PRESS BOX: Bucks make trade for Butler
The Milwaukee Bucks acquired veteran small forward Caron Butler from the Phoenix Suns for point guard Ish Smith and center Viacheslav Kravtsov.
Butler started for the Los Angeles Clippers in each of the past two seasons before getting dealt to Phoenix in July. He is entering the final year of his contract, which pays him $8 million this season.
Kravstov, a 26-year-old Ukrainian, played sparingly for the Detroit Pistons last season. Smith, a 25-year-old point guard, joins his sixth team in four seasons. He played collegiately at Wake Forest.
Phoenix also announced the signing of center Alex Len, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Terms were not disclosed.
---Georgia State Patrol officers arrested Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer on Wednesday night and he was charged with driving under the influence and a tail light violation.
According to the written police report, Budenholzer said he had only one glass of wine after being pulled over in his Audi A8 at 10:30 p.m. without the vehicle's headlights or tail lights on. Trooper Johnathon Nelms said Budenholzer failed a field sobriety test, had bloodshot and watery eyes and "a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage" was coming from him breath.
Budenholzer, 44, was hired to replace Larry Drew as head coach of the Hawks after 19 seasons as an assistant coach with the Spurs.
AUTO RACING
A.J. Allmendinger is returning to the NASCAR Sprint Cup series full time next season as a driver for JTG Daughterty Racing, The Sporting News reported Thursday.
Allmendinger will take the seat in the No. 47 car being driven this season by Bobby Labonte. Allmendinger has run three Sprint Cup races in the car this year and will be behind the wheel again this weekend at Atlanta. An official announcement from the team will come Saturday, according to TSN.
The 31-year-old Allmendinger was suspended by NASCAR in July 2012 for violating its substance abuse policy. But this year Penske rehired Allmendinger and he has run IndyCar and Nationwide races for the team, finishing seventh in the Indianapolis 500 and winning Nationwide events at Road America and Mid-Ohio. He also has started nine races for Phoenix Racing.
NHL
The Boston Bruins scheduled a press conference for Friday to announce that they signed general manager Peter Chiarelli to a four-year contract extension.
Chiarelli, who has one year left on his deal, will be signed through the 2017-18 season.
Chiarelli was hired before the 2006-07 season. The Bruins have made the playoffs six straight years and have been to the Stanley Cup finals twice in that span, including winning the championship in 2011.
CFB
Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel won't play in the first half of Saturday's game against Rice, but his family is grateful the NCAA penalty wasn't more severe.
Manziel, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner, hasn't publicly addressed the situation since Wednesday's NCAA ruling and is not expected to comment after his family released the following statement.
"The Manziel family thanks Texas A&M University for its significant efforts on behalf of their son, and stands united with Texas A&M," the statement read. "The Manziel family sends a special thank you to their attorneys, Jim Darnell, Brad Beckworth and Jeff Angelovich, for their tireless determination on behalf of Johnny. We are looking forward to seeing Johnny back on the field against Rice."
BOXING
Mike Tyson told the TODAY Show that he fears for his well-being if he doesn't get help just days after declaring himself a vicious alcoholic on the verge of dying.
"I won't survive if I don't get help," Tyson told Matt Lauer in an interview from Las Vegas.
Tyson said he has been sober 12 days, which includes his declaration at a press conference last week that sounded very much like a plea for help. "I want to change my life, I want to live a different life now," Tyson said last week after discussing a rift with his former trainer. "I want to live my sober life. I don't want to die."
Tyson began his new career as a boxing promoter with his own company, Iron Mike Productions, last week at Turning Stone Resort in midstate New York. The 47-year-old said he has earned, and lost, more than $300 million since he began his heavyweight boxing career 20 years ago.
