O’Neal signs two-year deal with Celtics

Basketball: The Big Three of the Boston Celtics are now a Very Big Four.

The Eastern Conference champions signed 7-foot-1, 325-pound Shaquille O’Neal on Wednesday, adding the 15-time All-Star to a team needing his size with center Kendrick Perkins recovering from knee surgery that could sideline him until February.

The deal with the free agent center is for two years and about $3 million, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said on condition of anonymity.

O’Neal joins the other three big names – Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen – on a team that went to the seventh game of the NBA finals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers. Since then, Boston signed center-forward Jermaine O’Neal.

• Wallace re-ups with Pistons: The Detroit Pistons have re-signed center Ben Wallace to a two-year contract worth $1.9 million per season.

Wallace, 35, averaged 5.5 points, a team-high 8.7 rebounds and team-best 1.2 blocks last season.

• Rockets, Nets will play in China: The Houston Rockets will play two exhibition games in China against the New Jersey Nets, giving Yao Ming a chance to return to his home country.

The NBA announced that the teams would play Oct. 13 in Beijing at the Wukesong Arena and Oct. 16 at the Guangzhou International Sports Arena.

• Lopez pulls out: New Jersey center Brook Lopez, struggling to recover from a bout with mono, has withdrawn from the U.S. national team and will be replaced by Washington’s JaVale McGee.

• Pitino case in jury’s hands: A Louisville, Ky., jury deliberated for nearly two hours, but went home without reaching a decision in the case of a Kentucky woman accused of demanding millions from Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino to keep quiet about their sexual tryst.

Karen Cunagin Sypher, 50, has pleaded not guilty to extortion and other charges.

Miscellany: Notre Dame and Texas are “very close” to finalizing a four-game series for future games, sources told the Chicago Tribune. The series could begin in 2015.

The Irish and Longhorns have met 10 times before – three times in the Cotton Bowl between 1969 and 1977. Notre Dame has won 8 of the 10.

• Phelps wins 200 free: Michael Phelps won the 200-meter freestyle at the U.S. national championships in Irvine, Calif., with the fastest time in the world this year.

He also won the 200 butterfly.

World recordholder Aaron Peirsol was upset in the 100 backstroke, narrowly losing to David Plummer, who won the first national title of his career.

Montero honored: Seattle Sounders forward Fredy Montero has been named Major League Soccer’s player of the month for July.

He scored two goals and had three assists in five July games. Seattle went 3-1-1 in that span.

• Schniederjans has early lead: Oliver Schniederjans shot a second-round 3-under 69 and leads the 35th U.S. Junior PGA Championship in Fort Wayne, Ind., by three strokes going into the final round.

• Boating mishap sidelines Allenby: Golfer Robert Allenby will miss the Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA Championship next week after he slipped on his boat while fishing and tore ligaments in his right knee.