Utah Jazz forward Stanley Johnson has been waived by the organization. The 26-year-old was traded to Utah earlier this offseason. The rebuilding Jazz attempted to trade Johnson, but were clearly unsuccessful. That being said, they've decided to move on from Johnson altogether. He was unlikely to have much of a role in Utah even if he remained on the roster. Johnson might land on a roster as a depth player, but isn't expected to have fantasy value heading into the season.

The Chicago Bulls have signed forward Stanley Johnson to a 10-day deal. The organization currently has a handful of players sidelined while they follow the league's health and safety protocols. That being said, the Bulls have brought in Johnson as emergency depth. His playing time is uncertain, so fantasy managers can feel safe leaving him on the waiver wire. Derrick Jones Jr. is above him on the depth chart and a much better option right now.

Fred VanVleet has nothing but great things to say about Tampa. He likes the food. The people in the arena are friendly. The temporary accommodations for the Toronto Raptors were as good as anyone could expect. He didn’t even mind that an alligator was living in his backyard. The Raptors’ guard has just one complaint. “It’s just not Toronto,” VanVleet said. “It’s not where we’re supposed to be.” Toronto’s runs of seven consecutive winning seasons, seven consecutive playoff seasons and five consecutive 50-win seasons are over, after a season like none other for the Raptors. They haven’t played in Canada since February 2020, had to make do on the Gulf coast of Florida this season, watched players get hurt, watched players and most of the coaching staff deal with coronavirus-related issues, and it all added up to a dismal 27-45 record. Now comes an offseason where point guard Kyle Lowry — he's now called the GROAT, or the greatest Raptor of all-time — is a free agent. There also is uncertainty... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons have signed guard Wayne Ellington and waived 2016 first-round draft pick Henry Ellenson.The Pistons announced the moves Saturday night.The 6-foot-5 Ellington is in his 10th NBA season. He averaged 8.4 points with Miami this season before he was traded to Phoenix and then waived. The Pistons needed outside shooting after trading Reggie Bullock.Ellenson, who was drafted with the 18th pick in 2016, has averaged just 3.8 points in 59 NBA games. The Pistons traded Stanley Johnson, their 2015 first-round pick, earlier in the week.Ellington is the Heat record holder for 3-pointers made in a season. He also won the national championship at North Carolina in 2009, when the Final Four was played in Detroit.The Pistons traded Bullock and Johnson before the deadline, but Detroit still has its formidable frontcourt tandem of Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond. The Pistons made it clear they're still hoping to make the playoffs, and team executive Ed Stefanski said Detroit would still be looking to add players .___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons have signed guard Wayne Ellington and waived 2016 first-round draft pick Henry Ellenson.The Pistons announced the moves Saturday night.The 6-foot-5 Ellington is in his 10th NBA season. He averaged 8.4 points with Miami this season before he was traded to Phoenix and then waived. The Pistons needed outside shooting after trading Reggie Bullock.Ellenson, who was drafted with the 18th pick in 2016, has averaged just 3.8 points in 59 NBA games. The Pistons traded Stanley Johnson, their 2015 first-round pick, earlier in the week.Ellington is the Heat record holder for 3-pointers made in a season. He also won the national championship at North Carolina in 2009, when the Final Four was played in Detroit.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DALLAS (AP) — Khris Middleton thought Nikola Mirotic tilted a playoff series in Chicago's favor nearly four years ago when the Bulls beat his Milwaukee Bucks in the first round.Mirotic will be on Middleton's side for the postseason this time around.The Bucks had already surged to the NBA's best record when general manager Jon Horst got the 6-foot-10 Mirotic, an adept 3-point shooter, in a three-team trade that sent Milwaukee's Jason Smith and Detroit's Stanley Johnson to New Orleans. The Pistons got Thon Maker from Milwaukee.The Pelicans made a similar move to add Mirotic last February, and he helped them rally to make the playoffs and advance to the second round after a season-ending injury to DeMarcus Cousins."Another guy that has playoff experience, one," Middleton said. "Two, he can stretch the floor and he knows how to play. I remember back when we played him in the Chicago series ... and how he changed that series for them, the way he knocked down shots."The Bucks are among the more... [More]

