Grunfeld’s 100-year Wiz reign ends — Beal available?

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The Washington Wizards have fired president Ernie Grunfeld, the team announced Tuesday.

Washington is close to the bottom of the Southeast Division with a 32-46 record and has been eliminated from playoff contention. From on the court to off, the season has been a disaster in a variety of ways for the Wizards, who would probably love to dump John Wall and his monstrosity of a contract, but will find that challenging with him coming off major surgery.

The question now presents itself, will a change of direction in the front office increase the availability of star guard Bradley Beal via trade? Beal was an All-Star again this season, and added facets to his game, going well beyond just long-distance shooting. He’s arguably a top 10 player in the East, and he’s not outrageously expensive, due about $28 million in 2020-21, the last year of his deal. He’s also a big fan of Dwyane Wade, and would be a logical successor at shooting guard.

I reported earlier this season that the Heat were highly interested in acquiring Beal and made the Wizards well aware of that fact. The Wizards, at the time, weren’t ready to move him for what the Heat  or any other team had.

Rest assured that the Heat plan on checking back in on the situation in Washington around the NBA Draft and July free agency.

Stay up to date on all NBA/Miami Heat related trade rumors, reports and news on FiveReasonsSports.com and our related Twitter accounts.

Russell Wilson imposes deadline. Hey, Dolphins?

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If you are a Dolphin Fan, and are sick of repeating the same clichés about “rebuilding”, this news was for you. As the Seattle Times (@seattletimes) tells it, star quarterback Russell Wilson has imposed a deadline on the Seattle Seahawks of April 15th to get an extension done, At which time, he would suspend talks. He would then presumably be headed to free agency in 2020.

Of course, it’s a longshot that he becomes available. Russell Wilson is seeking a contract that will likely make him the highest paid player in the NFL, somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 years, $200 million dollars, but if he were to shake loose somehow, the Dolphins would be wise to pivot from looking forward to the future, and returning to a win now mentality by making anything available to Seattle in trade.

Russell Wilson had 35 touchdown passes against 7 Interceptions with a 110.9 QB Rating in what was his 6th Pro Bowl season in 2018.

So yeah, he would be the best Dolphins quarterback of the past 20 years immediately.

Maybe longer than that, if you don’t include the tail end of Dan Marino’s career.

We will continue to get your hopes up here for no reason….

Dolphins’ eternal search for tight ends continues

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Miami is short on bodies at several positions.

Tight end doesn’t appear to be among them, after the signing of Dwayne Allen, with Mike Gesicki returning after an unspectacular rookie season, and with a few depth options.

Still, our Simon Clancy (pictured above in all his English glory) of Three Yards Per Carry says they’re looking hard at the position in the draft. I mean, they’ve needed guys here since Randy McMichael left and then they didn’t re-sign Charles Clay. This may be the weakest position in Dolphins franchise history (quarterbacks other than that No. 13 guy are up there somewhere, but Dan Marino was decent.).

Here’s Simon:

Continue to follow Simon and Three Yards leading up to the draft, since they know more about what’s going on than anyone else in the market. (Just listen to last year’s pre-draft episode, which nailed Minkah Fitzpatrick, Kallen Ballage and more.)

Latest episode with Alfredo Arteaga and Chris Kouffman just posted.

It’s the Draft Special #2.

El lineup del futuro de los Marlins de Miami

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Los Marlins de Miami dividieron en su primera serie ante un contendiente a los playoffs y disputaron un cerrado encuentro con los Mets de Nueva York en el prime juego de su segunda serie.

Todo el mundo habla del buen pitcheo abridor que ha tenido el equipo, y de una que otra actuación sobresaliente del bullpen, pero en realidad nadie se ha enfocado en vislumbrar cómo será el lineup cuando llegue la hora de competir de verdad en la división.

En el EP 28 de Cinco Razones, Ricardo Montes de Oca, Leandro Soto y Alejandro Villegas dieron un vistazo hacia el futuro y contaron quiénes estarán en esa alineación ganadora una vez les toque pelear de verdad con Mets de Nueva York, Filis de Filadelfia, Nacionales de Washington y Bravos de Atlanta.

Para Miami, que ya este año tiene una rotación que en el papel se ve decente, su mayor fortaleza será el pitcheo, a menos que hagan una firma en la agencia libre, como la de Francisco Lindor, el anhelo de Ricardo Montes de Oca.

Por los momentos, nos dedicamos a armar una alineación con los peloteros disponibles dentro de la organización. Check it out!

2021 Opening Day Lineup

Este es el lineup propuesto por Alejandro Villegas. ¿Qué les parece?

  1. José Devers SS
  2. Victor Victor Mesa CF
  3. Brian Anderson 3B
  4. Monte Harrison LF
  5. Jorge Alfaro 1B
  6. Lewis Brinson RF
  7. Isan Díaz 2B
  8. Will Banfield C
  9. Sixto Sanchez/Sandy Alcántara P

El lineup de los Marlins para el segundo juego de la serie ante los Mets de Nueva York:

Edwin Díaz: “Supe que me iba a Nueva York por las redes sociales”

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Edwin Díaz se enteró de que le tocaba mudarse de costa en los Estados Unidos a través de las aplicaciones en su teléfono.

