Angels Get Kazmir From Rays

The Los Angeles Angels, looking to bolster their rotation for the last five weeks of the season and in October, acquired left-hander Scott Kazmir of the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.

"This is a surprise. I had heard rumors before, but it's hard to believe that it is now official," Kazmir said after Tampa Bay's 6-2 loss to Detroit. "It's a disappointment because of all the relationships I've built in the organization and the city, but you can't control the business side of the game."

The Angels and Rays had extensive conversations before the trade deadline about Kazmir, who is 8-7 with a 5.92 ERA.

Tampa Bay receives two minor leaguers -- left-hander Alex Torres and infielder Matt Sweeney -- and a player to be named later in the deal.

"We're very excited about the player that we can't name yet, but also about the other two," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "The lefty has a great arm, and Sweeney is one of the best hitters in the minors."

Looking to lock up their third straight division title, the Angels began the night four games ahead of second-place Texas. Tampa Bay was 3½ out in the wild-card race.

"We're not going to make moves just to make moves. We search for opportunities that make sense for us, not only in the short term but in the long term," Angels general manager Tony Reagins said during Friday night's game against Oakland. "We had followed him for the last couple of weeks. Most recently, we had a scout in Toronto who saw Scott pitch, and he obviously threw the ball very well. So we just felt it made sense for us to make the move right now."

Because he was dealt before Aug. 31, Kazmir is eligible for postseason play with Los Angeles.

"I'm going to a quality organization that is in the race every year," said Kazmir, who started Games 1 and 5 of last year's World Series against Philadelphia. "That's something to look forward to, but I don't think it will hit me until I fly out there tomorrow."

The Rays definitely get salary relief in the deal. Tampa Bay is barreling toward a series of tough financial decisions because of its payroll restrictions, and the 25-year-old Kazmir is in the first year of a three-year, $28.5 million deal.

Kazmir, who cleared waivers earlier this month, is making $6 million this year, and will make salaries of $8 million in 2010 and $12 million in 2011.

"It's important because we'll have stability, knowing that we'll have Scott in the fold for this year and two more, plus the option year," Reagins said. "Scott's 25 and still in the prime of his career, so we think he's going to improve."

Tampa Bay may try to replace Kazmir in the rotation with one of its young prospects, such as Wade Davis, who is 10-7 with a 3.26 ERA in Triple-A. The Rays currently stand 3½ games out in the AL wild-card race.

The Angels have dealt with a series of injuries and inconsistency with their rotation this season, as well as the death of Nick Adenhart. The Angels rank 24th in starters' ERA in the majors, at 4.96, yet have a four-game lead in the AL West, largely because they have had an overpowering offense that leads the majors in runs.

Staff ace John Lackey can become a free agent after this season.

"Scott's situation is exclusive of anything we're doing in the future," Reagins said. "The way the pitching market is out there now and the pitchers that are available in the next few years, this made a lot of sense for us -- to be able to get a quality pitcher in the fold right now."

Just before Reagins spoke with reporters, Angels rookie Trevor Bell was lifted from the game after giving up five runs and seven hits over 2 2/3 innings.

Kazmir was selected in the first round of the 2002 draft by the New York Mets, then traded to Tampa Bay in 2004 while he was still in the minors for Victor Zambrano.

Kazmir led the AL with 239 strikeouts in 2007 but has been slowed by injuries during his career.

Kazmir is 4-1 with a 4.38 ERA over his last six starts. His previous outing was at Toronto on Wednesday, when he struck out 10 while allowing a run and four hits over six innings in a no-decision.

"I don't know what to say, because he's been pitching well," Rays teammate Carl Crawford said. "It surprises me to see Kaz go, because of everything he's meant to the organization."

Kazmir is the club's career leader in wins, strikeouts, starts and innings pitched.

"It's very easy to say that this trade will hurt our chances, given how Scott has pitched his last few starts," Maddon said. "But we've got guys in the minors that we really like and that we think can help us."

The left-handed Torres, 21, is 13-4 with a 2.75 ERA in the minors this season, while reaching Double-A. Sweeney, a 21-year-old third baseman, is hitting .296 in Class A, with nine homers, 44 RBIs, 26 walks and 37 strikeouts.

"There were players that obviously were moved in this deal that they saw value in and they liked -- and we liked," Reagins said. "We think that we gave up two talented players, and a third to come. So this was not a basic salary dump."

Buster Olney is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Warriors Jackson Wants Trade To Contender

Golden State Warriors forward Stephen Jackson says he has requested a trade and prefers to be dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers or any of the NBA's three teams in Texas.

Jackson

Jackson's wishes are rooted in a desire to play for a team that consistently makes the postseason, he says, something the Warriors have done only once in the past 15 seasons.

"At this point, I'm 31 years old. I have four or five years left," Jackson told Dime Magazine on Friday. "I want to be in a situation where I can continually be in the playoffs and get another ring. So that's where my mind is at now."

Jackson, speaking to the magazine in New York during a promotional event for a shoe line, said the status of his demand is pending.

"It's not about a decision I made," he told Dime Magazine. "It's just things are in the air right now. I really can't get too much into it right now."

When prompted with a question from the event's host about the Warriors' playoff chances, Jackson, who was attending the event with former teammate Al Harrington, told the crowd: "I don't think I'll be a Warrior next year. I'm looking to leave."

Jackson has averaged 15.4 points over nine seasons with the New Jersey Nets, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers and the Warriors.

He scored a career-high 20.7 points per game last season after signing a three-year,
$28 million extension with the Warriors in November.

Jackson said he would be open to returning to the Spurs but would also welcome a trade to the Dallas Mavericks or Houston Rockets.

He also mentioned Harrington's New York Knicks.

"I'm just looking to go somewhere where I can go and win a championship," Jackson said.

Article courtesy of ESPN.com

Is Tom Brady Hurt Again?

LANDOVER, Md. -- Officially, Tom Brady has a "sore shoulder," the result of being crushed to the turf by massive Albert Haynesworth. It caused enough discomfort for him to spend quite a while on the bench flexing and rotating his throwing arm, trying to work out whatever kinks where there.

It could be nothing. It could be something. Actually, anything that involves Tom Brady is always something, especially in a season in which he's trying to come back from a major knee injury.Brady hurt his shoulder in the New England Patriots' 27-24 victory over the Washington Redskins on Friday night. It was late in the first half when he was pressed to the ground by All-Pro defensive tackle Haynesworth after a third down incomplete pass."Anytime someone 350 pounds falls on him, it's going to hurt him," New England right tackle Matt Light said. "You just know it's part of the game, and Tom's been through it before and you know he can take it."Brady went to the bench, where he stretched his arm repeatedly as the half came to a close and again after returning from the locker room after halftime.

Brady did not play in the second half, even though most of the first-team offense returned for the first drive of the third quarter. He then left the sideline and returned to the locker room.In the fourth quarter, the Patriots announced Brady's injury as a sore shoulder, a diagnosis that gave coach Bill Belichick a twitch in both of his shoulders. The Patriots coach was his classic self, displaying the annoyed shrug so familiar when anyone asks him about an injury. Despite the team's announcement, Belichick said Brady had only "some bumps and bruises, just like everybody else who played in the game." He also said that he had not planned for Brady to play any of the second half.Brady did not speak to reporters after the game.

If one assumes Brady is fine, he has to feel good about his performance. He and counterpart Jason Campbell put on a regular season show in preseason, combining for 359 yards, six scoring drives and no interceptions.In the game that traditionally serves as the dress rehearsal for the real stuff that begins in two weeks, Brady went 12 for 19 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Randy Moss had his way with the Redskins secondary, catching six passes for 90 yards and both of Brady's TDs.

Campbell had been feeling the heat after a 4-for-13 start to the preseason, including 1 for 7 last week, with no touchdowns in either game from the first-team offense. On Friday, he played the first half and first drive of the second half, finishing a hot-and-cold 13 for 22 for 209 yards.Asked if he'd answered his critics, Campbell said: "It's never enough. It will be something. Next week it will be that he didn't hit the big ball to Santana (Moss)."He paused for a beat, laughed and said: "Nah, I was just joking.

