NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks have traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks, parting with the young All-Star forward as he recovers from a torn knee ligament.The Knicks acquired Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews and two future first-round picks in the deal Thursday, while also sending guards Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke and Courtney Lee to Dallas.The Knicks made the surprising move after saying Porzingis requested a trade earlier Thursday.The 7-foot-3 Porzingis was the No. 4 pick in the 2015 draft and once was expected to be the Knicks' franchise player for years. But they declined to give him a contract extension last summer, and now by trading him and Hardaway seem instead to be gearing up to pursue players in free agency.Hardaway has two more years and about $37 million left on his contract, and moving that was necessary if the Knicks were going to find a way to open the most cap space possible.New York (10-40) has the worst record in the NBA and is headed... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — People with knowledge of the deal tell The Associated Press that the New York Knicks have agreed to trade Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks, parting with their young All-Star forward as he recovers from a torn knee ligament.The Knicks would acquire guard Dennis Smith Jr. and center DeAndre Jordan while also sending Tim Hardaway Jr. to Dallas. Other players would be added to the deal Thursday to make the salaries work.The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade was still being completed. It was first reported by ESPN.com.The 7-foot-3 Porzingis was the No. 4 pick in the 2015 draft and once was expected to be the Knicks' franchise player for years. But they declined to give him a contract extension last summer, and now by trading him and Hardaway seem instead to be gearing up to pursue players in free agency.Hardaway has two more years and about $37 million left on his contract, and moving that was necessary if the Knicks were going to find... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — People with knowledge of the deal tell The Associated Press that the New York Knicks have agreed to trade Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks, parting with their young All-Star forward as he recovers from a torn knee ligament.The Knicks would acquire guard Dennis Smith Jr. and center DeAndre Jordan while also sending Tim Hardaway Jr. to Dallas. Other players would be added to the deal Thursday to make the salaries work.The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade was still being completed. It was first reported by ESPN.com.The 7-foot-3 Porzingis was the No. 4 pick in the 2015 draft and once was expected to be the Knicks' franchise player for years. But they declined to give him a contract extension last summer, and now by trading him and Hardaway seem instead to be gearing up to pursue players in free agency.New York (10-40) has the worst record in the NBA and is headed toward landing a high pick in the draft. Then the Knicks will be set... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — People with knowledge of the deal tell The Associated Press that the New York Knicks have agreed to trade Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks, parting with their young All-Star forward as he recovers from a torn knee ligament.The Knicks would acquire guard Dennis Smith Jr. and center DeAndre Jordan while also sending Tim Hardaway Jr. to Dallas. Other players would be added to the deal Thursday to make the salaries work.The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade was still being completed. It was first reported by ESPN.com.The 7-foot-3 Porzingis was the No. 4 pick in the 2015 draft and once was expected to be the Knicks' franchise player for years. But they declined to give him a contract extension last summer, and now by trading him and Hardaway seem instead to be gearing up to pursue players in free agency.___AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.

The NBA changed the All-Star voting process two years ago, in part to prevent Zaza Pachulia being elected a starter.Instead, it might keep Dwyane Wade from being one — again. Luka Doncic and Derrick Rose, too.Entering the last full week of balloting, Wade would be in a good position for a farewell All-Star start under the old system, which was solely dependent on fan votes. He's running second among Eastern Conference guards, with a sizeable gap to No. 3 Kemba Walker after the second set of returns were released last week.Doncic is second among West forwards in a bid to start as a rookie, and Rose is ahead of MVP James Harden in the second spot in the West backcourt.But fan vote is now just 50 percent of the process, a change that was made after Pachulia was undeservedly nearly elected a starter through a huge overseas push in 2016. The players' vote and a media panel each account for 25 percent, and in its first year it did stop Pachulia, who would have been elected to start by fans in... [More]

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — Kristaps Porzingis is a one-of-a-kind player, a 7-foot-3 package strong enough to pound in the paint but with plenty of speed and shooting to play on the perimeter.That's ideal for the basketball court.Not so much for rehabbing a serious knee injury.Porzingis said Monday his size has necessitated a slow recovery from a torn left ACL and prevents him or the New York Knicks from establishing a timetable for his return to action."We've done things differently because there is no protocol for a 7-3 guy," Porzingis said. "There is no timetable for my type of body, my size and all that. So we've done things differently. We've been really conservative and at the same time I've been killing myself working, so we're just going to have to keep moving forward and keep progressing and then see when is the right time for me to be back."Porzingis was injured after a dunk in a Feb. 6 loss to Milwaukee, just before he was set to play in his first All-Star Game. He is doing light... [More]

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — Kevin Knox took a call from someone who knew exactly what he experienced on draft night.New Yorkers didn't welcome Kristaps Porzingis with open arms, either."He asked me how the fans reacted and I told him I got the same amount of boos as he got," Knox said Friday. "He just laughed and he said it's all motivation and fuel to the fire, and he said just work and he said sooner or later they'll be cheering for you."That's what happened with Porzingis, who quickly won over those who loudly booed his selection in 2015 with his talent, competitiveness and work ethic.The Knicks see the same traits in Knox, convincing them that the Kentucky freshman was not only the player to take with the No. 9 pick but that he's ready to start and match up with the NBA's best small forwards next season.That's why they decided a day before the draft they were taking Knox if he was available and didn't waver from that even when Michael Porter Jr. was still on the board — disappointing some... [More]

