ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins was suspended for 25 games without pay on Tuesday for a violation of the NBA's anti-drug program after testing positive for a growth hormone.The NBA announced that Collins, 22, tested positive for Peptide-2. He is Atlanta's leading rebounder and second-leading scorer.Collins is the third player to be handed 25-game suspensions for drug violations this season.The NBA announced Oct. 24 that Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton was suspended after testing positive for a diuretic.On Aug. 29, the league suspended Brooklyn Nets forward Wilson Chandler for testing positive for Ipamorelin, a drug that increases the release of growth hormone.The suspensions of Ayton and Chandler also are without pay.Collins' suspension begins with Tuesday night's game against San Antonio.Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk said the team was "disappointed to learn that John put himself in an unfortunate situation and violated the league's anti-drug policy.""We hold... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins was suspended for 25 games without pay on Tuesday for a violation of the NBA's Anti-Drug Program after testing positive for a growth hormone.The NBA announced Collins, 22, tested positive for Peptide-2. He is Atlanta's leading rebounder and second-leading scorer.Collins is the third player to be handed 25-game suspensions for drug violations this season.The NBA announced Thursday night that Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton was suspended after testing positive for a diuretic.On August 29, the league suspended Brooklyn Nets forward Wilson Chandler for testing positive for Ipamorelin, a drug that increases the release of growth hormone.The suspensions of Ayton and Chandler also are without pay.Collins' suspension begins with Tuesday night's game against San Antonio.The 6-foot-9 forward is averaging 17 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins has been suspended for 25 games without pay for a violation of the NBA's Anti-Drug Program after testing positive for a growth hormone.The NBA announced the 22-year-old Collins, Atlanta's leading rebounder and second-leading scorer, tested positive for Peptide-2.Collins' suspension begins with Tuesday night's game against San Antonio.The 6-foot-9 forward is averaging 17 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks have exercised the 2020-21 contract options on three of the team's top young players — forward John Collins and guards Trae Young and Kevin Huerter.The team exercised the fourth-year option on Collins and third-year options on Young and Huerter.Collins led the Hawks with his averages of 19.5 points and 9.8 rebounds last season. Young was an NBA All-Rookie First Team selection after averaging 19.1 points and 8.1 assists.Huerter was a second team all-rookie pick after scoring 9.6 points per game.Also Saturday, the Hawks signed forward Mark Ogden Jr. Later in the day, the team requested waivers on Ogden and Kenny Gabriel, who signed on Friday.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks have exercised the 2020-21 contract options on three of the team's top young players — forward John Collins and guards Trae Young and Kevin Huerter.The team exercised the fourth-year option on Collins and third-year options on Young and Huerter.Collins led the Hawks with his averages of 19.5 points and 9.8 rebounds last season. Young was an NBA All-Rookie First Team selection after averaging 19.1 points and 8.1 assists.Huerter was a second team all-rookie pick after scoring 9.6 points per game.Also Saturday, the Hawks signed forward Mark Ogden Jr. The 6-foot-9 Ogden, from Grossmont College in California and Dixie State in Utah, played overseas the last three years.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — Add Miami's Tyler Herro to the list of rookies who look ready for the regular season.Herro scored Miami's first 14 points on Monday night, going 5 for 5 in that stretch, and finished with 23 points in a 120-87 Heat victory over the Atlanta Hawks.Through three games in this preseason, Herro — the No. 13 pick in this year's draft — is shooting 18 for 33 from the field for 49 points."The kid can play," Heat assistant coach Malik Allen said in a televised halftime interview. "He has a confidence but he's a student of the game, he's smart, he's an extremely quick learner and you're seeing that."Among those taken in June's draft, some have wasted no time in announcing their presence to the NBA world.New Orleans' Zion Williamson, the No. 1 pick, is averaging 23.3 points and shooting 71% in the Pelicans' four preseason games — all wins. Ja Morant, the No. 2 pick for Memphis, is among the league's assist leaders in exhibition season with 23 in his first three games.No. 3 pick RJ Barrett... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Add Miami's Tyler Herro to the list of rookies who look ready for the regular season.Herro scored Miami's first 14 points on Monday night, going 5 for 5 in that stretch, and finished with 23 points in a 120-87 Heat victory over the Atlanta Hawks.Through three games in this preseason, Herro — the No. 13 pick in this year's draft — is shooting 18 for 33 from the field for 49 points."The kid can play," Heat assistant coach Malik Allen said in a televised halftime interview. "He has a confidence but he's a student of the game, he's smart, he's an extremely quick learner and you're seeing that."Among those taken in June's draft, some have wasted no time in announcing their presence to the NBA world.New Orleans' Zion Williamson, the No. 1 pick, is averaging 23.3 points and shooting 71% in the Pelicans' four preseason games — all wins. Ja Morant, the No. 2 pick for Memphis, is among the league's assist leaders in exhibition season with 23 in his first three games.No. 3 pick RJ Barrett... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Add Miami's Tyler Herro to the list of rookies who look ready for the regular season.Herro scored Miami's first 14 points on Monday night, going 5 for 5 in that stretch, and finished with 23 points in a 120-87 Heat victory over the Atlanta Hawks.Through three games in this preseason, Herro — the No. 13 pick in this year's draft — is shooting 18 for 33 from the field for 49 points."The kid can play," Heat assistant coach Malik Allen said in a televised halftime interview. "He has a confidence but he's a student of the game, he's smart, he's an extremely quick learner and you're seeing that."Among those taken in June's draft, some have wasted no time in announcing their presence to the NBA world.New Orleans' Zion Williamson, the No. 1 pick, is averaging 23.3 points and shooting 71% in the Pelicans' four preseason games — all wins. Ja Morant, the No. 2 pick for Memphis, is among the league's assist leaders in exhibition season with 23 in his first three games.No. 3 pick RJ Barrett... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Zion Williamson may not be quite as tall as billed.He still soared in his first NBA preseason game Monday night.Showing off the high-flying talents that made him one of the most anticipated rookies in years, Williamson turned in a ferocious slam less than 2 minutes into his debut with the New Orleans Pelicans and dunked it two more times before the first half was done against the Atlanta Hawks."This isn't high school or college anymore," Williamson said. "You've got to go up strong. So I went up strong and I was able to finish."It was quite the close-range repertoire.One with the right hand.One with the left hand.One with both hands.Williamson finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals, helping the Pelicans to a 133-109 victory over the Hawks before a much larger crowd — announced at 15,441 — than what normally be expected in Atlanta for a weeknight exhibition between two teams that failed to make the playoffs last season."I didn't expect that... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Zion Williamson may not be quite as tall as billed.He still soared in his first NBA preseason game Monday night.Showing off the high-flying talents that made him one of the most anticipated rookies in years, Williamson turned in a ferocious slam less than 2 minutes into his debut with the New Orleans Pelicans and dunked it two more times before the first half was done against the Atlanta Hawks."This isn't high school or college anymore," Williamson said. "You've got to go up strong. So I went up strong and I was able to finish."It was quite the close-range repertoire.One with the right hand.One with the left hand.One with both hands.Williamson finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals, helping the Pelicans to a 133-109 victory over the Hawks before a much larger crowd — announced at 15,441 — than what normally be expected in Atlanta for an exhibition between two teams that failed to make the playoffs last season."I didn't expect that many people... [More]

Robin Lopez and Frank Mason III both scored 14 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks over the Chicago Bulls 122-112 in preseason action on Monday night.Milwaukee didn't play most of its major contributors, including last year's league Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton.Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said before the game that most of them had a good scrimmage on Sunday so he didn't want to play them in what was essentially a back-to-back stretch.All five of the Bucks' starters scored in double figures. Brook Lopez scored 13 points, Sterling Brown added 12 points and nine rebounds and Wesley Matthews scored 10.Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 16 points. Lauri Markkanen added 14 points, making 4 of 8 of his 3-point attempts.PELICANS 133, HAWKS 109Jrue Holiday led New Orleans with 21 points and Zion Williamson scored 16, including several highlight-reel dunks.Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in June's draft, threw down his first preseason dunk, a tomahawk... [More]

Robin Lopez and Frank Mason III both scored 14 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks over the Chicago Bulls 122-112 in preseason action on Monday night.Milwaukee didn't play most of its major contributors, including last year's league Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton.Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said before the game that most of them had a good scrimmage on Sunday so he didn't want to play them in what was essentially a back-to-back stretch.All five of the Bucks' starters scored in double figures. Brook Lopez scored 13 points, Sterling Brown added 12 points and nine rebounds and Wesley Matthews scored 10.Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 16 points. Lauri Markkanen added 14 points, making 4 of 8 of his 3-point attempts.PELICANS 133, HAWKS 109Jrue Holiday led New Orleans with 21 points and Zion Williamson scored 16, including several highlight-reel dunks.Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in June's draft, threw down his first preseason dunk, a tomahawk... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Zion Williamson may not be quite as tall as billed.He still soared in his first NBA preseason game Monday night.Showing off the high-flying talents that made him one of the most anticipated rookies in years, Williamson turned in a ferocious slam less than 2 minutes into his debut with the New Orleans Pelicans and dunked it two more times before the first half was done against the Atlanta Hawks.It was quite the close-range repertoire.One with the right hand.One with the left hand.One with both hands.Williamson finished the first half with 11 points, five rebounds and two assists, helping the Pelicans to a 75-61 lead over the Hawks before a much larger crowd than what normally be expected in Atlanta for an exhibition between two teams that failed to make the playoffs last season.Of course, the score was irrelevant. This was chance to see the future of the NBA for the first time — not counting his brief stint in the Las Vegas Summer League — and Williamson did not disappoint,... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Zion Williams may not be quite as tall as billed.He still soared in his first NBA preseason game Monday night.Showing off the high-flying talents that made him one of the most anticipated rookies in years, Williamson turned in a ferocious slam less than 2 minutes into his debut with the New Orleans Pelicans and dunked it two more times before the first half was done against the Atlanta Hawks.It was quite the close-range repertoire.One with the right hand.One with the left hand.One with both hands.Williams finished the first half with 11 points, five rebounds and two assists, helping the Pelicans to a 75-61 lead over the Hawks before a much larger crowd than what normally be expected in Atlanta for an exhibition between two teams that failed to make the playoffs last season.Of course, the score was irrelevant. This was chance to see the future of the NBA for the first time — not counting his brief stint in the Las Vegas Summer League — and Williamson did not disappoint, though... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Vince Carter is on the cusp of a revered NBA career record, the most seasons ever played.He promises season No. 22 will be his last."I wouldn't let you guys say this is the last one if that wasn't the case," Carter said Monday at the Atlanta Hawks' media day. "I don't want to do that. Even if I change my mind now, for me I feel like it's too late, but no, this is it."When Carter checks into his first game — likely the Oct. 24 opener at Detroit — he will break a tie with Robert Parish, Kevin Willis, Kevin Garnett and Dirk Nowitzki, all of whom played 21 years.Carter, who turns 43 in January, still can't quite comprehend what the record encompasses, but he's glad to have all of training camp and the preseason to sort out what's next."Stepping on the court to make it official is going to be kind of crazy," he said. "When you see that list and you see that cluster of guys and you see the next number is 22 and to see me passing guys like that — I've been asked that all summer... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — As the Atlanta Hawks head into the third year of a massive overhaul, there are definite signs of hope.They might even have a shot at the playoffs in the wide-open Eastern Conference.But, as the team prepares to open training camp with an intriguing core of young players, those in charge aren't in any hurry to rush the process."We haven't done anything," coach Lloyd Pierce said Friday. "I don't want any our guys thinking we've accomplished anything just yet."Indeed, the Hawks won just 29 games a season ago, so this is still very much a long-term project.But general manager Travis Schlenk has taken major strides in constructing a totally new roster, one that follows the blueprint laid out by his former employer, the three-time champion Golden State Warriors.Trae Young and John Collins have already established themselves as two of the NBA's brightest young prospects. Kevin Huerter made big strides during his rookie season. De'Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish and Bruno Fernando were... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks have given general manager Travis Schlenk an extra title: president of basketball operations.Owner Tony Ressler announced the promotion on Monday, saying he is "extremely pleased with the direction that Travis and our entire basketball operations team has us heading as a franchise."As he goes into his third year with the Hawks, Schlenk has totally overhauled the roster and assembled an impressive core of young players through the draft, including Trae Young, John Collins and incoming first-round picks De'Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish.The Hawks have endured two straight losing seasons but Ressler says the massive rebuilding job has provided "the cap space, draft picks and financial flexibility needed to have long-term success in the NBA."___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — Vince Carter is putting off retirement for at least one more season.With that, he'll claim the longest career in NBA history all to himself.A person familiar with the situation confirmed that Carter has agreed to terms on a one-year contract to return to the Atlanta Hawks for his record 22nd season. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced.The 42-year-old Carter never wavered in his desire to play with someone this season. He is tied with Robert Parish, Kevin Garnett, Kevin Willis and recently retired Dirk Nowitzki — all of whom played for 21 seasons — for the longest career in NBA history."Just waiting for the right opportunity," he said on a recent conference call to discuss the upcoming Jr. NBA Global Championship, when questioned by a reporter from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Nothing has changed as far as that goal and that dream of mine."The deal was first reported by ESPN.Essentially an extra coach... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Cam Reddish is looking forward to playing for the Atlanta Hawks after he was hampered by a groin injury during his one season with Duke.The 19-year-old Reddish joins a promising young core with Atlanta that also includes Trae Young and John Collins after he was selected by the Hawks with the No. 10 pick in the NBA draft. Former Virginia star De'Andre Hunter also is headed to Atlanta once its draft-day trade with New Orleans becomes official next month."It's truly a blessing and a dream come true," Reddish said Monday at the Hawks' training facility. "The city of Atlanta is so beautiful. I'm just really happy to be here."I think it's a perfect fit in a way."Reddish was one of college basketball's top prospects heading into last season. But his stock slipped a bit after he averaged 13.5 points on 35.6 percent shooting with the Blue Devils, filling a supporting role behind fellow freshmen stars Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett.Reddish's commitment level was called into question... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The NBA draft lottery didn't go their way.Still, the Atlanta Hawks are poised to take another big step forward in their massive rebuilding job.With a pair of picks in the top 10 — or perhaps a single selection that's higher than what they have now, should they work out a trade — the Hawks can add to a pair of gems from the last two drafts, Trae Young and John Collins.In all, the Hawks have five picks in the two-round draft, including No. 17 as part of a reported deal that will send Taurean Prince to the Brooklyn Nets."Will we try to be active?" general manager Travis Schlenk said. "Sure."After finishing with the league's fifth-worst record (29-53), the Hawks were hopeful of moving up in the lottery — perhaps even all the way to the No. 1 spot, where they could've grabbed Zion Williamson.But New Orleans defied the odds by claiming the top position, while the Hawks actually tumbled three spots below where they finished to No. 8. They also have the No. 10 pick, acquired from... [More]