OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — DeMarcus Cousins spent his first eight seasons in the NBA chasing two things — peace and the playoffs.After signing with Golden State as a free agent, the four-time All-Star center has no doubts he'll finally find both, and that those will help dispel the notion that he's a bad teammate."Just a chance to play for a winning culture," Cousins said Thursday. "I also have a chance to play with some of the most talented players of this era. Those two things alone, that pretty much sums it up."Looking relaxed while sitting on a stage next to Warriors general manager Bob Myers, Cousins was at ease during a news conference at the team's practice facility.Golden State's fiery big man seems content in his new surroundings and wants the hardware to show for it."Every guy said let's go get another championship," Cousins said. "They are a well-established team and they could have easily been like, 'No, we don't need him.' But they were excited like a team that's never accomplished... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Carmelo Anthony is done in Oklahoma City.A person with knowledge of the details tells The Associated Press the Thunder are sending the veteran NBA forward and a 2022 protected first-round pick to Atlanta in exchange for Hawks guard Dennis Schroder and Mike Muscala. Anthony will be waived, clearing the way for him to sign as a free agent elsewhere. The person spoke Thursday on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the situation publicly.ESPN, which first reported the trade, said the Thunder will send Muscala to the Philadelphia 76ers for Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot and Philadelphia's Justin Anderson will be sent to Atlanta.Schroder averaged a career-high 19.4 points per game last season for the Hawks in 67 games, all starts. The speedy 6-foot-1 guard averaged 17.9 points the year before that.Anthony's lone season in Oklahoma City was largely a bust. He averaged 16.2 points per game last season and struggled at times in his new role alongside Russell Westbrook and Paul George. The 10-time All-Star posted career lows in scoring average and field goal percentage, and the Thunder were ousted in the first round of the playoffs by Utah.___AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney contributed to this report.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks have requested waivers on guard Jaylen Morris, who appeared in six games with the team last season.Morris averaged 4.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in his brief time with the team.Morris, from Molloy College, signed two 10-day contracts with the Hawks before being signed to a multi-year deal on March 21. He helped add backcourt depth following a season-ending injury to Kent Bazemore.A waiver request allows a team to terminate a player's contract after other teams get a chance to claim it.

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls have signed guard Antonio Blakeney to an NBA contract.Undrafted out of LSU in 2017, Blakeney signed a two-way deal with the Bulls and averaged 7.9 points in 19 games while splitting time between Chicago and the G League's Windy City Bulls. He was the G League's Rookie of the Year, averaging 32.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.9 assistsThe Bulls announced the move Thursday.___For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — DeMarcus Cousins spent his first eight seasons in the NBA chasing two things — peace and the playoffs.After signing with Golden State as a free agent, the four-time All-Star center has no doubts he'll finally find both, and that that will help dispel the notion that he's a bad teammate.Looking relaxed while sitting next to Warriors general manager Bob Myers, Cousins was at ease during a news conference Thursday at the team's practice facility.He expressed frustrated by the tediousness of rehab while recovering from surgery on his left Achilles but said he's trying to be smart about it.The 27-year-old with a quick temper and a history of piling up technical fouls at a rapid rate also showed a playful side when he joked about the possibility of fighting with new teammates Kevin Durant and Draymond Green, two players with whom he's had on-court issues in the past.Golden State's fiery big man seems content in his new surroundings and wants the hardware to show for it.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics re-signed guard Marcus Smart on Thursday, bringing him back for four more years after he found the market for a restricted free agent defensive specialist wasn't as lucrative as he'd hoped.A person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press that Smart will be paid $52 million over the next four years. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team did not disclose the terms of the contract.The Celtics scheduled an availability with Smart after announcing the deal, then canceled it an hour later, saying he had flu-like symptoms and was being treated at a hospital with IV fluids.Smart averaged 10.2 points, 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game this season. He returned from thumb surgery late in the first round of the playoffs and provided the defensive presence that was instrumental in the Celtics taking the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the Eastern Conference finals.LeBron James called Smart's creativity on the... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics have re-signed guard Marcus Smart.The 6-foot-4 defensive stalwart is returning to the team that picked him sixth overall in the 2014 draft after finding the market for a restricted free agent wasn't as lucrative as he'd hoped.A person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press that Smart signed a four-year, $52 million contract with the Celtics. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Thursday because the team did not disclose the terms of the contract.Smart averaged 10.2 points, 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game this season. He returned from thumb surgery late in the first round of the playoffs and provided the defensive presence that was instrumental in the Celtics taking the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the Eastern Conference finals.LeBron James called Smart's creativity on the court "uncanny" during their matchup and coach Brad Stevens said Smart was "as tough as tough as they come," making hustle plays on offense... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics have re-signed guard Marcus Smart.The 6-foot-4 defensive stalwart is returning to the team that picked him sixth overall in the 2014 draft after finding the market for a restricted free agent wasn't as lucrative as he'd hoped.A person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press that Smart signed a four-year, $52 million contract with the Celtics. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Thursday because the team did not disclose the terms of the contract.Smart averaged 10.2 points, 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game this season. He returned from thumb surgery late in the first round of the playoffs and provided the defensive presence that was instrumental in the Celtics taking the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the Eastern Conference finals.LeBron James called Smart's creativity on the court "uncanny" during their matchup and coach Brad Stevens said Smart was "as tough as tough as they come," making hustle plays on offense... [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]

