WASHINGTON (AP) — Ernie Grunfeld was fired as president of the Washington Wizards on Tuesday after 16 seasons in charge of the team.The Wizards announced his dismissal with four games left in a disappointing, no-playoffs season.Washington is 32-46 and in 11th place in the 15-team Eastern Conference."We did not meet our stated goals of qualifying for the playoffs this season," owner Ted Leonsis said in a statement issued by the Wizards, "and, despite playing with injuries to several key players, we have a culture of accountability and a responsibility of managing to positive outcomes."Point guard John Wall and center Dwight Howard both missed most of the season, and forward Markieff Morris also was injured before getting traded.The club went 568-724 during Grunfeld's tenure, including eight postseason appearances.But Washington never made it past the second round of the playoffs and never won at least 50 games in a season, despite having All-Stars such as Wall, Bradley Beal, Gilbert Arenas,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Already done for this season after one operation, Washington Wizards point guard John Wall now will miss most — if not all — of next season, too, because he needs surgery on his left Achilles tendon, which he tore in a fall at home.Wizards team doctor Wiemi Douoguih said Tuesday in a conference call with reporters that he discovered the partial rupture of the tendon during a procedure done Monday to address an infection from the operation on Wall's left heel on Jan. 8.The 28-year-old Wall's Achilles surgery has not been scheduled yet. Douoguih said it probably will be next week.Wall, whose game is built around his speed and ability to drive to the basket, is expected to be able to return to what the team called "full basketball activities" about a year after that operation. Douoguih estimated the recovery range for Wall's injury, "at John's age," to be from 11 to 15 months.There is no way to know what sort of player Wall will be when he returns, Douoguih said."Unfortunately,"... [More]

Imagine this: Kevin Durant is out of bounds by an enormous margin, all three referees somehow miss the obvious infraction and Golden State winds up getting a basket that it didn't deserve to take the lead with a few seconds remaining.It seemed implausible.That is, until it happened.When such a scene played out last week in the Houston-Golden State overtime thriller, James Harden kept a ton of egg from landing on the NBA's face when he connected on a 3-pointer to give the Rockets a win in a game they would have screamed bloody murder about otherwise. But what if he missed? Or worse, if a call that big got missed in Game 7 of the NBA Finals?"How do you miss that?" TNT analyst Reggie Miller mused while watching the Durant replay.An obvious question, with an obvious answer: It's time for a change.Everyone in the NBA replay center in Secaucus, New Jersey that night surely saw Durant standing out of bounds. But there is no mechanism for the replay crews to trigger a review of such a play — since,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington Wizards power forward Markieff Morris will miss at least six weeks with a neck injury, the latest setback in a difficult season for one of the NBA's most disappointing teams.The Wizards announced Thursday that Morris was examined by a doctor after dealing with neck and upper back stiffness since getting hit on the chin during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 16. Morris left that game at halftime with what the Wizards said then was a neck strain.He now will be limited to non-contact basketball activities for the next 1½ months. The Wizards are scheduled to play 20 games in that span.The 29-year-old Morris has never appeared in fewer than the 63 games he played in during his rookie season back in 2011-12.The Wizards already were without All-Star point guard John Wall for the rest of this season because he needs an operation on his left heel and Achilles tendon, and they're also currently missing center Dwight Howard, who is expected to be out for... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Wizards say forward Markieff Morris will miss at least six weeks with a neck injury, the latest setback for one of the NBA's most disappointing teams.The Wizards announced Thursday that Morris was examined by a doctor in Dallas after dealing with neck and upper back stiffness since getting hit on the chin during a game on Dec. 16.He will be limited to non-contact basketball activities for the next 1½ months. That would mean sitting out a minimum of 20 games.The Wizards already are without point guard John Wall for the rest of the season and are currently missing center Dwight Howard, both because of injuries.Only four teams in the Eastern Conference own a worse record than Washington's 15-23 mark.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Washington point guard John Wall will have season-ending surgery to address bone spurs in his left heel, the latest blow to the reeling Wizards.The Wizards announced Saturday night that the five-time All-Star will undergo the surgery in Green Bay, Wisconsin sometime in the next few days. Wall was told earlier Saturday that surgery was the best option, and he and the team conferred hours later before a final decision was made."I've been with him for almost three years," Washington coach Scott Brooks said Saturday before the Wizards hosted Charlotte. "He's as tough as they come. He never complained. He wanted to compete for his team, but it got to a point where he had to make some tough decisions. And that's why he met with a specialist."Wall has yet to address the surgical option publicly. He walked through the Wizards' locker room Saturday night with a gray protective boot on his left foot. The Wizards tried to manage his pain situation by limiting him in some practices and shootarounds,... [More]

