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Good morning! Time for a new NFL GOAT debate.

Primers

A sneaky big day in the NBA

We come to you with a special guest: all-around NBA guru John Hollinger. Take it away, John:

It’s Dec. 15! You know that means … it’s only 56 days til the NBA trade deadline! But more importantly, it’s the first day when a lot of rumored trades become realistic trades. That’s because nearly all players who signed in 2022 free agency — even to re-sign with their own team — are ineligible to be traded before this date. (Pedants will note that a small handful of these players are not trade-eligible until Jan. 15.)

Does that mean a flurry of action will ensue today? Not bloody likely. Think of the laziest, most procrastinating Christmas shopper you know … that’s basically every NBA team regarding the trade deadline. Trust me, dragging another party to the finish line on a trade in December is not easily accomplished.

That said, we at least have the possibility of trades, many of which could not exist until today because of salary matching rules. Here are a few players to watch closely over the next two months of shopping:

• John Collins, Atlanta: Here annually by default, like Duke getting a 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Collins is young, talented and doesn’t really fit in Atlanta, so his name comes up constantly. His $125 million contract, alas, is why he’s still a Hawk.
• Russell Westbrook, Lakers: So you’ve heard? Westbrook’s massive $47 million deal makes it hard to construct trades with enough matching salary, which is why the Lakers have looked harder at Beverley/Nunn options lately.
• Jae Crowder, Phoenix: Has spent the season chilling after falling out with the Suns, anxiously awaiting midseason liberation. Former employers in Miami and Memphis surely would love a reunion.
• Eric Gordon, Houston: On his final guaranteed season and a decade older than basically everyone else on the rebuilding Rockets, Gordon makes no sense in Houston.

Introductions

Is Purdy the GOAT? (We can explain.)

(Photo: Cary Edmondson / USA Today)

The 49ers are on their third starting quarterback of the season, and somehow still love their Super Bowl odds. That’s all thanks to the 262nd pick of the 2022 draft, Brock Purdy, aka Mr. Irrelevant.

Since Purdy took over for Jimmy G, he helped douse the red-hot Dolphins and then trumped Tom Brady. Not a bad start, considering no other Mr. Irrelevant quarterback had ever completed a forward pass prior to Purdy.

Looking at the (not very long) list of notable Mr. Irrelevants, Purdy has a legitimate case for already being the most impactful final pick in history. No, seriously. Aside from Ryan Succop and a pair of defenders who earned starting jobs, no Mr. Irrelevant has had this much impact at this crucial a position.

Purdy gets another shot tonight in Seattle to build his GOAT resume. Simply getting a chance on the field is already historic enough. Since the NFL Draft reduced to seven rounds since 1994, here’s the complete list of seventh-round quarterbacks who have started 10-plus games in the NFL, sorted by win percentage:

Serious Matters

Another NWSL investigation drops

The NWSL and NWSL Players Association released the full 128-page report of their joint investigation yesterday, detailing “widespread misconduct directed at NWSL players from the league’s inception until now. Some of the biggest takeaways, via Meg Linehan:

• The vast systemic problem across the NWSL has impacted the majority of the league’s former and current clubs. Notably, former Thorns coach Paul Riley continued his abusive behavior at North Carolina.
• It was unclear who was ultimately in charge, leading to failures in appropriate responses to player reports.

Immediate fallout? The Houston Dash announced the organization will not renew suspended coach/GM James Clarkson’s contract, which is set to expire. For more, see The Athletic’s complete timeline of allegations, reports and inaction around abuse in the NWSL.

World Cupdate

A heavyweight final

Defending champion France left little doubt Wednesday, scoring early and late to secure a 2-0 win over Morocco and move within 90 minutes of its second consecutive World Cup title.

The defeat ends a historic run for Morocco, the first African team in 49 tries to reach the semifinals. But the stage is now set for an all-timer on Sunday. Two France-Argentina talking points:

France-Argentina delivered a thrilling 4-3 epic duel the last time they faced off in the 2018 FIFA World Cup 🔥⚔️

Will France come out on top again in 2022? pic.twitter.com/h5hWICxTmw

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 15, 2022

Early favorite? An impossible choice. Both teams have the same odds.

Briefs

Steph Curry hurt in loss

The Warriors had an extremely bad night in Indiana. The defending champs dropped another road game and fell to 2-13 on the road. But to make matters much worse, Steph Curry had to leave the game with an injured shoulder. Curry is scheduled to get an MRI today. Stay tuned.

WNBA expansion update

The WNBA will not meet its year-end timeline of naming a new expansion team, but the league continues to assess where its next franchise will be. In an interview with Mike Vorkunov, Engelbert said the league is looking at 10 interested ownership groups for a 2025 debut.

Mississippi State names coach

Mississippi State and defensive coordinator Zach Arnett have agreed to terms to make him the school’s next head coach. Arnett was elevated to interim head coach after Mike Leach was hospitalized Sunday. Leach died Monday at age 61 following complications from a heart condition.

Pulse Picks

(Top photo: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)