MIAMI — To be fair, the desperation to see a team upgrade can be decidedly unfair.

A current case in point is Tyler Herro, a quality scorer and former All-Star who largely has done just about anything and everything asked by the Miami Heat these past seven seasons, from playing on the ball, to playing off the ball, to adjusting, and readjusting, his shot profile.

Yes, the injuries and time lost also stand as factors in the equation. But when he plays, he plays hard. And for all the questions about defense, it’s not as if he stands alone in that regard, with the likes of James Harden, DeMar DeRozan, Jamal Murray and Donovan Mitchell, among others, still receiving their flowers for largely one-way contributions.

So if there is to be a Herro trade this offseason, if he has played his final Heat game, then consider that final moment.

April 14. Spectrum Center. Play-in round opener vs. Charlotte Hornets.

Herro is subbed in with 26 seconds left in overtime and the Heat down 125-120.

The play-by-play from there:

23.5: Herro 23-foot turnaround fadeaway 3-point shot. Hornets 125-123.

8.7: LaMelo Ball three-shot foul foul, Herro three free throws, Heat 126-125.

If Ball doesn’t score on a driving layup to close the scoring with 4.8 seconds to play to give Charlotte the 127-126 victory, Herro’s six points in 14.8 seconds would have been the stuff of Heat lore.

Such has been the story of Herro’s Heat tenure.

— Dynamic rookie contributor in the Heat’s run to the 2020 NBA Finals (where if not for injuries in that series to Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic, possibly a ring as a rookie).

— NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2022.

— Heat scoring leader in 2024-25.

— NBA All-Star 2025.

— Sixth-fastest NBA player to 1,000 career 3-pointers, in his 368th game in January.

Yes, the injuries and absences often have clouded the overall contributions, but the contribution has been real and deserves recognition if this, indeed, is the endgame.

Taken at No. 13 in 2019 out of Kentucky, a re-draft of that year’s first round would have Herro going no worse than fourth, and that’s only if there were to be, beyond No. 1 pick Zion Williamson, grudging respect for Ja Morant, R.J Barrett and Darius Garland. Of the first 13 players in that draft, only Williamson, Morant and Herro ended this past season on their drafted teams.

And yet there never truly seemed to be a complete embrace, not with Erik Spoelstra a defense-first coach, not with the Heat hard up against the cap when Herro stood up for contract renewal.

In the end, the four-year, $120 million extension Herro signed in October 2022, the one that will pay $33 million next season, proved to be, at worst (from a team perspective) market value. (Garland, for example, is due $42.2 million this coming season.)

Then came this past October, when the Heat deferred extension talks with Herro until this summer, as in a window now just 10 days away. Considering there were only 33 appearances this past season, such Heat prudence hardly could be viewed as insulting.

The reality is that at February’s trade deadline, Herro was the most marketable chip the Heat could put into play for Giannis Antetokounmpo, so the Heat put him in play, just as they have done at the moment.

Just as he was in play for Harden at one point, and Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard at others. All the while, the Heat’s reassurances were that he only has been put in play for Hall of Famers.

Each time, that made business sense for the Heat. And each time, Herro bounced back, continued to do what he does best, standing as an elite offensive talent.

But now it feels different, as if the card has been played too often, the Heat consistently looking over his shoulder to see if someone better could be in the room.

And that’s fair, too, considering the Heat have been in the play-in round the past four years, just missed the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons.

But that shouldn’t detract, with perspective in order.

Among the most beloved players over the Heat’s 38 seasons was Goran Dragic, universally embraced for his Heat contributions. Fair enough.

Goran Dragic: 391 Heat career regular-season games, 16.2 points per game, 5.2 assists per game, 3.6 rebounds per game, on shooting splits of .457 from the field, .365 on 3-pointers, .786 from the line.

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Tyler Herro: 394 Heat career regular-season games, 19.5 points per game, 4.1 assists per game, 5.0 rebounds per game, on shooting splits of .450 from the field, .382 on 3-pointers, .878 from the line.

