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BASKETBALL
NBA probes Trent, Bucks
The NBA is investigating the circumstances surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks' signing of Gary Trent Jr. that was officially announced Thursday. An NBA spokesman said "the NBA is continuing to look into it." ESPN first reported the NBA was investigating the signing for possible circumvention of the salary cap. Although the Bucks didn't disclose terms when they announced the signing, ESPN has reported Trent received a four-year, $64 million deal. He's getting that lucrative deal after a season in which his statistics dipped. Trent is coming off a 2025-26 season in which he scored 8.1 points per game and played 21.2 minutes per game for Milwaukee. Those represented his lowest averages in both categories since his rookie season of 2018-19. The 6-4 guard joined the Bucks in 2024 by signing for the veteran minimum after a season in which he had scored 13.7 points per game and had shot 39.3% from three-point range for the Toronto Raptors. He returned to the Bucks last year after scoring 11.1 points per game and shooting 41.6% from three-point range with Milwaukee in 2024-25. He capped the 2024-25 season by scoring more than 30 points in two of the Bucks' five playoff games during their first-round loss to the Indiana Pacers. The contract Trent signed last year included a $3.9 million player option for 2026-27 that he declined before agreeing to this new deal.
U.S. announces assistants
Oklahoma City Coach Mark Daigneault's only previous experience with USA Basketball was a couple of stints as a video coordinator for younger-division teams more than a decade ago. Detroit Coach J.B. Bickerstaff has never been part of the national program. That's all about to change. They're in line for trips to the Olympics. Daigneault, Bickerstaff and Mark Few were formally named assistant coaches to serve on Miami Coach Erik Spoelstra's staff for the 2027 Basketball World Cup in Qatar and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, those nominations getting approved by USA Basketball's Board of Directors on Thursday. The picks were announced by Grant Hill, who is in his second Olympic cycle as managing director of the USA Basketball Men's National Team. Hiring Spoelstra was the first step, hiring the staff was the second step, and now Hill will continue moving toward assembling a roster for next year's World Cup.
BASEBALL
Keller done for year
Philadelphia Phillies reliever Brad Keller is expected to miss the rest of this season -- and possibly more -- with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Keller was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday and said he will seek a second opinion from Dr. Keith Meister, a top specialist, before making a determination about surgery. If the right-hander requires Tommy John surgery, he likely would miss most if not all of the 2027 season as well. Keller, who turns 31 this month, is 2-1 with a 4.02 ERA and three saves in 32 appearances. Philadelphia signed Keller to a two-year, $22 million contract last December to be the team's primary setup man for All-Star closer Jhoan Duran. Keller spent three weeks on the IL with right forearm tendinitis. He returned last week and made one appearance on July 8 against Cincinnati. He pitched one scoreless inning and didn't allow a hit. He walked one and had one strikeout. Keller said he had an MRI after the initial injury in June and it did not show a tear. He said if the tear occurred during his outing in Cincinnati, he didn't feel it. Philadelphia put Keller on the IL retroactive to July 13 and recalled right-hander Seth Johnson from Class AAA Lehigh Valley to replace him on the active roster.
MLB sets opening day
Major League Baseball is set to have its earliest opening day next year except for international games, starting on March 24 -- if there is an opening day. MLB said Thursday its 2027 season will start with a single game to be televised that night by Netflix. The teams have not been chosen. Baseball's labor contract expires Dec. 1 and a management lockout is expected. In 2022, an agreement wasn't reached until March 10, causing opening day to be pushed back from March 31 to April 7.
Burns signs 7-year deal
Starting pitcher Chase Burns has agreed to a seven-year, $105 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds that covers 2027-33, two people familiar with the deal told the Associated Press on Thursday. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. Burns has a $785,000 salary while in the major leagues this year and $198,173 in the unlikely event he is sent to the minors. Burns' deal would run through the 2033 season and under the current labor contract covers three seasons of arbitration eligibility and the first two years after he would have been eligible for free agency. It does not include options or deferrals. The 23-year old right-hander was selected to the All-Star Game this season for the first time, but did not participate after he tweaked his right groin during a July 8 game against Philadelphia when trying to field the throw home on a wild pitch during the second inning. Burns is 11-1 in 18 starts this season, including 15 starts where he has allowed two runs or fewer. His wins are tied for second most in the majors and his 2.54 ERA is the sixth lowest.
GOLF
Clements, Gutierrez tied in 1st
Todd Clements of England and Ivan Cantero Gutierrez of Spain each shot 7-under 65 on Thursday at breezy Puntacana Resort to share the first-round lead in the Corales Puntacana Championship. Clements and Gutierrez are two of 50 European tour players in the field for the co-sanctioned event played opposite the British Open. They both missed the cut last week in Kentucky in the ISCO Championship. Austin Eckroat was a stroke back with Alejandro Del Rey, Johannes Veerman, Mackenzie Hughes, Jonathan Byrd and Gordon Sargent. Two-time PGA Tour winner Eckroat tied for 30th Sunday in the Scottish Open. Austin Cook (Jonesboro/Arkansas Razorbacks) and Jacob Skov Olesen (Razorbacks) finished the round in a 10-way tie for ninth place at 5-under 67. Blades Brown also shot a 67. He got in the field as a special temporary member. U.S. Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker shot 70. He won an opposite-field event in Myrtle Beach in May. Defending champion Garrick Higgo had a 72.