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The Cavaliers barely seem to care anymore whether they keep LeBron James next summer. But helping the Lakers clear cap space? This is how you turn a longshot into something frighteningly more likely. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN: Cleveland is sending Isaiah Thomas and Channing Frye to the Lakers for Clarkson and Nance, league source tells ESPN. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018 Cavaliers also sending its 2018 first-round pick in deal to Lakers, league sources tell ESPN. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018 Teams are getting on trade call now. Done deal. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018 Source: The Cavaliers 2018 first-round pick is protected. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018 What a terrible trade for the Cavs, one that looked necessary to them due the disastrous results of the Kyrie Irving trade. This spiraling quickly. Isaiah Thomas has been destructive in Cleveland, as he assumed a big role and poin...

The Pistons are staying busy. They already flipped one of the additional players acquired in the Blake Griffintrade (Willie Reed, to the Bulls with a pick swap for Jameer Nelson). Now, they’re moving the other – Brice Johnson, to the Grizzlies with a second-round pick for James Ennis. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN: Memphis has traded James Ennis to Detroit for Brice Johnson and a second-round pick, league sources tells ESPN. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018 Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal: It will be the lesser of Detroit or Chicago's second-rounder in 2022, for those with spread sheets to keep straight. https://t.co/asnC37FNGh — Chris Herrington (@HerringtonNBA) February 8, 2018 The Pistons are clearly pushing to make the playoffs this season. Ennis is older (27 vs. 23) and more expensive ($3,028,410 vs. $1,331,160) than Johnson, and the pick only adds to Detroit’s cost. But Ennis is better. Ennis can share minutes at small forward with Sta...

Crunched by the disastrous results of the Kyrie Irving trade so far and LeBron James‘ impending free agency, the Cavaliers are undergoing a massive overhaul. They already traded the destructiveIsaiah Thomas to the Lakers (with Channing Frye and a protected first-round pick for Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson). Now, the other rotation player in the Irving trade – Jae Crowder, who has disappointed in Cleveland – is going to the Jazz in a three-team trade involving the Kings. Oh, and Dwyane Wade is returning to the Heat. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN: Utah has traded Rodney Hood to Cleveland, league source tells ESPN. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018 Utah will also send Joe Johnson to Sacramento, and Cleveland will send Jae Crowder and Derek Rose to Utah, league sources tell ESPN. Sacramento sends George Hill to the Cavs. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018 Cleveland sends Iman Shumpert to Kings in deal, league source tells ESPN. — Adrian ...

On a day of blockbuster trades, this one is more of a “you take my project, I’ll take yours” kind of deal, one that is more about clearing roster room in Sacramento. Shams Charania of The Vertical at Yahoo Sports broke the news that Toronto has Bruno Caboclo traded to Sacramento for Malachi Richardson. Toronto is finalizing deal to send Bruno Caboclo to Sacramento for Malachi Richardson, league sources tell Yahoo. — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2018 The Kings will waive Caboclo, this clears up a roster spot for their involvement in all the other trades involving Cleveland. It is possible a protected second rounder or something may be coming their way as well in the final call on this deal, but it wouldn’t be significant. The Raptors win this trade. In Richardson, they land a guy who a number of teams wondered could be developed into a good shooter and rotation player outside of Sacramento. Richardson is supposed to be a shooter, but he’s hitting just 30 percent...

After the Knicks passed on him with the No. 4 pick in the 2015 draft, Emmanuel Mudiay reportedly said he was happy to avoid New York and the triangle offense. With Phil Jackson and the triangle gone, Mudiay might feel more welcome with the Knicks now. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN: Denver is trading Emmanuel Mudiay to New York, league sources tell ESPN. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018 Denver, New York and Dallas agreed on a three-way deal, league sources tell ESPN. Mudiay to Knicks; Devin Harris to Denver and Doug McDermott to Dallas. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018 New York will send Denver a future second-round pick in the trade, league sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/b13B7AHI4T — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018 Denver and New York was swapping second-round picks in the three-way trade, league sources tell ESPN. Denver gets New York's 2018 second-round pick via Clippers, and Knicks get Denver's second-round ...

