NBA

11:14 AM ET Associated Press SAITAMA, Japan — Evan Fournier and Nicolas Batum are going for gold, though they can’t forget about the green. Basketball and business are about to mix in a way players have never experienced. The quarterfinals of the Olympic men’s tournament arrives on the same day free agency opens in the

8:48 PM ET Serge Ibaka has exercised his player option and will return to the LA Clippers for his second season, sources confirmed to ESPN on Saturday. Ibaka picked up his $9.7-million option. The veteran center was the Clippers’ biggest addition during the past offseason in free agency but Ibaka was limited to just 41

5:34 PM ET The Los Angeles Lakers are nearing a deal with the Washington Wizards to acquire Russell Westbrook for Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and a 2021 first-round pick, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Harrell has opted into his $9.7 million player option for next season, paving the way for the potential deal.

2:31 PM ET Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis is declining his $3.8 million player option and will become a free agent, agent Mark Bartelstein told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday. The most the Bucks can offer Portis is a $5.9 million exception, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The 26-year-old Portis was one of the more

5:57 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN The Boston Celtics were involved in a pair of moves to reshuffle their roster Friday that saw them ship out center Tristan Thompson and bring back three players: guard Kris Dunn and center Bruno Fernando from the Atlanta Hawks, and guard Josh Richardson from the Dallas Mavericks. The first deal

3:51 PM ET Associated Press MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst says Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t need any type of offseason procedure for the left knee the two-time MVP hyperextended during the team’s NBA title run. “He’s fine,” Horst said Friday. “I can’t explain it, but he’s fine.” Antetokounmpo hurt his knee in Game

8:00 AM ET NBA Insiders With the 2021 NBA draft in the books, it’s time to shift the focus to the free-agency frenzy, where a host of storylines are set to dominate the next few weeks. Did the Los Angeles Lakers make the right move, opting to swing a blockbuster deal for Russell Westbrook over

1:45 AM ET NBA Insiders The first three picks of the 2021 NBA draft went as planned: Cade Cunningham to the Detroit Pistons, Jalen Green to the Houston Rockets and Evan Mobley to the Cleveland Cavaliers. But then, starting with the fourth pick, chaos ensued, with intriguing selections and draft-night trades taking over the spotlight.

8:10 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN The Detroit Pistons opened the 2021 NBA draft on Thursday night by taking Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham. Cunningham, a 6-foot-8 guard from Dallas, now will be asked to try to lead the Pistons back into the playoff mix in the Eastern Conference. Detroit has made the postseason three times

1:45 PM ET The Detroit Pistons have landed on a decision to select Oklahoma State‘s Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 pick in Thursday night’s NBA Draft, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Detroit officials traveled to New York on Wednesday, met with Cunningham a final time and finalized the decision to choose him at No.1

9:50 PM ET Nick DePaulaESPN Jalen Suggs has landed a multiyear footwear and apparel deal with Adidas ahead of his anticipated selection early in the 2021 NBA draft on Thursday. “I’m so excited to be with the brand,” the former Gonzaga star said. “I grew up inspired by D-Rose and Dame [Lillard] and want to

3:38 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes was arrested in the Los Angeles area early Wednesday morning following an alleged altercation with a police officer, TMZ Sports reported. “We have been made aware of the incident involving Jaxson Hayes,” the Pelicans said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “We are working in

8:00 AM ET The 2021 NBA draft has finally arrived! Who’s rising? Who’s falling? Will the Detroit Pistons take Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham at No. 1? Is Cunningham more Khris Middleton … or Luka Doncic? Where will USC big man Evan Mobley get selected? Will the Oklahoma City Thunder begin to spend its considerable

4:52 PM ET Marc J. Spears Former President Barack Obama has joined NBA Africa as a strategic partner and minority owner, sources have told ESPN’s The Undefeated on Tuesday. NBA Africa conducts the league’s business on that continent, including most notably the new Basketball Africa League (BAL). Obama plans to help the league’s social-responsibility efforts,

3:08 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN METAIRIE, La. — When the New Orleans Pelicans were searching for a new head coach, they found the answer in Phoenix Suns assistant Willie Green. Green, the lead assistant during the Suns’ improbable run to the NBA Finals, now shifts his attention to trying to find success in New Orleans

10:05 AM ET Nick DePaulaESPN Ahead of the 2021 NBA draft, projected top overall pick Cade Cunningham has signed a multiyear footwear and apparel endorsement deal with Nike. After a COVID-19-impacted market found a majority of last season’s rookies playing out the 2020-21 season without a sneaker deal, brands are now returning to aggressively sign

4:47 PM ET The New Orleans Pelicans are finalizing a trade to send Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe and two future first-round picks – including the 10th overall pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft – to Memphis for center Jonas Valanciunas and the 17th overall pick, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Determined to create significant financial flexibility

4:43 AM ET Associated Press SAITAMA, Japan — Luka Doncic is only a 22-year-old Olympic rookie, a player who might still be a few years away from his best basketball. Sergio Hernandez doesn’t need to wait. “For me, I said this two years ago: He is the best player in the world, including the NBA,”