After trading for Tavon Austin this spring
Ziggy Hood Jersey , the Cowboys said they would put him in a “web back” role similar to the one Lance Dunbar used to play as a receiver out of the
backfield.
They also list him as a running back on their roster, but it appears they may be going in a different direction when it comes to the way they actually use
Austin. Austin, who was a wide receiver at West Virginia and with the Rams, has
lined up in the slot and as an outside receiver during camp while backfield work
has been reserved for other players.
“All the things you see me doing out here is pretty much what I’ll be doing,” Austin said, via the
Dallas Morning News. “I ain’t touched the backfield yet, but hopefully, eventually if they need me back there, I’ll be
back there too.”
The unsettled nature of the Cowboys receiving corps has been discussed often this offseason and Ezekiel Elliott‘s presence means there isn’t the same
uncertainty at running back, which may play a role in how the team ultimately
decides to deploy Austin this season.
The NBA offseason has arrived, which means nothing will happen for the next four months other than a draft
Colt McCoy Jersey , three summer leagues, free agency, the creation of a new schedule, coaching hires, trades, roster reworkings and possibly movement toward
letting high school graduates jump directly into the league again.
It all adds up to very little downtime.
There is no shortage of questions about what will happen this summer – leading off, of course, with yet another decision to be made by LeBron James
about his future and where he’ll play next season as he resumes his quest for
more championships.
Here are some non-James topics heading into the offseason:
KAWHI LEONARD
The mystery of the 2017-18 NBA season is the mystery of the offseason as well. Leonard played in only nine games for the Spurs this season while dealing
with a leg injury, the specifics of which are a closely guarded secret even by
San Antonio’s notoriously tight-lipped standards. He could get a supermax deal,
he could get traded, he might still be hurt. But the Spurs – and the league –
need answers
Doug Flutie Jersey , because he can change a lot of directions in a hurry.
COACHES
The vacancies in Detroit and Toronto should be filled soon. The Pistons might be best-served to hire Dwane Casey, who led the Raptors to the No. 1 seed in the
Eastern Conference this season. This is a crucial hire for the Raptors, since
whoever will be calling the shots next season will have a team that should be
good enough to contend for the East title.
THE DRAFT
Arizona center Deandre Ayton will likely go No. 1 to Phoenix, which makes sense on a lot of levels. The intrigue really starts there. Does Vlade Divac use
the No. 2 overall pick and bring Luka Doncic, the young Slovenian who has been
talked about as a can’t-miss NBA star for some time, to Sacramento? What does
Atlanta do at No. 3? Inevitably, someone will move up on draft night and that
probably means an established player (or players) will be on the move.
GAMBLING
The Supreme Court ruling already has bets on games being placed in Delaware, and more states will be following suit soon. Expect the NBA to continue pushing
for 1 percent of the action, which the league says is needed in part to cover
what will be its new costs as far as protecting the integrity of the game and
the players. It’s also unclear if injury reports will have to be more
specialized in a betting world. Wouldn’t bettors have liked knowing LeBron James
had a badly injured – he says broken – hand in Games 2, 3 and 4 of the NBA
Finals?
OFFICIATING
The NBA knows fans, players and coaches aren’t thrilled with the level of officiating in the league right now. This will absolutely be a big topic – maybe
the primary topic – when the board of governors meet in Las Vegas next month.
Also
http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/jordan-poyer-jersey , there will be a challenge-flag-type item tinkered with during summer league
games; it won’t be a red cloth like in the NFL, but the concept will be the same
as the league studies whether something like that should be added.
THE LAKERS
Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka should have about $62 million in cap space to go shopping with when free agency opens July 1 – including for James, meaning
the Lakers could get transformed and become a playoff team again in a hurry.
Expect them to use the No. 25 pick in the draft on a 3-point shooter, since no
team can surround James with enough of those.
CHRIS PAUL AND PAUL GEORGE
Again, like so many other topics, the futures of Chris Paul and Paul George will probably have some impact on whatever James decides to do this summer – or
vice versa. Paul wants a max contract, and if his hamstring didn’t pop late in
Game 5 of the Western Conference finals he and the Houston Rockets may very well
have been in the NBA Finals. George seemed to be hinting that he could stay in
Oklahoma City, but is a Los Angeles native. It seems likely that either, or
both, would try to align with James – but how?
THE PELICANS
Yes, the Pelicans. West semifinalists this season
Gale Sayers Jersey , New Orleans needs to decide what it wants to do with DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo. The Pelicans have already given coach Alvin
Gentry an extension , and keeping either Cousins or Rondo – or both – to play
alongside Anthony Davis might make New Orleans a sleeper pick in the West next
season. Question is, will Cousins be full-go coming off his Achilles injury.
THE HEAT
Dwyane Wade has been talking about retirement, and there’s been no indication yet if he’s anywhere near a decision. Miami is in a tough situation on the cash
front – Hassan Whiteside, Tyler Johnson, Goran Dragic and James Johnson will
make nearly $78 million themselves next season – and the Heat wants to find a
way to keep Wayne Ellington. What will Wade do? And if he stays, how much can
the Heat pay him? Or do they make big trades and add some star power?
THE KNICKS
Two questions for the Knicks to figure out: Will they allow David Fizdale the time he needs to build the team he wants? And what will they do with Kristaps
Porzingis this season? Give Fizdale time, and he’ll win in New York. But rushing
Porzingis back off ACL surgery could be a most unnecessary risk for a team that
isn’t going to contend next season anyway.
—
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