OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Some Thunder fans believe tanking to get higher draft picks is the way back to contention. Apparently, the team disagrees. Oklahoma City was expected by experts to be one of the NBA’s worst teams this season -- just like last season, when they shocked the league and made the playoffs. Once again, the Thunder are defying the odds. Oklahoma City is off to a 6-7 start, despite five of its top seven scorers having been in the league three years or fewer and 35-year-old Mark Daigneault taking on his first NBA head coaching assignment. Last year, the Thunder had veterans Chris Paul, Dennis Schroder, Steven Adams and Danilo Gallinari to help them through the tough times. This year, young holdovers Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Darius Bazley and Hamidou Diallo carry more of the load. And they clearly are out to win, even with losses offering a potentially greater return on the slew of draft picks general manager Sam Presti has collected through trades in recent years. “We’re... [More]

Pelicans first-year coach Stan Van Gundy was hired less than two months before the Pelicans first preseason game earlier this week. Never mind that he's taking over a roster that is loaded with young players and has been entirely overhauled since New Orleans hired David Griffin as executive vice president of basketball operations in 2019. So when Van Gundy was asked whether he expected to have a clear vision for individual players' roles and minutes during the preseason, he didn't hesitate to say he did not even expect to know that when New Orleans' regular season slate opens on Dec. 23. “I’m not sure I’ll be there on Jan. 15 either. It’s going to take some time," Van Gundy continued. "I want these guys in a mindset of competing and having to produce for minutes.” While coaches with overhauled rosters face similar challenges trying to navigate a compressed timeline that is loaded with uncertainty, it's even more difficult for Van Gundy and the eight other NBA teams with new coaches this... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zion Williamson expects to unleash a version of himself that is healthier, more demonstrative and less restrained in his second NBA season with the New Orleans Pelicans. “Year 1 was a lot mentally and physically for me, but I needed that experience,” Williamson said Wednesday as the Pelicans underwent preparations for training camp. “It showed me a lot and now I’m getting ready for Year 2. “There’s a lot of my game I wasn’t able to showcase last year, due to like, just trying to fit in with the team, find my place, and just trying not to be the rookie to mess up,” Williamson added. There were also injuries, along with concerns about his weight and conditioning that led to a protracted rehabilitation from arthroscopic knee surgery just before the start of the season – and minute restrictions after he made his long-awaited debut in the 44th game of the 2019-20 regular season. Still, the 6-foot-6, 284-pound Williamson made impressions with both his consistent production... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Restricted free agent Brandon Ingram has agreed to a five-year, $158 million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. Ingram's agents, Jeff Schwartz and Jordan Gertler of Excel Sports Management, confirmed the deal on Tuesday to The Associated Press. Ingram is the NBA’s reigning most improved player after averaging a team-high 23.8 points in his first season with the Pelicans. The 23-year-old Ingram, a 2016 second overall draft choice by the Los Angeles Lakers, was dealt to New Orleans during the 2019 offseason as part of a blockbuster trade that sent perennial All-Star Anthony Davis to the Lakers. New Orleans also received guards Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, as well as multiple draft picks in that deal. The 6-foot-7 Ingram this season developed into an effective and reliable scorer from the perimeter as well as on dribble drives. He shot a career best 39.1% from 3-point range but also routinely finished above the rim in the free-flowing, up-tempo offense the Pelicans ran... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Restricted free agent Brandon Ingram has agreed to a five-year, $158 million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, said a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to the Associated Press Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the contract, first reported by ESPN, has not been announced. Ingram is the NBA’s reigning most improved player after averaging a team-high 23.8 points in his first season with the Pelicans. The 23-year-old Ingram, a 2016 second overall draft choice by the Los Angeles Lakers, was dealt to New Orleans during the 2019 offseason as part of a blockbuster trade that sent perennial All-Star Anthony Davis to the Lakers. New Orleans also received guards Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, as well as multiple draft picks in that deal. The 6-foot-7 Ingram this season developed into an effective scorer from the perimeter as well as on dribble drives. He shot a career best 39.1% from 3-point range but also routinely finished above the rim in the free-flowing,... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Chris Paul gets annoyed when the topic of the Thunder’s “surprising” success comes up.Expectations for Oklahoma City were low for many after an offseason during which the Thunder collected draft picks, traded Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets for Paul and sent Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari. Many weren’t sure if Oklahoma City’s new players would function well together — or if the group would stay together. It also wasn't clear if Paul could perform at an elite level at age 34, or if he could stay healthy. But Paul has embraced what appeared to be an undesirable situation and was named an All-Star for the 10th time. The Thunder not only stayed intact but come out of the All-Star break sixth in the Western Conference and firmly in the playoff race. Asked what skeptics might have missed when projecting Oklahoma City to be one of the worst teams in the league, Paul bluntly said, “That I was here.” Paul also... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Thunder center Steven Adams will miss Friday's game against the Miami Heat.Adams left Wednesday's game against the Toronto Raptors with a right knee contusion. He is averaging 11.