6:51 AM ET Tim Bontemps Andrew Lopez While other NBA players started working out in their home markets this week to prepare for training camp, Zion Williamson never left. The New Orleans Pelicans‘ rookie phenom has been working out at the team’s facility throughout the hiatus, one of several players the league granted exceptions to
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Jun 23, 2020 Carmine CarcieriESPN As the first major American basketball event to take center stage during the coronavirus pandemic, The Basketball Tournament is set for its biggest year yet. It’s not just about the storylines — Carmen’s Crew seeking a repeat before Aaron Craft retires or Overseas Elite looking for revenge — but also
12:50 AM ET Free-agent guard JR Smith, out of the NBA for two years, has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Avery Bradley on the Los Angeles Lakers‘ roster for the season’s Orlando restart, sources told ESPN. Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and Smith’s agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, were discussing
8:39 PM ET As the Milwaukee Bucks prepare to enter the NBA’s post-pandemic Disney enclave, there’s no sense in dwelling on how their historic season would have continued to unfold had the coronavirus not brought the world to an abrupt halt. Could the Bucks have added to their gaudy league-leading point differential (+11.2)? To their
11:37 PM ET Free-agent guard Tyler Johnson has agreed to a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Tuesday. Johnson, 28, was waived by the Phoenix Suns in February. He is in the final year of a four-year deal. Johnson averaged 5.7 points in 16 minutes per game for the Suns,
10:49 PM ET Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley has opted out of playing in the NBA’s Orlando, Florida, restart of the season, he told ESPN on Tuesday. Bradley, who started 44 games for the Lakers this season, informed team management of his decision. The Lakers will be able to sign a replacement player for
4:47 PM ET Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 Brian Windhorst Close ESPN Senior Writer ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010 Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years Author of two books Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic tested positive for the coronavirus in Serbia and his return to
11:10 AM ET Two-time All-Star Andre Drummond says he plans to pick up his player option that will keep him in Cleveland for another year. Drummond, who was traded to the Cavaliers by the Detroit Pistons in February, has a $28.75 million option for the 2020-21 season. He said on Tuesday’s episode of the ESPN
5:48 PM ET Portland Trail Blazers forward Trevor Ariza is opting out of participation in the NBA’s Orlando restart of the season, committing instead to a one-month visitation window with his young son, sources tell ESPN. Ariza, a starter, has been involved in a custody case over his 12-year-old son, and the mother’s decision to
11:18 PM ET Associated Press DALLAS — Dallas Mavericks veteran guard Courtney Lee will be out injured when the team is scheduled to resume organized workouts next week. The Mavericks said Monday night that Lee injured his left calf during the NBA hiatus. The team said he wouldn’t be available when workouts start up again