NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zion Williamson and the mercurial New Orleans Pelicans may yet have something to say about the NBA postseason. San Antonio’s recent five-game skid has helped the Pelicans pull within 1 1/2 games of the final Western Conference play-in spot with six games to go. Meanwhile, the Pelicans have shaken off seemingly back-breaking losses to win three out of four, with their past two victories each requiring fourth-quarter comebacks. “It says a lot about our character,” Williamson said after Tuesday night's victory over Golden State. “We’ve been resilient all year long and we’re not going to stop now.” The next challenge for the Pelicans requires taking their banged-up squad on the road for five games against certain or potential playoff teams. The trip starts Friday at Eastern Conference leader Philadelphia, where Pelicans second-leading scorer Brandon Ingram will be out of the lineup with a left ankle sprain. It's also unclear when Ingram will return after that. The Pelicans... [More]

Pelicans first-year coach Stan Van Gundy was hired less than two months before the Pelicans first preseason game earlier this week. Never mind that he's taking over a roster that is loaded with young players and has been entirely overhauled since New Orleans hired David Griffin as executive vice president of basketball operations in 2019. So when Van Gundy was asked whether he expected to have a clear vision for individual players' roles and minutes during the preseason, he didn't hesitate to say he did not even expect to know that when New Orleans' regular season slate opens on Dec. 23. “I’m not sure I’ll be there on Jan. 15 either. It’s going to take some time," Van Gundy continued. "I want these guys in a mindset of competing and having to produce for minutes.” While coaches with overhauled rosters face similar challenges trying to navigate a compressed timeline that is loaded with uncertainty, it's even more difficult for Van Gundy and the eight other NBA teams with new coaches this... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons waived guard LiAngelo Ball and forwards Louis King and Anthony Lamb. The Pistons announced the moves Monday. King played on a two-way contract with the Pistons last season. Lamb and Ball were signed earlier this month. Ball is the brother of New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball and Charlotte Hornets lottery pick LaMelo Ball. LiAngelo Ball entered the 2018 NBA draft and was not selected. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis finalized a five-year contract worth up to $190 million to return to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. One day after LeBron James agreed to a two-year, $85 million contract extension with the Lakers through 2022-23, Davis committed to the Lakers through the 2024-25 season. Agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, who represents both Davis and James, confirmed the terms of both deals to The Associated Press. General manager Rob Pelinka announced both of his All-NBA first-team superstars had agreed to new contracts Thursday night without disclosing their terms. James and Davis won an NBA championship in the first season of their partnership, and Los Angeles is back to work in training camp this week with a solid chance to repeat. “In the Orlando bubble, Anthony Davis proved he is one of the game’s most complete and dominant two-way players,” Pelinka said in a statement. “Now, Lakers fans get to watch AD continue to grow and lead our franchise for years to come."... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis is finalizing a five-year contract worth up to $190 million to return to the Los Angeles Lakers. Davis' agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, confirmed the terms of Davis' pending free agent deal to The Associated Press on Thursday. The Lakers didn't comment. One day after LeBron James agreed to a two-year, $85 million contract extension with the Lakers through 2022-23, Davis committed to the Lakers through the 2024-25 season. Davis' deal includes an early termination clause prior to the fifth year, but the lengthy contract is still a clear declaration that the 27-year-old Davis sees his long-term future with the 17-time NBA champions. James and Davis won an NBA championship in the first season of their partnership, and they're returning this month with new contracts and a solid chance to repeat. “Those are great contracts, and they’re well-deserved,” veteran Lakers forward Markieff Morris said Thursday from the opening workouts of training camp. “It’s a big... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons have agreed to a non-guaranteed deal with LiAngelo Ball, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday night because the deal had not been announced. Ball is the brother of New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball and Charlotte Hornets lottery pick LaMelo Ball. LiAngelo Ball spent some time working out for the G League's Oklahoma City Blue this year. The Athletic and Stadium first reported the deal with the Pistons. LiAngelo Ball started the 2017-18 college season with UCLA, but he was involved in a shoplifting scandal during a team trip to China. UCLA suspended him, and he ended up leaving school. He and LaMelo signed with a Lithuanian club. LiAngelo Ball entered the 2018 NBA draft and was not selected. ___ Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons have agreed to a non-guaranteed deal with LiAngelo Ball, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday night because the deal had not been announced. Ball is the brother of New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball and Charlotte Hornets lottery pick LaMelo Ball. LiAngelo Ball spent some time working out for the G League's Oklahoma City Blue this year. Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium first reported the deal with the Pistons. LiAngelo Ball started the 2017-18 college season with UCLA, but he was involved in a shoplifting scandal during a team trip to China. UCLA suspended him, and he ended up leaving school. He and LaMelo signed with a Lithuanian club. LiAngelo Ball entered the 2018 NBA draft and was not selected. ___ Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Restricted free agent Brandon Ingram has agreed to a five-year, $158 million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. Ingram's agents, Jeff Schwartz and Jordan Gertler of Excel Sports Management, confirmed the deal on Tuesday to The Associated Press. Ingram is the NBA’s reigning most improved player after averaging a team-high 23.8 points in his first season with the Pelicans. The 23-year-old Ingram, a 2016 second overall draft choice by the Los Angeles Lakers, was dealt to New Orleans during the 2019 offseason as part of a blockbuster trade that sent perennial All-Star Anthony Davis to the Lakers. New Orleans also received guards Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, as well as multiple draft picks in that deal. The 6-foot-7 Ingram this season developed into an effective and reliable scorer from the perimeter as well as on dribble drives. He shot a career best 39.1% from 3-point range but also routinely finished above the rim in the free-flowing, up-tempo offense the Pelicans ran... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Restricted free agent Brandon Ingram has agreed to a five-year, $158 million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, said a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to the Associated Press Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the contract, first reported by ESPN, has not been announced. Ingram is the NBA’s reigning most improved player after averaging a team-high 23.8 points in his first season with the Pelicans. The 23-year-old Ingram, a 2016 second overall draft choice by the Los Angeles Lakers, was dealt to New Orleans during the 2019 offseason as part of a blockbuster trade that sent perennial All-Star Anthony Davis to the Lakers. New Orleans also received guards Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, as well as multiple draft picks in that deal. The 6-foot-7 Ingram this season developed into an effective scorer from the perimeter as well as on dribble drives. He shot a career best 39.1% from 3-point range but also routinely finished above the rim in the free-flowing,... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Restricted free agent Brandon Ingram has agreed to a five-year, $158 million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, said a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to the Associated Press Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been ann Ingram is the NBA’s reigning most improved player after averaging a team-high 23.8 points in his first season with the Pelicans. The 23-year-old Ingram, a 2016 second overall draft choice by the Los Angeles Lakers, was dealt to New Orleans during the 2019 offseason as part of a blockbuster trade that sent perennial All-Star Anthony Davis to the Lakers. New Orleans also received guards Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, as well as multiple draft picks in that deal. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Restricted free agent Brandon Ingram has agreed to a five-year, $158 million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, said a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to the Associated Press Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been ann Ingram is the NBA’s reigning most improved player after averaging a team-high 23.8 points in his first season with the Pelicans. The 23-year-old Ingram, a 2016 second overall draft choice by the Los Angeles Lakers, was dealt to New Orleans during the 2019 offseason as part of a blockbuster trade that sent perennial All-Star Anthony Davis to the Lakers. New Orleans also received guards Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, as well as multiple draft picks in that deal. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans are looking for a new coach to oversee the still nascent Zion Williamson era.The Pelicans fired 65-year-old coach Alvin Gentry on Saturday after the club missed the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons.New Orleans went 30-42 this season, finishing with just two victories in its final eight games despite the presence of top overall draft choice Zion Williamson and first-time All-Star Brandon Ingram in the lineup until the club was eliminated from playoff contention with two games to play.But Griffin asserted during a video media conference that a coaching change might have been forthcoming even if New Orleans had rallied to capture one of the Western Conference's final playoff spots.“The wins and losses have very little to do with this," Griffin said. “This is really about the process. This is about the shared vision of how we’re going to go forward and what this looks like as we build.”While Griffin declined to answer specific questions... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans have scratched rookie Zion Williamson from the lineup for Friday night's game against the Washington Wizards.The team designated Friday a rest day for the NBA's top overall draft choice after he scored 24 points in 22 minutes in the Pelicans' 140-125 loss to Sacramento on Thursday.Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry noted that Williamson has not played games on consecutive days at all during his entire rookie season, “and that’s the same thing here.” "We just thought it would be best right now to do it this way, and we’ll evaluate tomorrow and see what’s going on,” Gentry added.The 6-foot-6, 285-pound Williamson has seen his playing time limited after missing nearly two weeks of practice in July to attend to a family medical matter.The former Duke star has played as few as 14 minutes and not more than 25 minutes in a game since the Pelicans resumed their season July 30. Williamson has averaged nearly 17 points and about 19 minutes in the Pelicans'... [More]

