Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!
At the start of the season, no one would have predicted Nottingham Forest to be guaranteed a place in the Premier League’s top three on New Year’s Day.
The once mighty Forest, who famously won back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980, were in fact one of the favourites to be relegated this season, according to the bookmakers.
After winning two of their last three matches to finish one place above the drop zone last campaign, that prediction made sense.
But now, they are one place off top spot and everyone else has egg on their face.
Forest moved to second with a 2-0 win at Everton in the early hours of Monday morning Australian time, and at worst they will start 2025 in third if Chelsea win at second-last Ipswich Town.
It was their fifth consecutive victory in the league, which is the longest winning streak in English football’s top flight since 1995.
Sitting on 37 points with 11 wins and four draws for 19 matches, they have already surpassed their entire points tally from last season by five.
Forest returned to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years in the 2022/23 season and in their two previous campaigns back among England’s heavyweights, they only won nine games in each season.
“We are enjoying it,” Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo said of their league position. “We are especially enjoying because our fans are enjoying.
“This is what we have to do together, let’s enjoy the journey, compete in every match. Nothing changes, we have to realise we didn’t achieve anything.”
It has been a stunning turnaround, and it has been built off the back of staunch defence.
The 26 goals they have scored so far is the equal least, alongside Aston Villa, among the top 12 teams, but they have still presented a serious attacking threat.
New Zealander Chris Wood has been the hero up front with 11 goals after earlier in the year knocking back the pursuits of the A-League’s newest team, Auckland FC.
The tall striker is a major threat in the air and is a proven finisher with a double figure goal tally in six different Premier League seasons across his stints at Forest and Burnley.
Reds hammer West Ham in 5-0 rout | 00:45
The 33-year-old is on track to better his best season tally of 14, which he has reached twice, and sits equal fourth in the golden boot standings, six shy of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
Everton boss, and Wood’s former mentor at Burnley, Sean Dyche was full of praise for Wood after he scored at Goodison Park.
“He’s got a different format they’re working to there which seems to be to his liking. He’s got wide players, they’ve got a strength behind them, and they get the ball up to him quickly,” Dyche said.
“That seems to be a thing that’s good for him and not massively dissimilar to what we were trying to achieve at Burnley.
“But yeah, I think a lot of credit to him, credit to his professionalism to keep on top of himself. He had a quiet spell when he first went there and [there were] a few question marks over him.
“That can happen with strikers. He’s had that before, and he’s come through it. Certainly a very good player, and someone I’ve got a lot of respect for.”
But it is at the other end of the pitch where Forest are causing the most headaches for their opponents.
Goalkeeper Matz Sels boasts the most clean sheets in the league with eight, and has made many crucial stops throughout the first half of the season.
In front of Sels is real the star of the show, however.
Centre back Nikola Milenkovic was bought from Fiorentina for £12 million in the summer and is proving to be bargain in comparison to what the richer clubs fork out for the linchpins of their defences.
In fact, the 27-year-old is widely regarded as the best signing of the season.
“The Serbian defender has helped turn Nottingham Forest into one of the best defensive sides in the Premier League under Nuno Espirito Santo’s guidance, with an old-school appetite for the battle with his centre-forward,” The UK Telegraph’s sports writer Lawrence Ostlere wrote.
“He’s also added a set-piece threat at the other end of the pitch, with a couple of goals and an assist already this season, and must have added plenty of value to his £12m transfer fee.”
Milenkovic’s impact has been so great, that it has even forgiven other missteps Forest have made in transfer windows past.
“Nottingham Forest were mocked, sometimes rightly, for signing vast numbers of players in recent years; so many that they didn’t have room in the squad for some of them,” The UK Telegraph’s senior football correspondent Richard Jolly wrote.
“Yet recruitment has clearly been refined: less quantity, more quality. Their side now has a series of fine buys. Nikola Milenkovic may be the best: not merely in what he is – a giant, dominant central defender – but in terms of what Forest lacks.
“He complements the excellent Murillo wonderfully. Forest now have one of the best central-defensive partnerships and defences in the division. And at £12m, Milenkovic is a bargain.”
In midfield, captain Morgan Gibbs-White has been inspirational.
He followed manager Nuno from Wolves to the City Ground, and has since become an England international.
Gibbs-White scored in their most recent outing at Everton, but it his creativity in the middle of the pitch that has drawn the most praise.
At Goodison Park, he also set up Wood’s goal and has been dubbed by his manager a “talented player” who is “fantastic”.
He along with Wood and Milenkovic will need to maintain their high standards if Forest are to challenge for the title or hang on to a Champions League place.
Chants of ‘we’re going to win the league’ have rung out from the Forest fans regularly in recent months, but with every win they are becoming less tongue-in-cheek.
It would take a mighty collapse from league leaders Liverpool, who are eight points clear with a game in hand, but the fact Forest and the Reds are battling it out at the pointy end of the table is a providing older fans with a lot of nostalgia.
Forest won the English First Division in 1978 with Liverpool finishing second, the following year their places were reversed.
During the 1980s, Forest finished third on three occasions and they last played in the European Cup, now the Champions League, in the 1980-81 season.
Now, the dream is real of hearing the Champions League theme on a Tuesday or Wednesday night at the City Ground.
It will be a challenge, but their biggest tests might be behind them.
Arsenal keep pressure on Liverpool | 01:27
In the second half of the season, their clashes with fellow top five teams Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City are all at home.
That Liverpool match is only two weeks away, first they will travel to an in form Wolves in a grudge match for Nuno, and after that clash we will have a better understanding how serious about being a top team Forest truly are.
Their current standing proves this is more than merely a good start, but it remains unclear whether this could be another Leicester City fairytale title, an Aston Villa of last season charge to the Champions League, or a campaign that fades into the middle of the table.
It was a telling reminder that as much as Giddey struggled to live up to his potential with the Thunder this past season, he is still a very talented player.
This season was just a case of Giddey being the victim of circumstance, forced to take on a role that didn’t play to his strengths as new emerging stars were born in Oklahoma City.
“It’s a different role,” Giddey said when asked if suiting up for the Boomers at the upcoming Paris Olympics could help him build towards the 2024-25 NBA season.
“I’m going to have the ball in my hands a lot more with Australia, initiating the offence and setting guys up.
“That’s who I am as a player and to do that is exciting.”
NBA Conference Finals: Every game from both the Eastern & Western Conference Finals LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Josh Giddey is looking forward to playing for the Boomers again. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
That is who Giddey is as a player but it is not who he was last season.
