Newsmakers
Rejected The Milwaukee Bucks bid goodbye to Charlie Villanueva on Monday, keeping their fiscal options open while continuing to rebuild the team during the offseason. General manager John Hammond said no qualifying offer would be tendered to Villanueva, who played the last three seasons with Milwaukee after arriving in a June 2006 trade. Hammond did not want to elaborate on the reasons for the decision. The Bucks had to make a $4.6 million qualifying offer by the Tuesday deadline if they wished to retain the 6-foot-11 forward’s rights. The 24-year-old Villanueva will become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday and will be able to sign a contract with any NBA team, beginning July 8.
Bought out The St. Louis Blues are cutting ties with Jay McKee, buying out the final year of the defenseman’s contract. The 31-year-old McKee signed a four-year, $16-million free agent contract in 2006 and was due $4 million for next season. The Blues are responsible for two-thirds ($2.64 million) of McKee’s salary, which will be spread out the next two seasons.
Signed The Carolina Hurricanes are keeping Jussi Jokinen, agreeing to a two-year deal with one of the stars of their recent playoff run. The team said Monday that Jokinen’s new contract will pay him $1.5 million next season and $1.9 million in 2010-11. Jokinen could have become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday.
Retained The Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed forwards Bill Guerin and Craig Adams. Guerin, a 38-year-old forward who helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup this month, would have become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday. He signed a one-year deal. Adams, a fourth-line forward, agreed to a $1.1 million, two-year contract.
Offline Serena Williams has nearly half a million of followers on Twitter, but her sister Venus isn’t one of them. Serena joked Monday that Venus might be too much of an elitist to spend time on social networking online. “She’s really artsy and into smart things,” Serena said. Venus says she’s going to start a Twitter page soon, though, but isn’t holding up hopes of matching Serena’s tech savvy.