8:40 AM ET NBA free agency officially begins Sunday afternoon. This year’s class features some of the NBA’s top players, including reigning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. Where does Leonard rank among fellow free agents Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving? Should the Lakers target a third star or multiple role players with their cap
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6:55 PM ET Once free agency starts on Sunday, the Rockets are planning to recruit Jimmy Butler to push the Philadelphia 76ers for a sign-and-trade deal that would allow the All-Star forward to join James Harden and Chris Paul in Houston, league sources tell ESPN. The Rockets don’t have the salary-cap space to sign Butler,
4:04 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN WALTHAM, Mass. — Things haven’t exactly gone according to plan for the Boston Celtics. And yet, as the start of free agency approaches this weekend, Marcus Smart remains optimistic about the state of the franchise — even as both Kyrie Irving and Al Horford appear headed elsewhere next month. “I’m
12:30 PM ET Toronto Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri says he’s staying with the team he helped build into an NBA champion. Ujiri made the announcement to reporters during his season-ending media availability. “I love it here. My family loves it here. My wife loves it here, which is very important. My kids
7:34 PM ET ESPN News Services Toronto Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri says he’s staying with the team he helped build into an NBA champion. Ujiri made the announcement to reporters during his season-ending media availability Tuesday. “I love it here. My family loves it here. My wife loves it here, which is
11:58 PM ET Giannis Antetokounmpo joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the second Milwaukee Bucks player to win the Most Valuable Player award. The award was announced on Monday at a ceremony in Los Angeles. At just 24 years old, Antetokounmpo became the third-youngest player to win the MVP over the past 40 seasons, behind Derrick Rose
10:12 PM ET SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Lakers governor and controlling owner Jeanie Buss said she was stunned by Magic Johnson’s shocking resignation but that she has full confidence in Rob Pelinka directing Los Angeles’ basketball operations. Speaking Monday for the first time since Johnson shocked the Lakers and then later accused Pelinka of backstabbing
8:20 PM ET Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — A former top Sacramento Kings executive was sentenced Monday to seven years in prison for siphoning $13.4 million from the team. Jeffrey David, 44, the team’s former chief revenue officer, pleaded guilty in December to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. David diverted the sponsorship payments of
5:23 PM ET OAKLAND, Calif. — Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers demurred when asked if he was optimistic heading into formal conversations with Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson this week regarding their respective futures with the team. “We’ll see,” Myers said during a Monday news conference to introduce Warriors rookies Jordan Poole, Alen
10:15 PM ET The Portland Trail Blazers have traded Evan Turner to the Atlanta Hawks for Kent Bazemore. Turner, a former No. 2 overall pick of the Philadelphia 76ers, spent the past three seasons with the Blazers. Bazemore had been with Atlanta for the past five seasons, making him the longest-tenured current Hawk before the