CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls have waived guard/forward Tony Allen after acquiring him in a trade last week.The 14-year veteran came to Chicago in the deal that sent Nikola Mirotic to New Orleans. Allen averaged 4.7 points in 22 games for the Pelicans before breaking his leg. He has not played since Dec. 10, though he returned to New Orleans' active roster just before the trade.The Bulls announced the move on Friday.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Markelle Fultz, the top overall pick in last year's NBA draft, may not play again this season as he deals with a right shoulder injury and works on his shot.Fultz played the 76ers' first four games of the season but has been sidelined since.Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo said Friday before the team's game against the New Orleans Pelicans that Fultz is progressing in his recovery — but with uncertainty."There's always a chance that he's going to be out there soon, and there's a chance that he's not going to play this year," Colangelo said. "I can't answer that question because we don't know the answer to that. Markelle's doing great. He's progressing well."The hedging around Fultz's status comes as a surprise given that he appeared on track to return soon.Colangelo says the team will play Fultz when he's ready, but don't have a timeline right now.Fultz was ruled out indefinitely in October with soreness and a scapular muscle imbalance in the... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James moved on quickly.A day after the Cavaliers overhauled their roster with a tornado of trades that ripped through the NBA, James didn't dwell on what's lost, who's no longer around or how much time Cleveland has left to salvage its season."It is what it is, so let's get it going," he said Friday following the team's shootaround in Atlanta. "The front office made changes that they felt best fit this franchise. It's time to go to work."In the hours before Thursday's trading deadline, the Cavs unloaded six players, including Isaiah Thomas and Dwyane Wade, James' best friend, in three separate deals designed to make the team younger, more athletic and as general manager Koby Altman put it, to revitalize a team he felt was "marching a slow death."Cleveland added guards George Hill and Jordan Clarkson as well as forwards Larry Nance Jr. and Rodney Hood, and all will have to take a crash course in Cavaliers 101. The team sent some of medical staff to Atlanta in hopes... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Markelle Fultz, the top overall pick in last year's NBA draft, may not play again this season as he deals with a right shoulder injury and works on his shot.Fultz played the 76ers' first four games of the season but has been sidelined since.Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo said Friday before the team's game against the New Orleans Pelicans that Fultz is progressing in his recovery — but with uncertainty."There's always a chance that he's going to be out there soon, and there's a chance that he's not going to play this year," Colangelo said. "I can't answer that question because we don't know the answer to that. Markelle's doing great. He's progressing well."The hedging around Fultz's status comes as a surprise given that he appeared on track to return soon.Colangelo says the team will play Fultz when he's ready, but don't have a timeline right now.Fultz was ruled out indefinitely in October with soreness and a scapular muscle imbalance in the... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James says he's excited about the new players added by the Cavaliers following a whirlwind of trades before the NBA's deadline.The Cavs unloaded six players, including Isaiah Thomas and Dwyane Wade, in three separate deals Thursday. General manager Koby Altman wanted to revitalize an aging team he felt was "marching a slow death" and not fulfilling its potential as a title contender.Cleveland's additions are George Hill, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Rodney Hood. At the team's morning shootaround in Atlanta on Friday, James says it's his job to integrate them as fast as possible.Thomas struggled with Cleveland while recovering from a serious hip injury. James says he wishes the point guard's time with the Cavs "could have been better." James also hopes Thomas "can get that bounce back" with the Los Angeles Lakers.___More AP basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

Dwyane Wade could not be more excited to get back to his familiar surroundings.He's also excited for an unfamiliar uniform.It's an unusual perk, but one of the things Wade said he's looking most forward to when he returns to the Miami Heat on Friday night is the team's new "Vice" jersey and shorts — the design being a play on the themes of Miami in the 1980s, replete with pastel trim and a font the team used when it played in its original arena."OK, I've seen the jerseys — me and a friend of mine, won't say his name — and I was like, 'Listen, I need to get those shorts, at least,'" Wade told The Associated Press in an interview after his trade from Cleveland to Miami was completed Thursday. "The jerseys are unreal."The friend, by the way, was fellow former Heat star — and fellow fashion aficionado — LeBron James."I will not confirm nor deny who it was," Wade said.The Heat are wearing the uniform 15 times this season, with 10 of those left to play. They are in them for Wade's return against... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Once summer rolls around, LeBron James stars on a different stage.All eyes in the NBA and across the sports world will focus on James during free agency.There are already teams lining up for an audience with The King, should he opt out of his contract. On Thursday, the Cavaliers turned their roster upside down in hopes of convincing James he doesn't have to go anywhere.And just like that, another chapter was added to a chaotic season in Cleveland.With an unexpected flurry of moves before the NBA trade deadline, the Cavs unloaded six players to change their identity and culture while moving back into title contention. They also showed James, who can be a free agent in July, they're willing to do whatever's necessary to help him win another championship."He's the guy that is going to take us back to the promised land," Cavs general manager Koby Altman said, "so you want to put the right pieces around him."All it took was a massive makeover.Altman ended an experiment doomed... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Golden State forward Draymond Green was fined $50,000 by the NBA on Thursday for directing inappropriate and offensive language toward a game official two days earlier, and he was hardly the only member of the Warriors to lose his cool.Green was ejected with 8:13 remaining in the game after a second technical for arguing with the officials, specifically female referee Lauren Holtkamp. The NBA said the specific incident for which he was penalized came in the second quarter of the Warriors' 125-105 home loss to Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.The defending champion Warriors had five technicals in all, prompting general manager Bob Myers to address the topic with the team Thursday ahead of a home game against Dallas."With great expectations comes great scrutiny. So how do we live in that? What's the best way to be in that?" Myers said. "So, empathetic toward the role and the place they have in all this as players as the most visible parts of our organization, the most... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Raptors have traded forward Bruno Caboclo to Sacramento for guard Malachi Richardson.Both players in the deal Thursday were former first-round picks.Toronto took Caboclo with the No. 20 selection in 2014 but he appeared in just 25 games for the Raptors.Richardson was the No. 22 pick by Charlotte in 2016 and dealt to the Kings. He averaged 3.5 points in 25 games this season, including four starts.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook and forward Carmelo Anthony both missed the Thunder's game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night because of ankle injuries.Anthony sprained his right ankle in the first quarter of the Thunder's 125-105 win at the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. Westbrook is dealing with a sprained left ankle, but it is not known when the injury happened.The Thunder are playing the Lakers for the second time in five days. They dropped the first meeting 108-104 in Oklahoma City on Sunday. Westbrook had 36 points and nine assists in the loss, and Anthony had 10 points and 13 rebounds.Raymond Felton was expected to start at point guard in place of Westbrook, while Jerami Grant was likely to take Anthony's place in the starting lineup. Grant had 16 points, four rebounds and three blocked shots in 35 minutes against the Warriors filling in for Anthony.___More AP basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Golden State forward Draymond Green was fined $50,000 by the NBA on Thursday for directing inappropriate and offensive language toward a game official two days earlier, and he was hardly the only member of the Warriors to lose his cool.Green was ejected with 8:13 remaining in the game after a second technical for arguing with the officials, specifically female referee Lauren Holtkamp. The NBA said the specific incident for which he was penalized came in the second quarter of the Warriors' 125-105 home loss to Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.The defending champion Warriors had five technicals in all, prompting general manager Bob Myers to address the topic with the team Thursday ahead of a home game against Dallas."With great expectations comes great scrutiny. So how do we live in that? What's the best way to be in that?" Myers said. "So, empathetic toward the role and the place they have in all this as players as the most visible parts of our organization, the most... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns acquired point guard Elfrid Payton from the Orlando Magic on Thursday for a second-round pick this summer.Payton is averaging a career-high 13.0 points and shooting career bests of 52.0 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from 3-point range this season. He also is averaging 6.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds."We are excited to add a player of Elfrid's caliber to our young core," Suns general manager Ryan McDonough said a team release. "Elfrid is an athletic point guard who has good size, length and a feel for the game. We think he'll be a great fit with our team."Payton is in his fourth NBA season.The pick sent to Orlando was secured by the Suns along with guard Troy Daniels in a deal with the Grizzlies in September.To make room for Payton, the Suns waived injured guard Isaiah Canaan. He broke his left ankle Jan. 1 and had surgery Feb. 1."We still consider Isaiah to be a member of the Phoenix Suns family," McDonough said. "In speaking with Isaiah and his agent, we are fully committed to doing everything we can to help him with his rehab and recovery from his injury. This move is being made strictly to create a roster spot with Isaiah being out for the remainder of the season."

