"There is meaning and history there," said Gasol, who won titles with the Lakers alongside Kobe Bryant in 2009 and 2010. "I'm not going to lie. It would be very special, and now that my brother [Marc] is there, even more special. But I'm not in a position now to be very demanding. I don't have 10 offers on the table."

"We've seen who that's affecting, seeing how the meals have helped people. We've seen how the water has changed people's lives and how the the medical facility has changed people's lives," he said. "And so seeing that in person, it's really powerful."

"A lot of changes have happened since that recommendation was put in place," he said in a statement. "I know making this decision was not easy, and I am thankful for the opportunity our players will now have to play in Indianapolis as an undefeated East Division champion."Houston Astros Face Coverings

Orioles slugger Trey Mancini and outfielder Anthony Santander were offered 2021 contracts before Wednesday night's deadline. Mancini missed last season while receiving treatment for colon cancer. He batted .291 with 35 homers and 97 RBI in 2019.Minnesota Twins Face Coverings

But one thing never changes: the number of rumors you hear, some of them ridiculous. A few years ago at the winter meetings, my duty one day was to walk through the lobby and report back with the most outrageous rumor I heard. One team executive, not a GM, much lower on the chain, cupped his mouth like a pitcher talking to his catcher in a mound meeting, then warned me about an available free agent.

Or, consider this: The 2018 Phillies won only 80 games but were in first place into August, before a September collapse. The 2019 Phillies won only 81 games but were in first place before a summer collapse. The 2020 Phillies, for that matter, were two games above .500 and in the sixth seed in the National League's playoff race going into the final eight games of the season. They collapsed, going 1-7 and falling away from the eighth and final playoff spot.Detroit Tigers Face Coverings

The Phillies, on the other hand, have not been in the playoffs since 2011, the franchise's last season with a winning record. Wheeler was signed to pair with Aaron Nola as stars at the front of the Philadelphia rotation, and last spring there was an expectation that the Phillies would work to re-sign catcher J.T. Realmuto.Seattle Mariners Face Coverings