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It was only three months ago that Sri Lanka travelled the length and breadth of South Africa, only to be walloped 5-0 in the ODIs and 3-0 in the T20Is. Their bowlers were flayed all around while the batsman were repeatedly tormented by a fiery attack. Lasith Malinga struggled for impact and looked spent, grumpily berating his team-mates' attitude. What a different three months can make.

Malinga might still be the World Cup's grumpiest uncle, but he's also fired his team up to keep them still very much in contention for a semi-final spot. The South African camp, meanwhile, have their pride (and jobs) on the line after five defeats in seven games. South Africa's failure has been as incomprehensible as Sri Lanka's success, but here we are.

For South Africa, this match - and their final game against Australia - will present an opportunity to bid farewell, at least in this format, to Hashim Amla, JP Duminy and Imran Tahir, who are all set to retire from ODIs after the World Cup. For the moment, they are a team in limbo, with one foot in the past even as they eye the future.

Sri Lanka aren't quite done with the business of this World Cup, and their focus is very much in the present. Their victory over England and England's subsequent defeat to Australia have opened up the qualification race, and Sri Lanka could still reach 12 points if they win all three of their remaining games, potentially with a little wriggle room in the top four. They may well need it, if their mercurial run through this tournament so far is anything to go by.

Their two victories have been counterbalanced by two massive defeats - by 10 wickets and 87 runs - and the weather has also followed them around, with two of their matches rained off. The weather shouldn't be an issue this time around, and against a team who are out of contention and deep in introspection, Sri Lanka's biggest challenge could be to overcome their own inconsistencies.

Form guide

South Africa: LLWLL (Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka: WLWLW

In the spotlight

Rassie van der Dussen is possibly the only South African who will leave this World Cup with his reputation enhanced. Van der Dussen has not scored enough runs to outweigh South Africa's general inadequacies with the bat, but two fifties and an average of 54 in his very first World Cup campaign are not to be sniffed at. He has made a start in every innings, with scores of 50, 41, 22, 67* and 36, and looked to be proactive when set, hitting more sixes (6) than anyone else in his team so far. As South Africa look to move forward after the World Cup, it's possible that van der Dussen could be asked to play a crucial role - possibly even as a captain, with the incumbent Faf du Plessis suggesting he has "massive leadership potential".

How much does Lasith Malinga have left in the tank? He turned back the clock with the four biggest wickets in England's top order to help set up a 20-run win in Sri Lanka's last outing, and in the last two years he has been Sri Lanka's go-to bowler in every phase of the innings. When Malinga does well, Sri Lanka tend to also, and they need more of the same in their last two group games.

Team news

South Africa's selections are somewhat academic at this point, but they may look to give JP Duminy an outing ahead of what could be the final ODI of his career against Australia.

South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Aiden Markram/JP Duminy, 4 Faf du Plessis (capt), 5 Rassie van der Dussen, 6 David Miller, 7 Andile Phehlukwayo, 8 Chris Morris, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 Imran Tahir

Nuwan Pradeep is down with fever and could miss out. Suranga Lakmal is likely to come in.

Sri Lanka: 1 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), 2 Kusal Perera (wk), 3 Avishka Fernando, 4 Kusal Mendis, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Jeevan Mendis, 7 Dhananjaya de Silva, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Isuru Udana, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Suranga Lakmal

Pitch and conditions

This is Chester-le-Street's first match of the World Cup, and a fresh pitch could well encourage the bowlers early on. The average first innings score at this ground in the last five ODIs played here is a modest 262, and the team that bowls first has won three of those games and nine times out of 16 overall. Fortunately, the weather is expected to be fine on Friday.

Strategy punt

• Dhananjaya de Silva's offspin could form the basis of a solid game plan against Quinton de Kock, who walloped three half-centuries and a hundred in the ODI series against Sri Lanka in March. De Kock hasn't exactly struggled against Dhananjaya in the past, averaging 40.5 against him, but has been out to him twice. On his part, three of the five wickets Dhananjaya has picked at this World Cup have been left-handers. Almost a quarter of de Kock's dismissals in ODIs have been to offspinners, against whom he averages 38.4 (compared to a career average of 45.23). Against him, Dhananjaya could be Sri Lanka's secret weapon.

• Lungi Ngidi is yet to take a wicket in the Powerplay this World Cup, and has conceded runs at 7.2 an over at the top of the innings. Should South Africa consider using him as a first change bowler? While he has been ineffective with the new ball, Ngidi has taken all seven of his wickets at the death, and his economy rate of 6.4 in the last 10 overs is one of the best in the tournament. If South Africa allow Chris Morris, who has an economy of just 3.3 in the first 10 during this tournament, to partner Kagiso Rabada with the new ball, Ngidi could be given an extended spell at the back end of the innings.

Stats and trivia

• Sri Lanka have never lost an ODI at the Riverside Ground, having played here twice. This will be South Africa's first game in Durham

• Ngidi has taken 18 wickets in 9 innings against Sri Lanka at an average of 18.8, his best against any top 10 ranked opposition in ODIs

Quotes

"What's left to play for is really ourselves. We've dedicated the last two years to coming here and winning the tournament. We can't let two weeks' work reflect badly on us."
South Africa's assistant coach Malibongwe Maketa

"We think that we have a good chance because we are coming off two wins and a very good win against England, although we didn't play our best cricket to win the game in terms of batting. I think we had a perfect bowling display, defending that target."
Sri Lanka coach Chandika Hathurusingha

There is no real pressure. No way that they can choke. Far as South Africa are concerned, this could just be another match in a bilateral series. Will that free them up against a team they have routinely thumped over the last year? Of the last ten matches between these sides, South Africa have won eight. Even the two games that Sri Lanka have won were dead rubbers, after South Africa had already sewn the series up.

