Kings agree to a contract extension with coach Mike Brown, AP source says

A person familiar with the deal says the Sacramento Kings have agreed to a extension with coach Mike Brown to keep him under contract through the 2026-27 season. The person tells The Associated Press the two sides reached agreement on the extension Friday night. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract hadn't been announced by the team. ESPN first reported the deal and said Brown will get a $4 million raise to $8.5 million for next season and then $8.5 million a year for two additional seasons added on to his previous deal. Brown has a 94-70 record in two seasons with Sacramento.

Pili, Collier power Lynx to 95-71 victory over Mercury

Alissa Pili scored 20 points, Napheesa Collier posted her fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds, and the Minnesota Lynx cruised to a 95-71 victory over Phoenix. Pili sank 7 of 9 shots from the floor, including all four of her 3-pointers. Dorka Juhász had 13 points and Cecilia Zandalasini scored 12 for Minnesota, which imrpoved to 5-2. Kahleah Copper hit three 3-pointers and scored 21 to lead the Mercury, who have lost four straight and are 3-5. Diana Taurasi added 14 points and Sophie Cunningham scored 13.

Gray, Howard help Dream take lead late then hold off Aces in 78-74 win

Allisha Gray scored 24 points and Rhyne Howard scored 16 points and the Atlanta Dream beat the Las Vegas Aces 78-74. After A'ja Wilson made a step back basket from 16-feet out to give the Aces a 60-56 lead with 7:57 left to play, Atlanta went on a 9-2 run to take the lead for good. A'ja Wilson scored 28 points, Kelsey Plum 19 and Jackie Young 15 for the Aces who fell to 4-2.

Jones scores a season-high 22, Sun move to franchise-best 7-0 start with 74-72 win over Wings

Brionna Jones scored a season-high 22 points, Alyssa Thomas added 15 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds, and the Connecticut Sun held off the Dallas Wings 74-72 for their seventh straight win. Connecticut at 7-0 is the only unbeaten team in the WNBA and stretched its best opening mark in franchise history. The 2018 and '21 teams each started 5-0. Arike Ogunbowale scored 21 points and Maddy Siegrist added 17 to lead the Wings, who dropped to 3-3. DeWanna Bonner, who reached 7,000 career points in a 70-47 win against the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday, added 12 points for the Sun.

Ionescu scores 24, Thornton 20 and Liberty close out Mystics 90-79

both times in the fourth quarter. Aaliyah Edwards made it 75-74 for the Mystics at the five-minute mark of the fourth. Soon after, the Mystics were assessed a technical foul for delay of game and Breanna Stewart made two free throws to give New York the lead for good. Ariel Atkins led Washington with 15 points.

Cavs add coaching candidates, get permission to speak with assistants Bryant, Quinn, AP source says

Cleveland added two more candidates to its coaching search Friday, receiving permission to interview New York Knicks assistant Johnnie Bryant and Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn, a person familiar with the process told the Associated Press. Earlier this week, the Cavs began looking for J.B. Bickerstaff's successor by getting clearance to speak with Golden State's Kenny Atkinson and New Orleans' James Borrego. Bickerstaff was fired one week after Cleveland was knocked out in the second round of the NBA playoffs. The Cavs will further broaden the list of prospective candidates, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team is not commenting during its first search for a coach in five years.

Pistons part ways with Troy Weaver, hire Trajan Langdon as president of basketball operations

The Detroit Pistons have parted ways with general manager Troy Weaver and hired Trajan Langdon as president of basketball operations. Detroit has had the NBA's worst record the past two seasons and won just 23 percent of its games over four years under Weaver. Langdon was hired by the New Orleans Pelicans as general manager in 2019 and they improved slightly under him for the past five years. The Pistons said Langdon will hire other executives in an expanded front office.

T-wolves realize returning to Western Conference finals -- and advancing further -- comes with cost

The Minnesota Timberwolves have almost their entire rotation signed for next season coming off this breakthrough journey to the Western Conference finals. Maintaining the continuity they're seeking is going to cost them. The Wolves are on track for a hefty luxury tax bill. President of basketball operations Tim Connelly said he's confident the team's unsettled ownership situation won't affect the ability to keep the core together. He said he believes he can continue to be aggressive about solidifying the roster. Connelly also said he's not planning to leave Minnesota after two years despite an opt-out in his contract this offseason.

NBA's Mavs and NHL's Stars chase a Dallas double with their deepest playoff run together

The NBA's Dallas Mavericks and NHL's Dallas Stars are deeper in the playoffs together than they've ever been. That's since the Stars moved south from Minnesota 31 years ago. The Mavs have reached the NBA Finals, and the Stars are in the Western Conference Final against Edmonton. It's been a busy spring at American Airlines Center. Arena workers can convert the floor from ice to hardwood in a matter of hours. Sometimes they do it for games the same day. The chase for a Dallas double comes seven months after the Texas Rangers won their first World Series.

WNBA commissioner says charter flight program still has a few kinks but is running smoothly

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert says the charter flight program still has a few expected kinks but is running smoothly. Engelbert said while it usually takes months of work to put together a charter schedule for a professional league because of plane availability and pilot staffing, the WNBA got it done in a few weeks. The commissioner said that was in large part because of a longstanding relationship with Delta and the blueprint the NBA uses. The WNBA will pay about $25 million per year for the next two years for the flights.

Aces bring Tiffany Hayes out of retirement in an effort to make another title run

The Las Vegas Aces have brought former All-Star and career double-digit scorer Tiffany Hayes out of retirement. She started all 40 games for the Connecticut Sun last season. Hayes averaged 12.1 points on a team that lost in the playoff semifinals to the New York Liberty. She played her first 10 seasons for the Atlanta Dream. Hayes was an All-Star in 2017 and a first-team all-league selection in 2018. She has averaged 13.6 points in her career.

After last year's false start, Doncic-Irving duo in prime form to Mavericks move to Finals

Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving just needed some time together for the Dallas Mavericks to thrive around this formed-not-so-long-ago All-Star pairing. Patience can indeed pay off in this age of instant expectation. Irving's midseason arrival last year in a trade with Brooklyn led to a false start with the Mavericks missing the playoffs. Now they're hitting their stride and heading to the NBA Finals for a matchup with Irving's former team in Boston. Doncic and Irving scored 36 points apiece to lead the Mavericks to victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves that finished the Western Conference finals in just five games.

Chicago Sky embracing their share of WNBA spotlight behind gregarious rookie Angel Reese

The Chicago Sky are enjoying the moment at a time when interest in women's basketball and the WNBA's ratings, attendance and revenue are soaring. They've won three of the six games this season heading into their Saturday matchup against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. It will be the first meeting as pros between Angel Reese and her old college rival. But Chicago has its sights set on bigger things. The Sky boast two highly touted rookies in Reese and Kamilla Cardoso along with a new coach after hiring Naismith Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon.