NBA

8:00 AM ET All of them left the Lakers. And all five of them came back to Los Angeles. One of them is back for a second time. One took a decade to return. Three of them were champions with the franchise. All of them had unfinished business in L.A. Lakers vice president of basketball

6:25 PM ET Paul Millsap has agreed to a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, his agent, DeAngelo Simmons, told ESPN on Thursday. Millsap becomes the latest former All-Star to join the Nets over the past few seasons, joining Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden. Millsap’s four All-Star appearances bring Brooklyn’s total up

12:03 PM ET Brian Windhorst Close ESPN Senior Writer ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010 Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years Author of two books Tim Bontemps Unvaccinated NBA players will have lockers as far away as possible from their vaccinated teammates and will have to eat, fly and ride buses in different sections as part

7:00 AM ET NBA Insiders The best players in the NBA are elite for a reason. The Milwaukee Bucks‘ two-time MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, is one of the premier two-way players in the league. Dallas Mavericks phenom Luka Doncic is among the most dangerous players in the world at just 22 years old. Still, even the

6:27 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN The NBA informed teams that recently issued laws in both New York City and San Francisco about vaccine requirements will be enforced — including for players — for members of the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors unless there is an approved medical or religious exemption from

11:49 AM ET Joel Embiid has denied a reported “rift” with 76ers teammate Ben Simmons and said Wednesday in a series of tweets that he loves playing with the embattled star in Philadelphia. “Stop using my name to push people’s agendas,” Embiid tweeted. “I love and hate drama. I love playing with Ben. Stats don’t

7:00 AM ET NBA Insiders The Brooklyn Nets enter September as the betting favorites to take home the 2021-22 NBA title — and for good reason. The superstar trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving form the most-feared big three in the league. But that group played just 14 games together during the

11:49 PM ET The Cleveland Cavaliers agreed to a one-year, non-guaranteed deal with center Tacko Fall, his agents — Bill Duffy and Justin Haynes — told The Athletic. Fall, 25, spent his first two NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics, averaging 2.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in 26 total appearances. At 7-foot-5, he became an

4:31 PM ET Rajon Rondo has a pretty good idea of what it takes to win a championship, and as he was introduced officially as a Los Angeles Laker — again — he said the advanced age of the team will only help in the pursuit of another one. “Wisdom is definitely key to winning

8:49 AM ET Associated Press Team USA will face Puerto Rico, Mexico and Cuba in the first round of qualifying for the 2023 Basketball World Cup. The Americans, who won a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal in Tokyo but finished only seventh at the most recent Basketball World Cup two years ago, found out their

2:55 PM ET Jeremy WillisESPN.com Damian Lillard and Shaquille O’Neal are teaming up to rebrand a classic pair of kicks. The “Shaqnosis” has a new look courtesy of the Portland Trail Blazers star and the former Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat champion and Hall of Famer. 1 Related The original, black and white, “Shaqnosis”

1:48 PM ET Rajon Rondo plans to sign a one-year, $2.6 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers upon clearing waivers Monday, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Rondo, who agreed to a contract buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, will still make his full $7.5 million salary this season between the buyout and his

11:57 AM ET Five-time All-Star forward Kevin Love has no interest in negotiating a buyout on the two years and $60 million left on his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, his agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports, told ESPN on Saturday. “There have been no talks with Cleveland on a buyout, nor is there any

1:32 PM ET Associated Press NBA referees will all be vaccinated against the coronavirus this season. The NBA announced Saturday that it has struck a deal with the National Basketball Referees Association on that requirement. Part of the referees’ agreement with the NBA also says that those working games will receive booster shots once those

4:52 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Another former Laker appears to be on his way back to the purple and gold. Rajon Rondo will likely sign with the Lakers, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, upon clearing waivers after a contract buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. Rondo was traded from the LA Clippers to

12:01 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN When Julius Randle was eligible for an extension this offseason, he knew there was a chance he could make more money if he waited a year to sign a new deal with the New York Knicks. If Randle would have waited until 2022, when his contract expired, he would have

11:17 PM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles police officer briefly pressed a knee to the neck of Jaxson Hayes as the New Orleans Pelicans center gasped “I can’t breathe” seconds before another officer used a Taser on him during a struggle, according to body camera video released Friday. The officers went

12:15 PM ET The Cleveland Cavaliers are acquiring Chicago Bulls restricted free agent Lauri Markkanen in a three-way trade that also involves the Portland Trail Blazers, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Markkanen is heading to the Cavs on a four-year, $67 million deal in a sign-and-trade agreement with the Bulls. Chicago will receive Derrick Jones