Former Magic coach Scott Skiles gave up on Elfrid Payton. Former Orlando general manager Rob Hennigan, who believed in Payton, got fired. And now Hennigan’s successor, Jeff Weltman, has given up on Payton. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN: Orlando has traded Elfrid Payton to Phoenix for a second-round pick, league source tells ESPN. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018 Phoenix is sending a 2018 second-round pick via Memphis to Orlando in the Payton deal, league sources tell ESPN. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018 This is a tremendous buy-low move by the Suns at a position of need. Brandon Knight‘s ghost wasn’t getting the job done at point guard. Payton might. The 23-year-old has shown promise, but his clunky outside shot is a severe limitation. Still, his defense and penetrating ability could complement franchise playerDevin Booker in the backcourt. Orlando clearly didn’t want to pay Payton in restricted free agency next summer. Better to get a se...

I considered Grizzlies guard/forward Tyreke Evans the player most likely to be traded by today’s deadline, which just passed. He is having a good year for a bad team and will be a free agent next summer. It’ll take cap space or the mid-level exception to give him a starting salary more than $3,948,000. The way he has played, he might draw even more than the mid-level exception, which is all capped-out Memphis is likely to have available. The Grizzlies sent him home in anticipation of a trade. Plenty of teams were interested. But Memphis stood pat. Chris Haynes of ESPN: Memphis has kept guard Tyreke Evans, league sources tell ESPN. — Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 8, 2018 David Aldridge of NBA.com: Grizz have had second-round pick offers for Tyreke Evans for weeks now. Have half an hour to decide whether they’ll take them. — David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) February 8, 2018 The Grizzlies wanting a first-round pick is reasonable, but if they could get only a secon...

On a day of crazy trades, this news casts a shadow over the NBA. It is a tragedy. Former Rockets’ assistant coach R.J. Adelman, 44, the son of legendary coach Rick Adelman, was killed last week after being struck by a car while crossing the street in downtown Houston. TMZ broke the news of the Feb. 2 incident. Officials confirm 44-year-old R.J. Adelman was walking around downtown Houston around noon on Feb. 2 when he was hit by an 80-year-old woman driving a Chrysler Town & Country minivan. According to the police report, Adelman was not using a crosswalk at the time of the accident. Adelman was transported to the hospital in serious condition and was pronounced dead 4 hours later. According to the Harris County medical examiner, Adelman died as a result of blunt force injuries. The incident is still under investigation, but the woman driving the car was released. Adelman spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Rockets under his father, then when Rick went to Min...

Luke Babbitt, who was in Miami before, is back to try to knock down some threes, stop the skid the Heat have been on, and keep them in the postseason. The Atlanta Hawks have traded Babbitt to Miami, and in exchange get injured forward Okaro White. The deal has been finalized and announced by the teams. Atlanta wasted no time and has already waived White, who showed promise last season, but six games into this season fractured his left foot, has been out since and there is no timetable for his return. For the Heat, they get a little shooting at the forward spot, Babbitt is hitting 44.1 percent from three this season (in a limited role for the Hawks). Babbitt started 55 games for the Heat last season, knows the system, and can help fill a role and give the team some minutes, getting playing time around Justise Winslow, James Johnson, and Josh Richardson. He adds some additional depth to the roster at a minimum-contract price. See more source : Heat acquire Luke Babbitt from Atlant...

Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said in November he wouldn’t tradeMarc Gasol. But that was back when Memphis had just fired coach David Fizdale in an effort to turn around its season. That gambit predictably failed. The Grizzlies are 18-36, nowhere near the playoff race. Was Gasol available before today’s trade deadline? Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN: Teams reaching out to Memphis on Marc Gasol have been consistently shut down, league sources tell ESPN. Grizzlies refuse to discuss trades on the franchise center. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018 Gasol is 33, already showing significant signs of decline and due $49,714,725 over the next two seasons. He said he’s too old to throw away a season – which the Grizzlies are doing – and questioned the management that got them here. It was ridiculous not to even consider trading him. His trade value might never be greater. Multiple winning teams could have used him the rest of this season. In Memphis, he’s under...

1.4k The climax of the “Fifty Shades” franchise is mere months away. The first trailer for the final installment of the trilogy you should never watch with your parents arrived on Monday with more whips, chains and corsets than the “Lady Marmalade” music video. Due Valentine’s Day 2018, “Fifty Shades Freed” finds Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) in wedded bliss until forces like a flirty architect, a villainous ex-boss and almost non-existent chemistry threaten to ruin their happily ever after. Christian also seems to be rubbing off on his paramour in more ways than one (sorry), as Ana can be seen taking charge, brutally reminding everyone that her name is Mrs. Grey thank you very much and evading a lurker with the skill of a “Fast and Furious” driver. It’s all totally ridiculous, but we’re just happy Kim Basinger, who plays Christian’s version of Mrs. Robinson, is still getting a paycheck. Watch the trailer above....

