Giannis Antetokounmpo says his game-winning block was all about trusting his instincts as the Milwaukee Bucks claimed an important 118-116 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
The reigning NBA Finals MVP made a crucial block to deny Joel Embiid a lay-up to tie the game up with under two seconds left on the clock after James Harden's three-point attempt rimmed out.
Antetokounmpo had already scored 40 points with 14 rebounds and six assists, with his third block proving a decisive intervention.
"Just let my instincts play," Antetokounmpo told reporters. "The ball went to Embiid and I just tried to jump as high as I can and try to make a play.
"I knew it was going to be a quick one. I felt it. When you get in that position and you're down one, with the clock running, you get it and go quick. I tried to time it.
"It worked out, sometimes it doesn’t work out. This time it worked out in our favour."
The play was reviewed after it was initially seen as a goal tend which was cleared, forcing a jump ball which allowed the clock to wind down.
Embiid said: "I thought it was close. I probably should’ve gone up harder. In that situation I didn’t know how much time was left.
"I was just trying to get the ball off quickly. I thought it was close. I didn’t know if it was a goal tend or not."
Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said it was "just a special block", while 76ers counterpart Doc Rivers labelled it "spectacular".
The result means the Bucks move into second spot in the Eastern Conference with a 47-28 record, behind the Miami Heat (48-28), with the Boston Celtics (47-29) in third and the 76ers (46-29) in fourth.
The 76ers have suffered successive losses to last season's NBA Finalists, the Bucks and the Phoenix Suns, in a wake-up call to their title credentials.
"We've got to do a better job," Embiid said. "Against Phoenix we were right there. Tonight we had a lead, just like against Phoenix.
"It's a game of runs. Every team is going to make their runs. We just need to stay calm and know what we need to do. Last game showed why those two teams went to the finals."
Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem made his long-awaited return from a wrist injury on Tuesday, but lost 3-6 4-6 to Pedro Cachin at an ATP Challenger event in Marbella.
Thiem, the former world number three who hasn't played since 2021, started slowly and fell 5-0 behind in the first set against the world number 228.
He improved in the second set but was not able to recover from dropping serve in the first game.
"Obviously, the result today is the bitter part," Thiem posted on his Instagram. "I would have wanted to win, and I have to accept the defeat in a humble manner.
"This is only the beginning of a long way to the top of my game."
Giannis Antetokounmpo came up with a game-winning block on Joel Embiid after scoring 40 points in the Milwaukee Bucks' crucial 118-116 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.
Antetokounmpo rose to block Embiid's attempt to level the scores with less than two seconds left on the clock, with head coach Mike Budenholzer labelling it "special".
The Greek superstar finished with 40 points on 66 per cent shooting with 14 rebounds, six assists and three blocks.
The Bucks win is significant in the race for Eastern Conference seeds, moving Milwaukee (47-28) into second behind the Miami Heat (48-28), while the 76ers (46-29) slip to fourth.
Khris Middleton added 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists and Jrue Holiday contributed 18 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists.
Embiid finished with 29 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, while James Harden had 32 points making four-of-10 from beyond the arc, with five rebounds and nine assists.
George returns in Clippers comeback win
Paul George marked his first game since December 22 with 34 points including six three-pointers as the Los Angeles Clippers fought back from 25 points down to win 121-115 over the Utah Jazz who have lost five in a row. The Clippers finished the game on a 34-12 run.
Kevin Durant scored 41 points with 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks while Kyrie Irving managed 24 points in his second home appearance as the Brooklyn Nets won 130-123 over the Detroit Pistons.
The Chicago Bulls found some form after winning only four of their past 15 games with an important 107-94 win over the Washington Wizards led by DeMar DeRozan with 32 points, seven rebounds and two steals.
Lakers slide continues
The Los Angeles Lakers' struggles continued with a heavy 128-110 loss to the Dallas Mavericks as Luka Doncic recorded a triple-double with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists. The Mavs led by as much as 37 points. The Lakers, who were without LeBron James and Anthony Davis, are 31-44 and slip to 11th out of the west's play-in spots.
Emerging Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz continued his rise with a 7-5 6-3 upset of third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the Miami Masters quarter-finals on Tuesday.
The 18-year-old, who reached last year's US Open final eight after beating Tsitsipas in the third round, proved too good again for the Greek in one hour and 50 minutes.
