The reinforcements are coming for Boston. We told you about reports that injured Red Sox centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and righthander Clay Buchholz are expected to be activated this weekend. Now comes word from ESPN.com’s Buster Olney that leftfielder Carl Crawford will make his return on Monday, against the Chicago White Sox, allowing Boston to field its projected starting outfield (Crawford, Ellsbury and rightfielder Cody Ross) for the first time this season.

Looks like Carl Crawford will be back on the BOS roster when the Red Sox play the White Sox on July 16.—
Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 11, 2012

Crawford, who signed a seven-year, $142 million free-agent deal before the 2011 season and then had his worst campaign as a pro, originally was sidelined with a wrist problem, but while rehabbing that injury he developed an elbow issue and then tweaked a groin. (Full details here.)

Olney says Crawford’s return does not necessarily mean all is well.

Whether or not Crawford has Tommy John surgery sometime this season will be determined based on how he feels and plays.—
Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 11, 2012

If that happens, Crawford might be out for a season or more.

ESPNDallas.com’s Tim MacMahon reports that the Dallas Mavericks will use the amnesty provision on center Brendan Haywood, wiping the remaining three years and $27 million of his contract off their books.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Mavs signed free agent center Chris Kaman to a one-year, $8 million contract to be their starting pivot.

Collegue Jeff Caplan has more details on the Haywood amnesty in this series of tweets, which includes word that Dallas might pursue a former All-Star using the money saved:

With Chris Kaman in and Brendan Haywood out, the amnesty move allows the Mavs to make a strong bid on Elton Brand.—
Jeff Caplan (@ESPN_Caplan) July 11, 2012

Haywood has 4 years left on his deal, but the last year at $10+M is fully non-guaranteed, really 3 years, $27.2 M Haywood still gets.—
Jeff Caplan (@ESPN_Caplan) July 11, 2012

Haywood's full $8.3 million salary this season is wiped off the Mavs' books.—
Jeff Caplan (@ESPN_Caplan) July 11, 2012

Virginia announced that quarterback Phillip Sims, who transferred from Alabama back to his home state at the beginning of May, was granted a waiver by the NCAA that will allow him to play this fall, rather than sit out the customary year as a transfer.

Sims was rated the top QB in the class of 2010 by some scouting services but was unable to beat out A.J. McCarron for the Tide’s starting job. After McCarron led Alabama to the national title last fall, it became highly unlikely that Sims would see meaningful playing time in Tuscaloosa until his senior season.

Sims, who will have to unseat junior starter Michael Rocco, will have three years of eligibility remaining in Charlottesville.

He was a high school teammate of Cavaliers running back Perry Jones and wide receiver Tim Scott, and his younger brother Zack has committed to UVa as a wide receiver in the class of 2013.

The Portland Trail Blazers have pledged to match the reported four-year, $45 million offer sheet that the Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to with free-agent forward Nicolas Batum.

A league source tells ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher that the two sides are discussing a sign-and-trade deal for Batum that would grant him his desire to play in Minneapolis and give Portland something in return. The Blazers would get two first-round picks and a veteran small forward (presumably to replace Batum in their starting lineup) from a third team.

If the deal cannot be worked out Wednesday night, the source said, Minnesota would officially sign Batum to the offer sheet and wait to see if Portland indeed matches.

Brook Lopez’s max deal with the Brooklyn Nets means the Dwight Howard pursuit is over … for now. (Brian Babineau/NBA/Getty Images)

The Brooklyn Nets have reached a four-year, $60.8 million deal with center Brook Lopez, according to multiple reports.

The Charlotte Bobcats were also reportedly in pursuit of Lopez.

Lopez, who has been one of the players mentioned in a possible Dwight Howard trade, is expected to sign the deal tonight. The earliest that Lopez can be traded is Jan. 15.

Lopez broke his right foot and missed the first 32 games of the season. He played only five games in the lockout-shortened season before the Nets shut him down after he twisted his ankle.

Deal is $60.8M/4 yrs. Bobcats had committed to offer sheet; Nets gave Lopez similar contract to avoid having to match. Same as Indy/Hibbert.—
David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) July 11, 2012

The Dallas Mavericks are poised to sign free-agent center Chris Kaman. (Layne Murdoch/NBA/Getty Images)

The Dallas Mavericks are ready to sign free-agent center Chris Kaman, according to ESPN.com. Neither the length of the deal or financial terms have been released.

Kaman, a nine-year veteran, reportedly received interest from the Utah Jazz, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs and Sacramento Kings.

