12:31 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas has agreed to a two-year extension worth $30.1 million, agents Aaron Mintz, Mitch Nathan and Drew Morrison of CAA Basketball told ESPN on Wednesday. Valanciunas, who had one year left on his contract after being traded to New Orleans this offseason, is now tied
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4:32 PM ET Associated Press COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — – Jim Boylen has been picked to coach USA Basketball next month in the first window of qualifying for the 2023 Basketball World Cup. Boylen’s team will be composed primarily of G League players, and the roster is yet to be finalized. The team will train
2:16 PM ET NEW ORLEANS — Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers said the typical fun that surrounds opening day is muted with star point guard Ben Simmons back home under team suspension as his trade demand has kept the team dealing with drama. “It’s a predicament that we’re in and that part is no fun.
1:41 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN NEW YORK — Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 8, will be in the starting lineup for Wednesday’s opener against the New York Knicks, coach Ime Udoka said. Brown, who had been listed as questionable on Tuesday afternoon, said he had “some mild symptoms
12:19 PM ET Good morning. Welcome to the morning of a thousand overreactions. (Most will be about Russell Westbrook. We will do our best to avoid.) The 2021 NBA fantasy off-season lasted about 48-72 hours. (Up from 2020’s 48-72 minutes.) We have plenty of data points, hot takes and preseason observations to lend us a
4:16 AM ET LOS ANGELES — LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook failed their first real test together, a 121-114 loss to the Golden State Warriors on opening night, but they found some common ground. The defeat meant that all three of them lost in their Lakers debut: James against the Portland Trail Blazers
8:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN KEMBA WALKER‘S FIRST basket in a New York Knicks uniform was a simple one. A couple minutes into New York’s preseason opener at Madison Square Garden against the Indiana Pacers, Walker had the ball at the top of the key. He then executed a give-and-go with Julius Randle, darted around
8:00 AM ET Who will win the biggest awards for the 2021-22 NBA season? Giannis Antetokounmpo picked up where he left off on opening night, pouring in 32 points with 14 rebounds and 7 assists. Is a third MVP in his future or will another superstar take home the award? Could we see a repeat
3:38 AM ET LOS ANGELES — The Golden State Warriors followed a familiar flow chart through almost all of last season’s up-and-down campaign that resulted in a second straight year without a playoff appearance. If star guard Stephen Curry shot well, the Warriors had a chance to win. If he didn’t — they didn’t. Even
8:02 PM ET Jamal Collier MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks handed out their championship rings and unveiled the banner for the franchise’s first championship in 50 years ahead of Tuesday night’s season-opening 127-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets. “Milwaukee, we did it,” Bucks forward Khris Middleton said to the crowd at Fiserv Forum during the