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  • Resetting the Sixers’ roster after their blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown and free-agency moves

    Resetting the Sixers’ roster after their blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown and free-agency moves

    Free agency began slowly for the 76ers, with zero news until Dean Wade agreed to a four-year contract late Tuesday night.

    Legitimate movement occurred Wednesday, when the Sixers added Ariel Hukporti but rotation players Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes reportedly decided to join other teams.

    Then the Sixers smacked the NBA with a blockbuster stunner, acquiring Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics in exchange for Paul George and four draft picks.

    It was a seismic win-now swing for new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, banking on the Joel Embiid-Tyrese Maxey era rather than toggling between two timelines or fully pivoting into a rebuild around the Maxey-VJ Edgecombe backcourt. It also was an effort to keep up in an Eastern Conference that already boasts the NBA champion New York Knicks, along with revamped Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors teams that recently traded for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard, respectively.

    The Sixers just turned Paul George into Jaylen Brown and transformed themselves for an unbelievable price

    After a dizzying Wednesday, here is a reset on where the Sixers’ roster stands.

    Moving in

    Jaylen Brown

    A five-time All-Star and the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, Brown is an elite attacker and shotmaker along with a stout defender. He has demonstrated he can create a successful tandem with a fellow star and be the top scoring option when needed. Last season, he finished sixth in MVP voting, after averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists to spearhead the Celtics’ surprising 56-win season to finish in second in the Eastern Conference.

    After spending his first 10 NBA seasons cultivating a wing partnership with Jayson Tatum, it will be fascinating to track how the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Brown fits with the Sixers’ roster construction with Maxey and Edgecombe in the backcourt and Embiid (presumably) in the middle. Brown also is one of the NBA’s more outspoken personalities — even his comments on Twitch streams have caused past stirs — which will need to mesh within the Sixers’ locker room.

    Dean Wade (32) is another strong on-ball defender that will bring size and versatility to the Sixers.Phil Long / AP

    Dean Wade

    Wade instantly projects into the other starting forward spot next to Brown. The 6-9, 225-pound Wade is another strong on-ball defender with size and versatility. The 29-year-old also averaged 4.2 rebounds in less than 23 minutes during the past two seasons, and is a career 36.7% three-point shooter.

    The knock on Wade? Health. He has played in more than 60 games only once in his nine-year career.

    Ariel Hukporti

    Hukporti is the latest contender to become Embiid’s backup center. The 24-year-old was the third-team big man behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson on the Knicks’ title squad, and averaged less than 10 minutes across 79 games in his first two NBA seasons.

    Early reactions to the Jaylen Brown-Paul George trade: ‘The East offseason is crazy’

    An athletic 7-footer, Hukporti offers more pure size than Adem Bona, though Bona might be more switchable defensively and capable of playing power forward next to Embiid. And it is a bit troubling that Hukporti has struggled in similar areas — too many fouls, not enough consistency — as Bona.

    Perhaps an opportunity for increased playing time will kickstart Hukporti’s development — and productivity.

    Moving out

    Paul George

    Once a perennial All-Star and splashy free-agency signing, George’s two seasons with the Sixers will go down as a disappointment. He sustained numerous injuries in 2024-25, and last season was suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy.

    Though George was terrific on both ends of the floor down the stretch of the regular season — including in the Sixers’ rally to upset the Celtics in the playoffs’ first round — his contract had been considered difficult to trade because of his age and injury history.

    Until Wednesday, that is.

    Kelly Oubre Jr., who played three seasons in Philly, will reportedly join the Indiana Pacers.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    Kelly Oubre Jr.

    Oubre’s three-year Sixers tenure, meanwhile, should be considered a success. He morphed from late-offseason addition on a veteran’s minimum contract, to starter who played with force and flair, to veteran who put together his most efficient season at age 30.

    Before (and after?) the Brown blockbuster, it was puzzling that the Sixers decided not to match (or offer a similar deal) to the two years and “nearly” $17 million that ESPN reported Oubre agreed to with the Pacers. The Sixers held Oubre’s full Bird rights, which allows teams to re-sign their own free agents even if they are already over the salary cap.

    It is possible Oubre wanted a change of scenery — Indiana, which made the 2025 NBA Finals, is expected to regain contender status once All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton recovers from Achilles surgery — or that Gansey did not value Oubre as much as former lead executive Daryl Morey. But the most cynical observer could conclude that letting Oubre walk was a move to help stay under the luxury tax.

    Quentin Grimes

    Grimes’ four-year, $60 million reported deal with the Lakers is a significant raise on the $8.7 million qualifying offer he played on this season following a messy restricted free agency.

    Quentin Grimes reportedly agrees to $60 million deal with Lakers, ending Sixers contract saga

    Grimes flashed his “attack mode” scoring punch and tenacious defense in spurts as a sixth man. But he shot a career-low 33.4% from three-point range last season, and, other than an excellent Game 5 performance on both ends in Boston, was not good enough during the playoffs for a Sixers second unit that desperately needed scoring production.

    His departure means the Sixers likely will need immediate contribution from new draftee Labaron Philon Jr., whom many evaluators considered a first-round steal at 22nd overall.

    Moves still to come

    Final roster spot(s)

    Swapping out George’s contract for Brown’s still creates a top-heavy cap sheet. The Sixers are now about $2 million under the luxury tax and $10 million below the first apron, where they are hard-capped. And assuming Hukporti’s salary comes out of the nontaxpayer midlevel exception, the Sixers still have $2.6 million from that to spend along with the $5.5 million biannual exception.

    The Sixers could add two more players to reach 15 on the full-time roster, though they have often only carried 14 to stay under the luxury tax.

