EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers already had plenty of problems to fix during the summer after their sixth straight losing season.Replacing the person in charge of fixing those problems is suddenly at the top of the list.Magic Johnson's shocking resignation as the 16-time NBA champions' president of basketball operations Tuesday night compounded the turmoil that always seems to envelop the Lakers, who remain among the most talked-about sports franchises in the world even though they haven't made the playoffs since 2013.Owner Jeanie Buss unveiled no immediate plan Wednesday for the basketball leadership of the Lakers — perhaps understandably, since she had no idea she needed a plan 18 hours earlier.Buss, general manager Rob Pelinka and coach Luke Walton all skipped the Lakers' customary exit interviews on the morning after their season ended, instead leaving it to their players to characterize yet another bizarre year in Lakerland."I still have confidence that this organization... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Magic Johnson abruptly quit as the Los Angeles Lakers' president of basketball operations Tuesday night, citing his desire to return to the simpler life he enjoyed as a wealthy businessman and beloved former player before taking charge of this tempestuous franchise just over two years ago.Johnson didn't tell owner Jeanie Buss or general manager Rob Pelinka about his shocking decision before he announced it in front of reporters about 90 minutes before the final game of the Lakers' sixth consecutive losing season.Los Angeles, which is missing the NBA playoffs yet again despite the offseason addition of LeBron James, played well after Johnson's announcement, but still lost 104-101 to Portland."I want to go back to having fun," Johnson said, fighting off tears. "I want to go back to being who I was before taking on this job. We're halfway there with LeBron coming (last summer). I think this summer, with that other star coming in, whoever is going to bring him in, I think... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Magic Johnson abruptly quit as the Los Angeles Lakers' president of basketball operations Tuesday night, citing his desire to return to the simpler life he enjoyed as a wealthy businessman and beloved former player before taking charge of this tempestuous franchise just over two years ago.Johnson didn't tell owner Jeanie Buss or general manager Rob Pelinka about his shocking decision before he announced it in front of reporters about 90 minutes before the final game of the Lakers' sixth consecutive losing season. Los Angeles was 37-44 heading into its game against Portland, missing the playoffs yet again despite the offseason addition of LeBron James."I want to go back to having fun," Johnson said before fighting off tears. "I want to go back to being who I was before taking on this job. We're halfway there with LeBron coming (last summer). I think this summer, with that other star coming in, whoever is going to bring him in, I think this team is really going to be in... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Magic Johnson abruptly quit as the Los Angeles Lakers' president of basketball operations Tuesday night, citing his desire to return to the simpler life he enjoyed as a wealthy businessman and beloved former player before taking charge of this tempestuous franchise just over two years ago.Johnson didn't tell owner Jeanie Buss or general manager Rob Pelinka about his shocking decision before he announced it in front of reporters about 90 minutes before the final game of the Lakers' sixth consecutive losing season. Los Angeles was 37-44 heading into its game against Portland, missing the playoffs yet again despite the offseason addition of LeBron James."I want to go back to having fun," Johnson said before fighting off tears. "I want to go back to being who I was before taking on this job. We're halfway there with LeBron coming (last summer). I think this summer, with that other star coming in, whoever is going to bring him in, I think this team is really going to be in... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James' first season with the Los Angeles Lakers is over.James will sit out the final six games of the Lakers' sixth consecutive losing season, the team announced Saturday. In a statement, President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson and General Manager Rob Pelinka claimed the decision will provide James with a head start on offseason healing for a three-month-old groin strain, the first significant injury of his career."After consulting with our team doctors and medical staff, we have decided to hold LeBron out of games for the remainder of the season," the statement said. "This decision will allow his groin to fully heal, and is best for the future success of both LeBron and the Lakers."James is the NBA's fifth-leading scorer at 27.4 points per game, and he averaged 8.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists in his first season on the West Coast. He will accompany the Lakers on their upcoming trip to New Orleans and Oklahoma City, but the 16-year NBA veteran won't play... [More]

