Durant the Sixer? | Sports Daily Newsletter
David Murphy explores the team’s trade options.
Few things like NBA trade rumors send people scrambling for their phones and keyboards. And when a superstar like Kevin Durant is involved, the frenzy only intensifies.
And if those rumors involve your team? Well ...
Durant wants to be traded, and the Celtics and Sixers reportedly are candidates for his services. Will he reunite with former Nets and Thunder teammate James Harden to party like it’s 2011?
It’s complicated, David Murphy writes. He takes a look at the trade options Daryl Morey and the Sixers have to potentially make this work.
— Maria McIlwain, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
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Jalen Hurts has proven to be a teammate whose worth reaches beyond his dual-threat abilities on the field. He’s built a relationship with defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and helped the Eagles self-scout on the other side of the ball. In the offseason, Hurts will not only work out with teammates, he’ll also stop by the grand opening of safety Marcus Epps’ training facility in Southern California to show support. Hurts still has steps to take on the field, but he’s already won over many in the building.
Hurts and the Eagles starters are expected to play one or two series in the preseason opener Friday night against the Jets. Then they’ll turn it over to the backups and the players looking to make the team. Include Jalen Reagor in that group, as he spoke to the media for the first time since last season. Nick Sirianni says the former first-round pick is battling for a spot.
Rob Thomson, National League manager of the year? Who would have thought that could be a possibility back on June 3 when the bench coach took over for Joe Girardi? But the baseball lifer has pushed all the right buttons to propel the Phillies into the playoff picture. Scott Lauber takes a look at the impact of Thomson and his competition for the award.
On Wednesday night, the Phillies couldn’t get anything going against Sandy Alcantara and the Marlins for seven innings but came away with the win anyway, further strengthening their playoff chances.
Next: The Phillies wrap up their series against Miami at 1:35 p.m. Thursday (NBCSP). Kyle Gibson (7-4, 4.36 ERA) will start against Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera (2-1, 2.61).
Move over, Jerry Jones. Step aside, Carson Wentz. Make room, Ben Simmons. Keith Hernandez wants a spot on Philly’s Mount Rushmore of hate. Hernandez just started a war he won’t even bother to attend. Beginning Friday, the Phillies play seven of their next 10 games against the Mets, and Hernandez’s blithe dismissal — “fundamentally, [and] defensively, the Phillies have always been just, you know, not up to it” — of a formidable foe has rekindled a rivalry. Marcus Hayes writes the former Mets great’s comments dripped of New York arrogance.
Thomson heard about the comment and on Wednesday was asked about it. He wasn’t about to get into a spitting contest with a guy also famous for a magic loogie.
We finally have an update on Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov.
A month after being detained on suspicion of trying to evade his mandatory military service, Fedotov’s case will be heard in court beginning Thursday morning, according to Russian media outlet TASS. Whatever happens, It remains unlikely that Fedotov will be playing for the Flyers next season.
Fedotov isn’t the only player with Flyers connections in Russian court this week either ... more on that here.
Andre Blake did for the MLS All-Star Game what he has so often done for the Union in this season and others. He kept a clean sheet. He did not, however, play the entire game, so for how all that turned out, read more right here.
Worth a look
Familiar feel: New Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz discusses his philosophy.
History of success: How the Philly region became a field hockey hotbed.
Purposeful planning: A summer basketball camp provides Philly kids a safe space.
Back in action: Fran Dunphy is hunting for “perfection” at La Salle.
On this date
On Aug. 11, 1970, Phillies pitcher Jim Bunning became the first pitcher since Cy Young to win 100 games in both leagues with a 6-5 win over the Houston Astros. He allowed five runs on 11 hits with five strikeouts over 8⅔ innings.
Bunning, a nine-time All-Star who retired in 1971 with the Phils, also pitched for them from 1964-67 and was a minor league coach in their farm system after retiring. He spent eight years with the Detroit Tigers (1955-63) and also played for the Pirates and Dodgers and finished with a 224-184 record and 3.27 ERA over 3,760⅓ career innings. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1996.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from David Murphy, Scott Lauber, EJ Smith, Josh Tolentino, Marcus Hayes, Sam Cohn, Christian Red, Andrea Canales, and Gustav Elvin.