8:00 AM ET Gay people have made strides in many sectors of American professional life. An openly gay man runs Apple, presides as the governor of Colorado, and an open lesbian runs a Fortune 500 company. But in the highest reaches of men’s basketball, gay people are almost invisible. In 2011, 58-year-old Phoenix Suns CEO
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10:10 PM ET The Detroit Pistons acquired veteran guard Kemba Walker from the New York Knicks as part of a three-team trade involving the Charlotte Hornets that also saw the Pistons acquire the draft rights to Jalen Duren on Thursday night. Walker and the Pistons are expected to discuss a contract buyout that will allow
4:38 PM ET Associated Press ORLANDO, Fla. — The secret about how Orlando was going to take Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft was incredibly well-kept. Among those who didn’t know: Banchero himself. Banchero said even he was kept out of the Magic decision loop until about 30 seconds before
5:39 PM ET ESPN News Services Steve Clifford has agreed to a deal to return as the Charlotte Hornets‘ coach, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The 60-year-old Clifford spent five seasons coaching the Hornets, compiling a 196-214 record with a team that included Kemba Walker. He led the Hornets to two playoff appearances prior to
8:11 PM ET The Orlando Magic selected Duke’s Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2022 NBA draft on Thursday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. “I dont even know what to say,” Banchero said on ESPN’s draft broadcast. “I can’t believe what just happened. Honestly.” A 6-foot-10 forward, Banchero helped
2:01 AM ET NBA Insiders With the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, the Orlando Magic selected Duke forward Paolo Banchero. The move came as something of a surprise, given that Banchero never met with the Magic and the consensus around the league was that Auburn’s Jabari Smith Jr. would be headed to
6:39 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving has created a list of teams he’d like the Brooklyn Nets to consider working with on a sign-and-trade if he and the team can’t agree on terms for him to stay in Brooklyn, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. That list includes the Los Angeles Lakers,
8:00 AM ET HOUSTON — Christian Wood keeps swishing 3-pointers and smiling, the skilled big man showing off his shooting range and seemingly responding whenever the other team gets within striking distance. It’s June 13, and Game 5 of the NBA Finals tips off in eight hours, but metaphorically, this pickup game takes place as
4:35 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — At one point early in the NBA playoffs, Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers and head coach Steve Kerr had a conversation about how they didn’t feel their team was championship caliber. They saw themselves as a Western Conference finals team, maybe, but compared with the
6:13 PM ET The Detroit Pistons are trading forward Jerami Grant to the Portland Trail Blazers for a 2025 first-round pick via the Milwaukee Bucks, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The 2025 first-round pick via Milwaukee is protected Nos. 1-4, sources said. Detroit sends Grant into a $21 million trade exception, and the Pistons now
9:58 AM ET Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, a prominent minority owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, is selling his stake in the Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment company that owns the Sixers and New Jersey Devils, he announced Wednesday. Rubin, who sources say holds a 10% equity stake in HBSE, is divesting his 11-year stake in
11:38 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN After Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum had a rough NBA Finals, Brad Stevens had a simple message for his team’s franchise player. “I just told him to go on vacation,” Stevens, Boston’s president of basketball operations, said with a smile during a videoconference call with reporters after Boston’s season ended
6:19 PM ET NBA free agency doesn’t begin until June 30 at 6 p.m. ET, but the news is already rolling in from around the Association. Much of the early buzz is coming out of New York, where Kyrie Irving‘s contract status has pundits and fans speculating about the future of the Brooklyn Nets‘ star
9:13 AM ET LA Clippers forward Nicolas Batum will decline his $3.3 million player option and become a free agent, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. There’s expected to be mutual interest with the Clippers and Batum on reaching a new deal in July, sources said. In his second season with the Clippers, Batum started 54
7:47 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — It’s been two years since the Bay Area hosted a championship parade, but the city, nor the Warriors, forgot how to take in the moment. Stephen Curry hopped on top of a banister at a Muni train station stop and started hitting the sign that was next
8:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN The NBA Finals wrapped up only a few days ago, but The Association’s calendar stops for no one. This week, the next generation of players will be welcomed into the league when the Orlando Magic begin the 2022 NBA draft Thursday night at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. From there, free agency
4:21 PM ET PRACTICE BEFORE GAME 2 of the NBA Finals had not begun yet but rookies Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody took a moment on the Golden State Warriors bench to soak up the rare atmosphere inside Chase Center. Everywhere their young eyes turned, there was a not-so-subtle reminder of exactly where they were.
11:31 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN Denver Nuggets forward Jeff Green has exercised his $4.5 million player option for the 2022-23 season, sources told ESPN. Green had until Monday to decide whether to opt into the deal, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Green, who will turn 36 in August, averaged 10.3 points in 75 games (63