It really doesn't bother me at all."Campbell went 4 for 4 on the opening drive, then had three straight three-and-outs before another scoring drive that featured a 73-yard completion to tight end Chris Cooley, who kept his balance along the sideline to take the ball inside the 10. Campbell finished the drive with a 4-yard run after a nice move that faked out linebacker Paris Lenon."I was very pleased," coach Jim Zorn said. "He was very much into the game. He was competing hard and doing the things that you want.

We missed on a couple of long ones, but he came back and was running the show."Brady and Campbell played to a 17-17 draw. Then came the backups -- and a trio of interceptions -- before the game was decided by Stephen Gostkowski's 31-yard field goal with 8 seconds remaining.New England's Kevin O'Connell, contending for the No. 2 job, was intercepted twice. Washington's Colt Brennan, trying to stay on the roster, was picked off for the third straight game, this one returned 99 yards for a touchdown by Jonathan Wilhite. Brennan helped redeem himself with a 33-yard touchdown pass to rookie Marko Mitchell, who moved closer to securing a roster spot as the No. 5 receiver.

Broncos Marshall Suspended

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall, openly unhappy with the Denver Broncos, was suspended by the team through Sept. 5 for what coach Josh McDaniels called "detrimental" conduct.

Marshall, who has brooded since demanding a trade and asking for a new contract, was informed of the suspension by McDaniels on Friday.

"We tried to handle this situation with Brandon as privately and professionally as we could throughout the entire process with he and his agent, Kennard McGuire," McDaniels said at a news conference. "This morning, we made the decision as an organization to go ahead and suspend Brandon and that suspension will last through Sept. 5th. We'll look forward to having him back on Sept. 6th as we begin our preparations for Cincinnati" in the Sept. 13 regular-season opener.

McGuire didn't immediately return a phone call Friday to The Associated Press, and was said to be out of the country until Monday.

McDaniels did not single out a specific episode, but said the suspension resulted from a series of incidents, though some boorish antics during the team's practice Wednesday -- after Marshall had been warned about such conduct that very morning -- seemed to be the final straw for the coach.

"His actions didn't really change after that warning. That leads us to today," McDaniels said.

Marshall went out during pre-practice warm-ups and walked while the rest of the team ran. He punted a ball away instead of handing it to a ball boy, and swatted a pass thrown to him. His actions were caught on video and broadcast by KMGH-TV.

The Broncos already have had discussions with the league regarding Marshall's suspension. They are expected to reassess the situation when the preseason ends Sept. 5.

Marshall said during an ESPN interview Thursday night that he was not trying to force a trade through insubordination, but that frustration got the best of him during a disruptive display at practice this week.

Marshall said some of the video, which included a shot of him sitting on his pads before practice, was taken out of context. But he acknowledged his frustration boiled over and that it was an error in judgment to act as he did, especially when he punted the ball.

"I think everybody knows there's a lot of stuff built up there, and me handling it that way wasn't good," Marshall said.

Marshall said he wasn't trying to force his way out of town -- he asked for a trade this summer after the Broncos declined to rework a contract that will pay him $2.2 million this season.

"I'm not out there trying to be a distraction to the team," Marshall said. "Unfortunately, yesterday I kind of let my frustration get the best of me."

The receiver was held out of practice Thursday, apparently as the organization was formulating its disciplinary response.

"We're trying to handle this in a way that we can discourage this from happening," McDaniels said. "We didn't want to be in this situation. We never wanted it to get to this point. I'm sure they didn't either."

Fellow wide receiver Brandon Stokley said he wasn't surprised the Broncos temporarily banished Marshall.

"Not really, not with his attitude and how he was acting," Stokley said. "Something had to be done. They made the decision. We're moving on, and hopefully in a few weeks, when he's back, he'll be ready to contribute."

Daniel Graham was concerned enough about Marshall's behavior at practice that the tight end said he talked to him about it several times. He said his main concern now is to make sure it doesn't become a distraction to the team.

"We've had a few conversations and Brandon, he's running his own ship," Graham said. "He's doing what he feels is best for him. Now, I'm just making sure, as a leader on this team, that we stay focused."

For all of the tension and disagreement between the receiver and his coach and organization, McDaniels said he hasn't given up on the notion that the sides can work things out.

"I'm not sure necessarily if I think it will or I think it won't [work out]," McDaniels said. "I'm just hopeful that it will, because obviously he's a talented football player that we'd love to have pulling in the same direction as the other 79 guys that go out there and work their tail off.

"Obviously, there's a disagreement about some things. We're trying to make it right, to work through it."

Marshall was held out of the Broncos' preseason game Sunday night at Seattle after admitting he didn't know the playbook and running almost strictly with the scout team last week.

Marshall, who had 206 receptions the past two seasons, is also upset with what he believes was the team's misdiagnosis of a hip injury that required offseason surgery. He pulled a hamstring during the first weekend of training camp and didn't return until a week ago.

In addition, Marshall missed the team's exhibition opener against San Francisco two weeks ago because he was on trial in Atlanta, where he was acquitted of a misdemeanor battery charge. Prosecutors had accused him of beating his then-girlfriend.

Marshall hoped the acquittal would give him leverage for a new deal in Denver or elsewhere. He was angered when the Broncos prohibited teammates from saying they were happy for Marshall about the verdict.

That's when Marshall began spending more time between drills with the scout team and the defensive unit instead of his fellow offensive players.

The run-in with Marshall marks the second clash with a high-profile player since McDaniels, the former New England Patriots offensive coordinator, was hired in January to succeed the fired Mike Shanahan. McDaniels had a falling out with Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler after he learned his new coach had discussed trading him in a foiled attempt to land former New England quarterback Matt Cassell, who is now with Kansas City.

Cutler subsequently forced a trade to the Chicago Bears, who are due in Sunday night, when the Broncos play their first home game under McDaniels.

McDaniels said his issues with Cutler and Marshall were nothing unusual, just part of being an NFL coach.

"We're not unique, we're not unique at all," McDaniels said. "Other coaches, other organizations have challenges in front of them and you deal with them as best you can."

Information from ESPN reporter Ed Werder, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter and The Associated Press was used in this report.

Get Your Favre Viking Jersey Now

Brett Favre Minnesota Vikings Jersey

Favre A Viking!

Image by DavidErickson via Flickr

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Brett Favre is coming back for more.

The 39-year-old quarterback turned his back on retirement for the second time in as many years, agreeing Tuesday to play for the Minnesota Vikings.

"I felt I did everything I possibly could do to get where I need to be," Favre said Tuesday. "You're 39, your arm may not feel like it did at 21. But the pieces are in place that you don't have to do that much and I agree with that.

"If they were willing to take that chance, I was, too."

Lackluster Finishes

The memory of the Jets' 1-4 finish with Brett Favre at the helm is fresh, but the truth is, Favre has experienced late-season fades in each of the past four seasons. The numbers below, from ESPN Stats and Information, are for 2005 through 2008.

Category	First 11 games	Last 5 games
Comp pct	64.8	56.1
Pass yards PG	253.8	211.4
TD-Int	75-50	13-34
Passer rating	88.2	59.9

Favre finally decided that he didn't want to live with regrets.

"I don't know how I'll feel a year from now, five years from now, but I didn't want to say what if," he said.

The Vikings will pay Favre $12 million this year and $13 million next season, sources told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen and ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. The contract does not contain performance bonuses.

Because Favre is a vested veteran, the $12 million is guaranteed for this season if he is on the opening day roster. This also applies to the $13 million 2010 deal. This year, $6 million is guaranteed for skill and injury, meaning that if he is bad during the next few weeks, the Vikings can't get out for less than $6 million.

The 2009 salary payments are deferred: $4 million over the season, $4 million in March and $4 million in 2011.

The Vikings made it official with a news release early Tuesday afternoon.

The first inkling that something was afoot came early Tuesday, when two television stations in Hattiesburg, Miss., and Minneapolis reported that the Vikings had sent a private plane to Hattiesburg to pick up Favre.

Favre and his wife, Deanna, arrived to cheering fans outside the team's practice facility and the quarterback was in a helmet and pads less than 90 minutes later. His red practice jersey was the familiar No. 4, the same number he wore for years with his now-rival Green Bay Packers.

