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Articles by Christopher Montano
Josh Hart Out for Season After Knee Surgery
Lakers’ guard Josh Hart, (Sam Forencich, Getty Images) Los Angeles Lakers‘ guard Josh Hart will miss the rest of the season after undergoing a procedure on his right knee patellar tendon, the team announced Thursday morning. The team also announced that Hart will be able to return to full activities in 12 weeks. BREAKING: Josh Hart underwent a successful ultrasonic debridement procedure on his right knee patellar tendon this morning.
Jusuf Nurki? Suffers Compound Leg Injury
Jusuf Nurkic (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) Portland Trail Blazers star center Jusuf Nurkic suffered a gruesome leg injury last night in which he broke his left tibia and fibula during the game’s second overtime the team announced Tuesday morning. As of now, there is no timetable on the big man’s return. “Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic sustained compound fractures to his left tibia and fibula with 2:22 remaining in the second overtime of Portland’s win over Brooklyn on Monday.
Suns Sign Jimmer Fredette to a Two-Year Contract
Jimmer Fredette (VCG/VCG via Getty Images) The Phoenix Suns have signed Jimmer Fredette to a two-year deal with a second-year team option and are currently waiting for clearance from China for the guard to return to the NBA, according to the Athletic’s Shams Charania. The team later would confirm the deal. Guard Jimmer Fredette has agreed to a two-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
Kyrie Irving Apologizes for Recent Media Issues
NBA Champion, Kyrie Irving (Jim Mone/Associated Press) After Saturday’s win against the Los Angeles Lakers, Kyrie Irving spoke with Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes about his recent run-ins with the media and how he’s reflected on them.
Phoenix Suns' Receiving 'Raised Eyebrows' Around NBA
Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver. (Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports) The Phoenix Suns find themselves nearing the end of yet another horrendous season with the absolute worst record in the league at 12-50. This level of incompetence has become the norm for team owner Robert Sarver and the Suns who have failed to reach the playoffs in almost nine seasons.
Mike Bibby Accused of Sexual Assault by High School Teacher
Mike Bibby, (Michael Chaw, azcentral sports) Former NBA star and current Shadow Mountain High School boys’ basketball head coach Mike Bibby is currently under investigation after allegations of sexual assault were made against him by a Shadow Mountain teacher, according to Arizona Republic’s Lily Altavena. Since then, Paradise Valley Unified School District has released a statement confirming that the situation is actively under investigation by Phoenix’s police department.
DeAndre Jordan, Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul Invest in Beyond Meat
New York Knicks center DeAndre Jordan (Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke) New York Knicks center DeAndre Jordan joins Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul and Boston Celtics All-Star guard Kyrie Irving as the latest NBA player to invest in Beyond Meat, a plant-based substitute for meat, according to Forbes’ Shlomo Sprung. Beyond Meat is a food and beverage company located in the greater Los Angeles area that has raised $122 million so far in investments, according to CrunchBase.
Chris Webber, Ben Wallace Basketball Hall of Fame Finalists
NBA Champion Ben Wallace, (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images North America The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Friday the 13 finalists that will be considered for the 2019 Hall of Fame induction September. Out of the candidates, eight were former players, four were coaches and one was a referee. Chris Webber, Teresa Weatherspoon and Ben Wallace, who is a first-time finalist this year, were some of the more recognizable names on the list.
Agent Rich Paul on Criticism: 'All I Care About is Respect'
Rich Paul and LeBron James (Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Remy Martin) LeBron James and his agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports have both expressed their thoughts on the recent criticism they now face after the failed Anthony Davis trade. Following last week’s Duke vs. Virginia game, a game in which both James and Paul attended, Paul told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that “all I care about is respect,’ in response to people thinking that attending the game was a ‘recruiting trip’ for Klutch Sports.
Adam Silver Hasn't 'Given Any Thought' About Running the NFL
Adam Silver, (Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports) The NBA’s commissioner Adam Silver has said that he hasn’t ‘given any thought’ to the inquires NFL owners have made trying to get him to become the NFL’s commissioner, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. Although Silver didn’t directly confirm that he has been approached by NFL owners. Sources close to the situation said that NFL owners have been trying to persuade Silver to become the NFL’s commissioner the last five years.
