News

8:00 AM ET When we last saw the Los Angeles Lakers, they were careening out of the playoff picture, losing eight straight games from late March through early April as a fetid topper to a rotten season. L.A. went from the oddsmakers’ NBA Finals favorite to missing the play-in tournament, as injuries and an ill-conceived

11:57 AM ET The Golden State Warriors and guard Jordan Poole have agreed to a four-year, $140 million contract extension, his agents, Drew Morrison and Austin Brown of CAA Sports, told ESPN on Saturday. The extension comes ahead of Monday’s deadline for members of the 2019 NBA draft class. It also comes in the aftermath

5:47 PM ET Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 Kendra Andrews Golden State Warriors All-Star forward Andrew Wiggins has agreed to a four-year, $109 million contract extension, his agents, Drew Morrison and Steven Heumann of CAA Sports, told ESPN. The deal, which includes a player option

8:00 AM ET The vibes are good right now in Kyrie Irving‘s world. As he stands inside the Brooklyn Nets‘ locker room following Wednesday night’s preseason win against the Milwaukee Bucks, Irving lights up some sage from the side of the room and discusses his team and what he feels is the positive direction it

11:30 PM ET ESPN News Services Lakers guard Russell Westbrook will be reevaluated Saturday after exiting Los Angeles’ 133-86 loss to the host Sacramento Kings on Friday night with a left hamstring injury. Westbrook exited the court in the first quarter, but it was unclear how he suffered the injury. Coach Darvin Ham said after

11:29 AM ET Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 Dave McMenamin Close ESPN Staff Writer Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN. Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09. The Los Angeles

8:00 AM ET Ben Simmons looks and sounds like he’s in a very good place with the Brooklyn Nets. Sitting in the padded courtside seats of Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum during shootaround on Wednesday, the 26-year-old swingman says, after nearly a year and a half away from an NBA floor, he is embracing his new role

8:51 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green returned to practice on Thursday following a week away from the team after the fallout from punching Jordan Poole last Wednesday. The Warriors opted not to suspend Green for the incident, and instead fined him. He will play in the Warriors’

10:56 AM ET MILWAUKEE — Kevin Durant knows some of the parallels are there. From a distance, the Brooklyn Nets‘ star forward has watched — like everybody else — the leaked video footage of Draymond Green punching Golden State Warriors teammate Jordan Poole during practice. The defending champion Warriors’ locker room has been hurt by

8:00 AM ET Here we go: The top 10 in our 2022-2023 League Pass Rankings! We revealed Nos. 30-11 on Tuesday, and you can read about the rankings formula there. 10. DALLAS MAVERICKS (35) Look at this soul-snatcher: That is the smile of someone who knows he has you. The Mavs’ offense is one-dimensional —

11:22 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN MIAMI — New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson understands the microscope he’s under when it comes to injuries. It’s why when he left Wednesday night’s 120-103 preseason loss to the Miami Heat with left ankle soreness, he knew what to expect on social media before he even looked at his

5:26 PM ET MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Brooklyn Nets swingman Ben Simmons knows that criticism is going to find him wherever he goes. After years of dealing with verbal barbs from fans — both in person and on social media — the 26-year-old understands that the type of ire he faces comes with being one of

2:54 PM ET NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets are doing everything they can to make Ben Simmons feel comfortable in his new surroundings after being away from an NBA floor for almost a year and a half while dealing with back surgery and mental health concerns, but coach Steve Nash acknowledged that what Simmons

12:46 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Warriors forward Draymond Green will rejoin the team on Thursday, coach Steve Kerr said following Golden State’s preseason win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night. Green has been away from the team since an altercation with teammate Jordan Poole last Wednesday. He has been fined,

4:36 PM ET ESPN News Services Charlotte Hornets All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball is expected to miss one to two weeks because of his sprained left ankle, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Tuesday. The Hornets had earlier announced that an MRI confirmed that Ball has a sprained ankle and his return to full basketball