Kaman averaged 13.1 points and 7.7 rebounds in 47 games last season for the New Orleans Hornets.

Kaman and new teammate Dirk Nowitzki also teamed up on the German national team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

RT @ESPNSteinLine: Mavs on verge of signing All-Star C Chris Kaman. Deal to be finalized later Wednesday (FORMER ALL-STAR OBVIOUSLY)—
Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 11, 2012

Mavericks have agreed in principle to sign center Chris Kaman, a source tells Yahoo! Sports.—
Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) July 11, 2012

Partnering up with @swish41 and heading to the Mavs……..—
Chris Kaman (@ChrisKaman) July 11, 2012

In this economy, fans are trying to find ways to find cheap tickets so they could see their favorite teams play.  If you are fan of soccer powerhouse Real Madrid, get ready to pay big bucks to watch the team do jumping jacks, run around and bounce the ball off of their head.

Real Madrid will hold an open training session at UCLA on August 4th and they are charging fans up to $382 for a VIP pass. The cheapest ticket is $85. The training session is in preparation of four friendly matches against the United States.

Here are some of the “amenities” that come with the ticket prices:

In addition to giving you a seat in a covered area, the VIP pass includes the opportunity to meet Real Madrid players after training and be photographed with the Casillas, Ronaldo and co. The lucky VIP will also enjoy a continental breakfast at the training facilities chosen by Madrid.

The training session last year at UCLA was closed to the public.

The Washington Wizards still haven’t decided the fate of forward Andray Blatche. (Layne Murdoch/NBA/Getty Images)

The Washington Wizards are still undecided on whether to use the amnesty clause on forward Andray Blatche, according to TNT’s David Aldridge. 

The Wizards have several options with Blatche. They could use the amnesty or trade him immediately. The amnesty clause would remove the remaining $23 million the Wizards owe Blatche from its salary cap.

Blatche, in his seventh season, only played in 26 games last season, averaging 8.5 points and 5.8 rebounds.  The Wizards removed Blatche from the team during the latter part of the season due to a lack of conditioning.

Teams who decide to use the amnesty provision are only allowed to use it once during the life of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Seven teams (Orlando, New York, Golden State, Cleveland, Brooklyn, Portland and Indiana) have used theirs already.

Equestrian Karen O’Connor, 54, will be the oldest American athlete at the London Olympics. For the first time in history, the U.S. will send more female athletes than males. (Julian Herbert/Getty Images)

For the first time in history, the United States Olympic team will send more female athletes than male athletes to the Olympic Games, according to the U.S. Olympic Committee.

For the London Olympics, 530 athletes will compete for medals: 269 are female and 261 are male.

“The United States of America will be represented at the Olympic Games in London by 530 of our country’s finest individuals. They are our nation’s greatest athletes and embody what it means to be American,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “I’m also proud that for the first time in history, the U.S. Olympic Team features more women than men – a true testament to the impact of Title IX, which in its 40-year history has increased sport opportunities for millions of females across the United States.”

The oldest American athlete is 54-year-old equestrian Karen O’Connor, the youngest 15-year-old swimmer Katie Ledecky.

The United States will have an athlete in 38 different Olympic disciplines (25 out of 26 events/sports) meaning 246 out of 302 medal events will include an American.

The Orlando Magic have called off all trade talks for Dwight Howard and will instead shift the team’s focus to finding a coach, according to a tweet late Wednesday afternoon from Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.com.

Magic general manager Rob Hennigan told Dwight Howard on Wednesday that the team tried to make a deal but none of the offers were good enough, reported Jarrod Rudolph of Iamagm.com.

The Nets are reportedly finalizing a contract to sign Brook Lopez to a four-year, $58 million deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

Regarding the Magic’s coaching search, Rudolph reported that Lindsey Hunter, Brian Shaw, Michael Malone and Jeff Hornacek are on the short list of candidates to join the team as head coach next season.

The Magic informed Dwight Howard that they are suspending trade talks, according to source. Orlando will now focus on their coaching search.—
Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) July 11, 2012

Sources: Lindsey Hunter along with Brian Shaw, Michael Malone and Jeff Hornacek are believed to be on the Magic's short list of candidates,—
Jarrod N Rudolph (@JRudolphSports) July 11, 2012

Ravens tackle Bryant McKinnie says reports that he was 400 pounds while playing with the Vikings are exaggerated. (Larry French/Getty Images)

Every offensive lineman in the National Football League tips the scales at well over 300 pounds. Ravens offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie was at 386 pounds when he played for the Vikings last season, according to The Baltimore Sun. 