REPORT: Rockets Trade James Ennis to 76ers
James Ennis (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports) The Houston Rockets have traded forward James Ennis to the Philadelphia 76ers for swap rights to a 2021 second-round pick, according to the Athletic’s Shams Charania. Rockets traded James Ennis for swap rights to a 2021 second-round pick, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @WatchStadium. https://t.co/I7ztF23sr3 — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 7, 2019 Moving Ennis saves the Rockets $2.4 million and only puts them $2.4 million above the luxury tax.
REPORT: Mavs Trade Harrison Barnes to Kings for Justin Jackson, Zach Randolph
Harrison Barnes (Getty Images) The Dallas Mavericks are sending NBA Champion Harrison Barnes to the Sacramento Kings via trade for Zach Randolph and Justin Jackson, according to the Athletic’s Shams Charania. The Dallas Mavericks are finalizing a deal to trade Harrison Barnes to the Sacramento Kings, league sources tell @@TheAthleticNBA @WatchStadium.
Pelicans' GM Dell Demps Hasn't Returned Lakers' Call
Anthony Davis (Jim Mone, Associated Press) Ever since New Orleans Pelicans All-Star Anthony Davis made his desire to be traded public, the Los Angeles Lakers have been very active in pursuing the highly-coveted center. Now it seems, with the trade deadline a week away, Pelicans’ general manager Dell Demps isn’t all that interested in dealing with the Lakers.
REPORT: Celtics' Players Frustrated by Gordon Hayward's Minutes
Gordon Hayward (Getty Images) Younger players on the Boston Celtics have reportedly grown frustrated with the number of minutes All-Star Gordon Hayward plays on a nightly basis, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. That status is precisely why, despite the many ups and downs his season has gone through so far, the Celtics continue to run Hayward out there for significant minutes on a nightly basis.
2019 NBA All-Star Game Starters Revealed
LeBron James and Stephen Curry, two of the 2019 Western Conference All-Star starters (Ethan Miller/Getty Images). The starters for the 2019 NBA All-Star Game have been revealed in a broadcast on TNT. In an unsurprising revelation, Los Angeles Lakers’ forward LeBron James leads the voting in the Western Conference, and as so will be a team captain under the All-Star Game’s new format, which was instituted last season.
Larry Drew is Not Enjoying Coaching the Cleveland Cavaliers
Larry Drew is burnt out on coaching the dreadful Cleveland Cavaliers (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) The Cavaliers are not very much fun this season. When All-Star Kevin Love went down to injury just four games into the season, the nation had serious doubts about where the Cavaliers were headed. When coach Tyronn Lue was fired after only six games, the entire world knew this was going to be rough. However, interim coach Larry Drew is having possibly as rough a time as anyone in the organization.
Jamal Adams Sends Patriots' Mascot to the Hospital
Jamal Adams (Photo: Gregory Payan, AP) A viral video of New York Jets safety Jamal Adams laying out ‘Pat Patriot’, the Patriots’ mascot, was, no doubt, a hilarious visual yesterday at the 2019 Pro Bowl practice. However, it may not have been as funny to the man inside the costume. View this post on Instagram #Jets safety Jamal Adams says he sent the #Patriots mascot to the hospital after this huge hit at the Pro Bowl ?
AJ Pollock to Sign With Dodgers| Def Pen
AJ Pollock watches a ball he hit in a game earlier this year for the Arizona Diamondbacks. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images) The Los Angeles Dodgers have reportedly agreed to terms of a 4-year, $50 million contracts with free agent outfielder A.J. Pollock. Pollock is the first of the remaining big-name free agents to sign a contract with Spring Training quickly approaching.
Buss: "Everyone in this Organization is Behind Luke Walton"
Luke Walton (Harry How/Getty Images North America) Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss joined Zach Lowe , ‘The Lowe Post, on Tuesday to talk about multiple Lakers topics. One of them was Luke Walton’s job security as the Lakers head coach. At the start of the season, Lakers legend and Team President Magic Johnson said that Walton would be the Lakers coach this season unless something drastic happened with the team. The team is not in a good place right now.
Kevin Durant Opening 'Durant Center' to Help Kids Achieve College Success
Kevin Durant is opening the Durant Center in Prince George’s County, Maryland. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post) Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant is opening a facility to help children reach and graduate college in his hometown of Prince George’s County. Durant will take a look at the new facility – College Track at The Durant Center – when the Warriors visit the Wizards in the nation’s capital on Thursday.