He played more off the ball as the accelerated development of Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren made Oklahoma City rethink the nucleus of its offensive identity.
Sometimes Giddey made the new role work. He scored 21 points, including 4-for-7 from three-point range, as the Thunder took a 3-0 series lead against the Pelicans.
The month of March also gave Oklahoma City a glimpse of what Giddey’s ceiling could look like when confident and comfortable in the role. He averaged 16.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists.
For the Thunder, that stretch and the series against the Pelicans, along with Giddey’s first two seasons in the league when playing a more ball-dominant role, show he still has some value in Oklahoma City, especially if Williams or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was to go down.
But with Giddey extension eligible this summer, the question is how much he will be after and what sort of figure the Thunder will land on considering Williams and Holmgren will also soon be extension eligible, while Gilgeous-Alexander is a super max candidate.
The other option for Oklahoma City is to trade Giddey this summer to land a player who is a cleaner fit on the roster.
With that in mind, foxsports.com.au looks at four teams that could be potential landing spots for Giddey should a trade eventuate in the off season.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Fit-wise, this seems like the best bet because the Spurs need a point guard the offence can run through.
Any potential landing spot for Giddey needs to surround him with shooting.
However, like most of the teams that have a need at point guard, the Spurs aren’t a perfect option given they need shooters, too, having gone 34.7 per cent from three-point land in the past season.
That ranked them third worst in the league, although the Spurs made the 16th most and attempted the 11th most, so there is some additional context to that initial number that doesn’t make the situation look as bad as it sounds.
Celtics take game one in OT thriller | 01:38
The broader point here is that San Antonio needs a ball handler who can play with and get the most out of Victor Wembanyama.
Giddey could be the bigger playmaking guard to do just that for the Spurs, although they have also been linked with Atlanta’s Trae Young and could consider a move for Darius Garland if Cleveland extends Donovan Mitchell.
San Antonio also has the fourth and eighth picks in this year’s draft, which it could instead use to select a point guard.
Giddey’s deficiencies as a shooter and in defence are also weaknesses any team trading for him would consider, but at least at San Antonio it would be easier to try hide his flaws on the defensive end with Wembanyama lurking in the paint.
Gregg Popovich is the right kind of coach to get the most out of Giddey defensively.
UTAH JAZZ
The Thunder can only dream of a trade with the Jazz that centres around Lauri Markkanen, who would be the perfect kind of player to complete Oklahoma City’s starting line-up.
Markkanen is coming off another stellar year with the Jazz. For the second straight season he shot more than 39 per cent from deep, and averaged 23.2 points and 8.2 rebounds.
He the shooting, rebounding and switchability to thrive in a Thunder team that has been purposefully built from the start to prioritise players with positional size and versatility.
Unfortunately for Oklahoma City, it would take quite the haul to land Markannen considering the Jazz seems to view him as untouchable in trades, instead hoping to build around him.
The Jazz does make sense as a potential Giddey destination given it also has a need at the point guard position considering 30-year-old Kris Dunn and the very raw Keyonte George are its two leading options.
Could Josh Giddey end up in Utah? Joshua Gateley/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Dunn, having been in the league for eight seasons now, doesn’t really match its timeline if it is looking to build towards the future, while George profiles as more of a scoring guard than a pure point guard.
If Markkanen is off the table, what would the Jazz have to offer that could be appealing to Oklahoma City?
Maybe Walker Kessler as a back-up big, although if the Thunder moves on from Giddey it would also need to address the vacant starting power forward role, should Williams move to his more natural position at small forward and Lu Dort combine with Gilgeous-Alexander in the backcourt.
Perhaps that could bring John Collins into the equation as a more affordable option for Oklahoma City?
BROOKLYN NETS
This would be an interesting scenario because it would result in Giddey teaming up with fellow Australian Ben Simmons, who has a similar issue when it comes to his shortcomings as a shooter.
However, in the event that Brooklyn traded for Giddey you have to remember that Simmons is on an expiring contract so there is every chance he is either off the team at the end of next season or even before then, if the Nets find a potential trade partner at the deadline.
In other words, trading for Giddey would be a long-term move even if the fit with Simmons on the court at the same time would be pretty awkward.
In the short-term, Brooklyn could always find ways to stagger their minutes.
Plus, you would have to think any involvement from Brooklyn in a potential trade would involve sending Nic Claxton to Oklahoma City and that takes one other non-shooter out of the equation.
Although, that in itself poses another different question. Would the Thunder even entertain a trade with the Nets if it centred around Claxton?
Could Nic Claxton be a target? (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
As much as the Thunder was urged to address its lack of size before this season’s trade deadline, Oklahoma City instead made a smaller move around the margins for Gordon Hayward.
It didn’t work out but it spoke to the fact Oklahoma City isn’t going to make a move for the sake of it.
Claxton offers rim protection and rebounding but isn’t an outside shooting threat, while his passing is also not as developed as some of the other bigs who could be available.
Either way, Claxton is a free agent this summer so if Oklahoma City was to acquire him it would involve a sign-and-trade.
As for Giddey’s fit at Brooklyn, the Nets have a need at point guard because Simmons and Dennis Schroder are their main options heading into next season.
Schroder is also on a $13 million expiring deal, an attractive contract that makes him a potential trade asset in the near future.
Giddey’s passing and vision would make him a nice fit in a Nets offence that thrived playing in transition last season.
More than anything, though, having a real playmaker would help create opportunities for Cam Thomas and Mikal Bridges.
Speaking of Bridges, he would be a great fit for the Thunder but it is hard to see the Nets giving him up without asking for a lot – and potentially too much – in return to justify it.
Instead, a three-and-D specialist such as Cam Johnson may be the more realistic trade target.
CLUTCH Brown makes sloppy Pacers pay | 01:08
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
If Washington was to make a move for Giddey, it would likely involve giving up Deni Avdija.
But in turn, Oklahoma City would have to give up a whole lot more than Giddey, including a collection of first or second-round picks, to land the rising Wizards forward.
Avdija placed sixth in Most Improved Player voting this year, having averaged 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists, and has the kind of well-rounded skill set that would make him a valuable asset now and into the future for the Thunder.
Avdija can play at small and power forward, giving him the kind of positional versatility that the Thunder loves, while he also shot a career-high 37.4 per cent from downtown.
While not a primarily playmaker, Avdija has the ideal mix of ball handling and passing that still sets him up well for more of a connective role in Oklahoma City’s offence.
Really, for all the reasons above, you would think this trade would be a non-starter but it largely depends on the future of Tyus Jones.
