Sports
St. John's F Donnie Freeman (Achilles) to miss 2026-27
Mar 7, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange forward Donnie Freeman (1) warms up prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images St. John’s forward Donnie Freeman will miss the 2026-27 season after tearing his Achilles tendon during a workout.
Red Storm coach Rick Pitino announced Wednesday on social media that the Syracuse transfer already underwent surgery to repair the non-contact injury.
“Donnie is an awesome young man, we will get him back better than ever!” Pitino posted.
Freeman was a key transfer portal addition after averaging 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in 2025-26, both team highs for Syracuse. He was limited to 23 games (21 starts), missing nine contests with a lower-body injury.
Across 37 games (34 starts) in two seasons with the Orange, the 6-foot-9 Freeman averaged 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
–Field Level Media
Sports
LeBron James Could Transform the Warriors or Cavaliers in 2027
Move aside, World Cup. LeBron James is about to shake the sports world.
So far, NBA free agency has fizzled more than an Independence Day dud.
OK, nice move by the Bulls snatching the leader of the B-Listers, Norman Powell. But when Mitchell Robinson, Moe Wagner, John Collins, Dean Wade and Quentin Grimes are the other headliners, you have to ask:
Is this Team Nigeria tryouts, or what?
Alas, the greatest winner in NBA history – you read that right – is about to change things. He’s reportedly making himself available for $15 million for the 2027 season.
Thirty teams should be lining up.
Some aren’t because they believe they don’t need LeBron to win next season. Others think he’d be a bad fit. And then there are the ones who, frankly, aren’t interested in winning right now.
The latter makes sense. The others are just plain idiots.
Even at maybe 80 percent capacity, LeBron James still does a lot of great things. Two stand out even above his winning and double-doubles.
First off, LeBron fits in.
It takes a unique personality to do what Kevin Durant accomplished when he joined Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green with the Warriors in 2017. Criticize him for moving around, but it’s helped LeBron demonstrate he’s fully capable of being a good teammate, never more so than not rocking Luka Doncic’s boat with the Lakers.
You need a rugged rebounder? Few are ruggeder than him. A big man to run the court? Even at 41 (42 by New Year’s Eve), he can still motor. A 3-point shooter, difference-making defender, unselfish ball distributor, guy you want taking the last shot?
He’s built the NBA’s greatest all-time resume doing all that.
And secondly, he’s a leader.
The real-time legend is equal parts mentor for young talent and inspirational voice for guys who think they’ve been there and done that. That’s why he’d be the perfect addition to the Spurs. Or the Pistons. Or the Rockets. Or about a half-dozen other championship dreamers who might be one real good player away from preventing the Thunder from a successful revenge tour next season.
It sounds like “The Decision II” is coming down to the Warriors and Cavaliers. Lucky them.
The Warriors are the most desperate and, at the same time, the most intriguing. Imagine showing up for your first playoff game, a higher seed inspired by a raucous home crowd, and a Fantastic Five reunion rolls out of the visitors’ tunnel with LeBron, Curry, Green, Jimmy Butler and Al Horford.
Guessing the music would stop.
Golden State, which didn’t even make the playoffs last season, still might not be good enough to beat a handful of teams in the top-heavy West. But that’s another great thing about LeBron.
He’s a magnet.
The Warriors not only need LeBron, they also need a buddy or two. It’s no coincidence that the initial report of Golden State’s interest included Anthony Davis’ name. That’s the kind of clout LeBron has.
That might be wishful thinking, but frankly, the Warriors might be better off if LeBron brought one of his little pals. This team is seriously lacking in defensive-capable guards, so maybe Russell Westbrook agrees to come along.
Without question, the Warriors’ twice-prematurely-ended dynasty would be a serious candidate to extend a year or two.
Cleveland is a different animal. He’d be a great story there, where he’s won with far less talent than Bill Russell ever had, then returned to do it again like Michael Jordan did with a vastly superior supporting cast.
Nobody has put more teams in championship contention with lottery-laden histories than LeBron, and Cleveland is where most of it happened. Consider: The Cavaliers have been in existence 56 years. They made at least the Eastern finals six times in 11 years with LeBron. In the other 45 seasons … three times.
(Want to make a similar comparison in Heat history? In 38 seasons: Four trips to the NBA Finals in four years with LeBron, three in 34 years without LeBron.)
But could he do it again in today’s Cleveland, where the Cavaliers were last heard saying they were content to move forward with the same star-studded cast that was eight wins from last year’s title?
Signing LeBron on the cheap could mean not hesitating to deal out-of-place Evan Mobley and his bloated contract for guard help. Hello, Kyrie Irving?
