Blue Jays to Place Josh Donaldson on Waivers

The Toronto Blue Jays are planning on placing former American League MVP Josh Donaldson on revocable trade waivers, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Donaldson has not played in a big-league contest since May 28, when he was placed on the 60-day disabled list with a strained left calf muscle injury.

If the Blue Jays trade Donaldson before Friday Aug. 31 (deadline ends that night at 11:59 p.m.), the third baseman/designated hitter will be playoff-eligible for his new club. He is owed $4 million for the remainder of the season. Donaldson, 32, slashed .234/.333/.423 with five home runs and a .757 OPS in 36 contests this season before his placement on the DL. He is currently rehabbing with the Blue Jays’ Class A affiliate in Dunedin, FL.

Donald signed a 1-year $23 million deal with the Blue Jays before the season to avoid salary arbitration. A three-time All-Star, Donaldson won league MVP honors in his first season in Toronto (2015) after being traded the previous offseason from the Oakland Athletics, ranking first in RBI and runs scored. He won the Silver Slugger Award that season and in 2016, another All-Star campaign for Donaldson.

The Blue Jays are looking to trade Josh Donaldson. (Matt York/AP)

The Blue Jays are likely to enter rebuilding mode. Their division rivals, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, own the two best records in MLB and are stocked with young talent. This puts the onus on Toronto to build for the long-term future through a youth movement.

Toronto will miss the playoffs for the second straight season after reaching the ALCS in 2016 as a Wild-Card team. Dealing away Donaldson would be a big first step in the franchise’s rebuild.

Rosenthal says the Blue Jays “want Donaldson gone” so that they don't have to decide whether to offer him a qualifying offer in the offseason. There should be plenty of interest in Donaldson from multiple contending teams.

Magic Expected to Shop Nikola Vucevic

The Orlando Magic are exploring the trade market for center Nikola Vucevic, according to Michael Scotto of The Athletic. The Magic are looking to flip the 27-year-old for some young talent and/or future draft picks.

After selecting Mo Bamba, a 20-year-old 7-footer, with the sixth overall pick in this past draft, the Magic—who picked center Jonathan Issac in the 2017 NBA Draft—made it clear Vucevic is no longer a part of the team's future. With two young centers on the roster and the franchise in full rebuild mode, Vucevic is better off playing elsewhere.

Vucevic is entering the final season of the four-year, $53 million extension he signed back in 2014. He will earn $12.75 million in 2018-19.

The Magic are trying to trade Nikola Vucevic. (David Manning/USA Today Sports)

Vucevic averaged 16.5 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists last season. He has played with the Magic in each of the last six seasons after being drafted with the 16th pick in 2011 by the Philadelphia 76ers, who traded him after his rookie season to Orlando in the Dwight Howard blockbuster three-team trade that also featured the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Magic have an abundance of big men in their frontcourt after picking Issac and Bamba in consecutive drafts and signing Aaron Gordon, a power forward, to a four-year extension this offseason. Rather than let Vucevic walk away in free agency next summer for nothing in return, Orlando is wise to seek out a trade partner for the center’s services.


The trade rumors involving Vucevic are another signal that the new front office regime—spearheaded by general manager John Hammond—is trying to soak away the remains of the Rob Hennigan era. Hennigan, the team’s former general manager, struggled mightily to put forth a competitive product as the Magic posted dismal 132–278 record in his tenure—the worst five-year stretch in franchise history.

Spurs Sign Quincy Pondexter

Quincy Pondexter inked a one-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, Chris Haynes of ESPN reports. The signing comes hours after Manu Ginobili announced his retirement from the NBA after spending his entire 16-year career with the franchise.

The injury-prone Pondexter played in 23 games for the Chicago Bulls during the 2017-18 season before being waived in February. The guard/forward finished the year with averages of 2.0 points and 1.2 rebounds across 8.5 minutes per contest. He had missed the previous two full seasons due to three separate knee surgeries. According to Haynes, Pondexter is “finally fully healthy” after undergoing multiple surgical procedures on his left knee.

Pondexter will join the Spurs in 2018-19. (Getty Images)

Drafted No. 26 overall in 2010, the 6-foot-7 wing had also spent time with the New Orleans Pelicans and the Memphis Grizzlies earlier in his career. Pondexter, 30, is a prototypical 3-and-D player and should compete for minutes off the bench with the likes of swingmen Dante Cunningham and Marco Belinelli. Pondexter is a career 35.7 percent shooter from three-point territory.

According to Michael Scotto of The Athletic, the deal is partially guaranteed. Pondexter is likely signing for the veteran’s minimum.

With the Pondexter signing, the Spurs have 14 players on their roster with one additional spot open and two two-way spots available. Pondexter will look to carve out a role with San Antonio, where he can provide veteran leadership.

