5:53 PM ET Associated Press WILMINGTON, N.C. — Michael Jordan returned to his hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina, and met with some hurricane victims who benefited from his $2 million donation. Stephanie Parker, her husband and four young children spent nearly months living in shelters provided by the American Red Cross, which Jordan helped fund.

5:43 PM ET Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for directing inappropriate language toward a fan during a recent game in Dallas. According to the league, the exchange occurred during the first quarter of the Warriors’ 112-109 loss to the Mavericks on Saturday. The incident capped a

2:27 PM ET Adrian WojnarowskiESPN The NBA has hired Rod Strickland as program manager for its G League professional path program. Strickland, a 17-year NBA veteran and former college assistant, will evaluate elite prospects, as well as educate and mentor them on the new initiative that offers select high school prospects the option to bypass

2:22 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN WASHINGTON — In the wake of multiple stories detailing infighting within the Washington Wizards, outbursts at practices last week and the possibility of trading any player on the roster — including star guards John Wall and Bradley Beal — the franchise attempted to put a brave face on the situation

1:20 PM ET In the wake of JR Smith saying the Cleveland Cavaliers are tanking, he is not with the team as it works on a trade, sources told ESPN’s Brian Windhorst Tuesday. The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 7. When LeBron James left for the Los Angeles Lakers this past offseason, the Cavaliers put

11:38 AM ET Philadelphia 76ers point guard Markelle Fultz will be out until he sees a shoulder specialist early next week, Fultz’s agent, Raymond Brothers, told ESPN. The news was first reported by The Athletic. Fultz, the 2017 No. 1 overall draft pick, missed most of his rookie season with a shoulder injury. Fultz was

9:44 AM ET When LeBron James left for the Los Angeles Lakers, the Cleveland Cavaliers put on a brave face and said the plan was still to make the playoffs. JR Smith isn’t buying it. A loss to the Pistons Monday dropped the Cavs to 2-13, the worst record in the league. “I don’t think

12:46 AM ET Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Buddy Hield made three consecutive 3-pointers late in the fourth quarter and scored 25 points, Marvin Bagley III had his first career double-double and the Sacramento Kings beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 117-113 on Monday night to spoil Russell Westbrook‘s return. Iman Shumpert scored 21 of his

1:06 AM ET Malika AndrewsESPN MILWAUKEE — The Bucks have developed a bad habit over the course of the season that has led to stern locker room speeches from Mike Budenholzer. The Bucks have an impressive record and boast the best offensive rating in the league, but they’ve been outscored by their opponents in first

11:27 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHILADELPHIA — As the Philadelphia 76ers finally roared to life in the second half of Monday night’s game at Wells Fargo Center against the hapless Phoenix Suns, reserve guard T.J. McConnell seemed to be right in the middle of all of it. His stat line — two points, one rebound,

7:30 PM ET Adrian WojnarowskiESPN The Washington Wizards fined All-Star guard John Wall for unloading a verbal barrage at coach Scott Brooks in a recent practice session, league sources told ESPN. Every Wizards player, including John Wall and Bradley Beal, is available in trade talks, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. After teammate Jeff Green

8:38 AM ET I REMEMBER MY very first draft workout was against Joe Johnson and Rodney White. I’d never heard of these guys. One went to Arkansas. One went to UNC Charlotte. Both of them were really, really good. I came into the draft process as a very raw athlete who had worked hard in

4:52 PM ET Josh Richardson has been fined $25,000 for throwing his shoe into the crowd during the Miami Heat‘s 113-97 loss to the visiting Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night. The Heat guard was assessed a technical foul and ejected from the game when he tossed his shoe midway through the fourth quarter. Miami’s

1:50 PM ET Miami Heat point guard Goran Dragic and will be out for at least the next couple of games after having his swollen right knee drained Monday morning, the team announced. The Heat said the hope is that the procedure and some rest will allow the knee inflammation to subside by next week.

12:50 PM ET New Orleans Pelicans point guard Elfrid Payton will have surgery on his fractured left pinkie finger and is expected to miss approximately six weeks. Payton suffered the injury in the Pelicans’ victory over the New York Knicks. He had missed the previous nine games because of an ankle sprain before returning to

7:48 AM ET As the shell-shocked Portland Trail Blazers dressed in the visiting locker room in New Orleans, processing a humiliating sweep that stretched their postseason losing to streak 10 games, Paul Allen, the team’s longtime owner, walked in to address them. Allen typically thanked the team after the final game each season. He began

5:22 PM ET Adrian WojnarowskiESPN As the Washington Wizards‘ season spirals, the franchise is making every player on its roster — including All-Star guards John Wall and Bradley Beal — available to discuss in trade scenarios, league sources told ESPN on Monday. Player Salary John Wall $38.2M Otto Porter Jr. $27.3M Bradley Beal $27.1M Ian

10:54 AM ET Adrian WojnarowskiESPN As the Washington Wizards‘ season spirals, the franchise has started to deliver teams an impression that every player on their roster — including All-Star guards John Wall and Bradley Beal — is available for discussion in trade scenarios, league sources told ESPN. Washington’s preference remains to reshape the team around