Month: March 2021

Categories
Entertainment

Tom Holland proves with nice energy that even greater footage come with no shirt

Tom Holland proves with great power that even bigger pictures come without a shirt

Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man looks great in AF.

On Friday March 26th Tom Holland participated in his Instagram story to share his recent muscle gains.

“I never post anything like this, but it’s our last day so fuck it,” he wrote alongside a shirtless photo with his trainer. “Thanks @duffygaver for doing everything better about this job. I love you buddy.”

He ended the friendly headline with “Last Session. No. 72”.

Of course, fans went into a frenzy after seeing the snap. One stunned fan took to Twitter and wrote, “Tom Holland really just looks that way.” Another added: “I don’t like him being 24 and I’m 30 and I know I don’t have to tell myself that, but sometimes I have a strong urge to teach Tom Holland everything he knows.”

While little is known about the plot of the third Spider-Man, titled Spider-Man: No Way Home, there are rumors of Spider-Man alum Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfieldand or Kirsten Dunst will appear.

Categories
Sport

Quentin Grimes’ Houston revival is the Candy 16’s finest basketball story

Quentin Grimes' Houston revival is the Sweet 16's best basketball story

In a game full of episodic under-successes for the Houston Cougars, that moment could have been viewed as yet another disappointment on the way to parting with the 2021 NCAA tournament. Star Guard Quentin Grimes was five points behind Rutgers at 2:53 in the second round and was approaching the foul line with the opportunity to reduce it to the edge of a single 3-point shot. Grimes, usually 77 percent reliable, missed both free throws.

That could have been it for Houston, the champions of the American Athletic Conference and number two in the NCAA Midwest region. However, dirt is nothing if not resilient. He fought for his own ricochet, restarted the Cougars offensive and fired a 3-pointer within seconds that seemed to convince Rutgers that he wasn’t going to hold that lead.

Quentin Grimes became the Sweet 16’s best basketball story.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud of a young man where he started from where he is now,” said Houston coach Kelvin Sampson this week. “And it all depends on his work ethic. Before a workout, during a workout, after a workout, all year round – I don’t think he’s ever two days where he’s not in the gym.

“At a time when guys have a million distractions, that kid’s distraction is the gym.”

MORE MARCH FURIOUS: Live scores | Updated bracket | Television program

Throughout Sweet 16 there are sure to be charming stories of family relationships or obstacles overcome which they specialize in presenting the Olympics.

In the purest sense of basketball, however, Grimes is what college basketball is about: fully developing as a player, however long it takes – as long as it happens within the allotted four seasons.

Grimes arrived at the same location in college basketball on the same night as Zion Williamson. They were part of the 2018 Champions Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, and Grimes was so standout he almost stole the show before Zion could even take the seat.

Ranked number 8 in his class by a consensus of analyst recruitment, Grimes started his first college game for Bill Self in Kansas against Michigan State, lighting the Spartans with a 6-of-10 hit from 3 points -Range. His muscular build and compact form seemed indestructible. He scored 21 points and passed three assists – and a star was born.

It turned out to be Zion, not Quentin. That night was really as good as it would get for a Kansas freshman Grimes. In the remaining 35 games he scored only 12 double-digit goals. He made only five of his next 28 3-point attempts and ended six times without three in that 10-game stretch. He shot 34 percent from a distance for the season.

What was supposed to be easy – getting to college, dominating, entering early, dubbed the lottery choice by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver – had become an expected, undesirable challenge.

Grimes put his name on the 2019 NBA draft, and it seemed from afar that he was going to do what so many other newbies have been doing lately: exit the college game, ready for the NBA or not , and see how it all works. Instead, Grimes withdrew from the early contestant list and then moved closer to his home in The Woodlands, Texas. He chose Houston.

Grimes told ESPN.com last season that he wasn’t fixated on doing well as a KU freshman, but it was evident that he couldn’t be comfortable on the Kansas offensive.

“Every situation doesn’t always match the person’s particular abilities,” Quentin’s father Marshall Grimes told ESPN. “Coach Self is a great coach. He is a hall of fame trainer. Most of the people there are really good people. “

In Houston, it took Grimes a while to regain the gamer the Boy Scouts had so enthusiastically endorsed, but his assimilation as a Cougar was immediate.

“When I got in I was kind of a newbie,” Grimes told reporters this week. “I’ve just learned everything and what coach Sampson wants in practice every day. I’m really trying to get a sense of being comfortable, and that’s how I did it this year.

“Some teams may get jealous or selfish when another player walks in. But they hugged me like I’d already been there. It just made the transition easier. “

MORE: Syracuse vs. Houston: odds, tips, predictions

As a second year student last season, he averaged 12.1 points and shot 32.6 percent from depth. Sampson saw that some work would be required to repair the damaged Grimes trust. Without a belief in the infallibility of the next attempt, without the talent to forget the shot you just missed, no shooter can thrive.

“I think a lot of people let him down because he didn’t live up to other people’s expectations,” said Sampson. “Since he came here, we have been able to convince him that his work and preparation build his confidence. He plays with great confidence. “

Grimes specifically mentions assistant coach Quannas White, the point guard of the Oklahoma Final Four team from 2002 and UH employee since 2017, who takes responsibility for training Grimes on his jumper.

“I just feel like there’s never a day off,” Grimes said, meaning that as a compliment rather than a complaint. “We work every day to get to my places where I like to get it: every day before training, every day after training. It never lets me down, even on days when I’m tired. He never lets me walk slowly. It’s always 110 percent. I just have the feeling that these people are always pushing you and always seeing what’s inside of you that you may not be able to bring out yourself. I think that is the main key that stands out in this program. “

Grimes and the Cougars will play Syracuse in the Midwest region semi-finals on Saturday night. As a 6-5, 210-pound guard, he averages 18.1 points and 6.0 rebounds. He connects 41.7 percent of his 3-point attempts. He scored 22 points in the Rutgers game, 21 in the narrow AAC semi-final win over Memphis that led Houston to the league title, and 17 in the season win over the Tigers, which kept Houston’s hopes for a No. 2 NCAA seed alive. He’s rarely had a rough night at one of the Cougars’ greatest games.

For all of this and more, he’s been named the All-America Third Team by all four NCAA-recognized main voters, including Sporting News. If the third team seems skimpy, keep in mind that one player out of 4,000 or more Division I players is in the top 15. Grimes is also a finalist and possibly the favorite for the Jerry West Award, presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the best marksman in college basketball.

That was Houston’s turn against Rutgers in those closing minutes, and the expectation after seeing him at work this year was that everything would surely work out. It just didn’t go as planned.

Categories
Science

A plan to retailer semen, spores, eggs and sperm on the moon for protected holding

A plan to store semen, spores, eggs and sperm on the moon for safe keeping

Always have a backup plan. Some people take this axiom to the highest level and develop backup plans for life themselves. The Svalbard Seedbank is one such backup plan. It is located in an ice cave in Norway and is home to hundreds of thousands of seed samples to help conserve the biodiversity that is currently arranged on Earth. Ironically, when the worst models of sea level rise due to climate change are discovered, the seedbank itself is inundated by the sea and its precious cargo is lost. Now a team led by a professor at the University of Arizona (UA) has proposed a much more radical idea: the same type of ark, but much further away from a possible catastrophic human failure – on the moon.

The concept of such a “moon ark” was developed by Dr. Jekan Thanga and his team in the UA’s Aerospace and Engineering Department recently presented at a meeting of the IEEE Aerospace Conference. Instead of just holding plant seeds, the ark would also contain the precursors for higher functioning life such as eggs and sperm. And all of this biodiversity would be in one of the most stable places in the solar system – in lava tubes on the moon.

