Former NBA Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams will miss the start of the new season after undergoing ankle surgery.
The Orlando Magic confirmed the guard had surgery on his left ankle on Monday to have a bone fragment removed and a ligament repaired.
The 29-year-old, who was the 2014 Rookie of the Year, is expected to make a full recovery although no precise timeframe has been provided on his return.
Carter-Williams will miss the start of the new season which starts on October 19 with his return dependent on how he responds to treatment and rehabilitation.
The former pick 11 played 31 games for the Magic last season, averaging 8.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
Jamahl Mosley has taken over from Steve Clifford as Magic head coach after they finished 14th in the Eastern Conference with a 21-51 record last season.
Milwaukee Bucks superstar and NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo purchased a stake in the Milwaukee Brewers, the MLB franchise announced on Friday.
After leading the Bucks to their first NBA title in 50 years, Finals MVP Antetokounmpo is now part of the Brewers' ownership group in Milwaukee.
Antetokounmpo follows in the footsteps of star Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes by buying into the city's baseball team – the 2018 NFL MVP invested in MLB outfit the Kansas City Royals in 2020 before joining the ownership group of MLS side Sporting Kansas City this year.
"The city of Milwaukee means so much to me," two-time NBA MVP Antetokounmpo said.
"I am honoured to be joining the Brewers ownership group to further my commitment and dedication to this great community.
"I take great pride in my city and I'm excited about what we can build together."
Antetokounmpo finished the NBA Finals averaging 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. LeBron James for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015 (35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists) is the only other player to average 35, 10 and five in a Finals series.
After Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon, Antetokounmpo is the third player to win a regular season MVP award, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP across his career.
Antetokounmpo added during Friday's news conference: "Man, this is unbelievable.
"This is a dream come true for a kid from Sepolia, Athens, Greece, born from immigrant parents. I could have never imagined I would be in this position.''
Antetokounmpo is the first new individual investor added to the Brewers ownership group since chairman Mark Attanasio purchased controlling interest in 2005.
"We are honoured to have Giannis join our team of Milwaukee Brewers investors," Attanasio said. "Giannis is a great athlete, a world champion, and a true local hero with international renown."
The Brewers – NL Central champions in 2011 and 2018 – are eyeing their first National League pennant and World Series title.
Kevin Durant and Draymond Green blamed Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and the franchise's management for mishandling the pair's infamous on-court spat, which led to the former leaving the team.
Durant and Green were involved in a heated verbal exchange against the Los Angeles Clippers in November 2018, with the argument reportedly continuing in the locker room post-game.
Green was suspended for one game by the Warriors as a result.
Durant eventually departed the Warriors via free agency at the end of the season, joining the Brooklyn Nets.
Warriors team-mates from 2016 to 2019 – winning two NBA championships, Durant and Green spoke about the incident.
"It wasn't the argument," Durant said on Bleacher Report show 'Chips' when asked how much the argument contributed in his decision to leave Golden State.
"It was the way that everybody -- Steve Kerr -- acted like it didn't happen. [General manager] Bob Myers tried to just discipline you [Green] and think that would put the mask over everything."
Green recalled: "'Y'all are about to f*** this up. I said, 'The only person that can make this right is me and K [Durant]. And there is nothing that y'all can do, and y'all are going to f*** this up.' And in my opinion, they f***** it up."
"I think so too," responded Durant, who averaged 26.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists with the Warriors in 2018-19 before suffering an Achilles injury in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Durant added: "I remember watching 'The Last Dance,' and when Scottie [Pippen] didn't go into the game, the whole team in the locker room said, 'Scottie, that was f***** up that you did that.'
"We needed that. We just needed to throw all of that s*** on the table and say, 'Yo Dray, K, that was f***** up that we even had to go through that.'
"Let's just wipe our hands with that and go finish the task. ... I didn't think we did that. We just tried to dance around it. I just didn't like, just the vibe between all of that, it just made s*** weird to me."
Four-time NBA All-Star Kemba Walker says he is driven to prove he is still among the league's top echelon following his trade to the New York Knicks.
The 31-year-old point guard joined the Knicks on a two-year deal after two seasons with the Boston Celtics, following his career-best year at the Charlotte Hornets in 2018-19.
Walker was an All-Star for the four seasons from 2017 to 2020, but last season battled knee injuries hampering his form and ability to establish continuity.
He only played 43 games, averaging 19.3 points [his lowest return since 2014-15], 4.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.
New York-born Walker fronted the media for the first time since his trade to the Knicks and insisted he is highly motivated to prove his quality.
"It means everything," Walker said. "It's driving everything. Because I know what kind of player I am.
"I know what level I want to be at. It's added motivation."
Walker said it was the "perfect time" to return to his native New York and he was encouraged by the Knicks' belief in him.
The Knicks made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2013, bowing out 4-1 in the first round to the Atlanta Hawks.
"It's an unbelievable feeling to be able to come home," Walker said.
"As far as added pressure, I don't think so. As long as I'm in a great environment around great people I'll be fine."
Veteran Patrick Beverley has been traded for the second time in two days with the Memphis Grizzlies sending the point guard to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The 33-year-old played a key part in the Los Angeles Clippers' 2021 playoffs campaign, marking Devin Booker closely in their Western Conference finals against the Phoenix Suns.
Beverley was also ejected from Game 6 of the series following a forceful push on Chris Paul during a stoppage.
The Grizzlies had acquired Beverley from the Clippers in a trade that sent Eric Bledsoe to Los Angeles on Sunday but Memphis made another move on Tuesday.
Beverley has been traded to the Timberwolves in exchange for guard Jarrett Culver and forward Juancho Hernangomez.
Chicago-born Beverley had been with the Clippers since 2017 but lost his starting spot in the 2021 playoffs to Reggie Jackson.
Beverley averaged 7.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in the 2020-21 NBA season but was more known for his defensive hustle.
Joel Embiid will sign a four-year, $196million supermax extension with the Philadelphia 76ers following his near-MVP efforts in 2020-21.
Widespread reports detailed the deal on Tuesday, which rewards an outstanding season for the All-Star center.
Embiid became eligible for the extension after finishing second in the MVP voting and making the All-NBA Second Team.
But for injury, the big man might have scooped the top award, for which he was the favourite until a knee problem in March.
The 76ers were only 10-11 without Embiid, but their 39-12 record with their outstanding star on the floor was enough to finish first in the Eastern Conference.
Embiid's 28.5 points per game were a career high and ranked fourth in the NBA despite the ongoing knee issue – a torn meniscus, which he played with into the postseason – limiting the former third overall pick to 31.1 minutes.
Per 75 possessions, his 32.9 points led the league, boosted by improvement in field-goal percentage (51.3), three-point percentage (37.7) and accuracy from the foul line (85.9 per cent).
Embiid's new deal, which runs through the 2026-27 season, reportedly includes a player option for the final year, although the Sixers do not have the same protection in case of further injuries.
Embiid is yet to play more than 64 games in a regular season in the NBA, with the start to his career delayed by two years due to foot surgery.
Marcus Smart and the Boston Celtics have agreed to a maximum-value four-year contract extension.
Smart will make $77million in the deal, which begins with the 2022-23 NBA season, according to reports by ESPN and The Athletic.
Smart posted a video of highlights from his Celtics career on his Instagram page Monday with the comment "Let's go 4 more..."
The 27-year-old has spent his entire seven-year NBA career with the Celtics after they selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 2014 draft.
He averaged a career-best 13.1 points and 5.7 assists per game last season.
Smart is set to make $14.3m next season, the last in his existing deal.
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