Westbrook part of 3-team deal

The Los Angeles Lakers dramatically changed the composition of their roster, trading Russell Westbrook to Utah in a three-team deal Wednesday that will bring back former Lakers draft pick D’Angelo Russell from the Minnesota Timberwolves and also net guard Malik Beasley and forward Jared Vanderbilt from the Jazz.

The Lakers will also send a protected 2027 first-round draft pick to the Jazz, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The trade also will send veteran point guard Mike Conley to Minnesota.

The Wolves are also receiving Jazz shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker and three second-round picks from the Jazz in 2024, 2025 and 2026. .

KNICKS: The Portland Trail Blazers have traded forward Josh Hart to the New York Knicks in exchange for Cam Reddish and a protected first-round draft pick, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Wednesday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams hadn’t publicly announced the deal ahead of the NBA’s trade deadline Thursday. ESPN first reported the trade.

Hart was set to start for the Blazers on Wednesday night against the Golden State Warriors. Gary Payton II replaced Hart in the starting lineup.

Etc. …

GOLF: The WM Phoenix Open has a huge new purse and star-packed field as golf’s biggest party kicks off Super Bowl week in the Valley of the Sun. In response to the Saudi-funded LIV Golf league, the tournament is an elevated PGA Tour event with a purse of $20 million and a winner’s share of $3.6 million — up from $8.2 million and $1.476 million in 2022.

WNBA: The New York Liberty announced Wednesday the signings of 2018 MVP Breanna Stewart and four-time All-Star Courtney Vandersloot, finalizing a free agent class that catapults the team into championship contention. … The league is investigating former Las Vegas player Dearica Hamby’s allegations that the Aces bullied and manipulated her for being pregnant, the league said in a statement Wednesday.

UNM TENNIS: Nikolay Sysoev, a freshman from Russia who won his No. 2 singles match Saturday at New Mexico State, is the Mountain West Conference men’s freshman of the week.

BASEBALL: Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña will play for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported.

NM STATE: In Phoenix, Rayshon Harrison had 18 points and Grand Canyon (168, 7-4 WAC) defeated NMSU 78-67.

The Aggies (9-15, 2-10) recieved a great performance from Xavier Pinson, who had 22 points off the bench.