The NBA Board of Governors met again without a consensus opinion emerging on how many teams should be back on the floor for the planned late-July resumption of the pandemic-interrupted season, three people familiar with details of the call said Friday.The people, speaking on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because no details of the call were publicly released, said Commissioner Adam Silver is still collecting information on multiple options ranging from 16 to 30 teams returning to action when the season begins again at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex near Orlando, Florida.One person said the idea of bringing back 20 teams — possibly a few more, but not all 30 — continues to resonate as the most likely scenario, as of now. Another plan discussed Friday, the person said, would bring any team within six games of a playoff spot back for the resumption of the season, a scenario where based on the current standings 13 teams from the Western Conference and nine from the Eastern... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington Wizards point guard John Wall declared himself fully recovered after two operations that sidelined him for the past 1½ years and said he is “itching” to get back on the court next season.Speaking on a video call Tuesday to discuss his “202 Assist” program to help pay rent for people in the nation’s capital affected by the coronavirus pandemic, Wall said he is “still taking my time at the rehab” and working to get himself “in the best shape possible.”“I’m 110%,” the five-time All-Star said. “I’m healthy.”He has not played in an NBA game since December 2018. Surgery for bone spurs in his left heel ended that season; while he was working his way back from that, he tore his left Achilles tendon and needed another operation in 2019.That held Wall out for all of the current season, which was suspended in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.“I’m itching to get back out there,” he said Tuesday.When play was halted, the Wizards were 24-40 and ninth in the Eastern... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Truth: George Karl hasn’t felt this healthy in 15, maybe even 20 years. He’s playing plenty of golf, bike riding and finding time for yoga.Basketball: The longtime NBA coach who has fought cancer three times is keeping the door open for getting back into the business, maybe as a head coach or possibly as an assistant. Truth + Basketball: The title of the 69-year-old Karl's new, speak-his-mind podcast that he's finding “soulful.” He may be leading a quasi-retired lifestyle but make no mistake — he's not retired.“I love the game as much as I ever have," said Karl, who hasn't coached in the league since being let go by Sacramento following the 2016 season. "If the right situation came up, I might coach again.” Karl has been quenching his thirst for hoops through his son, Coby, who's the head coach of the South Bay Lakers, a G League club. George Karl caught quite a few of his son's games in person before the season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic. When he wasn't there,... [More]

The NBA is in talks with The Walt Disney Company on a single-site scenario for a resumption of play in Central Florida in late July, the clearest sign yet that the league believes the season can continue amid the coronavirus pandemic.The National Basketball Players Association is also part of the talks with Disney, the league said Saturday. Games would be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, a massive campus on the Disney property near Orlando.NBA spokesman Mike Bass said the conversations were still “exploratory,” and that the Disney site would be used for practices and housing as well.“Our priority continues to be the health and safety of all involved, and we are working with public health experts and government officials on a comprehensive set of guidelines to ensure that appropriate medical protocols and protections are in place,” Bass said.The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is a 255-acre campus with multiple arenas that could host games simultaneously and has been home... [More]

The NBA is in talks with The Walt Disney Company on a single-site scenario for a resumption of play in Central Florida in late July, the clearest sign yet that the league believes the season can continue amid the coronavirus pandemic.The National Basketball Players Association is also part of the talks with Disney. Games would be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, a massive campus on the Disney property near Orlando.NBA spokesman Mike Bass said the conversations were still “exploratory,” and that the site would be used not only for games but for practices and housing as well.“Our priority continues to be the health and safety of all involved, and we are working with public health experts and government officials on a comprehensive set of guidelines to ensure that appropriate medical protocols and protections are in place,” Bass said.The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is a 255-acre campus with multiple arenas that could host games simultaneously and has been home to, among... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — A person familiar with the results of poll of NBA players taken by their union says there would be “overwhelming” support for any plan that has this season resuming in a safe way amid the coronavirus pandemic.The poll conducted by the National Basketball Players Association was informal but gave a clear sense that players would like to not only get to the playoffs but also resume at least some of the regular season, according to the person who shared details with The Associated Press on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because it was not to be detailed publicly.The exact results of the poll were unknown, and the methodology behind the poll — including how many players participated — was unclear.The NBPA sent a letter to agents Tuesday discussing, among other things, the results of the player polling and some details of the call the union and its membership had late last week with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. In that call, Silver talked about the possibility of resuming a... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — There's been a massive void in Larry Nance Jr.'s life that no amount of watching Korean soccer games, practicing yoga, riding a stationary bike or playing video games can ever replace.Basketball is his world.The COVID-19 pandemic has deprived Nance of his greatest passion and his profession, which is why the Cleveland Cavaliers forward was grateful to get back on a real court — even for a short while.Nance is one of the few NBA players who have been able to work out after teams were granted permission to reopen their training facilities, which have been closed nearly two months by a virus outbreak that has paused the season and placed its conclusion in peril.Nance returned to the Cavs' complex on Friday, and for two hours, the 27-year-old felt whole again.“This is the longest I haven’t played a game of basketball in my entire life,” he said Tuesday on a Zoom conference call.The Cavs and Portland Trail Blazers were the first teams to reopen their facilities last week for... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — The NBA took tiny steps toward a return to normalcy Friday, as a small number of practice facilities reopened for workouts and at least one team received permission from the league to test players and staff for the coronavirus.Meanwhile, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took part in a teleconference with members of the National Basketball Players Association on Friday night. Silver, according to a person familiar with the call's details, told players that the league is still aiming to hold full best-of-seven playoff series should the season resume and that playing without fans is an obvious possibility.Silver also spoke about the well-known notion of having the season resume in a centralized location, though cautioned that no decisions may be made for another several weeks, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the call were not publicly released.Cleveland and Portland were open for players who wanted to get voluntary... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — The NBA took tiny steps toward a return to normalcy Friday, as a small number of practice facilities reopened for workouts and at least one team received permission from the league to test players and staff for the coronavirus.Cleveland and Portland were open for players who wanted to get voluntary workouts in, with Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman among the first to be back on an NBA practice court since the league ordered those facilities closed seven weeks ago.“Great to be back,” Osman wrote on Instagram, as he took a selfie standing in what appeared to be an otherwise-empty practice gym.And the Orlando Magic revealed that they have been authorized by health officials in Orange County, Florida to test players and staff. In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, Orange County has more than enough testing resources for health-care workers and asymptomatic individuals.“With the Orange County Department of Health authorization, the NBA has advised us that we are able to have... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo's social media accounts were hacked on Thursday afternoon and several bizarre and offensive tweets were posted, according to the Milwaukee Bucks, Antetokounmpo's brother and the player's representatives.More than a dozen tweets popped up in Antetokounmpo's feed in the span of about five minutes, and they appeared to clearly be the work of someone other than the reigning MVP. The tweets included racial slurs, profane attacks on other players and a claim that Antetokounmpo had the coronavirus.“Giannis’ twitter, phone, email and bank accounts were hacked!” Los Angeles Lakers forward Kostas Antetokounmpo tweeted. “He genuinely apologizes for everything that was tweeted and he will be back as soon as possible! The things that were said by this hacker were extremely inappropriate and disgusting!”The tweets weren’t up for long before disappearing from Giannis Antetokounmpo’s account. Giannis Antetokounmpo sent out a tweet Thursday night confirming that his... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo's social media accounts were hacked on Thursday afternoon and several bizarre and offensive tweets were posted, according to the Milwaukee Bucks, Antetokounmpo's brother and the player's representatives.More than a dozen tweets popped up in Antetokounmpo's feed in the span of about five minutes, and they appeared to clearly be the work of someone other than the reigning MVP. The tweets included racial slurs, profane attacks on other players and a claim that Antetokounmpo had the coronavirus.“Giannis’ twitter, phone, email and bank accounts were hacked!” Los Angeles Lakers forward Kostas Antetokounmpo tweeted. “He genuinely apologizes for everything that was tweeted and he will be back as soon as possible! The things that were said by this hacker were extremely inappropriate and disgusting!”The tweets weren’t up for long before disappearing from Giannis Antetokounmpo’s account. The Bucks said in a statement that an investigation is underway. Octagon, Antetokounmpo's agency, also confirmed the hacking.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The NBA says some players can voluntarily return to their team practice facilities starting Friday, with some very specific conditions and only in places where local and state governments have signed off on such openings.It’s unclear how many players will be back on the floor Friday when the league ban gets lifted. Miami is allowed to open its doors for the first time in six weeks but won’t until at least Monday while it works out certain logistical details. Orlando isn’t going to welcome players back immediately either. Same goes for Utah, the first NBA team to deal with the coronavirus after Rudy Gobert tested positive March 11 and the league shut down almost immediately. And most teams aren't allowed to open yet to because of local rules.Basketball hasn’t been played in two months and the league, the teams and the players still seem to have a universal desire to get back to work, finish this season and crown a champion. But, perhaps mindful of challenges other leagues have faced in their... [More]

The NBA says some players can voluntarily return to their team practice facilities starting on Friday, with some very specific conditions and only in places where local and state governments have signed off on such openings.It’s unclear how many — if any — players will be back on the floor Friday when the league ban gets lifted. Miami is allowed to open its doors for the first time in six weeks but won’t until at least Monday while it works out certain logistical details. Orlando isn’t going to welcome players back immediately either. Same goes for Utah, the first NBA team to deal with the coronavirus after Rudy Gobert tested positive March 11 and the league shut down almost immediately. And most teams aren't allowed to open yet to because of local rules.Basketball hasn’t been played in two months and the league, the teams and the players still seem to have a universal desire to get back to work, finish this season and crown a champion. But, perhaps mindful of challenges other leagues have... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers All-Star guard Ben Simmons is closer to getting cleared to play, should the NBA season resume.The league leader in steals was sidelined with nerve issues in his lower back when the season was suspended on March 11 because of the coronavirus pandemic. He is allowed to rehabilitate at the 76ers’ practice facility in Camden, New Jersey, but there seemed to be no guarantee he would have been cleared to play in time for a playoff run.“We’ve took our time, we’ve been methodical and thoughtful about his recovery and rehab, just to make sure, because we weren’t in a rush,” 76ers GM Elton Brand said Tuesday. “It’s hard to speculate. He’s been working hard and I know he’d be close or ready.”Simmons had missed his eighth straight game and was receiving daily treatment for his nerve impingement at the time the season stopped. Brand, speaking to media for the first time since, said he would not speculate on Simmons’ availability had the Sixers still been playing... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers All-Star guard Ben Simmons is closer to getting cleared to play, should the NBA season resume.Simmons, the league leader in steals, was sidelined with nerve issues in his lower back when the season was suspended on March 11 because of the coronavirus pandemic. He is allowed to rehabilitate at the 76ers’ practice facility in Camden, New Jersey, but there seemed to be no guarantee he would have been cleared to play in time for a playoff run.“We’ve took our time, we’ve been methodical and thoughtful about his recovery and rehab, just to make sure, because we weren’t in a rush,” 76ers GM Elton Brand said Tuesday. “It’s hard to speculate. He’s been working hard and I know he’d be close or ready.”Simmons had missed his eighth straight game and was receiving daily treatment for his nerve impingement at the time the season stopped. Brand, speaking to media for the first time since the Sixers’ last game, said he would not speculate on Simmons’ availability... [More]

