The nominations for the 2014 Olivier Awards, the West End’s equivalent of Broadway’s Tonys, were announced March 10, with new musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the acclaimed revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along leading the pack—both garnered seven nominations each. They were closely followed by Best New Musical nominees Once, The Book of Mormon and The Scottsboro Boys, which all received six nominations each. Broadway favorites Gavin Creel, Jared Gertner and Kyle Scatliffe all received Best Actor in a Musical nods, Creel and Gertner for The Book of Mormon and Scatliffe for The Scottsboro Boys. Check out the full list below!FULL NOMINATIONS LIST FOR THE OLIVIER AWARDS 2014 BEST ACTORHenry Goodman for The Resistible Rise Of Arturo Ui at the Duchess TheatreTom Hiddleston for Coriolanus at the Donmar WarehouseRory Kinnear for Othello at the National Theatre, OlivierJude Law for Henry V at the Noël Coward TheatreBEST ACTRESSHayley Atwell for The Pride at the Trafalgar StudiosAnna Chancellor for Private Lives at the Gielgud TheatreJudi Dench for Peter And Alice at the Noël Coward TheatreLesley Manville for Ghosts at the Almeida Theatre & Trafalgar StudiosBEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLERon Cook for Henry V at the Noël Coward TheatreMark Gatiss for Coriolanus at the Donmar WarehouseJack Lowden for Ghosts at the Almeida Theatre & Trafalgar StudiosArdal O’Hanlon for The Weir at the Donmar Warehouse & the Wyndham’s TheatreBEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLESharon D Clarke for The Amen Corner at the National Theatre, OlivierSarah Greene for The Cripple Of Inishmaan at the Noël Coward TheatreKatherine Kingsley for A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Noël Coward TheatreCecilia Noble for The Amen Corner at the National Theatre, OlivierAMERICAN AIRLINES BEST NEW PLAY1984 at the Almeida TheatreChimerica at the Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter TheatreThe Night Alive at the Donmar WarehousePeter And Alice at the Noël Coward TheatreBEST NEW COMEDYThe Duck House at the Vaudeville TheatreThe Full Monty at the Noël Coward TheatreJeeves & Wooster In Perfect Nonsense at the Duke of York’s TheatreThe Same Deep Water As Me at the Donmar WarehouseBEST DIRECTORRichard Eyre for Ghosts at the Almeida Theatre & Trafalgar StudiosMaria Friedman for Merrily We Roll Along at the Harold Pinter TheatreSusan Stroman for The Scottsboro Boys at the Young VicLyndsey Turner for Chimerica at the Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter TheatreBEST ACTOR IN A MUSICALGavin Creel for The Book Of Mormon at the Prince of Wales TheatreJared Gertner for The Book Of Mormon at the Prince of Wales TheatreDouglas Hodge for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal Drury LaneKyle Scatliffe for The Scottsboro Boys at the Young VicBEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICALRosalie Craig for The Light Princess at the National Theatre, LytteltonZrinka Cviteš for Once at the Phoenix TheatreJenna Russell for Merrily We Roll Along at the Harold Pinter TheatreCharlotte Wakefield for The Sound Of Music at the Regent’s Park Open Air TheatreBEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICALStephen Ashfield for The Book Of Mormon at the Prince of Wales TheatreColman Domingo for The Scottsboro Boys at the Young VicJosefina Gabrielle for Merrily We Roll Along at the Harold Pinter TheatreNigel Planer for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal Drury LaneMASTERCARD BEST NEW MUSICALThe Book Of Mormon at the Prince of Wales TheatreCharlie And The Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal Drury LaneOnce at the Phoenix TheatreThe Scottsboro Boys at the Young VicBEST REVIVALThe Amen Corner at the National Theatre, OlivierGhosts at the Almeida Theatre & Trafalgar StudiosOthello at the National Theatre, OlivierPrivate Lives at the Gielgud TheatreBEST MUSICAL REVIVALMerrily We Roll Along at the Harold Pinter TheatreThe Sound Of Music at the Regent’s Park Open Air TheatreTell Me On A Sunday at the St James Theatre & the Duchess TheatreBEST THEATRE CHOREOGRAPHERPeter Darling for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal Drury LaneSteven Hoggett for Once at the Phoenix TheatreCasey Nicholaw for The Book Of Mormon at the Prince of Wales TheatreSusan Stroman for The Scottsboro Boys at the Young VicBEST ENTERTAINMENT AND FAMILYDerren Brown: Infamous at the Palace TheatreEric And Little Ern at the