Report: Wizards overall No. 5 to Timberwolves
WASHINGTON, June 23 (UPI) -- The Washington Wizards have agreed to trade the No. 5 overall pick in Thursday's draft to the Minnesota Timberwolves, media outlets reported Tuesday.
The trade, reported by Yahoo and SI.com, would also send forward Etan Thomas, center Oleksiy Pecherov and forward Darius Songaila to Minnesota in exchange for guards Randy Foye and Mike Miller.
The deal would give the Timberwolves the fifth and sixth overall selections in the draft.
The trade could open some salary cap space for the Timberwolves in the next couple of years. Miller's $9 million salary expires after next season and Foye will become a restricted free agent after next season. Foye averaged 16.3 points over 70 games last season, while Miller averaged 9.9 points over 73 games.
Thomas, 31, a 6-foot-10, 260-pounder who has average 6 points and 4.9 rebounds in regular-season play for his career, played in just 26 games last season because of a torn knee ligament.
Lakers coach says he may limit games
LOS ANGELES, June 23 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Lakers Coach Phil Jackson talked in a radio interview Tuesday about limiting his number of games next season.
Jackson, who coached 10 NBA championship teams, turns 64 in September and spoke of health concerns in an ESPN Radio interview in Los Angeles as the sole reason behind any decision that would have the Hall of Fame coach unable to fulfill the final year of his current contract.
He spoke of having assistant Kurt Rambis take over head coaching duties for possibly all of the Lakers' road contests in 2009-10.
Jackson said that has been discussed internally among Lakers executives. He said he intends to have further conversations with General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
Jackson agreed to a two-year contract extension in November 2007 but has had two hip replacement surgeries. He mentioned continued discomfort in his lower legs a reason to consider limiting his 19th year of coaching.
Yzerman leads hockey Hall of Fame class
TORONTO, June 23 (UPI) -- Brett Hull, Brian Leetch, Luc Robitaille and Steve Yzerman were announced Tuesday as the 2009 inductees to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
The foursome will be honored during ceremonies Nov. 9 in Toronto. Also inducted will be New Jersey Devils President Lou Lamoriello in the hall's "builder" category.
Yzerman played his entire 22-year NHL career for Detroit, helping the Red Wings to three Stanley Cup championships. He retired in sixth place on the all-time NHL points list with 1,755. He was a nine-time all-star and won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1998.
Hull, joining his father Bobby Hull in the Hall of Fame, played for five teams over 22 seasons. His 741 goals is third all-time in the NHL and he was selected the Hart Trophy winner in 1991.
Leetch played in 1,205 NHL games over 18 seasons, mostly for the New York Rangers. He won the Norris Trophy twice and helped the Rangers break a 54-year Stanley Cup drought in 1994. He is the only American-born player to win the Conn Smythe Award (1994).
Robitaille, a 19-year NHL veteran, played for four teams. He was a teammate of Yzerman and Hull on Detroit's 2002 championship team. He piled up 1,394 points (668 goals) and is the leading goal scorer (557) in Los Angeles Kings history.
Brent Sutter new coach of Calgary Flames
CALGARY, Alberta, June 23 (UPI) -- The Calgary Flames named Brent Sutter their new coach Tuesday.
Sutter, who resigned this off-season from his post with the New Jersey Devils, will have former NHLers Ryan McGill, Dave Lowry and Jamie McLennan as his assistant coaches.
Sutter, whose brother Darryl is the Flames' general manager, had a 97-56-11 record over the last two seasons as coach of the Devils. He also spent eight seasons coaching the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League prior to switching to the NHL.
Sutter, 47, spent 18 years as a player with the New York Islanders and Blackhawks from 1980-98. He scored 829 points in 1,111 games.
