Thunder hold constructing by including Isaiah Hartenstein; USMNT fail to advance in Copa America, lose to Uruguay 1-0

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🏀 Good morning to everybody, however particularly to …

THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

Coming off a powerful 2023-24 season, the Thunder weren’t content material to relaxation on their laurels. The highest seed within the Western Convention has already made some massive strikes to claim themselves because the group to beat as soon as once more.

The most recent of these strikes got here yesterday when the Thunder signed former Knicks massive man Isaiah Hartenstein to a large three-year deal value $87 million. Oklahoma Metropolis is overhauling its roster this offseason, and Hartenstein might be a key piece that places the Thunder excessive subsequent season.

As our personal Sam Quinn explains, Hartenstein does greater than convey improved protection to OKC. The brand new Thunder massive man ought to assistance on the offensive finish of the court docket too, performing as a stable distributor and a really robust offensive rebounder.

Mix Hartenstein with the Thunder’s different offseason strikes, and GM Sam Presti seems like the simplest government within the NBA.

• Quinn: “If Presti does nothing else, the Thunder might need already had the very best offseason of any group within the league, not to mention any contender. This signing, together with the Alex Caruso commerce and the team-friendly contracts they negotiated with Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, place them as a extra adaptable, playoff-ready group than they have been final season, with inside growth to return and loads of flexibility sooner or later.”

Presti has already been moderately busy this summer season. Simply final month, he flipped former No. 6 total choose Josh Giddey for Caruso in a cope with the Bulls. That transfer gave Oklahoma Metropolis a second-team All-Protection participant and a sneaky good shooter in Caruso.

Whereas Oklahoma Metropolis may be essentially the most profitable group to this point this offseason, different groups have been busy making an attempt to revamp their rosters as properly. Klay Thompson is ready to affix the Mavericks on a three-year, $50 million deal. The Pistons are bringing again Tobias Harris on a two-year, $52 million contract.

As NBA free company rolls alongside within the coming days, observe together with each signing by utilizing our free company tracker.

👍 Honorable mentions

And never such a very good morning for …

THE UNITED STATES MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM

The USMNT ended their very transient look at Copa America with a 1-0 loss to Uruguay. Now, this system should assess the place it is headed earlier than the 2026 World Cup.

America managed to hold round with Uruguay by means of the primary half, however Mathias Olivera notched the one objective of the match for his facet within the 66th minute. Olivera punched in a rebound off a free kick and scored the game-deciding objective for Uruguay.

The USMNT’s loss, coupled with Panama‘s 3-1 win over Bolivia, meant they have been eradicated from Copa America within the group stage. That is a brutal consequence for the group after getting an honest draw, and now there are questions on the way forward for head coach Gregg Berhalter.

Our personal Pardeep Cattry broke down the USMNT’s Copa America faceplant.

• Cattry: “The group didn’t reside as much as the expectations, being positioned in a positive group and getting into the match with eyes on a quarterfinal spot. Gregg Berhalter’s group, although, didn’t ever put out a stable sufficient efficiency at this competitors and they also crash out of the match. It is a lasting stain on the group’s document since Berhalter took over in 2019, and can linger as their subsequent massive recreation doesn’t arrive till they start the 2026 World Cup.”

The USMNT started the match on an honest word, notching a 2-0 win over Bolivia to kick off the group stage. Nonetheless, they adopted that up with a 2-1 loss to Panama and failing to attain towards Uruguay. The group finishes third in Group C with simply three factors and a fair objective differential.

👎 Not so honorable mentions

🏒 NHL free company spending spree

NHL gamers might not command the amount of cash that NBA gamers do in terms of free company, however yesterday was nonetheless a document day for spending throughout the league.

For the primary time in NHL historical past, groups spent greater than $1 billion mixed in a 24-hour interval. That is sensible, provided that the wage cap jumped as much as $88 million after remaining comparatively flat for the primary few years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Predators have been the most important spenders, shelling out a complete of $108.5 million to usher in forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, in addition to defenseman Brady Skjei. That does not even embody the $14.25 million they used to re-sign defenseman Alex Provider and add goaltender Scott Wedgewood.

