BNT NBA

Carmelo Anthony has been a free agent since the end of the 2021-22 season, but the 10-time All-Star isn't necessarily chasing an opportunity to play again.

Speaking to ESPN's Malika Andrews on Monday (starts at 2:20 mark), Anthony was asked about his aspirations for a potential return to the NBA.

"I love the game, I will say that," he said. "But I realize there's a lot of things that's not in my control. So I can just sit back and let it play out, and whatever it's going to be, it's going to be, and I accept that. I'm at peace with that."

Anthony was being interviewed at halftime of a high school showcase game between Sierra Canyon and Christ the King. His son, Kiyan, is a sophomore at Christ the King and was playing against Bronny James.

He went on to say if he "would love to play" and is "still in the gym every single day."

"If the opportunity presents itself, it presents itself, but it's not something that I'm pressing about," Anthony told Andrews.

Anthony spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was an effective scorer off the bench, averaging 13.3 points per game on 44.1 percent shooting (37.5 percent from three) in 69 appearances.

Speaking to Mark Medina of USA Today in September 2021, Anthony admitted it was "hard to say" how much longer he would keep playing.

"My body will tell me when it's time to go," he explained. "Your body is not going to lie to you. I did have a year and some change to conserve some gas in the tank. I've thought about it before. But now, I don't think about it."

There have been no indications that Anthony is thinking about formally retiring. The 38-year-old was rumored to be generating interest from the Boston Celtics before the start of this season after Danilo Gallinari suffered a torn ACL.

The Celtics don't appear to need any help at this point with an NBA-best 21-7 record.

Anthony has had a successful transition to a role player off the bench late in his career. He averaged 14.0 points per game with a 38.9 percent three-point rate in 196 games from 2019 to '22.

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combined for 51 points, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 113-93 blowout win over the Boston Celtics on Monday at Crypto.com Arena.

Leonard, in his best game since returning from an ACL injury that cost him all of last season, finished with 25 points, nine rebounds and six assists while making all but two of his 12 shot attempts.

Kawhi is putting on a CLINIC vs the Celtics, who are getting blown out in LA. He just might be ... BACK.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) December 13, 2022

Clipper tonight:

— Beat the best team in the NBA
— Held the best offense to under 100 PTS
— Kawhi most points since May 2021
— Held Tatum to 20 PTS and 35 FG%

6th in the West with Kawhi and PG only playing 8 games together. pic.twitter.com/dbJTa7Kt2U

— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 13, 2022

Kawhi 10/12 for 25/9/6. PG with 26. Blowout win against the best record in the league Celtics. Guys finally getting healthy. pic.twitter.com/rcgQoZFuJu

— The Lob, The Jam, The Podcast (@TheLobTheJamPod) December 13, 2022

Kawhi Leonard seen post-game with his son Jayson Tatum pic.twitter.com/FrfJ39t37L

— tommy (@tommy_kazz) December 13, 2022

George finished with a less efficient 26 points on 8-of-22 shooting but was stellar on the defensive end as the Clippers turned in perhaps their most complete performance of the season.

Boston shot just 43.4 percent from the field, including a dreadful 9-of-39 mark from beyond the arc. Jayson Tatum needed 20 shots to reach his 20 points in a second straight disappointing performance from the MVP candidate.

The Celtics have lost their last two games by a combined 36 points.

CELTICS LINSANITY RUN IS OVER AND CALIFORNIA TEAMS WERE THE ONES TO STOP IT pic.twitter.com/igLVSXdotn

— grace 🧚🏽‍♀️ (@splashdubs) December 13, 2022

https://twitter.com/sbongazuma/status/1602542388072816643

https://twitter.com/RipSlumpy/status/1602523062922285057

The Clippers hand the Celtics their second straight loss 👀 pic.twitter.com/T60CwIEYI1

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 13, 2022

The Clippers have now won two straight games to sit at 16-13 heading into Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. They're seventh in the Western Conference but only 3.5 games out of first place with what should be the most difficult stretch of their season out of the way.

The stars were out Monday night in Chatsworth, California, when Bronny James and Sierra Canyon faced Kiyan Anthony and Christ the King in the Geico High School Showcase on ESPN.

James is the son of Los Angeles Lakers star and NBA legend LeBron James, while Anthony is the son of longtime NBA star Carmelo Anthony, and both fathers were on hand to support their sons Monday.

According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, several other current and former NBA players, as well as celebrities were also on hand for the game.

Former NBA players Kenyon Martin, Nick Young and John Lucas III were all present, as were current Lakers Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cole Swider. Hall of Famer and Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen also attended the game since his son, Justin Pippen, plays for Sierra Canyon.