Vaudeville TheatreBarry Humphries’ Farewell Tour – Eat, Pray, Laugh! at the London PalladiumThe Wind In The Willows at the Duchess TheatreAUTOGRAPH SOUND AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSICThe Book Of Mormon – Trey Parker, Robert Lopez & Matt Stone for book, music & lyricsMerrily We Roll Along – The orchestraOnce – Martin Lowe for composition & arrangements, Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová for music & lyricsThe Scottsboro Boys – John Kander & Fred Ebb for music & lyricsWHITE LIGHT AWARD FOR BEST LIGHTING DESIGNPaule Constable for The Light Princess at the National Theatre, LytteltonTim Lutkin & Finn Ross for Chimerica at the Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter TheatrePeter Mumford for Ghosts at the Almeida Theatre & Trafalgar StudiosPaul Pyant for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal Drury LaneBEST SOUND DESIGNSimon Baker for The Light Princess at the National Theatre, LytteltonCarolyn Downing for Chimerica at the Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter TheatreClive Goodwin for Once at the Phoenix TheatreGareth Owen for Merrily We Roll Along at the Harold Pinter TheatreBEST COSTUME DESIGNNicky Gillibrand for The Wind In The Willows at the Duchess TheatreSoutra Gilmour for Merrily We Roll Along at the Harold Pinter TheatreRae Smith for The Light Princess at the National Theatre, LytteltonMark Thompson for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal Drury LaneXL VIDEO AWARD FOR BEST SET DESIGNBob Crowley for Once at the Phoenix TheatreEs Devlin for Chimerica at the Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter TheatreTim Goodchild for Strangers On A Train at the Gielgud TheatreMark Thompson for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal Drury LaneOUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN AN AFFILIATE THEATRECush Jumbo for Josephine And I at the Bush TheatreFleabag at the Soho TheatreHandbagged at the Tricycle TheatreOh What A Lovely War at the Theatre Royal Stratford EastBEST NEW DANCE PRODUCTIONCompagnie 111 Aurélien Bory/Stéphanie Fuster for What’s Become Of You? (Questcequetudeviens?) at the Barbican TheatreEastman – Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui & Sadler’s Wells for Puz/zle at Sadler’s WellsRichard Alston Dance Company/Britten Sinfonia for Barbican Britten: Phaedra at the Barbican TheatreOUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE Arthur Pita for his choreography of Ballet Black – A Dream Within A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera HouseClemmie Sveaas for her performance in Witch-Hunt at the Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera HouseThe Mark Morris Season at Sadler’s WellsMichael Hulls for his body of lighting work including Ballet Boyz – The Talent at Sadler’s WellsBEST NEW OPERA PRODUCTIONThe Firework-Maker’s Daughter at the Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera HouseLes Vepres Siciliennes at the Royal Opera HouseWozzeck by English National Opera at the London ColiseumOUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN OPERAJoyce DiDonato and Juan Diego Flórez for their performances in La Donna Del Lago at the Royal Opera HousePlácido Domingo for his performance in Nabucco at the Royal Opera HouseEnglish Touring Opera for its brave and challenging touring productions at the Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera HouseBBC RADIO 2 AUDIENCE AWARDLes Misérables at the Queen’s TheatreMatilda The Musical at the Cambridge TheatreThe Phantom Of The Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre
Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre View Comments
Black Ice Reported Tuesday Morning
Black ice is reported on area roads Tuesday morning causing some accidents and school delays. (Image: I-74 WB Off Ramp)The morning commute is a slick one on with patchy black ice being reported across the region as some roads remain below freezing Tuesday morning. Some accidents were reported on I-74.The conditions have forced several school corporations to postpone the school day by two hours, as roadways should improve after sunrise.National Weather Service forecasters say temperatures will approach the upper 40’s by this afternoon. As temperatures rise to above average through the weekend, melting snow could lead to flooding concerns by area creeks and rivers.An umbrella will come in handy late Wednesday through Thursday as heavy rainfall is likely with temps near 60 degrees.
