Browsing: extension

Trae Young isnâ€t quite at “disappointment†yet when it comes to his lack of a contract extension with the Atlanta Hawks, but heâ€s close.

Young, speaking at the teamâ€s media day on Monday, was asked about not having a new deal entering training camp this fall. Young is eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension with the franchise. Though he tried to downplay it a bit and insisted that his focus was elsewhere, itâ€s on the back of his mind.

“I don’t know [about] the word disappointment. I mean, maybe, for sure,” Young said, via ESPNâ€s Ohm Youngmisuk. “For me, I’m so focused. I’m more happy about the team that we got going into this season. I’m blessed, bro. I wasn’t stressing about anything. If something happened, it happened. If it didn’t, I still got time.”

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Young averaged 24.2 points and a league-high 11.6 assists per game last season while picking up the fourth All-Star nod of his career. The Hawks went just 40-42 last season, however, and missed the playoffs for the second straight campaign under head coach Quin Snyder.

The former No. 5 overall pick out of Oklahoma is entering the eighth season in the league. He has two years left on a five-year, $215 million deal he signed with the franchise ahead of the 2022-23 campaign, and heâ€s got a player option on that contract for next season before he hits free agency in 2027.

Though Young can still get his extension done, itâ€s unclear where the two sides are at on that front.

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Regardless, Young is trying to focus on getting the Hawks back into the postseason. The team made several major moves this past offseason, including bringing in Kristaps Porzingis from the Boston Celtics and Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Minnesota Timberwolves. They also struck a one-year, $11 million deal with Luke Kennard in free agency.

“I’m focused on this team. I’m focused on right now,” Young said. “I got a great team going into the season that you can’t say I’ve had [before]. So I’m even more excited about that. Who knows what the future is for me. But right now I’m here and I’m present like me and Coach [Snyder] have been talking about. I’m ready to go.”

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  Brian WindhorstSep 29, 2025, 04:11 PM ET

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  • ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010
  • Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years
  • Author of two books

HOUSTON — Kevin Durant said he envisions himself signing a contract extension with the Rockets and described how a bond and respect level with coach Ime Udoka led him to engineer a trade to bring him to the team.

Durant is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $55 million and is eligible to sign a new deal. There was some belief that Durant would work out an extension with the Rockets as a part of Houston’s deal in July to acquire him from the Suns.

While there have been discussions, Durant is starting training camp with no deal in place.

“I do see myself signing a contract extension,” Durant said Monday, his 37th birthday. “I can’t tell you exactly when that will happen, but I do see it happening.”

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Rockets general manager Rafael Stone declined to comment on the state of the contract talks.

Durant is eligible to sign a two-year extension for more than $120 million if he were to sign for the maximum. The Rockets, who are in the midst of contract extension talks with wing Tari Eason and recently extended forward Jabari Smith Jr. on a five-year deal for $122 million, are faced with managing their expanding payroll over the next few years. That could factor into the Durant talks.

Because of his short-term contract status, Durant was able to work with the Suns on finding a trade partner over the summer. He worked with Udoka when both were with the Nets, and the relationship played a role.

“I wasn’t expecting to leave Phoenix that quickly, but that’s just the nature of the game,” Durant said. “So I quickly just thought about who I was comfortable with. … Ime has always been one of those guys that understood what I brought to the table and my mentality and my approach to the game. He always respected that and gave me my space to be me. So that was one of the first things I thought about.”

Several times, Durant mentioned how his “body type” fits with the Rockets roster loaded with long and rangy athletes.

Houston has the potential to play some of the tallest lineups in the league this season with the addition of the 6-foot-11 Durant. His ability to be a ball handler is also relevant with the Rockets losing starting point guard Fred VanVleet to a torn ACL last week.

Durant and Udoka both said Monday that the plan will be for Durant to take on some of the ballhandling duties in the wake of VanVleet’s injury.

The Rockets are Durant’s fifth team in 19 years, and he said some of his breakups with teams have been “tough.” But with two championships and an MVP award, plus a decorated international career, Durant has his own definition of his legacy.

“The definition of the word has just got confusing over the last few years to me,” Durant said.