Youtube video detailing the Ark concept
Photo credit: Diaz-Florez et al

Scientists discovered a series of around 200 lava tubes in 2013. With a diameter of approximately 100 m, these lava tubes are the largest than most underground tunnels on earth today. And above all, they are extremely stable. Research has shown that they have remained largely untouched by radiation, meteorite impacts, tectonic movements, earthquakes, or other disruptive events over the past three to four billion years.

In addition to the passive environment, the lava tubes have another advantage: They are extremely cold. Preserving the mass amount of biological material would benefit immensely from the cryogenic temperatures, and the moon’s subsurface would already receive some kind of ark, at least in part, on the way there, starting at around -25 ° C. That is still a long way from -196C where stem cells (a suggested component of the ark) must be kept, but at least it’s part of the way to get there.

Concept of the layout of a potential moon ark.
Photo credit: Jekan Thanga

Operating at such low temperatures is actually one of the toughest challenges facing the Ark project. Machines would fail at temperatures where metal could be cold welded together, rendering any storage system inoperable.

However, the UA research team spent a lot of time thinking about the thermal modeling for the project, realizing that they could take advantage of the cold temperatures in ways that would not be possible elsewhere. You could use the principle of superconductivity.

UT video on stage tubes

Superconductors, at least the most common modern ones, operate at temperatures around the cryogenic point required to maintain the biologics in the ark. They also have the nice quality of being able to float when exposed to a magnetic field. The use of superconductors in a transport system would eliminate most of the difficulties in moving around in such cold temperatures.

Transport mechanics are obviously not the only difficulty facing such a mission. However, one possible difficulty is not as severe as the team initially thought. Typically, the start-up cost is the biggest cost of any ambitious mission. It would still be the case for the Ark, but the total number of launches required to obtain a sample of each biologic that would be needed to rebuild the entire earth’s ecosphere would only be about 250.

Images of open lava tubes on the moon. These could turn out to be potential locations for an ark.
Photo credit: NASA / LRO

Admittedly, this is still an order of magnitude more than the most ambitious space project to date – the ISS, which required around 40 launches to build. Given the extra efforts companies like NASA and SpaceX are making to get to the Moon and Mars, 250 launches doesn’t seem entirely prohibitive for a project that could potentially protect all of Earth’s biodiversity for billions of years.

Obviously, there are still many hurdles to overcome before taking a proposed Ark project seriously. Part of the goal of science, however, is to come up with and propose crazy ideas that could have a real future impact on the benefit (or at least protect) of humanity and life in general. While it would be a long time before an ark like the one Dr. Thanga has suggested, at all considered for a mission, ideas like his are what makes the space exploration community so interesting.

Learn more:
UA engineers propose solar-powered lunar arks as a “modern global insurance policy”
UT – Why lava tubes should be our top exploration priority in other worlds
LiveScience scientists want to store DNA from 6.7 million species on the moon just in case
Popular Mechanics – Scientists plan to build Noah’s Ark on the moon

Main image: side view of the proposed Ark concept
Photo credit: Jekan Thanga

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Health

5 issues you need to know earlier than the inventory market opens on Friday March 26th

5 things you should know before the stock market opens on Friday March 26th

Here are the top news, trends, and analysis that investors need to get their trading day started:

1. Dow to complement Thursday’s late session comeback

Traders work on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

NYSE

Pedestrians wearing protective masks carry shopping bags in San Francisco, California on Wednesday, February 17, 2021.

David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The trading department is on the move with personal income and expense figures for February at 8:30 a.m.CET. Economists expect a 7% drop in income. Spending also falls by 0.8%. In January, income rose 10%, the largest monthly gain since April, when Americans received approved stimulus checks in December. Spending in January was up 2.4%. Another round of stimulus testing approved in March could appear in the data in the coming months.

2. The office sharing company WeWork signs a new deal to go public

A guest attends the opening ceremony of WeWork Hong Kong’s flagship facility in Hong Kong, China, on Feb.23, 2017.

Bobby Yip | Reuters

WeWork, which went public in 2019 after a dwindling valuation and the resignation of co-founder Adam Neumann, has hit a new deal to go public. The office sharing company agreed on Friday to partner with acquisition company BowX Acquisition Corp. to merge. The transaction values ​​WeWork at $ 9 billion, a fraction of its one-time valuation of approximately $ 47 billion. According to the announcement, BowX’s shares rose 2.5% on the Friday before going public.

3. GameStop stocks open higher after rising above 50%

A man is on the phone in front of GameStop on 6th Avenue in New York on February 25, 2021.

John Smith | Corbis News | Getty Images

GameStop shares rose roughly 10% on the Friday before entering the market, the morning after a five-time losing streak and up 52%. There was no obvious news on Thursday. GameStop was the most famous “meme stock” that was popular with retailers on Reddit and other social media platforms. The stock lost about a third of its value on Wednesday after the video game retailer delivered disappointing fourth quarter results, failed to detail its digital turnaround plans and confirmed it was considering selling more shares.

4. Tesla ordered Elon Musk to delete anti-union tweet

Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX and chief executive officer of Tesla, waves as he arrives for a discussion at the Satellite 2020 conference in Washington, DC on Monday, March 9, 2020.

Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The National Labor Relations Board urged Tesla to get Elon Musk to delete a tweet that was viewed as a threat to work organizers at the company. The independent federal agency also ordered Tesla to reinstate a laid-off employee, Richard Ortiz, a union attorney. Tesla must also compensate Ortiz for lost earnings, benefits, and adverse tax consequences resulting from his termination. The NLRB’s decision largely corresponded to the decision of an administrative judge in 2019, which Tesla had appealed to the full board.

5. Delays in blocking the Suez Canal estimated at $ 400 million an hour in goods

The stranded container ship Ever Given, one of the largest container ships in the world, was seen aground in Egypt’s Suez Canal on March 25, 2021.

Suez Canal Authority | Reuters

The Ever Given, a stranded mega-container ship in the Suez Canal, trades an estimated $ 400 million an hour based on the approximate value of goods transported daily through the key waterway. That’s according to shipping data and news company Lloyd’s List. Lloyd’s estimates traffic to the west of the Canal at around $ 5.1 billion per day and traffic to the east at around $ 4.5 billion per day. The Suez Canal, which separates Africa from Asia, is one of the busiest trade routes in the world.

– Get the latest on the pandemic using CNBC’s coronavirus blog.

Categories
Science

Direct observations affirm that people throw the earth’s power price range out of steadiness – watts with that?

Direct observations confirm that humans throw the earth's energy budget out of balance - watts with that?

From NASA

The earth has a budget – an energy budget. Our planet is constantly trying to balance the flow of energy in and out of the earth system. But human activities throw that off balance and cause our planet to warm up in response.

Radiant energy enters the earth system from the sunlight that shines on our planet. Some of this energy is reflected back into space from the earth’s surface or atmosphere. The rest is absorbed, heats the planet and is then given off as radiant thermal energy, just as black asphalt gets hot and radiates heat on a sunny day. Ultimately, this energy also goes to space, but some of it is reabsorbed by clouds and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The absorbed energy can also be released back to the earth, where it heats the surface even more.

Adding more components that absorb radiation – like greenhouse gases – or removing those that reflect it – like aerosols – affects the earth’s energy balance and causes more energy to be absorbed by the earth instead of escaping into space. This is known as radiative forcing and is the dominant way that human activities affect the climate.

A simplified animation of the planetary energy balance of the earth: The energy budget of a planet is balanced between incoming (yellow) and outgoing radiation (red). On earth, natural and man-made processes affect the amount of energy received and sent back into space. This study filters out fluctuations in the earth’s energy budget due to feedback processes and reveals the energy changes caused by aerosols and greenhouse gas emissions

Climate modeling predicts that human activities will release greenhouse gases and aerosols that affect the earth’s energy balance. Now a NASA study has confirmed these predictions for the first time with direct observations: The radiation forces increase due to human actions, influence the energy balance of the planet and ultimately cause climate change. The paper was published online in the journal Geophysical Research Letters on March 25, 2021.

