News

1:06 AM ET METAIRIE, La. — New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson and team officials revealed the teams’ long-term succession plans in detail for the first time on Wednesday, telling The Times-Picayune and WVUE-TV that they would be sold with the goal of keeping the teams in New Orleans and distributing the proceeds

6:49 PM ET EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Following their first official practice together as teammates, Russell Westbrook dubbed Anthony Davis as “the ultimate weapon” and vowed to maximize the big man’s impact for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. “He’s one of a kind,” Westbrook said of Davis on Wednesday. “There’s nobody like him who

11:39 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN Players who are forced to miss games due to the executive orders governing vaccination requirements in both New York and San Francisco will not be paid for any games they miss. “Any player who elects not to comply with local vaccination mandates will not be paid for games that he

7:17 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors swingman Klay Thompson is starting to look more like his old basketball self amid his rehabilitation from a torn right Achilles injury. Participating in his first official team practice since suffering the injury in an offseason workout Nov. 18, 2020, Thompson knocked down shots from all

3:56 PM ET EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — LeBron James said he initially felt “skepticism” regarding the COVID-19 vaccine but ultimately decided to get it for the well-being of himself, his family and his team. “You’re always trying to figure out ways that you can just be available and protect one another and put yourself in

9:51 AM ET Indiana Pacers guard Caris LeVert has a stress fracture in his back, but there’s optimism that it could only be a minor setback and he could return sometime around the start of the season, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Tuesday. LeVert, who was traded to Indiana from Brooklyn as part of

4:59 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN The Denver Nuggets and forward Michael Porter Jr. have agreed on a five-year designated maximum extension that could be worth up to $207 million, Porter’s agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Porter will hit that $207 million number if he makes one of the three All-NBA

7:37 PM ET Jamal Collier MILWAUKEE — It’s been a little more than two months since the Milwaukee Bucks won the 2020-21 NBA championship, but star Giannis Antetokounmpo still wants to maintain the chip on his shoulder that helped bring them that title. “Are we satisfied? I’m not satisfied. I’m not even close to being

8:00 AM ET Media days kick off Monday, officially ushering in the start of training camps around the NBA. The dust has finally settled from free agency, and September training camp kickoffs will mark the first normal schedule in two years. The biggest news surrounding training camp comes out of Philadelphia, where Ben Simmons has

12:16 PM ET Four-time NBA champion Manu Ginobili — one of the greatest international players in basketball history — is returning to the San Antonio Spurs as a special advisor to basketball operations, sources told ESPN. Ginobili, 44, will work in a player-centric role focusing on the on-and-off court development of a young Spurs roster,

4:38 PM ET Associated Press PHOENIX — Suns guard Devin Booker will miss the start of training camp after being placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. The Suns said Sunday that the two-time All-Star won’t participate in Monday’s media day. The team said it would have no further updates until he’s ready for

2:36 PM ET Associated Press CHICAGO — Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams has a severe left ankle sprain that could cause him to miss the start of the season. The news announced Friday is a blow for a team hoping to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference after some major offseason moves. The Bulls

2:47 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN GREENBURGH, N.Y. — New York Knicks general manager Scott Perry said Friday afternoon that the organization — including all players, coaches and staff — is fully vaccinated, meaning the Knicks will have no issues with New York City’s vaccine mandate this season. “I think it’s a credit to our players,

3:55 PM ET Rui Hachimura will miss the start of Washington Wizards training camp because of personal reasons, the team announced Saturday. The Wizards announced Hachimura’s excused absence and said there will be “further updates when appropriate.” The Wizards have high expectations for the forward, who is projected to start and will be counted on

6:03 PM ET Lawrence Frank reiterated that Kawhi Leonard has a “significant rehab” from his ACL injury and that “no one knows” the time frame for when the LA Clippers star will return and whether he will play this season. Leonard underwent surgery to repair a partial tear in his right ACL on July 13

