9:12 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN The NBA announced the structure and format for the 2020-21 season Tuesday night, including how exactly the upcoming schedule will be released. The schedule will be released in two halves — what the league is calling the First Half and the Second Half. The schedule for the First Half of

3:20 PM ET Eric WoodyardESPN LaMelo Ball’s sales pitch on why he should go No. 1 in the 2020 NBA draft is simple. “I feel like I’m born for this,” Ball declared during Tuesday’s media availability. The projected top selection also confirmed that he conducted workouts in front of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors,

1:05 PM ET Portland Trail Blazers forward Rodney Hood is declining his $6M player option and becoming a free agent, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Hood, 28, tore his left Achilles tendon in December 2019. With nearly a year of recovery time, Hood can play right away with a new team. The injury cut short

8:55 PM ET Small forward DeMar DeRozan has exercised his player option for the upcoming season and will remain with the San Antonio Spurs, the team announced. “I’m back San Antonio!” DeRozan said in a tweet sent by the team. “Looking forward to training camp and building on the high level of play we showed

1:34 PM ET Dallas Mavericks star big man Kristaps Porzingis will be sidelined to begin the season as he continues to rehabilitate from surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee, according to Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson. The Mavs have targeted Jan. 1 as the date that Porzingis would be cleared

3:39 PM ET Memphis big man James Wiseman said he has not spoken to the Minnesota Timberwolves in advance of Wednesday night’s NBA draft. The acknowledgement is notable because the Timberwolves have the first pick in the draft, and Wiseman is expected to be one of the first players selected. Wiseman said during a Monday

1:17 PM ET Adrian WojnarowskiSenior NBA Insider Close Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 Follow on Twitter Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email print The Phoenix Suns are finalizing a deal to acquire Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star guard Chris Paul, sources told ESPN. The deal sends Paul and Abdel Nader to the

9:52 PM ET Fresh off a championship in his first season as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, All-Star big man Anthony Davis has declined to pick up the final year on his contract and will enter into free agency this week, multiple league sources confirmed to ESPN on Sunday. Davis, 27, averaged 27.7

11:06 AM ET Ahead of the lifting of the transaction window on Monday afternoon, the Los Angeles Lakers intend to acquire Oklahoma City guard Dennis Schroder, sources told ESPN. The deal can be formally agreed to in principle Monday and finalized after the NBA draft on Wednesday night. As part of the trade, the Lakers

1:29 PM ET Associated Press CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers said they have spoken to guard Kevin Porter Jr. following his arrest early Sunday on a weapon charge. Porter, a 2019 first-round draft pick, faces a charge of improperly handling a firearm in a vehicle, according to Mahoning County sheriff records. He was released on