So Ernie Clement of Toronto is leading the All Star game voting for the AL at second base. How many current second basemen in the American League would you gladly acquire for Ernie Clement in a straight up trade?

As for all the draft capital being punted, scan the Wolves roster as it is currently constituted and check out how many core rotation players are age 26 and below. The "future" is both now and in the future.

About to get on a plane but just wanted to say that the LaMelo for Naz deal is exciting and fraught. Ball's shot selection sucks but big talent at position of need. Not a home run trade (Naz gone); more like a double being stretched into a triple. A lot will depend on whether Wolves are out or safe.

Also want to say I'll always root for Micah Nori, one of those rare humans who's both a genuinely nice guy + hilariously colorful in the way he comes at life + encourages you to ride along. He doesn't demean himself taking a 1-yr deal. That's on Portland. Congratulations Micah, however it plays out

I remain almost purposefully clueless about NBA draft because it's proven to be a crapshoot even for folks who devote an extraordinary amount of time to it + that is time I choose to retain. That said, like that the Wolves got a flamethrower with decent size from a quality program in the 2nd round.

Latest Wolves: The Randle trade attempts to rectify a mistake. How you feel about it likely corresponds with your attitude about the team. www.minnpost.com/sports/timbe...

"Had your chance and nothing's changed," is one of the all-time condensed wisdom song lyrics ever written.

Here's my user's guide to the Twin Cities Jazz Festival which begins this evening and runs through Saturday. I'm giddy about one of the national acts playing in Mears Park and impressed by the breadth of local gigs--with quality personnel to make it happen. www.minnpost.com/arts-culture...

If you claim to love basketball and are not tuning into the enjoyable manifestation of the sport that happens nearly every game by the Minnesota Lynx this season you are missing a ton of blatant, hustling, unselfish teamwork at both ends of the court.

Felt like pianist Micah Thomas stole the show when I saw him with the Immanuel Wilkins Quartet at the Dakota earlier this month. And his own albums are stellar, durable delights. I reviewed his latest, "Lucid," for Bandcamp. daily.bandcamp.com/album-of-the...

Not sure there are tickets left--it is a wonderfully intimate venue--but here is the link to the show and possible tix purchase. Great value. Check out the rest of the calendar while you're there. www.berlinmpls.com/calendar/oth...

I first encountered Stephan Crump in one of Vijay Iyer's earliest + best trios. And Darius Jones has issued records that landed in my year-end top ten at least twice + probablyu, 3 times. I didn't even know Otherlands Trio existed until I saw it on Berlin's calendar. And I can't wait to hear them.

The latest reason for this rave is tonight's Berlin show: I've never heard Otherlands Trio but I know + love every member. Drummer Eric McPherson, bassist Stephan Crump + altoist Darius Jones. McPherson was mentored by vintage Blue Note stalwarts Jackie McLean + Andrew Hill. 2/

Not since the heyday of the Artists' Quarter has the Twin Cities had a jazz club that booked relatively unheralded but cutting edge national acts on a regular basis for a reasonable price--until Berlin. I happen to catch maybe a fifth of what I want to see there; they are a treasure. 1/

Good question.

And here is the apple link to yesterday's pod with Dane. I continue to resist "superteam" overreach in favor of stocking wiry wing players--the template for Thunder, Spurs + Knicks, btw. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...

Here is the spotify link to yesterday's pod with Dane. With time off + away, I come back more caustic on team character issues than before + think it should be an offseason priority. open.spotify.com/episode/1k1t...

Latest Wolves pod with Dane, recorded yesterday + released last night. We close out with Finals thoughts, Dane shrewder than I anticipating Game 3. Nice to be back after some travels (many more than 2 steps). youtube version www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2Hj...

Growing up adjacent to, and then living in, Boston, transit options were so easy, efficient, inexpensive + fun. Even now, different routes let you off right in the building of TD Garden for the Celts or Revere Beach for the ocean swimming, surfing + wading.

My error: Blood Ulmer passed on June 3 at the age of 86. My sense of mourning a great artist remains fresh.