“This is the first calculation of the Earth’s total radiative forcing using global observations, including the effects of aerosols and greenhouse gases,” said Ryan Kramer, first author of the paper and researcher at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland and the University of Maryland , Baltimore County. “It is direct evidence that human activity is changing the earth’s energy budget.”

NASA’s Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) project investigates the radiation flux at the top of the Earth’s atmosphere. A number of CERES instruments have flown continuously on satellites since 1997. Each measures how much energy is entering and leaving the Earth system, which gives the total net change in radiation. This data, when combined with other data sources such as ocean heat measurements, shows that there is an energy imbalance on our planet.

“But it doesn’t tell us which factors are causing changes in the energy balance,” said Kramer.

Other satellites and instruments – like CERES – monitor the incoming energy from the sun and the energy that is released back into space. Credits: NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio Download this image from NASA Goddard’s Scientific Visualization Studio

This study used a new technique to find out how much of the total energy change is caused by humans. The researchers calculated how much of the imbalance was caused by variations in frequently naturally occurring factors such as water vapor, clouds, temperature, and surface albedo (essentially the brightness or reflectivity of the earth’s surface). For example, the AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) instrument on NASA’s Aqua satellite measures the water vapor in the earth’s atmosphere. Water vapor absorbs energy in the form of heat, so changes in water vapor affect how much energy ultimately leaves the Earth system. The researchers calculated the change in energy caused by each of these natural factors and then subtracted the values ​​from the total. The leftover part is the radiative forcing.

The team found that human activity increased radiative forcing on Earth by around 0.5 watts per square meter from 2003 to 2018. The increase is mainly due to greenhouse gas emissions from power generation, transportation and industrial manufacturing. Reduced reflective aerosols also contribute to the imbalance.

The new technology is computationally faster than previous model-based methods, so researchers can monitor radiative forcing in almost real time. The method could be used to track how human emissions affect the climate, to monitor how well various mitigation efforts are working, and to evaluate models to predict future changes in climate.

“By creating a direct record of radiative forcing that is calculated from observations, we can assess how well climate models can simulate these forces,” said Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS) in New York City. “That way, we can make more confident predictions about how the climate will change in the future.”

Caption in the header: A supercomputer model from NASA shows how greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) – a major driver of global warming – fluctuate in the earth’s atmosphere all year round. Higher concentrations are shown in red. Credits: NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio / NASA’s Global Modeling and Assimilation Office. Download this image from NASA Goddard’s Scientific Visualization Studio.

From Sofie Bates
NASA’s Earth Science News Team

Last updated: March 25, 2021 Editor: Sofie Bates

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Sport

NFL free company 2021 winners and losers

NFL free agency 2021 winners and losers

The 2021 NFL free agency deals are starting to slow down, with just a handful of the top names still on the market. Numerous playmakers and impact talents have agreed to terms for 2021 and beyond. Which contracts stand out so far, and what have we learned from a week of players headed to new teams?

The negotiating period began on March 15 with huge deals for pass-rushers on the market, and free agency officially opened on March 17. The New England Patriots were the headline, agreeing to new contracts for the two top tight ends on the market — Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith — a pair of wide receivers in Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, pass-rusher Matthew Judon and defensive back Jalen Mills, among others. Are they the winners of the free-agency period?

Our expert crew weighs in on free agency, including the most improved teams, the biggest surprises, underrated deals, curious team approaches, the Patriots’ busy week with their checkbook and how some quarterbacks on new deals might fare in 2021. Check back all week for more reactions to this offseason’s free-agent frenzy.

See more:
Tracking deals | Grades

What was the most head-scratching move of free agency?

Matt Bowen, NFL analyst: The Raiders signing running back Kenyan Drake. Drake can fit in multiple NFL offenses given his one-cut running style and short-area speed. But I question why Las Vegas would give Drake a two-year deal — with $11 million in guarantees — to take touches away from Josh Jacobs. Remember, Jacobs is a volume runner in Jon Gruden’s power scheme.

2 Related

Mike Clay, NFL analyst: The Patriots overpaying role-playing wide receivers. Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne are fine No. 3 or No. 4 options on most teams. But New England seemed to misjudge a soft wide receiver market by committing $16 million to the inconsistent Agholor (more than Will Fuller V and Marvin Jones Jr. earned, among others) and $5 million to Bourne (more than John Brown, Breshad Perriman and Tyrell Williams agreed to, among others).

Kevin Seifert, national NFL writer: The Raiders dismantling their offensive line and not using the money aggressively to address their defense. They did, however, guarantee Drake $6.75 million despite having Jacobs signed for at least two more years under the terms of his rookie contract.

Seth Walder, sports analytics writer: The Raiders signing Drake. If Las Vegas wanted to reallocate resources from its offensive line, backup running back was not the spot to do it. I’m having a hard time imagining the meeting where the decision-makers came to the conclusion it was.

What was the best overall free-agent move?

Bowen: The Patriots signing tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. With Henry and Smith now in the mix, look for the Patriots to create stress for opposing defenses out of two-TE sets. I see Henry as a seam stretcher and middle-of-the-field target in the New England offense, with coordinator Josh McDaniels utilizing Smith’s dynamic traits as a tough matchup in the game plan.

Clay: The Browns signing John Johnson III. Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald got all the headlines, but Johnson was a key component to the Rams’ strong defensive play during his four years with the franchise. One of the league’s elite safeties, Johnson is versatile and talented enough to dominate in coverage and against the run while aligning deep, in the box or even at corner. He could be the linchpin behind a breakout for the Cleveland defense in 2021.

Seifert: The Cowboys re-signing quarterback Dak Prescott. Viewed in the big picture, the Cowboys got a Pro Bowl quarterback locked in until he is 31. Including last season’s time on the franchise tag, the Cowboys will have controlled at least five of his seasons after the expiration of his rookie contract. Yes, they paid a premium to do it, but Prescott’s price only would have gone up in 2022 — and could possibly have been prohibitive.

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1:26

Dan Orlovsky explains how the expectations have ramped up for Dak Prescott with his new contract.

Walder: The Cowboys re-signing Prescott. It was the most consequential move. In a league of haves and have-nots at quarterback, Dallas was tiptoeing dangerously close to crossing that line in the wrong direction. In terms of expected performance over the next five years, Prescott is probably a top-six or seven QB. When you have that player on your roster, you pay him and are grateful that you have the chance to do so.

Which is the most improved team after free agency?

Bowen: Washington Football Team. The Patriots addressed multiple needs during free agency, but I’m looking at Ron Rivera’s team here. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and wide receiver Curtis Samuel will bring more juice and explosive play ability to D.C. And on the defensive side of the ball, cornerback William Jackson III is an upgrade in the secondary. He is a physical, press-man corner, which will allow Washington to play more Cover 1 in 2021.

• Grading the biggest deals » | Top 100 »
• Best remaining » | Free agency buzz »
• Experts debate free-agency signings »
• See more on free agency »

Clay: Cleveland Browns. They were a contender in 2020, but keep in mind that of the 14 playoff teams, they were the only one with a negative scoring margin (minus-11). In order to avoid a crash back to irrelevance in 2021, there was work to do on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. Mission accomplished. Star safety John Johnson III is a game-changer of an acquisition; Troy Hill upgrades the corner spot opposite Denzel Ward; Malik Jackson adds quality depth at defensive tackle; DE Takkarist McKinley helps replace Olivier Vernon; and Malcolm Smith and Anthony Walker improve the team’s shaky linebacker corps. Already loaded on offense, Cleveland now arguably has a top-10 defense.

