Marcus Smart, Wizards nearing contract buyout, with Lakers as likely destination: Source
Smart is entering the final season of his contract with the Wizards and is due to earn a guaranteed salary of $21.6 million.
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The Wizards traded for Smart last season, and he, by all accounts, provided a positive example to the team's younger players, especially on the defensive end.
However, the Wizards wanted to honor Smart's desire to play for a contender and clear more playing time for their large number of perimeter players. That group includes Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, A.J. Johnson, Tre Johnson, Corey Kispert and C.J. McCollum.
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USA Today
a minute ago
- USA Today
OKC Thunder Mailbag: Could Ajay Mitchell, Nikola Topic see time in G League next year?
The calendar nears August, which means the NBA is in its driest part of the year. Rosters are mostly set as front offices head into vacation for the next couple of months before training camp starts. The Oklahoma City Thunder will enter the 2025-26 season with the hopes of being repeat NBA champions. They had one of the greatest seasons ever with a 68-14 regular-season record and captured the Larry O'Brien trophy. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren were all signed to new contract extensions this offseason. As the Thunder basically run it back with the same roster, Thunder Wire will conduct regular mailbags to answer questions that fans have. One question being asked is about Nikola Topic and Ajay Mitchell. Both young guards will battle for the backup point guard spot. There's only a finite number of minutes to hand out. Could one, if not both, see time on the G League's OKC Blue next season? The answer is probably — at least for one of them. Mitchell was the rare two-way player who never played in the G League last season. Instead, he got off to a hot start and penciled his way into the rotation. Before the Thunder had a chance to send him down, toe surgery knocked him out for three months of the regular season. By the time Mitchell returned, the G League season was over. While the 23-year-old dominated the 2025 Summer League, there's still a decent chance he suits up for the Blue at least once on an assignment this upcoming year. The regular season is long enough, and Mark Daigneault frequently changes his rotations. Those two variables combined could cause Mitchell to go a couple of weeks without any real run. The best solution to that is short G League stints at home. Just for Mitchell to keep his legs warm. That's a strategy the Thunder have utilized for years. Sharing an arena and team system makes assignments and recalls as seamless as possible. Now Topic, on the other hand, seems prime to be a player who could spend plenty of time on the Blue. The 19-year-old will need time to develop — especially after being out his first year with a torn ACL. There's only so much a practice or shootaround can do for you. Live 5-on-5 reps against opponents is the best way to ensure a player learns and strengthens their weaknesses. The Thunder drafted Topic with the No. 12 pick of the 2024 NBA draft, knowing he'd be a long-term project. Finally being cleared to play, part of that involves time with the Blue. It's a luxury the NBA champion is afforded because of their rich depth and not needing a rookie to contribute for them to succeed. While Mitchell looks ready to contribute right now, Topic looks like he still needs his training wheels. Which is to be expected, considering the four-year age gap between the players. The 19-year-old could benefit from spending time with the Blue and a low-pressure environment where mistakes aren't as loud as they are at the NBA stage. The Thunder are known as one of the NBA's best developmental programs. The Blue has played a large part in that. They've squeezed every drop of juice out of their G League affiliate and have turned it into a true farm system akin to baseball. Topic and Mitchell could be the latest players who could benefit from some time with the Blue this upcoming season. The former more than the latter.