“So to me it’s just always about impacting and building good relationships within the organization. I just feel like every place that I’ve been from the outside looking in, it may have been a tough breakup from each team that I’ve gone to, but behind the scenes I’ve built so many great relationships with people and lifelong friendships that have been formed from playing in these organizations.”

Also on Monday, new Rockets wing Dorian Finney-Smith discussed his recovery from offseason ankle surgery before coming to Houston from the Lakers in free agency.

Finney-Smith has been running but did not discuss a timeline, and Stone simply said he was on schedule. But Finney-Smith has not been cleared for basketball activities and will likely miss time to start the season.

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Middlesex seam bowler Toby Roland-Jones has signed a one-year contract extension to 2026.

The club legend, 37, has played his entire career for the county since making his debut in 2010.

Roland-Jones claimed a hat-trick as Middlesex beat Yorkshire to seal their first Division One title for 2023 years in 2016.

In 157 first-class appearances for the club, he has taken 577 wickets at an average of 25.14.

“I’m delighted to sign an extension with the club, a place that has been home for 16 years and counting now,” Roland-Jones told the club’s website, external.

“I remain as motivated as ever to try and push the standards and restore the club back to its desired position, competing in Division One cricket whilst challenging for white-ball honours.

“It was a privilege to lead this great club, and I’m equally excited to slip back into the bowling ranks and assist the new leadership in any way possible.”

Roland-Jones was the second-highest wicket taker in County Championship Division Two last season with 45.

He took 4-57 in his side’s final match of the season against Gloucestershire as they finished fourth in the table.

Roland-Jones has five England caps, four in Test cricket plus a lone one-day international.

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  Kristen ShiltonSep 28, 2025, 02:52 PM ET

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  Kristen Shilton is a national NHL reporter for ESPN.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed goaltender Anthony Stolarz to a four-year, $15 million contract extension, the team said Sunday.

Stolarz is entering the final season of a two-year pact he signed with the Maple Leafs as a free agent ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. This new deal cements his status as the team’s No. 1 goaltender going forward and completes a priority negotiation for the club.

The extension comes after Toronto announced earlier this month that goaltender Joseph Woll was taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team for personal reasons. Woll split duties with Stolarz last season and is signed with the Maple Leafs through 2027-28.

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Stolarz arrived in Toronto after backing up Sergei Bobrovsky on the Florida Panthers’ 2023-24 Stanley Cup run, when he led the league with a .927 save percentage in 27 regular-season games. He played a career-high 34 games for the Maple Leafs last season, going 21-8-3 with a league-leading .926 save percentage and a 2.14 goals-against average.

Stolarz was sidelined by significant injuries, too, missing time in the regular season following knee surgery and then being forced out of playoff action with a concussion sustained in Toronto’s second-round series against Florida.

The 31-year-old did backstop the Maple Leafs to their first-round victory over Ottawa, recording a .901 save percentage and a 2.19 GAA in seven total appearances.

Toronto now is counting on Stolarz not only to stay healthy this season but to take on even more responsibility.

“He showed us last year that he can handle the load,” Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said last week. “He’s a veteran guy now. He’s been around for a long time. He’s learned over the years how to take care of his body and what type of shape he needs to be in to be able to handle a heavier workload, and he wants a heavier workload.”

With Woll sidelined, the Maple Leafs attempted to find a backup for Stolarz by signing veteran James Reimer to a professional tryout Friday. Reimer was a fourth-round selection by Toronto in the 2006 NHL draft and spent six seasons playing for the team. Now, the 37-year-old is on track to potentially earn a contract to be the club’s No. 2 until Woll can return.

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Neither the player (who has never wielded so much leverage) nor the team (who is suddenly desperate for some goaltending stability) wanted extension talks to drag into the 2025-26 season, after which Stolarz would have become an unrestricted free agent.

So, after weeks of negotiations, Stolarz and general manager Brad Treliving came to an agreement on a four-year, $15-million extension that will keep the giant goaltender in blue and white through 2029-30 at a team-friendly $3.75-million cap hit.Â

“Just getting a fair deal for both sides,†Stolarz told Sportsnet at the outset of training camp, was the priority here.

