7:38 PM ET The NBA season will resume with LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Zion Williamson highlighting a double-header to open the restart in Orlando, Florida. The NBA released its schedule for games in Orlando with the season resuming on July 30. Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans tip off the restart against the Utah
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) The NBA schedule for the resumption of the 2019-2020 season is out. Basketball is one step closer to returning to the hardcourt. The NBA schedule for the restart of the season was released on Friday night so circle your calendars for the prospect of having basketball
8:34 AM ET NBA Insiders After Friday’s release of the new 2020 NBA schedule, it’s time to look ahead at the games, players and teams that will be most compelling when the season resumes on July 30 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. Which playoff races are most important, which
The NBA has a plan and a schedule for the draft and out latest NBA Mock Draft looks at player fits and high risers like Obi Toppin. The NBA Draft was supposed to be conducted last night, June. 25, but the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has pushed back the 2019-20 season and all the dominos that
Chris Long reveals which team he’d like to officially retire with by Braulio Perez Rangers are getting blasted on Twitter after new photos of stadium were posted by Braulio Perez Malcolm Brogdon, #7, Indiana Pacers, (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) Malcolm Brogdon has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 as the Indiana Pacers prepare to head
8:24 PM ET Nick Friedell Close ESPN Staff Writer Nick Friedell is the Chicago Bulls beat reporter for ESPN Chicago. Friedell is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and joined ESPNChicago.com for its launch in April 2009. Tim MacMahon Close ESPN Staff Writer Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009
A reputation for absurdity means Kyrie Irving’s ideas are often dismissed out of hand. But his radical idea about a player-run league is worth exploring. What if players just founded their own league? NBA players are hesitant about returning to play right now, for a wide range of reasons, and in the ongoing discussions, there
11:11 AM ET Of the 302 NBA players to take tests on Tuesday, 16 have tested positive for the coronavirus, the NBA and NBPA announced in a joint statement Friday. Any player who tested positive will remain in self-isolation until he satisfies public health protocols for discontinuing isolation and has been cleared by a physician.
Rangers are getting blasted on Twitter after new photos of stadium were posted by Braulio Perez Vince Young turning down Reggie Bush’s Heisman Trophy is pure class by Braulio Perez LeBron James, #23, Cleveland Cavaliers, Draymond Green, #23, Golden State Warriors, (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) Draymond Green has been a dedicated nemesis for LeBron
9:59 AM ET Vince Carter confirmed that he has retired from the NBA, ending his 22-year career. Carter announced his retirement on the Ringer’s “Winging It With Vince Carter” podcast, saying he is “officially done playing basketball professionally.” Carter, 43, initially announced last year, when he signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks, that
Nikola Jokic, Novak Djokovic, (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images) Any number of positive COVID-19 tests have the potential to disrupt the NBA’s plans for re-starting the season. Who has tested positive so far? The return of the NBA season is, in theory, a little over a month away with Jul. 30 circled as the date
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 08: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Christian Wood #35 of the Detroit Pistons in action against Taj Gibson #67 of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 08, 2020 in New York City. The Knicks defeated the Pistons 96-84. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees
1:55 PM ET Dallas Mavericks center Willie Cauley-Stein informed the team that he will opt out of the restart of the NBA season, opening up a roster spot the Mavs intend to fill by signing point guard Trey Burke, sources said. Cauley-Stein, who expects to become a father in July, averaged 5.2 points and 4.6
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has tested positive for coronavirus. Earlier on Tuesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported what always figured to be the case eventually: The NBA was bracing for a significant number of positive test results for coronavirus as it neared Phase 1 of its plans to resume the
2:06 PM ET It started eight months ago with a tweet: Chris Murphy, a Democratic U.S. senator from Connecticut, told the world how much he enjoyed Draymond Green‘s op-ed in The Washington Post labeling the NCAA “a dictatorship” and calling for increased compensation to college athletes. Green reached out to Murphy’s office to thank him