Coach Brad Childress, who greeted the Favres at the airport, had confirmed the planned meeting in an early Tuesday e-mail to The Associated Press. Asked if the plan was to sign Favre, Childress replied: "In a perfect world."

Childress' wish came true shortly afterward, when the Vikings announced the signing.

"This is the weekend Brett decided he wanted to come back. And I'm not sure either side ever closed the door," Favre's agent, Bus Cook, told ESPN's Mortensen.

The day's developments and Favre's arrival were a surreal tableau, with a throng of fans who somehow learned early on of Favre's deal with the Vikings and ran alongside the SUV as it arrived at the Vikings' practice site from the airport, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, with a lone police officer trying to maintain order.

The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Trent Dilfer reacts to Brett Favre's return to the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings. Dilfer says it's worked out well for Favre, but he's not sure it will work out well for the Vikings.

ESPN analyst Cris Carter reported that Childress already has told the Vikings that Favre would be starting in Friday night's preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

"I have mixed emotions, but I have always loved to watch him play," Favre's mother, Bonita, told the Sun Herald of Biloxi. "This time, however, I thought he would stay retired and stay home. I guess he could not do it.

"They [Minnesota] seem to have a good team in place, and he liked that. I guess I need to get a Vikings jersey now."

John David Booty, who had been wearing No. 4, was assigned No. 9.

Favre, a longtime star in Green Bay, came out of retirement last season to play for the New York Jets. He retired again, only to then entertain the idea of joining the Vikings. Three weeks ago, Childress said the quarterback would stay retired.

The pronouncement turned out to be premature.

“

I think he's a great quarterback, a great guy, a great leader. Would I like to hit him? Hell, yeah, I'd like to hit him. All these damn practices out here and they didn't let us hit him.

” -- Packers linebacker Nick Barnett

Two television stations were the first to report that Favre was seen boarding a plane Tuesday morning that was headed to Minneapolis.

Sources told Hattiesburg television station WDAM, which initially broke the story, that Favre had said: "We may know something by dinner."

A high-level source first told Minneapolis TV station WCCO that Favre was expected to sign a deal with the Vikings on Tuesday.

Favre said that the injury that required surgery on his biceps tendon and then finding out that he had a tear in his rotator cuff led him to think he shouldn't play anymore.

"I just kept thinking I didn't want to go through what I did last year," he said.

"Between three weeks ago and the phone conversation yesterday [with Childress], I talked to Dr. [James] Andrews and he assured me it wouldn't be an issue. I felt if everyone was going to take that chance, I was to."

Dr. Andrews detected a slight tear in his right rotator cuff in May while performing orthroscopic surgery on the quarterback's passing shoulder.

While Favre is just a borderline top-20 fantasy quarterback (he was 16th in points among QBs in 2008), Adrian Peterson and Bernard Berrian should see boosts in production.

The presence of Favre makes Peterson the consensus No. 1 pick. Berry previously had Peterson ranked No. 2 behind Michael Turner.

Also, Berrian is now a top-20 fantasy receiver. He is currently ranked No. 26 in ESPN.com average draft position.

ESPN.com projections:
• Favre: 3,294 passing yards; 21 TDs; 19 INTs
• Berrian: 73 receptions; 1,150 yards; 7 TDs
• Peterson: 1,701 rushing yards; 11 rushing TDs; 22 receptions; 184 receiving yards; 3 receiving TDs

During practice sessions in Mississippi, Favre said that "the arm has felt, not 100 percent, but pretty good, good enough to make the throws I need to make."

That led him to decide to go for it.

"As friends and family has told me, you never know until you take the chance," he said.

Favre, who holds almost all of the NFL's career passing records, has never been much of a fan of offseason practices, though. Last summer, he ended his retirement with the Packers and forced a trade to the Jets, where he faded down the stretch amid problems with his throwing arm.

But Favre remained in regular communication with the Vikings' coaching staff the past three weeks, and a source told ESPN's Ed Werder that owner Zygi Wilf had to do very little convincing when the two met this week near Favre's home in Hattiesburg.

"He had a lot of aches and pains and they basically needed a commitment from him before he felt he was ready to play,'' a source told Werder. "He wants to be able to do the best he can do and doesn't want to disappoint them.''

Favre has been working out regularly with Oak Grove High School players in Hattiesburg, according to WDAM-TV, and has not missed a practice even after telling the Vikings he would remain retired.

The Vikings finished training camp last week and beat Indianapolis 13-3 in their preseason opener Friday. They got a strong performance from quarterback Sage Rosenfels, who has been competing with Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job since Favre jilted the team July 28.

The fact that the Vikings have a chance to make a deep run in the playoffs factored heavily in Favre's decision.

"I felt from my standpoint that I could offer some experience and leadership, and I have to admit through this whole process after I said no three weeks ago,sometimes I was OK with it, and other times I said. I can really help this team."

The Vikings are expected to challenge for the NFC North title this season, with whoever is behind center.

Rosenfels and Jackson have had some rough moments during practice. Jackson hurt his knee, missed a few workouts and then returned, but he was out of sync last week against the Colts.

Rosenfels did well, but preseason games are tough to evaluate and Indianapolis held out all four starting defensive backs.

On Monday, Jackson, responding to the day's scuttlebutt that Favre was predicted to play in Minnesota this season, said he was not paying attention to any of the talk.

"I pretty much have said [Favre] probably will follow me even when I retire. I'll probably have to hear about it. I'm just trying to take care of my business, and I can't worry about that stuff," Jackson said, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "If I let that stuff get to me, ain't no telling where I'd be right now. I just let it roll off my shoulder and just keep going. Just keep trying to get better."

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said after practice Tuesday he was not surprised by Favre's return.

"I don't think anybody should be surprised by it," McCarthy said.

Green Bay visits Minnesota on Oct. 5, and the Packers host the Vikings on Nov. 1.

"The bottom line is it's football," Favre said. "Once you step into the huddle, I don't look at the helmets. I look at the faces and the guys will know I'm in it for the right reasons because I still love to play."

Aaron Rodgers, who inherited the starting quarterback position after Favre retired -- then unretired -- said, "I don't have a reaction. It doesn't pertain to me. It has absolutely nothing to do with me. It doesn't change anything. It has nothing to do with the Green Bay Packers."

Packers general manager Ted Thompson also didn't want any part of the Favre situation, which caused a major distraction during the Packers' training camp a year ago and lingered on well after Favre was traded to the Jets.

After dodging a few questions about Favre on Tuesday, Thompson refused to bite on a question about whether it's wise for a team to tie its fortunes to a player with commitment issues so late in training camp.

"You guys just try to get me in trouble," Thompson said, smiling.

Packers linebacker Nick Barnett told the newspaper: "Ater all those years of not being able to hit him, do I want to hit him? Of course I want to hit him. He's an awesome guy. I wish him the best."

Information from ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen, ESPN reporter Ed Werder, ESPN analyst Cris Carter and The Associated Press was used in this report.

Report: Blazer's Roy Agrees To Extension

The Portland Trail Blazers have reached an agreement on a five-year contract extension with guard Brandon Roy, a league source told ESPN.com.

The contract will be for the maximum allowed under league rules. Specific numbers won't be available until the NBA salary cap is set next July. This year a starting max contract would be worth $82 million over the course of five years. However, next year the cap is expected to go down between 5 and 10 percent. That means the value of Roy's contract will go down, too.

Roy

"We've reached an agreement in principle," Roy's agent, Bob Myers, told ESPN.com Wednesday night.

Roy is expected to sign the contract and make it official on Thursday, according to sources.

The Blazers have been in an on-again, off-again contract negotiation throughout the month of July. At times, Roy's camp reportedly was frustrated with the Blazers' unwillingness to offer Roy a maximum contract. It appears Roy ultimately got what he wanted.

Roy led the Blazers with 22.6 points and 5.1 assists per game last season, his third in the league. He was acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a draft-day trade for Randy Foye in 2006 and went on to win NBA Rookie of the Year honors.

The high-scoring guard helped the Blazers go 54-28 last season before losing in the first round of the playoffs. Portland was 21-61 the season before Roy arrived.

Now the Blazers are turning their full attention to extending the player who was drafted four spots ahead of Roy -- LaMarcus Aldridge. A source close to the situation told ESPN.com that Aldridge and the team were "progressing" toward a deal.

