LeBron James' immediate future with the Los Angeles Lakers is in no doubt, so says the superstar's agent.

There had been speculation that James, 39, could leave the Lakers ahead of next week's trade deadline.

But his agent Rich Paul insisted that those rumours are wide of the mark.

"LeBron won't be traded, and we aren't asking to be," Paul told ESPN.

James missed the Lakers' win over the Boston Celtics on Thursday due to injury. He posted an hourglass emoji on social media following a loss to the Atlanta Hawks, which only increased the speculation over his future.

The four-time NBA champion has a $51.4 million player option in his Lakers contract for next season.

The Philadelphia 76ers are sending wantaway James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers, according to reports.

Harden has been in a dispute with the 76ers, and missed their opening game of the season – a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks – and their second fixture, a win over the Toronto Raptors.

The 10-time All-Star and returned to the roster for the win over the Portland Trail Blazers, watching on from the bench as Joel Embiid led Philadelphia to victory.

Now, the dispute between the 34-year-old and the 76ers will come to an end, with Harden heading to the Clippers.

Philadelphia have elected to send Harden, P.J. Tucker and Filip Petrusev to Los Angeles. In return, they will receive Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nic Batum, KJ Martin, a 2028 unprotected first-round pick, two second-round picks, a 2029 pick swap and a first-round pick that can be routed from a third team.

The NBA opened an investigation into whether Harden's absence from the 76ers' season opener was a violation of the league's player participation policy. 

ESPN reported that Harden is delighted to be joining the Clippers, where he will team up with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. There will also be a reunion with Russell Westbrook, who Harden played alongside for the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Harden joined the 76ers in 2022, after a frustrating stint with the Brooklyn Nets.

The 2018 NBA MVP averaged 21 points, 10.7 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game last season.

Damian Lillard will be tasked with helping the Milwaukee Bucks return to the top of the NBA after his trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. 

Star guard Lillard signed for the Bucks on Wednesday in a three-way trade – which also included the Phoenix Suns – that saw Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara on the move too.

Lillard leaves Portland after 11 years with the Trail Blazers. He is a seven-time All-Star and enjoyed a career-best season in 2022-23, averaging 32.2 points and 7.3 assists, though he did sit out the final month of the season due to injury.

Now, the Bucks – the 2021 NBA Champions – will be hoping that Lillard can combine with two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to push them towards another title, following a disappointing first-round exit at the hands of the Miami Heat in last season's playoffs.

Fast Fact

Despite missing the last 10 games of the season, Lillard (1,866) was Portland's highest points scorer last term by over 500, with Anfernee Simons next best for the Trail Blazers with 1,306.

Lillard a difference-maker

"His character, competitiveness, talent and experience complement our group and gives us the best chance to win at the very highest level as we create new memories together," Bucks general manager Jon Horst said of Lillard.

So, does Lillard have what it takes to make the difference for the Bucks?

Lillard leaves Portland as a franchise great. He ranks first in team history in points and three-pointers and second in assists. Including the playoffs, he had 17 games with 50+ points for the Blazers. All other players in franchise history have only combined for seven 50-point games. He is a big-game player, and he should help ease the burden on Antetokounmpo.

Alabama All-American forward Brandon Miller will enter the NBA draft.

The decision, which was reported on Thursday, comes as no surprise for the 20-year-old Miller, who excelled on the basketball court but was also associated with a major off-the-court situation as he was involved in a fatal shooting in January.

A projected top-5 pick in the draft, the 6-foot-9 Miller averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds while connecting on 38 per cent of his shots from 3-point range in leading Alabama to the SEC regular-season and conference title.

He helped the Crimson Tide to their first No.1 ranking in The AP poll in 20 years and first No.1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

A groin injury late in the season slowed his production in the NCAA Tournament, and Alabama were ousted by San Diego State in the Sweet 16.

Miller played in all 37 games for Alabama this past season despite his involvement with a fatal shooting on January 15.

According to police testimony, Miller brought the gun belonging to former Alabama player Darius Miles to Miles, and Miles and another man were charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Jamea Harris.

Miller’s attorney said Miller never handled the gun and did not know Miles' intension.

Miller was never charged with a crime and was not punished by the team.

The decision by Crimson Tide coach Nate Oates to allow Miller to continue to play as the school was in the midst of an historic season was criticised by countless pundits.

The New York Jets have added a wide receiver while getting rid of another, agreeing to a one-year contract with free agent Mecole Hardman and trading Elijah Moore to the Cleveland Browns.

According to NFL.com, New York will receive the Browns' second-round pick (42 overall) in this year's draft and will send Cleveland their third-round selection (74 overall) for Moore, who showed promise as a rookie in 2021 but had his role diminished this past season and requested a trade in October.

