RAHEEL RAMZANALI
The NBA is back, and all is right in Raheel's world
Oct 16, 2018, 7:05 am
Will Carmelo Anthony have a positive impact on the Rockets? Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images
Today is the holiest of holy days for me, Raheel Ramzanali. The start of the NBA season. If I had it my way, the season would have started even earlier - like on June 9, the day after the NBA finals. We can give the two teams in the NBA finals a week off, but for the rest of the guys, let’s get right back at it so Raheel can watch hoops all summer long. I digress. With the start of the season here, I wanted to layout some storylines that I’m excited for in the 2019 season:
Will Carmelo Anthony have a positive impact on the Rockets after the All-Star game? I think Carmelo is going to look pretty good to start the season, but father time is undefeated when it comes to everybody but LeBron James. How is Melo going to look shooting with tired legs? If he can overcome his spotty defense with some good shooting nights late in the season and the playoffs, it will be worth it for the Rockets.
Will Russell Westbrook get to the second round? It’s only been two years since Durant left, but those two years have been brutal in terms of team success for the Thunder. Last year’s disappointing loss to the Jazz in the first round was the cherry on top, but will it get better now that Paul George is all in with the Thunder? I love watching Russ play, but it’s time to add some team awards to his mantle in addition to the triple doubles.
Can the Raptors make the East fun again? LeBron has finally left the East and now all signs point to a new dynasty rising in the Celtics, but can Kawhi Leonard make this a bit more fun and entertaining? This Raptors team was the No. 1 seed last year and only got better with the addition of Kawhi and Danny Green. I think they win the East. I know I’m crazy.
Will anybody ever get any sleep now with the Lakers being a must-watch team every single night? We only have a few more years of prime LeBron to watch and I really don’t want to miss any of the action. In addition to that, we still have those Golden State Warriors fellas to scout if you’re a Houston fan.
All signs point to Giannis winning the MVP this year, BUT BUT BUT...indulge me for a second because I think Victor Oladipo has a shot to win it out of nowhere. Oladipo has been progressing every single year and I think has a legit shot to crack 29 ppg this year. While the league scoring leader isn’t guaranteed to win the MVP, it does put him in the conversation and if his team is top 2 in the East, why not?
Where will Kemba Walker end the season? I’m thinking San Antonio. I don’t know how, but for some reason I have a feeling something like this will happen.
My league pass team for this season: Donovan Mitchell. I can’t say the Jazz.
Two storylines for the New York City readers: the Nets will make the playoffs AND Kevin Knox will be a monster for the Knicks.
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The Chicago Cubs acquired All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker in a trade with the Houston Astros on Friday, paying a big price for one of baseball's best hitters.
The Cubs sent third baseman Isaac Paredes, right-hander Hayden Wesneski and Cam Smith, one of their top infield prospects, to the Astros for Tucker, who is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season.
Be sure to watch the video below as the crew from Stone Cold 'Stros reacts to the trade and lays out what the future holds for the new-look Astros.
Tucker was limited to 78 games this year because of a fractured right shin, but he hit .289 with 23 homers and 49 RBIs for the AL West champions. He batted .284 with 29 homers, an AL-best 112 RBIs and 30 steals for Houston in 2023.
Tucker, who turns 28 on Jan. 17, joins a crowded situation in Chicago's outfield, but the Cubs are reportedly looking to trade Cody Bellinger, who also can play first base. They also have talked to Seiya Suzuki's agent about the outfielder's no-trade clause.
The Cubs have finished second in the NL Central with an 83-79 record in each of the past two years, and there is increased pressure on president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer to get the team back into the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
The Cubs announced later in the day that they had agreed to an $11.5 million, two-year contract with catcher Carson Kelly, a Chicago native. He played for Detroit and Texas this year, batting .238 with nine homers and 37 RBIs in 91 games.
The New York Yankees also were in the mix for Tucker before the trade was completed.
“We certainly had many conversations with the Astros.” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. “At the end of the day I’m glad that Mr. Tucker is not in the American League East or the American League at all. But it’s a big get for the Chicago Cubs.”
Paredes is an option for Houston at third base if Alex Bregman departs in free agency. The 25-year-old Paredes hit .238 with 19 homers and 80 RBIs in 153 games this year. He made the AL All-Star team with Tampa Bay and then was traded to Chicago in July.
Paredes, who bats from the right side and is known for his pull power, chuckled as he talked about taking aim at the Crawford Boxes in left field at Minute Maid Park.
“I feel very happy. It's not only a beautiful stadium, but it's a stadium that benefits my hitting,” he said through a translator.
Even with the acquisition of Paredes, who also can play first, Astros general manager Dana Brown did not close the door on a reunion with Bregman.
“Pretty much Alex Bregman's status is still the way it is,” Brown said. “Nothing has changed since the last time I've talked to you guys.”
Wesneski, a Houston native who played college ball for Sam Houston State, will compete for a spot in the Astros’ rotation.
The right-hander, who turned 27 on Dec. 5, went 3-6 with a 3.86 ERA over 21 relief appearances and seven starts this year. He was on the injured list from July 20 to Sept. 20 with a right forearm strain.
“It’s just a dream-come-true kind of thing,” Wesneski said. “I am excited to be an Astro.”
Houston is hoping the addition of Paredes and Wesneski will help the team continue its impressive run as one of baseball's best teams. It has made the playoffs for eight straight years, winning the World Series in 2017 and 2022. It was swept by Detroit in the wild-card round this year.
“Look, make no mistake. We're still going to compete,” Brown said, “and this is probably one of those moves that I think in the future people will see and understand like, yeah, wow, I understand it now, I get it. ... I would say that this is more to strengthen our opportunities down the road without losing any footage in the current year.”
While Paredes and Wesneski could have an immediate impact, Smith also was a key component of the deal.
Smith, 21, was selected by Chicago with the No. 14 pick in this year's draft out of Florida State University. He hit .313 with seven homers and 24 RBIs in 32 games over three minor league stops, finishing the year with Double-A Knoxville.
“It's a really good first-round college bat with power, with a chance to hit, and he's pretty athletic as well,” Brown said. “So we're really excited about Cam Smith.”
Tucker was Houston's first-round pick in 2015, taken No. 5 overall. He made his big league debut with the Astros in 2018.
Tucker had a breakout performance three years after his debut, hitting a career-best .294 with 30 homers and 92 RBIs in 140 games in 2021. He won a Gold Glove the following year.
The Tampa, Florida, native is a .274 hitter with 125 homers, 417 RBIs and an .869 OPS in 633 career games — all with Houston. He also has appeared in 64 postseason games, batting .229 with eight homers and 28 RBIs.
Kelly gets $5 million in each of the next two seasons, and his deal with Chicago includes a $7.5 million mutual option for 2027 with a $1.5 million buyout. He can earn $500,000 in performance bonuses during each of the three seasons; $250,000 each for 81 and 91 games started.
The Cubs were in need of more depth behind the plate. They also have Miguel Amaya, who played in a career-high 117 games this year, and Matt Thaiss, who was acquired in a trade with the Angels on Nov. 20.