DAMIAN LILLARD DROPS BOMBSHELL: CALLS FOR RAIDERS TO TRADE FOR POLARIZING ROOKIE NFL QB AND SHAKE UP THE LEAGUE

The Las Vegas Raiders made a point of making significant changes during the NFL offseason to get this storied franchise back on track. The team hired Pete Carroll, traded for Geno Smith and drafted Ashton Jeanty, which many believed would be game-changing moves.

After the first five games of the 2025 campaign, the Raiders are sitting at 1-4 with a lot more questions than answers, especially when it comes to Smith leading the way under center moving forward.

Although Carroll has been adamant about his confidence in Smith, the interceptions are piling up, and the Raiders are coming off a six-point performance against the Indianapolis Colts. Smith is on the hot seat after Week 5, with calls for Kenny Pickett likely getting louder and louder.

NBA Superstar Damian Lillard Wants the Raiders to Trade for Shedeur Sanders

As a diehard Raiders fan from Oakland, California, NBA superstar Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers never holds back his opinion about the football team he loves and has supported his whole life.

After Week 5’s disappointing blowout loss to the Colts, Lillard took to social media to express his frustration, while also suggesting it is time to move on from Smith and bring in Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who is currently third on the quarterback depth chart with the team that drafted him.

Clearly, Lillard is done with the Geno Smith experiment and is ready for the team to address its future with a young quarterback in Sanders.

Although it appears Lillard thinks Smith is done being a starting quarterback in the NFL, at least for the Raiders, he doesn’t believe the veteran signal-caller is “washed,” as he made clear.

At this point, it seems like a stretch that the Raiders would give up more assets for another quarterback after trading for Smith and Pickett. The logical move would be to go with Pickett first, and if that doesn’t work, pick up the phone and call the Browns about Sanders’ availability.

Shedeur Sanders: The Answer for the Raiders?

Through the five games of the season, Smith has thrown nine interceptions to his six touchdown passes. This is not what you want to see from a veteran quarterback that the team traded for to provide some stability at the quarterback position in Las Vegas.

Even though there’s still time for Smith to turn things around, the Raiders can’t wait that much longer for results, as a decision will have to be made. The receiving corps has question marks, but there are some potent weapons at Smith’s disposal, like Jeanty and tight end Brock Bowers.

However, the offensive line hasn’t been great, with the veteran under siege each game.

This will be a tough week for Carroll and the team’s front office, as the loss to the Colts might’ve been a tipping point. Then there’s the Browns, who have decided to bench Joe Flacco and go with rookie Dillon Gabriel as their starter moving forward.

Sanders must be frustrated with his situation, especially after being passed over multiple times during the 2025 NFL Draft. It wouldn’t be all that surprising if he were for a trade to the Raiders, but does Carroll want to bring in a quarterback that might become more of a distraction rather than a boost in an area of need?

It’ll be interesting to see what the Raiders‘ brass does this week and if trading for Sanders becomes an option, or if they stick with Smith or start Pickett.

Award Season Preview: Bruins’ Top Contenders for 2025-26 Honors

The 2025-26 NHL season is starting next week. It’s that time of the year again and the rosters are being finalized. Award predictions are a great topic of discussion to get into, especially for the Boston Bruins. With the season about to begin, here are superlative awards for the Bruins for the 2025-26 season. 

Most Valuable Player: David Pastrnak

When David Pastrnak goes, the Bruins go. The Bruins are a team that lacks scoring and production, as they finished 27th in goals scored across the entire 2024-25 season. However, Pastrnak was a constant and was a player that continued to elevate himself and the players around him. 

Pastrnak has been playing at an extremely high level the last three seasons. Over the last three seasons, he has reached 100 points every single time. Crazy enough, over those three seasons, Pastrnak has 138 points more than the next closest Bruins skater. He isn’t just the definition of the most valuable player to the Bruins, but possibly the league. Pastrnak has that type of impact and if the Bruins do come close to a playoff spot or sneak in, he is the reason why. 

There’s no doubt that Pastrnak will pave the way offensively for any success in the 2025-26 season. 

Best Defenseman: Hampus Lindholm

There is no denying the impact that Charlie McAvoy will have on this defense. Having your top defenseman is key for any team and, now healthy, it puts the Bruins in better shape. However, Hampus Lindholm will be the best defenseman for the Bruins and the most valuable. 

Lindholm is sensational at both ends of the ice. While he excels at transitioning the puck up ice, he is able to play strong defense and impact the game in a big way. It goes beyond even strength play, as he is a weapon for the power play. 

The Bruins’ power play was poor during the 2024-25 season, having a 15.2% success rate. Fortunately, Lindholm has had success on the power play, especially alongside Pastrnak. Over the last three seasons, the two together have outscored opponents 36-1. 

Lindholm will not have Brandon Carlo, but he is a player that elevates his linemates and will have success regardless. You are going to see how this team sorely missed him during the 2024-25 season.  

Biggest Bounce-Back Player: Elias Lindholm 

The obvious answer is goaltender Jeremy Swayman. If the Bruins are going to have any form of success this season, it starts between the pipes. Swayman didn’t have his best season, but the biggest bounce-back candidate is top-line center Elias Lindholm. The Bruins don’t have the most talented roster, but they do have guys who can chip in with production. Lindholm is entering the second year of his big contract and a bounce-back season is in order. 

Lindholm finished the 2024-25 season with 47 points. Of his 47 points, 25 of them came during five-on-five play. However, Lindholm dealt with a back injury that saw him miss the start of camp. Given how slow of a start it was to theseason, the injury had an impact.

Lindholm showed flashes of excellence down the stretch. It was his best stretch of hockey he played since signing with the Bruins. Lindholm ended the season with 16 points in the final 22 games. With a healthy season incoming and him anchoring the top line alongside Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie, the sky is the limit for a bounce-back season. 

Most Improved: Mason Lohrei

One of the big things to watch for is going to be the younger players. How they develop under new head coach Marco Sturm will be something to monitor. One of those players is Mason Lohrei, who will be looking to take the next steps in his development. 

Lohrei will have chances to succeed and be put in positions to have success. If he is paired alongside McAvoy, there is a path to success. Lohrei has enormous offensive upside and has a ton of playmaking ability with the puck on his stick. He is coming off a season where he scored five goals (career best) and 33 points (career best). Lohrei does need to improve his defensive game, but being paired with McAvoy could help that. 

Lohrei can play a key role for this team. Seeing his game grow will be something to watch. 

Unsung Hero: Michael Eyssimont 

Every team has the unsung hero. There is always that player who stands out in an enormous way and complements the lineup. For the Bruins, there are plenty of contenders for this type of role. But in 2025-26, that player will be Michael Eyssimont. 

Eyssimont is a player who will likely slot on the fourth line. However, that doesn’t mean his impact on the game won’t go under the radar. Eyssimont is a pest and a pesky player to play against. He is a quick skater with a high motor and is tenacious on the forecheck. Beware if you are a defenseman because he is coming for that puck that was dumped in the corner. Eyssimont is going to play a pivotal role and give the bottom of the lineup enormous depth. The type of effort he gives is limitless. 

Let the Games Begin 

The games will begin soon. and it’ll be fun to look back on these awards. Which ones hit and which ones missed, and maybe which ones surprised us the most.

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