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TOP STORY: Pep eyes Alves reunion at City

Pep Guardiola is considering bringing former Barcelona star Dani Alves to Manchester City this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

Guardiola signed Alves from Sevilla in 2008, and over the course of four seasons they won 14 trophies together at the Camp Nou including two Champions Leagues and three Spanish league titles.

Veteran right-back Alves is a free agent, having ended his two-year spell at Paris Saint-Germain. The 36-year-old made 36 appearances last season, including all six of Brazil's games in their run to Copa America glory on home soil this summer.

The Mail reports that Guardiola is considering signing Alves if the defender's fellow Brazilian, Danilo, leaves the club this summer. The 27-year-old Danilo has been linked with interest from Inter Milan and Juventus, another of Alves' former clubs.

Alves considered joining City in 2017, before opting to join PSG. However, he said in an interview later that year: "I don't hide my admiration for Pep and my will to play in the Premier League in the future."

- What if big stars like Mbappe opted for free agency?
- When does the transfer window close?
- Top European league honours 2018-19

LIVE BLOG

11.02 BST: Borussia Dortmund outcast Jeremy Toljan, 24, has completed his loan move to Serie A side Sassuolo Calcio.

The defender, who spent the first half of 2019 at Celtic, joins on a one-year loan with a view to a permanent transfer, according to reports in Germany.

Meanwhile, attacker Maximilian Philipp, 25, is nearing his transfer to Wolfsburg following a difficult spell at Dortmund.

Borussia are holding out for a fee in the region of €18m, Bild reckons.

10.38 BST: Napoli striker Dries Mertens has been seen arguing with his wife, Katrin Kerkhofs, on a beach as she wants to return to Belgium to pursue a career in showbiz, according to Corriere dello Sport.

The 32-year-old forward reportedly wants to stay in Naples, but his wife would like to return to Belgium to pursue her budding entertainment career.

Kerkhofs finished second on Belgium's Dancing with the Stars in 2018, going on to present the show the following series.

10.25 BST: Manchester United Women have completed the signing of goalkeeper Mary Earps from German side VfL Wolfsburg, the club announced in a statement.

"Something special is happening at the club and I'm excited to become a part of that," Earps said. "I feel like this is the perfect place for me to reach the next level in my career."

The 26-year-old England international recently returned from the Women's World Cup in France. She has had spells at several Women's Super League sides in recent years, including Reading, Bristol and Birmingham.

09.51 BST: Manchester United may be forced to end their pursuit of Sean Longstaff after Newcastle slapped a £50m price tag on the midfielder, sources have told ESPN FC.

United value the 21-year-old, who has made just nine Premier League appearances, at between £18m to £20m but Newcastle are asking for more than double.

Sources have told ESPN FC that chief negotiator Matt Judge, head of corporate development, spoke to Newcastle managing director Lee Charnley over the weekend but a formal bid was not submitted because the two clubs are so far apart.

Newcastle, according to sources, are using the £50m paid to Crystal Palace for Aaron Wan-Bissaka as a barometer for their valuation, a stance that has stunned United chiefs considering Longstaff's lack of experience.

09.26 BST: Kashima Antlers have agreed a deal to sell forward Hiroki Abe to Barcelona, the Japanese club have announced.

The deal, reported to be worth around €2m, is subject to the 20-year-old, who made his international debut for Japan in the Copa America last month, agreeing personal terms and passing a medical in Spain.

It has been reported in Japan that the contract will last for three years with the possibility of a two-year extension. Abe, a versatile attacker who can play on the left, right or in a central role behind the main striker, is expected to start his European career in Barcelona's 'B' team.

It has been a busy transfer window for Japanese talent heading to Europe. Abe's move to Barcelona comes almost a month after the Catalan side missed out on Japanese teen Takefusa Kubo. The former Barca youth player was snapped up by Real Madrid upon reaching his 18th birthday. Earlier in July, Japan international winger Shoya Nakajima joined FC Porto on a five-year deal.

09.00 BST: The father and agent of Valencia striker Rodrigo has not ruled out his son joining Napoli but says that a deal can only be reached if the two clubs are in agreement. Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis revealed on Thursday his club was keen to sign Rodrigo but that the player does not want to leave Spain.

Asked about De Laurentiis' comments, Adelberto Machado told Calciomercato: "De Laurentiis comments? Any big club like the azzurro would be a good destination for Rodrigo, who is tied to Valencia. The clubs have to reach an agreement and for the time being, there are no developments. I will only comment once a deal is completed."

Rodrigo has a contract with Valencia that runs until June 2022 and has a €120m release clause. The Spain international scored eight goals and set up six more in 33 league appearances to help Valencia finish fourth in La Liga last season.

Napoli are looking to strengthen their attack and are in negotiations with Real Madrid to sign Colombia winger James Rodriguez.

08.32 BST: Arturo Vidal says his future is at Barcelona amid reports that Inter Milan have rekindled their interest in signing the Chile international.

The Barcelona midfielder is on holiday in his country after competing with Chile at the Copa America. Vidal, 32, was a target of Inter last summer before Barcelona acquired him from Bayern Munich by paying in the region of €20m.

Speaking to the local media, Vidal said as reported in El Grafico: "Right now I'm only thinking about my holidays but my future is with Barcelona, I have two years left on my contract with the club."

Vidal scored three goals and set up seven more in 33 league appearances for the Spanish champions last season, 11 as a starter.

08.00 BST: Argentina international Nicolas Tagliafico has committed to stay at Ajax having been rewarded for his contribution to their excellent Champions League run last season, a source close to player has told ESPN FC.

