TORONTO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard has yet to address the media in Toronto since his trade to the Raptors, but team president Masai Ujiri said Tuesday that his star acquisition is happy and healthy."He is determined and seems in the right frame of mind," Ujiri said. "You will be hearing from him shortly. I think there is a fire inside of him and we are all excited about that."Leonard was the centerpiece of one of the NBA's biggest off-season trades. The Raptors acquired the two-time Defensive Player of the Year from the San Antonio Spurs along with Danny Green in exchange for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a draft pick. Ujiri swung the deal while in Kenya working with his nonprofit, Giants of Africa.While Leonard has remained mum on the move, Ujiri said he's not concerned about the 27-year-old's commitment to the franchise, saying Leonard worked out with Raptors coaches in Los Angeles, and has visited Toronto a couple of times."Basketball person. Just loves the game," he said. "Wants to play... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Manu Ginobili walked into the San Antonio Spurs practice facility and saw the intense efforts of his young teammates in preseason workouts.Ginobili had put himself through those same workouts for 16 seasons. But this August morning, the 41-year-old realized he couldn't. For a player who has literally thrown himself into his basketball career, the realization his body and spirit were no longer willing cemented the decision to walk away from the NBA."I couldn't see my body going through that kind of grind again," Ginobili said Saturday during a press conference at the Spurs practice facility. "I felt that I had a good season, that I left everything that I had in the previous season both physically and mentally."Ginobili was thoughtful, self-effacing and funny in his first interview since announcing his retirement Aug. 27 on social media. He steps away after helping San Antonio win four of its five NBA titles, the last coming in 2014.His retirement, along with Tony Parker's... [More]

Manu Ginobili has played his final game, and with that a new era awaits the San Antonio Spurs.Ginobili announced his decision to retire Monday, the 41-year-old wrapping up what he called a "fabulous journey" in which he helped the Spurs win four NBA championships in 16 seasons with the club.The smooth left-handed guard from Argentina came to San Antonio in 2002, forming what quickly became a powerful "Big 3" alongside Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. Now, they've all moved on: Duncan retired two years ago, Parker left San Antonio earlier this summer as a free agent to sign with the Charlotte Hornets, and Ginobili has worn Spurs colors for the last time as well."Today, with a wide range of feelings, I'm announcing my retirement from basketball," Ginobili wrote on Twitter in making the announcement. "IMMENSE GRATITUDE to everyone (family, friends, teammates, coaches, staff, fans) involved in my life in the last 23 years. It's been a fabulous journey. Way beyond my wildest dreams."The image Ginobili... [More]

Manu Ginobili has played his final game, and with that a new era awaits the San Antonio Spurs.Ginobili announced his decision to retire Monday, the 41-year-old wrapping up what he called a "fabulous journey" in which he helped the Spurs win four NBA championships in 16 seasons with the club.The smooth left-handed guard from Argentina came to San Antonio in 2002, forming what quickly became a powerful "Big 3" alongside Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. Now, they've all moved on: Duncan retired two years ago, Parker left San Antonio earlier this summer as a free agent to sign with the Charlotte Hornets, and Ginobili has worn Spurs colors for the last time as well."Today, with a wide range of feelings, I'm announcing my retirement from basketball," Ginobili wrote on Twitter in making the announcement. "IMMENSE GRATITUDE to everyone (family, friends, teammates, coaches, staff, fans) involved in my life in the last 23 years. It's been a fabulous journey. Way beyond my wildest dreams."The image Ginobili... [More]