Kenneth Faried Talks 'Frustrating' Time With Nets
Kenneth Faried played 23 minutes in his first game for the Houston Rockets Kenneth Faried’s career has really taken a dive since just a few years ago when he was a promising talent and an important role player for the Denver Nuggets. Faried was signed by the Brooklyn Nets this summer, but appeared in just 12 contests for the team, averaging a meager 9.8 minutes per game. The disgruntled Faried was bought out by the Nets on January 18. Faried then Signed with the Houston Rockets.
Dirk Nowitzki Invited to 2019 All-Star Weekend 3-Point Contest
Nowitzki has reportedly been invited to participate in the three-point contest at All-Star Weekend, an event Nowitzki won in 2006. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images) Legendary Dallas Mavericks sharpshooter Dirk Nowitzki has received his sixth invitation to participate in the NBA All-Star Weekend three-point contest, per reports by Marc Stein of The New York Times. Dirk Nowitzki has been invited to participate in the 3-point contest at All-Star Weekend in Charlotte, league sources say.
NFL Draft Prospect Rashan Gary Starts His Own Agency
Rashan Gary, a standout at Michigan, intends to help fellow players and their best interests (Photo: Mike Mulholland | MLive.com) In recent years, we’ve seen a lot of oddities when it comes to players entering the NFL Draft. Increasingly more amounts of athletes are skipping bowl games. Memorably, Michigan tight end Jake Butt took out an insurance policy on himself in case he slipped in the draft due to injury (which he did).
Wendell Carter Jr. to Miss 8-12 Weeks after Thumb Surgery
Wendell Carter Jr. of the Chicago Bulls will miss significant time following thumb surgery. (Elsa/Getty Images) The Chicago Bulls are not a good team. After dolling out large contracts for vets Zach Lavine and Jabari Parker, the Bulls were expecting to start to turn it around this year, or at least see some signs of encouragement. However, that is not how things have gone.
LeBron James Was Reportedly 'Astonished' By Kyrie Irving's Apology Call
Kyrie Irving turned to his former teammate LeBron James for some important advice on leadership. (Ken Blaze/USAToday Sports) While some may perceive the relationship between Kyrie Irving and LeBron James to be a tense or uneasy one, the two still remain closer than many expected. In fact, Irving made a call to his former teammate following Boston’s tough loss to the Orlando Magic just last week.
REPORT: Mavs Hope to Reconcile With Guard Dennis Smith Jr.
Despite testing the trade market for frustrated guard Dennis Smith Jr., the Mavs now hope to keep the second-year floor general. (Abbie Parr/Getty Images) As the friction between the Dallas Mavericks and their point guard Dennis Smith Jr. continues on, the two sides could surprisingly be reunited shortly. The Mavs have made it no secret that they’re shopping the disgruntled Smith Jr. who has now been inactive for three straight games and won’t be joining Dallas ahead of their upcoming road trip.
Scouting The Stars Of The John Wall Holiday Invitational
Jalen Lecque (John Wall Holiday Invitational) The Annual John Wall Holiday Invitational has come and gone and there was no shortage of top high school talent participating. The invitational, which took place at Broughton High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, featured a plethora of 5-star, 4-star, and Division 1 level basketball players. The Invitational featured two 16 teams separated into two brackets. Both brackets were named after Raleigh legends- David West and TJ Warren.
Wizards Owner Ted Leonsis: 'We Will Never, Ever Tank'
Ted Leonsis & Bradley Beal (Simon Bruty, Sports Illustrated) Washington Wizards’ owner Ted Leonsis told Washington Post’s Candace Buckner that the team will never tank and that he is holding the team to the standard of making the playoffs. “We will never, ever tank.” — Ted Leonsis, right now I’m London. Leonsis is all in on this team making the playoffs and holding this team to that standard.
Gregg Popovich Unsure About Coaching Spurs Next Season
Gregg Popovich (Brandon Dill, AP) San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich doesn’t ‘know the answer’ on whether he’ll coach the Spurs beyond this season, according to .
Should Hornets Trade Kemba Walker Before Trade Deadline?
Should Charlotte cash out on its best asset before it’s too late? (Phantom Designs) The Charlotte Hornets are the eighth seed in an extremely top-heavy Eastern Conference with a mediocre 20-23 record. Their situation among the NBA landscape is not ideal. If not for the excellent play of Kemba Walker, the Hornets would not even be competing for a playoff spot.
