11:18 PM ET Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul has formally declined the $44 million player option on his contract for next season, but both Paul and the Suns are motivated to negotiate a new deal once talks can begin at 6 p.m. ET on Monday, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Paul had a midnight ET
NBA
9:34 PM ET The Miami Heat are positioning themselves to become front-runners to land Kyle Lowry in a sign-and-trade agreement once discussions are permitted to begin with the opening of NBA free agency on Monday, sources told ESPN. Lowry has long been intrigued with joining Heat star Jimmy Butler and the Miami organization, and now
5:44 PM ET Kawhi Leonard has declined his $36 million player option for next season, becoming a free agent, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The expectation is that Leonard will negotiate a new deal to stay with the LA Clippers. Yahoo Sports first reported that Leonard has declined his option. Leonard’s decision comes
3:04 PM ET The Miami Heat are declining the $15 million team option on forward Andre Iguodala‘s contract for next season, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, but the team picked up the $19.4 million team option on guard Goran Dragic, it announced Sunday. The Heat’s decision to pick up the Dragic’s option is a
11:14 AM ET Associated Press SAITAMA, Japan — Evan Fournier and Nicolas Batum are going for gold, though they can’t forget about the green. Basketball and business are about to mix in a way players have never experienced. The quarterfinals of the Olympic men’s tournament arrives on the same day free agency opens in the
8:02 AM ET Associated Press SAITAMA, Japan — The U.S. and Spain played for Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012, then in the semifinals in 2016. And at the Tokyo Games, the top teams in the FIBA world rankings will meet again – just earlier than has been the norm. The three-time reigning Olympic champion
2:46 PM ET Associated Press ATHENS, Greece — Giannis Antetokounmpo definitely had something to declare on his triumphant return to Greece on Sunday. The NBA star carried the Larry O’Brien Trophy with him at Athens International Airport and said he hopes to win more titles with the Milwaukee Bucks. “We are happy to be back
8:48 PM ET Serge Ibaka has exercised his player option and will return to the LA Clippers for his second season, sources confirmed to ESPN on Saturday. Ibaka picked up his $9.7-million option. The veteran center was the Clippers’ biggest addition during the past offseason in free agency but Ibaka was limited to just 41
2:31 PM ET Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis is declining his $3.8 million player option and will become a free agent, agent Mark Bartelstein told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday. The most the Bucks can offer Portis is a $5.9 million exception, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The 26-year-old Portis was one of the more
9:46 AM ET SAITAMA, Japan — The best thing Team USA had going for it this summer was Kevin Durant committing to play. Saturday he reminded everyone why. On a night when he became the all-time leading American scorer in the Olympics, Durant added another tremendous performance to his Team USA resume in a 119-84