The Los Angeles Lakers front office is still looking to make a bold move this offseason — if not for Kyrie Irving, maybe bringing in a player such as Eric Gordon or Patrick Beverley. However, it looks more and more like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook will be together in the Lakers training camp this fall. Despite the …

The Los Angeles Lakers are no closer to trading away star guard Russell Westbrook now than they were at the start of free agency, and while that could change before the season starts, L.A.’s stars are at least preparing for the possibility of playing together again next season. LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Westbrook reportedly had a phone conversation where …

MILWAUKEE (AP) Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton has signed a multiyear contract extension after scoring a career-high 9.9 points per game this past season. ”Pat is a key contributor to our success with his energy, toughness, teamwork and 3-point shooting,” general manager Jon Horst said Monday in a statement. ”Pat has continued to embrace our fans and the city of …

Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray and Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason were among the three rookies named to the All-Summer League teams announced on Monday. Murray, who was voted the Most Valuable Player of the Las Vegas Summer League, and Eason were each named to the first team. Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin was voted onto the second team by …

Kenrich Williams will turn 28 in December, and he is employed by a basketball team that went 24-58 last season. He plays both forward spots, has earned the nickname “Kenny Hustle” and is entering the third and final season of a contract that pays him $2 million annually. He is precisely the type of role player that contending teams covet, …

Sacramento Kings rookie Keegan Murray on Monday was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2022 Las Vegas Summer League, the NBA announced. Murray averaged 23.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, two assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 50% from the field and 40% from 3-point range in four games. He finished fourth in scoring average among all players and had at …

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) Pete Nance doesn’t have to wonder what a successful season could look like for him at North Carolina. He saw it illustrated perfectly in the spring. The Northwestern transfer watched the Tar Heels blend an outside-shooting big man in transfer Brady Manek so well that the Tar Heels made an unexpected push to the NCAA championship …

The NBA announced Monday that Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray was named Most Valuable Player of the 2K23 Summer League. He joins last year’s Summer League MVP Davion Mitchell as the newest King to win the award. In his four games, Murray averaged 23.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals. He shot 50% from the field, and an …

Five reasons for Murray, Kings excitement after Summer League originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea Keegan Murray’s first month with the Kings couldn’t have gone much better. The fourth overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft showed out in seven exhibition games and was named MVP of the Las Vegas Summer League on Monday. Murray displayed great poise and potential …

Before and even after trading Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves, the Jazz were reportedly shutting down Donovan Mitchell trade calls. Mitchell reportedly planned to stand pat rather than force a trade from Utah. Then, the Jazz were reportedly suddenly engaging teams about a Mitchell trade. What changed? Probably nothing – other than the reporting. Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake …

The Oklahoma City Thunder have extended forward Kenrich Williams to a four-year, $27.2 million deal, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal is set to begin in the 2023-23 season. Williams is currently set to make $2 million for the 2022-23 season. Williams was set to enter unrestricted free agency next summer if a new deal was no agreed upon, now …

Getty Images No team in basketball likes changing uniforms quite as much as the Cleveland Cavaliers. They’ve never maintained primary home and away uniforms for more than eight years, and since 2017, they’ve relied largely on two jerseys: one white with red lettering and a gold border, and another red with yellow lettering and blue numbers. On Monday, however, Cleveland …

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson’s top scorer PJ Hall will need right knee surgery and there’s no timetable yet for when he might return to the court, the school said Monday. Hall is a 6-foot-10 rising junior who averaged 15.5 points and 5.8 rebounds last season, and led Clemson with 38 blocks – nearly half of the team’s 77. He had …

Jeremy Sochan shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the ninth overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. San Antonio Spurs rookie forward Jeremy Sochan apologized after accidentally slighting Russell Westbrook in an interview during the NBA Summer League. Sochan and Spurs rookie Malaki Branham played a word association game when …

Two of the biggest programs in college basketball have signed up for a home-and-home series that will start in 2023. Duke and Arizona announced on Monday a two-year series that will begin at Duke next year, then head to U of A in 2024.  The schools have met nine times, with six of those games in neutral-court settings. Arizona leads …

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James made a surprise performance at the famous Drew League summer basketball program on Saturday, creating massive in-person interest and viral social media fireworks. James teamed up with fellow NBA star and Los Angeles native DeMar DeRozan on MMV Cheaters who defeated Black Pearl Elite 103-102 in a matchup of previously unbeaten teams. PAOLO BANCHERO: …

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina’s Dawn Staley has called out ESPN and its ESPY awards show for not inviting national player of the year Aliyah Boston to its ceremonies on Wednesday night. Staley mused publicly on social media how the people who planning the ceremonies decided “it was a great idea not to invite” the woman who won several national …

The 2022 NBA offseason has been like a furious game of “Red Light, Green Light,” with only slightly less dire consequences than “Squid Game” (hey, remember Squid Game?). It began with a flurry of moves in the first couple days of free agency, then a long cool-off period during which we were promised a holding pattern while the Brooklyn Nets …

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) Clemson’s top scorer PJ Hall will need right knee surgery and there’s no timetable yet for when he might return to the court, the school said Monday. Hall is a 6-foot-10 rising junior who averaged 15.5 points and 5.8 rebounds last season, and led Clemson with 38 blocks – nearly half of the team’s 77. He had …

How Wiseman, Warriors’ young core played in summer league originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea Everybody deserves some summer R & R right now, especially the NBA champions. The regular season is long gone. So are the playoffs, and the Warriors’ latest title now is in the rearview mirror. The last phase of games was the 2022 NBA Summer League, …

James Harden’s new contract with the Philadelphia 76ers isn’t finalized yet, but it will feature Harden taking a substantial pay cut for the 2022-23 NBA season so the Sixers have additional cap space to fill out the rest of the roster. They’ve used that space to sign P.J. Tucker and Danuel House (both Harden’s former teammates in Houston), along with Trevelin …

As late as mid-February, it seemed uncertain whether North Carolina would even qualify for the 2022 NCAA Tournament, let alone be positioned to make a deep run. But the Tar Heels turned it on down the stretch in coach Hubert Davis’ first season and made an improbable run to the national title game as a No. 8 seed. Now, with …

The Boston Celtics have had by most accounts one of the best offseasons in the league, adding to the starting five that carried them to within two wins of an NBA title in the 2022 playoffs. And there’s been a fair amount of justified think pieces and podcasts trying to sort out just where the Celtics’ roster sits next to …

Getty Images Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball is changing his uniform number from No. 2 to No. 1 for next season, according to Shams Charania. Neither Charania nor Ball himself has offered an explanation about the decision to change numbers. Ball had worn No. 1 throughout his career, including in high school at Chino Hills and SPIRE Academy as …

LOS ANGELES (AP) James Harden is vowing a return to his high-scoring form after battling a lingering hamstring injury that created rare doubt for the three-time NBA scoring champion over the last two seasons. He expects similar big things from the Philadelphia 76ers after taking less salary in his contract this season to help the team improve and chase the …