After only one 12 months on the job, Nashville basic supervisor Barry Trotz has fully remade the group’s roster.

The opposite main transfer was the Lightning agreeing to a seven-year, $63 million cope with winger Jake Guentzel. A Stanley Cup champion, Guentzel will attempt to fill the void left by Stamkos, a former captain who led the Bolts to back-to-back Stanley Cup victories in 2020 and 2021.

Talking of the Cup, the newest champs made certain to maintain one among their most essential gamers round. Sam Reinhart, who notched 57 targets final season, is staying with the Panthers on an eight-year contract value $69 million.

Listed here are a number of extra notable offers from Day 1 of NHL free company:

• The Kraken added Stanley Cup winner Chandler Stephenson on a $43.75 million deal.
• Jake DeBrusk signed a $38.5 million contract to affix the Canucks.
• The Devils bolstered their protection by including Brett Pesce on a $33 million settlement.

Hold it locked on our NHL free company tracker to see each deal that goes down within the coming days and weeks. For that matter, make sure that to observe our commerce tracker as groups proceed to tweak their lineups this summer season.

🏈 Texas, Oklahoma formally be a part of the SEC

SEC historical past was made yesterday when Texas and Oklahoma grew to become the fifteenth and sixteenth members of the convention. The query now’s whether or not they’re prepared for all times within the SEC.

The SEC is without doubt one of the premier conferences in faculty athletics, however that is particularly the case in terms of soccer. The grind of taking part in within the convention means a troublesome matchup or a visit to a hostile setting virtually each week. That wasn’t at all times the case for the Longhorns and Sooners within the Large 12.

Our personal Dennis Dodd spoke to key gamers at each Texas and Oklahoma, they usually’re prepared for the problem forward of them. Sooners head coach Brent Venables is aware of that even these middle-of-the-pack SEC groups are a menace to tug an upset each Saturday.

• Venables: “That is what I’ve seen finding out the final six months. Whoever these groups are that possibly did not have a shiny document on the finish of the 12 months, it is [still] a dogfight week in, week out. Oklahoma does not sneak up on anyone, so we’re not going to shock anyone.”

If you need any proof of how troublesome the bounce from the Large 12 to the SEC may be, simply take a look at the final two groups to make it: Texas A&M and Missouri. Neither group has gained the convention, and the Aggies have not even appeared within the title recreation.

That stated, the SEC additionally has to organize itself for Texas and Oklahoma, two of the most important manufacturers in faculty soccer. Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian is already within the high three of our SEC coach rankings, and he can current loads of issues for opposing defenses.

🏀  Favorites nonetheless lead WNBA Energy Rankings, however Fever rise

The 2024 WNBA season is about midway over, and a few groups are beginning to discover their groove. The Fever reside as much as their title as they proceed to heat up behind star rookie Caitlin Clark.

Clark and the Fever are as much as No. 6 in Jack Maloney’s newest WNBA Energy Rankings following a pleasant little run. Whereas Clark is making historical past frequently, the most important purpose for Indiana’s turnaround has been the emergence of a legit supporting solid.

• Maloney: “However the purpose the Fever are successful video games is that the remainder of their younger core has shined as properly. Aliyah Boston had a career-high 27 factors and 13 rebounds of their win over the Dream on June 13, whereas Kelsey Mitchell is capturing 50% on 3-pointers and NaLyssa Smith is almost averaging a double-double throughout this run.”

Right here is how the highest 5 shook out forward of the Fever:

1. Liberty
2. Lynx
3. Aces
4. Solar
5. Storm

📺 What we’re watching Tuesday

⚽ Euro 2024 — Spherical of 16: Romania vs. Netherlands, 12 p.m. on FS1
⚽ Euro 2024 — Spherical of 16: Austria vs. Turkey, 3 p.m. on Fox
🏀 Sky at Dream, 7 p.m. on CBS Sports activities Community
⚾ Phillies at Cubs, 8:05 p.m. on TBS
⚽ Copa America — Brazil vs. Colombia, 9 p.m. on FS1
⚽ Copa America — Costa Rica vs. Paraguay, 9 p.m. on FS2