Off the wire

BASKETBALL Bucks owner to sell

Milwaukee Bucks owner Herb Kohl has reached a deal to sell the franchise to New York investment firm executives Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens. Kohl announced the deal Wednesday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center hours before the team was to play its final game of a dismal season. With the worst record in the NBA, Milwaukee is in position for a high draft pick. Kohl is a former U.S. senator who has owned the team since 1985. Efforts to find new investors ramped up this year. Kohl has made it a priority to find owners or investors who will keep the franchise in Milwaukee. He’s also spoken for years about the need to upgrade or replace the Bradley Center, the team’s downtown home which opened in 1988. The deal is subject to approval by the NBA and its Board of Governors.The Bucks were sold to Kohl for $18 million in 1985. Kohl, 79, is a Milwaukee native whose family owned a chain of department stores. Lasry is chairman and chief executive officer of Avenue Capital Group, while Edens is co-founder and a chairman of the board at Fortress Investment Group. Both are based in New York.

Tennessee Athletic Director Dave Hart said the criticism former men’s basketball coach Cuonzo Martin encountered this season shouldn’t hinder the search for a successor. Martin led Tennessee to an NCAA Tournament regional semifinal during a season in which disgruntled fans circulated a petition calling for the return of former coach Bruce Pearl, now at Auburn. Martin left Tuesday to take over California’s program. Martin was 63-41 in three years at Tennessee, including a 24-13 mark this season before falling to Michigan in the Midwest Regional semifinal. Hart acknowledged Martin faced plenty of “distractions” this season, but added that the Tennessee job remains “extremely attractive.” Hart said he wants a proven winner with a “significant track record,” but didn’t rule out selecting a “rising star.”

FOOTBALL Freeman, Giants agree

A person familiar with the deal said quarterback Josh Freeman has agreed to terms with the New York Giants. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the team had not announced the move. Freeman was cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in October after a messy split. He signed with Minnesota four days later, but played just one game for the Vikings. That happened to come against the Giants, when he went 20 for 53 for 190 yards and 1 interception in the ugly 23-7 Monday night loss. The 17th pick in the 2009 draft, Freeman started 59 games for the Bucs over four-plus seasons before the relationship soured. He threw for 3,451 yards and 25 touchdowns with 6 interceptions in 2010. Freeman would compete to back up Eli Manning with the Giants.

The Seattle Seahawks and wide receiver Sidney Rice have agreed to terms on a deal. Rice returns to Seattle after spending the past three seasons with the Seahawks. Rice was released by Seattle in February in a salary-driven move. He was scheduled to make $8.5 million this season under his previous contract.The team confirmed the agreement Wednesday. Terms of his new deal were not disclosed. Rice appeared in eight games for Seattle last season with 15 catches for 231 yards and 3 touchdowns before being placed on injured reserve.

A federal judge in Philadelphia has again declined to approve deals for some of the retired players suing the NFL over concussions. U.S. District Judge Anita Brody’s preliminary ruling Wednesday affects a batch of lawsuits involving lead plaintiff Kevin Turner, a former Philadelphia Eagle now battling Lou Gehrig’s disease. Brody had issued a similar ruling in January in the lead case in the matter, which could ultimately cover up to 20,000 retired players. The judge has asked lawyers for more details to support claims the proposed $765 million fund would last for 65 years. Young players with severe brain injuries would get up to $5 million under the deal, though most players would get far less. Brody is expected to conduct hearings in the case later this year.

BASEBALL Pirates’ Tabata hurt

Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder Jose Tabata was helped off the field on Wednesday after he slammed into the outfield wall while making a catch in the fifth inning. Tabata caught up with Brayan Pena’s fly ball just in front of the wall and turned at the last moment, hitting the wall hard with his left side. He fell to the ground, held up his glove to show he still had the ball and remained down for several minutes. A trainer examined his neck, jaw and head. The Pirates said he appeared to have a mild concussion. Tabata walked off the field slowly and had to be helped down the steps to the clubhouse. Starling Marte replaced him in left field.

Since Mark Teixiera went on the disabled list April 5 with a strained right hamstring, the New York Yankees have cobbled together a platoon at first base. Kelly Johnson made his 10th start at first this season for Wednesday’s doubleheader opener against the Chicago Cubs. In the other two games after Teixeira’s injury, catcher Francisco Cervelli started at first twice.

The New York Mets are bringing up pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka to replace John Lannan on their big league roster. Matsuzaka’s contract was selected Wednesday from Las Vegas, and New York sent Lannan outright to the Class AAA team. Matsuzaka, a 33-year-old right-hander, was 3-3 with a 4.42 ERA in seven starts for the Mets last year and 0-0 with a 2.25 ERA in two starts for Las Vegas this year. Lannan, a 32-year-old left-hander, was 1-0 with a 15.25 ERA in five relief appearances for the Mets this year. He has the choice to refuse the outright assignment and elect to become a free agent.

Right-hander Kevin Slowey will move into the Miami Marlins’ rotation to replace struggling left hander Brad Hand and start Sunday against Seattle. The start will be first for Slowey since July 8. He started 14 games for Miami last year and went 3-6 overall with a 4.11 ERA. Hand fell to 1-11 as a starter when he lost Monday to Washington. He’ll return to a long-relief role, Manager Mike Redmond said Wednesday. Hand made two starts filling in for right-hander Jacob Turner, who is on the disabled list with a shoulder injury. Turner is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday.

HORSE RACING Constitution to miss Triple Crown races

Constitution, the undefeated winner of last month’s $1 million Florida Derby, will miss the May 3 Kentucky Derby and the other two Triple Crown races because of a slight hairline fracture in his front right cannon bone, his co-owner WinStar Farm said Wednesday.

The injury was discovered Monday after Constitution, who is trained by Todd Pletcher, breezed a half mile in 50.60 seconds Sunday at Palm Meadows training track in Florida.

“This is one of the biggest disappointments of my career,” Pletcher said in a statement released by WinStar. “I really feel Constitution was our biggest chance to win the Kentucky Derby since Super Saver.”

He added, “The timing is just a real shame for everyone involved, but the Derby doesn’t define a horse’s career.”

Constitution, who has three wins in three starts and earnings of $649,350, will rehabilitate at WinStar Farm in Kentucky, with the hopes of returning to training in 60 days and racing again this year.

With Constitution (100 points) out of the Kentucky Derby picture, Uncle Sigh, who finished fifth in the Wood Memorial but second in both the Gotham and the Withers, earned a trip to the Derby by moving into the top 20 in the leaderboard with 24 points.