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Jimmy Butler is headed to the Golden State Warriors, AP source says

Jimmy Butler has gotten his wish. He’s being traded out of Miami. The Heat and the Golden State Warriors have agreed on a deal that sends Butler to the Bay Area, a person with knowledge of the talks said Wednesday. The trade ends a Miami era for Butler that will be remembered first for two trips to the NBA Finals and then three suspensions toward the end of a hostile breakup.

Trump signs executive order intended to bar transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order designed to prevent transgender athletes from participating in girls’ or women’s sports. The order gives federal agencies wide latitude to ensure entities that receive federal funding abide by Title IX in alignment with the Trump administration’s view, which interprets “sex” as the gender someone was assigned at birth. It is the latest aggressive shift by the Republican president’s second administration in how the government views transgender people and their rights. Trump has already ordered the government to define sex as only male or female.

Trump administration plans to pressure the IOC to come up with a uniform transgender athlete ban

President Donald Trump is ready to take his fight against transgender athletes to the International Olympic Committee. Trump wants the IOC to “change everything having to do with the Olympics and having to do with this absolutely ridiculous subject” ahead of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Trump made the remarks while signing an executive order designed to keep men out of women’s sports. The order empowers both the office of the Secretary of State and the Department of Homeland Security to take steps to attempt to prevent international transgender female athletes from competing in the United States.

Wizards trading Valanciunas to the Kings for Cissoko and 2 2nd-round draft picks, AP source says

A person with knowledge of the deal says the Washington Wizards have agreed to trade center Jonas Valanciunas to the Sacramento Kings for Sidy Cissoko and two second-round draft picks. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday night because the trade hadn’t been announced. The Kings just acquired the 6-foot-6 Cissoko from San Antonio in the three-team deal that sent De’Aaron Fox to the Spurs and Zach LaVine from Chicago to Sacramento. The 32-year-old Valanciunas is averaging 11.5 points and 8.2 rebounds this season despite playing a career-low 20.1 minutes per game.

Bucks are adding Kyle Kuzma and sending Khris Middleton to the Wizards in a trade, AP source says

The Milwaukee Bucks are trading NBA champion and Olympic gold medalist Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards and getting Kyle Kuzma back in the deal, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement. A.J. Johnson goes from the Bucks to the Wizards and Patrick Baldwin goes from the Wizards to the Bucks, along with a future pick swap and some second-round draft capital, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade had yet to receive league approval. The move first reported by ESPN, came one day before Thursday’s 3 p.m. Eastern trade deadline in the NBA.

Brady reflects on ‘learning curve’ of 1st season with Fox, calling Super Bowl and role with Raiders

Tom Brady addressed questions about his move to broadcasting as well as other issues on Wednesday during a conference call previewing Sunday’s Super Bowl 59 matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. It was the first time Brady was made available for interviews. He has frequently appeared during the season on Colin Cowherd’s show on FS1. Brady has received as much scrutiny as an analyst as he did during his 23 seasons quarterbacking the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he won seven Super Bowls.

11 NFL teams have never had a Black head coach. Players find that disappointing

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — More than a third of Black NFL players who responded to questions from the AP about the state of Black head coaches around the league were discouraged or disappointed by the current numbers. More than half of the athletes in professional football are Black, but only seven of the 32 coaches that began this season are Black. As the Super Bowl approaches on Sunday, two of those seven have been fired and were replaced by white coaches. The Rooney Rule has been around for more than 20 years, but there still are 11 NFL franchises that have never had a Black head coach.

Super Bowl secondary-ticket prices high but much less than last year’s game

Prices on the secondary-ticket market for Sunday’s Super Bowl in New Orleans are much less than last year’s big game and declining. But they are still high by historical standards. The average price for the Kansas City Chiefs-Philadelphia Eagles game at TickPick was $6,552 as of Tuesday. If that amount holds, it would be that website’s third highest for a Super Bowl. Last year’s game between the Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers was the highest with an average price at that site of $9,136.

NFL players’ union boss Lloyd Howell: ‘No one wants to play an 18th game’ in regular season

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An 18-game NFL regular season isn’t a slam dunk. NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell pushed back on it Wednesday even though NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has openly talked about it as if it’s inevitable. The two sides haven’t had formal discussions about expanding the season, which would require renegotiating the collective bargaining agreement. Of course, the players’ union would want the league to make several concessions in order to agree to an 18th game. Jalen Reeves-Maybin, a linebacker for the Lions and NFLPA president, wouldn’t specify what the players may want in return.

Antetokounmpo scratched just before Bucks’ game against Hornets because of tightness in left calf

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo was scratched just before the Milwaukee Bucks’ game against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night because of tightness in his left calf. The two-time NBA MVP went through warmups, but went to the locker room and did not come on the court when he was introduced with the other starters. Bobby Portis started in his place.