Seifert: New England Patriots. I’ll choose the obvious answer and let the rest of our crew scramble for deeper insight. Their offense is now much more explosive, thanks to wide receiver Nelson Agholor and tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, and their defense will get more pop up front from Matthew Judon and Kyle Van Noy. The departure of guard Joe Thuney is worrisome, but overall, the Patriots have unquestionably upgraded a half-dozen starting positions.

Walder: New England Patriots. There’s certainly reason to be skeptical of the value some of the moves bring — the Agholor signing stands out — but there’s no question that an influx of talent just flowed into Foxborough, Massachusetts, and New England will be better off for it in the short term.

Predict WR Kenny Golladay’s stat line for 2021 with the Giants.

Bowen: 65-767-8. Golladay has the ability to separate vertically, and he will give the Giants a boost on deep in-breakers and contested throws. That’s the body control and wide catch radius there. However, given the inconsistent play of quarterback Daniel Jones, I see Golladay finishing with around 60-70 receptions.

Clay: 73-1,128-7 … and I’ll say 126 targets. Golladay will be the clear featured target in New York, with Sterling Shepard best as a slot option, Darius Slayton working as a situational deep threat and Evan Engram, Kyle Rudolph and Saquon Barkley handling a majority of the remaining short-to-intermediate work. At 6-foot-4, Golladay is the team’s tallest wide receiver by three inches and will be very busy near the goal line.

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0:59

Jeremy Fowler breaks down Kenny Golladay’s deal with the Giants and what the reaction has been around the NFL.

Seifert: 52-633-6. The two most important players on a pass completion are the receiver and the quarterback. We know Golladay is capable of big plays and big numbers. But last season, Jones was off target on 16.8% of his throws, the ninth-highest rate in the NFL. It’s far from clear that Jones is a quarterback who can generate a huge season for a receiver.

Walder: 70-1,100-8. I’m a Golladay fan and have to imagine his contested-catch abilities will translate in New York. Sure, he’s taking a step back in terms of QB play, but he’ll also be the focal point of the passing game. And remember, Matthew Stafford played only eight games in 2019 when Golladay recorded 1,190 yards and 11 touchdowns.

What is the most underrated move so far in the free-agency period?

Bowen: Kevin Zeitler, G, Ravens. Zeitler is an upgrade on the interior of the offensive line, and his traits fit in Baltimore’s run-heavy system. He has the movement ability to pull on gap schemes, and he brings a physical approach at the point of attack. Plus, the veteran can establish his base in pass pro to hold off interior rushers.

• Mock drafts: Kiper » | McShay »
• Rankings: Kiper » | McShay »
• Meet the loaded, elite QB class »
• 30 big questions for Kiper & McShay »
Full ranking » | Pick order » | More »

Clay: William Jackson III, CB, Washington. Playing in Cincinnati during his first five NFL seasons, Jackson didn’t get a ton of attention. But the former first-round pick has emerged as one of the league’s top corners. Washington’s defense took a big leap in 2020, but it needed improvements on the back end to get to the next — and perhaps an elite — level. Teaming Jackson up with Kendall Fuller at corner gives Washington one of the league’s best CB duos and supplies it with a borderline top-10 overall roster.

Jeremy Fowler, national NFL writer: Gerald Everett, TE, Seahawks. Everett was considered the No. 3 tight end in free agency, and the two players who went before him — Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry — got a combined $32 million in first-year money. Seattle got Everett for $6 million. Smith and Henry are better players, to be sure, but the gap isn’t as big as you think. Many around the league believe Everett has top-10 positional talent if he can put it all together.

Seifert: Andy Dalton, QB, Bears. There is so much vitriol over this signing that its positives have been buried. (That’s my definition for “underrated” today, anyway.) Dalton is easily the best quarterback the Bears have trotted out over the past five seasons, from Mitch Trubisky to Mike Glennon to Nick Foles. He has taken five Bengals teams to the playoffs and could do the same for the Bears. He isn’t Russell Wilson, whom the Bears failed to acquire in a trade, but his upside has been ignored in the debate.

Walder: Daryl Williams, OT, Bills. He’s not a star, but you could do a lot worse at tackle than Williams, who had a slightly above-average pass block win rate last season. A three-year contract paying an average of $8 million per year is a nice deal for a 28-year-old solid tackle like Williams, especially considering Buffalo can get out of it for under $10 million after Year 1 if things go south.

Outside of the Patriots’ spending spree, what has surprised you the most about free agency so far?

Bowen: The length of the free-agent deals. We are seeing more two- and three-year contracts with players in their prime years, as opposed to four- or five-year deals. However, with the anticipation that the cap rises because of the new TV deal, these players will be in a position to hit free agency again with more prime earning years left.

Clay: A lack of action from the Indianapolis Colts, a 2020 playoff team and potential 2021 AFC contender that sits near the top of the league in cap space. So far, Indianapolis is at a net loss, having seen Denico Autry (division-rival Titans) and Jacoby Brissett (Dolphins) sign elsewhere. I know GM Chris Ballard isn’t known for irresponsible spending, but the Colts have a rare window to add star players with an already solid roster. I’m curious to see what they do in the coming days.

Seifert: I’m shocked at how almost no one seems to be blinking at the legitimately huge numbers in the contract the San Francisco 49ers gave left tackle Trent Williams. He is an undeniably great player, but he’s also turning 33 this summer and hasn’t played a 16-game season since 2013. We should at least consider the fact that this deal could cause the 49ers some long-term pain.

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0:59

Dan Graziano explains why it was important for the 49ers to re-sign Trent Williams to a long-term deal.

Walder: The slow-moving receiver market. I get it: There’s a great class of rookies incoming. But we’re talking about what is likely the second-most valuable position in the sport, so it’s surprising to me that someone as talented as Kenny Golladay remains unemployed at midday on Wednesday.

Which team has had the most confusing approach to free agency so far?

Bowen: Las Vegas Raiders. Adding defensive end Yannick Ngakoue should be looked at as a “plus” move for Vegas. They need a difference-maker up front, and Ngakoue has disruptive traits as a pass-rusher. But I’m still trying to figure out why the Raiders dismantled the offensive line. With Trent Brown being traded to New England, and the Raiders looking to move on from both Gabe Jackson and Rodney Hudson, Vegas now has vital spots to fill for an offense that wants to run downhill power under coach Jon Gruden.

Clay: Las Vegas Raiders. One of the strengths of the 2020 Raiders — a near-playoff team — was their offensive line. They’ve almost completely torn it down in recent days, including the bizarre trade of Hudson. They’ve also yet to replace any of Hudson, Jackson, Richie Incognito or Brown. Ngakoue and wide receiver John Brown were solid adds, but holes remain throughout this roster, including defensive tackle, corner, safety, offensive skill position depth and, of course, along the offensive line. GM Mike Mayock has a ton of work to do.

Seifert: New England Patriots. They are in part capitalizing on a depressed market in a year where they had excess cap space. But were it anyone but Bill Belichick at the controls, the condemnation would be nearly universal. Loading up on high-priced free agents like this rarely works. The Patriots have successfully identified specific targets in their past, most recently cornerback Stephon Gilmore, but they’ve never tried it in such volume — for good reason.

play

1:44

Adam Schefter reports on the Seahawks’ reluctance to trade Russell Wilson right now, adding that the Bears made several inquiries about the QB.

Walder: Chicago Bears. The moves not made — plus burning $10 million on Andy Dalton — display a lack of awareness about how far away this team is from contending. Checking in on Russell Wilson was worthwhile, but Plan B should have been blowing it all up (I’d start by dealing Khalil Mack) to set themselves up for 2022 and beyond. Instead, they’re showing a remarkable commitment to subpar football.