1.4k Actress Pamela Adlon has parted ways with her manager Dave Becky, who also represented comedian Louis C.K., after Becky was accused of helping to cover up Louis C.K.’s serial sexual harassment. In a damaging report published Thursday, five women told The New York Times that Louis C.K. had either masturbated or tried to masturbate in front of them. Two of the Times’ sources, comics Dana Min Goodman and Julia Wolov, said that Becky had pressured them to stay quiet after they complained about his client’s unwanted sexual advances. Becky’s employer, 3 Arts Entertainment, dropped Louis C.K. soon after the accusations against him were made public. The comedian’s publicist also cut ties. Becky is an influential producer and manager representing around 20 other clients, including A-listers Aziz Ansari, Amy Poehler, Kevin Hart, John Mulaney, Maya Rudolph and others. Their representatives did not reply to HuffPost’s questions about Becky’s involvement in the Loui...

1.1k There are many kinds of terrible apologies, but Louis C.K. might have offered the worst kind: A self-excusing non-apology in which you casually reveal all the other horrible crap you’ve been doing. On Thursday afternoon, The New York Times finally dropped a story confirming long-circulating rumors that comedian Louis C.K. has been accused by multiple female colleagues of masturbating in front of them without their consent. Through a publicist, he declined to comment for the article, but it does contain an apology. In 2009, several years after he shocked comedian Rebecca Corry by asking her to let him masturbate in front of her while they were working together on a show, he called her to say he was sorry ― for, well, something else. “When he phoned her,” according to the Times, “he said was sorry for shoving her in a bathroom. Ms. Corry replied that he had never done that, but had instead asked to masturbate in front of her.” Wait, what? Let’s rewind ...

Minimum wage workers in 18 states will get a pay hike next week when higher wage floors go into effect around the country for 2018. With the federal minimum wage remaining just $7.25 per hour, more and more states have opted to implement their own, higher rates that local employers must observe. Many of the bumps slated for New Year’s Day come courtesy of recent ballot initiatives approved by voters or bills passed by statehouses, in red and blue states alike. Some of those states have laws requiring that the minimum wage is adjusted each year according to an inflation index, to rise with the cost of living. So several of the raises amount to less than a quarter an hour. But other states that recently enacted new laws will have more significant increases. Maine’s will move a full dollar, to $10. Hawaii’s will rise 85 cents, to $10.10. And Colorado’s will increase 90 cents, to $10.20. Here are the states with new minimum wages, according to the Economic Policy Institute,...

What do you teach your kids about money, prosperity and how to get rich? If you’re like most parents, the answer is probably: not much. If you ever needed a reason to start the conversation about money with your kids, here it is: the median savings balance among working households aged 50 to 55 is $8,000, according to the Economic Policy Institute. For households aged 56 to 61, the median savings balance isn’t much better, at just $17,000. The only way we can combat this great financial plague and help ensure our younger generations don’t continue to struggle is to teach them from a young age the right ways to make the big money. Over the past 34 years, I’ve had the chance to interview and observe more than 1,200 self-made millionaires. The lessons I watched the self-made rich teach their kids were mind blowing, and the polar opposite of what we are taught about money in middle-class America. Here are seven of the secrets self-made millionaires teach their kids: You deser...

Tobacco giant Philip Morris International took out full-page ads in several British newspapers this week proclaiming the company’s 2018 New Year’s resolution as “trying to give up cigarettes.” “Our ambition is to stop selling cigarettes in the UK,” the ad says, according to a screenshot from Business Insider. The message says even though it’s best for smokers to quit, many will continue to smoke. “That’s why we want to replace cigarettes with products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, which are a better choice for the millions of men and women in the UK who would otherwise not stop smoking,” the ad says. E-cigarettes carry health risks, so much so that they are banned in public spaces in some U.S. states. In October, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed a law prohibiting individuals from using e-cigarettes and other vaping systems in public indoor spaces. “These products are marketed as a healthier alternative to cigarettes, but the reality is they also carry lon...

Insurance giant American Family Life Assurance Co., known as Aflac, has been accused of workplace fraud, including claims that it exploited its employees with a high-pressure contractor scheme, according to a report Thursday on The Intercept news site. The report details complaints brought by current and former employees along with allegations raised in three previously unreported lawsuits. In a statement to HuffPost, company spokesman Jon Sullivan said, “These allegations are baseless and we will be filing to have them dismissed.” Among the lawsuits’ claims are that the Fortune 500 company misleads new hires, exploits workers by classifying them as independent contractors and pressures associates with sales goals that lead them to sell policies without customer consent. The Intercept article published Thursday is reportedly the first installment in a series that will detail the lawsuits and the employees’ claims. Thursday’s report zeroes in on claims of worker exploitati...