Left-back Tagliafico, 26, scored three times in the 2018/19 UCL group stages, then helped Ajax stun Madrid and Juventus before they were edged out in the semifinals by Tottenham, leading to confirmed interest from clubs including Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal.

However, a source has now told ESPN FC that Tagliafico will not be looking to move on this summer, having been rewarded with a new contract by Ajax, and being happy that other key players like Dusan Tadic have decided to stay as well.

PAPER TALK (by Richard Edwards): Roma emerge as Alderweireld suitor

With just a year remaining on his contract and a €25m buyout clause, Toby Alderweireld has been an intriguing protagonist in this transfer window. The Tottenham centre-back has been linked with moves to Manchester United and Juventus in recent months, yet he remains in North London.

Calciomercato, however, reports that there is a new suitor: Roma. The Italian outlet writes that the Giallorossi have already met with the agent of the Belgium international, offering his client an annual salary of €3.5m plus bonuses.

There could be a complication, however. Despite Alderweireld having that relatively affordable €25m release clause, Roma seek to negotiate that number down to something closer to €17m -- at the age of 30, Alderweireld will soon have little resale value, making any funds saved on his fee vital.

PSG eyeing sizeable bid for Everton's Gueye

Paris Saint-Germain look set to test Everton's determination to keep hold of Idrissa Gueye, with the French champions ready to table a bid of £27 million for the player.

That's according to L'Equipe, with the French publication adamant that PSG won't give up in their interest in a player they first started chasing back in the winter transfer window.

The Senegalese player is reportedly keen on a move to Paris and PSG boss Thomas Tuchel has made no secret of his desire to make the strengthening of the club's midfield an immediate priority as they target progress in the Champions League, on top of fresh domestic silverware next season.

The player is currently under contract at Goodison Park until 2022 and Everton have made it clear that they're under no particular pressure to sell him. Gueye, meanwhile, might have other ideas, particularly given his performances in the African Nations Cup, with Senegal already safely in the last four.

Mariano adamant on staying at Madrid

Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz wants to remain at the Bernabeu despite interest from teams all across Europe, according to AS.

He's already been connected to Italian teams, with Inter Milan and Roma inquiring about him during the summer window. Tottenham Hotspur also were unsuccessful in convincing Mariano to jump ship.

Nonetheless, the Dominican-born Spain international is focused on remaining on Zinedine Zidane's good side and fighting for a more prominent role this season.

Tap-ins

- Bournemouth are prepared to let Ryan Fraser go on a free transfer next summer than sell him this season, according to the Express. The Cherries see him as an important part of the upcoming campaign and rather keep him for the fight. Arsenal have their eyes on the Scotland international, who is on his final year of his current deal.

- As Bayern Munich grow frustrated over the lack of progress made in their chase for Manchester City winger Leroy Sane, they've turned their attention to PSV starlet Steven Bergwijn, according to the Express, which adds that the player's agent has said that "[Bayern] can take all the time they need" to tie up a deal for the 21-year-old Netherlands international.

Shane Getkate was "quite calm" when he scored the winning runs for Ireland on his ODI debut, against Zimbabwe on July 1. That calmness doesn't come as a surprise: the 27-year-old allrounder spent most of his teenage years trying to calm himself down whenever he felt his heart beating faster than normal.

Getkate was born with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a condition that can lead to periods of rapid heart rate. Eight years ago, in 2011, when Getkate was playing a two-day Under-19 game for Warwickshire against a Cheshire Development Squad in Solihull, he felt his heartbeat increasing after he completed his bowling spell.

"I had that problem since I was born," Getkate told ESPNcricinfo. "But it was never much of an issue. Whenever my heart got racing, I would come off the field and put an ice pack on my neck to slow my heart rate down."

The only difference was that day it didn't work.

"It was a hot day in Birmingham. I bowled some five-six overs and came off the field. Sat next to my coach with an ice pack on my neck, and the next minute I collapsed.

"It happened on Tuesday, and I woke up two days later, on Thursday. I remember coming off not feeling great but I don't really have any memory of what happened after that. [When I regained consciousness] my parents were there and they told me what had happened."

Getkate had suffered a heart attack. After he collapsed, a player's mother performed CPR before the paramedics used defibrillators to give him an electric shock. Soon, an air ambulance was at the ground to take him to the nearest hospital.

He spent two weeks in that hospital, before doctors told him he would struggle to play cricket again.

"That was obviously very hard to take. So I went to another hospital and they performed the surgery. There was an extra pathway in my heart that was making it go very fast. They were able to rectify that problem and they burnt the pathway away. And I was back playing cricket within two weeks.

"The surgery helped massively, it took away the problem. But it did take a couple of years to get the confidence back, to just trust my body and to trust it won't happen again. I had a couple of check-ups for probably about one or two years after it happened, up until I was maybe 20-21. Since then, touch wood, I haven't had any issues."

A great moment as captain @stirlo90 hands @ShaneGetkate his debut cap. #BackingGreen pic.twitter.com/ogeMuDT3DJ

— Cricket Ireland (@Irelandcricket) February 13, 2019

Born to a South African father and an Irish mother, Getkate spent the first 11 years of his life in Durban, where he grew up watching Shaun Pollock. Later when Getkate's family moved to Ireland, players like John Mooney, Nigel Jones and Trent Johnston became his inspirations. Watching Ireland beat Pakistan in the 2007 World Cup and England in the 2011 World Cup only pushed the dream to play for Ireland further.

During his age-group days, Getkate was "a fast bowler who didn't really bat". But two stress fractures - at the ages of 16 and 22 - resulted in the loss of pace. During that time, Getkate worked on his batting and transformed himself into a big-hitter who bowled military medium.