What is your gut reaction to the Patriots’ spending spree?

Bowen: It is completely out of character for the Patriots to spend big at the start of free agency. However, they are addressing critical needs here on both sides of the ball. Tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith give New England the opportunity to create stress for opposing defenses out of 12 personnel, while wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne will allow the Pats to stretch the field vertically. And on defense, Matthew Judon has the traits to be a productive pass-rusher in Bill Belichick’s schemed multiple fronts, while defensive back Jalen Mills can play multiple spots in the New England secondary.

Clay: I can’t help but feel a bit underwhelmed, but it does remind me of what Buffalo has done the past few offseasons, building a winning roster by adding solid role players. Sure, the Henry and Smith duo is intriguing. But the likes of Davon Godchaux, Henry Anderson, Bourne and Agholor have primarily worked as rotational/depth players throughout their careers. Mills’ play has been inconsistent, and Judon has been a solid but unspectacular edge rusher. The Patriots are better on paper, but I’m not sure they’re a playoff team. That will likely depend on how well Cam Newton plays.

Fowler: It had to be done. This is New England’s way of getting right, acknowledging the draft alone won’t fix this roster. And some of these contracts will be obsolete in two years when the gambling money kicks in. I’m not sure about all the signings, but getting two premier tight ends forces defenses to play the run and pass without substituting.

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Mike Reiss, Patriots reporter: It’s a balance between “Are they smarter than the rest of the NFL?” and “Will they regret straying so far from the draft/develop/re-sign philosophy that has proved to be the best approach for sustainable success?” I understand their strategy: The cap goes down, better in-their-prime players hit the market because of it, there’s less competition to sign them, their cap space is abundant and the future cap is going to spike. So in the end, I give Belichick the benefit of the doubt. He has earned it.

Seifert: They recognized the unique buyer’s market caused by the (presumed) one-time drop in the salary cap. The Patriots knew their roster needed to improve, but this seemed to be an attempt to capitalize on market forces as much as anything.

Walder: Two good tight ends on a New England offense again? Yes, you bet I’m intrigued. Overall this was a needed revamp to a lacking roster. I don’t love every move — that’s a high average annual value for Agholor — but in general it makes sense to be a buyer when so many teams are cap-strapped. I especially like the Judon signing.

Field Yates, NFL analyst: They’re a decidedly more talented team than they were 24 hours ago. I’ll hold off on a full evaluation until seeing the full details of the deals, but the Patriots had no interest in waiting around to improve a roster that needed it where they addressed.

Are the Buccaneers the Super Bowl favorites after they brought back all of their core?

Bowen: We should view the Bucs as one of the favorites to make another run at the Super Bowl, especially after re-signing key defensive players Shaquil Barrett and Lavonte David. However, after just one day of free-agent moves and still over a month until the NFL draft, we need to see how the rest of the offseason shakes out here before making picks for the 2021 season.

Clay: At this very moment? Yes, I think they’re the league’s best team on paper. They’ve re-signed their most important players, with the likes of Ndamukong Suh, Antonio Brown, Leonard Fournette, Steven McLendon and Ryan Succop being their top remaining unsigned free agents. Even if none of them return, Tampa Bay’s roster is loaded and will have them in contention for a second consecutive Lombardi Trophy.

Fowler: Nah, let’s go AFC. The Kansas City Chiefs will be a favorite after they finish replenishing the offensive line, and the Buffalo Bills have made a major jump in each of the past two years. The next jump is an AFC Championship — maybe more. The Green Bay Packers have to break through at some point after two straight NFC Championship Game losses. Tampa is one of four or five teams in the mix.

Jenna Laine, Buccaneers reporter: I’m not ready to call them Super Bowl favorites again just yet, as we need to see how their running back, defensive line and kicking situations in free agency unfold. Specifically, what happens with Fournette, Suh and Succop? And while the Bucs are deep at receiver, Brown led the Bucs in targets over the final five weeks of the regular season before suffering a knee injury in the postseason. The Bucs are having conversations with all of them, but there’s only so much money that can go around.

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0:56

Adam Schefter explains what’s to come for the Buccaneers after re-signing Shaquil Barrett.

Seifert: Eh. I can’t necessarily name a team at this moment I think has a better chance to win the Super Bowl, but getting the gang back together isn’t usually good enough in football. What can they do to make themselves better, and have they done it yet?

Walder: No. Just because they’re running back the same players doesn’t mean we should expect the same results, especially with Tom Brady one year older. One prediction we can be confident in is that Patrick Mahomes will be the best quarterback in the league in 2021, and that makes the Chiefs the Super Bowl favorites.

Yates: They sure are. This team hit its stride in the second half of the season and has a clear path to a division title, the gateway to a potential first-round bye and another deep run.

Which edge rusher signing will turn out to be the best in two years?

Bowen: Shaquil Barrett, Buccaneers. Barrett’s pass-rush production is already on the tape in Todd Bowles’ system. With schemed fronts and twists/stunts, Bowles can create one-on-ones for Barrett to cause disruption in the pocket.

Clay: Carl Lawson, Jets. He may not be the best of the group, but he may be the biggest upgrade over what his new team had previously. It seems like we’ve been waiting for a decade for New York to add an impact edge rusher, and the Robert Saleh regime finally got the job done. Lawson — whose 32 QB hurries trailed only T.J. Watt last season — has a chance for a full-on breakout in 2021 and beyond.

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Fowler: Bud Dupree, Titans. He might be the most gifted pass-rusher in the group, so if he puts it all together in Tennessee, he has a chance to dominate. Expect a slow start to the 2021 season due to his ACL tear in December, but the Titans are playing the long-term game with a massive five-year, $82.5-million deal. His unique blend of power and speed will age well.

Seifert: Shaquil Barrett, Buccaneers. His wild 19.5-sack performance in 2019 was no fluke, as he demonstrated in 2020. Playing in Bowles’ scheme for at least one more season should ensure that Barrett continues to put up big numbers.

Walder: Shaquil Barrett, Buccaneers. He ranked seventh among edge rushers in pass rush win rate over the past two seasons, so I think he’s the safest bet to be productive in the short term despite his drop-off in sacks last season. I’ll give an honorable mention to Detroit’s Romeo Okwara, though. I’m excited by his upside in a non-Matt Patricia defense.

Yates: Denico Autry, Titans. While he won’t play exclusively as an edge player, I love the Titans adding Autry. It’s rare that players see their first major contract after the age of 30, but Autry has aged well and is just a no-nonsense, rock-solid player. Tennessee got better.

Which newly signed QB will have a better 2021 season, Washington’s Ryan Fitzpatrick or New Orleans’ Jameis Winston?

Bowen: Winston. I do think Taysom Hill sees reps this year at quarterback in specific packages for the Saints. But I’m going with Winston based on his traits as a thrower and his second-reaction ability in Sean Payton’s heavily schemed pass game.

Clay: Fitzpatrick. As things stand right now, I’d give the edge to him. Winston will face real competition from Hill and may not even start for New Orleans, whereas Fitzpatrick is a heavy favorite over Taylor Heinicke in Washington. Fitzpatrick has also played much better than Winston in recent years, even replacing him as the starter in Tampa Bay only two seasons ago.

Fowler: Fitzpatrick. Winston has a chance to be prolific in Payton’s offense. But there’s no hard evidence he can shake the turnover problem, and the Hill factor can’t be ignored. Hill’s early-down packages might take away from Winston’s bottom line. Fitzpatrick played some of the best football of his career in spots last year and goes to an ascending team.

