SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 08: Bogdan Bogdanovic #8 of the Sacramento Kings celebrates after making a three-point shot against the Toronto Raptors during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Golden 1 Center on March 08, 2020 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or
Is Kemba Walker on his way to the Chicago Bulls? The Chicago Bulls are clearly fed up with their substandard play over the last few years, and moves like hiring Billy Donovan as the next head coach prove that they are serious about competing for a postseason spot in the wide-open Eastern Conference. While Coby
12:52 PM ET Markieff Morris has tweeted that he is returning to the Los Angeles Lakers. “Run it back! #Lakeshow,” he tweeted Monday. Run it back! #Lakeshow — Keef Morris (@Keefmorris) November 23, 2020 Morris, 31, gave the Lakers a solid stretch 4 to space the floor and complement superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Signing Gordon Hayward would improve the Knicks roster in the short-term, but he isn’t the right player to help build a championship contender in New York. If the Knicks’ offseason goal is to assemble a roster to win the maximum number of games next season then signing Gordon Hayward makes a lot of sense. If,
The Hornets signing Hayward to $30 million per season feels like an overpay. Good for Hayward, who’s battled injuries ever since he left the Utah Jazz for Boston in 2017. Then, Hayward’s maximum four-year contract sounded like a good idea. He was reuniting with his old college basketball head coach in Brad Stevens, and had
PARIS, FRANCE – JANUARY 24: Michael Jordan attends a press conference before the NBA Paris Game match between Charlotte Hornets and Milwaukee Bucks on January 24, 2020 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images) LeBron James proving why he’s Ohio State football’s biggest fan vs. Indiana by Mike Luciano Florida refusing to use Vanderbilt’s
8:01 PM ET The Los Angeles Lakers are finalizing a two-year deal with center Marc Gasol, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe. L.A. is trading center JaVale McGee and a future second-round pick to the Cavaliers to help make room for Gasol, a source told Wojnarowski. Cleveland is sending Jordan Bell and Alfonzo
Marc Gasol isn’t going to be a superstar for the Lakers, but he could be crucial to their hopes of winning another NBA title. The presence of LeBron James and Anthony Davis means the Lakers don’t have to worry about adding star power for the foreseeable future. Instead, their front office can focus their attention
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 05: Serge Ibaka #9 of the Toronto Raptors (Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images) Blazers bringing back Rodney Hood on 2-year contract by Mike Luciano Is free agent big man Serge Ibaka about to join the Nets? Kevin Durant is already hard at work trying to convince some of the
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 04: Joe Harris #12 of the Brooklyn Nets (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) Rockets land Christian Wood in sign-and-trade with Pistons by Gerald Bourguet Joe Harris coming back to the Brooklyn Nets. If they don’t end up with James Harden, the Brooklyn Nets need to spend this offseason finding
5:01 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Jayson Tatum has agreed to a five-year extension worth up to $195 million with the Boston Celtics, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The full designated rookie max of $163 million could go up to nearly $200 million with All-NBA escalators, sources said. Tatum’s agent Jeff Wechsler and the Celtics
The 2020 NBA Draft is in the books and it’s time to hand out grades for all 30 teams. The 2020 NBA Draft, unlike so many drafts in recent memory, went off without a hitch — a relative triumphant for a socially-distant, virtually-held, entirely-telecasted event. Even in a weaker draft class, there weren’t many glaring
Boston Celtics trade rumors are swirling, and the Indiana Pacers’ offer for Gordon Hayward stands out. Gordon Hayward will opt out of the remaining $34.2 million on his contract to test the free agency market, and that decision could have ripple effects on multiple teams. Of course, with the possibility of a sign-and-trade still looming,
The Boston Celtics haven’t had a perfect offseason, but Tristan Thompson is an ideal fit for the interior. The Boston Celtics are long past their days of being a miserable rebounding team, but Tristan Thompson represents the interior upgrade they’ve needed since before, during and after Al Horford’s tenure in Beantown. As Yahoo! Sports’ Chris
12:22 PM ET All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell has agreed to a five-year, $195 million designated rookie max extension, his agents Ty Sullivan and Austin Brown of CAA Sports told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Mitchell, 24, who Utah acquired with the 13th overall pick after trading up in the 2017 draft, quickly established himself as a cornerstone