Moore became expendable after the Jets struck a deal with Hardman that could be worth up to $6.5million. The former Kansas City Chief joins a revamped receivers corps that also includes ex-Green Bay Packer Allen Lazard, who agreed to a four-year, $44m contract last week.

Swapping Moore also allows New York to boost its draft capital for a much-rumoured trade for four-time NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Lazard's former Green Bay team-mate.

Hardman figures to replace Moore as the Jets' primary slot receiver and recorded career highs of 59 catches and 693 receiving yards in 2021.

The four-year veteran's numbers dropped to 25 receptions and 297 yards last season as he missed nine games with an abdominal injury that later required surgery, causing him to miss most of the Chiefs' playoff run to their second Super Bowl title in four years.

A second-round pick in the 2021 draft, Moore caught 43 passes for 538 yards and a team-high five touchdowns during his rookie year but began to be phased out of the offense after the first four games of last season. The soon-to-be 23-year-old had just 22 catches, 254 receiving yards and one touchdown over the Jets' final 13 games.

Moore was also benched for one game after reportedly getting into a heated disagreement with then-offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur in October, which prompted a trade request the Jets would not grant at the time.

He now joins a Cleveland team in need of a slot receiver to pair with 2022 starters Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones. 

The Browns are now without a pick until the 74th selection of the upcoming draft. Cleveland previously traded their first and third-round choices to Houston in the deal that sent quarterback Deshaun Watson from the Texans to the Browns. 

The New York Giants are trading for star Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller.

The move was reported on Tuesday, with the Giants sending a third-round pick to Vegas in the deal.

That 100th overall pick was originally sent to the Giants by the Kansas City Chiefs when they traded for Kadarius Toney last year.

Waller, a Pro Bowler in 2020, had been on the Raiders since he was signed off the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad in 2018.

The tight end established himself as a starter in 2019, the first of two consecutive 1,100-yard seasons.

He had the most catches among all tight ends in 2020 (107), ranked second for receiving yards (1,196) and third for receiving touchdowns (nine).

But Waller was limited to 17 starts over the next two seasons, restricted by knee, back and hamstring injuries.

With two years remaining on the contract that made him the best-paid tight end in the league last year, Waller will take his talents to New York.

He gives Daniel Jones – the quarterback who just signed a four-year, $160million extension – an established receiving target.

Darius Slayton had the most receiving yards among the Giants' pass catchers last year, but the wide receiver could move on in free agency.

The next time star cornerback Jalen Ramsey suits up in the NFL it will be for the Miami Dolphins.

The Los Angeles Rams have agreed to trade Ramsey to the Dolphins in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2023 draft, as well as tight end Hunter Long.

The trade was agreed to on Sunday but cannot be made official until the new league year begins on Wednesday.

As part of the deal, Ramsey's salary will be guaranteed at $36.9million over the next two seasons.

The 28-year-old just completed his seventh season in the NFL and is still considered one of the top cornerbacks in the league.

The fifth overall pick of the 2016 draft, Ramsey was named to his sixth Pro Bowl in 2022 as he compiled four interceptions, two sacks, three forced fumbles and 18 passes defensed while playing in all 17 games.

An instrumental part to the Rams' Super Bowl championship in 2021, Ramsey now joins a Dolphins team who went 9-8 to make the playoffs last season but had the sixth-worst passing defense, yielding an average of 234.8 pass yards per game.

In his career, the three-time All-Pro has 19 interceptions, seven forced fumbles and 92 passes defensed.

The Carolina Panthers have agreed a blockbuster trade with the Chicago Bears to put them in position to take a leading quarterback with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

It had already been reported the Bears would be open to offers for the number one pick.

And ESPN's Adam Schefter said on Friday an agreement had been reached with the Panthers.

In return, the Bears are set to receive two first-round picks – number nine this year and a first-round selection next year – along with this year's 61st pick, a further second-round pick in 2025 and wide receiver DJ Moore.

The Bears look to already have their QB of the future in Justin Fields but will now have the opportunity to build around him.

Meanwhile, the Panthers will likely look at either Bryce Young of Alabama or C.J. Stroud of Ohio State.

Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker each had opportunities as the Panthers' starter in 2022, yet none of the trio impressed.

Whoever Carolina take with the first pick will head into their rookie season without the team's top target from last year as Moore instead links up with Fields.

Moore led the team in receptions (63), receiving yards (888) and receiving touchdowns (seven). No Bears receiver topped any of those marks.

Those seven TDs were a career high, although Moore had topped 1,100 receiving yards in each of the previous three seasons.

Jonathan Quick was reported to be unhappy with the trade that took him away from the Los Angeles Kings this week, but he was soon back at the top of the Pacific Division.

Goaltender Quick was included in a trade deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets as the Kings moved for Joonas Korpisalo.

