12:50 PM ET NEW YORK — Just hours before free agency is set to begin, Nets general manager Sean Marks said that Brooklyn’s priority is to retain shooting guard Joe Harris. “We hope that we can continue to build with Joe,” Marks said. “Joe is an intricate piece to the program here, not only what
NBA
11:23 AM ET While All-NBA forward Anthony Davis is on course to eventually agree on a new deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, no formal commitment is expected to come in the immediate days following the start of free agency Friday, sources told ESPN. Klutch Sports CEO and Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, will be in
11:57 PM ET Two of the biggest stars in hip-hop battled on Thursday night at Magic City in Atlanta to kick off Season 2 of “Verzuz.” With beef, controversy and drama filling the air, social media was ready to see potential fireworks as Jeezy and Gucci Mane squared off in the latest showdown of the
12:40 AM ET ESPN News Services Lawrence Frank, the LA Clippers‘ president of basketball operations, commented on the addition of guard Luke Kennard following the team’s official announcement of his acquisition from Detroit on Thursday. “Luke is a young, ascending player who has worked hard to establish himself as a reliable shooter and playmaker,” Frank
9:24 PM ET The NBA is investigating whether a failed sign-and-trade agreement that would have sent Bogdan Bogdanovic from the Sacramento Kings to the Milwaukee Bucks happened earlier than league rules allow, sources confirmed to ESPN. News of the league’s investigation was first reported Thursday by The New York Times. The NBA’s free-agency period begins
6:59 PM ET The Golden State Warriors are on the verge of acquiring Kelly Oubre Jr. from the Oklahoma City Thunder, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Oubre’s $14.4 million salary will be absorbed into the $17.2 million trade exception created last summer after the Warriors sent veteran swingman Andre Iguodala in a separate deal to
4:40 PM ET The Phoenix Suns are declining the $5.2 million team option on Frank Kaminsky‘s contract, making him an unrestricted free agent, a source tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Kaminsky averaged 9.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 39 games last season, his first with the Suns. He has career averages of 9.8 points,
5:54 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Gordon Hayward opted out of his $34.2 million contract with the Boston Celtics for the 2020-21 season Thursday afternoon, making him an unrestricted free agent beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, league sources tell ESPN. Hayward, who averaged 17.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 52 games for the Celtics
2:00 PM ET The New York Knicks created over $40 million in salary-cap space Thursday by parting ways with six veteran players. The Knicks announced that they waived forward Taj Gibson and guards Elfrid Payton and Wayne Ellington and declined the $15.75 million team option on forward Bobby Portis‘ contract. Gibson was set to make
4:45 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Ready or not, the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers will be playing preseason games in less than a month. That means L.A.’s soon-to-be 36-year-old superstar, LeBron James, will be gearing up for his 18th season when it seems like his 17th season just ended, with a title in the
2:58 PM ET Houston Rockets guard Austin Rivers has decided to opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent, a source told The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears. After four years with the LA Clippers, Rivers spent short stints with the Wizards and Suns before finding a home with the Rockets. Rivers, 28,
1:47 PM ET Golden State Warriors star guard Klay Thompson has suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon tear, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Thompson suffered a right leg injury during a workout Wednesday in Southern California, the team announced. He underwent an MRI on Thursday morning. Thompson was playing with several NBA players in Los
11:52 AM ET Jeremy WillisESPN.com Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has just received the highest honor. What can be better than winning NBA Rookie of the Year? How about getting a zoo animal named after you. The Memphis Zoo announced Thursday that its newest giraffe would be named “Ja Raffe” in honor of Morant, who
11:51 AM ET Miami Heat center Kelly Olynyk has exercised his $13.6 million player option for the 2020-21 season, a source tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Olynyk, 29, averaged 8.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 69 games for the Heat last season, his third with the team. He averaged 7.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and
7:00 AM ET The Ball Family Draft Night Extravaganza (heavy on the extra) began hours before the first pick, at a check-in table in the driveway of the family home in Chino Hills, California. Temperatures are taken, hand sanitizer is offered, waivers are signed, pens are separated in containers marked CLEAN and USED, and each
8:46 AM ET Memphis Grizzlies forwards Jaren Jackson Jr. and Justise Winslow will not be ready for the start of the upcoming season. Grizzlies vice president of basketball operations Zach Kleiman told reporters Wednesday night that Jackson and Winslow will still be recovering from injuries when the 2020-21 season starts next month. Kleiman said it
12:18 AM ET The Philadelphia 76ers acquired a historically elite 3-point shooter who happens to be married to the coach’s daughter, agreeing to a draft-night trade that sent shooting guard Josh Richardson and the No. 36 pick to the Dallas Mavericks for Seth Curry, sources told ESPN. Curry, whose father-in-law is new Sixers coach Doc
7:12 PM ET Houston traded Trevor Ariza and the No. 16 pick in Wednesday night’s draft to Detroit for a future first-round pick, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal gives the Rockets — a hard-capped team — the freedom to use their midlevel exception in free agency. 1 Related The Rockets are purchasing Detroit’s