Marcus Rashford’s successful loan spell with Aston Villa has reportedly prompted La Liga giants Barcelona to renew their interest in the English striker.

Rashford joined Villa in January on loan from Manchester United and has played well since then. He has two goals and two assists in 10 Premier League games while also receiving praise from head coach Unai Emery for his other contributions on the field.

Barcelona is currently looking to fortify its attack and sees Rashford, who was on their radar in 2023 before he signed a new contract with Manchester United, as a suitable option.  The only issue is that the Catalan club isn’t keen on paying his £40 million ($53.3 million) price tag due to their poor financial situation.

It is unclear whether Man United would be willing to give them a discount at this moment considering that Aston Villa can turn Rashford’s loan into a permanent transfer for the same fee.

Rashford, on the other hand, isn’t interested in returning to Manchester United due to a strained relationship with Ruben Amorim. While staying with Aston Villa is an option, he is reportedly excited about the opportunity to play at Camp Nou and would be willing to take a significant pay cut from his current £300,000 per week to facilitate a move to Barcelona.

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The New Orleans Pelicans announced on Wednesday that the franchise is hiring Hall of Famer Joe Dumars to serve as their new executive vice president of basketball operations. Dumars will step in for David Griffin, who was fired on Monday after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign.

Willie Green is expected to remain the coach of the Pelicans, although Dumars will reportedly have the final say on his fate.

The Pelicans endured a rough and injury-riddled season that saw them finish with a 21-61 record, fourth-worst in the league.

“There is a lot of talent on this roster,” Dumars, who is a Louisiana native, said in a statement. “My vision is to build a disciplined team that is built on toughness, smart decision-making, and a no-excuses mindset. I am proud to have grown up in Louisiana and know how passionate, resilient, and tough we are as a community. Our fans deserve a team that represents that spirit, and those characteristics will be the foundation of our team’s culture.”

Joe Dumars played 14 seasons in the NBA, spending all of them with the Detroit Pistons. He helped the franchise to two NBA titles and was named NBA Finals MVP in 1989. Dumars also earned six NBA All-Star selections and was named to NBA All-Defensive First Team four times. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Dumars transitioned to an executive role after retirement, becoming Pistons’ president of basketball operations prior to the 2000-01 season. He held the position for 14 years and constructed the team that won the 2004 NBA championship. After leaving the Pistons, he served in executive roles with the Sacramento Kings and the NBA League Office.

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Alex Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL all-time scoring record is at its finishing line. The Washington Capitals’ star tied Gretzky by scoring his 894th goal in a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, and he now only needs one more goal to take sole ownership of the record.

Ovechkin’s record-tying goal came in with 13:47 left in the third, courtesy of assists from John Carlson and Andrew Mangiapane, to give the Capitals a 4-3 lead.

Ovechkin was given an opportunity to break the record late in the third period after the Blackhawks decided to pull goalie Spencer Knight. However, he decided he didn’t want to enter the history books by placing a puck into an empty net.

“I tell Carbs [Capitols head coach Spencer Carbery] right away, ‘I don’t want to do it.’ Stromer [Dylan Strome] ask me, Carly [John Carlson] ask me, everybody ask me, ‘Do you want it? Do you want it?'” Ovechkin said after the game. “I said let’s wait … I don’t want an empty net.”

However, Ovechkin did break one record on the night. The game-winner against Chicago was the 136th such goal in his career, placing him at the top of the all-time list.

Ovechkin will have his next opportunity to take ownership of the NHL’s all-time scoring record when the Capitals face the New York Islanders.

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Mexico is the winner of the 2024–25 edition of the CONCACAF Nations League after beating Panama 2-1 in the Finals thanks to a late goal by striker Raul Jimenez. United States men’s national team, which won the previous three editions of the competition, finished fourth after losing to Canada in the third-place match.

After losing in the Finals two times in the past three seasons, Mexico finally managed to jump over the hump. However, it was far from an easy feat against a Panama team that was flying high after stunning USMNT in the semi-finals.

Mexico was aggressive from the kick-off and the strategy quickly paid off with Jimenez breaking the deadlock in the eighth minute of the game. After that, El Tri was happy to cede possession and soak up the pressure.