RIP James "Blood" Ulmer, guitarist who melded Hendrix, funk and free jazz w/Ornette, the Decoding Society and Music Revelation Ensemble, later went into bone-marrow acoustic blues--fabulous in any context. A true original. Check out Captain Black + Birthright first among LPs under his own name.

Knicks win in first game has made this series much more compelling. Especially since Spurs pretty much drained their offensive efficiency. Knicks winning with team defense.

As someone able to write about--and structure the way those beats would function--music, sports and politics, and present that copy to the same massive readership without a pay wall, I will tell you, it was a blessed time.

Will there ever be an NBA fan base that doesn't think the refs are screwing them over? People who go around proclaiming the depth of their bias and fidelity aren't exactly the best folks to judge the competence of officials doing one of the hardest jobs in sports.

Juan Miguel Adams is a high school student I've been mentoring for the past month or so, but I didn't touch this excellent piece he wrote about Julius Randle today at Minnpost. Against the grain + well-crafted. www.minnpost.com/sports/timbe...

Andrew Dukowitz has become an increasingly valuable follow for Lynx fans. His latest spotlights their ace defense but also serves as a nifty primer for offseason roster changes + season to-date status. And he's followed the Dane Moore model with incisive videos. zonecoverage.com/2026/lynx/th...

Here he is. Heed 'em and weep. www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7VL...

Here is something I posted 9 days ago. A rare treat: Sonny Rollins on soprano. As always, it sounded fantastic. I played my own link three more times after I posted it. RIP Sonny Rollins, an enviable life, lived deeply and well. A pure artist.

There are no bad Rollins records. Even the ones in the early 70s that were criticized as lightweight had galvanizing moments. Rollins identified himself in a single phrase, a plunge down the scale, an outrageous songbook quote inserted into a blistering array of melody. His ballads were massage oil.

In my opinion, the greatest saxophonist who ever blew breathe died today. To me, Sonny Rollins provided more joy and wonder than Bird, Coltrane, Pres, you name it. He was superlative improviser, who left me giddy + awestruck at least 3 of the five times I saw him, and merely uplifted the other two.

Lynx grit it out in second half. Miles with some rookie learning curve and not much from the bench but good solid win to go 4-2 without Phee (and Juhasz).

What a half for Howard. Playing a 6-7 opponent into oblivion.

And here's the apple link. Dane and I reacting to Tim Connelly press conference and sizing up potential moves versus prioritized needs, with a big dollop of opinions for extra crunch podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

Here is the spotify link for today's pod with Dane, reacting to Wolves POBO Tim Connelly's postseason presser this afternoon. open.spotify.com/episode/6fQL...

Did a pod with Dane right after the 30-minute Tim Connelly presser this afternoon. We get into what he said, what it might mean,. my column the other day and the usual rest of it. You tube link www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvNd...

Latest Wolves: 2025-26 Season review and recommendations for change. www.minnpost.com/sports/timbe...

Done with Wolves for a season, mowed the lawn brought a chair out to the front yard, took a gummy and put this on. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qRl...

And here is the apple link to a pod last night in immediate reaction to the Wolves third burial of the playoffs. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...

Here is the spotify link to last night's (actually this morning's) immediate reaction pod, a season ender with thoughts to match. open.spotify.com/episode/1pg1...

Season-closing pod with Dane last night. We talked around more than about the game given that it was 3 blowouts out of 6. Anyway, always a pleasure. Here's the youtube link www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYUQ...

Will be doing an "immediate reaction " pod with Dane postgame. Season review out Monday or Tuesday

Wolves are toast and they know it. Time to clear the bench

Without McDaniels it is 3 points in 44 minutes

Wolves starting frontcourt: 5-25 FG, 2-6 3P. 16 pts, 11 rebs in 67 collective minutes

Clever DJ "This is my last resort"

Wolves down 26 with 12 to play. Season on the brink.

Spurs on-ball pressure some of the best I've seen

Wolves digging in again that was good news in second quarter

Gobert about to re-enter.

Spurs are flying and it isn't flopping. But the strain is obvious for the Wolves, in their physicality but also the need to dash full court, dunk so hard it caroms away. Spurs are the better team. Wolves are proud and competitive.