Damian Lillard wasn’t a top-five pick. Tobias Harris wasn’t a lottery pick. Khris Middleton wasn’t even a first-rounder.
Their bank balances won’t know the difference soon.
Free agency opened Sunday with more than $2 billion in deals getting struck in the opening hours — and that’s even without Kyrie Irving officially joining Brooklyn, as has been expected, or any word from Kawhi Leonard about his future plans to either stay with NBA champion Toronto or move elsewhere.
Lillard agreed to a $196 million, four-year extension with Portland that will kick in for the 2021-22 season. Harris is staying in Philadelphia for $180 million over the next five years and Middleton gave Milwaukee a bit of a discount in agreeing to a $178 million, five-year deal — $12 million shy of what he could have commanded.
Even injuries couldn’t derail the spending.
Kevin Durant announced that he’s leaving Golden State and joining Brooklyn on a $164 million, four-year deal — even though he’ll miss next season with an Achilles injury and could have gotten $221 million for five years from the Warriors. And Kristaps Porzingis, who hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since Feb. 6, 2018 because of a knee injury, will sign a $158 million, five-year contract to stay with Dallas.
All deals were confirmed to The Associated Press by people with direct knowledge of the agreements, all speaking on condition of anonymity because the NBA moratorium prevents new contracts from being signed until noon Eastern time on Saturday.
“From the trade to the Sixers in February, through the regular season and playoffs and now on to free agency, this contract is a culmination of so much in my life and basketball career,” Harris wrote in an essay published on ESPN.com. “It’s also a new beginning.”
There were a lot of new beginnings Sunday.
Jimmy Butler agreed to a four-year, $142 million deal that will send him to Miami. Butler — a close friend of retired Miami guard Dwyane Wade — made clear to the Heat that he wanted to be in Miami, and over the next three hours the basic framework of a trade was worked out. Miami is sending Josh Richardson to Philadelphia and Goran Dragic to Dallas to make the Butler move happen.
Irving and Leonard remained on the market, at least technically in Irving’s case, after the initial flurry of free agency — and even with their deals still not closed, nine players agreed to contracts that will be worth $100 million or more. Lillard, Harris, Middleton, Durant, Porzingis, Butler, Kemba Walker ($141 million, four-year deal with Boston), Al Horford ($109 million, four years from Philadelphia) and Nikola Vucevic ($100 million, four years with Orlando) were the big early winners, with more likely to come.
The 76ers moved quickly to add Horford, once the parameters of the Butler trade to Miami were complete.
Point guards did particularly well, and will likely keep doing well.
Lillard, Irving (when he gets his $141 million for four years from Brooklyn, as expected) and Walker guaranteed themselves nearly a half-billion dollars. Terry Rozier left Boston for Charlotte — essentially the swap for Walker — on what will be a $58 million, three-year deal that will be completed via trade. Ricky Rubio also cashed in, getting $51 million for three years from the Phoenix Suns and restricted free agent D’Angelo Russell was believed to be a target for both Minnesota and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Meanwhile, the Leonard watch continued with no hints from his camp. The NBA Finals MVP and now two-time champion will meet with the Raptors in the coming days, Toronto coach Nick Nurse said.
Nurse didn’t say where the Raptors will be seeing Leonard, but said the NBA champs believe they “have a really good chance” to keep him.
“I think he had a tremendous year,” Nurse said at an event in Jefferson, Iowa, near his hometown. “I think it’s a great place. You guys can see our fans and ownership is great. Our front office leadership is great, his teammates. You know, everything went well for him to re-sign. And probably mostly, on top of that, would be his health. He was a guy that missed a whole season, and he had a good, healthy year and played his best basketball in the playoffs.”
In other key deals Sunday:
— Indiana is set to acquire 2017 rookie of the year Malcolm Brogdon from Milwaukee and sign the shooting guard to a four-year, $85 million deal.
— Harrison Barnes, as expected, is remaining in Sacramento on what will be a four-year, $85 million contract.