Zion Williamson completed the Pelicans' opening possession by slicing through two converging Jazz defenders and laying the ball in off the glass with his left hand as he was fouled.It was an auspicious beginning to a performance that was efficient and produced some dazzling moments — while it lasted. The Pelicans stuck to a cautious plan to ease Williamson back into action after he missed nearly two weeks of practice this month while attending to a private family medical matter. Perhaps just a few more minutes on the court for the NBA's top overall draft choice would have made a difference in a 106-104 loss to Utah in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on Thursday night.“It is frustrating, but it’s not so frustrating,” Williamson said, noting the Pelicans "could probably not even let me play. But I’m able to play, so I’m going to do as much as I can while I’m out there.”Williamson scored 13 points in about 15 minutes, using spin moves and explosive drives to hit contested, leaning layups. He also... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Rudy Gobert sank two free throws with 6.9 seconds left to cap a 14-point, 12-rebound and three-block performance, giving the Utah Jazz a 106-104 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in the first game of the NBA's restart on Thursday night.New Orleans, which led for most of the game and by as many as 16 points, nearly pulled out the victory as time expired when Brandon Ingram's 3-point attempt rimmed out in a bitter end to his 23-point night.“He’s made a ton of big shots for us this year, but the bottom line is I don’t think it should have come down to that,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. “We let a golden opportunity slip away.”Zion Williamson, who missed nearly two weeks of practice after leaving the team for a family medical matter on July 16, was deemed fit to start, although his playing time was limited.He scored 13 points in just more than 15 minutes, highlighted by a couple alley-oop dunks, one on a nearly half-court lob from Lonzo Ball.But Williamson... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Rudy Gobert sank two free throws with 6.9 seconds left to cap a 14-point, 12-rebound and three-block performance, giving the Utah Jazz a 106-104 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in the first game of the NBA's restart on Thursday night.New Orleans, which led for most of the game and by as many as 16 points, nearly pulled out the victory as time expired when Brandon Ingram's 3-point attempt rimmed out in a bitter end to his 23-point night.Zion Williamson, who missed nearly two weeks of practice after leaving the team for a family medical matter on July 16, was deemed fit to start, although his playing time was limited.He scored 13 points in just more than 15 minutes, highlighted by a couple alley-oop dunks, one on a nearly half-court lob from Lonzo Ball.But Williamson checked out for good with 7:19 left in the fourth quarter and had to watch the tense finish from the sideline.Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points for Utah and helped lead a second-half comeback,... [More]

Zion Williamson returned to New Orleans Pelicans practice for the first time in nearly two weeks on Tuesday night and coach Alvin Gentry said the NBA’s top overall draft pick might play when the club resumes its season against Utah on Thursday night.“It really isn’t a tough decision,” Gentry said after practice in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. “If he’s ready to play, he’ll play. And if he’s not, he won’t.“You’re not going to risk anything long term for something very, very short term. So we’ll see and evaluate tomorrow where he is — the medical people will — and so will Zion. Zion will tell us how he feels.”Gentry said Williamson, who left the team on July 16 to attend to a family medical matter, was held out of five-on-five drills and limited largely to three- and five-man sets with no defenders.The Pelicans have another practice scheduled on Wednesday.“Obviously, we would love to have Zion. Let’s be honest,” Gentry said. “He’s one of those generational players that can do a lot of things."After... [More]

After four months of waiting and planning, the NBA bubble is ready to be tested.The first six teams — Brooklyn, Denver, Orlando, Phoenix, Utah and Washington — are scheduled to arrive Tuesday at the Disney complex. Another eight teams arrive Wednesday, the last eight arrive Thursday, and with that training camps will be on the cusp of beginning.If the plan works, all teams will be at Disney for at least 5-1/2 weeks and some teams will be there for more than three months. And not everyone in the league has an abundance of optimism that the experiment — involving daily testing, separation from friends and family for weeks if not months, and strict regulations regarding just about everything imaginable at Disney — will be enough to complete the season.“I’m not very confident,” New Orleans guard Brandon Ingram said. “But they’ve got us going ... so we’ll see.”The process for arrivals will be streamlined — players and team staff will be immediately taken to the testing room at their Disney hotel... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson credits his mother’s wisdom with helping him manage life’s unanticipated twists and inevitable assortment of successes and setbacks.It has served the NBA’s top overall draft choice well during a highly unusual debut season that has gone nothing like he imagined, yet still holds plenty of promise.“The last 12 months have been a different experience,” Williamson said Thursday, projecting his typically affable, smiling, easy-going manner during a video conference at the New Orleans Pelicans’ practice headquarters. “My mom tells me, ‘Life is life. You may go through a lot of bad times. You may go through a lot of good times. It’s just: Try to prepare yourself as best as you can.’”Now Williamson and the Pelicans are preparing to make a “playoff push,” something that appeared highly unlikely when he was sitting on the sidelines with a surgically repaired knee, watching New Orleans labor through a franchise-worst 13-game losing streak that left... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson credits his mother’s wisdom with helping him manage life’s unanticipated twists and inevitable assortment of successes and setbacks.It has served the NBA’s top overall draft choice well during a highly unusual debut season that has gone nothing like he imagined, yet still holds plenty of promise.“The last 12 months have been a different experience,” Williamson said Thursday, projecting his typically affable, smiling, easy-going manner during a video conference at the New Orleans Pelicans’ practice headquarters. “My mom tells me, ‘Life is life. You may go through a lot of bad times. You may go through a lot of good times. It’s just: Try to prepare yourself as best as you can.’”Now Williamson and the Pelicans are preparing to make a “playoff push,” something that appeared highly unlikely when he was sitting on the sidelines with a surgically repaired knee, watching New Orleans labor through a franchise-worst 13-game losing streak that left... [More]