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Ed Stefanski can maintain a sense of humor about the challenges facing the Detroit Pistons."I wouldn't be here if things were rosy, is the way I look at it," said Stefanski, a senior executive with the Pistons. "And I tell that in our meetings when people want to say, oh, you know, this and that. I said, 'You guys wouldn't be here if things were good.'"Stefanski arrived as part of a front office overhaul last offseason, and this week was his first trade deadline with Detroit. The Pistons acquired guard Svi Mykhailiuk from the Lakers and center Thon Maker from the Bucks, giving up Reggie Bullock and Stanley Johnson in the process. The moves netted Detroit a couple young players but did little to change the overall outlook for the franchise.The Pistons have a lot of money tied up in Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson, and although Griffin has remained healthy and played like a star this season, Detroit was 24-29 heading into Friday night's matchup... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks have acquired forward Nikola Mirotic from the New Orleans Pelicans in a three-team deal.The Bucks made the announcement in a news release on Thursday. Milwaukee also will send forward Thon Maker to the Detroit Pistons and center Jason Smith and four future second-round draft picks to the Pelicans. Detroit will send forward Stanley Johnson to New Orleans to complete the deal.Mirotic is averaging career-highs of 16.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game this season. He is shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from 3-point range. The Montenegro native has averaged at least 10 points per game in each of his five seasons and earned All-Rookie after the 2014-15 season.He now joins a Milwaukee squad that has the best record in the NBA."We are thrilled to add such a talented player in Nikola Mirotic to our roster," Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a statement. "He is a skilled, two-way player who fits extremely well into our system. He shoots... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Last season, the Detroit Pistons acquired Blake Griffin in a blockbuster deal shortly before the trade deadline.So far, their moves this time around have been a lot more mild.The Pistons traded Reggie Bullock to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday for rookie guard Svi Mykhailiuk and a future second-round draft pick. Detroit also agreed to send forward Stanley Johnson to Milwaukee for center Thon Maker, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because that deal had not been announced publicly.The Pistons have been mediocre for a while, stuck between contending and rebuilding. For that reason, almost anything seemed possible as Thursday's trade deadline approached. Last year, Griffin came to Detroit in the middle of the season, but that wasn't enough to put the Pistons in the playoffs, and the franchise eventually parted with Stan Van Gundy, its coach and team president.This season hasn't been much different under new coach... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers are resting center Joel Embiid for their game at Detroit.It's the first game all season that Embiid is missing. Coach Brett Brown says he thinks it's the right move for the long run.Embiid was drafted in 2014 but has only played 120 NBA games because of injury problems. He shot 5 of 17 from the field in a loss at Toronto on Wednesday night.The 76ers are also without Markelle Fultz (thoracic outlet syndrome), Justin Patton (right foot surgery) and Zhaire Smith (left foot fracture).Detroit is missing Reggie Bullock (left ankle sprain) and Ish Smith (right adductor tear), and Stanley Johnson (sore left knee) was a late scratch Friday.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DETROIT (AP) — After four seasons of mostly mediocre results, the Detroit Pistons are moving on without Stan Van Gundy.He won't return as president of basketball operations and he isn't staying on as Detroit's coach, either.Van Gundy held both those roles for four years, and at times the Pistons seemed to be making progress. But they made the playoffs only once during his tenure, in 2016, and the team announced his departure Monday. Owner Tom Gores said it was a difficult decision."I am grateful to Stan for everything he's done for the Pistons and for the city of Detroit," Gores said. "He rebuilt the culture of our basketball team, re-instilled a winning attitude and work ethic, and took us to the playoffs two years ago. He went all-in from Day One to positively impact this franchise and this community."But over the past two seasons our team has not progressed, and we decided that a change is necessary to regain our momentum," Gores said.The Pistons went 39-43 this season, missing the playoffs... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — After four seasons of mostly mediocre results, the Detroit Pistons are moving on without Stan Van Gundy.He won't return as president of basketball operations and he isn't staying on as Detroit's coach, either.Van Gundy held both those roles for four years, and at times the Pistons seemed to be making progress. But they made the playoffs only once during his tenure, in 2016, and the team announced his departure Monday. Owner Tom Gores said it was a difficult decision."I am grateful to Stan for everything he's done for the Pistons and for the city of Detroit," Gores said. "He rebuilt the culture of our basketball team, re-instilled a winning attitude and work ethic, and took us to the playoffs two years ago. He went all-in from Day One to positively impact this franchise and this community."But over the past two seasons our team has not progressed, and we decided that a change is necessary to regain our momentum," Gores said.The Pistons went 39-43 this season, missing the playoffs... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — After four seasons of mostly mediocre results, the Detroit Pistons are moving on without Stan Van Gundy.He won't return as president of basketball operations and he isn't staying on as Detroit's coach, either.Van Gundy held both those roles for four years, and at times the Pistons seemed to be making progress. But they made the playoffs only once during his tenure, in 2016, and the team announced his departure Monday. Owner Tom Gores said it was a difficult decision."I am grateful to Stan for everything he's done for the Pistons and for the city of Detroit," Gores said. "He rebuilt the culture of our basketball team, re-instilled a winning attitude and work ethic, and took us to the playoffs two years ago. He went all-in from Day One to positively impact this franchise and this community."But over the past two seasons our team has not progressed, and we decided that a change is necessary to regain our momentum," Gores said.The Pistons went 39-43 this season, missing the playoffs... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Stan Van Gundy will not return to the Detroit Pistons as coach or president of basketball operations.The Pistons announced Van Gundy's departure Monday, with owner Tom Gores saying it was a difficult decision. He said Van Gundy wanted to return for a fifth season with the team."I am grateful to Stan for everything he's done for the Pistons and for the city of Detroit," Gore said. "He rebuilt the culture of our basketball team, re-instilled a winning attitude and work ethic, and took us to the playoffs two years ago. He went all-in from Day One to positively impact this franchise and this community."But over the past two seasons our team has not progressed, and we decided that a change is necessary to regain our momentum," Gores said.The Pistons went 39-43 this season, missing the playoffs for the third time in four years under Van Gundy. They've made the postseason just once in the past nine seasons, and even a blockbuster trade for Blake Griffin wasn't enough to salvage... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons can certainly attest to how long the NBA season is.For two months, they looked like a team on the rise in the Eastern Conference during a 19-14 start that included victories at Golden State, Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Boston. Then an ankle injury to point guard Reggie Jackson derailed Detroit's season, and even a bold trade for Blake Griffin wasn't enough to push the Pistons to the playoffs.Detroit's promising start now feels like a long time ago, and the big question for this offseason is the status of Stan Van Gundy, who has just one playoff appearance in four seasons as coach and president of basketball operations."I think we have to make changes," owner Tom Gores said earlier this week.It's not clear if those changes will involve moving on from Van Gundy, who never had much of a chance to coach the Pistons at full strength after Jackson's ankle injury Dec. 26. He didn't come back until the latter half of March.After faltering badly following Jackson's... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons capped a busy couple of weeks with an active deadline day.The Pistons acquired James Ennis from the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday for Brice Johnson and a 2022 second-round draft pick. It was the second deal announced by Detroit on the day of the NBA's trade deadline. The Pistons also acquired Jameer Nelson from Chicago.Detroit made a major splash last week when it landed star forward Blake Griffin in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Pistons acquired Johnson and Willie Reed in that deal along with Griffin, but now they're moving on without Reed and Johnson. Reed was traded in the deal for Nelson.The 6-foot-7 Ennis has averaged 6.9 points in 45 games this season.The Pistons had lost eight straight when they traded for Griffin. They've won five in a row since then, with Griffin available for four of those victories. Griffin will face his former team Friday night, when Detroit hosts the Clippers.The Pistons sent Avery Bradley and Tobias Harris to... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — With his team in a slump that threatened to derail a once-promising season, Stan Van Gundy boldly put the Detroit Pistons on a new path.Where it will lead is anyone's guess.The trade that brought Blake Griffin to the Pistons includes plenty of risk. The 6-foot-10 forward with an All-Star pedigree has a lengthy highlight reel and an injury history to match. But in his fourth season as Detroit's coach and team president, Van Gundy wasn't going to let this opportunity pass. If healthy, Griffin is the type of player who could lift this franchise significantly — and not just this season."The hardest thing to do in this league is to get a proven star," Van Gundy said Tuesday. "You get very few opportunities to do it."Detroit has made the playoffs once under Van Gundy, but when the Pistons lost their eighth straight game Sunday, this season seemed to be slipping away. Detroit has looked lost without injured point guard Reggie Jackson, and although center Andre Drummond is signed... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — With his team in a slump that threatened to derail a once-promising season, Stan Van Gundy boldly put the Detroit Pistons on a new path.Where it will lead is anyone's guess.The trade that brought Blake Griffin to the Pistons includes plenty of risk. The 6-foot-10 forward with an All-Star pedigree has a lengthy highlight reel and an injury history to match. But in his fourth season as Detroit's coach and team president, Van Gundy wasn't going to let this opportunity pass. If healthy, Griffin is the type of player who could lift this franchise significantly — and not just this season."The hardest thing to do in this league is to get a proven star," Van Gundy said Tuesday. "You get very few opportunities to do it."Detroit has made the playoffs once under Van Gundy, but when the Pistons lost their eighth straight game Sunday, this season seemed to be slipping away. Detroit has looked lost without injured point guard Reggie Jackson, and although center Andre Drummond is signed... [More]

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Pistons dramatically shook their struggling roster by acquiring one of the NBA's top players in Blake Griffin in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.The deal for the five-time All-Star forward was announced early Tuesday, giving Detroit a player who has been the face of the Clippers but whose career has been undercut by injuries.Detroit sent forward Tobias Harris, guard Avery Bradley and center Boban Marjanovic to Los Angeles, with the Clippers also receiving draft picks. Detroit also acquired forward Brice Johnson and center Willie Reed."We are serious about winning, and this is a major move to improve our team," Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. "Blake Griffin is one of the NBA's elite players, and when you get an opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it."For the Clippers, moving Griffin is another step in a makeover of a franchise that has never made it past the second round of the playoffs.Griffin was not expected to play... [More]

Detroit Pistons rookie forward Stanley Johnson has a right shoulder sprain and will miss at least a week, the team announced Wednesday.An MRI performed Tuesday confirmed the shoulder sprain. Johnson will begin rehabilitation immediately and will be re-evaluated in a week, the team said.Johnson, 19, suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of Detroit's 96-88 win at Cleveland on Monday night."I hope that's the way it is; I hope he will be able to bounce back," head coach and team president Stan Van Gundy said. "It's hard to judge. It could have been worse as an injury, so that's the good news. We'll just have to see where he is with the injury and where he is with the pain."Johnson, Detroit's first-round draft pick in 2015 out of Arizona, is averaging 9.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 57 games this season. The Pistons also signed forward Justin Harper to a 10-day contract.The 6-foot-10, 225-pound Harper has averaged 14.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 34 games with the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League this season. A second-round pick (32nd overall) by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA draft, Harper saw action in 14 games with the Orlando Magic during the 2011-12 season.