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3:50 PM ET The NBA’s 2022-23 schedule is here, and the league won’t waste any time delivering fans some star-studded showdowns. Opening week is stacked, with the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics hosting the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 18 — the first night of the season — followed by the Los Angeles Lakers looking

7:10 AM ET Tim Bontemps Kevin Pelton Close ESPN Senior Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus series Formerly a consultant with the Indiana Pacers Developed WARP rating and SCHOENE system When the Minnesota Timberwolves pulled off a blockbuster trade to land Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz, the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year wasted

11:43 AM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Jalen Harris‘ application to be reinstated as a player has been approved by the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association, it was announced Tuesday. Harris was dismissed from the league on July 1, 2021, for testing positive for a prohibited substance under the NBA/NBPA anti-drug program.

10:33 AM ET Associated Press The NBA will be off on Election Day. The league’s schedule for the coming season will have all 30 teams playing on Nov. 7, the night before the midterm elections. The NBA is hoping teams use that night as an opportunity to encourage fans to get out and vote, plus

7:16 AM ET NBA Insiders The NBA has unwrapped an early holiday gift. The league’s Christmas Day schedule is set — The Athletic was first to report the lineup — and as always, it’s jam-packed with rivalries, superstars and potential playoff previews. In the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers will hit Madison Square Garden to

11:43 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has become synonymous with the franchise that drafted him and that he has led to an NBA championship, but he has not ruled out the possibility of wearing another jersey before his career is over. In promoting his new ambassadorship with the telehealth company Antidote

12:36 PM ET ESPN News Services The Memphis Grizzlies are in line to be part of the NBA’s Christmas Day slate of games for the first time. Ja Morant and the Grizzlies will face Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and the rest of the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors on Dec. 25 in San Francisco,

11:29 AM ET Associated Press COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — USA Basketball has picked its 12-man roster for the opening second-round window of World Cup qualifying, as the Americans look to move closer to clinching a spot in the field for next year’s event. Jim Boylen will return as coach, assisted again by Ty Ellis and

3:14 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN The NBA will honor the legacy of Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell by retiring his No. 6 jersey for all 30 teams, the league and the National Basketball Players Association announced Thursday. Russell becomes the first player in NBA history to have his jersey retired leaguewide. Along with the number

2:30 PM ET Editor’s note: Richard Lapchick is a human rights activist, pioneer for racial equality, expert on sports issues, scholar and author. The NBA received an A+ for racial hiring practices and a B+ for gender hiring practices, scoring an overall A as reported in the 2022 NBA Racial and Gender Report Card released

10:09 PM ET Associated press LOS ANGELES — An institutional “culture of callousness” led Los Angeles County deputies and firefighters to shoot and share photos of the remains of Kobe Bryant and other victims of the 2020 helicopter crash that killed the Lakers star, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others, a lawyer for Bryant’s widow

7:29 AM ET ESPN News Services LOS ANGELES — An invasion of privacy trial against the Los Angeles County sheriff’s and fire departments begins Wednesday in a U.S. District Court just over a mile from where Kobe Bryant played for the Lakers. Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, claims deputies did not take the photos for investigative purposes

8:17 AM ET Doug KezirianESPN Close ESPN Sports Betting Analyst Host of Daily Wager Behind The Bets podcast host The Boston Celtics, the consensus betting favorite to win the 2022-23 NBA title, have the highest projected win total for next season at 54.5 at Caesars Sportsbook, which released its numbers Wednesday. The Phoenix Suns have

9:53 PM ET Marc J. Spears The Sacramento Kings have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Quinn Cook, a source told ESPN’s Andscape on Monday. The two-time NBA champion played with the G League affiliate Stockton Kings last season and worked out for Sacramento in Las Vegas in July during NBA summer league.

5:53 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN The NBA informed teams Monday that players still need to have either received a primary course of a COVID-19 vaccine or been given a medical clearance from getting one in order to play games in Canada, according to a league memo obtained by ESPN. The memo also states that, should

8:23 PM ET Brooklyn Nets governor Joe Tsai voiced his support Monday night for the front office and coaching staff after Kevin Durant told Tsai to choose between him and the team’s general manager and coach. Tsai and Durant recently met in London, ESPN sources confirmed, in which Durant reiterated his desire to be traded

10:42 AM ET Tory BarronESPN Editor Close Tory Barron is a Bristol-based writer and editor for ESPN.com. After retiring from playing lacrosse at UConn, the DC native decided to try her hand at writing about people playing sports. The 2022-23 NBA season might still be a ways off, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start

10:48 PM ET William E. Ricks Few pro-am basketball organizations carry the level of star power as the Drew League. The Los Angeles-based summer hoops league features high-level competition from a collection of professional and amateur players. The circuit has seen plenty of big-name NBA ballers since its establishment in 1973. 1 Related Brooklyn Nets

12:39 PM ET The Oklahoma City Thunder have re-signed forward/center Mike Muscala, the team announced Thursday. Muscala had a team option for 2022-23 that Oklahoma City had previously declined. Terms of the signing were not released by the team. Muscala, 30, quietly had another excellent year as a sharpshooting big man for the rebuilding Thunder

6:37 PM ET LOS ANGELES — LeBron James and the Lakers had a “productive” discussion about their future together on Thursday, Rich Paul, CEO of Klutch Sports Group, told ESPN. No new deal has been agreed upon yet, however, sources said. James and Paul met with Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager

11:38 AM ET Associated Press DALLAS — Former NBA player Iman Shumpert was arrested at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Saturday for allegedly trying to bring 6 ounces of cannabis through security. The police report from the DFW Airport Department of Public Safety shows police were called to a TSA checkpoint at about

6:31 PM ET Brianna Williams LeBron James‘ offseason was perhaps highlighted by his surprise showing in the Drew League, where he took the floor with Chicago Bulls guard DeMar DeRozan on the MMV Cheaters. It was the Los Angeles Lakers star’s first appearance at the L.A.-based pro-am summer basketball league in over a decade and

Aug 1, 2022 Los Angeles Lakers star Russell Westbrook has signed with agent Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports for his representation, Westbrook told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday afternoon. Last month, Westbrook’s former longtime agent, Thad Foucher of Wasserman, said he and Westbrook parted ways. Foucher cited “irreconcilable differences” in a statement and suggested that

Aug 1, 2022 Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — JaMychal Green was in a plunge pool in Jamaica on vacation when his phone started to ring. He decided to pick up because, why not? On the other end of the call was Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr. “He told me that [the Warriors] were interested,

8:00 AM ET If the theme for the Los Angeles Lakers‘ free agency direction last summer was established and familiar, then the profile of L.A.’s signing haul this offseason can best be described as fresh and emerging. “I think we’ve gotten younger, I think we’ve gotten faster, I think we’ve gotten hungrier,” new Lakers coach

8:04 PM ET NBA Insiders Bill Russell lived an unparalleled life. From his accomplishments on the basketball court to his far more meaningful contributions to society, Russell was a truly remarkable man who left an indelible impact on the NBA and beyond. He is the greatest winner in American professional sports history. He was a

9:16 PM ET We live in a debate culture, inherently reductive to this or that, to who was best, most, least, greatest. Television, social media or online, ours is a culture of decibels, where people do not often learn as an element of their entertainment. Ears aren’t for listening. They are for glasses. Within this

12:05 PM ET The NBA is investigating possible tampering charges involving the New York Knicks‘ free agent pursuit and signing of former Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson, sources confirmed to ESPN. Teams weren’t allowed to make contact with an agent or a player to discuss a deal prior to 6 p.m. ET on June 30,

1:19 PM ET Bill Russell, the cornerstone of the Boston Celtics dynasty that won eight straight titles and 11 overall during his career, died Sunday. The Hall of Famer was 88. Russell died “peacefully” with his wife, Jeannine, at his side, a statement posted on social media read. Arrangements for his memorial service will be

10:01 AM ET Charles Barkley says he’s sticking to the NBA, turning away from any further overtures to join LIV Golf as a broadcaster. “I want to thank Greg Norman and LIV for their interest in me,” Barkley told the New York Post. “I wish those guys great success and nothing but the best. But,

8:11 PM ET The NBA has opened an investigation into the Philadelphia 76ers for possible tampering and early contact centered on the franchise’s summer free agency class of James Harden, P.J. Tucker and Danuel House, sources told ESPN on Friday. One of the central elements of the league’s probe includes questions on Harden’s decision to

10:01 AM ET Paolo Banchero has had an aiding and abetting DWI charge against him dropped after Michael Savarino, his former Duke teammate and the grandson of retired Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski, pleaded guilty to DWI on Wednesday. Orange County (N.C.) assistant district attorney Maren Hardin told The Raleigh News & Observer via email

2:13 PM ET John BarrESPN.com Close Joined ESPN in June 2003 Winner: 2013 Peabody Award; 2011 Edward R. Murrow Award/Video Investigative Reporting Covers breaking news, investigative pieces and human interest features BEDMINSTER, N.J. — Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, who has enjoyed tremendous popularity in his post-playing days through his work as an analyst

Jul 27, 2022 A year after a freak fall at the Tokyo Olympics left him hospitalized for months and derailed his career, NBA veteran center Aron Baynes has agreed to return to basketball with the Brisbane Bullets, agent Daniel Moldovan told ESPN. It’s a two-year deal to join the NBL side but has a provision