Getkate's hard work and perseverance finally paid off and he made his T20I debut against Oman in February. And it was Paul Stirling, once his age-group teammate, who presented him his T20I cap.

"That was a great feeling," Getkate says, of receiving the cap from his old friend. "I have played with Paul since I was 11. He used to open the batting for Under-13s [when we played together] and this time he was the captain."

On his ODI debut, Getkate took two wickets and scored an unbeaten 16 to see Ireland home. When asked if his heart was racing after he scored the winning runs, Getkate says: "I was actually quite calm at the time. It helped that I got a couple of wickets in the first innings and when it was my turn to bat, I was less nervous. Maybe if it was the other way round, I would have been a bit more nervous batting."

He picked up two wickets each in the next two ODIs as Ireland swept the series against Zimbabwe 3-0, and is also part of the T20I squad for the ongoing series. But Getkate's ultimate goal remains representing Ireland in Test cricket.

"Yeah, that is a dream, playing Test cricket, to top it all off," Getkate says. "That's something I am working towards, but at the same time trying to take one day at a time and keep doing well in the first-class structure with Northern Knights."

Over the years, Getkate has faced enough setbacks, and he is aware there might be more in future, too.

"[I am] just trying to be as grateful as I can. Obviously, you can get really frustrated when you are not doing too well for Ireland or whoever you are playing for. But through those tough times, you can put things into perspective really. I look back to that day eight years ago, and I remember the support and how lucky I am to be alive, so there is definitely more to life than cricket."

Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has revealed that on the day he announced his international retirement, in May 2018, he was asked privately by a person from within the Cricket South Africa set-up whether "the door was still open" for him to play the World Cup. De Villiers said yes then, but insisted that he did not push for late inclusion when he contacted Faf du Plessis shortly before the squad was named.

De Villiers did not want to name the person who had asked him whether he was available for the World Cup, but said that was what prompted him to "casually" talk with du Plessis, the South Africa captain, during the IPL and repeat that he was available for World Cup selection but "only if required".

That conversation, as revealed by ESPNcricinfo in June, happened just days before South Africa's World Cup squad was going to be picked. Linda Zondi, chairman of the South Africa selection panel, said that de Villiers' "desire" to be included in the squad came as a "shock" to not just him but du Plessis and Ottis Gibson, the South Africa coach.

However, de Villiers has now said he never wished to "force his way" into the squad. "On the day of my [retirement] announcement, I was privately asked whether 'the door was still open' for me to play in the World Cup," de Villiers said in a statement, seen by ESPNcricinfo. "I was asked. I did not offer. I quickly replied 'Yes'. With hindsight, maybe I should have just said no, but my natural instinct has always been to find a way to oblige whenever possible.

"During the weeks and months that followed, there was no formal contact between Cricket South Africa or the Proteas and me. I didn't call them, and they didn't call me. I had made my decision and the Proteas moved on, enjoying success under the expert guidance of coach Ottis Gibson and the outstanding captaincy of Faf du Plessis.

"Faf and I have been friends since we were at school together and, two days before the World Cup squad was announced, I contacted him for a chat. I had been in decent form during the Indian Premier League and casually repeated what I had said when asked a year earlier, that I was available if required... but only if required.

"I made absolutely no demands at all. I certainly did not try to force my way into the World Cup squad on the eve of the tournament, and did not expect to be included. There was no burning issue from my side, and no sense of injustice."

According to de Villiers, the reason he did not speak out immediately after the news broke was that he did not want to distract South Africa's faltering World Cup campaign. Many fans, former cricketers and media were critical of de Villiers' move with some saying he was not entitled to make such a late approach just because he was a South African great.

De Villiers said that he was making the statement now because of the criticism that followed. "I continue to be asked to comment on the disclosure, and distortion, of a private conversation that took place just before the squad was announced and, for the benefit of anyone who may have felt let down, would like to explain what happened.

"First, I announced my retirement from international cricket in May 2018 because I wanted to reduce my workload and spend more time with my wife and young sons. Some have insisted I was motivated purely by money. They are wrong. In truth, I have turned down many lucrative offers to play around the world, and have cut the time spent away from home each year from eight months to just over three months."

De Villiers stressed his conscience was clear and he had retired for "honest" reasons. "Then, out of the blue, on the evening after the Proteas lost to India, suffering a third successive World Cup defeat, elements of our private conversation were disclosed to the media, and distorted to cast me in the worst possible light.

"The story was not leaked by me, or anybody associated with me, or by Faf. Maybe someone wanted to deflect criticism. I don't know.

"As a result, I was unfairly described as arrogant, selfish and indecisive but, with all humility, my conscience is clear. I retired for honest reasons and, when asked if I could be available for the World Cup, agreed to keep the door open. In the event, understandably, the team moved on. No problem. I am not angry with anybody."

Despite what he called an "unpleasant and unnecessary saga", de Villiers said he would always continue to support South African cricket. "Now, at this stage of my life, I would like to continue spending time with my family and to play in selected T20 tournaments in SA and around the world.

"I have been massively proud to have played for, and indeed captain, my country on the cricket field. My relationships with the Protea players remain as strong as ever, and I will always be available to support and assist the next generation.

"Lastly, in stating my side of this unpleasant and unnecessary saga, I want to stress my continuing support for the team and the game that has shaped my life and provided me with so many lasting friendships and incredible opportunities."

Trevor Bayliss has reminded the England team they "have not won anything yet", in spite of the euphoria surrounding their crushing semi-final victory over Australia.

Although Bayliss admitted England's eight-wicket victory at Edgbaston was "extra special", he was keen to keep his squad's feet on the floor and their eyes focused on the prize. So the team had "a good chat" in the dressing room after the game on Thursday and were reminded there is "one big match to go".