No doubt, the Cavaliers are more ready to win – and win again – than the Warriors. But here’s where Golden State has the advantage: It doesn’t employ James Harden.
No disrespect to the future Hall of Famer, but Harden is an offensive play-through. A ball-stopper who keeps the leather from reaching LeBron. He’s a poor man’s Doncic – and we see how that worked out in LA.
Even with all of LeBron’s greatness, he couldn’t put team and Harden in the same sentence. The Cavaliers would be left praying Harden would agree to move on as a free agent.
And therein could lie the difference-maker: LeBron would be a talent adder with the Warriors, a talent subtractor with the Cavaliers.
Three-peating in his ability to lead the Cavaliers to unforeseen greatness would be a wonderful final chapter in LeBron’s best-seller. But the path to another ring or two – even if it began with scattered boos for a lifetime nemesis – appears smoother in San Francisco.
Sports
Maple Leafs sign F Brandon Duhaime to 3-year deal
Mar 3, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals right wing Brandon Duhaime (22) shoots the puck against the Utah Mammoth during the third period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images The Toronto Maple Leafs signed free agent forward Brandon Duhaime to a three-year contract on Thursday.
Multiple reports put the total value of the deal at $7.8 million ($2.6 million per year).
Duhaime, 29, had four goals and five assists and played all 82 games for the Washington Capitals last season.
He has posted at least 146 hits in all five NHL seasons, tallying 70 points (33 goals, 37 assists) and 410 penalty minutes in 375 games with the Minnesota Wild (2021-24), Colorado Avalanche (2024) and Capitals.
The Wild drafted the Florida native in the fourth round of the 2016 NHL Draft.
–Field Level Media
Sports
MLB Best Bets Today: Reds vs Brewers, White Sox vs Guardians, Rangers vs Tigers Picks
Jun 1, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (22) reacts after being hit boy a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images A light MLB schedule with just nine games leads into a weekend loaded with intriguing action.
To help you prepare to bet on these games, we’ve done a deep dive into each one. Why? To find the best MLB bets for Thursday .
It should be a great day of baseball leading into the holiday weekend. Now, time for my best bets.
Cincinnati Reds vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Under 7 at -123 or Brewers -1.5 at +119 (DraftKings)
The pitching matchup is not going to allow too many runs to be scored in this game. Milwaukee has Jacob Misiorowski (9-3, 1.45 ERA, 0.77 WHIP) taking the mound, and Cincinnati is going with Chase Burns (9-3, 2.36 ERA, 1.08 WHIP).
With those two on the mound, runs will be hard to come by in the game, which makes the Under a likely outcome. However, the Brewers have been hitting well (.283 over the last week), and the Reds are the last-place team in the NL Central for a reason.
Burns will keep the Reds competitive, but the Brewers lineup will prove to be too much once again. They won the first three games by 2+ runs; today will make it a clean sweep.
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Chicago White Sox vs. Cleveland Guardians
White Sox ML at -122 (DraftKings)
The White Sox lineup has been hitting .300+ over the last week before getting stymied by the Orioles yesterday. I wouldn’t count on Slade Cecconi (4-6, 4.18 ERA, 1.36 WHIP) doing the same. Davis Martin (9-3, 3.00 ERA, 1.18 WHIP) is having a great season for Chicago but has not been as good away from home (4-3, 4.67 ERA, .279 OBA).
Martin should be able to handle a mediocre Guardians lineup, even though he’s not at home. Cleveland will score, but don’t count on them to score much. Cecconi will do better than expected, but the White Sox bats will come alive once again and do well enough to secure the win.
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Detroit Tigers vs. Texas Rangers
Texas -1.5 at +153 (DraftKings)
Both starting pitchers can be described as “shaky.” Nathan Eovaldi (8-7, 3.95 ERA, 1.16 WHIP) had a shutout in his last outing but has a 4.50 ERA at home. Framber Valdez (4-5, 4.05 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) has given up four runs in four of his last eight starts but has done some of his best work on the road (1-2, 3.59 ERA, .240 OBA).
However, the Tigers lineup has been dependent on home runs over the last week (14). Globe Life Field is not a hitter-friendly park (No. 23 in home runs allowed, 81). Eovaldi has given up seven at home, but four came in one game back in April (4-24 vs. the A’s).
Without those home runs helping the Tigers out, the Rangers lineup will hit well enough against Cecconi to cover the run line.
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LeBron James Could Transform the Warriors or Cavaliers in 2027
Maple Leafs sign F Brandon Duhaime to 3-year deal
