CULVER CITY, Calif. -- Taylor Rooks, Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki will be part of the Prime Video studio show when the streamer begins its coverage of the NBA next season.

Griffin, who retired in April after a 15-year playing career, was at the top of the list for everyone. NBC, which will return to doing NBA games when the 11-year media rights deal begins in October, and ESPN were also interested in him.

Griffin was the first overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2009 NBA draft and was the league's Rookie of the Year in 2011. Along with winning the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest, when he dunked over a parked car, he was a six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection.

Nowitzki, a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary team, will also be a first-time analyst. The 14-time All-Star selection and 2007 NBA Most Valuable Player played 21 seasons, all with the Dallas Mavericks, before retiring in 2019. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.

Rooks is a feature reporter on Prime Video's "Thursday Night Football" coverage as well as being a host and reporter on Bleacher Report and TNT.

The studio show will be based in Culver City, California, on the Amazon MGM Studios lot.

Prime Video will have 66 games during the regular season, including all games from the quarterfinals of the in-season NBA Cup. It also has every game of the play-in tournament, first- and second-round playoff games and one of the conference finals in six of the 11 years.

Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic was ruled out for Tuesday night's home game against the Boston Celtics.

Jokic popped up on the injury report because of an illness earlier Tuesday and was downgraded from probable to questionable before eventually being ruled out.

For the Celtics, Derrick White was also ruled out because of an illness.

Jokic sat out three games this season in November while on paternity leave for the birth of his second child. The Nuggets went 1-2 in those games.

A three-time MVP, Jokic is averaging 31.5 points, 13 rebounds and 9.7 assists this season.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Right-hander Drew Rasmussen and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to an $8.5 million, two-year contract.

Rasmussen's agency, the Beverly Hills Sports Council, announced the agreement Tuesday and said it included an option that had the potential to make the deal worth $28 million over three seasons.

A 29-year-old right-hander, Rasmussen had been set to exchange proposed arbitration salaries with the Rays on Thursday.

He had elbow surgery for the third time on July 24, 2023, when Texas Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister performed an internal brace procedure. Rasmussen returned to the Rays on Aug. 7 and had a 2.82 ERA and 0-2 record in four starts and 12 relief appearances. He struck out 35 and walked six in 28 innings, averaging 97.4 mph with his four-seam fastball.

Rasmussen had Tommy John surgery in March 2016 and August 2017. He is 20-12 with a 2.95 ERA in 50 starts and 44 relief appearances over five big league seasons with Milwaukee (2020-21) and the Rays (2021-24).

If the option is not exercised, Rasmussen would be eligible for free agency after the 2026 season.

Five Rays remain eligible for arbitration: right-handers Shane Baz and Zack Littell, left-hander Garrett Cleavinger, catcher Ben Rortvedt and shortstop Taylor Walls.

Right-hander Justin Verlander and the San Francisco Giants are in agreement on a one-year, $15 million contract, sources told ESPN on Tuesday, continuing the future Hall of Famer's career at age 42 in one of the pitcher-friendliest stadiums in baseball.

Verlander, entering his 20th major league season, is considered perhaps the best pitcher of his generation, with the most innings pitched, strikeouts and wins among active players. A three-time Cy Young Award winner, Verlander is coming off the worst season of his career and joins a Giants team likewise looking for better results than 2024. The deal is pending a physical.

Shoulder and neck injuries limited Verlander to 17 starts, and over his last seven he posted an 8.10 ERA. With a falling strikeout rate and climbing home run rate, Verlander began to show signs of aging after a career in which he seemed impervious to it.

After a dominant 13-year stretch with the Detroit Tigers, Verlander found a second life after joining the Houston Astros in 2017. He won Cy Youngs in 2019 and 2022 -- and after the latter signed a two-year, $86.6 million contract with the New York Mets. Verlander spent 16 starts with the Mets before being traded back to the Astros in August 2023.

Over his career, Verlander is 262-147 with a 3.30 ERA over 3,415 innings. He has struck out 3,416 batters, walked 952 and won a pair of World Series with the Astros.

Returning to Houston wasn't an option for 2025. With Oracle Park a dream for pitchers, Verlander gravitated toward the Giants, whose rotation includes right-hander Logan Webb, left-handers Robbie Ray and Kyle Harrison, and a number of other options for the fifth spot, with right-hander Hayden Birdsong seen as the likeliest candidate.

The Giants had spent a month with limited action before signing Verlander. A month ago to the day, they agreed with shortstop Willy Adames on a seven-year, $182 million contract.

San Francisco, which hired former star catcher Buster Posey as its president of baseball operations in September, went 80-82 last season and finished in fourth place in the National League West, which is arguably the best division in baseball.

Manchester City are exploring a deal to sign striker Omar Marmoush, a source has told ESPN, but accept that it will be difficult to prise him away from Eintracht Frankfurt this month.

Marmoush has caught the attention of a number of top clubs after scoring 13 goals in 15 Bundesliga games this season.

City are interested in a deal for the Egypt international who is rated at around 50 million ($62.4m) in the January window.

However, with Frankfurt third in the table behind Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen and fifth in the Europa League standings, City executives are not convinced the German club will consider losing one of their best players midway through the season.

A source has told ESPN that City are also interested in Atalanta midfielder Éderson, but face a similar situation with the Serie A side reluctant to negotiate for the Brazil international in January.

City boss Pep Guardiola is keen to strengthen his squad this month after injuries to key players including Rodri, Rúben Dias and John Stones.

