- Ex-Wifeâ€s Affair With Brother Left Ricardo RodrÃguez Homeless and Broken
- MVP has talked with WWE legend about turning life story into movie
- Nick Foligno rejoins Chicago Blackhawks after leave of absence
- MVP Refutes Rumor He Has Heat With AEW Star
- Nuggets’ Christian Braun reaches $125M extension, agent says
- Bulls’ Coby White out at least 2 more weeks with calf injury
- Backstage Report On WWE’s Plans For World Heavyweight Championship Match At SNME
- Former WWE Diva ‘Gets The Itch To Return All The Timeâ€
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Jamal CollierOct 20, 2025, 01:31 PM ET
- Jamal Collier is an NBA reporter at ESPN. Collier covers the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and the Midwest region of the NBA, including stories such as Minnesota’s iconic jersey swap between Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson. He has been at ESPN since Sept. 2021 and previously covered the Bulls for the Chicago Tribune. You can reach out to Jamal on Twitter @JamalCollier or via email Jamal.Collier@espn.com.
Chicago Bulls guard Coby White will miss at least two more weeks, including Wednesday’s regular-season opener against the Detroit Pistons, as he continues to ramp up basketball activities following a right calf strain, the team announced Monday.
White has missed all of the preseason after injuring his calf during an offseason workout in August, but he practiced this past Saturday for the first time since the start of training camp. The team previously said they expected White to be ready for the start of the year, but White told reporters after practice over the weekend that he still needs to get his conditioning.
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The team announced White will still continue on-court activities and that he is making progress in his ramp-up phase.
White, 25, has emerged as one of the team’s most reliable offensive players over the past two seasons since becoming a fixture in the starting backcourt. He averaged a career-high 20.4 points with 4.5 assists on 45% shooting and 37% from 3 in 74 games last season.
White is also entering the final year of a three-year, $36 million contract and can become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
In his absence, the Bulls have started both Tre Jones and Ayo Dosunmu in the backcourt during the preseason.
DETROIT — Pistons guard Jaden Ivey’s long-awaited return hit a snag as he will miss the next four weeks following right knee surgery, the team announced Thursday.
Ivey missed the last 49 games last season after a left fibula injury and played one preseason game before issues of discomfort arose. Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said it wasn’t a particular play that birthed the injury.
“It was something that was developing over his work. Obviously, from coming back but in training camp also, he started to feel something,” Bickerstaff said before the Pistons’ final preseason game against the Washington Wizards. “We took precautions, and then the medical team did their assessments and those things, and then had to make the decision that ultimately led us to where we are today.”
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Ivey, the fifth pick in the 2022 draft, was in the midst of a breakout season last year before colliding with Magic guard Cole Anthony on New Year’s Day. He was averaging 17.6 points and shooting 41% from 3-point range, both career highs.
The Pistons acquired veteran guard Dennis Schroder to play backup point guard in the wake of Ivey’s injury last season. Bickerstaff believes guards Marcus Sasser and two-way guard Daniss Jenkins can fill in the blanks during this absence. Third-year forward Ausar Thompson has been given more responsibility in training camp to be a primary facilitator when All-NBA guard Cade Cunningham goes to the bench.
As for Ivey, it could be 10 months before he sees regular-season action again, and he’s up for a rookie-scale extension should the team and he agree on a contract before the Oct. 20 deadline.
The Pistons will be careful with his recovery given the back-to-back injuries to one of the league’s fastest players.
“Our priority is to do what’s right by our guys, and never put them in a position where we feel like we have to rush them back,” Bickerstaff said. “We know mentally how that can impact him, physically and long-term as well.”
The Ottawa Senators’ captain will be out even longer than initially expected.
Brady Tkachuk underwent surgery for his right hand injury and will miss six to eight weeks, the team announced on Thursday.
It initially looked as though Tkachuk was set to miss at least four weeks, but with the player opting for surgery, the timeline for a return has been extended.
Senators owner Michael Andlauer told reporters on Wednesday that the team was seeking a second opinion to determine if surgery would be required.
Tkachuk appeared to injure his right hand Monday night when he was cross-checked into the boards by Nashville Predators defenceman Roman Josi five minutes into their game. Coach Travis Green told reporters Tuesday that Tkachuk would be out a “significant†amount of time with what the team was calling an upper-body injury.
He stayed in the game, a 4-1 loss to the Predators, before leaving midway through the third period. Green estimated Tkachuk would be out for four weeks.
