NEW YORK — The leader of the NBA Players’ Association is expressing his support for playing overseas during the lockout.
In a memo sent to the players Tuesday night and obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday, Billy Hunter said the union supports all players “who are taking steps to continue to earn a living, stay in peak competitive shape, and play the game that we love while the unfortunate league-imposed lockout is in place.”
New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams is working on a deal with Turkish team Besiktas, and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Amar’e Stoudemire of the New York Knicks have mentioned the possibility of playing overseas if the lockout drags on.
• The Philadelphia 76ers have been sold to New York-based leveraged buyout specialist Joshua Harris, ending Comcast-Spectacor’s 15-year run of ownership that included a trip to the NBA Finals.
Auburn isn’t off the hook
AUBURN, Ala. — Despite being out of the headlines for several months, the NCAA’s investigation into the Auburn football team and Cam Newton is apparently not over.
Julie Roe Lach, the NCAA’s vice president for enforcement, said as much during last month’s SEC spring meetings in Destin, Fla., after a testy exchange with Tigers head coach Gene Chizik, according to a report in The New York Times.
“You’ll know when we’re finished,” Roe Lach told Chizik, according to several coaches who were at the meeting. “And we’re not finished.”
• Marshall and Navy have agreed to play a home-and-home football series starting in 2016.
Blue Jackets’ Huselius sidelined
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Kristian Huselius tore a chest muscle, and the Columbus Blue Jackets forward will be sidelined for four to six months. The 32-year-old had 14 goals and nine assists last season when he played in only 39 games because of injuries.
• The Carolina Hurricanes agreed to a three-year, $6.2 million contract with center Brandon Sutter, a 22-year-old who had 14 goals and 15 assists in 82 games last season.
• Center Mathieu Perrault, who had seven goals and seven assists in 35 games last season, is remaining with the Washington Capitals, agreeing to a one-year contract.
Footnotes.
The Galaxy’s Chris Birchall was suspended by Major League Soccer for two games and fined $500 for a challenge that “showed utter disregard for his opponent’s safety” in the second minute of stoppage time of Los Angeles’ 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire last Saturday.
• The U.S. Tennis Association said the singles champions at this year’s U.S. Open will each receive a record $1.8 million.
• Texas-Arlington is expected to become the next member of the Western Athletic Conference.
The Associated Press