Manu Ginobili has played his final game, and with that a new era awaits the San Antonio Spurs.Ginobili announced his decision to retire on Monday, the 41-year-old wrapping up what he called a "fabulous journey" in which he helped the Spurs win four NBA championships in 16 seasons with the club.The smooth left-handed guard from Argentina came to San Antonio in 2002, forming what quickly became a powerful "Big 3" alongside Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. Now, they've all moved on: Duncan retired two years ago, Parker left San Antonio earlier this summer as a free agent to sign with the Charlotte Hornets, and Ginobili has worn Spurs colors for the last time as well."Today, with a wide range of feelings, I'm announcing my retirement from basketball," Ginobili wrote on Twitter in making the announcement. "IMMENSE GRATITUDE to everyone (family, friends, teammates, coaches, staff, fans) involved in my life in the last 23 years. It's been a fabulous journey. Way beyond my wildest dreams."The image... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Raptors president Masai Ujiri apologized Friday for a "miscommunication" with four-time All-Star and franchise icon DeMar DeRozan, but Toronto's traded All-Star guard didn't seem quite ready to make amends.Speaking for the first time since sending DeRozan to San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard, Ujiri began by saying sorry to DeRozan. The career Raptor had expressed anger and frustration in an Instagram post after learning of the deal, indicating he'd been told he would not be traded.Shortly after Ujiri apologized Friday, DeRozan added a new post to his Instagram feed: a facepalm emoji, a symbol of frustration and exasperation.Reflecting on a conversation he'd had with DeRozan at Summer League earlier this month, Ujiri said he "should have handled it better" when discussing future plans."Maybe my mistake was talking about what we expected going forward from him," Ujiri said. "I think that's where the gap was, because in my job I always have to assume that I'm going forward with... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The most tumultuous offseason in Gregg Popovich's two decades with the Spurs ended with the trade of star Kawhi Leonard to Toronto.And Popovich says he is fine with that.The Spurs traded Leonard and Danny Green to the Toronto Raptors for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a conditional 2019 first-round pick on Wednesday. It was clear that Leonard was ready to go despite years of success with Popovich and the Spurs."At his point, my main interest is definitely not to look back," Popovich said. "It doesn't do us any good whatsoever. I'm thrilled to have DeMar and Jakob join us. From that point on, that's where my focus will be."Popovich was jovial and heartfelt in speaking to the media for the first time since his wife, Erin, died April 18. Popovich did not coach the Spurs in the final three games of their first-round playoff loss to Golden State.Popovich said this offseason has been "difficult" for him, but it has not dampened the 69-year-old's desire to continue coaching."When... [More]

Raptors boss Masai Ujiri better have some magic plan.Because if he doesn't, Lakers boss Magic Johnson certainly will.Before Kawhi Leonard and DeMar DeRozan — the headline pieces in a four-player trade between San Antonio and Toronto on Wednesday — play a single game for their new teams, this much is clear: The Spurs got better, the Raptors are taking a gargantuan risk and the Los Angeles Lakers are going to sit back and see what happens.San Antonio essentially swapped one All-Star for another, ridded itself of a headache — the Leonard-wants-out saga — and got a first-round draft pick as well. Hard to argue.In DeRozan, Toronto traded away a guard who led the Raptors in scoring in each of the last five seasons for a player who, without hardly ever saying a word, has made clear that he wants to be in Los Angeles. A bold strategy, but if Ujiri can win over Leonard in a year just like Sam Presti and Oklahoma City did with Paul George, it could work out like gangbusters for the Raptors.And if... [More]

The Kawhi Leonard saga in San Antonio is over. So is DeMar DeRozan's time in Toronto.An NBA summer blockbuster got pulled off Wednesday, with the Spurs sending Leonard to the Raptors as part of a four-player deal that has DeRozan heading to San Antonio. The Spurs also got center Jakob Poeltl and a 2019 protected first-round draft pick, while the Raptors acquired sharpshooter Danny Green.For Leonard and the Spurs, there's finally closure to a relationship that seemed fractured beyond repair and played out like a soap opera as the season went along. But in the end, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich — insisting that looking back at what happened would not be worth his time, and that Leonard was a good teammate throughout his tenure in San Antonio — simply said he hopes the move works out for everyone involved."Kawhi, obviously, worked very hard to become the player he is," Popovich said in San Antonio, a couple of hours after the trade became official when the teams got approval on the terms from... [More]