Or will the disappointments of this campaign weigh South Africa down even more? When you've planned, and played with the World Cup as your focus for two years, only to underperform spectacularly at the actual event, there are likely to be emotional consequences.

Will South Africa play like a team that has nothing to play for, or one that has nothing to lose?

"When you have no pressure of qualifying, they can come and, without any pressure, play fearless cricket," Sri Lanka coach Chandika Hathurusingha said of South Africa. "At the same time, they can turn up and just want to go home, so you never know."

"I 100% agree with the freedom - just go out and play your natural game, your naturally gifted game. That's not a cop-out" JP Duminy

JP Duminy, who may play his first match in over two weeks on Friday, on account of an injury to David Miller, believes in the "freedom" narrative. Or at least, he hopes the lack of pressure will transform South Africa. Having announced his ODI retirement before the tournament, it is one of Duminy's final opportunities on this stage.

"Is your foot on the plane or does that give you a sense of freedom? I 100% agree with the freedom - just go out and play your natural game, your naturally gifted game," he said. "That's not a cop-out. That is just an understanding that you have almost the license to just go out and play with the freedom that you were allowed to play with as a young kid, and play with a smile on your face. You play to enjoy the game and that's the kind of mentality that I certainly want to end my international one-day career with.

"I'll be having fun with my friends on the field, understanding what a huge privilege it was to represent my country so many times. You should never take that for granted. And if any of us has one foot on the plane, that means you are taking it for granted."

Although South Africa are out, a win for them in Durham will substantially diminish Sri Lanka's chances of qualifying for the semi-finals. The recent history between these two sides suggests South Africa should ease past this opposition, but as results from various matches over the past week have shown, recent history doesn't always count for much in the bump and grind of a World Cup.

"We played good cricket against Sri Lanka, both in Sri Lanka a few months ago, and recently in South Africa, so we know we can beat them," Duminy said. "I wouldn't say that's a mission of ours to stop them from qualifying. I think the important mission for us is to play good cricket - the cricket we know and the brand we know we are capable of playing.

"I think if we do that, particularly tomorrow, and in the game against Australia, we give ourselves the best chance of beating them."

In both their wins so far, Sri Lanka's bowlers have bailed the batsmen out. Defending 187 against Afghanistan, then 233 against England, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep and company sent down intense spells, and prised points out of the closed fists of their opponents.

Sri Lanka know, though, that if they are to make more of an impact at the World Cup than merely delivering its biggest upset so far, their batsmen must step up. There have been signs that one or two of them are breaking out of ruts, but it has been just that - signs. Their highest individual score across four matches is Dimuth Karunaratne's 97. They haven't crossed 250 once. Their middle order has repeatedly collapsed.

The man they are looking to for leadership with the bat is the top order's most-experienced campaigner, and it is in his most-recent performance from which hope springs for Sri Lanka. By his own admission, Angelo Mathews was far from fluent in his vital 85 not out against England, but he did spend 115 balls at the crease. It is only when seniors like Mathews begin to perform, that Sri Lanka's plans come together, coach Chandika Hathurusingha said.

"Angelo doing well against England helped lift the other players as well, and that goes a long way," he said. "He's a world-class player, and he showed a lot of mental resilience in that innings because he was under pressure, the team was under pressure for various reason, and he was coming without many runs.

"The thing about good teams is that their senior players turn up. When big players perform, it's a huge confidence boost for everyone, because they generally make their contributions at crucial times, and they turn matches. Other teams have the likes of Kane Williamson and Joe Root. For us, it's important for our big players to do well, because our plans revolve around those players to an extent. It's when they do well, that others can play around them and we get a good team performance. Angelo showed a lot of character."

Batting coach Jon Lewis also hoped that getting to a substantial score will help Mathews recover more fluent form. Mathews has generally done well in England - his batting average of 44.72 in England is higher than his overall career figure of 41.79. Prior to that 85 not out, however, his scores in the tournament had been 9,0 and 0.

"Angelo probably got a lot of confidence having those numbers against his name," Lewis said. "Great batsmen tell you that they feel confidence when they have numbers. He wasn't so fluent against England, but he recognized what the pitch and the team required and put together some very good partnerships. He did the right thing."

In addition to Mathews and Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando made 40s for Sri Lanka, after Kusal Perera made a rapid half century against Australia in the previous match. Sri Lanka hope that the seeds for a collective turnaround have been sown.

"There are guys who have got runs in the last two innings - everybody feels little bit better," Lewis said. "We have had two guys who have battled over 100 balls in the last two games and that's a good indication. That's something we have not been doing over the last year - playing 100 balls. It has been something that we have been asking for. Contributions beyond just batting 40 or 50 balls."

