9:02 PM ET ESPN News Services The Brooklyn Nets have extended a qualifying offer to D’Angelo Russell, making the point guard a restricted free agent, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. The widely expected decision Friday allows the Nets to match any offer Russell receives from another team. The Athletic first reported the qualifying
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7:47 PM ET Magic Johnson says he received word that Kawhi Leonard had an interest in speaking with him as the free agent prepares to meet with the Los Angeles Lakers but that he is not permitted by NBA rules to be part of official team meetings with prospective free agents. Leonard, who is expected
7:17 PM ET Let’s bounce around the free-agency questions big and small as we wait on Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the other massive dominoes. What are the ripple effects of Boston closing in on Kemba Walker? • Boston potentially devoting most of its cap space to Walker would mark an intriguing rebound
3:20 PM ET ESPN News Services OAKLAND, Calif. — The Golden State Warriors announced on Friday multiyear contract extensions for general manager Bob Myers and chief operating officer Rick Welts. Golden State reached its fifth straight NBA Finals before losing to the Toronto Raptors in Game 6 to miss out on a three-peat after winning
12:43 PM ET The NBA will implement a coach’s challenge at the upcoming summer leagues and anticipates using the rule during the 2019-20 regular season as part of a pilot program, per a memo sent to teams this morning and obtained by ESPN. Coaches will get only one challenge per game, whether it is successful
10:08 AM ET Associated Press ATHENS, Greece — Giannis Antetokounmpo says he will play for Greece at this year’s basketball World Cup in China, adding that he can play any position. The Milwaukee Bucks player and NBA MVP says he hasn’t “talked to the coach about which position I’ll be playing … the important thing
7:19 AM ET Ramona Shelburne Close ESPN Senior Writer Senior writer for ESPN.com Spent seven years at the Los Angeles Daily News Brian Windhorst Close ESPN Senior Writer ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010 Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years Author of two books On the day after the Golden State Warriors lost the NBA Finals,
8:49 AM ET AS THE PUBLIC flogging commences, and the piling on ensues, Kyrie Irving assumes a yoga pose in Japan with the accompanying cryptic message: “Freedom from greed ensures a peaceful life.” It’s too simplistic to put all the blame of Boston’s lost 2018-19 season at the feet of this basketball supernova, who declared
3:44 PM ET The Boston Celtics are hiring former WNBA and Olympic champion Kara Lawson as an assistant coach, league sources tell ESPN. Lawson, an ESPN analyst, also has been a television analyst for the Washington Wizards for the past three seasons and has contemplated several coaching opportunities in recent years before landing with Boston.
3:27 PM ET Free agent Kawhi Leonard is expected to allow the Toronto Raptors to make the final presentation among the teams meeting with him in Los Angeles next week, league sources tell ESPN. The incumbent often prefers to go last in trying to convince a player to stay with the team. 2 Related Leonard