6:41 PM ET BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Kentucky Wildcats coach John Calipari came out strongly against the idea that the NBA would consider expanding beyond its current draft format, which includes two rounds. Speaking at the SEC Tipoff event on Wednesday afternoon, Calipari argued that the more rounds wouldn’t be for the NBA but rather to
admin
Every October, the collective NBA intelligentsia generates a consensus on what we know to be true about the impending season. The track record isn’t great. In 1991, we knew we’d be getting Magic Johnson vs. Michael Jordan for years to come. In 1994, we knew the NBA was doomed. In 1995, we knew we better
8:02 AM ET Sacramento Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic is weighing a maximum contract extension from Sacramento or entering free agency after the season. Bogdanovic told The Sacramento Bee on Tuesday that he has received a four-year, $51.4 million extension offer but has not decided whether he will sign it. “They did, but we will wait
It’s hard to look at the New York Knicks after this summer and not see the glass half-empty. In fact, it’s hard to look at the glass and think it’s anything but empty. After they traded Kristaps Porzingis — who was the franchise’s biggest break in years — they bet the moon on winning both
10:43 PM ET ESPN News Services From Larry Bird to Ray Allen, the Boston Celtics have suited up some of the best perimeter shooters in NBA history. None of them ever had a hotter hand from behind the arc in a quarter than rookie Carsen Edwards on Tuesday night. Edwards made eight 3-pointers and scored
Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson talk about all things NBA, including what made Kobe Bryant so great: He’s a well-calculated psychopath on the hardwood. It’s not just the great play on the hardwood that makes the NBA so captivating. A lot of the league’s popularity comes from the men playing in those basketball games, on
7:34 PM ET EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — LeBron James said Tuesday he had not seen reports of protesters in Hong Kong trampling on his jerseys and even watching one burn following his comments about Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey’s tweet that sparked turmoil and tension between China and the NBA. A day after saying
The NBA preseason is in full swing and teams around the league are shaking off the rust in exhibition games that may or may not be televised. Trying to make a meaningful assessment based on preseason play is a fool’s errand, but the games can be useful to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses that may factor
Daryl Morey’s tweet heard ’round the world sparked international upheaval, spanning the issues of geopolitical diplomacy, censorship, human rights and, of course, basketball. Before delving into the controversy itself, here’s a brief background of the why and the what: Since June, protests have run rampant in Hong Kong, gradually becoming more violent over time. The
9:08 AM ET Andre SnellingsESPN Three seasons ago, after Kevin Durant left the Thunder to play for the Warriors, Russell Westbrook went nuts on the court. He would go on to post then-career highs in scoring (31.6 PPG), rebounds (10.7 RPG) and assists (10.4 APG) in one of the greatest individual statistical seasons in NBA
The Oklahoma City Thunder are beginning a new chapter in 2019-20. Here are their five biggest questions for the upcoming season. 1. By the end of this season, it will be clear that Shai-Gilgeous Alexander is . A legitimate franchise
9:50 PM ET LOS ANGELES — LeBron James believes Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey “wasn’t educated” before he sent the tweet in support of antigovernment protesters in Hong Kong that damaged relations between China and the NBA. Speaking to the media for the first time since Morey’s tweet on Oct. 4 set off a
Being a number one overall draft pick in the NBA instantly puts a target on your back. Expectations come with that as well, fair or not. Andrew Wiggins has had a roller coaster ride since being taken with the top pick in the 2014 draft. After three years of promise, he has tapered off in
3:24 PM ET NBA commissioner Adam Silver held a tense meeting with players from the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers last week when he arrived in Shanghai, sources told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. During the meeting, sources said several prominent players also voiced frustration about what they perceived as being put in the middle of
Will Kawhi Leonard’s load-management plan with the Toronto Raptors spur a wave of copycats during the 2019-20 NBA season? Kawhi Leonard might be a trendsetter. The Toronto Raptors held Leonard out for 14 games last year for “load management,” according to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, as he attempted to put a mysterious quadriceps injury
3:20 PM ET San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich on Sunday responded to criticism from Donald Trump, praising NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s handling of the ongoing China issue as compared to the president’s relationship to a number of foreign leaders. “[Silver] stood by our nation and its principles. That’s pretty huge in these days,” Popovich
For the better part of the last decade, Jeff Teague has been a mainstay of the NBA point guard crop. He is the consummate professional every team desires to have, drawing on a track record of unselfishness and availability on the floor while also providing leadership and guidance away from it. Between 2011 and 2018,
3:34 PM ET Key Houston Rockets reserve swingman Gerald Green is believed to have suffered a broken left foot and is expected to miss an extended stretch, league sources confirmed. Sources said that Green, who was injured during the Rockets’ preseason win Thursday over the Toronto Raptors in Japan, will get more medical opinions on
Coming off a 19-win season and a summer of change, how should the rebuilding Phoenix Suns define success for the 2019-20 NBA season? The Phoenix Suns enter the 2019-20 NBA season in a different, yet extremely familiar position: coming off a summer of incremental changes framed as a reboot, hoping this time will be different.