7:32 AM ET Dan Hajducky Close ESPN Hajducky is a reporter/researcher for ESPN. He has an MFA in creative writing from Fairfield University and played on the men’s soccer teams at Fordham and Southern Connecticut State universities. Tom VanHaaren Close ESPN Staff Writer ESPN staff writer Joined ESPN in 2011 Graduated from Central Michigan It’s

10:28 AM ET The Oklahoma City Thunder are hiring Chip Engelland, considered the NBA’s preeminent shooting teacher, as an assistant coach, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. Engelland comes to the Thunder after 17 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, where he had been significantly credited with the shooting development of young players like Kawhi Leonard,

6:03 PM ET ESPN News Services PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers officially announced on Wednesday their new deal with veteran James Harden. The club didn’t reveal terms in a release, but Harden’s contract is for two years and $68.6 million, and it includes a player option for the 2023-24 season, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski

8:00 AM ET NBA insiders The NBA offseason has been a busy one featuring blockbuster trades, max contract extensions and under-the-radar signings. There are also several marquee players who have still yet to be signed. The Utah Jazz traded two-time defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a bevy of

12:08 AM ET NEW YORK — As speculation surrounding Kevin Durant‘s future continues to hover over the NBA, Boston Celtics star swingman Jayson Tatum made it clear that as much as he respects Durant’s game, he is happy with how his team stands now. “I played with [Durant] during the Olympics,” Tatum said Tuesday night

4:00 PM ET Associated Press NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Pelicans second-round draft choice E.J. Liddell has had surgery to repair torn knee ligaments, the team said Tuesday. The injury to the 6-foot-6 forward from Ohio State occurred during a Summer League game on July 11 against the Atlanta Hawks in Las Vegas. The Pelicans

8:00 AM ET LAS VEGAS — PAOLO BANCHERO was the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA draft for exactly this type of moment. And most of his new Orlando Magic teammates are standing courtside to watch. It’s July 9, three days into Las Vegas Summer League, and the Magic, who were up by 18

12:57 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN DETROIT — Teal is making its return to the Motor City after being gone for more than two decades. The Detroit Pistons‘ nostalgic uniforms were reintroduced on Monday night among a select group of partners, influencers and season-ticket holders as the official Classic Edition jerseys for the upcoming 2022-23 season.

8:14 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN The Wisconsin Herd, the G League affiliate of the Milwaukee Bucks, acquired Alex Antetokounmpo via trade on Monday, putting the youngest Antetokounmpo brother in the same organization as brothers Giannis and Thanasis. Alex Antetokounmpo appeared in 15 games for the Toronto Raptors‘ G League affiliate in 2021-22, averaging 2.6 points

8:00 AM ET NBA Insiders The 2021-22 NBA season felt more normal than the previous two seasons, but the sport was without some of its biggest stars. LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray and Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons all missed last season because of

2:28 AM ET As Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant‘s trade request approaches a fourth week, the Boston Celtics have emerged among teams engaged in talks on a possible deal, sources told ESPN. The Celtics appear no closer to acquiring Durant than others in discussions with the Nets, but Boston’s ability to include All-Star forward Jaylen

3:39 PM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Former Los Angeles Lakers player Slava Medvedenko is selling his two NBA championship rings to raise money for his native Ukraine. Medvedenko, 43, was a power forward on the Lakers’ championship teams in 2001 and ’02, playing alongside Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. SCP Auctions is donating

9:46 PM ET William E. Ricks Few pro-am basketball organizations carry the level of star power as the Drew League. The Los Angeles-based summer hoops league features high-level competition from a collection of professional and amateur players. The circuit has seen plenty of big-name NBA ballers since its establishment in 1973. 1 Related Brooklyn Nets

12:28 PM ET Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant is extremely active on social media … and now he’s added a new platform to his repertoire. Durant joined TikTok on Friday as “2way3level” — amassing 67,000 followers by Saturday morning. The username is likely a reference to a particular kind of build in the video game

12:00 PM ET The Phoenix Suns and Monty Williams, the NBA’s reigning coach of the year, have agreed on a long-term contract extension, sources told ESPN on Saturday. Williams, who was voted the National Basketball Coach’s Association’s coach of the year in consecutive seasons, had two years left on his original five-year deal, and now

Jul 21, 2022 Andre SnellingsESPN The NBA 2K23 Summer League showcases the first professional experience for many of this year’s draft picks, giving us a glimpse at what they may look like on the big stage in the fall. It’s also its own environment, so there’s not a direct 1-to-1 correlation between being productive in

10:39 AM ET LOS ANGELES — Lakers guard Austin Reaves is open to a new nickname. During a surprisingly successful rookie season in which Reaves went from being an undrafted prospect to a two-way designation to signing a two-year contract and becoming a starter, he picked up a couple of monikers from the Lakers faithful:

8:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN Throughout every iteration of the NBA, some of its best and most iconic players — from Wilt Chamberlain to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Shaquille O’Neal — have been traded during their pro careers. Soon, the Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant could become the latest all-time-great player on that list. As the basketball

Jul 20, 2022 The NBA fined Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob $500,000 for violating the league’s policy on publicly discussing collective bargaining talks, which included Lacob describing the luxury tax system as “very unfair” on a recent podcast, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. The comments, aired on the Point Forward Podcast hosted by Andre

2:29 PM ET Charles Barkley has acknowledged meeting with LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman about a possible broadcasting role while pushing back at what he called “selective outrage” toward the Saudi-funded series. Barkley could receive a LIV offer from Norman after they met in Atlanta on Wednesday, but the Basketball Hall of Famer told the

5:56 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN The Philadelphia 76ers are creating a new development company that will spearhead a $1.3 billion project to build a privately funded arena in the city’s downtown, the team announced Thursday morning. While the 76ers don’t plan to be in the arena until the 2031-32 season — the season after the

7:10 PM ET Philadelphia 76ers free agent star James Harden is returning to the franchise on a new two-year, $68.6 million contract, including a player option for the 2023-24 season, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. The deal guarantees Harden $33 million for next season and the opportunity to decline his $35.6 million player option and

2:04 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Charlotte Hornets restricted free agent Miles Bridges pleaded not guilty to three felony domestic violence charges during his arraignment Wednesday morning in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Bridges has been accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children last month, and the three felony charges were

8:00 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN LAS VEGAS — IT’S the final game of opening night at the Thomas & Mack Center, and the crowd — some Detroit Pistons fans, some Portland Trail Blazers fans and the rest just folks itching for some sports action in the middle of the offseason — arises in jubilation on

8:58 PM ET ESPN News Services LOS ANGELES — Charlotte Hornets restricted free agent Miles Bridges is facing three felony domestic violence charges after being accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children last month, the Los Angeles County district attorney said Tuesday. District Attorney George Gascon said his office filed one

4:35 PM ET Andrew Wiggins made his first All-Star team this year and was a crucial part of the Golden State Warriors‘ run to the NBA title, but he still regrets one thing he did this season. “I still wish I didn’t get [vaccinated], to be honest with you,” Wiggins told FanSided. At the start

4:30 PM ET Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kenrich Williams has agreed on a four-year, $27.2 million contract extension, sources told ESPN on Monday. The deal, negotiated by Pensack Sports, is a remarkable punctuation for an undrafted player who had no Division I scholarship offers out of high school. Williams has often told people that he

10:48 PM ET Marc J. Spears Deandre Ayton says he gained generational wealth that can help his family and many others after signing a four-year, $133 million maximum contract extension to return to the Phoenix Suns on Monday. But there was also a business lesson involved, too, for the young center as the contract initially

12:12 PM ET James Harden isn’t playing hardball in contract talks with the Philadelphia 76ers; he just wants “whatever is left over.” “I had conversations with [team president] Daryl [Morey], and it was explained how we could get better and what the market value was for certain players. I told Daryl to improve the roster,

9:28 AM ET San Antonio Spurs rookie Jeremy Sochan said he was “not intending on being disrespectful” to Russell Westbrook when he associated the word “bricks” with the Los Angeles Lakers star. In a social media video that went viral over the weekend, Sochan and fellow Spurs rookie Malaki Branham are shown participating in a

4:31 PM ET The Utah Jazz have agreed to a two-year, $6.25 million guaranteed deal with Italian forward Simone Fontecchio, his agent, Sam Goldfeder of Excel Sports, told ESPN on Sunday. Fontecchio, 26, is considered the best available international small forward prospect. He averaged 11.9 points for Baskonia of the Spanish ACB last season and

5:27 PM ET Associated Press LAS VEGAS — Brandon Williams scored 22 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to an 85-77 victory over the New York Knicks in the NBA summer league championship on Sunday. It marked the third time Portland played in the championship game since 2017, and its second title since. The

8:00 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN After 10 days of play in the desert, the NBA 2K23 Summer League championship game will take place Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas (3 p.m. ET on ESPN). This year saw the debut of several lottery picks for the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets, and the return of the Golden

10:52 PM ET LOS ANGELES — LeBron James scored 42 points in a successful return to the Drew League while teaming up with DeMar DeRozan for a 104-102 win in L.A.’s famed pro-am basketball league Saturday. Longtime Drew League commissioner Dino Smiley told ESPN he expected Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving to play in the

