Chatter regarding a potential trade of Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski continues to bubble up from time to time in part because Gronkowski has yet to
get a new contract. And a new contract won’t be coming in the immediate
future.Per a source with knowledge of the situation
Tony Gonzalez Jersey , a new contract for Gronkowski is “likely,” but “nothing is imminent.”The source added that there’s still plenty of work to do. The biggest challenge, in our estimation (and not from any source), would be to determine
whether Gronkowski will get another incentive-driven raise (he earned an extra
$5.5 million last year) or whether he will have a guaranteed increase in his
base pay, regardless of performance.While a trade remains possible in theory, two different sources tell PFT that Friday’s out-of-the-blue reports regarding a looming trade were, as Gronk called
them Saturday, “hashtag fake news.” The specific report of coach Bill Belichick
striking a tentative deal
Nick Boyle Jersey , quarterback Tom Brady threatening to retire if it goes through, and owner Robert Kraft blocking the trade, simply didn’t happen — on
Friday or at any other point of the offseason.If that would ever come close to occurring, a new team would need to know that Gronkowski would be on board with the change of venue, or whether he’d walk
away from the game. It also would be wise to have an idea as to the amount of
money he’d want under a new contract. None of that happened, either.Here’s what remains the most likely outcome: Gronkowski gets another sweetener to his deal, he plays for at least one more year with the Patriots,
and then he decides after 2018 whether to continue to play football.The Indiana Pacers look to keep their slim hopes alive of winning the Central Division title when they open a regular-season-ending home-and-home series
against Charlotte Hornets on Sunday afternoon in Charlotte
Aaron Rodgers Jersey , N.C.The Pacers (47-33) trail the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers (49-31) by two games with two remaining but hold the tiebreaker advantage. So if they sweep the
Hornets and the Cavaliers lose both ends of a home-and-home against the New York
Knicks, the Pacers could still steal the Central title.More likely, the Pacers appear headed for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, where it is possible they will draw the Cavaliers in the
first round.The Pacers won the season series from the Cavaliers 3-1, including a 124-107 win in Cleveland in November.Indiana has won six of its last eight games, including a 126-106 home blowout of the defending champion Golden State Warriors in an emotionally charged game
on Thursday.But the Pacers seemed to run out of gas on the second night of a back-to-back Friday at Toronto, falling 92-73 to the East’s top team in a defeat that
virtually sealed Indiana’s fate in the division race.Recognizing the importance of the game against the Raptors, Pacers coach Nate McMillan seemed resigned to a second-place finish after the defeat.“They gave us what they had
Dontae Johnson Jersey ,” he said of the tough back-to-back in the final week of the season. “Our guys just didn’t have it.”The Pacers can’t fall any lower than fifth in the seedings, so McMillan is afforded to luxury of resting key guys in the final two games should he
choose.One smaller team goal that remains is the possibility of a winning record on the road. The Pacers will take the court today with a 20-20 record away from
home.If there has been a poster team for playing hard in meaningless games, it has been Charlotte (35-45).After suffering a 41st loss against Philadelphia on March 19, assuring they couldn’t finish with a winning record, the Hornets have won five of nine
games.Three of the four losses came against three of the East’s playoff teams — Cleveland, Washington and Philadelphia.Rookie Malik Monk exemplified the Hornets’ late-season positive attitude with a career-best 26 points in Friday’s 137-100 win in Orlando.“I don’t think it’s ever going to get any better than that,” he said. “I’m going out there to play like it’s LeBron (James), Russell Westbrook
Jacquizz Rodgers Jersey , anybody like that.”Monk went 8 of 14 from the field and 4 of 6 on 3-pointers while matching his career high in assists with eight in arguably the Hornets’ best game of the
season.Charlotte shot 56 percent overall, 55 percent on 3-pointers, and 92 percent from the free throw line.Monk has scored in double figures in eight of his last 11 games after scoring 10 or more just six times in Charlotte’s first 69 games.His current stretch includes 13- and 16-point outings against Philadelphia, and 17 against Washington.Monk saw no action earlier this season when the Hornets split two games against the Pacers.Kemba Walker was the big scorer with 41 points when Charlotte, at home, surprised Indiana 133-126 in February.
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