5:52 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO — As Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry gets ready to enter his 11th NBA season, he does so with those around him believing that he is at the ‘peak’ of his basketball powers. Warriors coach Steve Kerr has reiterated throughout training camp that he is not expecting Curry to
The Southeast Division saw its fair share of new additions this offseason. And while there is less established talent within the division than there is in the Atlantic or Pacific, there is plenty of youth on the precipice of breaking out. With the NBA season right around the corner, Basketball Insiders’ breakout players series is
3:05 AM ET LOS ANGELES — It took Kawhi Leonard less than two minutes to show why the LA Clippers went to great lengths to get the superstar forward. Making his Clippers preseason debut, Leonard hit a 14-footer, stole a pass from Gary Harris and then buried a step-back 3-pointer in the span of 21
With China as big a market as it is for the NBA, could the current situation between the country and league bring a drop in the salary cap? There’s no denying China is a huge market for the NBA, with the 2017 Finals drawing nearly 200 million mobile viewers in the country. In the wake
8:54 PM ET Associated Press The Cleveland Cavaliers visited team owner Dan Gilbert, who is recovering at home after suffering a stroke in May. After playing a preseason game in Detroit on Friday night, the Cavs delayed their trip to Boston so they could spend time Saturday with the 57-year-old Gilbert. He recently returned to
The Southeast Division saw its fair share of new additions this offseason. And while there is less established talent within the division than there is in the Atlantic or Pacific, there is plenty of youth on the precipice of breaking out. With the NBA season right around the corner, Basketball Insiders’ breakout players series is
SHANGHAI, CHINA – OCTOBER 10: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles during a preseason game as part of 2019 NBA Global Games China on October 10, 2019 at Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai, China. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to
8:53 AM ET SHENZHEN, China — Anthony Davis sprained his right thumb in the first half of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday and will not return, according to the team. Davis suffered the injury swatting at the ball midway through the first quarter. He started at center as
TORONTO, ON – MAY 7: Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons (25) reaches in on Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam (43). Toronto Raptors vs Philadelphia 76ers in1st half action of Round 2, Game 5 of NBA playoff play at Scotiabank Arena. Raptors win 125-89 and now lead series 3-2. Toronto Star/Rick Madonik (Rick Madonik/Toronto Star via
10:51 AM ET SHENZHEN, China — With a couple minutes remaining in pregame warmups, LeBron James made his way from the court to the Los Angeles Lakers‘ bench. He sat down, closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. After a long week in China where the NBA’s burgeoning business in the Far East
The Southeast Division saw its fair share of new additions this offseason. And while there is less established talent within the division than there is in the Atlantic or Pacific, there is plenty of youth on the precipice of breaking out. With the NBA season right around the corner, Basketball Insiders’ breakout players series is