Associated Press
Minnesota agreed to trade guard former North Carolina star Rashad McCants to Sacramento for former Duke standout Shelden Williams in a swap of disappointing lottery picks. The Wolves also got rookie guard Bobby Brown from the Kings and sent rarely used center Calvin Booth to Sacramento.
McCants is averaging 9.1 points and has appeared in only six games since Jan. 1. He fell out of the rotation shortly after Kevin McHale took over as coach. McCants hasn’t played more than 15 minutes in a game since Dec. 27 and has often been seen brooding on the bench.
Williams was averaging just 3.7 points and 2.6 rebounds for the Kings. He has only reached double figures in scoring three times and has done it just twice in rebounding.
* Charlotte had pulled off three deals and used an NBA-high 23 players this season. But as the trade deadline came, they decided to keep impending restricted free agent Raymond Felton.
“I think Raymond has shown improvement from what we’ve seen over the last few years in terms of being that lead guard,” general manager Rod Higgins said. “I think coach (Larry) Brown has held him accountable for that improvement as well as holding him accountable for getting our team to the point where we’re starting to improve.”
Felton is averaging 13.7 points and 6.6 assists per game. The Bobcats could match any offer he receives in the offseason or sign him to a one-year qualifying offer that would make him an unrestricted free agent in 2010.n The Cleveland Cavaliers were among the suitors that reportedly reached out to Phoenix to inquire about Shaquille O’Neal, but they couldn’t close a deal. Amare Stoudemire and Vince Carter were among the other stars who had space on the rumor mill in recent weeks but went nowhere.
* The only top contender to make an upgrade was Orlando, which landed Rafer Alston from Houston in a three-team deal that also included Memphis.
The Rockets acquired Magic forward Brian Cook and Memphis guard Kyle Lowry. Memphis receives the Magic’s first-round draft pick as part of the deal. The Magic say All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson will miss the rest of the season after having shoulder surgery.
* Chicago traded guard Larry Hughes to the New York Knicks for Tim Thomas, Jerome James and Anthony Roberson. Chicago also traded guard Thabo Sefolosha to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2009 first-round draft pick.
* The Knicks traded for Chris Wilcox, the veteran Oklahoma City forward who had been involved in the Thunder’s deal for Tyson Chandler that was later rescinded. Oklahoma City gets seldom-used forward Malik Rose in the deal.
* Boston traded center Patrick O’Bryant to Toronto as part of a deal also involving Sacramento. The Celtics acquired a future conditional second-round draft pick from the Kings, who received guard Will Solomon from Toronto and cash considerations from Boston.
* Indiana’s Danny Granger will miss up to three weeks with a partial tendon tear in the sole of his right foot.
* DEERFIELD, Ill. ó John Paxson made it short and sweet: He’s not going anywhere.
“I’m the GM of the Bulls. I’m not resigning,” he said.
* AUBURN HILLS, Mich. ó Tim Duncan had 18 points and 18 rebounds and Tony Parker added 19 points and 11 assists as San Antonio beat Detroit 83-79 on Thursday.
GOLF
LOS ANGELES ó Eight months after winning the U.S. Open on one good leg, a healthy Tiger Woods is returning to golf.
Woods said on his Web site Thursday that he will defend his title next week in the Accenture Match Play Championship, believing his reconstructed left knee and his game is good enough to win.
“I’m now ready to play again,” Woods said.
The Match Play Championship in Tucson, Ariz., begins Wednesday, where Woods will end his 253-day break from competition.
The last big obstacle to Woods’ return was the birth of his son, Charlie Axel, on Feb. 8.
* LOS ANGELES ó Phil Mickelson took a big step toward shaking off his West Coast doldrums with an 8-under 63, his career-best at Riviera, to take a one-shot lead in the Northern Trust Open. It was the first time in 10 rounds this year that Mickelson has broken 70.
NFL
Others slapped with the franchise player tag were cornerback Dunta Robinson of Houston; tight end Bo Scaife of Tennessee; linebacker Leroy Hill of Seattle; and offensive tackle Max Starks of Pittsburgh. Overall, 14 of the NFL’s 32 teams protected players with the franchise tag.
* Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha re-signed with Oakland, avoiding the franchise tag he had last season by agreeing to a three-year contract that’s thought to be the richest ever given to a defensive back. It’s value is estimated at $30 million.
* The NFL fined Santonio Holmes $10,000 for using the football as a prop during his post-touchdown celebration in the Super Bowl.
BASEBALL
KISSIMMEE, Fla. ó The Atlanta Braves were confident ó in the case of third baseman Chipper Jones, downright convinced ó that Ken Griffey Jr. would soon be donning a tomahawk jersey. After all, Junior was the one who initiated the talks, telling Jones and team officials that Atlanta was a perfect fit.
Wednesday, Junior delivered an unexpected curveball, informing the Braves by phone that he preferred to finish out where it all started. He’s heading back to the Seattle Mariners.
“The only thing I question is why he came to us,” said Jones, a leader in the effort to recruit Griffey to Atlanta. “Our time could have been better served exploring other options. That’s unfortunate.”
