By: Robert Bishop
Back again, and with each passing day, a subsequent news report making it seem increasingly inevitable that the Seattle Seahawks and veteran quarterback Russell Wilson part ways. A few weeks ago, it seemed to be an impossible suggestion. Now without officially demanding a trade, Wilson has provided the franchise with a list of teams he’s interested in joining, setting the stage for a potential blockbuster move.
Thanks to Wilson’s status as one of the best players in football, along with $70 million remaining on his contract, the list of teams capable of acquiring the MVP candidate’s services is slim. However, there are multiple genuine possibilities. Arguably the best bet to land Wilson, based on potential return in the deal for Seattle, are the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas can offer quarterback Dak Prescott and a bevy of picks, or should the Seahawks want to start over completely, the Cowboys can build a package around its top-ten pick in this year’s draft.
Also sure to be in the bidding are the Las Vegas Raiders. Though Derek Carr is a solid option under center, he is a tier or two below Wilson. A package built around Carr and multiple first-round picks makes sense for Seattle. Lastly, the Chicago Bears have the ability to finally solve its massive void at quarterback by jettisoning multiple draft picks and a young, up-and-coming defensive player or two to the Seahawks in a deal. Once again, though nothing is imminent, it is starting to feel like it is only a matter of time before a trade happens.
In the NBA, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Zion Williamson went head-to-head in a back-and-forth duel on Thursday night, with the reigning MVP’s Milwaukee Bucks ultimately prevailing. Antetokounmpo finished the game with 38 points and 10 boards, and most impressively for him, knocked down 8-of-10 from the free-throw line. In defeat, Williamson scored 34 with eight boards and six dimes. Milwaukee has now won four straight after struggling for a few weeks while the Pelicans continue to search for consistency in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.
Washington won for the seventh time in ten games on Thursday night, defeating the Denver Nuggets. Somehow, despite a laughably bad start to the season, Washington is only 1.5 out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Bradley Beal scored 33, Russell Westbrook had a triple-double, and the team’s defense continues to show signs of life. The Nuggets had every opportunity to win this game, and on a few occasions, seemed more interested in taking tough shots than hitting open ones. That Denver ended up losing by a mere two points has to hurt considering the countless bypassed scoring chances in this one. The Nuggets have tumbled in the West, sitting in eighth place entering Friday.
There may not be a star-level player having as rough as a start to the season as Atlanta’s Danilo Gallinari. Signed to be the perfect veteran complement to the franchise’s young core, Gallinari has instead battled injury and a sense that he’s never played basketball before in his life. In a merciful development, on Wednesday night in a win over Boston, Gallinari finally looked like Gallinari of the past. He knocked down 10 three-pointers—a career-best—while scoring 38 points. Atlanta has to be hoping this is the start of a trend for Gallinari, and if it is, the Hawks are poised to make a charge in the Eastern Conference standings. Tonight, Atlanta travels to face the Thunder.
Later.