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A18 SPORTS
Friday 8 February 2019

East contenders make their moves, Davis has to wait for his

By BRIAN MAHONEY center Jonas Valanciunias
AP Basketball Writer to Memphis to acquire Ga-
Toronto, Milwaukee and sol. Valanciunas had been
Philadelphia made their coming off the bench and
moves. Anthony Davis will Toronto coach Nick Nurse
have to wait until the sum- will have to decide whether
mer for his. he uses Gasol in the same
The New Orleans Pelicans manner, or returns to a tra-
held onto Davis but dealt ditional bigger lineup with
Nikola Mirotic to the Bucks, the former defensive player
one of the Eastern Con- of the year in the middle.
ference contenders who “(Gasol) is one of the best
fortified their teams Thurs- fives in the league for a
day before the NBA trade long time now, perennial
deadline. All-Star, Defensive Player of
The Raptors are getting for- the Year,” Raptors guard
mer All-Star center Marc Fred VanVleet said. “Just
Gasol from Memphis. The really excited to see how
76ers, a day after acquiring we can acclimate him to
forward Tobias Harris from what we do and see how
the Clippers, sent Markelle much he can give us a
Fultz to Orlando and will boost. Obviously we’re very
hope Jonathan Simmons excited about that.”
can provide some produc- The 76ers have made two
tion where the former No. 1 major trades during the
pick couldn’t. In this Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018 file photo, New Orleans Pelicans forward Nikola Mirotic (3) looks season, previously getting
“Those teams were already to pass the ball over Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul (3) during the second half of an NBA Jimmy Butler from Minneso-
really good. And the as- basketball game in Houston. ta before the deal to bring
sumption would only be Associated Press in Harris, Boban Marjanovic
that they’d only benefit New York ended without a into the trade market after The other conference and forward Mike Scott.
from those moves,” Boston move for Davis, the player the season ends. There will contenders looked for up- “We understand the team
coach Brad Stevens said. who dominated the discus- be other marquee names grades — and went out invested a lot in us,” Harris
“It will be quite a challenge. sion in recent weeks. The available then with a free and got some that likely will said. “It was a big move. It
As we knew it would be.” Pelicans didn’t find a deal agent class that could be fit well. was a win-now move. That
All the trades were con- for Davis, who had request- highlighted by players such Milwaukee (40-13) already means a lot. This is already
firmed to The Associated ed a trade and informed as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving has the NBA’s best record a winning culture and we
Press by people with knowl- the team he wouldn’t sign and Kawhi Leonard. and Mirotic’s outside- look to bring our games to it
edge of the details be- a contract extension this Boston didn’t jump into the shooting ability for a big and help as best we can.”
cause they couldn’t be an- summer. trading deadline fray but man would appear to fit All of those clubs feel they
nounced before they were But the Lakers couldn’t put may try to get involved in perfectly in a lineup around improved their chances
approved by the NBA. together a strong enough the summer. superstar Giannis Antetok- to be the first East team to
A busy swap season that in- package to the Pelicans’ For now, the Celtics appear ounmpo. reach the NBA Finals with-
cluded Dallas’ acquisition liking for the All-Star for- to feel they have enough Two games back of the out LeBron James since
of Kristaps Porzingis from ward, who will go back to win the East. Bucks, the Raptors sent 2010.q

Ex-Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops

back with XFL’s Dallas team

his schedule roughly a year Dallas when the XFL debuts what are your options.”
and a half after he stepped in the spring of 2020, about The XFL is returning after
away from the Sooners af- the same time the Rang- an ill-fated single season
ter 18 seasons . ers move across the street in 2001 before the league
Add a little arm twisting to a new ballpark. “When I disbanded. McMahon has
from league commissioner stepped away a couple of vowed to put more em-
and former college ad- years ago, one of my major phasis on football with his
ministrator Oliver Luck and reasons, and I made it very relaunch after the original
a chat with XFL benefac- clear, is I wanted my own league followed a theatri-
tor Vince McMahon, and time,” Stoops said of his cal model more suitable to
Bob Stoops speaks after being introduced as the new head Stoops decided he was abrupt retirement in June his pro wrestling ventures.
coach and general manager of the XFL Dallas football team ready to get back in foot- 2017, just three months be- Stoops brushed off ques-
during a news conference in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 7, ball. The 58-year-old Stoops fore the start of the season. tions over why he would
2019. was named coach and “As the only saying goes, join a league that failed
Associated Press
general manager of the be careful what you wish badly the first time around,
By SCHUYLER DIXON retirement to join the rein- Dallas franchise on Thurs- for. All of a sudden, I got and he wasn’t very interest-
AP Sports Writer carnation of the XFL. day at the home of base- to thinking after a couple ed in whether his return fed
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Then the former Oklahoma ball’s Texas Rangers. A re- of years, some days I’ve speculation that he didn’t
Bob Stoops initially rejected coach had time to think configured Globe Life Park got too much time on my leave the Sooners on his
the idea of coming out of about all the extra time in will be the home field for hands. You start to look at own terms. q