1:25 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Kyrie Irving is expected to play in Los Angeles’ famed Drew League on Saturday, the commissioner of the pro-am basketball league, Dino Smiley, told ESPN. However, he is not scheduled to play at the same time as LeBron James, according to Smiley. Irving is scheduled to play at 11

1:31 AM ET The San Antonio Spurs and forward Keldon Johnson have agreed to a four-year, $80 million extension, his representative Klutch Sports Agency announced Friday night. Johnson, 22, started 74 games for the Spurs in his third season, averaging a career-high 17.1 points while shooting 39.8 percent from 3-point range. Friday’s agreement comes two

10:25 PM ET Los Angeles Lakers star Russell Westbrook and his longtime agent, Thad Foucher of Wasserman, have parted ways, Foucher told ESPN on Friday night. In a statement to ESPN, Foucher, one of the league’s prominent player representatives, cited “irreconcilable differences” and suggested that there was no longer full alignment with Westbrook about whether

10:00 PM ET Free agent guard Austin Rivers has agreed on a one-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, his agents, Dave Spahn and Aaron Mintz of CAA Sports, told ESPN on Thursday. Rivers joins the Timberwolves after playing 67 games for the Denver Nuggets a season ago. New Minnesota president of basketball operations Tim Connelly

8:00 AM ET NBA insiders The 2022 Las Vegas summer league has officially been underway for a week, with plenty of highlights. Several members of the 2022 rookie class debuted in the desert, including No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero and No. 3 overall pick Jabari Smith Jr. The top picks have battled it out,

8:31 PM ET The Phoenix Suns matched the Indiana Pacers‘ four-year, $133 million offer sheet for restricted free agent center Deandre Ayton, clearing the way for him to return to the franchise, his agents Bill Duffy and Nima Namakian told ESPN on Thursday night. The Suns had until 11:59 p.m. ET on Saturday to match

2:57 PM ET Phoenix Suns restricted free agent center Deandre Ayton is signing a four-year, $133 million maximum contract offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers, his agents, Bill Duffy and Nima Namakian, told ESPN on Thursday. The Suns have two days to match the largest offer sheet in NBA history and keep Ayton — or

5:31 PM ET Associated Press LAS VEGAS — Alex Rodriguez was standing near his courtside seat, oblivious to a few fans who were snapping a quick photo of him as they walked by. He was watching the Minnesota Timberwolves warm up instead. Rodriguez — currently part of the Timberwolves’ ownership group, with plans in place

10:21 PM ET Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has agreed on a two-year, $30 million extension, his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, told ESPN on Wednesday night. The deal, which starts with the 2023-24 season, includes a player option, Paul said. Caldwell-Pope had been entering the final year of his contract, which will pay

9:09 PM ET Associated Press LAS VEGAS — The NBA has completed the process of changing the transition take foul rule, ending years of discussion about what to do with the long-maligned tactic. And, also as expected, the play-in tournament is going to be around for the foreseeable future. The league’s board of governors finalized

5:16 PM ET As Brittney Griner’s wrongful detention in Russia has galvanized the sports world in support of the WNBA star’s return to the United States, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James questioned why Griner would want to return to a country that has taken so much time to aid in a resolution for her.

5:48 PM ET After shutting down inquiries about All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, rival teams say the Utah Jazz are now showing a willingness to listen on possible trade scenarios, sources tell ESPN on Tuesday. The asking price appears to be steep, but in the wake of Utah’s recent Rudy Gobert blockbuster deal to Minnesota, the

3:40 PM ET Associated Press LAS VEGAS — Golden State Warriors assistant coach Ron Adams is the winner of this year’s Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award, presented by the National Basketball Coaches Association. Adams has spent more than 50 years in coaching and is entering his 30th year in the NBA. He is

7:31 PM ET ESPN News Services LAS VEGAS — Paolo Banchero showed the Orlando Magic plenty in his two Summer League contests. And the Magic decided that was enough. The No. 1 pick is getting the rest of summer league off, after averaging 20 points, six assists and five rebounds in his two games in

5:03 PM ET LAS VEGAS — The NBA board of governors is expected on Tuesday to approve the play-in tournament as a regular part of future league seasons, sources told ESPN. The NBA had been voting on the play-in’s inclusion on a year-to-year basis for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons, but the support exists ahead

11:27 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN LAS VEGAS — As Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga started to attack the hoop, he hooked the ball over his head to find a cutting James Wiseman. In one motion, Wiseman caught the ball in mid-air and threw down a dunk. It was the first possession of the Warriors’

8:00 AM ET NBA insiders The first weekend of Las Vegas Summer League is in the books, and the NBA hasn’t disappointed. Paolo Banchero and Jabari Smith Jr. kicked things off with a highly anticipated meeting between the lottery draft picks. No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren carried his momentum from Utah into Saturday’s 90-88

5:39 PM ET After clearing waivers, free-agent forward Danilo Gallinari has agreed to a two-year, $13.3 million deal with the Boston Celtics, his agent, Michael Tellem of Excel Sports, told ESPN on Sunday. Gallinari’s deal includes a player option on the second year and will be fully guaranteed, Tellem told ESPN. Gallinari, who’ll join an

12:53 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN LAS VEGAS — Oklahoma City Thunder forward-center Chet Holmgren and Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. didn’t put on much of an offensive display Saturday night, but both showed the all-around games that made them such attractive choices at the top of last month’s draft. In one of the most

LAS VEGAS — Set to play alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George next season, John Wall said he is delighted to be joining a loaded LA Clippers team that won’t need him to be “Batman every night for us to win.” In his first comments since officially signing a two-year, $13.2 million deal with LA,

11:02 PM ET LAS VEGAS — Damian Lillard has made it clear over the years that he wants to stay with the Portland Trail Blazers throughout his career and will live with it if the organization can’t win a title during his playing career. Lillard, speaking Saturday at a news conference announcing his two-year extension

8:00 AM ET NBA 2K23 Summer League kicked off Thursday night with a matchup between Orlando’s Paolo Banchero and Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr., the No. 1 and No. 3 picks, respectively, in last month’s NBA draft. The Magic won 91-77 in the first meeting between two of the NBA’s most anticipated rookies, with Banchero notching

3:33 AM ET LAS VEGAS — Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham knows that the team he has now could look significantly different by the time he is coaching games that count in the fall, but he is embracing his current group just the same. “We love everyone on our roster,” Ham told reporters Friday

5:32 PM ET Star point guard Damian Lillard has agreed to a two-year, $122 million contract extension with the Portland Trail Blazers that will tie him to the franchise through the 2026-27 season, sources told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears and ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Lillard is expected to sign his deal Saturday in Las Vegas, a

1:53 PM ET Marc J. Spears Former long-time NBA referee Hugh Evans, a member of the 2022 Class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, passed away on Friday morning his wife, Cathy, told ESPN’s Andscape. Evans was officially named to the Hoop Hall on April 2, on his third try. He was an

1:44 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN LAS VEGAS — Before his lone season at Duke, Paolo Banchero tattooed a message to himself on his left forearm: “No pressure.” Naturally, the No. 1 pick in last month’s NBA draft said that while he was excited for his first game in an NBA uniform Thursday night, in a

5:55 PM ET Aron Baynes, who suffered a spinal cord injury after a freak fall while playing for the Australian national team in the Tokyo Olympics last summer, has resumed his career and will be working out for NBA teams Friday in Las Vegas. Baynes was in hospitals in Tokyo and Brisbane for nearly two

12:57 PM ET Memphis Grizzlies guard John Konchar — once armed with a single scholarship offer and ultimately undrafted out of Purdue-Fort Wayne — has agreed to a three-year, $19 million contract extension, his agent, George Langberg, told ESPN on Thursday. The extension takes Konchar, who has two seasons left on his contract, through the

7:42 PM ET ESPN News Services Rudy Gobert reads Twitter comments, so he’s aware that Minnesota fans didn’t like him very much during his first nine NBA seasons. And he also heard Timberwolves coach Chris Finch complain regularly about the way he sets screens. Those perspectives are probably going to change. “Now we’re on the

6:57 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN NEW ORLEANS — What a difference a year makes. Last year on July 6, his 21st birthday, Zion Williamson found out he had suffered a broken right foot, an injury that ended up costing him the 2021-22 season. This year on July 6, his 22nd birthday, the New Orleans Pelicans‘

8:00 AM ET IT WAS AUG. 11, 2021, and inside the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, what appeared to be an ordinary NBA summer league game between the Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies was anything but. This was sudden death, after the NBA had seven years prior changed the rules for summer league games that

11:42 PM ET ESPN News Services SALT LAKE CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren shined in his professional debut, scoring 23 points and setting a Summer League record for blocks and 3s in a game. The No. 2 pick in the draft also had seven rebounds, four assists and six blocks in 24

4:16 PM ET Brady HendersonESPN SEATTLE — Jody Allen, the de facto owner of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks and NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, said in a statement Tuesday that the teams are not currently for sale but eventually will be. Allen’s statement comes on the heels of last month’s report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that

10:16 AM ET After missing most of the past two seasons with a stress fracture in his left foot, free agent forward T.J. Warren has agreed to a one-year contract with the Brooklyn Nets, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. Warren played four games in 2020-21, and missed the entirety of the 2021 season with consecutive

