BASKETBALL
Portis involved in fight
The Chicago Bulls said forward Nikola Mirotic suffered multiple broken bones in his face as well as a concussion in a fight with teammate Bobby Portis (Little Rock Hall, Arkansas Razorbacks) during practice. The team said Mirotic will likely need surgery and is out indefinitely. They say they are “evaluating disciplinary action” after Tuesday’s incident. Mirotic averaged 10.8 points over his first three seasons with Chicago. A restricted free agent, he signed a two-year contract that could pay as much as $27 million in September. The club holds an option on the second season. A 2015 first-round pick, Portis has averaged 6.9 points and 5 rebounds in two seasons with the Bulls. Portis was the SEC player of the year in 2015, averaging 17.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 1.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game as Arkansas advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, losing to North Carolina. The Bulls open at Toronto on Thursday. Chicago is rebuilding after trading Jimmy Butler and parting with Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo.
Pitino suing Adidas
Former Louisville coach Rick Pitino is suing Adidas and said the sportswear maker “outrageously conspired” to funnel money to the family of a Cardinal recruit without his knowledge. Pitino’s lawsuit filed Tuesday comes a day after Louisville fired him for cause after acknowledging the program’s involvement in a national federal bribery investigation of college basketball. Ten people, including an Adidas executive, were arrested in the probe but Pitino is not named in the federal complaint. Hours after his firing Monday, Adidas terminated its personal services agreement with Pitino. The coach’s lawsuit states that Adidas’ activities made it appear he was aware of the practices and notes, “That could not be further from the truth.” Pitino’s suit seeks a jury trial along with compensatory and punitive damages. Adidas said in an email to The Associated Press that Pitino’s suit “is clearly a reaction to his termination yesterday and is without merit.”
WNBA’s Stars to Las Vegas
Las Vegas is getting a WNBA franchise. The San Antonio Stars are moving to the Nevada city after being bought by MGM Resorts International, the league said Tuesday. The team will join the NHL as a second professional team in Las Vegas — with the NFL soon to follow. The Stars begin play next season with home games at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Bill Laimbeer will be the team’s president of basketball operations and coach. The move has been in the works since the Stars ownership group told the league they were interested in selling the team. WNBA President Lisa Borders said she approached MGM about purchasing the team. MGM will not be the first company with casino holdings to own a WNBA team. The Mohegan Sun owns the team in Connecticut. This will be the first professional basketball team in Las Vegas, which has become a coveted target for sports franchises over the past few years. The expansion Vegas Golden Knights began their first NHL season this month. In March, the NFL formally approved the Oakland Raiders’ relocation to Las Vegas by the 2020 season to occupy a proposed new stadium on the Las Vegas Strip, although the deal wasn’t approved until casino mogul Sheldon Adel-son pulled out of the financing plan. The Golden Knights play at MGM’s T-Mobile Arena, but the casino doesn’t own the team. This is the second move for the franchise. It came to San Antonio from Utah in 2003.
Jefferson signs with Denver
Veteran forward Richard Jefferson will join the Denver Nuggets on a one-year deal, a person with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement hasn’t been disclosed by the team. ESPN first reported the deal, which it said is worth $2.3 million. Jefferson, 37, spent two seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and played a big role off the bench during the team’s 2016 championship season. He appeared in 79 games last season, averaging 5.7 points in 20.4 minutes. Jefferson also has played for the Nets, San Antonio Spurs, Milwaukee Bucks, Jazz, Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks over his 16-year career. In Denver, Jefferson figures to back up Wilson Chandler at small forward and provide another veteran voice on a Nuggets squad that many predict to be in the playoff race after narrowly missing a spot a year ago. The team hasn’t been to the postseason since 2012-2013.
FOOTBALL
Giants CB back
The New York Giants have ended their suspension of veteran cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for insubordination. Team officials announced Tuesday that Rodgers-Cromartie was reinstated to the active roster after missing the team’s game against Denver on Sunday night. The team said Rodgers-Cromartie, 31, met with Coach Ben McAdoo on Tuesday morning, then was taken off of the reserve/suspended by club list. Rodgers-Cromartie was suspended for leaving the team facility before practice last week. He also left the bench then returned in the second half of the Giants’ loss to the Chargers, a move that prompted McAdoo to make Rodgers-Cromartie inactive for the Broncos game. Rodgers-Cromartie is in his 10th season, with 26 tackles in five games this year with four starts.
TENNIS
Nadal withdraws
Top-ranked Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Swiss Indoors next week in Basel, Switzerland, denying fans a possible final against Roger Federer. Nadal says he’s taking medical advice to protect “over stressing of the [right] knee.” He said the injury affected him last week in Shanghai, where he lost the final to Federer in two sets. Federer’s victory over Nadal was his fifth consecutive against his longtime rival. That streak started in Basel in 2015 when Federer won the final of his hometown tournament. In Nadal’s absence, the No. 2-ranked Federer will be top-seeded as he seeks an eighth Basel title.
BASEBALL
Red Sox players recovering
The Boston Red Sox said designated hitter Hanley Ramirez and pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez are recovering from offseason surgical procedures. The team said Tuesday that Ramirez underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left shoulder, and Rodriguez had ligament reconstruction in his right knee. Both surgeries were performed by Dr. James Andrews in Florida. Rodriguez is expected to return to pitching in six months. The team anticipates Ramirez will be ready in time for the 2018 season. In his third season with Boston, Ramirez hit .242 and was second on the team with 23 home runs in 133 games. He started 108 games at DH and 17 at first base. Rodriguez went 6-7 in 24 starts in 2017, missing a total of 40 games with right knee subluxation.
SOCCER
MLS’ Crew on move?
The owner of the Columbus Crew SC said the team is no longer sustainable and will move to Austin, Texas, unless a new, privately-financed stadium is built in downtown Columbus. Anthony Precourt, whose Precourt Sports Ventures has owned the Major League Soccer club since 2013, said Tuesday the Crew need more fan and financial support to compete in the growing league, and a new stadium in the urban center is the only way to make it work. The Crew currently play in 17-year-old Mapfre Stadium, about 4 miles north of downtown Columbus. The team will be back in Ohio’s capital city for 2018, Precourt said, but its future beyond that depends on which city steps up first. The Crew is 20th in attendance this season out of 22 MLS teams with an average of 15,439, despite making the playoffs. The capacity is 19,968. Austin is the largest market in North America without a major league sports franchise.