Spurs’ Buford reportedly ready to give up GM role
General manager R.C. Buford has had a huge hand in the San Antonio Spurs’ success over the last decade and a half, but he’s stepping aside to take a new role in the organization, according to published reports.
Assistant GM Brian Wright will replace Buford, who will move into an unspecified role, the report states.
Wright would continue to report to Buford in the new hierarchy.
Buford and Spurs coach and president Gregg Popovich have worked together since 1994, when Buford was hired as the team’s head scout. The two have won five championships during that time, including four since Buford was named general manager.
KORVER AGREES TO ONE-YEAR DEAL WITH BUCKS >> Free agent swingman Kyle Korver has agreed to a one-year, $2.6 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, according to published reports. Korver, 38, will be entering his 17th year in the NBA and joining his sixth team. He also was traded to both Memphis and Phoenix this offseason, with the Suns waiving him earlier this month.
A 42.9 percent career shooter from 3-point range, Korver was widely targeted in free agency.
MCCOLLUM, GORDON PULL OUT OF U.S. WORLD CUP TEAM >> Guards CJ Mccollum of the Portland Trail Blazers and Eric Gordon of the Houston Rockets have withdrawn from playing for USA Basketball in the FIBA World Cup in China, according to published reports.
Their departures come after Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis and Rockets guard James Harden withdrew earlier this month.
The World Cup runs from Aug. 31 to Sept. 15. USA Basketball training camp is set to begin Aug. 5 in Las Vegas.
Golf
HERMAN MAINTAINS EDGE >> Jim Herman had two eagles in a 10-under 62 to maintain a one-stroke lead in the PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Herman made an 11-foot eagle putt on the par-5 eighth and a 10-footer on the par-5 15th. He also had six birdies to get to 24-under 192 at rain-softened Keene Trace. Kelly Kraft was second after a 61.
Austin Cook (63) and Bill Haas (65) were four strokes back at 20 under. CLANTON, SUWANNAPURA FORM WINNING TEAM >> Cydney Clanton and Jasmine Suwannapura ran away with the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, shooting an 11-under 59 in best-ball play for a six-stroke victory at Midland (Michigan) Country Club in the LPGA Tour’s first-year team event. They finished at 27-under 253.
Suwannapura won her second tour title, and Clanton her first.
Jin Young Ko and Minjee Lee closed with a 58 to finish second. Sisters Ariya Jutanugarn and Moriya Jutanugarn tied for third with Na Yeon Choi and Jenny Shin at 20 under. They each shot 61.
SUMMERHAYS, 16, WINS U.S. JUNIOR AMATEUR >> Preston Summerhays won the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, beating Bo Jin of China 2 and 1 in the 36-hole final at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. Summerhays, the 16-year-old from Scottsdale, Arizona, who spends a lot of time in his native Utah, ended it with an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-4 17th. Summerhays earned a spot in the U.S. Open next year at Winged Foot.
Motor sports
BELL THUMPS FIELD IN NASCAR XFINITY WIN AT MAGIC MILE >> Christopher Bell moved into a tie for the NASCAR Xfinity Series victory lead with five, dominating in hot conditions at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. Bell led 186 of the 200 laps in Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Toyota — only losing the lead when he pitted on Lap 33 — and finished more than four seconds ahead of Cole Custer, the Ford driver who won last weekend at Kentucky Speedway for his fifth victory of the season. Bell has 13 career series victories.
Custer lost the lead on the first lap after starting from the pole.
NFL
BRONCOS COACH FANGIO BANS MUSIC DURING PRACTICES >> The Denver Broncos should be able to hear every whistle, every instruction, every hit during training camp. That’s because new head coach Vic Fangio has banned music during everything from the pre-practice stretch until the day’s final whistle.
“Anybody’s who has been a position coach, or assistant coach, they don’t like the music,” said Fangio, who turns 61 next month. “It makes it hard to talk to your guys. I don’t see the benefit of having music out there. I was an assistant coach and I don’t want to drum out the noise to talk to my players.
“And,” he said, “there’s no music in games.”
The longtime NFL assistant coach is in his first head coaching role. He was hired in January to replace Vance Joseph, who was fired after two losing seasons.
BUCS GET FIRST-ROUND PICK IN CAMP >> The Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed to a contract with first-round linebacker Devin White from LSU, a day before the team’s rookies report to training camp.
White’s agreement leaves just seven draft picks unsigned across the league, including four first-rounders: defensive end Nick Bosa (No. 2 overall, 49ers), defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (No. 3, New York Jets), quarterback Daniel Jones (No. 6, New York Giants) and defensive end Brian Burns (No. 16, Carolina Panthers).
Tennis
ISNER GUNNING FOR FOURTH HALL OF FAME TITLE >> Top-seeded John Isner recorded 15 aces while outlasting fourth-seeded Frenchman Ugo Humbert 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3 at Newport, Rhode Island, to advance to the final of the Hall of Fame Open.
Isner will face seventh-seeded Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in the title match as he attempts to win the event for the fourth time (2011, 2012, 2017). Bublik registered 10 aces while defeating Spain’s Marcel Granollers 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-4 in the other semifinal.
Boxing
WHYTE SURVIVES KNOCKDOWN >> Dillian Whyte survived a ninth round knockdown to beat Oscar Rivas in a unanimous points decision and claim the WBC interim heavyweight title in London. It was Whyte’s 10th successive victory, following his only loss to Anthony Joshua in 2016, and the Briton now becomes the mandatory challenger for Deontay Wilder’s WBC heavyweight belt.
Horse racing
MAXIMUM SECURITY NABS $1 MILLION HASKELL >> Maximum Security captured the $1 million Haskell Invitational in Oceanport, New Jersey, and, unlike the Kentucky Derby, survived a steward’s inquiry. It capped a long day that included a major delay triggered by intense heat and the safety concerns for the horses and riders that led to the cancellation of six races. Maximum Security got to the finish line first, outlasting trainer Bob Baffert’s Mucho Gusto by 1 1/4 lengths. For a minute, it seemed a clear-cut win. However, the stewards posted the inquiry sign. Videotape replays showed King for a Day had to check when Maximum Security and Mucho Gusto stormed past.
However, it was quickly dismissed, unlike the Derby when there was a 22-minute delay before Country House was elevated to the top spot and Maximum Security was dropped to 17th place.