There was one difference during yet another multigame injury absence for Kristaps Porzingis with the Dallas Mavericks. Trade rumors surfaced for the first time since the 7-foot-3 Latvian came to Dallas as the centerpiece of a blockbuster 2019 deal with the New York Knicks. Set to return from a three-game absence because of lower back stiffness, Porzingis brushed off the trade talk — but not in the same direct way owner Mark Cuban and coach Rick Carlisle have tried to refute reports that the Mavericks were open to proposals. “It kind of like came out, and it is what it is,” Porzingis said Friday, a day before a meeting with Brooklyn that could be his second game in New York since the trade. “I don't know what's going on behind the scenes, and I shouldn't be too worried about it. It can only distract me at the end of the day.” Coach Rick Carlisle said he expected the 2018 All-Star to play against Kyrie Irving, James Harden and the Nets if there weren't any issues Saturday morning. The 25-year-old... [More]

New Orleans forward Zion Williamson now can be called an NBA All-Star, and only three others in the game’s 70-year history have gotten there at a younger age. Williamson is one of four first-time All-Stars, all revealed Tuesday night when the league announced the reserves for the March 7 game in Atlanta. Joining him as fellow All-Star rookies: Boston’s Jaylen Brown, New York’s Julius Randle and Chicago’s Zach LaVine. Phoenix’s Chris Paul is an All-Star for the 11th time, and Brooklyn’s James Harden is one for the ninth consecutive year. The rest of the reserves include Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons, Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic from the Eastern Conference, along with the Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George, Utah teammates Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, and Portland’s Damian Lillard from the Western Conference. “It's definitely an honor," Mitchell said. Team captains LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Durant of the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant couldn't start a game and then couldn't finish it, removed in the third quarter because of the NBA's health and safety protocols. Durant wasn't available at the beginning of Friday night's game against Toronto, eventually being cleared to enter in the first quarter. Once he did, it became his first appearance as a reserve in his 867 NBA games. The strange situation — Durant had originally been listed in the starting lineup before being removed — had the Nets dealing with a number of emotions. “Confusing, frustrating. I mean, it's bizarre,” teammate Joe Harris said. James Harden wondered why the game wasn't postponed, since Durant had been around the players beforehand. “They just said contract tracing and I’m thinking to myself, ‘Well, if it’s contact tracing, then we’re all in the locker room together. That means there’s no game if he’s not going to be able to play,’” Harden said. The questions continued well after Toronto's 123-117 victory.... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant couldn't start a game and then couldn't finish it, removed in the third quarter because of the NBA's health and safety protocols. Durant wasn't available at the beginning of Friday night's game against Toronto, eventually being cleared to enter in the first quarter. Once he did, it became his first appearance as a reserve in his 867 NBA games. The strange situation — Durant had originally been listed in the starting lineup before being removed — had the Nets dealing with a number of emotions. “Confusing, frustrating, bizarre,” teammate Joe Harris said. James Harden wondered why the game wasn't postponed, since Durant had been around the players beforehand. “They just said contract tracing and I’m thinking to myself, ‘Well, if it’s contact tracing, then we’re all in the locker room together. That means there’s no game if he’s not going to be able to play,’” Harden said. The questions continued well after Toronto's 123-117 victory. The Nets... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — James Harden will sit out the Brooklyn Nets' game Sunday at Washington, preventing his first matchup with Russell Westbrook since both left Houston. Harden was added to the injury report Sunday because of a bruised left thigh. It will be his first game since the Nets acquired him from Houston earlier this month. The NBA's leader in assists, Harden had 25 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds Friday when the Nets routed Oklahoma City 147-125. Harden and Westbrook played together last season, helping the Rockets reach the second round of the playoffs. Harden then pushed to be traded but Westbrook was dealt first to Washington for John Wall.