Jones is a free agent this summer and if he leaves, the Wizards will have a glaring hole at the point guard position and could do much worse than taking a gamble on Giddey’s upside given what he flashed in his first two seasons in the league.
If Jones stays, it is unlikely the Wizards will be motivated enough to move Avdija unless they received a decent haul of draft picks in return along with the Australian.
Even still, Avdija is also on a very team-friendly contract given his ascending value.
He is set to earn $15 million, $14 million, $13 million and $11 million over the next four seasons.
NBA media personality Stephen A. Smith has unleashed on injured Australian three-time All-Star Ben Simmons in a bizarre rant.
Simmons, who missed all of the 2021-22 campaign and was restricted to just 42 games with the Nets last season, has not played since early November after suffering a nerve impingement in his back.
The Australian’s agent Bernie Lee told The New York Post that he has entered the next phase of his rehabilitation and is looking at a return in a “matter of days to weeks, as opposed to weeks to months”.
Watch an average of 9 NBA Regular Season games per week LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Hollywood star’s awkward Giddey response | 00:43
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s in-season tournament final on ESPN, Smith was asked how concerned he was that Simmons would not live up to his true potential after yet another stint on the sidelines.
Smith did not hold back in response, declaring he is “completely disgusted” with Simmons.
“I am completely disgusted with him. I am completely disgusted with Ben Simmons and I think we all should be,” he said.
“I don’t care at this point that he’s injured and the reason why is too much time went by when you were not injured when you were not playing. But you certainly made sure that you’re cheque was in your bank account every single month.
“We understand that mental health is a huge issue, it’s serious and not something to be diminished or maligned in any way. But you know something, you think about your money. Every time you turned around he thought about his money.”
The 76ers had initially withheld around $20 million of Simmons’ salary, arguing at the time that he breached part of his contract after holding out for the 2021-22 season, citing mental health.
Simmons and the National Basketball Players Association then filed a grievance and eventually settled with the Sixers, which saw him recoup part of the salary according to ESPN. The terms of the settlement, however, were not disclosed.
This July Simmons also received credit for a year of service for the 2021-22 season at Philadelphia.
Smith clarified he is a “fan” of Simmons but has grown frustrated with the constant interruptions that have disrupted his development since entering the NBA.
“I’m a fan of Ben Simmons. I like him genuinely as a person but I can’t measure my disappointment I have towards him,” he added.
“I watched this man blossom into a star and an All-Star calibre player in this league for years. As a youngster in this league at 6-foot-9, with his ball-handling and his passing and playmaking skills along with his defensive prowess.
“Even with the inability to shoot shots from the perimeter, he was still considered an elite player in this game and somehow some way he let the noise get to him in a way that prevented him from playing the game.”
Smith went on to question Simmons’ commitment, declaring he has shown an “unwillingness to have a passion to play the game of basketball”.
Davis dominates in mid season title win | 02:31
“Now that we’ve transitioned to this point, where he’s legitimately injured with his back… you’re not delegitimising the injury,” Smith said.
“You believe him and you understand not to sit up there and malign him as if you’re questioning the legitimacy of the injury. We’re not doing that. What we’re saying is we don’t care because if it was not that injury it’d be something else because over the last two to three years what you’ve shown us is an unwillingness to have a passion to play the game of basketball.
“I don’t think the United States should accept it, I don’t think Australia should accept it, I don’t think any place on the planet that loves the game of basketball should co-sign and condone Ben Simmons’ lack of commitment to the game of basketball. Enough is enough. It’s unacceptable.
“You’re too great, you’re too talented, you’re too gifted to be allowing your talents to be wasting away the way that it has. I’m not excusing it anymore. He’s lucky he’s injured because if he weren’t injured I’d be talking about him every chance I got until he gets on the court and shows us his greatness because he can be a great player, a very talented player.
Things continue to go from bad to worse for Manchester United, with one legend calling out a superstar who continues to flap his arms in frustration.
Meanwhile, another flailing giant of English football sunk to a humiliating new low as a proud record looks more baffling by the day while Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham continue to sit atop the ladder.
Foxsports.com.au takes a look at the weekend that was in the latest edition of Premier League Talking Points!
Manchester United have been torn to shreds by former players after their dismal performance in the Manchester derby. City cruised to a 3-0 victory, hardly needing to get out of first gear in a match that exposed the gap in class that still exists between the sides.
“It was a footballing lesson. Manchester United didn’t know what to do,” Micah Richards declared on Sky Sports.
But who – or what – is to blame?
Former Liverpool stalwart Jamie Carragher pointed the finger at manager Erik ten Hag, who has failed to instil a clear style of play.
Carragher said on Sky Sports: “He has been here 18 months and none of us here can explain what Manchester United try to do with how they play. They play underdog football. They play counter-attack and long balls – no other top team plays that way.
“It’s nothing to do with what’s going on above him. What’s he doing on the training pitch, with the players he brings in, and what’s he asking them to do? You can’t see it.”
Gary Neville, meanwhile, declared: “The second half wasn’t a contest. It became a shambles. United went missing in the second half.”
“But,” he added, “my anger isn’t with Ten Hag. I don’t think he is the fundamental problem. The toxicity at this club is eating alive every manager and every player that comes here.”
It’s going from bad to worse for Manchester United. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
He pointed the finger largely at the ownership – the controversial Glazer family who this year put the club up for sale then pulled the pin on a deal. A new sale of a minority stake in the club to Jim Ratcliffe has been mooted, with reports stating that the Glazers would transfer footballing decisions to the new part-owner.
Neville believes that that situation – and the clean-out of the footballing department that would likely ensue – has staff looking over their shoulders and suffering from the instability.
“It is toxic, and embedded negativity. They all think they are all going to lose their jobs.
“Jim Ratcliffe is going to come in with David Brailsford, they are gong to sweep out the football department. That’s what’s happening and I honestly believe this toxicity that exists at this club, and has done for years, it eats alive every manager that comes and every player that comes.
“Harry Maguire was going to go to Man City. Mason Mount was going to Liverpool. They come here and it’s a graveyard for them. Are we going to keep blaming the kids in the class, or the head teacher?”
Responding to Carragher’s criticism of Ten Hag’s lack of playing structures and patterns, he said: “I don’t like the football at all, I’ve no idea what the patterns are they are trying to put in place, but the bigger picture with United that we have seen is that great managers and great players with great reputations come here and die in front of our eyes.
“Why is that? How do we answer that question?”
