Bueckers, Wings defeat Tempo 108-95 at Bell Centre, set WNBA attendance record

MONTREAL - The WNBA's regular-season game attendance record was set Friday by a city that doesn't have a team.

The 20,996 who showed up to Montreal’s Bell Centre showed support for the women's pro basketball league, even when the home team was from Toronto.

The expansion Tempo are Canada's lone WNBA team and want to represent the country. 

Montreal's record-setting crowd was a statement by a city whose support for basketball went from bubbling under the surface to a full boil. It hardly mattered that the injury-riddled Tempo lost 108-95 to the Dallas Wings.

Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs agree on 5-year extension that could top $250M, AP source says

Victor Wembanyama has signed what will be the richest contract in San Antonio Spurs history, a five-year extension that could exceed $250 million if the player option in the final season is picked up, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Friday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the financial figures were not disclosed by either side. The Spurs, who went to the NBA Finals this past season behind the All-NBA center and unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, announced that Wembanyama had signed, simply saying the sides agreed on “a multi-year contract extension.”

"Spurs family, I’m here to stay," Wembanyama wrote on social media Friday. “Whatever it takes."

The agreement comes at a discount; Wembanyama could have agreed to a deal that would have topped $300 million over five years — but chose a lesser amount to help give the Spurs flexibility going forward with their young core and in anticipation of the contracts some of those budding stars will be eligible for in coming years, the person said.

Sea Bears look to stay best in West

Mike Raimbault isn’t one to pay mind to the standings, but the Winnipeg Sea Bears’ head coach is in tune enough to know that his team may have a chance to separate itself from the rest of the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Western Conference this weekend.

The Sea Bears (11-5) won’t call Sunday’s contest a free space on the bingo card. That would be nothing short of disrespecting an opposing team with professional athletes who are more than capable of putting it together for 40 minutes.

However, on paper, this lopsided tilt projects as a layup for Winnipeg. The Sea Bears remain undefeated through seven games at Canada Life Centre and will be more than happy to welcome the struggling Calgary Surge (3-13) to the den (2:30 p.m. tip-off).

After Thursday’s 97-93 victory over the Edmonton Stingers, the Sea Bears own their largest lead of the season in the Western Conference — a 1.5-game advantage with one game in hand over the Vancouver Bandits.

Legal expert weighs in on Raptors-Clippers trade for Kawhi Leonard being paused

TORONTO - A Toronto-based legal expert says he was surprised by the latest twist in the Toronto Raptors-Los Angeles Clippers trade saga.

The Raptors and Clippers announced in separate statements on Thursday that a proposed trade that would bring all-star forward Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto has been put on hold following the outcome of an investigation by the NBA into Leonard's 2024 contract with L.A. Both statements said that the Raptors would assume the risk of any potential penalties that come out of the investigation.

Russell Sanders, a partner at Aird and Berlis, said he was taken aback by the deal being paused.

"I was frankly shocked. I would have thought that was an issue that would have been vetted internally on both sides before the transaction was announced," said Sanders, who is a member of the firm's sports and entertainment groups.

Toronto Raptors sign free-agent centre Nate Bittle

TORONTO - The Toronto Raptors have signed free-agent centre Nate Bittle, the NBA club announced Friday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

The seven-foot, 250-pound Bittle averaged a team-high 16.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.8 blocks and 31.1 minutes in 25 games as a fifth-year senior at Oregon last season. 

He shot .465 (145/312) from the field and scored in double figures in 23 NCAA games, including scoring more than 20 points eight times. 

Kraus steps up in first start as Sea Bears beat Stingers

Mason Kraus has hit a few timely buckets and played a part in the Winnipeg Sea Bears becoming one of the stingiest defensive units in the Canadian Elite Basketball League.

Toronto Raptors put Kawhi Leonard trade on hold pending NBA investigation

TORONTO - The Toronto Raptors say they have put their proposed trade for Kawhi Leonard on hold after the NBA said the team would assume the risk of any outcome from the league's ongoing investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers.

The proposed deal would send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks, a 2027 pick swap and two second-round picks to the Clippers for Leonard.

The NBA opened an investigation in September following allegations first reported by journalist Pablo Torre that Leonard signed a US$28-million "no-show" endorsement deal with Aspiration, an environmental financial technology company, that required no work beyond remaining with the Clippers.

Aspiration later entered bankruptcy after its co-founder, Joe Sanberg, was charged with fraud, though Leonard has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Donovan Mitchell signs 4-year, $273M extension with Cavaliers, who await LeBron James’ decision

The Cleveland Cavaliers have achieved one of their primary aims of the offseason while the wait continues on whether LeBron James will return to the franchise for a third time.

The team announced Thursday that Donovan Mitchell has signed his four-year, $273 million contract extension.

The seven-time All-Star agreed to the extension on Tuesday, the first day the Cavs could offer it. Mitchell had two seasons remaining on his contract and could have waited to re-sign until next summer, when he would be eligible for a five-year supermax deal worth $350 million.

“From day one, he embraced this organization, our fans, and our community. He’s been clear in his desire to be here, and that speaks volumes about who he is," president of basketball operations Koby Altman said in a statement. "Securing Donovan long term reflects our shared vision and our commitment to building toward another NBA championship in Cleveland.”

Perseverance pays off for first-time all-star Mabrey eight years into WNBA career

TORONTO - Marina Mabrey has made longevity the calling card of her WNBA career and it has finally paid off with an all-star game appearance.

Mabrey had 11 points, six rebounds and four assists in the Toronto Tempo's 83-75 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday, a day after she was named an all-star reserve. The 29-year-old guard said that it had been a goal of hers to reach the all-star game since she was a teenager.

"When I was in high school I was like, 'I want to be in the WNBA and I want to be a WNBA all-star.' I had no idea how hard it was, but it's OK, it was cute," said Mabrey before the game. "This league is so hard, and it's every other day, every day you're playing, you're practising, they're challenging you, they're holding you accountable, you're moving teams, you've got different teammates, you have to figure out how to work with people, and so on and so on.

"I just think that it's easy to lose that vision and that belief in yourself, but I don't think I ever lost it."

Salaun powers Valkyries past Tempo 83-75 as Golden State wins sixth straight

TORONTO - Janelle Salaun came off the bench for 26 points as the Golden State Valkyries held off the short-benched Toronto Tempo 83-75 on Wednesday.

Reserve Kaitlyn Chen added 16 points as Golden State (16-7) extended its win streak to six games. Kayla Thornton nearly had a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds.

Isabelle Harrison scored 24 points as Toronto (9-12) dropped its third straight. She added eight rebounds. 

Marina Mabrey had 11 points a day after being named the Tempo's first-ever WNBA all-star. She also had six rebounds and four assists.