And you know what? Dragic was hunted as much defensively as Herro.

Dragic has been cheered on every Kaseya Center return since.

Herro, should it come to that, has earned as much, as well.

Because for all the players Spoelstra over the years has referenced as “ignitable,” the truest measure of that might have been those final 26 seconds two months ago in Charlotte, the six points in 14.8 seconds.

IN THE LANE

RESPECT IN PLACE: Amid the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade conjecture has been the perception of Tyler Herro as a diminished asset. Former Bucks coach Doc Rivers pushed back against the notion during a recent appearance on Bill Simmons’ podcast. Of Herro being offered in Antetokounmpo trade bids, Rivers said, “You would’ve traded your closer because Tyler Herro is a closer. Say what you want about him, but he’s a straight-up closer.” But Rivers said the Heat also could regroup enough to satisfy Antetokounmpo. “My guess is that’s where he’s trusting their front office that they have the ability to add more pieces,” Rivers said. “Those are the talks that we’re not in.”

NATIONAL HONOR: Heat guard Kasparas Jakucionis said during his appearance this past week at the Heat’s youth camp that his first-ever action with the Lithuanian national team next month figures to be his summer highlight.  “Especially Lithuania is like the biggest deal because basketball is a second religion for us,” he said. “Everybody is watching basketball and the national team is the biggest opportunity, biggest deal that you can get.” Jakucionis also will be hosting a youth camp in his home country for the first time. “I’m doing the first one there,” he revealed, “So I’ll meet the Lithuanians. So it will be awesome.” Jakucionis is expected to join the Heat for the Las Vegas NBA Summer league, after missing the California Classic summer league due to that commitment to his national team.

SPEAKING OF: Speaking of Jakucionis, or more to the point his college, with the lottery status of Keaton Wagler, Illinois is projected to have a one-and-done guard selected in the first round for a  third consecutive year on Tuesday night, with Wagler following Jakucionis, who went No. 20 last year, and Terrance Shannon Jr., who went No. 27 in 2024. ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said credit is due Illinois coach Brad Underwood. “One of the fun things to watch about Brad,” Bilas said, “has been how he’s evolved and changed things as the game has changed. Not just the game on the floor but the environment around the game. He’s been in lockstep, if not ahead of it.” Prior to Shannon, the previous player drafted out of Illinois at any position was former Heat center Meyers Leonard, who went No. 11 to the Portland Trail Blazers in 2012.

PAYTON’S PLACES: Hall of Fame guard Gary Payton, who won the 2006 NBA championship with the Heat, had a particularly eventful week for a player who has been out of the league since ending his NBA career with the Heat in 2007. First, on Thursday, he had a street named in his honor in his native Oakland, Calif., “Gary Payton Way.” Then, on Friday, he delivered a Juneteenth video message at all four World Cup venues with games that day, including the USA-Australia game in Seattle, where he spent the bulk of his career starring for the SuperSonics. In a video clip filmed at Seattle’s Northwest African American Museum, Payton’s taped message said, “This day means freedom, Black liberation, joy, jubilation and celebration. Today we are definitely celebrating. This matchday gives us a chance to educate the world. Recognize players that paved the way for myself and many others and inspire the next generation.”

NUMBER

2. Consecutive years the Heat will be executing a draft pick that initially belonged to the Golden State Warriors. Last year, it was the No. 20 selection acquired in the Jimmy Butler trade that was utilized on Kasparas Jakucionis. On Wednesday night, it will be the No. 41 slot of the Warriors in the second round, a pick that was passed through the Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder and New York Knicks before winding up with the Hornets. Charlotte then was forced by the NBA to forward it to the Heat as compensation for not informing the Heat about the Terry Rozier gambling investigation before the Heat acquired the guard in January 2024.

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic haven’t won a playoff series in 16 years.