The Kawhi Leonard saga in San Antonio is finally over. So is DeMar DeRozan's time in Toronto.An NBA summer blockbuster got pulled off Wednesday, with the Spurs sending Leonard to the Raptors — weeks after the disgruntled 2014 NBA Finals MVP asked for a trade — as part of a deal that also has DeRozan leaving Toronto for San Antonio. The Spurs also got Jakob Poeltl and a 2019 protected first-round draft pick, while the Raptors acquired Danny Green.For Leonard and the Spurs, there's finally closure to a relationship that obviously was fractured beyond repair and devolved into a soap opera as the season went along. For DeRozan, who has often professed his love for Toronto, the initial reaction seemed to be one of anger and frustration."Ain't no loyalty in this game," DeRozan wrote in an Instagram story that appeared in the wee hours of Wednesday, around the time that ESPN and Yahoo Sports reported that the trade was approaching the imminent stage. "Sell you out quick for a little bit of nothing... [More]

San Antonio has traded 2014 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard to Toronto for four-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan in a blockbuster deal.The trade was finalized Wednesday. The Spurs are also sending Danny Green to the Raptors, who are shipping Jakob Poeltl and a protected 2019 first-round draft pick to San Antonio.The trade ends the drawn-out saga regarding Leonard's future in San Antonio. He appeared in only nine games with the Spurs last season, and any doubt about whether there was a disconnect between him and the team was answered earlier this offseason when he asked for a trade.Leonard can become a free agent next summer, which means there's no guarantee he'll be in Toronto for long.DeRozan, meanwhile, has been Toronto's best scorer in each of the last five seasons and led the team to a 59-23 record and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs this past season.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

The Kawhi Leonard saga in San Antonio is on the cusp of ending, with the Spurs reaching an agreement in principle on Wednesday to send the 2014 NBA Finals MVP to the Toronto Raptors for All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan.Danny Green also will be going to Toronto as part of the deal, which was confirmed to The Associated Press by two people with direct knowledge of the negotiations. Both spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade is not expected to be finalized until NBA officials approve the terms later Wednesday.ESPN, which first reported that the teams agreed to the deal, also said the Spurs were getting Jakob Poeltl and a future first-round draft pick from Toronto.The trade is a huge, and potentially risky, move for both teams.Leonard appeared in only nine games for the Spurs last season, during which the relationship between the All-Star and the team seemed strained and often tinged with frustration over the way he dealt with recovery from a right leg injury. He can be a... [More]

Two people familiar with the situation say San Antonio and Toronto have reached an agreement in principle on a trade that will send Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors and DeMar DeRozan to the Spurs.One of the people says the Spurs also are sending Danny Green to the Raptors as part of the deal. Both people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the deal has not been finalized.ESPN, which first reported that the agreement was struck, also said that the Raptors are sending Jakob Poeltl and a protected future first-round draft pick to San Antonio.It is a huge, and potentially risky, move for both teams.Leonard made clear to the Spurs several weeks ago that he wanted to be traded, and it's long been believed that he wants to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers when he can be a free agent in 2019. DeRozan has led the Raptors in scoring in each of the last five seasons.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

TORONTO (AP) — Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri hasn't forgotten the first time he met Nick Nurse.It was 1995 and Ujiri, now president of the Toronto Raptors, was playing for the Derby Storm of the British Basketball League. Nurse was coach of the rival Birmingham Bullets. Not yet 30, Nurse had already been on the bench for six years, quickly establishing himself as a coach on the rise."His teams were tough," Ujiri said Thursday as the Raptors officially introduced Nurse as their coach. "There was always something about the Birmingham team that was different from the whole league. People talked about them that way."More than two decades on from that initial introduction, Ujiri is hoping Nurse has what it takes to turn Toronto into the talk of the NBA.The ninth head coach in Raptors history, Nurse replaces his former boss, Dwane Casey — under whom he spent the past five seasons as a Toronto assistant. Casey was fired after the Raptors were swept out of the second round of this year's... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri hasn't forgotten the first time he met Nick Nurse.It was 1995 and Ujiri, now president of the Toronto Raptors, was playing for the Derby Storm of the British Basketball League. Nurse was coach of the rival Birmingham Bullets. Not yet 30, Nurse had already been on the bench for six years, quickly establishing himself as a coach on the rise."His teams were tough," Ujiri said Wednesday as the Raptors officially introduced Nurse as their coach. "There was always something about the Birmingham team that was different from the whole league. People talked about them that way."More than two decades on from that initial introduction, Ujiri is hoping Nurse has what it takes to turn Toronto into the talk of the NBA.The ninth head coach in Raptors history, Nurse replaces his former boss, Dwane Casey — under whom he spent the past five seasons as a Toronto assistant. Casey was fired after the Raptors were swept out of the second round of this year's... [More]

