ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks have traded Kent Bazemore to the Portland Trail Blazers for Evan Turner is a swap of high-priced players heading into the final year of their contracts.Bazemore was the last holdover from the Hawks' 60-win team in 2014-15. The 6-foot-5 swingman lost his starting job midway through last season and is set to make nearly $19.3 million in the last season of a four-year, $70 million deal. The drafting of De'Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish figured to cut into Bazemore's playing time even more, leading to Monday's trade.Turner, the second overall pick in 2010, fills Atlanta's need for a backup point guard behind rookie star Trae Young and is essentially a wash in terms of costs with $18.6 million left on his contract. The Hawks will be Turner's fifth team in 10 seasons.Bazemore posted a gracious note to Atlanta on social media, saying he had a "lot of roots planted in this city" and thanking the team for "putting me in a situation to thrive."___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Golden State general manager Bob Myers plans to meet with both Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson ahead of the start of free agency this weekend."Yes," Myers answered succinctly Monday when asked about sit-downs with both free agents, each injured for the runner-up Warriors during the NBA Finals and expected to miss at least most of next season.Is Myers optimistic about having productive conversations with the two stars?"We'll see."And that was all on that Monday, when the Warriors formally introduced their three draft picks.Though Myers did say he expects Thompson to have surgery this week after he tore the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Game 6, which the Warriors lost at home as the Raptors clinched the franchise's first championship. Durant was injured in the previous game at Toronto and underwent surgery for a ruptured right Achilles tendon that could keep him out for the majority of the 2019-20 season.Myers and coach Steve Kerr have made... [More]

TOKYO (AP) — Stephen Curry is already looking ahead to the next challenge in his basketball career, including the chance to represent the United States at next year's Tokyo Olympics.Just over a week since his Golden State Warriors lost a grueling NBA Finals to the Toronto Raptors, Curry was in Tokyo on Sunday talking about the Olympics and the opportunity to face Japan's newest basketball sensation.The U.S. has won the gold medal in the last three Olympics and will be the favorite to top the podium again in Tokyo with a Dream Team that could feature such stars as Curry, LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard.Curry decided to pull out of the Rio Olympics due to several factors, including ankle and knee injuries."I know the energy here is going to be amazing," Curry said. "I haven't played in the Olympics before. I've played in two World Cup teams so I've had the experience of representing my country playing for the national team. But the Olympics, from everybody that I've talked to that's played,... [More]

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Zion Williamson and his family were met with applause and traditional New Orleans jazz as they walked into the Pelicans' headquarters.The practice gym was filled with team employees and executives eager to welcome the player who has infused the franchise with so much more promise than it appeared to have when six-time All-Star Anthony Davis requested a trade five months ago.Williamson, who was in New York a night earlier when the Pelicans made him the NBA's top overall draft choice, smiled and looked relaxed in his blue suit and white designer sneakers. When the music was turned down and it was time for Williamson to address the gathering, he spoke with an easy manor and kept his comments short and simple. He promised maximum effort and flexibility, but stopped short of forecasting the type of greatness for himself that so many others have predicted."I look at things from a realistic point of view," Williamson began during his formal introduction to his first professional... [More]

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Dwane Casey had nothing but positive things to say about the fact that his former team just won the NBA title.Casey coached the Toronto Raptors for seven seasons but was fired last offseason — even though he'd just guided the Raptors to a team-record 59 wins and would eventually win coach of the year honors. Nick Nurse took over, and Toronto won its first championship this month."It was exciting. It was good to see," said Casey, now the coach of the Detroit Pistons. "To see a guy like Kyle Lowry, kid like Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and those guys — Serge Ibaka, guys I coached — win. It was really thrilling, because I know that was a goal going in with that group, and to see them win it was great."Casey was at the Pistons' practice facility Friday, when they introduced first-round draft pick Sekou Doumbouya. When asked about the Raptors, he also said he was happy for the fans."For that city to win a championship, it had to be thrilling for them," Casey said.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — Hassan Whiteside is not leaving the final year of his Miami Heat deal on the table.A person with knowledge of the situation said Friday that Whiteside is exercising his $27.1 million option for next season in Miami. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the Heat nor Whiteside announced the decision publicly.The move was not a surprise. It'll be the final year of Whiteside's four-year, $98 million contract with the Miami, and the salary he'll command next season will keep him as the highest-paid player on the Heat roster.Whiteside averaged 12.3 points and a team-best 11.3 rebounds last season, appearing in 72 games and starting 53 of those. He also averaged only 23 minutes per game, and at times expressed his displeasure about not having a larger role."He's going to come to training camp like everybody else this year and earn it," Heat President Pat Riley said Friday, several hours before the option was exercised.For his career, Whiteside has averaged 13.4 points and 11.4 rebounds over parts of seven seasons with Miami and Sacramento. He led the NBA in blocks per game in the 2015-16 season, then led the league in rebounds per game the following season.He's third on Miami's all-time blocks list behind Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade, and fifth on the team's all-time rebound list behind Udonis Haslem, Mourning, Rony Seikaly and Wade.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — A person with knowledge of the situation says Hassan Whiteside has told the Miami Heat that he is exercising his $27.1 million player option for next season.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because neither the Heat nor Whiteside announced the decision publicly.Whiteside is entering the last season on a four-year, $98 million deal with Miami. He averaged 12.3 points and a team-best 11.3 rebounds last season, appearing in 72 games and starting 53 of those.Whiteside will be the highest-paid player on the Heat next season. For his career, he's averaged 13.4 points and 11.4 rebounds over parts of seven seasons.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TORONTO (AP) — The title won and the draft over, the Toronto Raptors turn to the next order of business: keeping Kawhi Leonard.He is expected to opt out of the final year of his contact and become a free agent June 30. The two-time NBA Finals MVP and three-time All-Star is likely the biggest prize on the market.Toronto can offer Leonard a five-year deal worth about $190 million — one year and some $50 million more than any other suitor.After a season-long soft sell that ended with the team's first championship and a massive downtown parade, the Raptors have just more than a week to craft, plan and present their final pitch to the best player in franchise history."We obviously want to put a couple of special touches on it," general manager Bobby Webster said Friday. "But, yeah, we're comfortable. Throughout the year we've been talking about the things that we can offer and what made this season so special. I think we'll just continue that."Now, after two months of hectic, high-pressure playoff... [More]