    LeBron James is a free agent this summer. Could the Sixers’ recent moves interest the 21-time All-Star?Charles Fox / Staff Photographer

    It is reasonable to expect that the Sixers will focus on adding one more guard — unless LeBron James wants to come to Philly, of course.

    James’ agent, Rich Paul, told Max Kellerman during the pair’s Game Over podcast released Wednesday that he had spoken to between 12 and 14 teams about James. The Sixers would be silly not to be among that group that has reached out, or to join it after the addition of Brown. Gansey’s brother, Steven, also threw gas on the social media speculation when he posted a photo on X of Gansey and James as high-schoolers in Ohio and the eyeballs emoji.

    Additionally, Bona’s $2.3 million salary for 2026-27 becomes guaranteed on July 7, while Jabari Walker and Dalen Terry’s deals become fully guaranteed Jan. 10. As of Wednesday night, unrestricted free agents Andre Drummond, Trendon Watford, and Kyle Lowry (who is expected to retire) had not committed to signing with any team.

    Current depth chart

    Point guard: Tyrese Maxey, Labaron Philon Jr.

    Shooting guard: VJ Edgecombe, Dalen Terry

    Small forward: Jaylen Brown, Justin Edwards

    Power forward: Dean Wade, Dominick Barlow, Jabari Walker

    Center: Joel Embiid, Adem Bona, Ariel Hukporti, Johni Broome

  • Spoiler alert: New technology brings TV sports moments to viewers in record time, and before others see it first

    Spoiler alert: New technology brings TV sports moments to viewers in record time, and before others see it first

    Joe Krell still remembers getting a call from his brother celebrating after Brandon Graham sealed an Eagles victory with a strip-sack of Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII.

    Krell, the vice president of engineering at Comcast, had not seen the play when his brother called. His feed of the game was delayed, and the surprise of the play was spoiled.

    Now, Krell is leading the team of software engineers that helps some fans watch games with as little delay as possible.

    This summer, the company’s Realtime 4K technology is delivering live action from matches at the FIFA World Cup to Xfinity customers’ TVs roughly 17 seconds after it takes place on the pitch. The broadcast is 20 seconds faster than a standard high-definition stream and two seconds faster than an over-the-air signal, according to Vito Forlenza, Comcast’s vice president of sports entertainment.

    “It’s about how we limit that amount of buffering and get those video segments to the device as fast as possible,” Krell said Wednesday from the Comcast Technology Center.

    France and Paraguay will meet on July 4 in Philadelphia’s last World Cup game

    The technology debuted ahead of Super Bowl LX in January, and Krell’s team has continued to develop it (alongside other sports initiatives) in an effort to create a spoiler-free viewing experience.

    “Now I don’t have to worry about turning my phone over, or turning it off,” Forlenza said. “Nobody’s going to spoil it on me. I could actually be on social media if I wanted to be and not have the experience ruined. I could have all my notifications on; I could be in all my chats with my friends and family [and] not have the experience ruined. Maybe I’ll ruin it for them.”

    A demonstration of the RealTime 4K technology on Wednesday on a TV at Comcast Labs.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    New for the World Cup is a feature called “Smart Boost” that allows Xfinity internet customers to automatically prioritize their TV on their server when watching a Realtime 4K broadcast of a World Cup match.

    Forlenza said the company got good feedback from customers who used the technology to watch the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics in February.

    Rob Stone has spent half his life broadcasting World Cups. This summer, he leads what could be Fox’s last.

    During the group stage of the World Cup, the customizable multiview function, which was developed by software engineers in Philadelphia, allowed Xfinity customers to take in multiple matches at once. When it launched in 2024, the multiview platform was not customizable, but Krell’s team, after feedback from customers, has engineered it to allow viewers to watch any combination of games across traditional broadcast options and streaming.

    “You get something out there, you learn from it, build into it,” Krell said.

    Instead of having preset combinations for multiview options, the technology assembles the combination of channels a viewer wants to watch as they request them, allowing Xfinity to offer the service with more channels on a larger scale.

    The National Association of Broadcasters recognized Xfinity’s multiview as one of its products of the year for 2026 in April, and in June it won a Stream TV award in the category of innovation in content delivery and distribution.

  • Jaylen Brown 🤝 Sixers | Sports Daily Newsletter

    Jaylen Brown 🤝 Sixers | Sports Daily Newsletter

    The 76ers stunned the NBA world on Wednesday.

    It wasn’t just by simply acquiring the stellar Jaylen Brown from the rival Boston Celtics, it was the manner in which they did it. Four draft picks and Paul George? Wild.

    In Brown, the Sixers receive a 2024 Finals MVP who finished sixth in the voting for this season’s regular-season award. They got someone with the size, versatility, and defensive skill to complement the Tyrese Maxey-VJ Edgecombe duo. And they unloaded George’s contract. Predictably, the internet had plenty to say about the deal.

    There’s always risk. There’s always the question of Joel Embiid’s health. But for now, we can step back and consider a world in which the Sixers are legitimate title contenders as David Murphy shares his take on the trade.

    — Maria McIlwain, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    ❓Do you think Jaylen Brown will be a good fit with the Sixers? Why or why not? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

    Big, bad Flyers

    Flyers goaltender Dan Vladař is back in the fold.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Over the years, it’s been clear that physicality is part of the Flyers’ DNA — just look at the franchise’s two best players, Bobby Clarke and Eric Lindros.

    So as Danny Brière, who was 5-9 and 174 pounds as a player, builds the next iteration of the Flyers, it’s no surprise he goes to a tried-and-true playbook.

