F Kevin Durant of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors issued an apology for comments he claims were "taken out of context" regarding the development of basketball in India. In a Q&A with Durant that appeared in The Athletic earlier this week, he was quoted as saying that the country is "20 years behind in terms of knowledge and experience." In a statement on Twitter, Durant said: "Sorry that my comments about India were taken out of context, I'm grateful for the time I've got to spend there and I'm really pissed about how my comments came off, that's my fault, should've worded that better."

PG is reportedly highly interested in being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. Irving, who asked the Cleveland Cavaliers for a trade in July after he grew sour of playing alongside LeBron James, has his sights set on the Los Angeles Clippers as a team he would like to play for if traded. Irving's reported list of preferred destinations also includes the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves.

F Carmelo Anthony could still join the Rockets after the team reportedly revived trade talks with the Knicks for the 10-time All-Star. Anthony will only waive his no-trade clause to be dealt to the Rockets, refusing to include more teams on his list of potential destinations, league sources told ESPN. Houston is reportedly trying to find a third team to make the deal possible, and finding a way to include forward Ryan Anderson, who has three years left on his $60 million deal, is viewed as an obstacle. Anthony, 33, averaged 22.4 points and 5.9 rebounds in 74 games last season.

Carmelo Anthony could still join the Houston Rockets after all.After initial talks between the New York Knicks and Rockets about an Anthony trade stalled, the teams have re-engaged in discussions to send the 10-time All-Star to the Magnolia City, according to an ESPN report on Friday.Anthony will only waive his no-trade clause to be dealt to the Rockets, refusing to include more teams on his list of potential destinations, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.Houston is reportedly trying to find a third team to make the deal possible, and finding a way to include forward Ryan Anderson, who has three years left on his $60 million deal, is viewed as an obstacle.--LeBron James might be considering whether to bring his talents to Los Angeles next season, and there's a chance Kyrie Irving could be going with him. In a manner of speaking.Irving, who asked the Cleveland Cavaliers for a trade in July after he grew sour of playing alongside James, has his sights set on the Los Angeles Clippers... [More]

LeBron James might be considering whether to bring his talents to Los Angeles next season, and there's a chance Kyrie Irving could be going with him.In a manner of speaking.Irving, who asked the Cleveland Cavaliers for a trade in July after he grew sour of playing alongside James, has his sights set on the Los Angeles Clippers as a team he would like to play for if traded."(Irving) loves L.A. and he's been working out there a lot this summer," veteran NBA reporter Peter Vecsey of Patreon.com said.James, who owns a home in Los Angeles, is rumored to be considering teaming up with Los Angeles-area native Paul George on the Lakers next summer.The Clippers may be looking to rebuild after trading All-Star guard Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets earlier this offseason, but they did retain the services of All-Star forward Blake Griffin.Building around the 25-year-old Irving would be a great start, but Vecsey does not believe the Clippers have the assets to pull off a trade."Do they have the assets they get him? I don't see how," Vecsey said. "But they also have (consultant) Jerry West and he's been able to figure out before ... the Lakers didn't have the assets to get Shaq (Shaquille O'Neal) and he wheeled and dealed and figured out and they got him ... he was able to get Kobe (Bryant) for (Vlade) Divac in the draft."Irving's reported list of preferred destinations also includes the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves.

F Zach Randolph was arrested on a felony charge of marijuana possession with intent to sell by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on Wednesday night. he arrest was part of a disturbance that resulted in damage to five Los Angeles Police Department vehicles and one sheriff's vehicle, according to ABC-7 in Los Angeles. Officers reportedly encountered a group drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana and playing loud music while blocking the street in the Nickerson Gardens area in Los Angeles. The disturbance escalated with Randolph being arrested at 11 p.m. PT and booked 5 1/2 hours later with bail being set for $20,000, according to police reports.

F Patrick Patterson underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Thursday, the team announced. Patterson, who will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks, is expected to start at power forward for Oklahoma City after agreeing to a three-year, $16.4 million contract in July. The 28-year-old is the second significant offseason addition for Oklahoma City, which picked up Paul George in a trade with the Indiana Pacers. That deal saw another forward, Domantas Sabonis, exit the Thunder for the Pacers. Patterson averaged 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in 65 games (eight starts) for the Toronto Raptors last season. He produced 3.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 10 playoff games.

