away after two failed postseason runs with them. Despite his age, the 14-time All-Star is still one of the best players in the league.

After two years, it looks like a championship will not happen in Phoenix. Durant’s addition to any squad would upgrade them to title contenders. He’d have several suitors attracted to his services.

According to ESPN’s Tim McMahon, a reunion with the Thunder should be on the cards for Durant. The young squad finished with the first seed and has the best young nucleus. A duo of himself and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would arguably be the best in the league.

“I think the best way out for the Suns is certainly not what Mat Ishbia wants to hear and that would be to trade Kevin Durant,” MacMahon said to AZ Central. “There would still be plenty of interest in Kevin Durant. My first phone call probably would be to his original home.

“I don’t know what Oklahoma City’s interest would be, but I could convince myself he would be one hell of a fit there, and it wouldn’t be about the players you’re getting back, but obviously the picks in that case.”

On paper, Durant is a seamless fit with the Thunder. He’s one of the best scorers in the league and his elite efficiency means he will not need to eat up too many possessions from others on the roster.

The tricky part involves off-court factors. Durant’s relationship with the Thunder fan base is pretty complex. When he’s in town, the boos still rain down eight years after he left the Thunder for the Golden State Warriors.

It might be a hard pitch to sell for a significant portion of the fan base. Feelings are still raw for some groups who would rather not let the former MVP enjoy the fruits of OKC’s labor.

The other variable that might make this impossible to materialize is what the Suns would ask in return. They will almost certainly ask for at least one of Jalen Williams or Chet Holmgren plus a treasure trove of draft picks.

At that point, serious reflection will be required from the Thunder — should it shorten its title window in length to bolster its odds in the immediate future? Durant is only under contract for two years at $105.9 million. This puts OKC at risk of a bleak future if he either leaves again.

A Durant trade to the Thunder sounds attractive in a vacuum, but the trade pieces needed, the optics of welcoming him back after his ugly divorce from OKC and the risk of ruining a title window makes it a much more complex situation.

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Florida switches regions in ESPN’s updated too-early bracketology

The Gators are still firmly in play for the NCAA Tournament next March but Joe Lunardi did a little bit of shuffling in his update.

The college basketball regular season is still well off in the distance but that has not stopped ESPN’s Joe Lunardi from issuing his too-early bracketology for next year’s NCAA Tournament. The good news for Florida Gators fans is that their team is firmly in the mix after a successful 2023-24 campaign.

According to Lunardi, the Orange and Blue are projected to earn a No. 6 seed — same as in his last update — but moving over from the South to the West Region, the latter of which is based in San Francisco. That matches Florida up with either the Wisconsin Badgers or NC State Wolfpack in the opening round held in Denver; the Baylor Bears (No. 3) and Weber State Wildcats (No. 14) are in the adjacent bracket.

Looking at the rest of the SEC,  the Alabama Crimson Tide are the No. 2 seed in the Midwest, followed by the Auburn Tigers (No. 3, South), Texas Longhorns (No. 4, East), Tennessee Volunteers (No. 4, West), Texas A&M Aggies (No. 5, South), Kentucky Wildcats (No. 8, Midwest) and Mississippi State Bulldogs (No. 9, East). The Missouri Tigers are the first team out while the Vanderbilt Commodores are among the next four out.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

ESPN analyst Louis Riddick: ‘Chiefs secondary got younger and better’

ESPN analyst Louis Riddick took to Twitter to express his confidence in the #Chiefs’ new-look secondary.

The Kansas City Chiefs secondary was one of the NFL’s best last season, and despite the team’s decision to trade star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed in March, one analyst seems to think that the reigning Super Bowl champions made their defensive backfield even better in the 2024 NFL draft.

ESPN’s Louis Riddick took to Twitter on Friday to tell his followers that he believes the unit has improved over the course of the offseason while getting younger in the process.

Though he didn’t go into depth about this take, Riddick, a former NFL safety, is more than qualified to assess how teams construct their rosters.

The Chiefs’ selections of defensive backs Jaden Hicks and Kamal Hadden in the 2024 NFL draft are sure to have moved the needle for Riddick, especially given that Kansas City managed to pick them in the fourth and sixth rounds.

While there is always room for a roster to improve, Riddick’s confidence in the Chiefs’ secondary should inspire confidence in Kansas City’s fans.

ESPN’s Malinda Adams says Patrick Beverley apologized for his disrespectful postgame behavior: ‘Grace always wins’

The ESPN producer spoke out after Patrick Beverley’s awful behavior toward her.

