Recordpub.com - Monday's Sports Wire

Rondo agrees

to extension

with Celtics

Associated Press

BOSTON — Rajon Rondo says he has agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Celtics, keeping the star point guard from entering the market as a restricted free agent after the season.

The deal has yet to be signed but Rondo said Monday that was just a “formality.”

“That’s the biggest thing for me, take care of my family,” Rondo said. “I’m very excited.”

Talks between Rondo’s agent Bill Duffy and the Celtics became more focused last week, just before the team’s opener.

Rodriguez: We are playing too many

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan is struggling again and coach Rich Rodriguez knows it.

Michigan raised expectations by winning its first four games of the season. But it has lost four straight Big Ten games.

Rodriguez says the Wolverines are playing too many freshmen.

The Wolverines become bowl-eligible with a sixth win Saturday at home against Purdue, which has won just three times.

Beckham to return

to AC Milan

MILAN — David Beckham will return to AC Milan on loan in January after the Italian club reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer.

The England midfielder played for Milan for six months in the first half of the year. He scored two goals in 18 games and has won back his place on England’s national team.

“I need to give myself the best chance possible to make the World Cup squad and playing for Milan on loan will help me to do that,” Beckham said in a statement. “I genuinely enjoyed my time at Milan and I look forward to meeting the players and staff again.”

AC Milan and the Galaxy came to an agreement Monday after weeks of negotiations.

Chargers release WR Chambers

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Chargers have released wide receiver Chris Chambers a day after he had a key catch in a 24-16 win over the Oakland Raiders.

Coach Norv Turner said the Chargers released Chambers because of the emergence of Malcom Floyd and the need to sign a linebacker because of an injury to Tim Dobbins on Sunday.

Chambers was demoted Sunday in favor of Floyd, yet still had a big catch in the win over the Raiders, which lifted the Chargers to 4-3.

Pistons plan

to rest Hamilton

DETROIT — Richard Hamilton will miss a third straight game with a sprained right ankle Tuesday when the Detroit Pistons host the Orlando Magic.

Hamilton was injured in last week’s season-opening win at Memphis and X-rays on the ankle were negative.

He scored a team-high 25 points in the victory and the Coatesville, Pa., native has led Detroit in scoring for seven straight seasons.

Texans TE Daniels done for season

HOUSTON — Houston tight end Owen Daniels has a torn knee ligament and will have season-ending surgery to repair the injury.

Daniels, who injured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, was hurt on Houston’s second possession in Sunday’s win at Buffalo when he caught his foot in the turf. Coach Gary Kubiak said he’ll have surgery in about two weeks after swelling in the knee has gone down.

The fourth-year player has 40 receptions for 519 yards and a team-leading five touchdowns this season. He’ll be replaced by Joel Dreessen when the Texans play at Indianapolis on Sunday.

Walton won’t return

as TV analyst

BRISTOL, Conn. — Hall of Famer Bill Walton won’t return as an analyst for ESPN’s NBA coverage.

Walton said in a statement Monday that “it is time to dedicate the rest of my life to service.” He missed most of last season while recovering from back surgery. Walton calls his battle with back problems a “life-changing ordeal.”

Walton had worked for the network since the start of its NBA coverage during the 2002-03 season.

Chiefs reach

settlement with

Larry Johnson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs, apparently fearful of losing in arbitration, agreed Monday to cut Larry Johnson’s suspension in half for making gay slurs.

The agreement saved the running back about $315,000. The Chiefs issued a terse announcement saying they had made the settlement in conjunction with the NFL Management Council and the NFL Players Association. Originally, they suspended the former two-time Pro Bowler two weeks, which would have cost him about $630,000.

Capitals’ Ovechkin ‘week-to-week’ with injury

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Washington Capitals say Alex Ovechkin is “week-to-week” with an upper-body injury.

The Capitals said Monday that the two-time league MVP suffered an “upper-body strain” in Sunday’s overtime loss to Columbus.

Ovechkin had an MRI and will travel with the team while receiving treatment.

Ovechkin has missed only four games — and just two because of injury — since coming to the NHL in 2005.

Nets confirm Harris has strained groin

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A specialist has confirmed that New Jersey Nets guard Devin Harris has a strained right groin.

Harris got a second opinion in Chicago on Monday while he missed his second straight game at Charlotte. Tests showed he doesn’t have a tear or a more serious injury. It remains uncertain when Harris will return.

Harris aggravated an injury on Friday he first suffered last month in an exhibition game.

Judge approves sale of Coyotes

to NHL

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Coyotes’ bumpy six-month journey through U.S. Bankruptcy Court has come to an end with a judge’s approval of the sale of the franchise to the NHL.

Judge Redfield T. Baum signed the order on Monday after a quiet, brief hearing in a mostly empty courtroom, a stark contrast to earlier scenes of high drama featuring countless high-priced attorneys locked in often-bitter arguments.

The NHL’s bid totals about $140 million. The official figure listed in the sale order is $128.4 million, but that does not include the $11.6 million the NHL has agreed to spend to purchase claims of nearly all the unsecured creditors in the case.