    Is he trying to build this millennium’s Broad Street Bullies? Not exactly. But bringing back big guys like Dan Vladař (6-5) and Tyson Foerster (6-2) gives us an idea of what the brass is looking for.

    Jackie Spiegel has more on Vladař and Foerster, as well as the newest members of the organization.

    A new dawn

    Phillies pitcher Brad Keller could return before the All-Star break.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    A few weeks ago, Phillies reliever Brad Keller knew something was off before he even got out of bed. He’d just had a rough outing the night before vs. Milwaukee, and when he woke up, he couldn’t straighten his elbow.

    He ended up going on the injured list with right forearm tendinitis. But on Wednesday, he was eager to see how he’d respond after facing live hitters for the first time in more than two weeks. The result? “A night-and-day difference,” he said.

    Trea Turner homered for the third straight game as the Phillies handled the Pirates, 10-6, for their seventh win over the last nine games.

    Next: The series vs. the Pirates wraps up with a matinee today (12:35 p.m., NBCSP). Pirates righty Jared Jones (1-1, 5.76 ERA) will face off against Alan Rangel (0-1, 4.50).

    Ring the bell

    Eagles’ Markel Bell practice during rookie camp on Friday, May 1, 2026, at the Jefferson Health Training Complex in Philadelphia.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Today’s Eagles newcomers aren’t just new to the Eagles, they’re new to the NFL. Offensive lineman Markel Bell was drafted out of Miami in April and surprisingly took first-team reps during OTAs. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be a Week 1 starter, but he could see meaningful snaps as a rookie.

    The next newcomer is new to football. Joshua Weru is an undrafted free agent from the International Player Pathway program who joined a pro rugby club at age 14 and has represented Kenya internationally in the sport. He may have a long path to the 53-man roster, but he definitely seems like an interesting story.

    Speaking of Eagles linemen (or former Eagles linemen), Jason Kelce helped raise $1.26 million for the Eagles Autism Foundation in four events across two days in Sea Isle City.

    Round of 16 bound

    U.S. striker Folarin Balogun encourages the crowd after scoring his goal in the first half of Wednesday’s game.Julio Cortez

    The U.S. men’s soccer team finally ended its 24-year wait to win a World Cup knockout game, though it came at a cost.

    Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina featured goals by Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman, but also a red card to Balogun that means he’ll miss the round of 16 matchup against Belgium in Seattle on Monday.

    On this date

    The Phillies’ Ed Delahanty.File photo

    OK, this is a bit of a weird one. Ed Delahanty dominated the National League in the late 1800s and at the turn of the century. Primarily an outfielder, he spent 13 of his 16 major league seasons with the Phillies and slashed .348/.415/.508 (and .346/.411/.505 for his career, which also included stints with the Cleveland Infants and Washington Senators). He also was the first major league player to hit over. 400 three times.

    But drinking issues began to loom large after he moved on to Washington. While the team was in Detroit, he boarded a train bound for New York but was kicked off after drunken and disorderly behavior, according to the Society for American Baseball Research. He then fell from a bridge spanning Niagara Falls and died on this day in 1903.

    He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame via the Old Timers Committee amid World War II in 1945, but his induction ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., wasn’t held until 2013, 110 years after his death.

    What you’re saying about upsets

    We asked: Tell us about the biggest upset you’ve ever witnessed in any sport. What made it so special?

    Three upsets that I watched on TV. 1969 Joe Namath and the Jets upset the unbeatable Baltimore Colts. Because of the great Lenny Moore I was a Colts fan. 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid when our young college guys carried the U.S. to a stunning upset of the USSR’s supposedly unbeatable team. And 1985 on April 1 my 47th BD Villanova Wildcats upset highly favored Georgetown 66-64 with an incredible 79% shooting percentage. I would guess that Pope Leo then Robert Prevost was cheering on his Wildcats. — Everett S.

    Not the most personally sentimental, but biggest upset in my book has to be the Brady-era Pats’ first Super Bowl loss, some ragtag Giants spoiling an undefeated season with such tools as an off-brand Manning and a football pinned on a helmet. It had seemed unfair that Randy Moss had joined New England, but it all led to nothing more than this. — D. Stone

    We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Gina Mizell, David Murphy, Jackie Spiegel, Mia Messina, Scott Lauber, Jeff Neiburg, Becca O’Reilly, Jonathan Tannenwald, and Marcus Hayes.

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

    Thanks for reading, and we’ll be back tomorrow with one last newsletter before the holiday weekend! — Maria

  • Eagles newcomers ’26: How soon might Markel Bell contribute along the offensive line?

    Eagles newcomers ’26: How soon might Markel Bell contribute along the offensive line?

    With Eagles training camp drawing nearer, The Inquirer is taking a closer look at the more than three dozen new faces who are expected to report along with the rest of the team on July 28.

    Player: Markel Bell

    Position: OT

    Age: 22 (when camp starts)

    Previous experience: Bell’s lone season as a full-time starter was this past one, when the 6-foot-9, 346-pound offensive tackle helped Miami reach the national title game. Bell is sort of a late bloomer. He started playing football in seventh grade. In part because he grew up in a small town in Mississippi, he was a zero-star high school recruit who went to junior college before blossoming into one of the most sought-after offensive line prospects two years later.

    Bell was a rotational tackle in 2024 before earning the left tackle gig at Miami last year. He dominated. He did not surrender a sack while playing more than 1,000 snaps. He also was named second-team Academic All-America last season.