Alcaraz reached last week's Indian Wells semi-finals and is now 15-2 on the season, with the win setting up a clash with Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic who upset last week's Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz 3-6 6-1 6-4.
Tsitsipas broke the Spaniard in the sixth game and led 5-2 before Alcaraz reeled off seven straight games to sensationally take the first set.
Alcaraz surged ahead in the second set, with his defence and speed leaving Tsitsipas short on answers.
The Spaniard, who saved seven of eight break points throughout the match, converted his fourth match point for victory.
"It was really, really tough. He was playing unbelievable," Alcaraz said after the match. "All I can say is I fought until the last ball in the first set [to] come back."
Ninth seed Jannik Sinner won 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 over enigmatic Australian Nick Kyrgios, who had a furious outburst directed at umpire Carlos Bernardes.
The Australian was heard to label Bernardes "an absolute clown" and continued to berate the umpire late in the first set, leading to a code violation and two penalties.
Kyrgios completely lost his cool, demanding to speak to a tournament official before smashing his racquet early in the second set, leading to a game penalty as well.
Sinner will next take on Argentine Francisco Cerundolo after he defeated 28th seed Francis Tiafoe lost 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-2.
Top seed Daniil Medvedev made light work of Jenson Brooksby 7-5 6-1 to set up a quarter-final showdown with reigning champion Hubert Hurkacz who won 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 over Lloyd Harris. Medvedev will return to the top of the ATP rankings if he wins their quarter-final.
Second seed Alexander Zverev got past Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-4 6-4 and will meet sixth seed Casper Ruud in the last eight, after the Norwegian won 6-3 6-4 over Briton Cameron Norrie.
Naomi Osaka will make her first Miami Open semi-final appearance after defeating Danielle Collins 6-2 6-1 on Tuesday.
The Florida native and the 2022 Australian Open finalist were worlds apart on serve, with Osaka putting up 13 aces, while Collins served seven double faults and had a meagre first-serve rate of 37.8 per cent.
While dropping only three games provides ample reflection, Osaka was in almost total control, winning 28 of 38 total points on serve and over half of the points on return with 26 out of 45. Her 25 winners to three unforced errors only reinforced the dominant nature of the win.
The Japanese former world number one has not dropped a set en route to the semi-final, and did not face a single break point against Collins, who called a medical time-out to address a neck issue after the first set.
"I'm glad I was able to get through quickly," Osaka said post-match. "I focused on trying to hit a lot of really good returns.
"This is actually my first night match too, so I didn't know what the conditions were going to be like."
Osaka will face reigning Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, who comfortably saw her way past Daria Saville with a 6-1 6-2 win.
The Tokyo gold medallist progressed to her first WTA 1000 semi-final since Madrid in 2019, needing just 69 minutes to defeat the unseeded Australian.
With Saville serving at 51 per cent for the match, Bencic was all over the second look, winning 18 of a total 23 points in those scenarios.
The critical element of the match was the Swiss 22nd seed's ruthlessness on break point, converting seven out of total eight times.
In what may be a preview of this year's Western Conference Finals, the top-seeded Phoenix Suns make the trip to San Francisco to take on the three seed Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.
While these are undoubtedly two of the premier teams in the West, the real story is about how the Suns have been in a class of their own this season, eight games clear of the second-best record in the league.
In the 21st century, only two teams have finished the regular season with a top-two ranking in both offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency: the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors, and the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors.
Both of those Warriors juggernauts went on to win the NBA Championship, and if the season were to end today, Phoenix would become the third team to achieve those marks.
Phoenix's net-rating – which illustrates how many more points a team is scoring than their opposition per 100 possessions – is plus 8.5, which is nearly two points clear of the second-placed Boston Celtics at plus 6.8.
The Suns have not just been the best team in basketball this season, they have been historically good in a way that compares the peak of the Warriors' run, and ranks better than any of LeBron James' Miami Heat teams, or the three-peat Los Angeles Lakers from 2000-02.
The Warriors, on the other hand, have been sputtering since Stephen Curry was sidelined with an injury that is expected to keep him out of action until the playoffs.
After three consecutive losses, can the Warriors pose any real threat to such a great Suns team? Stylistically, they may have some factors working in their favour, and as the saying goes, styles make fights.
These are two teams that play in similar ways. Both teams are bottom-five in percentage of their total points coming from the free throw line, both teams are top-five in percentage of two-point baskets coming from assists, and both are top-three in fewest blocked shots.
