Charles Barkley on the James Harden trade package he’d accept immediately from the Nets

James Harden returned to the court alongside his Rockets teammates earlier this week, and while the former NBA MVP says he’s “focused on being here” in Houston at the moment, trade rumors continue to swirl following Harden’s reported trade request. NBA legend and TNT analyst Charles Barkley isn’t so sure that Harden will be able to adapt to a new team’s system if and when he leaves Houston. During an appearance on ESPN’s Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin show, Barkley said that he hopes the Rockets will work out a trade with the Brooklyn Nets – just so he can see the Nets implode with Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant struggling to share the basketball. Barkley said Houston should agree to the trade immediately if they can get a package including Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen. “If I’m [Houston], give me that kid with the afro that I like a lot. Allen. Give me Dinwiddie, and give me LeVert and let the Rockets go forward with a really pretty good, solid team. I’d take that trade tomorrow if I’m the Rockets. Because like I say, you give me Allen, Dinwiddie and LeVert, and you’ve got John Wall now? We’re just as good as we were gonna be, but we’re not going to have that drama, and we’d have a pretty solid team.” Per the ESPN’s trade machine, this exact 3-for-1 for Harden wouldn’t work – but could go through if the Nets add another player on a small contract like Bruce Brown. Barkley also questioned whether Harden could adapt his game to a different offensive system. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Anthony Davis and Rich Paul to meet with Lakers on Tuesday

Anthony Davis and his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, are scheduled to meet with the Lakers and general manager Rob Pelinka on Tuesday, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Davis opted out of the final year of his contract to become a free agent. The sort of contract Davis seeks remains a mystery. The 6-foot-10 forward has plenty of options before joining the club for training camp, which officially opens Tuesday around the NBA. Teams, though, can't practice in full because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols, which allow for only four players and four coaches to be in the training facility at one time. Davis can sign a two-year contract with a player option for the 2021-22 season worth about $68 million. That would set him up to become a free agent at the same time as LeBron James. Davis can sign a three-year contract with a player option for the 2022-23 season for about $106 million. He can sign a four-year extension for about $146.7 million or a five-year deal for about $189 million. Davis was a force for the Lakers during the 2019-20 regular season. He was first in scoring (26.1), rebounding (9.3), blocks (2.3) and steals (1.5) and third in assists (3.2). He was first in the playoffs in scoring (27.7) and second in rebounds (9.7). The Lakers have fortified their roster this offseason through trades for point guard Dennis Schroder and center Marc Gasol as well as the free-agent signings of center Montrezl Harrell and guard Wesley Matthews. The club also re-signed guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and forwards Markieff Morris and Jared Dudley, who agreed to terms Monday on a one-year, $2.6-million contract. Gone from the core of last season’s championship team are Avery Bradley, Danny Green, Dwight Howard, JaVale McGee, Rajon Rondo and Quinn Cook as well as late-season additions J.R. Smith and Dion Waters. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Report: Pacers offered Celtics Myles Turner and first-rounder in Gordon Hayward sign-and-trade

Gordon Hayward reportedly wanted to join the Pacers. Why isn’t he heading to Indiana? Maybe because the Hornets offered a four-year, $120 million contract. Or maybe because the Celtics didn’t agree to a sign-and-trade, which was necessary for the capped-out Pacers to add Hayward. J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star: The Indiana Pacers offered the Boston Celtics Myles Turner, a first-round pick and a rotation player for Gordon Hayward last week, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told IndyStar. Rejecting this offer looks like a mistake by the Celtics. A center who defends well (especially in the paint) and shoots 3-pointers, Turner is good. The 24-year-old is under contract at a reasonable $18 million the next three years. A first-round pick hold obvious value. Hayward is leaving for no return (or so). But always question unreported details in leaked trade talks. What were the protections on the first-round pick? Those could have significantly altered the pick’s value. Which rotation player? Doug McDermott (one year, $7,333,333 remaining) is highly paid for someone so one-dimensional (though at least that dimension is 3-point shooting). Jeremy Lamb (two years, $21 millions remaining) probably holds negative value after serious injury. Boston also wanted to keep Hayward. The Celtics are trying to win now, and losing Hayward didn’t open cap space to adequately replace him. It might have been reasonable to set a hardline with the Pacers, either getting a better trade return or – theoretically – pushing Hayward to re-sign. Charlotte foiled that plan with its big offer. And maybe Hayward would’ve taken that, anyway. We can’t know what he would’ve done if Boston and Indiana agreed on sign-and-trade terms. But we have at least some circumstantial evidence Hayward, an Indiana native, preferred joining the Pacers for a high salary (not quite as high as he’ll get with the Hornets, but still high). So, it looks like the Celtics misplayed their hand based on the outcome. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Lakers have no plans to become complacent