Nick Nurse spent almost three decades paying his coaching dues, toiling with teams in Britain, Italy and Belgium, college basketball and the G League.The chance he's long coveted has finally arrived.Nurse has agreed to become the next coach of the Toronto Raptors, a person with direct knowledge of the hire told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Nurse will be replacing his former boss, Dwane Casey — under whom he spent the past five seasons as a Raptors assistant. Casey was fired after the Raptors were swept out of the second round of this year's playoffs by Cleveland.Nurse and the Raptors were completing contract terms Tuesday, according to the person who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced. ESPN first reported the hiring.The move seems to suggest there will be at least some continuity between what the Raptors have been doing and what they'll do on his watch. Toronto went 59-23 this season, the best record in the Eastern Conference and second-best... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named to the All-NBA second team.It's the second consecutive season that Antetokounmpo has been named second team All-NBA. He's the first Buck selected to an All-NBA team in back-to-back seasons since Sidney Moncrief in 1984-85 and 1985-86.In his fifth NBA season, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their second consecutive playoff berth and the team's most wins since the 2009-10 season. He set new career highs in points (26.9) and rebounds (10.0) per game in addition to dishing out 4.8 assists per game, second-highest of his career. He also shot a career-best 52.9 percent from the field.Joining Antetokounmpoon on the All-NBA second team are San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge, Toronto's DeMar DeRozan, Philadelphia's Joel Embiid and Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City.

NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James was unanimously selected to the All-NBA first team for a record 12th time, while Houston's James Harden also appeared on all 100 first-team ballots.They were joined Thursday on the first team by New Orleans' Anthony Davis, Golden State's Kevin Durant and Portland's Damian Lillard.James passed Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone with the 12th first-team selection of his 15-year career. He also was a second-team selection twice.The second team was forwards Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee and LaMarcus Aldridge of San Antonio, Philadelphia center Joel Embiid, and guards Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City and DeMar DeRozan of Toronto.Injury absences sent Golden State's Stephen Curry tumbling to the third team, where he was joined in the backcourt by Indiana's Victor Oladipo. Minnesota teammates Karl-Anthony Towns and Jimmy Butler, and Oklahoma City's Paul George rounded out the third team.Voting was done by a panel of sports writers and broadcasters.

TORONTO (AP) — Masai Ujiri believes Dwane Casey deserves to be recognized as the best coach in the NBA, but the Toronto president doesn't think Casey should be leading the Raptors.So the Raptors fired Casey, praising him on his way out the door.Hours after the Raptors announced they were parting ways with Casey on Friday — days after the team was swept in the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second straight season — Ujiri said he doesn't think he will ever work with a better person."Nothing in particular that coach Casey did wrong, but I think it was time for this to happen," he said.Casey led the Raptors to a franchise-record 59 wins this season as Toronto earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time. He posted a 320-238 record in seven seasons and is the franchise's winningest coach."I hope coach Casey gets coach of the year, because he deserves it," Ujiri said. "I saw everything he did here. I saw the job he did this year. He deserves it."But that wasn't... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Masai Ujiri believes Dwane Casey deserves to be recognized as the best coach in the NBA, but the Toronto president doesn't think Casey should be leading the Raptors.So the Raptors fired Casey, praising him on his way out the door.Hours after the Raptors announced they were parting ways with Casey on Friday — days after the team was swept in the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second straight season — Ujiri said he doesn't think he will ever work with a better person."Nothing in particular that coach Casey did wrong, but I think it was time for this to happen," he said.Casey led the Raptors to a franchise-record 59 wins this season as Toronto earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time. He posted a 320-238 record in seven seasons and is the franchise's winningest coach."I hope coach Casey gets coach of the year, because he deserves it," Ujiri said. "I saw everything he did here. I saw the job he did this year. He deserves it."But that wasn't... [More]