UNDATED (AP) - All-Stars LeBron James, Amare Stoudemire, Dwyane(dwayn) Wade, Chris Bosh and Dirk Nowitzki were among the availableplayers when the NBA free-agent market opened this morning.Stoudemire opted out of his contract yesterday after he failed towork out an extension with the Phoenix Suns. Joe Johnson's agentsays the four-time All-Star is meeting today with the AtlantaHawks, who are expected to do their best to keep Johnson byoffering their top scorer a maximum contract.
CLEVELAND (AP) - The Cleveland Cavaliers are in serious talkswith former New Orleans coach Byron Scott about their vacant headcoaching position. A person familiar the coaching search says theCavs haven't offered Scott the job but are moving toward anagreement with him.
TORONTO (AP) - The Chicago Blackhawks have shed another keymember of their Stanley Cup team, dealing forward Kris Versteeg(vur-STEEG') to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a five-player swap. TheLeafs also received the rights to left wing Bill Sweatt and sentforwards Viktor Stalberg, Chris DiDomenico and Philippe Paradis tothe Hawks. Versteeg had 44 points in 79 regular-season games beforeadding 14 in the postseason.
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) - Today's Wimbledon slate is highlightedby the women's semifinals, beginning with Vera Zvonareva(zvah-nah-RAY'-vah) against Tsvetana Pironkova (sveh-TAH'-nuhpih-RON'-kuh-vuh). Top seed Serena Williams faces Petra Kvitova(kih-VIT'-oh-vuh) in the second semifinal. Tomas Berdych(BUR'-dich) ended Roger Federer's string of eight straight trips tothe men's finals yesterday while joining Rafael Nadal (nah-DAHL'),Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic (NOH'-vak JOH'-kuh-vich) intomorrow's men's.
UNDATED (AP) - The Philadelphia Flyers have signed goalieMichael Leighton to a two-year deal. He stepped up during thepostseason and helped the Flyers make a surprise run to the StanleyCup finals, going 8-3 with a 2.56 goals-against average in 14playoffs games. And David Clarkson is staying with New Jersey afterthe Devils agreed to terms on a multiyear contract with the feistyforward.
