News

3:03 PM ET Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. will miss Wednesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers because of lumbar management, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. There is optimism he could be back for Friday’s game against the Utah Jazz. A back injury limited Porter to nine games in 2021-22, and he underwent

12:30 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN PHOENIX — Warriors guard Klay Thompson was ejected for the first time in his career after picking up two consecutive technical fouls during a chippy third quarter in Golden State’s 134-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. It was the five-time All-Star’s first career ejection in 759 regular-season

8:10 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown and Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald both announced Tuesday night that they are leaving Donda Sports, the agency founded by the artist formerly known as Kanye West, due to antisemitic comments he recently made. The announcements came hours after Adidas terminated its relationship

8:00 AM ET Brian Windhorst and a team of ESPN’s Insiders sort out life and the news from in and around the NBA world. The Los Angeles Lakers are 0-3, have roster construction issues and eventually will have to make a trade — probably, but not certainly, involving Russell Westbrook. For now, let’s focus on

1:40 AM ET MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Brooklyn Nets swingman Ben Simmons called several of the whistles he received “bulls—” following a 134-124 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night, noting that “refs make mistakes too.” While Simmons, who fouled out for the second time in three regular-season games, was frustrated with many calls, the

8:00 AM ET NBA Insiders The first week of the 2022-23 NBA season did not disappoint, delivering big-time performances, upsets and playoff-caliber matchups. Ja Morant and Paolo Banchero got off to strong starts, as the Memphis Grizzlies star scored 49 points against the Houston Rockets on Friday night and the Orlando Magic player on Wednesday

7:00 AM ET Kade Krichko PAOLO BANCHERO TWISTS his 6-foot-10 frame into a kids’ chair surrounded by atilt Lego towers. “Don’t Touch” signs adorn computer desks, child-scrawled warnings amid a makeshift cityscape of plastic. It’s hardly a scene where you’d expect to see the $50.16 million-deal-wielding budding star of the Orlando Magic. Banchero isn’t rocking

9:42 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Lakers coach Darvin Ham benched Russell Westbrook for the final three possessions of L.A.’s 106-104 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, and Ham was unflinching when asked if he’d have to manage any fallout with the point guard from his decision. “We don’t have time for feelings

8:32 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Pelicans lost both Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson to injuries on Sunday in a 122-121 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz. Williamson took a hard fall with 8:07 left in the fourth quarter when his dunk attempt was blocked by Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson.

10:31 PM ET ESPN News Services MIAMI — Toronto’s Christian Koloko and Miami’s Caleb Martin were both ejected in the third quarter of the Raptors-Heat game on Saturday night after they scuffled and ended up in the first row of baseline seats. It all started with 7:46 left in the third quarter, when Martin and

3:10 AM ET SACRAMENTO — LA Clippers star guard Paul George was in the middle of a big second quarter when he said a technical foul “turned my aggression up.” He proceeded to take his anger out on the Sacramento Kings. George exploded for 40 points to go with six rebounds and six assists to

9:39 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN MIAMI — Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, the NBA’s reigning Rookie of the Year, was ruled out of Saturday night’s 112-109 loss to the Heat after suffering a sprained right ankle midway through the second quarter. Barnes had X-rays on his ankle, the Raptors said, which came back negative. He

2:38 PM ET NBA commissioner Adam Silver, in recent comments to Phoenix Suns employees, addressed possible solutions for tanking while noting that he understands why teams would do it when a “once-in-a-generation player” is about to enter the league, according to sources who were present. Calling it a “serious issue” that has sparked “hundreds” of

12:06 AM ET NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash said he was “proud of” Ben Simmons for the way the talented swingman bounced back in Friday night’s 109-105 win over the Toronto Raptors after a poor showing in the Nets’ season opener. “A step up for Ben,” Nash said after seeing Simmons score

10:04 PM ET In comments to Phoenix Suns employees before the team’s season-opening win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver apologized multiple times on behalf of the league office for enduring years of workplace misconduct under Suns majority owner Robert Sarver, according to sources who were present. “I’m incredibly empathetic to