Washington point guard John Wall has been told that he needs surgery to address bone spurs in his left heel, a procedure that would keep the five-time All-Star sidelined for at least six months.Wizards coach Scott Brooks said it is "likely" that Wall will have the surgery, though the team's medical staff was still collecting information and going through all possible options with their point guard before finalizing any decision. The Wizards were at home for a game with Charlotte on Saturday night."I've been with him for almost three years," Brooks said. "He's as tough as they come. He never complained. He wanted to compete for his team, but it got to a point where he had to make some tough decisions. And that's why he met with a specialist."Wall has yet to address the surgical option publicly. He walked through the Wizards' locker room Saturday night with a gray protective boot on his left foot. The Wizards tried to manage his pain situation by limiting him in some practices and shootarounds,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Wizards center Dwight Howard is expected to miss two to three months after undergoing spinal surgery to relieve pain in his glutes.The team announced Howard underwent a lumbar microdiscotemy Friday in California and would be re-evaluated in two to three months. Doctors determined a herniated disk was causing Howard's gluteal pain and nerve irritation.Howard had missed the last five games after aggravating the injury, which also caused him to sit out training camp and the first seven games of the season.Washington signed Howard to an $11 million, two-year contract with a player option in the offseason. The 32-year-old is averaging 12.8 points and 9.2 rebounds in nine games.The Wizards are Howard's fourth team in the past four seasons and sixth overall in his NBA career.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington Wizards center Dwight Howard is sitting out Tuesday night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers because of a gluteal injury.Howard, who missed the first seven games of the season with the injury, left Sunday's game against Portland in the second quarter when he aggravated the injury.Wizards coach Scott Brooks says he hopes Howard will be able to play in Friday's game at Toronto.Howard is averaging 12.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.Second-year player Thomas Bryant is getting his first NBA start at center in Howard's place.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WASHHINGTON (AP) — Washington Wizards center Dwight Howard has aggravated a gluteal injury that kept him out of the first seven games of the season.Howard aggravated the injury in the second quarter of Sunday night's game with Portland.Howard, who was averaging 14.1 points and 10 rebounds in his first eight games, was declared out at halftime after playing just seven minutes, scoring two points and picking up three fouls.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Scott Brooks knows he needs to try something to change the way things are going for his Washington Wizards. The problems are so plentiful, the coach just is not quite sure what to do.All-Star guards John Wall and Bradley Beal lead the Wizards into their game against the visiting New York Knicks on Sunday with a 1-7 record, including 0-3 at home, and five consecutive losses overall."Patience is running low from everybody," Beal said. "We've got to do it more collectively. The only way were going to get out of this slump is we've got to do it together."Their defense already was the worst in the NBA, giving up 122.4 points per game, before allowing even more than that in a 134-111 setback against Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night."It just looks like nobody's on the same page. I mean, like, if one person gets beat or somebody gives up a wide-open shot, nobody is there to help that person or pick that person up. Got to all be on one string," Wall... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dwight Howard is scheduled to make his Washington Wizards debut against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.Wizards coach Scott Brooks says his team's new center practiced Thursday and will start against visiting Oklahoma City.The Wizards are off to a 1-6 start without Howard. He missed all of training camp, the preseason and the first seven games of the regular season because of a sore backside.Howard didn't travel with the team on Washington's recent five-game road trip.Brooks says power forward Markieff Morris is out of the concussion protocol and practiced Thursday. He is also expected to play Friday against the Thunder.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) — For all of the changes Washington Wizards coach Scott Brooks wants to see John Wall, Bradley Beal and other players implement this season with an eye to finally making a deep playoff run, the most important might have nothing do with better shot selection or a more concerted effort on defense or taking every opponent seriously."Stop talking," Brooks said. "There's enough talk. Players and teams that talk are the ones that usually don't have success. The players that just let their play speak for themselves are the teams that are successful."The Wizards are coming off a 43-39 finish, No. 8 seeding in the Eastern Conference and first-round playoff exit, hardly the sort of showing they seemed to think they were capable of a year ago.One major problem, acknowledged by all, was that they tended to fail to show up against lesser teams."The professionalism is going to be a big thing for us," forward Markieff Morris said."We've just got to perform," Morris said. "Quite honestly,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dwight Howard joked Monday about the sore back that's expected to keep him out for the start of training camp with the Washington Wizards.Coach Scott Brooks downplayed the significance of the injury, too. Still, it's not ideal that the team needs to put off incorporating its one offseason addition to the starting lineup."I've been having to do a lot of traveling with shoe companies and stuff like that in China. So just from training, traveling — and airplanes weren't made for tall people. ... It kind of sucks to fly 15 hours curled up in the fetal position," said Howard, a 6-foot-11 center entering his 15th NBA season."So just a minor setback. It shouldn't take