8:00 AM ET It’s time for our silliest preseason tradition: The 11th (how???) annual League Pass Rankings, a watchability scale to help you avoid wasting time on things like, “Wait, has this team actually ordered its players to tie their shoes together as part of its Lose-A-Rama for Victor Wembanyama campaign?” These are not power

9:16 PM ET Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Hornets All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball sprained his left ankle in the third quarter of a 116-107 preseason loss against the Washington Wizards on Monday night when his foot was stepped on while he was driving to the basket. The Hornets announced Ball would not return

3:37 AM ET LOS ANGELES — Paul George set aside any ego and made it clear that Kawhi Leonard is the LA Clippers‘ No. 1 option and that he is the second star in the All-Star duo’s pecking order. As they enter their fourth season together with championship expectations, George was asked if there are

8:00 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN As long as the Milwaukee Bucks have star Giannis Antetokounmpo in his prime, they begin every NBA season with championship expectations. Despite losing Khris Middleton, arguably their second-best player, for the final 10 games of the 2022 playoffs with a sprained MCL in his left knee, the Bucks took the

Oct 8, 2022 Associated Press UVALDE, Texas — The smallest gesture can have a huge impact. That was reaffirmed to the San Antonio Spurs when the team held an open practice and community fair in Uvalde, Texas. It was 137 days ago that the small town, 88 miles southwest of downtown San Antonio, was the

6:45 PM ET Associated Press WASHINGTON — Bradley Beal has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols and will miss the Wizards‘ preseason game at Charlotte on Monday night. The Wizards announced Beal’s status Sunday. Washington opens the regular season at Indiana on Oct. 19, so Beal has over a week to get himself cleared

2:53 PM ET NEW YORK — As the Brooklyn Nets embark on the 2022-23 campaign, they do so hoping they can change the narrative surrounding their team and put the focus back on the floor instead of making headlines off of it. “We want to erase everything that was said about our team the last

7:32 PM ET EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — As the Los Angeles Lakers attempt to integrate a new coach, rebound from one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history and maximize what’s left in LeBron James‘ brilliant career, they have reaffirmed their faith in Rob Pelinka to lead the franchise through it. Pelinka, the Lakers’

2:19 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green offered a public apology and announced he will step away from the team indefinitely after an altercation on Wednesday between him and Jordan Poole. “I’m going to continue to stay away, as I’ve been away, and continue to do work on

8:50 AM ET Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs has suffered a left knee capsule sprain and bone bruise, the team announced. There’s relief that Suggs avoided a more serious injury, sources told ESPN. His timeline on a return will depend on response to treatment, the team said. Suggs was helped off the court and into

8:25 PM ET Associated Press PARIS — Top NBA draft prospect Victor Wembanyama will join France’s national team next month for a pair of World Cup qualifying games. The French federation made the announcement Friday. The 7-foot-3 Wembanyama is among 12 players selected for a road game at Lithuania on Nov. 11 and a home

3:47 PM ET Ramona Shelburne Close ESPN Senior Writer Senior writer for ESPN.com Spent seven years at the Los Angeles Daily News Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 The Golden State Warriors are taking “every legal course of action” to discover how video of Draymond Green

8:00 AM ET The LA Clippers enter the 2022-23 season — Year 4 of the Kawhi Leonard–Paul George era — with enormous expectations. They have a superstar two-way duo. They have perhaps the deepest roster in the league. They are loaded with veteran experience and interchangeable players at almost every position. And they have a

11:30 PM ET OKLAHOMA CITY — The Adelaide 36ers, the seventh-place squad in Australia’s 10-team National Basketball League last season, boarded a 6 a.m. commercial flight on Sept. 28, when a few players sat in business class and the rest of the roster and staff squeezed into coach. The team made connections in Sydney and

4:46 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green apologized to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday morning for an altercation with Jordan Poole the day before, Warriors general manager Bob Myers said. Green subsequently left the training facilities and is not expected back until Saturday. The Warriors are still in the process of