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Nerlens Noel, who missed the previous six games with a left ankle sprain, will be available. He averages 7.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Thunder center Steven Adams will miss Wednesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers with a left knee contusion.Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan said before the game that Adams will be re-evaluated on Thursday.Adams is a solid defender who leads the team with 11.5 rebounds per game.Nerlens Noel is next in line to get action. He is averaging 5.8 points and 2.5 rebounds this season.Donovan also said guard/forward Andre Roberson remains out as he recovers from left knee surgery.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Chris Paul is happy to be back where his professional career began.Paul started his career in Oklahoma City with the Hornets when they relocated after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He was rookie of the year during the 2005-06 season, the first of two years he spent in Oklahoma City.Now he's 34, a nine-time All-Star who came back to where it all started by way of a trade that sent Thunder cornerstone Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets in exchange.Paul still has fond memories of the community that welcomed him to the NBA."The people here, the fans here, make this city what it is," he said. "It's crazy. Our life comes full circle. Now I have two kids. To bring them out here — they came out here this weekend to see me, them and my wife — it's cool to give them perspective because it changes."Paul, who averaged 15.6 points and 8.2 assists last season, said he holds no resentment toward the Rockets for trading him. He still feels he has plenty left to offer, and he looks... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Thunder general manager Sam Presti took on a new look during the summer, just like the team he runs.The normally clean-shaven Presti returned from a summer trip with a neatly groomed beard."I went to Vermont and let it go for a little bit, and then when I got back, nobody seemed to have a problem with it," he said. "So I just kind of let it roll for a little while. I can't tell you this is something that's going to be around that much longer, but that is really the story behind it. So thanks, Vermont."If only the changes for the Thunder were as simple.Paul George's surprise trade request accelerated the end of an era. The Thunder sent George to the Los Angeles Clippers, then traded former MVP and scoring champion Russell Westbrook to Houston and rising star Jerami Grant to Denver. Now, for the first time, the Thunder enter a season with no players who were part of the team that debuted in Oklahoma City in 2008.The Thunder got a slew of draft picks in the deals and some... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wants to temper expectations. Maybe that is understandable.He is preparing to step into the point guard position Russell Westbrook held for 11 years for the Oklahoma City Thunder.Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 10.8 points and 3.3 assists as a rookie for the Los Angeles Clippers last season. He joined the Thunder in the deal that sent All-Star Paul George to the Clippers.He has a massive hole to help fill. Westbrook was the 2017 NBA MVP and two-time scoring champion, two-time All-Star MVP and two-time assist leader who averaged a triple-double the past three seasons with the Thunder before he was traded to the Houston Rockets this summer."I am not Russell Westbrook," Gilgeous-Alexander said matter-of-factly Thursday. "We don't have the same name, the same body type, nothing like that. So I'm going to try to be myself and be the best me, and everything else will take care of itself."Thunder general manager Sam Presti has said Gilgeous-Alexander has... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wants to temper expectations. Maybe that is understandable.He is preparing to step into the point guard position Russell Westbrook held for 11 years for the Oklahoma City Thunder.Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 10.8 points and 3.3 assists as a rookie for the Los Angeles Clippers last season. He joined the Thunder in the deal that sent All-Star Paul George to the Clippers.He has a massive hole to help fill. Westbrook was the 2017 NBA MVP and two-time scoring champion, two-time All-Star MVP and two-time assist leader who averaged a triple-double the past three seasons with the Thunder before he was traded to the Houston Rockets this summer."I am not Russell Westbrook," Gilgeous-Alexander said matter-of-factly Thursday. "We don't have the same game, the same body type, nothing like that. So I'm going to try to be myself, the best me, and everything else will take care of itself."Thunder general manager Sam Presti has said Gilgeous-Alexander has star... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The words rebuilding and tanking don't sit well with Thunder general manager Sam Presti.He prefers the terms repositioning and replenishing.No matter what he calls it, he has quite a task in front of him after trading Oklahoma City's two best players __ All-Stars Paul George and Russell Westbrook __ and a rising star in Jerami Grant.It's the start of a new era, a transformation that began abruptly when George made a trade request, leading Westbrook to seek another destination, too. George joined Kawhi Leonard with the Los Angeles Clippers, while Westbrook is now partnered with former Thunder teammate James Harden in Houston.Presti publicly thanked Westbrook and George on Thursday, then said he is looking forward to the challenges ahead. Oklahoma City has stocked up on future first-round draft picks, and Presti believes the deals netted some good players in Chris Paul, Danilo Gallinari and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander."I think our focus right now is on the team that we have,"... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Steven Adams is invaluable to the Oklahoma City Thunder.He's also a reminder: Big men in the NBA are still vital.The imposing 7-foot center from New Zealand is helping change the recent narrative that NBA centers are an endangered species, something that — based on spending and drafting this summer — is evidently not the case.The perimeter-oriented and defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors landed All-Star DeMarcus Cousins this summer, albeit on a $5.3 million bargain deal. NBA teams went big at this year's 2018 draft, with Deandre Ayton and Marvin Bagley going No. 1 and No. 2 and centers taking four of the first seven spots. And this summer, $285 million worth of contracts went to three centers — Nikola Jokic, Clint Capela and Jusuf Nurkic.Not bad for often underappreciated guys."I just think guys are just getting more opportunities to play their game, play outside the box," Detroit's Andre Drummond said.Adams is a great example.He doesn't get many, if any, plays... [More]

