Happy Thursday, everyone.
Let's get right to it.
Good morning to everyone but especially to...
USATSIFUTURE HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE BASKETBALL STARS
The NBA and the players' association could be negotiating for a new collective bargaining agreement within the next year. It will bring about big changes for the pros but also -- if commissioner Adam Silver has his way -- prep players, too. Yesterday, Silver said he is "hopeful" the age limit to enter the NBA Draft will drop from 19 to 18 under the new CBA.
The current CBA technically runs through 2023-24, but if both the players and the league opt out later this year, it could expire after the upcoming season.The NBA changed its age limit from 18 to 19 in 2005, shortly after a number of notable high-schoolers including LeBron James and Dwight Howard made the prep-to-pro jump.Plenty has changed since 2005. The popularity of recruiting has exploded, and players are being evaluated as NBA prospects earlier and earlier in their lives. Add in the emergence of college alternatives, such as G League Ignite, and it makes sense that the NBA wants to make this change:
Silver: "It may be the case that it's in all of our interests that we start impacting with these young players -- especially because in our sport they are identified at such a young age -- and begin working with them on their development then, not just basketball skills but increasingly there's a focus on their mental health, their diets, just helping them build character and all of the important values around the sport."Honorable mentions
And not such a good morning for...
CHARLIE MONTOYO
The Blue Jays have a ton of offensive star power and are invested heavily in their pitching. Seems like a dream job for any manager, but also one with high, high expectations... expectations that Charlie Montoyo apparently wasn't meeting.
Toronto fired its manager Wednesday after a disappointing start to the season. Bench coach John Schneider has been named interim manager.
The move comes despite Montoyo recently signing an extension through 2023 in April.After going 91-71 last year and barely missing the playoffs, the Blue Jays entered yesterday 46-42 -- just barely holding onto the third AL Wild Card spot -- and having lost 18 of their last 28. After yesterday's action, the Blue Jays and Mariners are tied for the second AL Wild Card spot.Injuries have played a big part: Standout pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu had Tommy John surgery last month, and fellow starter Yusei Kikuchi is also on IR.Montoyo finishes 236-236 in three-plus seasons as Toronto's manager. He joins Joe Girardi and Joe Maddon as managers fired this season.
The Blue Jays still have more than enough firepower for a second-half surge, but they'll need big names like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and José Berríos to perform better. They'll likely be active at the trade deadline as well.
