LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis is finalizing a five-year contract worth up to $190 million to return to the Los Angeles Lakers. Davis' agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, confirmed the terms of Davis' pending free agent deal to The Associated Press on Thursday. The Lakers didn't comment. One day after LeBron James agreed to a two-year, $85 million contract extension with the Lakers through 2022-23, Davis committed to the Lakers through the 2024-25 season. Davis' deal includes an early termination clause prior to the fifth year, but the lengthy contract is still a clear declaration that the 27-year-old Davis sees his long-term future with the 17-time NBA champions. James and Davis won an NBA championship in the first season of their partnership, and they're returning this month with new contracts and a solid chance to repeat. “Those are great contracts, and they’re well-deserved,” veteran Lakers forward Markieff Morris said Thursday from the opening workouts of training camp. “It’s a big... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis is finalizing a five-year contract worth up to $190 million to return to the Los Angeles Lakers. Davis' agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, confirmed the terms of Davis' pending free agent deal to The Associated Press on Thursday. The Lakers didn't comment. One day after LeBron James agreed to a two-year, $85 million contract extension with the Lakers through 2022-23, Davis committed to the Lakers through the 2024-25 season. Davis' deal includes an early termination clause prior to the fifth year, but the contract is still a clear declaration that the 27-year-old Davis sees his long-term future with the 17-time NBA champions. The Lakers acquired Davis in a trade before last season, shipping most of their young core to New Orleans to acquire one of the best big men of his generation. With Klutch clients James and Davis at their core, the Lakers immediately built a championship contender around them. The 6-foot-10 Davis immediately clicked alongside James,... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have signed veteran Spanish center Marc Gasol. The NBA champions confirmed the latest step in their roster reconfiguration Tuesday by announcing the addition of the 35-year-old Gasol, who spent the last 1 1/2 seasons with the Toronto Raptors and won a championship ring in 2019. The Lakers traded starting center JaVale McGee to Cleveland to make room under the salary cap to sign Gasol, who will be expected to provide his usual sturdy defense along with strong passing skills and 3-point shooting. Gasol struggled with injuries last season while scoring a career-low 7.5 points per game along with 6.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists. The Lakers still beat out several interested suitors for Gasol, whose NBA career is coming full circle as he joins the team that drafted him in 2007. Gasol will suit up for the Lakers nearly 13 years after the franchise acquired his older brother, Pau, by trading Marc's draft rights to the Memphis Grizzlies in February 2008 while... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have signed veteran Spanish center Marc Gasol. The NBA champions confirmed the latest step in their roster reconfiguration Tuesday by announcing the addition of the 35-year-old Gasol, who spent the last 1 1/2 seasons with the Toronto Raptors and won a championship ring in 2019. The Lakers traded starting center JaVale McGee to Cleveland to make room under the salary cap to sign Gasol, who will be expected to provide his usual sturdy defense along with strong passing skills and 3-point shooting. Gasol struggled with injuries last season while scoring a career-low 7.5 points per game along with 6.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists. The Lakers still beat out several interested suitors for Gasol, whose NBA career is coming full circle as he joins the team that drafted him in 2007. Gasol will suit up for the Lakers nearly 13 years after the franchise acquired his older brother, Pau, by trading Marc's draft rights to the Memphis Grizzlies in February 2008 while... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Montrezl Harrell did not make the trip lightly when he moved down the Staples Center hallway last weekend to join the Los Angeles Lakers. The NBA's reigning Sixth Man of the Year realizes the gravity of his decision to leave the Los Angeles Clippers after three seasons — and to leave them for their bigger, more successful intra-city rivals, no less. The decision turned out to be surprisingly simple, though. According to Harrell, the NBA champion Lakers made it clear they badly wanted him in the opening minutes of free agency. The Clippers did not. “If you spend your career in any place long enough, you're going to want to continue playing there and growing there,” Harrell said Monday. “Of course, I still have great respect for those guys and for that organization. But as far as if they wanted me back? Obviously, it just doesn't seem that way, does it?” The tenacious forward who plays much bigger than his 6-foot-7 frame agreed to a two-year deal during the Lakers' impressive... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers won't have fans at Staples Center during the upcoming regular season until further notice. The NBA champions made the long-expected decision official Tuesday for the new season, which will begin Dec. 22. The Lakers also apparently don't plan to hang their 17th title banner until fans are in the stands to celebrate the moment with them. “We appreciate your continued support and look forward to coming together, when it is safe to do so, to celebrate the raising of our banner and the quest for another NBA championship,” the team said in a statement. The Lakers say they're following the guidance of state and local health officials in planning to move forward without fans in the stands at their downtown arena. They intend to continue working on a plan to welcome fans whenever governments and the league allow it, but large gatherings are still banned in California under coronavirus restrictions. The Lakers won the NBA Finals on Oct. 11 in central Florida,... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks will play another day.They’re waiting to see if reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo will join them.It’s still a dire situation for the team that had the league's best regular-season record this season — they’re down 3-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals to the Miami Heat, with another win-or-go-home test awaiting in Game 5 on Tuesday night. And they don’t know if Antetokounmpo, who sprained his right ankle in Game 3 and then again in Game 4, will be ready.“There’s hope,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “We’re not ruling him out, so I guess until he’s ruled out you have hope. He’s going to do everything he can to make himself available.”Also Tuesday: Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals, with that matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets tied at a game apiece.Antetokounmpo was with the Bucks for their light practice Monday. He got treatment on the ankle, then left wearing a protective boot over his right... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rajon Rondo broke his right thumb in practice with the Los Angeles Lakers in Florida.The veteran point guard will be out for six to eight weeks, the Lakers said Sunday night. Rondo will have surgery this week.Rondo has been a key backup during his second season with the Lakers, who signed him shortly after adding LeBron James to the roster in July 2018. James typically functions as the Lakers' point guard with the starting unit, but Rondo frequently took on the role while James rested or while both veterans were on the floor together.Rondo is averaging 7.1 points, 5.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 48 appearances this season, including three starts. He has been a regular presence on the floor late in close games, with coach Frank Vogel trusting his veteran leadership and playmaking.Rondo is seeking his second NBA championship after winning with Boston in 2008, but he has a lengthy history of hand injuries.He broke his right thumb during the playoffs with the Chicago Bulls... [More]

Patty Mills will play in the NBA restart, and the San Antonio guard said Wednesday that the reason why he's decided to participate is so he can give just over $1 million of his salary to causes in his native Australia devoted to fighting racism.The exact amount, Mills said, for the Spurs' eight remaining regular-season, or seeding, games will be $1,017,818.54. He will split that money between three causes — Black Lives Matter Australia, another group that deals with the problem of Blacks dying when in custody, and to the newly formed We Got You campaign that he helped organize to address the issues of racism within Australian sport.“So, I’m playing in Orlando because I don’t want to leave any money on the table that could be going directly to Black communities," Mills said.Mills isn't the only player that has announced he will be donating his salary for the eight games to charity. Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard revealed earlier this week that he will give the remainder of his salary... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The sudden suspension of the NBA season was a double disappointment for Anthony Davis.“It happened on my birthday, which is kind of a bummer because I couldn't do anything,” the Los Angeles Lakers' seven-time All-Star big man said with a laugh.Davis turned 27 on March 11 when the NBA shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic. After a few homebound months spent largely improving his video game skills, Davis is back at work as the Lakers attempt to achieve their interrupted goals.Davis, LeBron James and the Lakers are gathered for individual workouts this week in preparation for their trip to Orlando, where they're among the favorites to win it all in this extraordinary NBA season. The Lakers (49-14) were leading the Western Conference and preparing for their first playoff run together when everything stopped.Davis still loves the Lakers' chances of contending for the franchise's 17th championship.