That prompted the Vikings to release McKinnie last summer after there were reports that he was over 400 pounds.

“I never was,” McKinnie said. “That was exaggerated by the Vikings. [The Ravens wanted me] to be able to still have that conditioning to get through that fourth quarter, still play at a high level in the fourth quarter as well.”

McKinnie, now in his 11th season, reportedly showed up to the Ravens camp at 360, and has shed 10 more pounds since then.

“Once you just be consistent and keep doing it, you start feeling better and better each day every time you go out and do it,” McKinnie said. “Add in the healthy meals and stuff, it definitely makes it a lot better because you’re putting good fuel into your body.”

The Golden State Warriors will receive New Orleans Hornets point guard Jarret Jack as part of the trade that sent the Warriors’ Dorell Wright to the Philadelphia 76ers, according to a tweet Wednesday afternoon from Marc Stein of ESPN.com.

The Sixers’ trade for Wright was reported on July 10, with the Warriors receiving Edin Bavcic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in return. Now, according to Stein, Bavcic is headed to New Orleans.

Jack made $5 million with the Hornets last year in what was considered to be the best season of his career, averaging 15.6 points and 6.3 assists in 34 minutes per game.

Wright made $3.8 million with the Warriors last season. His trade was initially seen as a way for the Warriors to clear up cap space, but it’s not clear whether that is the case anymore if the Warriors keep Jack for next season.

Warriors to get Jarrett Jack & Hornets only have to take back draft rights to Edin Bavcic (originally Philly-bound) to complete the trade—
Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 11, 2012

Florida State Greg Reid was arrested on marijuana charges in Georgia. Last season, he was suspended for a game for violation of team rules. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Florida State cornerback and kick returner Greg Reid was arrested last night in Georgia and was charged with driving with a suspended license and possession of marijuana, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Reid was released on bond.

This is not Reid’s first go-around with law enforcement. Reid was arrested last September with resisting arrest and accused of lying to police. Those charges were later dropped by the state attorney. The Seminoles also slapped Reid with a one-game suspension last season for violating team rules.

During that season, Reid averaged 11.2 yards per punt return with a touchdown, had 32 tackles, two interceptions, and broke up five passes.

Ronaldinho lost his $750,000 Coke sponsorship for drinking a can of Pepsi at a press conference (Vanderlei Almeida/Getty Images)

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, better known as Ronaldinho, cost himself a Coke sponsorship worth $750,000 for drinking a can of Pepsi at a recent press conference, according to Yahoo! Sports:

Ronaldinho stunned Coke chiefs by turning up at a press conference and sipping nonchalantly from a can of their arch-rivals’ fizzy pop. Furious bosses at the Atlanta-based firm immediately demanded that the plug be pulled on his huge endorsement deal, according to a report in the ‘O Estado de Sao Paulo’ newspaper.

“The fact that the player has appeared with a can of Pepsi was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Coca Cola marketing chief Marcelo Pontes told the paper. “The sponsorship had become embarrassing.”

The press conference was held to promote his new team, Atletico Mineiro, which Pepsi sponsors, according to The Atlanta Journal Constitution. The Coke sponsorship with Ronaldinho was supposed to run through 2014.

Jordan Farmar is leaving the NBA for a three year, $10.5 deal to play in Turkey. (Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images)

Jordan Farmar, who won two rings with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010, will reportedly be bought out from the Atlanta Hawks today and sign a three year, $10.5 million contract with Turkish team Anadolu Efes, according to Colin Stephenson of The Star-Ledger:

“For me, it’s great,” Farmar said of his offer from Efes.

The Turkish club also would provide perks, like a place to live and a car for Farmar and his wife. Farmar is planning on getting married July 28.

Farmar, who played in Israel last summer, plans to go to Istanbul as soon as he clears NBA waivers.

He was an integral part of the Lakers team from 2006 to 2010, but had his best season statistically last season with the Nets, averaging 10.4 points and 3.3 assists in 21 minutes per game. He also had career highs in shooting last season, going 47-percent from the field and 44-percent from beyond the three-point arc.

Michael Vick launched a clothing line on Wednesday and will donate profits to the Boys & Girls Club of America. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Michael Vick launched a clothing line, V7, on Wednesday which includes shorts imprinted with “Vicktory” and he will donate part of his profits to the Boys & Girls Club of America, according to Elizabeth Wellington of  the Philadelphia Inquirer:

“V7 has been a dream of mine since I began playing sports,” Vick said in a text message. “I think every kid dreams of having his own shoe or clothing line.”

