ARIZONA — Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker is entering the final year of his contract with the organization, and though trade talks have simmered since last offseason (where the All-Pro went public with his trade request), the future is still unclear for one of the most beloved Cardinals of all-time.

Bleacher Report says teams should target Baker in trade talks.

“Budda Baker asked for a trade last year but the Arizona Cardinals ended up giving him a raise and he remains on the team amid speculations that a move could happen ahead of the draft. But the Cardinals should at least entertain the thought of trading Baker seeing as the 28-year-old is on the last year of his deal,” wrote Matt Holder.

“Not that Arizona needs it, but it would save them $15.1 million, per Over The Cap, by trading the defensive back in addition to getting a player of future asset back for a guy who might leave for nothing next spring. Also, it would be a bit of a surprise if the Cardinals are much of a playoff contender even with Baker in the tough NFC West.”

Holder brings up a great point – Arizona doesn’t need cap space. The thought of Baker departing Arizona isn’t exactly fuzzy for either side, especially for free after this season on the open market.

Yet if the Cardinals wanted to offload Baker, they should have maximized his value last offseason, when he was younger and not entering a contract year. Arizona looks to hold Baker in the desert at least for 2024, and talks can progress from there.

B/R listed the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles (who reportedly had interest in Baker last offseason) as prime destinations for Baker.

Baker has a cap hit of $19 million in 2024 according to Spotrac with $14.6 million due in cash.

Rudy Giuliani was served Friday with a notice to appear in an Arizona court to answer charges stemming from an effort to keep Donald Trump in the White House despite losing the 2020 election, according to Attorney General Kris Mayes.

An indictment against Giuliani and 17 others was issued by a grand jury more than three weeks ago. Giuliani was the last of the defendants to receive their summons.

“The final defendant was served moments ago,” Mayes posted on the social media site X. She tagged Giuliani’s account and wrote, “Nobody is above the law.”

Earlier in the day, Giuliani posted a taunting message to the platform referring to his avoidance of being served in the case. That post was later deleted, but Mayes shared a screenshot of Giuliani’s remarks, which included an image of him and six other people surrounded by balloons. Giuliani on Friday said on X that he was having an “early-birthday celebration in Florida.”

Arizona politics: Former Trump attorney John Eastman enters not guilty plea, says case headed to trial

The indictment alleges a slate of Arizona Republicans and Trump aides, including Giuliani, engaged in a conspiracy aimed at “preventing the lawful transfer of the presidency of the United States, keeping President Donald J. Trump in office against the will of Arizona voters, and depriving Arizona voters of their right to vote and have their votes counted.”

The defendants in the case face multiple felony counts, including conspiracy, forgery and fraud. If convicted, the crimes could carry prison time, though state law allows for less severe penalties, including probation, depending on a defendant’s circumstances, like past criminal history.

Friday morning, former Trump attorney John Eastman was the first defendant to appear in a Maricopa County courtroom. He entered a plea of not guilty and, after the hearing, said he would fight the case against him at trial.

Most of the other defendants are expected to appear in court or be arraigned virtually next week, on May 21, though some have delayed their appearances to June.

Arizona will face host Arkansas in the next round of the Fayetteville (Ark.) Regional after routing Villanova 14-3 in a mercy-rule five-inning victory Friday.

Arizona (35-16-1) will play Arkansas (37-16) at noon Saturday on ESPN2. Arkansas beat Southeast Missouri 3-2 Friday in the other opening-round game Friday. The winner between Arizona and Arkansas advances to the championship round Sunday.
 
Dakota Kennedy and Tucson High graduate Carlie Scupin each hit home runs and four Wildcats drove in two runs each. Scupin went 3 for 3 and Kennedy scored three runs to help Arizona beat Villanova.
 
Arizona scored eight runs in the first inning to take a demanding lead over Villanova.

Scupin scored Kennedy from second base with a single to left field. The second run scored after Blaise Biringer (Cienega) drew a bases-loaded walk.

Emily Schepp hit a sacrifice fly to bring in the third run of the inning. Tayler Biehl hit a two-run double and Kaiah Altmeyer drove in a pair with a single to right field. Kennedy rounded out the scoring with a two-run home run – her 11th of the season.
 
Scupin extended Arizona’s lead to nine runs with a leadoff home run in the second inning.
 
In the fourth, Villanova scored three runs on a bases-loaded walk, a bases-loaded groundout, and a sacrifice fly.
 
Arizona plated five in the bottom of the fourth to take a 14-3 lead.

Allie Skaggs (Ironwood Ridge) opened the scoring with a two-RBI double and Olivia DiNardo plated the third run of the inning with an RBI single. Biringer scored Skaggs from third with a single and an RBI groundout from Schepp scored the final run of the inning.
 
Miranda Stoddard pitched the first three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two to hold Villanova scoreless and pick up the win to improve to 6-8.

Brooke Mannon entered the circle to relieve Stoddard in the fourth and gave up three runs in four batters faced. Aissa Silva pitched the final two innings and kept Villanova scoreless on one hit.