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. NBA Free Agency negotiations can officially open at 6 p.m. ET today, and, as usual, we’re likely to see things heat up quickly. A lot has changed in
The Portland Trail Blazers are bringing Carmelo Anthony back, but they need him to embrace a new role. Against the odds, Carmelo Anthony and the Portland Trail Blazers were a perfect match last season. It’s easy to forget now, but heading into his flier deal with Rip City, Melo was preparing to suit up for
Day 1 of NBA Free Agency saw some teams knock it out of the park. The first day of 2020 NBA free agency is officially in the books, and the usual flurry of deals led some teams to get desperate and overpay for players that will have a hard time living up to their price
The Atlanta Hawks are improving their playoff outlook with Rajon Rondo. Consider the Atlanta Hawks the Phoenix Suns of the Eastern Conference. While they didn’t land a big fish like the Suns did with the Chris Paul trade, the Hawks are employing a similar strategy of flanking their younger, talented cornerstones with legitimate, established NBA
11:39 PM ET Free agent Serge Ibaka plans to sign a two-year, $19 million deal with the LA Clippers, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Ibaka’s career renaissance as a small-ball center for the Toronto Raptors continued into last season. The 31-year-old averaged a career-high 15.4 points per game and 8.2 rebounds, the second most
Deni Avdija learned he was selected ninth-overall by the Washington Wizards inside a wine cellar, and Twitter was left in awe. The NBA Draft, much like the NFL Draft, has gone completely virtual this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. While we’ve become used to the grand events inside major cities, the stay-at-home version
Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images Kevin Durant’s brother says Serge Ibaka is flying to Brooklyn to sign with Nets by Mike Luciano Montrezl Harrell stuns Clippers, signs value deal with Lakers by Mike Luciano The Washington Wizards are ponying up to keep Davis Bertans. Davis Bertans was the most valuable sharpshooter on the NBA free
1:38 PM ET Free agent Gordon Hayward is signing a four-year, $120 million deal with the Charlotte Hornets, agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday. Hayward became a free agent Thursday after declining his $34.2 million player option with the Boston Celtics for next season. He battled injury throughout his
We break down our picks for five important undrafted players who could make a mark in the league despite getting no love in the NBA Draft. Around the 50th pick in the NBA draft, it looked like we were on pace for an incredibly undrafted free agent class. Names like Grant Riller, Reggie Perry, and
The Jrue Holiday-Bucks deal includes even more spare parts. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a happy man, as the Bucks are going all-out to add to his championship-caliber squad. While most (including Giannis) thought this deal was complete, two more teams have joined the fray, to complete the blockbuster trade. New Orleans and Milwaukee are expanding the
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 19: Jordan Clarkson #00 of the Utah Jazz (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images) De’Aaron Fox agrees to maximum extension with Sacramento Kings by Gerald Bourguet Jordan Clarkson is returning to the Utah Jazz this offseason. Quin Snyder and the Utah Jazz were one of the best defensive teams in
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 18: Derrick Favors #22 of the New Orleans Pelicans (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) Jazz re-sign swingman Jordan Clarkson to 4-year contract by Mike Luciano Derrick Favors is coming back to Utah after one year in New Orleans. Derrick Favors was traded by the Utah Jazz after nearly a decade
12:56 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Fred VanVleet has agreed to a four-year, $85 million deal to re-sign with the Toronto Raptors, agent Brian Jungreis of Parlay Sports & Entertainment told The Athletic. The deal includes a player option for the final season of the contract, a source confirmed to ESPN. VanVleet’s journey to stardom was
Sean Marks spoke with the media today about James Harden, Landry Shamet and the Brooklyn Nets moving from a hypothetical to an actual team. Sean Marks, general manager for the Brooklyn Nets, answered a question that wasn’t quite about James Harden, but absolutely wasn’t not about James Harden, in the careful way any NBA GM
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 03: Fred VanVleet #23 of the Toronto Raptors (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) 3 transfer destinations for Florida State quarterback James Blackman by Mike Luciano Fred VanVleet is trying to secure the bag this offseason. The Toronto Raptors have become one of the most consistent winners in the