Associated Press
2 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Naomi Osaka announces she is no longer working with coach Patrick Mouratoglou
WASHINGTON (AP) — Naomi Osaka and coach Patrick Mouratoglou are done working together after less than a year, the four-time Grand Slam champion announced Sunday on social media. 'Merci Patrick,' Osaka began her post, with a photo of her hitting a practice serve while he stands nearby. 'It was such a great experience learning from you. Wishing you nothing but the best. You are one of the coolest people I've ever met and I'm sure I'll see you around.' The news comes three days after Osaka lost her second match at the D.C. Open and just before she begins competing in Toronto. The U.S. Open, the year's last major tournament and an event Osaka won twice, begins in New York on Aug. 24. Osaka hired Mouratoglou — who was the longtime coach of Serena Williams — when she fired Wim Fissette shortly after her second-round exit at last year's U.S. Open. Osaka, a former No. 1, is currently ranked 51st and has a 21-11 record this season. She hasn't been past the third round at a Grand Slam tournament since winning the 2021 Australian Open. ___ AP tennis:
Forbes
2 minutes ago
- Forbes
Piestewa Games Honor The Legacy Of A Fallen Native American Hero
Lori Ann Piestewa is the inspiration behind the Piestewa Games, a three-day athletic event featuring ... More competitions in five sports (with a sixth, Powerlifting, taking place in the fall). Athletic Competitions Continue To Honor A Hero's Legacy The highly anticipated annual Piestewa Games (formerly the Lori Piestewa Native American Games) at the Arizona Athletic Grounds did not disappoint. The event brings together sports teams from Native American communities for spirited team and individual competitions. A record number of athletes (3,523) and coaches (552) participated in Baseball, Basketball, Slow-Pitch, Wrestling and Fastpitch, new to the lineup this year. The traditional Powerlifting competition is scheduled later this year in Flagstaff. Fastpitch softball made its debut at the Games this year, with 9 teams, 135 athletes and 18 coaches. The Games honor Hopi tribal member U.S. Army Specialist Lori Piestewa who, in 2003, became the first Native American woman killed in combat while serving in the U.S. Military. Just 23 at the time, the Tuba City, AZ native died after her convoy was ambushed in Iraq. She left behind two small children, Brandon and Carla Whiterock, and a community determined to never forget her sacrifice. The tournament is a tribute to the late veteran and a source of pride and unity for the Native American community, many of whom share personal histories. It fosters camaraderie, rekindles old friendships, and motivates younger athletes. Multiple generations have now competed in the Games and return to either coach or watch their kids carry on the tradition. Lori's spirit was a powerful force throughout the three-day tournament, going beyond the visual representations of her life in photos, on banners, shirts and merchandise. It was felt in the joy of the crowd, the enthusiasm of the athletes, and the shared sense of community and purpose among everyone on site. What began as a grassroots extension of the Grand Canyon State Games has expanded considerably since coming under the auspices of the Arizona Sports & Entertainment Commission (ASEC). The organization's mission is to bring sporting events to Arizona, assist in the promotion of existing events, and support youth and amateur sports programs. Executive Director Nikki Balich explained that their motto – Impact Arizona – emphasizes serving quietly and impacting loudly, with meaningful, respectful, and community-driven activities. Rez Ball on the Court Basketball drew the largest field of competitors, with 197 teams, 2,364 athletes and 394 coaches. The sport carries deep historical and cultural significance for tribal communities. 'Rez Ball' has become synonymous with a high energy, aggressive style of play that athletes developed in off-site Native boarding schools and brought back to their reservations. Many of the basketball participants are return competitors and have played with their teams for ... More years Brandon noted that the origins of rez ball style are rooted in the tradition of long distance running, particularly among the Navajo and Hopi tribes. 'When you run cross country, you're basically getting conditioned to run up and down the basketball court,' he explained. 'Native Americans kind of came up with the concept of run and gun. All you did was run up and down the court until the other team got tired.' The Stay Sober Elite boys basketball team, composed of sophomores from the White Mountains, won the JV Division Championship at this year's Games. The team name, Stay Sober Elite, reflects a mission to promote sobriety and positive choices among Native youth who face challenges of drugs and alcohol in their home communities. Their interim coach, Dan Butterfield Jr., is a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe and a Veterans Administration employee. Coach Butterfield emphasizes the importance of earning the trust of his players and, in turn, his ... More players learning to trust each other. 'Addiction's a big thing,' he said. 'And some of the parents that are running this, they've beaten addiction, and they've come back and now they're out there sending positive vibes to the community. And in return, their children are seeing that and want to carry on that legacy and want to share that.' Butterfield, a fellow Tuba City native, has a very personal connection to the Piestewa family. He was stationed at Fort Bragg, NC at the same time Lori lived there during her ex-husband's Army posting, prior to her own enlistment. She gave birth to her two children in North Carolina, and for three years became the go-to babysitter for Butterfield's son, who was the same age as Brandon. The well-respected coach, described by his players as 'loud but knowledgeable,' laughingly recalls an experience with Lori that left a lasting impression. The two were driving to Myrtle Beach from Fort Bragg when she suddenly stopped the car to avoid hitting a turtle crossing the road. Rather than simply moving it to the side of the road Lori chose to rescue it and give it a name – Myrtle the Turtle. That adopted turtle came back to Tuba City with Lori and, according to Butterfield, lived a long and happy life, passing away just a few months ago. Family Affair Lori's family is the heart of the tournament, playing a vital role in planning and bringing the Games to life by promoting unity, diversity and empowerment through sports. Her mother Percy, a petite 77-year-old bundle of energy, addressed the fact that the Games are not Native-only, but are open to anybody. Her daughter, in fact, was both Hopi and Hispanic which makes inclusivity a core value to the family. 