One day after ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported 76ers forward Ben Simmons intends to never play another game for the team, Smith said on “First Take” that Irving could have ended up in Philadelphia in a trade for Simmons, though the idea was nixed by Nets forward Kevin Durant. MORE: Wiggins still unvaccinated; that could be a big problem for Warriors “Let me tell you something right now — Philadelphia might have said no, but I assure you, if it were not for Kevin Durant, the Brooklyn Nets would be interested in making that deal,” Smith said....

That makes ESPN’s tribute to Saunders, who died on Wednesday at 61, so fitting. It’s narrated by Ley, one of the few people in Bristol longer than Saunders, and it encapsulates what made Saunders so uncommon. MORE: Notable sports deaths of 2016 Saunders was versatile but not facile, firm but not overbearing and, maybe above all else, likable. He seemed like a genuinely good person, and tributes like Ley’s only cement that....

But lost among those high-profile names is one that should not be forgotten: Tom Jackson. MORE: Sorry ESPN, Skip Bayless dominates sports debate The longtime NFL analyst officially called it quits Wednesday after 29 years with ESPN. Jackson will make his final on-air appearance Aug. 6-7 during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Weekend in Canton, Ohio. The New York Daily News and ProFootballTalk first reported the 65-year old Jackson was leaning toward retirement — despite entreaties from ESPN brass to stay with partner Chris Berman in his last season at the helm of “Sunday NFL Countdown....

The Blues sit third on the table, separated from the Citizens by Manchester United, who have three more points than Antonio Conte’s men. “It’s make it or break it - December, it’s always very difficult,” the Ghana international told ESPN FC. “After December, you can tell who’s going to win the title. Chelsea have a big squad that can stand up to every game, so I hope they can go through December in a good way....

Maximizing your savings by using an FSA does not have to be difficult. Here are some steps to walk you through determining what will be most accurate set-aside from your paychecks: Know the IRS Rules about FSAsDetermine How Much Money You’ll Need to Cover Next Year’s Expenses (FSA)Do the Math to Determine Your FSA Set-AsideLast Step - Preventing the Loss of Your Money Next Year (Note: Don’t confuse a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) with a Health Savings Account (HSA)....

After managing a 0-0 draw against Burundi, Uganda Cranes bounced back with a 5-1 thrashing of South Sudan to go top of the Group. This is going to be like a final for both teams considering the fact that only South Sudan has been eliminated from the competition after losing twice. The two teams have met eleven times in the past, with Ethiopia falling six times, drawing three times and winning twice....

This comes after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decision to cancel the NFL’s Washington Redskins trademarks. A rising number of news publications have previously decided to stop using the offensive term, but Etsy appears to be the first large-scale marketplace business to put a ban on selling Redskins items. According to Etsy, allowing the sale of these items violates their policies to protect consumers against demeaning content. The blog post Etsy published to break this news goes on to acknowledge most fans attached to the Washington namesake do not have racist intent but “the fact remains that Native Americans themselves find the term unacceptable....

The EU’s plan would grant Ukrainian permanent residence and access to housing, work, health care and education for at least one year, The Guardian reported. If the conflict continues and it is deemed not safe for refugees to return to Ukraine, they could seek asylum for another two years. The Russian military began its attacks against Ukraine less than a week ago, and already almost 875,000 people have left their homes to seek safety in neighboring countries, according to the United Nations’ refugee agency....

So the investigation is not only real — it's ongoing. It is an active investigation. The case has not gone cold! We've got a live one here, chief! Hot case! Send in the documents! This all stems, as McKenzie said, from Cooke's hit on Karlsson last Feb. 14. He said at the team that he was going to investigate, and he's come through. We're not sure what the endgame is, really....

Bouchard advanced to the third round at Flushing Meadows for the first time but was made to work by Cirstea. She won 6-2, 6-7, 6-4. MORE: Venus Williams, Roger Federer in action | CiCi Bellis done | Results Bouchard will now face Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, the tournament’s 30th seed. She admitted she must improve to go deeper in the tournament. “I didn’t feel as sharp as I want to be,” she said....