— The Pacers lost forward Bojan Bogdanovic to the Utah Jazz, which agreed to pay the forward $73.1 million over the next four years.
— New York, with Knicks fans hoping for a shot at Durant, is signing Julius Randle to a $63 million deal.
— Former NBA MVP Derrick Rose will sign a two-year, $15 million contract with the Detroit Pistons.
— San Antonio kept Rudy Gay on a two-year, $32 million deal, and added veteran forward DeMarre Carroll on a two-year, $12 million deal.
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AP Sports Writer Luke Meredith contributed to this report.
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More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Lillard gets $196M, 4-year extension with Portland, and NBA spending spree begins
Lillard gets $196M, 4-year extension with Portland, and NBA spending spree begins
- Kevin Durant leaving Golden State and joining Brooklyn on a $164 million, four-year deal
- Jimmy Butler agrees to a four-year, $142 million deal that will send him to Miami
Back on the pitch: Pakistan Super League resumes after conflict-forced suspension
- The Indian Premier League, also suspended due to the outbreak between the countries, will also resume this weekend
- PSL organizers first proposed moving the tournament to Dubai but later decided to postpone it after foreign players were reluctant to participate in the tournament due to security concerns
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s premier Twenty20 cricket tournament resumes Saturday after a ceasefire between India and Pakistan was achieved. There will be a handful of foreign players returning for the remaining eight games.
The Pakistan Super League was suspended on May 9 but last weekend Pakistan and India agreed to a ceasefire after talks to defuse their most serious military confrontation in decades.
The Indian Premier League, also suspended due to the outbreak between the countries, will also resume this weekend.
PSL organizers first proposed moving the tournament to Dubai but later decided to postpone it after foreign players were reluctant to participate in the tournament due to security concerns. Around 43 foreign cricketers — competing on six PSL teams — were flown out of Pakistan from an air base in Rawalpindi.
Rawalpindi will host the remaining four league matches between May 17-19 before Lahore hosts the playoffs from May 21, including the final at Qaddafi Stadium on May 25.
Zimbabwean all-rounder Sikander Raza is among some of foreign players who have returned to Pakistan. Raza, who plays for Lahore Qalandars, is available for Lahore’s crucial last league game against Peshawar Zalmi on Sunday before he flies to England for test duty starting next week.
Raza will not be available for Lahore if the two-time champions qualify for the playoffs due to his test commitments.
He said that if the PSL resumed, he planned to return to Pakistan, even for just one match.
“I was very clear in my head that I was always going to go back,” Raza told The Associated Press as he trained with his teammates at Islamabad Club ground on Thursday.
“This PSL is not just about winning a trophy, there’s a lot more to it. All the overseas (players) that have come back, whether they’re in Pakistan or India, I think credit must be given to them because cricket unites and the whole purpose of sports all around the world is to unite cultures, countries.”
Lahore will also have Sri Lanka batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan for its must-win last league game against the Babar Azam-led Peshawar side after Tom Curran and Daryl Mitchel were ruled out due to injuries.
Raza said it was tough for the families of all the players living abroad after there was escalation at the borders.
“Whether it’s Pakistan or India, what happened was tough for everybody,” Raza said. “Sometimes when you’re on the ground, things may not be as bad, but (for) people back home watching TV, sometimes it’s very hard to control what media tells you.”
Lahore team director Sameen Rana said it was important that the PSL returns to finish the season.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty and the conditions which were happening on the ground was not the best, it’s unfortunate,” Rana said. “But from our perspective . . . the important thing is that the PSL is resuming, and that’s what matters.”
Defending champions Islamabad United has brought in Alex Hales of England and Rassie van Dussen of South Africa after initially picking both of them in the supplementary draft while Ben Dwarshuis of Australia is flying back to rejoin the team.
Islamabad, the three-time PSL champions, won five games in a row at the start of the season before four successive defeats.
Finn Allen of New Zealand and Rilee Rossouw of South Africa are rejoining first-place Quetta Gladiators, who have 13 points, three points ahead of Karachi and Islamabad.