    Path to a roster spot: Bell’s spot on the 53 is not in doubt. Surprisingly, it was Bell taking first-team reps during OTAs (with Lane Johnson absent) and not Fred Johnson, the swing tackle the Eagles brought back for another season. Sure, OTA reps are relatively meaningless, but it’s a sign the Eagles think Bell possibly could step in right away to that swing tackle role. We’ll see where things stand come training camp, but given recent injuries over the last few years to Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson, Bell could see meaningful snaps as soon as 2026.

    Fun fact: Bell grew from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-4 during a summer growth spurt between eighth and ninth grades, according to The Athletic.

    Quotable: “Typically when you get guys out of high school and they come in the door, they’re not as driven or as focused,” Les George, Bell’s offensive line coach at Holmes Community College, told The Inquirer in April. “They kind of have an idea of what they want to accomplish just based off of what they see on social media or see other people accomplish and they’ll kind of be all-in with it, but Markel was different than any other guy I’ve coached. Extremely focused, very humble. He was a guy that didn’t want to settle for mediocrity.

    “I don’t know how to explain it. He’ll make you a better coach.”

    Markel Bell practices during rookie camp on May 1. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Player: Joshua Weru

    Position: Edge rusher

    Age: 22

    Previous experience: Football experience? None. Rugby experience? Plenty. Jordan Mailata proved that path is possible. The Eagles signed Weru after he went undrafted. He is one of two players on the training camp roster who come with International Pathway Player designations, the other being seventh-round pick Uar Bernard.

    Weru, a native of Kenya, attended Arizona State University last year. He showed off his athleticism at the International Player Pathway program pro day, where he ran a 4.45 40-yard dash (with 1.59 10-yard split) and had a 41.5-inch vertical and 11-2 broad jump. The Eagles are hoping those traits translate into an edge rusher capable of playing NFL snaps.

    Path to a roster spot: Nothing is impossible, but Weru’s chances of making the 53-man are long. The Eagles are a bit crowded on the edge, with four shoo-ins and a few players with real football experience pushing for the bottom of the depth chart. Weru, however, will have a chance to make a good first impression on the Eagles and show them why he’s worth carrying on the practice squad while they continue to mold him into a football player.

    NFL teams can carry 16 players on the practice squad and have a 17th spot available for players with IPP designations. Bernard seems more likely than Weru to make the 53-man roster, but there’s a world where both of them end up on the practice squad after passing through waivers. One would count toward the normal 16-player practice squad roster, and the other would be the IPP designation.

    Fun fact: Weru joined a professional rugby club at age 14 and has represented the Kenyan national team on the international stage.

    Quotable: “I’d say my playing style is fast and aggressive,” Weru told a Kenyan radio station. “One of the reasons I enjoy this game is that it’s 100% all the time. I was used to rugby, where the game was longer and it would be too tiring to go 100% every single phase. But in football, especially in the few times we’ve gone full contact, it’s nothing like that.

    “The way I think about it is that you’re like a sprinter and a boxer at the same time, you’re going full speed and trying to hit people as hard as possible. I enjoy that, and that’s how I’d describe my playing style: fast and aggressive.”

  • Summer of sports continues

    Summer of sports continues

    After he and Phillies star Bryce Harper unveiled the 2026 All-Star Game logo last July, the team’s managing partner and CEO John Middleton gushed about how “very, very real” hosting the Midsummer Classic felt a year out from first pitch.

    “It was real in Atlanta,” Middleton said, three days after the 2025 All-Star Game was played at Truist Park, home of the Braves. “And became a lot more real this afternoon, with the celebration, and the kickoff and everything else. It’s so much bigger than it was in ’96.”

    Baseball’s All-Star Game was last staged in the City of Brotherly Love three decades ago, at the since-demolished Veterans Stadium, when there was only a home run derby and the game itself to enjoy. The 2026 edition is expected to be a “Rocky”-sized draw, especially with the festivities coinciding with the country’s 250th birthday.

    “It’s great for baseball to be able to, kind of, piggyback right on top of the July Fourth celebration,” Middleton said. “There’s gonna be millions of people in town.”

    The sports fan masses will continue to flood Philly into late summer when two marquee sports events close out August: the University of Pennsylvania hosts the “Tennis Classic” Aug. 23-29, a showcase featuring some of the top women’s professional players; and after a 10-year hiatus, the Cycling Classic returns to Philadelphia on Aug. 30, when top male and female riders cycle through the city and its outskirts — including the famed Manayunk Wall — en route to a dramatic finish on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

    Best of all? The Cycling Classic is free.

    While the FIFA World Cup leaves Philly after this weekend’s July 4 match, there will be lots of places in town showing the Final on July 19 from East Rutherford, N.J. And, lest we forget the Birds. The NFL preseason kicks off Aug. 13.

    The logo for the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Philadelphia.MLB

    MLB All-Star Week: July 10-14

    The five-day All-Star extravaganza starts with the HBCU Swingman Classic on July 10. In its fourth year, the Swingman Classic features 50 Division-I players from historically Black colleges and universities, selected by a committee that includes Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr.

    The opening rounds of the Major League Baseball draft follows on July 11 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, while the All-Star Futures Game is played July 12 at Citizens Bank Park.

    The Home Run Derby and All-Star Game round out the festivities on July 13 and 14, respectively, with both events also at the Bank. Diehard Phillies fans can see some of the team’s legends at the Capital One All-Star Village, including scheduled appearances by Hall of Famer Steve Carlton and 2008 World Series champions Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, and Jimmy Rollins.

    MLB announces full All-Star week schedule for Philadelphia

    “I’m old enough that I was here [in Philadelphia] as an adult in ’76 [the bicentennial],” Middleton had said. “It’s gonna be a spectacular year for Philadelphia.”