Other notable people at the game were Kim and Khloe Kardashian, radio host Big Boy, Basketball Wives star Laura Govan and Natalia Bryant, who is the oldest daughter of late NBA legend Kobe Bryant.

ESPN caught up with Carmelo during the game, and he discussed what it meant for him and LeBron to watch their sons play against each other:

LeBron and Melo are longtime rivals on the court, but also longtime friends off of it. They were two of the top three picks in the 2003 NBA draft and went on to face each other many times over the course of nearly 20 years.

They were also teammates for the United States at the Olympics on three occasions, winning two gold medals and one bronze together. Also, they were teammates in the NBA for the first time last season when they both played for the Lakers.

Bronny and Sierra Canyon came out on top Monday, as Bronny finished with 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals in a 62-51 win. Kiyan finished with eight points in Christ the King's loss.

Sierra Canyon was ranked 25th in the nation compared to Christ the King's ranking of No. 22, but Bronny's squad figures to move up after improving to 7-1 on the year.

The NBA continued the revamping of its postseason awards Tuesday, announcing the renaming of individual trophies after legends and introducing the NBA Clutch Player of the Year award.

The NBA MVP has been renamed the Michael Jordan Award, and its redesign features a 23.6-inch bronze silhouette of His Airness. The trophy also weighs in at 23.6 pounds as a nod to Jordan's number during his playing career (23) and championships won (six).

Introducing six new trophies for the Kia Performance Award Winners, honoring NBA Legends Wilt Chamberlain, John Havlicek, Michael Jordan, George Mikan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Jerry West, designed by Victor Solomon.

— NBA (@NBA) December 13, 2022

The Michael Jordan Trophy 🐐

The NBA's MVP will now be awarded with The Michael Jordan Trophy, bearing the name of the greatest player of all time.

MJ was a 5x MVP in his career 🏆 pic.twitter.com/D16mCU2Uez

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 13, 2022

"Our new collection of trophies celebrates some of the greatest and most impactful players in the history of the NBA," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. "As we recognize the league's top performers each season, we also pay tribute to the legends who embody these prestigious awards."

Five other NBA legends were also honored in the revamp, which also features a redesign of those trophies:

• Defensive Player of the Year: The Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy
• Rookie of the Year: The Wilt Chamberlain Trophy
• Sixth Man of the Year: The John Havlicek Trophy
• Most Improved Player: The George Mikan Trophy
• Clutch Player of the Year: The Jerry West Trophy

The NBA announced that the Defensive Player of the Year award has been renamed The Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy!
 
An honor of eternity. 
 
Congrats, Dream! 👏 pic.twitter.com/T4So2YHQVk

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) December 13, 2022

Jordan won the MVP award five times during his NBA career, tied with Bill Russell for second on the all-time list. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar owns the all-time record with six MVPs.

Olajuwon is one of just three players in league history (Jordan, Giannis Antetokounmpo) to win the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. Perhaps the greatest defensive center to ever grace the hardwood, the Houston Rockets legend won the DPOY in back-to-back seasons in 1992-93 and 1993-94.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to celebrate the league's best defensive player each year," said Olajuwon. "Great basketball teams are defined by their ability to defend, with every great team connected by an elite defensive anchor."

Chamberlain was the first player in NBA history to win the Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season, pulling off the feat in 1959-60. Wes Unseld is the only other player to pull off the feat.

Havlicek is the greatest Sixth Man the sport has ever seen, revolutionizing the role during his time with the Boston Celtics. While no yearly award existed until 1982-83, Havlicek is widely credited with bringing the concept of a sixth man to the forefront. He made four All-Star appearances as a sixth man before finally joining the Celtics' starting lineup during the franchise's historic run in the 1960s and 1970s.

The Clutch Player of the Year is an interesting wrinkle to awards season that is sure to spark plenty of debate. The idea of being "clutch" has always been subjective—as anyone who has watched daytime sports television can attest—but there's no one who would deny the greatness of West, who earned the nickname "Mr. Clutch" during his NBA career.

"There are few greater thrills as a basketball player than coming through for your teammates and fans when they need it most," West said. "This new trophy will be awarded to the player who best delivers in those moments."

Bill Russell was the first NBA legend to have a trophy named in his honor, as the Finals MVP was named after him in 2009. The NBA added Kobe Bryant's name to the All-Star Game MVP following his death in 2020.

Earlier this year, the league revamped several trophies, naming the Eastern and Western Conference trophies after Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson, respectively, and adding several divisional awards that honor legends.

The Detroit Pistons reportedly have differing views on the availability of Bojan Bogdanović and Saddiq Bey on the trade market.

