In brief: DeAndre Jordan, Clippers excited for future
NBA: DeAndre Jordan thought the Dallas Mavericks offered everything he wanted, including a fresh start and a starring role.
Then Jordan thought about it some more, and the craziest free-agent recruitment story in recent NBA history ended with him back on the Los Angeles Clippers.
“When free agency started, this whole fiasco was not my intent,” Jordan said Tuesday.
Jordan celebrated his 27th birthday at Staples Center with the Clippers, proudly holding up the revamped version of his familiar No. 6 jersey alongside fellow returnee Austin Rivers and new teammates Paul Pierce, Josh Smith, Wesley Johnson, Cole Aldrich and Branden Dawson.
Yet Jordan realizes he nearly derailed the Clippers’ title hopes and definitely disrupted Dallas’ retooling plans by backing out of his verbal commitment. The two-time NBA rebounding champion changed his mind after days of existential angst and a frantic trip to Houston by the Clippers’ leaders to sit out the final hours of the signing moratorium together.
Jordan knows he picked an awfully weird way to stick with the same team, but he regretted the decision to join the Mavs shortly after making it.
“I really thought about being on one team for my entire career,” said Jordan, who agreed to a four-year, $87.6 million deal to return. “That was really important to me. I’ve been here, and the past few seasons I’ve had have been pretty successful. I also feel like personally, I know the city. I know the fans. I’m used to the city of L.A., and I love it here.”
• Kings grab Curry: A person with knowledge of the deal says the Sacramento Kings and guard Seth Curry have agreed to a two-year, $2 million contract.
Curry, the brother of NBA MVP and Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, shined with the New Orleans Pelicans’ team in the recently concluded Las Vegas summer league.
• Cavaliers add Jefferson: A person familiar with the negotiations says the Cavaliers and free agent forward Richard Jefferson have agreed to terms on a one-year contract for next season.
Jefferson averaged 5.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in 17 minutes per game for the Mavericks. He shot a team-leading 43 percent from 3-point range. Jefferson was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2001 draft by Houston.
• Perkins to New Orleans: Two people familiar with the negotiations say free-agent center Kendrick Perkins has agreed to a one-year contract with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Perkins holds career averages of 5.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.
• Dudley to miss time: The Washington Wizards say forward Jared Dudley will be sidelined for three to four months following lower back surgery.
Dudley had a herniated disk repaired, less than two weeks after he was acquired in a trade with Milwaukee. He averaged 7.2 points and 3.1 rebounds in 72 games with the Bucks last season.
• Pacers to wear “Hoosiers” uniforms: The Hickory Huskers are coming to the NBA next season.
The Indiana Pacers will celebrate the upcoming 30th anniversary of “Hoosiers” by wearing the maroon and gold uniforms, made famous by Jimmy Chitwood and the Huskers in the beloved film, in select 2015-16 games.
Storm fall to red-hot Liberty
WNBA: Tina Charles scored a season-high 30 points to help the New York Liberty beat the Seattle Storm 81-77 in Seattle for their fourth straight win.
New York (11-5) is off to its best start since going 16-5 in 2001.
Tanisha Wright added 12 points for New York, including a fast-break layup with 36 seconds left for a three-point lead. Swin Cash scored six points to move past Sheryl Swoopes for 14th place on the league’s all-time scoring list.
Sue Bird and Ramu Tokashiki scored 14 points apiece for Seattle (5-13), which lost to New York for a fifth straight time. Seattle begins a six-game road trip after the All-Star break, returning to the KeyArena on August 14.
Seattle fell behind 26-13 after the first quarter, hitting just 28 percent (4 of 15) from the field. But the Storm outscored the Liberty 32-14 in the second, closing on a 10-2 run with 3-pointers by Bird and Alysha Clark, for a 45-40 lead.
• Bird an All-Star: Seattle’s Sue Bird will be playing in her ninth WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday as a Western Conference reserve.
Bird will be joined by Tulsa’s Plenette Pierson, who will be playing in her first All-Star contest. The 12-year veteran is one of seven players competing in their first All-Star Game.
• Parker to rejoin Sparks: Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker will rejoin the team after the All-Star break this weekend.
The two-time MVP said before the season she would miss an undetermined number of games to get 100 percent healthy. She’s played her entire career with Los Angeles since being taken with the No. 1 pick in 2008.
UAB football cleared to return
College football: UAB football can take the field again in 2017 and remain an FBS program.
Athletic director Mark Ingram said that rifle will return in the upcoming season, while bowling will compete in 2016-17 and football in two years. UAB dropped all three sports in December to cut costs and announced six months later they would be reinstated.
The NCAA won’t subject UAB to FBS requirements for three academic years beginning with 2015-16.
The Blazers would be eligible immediately for postseason play and a Conference USA title.
• ACC media picks Clemson: Clemson has been picked to win the Atlantic Coast Conference and sophomore quarterback Deshaun Watson is the league’s preseason player of the year.
The Tigers and Georgia Tech were the preseason picks to win their divisions following a vote of 158 media members attending the league’s media days.
Williams upset in Istanbul
Tennis: Top-seeded Venus Williams was eliminated from the first round of the Istanbul Cup in a 6-4, 7-6 (4) upset by Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko.
In other matches, Urszula Radwanska of Poland upset third-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 and fourth-seeded Alize Cornet of France beat Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium 6-3, 7-5.