EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have re-signed veteran Jared Dudley to a one-year contract. The NBA champions announced the move Tuesday, giving them 13 players under contract as they head into training camp for the new season. The 35-year-old Dudley was a minor bench contributor during the Lakers' championship season, averaging 1.5 points and 1.2 rebounds in 45 regular-season games and appearing sparingly in the playoffs. He is heading into his 14th NBA season and has played for seven teams. Dudley has hit 39.3% of his 3-pointers during his career, and he serves as a key veteran leader in the Lakers' locker room, particularly as a mentor to Kyle Kuzma. The Lakers still haven't re-signed Anthony Davis, but the All-Star big man is expected to finalize the length of his new contract with the team this week. ___ More AP NBA: https;//apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Durant used to worry about how he would play. There hasn't been reason for concern for years. He became an NBA MVP and a two-time champion, an explosive scorer who could get 25 points on a bad night and 45 on a good one. But that was before having one of the most serious injuries a basketball player could face. Now, 18 months after rupturing his Achilles tendon and finally set to play for the Brooklyn Nets, Durant once again has reason to wonder if he will be one of the league's greatest players. “Who knows?” he said Tuesday. “I've just got to see how I feel in a real NBA game again.” He hasn't played in one since Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, when he went down early in the second quarter of his last appearance for Golden State. Surgery followed and then shortly after he decided to join the Nets along with friend and fellow superstar Kyrie Irving. With that duo plus a deep and talented roster, the Nets have a chance to be one of the NBA's top teams. But that may depend... [More]

Luka Doncic's first experience with the playoffs ended with questions about whether Marcus Morris of the Los Angeles Clippers was intentionally trying to hurt the young Dallas sensation in a first-round series won by LA. The Mavericks might have hinted at what they thought through trades and draft picks during this abbreviated offseason. Dallas acquired James Johnson and his black belt in karate from Oklahoma City in a three-team trade after using the club's first-round draft choice at No. 18 overall on Josh Green, who was a strong defender in his only season at Arizona. The Mavericks also sent their best 3-pointer shooter in Seth Curry to Philadelphia for Josh Richardson, described by coach Rick Carlisle as an “edgy guy who is a terrific defender.” “I don’t really take well to my brothers being messed with, but I’m not an instigator in situations so I’m not going to be out there just trying to get in people’s faces and do a lot of extra stuff,” Richardson said on the opening day of training... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Durant used to worry about how he would play. There hasn't been reason for concern for years. He became an NBA MVP and a two-time champion, an explosive scorer who could get 25 points on a bad night and 45 on a good one. But that was before having one of the most serious injuries a basketball player could face. Now, 18 months after rupturing his Achilles tendon and finally set to play for the Brooklyn Nets, Durant once again has reason to wonder if he will be one of the league's greatest players. “Who knows?” he said Tuesday. “I've just got to see how I feel in a real NBA game again.” He hasn't played in one since Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, when he went down early in the second quarter of his last appearance for Golden State. Surgery followed and then shortly after he decided to join the Nets along with friend and fellow superstar Kyrie Irving. With that duo plus a deep and talented roster, the Nets have a chance to be one of the NBA's top teams. But that may depend... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ben Simmons captioned an Instagram post celebrating his selection to Forbes’ list of top young athletes under 30 with “They stay talking. I stay working.” They’re always talking about Simmons in Philly. They — fans, teammates, media, gossip columnists — all want more out of the reticent Simmons than he is often inclined to give. Their biggest hangup is the All-Star guard's seeming unwillingness to bend to the demand that he develop a shot beyond 15 feet. His former coach publicly exhorted Simmons to shoot more 3s. Simmons ignored Brett Brown. His new coach? Well, without a practice held, Doc Rivers is just fine with whatever production he can squeeze out of the prodigious talent the 76ers are counting on to lead them out of the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference. Simmons is 2-for-24 lifetime from 3-point range. That stat is meaningless for Rivers, starting his first season in Philadelphia after coaching stops in Orlando, Boston and with the Clippers. “I don’t... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The eight-month, pandemic-induced layoff deprived the Cavaliers of valuable games and drained coach J.B. Bickerstaff of some competitive juices. He took drastic measures to replenish them. “I’m ashamed to say it, but I found myself at 8-year-old and 9-year-old girls' soccer games yelling at referees,” Bickerstaff said on a Zoom call as the Cavs opened training camp Tuesday. “I’m sitting there watching second- and third-grade girls and I’m on edge, and the hair on the back of my neck is standing up.” Bickerstaff can finally relax — a little. The Cavs, who had an already tumultuous 2019-20 season hijacked by COVID-19 and after just 11 games with Bickerstaff in charge, returned to the floor Tuesday for individual workouts as they began cramming for an upcoming season that's only weeks away. For now, players are only permitted to work out individually before the team can practice as a group starting Friday. Due to a storm that dumped up to a foot of snow across northeast Ohio,... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Trae Young said it's going to take some time to adjust to the Atlanta Hawks' new mix following the additions of such veterans as Danilo Gallinari, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kris Dunn and Rajon Rando. “It’s not something that just happens overnight,” Young said Tuesday. “We’ve added a lot of new guys with different talents who bring a lot of different things to the game. It’s going to be fun learning and figuring out where they like the ball the best and things like that.” There's not much time to find the new mix. The NBA season opens on Dec. 22. The Hawks' preseason opener is Dec. 11. Just don't suggest to Young that it'll be an adjustment for him to share the ball with established shooters in Atlanta's lineup. Young was fourth in the league in scoring and shots from the field last season, but he's quick to note he also was second in assists. “Passing is nothing new for me,” Young said. “I love getting my teammates involved and when my teammates are open I’m going to find them... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Hornets owner Michael Jordan and general manager Mitch Kupchak had no intentions of spending money on a big-name free agent this offseason. But things changed quickly when Gordon Hayward opted out of his contract with the Boston Celtics. The prospect of getting a playmaking wing — something Jordan has coveted for years — proved too intriguing to ignore, prompting the Hornets to veer slightly away from their well established plan of developing young players and pursue the 2017 All-Star. “I did not think that we would be in a position to pursue a free agent of Gordon's caliber,” Kupchak said Tuesday on a videoconference call. “... It looked like Gordon would be a free agent next year, which based on how we felt our team was positioned we might have chosen to pursue him next year. But he opted out. When he opted out and we quickly found out we were in the picture, we quickly started the recruiting process." Kupchak said Jordan was “very involved” in that process. The... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics point guard Kemba Walker will be sidelined until at least the first week of January after receiving a stem cell injection in his left knee. Boston president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Tuesday the decision was made after Walker consulted with multiple specialists in early October. Walker was then put on a 12-week strengthening program for the upcoming season. He is expected to resume on-court activities in early December. Walker nearly had his first playoff run with Boston derailed in July when he tweaked the knee during workouts leading up to the resumption of the season in the Florida bubble. It left him limited during the seeding games portion of the schedule. But he was a big part of Boston’s run to the Eastern Conference finals, averaging 19.6 points and 5.1 assists during the postseason. The Celtics lost the series in six games to Miami. Ainge said his concerns about the health of Walker’s knee going forward are low. “I think this year will tell... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics point guard Kemba Walker will be sidelined until at least the first week of January after receiving a stem cell injection in his left knee. Boston president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Tuesday the decision was made after Walker consulted with multiple specialists in early October. Walker was then put on a 12-week strengthening program for the upcoming season. He is expected to resume on-court activities in early December. Walker nearly had his first playoff run with Boston derailed in July when he tweaked the knee during workouts leading up to the resumption of the season in the Florida bubble. It left him limited during the seeding games portion of the schedule. But he was a big part of Boston’s run to the Eastern Conference finals, averaging 19.6 points and 5.1 assists during the postseason. The Celtics lost the series in six games to Miami. Ainge said his concerns about the health of Walker’s knee going forward are low. “I think this year will tell... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Hornets have re-signed center Bismack Biyombo and signed all four of this year’s draft picks, including first-round selection LaMelo Ball, on the eve of training camp. Along with Ball, the team inked centers Vernon Carey Jr. and Nick Richards, both second-round picks, on Monday. Charlotte also signed Grant Riller, a late second-round choice, and undrafted free agent Nate Darling to two-way contracts. Ball, the No. 3 pick in this year's draft, played for the Illawara Hawks of Australia’s National Basketball League, earning Rookie of the Year honors. He averaged 17 points, 7.5 rebounds and seven assists in 12 games and became the first player in the league since 2005 to record back-to-back triple-doubles. Biyombo appeared in 53 games last season for the Hornets, making 29 starts. The 6-foot-9 center averaged a career-high 7.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocked shots in 19.4 minutes per game. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — Three Atlanta Hawks newcomers are dealing with injuries as the team prepares to open training camp. Most notably, first-round draft pick Onyeka Okongwu has inflammation in the sesamoid bone of his left foot. An MRI confirmed the condition, which has forced t he No. 6 overall selection from Southern California to make a gradual return to form shooting and conditioning activities. Okongwu is expected to back up center Clint Capela and provide a defensive presence for the revamped Hawks. The team also announced that guards Kris Dunn (right knee cartilage) and Tony Snell (right foot inflammation) underwent MRIs. Dunn is able to participate in modified individual workouts, while Snell had resumed limited form shooting and conditioning activities. All three players will be evaluated again on Dec. 11, when the Hawks are set to host the Orlando Magic in their first of four preseason games. Dunn was among the Hawks' hefty class of free agents, while Snell was acquired in a trade with the Detroit Pistons. Both are expected to provide valuable minutes off the bench this season. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets have acquired forward Gordon Hayward and unprotected 2023 and 2024 second-round draft picks from the Boston Celtics in exchange for a heavily protected 2022 second-round draft pick as part of a sign-and-trade transaction. The Celtics will only get Charlotte’s draft pick if the Hornets finish in the top five in the league next season, so it’s unlikely they will get anything in the deal other than unloading Hayward’s contract. Hayward previously agreed to a four-year, $120 million deal to join the Hornets. “We are thrilled to welcome Gordon and his family to the Hornets organization and Charlotte,” Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak said. “Gordon is an NBA All-Star, a proven scorer and playmaker and a tough competitor that will fit well into the needs of our team. We believe that his basketball talent, NBA experience and veteran leadership will make a positive impact on our young, talented team as it continues to develop.” The Hornets also waived guard Nicolas Batum and forward Ray Spalding. Hayward, a 10-year NBA veteran, has appeared in 641 regular-season games with 479 starts with the Jazz and Celtics, averaging 15.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 30.8 minutes per game. The 6-foot-7 forward has appeared in 29 postseason games with 16 starts, averaging 15 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 33 minutes per game.

