Latest news with #Wizards
Perth Now
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
US comedian flags first trip to Perth with huge announcement
The King of Staten Island has set his sights Down Under, with the famous comedian announcing he will be performing in Western Australia later this year. Pete Davidson has revealed he will be bringing his stand-up comedy tour to Australia during September and October, kicking off his three-city run at Perth's Riverside Theatre, on September 29. pete davidson tour Credit: Live Nation The Saturday Night Live alumnus is no stranger to Australia, having spent months living in the Gold Coast while filming his 2022 movie Wizards – but the show will be the first time he has ever visited Perth. Davidson debuted in the comedy world in 2014, with his darker jokes and heavily tattooed look immediately capturing the attention of fans. His collaborations with other high-profile comedians such as John Mulaney further catapulted the 31-year-old into the public eye. He has since become known not only for the quick wit and edgy humour fans see in his stand-up shows, but also for his string of highly publicised relationships. pete davidson relationship Credit: PerthNow The comedian has been linked to a range of famous ladies over the years, having had a highly public engagement with Wicked star Ariana Grande in 2018, after meeting on Saturday Night Live. He also appeared at the 2022 Met Gala in tow with then-girlfriend Kim Kardashian, an outing that sparked controversy due to Kardashian wearing a dress that belonged to Marilyn Monroe. Davidson has since turned away from his bachelor days, having announced he is expecting his first child with his Playmate girlfriend Elsie Hewitt. The star has made some dramatic changes in the past couple of years, revealing he is undergoing laser tattoo removal to remove 200 tattoos and has also quit using drugs and alcohol. Live Nation pre-sale for Davidson's Australian tour opens on Thursday July 31, with general ticket sales opening to the public on Friday morning.
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Why are vets Khris Middleton and CJ McCollum on the rebuilding Wizards?
Scroll across the Washington Wizards' roster and you'll notice most players share low figures in two categories — age and salary. The expected characteristics for a rebuilding squad make the two exceptions — Khris Middleton and CJ McCollum — even more conspicuous. The 33-year-olds are each set to cost more than $30 million against the Wizards' cap next season. Nobody else is older than 26 or will make more than $14 million. Middleton is a three-time all-star and 2021 NBA champion who ranks 22nd among active players in career earnings, per Spotrac. McCollum, who's four slots behind, has averaged at least 20 points per game every season since the 2015-16 season. While they have the most name recognition on the Wizards, they're also among the least important for the team's long-term future. So why are they in D.C., spending among the last years of impressive careers on a team that will likely finish near the bottom of the standings? Part of it — the part the Wizards brass emphasizes — is that both can be positive influences for the organization's young talent. The veterans' heady play could provide on-court stability for an occasionally disorganized team. Middleton and McCollum are also well-respected for their professionalism and could serve as role models to learn from and emulate. But the veterans were not the driving forces that led the Wizards to make the trades that brought them here. Middleton and McCollum were ancillary components in the deals, attached because of the league's salary-cap rules and an imbalance between their compensation and production. Middleton came to Washington at last season's trade deadline in the Kyle Kuzma deal. The Milwaukee Bucks had a payroll above the collective bargaining agreement's second apron, meaning they could not acquire more salary than they sent out and could not aggregate multiple outgoing salaries to match or exceed the incoming amount. That meant Milwaukee needed to send out a single player who made at least Kuzma's approximately $23 million salary. Just four players — Middleton, Brook Lopez, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard — fit that criteria. The Bucks chose to move Middleton, who has faded since his all-star days while struggling to stay healthy in recent years. He hasn't played at least 60 games in a season since 2021-22, and he missed the first 21 games of the 2024-25 season after undergoing surgery on both ankles. Bucks General Manager Jon Horst called the trade 'the hardest thing transactionally that I've ever done,' but said he believed it 'positioned ourselves to have a better run this year.' The Wizards, in the early stages of a rebuild, were happy to take Middleton's contract in the swap, but that wasn't the prize. That would be guard AJ Johnson, a 2024 first-round pick who fits the organization's timetable. Washington also acquired a 2028 first-round pick swap. Another benefit for Washington: Middleton's deal expires after next season while Kuzma's runs through 2027, bringing the Wizards closer to having cap