The Latest on NBA free agency (all times EDT):
10:45 p.m.
Lance Stephenson is joining LeBron James in Los Angeles.
Stephenson agreed to a deal with the Lakers on Sunday night Doug Flutie Jersey , his agency, Priority Sports, announced on Twitter . That came just hours after James decided he would join the Lakers.
The two have traded testy moments in the playoffs when Stephenson’s Indiana teams faced James’ squads in both Miami and Cleveland.
Stephenson averaged 9.2 points last season.
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10:25 p.m.
Glenn Robinson III has agreed to a deal with the Detroit Pistons.
A person with knowledge of the agreement says Robinson has agreed to a one-year contract with a team option for 2019-20. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract has not yet been signed.
Robinson returns to the area where he played college basketball. He was on the Michigan team that went to the Final Four in 2013.
Robinson averaged 4.1 points and 14.7 minutes a game last season for Indiana.
– Noah Trister in Detroit
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10:05 p.m.
Aaron Gordon is staying in Orlando for big money.
A person with knowledge of the negotiations says Gordon agreed Sunday night to a four-year, $82 million deal to remain with the Magic. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract has not yet been signed.
Gordon is going into his fifth season. He averaged a career-best 17.6 points per game last year for Orlando, but was limited to 58 games.
– AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds
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9:50 p.m.
Mario Hezonja is leaving Orlando to play for David Fizdale and the New York Knicks.
The No. 5 pick in the 2015 draft tweeted a picture of himself in a Knicks sweatshirt, writing that he was ”very excited to be joining the Knicks and play for coach Fizdale!”
Hezonja averaged 9.6 points last season, easily the best of his three-year career. ESPN reported the Croatian native had agreed to a one-year deal worth $6.5 million.
The Knicks had said they didn’t plan to be active in free agency, hoping to save their cap space for 2019.
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8:25 p.m.
LeBron James is signing with the Los Angeles Lakers, leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time to join one of the NBA’s most iconic franchises.
James’ agency made the announcement in a release, saying he has agreed to a four-year Kenny Stills Jersey , $154 million contract. The game’s best all-around player and biggest star will now lead a young Lakers team that has been overmatched in recent years while rebuilding but will instantly rise with James.
Los Angeles also provides James with a larger platform for his business interests and social activism.
This is the third time in eight years James has changed teams. He returned to the Cavs in 2014 after four seasons in Miami.
The 33-year-old had previously said he wanted to finish his career in Ohio, and although he’s leaving home again, Cleveland fans are more forgiving after he ended the city’s 52-year sports championship drought in 2016.
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1:20 p.m.
Derrick Jones Jr. has signed a minimum deal with the Miami Heat, after playing with them on a two-way contract last season.
The 6-foot-7 wing played in 14 games with Miami last season, starting eight. His NBA career remains best known for his appearance as a member of the Phoenix Suns in the 2017 dunk contest at All-Star weekend, an invite that came even though he had spent the bulk of his time that season in the G League.
He could help the Heat in at least two ways – one being depth, the other being affordability. Miami does not have much in the way of financial flexibility this summer, with the luxury tax threshold looming and the Heat trying to keep Wayne Ellington.
Jones is playing in Summer League for the Heat, starting Monday in Sacramento.
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12:05 p.m.
The Philadelphia 76ers are getting to make their pitch to LeBron James.
Representatives from the team will meet in Los Angeles with James’ agent Rich Paul on Sunday, a person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks. James will not take part in the meeting Dalvin Tomlinson Jersey , the person said.
The Sixers -and their fans- have made no secret of their desire to land James, who would instantly make them NBA title contenders. Philadelphia has young stars in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid to entice James, who was flattered earlier this year when a company erected billboards in Ohio urging him to join the Sixers.
The meeting was first reported by ESPN.
— Tom Withers in Cleveland.
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11:10 a.m.
The Toronto Raptors aren’t letting guard Fred VanVleet get away.
