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Santos? MLS? What we know so far about Neymar's transfer from Al Hilal
Al Hilal forward Neymar is still recovering from a hamstring injury he picked up in November but is set to leave the club after his coach, Jorge Jesus, recently said that the 32-year-old "can no longer play at the level we are used to" and would not be registered to play in the Saudi Pro League for the second half of the season.
Neymar signed for Al Hilal from PSG for $98.6 million in 2023 and earns an annual salary of around $100m.
With no regular playing time guaranteed at Al Hilal, the most expensive footballer of all time (PSG signed him from Barcelona in 2017 for a world-record $262m fee) has a choice to make over his next destination. But where will he go? And who would sign him at this stage of his career?
Why is Neymar set to leave Saudi Arabia?
Al Hilal have decided not to register him for the second half of the season as his injuries -- he is still not ready to play right now -- have been a big problem, as well as the fact that he is taking one spot amongst the quota of foreign players who are allowed in the squad.
Al Hilal want Neymar to play at the Club World Cup in the summer. However, Neymar doesn't want to stay until June without playing regularly and feels it's the right time to move. Since his transfer over 18 months ago, he has managed just seven games in all competitions, with one goal.
Would Al Hilal agree to loan him?
Potentially, but right now sources say that Al Hilal are not ready to terminate his contract, which expires this summer, and pay him the 60m they owe him in one instalment.
Neymar wants to leave but wants to do so with his remaining wages. A transfer with a fee is unlikely when the 32-year-old has only five months left on his contract, so a loan (with his new team paying some of his salary) is the most probable option here.
Al Hilal could also keep him and play him only in the Asian Champions League before he leaves as a free agent.
Will his wages be an issue?
No, they shouldn't be. No club is able to pay him as much as Al Hilal do right now. Neymar is fully aware of this and will not be too financially demanding for his next club. It won't be about the money, which won't be at the level of his Saudi contract or even his previous one in Paris. He understands the regulations in MLS with the designated players system and salary cap. And he knows the financial context and situation at Santos all too well.
So could he move back to Santos?
Santos CEO Pedro Martins appeared to rule out a loan and said recently: "There is nothing advanced, nothing closed. The club is monitoring Neymar's situation to see how he will resolve his case with his current club. Neymar has a contract with the club. If they resolve it there, we will evaluate what the possibility of coming here could look like."
But, according to ESPN sources, moving back home is the player's priority. Santos is where it all started for him; his father, Neymar Sr., is very close to the Teixeira family who own the club.
Neymar believes it makes sense to go home now and dreams of finishing his career at Santos. He wants to leave an even bigger legacy there and take the team back to the top before he retires.
Could he move to MLS?
That's the other serious option. ESPN broke the story on Thursday that three MLS franchises were keen to recruit him -- one of them being the Chicago Fire -- with a delegation travelling to Riyadh to meet him.
Playing in the U.S. is attractive for Neymar and his brand, and he knows the door to return to Santos will always be open. And it would stay open in two years' time if he decided to go to MLS first. It also would be a huge coup for MLS to get the Brazilian player.
Stevie Nicol quickly disputes Julien Laurens' idea that Neymar could return to form with a move to the MLS.
Are any other leagues interested?
At the moment, no other clubs in other leagues have really come forward for him. At his age, and considering he has hardly played at all in the past 18 months and doesn't look as if he will play much in the next six months, it's hard to see a top team in any of the Big Five European leagues moving for him, even as a free agent.
However, he is still football royalty and will want to join a top project if he decides not to go back to Santos.
Where do you think he will end up?
As sad as it looks, I think he will end up staying at Al Hilal until the summer with very limited time on the pitch because he will be able to play in only the Asian Champions League.
He will run down his contract in Saudi Arabia, get his money, get back to full fitness (eventually) and become a free agent before he chooses where to go next. Then he will be ready to go back home to Santos to finish his career.
Additional reporting from Nathalia Ferrão, Pedro Ivo Almeida and Victoria Leite.
Healy in doubt for rest of Ashes series as she misses first T20I
"As you can imagine, she's pretty flat," Mooney said. "She doesn't want to miss any games for Australia and unfortunately for her, she's missed a few in the last few months. We'll put our arm around her, wait and see what the [medical] staff say and what the prognosis is.