Chad Ford is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Giants & Eli Agree To Extension

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Eli Manning has agreed to a new six-year, $97.5 million contract extension with the New York Giants that will make him among the highest-paid players in the NFL with an average salary of roughly $15.3 million, a source told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.

A person close to the talks who asked not to be identified says Manning is guaranteed $35 million under the deal that will keep him with the Giants through the 2015 season, The Associated Press reported. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was not signed and had not been announced.

There is a chance the deal could be signed Wednesday, but both sides wanted to review the contract, the person said.

Tom Condon, Manning's agent, was not immediately available for comment. Giants general manager Jerry Reese was hopeful that Manning's contract would be completed, adding it's always important to get the quarterback signed.

"He is a franchise quarterback," Reese said. "He has done everything we asked him to do. He has come in, taken a lot of flak from you guys [the media] and he just keeps going. He does what we ask him on the field and he does what we ask him to do off the field. He is a good football player."

Manning declined to talk to the media at lunch.

This deal will give Manning an average salary that is roughly $200,000 higher than the one earned by All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha of the Oakland Raiders, who agreed to a three-year, $45.3 million contract this year.

Manning's older brother, Peyton, earns an average of $14.17 million annually with the Indianapolis Colts.

Eli Manning led the Giants to a Super Bowl upset of the New England Patriots in February 2008 and was named the MVP of the game. He was in the final year of the contract he signed as the No. 1 overall pick in 2004 and will make $9.4 million under that deal this season.

The two sides have been discussing a contract for months, but they worked out the final details in recent days.

While Manning's contract was to expire at the end of this season, there was little chance the Giants would lose him to free agency. They could have named him a franchise player and Manning has long said he wants to remain with the Giants.

Reese said that a new contract would not put more pressure on Manning.

"He is used to that," Reese said. "He won't get more pressure than he already has in this market. He knows how to handle pressure and he has done it before. I don't expect to see any difference in his attitude and his work ethic. He works hard. He expects a lot from himself. He knows what his role here is with us and we expect him to continue it for a long time."

Manning took over as the Giants' starter midway through his rookie season and he has led New York to the playoffs in each of the past four seasons.

Manning went to the Pro Bowl for the first time after last season, when he passed for 3,238 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also threw only 10 interceptions, 10 fewer than the previous season.

Manning has started the last 71 games for New York, the third-longest streak among active quarterbacks at the end of last season. During that span he also has become the first Giants quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards and at least 20 touchdowns in four consecutive seasons.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Vikings Finally Sign Top Pick Harvin

Associated Press

MANKATO, Minn. -- While many rookies who hold out of training camp fall dangerously behind as their teams practice without them, Percy Harvin took advantage of a luxury that few others enjoy: his friendship with Tim Tebow.

While Harvin's agent Joel Segal negotiated with the Minnesota Vikings, the speedy receiver spent his days on the campus of his alma mater catching passes from Tebow, his Heisman Trophy-winning teammate the past three seasons at Florida.

"He's probably the best thing other than a pro quarterback," Harvin said Sunday, after signing a five-year deal with the Vikings. "Of course he's not a pro quarterback, but I got the best work in I could do without actually being here."

Harvin, the 22nd overall pick, missed the first two days and four practices of training camp, but hopped an early flight from Florida to the Twin Cities to make sure he got there in time for Sunday's practice.

"I don't think anybody was more anxious to get on the field than me today," Harvin said.

Well, maybe there was one.

Coach Brad Childress said that it was important for Harvin to get into camp as soon as possible so he didn't fall too far behind. He'll be asked to play a variety of roles for the Vikings, including wide receiver, running back and return man, so he has plenty of studying to do.

"We're going to challenge him," Childress said. "It's not like we're going to spoon feed him."

While many scouts and draft analysts said Harvin had top-10 talent, he slipped to the Vikings due to concerns about his durability and a failed drug test at the NFL combine.

Childress had some of the same concerns, so he flew to Florida and met personally with Harvin and his family before the draft. The coach came away impressed by his willingness to take responsibility for past mistakes and didn't hesitate to draft Harvin when the Vikings came on the clock.

"It's a dream come true," Harvin said after his first official practice. "For me, there was a lot of bumps that prevented myself from getting to this point. It seemed to be a little farther than it actually was.

"But to actually get here, everything's behind me. I can kind of start over here. I'm just glad to be here and thankful and ready to hit the ground running."

The versatile playmaker is expected to complement Adrian Peterson in Minnesota's ramped-up offense. During minicamps earlier this summer, Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell began experimenting with their new toy. They lined up Harvin at receiver out wide, in the slot, and motioned him into the backfield on reverses and other running plays.

His arrival could also bring a version of the Wildcat offense to Minnesota. Harvin and Peterson in the same backfield would give the Vikings a dynamic element that's been missing since Childress took over in 2006.

Harvin also could bolster the team's mediocre return game. His quickness and ability to change directions in a heartbeat make him ideal for the job.

"Return man. Slot. A little bit in the backfield," Harvin said. "The motions. The screens. I'm looking to be all over."

The Vikings threw him right into the mix on Sunday, giving him some time with the No. 1 offense during a goal-line installation and running reverses, catching passes and fielding kickoffs.

"He's playing big, he's playing fast, making turns like on the drop of a dime," tight end Visanthe Shiancoe said, "and he's catching everything."


Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

The old swing demons were back as Woods was spraying his tee shots to the right and, for good measure, missing his irons to the right, too.

Letzig last played with Woods in the final round at the Memorial, where the world No. 1 was at his stratospheric best en route to a tournament-winning 65. This, however, wasn't the same player. Letzig thought he smelled vulnerability.

"I thought, 'Maybe,'" said the 29-year-old from Kansas City. "You could tell he wasn't on his game early and I kinda thought if I could get it going he would be beatable."

Yet after eight holes, Woods with smoke, mirrors and guts was 2 under par for the day while Letzig, who drove it beautifully only to miss birdie putt after birdie putt, made just one mistake — albeit a costly one, a double bogey — and found himself at 2 over par for the day. Far from being in a position to win, he was five shots adrift of Woods' lead.

"He just doesn't make mistakes," said Letzig, "When he does make mistakes he recovers and then makes the birdies on the easy holes that you're supposed to."

"He's just laughing at all of us. He's so good."

Of all his attributes, the one which really separates Tiger Woods from the madding crowd of touring professionals isn't necessarily the ability to launch stupendous shots or make dramatic putts.

It's that he's the ultimate grinder.

No one can make lemonade out of lemons like him. He won for the 69th time on the PGA Tour despite having to yell "Fore right!" for the final 27 holes.

"You see guys turn 65s into 69s but you hardly ever see someone turn a 69 into a 65," Woods' caddie, Steve Williams, told me before the round about his man's third round. It was that third round which gave Woods the lead going into Sunday; that and a silly bogey by Letzig on the last hole Saturday afternoon.

And has anyone ever been more money with the third-round lead?

The only time he failed to convert one was in his rookie year, 1996, at the Quad City Classic. Since then, Woods is a perfect 36-0 in holding the trophy aloft after stepping on the first tee Sunday afternoon with the lead.

Even Letzig knew the score.

"I wasn't really here to win the tournament today," he said, "It was just kind of a battle with myself out there. You try and match him, it ain't gonna happen."

For all the chattering about Woods not being the player he was, consider that he now has four victories in a season — for the 11th time in 14 professional seasons, he's won at least four times — where no other player has more than two. And he's now won 21 of his last 39 starts dating back to the 2006 British Open.

And while some of those triumphs were sown by celestial shot-making and putting, be sure that most of them were won by the grinder within Woods.

And don't think he doesn't know it.

"If you look at most events you play, you don't ever hit the ball great for four straight days," he said after Sunday's victory, "You're always going to have one off day, and even some of my best (tournaments) that I've gone 25 under par I had one off day."

"But off day score-wise can still be a pretty good score. You still kind of don't feel quite right about your game, and you ask, 'How am I going to make the score?' and I did that (Saturday). I wasn't hitting the ball very good on my back nine but somehow I made a score. And today, as I say, I hit some bad shots and somehow made a score, and that's what you have to do."

The other ingredient to the Woods Grind is, as he says, to "miss the ball in correct spots and give yourself the best angles."