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook and forward Carmelo Anthony both missed the Thunder's game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday because of ankle injuries.Anthony sprained his right ankle in the first quarter of the 125-105 win at the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. Westbrook is dealing with a sprained left ankle, but it is not known when the injury happened.The Thunder are playing the Lakers for the second time in five days. They dropped the first meeting 108-104 in Oklahoma City on Sunday. Westbrook had 36 points and nine assists in the loss, and Anthony had 10 points and 13 rebounds.Raymond Felton was expected to start at point guard in place of Westbrook, while Jermani Grant was likely to take Anthony's place in the starting lineup. Grant had 16 points, four rebounds and three blocked shots in 35 minutes against the Warriors filling in for Anthony.___More AP basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

CLEVELAND (AP) — With their NBA title hopes fading fast, the Cavaliers got aggressive at the trading deadline.They swapped teams.Cleveland completely changed its look — and perhaps its chances of winning a championship this season — on Thursday with a stunning sequence of deals. General manager Koby Altman traded six players, including Isaiah Thomas, Dwyane Wade and Derrick Rose, and two future draft picks in moves designed to not only help them in the short term but could potentially help keep LeBron James beyond this season.Just like that, the Cavs traded nearly half their roster, got substantially younger and more athletic and wedged themselves back into contention to make a fourth straight Finals appearance against Golden State.Following a long day that left him "numb," Altman said his main objective in making the deals was to alter the chemistry of a team that was no longer playing with joy."We were really worried that what was going on the floor and sort of our culture in the building... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons capped a busy couple of weeks with an active deadline day.The Pistons acquired James Ennis from the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday for Brice Johnson and a 2022 second-round draft pick. It was the second deal announced by Detroit on the day of the NBA's trade deadline. The Pistons also acquired Jameer Nelson from Chicago.Detroit made a major splash last week when it landed star forward Blake Griffin in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Pistons acquired Johnson and Willie Reed in that deal along with Griffin, but now they're moving on without Reed and Johnson. Reed was traded in the deal for Nelson.The 6-foot-7 Ennis has averaged 6.9 points in 45 games this season.The Pistons had lost eight straight when they traded for Griffin. They've won five in a row since then, with Griffin available for four of those victories. Griffin will face his former team Friday night, when Detroit hosts the Clippers.The Pistons sent Avery Bradley and Tobias Harris to... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Golden State forward Draymond Green was fined $50,000 by the NBA on Thursday for directing inappropriate and offensive language toward a game official two days earlier, and he was hardly the only member of the Warriors to lose his cool.Green was ejected with 8:13 remaining in the game after a second technical for arguing with the officials, specifically female referee Lauren Holtkamp. The NBA said the specific incident for which he was penalized came in the second quarter of the Warriors' 125-105 home loss to Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.The defending champion Warriors had five technicals in all, prompting general manager Bob Myers to address the topic with the team Thursday ahead of a home game against Dallas. Green had two, coach Steve Kerr one, and Andre Iguodala and David West the two others."It's not a good look," Kerr said about Myers' words. "We need to look more professional, to act more professional and to be more poised and to represent our team in a better... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to a trade sending James Ennis to the Pistons for Brice Johnson and a 2022 second-round draft pick.The Pistons announced the deal Thursday night.Detroit also acquired Jameer Nelson from Chicago on Thursday. It's been a busy couple of weeks for the Pistons, who landed star forward Blake Griffin last week in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.Detroit acquired Johnson and Willie Reed in that deal along with Griffin, but now the Pistons are moving on without Reed and Johnson. Reed was traded in the deal for Nelson.The 6-foot-7 Ennis has averaged 6.9 points in 45 games this season.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

DALLAS (AP) — Emmanuel Mudiay is headed to the New York Knicks, with Denver adding guard Devin Harris from Dallas on Thursday in a three-team deadline trade that the Nuggets hope will give them needed experience for a playoff push.The rebuilding Mavericks will get Doug McDermott from the Knicks, who are fading from postseason contention and just lost All-Star forward Kristaps Porzingis to a season-ending knee injury.Mudiay was the No. 7 pick in the 2015 draft and former starter, but hasn't started a game this season and is averaging a career-worst 8.5 points in about 18 minutes per game.It was the second trade in as many days for the Knicks after Porzingis' injury. They sent Willy Hernangomez, voted to the All-Rookie first team last season, to Charlotte for two second-round picks and forward Johnny O'Bryant, who was waived.Harris was having another solid season in his second stint with the Mavericks, who traded up to get him with the fifth pick in the 2004 draft. He returned to Dallas in... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — A person with knowledge of the deal says the Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to a trade sending James Ennis to the Pistons for Brice Johnson and a second-round draft pick.The person spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because the deal had not been announced.Detroit also acquired Jameer Nelson from Chicago on Thursday. It's been a busy couple of weeks for the Pistons, who landed star forward Blake Griffin last week in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.Detroit acquired Johnson and Willie Reed in that deal along with Griffin, but now the Pistons are ready to move on without Reed and Johnson. Reed was traded in the deal for Nelson.The 6-foot-7 Ennis has averaged 6.9 points in 45 games this season.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland Trail Blazers traded forward Noah Vonleh to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for the rights to center Milovan Rakovic at the trade deadline Thursday.Vonleh, the No. 9 overall pick by Charlotte in the 2014 NBA draft, averaged 3.6 points and 5.1 rebounds in 33 games for the Blazers this season, including 12 starts. For his career, Vonleh has averaged 3.9 points and 4.5 rebounds."That's the unfortunate part of the business because Noah's a really good person, a really good player and a really good teammate," Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. "I'm certainly appreciative of the time he spent here, and wish him nothing but the best."Vonleh, 22 will be a restricted free agent this summer. The trade, which also gave the Blazers a $3.5 million traded player exception, helps Portland get under the luxury tax threshold. The team now has two open roster spots.Rakovic currently plays in the Swiss Basketball League. He was originally drafted by Dallas in 2007, but... [More]