Jazz tapping Celtics’ Hardy as next coach
Boston Celtics assistant Will Hardy accepted an offer to become the coach of the Utah Jazz, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Tuesday.
Hardy and the Jazz were in the process of finalizing contract language, according to the person who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because neither side announced the deal publicly.
Hardy, 34, will become an NBA head coach for the first time and replace Quin Snyder, who left the Jazz this month after eight seasons.
Hardy spent one season in Boston, helping the Celtics reach the NBA Finals. His previous 11 seasons were spent with the San Antonio Spurs, including as an assistant.
The New York Knicks are trading Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks to the Detroit Pistons, moves that free up nearly $20 million in advance of NBA free agency opening Thursday night . ... The Cleveland Cavaliers extended a qualifying offer to guard Collin Sexton, making him a restricted free agent . ... The Seattle Storm signed five-time first-team All-WNBA center Tina Charles for the rest of the season, three days after she was let go by the Phoenix Mercury . ... Courtney Vandersloot,
Kahleah Copper and Emma Meesseman will get a chance to play before their home fans as the Sky trio were chosen as reserves for the WNBA All-Star Game on July 10 in Chicago.
LAFC re-signs Vela through ’23
Carlos Vela re-signed with LAFC, extending his tenure with the MLS leaders
through the 2023 season.
The Mexican striker became the first player in LAFC’s history in August 2017 when the expansion club signed him away from Real Sociedad of Spain.
Vela has scored 73 goals in 118 appearances for LAFC, including a league-record 34 while earning the MLS most-valuable-player award in 2019.
LAFC (10-3-3) sits atop the league standings.
Researchers diagnosed chronic traumatic encephalopathy
in an MLS player for the first time, saying defender Scott Vermillion suffered from the degenerative brain disease. The Boston University CTE Center said Vermillion, who died of an accidental drug overdose in December 2020 at 44, had the disease . ... Mexico will play two World Cup warmups in September— facing Peru on Sept. 24 at the Rose Bowl and Colombia on Sept. 27 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
The NFL insisted on an indefinite suspension while Deshaun Watson’s legal team argued there’s no basis for that punishment as the sides presented their cases in front of a retired judge in Delaware, two people in attendance told the ÅP. The hearing will continue Wednesday, and Watson is scheduled to be there for the duration.
Former U.S. District Judge Sue Robinson, who was jointly appointed by the league and the NFL Players Assn., will determine whether Watson violated the league’s personal conduct policy.
Watson agreed to settle 20 of 24 civil lawsuits for sexual misconduct, but the league is seeking at least a one-year suspension, one of the people told the AP. Watson’s side wants the quarterback to play this season for the Cleveland Browns.
Buffalo Bills and Sabres co-owner Kim Pegula was progressing well while rehabilitating from a health issue she experienced this month, the family said in a statement.
The chairman and ranking minority member of the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to an advocacy group for minor leaguers asking questions about baseball’s antitrust exemption. Sen. Richard Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who chairs the committee, and Sen. Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican, sent the letter to Harry Marino, executive director of Advocates for Minor Leaguers . ... Red Bull terminated the contract of Formula One test and reserve driver Juri Vips for using a racial slur during an online gaming stream . ... Rutgers hired former Tennessee star Nikki McCray-Penson as an assistant coach for the women’s basketball team . ... Swiss sprinter Alex Wilson was banned for four years after an anti-doping tribunal judged he intentionally used an anabolic steroid.