The 26-year-old has been a key player for the Senators in recent years. Through three games this season, he has three assists and 10 hits.
Last season, Tkachuk posted 29 goals and 26 assists through 72 games while laying 228 hits and firing 296 shots on goal. He added four goals and three assists in the Senators’ six-game first-round loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the playoffs.
Over his eight-year career, all of which has been spent in Canada’s capital, Tkachuk has 191 goals and 216 assists in 515 games.
He was one of six players named to the preliminary U.S. Olympic men’s hockey roster. The tournament in Italy is set to run Feb. 11-22.
–with files from The Associated Press
SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…
Tuesday nightâ€s (10/14) episode of NXT on The CW broadcast network averaged 690,000 viewers, compared to 625,000 the prior week and the 572,000 the week before that. The current ten-week rolling average is 666,000.
One year ago this week, NXT drew 639,000 viewers. The ten-week rolling average a year ago was 684,000.
Two years ago this week, NXT drew 798,000. Then ten-week rolling average was 757,000.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Did you know you can read an ad-free, silky-smooth-loading version of this website with a PWTorch VIP Membership? Also, unlock 35+ years of archives including nearly 2,000 PWTorch Weekly Newsletters dating back to the late 1980s, hundreds of retro radio shows from the 1990s, and two decades of podcasts including Post-PPV Roundtable Podcasts dating back to the mid-2000s. Plus, new VIP-exclusive articles and podcasts throughout the week, fully compatible with the native Apple Podcasts app: CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON VIP MEMBERSHIP
Check out the latest episode of “PWT Talks NXT” with Kelly Wells and Nate Lindberg, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
In the key 18-49 demo, it drew 0.12 rating, compared to 0.12 and 0.10 the prior two weeks. The ten-week rolling average is 0.14.
One year ago, it drew a a 0.19 rating with a ten-week rolling average of 0.18.
Two years ago, it drew a 0.23 rating with a ten-week rolling average of 0.22.
The announced matches and segments were…
- Battle Royal for shot at NXT Womenâ€s Championship (winner to face Jacy Jayne at Halloween Havoc)
- Blake Monroe vs. Zaria
- Josh Briggs vs. Matt Cardona
- El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. vs. Lexis King
Check out our RATINGS HEADQUARTERS PAGE for more ratings reports.
(You can always reach PWTorch editor Wade Keller at kellerwade@gmail.com. You can also send live event results and news tips to pwtorch@gmail.com. Also, we’re always looking for volunteer contributors to help us round out of coverage of the pro wrestling scene.)
Follow us on Blue Sky, a great Twitter alternative, as we shift away from TwitterX…
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Ryan S. ClarkOct 15, 2025, 01:25 PM ET
- Ryan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN.
New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom is expected to miss a couple of weeks because of a lower-body injury, coach Sheldon Keefe said Wednesday.
His second campaign with the Devils has seen him win two of his first three games only to have a 3.89 goals-against average and a .845 save percentage.
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The Devils called up Nico Daws from their AHL affiliate on Wednesday with the expectation he’ll work in tandem with veteran Jake Allen, who left their 3-2 win Monday over the Columbus Blue Jackets because of cramping. Markstrom played for 20 minutes and stopped eight of the nine shots he faced.
Inserting Daws into their goalie lineup is nothing new for the Devils. He has split time between the NHL and AHL the past few years, appearing in 52 games since the 2021-22 season, including a 3-1 mark with a 1.60 GAA and a .939 save percentage over six games last season.
Markstrom’s injury also comes at a time in which the Devils are managing other injuries throughout their lineup. Forward Evgenii Dadonov, who signed a one-year deal in free agency, was moved to injured reserve after suffering a hand injury Thursday in their season opener.
The injury list also includes forward Stefan Noesen along with defensemen Seamus Casey and Johnathan Kovacevic.
Keefe told reporters that Noesen is getting closer to returning. Casey has resumed skating but will remain out of the lineup, while Kovacevic is skating but will still be out for months.
The Sacramento Kings will be without forward Keegan Murray to start the season.
Murray suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb during the teamâ€s preseason loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night, the team announced on Sunday afternoon. Murray is set to undergo surgery in the near future, and heâ€ll be evaluated again in four-to-six weeks.
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If Murray is out the full six weeks, he could be eligible to return for the Kings’ matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 24, the teamâ€s 18th game of the season.