"We can't listen to the outside noise whether it's good or bad," Bayliss told the BBC. "We've still got a job to do and one big match to go.

"We had a chat in the changing room after the game and realised we have not won anything yet. There is going to be a lot of noise around 'you guys are the favourites' but we can't listen to any of that.

"We have just got to concentrate on the way we have gone about our cricket over the past four years and what has got us to this point. We have to go through our process. If we do that, we know we will play good cricket and the opposition will have to play even better to beat us.

"We're full of confidence, but we're not too over the top. Four years ago, after the last World Cup which was not good for England, we set out with plans to hopefully win the 2019 edition. It feels great that now we have a chance to fulfil those dreams."

Watch on Hotstar (India only): Highlights of England's eight-wicket win over Australia

England will go into the final - their first World Cup final since 1992 - as favourites, having defeated New Zealand by 119 runs in the group stages of the competition. But New Zealand were also finalists in the 2015 tournament, during which they thumped England by eight wickets in one of the most crushingly one-sided World Cup contests of all time.

With that in mind, Bayliss remains respectful of a side that contains the likes of Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Trent Boult and feels the match is a "50-50" encounter.

"New Zealand have proved they're a very good team," Bayliss said. "Anyone can win the final. On the day it's a 50-50 call."

Bayliss also welcomed the decision to show Sunday's final on free-to-air television - Channel 4 will share Sky's feed from 9am on the morning of the match - with England's coach suggesting it was a chance to "influence another generation of young cricketers".

"It's a fantastic gesture from Sky," he said. "Any more fans we can get watching the game is fantastic for our sport. This provides an opportunity for more people to win the World Cup and that means we have the chance in England to influence another generation of young cricketers. That's great."

The England squad travel from Birmingham to London on Friday and will have a light training session on Saturday morning.

SPARTA, Ky. – Brett Moffitt had his third NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series win of the year in his sights, but came up a lap and a half short on fuel Thursday night at Kentucky Speedway.

The defending Truck Series champion appeared to have a winning truck – and strategy – for much of the final stage of the Buckle Up In Your Truck 225, taking the top spot when leader Tyler Ankrum pitted for the last time with 41 to go and cycling back to the front of the field after pit stops concluded on lap 125.

However, after only taking one can of fuel as a time-saver on his final trip down for service, what Moffitt and his GMS Racing crew didn’t count on was not having enough juice to make it to the checkered flag.

Crew chief Jerry Baxter radioed to Moffitt inside of 20 to go that he was two laps short on fuel to get to the finish. With an eight-second lead at that point, Moffitt began slowing his pace drastically.

Ankrum cut a half-lap deficit down to five seconds with five to go before Moffitt finally picked up the pace again, but it ultimately wasn’t enough. Coming toward the white flag, Moffitt’s fuel tank ran dry.

At that point, Ankrum raced by in a blue blur, and Moffitt’s chances at victory were dashed.

The Grimes, Iowa native ultimately finished seventh as the final driver on the lead lap after getting a splash-and-go stop after the white flag, but didn’t hang his head too far after climbing from his truck.

“I was just backing up as much as I could, but it wasn’t quite enough to make it,” said Moffitt. “It sucks to lose a race like that, but everyone on this team did a great job. … We had a really good truck tonight and (Jerry Baxter) called a great race. We were just a lap short. It’s tough; it’s definitely a bummer.”

Moffitt, who led 35 of the final 41 laps, wasn’t out in front during either of the first two stages and admitted afterward that he’s not mastered the art of leading a race and still conserving fuel.

“I’ve never really fuel-mileage raced,” said Moffitt. “I was trying to slow up my lap times based on what the crew was telling me and trying to draft off of other trucks, but we knew the 17 (Ankrum) was coming pretty fast.

“I don’t think I could have saved another lap,” he added. “I was basically riding down the straightaways at 30 to 50 percent throttle. That was about all she had.”

As bitter a pill as Thursday night’s race was to swallow, Moffitt doesn’t plan to dwell on his defeat for very long. He’s turning his focus quickly to the next Truck Series race on July 27 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway.

“We just have to keep moving forward and go on to the next one,” said Moffitt. “That’s all we can do.”

India A 190 (Iyer 77, Vihari 34, Chase 4-19, Akeem 3-43) beat West Indies A 125 (Carter 41*, Powell 41, Khaleel 3-16, Axar 2-16) by 65 runs

With India's middle-order problems in the spotlight following their World Cup semi-final defeat to New Zealand, and the senior team's tour of West Indies on the horizon, Shreyas Iyer made an early case for himself, with a match-defining 77 that helped India A beat West Indies A by 65 runs in the first 50-over match between the two sides in Coolidge.

His enterprising 107-ball knock anchored India A's total of 190 after an early stutter had seen them reduced to 22 for 3. India's decision to bat backfired as the visitors lost openers Ruturaj Gaekwad and Shubman Gill, and captain Manish Pandey inside eight overs. Faced with a challenging repair job, Iyer strung a 95-run stand with No. 5 batsman Hanuma Vihari, who struck three fours in his 63-ball 34.

Once that partnership was broken, with Vihari's dismissal in the 31st over, the rest of the batting order slumped. Iyer's 107-ball knock, studded with eight fours and a six, was ended by a run-out by Rovman Powell, while West Indies A captain Roston Chase's offspin wiped out the lower order, fetching him figures of 4 for 19 off only 6.5 overs. Fast bowler Akeem Jordan had returns of 3 for 23, including the wickets of Gaikwad and Pandey, as India were bowled out in 48.5 overs.