Bulldogs #1 Doubles Team Advances
Batesville’s #1 Doubles team of Cooper Williams and George Ritter advanced in the individual sectional tournament with 6-4, 6-2 win against Tri-High. They will play South Dearborn on Wednesday at 4:30 @ Richmond High School.Courtesy of Bulldogs Coach Mike McKinney.
More state dollars for local roads than ever before
Submitted from Randy Frye—Well-paved roads, strategically networked together, help Hoosiers do business and stay connected. Through the Indiana Community Crossings Matching Grant Program, Indiana is investing in our local infrastructure at an unprecedented level. In fact, we have increased local road and bridge investments by 76 percent since 2016, with more than $850 million devoted to roads and bridges across the state this year alone.Community Crossings is a partnership between the Indiana Department of Transportation and our local towns, cities, and counties. Local governments leverage their own dollars for projects they have planned, and the state provides additional funding to make these projects happen much sooner. This year, during the two rounds of grant awards, our communities received more than $13 million through this transformative program. These funds are going to 14 different cities and, and six of our local counties. This includes Aurora, Batesville, Greendale, Lawrenceburg, Madison, North Vernon, Osgood, and Rising Sun, with each one receiving more than $500,000. Dearborn, Decatur, Jennings, Jefferson, Ripley, and Switzerland counties have each received more than $750,000 this year.Our communities secured these coveted grants by making a financial commitment to provide local matching dollars. These critical funds further boost our road projects. To ensure communities of every size have an opportunity to receive a matching grant, the state asks smaller communities to contribute a smaller percentage of the match, compared to bigger cities. In addition, with an amendment I authored, at least half of the funds through Community Crossings are required to go to either counties of less than 50,000 people or towns with less than 10,000 residents. This was an important step to help drive your hard-earned dollars back to our smaller communities, rather than having most of these funds funneled to the bigger Hoosier cities.By spreading funds throughout Indiana, and here at home, we are further promoting economic development, boosting jobs and strengthening our transportation network. This program is proving to be a winner for many communities, big and small. More than 400 communities have received grants since Community Crossings began. The next call for projects opens in January, and officials interested in applying should visit IN.gov/INDOT to learn more.