John Keim, Washington reporter: Winston. I think there’s more to learn about Washington’s situation — what else does it add on offense? — before saying Fitzpatrick will have a better year, though I do believe he’ll have a good one. Winston has a head start in an offense that players have been in together for a long time while playing for one of the NFL’s best offensive minds.

play

1:02

John Keim breaks down Washington’s decision to sign quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Seifert: Winston. That’s assuming he wins the starting job over Hill, which seems likely but not a lock. In this case, I’m projecting better numbers for the quarterback of a Payton offense over the quarterback of a Ron Rivera offense. I like my chances there.

Mike Triplett, Saints reporter: Winston. My only hesitation is that Winston needs to actually secure the job by beating out Hill in camp, and I think it will be a legitimate competition. But Winston is the frontrunner, and he would be in a fantastic situation surrounded by people like Payton, Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara, not to mention that offensive line.

Walder: Winston. He really wasn’t that bad in Tampa Bay. Even in his 30-interception 2019 season, Winston ranked 16th in QBR. I like his chances in Payton’s offense, and he gives Payton the luxury of being able to call downfield plays too.

Categories
Entertainment

Halle Bailey stuns together with her cowl of the SWV basic “Rain” in a brand new Instagram video

Halle Bailey tweeted support for Sister Chloe Bailey after Mathew Knowles' recent comments - "I'll drive to the end for my sister"

Roommate, Halle Bailey and her sister Chloe Bailey have had a crazy hot period of social media posts since they decided to create their own Instagram accounts. Now Halle Bailey recently released her latest piece of content in which she absolutely kills a cover version of the 1997 SWV classic “Rain” – and the fans were in a frenzy.

While she is currently in London filming her lead role as “Ariel” in the upcoming live-action version of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”, Halle Bailey uses her downtime to kill us with her amazing singing. Both Halle and Chloe have recently been using their Instagram pages to show off their vocal skills, as older sister Chole recently went viral again after releasing her rendition of Yung Bleu’s hit “Your Mines Still”.

As we’ve previously reported, while Halle is the younger sister, she is definitely the more protective one as she clapped Mathew Knowles on his recent comments on Chloe versus his daughter Beyonce.

Social media was in great turmoil earlier this month when Mathew Knowles closely shadowed Chloe Bailey after his interview and asked about the ongoing comparisons between Chloe and his daughter Beyoncé as similar artists.

When asked, Mathew replied:

“Are you telling me someone is idiotic enough to compare them to Beyoncé’s talent? It’s a yes or no. Are there people who say their talent equals Beyonce? You’re an idiot, period. That is actually an insult to Beyoncé. If you wanted to call Barbara Streisand or people like that … come on, man. “

Well, Halle Bailey apparently didn’t slip these comments and tweeted the following:

“How amazing it is that @ChloeBailey is already an icon. I just came over to say this … I’m going okayyyy for my sister until the end. “

We can’t wait to see what the Bailey sisters do next!

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Categories
Science

A really robust photo voltaic storm hit the earth as early as 1582

A very strong solar storm hit the earth as early as 1582

“A great fire appeared in the sky in the north and lasted three nights,” wrote a Portuguese scribe in early March 1582. All over the world in feudal Japan observers in Kyoto noticed the same fiery red image in the sky. Similar reports of strange night lights were recorded in Leipzig. Yecheon, South Korea; and a dozen other cities in Europe and East Asia.

It was a breathtaking event. While people at high latitudes knew the aurors well in 1582, most people closer to the equator weren’t. The solar storm that year was unlike anything vividly remembered, and it was so powerful that it brought the aurora to latitudes as low as 28 degrees (consistent with Florida, Egypt, and southern Japan). People near the equator had no frame of reference for such dazzling nocturnal depictions, and many took it as a religious symbol.

“This whole part of heaven seemed to be burning in fiery flames; It seemed like the sky was on fire, ”wrote Pero Ruiz Soares, an eyewitness in Lisbon and author of a Portuguese chronicle from the 16th century. “Nobody remembered seeing anything like this… At midnight, great jets of fire rose over the castle, which were terrible and terrifying. The next day it happened at the same hour, but it wasn’t that great and terrifying. Everyone went to the country to see this great sign. “

An aurora caused by a coronal mass ejection in 2010 as seen from the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA, ISS Expedition 23 crew.

These centuries-old reports of the 1582 solar storm were recently uncovered by researchers hoping to learn more about the event. Just as early modern peoples sought meaning in the Aurors, so too are modern scientists striving to understand the fiery skies of 1582. This massive solar storm and other storms like this one are important indicators of historical solar weather patterns. Understanding them will help you predict future solar activity.

The historical record seems to suggest that major storms like the one in 1582 occur at least once a century, and so we should expect one or more of them to hit Earth in the 21st century.

While premodern solar storms had little impact outside of their incredible aurors, a large solar storm today could wreak billions of dollars in damage and shut down power grids around the world. For example, a moderately large storm in 1989 completely shut down the electricity grid in Quebec, and a larger storm could worsen. The worst solar storm in recorded history, the Carrington event of 1859, would be far more damaging, although it only affected early telegraph lines at the time.

Solar storms are caused by disturbances in the solar atmosphere. High-energy explosions known as solar flares can be accompanied by a huge gust of solar wind known as a coronal mass ejection. These fast-moving solar particles interact with the Earth’s magnetosphere, creating living aurors and disrupting electronics.

The ‘Seahorse Flare’, which caused a solar storm in August 1972. Photo credit: NASA, Big Bear Solar Observatory.

Solar storms can also bring deadly doses of radiation. Earth’s protective magnetosphere protects us from its effects, but as NASA and its partners seek to return to the moon and beyond in the decades to come, an accurate model of solar weather will be vital to mission planning. This lesson was learned during the Apollo era when a solar storm blew up the earth in August 1972. The storm would have been fatal to astronauts if they had been on the moon at that time. Fortunately, Apollo 16 had returned to Earth in April of that year, and Apollo 17 didn’t launch until December, so a disaster was avoided. Careful planning and a little luck are required to protect future lunar astronauts.

Should we be concerned about future solar storms? Maybe. At the very least, like any other natural disaster, we should be prepared for it. Since the 1989 power outage, the power generation industry has begun working on mitigation techniques and taking preventative measures to make power grids more resilient to solar weather. However, it is difficult to be fully prepared. When the next big solar storm comes, and one day it does, we may not be fully prepared for it. But one thing is certain: it will be a hell of a show.

Learn more:

Feature Image: Artist’s impression of the Earth’s magnetosphere. Photo credit: NASA

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Categories
Health

Rutgers College requires a Covid vaccine for college kids returning to campus this fall

Rutgers University requires a Covid vaccine for students returning to campus this fall

Rutgers University is requiring students to return to campus this fall to prove they have been vaccinated against Covid-19. This makes it one of the first institutions in the USA to commission the vaccinations.

Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway announced the change on Thursday, saying in a statement that the university plans to update its vaccination requirements for students on campus to include the Covid-19 vaccine.

Students must provide evidence that they have been fully vaccinated with any of the three shots currently approved in the US – Pfizer’s, Moderna’s, or Johnson & Johnson’s. However, students under the age of 18 are only eligible for the Pfizer shot. Pfizer’s is the only FDA-cleared vaccine for use in people aged 16 and over.

Students who are fully enrolled in online courses and who do not have access to on-campus facilities are said to be exempt from vaccination, as are those with medical or religious reasons that prohibit vaccination.

Many universities in the United States struggled to bring students back to their campuses during the pandemic, following various reopening plans. Some institutions have been forced to crack down on gatherings and off-campus events that have sparked outbreaks in the surrounding community.