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James could be considered something of a history buff on the Cavaliers. After all, he's responsible for making — and altering — the franchise for more than a decade. So after scorching his former team on Monday night with a 46-point, tour-de-force performance he said was fueled by seeing a member of Cleveland's front office overreact to one of his few missed shots, the Lakers superstar admitted keeping an eye on the Cavs. He's impressed. “You can tell that team is improving,” James said. No doubt, the Cavs, who were left in shambles when James bolted as a free agent three seasons ago, are ahead of schedule. Led by All-Star-in-the-making guard Collin Sexton, center Andre Drummond, and boasting unexpected depth and defense under coach J.B. Bickerstaff, the Cavs are 9-9 and currently holding a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as they prepare to visit the New York Knicks on Friday. And while Cleveland's record is surprising, it's notable the Cavs have made the... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Pacers guard Caris LeVert will be out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to treat a cancerous growth on his left kidney. Team officials made the announcement Tuesday and said the 26-year-old LeVert is expected to make a full recovery. The Pacers said no additional treatment is needed. Doctors found the small mass during a routine, post-trade physical and immediately conducted additional tests. LeVert was part of the blockbuster deal that sent James Harden from Houston to Brooklyn then was dealt by the Rockets to Indiana for Victor Oladipo. The Pacers said LeVert was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma and had surgery Monday at a local hospital. “It’s definitely been some trying times for myself and my family," LeVert said during his introductory news conference last week. “I'm just very grateful for the support I’ve received not only from the players but from the front office and the fans. It’s going to be a crazy recovery as well, but I think myself and the... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant sat out Friday night against the Cavaliers as the team continues to take a cautious approach with his surgically repaired Achilles tendon. Durant played a season-high 50 minutes in the Nets’ 147-135 double-overtime loss to the Cavaliers on Wednesday night. He had 38 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in Brooklyn's first game with Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden on the floor together. Nets coach Steve Nash blamed himself for playing Durant, Irving and Harden excessive minutes in an early-season contest. Harden logged a career-best 51 minutes and Irving equaled his NBA high with 48. “We'll try and develop a second unit to share — and spread around the minutes — of our big three,” Nash said. “At the same time, guys want to win and don't want to be on the bench in a close game. It's a balancing act.” The Nets, who recently acquired Harden in a blockbuster trade from the Houston Rockets, host Miami on Saturday night. The 32-year-old Durant tore his right Achilles tendon in June of 2019 and didn't play last season. A 10-time All-Star, he's averaging 31.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists this season. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) — Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant will not play in Friday night's game against the Cavaliers as the team continues to take a cautious approach with his surgically repaired Achilles tendon. Durant played a season-high 50 minutes in the Nets’ 147-135 double-overtime loss to the Cavaliers on Wednesday night. He scored 38 points with 12 rebounds and eight assists in Brooklyn's first game with Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden on the floor together. The Nets, who recently acquired Harden in a blockbuster trade from the Houston Rockets, host Miami on Saturday night. The 32-year-old Durant tore his right Achilles tendon in June of 2019 and didn't play last season. A 10-time All-Star, he's averaging 31.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6 assists this season. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kevin Porter Jr. is no longer a problem for the Cavaliers. Cleveland has agreed to trade the troubled forward to the Houston Rockets for a future draft pick, a person familiar with the deal told the Associated Press on Thursday night. The Cavs will send Porter, the 2019 first-round draft pick who hasn't played this season and recently had an outburst in the team's locker room, to the Rockets for a protected second-round pick. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade has to be approved by the NBA. Porter's days with the Cavs reached a breaking point late last week when he became upset after learning his space in the locker room had been given to newly acquired forward Taurean Prince. Porter had only returned to practice with the Cavs a day earlier after they had spent months trying to help him. The No. 30 overall pick two years ago, Porter has plenty of talent and the Cavs were hoping they could get the 20-year-old to buy in and be part of their future.... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caris LeVert arrived in Indianapolis last week feeling perfectly fine. He was eager to meet his new teammates, join the starting lineup and make his Pacers debut. Then came the shocking news from Indiana's team doctors: They found a small mass on LeVert's left kidney. Suddenly everything went on hold and now, as LeVert awaits test results to find out if the growth is cancerous, the 6-foot-6 guard realizes just how fortunate he was to be included in last week's blockbuster trade. “I hadn't missed any games this season yet. I was 100% healthy," he said during a video call Tuesday. “In a way this trade showed and revealed what was going on in my body. So I’m definitely looking at it from that side and definitely humbled to know that that this trade could have saved me in the long run." If he hadn't gone from Brooklyn to Houston in the James Harden deal, then from the Rockets to Indiana in exchange for Victor Oladipo last Wednesday, it's unclear when — or if — the mass would... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caris LeVert said Tuesday he was awaiting additional test results on a small mass in his left kidney before establishing a treatment plan or a timeline for his Indiana Pacers debut. Team doctors found the growth during a routine post-trade physical late last week. LeVert said he doesn't yet know if the mass is cancerous. Indiana acquired LeVert as part of a four-team, blockbuster trade that sent All-Star James Harden from Houston to Brooklyn. The Rockets sent the 6-foot-6 guard to the Pacers in exchange for Victor Oladipo. Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard announced the results of the physical Saturday. LeVert, who hadn't missed any games with the Nets this season prior to the trade, said he never felt any lower back pain and had no indication anything even might be wrong. “I haven’t gotten anything removed yet, we're waiting for more results," he said. LeVert was expected to replace Oladipo in the starting lineup and was also supposed to help... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — James Harden forced his way out of Houston without bringing the Rockets an NBA title. Now that he’s in Brooklyn, the Rockets hope the huge haul of draft picks they received in the trade will allow them to chase championships in the future. “Our goal remains unchanged,” general manager Rafael Stone said Sunday, addressing the trade for the first time. “I think we’re well-positioned to develop something really special.” Houston dealt Harden to the Nets last week, a day after he said the Rockets weren't “good enough,” in a four-team trade that also involved Cleveland and Indiana. The Rockets didn’t receive a franchise cornerstone in the deal but got many draft picks that should position them to build a talented roster. The Rockets received Brooklyn’s unprotected first-round picks in 2022, 2024 and 2026 and the right to swap first-round selections with the Nets in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027. Houston also got Milwaukee’s 2022 first-round pick from Cleveland. Houston acquired three... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caris LeVert's debut with the Indiana Pacers has been put on hold indefinitely after an MRI revealed a small mass on his left kidney. President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard made the announcement Saturday, three days after LeVert became part of a blockbuster, four-team deal that sent perennial All-Star James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets, two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo to the Houston Rockets. Pritchard did not provide details of the diagnosis including whether it was cancerous and declined to establish a timeline for LeVert's return. “In the medical process we’ve done, we were able to find something that could help this kid and give him a better and clean prognosis for the rest of his life," Pritchard said on a Zoom call Saturday. “It’s an incredible story, and it's something we don't take lightly." It also didn't scuttle the big trade though Houston and Cleveland, the fourth team involved, agreed to throw in future, unspecified second-round picks to keep... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — James Harden will start Saturday night in his Brooklyn Nets debut against the Orlando Magic. The three-time NBA scoring champion became available to play earlier in the day after all the players in the blockbuster trade that sent him from Houston to Brooklyn completed their physicals. Nets coach Steve Nash immediately put Harden into the starting lineup. He said he would determine as the game goes along whether he needed to limit the All-Star guard's minutes, saying the Nets “don’t want to run the batteries down on our new Christmas present this early.” Harden has not practiced with the Nets and Nash said the team would try to keep things simple Saturday, though expected Harden to catch on quickly. “James is a brilliant basketball player, so he’s going to figure out how to make problems for the defense no matter what we do just being on the floor,” Nash said. Harden had been listed as questionable to play before the Nets upgraded him to available about two hours before the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets say James Harden is available for their game against the Orlando Magic on Saturday night. Harden had been listed as questionable to play while the players involved in the trade that sent him from Houston to Brooklyn on Thursday awaited completion of their physicals. The Nets upgraded him to available about two hours before the game. That came around the same time that the Indiana Pacers announced they had acquired Caris LeVert, the Nets guard who was part of the deal that also included Cleveland. The Nets remained without Kyrie Irving for a sixth straight game after he left the team for personal reasons. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — James Harden used his final interview in Houston to say that his team wasn't good enough. He has a whole new message now that he's in Brooklyn. Harden sees a roster that features Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, a coaching staff that includes a coach under whom he became the NBA's leading scorer, and an opportunity to win the title he still lacks. “You just add that all together, and it’s like, that’s a legit chance right there,” Harden said. “It was a no-brainer for me.” The Nets acquired Harden from the Rockets on Thursday in a blockbuster deal that reunites him with Durant, his teammate in Oklahoma City. He could play for them Saturday if all the players in the deal, which also included Cleveland, pass their physicals in time. The trade was completed just two days after Harden's final game with the Rockets, a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Following the game, Harden said: “We’re just not good enough ... I love this city. I literally have done everything that I... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — As the Nets were closing in on the deal for James Harden, general manager Sean Marks wanted to know if his two superstars really wanted to share the stage — not to mention the ball — with a third. Marks said Thursday that both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving told him what he needed to hear, so he pulled the trigger on the blockbuster deal that landed the NBA's three-time scoring champion in Brooklyn. “They understand what’s at stake here,” Marks said. “Everybody’s raised their hands and said, ‘Look, we’re in. We know what we’re shooting for’ and that includes James, the new player. He knows what’s at stake.” The Nets acquired Harden from Houston in a multiteam deal that became official Thursday, paying a huge price by sending Caris LeVert and Rodions Kurucs to Houston, along with 2022, 2024 and 2026 first-round picks and the right to swap first-round picks in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027. The Nets also sent center Jarrett Allen and forward Taurean Prince to Cleveland. Brooklyn... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — As the Nets were closing in on the deal for James Harden, general manager Sean Marks wanted to know if his two superstars really wanted to share the stage — not to mention the ball — with a third. Marks said Thursday that both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving told him what he needed to hear, so he pulled the trigger on the blockbuster deal that landed the NBA's three-time scoring champion in Brooklyn. “They understand what’s at stake here,” Marks said. “Everybody’s raised their hands and said, ‘Look, we’re in. We know what we’re shooting for’ and that includes James, the new player. He knows what’s at stake.” The Nets acquired Harden from Houston in a multiteam deal that became official Thursday, paying a huge price by sending Caris LeVert and Rodions Kurucs to Houston, along with 2022, 2024 and 2026 first-round picks and the right to swap first-round picks in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027. The Nets also sent center Jarrett Allen and forward Taurean Prince to Cleveland. Brooklyn... [More]

Having a Big Three is great. That is, if those players want it to be great. And that’s the challenge in Brooklyn now, after agreeing to the trade that landed three-time reigning scoring champion James Harden from Houston: Getting Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, all individually great, to want to be great together. A lot of futures and a lot of legacies depend on what happens. Durant found a way to make it happen in Golden State when he played alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on the way to a pair of NBA titles. It worked there because Curry and Thompson, more than happily, checked their egos at the door and made it seem like a seamless incorporation. Harden never made the NBA Finals in Houston with big-time backcourt partners like Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook, plus didn’t even give it a chance this season alongside John Wall. He wanted a trade, stars who want trades almost always get their way, and after what amounted to a resignation speech on Tuesday night after a loss... [More]