"I really understand that," he said.

The only time he diverted from the blueprint was on the par-5 13th, where he tried to slice a 5-wood around a tree on the right of the fairway despite a left-to-right wind and water on the right of the green. His squirter of a shot landed in the middle of the lake, prompting Woods to put his hat over his face and have a few stern words with himself, in private.

"I was a little angry," he said.

But another of his attributes is the ability to turn his emotions off. He composed himself, took a drop, then hit a delicious pitch from 60 yards to inside 3 feet and saved par.

He was never really threatened and strolled home to win by three strokes.

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Bucs Sign 1st Round Pick Freeman

TAMPA, Fla. -- Rookie quarterback Josh Freeman has signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and will be given an opportunity to compete for the starting job.

Freeman was the 17th player selected in the draft following a standout career at Kansas State. He agreed to a five-year contract on Friday, the day before the start of training camp.

Although the Bucs had their sights on the future when they selected him, Freeman was impressive enough during offseason workouts that coach Raheem Morris has not ruled out the possibility of playing him right away.

The other quarterbacks competing for the No. 1 job are Luke McCown, Byron Leftwich and Josh Johnson.

Terms of Freeman's deal were not announced.

Freeman, who entered the draft after his junior year, completed 59 percent of his passes for 8,078 yards and 44 touchdowns in three seasons at Kansas State. Also a threat to run, he had 20 TDs rushing.

The 21-year-old was the third quarterback selected in the draft behind Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez.

"I really have no expectations other than eventually being the starter. I don't know if it's going to be this year. I don't know if it's going to be next year, or when it's going to be," Freeman said in April. "All I'm going to do is come in and work as hard as I can and try to put myself in the best position to make this team better."

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

Raptors Get Belinelli From Warriors

TORONTO (AP) -- The Toronto Raptors have added guard Marco Belinelli and center Rasho Nesterovic to the roster.

The team announced Thursday that it had acquired Belinelli from Golden State in exchange for forward Devean George and cash considerations. Free-agent Nesterovic signed a one-year, $2 million deal.

Belinelli was the 18th overall pick in 2007 and appeared in 42 games for the Warriors last season. The Italian averaged 8.9 points, 2.1 assists and 1.7 rebounds.

Nesterovic rejoins the Raptors after spending a season in Indiana. The 7-footer averaged 6.9 points and 4.6 rebounds while playing 151 games for Toronto from 2006 to 2008.

Reds Land Rolen At The Trade Deadline

CINCINNATI -- For the final days and hours before Friday's 4 p.m. ET non-waiver Trade Deadline, it was all quiet around the Reds. Or at least it seemed to be.

Just moments before the zero hour -- bam -- two deals were finalized.

The biggest move was the acquisition of third baseman Scott Rolen in a four-player trade that sent third baseman Edwin Encarnacion and pitchers Josh Roenicke and Zach Stewart to the Blue Jays.

Just before the deal, the Reds dealt utility infielder/outfielder Jerry Hairston Jr. to the Yankees in exchange for Minor League catcher Chase Weems, who was assigned to Class A Dayton.

"It seemed like things were quiet the last two days," said Reds general manager Walt Jocketty, who was Rolen's former boss when both were with the Cardinals. "They just picked up more today."

Rolen, 34, was batting .320 with eight home runs and 43 RBIs in 88 games with the Blue Jays. He is a five-time All-Star, a seven-time Gold Glove Award winner and appeared in two World Series with the Cardinals in 2004 and '06. The Jasper, Ind., native had to waive his no-trade clause before the deal could be finalized.

The Reds received an undisclosed sum of cash in the trade that will offset some of Rolen's salary. He was making $11 million this season and is due to make $11 million in 2010.

"Ownership was definitely on board with this one," said Jocketty, who added he hoped to retain Rolen when his contract is up after the 2010 season. "They felt it was very important to try and get the deal done. It's a big contract but we're getting some relief from it. It's still a big commitment from ownership to take this on. We feel it's the right thing to do. It's another indication that we're trying to go in the right direction with this organization."

Perhaps, but Jocketty paid a big price in giving up two young pitchers for Rolen. Roenicke, a reliever that had a 2.70 ERA over 11 games in the Majors, had been one of the prized prospects in the organization and the hardest thrower that often topped out at 98-99 mph. Stewart was a 2008 third-round Draft pick that had reached Triple-A Louisville recently. He was 4-1 this season with a 1.67 ERA in 23 games, including 14 starts at Class-A Sarasota, Double-A Carolina and Louisville.

"It was kind of the stumbling block. We finally gave in and decided to give up the pitching," Jocketty said. "There are a lot of things Scott will provide this club that we felt was lacking -- leadership on the field with position players. I had a lot of experience with him obviously in St. Louis. I think he brings a lot to our club."

In Encarnacion, the club gave up on a player that had first reached the Majors in 2005 and was long considered to be part of the future. However, the 26-year-old never seemed to fulfill the promise, offensively or defensively. While missing 58 games this season with a wrist fracture, he batted just .209 with five homers and 16 RBIs in 43 games.

Although he worked hard to improve in the field, Encarnacion was still prone to making errors with bad throws. A poor throw on a double play ball on Thursday vs. the Padres led to a four-run inning in a loss.

"Sometimes a change of scenery might be good for you," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "I think it's a great opportunity for Edwin. And we're just as happy to get Scott Rolen. A Gold Glove third baseman, an RBI producer, we're excited to see him play. It's going to help our team, out outlook, our attitude. I hate giving up Roenicke. But you have to give up something to get something."

The move was still an outside-the-box trade for the Reds, a team that entered Friday with a 45-56 record while being 9 1/2 games out of first place in the National League Central race.

The Reds made an effort to get younger this season and had Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips form the core of their lineup. The club lacked veterans in the clubhouse and it created a leadership void.

"He's a guy who's been there," Baker said. "A lot of guys haven't been there. He's been to a World Series. He's been on pennant contenders almost annually. He knows what it takes. You want those guys around. He'll not only be able to tell guys how it's done, but show them, too."

Hairston was batting .254 with eight home runs and 27 RBIs this season. He can play second base, shortstop, third base and all three outfield positions.

The 33-year-old Hairston revitalized his career with the Reds after he was signed to a Minor League contract before the 2008 season. He wound up batting a career-high .326 and was re-signed to a one-year, $ 2 million contract this past offseason.

"Anything can happen," Hairston said. "I'll never forget what they did for me in reviving my career. Guys like Walt Jocketty, Wayne Krivsky, Dusty Baker -- those guys gave me a chance and opportunity to get back into the game. I'll never forget Cincinnati and how they treated me and my family. I know they're begging for a winner here and this team has really been hit by injuries and it's a young team as well. I really believe that the Reds are definitely on the fast track."

Just because the Trade Deadline has come and gone, it doesn't mean the Reds are necessarily done dealing. Trades can still be made until Aug. 31, as long as the players clear waivers, which is a much harder process.

The club has players like starting pitchers Aaron Harang (owed $12.5 million in 2010) and Arroyo ($11 million in 2010) and closer Francisco Cordero ($25 million owed through 2011) that could be moved if the right deal is found.

"I don't know if there will be a lot done or not," Jocketty said.

Tigers Get Washburn From Mariners

CLEVELAND -- Detroit's dynamic pitching duo turned into an even tougher trio Friday, making the Tigers' postseason chances potentially three times as strong.

The Tigers built their post atop the American League Central behind the devastating pitching of Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson. With a chance to bolster its playoff chances at Friday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, Detroit played to its strength and made it better, acquiring Jarrod Washburn from Seattle in exchange for fellow left-handers Luke French and Mauricio Robles.

The move gives the Tigers three of the seven lowest ERAs among American League starters for the stretch run, something no other team can claim. It also gives them the potential for a postseason rotation few teams can match.

"I think that's something that'll be fun to watch," Verlander said of the trio. "You never know what's going to happen, but it's fun to think about it."

It marks the third time in four years that the Tigers have pulled off a trade around the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, but this is by far the biggest of those deals. While Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee dominated the headlines for most of the week, Washburn's July numbers arguably ranked him as the hottest pitcher who was available.

"Jarrod Washburn is pitching, I think, probably as well as anybody in the league right now," team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said.

