Lakers Trade Forward Jones to the Bobcats

The small forward position, a Laker log jam for the better part of a year, was thinned Wednesday with the trade of Jumaine Jones to the Charlotte Bobcats for a second-round draft pick in 2007.

Jones, 26, acquired before last season from the Boston Celtics as part of the Gary Payton trade, averaged 7.6 points last season and was one of the team’s most accurate three-point shooters, making 102 of 261 attempts (39.1%).

But he averaged only 2.2 points in five exhibition games and did not appear to be a snug fit in the triangle offense.

The Lakers have Kobe Bryant, Devean George and Luke Walton at small forward, although Walton could end up at shooting guard when he returns from a hamstring injury in about four weeks.

With Jones’ contract off the books, Devin Green, a 6-foot-7 guard from Hampton who went undrafted, could make the team. Green does not have a contract, but he has averaged 4.5 points and 15.7 minutes in exhibition games, and has shown quickness on defense along with a willingness to penetrate on offense.

The fourth-leading scorer in Hampton history, Green, 23, has made the adjustment faster than expected after competing in the lightly regarded Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference the last four seasons.

The Lakers will get the Bobcats’ second-round pick in two years unless Charlotte has one of the five best records in the NBA this season. If that happens, the pick goes to the Phoenix Suns and the Lakers would get Charlotte’s second-round pick in 2008.

-- Mike Bresnahan

*

Sheryl Swoopes of the WNBA’s Houston Comets disclosed that she is gay and in a committed relationship.

Swoopes said she lives with her partner, former Comet assistant coach Alisa Scott.

Swoopes, the only WNBA player to be selected most valuable player three times, said she never had feelings for a woman before Scott and didn’t understand them when they began. But in the seven years since, she said she has been “hurting” while hiding her relationship.

“I feel like I’ve been living a lie,” she said. “I’m at a place in my life right now where I’m very happy, very content. I’m finally OK with the idea of who I love, who I want to be with.”

Chicago Bull guard Chris Duhon was taken to a hospital after crashing to the court under the basket in the first quarter of an exhibition game against Minnesota and was being examined for a concussion.

Minnesota forward Kevin Garnett sat out an exhibition game against Chicago because of a sprained left ankle.

Allen Iverson will not play in the Philadelphia 76ers’ exhibition finale tonight in San Antonio because of soreness in his right knee.

Forward Tracy McGrady sat out the Houston Rockets’ exhibition game against the Utah Jazz because of tendinitis in the knees.

The New Orleans Hornets traded center Jamaal Magloire to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for forward Desmond Mason, an unconditional first-round pick in the 2006 draft and cash.

Miami Heat owner Micky Arison was elected chairman of the NBA’s Board of Governors.

*

OLYMPICS

Krzyzewski Is Selected U.S. National Coach

Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski was officially selected coach of the U.S. national teams that will compete at the 2006 world championships and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

The USA team is regrouping from a sixth-place finish at the 2002 world championships and a bronze-medal performance at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Erin Mirabella said she is ready to give back the cycling bronze medal she won after a Colombian athlete was disqualified at the Athens Games.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled last week that Maria Luisa Calle should be reinstated as the bronze medalist in the track points race. She was disqualified after testing positive for a banned stimulant, but that result was found to be erroneous.

*

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Reprimand for DeBerry, Who Will Keep His Job

Air Force Coach Fisher DeBerry was reprimanded, but not fired, for statements he made about African American athletes and recruiting.

DeBerry, 67, whose team is 3-5, issued an apology at a news conference.

“I realize the things I said might have been hurtful to many people and I want everyone to understand that I never intended to offend anyone,” DeBerry said.

*

TENNIS

Henman Is Upset at Swiss Indoors

Tim Henman lost to British teenager Andy Murray, 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (4), in the opening round of the Swiss Indoors at Basel.

Former champions Guillermo Coria and David Nalbandian, both from Argentina, advanced in straight sets. Top-seeded Coria beat Alberto Martin of Spain, 6-2, 6-4, and second-seeded Nalbandian defeated Ivo Karlovic of Croatia, 6-3, 7-6 (4).

Vince Spadea upset fourth-seeded Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia, 7-6 (5), 7-5, and eighth-seeded Robby Ginepri retired because of an illness, eliminating two more seeded players from the Lyon Grand Prix in France.

Ginepri retired in the first set after trailing, 5-2, to Paul-Henri Mathieu of France. Seventh-seeded Mario Ancic of Croatia advanced, beating Thomas Enqvist of Sweden, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Top-seeded Kim Clijsters of Belgium reached the second round of the Gaz de France Stars by beating Ekaterina Bychkova of Russia, 6-1, 6-3, at Hasselt, Belgium.

Clijsters advanced to meet Karolina Sprem of Croatia, who defeated Olga Savchuk of Ukraine, 6-1, 6-1.

Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic defeated second-seeded Elena Dementieva of Russia, 6-3, 7-5, to advance to the quarterfinals of the Generali Ladies Open at Linz, Austria.

Ai Sugiyama of Japan upset fifth-seeded Elena Likhovtseva of Russia, 6-1, 4-6, 7-5, to advance to the second round.

Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia defeated Lukas Dlouhy of the Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-1, in the first round of the St. Petersburg Open in Russia.

In a second-round match, fifth-seeded Nicolas Kiefer of Germany beat Jurgen Melzer of Austria for the fifth time in a row, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Top-ranked Roger Federer of Switzerland and defending champion Marat Safin of Russia have withdrawn from the Paris Masters because of injury. The tournament is scheduled to begin Monday.

*

BASEBALL

Cashman Is Set to Return to Yankees

New York Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman decided to stay with the only team he has worked for, accepting a three-year contract worth more than $5 million.

Cashman’s current contract expires Monday, and the Yankees cannot announce the new deal until after the World Series, a baseball official said.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because Commissioner Bud Selig prohibits teams from making major announcements during the World Series. The deal with Cashman has not been finalized, the official added.

*

MISCELLANY

Crenshaw Player, Coach Suspended

A football player from Los Angeles Crenshaw High, along with an assistant coach, have been suspended from participating in the Cougars’ Coliseum League game Friday against L.A. Jefferson for their conduct in a taunting incident at the end of the Cougars’ victory over L.A. Dorsey on Friday, City Section Commissioner Barbara Fiege said.

Fiege refused to identify those being punished. This is the second taunting incident involving Crenshaw in the last two seasons. Last year, the Cougars taunted Venice after a playoff victory.

“Crenhaw has been duly warned, and I believe their new principal won’t stand for any additional outbreaks such as this,” Fiege said.

Former Manchester United standout George Best’s health has deteriorated dramatically, his former wife Alex said, renewing fears that he was near death three years after undergoing a liver transplant.

Best, 59, known for a hard-drinking lifestyle, has been hospitalized for three weeks because of reactions to a medication.

Formula One officials approved a new qualifying format for next season and authorized the reintroduction of tire changes.

The governing body also approved their 2006 schedule, with the season-opening race March 12 in Bahrain. The final race is Oct. 22 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Under the new format approved by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council, qualifying in 2006 will be held in three phases. The five slowest cars will drop out after the first 15 minutes, and five more will depart after the next 15. The remaining cars will compete in a 20-minute session for the top spots on the grid.