After a long off-season of patience and negotiating, Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies have agreed on a 13-year, $330 million contract. The deal also includes a no trade clause, and no opt outs. Harper, 26, is coming from a seven-year stint with the Washington Nationals, who drafted him number one overall in 2008. When the off-season began, the Phillies made it clear that they would spend as much as free agents Harper and Machado wanted. As soon as Machado signed a 10-year, $300 million contract with the San Diego Padres, all the focus went to Harper. However, one day before the Phillies signed him, reports showed that the Los Angeles Dodgers had made a late push for the all-star free agent.
        
Both the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers were pushing to sign Harper to a short-term deal, even after the outfielder stated he wanted his deal to be more long-term. The NL West teams offered short-term deals due to the fact that many long-term deals in the past haven't worked out. There are many examples of teams offering 10+ year contracts, and if you asked them now, they'd probably say they regret them. Giancarlo Stanton signed a 13-year, $325 million contract with the Miami Marlins. After a couple years into that deal, Miami traded Stanton to the New York Yankees. Alex Rodriguez signed a ten- year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers. Later into that contract, the Rangers traded him, also to the New York Yankees. Some other regrettable long term contracts in baseball are Albert Pujols' 10 year, $240 million contract with the Angels, and Robinson Cano's contract with the Mariners being worth the same amount over 10 years.

It's pretty clear however that times are changing, and teams have more money to spend than they used to. Bryce Harper is one of the top names in all of baseball, and was one of the most highly sought after free agent in awhile. Both  sides seem to have faith in one another that this contract will be worth while for everyone. It's also worth noting again that there are no opt-outs or trade clauses in this contract, so both sides are guaranteed to be with each other for the next 13 seasons. 
        
Harper made it clear to the teams interested in him that he wanted to be the highest paid player in the league. Harper is going to make $330 million dollars over the course of what could be the rest of his career. The contract is signaling that both sides are committed to each other for over a decade and shows that the Phillies are all in for the upcoming season and beyond.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below!

To get news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!

After sitting out an entire season in attempt to protest his second consecutive franchise tag, running back Le’Veon Bell is now set to enter free agency. It appears as if Bell will finally be granted the contract he has been waiting for, however there will likely be a few teams attempting to land the star 27-year-old. Bell is projected to reset the running back market, and will likely become the highest paid player at the position. So, what team will be willing to spend big on one of the game’s most talented playmakers?

The last time we saw the 3-time pro bowler play, he rushed for 1,291 yards while adding another 655 yards through the air. The dual threat back thrived in the high-powered Pittsburgh offense alongside Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown. Bell certainly proved himself as one of the top running backs in the league and deserving of a large contract. He was obviously aware of this, as he refused to play the 2018 season due to the 14.5-million-dollar franchise tag being insufficient. It appears Bell’s strategy succeeded, as he now enters free agency completely healthy, and will likely find a long-term deal.

Most teams could benefit from Le’Veon Bell’s talents, however, only a select few have sufficient cap space to bring in the superstar running back. Some favorable landing spots for Bell simply cannot afford the all pro back’s contract (the Eagles for example). While other financially capable teams already have a system or other running backs in place that would not benefit from Bell (Ravens, 49er’s, Colts).

There are two organizations that appear to be set up perfectly to land Le’Veon. Both with ample amounts of cap space and a need for an additional offensive playmaker, with the New York Jets and the Houston Texans both fitting the bill.

The Jets have struggled in recent years and went 4-12 this past season. They have appeared to find their franchise quarterback in Sam Darnold, but have not surrounded the 3rd overall pick with much offensive talent. New York desperately needs playmakers on offense around their quarterback, and right now is the perfect time while Darnold is under his rookie contract, contributing to their large 100 million dollars in cap space. The Jets have plenty of room to bring on Bell.

The only other team that would make sense for Bell are the Texans, as previously mentioned before. Houston also has ample cap space with 78 million. Like Darnold, Deshaun Watson’s rookie contract makes a huge free agent signing possible. Contrary to New York, Houston is coming off of a successful 2018 season, winning their division and hosting a playoff game. With Deandre Hopkins and Deshaun Watson, the Texans have one of the best duos in the NFL to build around. Adding Le’Veon would open up more opportunities in the passing game, and take some attention away from Hopkins. Bell would create a more well-rounded offense where Deshaun Watson could be able to unleash his full potential. Houston could very well pursue Bell with all they have and offer him a huge deal.