“Actually, I think our chances are higher, just because we’re all rested and... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — J.R. Smith has joined LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers for their championship push.The Lakers announced their long-anticipated signing of Smith as a substitute player Wednesday, the first day allowed under the rules of the NBA's summer restart.Smith is the Lakers' roster replacement for Avery Bradley, who cited family reasons last week for his decision not to finish the season with his team in Orlando amid the coronavirus pandemic.“We’re not going to ask him to come in and be Avery Bradley,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “He’s going to come in and be J.R. Smith. He’s going to just fill that position more than fill that role. Avery’s loss is obviously a huge loss for us, but we’re a next-man-up team. J.R. is going to come in and help fill that need, but we have a lot of guys in that position that can do the same.”The 34-year-old Smith hasn't played in the NBA since November 2018, but the 2013 Sixth Man of the Year is a longtime trusted teammate of James. During... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Markieff Morris has signed with the Los Angeles Lakers for the postseason push.The Lakers announced the deal Sunday to add the nine-year NBA veteran immediately after he cleared waivers.Los Angeles waived injured center DeMarcus Cousins to clear a roster spot.Morris reached a buyout agreement with the Pistons on Friday. He averaged 11 points and 3.9 rebounds in 44 games with Detroit this season while hitting a career-best 39.7% of his 3-pointers and playing solid defense.He is expected to provide rebounding and defense as the backup power forward for the Lakers, who lead the Western Conference at 43-12 after beating Boston 114-112 on Sunday for their fifth consecutive win.The nine-year veteran has 24 games of playoff experience, all in the last three seasons with Washington and Oklahoma City. He began his career with Phoenix in 2011.Markieff Morris' twin brother, Marcus, plays down the Staples Center hallway for the Los Angeles Clippers, who acquired him earlier in the... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins have never talked to one another about the 1988 dunk contest.They might be the only ones.It is still the dunk contest by which all other dunk contests are measured: Two stars, at the peak of their powers, the players who finished first and second in that season’s scoring standings, going head-to-head to decide a winner. Jordan left the old Chicago Stadium that night with the trophy. To this day, many believe Wilkins was the rightful winner. Either way, it was a never-to-be-forgotten show — and now, for the first time since that night 32 years ago, the dunk contest is returning to Chicago on Saturday night.“I did have a homecourt advantage, yes,” Jordan said this week in an interview with The Associated Press.“The fans got their money’s worth,” Wilkins said in a separate interview with AP.This season’s dunk contest entrants — Orlando’s Aaron Gordon, Miami’s Derrick Jones Jr., the Los Angeles Lakers’ Dwight Howard and Milwaukee’s Pat Connaughton... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins have never talked to one another about the 1988 dunk contest.They might be the only ones.It is still the dunk contest by which all other dunk contests are measured: Two stars, at the peak of their powers, the players who finished first and second in that season’s scoring standings, going head-to-head to decide a winner. Jordan left the old Chicago Stadium that night with the trophy. To this day, many believe Wilkins was the rightful winner. Either way, it was a never-to-be-forgotten show — and now, for the first time since that night 32 years ago, the dunk contest is returning to Chicago on Saturday night.“I did have a homecourt advantage, yes,” Jordan said this week in an interview with The Associated Press.“The fans got their money’s worth,” Wilkins said in a separate interview with AP.This season’s dunk contest entrant — Orlando’s Aaron Gordon, Miami’s Derrick Jones Jr., the Los Angeles Lakers’ Dwight Howard and Milwaukee’s Pat Connaughton... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins have never talked to one another about the 1988 dunk contest.They might be the only ones.It is still the dunk contest by which all other dunk contests are measured: Two stars, at the peak of their powers, the players who finished first and second in that season’s scoring standings, going head-to-head to decide a winner. Jordan left the old Chicago Stadium that night with the trophy. To this day, many believe Wilkins was the rightful winner. Either way, it was a never-to-be-forgotten show — and now, for the first time since that night 32 years ago, the dunk contest is returning to Chicago on Saturday night.“I did have a homecourt advantage, yes,” Jordan said this week in an interview with The Associated Press.“The fans got their money’s worth,” Wilkins said in a separate interview with AP.This season’s dunk contest entrant — Orlando’s Aaron Gordon, Miami’s Derrick Jones Jr., the Los Angeles Lakers’ Dwight Howard and Milwaukee’s Pat Connaughton... [More]

