METAIRIE, La. -- Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore has agreed to become the new head coach of the New Orleans Saints, the team announced Tuesday.

The Saints made the move official two days after Moore and the Eagles won Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

"At the start of the interview process, it was important to find a head coach who was the right fit for the New Orleans Saints organization," team owner Gayle Benson said in a statement. "Through the search process, it became clear that Kellen is the right person to help us re-establish a winning program and culture that our fans are accustomed to and have come to expect. I would also like to thank Darren Rizzi for his service as interim coach and leading our team this past season. I am truly grateful to him."

The Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22, and quarterback Jalen Hurts was named Super Bowl MVP. Immediately after the Super Bowl win, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni jokingly pleaded with Moore to return to the team for another season.

"Let's run this s--- back, Kellen," Sirianni said, laughing.

Moore, 36, instead decided to move ahead with his quest to become a head coach after one season in Philadelphia. The Eagles averaged 27.2 points in the regular season (seventh in the NFL) and 36.3 points in the postseason (first in the NFL).

Former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, who spent last season as an assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers, is a leading candidate to become Moore's defensive coordinator in New Orleans, sources told ESPN. Moore was the Chargers' offensive coordinator under Staley in 2023.

Fixing the Saints' defense will be a major priority for Moore and whomever he hires as defensive coordinator. The Saints allowed the third-most yards per game last season (379.9).

The Eagles, meanwhile, will now be hiring their third offensive coordinator in the past three years. Moore replaced Brian Johnson, who was fired after the 2023 season. Johnson had replaced Shane Steichen, who left the Eagles after the 2022 season to become the Indianapolis Colts' head coach.

The Saints were the last team to fill their head coaching vacancy. Under NFL rules, they could not make Moore's hiring official until the conclusion of the Super Bowl.

The New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots all conducted coaching searches that concluded before the Super Bowl.

The Saints were willing to wait on Moore after flying to Philadelphia to interview him after the NFC Championship Game two weeks ago.

He was one of four candidates to interview in person with the Saints, who also conducted multiple interviews with New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and Rizzi, the Saints' special teams coordinator who was promoted to interim coach after Dennis Allen was fired on Nov. 4.

Moore is the first head coach to come from outside the building since Sean Payton stepped away after the 2021 season. The Saints promoted Allen, then the defensive coordinator, to the open position after a quick coaching search that involved a small pool of candidates, each of whom interviewed once.

"I am excited to join the New Orleans Saints and deeply appreciate the faith that Mrs. Benson and the entire Saints organization have placed in me," Moore said. "I look forward to embracing the challenges ahead and am eager to get started. I would also like to thank the Philadelphia Eagles for an incredible 2024 season. I'm excited to begin this new chapter," Moore said in a statement.

Moore also is a departure from Allen, who was 50 and a second-time coach when hired. Moore will be one of the youngest head coaches in the league and comes from the offensive side of the ball, similar to Payton when he was hired in 2006. Payton had three seasons of experience as an offensive coordinator with the Giants upon his hiring.

Moore played quarterback for Boise State from 2007 to 2011 and in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and the Cowboys.

Moore started his NFL coaching career following his retirement from playing after the 2017 season. He was the Cowboys' quarterbacks coach in 2017 and the offensive coordinator in Dallas from 2019 to 2022. He was offensive coordinator for the Chargers in 2023 before taking the same position with the Eagles this season.

His offenses are ranked fifth (compared to all other NFL teams since 2019) in points per game (26.4) and yards per game (376.5), while his quarterbacks have posted a 62.1 Total QBR, also fifth in the NFL since 2019, according to ESPN Research.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Ben Simmons opened a new chapter with the LA Clippers on Tuesday, practicing with the team for the first time after being waived by the Brooklyn Nets last weekend.

The No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft is expected to make his debut either Wednesday at home against Memphis or Thursday at Utah. He hasn't played since Feb. 1.

"I feel great, ready to go," Simmons said. "I just want to play basketball at a high level and I feel like that's going to happen here."

He left the Nets, who have a 19-34 record and are 12th in the East, for the Clippers, who are 29-23 and sixth in the West.

"It's easier when teams are transparent and understand who you are and what you need and how the team can help and how I can help them," Simmons said. "I feel comfortable. I know most of the guys on the team."

Simmons, 28, joins a veteran squad led by Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Norman Powell.

"Defensively, it's a lot different when you're on the court with a lot of vets. It will be unique having a lot of guys like that on the court," Simmons said. "It's not going to take too long to get a feel for each other on the floor."

One of his new teammates is fellow Australian Patty Mills, who recently joined the Clippers.

"I've known Patty since I was young," said Simmons, who was born in Melbourne. "Having a familiar face like that around helps, but the guys have been great. Everyone has been very welcoming."

Simmons went to the Nets from Philadelphia in a deal for Harden at the 2022 trade deadline. But the three-time All-Star was never able to join Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the court that season. He hurt his back trying to get into shape after sitting out the first half of that season.

The injury problems, mostly due to lower back nerve damage, continued to limit Simmons. He made it through just half of the 2022-23 season, during which Durant and Irving were both traded, and played only 15 games last season.

Simmons played in 33 of the Nets' 52 games this season, starting 24, and averaged 6.2 points and 6.9 assists.

He was waived by the Nets last Saturday, with the sides agreeing to a buyout of his contract. He is making $40 million this season and is set to be a free agent this summer.

Coach Tyronn Lue regards Simmons' arrival as a fresh start for the Clippers.

"It's going to take a little time as far as rotations and how we play guys together but from a basketball standpoint, I'm kind of excited about it," he said.

Defensively, Lue says he expects Simmons to guard the best opposing players.

"He's up for the challenge," Lue said.

Simmons likes that the Clippers view him as a point guard first, although he also has played center at times.

"For me, that's truly my position," he said. "I see the floor, I want to get my guys easy buckets and control the pace. On the defensive end, I want to be a dog, I want to be able to get stops and put pressure on the ball."

The Clippers made multiple moves at the trade deadline, acquiring Bogdan Bogdanovic, Mills, Drew Eubanks and MarJon Beauchamp.

"I think everyone is just going to push each other and be better and expect greatness," Simmons said. "That's my expectation."

CHICAGO -- The Detroit Pistons set a franchise record Tuesday night after they built a 42-point halftime lead on the way to a 132-92 romp over the Chicago Bulls.

Detroit outscored the Bulls 71-29 in the first half, eclipsing the previous mark of 34 points against Chicago on March 23, 1969. The 40-point margin of victory was Detroit's largest since 2012 and tied for its third-largest ever on the road.

Malik Beasley set a Detroit record for 3-pointers in a season with 212 after making 7 of 10. The previous mark was 211 by Saddiq Bey in 2021-22. Cade Cunningham added 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds as the Pistons came away with their most lopsided win of the season.

Tobias Harris scored 18 and Ausar Thompson finished with 16 points as the Pistons rolled to their third win in a row.

The victory guaranteed the Pistons a winning record going into the All-Star break for the first time in 16 seasons, according to ESPN research.

The Bulls set a team record by missing their first 20 3-pointers before Ayo Dosunmu hit one near the end of the second quarter. They were 10 of 47 from beyond the arc and shot 35% overall in the game.

Things were so comical for Chicago that Nikola Vucevic threw his arms up in mock celebration after making a hook shot late in the first half that trimmed the deficit to 43. And the crowd cheered, too.

But there were boos as well during the drubbing, something Bulls guard Josh Giddey said the team "deserved."

"It is our responsibility as players to give them something to cheer for," Giddey said of the fans in the arena. "Tonight we probably deserved that. We didn't give them anything to cheer for. We were down 40 in the first half and that's not acceptable."

Chicago had just two players score in double figures -- Matas Buzelis (12 points) and Giddey (11). Coby White scored a season-low five, making just 2 of 13 shots and missing all eight 3-point attempts.

Chicago will have its chance for revenge when the teams meet again on Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Free agent 7-footer Alex Len has changed course, signing a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, the team announced Tuesday.

