Hughes leaves Washington for chance to play with James, Cavaliers

Free agent Larry Hughes informed the Washington Wizards that he’s leaving them to join the Cleveland Cavaliers, the guard’s agent said Friday.

“I can confirm that he is committed to coming to terms with the Cleveland Cavaliers,” agent Jeff Wechsler said in a telephone interview.

“We’re still negotiating, but we’ve told Washington that he’s not coming back there,” Wechsler added.

The agent wouldn’t discuss what either team offered Hughes, but a source within the league speaking on condition of anonymity told the Associated Press that the Wizards offered Hughes about $12 million a year.

The Cavaliers, who have roughly $28 million to use on the free-agent market, have looked to sign a shooting guard to complement LeBron James and take some of the scoring load off him.

Cleveland already lost out on Ray Allen of the Seattle SuperSonics and Michael Redd of the Milwaukee Bucks, who both decided to re-sign with their current teams.

Milwaukee hires Stotts as coach

The Milwaukee Bucks hired Terry Stotts as their new head coach after growing tired of waiting for leading candidate Flip Saunders, who is apparently keeping his sights on the Pistons’ coaching job should Larry Brown leave Detroit.

The 47-year-old Stotts, whose deal includes three guaranteed years and club options for two more, replaces Terry Porter, the man who beat him out for the job two summers ago.

Kings’ Skinner has shockwave treatment

Sacramento Kings center Brian Skinner underwent a shockwave procedure to alleviate pain from plantar fasciitis in his feet.

Dr. Randall Sarte at HealthSouth Surgery Center in Sacramento performed the procedure.