Houston and New York provide two seemingly perfect landing spots for Le’Veon Bell. However, in the end, the Jets are the most likely destination. After leaving what appeared to be a Super Bowl contending Steeler’s team, it is evident winning is not all the running back considers. It is likely he ends up wherever the money takes him, and New York’s cap space is almost unmatched. They will likely offer Bell what he wants in order to revamp their offense. If this mega deal is offered, it is hard to picture Bell turning down the opportunity to be paid and play in the New York market. 

​Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below!

To get news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!

One day before the important game on Saturday, Philadelphia fans were informed that young goalie Carter Hart would be ruled out due to a leg injury suffered Thursday night in Montreal. Hart, an important piece to the Flyers’ recent success, was replaced by former starter Brian Elliot. The game, overshadowed by the excitement of the environment, was an important one that would potentially foreshadow the playoff picture. Currently, both teams are out of the playoff race, with Pittsburgh just outside the cut line. One of the biggest games of the season was also Claude Giroux’s 800th career game for the Flyers.

At the eight-minute mark, Pittsburgh’s star center, Sidney Crosby, scored his 26th goal of the season to get his team a good start. Four minutes later, Sean Couturier tied the game for the Flyers with his 25th goal of the season. During the course of the game, there were plenty of aggressive hits. The Flyers’ veteran right wing, Wayne Simmonds took a shot at Pittsburgh’s Brian Dumoulin, which resulted in penalty time and a scuffle between the teams. Dumoulin would quickly recover, and he skated off the ice under his own power.

In a defensive minded second period, Pittsburgh’s Justin Schultz, supported the only offense in the game scoring his first goal of the season at the halfway point of the period. Rain started coming down relatively hard during this point of the game, which made the ice very sticky and slick. This would eventually cause problems for both teams as they had to overcome the rain and try their best to play. Seven minutes into the third period, Evgeni Malkin scored his 19th goal of the season, and extended their lead to 3-1. With three minutes left in the third period, James van Riemsdyk scored his 16th goal to trim the deficit to 3-2. Pittsburgh started playing less defense, which prompted the Flyers to start playing more aggressively and out skating them on the ice. With 20 seconds left in the game, Jakub Voracek scored the tying goal and forcing the game into overtime.
        
Two minutes into overtime, Claude Giroux scored the game winning goal and sealed the win for Philadelphia. As the crowd roared, the Flyers saluted the crowd who stuck through the rain and walked off the ice, with this win hopefully being a turning point for the Flyers at this part of the season. 

Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below!

To get news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!

​So, in case anyone wasn't already aware, Duke and North Carolina is easily the biggest rivalry in all of college basketball. At the time of their first matchup of the season on February 20th, they both were ranked in the top 10, with Duke being the number one team in the nation.

This has a lot to do with future number one pick Zion Williamson. Zion has been a monster on the court and has been the focal point of the blue devils this season. However, within the first thirty seconds of the game, Zion landed awkwardly on his left foot and blew through his shoe entirely. Now as impressive as that might be, everyone is still very concerned about Zion, his knee injury, and about his future for the remainder of the college basketball season.

But before we dive into what Zion's future might look like, let's talk about what happened during the remainder of the game. This was the most anticipated game of the college basketball season so far, and the ticket prices proved that, coming close to Super Bowl value. According to Fox Business, the average resale price for a ticket was $3,296, which is mind-blowing. For comparison, the average resale price for a Super Bowl ticket earlier this month was $4,656, so it's safe to say that a lot of people would have loved to see this game live.

After Zion went down, Duke just seemed flustered for the remainder of the game, especially on offense, with the final score being 88-72 in favor of the Tarheels. Other stars like RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish stepped up, scoring 33 points and 27 points respectively. Those two carried the team, with the remainder of the roster only putting up a combined 12 points. It looks like Zion will be out for at least a few weeks, so players like Tre Jones need to step up big time in future games for Duke if they want to remain towards the top of the college basketball rankings.

