The Cincinnati Bengals’ All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson has asked to be traded. According to player’s agent Harold Lewis, Hendrickson is looking for a long-term deal, something the Bengals are unwilling to give him at the moment.

Hendrickson initially signed a four-year, $60 million contract with the Bengals in 2021. After outperforming his contract to a large margin in his first two years with the franchise, he received a one-year, $21 million extension that tied him to Cincinnati through the 2025 season.

Hendrickson went on to compile a career year in 2023, racking up 17.5 sacks, 43 tackles, and three forced fumbles en route to a First-Team All-Pro nod. This established him as one of the NFL’s premium defensive ends, and now he wants to be paid like one.  

“Our No. 1 goal is to get a long-term commitment from them,” Lewis told ESPN after the news of Hendrickson’s trade request was made public. “If we can’t, then we’re asking for a trade. And hopefully if he gets traded, that’s what we do — get a long-term commitment with somewhere else.”

Hendrickson already met with the Bengals’ brass to discuss his trade request and was told that he won’t be traded. However, the franchise is willing to discuss a new deal after the 2024 NFL season.

Reportedly, the Bengals have no interest in trading Hendrickson as they want to compete for the Super Bowl this upcoming season and beyond. They hold the same stance when it comes to wideout Tee Higgins, who demanded a trade back in March.

The post Bengals’ All-Pro DE Trey Hendrickson Demands a Trade appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After earning his first All-Star selection, the Philadelphia 76ers’ point guard Tyrese Maxey received recognition for his outstanding 2023-24 campaign. On Tuesday, Maxey was unveiled as the recipient of the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.

Maxey received 51 first-place votes and a total of 319 points from the panel of voters. Chicago Bulls’ Coby White came in second with 32 first-place votes and 305 total points, while Houston Rockets’ Alperen Sengun had 92 points.

After the 76ers traded James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers in the early 2023-24 season, Maxey was trusted with the starting point guard role and ended up delivering his career season. He averaged career-highs across the board, finishing the campaign with 25.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.0 steals.

“I have had to take different steps,” Maxey said after being presented with the award. “In the offseason, I didn’t know what the situation was going to be with James, so my thing was I have to work on pick and roll every day, working on passing, working on reads … those little things excite me the most, because I don’t think I couldn’t have made the plays I’m making this year in recent years.

The award for Most Improved Player is the first regular-season award presented for the 2023-24 season. In the following days, more awards will be handed out, including awards for Coach of the Year and Clutch player of the year.

The post 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey Named NBA’s Most Improved Player for 2023-24 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who won the NFL Most Valuable Player award in 2016, announced his retirement from professional football.

Ryan signed a one-day deal with the Falcons in order to retire as a member of the franchise. He made the news official through a video statement in which he said that his “childhood dream has officially come to an end.”

“I’m excited to see what’s next, this next chapter of life, and see where that takes us,” Ryan added. “But today, it’s exciting for me because you never have control in this profession of where you’re going to start, and I could not have been luckier that it was a start here in Atlanta, and it went for 14 years, and now I can bookend it and retire as a Falcon today.”

Ryan was drafted third overall by the Falcons in 2008 and went on to play 14 years with the franchise. During that time, he made four Pro Bowls, won the MVP, and led Atlanta to a Super Bowl LI appearance. Ryan also holds almost every Falcons franchise record in the passing category.  

Ahead of the 2022 season, the Falcons traded Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts as they were looking toward a rebuild. Ryan struggled with his new team, going 4-7-1 as a starter, and was eventually released by the Colts at the end of the campaign. He didn’t sign with a team in 2023, opting to join CBS Sports as an analyst.

Ryan is retiring after having posted a 65.6% pass completion percentage with 62,792 passing yards, 381 touchdowns, 183 interceptions, and a 124−109−1 record as a starter.

The post Ex-Falcons QB Matt Ryan Officially Retires From NFL appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points as his team defeated the Orlando Magic 97-83 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff clash. This is Mitchell’s fifth consecutive game in which he scored at least 30 points, thereby tying 1 that Mitchell has scored at least 30 points, tying Alex English for the sixth-longest streak in NBA history. It is also the longest streak among active players.

“It’s all about setting a tone,” Mitchell said following his impressive performance. “This is exciting and I love it and it’s great but in the same token, this game is only one game. This is trying to set that tone but now we have to do it again and again.”

Throughout his first 45 playoff games, Mitchel has scored at least 30 points in 21 games. He played a pivotal role in lifting Cleveland to fourth position in the Eastern Conference standings during the regular season.

