Sports Buzz: Chicago Bears Trade Brandon Marshall to New York Jets
Plus, Russell Westbrook nearly posts another triple-double.
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Bears Trade Brandon Marshall to Jets - The New York Jets created a big splash Friday, reportedly agreeing to trade for star wide receiver Brandon Marshall via a deal with the Chicago Bears. The trade won't become official until free agency begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. Marshall, despite a punctured lung and fractured ribs, recorded 721 receiving yards and eight touchdowns for the Bears last season. It isn't clear, as of now, what the Jets will be sending to Chicago in the deal. Gang Green has wideouts Eric Decker and Percy Harvin under contract. (Photo: David Banks/Getty Images)
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Russell Westbrook Nearly Posts Another Triple-Double, But Bulls Win - He almost did it again. Russell Westbrook nearly recorded his fifth straight triple-double, pouring in 43 points with eight rebounds and seven assists, but the Chicago Bulls edged his Oklahoma City Thunder, 108-105, on Thursday night. At 34-28, the Thunder are still owners of the final playoff spot out West with 20 games left in the regular season. The Bulls-Thunder game also saw the return of veteran TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager, who came back after a lengthy battle with leukemia.(Photo: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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Maurice Jones-Drew Retires - At 5-7, 210 pounds, Maurice Jones-Drew never let the fact that he was small in stature limit his ground game, churning out quite the NFL career. On Thursday, the veteran running back announced his retirement from the league, tweeting, "All good things come to an end!!!" Jones-Drew piled up 8,167 rushing yards with 68 touchdowns over nine seasons, eight of them with the Jacksonville Jaguars before joining the Oakland Raiders last year.(Photo: John Konstantaras/Getty Images)
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Blazers' Wesley Matthews Ruptures Achilles, Out For Year - Tough news for the Portland Trail Blazers. Starting shooting guard Wesley Matthews ruptured his left achilles tendon during the team's 94-75 rout of the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night and is out for the remainder of the season. "It's disbelief, you know?" Matthews told ESPN after an MRI confirmed the season-ending injury. "I'm sitting up there in that tube having an MRI, and I don't hear noise, I don't feel my Achilles, I'm just...I can't believe I'm up there while my team's battling. I just haven't processed all of it yet." Matthews was averaging 15.9 points per game this season. Fortunately for the Blazers, last month they acquired Arron Afflalo, who could possibly slide in to that starting role. (Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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NBA Determines Harden Was Fouled Late Against Grizzlies - Coach Kevin McHale, James Harden and the rest of the Houston Rockets had a reason to be irate. The NBA determined that Zach Randolph did indeed foul Harden in the waning seconds of Wednesday night's game against the Memphis Grizzlies, despite referees' non-call. The Grizzlies wound up winning the game on a buzzer-beating jumper from Marc Gasol after the disputed possession.(Photo: AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
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Kerr Says His Job Isn't to Promote Curry as MVP - Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr says the Houston Rockets can publicly support James Harden's MVP quest, but he's not going to do the same with Stephen Curry. "I care. I'd like for Steph to win the MVP, and I think he deserves it," Kerr told ESPN on Thursday. "I don't think it's our job to promote it. We're trying to win games. We've got a lot of work to do. So, if [Rockets general manager] Daryl Morey wants to run his own one-man campaign for James Harden, he can do that. That's fine. But we're focused on other stuff." (Photo: Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
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Brian Cashman Says Derek Jeter Should be Last Yankees' Captain - Derek Jeter was as good as any captain in New York Yankees' history. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman thought that Jeter handled the role so exceptionally that it should end with him. "I think Derek did it as well as anyone can,'' Cashman told ESPN on Thursday. "He wore it well, and I'm not a big advocate of giving out the captaincy anyway. I'm not going to recommend anyone being named captain of the New York Yankees right away. And that's not disrespectful of any of the guys I have here that have a lot of leadership.''(Photo: UPI Photo/John Angelillo /Landov)
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Russell Westbrook Notches Fourth Straight Triple-Double in Return - After having surgery Saturday to repair a fracture in his right cheek, Russell Westbrook returned to the court in a major way Wednesday night. The All-Star Game's MVP scored a ridiculous 49 points, grabbed 16 boards and dished 10 assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 123-118 overtime home win over the Philadelphia 76ers. The feat marked Westbrook's fourth consecutive triple-double, making him the first player to do so since Michael Jordan did it in 1989, according to STATS. (Photo: AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
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Peyton Manning to Take $4 Million Pay Cut For 2015 - As expected, Peyton Manning will return to the Denver Broncos for the 2015 season. Team sources told ESPN that the Hall of Fame-bound quarterback agreed to take a $4 million pay cut, which will give the franchise the financial flexibility to be more aggressive in the free-agency market this offseason. Manning will now make $15 million this season instead of the $19 million he was originally scheduled to earn. (Photo: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
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Vikings' Meeting With Adrian Peterson Went Well - Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman met with Adrian Peterson for four hours inside the running back's home just outside of Houston on Wednesday and their meeting went well, ESPN is reporting. "I appreciate Rick and Coach Zimmer coming down to see me today. We had a great dialogue and they were able to understand where I was coming from and concerns my family and I still have," Peterson said in a statement to ESPN. "We respect each other and hopefully the situation can pan out so that everyone involved is content." Last week, Peterson reportedly told the Vikings that he wants to play for the Dallas Cowboys in 2015. He was reportedly upset that the Vikings worked with the NFL to put him on the commissioner's exempt list during his child-abuse case.(Photo: Bob Levey/...