Toon accounts reveal £34m war-chest
Press Association The club announced record profits last month of £18.7million for the 2013/14 season, but the full accounts registered with Companies House on Monday show that £38.6million was transferred into Newcastle’s bank account as a cash-flow sum – paying off a £4.5million overdraft and leaving £34.1million available. The revelation has infuriated Newcastle fans who claim owner Mike Ashley has little ambition beyond remaining in the top flight and benefiting from the lucrative Premier League TV deals. The accounts say owner Mike Ashley still has £129million in interest-free loans outstanding but the money in the bank means the club’s net debt is down to £94.8million. The accounts also reveal that £29.8million was spent on signings after June 30, with £12.6million coming in player sales – mainly from Mathieu Debuchy’s move to Arsenal. The reported income from player sales does not appear to cover the January departures of Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Davide Santon, whose sales brought in around a further £8million. Newcastle’s salary bill rose to £78.3million from £61.7million, a 27 per cent increase, but that was more than covered by the increase in income from the new Premier League television deal and sponsorship income – the ratio of wages to turnover dropped from 64 per cent to 60 per cent. A club spokesman declined to comment. Newcastle had more than £34million sitting in the bank at the end of the last financial year, the club’s full accounts have revealed. A protest, backed by the Newcastle United Supporters’ Trust, is planned for Sunday with fans being urged to boycott the home match against Tottenham. The protest comes with the Magpies having lost their last five Premier League matches, including a painful 1-0 defeat at north-east rivals Sunderland. Mark Jensen, editor of online Newcastle fanzine themag.co.uk, said: “The accounts show that all this cash was generated and the question a lot of fans would ask (is) why was a significant portion of that not spent on team strengthening? “The idea of a boycott has been building for a long time and you can’t blame the fans, and I’m all in favour of it. It’s a starting point where fans may feel empowered and make their feelings known. “The frustrating thing for them is the money is there but the club won’t spend it. “Newcastle United are a club that should be in the top eight every season – that’s the size of the club with the support base it has and the benefit of being a city with one club. “We are going to fall well short of that this season and that equals failure in lots of fans’ eyes. “It seems that every transfer window the squad keeps weakening. People talk about Newcastle being a well-run business – that may be so in the short term but in the long term we have a squad which needs massive investment.” 
Poland pin hopes on in-form Robert Lewandowski for Euro 2016 decider
“But we are prepared for that and we will do our job.” Nawalka will be without injured duo Maciej Rybus and Arkadiusz Milik with Wawryzniak and striker Artur Sobiech likely to get the nod instead. However, Poland, who like Ireland are already guaranteed a play-off place at worst, are determined not to leave anything to chance. Wawryzniak said: “We are of course calm, we are of course sure that we will give our best during tomorrow’s game, but our team has proven that we have an identity, we can count on every single player in our team, which is why we will continue to do that. “I am pretty sure that tomorrow evening, we will meet again here and be happy due to our result.” The 27-year-old Bayern Munich striker goes into Sunday night’s final Group D qualifier at the Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw having scored a staggering 14 goals in his last four and a half games for club and country. The last of those came in Thursday’s 2-2 draw in Scotland, in which he claimed both Polish goals, prompting Scotland manager Gordon Strachan to suggest he is currently the hottest marksman in world football. Poland defender Jakub Wawryzniak has backed Robert Lewandowski to prove he is the best striker in the world by ruining the Republic of Ireland’s dream of automatic qualification for Euro 2016. Press Association Asked for his own assessment at his pre-match press conference on Saturday evening, Poland boss Adam Nawalka said: “I do have to say that this question was asked a number of times quite recently and I do have to confirm that for the time being, Robert Lewandowski is the best number nine in the world.” Before the press conference could continue, Wawryzniak, sitting to the coach’s right, added: “And should anyone have doubts, we really do believe that tomorrow, Robert Lewandowski will confirm exactly that.” Lewandowski’s stock has risen sharply since his move to Bayern from Borussia Dortmund last year and worryingly for defenders, Nawalka believes there is still more to come. He said: “Robert Lewandowski is developing all the time, he makes progress continuously and I do not think there is anyone that could stop him.” Lewandowski is likely to prove key to Poland’s hopes of fending off Ireland as the pair battle it out for automatic qualification with Martin O’Neill’s men having rekindled their own hopes with their shock 1-0 victory over world champions Germany on Thursday evening. Victory for either side would send them to France next summer, while a 0-0 draw would put the Poles through and a high-scoring one would do the same for the Irish once the head-to-head record is taken into account. Nawalka said: “I have to say that the result (against Germany) was a big surprise for us, but both teams represent a really high level of football and actually in this group, being a very difficult one, every result is possible. “The German team had maybe a bigger ball possession and had more chances, but at the end of the day it all comes down to the number of goals scored and in this aspect, the Irish team was better, which is why we know tomorrow’s game will be difficult for us. 