The highly anticipated debuts of Chris Paul with the Houston Rockets and Gordon Hayward with the Boston Celtics will highlight the opening night of the NBA season, the league announced Thursday.Paul and the Rockets will visit the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday Oct. 17 as the second part of a doubleheader on TNT. Paul, a nine-time All-Star point guard, spent the past six seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Warriors will be receiving NBA championship rings for the second time in the past three seasons.In the opener, Hayward and the Celtics will visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference finals. Hayward joined Boston as a free agent during the summer after seven seasons with the Utah Jazz, including making his first All-Star appearance last season.Cleveland once again will have LeBron James on the floor but the status of guard Kyrie Irving remains unclear after he asked to be traded.The NBA also announced its five Christmas Day matchups with... [More]

The Milwaukee Bucks signed a jersey advertisement patch deal with Harley-Davidson, the team announced Thursday.The motorcycle manufacturer's iconic orange, white and black logo will appear on the Bucks' white, green and black jerseys. Harley-Davidson was founded in Milwaukee."It's a perfect fit for Harley-Davidson and the Bucks, two international brands with deep Milwaukee roots, to join together through this partnership," said Matt Pazaras, the Bucks' senior vice president of business development and strategy."Harley evokes as much passion among its riders as the Bucks do for our fans. And with that passion, along with its iconic logo and what it represents, Harley is the coolest brand for our players to sport during games."Don't expect to see Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo sign an endorsement deal with Harley-Davidson and get a free bike. Riding a motorcycle is prohibited in NBA contracts.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Patrick Patterson underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Thursday, the team announced.Patterson, who will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks, is expected to start at power forward for Oklahoma City after agreeing to a three-year, $16.4 million contract in July.The 28-year-old is the second significant offseason addition for Oklahoma City, which picked up Paul George in a trade with the Indiana Pacers. That deal saw another forward, Domantas Sabonis, exit the Thunder for the Pacers.Patterson averaged 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in 65 games (eight starts) for the Toronto Raptors last season. He produced 3.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 10 playoff games.A first-round pick by the Rockets in 2010 out of Kentucky, Patterson spent 2 1/2 seasons in Houston. He played parts of two seasons with the Sacramento Kings before joining the Raptors in the 2013-14 season.Patterson has appeared in 477 career games, making 73 starts. He has averages of 7.9 points and 4.7 rebounds.

The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics will pack their bags and head across the pond to play a regular-season game at the O2 Arena in London on Jan. 11, the NBA announced on Thursday. The contest will be the league's eighth regular-season contest in London, and it will mark the second appearance for Philadelphia and Boston after playing preseason games in London and Manchester, respectively."This will be our 16th game (overall) in London where our events have become an annual opportunity for basketball fans across Europe to come together and share their passion for the NBA," commissioner Adam Silver said.The NBA London Game will feature the Atlantic Division rivals who found themselves as trade partners prior to this year's draft. The 76ers traded up to select Markelle Fultz with the top overall choice while the Celtics tabbed Jayson Tatum with the third pick.Philadelphia's Joel Embiid is looking to lift his team to the playoffs for the first time since 2012."I look forward to coming back to London with the Sixers after visiting for the first time this summer," Embiid said in a statement. "We are a young, hungry team, and we will be sure to give the fans an exciting game against Boston in January."The Denver Nuggets posted a 140-112 victory over the Indiana Pacers in last season's game in London.

Sacramento Kings forward Zach Randolph was arrested on a felony charge of marijuana possession with intent to sell by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on Wednesday night.The arrest was part of a disturbance that resulted in damage to five Los Angeles Police Department vehicles and one sheriff's vehicle, according to ABC-7 in Los Angeles.Officers reportedly encountered a group drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana and playing loud music while blocking the street in the Nickerson Gardens area in Los Angeles. The disturbance escalated with Randolph being arrested at 11 p.m. PT and booked 5 1/2 hours later with bail being set for $20,000, according to police reports.A two-time All-Star, Randolph signed a two-year, $24 million contract with the Kings this summer after ending his eight-year tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies.Randolph averaged 14.1 points and 8.2 points for Memphis last season.The 36-year-old Randolph ranks first in Grizzlies' franchise history in rebounds (5,612) and is second behind Mike Conley in points (9,261). He excelled in a reserve role last season, averaging 14.1 points and 8.2 rebounds.With Sacramento, Randolph reunites with Dave Joerger, his former coach with the Grizzlies.

F Luke Babbitt signed a contract, the Atlanta Hawks announced Wednesday. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported he signed a one-year deal. Babbitt played in 68 games, including 55 starts, for the Miami Heat last season. He averaged 4.8 points and 2.1 rebounds in 15.7 minutes, while making 41.4 percent of his 3-point attempts.

Fans in Mexico will receive a first-hand look at reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Russell Westbrook next season when the Oklahoma City Thunder play the Brooklyn Nets in the nation's capital.The NBA Mexico City games feature the Nets playing a regular-season contest against Westbrook, four-time All-Star Paul George and the Thunder on Dec. 7. Brooklyn will then face the Miami Heat two days later."They will also mark the 25th anniversary of our first game in Mexico City, a milestone in our relationship with our Mexican fans and a further indication of our desire to strengthen our ties to Mexico and Latin America," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.In January, the NBA held two games in Mexico with the Phoenix Suns playing against the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs.Nets general manager Sean Marks was thrilled that his team is being able to represent the NBA in this capacity."The Brooklyn Nets are honored to be the host team for the 2017 NBA Mexico City games and help... [More]