The post Donovan Mitchell Grabs 30 Points in Game 1 Victory Over Magic appeared first on SportzBonanza.

ATP world number six Casper Ruud has won a tour-leading 27th match this season, trumping Matteo Arnaldi of Italy 6-4 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Barcelona Open on Friday. The Norwegian won 67 points compared to Arnaldi’s 51, winning four of his six break points of the match.

Ruud defeated Jordan Thompson of Australia 6-1 6-4 in the Round of 16 in order to move past Jannik Sinner with the most ATP wins in 2024 for the season to date. He came close to winning the Monte Carlo Masters last week, eventually falling 6-1 6-4 to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.

During his runup to the final, Ruud found himself in scintillating form, defeating world number one Novak Djokovic in the semi-final. Now, Ruud will hope to do one better at the Barcelona Open, where he will face Tomás Martín Etcheverry of Argentina in the semi-final on Saturday.

The post Casper Ruud Wins Quarter-Final Clash at Barcelona Open to Extend Tour-Leading Streak appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The New Orleans Pelicans will have to try and secure a playoff berth without their star Zion Williamson. The Pelicans announced on Wednesday that Williamson is dealing with a hamstring injury and will miss the Play-In game against the Sacramento Kings.

Williamson was hurt with less than four minutes remaining in the Play-In game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. At that point, Williamson scored 40 points and added 10 rebounds, helping the Pels tie the score.

However, after Williamson went down, the Pelicans didn’t have enough firepower to complete the comeback and suffered a 106-110 loss. They can still make it to the postseason as the eighth seed if they manage to get a win against the Kings on Friday.

Even if New Orleans clinches a playoff spot, they won’t have Williamson at their disposal, considering he is ruled out for at least two weeks.

Injuries have been a recurring story for Williamson since he entered the league as the No. 1 overall selection in 2019. He played only 114 games in his first four years, a stretch that saw him miss the 2021-22 season completely.

However, when available, Williamson has played at a star level. This season, he appeared in 70 games, his career high, while averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game.

The post Pelicans’ Zion Williamson Diagnosed With Hamstring Injury, Will Miss Play-In Game vs. Kings appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Mexico international forward Maria Sanchez reportedly wants to be traded by her NWSL team, Houston Dash. The news comes four months after Sanchez signed a then-record deal with the franchise.

Sanchez became a restricted free agent after the 2023 season, in which she scored four goals and four assists in 20 starts. She ended up signing a three-year deal, reportedly worth $1.5 million and containing an option for the 2027 season.

But just four games into the 2024 season, in which she is yet to score a goal, Sanchez reportedly wants a change of scenery. However, that might prove challenging because the league’s trade window is closing on Friday.

Additionally, her contract is technically signed with the NWSL, meaning that any team that acquires her would have to absorb her large contract. With the season already underway and rosters filled, interested teams would have to become creative in order to fit Sanchez’s salary under their cap.

It is still unclear why Sanchez, who has seven goals and eight assists since making her debut with Dash in 2021, wants out.

“Maria Sanchez is under contract, a choice she made in free agency at the end of 2023,” Dash spokesperson wrote in a statement sent to ESPN.

The post Maria Sanchez Asks for Trade 4 Months After Signing Record Deal With Houston Dash appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Brooklyn Nets are inching closer to finding their new head coach. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that the Nets already have a list of finalists, which includes former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer.

Budenholzer has been fired by the Bucks after an unceremonious end of the 2022–23 season. Milwaukee finished the regular season with the best record in the league but ended up being bounced out of the playoffs in the first round by the eight-seeded Miami Heat.

Budenholzer is well-regarded around the league, considering his track record of success. He got his first NBA head coaching job with the Atlanta Hawks in 2013–14 and led the franchise to five postseason appearances, including two Conference finals, in six seasons.

After taking over the Bucks in 2018–19, Budenholzer made the Conference semifinals in each of his first four seasons and won an NBA title in 2020–21. However, during his time with the franchise, he was often criticized for sticking to his preferred style and not adapting well to opponents’ strengths and weaknesses.

It remains to be seen whether the Nets, who fired head coach Jacque Vaughn in February, will go with a proven name in Budenholzer or pick out an up-and-coming coach. Their list of finalists reportedly also includes Phoenix Suns associate head coach Kevin Young and Sacramento Kings associate head coach Jordi Fernandez.

The post Ex-Bucks Head Coach Mike Budenholzer Among Finalists for Brooklyn Nets Job appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers recently opened up about the way he felt after an Achilles injury ended his 2023 NFL season after just four snaps.