"But, certainly, she's a key member of our playing group both on and off the field and we know what impact she can have to the outcome of the results on field. So, we'll be keeping a close eye on making sure she's okay mentally, but also doing all the right things with [the sports science sports medicine staff] well.
Australia also had to contend with allrounder Ashleigh Gardner being ruled out with a calf injury. She will be assessed again ahead of the second T20I in Canberra.
The injury to Healy meant that Australia pushed back announcing their squad for the day-night Test at the MCG which had been due to be named during the T20I on Monday.
"Alyssa has got a stress response in her foot," head of high performance Shawn Flegler told Fox Cricket. "We're going to try and get a little bit more information before we make a call on her. It's a big call for Alyssa. Test captain as well. So we'll wait and see on what we come up with over the next 24-48 hours."
"We've got a selector meeting tomorrow morning. We'll see what plays out. We're not going to rush into it. There's still a week or so before the Test match
After returning from the plantar fascia injury sustained at the World Cup, Healy had her WBBL cut short by a knee problem which also meant she played as a batter only in the ODIs against New Zealand in December having missed the earlier home series against India.
She returned to keeping duties for the three ODIs against England with the matches taking place in six days. The schedule is also tight for the T20I series with games in Canberra on January 23 then Adelaide on January 25.
Even if Healy is able to play a part in either of those, there will be major questions over whether she can sustain the workload of a Test match, especially as a wicketkeeper.
Depending on the prognosis for Healy, her participation in the WPL and the T20I tour of New Zealand in late March could also be in doubt.
Brendon McCullum promises focus on entertainment as England white-ball era begins
McCullum's unveiling in the role has been a long time coming. His new deal, as England's dual red- and white-ball head coach, was announced back in September, and he has since overseen consecutive Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand while Marcus Trescothick covered the one-day role in an interim capacity.
Now, however, McCullum is straight into the hot seat, with a five-match T20I campaign against the newly-crowned T20 World Cup champions, followed by three ODIs against the finalists of the last 50-over World Cup in 2023, ahead of their Champions Trophy opener against Australia in Lahore on February 22.
Speaking at Eden Gardens ahead of the first T20I, McCullum described England's batting as being "as powerful as anyone's in the world", but said that, at this stage, he was more focused on freeing up his players to perform at their best, rather than gunning for outright victory.
"Obviously, we want to win every game we play, to try and be successful, and that's ultimately the mission for us," he said. "But our conversations and the language which we use within the dressing-rooms is quite different.
"It's about trying to get the best out of the talent that sits within the dressing room, trying to gel the guys as best we can, trying to work out complementary skills, and how we how we play the style of cricket that gives us our greatest chance.
"I'm desperate for us to play a really watchable brand of cricket," he added. "With the talent we have, there's no reason why we can't. We've got a batting line-up which is as powerful as any batting line-up in the world. We've got gun spinners, very good fielders and guys who bowl absolute rockets with the ball, so you've got options there to be able to entertain and give yourself the greatest chance of success."
McCullum takes over a white-ball set-up deep in the throes of transition, with the team having lost both its 50- and 20-over World Cup titles in the space of seven dispiriting months in 2023-24. His selections for this campaign, however, made it clear that he intends to use his joint coaching role to unify the Test and one-day set-ups, with eight of his 15 selections for the ODI squad having featured in the longer format in the course of 2024.
"He's smiling, that's good. He's very happy at the moment," McCullum confirmed, adding that his pre-existing relationship with Buttler, forged during his own playing days at the IPL and around the world, had enabled them to hit the ground running as a captain-coach combination.
"Obviously we've known for a couple of months that this was going to unfold, so there's been plenty of time to chat to Jos over the last couple of months," McCullum said. "When I took over the Test job, Stokesy and I knew each other and there was a mutual respect, but wouldn't say we were friends necessarily, even though it's now a really tight personal relationship, as well as a working relationship.
"With Jos, we actually start from a slightly stronger base. Jos and I have been friends for a long time, we've often shared some of the philosophies of game, and that friendship gives us really good base to be able to be able to get things going pretty quickly with this team.