Cam Newton Could Miss 2019 Season, Says Carolina Panthers Owner
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton injured his shoulder towards the end of the 2018 season. Now speculation about how long it will keep him out in 2019 has begun. (Photo Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports) The timing of the shoulder injury to Cam Newton couldn’t have been worse. First, it was a major reason the Carolina Panthers dropped out of the playoff race.
REPORT: Dallas Working Trade Options for Dennis Smith Jr.
Dennis Smith Jr. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) The Dallas Mavericks are reportedly exploring different trade options for point guard Dennis Smith Jr., according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. So far, the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns have been the two teams that have engaged in ongoing talks with the Mavs about the second-year guard. The Dallas Mavericks are escalating discussions to find a trade for point guard Dennis Smith Jr., league sources tell ESPN.
REPORT: Kings Among Teams Interested in Jeremy Lin
The Sacramento Kings are reportedly among the teams interested in acquiring Hawks guard Jeremy Lin. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) Jeremy Lin was moved by the Brooklyn Nets to the lottery-bound Atlanta Hawks this offseason after missing all but one game last season.
Vlade Divac Tells Kings' Minority Owners to Stop Leaks
Vlade Divac made sure to send a clear message to the Kings’ minority owners in a recent conference call. (Kelley L. Cox/USA Today Sports) Vlade Divac, General Manager of the Sacramento Kings, has made clear to the team’s minority owners he wants them to stop interfering with the front office and leaking team information. As first reported by Sam Amick of The Athletic, Divac held a conference call with 13 members of the team’s executive board, including Kings lead owner and chairman Vivek Ranadive.
REPORT: LAPD Investigating Nick Young For Robbery and Assault
Nick Young could be in legal trouble after allegedly assaulting a fan. (David Zalubowski/AP Photo) Former NBA champion and current free agent Nick Young is under investigation by Los Angeles Police after a recent run-in with a fan. While public figures such as athletes typically hope to enjoy their time in public without being bothered or noticed by fans, this is a rarity and wasn’t the case when Young was spotted at an LA car wash last week.
Nikola Jokic on Meeting Von Miller: "He's Someone I Look Up To"
Two of Denver’s most prominent sports stars, Von Miller (left) and Nikola Jokic (right), exchanged jerseys after a recent Nuggets game. (Photo Credit: AP Photo/Jack Dempsey As the saying goes, “game recognize game.” Dever Nuggets star big man Nikola Jokic certainly has game, as he has his squad sitting atop the NBA’s Western Conference with a surprising 28-12 record. Jokic And Jokic noticed another talented Denver sports star sitting courtside at a recent home game: Broncos’ Von Miller.
REPORT: Mavericks Fear J.J. Barea Suffered Torn Achilles
The Dallas Mavericks fear that sixth man and backup point guard J.J. Barea (above) has suffered a torn achilles and will be lost for the season. (Vaughn Ridley/Getty) Dallas Mavericks point guard J.J. Barea may be out for the season, if the team’s fears are realized. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Dallas has real concern that quality sixth man J.J. Barea has torn an achilles tendon. Barea came down with the injury in Dallas’ 119-115 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Mookie Betts and Red Sox Avoid Arbitration
Mookie Betts celebrates a double during the American League Championship against the Houston Astros. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) Mookie Betts was not a free agent, but the Boston Red Sox and Betts avoided arbitration by giving him a $20 million contract for this year. The interesting thing about Betts new contract is that this is the highest contract a second-year arbitration-eligible player, it is even higher than all third-year arbitration-eligible as well.
REPORT: DJ Lemahieu to Sign With Yankees
DJ Lemahieu takes a swing during the 2018 NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) The New York Yankees have further removed themselves from the Manny Machado sweepstakes after their latest addition of free agent infielder DJ Lemahieu. The contract is a 2-year deal worth $24 million with the Yankees first reported by Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic this morning. The deal has pretty much solidified the Yankees infield after the signing of Troy Tulowitzki not too long ago.
Future Takes Us Behind The Scenes In 'The WIZRD' Documentary
In true Future fashion, a new album awaits us less than a year since the release of his Beastmode 2 project. Already serving us with two records from the body of work, “Jumpin On A Jet” and “Crushed Up,” Future isn’t done just yet. Not giving us additional music, Mr. HNDRXX has instead given us a behind-the-scenes look with the release of his new documentary, The WIZRD.
Dillon Brooks to Miss Rest of the Season Due to Toe Surgery
Dillon Brooks (Joe Rondone, The Commercial Appeal) Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks is likely to miss the rest of the season after surgery later this week on a ruptured ligament in his right big toe, according to the Athletic’s Shams Charania. Sources @TheAthleticNBA @WatchStadium: Memphis’ Dillon Brooks is likely to miss the remainder of the season with right toe injury. Brooks will undergo a procedure, but is expected to fully recover and have full summer of workouts.
Larry Nance Jr. Expected to Miss 2-4 Weeks With Sprained MCL
The Cleveland Cavaliers expect Larry Nance Jr. to miss two-to-four weeks. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images) Cleveland Cavaliers big man Larry Nance Jr. is expected to miss two-to-four weeks after suffering a sprained MCL in his right knee, the team announced Thursday: Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. is currently projected to miss 2-4 weeks with a right knee MCL sprain.
LeBron James to be Re-Evaluated on January 16th
LeBron James may be returning to the Lakers’ lineup as soon as the 17th of January (Frank Franklin II/AP) The Lakers’ woes may be over soon. Los Angeles has struggled mightily since LeBron James went down with injury in late December, but the wait may be over soon. The Lakers organization released encouraging news today regarding “The King.” The healing of James’ groin injury is progressing and James has been cleared to increase on-court functional basketball movements.
REPORT: Jed Lowrie to Sign With Mets on 2-Year Contract
Jed Lowrie fields a groundball at second base for the Oakland Athletics this past season. (Jason Miller/Getty Images) Former Agent turned GM Brodie Van Wagenen has acquired another one of his former clients Jed Lowrie. The New York Mets signed Lowrie to a 2-Year, $20 million contract bolstering down their infield depth by adding Lowrie. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports first reported the teams being close and soon after Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported the financials.
NBA Announces New Isolated Camera Focused on One Player
Adam Silver (Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) The NBA, Turner Sports and Twitter announced yesterday that a live streaming deal had been made. The service will provide fans in the United States with a new viewing experience that’ll be made available on Twitter. ? #NBA, Turner Sports and @Twitter today announced a live streaming deal that will provide fans in the United States with a complementary experience on Twitter (via @NBAonTNT) for 20 NBA on TNT games this season. ?
REPORT: Brian Dozier to Sign With the Nationals
Second baseman Brian Dozier fields a groundball for the Dodgers this past postseason. (Harry How/Getty Images) The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms of a one-year, $9 million contract with free agent second baseman Brian Dozier. The contract is a simple one-year deal that allows the Nationals to try to capitalize on their closing window as well as keep some salary set aside as they continue to pursue Bryce Harper.
Stellan Skarsgard to Play Villain in Denis Villeneuve's 'Dune'
Denis Villeneuve continues to attract big names for his upcoming ‘Dune’ adaptation as Stellan Skarsgard signs on to play the villain. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming Dune adaptation continues to draw in big talent as Stellan Skarsgard signs on to play one of the film’s villains. Dave Bautista, Timothee Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson are all already attached to star.
'Vision and Scarlet Witch' Series Lands 'Captain Marvel' Writer as Showrunner
‘Vision and Scarlet Witch,’ one of Marvel’s first series to debut on the upcoming Disney+ streaming service, has found a writer in ‘Captain Marvel’ writer. (Marvel) Vision and Scarlet Witch has officially found its showrunner and writer, Jac Schaeffer. Schaeffer is one of the writers behind the upcoming Captain Marvel movie, she also wrote the script for the planned Black Widow solo film.
New Music: Kehlani-"Nights Like This" (Feat. Ty Dolla $ign)
(Photo: @Kehlani – Twitter) It’s been a minute since fans have received some new music from singer Kehlani, but that all changes today with the singer debuting her new track, ‘Nights Like This,’ featuring Ty Dolla Sign. The songwriter, who is currently pregnant with her first child, has evidently been putting in some work. That work has gone on to create an upcoming mixtape that she will be releasing this year.
Vince Carter on Retirement: 'I Can't Imagine It Right Now'
Vince Carter, the NBA’s oldest active player, “can’t imagine” retirement right now. (Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports) Vince Carter, now on his eighth NBA team with the Atlanta Hawks, is the league’s oldest active player. However, ‘Vinsanity’, who turns 42 later this month, isn’t ready to hang ’em up just yet, according to TSN’s Josh Lewenberg.
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