Panama intensified its attacks toward the end of the first half and it paid off in the added time as Mexican defender Johan Vasquez made a reckless tackle in the penalty box. Adalberto Carrasquilla converted the penalty kick to make it 1-1.

The second half saw Mexico taking the initiative once again but Panama proved well-equipped to keep them at bay. But Panama’s defender Jose Cordoba ensured the teams wouldn’t go into extra time by touching the ball with his hand in the penalty area. Jimenez was confident from the spot, scoring his second goal of the game and securing the first CONCACAF Nations League trophy for Mexico.

USMNT, on the other hand, failed to extend its domination in the CONCACAF Nations League. The Americans struggled throughout the surprise so the loss to Canada wasn’t a major surprise.

Tani Oluwaseyi got Canada in the lead in the 27th minute before Patrick Agyemang scored the equalizer for USMNT in the 35th minute. Jonathan David made it 2-1 for Canada in the 59th minute, and it turned out to be a winning goal as USMNT failed to come up with a response.

“We are all [disappointed] and the fans need to feel the disappointment that we didn’t win,” said USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino after the game. “But I’m not going to allow [us] to feel pessimistic because I think we have good players. We are going to find a way to perform and for sure we are going to compete in a different way.”

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The Los Angeles Rams released veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp on Wednesday. The move came after the team failed in their attempts to trade the Super Bowl LVI MVP.

The Rams informed Kupp that they intend to trade him in early February, but failed to find a team that was willing to take on his contract. Kupp had one year left on his three-year, $80.1 million extension he signed ahead of the 2022 season.

By releasing Kupp, the Rams will save $15 million in cap space. However, they will also take on cap hits of $14.78 million in 2025 and $7.48 million in 2026.

Kupp also confirmed his release via a post shared on social media.

“Thank you for these shared moments. Thank you LA for welcoming my family with open arms and allowing us to grow here,” Kupp wrote on X. “Next chapter starts now. Best is yet to come.”

Cooper Kupp had his best season as a pro in 2021, when he achieved the triple-crown by leading the league in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947), and touchdowns (16). He then set the NFL record for most catches in the playoffs with 33 while helping the Rams win the Super Bowl LVI and being named the game’s MVP.

However, Kupp’s production significantly declined since then as injuries limited him to 33 games in the past three seasons. He finished the 2024 with 67 receptions for 710 yards and six TDs.

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The Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season. Embiid is dealing with a lingering left knee injury and is reportedly mulling various options to address the issue including surgery.

Embiid had two surgeries on his left knee in the past, including one that sidelined him for the second part of the 2023-24 campaign. However, the most recent procedure didn’t provide a long-term fix, as the 2023 NBA MVP experienced swelling and constantly played through pain this season.

Embiid was limited to just 19 games this season and wasn’t his usual self. He averaged 23.8 points per game, his lowest since 2019-20, and 8.2 rebounds, his lowest since his rookie season.

The 76ers and Embiid have reportedly consulted a number of specialists in recent weeks in order to determine the best path forward. While the final decision is yet to be made, the surgery seems like the most viable option.

Losing Embiid will most likely result in another lost season for the 76ers. Even with Embiid on the floor, Philly struggled for the better part of the campaign. They are currently in the midst of a nine-game losing streak that left them at a 20-38 record and on No. 12 in the Western Conference. 

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Playing in his home arena, Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry put on a show at the revamped All-Star Game on Sunday. Curry led Team Shaq to a win while getting crowned All-Star MVP for the second time in his career.

The 2025 All-Star Game featured a new format that saw three All-Star teams, each coached by Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley, and the Rising Stars team coached by Candace Parker, square off in a mini-tournament. All games had a target score of 40 points.

Team Shaq got a 42-35 win over Team Candace, while Team Chuck got a 41-31 win over Team Kenny in the semi-finals. The finals saw a stacked Team Shaq, which featured Curry, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Jason Tatum, and Damian Lillard in its starting lineup, dominate Team Chuck for a 41-25 win.

Curry scored eight points in the semifinals and added 12 points in the finals. All of his points in the finals came from behind the arc, including a half-court three-pointer to give Team Shaq a 26-15 lead.

“It was one of those little flurries, just having fun,” Curry said after the game. “The half-court shot, I was going to take one at some point. [Nikola] Jokic was picking me up at half court, which was hilarious.”