India 268 (Kohli 72, Dhoni 56*, Rahul 48, Roach 3-36, Holder 2-33) beat West Indies 143 (Shami 4-16, Bumrah 209, Chahal 2-39) by 125 runs

India's bowlers nullified yet another middling batting performance, pounding West Indies' into the ground long before they could think about any reasonable comebacks. Having elected to bat, India were kept in check by some disciplined seam bowling from West Indies, whose wickets through the middle overs gave India their second consecutive bout of existential dread surrounding their middle order. But a solid 72 from Virat Kohli, who became the fastest to 20,000 international runs in the process, and timely, staggered attacks from Hardik Pandya and MS Dhoni gave India 268. Mohammed Shami then took four, and the others chipped in as West Indies became the latest team to crash out of semi-final contention.

Shami, the hat-trick hero from India's last game, was at his attacking best once again. He had Chris Gayle swiping to mid-on, and followed shortly by nipping a length ball past Shai Hope's defences to hit off stump. At 16 for 2 in seven overs, West Indies had seemingly already given up the chase. A laboured 55-run stand for the third wicket between Sunil Ambris and Nicholas Pooran took up 12 overs and had the required rate breach run-a-ball early in the innings. To this context were thrown India's middle-overs bowlers, with all their variations. Hardik, Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal and West Indies were simply outdone by their abilities. Ambris was trapped in front, Pooran holed out at long-on, Holder was expertly done by Chahal, driving to a specially placed extra cover fielder, and Carlos Brathwaite was taken by Dhoni, diving one-handed to his right on what was a below-par wicketkeeping day for him

For the most part, Dhoni seemed to be having a below-average batting day as well. Coming in at No. 6, after the promoted Kedar Jadhav had fallen cheaply, Dhoni had time to play in his preferred patient style. At 140 for 4, Kohli was at the other end - a power pair. But with the prospect of Shami at No. 8 and more than 20 overs to play, India were forced, once again, to play within themselves. Dhoni, however, strayed out of his crease and looked to hoick Fabian Allen over midwicket in the 34th over, only to miss and give up on getting back. But Shai Hope spilled the ball, missed the stumping chance, and in his funk from that moment, failed to gather the ball and run Dhoni out as well. It would come back to haunt them.

But the effects of Shikhar Dhawan's injury were seemingly still in play for India. When India bats well, it is usually on the back of a big partnership for at least one of their first two wickets. With Rohit having fallen early, KL Rahul and Kohli were on their way to setting up such a stand. But for the fourth time in five innings, Rahul was undone by his shot selection. Having punched, driven straight, and pulled with control, Rahul went across the line to a length ball slanting into him and was bowled for 48.

To their credit, West Indies did have India playing within themselves at that point. All short bowling had been punished early on, but Holder quickly put a stop to this with a simplistic plan - bowl an off stump line. He began with two maidens, and barely bowled a single ball in line with the stumps during his first overs. Kohli, especially, could do little against him, and would eventually fall to him, trying to drag one into the leg side from wide outside off. In the middle though, it was Roach who reaped the rewards.

He emulated Holder's strategy and straightened one past Vijay Shankar, who the spotlight keeps following at No. 4. Jadhav's push up to 5 was also struck down with that ploy and suddenly India's big-hitters needed to be calculative.

In Hardik's case, this meant keeping the slogs out till the last eight overs of the innings, without compromising on his scoring rate. He was the only batsman barring Sheldon Cottrell who struck at a rate greater than 100, despite hitting only five boundaries during his 38-ball 46.

For Dhoni, it was hobbling to 40 off 55 at the start of the 49th over. Oshane Thomas hit the blockhole thrice in the last over, and none of them cost any runs. But his decision to also bowl three short balls took India from 252 to 268. Dhoni finished with unbeaten on 56, and West Indies were left ruing their choices at death bowling.

The most noteworthy moment early in India's innings was the dismissal of Rohit Sharma, who was given out caught behind off the inside edge on review. Rohit's disbelief was blatantly public, a reaction likely prompted by the seeming hastiness with which third umpire Michael Gough's overturned the decision. Overturning a decision demands conclusive evidence, which Gough seemed to have found relatively early from replays, almost at the first instance of Ultra Edge. While there was a murmur as the ball went past the inside edge, the square angles showed the ball had been between bat and pad when they appeared. Front-on angles suggested daylight between bat and ball, and in all, it seemed much too close for a decision made as quickly as it was. In the end, it didn't play too big a part in the result.

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PARIS -- With one of the most anticipated games in the history of women's soccer a day away, United States coach Jill Ellis and veteran forward Megan Rapinoe attempted Thursday to shift the focus away from any confrontation with President Donald Trump and toward a quarterfinal between tournament co-favorites at the Parc des Princes.

Ellis said the off-field controversy that built through the week wouldn't be a distraction for the U.S. in Friday's game because players on the world's top-ranked team are familiar with the spotlight that both their success and frequent advocacy for social issues brings.

"We all support Megan," Ellis said. "She knows that. We know we have each other's backs in there.

"I think for our players, there is only one purpose, one mission that we're here. Comments, media, whatever, it's always been something that I think we can block out pretty easily."

- Trump invites USWNT to WH after Rapinoe barb
- Trump: Rapinoe shouldn't protest during anthem
- FIFA Women's World Cup: All you need to know
- Full Women's World Cup fixtures schedule

In a statement she made before declining to take further questions related to the controversy, Rapinoe said she regretted only her choice of words in a video released earlier this week by the soccer magazine Eight by Eight in which she said she would not accept an invitation to visit the White House.

