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10:24 PM ET While Russell Westbrook spent the first decade of his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, maturing from first-round pick to All-Star to league MVP, the thought of returning to Los Angeles someday to play for his hometown Lakers seemed further and further from reality. “Being from L.A., you always wish that you

7:12 PM ET Free-agent point guard Dennis Schroder is headed to the Boston Celtics, he announced Tuesday on his Instagram account. The deal is for one year and will be for the $5.9 million exception, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Schroder, 27, turned down the maximum extension the Los Angeles Lakers were eligible to offer

11:01 AM ET Early Tuesday morning, members of the Dallas Mavericks met with star guard Luka Doncic in a Slovenian hotel to officially put pen to paper on a five-year, $207 million contract extension. And hours later they were on a stage to announce it, with Doncic saying he “never had a doubt” about signing

9:23 PM ET It didn’t take any intricate pitch for LeBron James to convince his friend of more than 20 years, Carmelo Anthony, to join him on the Los Angeles Lakers. No digging into the minutia about playing time or role. No selling the off-court opportunities that L.A. provides. Just a friend telling another friend

5:47 PM ET Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic has agreed to sign a landmark five-year, $207 million supermax rookie extension, his agent Bill Duffy of BDA Sports told ESPN on Monday. Doncic, one of the most accomplished players in NBA history at 22 years old and rapidly evolving into the future face of the league,

10:33 PM ET James Jackson Free-agent guard Isaiah Thomas remains an impressive shot-maker despite being four years removed from his All-NBA days. The two-time All-Star scored 81 points in the Crawsover Pro-Am in Seattle on Sunday. His point total, of course, matches the second-highest single-game mark in NBA history set by the late, great Kobe

2:12 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN LAS VEGAS — The NBA announced Sunday afternoon that the summer league game between the Washington Wizards and Indiana Pacers has been postponed because of health and safety protocols. Because the Wizards had several players in contact tracing, they didn’t have enough players available to play Sunday night against Indiana

5:54 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN LAS VEGAS — The NBA announced Sunday afternoon ahead of the start of its annual Summer League here that it will begin enforcing the rule changes enacted this offseason to curb players attempting to use non-basketball moves to draw fouls. In a series of tweets from its NBA Official account

9:53 AM ET Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 6 prospect in the ESPN class of 2022, says he’s narrowed his list of options to five: the G League Ignite, Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma State. Sharpe made a strong case for consideration as the best long-term prospect in high school basketball with an outstanding spring and

2:52 PM ET Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 Ramona Shelburne Close ESPN Senior Writer Senior writer for ESPN.com Spent seven years at the Los Angeles Daily News The NBA has opened up investigations into possible tampering violations involving two sign-and-trade deals completed in free agency,

6:04 PM ET Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum has been elected as the president of the National Basketball Players Association, succeeding two-term president Chris Paul, sources told ESPN. McCollum has been a vice president on the NBPA’s executive committee since 2018 and has been deeply involved in union decision-making and negotiations with the NBA.

10:31 AM ET Miami Heat All-Star guard Jimmy Butler has signed a four-year, $184 million contract extension with the team, his agent Bernie Lee told ESPN. Butler is extending off of his $36 million salary for the 2021-2022 season, and holds a player option for $37.6 million in the 2022-23 season. The deal will keep

12:30 AM ET SAITAMA, Japan — Kevin Durant has had some wonderful days in his career, but there’s never been one like this green and gold Saturday in Japan. First there was a new $198 million contract locked in with the Brooklyn Nets. Then the pride of Seat Pleasant, Md., extended his legendary status as

4:03 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Kevin Durant plans to sign a four-year, $198 million maximum contract extension with the Brooklyn Nets sometime after he becomes eligible Saturday, his longtime business manager and co-founder of 35 Ventures and Boardroom, Rich Kleiman, told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Durant is expected to decline his 2022-23 player option and extend

11:51 AM ET Two seasons after leaving, veteran Andre Iguodala has agreed to return to the Golden State Warriors, his agent Brandon Rosenthal of Landmark Sports confirmed to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday. He became an unrestricted free agent when the Miami Heat declined the $15 million team option. “Who would have thought I’d have

1:39 AM ET ESPN News Services Free-agent swingman Kelly Oubre Jr. agreed with the Charlotte Hornets on a guaranteed two-year deal paying close to $25 million, a source confirmed with The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears. News of Oubre’s agreement was first reported by Yahoo Sports. Oubre, 25, was one of the most intriguing free agents

2:48 PM ET Masai Ujiri, the architect of the franchise’s 2019 NBA championship team, has agreed to a significant new deal to become vice chairman and president of the Toronto Raptors, sources told ESPN on Thursday. His previous title was president. After arriving in Toronto in 2013 as general manager, Ujiri has established himself as

7:52 AM ET New York Knicks All-Star forward Julius Randle has agreed to a four-year, $117 million contract extension — elevating his deal’s total value to five years and $140 million, his agents, Aaron Mintz and Steven Heumann of CAA Sports, told ESPN. The extension includes a player option on the final season in 2025-26.

2:10 AM ET SAITAMA, Japan — When Team USA started feeling that historic heat, the creeping grip of an unshakable loss, they went to the men with the rings. Kevin Durant and Jrue Holiday, NBA champions, showed the kind of skill and poise that is absolutely vital in high-level basketball. Durant and Holiday didn’t just

5:52 PM ET After medical consultation, seven-time All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge is seriously considering a return to the NBA this season, sources told ESPN. Aldridge abruptly retired with the Brooklyn Nets in mid-April after heart concerns sidelined him, but now is exploring the possibility of resuming his 15-year NBA career. Aldridge is expected to have

12:48 AM ET NBA Insiders Two days after the start of free agency, the landscape of the NBA already looks very different. The Miami Heat found their new starting point guard in Kyle Lowry via a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Raptors. The Chicago Bulls continued to revamp their roster with the acquisitions of DeMar DeRozan

3:17 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Free-agent forward Carmelo Anthony agreed to terms with the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, Anthony’s manager, Bay Frazier, told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal is for one season, according to Frazier. Anthony’s agent, Aaron Mintz of CAA Sports, completed the agreement with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka on Tuesday.

2:59 PM ET Two-time MVP and three-time NBA champion Stephen Curry has agreed to a four-year, $215 million contract extension with the Golden State Warriors, making him the first player in history to sign two $200 million-plus contracts, his agent, Jeff Austin of Octagon Basketball, told ESPN. Curry will extend his contract off his $45.8

11:37 AM ET Free-agent forward Rudy Gay has agreed to a deal with the Utah Jazz, his agent, Raymond Brothers of Roc Nation Sports, tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The two-year deal includes a player option and reunites Gay with point guard Mike Conley Jr. The two played together for the Memphis Grizzlies for over five

12:00 AM ET Atlanta Hawks All-Star point guard Trae Young has agreed to a five-year designated rookie maximum extension worth up to , $207 million, his agent Omar Wilkes of Klutch Sports told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal includes a 30 percent escalator clause that would turn the guaranteed $172 million base into $207 million

6:59 PM ET Kyle Lowry is joining the Miami Heat on a three-year deal via a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Raptors, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Lowry announced the news that he was signing with Miami on social media. The Heat also agreed to bring back restricted free agent Duncan Robinson on a 5-year,

8:23 AM ET TOKYO — Zach LaVine is eligible for a contract extension with the Chicago Bulls in the next few days. He reiterated Monday that he wants to be rewarded for his All-Star level of play but will work with the team’s front office as it looks to use cap space for new talent.