There hasn’t been an easy answer to that question for years, and United still look a world away from challenging for the title.
Erik ten Hag’s tenure has quickly turned toxic. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
TIME TO STRIP BRUNO?
If there is one thing Ten Hag can – or should – do immediately to turn it around, it’s change his captain for the second time in less than six months. That’s according to a former Red Devils captain in Roy Keane.
The manager stripped England centre-back Harry Maguire of the armband prior to the season, hardly a surprise given the player had fallen down the pecking order behind Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez and was even up for sale.
But Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes has been repeatedly criticised for his attitude on the field and a perceived lack of leadership, and Keane believes ten Hag must make another change.
“Today having watched him again I would take the captaincy off him 100 per cent,” Keane said on Sky Sports.
“I know it’s a big decision, obviously they changed the captaincy with Maguire, but Fernandes is not captain material.
“He is a talented player no doubt about it. But what I saw today – we’ve discussed many times before, it was last season at Liverpool – his whinging, his moaning and throwing his arms up in the air constantly.
“It really isn’t acceptable. From what we saw today, I’m thinking I would take that off him.”
He added: “Fernandes is a brilliant footballer but in terms of captain material – he is the opposite to what I would want in a captain.”
Red Devils great Roy Keane feels Bruno Fernandes should be stripped of the captaincy. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
LEGENDARY BOSS’ ALL-TIME ANGE PRAISE AS SPURS GRAVY TRAIN ROLLS ON
Ange Postecoglou has delivered a record-breaking start to the season to Spurs, and he’s earning plenty of admirers along the way. That includes former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has declared that his old North London rivals are well and truly in contention for the title this time around.
Wenger said on beIN Sports: “If I said after 10 games [they’d be] top of the league… You ask me, not a tricky question because I like always to say what I feel deeply, and I believe Tottenham will be one of the contenders for the league.”
Wenger was full of praise for a trio of Postecoglou signings who have started the new campaign brilliantly – midfielder James Maddison, centre-back Micky Van de Ven, and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
Wenger said: “They bought Maddison, who is a great player and who is that link from low midfield to high midfield, and added some technical creativity to the team.
“They bought Van de Ven who I find exceptional. I find him absolutely exceptional.
“They had weaknesses there [at the back] and last year [Hugo] Lloris didn’t have the best of seasons as well. And overall, the movement from Son into the middle looks very good.”
Son Heung-Min has become a man transformed under Ange Postecoglou. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Whether Son Heung-Min could successfully transition into a more central position following the departure of Harry Kane was one of the biggest question marks for Spurs this season.
And while Kane has enjoyed a dazzling start to life at Bayern Munich – with a hat-trick this weekend including a goal from inside his own half – Son’s goal in the win over Crystal Palace took his tally to eight goals and an assist in his first 10 league games this season.
Postecoglou says fans can dare to dream of a shock title this season.
“Let them dream, that’s what being a football supporter is all about and, fair to say, this lot have suffered a bit,” said Postecoglou.
With games against up-and-down Chelsea (home) and struggling Wolves (away) next, there’s a strong likelihood of extending their unbeaten league start.
Things then get harder with a match against high-flying Aston Villa, before a fixture that could prove truly momentous – travelling to reigning champions Manchester City on December 4.
For now, though, even Tottenham’s bitter rivals like their ex-Arsenal enemy in Arsene Wenger can’t help but admit that something special is happening at Spurs.
How long can Tottenham’s unbeaten run continue under Ange Postecoglou? (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BLADES REMAIN ROCK BOTTOM AS UNWANTED DEFEAT LOOMS LARGE
Spare a thought for Sheffield United and their fans. The team’s 5-0 defeat to Arsenal on the weekend (which featured a hat-trick to Eddie Nketiah) means that the Blades have now got just one point from their first 10 matches.
Besides this weekend’s hammering, they’ve also been battered 8-0 by Newcastle – at home no less – and they boast a miserable goal difference of minus 22 (seven scored, 29 conceded).
Their only point came against Everton in early September in a 2-2 draw.
It is the worst ever start to a Premier League season after 10 games.
The only other team that ever had just one point through ten games? That was also Sheffield United, back in 2020-21, when they ended up rock bottom with 23 points and a goal difference of -43 for the season – and were relegated by a full 16 points.
The Blades failed to win any of their first 17 games that season. Paul Heckingbottom and his side this season will be desperately looking forward to games against the likes of Bournemouth and Burnley in a few weeks to try and get their season off and running. As it stands, the infamous record of Derby County in 2007-08 – and their 11 points all season – is looking like it could be broken this year. Things have to change, and fast.
And it might just start with Heckingbottom.
Sheffield United have started the season horrendously. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BLUES’ HOUSE OF BRICKS TURNS INTO PILLOW FORT
It seemed like Chelsea had finally turned a corner under Mauricio Pochettino.
They beat Brighton in the Carabao Cup and then followed it up with league wins over Fulham and Burnley as well as a thrilling 2-2 draw against Arsenal.
But the wave of momentum came crashing back down after a 2-0 defeat to Brentford at Stamford Bridge.
The loss to the Bees means Chelsea have still won just once at their home ground this season and that was against Luton Town, who were promoted from the Championship.
Even worse, Brentford have won more games at Stamford Bridge in the past seven months than Chelsea have themselves.
It’s a far cry from the record-breaking days when Chelsea didn’t lose once in a run of 86 games from March 2004 to October 2008.
Yet their alarming home form isn’t the biggest worry of this Chelsea team.
The inability to find the back of the net against Brentford meant the game was the 14th time Chelsea failed to score in 2023.
A front four of Raheem Sterling, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson huffed and puffed but failed to blow Brentford down.
However, Pochettino and Chelsea could be given a major boost as summer signing Christopher Nkunku nears his return from a pre-season knee injury.
The Blues boss revealed Nkunku is likely to return after the November international break.
Will he be the man to reverse Chelsea’s fortunes in front of goal, or will Nkunku prove to be yet another expensive swing and miss?
Being ahead of schedule is nothing new for Josh Giddey and two years ago, before he started breaking records in the NBA, the young Australian point guard looked on the verge of achieving a lifelong dream.
This was different though. This wasn’t just a state team. This was the Boomers. This was the Olympics. This was, as Patty Mills put it in an interview with GQ, “the pinnacle” for Australian basketball.
FIBA Basketball World Cup | Starts Aug 25. Watch every Boomers, Team USA and Finals game FREE & LIVE on ESPN with Kayo Freebies. Join Kayo now and start streaming instantly >
Josh Giddey was cut from the Olympic team. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
And one of the country’s most impressing young talents wouldn’t be there as the Boomers went on to make history.
