us presswireA trade between the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates that would have A.J. Burnett moving to western Pennsylvania is still being worked on, according to the New York Daily News, but "the sides were still a good ways away from agreeing on the final terms of a deal," a source tells the paper.

Burnett has $33 million and two years left on his contract and the Pirates would like to only pay $10 million of that while sending over two prospects, the source told the Daily News.

"The Yankees appear willing to eat up to $20 million to shed the righty from their roster and to create payroll relief, although they might agree to pay more if the Pirates part with a top-tier prospect," the Daily News reports.

The 35-year-old who went 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA last season has 10 teams on his limited no-trade clause, but the Pirates are not one of them, the paper notes. "A.J. understands this is a business and will do what he has to do," his agent, Darek Braunecker told the paper Saturday. "He's

US PresswirePhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson's contract is set to end this offseason but the team is planning to franchise the 25-year-old L.A. native, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The paper notes that the team could franchise him and then trade the two-time Pro Bowler or sign him to a contract extension before March 5, but that is "an unlikely proposition at this point."

If Jackson is franchised, he will make around $9.5 million next season as a base salary, which is about $9 million more than his base was last season, the Inquirer points out. For that relatively low sum, Jackson pulled in 58 receptions for 961 yards and four touchdowns for the disappointing Eagles.

Sources tell the paper that Jackson wouldn't be upset to be franchised by the team, the Inquirer reports.

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US PresswireDenver Nuggets 6-11 center Nene tried to sign on with another club in the offseason but ended up returning to the Mile High City. Since then, he's had a difficult time staying fully healthy.

He had a problem with his left heel that made playing difficult and now his left calf is hurting enough that he may be on the bench when the team takes on the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, according to the Denver Post.

"How long Nene will be out, I don't know," coach George Karl said Saturday after his team beat the Indiana Pacers 113-109. "He'll probably miss Tuesday's game, maybe a few more. ... I haven't heard the specifics, just someone whispering to me that it might be four or five days."

The 29-year-old native of Brazil is averaging 13.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

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US PresswireChicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose has missed the last two games due to an ailing back and the Sporting News reports that he'll see a back specialist when the team returns to Chicago for its six-game homestand that starts Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings.

Rose noted that he's never had back spasms like this before and isn't sure where they came from, the Sporting News reports. "Hopefully, I can just be OK soon," Rose said, the Sporting News reports.  Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said that Rose had had some back problems in high school, the site notes.

In the games Rose has missed this season, the team has gone 5-2, but the News points out that the wins haven't come against any league powerhouses with the victories coming over the Charlotte Bobcats twice, the Washington Wizards, the Phoenix Suns, and Cleveland Cavaliers.

It remains unclear when Rose will return to the lineup. He's averaging 22 points, 7.8 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game.

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US PresswireWide receiver Hines Ward has been playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers since the team drafted him in the third round of the 1998 draft out of Georgia. Since then, he's been a Pro Bowler four times, the team MVP three times, a Super Bowl champion twice, and the man who holds team records for receptions (1,000), receiving yards (12,083), and receiving touchdowns (85).

Now the soon-to-be 36-year-old who is scheduled to make $4 million this season may be moving on to another team even though he'd like to retire with the team, according to the Associated Press. Ward is "offering to restructure his contract" in order to stay with the team, but NFL.com has reported that the Steelers would like to cut him loose.

"I don't normally like to respond to rumors, but as I've said all along, I want to finish my career with the Pittsburgh Steelers," the former Dancing With the Stars champ posted on his Facebook page this past weekend, the AP reports.

Ward, who recently had surgery on his right ankle to

US PresswireYadier Molina enters the final year of his contract this season with the St. Louis Cardinals and it isn't clear if he'll go the way of the man whom he considers a big brother, Albert Pujols, or if he'll be rejoining the Cards in 2013.

The 29-year-old Molina is hoping an extension can be agreed upon before the season gets started, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, but he's unafraid to leave the team that drafted him back in 2000.

"I'm open to staying here," the four-time Gold Glover said, according to the Post-Dispatch. "I love the city. I love the fans. I love the ballpark. But it's out of my hands. Whatever they like to do is how it is. They let Albert go. It's business for the team, too. It's out of my hands."

Molina batted .305 with 14 homers and 32 doubles last year for the World Series champs.

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US PresswireCuban defector Yoenis Cespedes is supposedly the hottest batsman still available on the free-agent market and has lots of teams salivating over his hitting ability, but the word from ESPN is that he may head back (if he hasn't already) to his new homeland, the Dominican Republic, after having met with only one team: the Miami Marlins.

Cespedes, who met with Marlins execs Wednesday and toured the Marlins' new stadium, may have gone back to the D.R. Thursday, the site notes, and his agent, Adam Katz, said "nothing is scheduled for now" with other teams.

"We had a good meeting," Katz said of the visit with the Marlins, ESPN reports. "They made a very impressive presentation. Discussions are ongoing and productive. But there are several other teams in the mix."

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US PresswireThe Milwaukee Bucks currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. There is still a lot of this short season left and Brandon Jennings could help the Bucks make a strong push.

Whatever happens, though, it is extremely doubtful that the third-year point guard will sign an extension with the team this summer as he is eligible to do. Jennings told ESPN that he wants to not box himself in and be available the following summer when the 22-year-old can be a free agent.

"I am going to keep my options open, knowing that the time is coming up," Jennings told ESPN. "I'm doing my homework on big-market teams."

However, Bucks fans shouldn't give up just yet on the dream of having Jennings as a building block for the long-term: "I'm not saying I won't [sign an extension with the Bucks] and I'm not saying I will," he said, ESPN reports. "I'm just keeping my options open."

It's kind of funny to hear Jennings, who backed out of playing for the University of Arizona so he