Utah center and reigning NBA defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert was moved to tears Friday when discussing his disappointment about not being selected for the All-Star Game, saying his omission suggests that excelling on defense isn't valued.Gobert is fourth in the NBA in blocks per game, and fifth in the league in rebounds per game. He's also shooting a league-high 65 percent from 2-point range this season."I feel disrespected," Gobert told reporters in Salt Lake City. "Disrespectful, not only towards me but towards the team, the organization and towards the game. All the coaches preach about defense. Every day they talk about defense, they talk about how important it is to get stops in order to win basketball games. And when it's time to vote, they they're not able to reward the best defensive player in the world."Gobert was not selected by the league's coaches as an All-Star reserve; those picks were unveiled Thursday, though the vote totals were not disclosed. He also finished... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant cherishes the opportunity to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by playing basketball on the holiday that celebrates the civil rights leader."What MLK meant to the nation and just his message around the world. Still to this day his message has touched so many people," Durant said. "It's a good opportunity to play on that day. For us it just means a lot. We carry so much. Each one of us has different journeys throughout life and for us to meet at this point to come out and play a game so special on such a special day, hopefully it brings more people together."There will be another full slate of NBA games with 22 of the league's 30 teams playing on Monday. Knicks coach David Fizdale appreciates how the NBA gives so many teams the chance to play on MLK Day — unlike the more limited schedule on Christmas."The NBA is just ahead of everything. Adam Silver and those guys just really have a progressive attitude about being inclusive, they understand our history,... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo will be sidelined at least a month after undergoing surgery to repair a ligament on his right ring finger.Rondo sprained his finger during Los Angeles' surprising Christmas Day victory at Golden State. He missed the Lakers' last-second loss at Sacramento on Thursday night along with LeBron James, who strained his groin against the Warriors.Rondo had surgery Friday, and he is expected to fully recover in four to five weeks, according to the team. Rondo initially hoped to play through the pain in his troublesome shooting hand, but decided it would be impossible without surgery."He tried to pick up a basketball and palm it, and it was killing him," Lakers coach Luke Walton said. "His decision was based on, 'All right, I can fight through this and see how much I can do, or I just get it done ASAP and come back 100 percent and try to make a late-season push.' That was what all parties decided was the best option."The Lakers also played without... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Warriors center Damian Jones underwent surgery for a torn left pectoral muscle.Golden State said Friday that Jones had the procedure Wednesday in Chicago, performed by Dr. Benjamin Domb. Jones is expected to begin the rehab process in six weeks with a timetable to be determined based on his progress.Jones, a third-year pro out of Vanderbilt who developed in the G League last season to emerge as the starter for the two-time defending NBA champions, was injured Saturday at Detroit.The 23-year-old Jones started in 22 of his 24 games, averaging 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in 17.1 minutes. Golden State had an opening at center following the offseason departures of JaVale McGee, Zaza Pachulia and David West.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

There was a two-season stretch during which JaVale McGee scored a total of 141 points. He was a target of jokes, wildly misunderstood by many in the NBA, almost an afterthought of sorts whose career seemed to be closer to flaming out than taking off.And in those darkest days, McGee kept asking himself the same question."Is it over?"The answer now is obvious: No, it wasn't over. Fast forward, and it may just be getting started.He's living the life that few in the NBA get to experience. He's teamed up with the best players of this generation — Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, LeBron James. He's won two championships, part of Golden State's back-to-back titles over the last two seasons. And now he's the starting center for the Los Angeles Lakers, getting a chance to play big minutes and put up numbers for the first time in nearly a decade.In his 11th season, McGee has basically gotten a basketball rebirth."I played against him in the last two NBA Finals and I wanted him on this team because I... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Veteran center Tyson Chandler signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, two days after reaching a buyout agreement with the Phoenix Suns.Chandler will provide needed frontcourt depth for the Lakers, who have relied on JaVale McGee and undersized forwards to guard big men during their 4-6 start to the season. Rookie center Moe Wagner still hasn't made his debut while returning slowly from a knee injury, and Lakers basketball boss Magic Johnson didn't want to wait any longer to bolster his team's areas of need.While the 36-year-old Chandler might not be the dominant defensive player he was in his prime, he could play regular minutes for coach Luke Walton while the Lakers attempt to find a winning groove in their first season with LeBron James.The Lakers host Minnesota on Wednesday night."Having observed our roster for the first 10 games of this young season, one of the areas that Earvin and I discussed with Luke that we desired to upgrade is interior defense and rebounding,"... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Veteran center Tyson Chandler has signed with the Los Angeles Lakers two days after reaching a buyout agreement with the Phoenix Suns.The Lakers announced the signing Tuesday.The 36-year-old Chandler will provide needed frontcourt depth for the Lakers, who have relied on JaVale McGee and undersized forwards to guard big men during their 4-6 start to the season.Chandler is joining his seventh team early in his 18th NBA season. He spent the previous three years with Phoenix, and he averaged 6.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game last season.A California native, Chandler attended Dominguez High School in Compton before going pro. He was the second pick in the 2001 draft by the Clippers, who traded his rights to Chicago.___More AP NBA: www.apnews.com/NBA and www.twitter.com/AP_Sports

Tyson Chandler is going home.The Phoenix Suns are buying out Chandler's contract, a move that will allow the 18-year veteran — once he clears waivers — to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. A person with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed the buyout plan to The Associated Press on Saturday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the Suns had not yet revealed it publicly.The New York Times first reported that Chandler and the Suns were agreeing on a buyout. Chandler was in the final season of his four-year deal with the Suns, and was due to make about $13.5 million this season.The 36-year-old Chandler played his high school basketball in Compton, California, just a few miles south of downtown Los Angeles. With the Lakers, he'll likely be the backup to JaVale McGee.Chandler was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft, but has never played for either the Clippers or the Lakers. Chandler wound up debuting with Chicago, and has also played... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — LeBron James rubbed his hands in chalk powder at the scorer's table, yelled "Yes!" to ecstatic fans in the first few rows and the Los Angeles Lakers' new era was underway.Playing in the same arena where Magic Johnson made his regular-season debut for Los Angeles 39 years ago, James captivated the crowd from the start of the Lakers' exhibition opener Sunday night, a 124-107 loss to the Denver Nuggets.The opening tip came James' way and he tapped it to fellow newcomer Rajon Rondo, who threw an alley-oop pass to JaVale McGee for the game's first score.James missed his first shot, a turnaround fadeaway, but then made a no-look bounce pass from about 27 feet out to Brandon Ingram for a dunk. A minute later, James hit a long 3-pointer.He finished with nine points, three rebounds and four assists in just more than 15 minutes."It was great to get back on the floor and then just start a new journey for myself and hear the Lakers fans that we have here in San Diego," said James,... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — LeBron James rubbed his hands in chalk powder at the scorer's table, yelled "Yes!" to ecstatic fans in the first few rows and the Los Angeles Lakers' new era was underway.Playing in the same arena where Magic Johnson made his regular-season debut for Los Angeles 39 years ago, James captivated the crowd from the start of the Lakers' exhibition opener Sunday night, a 124-107 loss to the Denver Nuggets.The opening tip came James' way and he tapped it to fellow newcomer Rajon Rondo, who threw an alley-oop pass to JaVale McGee for the game's first score.James missed his first shot, a turnaround fadeaway, but then made a no-look bounce pass from about 27 feet out to Brandon Ingram for a dunk. A minute later, James hit a long 3-pointer.He finished with nine points, three rebounds and four assists in just more than 15 minutes.Lakers fans hope James' arrival will turn things around after the worst half-decade in the franchise's lengthy history.He left the Cleveland Cavaliers for... [More]

