2:35 AM ET SAITAMA, Japan — Kevin Durant‘s case as the greatest Olympic basketball player ever is growing by the game. Team USA is badly in need of the chase. For the third straight Summer Olympics, Durant has been an offensive powerhouse as he’s overwhelmed the challenges of the international game with his spectacular shooting
NBA
12:24 AM ET Free-agent guard Spencer Dinwiddie is nearing a deal with the Washington Wizards, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday. The move would give the Wizards a replacement for Russell Westbrook, whom the team has agreed to trade to the Los Angeles Lakers. Dinwiddie, 28, played only three games for the Brooklyn Nets
12:17 AM ET Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has agreed to a five-year, $172 million maximum rookie contract extension, his agent, Thaddeus Foucher of Wasserman, told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal includes a 30% escalator clause that would turn the guaranteed $172 million base into $207 million should Gilgeous-Alexander be voted to one of
12:00 AM ET Atlanta Hawks All-Star point guard Trae Young has agreed to a five-year designated rookie maximum extension worth up to , $207 million, his agent Omar Wilkes of Klutch Sports told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal includes a 30 percent escalator clause that would turn the guaranteed $172 million base into $207 million
6:33 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN In a busy start to the NBA free-agency period, the New York Knicks agreed on a three-year, $43 million deal Monday to bring back former MVP Derrick Rose, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, and have an agreement in place with guard Evan Fournier, formerly of the Boston Celtics, his agent
8:38 PM ET LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers agreed to terms with four former players on Monday — Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Wayne Ellington and Kent Bazemore — as the franchise looks to refill its roster after all the players it sent out in the Russell Westbrook deal, sources told ESPN. Howard, 35,
6:29 PM ET The Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler are progressing toward a maximum contract extension that could be worth up to $184 million over four years, sources told ESPN on Monday. Butler and the Heat can finalize the deal over the next week and officially come to terms after Friday, when he’s eligible to
6:59 PM ET Kyle Lowry is joining the Miami Heat on a three-year deal via a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Raptors, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Lowry announced the news that he was signing with Miami on social media. The Heat also agreed to bring back restricted free agent Duncan Robinson on a 5-year,
6:10 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN The Chicago Bulls and point guard Lonzo Ball are landing on a four-year, $85 million deal as part of a sign-and-trade agreement with the New Orleans Pelicans, Ball’s agent Rich Paul told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday. For the Bulls, Ball slots in at a guard spot where he can
1:21 PM ET Eric WoodyardESPN ALLEN PARK, Mich. – A couple of fans were granted an all-access tour of the Detroit Lions practice facility on Monday. Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey and general manager Troy Weaver were both on site to watch the latest training camp practice for the Detroit Lions. Weaver and Casey
12:00 PM ET After eight years as the NBA’s executive vice president of basketball operations, Kiki VanDeWeghe stepped down Monday to transition into a league advisory role. VanDeWeghe, 63, played a significant part in modernizing the league’s basketball operations during his tenure, beginning in the late months of former commissioner David Stern’s tenure and continuing
8:23 AM ET TOKYO — Zach LaVine is eligible for a contract extension with the Chicago Bulls in the next few days. He reiterated Monday that he wants to be rewarded for his All-Star level of play but will work with the team’s front office as it looks to use cap space for new talent.
11:18 PM ET Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul has formally declined the $44 million player option on his contract for next season, but both Paul and the Suns are motivated to negotiate a new deal once talks can begin at 6 p.m. ET on Monday, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Paul had a midnight ET
9:34 PM ET The Miami Heat are positioning themselves to become front-runners to land Kyle Lowry in a sign-and-trade agreement once discussions are permitted to begin with the opening of NBA free agency on Monday, sources told ESPN. Lowry has long been intrigued with joining Heat star Jimmy Butler and the Miami organization, and now
5:44 PM ET Kawhi Leonard has declined his $36 million player option for next season, becoming a free agent, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The expectation is that Leonard will negotiate a new deal to stay with the LA Clippers. Yahoo Sports first reported that Leonard has declined his option. Leonard’s decision comes
2:46 PM ET Associated Press ATHENS, Greece — Giannis Antetokounmpo definitely had something to declare on his triumphant return to Greece on Sunday. The NBA star carried the Larry O’Brien Trophy with him at Athens International Airport and said he hopes to win more titles with the Milwaukee Bucks. “We are happy to be back
3:04 PM ET The Miami Heat are declining the $15 million team option on forward Andre Iguodala‘s contract for next season, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, but the team picked up the $19.4 million team option on guard Goran Dragic, it announced Sunday. The Heat’s decision to pick up the Dragic’s option is a
11:14 AM ET Associated Press SAITAMA, Japan — Evan Fournier and Nicolas Batum are going for gold, though they can’t forget about the green. Basketball and business are about to mix in a way players have never experienced. The quarterfinals of the Olympic men’s tournament arrives on the same day free agency opens in the