    Philadelphia Tennis Classic: Aug. 23-29

    Tennis fans can see some of the top-ranked women’s players compete at the University of Pennsylvania’s Hamlin Tennis Center. The WTA 125 tournament features rising stars and established players in a somewhat compact venue, meaning up-close views of the action from most seats.

    Philadelphia Cycling Classic: Aug. 30

    During his pro cycling career, Freddie Rodriguez rode to great success in this city, winning in 2001 (then called the Philadelphia International Championship).

    “I made a career out of this race. It’s the closest thing we have to the Tour de France,” Rodriguez, 52, said. After a 10-year pause, the premier U.S. cycling event returns to Philly, and Rodriguez will be on the other side this time, as a TV commentator.

    Philly native Eric Robbins, one of the race organizers, said that from the outset, the mission was to not only bring back the event, but eschew public funding (the race is presented by AmeriGas).

    “It was really important to give back to the city,” Robbins, a co-owner of the Philadelphia Cycling Classic said. “All these other wonderful sporting events, there’s a price tag that comes with them. This is an absolutely free event. We’re bringing the stadium to the streets.”

    The Cycling Classic is back, and with it, a reminder of what Philly is all about

    Fans can line the Philly streets and see elite international men’s and women’s riders tackle the 14.4-mile loop that includes the grueling Manayunk Wall. The women’s race is 62 miles total, and the men’s is 120 miles. The race dates to 1985 — then known as the CoreStates — won by Olympic speed-skating gold medalist Eric Heiden. Other iconic riders who have competed in Philly include Tour de France legend Greg LeMond.

    Pro cyclist Robin Carpenter, a member of the Modern Adventure team competing this year, grew up steps from the Manayunk Wall summit and competed in the last edition in 2016, when riders finished on the Wall. Carpenter, 33, said he’s thrilled the race is back, and that the course organizers have restored the Benjamin Franklin Parkway finish.

    “The Wall changed the dynamic of the race a fair bit,” Carpenter said. “Going up the wall every time was always bananas. It is a tunnel of noise. Super loud. The Parkway finish makes the race more open from a competitive standpoint.”

    Rodriguez added that the Parkway finish is comparable to the dramatic last stage of the Tour de France, along the Champs-Élysées.

    “It feels like that,” Rodriguez said. “When it comes to U.S. racing, this is probably our best classic race. It’s right up there with the quality of riders and the quality of the event.”

  • Phillies ace Zack Wheeler ‘upset’ about being pulled early vs. Pirates: ‘I feel like I’ve earned that’

    Phillies ace Zack Wheeler ‘upset’ about being pulled early vs. Pirates: ‘I feel like I’ve earned that’

    Zack Wheeler was hot, and not just because of the heat.

    Wheeler labored through 4⅔ innings Wednesday night in a 10-6 Phillies victory over the Pirates, and upon being lifted after 104 pitches, he walked off mound as if he didn’t hear the crowd’s obligatory ovation.

    “Yeah,” Wheeler said. “I was upset.”

    About?

    “Getting taken out of the game,” he said.

    Trea Turner’s hot bat sets the tone vs. Pirates ace Paul Skenes in Phillies’ 10-6 win

    It was Wheeler’s shortest start since June 16, 2024 at Baltimore and snapped a streak of 53 starts in which he completed at least five innings.

    Did the Phillies’ co-ace — the highest-paid pitcher in baseball this season with a $42 million salary — want interim manager Don Mattingly to give him a chance to get through the fifth again?

    “Obviously,” Wheeler said. “I feel like I’ve earned that.”

    Wheeler said he hadn’t talked it over yet with Mattingly. Asked if he planned to, he said, “I don’t know.”

    Informed by a team spokesperson of Wheeler’s comments, Mattingly, who has steered the Phillies to a 40-19 record since taking over for fired Rob Thomson, deferred a response until Thursday. It’s the first real test of his leadership.

    By not finishing the fifth inning, Wheeler was ineligible to get credit for the win. At the discretion of the official scorer, the win went to reliever Orion Kerkering, who pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

    To be fair, Wheeler had chances to get out of the fifth inning. After getting two quick outs, he gave up back-to-back singles to Esmerlyn Valdez and Ryan O’Hearn. With Wheeler’s pitch count up to 101 and action in the bullpen, pitching coach Caleb Cotham — not Mattingly — made a mound visit.

    Wheeler stayed in the game, and three pitches later, gave up a bloop RBI single to Nick Gonzales. At that point, having matched his season-high for pitches in a start and pitching in oppressive heat (96 degrees at first pitch), Wheeler was lifted.

    Lefty reliever Kyle Backhus hit back-to-back batters to force in a run that was charged to Wheeler, whose final line was four runs, nine hits, one walk, and 10 strikeouts. His ERA inched up from 2.03 to 2.36.

    Phillies’ Brad Keller on track to return before the All-Star break: ‘It’s a night-and-day difference’

    “I thought Wheels hung in there,” Mattingly said. “It was one of those nights that his pitch count got extended early, and he didn’t get ahead in the count as much as I’m sure he would like. He gave up some soft contact for hits that just extended his pitch count. It was one of those nights.”

    Wheeler, 36, has made a wildly successful return after surgery last September in which a rib was removed to relieve a compressed vein near his collarbone. Earlier Wednesday, before a matchup with Pirates ace Paul Skenes, Mattingly suggested Wheeler might actually be underrated for a two-time Cy Young Award runner-up.

    “I don’t think people quite realize how good this guy is,” Mattingly said. “I just don’t think they realize. Within the industry, for sure. But with fans, he’s a quiet guy. There’s not a lot of hype around him. He just kind of just constantly pitches well. And I just want to keep his attention talked about like other guys.”