CHICAGO (AP) — Jabari Parker recalled playing on the court with the Chicago Bulls' logo as a young child.It was at the James Jordan Boys and Girls Club where his dad was a supervisor and not the nearby United Center. But it sure felt big time to him."It was like our United Center, that gym," he said.Now, the United Center is his home arena.Parker agreed Saturday to a $40 million, two-year contract with the Bulls, hoping he can get his promising career back on track after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee two times in four seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks."No better way to live a dream as a kid than playing down the street from where I grew up — the James Jordan Boys and Girls Club," Parker said Wednesday.The son of a former NBA player, Parker seemed destined for big things. He led Simeon Career Academy on Chicago's South Side to four state championships, graced the cover of Sports Illustrated, and when he committed to Duke, the announcement was televised nationally.... [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]

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade has a new contract — with his shoe company.Wade and the Chinese apparel company Li-Ning announced that the three-time NBA champion has signed a lifetime contract with the brand, which he has represented since 2012. The finalizing of that deal coincided with Wade and the company revealing his latest shoe, the "Way of Wade 7," at an event in Beijing on Wednesday.Wade appeared at the event with the company's CEO and namesake Li Ning, who is still revered in China for his gymnastics success."This was something I needed to do from the standpoint of building something," Wade told The Associated Press in a phone interview from China. "That's what I set out to do. This word we all talk about, legacy, I tried to set out to build a legacy for myself and my family. And after six years of that, it's cool to be here today."Financial details of the contract were not revealed, though it's believed the total value to Wade could reach tens of millions of dollars.Wade's relationship... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade has a new contract — with his shoe company.Wade and the Chinese apparel company Li-Ning announced that the three-time NBA champion has signed a lifetime contract with the brand, which he has represented since 2012. The finalizing of that deal coincided with Wade and the company revealing his latest shoe, the "Way of Wade 7," at an event in Beijing on Wednesday.Wade appeared at the event with the company's CEO and namesake Li Ning, who is still revered in China for his gymnastics success."This was something I needed to do from the standpoint of building something," Wade told The Associated Press in a phone interview from China. "That's what I set out to do. This word we all talk about, legacy, I tried to set out to build a legacy for myself and my family. And after six years of that, it's cool to be here today."Financial details of the contract were not revealed, though it's believed the total value to Wade could reach tens of millions of dollars.Wade's relationship... [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

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade has signed a lifetime contract with Chinese apparel company Li-Ning.Wade made the deal official at an event in Beijing on Wednesday with the company's CEO and namesake Li Ning, who is revered in China for his gymnastics success.Wade's relationship with Li-Ning began in 2012, after he previously was an endorser for Converse and Jordan Brand. In addition to the continued production of basketball and lifestyle apparel, the new deal calls for Wade to take "a greater role" in youth developmental camps and basketball clinics in China and other parts of the world over the coming years.Wade finished last season with the Miami Heat. He has not decided if he will return to the Heat next season, which would be his 16th in the NBA.___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

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Josh Hart wasn't around to see the conclusion of the summer league as he was ejected from the championship game after criticizing the officials.The Lakers fell short in the title game, losing to Portland 91-73 on Tuesday night.Hart earned league MVP honors for a stellar two-week performance. He had a team-record 37 points in the double-overtime win over Cleveland in the semifinals on Monday. Yet, his main takeaway from the game was that he, "missed two clutch free throws."His performance on Monday surpassed the 36-point effort by Lonzo Ball last year."I don't go for individual accolades," said Hart, who finished with 12 points in the title game. "That's never been a reason why I played this game. I play this game to win. That's the biggest thing, I came here to win, I came here to dominate."And while the Lakers couldn't repeat as summer league champions, and he did anything but dominate during his disappointing appearance in the final, the 6-foot-5 shooting guard's evolution... [More]