Newsmakers

Agreed Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried has agreed to a four-year, $50 million contract extension. Denver had until Oct. 31 to negotiate a new contract for Faried or he would have become a restricted free agent next summer. The high-flying Faried averaged 13.7 points and 8.6 rebounds last season. Faried also was a member of the U.S. team that captured a gold medal at the Basketball World Cup last month.

Signed IndyCar drive James Hinchcliffe has signed on with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports for the 2015. The 27-year-old Canadian driver replaces Simon Pagenaud, who announced earlier that he was joining Roger Penske’s team.

• The Columbus Crew have signed forward Kei Kamara, who played his first two Major League Soccer with the Crew. He was most recently with English Football League Championship side Middlesbrough. Before that he made 193 regular-season appearances in MLS, recording 52 goals and 23 assists.

Announced Former Oregon State coach Craig Robinson, President Barack Obama’s brother-in-law, is joining ESPN as a college basketball analyst. The network said that Robinson will call games and work in the studio for college sports channel ESPNU. Robinson was fired in May after going 94-105 in six seasons with the Beavers. ESPN says that former Arkansas coach Stan Heath will also join ESPNU as a game and studio analyst.

• The family of Jules Bianchi says the Formula One driver remains in critical but stable condition. Bianchi had emergency surgery for a severe head injury on Sunday after a crash during the Japanese Grand Prix.

Diagnosed Tennis star Rafael Nadal has been diagnosed with appendicitis but has decided to play the Shanghai Masters this week after receiving antibiotics at the hospital to treat the inflammation. Nadal said he chose to try treatment with antibiotics rather than undergo surgery right away. After a few days, he said he felt well enough to begin hitting.