The Maple Leafs are doubling the term of Storlazâ€s previous contract while giving him a modest $1.25 million raise. The risk here is that a 31-year-old goaltender with a shaky health record who has never started half the games in a single season can carry a starterâ€s workload.

The risk on Stolarzâ€s part is settling for a figure lower than he would be able to command on the open market should he deliver another campaign similar to 2024-25, when he posted the best save percentage in the NHL (.926).

Neither side wanted to mess up a good thing.

The team loves the goalie who backstopped them to a Round 1 victory over Ottawa, complete with a forearm shiver; the goalie loves the team that gave him runway and shot blocks and top-notch medical care.

“I thought it was a huge success,†Stolarz said, reflecting on his first season as a Leaf. “For me personally, just being able to play (a career-high 34) games and get the role as 1A/1B and play stretches of games and to play as well as I did.

“The most impressive thing for me was my consistency, just being going out there, night in and night out, and taking a lot of pride and really giving the team a chance to win.â€

Off the ice, the confident and vocal Stolarz fast became a favourite of his teammates as well as Torontoâ€s coaching staff and management.

“I want him to stay as long as I stay. Everybody does. Heâ€s a great goaltender, and I wish nothing for the best for him,†forward Steven Lorentz said a couple days before Sundayâ€s news.

“He truly wants to stay here as well. Heâ€s a great friend of mine. I know heâ€s going to make the right decision.â€

“Heâ€s one of the best goalies in the league, and he showed it last year,†fellow Stanley Cup champ Oliver Ekman-Larsson said recently. “Itâ€s a really good fit for this organization, this city.

“That would mean a lot to lock him up. He’s been proving that he can be a good goalie in this league, and I think he’s gonna take that to the next level this year.â€

Stolarz is expected to start Torontoâ€s opener next week against the Montreal Canadiens.

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  Greg WyshynskiSep 27, 2025, 03:26 PM ET

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  Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.

The Anaheim Ducks and restricted free agent center Mason McTavish agreed to a six-year contract, the team announced on Saturday. An NHL source told ESPN that the extension, which ends a contentious negotiation, is worth $42 million.

McTavish, the third overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft, is entering his fifth season. He had his most productive season in 2024-25 with 22 goals and 30 assists in 76 games.

His new contract carries a $7 million average annual value against the salary cap. That matches Troy Terry and Mikael Granlund for highest cap hits among Ducks forwards. But it’s a lower AAV than the second contract signed by Buffalo defenseman Owen Power ($8.35 million, signed in 2023) and Seattle forward Matty Beniers ($7,142,857, signed in 2024), who were selected right ahead of McTavish in the 2021 draft.

“Mason is a key part of our team, and we’re excited to reach a long-term agreement that reflects his importance to our future,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a team statement. “He’s a highly skilled, physical, and competitive player who plays the game the right way. Mason has already made a significant impact at a young age, and we’re confident he’ll continue to grow into a top player as we build toward sustained success.”

McTavish, 22, was called out by Verbeek for not reporting to Anaheim’s training camp earlier this month, as contract talks grinded on.

“It’s disappointing that he’s not here, obviously. We have virtually a whole new coaching staff, and the group is really excited like I’ve never seen before,” Verbeek said, via the Associated Press, in reference to new coach Joel Quenneville. “There’s a new system that’s getting implemented. There’s a lot of things to learn, and it takes a lot of reps to get it under each player’s belt. So when Mason gets here, he’s got a lot of catching up to do.”

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In 229 NHL games, McTavish has 60 goals and 80 assists for 140 points, skating to a minus-39. While McTavish’s stalemate with the Ducks created trade speculation around the NHL, the team views him as a foundational part of their rebuild.

McTavish and 20-year-old Leo Carlson have given the Ducks a solid set of young centers, as Anaheim seeks to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2018.

“Today is an exciting day for me and my family to commit my long-term future to the Anaheim Ducks,” McTavish said in the statement. “I believe in the direction of this organization and the group we have in the locker room. We’re building something special and I want to help this team take the next step toward becoming a consistent playoff contender and, ultimately, a championship team.”