Amar'e Stoudemire Seeks Return to NBA

Amar’e Stoudemire retired two summers ago, but is now open to a return to the NBA. Posting a personal photo on his Instagram account, the 35-year-old declared he is “NBA ready.”

A six-time All-Star, the ninth overall selection of the 2002 NBA Draft dominated in his first eight seasons playing for the Phoenix Suns. The power forward won Rookie of the Year in 2003, made All-NBA First Team in 2007 and was selected to the All-NBA Second Team in 2005, 2008 and 2010.

Stoudemire signed with the New York Knicks in the summer of 2010 and made the Eastern Conference All-Star roster—and earned All-NBA Second Team honors again—in his first season with the franchise, averaging 25.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.

Stoudemire shined in his first season with the Knicks. (AP Photo)

Injuries derailed his career after his inaugural season with New York and he never returned to his star status. He played for the Knicks until they bought him out in Feb. 2015, later signing with the Dallas Mavericks for the remainder of the season.

Stoudemire then inked a one-year deal with the Miami Heat. He posted career-lows in virtually every statistical category with Miami in 2015-16 and called it quits after the year. He opted to sign a one-day contract with New York in order to retire as a member of the Knicks.

Plans have now changed for Stoudemire after participating in the BIG3 league this summer. He spent the previous year playing for Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel.


It’s unclear if there are any suitors for the 14-year veteran who will turn 36 in November.

Heat not Interested in Houston's Ryan Anderson

The Miami Heat is not interested in trading for Houston Rockets forward Ryan Anderson. The Rockets remain intent on unloading Anderson’s bloated contract, but Miami is not a realistic destination for the 30-year-old who will earn $20 million next season and close to $21 million in 2019-20.

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Heat does not want to take on Anderson’s contract because it would increase its luxury tax bill.

The Rockets are having difficulty trading Ryan Anderson. (Carlos Osario/AP)

The Rockets would like to acquire Tyler Johnson—a player Miami has attempted to trade away, but to no avail because of his hefty contract—in a swap for Anderson that would likely include a draft pick being sent to the Heat. But this not a deal that is “appealing” to Miami, says Jackson.

The Heat does not intend to deal James Johnson—another player Houston has inquired about in a potential trade—because it “values his skill set.”

It will be a challenge for Houston to find a suitor for the sharpshooting Anderson. His horrific defense, most notably on the perimeter in the pick-and-roll, has made him nearly unplayable as he fell out of the rotation in the playoffs. He did not receive playing time in six of the Rockets’ 17 postseason games. He averaged just 5.8 minutes and 1.7 points per playoff contest.

Fresh off their 65-win season, the Rockets seek to augment their second-unit. The reserves could get a boost from Carmelo Anthony if he accepts a role off the bench, something Houston has reportedly discussed with the 10-time All-Star. Anthony is also defensively limited, but even he can produce better on that end of the floor than Anderson, an untradable asset that is destined to remain glued to Houston' bench.

Boston Celtics 2018-19 Schedule Breakdown: 5 Must-See Games

The NBA released its full schedule for the 2018-19 season on Friday. The Boston Celtics, the purported favorites in the Eastern Conference, play 27 nationally televised games this season.

Here are the five most compelling matchups for the Celtics:

5. Oct. 19, at Toronto Raptors

Despite finishing in first in the East last regular season, the Toronto Raptors were an after-thought in conference championship conversation—that was until they acquired Kawhi Leonard. When healthy, Leonard is one of the best players in the league. Leonard, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year and former Finals MVP, gives the Raptors hope in winning the East.

A Raptors-Celtics Eastern Conference Finals is a realistic possibility.

4. Mar. 18, vs Denver Nuggets

Isaiah Thomas, who signed a one-year veteran’s minimum contract with the Denver Nuggets, will finally make his long-awaited return to TD Garden. Thomas, a two-time All-Star with the Celtics, finished fifth in MVP voting in his final year in Boston (2016-17) and was selected to the All-NBA Second Team. He spent two-plus seasons with the team, before being dealt in the summer of 2017 to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Thomas did not get the chance to play in Boston last year. The Cavs visited the Celtics last January and the game fell on the second night of a back-to-back for Cleveland—directly following his comeback from his hip injury—when he wasn't permitted to play on consecutive days. He sat out that contest and then got traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, who had already made their only visit to Boston earlier in the year, denying Thomas the chance to play at TD Garden in 2017-18.

Isaiah Thomas will play at Boston for the first time since 2017. (Getty Images)

Although his tenure with Boston was brief, he left his mark in the franchise record books. Remarkably, he is the all-time leader in points per game (24.7) in team history—albeit in a small sample size (179 regular season games played with Boston).

