Perhaps sensing the shifting balance of power in the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets swung a deal to keep pace.

Denver is sending forward Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 unprotected first-round draft pick to Brooklyn for Nets forward Cameron Johnson, a person with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.

The person spoke under condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly disclose details of the deal prior to an official announcement.

Here are the grades from the trade between the Denver Nuggets and Brooklyn Nets.

Cameron Johnson

Once seen as a key piece in the deal that sent Kevin Durant from the Nets to the Suns, Johnson had been languishing away on a Nets team that was still not close to competing in earnest. Since being traded to Brooklyn, the Nets won 71 out of a possible 196 games (.362 winning percentage) — including a sweep in the first round of the 2023 playoffs.

Now, Johnson goes to a 50-win team that took the eventual NBA champions to seven games in the conference semifinals and one that is two years removed from a title. With Nikola Jokić’s superb passing ability, Johnson, 29, should thrive.

He’s excellent with the ball in his hands and in pick-and-roll scenarios. Throwing him into the mix with Jokić and point guard Jamal Murray should only lead to a jump in production.

Grade: A

Denver Nuggets

In many ways, this is an interesting trade; both Porter and Johnson have similar skill sets. Both are excellent perimeter shooters and both are decent defenders. Both are signed for two more seasons, through the 2026-27 season. The biggest difference? Johnson is two years older but significantly cheaper.

According to Spotrac.com, Porter carries a cap hit of $79.1 million over the next two seasons. Johnson’s cap hit over that span is $44.1 million, or a difference of around $35 million.

This, essentially, gives the Nuggets far more roster flexibility, and they reportedly have already started to use it. Per ESPN, Denver brought back Bruce Brown — a plus defender who excelled during Denver’s championship season — on a one-year deal.

This season, the Nuggets lacked depth. Now, it’s a strength.

Grade: A-

Brooklyn Nets

The Nets these days are all about draft picks. They like to stash them. They like to draft with them. Just days after they made all five of their first-round selections, the Nets are taking on the added salary of Porter because of that 2032 unprotected first.

Porter is a better rebounder than Johnson, hauling in 7.0 boards per game, as opposed to Johnson’s 4.3. He’s a slightly more efficient scorer, though Porter tends to fall into streaky play.

This is trickier to grade for Brooklyn, because it all depends on what the franchise does with its picks. If the Nets can turn this unprotected 2032 pick into part of a trade package that nets a star, then it’s a home run. If they hold on to it and it leads to a lottery selection in seven years, it could be a home run.

If not? It could prolong the rebuild.

Grade: C+

Michael Porter Jr.

For a player who was part of a championship run and on one of the more consistent teams during his tenure there, Porter is going into a very different environment. The Nets are very clearly rebuilding and their focus right now is on developing their young players. Porter just turned 27 on Sunday, June 29, so he’s also very young. Still, even with the Eastern Conference entirely open, it’s hard to see the Nets threatening with their current roster — at least in the short term.

Grade: D

The Florida Panthers have won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles and have been to the Final three years in a row.

If that doesn’t say start of a dynasty, general manager Bill Zito’s recent magic might have positioned the team for another run and more.

Zito had expressed confidence that he could sell his three key pending unrestricted free agents on a winning culture and get Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand re-signed.

Playoff MVP Bennett was first, agreeing to an eight-year, $64 million extension that was announced before the NHL draft. Then the team announced an eight-year deal for top-pairing defenseman and 2014 No. 1 overall pick Ekblad worth a reported $6.1 million a year on June 30. And reports emerged later in the day that Marchand, who scored 10 playoff goals after arriving in a trade, would be getting a six-year deal worth a little more than $5 million a year. His contract will run until he’s 43.

Zito vowed that the team would spend to the salary cap and it will. And all three are taking under-market contracts to stick around. Also important, they aren’t joining the Panthers’ rivals.

The Panthers now have Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, Marchand, Anton Lundell, Seth Jones, Ekblad and Gustav Forsling signed through at least 2030.

Zito also made a recent trade for goaltender Daniil Tarasov, 26, who will get to learn under veteran Sergei Bobrovsky and possibly be the Panthers’ No. 1 goalie of the future.

The Panthers are like a family. Witness how captain Barkov made sure that all the first-time Stanley Cup winners got to lift the Cup before last year’s winners did.

That camaraderie is a key selling point. So is winning. And the Panthers have put themselves in position to do more.

The league announced Monday, July 1 the starters for the 2025 All-Star Game, which has a blend of veteran and young stars that will be on the court for tip-off.

Notably making the list is Paige Bueckers, who will be an All-Star in her first season in the league. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft leads all rookies in scoring and assists, and has six games of at least 20 points in her young career. Joining Bueckers are three WNBA champions: three-time MVP A’ja Wilson, two-time MVP Breanna Stewart and three-time All-Star Sabrina Ionescu. Also on the list as a starter, the Seattle Storm’s Nneka Ogwumike, who earned her 10th All-Star selection, tying her for third-most in WNBA history.

