After going the entire season so far without a win at home, the Connecticut Sun were able to get over the hump to take down the Chicago Sky. On June 22, the Mohegan Sun crowd finally got to witness this team come out on top by 29 points. So, what was the big change? A […] The post What Made the Sun Set Differently Against the Chicago Sky? appeared first on The Lead .
After a nervy few days for Timberwolves fans surrounding the NBA Draft, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly and General Manager Matt Lloyd executed an all-in type trade to bring Charlotte’s All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball and guard Josh Green to Minnesota. This move was unthought of, given the position the Wolves found themselves in […] The post Timberwolves Shockingly Traded for LaMelo Ball — Are They Done? appeared first on The Lead .
After trading out of the first round entirely, the Cleveland Cavaliers still managed to address dire needs with the selection of Meleek Thomas at No. 34. Thomas, the running mate of Darius Acuff Jr. in the Arkansas backcourt, was a foundational piece to the team’s success. His outstanding three-point shooting and defensive specialties were pivotal […] The post How Will Meleek Thomas Fit on the Cavs’ Roster? appeared first on The Lead .
When the New York Knicks signed Landry Shamet before the 2024-25 season, expectations were modest. He was viewed as a veteran shooter who could provide depth off the bench, not someone who would eventually become one of the most important role players on a championship contender. Two years later, Shamet has transformed from a roster […] The post Landry Shamet Went from Question Mark to Knicks Playoff Hero appeared first on The Lead .
The Chicago Blackhawks made their first big trade of the 2026-27 season. Bowen Byram is now their top defenseman. https://twitter.com/NHLBlackhawks/status/2069595786367606965?s=20 At first, the trade was met with shock, and rightfully so. The Blackhawks mortgaged a lot of valuable capital to make this trade happen. In fact, their most valuable asset in the fourth overall pick […] The post Bowen Byram Has a Chance to Reform the Blackhawks’ Blueline appeared first on The Lead .
The Chicago Bears entered the 2026 NFL Draft in a much different position than they had in previous years. Instead of searching for a franchise quarterback or attempting to rebuild the roster from the ground up, the Bears were focused on adding complementary pieces to a team with playoff aspirations. That context matters when discussing […] The post Which Bears Rookie Faces the Most Pressure in 2026? appeared first on The Lead .
The Houston Rockets entered the second night of the 2026 NBA Draft without making a selection, but left with a clear victory. Before the second round even began, Houston pulled off a trade with the reigning NBA champion New York Knicks, acquiring picks 31 and 55 in exchange for picks 39 and 53, plus the […] The post Houston Rockets 2026 NBA Draft Reaction appeared first on The Lead .
A few years ago, if you told Baltimore fans that they would sign outfielder Tyler O’Neill, they would have thought you were dreaming. In 2021, O’Neill was a Gold Glover and finished eighth in the MVP voting. Now, just in his second year with the team, the three-year, $49.5 million contract looks like a complete […] The post It’s Time for the Orioles to Move On From Tyler O’Neill appeared first on The Lead .
Last season, the Denver Broncos put up their best record since 2010, finishing a league-best 14-3. Though their offense was by no means a detriment, their tremendous success can be largely attributed to their defense. Denver led the league in sacks, finished second in yards allowed per game, and finished third in points allowed per […] The post Can the Broncos’ Pass Rush Repeat the Success of 2025? appeared first on The Lead .
Baseball rarely offers a second act to aging players. At 38 years old and coming off the least productive season of his career, Paul Goldschmidt seemed to be on the wrong side of Father Time. Putting up some of the worst offensive numbers of his career, he was losing what his then-14-year career resume had […] The post Paul Goldschmidt Turned Back the Clock to Save Injured Yankees Offense appeared first on The Lead .
During the 2026 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings held the seventh overall pick. When the time came to make their selection, the Kings had their guy: Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. Many people in the league, along with NBA and Sacramento fans, knew that if Acuff Jr. fell to the Kings at the seventh […] The post Darius Acuff Jr. Brings Needed Optimism to Sacramento Kings’ Future appeared first on The Lead .
Entering the 2026-27 NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers will rely on a secondary built to prove itself after a shaky 2025. Last season, the Steelers finished with the 29th-rated pass defense and were susceptible to allowing receivers to have big outings. This included surrendering 144 yards to Houston Texans receiver Christian Kirk in the AFC […] The post Steelers’ Secondary Will Rebound Under DC Patrick Graham appeared first on The Lead .
With the No. 27 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics selected Houston Cougars forward Chris Cenac Jr. Now that he is on the team, where does Cenac fit into the future of the Boston Celtics? At only 19 years old, Cenac averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game for the Cougars […] The post Did Boston Celtics Address Frontcourt Needs by Taking Chris Cenac Jr.? appeared first on The Lead .
