Source: Harden declines $47M option with 76ers
James Harden is taking less with hopes the Philadelphia 76ers can do more.
A person familiar with the situation said Harden chose not to exercise his $47.4 million option for next season and will become a free agent — but with no designs on leaving Philadelphia. Harden made the decision to allow the 76ers the flexibility they need to sign other players this summer, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
That will be a major factor when the NBA opens the free agency negotiating window at 3 p.m. on Thursday, with Philadelphia among the teams that will be expected to target Miami forward P.J. Tucker, among others.
SOURCE: NUGGETS, WIZARDS AGREE TO 4-PLAYER SWAP »
The Denver Nuggets have agreed to a deal that would send guards Will Barton and Monte Morris to the Washington Wizards for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said.
The trade becomes the latest move by Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth to reshape the lineup around two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. Barton and Morris were both starters last season on a Nuggets team that was eliminated from the playoffs in the first round by eventual champion Golden State.
Barton averaged 14.7 points and Morris 12.6 points on an injury-riddled Denver team that was missing point guard Jamal Murray (ACL recovery) for the entire year and Michael Porter Jr. (back) for most of it.
NBA FINALS VIEWERSHIP UP 24 PERCENT » Nearly 14 million people watched the Golden State Warriors win its fourth NBA championship since 2015 by beating the Boston Celtics in the sixth game of their series.
The series that matched the NBA's most current dynasty against the one with the most championships overall averaged 12.3 million viewers, which was 24% more than the 2021 series between Milwaukee and Phoenix, the Nielsen company said.
As is typical, the series built in audience as it went on, with the 13.99 million people who watched the final game nearly a million more than the audience for any other game, Nielsen said.
MMA UFC STAR CHARGED IN SHOOTING SUES MAN OVER ALLEGED MOLESTING »
Cain Velasquez, the former UFC heavyweight champion accused of trying to kill the man he claims molested his 4-year-old son, is suing the man and his family who own a day care where the alleged molestation occurred.
Velasquez was arrested in San Jose last February after he shot at a pickup truck carrying the man through busy streets in three Silicon Valley cities, ramming the vehicle with his own truck during a high-speed chase, prosecutors said.
A judge in March denied bail to Velasquez, who faces attempted murder and multiple gun assault charges.