The goal is to repeat as champions and have sustained success, which is why Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka acquired point guard Dennis Schroder from Oklahoma City and it is why he will continue to scour the free-agent market, look at other trade scenarios and push to retain his core players that were central to the franchise winning its NBA record-tying 17th championship. Getting Schröder for Danny Green and the 28th pick (Jaden McDaniels) in Wednesday night’s NBA draft was the first step Pelinka took in his quest for the Lakers to win again. The next steps for Pelinka are to get Anthony Davis re-signed to a deal after the forward opted out and to decide which other free agents from the team the Lakers will re-sign. “Like this is just a group of guys that fit, that worked together and we’d love to keep our core as close as we can,” Pelinka said during a video call with reporters Thursday morning. “But if there’s opportunities to get better and to address needs like we did with Dennis, we’ll take advantage of those.” Besides Davis opting out to become a free agent, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley all opted out of their deals and became free agents. Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris, key role players for the Lakers last season, are free agents and both sides have strong interest in linking up again. The Lakers announced Thursday that they had declined the option on reserve guard Quinn Cook, making him a free agent. His non-guaranteed contract for $3 million did allow him to get $1 million on his way out. Center JaVale McGee opted into his contract for $4.2 million. Teams can start free-agent negotiations Friday at 3 p.m. PST and they can sign players Sunday starting at 9:01 a.m. PST. The Lakers are projected to have the mid-level exception of $9.2 million, the biannual exception of $3.6 million and the veteran minimum at their disposal to lure free agents. One prominent name who remains interested in the Lakers is free-agent wing player Wesley Matthews. ”Our approach will be to be aggressive,” Pelinka said. “I think there’s a handful of teams that probably hope to contend or be in a position to contend. We’re not gonna just sit back and not expect others who are in position to try to better their roster or better their teams. So we have to stay aggressive. “I think the danger of winning is complacency, and I won’t … we won’t allow that to creep in here. We’re gonna try to improve our team and put coach [Frank] Vogel and his staff in the best possible position to defend. And our owner Jeanie Buss has given us all the resources at hand to do that. So be aggressive and make sure we increase that probability as high as we possibly can to get No. 18.” Most NBA executives believe Davis, who opted out of deal that would have paid him $28.7 million this season, will return to the Lakers. Caldwell-Pope wants to return, but he’s looking for a raise from the $8.4 million he was due to earn next season. Rondo has drawn interest from the Clippers and Atlanta Hawks, but he could return to Lakers now that Bradley opted out. Forward Kyle Kuzma is eligible for a contract extension, but most executives don’t believe he’ll get one this season. “I think it’s easy to fall into complacency when you win a title and to just say, ‘Hey, let’s just run it back,’” Pelinka said. “But at the same time, I think my school of thinking is always let’s find ways we can become even better, every offseason let’s get better. I think we never want to just settle, and I think this was an opportunity to get better. It’s hard to lose a player like Danny. He was an ultimate professional and really filled a great role for us and played well. But overall, we just feel like this addition of a younger player to our core and for the future was something that we couldn’t pass on.” Schröder, 27, averaged 18.9 points per game, 4.0 assists and 3.6 rebounds for the Thunder last season. He led the league in scoring off the bench and finished second in voting for the NBA’s sixth man of the year. “I think in canvasing the league and doing research around a player like him, it comes back that Dennis is a player that other teams hate to play against but his teammates love to play with because he has that kind of nasty tenacity, grit and that’s really at the center of how we play and we win,” Pelinka said. “And so, he really folds in perfectly to that. And then I think he gives us offensively just another elite playmaker both on the ball or on the ball in the pick-and-roll situation or off the ball as a scorer. So he really just fits us perfectly.” This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Report: Russell Westbrook wants to leave Rockets

Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook wants to leave the team, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports.