The 34-year-old Washburn will be eligible for free agency at the end of the year. However, his contribution to the Mariners made him worth the rental price for the Tigers. Washburn's 2.64 ERA ranked third-lowest in the American League to go with an 8-6 record, while allowing just 109 hits over 133 innings with 33 walks and 79 strikeouts.

Within those stats, however, is a July tear that raised appeal to a lot of teams on the market. Washburn has allowed just three runs on 20 hits in 36 2/3 innings over his past five starts, all of them Mariners victories.

If the Tigers needed any more evidence how much of an impact Washburn can make, they saw it when he baffled the Tigers on July 23 at Comerica Park. Washburn pitched seven scoreless innings against Detroit that day, allowing just two hits in his fourth consecutive victory, before he allowed a run and scattered five hits in seven innings against the Blue Jays in his most recent start on Tuesday.

Washburn helped Seattle creep into the thick of the AL West race until it fell back over the past week, turning the Mariners into sellers. His arrival in Detroit not only bolsters the Tigers' chances to break out of the three-team scrum in the AL Central, but also helps them shape up as a competitive foe in a postseason series.

Washburn will make his Tigers debut Tuesday against the Orioles, in between Verlander and Jackson.

"It is sad to be leaving," Washburn told reporters in Texas, where the Mariners face the Rangers this weekend. "But at the same time, I'm very happy and excited to be going to a team that's in first place. I am happy to be joining them, try to help them get to the playoffs and hopefully win another ring."

The Mariners were reported to have interest in signing Washburn to a contract extension. Washburn is represented by agent Scott Boras, who's known for preferring that his clients enter free agency rather than re-sign. Given that, this very much reflects a short-term deal for the Tigers, but one they were willing to make given the situation.

"I don't know what will happen beyond this year," Dombrowski said. "I do know who his representative is, so I know it's not going to be something that we [have] conversations in the middle of the season. We'll see what happens beyond this year, but we're trying to win."

The 23-year-old French cracked the Tigers' rotation last month following steady success at Triple-A Toledo. He went 1-2 with a 3.38 ERA in five starts and two relief appearances for the Tigers, but lasted six innings in only one of his five starts. He quickly ascended the Tigers' development ladder after being selected in the eighth round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft.

"He really has come on tremendously," Dombrowski said, "and I told him I tip my cap to him, because he continued to get better and better. He's really pitched well. But it just came to the point that we needed more experience in our rotation."

Robles, who turned 20 years old in March, has split this season between Class A West Michigan and Lakeland, going 8-6 with a 4.24 ERA and 111 strikeouts over 91 1/3 innings. He allowed just 79 hits in that span.

He wasn't among the Tigers' top 10 prospects at the start of the year, but he had made enough of an impression to earn notice. He was the prospect the Mariners targeted when trade talks picked up a week ago, Dombrowski said.

"He has an above-average arm," Dombrowski said. "He's striking out more than one per inning, so he's got a real good arm. His secondary stuff still needs to be developed, and that's why he's in A-ball. But at times, he shows you a very good breaking ball, but it's still inconsistent."

This is the third time in four years that the Tigers have pulled off a deal within 48 hours of the Deadline. Detroit swapped Ivan Rodriguez for Kyle Farnsworth last year, and acquired Sean Casey at the 2006 Deadline in exchange for Minor League pitcher Brian Rogers.

Casey helped the Tigers to the World Series after speculation that year centered on Alfonso Soriano. The Tigers are hoping Washburn can help them get back.

"Pitching and defense, that's what wins baseball games, especially in the postseason," Verlander said.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs

Odom Stays With Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have at last reached terms on a new contract with sixth man Lamar Odom, after a month of frosty negotiations that might have troubled the team and its fans more than just about anything they saw during last season's playoff drive to the championship.

Odom

"I always wanted to come back because we won the championship," Odom told ESPN's Shelley Smith. "I'm playing for the biggest brand in the world. And I'm playing with the most fluid, talented center in the world in Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum's coming back and of course Kobe Bryant.

"But to now get an opportunity to play with Ron Artest, a guy I've known 16 years, it means a lot. I told Ron Ron a few weeks ago I couldn't walk away. I still had to fight. Every time negotiations didn't go the way I thought, I just took a step back, like them pulling the offer off the table, I just knew I had to fight."

Sources with knowledge of the talks told ESPN.com that Odom and the Lakers on Thursday agreed to a four-year deal worth up to $33 million if the Lakers exercise their option on the fourth season.

One source close to the process said that Odom will come away with a guaranteed $27 million from the new contract, matching the original value of the three-year, $27 million deal Lakers owner Jerry Buss pulled off the table earlier this month.

It's believed that the structure of the new contract calls for Odom to earn $25 million over the first three seasons, with the Lakers owing him a buyout of $2 million in the fourth year if they elect not to pick up their team option.

Team sources indicated that a sense of relief poured through the organization after word of the agreement spread, with Odom known to be giving serious consideration to leaving the team he helped last month to the 15th title in franchise history for a reunion with Pat Riley and Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat.

Wade had been publicly lobbying for Odom to come "back home" for weeks. Limited in what it could offer as a team well over the salary cap, Miami was nonetheless prepared to give him a five-year deal worth $34 million with an option to return to free agency after four seasons or a four-year deal with a provision to go back on the open market after three years to try to negotiate a richer deal.

Via his Twitter account, Wade wrote Thursday night: "Happy for LO either way. [That's] family forever."

Talks between the Lakers and Odom broke down in mid-July when Buss, after an agreement had been reached with Odom's camp on an annual salary of $9 million per season, rescinded the offer when he learned that Odom was also talking with the Heat and the Dallas Mavericks.

The lack of state income tax in Florida, which helped narrow the gap between the Lakers' original offer and Miami's best offer, as well as the close relationship fostered between Odom and Wade during their one season together with the Heat in 2003-04, appeared to create a real threat of Miami stealing Odom away. The length of time the saga dragged out, though, seemed to increase the odds that Odom would return, even after sources said Buss began this week offering only $25 million over three years.

One source close to Odom told ESPN that the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday joined the bidding with a potential five-year, $40 million offer. Yet lodging such a bid also would have required Portland to trade a player -- likely Travis Outlaw -- to a team with salary-cap space like Oklahoma City, thereby creating the cap space to make such an offer after the Blazers' recent signing of free-agent guard Andre Miller.

"It's not true," Odom's agent, Jeff Schwartz, said Thursday night. "I've had no discussions this week with the Blazers about Lamar."

Odom's signing was the most significant free-agent move left to play out this summer and restores a pivotal piece to the title-winning team which also now features Odom's boyhood friend Artest. Although he initially chafed at his move to the bench last fall, Odom ultimately flourished as a sixth man last season. In spite of a back injury suffered in the second round against Houston, Odom averaged 12.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 32 minutes per game during the playoffs, when he frequently wound up teaming with Gasol in the Lakers' frontcourt with Bynum either struggling or plagued by foul trouble.

With the Odom uncertainty lifted, L.A. will have its top five scorers and top four rebounders from the 2009 championship roster to begin its title defense. The only significant loss is swingman Trevor Ariza, who left to sign a contract with the Houston Rockets after the Lakers signed Artest.

The Lakers went into the offseason hoping to convince Bryant to sign a contract extension after resolving the futures of Ariza and Odom, with Bryant possessing the option again next June of joining the free-agent class of 2010 if he chooses. Bryant could elect to hold off and retain the right to become a 2010 free agent to maintain some leverage with Lakers management. With Lakers coach Phil Jackson entering the final season of his contract, Bryant would undoubtedly want some input on a coaching successor if next season is indeed Jackson's last.

It remains to be seen whether Miami, meanwhile, will try to rebound from its Odom disappointment by ramping up efforts to trade for Utah Jazz power forward Carlos Boozer. ESPN.com also reported earlier Thursday that Riley will have a face-to-face meeting with former Indiana Pacers guard Jamaal Tinsley this weekend.

In 10 NBA seasons, Odom has averaged 15.1 points and 8.8 rebounds. He made $14.1 million last season to complete the six-year, $63 million contract he received from Miami in the summer of 2003.