The club are also still looking for a replacement for Julián Álvarez, who joined Atlético Madrid in the summer. City have missed Alvarez's goals -- he scored 19 last season -- and Marmoush would take some of the responsibility off the shoulders of Erling Haaland.

The Norwegian has scored 16 Premier League goals this season with City's next highest league goalscorer Josko Gvardiol on four.

City, meanwhile, are still in talks with RC Lens for 20-year-old defender Abdukodir Khusanov.

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has criticised the club's leadership group, claiming he cannot think of anything positive Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have done since they arrived last year.

Ratcliffe's company INEOS acquired a 27.7% stake in United in December 2023, with the shareholding increased last month, but the changes off the pitch haven't led to improved fortunes on it -- under Erik ten Haag or Ruben Amorim as manager.

Amid one of their worst starts to a Premier League season in history, United also opted to raise matchday ticket prices to 66 per league game, with no concessions for children or pensioners.

That move prompted protests from fans, with club legend Scholes adding his voice to the concerns over Ratcliffe's overall impact.

"[INEOS] have been in charge [of United] for nearly a year now and everything is still negative," Scholes said on The Overlap Football Fan Debate. "I can't think of something positive that they've done for the football club.

"Things are getting worse on the football pitch so couldn't they have just said that they'd do cheaper tickets -- couldn't they just give us something positive? How can you ask Manchester United fans to pay more money with what's on the football pitch?

"Where do these owners get the front to put ticket prices up for what we're watching? For the value, we're probably having our worst ever Premier League season and they've got the cheek to put the prices up.

"There is nothing positive happening with that football club. The team look bang average. They're not doing anything for fans.

"If we've got Sir Jim Ratcliffe, compared to all these American owners, who's been a United fan since growing up in an area in Manchester, and he's still hiking prices up. It just shows that they don't care."

United are 13th in the Premier League following their 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday. Their next game is an FA Cup third-round tie against Arsenal on Sunday.

Brazil forward Neymar has addressed the possibility of reuniting with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez at Inter Miami, saying that "football is full of surprises."

The 32-year-old is contracted to Al Hilal until June 2025 and there has been regular speculation around his club future given his lack of playing time since joining the Saudi Pro League side.

Neymar sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury on international duty soon after his move to the Gulf state and his return to action has been plagued by smaller injuries as he gets himself back to fitness.

"Obviously playing again with Messi and Suarez would be incredible," Neymar told CNN Sport. "They are my friends, we still speak to each other, it would be interesting to revive this trio.

"I am happy at Al Hilal and in Saudi Arabia, but who knows. Football is full of surprises."

Messi and Suárez rekindled their formidable partnership at Miami in December 2023, going on to win the MLS Supporters Shield in 2024 and setting a new record for most regular season points in the United States-based league.

The former Paris Saint-Germain star also addressed his chances of playing at the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., Mexico and Canada with his country.

"I will try, I want to be there," he said. "I know this will be my last World Cup, my last shot, my last chance, and I will do everything I can to play in it."

Gotham FC defender Crystal Dunn and San Diego Wave center back Naomi Girma headline the 26-player roster named by U.S. women's national team manager Emma Hayes for a week-long training camp set to begin on Jan. 14 in Carson, California.

The camp, which falls outside of a FIFA international window, won't include any matches, but will be used to establish depth ahead of the SheBelieves Cup in February. No European-based players were called in, while others, including star forwards Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson are being given continued rest following the NWSL season.

Another U.S. mainstay, midfielder Rose Lavelle, recently underwent ankle surgery, and also won't attend.

All told, 11 of the 22 members of the 2024 gold medal-winning Olympic Team will be in attendance, allowing 13 players with three or fewer caps, including six uncapped players, an opportunity to gain experience in the USWNT setup.

The camp will also run concurrently with a 24-player "futures camp" featuring younger prospects. That roster, comprised of players who are all age-eligible for the U.S. Under-23 WNT, will be announced on Wednesday.

"We want to continue to foster an environment and culture on the National Team that is player-centric and female athlete-centric and helps the players maximize their abilities," said Hayes. "Having positive, growth experiences with the USWNT will help them in their careers and help us build a deeper player pool.

"I'm really looking forward to getting on the field with these players and the players in the Futures Camp to get in a solid week of training with both groups without having to make adjustments for the impact that a match would have on our loading and training plan. I can't wait."

The camp is the first since veteran goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher announced her retirement back in November. North Carolina Courage netminder Casey Murphy, with 20 international appearances, leads the goalkeeping contingent for this gathering of USWNT players.

Dunn returns to the camp after missing all the fall games and is the most capped player on the roster with 155 appearances for the USWNT. She is followed by defender Emily Sonnett with 103 caps and forward Seattle Reign forward Lynn Williams with 75.

U.S. Women's National Team Roster by Position (Club; Caps/Goals)

Goalkeepers: Angelina Anderson (Angel City FC; 0), Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 0), Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 1), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage; 20)

Defenders: Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 65/3), Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 155/25), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC; 44/2), Alyssa Malonson (Bay FC; 1/0), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit; 0/0), Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 18/2), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 2/0), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 103/2), Ryan Williams (North Carolina Courage; 0/0)

Midfielders: Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 28/1), Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville FC; 7/0), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit; 3/0), Nealy Martin (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 0/0), Ashley Sanchez (North Carolina Courage; 28/3), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals; 2/0), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC; 21/8)

Forwards: Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit; 22/5), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC; 3/1), Ella Stevens (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 0/0), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 13/1), Morgan Weaver (Portland Thorns FC; 2/0), Lynn Williams (Seattle Reign FC; 75/21)