Month: September 2022

The former Nets assistant addressed the relationship between the coach and star player.

Former Nets assistant coach Amar’e Stoudemire recently joined SiriusXM NBA Radio to discuss the ongoing situation involving coach Steve Nash and player Kevin Durant.

The recent report of Durant’s ultimatum he gave to Nets owner Joe Tsai to chose between him or GM Sean Marks and Nash while the forward was feeling out potential trade packages seemed to show a wedge in the relationship between the player and coach.

Durant had requested a trade from the team on June 30 before ultimately deciding to return to Brooklyn on Aug. 23.

Well, Nash remains as the head coach, so Stoudemire, who worked as an assistant from October 2020 to May ’22, was asked what the relationship must be like between the two parties now.

“It’s always been ups and downs with coaches and star players throughout the history of the game of basketball,” Stoudemire said. “I think what they both will probably end up doing is having a conversation to try to hash it all out, and figure out a way to co-exist to compete for a championship.

“Both of those guys are egoless,” Stoudemire continued. “Steve was an egoless player. Kevin Durant is also an egoless player. He wants to win. He wants to make his teammates better. So, I think with those two guys who have that type of mentality and personality, it’ll work out for them.”

The Nets were swept in the first round in the playoffs last season to eventual 2022 NBA runners-up, the Celtics. 

Durant won two NBA titles with the Warriors in 2017 and ‘18, winning earned two Finals MVP awards. Since joining the Nets in ’19, Brooklyn has only made it to the conference semifinals once (2021). Needless to say, Durant is still looking for another championship to add to his resume.

More NBA Coverage:

• NBA Trade Grades: Cavaliers Acquire Mitchell in Stunning Blockbuster
• Cavaliers’ Title Odds Improve After Acquiring Donovan Mitchell
• Cavaliers Star Darius Garland Reacts to Donovan Mitchell Trade

Spencer Sanders throws his 4th touchdown of the game two plays into the second half for the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Spencer Sanders throws his 4th touchdown of the game two plays into the second half for the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

The quarterback agreed to a restructured deal to remain in San Francisco for 2022.

After months of trade talk, Jimmy Garoppolo is returning to the 49ers as the team’s backup quarterback. In the end, the 49ers couldn’t find a suitable trade partner for Garoppolo, so the team restructured his contract to have him return in 2022. However, Trey Lance will still take over as the starter, despite Garoppolo starting for the past 4.5 seasons.

While Garoppolo will not start, that doesn’t seem to be bothering him too much. On Thursday, Garoppolo was asked whether being demoted to a backup would be a hit to his ego, and the 49ers quarterback brushed it off.

“If that’s gonna take a blow to your ego, you gotta check your ego a little bit,” he said. “You’ve got to know who you are in this league, who you are as a player, who you are as a person, and I think that’s got to carry you a long way.”

Garoppolo has been a backup before, having played behind Tom Brady in New England from 2014 to ’17. However, since then he has led the 49ers to two NFC championship games and one Super Bowl appearance.

In his new deal, Garoppolo has a no-trade clause that will help him have a choice in where he plays next if San Francisco decides to trade him mid-season. For now, though, he will be a veteran insurance policy for a 49ers team with high expectations.

More NFL Coverage:

• Reports: Saints’ Maye Arrested After Alleged Road Rage Incident
• Cowboys Assign Romo’s No. 9 to Offensive Player for First Time
• Titans Pass Rusher Harold Landry Tears ACL During Practice, per Report
• All 49ers: Instant Analysis of the 2022 49ers Practice Squad

For more San Francisco 49ers coverage, go to All 49ers. 

Sean Clifford avoided the pressure and threw an impressive TD to help the Penn State Nittany Lions grab a 7-3 lead against Purdue. 

Giovanni van Bronckhorst went for top bins in No. 80 of our 101 Most Memorable World Cup Moments countdown.

When the three-time All-Star suits up for Cleveland this season, it won’t be the first time he has worn a Cavaliers’ jersey in his life.

After five years with the Jazz, Donovan Mitchell will play in a new city and a new team when the 2022-23 NBA season begins.

Shortly after the Jazz traded Mitchell to the Cavaliers on Thursday, the three-time All-Star shared his reaction to the move, tweeting a picture of him wearing a Cavaliers jersey side by side with the infamous Brian Windhorst meme. 

Could Mitchell have been destined to join a franchise seeking to reinsert itself among the NBA’s elite teams post its LeBron James era? 

While the answer to that question will remain a mystery, Utah traded Mitchell to Cleveland for three unprotected first-round picks (2025, ’27 and ’29) and two pick swaps, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. In return, the Cavaliers sent Lauri Markkanen, Colin Sexton and Ochai Agbaji to the Jazz, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

As Mitchell prepares to start the next chapter of his NBA career in the midwest, James shared his excitement for Mitchell to join his former team.

“SO TOUGH!!!!! Super Dope,” James said on Twitter. 

Mitchell joins ’22 All Stars Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland as well as exceptional young forward Evan Mobley in Cleveland. 

More NBA Coverage:

• Knicks Should Be Glad They Didn’t Win Mitchell Sweepstakes
• LeBron Reacts to Donovan Mitchell Trade to Cavaliers
• NBA Trade Grades: Cavaliers Acquire Mitchell in Stunning Blockbuster

Daily Cover: Predicting All 272 Games of the 2022 NFL Season 

Spencer Sanders rushed for a 23-yard touchdown to extend the Oklahoma State Cowboys’ lead over the Central Michigan Chippewa, 37-7.