9:39 PM ET Associated Press HAVANA — There were some cheers for “The Star-Spangled Banner” before USA Basketball’s game in Cuba on Independence Day. And then the Americans celebrated the holiday with a big win. Xavier Munford scored 24 points and the U.S. defeated Cuba 87-64 on Monday night to close the first round of

10:26 AM ET ESPN.com Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email print The NBA trade deadline saw a bombshell deal between the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons and James Harden. But trades had been on hiatus since then. Four months later, big deals are back on the menu in the NBA draft and

1:55 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN The Boston Celtics landed a playmaking point guard, acquiring Malcolm Brogdon in a trade with the Indiana Pacers on Friday, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Pacers are getting a 2023 first-round pick and five players from the Celtics in return, including center Daniel Theis and 2021 first-round pick Aaron

3:44 PM ET The Chicago Bulls have agreed to a one-year contract with veteran point guard Goran Dragic, sources confirmed to ESPN on Sunday. The Brooklyn Nets won the Dragic sweepstakes last season, beating out the Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, LA Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks to sign the guard after his contract

3:04 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Free-agent center Kevon Looney has agreed to stay with the Golden State Warriors on a three-year, $25.5 million deal, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday. Looney, 27, is coming off a breakout year with the 2022 NBA champion Warriors, who drafted him in the first round

2:17 PM ET Associated Press DETROIT — The Pistons have signed former Syracuse guard Buddy Boeheim to a two-way contract, the team announced Saturday Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Boeheim led the ACC in scoring during the 2021-22 season, averaging 19.2 points, and ranked second in the conference in 3-pointers made per game

4:53 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has agreed on a five-year, $193 million designated maximum rookie extension that could earn him as much as $231 million, CAA Sports’ co-head of Basketball Austin Brown told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. If Williamson makes the All-NBA team, wins MVP or Defensive Player of the

12:35 PM ET Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Darius Garland has agreed to a five-year, $193 million designated maximum rookie contract extension that could be worth as much as $231 million, his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, told ESPN on Saturday. Garland’s deal is the richest in Cavaliers history and comes after a breakout third

8:23 PM ET Free-agent center Jalen Smith has agreed to a two-year, $9.6 million deal to return to the Indiana Pacers, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday. A former top-10 pick in the 2020 NBA draft by the Suns, Smith’s career in Phoenix ended after just one full season as he was traded to

3:45 PM ET The Utah Jazz agreed to trade center Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a blockbuster deal that will pair him with fellow All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Timberwolves will send Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, No. 22 overall pick Walker Kessler and four first-round

12:10 PM ET The Chicago Bulls and Zach LaVine have agreed to a five-year, $215M max contract extension, Klutch Sports announced Friday. LaVine, 27, has blossomed into a two-time All-Star in Chicago, where he arrived in the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017, and — along with DeMar DeRozan —

5:58 PM ET Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has agreed to the largest contract in NBA history — a five-year, $270 million supermax extension, his agents Jeff Schwartz and Mike Lindeman of Excel Sports told ESPN on Thursday night. Jokic, the two-time reigning Most Valuable Player, is now secured to the Nuggets for a total

3:00 PM ET Franchise star Kevin Durant has requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Nets general manager Sean Marks is working with Durant and his business manager Rich Kleiman on finding a trade, Kleiman told ESPN. As the Nets prepare to move one of the most valuable

8:00 AM ET Walk into an NBA front office in 2022, and you won’t have to go far before you spot a treatise on management theory resting on a bookshelf. Concepts like organizational culture and asset management have taken hold. League executives devote a lot of thought into forming an identity for their basketball operations

5:12 PM ET Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden has declined his $47.3 million option and become a free agent, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday. Harden keeps real the possibility of negotiating a new deal that would deliver the Sixers roster-building flexibility in free agency — including use of the full $10.5 million exception.

5:26 PM ET The Atlanta Hawks are trading Danilo Gallinari and three first-round picks to the San Antonio Spurs for All-Star guard Dejounte Murray, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Hawks are sending a 2023 first-round pick via the Charlotte Hornets, and their own 2025 and 2027 first-round picks to the Spurs in the deal,

10:36 AM ET The Washington Wizards are finalizing a deal to acquire Denver Nuggets guards Will Barton and Monte Morris in return for guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday. The trade is getting final approvals now, and expected to be completed soon, sources said. Barton started all 71

9:50 PM ET LOS ANGELES — LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer raised his hands up and began rocking back and forth as he began to think about the idea of a healthy Kawhi Leonard returning this upcoming season. After not having Leonard all of last season while he recovered from a torn right ACL, Ballmer

6:14 PM ET The New York Knicks are considered strong favorites to sign Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson in free agency, sources told ESPN. It’s widely anticipated that Brunson will agree to a four-year deal in excess of $100 million to sign with the Knicks soon after free agency opens on Thursday evening, league sources

10:55 AM ET Los Angeles Lakers star Russell Westbrook is planning to exercise his $47.1 million option for the 2022-23 season to return to the franchise, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. Westbrook’s agent Thad Foucher is planning to file the paperwork Tuesday, sources said. Westbrook has a Wednesday deadline on his option. Westbrook, an eight-time

9:49 PM ET Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 Tim MacMahon Close ESPN Staff Writer Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009 Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM After agreeing to a buyout with the Houston Rockets, guard John Wall

6:48 PM ET Kyrie Irving is opting into his $36.5 million option with the Brooklyn Nets for next season, he told The Athletic on Monday. “Normal people keep the world going, but those who dare to be different lead us into tomorrow,” Irving told The Athletic. “I’ve made my decision to opt in. See you

11:00 PM ET ESPN News Services The Philadelphia 76ers are trading the No. 23 pick from Thursday night’s NBA draft and small forward Danny Green to the Memphis Grizzlies for shooting guard De’Anthony Melton, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Memphis will get the rights to guard David Roddy, sources said. Philadelphia selected him at No.

11:04 AM ET Five-star recruit Matas Buzelis — the No. 11 player in ESPN’s Top 100 for the Class of 2023 — has committed to the G League Ignite for the 2023-2024 season, sources told ESPN on Friday. Buzelis, a skilled 6-foot-10 forward, will bypass college basketball and sign into the NBA’s professional pathway program

12:52 AM ET Dan HajduckyESPN Close Hajducky is a reporter/researcher for ESPN. He has an MFA in creative writing from Fairfield University and played on the men’s soccer teams at Fordham and Southern Connecticut State universities. The basketball card that rapper and NBA superfan Drake spent at least $200,000 trying to find — the 2020-21

8:00 AM ET Gay people have made strides in many sectors of American professional life. An openly gay man runs Apple, presides as the governor of Colorado, and an open lesbian runs a Fortune 500 company. But in the highest reaches of men’s basketball, gay people are almost invisible. In 2011, 58-year-old Phoenix Suns CEO

4:38 PM ET Associated Press ORLANDO, Fla. — The secret about how Orlando was going to take Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft was incredibly well-kept. Among those who didn’t know: Banchero himself. Banchero said even he was kept out of the Magic decision loop until about 30 seconds before

6:39 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving has created a list of teams he’d like the Brooklyn Nets to consider working with on a sign-and-trade if he and the team can’t agree on terms for him to stay in Brooklyn, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. That list includes the Los Angeles Lakers,

5:39 PM ET ESPN News Services Steve Clifford has agreed to a deal to return as the Charlotte Hornets‘ coach, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The 60-year-old Clifford spent five seasons coaching the Hornets, compiling a 196-214 record with a team that included Kemba Walker. He led the Hornets to two playoff appearances prior to

10:10 PM ET The Detroit Pistons acquired veteran guard Kemba Walker from the New York Knicks as part of a three-team trade involving the Charlotte Hornets that also saw the Pistons acquire the draft rights to Jalen Duren on Thursday night. Walker and the Pistons are expected to discuss a contract buyout that will allow

2:01 AM ET NBA Insiders With the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, the Orlando Magic selected Duke forward Paolo Banchero. The move came as something of a surprise, given that Banchero never met with the Magic and the consensus around the league was that Auburn’s Jabari Smith Jr. would be headed to

8:11 PM ET The Orlando Magic selected Duke’s Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2022 NBA draft on Thursday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. “I dont even know what to say,” Banchero said on ESPN’s draft broadcast. “I can’t believe what just happened. Honestly.” A 6-foot-10 forward, Banchero helped

8:00 AM ET HOUSTON — Christian Wood keeps swishing 3-pointers and smiling, the skilled big man showing off his shooting range and seemingly responding whenever the other team gets within striking distance. It’s June 13, and Game 5 of the NBA Finals tips off in eight hours, but metaphorically, this pickup game takes place as

4:35 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — At one point early in the NBA playoffs, Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers and head coach Steve Kerr had a conversation about how they didn’t feel their team was championship caliber. They saw themselves as a Western Conference finals team, maybe, but compared with the

6:13 PM ET The Detroit Pistons are trading forward Jerami Grant to the Portland Trail Blazers for a 2025 first-round pick via the Milwaukee Bucks, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The 2025 first-round pick via Milwaukee is protected Nos. 1-4, sources said. Detroit sends Grant into a $21 million trade exception, and the Pistons now

9:58 AM ET Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, a prominent minority owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, is selling his stake in the Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment company that owns the Sixers and New Jersey Devils, he announced Wednesday. Rubin, who sources say holds a 10% equity stake in HBSE, is divesting his 11-year stake in

