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The Bulls are expected to pursue the 24-year-old forward when free agency begins June 30, according to a report from The Athletic, which cites unidentified league sources. The Knicks and Nets, amongst others, will also reportedly consider signing Randle. The 24-year-old forward averaged a career-high 21.4 points, along with 8.7 rebounds, in 73 games with the Pelicans in 2018-19. He shot 52.4% from the field and 34.4% from 3-point range....

Well, one rumor that’s been gaining some momentum lately is James signing with the Sixers. This has been talked about before, but ever since three billboards went up in Cleveland pleading for the former league MVP to head to Philly, there’s been a surprising amount of talk about it becoming a reality. The latest is a report from Sixers insider Jon Johnson. MORE: Former teammate claims LeBron James ‘quit’ on Heat Last week, NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Alaa Abdelnaby said on “Philly Sports Talk” that James was looking at private schools in the area during the All-Star break....

Sporting News will keep you up to date on the latest deals, rumors and speculation below… NBA free agency 2018: Latest news, rumors Shelvin Mack will sign with Grizzlies Player: Shelvin Mack Team: Memphis Grizzlies Terms: One year, salary not finalized Reported by: Adrian Wojnarowski Greg Monroe will sign with Raptors Player: Greg Monroe Team: Toronto Raptors Terms: One year, $2.2 million Reported by: Shams Charania David Nwaba will sign with Cavs...

After the regular season extended into August with eight rounds of seeding games in the Orlando ‘bubble’ - followed by the Portland Trail Blazers’ win in their play-in game - we have our 16 playoff teams. The Milwaukee Bucks are the top seed in the East, while the Los Angeles Lakers led the way in the West. But everything does not always go to script in the playoffs, with the Bucks on top last year, too, but losing out to eventual champions the Toronto Raptors - inspired by Kawhi Leonard, now of the Los Angeles Clippers....

Prior to this season, the Charlotte Bobcats were known as perennial bottom-feeders. So it figures that, even with Al Jefferson on the roster, they entered the year with few expectations. And even within the locker room, there was apprehension about making definitive statements on what this season would become. Remember, this team was fresh off a lottery season, which was pleasant compared to the year they posted the worst win percentage in NBA history....

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana salvaged its season Saturday by reverting to form: its first-half form. Paul George scored a career playoff-high 30 points, Lance Stephenson added 19 and Roy Hibbert finally came up big against the more nimble Atlanta Hawks as the Pacers survived a first-round scare with a 92-80 victory in the decisive seventh game. Two days after staving off elimination in Atlanta, the top-seeded Pacers did it again and advanced to a second-round series against Washington that starts Monday in Indiana....

MORE: Is there anyway the Spurs can beat the Warriors? After missing Game 6 of San Antonio’s Western Conference semifinals series against the Rockets with an ankle injury, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says the all-star forward is ready to go. Leonard was a full participant in Saturday’s practice and will play Sunday in Oakland when the conference finals begin at 3:30 p.m. ET., reports Melissa Rohlin of the San Antonio Express-News....

Kerr, who has spoken out on Donald Trump, alternative facts and political policies in the past, went off script once again during his pregame press conference Sunday to give his sympathy to Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas, whose sister died in a car accident Saturday. “Before we start, I want to wish Isaiah Thomas and his family well,” Kerr said to start his presser. “Everybody in our organization is just devastated to hear the news....

LeBron James finally received the help from his teammates he had been looking for all series to get a much needed 116-86 win in Game 3 over the Celtics. As expected, James (27 points, 12 assists, five rebounds) and Kevin Love (13 points, four assists, 14 rebounds) did their parts, but even the secondary characters in Cleveland’s cast of misfits stepped up. Kyle Korver went perfect from the field, J....

First, it was Stephen Curry and then Klay Thompson. Thompson sprained his right ankle in the third quarter of Game 6 and it is “still pretty bad,” according to a report from The Athletic, which cited unidentified league sources. It is not clear whether the injury will keep him out of Sunday’s game versus the Rockets to open their semifinal series, but coach Steve Kerr said Saturday both Golden State stars are questionable....