8:08 PM ET ESPN News Services GREENBURGH, N.Y. — The NBA has denied Andrew Wiggins‘ request for a vaccination exemption, leaving the Golden State Warriors swingman ineligible to play home games until he meets San Francisco’s vaccination requirement. The ruling was announced Friday hours after the New York Knicks said their entire roster is vaccinated,

8:00 AM ET NBA Insiders NBArank 2021 has reached its thrilling finish, with Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant edging out the Milwaukee Bucks‘ reigning NBA Finals MVP and champion Giannis Antetokounmpo for the No. 1 spot in Friday’s countdown of the top five NBA players for the upcoming season. Overall, there was a ton of

Sep 23, 2021 Our NBArank countdown is back for its 11th season. And after unveiling players Nos. 100-51, Nos. 50-26 and Nos. 25-6 throughout the week, we’ve finally reached the top five. We’ve already stated the cases for each superstar, but who was voted in as the league’s best player? Will LeBron James retain his

7:30 PM ET LOS ANGELES — When the curtain comes up on the new NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers expect all of their performers to be on stage. “On opening night when we play the Golden State Warriors, all of the players that are currently signed on our roster, on that night, will be

5:25 PM ET Zach LaVine was excited by the Chicago Bulls‘ aggressive offseason, but says this season is crucial in determining the direction for the team and himself as he enters the final season of his contract. “At the end of the day it’s a business,” LaVine told ESPN on Thursday. “They did what was

8:00 AM ET Our NBArank countdown is back for its 11th season. Which players are beginning their ascent up the league’s hierarchy? Who finished just shy of a place among the top five superstars in the NBA? To get the final NBArank prediction, we asked our expert panel to vote on pairs of players: Kevin

3:25 PM ET Gersson Rosas is out as the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ president of basketball operations. In a statement announcing the move Wednesday, team owner Glen Taylor said the Wolves “remain committed to building a winning team that our fans and city can be proud of.” Minnesota hired Rosas, a former Houston Rockets executive, in May

8:00 AM ET Our NBArank countdown is back for its 11th season. Which players are beginning their ascent up the league’s hierarchy? Who is on the verge of breaking into the superstar tier? To get the final NBArank prediction, we asked our expert panel to vote on pairs of players: Kevin Durant vs. James Harden,

4:28 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN If his team had to practice today, Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks said some players would be unable to participate because of New York City’s vaccine mandate. “Regarding if they could play today, I can’t comment on who could play and so forth,” Marks said Tuesday in the team’s

9:31 AM ET Associated Press JJ Redick, the sharpshooter who was The Associated Press Player of the Year at Duke before embarking on a 15-season NBA career, announced his retirement Tuesday. Redick, 37, played with six NBA teams — the Magic, Clippers, 76ers, Pelicans, Bucks and Mavericks. He averaged 12.8 points in 940 regular-season games,

11:49 AM ET Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons will not report to the opening of training camp next week and intends to never play another game for the franchise, sources told ESPN. Simmons hasn’t spoken to the team since a late-August meeting when he communicated this message to Sixers officials. Simmons is clearly aware of

8:00 AM ET Our NBArank countdown is back for its 11th season. Which rookies are making their debuts on our annual list? Which young stars are beginning their ascent up the league’s hierarchy? Which players dropped after disappointing 2020-21 campaigns? Here’s who made the cut as we break down the league’s top 100. To get

8:16 PM ET Golden State Warriors swingman Klay Thompson is making “good progress” in his rehabilitation from a right Achilles injury and will participate in “controlled drills” during training camp, but his return within the season will be made at a later date, the team announced Monday. Thompson, who tore his left ACL during Game

Sep 15, 2021 Andre SnellingsESPN The storylines this season are almost endless. Giannis Antetokounmpo is on a career path rivaling the best players in NBA history, including both “His Airness” as well as “King James,” yet somehow no one seems to realize it. I’ve been predicting and noting his progress for years, but the majority

12:08 PM ET William Ricks In a hot real estate market countrywide, Orlando, Florida, home prices continue to surge. That is unless, apparently, the home was customized for a 7-foot-1 Hall of Fame center, 15-time All-Star and four-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat — Shaquille O’Neal, whose Orlando-area mansion was