'Lori's legacy was to bring people together, any ethnicity, any background. And that's what we do in these games,' she emphasized. 'We want everyone to feel included to come together and participate in good sportsmanship, camaraderie, and also for the youth to go to the next level, achieve their dreams, and play in a wonderful facility that they don't normally get to.' (L-R) Carla Whiterock, Percy Piestewa, baseball player Ramon Moreno, Coach Moses Cota and Brandon ... More Whiterock. Percy and her late husband Terry raised Lori's children, who were just four and three years old when their mother died. After the kids were grown and Terry had unfortunately passed away, Percy's irrepressible energy led her back into the workforce. Four years ago, she took a position as an advocate assistant with Victim Witness Services in Flagstaff, helping people in crisis. Percy and Terry filled two essential roles in Brandon and Carla's lives taking on the responsibility of grandparents (spoilers) and parents (disciplinarians). 'They did a terrific job balancing that out,' said Brandon gratefully. 'I always give them so much credit because it wasn't easy.' Percy, however, laughed off any notion that it was struggle noting instead that as the next to oldest of 18 kids, she did a lot of sibling raising. Brandon graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2022 with a degree in exercise science and was honored with the prestigious Gold Axe Award, which recognizes graduating seniors for exceptional achievements in academics, service, and leadership. He earned a master's degree in educational leadership and is on the staff of NAU's Office of Veteran and Military Services. His entrepreneurial younger sister Carla is a successful self-employed aesthetician working in Flagstaff and Page. Athleticism runs in the family, making their involvement with the Games especially fitting. Lori excelled at softball and volleyball; Brandon and Carla were multi-sport athletes; and even Percy played softball, was a member of the high school trampoline team and taught aerobics for a time. Brandon is an avid powerlifter who was instrumental in adding the strength sport to the Games in 2023, and he has served as commissioner since the beginning. Wrestling returned to the Games this year, with 72 athletes and 12 coaches. The family was constantly on the move during the Games, greeting folks, presenting medals and sharing details about Lori's vibrant and full life. While her service and sacrifice was one extraordinary chapter, she did have a life before that and the family hopes people will see her as a real person, not a headline or a hashtag. Said Brandon, 'We want (the athletes) to get to know our mother and who and what they're playing for. It makes the competition more fierce when they realize that they're playing for something greater than themselves.' Educating participants and their families about the long history of Native American veterans is another important element of the Piestewa Games. Native people have the highest per-capita involvement of any population to serve in the U.S. military, with an estimated 20,000+ active and reserve members and nearly 150,000 veterans in the U.S. Percy encourages kids, especially, to learn more. 'So go home and ask your veteran family members about their terms of duty and what they've represented because so many of our veterans got left out and if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be here.' The competition among girls teams was fierce. Next Up The family's short-term goal is to revive the cross country competition, paused for the past three years. It's a sport with major cultural connections to Indian Country. 'It's been very important since my sister and I were younger,' explained Brandon, noting it was a cherished family tradition. 'Our family would run, even my grandfather, and as much as I don't like getting up early, we would always get up early to run with him.' ASEC organizers hope to eventually elevate the Games by establishing qualifier tournaments across the country, starting with basketball. Their short-term need is more mundane – exposure software across all sports to enhance participant experience and streamline operations. Explained Balich, 'We need software to help us run the games because everything is hand done. It's costing us too much in staff time and is very frustrating for everybody involved. That worked five years ago. That doesn't work today.' Corporate sponsorship would put some short- and long-term goals within reach. It's difficult to imagine a more positive association for a potential sponsor, especially taking into account the economic impact of the Games. Last year they generated an estimated $7 million for the local economy, through hospitality, transportation, retail, taxes and other ancillary items. But Balich is quick to emphasize that any sponsorship would have to be based on authenticity and integrity, not corporate exploitation. 'Especially in the Native space, we're looking for the right sponsors. I don't want a sponsor that's there to exploit the Native Americans, I want the right sponsor who wants to better the lives of human beings.' Ultimately, ASEC and the Piestewas are dedicated to increasing representation for the Native community. As Brandon concluded, 'It's about bringing people together, honoring our mom's legacy and making sure that the Native youth have a have a bigger picture of goals in life, and how to achieve them.' There was a sense at the Games that many young participants initially didn't know much about Lori but have since learned who she was and what she stood for. It's knowledge they'll take back to their communities and share with their schoolmates who ask about the portrait on the Piestewa Games teeshirts they take home. The Games were infused with Lori Piestewa's spirit.
