On Thursday, Silver once again reiterated his desire to see the league's age minimum bumped to 20 years old. "I've been a proponent of raising the age from 19 to 20 because I think it would make for a better league," Silver said Thursday, according to USA Today. "I believe and continue to believe it will be in the best interest of the league. I think that the extra year in college will be a benefit for these young men to grow and develop as people and basketball players....

While numerous trades were expected during the first round, the draft was trade-free until midway through the first round when the Bucks acquired Raptors guard Greivis Vásquez by sending a 2017 first-round pick, orginally acquired from the Clippers, and Thursday’s No. 46 overall pick to Toronto. MORE: Pick-by-pick draft analysis | Draft photos: Crazy outfits and more The Wizards and Hawks swapped their first-round picks Thursday night with the Wizards receiving Kansas swingman Kelly Oubre and the Hawks getting Notre Dame guard Jerian Grant and two future second-round picks in return....

The above is a truth communicated by comedian Chris Rock while narrating “Everybody Hates Chris,” the now defunct sitcom loosely based on his childhood. In the episode, young Chris must make Thanksgiving Day macaroni and cheese without, well, macaroni and cheese. His boss at the corner store he worked at told him, “You don’t need macaroni and cheese to make macaroni and cheese. All you got to do is…” NBA FINALS: Did the refs decide the outcome in Game 4?...

The Warriors, who led by as many as 29 points on the night, took over the game in a trademark third quarter, outscoring the Celtics 35-14 and holding on the rest of the way for an impressive double-digit win. As the series now shifts to Boston for Games 3 and 4, we break down the key player ratings from Game 2. NBA LEAGUE PASS: Sign up to unlock live out-of-market games (7-day free trial)...

The move was expected. In fact, there was talk back in January of Boozer being amnestied when the Bulls traded Luol Deng to the Cavaliers for Andrew Bynum’s non-guaranteed contract. Chicago is moving ahead at power forward with free-agent signee Pau Gasol. The team also will be getting European standout Nikola Mirotic, who announced he will be joining the Bulls for next season.

This move from Middleton isn’t shocking as he’s expected to re-sign with Milwaukee for five years and near-max money, according to multiple reports. Middleton was named to his first All-Star team last season despite taking a small step back in scoring from last year (18.3 points per game vs. 20.1 in 2017-18) with Mike Budenholzer taking over the Bucks, but he averaged a career-high in rebounds (6.0) and assists (4....

It turns out nothing is guaranteed over the course of an NBA season, and that lesson should now be applied to another soon-to-be free agent. New Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard will hit the open market next summer (assuming he turns down his player option). Toronto is in position to sell Leonard on its culture over the course of the next few months, but it’s possible he still ends up in Los Angeles — even if he doesn’t sign with the Lakers....

The NBA is investigating a video circulating on social media of Harden in a strip club, per ESPN’s Tim McMahon, potentially putting his availability for the Rockets’ Wednesday season opener vs. the Thunder in jeopardy. The video in question, originally released and reported by Robert Littal of Black Sports Online, shows Harden receiving a Dior suitcase, with a caption that says the pricey piece of luggage was given as a Christmas gift....

While things can certainly still change over the remaining three quarters, now feels like the perfect time to take stock in this year’s MVP race. We’ve seen just enough to properly rank players based on their individual and team performances, but it’s still early enough that one bad week could drastically change the order. Players like Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo have led their teams to the top two records in the NBA, respectively, while others like Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic have put up insane numbers to keep their teams alive in the playoff hunt early on....

Michele Roberts, executive director of the NBPA, predicts smoother sailing when the union and league negotiate the next deal. MORE: Knicks hit rock bottom | NBA, Pacers release statement on controversial state law | Jazz players fire back at Kanter The NBPA will opt out of its current CBA after the 2016-2017 season, but Roberts struck a conciliatory stance in an interview published Sunday in the Boston Globe. Roberts, who took control of the union last fall, said the fact there is “no bad blood” between her and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver — who assumed his post early last year — should help ease negotiations....

The 24-year-old said both of his parents weren’t feeling well last week, and he urged them to see a doctor. Cruz had to be hospitalized as her condition continued to deteriorate. (Towns’ father, Karl Sr., was released from the hospital and is under quarantine.) MORE: Sports figures who have tested positive for COVID-19 “She just wasn’t getting better. Her fever was never cutting from 103, maybe go down to 101....

Manu Ginobili scored 20 points, Danny Green added 16 points and Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard had 15 points apiece for San Antonio. The Spurs advance to face the fifth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers, who upset the Houston Rockets in a six-game series. Dirk Nowitzki had 22 points and nine rebounds to lead Dallas. Last season ended for the Spurs with a Game 7 loss in the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat....

It wasn’t his handle, nor his phone or car keys. MORE: Wizards, Celtics renew rivalry with much more on the line It was his tooth. Fighting through a screen, one of Thomas’ front teeth went flying through the air. Take a look at Thomas’ pearly whites, or lack thereof. Thomas responded well though, hitting two threes immediately after. UPDATE: Doris Burke reports team doctors repositioned and placed the tooth back in for Thomas....

His second trip to the playoffs is off to a much better start. Davis earned his first career postseason win Saturday as the Pelicans defeated the Trail Blazers 97-95 in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series. The five-time All-Star led New Orleans with 35 points (on 14-for-26 shooting), 14 rebounds and four blocks in 40 minutes. NBA PLAYOFFS: Scores, schedule, live updates The Trail Blazers struggled to find an answer for Davis defensively, in particular on pick-and-rolls....

The Trail Blazers star spoke about the Nuggets’ approach Sunday after Portland’s 116-112 loss. According to Lillard, the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference is trying to make him a “passive” player, and he can’t allow that. “I think it’s obvious they’re trying to show bodies and make me play in the crowd, find the open man,” Lillard told reporters. “And that’s what I’m trying to do. Trying to see where the help is coming from, see where the other guy is coming from, make that play and still just find a way to be aggressive....

The Hawks showed why they led the Eastern Conference most of the year, and the Grizzlies beat up on the injured Trail Blazers. MORE: Irving shines in playoff debut | Griffin dunks all over Baynes PHOTOS: Pictures of the first round The day’s finale was much anticipated, as both teams could make a run to the Finals, but the Clippers cruised to victory over the Spurs with a 107-92 win....

We had another pointless regular season, and a bummer of a Finals, the fourth straight iteration of Cavaliers-Warriors. This one ended in a sweep. Ho-hum. FACES OF 2019:SN selects young stars who will shape tomorrow’s headlines If folks were angry across the country, well, then they were angry across the league, too. Kawhi Leonard underwent a nasty divorce from the Spurs, who traded him for DeMar DeRozan, a move that left DeRozan ticked off....

Here, you can find projected win totals, predictions on the best player and best rookie, under the radar storylines to follow and a bold prediction among the five teams. After looking at the Southwest Division, we shift our focus to the Northwest Division. 2021-22 NBA season preview: Central Division Projected win totals After finishing with the league’s best record in the 2020-21 season, the Utah Jazz are again projected to finish atop the Northwest Division....

Green will have no concerns about learning the campus map, no freshman English papers to write and no high-pressure March Madness games to worry about losing. And neither will he have to worry about joining a team such as the Erie Bayhawks or Maine Red Claws and coping with the jealousy of teammates who would be earning about 1/14th his salary. ESPN reported Thursday that Green will enter a program in which he will be coached and join with other top prospects and professional players for exhibition games against G League teams, national teams from other countries and teams from worldwide NBA academies....