From late last night: the Wizards are hoping that Trae Young can lift their team to play-in status next year. (NEXT year!!) He can definitely unlock their offense. But, it’s still a gamble. In @theathletic.com; www.nytimes.com/athletic/695...

The Wizards are betting that Trae Young can help raise their competitive floor next season, and unlock the offensive skill sets of their young core. It's a gamble. Will the four-time All-Star be worth the risk, or on his way out by 2027? In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/695...

The trade is happening: the Wizards are getting four-time All-StarTrae Young from the Hawks for C.J. McCollum and Corey Kispert. Our @joshrobbins.bsky.social, @samamick.bsky.social and I with the details, in @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/694...

The Commanders face huge decisions after moving on from both of their coordinators Tuesday. Jayden Daniels, Dan Quinn & Adam Peters are all going to have to get comfortable being more uncomfortable, and change how they’ve done things. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/694...

I know one thing is gonna happen when I walk into the house and see Montalban and Shatner in full uniform: some scenery is about to get chewed. #KHAAAAAAAN

Picketts, reconsidered: 5) George T4) Bill T4) Jada (I know it’s Pinkett, but that’s close) 3) Jalen 2) Fence 1) Wilson

The Commanders’ awful 2025 ended with a win that did nothing to assuage the disappointment of a team-wide collapse this season, after the magical run of ‘24. But three veterans, who may or may not return in ‘26, got a moment to savor. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/693...

The shotmaking at Clippers-Celtics tonight…epic stuff.

I have rarely wanted a game to continue well into the next morning, to 15 or 16 overtimes or something, as I want Georgia-Ole Miss to go on, and on, and on…

Is there a sports parallel to a team/program as forlorn as Indiana football was for generations just up and becoming one of the top 2-3 teams in the country in a year and a half? After hiring one guy?

The Wizards’ young core is showing legit improvement, with wins in four of the last eight games. (In WizWorld, that’s a hot streak.) But the wins are moving Washington closer to potentially losing its much-needed 2026 lottery pick. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/692...

What a finish! Let’s see this again in a month!!

The self-sacrifice of the toaster pastry families for our entertainment never fails to inspire…

The NBA’s attempts to fix the lottery over the years, including their reported new ideas at reform, are worthy. But nothing’s going to stop bad teams from tanking to try and get great young talent. The lottery itself may be the problem. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/691...

Josh Johnson has played for 14 NFL teams. At 39, he got the Christmas Day start for the Commanders against Dallas because of injuries to Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota. And he showed why competing at the end of a lost season still matters. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/691...

The NFL is more popular than the NBA. No sentient person would argue otherwise. But the NBA had the upper hand this Christmas, with the Joker’s ridiculous triple-double against the Wolves tonight (56 points, 16 rebounds, 15 dimes) finishing a terrific day in the Association.

Let’s just say it was pretty easily getting in today…

I know this has been obvious for years, but Jokić is such an amazing passer. Not “for a big man;” he’s great, period.

The Eagles, again, celebrated Saturday, having again dominated the Commanders when it mattered en route to a 29-18 win that clinched a second straight NFC East title. Washington’s still got a long way to go to reduce the chasm between the teams. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/690...

Someone please tell me the last time the Commanders ran the ball six straight times in a game. Was George Rogers the lead back? Maybe Stephen Davis?

The unusual dusk kickoff today at Northwest Stadium…

Adam Silver said before Tuesday's NBA Cup final in Las Vegas that the league would, at long last, make a "determination" about expansion by the end of 2026. That decision must include a commitment to bringing a team back to Seattle. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...

What is telling about so many people’s reactions to Rob Reiner’s death is that so many have pictures with him, along with a story about how nice he was when they asked him for the photo. And so many stories, from the famous and not-at-all famous, about a moment when they were vulnerable

A 3-10 team played a 2-11 team Sunday, in the half-empty Meadowlands. But the Commanders will take the 29-21 win, their first in two months. In a terrible year, Washington got impactful performances from players it hopes to build around in ‘26. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/688...

This is insanely good basketball.

The Commanders are having an awful 2025. Almost all of it is their fault. But, there's a section of the fan base that's gone completely off the rails because of this year's regression. Y'all need to calm down and see if they can fix this. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/687...