Among the shorts and shirts sold under the V7 label is a line of T-shirts with the quote, “It’s not how you start, but how you finish,” which Wellington openly asks, could it be Vick’s “motto for his career?”

Notably absent from the colors featured on the clothes launched by the Eagles quarterback is green.

The clothes will be sold exclusively at 20 Modell’s stores throughout Philadelphia and another 10 Modell’s through the country. The report also says that Vick is looking into launching a line of women’s clothes, which could debut as early as Fall 2012.

The Brooklyn Nets have found a veteran presence to help the team deal with its roster upheaval this offseason. The team agreed to a one-year deal with 37-year-old Jerry Stackhouse, reports ESPN’s Chad Ford.

Just going up on ESPN: Sources: The Nets reached a verbal commitment with Jerry Stackhouse on a 1-year deal worth $1.3M

—
Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) July 11, 2012

Stackhouse averaged 3.6 points in 30 games with the Atlanta Hawks last season.

Brooklyn is looking for cheap players to fill out its bench. The team gave up five players in a trade for Joe Johnson. If the Nets can complete a deal for Orlando’s Dwight Howard, they will likely be giving up more role players.

Stackhouse can play limited minutes and help guide the younger players as Brooklyn’s roster comes together.

The Chicago Bulls are looking to trade sharp-shooting guard Kyle Korver, possibly to the Atlanta Hawks or Minnesota Timberwolves, according to multiple reports.

The Chicago Tribune‘s K.C. Johnson reports that the Bulls would save money by trading Korver.

If Bulls trade Korver, which is likely, they aren't on hook for $500,000 partial guarantee of his $5 million option.

—
K.C Johnson (@KCJHoop) July 11, 2012

The Chicago Sun-Times‘ Neil Hayes also reported that the Bulls were looking to potentially deal Korver, with Atlanta or Minnesota as the most likely trade destinations.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution‘s Michael Cunningham reported on Twitter that it appeared likely Korver would end up in Minnesota.

Source says #Hawks had interest in #Bulls F Kyle Korver but he's likely headed to Minnesota in trade

—
Michael Cunningham (@ajchawks) July 11, 2012

The Bulls have until Sunday to exercise Korver’s $5 million option for next season. The team has already agreed to terms with Kirk Hinrich, who could fill Korver’s role as a shooter off the bench.

The Bulls also may be looking to match the Houston Rockets’ offer sheet to center Omer Asik. The salary cap ramifications of the backloaded three-year, $25 million offer to Asik could play into Chicago’s decisions about other role players.

Kevin Durant said it bothers him that he has to see LeBron James everyday, and James knows it. (Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images)

Ray Allen left the Celtics for the Heat a month after Miami beat Boston in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and now Kevin Durant is irked that he has to play with LeBron James in the Olympics less than a month after losing to the Heat in the NBA Finals.

Speaking to the Associated Press on Tuesday, Durant said it bothers him that he has to see James everyday as the U.S. Olympic basketball team readies for games this summer in London:

“It does. It does, but what can I do?” Durant said Tuesday. “He’s my teammate now. I’m a team player. I can’t let that affect this. This is bigger than that. It’s tough to lose in the Finals and play the guy you’ve been going up against for five games who beat you.”

Though Durant said he’s moving on, James said he knows it bothers Durant:

“It bothers him,” James said. “I bet it bothers him and (Russell) Westbrook, you know, they probably don’t want to hear about it. It would bother me, it would bother anyone that you lose to someone in the finals, where everyone’s competing at the highest level and you want to win and then you have to team up with them not too long, not too far removed from the games.

James called his Finals rivalry with Durant “one of the most profiled matchups in league history.”

Kobe Bryant said he’s not sure if he could do what Durant is doing every day now going up against James. Bryant’s Lakers lost to the Celtics in 2008 but Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett weren’t on the 2008 Olympic Squad with Bryant:

“But then again, I wasn’t playing on the Olympic team with, you know, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce and Garnett,” Bryant said. “He’s got to look at LeBron every day. I didn’t have to do that. So I don’t know if I could do that. I’d probably be trying to destroy him every single day in practice to try to, I don’t know, take a little of the edge off maybe.”

Triple Crown Contender I’ll Have Another battled injuries in the lead up to the Belmont Stakes. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

I’ll Have Another, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner who scratched from the Belmont Stakes and a chance at the Triple Crown on the day before the race, had a history of injuries that was not disclosed to the public when the horse withdrew from the Belmont, reports The New York Times‘ Joe Drape and Walt Bogdanich.

