NBA teams may add sponsorship patches

The NBA’S Board of Governors has approved a plan where teams may now add sponsorship patches to their shooting shirts and warmup jackets. It’s similar to the jersey patch program, which has been in place since 2017. Teams are now permitted to add a patch — a 3-inch square — on either the right sleeve or left chest of the shirts and jackets. The patch may depict a marketing partner or team initiative. The patch program has grown a bit in recent years. It was originally brought on for a three-year trial and was extended indefinitely in April 2019, after the patches — as expected — generated new revenue for teams and exposure for sponsors. Before last season, the program was expanded to allow company names or logos across the middle of team practice jerseys.

The Trail Blazers announced that G CJ Mccollum’s right lung is fully healed and he will be re-evaluated next week. Mccollum was diagnosed with a collapsed lung earlier this month after suffering a rib injury . ... The Chicago Bulls used the NBA’S Covid-19related hardship allowance to sign forward Ersan Ilyasova and guard Mac Mcclung to 10-day contracts Thursday. The Bulls had two games postponed this month because of a COVID-19 outbreak with the team. They had 10 players in health and safety protocols at one point. Chicago was slated to host Toronto on Wednesday night, but that game was postponed because of COVID-19 issues with the Raptors. The Bulls host Indiana on Sunday night. The 6-foot-9 Ilyasova has career averages of 10.1 points and 5.6 rebounds over 825 NBA games. Ilyasova, 34, made his NBA debut with Milwaukee in 2006.

Tennis: Former world No. 1 Andy Murray, 34, was given a wild card into the main draw of next month’s Australian Open.murray, 34, now 134th after long injury layoffs due to hip surgery, is a five-time finalist at the Slam.