Marcus Stroman staying with Mets, Suns interested in Chris Paul, and more sports news

Marcus Stroman was supposed to have one of the more interesting free agencies after opting out of last season, but it looks like he’ll be returning to the Mets. Stroman accepted the team’s $18.9 million qualifying offer.

Stroman’s return is a big boost. Last season, the Mets finally had a formidable offense after years of boasting an elite pitching staff. Injuries and opt-outs hurt the Mets' starting pitching depth, but it should be rebuilt next season.

Not only is Stroman back, Noah Syndergaard should return next season. And Jacob deGrom, arguably the best pitcher in baseball, is also on the roster.

Next season could be the year everything finally comes together for the Mets, especially after the approval of Steve Cohen as the new owner. He’s bringing an aggressive style that could be boom or bust for the Mets' future.

The Suns haven’t made the playoffs in 10 seasons, but acquiring Chris Paul could change that. ESPN reports that Phoenix is interested in acquiring the All-Star point guard from the Thunder.

Paul comes with a hefty contract. He’ll make more than $40 million the next two seasons, but he showed this year that he’s still playing at an elite level.

Phoenix could absorb Paul’s salary by moving a piece or two. Ricky Rubio has two years left on his contract, and Kelly Oubre’s deal expires after next season. Combined, they both make around $32 million, and the Suns are projected to have about $20 million in cap space this offseason.

Parting ways with Oubre won’t be easy since he’s become a key component to the Suns' rebuild, but it’s not hard to see how this trade could help Phoenix. Paul is an upgrade over Rubio, and the Suns went 8-0 in the bubble without Oubre playing.

The Thunder are rebuilding and reloading. They are armed with draft picks over the next decade, so removing Paul’s big salary can put them in a better position to bring in a star free agent. Oubre’s deal would come off the books in 2021, and Rubio the following season.

There may not be a perfect way to describe Jon Rahm’s amazing hole-in-one on Tuesday at the Masters. The ball skipped over the pond three times like a speed boat racing through an ocean. The ball took a favorable bounce on land and found its way to the hole.

It was a nice birthday gift for Rahm and his second hole-in-one in two days. He’ll forever be able to say he hit one of the greatest shots at the Masters.

James Harden just lost his general manager of his entire tenure in Houston, and his head coach of the last four seasons. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Rockets' star is questioning what happens next.

But it’s not only Harden. Reports indicate he and Russell Westbrook are both concerned about where the Rockets are headed.

The Rockets recently hired Stephen Silas from the Dallas Mavericks as their new head coach, and Rafael Stone was prompted to GM.

Whatever Houston’s direction is, it must be made clear. Harden is 31, and Westbrook turns 32 tomorrow. Both have played more than 28,000 career minutes, so time is ticking on their championship window.