NEWS » sic, which still hasnt quite been duplicated

The Latest on the NBA (all times Eastern):9 p.m.The Los Angeles Lakers have formally announced their signings of veteran Luol Deng and second-round pick Ivica Zubac, along with the re-signing of guard Jordan Clarkson.The Lakers on Thursday also confirmed their acquisition of guard Jose Calderon and two second-round picks from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for the rights to forward Ater Majok.Deng agreed to a four-year, $72 million to join the rebuilding Lakers. The 12-year NBA veteran spent the past two seasons in Miami.Clarkson got a four-year, $50 million deal to return to Los Angeles. The smooth combo guard has been a rare bright spot in the two worst seasons in franchise history.The Lakers didnt confirm the re-signing of guard Marcelo Huertas, who announced on Instagram he had agreed to a two-year deal.7 p.m.The Milwaukee Bucks have acquired guard Matthew Dellavedova in a sign-and-trade with Cleveland.Dellavedova has career averages of 5.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 215 games over three seasons with Cleveland. He is coming off a season with career-bests of 7.5 points, 4.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds while helping the Cavaliers win the NBA championship.As part of the deal announced Thursday, the Bucks will send the rights to Albert Miralles to the Cavaliers. Miralles, who currently plays in the Spanish League, had his draft rights sent to Milwaukee in a December 2011 deal that sent Keyon Dooling to Boston.---6:30 p.m.The Orlando Magic have capped a feverish two weeks with the signing of three new free agents.Center Bismack Biyombo, forward Jeff Green and D.J. Augustin were introduced Thursday after signing free-agent deals with the Magic on the first day the NBA allowed teams to officially bring aboard players. The Magic also announced the re-signing of their own restricted free agent Evan Fournier, who declined more lucrative offers to remain on the team he has been with for the past two seasons.The new additions join veteran power forward Serge Ibaka, who was acquired in a trade with Oklahoma City on NBA draft night two weeks ago. Biyombo, who established himself as a shot-blocker during the most recent playoffs with the Toronto Raptors, is the free agent prize for Orlando.---5:20 p.m.The Washington Wizards have signed center Ian Mahinmi, forward Andrew Nicholson and forward/center Jason Smith and acquired guard Trey Burke from the Utah Jazz in exchange for a 2021 second-round pick.Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced the moves Thursday.Mahinmi averaged career highs of 9.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and about 25 minutes in 71 games, all starts, for the Indiana Pacers last season.Nicholson averaged 6.9 points and 3.6 rebounds last season with Orlando, while playing under 15 minutes per game. A first-round pick by the Magic four years ago, he has averaged 6.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in the NBA, with a total of 36 starts.Smith has averaged 6.5 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting .466 from the field in 489 career games (98 starts) over nine seasons with Philadelphia, New Orleans, New York and Orlando. Last season with the Magic, he averaged 7.2 points and 2.9 rebounds in 76 games.Burke was the No. 9 overall choice in the 2013 NBA draft out of Michigan and has averaged 12.1 points and 4.2 assists in three seasons with Utah, mostly as a starter for the first two but only as a reserve last season.---4:30 p.m.Splash: Kevin Durants big move to the Golden State Warriors is done.The Warriors formally announced the signing of the six-time All-Star on Thursday and introduced him with fanfare at a news conference at the teams downtown Oakland practice facility, where screens read, WELCOME KD TO DUB NATION.Durant announced his decision Monday in a story on The Players Tribune, then Thursday marked the first day free agents could sign their deals. He joins the NBA runner-up Warriors -- who rallied from 3-1 down to beat Durants former Oklahoma City Thunder in a thrilling seven-game Western Conference Finals before losing the finals in seven games to Cleveland -- on a two-year contract worth more than $54 million. There is a player option after the first year.---4:25 p.m.Manu Ginobili has ended any doubt, as if there ever was any to begin with: The Argentinian star tweets that he is returning to the San Antonio Spurs on a one-year deal.Ginobili previously posted a message on social media saying he had decided to play another season in the NBA. But he didnt mention the Spurs, which led some to wonder if he would head to another team after spending the first 14 years of his career in San Antonio.It was a highly unlikely scenario, and one that Ginobili clarified on Thursday.He tweets: Happy to tell you guys that Ill be coming back to the Spurs for another season. (hash)backhome.Ginobili will turn 39 later this month.