Now back to Zion, by far the biggest question that has been asked since his injury is "Should Zion shut down for the remainder of the season?" Initial reports are that this injury is just a minor knee sprain, and he is already being ruled day to day. So, it doesn't seem like Zion will miss that much time, unless he chooses another route. There have been talks in recent week about the idea of Zion sitting out the remainder of the season to preserve his NBA draft value, and avoid potential injury. After this knee injury, those talks have been kicked into high gear, but the question remains, what will Zion choose to do?

NBA legend Scottie Pippen was quoted over a month ago on ESPN's "The Jump" saying that Zion has done everything he needed to do to secure himself being the number one pick in this year's draft. Pippen continued to say that the best thing for Zion right now is to call it a season, and not risk any serious injury. Zion saw these comments and made a statement saying that he does not plan on sitting out. He mentioned that he loves playing for Duke and Coach K, and likes the team and atmosphere that he's been around so far this season. Now only time will tell if this minor injury has changed his mind at all. I don't think anyone would blame him, or be upset with him, if he chose to sit out, except maybe Duke fans.

As for my personal opinion, I think Zion will be back on the court for the Blue Devils when he is 100% healthy, and not a day sooner. If I were Zion, I wouldn't come back until the tournament, or maybe the ACC tournament, but no sooner than that. It seems like Zion takes his commitment to Duke seriously, and still has a goal set to win a championship with his teammates. Zion can very well make that goal a reality if he's back on the court next month.

​​Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below!

To get news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!

​​After being revealed as a secret team, the San Diego Padres have signed free agent Manny Machado. The deal is reported to be a 10 year, $300 million deal with a five-year option. Machado is joining the Padres after being a part of the Orioles and Dodgers last season. The Padres are coming off a very disappointing season going 66-96 with a negative 150 run difference. After signing Eric Hosmer last offseason, the Padres went into 2018 with a positive outlook. With the team going 31-50 at home, they struggled all season on the road. Now that Machado and Hosmer are at the corners, the defense should be significantly better.

The Machado signing means one thing, where and when will Bryce Harper sign? According to recent reports, the Philadelphia Phillies have been rumored as the top team in the sweepstakes. That being said, the San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals still have a fair chance to sign the all-star outfielder. Harper might change his terms due to the signing of Machado, and might revalue his worth. MLB GM’s knew that whoever would sign first, would immediately affect the other. The Padres are giving Machado a hefty paycheck, so any team looking for Harper, better have the guts to spend that much as well.

Earlier this week, the Giants reported that long time manager Bruce Bochy is going to retire at seasons end. This could change Harper’s mind, because maybe he won't want to get comfortable with Bochy, and then having to learn a new manager’s play style. In Philadelphia, Gabe Kapler showed promise leading his team to a much-improved season in 2018. That proved for now that Kapler is looking like he has a home for quite some time.

​Bryce Harper wanted to make his decision by the time Valentine’s day came around, but that clearly didn't happen. My prediction is that Bryce will sign late this week to the Philadelphia Phillies for the same amount as Machado, including a player option. 

​Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below!

To get news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!

Almost 2 years after Colin Kaepernick filed a collusion case against the NFL, the quarterback’s lawsuit appears to have been resolved. With this chapter behind him, it is time for the quarterback to move on. The 31-year-old may still be a viable quarterback, worthy of a roster spot on numerous teams, but is there an organization willing to bring in one of the most controversial players of all time?

Not too long ago, Colin Kaepernick was one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the league. His mobility and arm strength lead him to be a top dual threat quarterback, as he was able to lead the San Francisco 49ers to a 2012 Super Bowl appearance (and nearly pulled off one of the greatest Super Bowl comebacks ever).

However, the quarterback’s most recent seasons were much less successful. The 49er’s dismal record the next few seasons is not entirely the result of the quarterback’s performance, as San Francisco was undergoing a complete rebuild and he was not surrounded by much talent. The last time Kaepernick was on the field, he was playing at a backup quarterback level, occasionally showing promise he could start. However, the quarterback has not played since the 2016 season, which should concern potential teams interested in him.