    First, there might be a fence to mend.

  • USMNT fight past Bosnia and Herzegovina for its first World Cup knockout win in 24 years

    USMNT fight past Bosnia and Herzegovina for its first World Cup knockout win in 24 years

    SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The U.S. men’s soccer team finally ended its 24-year wait to win a World Cup knockout game, though it came at a cost.

    Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina featured goals by Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman, but also a red card to Balogun that means he’ll miss the round of 16 matchup against Belgium in Seattle on Monday (8 p.m., Fox29, Telemundo 62).

    When the 11th minute passed, the U.S. had gone the longest it had in any game of this World Cup without scoring a goal. That was a low bar to clear in the big picture, but there also definitely were nerves on both sides of the field. Matt Freese had to make two big stops early, but it took until the 18th minute for the Americans to really test Bosnian goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.

    Balogun was the first player to find the back of the net, in the 31st minute, and not long after he’d gone down inside Bosnia’s 18-yard box, though without enough contact to earn a penalty kick. He was then frustrated a second time by the offside flag, and that call was also correct.

    The breakthrough finally came in the 45th minute. Tim Ream intercepted a Vasilj clearance and knocked the ball forward to Tyler Adams, who made a backheel flick into space. The ball rolled to Tillman, who turned and played the ball forward toward Balogun. He had some work to do, but a misplay by Bosnian centerback Tarik Muharemović gave the striker room to collect the ball and slot it home.

    As the crowd of 68,827 roared, Balogun celebrated with LeBron James’ “Silencer” dance move. The basketball star — quite a soccer fan himself — returned the compliment on social media right away.

    Balogun then came inches from doubling the lead in first-half stoppage time, at the end of a lovely teamwide sequence. Alas, his close-range flick hit the crossbar and flew out of bounds.

    The U.S. held a 5-1 advantage in shots halftime, a sign of how they’d come into the game but also how many nerves there were.

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    The game’s first substitutions came in the 51st minute, in a triple-move from Bosnia manager Sergej Barbarez, one of which was star striker Edin Džeko, after pulling up lame. The other moves were tactical, including the much-anticipated arrival of winger Esmir Bajraktarević — a 21-year-old winger who grew up in Wisconsin to parents who fled the Bosnian war of the 1990s.

    Balogun’s ejection came in the 64th, after the video review officials watched him rake the studs of his right cleat down the back of Muharemović’s right calf in a tussle. It looked like a 50/50 challenge at first, but the replays clearly showed a cardinal sin for a soccer player — even if he didn’t intend it. By the time Raphael Claus left the monitor, it wasn’t too surprising that he pulled the red card out.

    The ejection meant Balogun would miss not just the rest of this game, but will miss the U.S.’s round-of-16 showdown with the Belgians.

    Now, it was about playing defense, and every U.S. player did his part. Even Tillman, usually much more of an attacking player, got stuck into a loose ball in the 77th.

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    Soon after that, the U.S. broke free on a counterattack and Christian Pulisic forced the ball in, but he was clearly offside when Tillman passed to him.

    The biggest break finally came in the 82nd. Stjepan Radeljić held back Sergiño Dest, Claus booked the Bosnian defender, and the U.S. had a free kick on the edge of the 18. Tillman spun it right past Bosnia’s defense and into the net, unleashing a huge celebration from U.S. players and fans alike.

    U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino finally made his first substitutions in the 88th minute, sending in Ricardo Pepi and Sebastian Berhalter for Pulisic and Dest. In stoppage time, Gio Reyna replaced Weston McKennie.

    There were still plenty of nerves from there, including 10 minutes of stoppage time. But the Americans held on, with the crowd cheering every save, block, and sequence of passes — and exhaling as two Bosnian shots in the final moments went inches wide of Freese’s net.

    Then, at the final whistle, there was the biggest unleashing of all. Thirty-two years after the U.S. men played the first World Cup knockout game of their modern era in the Bay Area, they finally delivered the sight that everyone here had waited so long for.

    This generation of American players finally has its biggest World Cup win.

  • Trea Turner’s hot bat sets the tone vs. Pirates ace Paul Skenes in Phillies’ 10-6 win

    Trea Turner’s hot bat sets the tone vs. Pirates ace Paul Skenes in Phillies’ 10-6 win

    When you’re a two-time batting champion in the midst of a three-month slump, everyone looks for the littlest hint of a breakout. A line drive here, a home run there, anything to forecast the inevitable hot streak.

    Trea Turner has heard it since April.

    “When [reporters] ask me if I’m back, I’m like, ‘I don’t know,’” the Phillies’ star shortstop said recently. “Like, I’ve got to do it for three, four days. You could have a good game here or there, but it’s about consistency.”

    OK, then. How about two weeks’ worth of good games? Or three consecutive games with a homer? Or turning on a sweeper from Paul Skenes and hitting it into the left-field seats Wednesday night to power a 10-6 pounding of the Pirates, the Phillies’ seventh win in nine games?

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    Is Turner finally hot?

    Was it 96 degrees at first pitch?

    “I feel like the last three or four weeks have been pretty solid,” Turner said. “I know how good I am. I know how good I can be, focusing on the last three weeks and getting back to two-strike hitting and scoring runs. I feel like I’ve scored runs at a really good clip because the guys behind me are playing so well.

    “But that’s my job, to score runs, so I feel like the last few weeks have been really good.”

    Interim manager Don Mattingly seems amused by the topic. After Turner doubled, homered, and drove in three runs on his 33rd birthday Tuesday night, Mattingly answered a question with two playful questions: “Is he coming back? Is he going yet?”

