The Houston Rockets reached agreement on a four-year, $25 million deal with point guard Patrick Beverley (Arkansas Razorbacks) on Friday, Yahoo! Sports reported. Beverley, 26, would have been a restricted free agent if he had not reached a deal Friday, and Houston would have had the right to match any offer given to Beverley during the free agency period. Beverley averaged 10 points, 3.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 56 games for the Rockets last season before missing the final three months of the season after having surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist. The Rockets advanced to the Western Conference finals despite the loss of Beverley. Beverley was named to the All-NBA defensive second team after the 2013-2014 season, his first full season as a starter.
“I’m just happy to be back, man,” Beverley told the Houston Chronicle. “This is the biggest contract I had in my life. … We got our pieces together. We’re a dangerous team and I am so excited to be back.” Beverley played two seasons at Arkansas (2006-2008) before leaving school to play professionally in Europe. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft, but remained in Europe to play in Greece and Russia. Beverley has averaged 8.9 points, 3.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds in three seasons in the NBA. He has never played more than 56 games in a regular season in his career.
NBA
Center DeAndre Jordan signs with Mavericks
DALLAS — DeAndre Jordan has chosen Dallas over the Los Angeles Clippers in what turned into a tense boom-or-bust wait for a Mavericks team in pursuit of the free-agent center.
Two people familiar with the deal tell The Associated Press that the NBA rebounds leader agreed to terms Friday. One said the deal was worth $80 million over four years. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because no deals can be completed and signed until Thursday.
This is the biggest free-agent pickup in Mark Cuban’s 15 years as the Mavericks owner. The deal comes two days after the Mavericks lost their backup plan when last season’s starter, Tyson Chandler, bolted for Phoenix.
The last of Jordan’s four meetings was with the Clippers, but Coach Doc Rivers couldn’t persuade the Texas native to stick with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and the franchise that drafted him seven years ago.
Jordan, who turns 27 this month, led the NBA in rebounding the past two seasons and is coming off career-best averages of 11.5 points and 15.0 rebounds. Since the Clippers drafted the Texas A&M star with the 35th overall pick in 2008, Jordan has averaged are 8.0 points and 9.0 rebounds.
The 6-11 Houston native figures to have a more prominent role in Dallas after being mostly an alley-oop and second-chance option behind Paul and Griffin in Los Angeles.
His best season helped the Clippers get within a victory of their first trip to the Western Conference finals, but Los Angeles collapsed in the second half of a Game 7 loss to Houston at home in the West semifinals. Now his job will be to get the Mavericks out of the first round for the first time since they won the franchise’s only championship in 2011.
The Mavericks also reached an agreement Friday with Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Wesley Matthews on a four-year contract worth approximately $13 million per year.
Matthews, 6-5, averaged 16.1 points and shot 44.9 percent from the field in 59 games for the Blazers last season before suffering a season-ending left torn Achilles tendon in early March. He subsequently underwent surgery but is expected to be healthy in time for the opening of training camp.
CYCLING
No comment on cortisol
Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali’s Astana team issued a “no comment” Friday after teammate Lars Boom was tested with an abnormally low cortisol level. Astana is part of the Movement for Credible Cycling, a group of teams holding to stricter anti-doping measures than those of cycling’s governing body. MPCC rules stipulate that a rider with a low cortisol level should be prescribed with a period of rest. Low cortisol levels can indicate cortisone doping but are not a conclusive proof of doping, meaning that Boom will be allowed to start today’s first stage — an individual time trial in the Dutch city of Utrecht — if Astana decides to go against the MPCC recommendations. Astana spokesman Chris Baldwin said he had “no comment” to make. The MPCC later issued a statement saying that Astana confirmed that Boom was the rider concerned by the test carried out by cycling’s governing body. “In case of abnormally low cortisol levels, competition will resume after an additional 8-day rest minimum, and back-to-normal cortisol levels,” the MPCC said, underlining why Boom should potentially be removed for “health” reasons.
MOTOR SPORTS
NASCAR dumps Trump
NASCAR is the latest corporation to distance itself from Donald Trump. On the same day one of its top sponsors called on NASCAR to take a stance against Trump, the motorsports series said it will not hold its season-ending awards ceremony at the Trump National Doral Miami. “We looked at everything we saw coming down and what we heard from our sponsors and our partners and what we feel we should be doing, and that’s what led us to the decision today,” NASCAR spokesman David Higdon said Friday at Daytona International Speedway. A message seeking comment from Trump left by The Associated Press was not immediately returned. Higdon was responding to a letter released by Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis, whose company is the title sponsor of NASCAR’s Truck Series. Lemonis made it clear he would not attend or participate in the awards ceremony if it’s held at a Trump property. The ceremony was held at Doral last year.
FOOTBALL
Identity of tipster sought
Lawyers for former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez can take steps to identify an anonymous tipster who claimed that one of the jurors who convicted him of murder may have lied during jury selection, a judge ruled Friday. Judge Susan Garsh ruled that Verizon can be subpoenaed to determine the identity of the tipster who called attorney James Sultan in April, after Hernandez was convicted in the 2013 killing of Odin Lloyd. The judge said the caller’s credibility can only be determined by first learning her identity. Sultan says the tipster called him from a blocked number and said the juror was present for a discussion about a Boston double murder Hernandez is also accused of committing. The jurors weren’t told about that case during the trial. Prosecutors objected to the subpoena, arguing that in order to get a judge to question a juror after a verdict is returned, a defendant must show that an “extrinsic influence” may have affected the juror’s impartiality. Garsh, however, said she has not agreed at this point to a post-verdict inquiry of the juror, but only for a subpoena so Hernandez’s lawyers can determine the identity of the tipster. Sultan and a spokesman for prosecutors did not immediately return calls seeking comment Friday. Hernandez was convicted of murder in April for the shooting death of Lloyd, a semi-professional football player who was dating the sister of his fiance. He is now serving a life sentence. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty in the 2012 killings of two men in Boston. Prosecutors allege that Hernandez shot the men while their car was stopped at a light after becoming enraged when one of them bumped into him at a nightclub and caused him to spill his drink.
HORSE RACING
Daring Kathy wins by nose
Daring Kathy held on by a nose Friday to win the $100,000 Perfect Sting Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf at Belmont Park. The 4-year-old extended her winning streak to three with a pacesetting effort in her season debut. Marbre Rose, the 3-1 favorite, came charging through but could not nudge past the leader. Daring Kathy paid $13.60, $7.30 and $4.20 for the 5-1 upset, her seventh win in 10 starts. Javier Castellano was aboard for trainer Chad Brown as she ran the mile in 1:33.85 over the firm course. Marbre Rose returned $4.40 and $3, while Photo Call paid $4.20 to show.