11:38 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN After Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum had a rough NBA Finals, Brad Stevens had a simple message for his team’s franchise player. “I just told him to go on vacation,” Stevens, Boston’s president of basketball operations, said with a smile during a videoconference call with reporters after Boston’s season ended

6:19 PM ET NBA free agency doesn’t begin until June 30 at 6 p.m. ET, but the news is already rolling in from around the Association. Much of the early buzz is coming out of New York, where Kyrie Irving‘s contract status has pundits and fans speculating about the future of the Brooklyn Nets‘ star

9:13 AM ET LA Clippers forward Nicolas Batum will decline his $3.3 million player option and become a free agent, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. There’s expected to be mutual interest with the Clippers and Batum on reaching a new deal in July, sources said. In his second season with the Clippers, Batum started 54

7:47 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — It’s been two years since the Bay Area hosted a championship parade, but the city, nor the Warriors, forgot how to take in the moment. Stephen Curry hopped on top of a banister at a Muni train station stop and started hitting the sign that was next

8:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN The NBA Finals wrapped up only a few days ago, but The Association’s calendar stops for no one. This week, the next generation of players will be welcomed into the league when the Orlando Magic begin the 2022 NBA draft Thursday night at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. From there, free agency

4:21 PM ET PRACTICE BEFORE GAME 2 of the NBA Finals had not begun yet but rookies Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody took a moment on the Golden State Warriors bench to soak up the rare atmosphere inside Chase Center. Everywhere their young eyes turned, there was a not-so-subtle reminder of exactly where they were.

4:44 PM ET Associated Press In a couple of weeks, Bradley Beal‘s future might look a lot clearer. At this point, the Washington Wizards star isn’t tipping his hand. When asked Saturday about how he expects the start of free agency to go, he replied: “Crazy. probably — like it always is.” When asked how

11:31 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN Denver Nuggets forward Jeff Green has exercised his $4.5 million player option for the 2022-23 season, sources told ESPN. Green had until Monday to decide whether to opt into the deal, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Green, who will turn 36 in August, averaged 10.3 points in 75 games (63

8:26 PM ET The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to hire Atlanta Hawks assistant Chris Jent as Darvin Ham’s top assistant coach on his staff, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Ham, a first-time head coach, made Jent a priority and recruited him hard after getting the Lakers job, sources told Wojnarowski. Ham and Jent coached

8:18 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Amid the champagne showers that drenched Golden State’s locker room in the TD Garden, Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins hopped on Instagram Live to share the celebration with their followers. In the livestream, Poole looked at Wiggins and proclaimed, “You’re going to get a bag.” An uncontrollable

3:39 PM ET Kenny Atkinson has decided he won’t become the Charlotte Hornets‘ head coach and instead will remain with the Golden State Warriors as the top assistant, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Atkinson was offered the job during the NBA Finals, but after further conversations Atkinson was led to believe it would be best

2:30 PM ET One day after Stephen Curry added a fourth NBA title and first Finals MVP Award to his illustrious résumé, his alma mater, Davidson, announced that the Golden State Warriors star would have his number retired by the school at an August ceremony. Davidson athletic director Chris Clunie said Friday that Curry’s No.

8:00 AM ET The Golden State Warriors are the 2022 NBA champions, Stephen Curry has his long-awaited Finals MVP award and the Warriors’ big three of Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green tallied title No. 4. OK, what’s next? After battling in the Finals, where do the Warriors and Boston Celtics check in for the

9:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — With 63 seconds remaining in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka, his team trailing by 11, waved the white flag and replaced all five of his starters. Jayson Tatum, after slowly trudging off the court, exchanged greetings with Boston players and coaches, untucked

11:43 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN BOSTON — For the fourth time in eight years, the Golden State Warriors have been crowned champions, as they eliminated the Celtics 103-90 on Thursday night in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. The Warriors won their first title since 2018 and became the first team to go from the

1:00 AM ET Stephen Curry didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when the seconds ticked down at TD Garden in Boston on Thursday night. He appeared to be ecstatic — broad smile, giddy — a natural reaction to winning a fourth NBA championship. Yet in an instant, Curry sank to the floor with two

4:49 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN After wrapping up a 24-hour shift as a firefighter in Toledo, Ohio, this past weekend, Myles Copeland went to New York to suit up for his other job, a player for Toledo Glass City of The Basketball League, for a playoff game against the Jamestown Jackals. But his two worlds

5:32 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — Three times in this year’s NBA playoffs, the Boston Celtics have found themselves one loss away from going home for the summer. Three times in these playoffs, the Celtics have found a way to extend their season — including two victories on the road. So, as Boston prepares

9:23 PM ET Tim MacMahon Close ESPN Staff Writer Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009 Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 The Dallas Mavericks are acquiring center/power forward Christian Wood from the Houston

5:13 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN BOSTON — The Golden State Warriors find themselves in a position they’ve been in many times before: one win away from an NBA Title. Playing in the NBA Finals for the sixth time in the last eight years, there is a dose of cautious optimism flowing through the Warriors’ locker

6:44 PM ET Associated Press ATLANTA — Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic is recovering from surgery on his right patella tendon after being hampered by knee inflammation this past season. The Hawks announced Tuesday that Bogdanovic is expected to make a full recovery before the start of the 2022-23 season. Bogdanovic missed 19 games this past

5:34 PM ET A longtime Phoenix Suns employee resigned from the team last month, alleging she became the target of bullying and retaliation by superiors after raising concerns about gender equity and misconduct within the organization, documents obtained by ESPN show. Melissa Fender Panagiotakopoulos, who began working for the Suns in August 2007, sent a

8:00 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — The highlights of the Stephen Curry 3-pointers, Robert Williams’ blocked shots and, now, Andrew Wiggins‘ dunks, continue to run as the premier moments in the 2022 NBA Finals. Celtics coach Ime Udoka keeps trying to tell everyone they’re missing the point. The Golden State Warriors are one win from

3:23 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Andrew Wiggins has been waiting his entire career for a moment to shine on the NBA Finals stage. An eight-year veteran, he hadn’t yet had the opportunity. But now that he’s here, he is taking advantage. Wiggins led the Warriors to their 104-94 victory over the Boston

12:12 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — The NBA Finals allow for the slimmest margins of error. Opponents are too elite and opportunities too precious to squander in a seven-game series. For the Boston Celtics, sins of commission in Game 5 were too numerous to overcome a Golden State Warriors team with a championship pedigree on

4:45 PM ET Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — NBA commissioner Adam Silver canceled plans to attend Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics on Monday night because of the league’s health and safety protocols. Silver typically attends all Finals games. The league did not say if Silver had

7:48 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — The Boston Celtics know that, once again, they failed to take advantage of securing home court by dropping Game 4 of the NBA Finals Friday night. But, as the series shifts back here to Chase Center for Game 5 Monday night with the series now turning into

8:20 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson is stressing about staying in the moment. After Sunday’s practice, the Golden State Warriors star barely even wanted to look ahead to Monday’s pivotal Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. Instead, he tried to stay locked in on what treatment needed

2:19 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — Jayson Tatum had a simple solution for the Boston Celtics to bounce back with a win in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night — he just needs to play better. “I mean, I give [the Golden State Warriors] credit,” Tatum said after Boston’s 107-97 loss

2:45 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson reiterated his desire to be with the organization, speaking Saturday at a local YMCA where he held a youth and basketball camp registration. Speaking to reporters, Williamson was asked if opening the camp was a sign he wanted to stay in New Orleans. “I

8:00 AM ET The NBA playoffs are full of moments that can swing a series: a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, a late and-1 bucket or an alley-oop dunk in front of the home crowd. Or in some cases, it might be the blow of the referee’s whistle, as a late-game block/charge call or an overturned bucket could

8:00 AM ET BOSTON — Steve Kerr has made a lot of high-pressure, large-stakes decisions during his NBA career. Like that afternoon in 1995 when he got fed up with Michael Jordan in a Chicago Bulls practice and made the choice to throw a forearm and ended up with a black eye. The Golden State

3:16 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN BOSTON — Stephen Curry isn’t one to show tons of emotion throughout the course of a game. But in the Golden State Warriors‘ 107-97 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Curry wore his heart on his sleeve all night. Late in the first quarter,

11:50 PM ET The Golden State Warriors built a dynasty playing a beautiful brand of basketball predicated on movement, passing and creativity. Down 2-1 and desperate for a win on hostile ground in Boston’s TD Garden, the Warriors displayed precious little of that choreography, but managed to eke out a rugged 107-97 win to knot

3:19 PM ET LeBron James, whose net worth was recently valuated north of $1 billion by Forbes, has made it known for years that he plans to own an NBA team when he is finished playing. Now that vision has a location. “I want a team in Vegas,” James said in a clip from the

8:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — The moment Billy Donovan learned what kind of competitor Al Horford is remains as clear in his memory as if it happened this week — and not 20 years ago. “I’ll never forget it,” says Donovan, Horford’s coach at the University of Florida who is now in charge

4:19 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN BOSTON — Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is expected to play in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday. Curry’s status was up in the air after he suffered an injury late in the fourth quarter of Game 3 when Boston Celtics forward Al Horford rolled on Curry’s