Murray averaged 12.4 points and 6.7 rebounds last season, his third in the league after the Kings took him with the No. 4 overall pick in 2022. Heâ€s missed just 13 games throughout his career due to injury. The former Iowa standout is entering the final year of his initial four-year, $36.3 million deal with the franchise, and heâ€s eligible for an extension this month. If Murray and the Kings canâ€t get a deal done, heâ€ll enter restricted free agency next summer.
The 25-year-old has been a reliable piece in the Kings†starting lineup over the past three seasons, and heâ€ll presumably play a big role in the teamâ€s effort to make it back to the postseason — something theyâ€ve only done once in the past two decades. The Kings went 40-42 last season and ended up firing head coach Mike Brown. The team eventually promoted interim head coach Doug Christie to replace him permanently.
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The Kings will open the regular season on Oct. 22 against the Phoenix Suns. Itâ€s unclear who will take Murrayâ€s place in the starting lineup in the meantime, though Christie experimented with rookie Maxime Raynaud at the position on Sunday, according to the Sacramento Bee. The Kings took Raynaud with the No. 42 overall pick in the draft earlier this summer out of Stanford, where he averaged 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.
“In our league, two bigs, weâ€re starting to see quite a bit, so itâ€s one of the things I think that youâ€ve got to look at,†Christie said. “Max is a talented player. This is the preseason, so to get him out there and to get him those types of reps is more what thatâ€s about. Weâ€ve got a couple other options over the next couple days that weâ€ll throw out there.â€
Lakers star LeBron James could not take the court to begin the preseason due to a right glute issue, and apparently, the injury is more serious than initially believed.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that James will miss at least three to four weeks due to sciatica in his right side. Due to the timeframe, he won’t be available for Opening Night for the first time in his 23-year NBA career.
After failing to play at least 60 games in three consecutive seasons, James appeared in 71 and 70 games the past two. His absence opens up a spot within the Lakers’ starting lineup, raising the fantasy ceilings of Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton.
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Who will start with LeBron sidelined? Lakers head coach JJ Redick has multiple options at his disposal, but regardless of who he selects, that player will likely be more impactful defensively than offensively. Holdover Jarred Vanderbilt and offseason addition Marcus Smart are two possibilities, with each bringing more consistent production to the table on the defensive end of the floor. While Smart has been the better scorer of the two throughout their careers, he hasn’t always been a consistent shooter.
NBA: Los Angeles Lakers-Media Day
Fantasy Basketball 2025-26: LeBron James, Paolo Banchero among players to avoid in drafts
Early ADP data shows that some players are potentially being overvalued by fantasy managers.
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Another option is offseason addition Jake LaRavia, who has started the Lakers’ first two preseason games. While not the defender that Vanderbilt or Smart is, LaRavia’s versatility makes him an intriguing deep-league option if he’s allowed to start in James’ place.
As for the remaining starters, Luka DonÄić is the Laker whose draft outlook will be impacted the least, as he already boasts a top-5 ADP. He’ll have even more responsibility to begin the year, so fantasy managers who land DonÄić will hope his efficiency does not take a hit with LeBron unavailable.
Reaves, Ayton and Rui Hachimura should all move up draft boards, with the former being the safest option to reach for. Last season, Reaves provided fourth-round per-game value in eight- and nine-cat formats. Hachimura was a late-round option a season ago, and he remains a player who should be selected just outside the first 100 picks.
NBA: Los Angeles Lakers-Media Day
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Ayton is the wild card, especially considering his play in the Lakers’ first two preseason games. After a listless effort in the team’s opener, the center was better in Sunday’s exhibition loss to the Warriors. The former first-overall pick doesn’t lack talent, but inconsistent effort is why the Lakers signed him on a relatively cheap deal this summer.
Ayton totaled 95 appearances in his two seasons with the Trail Blazers, including 40 during the 2024-25 campaign.
One of the most impressive parts of LeBron James†career has been his durability — he has played more minutes than any player in league history. Another example, in 22 seasons, he had never missed an opening night.
That changes this year. LeBron James is out with sciatica on his right side and will be re-evaluated in 3-4 weeks, the Lakers have announced. That means he is out for opening night, Oct. 21, when the Lakers host Stephen Curry and the Warriors in the second game of a double-header, the games that mark the return of the NBA to NBC and its debut on Peacock.
Even the most optimistic timeline has LeBron missing the Lakers†first six games, but with him being re-evaluated in a month expect that number to climb into the double digits at least. A return in mid-November seems more likely.
