The Sportsletter - 50k for The King 👑

BY JEFF YODER

MAR. 5, 2025 |  SUBSCRIBE  |  WEB VIEW

Good Morning, Team 👋

A lot can happen in 48 hours. Today, we rewind how the Mavs-Lakers trade sent both teams in opposite directions after Kyrie Irving tore his ACL and LeBron passed 50k total points. Plus, Champions League action, NFL roster changes and much more carry us towards the season of madness. Oh, look! It's starting already...

🚨 Upset Alert

#22 Texas A&M Upsets #1 Auburn (83-72)

⏳ Countdown to Brackets: 11 Days

Letter Rip!

  TEAM NEWS  

Load Management

Reminder: The Sportsletter will only be published 2-3x per week during the month of March while we make some big changes. We hope to return to our daily publishing schedule by April 1. Stay tuned...

Next Sportsletter: Friday, March 7

  NBA   

50K for The King 👑

Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images

LeBron James Becomes 1st Player in NBA History to Score 50,000 Total Career Points

Father Time is undefeated, but LeBron James might be humanity’s best hope. The seemingly ageless 40-year-old ‘King James’ added another milestone to his library of records on Tuesday. James became the first player in NBA history with 50,000 total career points (regular season and playoffs combined). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (44k) and Karl Malone (41k) are the only others with more than 40,000. James entered last night’s game against the Pelicans with 49,999. The record shot came on a catch-and-shoot 3 in the face of Zion Williamson early in the first quarter (above). L.A. won by 21 (136-115) and LeBron went off (34 pts, 8 rebs, 6 ast).

Watch: LeBron James Hits 50K Milestone

So This Is 40, Huh?! — This is downright absurd. LeBron is averaging similar numbers this season (25-8-9) to his four MVP seasons from a dozen years ago (28-7-7). I mean... The man is 40! What?!

What’s more important is that he has the Lakers thinking about another title with his new running mate, Luka Doncic… Segue! >>>

A Tale of Two Cities

L.A. & Dallas (Since the Mega Trade)

Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis (Feb. 1) was one of the biggest trades in 77 years of NBA history — just the third time ever that two All-NBA players were dealt for each other — and we’re already seeing the returns. In mid-January, just before the blockbuster deal, Los Angeles (6th) and Dallas (7th) were neck-and-neck in the Western Conference. Now, Kyrie Irving's ACL tear on Monday effectively ended the Mavs' season, and these two franchises have two opposing realities one month later.

The Lakers (#2) Are Cooking 🔥

Since the trade, L.A. has won 13 of 15 — including an active seven-game win streak — to climb all the way to the No. 2 spot. Doncic has his conditioning back, averaging 21.0 pts, 8.6 rebs and 6.4 ast since becoming a Laker. LeBron James had two 40-point games before last night's milestone. The Lakers have the fifth-best odds to win the Finals.

The Mavericks (#10) Are Freezing 🧊

On the other end, it’s a giant “yikes!” all around for the Mavs. Anthony Davis suffered an injury (adductor strain) in his Dallas debut on Feb. 8. Kyrie Irving was carrying the team, but his ACL tear was the last straw in the Mavs' season from hell. They've lost four of their last five, and they’re in danger of missing the playoffs (and the play-in) altogether one year removed from the NBA Finals.

Read More

ESPN: Why the Luka Doncic Trade Could Define a Generation

AP: Lakers & LeBron Clearly Reveling in What the Luka Trade Did for Their Title Hopes

  NFL   

Bags & Tags: Roster Renovations 🛠️

Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images

Saquon Makes Contract History, Stafford Stays With Rams & More NFL Moves

The calm before the storm hasn’t been calm at all, but we’re used to this in the 365-day NFL news cycle. In the past 48 hours, multiple teams made huge roster decisions to prepare for free agency next week (March 12), and ultimately next month’s NFL Draft (April 24-26). Yesterday marked the deadline for teams to franchise tag players. Only two players got the tag (the lowest number since 1994). Some teams also gave the bag to their biggest stars. Here are the key notes from the last 48 hours of roster reconstruction — bags and tags!

💰 Bag: Eagles RB Saquon Barkley signed a 2-year contract extension worth $41.2 million that makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. Barkley rushed for an NFL record 2,504 yards in 2024-25 (including playoffs) en route to the Super Bowl. (NBC Sports)

🏷️ Tag: Bengals WR Tee Higgins was hit with the franchise tag for the second straight season. Higgins wanted a trade from Cincinnati or a long-term deal. The franchise tag is worth $26.2 million in 2025. (CBS Sports)

💰 Bag: Rams QB Matthew Stafford finalized a new deal to stay in Los Angeles, but the restructured contract details remain mysterious. Stafford, 37, was linked to trade talks with the Raiders and Giants in recent weeks. (FOX Sports)

🚫 Neither: Vikings QB Sam Darnold didn’t get franchise tagged by yesterday’s deadline. That means Minnesota has officially opened the window for Darnold to sign with a new team in free agency next week. (SI)

