NBA

5:03 PM ET Amid thinning rosters in the darkest days of the coronavirus pandemic, the NBA is progressing toward an expansion of regular-season rosters, sources told ESPN. The NBA and National Basketball Players Association must still agree on the details of granting teams an additional two-way roster spot for the balance of the regular season,

4:33 PM ET NEW YORK — After a turbulent ending to his tenure with the Rockets, new Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden said Friday that he doesn’t believe he was disrespectful to anyone at the end of his career in Houston but regrets the way the situation unfolded. “I’ve been there for a very long

1:18 PM ET Despite nine COVID-related postponements since Sunday, team health officials, team executives and sources around the league familiar with its health and safety protocols say that, while the situation remains fluid, they don’t expect it to be enough to warrant a shutdown of the league or moving back to a bubble. The officials

11:59 AM ET Newly acquired Brooklyn Nets forward James Harden took to social media on Friday to thank the city of Houston and the Rockets, saying he was “indebted” to the franchise. “Houston you welcomed me with no guarantees. Took a leap of faith and it changed my life and the lives of my family

11:14 AM ET Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving has been fined $50,000 for violating the league’s health and safety protocols and ordered to take part in a five-day quarantine, NBA president of league operations Byron Spruell announced Friday. According to a release from the NBA, Irving violated the protocols by attending a private indoor party

7:00 AM ET Anthony OlivieriESPN.com Willie Cauley-Stein was in fifth grade when he packed up his bag for a trek across Spearville, Kansas, a tiny blip of a town — population: 800 — just up US-50 from Dodge City, which passes for a metropolis in a blur of flatlands and windmills. Cauley-Stein was headed to

2:46 AM ET As up and down as the first 12 games of the Golden State Warriors new season have been, no contest has underscored the difference between Stephen Curry ‘s past and present basketball reality more than Thursday’s 114-104 loss to the Denver Nuggets. As much as both Curry and coach Steve Kerr tried

12:04 AM ET The short-handed Houston Rockets were good enough Thursday night to win their first game after James Harden’s trade request was granted. The Rockets, who had only nine available players due to injuries and the pending arrivals of newcomers, capped off what first-year head coach Stephen Silas called “a crazy 48 hours” with

12:01 AM ET ESPN News Services Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic fractured his right wrist Thursday night during a 111-87 loss to the visiting Indiana Pacers. Nurkic could be seen holding the wrist after swiping at the ball in the third quarter, and he fell to the floor after contact under Indiana’s basket. At

10:45 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN In his first game after ultimately not being included in a trade for James Harden, All-Star Ben Simmons had a triple-double — 10 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists — in 34 minutes to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 125-108 victory over the Miami Heat, and said afterward trade

8:15 PM ET Kelly CohenESPN Chances are if you are a sports fan, you’ve seen the name James Harden trending across social media this week. Harden was traded by the Houston Rockets on Wednesday to the Brooklyn Nets in a four-team megadeal that also sent Caris LeVert to the Indiana Pacers and Victor Oladipo, among

6:22 PM ET Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant is questionable for Friday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves after missing more than two weeks with a left ankle sprain. Morant had to be taken by a wheelchair to the locker room after injuring his ankle in a Dec. 28 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

4:59 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN Zion Williamson was cleared Thursday to return to team activities. The New Orleans Pelicans forward missed Wednesday night’s game against the LA Clippers because of inconclusive COVID-19 test results and because the results of subsequent testing weren’t going to come back until after the game. The Pelicans received word Thursday

4:47 PM ET Saturday’s game between the Indiana Pacers and Phoenix Suns at Phoenix Suns Arena has been postponed, the NBA announced Thursday. Because of ongoing contact tracing within the Suns, the team does not have the league-required eight available players to proceed with the Pacers. That brings the leaguewide total to nine games postponed

3:53 PM ET NEW YORK — Without divulging details on Kyrie Irving‘s nonattendance over the past five games, Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks said that it was disappointing to be without their All-Star guard but that Irving has assured him he’s looking forward to being back. “Without a doubt, the organization is disappointed with

1:57 PM ET Shooting guard Eric Gordon said he believes the trade that sent former franchise cornerstone James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets allows the Houston Rockets to have “a real direction” under first-year head coach Stephen Silas after a chaotic start to the season. “Obviously, you could tell from the summer and since the

2:44 PM ET NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks said Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have “conviction” about the direction of the team in the wake of the trade to land James Harden and are prepared to make the necessary on-court sacrifices. Marks said he consulted the franchise’s stars as the Nets

11:39 AM ET Associated Press The Boston Celtics expect their unplanned weeklong hiatus because of coronavirus-related issues to end Friday, when they’re scheduled to play host to the Orlando Magic. Celtics general manager Danny Ainge, in a radio interview Thursday, said “it looks like we’re moving in the right direction.” Boston had three games that