---3:35 p.m.The Charlotte Hornets have announced theyve re-signed Nicolas Batum, acquired Marco Belinelli in a trade with the Sacramento Kings and signed free agents Roy Hibbert and Ramon Sessions.The moves were announced Thursday.Batum last week agreed to a five-year, $120 million contract -- the largest ever given out to a Hornets player -- to stay in Charlotte.Belinelli was acquired in a draft night trade from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for the rights to guard Malachi Richardson from Syracuse, who was selected with the 22nd overall pick by the Hornets.General manager Rich Cho says Belinelli is a solid outside shooter and has proven he can score and create for others in a variety of ways.---3 p.m.The revamped Chicago Bulls have announced the addition of point guard Rajon Rondo.The team did not disclose terms of the contract, but a person with knowledge of the negotiations previously told The Associated Press that the four-time All-Star agreed to a $30 million, two-year deal.Rondo replaces former MVP Derrick Rose, who was traded to New York before the draft. Also coming to Chicago is 12-time All-Star Dwyane Wade, who turned down a lower offer to stay in Miami and agreed to a two-year, $47 million deal Wednesday.Adding the 30-year-old Rondo and 34-year-old Wade goes against managements stated desire to get younger after the Bulls missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years. It also remains to be seen how they will fit in coach Fred Hoibergs more freewheeling offense.- AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Kingston, Jamaica---2:50 p.m.The Boston Celtics have scheduled a Friday morning news conference, at which theyre expected to announce the signing of Al Horford.The team agreed to a deal with the former Atlanta Hawks big man on Saturday, hours after the start of free agency. The four-year deal is expected to pay him $113 million.Horford confirmed the deal on Twitter, changing his profile and pictures to note his Celtics affiliation. The team hasnt commented.Horford becomes the biggest free agent ever signed by the NBAs most-decorated franchise. But the Celtics plans to use him to attract an even bigger name fell through when Kevin Durant agreed to a deal with the Golden State Warriors, rejecting an overture from the Celtics and star recruiter Tom Brady.---2:15 p.m.The Mavericks will get the rights to Croatian center Stanko Barac from Indiana in the salary-dump deal that sent seldom-used forward Jeremy Evans to the Pacers.Dallas is also sending the rights to Bosnian guard-forward Emir Preldzic and cash to the Pacers in the deal announced Thursday. The Mavericks needed to unload Evans, the 2012 NBA slam dunk champion, to have room for Golden State center Andrew Bogut, who came in a trade when the Warriors needed salary cap space for Kevin Durant.Evans averaged 2.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 30 games in his only season with the Mavericks. He spent his first five seasons in Utah.The 7-foot-1 Barac averaged 6.5 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Italian club Pallacanestro Olimpia Milano last season and also played professionally in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Spain, Turkey and his home country.The 6-foot-9 Preldzic, a second-round pick by Phoenix in 2009, played in Turkey last season.---2:10 p.m.The Detroit Pistons have signed San Antonio big man Boban Marjanovic to a $21 million, three-year offer sheet.Misko Raznatovic, Marjanovics agent, announced the deal Thursday. The Spurs can match the offer within three days, but their salary cap situation makes that seem unlikely.The 7-foot-3 Marjanovic, who turns 28 in August, averaged 5.5 points per game last season for the Spurs. That was his first NBA season. Marjanovic is a three-time MVP of the Serbian Super League.The Pistons have also reached agreements with free agents Ish Smith and Jon Leuer. Theyve called a news conference Friday to introduce those players.---1:35 p.m.The Memphis Grizzlies have scheduled a news conference for Friday inside the lobby at the FedExForum for a major announcement that appears to be the signing of Chandler Parsons.Parsons agreed to a four-year, $94 million deal on the first day of NBA free agency, three people with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press last week. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the deals could not be signed until Thursday. The agreement is part of a spending spree by Memphis that also included a five-year maximum contract worth $153 million for guard Mike Conley.The Grizzlies would not comment on the topic of Fridays news conference. Delaying the signing of Conleys deal gives the Grizzlies more flexibility under the salary cap.Parsons wrote Wednesday on Twitter: Off to Memphis!- AP Basketball Writer Jon Krawczynski in Minneapolis---noonA person with knowledge of the negotiations tells The Associated Press that Dewayne Dedmon has agreed to terms on a two-year, $6 million contract with the San Antonio Spurs.The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the move. Dedmon is a 26-year-old, 7-foot center who spent the last two-plus seasons in Orlando.He gives the Spurs another rim protector and defensive presence off the bench. He also serves as some insurance should longtime franchise centerpiece Tim Duncan retire.Dedmon has also played for Golden State and Philadelphia in his young career.Yahoo Sports first reported the agreement.- AP Basketball Writer Jon Krawczynski in Minneapolis---11:45 a.m.The NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers lead the league in merchandise sales, but Stephen Curry of the runner-up Golden State Warriors has the NBAs most popular jersey.The NBA says Cavaliers gear tops league rankings of most popular team merchandise for the first time since January 2015. It says LeBron James has the second most popular jersey. The jersey of Cleveland teammate Kyrie Irving comes in as the fourth most popular.Curry has owned the leagues top selling jersey since the end of the 2014-2015 season. Fellow Warriors Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are in the Top 10. Golden States Andre Iguodala makes his debut on the list at 14.The rankings are based on overall NBAStore.com sales from April to June.---11:30 a.m.Ayesha Curry says she didnt think about the ramifications when she called the NBA rigged on Twitter after husband Stephen Currys Golden State Warriors lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.Curry tells People magazine she regrets the ways she voiced how hurt she was and didnt mean to offend anyone. She says what she wrote isnt what she thinks about what her husband does for a living.Stephen Curry tells the magazine he knows where his wife was coming from and adds that hes advised her to ignore what people say, because youre not going to win any battles on Twitter.Ayesha Curry is a popular social media personality, with 3.7 million followers on Instagram and 637,000 on Twitter.---11 a.m.The Mavericks have completed a trade with Golden State for center Andrew Bogut, and each team will get a future second-round draft pick in the deal.The deal announced Thursday was reached earlier this week, not long after the Warriors got a commitment from Kevin Durant and needed to clear space under the salary cap to sign the four-time NBA scoring champion from Oklahoma City.The 7-foot Bogut has averaged 10.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 644 games over an 11-year career. He made the NBAs All-Defensive second team when the Warriors won their first title in 40 years in 2015.Bogut was the first Australian taken No. 1 overall, in 2005 by Milwaukee.Dallas also signed forward Harrison Barnes from the Warriors, who had to renounce the rights to the restricted free agent to clear cap room for Durant.---9:15 a.m.Dwyane Wade says his decision to leave the Miami Heat for the Chicago Bulls was still surreal Thursday morning, when he appeared as the guest-host of Live with Kelly alongside Kelly Ripa.Wade made the appearance in New York. He accepted the invitation to guest-host Thursdays show weeks ago.Wade decided Wednesday night to accept a two-year contract offer from the Bulls and return to his hometown. He thanked Heat fans in his opening remarks on the show, says he hadnt slept in days while deliberating and even lost 5 to 10 pounds because he hadnt been able to eat.Wade says he would consider doing some on-screen work after his playing career ends, telling The Associated Press that was one of the reasons he accepted the hosting chance.---6:10 a.m.Times up for the old NBA shot clock.The league will debut a new timing system and shot clock this week in Las Vegas during the NBA Summer League, which will then be integrated into all 29 arenas for the 2016-17 season.The league says Thursday the new clock will feature the game clocks, 24-second and timeout, the first time they have all been in one piece of hardware.Developed by Swiss watchmaker Tissot, the leagues official timekeeper, the timing system will allow for clearer footage to assist referees and the Replay Center, and provides a benefit to some fans. The clocks LED glass is nearly transparent when in use, giving fans behind the baskets a view to the court that was previously obstructed.The NBA introduced the shot clock for the 1954-55 season and it has been positioned on top of the backboard since 1977. Nike Tn Trainers . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. Nike Air Force 1 Mid 07 . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. http://www.fundfdr.org/air-max-97-for-sale/air-max-97-gold.html .com) - Richie Incognito has reportedly been admitted to a psychiatric care unit in Arizona. Air Max 97 Silver Bullet For Sale . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Air Max 97 Gold . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. A little more than a month away from the official kickoff to WrestleMania season at the Royal Rumble, WWE presents its final pay-per-view of 2016 Sunday with Roadblock: End of the Line.If theres one thing the brand extension has taught us over the second half of this year, its that the quality of pay-per-view cards hasnt suffered due to the added content. Its a fact that bodes well for Sundays card from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, despite a somewhat lukewarm buildup overall in the midst of the holiday season.Lets take a closer look at the storylines heading into the six-bout main card.(c) indicates defending championWWE Universal championship:?Kevin Owens?(c) versus?Roman ReignsThe overall buzz for this match has been greatly affected by the fact that both Chris Jericho and Seth Rollins have played as big a part (if not bigger) in this feud with Owens than Reigns has.Reigns, the WWE United States champion, pinned Owens cleanly on Nov. 28 following a spear to earn this title opportunity, and he closed out Mondays go-home episode of Raw by standing over Owens fallen body with both titles hoisted above his head. But outside of that, the storyline hasnt centered that much on Owens and Reigns as individuals, which has had both positive and negative effects.The good news here is that theres real potential for this match to overachieve inside the ring, considering the low expectations coming in, as both superstars can work a fast-paced and physical style. The bad news is that there hasnt been much of a hook, in terms of the storyline, to create an emotional investment in what happens.Owens friendship with Jericho has been extremely hot and cold in recent weeks, and they enter Sunday seemingly once again on the outs. The constant flip-flopping has gone on a bit too long, and it has threatened to water down the great chemistry and energy between them.It also hasnt made much sense within the storyline that Reigns enters this main event title feud still in possession of his U.S. title, which might lead some to believe that an Owens win or a schmoz finish are the most likely outcomes.However it plays out, a Jericho intervention of some kind appears unavoidable. As long as WWE picks a direction and sticks with it, both outcomes have real potential for entertainment; either we get an Owens-Jericho spinoff feud that has money written all over it, or we go back to business as usual with the Jeri-KO comedic heel routine serving as the backbone of Raw each week.WWE Raw womens championship:?Sasha Banks?(c) versus?Charlotte Flair?-- 30-minute Iron Man matchIt doesnt matter the setting or how many times the title has changed hands in the recent months and weeks -- if Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair are going to be sharing the same ring, its must-see TV.Plain and simple. Its a distinction both superstars have more than earned in 2016.With five title changes since July and a number of matches already considered among the greatest in the history of WWE womens wrestling, Banks and Flair have put together a feud thats likely to be talked about for many years to come. That much appears certain.But how does it end? Will this be the blowoff? Thats a question that isnt as easy to answer.The dynamic duo has done well to fight off viewer fatigue -- not just with the spectacular quality to their matches, but also in the recent variety, in terms of the stipulations. There has been a premium on physicality, thanks to their recent Hell in a Cell and Falls Count Anywhere matches, but Sunday should bring a return to a more pure wrestling style that we saw often from both women during their NXT days with the Iron Man format.This is the 11th Iron Man match in WWE history and the second between female superstars, after Banks took part in one of 2015s best