StadiumPosts Logo
Stay upto date with notifications from Stadiumposts
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences

PEDRO ACOSTA DUCKS 2027 CONTRACT QUESTIONS AT KTM 2026 LIVERY LAUNCH

Pedro Acosta fuels Ducati 2027 rumours by dodging contract questions at KTM's 2026 launch. Is the Shark leaving the Austrian camp?

Pedro Acosta ducks 2027 contract questions at KTM 2026 livery launch
Ducati sees Acosta as the ultimate heir to Bagnaia

KTM’s Pedro Acosta side-stepped questions about his MotoGP future at the brand’s 2026 launch, right in the middle of swirling rumours linking him to Ducati.

Acosta’s contract with KTM is almost up, and at just 21, plenty of people see him as a key player in the 2027 rider market.

He’s spent his whole grand prix career with KTM, picking up world titles in Moto2 and Moto3 along the way. Still, it looks like his time with the Austrian team is winding down.

2025 didn’t go as planned. Acosta couldn’t grab that first MotoGP win, and KTM just couldn’t develop the bike fast enough to match their rivals. He didn’t start fighting for podiums consistently until the second half of the year.

The Ducati talk just won’t go away. All winter, reports kept popping up that Acosta’s headed to the factory Ducati team for 2027, possibly lining up next to Marc Marquez. Those rumours got even louder after word got out that Ducati re-signed Márquez for another two years.

At KTM’s 2026 livery launch, when Crash.net pressed Acosta about his contract and when he wants his 2027 plans locked in, he dodged the question. He didn’t shoot down the rumours, but he didn’t hint at any talks with KTM either.

He kept it light. “Right now, I’ve got enough to worry about with Malaysia and pre-season testing,” he said. “We're in 2026. I just want good results, like we managed at the end of 2025. And honestly, today’s not the day for that. This is KTM’s presentation, so let’s focus on 2026. We’ll see about 2027 when we get there.”

Meanwhile, with all the talk about Acosta possibly leaving, Spanish outlets are saying KTM has its eye on Maverick Vinales, maybe bringing him over from Tech3 to the factory team in 2027.

Last year, Acosta finished as KTM’s top rider, climbing to fourth in the world standings thanks to a stronger second half. KTM itself took third in the manufacturers’ championship, behind Aprilia and runaway champs Ducati.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES TRADE JAREN JACKSON JR. TO UTAH JAZZ IN 8-PLAYER BLOCKBUSTER

The Memphis Grizzlies have traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz, creating a record $28.8 million trade exception for 2026.

top-news
Grizzlies finalise Jaren Jackson Jr. deal

The Memphis Grizzlies turned heads on Tuesday, pulling off a blockbuster trade that sent two-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr to the Utah Jazz. Along with Jackson, the Grizzlies shipped out Vince Williams Jr, John Konchar, and Jock Landale. Coming back their way: Walter Clayton Jr, Kyle Anderson, Georges Niang, and, maybe the most important part, three future first-round picks.

And honestly, it feels like Memphis isn’t done stirring the pot. Inside the organisation, they see Zach Edey and Cedric Coward as the future. Both went late in the lottery in the past two drafts, and the Grizzlies landed some value in the second round this year, too, grabbing Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer.

All this movement means Ja Morant’s future in Memphis suddenly looks shaky. He’s been the face of the franchise since they took him No. 2 overall back in 2019. When he’s healthy, he’s electric—no question. But injuries and off-court drama have slowed him down, and now, with the trade deadline closing in, the Grizzlies are openly shopping him. Teams around the league are watching.

There’s another wrinkle here: by dealing Jackson, Memphis created a massive trade exception—$28.8 million, the biggest in NBA history, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Shams Charania. It’s a huge chess piece. With that exception, the Grizzlies can absorb big, ugly contracts from other teams in exchange for more draft picks. Think of what the Thunder did a few years back—stockpiling picks by taking on bad deals until they rebuilt into a contender.

Now, you’ve probably heard Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name floating around in trade rumours. He hasn’t officially asked out of Milwaukee, but everyone in the league expects something to happen soon. Teams like the Timberwolves and Knicks are circling. The Grizzlies? They’re not likely to chase Giannis directly. But with that trade exception, they could play a big role as a third team—taking on salary dumps or unwanted contracts, collecting more picks, and helping another franchise pull off the Giannis blockbuster. Memphis just put itself squarely in the middle of the NBA’s hottest rumour.

KLINT KUBIAK SNUBS NFL RIVALS TO LEAD RAIDERS’ NEW ERA UNDER TOM BRADY

The Las Vegas Raiders are zeroing in on Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak as their next head coach, with Tom Brady leading the search.

top-news
Klint Kubiak is set for the Raiders as Seahawks coach faces the New England Patriots

The Las Vegas Raiders are in the middle of a huge shakeup right now. Klint Kubiak, the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, is set to become their new head coach—and honestly, he’s nothing like Pete Carroll.

Kubiak’s still in his 30s, calling plays on offence, while Carroll just wrapped up last season as the NFL’s oldest head coach. The Raiders had their eyes on Ben Johnson previous year, but when he decided to take the Bears job, they turned to Carroll instead.

This time, Las Vegas seemed to have that same level of interest in Kubiak, but they had to wait things out because Seattle was still in the playoffs. Tom Brady, who’s a minority owner with the Raiders, clearly played a big part in picking the new coach.

Since nothing’s official until after the Super Bowl, Brady can’t come right out and talk about Kubiak joining the team. Still, he didn’t hold back when it came to sharing what he liked about the guy.

“Klint’s played to his team’s strengths. Last week, he did a ton of good things against a really strong Rams defence,” Brady said on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. “That’s what it took for them to win. The Rams are a tough team. That game in Seattle could’ve gone either way... Seattle really had to play a complete game in all three phases to pull it out, and they’ll need to do the same this weekend in Santa Clara.”

Brady also talked about Fernando Mendoza.

Another big reason the Raiders’ coaching job is so appealing? They’ve got the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Everyone expects them to grab Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Brady doesn’t have to be secretive about it—nobody’s jumping ahead of them in the draft. He was pretty open about how much he likes Mendoza.

“What do I value most? When I see him, he’s always talking up his teammates. He wins the Heisman, and he’s giving credit to everyone else,” Brady said. “That’s the kind of attitude you want in a leader.”

Kubiak focused on the Super Bowl, not the job switch.

Kubiak’s career is about to take off, but right now, he’s locked in on trying to win his first Super Bowl. So, he isn’t ready to talk about the Raiders just yet.

“I’m coaching the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, and that’s all I’m thinking about,” Kubiak told reporters on Monday. “I’m just excited for this week and this game.”

Not everyone in Seattle is thrilled to see Kubiak go. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold had nothing but praise after working with him this year.

“He was unbelievable,” Darnold said Monday. “The stuff I picked up from Klint—just with schemes, and then learning from him as a coach and a person—the grit. He’s up before the sun, gets to the facility at 4 or 4:30, and leaves later than anyone. The guy just grinds. He loves football, and he’s always straight with his players. I know I really appreciated that, and so did the rest of the guys.”

Premier League Standings

WhatsApp Read More News