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LeBron James Says He Has to Protect Himself More After Another Flagrant - For the second time in the past three games, LeBron James was on the receiving end of a flagrant foul. Toronto Raptors center Jose Valanciunas nailed King James around the neck and shoulders during a hard drive Wednesday night, before the Cleveland Cavaliers scored the 120-112 road win. Afterwards, James told ESPN that he must do a better job protecting himself. "I don't want to get too much involved in it because I don't want to cry about it because it's not like I'm not able to get back up, but it's a lot of plays that are just not basketball plays," James said. "And I've said it before, it's just not basketball plays. But the referees, they take care of it. They decide what [type of foul] it is or not. That's what we got rules for. And for me, I need to maintain my focus and under...
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Arbitrator to Decide Whether Josh Hamilton Should Enter Rehab for Drug, Alcohol Relapse - A four-person panel—consisting of a pair of lawyers and physicians chosen by the MLB Players Association and league's commissioner's office—will decide the fate of embattled slugger Josh Hamilton, ESPN has learned. The Los Angeles Angels left fielder told MLB officials last week that he suffered a relapse. The panel will decide whether Hamilton should enter rehab.(Photo: Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
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Anthony Davis Has Monster Game in Return From Shoulder Injury - After missing five games with a right shoulder sprain, Anthony Davis returned to action Wednesday night, willing his New Orleans Pelicans to an 88-85 home victory over the Detroit Pistons. Davis had a mind-numbing 39 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocks. (Photo: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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Grizzlies Edge Rockets on Gasol's Buzzer Beater - The Memphis Grizzlies scored a controversial 102-100 road win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, after Marc Gasol hit a short jumper with 0.1 seconds remaining. The Rockets—especially coach Kevin McHale—were livid that Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph wasn't whistled for a foul on James Harden, even though he hit him on the arms while driving.(Photo: Harry How/Getty Images)
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New England Patriots Decline Vince Wilfork's Option - He's been a mainstay on the New England Patriots' defensive line for the past 11 years. But the franchise decided to not pick up the option on veteran defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, as reported by ESPN. "I'm in a good place. I have a great relationship with the Patriots organization," Wilfork, 33, tweeted in a statement. "Please know how blessed my family and I have been to be able to play 11 years in New England for an amazing organization. New England has been and always will be my home." With the move, the Pats create just over $8 million in salary cap space. (Photo: Elsa/Getty Images)
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Philadelphia Eagles Agree to Trade LeSean McCoy to Buffalo Bills - The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to trade running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso, ESPN reported on Tuesday. The deal cannot be made official until the new NFL year begins next Tuesday, March 10th at 4p.m. McCoy finished third in rushing yards last season with 1,319. A source told ESPN that McCoy is "frustrated" and is "not going to make it easy, that's for sure" about having to play in Buffalo after playing football in Pennsylvania from high school all the way to the NFL. Alonso had 159 tackles as a rookie for the Bills in 2013, but missed all of last season with an ACL tear. (Photo: Evan Habeeb/Getty Images)
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LeBron James Passes Ray Allen For 21st on NBA Scoring List - Late last month, LeBron James passed Allen Iverson for No. 22 on the NBA's all-time scoring list. On Tuesday night, King James passed another Allen. In scoring 27 points and leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 110-79 home win over the Boston Celtics, James passed Ray Allen for 21st on the league's all-time scoring list. "That's one of my best friends. That's a guy that I competed against, I grew up watching and then to be able to team with him the last two years when I was in Miami, I learned so much from him about work ethic, about being a professional, and it just added on to my game," James told ESPN of Allen afterwards. "To know that I passed him tonight, it's very humbling. I guess I've done some pretty good things in this league so far."(Photos from left: AP Photo/Mark Duncan, Andy Lyons/G...