Forward Michael Beasley is headed for a sixth NBA team, as he agreed to sign with the New York Knicks on Tuesday.The club announced the signing but not the contract terms. Multiple media outlets reported that Beasley received a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum, $2.12 million.Beasley's role with the Knicks is uncertain because of the possibility of a trade that could see Carmelo Anthony leave the team.Beasley, 28, spent last season with the Milwaukee Bucks, averaging 9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 56 games (six starts).He previously played for the Miami Heat (2008-09 to 2009-10, 2013-14 to 2014-15), the Minnesota Timberwolves (2010-11 to 2011-12), the Phoenix Suns (2012-13) and the Houston Rockets (2015-16).In 509 career games (206 starts), Beasley averages 12.6 points and 4.7 rebounds.The 6-foot-10, 235-pounder was a first-round pick, second overall, of the Heat out of Kansas State in 2008.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ben McLemore will be sidelined close to three months after breaking a bone in his right foot, the team announced Tuesday.The Grizzlies said McLemore suffered a non-displaced fracture of the fifth metatarsal during a pickup game in Los Angeles when he landed on the foot of another player.McLemore underwent surgery to repair the bone.The 24-year-old is entering his initial season with the Grizzlies after playing his first four seasons with the Sacramento Kings. He signed a two-year, $10.7 million deal with Memphis.McLemore averaged 8.1 points last season in 61 games (26 starts) for the Kings. He has a career scoring average of 9.4 in 293 NBA games.

Count former Cavaliers general manager David Griffin among those who believe Cleveland All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving will wind up being traded.Irving, 25, is reportedly seeking to be more of a focal point and no longer wants to play alongside LeBron James, leading to his trade request in mid-July."I think Kyrie's going to end up getting traded," Griffin said Monday on ESPN television.Griffin, who parted ways with the Cavaliers in June after being unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension, said Irving handled the situation the right way and with courage."He went to (Cavaliers owner) Dan Gilbert privately, told him that he thought he would be happier somewhere else," Griffin told ESPN. "The absolute worst thing this guy could have done was pretend to be all-in and sink the ship from within. Most guys don't have the courage to do what he did."Irving averaged a career-high 25.2 points, 5.8 assists and 1.2 steals for the Cavaliers last season, his sixth in the NBA. The former Duke standout was the Cavs' No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Andrew Wiggins will get his money, but there are a few string attached.Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor is ready to pony up and give Wiggins a max deal to stay with Minnesota long term, so long as he is willing to have a one-on-one meeting with his boss and commit to becoming a better player.Taylor's offer to Wiggins would be in the range of five years and $148 million, ESPN reports."To me, by making this offer, I'm speculating that his contribution to the team will be more in the future. We've got to be better. He can't be paid just for what he's doing today. He's got to be better," Taylor told the Associated Press about Wiggins."So when you're talking about negotiations on his part, I'm already extending to him that I'm willing to meet the max. But there are some things that I need out of him, and that is the commitment to be a better player than you are today."Wiggins, 22, was the No. 1 overall draft pick of the Cavaliers in 2014, but never played a game for Cleveland and was traded to... [More]

Newly signed Los Angeles Clippers center Willie Reed was arrested early Sunday morning in Miami on a domestic violence charge of misdemeanor battery.Reed's wife, Jasmine Reed, told police the former Miami Heat player pulled her hair while she was holding their youngest child. She said she later bashed him in the head with a glass candle to escape Saturday afternoon at their downtown Miami luxury apartment, according to the Miami Herald.Reed told police he never put his hands on his wife but did touch her hair as she got on the elevator. Reed admitted he grabbed her purse and her shirt, according to the arrest report.The police report noted Jasmine Reed "had red marks on her left wrist, right bicep, the right side of her chest and her back. She also had some swelling on her left foot."Willie Reed, 27, spent Sunday morning and early afternoon in jail before posting $1,500 cash bond, according to Miami-Dade jail records.Reed finalized a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Clippers last week to be their backup center.The 6-foot-11, 245-pound Reed averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 71 games (five starts) during his one season with Miami in 2016-17. He played in the NBA's developmental league before signing with the Brooklyn Nets for the 2015-16 season.

The Charlotte Hornets signed forward/center Mangok Mathiang and guard Marcus Paige to two-way contracts on Wednesday.The 6-foot-10, 230-pound Mathiang was a member of the Hornets' entry at the 2017 Orlando Pro Summer League, where he saw action in five games and averaged 4.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.8 offensive rebounds in 17.1 minutes per contest.Born in Sudan, the 24-year-old Mathiang lived in Melbourne, Australia, for several years before moving to the United States where he spent four years at Louisville (2013-17). He appeared in 114 career games (44 starts) in college, averaging 4.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. While serving as team captain as a redshirt senior in 2016-17, he averaged 7.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 20.8 minutes while helping the Cardinals to a 25-9 record.The 6-1, 164-pound Paige was originally drafted in the second round (55th overall) in 2016 by the Brooklyn Nets, with his draft rights being traded to Utah the following day.Paige, 23, appeared... [More]