that long for me to get back on the court," he added. "I've been feeling great all summer. Just something that we'll have to deal with, and it shouldn't keep me out too long."The Wizards traded away starting center Marcin Gortat to the Los Angeles Clippers and added Howard, who'll turn 33 in December, on a two-year,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dwight Howard brought the charm to his introductory news conference with the Wizards on Monday. The eight-time All-Star has lots of experience in such situations. The center now playing for his fourth team in four seasons said Washington would be his last stop.The three-time defensive player of the year is joining a Wizards team that includes All-Star guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, but he is coming off a frustrating season that ended with a first-round playoff loss to the Raptors.Frustration is nothing new to the 6-foot-11 Howard. He's gone from taking the Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals to joining six teams since leaving Orlando in 2012.Washington and Howard agreed this month to a two-year, $11 million contract with a player option for the 2019-20 season.Howard became available after the Nets bought out his contract following a trade with the Hornets this offseason for a return of Timofey Mozgov's contract and a pair of second-round picks. Howard averaged 16.6 points... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Timofey Mozgov has been traded for the second time this summer, dealt from Charlotte to Orlando in a three-team deal that also included Chicago.The Magic sent Bismack Biyombo and two future second-round picks to Charlotte, which traded Mozgov to Orlando. The Magic also got guard Jerian Grant from the Bulls in the deal completed late Saturday night.Chicago acquired Julyan Stone from Charlotte in the trade that saves the Bulls about $2 million.The Hornets had just acquired Mozgov from Brooklyn in the deal that sent Dwight Howard to the Nets before he was bought out so he could sign with Washington. Neither Mozgov nor Biyombo ever came close to living up to the contracts they signed in July 2016, and both have two seasons and more than $32 million remaining.Biyombo played for Charlotte from 2011-14. He is fifth in Hornets history in blocks and blocks per game (1.6).

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to trade eight-time All-Star center Dwight Howard to the Brooklyn Nets for center Timofey Mozgov and two second-round draft picks, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday.The Hornets will get the Nets' second-round pick Thursday night (45th overall) and a second-round pick in 2021, the person said. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the teams have not announced the trade and the league cannot approve the deal until the trade moratorium ends on July 6.The 32-year-old Howard played only one season for Charlotte, averaging 16.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. He is due to make $23.8 million this season, the final year of his contract.Brooklyn will be Howard's fourth team in as many seasons. He had pushed for a trade from Orlando to the Nets during the 2011-12 season in hopes of joining Deron Williams, then changed his mind and recommitted the Magic, who instead dealt him... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to trade eight-time All-Star center Dwight Howard to the Brooklyn Nets for center Timofey Mozgov and two second-round draft picks, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday.The Hornets will get the Nets' second-round pick Thursday night (45th overall) and a second-round pick in 2021, the person said. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the teams have not announced the trade and the league cannot approve the deal until the trade moratorium ends on July 6.The 32-year-old Howard played only one season for Charlotte, averaging 16.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. He is due to make $23.8 million this season, the final year of his contract.Brooklyn will be Howard's fourth team in as many seasons.After spending three seasons with the Houston Rockets, Howard was acquired by his hometown Atlanta Hawks in 2016 as a free agent and signed a three-year contract.But he wore out his welcome... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A person familiar with the situation says the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to trade eight-time All-Star center Dwight Howard to the Brooklyn Nets for center Timofey Mozgov and two future second-round draft picks.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the teams have not announced the trade and the league has not yet approved it.Howard played only one season for Charlotte, averaging 16.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. He is due to make $23.8 million this season, the final year of his contract.Mozgov has two years left on his contract at $16 million per season.New Hornets general manager Kupchak signed Mozgov to a four-year, $64 million deal in 2016 when both were with the Lakers.___AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.

CHICAGO (AP) — If given the chance, Michael Porter Jr. would have a simple question for those who touted him as the best NBA prospect in this draft class a year ago and no longer do today.Why?The way he sees it, Porter was widely considered the best high-schooler in the country 12 months ago — even though he had back issues that led to him having surgery last fall and basically robbed him of his only college season at Missouri. So now, he thinks it's logical that if his back is better, his stock should be even higher as well."I'm still the best player," Porter said.And that's his message at the NBA Draft Combine, going on this week in Chicago. The small forward went through the anthropometric testing — height, weight, wingspan, body fat percentage and so on — but isn't partaking in on-court matters this week, opting instead to save his statements there until he gets workouts with teams over the coming weeks."I know without a doubt," Porter said. "I've played against all these guys. They're... [More]