"He's in really good space. He's excited about the team, and the opportunity that sits in front of us, I'm sure we'll see Jos really enjoy himself over the next couple of years, and hopefully finish with a real strong enjoyment for the game at the back end of his career."
McCullum also confirmed that Buttler would once again be relinquishing the gloves, in order to lead the team from the field rather than behind the stumps, with Phil Salt likely to continue in the role he took on for both series in the Caribbean in November.
"It's really a really positive thing for us, because it gives Jos the opportunity to have the last say with the bowler, and to have that relationship built at that last second, rather than from 22 yards away," McCullum said. "We've got great keeping options within the side as well."
At the age of 34, and as a double World Cup-winner, Buttler has little left to prove as one of the modern greats of the white-ball game. But, having witnessed the success and enjoyment that Stokes has got from leading the Test team over the past couple of years, McCullum believes there's scope for Buttler to put a cap on his own career in a similar manner.
"I think his best years are definitely ahead," he said. "Sometimes, when you get the opportunity to lead in the latter part of your career, you can be a little bit desperate for success and that can create frustrations, and it doesn't become quite as enjoyable.
"But if you can let yourself go a little bit, with nothing to prove other than trying to get the best out those around you, sometimes that can lift your game up a bit more. Those are the conversations Jos and I have had. He's fully on board with that, he's excited about the next little while, and I'm sure you'll see him smiling.
"It's going to be a tough tour. We're taking on a very good India side, and I'm sure we'll play what I hope is a very watchable style of cricket. I'm sure there'll be some times we don't quite get it right but, hopefully, we'll chisel away at that over the next few weeks and be in good shape come the Champions Trophy.
"But we are very much focused on this series, knowing India are a very good cricket team, particularly in their own conditions."
Axar hints at flexible middle order as India gear up for England T20Is
The series is set to kick off in Kolkata on Wednesday, with Chennai, Rajkot, Pune and Mumbai to host the remaining T20Is.
Over recent months, India have used not just Axar but also Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar and Rinku Singh as floaters with varying levels of success.
"Batting wise, it's not just with me, but we spoke in 2023-24 itself that the openers are fixed, but everyone from Nos. 3 to 7 have been told that they can come into bat anytime, in any situation. It is not just that one batter will bat at a particular position," Axar told reporters on Monday. "Our middle order will come to bat depending on the match situation, what kind of bowlers are bowling at the time, which match-up works well.
"We've spoken about that, how we can all be floaters, be it coming in early or obviously finishing. This is not just for me, but for everyone from No. 3 and below, especially if they are in good touch in the nets. We will adjust accordingly. In T20Is, how you use your batters is so crucial, so this is an important factor in batting."
As Suryakumar Yadav's deputy in T20Is, Axar felt he would have to to learn to take difficult calls. It is a topic he has discussed with the support staff too.
"It has just been a day, but as part of the leadership group there is an extra responsibility," Axar said. "The T20I side is settled, so there's not much pressure, but there are small decisions that need making and during the game I need to work closely with Suryakumar.
"As part of the leadership group, you have to learn to take harsh decisions. We have spoken about sharing our genuine opinions and that will help build trust in this group.
"The T20I format is such that it is so fast that you have to make decisions quickly, so the larger conversations [with the coaches] is about how to do that."
India's immediate focus is on ODI cricket, with the Champions Trophy looming, but T20Is will assume greater significance once that tournament ends. Defending champions India and Sri Lanka are set to co-host the T20 World Cup in February-March 2026. Apart from these five matches against England, India don't have too many T20Is lined up before they embark on their title defence: currently, they are scheduled to play three T20Is in Bangladesh in August, and five at home against South Africa later in the year.
"The World Cup is coming up in a year so how we approach leading up to that, we want to try it from now itself. That's the main target," Axar said. "Momentum is a big thing because if you start well, you can carry it. We finished 2024 well so we want to carry the momentum into this series too.
"But we've discussed that the past is past, however, we want to move ahead with the positives we gained from there. We have taken forward the points that brought us success.
"Transition is also something happening, across all formats, but that's a call for the selectors and captain to take."