West Indies A's chase was in trouble by the tenth over, with their top order decimated by quick bowlers Khaleel Ahmed and Deepak Chahar. Khaleel took three of the first four wickets to leave the hosts reeling at 30 for 4. The only resistance from West Indies A came from Jonathan Carter and Powell, who both struck 41 apiece and shared a fifth-wicket stand of 65. Carter played an anchor's role, remaining unbeaten off 98 balls but once Powell was dismissed, West Indies A lost their next five wickets for 29 runs.

All five India A bowlers picked at least a wicket each. Khaleel ended with returns of 3 for 16, while spinners Rahul Chahar, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel took two wickets each. The next List A match between the two sides will be played on July 14.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Grayson Allen was ejected from Thursday night's NBA summer league game against the Boston Celtics in Las Vegas after picking up two flagrant fouls in the span of seven seconds.

Both hard fouls were against Celtics rookie Grant Williams and led to Allen being tossed with 9 minutes, 12 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Allen, the 21st overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, played last season with the Utah Jazz as a rookie and was part of the trade that sent Mike Conley to Utah.

Allen also picked up a technical foul earlier in Thursday's game, and one in his summer league debut with Memphis on Sunday.

At various points during his four-year career at Duke, Allen was reprimanded for tripping opponents, a habit that led to a one-game suspension in 2017 and Allen being stripped of his Blue Devils captaincy.

Allen's ejection was the third of this year's summer league, following San Antonio Spurs forward Drew Eubanks on Monday and Los Angeles Lakers forward Nick Perkins on Wednesday.

It's Russell Westbrook Day.

It's Russell Westbrook Day every day in Oklahoma City, by a mayoral decree signed in 2017 by then-Mayor Mick Cornett after Westbrook re-upped with a five-year, $205 million extension.

It was Russell Westbrook Day on July 6, when the Oklahoma City Thunder shockingly traded Paul George to the LA Clippers. And it's Russell Westbrook Day on July 11, the day the Thunder traded him to the Houston Rockets to reunite with former teammate James Harden.

Westbrook had been the fabric of the Thunder for more than a decade, connecting with the city through his confidence, bravado and underrated charm. Despite his snarling, foul-mouthed intensity on the court, Oklahomans stood up a little taller because Westbrook's unwavering self-belief soaked into the core of the state.

He'd been the last man standing from the league's small-market miracle, but things change quickly. And with little warning.

For the first time in their 11-year history since relocating from Seattle, the Thunder are tumbling headfirst into a reboot. It leaves big questions about how OKC might react to watching a team without superstars, or if it can continue to fill the arena on Tuesday nights in February.

The fall might seem abrupt, but really, the pillars of their foundation have been splintering for years. Fresh off their only NBA Finals berth in 2012, they traded a 23-year-old Sixth Man of the Year in Harden -- but they kept winning. In the summer of 2016, they lost Kevin Durant, the Thunder's first MVP and face of the franchise -- but they kept winning.

Indeed, the Westbrook and George trades are jarring, but there's some optimism for a refresh -- something many in the organization think is necessary, if not overdue. Not that the Thunder wanted this, though, by any means.

When they re-signed George a year ago, it was an achievement for a franchise that bet on itself to overcome the immense gravity of the larger markets. There wasn't just excitement about extending their window, but about the chance to finally exhale.

Every Thunder summer since 2014 centered around star free agents, first with Durant, then Westbrook's future, then George's recruitment. With Westbrook and George under contract for at least the next three years, the fan base could finally experience some stability and assurance for the first time in more than five years.

But behind the scenes, OKC's basketball axis was already tilting toward change.

THE EXIT STRATEGY was being prepared. After a 10-year stretch in which the Thunder made the playoffs nine times and amassed a winning percentage of 64%, OKC, according to league sources, viewed the 2019-2020 season as its last, best chance at winning a title.

The Thunder spent $60 million in luxury tax last season for their 49 wins. But they did so because the alternative was not having two superstars in Oklahoma City.

And they were prepared to spend big again this season: With the trio of Westbrook ($38.5 million), George ($33 million) and Steven Adams ($25 million) under contract, OKC was headed for the repeater tax in 2019-20.

But the Thunder believed they would be healthier, better and ready to compete in a reshuffled Western Conference that has finally escaped the Golden State Warriors' stranglehold.

The hard truth for the Thunder, though: The Westbrook-George pairing wasn't working. There was context, sure, like George's shoulder injuries last season, but a team that pricey with that much star power shouldn't have just three playoff wins over the past two seasons.

So when George's agent, Aaron Mintz, informed Thunder general manager Sam Presti of his client's wishes -- more a request than a demand -- it came as a shock, but it also was seen in some ways as a gift.

"Westbrook is the franchise player, the one who stayed, the purified representation of the Thunder's first chapter in Oklahoma City. The highs, the lows, the drama, the tragedy, the beauty, the success, the failure -- he'd been there for all of it."

The Thunder's best bet for the season was a progression of the chemistry between their stars, internal development of their youth and some fringe additions to help steady the team's inconsistency. But if George wasn't completely on board, combined with the fact his offseason shoulder surgeries could force him to miss the first couple weeks of the upcoming season, the request might have become a demand if the Thunder started slowly.

The franchise's leverage, in that case, would be diminished, and the circus of a superstar asking out would follow.

There was no real way to ask George to reconsider. One could try to assign blame -- to George, to Westbrook, to Presti, to head coach Billy Donovan -- but if you want to blame anything, it's geography.

The Thunder have battled against it since their inception, and with George's ties to the Los Angeles area, there was no stopping it a second time around. The Thunder staved off the draw of L.A. once before, but after a yearlong, already successful recruiting effort, there was simply nothing left to sell. The partnership with Westbrook was a big part of it, and Westbrook did his part, with the two building a strong relationship both on and off the court.