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — The New York Knicks are preaching patience but looking for progress.Jeff Hornacek got caught in the middle.The Knicks fired their coach early Thursday, shortly after finishing a 29-53 season. They lost more than 50 games and missed the playoffs both seasons under Hornacek."We looked out and we have a plan for what this team should look like over the next three years or so," Knicks President Steve Mills said. "We just thought this was an opportunity where we thought it was the right time to make a change."Mills and general manager Scott Perry said they didn't see enough improvement on the court and enough communication and accountability off it. They informed Hornacek of their decision at the airport after flying home from a season-ending victory in Cleveland."We know the roster is not complete, we understand our roster as well as anybody," Perry said at a news conference at the team's training facility. "But again, just in terms of consistency and then a trend I... [More]

Philadelphia wants to open the playoffs at home. Toronto wants home-court advantage all the way to the NBA Finals.How they get through some marquee games this week will go a long way in determining if they reach those goals.For the Raptors, it's a game Wednesday against the team right behind them. For the red-hot 76ers, it's the one just in front of them: LeBron James and the reigning East champs from Cleveland on Friday.Toronto hosts Boston, with both teams playing for the second straight night. The Raptors lost Tuesday in Cleveland and Boston later fell in Milwaukee, keeping the Raptors two games ahead with five to play.A win Wednesday and the Raptors will be on the verge of locking up the No. 1 seed. Lose their third consecutive game, and the door stays open for Boston to grab it for the second straight season. The Celtics trimmed three games off their deficit during a six-game winning streak that was snapped Tuesday, and would clinch the head-to-head tiebreaker with a win Wednesday."It's... [More]

Philadelphia wants to open the playoffs at home. Toronto wants home-court advantage all the way to the NBA Finals.How they get through some marquee games this week will go a long way in determining if they reach those goals.For the Raptors, it's a game Wednesday against the team right behind them. For the red-hot 76ers, it's the one just in front of them: LeBron James and the reigning East champs from Cleveland on Friday.Toronto hosts Boston, with both teams playing for the second straight night. The Raptors lost Tuesday in Cleveland and Boston later fell in Milwaukee, keeping the Raptors two games ahead with five to play.A win Wednesday and the Raptors will be on the verge of locking up the No. 1 seed. Lose their third consecutive game, and the door stays open for Boston to grab it for the second straight season. The Celtics trimmed three games off their deficit during a six-game winning streak that was snapped Tuesday, and would clinch the head-to-head tiebreaker with a win Wednesday."It's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Blake Griffin sat with his injured ankle wrapped on one side of the locker room while Reggie Jackson dressed on the other.The Detroit Pistons didn't get to see much of them together on the court, part of the reason their playoff hopes are just about finished.So they're trying to take the positives from a strong finish in a season where so much else went wrong.Andre Drummond narrowly missed a second straight 20-20 game with 22 points and 17 rebounds, and the Pistons beat the New York Knicks 115-109 on Saturday for their fourth straight victory."It's been a long season. It's been a tough one for us. We're not where we necessarily envisioned ourselves, but like I said I'm just proud of the resiliency this team's had," Jackson said. "Despite what our record may say, coming in every day and trying to get better and continue to battle."Jackson and Anthony Tolliver each scored 17 points for the Pistons, who won for the sixth time in seven games despite playing without Griffin because... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Andre Drummond narrowly missed a second straight 20-20 game with 22 points and 17 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons beat the New York Knicks 115-109 on Saturday for their fourth straight victory.Reggie Jackson and Anthony Tolliver each scored 17 points for the Pistons, who won for the sixth time in seven games despite playing without the injured Blake Griffin. Reggie Bullock added 16.Drummond was 8 for 13 from the floor and the formerly woeful free throw shooter was 6 of 8 from the line. The All-Star center had 24 points and 23 rebounds in a victory over Washington on Thursday and leads the NBA with seven 20-point, 20-rebound games this season.Griffin had an MRI Thursday on his right ankle that revealed a bone bruise. The Pistons said he will be re-evaluated in one week and a timetable for his return to action will be provided as appropriate.Michael Beasley scored 32 points and Trey Burke Jr. added 18 points and 15 assists for the Knicks, who have dropped three straight.... [More]

G Tim Hardaway Jr. has a stress injury to his lower left leg and could miss a few games.

G Tim Hardaway (stress injury lower left leg) missed his ninth straight game Monday. He is expected to be revaluated on Tuesday. So far, Hardaway has been doing some light shooting drills.

SG Tim Hardaway Jr., who has been out since Nov. 29 with a lower left leg stress injury, is expected to be evaluated Tuesday.

G Tim Hardaway (stress injury lower left leg) missed his seventh straight game but said he is feeling better. Hardaway will be re-evaluated in a few days and if he is showing progress, he could progress to running and jumping. Hardaway also said he did not know how the injury happened and is unsure of when he will return.

SG Tim Hardaway Jr., sidelined due to a lower left leg stress injury, attended the game in a large walking boot. He is scheduled to be re-evaluated next Tuesday.

F/G Tim Hardaway Jr. remains in a walking boot with a stress injury in his lower left leg.

SG Tim Hardaway Jr. is expected to miss at least two more weeks while he receives treatment for a lower left leg stress injury, the Knicks announced via Twitter before Wednesday's game.

G Tim Hardaway Jr., the New York Knicks' second-leading scorer, will be sidelined for at least two weeks because of a "stress injury" in his lower left leg, the team announced Tuesday. Based on information received from medical experts, the New York Post reported that a stress reaction could sidelined a player for two to six weeks, while a stress fracture could keep a player out for two months. Hardaway has already missed two games because of the injury and he has begun the rehabilitation process. The Knicks say Hardaway will be re-evaluated in two weeks. The Knicks have lost five of their past six games, and losing Hardaway is a major blow. He was having his best professional season, averaging 17.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.