There was clearly some bitterness. Pitcher Tim Hudson got into a heated argument in the clubhouse with a newspaper reporter, claiming his story angered Griffey and led him to back out of dealings with the Braves. A team official had to step in and lead Hudson to a back room.
* Outfielder Jeff Francoeur agreed to a one-year contract with the Braves worth $3,375,000. The deal includes a $25,000 bonus if he reaches 685 plate appearances.
The Braves also agreed on a $2,825,000, one-year contract with second baseman Kelly Johnson.nAlex Rodriguez ducked follow-up questions about his drug use, refusing to address a report identifying the cousin the Yankees star claims injected him with a banned substance.
“I’m not talking about it anymore,” Rodriguez said Thursday.
The slugger also wouldn’t discuss Major League Baseball’s attempt to interview him about his tainted past.
During Tuesday’s news conference, he said a cousin injected him with “boli,” a drug obtained in the Dominican Republic that Rodriguez believes led to a positive steroids test in baseball’s anonymous 2003 survey. Rodriguez wouldn’t identify the cousin, reported by ESPN.com to be Yuri Sucart of Miami.
* Former New York Yankees center fielder Bernie Williams worked out with his old team at Steinbrenner Field as part of his preparation to join Puerto Rico’s squad for next month’s World Baseball Classic.
The 40-year-old Williams, who rejected the Yankees’ minor league offer before the start of spring training in 2007, might consider playing again in the majors. It will depend on his WBC performance.
* Brian Roberts and the Baltimore Orioles are near agreement on a $40 million, four-year extension.
* Colorado left-hander Jeff Francis will have exploratory surgery on his pitching shoulder next week and expects to miss the 2009 season.
* There’s a new Ocho Cinco in pro sports: Washington Nationals outfielder Lastings Milledge is switching to No. 85 after relinquishing his career-long No. 44 to Adam Dunn. Milledge chose his new number because he was born in 1985.nThe Cleveland Indians acquired reliever Juan Salas in a trade with Tampa Bay and designated disappointing third baseman Andy Marte for assignment.
* Right-handed reliever Luis Ayala and Minnesota finalized a $1.3 million, a one-year contract.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
LUBBOCK, Texas ó Texas Tech and coach Mike Leach have agreed on a new contract after months of contentious negotiations.
Weeks ago, Leach and Tech essentially settled on the financial terms of a five-year, $12.7 million deal. But Leach took issue with several clauses the school added when the sides were trading proposals.
HOCKEY
UNIONDALE, N.Y. ó Eric Staal scored twice and hit the 25-goal mark for the fourth time in five NHL seasons in Carolina’s 6-2 win against the New York Islanders.
The Hurricanes earned their fourth straight road win ó their best run since a five-game spurt in 2005. They have dropped three straight at home but will try to change their luck tonight against Tampa Bay.
Carolina, ninth in the East, closed within three points of Florida.
* SUNRISE, Fla. ó Cristobal Huet stopped 31 shots for his third shutout of the season, and Ben Eaqer scored twice for Chicago in a 4-0 win against Florida.
* PITTSBURGH ó Sergei Gonchar’s first goal gave Dan Bylsma his first win as an NHL coach.Gonchar, playing only his third game after missing most of the season because of a shoulder injury, scored on a slap shot after Pittsburgh quickly squandered a two-goal lead in the third period as the Penguins beat Montreal 5-4.
* PHILADELPHIA ó Mike Richards had two goals and a career-high five points, and Mike Knuble broke a third-period tie to help Philadelphia beat Buffalo 6-3.
* RALEIGH ó The Carolina Hurricanes have placed forward Justin Williams on injured reserve with a broken hand. He broke his hand when he was hit by teammate Anton Babchuk’s shot during the first period of Sunday’s win at Buffalo.
* BECKET, Mass. ó A bus carrying the Carolina Hurricane’s top minor-league affiliate team flipped onto its side on slick roads in western Massachusetts early Thursday, injuring four players and the hockey team’s radio commentator.
The bus carrying the AHL Albany River Rats team home from a game in Lowell struck a guard rail about 3:20 a.m. on Interstate 90 in Becket. Police said the bus rolled onto its side before coming to rest across the left travel lane and median.
Defensemen Jonathan Paiement and Casey Borer and wingers Joe Jensen and Nicolas Blanchard were hospitalized at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, along with the team’s radio commentator, John Hennessy, according to coach Jeff Daniels. None of the injuries was considered life-threatening.
RACING
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ó A crew member for Jeremy Mayfield’s team has been suspended indefinitely for violating NASCAR’s new substance abuse policy.
Paul Chodora failed a mandatory test Feb. 11 at Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR said. He’s the first person punished under a policy that went into effect this season.
TENNIS
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates ó Serena Williams will face big sister Venus in the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championship after both advanced with straight-set wins.
Serena beat Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 6-4, and Venus defeated Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-3.
* MARSEILLE, France ó Novak Djokovic reached the quarterfinals of his third straight event by beating Jan Hernych 7-5, 6-4 at the Open 13.
SOCCER
MILAN ó AC Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said the club was closer to completing David Beckham’s transfer from the Los Angeles Galaxy.
BOXING
LAS VEGAS ó Light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson’s rematch with Antonio Tarver has been postponed after Dawson injured his hand during training this week.