AV’s Sports Minute: Trades, NBA, And More.

Astros Take Down Nationals

(Washington, D.C.)  —  The Astros took down the Nationals 6-3 from DC.  Nick Allen drove-in three runs to lead the offense.  Christian Vazquez tallied a pair of RBIs while Steven Okert earned the win in relief.  Houston has won three of its last four games.  Andrew Alvarez gave up five runs on four hits over five-plus innings for Washington, which has dropped three-of-four.

Kyle Lowry Signs Deal To Retire As Raptor

(Toronto, ON) — Kyle Lowry is putting a cap on a 20-year NBA career in the place he calls home.  The 40-year-old point guard signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Raptors so he could retire with the team he led to an NBA championship in 2019.  Lowry earned all six of his All-Star nods during his nine seasons in Toronto.  He also suited up for the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat and his hometown Philadelphia 76ers.

Cavaliers’ Mitchell Inks Max Extension

(Cleveland, OH) — Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell is staying put, agreeing today to a four-year, 273-million-dollar max extension.  ESPN reports the deal will replace a player option for next season.  Mitchell has earned All-Star Game nods in each of his four seasons in Cleveland while leading the Cavs to the postseason each year.

Knicks Guard Brunson To Have Wrist Surgery

(New York, NY) — New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson is expected to be ready for training camp after having wrist surgery.  ESPN reports the reigning NBA Finals MVP played with an injured left wrist throughout the postseason, but still managed to average more than 28 points per game.  Brunson will resume basketball activities later this summer.

Report: Wizards Acquire Khris Middleton In Six-Team Trade

(Washington, D.C.)  —  A comical, six-team trade took place in the NBA on Tuesday.  ESPN reports the Wizards are bringing back Khris Middleton on a three-year deal worth almost 18-million dollars as part of a sign-and-trade agreement with the Mavericks.  The 34-year-old played for both teams last year.  The Clippers, Pistons, Bucks and Grizzlies were involved in previously agreed-upon deals.  Memphis is receiving veteran guard D’Angelo Russell and second-round pick consideration from Washington as a direct part of the Middleton trade.

Report: Pistons Trade LeVert To Bucks For Prince And Harris

(Undated)  —  The Pistons and Bucks agreed to a deal on Tuesday.  According to ESPN, Detroit is trading Caris LeVert and two second round picks to Milwaukee for Taurean Prince and Gary Harris.  The deal creates a trade exception for the Pistons as well as cap savings.  All three players are on expiring deals.  LeVert averaged 7.4 points after signing a two-year deal with the Pistons last offseason.  Prince shot above 43 percent from three each of the last two years, and Harris is a 12-year vet that averaged just 14 minutes for the Bucks last season.

Report: Bucs In No Hurry To Re-Sign Mayfield, Vea

(Tampa, FL)  —  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are three weeks from the start of training camp, with no movement yet on new contracts for two key players.  NFL Network reports there’s no urgency on the team’s part to lock up quarterback Baker Mayfield and nose tackle Vita Vea to long-term deals.  Both players are entering the final year of their current contracts.  Mayfield participated in the team’s offseason program while Vea was a “hold in” during the mandatory minicamp.

Report: Rams Rework Garrett’s Deal Following Trade

 (Los Angeles, CA) — The Rams are reworking the deal for their newly-acquired superstar edge rusher. ESPN is reporting that Los Angeles and defensive end Myles Garrett have agreed to a reworked contract that includes an increase in total compensation for the 2026 season. Garrett’s previous earnings were set to be 31.5-million-dollars and included per-game roster bonuses, while his new total compensation is set to be at least 37-million-dollars. The total value of the contract has not increased and the 30-year-old still has a no-trade clause in his contract. Garrett signed a four-year, 160-million-dollar contract extension with the Cleveland Browns last offseason.

Cowboys’ Kneeland Had CTE At Time Of Death

(Boston, MA) — Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland was suffering from CTE when he died last year.  Boston University researchers who studied the 25-year-old’s brain say he was in an early stage of the disease that’s caused by repeated blows to the head.  Kneeland died by suicide in November, and his girlfriend said in a statement that the diagnosis provides important context to the struggles he was facing.

Sanders Says He’s Healthy Heading Into 2026 Football Season

(Frisco, TX) — Deion Sanders says he’s healthy again after struggling with bladder cancer last season. The Colorado Buffaloes head coach spoke with reporters during Big 12 media day in Texas yesterday. He said he tried to hide his condition last year, wearing shorts and a hoodie under his clothes to disguise how much weight he had lost. He also spent significant amounts of time away from the team in the spring and summer and he feels that’s part of the reason the Buffaloes finished with a 3-and-9 record last season. Sanders said he’s been involved in every decision this offseason and is predicting a much better record for the Buffs this fall.