Making moves | Sports Daily Newsletter
It’s been a whirlwind few days in Flyerland.
It’s been a whirlwind few days in Flyerland. The 2024 NHL draft concluded on Saturday, and the consensus among insiders was that it had been a lackluster showing for the Flyers.
On Sunday, the Flyers tendered qualifying offers to defenseman Egor Zamula and winger Bobby Brink, thereby retaining the negotiating rights for the young players. Carter Hart was not extended a qualifying offer by the deadline, meaning the Flyers are parting ways with the goalie.
Hart becomes an unrestricted free agent as he awaits a trial date in the the Hockey Canada sexual assault case.
Quebec native Danny Brière will have no time to celebrate Canada Day today, as free agency opens at noon. Brière has said more than once that he doesn’t expect the Flyers to be very active, but that’s not always what happens when the phones start buzzing. Jackie Spiegel has everything you need to know about the Flyers’ roster, salary cap situation, and potential players to target before the frenzy begins.
— Lochlahn March, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
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NBA free agency officially kicked off on Sunday evening, and the 76ers were active right away. Veteran center Andre Drummond posted “I’m in the mood for a Philly cheesesteak” on X to announce his return to the Sixers on a two-year deal.
The Sixers and shooting guard Eric Gordon also agreed to a one-year contract. Meanwhile, Nico Batum and Tobias Harris appear to be headed elsewhere.
As of Sunday night, Daryl Morey and the Sixers are frontrunners to land perennial All-Star wing Paul George, who hit the open market after declining his player option with the Clippers.
Ranger Suárez still has the best ERA in the National League, but he wasn’t his characteristic self on Sunday against Miami. The Phillies’ defense wasn’t either, committing a season-high five errors. It wasn’t exactly pretty, but with a late-game rally the Phillies managed to grind out the comeback.
No player enjoys being on the injured list, and Kyle Schwarber is no exception. But the Phillies’ designated hitter is just glad the training staff caught his left groin strain when they did.
And even if Schwarber thinks he could be ready to return before the 10 days are up, he wants to make sure “we take care of this right.”
Next: With an off day today, the Phillies head to Wrigley Field for the series opener against the Cubs on Tuesday at 8:05 p.m. (NBCSP). Rookie pitcher Michael Mercado is scheduled to make his first career start.
It was no secret that star striker Julián Carranza’s departure from the Union to Dutch club Feyenoord was imminent. Now, the deal is official, and the tenure of the Union’s No. 3 all-time scorer has come to a close.
A new contract with the Union was never in the cards, and Carranza would have left for Europe for free after this season. With this move, the Union get a small transfer fee and a piece of a future deal.
Next: The Union will look to end their seven-game winless skid when they visit the Chicago Fire on Wednesday (8:30 p.m., Apple TV).
Worth a look
Pressure’s on: Christian Pulisic and the USMNT prepare for their biggest game since the World Cup.
Milwaukee Moore: Former Villanova guard Justin Moore signed with the Bucks on Saturday.
Morgantown-bound: Bonner-Prendie wide receiver Jalil Hall committed to West Virginia.
Giving back: Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin came home to Philly to host his business academy.
After selecting Duke’s Jared McCain with the No. 16 pick in the NBA Draft, the 76ers are now focused on free agency. With ample salary-cap space available, the Sixers are in position to make significant moves to bolster their roster around All-Stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
Join Inquirer beat reporters Gina Mizell and Keith Pompey, as they recap the flurry of initial signings for the Sixers and around the league. They will also explore which players could still be available, and discuss the overall league landscape and where that leaves the Sixers in the Eastern Conference. Tune into this detailed preview of what could be a transformative period for the 76ers.
On this date
July 1, 1985: Phillies infielder Mike Schmidt showed up to a game at Veterans Stadium in an interesting getup. The Phillies were struggling that season, sitting in fifth place in the National League East, and Schmidt himself was having a rough stretch and had been hearing it from the fans. He unloaded his frustrations on a Montreal reporter during a series against the Expos, calling Phillies fans “a mob scene” and “beyond help,” among other things.
Of course, word got back to the mob scene, and Schmidt was not looking forward to his reception during the Phillies’ next home series against the Cubs. So, in an attempt at humor to defuse a very tense situation, he came out on the field at the Vet in such an absurd disguise that the boos quickly turned into a standing ovation.
All’s well that ends well, though, and Schmidt would finish the 1985 season with with 33 homers. And a year later, he collected his third MVP award.
What you’re saying about the Sixers’ 2024 draft:
“The two the 76ers drafted were superior players and lots of motor. They also signed a kid from Kentucky who was undrafted. I think he is not a bad signing.” — Kenneth Glenn Koons
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jackie Spiegel, Gina Mizell, Keith Pompey, Alex Coffey, Jonathan Tannenwald, Isabella DiAmore, Maria McIlwain, and Ben Istvan.
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