“From the beginning of the pandemic, the safety of the wider Rutgers community was our shared responsibility. This has never been more true,” Holloway said in the statement. “The importance of having an effective vaccination program to keep our community safer for all cannot be overstated.”

Focuses on information

Dr. Preeti Malani, chief health officer and professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the University of Michigan, told CNBC that Rutgers was one of the first universities she knew will require Covid-19 vaccinations this fall.

Malani has worked closely with health officials from other Big 10 universities, including Rutgers, to steer the campus reopening amid the pandemic. At the moment, the University of Michigan has no plans to require admissions among returning students this fall, she said.

“We really focus on giving students good information and helping them sign up. We have no way of vaccinating people on campus, and that’s because there are lots of other people out there who are getting vaccinated properly have to now, “Malani told CNBC in a telephone interview.

“We are confident that as supply outgrows demand, we may be able to host some types of student-focused vaccination events,” she said.

Universities need other vaccines for students living on campus, such as meningitis, hepatitis, and measles, which experts say could likely extend to Covid-19. However, it could be difficult to keep track of who was vaccinated on campus, Malani said, especially at facilities with many overseas and international students.

“The [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] can provide guidance and say, for example, “You shouldn’t live in a dorm if you are not vaccinated”. I think there are a lot of people’s opinions on it at the moment, “said Malani.

“What we do know is that the news about vaccination is getting better and better and that this is not just a way to protect individuals but a way to protect the entire community,” she said.

Back to normal

Requiring students to get vaccinated against the disease will allow Rutgers to resume a wide range of activities and allow for an “accelerated return to normalcy before the pandemic,” the university said in its statement Thursday. The widespread vaccination enables the university to offer more face-to-face teaching as well as expanded dining and recreational opportunities.

The decision was based in part on President Joe Biden’s assessment that every American will have access to a vaccine by the end of May.

A number of states have announced that they will open vaccine licenses to all adults in the coming weeks before Biden meets the May 1 deadline for the state extension to all adult residents.

New Jersey officials have agreed to the New Brunswick-based university to begin administering vaccines to students and faculty as more doses become available. However, the university urges “all members of its community currently eligible to receive a vaccine not to wait” and to be vaccinated “as soon as possible” because the state has not yet provided supplies to the university.

Categories
Sport

NBA commerce deadline 2021: Full checklist of accomplished trades, together with Victor Oladipo, Aaron Gordon offers

NBA trade deadline 2021: Full list of completed trades, including Victor Oladipo, Aaron Gordon deals

It’s been mostly quiet leading up to the 2021 NBA trade deadline. We’ve seen the rumors and speculation, of course, but little in terms of actual deals.

That could change Thursday. Plenty of notable players have drawn interest recently — Lonzo Ball, John Collins, Aaron Gordon, Kyle Lowry and Victor Oladipo fall into that group — and the pressure of the 3 p.m. ET cutoff could finally force front offices to make moves.

Which contenders will find valuable contributors for the final stretch of the regular season and playoffs? Which sinking teams will emerge as sellers?

Sporting News will be covering all of the action on deadline day. Follow along right here for the latest news and completed deals.

TRADE RUMORS: Why acquiring Lonzo Ball could be tough task for Clippers

NBA trade news from 2021 deadline day

(All times Eastern)

Thursday, March 25

3:40 p.m. — LaMarcus Aldridge joins Andre Drummond as a top buyout candidate.

San Antonio Spurs are proceeding to buy out LaMarcus Aldridge in which he’ll become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell @YahooSports.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) March 25, 2021

3:30 p.m. — Some deals trickling in late . . .

3:15 p.m. — A Victor Oladipo buzzer-beater! He’s going to Miami. (Shoutout to Will Smith.)

Houston is trading Victor Oladipo to Miami, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

Sources: Houston traded Victor Oladipo to Miami for Avery Bradley, Kelly Olynyk and a draft swap.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 25, 2021

3:10 p.m. — NO KYLE LOWRY TRADE.

The Raptors are keeping Kyle Lowry, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

3:05 p.m. — No Andre Drummond trade before the deadline. To the buyout market!

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Andre Drummond will work out a buyout, league sources tell @YahooSports.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) March 25, 2021

3 p.m. — The Pelicans are keeping Lonzo Ball, but they are close to finalizing a JJ Redick deal.

The New Orleans Pelicans are close on a deal to send JJ Redick to the Dallas Mavericks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 25, 2021

No Lonzo Ball trade, sources tell ESPN. He’s staying in New Orleans.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

2:55 p.m. — Toronto clears another roster spot:

Toronto is trading guard Terrence Davis to Sacramento for a future second round pick, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

2:45 p.m. — With just 15 minutes left on the clock, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports on “The Jump” that the Raptors have asked Kyle Lowry suitors for their final offers. Let’s see what happens.

2:35 p.m. — It’s done. Rajon Rondo to the Clippers and Lou Williams to the Hawks. Cue the “Lemon Pepper Lou” jokes.

Clippers are finalizing a deal to acquire Rajon Rondo from Atlanta for Lou Williams, two second-round picks and cash, sources tell me and @sam_amick.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 25, 2021

No third team: Lou Williams will play for the Atlanta Hawks in his return to his home state of Georgia, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 25, 2021

2:20 p.m. — The Clippers could use a little “Playoff Rondo” in their locker room.

The Hawks are in serious talks on Rajon Rondo to the Clippers for a Lou Williams package, sources tell me and @sam_amick. Williams could land in Atlanta or a third team.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 25, 2021

2:10 p.m. — Could this deal be a precursor to a bigger Raptors trade?

Toronto is trading guard Matt Thomas to the Utah Jazz for a future second-round pick, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

1:25 p.m. — A possible 3-and-D option for the Warriors:

The Warriors have emerged as a possible trade destination for Philadelphia’s Danny Green, league sources say.

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 25, 2021

1:15 p.m. — The George Hill trade has turned into a three-teamer, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The 76ers are acquiring Hill and Ignas Brazdeikis. The Thunder are acquiring Tony Bradley, Austin Rivers and two future second-round picks (2025 and 2026). The Knicks are acquiring Terrance Ferguson.

1 p.m. — OK, there’s a lot going on here. A quick summary:

12:40 p.m. — Wait, the Magic aren’t involved in this trade, too? Nope, just the Bulls and Wizards.

Washington is trading Troy Brown and Mo Wagner to Chicago for Daniel Gafford and Chandler Hutchinson, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

12:30 p.m. — Done deal. Aaron Gordon will be joining the Nuggets.

Orlando is including Gary Clark in the deal too, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

Denver is trading its a protected 2025 first-round pick in the deal, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

12:25 p.m. — You get a Magic player! And you get a Magic player! And you get a Magic player!

Denver is close to acquiring Aaron Gordon, sources said. Gordon, 25, has been seriously pursued by several teams, including Minnesota, Houston and Boston. https://t.co/Uku9X11sNV

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 25, 2021

12:10 p.m. — The Trail Blazers are no longer in the hunt for Aaron Gordon, according to The Athletic’s David Aldridge, who reports that the “smart money” is now on the Nuggets adding the Magic forward.

.@davidaldridgedc saying #Nuggets are “smart money” to acquire Aaron Gordon.

That is the same sense I’ve gotten talking to numerous people last night and this morning.

— Mike Singer (@msinger) March 25, 2021

11:30 a.m. — And another one gone. Orlando is sending Evan Fournier to Boston.

11:20 a.m. — Yep, the rebuild is on. With Nikola Vucevic gone, expect the Magic to make more moves over the next few hours.

The Knicks have emerged as a team to register interest in Orlando’s Evan Fournier, league sources say, while Boston also remains strongly linked to Fournier and other bidders could emerge depending on where Toronto’s Kyle Lowry lands. Three-plus hours to go until the trade buzzer

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 25, 2021

11:10 a.m. — Apparently Orlando got the “substantial package” that it wanted. Nikola Vucevic is heading to Chicago.