What this means is when these teams go inside to score, they are playing a finesse game focused around passing, movement, and creating open shots, as opposed to a bully-ball style which focuses on creating contact and forcing a way to the free throw line.
For a team like the Warriors that gives up free throws at the fifth-highest rate in the league, having a team that is willing to match their style and be a willing dance partner will hide some deficiencies and allow the home side to lean into what it does well.
Golden State also attempts the second-highest percentage of three-pointers – nearly 46 per cent of all of their shots come from long range – while Phoenix is way down at 27th in the league, taking 65 per cent of their shots from two-point range.
Despite that stat implying Phoenix is dominant in the paint, they actually are 16th in paint scoring, but third in mid-range scoring thanks to the efforts of Devin Booker and Chris Paul.
It is well-established at this point that mid-range jump shots are the least efficient shots in all of basketball, while an open three-pointer is the best shot a team can take other than a dunk, layup or free throw.
Phoenix has been great on a diet of difficult shots this season, but if the Warriors can get hot from three-point range at the volume they get them up, the Suns may simply lose the math equation.
PIVOTAL PERFORMERS
Phoenix Suns – Chris Paul
Of every player in the NBA this season averaging at least 20 minutes per appearance, only two – LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar Derozan – score a higher percentage of their points from the mid-range than Paul.
As discussed, Phoenix will need to score consistently and efficiently from the mid-range to counter how many three-pointers the Warriors will get up, and Paul is at the center of that.
Add into the equation that Paul leads the league in assists per game, while coming in at second in steals per game, and it's clear why he is so important at both ends of the floor.
Golden State Warriors – Klay Thompson
Simply put, the Warriors need to get hot from long range to win this game, and few players in the history of basketball can get hotter than Klay Thompson.
Thompson holds the NBA record for most threes in a single game, hitting 14 of them against the Chicago Bulls in 2018, and has made at least nine in a game on 10 different occasions.
While he is still working himself back into full form after returning from a two-year absence this season, over his past 10 games Thompson is averaging 24 points per game and is hitting a strong 40 per cent of his long range attempts.
KEY BATTLES – Can the Warriors compete with the Suns' size?
Golden State have only one player on their roster taller than six-foot-nine Kevon Looney, and it is James Wiseman, who will not play a single game this season due to lingering injuries.
Suns center Deandre Ayton measures in at seven-foot-one, and less than a week ago he physically dominated All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns en route to 35 points and 14 rebounds.
Towns is bigger than anyone Golden State can throw at Ayton, and while Looney is an above-average defender, basketball is a game where size matters, and the Warriors are small.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
These two sides met on three separate occasions in December, with Golden State winning twice.
Curry top-scored for the Warriors in both wins, while Ayton out-scored his season average in all three meetings.
Nick Kyrgios called on the ATP Tour to "get new people" after a furious outburst at the umpire in his defeat to Jannik Sinner at the Miami Open.
Kyrgios berated umpire Carlos Bernardes after his walkie-talkie went off mid-point during the first set.
The Australian was heard to label Bernardes "an absolute clown".
He subsequently added: "This is one of the biggest tournaments and you guys can't do your job. It's embarrassing.”
"You wonder why no one watches this sport. It's a laughing stock."
After receiving a code violation for an audible obscenity, Kyrgios was then handed a point penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct in the first set tie-break.
Kyrgios had been appearing to talk with a friend in attendance courtside, with that penalty further infuriating him.
"What's unsportsmanlike? What is unsportsmanlike?" Kyrgios asked of Bernardes.
He then demanded to see a tournament official before smashing his racquet during the opening game of the second set, an action that saw him cop a game penalty and drop his serve.
Sinner maintained the initiative from there, easing to a 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 win, with Kyrgios' mind clearly still focused on the performance of the official even after the dust had settled.
He posted on Twitter: "'You could do the job of the umpire' - what was said to my best friend that got me 'unsportsmanlike code violation' at 5-3 in the first set tie break.
"With 100 of thousands of dollars on the line that was the decision he made because the umpire's feelings got hurt. GET NEW PEOPLE"
LeBron James was ruled out of the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday with an ankle injury.
The news was first reported by The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Four-time NBA MVP LeBron had been listed as doubtful after rolling his left ankle in the 116-108 defeat to the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
The 37-year-old did not practice on Monday and the decision was subsequently taken for him to sit out the matchup at the American Airlines Center.