An owner in the NFL is an investor. Every organizational hire is made with the intent to make the team as competitive and profitable as possible. Millions of dollars will be spent on a legendary former MVP or on the sixth pick in the draft in hopes of making a team more successful. Therefore, when […] The post World Cup Proves MetLife Stadium Must Transition to Natural Grass appeared first on The Lead .
There are few in the NBA world who are as on fire right now as Masai Ujiri, the Dallas Mavericks’ new team president. Right before the 2026 NBA Draft, Ujiri took a massive swing at the Mavericks’ vacant head coach position. He hired Dusty May, who guided the Michigan Wolverines to the national championship. The […] The post Masai Ujiri and the Dallas Mavericks Nailed the 2026 Draft appeared first on The Lead .
Unfortunately for the Connecticut Sun, many of their recent games have followed the same pattern: three tight quarters, then a crumbling fourth quarter. Players and coaches are constantly left wondering how to get over the hump and finish better. Athletes got to their peaks by keeping a positive mindset, but when looking towards the rest […] The post How Are Connecticut Sun Players Staying Positive? appeared first on The Lead .
The surging St. Louis Cardinals are one of the biggest surprises in the MLB this year. Based on their offseason trades of Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado, most preseason predictions ranked the Cardinals among the bottom quarter of the league. Fans assumed that this would be a rebuilding year for the […] The post Who Can the Cardinals Trade to Chase a Deep Playoff Run This Year? appeared first on The Lead .
The 2026-2027 WNBA season has been a turning point for the league. Teams like the Indiana Fever and Dallas Wings are establishing strong identities and sitting atop the standings. Meanwhile, the teams of yesteryear, such as the Seattle Storm and Connecticut Sun, have fallen to the bottom of the standings. The league has seen a […] The post How Did the Minnesota Lynx Construct Their Blazing Hot Start? appeared first on The Lead .
The 2026-2027 WNBA season has been a turning point for the league. Teams like the Indiana Fever and Dallas Wings are establishing strong identities and sitting atop the standings. Meanwhile, the teams of yesteryear, such as the Seattle Storm and Connecticut Sun, have fallen to the bottom of the standings. The league has seen a […] The post How the Minnesota Lynx constructed their blazing hot start appeared first on The Lead .
Entering with the ninth-best odds to land the top pick, the San Jose Sharks shocked the hockey world last month when they landed the second overall selection in the NHL Draft Lottery. https://www.instagram.com/p/DX-dGS3GHZ9/?img_index=2 Even before the lottery, the Sharks owned what scouts widely considered the league’s best prospect pool. General manager Mike Grier, immediately after […] The post The San Jose Sharks Should Trade the No. 2 Pick in NHL Draft appeared first on The Lead .
The Angels are 32-47 as of June 21. Even though they are still 15 games under .500, there are some bright spots to note. Those bright spots? Wade Meckler and Jose Siri. The Anaheim Native Wade Meckler, 26, was drafted in the 8th round of the 2022 draft by the San Francisco Giants. In Jan […] The post Wade Meckler and Jose Siri Are Bringing Life Back to the Angels appeared first on The Lead .
Going into the trade deadline this August, the Boston Red Sox’s front office has big decisions to make: buy, sell, or balance. The deadline comes at a pivotal point in the 2026 season. Red Sox Chief of Baseball Operations Craig Breslow approaches the job analytically, focusing on front office restructuring and a pitching-centric roster. Some […] The post Should the Boston Red Sox Buy, Sell or Balance? appeared first on The Lead .
The Atlanta Hawks were a team of mystery on the first night of the NBA draft, but clues were lying around. The Hawks’ needs entering the draft were noticeable. Find a long-term point guard and solve the problems that inevitably led to their season ending against the eventual NBA champions, the New York Knicks. They […] The post The Hawks Sharpened Their Talons in the NBA Draft appeared first on The Lead .
This offseason, the Chicago Blackhawks need to make moves to ensure a winning season for the young rebuilding team. The big question surrounding the Hawks this offseason is not, “Will they do something?” but rather, “How aggressive will Kyle Davidson be?” The Blackhawks currently have one of the highest-rated prospect pools in the NHL. The […] The post How Can the Chicago Blackhawks Improve This Offseason? appeared first on The Lead .
When the Warriors selected Yaxel Lendeborg with the 11th pick, the organization signaled that their future is very much on their minds. Holding on to the draft pick (suggesting they will keep him) rather than packaging him in a deal indicates he could be a player who sticks around after the Stephen Curry era. By […] The post Yaxel Lendeborg Could Kickstart the Warriors’ Revival appeared first on The Lead .