Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan agreed to deals with Brooklyn to start one of the wildest days in NBA free agent history.Al Horford went from Boston to the rival 76ers. Kemba Walker is a Celtic after eight seasons with the Charlotte Hornets in a sign-and-trade for Terry Rozier. Khris Middleton (Milwaukee) and Tobias Harris (Philadelphia) agreed to big extensions.The Knicks missed out on the biggest targets before adding Julius Randle and Bobby Portis among their agreements with five players.All totaled, there were more than $3 billion in contracts in the first full day. The show goes on, with plenty more players available who could help change the complexion of the league for years to come.The list of remaining players includes:— SF Kawhi Leonard (unrestricted free agent, played with Toronto last season)Leonard is the premier free agent remaining. The two-time NBA Finals MVP led the Raptors to their first championship, averaging 30.5 points and 9.1 rebounds in 24 playoff games.—... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Hassan Whiteside is heading to the Portland Trail Blazers, as the Miami Heat continue reshaping their roster.A person with knowledge of the situation said Monday that the Heat have agreed to trade Whiteside to the Trail Blazers for Meyers Leonard and Moe Harkless. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal is still pending NBA approval.Whiteside is entering the final season of a four-year, $98 million contract. He lost his starting spot to Bam Adebayo in the second half of last season, but figures to offer frontline depth to a Trail Blazers team that lost center Jusuf Nurkic to a broken leg late last season.ESPN first reported the details of the agreement.Miami made the deal a day after agreeing to the framework of a move that will also bring Jimmy Butler to the Heat via trade with Philadelphia. The particulars of that trade were still being worked on Monday.Whiteside averaged 12.3 points and a team-best 11.3 rebounds last season, appearing... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — A person with knowledge of the situation says the Miami Heat have agreed to trade Hassan Whiteside to the Portland Trail Blazers for Meyers Leonard and Moe Harkless.The trade was agreed to Monday and is still pending NBA approval, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because it has not been finalized.Whiteside is entering the final season of a four-year, $98 million contract. He lost his starting spot to Bam Adebayo in the second half of last season, but figures to offer frontline depth to a Trail Blazers team that lost center Jusuf Nurkic to a broken leg late last season.Leonard and Harkless are also in the final year of their contracts.ESPN first reported the agreement.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A person familiar with the situation says the New Orleans Pelicans have acquired veteran center Derrick Favors from the Utah Jazz in exchange for a pair of second-round draft choices.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because the deal has not been announced.The Jazz dealt away 6-foot-10 Favors shortly after agreeing to contract terms with free agent center Bojan Bogdanovic, who played for Indiana last season.Favors, who'll be 28 next season, was the Nets' first round draft choice in 2010 and was traded during his rookie season to Utah. He brings career averages of 11.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks to New Orleans, where he'll join two other centers — veteran Jahlil Okafor and No. 8 overall draft pick Jaxson Hayes — on the roster. Christian Wood, a 6-10 forward signed by New Orleans late last season, also can play center.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis will be the cover athlete for the second time of a popular 2K Sports basketball video game.The game company announced Monday that Davis will be featured on the front of NBA 2K20's standard and deluxe editions. The six-time All-Star shared the cover with Stephen Curry and James Harden for NBA 2K16.Three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade, who recently retired, will cover the legend edition.Davis had played seven seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans, but the Los Angeles Lakers recently agreed to trade for him. The agreement cannot be finalized until July 6.Davis said in a statement that being the cover athlete "means the world to me."

JEFFERSON, Iowa (AP) — Toronto coach Nick Nurse's improbable path to the NBA title began as a guard for Carroll Kuemper High in the middle of Iowa way back in the 1980s.He returned to his home state this weekend for a celebration of a career — a weekend that included a family reunion on a farm outside of tiny Churdan, Iowa, where his recently deceased mother was raised.Nurse was feted by local celebrities and scores of folks he grew up with in Carroll on Sunday night at the Wild Rose Casino in Jefferson. And though the start of free agency was all the buzz in the NBA, Nurse was celebrating at an Iowa party decades in the making."It's always good to be back and see family," Nurse said. "If I could say what my biggest thrill of this whole thing has been, it's been to share it with everybody."Nurse's well-chronicled coaching career, which began 30 years ago, included stops in England, Belgium and South Dakota. But many of the experiences that shaped a run capped with a win over the Golden... [More]