Giddey was the final cut made by coach Brian Goorjian ahead of the trip to Tokyo, missing out despite impressing as the youngest member of the team’s selection camp back in 2021.
In fact, Boomers big man Jock Landale — who will miss out on this year’s FIBA World Cup with an ankle injury — still remembers the lasting impression Giddey made during that camp.
“Mate, we saw,” Jock Landale told ESPN earlier this month.
“I think we were all looking around at each other at that time, saying, ‘wow, this guy, he’ll be ready to roll when his number’s called’.”
“We had a four day window to look at everybody,” Goorjian said.
“This was a one-off opportunity for a 12-year build, again, I always use the same phrase, I’m being honest here, he had a lot on his plate when we went into Irvine and practised.
“I thought a lot of times during that, he was fatigued … he’d have a workout with the Warriors, he’d have a photoshoot in the city, he’d come back, and this thing was competitive.”
Josh Giddey is now the future of the Boomers — and in many ways the present too. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
In the end it came down to Giddey and now Boomers teammate Josh Green.
“And the Josh Green kid just played better,” Goorjian said.
That wasn’t the only reason why he got the nod though. You see, with the NBA draft fast-approaching, Giddey was also dealing with the extra commitments that came with being a potentially lottery pick.
“We knew when we got to the Village, it was going to be draft day,” Goorjian said.“
We were dealing with the flag, the march, and a lot of things were sidetracking us from what needed to be done, which was difficult.
“In the four day process it wasn’t just what we do … he was getting ready for the draft … he didn’t have much time.”
It just wasn’t meant to be and according to Giddey’s father Warrick, it only made the rising Australian NBA star that more eager to don the green and gold at this year’s World Cup.
“After the last success in Japan in the Olympics in Tokyo, [for Australia to] get a bronze medal and not to be a part of it, I think that just drove the fire a little bit more in Josh, and he’s just desperate to be a part of this World Cup,” he told Sporting News.
Patty Mills celebrates with his bronze medal. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
This time Goorjian had no choice but to pick Giddey. In fact, the question wasn’t whether the 20-year-old would be selected — it was whether he would take over Mills as the focal point of the Boomers offence.
Goorjian answered that question in pretty emphatic terms in an interview with ESPN earlier this month.
“He’s a huge piece of this moving forward,” the Boomers coach said.
“Not just this, but it’s like an Andrew Gaze, as far as the Boomers. What he is, and as we get him with the group, and as it expands, a lot of it’s gotta be built around him.”
That discussion surrounding Mills and Giddey’s role is part of a broader one ahead of the World Cup, one that started back in May when the 18-man extended Boomers squad was first announced.
Outside of Ben Simmons, there was another notable omission from that list — veteran centre Aron Baynes. Matthew Dellavedova would soon follow him, among the first three players to be cut during Australia’s training camp in Cairns.
Sometimes the uncomfortable conversations are often the most important ones and in the case of setting up the Boomers for the future, they were ones that needed to happen with Baynes and Dellavedova.
It was also a case of learning from past mistakes; not wanting to repeat what happened after the 2000 Olympics when Andrew Gaze, Luc Longley, Andrew Vlahov and Mark Bradtke all retired.
Boomers beaten by Brazil in warm up game | 01:26
“The way they are doing it [now] is spot on,” former Boomers player Chris Anstey told foxsports.com.au.
“They had to move on some very highly-credentialed veterans like Matthew Dellavedova, bring in some highly-talented youth like Giddey and Daniels. I think the balance is good.
“Australian basketball didn’t quite get it right after the Sydney Olympics where the vast majority of key veterans hadn’t played in most tournaments and we had veteran teams and everybody moved on at the same time and we struggled for a couple of Olympic cycles.”
And as much as Australia may be a genuine contender at this year’s World Cup, the tournament also offers coach Goorjian a chance to look to the future and specifically Paris in 2024.
Of course, Simmons could figure as a central part of Australia’s plans for next year’s Olympics should he be fit to play and mentally in the right place to suit up.
Either way, both Mills and Joe Ingles are at points in their career where their specific roles in the team can be questioned while still also acknowledging their veteran presence and leadership is a value add to the roster at the same time.
Patty Mills, Joe Ingles and Matthew Dellavedova. Pics Adam HeadSource: News Corp Australia
“Having watched Patty Mills in the NBA the last year or two and knowing that Ingles is coming off the ACL, it is time for those gentlemen to move towards the sunset,” Windhorst said.
“They have had their incredible moment in the sun with getting the medal and to me, I know the World Cup is an important thing, but this is about preparing for Paris which is going to be in my view the hottest contested international basketball tournament ever.
“I know the standard for the Aussies is to medal and I’m not saying that shouldn’t be it. But if they walk out with these young guys playing well and holding a bid [for the Olympics], I think they will have had a successful event.
“With all due respect, Josh should be the guy that is focused on and I do think it’s time because to me if this is a transitional tournament it’s not the end of the world.”
Windhorst’s perspective is particularly interesting given it offers one, small glimpse into how other members of the basketball world may view the current and future state of Australian basketball.
Landale injured in Boomers’ warm-up win | 01:31
Although even former Boomers players understand this tournament’s important role in facilitating that changing of the guard.
“That’s [balancing youth and experience] one of the hallmarks of teams that can be good for long periods of time,” former Boomers assistant coach and now Technical Director of the NBA Global Academy, Marty Clarke, told foxsports.com.au.
“As people say, it’s harder to stay at the top than get to the top and I know that the top we’re talking about is being on the podium.
“But you look who gave it to Patty, you know, there were guys that came before him. I hope I don’t miss anyone here, but we’re talking about Matt Nielsen, David Andersen, Andrew Bogut and now Baynesy has moved out of that group and someone’s got to fill the void.
“But to fill the void you have to have others teach and it’s teaching about leadership and teaching about culture. So, Patty and Joe will no doubt be handing that information on so that when they leave there’s a smooth transition for Giddey.”
And according to Clarke, Giddey is just one of many current and future Australian NBA players who will lead the charge for the Boomers in the years to come.
Dyson Daniels is also a key part of the future. (Photo by William WEST / AFP)Source: AFP
“No doubt he’s fully embraced the whole Boomers thing as he did when he was here,” Clarke said, referencing Giddey’s time at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra.
“It was all about, ‘I want to make the Boomers. I want to make the Boomers’.
