NBA

5:56 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN The Philadelphia 76ers are creating a new development company that will spearhead a $1.3 billion project to build a privately funded arena in the city’s downtown, the team announced Thursday morning. While the 76ers don’t plan to be in the arena until the 2031-32 season — the season after the

7:10 PM ET Philadelphia 76ers free agent star James Harden is returning to the franchise on a new two-year, $68.6 million contract, including a player option for the 2023-24 season, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. The deal guarantees Harden $33 million for next season and the opportunity to decline his $35.6 million player option and

2:04 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Charlotte Hornets restricted free agent Miles Bridges pleaded not guilty to three felony domestic violence charges during his arraignment Wednesday morning in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Bridges has been accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children last month, and the three felony charges were

8:00 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN LAS VEGAS — IT’S the final game of opening night at the Thomas & Mack Center, and the crowd — some Detroit Pistons fans, some Portland Trail Blazers fans and the rest just folks itching for some sports action in the middle of the offseason — arises in jubilation on

8:58 PM ET ESPN News Services LOS ANGELES — Charlotte Hornets restricted free agent Miles Bridges is facing three felony domestic violence charges after being accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children last month, the Los Angeles County district attorney said Tuesday. District Attorney George Gascon said his office filed one

4:35 PM ET Andrew Wiggins made his first All-Star team this year and was a crucial part of the Golden State Warriors‘ run to the NBA title, but he still regrets one thing he did this season. “I still wish I didn’t get [vaccinated], to be honest with you,” Wiggins told FanSided. At the start

10:48 PM ET Marc J. Spears Deandre Ayton says he gained generational wealth that can help his family and many others after signing a four-year, $133 million maximum contract extension to return to the Phoenix Suns on Monday. But there was also a business lesson involved, too, for the young center as the contract initially

4:30 PM ET Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kenrich Williams has agreed on a four-year, $27.2 million contract extension, sources told ESPN on Monday. The deal, negotiated by Pensack Sports, is a remarkable punctuation for an undrafted player who had no Division I scholarship offers out of high school. Williams has often told people that he

12:12 PM ET James Harden isn’t playing hardball in contract talks with the Philadelphia 76ers; he just wants “whatever is left over.” “I had conversations with [team president] Daryl [Morey], and it was explained how we could get better and what the market value was for certain players. I told Daryl to improve the roster,

5:27 PM ET Associated Press LAS VEGAS — Brandon Williams scored 22 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to an 85-77 victory over the New York Knicks in the NBA summer league championship on Sunday. It marked the third time Portland played in the championship game since 2017, and its second title since. The

4:31 PM ET The Utah Jazz have agreed to a two-year, $6.25 million guaranteed deal with Italian forward Simone Fontecchio, his agent, Sam Goldfeder of Excel Sports, told ESPN on Sunday. Fontecchio, 26, is considered the best available international small forward prospect. He averaged 11.9 points for Baskonia of the Spanish ACB last season and

8:00 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN After 10 days of play in the desert, the NBA 2K23 Summer League championship game will take place Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas (3 p.m. ET on ESPN). This year saw the debut of several lottery picks for the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets, and the return of the Golden

7:31 PM ET The Drew League, a pro-am summer basketball league based in Los Angeles, has had its share of NBA players show up to dazzle fans and opponents alike. But, for the first time since 2011, when the NBA was shut down due to a lockout, LeBron James took the floor to put on

10:52 PM ET LOS ANGELES — LeBron James scored 42 points in a successful return to the Drew League while teaming up with DeMar DeRozan for a 104-102 win in L.A.’s famed pro-am basketball league Saturday. Longtime Drew League commissioner Dino Smiley told ESPN he expected Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving to play in the

1:25 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Kyrie Irving is expected to play in Los Angeles’ famed Drew League on Saturday, the commissioner of the pro-am basketball league, Dino Smiley, told ESPN. However, he is not scheduled to play at the same time as LeBron James, according to Smiley. Irving is scheduled to play at 11

1:31 AM ET The San Antonio Spurs and forward Keldon Johnson have agreed to a four-year, $80 million extension, his representative Klutch Sports Agency announced Friday night. Johnson, 22, started 74 games for the Spurs in his third season, averaging a career-high 17.1 points while shooting 39.8 percent from 3-point range. Friday’s agreement comes two

10:25 PM ET Los Angeles Lakers star Russell Westbrook and his longtime agent, Thad Foucher of Wasserman, have parted ways, Foucher told ESPN on Friday night. In a statement to ESPN, Foucher, one of the league’s prominent player representatives, cited “irreconcilable differences” and suggested that there was no longer full alignment with Westbrook about whether

10:00 PM ET Free agent guard Austin Rivers has agreed on a one-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, his agents, Dave Spahn and Aaron Mintz of CAA Sports, told ESPN on Thursday. Rivers joins the Timberwolves after playing 67 games for the Denver Nuggets a season ago. New Minnesota president of basketball operations Tim Connelly