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The 2019-20 NBA season is quickly approaching, although plenty could still happen before opening night. Veteran free agents such as Jamal Crawford, J.R. Smith, and Carmelo Anthony remain available, while the Miami Heat is known to be looking to add a second-star.
Upcoming training camps will allow teams to assess their current roster, and further moves are likely in the aftermath. So, with the potential for plenty to happen, here is all the latest NBA news and rumors you need to know for September 14th.
Shaun Livingston announces his retirement from the NBA
Over the past few weeks, Shaun Livingston has been linked with a move to the likes of the Los Angeles Clippers, however, the 34-year-old took to his Instagram page to announce his retirement after 15 years in the NBA.
After 15 years in the NBA, I'm excited, sad, fortunate and grateful all in one breath. Hard to put into a caption all of the emotions it takes to try and accomplish your dreams. I wasn't supposed to be here. Anybody that has beat the odds understands the mental and emotional strain it takes to inspire yourself on an uphill war, let alone inspire others.
Livingston was drafted with the fourth overall pick by the Clippers back in 2004 and went on to play for nine NBA teams during his lengthy career.
His most notable spell came with the Golden State Warriors, as he reached the NBA Finals in each of his five seasons with the team. Nevertheless, the shooting guard was waived by the Warriors earlier this summer as the team attempted to create cap space to sign D'Angelo Russell.
Livingston finishes his career averaging 6.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists over 833 career games.
Skip Bayless believes that LeBron James is no longer one of the NBA's best players
Sports Illustrated released its annual list of the NBA's top players on Thursday, and LeBron James fell to third after spending the past five years at No. 1. LeBron's fall has been criticized by many, although noted NBA analyst Skip Bayless believes that James is no longer one of the NBA's top 10 players:
The only way your man (James) is number three is on reputation and projection. And I’ll give you the reputation, but I will not give you the projection because I saw what I saw last year... Kevin Durant is by far still the best player in the NBA & he deserves to be ranked No. 1. LeBron is not a Top 10 player right now... I'll give LeBron 11th.
During the 18-19 season, James averaged 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game.
Kobe Bryant says Team USA is no longer the dominant force in International basketball
Team USA entered the 2019 World Cup on a 53-game tournament winning streak, although the team was eliminated at the quarter-finals stage by France before also being defeated by Serbia. Much has been made of the USA's underwhelming roster and Kobe Bryant believes that rival nations have managed to bridge the gap:
It's not a matter of the rest of the world catching up to the U.S., it's that the rest of the world has been caught up for quite some time. And it's to the point now where us in the U.S. are going to win some, we're going to lose some. And that's just how it goes.
Much of the NBA's top talent withdrew from the tournament, although big names such as Draymond Green have stated their intent to play at next summer's Olympics.
