RICKY RUBIO

Jimmy Butler had a new look for Media Day and the NBA world immediately took notice.

Ricky Rubio of the Cleveland Cavaliers announced Saturday that he is taking a break from basketball to focus on his mental health, a move that comes as his Spanish national team prepares to defend its title at the FIBA World Cup that starts later this month.

D’Angelo Russell had season highs of 30 points and 12 assists, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 29 points, and the Minnesota Timberwolves held off the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers 129-124.

The Indiana Pacers are trading two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings in a 6-player deal.

Cedi Osman scored 22 points and Kevin Love had 19 as the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied from 20 down to beat Indiana 98-85, shortly after agreeing to acquire shooting guard Caris LeVert from the Pacers.

Pulling off a major move before the NBA trade deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed in principle to acquire guard Caris LeVert from Indiana.

Once Ricky Rubio was lost for the season with a knee injury, the Cleveland Cavaliers knew it would take someone special to take his spot.

A person familiar with the trade tells The Associated Press the Cavaliers have agreed to acquire veteran guard Rajon Rondo in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers for swingman Denzel Valentine.

A person familiar with the potential trade tells The Associated Press that the Cleveland Cavaliers have made progress in talks with the Los Angeles Lakers about a trade involving veteran point guard Rajon Rondo.

Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio has suffered a season-ending left knee injury.

Cavaliers coach J.

Devin Booker scored 35 points, Chris Paul had 12 assists and made four free throws in the final 8.8 seconds the Phoenix Suns extended their winning streak to 14 games, holding off the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-1115.

Stephen Curry scored 20 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter, hitting three straight 3-pointers, and the NBA-leading Golden State Warriors overcame a 13-point deficit to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-89 on Thursday night.

The Cavaliers filled one of their biggest needs, acquiring veteran point guard Ricky Rubio from the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Evan Fournier and Nicolas Batum are going for gold, though they can’t forget about the green.

The rules are different.

(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)Another NBA game was called off Sunday because of coronavirus concerns, and the Memphis Grizzlies said center Jonas Valanciunas will not play Monday because of the league’s health and safety protocols. The 76ers played in Memphis on Saturday night, losing 106-104 in a game where Valanciunas played 20 minutes. He was pulled at halftime of Memphis’ game against Brooklyn on Jan. 8 because of some sort of virus-related issue, but was back on the court for the Grizzlies’ next game Jan. 11 against Cleveland. Minnesota, which had a game Friday called off after Karl-Anthony Towns revealed he tested positive, is scheduled to play Monday in Atlanta. Cleveland’s game in Washington on Sunday also was called off, as was the planned rematch between the clubs on Monday.

The Houston Rockets agreed to trade Trevor Ariza and the 16th pick in Wednesday night's NBA draft to the Detroit Pistons for a future first-round pick, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been announced. The Philadelphia 76ers sent Al Horford and a protected future first-round pick to Oklahoma City, and the Minnesota Timberwolves reacquired point guard Ricky Rubio in a separate trade with the Thunder. The person confirmed the deal to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade had not yet been announced. The Timberwolves obtained the 17th pick, which originally belonged to Brooklyn, from Atlanta in a four-team, 12-player, three-pick trade in February.

NEW YORK – The 2020-21 NBA schedule will feature a play-in tournament and an NBA Finals that could run all the way until July 22 — keeping some players from competing in the Olympics. The NBA announced Tuesday how it will make up the 72-game schedule, which won't be entirely known until well after it's started. When that's finished, the play-in tournament, approved Tuesday by the board of governors on a one-year basis, follows involving the teams with the seventh through 10th-best records in each conference. The league debuted the play-in tournament this year at Walt Disney World, though it only featured the Nos. The second half is March 11 to May 16, with the play-in tournament May 18-21.

A person with knowledge of the situation says All-Star guard Chris Paul is being traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Phoenix Suns, where he'll play alongside one of the league's most dynamic young scorers in fellow All-Star Devin Booker. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)All-Star guard Chris Paul is being traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Phoenix Suns, where he'll play alongside one of the league's most dynamic young scorers in fellow All-Star Devin Booker, a person with knowledge of the situation said Monday. Paul was an All-Star for the 10th time this past season, averaging 17.6 points and 6.7 assists. The trade reunites him with Suns coach Monty Williams; Paul played for Williams in 2010-11 when Williams was in his first season coaching the New Orleans Hornets. He signed a three-year, $51 million deal with the Suns before last season and averaged 13 points and 8.8 assists with Phoenix.

Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker (1) dribbles as Dallas Mavericks' Trey Burke defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)

Dario Saric scored 16 points and Cameron Payne and Cameron Johnson each added 15 for the Suns. Dallas was already locked into a playoff matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers, so the starters played limited minutes. Luka Doncic, who had averaged 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11.3 assists in the bubble, finished with 18 points in just over 13 minutes. Booker scored 23 points on 9-for-13 shooting before the break. Suns: Either season over or will be in a play-in game against Memphis on Saturday.

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives past Philadelphia 76ers forward Glenn Robinson III (40) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)

Booker became the Suns' career leader with his 91st 30-point game, breaking a tie with Walter Davis. Phoenix pulled away late after leading only 105-102 following back-to-back baskets by Alec Burks, who led the 76ers with 23 points. The Suns continued their high-scoring play in the bubble after averaging 120 points in the first six games. The 76ers also were without Joel Embiid (left ankle), Tobias Harris (sore right ankle) and Al Horford (sore left knee). 76ers: Play the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.

Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)

Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro each had 25 points to lead the Heat. Three free throws by Robinson cut the Suns' lead to 115-112 before Miami's Bam Adebayo was called for goaltending on a shot by Booker. The review with 11.2 seconds remaining confirmed the call and extended the lead to five points. Led by its backcourt scoring from Herro and Robinson, Miami quickly led by double figures at 19-8. The Suns led 88-86 entering the final period.

Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker draws a foul from Los Angeles Clippers' Paul George, rear, during an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)

The Suns improved to 3-0 in the bubble as they chase a playoff spot. Ricky Rubio missed a shot after that and Ivica Zubac got the rebound, but he threw a bad pass that Mikal Bridges stole to give the Suns another chance. He turned the other direction and shot as George was closing, then crashed to the court as his teammates surrounded him to celebrate the victory. After setting a franchise record by making 25 3-pointers in a win over New Orleans on Saturday, the Clippers managed just eight in the loss. Leonard led the Clippers with 27 points and George added 23.

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards guard Jerome Robinson (12) in the first half an NBA basketball game in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Friday, July 31, 2020. (Kim Klement/Pool Photo via AP)LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Devin Booker scored 27 points, Deandre Ayton added 24 points and 12 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns beat the Washington Wizards 125-112 on Friday in their first game of the restart. Booker made all nine of his free throws and Phoenix hit 30 of 32 from the line. Dario Saric added 16 points for the Suns, who shot 52% from the field. Rui Hachimura had 21 points and eight rebounds and Jerome Robinson added 20 points for the Wizards on coach Scott Brooks' 55th birthday.

The Heat beat the Suns 124-108. The 12-year veteran might come off the bench for the Heat these days, but he's still capable of putting up big numbers and making big baskets. That was on full display Thursday night, when Dragic scored 20 of his 25 points in the second half to push the Miami Heat past the Phoenix Suns 124-108. Jimmy Butler scored 34 points and Dragic had the big second half to help Miami win for the fourth time in five games and bounce back from a 20-point loss to Denver on Tuesday. Butler had 18 points by the end of the first quarter and 30 at halftime as the Heat built a 64-57 lead.

Ricky Rubio of Spain celebrates with Head Coach Sergio Scariolo during the finals between Argentina and Spain of 2019 FIBA World Cup at the Cadillac Arena on September 15, 2019 in Beijing, China. BEIJING (CNN) - Spain captured its second FIBA basketball World Cup title after defeating Argentina 95-75 in the gold medal game at the Wukesong Arena in Beijing on Sunday. He won the NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors and becomes the second player to win an NBA title and the FIBA World Cup title in the same year. He was among five players named to the FIBA World Cup 2019 All-Star Five. The Spaniards won their first basketball World Cup title in 2006 in Japan.