A two-time Stanley Cup champion in LA, Quick paid the price for a difficult season but was said to have remained in the city amid frustration at his departure.

Rather than heading to Columbus, he will instead make the shorter trip to Las Vegas after the Golden Knights agreed their own trade with the Blue Jackets.

Starting Golden Knights netminder Logan Thompson is out injured, potentially presenting the opportunity for Quick to come straight into the team.

The veteran's new Golden Knights team-mates are tied with the Kings at the top of the division.

Vegas will play the Kings once more this season, on April 6.

The Los Angeles Kings have traded goaltender Jonathan Quick to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

According to widespread reports, the Kings moved to push through the deal late on Tuesday.

The package is said to include defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo moving the opposite way.

It comes on the back of three-time Stanley Cup winner Patrick Kane moving from the Chicago Blackhawks to the New York Rangers in another high-profile trade.

Quick had played close to 750 games for the Kings, whom he started his career with in the 2007-08 season, and has been part of two Stanley Cup title-winning squads.

It is the end of an era in Chicago with the Blackhawks sending superstar Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers.

The trade, which had been expected for days, was reported by several media outlets on Tuesday.

In return for the three-time Stanley Cup winner, the Rangers are sending the Blackhawks a 2023 second-round draft pick and a fourth-round pick. The second-round selection will become a first-rounder in either 2024 or 2025 if the Rangers reach this year's Eastern Conference Finals.

Kane leaves the Blackhawks as one of the greatest players in franchise history.

He was instrumental to their dynasty in the 2010s, helping the club to Stanley Cup titles in 2010, 2013 and 2015. He scored the championship-clinching goal against the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime of Game 6 of the 2010 Finals, while winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs in 2013.

The 34-year-old Kane had spent his entire 16-season NHL career with the Blackhawks after being selected first overall in the 2007 draft.

The nine-time All-Star ranks second all-time in franchise history with 1,225 points, while his 446 goals are third-most by a Blackhawk. He also ranks third in franchise history in games played (1,161) and fourth in power-play goals (122).

As a 19-year-old rookie in 2007-08, Kane made an immediate impact in the NHL, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's top first-year player.

Eight years later in 2015-16, Kane won the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP as well as the Art Ross Trophy as scoring champion.

He is still performing at a high level, ranking second on Chicago this season in goals (16) and points (45), but the Blackhawks have the second-fewest points in the Western Conference and are in full rebuild mode.

Kane is in the final year of an eight-year, $84million contract he signed in 2014 and had a no-trade clause, so he had a choice in where he could be traded.

With the Rangers, who are in third place in the Metropolitan Division, he will be reunited with Artemi Panarin, who leads New York with 67 points.

Kane and Panarin were team-mates in Chicago for two seasons – including Kane's MVP and scoring champion season of 2015-16.

The Chicago Bears are seriously considering trading their number one pick ahead of this year's NFL draft.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bears are "leaning towards" accepting a trade from one of the many teams looking to bring in a top quarterback prospect, believing their priorities to lie elsewhere.

The Bears have the top pick heading into the draft after a disappointing 3-14 season in 2022.

General manager Ryan Poles has already given his support to Justin Fields as Chicago's starting quarterback heading into the 2023 season, recently saying that a QB prospect would have to amaze him for the Bears to draft one with their top pick.

"We're going to do the same as we've always done," Poles said last month. "We're going to evaluate the draft class, and I would say this: I would have to be absolutely blown away to make that type of decision."

Fields was one of the few positives in a Bears campaign that concluded with a franchise-worst 10-game losing streak.

The number 11 pick in the 2021 draft claimed 1,143 rushing yards overall, averaging a league-leading 7.14 yards per rush and had an NFL-best four rushing touchdowns of 50-plus yards.

In terms of his throwing, though, among the 32 quarterbacks with a minimum of 250 pass attempts, Fields ranked 25th in passer rating (85.2), 31st in completion percentage (60.4) and 32nd in yards per game (149.5).

Of teams in the top 10 picks of the draft, at least five could be looking to select a quarterback first, including the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers.

Alabama's Bryce Young, Kentucky's Will Levis and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud are three quarterbacks all projected to be drafted in the top 10 in late April.

Russell Westbrook will stay in California as he has opted to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Westbrook's time with the Los Angeles Lakers came to an end before the trade deadline as he was used as part of a deal with the Utah Jazz.

The 2017 NBA MVP struggled to rediscover his previous form after joining the Lakers in 2021, but has another chance to prove himself in L.A. with the Clippers.

According to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Westbrook's agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports, confirmed his client has chosen the Clippers as his next team, once he and the Jazz have finished negotiations on buying out the remaining $47million owed on his deal.

Westbrook made a name for himself with the Oklahoma City Thunder, including his standout season in 2016-17 when he averaged 31.6 points per game in the regular season from 81 appearances, as well as 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists.