Sean Sweeney knew exactly what he was signing up for when he accepted the job.

He knew this wasn’t a rebuilding project. He knew this wasn’t the kind of opportunity most first-time NBA head coaches inherit. And after watching his introductory news conference Thursday, I got the sense he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

What stood out wasn’t necessarily anything Sweeney said specifically. It was how he said it. You could feel the intensity emanating from every pore of his body. Not arrogance. Not bravado. Intensity. The kind of intensity that has followed him throughout a career spent coaching alongside some of the most demanding personalities in the business and sitting in the office next to Gregg Popovich this season in San Antonio.

Frankly, a little bit of Pop is exactly what the Magic need right now.

Because while everybody wants to discuss offensive schemes, defensive adjustments and lineup combinations, let’s be honest about what happened to Orlando last season. Somewhere along the way, the Magic lost their edge. They lost some of the nastiness and competitive bite that had become their identity. When adversity arrived in the playoffs, they didn’t respond like a team that expected to win.

Nobody seemed more aware of that than Paolo Banchero. After Orlando’s devastating collapse against Detroit, Banchero didn’t talk about injuries, bad luck or officiating. Instead, he challenged the entire organization.

“We have to create an environment where losing isn’t acceptable,” Banchero said after the season ended.

That statement felt less like a postgame quote and more like a mandate. The Magic responded by hiring Sean Sweeney, and based on his introductory news conference, it’s hard not to believe that ownership, management and the players themselves were looking for somebody willing to raise the temperature inside the building.

One of the most revealing moments of the news conference came when Sweeney was asked what he hoped Magic players would say about him after his first season as head coach. Most coaches would probably answer with some cliche about creating culture, but Sweeney went in a different direction. He recalled a comment from one of his former players in Detroit, who told him, “You’re the first a-hole I’ve ever loved.”

Sweeney laughed before adding: “If these players say that about me, I’d be happy about that.”

There was humor in the answer, but there was also honesty. What Sweeney was really talking about was accountability. He wasn’t describing a coach interested in winning popularity contests. He was describing somebody willing to challenge players, push them and occasionally make them uncomfortable if that’s what it takes to win.

And that’s where this conversation becomes interesting.

Because I think Sean Sweeney is an excellent hire. I also think he may already be under as much pressure as any coach in the NBA.

That sounds ridiculous at first glance. Most first-time head coaches are granted something NBA coaches rarely receive: Patience. They’re hired to oversee rebuilding teams, develop young talent and gradually establish a culture. Success is measured by progress rather than playoff victories.

Jamahl Mosley arrived in Orlando under exactly those circumstances. The roster was young, incomplete and years away from meaningful expectations. Nobody was demanding a second-round appearance. Nobody was talking about championship contention.

Sweeney is inheriting the exact opposite situation.

He’s not being hired to build something. He’s being hired to finish something.

The Magic already have their foundation. Banchero is a star. Franz Wagner has developed into an All-Star-caliber player. Jalen Suggs remains one of the league’s best perimeter defenders when healthy. Desmond Bane was acquired specifically to solve Orlando’s offensive shortcomings. Wendell Carter Jr. is a proven starting center. The rebuilding phase is over. The waiting phase is over. The expectation now is advancement.

That’s what makes this job so unique. If the Magic fail to reach the second round next season, there will be people who consider Sweeney’s first year a disappointment regardless of context. Fair or not, that’s the reality he inherited.

The organization has already demonstrated that simply making the playoffs is no longer enough. Orlando fired Mosley despite three consecutive playoff appearances because the franchise remains stuck in the same place it has been for years: the first round. The message was unmistakable. Progress without advancement eventually stops being progress.

The fan base has reached that same conclusion. Think about what 16 years really means. Some Magic fans weren’t alive the last time Orlando won a playoff series. Others grew up hearing stories about Dwight Howard, Stan Van Gundy and the 2009 Finals team without ever experiencing meaningful postseason success themselves. Patience tends to disappear after 16 years.