Replacing Ariza with the more physical Artest this offseason had given the Lakers someone more capable of absorbing some of Odom's minutes and responsibilities. But Odom's exit undoubtedly would have been celebrated by other playoff contenders in the West, since it's the luxury of having three long-limbed big men to surround Bryant -- Odom, Gasol and Bynum -- that makes L.A. so fearsome. Odom also ranks as one of Artest's closest friends in the game, so his continued presence would theoretically help Jackson and Bryant manage the mercurial Artest.

"He makes us a much, much stronger team," Bryant said of Odom last during a promotional tour of Asia last week.

J.A. Adande and Marc Stein are senior NBA writers for ESPN.com. ESPN's Shelley Smith contributed to this report.

Red Sox Make Deal For Victor Martinez,Trade LaRoche To Braves

CLEVELAND -- The Boston Red Sox got the big bat they were looking for, acquiring All-Star slugger Victor Martinez from the Cleveland Indians on Friday.

The rebuilding Indians received right-hander Justin Masterson and minor league pitchers Nick Hagadone and Bryan Price. The trade came shortly before the 4 p.m. ET deadline to complete deals without waivers.

Prior to officially acquiring Martinez, Boston spun off first baseman Adam LaRoche and cash in a trade with his former team, the Braves. LaRoche, who was acquired from Pittsburgh for prospects on July 22, returns to Atlanta in exchange for first baseman Casey Kotchman.

The 30-year-old Martinez has split his time at catcher and first base this season. The switch-hitter is batting .284 with 15 home runs and 67 RBIs.

Martinez, who had spent his whole career with Cleveland, fought back tears after being told he'd been traded. He sat in front of his locker, hugging son Victor Jr. -- earlier in the day, the young boy asked his dad, "Are we still an Indian?"

"It's tough," Martinez said. "This is my house. This is my home."

Martinez leaves Cleveland a day before the Indians were to hold Victor Martinez Bobblehead Night at Progressive Field in their game against Detroit.

He'll move right into a pennant race with Kotchman, joining a Red Sox team that is second in the AL East behind the New York Yankees, but leads the wild-card chase.

Kotchman was traded almost exactly one year after he was acquired by the Braves from the Los Angeles Angels for Mark Teixeira.

"You've been traded already so you're a little more used to it," Kotchman said. "I'm a little surprised but not overwhelmingly surprised."

Kotchman is hitting .282 with six homers and 41 RBIs and hasn't committed an error in his two seasons with the Braves.

"It's been a privilege to play for Bobby Cox and his staff," Kotchman said.

Martinez's deal was the second major trade in three days for the disappointing Indians, who sent Cy Young winner Cliff Lee to the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday for four prospects.

Cleveland, which began the weekend 12 games out of first in the AL Central, has slashed nearly $25 million in payroll by trading Lee, Martinez, third baseman Mark DeRosa, reliever Rafael Betancourt and first baseman Ryan Garko.

"When you don't perform or have good results, things are going to happen like this," Indians center fielder Grady Sizemore said. "It's start from scratch now."

Martinez will likely share catching duties in Boston with Jason Varitek and can fill in at first base and designated hitter.

The Red Sox did not give up Clay Buchholz, one of their top pitching prospects, for Martinez. But they did part with three quality arms in order to bolster their lineup.

The versatile Masterson was Boston's second-round pick in 2006. He went 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 31 appearances, including six starts for the Red Sox this season. The 6-foot-6 righty was a key part of the Red Sox's run to the playoffs a year ago, going 6-5 with a 3.16 ERA in 36 games after being called up from the minors.

The 23-year-old Hagadone, a 6-foot-5 lefty, has pitched sparingly since being drafted No. 55 overall by the Red Sox in 2007. He missed much of the 2008 season after having Tommy John surgery and has worked only 25 innings this year, going 0-2 with a 2.52 ERA at Class A Greenville.

Price was drafted 45th overall in 2008. The 22-year-old righty has struggled in his first two years of pro ball, going just 5-11 with a 4.42 ERA in 31 outings.

This marked the second straight year the Red Sox made a splash at the July 31 trade deadline. Last season, they dealt away Manny Ramirez and got Jason Bay.

In 2004, the Red Sox also made a last-minute deal, trading away popular Nomar Garciaparra and acquiring Orlando Cabrera to play shortstop. Boston went on to win the World Series that year.

The Red Sox held a three-game lead in the AL East at the All-Star break, but a five-game losing streak on the ensuing road trip dropped them into second place behind the rival Yankees.

Boston has won only four of its past 12 games, has a losing record on the road and five of its starting nine are batting .250 or below.

Boston general manager Theo Epstein has already been active this month: He traded for LaRoche, sent shortstop Julio Lugo to St. Louis for minor leaguer Chris Duncan, and got outfielder Brian Anderson from the Chicago White Sox for infielder Mark Kotsay.

But a bigger deal, for Toronto ace Roy Halladay, fell apart when Boston refused to part with both Buchholz and reliever Daniel Bard.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report

White Sox Get Peavy From Padres

CHICAGO -- Jake Peavy finally agreed to pitch for the White Sox.

The San Diego Padres traded their ace to Chicago on Friday, barely beating the deadline to make deals without waivers.

The Padres got four young pitchers for the 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner -- Clayton Richard, Aaron Poreda, Dexter Carter and Adam Russell.

In May, the Padres and White Sox agreed to a deal for Peavy, but he turned it down. This time, Peavy agreed to waive his no-trade clause and join the AL Central contenders.

"The ultimate decision was when the team you're playing for actively keeps telling you they need to move you, and one team comes after you like Chicago did, you're excited to play for a team where you know you're wanted," Peavy said during a news conference in San Diego.

"In May, we didn't think it was the right time, but now things are a little bit different on a lot of fronts. ... I think the only reason this deal was able to get done is because they did pursue it actively in May. In May, we had just won five or six games in a row and had creeped above .500, and Chicago wasn't really in the shape that they're in now."

The White Sox began play Friday in third place in the AL Central, 2½ games behind first-place Detroit.

White Sox general manager Ken Williams was not discouraged by the initial rejection from Peavy.

"He never said no, he just said 'not yet,' " Williams said.

"So those words 'not yet' for me meant just that. ... If you are patient in your pursuit, then sometimes you can ultimately get what you want," he said. "When we called back this time, he was better prepared -- he and his family were better prepared for what lies ahead. We were all able to make it work."

The 28-year-old Peavy is 6-6 with a 3.97 ERA in 13 starts with the Padres this season but has been on the disabled list since June 13 with a strained tendon in his right ankle. Williams said the White Sox don't expect Peavy to pitch until the end of August and he could go on a rehab assignment in the middle of the month.

"We're going to still be conservative with our approach. In our division this thing is going to go down to winning games in September," Williams said. "We want to be as strong as we possibly can in September. That's what we're focused on."

Peavy agreed, saying said he should be ready by the end of August.

Over eight major league seasons with the Padres, Peavy is 92-68 with a 3.29 ERA and 1,348 strikeouts in 212 starts. He was a unanimous selection for the Cy Young Award in 2007 when he went 19-6 with a 2.54 ERA and 240 strikeouts in 34 starts.

He will give the White Sox a top starter along with lefty Mark Buehrle, who pitched a perfect game in July. When he is healthy, Peavy will join a rotation that includes Gavin Floyd, John Danks and Jose Contreras.

Until then the White Sox will have to mix and match to find a fifth starter with Bartolo Colon injured and Richard off to San Diego.

Williams said he called Padres general manager Kevin Towers on Friday morning and got talks rekindled. Peavy's agent, Barry Axelrod, went to Peavy's house and Williams said the deal was completed mere seconds before the 3 p.m. CDT deadline.

Williams said he'd been interested in Peavy since the trade deadline a year ago and then was close to landing him in May. This time he worked on the trade with few people even knowing about it.

"I was shocked," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "We got better and now we got one guy we wanted for a long time."

Williams said he had a good talk with Peavy when the White Sox first tried to acquire him. He was convinced that Peavy's real reason for blocking the trade was that he wasn't ready.

"At the time the Padres were in just as good a position as we were [and] to have it sprung on him without all the information," Williams said. "I got it. I understood. It was a little disheartening to hear some of the insinuations about him not wanting to pitch in the American League or pitch in our ballpark. I got none of that when I spoke to him. It was simply about him being surprised."

Now Peavy, whose future has been the subject of much speculation since the offseason, is ready to move on. He is making $11 million this year.

He will have a salary of $15 million in 2010, $16 million in 2011 and $17 million in 2012. His initial contract included a $22 million club option for 2013 with a $4 million buyout.

"I certainly knew this day was going to come, whether it be now like it's happening or in the offseason. Now it's here, and I'll go to Chicago and I won't look back," Peavy said.

Richard, who pitched well in his past two starts, was the scheduled starter Friday night against the Yankees before the trade was announced.

The 25-year-old lefty was 4-3 with a 4.65 ERA in 26 games, including 14 starts, with the White Sox this season.

"Pretty surprised," Richard said, sitting in the dugout after the trade was announced.

"Because I really just thought he didn't want to come over here. He turned it down and it was put to rest. Then, out of nowhere, it happens again. But I'm excited to go over there. We'll see how it goes."

Poreda, 22, went 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 10 relief appearances with the White Sox before being optioned back to the minors on July 21. The 6-foot-5 lefty was a first-round pick by Chicago in 2007.

Russell was 4-0 with a 5.19 ERA in 22 relief appearances for the White Sox last season and has spent this year at Triple-A Charlotte. Carter is 6-2 with a 3.13 ERA at Class-A Kannapolis.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

Bucks Sign 1st Round Pick Jennings

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Bucks signed first-round draft pick Brandon Jennings to a two-year contract worth almost $4.5 million on Tuesday.

Jennings was picked 10th overall in June and signed the rookie-scale deal that includes team options for 2011-12 and 2012-13.

The slot for the 10th pick pays at least $3.75 million over two years, but teams can sign players for slightly than the scale. Jennings will make a just over $2.16 million this season and $2.33 million in 2010-11.

"I'm excited to sign my contract and make my NBA career official," Jennings said. "I look forward to working with Coach [Scott] Skiles and learning everything I can from him, as well as my teammates. I can't wait to get the season started and contribute to the success of our team."

Jennings, 19, is expected to be the point guard of the future for the Bucks and general manager John Hammond has repeatedly praised Jennings' unselfishness. Milwaukee's other top point guards include Ramon Sessions, who is a restricted free agent and has a qualifying offer from the Bucks, and Luke Ridnour, who has one year left on his contract.

Playing in the summer league in Las Vegas, Jennings led all players in assists (8.2) and steals (3.6) while scoring 14.6 points in the five games.

He chose to play in Italy last season instead of going to college after being the 2008 Naismith Player of the Year as a senior at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. He had committed to play at Arizona, but elected to turn pro and joined Lottomatica Virtus Roma of the Italian League, averaging 5.5 points and 1.6 rebounds in 27 games last season.

Jennings learned one lesson shortly after he was drafted when he drew unwanted attention for a profanity-laced and provocative telephone conversation on YouTube that incorrectly discussed his new team's personnel moves.

He said he didn't know he was being recorded and shouldn't have been talking about team business that he didn't know anything about.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

Chandler Swapped For Okafor

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Hornets have officially found a taker for Tyson Chandler in the Charlotte Bobcats, trading for fellow center Emeka Okafor and signaling an unexpected shift in thinking that suggests New Orleans does plan to try to keep up with the contenders and spenders in the Western Conference.

Chandler

Okafor

Charlotte coach Larry Brown was willing to jettison the Bobcats' first draft pick in a deal involving 26-year-old centers, a trade that brought different financial relief to both teams and hopes they'll thrive under different big men.

The Hornets have been trying to unload the 7-foot-1 Chandler for several months. Last season they sent him to Oklahoma City, but the trade was rescinded after Chandler failed a physical amid concerns over a lingering toe injury.

Brown was willing to gamble on the injury-prone big man. It comes at the expense of Okafor, who at 6-foot-10 is smaller than Chandler and had trouble guarding the NBA's top big men.

"We're getting a young kid who is long and athletic and can play multiple positions and fills a need that we obviously have," Brown said.

But the Hornets were intrigued by Okafor's superior rebounding and durability, giving New Orleans a reliable big man with a longer contract as they try to recover from last season's first-round playoff exit. The deal was consummated just days after star guard Chris Paul wondered aloud about the Hornets' relative inactivity this offseason at the NBA's annual summer league in Las Vegas.

"We looked at this trade as an opportunity to improve our team," Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins said. "Tyson brings that unique level of athleticism in a 7-footer that puts us in a position to compete night in and night out with the other quality centers in the league."

"Emeka is one of the premier centers in the NBA with All-Star caliber scoring and rebounding averages throughout his career," Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said. "His potential to improve is endless once you put him on the court running with Chris Paul."

Paul and Chandler comprised a constant alley-oop threat when Chandler was healthy, and the two were close off the court.

"I'm losing a great friend, a brother. T.C. is my man. ... I'm going to miss him," said Paul, who was attending a basketball camp in New Orleans.

"It's going to take some time to see how this works out," Paul continued. "I want Emeka to come in here and be the best player he's ever been. From today on out, that's my teammate. ... Hopefully we can eventually have the same relationship that me and Tyson had."

The deal is the fourth trade Charlotte has made since managing partner Michael Jordan hired Brown before last season. Brown, in his record ninth NBA head-coaching job, has continued his history of numerous trades to mold the team into his defensive-minded liking.

Now it includes sending the centerpiece of Charlotte's new franchise to the city's old team.

Two years after the Hornets left Charlotte for New Orleans, the expansion Bobcats took Okafor with the No. 2 pick in the 2004 draft -- after Orlando grabbed Dwight Howard.

Okafor, who won a national championship at Connecticut, had injury problems early in his career. But he has played all 82 games in each of the past two seasons while providing Charlotte with solid, if unspectacular, play.

Okafor averaged 13.2 points and 10.1 rebounds last season, but his style didn't mesh with Brown. The coach questioned his basketball fire at the end of last season.

"I wanted him to have a passion and work on his game," Brown said Tuesday. "I think he made unbelievable progress in that regard. When we had an exit meeting this past season he told me he was going to do that, he was going to work on his game. ... This was a basketball decision. It had nothing to do with Emeka."

Chandler gives the Bobcats a center who can better defend big players. But Chandler is coming off surgery, and despite their identical ages, Chandler has played four more seasons than Okafor because he came to the NBA directly from high school in 2001.

"We appreciate what Tyson has done for our club in the past and wish him the best, but our intention this summer was to improve our team and this trade is definitely a positive move in that direction," Bower said.

Chandler averaged 8.8 points and 8.7 rebounds in only 45 games last season. He then underwent procedures on his left ankle and toe in May after being ineffective in the first-round series loss to Denver.

Provided there are no complications with Chandler's physical in Charlotte, his arrival and Okafor's exit will leave swingman Gerald Wallace as the only holdover from the Bobcats' original roster in 2004-05. Okafor stands to be the fourth of Charlotte's seven lottery picks to leave town, joining Sean May (waived), Adam Morrison (traded last season to the Los Angeles Lakers) and Brandan Wright (traded to Golden State on draft day in 2007).

The Bobcats were willing to take a chance that Chandler will be fully recovered by the start of next season and pulled the trigger on the deal that brought financial relief to both sides.

For the Hornets, it immediately lowers their payroll and would reduce luxury tax payments. Okafor is scheduled to make $10.5 million next season and Chandler $11.8 million. The Hornets entered the week with a payroll of about $78 million, triggering a dollar-for-dollar tax over the NBA's luxury tax threshold of $69.9 million.

But the Bobcats unload a much longer long-term commitment. Okafor still has five years left on a six-year, $72 million deal he signed last year. Chandler would make $12.7 million in a player option in 2010-11, the final season of his deal.

Bobcats owner Bob Johnson, who is looking to sell the team after losing millions of dollars, has ordered management not to reach the luxury tax threshold. Getting Okafor's big contract off the books will help achieve that goal in future seasons.

"Emeka is a great kid, but we all felt that with the way Tyson plays, with his quickness and his ability to handle the ball and his length, that was something that was very important to us," Brown said. "That was the overriding factor."

Information from The Associated Press and ESPN.com senior NBA writer Marc Stein was used in this report.