He left Oklahoma in 2019 for one season with the Houston Rockets followed by one at the Washington Wizards before making the move to the Lakers as they looked to surround LeBron James with star power.

It did not work out, with Westbrook struggling in his first campaign, averaging just 18.5 points per game, while he has only started in three of his 52 appearances this season, averaging 15.9 points per game.

Westbrook – who had also talked with the Wizards, the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat – will be reunited with former Thunder team-mate Paul George, who had expressed his desire for the 34-year-old to join him at the Clippers.

They sit fourth in the Western Conference on a record of 33-28.

Derek Carr has left the Las Vegas Raiders after refusing a trade to the New Orleans Saints, the franchise confirmed on Tuesday.

The Raiders and Carr parted ways after nine seasons together ahead of the February 15 trade deadline.

Carr's release was expected after his refusal to join the Saints, in a trade deal that had already been agreed between the teams, which was reported on Sunday by ESPN and NFL Network.

The quarterback's exit before the deadline meant he will not receive the guaranteed $40.4million in future earnings under his previous contract in Las Vegas.

The 31-year-old reportedly rejected a pay cut to facilitate a trade to New Orleans and will instead enter free agency for the first time in his career.

"We have a lot of respect for Derek Carr and what he has meant to the Raiders organization for the last nine years," Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Zeigler said in a statement.

"Derek has done great things in this league and we're thankful to have been able to work with him this past year.

"He is a true professional and we appreciate his hard work in striving to produce the results we all desire. We wish Derek and his family all the best in the future."

Carr's agent, Tim Younger, posted on Twitter: "We wish the @Raiders the best of luck. This is the tough part of this business. That's the point; it's just business.

"Time now to reset for both sides. Derek chooses to hold on to many good memories and friendships, without any ill will. That's who he is. Onward and upward."

Carr had been with the Raiders since he was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft and holds franchise records for his 35,222 passing yards and 217 touchdowns.

As starting QB for Las Vegas he went 63-79, but the Raiders made just two playoff appearances during his time – in 2016 when he was injured and five years later when they suffered a wild-card exit.

Las Vegas finished third in the AFC West in 2022 after struggles for Carr, who is said to be wanted by the Saints and the Carolina Panthers.

The Raiders were linked to Tom Brady before he retired and fellow veterans Aaron Rodgers and Jimmy Garoppolo as potential replacements.

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker expects "exciting times" after Kevin Durant's trade made the rest of the NBA stand up and take notice.

Durant's move to Phoenix represents a big acquisition for new Suns owner Mat Ishbia, who completed his takeover last week and acted swiftly to bring in the 13-time All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP.

The 34-year-old, joining from the Brooklyn Nets with T.J. Warren, has averaged 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists this season.

After hitting the courts with Durant – who has been out of action over a month due to a knee injury – Booker hailed the small forward's quality as he lauded the Suns for attracting such talent.

"You can't put it into words, man," Booker said on Tuesday. "It's just all feeling. Looking forward to the post-All-Star break when we actually get the chance to compete with each other.

"I've never got to do that besides the Olympics with Kev, so it's exciting times around here.

"We built something that the league has picked up on. We were probably the laughingstock of the NBA about four or five years ago, and just turning that around to something serious to championship contenders is a quick turnaround for us, so we take a lot of pride in what we've built here.

"People reach out and they're like 'Oh, that's what y'all are on?' Just trying to get it done, man. Just trying to get it done.

"For us to be a destination that Kev wanted to come to is a big sign of that, to show respect for what we've done so far. We still have more to do, but we're moving in the right direction."

Phoenix fell narrowly short in the 2021 Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, losing 4-2, and Booker believes the Suns will soon achieve glory as they assemble their squad.

"One-hundred per cent. We kind of had the same approach with the team before the trade. Once you get a taste of Finals experience and having that under your belt, that's all that you want," he said.

"We have one goal; we know it's not going to be easy to get there, but we feel we have the talent, we have the mindset and everything it takes right here in this gym."

While Durant arrives with a major reputation and experience at the top of the game, Booker does not expect the Suns to have to adjust much to another star player.

"We don't have a hierarchy," he continued. "That's the thing about it. You have Chris Paul, one of the greatest leaders of all time. You have coach Monty [Williams], you have [general manager] James Jones, we have guys that are all on the same plan.

"I think we all have different types of leading styles, which is the great thing about leadership it comes in many different forms. And I think all of our games, and our mindsets, complement each other very well."

Booker sees Durant as "one of the best to ever do it", as he added: "It's just something that you got to be around. To feel when you're around greatness.

"It's just a different look, a different feel – but I'm excited to be a part of it."

The 31-27 Suns sit fourth in the Western Conference and host the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.