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| NBA |   | NHL |
| The offensively challenged Hornets signed an elite shooter in PejaStojakovic (right), added bench strength with guard Bobby Jackson and tradedfor a young center in Tyson Chandler. In New Orleans or Oklahoma City, theHornets will be contenders. | MOST IMPROVED TEAM | By trading with Florida for perennial Vezina Trophy candidate RobertoLuongo (above)--and signing him to a long-term deal--the Canucks are set ingoal for the foreseeable future. A bonus: They rid themselves of winger ToddBertuzzi, a perennial headache, in the deal. |
| The NBA's stingiest shooting defense got stingier when the Bulls landed BenWallace (left), the market's prize--and a four-time Defensive Player of theYear. | BIGGEST FREE-AGENT CATCH | Literally--at 6'9" Zdeno Chara (right) is the NHL's tallest player. Hewas also the most coveted free-agent defenseman and a huge upgrade on theBruins' blue line. |
| How did the Pistons replace Wallace? With Nazr Mohammed, a center who hasbeen a backup most of his career and was benched for five of the Spurs' playoffgames last season | WORST FREE-AGENT SIGNING | The Coyotes lavished $2.4 million on goon Georges Laraque--not a wise movein an era in which fighting is on the decline. Get used to him, Phoenix He gota no-trade clause. |
| Make that nonmove: After weeks of trade rumors--he has been shopped hard byG.M. Billy King--Allen Iverson (above) is still a 76er | MOST SURPRISING MOVE | Never mind that Chris Pronger helped the Oilers get within a game of theStanley Cup; his wife wanted out of Edmonton, so the team traded the defenseman(left) to the Ducks. |
| Veteran guard Sam Cassell (below), who has played with seven teams, putdown roots in Los Angeles by re-signing for two years with the Clippers. | WEARIEST TRAVELERS | After a career year (he scored 32 goals) itinerant winger Mike Sillingersigned a three-year deal with the Islanders--his 12th team, most among activeplayers. |
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July 16, 2006
Air and Space
SI Players: Life On and Off the Field
PIRATES ALL-STAR
OUTFIELDER
Red Sox Closer
For a Rockie,
little videos mean big hits
How Nextel Cup
contender Jeff Burton keeps his body on track
BASEBALL
Fueled by putdowns
and cutups, the slaphappy Mets-a franchise whose revival is way ahead of
schedule-are dominating the National League
2006 World Cup
In a mad, mad
final match, Italy rode its stalwart defense to a fourth championship, while
the greatest player of his generation left the field in infamy after a shocking
moment of mindless rage
Pro Football
Joe Jurevicius is thrilled that he'll be playing in front of family and friends for his beloved Browns in 2006, but that joy is tempered by a loss he'll feel forever
Tennis
Could Roger
Federer finally beat a certain Spaniard? Could Amélie Mauresmo master her
nerves on the biggest stage? Both players delivered their answers-forcefully-at
Wimbledon
Features
It took startling transformations—from callow prodigy to thoughtful champion, from punk to philanthropist, from conflicted son to devoted father—for Andre Agassi to finally see the big picture, and he's still searching for answers
Inside
The Week In
Sports
Life of Reilly
Departments
On a forced
sabbatical from the Dolphins, Ricky Williams is loving the freer atmosphere in
Canada
St. Louis's new owners are gambling that the NHL's leading TV analyst can turn their team around
St. Louis's new
owners are gambling that the NHL's leading TV analyst can turn their team
around
Cavaliers guard Damon Jones is all the rage in China, as an unlikely pitchman for a shoe company
Meet Donald Hall,
the nation's first poet laureate to take batting practice with the Pirates
A drug scandal and numerous crashes have ravaged the Tour de France. But a feisty American could still take the prize
The World Cup was grand, but changes are needed in 2010
It's summer, but indoor sports haven't stopped. A guide to the busy NBA and NHL off-season moves
What to watch and watch for