During an appearance at the I Can Fly podcast, Rodgers said that he thought the injury would end his football career.

“I was heartbroken sitting in the locker room on Sept. 11 thinking my career might be over, and that’s how I’m going to go out,” Rodgers said about his thoughts in the aftermath of the injury.

Rodgers joined the Jets during the 2023 offseason in a blockbuster trade from the Green Bay Packers. He was expected to elevate a good team to a championship contender and end the Jets’ 13-season playoff drought, which is the longest active in the league.

“One of the most heartbreaking nights of my life, when I played four plays. Talk about an ego death,” Rodgers added.

However, the Achilles didn’t turn out to be the end of Rodgers’ career, as he recovered faster than expected. He was ready to return to the field before the season ended, but by that time, the Jets were already out of playoff contention.

Now, Rodgers will have a chance to make up for the lost time and finally deliver on the promise in 2024. Jets fans certainly hope this will be the case.

The post Aaron Rodgers Thought His Career Was “Over” After Achilles Injury appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Jacksonville Jaguars managed to hammer out a long-term deal with their Pro Bowl linebacker Josh Allen. The Jags announced on Wednesday that Allen inked a new five-year contract with the franchise.

Allen played out his rookie contract in 2023, which forced the Jaguars to use a $24 million franchise tag in March in order to avoid losing him in free agency. The two sides continued negotiations in the following weeks and have now come to an agreement that keeps Allen in Jacksonville for the foreseeable future. 

The Jags didn’t disclose the financial terms of the deal, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports it is a five-year, $150 million pact that comes with $88 million in guaranteed money. It makes Allen just the third defensive player in the NFL with an annual salary of $30 million or more.

Since entering the league in 2019 as a seventh overall pick out of Kentucky, Josh Allen established himself as one of the best, if not the best, defensive players for the Jags. This was particularly obvious last season when Allen broke the Jaguars’ franchise record with 17.5 sacks and earned his second Pro Bowl appearance.

“I’m extremely blessed and honored to get this paycheck, or to get these checks, but I still set goals for myself. Defensive Player of the Year is my next goal. Winning a Super Bowl, being an MVP,” Allen said after his new deal was officially confirmed.

The post Jaguars and Pro Bowl LB Josh Allen Agree to a 5-Year, $150 Million Contract appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Cincinnati Bengals’ All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson has asked to be traded. According to player’s agent Harold Lewis, Hendrickson is looking for a long-term deal, something the Bengals are unwilling to give him at the moment.

Hendrickson initially signed a four-year, $60 million contract with the Bengals in 2021. After outperforming his contract to a large margin in his first two years with the franchise, he received a one-year, $21 million extension that tied him to Cincinnati through the 2025 season.

Hendrickson went on to compile a career year in 2023, racking up 17.5 sacks, 43 tackles, and three forced fumbles en route to a First-Team All-Pro nod. This established him as one of the NFL’s premium defensive ends, and now he wants to be paid like one.  

“Our No. 1 goal is to get a long-term commitment from them,” Lewis told ESPN after the news of Hendrickson’s trade request was made public. “If we can’t, then we’re asking for a trade. And hopefully if he gets traded, that’s what we do — get a long-term commitment with somewhere else.”

Hendrickson already met with the Bengals’ brass to discuss his trade request and was told that he won’t be traded. However, the franchise is willing to discuss a new deal after the 2024 NFL season.

Reportedly, the Bengals have no interest in trading Hendrickson as they want to compete for the Super Bowl this upcoming season and beyond. They hold the same stance when it comes to wideout Tee Higgins, who demanded a trade back in March.

The post Bengals’ All-Pro DE Trey Hendrickson Demands a Trade appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After earning his first All-Star selection, the Philadelphia 76ers’ point guard Tyrese Maxey received recognition for his outstanding 2023-24 campaign. On Tuesday, Maxey was unveiled as the recipient of the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.

Maxey received 51 first-place votes and a total of 319 points from the panel of voters. Chicago Bulls’ Coby White came in second with 32 first-place votes and 305 total points, while Houston Rockets’ Alperen Sengun had 92 points.

After the 76ers traded James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers in the early 2023-24 season, Maxey was trusted with the starting point guard role and ended up delivering his career season. He averaged career-highs across the board, finishing the campaign with 25.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.0 steals.

“I have had to take different steps,” Maxey said after being presented with the award. “In the offseason, I didn’t know what the situation was going to be with James, so my thing was I have to work on pick and roll every day, working on passing, working on reads … those little things excite me the most, because I don’t think I couldn’t have made the plays I’m making this year in recent years.