"I stand by the comments that I made about not wanting to go to the White House, with the exception of the expletive," Rapinoe said Thursday. "My mom will be very upset about that. But I think, obviously, answering with a lot of passion considering how much time and effort and pride we take in the platform that we have and using it for good and for leaving the game in a better place and hopefully the world in a better place, I don't think that I would want to go.

"And I would encourage my teammates to think hard about lending that platform or having that coopted by an administration that doesn't feel the same way and doesn't fight for same things that we fight for."

Rapinoe expressed similar sentiments about any potential White House visit earlier this year, as did teammate Alex Morgan.

After Rapinoe's comments about a White House visit appeared Tuesday, Trump again criticized her on Twitter and also invited the U.S. team to the White House after the World Cup.

The week began with Trump criticizing Rapinoe in an interview with The Hill, saying he disagrees with her not singing or putting her hand over her heart during the national anthem. Rapinoe knelt during the anthem before two U.S. games in 2016 to express solidarity with Colin Kaepernick's protests to raise awareness of racial injustice and police brutality.

In both cases in 2016 in games in Columbus, Ohio and Atlanta, Rapinoe was a substitute on the sideline when the national anthem was played. U.S. Soccer subsequently instituted a policy requiring all players to stand during the anthem.

Ellis named Rapinoe one of three captains before World Cup qualifying in 2018, along with Morgan and Carli Lloyd.

While only a quarterfinal, Friday's game is between teams undefeated and untied thus far in the tournament and which entered the World Cup as essentially co-favorites among oddsmakers. Even Rapinoe said during the team's training camp in England that she considered France the favorite to win the title. The Americans are 3-3-2 against the French in the last eight games in the series.

The U.S. has never failed to reach the semifinals of a World Cup.

"For me, [games like] these are why you play all these friendlies a thousands times and are training on your own for hours and hours and grind through the rest of it," Rapinoe said. "I think it's going to be a great stage for both teams who have had a lot of pressure and a lot of eyes on them to just go out and perform and enjoy themselves."

The Boston Celtics have emerged as the front-runners to sign Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker in free agency, league sources tell ESPN.

Walker's eight-year career with the Hornets appears to be coming to a close, with owner Michael Jordan no longer determined to extend far enough financially to re-sign his franchise player, league sources tell ESPN.

Walker and his agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports, are expected to connect with Boston GM Danny Ainge sometime soon after free agency opens Sunday at 6 p.m., league sources say.

Walker, a three-time All-Star, is expected to be offered a four-year, $141 million contract from the Celtics -- a deal that he's increasingly likely to accept, league sources say.

Sources say the Celtics have targeted Walker, 29, as the No. 1 priority in free agency, an elite-level replacement for Kyrie Irving, who is expected to depart in free agency. Walker had his best season as a pro in 2018-19, averaging 25.8 points without missing a game.

After a season of locker room turmoil often centered on Irving's discontent, the Celtics crave the stability and leadership that Walker could bring -- along with an All-Star talent in the prime of his career.

Boston can renounce the rights to restricted free agent Terry Rozier to clear space to start Walker on a four-year deal beginning at $32 million annually.

Walker can plug into a Celtics lineup that includes Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward and Jaylen Brown. Boston can still pursue a center with its $4.8 million exception and deliver a roster at the start of the season that could be competitive with the elite teams in the Eastern Conference.

Walker won a national championship at nearby UConn in 2011, and is a New York City native.

NBA free agency officially begins Sunday afternoon.

This year's class features some of the NBA's top players, including reigning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.

Where does Leonard rank among fellow free agents Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving? Should the Lakers target a third star or multiple role players with their cap space? Which underrated free agents will have the biggest impact next season?

Our experts discuss what they'll be watching most closely when the action begins and make their bold predictions for the offseason.

More: Latest free-agency buzz | Trade tracker

1. What will you be watching most closely when free agency begins Sunday?

Chris Herring, FiveThirtyEight: Two things, really. Is Kawhi going to leave a team with which he just won a championship? And how much do these home-field-advantage teams flirt with the idea of negotiating with guys who will have plenty of other suitors? Klay Thompson and Jimmy Butler strike me as two players about whom you could raise fair injury-risk questions, but they will have teams lined up waiting to talk to them if they feel slighted by their current clubs.

Kirk Goldsberry, ESPN: Kawhi Leonard. This dude's decision will swing the entire balance of power in both conferences. If he stays in Toronto, the Raptors should be the favorites in the Eastern Conference. If he moves to the Clippers, they immediately become legit contenders for years to come.

Kevin Pelton, ESPN: How quickly the market moves and what that means for the teams such as the Lakers, who are operating on parallel tracks -- trying to sign a star but also hoping to get role players if they're unable to land one of their star targets. If they're stuck waiting for days for the top players on the market to make decisions, those second-tier options could be gone already.

Tim Bontemps, ESPN: What Kawhi Leonard chooses to do. The King of the North is the NBA's Kingmaker this summer. With Thompson and Durant likely sidelined for most of next season, Leonard is easily the best player on the board. Where he chooses to go -- remaining in Toronto or heading west to the LA Clippers look most likely for now -- will be the most important decision of the offseason. As usual, there will be other things that draw more attention and drama (read: the Lakers), but nothing is more important than what Leonard decides to do.

