The Bills were more active than expected last offseason, signing safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer to multiyear deals and seeing instant results. Their cap situation this March will depend on whether quarterback Tyrod Taylor is kept, traded or released, but there is a potential for Buffalo to have $40 million or more in cap space.

The Wizards are 7-2 since John Wall went down with a knee injury at the end of January, and Beal has gotten a blitz of defensive attention in that span. His scoring (21.8 points) and shooting (45.5 percent from the field) have dipped without Wall, but he is averaging 6.4 assists and has done a nice job covering for the lack of a true playmaker.

Washington misses Wall, of course, but Beal has softened the blow and kept the team in position for one of the top seeds in the East.

Drummond has fixed the glaring holes in his game, working on his ability to pass out of the post and racking up 3.6 assists per game, which is up considerably from his 0.7 career average before this year.

But the biggest change has been the foul shooting, which is up to 62.5 percent for the year after he made only 38.6 percent last year. That’s allowed the Pistons to leave him on the floor in late-game situations. He’s scoring 15.1 points per game and leading the league with 15.7 rebounds.

As arguably the most popular and most requested player in all of sports, Curry is generous with his time. After every pregame workout routine, he signs close to 100 autographs before heading back into the locker room. He also meets with young fans who are sick and wish to have a conversation with the star.

NFL free agency in 2018 won’t open for business until the new league year kicks off at 4 p.m. ET on March 14. But in the next month-plus, teams will hope to reach terms on long-term extensions with the free agents they would like to keep for next season and beyond.

Still, many quality players who are too expensive for their teams’ salary caps or have rising/declining value will hit the market.

NFL teams between Feb. 20 and March 6 also will need to decide which (if any) unrestricted free agents on whom to use the franchise tag, which tenders a player at a lucrative one-year guaranteed salary in line with the best-paid players at his position.

Listen, I still think Ben Simmons is probably the safe call for Rookie of the Year. But there’s no one else in this rookie class that can do what I’ve seen from Donovan Mitchell in TWO different 40-point games.

In Charlotte, Kemba Walker �C who’s name continues to be run through the trade-rumor mill �C registered 41 points and nine assists in the Hornets’ 133-126 home win over the Pacers. Eight of his points and six of his assists came in the first quarter, when the Bees scored a franchise-record 49(!) points.

Yes, this is technically tampering because the president of basketball operations made public comments about a player on another team. But if this is the bar for tampering, then the league is going to have to hand out a lot of fines in the near future.

LeBron James was the center of the NBA universe in 2010 as he entered free agency for the first time. It was clear some teams would not be in the race for his services, and the Suns were part of that list. During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, Kerr joked about James coming to Phoenix when asked if the Suns would make him an offer.

Kerr laughed at the question and said, Well, if he’ll take mid-level, we’ll give it to him, Dan, drawing a laugh from Patrick.

Curry acknowledged that he does in fact let his tongue slip on occasion.

It’s never a tactic to seem more tough or hard-nosed or edgy, but on the same hand, when I’m out there on the floor, if I was mic’d up, there would be some games where I would get censored for sure, he said. The game is so intense with heated battles. I’ve got ejected twice and I’m pretty sure I had a few choice words in those situations, but that happens.

For me, it’s about how I respond afterward. People know who I am and what I stand for, but on the same token, nobody’s perfect, and I think that’s OK. If you want to go find those [cursing] moments and try to lipread on the court, you can find them. My mom found them.

Jensen had a stellar first year as starter, anchoring Baltimore’s offensive line as a powerful run-blocker. The position has been paid well in free agency of late, and Jenson is by far its best option this year.

Charles Barkley tells story of how aborted Lakers trade morphed into drunken 76ers game

While Charles Barkley was in typically hilarious form during his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday night, his story about nearly being traded from the 76ers to the Lakers was the highlight of the segment.

Barkley could not remember the exact year, somewhere in the late 1980s if memory serves, when he was told by his agent he was on his way to Los Angeles.

I get a call from my agent one morning, and he says, ‘I think we’ve got a deal, you’re going to the Lakers,’ Barkley recounted to Kimmel. �� I was so excited, so me and my boys went out to celebrate. We started getting drunk in the middle of the day.

The former hoopster is a gambler, as most of us are aware, and he told Kimmel, I had a great day when the Eagles, his favorite NFL team, beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

Give me a range. Did you bet enough to buy a condo, or what are we talking about here?, Kimmel asked.

In what city or state?, Barkley responded. In Alabama, it would have bought a big condo. In L.A., a small guest house.

Drinking and gambling, sure; but Barkley doesn’t indulge in marijuana, he said.

I don’t understand the fascination with pot, Barkley told Kimmel. I’ve smoked pot five times in my life at the most, and all it made me want to do is eat potato chips.

Many expect the Lakers roster to be overhauled this summer.

There will be several big-name free agents potentially available, but Kobe Bryant doesn’t believe the Lakers should spend much energy trying to lure players to Los Angeles.

You know, the thing about this franchise is that you shouldn’t need recruiting to come in it, Bryant told ESPN during an interview with former NBA player Jalen Rose. It takes a special person to want to play for this franchise, and take the pressure that comes along with playing for this franchise. The pressure of following Magic [Johnson]’s footsteps, myself and the dynasty that we’ve had, it takes a special person to do that.