7:00 AM ET BOSTON — Klay Thompson has run the gamut of the NBA experience in his 11 years in the league. He’s seen the tremendous highs of winning three championships in four years and the lows of having to sit out more than two seasons due to injury. As the five-time All-Star assessed the

11:41 PM ET For all the celebration of skill and small ball in recent years, the NBA still rewards size and quickness at big moments. In the first Finals game in TD Garden since 2010, the Boston Celtics used their speed, length and physical superiority to bury the Golden State Warriors 116-100 in Game 3

9:03 PM ET Tim MacMahon Close ESPN Staff Writer Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009 Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 The Utah Jazz have received permission to interview several assistant coaches in

8:00 AM ET After two vastly different NBA Finals games at Chase Center, the series shifts to TD Garden, where the host Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors each look to grab control. For the Celtics, two keys have emerged through the first two games: Jayson Tatum walking the line between scorer and facilitator, and

6:30 AM ET Ramona Shelburne Close ESPN Senior Writer Senior writer for ESPN.com Spent seven years at the Los Angeles Daily News Elizabeth Merrill Close ESPN Senior Writer Elizabeth Merrill is a senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine. She previously wrote for The Kansas City Star and The Omaha World-Herald. JON SCHEYER HAS

4:20 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN Draymond Green entered Game 2 of the NBA Finals with a very clear mindset: bring force. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I’m going on about my summer and we lost the NBA Finals because we couldn’t meet force with force,” Green said ahead of practice in

1:51 PM ET Dave McMenamin Close ESPN Staff Writer Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN. Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09. Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 LOS ANGELES —

7:13 PM ET Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz face an unexpected search for a new coach. Utah was prepared to enter next season with Quin Snyder at the helm until the head coach unexpectedly stepped down after eight seasons. The two sides had recently discussed an extension with Snyder, who still

4:39 PM ET EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Darvin Ham was introduced as the Los Angeles Lakers‘ new coach Monday, with point guard Russell Westbrook standing off to the side in a public show of support for the hiring. And Ham reciprocated that support right back to Westbrook, after a tumultuous first season in Los Angeles

8:00 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green faced the marrow-level dread of going down two games to none in the NBA Finals by arriving for Sunday’s Game 2 determined to be annoying as hell for as long as it took. Over the course of the contest’s 48 minutes, he argued with the officials —

11:58 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry, who said he lost sleep after the Golden State Warriors‘ Game 1 collapse, can toss and turn less when he goes to bed Sunday night following the Warriors’ 107-88 win in Game 2 of the 2022 NBA Finals. Coming off a 34-point outing in Game 1, Curry

5:50 PM ET Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder has resigned after eight seasons with the franchise, the team announced Sunday. Jazz ownership and management spent several weeks trying to convince Snyder to return as coach — even offering a contract extension — but he simply decided that his time had come to step away from

8:13 AM ET Not one uniformed member of the Boston Celtics had played in an NBA Finals game before Game 1 on Thursday night. Much was made of this, partly because of the vast Finals experience of the Golden State Warriors but mostly because storylines at this stage must be truffle hunted until no soil

7:25 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry has seen the Golden State Warriors bounce back before multiple times this season and has confidence they will do it again in Sunday’s Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Citing how the Warriors rebounded from their 39-point loss in Game 5 at the Memphis Grizzlies in the

7:28 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum said he isn’t spending time worrying about his 3-for-17 shooting performance in Game 1, saying it’s not the first time he’s had a bad game and that he’s confident he’ll bounce back in Game 2. “Once you’ve done something before, you know

2:36 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Not long after the Golden State Warriors‘ fourth-quarter meltdown to drop a rare Game 1 in the coach Steve Kerr era, a relaxed Draymond Green began setting the tone for the team entering Game 2. “It’s fine,” Green said after the Boston Celtics stunned the Warriors 120-108. “You get

1:48 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — After yet another ugly third quarter in a playoffs full of them for the Boston Celtics, it looked to all the world like the Golden State Warriors were on their way to claiming Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Chase Center on Thursday night. But then

4:06 PM ET Orlando Magic executive Matt Lloyd has agreed to become senior vice president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources told ESPN on Friday. Lloyd, who spent a decade with Orlando as assistant general manager and VP of basketball operations, is the first significant hire by Timberwolves’ president of basketball operations Tim

8:00 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — A year ago, Boston Celtics owners Wyc Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca executed an audacious move: They made their successful coach a rookie team president and replaced him with a rookie coach. Had anyone on the dais the day the move to elevate Brad Stevens was formalized — June 2,

11:58 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Like two heavyweights feeling each other out in the opening round of a championship bout, the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics opened the 2022 NBA Finals, with the Celtics striking the first blow with a 120-108 comeback victory. The Celtics won Game 1 with a scintillating 17-0 run

3:35 PM ET Nike founder Phil Knight and Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Alan Smolinisky have delivered a written offer of more than $2 billion to purchase Portland Trail Blazers and are in serious talks to acquire the team, sources told ESPN on Thursday. Knight and Smolinisky have been engaged in discussions with the Paul Allen

9:45 AM ET The betting public is siding with the Golden State Warriors over the Boston Celtics as the NBA Finals tips off Thursday. The Warriors were -150 favorites to capture the championship as of Thursday morning and have attracted the majority of bets to win the best-of-seven series at most sportsbooks. At online sportsbook

6:58 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — The Boston Celtics have been managing injuries to both Marcus Smart and Robert Williams for most of the last few weeks. But, on the eve of the NBA Finals, both players said they were ready to go for the start of the league’s championship round against the

5:33 PM ET Among the assets gathered in the James Harden blockbuster trade, the Brooklyn Nets are deferring acquisition of the Philadelphia 76ers‘ 2022 first-round pick at No. 23 to the 2023 NBA draft, sources told ESPN. Brooklyn informed the league office of the team’s decision on Wednesday, hours ahead of a midnight deadline, sources

8:00 AM ET Which team will be this year’s NBA champion? The 2022 Finals features the league’s top two defenses throughout the regular season, but the Golden State Warriors–Boston Celtics clash will focus on some of the most dangerous offensive threats in the game. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, their Splash Brothers partnership whole again

11:34 PM ET Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 Tim MacMahon Close ESPN Staff Writer Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009 Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM After weeks of conversations with ownership and management, Utah Jazz coach Quin

2:19 PM ET Golden State’s Stephen Curry has never won an NBA Finals MVP award, but oddsmakers believe this is his year. Curry is the consensus favorite to be named MVP of the Finals between the Warriors and Boston Celtics at sportsbooks around the nation. He’s the even-money favorite at Caesars Sportsbook. Boston’s Jayson Tatum

11:40 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN The Philadelphia 76ers announced Tuesday morning that Joel Embiid spent his Memorial Day undergoing surgery to repair the sprained right thumb he injured during Philadelphia’s first-round playoff series, and that he also had a procedure done to repair an injury to his left index finger. Neither issue is supposed to

11:42 PM ET The Golden State Warriors are the favorites in the NBA Finals over a Boston Celtics team looking to make underdog history. Caesars Sportsbook installed the Warriors as -160 favorites over the Celtics (+140) in an intriguing best-of-seven series that tips off Thursday in San Francisco. Golden State opened as a 3-point favorite

2:05 AM ET MIAMI — As the Miami Heat digest a “heartbreaking” 100-96 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, Erik Spoelstra and his staff believe that a momentum-changing overturned call in the third quarter will provide a “case study” for the NBA as far as replay reviews go

8:00 AM ET After three rounds of upsets, thrillers, blowouts and everything in between, the NBA Finals are here — and it’s a series that will pin some familiar faces against a group with zero experience on the league’s biggest stage. The Golden State Warriors, led by three-time champions Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay

11:22 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN MIAMI — Nothing about this Boston Celtics season has been easy. So, it stands to reason, making it to the NBA Finals wouldn’t be, either. But, at the end of a grueling seven-game series in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat, that is exactly where the Celtics have

5:11 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors have the gift of time as they head into the NBA Finals. With them wrapping up their Western Conference Finals series against the Dallas Mavericks in five games, the Warriors will have exactly one week of rest before Game 1 of the Finals.

8:00 AM ET After the many ups and downs of the 2022 Eastern Conference finals, including double-digit wins and injuries to star players, the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics are facing off for Game 7 in Miami on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. ET (on ESPN and the ESPN app). The winner will advance to play

5:17 PM ET MIAMI — The NBA announced that it has fined the Miami Heat $25,000 for “violating league rules regarding team bench decorum.” “On multiple occasions, several players stood for an extended period in Miami’s team bench area, stood away from the team bench, and were on, encroaching upon or entering the playing court

1:11 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN MIAMI — Ahead of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka said that after his team has gone through a roller-coaster ride of a season to get to this point, it is only fitting that this series will come down to Boston having to win

9:08 PM ET Brianna Williams The Los Angeles Lakers secured their new head coach with the hire of Darvin Ham, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Prior to joining the Lakers, he served as an assistant for the defending NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks. He has worked under Milwaukee head coach Mike Budenholzer since 2013, when the

2:13 AM ET BOSTON — The Miami Heat might have to clear some room in Championship Alley. That’s the name for the path from their home court to the locker room that is filled with wall-sized memories of greatness from Miami’s past. Gary Payton‘s jumper that started their 2006 Finals comeback. Blood dripping down Udonis

8:43 PM ET The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham to be their next head coach, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Ham, who takes over the Lakers as a first-time head coach, replaces Frank Vogel, who was fired in April after the team went 33-49 and missed the playoffs this season.