Anthony Davis had also been listed as doubtful after he on Monday came through his first full practice session since suffering a foot injury on February 16.
The Lakers (31-43) went into the Mavs (46-29) game 10th in the Western Conference and hold a half-game lead over the San Antonio Spurs for the final play-in spot.
Elina Svitolina is taking a much-needed break from tennis due to physical and mental stress brought on by injuries and Russia's invasion of her native Ukraine.
The world number 20 revealed she had been struggling with a back injury that affected her preparations for tournaments, falling at the first hurdle in each of her past two events.
Svitolina, the 2018 WTA Finals champion, reached the last eight at the Monterrey Open, where she refused to play Anastasia Potapova unless the Russian was classed as a neutral athlete at the start of the month, but she lost in her first match at both Indian Wells and the Miami Open.
Svitolina's sabbatical means she will be absent from Ukraine's Fed Cup clash with the United States next month, and it remains to be seen if she will return in time for the French Open at the end of May.
The 27-year-old posted on Twitter: "It's been an extremely difficult couple of months for me not only mentally, but physically.
"For quite a long time, I've been struggling with my back; the pain didn't let me prepare for the tournaments at my best.
"Meanwhile, observing with unbearable pain in my heart what is happening in my homeland of Ukraine and with how much bravery and courage our Ukrainian people are defending our country, this gave me a huge push to continue and fight on court.
"Now, my body can't handle it anymore and I need to rest, therefore I'm sad to announce that I will be missing the Fed Cup and a few of my favourite tournaments in Europe. But, I'm sure I will see you around soon, thank you for all your support in this challenging period."
Tiger Woods arrived at Augusta National on Tuesday for a practice round as he considers an audacious comeback to professional golf at the Masters, reports in the United States said.
The 15-time major winner, who has triumphed five times at The Masters, has not played on the PGA Tour since November 2020.
His last appearance was at Augusta, with The Masters having been delayed by seven months in that year due to the pandemic.
He underwent back surgery in December 2020, and was then seriously hurt in a February 2021 single-car crash, when he sustained major leg and foot injuries.
Woods has since admitted he was lucky to survive, with the 46-year-old slowly recovering from the physical trauma over the past year.
The 2022 Masters marks 25 years since Woods first won at Augusta, when he sensationally triumphed by 12 strokes for his maiden major title. He last triumphed at the course in 2019, ending an 11-year wait for his 15th major.
Sports Illustrated reported on Tuesday that Woods arrived at the course to see how his body would stand up to the physical demands of the undulations at Augusta.
The report said a source, who did not wish to be named, confirmed Woods arrived with son Charlie, and that world number seven Justin Thomas, a close friend, was also with them.
The Masters runs from April 7-10, and as a former champion Woods benefits from a lifetime exemption.
He took his first steps towards a return by playing at the PNC Championship with his son in December, but that is a light-hearted event where professionals perform alongside a family member, and Woods was able to use a golf cart to get around.
Speaking last month, Woods said he was a "long way off" a return to competitive action, adding he could not commit to returning to the PGA Tour this calendar year.
"You'll see me [again] on the PGA Tour, I just don’t know when," Woods said on CBS during coverage of the Genesis Invitational.
The NFL has approved a change to its playoff overtime rules to ensure both teams are given a chance to possess the ball.
Under the rules that cover the regular season, and before Tuesday's vote applied to the postseason, each team has the opportunity to possess the ball in overtime unless the team that gets it first scores a touchdown on the opening possession.
The equity of the overtime format was called into question following the end of a pulsating AFC Divisional Round clash between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.
Kansas City managed to send the game to overtime after driving down the field in the final 13 seconds of regulation to set up a game-tying field goal.
The Chiefs subsequently won the toss and Patrick Mahomes connected with Travis Kelce for the game-winning touchdown on the opening possession.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who in a 42-36 defeat threw for 329 yards and four touchdowns in an astonishing display, never had the chance to respond.
The Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles tabled a rule change at this week's NFL owners' meeting, proposing that both teams have the chance to possess the ball in overtime in the postseason, and the motion passed by a 29-3 margin.
Since 2010, 12 postseason games have gone to overtime, with teams that won the coin toss boasting a 10-2 record. Seven of those games were decided on the first overtime possession.
But NFL competition committee member Rich McKay intimated that an unsatisfying end to a classic in Kansas City was the final straw in terms of making a change.