According to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, the Los Angeles Lakers are one of multiple teams to have shown interest in Bogdanović, even offering a future protected first-round pick, but the Pistons seemingly want to keep him in hopes of "turning a corner" over the next year.

As for Bey, Edwards called him "gettable at the right price," although it is uncertain precisely what the Pistons would want in return. Bey has been moved into a bench role this season, with Edwards noting that Detroit prefers to utilize two true bigs in its frontcourt, leaving Bey in a tough spot since power forward is his best position.

The 33-year-old Bogdanović is in the midst of one of the most productive seasons of his nine-year NBA career, averaging a career-high 21.0 points per game in 28 contests.

Bogdanović is also averaging 3.6 rebounds, 2.6 three-pointers made and 2.4 assists while shooting a career-best 50.8 percent from the field and 43.7 percent from beyond the arc.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina-born star is in his first season with the Pistons after spending the previous three seasons as a member of the Utah Jazz, and he signed a two-year, $39.03 million contract extension in October, keeping him in the fold until 2025, provided Detroit doesn't trade him.

While the Pistons are trending toward their fourth consecutive season out of the playoffs with a 7-22 record, there is reason for hope in the near future because of some of the young talent the team possesses.

Guard Cade Cunningham, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, is chief among that talent, although he is out for the remainder of the 2022-23 season with a shin injury, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

That could compel the Pistons to sell leading up to the Feb. 9 trade deadline, but moving the team's leading scorer in Bogdanović would adversely impact Detroit's ability to compete for a playoff spot next season and beyond.

It is perhaps more likely that the Pistons can live without the 23-year-old Bey, who has taken a step back in his third NBA season.

The 2020 first-round pick out of Villanova set new career highs across the board last season with averages of 16.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.6 three-pointers made, plus he started all 82 games.

Bey has started just 17 of the 25 games he has appeared in this season, and his averages have dropped to 14.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 three-pointers made.

He is actually shooting better from the field than he did last season at 40.2 percent, but his three-point conversion rate of 29.9 percent is a career low.

Bey remains a key player, as he is fourth on the team in minutes per game, but even younger players like Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart are perhaps a bigger part of the Pistons' core moving forward.

If that is the case, it isn't outside the realm of possibility that Detroit could attempt to move Bey for some draft picks and bring in pieces who better fit the lineup the Pistons are attempting to construct.

The Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks are reportedly among the teams pursuing a trade for Nerlens Noel.

James Edwards III of The Athletic reported Noel and the Detroit Pistons have agreed a separation is "best for both parties."

Noel has spent most of the 2022-23 season out of coach Dwane Casey's rotation, playing in only six games. He's averaging 1.8 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting a career-worst 30.8 percent from the floor.

The Pistons acquired Noel from the New York Knicks in July as part of a salary dump. Noel is making $9.2 million this season and has a club option at $9.7 million in 2023-24. It would seem unlikely that any team that trades for Noel would pick up that option, barring a re-emergence of him as a defensive force in the middle.

The Kentucky product had a stellar 2020-21 campaign in New York before essentially disappearing for most of the last season and a half. He played in just 25 games last season because of a combination of injuries and Tom Thibodeau's rotation decisions, and Noel has not been able to get consistent playing time from Casey in Detroit.

The Blazers, Kings, Heat and Mavericks all have a need for help in their defensive middle; the biggest issue may be finding a matching contract that works for both parties. It's unlikely Detroit will want to take on future salary beyond this season in any trade, given Noel can come off the books next summer.

Dallas has the only potential one-for-one trade that makes some level of sense, as a Noel-for-Dwight Powell trade works under the salary cap. That said, Powell has started 20 games this season and is a solid rim runner who fits in the Mavericks rotation.

It's more likely Noel will wind up being traded as part of a larger package or bought out if no deal arises by February.

The NBA fined Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young $25,000 for throwing the ball into the crowd at the conclusion of Sunday's 123-122 overtime win over the Chicago Bulls.

After AJ Griffin's buzzer-beater, Young celebrated by heaving the ball toward the fans at State Farm Arena.

HAWKS GAME WINNER WITH 0.5 SECONDS LEFT 😱🤯 https://t.co/mOIZZHHKby

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 12, 2022

Young reacted to the fine:

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Sorry to the hawks fan(s) who got a chance to touch the game winning ball.
Didn’t know I couldn’t do that.

Can’t Celebrate shit anymore🥱😴

— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) December 12, 2022

The result snapped a three-game losing skid for Atlanta and moved the team's record to 14-13.