BOLOGNA, Italy (AP) — Marco Belinelli is going back to Italy, announcing Thursday that he has signed a three-year contract to play for Virtus Bologna. The 34-year-old guard spent 13 seasons in the NBA, playing for nine different teams — Golden State, Toronto, New Orleans, Chicago, Charlotte, Sacramento, Atlanta, Philadelphia and, most recently, San Antonio. Belinelli had two stints with the Spurs, helping them win the 2014 NBA title before returning for the last two seasons. He averaged 9.7 points in 860 regular-season games. Virtus Bologna plays in Italy's top league and features a roster that includes longtime European standout and former Los Angeles Clippers guard Milos Teodosic along with former Miami Hurricanes star Julian Gamble. The team's season started in late September and is scheduled to go through May. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Warriors guard Klay Thompson underwent surgery on his torn right Achilles tendon Wednesday and still is expected to be sidelined the entire season for Golden State. Dr. Richard Ferkel performed the operation in Los Angeles, the team said. Thompson got hurt playing in a pickup game last Wednesday in Southern California and had an MRI exam the following day in Los Angeles that revealed the severity of the injury. Thompson didn’t play at all during the coronavirus-shortened 2019-20 season as he worked back from surgery for a torn ACL in his left knee that he suffered that injury in the deciding Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — Just like that, the Atlanta Hawks transformed themselves into a playoff contender. A team that averaged less than 25 wins the last three seasons added to its impressive young core with a whirlwind of free-agent signings, capped by the news late Tuesday that Sacramento would not match a four-year, $72 million offer sheet to Bogdan Bogdanovic. “It's go time,” tweeted Hawks All-Star guard Trae Young, clearly excited by the bulked-up supporting case he'll have around him in 2021. “Let's work!!!” Bogdanovic tweeted back. Flush with more cap space than any other team heading into free agency after beginning a major overhaul three years ago, the Hawks quickly signed forward Danilo Gallinari (three years, $61.5 million) and guards Rajon Rondo (two years, $15 million) and Kris Dunn (two years, $10 million). Then, after a proposed sign-and-trade that would have sent Bogdanovic to the Milwaukee Bucks fell through, Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk pounced at the opportunity to grab... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Avery Bradley still has serious concerns about the coronavirus, particularly because one of his children has struggled with respiratory illnesses. Those concerns kept him from the NBA’s restart bubble. They won’t keep him from this season. Bradley has finalized his new contract with the Miami Heat — the team he would have faced off against in the NBA Finals had he gone to the bubble at Walt Disney World this summer with his previous team, the Los Angeles Lakers. And when the Heat open camp next week in advance of the Dec. 22 start of the regular season, Bradley said he’ll be ready. “I mean, this is the new normal,” said Bradley, who wore a mask for his first media session as a member of the Heat on Tuesday — a call held over Zoom. “My decision right now is to just focus on playing. That’s my focus. I feel like everyone has a better idea of this virus; obviously, there’s still some unknowns. But my decision not to go to the bubble just was about the impact on my family.” Bradley... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Just like that, the Atlanta Hawks transformed themselves into a playoff contender. A team that averaged less than 25 wins the last three seasons added to its impressive young core with a whirlwind of free-agent signings, capped by the news late Tuesday that Sacramento would not match a four-year, $72 million offer sheet to Bogdan Bogdanovic. “It's go time,” tweeted Hawks All-Star guard Trae Young, clearly excited by the bulked-up supporting case he'll have around him in 2021. “Let's work!!!” Bogdanovic tweeted back. Flush with cash heading into free agency after beginning a major overhaul three years ago, the Hawks quickly signed forward Danilo Gallinari (three years, $61.5 million) and guards Rajon Rondo (two years, $15 million) and Kris Dunn (two years, $10 million). Then, after a proposed sign-and-trade that would have sent Bogdanovic to the Milwaukee Bucks fell through, Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk pounced at the opportunity to grab the 28-year-old Serbian guard... [More]

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]

MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo came to the NBA with the goal of providing for his mother and changing her life. His first contract took care of that. And the way he sees it, his next contract sets his family up for generations. Adebayo and the Miami Heat agreed on a five-year extension that will be worth at least $163 million, the team and Adebayo's agent Alex Saratsis said Tuesday. The contract has not been signed and won't be until Adebayo completes a physical, something that is likely to occur in the next few days. It will be the richest contract in terms of total value in Heat history. “This is an accomplishment I always wanted to get," Adebayo said. “Just being able to reach this milestone and being able to generationally change my family's life and also take care of the people around me, it's a big deal to me." Adebayo will make $5.1 million this season, the final year of his rookie contract. From there, the extension will kick in with a starting salary of somewhere around $28.1 million... [More]