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Denver Nuggets Fire Brian Shaw - Riding a six-game losing streak and owning a dismal 20-39 record, the Denver Nuggets fired head coach Brian Shaw on Tuesday before the team defeated the Milwaukee Bucks under interim coach Melvin Hunt later that night, ESPN reported. Shaw led the Nuggets to a 36-46 finish last season. (Photo: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
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NBA Fines Phil Jackson For Comments on Ohio State's Russell - Watch what you say. The NBA fined New York Knicks president Phil Jackson an undisclosed amount for calling Ohio State guard D'Angelo Russell a "a great-looking kid" and a "great prospect" last week to Cleveland.com. Jackson was fined $25,000 last year for tampering with then Oklahoma City Thunder guard, now-Knicks coach Derek Fisher.(Photos from left: Brad Barket/Getty Images for The New Yorker Festival, Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
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Vikings to Meet With Adrian Peterson - Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman are scheduled to fly to Texas on Wednesday to meet with running back Adrian Peterson, ESPN has learned. This news follows last week's story that Peterson reportedly told the Vikings that he wants to play for the Dallas Cowboys in 2015. Peterson is reportedly upset with the Vikings because they worked with the NFL to place him on the commissioner's exempt list during his child-abuse case last fall. (Photo: Bob Levey/Getty Images)
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Hawks Rally to Defeat Rockets Without Harden - The Atlanta Hawks needed to rally from 18 points down to defeat the Houston Rockets, 104-96, who were playing without James Harden on Tuesday night. Harden was suspended for the game after kicking Lebron James in the crotch during the Rockets-Cleveland Cavaliers' game Sunday. All-Star point guard Jeff Teague led the Hawks with 25 points. (Photo: AP Photo/John Amis)
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Bulls Beat Wizards Without Rose, Butler - No Derrick Rose, no Jimmy Butler...no problem. Power forward Nikola Mirotic scored 23 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 97-92 win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. "It's going to be the collective effort. You don't replace a Derrick or a Jimmy or Taj [Gibson] individually. We have to do it as a team," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau told the Associated Press. "They're going to keep coming, they're all tough. We're going to need a lot of resiliency and a lot of fight." (Photo: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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NBA Suspends Harden One Game for Kicking LeBron - The NBA wasn't going to let James Harden slide on this one. On Monday evening, the league suspended the Houston Rockets superstar after he kicked LeBron James in the crotch during the Rockets-Cleveland Cavaliers game Sunday, ESPN reported. LeBron told reporters afterward that "obviously that's not a basketball play." Harden, an MVP candidate, will have to sit out the Rockets' road game against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night. (Photo: AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
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Steve Francis Has Chain Violently Snatched During Rap Concert - Former NBA All-Star Steve Francis had his chain violently snatched right off his neck live during a rap concert in Houston this past weekend. TMZ Sports posted exclusive video of the jacking, which shows a brazen culprit choking Francis with his own chain, before coming away with the jewelry and leaving the scene. Police weren't called to the scene, according to the website. (Photo: ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images)
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Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao Press Conference on March 11 - Boxing fans don't need Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao to hype up their mega bout. After all, fight fans have been waiting five-plus years for the match to be cemented — something that finally happened last month when the bout was scheduled for May 2. However, according to ESPN, the two boxers will appear at a press conference March 11 at a location to be determined in Los Angeles. The fight, which will unify the boxers' welterweight world titles, is expected to break all box-office boxing records.(Photos from left: Jason Kempin/Getty Images, Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
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Golfer Suggests PGA Has Suspended Tiger Woods - One former PGA Tour golfer isn't buying the health reason for Tiger Woods absence from the sport. Dan Olsen, who last played on the PGA Tour in 2011, told 730AM The Game in Lansing, Mich., on Friday, "I heard he's on a month's suspension," but then told ESPN on Monday that it was "only my opinion." But on Friday, Olsen seemed to speak with more conviction, even insinuating, "I think when it's all said and done, he's gonna surpass Lance Armstrong with infamy." Back issues have caused Woods to take a break from the Tour.(Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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Jameis Winston Files Trademark for 'Famous Jameis' - Let the marketing begin. According to ESPN, Jameis Winston has filed to trademark "Famous Jameis," the nickname he earned during his successful two years at Florida State University, where he won a Heisman Trophy and led the Seminoles to a national title win. "We have begun taking steps to protect our client and his intellectual property rights," Russ Spielman, a partner of The Legacy Agency, which reps Winston, told ESPN. "Right now, his sole focus is on football. We hope to utilize this way down the line." Winston could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. (Photo: Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
