Monday, June 29, 2026

Sunday, June 28, 2026
The Charlotte Hornets continued their roster overhaul by sending forward Miles Bridges along with a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and a 2033 first-round pick, ESPN reported Sunday.
The move comes three days after the Hornets traded All-Star LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Bridges, who has played his entire career with the Hornets, played a key role in the team’s first play-in tournament appearance since 2022, averaging 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 77 games last season. He is entering the final year of a three-year, $75 million contract and is set to earn $22.8 million next season.
In seven seasons Bridges has averaged 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 501 games (396 starts). He was a first-round pick (No. 12 overall) by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2018 and traded to the Hornets on draft day.
Bridges missed the 2022-23 season and part of the following season due to a suspension after he pleaded no-contest for felony domestic abuse.
The trade allows Naz Reid to potentially replace Bridges at power forward. Reid was acquired from the Timberwolves in the Ball deal.
The Suns, who reportedly had an ongoing interest in acquiring Bridges, save $20 million in luxury tax with the deal and free up a roster spot before free agency begins Tuesday.
Allen, 30, and O’Neal, 33, bring veteran experience to a young Hornets squad, after they averaged 16.5 and 9.8 points, respectively, last season.
Allen, a first-round selection (No. 21 overall) by the Utah Jazz in the 2018 draft, has played eight seasons with four teams and added 3.8 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 51 games (27 starts) last season. Over 454 career games (279 starts), Allen has averaged 11.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists.
O’Neal played in 78 games (67 starts) last season, averaging 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists. In nine seasons with three teams, he has averaged 7.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 points in 678 games (386 starts).
The post Hornets trade F Miles Bridges to Suns first appeared on Fastbreak.


Saturday, June 27, 2026
As Portugal and Colombia squared up for their final World Cup group game, top spot in Group K was on the line and the intensity on display from both teams matched the stakes in an entertaining but ultimately goalless draw.
Both sides approached the match with a competitive edge that produced an open, transitional game at times resembling basketball in its relentless back-and-forth rhythm.
The atmosphere in a full house at Miami Stadium tilted heavily in Colombia’s favour, their supporters vastly outnumbering the Portuguese contingent as they imposed themselves, greeting every spell of Portuguese possession with a chorus of whistles that turned the stadium into a temporary home venue, as Portugal boss Roberto Martinez had predicted.
On the pitch, what stood out for Colombia was the collective understanding between the players, their movement co-ordinated without appearing rehearsed, each player creating space for the next pass.
Portugal’s pressing structure was repeatedly bypassed, not through brute force but through Colombia’s well-drilled timing, imagination and technical quality.
FLAIR AND CONFIDENCE
Such was the flair and confidence they played with, and there were moments when the team in yellow shirts and blue shorts evoked memories of the great Brazil sides of yesteryear.
But Portugal found greater balance after the hydration break. Bruno Fernandes forced Camilo Vargas into an excellent reflex save from close range, while Joao Felix went close as the match opened up.
The improved spell highlighted Portugal’s attacking potential, even if it also exposed their vulnerabilities whenever they lost possession.
Colombia, meanwhile, lacked precision in front of goal rather than opportunities. Goalkeeper Diogo Costa, who was named man of the match, responded whenever required while Ruben Neves’s goalline clearance prevented what appeared a certain opener.
The issue for Colombia was not chance creation but conversion and at the centre of nearly everything positive was Jhon Arias.
ARIAS RUNS FREE
His energy and willingness to carry the ball forward disrupted Portugal’s reshuffled midfield. Martinez’s alterations struggled to contain him and Colombia’s attacking fluency frequently flowed through the Palmeiras midfielder.
The withdrawal of Ruben Neves at the interval reflected Portugal’s broader difficulties in controlling midfield spaces while the introduction of his namesake Joao Neves was an attempt to restore order.
“We gave Colombia the match they wanted,” Martinez rued. “This was a very open match, probably more so than we would have liked.”
Portugal, however, remained dangerous in transition. Cristiano Ronaldo and Felix combined for what was their clearest second-half opportunity, only for the move to end with both a missed finish and an offside flag.
Colombia responded immediately when Richard Rios failed to convert, underlining how quickly momentum shifted from one end to the other.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the evening was the refusal of either side to relent in the oppressive heat with qualification already secured.
“Facing an opponent like that, with this style of football, our fans and this heat — it felt like we were in Barranquilla,” Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo said.
The intensity of the game never dropped even in added time when Colombian fans erupted after Davinson Sanchez headed home, only for the offside flag to go up when VAR ruled him offside by a toe.
The final whistle was met by another huge roar from the 64,478 spectators, appreciation for the effort of the teams not simply in appreciation of a spectacle but for players who had run their hearts out in stifling conditions. (Reuters)
The post No goals but Portugal and Colombia play out World Cup thriller in Miami heat first appeared on Fastbreak.