Young struggled in the contest. He shot 5-of-18 from the field for 19 points, though he added 14 assists for his 13th double-double of the season.

Beyond being a pittance for a player earning $37.1 million this season, the fine is the least of the Hawks' problems at the moment.

The Athletic's Shams Charania and Sam Amick reported on Dec. 4 that Young and head coach Nate McMillan were experiencing some friction behind the scenes. The report added the Hawks "have held multiple team meetings early this season to resolve various conflicts."

That led to wider scrutiny of Young given his status as the franchise cornerstone.

Through all of the drama, Atlanta is still sixth in the Eastern Conference and only three games back of the fourth-place Cleveland Cavaliers. Perhaps an emotional victory like the one Sunday represented the team turning the corner.

The second NBA season of promising young star Cade Cunningham has come to an early end.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Detroit Pistons guard will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shin. He's been out of action with the injury since Nov. 9.

Per that report, "Cunningham took a month to see if rest and rehabilitation would allow for the shin to improve but made the decision on Monday to move forward with the season-ending procedure."

The 21-year-old had a superb rookie season, averaging 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game while shooting 41.6 percent from the field and 31.4 percent from three-point range. In 12 games this season he appeared to have taken another positive step, putting up 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game while shooting 41.5 percent from the field and 27.9 percent from three.

He's the headliner on a talented but young roster that includes Jaden Ivey, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, Killian Hayes and Jalen Duren.

The silver lining is that Killian Hayes and Jaden Ivey will continue to get more touches than they would've gotten otherwise. We'll never know if Hayes' breakout would've come if he continued playing 17 minutes off the bench, but he's benefitted a lot.

— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) December 12, 2022

While losing a season of Cunningham will be a disappointment for Pistons fans, it may increase the odds that the team will land potentially transcendent prospect Victor Wembanyama, widely considered not only the best prospect in the class of 2023 but possibly the most talented prospect to hit the NBA since LeBron James.

Scoot Henderson, regarded as the No. 2 prospect, wouldn't be a bad consolation prize.

The Pistons are 7-22, the worst record in the NBA. That would give them with a 14 percent chance to win the draft lottery and a 52.1 percent chance to secure a top-four pick.

Losing a year of development time for Cunningham isn't ideal. Those potential lottery odds are the only silver lining.

Agent Rich Paul never believed the "injury prone" narrative surrounding Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis.

"Over the last couple years, he's had some really freak situations," Paul said of Davis, per Sam Schube of GQ. "Guy gets pushed into his knee. And then I think the one before that, or the year before that, was a hamstring or a groin, whatever it was. Those are the things that happen when you play the sport. People act like, 'Oh, he's just hoping to go out and get injured.' Or, 'The guy don't want to play.' It's stupidity at times, but that's what comes with it."

Paul also argued the criticism is media-driven to grow viewership.

Injuries have been a major storyline for Davis in the past few seasons, however. After helping the Lakers win the 2020 NBA title, he played just 76 games over the last two years combined. He appeared in three of the final 24 games of 2021-22 as the squad fell out of playoff contention.

Despite his obvious talent on the court, earning eight All-Star selections in his first nine seasons, the lack of durability became a major point of criticism against the forward.

Davis has explained the injuries weren't part of a larger issue.

"There were two injuries I couldn't control," he told Melissa Rohlin of Fox Sports earlier this month. "Somebody getting pushed into my knee or falling into my knee, and landed on someone's foot."

The 29-year-old has been more durable in 2022-23, appearing in 23 of 26 games while never missing more than one game in a row. He's averaging 27.7 points per game, which would be his highest total in four seasons with the Lakers, while his 12.4 rebounds per game lead the NBA.

The criticism will fade if Davis continues to produce at a high level while staying on the court.

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant and the Durant Family Foundation pledged $500,000 toward Bowie State athletics.

Let’s get it @BowieState https://t.co/DT9GLfHFLt

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) December 12, 2022

"We're grateful for the resources that Kevin Durant and his family foundation have generously donated to Bowie State University to advance student success in achieving their academic goals," said Bowie State president Aminta Breaux. "His contributions will go a long way towards updating our facilities and ensure a top-tier athletic experience for all of our students."

Part of the donation will go toward installing a new basketball court at A.C. Jordan Arena and expanding the venue's capacity. A portion of the money is also earmarked for "financial support for men's and women's basketball and university athletics programs."

The Bulldogs men's basketball team has gotten off to a 2-9 start in 2022-23, while the women's team improved to 4-4 with its most recent win over Wilmington University.

Bowie State is the oldest historically Black college or university in Maryland, and its campus in Prince George's County isn't far from Durant's hometown of Washington, D.C.