SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Will Hardy knew some of the inner workings of the Utah Jazz before being named the league's youngest current head coach.
MADRID (AP) — Former NBA player Lorenzo Brown is eligible to play for Spain’s national team after being granted Spanish citizenship.
The Spanish basketball federation welcomed the American-born player on Tuesday, saying his arrival is “part of its strategy to expand the base of players and talent available to play for the national team.”
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox talked to Major League Baseball on Monday about postponing their game against the Minnesota Twins after a gunman opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago, killing at least six people.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Mac McClung scored 17 points in 16 minutes, Paris Bass added 15 and the Los Angeles Lakers opened the California Classic with a 100-66 victory over the Miami Heat on Saturday.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zion Williamson’s lost season to injury and unusual absence from the New Orleans Pelicans during his recovery didn’t stop the club from betting big on their long-term future together.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Darius Garland's rapid rise to elite NBA status is complete.
Cleveland's All-Star point guard agreed Saturday to a five-year, $193 million contract extension, his agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports told the Associated Press.
The 2023 NBA playoffs are more than nine months away, and one thing is already clear.
There will be chaos.
The Minnesota Timberwolves grabbed a megaphone and announced that to the world when they traded multiple players and several first-round picks — one of them in 2029, which means that youngster is currently 12 and probably can’t dunk yet — to the Utah Jazz for Rudy Gobert.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Golden State Warriors wanted to keep their roster together to make a run at a repeat.
As the NBA's free agency period began, Golden State retained center Kevon Looney when he agreed to a $25.5 million, three-year contract, but lost several other key faces.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Gary Payton II is returning to his Pacific Northwest roots, agreeing to a $28 million, three-year contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.
A person with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed on Friday that Payton would depart the NBA champion Golden State Warriors to join a backcourt alongside Damian Lillard and lottery pick Shaedon Sharpe, selected with the seventh overall pick in last Thursday's draft.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Ricky Rubio helped return the Cavaliers to contention. He'll try to keep them there.
The veteran point guard agreed Friday to come back for another stint with Cleveland, agreeing on a multiyear contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Brad Stevens thought the Boston Celtics needed another playmaker and more depth to win their first NBA title since 2007-08.
For Utah, one era is ending.
For Minnesota, one seems to be beginning.
The Jazz have agreed to trade Rudy Gobert — a three-time defensive player of the year — to the Timberwolves for a massive package of players and draft picks, according to a person with knowledge of the blockbuster deal.
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges has been charged with felony domestic violence stemming from an incident earlier this week, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed Friday.
The LAPD posted on Twitter that Bridges was arrested for “intimate partner violence with injury,” a felony, on Wednesday following an incident two days earlier in West Los Angeles.
Zach LaVine is staying in Chicago. Same goes for Jusuf Nurkic in Portland.
Day 2 of NBA free agency on Friday brought another max deal — this time, going to LaVine, who secured the richest contract in Bulls history when he agreed to a $215 million, five-year contract.
The NBA has sent another strong indicator that the penalty for transition take fouls is about to change.
Such fouls will result in a penalty of one free throw, plus retention of the ball, at all three summer leagues this season — first the two smaller ones in San Francisco and Salt Lake City that start this weekend, then the 30-team one in Las Vegas that opens next week.
The Atlanta Hawks are trading Kevin Huerter to the Sacramento Kings for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless and a future conditional draft pick, according to a person with direct knowledge of the agreement.
CHICAGO (AP) — Zach LaVine is staying with the Chicago Bulls.
The two-time All-Star and Olympic gold medalist said Friday he has agreed to a new deal with the Bulls. LaVine will be signing a five-year max contract worth about $215 million, according to a person with direct knowledge of the terms who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the pact cannot be signed until next week by league rule.
Devin Booker helped Phoenix to the NBA Finals in 2021, then played a huge role in helping the Suns to the league’s best record this past season.
They can’t wait to see what he does next.
To no surprise, the Suns gave Booker a four-year extension early Friday that will begin with the 2024-25 season and pay him an additional $224 million over that span.
The Memphis Grizzlies are making sure All-Star point guard Ja Morant is going nowhere anytime soon.
Morant agreed to a five-year supermax rookie extension Friday. Tandem, the company home to Morant's agent, Jim Tanner, congratulated the guard on the contract on social media minutes after extensions could be signed.
The NBA generated more basketball-related income than ever this past season, the total number coming up just short of $9 billion.
Business is good. The first night of free agency underscored how good.
Kevin Durant may be taking his quest for more titles elsewhere.
Durant has requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, according to a person with direct knowledge of the decision that undoubtedly will have teams scrambling to put together offers for the perennial All-Star.
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic has gone from draft pick No. 41, to two-time MVP, and now the holder of the largest contract in NBA history.
Jokic and the Denver Nuggets agreed Thursday to a $264 supermax extension, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the player nor team announced the agreement.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets acquired forward Royce O’Neale from the Utah Jazz on Thursday for a conditional 2023 first-round draft pick.
The Nets announced the deal, noting the Jazz will receive the least favorable of the Brooklyn/Houston first-round pick swap and Philadelphia’s first-round pick that was previously acquired by Brooklyn.
Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards have agreed on a five-year contract that could pay him as much as $251 million — one of the largest contracts in NBA history.
Beal’s announcement was made by his agent, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports.
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges was arrested in California on the eve of NBA free agency after a warrant was issued, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
LAPD spokeswoman Lizeth Lomeli confirmed that Bridges was arrested on Wednesday but did not release details on the charges.
MIAMI (AP) — USA Basketball practice was winding down for the day. Players scattered about the Miami Heat practice court to go shoot some free throws and jumpers, with assistant coaches and other team staffers chatting with them and grabbing rebounds.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves are bringing back reserve forward Taurean Prince, who became a vital part of the second unit in his first season with the club.
Prince and the Timberwolves have agreed to a two-year, $16 million contract extension, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.
James Harden is taking less with hopes the Philadelphia 76ers can do more.
A person familiar with the situation said Harden chose not to exercise his $47.4 million option for next season and will become a free agent — but with no designs on leaving Philadelphia.
As the Utah Jazz spent time talking to candidates to become their next coach, Will Hardy quickly rose to the top of their list. And that’s where he stayed.
Hardy was announced as the coach of the Jazz on Wednesday, a day after the sides came to an agreement in principle.
Let the talking begin. The trading, too, and eventually the signing.
Free agency officially opens Thursday in the NBA, with teams able to begin negotiating at 6 p.m. Eastern with players who are not under contract — although, in reality, free agency and the slew of offseason movement is already off and running.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fresh off helping the Golden State Warriors win the NBA championship, Stephen Curry will host The ESPYS.
DENVER (AP) — The Denver Nuggets have agreed to a deal that would send guards Will Barton and Monte Morris to the Washington Wizards for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Wednesday.
DALLAS (AP) — Brett Yormark, an executive with Jay-Z's Roc Nation and former CEO of the Brooklyn Nets, was named Big 12 commissioner Wednesday, another unconventional hire by a major conference amid the rapidly changing landscape of college athletics.
NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly 14 million people watched the Golden State Warriors win its fourth NBA championship since 2015 by beating the Boston Celtics in the sixth game of their series.
The series that matched the NBA's most current dynasty against the one with the most championships overall averaged 12.3 million viewers, which was 24% more than the 2021 series between Milwaukee and Phoenix, the Nielsen company said.