Curry ended up getting 12 out of the 14 votes for All-Star MVP, with Tatum and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receiving one vote each. He is the 15th player in NBA All-Star Game history to get multiple MVP honors.

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Real Madrid is one step closer to defending their UEFA Champions League title from last season. The La Liga powerhouse claimed a 3-2 comeback win over Premier League heavyweights Manchester City in the first leg of the Knockout Round Playoffs.

Real was an inferior side in the first half and was trailing after 19 minutes. Man City’s defender Josko Gvadirol used his chest to pass the ball to Erling Haaland in the penalty box, allowing the Norwegian striker to score a beautiful volley for a 1-0 lead.

The second half saw more animated Real and their efforts paid off in the 60th minute thanks to Kylian Mbappe’s equalizer. The Spanish team continued to press and it seemed like it was only a matter of time before they got another one.

However, it was Man City that got the next goal. Phil Foden was tackled in the penalty area by Dani Ceballos and Haaland stepped to the spot and calmly bagged his second goal of the game in the 80th minute.

Real didn’t wait too long to respond, with substitute striker Brahim Diaz using the commotion in the penalty area after Ederson’s save to pick up the loose ball and find the net six minutes later.

The game then entered in added time and it seemed like it would end in a tie. But City’s goalie Ederson made a miscalculated attempt in the dying second of the game to rush at the forward Vinicius Jr., who simply chipped the ball over him. Jude Bellingham was in the right place and found himself in front of an empty goal for an easy score.  

With the win, Real Madrid finds itself in a good position to progress to the Round of 16. They welcome City at their home stadium for the second leg on February 19 while having one goal advantage. The winner from this matchup will play either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the next stage.

In other Knockout Round Playoffs clashes, Paris Saint-Germain got a 3-0 win over Brest while Borussia Dortmund beat Sporting Lisbon with the same result. Finally, Juventus claimed a 2-1 win over PSV Eindhoven.

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The Los Angeles Lakers just pulled off one of the most shocking NBA trades in recent memory. The Lakers announced on Sunday that they have acquired superstar Luka Doncic in a trade that also sent All-Star Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks.

Aside from Davis, the Lakers also gave up promising wing Max Christie and their 2029 first-round pick to land one of the best basketball players in the world. On top of Doncic, the Lakers will also get center  Maxi Kleber and veteran forward Markieff Morris.

Utah Jazz was also involved in the deal, taking on Jalen Hood-Schifino from the Lakers to make the money work and landing two second-round selections in exchange.

The trade understandably created great confusion around the league. Doncic is a generational talent who made five straight All-NBA First Teams before turning 26. He is also an amazing all-around offensive player, with current career averages of 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists. The feeling is that despite getting back Davis, the Mavs could have netted a much bigger haul.

However, it appears that Dallas simply wanted to move on from their franchise star as quickly as possible. According to multiple reports, it was actually the Mavs who approached the Lakers about the potential deal. Apparently, the Mavs were worried about Doncic’s conditioning and his lackluster approach to his diet. They were also wary about giving him a five-year, $345 million super-max extension for which he would be eligible next summer.

Of course, the Lakers don’t have any of those concerns. They jumped on the opportunity to get another big star, one that will ensure they remain competitive for years to come while creating a window in which Doncic and LeBron James join forces and attempt to bring another title to Los Angeles.

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Jimmy Butler recently returned from a seven-game suspension, but it didn’t take long for the Miami Heat to bench him again. They suspended the star guard for two games after he missed the team’s flight to Milwaukee on Wednesday, citing “insubordinate conduct” as the reason for their decision.

The Heat released an official statement explaining they’ve suspended the 35-year-old six-time All-Star for two games “for a continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct, and conduct detrimental to the team, including missing today’s team flight to Milwaukee.”

Miami previously suspended Butler for seven games on January 3, citing multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team. They released a statement saying that Butler has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team through his actions and statements, adding they’ll “listen to offers” after he’s indicated a wish to be traded.

The Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and Golden State Warriors emerged as some of the potential trade destinations for Butler, according to ESPN‘s Shams Charania, but he’d reportedly prefer to be traded to the Phoenix Suns. He’s currently in the last guaranteed year of his contract with the Heat and has a player option worth more than $52 million for next season.