JEFFERSON, Iowa (AP) — Toronto coach Nick Nurse's improbable path to the NBA title began as a guard for Carroll Kuemper High in the middle of Iowa way back in the 1980s.Carroll returned to his home state this weekend for a celebration of a career — a weekend that included a family reunion on a farm outside of tiny Churdan, Iowa, where his recently deceased mother was raised.Carroll was feted by local celebrities and scores of folks he grew up with in Carroll on Sunday night at the Wild Rose Casino in Jefferson. And though the start of free agency was all the buzz in the NBA, Nurse was celebrating at an Iowa party decades in the making."It's always good to be back and see family," Nurse said. "If I could say what my biggest thrill of this whole thing has been, it's been to share it with everybody."Nurse's well-chronicled coaching career, which began 30 years ago, included stops in England, Belgium and South Dakota. But many of the experiences that shaped a run capped with a win over the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks have waived veteran forward Lance Thomas.The Knicks made the move Saturday, saving themselves $1 million of Thomas' salary for next season that would have been guaranteed if he was still on the roster after Sunday.His entire $7.6 million salary for 2019-20 was non-guaranteed before then.Thomas joined the Knicks during the 2014-15 season but played sparingly last season as the team focused on youth. The forward averaged 4.5 points in 46 games, including 17 starts.

The last time Kemba Walker was playing for a team in New England, he delivered a championship. Boston fans can only hope that repeats itself.A person with knowledge of the situation said Saturday that Walker has told the Charlotte Hornets of his intention to sign with the Boston Celtics once the NBA's offseason moratorium on player movement ends July 6. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither Walker nor the Hornets publicly revealed any details.The Charlotte Observer first reported that Walker had informed the Hornets of his decision.Walker, who led UConn to an NCAA title eight years ago, can meet with the Celtics on Sunday after 6 p.m., and when he does he'll likely agree on a $141 million, four-year deal — the most that Boston can offer. Charlotte could have offered Walker the so-called supermax deal of $221 million over five years.Earlier this month, Walker said he would be willing to take less than the supermax figure to help Charlotte build... [More]

The last time Kemba Walker was playing for a team in New England, he delivered a championship.Boston fans can only hope that repeats itself.A person with knowledge of the situation said Saturday that Walker has told the Charlotte Hornets of his intention to sign with the Boston Celtics once the NBA's offseason moratorium on player movement ends July 6. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither Walker nor the Hornets publicly revealed any details.The Charlotte Observer first reported that Walker had informed the Hornets of his decision.Walker can meet with the Celtics on Sunday after 6 p.m., and when he does he'll likely agree on a $141 million, four-year deal — the most that Boston can offer. Charlotte could have offered Walker the so-called "supermax" deal of $221 million over five years.Earlier this month, Walker said he would be willing to take less than the supermax figure to help Charlotte build a roster and said his "first priority" in free... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Point guard Darren Collison has decided to retire from the NBA after 10 seasons to focus on being a Jehovah's Witness.The 31-year-old Collison played for the Indiana Pacers the last two seasons. He told ESPN's The Undefeated in a letter Friday that he decided to retire primarily to concentrate on helping the less fortunate through his faith."While I still love basketball, I know there is something more important, which is my family and my faith," he wrote. "I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses and my faith means everything to me. I receive so much joy from volunteering to help others and participate in a worldwide ministry. The joy I feel is unmatched."Collison was on verge of becoming an unrestricted free agent.He averaged 12.5 points and 5.0 assists in 708 games with the New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, LA Clippers, Sacramento Kings and Pacers. He was drafted out of UCLA in 2009 and was named an All-NBA rookie the following year.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — A person with knowledge of the details says the Brooklyn Nets have extended a qualifying offer to D'Angelo Russell, making the point guard a restricted free agent.The decision Friday allows the Nets to match any offer Russell receives from another team. It was confirmed to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement.The Athletic first reported the qualifying offer. Without it, Russell would have become an unrestricted free agent Sunday.Russell was an All-Star for the first time after leading the Nets to a 42-40 record and averaging 21.1 points.But his return is far from certain, with the Nets able to afford two top free agents and considered one of the favorites to land Kyrie Irving, who plays Russell's position.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Golden State owner and CEO Joe Lacob often uses the same phrase when asked about how much money the Warriors are willing to spend to keep a championship-contending roster together."Whatever it takes," Lacob says.In the NBA, those words have never been as weighty.The summer spending starts Sunday in the NBA, with teams and players set to reach agreements on more than $2 billion — maybe even more than $3 billion — in new deals over the next few days. It's a risk-reward play, one where teams must dig deeply into their pockets to land the best players and hope that those massive financial commitments don't end up crippling their franchise for years.The Warriors are likely to offer Kevin Durant a $221 million, five-year deal that will come with two big pills for the team to swallow. One, he'll be on a $38 million scholarship next season while he recovers from Achilles surgery and cannot play. And two, Durant would be owed more than $50 million when his then-35-year-old self plays the final year... [More]