matches against?Bayley?at NXT Takeover: Respect.If recent history is any indication, Flair could very well be the one exiting the ring with the title, just three weeks after losing the belt on Raw via submission (with the help of a railing) in the crowd. The fact that shes currently 14-0 in PPV singles matches also may play a part, should WWE want to promote the streak as her career moves forward.Its not impossible to imagine this feud continuing in some form through WrestleMania. It has been that good, with the cconstant title changes justified by just how evenly matched the two women have been portrayed.ddddddddddddHas it been too much of a good thing? Not yet. And theres no reason to believe this match wont be the best one yet.Seth Rollins?versus?Chris JerichoThere was a major tease two weeks ago on Raw when Reigns fought off multiple pin attempts and finishing moves from Jericho to retain his U.S. title in an entertaining match. And in hindsight, its at least worth questioning whether giving the title to Jericho that night -- a belt he has yet to win over his legendary career -- wouldve properly spiced up this match against Rollins.While a good match is still expected between two guys who can really work, there really isnt much at stake here.Jericho certainly had a reservoir of retribution coming his way for the many times he played a part in interrupting matches during Rollins recent feud with Owens. But Rollins appeared to cash in a great deal of that on the Nov. 28 episode of Raw, when he attacked Jericho in the parking lot and landed a Pedigree on top of a car.What will be interesting to see here is whether or not this match is used as a precursor to plant storyline seeds (including an Owens run-in) that will come to fruition later in the night during the main event. All we can hope is that?Triple H?comes back into play with Rollins before too much longer.WWE Raw tag team championship:?The New Day?(c) versus?Cesaro?&?SheamusNow that The New Day have eclipsed Demolitions longstanding record of 478 consecutive days as champions, it will be interesting to see how quickly they give up the belts.A title change on Sunday wouldnt be out of the question, as WWE has done well to reinvent both Cesaro and Sheamus as a cohesive tag team following their best-of-seven series against each other this fall. The duo earned this title opportunity by winning a Fatal 4-way match at Tribute to the Troops, which aired on Wednesday.Both Cesaro and Sheamus appear better together than apart and could prove to be perfect transitional champions (due to their ambiguity regarding heel or face status) should the WWE have a title run in mind for another baby-face team like?Enzo Amore?and?Big Cass. But all of that is speculation for another day.What we can expect here is a good match with the emphasis on storytelling, as both teams have showed strong chemistry in the past, including an entertaining match at Hell in a Cell in October in which Cesaro and Sheamus won by disqualification when they seemed to be just seconds away from a submission win.WWE cruiserweight championship:?Rich Swann?(c) vs.?TJ Perkins?versus?Brian KendrickLook out for this one as a potential sleeper for match of the night, featuring the only three men to yet hold this version of the WWE cruiserweight title.The division hasnt quite clicked on Raw of late despite a marked improvement in terms of the attention to detail in storylines. A lot of that has to do with losing some of the electric energy and high-flying recklessness that was seen during the Cruiserweight Classic, which still hasnt quite been duplicated in larger arenas.Some of that comes down to the way the matches have been booked, so heres to hoping that the triple-threat format of this match allows that missing element to return. One couldnt ask for three better athletes with different styles to try and make it all work.Sami Zayn?versus?Braun StrowmanThe 10-minute time limit of this singles match will very likely play a key role as Raw general manager?Mick Foley?gives Zayn one final chance to prove he can survive against a monster as dangerous as Strowman.The buildup to this match has been impressive, featuring some of the best writing on Raw in recent weeks. The swerve of the fake trade to SmackDown for Zayn was a fine wrinkle to the overall story, and the passionate interplay between Foley and Zayn perfectly set the tone for whats at stake in this one.Strowmans size and athleticism should play well opposite Zayn. But considering Strowman has yet to lose a televised singles match and has been booked strong throughout his recent rebranding, a time-limit draw appears a somewhat predictable outcome. ' ' '