Dallas Mavericks center Boban Marjanovic and point/shooting guard Brandon Knight have become the latest members of their team to join the league's health and safety protocols, ruling them out indefinitely. While Marjanovic has been a tremendous per minute producer, he has seen just 5.9 minutes per contest this season, keeping him on the outside looking in of fantasy relevance in all season-long formats. Knight has enjoyed a brief three-game resurgence with Dallas, who remains massively shorthanded in the backcourt. The veteran dialed up an 18-point performance Monday, but his future with the team is now murky as he does have a guaranteed deal moving forward.

DETROIT (AP) — Ed Stefanski needed only about a minute in his conference call before he said the word the Detroit Pistons have seemingly avoided for so long.“We were always discussing that we were going to have to probably rebuild here,” said Stefanski, a team executive. "We're in the middle of the pack. To me, that's not the place that we want to be in and where fans want to be in.”The Pistons have been hesitant to rebuild, but Stefanski said Friday that injuries and the team's performance made it the best option. Detroit traded Andre Drummond on Thursday to Cleveland, a team in the Pistons' own division. The return wasn't much. In exchange for a two-time All-Star center, Detroit received Brandon Knight, John Henson and a second-round draft pick in 2023.It's hard to view that as anything other than an attempt to remove a high-priced player from the roster and break up the core of a team that hasn't performed as hoped. The Pistons haven't won a playoff game since 2008. Drummond has put... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The victories have been scarce for the Cavaliers this season, overwhelmed by so many ugly losses, so many unwatchable moments.However, they're certain they won the NBA trading deadline. Landing two-time All- Star Andre Drummond is a huge get.“For what they gave up, it's a (blanking) steal,” said Tristan Thompson, using a profanity to emphasize his point.Unexpectedly, the Cavs finalized their trade for Drummond, the league's leading rebounder at 15.8 boards per game in the final hour before Thursday's deadline, completing a deal nobody had on their radar. Cleveland sent guard Brandon Knight, forward John Henson and one of its second-round draft picks in 2023 to the Detroit Pistons for the 26-year-old Drummond, one of the game's best all-around centers.“He plays extremely hard and has crazy production," Cavs star forward Kevin Love said Friday after practice. "It makes us competitive. We added an All-Star level player. He's a versatile big who can do a lot of things for us.”General... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers were expected to move a big man. Instead, they added another one.In the final hour before the NBA trading deadline, Cleveland acquired two-time All-Star center Andre Drummond from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for forward John Henson, guard Brandon Knight and “the less favorable” of its two second-round draft picks in 2023.The teams made the deal official Thursday night after getting league approval.Cleveland needed to do something to save a season that's been worsening by the day. The Cavs are just 13-39 under first-year coach John Beilein and some recent blowout losses have raised concerns about the team's direction under general manager Koby Altman.But by landing Drummond, who leads the league in rebounding, the Cavs helped themselves in the short-term and positioned themselves for the future.The Cavs had been expected to be aggressive leading into the deadline and signs pointed to the team moving either star forward Kevin Love or center Tristan Thompson,... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers were expected to move a big man. Instead, they added another one.In the final hour before Thursday's NBA trading deadline, Cleveland agreed to acquire two-time All-Star center Andre Drummond from the Detroit Pistons, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.The struggling Cavs will send forward John Henson, guard Brandon Knight and one of their two second-round picks in 2023 to the Pistons, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams were still working out some details and seeking league approval.Cleveland, which is just 13-39 this season, was expected to be aggressive at the deadline and signs pointed to the Cavs moving either star forward Kevin Love or center Tristan Thompson, who is in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent this summer.However, Love and Thompson are staying put — for now— and will be joined up front by Drummond, a 6-foot-11 force who leads the league with 15.8 rebounds per game... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers were expected to move a big man. Instead, they added another one.In the final hour before Thursday's NBA trading deadline, Cleveland agreed to acquire two-time All-Star center Andre Drummond from the Detroit Pistons, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.The Cavs will send forward John Henson, guard Brandon Knight and one of their two second-round picks in 2023 to the Pistons, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams were still working out some details and seeking league approval.Cleveland, which is just 13-39 this season, was expected to be aggressive at the deadline and signs pointed to the Cavs moving either star forward Kevin Love or center Tristan Thompson, who is in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent this summer.However, Love and Thompson are staying put — for now— and will be joined up front by Drummond, a 6-foot-11 force who leads the league with 15.8 rebounds per game and averages... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers have agree to acquire center Andre Drummond in a trade from the Detroit Pistons, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday.The sides agreed to the package shortly before the NBA's 3 p.m. deadline, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams were still working out some details.Cleveland, which is just 13-39 this season, is sending forward John Henson, guard Brandon Knight and one of its two second-round picks in 2023 to the Pistons, the person said.The Cavs need some help. They have the worst record in the Eastern Conference and have been struggling in their rebuild under first-year coach John Beilein. Cleveland has dropped 12 of 13.One of the conference's best all-around big men, Drummond is averaging 17.8 points and 15.8 rebounds in his eighth season with Detroit.Drummond's arrival will make the Cavs immediately better, and it may allow them to make more moves, perhaps with forward Kevin Love or center Tristan Thompson, who is eligible for free agency this summer.