Looking at today’s NFL rosters, there are a handful of teams that could use an experienced quarterback on their roster, even if it's just as a backup. The veteran could be a potential fit for teams in need of a short-term starter such as the Redskins, Panthers, or Jaguars. While he could be a valuable backup for teams such as the Giants, Dolphins, Seahawks, Texans, and others.

Realistically, Colin Kaepernick would most likely be a backup if he returned to the NFL. Therefore, any interested organizations would have to consider if it is worth bringing in Kaepernick, who may not even start a game. He will undoubtedly become a distraction, at least initially, as we saw when fellow protestor Eric Reid was signed. However, Reid was recently extended by the Panthers and it appears the acquisition worked out for both the organization and the player. After the Panther’s willingness to sign Reid, Carolina seems like the most likely fit for Kaepernick, as they need a quarterback to fill in while their franchise star, Cam Newton recovers from surgery. Kaepernick’s athletic build and play style are similar to the likes of Newton’s, and he should certainly be a better option than their only other quarterback, Kyle Allen.

The last major factor to consider is money. Kaepernick obviously believes he is valuable, as he reportedly wanted $20 million to join the AAF. The NFL league minimum for Kaepernick would be just under $1 million, and it is unlikely a team would be willing to pay more than $2-3 million for the 31-year-old. Colin Kaepernick would have to accept making only a couple million dollars a year upon his return.

At this point, Colin Kaepernick’s return to the NFL is very unlikely. Right now, the Panthers seem to be the optimal fit for the quarterback, but with many other play callers hitting free agency such as Teddy Bridgewater, Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Josh McCown, teams may look elsewhere.

​Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below!

To get news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!

​Now that the Super Bowl is over, it's time to discuss the 8th Annual NFL Honors Award Ceremony, that was held on February 2, 2019 at Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia.  This ceremony is typically held the night before the Super Bowl, and discusses the personnel and players who have made a difference both on and off the field.

​After an electrifying season, starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes was awarded MVP for the regular season.  With this being his first full season as a starter, Mahomes threw for 50 touchdowns with only 12 interceptions, which was the most touchdowns in the league.  Other interesting statistics that solidified his strong presence on the field are 5,097 passing yards, which was second in the league, and a quarterback rating of 81.8%, which was a league best.  At only 23 years of age, the Chief’s organization has a fantastic chance of being the next powerhouse in the AFC for years to come.  They were one overtime drive away from beating the Patriots in the AFC Championship, and with Brady not getting any younger, the Chiefs and Mahomes won't be slowing down anytime soon. 

​We are truly in the presence of one of the greatest defensive tackles in the history of the game.  Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams, was presented with his second Defensive Player of the Year award, which is an extremely rare feat to accomplish.  Considered to be a major threat by various teams, the 27-year-old led the league in sacks with 20.5, and also had 4 forced fumbles.  As seen in the very relaxed Super Bowl, Donald had one of the few highlights by throwing Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to the ground like a rag doll (without getting a personal foul).  The Rams should consider themselves blessed that they have a person with such talent who can rattle an entire offense for an entire game week in and week out.

​Penn State All-Star running back Saquon Barkley has already blasted his way through many defensive lines for his rookie year on the New York Giants.  Being the only shining light upon an organization with over-the-hill quarterback Eli Manning, and drama-feasting wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., Saquon took the reins and gave his team a higher chance of obtaining points than in recent years.  The 22-year-old gathered 11 touchdowns, 5th in the league, and 1,307 yards for 261 attempts.  This kid has already started to reach the potential that was seen in his later college days.  Can anyone stop him once he breaks through the line? So far it has been a great challenge; expect even greater numbers once the offense starts to build around him. 
 

​Being on a team that was originally projected to finish last in the entire league, linebacker Darius Leonard was one of the key pieces that helped revive the Indianapolis Colts.  For being a rookie, he led the Colts in tackles with 153, which was a franchise record. He also added 4 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, and 7 sacks in the regular season for good measure.  It is safe to say that the Colts have a strong chance to make it to the top spot of their division with this man leading the defense.  For being a second-round pick, it is very surprising how the elite teams did not even look at this man, even though South Carolina State has not been a major powerhouse for bringing players to the NFL.