Drape and Bogdanich, using veterinary records, found that I’ll Have Another had X-rays on his front legs only four days after the Preakness and that those X-rays determined the horse had osteoarthritis. The reporters also found that I’ll Have Another had received powerful pain killers and synthetic joint fluid (both of which are legal).

The report would seem to contradict comments made in the immediate aftermath of I’ll Have Another’s withdrawal on the eve of the Belmont. At the time, the horse’s trainer, Doug O’Neill, said that it was a “freakish thing,” and the injury was called a swollen left foot tendon.

“He galloped great yesterday, and then in the afternoon, he had a little bit of swelling in his left front leg,” O’Neill said the day before the Belmont. “This morning, he looked perfect. I took him out and just did a little something with him. After training, that swelling came back.”

O’Neill told Drape and Bogdanich that the horse was in good shape leading into the race and that he was not aware of the osteoarthritis diagnosis.

“I X-ray them routinely,” O’Neill said. “We were coming up to the biggest race of his life, and I wanted to make sure that he was perfect.”

…“He was sound,” O’Neill said of I’ll Have Another. “He had legs of iron or wouldn’t have been able to do what he did.”

I’ll Have Another was recently sold to a farm in Japan for $10 million.

The Brooklyn Nets will end their attempt to acquire Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard today, whether they are successful in completing a trade or not, ESPN’s Ric Bucher and Chad Ford report on Twitter.

Source: Nets will "resolve" their pursuit of DH today; either get him or move on.

—
Ric Bucher (@RicBucher) July 11, 2012

Following up on @RicBucher report: Nets have told Magic if there's a Dwight Howard deal, must be done by end of business day

—
Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) July 11, 2012

The Nets have been considered favorites to land Howard for much of the past year, but the teams have never been able to close the deal.

In the past week alone, reports on a potential trade between the two sides have often conflicted. At one point Monday, the Nets were said to be “close” to acquiring Howard in a four-team deal. Then, the Cavaliers reportedly dropped out of the trade, reopening the process.

More recently, reports that the Rockets and Lakers were again involved in discussions to trade for Howard have made Brooklyn’s chances look worse.

Ford reports the Nets are concerned that free agent center Brook Lopez, who would be the centerpiece of their package for Howard, will sign an offer sheet with another team.

Lopez's agent pushing Nets to either sign Lopez for themselves or do a sign-and-trade by end of the day.

—
Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) July 11, 2012

Nets fearful of an offer sheet for Lopez from another team if they don't act by end of day. Offer sheet would kill sign-and-trade anyway

—
Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) July 11, 2012

Kansas City Royals fans booed New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano repeatedly during the All-Star Game festivities because Cano failed to select hometown favorite Billy Butler to participate in the Home Run Derby.

The reaction didn’t bother Cano. But he was troubled by the way his family was also targeted, reports FoxSports.com’s Jon Paul Morosi.

“The only thing I didn’t like was the way they treated my family when they went to the restroom,” Cano said. “Hopefully it stops here and (doesn’t) go forward.”

…“They were yelling stuff to my family, which I don’t see (as) the right thing. This is a game. We’re All-Stars. If I get booed, I don’t really care. But stuff with your family, that’s crossing the line.”

Kansas City fans will have some time to get over their anger at Cano. The Yankees won’t play in Kansas City again until next season.

Because of the reaction Cano received, Major League Baseball could implement a new rule requiring a player on the host city’s team to be selected for the Derby. Prince Fielder received a negative reaction at last year’s game in Arizona for failing to pick the Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton for the Derby.

The Atlanta Hawks will buy out the contract of Jordan Farmar, who will then go play in Europe. (Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images)

Point guard Jordan Farmar, who the Brooklyn Nets last week agreed to send to the Atlanta Hawks as part of their deal for Joe Johnson, will sign with a European club after being bought out by Atlanta, reports The Star-Ledger‘s Colin Stephenson.

Farmar exercised his $4.25 million option to stay with the Nets two days before being dealt to Atlanta, Stephenson reports. After the trade was announced, Farmar asked to be bought out, and the Hawks agreed. Farmar will receive $1.5 million in the buyout.

The 25-year-old will then sign a three-year contract believed to worth $10.5 million with Anadolu Efes, an Istanbul-based team, Stephenson reports. Farmar has some experience playing overseas: He played in Israel during the NBA lockout.