The award for Most Improved Player is the first regular-season award presented for the 2023-24 season. In the following days, more awards will be handed out, including awards for Coach of the Year and Clutch player of the year.

The post 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey Named NBA’s Most Improved Player for 2023-24 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who won the NFL Most Valuable Player award in 2016, announced his retirement from professional football.

Ryan signed a one-day deal with the Falcons in order to retire as a member of the franchise. He made the news official through a video statement in which he said that his “childhood dream has officially come to an end.”

“I’m excited to see what’s next, this next chapter of life, and see where that takes us,” Ryan added. “But today, it’s exciting for me because you never have control in this profession of where you’re going to start, and I could not have been luckier that it was a start here in Atlanta, and it went for 14 years, and now I can bookend it and retire as a Falcon today.”

Ryan was drafted third overall by the Falcons in 2008 and went on to play 14 years with the franchise. During that time, he made four Pro Bowls, won the MVP, and led Atlanta to a Super Bowl LI appearance. Ryan also holds almost every Falcons franchise record in the passing category.  

Ahead of the 2022 season, the Falcons traded Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts as they were looking toward a rebuild. Ryan struggled with his new team, going 4-7-1 as a starter, and was eventually released by the Colts at the end of the campaign. He didn’t sign with a team in 2023, opting to join CBS Sports as an analyst.

Ryan is retiring after having posted a 65.6% pass completion percentage with 62,792 passing yards, 381 touchdowns, 183 interceptions, and a 124−109−1 record as a starter.

The post Ex-Falcons QB Matt Ryan Officially Retires From NFL appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points as his team defeated the Orlando Magic 97-83 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff clash. This is Mitchell’s fifth consecutive game in which he scored at least 30 points, thereby tying 1 that Mitchell has scored at least 30 points, tying Alex English for the sixth-longest streak in NBA history. It is also the longest streak among active players.

“It’s all about setting a tone,” Mitchell said following his impressive performance. “This is exciting and I love it and it’s great but in the same token, this game is only one game. This is trying to set that tone but now we have to do it again and again.”

Throughout his first 45 playoff games, Mitchel has scored at least 30 points in 21 games. He played a pivotal role in lifting Cleveland to fourth position in the Eastern Conference standings during the regular season.

The post Donovan Mitchell Grabs 30 Points in Game 1 Victory Over Magic appeared first on SportzBonanza.

ATP world number six Casper Ruud has won a tour-leading 27th match this season, trumping Matteo Arnaldi of Italy 6-4 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Barcelona Open on Friday. The Norwegian won 67 points compared to Arnaldi’s 51, winning four of his six break points of the match.

Ruud defeated Jordan Thompson of Australia 6-1 6-4 in the Round of 16 in order to move past Jannik Sinner with the most ATP wins in 2024 for the season to date. He came close to winning the Monte Carlo Masters last week, eventually falling 6-1 6-4 to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.

During his runup to the final, Ruud found himself in scintillating form, defeating world number one Novak Djokovic in the semi-final. Now, Ruud will hope to do one better at the Barcelona Open, where he will face Tomás Martín Etcheverry of Argentina in the semi-final on Saturday.

The post Casper Ruud Wins Quarter-Final Clash at Barcelona Open to Extend Tour-Leading Streak appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The New Orleans Pelicans will have to try and secure a playoff berth without their star Zion Williamson. The Pelicans announced on Wednesday that Williamson is dealing with a hamstring injury and will miss the Play-In game against the Sacramento Kings.

Williamson was hurt with less than four minutes remaining in the Play-In game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. At that point, Williamson scored 40 points and added 10 rebounds, helping the Pels tie the score.

However, after Williamson went down, the Pelicans didn’t have enough firepower to complete the comeback and suffered a 106-110 loss. They can still make it to the postseason as the eighth seed if they manage to get a win against the Kings on Friday.

Even if New Orleans clinches a playoff spot, they won’t have Williamson at their disposal, considering he is ruled out for at least two weeks.

Injuries have been a recurring story for Williamson since he entered the league as the No. 1 overall selection in 2019. He played only 114 games in his first four years, a stretch that saw him miss the 2021-22 season completely.

However, when available, Williamson has played at a star level. This season, he appeared in 70 games, his career high, while averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game.

The post Pelicans’ Zion Williamson Diagnosed With Hamstring Injury, Will Miss Play-In Game vs. Kings appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Mexico international forward Maria Sanchez reportedly wants to be traded by her NWSL team, Houston Dash. The news comes four months after Sanchez signed a then-record deal with the franchise.

