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• James Harden to re-sign with Los Angeles Clippers

  While the Los Angeles Clippers wait for a decision from one of their star players, another will be returning.

  Multiple outlets reported Sunday that the Clippers and James Harden agreed to a two-year, $70 million contract just prior to the start of the NBA's free agency period.

  The second year of the deal will be a player option, according to Yahoo Sports.

  Harden returns for his first full season in Los Angeles after being acquired by the Clippers from the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 1. Playing alongside the also-accomplished duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the 10-time All-Star averaged 16.6 points and 8.5 assists while shooting 38.1 per cent from 3-point range over 72 regular-season games.

  The 2017-18 NBA MVP helped the Clippers to a 51-31 record and the fourth seed in the Western Conference play-offs, though Los Angeles was ousted in six games by the eventual NBA Finals participant Dallas Mavericks in the first round.

  Harden's re-signing brings some stability to what could be an uncertain offseason for the Clippers, as ESPN reported Saturday that George has declined his $48.7 million player option for next season to test free agency.

  George is planning to meet with the 76ers and Orlando Magic in addition to the Clippers in the coming days, according to ESPN.

  Harden is coming off a turbulent offseason of his own following a very public falling out with the 76ers and general manager Daryl Morey last summer, which prompted the 34-year-old to request a trade. After sitting out the early part of last season, Harden eventually had his request granted when Morey dealt the disgruntled point guard to the Clippers, his preferred destination, in a seven-player trade.

  Though the three-time NBA scoring champion posted his lowest points-per-game output since 2010-11 last season, he averaged 21.2 points per game during the Dallas play-off series and the Clippers went 46-26 with him on the court during the regular season. 

• Pistons reportedly hire Bickerstaff as coach

  J. B. Bickerstaff helped transform a fledgling franchise into a contender in his last job.

  The Pistons are hoping he can do the same in Detroit.

  The Pistons hired Bickerstaff as coach on Sunday, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

  Terms of the deal were not reported.

  Bickerstaff becomes Detroit's third coach in as many seasons after Monty Williams was fired on June 19 after going an NBA-worst 14-68 in only season on the sidelines.

   

  The Pistons had given Williams a six-year, $78.5million contract last June after he was fired by the Phoenix Suns following the 2022-23 season.

  At the time, the deal was the richest ever for an NBA head coach.

  Under Williams, however, Detroit struggled mightily, setting an NBA single-season record by losing 28 straight games after opening 2-1.

  The Pistons have finished in last place in the Central Division each of the last four seasons and have missed the play-offs 13 of the last 15 seasons. They haven't won a play-off series since 2008.

  Detroit is desperate for a change in direction having been in turmoil for more than a decade, and Bickerstaff recently helped turn a struggling franchise around, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first play-off series win in six years last month.

  Despite reaching the second round of the play-offs, the Cavaliers fired Bickerstaff on May 23.

  In five seasons in Cleveland, Bickerstaff went 170-159 and led the franchise to the play-offs each of the last two years. He was under contract through 2026.

  In 2023-24, the 45-year-old Bickerstaff helped direct Cleveland to a 48-34 record and the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference play-offs.

  The Cavs then beat the Orlando Magic in the first round for the franchise's first play-off series win since the team lost to the Golden State Warriors in the 2018 NBA Finals. It also marked Cleveland's first trip to the conference semi-finals without LeBron James on the roster since 1992-93.

  The Cavs' season ended in the conference semis, where they lost to the future NBA-champion Boston Celtics in five games.

  Bickerstaff's team, however, was significantly undermanned with five-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell missing the final two games against the Celtics with a left calf strain and fellow All-Star Jarrett Allen missing the last eight play-off games due to a right rib contusion.

  Bickerstaff now joins a young Pistons team that includes 2021 No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham and the fifth overall pick of this year's draft, Ron Holland II.

• Pelicans acquiring star guard Murray from Hawks

  The New Orleans Pelicans are acquiring star guard Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks for forward Larry Nance Jr, guard Dyson Daniels and two first-round picks, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday.

  The move comes two days after the Hawks selected French prospect Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft on Wednesday.

  According to sources, the picks the Pelicans are sending Atlanta are a 2025 first round pick via the Lakers and a 2027 first round pick, which is the least favorable between Milwaukee and New Orleans.

  Murray, 27, spent two seasons with the Hawks after he was acquired from San Antonio in July 2022 for three first-round picks. He averaged 21.5 points across 152 games with Atlanta, but the team struggled to a 77-87 record and failed to make the playoffs this past season with a 36-46 mark.

  Murray – a 2022 NBA All-Star - averaged a career-high 22.5 points last season to go with 5.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists. He shot 45.9 percent from the field and made a career-high 201 3-pointers.

  He joins a loaded Pelicans team that went 49-33 last season and already has Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum.

  Atlanta gets multiple first round picks in the deal along with a young player (Daniels) and a veteran role player (Nance Jr.).

  Daniels was the eighth overall pick in 2022 and averaged 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds last season. Nance is a nine-year veteran that averaged 5.7 points and 5 rebounds in 61 games last season for New Orleans.