Speaking at a media conference, McKay said: "In the Buffalo game this year, it's potentially the greatest 20-30 minutes of football that I've ever seen and to think that it ended that way definitely brought up the idea of 'hey, is that equitable, does that work for everybody?'.
"So I think that no question started the discussion. What typically happens in these, is they tend to lose momentum as you get further away from the game, and that did not happen in this instance."
Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals are "in a great spot" when it comes to a long-term tie-up, according to coach Kliff Kingsbury.
Murray's agent Erik Burkhardt issued a statement last month in which he called for the quarterback to be shown "a real commitment" by the franchise in his next contract.
In the 2021 season, Murray threw 3,787 yards with 24 touchdown passes and added five rushing TDs, while he had the second-highest completion rate in the NFL of 69.2 per cent.
Burkhardt said Murray required "long-term stability for both the organisation and himself", stating a "detailed contract proposal" had been submitted. He urged the Cardinals to "prioritise" his client's situation, rather than continue "to merely talk about addressing Kyler's long-term future".
For Kingsbury, there is no drama as Arizona look to secure 24-year-old Murray's future.
"We are in a great spot with him," Kingsbury said on Tuesday, quoted by profootballnetwork.com.
"I know that [statement] was what it was, but nothing has changed from our end. We're excited about his future and want to make him an Arizona Cardinal for as long we can.
"I think all of us want to feel wanted. You put so much time and effort working in this game, so that's a big part of it. [Murray] knows how we feel about him, and I'm so excited to see what we can do with him moving forward."
Burkhardt also serves as Kingsbury's agent, but the coach has previously indicated he was unaware of the plans for February's statement about Murray.
Murray was the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and the team have a 22-23-1 record in the games where he has featured.
An 11-6 record in the 2021 season was the team's best for six years.
Murray last week said he was "happy where I am".
"I'm an Arizona Cardinal," Murray said. "I've done nothing but give my all to the Cardinals and will continue to do that. I'm not really too worried about my future as a Cardinal."
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay has suggested the team are close to agreeing a deal for Aaron Donald to return for the 2022 season.
The Super Bowl LVI champions had hoped Donald would do so after he hinted he would "run it back" during the victory parade following the win against the Cincinnati Bengals at the NFL's big show in February.
Ahead of the game at SoFi Stadium, it was reported the highly rated defensive tackle could retire if he finally won a championship to go with his individual achievements.
And the three-time Defensive Player of the Year could scarcely have been more influential in the 23-20 Rams win.
Donald held up Joe Burrow and the Bengals on third and one and then fourth and one on their final drive, finishing with two sacks and three quarterback hits – tying the best marks of his playoff career.
The 30-year-old penned a six-year, $135 million extension before the start of the 2018 season, but has now outplayed that deal.
Speaking at a media conference on Tuesday at the annual league meeting, McVay addressed Donald's situation, saying: "It's a huge priority for us. I know that our group is working with [Donald's agent] Todd France and trying to get that figured out.
"[I] feel really good about Aaron's excitement about coming back and continuing to lead the way for us. But that is a piece that we do want to be able to get figured out for him. And I think he's deserving of it.
"We're in the process of working through that right now."
Donald recorded 12.5 sacks for 111 yards and 17 quarterback hits in the 2021 regular season, before adding another 3.5 sacks for 20.5 yards and nine quarterback hits in the postseason.
Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers did not want to lose Davante Adams, but it was a trade the team had to make.
Superstar wide receiver Adams left the Packers to join the Las Vegas Raiders in a blockbuster trade earlier in March.
The 29-year-old signed a five-year deal worth up to $141million, making him the highest-paid receiver in league history.
Adams has posted combined numbers of 2,927 yards and 29 touchdowns over the past two seasons, leaving a big void for the Packers to fill.
"That was one of those things those decisions are never easy to make," coach LaFleur said during the NFL owners' meetings.
"Unfortunately, it was one that we had to come to. I think a lot of it was driven by Davante, but there's no sense in looking back. We're moving forward. We appreciate everything he's done, obviously.
"It's a lot to replace in terms of production and the type of leader he was for us. But again it was one of those deals you never want to back, but sometimes you have to make.
"Sometimes you got to make some tough decisions. Certainly appreciate everything Davante brought to our team. I mean, he is the best receiver in the National Football League, so that was a tough one for me personally and for our organisation."
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who had 430 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2021, has also left the Packers, and LaFleur knows his team need replacements.