Editors:To help you plan for the upcoming NBA season, here are some of AP's plans before games begin Oct. 16. Please contact Oscar Dixon (odixon@ap.org) with any questions. All times Eastern. This advisory will be updated and is subject to change.PRESEASONThe AP is providing a daily roundup of preseason games, leading with the top angle of the night.UPCOMING STORIES:BKN--Magic-CliffordORLANDO, Fla. — Steve Clifford is sleeping more every night now, part of his commitment to health after a huge scare last season. But he knows that taking over as coach of the Orlando Magic and starting a rebuilding job will be an enormous challenge nonetheless — no matter how much more sleep he gets. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 2 p.m. Oct. 8BKN--NBA Diversity-Front OfficesThe NBA usually gets high marks for its diversity efforts and is widely viewed as a leader on social issues. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver believes the league needs to be better, and he made his feelings... [More]

Paul George can count.That's what we forgot.Everyone knows that the lure of home is strong for George, a Los Angeles kid who took countless jumpers as a youngster while pretending to be Kobe Bryant and wearing purple and gold. And players tend to go home: Paul Pierce played in LA toward the end of his career, Dwyane Wade briefly played in Chicago, Chauncey Billups had stints in Denver.So while diving into the magnitude of the numbers in George's soon-to-be-official deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder — four years at an average of $34 million a season, a contract that sure seems like it will help push the OKC payroll and luxury tax bills for next season alone to perhaps well over $200 million — there was one number that seems to have mattered most.It is 28.His age.He's still a young man, even by NBA standards. Consider this: George might not even be at his NBA peak yet. Barring an extension, which is possible, he could exercise his option to become a free agent again in the summer of 2021... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Paul George said all the right things when asked if he'd consider staying with the Oklahoma City Thunder instead of leaving in free agency this summer."They honestly check the boxes where I needed those boxes to be checked from what a player wants and needs out of a front office, out of a medical group, out of teammates, out of a coaching staff," George said Saturday, a day after the Thunder lost their first-round playoff series to Utah 4-2. "I mean, honestly, I can't say it any more than that. They checked the boxes on what needs to be checked."George's decision will largely determine if a rare gamble by general manager Sam Presti pays off. The Thunder bucked their tendencies and went for big splashes before this season, trading for George and Carmelo Anthony to join Russell Westbrook in hopes of rejoining the NBA's elite.It didn't work — or at least, it hasn't yet. Now, the Thunder and their fans are in an eerily familiar position. Kevin Durant had good things to... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The first taste of the NBA playoffs for Timberwolves All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns has been rather bitter, thanks to the 3-point-happy Houston Rockets.The two-game totals tell a frustrating story for the 22-year-old: just 13 points, 5 for 18 shooting and a 2-0 deficit in the series against the Rockets. Towns has found himself the subject of pointed criticism from analysts, fans and even his own team.The switch-heavy Rockets have double-teamed Towns to a stifling effect, and the Timberwolves sure haven't helped their 7-footer out by getting him the ball in favorable situations in the post."They're coming to double. He knows that. He has to face up, be strong with the ball, make quick moves," point guard Jeff Teague said. "But we have to figure out how to get him running, get him some easy buckets."The team's struggles have taken a little luster off Minnesota's first postseason home game in 14 years, but the fans who remember the Timberwolves reaching the Western Conference... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The last time Carmelo Anthony was in the playoffs, he was with the New York Knicks facing rising star Paul George and the Indiana Pacers back in 2013.Now, Anthony and George are teammates with the Oklahoma City Thunder. They join Russell Westbrook in a quest for their first NBA title, starting Sunday when the Thunder host the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series.Because it's been so long, Anthony appreciates the opportunity to play in the postseason. He came to Oklahoma City in a trade before training camp expecting to compete for an NBA title."It's important," he said. "I'm here now, so ain't no looking back. I'm here. It's important, it's exciting. At the same time, I'm not here just to say I made it back to the playoffs. I'm here to make a statement as a team and prove why we put this team together. This is the place where I belong, we belong, and we have an opportunity to start something good on Sunday."Westbrook became the... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Carmelo Anthony has been the No. 1 option for whatever team he has played on during most of his basketball career.He knew that wasn't going to be the case when he arrived in Oklahoma City, though it's safe to say things haven't gone as he expected when he signed up to be part the league's next Big Three.Playing alongside Russell Westbrook and Paul George, Anthony and the Thunder are headed to the playoffs . He is the Thunder's third-leading scorer, yet at times it feels like he the fourth option behind center Steven Adams.Anthony isn't complaining."Acceptance of what I have to do here and what is needed of me," Anthony said. "I think the other guys on the team, after they started playing with each other more and more, we started figuring out each other's game. We figured out what each other brings to the game."He has said he wants to win, and he is not just talking the talk.Late in a critical game against the Denver Nuggets a few weeks ago , Anthony chose not to re-enter... [More]