Farmar averaged a career-best 10.4 points in 39 NBA games last year. He started his career with the Los Angeles Lakers and played the last two seasons with the Nets.

The Grizzlies will sign guard Jerryd Bayless, right, to help replace the production of O.J. Mayo, left. (Joe Murphy/Getty Images)

The Memphis Grizzlies have reached a deal with free agent guard Jerryd Bayless, reports ESPN’s Marc Stein.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports the contract is for two seasons.

Bayless can help replace the production of guard O.J. Mayo, who is expected to leave Memphis this offseason as a free agent. Bayless played the best season of his NBA career last year with the Toronto Raptors. He averaged 11.4 points and 3.8 assists per game.

Toronto decided to withdraw its qualifying offer to Bayless last week. The Raptors took Washington guard Terrence Ross with the No. 8 pick in the NBA Draft, and Bayless’ playing time likely would have dropped this year.

Now, Bayless will be asked to add some scoring punch to the Grizzlies’ bench. Mayo scored 12.6 points per game last season. If Bayless can continue to build on his production with Toronto, he could fit well with Memphis.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Brooklyn Nets are “progressing” toward a max contract with restricted free agent center Brook Lopez, who was the centerpiece of their offer to the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard.

Nets president Billy King and Lopez’s agent, Arn Tellem, are finalizing the length of the deal — four years for $58 million, or five years for $78 million — and ironing out protections on the back end to account for a right foot that Lopez broke twice in the past year, sources said.

King is scheduled to travel to Los Angeles on Wednesday to work on completing the deal with Tellem.

Here’s the rub: Once Lopez re-signs, he can’t be traded until December, making it unlikely that Howard would be wearing a Nets uniform on opening night.

Sources tell Wojnarowski that the Nets are starting to believe that Magic general manager Rob Hennigan simply wants to do a deal elsewhere.

“The Nets are pushing hard on Lopez’s deal to apply pressure to Orlando,” Wojnarowski writes, “but there’s nothing left for them to offer Orlando that they haven’t already made available to them.”

Good news for Boston Red Sox fans who still hope that their team can salvage its season. Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe reports that two of the Sox’s most important regulars should be back from the disabled list this weekend.

So the plan is for Red Sox to activate Jacoby Ellsbury on Friday and Clay Buchholz on Sat. Trying to deal an OF, preferably Sweeney.—
Nick Cafardo (@nickcafardo) July 11, 2012

Ellsbury has been out since mid-April after separating his shoulder, while Buchholz will have missed three-and-a-half weeks with gastrointestinal bleeding. The presence of Ellsbury, who finished second in AL MVP voting in 2011, could provide a significant spark to the offense, while Buchholz had just turned the corner, having won all four of his starts in June, when he was sidelined.

Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said in a radio interview on Tuesday that he will clear the air with closer Heath Bell over the next few days and that the Marlins will begin using a closer-by-committee, according to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com.

After Bell allowed three runs in a 5-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, Guillen said:

“I have to make a decision, and if I have to make a solution that will be drastic, I will do it. We’re going to wait until after the All-Star break, and I’m going to pick whoever is better out there to close the game. That’s the bottom line. If you can’t do the job, we’ll find somebody else to do the job.”

Bell signed a three-year, $27 million deal in the offseason but has blown six of 25 save opportunities and is 2-5 with a 6.75 ERA.

Frisaro said that righty Steve Cishek is “the likely first choice to close,” but that lefty Randy Choate, right Edward Mujica and righty Juan Carlos Oviedo (formerly Leo Nunez) could also get their chances.

Former Arizona point guard Josiah Turner, who announced in the spring that he would transfer to SMU after on- and off-the-court issues got him booted off the Wildcats, tells Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo! Sports that he has decided to turn pro rather than play for Larry Brown.

“I had to step back and reevaluate what my main goal and my dream was,” Turner said. “My dream is to be a professional athlete in the NBA and I think this is what’s going to bring me closer to it. In college, you get your degree and everything, but going pro is getting me closer to my dream and what I want to do in life.”

Turner, a five-star recruit coming out of high school, will sign with a team in Europe or in the NBA’s D-League, having decided that spending two years at SMU wasn’t worth his while.

Turner acknowledged that he had drug and alcohol problems last season in Tucson but said it stemmed from his youth and life inexperience.

“My maturity level now is way higher than it was when I was in Arizona,” he told Eisenberg. “I was young. I made mistakes. I just learned a lot from last year thinking about where I could be at right now and thinking about the things I did last year. It was all stupid.”