But even as George's trade request shook the walls of the organization, Westbrook didn't try to change his mind, according to multiple sources.

Westbrook and George's relationship was probably the most consistent, stable thing about the Thunder these past two seasons, and there was no fracture between the two that led to George's trade request.

But Westbrook demands control, and even things like the party the Thunder threw with Westbrook's name on it last year come with conditions and complications (he made sure to personally approve every invite on the 500-person guest list). He is a creature of habit who functions within routine -- post-practice shooting at the same basket, the same arrival time at the arena, the same pregame routine, the same parking spot, the same everything.

So as Kawhi Leonard put the full-court press on George, and with Westbrook not breaking character to re-recruit his star teammate, the Thunder had little to counter it. Presti wasn't as heartbroken by George's request as some might believe, having experienced plenty of star departures before. If anything, there was pragmatic relief.

The disappointment stemmed more from the timing, because the Thunder were already in the middle of trying to execute their free-agency plan (re-signing Nerlens Noel, adding Mike Muscala and Alec Burks, who was allowed to reconsider his deal and sign with the Warriors instead).

The Thunder lost Durant for nothing, but with George, they were going to restock the cupboard and take what would be a three-year rebuilding plan and reduce it to one night. Not only was the haul of assets from the Clippers unprecedented -- and plenty more picks are coming from Houston via the Westbrook trade -- the underrated aspect of the deal was that, suddenly, the Thunder's own draft assets became valuable again.

Those would make the recovery easier to swallow. The Thunder have an ample number of pathways to take, from draft and development to accessing the accumulated assets to acquire the league's next available star. That's the pragmatic view.

But there's also the romantic one, the one that sees the end of an era, the one that puts Westbrook in a different jersey for the second half of his prime, the one that leaves the team that drafted Durant, Harden, Serge Ibaka and Westbrook as the dynasty that never was.

FOR RUSSELL WESTBROOK, the narrative had been written -- no one wants to play with him -- but against all odds and assumptions, George chose to stay. Westbrook basked in that decision, feeling as though it rewrote the book on him as a teammate. In some ways, it ranked right up there with winning the MVP as the best moment of his career.

For large parts of last season, the Thunder thrived as they took on the identity of George, with him rising as their best player and MVP candidate. But as George regressed slightly, and dealt with injuries to both shoulders, Westbrook filled the void and the Thunder's identity adjusted.

Everyone played on edge, with the joy and free-flowing nature dissolving into plenty of angry "shoot the f---ing ball!" shouts coming from Westbrook. Last season was an awkward one for Westbrook. His play was inconsistent and tension bubbled over between him and coaches, team staffers and the media.

Part of Westbrook's leadership style is to make it seem like he's an "a--hole," as George admitted before the two became teammates, but if you're inside the walls of the locker room, you see what he's really like -- affable, funny, thoughtful, relatable. He loved interrupting teammates' interviews to yell, "Tell 'em what a bad teammate I am!" because he relished the idea that they knew otherwise.

Neither George nor Durant left because of Westbrook, but they didn't stay because of him, either. Eighty-two games can feel like a lot more than that with Westbrook. Each game is The Most Important Game Ever, and an unremarkable win in February can still yield a stressful postgame environment.

Since he was drafted in 2008, Westbrook remained resolute, and the Thunder steadfast in their support of him. But as the team's rebuilding path became clear, and the options straightforward, both sides saw the likely conclusion.

There was a chance to spark another run, using some of the acquired assets from the Clippers trade to jump-start the engine once more, but the Thunder wanted to do right by Westbrook.

The Thunder spent the past 11 seasons being a poster child for small-market success, paving the path to contention through savvy drafting and calculated risk-taking. Now they're the latest example of the futility of fighting the forces that rule the NBA.

Those forces led LeBron James to Los Angeles. They pulled Kevin Durant to Brooklyn. And they abruptly ripped Paul George from Oklahoma City.

Westbrook was the last man standing. He couldn't be again.

It was Durant who was always thought to be the superstar next door, the one who would never leave, the player made for a small market like OKC. That connection was real, but it wasn't rooted to the red dirt. After Durant left and Westbrook pledged his loyalty, it was obvious to everyone: It was Russell all along.

"There's nowhere else I would rather be than Oklahoma City," Westbrook said after agreeing to his extension in 2017.

"You guys have basically raised me. I've been here since I was 18, 19 years old. You guys did nothing but great things for me. Through the good and the bad, you guys supported me through it all, and I appreciate it. Definitely when I had the opportunity to be able to be loyal to you guys, that's the No. 1 option.

"Loyalty is something that I stand by."

Westbrook won't be the first number retired -- that honor went to Nick Collison -- but he will be the first statue. He's the franchise player, the one who stayed, the purified representation of the Thunder's first chapter in Oklahoma City. The highs, the lows, the drama, the tragedy, the beauty, the success, the failure -- he'd been there for all of it.

It will be Russell Westbrook Day tomorrow, and all the days after, but it's also a new day for the Thunder, and the chance to finally start again.

The All-Star break is over. Time to get back to work.

With the season officially resuming tonight, we look at the contenders, the train wrecks, the trade deadline and more.

The contenders

1. Midseason predictions reset: Who are your picks for the wild cards, division champs and World Series?

Jeff Passan: The New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros lead their respective divisions now, and they'll do so after the final day of the season Sept. 29. The two closest stragglers, the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox, will eke past Cleveland for the wild cards. The National League is a mess with one spectacular team (Los Angeles Dodgers), one very good team (Atlanta Braves) and one division where the pick is little more than a shot in the dark (Chicago Cubs, chosen with minimal confidence). The wild cards: the Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers. World Series: Third time's a charm for the Dodgers, over the Yankees in five.