There were obvious perks to being teammates with Michael Jordan. Plenty of his Chicago teammates own multiple championship rings, they appear in some of the most-replayed NBA highlight clips of all time and they’ve got a lifetime of stories to tell about one of the best to ever take the court.B.J. Armstrong also learned to move quickly — off the court, that is.Whether it was during his rookie season when his stall in the Bulls locker room was adjacent to Jordan’s locker, or at a dinner with the six-time NBA champion and Kobe Bryant about a quarter-century later, Armstrong often found himself with a front-row seat to witness the true cost of fame for arguably the world’s most recognizable athlete.“I remember as a young player I had this dream of playing in the NBA,” Armstrong, the longtime NBA guard and three-time NBA champion with the Bulls who is now a California-based sports agent, told The Associated Press. “And I vividly remember when I got to Chicago thinking, ‘You better be careful... [More]

There were obvious perks to being teammates with Michael Jordan. Plenty of his Chicago teammates own multiple championship rings, they appear in some of the most-replayed NBA highlight clips of all time and they’ve got a lifetime of stories to tell about one of the best to ever take the court.B.J. Armstrong also learned to move quickly — off the court, that is.Whether it was during his rookie season when his stall in the Bulls locker room was adjacent to Jordan’s locker, or at a dinner with the six-time NBA champion and Kobe Bryant about a quarter-century later, Armstrong often found himself with a front-row seat to witness the true cost of fame for arguably the world’s most recognizable athlete.“I remember as a young player I had this dream of playing in the NBA,” Armstrong, the longtime NBA guard and three-time NBA champion with the Bulls who is now a California-based sports agent, told The Associated Press. “And I vividly remember when I got to Chicago thinking, ‘You better be careful... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Marc Eversley gets a chance to help restore an iconic NBA franchise and set an example for the city's youth.He welcomes the opportunities.A former Nike executive who spent the past four years in Philadelphia's front office, Eversley was introduced as the Bulls' general manager on Friday. He succeeds the fired Gar Forman and will work under new top executive Arturas Karnisovas.Eversley also becomes the Bulls' first black general manager, after spending the past two years as the 76ers' senior vice president of player personnel. “It means a lot,” he said. “I take pride in that. I think it's a tremendous responsibility. I am a black man, I'm in a leadership position now in a city with so many black youths. I see this as a great opportunity. I think being visible is going to be important. And being invested is going to be important. I think this position position with the Bulls provides me with some resources to help drive some change."Karnisovas said “it's our responsibility"... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls announced Marc Eversley as their new general manager on Friday.Eversley agreed to take the job earlier in the week. He succeeds the fired Gar Forman and will work under new top executive Arturas Karnisovas. Eversley spent four years in Philadelphia's front office — the past two as the 76ers' senior vice president of player personnel. The Bulls were 11th in the Eastern Conference at 22-43 and on the way to their third straight losing record when the league stopped play.“I’m grateful to be working with someone like Arturas, who shares my level of passion and commitment to winning basketball, and having both come from successful programs, we will put in the work and all it entails to become a sustainable and winning team," Eversley said in a statement.A Canadian, Eversley becomes the Bulls' first black general manager.He was with the 76ers when they drafted two-time All-Star Ben Simmons with the No. 1 overall pick in 2016 and had a big hand in them trading... [More]

NBA team presidents met Thursday and emerged with belief that there are still ways to resume the season, and Dallas owner Mark Cuban also expressed optimism that the league will find a way out of the coronavirus-caused shutdown.“Every intention is to return to play and try to create the best environment we can for the league and for the fans,” San Antonio Spurs CEO R.C. Buford said after participating in the call with top team officials. “And we’re all on board for that.”Team presidents around the league hold regular calls, as do general managers, and those calls have continued during the league’s shutdown. Thursday's call was not organized for any specific reason.The NBA has been shut down since March 11 and 259 regular season games have yet to be played. It remains unclear if any of those games would be rescheduled should the league resume play, or if the NBA would opt to go directly into the postseason.“As soon as it’s safe we would like to finish our season,” LeBron James of the Western... [More]