CLEVELAND (AP) — Kevin Love isn't leaving Cleveland anytime soon.The All-Star forward signed a new four-year, $120 million contract with the Cavaliers, who are beginning anew following LeBron James' departure.Love signed the extension Tuesday and immediately posted a photo on Instagram showing himself surrounded by construction workers inside Quicken Loans Arena, the Cavaliers' downtown home, which is undergoing a renovation similar to the one taking place with the four-time defending Eastern Conference champions."When I first came to Cleveland, I came with a long-term mindset," said Love, who joined the team in 2014 after six seasons in Minnesota. "I came here to win. We developed a culture here that reflects that. I'm super excited and I couldn't be happier. It's a big commitment for me and it's a big commitment from the Cavaliers, so I want to thank (owner) Dan Gilbert, (general manager) Koby Altman and the entire organization."I enjoy playing here, I'm excited about the team that we... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kevin Love isn't leaving Cleveland anytime soon.The All-Star forward signed a new four-year, $120 million contract with the Cavaliers, who are beginning anew following LeBron James' departure.Love signed the extension Tuesday and immediately posted a photo on Instagram showing himself surrounded by construction workers inside Quicken Loans Arena, the Cavaliers' downtown home, which is undergoing a renovation similar to the one taking place with the four-time defending Eastern Conference champions."When I first came to Cleveland, I came with a long-term mindset," said Love, who joined the team in 2014 after six seasons in Minnesota. "I came here to win. We developed a culture here that reflects that. I'm super excited and I couldn't be happier. It's a big commitment for me and it's a big commitment from the Cavaliers, so I want to thank (owner) Dan Gilbert, (general manager) Koby Altman and the entire organization."I enjoy playing here, I'm excited about the team that we... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Beasley thinks the basketball world is foolish to assume the Los Angeles Lakers' revamped locker room will be combustible before the fuse is even lit.The Lakers announced their signing of Beasley to a one-year contract Monday, adding the versatile forward to their new core of veterans around LeBron James.Beasley, Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee have all joined Los Angeles this month in a slate of provocative offseason signings to supplement its talented youngsters and James, who started the parade to the West Coast when he left Cleveland for the 16-time NBA champions in free agency.All four of these well-known, well-traveled veterans around James have varying degrees of colorful histories in their previous NBA stops, prompting widespread speculation in the media and around the league about how coach Luke Walton will manage his roster. They've already attracted an immediate online nickname — "The Meme Team" — while other pundits have compared them... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Michael Beasley to a one-year contract, adding the veteran forward to their revamped core around LeBron James.The Lakers announced the deal Monday.Beasley averaged 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game last year in a productive season with the New York Knicks, his sixth NBA franchise in 10 years in the league.The former No. 2 overall pick was James' teammate during the 2013-14 season with the Miami Heat.Beasley joins Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee in Los Angeles' offseason signings around James, who left Cleveland for the Lakers in free agency. Beasley's 6-foot-9 ranginess and versatility fit the stated desire of Lakers boss Magic Johnson for resourceful, multitalented veterans rather than role players.___More AP NBA: www.apnews.com/tags/NBAbasketball

TORONTO (AP) — Raptors president Masai Ujiri apologized Friday for a "miscommunication" with four-time All-Star and franchise icon DeMar DeRozan, but Toronto's traded All-Star guard didn't seem quite ready to make amends.Speaking for the first time since sending DeRozan to San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard, Ujiri began by saying sorry to DeRozan. The career Raptor had expressed anger and frustration in an Instagram post after learning of the deal, indicating he'd been told he would not be traded.Shortly after Ujiri apologized Friday, DeRozan added a new post to his Instagram feed: a facepalm emoji, a symbol of frustration and exasperation.Reflecting on a conversation he'd had with DeRozan at Summer League earlier this month, Ujiri said he "should have handled it better" when discussing future plans."Maybe my mistake was talking about what we expected going forward from him," Ujiri said. "I think that's where the gap was, because in my job I always have to assume that I'm going forward with... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — There was a moment during the past month in which Marcus Smart wasn't sure where he'd be playing basketball this upcoming season.A day after signing a four-year deal to remain in the only NBA jersey he's ever played in, Smart said he's focused on doing what he can to help the Celtics win their 18th championship."I'm ecstatic. This is a blessing," Smart said Friday.After being in limbo since the start of free agency, Smart cemented his pact with the Celtics on Thursday. A person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press that Smart will be paid $52 million over the next four years. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team did not disclose the terms of the contract.Boston brings back a 6-foot-4 defensive cornerstone who has developed a reputation for toughness and doing the little things that help the Celtics win. Smart is also the longest-tenured player on the roster.The confidence that general manager Danny Ainge is showing in his... [More]

