BASKETBALL
Beal signs extension
Bradley Beal signed a two-year extension worth nearly $72 million with Washington on Thursday, a major victory for the Wizards and a move that will keep the All-Star guard out of free agency for at least the next three summers. Beal still had two years left on his existing contract. The extension kicks in for the 2021-22 season, has a player option for the following year and means that Beal won't be part of what has been shaping up to be an NBA free-agent extravaganza in the summer of 2021. The Wizards were willing to give Beal a three-year extension that would have been worth about $111 million. Beal went the two-year route and that protects his future options -- he could opt out of the deal in the summer of 2022, coinciding with his 10th year in the league. The 10-year milestone is significant: By having that many years of service, Beal would be eligible to sign a new deal worth in excess of $250 million over the next five seasons. Beal has played more minutes than any other NBA player in the last two regular seasons, is one of only five players to not miss a game in that span -- and is the lone player to have started all 82 games in both of those seasons. He's an elite scorer, 12th in the league last season at a career-best 25.6 points per game. And he will be the centerpiece again for a Wizards team that's without point guard John Wall for the entire season as he recovers from an Achilles injury.
Silver speaks
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Chinese officials wanted Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey to be fired for his tweet supporting anti-government protesters in Hong Kong, and the league emphatically dismissed the request. Silver also said that the league is already feeling "substantial" financial losses because of the Chinese reaction to Morey's deleted tweet. "Obviously, we made clear that we were being asked to fire him by the Chinese government, by the parties we dealt with, government and business," Silver said Thursday during an appearance at the Time 100 Health Summit in New York. "We said, 'There's no chance that's happening. There's no chance we'll even discipline him.'" Silver also said he isn't sure what will happen to the NBA's relationship with China, which has been growing steadily over the last three decades. The league and LeBron James, one of its biggest stars, have been heavily criticized by some U.S. lawmakers for the perception that they caved to the Chinese regime. Morey has not been rebuked publicly by the league, and Silver has said that the league will support his freedom of expression. Morey has not commented publicly since a pair of tweets on Oct. 6 attempting to clarify his position.
Williamson out
Zion Williamson won't play in New York in the New Orleans Pelicans' final preseason game because of a sore right knee. The Pelicans said Thursday that the No. 1 pick didn't travel with the team to New York, remaining in New Orleans to undergo further testing and evaluation at Ochsner Sports Medicine. He was to have played Friday night against former Duke teammate RJ Barrett, the No. 3 pick, in a nationally televised game. Williamson has averaged 23.3 points on 71.4% shooting in four preseason games.
GOLF
Day in contention
Jason Day's attempt to impress International team captain Ernie Els for a spot at the Presidents Cup took a positive turn Thursday when the Australian shot a 6-under par 66 to sit two strokes off the lead after the opening round of the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges in Jeju Island, South Korea. In the first event of a three-tournament PGA Tour swing through Asia, Byeong Hun An took the lead with a 64 with Joaquin Niemann a stroke behind in second. Day was alone in third place. Day is hoping Els will chose him as a captain's pick for the International team against the Tiger Woods-captained U.S. team in December at Royal Melbourne. Defending champion Brooks Koepka shot a 69 with an eagle on the 18th, his final hole, Last year's runner-up Gary Woodland had a 71. Justin Thomas, who won the inaugural 2017 CJ Cup, shot 68 and Phil Mickelson and Jordan Spieth each shot 70. Kevin Na had a 72 and Sergio Garcia shot 73. There are 78 players in the no-cut, limited-field event.
Two share lead
Nasa Hataoka birdied three of the final six holes for a 5-under 67 and a share of the first-round lead with Amy Yang in the Buick LPGA Shanghai, the first of four consecutive events in Asia. Hataoka won the Kia Classic in California in March and has finished in the top seven in her last events on the LPGA and JLPGA circuits, winning JLPGA majors at the Japan LPGA Championship Konica Minolta Cup and Japan Women's Open. Making her first appearance in the event, the 20-year-old Japanese player birdied three of the four par-5 holes at Qizhong Garden. Yang, from South Korea, matched Hataoka with six birdies and a bogey. Americans Jessica Korda and Angel Yin shot 68. Korda is making her first start since Solheim Cup. Defending champion Danielle Kang was at 69 with Brooke Henderson, Lydia Ko, Jennifer Kupcho, Mel Reid, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Bronte Law. Gaby Lopez (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 1-over 73.
FOOTBALL
Mosley to return
C.J. Mosley broke his own news with an announcement the New York Jets and their fans have been waiting to hear for weeks. "I'm playing Monday night," the star linebacker declared Thursday before repeating himself when a reporter asked what he said. "Unless I get hurt or something," Mosley said, "I'm playing." The Jets will have Mosley against the undefeated New England Patriots, a week after they got quarterback Sam Darnold back after he missed three games with mononucleosis. Mosley has been sidelined since injuring his groin during the third quarter of the Jets' season-opening loss to Buffalo. He participated in individual drills Thursday for the first time in his recovery process and felt good afterward. The Jets signed Mosley to a five-year, $85 million deal in March after he played his first five NFL seasons in Baltimore.
HOCKEY
Zykov suspended
Vegas Golden Knights forward Valentin Zykov was suspended for 20 games without pay for a violation of the NHL's performance-enhancing substances program, the league said. The suspension is accompanied by a referral to the league's program for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health for evaluation and possible treatment. The league said it would have no further comment. The Knights said the franchise respects the league's decision. In a statement, Zykov, 24, said he would work during the suspension to ensure he would be ready to contribute when he returns. Zykov, whose nameplate and gear were gone from his locker at the team's practice facility Thursday, is in his second season with the Knights. He was claimed on waivers by the Knights in December and spent the offseason in Las Vegas working on his conditioning to make the roster. He has two assists in seven games this season after earning a spot on the third line, where he was expected to have an impact alongside Cody Eakin and Alex Tuch.
Sports on 10/18/2019