Sports
Jets, F Cole Perfetti avoid arbitration with 5-year, $30M deal
Apr 14, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti (91) warms up before a game against the Utah Mammoth at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images The Winnipeg Jets signed forward Cole Perfetti to a five-year, $30 million contract on Wednesday and avoided an arbitration hearing.
Perfetti, 24, filed for arbitration as a restricted free agent on July 5, with a hearing date to be announced.
Perfetti recorded 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) with a minus-9 rating, 20 penalty minutes, 33 blocks and 54 hits in 68 games last season while dealing with a high ankle sprain.
For his career, Perfetti has 157 points (59 goals, 98 assists), a plus-29 rating, 68 penalty minutes, 125 blocks and 203 hits in 290 regular-season games since the 2021-22 season.
He also has six points (three goals, three assists) in 14 career playoff games.
Winnipeg selected Perfetti with the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Paige Bueckers, Wings to test 5-game win streak vs. Liberty
Jul 12, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) brings the ball up court against the Chicago Sky during the first half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images The Dallas Wings will look to expand on their season-best five-game winning streak when they host the slumping New York Liberty on Thursday in Arlington, Texas.
The teams are on different paths in advance of their third and final meeting of the season. Dallas took the first two matchups, both in Brooklyn, including an 88-77 decision on July 7 that started the Liberty’s current three-game losing streak.
The Wings (16-8) return to the floor after a gritty 96-91 win over Chicago on Sunday in a game played at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Paige Bueckers led the way with 22 points and 11 assists in that victory, while Jessica Shepard finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds, Arike Ogunbowale had 17 points, Azzi Fudd scored 16 and Li Yueru racked up 10 points and 10 boards.
Dallas won despite trailing by 10 points in the third quarter.
“We’re still continuing to find our identity,” Bueckers said. “We’re not perfect, and (the win over Chicago) wasn’t even close to our best game. But we stuck together, dug in, found a way to win, and I think that’s really been the key.”
Sunday’s performance marked just the third time in Wings history, and the first since July 31, 2018 (also at home against Chicago), that three Dallas players produced a double-double in the same game.
The victory pushed Dallas to its longest winning streak since the 2023 season — the most recent time the Wings have made the postseason. A triumph on Thursday would earn Dallas its longest winning streak since the 2015 campaign, when it forged eight consecutive wins early in the year and later six straight before bowing out in the first round of the playoffs.
Bueckers earned WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week on Tuesday for the first time in her career after averaging 23.6 points per game, 7.4 assists and 5.8 rebounds as Dallas carried a 5-0 record during the stretch.
The Liberty, meanwhile, are struggling. They head to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex having dropped five of their past six games and seven of their last 10.
New York’s most recent outing was a 93-91 road setback to the Toronto Tempo on Sunday in which it rallied from 16 points down after three quarters to tie the game on Breanna Stewart’s layup with 1:30 to play. After Toronto took the lead, Stewart missed a contested layup with 8.6 seconds left on the Liberty’s final offensive possession.
Sabrina Ionescu scored 28 points to lead the Liberty (13-11) in the loss. Stewart had 22, Pauline Astier finished with 14 points and Jonquel Jones collected 10 points and 10 boards.
New York has trailed by at least 13 points at some juncture in five of its past seven games and has dropped all five of those contests.
“It’s a matter of will and want,” Ionescu said. “And I’d say everyone that stepped out (on the floor) in that second half, especially, played with a lot of assertiveness and tried to do everything you could to get a win.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tyrese Haliburton Adds Fuel Onto LeBron James’ Free Agency Speculation
Dec 31, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) in the second half against the Orlando Magic at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton is a guest host on LeBron James’ “Mind of the Game” basketball podcast.
On Thursday, Haliburton and James will host the popular show from Fanatics Fest in New York City. He’s filling in for Steve Nash, who is normally the host of the show that focuses on detailed basketball breakdowns and analysis instead of hot takes and narratives.
Of course, the NBA world is still awaiting James to announce his free agency decision. We know that he won’t be returning to the Los Angeles Lakers. According to reports, the decision is between the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers.
So, Haliburton used the pressing free agency news to promote the upcoming podcast appearance.
“Tomorrow it’s time,” Haliburton wrote on X, tagging James.
Of course, on Thursday, they’ll chop up basketball on the podcast. LeBron is also appeared to speak on CNBC Sport x Boardroom’s Game Plan Summit. On Friday, James will be joined by co-hosts Steelo Brim and Travis Bennett plus tennis legend Novak Djokovic and longtime business associate Maverick Carter.
But, will the decision really come in New York City?
That’s what the speculation is all about. Certainly, there will be plenty of eyeballs on Thursday’s podcast recording.
While there’s no denying that LeBron, agent Rich Paul, and everybody within their inner circle is probably adoring this free agency attention, there’s no confirmation that James will make any sort of announcement before or during these media appearances this week in New York.
Of course, Fanatics Fest is a huge platform. And LeBron’s podcast is already a big platform, especially paired with his social media. Add the inherited attention of the event taking place in New York City and you could understand why this feels like the perfect time for an announcement.
But LeBron has repeatedly stated throughout his legendary career that his one regret is how he handled the decision to leave the Cavaliers back in 2010. LeBron went on an hour-long ESPN special, “The Decision,” in which he publicly declared the Heat as his next team. This was met with backlash and criticism.
Since then, LeBron has controlled his own media narrative.
He announced a return to the Cavaliers via a heartfelt letter in Sports Illustrated. He left the Cavs for the Lakers in a simplistic social media post shared across his platforms.
Would he broadcast a decision again? Even if it’s taped to live? It’s hard to say. But sort of seems unlikely.
But it does feel like a decision is on the horizon, even if it’s not how Haliburton might be selling it online.
Sports
Panthers QB Will Grier retires from NFL
Aug 22, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Will Grier (15) is tackled by Atlanta Falcons linebacker Ronnie Perkins (50) during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images Journeyman quarterback Will Grier retired from the NFL on Wednesday, after signing with the Carolina Panthers earlier this year, the team where his career began in 2019.
Carolina placed Grier, 31, on its reserve/retired list.
Grier signed with the Panthers on April 21 after being released from the Cowboys on March 12 following parts of two seasons with Dallas.
Carolina selected Grier in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of West Virginia, where he played two seasons (2017-18) after spending two years at Florida (2014-15).
Grier completed 28 of 52 passes (53.8%) for 228 yards and four interceptions in two games (both starts) for the Panthers in 2019, the only year that he played in a regular-season or playoff game.
He also spent time with the Cowboys from 2021-23 as well as with the Cincinnati Bengals (2023), New England Patriots (2023), Los Angeles Chargers (2023) and Philadelphia Eagles (2024).
The Panthers have starting quarterback Bryce Young, veteran Kenny Pickett and undrafted rookie Haynes King (Georgia Tech) on their roster.
–Field Level Media
Paige Bueckers, Wings to test 5-game win streak vs. Liberty
Tyrese Haliburton Adds Fuel Onto LeBron James’ Free Agency Speculation
