1:58 PM ET Associated Press CAMDEN, N.J. — Doc Rivers tried to play Ben Simmons‘ return to the Philadelphia 76ers cool, just introducing the petulant point guard to the team at practice with a joke like the coach would use for any other NBA player back from a drawn-out absence. “That’s how it is,” Rivers

4:45 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN THIBODAUX, La. — For roughly an hour, the New Orleans Pelicans mostly rode in silence as they traveled to Nicholls State University for an open practice. The drive from the practice facility in the suburb of Metairie out to the campus is among one of the hardest-hit areas of the

Oct 15, 2021 After architecting the franchise’s first NBA championship in 50 years, Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst has received a long-term contract extension. Horst had one year left on his contract, and his new multiyear deal — finalized Friday morning with his agent, Brian Elfus, and team officials — was announced by the

Oct 16, 2021 SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry looks primed for another run at the third MVP award of his career. The 33-year-old guard scored 41 points during Friday’s 119-97 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, the final preseason game before Tuesday’s regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples

Oct 14, 2021 Kevin Durant said he wishes “none of this stuff would happen” but that he isn’t upset that Kyrie Irving is not with the Brooklyn Nets. Durant said he has not spoken to Irving since the Nets decided on Tuesday that their starting point guard will not practice or play with the team

5:15 PM ET ESPN News Services The Sacramento Kings are exercising the third-year option on guard Tyrese Haliburton, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday. Haliburton averaged 13.0 points, 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals in 58 games last season and was named to the NBA All-Rookie first team. He suffered a season-ending knee injury

Oct 14, 2021 Tim BontempsESPN The Charlotte Hornets signed guard LiAngelo Ball to a nonguaranteed contract Thursday and waived him Friday, paving the way for him to eventually sign with their G League team, a source confirmed to ESPN. Friday’s move was made as a precursor to Ball — who averaged 9.6 points, 2.0 rebounds

Oct 14, 2021 The Houston Rockets signed guard Armoni Brooks to a multiyear contract Thursday. Terms were not announced, but sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Brooks signed a four-year deal that includes a guaranteed first year, plus trigger dates on guarantees for successive years. Brooks, 23, has been one of Houston’s top perimeter shooters

10:02 AM ET Given the league’s high vaccination rate, the NBA’s primary form of COVID-19 detection this season will center on designated team officials — largely members of the medical staff — using small, at-home, molecular-based testing devices that can return results in 20 minutes. The NBA will still rely on lab-based testing in many

8:00 AM ET FIFTY-FIVE MINUTES before tipoff at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook take the court for a joint workout that Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy guides. “We’ve been tied at the hip, pretty much, since we made the acquisition,” James says of Westbrook at media day. “We’re