8:00 AM ET NOBODY IN THE Dallas Mavericks‘ front office exchanged high-fives after details were finalized on the deal made minutes before the Feb. 10 trade deadline. The consensus in the room was that moving on from big man Kristaps Porzingis was in the best interest of the franchise, but it wasn’t a cause for

11:27 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors are heading back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2019 and for the sixth time in the last eight years. The Warriors punched their ticket with their 120-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 on the Western Conference

4:30 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN Zion Williamson has been cleared in his return to play progression without any restrictions, the New Orleans Pelicans announced Thursday afternoon. The announcement clears the way for Williamson to go through offseason workouts unrestricted this summer as he prepares for the 2022-23 season. Williams missed the entire 2021-22 season after

1:04 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN MIAMI — The Boston Celtics found themselves trailing the Miami Heat by five, on the road, at halftime of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night. And yet, the Celtics felt just fine. They couldn’t have played much worse in the first half, committing 10 turnovers and

2:31 AM ET MIAMI — In late January, the San Antonio Spurs traded backup guard Bryn Forbes to the Denver Nuggets. Five months later, that unassuming move has made a major impact on the 2022 Eastern Conference finals. It was the opening of an opportunity for the Boston Celtics that has been fully realized as

2:49 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN MIAMI — In three of the first four games of the Eastern Conference finals, the team leading at the end of the first quarter has come out on top each time. So, as the Boston Celtics prepare to take on the Miami Heat in Game 5 here at FTX Arena

8:45 AM ET Hanif Abdurraqib If I am being honest with myself, I probably do not love beautiful basketball as much as I’ve convinced myself I do over the past handful of my adult years. Of course, what registers as beautiful is subjective, but in this instance, I am talking specifically about the kind of

9:09 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN DALLAS — Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr didn’t want to talk about basketball in his pregame news conference heading into Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night. Basketball, he said, didn’t matter. “Since we left shootaround, 14 children were killed, 400 miles

5:38 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on his left knee on Tuesday in Los Angeles. The team announced the surgery was successful and that LaVine is expected to make a full recovery. LaVine, who will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, managed discomfort in his knee

1:37 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — When things have gone poorly for the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals, it’s been when they’ve lost focus and allowed the Heat to speed them up and turn them over, leading to fast break points — the one consistent way Miami has scored in this series.

2:06 AM ET BOSTON — Midway through the third quarter Monday night as the Celtics were pushing their lead to as much as 32 points, Rudy Gobert couldn’t resist. “This Boston defense is tough” the Utah Jazz center tweeted. This was both innocuous and accurate at a time when the Celtics were smothering the Miami

3:37 PM ET Denver Nuggets president Tim Connelly has agreed to a five-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves that is worth over $40 million and includes ownership equity, making Connelly one of the league’s highest-compensated executives, sources told ESPN. Connelly becomes the second consecutive top basketball executive to leave the Nuggets for a significantly more

8:00 AM ET Memorable isn’t really the right word. Painful, frustrating, demoralizing. That’s closer to how Draymond Green would describe the two seasons in between the Golden State Warriors‘ last NBA Finals appearance in 2019 and this season’s run to within one game of a return to the championship series after Sunday’s 109-100 win against

1:28 AM ET DALLAS — Superstar Luka Doncic, moments after his Dallas Mavericks were pushed to the brink of elimination in the Western Conference finals, viewed the situation through a long-term lens. Doncic scored a game-high 40 points in Sunday’s 109-100 Game 3 loss to the Golden State Warriors, including 21 while the Mavs attempted

2:04 PM ET University of Michigan coach Juwan Howard recently declined a Los Angeles Lakers overture for the franchise’s coaching job, electing to remain at his alma mater, where Howard will coach his two sons next season, sources told ESPN. The Lakers have a formal search process in place, but courting college coaches typically requires

8:22 AM ET AS THE FINAL seconds wind down in the first quarter of Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Mavericks, Spencer Dinwiddie drives toward the right side of the paint. But Draymond Green is perched there, already anticipating what is to come — a Dinwiddie pass to Dorian Finney-Smith in

10:15 PM ET BOSTON — Miami Heat swingman Jimmy Butler will not return to Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Celtics because of right knee inflammation. The Heat made the announcement just after the start of the third quarter. It is unclear when Butler suffered the injury, but he did not warm

12:49 PM ET Nick Friedell BOSTON — Miami Heat guard Kyle Lowry will warm up “with the intention to play” in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics on Saturday night, according to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. Lowry has not played since re-injuring his left hamstring in Game 4 of the

2:25 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors have a history of big third quarters. No one exactly knows why. Maybe Warriors head coach Steve Kerr gives the best halftime speech around. Maybe it takes them 24 minutes to fully assess how their opponent is approaching the game. Maybe they need

1:55 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Coach Jason Kidd blamed the Dallas Mavericks‘ one-dimensional offensive approach for blowing a 19-point lead in Friday’s 126-117 loss to the Golden State Warriors, criticizing his team for relying too heavily on the 3-point shot during Game 2 of the Western Conference finals. The Mavs made 21 of 45

2:01 PM ET Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham and former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts are among the candidates who have advanced to the final round of interviews for the Los Angeles Lakers‘ coaching job, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday. Stotts, who coached the Trail Blazers from 2012 to 2021, interviewed

8:00 AM ET MIAMI — The Boston Celtics are a team of long-distance runners. For years, former Celtics president Danny Ainge employed a consultant that would identify draft picks and free agents’ “brain types” under the belief that certain personality traits made for better players. Ainge and that system are gone, but the Celtics —

1:04 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN MIAMI — For the first few minutes of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, it appeared the Boston Celtics could be in some trouble. They left Miami’s shooters open for three quick 3-pointers. They allowed the Heat to get multiple second-chance opportunities. Robert Williams looked uncomfortable defending in space,

12:35 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN MIAMI — The Boston Celtics say center Al Horford is available to play in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals after he missed the series-opening loss to the Miami Heat following his entry into the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Horford abruptly entered the protocols shortly before Tuesday’s Game

2:19 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — On a night that every Golden State Warriors player to play meaningful minutes finished in double-figure scoring, it was their defense that propelled them to their 112-87 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Heading into this series, the Warriors were

1:22 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Something has dawned on Stephen Curry as the Golden State Warriors stage their first legitimate title quest in nearly three years: He’s now the old guy. “When I look at some of those guys, you’re reminded of how young they are,” Curry said, contemplating the NBA’s starscape while the

6:59 AM ET All odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook. What you need to know for Game 1 Interesting interior: The Warriors are the most perimeter-oriented team in the league, and the Mavs will likely attempt to limit the 3-point damage during this series. Considering that 68.3% of Andrew Wiggins‘ field goal attempts this postseason

8:36 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN For the fourth time in franchise history, the Orlando Magic have won the NBA lottery and will pick No. 1 in the 2022 NBA Draft. Orlando had a 14% chance to get the top pick along with the Houston Rockets and the Detroit Pistons. It’s the Magic’s first chance to

1:37 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN MIAMI — The Boston Celtics exited their locker room at halftime Tuesday night firmly in control of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. But then the third quarter happened. And, after the Miami Heat demolished the Celtics, outscoring them 39-14 and using their physicality to send Boston into a

6:03 PM ET The Boston Celtics say Al Horford and Marcus Smart are both out for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Heat on Tuesday night in Miami. Horford is in the league’s health and safety protocols, the team announced. Smart won’t play due to midfoot sprain suffered in Boston’s Game 7

8:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN To understand the depths of animosity between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics entering this year’s NBA Eastern Conference finals, you have to go back to an otherwise nondescript regular-season night in March 2013. That night in New Orleans, a Heat public relations official approached the team’s traveling media contingent

9:24 PM ET The NBA on Monday said it’s in the process of gathering more information after veteran point guard Rajon Rondo allegedly threatened a woman with a gun at her house last week. The woman filed for an emergency protective order against Rondo on Friday in Louisville, Kentucky, a copy of which was obtained

3:26 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart is questionable for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat with a right midfoot sprain, coach Ime Udoka said Monday. Sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Smart had an MRI on the foot Monday that came back clean, and that Smart

8:00 AM ET And then there were four teams left standing in the 2022 NBA playoffs. After the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns — last year’s NBA finalists — were knocked out in Game 7s on the same day, the 2021-22 season is one step closer to crowning a new champion. The Boston Celtics overcame

10:13 PM ET PHOENIX — The Western Conference Finals will have a surprise participant after Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks dismissed the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in completely dominant fashion. The Mavericks claimed the right to advance to face the Golden State Warriors by rolling to a 123-90 rout of the Suns in Sunday’s Game

2:22 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN BOSTON — Robert Williams III will be available for the Boston Celtics on Sunday afternoon in Game 7 of their second-round playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, but he may not play his normal minutes — if he plays at all. Celtics coach Ime Udoka said Williams, who has missed

8:25 AM ET Which NBA contenders will join the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors in the conference finals? Sunday’s Game 7s feature two series that could not be more different. The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC) have each bruised their way into their finale, each winning classics on the opponent’s