Clark and Collier are the captains of the All-Star Game as the leading vote getters, and will draft their teams during ‘WNBA Countdown’ on July 8. They will select among the rest of the starters before picking from the 12 reserves. The reserves will be determined by the league’s head coaches, which will include three guards, five frontcourt players and four players at either position. The reserves will be announced on July 6.

The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game will be held July 19 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, on Clark and the Fever’s home court. The Game will be the centerpiece of All-Star weekend activities, which also includes the 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge on Friday, July 18.

HOW THE PLAYERS RANKED: WNBA All-Star Game voting results

2025 WNBA All-Star Game starters

• Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever (2nd selection, captian)
• Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx (5th selection, captain)
• Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever (3rd selection)
• Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings (1st selection
• Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream (3rd selection)
• Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty (4th selection)
• Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle Storm (10th selection)
• Satou Sabally, Phoenix Mercury (3rd selection)
• Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty (7th selection)
• A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces (7th selection)

When is WNBA All-Star Game 2025?

The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game take place July 19 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

• Date: Saturday, July 19
• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• TV: ABC
• Stream: ESPN+, Disney+

Boston Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu had a two home run night, but it was one of the most unique combinations ever as he did something that hadn’t been done in an MLB game in nearly 67 years.

Abreu had an inside-the-park home run against the Cincinnati Reds before he hit a typical homer later in the contest − in grand fashion.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Abreu took Joe La Sorsa’s pitch to center field in the deep corner of Fenway Park. The ball bounced off the wall and took a long bounce along the warning track. Abreu turned on the jets after the wild ricochet, with no Reds player in the vicinity of the ball. The ball was eventually grabbed, but by the time it got to Elly De La Cruz in the shallow part of the outfield, Abreu was sliding home for the inside-the-park homer.

It was the first inside-the-park homer for a Red Sox player at Fenway Park since Jacoby Ellsbury had one on Sept. 19, 2011.

Abreu had another big moment in the bottom of the eighth. With the bases loaded, he hit a moonshot into the Red Sox bullpen for a grand slam.

Wilyer Abreu’s historic home run day

Abreu became the sixth MLB player to hit an inside-the-park home run and grand slam in the same game, according to MLB’s Sarah Langs, citing the Elias Sports Bureau. It’s the first time it’s been done since Roger Maris accomplished the feat on Aug. 3, 1958.

Abreu’s grand slam capped off a 13-6 win over Cincinnati for Boston. He had two home runs and five RBIs on the night.

Quarterback Jake Retzlaff is facing a potential suspension for being found in violation of BYU’s honor code.

Retzlaff plans to transfer from the Cougars’ program — according to a report from ESPN — to avoid what would ‘likely’ be a seven-game suspension from the university.

Retzlaff was accused of sexually assaulting a woman at his home, per a civil lawsuit filed in May. Retzlaff’s lawyer, Mark Baute, denied the allegations. The woman who accused Retzlaff withdrew her civil suit on Monday, June 30, per ESPN.

Regardless of the status of the suit, having sexual relations outside of marriage is against the BYU honor code — meaning Retzlaff would still be subject to punishment from the university for being found in violation.

Here’s what you need to know about the BYU honor code, and how it has affected athletes in the past:

What is BYU honor code?

The BYU honor code is a code of conduct to which all members of BYU — faculty, administration, staff and students — voluntarily adhere.

The university, sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, mandates that associates of the university ‘conduct their lives in accordance with the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ’ and ‘strive to maintain the highest standards in their personal conduct regarding honor, integrity, morality, and consideration of others.’

Per BYU, students must:

• Maintain an Ecclesiastical Endorsement, including striving to deepen faith and maintain gospel standards
• Be honest
• Live a chaste and virtuous life, including abstaining from sexual relations outside marriage between a man and a woman. Living a chaste and virtuous life also includes abstaining from same-sex romantic behavior.
• Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, vaping, marijuana, and other substance abuse
• Participate regularly in Church services
• Respect others, including the avoidance of profane and vulgar language
• Obey the law and follow campus policies, including the CES Dress and Grooming standards
• Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the Honor Code and Dress and Grooming standards.

Notable BYU players who have violated honor code

In 2004, BYU officials dismissed or suspended four football players due to actions during an off-campus party, which included alcohol and extramarital sex. Two additional players were placed on probation.

Brandon Davies is another notable example found to be in violation of BYU’s honor code. He was suspended in early March of his the 2010-11 men’s basketball season for having premarital sex with his girlfriend. BYU was ranked No. 3 in the Coaches Poll at the time.

He was later reinstated by the team as a junior, and played two more seasons for the Cougars — seasons in which he was named to the All-West Coast Conference team. He went undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Running back Jamaal Williams was forced to sit out the 2015 college football season after an honor code violation in which he said he had a girl in his dorm room. Williams opted to stick with the Cougars rather than transfer and proceeded to become a fourth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Retzlaff in 2024 guided BYU to an 11-2 record, including an Alamo Bowl victory over Colorado. He completed 57.9% of his passes for 2,947 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while also rushing for 417 yards and six touchdowns in his first season a full-time starter.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.