Toronto Raptors General Manager Isiah Thomas has signed a letter of intent to buy majority ownership of the NBA team from broadcast magnate Allan Slaight. The deal was announced late Monday, and there was no immediate indication of how much the deal may be worth. The sale is expected to close early this summer. The final transfer has to be approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors.
Baseball: Pitcher Rolando Arrojo, who defected from Cuba at last year’s Olympics, has agreed to a contract with the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Horse racing: Trainer Wayne Lukas, who has won the last two Kentucky Derbys and seven of the last eight Triple Crown races, said Monday he will be just a spectator at Churchill Downs on May 3. It will be the first time he won’t have a Derby entry since 1980.
Football: Former Alabama coach Gene Stallings remained hospitalized Monday after he was trampled by three horses on his ranch in Paris, Texas. He was listed in good condition at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Health Center after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured hip on Sunday.
Hockey: The NHL fined Montreal defenseman Dave Manson $1,000, the maximum amount allowed, for criticizing referee Stephen Walkom after the Canadiens’ 4-1 loss Saturday in New Jersey.
Colleges: Several people with criminal histories received complimentary Michigan basketball tickets in recent years, the Detroit Free Press reported Tuesday. Most of the tickets came from sophomore basketball player Robert Traylor, the Free Press said, citing records it reviewed.
Illinois guard Halim Abdullah, seeking more playing time, announced his intention to transfer. He averaged 1.3 points in 7.5 minutes a game as a junior. It opens a scholarship for coach Lon Kruger, who granted Abdullah his release.
Former Notre Dame guard Doug Gottlieb announced he will play at Oklahoma State next season.
Northeastern Illinois women’s basketball coach Denise Taylor has been named head coach of the WNBA’s Utah Starzz. Taylor posted a 61-48 record in four years. at Northeastern.