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Marcus Rashford’s successful loan spell with Aston Villa has reportedly prompted La Liga giants Barcelona to renew their interest in the English striker.

Rashford joined Villa in January on loan from Manchester United and has played well since then. He has two goals and two assists in 10 Premier League games while also receiving praise from head coach Unai Emery for his other contributions on the field.

Barcelona is currently looking to fortify its attack and sees Rashford, who was on their radar in 2023 before he signed a new contract with Manchester United, as a suitable option.  The only issue is that the Catalan club isn’t keen on paying his £40 million ($53.3 million) price tag due to their poor financial situation.

It is unclear whether Man United would be willing to give them a discount at this moment considering that Aston Villa can turn Rashford’s loan into a permanent transfer for the same fee.

Rashford, on the other hand, isn’t interested in returning to Manchester United due to a strained relationship with Ruben Amorim. While staying with Aston Villa is an option, he is reportedly excited about the opportunity to play at Camp Nou and would be willing to take a significant pay cut from his current £300,000 per week to facilitate a move to Barcelona.

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The New Orleans Pelicans announced on Wednesday that the franchise is hiring Hall of Famer Joe Dumars to serve as their new executive vice president of basketball operations. Dumars will step in for David Griffin, who was fired on Monday after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign.

Willie Green is expected to remain the coach of the Pelicans, although Dumars will reportedly have the final say on his fate.

The Pelicans endured a rough and injury-riddled season that saw them finish with a 21-61 record, fourth-worst in the league.

“There is a lot of talent on this roster,” Dumars, who is a Louisiana native, said in a statement. “My vision is to build a disciplined team that is built on toughness, smart decision-making, and a no-excuses mindset. I am proud to have grown up in Louisiana and know how passionate, resilient, and tough we are as a community. Our fans deserve a team that represents that spirit, and those characteristics will be the foundation of our team’s culture.”

Joe Dumars played 14 seasons in the NBA, spending all of them with the Detroit Pistons. He helped the franchise to two NBA titles and was named NBA Finals MVP in 1989. Dumars also earned six NBA All-Star selections and was named to NBA All-Defensive First Team four times. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Dumars transitioned to an executive role after retirement, becoming Pistons’ president of basketball operations prior to the 2000-01 season. He held the position for 14 years and constructed the team that won the 2004 NBA championship. After leaving the Pistons, he served in executive roles with the Sacramento Kings and the NBA League Office.

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Alex Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL all-time scoring record is at its finishing line. The Washington Capitals’ star tied Gretzky by scoring his 894th goal in a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, and he now only needs one more goal to take sole ownership of the record.

Ovechkin’s record-tying goal came in with 13:47 left in the third, courtesy of assists from John Carlson and Andrew Mangiapane, to give the Capitals a 4-3 lead.

Ovechkin was given an opportunity to break the record late in the third period after the Blackhawks decided to pull goalie Spencer Knight. However, he decided he didn’t want to enter the history books by placing a puck into an empty net.

“I tell Carbs [Capitols head coach Spencer Carbery] right away, ‘I don’t want to do it.’ Stromer [Dylan Strome] ask me, Carly [John Carlson] ask me, everybody ask me, ‘Do you want it? Do you want it?'” Ovechkin said after the game. “I said let’s wait … I don’t want an empty net.”

However, Ovechkin did break one record on the night. The game-winner against Chicago was the 136th such goal in his career, placing him at the top of the all-time list.

Ovechkin will have his next opportunity to take ownership of the NHL’s all-time scoring record when the Capitals face the New York Islanders.

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Mexico is the winner of the 2024–25 edition of the CONCACAF Nations League after beating Panama 2-1 in the Finals thanks to a late goal by striker Raul Jimenez. United States men’s national team, which won the previous three editions of the competition, finished fourth after losing to Canada in the third-place match.

After losing in the Finals two times in the past three seasons, Mexico finally managed to jump over the hump. However, it was far from an easy feat against a Panama team that was flying high after stunning USMNT in the semi-finals.

Mexico was aggressive from the kick-off and the strategy quickly paid off with Jimenez breaking the deadlock in the eighth minute of the game. After that, El Tri was happy to cede possession and soak up the pressure.

