The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to a $39 million, four-year deal with forward Dean Wade, a person with knowledge of the deal said on Tuesday night. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal cannot be signed yet. Wade spent his first six seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and will be reunited with new 76ers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey. Gansey left the Cavaliers this summer and long championed Wade in Cleveland.
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said she has received death threats and been called racial slurs in the aftermath of her one-game suspension after she made contact with her fist to Caitlin Clark’s throat in last week’s matchup against Indiana. Thomas also criticized WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for not doing more to protect the league’s players when she spoke with reporters on Tuesday at the team’s practice facility. The play happened with 6:52 left in the second quarter in a game against Clark’s Indiana Fever on Wednesday and was deemed to be a non-basketball act. The league gave Thomas a Flagrant Foul 2 penalty for it.
The NBA is going back to college this coming season, bringing the NBA Cup championship game to Butler’s historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Hinkle is one of the oldest arenas in the country. It is iconic, and more than fits the billing that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and other league officials were looking for when he said the league was searching for “storied college arenas” to play host to the Cup final. The 2026-27 title game, to be played Dec. 11, will mark the first time the Cup final is held outside of Las Vegas — which hosted the final for the first three in-season tournaments.
Former NBA players Malik Beasley and Ed Davis have been indicted in the latest round of charges in the government’s gambling investigation. Authorities say Beasley tailored his play while with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024, based on bets on his performance, and others benefited, including Davis. Six people were named in the indictment returned in Brooklyn. Authorities say the scheme involved hundreds of thousands of dollars. There was no immediate comment from lawyers for Beasley and Davis.
Kelsey Mitchell scored 26 points and the Indiana Fever thumped the Los Angeles Sparks 111-87 with two of the league’s top scorers sidelined. Caitlin Clark, averaging 21.2 points and 8.2 assists for Indiana, missed the game with a back injury but shouldn’t be sidelined for long according to coach Stephanie White. Kelsey Plum, second in the league with a 23.9 points per game scoring average, is expected to miss at least four weeks for Los Angeles with an injury to her left leg. Nneka Ogwumike totaled 17 points and seven rebounds and Dearica Hamby scored 15 for the Sparks.
The World Cup is inspiring some young people to try a new sport. Experts say the motivating influence of major sporting events is something to celebrate but that it can present parenting dilemmas. Adults may wonder how much time and money they should invest in an activity their children outgrow after one season. For parents of promising young athletes, there's the issue of providing encouragement but not too much pressure. Experts say there are healthy ways to support and motivate kids who dream of becoming the next Ronaldo or Messi. They advise parents to give children some agency over their participation in youth sports and to emphasize enjoyment over elite outcomes.
A person familiar with the situation says the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to trade point guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round draft pick, three first-round pick swaps and three future second-round picks. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the deal has yet to be approved by the league. ESPN was first to report the trade. The three first-round pick swaps will be in 2028, 2029 and 2030. The Hornets also will get three second-round picks in 2029, 2032 and 2033.
The Chicago Bulls tried to strike gold in North Carolina again and the Milwaukee Bucks started their post-Giannis Antetokounmpo era in the first round of the NBA draft on Tuesday. Both the Bulls and Bucks had two top-15 picks on Tuesday to highlight the first night of the draft in the Central Division. Chicago selected North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson with the fourth overall pick and took Texas forward Dailyn Swain at No. 15. Milwaukee took Arizona guard Brayden Burries at No. 10 and Tennessee forward Nate Ament at No. 13.
Caitlin Clark left the Indiana Fever’s loss to Phoenix with a back injury in the third quarter. The All-Star guard has been dealing with a back issue this season and left with 5:15 remaining in the third quarter. She went back to the locker room and didn’t return. Clark appeared to tweak her back in the second quarter when she was fouled shooting a 3-pointer in the second quarter. She fell to the ground and was rubbing her back as she stood up. In the first quarter she went back to the tunnel and returned to the bench wearing a wrap around her back. She finished the game with 19 points and eight assists in 20 minutes.
Kahleah Copper made 15 of 16 from the free-throw line and finished with 28 points, and the Phoenix Mercury beat Indiana 111-109 after Fever star Caitlin Clark left with a back injury in the third quarter. Clark had 19 points and eight assists in 20 minutes the Fever. Clark, who was a game-time decision due to a lingering back issue, left with 5:15 remaining in the third quarter and did not return. Alyssa Thomas had 24 points and eight assists, and DeWanna Bonner scored 11 of her 13 points in the second quarter for the Mercury. Kelsey Mitchell finished with 30 points and six assists for Indiana.