Starling reaches 1,000 points; Bees defeat West Genesee
A Baldwinsville boys basketball program that’s long sought the spotlight, yet rarely found it, had one of its finest days on Friday afternoon.With the stands at Baker High School’s main gymnasium overflowing and the reigning state Class AA champions in town, the Bees witnessed a milestone for sophomore standout J.J. Starling and, more importantly, a 57-52 victory over West Genesee.“This win boosts our confidence,” said Starling. “And it show that we’re a contender, and a force to be reckoned with. The win feels exciting, but our ultimate goal is a championship.” Starling is quite a force all by himself. On the day he surpassed 1,000 career points, he put 33 on the board, 16 of them in the fourth quarter to help the Bees overcome a six-point deficit.“Coach (Mike Lewis) told me to take over and look to score, and that’s what I did,” said Starling.Much attention before the game involved Starling going up against WG’s star senior, Will Amica, the MVP of the Wildcats’ 2018-19 state title run. Ironically, Amica reached the 1,000-point mark just six days earlier in a narrow defeat to Shenendehowa. Share this:FacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditComment on this Story The stands were filled long before tip-off, and among the spectators was Syracuse University assistant coach Gerry McNamara, with SU one of many schools that have made scholarship offers to Starling.As if all of that hoopla wasn’t enough, there was the small matter of B’ville seeking some payback against WG, who had knocked them out of the Section III Class AA quarterfinals last winter on its way to sectional and state honors.For the first five-plus minutes, Starling was kept off the board. But then, trailing 10-4, Starling converted a basket and free throw and then, with a 3-pointer seconds later, reached 1,000.Once the brief ceremonies to mark Starling’s milestone were done, the Bees and Wildcats engaged in a close first half, but thanks to some effective defense, B’ville appeared to gain control when it took a 33-24 lead early in the third quarter.Then the Bees hit a drought, not getting a point for more than five minutes. WG used that time to move out in front and, by the early portion of the final period, had extended that lead to 41-35.Several different Wildcats had taken turns defending Starling, which had caused some frustration. But once the Bees told Starling to take charge, he did so.A corner 3-pointer and delicate floater sparked a 15-4 run, with Starling either converting baskets or drawing contact and converting at the free-throw line.Amica’s 3-pointer cut it to 50-48 with nearly two minutes left. But the biggest sequence came with WG holding the ball and trailing 51-48.Again utilizing his quick first step, Amica drove to the basket, trying to reduce B’ville’s margin to one, but Dan Fabrizio blocked the shot and, on the other end, Starling converted a lay-up.Four more free throws closed it out, Starling getting the best of Amica, who finished with 23 points. Yet the two friends posed for lots of pictures at game’s end as many other fans also got their pictures with Starling to help celebrate his big day.Improving to 5-2 with that win, B’ville will take on Liverpool Tuesday at Onondaga Community College’s Allyn Hall before visiting Henninger next Friday. The Bees and West Genesee face each other again Jan. 31 in Camillus. Tags: Baldwinsvilleboys basketball
IAAF President – Athletics Biggest Challenge Is Not Doping, It’s Relevance “To Young People”
IAAF President, Lord Coe, has declared that the biggest challenge facing the IAAF is not doping, but relevance to young people.Coe, who is a double Olympic Gold medalist, told a press conference: “The biggest challenge in our sport is not doping, it(doping) is a challenge, the biggest challenge in our sport is remaining relevant to young people,”Doping is widely considered the number one problem of world athletics by the public, but Coe insisted that the IAAF “spend pretty much most of our day discussing” on how Athletics will remain attractive to young and upcoming “athletes, administrators, and coaches”World athletics supremo Lord Coe: “the biggest challenge to our sport is not doping…it is remaining relevant to young people” VIDEO pic.twitter.com/MPph9ZE0kj— Dan Roan (@danroan) August 1, 2017He continued: “…finding partners, commercials and public sector partners that recognize that.”“We’ve got systems in place that’s better than it has ever been, I know that’s possibly counter narrative at the moment but that’s the reality.”Lace up your ?, #IAAFworlds is nearly here! pic.twitter.com/jtGEEbcbUp— IAAF (@iaaforg) July 31, 2017The IAAF World Championships will commence in London this weekend, 5th Aug 2017, until 13th Aug 2017.Lord Coe is also the Chairman of the British Olympic Association and was the chairman of the successful London bid for the 2012 Olympics.Video Credit: Twitter.com – Dan Roan RelatedJustin Gatlin’s Victory Not Perfect – IAAF PresidentAugust 6, 2017In “Sports”Sebastian Coe Unanimously Returns as IAAF PresidentSeptember 26, 2019In “Athletics”ATHLETICS: Caster Semenya Begins Legal Battle Against IAAFFebruary 20, 2019In “Athletics”
