2:23 PM ET OKLAHOMA CITY — Speaking publicly for the first time since trading stars Russell Westbrook and Paul George, Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti expressed appreciation for both players, but he also disagreed with George’s claim that the decision to deal him was “mutual.” “I think the world of PG. I think
Last week, Basketball Insiders started a “Grading The Offseason” series, breaking down teams and the summer each has had thus far. Today, we’ll continue that series as we take a look at the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers had quite the up-and-down year; they went into the season with sky-high expectations, but things quickly spiraled
4:00 PM ET Only a few minutes into his introductory news conference, Russell Westbrook said something Friday that would’ve caused a collective spit take around the NBA just a few weeks ago. “I only care about one team,” Westbrook said, “and that’s the Houston Rockets.” After spending his first 11 seasons with the Oklahoma City
CHICAGO, IL – JANUARY 27: Lauri Markkanen #24 and Ryan Arcidiacono #51 of the Chicago Bulls high-five during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 27, 2019 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to
12:48 PM ET New Orleans Pelicans guard JJ Redick told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday that he won’t be able to accept the invitation to join the depleted USA Basketball roster for the FIBA World Cup in September. Redick, who spent the past two seasons in Philadelphia, said Thursday he was eager to be a
Last week, Basketball Insiders started a “Grading The Offseason” series, breaking down teams and the summer each has had thus far. Today, we’ll continue that series as we take a look at the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers had quite the up-and-down year; they went into the season with sky-high expectations, but things quickly spiraled
9:59 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Steve Ballmer was at his coastal home about two hours outside Seattle when he got the phone call he had been waiting for. Dennis Robertson, Kawhi Leonard‘s trusted uncle and adviser, called the LA Clippers owner around 11 p.m. to inform him that Leonard was joining the Clippers. Ballmer
As a former No. 4 overall draft pick, Dragan Bender disappointed with the Phoenix Suns. Will he live up to his potential with the Milwaukee Bucks? When the Phoenix Suns drafted Dragan Bender with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, they were hoping to find a future franchise cornerstone, a diamond in
6:01 PM ET A blockbuster offseason that saw multiple superstars on the move has left the NBA without a consensus title favorite and put some oddsmakers in a conundrum of trying to figure out how the season will unfold. Caesars Sportsbook posted season-win totals for each team Thursday afternoon. Seven teams opened with win totals
Last week, Basketball Insiders started a “Grading The Offseason” series, breaking down teams and the summer each has had thus far. Today, we’ll continue that series as we take a look at the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers had quite the up-and-down year; they went into the season with sky-high expectations, but things quickly spiraled
1:15 PM ET Associated Press WASHINGTON — Wizards forward C.J. Miles will undergo surgery for a stress fracture in his left foot. The team said the operation is set for Thursday in New York and that he is expected to be reevaluated in six weeks. Washington acquired Miles, 32, from the Memphis Grizzlies this summer
Coming off a promising NBA Summer League showing, Matisse Thybulle is looking to carve out a rotation spot with the Sixers next season. Midway through the Philadelphia 76ers’ Summer League game against the Detroit Pistons, Matisse Thybulle was confused. Irritated. Lost. Not because he blew an assignment, misread an offensive set or fumbled away a
11:23 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Throughout Kawhi Leonard’s free agency we heard and talked a lot about his desire for secrecy and discretion in his negotiations. The three teams involved mostly abided by those wishes, lest they risk losing the two-time NBA Finals MVP over a careless leak or slip up. But on the
With the NBA Summer League concluded and the brunt of free agency completed, the doldrums of the offseason are here. The FIBA World Cup, Drew League, BIG 3 and The Basketball Tournament and other events are currently taking over the scene until the association fires back up in late September. Last week, Basketball Insiders started
5:50 PM ET The mother of a Grand Rapids G League player who collapsed on the court and died from sudden cardiac arrest last year reached a settlement in her federal lawsuit against the NBA and the Detroit Pistons Wednesday. Zeke Upshaw, a guard/forward for the Pistons’ Grand Rapids Drive, died March 26, 2018, two