690 WASHINGTON ― Every day since Jan. 11, Republicans have reminded us that House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said that day that workers have gotten nothing but “crumbs” from the GOP tax bill. President Donald Trump this week likened the supposed gaffe to Hillary Clinton’s infamous “deplorables” comment from the 2016 campaign. “She’s a rich woman who lives in a big, beautiful house in California who wants to give all of your money away,” Trump said of Pelosi during a speech in Ohio . “And she talked about crumbs.” The tax bill slashed the corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 percent, a windfall Democrats said companies would waste on share buybacks instead of more productive investment. After Trump signed the bill into law, Republicans seized on news that dozens of companies announced they would give their workers bonuses specifically because of the law. Pelosi was not impressed. “In terms of the bonus that corporate america received versus the crum...

4.7k 190 President Donald Trump on Friday spoke for the first time about the resignation of former White House staff secretary Rob Porter, who stepped down this week after allegations of abuse from both of his ex-wives became publicly known. Trump said “it was very sad” to learn about Porter’s alleged abuse, but pointed out that Porter has denied the claims. “As you probably know, he says he’s innocent, and I think you have to remember that,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “He said very strongly yesterday that he’s innocent, so you’ll have to talk to him about that.” Trump said he was “surprised” by the news, but praised Porter’s work in the White House and wished him well. “It’s obviously a tough time for him,” the president said. “He did a very good job when he was in the White House, and we hope he has a wonderful career.” Porter resigned Wednesday amid reports that described his alleged abuse against his ex-wives. One of the women relea...

WASHINGTON, Feb 9 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump intends to nominate White House aide Jim Carroll to serve as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, a post popularly known as the drug czar, the White House said in a statement on Friday. Carroll, who currently serves as White House deputy chief of staff, must be confirmed by the Senate. “We have full confidence in Jim to lead ONDCP to make significant strides in combatting the opioids crisis, reducing drug use, and coordinating U.S. drug policy,” the statement said. (Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Eric Walsh) Download Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? Here’s how. MORE: Donald TrumpU.S. NewsWhite HouseDrug WarOffice Of National Drug Control Policy Reference source : Trump Plans To Nominate White House Aide Jim Carroll For Drug Czar

650 An undocumented couple who have called the U.S. their home for more than 20 years is facing deportation. But their community is fighting back. Residents of Simsbury, Connecticut, with the support of several legislators, participated in a rally on Sunday to protest deportation orders given to nail salon owners Zhe Long Huang and Xiang Jin Li, who are from China but are ethnically Korean. With the couple scheduled to leave for China on Feb. 16, the rally-goers made a last-ditch push to allow the pair to stay in the U.S with their two sons. An additional rally for the couple is being held on Friday outside the local Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. “Give me time to give my children a beautiful life,” Li told NBC Connecticut through tears. “Don’t split my family,” Huang and Li came to the U.S. illegally back in 1999. Family friend Laurie Kane told Fox 61 that the couple had obtained work permits and have been paying taxes. They do not have crimin...

670 Two New York Police Department detectives have quit their jobs after being charged with raping and kidnapping an 18-year-old in their custody, The Associated Press reports. Detectives Eddie Martins, 37, and Richard Hall, 33, were arrested last week on a 50-count indictment that included included rape, official misconduct and kidnapping charges. Martins and Hall resigned ahead of an internal administrative trial set for Thursday. Police Commissioner James O’Neill released a statement Monday that said he would have fired both officers had they been found guilty at the internal trial. “And I would have done so on behalf of every NYPD cop, because we owe the communities we serve ― as well as the honest, hardworking men and women of this department ― nothing less,” the commissioner’s statement read. The detectives still face criminal trial on the multiple charges in the Kings County Supreme Court in Brooklyn. Martins and Hall were accused of detaining t...

A woman in western New York state has died in a tragic accident in which a hunter fired at her, thinking she was a deer. Rosemary Billquist, 43, was taking her two dogs for a walk near her home Wednesday in the town of Sherman when she was shot once from about 200 yards away, The New York Post reports. The hunter, neighbor Thomas Jadlowski, rushed over to Billquist when he heard her scream, according to police. He called 911 and applied pressure to her wound while waiting for emergency responders to arrive. Billquist was transported to a local hospital, where she died of her injuries. “They tried saving her,” her husband, Jamie Billquist, told The Buffalo News. “It was just too bad. ... It’s horrific. It will be with me the rest of my life.” Billquist said his wife, who was shot in the hip, was only 100 yards away from their house when the incident occurred. He posted a tribute to her Thursday on Facebook. “I know she’s touched so many lives with her kin...