Len had intended to sign with the Indiana Pacers but decided to land in Los Angeles after the Lakers rescinded their trade to acquire Mark Williams and created a new opportunity for a center.

The Lakers waived Christian Wood to open up a roster spot to sign Len. Wood had yet to play this season while rehabbing from offseason knee surgery.

Len, 31, provides the Lakers with additional depth for a thin frontline, joining Jaxson Hayes as a positional center.

The Wizards acquired Len from the Sacramento Kings in a three-way trade last week in a deal that centered on Marcus Smart going from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Wizards.

Len had played in 36 games for the Kings this season, averaging 1.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 7.2 minutes.

In his 12th NBA season, Len has career averages of 6.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 17.1 minutes.

New Toronto Raptors star Brandon Ingram has agreed to a three-year, $120 million contract extension with the franchise, including a player option in 2027-28, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and agents Shy Saee and Mike George told ESPN.

Ingram, 27, was traded by the New Orleans Pelicans to the Raptors last week -- and now arrives in Toronto with a lucrative extension that keeps him out of free agency this summer. The new deal shows a commitment on both sides, as the Raptors lock in a shot creator and offensive force to work with Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett for the next several years.

Ingram has been sidelined since Dec. 7 with a significant ankle sprain but is working toward a return in the second half of this season.

After Ingram's six seasons in New Orleans, the Pelicans traded him for Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, one first-round pick and one second-round pick. Ingram, 27, ranks fifth in career points in Pelicans history and averaged 20 points for the season six times, tied with Anthony Davis for most ever for the team.

In Ingram, the Raptors have acquired a dynamic option next to Barnes, a priority for the franchise's front office. Ingram is one of six NBA players to average 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in each of the past four seasons. As an inside the 3-point line shooter, Ingram ranks as one of the league's best -- trailing only DeMar DeRozan for most midrange shots made per game.

According to Second Spectrum, the Raptors rank last in the NBA in made off-the-dribble jumpers per game this season. Ingram ranks sixth-best among NBA players in that category. He is also one of four players to make at least 1,000 2-point jumpers over the past six seasons, along with DeRozan, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.

In 2019-20, his first season with the Pelicans, Ingram was an NBA All-Star and won Most Improved Player of the Year. New Orleans acquired Ingram as part of a blockbuster trade that sent Davis to the Lakers in June 2019.

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford suffered a right knee sprain and will be reevaluated within two weeks, the team announced Tuesday.

It's the latest blow to a decimated Mavericks' frontcourt that includes injuries to newly acquired center Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and Dwight Powell.

Gafford was injured early in Monday's overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings. He left the game after playing 10 minutes.

Following the shocking trade last week that sent franchise superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in return for Davis, general manager Nico Harrison talked about his vision for the Davis-led Mavericks, including a massive frontcourt that featured multiple big men playing together.

It appears that Dallas will have to wait at least a few weeks before seeing that vision fully realized. Lively went down because of a stress fracture in his right foot last month and was expected to be sidelined two to three months. Davis was expected to sit out multiple weeks because of a left adductor strain, sources told ESPN earlier this week.

Powell, a Mavericks veteran, is dealing with a hip injury and has no clear timeline to return.

Second-year player Olivier-Maxence Prosper took over at center in Monday's loss after Gafford's injury and played 34 minutes. P.J. Washington, who has been dealing with an ankle injury, could also get time as a small-ball center when he returns.

The Mavericks entered Tuesday night at No. 8 in the Western Conference.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- No team wants to the turn the page on 2024 more than the Chicago White Sox. After setting a modern-day record for losses (121) in a single season, the organization is hoping to take huge steps in a rebuilding plan that began late in 2023.

"I do think we're going to win more games than we did last year," GM Chris Getz said as pitchers and catchers reported for spring training on Tuesday. "Unfortunately, there are going to be some growing pains along the way that at times are going to challenge your emotions, but that's part of the development of some of these players."