Raptors boss Masai Ujiri better have some magic plan.Because if he doesn't, Lakers boss Magic Johnson certainly will.Before Kawhi Leonard and DeMar DeRozan — the headline pieces in a four-player trade between San Antonio and Toronto on Wednesday — play a single game for their new teams, this much is clear: The Spurs got better, the Raptors are taking a gargantuan risk and the Los Angeles Lakers are going to sit back and see what happens.San Antonio essentially swapped one All-Star for another, ridded itself of a headache — the Leonard-wants-out saga — and got a first-round draft pick as well. Hard to argue.In DeRozan, Toronto traded away a guard who led the Raptors in scoring in each of the last five seasons for a player who, without hardly ever saying a word, has made clear that he wants to be in Los Angeles. A bold strategy, but if Ujiri can win over Leonard in a year just like Sam Presti and Oklahoma City did with Paul George, it could work out like gangbusters for the Raptors.And if... [More]

The Kawhi Leonard saga in San Antonio is over. So is DeMar DeRozan's time in Toronto.An NBA summer blockbuster got pulled off Wednesday, with the Spurs sending Leonard to the Raptors as part of a four-player deal that has DeRozan heading to San Antonio. The Spurs also got center Jakob Poeltl and a 2019 protected first-round draft pick, while the Raptors acquired sharpshooter Danny Green.For Leonard and the Spurs, there's finally closure to a relationship that seemed fractured beyond repair and played out like a soap opera as the season went along. But in the end, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich — insisting that looking back at what happened would not be worth his time, and that Leonard was a good teammate throughout his tenure in San Antonio — simply said he hopes the move works out for everyone involved."Kawhi, obviously, worked very hard to become the player he is," Popovich said in San Antonio, a couple of hours after the trade became official when the teams got approval on the terms from... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Josh Hart wasn't around to see the conclusion of the summer league as he was ejected from the championship game after criticizing the officials.The Lakers fell short in the title game, losing to Portland 91-73 on Tuesday night.Hart earned league MVP honors for a stellar two-week performance. He had a team-record 37 points in the double-overtime win over Cleveland in the semifinals on Monday. Yet, his main takeaway from the game was that he, "missed two clutch free throws."His performance on Monday surpassed the 36-point effort by Lonzo Ball last year."I don't go for individual accolades," said Hart, who finished with 12 points in the title game. "That's never been a reason why I played this game. I play this game to win. That's the biggest thing, I came here to win, I came here to dominate."And while the Lakers couldn't repeat as summer league champions, and he did anything but dominate during his disappointing appearance in the final, the 6-foot-5 shooting guard's evolution... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr has received a contract extension following the franchise's repeat championship and third title in four years during his tenure.Kerr and general manager Bob Myers, who are close friends and colleagues, said when the season ended that something would get done quickly once they began formal discussions. Kerr had one year remaining on his original $25 million, five-year contract. Details of the extension were not announced Tuesday.The 52-year-old Kerr has said he hopes to coach at least another decade and perhaps 15 years. His Warriors swept LeBron James and Cleveland in the fourth straight NBA Finals matchups between the rivals.Kerr stayed healthy and on the bench while continuing to deal with symptoms such as headaches and dizzy spells stemming from a pair of back surgeries following the 2015 title.The Warriors marked themselves as a dynasty with their latest crown. They joined Bill Russell's Boston Celtics, the Chicago Bulls... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Channing Frye was a dependable player, locker-room presence and fan favorite for parts of three seasons with the Cavaliers.He can be again.Frye has agreed to re-sign for next season with Cleveland, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Saturday, adding that the 35-year-old will get the $2.4 million veteran's minimum contract. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been signed.Yahoo Sports first reported the move.Frye won a championship in his first season with Cleveland, but the club traded him in February to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a massive roster overhaul that helped the Cavs get back to the Finals.Frye posted a photo of himself on his Instagram account wearing a Cavs uniform with the caption: "Well I guess this is hello again."Frye is the Cavs' first offseason signing since superstar LeBron James left as a free agent for the Lakers. But Cleveland may make some other moves as the four-time defending Eastern Conference champions begin to rebuild without James.The 13-year veteran has averaged 9.0 points and 4.6 rebounds in a career that began with the New York Knicks in 2005.