There's no LeBron James in these playoffs, so the NBA Finals will have a distinctly new look for the first time in nine years.There's no Tony Parker, for the first time in nearly two decades.There's no Dwyane Wade, and he'll never play a playoff game again.San Antonio is in the postseason for a record-tying 22nd consecutive season. Brooklyn, Denver, Detroit, Orlando and the Los Angeles Clippers got into these playoffs after watching the postseason last year.As always at playoff time, there are some familiar things and some not-so-familiar things. With the postseason set to begin Saturday, here's 10 things to know going into the best time of the NBA year:DRIVE FOR FIVEGolden State is trying to reach the NBA Finals for the fifth consecutive season.If the Warriors get there, they would be the second franchise ever with such a streak — joining only the Boston Celtics, who went there in 10 straight seasons from 1957-66.The Warriors are one of five franchises with a streak of four straight NBA... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns have completed a four-player trade that sends guard Brandon Knight and forward Marquese Chriss to the Houston Rockets for forward Ryan Anderson and guard De'Anthony Melton.Knight had been considered in line to start at point guard for the Suns after missing last season while recovering from knee surgery but now will see time as a backup to Chris Paul for what is expected to be an NBA contender in Houston.The 6-foot-10 Anderson, who two years ago signed a four-year, $80 million free agent deal with Houston, figures to start at power forward alongside this year's No. 1 overall draft pick, center Deandre Ayton.Chriss was the eighth overall pick out of Washington two years ago who has not progressed the way the Suns had hoped. Still, he's just 21.Melton, 19, is a second-round draft pick out of USC who showed dynamic, if raw, talent in the Las Vegas Summer League.To make the trade work financially, Anderson agreed to reduce the guaranteed portion of his contract... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — A person with knowledge of the situation says Phoenix and Houston are close to finalizing a trade that would send forward Ryan Anderson to the Suns and point guard Brandon Knight to the Rockets.Phoenix also would send former first-round pick forward Marquese Chriss to Houston and the Suns would get guard De'Anthony Melton from the Rockets.The person asked for anonymity Thursday night because the deal had not been completed.If the trade goes through as expected, Anderson could be the starting power forward for Phoenix. He averaged 9.3 points last season and has two years left on a four-year, $80 million contract he signed with the Rockets in 2016.Knight, who appeared to be in line to start at point guard for the Suns after missing last season with a knee injury, figures to see time as a backup to Chris Paul in Houston.The trade would leave Phoenix searching for a starter at the point guard position with no one on the roster ready to assume that responsibility.The 6-foot-10 Chriss, the eighth overall pick out of Washington in 2016, had not shown the improvement the Suns had hoped to see. His averaged dropped from 9.2 points as a rookie to 7.7 points last season. But he is just 21 years old.Melton was a second-round pick out of USC this year who had some good moments in Summer League play.The deal was first reported by ESPN.