Jorge Sedano, ESPN: I think Leonard will set the tone for free agency. I'm curious to see how many meetings he sets up, particularly if he'll listen to a Lakers pitch and consider joining forces with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. That could be the best trio of players to ever form a superteam.

2. Rank your top five free-agent targets based on value.

Bontemps: Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Khris Middleton, Kyrie Irving

The first three names on this list are easy. Even with injuries, Durant and Thompson are clear max players to me, while Leonard is arguably the best player in the world. After that, the list gets more subjective. I put Middleton fourth because of the value of wing play in today's league, his reliability in the playoffs and his age (27) relative to some of the other options. Irving is fifth over Butler, Tobias Harris and others because of his scoring ability and age (27), despite the issues he had in Boston last season.

Sedano: Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Khris Middleton, Bojan Bogdanovic, Seth Curry

Leonard is a no-brainer for the top spot. I prefer building my teams with an emphasis on defense, and Butler is the next-best two-way player available. I know that plenty of people will scream about "THIBS MINUTES!" However, I feel that's overstated. Butler has had only two seasons in which he averaged more than 38 MPG. Middleton, an excellent shooter, was essential to the Bucks' success. Bogdanovic is a great offensive wing who shot 50% from the field and 42.5% from 3, and he's also a much better defender than he gets credit for. Curry is arguably the best pure shooter available, plus he has youth on his side.

Goldsberry: Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Tobias Harris, Kyrie Irving

Like it or not, this is a superstar-driven league, and the most valuable contracts generally belong to either max guys or rookie-scale players outperforming the dollar values of their deals. These five stars have all blended volume and efficiency at very high levels, and with the exception of Harris, they've all done so in huge moments. If a single team can land two of these guys, look out.

Pelton: Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Tyus Jones, Nikola Mirotic, Maxi Kleber

Leonard is the max free agent most likely to be a bargain on his next contract, while Green still appears somewhat undervalued as a star in his role. Jones is an RPM standout who's just 23 and could develop into a starter over the next four years. Mirotic seems underrated because of an ill-timed shooting slump in the conference finals while playing out of position. Kleber's strong 2018-19 season got little attention, but he's a legit 3-point threat who's also an outstanding shot-blocker -- sort of a lesser Brook Lopez who's younger and (likely) cheaper.

Herring: Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving

You could easily mix and match a few of these, depending on who you think will have the greatest impact over the next few seasons -- in terms of not only health but also two-way contributions and specific roles within their teams. With Durant fully healthy or not, Kawhi would arguably deserve top billing at this point because he's younger.

3. Besides that top five, which free agent will make the biggest impact next season?

Sedano: You can make the argument that Kyrie Irving is the key to free agency. We all know how talented he is. That's not debatable. Are there questions about how coachable he is and his lack of chemistry with teammates? Sure. His talent trumps all that in most cases. And the scuttlebutt that he could be the key to landing Kevin Durant adds a ton of intrigue.

Bontemps: For next season, this answer is easy: Butler, who would be second on my overall list if looking just at 2019-20. All anyone needs for proof of that is to look at this year's Eastern Conference semifinals, in which Butler went toe-to-toe with Leonard. He might've competed for a title had Leonard's insane Game 7 buzzer-beater bounced off the rim rather than through it. The end of Butler's next deal might not be pretty, but he'll be an impact player next season without question.

Herring: I think it depends on destination. Kemba Walker would be an obvious choice to some, but I think his scoring numbers will come down if he joins a couple of established scorers. JJ Redick figures to be helpful on offense wherever he ends up. And I think DeMarcus Cousins could end up having a really nice bounce-back season for someone if and when he's back to full strength.

Goldsberry: I'm going to cheat and choose three: Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and Malcolm Brogdon. If they all stay in Milwaukee, the Bucks are set up to make title runs for years. But if any of them goes elsewhere, suddenly the Bucks aren't as scary. This is a team that pairs incredible statistical markers with youth and strong chemistry. A huge chunk of that chemistry has a "for sale" sign on it starting at 6 p.m. Sunday.

Pelton: Butler might have the biggest impact on the 2020 title race, given both his importance to the Sixers and the possibility of improving another contender if he heads elsewhere.

4. What should the Lakers do?

Pelton: Unless they get a superstar in his prime -- and that list is likely limited to Leonard and Irving -- I think they're probably better off using their cap space to sign two or three contributors to fill out a rotation that is precariously thin at the moment. I would be more interested in building the best possible five-man lineup than the best possible trio.

Herring: I think Bojan Bogdanovic would be a fantastic fit with them. He can score on the ball or off of it, and he's a solid defender who has actually guarded James well in the past. He can shoot with range and extreme efficiency. Grabbing him and another quality player or two to boost the team's depth would make for a more-than-solid summer, in my opinion. Unless they can get Kawhi or Butler, I don't think most other star free agents are good enough to justify using the rest of the team's cap space.

Sedano: Sign Kawhi, Kyrie or just build out the roster with shooters and guys who can defend. You don't turn down the Finals MVP if he wants to join your team. You also don't turn down the guy who helped LeBron win a championship. If either one wants to join the Lakers, you do everything in your power to free up the requisite cap space. If neither of those players is interested, move on and build the roster with as much high-level depth as possible.