3. Feb. 7, vs Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James defeated the Celtics in consecutive postseasons with the Cavs. After signing with the Lakers in the offseason, he will now be entrenched in the most storied rivalry in league history.

Kyrie Irving versus James brings fireworks. Add in that former Celtics star Rajon Rondo joined Los Angeles in the offseason and the storylines are off-the-charts in this contest.

2. Oct. 16, vs Philadelphia 76ers

Opening night turned disastrous for the Celtics last year when Gordon Hayward suffered a season-ending injury in the first five minutes at Cleveland.

The Celtics begin their season in Boston this time around and face off against a familiar foe in the Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics easily dispatched the 76ers in the Conference Semifinals in five games last postseason, despite playing without All-Stars Irving and Hayward for the entire series.

Though Philly was no match for the short-handed Celtics, the series was filled with emotions and physical play between two teams that could play each other in the postseason for the foreseeable future.

The Celtics-76ers rivalry has been revitalized and is rightfully the first televised matchup of the NBA season.

1. Jan. 26, vs Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving are set to battle at TD Garden on Jan. 26  (Noah Graham/Getty Images)

The two-time defending champion Warriors make their lone regular-season visit to Boston on a Saturday night. Irving renews his rivalry with Stephen Curry, as does Kevin Durant with the city of Boston. A potential NBA Finals preview, this is undoubtedly the must-see Celtics game of the year.

Las Vegas Win Projections: Take the Over for Celtics

The Westgate Las Vegas Superbook released its over/under win totals for the 2018-19 NBA season, and the Boston Celtics are placed at 57.5 wins. The over/under of 57.5 victories is the highest in the Eastern Conference and ranks second in the entire league, trailing only the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors (62.5).

The Celtics won 55 games last season, their most victories since Brad Stevens took over the coaching duties in 2013. Because they accomplished this feat with Gordon Hayward sidelined for all but five minutes of the season—in addition to Kyrie Irving missing the final quarter of the year with a knee injury—taking the over total of 57.5 victories seems like free money.

Not only are All-Stars Hayward and Irving returning for the Celtics, their lineup also features Al Horford and two rising stars in 21-year-old Jaylen Brown and 20-year-old Jayson Tatum.

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum could help Boston reach 60 wins in 2018-19. — by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Brown is entering his third season in the league, while Tatum will embark on his sophomore campaign after finishing third in the voting for Rookie of the Year.

Both Brown and Tatum could further develop their overall games and may even reach stardom after shining in the 2018 postseason.

Retaining their two biggest free agents, Marcus Smart and Aron Baynes, the Celtics are returning the squad that reached the seventh game of the Conference Finals.

The Celtics should dominate the East, even with the Toronto Raptors’ acquisition of Kawhi Leonard, who brings a nearly-unmatched NBA résumé—but also a lot of question marks and baggage—north of the border.

With its highest projected win total since 2008-09, expect Boston to win over 60 games and earn the top seed in the East for the second time in three seasons.

Tom Brady Could've Avoided Deflategate Suspension had he Denounced Equipment Staffers, New Book Says

According to the recently released book, “12: The Inside Story of Tom Brady's Fight For Redemption”—co-authored by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge—New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady could have escaped his four-game suspension for Deflategate.

The book claims that Brady could have avoided the suspension—which he served during the first four games of the 2016 season after initially winning his appeal before the 2015 campaign—had he paid a $1 million fine to the league and publicly blamed team equipment staffers, John Jastremski and Jim McNally, for altering the footballs. Brady declined, refusing to throw Jastremski and McNally under the bus, as the legendary QB showed his loyalty for the team extends beyond just teammates, ownership and coaching staff.

Five-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady turned 41 on Friday. (Bob DeChiara/USA Today Sports)

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell proposed this offer to Brady, according to the book.

"Goodell] demanded that Brady state publicly that former Patriots equipment guys [John] Jastremski and [Jim] McNally had purposely tampered with footballs, even without [Brady’s] knowledge."

Brady turned down this deal from Goodell because he believed the staffers were innocent.

“There’s no way I’m gonna ruin these guys for something I believe they didn’t do,” Brady told NFL Players Association head DeMaurice Smith.

Refusing to denounce the equipment staffers, Brady was forced to sit the first four contests of the 2016 season. The Patriots went 3-1 without Brady, though, led by former quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brisett.


Brady dominated in his return to action, throwing 28 touchdowns with just two interceptions—posting the greatest TD-to-interception ratio in NFL history. Despite missing 25 percent of the season due to suspension, he managed to finish second in MVP voting. Matt Ryan won the award, but his Atlanta Falcons lost to the Patriots in Super Bowl LI as Brady won his fifth Super Bowl title.