​If there was a player that deserved this award for this specific season, it is Andrew Luck.  After the previous disaster of a season, Andrew Luck threw for 39 touchdowns, which was second in the entire league.  He also ranked 5th in the league in passing yards this season with 4,593 with only 15 interceptions.  Originally projected to be the next Payton Manning, Andrew Luck has had his highs and lows, including his entire NFL future being in doubt due to the constant shoulder injuries.  Hopefully in the next few years, he can continue to put up numbers like this, and turn the Colts into a regular AFC powerhouse with other young pieces like Eric Ebron, Marlon, Mack, and Darius Leonard around him. 

​The Chicago Bears were another team that was not projected to do so well this season.  Head coach Matt Nagy, after leaving the Kansas City Chiefs, came to the Bears that were seemingly in a rebuild mode. After a complete runaround in play calling, utilizing young quarterback Mitch Trubisky, and obtaining Khalil Mack from the Oakland Raiders, this man should have gotten the award immediately after the season.  The only other person that could have been in the conversation was Colts head coach Frank Reich, who also did a complete turnaround of a reeling team.  Nagy and his leadership can push this team to be a Super Bowl contender year in and year out if they keep that elite defensive core in tact.

The man who should have gotten this award last year, for giving away his ENTIRE salary, Chris Long, has finally gotten the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.  This year he, on top of being a strong leader and player for the defense of the Eagles, helped aid poverty-stricken towns all over the world with clean water, military appreciation, and youth education.  He specifically focused on a new idea to boost his impact to society through the “First Quarter for Literacy”, which provides underprivileged Philadelphia children with books, literacy resources, and mentoring services to further the eager young minds of tomorrow.  Honestly, with this being one of the many organizations that he has produced, who knows what he will do next to make this world a better place.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions down below!

To get news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!

Welp, if there was any hope left for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Antonio Brown to hash things out before the 2019 season, there isn't anymore. Earlier today the star wide receiver took to social media to bid fair well to Steeler nation, saying "...time to move on and forward... #NewDemands"

​​This post was also with a small highlight reel to the song "Now I Do What I Want" by rapper lil Uzi. After this was posted on Brown's twitter and instagram accounts, it was reported shortly after by ESPN reporter Adam Schefter that he has officially requested a trade. This is a straight punch in the gut to the Steelers organization, as well as all of Steeler nation.  The possibility of a trade has been in the air ever since Brown decided to drop all contact with the team prior to their week 17 matchup with the Bengals, resulting in him not playing in the game. However, up until this morning, there have been comments hinting at the possibility of Brown staying in Pittsburgh still being on the table. 

After following various outlets of sports media all day it seems that Brown's main frustration was that he was being the scapegoat for all of the Steelers' drama on and off the field, and that he simply wants a fresh start. Brown's relationship with the Steelers has been an unstable one to say the least, with Pittsburgh tolerating a lot of his antics due to his exceptional play on the field, but it seems like the best thing to do for both  sides is to part ways once and for all. 

Below I'm going to address several common questions that have been surfacing since this news broke this morning. 

Obviously Antonio Brown is to take most of the blame for all of his off the field antics over the years. It seems like instances like the one in week 17 have been going on for years, whether it's the attitude issues, being late to meetings, gaining special treatment, etc. This is simply a guy who knows he's the best, and wants to be treated as such, even if that means putting himself above the team. Antonio Brown is 30 years old and handled this whole situation very poorly. You don't completely cut all contact from your team, and then release comment after comment on social media just to draw more attention to yourself. Brown is a professional athlete, but surely hasn't acted like it. 

Someone else that I'm going to put the rest of the blame on is head coach Mike Tomlin. I for one have not been much of a fan of Tomlin in recent years, and this is because of one simple reason, he's a PLAYERS COACH. Being a coach is like being a manager. You can't be someone's boss, and be their best friend at the same time, but this is what Tomlin has been trying to do anyway. At the end of the day, the Pittsburgh Steelers are a TEAM, and as the head coach, Tomlin needs to treat every player on the team equally. There is no room to give special treatment to any one or group of players, no matter how talented they are. 