What’s particularly fascinating is that Orlando’s starting lineup simultaneously feels accomplished and unaccomplished. On paper, a group featuring Banchero, Wagner, Bane, Suggs and Carter should be one of the most exciting young starting fives in basketball. Yet that entire lineup has a combined one playoff-series victory.

One — Bane, when he was with the Grizzlies. In the 2022 playoffs.

Despite that reality, expectations have never been higher.

The challenge becomes even more difficult because the usual excuses aren’t available. The injury explanation has already been used. Fairly or unfairly, the Magic have dealt with significant injuries in consecutive seasons, and those circumstances didn’t save Mosley’s job. If Wagner misses time again, if Suggs battles injuries again or if the roster isn’t completely healthy in April, expectations aren’t going anywhere.

Neither is the pressure.

The roster isn’t likely to change much either. Orlando doesn’t possess premium draft capital, and the organization isn’t positioned to make a major splash in free agency. Barring an unexpected move, this is largely the group Sweeney will be coaching.

And the math isn’t particularly friendly.

Only four Eastern Conference teams advance to the second round. Most observers would agree that New York, Boston and Detroit appear likely to claim three of those spots. That leaves one opening for everybody else. Orlando will be competing with Atlanta, Toronto and Charlotte, all improving young teams, while also battling Cleveland, Philadelphia, Miami and an Indiana team that should have a healthy Tyrese Haliburton back in the mix.

Every one of those teams believes it belongs in the second round.

Most of them won’t get there.

That’s why the Magic didn’t just hire a coach this summer. They hired a mentality. They hired an attitude. They hired somebody who they believe will raise the standard in the building and make losing uncomfortable again.

The question now is whether that edge translates into the one thing Orlando fans have been waiting nearly two decades to see.

Sweeney is walking into one of the few first-time coaching jobs in professional sports where anything short of a playoff-series victory may be viewed as failure.

No pressure, Coach.

All you have to do is end a 16-year franchise drought, restore a team’s lost identity and prove an entire organization made the right decision by hiring a rookie head coach.

Welcome to Orlando — a place where the honeymoon ends at the introductory news conference.

____

Why Jackson State is hiring ESPN pundit Kendrick Perkins as men's basketball general manager originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Along with a 14-year career in the NBA, many basketball fans are most familiar with Kendrick Perkins for frequently appearing on the "First Take" and "NBA Today" shows on ESPN. Now, the basketball veteran will imminently start as the Jackson State general manager for the men's basketball program.

Perkins was likely hired since he has a recognizable name that many fans and recruits would know, so he will likely grow the recruiting power for the Tigers.

While he will have a new career as general manager, he will reportedly still be able to hold his position on ESPN.

Here's why the ESPN basketball analyst was hired as a general manager for Jackson State.

MORE: SN's 2026 NBA Mock Draft: Who goes first?

Why Jackson State is hiring Kendrick Perkins as general manager

On Friday, Shams Charania reported that Perkins would be moving to Jackson State to become the men's basketball program's general manager. After a long career in the NBA and working on ESPN as a TV personality, Perkins will add another aspect of the basketball world to his resume.

ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins – 14-year NBA veteran and 2008 champion – has agreed to become the men's basketball General Manager of HBCU Jackson State, as well as a connection to its broadcast and journalism program, per Perkins: "I'm thankful for this opportunity to impact… pic.twitter.com/lTHV4tSn3a

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 19, 2026

The new front office position with the Tigers is not expected to affect his current role at ESPN, so expect a continuation of Perkins' personality on the screen. The notability of Perkins' name may also be utilized for recruiting to the school, which is another reason why the former center may have been hired.

SN NBA AWARDS:POY (Victor Wembanyama)| ROY (Kon Knueppel) | COY (Joe Mazzulla)

What does a college basketball GM do?