The news arrives on the heels of a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon that both Westbrook and James Harden share concerns about the future of the franchise. Both former MVP guards have expressed their concerns with team management and their agents, according to the report. Offseason tumult follows early playoff exit The Rockets lost to the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in five games in the second round of the playoffs and have undergone a significant management shakeup this offseason. Head coach Mike D’Antoni resigned shortly after the end of Houston’s season in September. Longtime general manager Daryl Morey left the team a month later. Both have taken new jobs since. D’Antoni joined Steve Nash’s coaching staff with the Brooklyn Nets while Morey joined the Philadelphia 76ers as head of basketball operations. Houston Rockets' P.J. Tucker, left, and Russell Westbrook sit on the bench in the closing minutes of a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Russell Westbrook, right, is reportedly concerned about the direction of the franchise. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) More Rockets brass claims to be ‘all in’ The Rockets promoted longtime assistant general manager Rafael Stone to replace Morey. Veteran assisant and first-time NBA head coach Stephen Silas replaced D’Antoni. Stone told the Houston Chronicle last week that the Rockets remain “all in” on seeking a championship with the core built around Harden and Westbrook. “We’re still all in,” Stone told the Chronicle. “Our goal is to win a championship. We’ll do anything we can to get us closer to that goal. ... “In our situation, lots of [other teams] want our players. That’s a great place to be. You have to make sure if you do something, it makes you better. I’m very optimistic the team is going to be very competitive.” Tough sell for Westbrook Westbrook appears to be unconvinced. Harden, meanwhile, remains committed and is “locked in” for the season, per Charania. A team that was built around Harden’s talents implementing Morey’s vision and D’Antoni’s small-ball scheme is now under new management in a loaded Western Conference. It’s difficult to see a path for this core to get out of the Western Conference. Westbrook has three years remaining on a five-year, $207 million extension he signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder prior to the trade that brought him to Houston last season. He has a player option for the 2022-23 season. If he wants out now, it’s going to be on the Rockets’ terms. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Rumor: Devin Booker wants to leave Suns

Devin Booker said in 2018, “This is probably my last year ever not making the playoffs.” The Suns missed the playoffs in 2019 and 2020 and face a difficult path for making the 2021 playoffs. Ryen Russillo on The Bill Simmons Podcast: The worst-kept secret in the league is Booker already wants out of there. Stars often want to leave losing teams. But does Booker want to leave Phoenix? I’m less convinced. Even more than stars want to leave losing teams, people love to talk about stars leaving losing teams. These assessments can quickly gain momentum with little underlying reason. This rumor sounds mostly circumstantial. Maybe Booker will eventually request a trade. The Suns just had their best season with him. They went 34-39. At some point, Booker surely wants to see more team success. He did his part last season, advancing into a genuine star rather than someone whose dazzling numbers outshined his contributions to winning. Though Booker has (admirably) repeatedly talked about looking in the mirror for improvement, he could eventually pin the blame elsewhere. But Phoenix’s 8-0 bubble performance was encouraging, and Deandre Ayton could be a nice young co-star for Booker. Booker also has four years left on his contract. The Suns, whether or not he loves their methodology, are built around him. It’s difficult to see this situation spiraling into a trade any time soon. But with other teams so interested in prying Booker loose, expect this chatter to continue. The best thing Phoenix can do to silence it: Win. Otherwise, Booker’s desire to reach the playoffs could very well lead to a breakup with the Suns – down the road. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

NBA Rumors: Gordon Hayward wants out of Celtics contract for 2020-21 season

Report: Hayward wants out of Celtics contract for upcoming season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston Gordon Hayward's future with the Boston Celtics is getting murkier by the day. Hayward can earn $34.1 million next season by opting into the final year of his Celtics contract, and many assumed he'd take that option in light of the injuries and inconsistencies that have prevented him from reaching his full potential. It sounds like the veteran forward is leaning the other way, though. On Tuesday's episode of "The Bill Simmons Podcast," The Ringer's Ryen Russillo reported Hayward "does want out" of the final year of his deal. ESPN's Zach Lowe and Bobby Marks recently hinted at some "buzz" that Hayward may opt out and seek a long-term deal with a new team, much like Al Horford did when he spurned the Celtics to sign a four-year, $109 pact with the Philadelphia 76ers. It appears that "buzz" is growing louder. There are logical reasons why Hayward would turn down $34.1 million from the Celtics, one of which is financial: It may benefit the 30-year-old to sign a long-term deal now rather than wait until next offseason, when NBA teams may have less cash to spend after a shortened 2020-21 season. (The 2021 free agent class is set to be historically loaded, as well.) It's also possible Hayward just wants a change in scenery after suffering a rash of injuries that have relegated him to the Celtics' fourth option (at best) behind Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker. As Russillo pointed out, though, Hayward would want some assurance of a long-term deal before jumping ship. "He's not opting out of that huge number unless he knows he's getting the deal," Russillo added. Hayward also is the subject of trade rumors, and with no deadline set for player options, everything is still on the table -- including him taking a page from Horford's book this winter. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

If James Wiseman avoids being picked by Timberwolves, how far will he fall?

A recent report from ESPN's Brian Windhorst has a chance to shake up the top of the 2020 NBA Draft, as he revealed on 'The Scoop' podcast that Memphis big man James Wiseman does not want to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who hold the No. 1 overall pick. Wiseman is considered by most to be a top-three prospect in this draft. Whether Minnesota wants him or not, he is on the short-list of players they are likely considering. Wiseman, though, apparently sees too much positional overlap with T'Wolves star big man Karl-Anthony Towns. It may remind Washington fans of the 2013 draft when Victor Oladipo wouldn't work out with the Wizards because they already had John Wall and Bradley Beal. That can happen in the draft sometimes as top prospects have leverage and naturally want to find the best situation for them to succeed. Wiseman evidently does not see a path to stardom in Minnesota. There are reasons to believe the Timberwolves would be a better situation that Wiseman thinks, though. For one, Towns plays a different style than Wiseman, who is much more interior oriented. Wiseman doesn't have the outside shot of Towns, who is arguably the best three-point shooting big man in the game. On offense, Wiseman could patrol the paint and free up Towns to work the perimeter. The inside-outside combination would be very difficult for teams to defend, especially with D'Angelo Russell handling the ball. With Russell there, you could argue the fit would be worse for LaMelo Ball. It's hard to see how those two could both succeed on the same team as ball-dominant guards. Wiseman should also consider the alternatives. The second overall pick is held by the Warriors who may not have a similar player to him, but might present a difficult situation for a young player. It may be years before he earns a large role in their offense with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson still in their primes. The third pick is held by the Hornets, who would give Wiseman an opportunity to play and be an important part of their rotation. But they don't have nearly as much talent as the Timberwolves do and may be in for a lengthy rebuild. Then it becomes a question of how far is Wiseman willing to fall in the draft to find the perfect situation. Add it all up and maybe he should reconsider his stance. That is, of course, if it even matters, as Georgie's Anthony Edwards appears to be the most likely No. 1 pick. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Clippers interested in Rajon Rondo, Lakers want him back as well, per report

