LeBron James and Kevin Durant among players who qualify for exception to new rest policy

James has spoken to Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum and Draymond Green, and they are all prepared to commit as well. Separately, Phoenix’s Devin Booker, Portland’s Damian Lillard, Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox and Dallas’ Kyrie Irving also have serious interest in committing, league sources said. -via The Athletic / September 11, 2023

James, who has not played for Team USA since the 2012 Games in London and will turn 39 in December, and Durant, a three-time Olympian and gold medalist who will be 35 by next summer, are viewing the Paris games as a “last dance” with USA Basketball, sources said. -via The Athletic / September 11, 2023

Curry, who will be 36, has never played in an Olympics but won two World Cups in 2010 and 2014 with the American team and is viewing next summer similarly. James, Durant, and Curry have spoken to each other about one last USA run, together, sources said. -via The Athletic / September 11, 2023

A decade ago, the federal Biogenesis investigation — dubbed “Operation Strikeout” by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents — led to the conviction of clinic mastermind Tony Bosch, a self-described biochemist, and seven associates. For Major League Baseball, the scandal ensnared Alex Rodriguez, Nelson Cruz and Ryan Braun, the top names among 21 players who would end up suspended and, at least temporarily, disgraced. But what has not been publicly known until now — found in more than 1,400 pages of unredacted federal investigative documents obtained by ESPN — are the names of other athletes and figures, from world champion boxers and wrestlers to fitness gurus, entertainers and even law enforcement officials, who surfaced during the investigation of the largest doping operation in U.S. sports history. Among them are former WWE star Paul “The Big Show” Wight; former boxing champion Shannon Briggs; one of the most well-known trainers of prominent athletes in David Alexander; and Ernest “Randy” Mims, a longtime friend and business manager of LeBron James. -via ESPN / September 13, 2023

While reporting this story, ESPN was told by federal authorities that they found nothing to suggest that Alexander — who has trained James — or Mims provided any PEDs to any athletes. But because both had a relationship with James, their involvement in the investigation caused investigators to look at whether James might have been involved in any activity related to PEDs — and they concluded that he was not: “There was never any indication that LeBron James did anything wrong,” the lead DEA investigator said. -via ESPN / September 13, 2023

Mims, 47, is well-known as a key member of James’ inner circle and is described in the investigative documents as the “manager of LeBron James (Miami Heat basketball player).” Mims has held several business roles for the superstar, as well as positions with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers. A 2019 ESPN+ documentary series, “More Than an Athlete,” portrayed Mims as a thoughtful, egoless worker who ensured everything runs on time. -via ESPN / September 13, 2023