In college basketball, general managers are usually in charge of recruiting and building a roster ahead of each season. In recent years, the position has often been given to a school's notable basketball alumni to try and grow recruiting numbers (Stephen Curry at Davidson, Damian Lillard at Weber State).

When Lillard was hired at Weber State, it was expected that the Portland Trail Blazer would "work closely with the coaching staff and athletic department leadership to provide insight, mentorship and guidance, using his experience at the collegiate and professional levels to elevate the program," per Deseret News.

Is Kendrick Perkins leaving ESPN?

No, at the moment, it does not appear that Perkins will be leaving his post as a basketball analyst for ESPN. According to Charania, Perkins will keep his current position at ESPN, along with working as the general manager for the general manager of the men's basketball program.

Perkins adds the new GM role to his ESPN position and becomes the latest retired or active NBA player to take an administrative position in college basketball, joining most recently John Wall (HBCU Howard), Stephen Curry (Davidson), Trae Young (Oklahoma) and others.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 19, 2026

Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, and Trae Young also work in administrative positions but still maintain their roles in the NBA.

MORE: Comparing 2026 NBA mock drafts from experts around the basketball world

Jackson State 2025-26 record

Jackson State finished with a 12-21 record after the 2025-26 season, according to ESPN. Four of the Tigers' opening six losses in a row came from ranked opponents (No. 17 Illinois, No. 11 Louisville, No. 22 Auburn, and No. 21 Arkansas).

Jackson State also had the misfortune of sharing the court with No. 7 Houston, a game that resulted in an 80-38 blowout.

MORE: Who were the biggest winners and losers at the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery?

STORRS — Blanca Quinonez knows only one way to play, with full- bore, hit-the-floor intensity. UConn women’s basketball watchers saw plenty of that during her freshman season, few aware of the toll it was taking.

Quinonez was playing with a torn labrum in her left shoulder almost the entire season, something she should not have to deal with once she recovers from her May 18 surgery.

“I feel like it was limiting,” Quinonez said, in a catch-up chat with state reporters this week. “I’d have to stay out, be back, stay out, back twice. It was just a little harder to get a rhythm and start again. Basketball is a rhythm, I feel like this season is going to be better.”

Quinonez missed nine games in two separate stints, to try to get in the best possible position for March Madness, yet she averaged 10.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists in 20 minutes per game, shot 53.6 percent from the field, 39.5 from 3-point range and was the Big East’s Sixth Player of the Year –– all with it in back of her mind that hitting the floor, or getting hit under the boards could be excruciating.

Dom Amore: One UConn women’s player reacted to her coaches’ yelling with a secret smile

“Everything was more mentally difficult,” she said. “You know there’s an injury, you’ve got to be careful, but I didn’t really care. I just went on the court and was trying to do my best, but the injury was there and somehow I was trying to take care of it.”

Like most of the Huskies, Quinonez was not at her best when it came to the Final Four, and UConn’s 62-48  loss to South Carolina in the semifinals. She was 2 for 6 in the game, foul trouble limiting her to 20 minutes. As her shoulder heals — she is out of her sling, at least — that game is the more prevalent pain she is feeling now.

“We definitely are motivated by it. … It hurts,” Quinonez said. “At the moment, it’s still hurting, knowing we could do better. But it’s a moment we can start from for next season, knowing what we did last couple of games to get ready for next season. We just have to take that as another motivation to get better every day.”

The lesson, she said, was for UConn to focus on its own game, playing as a unit the way they did in winning the first 38 games of the season, and less about who they were playing. The Huskies were obviously taken out of their game by the aggressive Gamecocks.

“We just have to be ready for everything,” Quinonez said. “I know we got surprised about the last game, we were ready but didn’t expect (what happened). We had a really good connection and played together (during the year), we just have build from that, learn from what happened at the end of the season and get better from that.”