Goldsberry: Easy. They should invent a purple-and-gold time machine, go back a couple weeks and restructure the Anthony Davis trade so they have more cap space. But seriously, folks, this is simple: They need shooting and defense. They should adopt a pair of litmus tests for potential signings: Can this dude shoot 3s well? Can this dude play good defense?

If the answer to both of those questions is yes, they should pursue that player. If even one of the answers is close to no, they should consider only a minimum deal. If they manage to surround LeBron and Davis with competent shooting and defense, they'll be awesome. If they don't, well, we don't need a time machine to know how that will turn out -- just look at 2018-19.

Bontemps: Spread their resources around as much as possible. Another star player would be nice, but the Lakers should look at this season's NBA Finals as examples of what to do -- and not do -- in free agency. Golden State suffered injuries, yes, but the team's depth was nowhere near Toronto's. Imagine how useful, say, Norman Powell would've been to the Warriors. The Lakers already have two of the top players in the league. Their best chance at contention is to surround them with as many quality NBA players as possible.

5. What's your bold offseason prediction?

Goldsberry: The Sixers emerge as favorites in the Eastern Conference. Not only does Kawhi go to L.A., but also both Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler stay put in Philly. Combine that with the continuing improvements of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, plus some key subtractions in Milwaukee, and Philly suddenly has a clear path to the Finals.

Sedano: Kemba Walker joins the Celtics. Walker fits perfectly into what the Celtics wanted to do with Kyrie. His skill set is similar to Irving's, and Brad Stevens can recreate some of the magic he had with another shoot-first point guard in Isaiah Thomas.

Herring: I'm struggling to come up with one. Honestly, I think free agency could end up being a lot more static than we all thought, and almost all of the biggest names, including Kawhi, Durant, Klay, Butler and even Kemba, will find it most worthwhile to simply stay put. So maybe my prediction is that a team that correctly values the right second- and third-tier guys -- such as a Dallas or Orlando -- will end up making some of the biggest leaps next season.

Bontemps: Milwaukee loses Malcolm Brogdon, Brook Lopez or Khris Middleton. With all three coveted on the free-agent market, the belief here is that it will be tough to keep them all without going far into the luxury tax -- something Milwaukee has been reticent to do.

Pelton: Leonard will smile and/or do the Kawhi laugh at the media conference to announce his new contract.

LONDON -- New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman says slugger Giancarlo Stanton is more likely to return in August than July after straining his right knee.

The often-injured outfielder went on the 10-day injured list with a strained posterior cruciate ligament Wednesday, barely a week after returning from a series of setbacks that sidelined him for almost three months. Stanton was hurt this time on a headfirst slide against Toronto on Tuesday night.

Cashman called August the "sweet spot" for Stanton's return. He made the comments Thursday at a youth event in London with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

Stanton has played only nine games this season, missing significant time with a torn biceps and strains in his shoulder and calf. He is hitting .290 with one home run and seven RBI.

In advance of the 2019 MLB All-Star selection show on Thursday (7 p.m. ET on ESPN), ESPN.com asked six of its contributors -- Bradford Doolittle, Buster Olney, David Schoenfield, Sam Miller, Tim Kurkjian and Jeff Passan -- to select the players they think should be on the rosters for the Midsummer Classic on July 9 in Cleveland.

Below are our starters, based on the experts' votes, and all of the other players who got votes as reserves or pitchers. We also asked some of our contributors to answer questions about their selections.

For a complete list of their individual picks, click here.

American League

Starter voting:

Catcher: Gary Sanchez, New York Yankees (5 votes) (Robinson Chirinos received one vote; Sanchez was chosen as a reserve on that ballot)

First base: Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians (6)

Second base: DJ LeMahieu, New York Yankees (5) (Whit Merrifield received one vote; LeMahieu was chosen as a reserve on that ballot)

Third base: Alex Bregman, Houston Astros (4) (Matt Chapman received two votes; Bregman was chosen as a reserve on those ballots)

Shortstop (tie): Jorge Polanco, Minnesota Twins (3) and Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox (3) (Bogaerts and Polanco tied with three votes each)

Outfield: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels (6); Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox (3); George Springer, Houston Astros (3) (Others receiving starter votes -- Max Kepler, Joey Gallo, Michael Brantley and Austin Meadows)

Designated hitter: J.D. Martinez, Boston Red Sox (4) (Daniel Vogelbach and Joey Gallo received one vote; Martinez was chosen as a reserve on one ballot)

Reserve voting:

C: James McCann, White Sox (4); Robinson Chirinos, Astros (2); Mitch Garver, Twins (1)

1B: Edwin Encarnacion, Yankees (1); C.J. Cron, Twins (1), Luke Voit, Yankees (1)

2B: Brandon Lowe, Rays (4); Whit Merrifield, Royals (3)

3B: Matt Chapman, A's (4); Hunter Dozier, Royals (2); Rafael Devers, Red Sox (1)

SS: Marcus Semien, A's (2); Francisco Lindor, Indians (2); Gleyber Torres, Yankees (1); (Note -- Bogaerts and Polanco each received three starter votes and three reserve votes)