space. That desire for financial flexibility also prompted the move for McCollum, which a person with knowledge of the deal described as the next phase of the Bradley Beal trade. Washington's front office, led by President Michael Winger and General Manager Will Dawkins, inherited Beal's supermax extension, which had about a $50 million average annual salary and ran through 2027. The front office's first move in the summer of 2023 was trading Beal to the Phoenix Suns for a return that included guard Chris Paul. The Wizards promptly traded Paul to the Golden State Warriors for a package that included Jordan Poole and a top-20 protected 2030 first-round pick. Poole's deal averages $32 million per season and runs through 2027. The 26-year-old guard rebuilt his value with a strong 2024-25 season, recording career-highs in points and three-point percentage. Meanwhile, McCollum played just 56 games for the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans sought an upgrade in the backcourt and believe they found it in Poole, swapping the two guards as part of a late June trade. Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars told Andscape he acquired Poole because he 'has a skill set that matches the most dynamic guards in this league. We've also seen him be a part of a championship team and contribute at a high level.' Washington made the deal in large part because McCollum's contract expires at the end of the upcoming season. It also saw McCollum as someone who could play more off the ball than Poole, opening up opportunity for the Wizards' young talent to run the offense. The Wizards could have more than $100 million in cap space after next season when Middleton's and McCollum's contracts expire. What they do with that room depends on how the season goes — but a very real path is that Washington continues to take on expensive contracts from teams needing cap relief and acquires more draft assets as sweeteners.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kings' fan favorite gets $2.7 million contract offer to leave NBA
The Sacramento Kings hosted the best seasons of Richaun Holmes' NBA career. He's been away from the Kings for a couple seasons, but soon, he may not even be in the NBA. Telesport reports that Holmes has been in discussions with Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce about a $2.7 million contract to go overseas for the first time. The report states that Holmes is still waiting to see if an NBA offer comes his way this offseason. Holmes has played 10 seasons in the NBA, most recently for the Wizards. He has played for the Kings, 76ers, Wizards, Suns and Mavericks. MORE: Steph Curry provides clarity on his retirement plans Across four seasons with the Kings, Holmes had his best averages with any team, of 10.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. The 6-foot-10 31-year old played in 31 games this past season for the Wizards at 17.2 minutes per game and put up a ridiculous 64.7% from the field. Holmes can still score the basketball efficiently, and if he goes to Turkey, he'll likely put up strong numbers. With his 32nd birthday coming in October, it's not clear how much NBA time Holmes has left. Maybe one strong season in Europe would give him a final shot to come back to the league. MORE NBA NEWS: Syracuse legend Carmelo Anthony named greatest college basketball player of the millenium LeBron James trade, buyout rumors take 180-degree turn Victor Wembanyama's real reason for training with Chinese monks revealed Damian Lillard explains how WiFi kept him close to new teammate Jrue Holiday Lakers cut ties with 2 guards to make room for Marcus Smart Clippers' Nicolas Batum makes French retirement announcement
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"Makes No Sense Whatsoever": NBA Fans React As Lakers Target Two-Time Champion After Marcus Smart Acquisition
"Makes No Sense Whatsoever": NBA Fans React As Lakers Target Two-Time Champion After Marcus Smart Acquisition originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The Lakers recently signed Marcus Smart after the Wizards agreed to buy out his contract. The former Defensive Player of the Year was seen as a signing with the intention to bolster their defense in the backcourt, something that Luka Doncic was heavily criticized for in the Playoffs. Yet, following the acquisition, the next name that popped up in prominent and credible trade rumors for the Lakers was the defensive maestro, Jrue Holiday. Widely regarded as one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, Holiday essentially plays a similar role on the team that Marcus Smart does. Hence, among NBA fans, the Lakers supporters were particularly perplexed to see these rumors from credible sources. They took to social media and expressed their opinions on how bizarre it would be to have two veterans playing the same role on the roster. One of them is bound to be displeased if the move goes through. "This makes no sense whatsoever." "Why would you sign Smart, then trade for Jrue? This is stupid." "Does this account just make up sh**?" "Don't think the Blazers would trade Jrue rn now that they got Dame. Looks like they wanna remain decently competitive