DALLAS — Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said Friday night that no decision has been made about Delonte West’s future with the team after the guard was suspended for the second time in 10 days.
Cuban says no decision
made on West’s future
DALLAS — Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said Friday night that no decision has been made about Delonte West’s future with the team after the guard was suspended for the second time in 10 days.
Cuban said he will make the final call on whether West could return to the Mavericks after he was suspended indefinitely Thursday for conduct detrimental to the team.
“The best way to sum it up is no decisions have been made one way or the other,” Cuban said.
Time Warner Cable cuts
first major Lakers deal
LOS ANGELES — Time Warner Cable Inc. says it has reached its first major agreements to receive payment for carriage of two new channels carrying Lakers basketball games.
The company said Friday it had signed up Charter Communications Inc., which has around 290,000 subscribers in the Los Angeles area. Time Warner Cable also said it had agreed to terms with Verizon Communications Inc., whose subscriber numbers in the region were not immediately clear.
The first regular-season game to be carried on the channels is Wednesday night at Portland. The Lakers’ season opener is at home against the Mavericks on Tuesday in a game to be broadcast on TNT.
Time Warner Cable bought the regional TV rights to Lakers games last year for an estimated $3 billion over 20 years, in a deal that also included games of pro soccer’s LA Galaxy and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. It must sign deals with other TV distributors to help offset costs.
AP source: Larry Bowa
interviews for Marlins’ job
MIAMI — The Miami Marlins’ last manager was an excitable former shortstop, and now they’re considering another one: Larry Bowa.
Bowa became the second person interviewed for the job this week, a person familiar with the search said Friday. The person confirmed the discussions to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Marlins aren’t commenting.
Cincinnati Reds pitching Bryan Price was interviewed Friday, the person said. A third candidate is former major league catcher Mike Redmond, who interviewed Wednesday.
The new manager will replace Ozzie Guillen, who was fired after only one dismal season.
Dallas promoter demands
refund from Armstrong
AUSTIN, Texas — A Dallas promotions company that paid Lance Armstrong more than $7 million in bonuses for winning the Tour de France is demanding he return the money.
A spokesman for SCA Promotions said Friday the company will send Armstrong a demand letter on Monday now that Armstrong’ seven Tour de France titles have been revoked. The company paid Armstrong about $7 million for winning his sixth tour in 2004 and reportedly paid up to $12 million total.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency recently reported extensive evidence that Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs during all seven of his tour victories. The International Cycling Union, the sport’s governing body, on Monday accepted sanctions that included banning Armstrong from the sport for life and stripping him of his tour wins.
Armstrong denies doping but has not commented on the USADA report.
Padres waive pitchers
Stauffer, Moseley on Friday
SAN DIEGO — Right-handers Dustin Moseley and Tim Stauffer have become free agents after clearing outright waivers by the San Diego Padres.
Both were on the 60-day disabled list at the time of Friday’s move.
Stauffer made only one start, on opening day, before experiencing trouble with his right elbow. He had surgery to repair tendon damage in his pitching elbow on Aug. 31.
Moseley had season-ending shoulder surgery in late April. There’s a chance both players could return, but it would have to be on minor-league deals.
Azarenka seals No. 1 ranking
at WTA Championships
ISTANBUL — Victoria Azarenka wrapped up the season-ending No. 1 position in the world by beating Li Na 7-6 (4), 6-3 on Friday in the WTA Championships.
Azarenka secured a spot in the semifinals and will next play Maria Sharapova.
“It’s kind of difficult to believe that a little girl from Belarus is on that list,” said Azarenka. “It’s really incredible achievement. When I started to play tennis I had this big picture in my head that I want to be there.
“Back then it’s so far away. It’s like pretty much touching the sky.”
Agnieszka Radwanska advanced to the semifinals when she edged Sara Errani 6-7 (6), 7-5, 6-4 in a match that lasted nearly 3 1/2 hours. The fourth-ranked Radwanska will play Serena Williams on Saturday.
Sharapova swept past Sam Stosur 6-0, 6-3 on the final day of round-robin play but Azarenka’s win means that the Russian will not be able to wrest the No. 1 ranking from her.
Azarenka won the Australian Open in January and had been ranked No. 1 for most of the year, except for a brief period after Sharapova won the French Open.
Ferrer beats Almagro
at Valencia, makes semifinals
VALENCIA, Spain — David Ferrer beat Spanish Davis Cup teammate Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 7-5 on Friday to reach the semifinals of the Valencia Open.
Ferrer next plays qualifier Ivan Dodig, who defeated fellow Croatian Marin Cilic 6-2, 7-6 (6). Jurgen Melzer, who has not dropped a set in the tournament, and Alexandr Dolgopolov won and will meet in the semifinals.
Melzer beat David Goffin of Belgium 7-6 (7), 6-4. The Austrian overcame a poor first serve, including seven double-faults.
Dolgopolov defeated defending champion Marcel Granollers 6-0, 6-2. The Ukrainian was perfect on his first serve in the first set.
Federer beats Paire to reach
Swiss Indoors semis
BASEL, Switzerland — Roger Federer breezed into the Swiss Indoors semifinals, beating France’s Benoit Paire 6-2, 6-2 behind a strong serve Friday to raise his record to 65-9 this season.
Federer next faces another Frenchman, Paul-Henri Mathieu, who defeated Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4). The other semifinal pairs the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina and Richard Gasquet of France. Del Potro, who won in Vienna last weekend, overcame a one-set deficit and 20 aces by South Africa’s Kevin Anderson to win 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2.
Gasquet, still hoping to qualify for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London, beat sixth-seeded Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 6-2, 7-6 (5).
By wire sources