“I think the other one in that group is Jock and Jock’s pathway was different. He didn’t do much with Australia and junior basketball because of where he was at school and everything else, he went to college, but he’s totally immersed in the Boomers.
“He’s a little bit older than those guys, so he’ll be able to help them through. Dyson [Daniels] is there, Tyrese Proctor’s coming through.
“There’s a number of guys that I think that torch will be handed to over the next couple of major tournaments.
“Because there’s a really good crop of guys coming through that I think are allowed to understand what being a Boomer is about without being thrown into the deep end and that’s often hard.
“If all those guys retired after this, I think it will be difficult for the next group to pick it up. They need to be around for a little bit longer.”
Even Rocco Zikarsky, the towering 7-foot-3 top prospect who signed with the Brisbane Bullets as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program, could soon find himself in the green and gold.
Rocco Zikarsky has already played on the international stage and is already been touted as an NBA prospect. He trains at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin OllmanSource: News Corp Australia
The injury to Landale exposed Australia’s already limited frontcourt depth ahead of this year’s World Cup and Clarke said it has already been a topic of conversation with Zikarsky, who spent the last few years developing his game at the Global Academy.
“Timing is always part of things,” Clarke said.
“I was talking to him the other day and said, ‘The timing is perfect for you. The stocks of big men are now kind of moving out and there’s a bit of a void there and sometimes people that are in your position have to wait until they’re 26 until they get a look-in. You’re 17 and I think there’s a chance’.
“There’s a chance something might happen within the next couple of cycles of major events. Josh Giddey didn’t quite make it as an 18-year-old but he’s there as a 20-year-old.”
Now that opportunity to represent his country will only mean that much more, a lesson that it is not adversity that defines you but how you respond to it.
And as much as it may seem like the window is closing for the likes of Mills and Ingles, the Boomers can take confidence in knowing they will always be ready if they receive that call.
An enduring image. (Photo by Aris MESSINIS / AFP)Source: AFP
Even for Dellavedova, who will still likely feature for Australia in other tournaments, this may not be the end — and if you don’t believe it, just consider his NBA lifeline last season.
“The league is evolving, as it should and as every league and team and player does, they evolve and work out what’s really important,” Clarke said.
“Sometimes it’s not the most talented player, it’s the player who can get the most out of the talent that the team has.
“Delly last year would be a classic example of that. He got called back into the NBA to be exactly that. There may be an opportunity for the same thing to happen with the Boomers.
“He didn’t make this one but something might happen… and you know he’s sitting there waiting and you know if you call him he’s going to be ready and that’s a great luxury to have. It’s a quality that has to be considered when you’re selecting teams.”
And it’s a quality that has and will continue to define the Boomers long into the future, regardless of who is passing on the torch.
HOW TO WATCH EVERY BOOMERS FIBA WORLD CUP GAME
As for the World Cup action itself, the Boomers are part of Group E and will play Finland in their first official game to kick off the tournament.
That game is scheduled for 6pm AEST on Friday, August 25. Australia is also scheduled to face Germany (6.30pm, August 27) and Japan (9.10pm, August 29) to round out the group stage.
The 2023 NBA draft has now passed and while some teams have landed potentially franchise-altering talents, others are left with more questions than answers.
From the next superstar who could ask for a trade to the biggest steals, here are some of the key talking points from the draft.
Emotional Wemby interview melts hearts | 02:12
CHARLOTTE WENT ‘ALL-IN’ ON MILLER…WILL IT PAY OFF?
The Charlotte Hornets have selected Brandon Miller as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft in a move that is sure to generate plenty of discussion in the coming days.
While the Hornets were reportedly choosing between Miller and Scoot Henderson, the 6-foot-9 small forward from the University of Alabama has officially landed in Charlotte.
Henderson went No. 3 to the Trail Blazers.
Michael Jordan had the final say on the No. 2 selection.
The Hornets announced earlier this week that the NBA great is selling his majority ownership stake in the team, but general manager Mitch Kupchak said he would defer to Jordan for the draft decision in his Wednesday press conference.
Both Miller, 20, and Henderson, 19, were in Charlotte on Monday for a private workout, and Miller reportedly impressed Jordan during his second session with the team and wasn’t afraid to talk back either when challenged by the Chicago Bulls legend.
“He told me I was just a shooter,” Miller told Sirius XM.
“I was just shooting threes. … I know my talents and my abilities. Can’t really let Jordan get in your head. It might make him feel good and make you feel bad. I kind of talked some trash back to him. I witnessed him airball a free throw too. I always have that up against him.”
Miller’s offensive versatility and crafty ball-handling is projected to pair well with point guard LaMelo Ball who was Charlottes’ No. 3 pick in 2020, one reason why he edged Henderson for the No. 2 spot.
With a strong three-level scoring ability and good length, Miller is hard to defend –– he’s able to shoot over guards, efficient with popping off the dribble and can pour it in from beyond the arc.
In his freshman season at Alabama this year, Miller averaged 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists.
The new Hornet also earned first-team All-American honours and was the SEC’s player and freshman of the year.
Brandon Miller celebrates after being drafted second overall. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
The biggest question though — and reason why this pick is going to spark so much debate — is whether Charlotte should have taken a swing at the more talented Henderson or at least traded down to take Miller.
That is, of course, not to say Miller isn’t talented. He was one of the best players in college basketball last season.
Speaking to reporters earlier in the week, Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak said fit wouldn’t be a huge consideration in the team’s final decision.
“As far as fit, you’re always going to pick the best player,” Kupchak said.
“I would say that’s still the case today. Although we’re at a point in time where we’d consider fit, we’re not that team that’s been in the playoffs for three or four years, and you’re looking to tweak your roster and look for a fit. We’re not at that place right now.
“Our decision is going to remain to be looking for the player that we think is going to have the best overall career.”
Brandon Miller is off to Charlotte. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Considering the reactions of some Hornets fans on Friday, it may take some convincing.
Although Charlotte fans still have plenty to look forward to with Henderson and Nick Smith Jr., who the Hornets took with the 27th overall pick.
Smith Jr. was one of the best players in his high school class before an injury-interrupted freshman season saw him fall down draft boards.
The Arkansas guard though has plenty of upside and was worth taking the risk on, particularly at this cost.
If there was a resounding winner on Friday it was the Dallas Mavericks, who were able to both address a team need through the draft while also shedding the Davis Bertans contract.
The Mavericks were widely tipped to move back from the No. 10 pick, which you would have thought didn’t give them much leverage and could have resulted in an underwhelming return.
