NEW ORLEANS — The San Antonio Spurs waived swingman Michael Finley after nearly five seasons Monday, giving the 15-year veteran a chance to finish the season with more playing time elsewhere.
The Spurs said they honored Finley’s request to be released from his contract, which was in its final year after he exercised a $2.5 million option this season. Finley, who turns 37 this week, will be eligible to sign with a playoff contender.
“I was very surprised, but we granted his request,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “That’s for other teams to decide if they think he can be useful.”
Finley, who lost his starting job this season to Richard Jefferson, averaged 3.7 points and 1.5 rebounds.
• Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O’Neal had surgery on his right thumb and will miss about eight weeks. The recovery timeline means O’Neal, who turns 38 on Saturday, might not be ready for the start of the playoffs April 17.
• Boston Celtics captain Paul Pierce (sprained thumb) practiced and said he expected to play tonight against the Detroit Pistons.
• Toronto Raptors all-star Chris Bosh is out indefinitely because of a sprained left ankle.
• The Golden State Warriors said leading scorer Monta Ellis (back) and center Andris Biedrins (sports hernia) are not joining the team on an East Coast trip.
Jets to jettison Thomas Jones
NEW YORK — • The New York Jets said they will release Thomas Jones this week, allowing the running back, who set career highs of 1,402 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns last season, to become a free agent. Jones was due a $3 million roster bonus on top of a $2.8 million base salary this season.
• The Chicago Bears waived offensive tackle Orlando Pace after one season in which the 34-year- old played little like the all-pro he once was with the St. Louis Rams.
• A judge dismissed charges of simple assault and resisting arrest against Steelers kicker Jeff Reed, who was accused of raising his fists at a Pittsburgh police officer when ordered back in his vehicle as police dealt with a teammate. State District Judge Richard King postponed for six weeks a decision on whether to hold Reed for trial on charges of disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.
Footnotes.
NASCAR president Mike Helton said the series is on track to remove the wings from its cars “within the next two of three races.”
• Lauren Cheney scored two goals to lead the United States to a 2-0 women’s soccer victory over Sweden and into Wednesday’s final of the Algarve Cup in Ferreiras, Portugal, against Germany.
• Major League Soccer delayed its roster compliance deadline because of continuing talks for a collective bargaining agreement.
• Former French soccer star Zinedine Zidane said he regrets headbutting Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup final, but he’d “rather die” than apologize to the Italian defender.
• Greg Rita, the caddie for Curtis Strange when he won successive U.S. Open titles and for John Daly when he won the British Open, died of brain cancer Saturday on his 54th birthday.
The Associated Press
