Sports Express | August 22, 2026 Klay Thompson Expected to Join Heat

1. Klay Thompson Expected to Join Heat After Mavericks Buyout

Source: Bleacher Report

The Dallas Mavericks announced Friday they are buying out the final year of Klay Thompson's contract. The five-time All-Star was due to earn $17.5 million for the 2026-27 season. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Thompson is expected to join the Miami Heat after he clears waivers, earning $13 million on a two-year deal that includes a player option on the second season.

Thompson averaged 11.7 points in 69 appearances last season, setting career lows in overall field-goal percentage (39.3) and three-point percentage (38.3). Coach Jason Kidd moved Thompson to the bench after seven games, and while Kidd called it a temporary tactical change, Thompson finished the season in a reserve role.

The 36-year-old was once one of the league's best two-way players, but missed two full seasons with the Warriors due to a torn ACL and a torn Achilles. The Heat added Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, and Thompson is viewed as a low-risk addition, though his days as a big difference-maker on a contender may be over.

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2. World No. 1 Sinner Withdraws from US Open with Knee Injury

Source: AP News

Top-ranked Jannik Sinner withdrew from the U.S. Open on Friday, unable to recover from a right knee injury that has sidelined him since winning the Wimbledon title. The 25-year-old Italian wrote on social media that despite working hard with his team and medical staff, he had to make the difficult decision not to compete at the US Open this year.

Sinner beat Alexander Zverev last month for his second straight title at the All England Club, then pulled out of the hard-court tournaments in Montreal and Cincinnati. The main draw begins Aug. 30. Sinner was the 2024 U.S. Open champion and lost to Carlos Alcaraz in last year's final, while Alcaraz confirmed Thursday he would be ready to play in New York after being out since April with a right wrist injury.

It will be the first time Sinner has missed a Grand Slam tournament since his major debut at the U.S. Open in 2019. He is 44-3 with six titles this year, but suffered a stunning collapse at the French Open in the second round.

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3. DeRozan to Sign One-Year, $3.9M Deal with Nuggets

Source: NBA.com

Six-time NBA All-Star DeMar DeRozan intends to sign a one-year, $3.9 million deal with the Denver Nuggets, per multiple reports. The 37-year-old guard averaged 18.4 points for the Sacramento Kings last season, and became a free agent after he was waived by the Kings in July.

DeRozan, a 17-year NBA veteran who spent the past two seasons with Sacramento, ranks 16th all-time for points scored in NBA history with 26,711. He averaged 18.4 points over 77 games last season.

With Nikola Jokic and other core players in Denver, DeRozan's addition will provide the Nuggets with a steady scoring presence. NBA.com said it will have more on this story as it develops.

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4. Former All-Pro Running Back Nick Chubb Announces Retirement

Source: The Athletic

Former All-Pro running back Nick Chubb announced his retirement from the NFL on Friday after eight seasons in the league. The one-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler posted his retirement message on Instagram: "Twelve-year-old me could never imagine this day, and 30-year-old me is wondering where all the time has gone. I've known for some time now, but I'm finally ready to share that I'm done playing football."

Chubb played on a one-year deal with the Houston Texans last season, starting nine of 15 games and logging 506 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He finished his career with 7,349 rushing yards and 54 rushing touchdowns over eight seasons, ranking fifth in the NFL in rushing yards since entering the league in 2018, and retired third on the Browns' career rushing list.

The Cedartown, Ga., native was selected 35th overall by the Browns in the 2018 draft and rushed for 996 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie, then made the Pro Bowl each of the next four seasons. On Sept. 18, 2023, Chubb tore his left MCL, meniscus and medial capsule against the Steelers, underwent two surgeries, and returned on Oct. 20, 2024, scoring against the Bengals in his first game in 398 days.

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5. FIFA Bans Paredes 10 Games for World Cup Final Scuffle with Spain

Source: Al Jazeera

FIFA banned three Argentina players on Friday, including a 10-match suspension for midfielder Leandro Paredes for striking Spain opponents moments after losing the World Cup final. Paredes, who grabbed Spain's Eric Garcia by the throat and pushed Gavi to the ground, received one of the most severe bans in World Cup history, alongside the sanctions for Uruguay forward Luis Suarez in 2014.

Argentina defender Nahuel Molina was handed a seven-game ban while Thiago Almada was given a one-game suspension. FIFA imposed fines of $90,000 on Paredes and Molina, and $30,000 for Almada. The ban for Paredes is effectively a one-year expulsion from the Argentina team, as the FIFA calendar for national team schedules includes 10 games through June 2027.

Spain's Gavi was also banned for one game, a Nations League match against England at Wembley on September 26. Argentina coach Roberto Ayala got a three-game ban and a $30,000 fine, while the Argentina football federation was fined $110,000 for incidents including players carrying a political banner about the Falkland Islands and discriminatory chants by fans.