Panama intensified its attacks toward the end of the first half and it paid off in the added time as Mexican defender Johan Vasquez made a reckless tackle in the penalty box. Adalberto Carrasquilla converted the penalty kick to make it 1-1.

The second half saw Mexico taking the initiative once again but Panama proved well-equipped to keep them at bay. But Panama’s defender Jose Cordoba ensured the teams wouldn’t go into extra time by touching the ball with his hand in the penalty area. Jimenez was confident from the spot, scoring his second goal of the game and securing the first CONCACAF Nations League trophy for Mexico.

USMNT, on the other hand, failed to extend its domination in the CONCACAF Nations League. The Americans struggled throughout the surprise so the loss to Canada wasn’t a major surprise.

Tani Oluwaseyi got Canada in the lead in the 27th minute before Patrick Agyemang scored the equalizer for USMNT in the 35th minute. Jonathan David made it 2-1 for Canada in the 59th minute, and it turned out to be a winning goal as USMNT failed to come up with a response.

“We are all [disappointed] and the fans need to feel the disappointment that we didn’t win,” said USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino after the game. “But I’m not going to allow [us] to feel pessimistic because I think we have good players. We are going to find a way to perform and for sure we are going to compete in a different way.”

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The Los Angeles Rams released veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp on Wednesday. The move came after the team failed in their attempts to trade the Super Bowl LVI MVP.

The Rams informed Kupp that they intend to trade him in early February, but failed to find a team that was willing to take on his contract. Kupp had one year left on his three-year, $80.1 million extension he signed ahead of the 2022 season.

By releasing Kupp, the Rams will save $15 million in cap space. However, they will also take on cap hits of $14.78 million in 2025 and $7.48 million in 2026.

Kupp also confirmed his release via a post shared on social media.

“Thank you for these shared moments. Thank you LA for welcoming my family with open arms and allowing us to grow here,” Kupp wrote on X. “Next chapter starts now. Best is yet to come.”

Cooper Kupp had his best season as a pro in 2021, when he achieved the triple-crown by leading the league in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947), and touchdowns (16). He then set the NFL record for most catches in the playoffs with 33 while helping the Rams win the Super Bowl LVI and being named the game’s MVP.

However, Kupp’s production significantly declined since then as injuries limited him to 33 games in the past three seasons. He finished the 2024 with 67 receptions for 710 yards and six TDs.

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The Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season. Embiid is dealing with a lingering left knee injury and is reportedly mulling various options to address the issue including surgery.

Embiid had two surgeries on his left knee in the past, including one that sidelined him for the second part of the 2023-24 campaign. However, the most recent procedure didn’t provide a long-term fix, as the 2023 NBA MVP experienced swelling and constantly played through pain this season.

Embiid was limited to just 19 games this season and wasn’t his usual self. He averaged 23.8 points per game, his lowest since 2019-20, and 8.2 rebounds, his lowest since his rookie season.

The 76ers and Embiid have reportedly consulted a number of specialists in recent weeks in order to determine the best path forward. While the final decision is yet to be made, the surgery seems like the most viable option.

Losing Embiid will most likely result in another lost season for the 76ers. Even with Embiid on the floor, Philly struggled for the better part of the campaign. They are currently in the midst of a nine-game losing streak that left them at a 20-38 record and on No. 12 in the Western Conference. 

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Playing in his home arena, Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry put on a show at the revamped All-Star Game on Sunday. Curry led Team Shaq to a win while getting crowned All-Star MVP for the second time in his career.

The 2025 All-Star Game featured a new format that saw three All-Star teams, each coached by Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley, and the Rising Stars team coached by Candace Parker, square off in a mini-tournament. All games had a target score of 40 points.

Team Shaq got a 42-35 win over Team Candace, while Team Chuck got a 41-31 win over Team Kenny in the semi-finals. The finals saw a stacked Team Shaq, which featured Curry, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Jason Tatum, and Damian Lillard in its starting lineup, dominate Team Chuck for a 41-25 win.

Curry scored eight points in the semifinals and added 12 points in the finals. All of his points in the finals came from behind the arc, including a half-court three-pointer to give Team Shaq a 26-15 lead.

“It was one of those little flurries, just having fun,” Curry said after the game. “The half-court shot, I was going to take one at some point. [Nikola] Jokic was picking me up at half court, which was hilarious.”