Karachi is expecting to have its captain David Warner back from Australia in time to lead the team against Peshawar on Saturday.
De Bruyne seeks fitting Man City farewell in FA Cup final
- He has expressed his “surprise” that City did not seek to extend his stay, filled with the belief that he can still perform at the high
MANCHESTER: Kevin De Bruyne can add another honor to his haul as Manchester City’s most decorated player of all time with a fitting farewell in Saturday’s FA Cup final against Crystal Palace.
The Belgian’s trophy-littered decade in Manchester will come to an end at the conclusion of the Premier League season.
But Wembley’s showpiece is the 33-year-old’s final chance to lift silverware at the club where he grew into one of world’s best players.
A six-time Premier League winner, De Bruyne could add a third FA Cup to his five League Cups and 2023 Champions League win with City.
He has expressed his “surprise” that City did not seek to extend his stay, filled with the belief that he can still perform at the highest level.
De Bruyne rolled back the years when City rallied from 2-0 down to thrash Palace 5-2 just last month with a goal and an assist.
City will be hoping for more of the same to give him a fitting farewell and save some face from a season to forget for Pep Guardiola’s men.
After an unprecedented run of four consecutive Premier League titles, City are 18 points adrift of champions Liverpool and embroiled in a battle just to finish in the top five to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.
De Bruyne’s decline has played a factor in City’s downturn.
Of his 108 goals and 177 assists for the club in 419 appearances, only six and eight respectively have come this season.
However, he remains “irreplaceable” due to his impact in City’s rise to being the dominant force in English football, according to the club’s prolific striker Erling Haaland.
“To get the balls from him is a dream,” said Haaland. “It has been really special playing with him. Such a joy, and I am going to do everything I can to have this joy in the last few games.
“The future will be different with different players. When Kevin leaves we will need someone to replace him, although Kevin is irreplaceable in so many ways.”
Guardiola has appeared almost apologetic for overlooking De Bruyne at times this season as he searched for solutions to fill the gaps in City’s aging midfield.
“The gratitude I have, we have, is huge,” said Guardiola.
“Kevin is the player in the history of the club with the most titles and that defines what Kevin has done with us.”
A giant mural of De Bruyne alongside his trophy haul as a City player was unveiled in Manchester city center on Thursday.
Guardiola has suggested a statue outside the club’s Etihad Stadium is also just a matter of time.
But after a decade most characterised by a relentless thirst to keep on winning, the most fitting tribute would be for De Bruyne to go out with another medal around his neck.
“The whole team only has one thought and that’s to try and get the trophy and to make the day special for Kevin,” said City midfielder Mateo Kovacic.
“For what he’s done, he deserves to leave like a champion which he obviously is.
“He is a massive figure in City’s success, and he will be remembered as one of the best.”
Jhonattan Vegas grabs surprise lead at PGA Championship
- The 40-year-old Vegas has won four times on the PGA Tour
- World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler shot 2-under 69
CHARLOTTE: Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas surged into the lead late in the first round of the PGA Championship, shooting a 7-under-par 64 on Thursday at Quail Hollow Club.
Vegas, who started on No. 10, posted birdies on five of his final six holes. He capped it with a 27-foot putt on his last hole.
Cameron Davis of Australia and newcomer Ryan Gerard are two shots back.
The 40-year-old Vegas has won four times on the PGA Tour, including last July in the 3M Open. But he has missed cuts in nine of his last 13 majors.
Davis, who tied for fourth in the 2023 PGA Championship before missing the cut in last year’s tournament, racked up seven birdies. He held the lead until a bogey on his last hole.
Gerard, a Raleigh native who played collegiately for North Carolina, is appearing in a PGA Championship for the first time. He led by three strokes after an eagle on No. 15 before making consecutive bogeys to end his round in the early afternoon.
European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald of England shot 4-under 67 and was a co-leader in the clubhouse for a stretch during the afternoon. Donald completed his bogey-free round before Alex Smalley, New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, Germany’s Stephan Jaeger and England’s Aaron Rai joined him with 67s.