Gambling Commission calls The Samaritans to bolster guidelines
UKGC hails ‘delivered efficiencies’ of its revamped licence maintenance service August 20, 2020 StumbleUpon Submit Share Related Articles Share The Gambling Commission is partnering up with The Samaritans in the battle against problem gambling after a fresh analysis of 2007 data shed light on its links with suicide. The small scale research programme, published today by GambleAware and the Gambling Commission, was based on findings from the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) and indicated that one in five (19%) had thought about suicide in the past year.Neil McArthur, chief executive of the Gambling Commission, said: “This research is based on data from 2007 but nonetheless the findings clearly show a connection between suicide and gambling, something that has a real and devastating impact on people’s lives. Whilst further research and more timely data collection is essential, we are taking further action now to protect people from the risk of gambling harm.“As a result of this research, the Commission and Samaritans will work together to bolster the existing requirements on gambling businesses to identify those at risk and take action to address and reduce harm.”The work programme which the Commission and Samaritans have agreed to develop will include guidance to sit alongside the Commission’s requirements for the gambling industry to ensure operators are responding appropriately to risks around suicide.In addition, the gambling support charity GamCare will pilot an extension to the National Gambling helpline hours to 24 hours a day for a period of two years to better support vulnerable customers. This pilot will be funded by GambleAware and comes as a result of this research.The survey questioned 7,403 people, of which 41 were identified as problem gamblers (5.5%). From this figure, it was extrapolated that 5% of problem gamblers reported they had made a suicide attempt in the past year, compared with 0.6% of those who showed no sign of problem gambling. Marc Etches, CEO of GambleAware, said: “There is limited data and research on the link between gambling and suicide and this research is just the start. This report has clearly identified the significant gaps in the data that is currently available and what steps we should be taking to get more evidence to help improve our knowledge and understanding of the relationship between gambling and suicide. “It is vital we all know what signs to look out for in a gambling addiction, so we can point people in the direction of help as and when they need it. We look forward to continuing to work with Government, particularly the Department of Health and Social Care, and all those involved to promote the help and services available at BeGambleAware.org.”The survey analysis shows an association between problem gambling, suicidal behaviours and loneliness that researchers suggest warrants further investigation. Problem gamblers were more likely to feel lonely and isolated from other people than the rest of the population and appeared to have a smaller network of people they felt close to and were less likely to feel that their friends and family gave them encouragement and support. Dr Heather Wardle, Assistant Professor at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: “The harms from gambling are profound and can be devastating for individuals, families and communities. These results show how people with gambling problems are a higher risk group for suicidality. Everyone involved in providing, legislating and regulating gambling should recognise this risk and take action to prevent harm.”In order to scope out what further research may be needed, a range of stakeholders, including those with lived experience of gambling harms, including addiction and bereavement due to suicide, attended a one-day workshop. The aim of the session was to better understand what knowledge gaps there were regarding gambling and suicide and to develop recommendations for future work.Recommendations from the session included: The development of educational packages for clinicians, primary care providers and coroners to raise awareness of the association between gambling and suicidality.The commissioning of a systematic review of evidence of the relationship between gambling and suicidalityThe conduct of a psychological autopsy study to explore cases where