When the careers for players like De'Andre Hunter and Jarrett Culver are long over, when they look back at the scrapbook of their basketball lives, they will more than likely see photos of draft night.And they'll have the same reaction."Why did I have that hat on?"It'll be a fair question.A plea to the NBA: Going forward, do everyone a favor and let common sense prevail.The NBA has some fairly strict rules that get followed on trades, and there are a lot of reasons why some trades that were agreed to in recent days can't be executed until the new league year starts on July 6. It's why Anthony Davis is still a member of the New Orleans Pelicans. While everyone believes he is a Laker, he really is still a Pelican and will be until his trade to Los Angeles can become official in a couple weeks.But since everyone knows the trades are happening, why pretend otherwise?The draft — a five-plus-hour ordeal on Thursday night — had so many great moments with players crying and rejoicing for college... [More]

When the careers for players like De'Andre Hunter and Jarrett Culver are long over, when they look back at the scrapbook of their basketball lives, they will more than likely see photos of draft night.And they'll have the same reaction."Why did I have that hat on?"It'll be a fair question.A plea to the NBA: Going forward, do everyone a favor and let common sense prevail.The NBA has some fairly strict rules that get followed on trades, and there are a lot of reasons why trades that were agreed to in recent days can't be executed until the new league year starts on July 6. It's why Anthony Davis is still a member of the New Orleans Pelicans. While everyone believes he is a Laker, he really is still a Pelican and will be until his trade to Los Angeles can become official in a couple weeks.But since everyone knows the trades are happening, why pretend otherwise?The draft — a five-plus-hour ordeal on Thursday night — had so many great moments with players crying, rejoicing for college teammates,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — It is not exactly a secret that the New York Knicks need a lot of help.So when a player who did almost everything well in his one college season was available, the decision to use the third overall pick Thursday night in the NBA draft on Duke freshman swingman RJ Barrett was relatively stress-free for general manager Scott Perry."I just can't tell you how excited we are to be able to land RJ Barrett and add him to the New York Knicks," Perry said in a conference call with reporters a few minutes after the selection was made. "We love a lot of things about this young man starting with his tremendous competitive level; his desire to want to be great as a basketball player. He's highly accomplished. He had a tremendous freshman season here at Duke."You could say that.Barrett led the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring at 22.8 points per game despite somewhat being overshadowed by flashier teammate Zion Williamson, the No. 1 pick by New Orleans Pelicans. Barrett finished second... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — It is not exactly a secret that the New York Knicks need a lot of help.So when a player who did almost everything well in his one college season was available, the decision to use the third overall pick Thursday night in the NBA draft on Duke freshman swingman RJ Barrett was relatively stress-free for general manager Scott Perry."I just can't tell you how excited we are to be able to land RJ Barrett and add him to the New York Knicks," Perry said in a conference call with reporters a few minutes after the selection was made. "We love a lot of things about this young man starting with his tremendous competitive level; his desire to want to be great as a basketball player. He's highly accomplished. He had a tremendous freshman season here at Duke."You could say that.Barrett led the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring at 22.8 points per game despite somewhat being overshadowed by flashier teammate Zion Williamson, the No. 1 pick by New Orleans Pelicans. Barrett finished second... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A person familiar with the situation says the New Orleans Pelicans have picked up a team option on center Jahlil Okafor's contract through next season.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the team did not announce the transaction.The 6-foot-11 Okafor, drafted third overall by Philadelphia in 2015, averaged 8.2 points and 4.7 rebounds in largely a reserve role for New Orleans last season, but he often thrived when he started or played significant minutes. He scored 10 or more points 21 times last season — including in five of his final six games — and finished with 30 points in regular-season finale.His productivity in New Orleans represented a turnaround from two seasons ago, when he says he struggled with depression and averaged 6.3 points in a season split between Philadelphia and Brooklyn.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DETROIT (AP) — A person with knowledge of the deal says the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to a trade that would send Jon Leuer to the Bucks in exchange for Tony Snell and the 30th pick in Thursday night's draft.The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade is not yet official. Trades can't be completed until the new league year starts on July 6.The 6-foot-7 Snell played the past three seasons with the Bucks and was a regular starter until 2018-19, when he mostly came off the bench. He averaged 6.0 points a game this past season and appeared in nine playoff games. Snell missed time late in the season because of a left ankle sprain.Leuer spent three seasons with Detroit, but he had surgery on his left ankle and missed most of 2017-18, then he injured his right knee the following offseason and needed surgery for that. The 6-foot-10 Leuer was able to play 41 games last season, averaging 9.8 minutes.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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]