    Phillies co-ace Zack Wheeler gave up four runs in only 4⅔ innings Wednesday night.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    But it’s clear Turner has rediscovered … something. He said he has been pleased with his two-strike approach. He’s making better adjustments within a game. After popping up in his first at-bat against Skenes, he ditched his leg kick before the home run.

    Most importantly, Mattingly noted that Turner isn’t swinging at as many pitches out of the strike zone.

    “He’s always going to chase a little bit,” Mattingly said. “But when it’s not in the other batter’s box, you know he’s starting to see the ball and take some closer pitches, foul some balls off, and get to balls.”

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    Add it up, and since June 17, when he was reinstalled in the leadoff spot, Turner is 21-for-60 to hike his average from .216 to .239 and his OPS from .595 to .655.

    It’s still not the production that Turner is accustomed to, but hey, it’s a start.

    “I feel like [the numbers] are not going to look good probably no matter what I do for a while,” he said. “Just try to focus on some good progress and then keep rolling with it and see where they end up at the end of the year.”

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    Turner’s revival is happening at a perfect time. Not only are the Phillies (49-38) closing fast on the division-leading Braves, going from 9½ games out on June 7 to only 2½, but the trade deadline is looming on Aug. 3.

    The Phillies entered play Wednesday with the lowest OPS in baseball from their right-handed hitters (.607). But as much as they needed another bat from the right side, they’re unlikely to be able to acquire one as good as Turner.

    In case any of the 41,766 paying customers forgot after Turner finished fifth in the NL MVP race last season, his tone-setting ability was on display again in the worst start of Skenes’ career.

    A presupposed pitchers’ duel between Skenes and Zack Wheeler turned into a dud. The Phillies thumped Skenes for eight runs (seven earned) in four innings; Wheeler gave up four runs and wasn’t happy to be lifted with two out in the fifth inning after 104 pitches, snapping his streak of 53 starts of at least five innings dating back to June 2024.

    “I feel like I’ve earned that,” Wheeler said.

    Neither ace exhibited his usual command. And Skenes was hurt by the Pirates’ defense. With the bases loaded in the second inning, Justin Crawford chopped a ball to third baseman Nick Gonzales, whose throw to the plate hit Alec Bohm and rolled away, enabling two runs to score.

    Up stepped Turner, who got a sweeper on the inner half of the plate and pulled it out to left field for a three-run homer.

    Skenes hadn’t allowed more than five runs in any of his previous 72 major league starts. The Phillies hung a five-spot on him in the second inning. Brandon Marsh tacked on a leadoff homer in the third before Bryce Harper’s two-run double in the fourth opened an 8-2 lead.

    It wasn’t the first time the Phillies conquered Skenes. They clipped him for five runs May 17 in Pittsburgh. He has allowed 39 earned runs all season; 12 have come against the Phillies.

    What if the Phillies’ most impactful addition was a resurgent Trea Turner? He’s working to make it happen.

    Their secret?

    “Our club’s not really afraid of anybody,” Mattingly said. “It doesn’t matter who the guy is. We’ve got guys who’ve had success in their career, and you’re not shying away from guys like this.”

    Turner added: “I think we’ve got a good team.”

    The Phillies are on a 109-win pace under Mattingly (40-19) after a 9-19 start that prompted a managerial change.

    And now they’ve got Turner playing like Turner again.

    “Somebody asked me earlier, when do I feel like Trea’s going good,” Mattingly said. “Once a guy gets rolling, I mean, you know it’s there and he finds the field. … Trea’s been going for a while now.”

  • Early reactions to the Jaylen Brown-Paul George trade: ‘The East offseason is crazy’

    Early reactions to the Jaylen Brown-Paul George trade: ‘The East offseason is crazy’

    The 76ers coming back to beat the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs after being down three games to one seemed like the most exciting thing that would happen between the teams this year.

    Until Wednesday.

    The Sixers traded Paul George, two first-round draft picks, and two second-rounders to the Boston Celtics for Jaylen Brown on Day 2 of free agency, and social media has a lot to say.

    The Sixers just turned Paul George into Jaylen Brown and transformed themselves for an unbelievable price

    Here is how fans, experts, players, and even some sportsbooks are reacting to the trade:

    The early favorite

    From fans to experts, the consensus on social media is that the Sixers got more than they gave in acquiring Brown.

    Even some sportsbooks like BetMGM, Caesars, and Fliff are reacting to the trade and calling Boston’s side of the deal lackluster.

    Showing some Brotherly Love

    The trade didn’t just have fans and media talking. Other Sixers and figures with Philly ties have shared their thoughts on the newest addition to the roster.

    While Tyrese Maxey took to X to react, fellow Sixers VJ Edgecombe and Jabari Walker reposted the news on their Instagram stories with Walker captioning the story “scary sight.”

    The Sixers just transformed themselves for an unbelievable price | David Murphy

    And despite their current New York ties, Abdul Carter and Josh Hart shared their thoughts on the acquisition — and the NBA offseason at large. Carter is a Philadelphia native and Penn State product who’s now an edge rusher for the New York Giants while Hart is a former Villanova star who’s now a New York Knick.

    With love from Boston

    Some Celtics fans took to social media to express appreciation for Brown’s time in Boston, especially for leading them to an NBA championship, for which he was named Finals MVP in 2024.

    Others seemingly still are having trouble processing the trade.

    Interesting team dynamics

    Brown and Jayson Tatum being split up opens the door to a George and Tatum duo, which a few people on social media seem to be excited about.

    Others find it more detrimental to Tatum’s career.