Sanchez became a restricted free agent after the 2023 season, in which she scored four goals and four assists in 20 starts. She ended up signing a three-year deal, reportedly worth $1.5 million and containing an option for the 2027 season.

But just four games into the 2024 season, in which she is yet to score a goal, Sanchez reportedly wants a change of scenery. However, that might prove challenging because the league’s trade window is closing on Friday.

Additionally, her contract is technically signed with the NWSL, meaning that any team that acquires her would have to absorb her large contract. With the season already underway and rosters filled, interested teams would have to become creative in order to fit Sanchez’s salary under their cap.

It is still unclear why Sanchez, who has seven goals and eight assists since making her debut with Dash in 2021, wants out.

“Maria Sanchez is under contract, a choice she made in free agency at the end of 2023,” Dash spokesperson wrote in a statement sent to ESPN.

The post Maria Sanchez Asks for Trade 4 Months After Signing Record Deal With Houston Dash appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Brooklyn Nets are inching closer to finding their new head coach. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that the Nets already have a list of finalists, which includes former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer.

Budenholzer has been fired by the Bucks after an unceremonious end of the 2022–23 season. Milwaukee finished the regular season with the best record in the league but ended up being bounced out of the playoffs in the first round by the eight-seeded Miami Heat.

Budenholzer is well-regarded around the league, considering his track record of success. He got his first NBA head coaching job with the Atlanta Hawks in 2013–14 and led the franchise to five postseason appearances, including two Conference finals, in six seasons.

After taking over the Bucks in 2018–19, Budenholzer made the Conference semifinals in each of his first four seasons and won an NBA title in 2020–21. However, during his time with the franchise, he was often criticized for sticking to his preferred style and not adapting well to opponents’ strengths and weaknesses.

It remains to be seen whether the Nets, who fired head coach Jacque Vaughn in February, will go with a proven name in Budenholzer or pick out an up-and-coming coach. Their list of finalists reportedly also includes Phoenix Suns associate head coach Kevin Young and Sacramento Kings associate head coach Jordi Fernandez.

The post Ex-Bucks Head Coach Mike Budenholzer Among Finalists for Brooklyn Nets Job appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers recently opened up about the way he felt after an Achilles injury ended his 2023 NFL season after just four snaps.

During an appearance at the I Can Fly podcast, Rodgers said that he thought the injury would end his football career.

“I was heartbroken sitting in the locker room on Sept. 11 thinking my career might be over, and that’s how I’m going to go out,” Rodgers said about his thoughts in the aftermath of the injury.

Rodgers joined the Jets during the 2023 offseason in a blockbuster trade from the Green Bay Packers. He was expected to elevate a good team to a championship contender and end the Jets’ 13-season playoff drought, which is the longest active in the league.

“One of the most heartbreaking nights of my life, when I played four plays. Talk about an ego death,” Rodgers added.

However, the Achilles didn’t turn out to be the end of Rodgers’ career, as he recovered faster than expected. He was ready to return to the field before the season ended, but by that time, the Jets were already out of playoff contention.

Now, Rodgers will have a chance to make up for the lost time and finally deliver on the promise in 2024. Jets fans certainly hope this will be the case.

The post Aaron Rodgers Thought His Career Was “Over” After Achilles Injury appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Jacksonville Jaguars managed to hammer out a long-term deal with their Pro Bowl linebacker Josh Allen. The Jags announced on Wednesday that Allen inked a new five-year contract with the franchise.

Allen played out his rookie contract in 2023, which forced the Jaguars to use a $24 million franchise tag in March in order to avoid losing him in free agency. The two sides continued negotiations in the following weeks and have now come to an agreement that keeps Allen in Jacksonville for the foreseeable future. 

The Jags didn’t disclose the financial terms of the deal, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports it is a five-year, $150 million pact that comes with $88 million in guaranteed money. It makes Allen just the third defensive player in the NFL with an annual salary of $30 million or more.

Since entering the league in 2019 as a seventh overall pick out of Kentucky, Josh Allen established himself as one of the best, if not the best, defensive players for the Jags. This was particularly obvious last season when Allen broke the Jaguars’ franchise record with 17.5 sacks and earned his second Pro Bowl appearance.

“I’m extremely blessed and honored to get this paycheck, or to get these checks, but I still set goals for myself. Defensive Player of the Year is my next goal. Winning a Super Bowl, being an MVP,” Allen said after his new deal was officially confirmed.

The post Jaguars and Pro Bowl LB Josh Allen Agree to a 5-Year, $150 Million Contract appeared first on SportzBonanza.