Right now there are two teams that I think have the best shot of landing Antonio Brown.

1. The San Francisco 49ers
I think they have a solid shot mainly because this is clearly where Brown has hinted at wanting to play, and the niners know this. They're in dire need of a true number one receiver for Garoppolo and that young offense, and I think they have the assets, and draft picks to go out and get him. 

2. The Oakland Raiders
This one might come as a shock to most but I could really see this move happening.  John Gruden is all about star power and really needs to start adding pieces around Derek Carr sooner rather than later. They have a TON of draft picks in this years draft, including three in the first round. If Gruden wants an established star in AB, he definitely has enough draft picks to entice Pittsburgh. 

What's His Value?
I've seen a lot of different opinions on this today but personally, I think the Steelers are foolish to trade him away for anything less than a second round pick (or a third/forth and an established player).  Yes, all of the off the field distractions surely limit his value some, but this is one of the best wide receivers of all time we're talking about. If AB gets the fresh start he wants, I'm sure the off the field issues will diminish, and I'd be willing to bet there will be at least a couple teams in a bidding war to land the star WR. 

I've been preaching this ever since the trade rumors surfaced, I am not worried about this current Steelers offense if AB gets traded, as long as #7 is still throwing the ball. Juju Smith-Schuster has proven that he can take over as a WR1, and with other weapons like Vance McDonald, Jesse James, Ryan Switzer, and James Washington all returning, Ben has plenty of options to throw the ball to. The one concern that I do have is that of James Washington. His rookie season was a disappointing one for sure, but he'll have to bounce back in a big way for next season if he wants to take over that WR2 position, which I think he can do. Also, don't rule out the possibility of Pittsburgh drafting a WR early in the draft if they get a pick or two in exchange for Brown. 

Overall, it's extremely disappointing to see how everything turned out, but at the end of the day, professional sports is a business. Even though Brown didn't handle this in the most professional way, these things happen and I truly believe the Steelers will be more than fine next season. Le'Veon Bell and Brown will both be gone. Easily the two biggest off-the-field distractions will be off the team, and Pittsburgh can go back to becoming a TEAM again, because at the end of the day, that's how teams like the Patriots are Super Bowl contenders year after year. It's time the Steelers stop acting like the Kardashians, and start acting like a team, and trading Brown will be a huge step in that direction. 

Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment your thoughts and opinions on the drama surrounding the Steelers and Antonio Brown!

To get news and updates on all things sports, be sure to keep it here, with Heated Sports!

On Thursday January 31st, Kristaps Porzingis met with the New York Knicks ownership about his future and the struggles the team has faced this season. When the meeting concluded, the Knicks got the idea that Porzingis wanted to be traded. Later that day, the Knicks agreed to deal Porzingis along with Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee and Trey Burke to the Dallas Mavericks for Dennis Smith Jr., two future picks, Wes Matthews and DeAndre Jordan. Porzingis, 23, has played his whole career in New York and his career average is 17.8 points per game. The 7’3 power forward has not played in a year due to a torn ACL injury. With trading their best player, the Knicks clear two slots to sign key free agents this offseason, with rumors about potentially signing Kevin Durant and/or Kyrie Irving. The trade also shows that the Knicks are tired of losing seasons and would like to change the culture in the locker room.

Another major trade happened before the deadline that included the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers. The Sixers sent Landry Shamet, Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala and future draft picks in exchange for the Clippers' leading scorer Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic and Mike Scott. With the addition of Harris, the Sixers have a starting five that could change the standings in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The Clippers clear some space, so they could target Kawhi Leonard in the offseason. The trade leaves the Sixers very low on bench depth but a very good starting lineup. Harris, who is averaging 20.9 points per game, adds excellent shooting and defense along side Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Philadelphia might make some more moves before the deadline to help the bench, one name included was Wes Matthews of the New York Knicks. This trade sets up the Sixers very nicely in their goal to make a very far push in this years playoffs.  

