Kidd pleads guilty
Brooklyn Nets Coach Jason Kidd pleaded guilty Tuesday to a misdemeanor drunken driving charge, nearly a year after he smashed his Cadillac SUV into a utility pole on eastern Long Island. The judge placed Kidd on interim probation. In exchange for the guilty plea, Kidd also agreed to speak to Long Island high school students about the dangers of drunken driving. Kidd, who retired as an NBA player after last season, was recently hired to coach the Nets — the team he took to two NBA Finals as a player when the franchise played in New Jersey. Police said Kidd crashed his SUV into a telephone pole in the Hamptons community of Water Mill on July 15, 2012. He was treated at a hospital for minor injuries.
The Miami Heat are designating Mike Miller as their amnesty player, a move that may save more than $30 million in luxury tax payments over the next two years. Miller spent three seasons in Miami, helping the Heat win two titles and playing big roles in each playoff run. He started the last four games of this year’s NBA Finals and made seven three-pointers in Miami’s title-clinching Game 5 victory over Oklahoma City in 2012. Miller was due $12.8 million over the next two seasons, which he still gets. But his salary will not count against Miami’s cap, nor factor into a luxury-tax hit that would have exceeded $30 million in 2014. Miller said he understands the move, though he’s disappointed to leave a championship club.
Kawhi Leonard has pulled out of USA Basketball’s minicamp and three players were added to the roster. Indiana’s George Hill, Charlotte’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart will train with the Americans next week in Las Vegas. The roster of young players now totals 29. Smart helped lead the U.S. Under-19 team to the world championship earlier this summer. USA Basketball said Tuesday that Leonard, who helped the San Antonio Spurs reach the NBA Finals, is rehabbing after a long season. The Americans will practice for three days before holding an intrasquad exhibition game on July 25.