BOSTON (AP) — A person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press that Boston Celtics center Al Horford will decline his player option for next season and become an unrestricted free agent.The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity Tuesday because the decision has not been announced. ESPN was first to report Horford's decision.A five-time All-Star, the 33-year-old Horford joins point guard Kyrie Irving, who also won't exercise his option to remain in Boston for the final year of his contract. Horford signed a four-year, $113 million deal in 2016.Among the preseason favorites in the Eastern Conference before last season, the Celtics finished the regular season 49-33. They were eliminated 4-1 in the conference semifinals by the Milwaukee Bucks.Horford was one of Boston's steadiest players throughout, averaging 13.9 points and nine rebounds in the postseason.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TORONTO (AP) — Fresh off leading the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA title, Kawhi Leonard received the key to the city at Monday's championship parade and rally.For now, however, the two-way star and two-time NBA Finals MVP isn't saying whether he'll use it to keep a door open or close it behind him and move on.Leonard spent several days partying with his teammates in Las Vegas and Los Angeles after last Thursday's Game 6 clincher over Golden State, returning to Toronto in time to ride in one of five open-top double-decker buses that carried the Raptors along a crowded parade route.A three-time All-Star and two-time NBA defensive player of the year, Leonard is expected to decline the player option on the final year of his contract and become a free agent. Toronto can offer him a five-year deal worth around $190 million, one year and some $50 million more than any other team.Before stepping on stage Monday for a ceremony in the square outside Toronto's City Hall, Leonard said he hasn't... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Fresh off leading the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA title, Kawhi Leonard received the key to the city at Monday's championship parade.For now, however, the two-way star and two-time NBA Finals MVP still isn't saying whether he'll use it to keep a door open, or close it behind him and move on.Leonard spent several days partying with his teammates in Las Vegas and Los Angeles after last Thursday's Game 6 clincher, returning to Toronto in time to ride in one of five open-top double decker buses that carried the Raptors along a crowded parade route.A three-time All-Star and two-time NBA defensive player of the year, Leonard is expected to decline the player option on the final year of his contract and become a free agent. Toronto can offer him a five-year deal worth around $190 million, one year and some $50 million more than any other team.Before stepping on stage Monday for a ceremony in the square outside Toronto's City Hall, Leonard said he hasn't been thinking about... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Gunfire broke out and a stampede ensued as fans celebrated at a rally Monday for the NBA champion Raptors, leaving four people shot and thousands fleeing less than a block from where the players and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sat on stage.Three people were arrested and two guns were recovered, Toronto police said, and investigators did not discuss a possible motive for the attack.Droves of Raptors fans ran from the shooting in a stampede from the City Hall square, which was packed with tens of thousands of people. Earlier Monday, well over a million fans packed downtown Toronto for a parade for the Raptors, raising concerns about safety and overcrowding as the city celebrated its first major sports title in more than a quarter-century.Police Chief Mark Saunders said four people suffered gunshot wounds but said none of the injuries were life-threatening. Others suffered minor injuries as they tried to get away from the shooting, said Saunders, who asked for witnesses... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Gunfire broke out and a stampede ensued as fans celebrated at a rally Monday for the NBA champion Raptors, leaving four people shot and thousands fleeing less than a block from where the players and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sat on stage.Three people were arrested and two guns were recovered, Toronto police said, and investigators did not discuss a possible motive for the attack.Droves of Raptors fans ran from the shooting in a stampede from the City Hall square, which was packed with tens of thousands of people. Earlier Monday, well over a million fans packed downtown Toronto for a parade for the Raptors, raising concerns about safety and overcrowding as the city celebrated its first major sports title in more than a quarter-century.Police Chief Mark Saunders said four people suffered gunshot wounds but said none of the injuries were life-threatening. Others suffered minor injuries as they tried to get away from the shooting, said Saunders, who asked for witnesses... [More]