IT COULD BE A LOST SEASON FOR WIZARDS CENTER
WASHINGTON — Wizards starting center Brendan Haywood could miss the entire season while recovering from surgery Thursday to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist.
He will spend 2 1/2 months in a cast before starting rehabilitation. The team said Haywood will be out four to six months. Washington’s last regular-season game is six months away: April 15 against the Celtics.
Haywood, who was hurt Oct. 2 during training camp, averaged 10.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 2007-08. With Haywood out, the Wizards probably will rely on a mix of players in the middle, including veteran Etan Thomas, fourth-year player Andray Blatche and first-round draft choice JaVale McGee.
Heat loses Jones
MIAMI — The Heat will be without forward James Jones for three months because of a ruptured tendon in his right wrist.
Jones, who injured the tendon while shooting Wednesday, averaged eight points last season for the Trail Blazers, and his 44 percent shooting from 3-point range ranked second in the NBA.
Thunder retains Durant, Green
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Thunder exercised its team options to keep reigning rookie of the year Kevin Durant and fellow first-round pick Jeff Green through next season. Both made the NBA’s all-rookie team.
Footnotes.
The Kings exercised their contract option on center Spencer Hawes for the 2009-10 season.
• Former NBA star Vlade Divac has become an adviser in Serbia’s government.
The Associated Press