Evans was strongly linked with a move to Manchester City before the start of the season and Pep Guardiola has hinted he will be in the market for another defender next month. Arsenal are among the other clubs reportedly interested in the Northern Ireland centre-back, who has started 15 Premier League games for West Brom this season. West Brom manager Pardew remains hopeful Evans can be persuaded to sign a contract extension to commit his future to the club despite the ongoing transfer speculation....

That’s the major takeaway from a scientific review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. For the review, researchers analyzed data from 16 studies of 1.8 million people to look for links between physical activity and how well a person fared with COVID-19. The researchers discovered that people who were physically active were about 11% less likely to get infected with the virus compared to their less active counterparts....

Much less clear is the church’s position on polygamy in the eternal hereafter. When a Mormon man and woman are married in the Temple, they are “sealed,” which means they and their children will be bound together forever in heaven—what Mormons call the celestial kingdom. If a Mormon man becomes a widower, or if he is divorced, he can remarry in the Temple—and thus be sealed to more than one woman....

After going behind to Mohamed Salah’s first-half goal, the Toffees were handed a lifeline at Anfield with a late penalty. Dejan Lovren was the culprit, shoving Dominic Calvert-Lewin from behind, although the call has divided opinion. Rooney in any case has little doubt that referee Craig Pawson acted correctly in giving him the chance to equalise from the spot. “I had to keep myself composed. Lovren kicked the ball away and that gave me time,” the former Manchester United star told Sky Sports after the final whistle....

The Toffees have caught the eye with their busy activity in the summer transfer window, splashing out over £70m on the likes of Jordan Pickford, Davy Klaassen, Michael Keane and Sandro Ramirez. Barkley misses Everton tour But the one new arrival who will no doubt attract the most attention during Everton’s summer preparations is Wayne Rooney, who has returned to his boyhood club after 13 years at Manchester United....

The Senegal midfielder looked to have pulled his hamstring in the second half of the encounter and made way for DR Congo youngster Beni Baningime in the 50th minute. Gueye had been on every of Everton’s 19 starting lineup in the Premier League this season and leaving the pitch against the Blues was his fourth time. However, his absence did not have a negative effect on the Toffees as his replacement Baningime held his own in the midfield against the likes of Eden Hazard and N’Golo Kante to ensure Sam Allardyce unbeaten run at the helms of the Goodison Park outfit continues....

This month’s list includes the return of one of the streamer’s biggest shows. After its winter hiatus, Star Trek: Discovery is continuing its fourth season in February (in the lead-up to the long-awaited Picard season 2, coming at the start of March.) If you prefer reality to science fiction, Paramount+ is also the home of the Celebrity Big Brother live feeds, which are launching as soon as the main show starts on CBS....

HYBE confirmed in June that the K-Pop megastars had been named ambassadors for the city’s World Expo 2030 bid, and on Wednesday released new information about their show, which is to take place in October. Here is everything you need to know about the show, including how to get tickets and livestream the event. How to Watch BTS’ Free ‘Yet to Come’ Concert in Busan Online and in Person BTS is scheduled to take part in a one-off free concert titled “BTS in Busan” on October 15....

Alexander, 39, was married to Spears for 55 hours in 2004 after the pair got married and annulled their union following a New Years trip to Las Vegas. Seventeen years later, he has told two outlets that he was forced to annul the marriage by Spears’ family. Read on for what he told them, and what he has said about the famously short marriage in the past. What Jason Alexander has said about his marriage to Britney Most recently, Alexander spoke to the Daily Mail about Spears’ family’s intervention in their relationship....

Not only does the 50-year-old banker want her belongings out of their New York apartment, he wants it to all happen during a pandemic. Olsen allegedly had no previous knowledge of Sarkozy terminating their lease. Because she needs more time, the New York Minute actress has asked the court to extend her deadline to May 30. In her legal documents, the 33-year-old actress described their rocky relationship, “I am petrified that my husband is trying to deprive me of the home we have lived in and if he is successful, I will not only lose my home but I risk losing my personal property as well....