PHOENIX (AP) — Trevor Ariza has agreed to a one-year, $15 million contract with the Phoenix Suns, a person with knowledge of the situation said Sunday.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement cannot be officially announced during the free agent moratorium.The 33-year-old Ariza brings a reputation for winning and veteran leadership that general manager Ryan McDonough said the team needed around its young core that features Devin Booker, Josh Jackson and No. 1 overall draft pick Deandre Ayton.It's a nice raise for the 14-year NBA veteran, who earned $7.4 million last season, his fourth with Houston.Ariza averaged 11.7 points last season for a Rockets team that compiled the best record in the NBA at 65-17 before losing to Golden State in a seven-game Western Conference finals. Phoenix had the league's worst record at 21-61 and has missed the playoffs eight years in a row.Ariza has averaged 10.5 points per game, shooting 42 percent from the field... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns have waived point guard Tyler Ulis.The Suns made the move Saturday, a day before his contract would have become guaranteed. He had a non-guaranteed $1.5 million deal for the upcoming season with a $1.6 million team option for 2019-20.The 5-foot-9 former Kentucky player averaged 7.8 points, 4.4 assists and 23.4 minutes in 71 games last season. As a rookie in 2016-17, he averaged 7.3 points, 3.7 assists and 18.4 minutes in 61 games.The Suns drafted French point guard Elie Okobo with the No. 31 pick and also have Brandon Knight returning from a knee injury.Ulis had minor surgery on his right ankle in May.___More AP NBA: www.apnews.com/tags/NBAbasketball

PHOENIX (AP) — Maybe, just maybe, the worst is behind the Phoenix Suns.Their 50th anniversary season was awful, even worse than the two that came before.For the eighth season in a row, the Suns won't make the playoffs. The win totals the past three seasons: 23, 24 and — this year 21. That 21-61 mark is the worst since Phoenix went 16-66 in its inaugural 1968-69 season.The season devolved in the final months, with injuries depleting the already exceedingly young roster, leaving a contingent of G League transfers to fill out the lineup in the final days. The Suns lost a franchise-record 15 straight in one stretch.Now, everyone involved is insisting, enough is enough."I'm done with not making the playoffs," rising star Devin Booker said as the players cleaned out their lockers and conducted exit interviews Wednesday. "I'm serious. This is probably my last year ever not making the playoffs. If that's putting pressure on myself, I'm going to take this summer and work that hard so that it doesn't... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Maybe, just maybe, the worst is behind the Phoenix Suns.Their 50th anniversary season was awful, even worse than the two that came before.For the eighth season in a row, the Suns won't make the playoffs. The win totals the past three seasons: 23, 24 and — this year 21. That 21-61 mark is the worst since Phoenix went 16-66 in its inaugural 1968-69 season.The season devolved in the final months, with injuries depleting the already exceedingly young roster, leaving a contingent of G League transfers to fill out the lineup in the final days. The Suns lost a franchise-record 15 straight in one stretch.Now, everyone involved is insisting, enough is enough."I'm done with not making the playoffs," rising star Devin Booker said as the players cleaned out their lockers and conducted exit interviews Wednesday. "I'm serious. This is probably my last year ever not making the playoffs. If that's putting pressure on myself, I'm going to take this summer and work that hard so that it doesn't... [More]

G Brandon Knight underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee on Friday, the team announced.

G Brandon Knight sustained a torn ACL in his left knee that will require surgery, and he is expected to miss the entire 2017-18 season, the team announced. The injury occurred last week while Knight was playing in South Florida. Following an examination by head team physician Dr. Tom Carter, it was determined that surgery was necessary, A timetable for his return will be determined at a later date. Knight has played for three teams in his six-year NBA career. In 2016-17, while playing for the Suns, Knight averaged a career-low 11.0 points and 2.4 assists in 54 games, including five as a starter.

G Brandon Knight did not play for a fourth straight game Thursday. It was a coach's decision.

G Brandon Knight, the object of trade rumors, was active after missing one game with a sprained right wrist.

G Brandon Knight scored 21 points off the bench in the loss Monday. Knight paced the Suns early, scoring 12 points in the first half to trim Minnesota's lead from 14 down to 62-54 at halftime.

G Brandon Knight scored 14 of his 23 points in the first quarter Wednesday, and the Suns beat the Hawks 109-107.