Thunder Sign Zack Austin, Jazian Gortman, Chris Youngblood To Camp Deals
The Oklahoma City Thunder signed Zack Austin, Jazian Gortman and Chris Youngblood to Exhibit 10 contract. All three players are expected to play for the Oklahoma City Blue of the G League this season.
Austin went undrafted out of Pittsburgh at the 2025 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-5 wing averaged 9.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game a senior for the Panthers.
Gortman spent part of last season on a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks. In 34 games with the Texas Legends of the G League, the 6-foot-2 guard averaged 20 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
Youngblood went undrafted out of Alabama at the 2025 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 10.3 points on 45/39/80 shooting splits as a senior for the Crimson Tide.
MLB playoff picture: What does Mets-Marlins mean for NL playoffs?
The 2025 Major League Baseball season begins its final weekend of play today.
And with three teams battling for two spots in the American League, two teams fighting for the final spot in the National League, and a host of division titles and seedings left to determine, the final weekend of play could be one for the ages.
One of the biggest games of the slate takes place in Miami, where the Miami Marlins host the New York Mets. The Marlins will be watching the playoffs at home with the rest of us, but the Mets — with their big payroll — are one of two teams fighting for the final Wild Card spot.
Let’s dive into the playoff implications for this game.
Miami’s playoff picture
The Marlins have a 78-82 record and have been eliminated from postseason contention. But they can certainly play the role of spoiler this weekend against the Mets.
Mets’ playoff picture
New York enters the final weekend of play with an 82-78 record, which has them in the fight for the final Wild Card spot in the National League. However, that is the same record as the Cincinnati Reds, the team they are fighting with.
Complicating matters for the Mets is the fact that Cincinnati has already clinched the season series between the two teams and the pivotal tiebreaker. If the Mets and the Reds finish the season with identical records, the Reds are in, and the Mets are out.
Here is what the Mets need this weekend to clinch a playoff spot. They can get in with a pair of losses by Cincinnati and at least one win over Miami. Or, with two wins this weekend, and at least one loss by the Reds, the Mets are in the playoffs.
New York can also be eliminated today if they lose to the Marlins, and the Reds defeat the Milwaukee Brewers. The Mets are also knocked out of playoff contention if the Reds beat Milwaukee in both games this weekend, or the Mets lose both of their games on Saturday and Sunday.
Grizzlies forward/center Brandon Clarke will undergo a procedure to address a knee issue, while Zach Edey (ankle) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (toe) have been cleared to begin ramping up basketball activities.
There isn’t a definitive timeline for 76ers stars Joel Embiid and Paul George to return from their respective knee surgeries, both players said Friday at the team’s media day.
Jared McCain has suffered a UCL tear in his right thumb during a workout on Tuesday. McCain is working with specialists to decide how they will proceed with the injury.
McCain’s promising rookie season last year was cut short due to a meniscus tear.
McCain averaged 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 25.7 minutes over 23 games last season with the Philadelphia 76ers. McCain was the 16th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft by the Sixers.
If McCain were to have an extended absence, the value of Quentin Grimes would increase for the Sixers. Grimes remains in a restricted free agency stalemate with the Sixers.
76ers guard Jared McCain suffered a UCL tear in his right thumb in a workout Thursday, the team announced, casting his availability for the start of the season in doubt.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia says he’s not worried about the multiple lawsuits his franchise is facing, with claims ranging from discrimination to wrongful termination.
Why Eagles can’t sign former Super Bowl champ after release from Texans
C.J. Gardner-Johnson is looking for a new home.
However, pursuant to NFL Rules, that new home will not be his old one.
The defensive back was traded by the Philadelphia Eagles to the Houston Texans ahead of the 2025 NFL season, in exchange for guard Kenyon Green as well as a late-round 2026 pick swap. But after just three games in Houston, Gardner-Johnson has been released.
According to reporting from Texans beat writer Aaron Wilson, the release came after “friction” developed behind the scenes. As Wilson posted on social media, the defensive back was “complaining about his role” and “wanting to blitz more.”
The release, coming as the Texans sit at 0-3 in the AFC South, has many speculating about where his next NFL destination will be. But do not expect that destination to be his old team, the Eagles. As pointed out by SB Nation’s own Brandon Lee. Gowton, pursuant to NFL Rules, a player who was traded cannot return to the team that traded them unless they have played a minimum of four games with the team that acquired them via the underlying trade:
Seems like the Eagles can’t actually re-sign CJGJ since he did not play a minimum of 4 games with the Texans:
Under this section of the rules, two seasons must pass until Philadelphia can bring Gardner-Johnson back into the fold.
Interestingly enough, the last time this obscure portion of the NFL Rulebook came into play also involved the Eagles.
Ahead of the 2024 NFL season, the Eagles traded pass rusher Haason Reddick to the New York Jets. But with Reddick seeking an improved contract from his new team, a standoff with the Jets lasted into the start of the season.