As the trade deadline comes to a close later today we are still left with a few lingering questions. The main NBA player that was on everyone's minds during this years trade deadline is Anthony Davis, and whether or not the Pelicans and Lakers can agree on a deal before times up. Unfortunately it doesn't look like that will happen so the Lakers will still have their young core for the remainder of this season, and we'll just have to wait and see where Davis will end up when other teams such as the Celtics can enter the into the mix later this summer.

Thanks for reading, and be sure to comment down below any thoughts you might have about this years NBA trade deadline!

For more NBA news and analysis be sure to keep checking up on Heated Sports!

Super Bowl 53 surely wasn't what most people expected by any means. I don't think i've seen that many punts in an NFL game in entire my life, but when it was all said and done, the New England Patriots came out victorious with a 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. This was the Patriots' and Tom Brady's sixth Super Bowl title, tying the Pittsburgh Steelers with the most Super Bowl wins in the NFL.

A lot of people, including myself, picked the Patriots to win the matchup, but I don't think anyone predicted it would happen in the fashion that it did last night. Overall it was a defensive battle the whole way, with a score of 3-3 heading into the final quarter of the season. To me it just seemed like both offenses were uncomfortable from the very beginning. Brady threw his only interception on his very first pass of the game, and Jared Goff just couldn't get into a groove.

One of the few standouts on offense was Julian Edelman who caught 10 catches for a game high 141 yards, thus winning him his first Super Bowl MVP. Some other key performances from the Patriots side was Sony Michel running the ball 18 times for 94 yards and the games only touchdown. Rob Gronkowski also had 6 catches for 87 yards, including a 30 yard reception late in the forth quarter which lead to the Michel go-ahead touchdown. ​

On the Rams side of the ball there wasn't too many standouts on offense. The defense was the key to keeping them in the game which was led by linebacker Cory Littleton who had 6 tackles and the game's only turnover, an interception on the opening drive. Like I already mentioned it just seemed like the Rams' offense was out of sync the whole game. Goff only completed 19 of his 38 pass attempts for 229 yards and 1 interception. Todd Gurley had 10 rushes for 35 yards and CJ Anderson added 7 carries for 22 yards. Wide receivers Brandon Cooks and Robert Woods had solid performances with Cooks hauling in 8 catches for 120 yards and Woods catching 5 passes for 70 yards.

Even though this game was so low scoring, it still set several Super Bowl records. Some of the most interesting ones being lowest overall combined score (16 points), most consecutive drives ending in a punt (8 - Rams), fewest touchdowns scored (1), and Super Bowl LIII was the only Super Bowl in history to not have a touchdown in the first three quarters.

Now that the Super Bowl and the 2018-2019 season is officially over, a few lingering questions from these two teams remain.

Was this Rob Gronkowski's last game?

There has been speculation all season that this might be his last year, Super Bowl in hand or not, but we still don't know for sure. Gronk was asked about his future after the game and he said that answer will come within the coming weeks, but for now he was just going to celebrate with his teammates. If you ask me I think he'll end up calling it a career. He's made several comments throughout the season saying things like he's isn't sure what his future holds, and that his body has taken a lot of damage over the years. No better way to go out than on top.

WHAT IS UP WITH TODD GURLEY? ​

I asked this question in my Super Bowl preview article and people, including myself, are more confused after this game than we were before it. The circumstances were very similar to the NFC Championship game; Gurley started the game, got stuffed on a few carries, then CJ Anderson comes in, still doesn't play all too well but there Gurley is, still on the sidelines. Is he injured? Is it all in his head? Or was this all McVay's call on who to play and when? We still don't know, but something has to be up because why else wasn't the best running back in football on the field the entire game?

Is this New England Patriots dynasty the best in all of sports, and how long will it last?

Every year people are out there saying the Patriots dynasty is over, and Brady is finally too old, but here we are, yet again at the end of the season with the Pats on top. I think I've come to terms saying, with confidence, that this New England Patriots dynasty is indeed the best in sports history. You can't argue what the combination of Brady, Belichick, and the ownership have done in this last decade and a half. They're simply in the Super Bowl conversation year after year with six victories to show for it. We simply have never seen anything like it. Plus Brady has come out and said he wants to play until he's 45, so after this year, how can anyone say it's coming to and end any time soon?