Instead, Dallas was able to trade the 10th overall pick along with Bertans to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the No. 12 pick and a traded player exception.
Clearly the Thunder wanted to draft Cason Wallace and were worried the Kentucky point guard wouldn’t have been on the board if they stayed put.
For the Mavericks though it was the ideal scenario as they were able to move just a few spots back and take Duke big man Dereck Lively II, who will immediately improve their defence.
Lively II averaged 2.4 blocks in his one season at Duke and while he may still be a work in progress on the offensive end of the ball, Dallas doesn’t need more points anyway.
“Toward the end of the season, you saw him as a big time shot blocker, rim runner, rim protector and excellent in pick-and-roll,” college basketball guru Jay Bilas said on ESPN’s coverage.
“He shot 85 per cent as a pick-and-roll roller. I think a lot about Deandre Jordan when he came out of Texas A&M.
“I think Dereck Lively II’s offence can come. He’s got a nice touch. That will come in time. But the defence, the rebounding, running the floor, he’s got that already.”
Dallas traded back to take Dereck Lively II. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Lively II was a great pick for Dallas but moving off Bertan’s contract was just as important a move as it opened a $17 million trade exception, which was later used to acquire Sacramento center Richaul Holmes.
Dallas also received the Kings’ 24th overall pick, which they used to draft Marquette junior forward Olivier Maxence-Prosper.
“What an unbelievable set of moves for Dallas to trade down from No. 10 to No. 12, dump Davis Bertans’ contract and get Dereck Lively II,” wrote The Athletic’s front office expert John Hollinger.
“Lively and Dallas is the most perfect fit on the draft board outside the top few picks, a high-flying, rim-running, shot-blocking center who doesn’t need the ball. What a perfect complement to Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving; and amazingly, they were able to dump Bertans’ salary and still walk away from the draft with Lively. Just A+ stuff.”
HOUSTON ROCKETS STRIKE GOLD
What a result for the Rockets.
Some mock drafts had Cam Whitmore ahead of Overtime Elite point guard Amen Thompson.
Instead, Thompson went fourth overall for the Rockets while the Villanova forward nosedived all the way down the draft and right into Houston’s lap with the No. 20 pick.
There were suggestions the Rockets could trade up from that pick, with The Athletic reporting there were discussions on moving up as high as tenth overall in place of Dallas.
“One interesting wrinkle to Houston’s interest is the prospect of moving up from the No. 20 pick,” Kelly Iko of The Athletic wrote.
“Conversations up to this point are mainly conceptual, but there have been discussions about potentially moving up from 20 to a range anywhere from the Miami Heat at No. 18 to the Dallas Mavericks at No. 10, sources say.”
The Rockets didn’t have to do a thing though to land an extremely talented player in Whitmore, who brings a lot of athletic upside to a Houston team that will give him the space and room to develop.
Cam Whitmore was eventually taken 20th overall. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
“Whitmore is an absolute steal at 20th overall,” Bilas said on ESPN.
“He’s a versatile defender and excellent cutter off-ball. He also attacks the rim like it has something against him, and has a solid shooting stroke.
“You don’t find athletes like this all the time, I thought he was a top-five talent coming into the draft.”
As for Thompson, there are the obvious concerns about his shooting but plenty of upside elsewhere given his dynamic playmaking and versatility on the defensive end.
Thompson averaged 16.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2.4 steals last season in the Overtime Elite and was described by draft expert Jonathan Givony as having “a higher ceiling than any prospect in this class not named Wembanyama”.
Speaking after he was drafted, Thompson also touched on his leadership skills as something he can bring to a young Houston team still in need of veteran presence in the locker room.
Amen Thompson celebrates after being drafted fourth overall pick by the Houston Rockets. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I think I’ve become more of a vocal leader, but first I lead by example and I think I can bring that to Houston,” Thompson said.
“I think Houston got a lot of players that have great potential, and I think they have a scary future.”
As for his fit alongside Jalen Green in the Houston backcourt, Thompson said he was looking forward to being on a team with multiple playmaking options.
“I see two very athletic guards who can push the tempo, push the pace, both ball handlers,” added Thompson.
“I like to be on a team with as many people who can make plays for us as possible, and I think that’s what we’ve got over there.”
BUT WHAT WAS BEHIND CAM WHITMORE’S FALL?
Most draft experts seemed to have Cam Whitmore mocked inside the top 10 picks for Friday’s draft.
Even ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that while there was talk the Villanova forward could drop down the board, he was only expected to fall towards the “back-end of the lottery”.
Instead, Whitmore was still available when the Houston Rockets were on the clock at 20th overall. So, what happened?
Well, injury concerns were potentially to blame according to ESPN’s Jeremy Woo, although Whitmore dismissed those claims on Friday.
Cam Whitmore (R) had to wait to has his name called. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
“No, I promise you there’s not,” he said.
“I have no idea. I don’t know what happened. But I feel fine. It’s my body. If they think it’s something different, they have their own opinions. But at the end of the day, it’s my body.”
Meanwhile, Wojnarowski reported that Whitmore did not interview particularly well in the lead-up to the draft.
“Teams and front offices described a combination of some poor workouts, some not great interviews with teams over the last month as part of the reason Cam Whitmore has dropped,” Wojnarowski said on ESPN.
“I saw him in a workout for his agency, WME, in Santa Barbara in May where he really impressed teams. Literally all 30 teams were there but his individual workouts and interviews with teams have not been as strong.
“There was a sense he may drop tonight to the back-end of the lottery but now Cam Whitmore is dropping towards No. 20 as we approach the second half of the first round.”
Sliding down the draft board didn’t seem to bother Whitmore though, who told reporters after he was drafted that he is used to being overlooked and would use it as motivation.
“I’ve been overlooked a lot of times in my life, so it didn’t really faze me,” he said.
“I’m just really happy to be in the NBA. I’ve been dreaming about that all my life.
“…. It motivates me to like 150 percent to — I don’t even know… it’s just something where I’ve got to rethink, go in the next day, new mind, free mind. Coming into that organisation with a chip on my shoulder, have a lot of motivation on my mind.
“At the end of the day, it doesn’t really faze me. I know I’m different than everybody else, but it’s just another chapter in my life, another step in the journey. Time to get to work.”
Nuggets stars celebrate in Denver | 00:41
SCOOT HAS HIS MENTOR… BUT WILL DAME STILL BE THERE?
When the Hornets decided to take Miller with the second overall pick, it presented the Blazers with the perfect opportunity.