CHICAGO (AP) — The warm reception, video tribute and dominant performance made Jimmy Butler‘s homecoming just about perfect. All that was missing was a win. Zach LaVine scored a season-high 35 points against his former team, and the Bulls spoiled Butler’s return to Chicago with a 114-113 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. Butler scored 38 to finish one shy of a season high. But the Bulls rallied from 17 down to snap a seven-game losing streak. “It was cool,” Butler said. “Everybody knows I’ve got a lot of love for this organization, this city, this fan base. Me and Taj (Gibson) talk about it all the time: This is where it started for both of us. It greats to see familiar faces.” LaVine came up big down the stretch while going at it with Butler, scoring Chicago’s final 11 points. He nailed three free throws after getting fouled by Butler to put Chicago ahead with 18.4 seconds left. “Jimmy’s really a headstrong dude, an alpha,” LaVine said. “I’m not really g...

On the night of the All-Star Game player draft — done behind closed doors for no good reason — we all praised LeBron James for drafting such an impressive team. Turns out being on Team LeBron was like the Sports Illustrated curse as four have gone down with injuries and will miss the game in Los Angeles Feb. 18: DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, Kristaps Porzingis, and Kevin Love. Three of those guys are from the Eastern Conference, and three times when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver named a replacement it wasn’t Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons. For Wall it was Andre Drummond, for Love it was Goran Dragic, and for Porzingis it was Kemba Walker who got the call. Ben Simmons is pissed he’s not on that list. .@BenSimmons25 on getting passed over as an #AllStar replacement 3 times: “I don’t really know what an all-star is anymore. I mean if it was about win-lose, you picked Dragic obviously and you pick Kemba, whose team is 7 wins under us. It is what it is, but my stats don’t lie.” — Keith Pom...

Luol Deng has one of – shoutout Joakim Noah for the last two words – the NBA’s worst contracts. He’s due $36.81 million over the next two seasons, and the Lakers badly want to clear that money to chase star free agents. They obviously didn’t dump Deng before Thursday’s trade deadline, but did they come close? Lakers president Magic Johnson’s response says everything. Shahan Ahmed‏ of NBC LA: Magic Johnson was asked by @billoram if there were any substantive conversations about Luol Deng during the trade deadline, and his initial response is AMAZING! #LakeShow#Lakerspic.twitter.com/IWNU76YGx0 — Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) February 8, 2018 In a way, Johnson’s laugh seems somewhat cruel to Deng, a real person behind that contract. But Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka eventually gave more earnest answers. Besides, Deng already won. Look at those paychecks! The Lakers’ efforts to unload him will continue. The stretch provision or a trade (with a sweetener) are possible this ...

Joe Johnsonwanted a trade or buyout from the Jazz. He sure wasn’t sticking around Sacramento after the Kings acquired him in a three-team trade with the Cavaliers. Next stop: Houston. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN: Joe Johnson has committed to signing with Houston once his buyout is complete with Sacramento, league sources tell ESPN. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2018 The Kings buyout for Joe Johnson is complete now, league sources tell ESPN. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2018 The Rockets have done well with in-season signings – Gerald Green, Brandan Wright and now Johnson. Johnson was mostly a bystander in Utah’s offense. When involved, he was ineffective. Maybe he’ll be energized by playing for a winner. Or maybe the 36-year-old will is just washed up. It’s tough to say without getting him into this environment, and it’s a reasonable, low-cost gamble for Houston. Given his defensive limitations, Johnson could get run off the floor by the ...

1.2k Kansas lawmakers are considering putting an age minimum on the state’s governorship as six teenagers campaign to lead the state in the November election. Kansas now has no limits whatsoever on the age of its governor. A bill introduced by Republican state Rep. Blake Carpenter would require gubernatorial hopefuls to be at least 18 ― voting age ― and state residents for at least four years. It passed a House committee on Monday, the Kansas City Star reported. The legislation, even if it becomes law, wouldn’t take effect until after the election to replace outgoing Gov. Sam Brownback (R). All six teen candidates were younger than 18 when they announced their runs. “We have age requirements on voters, and I really think that anybody who’s running should be able to vote for themselves,” state Rep. Keith Esau (R) told the Topeka Capital-Journal. Detractors say voters already can decide for themselves whether age matters. Jack Bergeson in August became the first of...