gambling is related to suicideProfessor Ann John, Swansea University and Chair of the National Advisory Group to Welsh Government on Suicide and Self-harm prevention, said: “‘Death by suicide is usually in response to a complex interplay of a number of factors, it is rarely due to a single reason and is never inevitable. However, there is no doubt that there has been a lack of recognition that there is an association between problem gambling and suicide. “Our research is a first step in understanding that association. Problem gamblers should be included as a high-risk group in suicide prevention strategies, efforts made to improve awareness, particularly in those providing services, and we need to encourage people to seek help before they reach a crisis point.” GambleAware: Engage those with lived experience of gambling harms August 28, 2020 YGAM focuses on BAME community engagement with CVR link-up August 21, 2020
NBA free agency 2021: Get ready for the best summer ever
Russell Westbrook trade rumors: Heat continue to discuss deal for Thunder star But if you like this summer, just wait. There could be even more in store in two years.Here’s why 2021 could be the best summer yet:More starsBelieve it or not, there’s more talent projected to hit the open market in 2021 than we saw this summer. Of course, the ever-popular player options that have become so common will come into play, as well as extensions. But there genuinely could be an abundance of stars available when the free agent market doors swing open at 6 p.m. ET June 30 (clear your calendars: it’s a Wednesday). Related News Paul George-to-Clippers official as Thunder GM drops subtle hint at tampering Nets set ‘unlikely’ performance incentives in Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving deals to manage cap space Paul George signed a four-year, $137 million deal with the Thunder in 2018-19 and can become an unrestricted free agent if he declines his player option for 2021-22 — just like his new teammate (and recruiter) Kawhi Leonard, who opted to sign a three-year contract instead of a four-year max this summer. The two are locked in to play with the Clippers for only two seasons, and both could explore their options pretty soon if things don’t pan out. Other notable names with All-Star experience and player options for 2021-22 include Chris Paul, LeBron James, Blake Griffin and Jrue Holiday.But wait, there’s more.Two of the most coveted young talents in the league will be approaching their primes in a few summers. It just wouldn’t be right to leave out Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo.If Davis elects to accept his player option in 2020-21 and finishes the final year of his current five-year, $127 million deal with the Lakers, he’ll be due for a serious raise. But that contract won’t be close to the five-year, $247 million extension ESPN reports Antetokounmpo could command in 2020. But should the 2019 MVP decline at age 26, he’ll certainly be flooded with enthusiastic suitors. (Maybe even the Knicks could figure out the logistics.)Those are some of the biggest names, but there are likely to be other key players out there, as well. They’re no slouches, either. Among them are Gordon Hayward, DeMar DeRozan, CJ McCollum, Bradley Beal, Rudy Gobert and others who have yet to emerge into the spotlight.Simply put, there’s a lot to be excited about in the NBA. You can only imagine what kind of shocking team-ups and trades lie ahead.More moneyThe NBA’s salary cap has continued to rise, and it’s doing so at the right time.The cap for 2019-20 will be $109 million, which is up from the previous season’s $101 million. That’s not a huge jump, but the 2020 class of free agents won’t come close in talent to 2021, anyway. Franchises looking to make big-time moves will sit on their wallets for two summers, when things really get interesting.RealGM projects the 2021-22 salary cap to be around $125 million and a luxury tax of a whopping $151 million. If those marks are reached, the salary cap will be nearly $31 million more than it was in 2015-16 — and nearly $38 million more than that year’s luxury tax. Mike Conley, who has never been named an All-Star, signed a five-year, $153 million deal with the Grizzlies that season. It was the biggest deal in NBA history at the time. Basketball fans knew the summer of 2019 would be exciting, but not this exciting.The Lakers sent a major haul to the Pelicans for Anthony Davis, the Clippers became a super team and quite a few franchises have begun massive rebuilds. You can’t help but wonder what a six-time All-Star entering his prime could ask for in this golden age of superstardom.You’re sure to see some huge offers thrown around, and teams should have flexibility to put together some interesting squads if they play their cards right.