The 2022-23 NBA hierarchy already saw a few shake-ups in its first week. The Portland Trail Blazers have taken an early lead on the title for biggest surprise of the season with a 4-0 start. Damian Lillard & Co. have not only won but have notched meaningful victories over Western Conference rivals at the top … Read more
2:50 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN METAIRIE, La. — New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is in the NBA’s concussion protocol after colliding with a teammate in Sunday’s 122-121 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz, the team announced Monday. There is no timetable for Ingram’s return; he will have to clear a series of steps to … Read more
NBA opening week is here, and a number of players returned after having not played since 2021, while the latest crop of rookies suited up for their first regular-season games. The return of Kawhi Leonard — off the bench for the time being — immediately made the LA Clippers contenders for the NBA title. A … Read more
12:59 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN NEW YORK — Despite praise from his teammates and coach, Zion Williamson called his regular-season return to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night just a “decent starter performance.” “It’s a lot of room for improvement,” he said. “I’m still learning my teammates. Now we get real in-game reps. I’m … Read more
What will the 2022-23 NBA season be remembered for? Some teams will look very similar, but the landscape of the league is never exactly the same two years in a row. An offseason full of big trades and a handful of star players returning from injury is bound to shake up the NBA standings. Utah’s … Read more
1:54 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN CHICAGO — The Zion Williamson show is officially back. Even if it was just for a preseason viewing. The New Orleans Pelicans forward returned to the court Tuesday night, scoring 13 points in a 15-minute performance at the United Center in a 129-125 win over the Chicago Bulls. Earlier on … Read more
New Orleans Pelicans forward Larry Nance Jr. has agreed to a two-year, $21.6 million contract extension, his agent, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports, told ESPN on Saturday. The extension, tying Nance to the franchise through the 2024-2025 season, allows him to join the Pelicans’ key players — including Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum … Read more
3:38 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN METAIRIE, La. — The New Orleans Pelicans opened training camp on Tuesday with two practices, a morning session followed by one in the evening. By design, the morning session was lighter. The evening session had a scrimmage portion that was going to be the first intense 5-on-5 work for Zion … Read more
New Orleans Pelicans star CJ McCollum has agreed on a two-year, $64 million contract extension that’ll take him through the 2025-2026 season, his agent Sam Goldfeder of Excel Sports told ESPN on Saturday. McCollum’s new deal ties him to New Orleans for four years and $133 million, aligning him on long-term deals with franchise cornerstones … Read more
NBArank is back for its 12th season counting down the best players in the league. Where are MVP candidates such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic? What about rookies and young stars ready to take the leap into the upper tier of NBA players? Where is LeBron James, who is entering … Read more