Pretty good company:

As demoralizing an afternoon for the Commanders as you can have. There will have to be a lot of hard conversations about everything this offseason - personnel, scheme, coaching - because you’re getting worked by a 4-8 team, you’ve lost eight straight, and your franchise QB can’t stay healthy.

The optics of the Clippers firing Chris Paul, one of the greatest players in team history, suddenly and late into the night Tuesday were bad. But the actual decision is how almost all greats in sports go out - never on their own terms. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/685...

The NBA fines the 76ers $100K:

Haywoode Workman achieved a rare NBA double-double: he played in the league in the 1990s, then became a NBA referee for 13 years. He’s again forging a new path, creating the inaugural HBCU Hoops Invitational this weekend in Orlando. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/684...

The top of the ‘26 NBA draft is gonna be bananas. To me, there are six, maybe seven players with franchise-level potential. And if OKC winds up with one of them, which is quite possible…Jesus.

Of course the Commanders should have gone for two, and the win, in OT Sunday. They didn’t convert, but the process of being aggressive was the right move, serving as a good reminder of who they were last year, and would like to be again. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/685...

CJ McCollum got on an epic heater (46 points) Tuesday, leading the Wizards past Atlanta, for their first Cup win. It was a reminder of what Washington could look like with a lead frontman that brings out the best in the rest of the band. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/683...

Wizards break their 14-game losing streak, and win for the first time in 10 tries in NBA Cup play over the past two-plus seasons, with a 132-113 win over the Hawks at Capital One Arena. C.J. McCollum goes for 46 points, on 10 of 13 shooting from 3. Alex Sarr adds 27 and 11.

Siri, when will the Wiz win a Cup game?

The NBA’s first month has featured great performances from expected (OKC) & unexpected (Daniss Jenkins!!) sources. But it’s also seen injuries to many of the game’s superstars. What can the league & its key stakeholders do about it? In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/683...

The Nationals are certainly taking a risk in hiring 33-year-old Blake Butera, who’s never been on a Major League bench, as their next manager. But after the last six seasons of error-filled, awful baseball, what do they really have to lose? In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/681...

Mavericks fans were never going to forgive Nico Harrison for trading Luka Dončić. They got their wish; the Mavs fired the GM Tuesday. But Harrison didn’t operate in a vacuum. Will Dallas’ owners, who approved the deal, face similar public wrath? In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

The Commanders, along with the decisions they have to make amidst a lost season, have to pick a name for their new stadium. It should not be named after President Trump, as he reportedly wants, for obvious, financial & historical reasons. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

Commanders ownership is expected to discuss the impending new RFK Stadium deal, and its potential name, with President Trump during Sunday’s game with the Lions. Our @nickijhabvala.bsky.social and I with details, in @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...

There was no reason for Jayden Daniels to still be on the field Sunday night, after the Seahawks had dominated the Commanders for three-plus quarters. It led to catastrophe. And Washington has to do better building around its franchise QB. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

Commanders in the ‘80s unis tonight. Very, very cool.

I was pulling for Toronto because they haven’t won it all in so long, but am more glad I won’t be up until 3 am until the end - even with Falling Back tonight.

Everyone hates tanking, and says it’s a scourge. Except …it still, often, works, as is the case with the 76ers, who went paws up to end last season and got gifted a huge talent in V.J. Edgecombe, who’s brought some hope back to the Illadelph. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/676...

Wonderful work from @curlyfro.bsky.social and James Jackson on NBA pioneers Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper and Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, who broke the league's color barrier in the '50s, & are being honored during the NBA's 75th anniversary season. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/676...

Savages, reconsidered: 5) Augusta 4) Beast 3) Trey Ye 2) Fred 1) The One and Only:

Annnd … they’re going to the 18th in Chavez Ravine:

Wizards fans have heard this over & over the last 50 years: be patient. But, this time, it’s true: the Wiz have rising young players to build around. If Washington gets a top-3 pick next year in a loaded draft, it could be ready to move. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/675...

I still expect the Wiz to have a long season, but they may have two real pieces to build around going forward in Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson. George with a career-high 34 points, including seven 3s, with 11 boards; Johnson with 17 on 7 of 13 (three 3) in a rather convincing win at Dallas.