Quick Hits

• The Wolves paid up to keep a core piece. Minnesota agreed to a one-year, $40 million extension with forward Jaden McDaniels, keeping him under contract through 2029-30.
• The Tampa Bay Rays are going to the World Series. They finished off Cleveland in Game 6 of the ALCS behind Freddy Peralta, a midseason trade pickup who was named series MVP.
• NBA Opening Night is tonight, and it's a spectacle: LeBron James debuts for the 76ers in New York against the Knicks — the same night the Knicks raise their championship banner.
• The Jalen Hurts situation continues. The Eagles won't be punished for how they handled their quarterback's blood clots, the NFL ruled, though CBS says major questions about his health remain.
• The NFC East made history — the bad kind. It's the first division ever to go winless in consecutive weeks, sitting 0-6-2 since Week 5.

Minnesota Teams

The lone local headline today is a meaningful one for the Wolves' future: Jaden McDaniels is staying put. The one-year, $40 million deal (an enormous number for a single season) locks him in through 2029-30, cementing him as part of the team's long-term core. Otherwise it was a quiet day on the Minnesota front — nothing new on the Vikings, Twins, Wild, or Gophers in today's news batch.

NFL

• The Hurts ruling: The NFL investigated how the Eagles handled Jalen Hurts' blood clots before clearing him to play in Week 5 in London and concluded the process was handled appropriately — no punishment. The players' union (NFLPA) responded to the decision, and CBS laid out the "biggest unanswered questions" still hanging over the quarterback's health.
• Historic futility: The Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, and Commanders have combined to go 0-6-2 since Week 5, making the NFC East the first division ever to go winless in back-to-back weeks.
• Undefeated watch: San Francisco entered Monday night's game against Washington as the NFL's last remaining undefeated team, closing out Week 6.
• Week 7 lookahead: CBS's Pete Prisco is calling some upsets — Patriots over Bears, Lions edging the Packers, and Chiefs over Seattle in what's being billed as Kenneth Walker's "revenge game" against his old team. His power rankings have the Rams tumbling ("a mess") and the Texans jumping eight spots.
• Elsewhere: The NFL says it's proceeding with the Saints' game in Paris as planned while monitoring escalating protests in France. And with the trade deadline approaching, CBS floated a wish list of stars who deserve better situations (Jonathan Taylor, Jeffery Simmons) — while admitting those blockbusters probably won't happen.

NBA

• Tonight's opener is the story: LeBron James makes his 76ers debut against the Knicks, who celebrate their championship with a banner-raising before tip-off. The betting markets aren't believers in the new-look Sixers, though — CBS notes Philadelphia opens as the biggest "title liability" in the league, meaning oddsmakers like them least to win it all.
• Hot takes, freshly minted: From CBS's opening-week overreactions column — Jayson Tatum "already misses" Jaylen Brown, the 76ers "have it all figured out," the Spurs were "totally overhyped," and Paul George is going to be an All-Star. All with the appropriate grain of salt.
• Extension deadline passed: Seven first-round picks from the 2023 draft signed rookie extensions by Monday's cutoff, headlined by Victor Wembanyama. CBS graded all seven deals.
• WNBA Finals, worth your attention: Angel Reese demanded the ball — "I need the ball," she said — and delivered 30 points and 16 rebounds for the Dream in Game 2 against the Valkyries, a performance CBS calls one of the best in Finals history.

MLB

• The Rays are American League champions. Tampa Bay closed out Cleveland in six games in the ALCS (the best-of-seven that decides who represents the AL in the World Series). Freddy Peralta, acquired from the Mets at the trade deadline, won series MVP after two starts — including the clincher — plus a relief appearance. ESPN has a feature on the small-budget Rays' famous "process," the organizational trait that carried them here. Their World Series opponent wasn't in today's news, so the National League side is still settling.
• Yankees staying the course: Aaron Boone will return as manager in 2027 for his tenth season — nine years of strong regular seasons, but still no World Series title in the Bronx.

NHL

The early-season dregs: the Los Angeles Kings are the league's only winless team, and they visit Alex Ovechkin's Capitals tonight trying to change that. It's a busy Tuesday around the league with 11 games (including Bruins-Stars), then a light Wednesday with just Sabres-Flyers and Senators-Panthers.

College Sports

• Kentucky is the surprise of the season: First-year coach Will Stein has the Wildcats in the College Football Playoff hunt, and ESPN profiled his "audacity" in pushing them there.
• Midseason hardware: ESPN handed out its Halfway Heisman and other midseason awards, with star Jeremiah Smith headlining the list.
• Odds watch: Notre Dame emerged as the new favorite in ESPN's playoff market watch after a chaotic Week 7.

Other Sports

• Champions League: PSG, chasing a third straight title, beat Barcelona with late goals even after stars Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia went off injured — prompting CBS to ask whether anyone can stop the back-to-back champions. Next marquee matchup: Arsenal vs. Bayern. Also flagged from the midweek games: teenager Rio Ngumoha making his case as a key piece for Liverpool.
• UFC 333: After years of watching others "jump the line," undefeated contender Movsar Evloev finally gets his title shot against Alexander Volkanovski.