After Patrick Beverley’s disgusting behavior toward ESPN producer Malinda Adams, in which he refused to speak with her because she didn’t subscribe to his podcast, at least we know the Milwaukee Bucks guard apologized.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Adams had this to say on Friday: “I want to thank everyone for their kind words and support. I am humbled. Patrick Beverley just called me and apologized. I appreciate it and accept it. The Bucks also reached out to apologize. I’ve been in news for over 40 years and kindness and grace always win.”

Well said. That came as current and former colleagues posted their support for her as well:

ESPN’s Darlington on J.J. McCarthy: ‘He will be ready for Week 1’

The Minnesota QB competition this summer will be interesting.

It was an exciting Thursday evening when the Minnesota Vikings traded up one spot to select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, No. 10 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Vikings were looking for their next franchise signal caller, and the Minnesota brass was sold that McCarthy is the guy who will take the Vikings to the next level.

The main question heading into the summer is when McCarthy will be ready to play for the Vikings. Minnesota signed veteran and former No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold to a contract. The popular belief—at the moment—is that Darnold will get the nod to start the season, but McCarthy will get his shot around midway.

But if you listen to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, he believes McCarthy will be ready to go immediately. Appearing on ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ with Mike Greenberg, Darlington expressed the opinion that he thinks McCarthy will be ready to go in Week 1.

“Absolutely,” Darlington said on if McCarthy could start Week 1. “Let me tell you why. It isn’t just about his ability, it’s about the fact that this is a guy that’s going into a situation with Kevin O’Connell — I talked to O’Connell and he has a very specific plan in place for J.J. McCarthy. He’s going to be surrounded my coaches who are completely invested in making sure he gets the proper development. They do have Sam Darnold available if McCarthy isn’t ready. I just think the expedited process of his development is going to be such that he will be ready for Week 1.”

It remains to be unseen what will happen with the Vikings starting QB job this fall, but regardless if it’s Darnold or McCarhty — Minnesota has plenty of weapons at their disposal.

ESPN approves of Bills drafting OL Sedrick Van Pran-Granger

ESPN approves of #Bills drafting OL Sedrick Van Pran-Granger:

The Buffalo Bills addressed their offensive line at the 2024 NFL draft with Sedrick Van Pran-Granger.

Van Pran was a fifth-round selection of the Bills. The Georgia product comes to Buffalo following the departure of center Mitch Morse.

Prior to the draft, Morse was released in a salary cap move. It’s expected that Connor McGovern will start at center for the Bills in 2024, but ESPN does see potential in Van Pran potentially getting a real chance to be the one to do that because of his experience.

On ESPN’s list of the 100-best fits following the 2024 NFL draft, Van Pran and the Bills clocked in at No. 55 overall.

The breakdown on Van Pran can be found below:

55. Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, C, Buffalo Bills (Pick 5-141)
My final overall ranking: No. 140

The Bills lost longtime center Mitch Morse in free agency and will give Van Pran-Granger every opportunity to take his place. He’s a powerful, easy-moving center with a boatload of SEC experience (44 starts).

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ESPN ranks Bills-Keon Coleman among 100 best fits after 2024 NFL draft

ESPN ranks #Bills-Keon Coleman among 100 best fits after 2024 NFL draft:

The Buffalo Bills got a seal of approval for their selection of Keon Coleman at the 2024 NFL draft.

ESPN ranked the 100-best fits among every single player drafted at the event. The Bills and Coleman match landed at the No. 31 overall spot.

While some had questioned the Bills’ decision to trade out of the first round entirely, it received praise from ESPN. In the end, Buffalo ended up landing Coleman with the top pick in the second round.

The breakdown of the pick can be found below:

31. Keon Coleman, WR, Buffalo Bills (Pick 2-33)
My final overall ranking: No. 38

One of the most obvious picks in every mock draft was the Bills selecting a wide receiver. Coleman was a solid value at No. 33 (after two trade-backs) with seven receivers off the board in the first round, and with his size and post-up ability, he’s exactly what Buffalo and quarterback Josh Allen wanted. Coleman’s ability to win on 50-50 balls and create yards after the catch will help the Bills replace Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.

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ESPN ranks the Vikings’ top two 2024 NFL Draft selections

The Vikings got themselves a couple of great prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Some people believe the Minnesota Vikings had one of the better 2024 NFL Drafts. The Vikings did what they needed to do to not only fulfill needs but build for the future. Minnesota traded up one spot to draft Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy and then traded up to No. 17 to select Alabama Edge rusher Dallas Turner — who was projected by many as a top 10 pick.

The Vikings wouldn’t have another pick until round four, so after ESPN’s Matt Miller came out with his top 100 picks of the ’24 NFL Draft, there were only two players listed for the Vikings. While there were plenty of late-round picks in Miller’s top 100 — the Vikings didn’t do enough in rounds four-through-seven that stood out to Miller.