David Schoenfield: After his miraculous run of picks at the All-Star Game (including predicting a 4-3 win for the AL), I should just copy Jeff's picks. I'll stick with the current leaders in the AL: Yankees, Twins and Astros. Indians and A's to win the wild cards. In the NL, I'm feeling the recent surge from the Nats, so I'll go with the Nationals, Cubs and Dodgers as division winners and wild cards for the Braves and (flip a coin) ... the Padres. Because I really, really want to see Fernando Tatis Jr. in October, even if for just one game. The World Series? I'll stick to my preseason pick: Astros over Dodgers. Or was that Dodgers over Astros?

Eddie Matz: The Indians, who've finally awoken from their annual early-season hibernation, sneak past the Twins, and join the Yankees and Astros as division winners. Minnesota and Tampa Bay get the wild cards. In the NL, division titles go to the Braves, Cubs and Dodgers. Washington and Arizona get the wild cards. Dodgers in six over the Astros.

2. OK, so it looks like it's the Yankees, the Astros, the Dodgers and then everybody else. What could derail the Big Three?

Passan: Plenty, of course, be it injuries, slumps, regression, clubhouse issues, rivals improving at the July 31 trade deadline and myriad other issues. The likeliest culprit, though, is perhaps the least satisfying: The complete crapshoot that is baseball's postseason. A five-game series? Then a pair of seven-game series? It means nothing, except for the fact that it means everything. Some teams, like the Red Sox last year, surmount it. Of the 22 teams with 100-plus wins in a season this century -- and all three of these teams should reach that mark -- only four have won World Series. Granted, three of those have come in the past three seasons, so perhaps it's trending less toward chaos.

3. What's more likely to happen to the Red Sox, rebounding for a deep October run or completely missing the playoffs?

Schoenfield: I've been trying to believe in the Red Sox all season, but they have yet to establish any sort of consistency -- and not just from the bullpen, which continues to rank poorly in FanGraphs' "clutch" measurement (23rd in the majors). Plus, guys like Marcus Walden and Matt Barnes, worked heavily so far, are showing signs of fatigue (Walden has an 8.22 ERA over his past 17 appearances and Barnes has an 8.79 ERA over his past 17 appearances). They'll probably add relief help and David Price has quietly been very good (as has Chris Sale since his rough start), but they've also played more than half their games against both the Orioles and Blue Jays. I think they win 90 games, but fall just short of a wild card.

4. And in the NL, the Central is incredibly tight. What's going to determine who wins the division?

Schoenfield: I'll go with the easy cop-out: starting pitching. But the best way to frame that is maybe starting pitching health and depth. The Cubs, for example, have required just five starts beyond their top five guys (although Cole Hamels is out at the moment with an oblique stain). The Brewers have received good work from Zach Davies and All-Star Brandon Woodruff, but have also used 10 starters. The Reds actually have the best rotation ERA in the division so far (3.60 versus 4.02 for the Cubs) and have needed just one start outside of their top five guys. That's why they're still just 4.5 games out, even if they're in last place.

5. Which NL East team is more likely to make the playoffs: Bryce Harper's current squad in Philly or his surging former team in D.C.?

Matz: I can't believe I'm saying this, but ... the Nats. Injuries/suspensions have absolutely wrecked Philly. The pen and the outfield are in shambles, and now Jake Arrieta has elbow issues. As for the Nationals, six weeks ago I was the guy driving the Washington-Is-Washed-Up train. But their turnaround is for real. Yes, their schedule has been Charmin-soft lately. Sure, the bullpen needs oodles o' help. But between a stacked rotation, a dangerous lineup and a sneaky-good bench (not to mention a watered-down NL), Harper's old co-workers have enough to make it to October.

The bad ... and the ugly

1. So, what the heck is going on with the Mets?

Passan: Jeff McNeil is hitting .349. Pete Alonso should exceed 50 home runs. Things are great. *Looks around* *No chairs flying* *Starts whispering* OK, things are definitely not great. The bullpen is an unmitigated disaster. Free-agent signings have flopped. The Edwin Diaz-and-Robinson Cano trade could only go worse if the prospects they gave up were any good. *Checks notes* Two of them were at the Futures Game. Well, at least the Mets don't owe Cano much. *Checks notes again* THEY OWE HIM MORE THAN $80 MILLION AFTER THIS SEASON?!!?!? WHAT!?!?? *Sees chair flying* Sorry gotta go good luck you'll need it they're trading Wheeler Thor might go too they probably should blow it all up ahhhhhhh ...

2. But they aren't the worst team by any means -- how many games could the Orioles and Marlins lose?

Matz: Technically speaking, they could lose 264 games combined. Of course, that would require both teams losing every one of their games in the second half, which (probably) won't happen. In fairness to Baltimore and Miami, both clubs have been playing better recently. Truth be told, if I'm picking a pair of teams to shoot the moon the rest of the way, I'd take K.C. and Detroit. But back to the original question, I'm putting the over/under for Birds/Fish combined losses this season at 225½. (And I'm taking the over.)

3. Which managers could be managing for their jobs in the second half?

Matz: The three most caliente cushions are the ones under Mickey Callaway, Gabe Kapler and Joe Maddon. If the Phils and Cubs finish up strong and make the postseason, it's hard to imagine Kapler and Maddon getting axed (though not impossible). As for Callaway, the way things have unfolded in the four-ring circus that is the Mets, it's hard to imagine him not getting the boot.

4. Are there any teams at the bottom of the standings with positive signs for the future we should be watching down the stretch?