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Seven Players Ejected in Wild Baylor-Texas Game - What started out as a scrap between two players during Monday night's Baylor-Texas matchup broke out into a bench-clearing brawl, in which seven players were ejected. After the skirmish ended, Isaiah Taylor sunk a layup in the waning seconds of overtime to lift Texas past No. 14 Baylor, 61-59. (Photo: Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
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Andre Johnson Given Permission to Seek Trade - Disgruntled with his status with the Houston Texans during the past couple of years, Andre Johnson has reportedly been given permission by the team to seek a trade, ESPN is reporting. Johnson, 33, has played all 12 seasons with the Texans, building a resume as one of the NFL's best wide receivers over the past decade. (Photo: Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images)
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Dallas Cowboys Slap Franchise Tag on Dez Bryant - With reports of the existence of a troubling videotape against Dez Bryant, the Dallas Cowboys officially slapped the star wide receiver with the franchise tag Monday. According to ESPN, the Cowboys will still be working to sign Bryant to a long-term deal. If they can't, he'll be paid $12.8 million this 2015 season, before hitting the free-agency market next offseason.(Photo: Elsa/Getty Images)
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Marshawn Lynch Was Expecting the Ball on Final Super Bowl XLIX Play - Marshawn Lynch may not have much to say to the American press, but he definitely let his opinion be known abroad. The Seattle Seahawks' star running back told Turkey's NTV Spor recently that he thought he was going to get the ball during the team's final play in Super Bowl XLIX, which wound up ending on an infamous interception instead. "To be honest with you, I would be lying if I didn't tell you that I was expecting the ball. Yes, I was expecting the ball. But in life, these things happen. Like I told a reporter after the game, it's a team sport," he said in the interview, as reported by ESPN. "I had no problem with the decision of the play calling." (Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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James Harden, Rockets Edge LeBron James, Cavs in Physical OT Game - LeBron James did it all with 37 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks, but he missed a pair of crucial free throws in overtime to seal the Houston Rockets' 105-103 home win over his Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. James Harden had 33 points, eight rebounds and five assists in an ultra physical game, which included Rockets teammate Patrick Beverly nearly scrapping with James, before Harden kicked LeBron in the crotch during a battle for a loose ball. Afterward, King James told ESPN, "Obviously that's not a basketball play," while Harden attributed the below-the-belt kick to something that happened in the heat of the battle. The Rockets used the moment to declare Harden the new King James via Twitter, jabbing LeBron, who's in the running with the Rockets' star for NBA MVP this ...
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Chris Bosh Released From Hospital - Good news for Chris Bosh. The Miami Heat All-Star power forward was released from a South Florida hospital during the weekend, just over a week after being treated for blood clots in one of his lungs. According to NBC Sports, Bosh is still expected to miss at least the remainder of the regular season. (Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
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Bulls Jimmy Butler Hyperextends Elbow, Will Have MRI - Another knee injury and surgery to Derrick Rose was enough of a blow to the Chicago Bulls. An injury to All-Star shooting guard Jimmy Butler could spell doom. Butler, who is averaging 20.2 points per game, hyperextended his elbow during the Bulls-Los Angeles Clippers game Sunday and had to leave the game without returning. According to ESPN, he's scheduled to have an MRI on Monday. (Photo: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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Rob Ryan Says Alleged Dez Bryant Tape Doesn't Exist - Former Dallas Cowboys defensive coach Rob Ryan isn't buying rumored reports of an incriminating tape of Dez Bryant going around. "That's a bunch of bull," Ryan told TMZ Sports over the weekend. "Dez is an awesome guy. He's a great competitor and probably the best receiver in football." (Photo: Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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Kevin Garnett Buys 1,000 Tickets for Timberwolves Fans - Thrilled to be back in Minnesota, where he spent the first 12 years of his NBA career, Kevin Garnett has purchased 1,000 tickets for Timberwolves fans for the team's home game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. "As a gesture of thanks, I would like to treat some fans to Monday night's game against the Clippers. Love you all, and thanks for the love. Enjoy the game on me," KG said in the statement, as reported by ESPN. (Photo: Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT /Landov)
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Sixers Waive JaVale McGee - JaVale McGee is temporarily out of a job. The Philadelphia 76ers waived their newly acquired center Sunday, although ESPN reports that he will be eligible to appear in the playoffs this season with another team. (Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
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Thunder Win Without Durant or Westbrook - Yet another obstacle passed by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Playing without Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on Sunday, the Thunder still scored a 108-101 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers behind 18 points and nine rebounds from D.J. Augustin. Durant has missed the past six games due to his latest foot procedure, while Westbrook missed Sunday's game after suffering a facial fracture after being accidentally kneed by a teammate on Friday night. Westbrook isn't expected to miss significant time. OKC (33-27) is still narrowly holding onto the eighth seed out West. (Photo: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)