One of the most well known cases of sciatica in the NBA is LeBronâ€s Mind the Game cohost Steve Nash. Nashâ€s sciatica was linked to multiple bulging discs in his back and spondylolisthesis,
— Jeff Stotts (@InStreetClothes) October 9, 2025
Sciatica is a shooting pain, often accompanied by weakness or numbness, along one side of the body due to pressure on the sciatic nerve. That nerve runs from the lower back through the hips and down the leg to the feet. That compression of the nerve can be caused by a number of things, such as a herniated disc, a bone spur, lifting something heavy incorrectly, or other issues. The treatment rarely involves surgery, but is more about rest, specific stretches and exercises (depending on the cause of the pain) and heat/ice on the affected area.
LeBron, 40, was a second-team All-NBA player for the Lakers last season, averaging 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds a game. The Lakers had hoped to use this yearâ€s training camp to get LeBron and Luka Doncic more comfortable playing next to one another, but LeBronâ€s sciatica has put that on hold. Doncic has been a full participant in practices, Lakers coach J.J. Redick said today.
New matches are set for next Saturdayâ€s AEW Collision Homecoming.
The show, which will take place at Dalyâ€s Place in Jacksonville, Florida, already has six matches announced. One will see Kota Ibushi make his return, taking on Josh Alexander of the Don Callis Family.
Eddie Kingston, who defeated Dralsitico on this week’s show, will face The Beast Mortos next week. Meanwhile, Max Caster and Anthony Bowens will team with one another once again, taking on Big Bill and Bryan Keith after words were traded. Despite teaming up together again, both noted in the segment that they have still not reunited as The Acclaimed.
After the Triangle of Madness attacked Toni Storm and Kris Statlander during their promo to hype their upcoming Wrestledream match, Harley Cameron came down for the save, setting up a six-person tag team match for Jacksonville. After Megan Bayne laid out Willow Nightingale, Bayne will team up with FTR to take on Nightingale and Jetspeed.
Following this weekâ€s show, Tony Khan also announced that TayJay will be in action.
Current AEW Collision Homecoming lineup:
- Kota Ibushi vs. Josh Alexander
- Max Caster & Anthony Bowens vs. Big Bill and Bryan Keith
- Edde Kingston vs. The Beast Mortos
- Kris Statlander, Toni Storm, and Harley Cameron vs. Triangle of Madness (Skye Blue, Thekla, and Julia Hart)
- Mixed tag team match: FTR & Megan Bayne vs. Jetspeed & Willow Nightingale
- TayJay in action
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This week’s WWE SmackDown gave a heartbreaking update on Corey Graves’ medical condition.
On September 19, Brock Lesnar shockingly took out Corey Graves on SmackDown before Wrestlepalooza. Lesnar was supposed to sit with Michael Cole for an interview, but he hijacked the opening segment and was about to attack him. Graves interrupted to protect his fellow senior commentator, but couldn’t escape the wrath of the Beast. Lesnar delivered two F5s on the retired wrestler, putting him out of action.
Following these actions, fans were curious about a medical update on their favourite commentator, but they received an unexpected one.
Booker T Claims Corey Graves “is Finished”
The October 3 episode of WWE SmackDown kicked off from Cincinnati, Ohio, with Michael Cole and Booker T as the commentators. The show had some explosive matches along with some shocking surprises and betrayals. Right after the contract signing between Tiffany Stratton and Stephanie Vaquer, and the sneak attack from Giulia, the camera zoomed in on Cole and Booker T, and they had this conversation:
Cole: Booker T with me, here at ringside. Corey Graves still convalescing at home after the attack by Brock Lesnar.
Booker T: He’s finished. He’s finished. He’s done. He’s done.”
“He’s finished, he’s finished, he’s done.”
Booker T on Corey Graves 😂#SmackDownpic.twitter.com/zIsTGZ1Aww
— â• SlamX â• (@SubToSlamX) October 4, 2025
This was a shocker for the fans as Graves has been an important part of the WWE commentary team. Be it NXT, RAW, or SmackDown, his voice echoes around during the matches. His sarcastic comments, along with the playful banter with the wrestlers during the show, are what fans love about the WWE star. Cole added some more information about Graves’ return after this, saying,
Cole: He’s not finished. He’ll be back in a couple of weeks, from what I understand.”
This latter part of the conversation gave a breath of relief to the fans who were worried about Graves following the attack. The Miz filled up for Graves on that show as Cole was frightened following the incident. WWE usually takes action against the wrestlers who attack their staff, but there is no official statement from the promotion, nor have they imposed any penalty on Lesnar.