Sreshth Shah is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @sreshthx
Alex Hartley: Sophie Ecclestone 'refused TV interview' after Ashes loss
Hartley, who has worked extensively as a broadcaster and pundit since retiring from professional cricket, had said that a handful of players were "letting the team down" with their fitness levels after their shock defeat to West Indies in Dubai. Heather Knight and Jon Lewis, England's captain and coach, both denied that it had contributed to their group-stage elimination.
"The reason I said that they were not as fit as Australia is because I want them to compete with Australia, I want them to be better than Australia, and I want them to win Ashes and World Cups. I'm giving my opinion, and I've been given the cold shoulder from the England team ever since.
"Not all of them have given me the cold shoulder. I don't want to say that they've all been the same, because they haven't. Some of the players have been absolutely outstanding: I've spoken to them in the street, at the ground, wherever. But a few individuals - coaches, players - they literally haven't looked at me."
"I've upset them, clearly," she said. "Jon Lewis has come out and said there isn't a problem with fitness in his squad, there isn't a problem with fitness in the England environment. They obviously think I'm completely wrong in my opinion - which is fine, absolutely fine. I'm entitled to my opinions, and they're entitled to theirs.
"It's my job to say if I see something that needs to be better, and I did, but the way that I've been treated since I think is totally unfair. But they will say that my comments were unfair, so if that's the way our relationship is going to be moving forwards, then so be it If fitness isn't a problem, then it's athleticism from a few, isn't it?"
The England team were contacted for comment.
Kohli available for Delhi's Ranji Trophy game starting January 30
Kohli was a conspicuous absence in the squads for the penultimate round of group-phase matches, starting from January 23, when Delhi play Saurashtra in Rajkot. Both Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja confirmed they would play this match, but Kohli was ruled out after he informed the BCCI medical staff that he was still recovering from neck pain, for which he had taken an injection on January 8, three days after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy ended in Sydney. Several other India players will also feature in the January 23 round of games, including Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
S. Carolina gains ground on No. 1 UCLA in poll
South Carolina has so far cruised through the difficult part of its conference schedule and remained No. 2 in the Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll Monday, picking up a first-place vote to gain a bit of ground on top-ranked UCLA.
The Gamecocks are in the midst of a five-game stretch against ranked opponents. So far, they've beaten Texas by 17, Alabama by 18 and Oklahoma by 41 on Sunday. They face No. 5 LSU on Thursday and No. 17 Tennessee on Jan. 27.
UCLA received 27 first-place ballots this week while No. 3 Notre Dame got the other two. USC remained No. 4.
After LSU were UConn, Texas and Maryland -- the Longhorns faced the Terrapins later Monday in the Coretta Scott King Classic -- and TCU and Kansas State moved up to ninth and 10th, respectively, after losses by Ohio State and Oklahoma. The Wildcats were awaiting word on star center Ayoka Lee, who was injured in Sunday's win over Arizona State.
Odds and ends
Tennessee lost at Vanderbilt for the first time since 2014.
Penn State topped Ohio State for its first win over a ranked team since February 2021.
Michigan reentered the poll at No. 24.
Conference breakdown
The Southeastern Conference and Big Ten each have seven teams ranked this week, with the ACC right behind with six. With Utah and Oklahoma State dropping out, the Big 12 is down to four teams and the Big East one.
Ranked Bears
Baylor entered the poll for the first time since the third week of the season. The Bears have won five straight, including a victory over then-No. 23 Utah last week. Nicki Collen's squad has a difficult week coming up with a matchup against No. 1 UCLA later Monday in the Coretta Scott King Classic. The Bears then visit No. 9 TCU on Sunday.
Games of the week
No. 5 LSU at No. 2 South Carolina, Thursday. The undefeated Tigers will try to knock off the Gamecocks in a matchup of two of the best teams in the SEC.
No. 8 Maryland at No. 12 Ohio State, Thursday. The Buckeyes will look to bounce back from their first loss of the season when they host the Terrapins. Maryland also hosts No. 1 UCLA on Sunday.
Sources: Wolves' DiVincenzo (toe) out indefinitely
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo will be out indefinitely due to left big toe injury and will receive additional opinions, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania.