Last offseason, the Lakers and the Clippers battled for Kawhi Leonard in free agency. They may not have met on the court in the Western Conference finals as most predicted, but that doesn't mean the two sides are done battling one another. In 2020, the two have their hearts set on the same free agent point guard: Rajon Rondo. According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Clippers are interested in poaching Rondo away from the Lakers, who also want him back. Rondo has a $2.7 million player option for next season -- a 120 percent raise on his 2019-20 minimum salary -- but is obviously expected to decline it after a stellar postseason. Stein indicates that Rondo wants to test the market, suggesting that his primary goal is cashing in. So, who can pay Rondo more? Well, it's complicated. Technically, if the cap comes in at last year's $109 million total, both should be able to offer somewhere between $9M-10M. How and why they'll be able to do so, or not do so, depends on a variety of other factors. Let's start with the Lakers. As Rondo has played two seasons in Los Angeles, he has Early Bird Rights with the Lakers. That means the Lakers can pay him either 175 percent of his 2019-20 salary, or, more pertinently, 105 percent of the league's average salary. That was $9.3 million last season, so 105 percent of it would be around $9.8 million. There are caveats, though. Deals signed with Early Bird Rights must last at least two seasons. The Lakers have so far avoided giving out deals that last into the 2021 offseason, when they could possibly create cap space to pursue another star. Perhaps a non-guaranteed second season could solve that, but if the Lakers prioritize immediate improvement over 2021 ambitions, that creates another difficulty. The Lakers have two primary methods of improvement through free agency: the non-taxpayer mid-level exception and sign-and-trades. That is their best chance of acquiring a starting-caliber player, but doing so would trigger a hard cap. Last season, that hard cap was around $139 million. If the Lakers are bound by that hard cap, there is almost no chance that they would have the money to pay Rondo what he's looking for. If the Lakers choose to keep Rondo instead, they would likely only be able to use the smaller, $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception on outside free agents. Not bad, but not as impactful as they'd like. There are pros and cons to both approaches. Which path the Lakers choose depends on how much improvement they think they'll need to win in 2021 as well as how important chasing another star is to them beyond that. Hanging over any Lakers decision is their hail mary pitch to shed some salary. The Lakers have applied for a Career-Ending Injury exemption on the dead money owed to Luol Deng, whom they waived with the stretch provision before the 2018-19 season. They are unlikely to be granted that exemption. If they are, though, it would clear around $5 million off of their books, making it easier to potentially keep Rondo without impacting their other plans. The Clippers can't offer Rondo quite as much as the Lakers can. The most they can offer is the league's average salary through the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, so $9.3 million. Like the Lakers, they also have to be mindful of a hard cap. Marcus Morris and Montrezl Harrell are both free agents. It's a bit simplistic, but the Clippers will probably be forced to go one of two routes. If they let one of those players go, they can use both the full MLE and the smaller $3.6 million bi-annual exception. If they keep both, they are probably limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception. Where exactly their offers will fall depends on the other moves both the Lakers and Clippers line up. There are scenarios in which one side offers significantly more than the other. There are scenarios in which both are offering him as much as they can, and ones in which they both have to lowball him a bit. We just won't know until their other plans become a bit clearer. What we can safely say is that the Clippers are a genuine threat to steal Rondo away from the Lakers. He has relationships with both Clippers coach Ty Lue and top basketball executive Lawrence Frank from their time together in Boston. He wouldn't have to relocate. He presumably wants to continue winning, and the Clippers offer that path. LeBron James and Anthony Davis both love playing with Rondo and will surely fight to bring him back, but if money is the priority, there is a decent chance Rondo is a Clipper next season.

Damian Lillard drops 61 to lead Portland past Dallas, keep playoff hopes alive

 Damian Lillard wasn’t going to lose on Tuesday night.

He more than made sure of that.

Lillard put up a career-tying 61 points — marking yet another 50-point game this season — to lead the Portland Trail Blazers past the Dallas Mavericks 134-131 at Walt Disney World, keeping their postseason hopes alive in the process.

“It ain’t nothing I want more,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes after the game. “I told you when I first came here, I ain’t come here to waste my time. They gave us a chance to get in like we asked for, and that’s what we’re here to do … our work ain’t done yet, but we’re fighting for it.”

All basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com.

Zero positives out of 346 NBA players tested in Orlando bubble

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association said Monday that coronavirus tests of 346 players at the league's bubble campus in Orlando, Florida, since July 13 have yielded zero positive result, according to iSports basketball API.

When the league announced its initial batch of tests in the bubble on July 13, it said that two of 322 players tested came back positive.

Also Monday, the NBA announced the rosters for all 22 teams participating in the season's resumption at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, part of the Walt Disney World Resort.

As per iSports data, NBA games are set to resume July 30 after being halted in mid-March amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Each of the teams participating in the restart will play three intersquad scrimmages from July 22 to July 28.

All basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com.

Brandon Ingram and the top NBA free agents to watch in the bubble

When the NBA resumes on July 30, there will be millions of dollars on the line for the 2020 free agents taking the court, according to iSports basketball API.

More than 150 players participating in the NBA restart are on track to hit free agency in October, and one misstep could prove costly for a player looking for a new deal. Last month, Washington Wizards forward Davis Bertans opted out of playing in the bubble so he could maximize his earning potential and avoid risking injury.

And it's not just the players hitting free agency this fall who are worried. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported in June that several top stars from the 2017 draft class who will be extension-eligible this fall, such as Boston Celtics wing Jayson Tatum and Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, talked to the National Basketball Players Association about possible insurance allowances.

But for most players -- like New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram -- participating in Orlando is a risk they are willing to take, as per iSports API. Here's a look at what's at stake, the decision-making process for players and teams, and the 10 most interesting free agents to watch in Orlando.

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Sacramento Kings' De'Aaron Fox out at least week after spraining ankle

Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox suffered a left ankle sprain in practice Wednesday and will be reevaluated in seven-to-10 days, the team announced.

Fox was the Kings' leader in points (20.4), assists (6.8) and steals (1.4) prior to the NBA's suspension of play in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, as per iSports NBA data. He recently said that his speedy playing style could help Sacramento surprise some teams in the restart.

Fox's injury was the latest development in what has been a snakebitten restart for Sacramento, which has had four players -- Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Jabari Parker and Alex Len -- test positive for COVID-19 before training camp. A fifth player, center Richaun Holmes, inadvertently left the campus perimeter in Orlando, Florida, and had to go back into quarantine for 10 days.

The Kings play their first of three scrimmages on July 22 against the Miami Heat. They play their first of eight "seeding" games July 31 against the San Antonio Spurs.

According to iSports basketball API, after going 7-3 in its last 10 games before the March hiatus, Sacramento is 3½ games back of the Memphis Grizzlies for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference. At the conclusion of the seeding games, the team that is in ninth place can force a play-in with the eighth-place team so long as the No. 9 team is within four games. The No. 9 team would have to beat the No. 8 team two games in a row to earn a first-round playoff berth. The No. 8 team would have to win just once to keep its place in the postseason.

All basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details, please visit www.isportsapi.com.

Nuggets star Nikola Jokic clears quarantine in NBA's Orlando bubble

It took longer than the Denver Nuggets were expecting, but All-Star center Nikola Jokic cleared quarantine and joined his team to watch Tuesday night's practice in Orlando, Florida.

Jokic still has to undergo physical testing by the Nuggets before he is cleared to practice, as per iSports API basketball data. But while talking to reporters for the first time since the season came to a halt in March, the Nuggets' franchise player was in a light-hearted mood, clearly excited to be in Orlando.

Jokic had to go through quarantines in Serbia and the United States, had multiple tests to produce negative results and endured travel issues after testing positive for coronavirus while he was in Serbia.

Jokic said the positive test came as a surprise, since he was feeling asymptomatic at the time, in late June, when he tested prior to when he was scheduled to fly back to Denver.

Jokic did not fly with the Nuggets on their team flight to Orlando because of travel issues. Once at the Walt Disney World Resort, players have to quarantine for up to 48 hours and test negative two more times if they fly privately to Orlando, per NBA mandate. If a player flies commercially to Orlando, he must have three consecutive negative tests before resuming basketball activities.

The Nuggets remain short-handed as Malone said the team is awaiting two negative tests on some members of the team travel list who did not accompany the team to Orlando.

But the Nuggets have their biggest piece with them. Jokic raised eyebrows during the NBA hiatus when photos of his leaner physique went viral. He said he is in the same shape -- give or a take three to five pounds -- that he was in when the Nuggets last played, on March 11.

Jokic -- who averaged 25.1 points, 13.0 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 1.1 steals in the playoffs last season to help the Nuggets fall one win short of making the Western Conference finals -- said he is not allowed to reveal his current playing weight due to team policy.

According to iSports basketball API, last year during his breakout postseason, Jokic said he preferred his playing weight at about 275-280 pounds so that he can bang inside against big centers.

Opponents might not be laughing if a leaner and lighter frame means a more potent Jokic. As per iSports NBA data, Jokic is averaging 20.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.2. steals for the third-place Nuggets (43-22).

All basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details, please visit www.isportsapi.com.

Rockets' Russell Westbrook tests positive for coronavirus

Houston Rockets star guard Russell Westbrook announced that he tested positive for the coronavirus before the team departed for Walt Disney World, according to iSports basketball API.

Westbrook, co-star James Harden and recent addition Luc Mbah a Moute did not travel with the Rockets to Orlando, Florida.

The NBA announced coronavirus test results Monday. Of 322 players tested since arriving in the Orlando bubble, two were positive and have left the campus to isolate at home or in isolation housing. The league said that since July 1, 19 players have tested positive, as per iSports NBA data.

Coach Mike D'Antoni said Sunday he hoped all three of his affected players would be able to arrive at the NBA bubble in Disney World within three or four days. The Rockets had declined to specify a reason for the players' absence.

The players will have to quarantine in their rooms for 48 hours after their arrival before practicing with the Rockets.

D'Antoni said the three players were working out "at their home bases," and he expressed optimism that their delayed arrivals wouldn't have a significant impact on the Rockets, particularly once the playoffs begin.

With iSports NBA API, the Rockets are also without forward Bruno Caboclo, who inadvertently broke the initial quarantine period, and must remain in his room for eight more days before joining team activities.

All basketball data collect from iSportsAPI.com. For more information, please visit https://www.isportsapi.com.

Kawhi Leonard in quarantine protocol after arriving in Orlando

Kawhi Leonard is in Orlando, Florida, and going through the quarantine protocol before joining the LA Clippers for team activities.

Coach Doc Rivers confirmed Saturday that the Clippers' All-Star forward did arrive at the Walt Disney World Resort as expected after Leonard was excused by the team to tend to a family matter when the Clippers flew to Orlando on Wednesday, according to iSports NBA data.

Rivers said the Clippers players who are in Orlando are healthy, including Leonard. And that was something he could not say for much of the season. Leonard has managed a knee issue for much of the time, and Paul George eased his way into the season as he recovered from offseason surgeries on his shoulders.

But George said his shoulders are 100 percent and that the Clippers benefited from the four-month hiatus amid the coronavirus pandemic to let nagging injuries heal. Rivers would not say how the Clippers plan to ramp Leonard back up for postseason play.

As per iSports NBA API, the Clippers (44-20) went through their second practice on Saturday as they resume their title chase. Guard Lou Williams said the Clippers held a team vote on whether to even go to Orlando and take part in the NBA restart.

Williams was "50-50" about whether to play again because he, like some other players around the league, feared that games could distract from the protests around the country against social injustice and police brutality. Williams voiced his concerns about the league being able to promote Black Lives Matter and continue the momentum the movement had.

"They always try to turn it into the military or the police," Rivers said. "There's no league that does more for the military than the NBA. But how about that senator? I'll make up a challenge. We will do things for the troops as long as he acknowledges Black Lives Matter. I think that would be really cool for him to do.

All basketball data collect from iSportsAPI.com. For more information, please visit https://www.isportsapi.com.

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Jazz’s Joe Ingles in a bind after NBA return date announcement

Both players and fans are ecstatic about the resumption of the 2019-20 NBA season. While Utah Jazz swingman Joe Ingles shares similar sentiments, he’s in a bind as to how to take care of his children and pregnant wife.

As per iSports NBA livedata, the NBA will hold closed-door games with a limited crew in Disney World in Orlando. As a bubble location, it will also house players and their families. It’s good news for the players. But this may not be the case for Joe Ingles, whose pregnant wife Renae and son Jacob, who has autism, are more susceptible to the coronavirus.

（iSports NBA data API covers a wide range of games and leagues with livescore, standings, events, line-ups, pre-match odds, statistics）

“The flip side for me, which breaks your heart, is ‘what you do with your family?'” Ingles told Utah’s The Zone Sport Network on Thursday, as reported.

According to basketball data provider iSports API, the Jazz, who sport a 41-23 record, is one of the 22 teams set to return to action. Ingles said that his wife and son may fly back to Australia. Once the season is over, Ingles intends to rejoin them. However, Australia’s strict quarantine rules are a major concern.

“You have to quarantine for two weeks in a hotel if you fly back to Australia and obviously with a pregnant wife and two near four-year-olds, that’s pretty hard to do,” he said.

“It’s hard enough in a house to quarantine, never mind a hotel.”

The NBA said that it well exercise extreme medical precautions once the season resumes. Hopefully, Ingles’ concerns, as well as other players who are in a similar situation will be prioritized.

All basketball stats from isportsapi.com

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Trae Young wishes Vince Carter farewell with emotional message

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young bid an emotional farewell to longtime veteran Vince Carter, as it appears he’s played his last NBA game.

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young bid an emotional farewell to longtime veteran Vince Carter, as it appears he’s played his last NBA game.

The league plans to send a proposal to the Board of Governors on Thursday, prompting a restart of the 2019-20 season with the best 22 teams. The Hawks fall well-short of qualification as the fourth-worst team in the league, as per iSports basketball API.

（iSports NBA data API covers a wide range of games and leagues with livescore, standings, events, line-ups, pre-match odds, statistics）

Carter had announced this would be his last NBA season, but he wouldn’t have guessed it would come so suddenly as the season came to a halt on March 11 after the first reported case of the novel coronavirus.

Vinsanity did play that very day, suiting up for 13 minutes in a 136-131 overtime loss to the New York Knicks, contributing five points, a rebound, and a 3-pointer, according to NBA livedata provider iSports API.

Shortly after news of the 22-team plan to resume the season, Young reached out toCarter, noting it’s a wrap for the Hawks’ season:

Carter spent the bulk of his last two seasons with the Hawks, serving as a mentor to some of the young players in the roster. Young was a star in the making, but one that needed the guidance of a savvy Carter, who played 22 seasons in the league, surpassing Dirk Nowitzki’s all-time mark.

Half -Man, Half-Amazing became the first NBA player to play across four decades after being drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 1998 and consequently traded to the Toronto Raptors, where he spent his first seven seasons.

A likely nod for the Hall of Fame, Carter put up career averages of 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists,recorded by iSports NBA API — showing unmatchable longevity throughout his illustrious career in the league.

All basketball stats from isportsapi.com

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Wizards owner delivers John Wall warning to the rest of the NBA

Despite missing a majority of the 2018-19 NBA season and subsequently the entire 2019-20 campaign, John Wall is not to be trifled with, according to Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis.

In an interview with Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington, Leonsis revealed that he is excited about the return of Wall, especially since he expects the Wizards guard to be in a “different place” physically after his past surgeries.

（iSports basketball data API covers a wide range of games and leagues with livescore, standings, events, line-ups, pre-match odds, statistics）

“I’m very much looking forward to John Wall’s return because I think physically he will be in a much different place. He has spoken about the pain that he had been in with his bone spurs. John once showed me a bone spur, one of the bone spurs that they took out of his heel. I will be sincere with you, I had never seen something like that. I couldn’t imagine what that felt like,” the Wizards boss explained.

“There are times where John has been isolated on social media where ‘look, he’s not playing defense, he’s not getting back.’ And then you would talk to John and he would say ‘I feel like there are razor blades in my feet when I’m running backwards. It’s gotten to the point where I can’t do it, I’m hurting the team now.'”

John Wall, a five-time All-Star with the Wizards during his nine-plus-year tenure in D.C., first suffered a season-ending heel injury which required surgery in Jan. 2019, according to iSports basketball API. Wall later hurt himself at home, sustaining an Achilles tendon rupture in early Feb. 2019, keeping him away from the game for now 17 months and counting.

Wall’s absence from the Wizards’ backcourt has prevented the team from breaking through in the postseason picture in the Eastern Conference. Before the season was suspended due to COVID-19, the team was ninth with a 24-20 record, as per basketball livedata provider iSports API.

If the NBA’s 22-team format for the resumption of the 2019-20 season pushes through, the Wizards will have a chance to join the competition. However, they will have to rely on Bradley Beal alone to salvage their playoff hopes.

All NBA stats from isportsapi.com

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