In drafting G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson, Portland now has a future star in the making to build around should Damian Lillard ask out. If not, the Blazers will find a way to work around any potential fit issues.
They clearly didn’t receive any trade offers that justified giving up the chance to pass on a franchise-altering prospect.
Portland general manager Joe Cronin said following the draft that the team would continue to build around Lillard and that selecting Henderson was part of that plan.
“We’re a team that’s trying to win and trying to maximise Damian’s timeline,” he said.
The Blazers could still make moves in free agency to better position the team to compete now, although as it stands they do face an awkward dilemma after drafting Henderson.
Lillard had been open earlier in the year in telling media that he wasn’t interested in developing more young players and now Portland drafted a 19-year-old prospect at his position.
Will Damian Lillard stay or go? (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Henderson is certainly keen about the idea of learning from one of the best in the league.
“I’m hoping to get to play with Dame, for sure,” Henderson said in his post-draft media availability.
“Special talent, special guard. One of my favourites to watch, especially film-wise. Just to pick out how he moves off the court, as well. It would be cool to play with him.”
The chances of that happening though are up in the air at this stage, with J.J. Redick declaring the “countdown” is now on for a potential trade request from Lillard.
“They start and end with Damian Lillard and he’s indicated he doesn’t want to continue down the path that they’re on,” Redick said on ESPN.
“He wants veteran players that are going to help them win now and when they picked Scoot Henderson and held onto that pick, that signifies to me that we’re now on a countdown. At some point Damian Lillard may get moved because there is no real path to contention for this current roster.”
Speaking after the draft on ESPN, insider Wojnarowski said the decision will ultimately be up to Lillard as to whether he believes this team in its current form will be able to contend for a title.
Is Scoot Henderson now the future and Damian Lillard the past? (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“What it says to me is they did what is right for the franchise and that was to take a potential All-Star level and franchise level point guard at No. 3 instead of just settling for what the best available veteran might have been in a trade,” Wojnarowski said.
“When you are the Portland Trail Blazers, when you are a small market, you don’t get many cracks like this, you’re not going to get big free agents. You can’t miss.
“Damian Lillard has a decision to make, if he doesn’t like this timeline of these young players … Portland wants to keep building around Damian Lillard and continue to make moves after the draft and in free agency with trades, re-signing Jerami Grant.
“If he decides he wants a trade, I think the organisation will accommodate him, try to get the kind of young assets they want and draft picks.
“But they don’t want to trade him and I know teams who called Portland about Damian Lillard were immediately shut down… it’s ultimately up to Damian Lillard next to decide whether he wants to see what this young group can be around him or go in another direction.”
Watch this space.
BIG OPPORTUNITIES FOR POOLE, PAUL IN BLOCKBUSTER TRADE
Meanwhile, in case you missed it, there was drama even before Friday’s draft got underway as Chris Paul was dealt to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Jordan Poole.
Paul, who had been sent to the Washington Wizards as part of Phoenix’s trade for three-time All-Star Bradley Beal, was widely expected to be on the move again ahead of the draft.
Initial reports suggested Paul would end up in Los Angeles at the Clippers but in the end it was another contender who made a move for the veteran guard.
By trading for Paul and parting ways with Poole, the Warriors made it clear they are intent on winning now instead of following a two-timeline plan that also involved developing the future of the franchise.
Chris Paul is off to Golden State. (Photo by MATTHEW STOCKMAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)Source: AFP
Poole was entering the first year of a four-year, $140 million contract extension while in contrast, Paul is set to earn $30.8 million this season.
The 12-time All-Star also has a non-guaranteed deal for $30 million next season while Klay Thompson is entering the final season of his max contract.
The trade, therefore, could give Golden State more financial flexibility as it looks to move under the second tax apron and the punishments that come with that as part of the new CBA.
It also seems to signal that the Warriors will now move to re-sign Draymond Green, who recently opted out of his $27.6 million contract for next season.
There will be question marks over what the offence will look like given Golden State likes to push the pace in transition, something which doesn’t necessarily suit Paul’s game.
Then there is the matter of how long Paul can stay healthy and whether the Warriors will regret trading Poole, who they had relied on for high-level production when injuries hit.
Jordan Poole has been traded to Washington. Elsa/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
If Paul is healthy and Golden State makes the playoffs though, this is the kind of move that could deliver another championship to the Warriors.
Just as importantly, that would mean Paul finally getting his first ring.
As for Poole, while he had his moments at Golden State, being traded to Washington will give him a chance to really step into the spotlight with added responsibility on a rebuilding team.
“Jordan Poole may lead the league in scoring next season,” joked Redick on ESPN’s broadcast of the draft.
“He’s going to have a lot of freedom on that team.”
It would hardly be surprising to see Poole right up there in contention for Most Improved Player come the playoffs.
The football world is in mourning after the body of former Newcastle United player Christian Atsu was discovered under the rubble of the building where he lived in Turkey.
Reports of his death were confirmed by Nana Sechere, one of Atsu’s representatives, on Saturday night [AEDT].
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce to all well-wishers that sadly Christian Atsu’s body was recovered this morning,” Sechere said.
“My deepest condolences go to his family and loved ones.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their prayers and support.
“I ask that whilst we make the necessary arrangements, that everyone would please respect the privacy of the family during this very difficult time.”
Ghana national player and former Newcastle midfielder Christian Atsu. (Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP)Source: AFP
Newcastle United said it was “profoundly saddened” by the news of Atsu’s death, describing him as a “talented player and special person”.
“Our thoughts are with Christian’s loved ones and with the people of Turkey, Syria and neighbouring territories at this incredibly difficult time,” the club added.
Atsu had been missing since earthquakes first hit Turkey and Syria in early February, although there was confusion after false reports he had been discovered in the rubble.
Earlier in the month, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) falsely reported Atsu had “been successfully rescued from the rubble of the collapsed building and is receiving treatment” after the 7.8-magnitude quake struck Turkey and neighbouring Syria.
Atsu’s coach at Turkish club Hatayspor though refuted those reports at the time, insisting the Ghana midfielder had not been found.
“I don’t have good news, still not found under the rubble,” Hatayspor boss Volkan Demirel told AFP at the time.
Atsu spent five seasons at Newcastle, playing more than 100 games before leaving for Saudi Arabia in 2021. He won the last of his 60 Ghana national caps in September 2019.
Atsu, 31, spent four seasons at Chelsea before a permanent transfer to Newcastle in 2017. He signed in September for Turkish Super Lig side Hatayspor, based in the southern province of Hatay near the epicentre of the quake.