This wasn’t the first time Verbeek had a prolonged contract negotiation with a young standout. Both defenseman Jamie Drysdale and forward Trevor Zegras missed time in the Ducks’ 2023 training camp as restricted free agents. Both are now members of the Philadelphia Flyers, acquired in separate trades roughly 17 months apart.

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Lionel Messi’s popularity has been on the rise in the United States ever since the magician’s arrival at Inter Miami.

Naturally, there have been memorable moments aplenty and it seems many more are still to come.

Recent reports suggest Messi has signed a contract extension that will keep him in South Florida for several more years. The new deal is expected to mark the final chapter of the Argentine superstar’s illustrious career, and should bring with it more goals, assists, and dazzling moments that continue to wow fans around the world.

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Not even Mother Nature can stop Messi. A heavy and chaotic storm in Fort Lauderdale delayed but did not prevent the official presentation of the World Cup winner to an adoring (and drenched) crowd eager to catch a first glimpse of the biggest signing in league history.

Messi steals it, Messi scores it.ANOTHER BRACE FOR LEO. FIVE STRAIGHT GAMES. pic.twitter.com/t9pXjpFsNxJuly 13, 2025

Five Straight Braces. Messi became the first player in MLS history to record five multi-goal games in a row. His victims in that stretch? CF Montreal (twice), the Columbus Crew, the New England Revolution, and, lastly, Nashville SC.

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Inter Miami made history as the first MLS team to beat a European opponent in a competitive match — thanks, of course, to none other than Messi.

The star attacker capped off a comeback effort in Club World Cup group play by curling in a superb free kick, lifting La Rosanegra to a surprise 2-1 win over Portuguese powerhouse FC Porto.

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Messi helped write more history just days later. The Inter Miami captain and his side nearly pulled off another shock triumph over Brazilian heavyweight Palmeiras, but settled for a late 2-2 draw that still marked the first time an MLS outfit reached the knockout rounds of a Club World Cup.

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As if an 11-minute hat-trick was not impressive enough, what came with it made this feat even more memorable.

Messi’s three goals off the bench in a 6-2 pummelling of the Revolution made him Inter Miami’s all-time leading scorer in less than two seasons while simultaneously helping his team break the MLS points record. Not a bad night at the office, yeah?

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It wasn’t a title, but it was a new piece for the trophy cabinet.

Messi and Inter Miami celebrated finishing with the best record in the regular season with a 3-2 road victory over the Columbus Crew, with the global icon finding the back of the net twice.

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An incredible recognition. Messi’s brilliance in his first full MLS season could not be denied, as he was named the league’s Most Valuable Player in a private ceremony that was attended by Inter Miami’s academy players.

The living legend finished the regular season with 20 goals and 16 assists.

For the 8th time, Lionel Messi has been awarded the Ballon d’Or. pic.twitter.com/GxTDg7KaruOctober 30, 2023

Messi technically did not win the prestigious award for his Inter Miami exploits, but that still did not stop him from becoming the first active MLS player to claim the Ballon d’Or.

And what made the achievement in Paris even more poetic? Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham was the man to reveal Messi had earned the accolade for a record eighth time before handing his player the trophy.

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You could not script it any better. Messi’s first game with Inter Miami will never be forgotten for how it ended: the talented No. 10 bending home a free kick in stoppage time to seal a 2-1 win over Mexican club Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup.

It almost felt unreal, and served as a perfect intro to his MLS era.

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Collective silverware hasn’t yet been abundant for Messi at Inter Miami, but the first trophy in team history came a mere month into his stateside excursion.

He lit up the Leagues Cup with goals throughout the run to the final, where he once again scored in a 1-1 draw with Nashville SC before converting his spot kick in an epic penalty shootout that ended in celebration.

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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — J.J. Redick showed he could handle the job in his first season as the Los Angeles Lakers head coach, leading the team to 50 wins and the No. 3 seed.

That was enough for general manager Rob Pelinka and the Lakers organization to give Redick a contract extension, Pelinka announced Thursday.

“Confidence and belief,†Pelinka said as to why he wanted to give his coach an extension after just one season. “We think heâ€s a special coach with a special voice thatâ€s really helping us to continue to define the culture of Lakers excellence. We just wanted to make a clear statement that this is what we believe in, what weâ€re going to lean into, and what our players are going to mold into as we continue to develop the identity. I think having long-term planning is helpful as we build this team and go forward.â€

There were no details on the extension, but Redick had three years remaining on the contract he signed just more than a year ago. A good guess is that this aligns Redickâ€s contract with Pelinkaâ€s.

