Five Things to Know Friday
The Kawhi Leonard trade between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Toronto Raptors is on hold due to an ongoing NBA investigation into the team’s sponsorship deal with Aspiration. The league is looking into whether the Clippers and Leonard circumvented the salary cap through the deal, which could potentially void Leonard’s contract. If the investigation determines that the team and Leonard broke the rules, the trade could be called off entirely.
Source: sportshub.cbsistatic.com
The NBA has not provided a timeline for when the investigation will be completed, leaving the trade in limbo. This development is a significant setback for the Raptors, who had been eager to reacquire Leonard, a seven-time All-Star, and reunite him with his former team.
Source: sportshub.cbsistatic.com
In other sports news, France advanced to the World Cup semifinals with a 2-0 win over Morocco, but the team suffered a blow when Kylian Mbappé left the game with an ankle injury in the second half. Mbappé scored the opening goal and was seen icing his right ankle on the bench after the game. While he downplayed the injury, saying ‘Everything is OK,’ the question remains whether he will be at full strength for Tuesday’s semifinal.
Source: sportshub.cbsistatic.com
Meanwhile, the ongoing saga involving 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk took a significant turn when he announced that he will not apply for reinstatement with the team. Aiyuk has been on the reserve/left squad list since the 49ers placed him there, and the NFL must reinstate him before he can join an active roster. As long as he remains on the list, the 49ers have no incentive to trade or cut him, leaving Aiyuk in a state of purgatory as he seeks his release from the team in time to play in 2026.
College Basketball News
UCLA secured a commitment from Serbian wing Nikola Kusturica, who impressed in his monster performance against Team USA in Sunday’s FIBA U17 World Cup championship. Kusturica’s arrival gives UCLA a huge lift next season and also brightens the program’s outlook for the 2027-28 campaign, as he is two years away from NBA Draft eligibility and could be the No. 1 overall pick when eligible.
Hours later, Texas landed Marcus Spears Jr., who ranks as the top overall prospect in the 2027 recruiting class and will reclassify to join the Longhorns this year.
Wimbledon Women’s Final Set
The Wimbledon women’s final is set for an all-Czech matchup between the No. 9 and No. 10 seeds, Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova. This will be the 10th new champion in the last 10 years in the women’s tournament, and the two finalists will face off on Saturday.
McGregor’s UFC Return
Conor McGregor is set to return to the Octagon for the first time since 2021, facing Max Holloway in a rematch of their 2013 bout. However, McGregor’s five-year layoff between fights works against him in his quest for victory, according to our expert analysis. Holloway presents a difficult matchup for someone in McGregor’s position, having held recent wins over Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje and being far less removed from the prime of his career.
MLB Rookie Rankings
The MLB Rookie Rankings feature three All-Stars, including Kevin McGonigle, Sal Stewart, and Parker Messick. These players have earned spots in the Midsummer Classic and are among the standout rookies in the league. JJ Wetherholt, the NL Rookie of the Year favorite, was not included in the top 10 but is easily among the biggest ASG snubs, considering his résumé.
The MLB Draft gets underway this weekend, with the first four rounds unfolding on Saturday and Rounds 5-20 set for Sunday. In advance of the draft, we redrafted the 2016 class one decade after Pete Alonso and Bo Bichette heard their names called on the stage.
