NEW YORK — “I could never dream of this. Ya’ll know how many times I’ve been denied it. But it was delayed, that’s all it was and I’m happy to do it here.”

Those words came from a teary-eyed Jonquel Jones moments after her Liberty team won its first championship in franchise history and seconds after hoisting her WNBA Finals MVP ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors started Andrew Wiggins at shooting guard in their last two preseason games, and while nothing is decided quite yet ahead of Wednesday’s regular-season opener, Wiggins appears headed to reprise that role.

In a starting-five with Steph Curry, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and a center — likely Trayce Jackson-...Read more

NEW YORK — A roar from the Barclays Center crowd drowned out the final buzzer of the New York Liberty’s 67-62 win over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday night, a collective release of “finally” from fans as one of the league’s original franchises won its first WNBA championship in a thrilling overtime Game 5.

As golden streamers burst from...Read more

NEW YORK — NBA scouts once drooled over Ziaire Williams‘ potential. The forward arrived at Stanford in 2020 as a dominant five-star recruit who was sought after by almost every high-major program in the country. He was lanky for a 6-8 forward and hardly tipped the scales at 185-pounds soaking wet, but scouts were infatuated with his ...Read more

DENVER — The Nuggets have locked up their core four.

Aaron Gordon is signing a four-year, $133 million extension that will keep him under contract in Denver through the 2028-29 season if he so chooses, a league source confirmed to The Denver Post. ESPN’s Shams Charania originally reported the news.

Gordon, 29, had a player option looming ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — At Magic media day three weeks ago, Jalen Suggs made his intentions clear regarding his future in Orlando.

“I don’t want to be anywhere else,” the fourth-year pro said at the time.

On Monday, Suggs and the Magic helped him keep track of his goal.

Less than two hours before Monday’s 6 p.m. deadline for 2021 draft ...Read more

ATLANTA — The Hawks and forward Jalen Johnson agreed to an extension, the team announced Monday night.

The team had until 6 p.m. Monday to reach terms with the fourth-year forward or risk negotiations spilling over into free agency, where Johnson would become a restricted free agent. Citing team policy, the Hawks did not disclose the terms of...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The Warriors didn’t come to an agreement with Jonathan Kuminga on a rookie contract extension before Monday’s 3 p.m. deadline.

Kuminga, 22, is now slated to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season. That gives the Warriors the right to match any offer sheet he signs.

Last season, Kuminga made a ...Read more

NEW YORK — In the immediate wake of their overtime loss to the New York Liberty on Sunday night in the deciding game of the WNBA Finals, the Lynx’s reaction was frustration and anger.

Coach Cheryl Reeve entered the postgame media conference ready to talk about what she perceived as an imbalance in calls between the two teams in general and ...Read more

BOSTON — The 2024-25 Boston Celtics are a rarity in the modern NBA: a reigning champion that was able to keep its roster almost entirely intact.

Thirteen of the 15 players from the Celtics team that hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy are back this season, including Joe Mazzulla’s entire playoff rotation. Unsurprisingly, both oddsmakers and ...Read more

CHICAGO — It has been 6 1/2 years since Talen Horton-Tucker helped Simeon win a third consecutive Public League title. Now his feet are firmly planted in Chicago again.

Horton-Tucker always hoped this moment would come. But when he made the opening-day roster for the Chicago Bulls on Monday — earning the final spot — he was surprised by ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — For a person who reveres Ernest Hemingway enough that he named his podcast after "The Old Man and the Sea," rookie Lakers coach JJ Redick should be familiar with one of his favorite author's mantras.

"The first draft of everything is s---."

It's hard to know how much of this Lakers season is a continuation of the draft they ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Lakers open their season Tuesday against Minnesota, the first of a schedule full of games against the best teams in the Western Conference where the margins in the standings are almost assuredly going to be really tight.

Add in a new, high-profile coach in JJ Redick and the game would already be full of enough built-in drama...Read more

Dude really is a basketball sicko for this.

Because who in his right mind would want to begin his coaching career by taking over as head coach of these win-now-somehow Los Angeles Lakers?

JJ Redick must be mad or mad brave or way too confident, and probably all three.

This is a “Rookie of the Year” script, this premise that someone would ...Read more

NEW YORK — Cheryl Reeve dropped a truth bomb on the WNBA Sunday night.

Or was it a stink bomb?

Or are they the same?

The Lynx’s legendary head coach ranted and raged against the league’s officials and other teams after the New York Liberty won Game 5 of the WNBA Finals, 67-62, in overtime, costing Reeve and her franchise a fifth ...Read more

NEW YORK — Breanna Stewart didn’t use the word “bonkers” lightly.

She used it to describe the forthcoming celebrations for her Liberty, whose 67-62 victory over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Sunday night clinched the long-awaited first championship in the original franchise’s 28-year history.

Let the celebrations...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Donte DiVincenzo hasn’t turned 28 but has been on quite the NBA journey, one that has brought him to Minnesota as the right fit at the right time.

How’s that fit? He hits three-pointers. He defends with tenacity. His playmaking ability has Timberwolves coach Chris Finch adjusting duties at the point.

He brings an edge.

“...Read more

ATLANTA — When it’s time to step away and get his mind back to the right place, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels heads to the golf course.

That’s one of the reasons the 21-year-old made sure to find his space just weeks after moving to Atlanta, landing on the Bobby Jones Golf Course. The Hawks acquired Daniels at the end of June when they dealt ...Read more

NEW YORK — It took nearly 11 minutes for Breanna Stewart to score her first points in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals.

Sabrina Ionescu didn’t score hers until after halftime.

And while things never got much better for their two biggest stars, the Liberty found a way to scratch, claw and escape with a 67-62 victory in overtime against the ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — Moses Moody committed to the team that has yet to commit to him on the court.

Moody, 22, agreed to a three-year, $39 million contract extension with the Golden State Warriors, league sources confirmed Sunday night. At roughly $13 million per year, he’ll be under team control for the next four years at below the non-taxpayer ...Read more