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images 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. Luguentz Dort is far from a household NBA name, so here’s all you really need to know if you’re unfamiliar: He’s an
10:39 PM ET NEW YORK — New York Knicks president Leon Rose said Wednesday that he intends to have the next permanent coach of the franchise in place by the end of July. Speaking in his first interview since being hired in March, Rose told MSG Network’s Mike Breen that he intends to have “two
Credit: Michael Reaves/Getty Images In a terribly unsurprising decision, Andre Drummond will pick up his enormous player option for next season. As the resumption of NBA play looms and the 2020-21 season likely to be shortened, players have decisions to make on their contract options. According to ESPN, two-time All-Star center Andre Drummond said he
7:48 PM ET Forward Jabari Parker and center Alex Len, both members of the Sacramento Kings, said Wednesday they’ve tested positive for the coronavirus. “Several days ago I tested positive for COVID-19 and immediately self-isolated in Chicago which is where I remain,” Parker said in a statement released by the team. “I am progressing in
Isaiah Hartenstein, #55, Houston Rockets, (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) The Houston Rockets released Isaiah Hartenstein to add a wing for their NBA playoff run. But the talented young center should catch on somewhere. The Houston Rockets are focused on winning a title this year and they have a plan to do it. At the
Photo by JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images Craig Hodges wonders if Michael Jordan is keeping him out of The Last Dance on purpose. Craig Hodges was once a starter for the Chicago Bulls. In the 1989 playoffs, Hodges started every game in the backcourt alongside Michael Jordan. He infamously got beat back door by Craig
Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport Episodes 7 and 8 of “The Last Dance” may have been the best ones yet, giving us an intimate look at Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Given Michael Jordan‘s involvement with the creation of The Last Dance, it was only natural to expect some things to be glossed over. However,
12:50 AM ET Free-agent guard JR Smith, out of the NBA for two years, has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Avery Bradley on the Los Angeles Lakers‘ roster for the season’s Orlando restart, sources told ESPN. Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and Smith’s agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, were discussing
6:51 AM ET Tim Bontemps Andrew Lopez While other NBA players started working out in their home markets this week to prepare for training camp, Zion Williamson never left. The New Orleans Pelicans‘ rookie phenom has been working out at the team’s facility throughout the hiatus, one of several players the league granted exceptions to
Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images Avery Bradley is the latest player to opt out of the NBA’s restart in Orlando. Avery Bradley isn’t the first player to decide to opt out of the NBA’s planned restart in Orlando, but he is probably the most significant one yet, for a few reasons. As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
10:49 PM ET Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley has opted out of playing in the NBA’s Orlando restart of the season, he told ESPN on Tuesday night. Bradley, who started 44 games for the Lakers this season, informed team management of his decision to stay back. The Lakers will be able to sign a
11:10 AM ET Two-time All-Star Andre Drummond says he plans to pick up his player option that will keep him in Cleveland for another year. Drummond, who was traded to the Cavaliers by the Detroit Pistons in February, has a $28.75 million option for the 2020-21 season. He said on Tuesday’s episode of the ESPN
Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images Trevor Ariza will not participate in the NBA’s restart in Orlando. Portland Trail Blazers small forward Trevor Ariza will opt out of participating in the NBA’s restart in Orlando, but not for the reason you might expect. As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the 34-year-old wing has decided to commit
11:18 PM ET Associated Press DALLAS — Dallas Mavericks veteran guard Courtney Lee will be out injured when the team is scheduled to resume organized workouts next week. The Mavericks said Monday night that Lee injured his left calf during the NBA hiatus. The team said he wouldn’t be available when workouts start up again
Credit: Will Newton/Getty Images As the NBA’s restart looms, Wizards forward Davis Bertans will be skipping a trip to Orlando. The NBA has set a deadline of Wednesday for players to opt-out of the season restart in Orlando, and the first known player has made a decision to sit. According to Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim