NBA

The Hornets are receiving three second-round picks (two via Knicks, one via Minnesota), along with DaQuan Jeffries, Charlie Brown and Duane Washington Jr., to complete the Karl-Anthony Towns-Julius Randle-Donte DiVincenzo trade, sources

Randle and DiVincenzo to Minnesota.

ESPN has parted ways with NBA senior writer Zach Lowe as part of the network’s continuing layoffs, sources briefed on the decision told *The Athletic *on Thursday.

Lowe follows the earlier dismissals of NFL personalities, Robert Griffin III and Sam Ponder. The moves are part of the network’s fiscal year planning that ends at the conclusion of September. ESPN and Lowe both declined to comment.

Imo best option is Minnesota, but New Orleans or Memphis are somehow viable too

Final Woj bomb

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2024/09/rogers-buys-out-bells-stake-in-raptors-parent-company.html

Rogers purchased Bell’s 37.5% stake in the company for $4.7 billion in Canadian dollars, per Sportico, which works out to approximately $3.48 billion USD based on the current exchange rate. That puts the overall valuation of MLSE at around $9.3 billion.

In addition to the Raptors, MLSE controls the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, MLS club Toronto FC, and a handful of smaller sports teams, such as the Toronto Argonauts (Canadian Football League) and Raptors 905 (G League). The company also owns and operates Scotiabank Centre and OVO Athletic Centre, the Raptors’ home arena and practice facility, respectively.

Per Bontemps, the new rules will allow for officials to review whether a foul should have been called on an out-of-bounds play. That means that even if a replay shows the ball going off a certain team's player and out of bounds, the other team won't gain possession if it is determined they committed a foul on the play.

Bontemps added that the rule changed was approved by the NBA Board of Governors on Tuesday, and commissioner Adam Silver will further explain the changes later in the day following the meetings.

McConnell's agents, Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski their client will sign a four-year, $45 million deal with the Pacers.

Combined with the $9 million remaining on his current deal, McConnell will earn $54 million over the next five seasons.

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has agreed on a one-year, $62.6 million extension that’ll keep him under contract through the 2026-2027 season, his agent Jeff Austin of Octagon tells ESPN.

Hope he’s able to play again, felt like he was just finding a good niche with the bulls.

Ball has been out since January 2021 with a left knee injury and has since had three knee procedures, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

He had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in January 2022 before having an arthroscopic debridement of his left knee in September 2022. Cartilage transplant surgery followed in March 2023.

But there's certainly optimism for hope that Ball can return in 2024-25. Namely, he provided it with these comments to TMZ Sports.

Oct. 22: Start of the regular season

Nov. 12: Emirates NBA Cup begins

Dec. 14: NBA Cup semifinals

Dec. 17: NBA Cup championship

Feb. 6: NBA trade deadline (3 p.m. ET)

Feb. 14-16: All-Star Weekend

April 13: Final day of regular season

April 15-18: NBA Play-In Tournament

April 19: NBA Playoffs begin