OF: Tommy Pham, Rays (3); Byron Buxton, Twins (3); Trey Mancini, Orioles (4); Austin Meadows, Rays (2); Eddie Rosario, Twins (1); Joey Gallo, Rangers (2); Max Kepler, Twins (3); Michael Brantley, Astros (1)

DH: Daniel Vogelbach, Mariners (5)

Pitcher voting:

Lucas Giolito, SP, White Sox (6)

Justin Verlander, SP, Astros (6)

Mike Minor, SP, Rangers (6)

Jake Odorizzi, SP, Twins (5)

Charlie Morton, SP, Rays (6)

Brad Hand, RP, Indians (6)

Jose Berrios, SP, Twins (6)

Ryan Pressly, RP, Astros (6)

Matthew Boyd, SP, Tigers (3)

Ken Giles, RP, Blue Jays (5)

Shane Greene, RP, Tigers (4)

Gerrit Cole, SP, Astros (4)

Chris Sale, SP, Red Sox (3)

John Means, SP, Orioles (2)

Lance Lynn, SP, Twins (1)

Marcus Stroman, SP, Blue Jays (1)

Aroldis Chapman, RP, Yankees (2)

What do you make of the pitching staff in the AL?

Well, I suspect the actual AL pitching staff may be worse than the one I selected. I included Chris Sale and Gerrit Cole on my team, for example, based on their history and dominant peripheral stats this season. But they aren't among the ERA leaders, and depending on how the mandatory team reps are filled, we could see guys like John Means or Marco Gonzales on the team. Throw in some down years/injuries from pitchers like Blake Snell, Corey Kluber, Luis Severino, Carlos Carrasco and even Sale's 3-7 W-L record, and the cream of the AL pitching crop is a lot thinner. -- David Schoenfield

Who should be the starting pitcher for the AL?

Justin Verlander. He has allowed a lot of home runs -- 21 in 114.2 innings -- but most of those have been solo shots and he's 10-3 with a 2.67 ERA and .157 batting average allowed. Plus, he obviously has the star power you associate with an All-Star Game. He should get his second All-Star start -- and hopefully fare better than in 2012, when he allowed five runs in the first inning. -- Schoenfield

National League

Starter voting:

Catcher: Yasmani Grandal, Milwaukee Brewers (3) (Willson Contreras received two votes and J.T. Realmuto one; Grandal was chosen as a reserve on two ballots)

First base: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves (4) (Josh Bell received two votes; Freeman was chosen as a reserve on both of those ballots)

Second base (tie): Mike Moustakas, Milwaukee Brewers (3) and Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks (3) (Marte and Moustakas tied with three votes)

Third base: Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies (5) (Anthony Rendon received one vote; Arenado was chosen as a reserve on that ballot)

Shortstop: Javier Baez, Chicago Cubs (4) (Paul DeJong and Trevor Story each received one vote)

Outfield: Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers (6); Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers (6); Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves (5) (Charlie Blackmon received one vote; Acuna was chosen as a reserve on that ballot)

Reserve voting:

C: J.T. Realmuto, Phillies (3); Willson Contreras, Cubs (3)

1B: Josh Bell, Pirates (4); Pete Alonso, Mets (5); Anthony Rizzo, Cubs (1); Rhys Hoskins, Phillies (2)

2B: Jeff McNeil, Mets (3) (Note -- Moustakas and Marte each received three starter votes and three reserve votes)

3B: Anthony Rendon, Nationals (5); Kris Bryant, Cubs (5); Brian Anderson, Marlins (1); Manny Machado, Padres (1)

SS: Trevor Story, Rockies (3); Paul DeJong, Cardinals (4); Fernando Tatis Jr. (2); Dansby Swanson, Braves (1)

OF: Charlie Blackmon, Rockies (4); Austin Riley, Braves (1); Alex Verdugo, Dodgers (1); Hunter Renfroe, Padres (2); Juan Soto, Nationals (3); Bryce Harper, Phillies (1)

Utility: Max Muncy, Dodgers (4)

Pitcher voting:

Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP, Dodgers (6)

Zack Greinke, SP, D-backs (6)

Max Scherzer, SP, Nationals (6)

Kirby Yates, RP, Padres (6)

Luis Castillo, SP, Reds (6)

Will Smith, RP, Giants (6)

Josh Hader, RP, Brewers (5)

Mike Soroka, SP. Braves (4)

Jacob deGrom, SP, Mets (4)

Walker Buehler, SP, Dodgers (4)

Cole Hamels, SP, Cubs (3)

Clayton Kershaw, SP, Dodgers (3)

Caleb Smith, SP, Marlins (3)

German Marquez, SP, Rockies (2)

Trevor Richards, SP, Marlins (1)

Chris Paddack, SP, Padres (1)

Felipe Vazquez, RP, Pirates (2)

John Gant, RP, Cardinals (1)

Kyle Hendricks, SP, Cubs (1)

Stephen Strasburg, SP, Nationals (1)

Sandy Alcantara, SP, Marlins (1)

Who should be the starting pitcher for the NL (and why)?

As good as Scherzer has been, and he seems to be getting better with each start lately, Ryu's first half demands to be rewarded. It's not just that he leads the NL in wins and ERA, it's that he's doing so with a 9-1 record and a surreal 1.27 ERA. Having 90 strikeouts and only six walks doesn't hurt, either. -- Schoenfield

More questions and answers

Who were the toughest omissions for you?