9:17 PM ET PHOENIX — On the plane ride back home after losing in blowout fashion to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals, Suns star Devin Booker joined a card game with teammates Chris Paul and Jae Crowder and discussed their Game 7 challenge ahead. Paul has played in seven

5:00 PM ET ESPN News Services MILWAUKEE — The Bucks have canceled a watch party for Sunday’s Game 7 against the Boston Celtics after 21 people were injured in three separate shootings near an entertainment district in downtown Milwaukee at the end of the team’s Game 6 Eastern Conference semifinals loss Friday night. A spokesman

2:05 AM ET MILWAUKEE — The Giannis Antetokounmpo–Jayson Tatum rivalry is here. It is defining the present of the Eastern Conference and may extend well into the future. Antetokounmpo is putting up Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O’Neal numbers. Tatum is breaking the records of all those retired jerseys for his 75-year-old storied franchise that has

12:44 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN MILWAUKEE — Three people were shot near Deer District outside Fiserv Forum near the conclusion of Friday night’s Game 6 between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics, sending fans there fleeing through the streets. The Milwaukee Fire Department said one man and one woman shot were transported to the

12:45 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN MILWAUKEE – Boston Celtics forward Robert Williams III is still questionable for Friday night’s Game 6 against the Milwaukee Bucks because of left knee soreness. However, Boston coach Ime Udoka clarified that the soreness is not stemming from his surgery last month to repair the meniscus his Williams’ left knee.

9:34 PM ET PHILADELPHIA — The Miami Heat are headed to the Eastern Conference finals for the second time in three years after closing out the Philadelphia 76ers 99-90 in Game 6 of their second-round series on Thursday night. As has been the case throughout the series, it was Jimmy Butler who led the way

9:59 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN IN EARLY MARCH, sitting on-stage inside Boston’s Hynes Convention Center for the start of the annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, Daryl Morey wore a blue blazer over a red shirt that featured a cartoon of James Harden‘s face from his famous internet meme. “Besides ‘Seize The Data,’ the theme

8:00 AM ET Maya A. Jones It’s a Monday afternoon at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, and Suns center Deandre Ayton is locked in. He’s not focused on his team’s upcoming game against the Los Angeles Lakers the next day, thinking ahead to a playoff run, or worrying about his contract negotiations with the Suns.

1:32 AM ET BOSTON — The relationship between Giannis Antetokounmpo and teammate Khris Middleton, now nine years in, is well known for its depth and trust. But about that Jrue Holiday relationship … “It’s blooming, it’s blooming!” Antetokounmpo said after the Milwaukee Bucks finished off a jaw-dropping display of clutch play in stealing a 110-107

9:39 PM ET The Los Angeles Lakers have been granted permission to interview Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson for the franchise’s coaching job, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. The Lakers have been methodically meeting with candidates in recent weeks and plan to talk with Atkinson in the near future, sources said. Atkinson built a

1:51 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving might have to show the Brooklyn Nets he’s more than a great basketball player if he wants a future with the team. General manager Sean Marks made clear Wednesday that Irving will have to prove a commitment to being available to his team, a commitment

1:09 AM ET When the definitive history of the Process-Era Philadelphia 76ers is written someday, there will be many moments and decisions to revisit. Without the benefit of hindsight yet, it’s impossible to know which were the most consequential. But it’s impossible to watch what Jimmy Butler did to the Sixers Tuesday night in the

6:05 PM ET Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant has been diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right knee, an MRI confirmed, and is doubtful to return this postseason, the team said Tuesday. Morant, who exited during the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Golden State Warriors on

8:00 AM ET What’s next in four thrilling NBA conference semifinal series? After Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III was a late scratch Monday night, Al Horford picked up the slack with a playoff career-high 30 points in a series-tying Game 4 win over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite shooting 9-for-37 from 3-point

11:32 PM ET MILWAUKEE — There was a point this season when the Boston Celtics were 16-19 overall. There was a point last season when Al Horford was shut down by the Oklahoma City Thunder with 28 games left, unsure of where the twilight of his pro career was headed. There was a point late

8:28 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr tested positive for COVID-19, the team announced Monday evening. He has entered the league’s health and safety protocols and will not be on the bench for Monday’s Game 4 against the Memphis Grizzlies. Associate head coach Mike Brown will assume

8:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN When the Boston Celtics arrived at Washington’s Capital One Arena to take on the Wizards for a matinee on Jan. 23, there was no indication it would serve as the turning point of Boston’s tumultuous season. The Celtics had been coming off one of their most dispiriting losses of the

1:09 AM ET Tobias Harris would usually have more to say, but he was trying to take it easy on his windpipe after absorbing an inadvertent Bam Adebayo elbow to the neck in the second half of the Philadelphia 76ers‘ 116-108 win against the Miami Heat in Sunday’s Game 4 of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference

9:31 PM ET DALLAS — Several family members of Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul in attendance for Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday were harassed and physically contacted by a fan in the crowd, sources told ESPN. Paul addressed the disturbing Mother’s Day incident on social media

1:55 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors almost made history on the way to their 142-112 rout of the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals. The Warriors shot 63.1% from the field and had a 76.1 true shooting percentage — the second-best in both categories in

1:23 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — The Memphis Grizzlies are concerned about their star point guard Ja Morant, who limped off the court with over five minutes remaining in a blowout loss to Golden State after Jordan Poole grabbed Morant’s right knee during a trap near half court. Morant left without talking to reporters but

9:15 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN MILWAUKEE — Every member of the Boston Celtics inside Fiserv Forum on Saturday afternoon was incredulous. With the clock ticking down and the Celtics training by three, Boston’s Jaylen Brown handed the ball off to Marcus Smart on the perimeter. Immediately, Smart attempted to get his shot off with Milwaukee

8:00 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN The Milwaukee Bucks were rallying in the fourth quarter of Game 2 of their first-round series against the Chicago Bulls when a driving lane opened up for forward Khris Middleton. Middleton made a beeline toward the rim before Bulls center Nikola Vucevic stepped in front of the basket. Middleton attempted

2:20 AM ET DALLAS — Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic felt that he let his teammates down with what he accurately described as a “horrible” defensive effort during the second half of a Game 2 loss to the Phoenix Suns. His backcourt partner Jalen Brunson needed only one word to sum up his performance in the

8:43 PM ET The Los Angeles Lakers interviewed former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts for the franchise’s coaching job on Friday, sources told ESPN. Stotts joins the Lakers’ search process as a candidate with a history of playoff consistency, offensive creativity and an ability to build relationships with his star players. Before his dismissal

8:00 AM ET As soon as they saw each other at the American Airlines Center, Donovan Mitchell made a simple request of Theo Pinson before the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks met in the first round of the NBA’s Western Conference playoffs. “Theo, shut up, please,” Mitchell told Pinson. Mitchell is quite familiar with his

6:11 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHILADELPHIA — 76ers superstar center Joel Embiid is currently being listed as out for Game 3 of Philadelphia’s Eastern Conference semifinal against the MiamI Heat, but there is still progress that could be made to change his availability in time to play Friday, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. As 76ers

6:32 PM ET LA Clippers forward Robert Covington has agreed to a two-year, $24 million contract extension, his agent, Andrew Morrison of CAA Sports, told ESPN on Thursday. Covington, who will avoid a summer free-agency marketplace that is limited in salary-cap space, returns to a loaded Clippers roster that will start the season among the

8:00 AM ET How much has each NBA conference semifinals shifted after Game 2? For the Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies vs. Golden State Warriors showdowns, plenty. In Boston, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum combined for 59 points as the league’s No. 1 defense limited the Bucks to 3-for-18 from the 3-point

12:42 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN MIAMI — After dropping their first two games on the shores of Biscayne Bay to open up this Eastern Conference semifinal against the Heat without superstar big man Joel Embiid, one question looms over the Philadelphia 76ers as the series shifts back to the City of Brotherly Love for Game

7:50 PM ET Brooklyn Nets swingman Ben Simmons will require three to four months of rehabilitation after undergoing back surgery on Thursday, but is expected to be fully recovered to return to the court well ahead of preseason training camp in September, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. Simmons, 25, is undergoing a microdiscectomy procedure to

7:45 AM ET All odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook. What you need to know for Wednesday’s playoff games Backing off Brunson: The Mavs ranked fifth in percentage of points from beyond the arc during the regular season, something that they should look to embrace against the top-seeded Suns. But while Dallas has largely built

2:19 AM ET MEMPHIS, Tenn. — On Monday, coming off the Golden State Warriors‘ 117-116 victory in Game 1, Stephen Curry reminisced about his absentminded youth. Like every student on Davidson’s campus, Curry was issued a CatCard that admitted him to every facility, from the gym to the cafeteria. While his counterpart in the Western

10:20 PM ET MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks was ejected less than three minutes into Tuesday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors for a flagrant foul 2 on Gary Payton II, marking the second straight game in this second-round series that a starter was ejected for a flagrant 2. Brooks was

11:53 AM ET The Charlotte Hornets are beginning to interview candidates for the franchise’s head-coaching opening, including the possibility of a reunion for general manager Mitch Kupchak with ex-Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni, sources told ESPN. D’Antoni has been identified as a serious candidate early in the process, especially because of the possibility of pairing him