LOS ANGELES — Nicolas Batum plans on re-signing with the Clippers on a two-year contract for $11.5 million with a team option for the second season, according to people with knowledge of negotiations not authorized to discuss it publicly.

Batum, 36, had declined his option of $4.9 million with the Clippers for next season that made him an ...Read more

SEATTLE — Nneka Ogwumike will represent the Storm in the WNBA All-Star Game after earning a spot in the starting lineup for the fourth straight year, and second since joining Seattle last year.

This is the 10th All-Star selection for Ogwumike who is tied with Tamika Catchings and Brittney Griner for the most in league history behind Sue Bird ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Clippers got the backup center they have yearned for when Brook Lopez agreed to a two-year, $18-million deal, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Lopez, who spent the last seven seasons with Milwaukee, averaged 13 points, 5.0 rebounds and shot 37.3% from 3-point range.

Lopez will be the ...Read more

CHICAGO — Chicago Sky star Angel Reese will have to wait another week to see if she’s selected as an All-Star for the second consecutive season.

The second-year forward was not one of the 10 starters named Monday for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game on July 19 in Indianapolis.

After last year’s game ahead of the Paris Olympics pitted Team USA...Read more

DENVER — The Nuggets are trading Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 unprotected first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson, a league source told The Denver Post on Monday.

The trade will not officially go through until July 6, a source told The Post. Both players have two years remaining on their current contracts, but Johnson’s $21 ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets have agreed to trade Cam Johnson to the Denver Nuggets for forward Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The unprotected 2032 first-round pick sent by Denver to the Nets was their only available first, further bolstering Brooklyn’s wealth of future draft assets...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — It feels like Caitlin Clark is finally coming to Philadelphia. At least, the tangential ripple from the Caitlin Clark tidal wave is roaring up the Delaware River.

After 28 years, the WNBA finally has committed to launch an expansion team in Philadelphia that will begin play in 2030, thanks to a bid by Harris Blitzer Sports & ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The WNBA is coming to Philadelphia.

The league announced Monday that the city has been awarded an expansion team, which will begin play during the 2030 season. It will be owned and operated by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which also owns the 76ers.

“Philadelphia has long-deserved a WNBA team,” league commissioner...Read more

LAS VEGAS — The Aces acquired 6-foot-4-inch forward NaLyssa Smith from the Dallas Wings on Monday in an attempt to bolster their frontcourt.

The Wings will receive the Aces’ first-round pick in the 2027 WNBA draft. The Aces, with 12 active players on their roster, must waive someone before Smith can take the court.

Smith was the No. 2 ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Candace Curse struck early.

On a day the Sparks retired the jersey of the superstar whose departure has coincided with their five-year funk, Candace Parker nearly missed her pregame news conference.

With a room full of media types eager to write that rare positive Sparks story, Parker got caught in convention traffic and ...Read more

DENVER — Ben Tenzer spent enough hours at his friend’s house for it to qualify as a second residence by high school. When he would eventually return to his actual home, his parents would ask how his day was. The replies always kept them on their toes.

“Oh, it was fun,” Tenzer would say, as his dad, David, remembers the exchanges usually...Read more

Imagine if your dentist paused late in your next appointment and said: “I know you’re brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing every night. I understand that, but I value a cavity-free visit.”

Would you be confused? Would you wonder if your dentist was about to hawk some new anti-cavity miracle mouthwash?

Or what if your high school ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Memo to Mark Walter:

Check your swing.

Now that you're the majority owner of the Lakers, everyone is expecting you to whack their two most prominent leaders in hopes of transforming the basketball team into your baseball team, but you should instead initially act in terms your Dodgers would understand.

Take a pitch.

Keep Rob ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Since Kevin Durant won’t be sitting in the locker next to Anthony Edwards next season, he should find someone new to emulate.

I have just the role model for him: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Sunday night, Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA championship. This season, SGA won the scoring title, the MVP ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — When Candace Parker was on the court, the Sparks were dominant. On the afternoon her jersey was retired, they had a chance to channel that energy — but the Sparks were anything but overpowering.

In a matchup between the two franchises Parker led to WNBA titles — the Sparks and Chicago Sky — her hometown team played spoiler...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Clippers executives were serious when they said they had not soured on James Harden’s future with the franchise after an underwhelming postseason performance.

Harden declined his player option for $36 million with the Clippers on Sunday and intends to sign a two-year deal with the team for $81.5 million, league sources with ...Read more

DETROIT — FBI agents in New York have launched a wire fraud investigation of Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley related to gambling and prop bets, The Detroit News has learned.

The investigation involving one of the top NBA unrestricted free agents this offseason has been underway for about 18 months and is being overseen by the U.S. ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Lakers superstar LeBron James will once again make NBA history by playing in his 23rd NBA season.

James exercised his player option for $52.6 million to play for the Lakers during the 2025-26 season, his agent and CEO of Klutch Sports Rich Paul told The Los Angeles Times Sunday morning.

James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer,...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jusuf Nurkić’s tenure with the Charlotte Hornets was rather brief.

Just days after sending Mark Williams to the Phoenix Suns for the rights to Liam McNeeley, the Hornets agreed to trade Nurkić to the Utah Jazz for guard Collin Sexton and a 2031 second-round pick, league sources confirmed to The Charlotte Observer Sunday....Read more