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6. WNBA Game Disrupted by Sex Toys Thrown on Court; Cloud Blasts Culprits

Source: The Athletic

The Chicago Sky's game against the Golden State Valkyries was interrupted in the third quarter when several sex toys were thrown toward the court. At least three objects were thrown, and at least one landed on the court. The Sky won 73-70, ending dramatically with a Sydney Taylor game-winner. It marked the second consecutive day a WNBA game was disrupted by a spectator throwing a sex toy onto the court, after Thursday's Sparks-Dream game resulted in a fan receiving a lifetime ban.

Sky guard Natasha Cloud blasted the spectators, calling them "lame as f—" and saying "the men that are throwing it, it also shows that you are weak — like, extremely weak — and it says a lot about how you feel about women." Taylor called the actions "corny."

The incidents mirror a string of disruptions from last season, when green sex toys were thrown onto WNBA courts at multiple arenas in connection with a cryptocurrency scheme, including six games between late July and early August.

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7. Blanchard's Walk-Off Field Goal Lifts Elks Past Blue Bombers 22-19

Source: TSN

Vincent Blanchard kicked a 40-yard field goal as time expired to give the Edmonton Elks a dramatic 22-19 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The West Division-leading Elks trailed 16-0 late in the second quarter. Quarterback Cody Fajardo said the team wasn't all there mentally in the first half, but words were said in the locker room at halftime and the guys came out fired up.

The Elks, who haven't made the playoffs since 2019, improved to 8-3. Head coach Mark Kilam praised the players for regrouping at halftime and flipping the script, while the Bombers (5-5) have lost three of their last four.

Winnipeg coach Mike O'Shea called it a tale of two halves, saying the team didn't play well in the second half. Winnipeg led 15-1 in first downs at one point, but Edmonton had a 23-18 edge in the category at the final whistle.

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8. Arrighetti Shows Promise in Blue Jays Debut, But Bats Falter in Loss to Yankees

Source: Sportsnet

Spencer Arrighetti showed promise in his Blue Jays debut, but Toronto's offence failed to provide support as the New York Yankees won 3-1 in the series opener. Arrighetti allowed three runs on three hits and two walks while striking out four over 3.1 innings, facing 15 hitters on 61 pitches. Spencer Jones hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the second, while Cam Schlittler earned the win after allowing one run over six innings.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone wrote out a batting order he hadn't used all season, beginning with a string of right-handed hitters to counter Toronto's opener Mason Fluharty, and the gambit paid off with two early runs. The Blue Jays went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position, with Brett Bateman falling a homer short of a cycle and Alejandro Kirk continuing to hit well with an RBI single.

Arrighetti, who spent a month on the IL with Morton's neuroma in his right foot, said he has been harping on being more aggressive in the strike zone early. After 61 pitches Friday, he is likely to take Toronto's fifth rotation spot as a starter going forward.

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9. NHL Eyeing 2029-30 for Texas-Based Expansion Team to Debut

Source: Pro Hockey Rumors

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly indicated that things are trending in the right direction about a Texas-based franchise joining the league in the near future, with the targeted debut season in 2029-30. The framework of a transaction has been agreed to, with the hope that something could be announced as early as December. Back in June, a group led by Dan Friedkin reached an agreement to become the group with exclusive rights to bring another team to Texas.

The location remains to be seen, with both Houston and Austin receiving consideration. Daly made it clear that Houston is the desired spot but Austin is still being legitimately considered. Back in June, Commissioner Gary Bettman suggested that the overall outlay for the franchise should approach the $3.5B mark, including the price for both the team and an arena, compared to the $650MM expansion fee Seattle paid.

Daly was also asked about possible expansion to another Canadian market. He said that doesn't appear to be particularly high on the priority list, calling interest "less vibrant," and noted that while Quebec City could work again, there's no ownership group in place that's ready to purchase a team.

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10. PWHL's Walter Cup Championship Trophy Went Missing While in Transit to Alberta

Source: TSN

The Walter Cup is missing — or at least the version of the trophy that belongs to the Professional Women's Hockey League champion Montreal Victoire, the league told The Associated Press on Friday. Without going into detail, the PWHL issued a statement saying the trophy "did not arrive as expected at its latest stop," and added "we are working closely with the shipping company to locate it."

The trophy was supposed to be shipped to Lethbridge, Alberta, to spend the day with Victoire forward Dara Greig. A container did arrive, but not the one the PWHL shipped with the trophy inside. As a result, Greig postponed her day with the trophy on Thursday, which included a public event at the city's VisitLethbridge.com Arena. Unlike the NHL and the Stanley Cup, the PWHL does not have a person dedicated to travel with its trophy.

The missing Walter Cup is not the one presented on the ice upon winning the championship — that one is permanently housed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. The missing version is issued to championship-winning teams to keep, made of sterling silver and designed by Tiffany & Co., weighing about 35 pounds and standing about 24 inches tall. Montreal clinched the cup by defeating Ottawa in May to become the PWHL's first Canadian champion.

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