The Timberwolves (22-20) had listed him as out on their injury report Thursday with a sprained left big toe.
DiVincenzo's foot has been placed in a boot. He was averaging 17.5 points, 4.7 assists and 42% shooting on 3's as a starter in last six games.
DiVincenzo recently moved into the starting lineup and scored a season-high 28 points Wednesday in a 116-115 loss to Golden State.
Overall, DiVincenzo is averaging 11 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists this season.
'Hopefully things align': The Warriors still believe they can regain their championship ways
AFTER TERRY ROZIER drilled a wide-open 21-footer to push the Miami Heat to an 18-point lead over a listless Golden State Warriors team, Stephen Curry collected the ball and threw it with both hands at the bottom of the rim.
Curry couldn't hide his frustrations, as coach Steve Kerr called for a timeout with 3:05 left to put in his reserves. He wandered aimlessly from the end of the Warriors sideline to the scorer's table and back to the bench, staring up into the Chase Center air as if he were searching for answers from above.
Less than 24 hours earlier, shrouded by the Jimmy Butler trade drama, the Heat lost in double overtime to the Sacramento Kings. Yet inexplicably, the Warriors were the ones who looked lifeless and disconnected despite 31 points and eight 3-pointers from Curry.
The Warriors started the season 12-3 only to go 7-17 in the next 24 games. They are the first team in NBA history to start 12-3 or better only to stand below .500 later in the season, according to ESPN Research.
Whether it's a 51-point debacle against the Memphis Grizzlies or allowing the Toronto Raptors to win for just the ninth time all season by failing to score in the final 2 minutes in a 104-101 loss, the Warriors keep adding to the buffet of demoralizing losses this season.
"It's very volatile right now in terms of the emotional roller coaster this year," Curry told ESPN. "Similar to what it was like that [2021-22 season that ended with a championship]. I think it's a challenge for us to just try to maintain confidence in what we're doing, what we're building.
"And until we run out of time, we have to maintain it."
When the Boston Celtics visit Chase Center on Monday, Curry and the Warriors will be reminded that their confidence was tested 2 seasons ago before they won their fourth title in eight years with a 4-2 series win over the Celtics. That season, the Warriors started 41-13 but stumbled into a 7-16 slump before rediscovering their championship DNA one more time, something they're hoping to do again.
"Nobody going into that year thought we were a championship contender," Curry said. "And then we won it."
The Warriors appear to be a dynasty on the decline, and it's clear that Curry could use the help of another star player. He can also use good health. Already banged up, Curry sprained his left ankle at the end of Saturday's win against the Wizards and is questionable to play against Boston. Draymond Green injured his left calf in the same game and is out for Monday's game, potentially longer. And Jonathan Kuminga (ankle) and Brandin Podziemski (abdomen) have been out as well.
But as the Feb. 6 trade deadline approaches, Curry, Green and Kerr have made it clear the franchise should not make any "desperate" moves.
Kerr says the three have talked among themselves multiple times about how the Warriors need to be responsible and not sacrifice potential future franchise cornerstones for a move now that has no guarantee of getting the Warriors into the playoffs let alone making a deep run.
"We all agree," Kerr told ESPN. "We all really want this organization to thrive when we are all gone. And that's genuine. That's really rare, but it comes with extreme success.
"It comes with we are on one of the great runs of all time. None of us are bitter or second-guessing anything. We're all sitting here like, man, let's ride this thing out with as much competitiveness, joy as possible, and let's help the organization do everything possible after [we move on]."
But Kerr wants to make it clear to anyone who might think otherwise: The Warriors aren't waving a white flag on the season. And they are not quitting on their superstar's mission for a fifth championship.
"What you're really trying to do is see if you can make some moves at the margins that can help your current team," Kerr told ESPN. "We are going to do everything we can to be as competitive as possible, to put the best team around Steph as possible without mortgaging the future, and that is the right decision."
SHORTLY AFTER THE Warriors' embarrassing effort against the Heat, Warriors co-executive chairman and CEO Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy were in a deep discussion together outside The Bridge Club, located near the team's locker room.
These meetings aren't unusual. But after the 18th loss of the season, Golden State's front office felt like its superstar did on the court minutes earlier.