A person with knowledge of the contract says the club has reached an agreement with VanVleet on a two-year, $18 million deal. The person spoke with The Associated Press Sunday on condition of anonymity because the deal can’t be finalized until Friday.
In his second season with Toronto, VanVleet, a restricted free agent, averaged 8.6 points and was a valuable backup to Kyle Lowry. VanVleet bounced between the D-League and Raptors in his 2016-17 rookie season, but the former Wichita State improved his game and has been rewarded.
– AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds
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9:50 a.m.
Aron Baynes, who started virtually every game last season with Boston, is staying with the Celtics.
A person familiar with the negotiations says Baynes has agreed to a two-year deal worth $11 million. The person There's no questioning C.J. Prosise's talent Raekwon McMillan Jersey , only his ability to remain on the football field.
The third-year running back for the Seattle Seahawks has been plagued by injuries throughout his first two years in the NFL. From serious ailments like a fractured scapula, broken wrist bone and high-ankle sprains to more minor ones like groin, hamstring and hip strains, Prosise has been sidelined constantly.
With Chris Carson back from injury himself and Seattle using their first-round pick on San Diego State back Rashaad Penny, there is an urgency for Prosise to be able to stay healthy and contribute regularly this season.
Prosise spent the offseason trying to get physically ready to make the most of what could be a final opportunity with Seattle.
"I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life," Prosise said. "I feel like I can do anything on the field. I feel 100 percent and ready to go so I'm excited for this camp. We play a physical game and injuries happen and you can't avoid it. This offseason was geared around getting my body prepared to take the punishment that my body needs to take and so my body is in that position to do that now. So I'm ready to play."
Prosise buckled down with a personal trainer this offseason and was focused on putting himself in a position to withstand the types of injuries that had hampered him his first two seasons.
"That was a big change I made," Prosise said. "Before this I didn't put as much work as I should have been putting in. Now, I've kind of figured out my regimen. And also just getting on the field every day and working with drills, specific running back drills and stuff. For the most part hitting the weight room really hard and getting my body toned up and ready for the season is really what's helped the most."
Prosise has played in just 11 games in his two years in Seattle. But the limited action was still enough to show the type of player he can be when he's in peak form. As a rookie in his first career start, he gained 153 yards from scrimmage in a victory over a New England Patriots team that would go on to the win the Super Bowl. His ability to perform both as a runner and as a receiver out of the backfield caused fits for the Patriots defense.
A week later Stefan Charles Jersey , Prosise broke free for a 72-yard touchdown run against the Philadelphia Eagles. Then Prosise was sidelined when he broke his shoulder blade late in the first half and missed the rest of the season.
A pair of high-ankle sprains held him to just five games played a year ago as well.
Maybe it's the same tease he's provided in his first two camps with Seattle but Prosise is again drawing praise in the early stages of training camp.
"I'm so fired up for him," head coach Pete Carroll said. "He's always been such a terrific potential guy and he has just not been able to stay healthy. He's leaner and stronger. He just is more fit, which screams at how hard he worked and how important this is to him. Couldn't send a better message."
The old adage that your greatest ability is your availability couldn't be more apt when it comes to Prosise. All of his potential will go unrealized if he's not available on Sundays due to injuries. But as Seattle tries to right a rushing attack that managed just one rushing touchdown from the running back position all last season, having an athlete like Prosise at its disposal would be welcome.
NOTES: LB Joshua Perry, who announced his retirement from the NFL earlier this week due to concussions, told NBC's "Today Show" on Thursday that he believes the NFL is doing enough when it comes to concussions. "I think the hardest part.is the research is a little bit fuzzy. I think that we do a great job in terms of the protocol that the NFL has. Coaches aren't pressuring players to get back, I think players feel their own type of pressure to be there for their teammates." Perry had a long post on social media earlier this week announcing he was stepping away after suffering a sixth concussion in the opening days of training camp. Perry was a fourth-round pick of the Chargers in 2016. He signed with Seattle in June.
