9:19 AM ET Kawhi Leonard nudging Paul George out of Oklahoma City with two years remaining on George’s contract will go down as a watershed moment in the NBA — for the teams it built and tore apart; for the bounty the Thunder received; but mostly for what it signified about the degree to which
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5:28 PM ET Tim Duncan has returned to the San Antonio Spurs as an assistant on coach Gregg Popovich’s staff, the team announced Monday. “It is only fitting, that after I served loyally for 19 years as Tim Duncan’s assistant, that he returns the favor,” Popovich said in a statement. Duncan, 43, played his entire
3:18 PM ET ESPN News Services EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Lakers have been awarded the rights to Kostas Antetokounmpo on a waiver claim. The Lakers announced the move Monday to acquire the 21-year-old brother of 24-year-old Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Kostas Antetokounmpo played in two games last season for Dallas. The
2:20 PM ET This summer, NBA stars — well, some of them — are taking on the world in China. With players such as James Harden, Anthony Davis and Bradley Beal withdrawing from Team USA participation, who remains on the roster to challenge powerhouses Spain, France and Serbia? Team USA also is looking to pull
3:52 PM ET Washington Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard will offer guard Bradley Beal a three-year, $111 million maximum contract extension upon the All-Star becoming eligible to sign on Friday, Sheppard told ESPN. “At the very first moment allowed, we are going to offer Brad the full max extension,” Sheppard told ESPN. Beal, 26, has
5:25 PM ET Bradley Beal and Tobias Harris have withdrawn from playing with Team USA in the World Cup this summer, Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo told ESPN. In addition, No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson plans to skip taking part in Team USA training camp playing for the Select Team, sources said. The
9:47 AM ET In the way that former president Ernie Grunfeld had structured and managed the Washington Wizards‘ hierarchy, there were few instances of subordinates afforded access to owner Ted Leonsis. Coaches and executives would come and go, but audiences without Grunfeld’s presence to filter interactions were rare. This was why Leonsis didn’t know assistant
12:08 PM ET Free-agent guard Kyle Korver has agreed to a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, his agent Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports told ESPN. Korver had a tough decision between the Philadelphia 76ers and Bucks, but his relationship and history with coach Mike Budenholzer played a major factor in the decision. The most
9:08 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN The Washington Wizards have made Tommy Sheppard their permanent general manger, league sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday. Sheppard has held the job on an interim basis for the past three and a half months, after his longtime predecessor, Ernie Grunfeld, was fired in early April. Sheppard has been with
7:54 PM ET James Harden says he tries to come up with something innovative every offseason, something more creative than his latest move. Two years ago, Harden perfected the step-back. Last summer, the Houston Rockets guard then perfected the side step-back. In a Q&A session Friday with young fans at a promotional event attended by