Here’s the deal: The Bulls land Nikola Vucevic and Al Farouq Aminu for Otto Porter, Wendell Carter Jr., and two first-round picks. Huge addition for Chicago, who remains in pursuit of Lonzo Ball. The Magic are moving toward a rebuild now with Aaron Gordon deal on deck.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

The Bulls are sending the Magic 2021 and 2023 first-round picks in the deal, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

10:40 a.m. — The Magic are unsurprisingly hesitant to trade Nikola Vucevic. The All-Star center is having a career year, averaging 24.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. 

Sources: Orlando continues to listen to offers on All-Star Nikola Vucevic, but it would take a substantial package to pry him. As the Magic drill down on Aaron Gordon trades, an additional move w/ Vucevic for assets would set franchise toward more substantial long-term retooling.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

10:05 a.m. — The Nuggets better make a JaVale McGee return video.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are finalizing a deal to send JaVale McGee to the Denver Nuggets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 25, 2021

Denver is acquiring center Cleveland center JaVale McGee for Isaiah Hartenstein and two future protected second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

Cleveland is acquiring a 2027 unprotected second-round pick and 2023 protected second-round pick protected through No. 46, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

9:45 a.m. — Oh, now it’s getting interesting. 

12:35 a.m. — We aren’t kicking off the deadline with a Woj Bomb, but rather a Woj Sparkler.

The Detroit Pistons are trading guard Delon Wright to the Sacramento Kings for guard Cory Joseph and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

Kings are sending a 2021 via second-round pick via Lakers and their own 2024 second-rounder to Pistons in the deal, source tells ESPN. https://t.co/yXGXXwbsL6

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

12:05 a.m. — Has Kyle Lowry played his final game for the Raptors?

Wednesday, March 24

7:45 p.m. — Norman Powell is a pretty popular guy.

The number of teams to express interest in Toronto’s Norman Powell, according to one educated estimate on Trade Deadline Eve, is “in the teens”

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 24, 2021

5:30 p.m. — The Timberwolves have “no plans to entertain offers” for Anthony Edwards, D’Angelo Russell or Karl-Anthony Towns, according to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski. Minnesota wants to see that core trio grow under new head coach Chris Finch.

3 p.m. — It appears Harrison Barnes will be staying in Sacramento through the end of the season unless the Kings are blown away by a big offer.

Boston’s attention continues to be on Aaron Gordon, with the likelihood of a deal for Harrison Barnes fading. Kings have no interest in selling low on Barnes, believing he can be a key piece for a playoff push next season.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) March 24, 2021

1:05 p.m. — Multiple contenders are competing for Cavaliers center JaVale McGee, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. There is a “strong sense” that McGee will be sent to another team before the deadline.

10:40 a.m. — John Collins would like to stay in Atlanta, but the Hawks forward knows he may be on the move before the deadline.

“It’s something that you obviously have to get used to, but it’s just the nature of the business and the nature of being an NBA player,” Collins said Tuesday night (via The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner). “Obviously, teams having the ability to move you as they choose and trade you is the nature of the game, so I don’t try to think about it too much.

“But I understand things happen, so I always try to have an open mindset.”

9 a.m. — When asked Tuesday night why he wanted to be traded out of Orlando, Magic forward Aaron Gordon didn’t give the standard “no comment” or deny that he had made a request. He essentially confirmed what had been previously reported.

“There’s been times where I just expressed my frustration to management,” Gordon said. “Frustration with the losses, the injuries, the way we’ve been playing, how we’ve been playing and how many losses have accumulated over the years. So, it’s just my frustration kind of boiling over I would say.”

“Frustration with the losses, the injuries, the way we’ve been playing, how we’ve been playing and how many losses have accumulated over the years.

Aaron said his frustration has boiled over from the last seven years with the team. #MagicTogether pic.twitter.com/Qi8QjJOv8n

— FOX Sports Magic (@FOXSportsMagic) March 24, 2021

Tuesday, March 23

10 p.m. — ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski with the latest news on Raptors guards Kyle Lowry and Norman Powell:

Sources: Raptors discussing Kyle Lowry and Norman Powell deals on multiple fronts and those talks are expected to extend into Wednesday — and perhaps even Thursday. Philadelphia, Miami are interested in Lowry, but both have shown restraint in how far they’ll go to get a deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 24, 2021

Beyond Lowry, Sixers have shown interest in other guards available in the marketplace — including Powell, Lonzo Ball and George Hill, sources said.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 24, 2021

7:45 p.m. — It’s no secret the Heat are trying to win the Kyle Lowry sweepstakes, but they don’t want to put Goran Dragic or Tyler Herro in any Lowry deal, according to The New York Times’ Marc Stein. 

“The success of Miami’s pursuit of Lowry could thus hinge on Toronto’s interest in a young player like the sharpshooting Duncan Robinson or the rookie Precious Achiuwa packaged with Kelly Olynyk’s $12.6 million expiring contract,” Stein wrote in his most recent newsletter. “The Sixers have the edge when it comes to first-round draft picks to sweeten a trade offer.

“This much is clear: Toronto won’t just trade Lowry anywhere. He is considered Raptors royalty in his ninth season with the franchise and management treats him accordingly after Lowry’s pivotal contributions to Toronto’s 2018-19 championship run — and with fresh memories of the criticism for trading a devoted DeMar DeRozan to San Antonio for one season of Kawhi Leonard.”

5:15 p.m. — The Nuggets have looked into acquiring Magic shooting guard Evan Fournier, according to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. Fournier’s name has also reportedly been brought up in trade discussions between the Celtics and Magic.

3:40 p.m. — Not exactly shocking news here, but Bradley Beal has not indicated that he wants the Wizards to trade him, according to The Washington Post’s Ava Wallace. Beal and the Wizards have been consistent with their messaging all season long.

1:45 p.m. — So . . . Victor Oladipo should probably start packing his bags.

ESPN Sources: Heat and Knicks – w/ summer cap space – are reluctant to offer premium packages for Victor Oladipo, but market’s developed of capped-out teams bidding w/ young player/first-round pick combos. One thing’s become clear: Houston’s likely moving Oladipo before deadline.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 23, 2021

1:10 p.m. — Multiple teams claim the Pacers are “listening to pitches” on Malcolm Brogdon, according to Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill, who also reported that teams are monitoring Domantas Sabonis’ situation in Indiana.

11:40 a.m. — Multiple teams have expressed interest in Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, and Chicago is at least listening to offers. The 23-year-old is set to hit restricted free agency this offseason.

11 a.m. — A note on the asking prices for Harrison Barnes, Aaron Gordon and Victor Oladipo:

Trade deadline could get interesting in the final hours on Thursday. Active teams are expecting—or at least hoping—the asking price for the big ticket players (Oladipo, Gordon, Barnes) drops as the deadline looms. Right now the price for all three being described as pretty high.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) March 23, 2021

10:15 a.m. — The Celtics are considered the “frontrunners” to acquire Magic forward Aaron Gordon, according to The Action Network’s Matt Moore. Boston has reportedly put two first-round picks on the table, though those picks could come with heavy protections.

9 a.m. — Let’s start with the biggest trade from last week. The Bucks officially acquired P.J. Tucker from the Rockets on Friday, giving them a solid spot-up shooter and defender for the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.

“P.J. Tucker checks all the boxes,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said. “He is a great teammate who brings a veteran presence with playoff experience. P.J.’s a versatile, high-IQ defender, and on the offensive end he plays with discipline, is unselfish, and spaces the court with his ability to knock down the three.