The White Sox boast six players in ESPN's Kiley McDaniel's top 100 prospects. Acquiring them over the past few years -- for players such as Dylan Cease, Erick Fedde, Lance Lynn and others -- hurt the team's big league chances, leading to that headline-making 41-win year. But the organization's hope is those dark days give way to brighter ones as the prospects, many of whom are on the mound, make it to the major leagues.

"To have a spring training where a top ranked farm system is represented well in major league camps, it's going to be enjoyable to see some of these younger players get some major league experience," Getz said. "Going through a year like we did in 2024, most importantly, it just provided a lot of clarity for a lot of people, including myself. We had a lot of work to do, a lot more changes that needed to be made and we were able to accomplish a lot of that this off season and that started with hiring Will Venable."

Chicago's new manager comes highly decorated, having worked in Boston, in Chicago and most recently with the Rangers under Bruce Bochy. He'll be tasked with bringing along a young group of highly touted pitchers such as lefties Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith to go with shortstop prospect Colson Montgomery. Another pitcher, lefty prospect Ky Bush, will undergo Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, according to Getz, but that isn't dampening his optimism for his young group.

"We need to be patient and it's hard to do in professional sports because we've got so many competitors out there on the field on a daily basis, but I do think there's going to be plenty of exciting stories, and a lot of that has to do with the talent that's going to work their way to the major leagues this season," Getz stated. "I would say the majority of our roster has to earn their opportunities."

The White Sox likely aren't done dealing away talent, as center fielder Luis Robert Jr., outfielder Andrew Benintendi and first baseman Andrew Vaughn could be moved this year. All need to perform in the first half of the season if Getz wants to continue to load up on young talent. His hope is the struggles and lessons of 2024 will make the successes in the future feel that much better, while the organization is simply hoping to make positive headlines despite staring at another potential 100-loss season.

"Going through a year like we did last year, there was a lot to learn, a lot of painful moments that you had to endure that I think is only going to make us stronger," Getz said.

In other developments Tuesday, the White Sox agreed to terms on a one-year, $1.95 million deal with outfielder Michael Taylor, a source told ESPN, confirming news first reported by FanSided.

Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to terms on a new one-year contract that will bring the three-time National League Cy Young Award winner back to the team for an 18th season, a source told ESPN's Alden Gonzalez on Tuesday.

Kershaw was at the Dodgers' spring training site at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona.

The deal, which is pending a physical, is expected to become official by Wednesday and will guarantee Kershaw somewhere between $5 million and $10 million in 2025, a source told ESPN. If Kershaw's prior contract is any indication, the deal will also include a multitude of performance bonuses.

Kershaw, who turns 37 in March, is expected back at some point around June, a source told ESPN. He had foot and knee surgeries in November after he was limited to just seven games last season. He made his season debut July 25 and pitched 30 innings before reporting damage to his toe, which turned out to be a ruptured plantar plate and arthritis in his left foot.

He didn't pitch in the postseason, finishing 2024 with a 2-2 record and a 4.50 ERA.

He has been a mainstay in the Dodgers' rotation, spending his entire career in Los Angeles, and is just 32 strikeouts of becoming the 20th pitcher in MLB history to reach 3,000 for his career.

Over 17 seasons, Kershaw has established himself as one of the most monumental figures in the franchise's illustrious history. He won three Cy Young Awards and an MVP, made 10 All-Star teams, became the team's career leader in strikeouts and accumulated the second-most wins (212) in team history.

"He kind of epitomizes how to compete, what it means to be a Dodger ever since I've been here," said Dodgers backup catcher Austin Barnes, Kershaw's teammate for the past 10 years. "He kind of sets the tone for everything, just the way he works and carries himself."

The Dodgers enter spring training with the possibility of six starting pitchers: two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell; Yoshinobu Yamamoto; Tyler Glasnow; Roki Sasaki; and Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May, both of whom are returning from injury.

Shohei Ohtani, who didn't pitch last season after elbow surgery, could be back on the mound by the second month of the season.

Kershaw's return could give manager Dave Roberts the luxury of an extra arm, which he hasn't had in past seasons, and the packed pitching staff also could allow him to limit Kershaw's pitch count.