“I think it starts with just a high level of gratitude to the Lakers, to Mark [Walters, incoming team owner], Jeannie [Buss, team governor], and Rob for having that confidence in me,†Redick said. “And itâ€s not lost on me the sort of rarity of a first-time head coach getting an extension. Like I recognize how fortunate I am to be with an organization that supports me that way.â€

Redick also discussed what he learned in his first year on the job, and how he plans to approach it in the future.

“I thought about a lot of things. You certainly reflect on the previous season, both successes and failures, and you do a lot of self-assessment, and that was really where I spent a lot of the first probably four to six weeks, was on sort of self-assessment,†Redick said of his offseason. “But I would say the two words that immediately, when you ask that question, pop into my mind are philosophy and methodology, the philosophy of how we want to play, the methodology as a coach of how I want to teach that. And so thatâ€s where I spent a lot of time this summer.â€

Redick and Pelinka talked all things Lakers for more than half an hour at the Lakers practice facility in the days before training camp opens next Tuesday. Among the topics covered:

• LeBron James†future in Los Angeles. Entering his 23rd season, when he will turn 41, LeBron remains a crucial part of the Lakers†attack this season. He will also be a free agent after this season. Will he return to the Lakers? Retire?

“The first thing we want to do in terms of LeBron and his future is just give him absolute respect to choose his story with his family in terms of how many years heâ€s going to continue to play,†Pelinka said. “Heâ€s earned that right.â€

Pelinka added, as he has before, that he would love LeBron to retire a Laker. Whether that happens or not is another question.

• Luka Doncicâ€s leadership. The Lakers signed Luka Doncic to an extension, and as part of that process, Pelinka and Buss traveled to Poland to meet with him and watch him play in a EuroBasket game for Slovenia. Outside of Doncic looking fit, it was his leadership that impressed Pelinka.

“I think the thing that probably stood out among many things… just his overall leadership tone and how he not only led by example, but he was very demonstrative in the practice in terms of his expectations of the team, how they played, their togetherness,†Pelinka said. “And I think just seeing that continued evolution and growth with him is not only a leader by example, but a leader with his voice really stood out to me, and I think itâ€s something thatâ€s going to carry into camp this year.â€

Doncic was shocked when he was traded in the middle of last season, then landed on a team with the commanding presence of LeBron in the locker room. Understandably, Doncic didnâ€t walk in the door a vocal leader, but that may change this season.

As for his improved conditioning, Redick said this is not just a one-summer thing, but rather a new routine.

“I get the sense from talking to him all summer or spending time with him, not only just here but at the Backstreet Boys, that this is his life now,†Redick said. “This is his routine. This is just a daily commitment to the new standard that heâ€s set for himself.â€

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The Lakers kicked off their summer break by signing their star player to a contract extension in a flashy news conference featuring Balkan walk-up music and a photo gallery display of Luka Doncicâ€s best Lakers moments. The team returned Thursday by announcing their continued commitment to their coach.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka announced head coach JJ Redick had signed a contract extension at a news conference with the coach as the Lakers begin training camp next Tuesday.

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Redick signed a four-year, $32-million contract last year as a first-time head coach and led the Lakers to a 50-32 regular-season record and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference before losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of playoffs. The terms of the new deal were not announced.

“We think heâ€s a special coach with a special voice thatâ€s really helping us define the culture of Lakers excellence,†Pelinka said. “We just wanted to make a clear statement that this is what we believe in, what weâ€re going to lean into and what our players are going to mold into as we continue to develop the identity. I think having long-term planning is helpful as we build this team and go forward.â€

Redickâ€s extension was one of the finishing touches on what Pelinka called “an intentional and productive offseason.†The Lakers touted major additions of center Deandre Ayton and perimeter players Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia who were each hand-selected for their fits around Doncic and LeBron James.

James opted into the final year of his contract, and Doncic signed a three-year extension on the first day the Lakers could offer in August.