"They're frustrated," one Western Conference executive told ESPN.
Still, the exec, along with another Western Conference rival front office member, said the Warriors have indicated that if they make any moves, it will likely be closer to the trade deadline.
Golden State's trade options include Andrew Wiggins' $26 million contract, along with younger prospects such as Kuminga, Podziemski and Moses Moody. The expiring contracts of Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney, plus three first-round picks and two second-round picks are also available to deal.
But both Western Conference executives expect the Warriors to wait and see what the market will be on a player such as Chicago Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic as the Feb. 6 deadline nears. Vucevic would give Curry a much-needed scorer. The ideal situation for the Warriors would be expiring contracts for Vucevic, who makes $20 million this season.
The Western Conference executives also noted that if the Warriors slide even further in the standings, they could make a move to cut their luxury tax bill.
During the Curry era, the Warriors have made only two significant trades at the deadline. They acquired Wiggins and a 2021 first-round pick that became Kuminga in a deal that sent D'Angelo Russell to Minnesota in 2020. In 2023, the Warriors dealt 2020 No. 2 pick James Wiseman to the Detroit Pistons in a four-team trade that landed defensive role player Payton and second-round picks back in return.
Curry, who turns 37 on March 14, is no stranger to the Warriors standing pat at the deadline. Playing with a throbbing thumb on his shooting hand and knee pain this season, Curry can live with trade deadline inactivity as long as the front office is putting forth the same kind of sweat in improving the team as he is on the court.
"[We're] trying to be a realistic threat in a playoffs series," Curry said. "If Mike calls and says, 'Hey, this is an opportunity to do X, Y, Z,' I give my opinion.
"My hope is that [if there's no action at the deadline], it's not because of a lack of effort. If we don't have a chance to get better, my whole thing is I want to win, and whatever that means, all efforts are pointed towards that, then I can kind of live with whatever happens."
ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Christmas that Butler had Golden State on his list of preferred destinations. But the two Western Conference executives expect the Warriors to hold off until the offseason if they take a big swing, which means holding on to much of their assets in case a superstar becomes available.
Last summer, the Warriors explored acquiring Lauri Markkanen and Paul George, but didn't want to part with younger prospects such as Kuminga or Podziemski.
Even back at the start of training camp in Hawaii, Green was delivering the message of staying patient and not making any rash moves.
"Can't panic," Green told ESPN. "Not in this league. Panic in this league, you win 25 games for five straight years."
Before a win over the Grizzlies on Jan. 4, Kerr said he had spoken to Dunleavy about how it made "perfect sense" to give this current roster, which added Dennis Schroder in a trade in December, more time before making another move.
"You have to have some reasonability on what a big trade actually means because, one, trades are really hard [to make]," Curry said. "The idea that there's this magical deal that can solve everything is what it is.
"If there's an opportunity to get better and take a step in the right direction with the move that makes sense for the team, then we need to do it. If not, then you address that. But at the same time, that's not for really me and coaches or anybody else down here [on the floor to say]."
IN NOVEMBER 2020, the Warriors were 15-50 before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Curry played just five games due to injury, and Klay Thompson had missed the entire season with the torn ACL he suffered in the 2019 Finals -- and was slated to miss the upcoming season after tearing his Achilles that fall.
Golden State's brain trust had internal discussions about whether to add an elite two-way point guard such as Jrue Holiday, who seemed like the perfect fit with his lockdown defense and rock-solid offense to complement Curry's and Green's two-man dance and maximize their franchise player's championship window. But New Orleans was looking for significant draft assets.
The Warriors opted to hold on to their lottery picks, building a bridge toward a future after the Curry dynasty, and the Pelicans agreed to trade Holiday to the Milwaukee Bucks, in a blockbuster that included two future first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps, on Nov. 16. Two days later in the 2020 NBA draft, the Warriors selected Wiseman with the second overall pick as their big man of the future. And three days after that, the Warriors traded for Kelly Oubre Jr., sending a 2021 protected first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
So began the two-timelines era for the Warriors -- trying to extend the Curry championship window while preparing for the post-Curry future of the franchise.
The Warriors took Kuminga seventh overall and Moody with the 14th pick in the following draft.
