NBA

The Cleveland Cavaliers are planning to trade or waive 2019 first-round pick Kevin Porter Jr., sources confirmed to ESPN. Porter hasn’t played and has largely been away from the team this season for what has been termed personal reasons. He was working his way back and attended his first game Friday night when the Cavs

Despite reeling with six remaining healthy players, the Washington Wizards are hopeful they can resume practicing as soon as Wednesday — nine days after the franchise’s last game amid a coronavirus outbreak within the team, sources told ESPN on Monday. Through a difficult stretch of seven positive coronavirus tests among players — a player and

DENVER — The struggling Denver Nuggets are expected to be without Michael Porter Jr. for a 10th straight game Tuesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of coronavirus protocols. Coach Michael Malone said after practice Monday that Porter could join the team on a five-game trip that begins Friday in Phoenix. The Nuggets (6-7)

LOS ANGELES — The LA Clippers have blown big leads, have had key players in and out of the lineup and have even suffered a 51-point loss this season. But unlike during last season’s collapse in the playoffs, the Clippers said their chemistry and energy is vastly improved. Without Serge Ibaka and Lou Williams, the

Oddsmakers had been contemplating what the line would be on an AFC Championship Game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs for days. Yet, on Sunday afternoon, after the matchup was set, the opening line ranged wildly, from Chiefs -4 to Bills -2.5, at sportsbooks around the globe. That’s what the injury to

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has revealed that he received the COVID-19 vaccine and is encouraging others to consider doing the same. The Basketball Hall of Famer and the NBA’s all-time scoring leader has taped a short message that will be aired beginning Monday during broadcasts of games played on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. The

After 17 years with Coca-Cola, pitching a variety of products, LeBron James is signing with rival PepsiCo, sources confirmed to ESPN. The Los Angeles Lakers star is expected to promote the Mountain Dew brand, which has become one of the NBA’s prime sponsors after PepsiCo took over as the league’s official beverage partner in 2015.

After his playoff struggles in the NBA bubble, LA Clippers guard Paul George said he had to come back “with vengeance” this season to address the fact that “people saw weakness” in him. A highly motivated George continued his torrid start to the season by making 8 of 14 shots and scoring 26 points to

NEW YORK — James Harden will make his debut with the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night against the Orlando Magic. Harden, who was traded to Brooklyn by the Houston Rockets as a part of a four-team deal earlier this week, will start for the Nets, coach Steve Nash said. It will be Harden’s first on-court

MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo has a plan to end his growing struggles from the foul line. “It’s simple,” the reigning two-time MVP said Friday night after making just one of his 10 free throws in a 112-109 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. “Just go back. Shoot more. Focus on your technique. Take it step by

NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving will miss his sixth consecutive game Saturday against the Orlando Magic. While Irving has expressed a desire to return to play, sources said, his extended absence from the court requires a period of ramping up basketball activities. Irving has not played in a game since Jan. 5.

10:45 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN In his first game after ultimately not being included in a trade for James Harden, All-Star Ben Simmons had a triple-double — 10 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists — in 34 minutes Thursday to lead the 76ers to a 125-108 victory over the Miami Heat in Philadelphia. Afterward, he

NEW YORK — Without divulging details on Kyrie Irving‘s nonattendance over the past five games, Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks said that it was disappointing to be without their All-Star guard but that Irving has assured him he’s looking forward to being back. “Without a doubt, the organization is disappointed with not having any

8:15 PM ET Kelly CohenESPN Chances are if you are a sports fan, you’ve seen the name James Harden trending across social media this week. Harden was traded by the Houston Rockets on Wednesday to the Brooklyn Nets in a four-team megadeal that also sent Caris LeVert to the Indiana Pacers and Victor Oladipo, among

The Boston Celtics expect their unplanned weeklong hiatus because of coronavirus-related issues to end Friday, when they’re scheduled to play host to the Orlando Magic. Celtics general manager Danny Ainge, in a radio interview Thursday, said, “It looks like we’re moving in the right direction.” Boston had three games that would have been played between

Dallas Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis considered his season debut a solid first step. Porzingis scored 16 points on 6-of-16 shooting in the Mavs’ 104-93 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday. Porzingis was limited to 21 minutes in his return after missing the first four weeks of the season while recovering from October surgery

3:55 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN Zion Williamson did not play in Wednesday night’s 111-106 loss to the LA Clippers because of the league’s health and safety protocols, the New Orleans Pelicans announced Wednesday afternoon. It is unclear whether Williamson will miss more than one game. “He had inconclusive [COVID-19 test] results and the timing became

Jan 12, 2021 Malika Andrews Close ESPN Staff Writer Staff Writer Joined ESPN in 2018 Appears regularly on ESPN Chicago 1000 Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 As the NBA is reviewing videos circulating on social media of a maskless Kyrie Irving at what appears to