    And in Philly, fans are looking forward to seeing the connection between Joel Embiid and Brown following some of the comments Brown made regarding Embiid and his “flopping” after the Game 7 matchup between Boston and the Sixers in the first round of the playoffs this season.

  • The Sixers just turned Paul George into Jaylen Brown and transformed themselves for an unbelievable price

    The Sixers just turned Paul George into Jaylen Brown and transformed themselves for an unbelievable price

    Well, aren’t we all a bunch of idiots?

    So much for the two timelines thing.

    And for the long, arduous process of building a contender piece by piece.

    So much for all of the hand-wringing about Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes and LaBaron Philon Jr.

    And about Mike Gansey, for that matter.

    The 76ers did the unthinkable on Wednesday. They did it to such an extent that it still isn’t thinkable. In fact, it’s barely believable.

    Source: Jaylen Brown traded to the Sixers for Paul George and four picks

    Not only did the Sixers come from out of nowhere to stun the NBA by acquiring Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown, and not only did they do it for a criminally cheap price, but they also somehow managed to ship out the remaining two years and $110 million remaining on Paul George’s contract.

    And, just like that, a new window of title contention has arrived.

    That’s the most important takeaway for Sixers fans. Brown transforms the Sixers in both the short and long term. The 2024 NBA Finals MVP and a sixth-place finisher in regular-season voting this year, the longtime Celtics wing is basically the exact player you would create in a lab if you were dreaming up the perfect star to maximize a team with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe in the backcourt. He has the size, versatility, and defensive chops to help make up for however much of that they give away at the guard position. He is a straight-line player who can get to the rim through traffic with or without the ball in his hands. He is an adequate and willing three-point shooter who showed signs of being much more than that earlier in his career. He can alternate seamlessly between primary and secondary scoring roles. Basically, he is the exact player the Sixers would have been crossing their fingers to have a chance to draft at some point in order to make the Maxey-Edgecombe pairing a legitimate contender.

    Even if only half of that was true, the Sixers would have still been justified in making this deal. The unprocessable thing about this deal is the mind-bogglingly low price Gansey somehow managed to finagle from a Celtics team that doesn’t make many bad decisions.

    Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey has gotten off to a strong start in Philly. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    Consider a deal that the Lakers and Jazz struck earlier in the day on Wednesday. In exchange for the right to sign restricted free agent center Walker Kessler, a zero-time All-Star who played just five games last season before undergoing shoulder surgery, the Lakers agreed to pay:

    • a 2031 unprotected first-round pick
    • a 2033 unprotected first-round pick
    • two first-round pick swaps

    That’s what the Lakers gave up for the right to sign Kessler to a four-year, $130 million deal.

    Here is what the Sixers will reportedly give up to acquire Brown:

    • a 2031 unprotected first-round pick
    • an additional first-round pick, TBD (initial reports suggest it will either be the Clippers’ unprotected 2028 first-rounder or the Sixers’ 2028 first-rounder, whichever is more favorable).
    • two second-round picks, one in 2028 and the other in 2030

    (It’s worth noting that the Kessler deal was struck by Jazz CEO Danny Ainge, the former Celtics president who once upon a time acquired Brown and Tatum while fleecing teams in the process.)

    Jaylen Brown will partner with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe to lead a revamped Sixers roster. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    But the real coup de grace is the inclusion of George, whose contract many believed was under water to the point that the Sixers would’ve needed to attach a first-round pick just for some other team to take it onto their books. Maybe that was errant thinking about the rest of the league’s willingness to spend $110 million over two years on a 36-year-old who has played in 78 games over the last two regular seasons and has played in more than 56 games just once since 2019. Whatever the case, the Sixers should be thrilled.

    George is a tidy anchor for such a mind-blowing deal. The Sixers basically traded him for a much better player who is 6½ years younger. The cost for the move was less than what the Raptors traded for 35-year-old Kawhi Leonard (Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected firsts, a pick swap, and change), who is in the last year of his contract and will be able to walk away if the Raptors don’t give him a huge contract extension into his late 30s.

    Even if the Celtics and the rest of the NBA knows or suspects something that the Sixers don’t, even if the trade doesn’t prove to be a game changer, it still doesn’t leave them a whole heck of a lot worse off than they would’ve been over the next couple of years with George.

    Heading into the offseason, it sure looked like the Sixers would need to be in a mode of making the best of things and preparing for the day when George would move on and free up some payroll maneuverability. Instead, they’ve vaulted themselves into the realm of top-end contenders for the next three seasons.

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    On Wednesday evening, FanDuel had the Sixers tied as the fifth favorite for the NBA title at 22-to-1, trailing the Spurs (2.4-to-1), Thunder (2.5-to-1), Knicks (8.5-to-1), and Celtics (14-to-1).

    Their immediate title hopes still hinge largely on the availability of Joel Embiid. The difference now is that they will not need Embiid to be anything close to his MVP prime in order to be taken seriously. Even if he is some lesser form of who he was last postseason, the Sixers can make an argument for having the edge in top-end talent regardless of matchup. Even if Embiid is absent entirely, they almost certainly should be expected to challenge for a top-four playoff seed.

    Are there ways this could go wrong? Sure. The loss of the 2028 pick would be particularly acute for a team that was presumed to need two or three solid drafts to get itself ready for the post-Embiid era. The Sixers’ depth is still a major question mark. They have a conspicuous lack of volume-capable three-point shooting on the wing. We have yet to hear Brown’s thoughts at having been traded to a place like Philadelphia, on a team with two young ball-dominant scorers and Embiid. At the same time, they can always pivot if it doesn’t work.

    There is always risk. The question is the price of it. For the Sixers, there wasn’t much to decide.