Schoenfield: Uhh ... do I have to answer this question? The Royals have Hunter Dozier and Whit Merrifield, but even Adalberto Mondesi has come crashing down and is hitting .268/.298/.445. The Mariners can point to Dan Vogelbach's breakout season and J.P. Crawford is showing some positive signs, plus prospects Jarred Kelenic, Justin Dunn and Evan White all made the Futures Game (and outfielder Julio Rodriguez might end up being better than all of them). But that's at the minor league level. The Marlins have some nice young starters, but that offense is unwatchable. The Tigers can't hit. I won't even bring up the Orioles. The Blue Jays ... well, Vlad Jr. is fun to watch in Home Run Derby. So to answer the question: not really. (Although I do like to point out that the 2013 Astros lost 111 games and were in the playoffs two years later.)

The trade deadline

1. The deadline is three weeks away. How does the market compare to recent years?

Passan: Extraordinarily pitching-heavy. Which is not entirely coincidental, seeing as the bat-rental market has cratered -- remember what the Tigers got for J.D. Martinez in 2017? -- and teams are increasingly loath to give up young, under-control everyday players. It seems counterintuitive too, with good pitching such a limited commodity in 2019. Sometimes that's just how the market shakes out, and with Madison Bumgarner and Marcus Stroman almost assuredly on the move, Trevor Bauer, Mike Minor and Robbie Ray able to be had, and Matt Boyd and Zack Greinke tailor-made for playoff rotations, it's a nice group -- and one with enough diversity in salary, years of control, handedness and stuff to satisfy every buyer. There are plenty of relievers too, and especially because of how they can affect postseason series, the prices on them could be even higher than some of the rental starters. The best rental bat, if you really want to know? Probably Nicholas Castellanos. The best available bat? Might be Hunter Renfroe. Like I said: pitching-heavy.

2. Is the new single deadline without August moves going to have a big impact on how teams operate?

Passan: Considering teams that previously could wait until Game 135 to make their buy-or-sell decisions now will need to do so around the 105-game mark, it most certainly will. Particularly in a year like 2019, when 17 teams went into the All-Star break with .500-or-better records, when an eight-car pileup for the NL's wild-card spots saw 2½ games of daylight between the best and worst teams vying for it. Selling can be difficult to spin to fans, to ownership, to players in the clubhouse who for four months have worked hard to win. While the lack of August trades might not yet have transformed the psyche of general managers to embrace striking earlier on trades, it does theoretically place additional pressure to declare their current state of affairs in unequivocal fashion. Trading win-now players and still trying to, you know, win now does not tend to work.

3. Who are some buyers to watch?

Schoenfield: Who do the Nationals get to upgrade their bullpen? Are the Dodgers happy enough with their current bullpen? Do the Red Sox get a closer? The back of the Rays' pen is struggling as Jose Alvarado is suddenly getting lit and Diego Castillo is on the IL. The Twins' pen has been fine but you can never have too much relief depth. I sense a trend here.

4. And the sellers?

Matz: Come July, relief help is always the flavor of the month. That makes San Francisco a key player in this year's market. The Giants are headed into rebuild mode. Their bullpen ranks sixth in the majors in ERA (3.90) and is littered with sellable names that will make contenders salivate. From Will Smith to Sam Dyson to Mark Melancon to Tony Watson to Brian Wilson to Robb Nen, the possibilities are limitless. OK, those last two have long since retired, but you get the point.

The players

1. Who will be the MVPs, Cy Youngs and Rookies of the Year?

Passan: MVPs: Mike Trout, Cody Bellinger. Cy Youngs: Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer. ROYs: Yordan Alvarez, Fernando Tatis Jr.

Schoenfield: MVPs: Mike Trout, Christian Yelich. Cy Youngs: Charlie Morton, Max Scherzer. ROYs: Brandon Lowe, Pete Alonso.

Matz: MVPs: Mike Trout, Cody Bellinger. Cy Youngs: Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer. ROYs: Brandon Lowe, Pete Alonso.

2. Will anyone hit 60 homers this year, and how many could realistically reach 50?

Matz: In the upset of the year, not one single player will reach the big 6-0. But half the league will get to 50. (And by "half the league," I mean Christian Yelich and Pete Alonso.)

3. Vlad Jr. certainly made a name for himself on Derby night. Prediction for his second half?

Schoenfield: The Home Run Derby is not real baseball. I think Guerrero's second-half numbers will be a little better, but don't expect a sudden surge to superstardom. One issue -- and the scouting report is out on this -- he's had trouble on pitches up in the zone. All eight of his home runs have come on pitches in the lower half of the zone and he's hitting just .159 on pitches in the upper half. Young Mike Trout had some of these issues when he first came up. We'll see if Vlad can learn to adjust.

4. Young players have dominated the season, are there any more big names on the way?

Passan: Of course! What would baseball be without a new kid arriving every week who can hit a 450-foot home run or throw 100 mph? For the honorary Who's Going to Be This Year's K-Rod and Find Himself in High-Leverage October Innings Without Much Major League Service Time Award, keep an eye on Deivi Garcia with the Yankees and Ian Anderson for the Braves. At some point, Kyle Tucker will add to the Astros' incredibly crowded (and talented) outfield -- or join another team as the best prospect in the biggest trade of July. The Dodgers have a surplus of pitching; they've already called upon Tony Gonsolin for a spot start, and they might yet open the bifrost between Oklahoma City and L.A. and summon Dustin May, aka Gingergaard, whose flowing red hair, Texas roots and triple-digit fastball earn him some mighty comps. Two others worth noting: Jesus Luzardo (perhaps in September, if Oakland remains in the wild-card hunt) and Luis Urias (Padres second basemen this year: .229/.303/.372).