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Although the Lakers' first official practice of the LeBron James era was focused on defense and learning new terminology, they ended it with a good old-fashioned 3-point shooting contest.The Lakers' new superstar was just another teammate during the spirited back-and-forth competition Tuesday. When James wasn't draining his own 3s, he marveled along with everybody else at the surprising perimeter prowess shown by JaVale McGee, the 7-foot veteran with exactly one 3-pointer during a game in his 10-year NBA career.The Lakers have many weeks of work ahead to become a cohesive team assembled around James, but he can already sense they're heading down the right path. They're planning to have plenty of fun along the way, too."I'm not a very patient guy, but I understand that I have to be patient right now," James said. "I've got to be patient with myself, too, because this is a new start for me. It's my first year in a new system. I know how to play the game of basketball,... [More]

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — LeBron James realizes the size of the challenge he accepted when he joined the Los Angeles Lakers. After eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances, he knows his new team isn't a true contender with Golden State and the NBA's elite just yet.The superstar welcomed every step in the process Monday as he began his next chapter in purple and gold.James finally made his first formal appearance as a member of the Lakers at their media day, nearly three months after he left Cleveland for a four-year, $153.3 million free-agent deal. In between posing for photos in his new gold No. 23 uniform, the 33-year-old superstar revealed part of the motivation behind his decision to join an iconic franchise that hasn't made the playoffs in five years."No matter what uniform I'm in, I'm always humsbled that I'm able to play this game at this level," James said. "I think we all know that this franchise has been a historical franchise in this league for years. ... That's an excitement... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — First, his right forearm cramped turning his arm into the shape of a V as his hand bent back, and Jordan Bell could not move it for several minutes as he sat in the bathtub as he recovered post-workout. He yelled for his girlfriend's help. The cramp briefly released, then quickly returned. Soon, his quads, calves, hamstrings, biceps, hands and feet followed suit.Then, Bell blacked out. He came to and his girlfriend got him into bed, and he doesn't remember anything but waking up there."I just got cramps everywhere, all at once," he recalled after a workout at Warriors headquarters this week. "The pain was just so much, I blacked out."It was terrifying — "very," Bell said. He realized he had pushed his body to the brink of physical exhaustion after one especially grueling mid-August day with far from enough food and fuel. He did his cycle class, weights and conditioning, then a couple hours of open gym in Los Angeles — his regular routine all summer to get ready for... [More]

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Magic Johnson can already see LeBron James' impact on the young Los Angeles Lakers before they've even had a regular practice together.After just a few weeks of unusually competitive offseason scrimmages, the Lakers' basketball boss can't wait to see how James' leadership will translate into real success.Magic and general manager Rob Pelinka on Thursday pronounced themselves thrilled with the offseason progress made by their revamped roster and James, their prize free-agent acquisition. The Lakers have been working out together informally at the club's training complex ahead of the start of training camp Tuesday, and Johnson likes what he sees so far."Just to see all of them together playing a pickup game, oh my goodness," Johnson said. "It's something to watch. I've watched LeBron from afar. I've been at many of his games. But to watch him in the gym is a whole different thing. How much he makes everybody better, but also how he raises everybody's level of play.... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — David West, a key big man and snazzy passer who had a knack for providing a timely lift off the bench during the Golden State Warriors' past two championship seasons, retired Thursday.West's Twitter announcement — one day after his 38th birthday — wasn't a surprise as he made it clear he would take some time after the team's latest title run to contemplate calling it a career."I am humbled and thankful for the support of my family, friends, coaches, teammates, organizations, and fans throughout this experience," said West, the 18th overall draft pick by the Hornets in 2003 out of Xavier.He left the Spurs following the 2015-16 season for a chance to chase a championship with the Warriors, and wound up winning his first career title and then a second one this past June."David was a consummate professional throughout his entire career and was a huge presence in our locker room the last two years," Golden State coach Steve Kerr said in a statement. "The respect that he... [More]