El nuevo cerrador de los Mets de Nueva York supo que tenía que mudarse a la Gran Manzana gracias al poder, alcance y velocidad de las redes sociales.

No hubo una llamada formal, ni un email, carta o mensaje de la oficina de los Marineros de Seattle, sino una notificación en su teléfono.

“Edwin Díaz ha sido cambiado junto al segunda base estrella Robinson Canó, a los Mets de Nueva York, por el jardinero Jay Bruce, los lanzadores Anthony Swarzak, Gerson Bautista, y Justin Dunn, además del jardinero Jarred Kelenic.”

Eso fue lo que leyó Díaz, y así supo que le tocaba cruzar el país para jugar, e integrarse a una nueva edición de los metropolitanos, que busca competir en el Este de la Liga Nacional. “No sabía nada. Me enteré por la prensa”, afirmó el boricua.

Ricardo Montes de Oca tuvo la oportunidad de conversar con Díaz antes del comienzo de la serie de tres encuentros que disputarán ante Miami, y esto fue lo que le dijo sobre los cambios de regla que se avecinan con el pitcheo, y su cambio de ambiente, de Seattle a Nueva York.

Juwan Howard betting favorite for Lakers HC job

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The Erik Spoelstra coaching tree might extend across the country next year. Online sports book BetOnline.AG has made current Miami Heat assistant Juwan Howard their favorite to be the Game 1 coach for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019-20.

It would be a fascinating move for all involved. For Juwan Howard, a first head coaching job in what is going to be an extremely high pressure situation. Coaching LeBron James with a roster in flux after not making the playoffs is one hell of a circumstance to walk in to.

For the Heat, another Spoelstra assistant getting the promotion but to go transport Heat principles out west and be LeBron’s aid in building it? An interesting dynamic no doubt.

And for the Lakers, it would mean a coaching change and an expectation that a new coach, especially one with Howard’s pedigree and experience, could’ve made the difference. They need to show they’re well run, maintain organizational stability, and perhaps most importantly, demonstrate they’re willing to back a coach in a power struggle with LeBron, much the way the Heat did with Spoelstra.

Windhorst: Dwyane Wade Won The NBA Season

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ESPN’s Brian Windhorst joined the Five Reasons podcast today and had high praise for Dwyane Wade’s #OneLastDance.

The jersey exchanges, 4th quarter moments, and consistently good play have provided for one of the bright spots in an NBA season filled with unhappiness league wide, Windhorst says.

“My memory of this season is just Dwyane smiling night after night after night. It’s been the model way to handle a retirement.

He’s not going to get a ring for this season, but he won this season. He won it. People will remember this departure forever.”

You can hear the full clip on Wade below. You hear the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Heat lose to Celtics, officials

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Well, nothing happened tonight.

Nothing in the standings sense, anyway. Everyone in the East’s super-soft middle lost.

So even though the Heat fell 110-105 in Boston, Miami remains in 8th in the East, now with just five games remaining — including a rematch with the Celtics in Miami on Wednesday. And it doesn’t appear Josh Richardson will play in that one either. Justise Winslow is closer to questionable.

Miami fell behind 20-4 early in this one, and a Goran Dragic-led surge wasn’t enough, especially after two questionable calls involving Kyrie Irving late in the fourth quarter.

Dragic had 30, Bam Adebayo had 19 and Dwyane Wade — in his last visit to TD Garden — scored 17.

Kyrie Irving had 25. That was expected. Not as expected — Marcus Smart with four three-pointers.

Some highlights:

 

 

 

Orlando kicks off Inter Miami rivalry

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It’s started. We all thought 2020 MLS entry Inter Miami CF would have a natural rivalry with Orlando City. It’s the closest thing we’ll have to a local derby (What should we call this? Turnpike Derby? Florida Clasico?).

But we at least thought it would require an actual game before these two teams started trading barbs. Well, Orlando fired off 11 months early with some #banter.

All we’ll say is this: Orlando City have won 2 of their last 20 MLS matches.

Tom Brady annoys people again

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It’s April’s Fools Day, if you weren’t aware, people play practical jokes on this day.

And no one is a bigger joker than Tom Brady.

So today, the typically reclusive New England Patriots quarterback — and Miami Dolphins tormentor, except in Miami Gardens — sent out his first tweet.

And it was a super funny one.

This thing had nearly 100,000 likes as of this post.

Apparently, some didn’t find it that amusing, even those very calm people in the Boston area.

No, the Tuck Rule call was a bad joke.

So, sorry, Dolphins fans.

You’re getting more Brady this season, with all his hilarity.

(Photo by our Tony Capobianco)