Newsmakers
No deal Boxer Manny Pacquiao reluctantly will look for another opponent for his next bout after promoter Bob Arum’s deadline for a deal with Floyd Mayweather Jr. passed Saturday without a word from Mayweather. In the latest improbable twist in the torturous negotiations for the most tantalizing prospective fight in boxing, Arum said Mayweather’s camp simply hasn’t responded to a contract proposal with no obvious points of contention. Pacquiao already has agreed to extensive drug testing and an equitable split of the earnings from what’s likely to be the richest fight in boxing history. Although Arum was careful not to criticize Mayweather, saying the fighter who calls himself Money could take the lucrative offer at any point in the next week or so, Arum plans to open discussions with Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto for a fight with Pacquiao in November. Pacquiao and Mayweather are their sport’s top two stars, and a meeting likely would be worth more than $40 million to each fighter.
Signed Veteran Zydrunas Ilgauskas became the third center to sign with the Miami Heat in less than 24 hours, completing a deal he agreed to in principle about five days earlier. On Friday, the Heat completed contracts with returning Miami veteran Joel Anthony and rookie draft pick Dexter Pittman. Miami is also expected to re-sign center Jamaal Magloire.
• Free agent center Brad Miller has agreed to a three-year, $15 million contract with the Houston Rockets. The 7-foot Miller averaged 8.8 points and 4.9 rebounds for Chicago last season. Miller, 34, played in Sacramento from 2003-09, including three seasons playing for current Houston coach Rick Adelman.
• Center Brad Richardson has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Los Angeles Kings, avoiding an arbitration hearing. Richardson, a restricted free agent, will make $900,000 next season. Richardson had 11 goals and 16 assists last season while playing in a career-high 81 games for the Kings.
Visiting Jets wide receiver David Clowney will be joined by new teammate Santonio Holmes on his trip to Ghana next week to help underprivileged children in the West African country. Clowney and Holmes will leave for Ghana on Monday as part of a small group that will visit a children’s hospital, schools and orphanages during the weeklong trip.