CLEVELAND (AP) — A person familiar with the decision says forward Channing Frye will return to the Cleveland Cavaliers next season. Frye was traded by the Cavs in February to the Los Angeles Lakers.The person spoke with The Associated Press on Saturday, adding that the 35-year-old Frye will get the $2.4 million veteran's minimum contract.The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been signed. Yahoo Sports and other outlets reported the move.Frye spent parts of three seasons with the Cavaliers, winning the NBA championship with them in 2016. He was dealt at the trading deadline last season along with guard Isaiah Thomas for guard Jordan Clarkson and forward Larry Nance.Frye was a fan favorite and dependable role player in Cleveland for coach Tyronn Lue. The Cavs acquired him at the trade deadline in 2016.Frye is the Cavs' first offseason signing since LeBron James left as a free agent for the Lakers.

CLEVELAND (AP) — A person familiar with the decision says the Cleveland Cavaliers will re-sign forward Channing Frye for next season.Frye, who was traded by the Cavs in February to the Los Angeles Lakers, will get the $2.4 million veteran's minimum contract, said the person who spoke Saturday to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been signed.Yahoo Sports and other outlets previously reported Frye's return.The 35-year-old spent parts of three seasons with Cleveland, winning the NBA championship with the Cavs in 2016. He was dealt at the trading deadline last season along with guard Isaiah Thomas for guard Jordan Clarkson and forward Larry Nance.Frye was a fan favorite and dependable role player in Cleveland for coach Tyronn Lue. The Cavs acquired him at the trade deadline in 2016.Frye is the first offseason signing for the Cavs since LeBron James left as a free agent for the Lakers.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Rob Pelinka says the Los Angeles Lakers aren't trying to beat the Golden State Warriors at their own game.Instead, they're building a team around LeBron James to do something different.Pelinka spoke publicly Wednesday for the first time since the Lakers' remarkable offseason overhaul began, and the irrepressibly optimistic former agent radiated excitement about the future for a team that hasn't made the playoffs in five seasons."To get the commitment from LeBron James to come to the Lakers for four years was really the culmination of everything we've been working towards," Pelinka said. "When LeBron chose to come here, it was the ultimate validation for the moves we've made and what we've been building since we started."The longest postseason drought in franchise history could be finished after James chose the Lakers in free agency. The club also added veterans Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee and Lance Stephenson alongside their young core while parting ways with Julius... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is certain that changes are coming to the league.Some are easy.Others, not so much.Speaking after the NBA's Board of Governors meeting on Tuesday night, Silver said he thinks the league is ready to scrap the rule requiring players to be out of high school for a year before becoming eligible to enter the draft. That one should be relatively simple to move forward now, while notions such as how to find more competitive balance are still a puzzler to the league and its commissioner."I'm not here to say we have a problem," Silver said. "And I love where the league is right now. But I think we can create a better system."Part of that better system, he thinks, will be reverting back to the policy that will allow players to go into the league right out of high school — something that should be in place in time for the 2021 NBA Draft, though that timeline has not been formally announced. Silver was a proponent of making the eligibility age older, up... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It's official. LeBron is a Laker.The Los Angeles Lakers announced the signing of LeBron James as a free agent Monday night, confirming the seismic shift created by the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player's decision to leave Cleveland for the 16-time champion franchise on the West Coast.James' representatives at Klutch Sports Group tweeted a photo of James signing his contract with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka. James' agency already announced last week that the superstar had agreed to a four-year deal worth $153.3 million with Los Angeles.The Lakers have missed the playoffs in a franchise-record five consecutive seasons, while James has played in the past eight NBA Finals with the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning three titles.The 33-year-old budding entertainment mogul immediately becomes the focus of the Lakers franchise and a possible foundation for the NBA's next superteam, depending on whether James and the Lakers can persuade more superstars to... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James has officially joined the Los Angeles Lakers.The Lakers announced the signing of the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player as a free agent Monday night.James' representatives at Klutch Sports Group tweeted a photo of James signing his contract with general manager Rob Pelinka. James' agency announced last week that the superstar had agreed to a four-year deal worth $153.3 million with the Lakers, who have missed the playoffs in a franchise-record five consecutive seasons.James has played in the past eight NBA Finals with the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning three titles.Magic Johnson, the Lakers' president of basketball operations, called James "the best player in the world" in a news release.___More AP NBA: www.apnews.com/tags/NBAbasketball

CLEVELAND (AP) — Collin Sexton badly wanted to play with LeBron James. His first season will be much different than he hoped.Sexton signed his rookie contract on Wednesday with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are taking their first steps since James announced he's leaving to sign a four-year, $154 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.When the Cavs drafted Sexton with the No. 8 pick last month, the Alabama guard instantly pleaded with James to re-sign with the Cavs."LeBron, let's do it," Sexton said in a TV interview moments after he was picked. "I've seen you needed a few extra pieces this past season, and let's do it. Let's go back to the Finals."For now, Sexton will have to settle for a four-year contract that could be worth $20.2 million over its length. Per NBA rules, Sexton can make a maximum of $4.1 million next season. The value is based on where he was selected. His contract is guaranteed for two years, with the Cavs holding options for the last two years.Cleveland made the... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers signed guard Collin Sexton to a rookie contract. Financial terms were not immediately available.Cleveland made the announcement on Wednesday, a holiday treat for the team's fans still grappling with their emotions after superstar LeBron James announced he's leaving the Cavs for the second time to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.The Cavs selected Sexton with the No. 8 overall pick in last month's NBA draft. He averaged 19.2 points as a freshman at Alabama and played his best in big games while leading the Crimson Tide to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012.Now that he's under contract, the 19-year-old can't be traded for 30 days. However, the Cavs are likely to hang on to Sexton and help them rebuild without James, who led Cleveland to four straight NBA Finals and a championship in 2016.Sexton is on Cleveland's summer league roster for games in Las Vegas.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA estimates an increase of 40,000 miles of travel in the postseason if it scrapped its current conference format and took the top 16 teams.Calls to change the system were renewed this week when LeBron James left Cleveland for the Los Angeles Lakers, which could create another strong Western Conference team, where both Houston and Golden State finished above .700. The only team in the Eastern Conference with a similar record was Toronto. Houston and Golden State met in a thrilling West final before the Warriors swept the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.Commissioner Adam Silver has said ideally there would be a format allowing the two best teams to meet for the title, but he has repeatedly expressed concern about the additional travel that would be created if teams were seeded 1 to 16 in the postseason, instead of the current format in which it's the top eight teams in each conference."I think, as I've said in the past, the obstacle is travel, and it's not tradition in my... [More]