8:00 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN The Golden State Warriors had a certain glow as they entered training camp four weeks ago. It’s a glow you have after spending the summer celebrating a championship and preparing to defend it the next season. Klay Thompson was seen dancing on his boat. Stephen Curry had his jersey retired

3:32 AM ET LOS ANGELES — The Lakers can’t hit outside shots. That much is clear after L.A. shot 9-for-45 from 3 in Thursday night’s 103-97 loss to the Clippers. That total somehow managed to be even worse than the Lakers’ 10-for-40 clip from deep in their opening-night loss to the Golden State Warriors. Yet

8:02 PM ET Detroit Pistons assistant general manager Rob Murphy is on leave after the organization commenced an investigation into an allegation of workplace misconduct involving a female former employee, sources told ESPN on Thursday night. Murphy, 50, has been out of the Pistons’ offices for approximately a week on leave after management was made

8:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN INSIDE MCALISTER FIELDHOUSE on The Citadel’s campus in Charleston, South Carolina, all eyes are fixed on a conversation between Joel Embiid and P.J. Tucker. For the second straight day of training camp in late September, the new Philadelphia 76ers teammates engaged in a long — and loud — discussion over

3:19 AM ET PHOENIX — The first half of Wednesday night’s season opener conjured up the still-fresh painful feelings from last spring’s embarrassing playoff exit for the Phoenix Suns. Once again, the Suns were being dominated by Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks at home. That made the rally from a 22-point deficit for a

9:17 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN TORONTO — Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Darius Garland suffered a left eye injury late in the second quarter of Wednesday night’s season-opening 108-105 loss to[ the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena and did not return. Garland was inadvertently hit in the face by Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. and fell

1:31 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine will miss the team’s regular-season opener against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night with left knee injury management, according to Bulls public relations. LaVine told reporters after shootaround on Wednesday morning in Miami that his absence was not tied to a setback but rather load

11:14 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors unveiled their 2021-22 NBA championship banner and rings Tuesday night ahead of their season-opening 123-109 win against the Los Angeles Lakers. “It takes resiliency to win a title, and resiliency is what defines this Warriors team,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said during the

9:36 PM ET The NBA is back! The 2022-23 season tips off with a doubleheader. First up, the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Boston Celtics in an early clash of Eastern Conference contenders. The Celtics are the defending conference champs, while the Sixers are looking to end a Finals drought that has lasted more than

When LeBron James passed Karl Malone for second on the NBA’s career regular-season points list, he set his sights firmly on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA’s current all-time leading scorer. James enters the 2022-23 season, his 20th in the NBA, needing only 1,326 points to surpass Abdul-Jabbar’s career total of 38,387. Given that James has scored

5:24 PM ET EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Lakers will be limited at point guard for their opener against the Golden State Warriors, but that didn’t stop Anthony Davis from planning a statement performance to start the regular season. “Our first two games are against two title contenders,” Davis said Monday, referring to

8:27 PM ET Atlanta Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter has agreed to a four-year, $95 million contract extension, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of Wasserman told ESPN on Monday night. The deal, agreed to ahead of the 6 p.m. ET deadline for rookie scale extensions, allows Hunter to avoid restricted free agency next summer.

8:00 AM ET What will the 2022-23 NBA season be remembered for? Some teams will look very similar, but the landscape of the league is never exactly the same two years in a row. An offseason full of big trades and a handful of star players returning from injury is bound to shake up the

11:43 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton will miss at least three weeks with a right calf strain, the team announced Sunday. Connaughton missed the final two preseason games with a sore right calf that the team initially hoped wasn’t serious, before an MRI on Friday revealed the injury. Bucks coach Mike

7:08 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — For the past two years, the Golden State Warriors have been vocal about their desire to bridge their current success with future success. And over the weekend, they put that into action, signing Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins to contract extensions. The Warriors signed Poole to a