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Sports
Atlanta Locks Up Free Agent Milsap With $58M Deal
USA vs Japan In Rematch Of Women's World Cup Sunday
On Wednesday, we learned that Japan will be the U.S.’s opponent in the Women’s World Cup final for the second straight time when they meet on Sunday in Vancouver. The Japanese beat England 2–1 in Wednesday’s semifinal on one of the cruelest endings ever seen in a World Cup, when England’s Laura Bassett hit a 92nd-minute own goal.
This will be the third straight time the U.S. has met Japan in a major tournament final.
Japan won the 2011 World Cup final on penalties after a
dramatic 2–2 tie, and the U.S. turned the tables in the 2012 Olympic gold-medal game with a 2–1 win.
The World Cup is a bigger tournament than the Olympics, so it’s not like these two teams are all square now. The U.S. players would say as much, so they will be plenty motivated for Sunday’s big game. Now the Americans will have a chance to write a new history against a fabled foe.
After losing starting wing De- Marre Carroll to the Toronto Raptors earlier Wednesday, the Atlanta Hawks wasted little time in locking up their best available free agent for at least a few more seasons.
The Hawks will re-sign un- restricted free agent forward Paul Milsap, an All-Star in each of his first two campaigns with the club, for three seasons at a total of $58 million.
DRAYMOND GREEN
Paul Milsap
Kings Request Meeting With Rondo; Heat Call Wade, Dragic
Amid the busy opening hours of NBA free agency Tuesday night, the Sacramento Kings re- quested a meeting with free- agent point guard Rajon Rondo.
No contract has been offered at this point. However, Sacra- mento "came on strong" and wants to meet with Rondo in person.
Kevin Love Says He’s Not Leaving Cleveland
Kawhi Leonard Agrees To Five-Year Deal With The Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs agreed in principle to a maxi- mum contract extension with free-agent forward Kawhi Leonard moments into free agency.
The deal will be for five years and $90 million, although the final terms won't be estab- lished until next week when the maximum salary is final- ized.
The Spurs likely will wait to actually sign the contract so they can free up cap space to chase other free agents, in- cluding LaMarcus Aldridge, sources said.
KAWHI LEONARD
Is the NBA Defensive Player of the Year with a max con- tract.
RAJON RONDO
No matter where Rondo ends up, he is likely to sign a one-year deal after his bumpy 2014-15 season, which started in Boston and ended in Dallas.
KEVIN LOVE
Wednesday, Kevin Love an- nounced on The Players' Trib- une that he is going back to Cleveland. "Yeah, of course I’ve heard the free agency rumors. But at the end of the day, and after meeting with my team- mates and with the front office, it was clear Cleveland was the place for me."
He added, “after Game 1 of the NBA Finals, that’s when it really struck me. Sitting on the sidelines, I never wanted to play in a game more than that one. I had dreamed of playing in the NBA Finals and I just wanted to help my guys win. I couldn’t have been prouder of them as they poured their blood, sweat and tears onto the court.” Love signed a 5-year $110M deal.
Pelicans Have Re-Signed Anthony Davis To 5-Year Extension
The New Orleans Pelicans and Anthony Davis, on the first day possible, have agreed to terms on a mammoth con- tract extension that should be- come the leagues richest when it goes into effect, according to league sources.
Davis has agreed to a five- year extension estimated at nearly $145 million that will kick in starting with the 2016- 17 season and run through Davis' 28th birthday.
Davis tweeted he had agreed to the deal shortly after
ANTHONY DAVIS
the window for negotiations opened after midnight ET.
DWYANE WADE And GORAN DRAGIC
The Miami Heat put in calls to Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic as the free-agency pe- riod opened. Dragic is cur- rently in Slovenia but is expected to re-sign with the Heat in short order, sources told Shelburne. The 29-year- old guard is willing to work with Miami so the team can re- sign Wade.
PAUL PIERCE
The Washington Wizards are increasingly optimistic about their chances of re-signing Paul Pierce despite interest from Pierce's hometown Los Angeles Clippers, sources told Stein. Pierce and the Wizards opened negotiations shortly after midnight ET.
MONTA ELLIS
The Indiana Pacers will meet with guard Monta Ellis on Wednesday. Ellis, who aver- aged 18.9 points last season, didn't exercise the final year of his deal with the Dallas Maver- icks last month, forgoing $8.7 million.
The defending NBA cham- pion Golden State Warriors' first call as free agency got un- derway went to restricted free- agent forward Draymond Green.
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