while also mentoring the young guys." "Hard pass on this old ass w/ a horrible contract that's still got 3 years left. And also hard pass b/c of what it'd cost to get him in terms of trade assets. This is the kinda move Bron & his stans would love. We trynna get younger & build around Luka now. Hard pass." "What a stupid idea, man." "How would the Lakers have the salary cap space for this??" The fans brought up some interesting points to consider for the Lakers and the Trail Blazers as well, if this move were to be set in motion. Firstly, it's the question of the Trail Blazers' willingness to let Jrue Holiday be traded. While he averaged only 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game in the last season, he had a defensive rating of 112.6, which is very strong in today's NBA. After the recent signing of Damian Lillard, who will not be fit until the summer of 2026, to join the team and trading away Anfernee Simmons for Jrue Holiday, it is unlikely that the Trail Blazers will trade Holiday now. Especially when the Lakers cannot give a veteran point guard in return who brings anything close to what Jrue Holiday brings to the table for their team. They need a leader for their young core of Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Donovan Clingan, and Holiday fits that role perfectly. Secondly, there is the question of why the Lakers would do something like this. While it is clear that in order to please LeBron James, they could want to bring in pieces that make them a championship contender, the Lakers have clarified that Doncic is the central piece of their rebuild now, and having Smart and Holiday on the same roster does not seem conducive for the long run. Thirdly, the finances. Holiday is expecting salaries of over $30 million in cap space over the next three seasons (including a player option). The Lakers reportedly wanted to clear their salary cap space for the summer of 2027, when Holiday could demand $37.2 million from them. Therefore, all signals point to it being unlikely that the Lakers will see Holiday as a viable target, now that they have Marcus Smart, story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hasbro's Magic: The Gathering growth helps offset toy revenue drop
This story was originally published on Retail Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Retail Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: As it undergoes a turnaround effort, Hasbro's second quarter revenue dropped 1% year over year to $980.8 million, according to a company press release Wednesday. The company's 16% growth in its Wizards and digital gaming segment (which includes Magic: The Gathering) helped to nearly offset a 16% revenue drop in its consumer products category, which saw softness in toys due to 'order timing and geographic volatility,' per the release. Hasbro reported a net loss of about $854.7 million for the quarter compared to a net income of $138.5 million the year before. The company also recorded a $798 million operating loss inclusive of a $1 billion noncash goodwill impairment charge. The toy company raised its full-year guidance, now anticipating a revenue increase in the mid-single digits on a constant currency basis (compared to previous predictions that it would be 'up slightly') and an adjusted operating margin of 22% to 23% (compared to the previous 21% to 22% prediction). Dive Insight: Hasbro's Magic: The Gathering performance helped fuel the company's Q2 performance despite a tough environment for toys. 'Hasbro's return to growth in the first half of 2025 is clear validation that our Playing to Win strategy is working,' Chief Executive Officer Chris Cocks said in a statement. 'We delivered record-setting results from Magic: The Gathering, alongside strong contributions from our games portfolio, licensing partnerships, and digital initiatives.' Magic: The Gathering experienced 23% growth driven by a tabletop card game release for Final Fantasy, which debuted in June. Cocks told analysts on a Wednesday call that Hasbro had to increase production runs four times since its launch and the company even 'left demand on the table.' The executive also said that 2025 is the year Hasbro will return to growth. Tariffs remained a discussion point on the call for Hasbro, which in April had not changed its full-year guidance due to the volatile trade environment. Hasbro's inventory is up 17% year over year, according to a Q2 results presentation from the company, with production and shipments having restarted from China in May. Since then, potential tariffs on imports from China have dropped to an additional 30%, which is more 'favorable' for Hasbro though such rates remain fluid, CFO and COO Gina Goetter told analysts on the call. 'Based on our conversations with investors, expectations were high heading into the Q2 print, but [Hasbro] reported strong Q2 results,' analysts led by Jefferies said in a note shared with Retail Dive. The improved company outlook is on the back of a turnaround plan announced in February, which includes a focus on creating mid-single-digit revenue growth between 2025 and 2027, as well as adding $1 billion in gross cost savings. Sign in to access your portfolio