Part of turning the page from that dissapointing finish is to get players healthy. Sarah Strong is not playing any international tournaments this summer, and limiting her on-court wear and tear to try to get her calf and Achilles issues behind her. Morgan Cheli is back fully participating after missing a year and a half with a stress fracture in her right ankle. And Quinonez figures to be 100 percent. Coach Geno Auriemma and his staff did not get any players out of the transfer portal, in part, because of the potential this roster has if players get healthy and continue to improve.

The newcomers include Jovana Popovic from Serbia, Marine Dursus from France, who has not yet arrived, and Olivia Vukosa, from Croatia by way of Long Island Lutheran. Quinonez, from Ecuador, who played with a club in Italy before coming to UConn, is anxious to share what she learned with her new teammates from overseas.

“Knowing I was in their position last year, I  feel I can help them a little bit,” she said. “I’m excited for them and I can’t wait. Last year was a lot to learn for me, I know more about this program, I know more about how this works.”

In the meantime, Quinonez is limited in her activities. She cannot even do much running, because of the jarring on her shoulder. As a former youth soccer player, and the daughter of a soccer player, she is checking in on the World Cup, disappointed her native Ecuador lost its first game to Ivory Coast.

Jamelle Elliott walks away from UConn women’s basketball program ‘on fire’ about new enterprise

Her freshman-to-sophomore jump will have to come from watching film and talking to coaches about how to file the rough edges off her game when she gets back on the court, projected for September or October.

“When you see your teammates practicing you just want to be there,” Quinonez said. “I’m the kind of person, I want to do everything 100 percent and I can’t do that now. I’m just going to try to do my 100 percent when I am ready. … More than pain, it was more being uncomfortable with it, knowing there was something that is limiting me. I would fall or someone would hit my shoulder it would hurt a little bit.”

As good as she was despite playing as a freshman with her shoulder barking and in a brace, how could can Quinonez be as a healthy sophomore?

“We’ll find out next season,” she said, flashing a wide smile.

Former Iona player Adam Njie Jr. ruled ineligible over point shaving scandal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Former Iona player Adam Njie Jr. has officially been ruled ineligible by the NCAA for his alleged point shaving in 2024.

According to the NCAA, Njie shared critical information with bettors regarding two games he was playing in December 2024, during his freshman year at Iona. One of those games resulted in a bettor amassed $15,500 in bets against Rice that was ultimately lost, causing serious problems for Njie.

One bettor threatened Njie as he felt he was cheated out of his winnings. There were plans to fix the next game against Sacred Heart, but Njie denies going through with either one. The NCAA says Njie cooperated with the investigation and "maintained that he did not manipulate his performance."

Njie transferred from Iona to Dayton in 2025 but was held out of games last season.

This comes after numerous players in the NBA, as well as college basketball, were under fire for possible betting inaccuracies that led to legal action. Over 39 players from 17 Division I basketball teams were implicated. Players such as Simeon Cottle, Carlos Hart and Camiaian Shell were either suspended or removed from team activities while the investigation ensued. In 2025, former NBA players like Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones were caught in their own gambling scandal that included sports betting and fixed poker games.

MORE:College basketball point shaving scandal: List of players, bribe amounts, money wagered and more to know

The outcome for these players is unfortunate, but organizations are cracking down on this behavior that could leave a stain on the entire world of basketball. It is yet to be seen what the next move will be for Njie as he faces uncharted waters.

The bettors involved in the Njie case were among six men who were described as "fixers" by the Department of Justice in a sweeping indictment released Jan. 15, according to the NCAA. 

More College Basketball news:

• NBA won't beat rigging allegations if AJ Dybantsa goes to Utah Jazz
• 2026 NBA Draft announcements: Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and other top prospects headed to the league
• Former UNC basketball coach to Michael Malone: 'Embrace history, but don’t be paralyzed by it'
• NBA legend won't contact Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa and others after draft
• Former NBA ref calls Dan Hurley’s viral sideline exchange 'weird'