He pitched on one-year contracts in 2022 and 2023 before signing an incentive-laden $5 million deal for 2024 that included a 2025 option for $5 million, which he declined. With incentives, he earned $7.5 million in 2024.

Kershaw has a career record of 212-94 with a 2.50 ERA in 432 games (429 starts). His 15 career shutouts are the most among active pitchers.

Field Level Media contributed to this report.

TAMPA, Fla. -- New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday that he didn't like hearing the criticism of his team levied by Los Angeles Dodgers players after they beat the Yankees in last year's World Series and hoped to "handle things with a little more class" if New York could win its first championship since 2009.

Dodgers utility man Chris Taylor and former reliever Joe Kelly disparaged the Yankees -- whose sloppy fifth inning in Game 5 ultimately led to a series-clinching loss -- with Kelly calling their shoddy defense and baserunning "well-known" on his podcast and Taylor saying the Yankees "s--- down their leg" on teammate Mookie Betts' podcast.

"The reality is we didn't play our best in the series and they won, so they had that right to say whatever," Boone said. "Hopefully, we're in that position next year and handle things with a little more class. But the reality is it's a great team, it's a great organization with a lot of great people that I happen to know and respect, too. So a few people sounding off isn't necessarily how I would want to draw it up."

Boone pointed out that the Dodgers' stars -- Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Clayton Kershaw -- did not publicly roast the Yankees and that "sometimes you're coming off ... winning the world championship and some guys are more inclined to spout off and be a little more colorful than others -- and that's their right. They won. And again, hopefully we're in that position and do things a little better."

Yankees pitchers and catchers reported to spring training Tuesday to begin the season after their first World Series appearance since beating Philadelphia in 2009. After losing star outfielder Juan Soto in free agency to the New York Mets, the Yankees guaranteed the third-most money to free agents this winter, $238.4 million, adding left-hander Max Fried and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. They also traded for closer Devin Williams and center fielder Cody Bellinger.

"There's no running from the fact of losing a player like Juan Soto," Boone said, "and we all saw how important he was to our club last year, and we did a lot to try and keep him here. I think everyone understands how much we wanted him back. That being said, there's a lot of ways to build a great team, and I think the moves that we've made this offseason give us that chance."

The key, Boone said, was not losing the hunger he saw early last season.

"You can have a great situation, a great culture, a great closeness about your team, a great professionalism about your team," Boone said. "I think sometimes the separators where a team that's good can be great, a team that's great can be a champion, is that hunger that is not a given even with the best of people and the best of teams. There's no question in my mind. Last year we had that edge, we had a hunger maybe in part due to coming off the season in which we didn't make the postseason for the people that experienced that here. I think that showed itself very early in camp, but we got to work at that. That's not a given."

Among other issues addressed by Boone:

• "There have been some talks" on a contract extension, the eighth-year manager said. New York picked up an option for 2025 on Boone, who is 603-429 and has led New York to the postseason six of his seven years.

• Right-handed reliever Jake Cousins, who over the final two months of last season was among the Yankees' best relievers, was shut down because of a forearm strain. The hope, Boone said, was for him to begin throwing again next week, though his absence "could leak into Opening Day."

• Top prospect Jasson Dominguez is the leading candidate to take over in left field, with Bellinger in center and Aaron Judge shifting from center to right field. Dominguez sat out a large chunk of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery and struggled in 67 plate appearances. "I'd love for him to secure [the left-field job] and grab it," Boone said, adding that he expects "that he will."

• The Yankees' third-base job is wide open as spring training begins, Boone said. With last year's third baseman, Jazz Chisholm Jr., shifting to second base, the Yankees will try veteran DJ LeMahieu and utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera at third. They are not expected to pursue free agent third baseman Alex Bregman and have not been aggressive yet in pursuit of St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, who is available via trade.

• Boone said he spoke with right-hander Marcus Stroman, whom the Yankees spent the winter trying to trade after Fried's signing pushed him out of New York's rotation. "It's maybe a little bit of an awkward situation just with all the noise around it this winter," Boone said, "but I'm comfortable with where he is in his focus and his physical preparation coming in."