10:45 p.m.
Lance Stephenson is joining LeBron James in Los Angeles.
Stephenson agreed to a deal with the Lakers on Sunday night Doug Flutie Jersey , his agency, Priority Sports, announced on Twitter . That came just hours after James decided he would join the Lakers.
The two have traded testy moments in the playoffs when Stephenson’s Indiana teams faced James’ squads in both Miami and Cleveland.
Stephenson averaged 9.2 points last season.
—
10:25 p.m.
Glenn Robinson III has agreed to a deal with the Detroit Pistons.
A person with knowledge of the agreement says Robinson has agreed to a one-year contract with a team option for 2019-20. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract has not yet been signed.
Robinson returns to the area where he played college basketball. He was on the Michigan team that went to the Final Four in 2013.
Robinson averaged 4.1 points and 14.7 minutes a game last season for Indiana.
– Noah Trister in Detroit
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10:05 p.m.
Aaron Gordon is staying in Orlando for big money.
A person with knowledge of the negotiations says Gordon agreed Sunday night to a four-year, $82 million deal to remain with the Magic. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract has not yet been signed.
Gordon is going into his fifth season. He averaged a career-best 17.6 points per game last year for Orlando, but was limited to 58 games.
– AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds
—
9:50 p.m.
Mario Hezonja is leaving Orlando to play for David Fizdale and the New York Knicks.
The No. 5 pick in the 2015 draft tweeted a picture of himself in a Knicks sweatshirt, writing that he was ”very excited to be joining the Knicks and play for coach Fizdale!”
Hezonja averaged 9.6 points last season, easily the best of his three-year career. ESPN reported the Croatian native had agreed to a one-year deal worth $6.5 million.
The Knicks had said they didn’t plan to be active in free agency, hoping to save their cap space for 2019.
—
8:25 p.m.
LeBron James is signing with the Los Angeles Lakers, leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time to join one of the NBA’s most iconic franchises.
James’ agency made the announcement in a release, saying he has agreed to a four-year Kenny Stills Jersey , $154 million contract. The game’s best all-around player and biggest star will now lead a young Lakers team that has been overmatched in recent years while rebuilding but will instantly rise with James.
Los Angeles also provides James with a larger platform for his business interests and social activism.
This is the third time in eight years James has changed teams. He returned to the Cavs in 2014 after four seasons in Miami.
The 33-year-old had previously said he wanted to finish his career in Ohio, and although he’s leaving home again, Cleveland fans are more forgiving after he ended the city’s 52-year sports championship drought in 2016.
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1:20 p.m.
Derrick Jones Jr. has signed a minimum deal with the Miami Heat, after playing with them on a two-way contract last season.
The 6-foot-7 wing played in 14 games with Miami last season, starting eight. His NBA career remains best known for his appearance as a member of the Phoenix Suns in the 2017 dunk contest at All-Star weekend, an invite that came even though he had spent the bulk of his time that season in the G League.
He could help the Heat in at least two ways – one being depth, the other being affordability. Miami does not have much in the way of financial flexibility this summer, with the luxury tax threshold looming and the Heat trying to keep Wayne Ellington.
Jones is playing in Summer League for the Heat, starting Monday in Sacramento.
—
12:05 p.m.
The Philadelphia 76ers are getting to make their pitch to LeBron James.
Representatives from the team will meet in Los Angeles with James’ agent Rich Paul on Sunday, a person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks. James will not take part in the meeting Dalvin Tomlinson Jersey , the person said.
The Sixers -and their fans- have made no secret of their desire to land James, who would instantly make them NBA title contenders. Philadelphia has young stars in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid to entice James, who was flattered earlier this year when a company erected billboards in Ohio urging him to join the Sixers.
The meeting was first reported by ESPN.
— Tom Withers in Cleveland.
—
11:10 a.m.
The Toronto Raptors aren’t letting guard Fred VanVleet get away.