💰 Bag: Cowboys DT Osa Odighizuwa signed a four-year, $80 million deal to remain in Dallas and avoid hitting free agency. Odighizuwa, 26, was a 2021 third-round pick who became a star on the defensive line for the Cowboys. (NBC Sports)

Other NFL Roster News

— Eagles Plan to Cut CB Darius Slay

— Chiefs Franchise Tag Guard Trey Smith

— Jets Officially Cut WR Davante Adams

— Bears Acquire OG Jonah Jackson From Rams

  HIGHLIGHTS   🎥

The Lightning Round ⚡️

Photo: Diego Souto / Getty Images

⚽️ Champions League (R-of-16, Leg 1)

Real Madrid def. Atletico Madrid (2-1)

Arsenal def. PSV (7-1)

Aston Villa def. Club Brugge (3-1)

Dortmund draw LOSC Lille (1-1)

🏀 NBA

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Hangs 51 Points

Raptors’ Ja’Kobe Walter Hits Game-Winning 3

Cavaliers Blow Out Bulls for 11th Straight Win

🏒 NHL

Lightning Rally for 9th Win in 10 Games

Artturi Lehkonen (2G), Avs Win 3rd Straight

Stars’ Thomas Harley Rips Winner With 3.9s

🏀 NCAA Basketball (Top Games)

M: #22 Texas A&M Upsets #1 Auburn (83-72)

M: #23 BYU def. #10 Iowa State (88-85, 2OT)

M: #18 Purdue def. Rutgers (100-71)

M: #19 Kentucky def. LSU (95-64)

⛳️ TGL

Atlanta Drive Takes Out Jupiter Links (9-1)

Playoffs: #1 LA, #2 The Bay, #3 NYC, #4 Atlanta

Out: Jupiter (Tiger Woods) & Boston (Rory McIlroy)

⚾️ MLB (Spring Training)

Roki Sasaki Dazzles in Dodgers Debut (3 IP, 5 Ks)

  STORYLINES   

🏁 The Formula 1 2025 Preview

After one of the most competitive and enthralling Formula 1 seasons in recent memory, it's almost time to get the show on the road once again for a 2025 campaign that promises plenty. (ESPN)

🏈 5 Questions: The NFL Trade Market

Who’s left in the quarterback trade game? What does the Deebo Samuel deal tell us about the wide receiver marketing? And what about Myles Garrett? Jaire Alexander? (The Ringer)

🏀 NCAA Bracket Forecast

As we enter the final week of the men's college basketball regular season, the NCAA Tournament picture is beginning to take shape. Bubble teams can burst at any moment. (FOX Sports)

  NEWS   📰 

🥊 Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis Pushing for Rematch With Lamont Roach Jr. as Soon as May (B/R)

🏀 Serena Williams Joins WNBA Ownership Group of Toronto Tempo (CNBC)

⚾️ George Mason Breaks 42-Year-Old Division I Baseball Record With 23-Run Inning (ESPN)

🏒 Sharks Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic Breaks Mark Giordano’s NHL Shot-Blocking Record (FOX Sports)

🏛️ Florida State & Clemson Reach Agreement to Settle Ongoing Lawsuits With ACC (SI)

⚾️ Braves Catcher Sean Murphy Out 4-6 Weeks With Broken Rib (ESPN)

🏀 Magic’s Jalen Suggs Out for Rest of Season After Knee Surgery (B/R)

  SCHEDULE   🗓️

Tonight's Must-Watch List

🏀 NBA

Heat at Cavaliers (7:00 pm, ESPN)

Thunder at Grizzlies (9:30 pm, ESPN)

Full NBA Schedule

🏒 NHL

Capitals at Rangers (7:30 pm, TNT)

Maple Leafs at Golden Knights (10:00 pm, TNT)

Full NHL Schedule

⚽️ Champions League

Feyenoord vs. Inter (12:45 pm, Par+)

Bayern vs. Leverkusen (3:00 pm, Par+)

Benfica vs. Barcelona (3:00 pm, Par+)

PSG vs. Liverpool (3:00 pm, Par+)

🏀 NCAA Basketball (Top Games)

M: #13 Maryland at #17 Michigan (6:30 pm, BTN)

M: #5 Florida at #7 Alabama (7:00 pm, ESPN2)

M: #20 Marquette at UConn (8:30 pm, FS1)

M: #4 Tennessee at Ole Miss (9:00 pm, ESPN2)

*All Times ET

No Sportsletter Tomorrow (Thursday)

We’ll catch ya on Friday!

Please consider supporting The Sportsletter, an independently operated and bootstrapped publication. Many thanks to everyone who already supports us!

Message From The Team: New updates are coming soon. You might only see us 2-3x per week in March until we release a new look and some new features. Stay tuned...

Did Someone Forward You This Email? Subscribe Here
Feedback? Contact Our Editor: Jeff@TheSportsletter.com

*Sponsorship Has No Influence on Editorial Content*

Not Loving The Letter? Unsubscribe

Copyright © 2024 The Sportsletter
717 Market Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103