In the NL, pitchers Mike Soroka and German Marquez. Soroka has been terrific, but he got squeezed out to make room for a Marlin and I went with Clayton Kershaw as my final pitcher. He is, after all, Clayton Kershaw, and he has a 3.07 ERA. Marquez remains underrated and his .523 OPS allowed on the road suggests he's one of the best around, with Coors Field inflating his overall numbers. Kris Bryant and J.T. Realmuto have good cases and if Fernando Tatis Jr. hadn't missed 34 games he may have been a lock, given his triple-slash line.

In the AL, I guess I could have gone with Marcus Stroman instead of Ken Giles as the Blue Jays rep, but I took Lance Lynn as my final pitcher since he leads AL pitchers in FanGraphs WAR and ranks seventh in Baseball-Reference WAR. Jake Odorizzi has a strong case as well, although he averages barely five innings per start. The crowded shortstop field means no Carlos Correa (who is injured anyway), Marcus Semien, Adalberto Mondesi, Elvis Andrus or Gleyber Torres. -- Schoenfield

In the AL, it was Rafael Devers. He deserves to be in there, but it was either him and Kansas City's Hunter Dozier, and I needed a Royal. In the NL, there was really a numbers problem among position players, and I think Javier Baez deserves to and likely will be on the roster. He fell short in my formula, but if Trevor Story is unable to go, Baez will slide in anyway. If only we didn't have to include a Marlin. -- Doolittle

Which team would you pick if you had to pick a winner?

Well, there's little doubt that the NL will have the stronger roster from 1 through 32. This isn't surprising given the NL has a big edge in interleague play and all the weak teams at the bottom of the AL standings. Plus, the AL is overcrowded with talent at some positions (especially shortstop) while weak at others (first base), creating a roster where all the best players don't actually make the team. -- Schoenfield

By the metrics I used to compiled the roster, it's the NL by a hair. So I'll go with that. After all, the AL only has one Mike Trout, while the NL has both Christian Yelich and Cody Bellinger. -- Doolittle

A brand new 12-team Fed Cup Finals will take place on clay in Budapest in Hungary, in April of next year.

As BBC Sport reported in March, 20 teams will have the chance to be crowned world champions each year, with eight qualifying ties taking place in February.

The winners of those ties will join this year's finalists Australia and France, hosts Hungary and one wildcard nation in the inaugural Finals.

There is an $18m (£14.2m) prize fund.

Of that, $12m (£9.5m) will go to the players, and the other $6m (£4.75m) to their national associations.

Not everyone is happy with the new format though, with former world number one and French Open champion Simona Halep saying she "won't play any more".

"To play home and away is the best feeling," she said in Eastbourne this week.

"Away, you have to manage the emotions and the pressures. If the Fed Cup is going to change, I won't play any more because I like the format that it is now. I love it actually. So if there is a change, it will be tough to play."

Under the current format, the champions need to negotiate three home or away ties. From next year, they will play no more than one.

Billie Jean King won the competition eight times as either a player or captain. Now a global ambassador for the Fed Cup, she had this response to Halep in an interview for BBC Sport.

"First of all you have to think beyond yourself," King said.

"I'd ask her - would you rather have 5,000 people watching you, or 23,000? What's better for the sport? I don't think there's any question this new format has the potential to be more successful for our sport."

Great Britain will contest a five-match qualifying tie at the end of the first week of February, having secured promotion to the World Group by beating Kazakhstan in London in April.

Potential opponents then include Japan, Romania, the United States, Germany, Spain and the Czech Republic.

If Anne Keothavong's side are successful, they will feature in the Finals at the Laszlo Papp Budapest Sports Arena from 14-19 April.

The multi-purpose indoor complex, which is named after Hungary's triple Olympic boxing gold medallist, will stage the Finals until 2022.

Ties will consist of two singles matches, and one doubles. There will be four groups of three teams, with the winners of each group progressing to the semi-finals.

The WTA were keen for the Finals to be played on clay, as the event is sandwiched between two important clay court events in Charleston and Stuttgart.

The Fed Cup, which was founded in 1963, is the largest annual international team competition in women's sport.

The Davis Cup - the men's equivalent team competition - has already undergone significant reform.

A $3bn (£2.4bn) 25-year partnership has been agreed with Kosmos, the investment group founded by the Barcelona defender Gerard Pique.

This November, 18 teams will compete for the title and $20m (£15.8m) of prize money in the inaugural finals in Madrid.

There will be some eye-watering sums on offer for the women, too. Each team will share $500,000 just for reaching the Finals, with the winning team dividing $3.2m (£2.5m) between the players.

The International Tennis Federation, which runs the Fed Cup, is also promising an additional $4.9m (£3.9m) for nations competing below the elite level of the competition.

Questions about the financial viability of the event remain, but ITF President David Haggerty says Budapest might even make a profit.

"It's government funding, as well as local sponsorship," Haggerty told BBC Sport.

"The government has made a decree and set this money aside. There are ways that they will be able to break even or perhaps make a profit.

"But I think it's bigger than that. I think that Budapest is one of the top three sport capitals in the world: sport is important to their culture, and what they do. They have ambitions as we know from the Olympics (bid) in the past."