Pattaya Mayor Opens 9th Heroes Taekwondo International Championships 2026

LOS ANGELES: Austin Reaves has just secured a massive new contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, but his long-term future in Hollywood could still become a major talking point after the franchise made sweeping changes to its roster this summer. The Lakers have entered a new era with their focus increasingly centred on Luka Doncic, while the departure of LeBron James has changed the shape and direction of the team. Reaves, meanwhile, remains an important part of the Lakers’ plans. The 28-year-old guard re-signed with Los Angeles in late June on a four-year, $180 million contract, including a player option in the final season. The deal appeared to confirm that the Lakers viewed Reaves as a key piece alongside Doncic. His contract also reportedly gives Los Angeles greater financial flexibility moving forward, including the possibility of pursuing another player with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception next summer. But the Lakers’ subsequent move for centre Walker Kessler has complicated the picture. Los Angeles acquired Kessler from the Utah Jazz in July, reportedly committing significant draft capital in the process. The move reflects the Lakers’ desire to secure a long-term defensive presence in the frontcourt, but it also reduced the number of valuable assets available to the franchise. That situation has prompted NBA insider Zach Lowe to raise an intriguing possibility: Reaves could eventually become a trade candidate. Lowe argued that the Lakers paid heavily for Kessler and now have fewer tradeable assets with which to reshape the roster. “There’s no question that they overpaid for him,” Lowe said, suggesting the Lakers may eventually have to decide whether the current roster is good enough or whether they need to pivot by moving Reaves. The logic behind the speculation is straightforward. Doncic is now firmly positioned as the franchise cornerstone, making it highly unlikely that Los Angeles would consider moving him. Reaves, however, could command significant interest around the league if the Lakers eventually decide they need additional draft capital or another major piece. That does not mean a trade is imminent. In fact, Reaves could be more important to the Lakers than ever during the upcoming season. With James no longer in the picture, the team will need additional scoring, playmaking and leadership around Doncic. Reaves has already demonstrated that he can thrive in a high-pressure environment, evolving from an undrafted player into one of the Lakers’ most valuable contributors. His new contract suggests the organisation believes he can play an important role in its next chapter. Yet NBA roster building can change quickly. If the Lakers struggle to build a championship-calibre supporting cast around Doncic, Reaves’ value could become a tempting trade asset — particularly because the team has already sacrificed considerable draft capital to acquire Kessler. For now, Reaves remains a Laker and an important part of the franchise’s post-LeBron era. But with Doncic at the centre, Kessler anchoring the future frontcourt and the Lakers’ trade assets significantly reduced, one question is beginning to emerge: Could Austin Reaves ultimately become the price Los Angeles pays to build its next championship team?

MULTAN: Sahibzada Farhan produced a composed century as Pakistan Blues chased down 213 with ease, defeating Pakistan Gold by six wickets in the second match of the National Champions Cup 2026 at Multan Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. Farhan’s unbeaten-looking control throughout the chase proved decisive as Pakistan Blues reached their target in just 41 overs, losing only four wickets and underlining their dominance with both bat and ball. Opening with Maaz Sadaqat, Farhan helped Blues make a steady start, adding 30 runs for the first wicket inside five overs. Maaz contributed nine before departing, but Farhan quickly found another reliable partner in Mohammad Faiq. The pair added 55 runs for the second wicket, taking Blues to 85 in 16 overs. Faiq struck four boundaries during his 35-ball 30 before leaving the crease. Tayyab Tahir then joined Farhan and the two maintained the pressure on Pakistan Gold’s bowlers. Their 64-run partnership took Blues close to the finishing line, with Tahir scoring 35 from 41 balls, including three fours. At 149-3 after 29.1 overs, Farhan reached his ninth List-A century, providing the highlight of a commanding individual performance. The right-hander eventually made 102 from 101 deliveries, smashing nine fours and two sixes. Rohail Nazir and Irfan Khan then completed the job, remaining unbeaten on 21 and nine respectively. Mohammad Imran was Pakistan Gold’s most successful bowler, taking two wickets. Earlier, Pakistan Gold struggled after captain Shaheen Afridi elected to bat first. Hasan Ali and Sufyan Moqim led a powerful Blues bowling effort, sharing eight wickets between them. Pakistan Gold began positively through Shamyl Hussain and Saad Khan, but Saad fell for nine. Shamyl then combined with Kamran Ghulam for a 75-run partnership before Moqim ended the stand by removing Shamyl for a well-made 50 off 47 balls. Kamran continued to fight, adding 36 with Haider Ali. He top-scored with 63 from 84 deliveries, while Haider struck 44 from 53 balls. However, Pakistan Gold collapsed from 136-3 to 174-6 in just 3.2 overs as Hasan and Moqim tore through the middle order. The Gold innings eventually ended at 212 in 45.3 overs. Moqim and Hasan claimed four wickets apiece, while Arafat Minhas added two. With Farhan’s century completing a convincing chase, Pakistan Blues have made an emphatic statement in the early stages of the Champions Cup.

West Indies reached 49-1 at lunch on day one of the second Test against Pakistan. The opening session was cut short by rain at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad on Sunday. Having won the toss and opted to bat first, the home side made steady progress through the morning. They moved to 49-1 in just 9.5 overs before rain forced an early break in proceedings. Brandon King was the standout batter during the shortened session. He remained unbeaten on 33 runs from 27 deliveries at the interval, having struck four boundaries along the way. His innings gave West Indies a solid platform, despite the disrupted playing conditions. Pakistan’s lone success with the ball came through pacer Mohammad Ali. He dismissed opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul for 15 runs, drawing an edge that was well taken by Sajid Khan at deep fine leg. Chanderpaul had faced 32 deliveries before departing. Throughout the session, Pakistan’s bowlers maintained discipline with the new ball. They created a handful of half-chances during the opening spells, testing the West Indies top order on a surface that offered some early assistance. However, a largely defensive approach from the batting side meant Pakistan weren’t able to build further pressure or add to their solitary wicket. With rain interrupting play so early into the Test, both teams will now be keeping a close eye on the weather as the match unfolds. Given how tightly poised this series already is, any lost playing time could have a real bearing on how the remaining days shape up. West Indies fielded a settled lineup for this Test, featuring Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Brandon King, Kavem Hodge, Shai Hope as wicketkeeper, Amir Jangoo, Justin Greaves, Roston Chase as captain, Jomel Warrican, Shamar Joseph, Kemar Roach, and Jayden Seales. Pakistan named Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam as captain, Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps, Salman Ali Agha, Awais Zafar, Ali Usman, Sajid Khan, Mohammad Ali, and Ubaid Shah in their playing eleven for the contest. As the two sides look to make up for lost time, the coming sessions could prove crucial in determining which team gains the early advantage in this pivotal second Test.