Jaeger navigated the course with six birdies and two bogeys, including on the final hole that cost him the solo lead.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler shot 2-under 69, while defending champion Xander Schauffele finished at 1-over 72 and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, the recent Masters champion and four-time winner of the PGA Tour stop at Quail Hollow, recorded 3-over 74.
Scheffler started on the back nine and notched an eagle on No. 15. But on the next hole, the trio of Scheffler, Schauffele and McIlroy all took double-bogey 6s.
Scheffler finished with birdies on two of his last three holes.
Smalley, who lives about 90 minutes away in Greensboro and has additional in-state ties as a former Duke golfer, was added to the field Wednesday when Sahith Theegala withdrew because of a neck injury.
US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley is among a cluster of golfers at 3 under.
J.T. Poston, also North Carolinian, finished at 3 under after a bogey on the final hole. Michael Thorbjornsen, Englishmen Matt Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton, Colombia’s Nico Echavarria, Japan’s Ryo Hizatsune, Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard, Sweden’s Alex Noren, Scotland’s Robert MacIntire and Puerto Rico’s Rafael Campos also completed rounds at 3 under.
With Donald and Bradley holding top-10 positions, it’s just the second time that two current Ryder Cup captains have ended a round in a major within the top 10 during a Ryder Cup year. It also happened in 1937.
Jordan Spieth’s chance at the career Grand Slam likely ends early with opening-round 76 at the PGA
- The 31-year-old Spieth struggled in every facet of the game at demanding Quail Hollow
CHARLOTTE, N.C.: Jordan Spieth came to Quail Hollow hoping to follow in Rory McIlroy’s footsteps and complete the career Grand Slam.
After Thursday’s opening round of the PGA Championship, he’d probably be happy just to make the cut.
The 31-year-old Spieth struggled in every facet of the game at demanding Quail Hollow — off the tee, with his approach shots, his chips and even his putting — and shot a 5-over 76, leaving him 12 shots behind leader Jhonattan Vegas and all but ending his hopes this year of capturing the one major that has eluded him since he turned pro 13 years ago.
Spieth could never find his swing and repeatedly misjudged distances to the flag, leaving him scrambling for par all afternoon.
He managed to hold it together early and was even par through eight holes.
Then the wheels came off.
He bogeyed six of of the final 10 holes — chunking a chip from the rough on No. 11 and failed to get up and down for par on No. 18 from the rough, missing a 12-footer to save par. Spieth walked briskly toward the practice range after signing his card and did not take questions.
Playing partner Ludvig Aberg could understand the frustration, but believes Spieth will bounce back.
“Listen, Jordan is an unbelievable player and person,” Aberg said. “I was telling my caddie today that he’s one of the best, nicest guys in the world. I wouldn’t be surprised if gets someday. But I’m a big Jordan Spieth fan and I will be for a long time.”
It probably won’t be this year.
MGM Sportsbook now lists him at 1000-1 to win.
Spieth became the darling of golf at age 21 when he won the Masters and US Open in 2015. He captured the British Open two years later, bringing him to the doorstep of one of golf’s elite clubs.
But like McIlroy’s struggles to win the Masters until last month, Spieth hasn’t been able to capture the PGA.
He’s had a couple of chances.
He finished second in 2015 and tied for third in 2019. But over the past five years he has been in the middle of the pack — four times finishing between 29th and 43rd. Now he’s in danger of missing the cut for the first time since 2014.
FIFA lift ban on Congo Brazzaville
JOHANNESBURG: A ban on Congo Brazzaville competing in international competitions has been lifted, a FIFA statement said on Thursday.
Congo were suspended last February due to government interference in the administration of football in the central African nation.
This prevented the ‘Red Devils’ playing 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Zambia and Tanzania in March.
Last year, Congo lost away to Zambia and at home to Morocco, and forfeited the points to Niger after a dispute over where the match should be played.