Miller noted when making his list of the best 100 selections, he thought about value, scheme fit, needs addressed, and what assets were gained or lost from trades made to get the prospects.

Coming in at No. 9 was Minnesota’s second selection of Alabama Edge rusher, Turner.

9. Dallas Turner, EDGE, Minnesota Vikings (Pick 1-17)

My final overall ranking: No. 7
I didn’t love the value of the trade to go get Turner, which is the only reason this pick isn’t even higher on this list. Focusing more on the player and the team fit, he’ll have an opportunity to be a big-time impact right out of the gate opposite Jonathan Greenard. Turner had 10 sacks last season and has great speed getting after the passer.
The Vikings traded away picks No. 23 and No. 167, plus a third and fourth-round pick in the 2025 Draft to get up to No. 17 to grab Turner. With Danielle Hunter in Houston, the Vikings felt like it was time to get a young Edge prospect who has a ton of talent. Turner has the ability to carve out a huge role in Minnesota when the season begins.
Minnesota’s first selection of J.J. McCarthy comes in at No. 19 for Miller.

19. J.J. McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings (Pick 1-10)

My final overall ranking: No. 19
When looking at the value of this pick, yes, the Vikings slightly reached. But when adding the context that they didn’t panic and trade up into the top five picks for McCarthy, this grades out much better. McCarthy is pro-ready coming out of Jim Harbaugh’s system and enters an offense with a ready-made infrastructure for a young passer. The offense has great skill players, a talented offensive line and a savvy playcaller. The scheme fit is ideal.
Heading into the first night of the draft, McCarthy’s name was skyrocketing toward a top-six selection. There were talks that Washington or the New York Giants wanted to take McCarthy and if the Vikings wanted the Michigan QB — they would have to make a big trade to land him. Instead, Minnesota was able to stay right where it was at No. 11 and let McCarthy come toward the Vikings. Minnesota traded up one spot to No. 10 to get its future of the franchise. Whether McCarthy starts right away or sits behind Sam Darnold is to be determined, but the value of getting McCarthy at No. 10 appears to be great.

ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky loves Keon Coleman to the Bills (video)

ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky loves Keon Coleman to the #Bills (video):

ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky was on board with the Buffalo Bills’ decision to select Keon Coleman at the 2024 NFL draft.

The Bills used a second-round selection, their first of the event, on the receiver. It was the team’s biggest need heading into the draft, but aside from that, Orlovsky sees a comparison for Coleman in Buffalo’s offense.

Orlovsky noted that Coleman reminds him of former NFL wideout Brandon Marshall–Who ended up putting up 970 career catches, 12,351 yards and 83 touchdowns in his career.

Orlovsky’s comparison can be found below:

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ESPN labels linebacker Sammy Brown as Clemson’s ‘most important newcomer’

Freshman linebacker Sammy Brown is Clemson’s most important newcomer.

The Clemson football program got a star in their 2024 class in linebacker Sammy Brown, and Tigers’ fans are thrilled to see what he can do in a Clemson uniform. 

We got a glimpse of what he’s capable of in the Tigers’ Orange and White spring game, with Brown recording a sack on his first snap. It was awesome to see, and the young linebacker kept the momentum going, putting together a phenomenal spring game performance. 

According to ESPN ($$$), Brown is Clemson’s most important newcomer for the 2024-25 season.

Why: Dabo Swinney was already raving about Brown this spring. The linebacker wasted no time learning the defense and applying his immense skills. The five-star prospect racked up over 150 tackles as a high school senior and added more than 2,000 yards on offense. Further highlighting his athleticism and versatility, Brown was a state champion wrestler and ran the 100 meters in under 11 seconds, which is impressive for a 230-pound player. His speed translates to the field, where he has measured at over 21 mph in games.

What to expect: Brown can step in at middle linebacker and replace Jeremiah Trotter Jr.’s production. He’s already mastered the weight room and physical aspects of football as a true freshman. Brown needs to continue progressing this summer, learning the nuances of middle linebacker, namely aligning the defense pre-snap. While Clemson does return some experience, Brown appears a perfect fit for the Mike linebacker position in defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin’s scheme. He’s as strong a candidate for ACC Rookie of the Year honors as any prospect in this class.

Expectations are high for Brown and it’s clear why. The five-star recruit was 247Sports No. 2 linebacker and No. 14 overall player in the 2024 class as one of the top recruits in the country.

Clemson not only needed depth at linebacker, but a difference-maker. They got that difference maker in Brown.