A person with knowledge of the contract says the club has reached an agreement with VanVleet on a two-year, $18 million deal. The person spoke with The Associated Press Sunday on condition of anonymity because the deal can’t be finalized until Friday.
In his second season with Toronto, VanVleet, a restricted free agent, averaged 8.6 points and was a valuable backup to Kyle Lowry. VanVleet bounced between the D-League and Raptors in his 2016-17 rookie season, but the former Wichita State improved his game and has been rewarded.
– AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds
—
9:50 a.m.
Aron Baynes, who started virtually every game last season with Boston, is staying with the Celtics.
A person familiar with the negotiations says Baynes has agreed to a two-year deal worth $11 million. The person There's no questioning C.J. Prosise's talent Raekwon McMillan Jersey , only his ability to remain on the football field.
The third-year running back for the Seattle Seahawks has been plagued by injuries throughout his first two years in the NFL. From serious ailments like a fractured scapula, broken wrist bone and high-ankle sprains to more minor ones like groin, hamstring and hip strains, Prosise has been sidelined constantly.
With Chris Carson back from injury himself and Seattle using their first-round pick on San Diego State back Rashaad Penny, there is an urgency for Prosise to be able to stay healthy and contribute regularly this season.
Prosise spent the offseason trying to get physically ready to make the most of what could be a final opportunity with Seattle.
"I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life," Prosise said. "I feel like I can do anything on the field. I feel 100 percent and ready to go so I'm excited for this camp. We play a physical game and injuries happen and you can't avoid it. This offseason was geared around getting my body prepared to take the punishment that my body needs to take and so my body is in that position to do that now. So I'm ready to play."
Prosise buckled down with a personal trainer this offseason and was focused on putting himself in a position to withstand the types of injuries that had hampered him his first two seasons.
"That was a big change I made," Prosise said. "Before this I didn't put as much work as I should have been putting in. Now, I've kind of figured out my regimen. And also just getting on the field every day and working with drills, specific running back drills and stuff. For the most part hitting the weight room really hard and getting my body toned up and ready for the season is really what's helped the most."
Prosise has played in just 11 games in his two years in Seattle. But the limited action was still enough to show the type of player he can be when he's in peak form. As a rookie in his first career start, he gained 153 yards from scrimmage in a victory over a New England Patriots team that would go on to the win the Super Bowl. His ability to perform both as a runner and as a receiver out of the backfield caused fits for the Patriots defense.
A week later Stefan Charles Jersey , Prosise broke free for a 72-yard touchdown run against the Philadelphia Eagles. Then Prosise was sidelined when he broke his shoulder blade late in the first half and missed the rest of the season.
A pair of high-ankle sprains held him to just five games played a year ago as well.
Maybe it's the same tease he's provided in his first two camps with Seattle but Prosise is again drawing praise in the early stages of training camp.
"I'm so fired up for him," head coach Pete Carroll said. "He's always been such a terrific potential guy and he has just not been able to stay healthy. He's leaner and stronger. He just is more fit, which screams at how hard he worked and how important this is to him. Couldn't send a better message."
The old adage that your greatest ability is your availability couldn't be more apt when it comes to Prosise. All of his potential will go unrealized if he's not available on Sundays due to injuries. But as Seattle tries to right a rushing attack that managed just one rushing touchdown from the running back position all last season, having an athlete like Prosise at its disposal would be welcome.
NOTES: LB Joshua Perry, who announced his retirement from the NFL earlier this week due to concussions, told NBC's "Today Show" on Thursday that he believes the NFL is doing enough when it comes to concussions. "I think the hardest part.is the research is a little bit fuzzy. I think that we do a great job in terms of the protocol that the NFL has. Coaches aren't pressuring players to get back, I think players feel their own type of pressure to be there for their teammates." Perry had a long post on social media earlier this week announcing he was stepping away after suffering a sixth concussion in the opening days of training camp. Perry was a fourth-round pick of the Chargers in 2016. He signed with Seattle in June.