"Certainly, if you look at our roster right now, we definitely need to get some speed in that room," LaFleur added.
"We need a legit guy that can take off the top of the coverage. We lost a guy that was pretty good at doing that.
"It's like putting a puzzle together, you've got to find those pieces that you're missing and put it all together. How that's going to look in the end? I have no idea right now."
One major boost, at least, for the Packers was the return of Aaron Rodgers, with the back-to-back MVP becoming the highest-paid player in the NFL when averaged out per-year.
"I actually received a text message that confirmed Aaron was coming back," LaFleur said when asked if he knew Rodgers was going to sign a new deal.
"I was in an offensive meeting. I actually darted out right away just to make sure I read it the right way before I let everybody know.
"I would say that I had pretty good feelings about it since the Super Bowl ended up until that point. Until you know, you really don't know."
Saudi Arabia could host Anthony Joshua's rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in late June, according to the Ukrainian's promoter Alexander Krassyuk.
Usyk outclassed Joshua to claim the WBA, WBO and IBF titles at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last September, inflicting just a second professional defeat on his opponent.
Joshua activated his rematch clause, but plans for a second bout were thrown into doubt after Usyk returned to Ukraine to defend his homeland following the Russian invasion.
However, the 35-year-old Usyk confirmed last week he has started preparing for the rematch, which may be staged in the Middle East.
"Saudi is the place we are in discussions with at the moment," promoter Krassyuk told BBC Sport. "Late June is the date we are looking at. Nothing has been confirmed on paper. We are working on it."
Joshua has fought in Saudi Arabia once before when regaining his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles in a rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr in Diriyah in December 2019.
Staging the bout in the Gulf kingdom would provoke controversy due to its human rights record, and Krassyuk has not ruled out another country being selected.
"There are other options. We take it step by step," Krassyuk added.
Saudi Arabia has hosted a number of high-profile sporting events in recent years, most recently the second grand prix of this year's Formula One campaign.
Sunday's race went ahead despite a missile attack on an oil depot around nine miles from the track during Friday's practice session.
Pete Carroll believes the Seattle Seahawks "got a really good deal" for Russell Wilson but added they will not be looking to trade another superstar in DK Metcalf.
Long-time Seahawks quarterback Wilson was moved with a fourth-round pick to the Denver Broncos for two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a fifth-round pick, along with Drew Lock, Shelby Harris and Noah Fant.
That deal signalled the end of an era in Seattle, where Wilson had been the starter since being drafted in 2012, winning the Super Bowl in his second season.
Prior to the trade, Carroll had insisted the Seahawks had "no intention of making any move there".
But speaking on Tuesday, the head coach said: "Things change. There was a long period in there working it. I didn't have the intention of going crazy, but we looked at the opportunity.
"Once we got a good look at it, there was reason. We got a really good deal, so we went ahead and made it. It took a long time to get to that, though.
"We had a long process where I didn’t think we would do it. It was such a complicated trade to make."
Given Carroll's wording, Seahawks fans might be concerned by his update on the future of wide receiver Metcalf, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
"We intend for him to be with us," Carroll said. "We'd love to figure that out."
However, he added some certainty on the future a 24-year-old who last year had 12 receiving touchdowns – more than either Davante Adams or Tyreek Hill, two players who have this offseason secured huge new contracts following trades.
"We're not on that topic yet specifically, because we've got so many other things going on, but we'd love to have him," Carroll said. "There's no way I could imagine playing without him."
Among those "many other things" is the identity of Wilson's successor under center, even as the Seahawks work to re-sign his former back-up Geno Smith.
The team are "definitely still in the quarterback business," Carroll said. Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett could be options in the draft, but talks with Colin Kaepernick "have not progressed".
For now, former Broncos QB Lock is in the box seat, despite underwhelming across three seasons in Denver in which he earned only 21 starts.
Lock threw 15 interceptions in his sole season as a regular starter in 2020, leading Carroll to acknowledge "there's a lot of turnovers in his game" and "that just doesn't fit with us". "We just have to fix that," he said.
However, the Seahawks coach can also "still see" the "big, strong-armed, mobile, aggressive, athletic quarterback" that came out of college.
"All we're seeing right now is upside," he added.
Cam Newton is again biding his time before deciding on his NFL future, although another return to the Carolina Panthers remains a possibility.
Newton was the 2015 NFL MVP during an initial nine-year Panthers career before he was released in March 2020.
