Former Raptor DeRozan headed to Chicago, Curry signs 4-year extension with Warriors

The Chicago Bulls made another major upgrade, acquiring high-scoring small forward DeMar DeRozan a day after adding point guard Lonzo Ball.

The Bulls finalized a three-year, $85 million US contract with DeRozan as part of a sign-and-trade with San Antonio. A four-time All-Star, DeRozan tweeted an animated video set to the Bulls' intro song "SIRIUS" by the Alan Parsons Project. It shows a pack of bulls running through the streets of Chicago, past landmarks such as the Art Institute, L tracks, the Chicago Theatre marquee and the Michael Jordan statue at the United Center.

The move is another sign Chicago is serious about contending in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls finished 11th in the East at 31-41, two games behind Charlotte for the final play-in spot. While they missed the playoffs for a fourth straight year, it was their first season with Arturas Karnisovas leading the front office and Billy Donovan coaching the club.

DeRozan, who turns 32 on Saturday, figures to form a high-scoring trio with Olympian Zach LaVine and two-time All-Star centre Nikola Vucevic, with Ball leading a revamped backcourt.

Ball, a four-year veteran who turns 24 in October, is coming off his most productive season. In his second year with the Pelicans, he averaged career highs in points (14.6 per game) and field-goal percentage (41.4) while averaging 5.7 assists. Drafted second overall by the Lakers out of UCLA in 2017, Ball has changed his shooting mechanics since being traded to New Orleans as part of a blockbuster deal that sent Anthony Davis to Los Angeles.

Ball hit a career-high 172 3-pointers last season while making a career-best 37.8 per cent of his shots from deep.

He agreed to a four-year, $85 million contract with Chicago. The Bulls are sending guards Tomas Satoransky and Garrett Temple to the Pelicans. Chicago also agreed Monday to a four-year, $37 million deal with Lakers backup guard Alex Caruso. Caruso has played all four seasons in Los Angeles, averaging 5.9 points while shooting about 43 per cent, and teamed with Ball their first two years.

Curry lands second $200M contract of career with Warriors

Stephen Curry has landed the second $200 million-plus contract of his career, reaching agreement on a $215 million, four-year extension with the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday that takes him through the 2025-26 season.

For this extension — first reported by ESPN — it was only a matter of when it would get done after the 33-year-old Curry produced one of his best seasons.

Curry averaged 32.0 points, 5.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds and shot 42.1% on 3-pointers for the Warriors, who lost in the play-in tournament to Memphis. The two-time MVP shined despite Splash Brother Klay Thompson's absence for a second straight season.

In July 2017, Curry received a $201 million, five-year deal that initially was the richest ever, until James Harden topped it with a $228 million extension from the Rockets.

Cavs acquire veteran point guard Ricky Rubio

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

Cleveland sent forward Taurean Prince, a 2022 second-round draft pick and cash to Minnesota for the 30-year-old Rubio, who has spent 10 years in the NBA.

The teams agreed to the deal last week before the draft, but had to wait for league approval and because Rubio was in Japan at the Olympics. He scored 38 points in a quarter-final loss to the U.S. on Tuesday.

Rubio's point total is a Spanish men's Olympic record, and the most ever scored by a U.S. men's Olympic opponent, breaking the mark of 35 by Puerto Rico's Butch Lee in 1976.

The Cavs were desperate to find a dependable backup point guard for Darius Garland. Matthew Dellavedova served in that role last season, but he missed much of the year after a concussion.

Rubio averaged 8.6 points and 6.4 assists last season for Minnesota. He was back with the Timberwolves in 2021 after playing in Phoenix and Utah. He played his first six seasons with the Timberwolves, who took him with the fifth overall pick in 2009.

The Cavs acquired the 6-foot-7 Prince from Brooklyn last season in the three-team deal that sent James Harden to the Nets. Prince averaged 10.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 29 games for Cleveland.

Nets hold on to Griffin

Veteran forward Blake Griffin will return to the Brooklyn Nets next season on a one-year deal, according to ESPN.

Terms were not disclosed.

Griffin, 32, joined the Nets midway through last season after the Detroit Pistons bought out his contract.

Joining the superstar trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, Griffin averaged 10 points and 4.7 rebounds in 26 games (10 starts) to finish the regular season.

Griffin started all 12 playoff games and averaged 9 points and 5.9 rebounds.

In 668 career games with the Los Angeles Clippers (2010-18), Pistons (2018-21) and Nets, Griffin has averaged 20.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists and made six All-Star teams.

The Clippers originally selected Griffin No. 1 overall in 2009.