The 29-year-old forward was seen wearing a splint on his right hand after the Warriors’ Game 4 victory over the Clippers last weekend. Green later underwent an MRI and said Wednesday he plans to play through the pain. “Still sore,” Green said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “But it is what it is. If the MRI said it was broken, by the way, I was still going to play, so it doesn’t matter....

Ordinarily that would have been enough to earn a postseason berth, but the NBA’s decision to introduce a play-in tournament to determine the final two playoff spots in each conference means the Lakers will play the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. The winner of the matchup between Lakers and Warriors—who finished eighth in the Western Conference—will advance to the playoffs as the seventh seed in the Western Conference, while the loser will play the winner of the second play-in game, which pits the San Antonio Spurs against the Memphis Grizzlies....

The Cavs swept the Celtics in the first round of this year’s playoffs, while Chicago had to wrestle with a scrappy Bucks team before breaking through with a decisive Game 6 win. MORE: Blatt concerned about long layoff | LeBron ditches the headband PHOTOS: Must-see first-round pictures Schedule/TV (All times Eastern) Game 1 — May 4, at Cleveland, 7:00 PM, TNT Game 2 — May 6, at Cleveland, 7:00 PM, TNT Game 3 — May 8, at Chicago, 8:00 PM, ESPN Game 4 — May 10, at Chicago, 3:30 PM, ABC *Game 5 — May 12, at Cleveland, TBD, TNT *Game 6 — May 14, at Chicago, TBD, ESPN *Game 7 — May 17, at Cleveland, TBD, TNT...

After the league shut down in March following Rudy Gobert’s positive COVID-19 test, there were plenty of questions about how play could resume amid a global pandemic. The NBA eventually figured out how to safely construct a “bubble” environment in Florida, and the strangest season in basketball history was finally completed in October. Now, players are back in the real world, but the 2020-21 campaign will be far from normal....

Of those teams, 14 have won at least two games while three have won three straight games to force a decisive Game 7. None have come back to win the series. Look back at the instances in which an NBA Playoff series has been extended to six or seven games after a team gets out to a 3-0 series advantage. Teams to force Game 6 after facing a 3-0 deficit in NBA Playoffs How many NBA teams facing a 3-0 deficit have forced Game 7?...

Cleveland does not want to trade the 30-year-old forward and would have to be “blown away” by an offer to consider moving him, according to a report from Cleveland.com, which cites unidentified league sources. The report adds: The five-time All-Star struggled with injuries throughout 2018-19 and played in just 22 games. He averaged 17 points and 10.9 rebounds while shooting 36.1% from 3-point range in 27.2 minutes per appearance....

Wednesday night in Sacramento, forward Rudy Gay went down with what is likely a torn left Achilles tendon. Earlier in the day, star Clippers guard Chris Paul had surgery on a tendon in his left thumb, an injury that will keep him out for two months. Gay’s injury has the most immediate impact on the trading deadline, because the Kings had been considering dealing Gay for months, and as their playoff hopes have looked increasingly wobbly, Gay was likely to be shipped to a contender as a short-term rental player....

The Pistons are engaged in trade talks with the Hawks centered around two-time All-Star Andre Drummond, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who says Detroit is also discussing Drummond with several other interested teams. There is an “increasing belief” among outside teams that Drummond will be moved before the Feb. 6 deadline, per Wojnarowski, though no deal is imminent. NBA TRADE DEADLINE: Latest news, rumors, targets Drummond is averaging 17.6 points and a league-high 15....

While Paul was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, he opted into the final year of his contract with the Clippers to facilitate a trade to the Rockets. In return, the Rockets gave up a relatively small price revolving around Sam Dekker, Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams and a protected first-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Paul certainly doesn’t have the upside anymore of other available All-Stars right now such as Paul George and Jimmy Butler (before he was traded to the Timberwolves), but he joins the Rockets as one of the most accomplished point guards in NBA history who is still in the prime of his career....