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo will play for Greece at this year's basketball World Cup in China, saying Friday he can play any position.The Milwaukee Bucks player and NBA MVP said he hasn't "talked to the coach about which position I'll be playing ... the important thing is to play.""Whether I play the 1 (point guard) or the 5 (center), I don't care," Antetokounmpo said. "I'm a basketball player. I want to help the team any way I can."The World Cup takes place from Aug. 31-Sept. 15 and Greece is one of 32 qualifiers.Antetokounmpo did not play for Greece at the 2017 Eurobasket. His absence had led the Greek basketball federation to publicly accuse the Bucks of staging a knee injury.Antetokounmpo is in Athens to present his Nike Air Zoom Freak 1 signature shoe, which will go on sale in August.He will also attend a 3x3 tournament he sponsors. The tournament will be played on three different Athens courts, with the finals held Saturday near his Athens home, where he first played... [More]

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo says he will play for Greece at this year's basketball World Cup in China, adding that he can play any position.The Milwaukee Bucks player and NBA MVP says he hasn't "talked to the coach about which position I'll be playing ... the important thing is to play."Antetokounmpo is in Athens to present his Nike Air Zoom Freak 1 signature shoe, which will go on sale in August. He will also attend a 3x3 tournament he sponsors near his Athens home, where he first played basketball.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — It's been seven years since the Nets crossed the Hudson River and took up residence in the Knicks' city.A real rivalry might finally arrive Sunday.Rarely relevant at the same time on the basketball court, the Knicks and Nets are front and center in the free agency race, two of the teams best positioned to make a splash when the market opens.Both can afford two top players, with hopes of landing not only a Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, but possibly both. New York, home of the worst team in the NBA in two of the last seasons, could be the epicenter of the league in early July.After years of bad play, bad trades and often bad basketball, at least one team in the city could look really good in a few days.The Nets seem confident. The Knicks sound cautious.Game on.Brooklyn is feeling good about its chances of winning it. Having recovered from an ill-fated trade with Boston in 2013 that cost the Nets years of high draft picks, Brooklyn has constructed a team that surprisingly made... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — It's been seven years since the Nets crossed over the Hudson River and took up residence in the Knicks' city.A real rivalry might finally arrive Sunday.Rarely relevant at the same time on the basketball court, the Knicks and Nets are front and center in the free agency race, two of the teams best positioned to make a splash when the market opens.Both can afford two top players, with hopes of landing not only a Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, but possibly both. New York, home of the worst team in the NBA in two of the last seasons, could be the epicenter of the league in early July.After years of bad play, bad trades and often bad basketball, at least one team in the city could look really good in a few days.The Nets seem confident. The Knicks sound cautious.Game on.Brooklyn is feeling good about its chances of winning it. Having recovered from an ill-fated trade with Boston in 2013 that cost the Nets years of high draft picks, Brooklyn has constructed a team that surprisingly... [More]

The Los Angeles Lakers' price tag for Anthony Davis got a little steeper on Thursday, with the tradeoff being that the team now has the flexibility to bring another max-contract star to play alongside him and LeBron James next season.A person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press that the Lakers will send Moritz Wagner, Issac Bonga, Jemerrio Jones and a future second-round pick to the Washington Wizards as part of the deal that will bring Davis to Los Angeles. The Wizards will send cash to the New Orleans Pelicans in the deal, said the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement cannot be finalized until July 6.The trade was first reported by ESPN, and the cash element was first reported by The Washington Post.Shedding those contracts — along with Davis waiving his $4 million trade kicker, as ESPN reported — will give the Lakers enough cap space to sign a max player, if they are so inclined.They could also spread that cap space out among... [More]

A person with knowledge of the negotiations says the Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to trade three players to the Washington Wizards as part of the deal that will land them Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans.The Wizards will get Moritz Wagner, Issac Bonga and Jemerrio Jones as well as a future second-round draft pick from the Lakers, while the Pelicans will get cash from Washington, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the deal cannot be finalized until July 6.ESPN and The Washington Post first reported elements of the deals.The move will give the Lakers enough salary cap space to sign a max-contract free agent if they are so inclined.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TORONTO (AP) — Toronto Raptors center Marc Gasol accepted a one-year player option Wednesday for next season.The value is approximately $25.6 million, marking the final year of a five-year contract Gasol signed with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2015. Had the 34-year-old Spaniard not accepted prior to the Thursday, he would have become a free agent on Sunday.Raptors star Kawhi Leonard also has a one-year player option on his deal with a deadline for a decision Saturday, but he is expected to turn it down and become a free agent Sunday after leading Toronto to its first NBA title. Guard Danny Green is the other Raptors regular slated to become a free agent.The Raptors acquired Gasol from the Grizzlies in February.Gasol averaged 13.6 points and 7.9 rebounds in 79 regular-season games with the Raptors and Memphis this season. He averaged 9.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in 24 playoff games.