The NBA is changing the format to this season’s 3-point contest at All-Star Saturday Night in Chicago by adding a pair of deep shots that will be worth three points apiece.That change means each round will now be a total of 27 shots instead of 25, and competitors will now get 70 seconds to finish their shots instead of the customary 60. Competitors were told of the changes in the past few days, and the NBA announced the change Tuesday night.The two additional shots will come from six feet beyond the 3-point line, between the racks located on the wings and the one at the top of the key. Those shots — only one from each spot called the MTN DEW Zone — will be taken with a special green ball.All-Star Saturday is Feb. 15, one night before the All-Star Game.The list of competitors for the 3-point contest this season includes Portland’s Damian Lillard, Sacramento’s Buddy Hield, Washington’s Davis Bertans, Charlotte’s Devonte’ Graham, Miami’s Duncan Robinson, Atlanta’s Trae Young, Chicago’s Zach... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James wiped his eyes as the national anthem ended. Wearing Kobe Bryant's No. 24 jersey, James wrapped teammate Anthony Davis, in a No. 8 jersey, in an embrace.The Lakers' two current superstars were back on the court Friday night for the team's first game since Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash five days earlier.James took center court in a pregame ceremony and read the names of the crash victims, ending with Bryant. He told the Staples Center crowd he had remarks prepared and pulled a piece of paper from his sweatpants. But then James tossed it to the floor.“Laker Nation, I would be selling you short if I read off this (expletive), so I'm going to go straight from the heart,” he said.“The first thing comes to mind is all about family. As I look around this arena, we're all breathing, hurt and heartbroken,” James said. “The best thing you can do is lean on the shoulders of your family.”He recalled watching... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Red roses adorned the courtside seats where Kobe and Gianna Bryant sat at the last Los Angeles Lakers game they attended. On the overhead video board, photos of Bryant in action for the Lakers alternated with those of the other seven people who were killed alongside him and his 13-year-old daughter in a helicopter crash.Friday night at Staples Center was unlike any other.Longtime public address announcer Lawrence Tanter introduced the entire Lakers lineup the same way: “From Lower Merion High School, No. 8, Kobe Bryant.”In a ceremony before the Lakers' first game since the crash on Sunday, Usher stood at center court of the darkened arena in front of No. 8 and No. 24 yellow rose arrangements to sing “Amazing Grace.” Cellist Ben Hong from the Los Angeles Philharmonic performed while video of Bryant talking about his life and career played.Fans interrupted the silence with chants of “Kobe! Kobe!" and “MVP! MVP!”Boyz II Men, from Bryant's hometown of Philadelphia, sang the... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Red roses adorned the courtside seats where Kobe and Gianna Bryant sat at the last Los Angeles Lakers game they attended. On the overhead video board, photos of Bryant in action for the Lakers alternated with those of the other seven people who were killed alongside him and his 13-year-old daughter in a helicopter crash.Friday night at Staples Center was unlike any other.Longtime public address announcer Lawrence Tanter introduced the entire Lakers lineup the same way: “From Lower Merion High School, No. 8, Kobe Bryant.”In a ceremony before the Lakers' first game since the crash on Sunday, Usher stood at center court of the darkened arena in front of No. 8 and No. 24 yellow rose arrangements to sing “Amazing Grace.” Cellist Ben Hong from the Los Angeles Philharmonic performed while video of Bryant talking about his life and career played.Fans interrupted the silence at times with chants of “Kobe!" and “MVP.”Boyz II Men, from Bryant's hometown of Philadelphia, sang the... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Red roses adorned the courtside seats where Kobe and Gianna Bryant sat at the last Los Angeles Lakers game they attended. On the overhead video board, photos of Bryant in action for the Lakers alternated with those of the other seven people who were killed alongside him and his 13-year-old daughter in a helicopter crash.Friday night at Staples Center was unlike any other.Later on, there would be a basketball game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Lakers, their first since Bryant's death on Sunday. But in the couple hours leading up to the game there was mostly silence. The electric atmosphere that surges through the arena before NBA games was nowhere to be felt. Media talked quietly among themselves without the usual music playing. Somber ushers took up their positions with black ribbons attached to their purple work shirts. Grief counseling was offered to arena staff and one female usher pulled tissues out of her pocket that had been provided.Inside the Lakers locker... [More]