But four-plus years after opting to go through the draft instead of pursuing a veteran like Holiday -- who won titles in Milwaukee in 2021 and in Boston last year -- Wiseman is gone. Oubre lasted a season in the Bay, and the Warriors learned a hard lesson about what fits best around Curry. And the Warriors traded Jordan Poole and his four-year, $140-million deal to Washington a season after Green punched him in a preseason practice.
There have been some growing pains as the trio of Kuminga, Moody and Podziemski are still developing awareness and experience. The Warriors have to balance trying to win now with Curry while still allowing their younger players to learn and make mistakes.
During the Warriors' 115-113 Christmas Day loss to the Lakers, Austin Reaves drove past Wiggins for a game-winning layup as Kuminga was guarding Rui Hachimura, who was out of bounds on the baseline. Kuminga briefly turned his back, and it was too late by the time he came over to help. But the power forward was beginning to show glimpses of learning how to thrive alongside Curry and Green, averaging 24.3 points and 8.0 rebounds in the six games before he suffered an ankle injury against Memphis on Jan. 4.
After an impressive rookie season, Podziemski struggled at the start of this season, even drawing Kerr's ire about his poor decision-making after a Dec. 3 loss at Denver. Podziemski was in a dreadful 3-point shooting slump before shooting 47% from behind the arc in the nine games before he suffered an abdomen injury on Dec. 28. And Moody, shooting 42.8% from the floor, is still trying to carve out consistent minutes.
The Warriors were hoping for more from their young players as they are trying to prolong Curry's and Green's careers by managing their minutes and holding them out of back-to-backs at times.
Since Nov. 23, when their slide started with a loss against the San Antonio Spurs, the Warriors rank 26th in offensive efficiency, 19th in defensive efficiency and 23rd in pace during that span according to ESPN Research.
Brian Windhorst, Shannon Sharpe and Stephen A. Smith discuss the future of Steph Curry and the Warriors.
"I feel like we have the roster to [win], and you have Steph Curry," said Wiggins, who displayed the kind of two-way game the Warriors need with 24 points and active defense in a 116-115 win at Minnesota on Wednesday.
The way Curry sees it, there are "three really good teams who've kind of separated themselves" from the rest of the league. And then there are nine teams separated by a total of 5.5 games from third to 11th in the West standings.
"There's another bucket [of] teams," Curry said. "[They] just want to get to the playoffs healthy with momentum and know anything can happen in the playoffs series. With a title being the goal, we just want to be in that bucket, and that's attainable [despite] some of our struggles this year."
But Curry can't do it alone. He is averaging 23.0 points and 31.8 minutes per game, both his lowest averages since his five-game 2019-20 season. He will need help. If it's not via trade, then that help will have to come from the roster around him.
"Whether that's personnel issue, adapting to how the league is, execution, you got to address all of that internally in our locker room," said Curry, who spoke to the players on Christmas Day about still having time to turn the season around before losing to the Lakers.
"Figure out how to each play better. That's why everybody gets rings when you win. It's a joint effort of players, coaches, front office, support staff. ... It's not my job to do everybody else's job too. So just trying to make sure we do our part down here, and then hopefully things align."
Curry said Wednesday that anyone who thinks he's OK with being on an average team is "insane." The league's greatest shooter is fixated on winning a fifth ring and thinks this team can surprise in the postseason again.
"Hundred percent feel like we can beat anybody in a playoff series because we've done it," Curry said. "We have the knowhow, and we just want to be able to answer that question with how we're playing and not imagine.
"... We've been there. We know how to do it. Just feel like we can do it again."
Veteran catcher Andrew Knapp announced his retirement from baseball Monday.
Knapp, 33, appeared in just three games with the San Francisco Giants in 2024.
He finishes with a .209 batting average and 13 home runs in 328 career games with four teams, most notably the Philadelphia Phillies (2017-21). The Phillies selected the switch-hitter in the second round of the 2013 draft.
"I completely dedicated my life to the game, and the game blessed me with so much," he said in a post to Instagram. "Baseball has given me relationships that I will have for the rest of my life. It has taught be how to fail and how to persevere. It has taught me how to be confident but humble."
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