James Harden and Russell Westbrook are not the same kind of ball-dominant force. Will this pairing of dynamic opposites work for the Houston Rockets? If you don’t think about it too long, you could be fooled into believing that the recently reunited Russell Westbrook and James Harden play a similar style of basketball. Both have
9:19 AM ET Kawhi Leonard nudging Paul George out of Oklahoma City with two years remaining on George’s contract will go down as a watershed moment in the NBA — for the teams it built and tore apart; for the bounty the Thunder received; but mostly for what it signified about the degree to which
One of the most important aspects of being healthy is physical activity or exercise. In fact, eating healthy is not enough for an optimum state of healthy living. Even without exercise but with proper diet, you may lose weight but your body will still feel off. Physical activity such as any kind of exercise helps
12:07 PM ET After hearing concerns from owners and fielding inquiries from top agents over the last several weeks, the NBA has opened an investigation into how free agency operated this summer, multiple league sources told ESPN. The scope of the investigation is still being determined, but sources say it will likely focus on some
BOSTON, MA – DECEMBER 14: Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks dribbles against the Boston Celtics during the first quarter at TD Garden on December 14, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) Fantasy Baseball 2019 Week 17: Players You Need to Drop by Bill Pivetz Despite having many promising young players,
1:11 PM ET Nick DePaulaESPN After months of deliberating a handful of offers, New Orleans Pelicans rookie and No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Zion Williamson has signed a multiyear shoe deal with Jordan Brand. “I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of the Jordan Brand family,” Williamson said. “Since I was a kid,
With the NBA Summer League concluded and the brunt of free agency completed, the doldrums of the offseason are here. The FIBA World Cup, Drew League, BIG 3 and The Basketball Tournament and other events are currently taking over the scene until the association fires back up in late September. Last week, Basketball Insiders started
1:17 PM ET The San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday promoted longtime general manager R.C. Buford to CEO of Spurs Sports & Entertainment, moving assistant general manager Brian Wright to the GM position. Buford, a two-time NBA Executive of the Year, had served as general manager since 2002 and was given the title of president of
The threat of 3-point shooting has a powerful effect on defensive positioning. So, how is NBA shooting gravity defined and how can we visualize it? Since the dawn of the modern 3-point era, NBA teams have been on a quest to improve their outside shooting and that evolution has brought the phrase “gravity” into the
3:18 PM ET ESPN News Services EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Lakers have been awarded the rights to Kostas Antetokounmpo on a waiver claim. The Lakers announced the move Monday to acquire the 21-year-old brother of 24-year-old Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Kostas Antetokounmpo played in two games last season for Dallas. The
Over the next couple of weeks, Basketball Insiders is grading all 30 NBA teams on their offseasons — additions, subtractions, draft picks, trades, etc — and their potential headed into the 2019-20 campaign. Between today and autumn, franchises will be tasked with figuring out how their roster pieces, both new and old, might mesh together
5:28 PM ET Tim Duncan has returned to the San Antonio Spurs as an assistant on coach Gregg Popovich’s staff, the team announced Monday. “It is only fitting, that after I served loyally for 19 years as Tim Duncan’s assistant, that he returns the favor,” Popovich said in a statement. Duncan, 43, played his entire
11:47 AM ET Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal has pulled out of playing with Team USA in the World Cup this summer, agent Mark Bartelstein told ESPN. Beal is expecting his second son during World Cup preparation and competition, which led to the decision. He is the fifth player to withdraw from the team in
In case you haven’t been following along, Basketball Insiders has been running a new series called “Grading the Offseason.” So far, we’ve visited the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks. This go-round, we take a look at the baby Hawks that reside in the ATL. Things are looking up in Hotlanta.
The defensive-minded David Nwaba has something to offer the Brooklyn Nets in the new Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant era. David Nwaba has spent his career outside of the spotlight. He started in the G League, playing for the Los Angeles D-Fenders before landing a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017. The