BOSTON (AP) — Change is everywhere for the Boston Celtics this season. And it's noticeable in many ways, big and small.Point guard Kyrie Irving is gone and has been replaced by another All-Star in Kemba Walker.The spot in the middle of Boston's offense that once belonged to Al Horford will now be occupied by free-agent pickup Enes Kanter.Some returning players the Celtics do have even literally look different in some cases. Fourth-year guard Jaylen Brown's trademark flat top haircut? It's gone, too, and replaced by a sleeker, low-cut style."It is a fresh start. We all see Jaylen Brown's hair, right?" Marcus Smart joked during the Celtics' media day on Monday.It's all apropos for a team that despite having All-Stars like Irving, Horford and Gordon Hayward, as well as young talent like Brown and Jayson Tatum, woefully underachieved — victims of a lack of team chemistry and public infighting.Now Boston has gone from the team that was the favorite to take over the Eastern Conference following... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Hornets center Cody Zeller got proactive when NBA free agency arrived, posting a picture of himself on social media selling lemonade for 25 cents a glass with all proceeds going to "Keep Kemba in Charlotte."That didn't work out.Hornets owner Michael Jordan had no intention of paying Kemba Walker, a three-time All-Star and the franchise's all-time leading scorer, a $221 million supermax contract. Walker wound up going to the Celtics for $140 million over four years.With Walker's departure, the Hornets are in a youth movement that leaves them as one of the favorites to land the No. 1 overall pick in next year's NBA draft."We have been so close to getting over the hump (and making the playoffs), so it felt like if we gave it another shot or two we could get over that hump," Zeller said. "But I think Kemba is going to be good in Boston. ... At the end of the day you want what is best for him, but it sucks for me a little bit."And the Hornets, too.Walker had become the... [More]

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — Free agency was only a few hours old when the New York Knicks acknowledged their fans' disappointment.Three months later, the Knicks have changed their tune.Not only was free agency a success, they say, but fans are going to forget about who the Knicks didn't get because they're going to love who they did."These are guys that our fans are going to like, the toughness that they bring every day when they come to the court to play for the Knicks," team President Steve Mills said Monday.The Knicks signed seven new players in free agency, adding Julius Randle, Bobby Portis, Taj Gibson, Marcus Morris, Elfrid Payton, Wayne Ellington and Reggie Bullock. But by that time, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving had already committed to Brooklyn in the early hours of free agency, and Mills released a statement that night saying he understood that fans could be disappointed but that the team remained confident in its plans.And though the Knicks had enough money to afford two top free... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving won't allow anyone to rush Kevin Durant back to the court this time.Irving said Friday that Durant wasn't ready to play when he returned in the NBA Finals, where he was quickly injured again. Irving said his new teammate's health wasn't valued enough, and that won't be the case now that they are together on the Brooklyn Nets."We all know K was not ready to play in that environment. We all know that, whether people want to admit it or not," Irving said. "He was out 31 days and we put him on the national stage in the finals to end up selling a product that came before the person, Kevin. And now, I'm here to protect that."Durant injured a calf playing for Golden State during the second round of the playoffs and missed a little more than a month before returning for Game 5 of the NBA Finals in Toronto. He lasted just 12 minutes before going down with a ruptured Achilles tendon that required surgery.The Nets expect Durant to miss the season, though Durant said he... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving says Kevin Durant wasn't ready to play in the NBA Finals. He wants his new teammate to come back to the court this time only when fully healthy.Irving put up a fiery defense of Durant in Brooklyn on Friday, saying the former Golden State Warriors forward was rushed back to play "to end up selling a product that came before the person, Kevin."Durant had been recovering from a calf injury earlier in the postseason when he returned for Game 5 of the NBA Finals in Toronto. He lasted just 12 minutes before going down with a ruptured Achilles tendon that required surgery.Irving adds that Durant "was not ready to play in that environment. We all know that, whether people want to admit it or not."The Nets have said they expect Durant to miss the season, though Durant says he makes his own decisions.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving is hurt before his Nets career even begins.Irving sustained a left side facial fracture after being elbowed during a pickup game, and the Nets said Wednesday the All-Star point guard is listed as day to day.Irving was hurt Tuesday in one of the final workouts before the team opens training camp. The injury came less than an hour before general manager Sean Marks and coach Kenny Atkinson were scheduled to address the media, and Atkinson instead skipped the press conference to accompany Irving for evaluation.Brooklyn opens training camp on Saturday.Irving was signed in July after two seasons in Boston. He has had to wear a mask previously during games to protect a facial fracture, including early in the 2017-18 season after he was elbowed by former teammate Aron Baynes.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets expect to wait a year before Kevin Durant plays for them.General manager Sean Marks said Tuesday the Nets are planning this season without the injured All-Star. He added Durant will have a say in determining when he's ready."With Kevin, I think what we're going to say is the expectations are that he'll be out for the year," Marks said.Durant is recovering from surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon. He was injured while playing for Golden State in the NBA Finals, then left the Warriors to sign with the Nets in July.At the time, the Nets left open the possibility that Durant could play this season. That's still possible, but Marks isn't banking on it."I've been excited to see, I think we all have, how he's approached this rehab, which has been great, very refreshing and energizing for the whole group," Marks said. "But at the end of the day, this is a long-term plan here. This was never about this next season. This is about getting an elite athlete... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets expect to wait a year before Kevin Durant plays for them.General manager Sean Marks said Tuesday the Nets are planning this season without the injured All-Star. He added Durant will have a say in determining when he's ready."With Kevin, I think what we're going to say is the expectations are that he'll be out for the year," Marks said.Durant is recovering from surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon. He was injured while playing for the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, then left the Warriors to sign with the Nets in July.At the time, the Nets left open the possibility that Durant could play this season. That's still possible, but Marks isn't banking on it."I've been excited to see, I think we all have, how he's approached this rehab, which has been great, very refreshing and energizing for the whole group," Marks said. "But at the end of the day, this is a long-term plan here. This was never about this next season. This is about getting an... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Nets general manager Sean Marks says the expectation is Kevin Durant won't play this season, although the All-Star forward will have a say in determining when he's ready.Durant is recovering from surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon. He was injured while playing for the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. He left the Warriors to sign with the Nets in July.Marks says Tuesday that Durant's recovery is going well and believes he wants to play this season. But he says the team is taking a long-term approach and planning on Durant not playing.The Nets also signed All-Star Kyrie Irving in July. He was hurt Tuesday when he was elbowed during a pickup game. Marks doesn't believe the injury was serious.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets have a new owner and a new CEO.Alibaba co-founder Joe Tsai completed his purchase of the team and Barclays Center on Wednesday, then announced that he had hired former Turner Broadcasting President David Levy to oversee both.Tsai's purchase of the Nets was unanimously approved Wednesday by the NBA's board of governors. He spent nearly $3.5 billion for the team and the arena, a record sale for a U.S. sports franchise.The native of Taiwan already had purchased 49% of the team from Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov in 2018, with the option to become controlling owner in 2021, but pushed up that timeline for full ownership of the team."In addition to being a passionate basketball fan, Joe is one of China's pre-eminent internet, media and e-commerce pioneers and his expertise will be invaluable in the league's efforts to grow the game in China and other global markets," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.The Nets will travel to China next month... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets have a new owner and a new CEO.Alibaba co-founder Joe Tsai completed his purchase of the team and Barclays Center on Wednesday, then announced that he had hired former Turner Broadcasting President David Levy to oversee both.Tsai's purchase of the Nets was unanimously approved Wednesday by the NBA's board of governors. He spent nearly $3.5 billion for the team and the arena, a record sale for a U.S. sports franchise.The native of Taiwan already had purchased 49% of the team from Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov in 2018, with the option to become controlling owner in 2021, but pushed up that timeline for full ownership of the team."In addition to being a passionate basketball fan, Joe is one of China's pre-eminent internet, media and e-commerce pioneers and his expertise will be invaluable in the league's efforts to grow the game in China and other global markets," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.The Nets will travel to China next month... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets have signed guard Caris LeVert to a contract extension after his remarkable recovery from injury last season.The 2016 first-round pick was averaging a team-best 18.4 points in his first 13 games before sustaining a dislocated right foot, a gruesome-looking injury that had players in prayer as he was taken off the court on a stretcher.But it was quickly determined that he wouldn't need surgery and would be able to return during the season, which he did after missing about three months. He helped the Nets make the playoffs, where he averaged 21 points in a first-round loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.Terms of the deal announced Monday were not disclosed.The Nets respect the way LeVert has overcome injuries dating to college at Michigan, and view him as an important piece of a team that signed superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in July.General manager Sean Marks says "Caris personifies what it means to be a Brooklyn Net, and we firmly believe his best basketball is in front of him."___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — In a record sale for a U.S. sports franchise, the co-founder of Alibaba agreed to buy the remaining 51 percent of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center for about $3.4 billion, two people with knowledge of the details said Friday.Joe Tsai already had purchased 49 percent of the team from Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov in 2018, with the option to become controlling owner in 2021.Instead, he pushed up that timeline for full ownership of a team on the rise after signing superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in July.Terms were not disclosed, but those familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that Tsai is paying about $2.35 billion for the Nets and nearly $1 billion in a separate transaction for the arena. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreements are not complete.The deal is expected to be completed by the end of September and is subject to approval by the NBA's Board of Governors.It will surpass the $2.2 billion that Tilman Fertitta paid... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — In a record sale for a U.S. sports franchise, the co-founder of Alibaba agreed to buy the remaining 51 percent of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center for about $3.4 billion, two people with knowledge of the details said Friday.Joe Tsai already had purchased 49 percent of the team from Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov in 2018, with the option to become controlling owner in 2021.Instead, he pushed up that timeline for full ownership of a team on the rise after signing superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in July.Terms were not disclosed, but those familiar with the agreements told The Associated Press that Tsai is paying about $2.35 billion for the Nets and nearly $1 billion in a separate transaction for the arena. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the transactions are not complete.The deal is expected to be completed by the end of September and is subject to approval by the NBA's Board of Governors.It will surpass the $2.2 billion that Tilman Fertitta... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Joe Tsai has agreed to buy the remaining 51 percent of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center from Mikhail Prokhorov in deals that two people with knowledge of the details say are worth about $3.4 billion.Terms were not disclosed Friday, but the people told The Associated Press that Tsai is paying about $2.35 billion for the Nets — a record for a U.S. pro sports franchise — and nearly $1 billion in a separate transaction for the arena. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the transactions have not yet been completed.Tsai is the co-founder and executive vice president of the Alibaba Group, the Chinese e-commerce giant. He already had purchased a 49 percent stake in the team from Prokhorov in 2018, with the option to become controlling owner in four years.Instead, he pushed up that timeline for full ownership of a team on the rise after signing superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in July.Prokhorov, a Russian billionaire, became the NBA's first non-North American... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Joe Tsai has agreed to buy the remaining 51 percent of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center from Mikhail Prokhorov in deals that two people with knowledge of the details say are worth about $3.4 billion.Terms were not disclosed Friday, but the people told The Associated Press that Tsai is paying about $2.35 for the Nets — a record for a U.S. pro sports franchise — and nearly $1 billion in a separate transaction for the arena. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the transactions have not yet been completed.Tsai is the co-founder and executive vice president of the Alibaba Group, the Chinese e-commerce giant. He already had purchased a 49 percent stake in the team from Prokhorov in 2018, with the option to become controlling owner in four years.Instead, he pushed up that timeline for full ownership of a team on the rise after signing superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in July.

BOSTON (AP) — Enes Kanter took a playful swipe at him.Kemba Walker will try to replace him.Kyrie Irving is no longer with the Celtics, but his brief flameout in Boston is still on the minds of fans in the city and even, apparently, players who have yet to play a minute for the team.On the day that the Celtics introduced Walker as their point guard of the future, Kanter said he chose the No. 11 last worn in Boston by Irving in part because it was his number in Oklahoma City in 2016-17. But he also quoted a commercial in which Irving aspired to have the number retired in his honor."I want to be the reason no one else wears it," Kanter said, cracking up himself and the media at the introductory news conference he shared with Walker. "I had to say it."Irving was the Celtics' big free agency splash two summers ago, when he asked the Cleveland Cavaliers to trade him and they shipped him to Boston for the immensely popular Isaiah Thomas. The Celtics, who had just lost to Cleveland in the conference... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Enes Kanter took a playful swipe at him.Kemba Walker will try to replace him.Kyrie Irving is no longer with the Celtics, but his brief flameout in Boston is still on the minds of fans in the city and even, apparently, players who have yet to play a minute for the team.On the day that the Celtics introduced Walker as their point guard of the future, Kanter said he chose the No. 11 last worn in Boston by Irving in part because it was his number in Oklahoma City in 2016-17. But he also quoted a commercial in which Irving aspired to have the number retired in his honor."I want to be the reason no one else wears it," Kanter said, cracking up himself and the media at the introductory news conference he shared with Walker. "I had to say it."Irving was the Celtics' big free agency splash two summers ago, when he asked the Cleveland Cavaliers to trade him and they shipped him to Boston for the immensely popular Isaiah Thomas. The Celtics, who had just lost to Cleveland in the conference... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving gave the Brooklyn Nets two big victories in one night."They hit the Mega Millions and the Powerball," former NBA star Charles Oakley said.In the first hours of free agency, the Nets added two of the best players available to a young roster that made the playoffs, giving them hope of not only contention for an NBA title, but to be the biggest basketball team in New York.The Nets have gone after both before and gotten neither.There was the 2012 acquisition of Joe Johnson to play with point guard Deron Williams, a pairing that was touted as "Brooklyn's Backcourt."Then there was the trade the next year for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, a megadeal that landed the Nets the cover of "Sports Illustrated."It didn't get them anywhere close to a title, though.So it would be easy to mix caution in with optimism, but former Nets who were back at Barclays Center on Sunday to play in the BIG3 think things can be different this time."I think they're going... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Russell Westbrook and James Harden are together again, and Chris Paul is leaving Houston to make that reunion happen.A person with knowledge of the situation says the Oklahoma City Thunder have traded Westbrook to the Houston Rockets for Paul in a swapping of top point guards. The Thunder also are getting first-round picks in 2024 and 2026, plus the right to swap first-rounders in two other seasons, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the trade has not been announced.ESPN first reported the agreement.Paul is a nine-time All-Star, Westbrook an eight-time selection. Paul has 9,181 career assists, the most among active players. Westbrook has 138 triple-doubles, tied with Magic Johnson for second-most in NBA history behind only Oscar Robertson's 181. Both members of Houston's new glitzy backcourt are recent MVPs: Westbrook won it in 2017, Harden won it in 2018. And the trade means that the NBA's two highest scorers... [More]