SIXERS FINED $75,000
Injury report omission of Embiid costly for Philly
The 76ers were handed a $75,000 fine for failing to include Joel Embiid on their injury report “in an accurate and timely manner” before their Saturday game at Denver.
The NBA also fined the Pelicans $25,000 for a separate violation that also involved the league’s injury reporting rules.
Embiid hadn’t been included on the 76ers’ injury report Saturday, but the reigning MVP was scratched from the lineup minutes before tipoff after he experienced discomfort in his left knee during warmups.
His injury prevented a highly anticipated matchup between Embiid and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic in a game the Nuggets eventually won, 111-105. Embiid also sat out the 76ers’ 130-104 loss at Portland two nights later.
NBA officials said the fine took into account Philadelphia’s history of fines for violating injury reporting rules. The league review concluded that there was no violation of the league’s player participation policy because Embiid’s absence was because of a confirmed injury.
The Pelicans were fined for failing to include Trey Murphy III on the team’s injury report Saturday before a 141-117 loss at Milwaukee in which he didn’t play.
MINOR-LEAGUE DEAL FOR CARRASCO
Carlos Carrasco is coming home to Cleveland. The popular pitcher officially signed a minor-league contract with the Guardians on Thursday, with an invitation to camp at spring training.
The 36-year-old Carrasco will get a chance to make Cleveland’s roster in Arizona. If he does, Carrasco will get a $2 million base salary and a chance to earn another $2 million in starts. The team’s pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report on Feb. 12.
Carrasco spent 11 seasons with Cleveland before he was traded in the 2021 mega-deal that sent All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor to the Mets. Carrasco went 88-73 with a 3.77 ERA in 242 games, 195 starts, with Cleveland.
AUBURN LEGEND BEASLEY DIES
Terry Beasley, a former Auburn star receiver and College Football Hall of Famer, has died of an apparent suicide, according to police. He was 73.
St. Clair County coroner Dennis Russell said Beasley was declared dead at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday.
Moody police chief Reece Smith said the case is being investigated as a potential suicide.
“We got a call at 5:20 (Wednesday) afternoon and officers found Mr. Beasley with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Smith said Thursday.
Beasley, who for decades suffered from the effects of a number of concussions during his playing career, paired up with Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Pat Sullivan and earned All-America honors in both 1970 and 1971.
He still holds the school receiving records with 2,507 yards and 29 touchdowns in a three-year career.
Beasley was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002. His No. 88 is one of only three Auburn football jerseys to be retired, along with Sullivan’s No. 7 and Bo Jackson’s No. 34.
“Pat Sullivan was the leader, the quarterback, the Heisman Trophy winner, but the guy who made that whole passing game go was Beasley,” former Auburn athletic director and sports information director David Housel said. “He is an Auburn legend. He is the standard by which all other Auburn receivers will be measured.”