The Pulse Newsletter📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox.
Good morning! The Pulse is live at the Super Bowl this week.
Slow Down, Trade Machine: Getting foxy in San Antonio
One blockbuster was not enough, as the NBA gods descended upon us once again with yesterday another mega-deal, though this one made a lot more sense than Saturday’s overnight tomfoolery: De’Aaron Fox is leaving the Kings for the Spurs, as he wished, to team up with Victor Wembanyama.
Two thoughts before we get back to a certain Slovenian player:
- Say hello to a contending team in San Antonio. Wembanyama, the world’s most interesting young player, now officially faces pressure. Fox is 27, in the middle of his prime, and should be an elite fit next to Wemby for years to come. The West is crowded, but if the 21-25 Spurs can figure out how to play together, this should be a perennial playoff pair.
- Heading back to Sacramento in this three-team deal: Zach LaVine, no longer a walking trade rumor, set to reunite with former Bulls teammate DeMar DeRozan. The 24-24 Kings should again be able to score in droves. Sacramento also got back three first-round picks in this deal.
Zach Harper declared the Spurs to be the early winner of this deal in his trade grades. Now back to Luka Dončić, the more accomplished star traded in far, far more surprising fashion:
- Everyone — I mean everyone — is still shocked by this deal. David Aldridge spoke to executives around the league, who could not believe the trade. Celebrities from across the entertainment world were stunned too. Even the Lakers (and LeBron James himself) were floored by Dončić’s sudden availability.
- Here’s what I can’t get over: largely, every word of Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison’s news conference yesterday. He indicated Dončić’s looming supermax contract played a part, which is infuriating to an entire fan base. Harrison also said the Lakers were the only team he talked to about moving Dončić. How is that good business?
I asked Zach if this is already the most impactful trade deadline ever:
💬 Absolutely, and it wasn’t that long ago Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving found their way out of Brooklyn within the same week. Up there with Pau Gasol to the Lakers. Up there with Rasheed Wallace to Detroit. We’ve never seen a 25-year-old top-three player get moved for another guy still in All-NBA form. This is truly the wildest and most consequential deadline ever, and we still have three and a half days of it left.
The last remaining trade piece out there: Miami’s Jimmy Butler and, by extension, Phoenix’s Bradley Beal, who holds a lot of power with his no-trade clause.
Zach will have more in The Bounce later today. I’m tired just thinking about all of this. Let’s keep moving:
News to Know
Prominent OCs swap levels
Less than a month ago, Chip Kelly was helping Ohio State win a national championship and Ryan Grubb was in charge of a so-so Seattle Seahawks offense. Now Kelly is heading back to the NFL to become Pete Carroll’s offensive coordinator in Las Vegas, while Grubb is reuniting with best pal Kalen DeBoer to become the OC at Alabama (again). Feels right for both guys, to be honest.
Flaherty’s Detroit return
Jack Flaherty agreed to a two-year, $35 million deal with the Tigers yesterday, a true about-face for a pitcher who maybe had one of MLB’s most interesting 2024 seasons. Flaherty began the year in Detroit on a prove-it one-year deal, was awesome, got traded to the Dodgers at the deadline, was also awesome there, and now finds himself back in Detroit with another chance to earn a big contract next go-round. It’s a great deal for the ascendant Tigers too.
Rory’s big win
Rory McIlroy shot a 66 yesterday to win at Pebble Beach and earn his 27th PGA Tour victory, a great omen for what should be a pressure-packed season ahead. The 35-year-old has not won a major since 2014, but has endured some painful near-wins in recent years. He’s planning to fix that in a funny way: by emulating his biggest rival, Scottie Scheffler.
Feedback Loop: All-star games are still out
For this readership, the evidence is overwhelming: We’re sort of done with all-star games. And that’s just fine.
I enjoyed reading your responses to the final prompt, too. Two thoughts from a wide swath of answers:
- A vast majority of you said you only like the MLB All-Star Game, and I agree. We see actual competition out there between the best players in the sport. Yes, there is less risk of injury than in other major sports, which is an advantage. But that’s what we want to see. Baseball helps.
- Multiple people mentioned enjoying the NFL Pro Bowl Games this year more than in previous years. Respect. You can catch up on our live blog here.
We also had a few of you write in about hockey’s upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off, which I am extremely excited about. More of those kinds of competitions, please. Sean McIndoe penned a funny primer for 4 Nations last week, which is worth a read.
Watch and Play
📺 NCAAW: No. 10 Duke at No. 17 NC State
7 p.m. ET on ESPN 2
A good college hoops night is head. Start here, with two of the top three teams in a loaded ACC during the season’s stretch run.
📺 NCAAM: No. 3 Iowa State at No. 11 Kansas
9 p.m. ET on ESPN
A heady matchup between two top-tier Big 12 schools, in Allen Fieldhouse? Sign me up. The Jayhawks need a bounce-back after a bad loss to Baylor.
Get tickets to games like these here.
🎧 “The Athletic NBA Daily” had another emergency podcast, this one on the De’Aaron Fox trade. Emergency weekend, baby. Listen here.