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After a blockbuster midseason trade brought the former Dallas Maverick to L.A. in February, Doncic and James will enter their first full season together with questions about how the Lakers can best balance the 40-year-old James and his 26-year-old fellow star.

Redick, who said he had two productive in-person meetings with James this offseason, will oversee the leagueâ€s most-watched transfer of power.

Redick recognized that joining the Lakers brings consistent pressure. Then he was also transitioning from broadcasting to coaching while moving cities, settling his children into new schools and adjusting to a seismic midseason trade. Redickâ€s first year came with little time to reflect or process.

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After the Lakers were eliminated from the first round of the playoffs, Redick paused to consider his new career. He ruminated for weeks on how to define his philosophy as a coach and his methodology. He searched for answers in meetings with Rams coach Sean McVay, former NFL quarterback Tom Brady and Bradyâ€s former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

Through their conversations, he came away with a simple strategy to achieve success.

“We’re going to ask guys to be in championship shape, have championship communication and championship habits,†Redick said. “That’s a daily commitment to that.â€

James, who will start an unprecedented 23rd NBA season next week, has always been committed to those pillars, Redick said. Doncic has followed suit.

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The Slovenian superstarâ€s rebuilt and slimmed down body was the talk of the NBA summer after major magazine profiles in Menâ€s Health and the Wall Street Journal. The offseason work paid off in EuroBasket, where Doncic averaged 34.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 7.1 assists in Sloveniaâ€s run to the quarterfinals. He was named to the tournamentâ€s five-man All-Star team.

But after traveling to Poland to not only watch Doncic play but to observe Slovenian team practices, Pelinka came away just as impressed by Doncicâ€s off-court habits as his on-court game.

“How he not only led by example, but he was very demonstrative in the practice in terms of his expectations of the team, how they played, their togetherness,†Pelinka said. “Just seeing that continued evolution and growth with him as not only a leader by example but a leader with his voice really stood out to me.â€

Redick noted Doncicâ€s improved movement and defense during the European competition, and the coach expects to see the same version of the star guard stateside.

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“I expect the best version of Luka,†Redick said, “and itâ€s my job as a coach to bring that out on a daily basis.â€

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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In an NBA where a rim-protecting big man who shows some athleticism, can set screens and roll hard to the rim — and then finish — has real value, which is why a lot of teams have called and tried to pry Walker Kessler out of Utah. To no avail, he has remained the Jazzâ€s starting center.

That doesnâ€t mean Utah and Kessler are ready to ink his next contract. The sides remain well apart on a deal, and all signs point to Kessler playing out this season then becoming a restricted free agent next summer, reports Tony Jones at The Athletic.

“According to sources, [the Jazz] highly value Kessler and see him as a cornerstone to the future…. So, if the Jazz value Kessler so much, why not extend him now and lock him into a five-year deal?

The answer is simple: money. And the NBA is a business.

The Jazz see themselves trying to end their time near the bottom of the Western Conference standings as soon as next summer. By not signing Kessler now, he would have a cap hold of $14.9 million next summer, which would give the Jazz enough space to keep Kesslerâ€s hold and still do work in free agency.

If the Jazz signed Kessler to a contract extension worth a hypothetical $25 million a season, then next summer Kessler would count for $25 million against the salary cap, reducing the money the Jazz would have in free agency. Because Utah has Kesslerâ€s Bird rights, they can make whatever moves they want next summer and then re-sign Kessler (and go over the cap to do it).

The risk is that other teams have cap space next summer and could come in and try to poach Kessler with a contract that Utah doesnâ€t want to match (the Lakers have had interest in him before and will have cap space next summer). That is not likely, however, regardless of how many other teams have cap space. Ask this yearâ€s restricted free agents Jonathan Kuminga, Quentin Grimes and Cam Thomas about that — restricted free agency favors the team that has the rights.

Kessler played in 58 games last season averaging 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks a game. He is a plus defender in the paint who doesnâ€t shoot a lot, but he does heâ€s efficient shooting 66% last season.

For this season, Kessler stays in Utah and plays for his next contract, which also most likely will be in Utah. If he builds on those numbers from last season, it just gets more expensive for the Jazz to keep him.

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