The quarterback landed at the New England Patriots in July of that year on a one-year deal, replacing the great Tom Brady.
Although that contract was renewed for 2021, the emergence of rookie QB Mac Jones meant Newton was cut before the season started.
Newton had thrown just eight touchdown passes to 10 interceptions in New England but added 12 rushing scores – the most by a QB since his own 2011 record of 14 – and did enough to earn another job with the Panthers.
With Sam Darnold injured after an indifferent start in Carolina, Newton re-joined the team in November.
The 32-year-old scored a rushing TD in each of his first five games back, one short of Johnny Lujack's QB streak of six in 1950. Three games with a passing TD and a rushing TD boosted Newton's own record tally to 45 such games.
However, Newton later lost his place to Darnold and finished the year with a career-low passer rating of 64.4.
Still, almost three months on from the Panthers' final game of the season, the team are considering their future with Darnold while Newton is again without a team.
"I have teams that are interested in signing me," Newton told ESPN. "I am waiting on the best fit as it pertains to winning a championship and getting a fair chance to play."
Coach Matt Rhule said on Tuesday: "I love Cam Newton. He's an amazing leader. He's an amazing football player.
"Everything we do has to be right for the organisation, right for him."
The Panthers have the sixth overall pick in 2022, but it is a draft light on quarterback talent. Meanwhile, various trades and moves in free agency have left both the team and Newton short of alternative options.
Jerry Jones has explained Amari Cooper's trade to the Cleveland Browns, claiming the Dallas Cowboys' salary cap could be "better spent" elsewhere.
Cooper signed a five-year, $100million contract extension with the Cowboys in 2020, coming off four Pro Bowl appearances in his first five seasons in the NFL.
But the wide receiver struggled to live up to that salary, which made him the highest-paid player at his position in 2021.
Cooper's $22m accounted for 10.5 per cent of the Cowboys' cap, with only defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence taking up more.
Despite that, Cooper ranked just 30th among receivers for catches (68) and receiving yards (865) and tied 12th for receiving touchdowns (eight).
Heading into 2022, Jones and the Cowboys pondered the merits of committing league-leading money to a player they were targeting with just 104 passes last year – tied for 32nd at his position.
"To be fair, we let Cooper go down the road," Jones explained. "That was our decision.
"That wasn't made to depreciate the team. At the end of the day, it is a financial allocation toward the talent, and you've got to consider availability, and that sometimes departs from the best route runner.
"We had to look hard at the 10 or 11 players who are getting two-thirds of the money. We have to make sure every one those players are pulling as much weight as you can, because of the economic emphasis. That is a big part of what's on the field.
"How much were they there, how many snaps they get, how much production did you get. That is always going to be under scrutiny. It should be."
Ultimately, Jones said, the Cowboys "made a decision that that allocation should be better spent".
Cowboys fans might still have hoped to get more in return for a player for whom they parted with a first-round draft pick – which became safety Johnathan Abram – in a 2018 trade with the then Oakland Raiders.
The Browns sent a fifth-round 2022 selection to Dallas, along with a pick swap in the sixth round.
"We made every effort to do as well as we can do with the trade," Jones said.
Eugene Melnyk, the owner of the Ottawa Senators, has died aged 62.
The NHL team announced his passing due to "an illness he faced with determination and courage" on Monday.
Melnyk, who made his money as the founder of pharmaceutical company Biovail Corporation, purchased the Senators in 2003.
Under Melnyk, the Senators won their first Eastern Conference championship in 2006-07, losing 4-1 to the Anaheim Ducks in the Stanley Cup Finals.
"The National Hockey League mourns the passing of Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk," read a statement from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
"The words 'passion' and 'commitment' define the man who has owned the Ottawa Senators since 2003.
"Whether it was in the boardroom with his fellow governors, at the rink with his beloved Senators or in the community with his philanthropy, he cared deeply about the game, about his team and about bettering the lives of those in need, particularly underserved children, organ donation and, most recently, with his commitment to his parents' home country of Ukraine.
"While successful in business, it was our game and his Senators that he was most passionate about.
"Eugene was often outspoken, but he maintained an unwavering commitment to the game and his roots and he loved nothing more than donning a Senators sweater and cheering on his beloved team.
"On behalf of the entire National Hockey League, I extend my deepest sympathies to Eugene's daughters, Anna and Olivia, his extended family, and all those who benefited from his generosity."
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