FORT WORTH, Texas — The pall that Nico Harrison created for the Dallas Mavericks may not evaporate with an 2025 NBA title.

The hurt, wrath and anger that the general manager of the local NBA franchise has created by trading Luka Doncic really has no sports equal in this town. Not with the Texas Rangers. Not with the Dallas Stars. And not even...Read more

MIAMI — The Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler drama mercifully and finally ended Wednesday night, a day ahead of the NBA trade deadline, and allow me to offer this reaction in order of importance.

— 1. Jimmy is gone. And the angels sang! I try to be careful with words. Won’t say he had become a “cancer,” in respect to people actually ...Read more

The Golden State Warriors had one route to relevancy remaining before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline — one last shot to find a second star to pair with Steph Curry for the last few seasons of his career.

On Wednesday night, they took it.

It took them long enough.

On the day that Kevin Durant said “no thanks” to a Bay Area return, the ...Read more

DENVER — As the Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. is well aware, the trade deadline is part of the business in the NBA.

“As long as I’m here, I’m going to be here and I’m going to be happy, and I’m going to play hard and try to be available and try to help win games,” Porter said Monday night.

Wednesday night, on the eve of the ...Read more

SALT LAKE CITY — Steve Kerr called players warming up off the court, assembled his coaching staff and closed the locker room to the media an hour before tipoff in the Delta Center.

He had news, and he had it minutes before ESPN’s Shams Charania: the Warriors were trading Andrew Wiggins and several other players in a multi-team deal to ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Lonzo Ball isn’t going anywhere.

The Chicago Bulls are finalizing a two-year, $20 million extension with the point guard, a league source confirmed late Wednesday. ESPN was first to report the deal.

The decision to stay in Chicago comes amid a comeback season for Ball, who did not play a single game for 33 months after ...Read more

DETROIT — The day before the NBA trade deadline is always challenging. Players and coaches alike are filled with anxiety about sudden roster changes that could occur in the final hours. However, everyone is eager to enjoy the brief breather that the NBA All-Star break will bring.

For the Detroit Pistons, Wednesday's 118-115 loss to the ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Oh and there was a game Wednesday night, too.

In action as disgruntled teammate Jimmy Butler was being dealt to the Golden State Warriors, the Miami Heat maintained enough focus to push through for a 108-101 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center.

With the Butler deal going public before halftime, and ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Nets‘ three-game winning streak came to an end in blowout fashion Wednesday night inside Barclays Center. Despite trading away Kyle Kuzma and Jonas Valanciunas earlier in the day, the ailing Washington Wizards were the clear aggressors from the opening tap and systematically dismantled Brooklyn 119-102

The Wizards opened the ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — At practice on Tuesday, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch showed his team how much worse they were in various statistical categories at home than they were on the road.

The Wolves entered Wednesday’s game against a short-handed Chicago team .500 at Target Center, with the emphasis being they needed to take care of business in a ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Lakers coach JJ Redick said Luka Doncic could debut either Saturday against Indiana or Monday against Utah.

Doncic, who the Lakers acquired in a blockbuster trade for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first-round pick, hasn't played since Christmas because of a calf injury. After the Lakers' Wednesday practice, Doncic ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — That’s it. They may have finally done it. All of us are witnesses. After a half-season full of waypoints at ever-increasing altitudes, the Sixers will struggle to reach much higher. Ladies and gentlemen, please remain seated until the clown car has come to a full and complete stop. We have arrived at Peak 2025 Sixers.

Daryl ...Read more

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan had already checked UCLA, USC and Washington off the list.

The one team it had left to beat to complete the sweep of the Big Ten’s new West Coast members was Oregon.

While it was far from easy, the No. 24 Wolverines got the job done Wednesday and staved off the Ducks for an 80-76 win at Crisler Center.

Will ...Read more

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Thanks to solid scoring from Tyrese Proctor and Kon Knueppel, No. 2 Duke didn’t need a superior game from freshman star Cooper Flagg to keep its winning streak going Wednesday night.

Proctor scored 16 points while Knueppel added 12 as the Blue Devils hammered Syracuse, 83-54, at the JMA Wireless Dome, extending the nation�...Read more

Missouri wrote its lead in pencil, only for Tennessee to break out an eraser.

The No. 4 Volunteers flipped an 11-point deficit back onto the No. 15 Tigers, coming back from a double-digit deficit early in the second half to earn an 85-81 victory.

Mizzou (17-5, 6-3 Southeastern Conference) lost despite a halftime advantage for just the second ...Read more

CHICAGO — Billy Donovan’s first real glimpse into the next chapter of his basketball life came Tuesday night at the United Center.

With 2 1/2 minutes left in the first half of a win over the Miami Heat, Lonzo Ball stole a pass and streaked downcourt for a running, uncontested dunk. But Ball inexplicably missed, then hung on the rim for a ...Read more

MIAMI — The Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler Era came to an end Wednesday night, hours ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, with the six-time All-Star dealt to the Golden State Warriors amid a deteriorating relationship between the disgruntled forward and the team he helped lead to two NBA Finals.

In return, the Heat acquired Andrew Wiggins ...Read more

SALT LAKE CITY — The Warriors have their second star.

Jimmy Butler is heading to the Warriors in a blockbuster trade, a source confirmed to this news organization. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the trade and details of it.

Butler, Charania reported, is also committing to a two-year, $121 million extension with Golden State that will...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings have made another move ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, acquiring Jonas Valanciunas in a deal with the Washington Wizards.

A league source told The Sacramento Bee the Kings are trading newly acquired Sidy Cissoko and two-second round draft picks to the Wizards in exchange for Valanciunas, a 6...Read more