Curry ended up getting 12 out of the 14 votes for All-Star MVP, with Tatum and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receiving one vote each. He is the 15th player in NBA All-Star Game history to get multiple MVP honors.

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Real Madrid is one step closer to defending their UEFA Champions League title from last season. The La Liga powerhouse claimed a 3-2 comeback win over Premier League heavyweights Manchester City in the first leg of the Knockout Round Playoffs.

Real was an inferior side in the first half and was trailing after 19 minutes. Man City’s defender Josko Gvadirol used his chest to pass the ball to Erling Haaland in the penalty box, allowing the Norwegian striker to score a beautiful volley for a 1-0 lead.

The second half saw more animated Real and their efforts paid off in the 60th minute thanks to Kylian Mbappe’s equalizer. The Spanish team continued to press and it seemed like it was only a matter of time before they got another one.

However, it was Man City that got the next goal. Phil Foden was tackled in the penalty area by Dani Ceballos and Haaland stepped to the spot and calmly bagged his second goal of the game in the 80th minute.

Real didn’t wait too long to respond, with substitute striker Brahim Diaz using the commotion in the penalty area after Ederson’s save to pick up the loose ball and find the net six minutes later.

The game then entered in added time and it seemed like it would end in a tie. But City’s goalie Ederson made a miscalculated attempt in the dying second of the game to rush at the forward Vinicius Jr., who simply chipped the ball over him. Jude Bellingham was in the right place and found himself in front of an empty goal for an easy score.  

With the win, Real Madrid finds itself in a good position to progress to the Round of 16. They welcome City at their home stadium for the second leg on February 19 while having one goal advantage. The winner from this matchup will play either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the next stage.

In other Knockout Round Playoffs clashes, Paris Saint-Germain got a 3-0 win over Brest while Borussia Dortmund beat Sporting Lisbon with the same result. Finally, Juventus claimed a 2-1 win over PSV Eindhoven.

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The Los Angeles Lakers just pulled off one of the most shocking NBA trades in recent memory. The Lakers announced on Sunday that they have acquired superstar Luka Doncic in a trade that also sent All-Star Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks.

Aside from Davis, the Lakers also gave up promising wing Max Christie and their 2029 first-round pick to land one of the best basketball players in the world. On top of Doncic, the Lakers will also get center  Maxi Kleber and veteran forward Markieff Morris.

Utah Jazz was also involved in the deal, taking on Jalen Hood-Schifino from the Lakers to make the money work and landing two second-round selections in exchange.

The trade understandably created great confusion around the league. Doncic is a generational talent who made five straight All-NBA First Teams before turning 26. He is also an amazing all-around offensive player, with current career averages of 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists. The feeling is that despite getting back Davis, the Mavs could have netted a much bigger haul.

However, it appears that Dallas simply wanted to move on from their franchise star as quickly as possible. According to multiple reports, it was actually the Mavs who approached the Lakers about the potential deal. Apparently, the Mavs were worried about Doncic’s conditioning and his lackluster approach to his diet. They were also wary about giving him a five-year, $345 million super-max extension for which he would be eligible next summer.

Of course, the Lakers don’t have any of those concerns. They jumped on the opportunity to get another big star, one that will ensure they remain competitive for years to come while creating a window in which Doncic and LeBron James join forces and attempt to bring another title to Los Angeles.

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Jimmy Butler recently returned from a seven-game suspension, but it didn’t take long for the Miami Heat to bench him again. They suspended the star guard for two games after he missed the team’s flight to Milwaukee on Wednesday, citing “insubordinate conduct” as the reason for their decision.

The Heat released an official statement explaining they’ve suspended the 35-year-old six-time All-Star for two games “for a continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct, and conduct detrimental to the team, including missing today’s team flight to Milwaukee.”

Miami previously suspended Butler for seven games on January 3, citing multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team. They released a statement saying that Butler has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team through his actions and statements, adding they’ll “listen to offers” after he’s indicated a wish to be traded.

The Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and Golden State Warriors emerged as some of the potential trade destinations for Butler, according to ESPN‘s Shams Charania, but he’d reportedly prefer to be traded to the Phoenix Suns. He’s currently in the last guaranteed year of his contract with the Heat and has a player option worth more than $52 million for next season.

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