sports in brief

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Jul 9, 2008

Basketball: Warriors reportedly will sign free agent guard Maggette

The Golden State Warriors will sign high-scoring free agent Corey Maggette to a five-year contract worth around $50 million, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.

The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the deal couldn't be announced yet, confirmed Maggette will leave the Los Angeles Clippers for a lucrative long-term deal.

Maggette, a 6-foot-6 swingman, averaged 22.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists last season for the moribund Clippers, finishing slightly off his career highs in all three categories.

The Knicks signed first-round draft pick Danilo Gallinari on Tuesday and expect to have him ready to play in summer league games next week in Las Vegas.

Gallinari was taken sixth overall in June, and Knicks fans at the draft jeered and booed when the big Italian's name was called.

Joe Alexander, a first-round draft pick, signed a contract with the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.

As the eighth overall pick, the 6-foot-8 forward from West Virginia will make just over than $2 million a year, according to the NBA's rookie payscale.

The Charlotte Bobcats signed first-round draft picks D.J. Augustin and Alexis Ajinca on Tuesday.

Under the NBA's rookie scale, Augustin will make about $1.8 million next season and nearly $2 million the next. Ajinca will make about $1 million next year, then $1.1 million in year two.

SuperSonics.com, on Tuesday, started redirecting visitors to the NBA Oklahoma City site, where logos with the team's former name have been taken down - another sign of progress in the Seattle SuperSonics' transition to Oklahoma City.

The Oklahoma City franchise is using the Web site to take names from people interested in buying season tickets when they go on sale.

The Toronto Raptors signed guard Hassan Adams to a two-year deal on Tuesday.

Football: Former Atlanta Falcon Vick in doghouse with creditors

Imprisoned QB Michael Vick filed for bankruptcy protection while serving time for federal dogfighting charges, saying he owes between $10 million and $50 million to creditors.

Vick filed Chapter 11 papers in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Newport News on Monday. The seven largest creditors listed in the court papers are owed a total of about $12.8 million.

The suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback hopes he "can, after the conclusion of the bankruptcy case, rebuild his life on a personal and spiritual level, resurrect his image as a public figure, and resolve matters with the NFL such that he can resume his career," according to the filings.

A deal could be reached within days to sell a majority interest in the Pittsburgh Steelers to the chairman of a Pittsburgh-based investment firm, taking control of the NFL franchise away from the Rooney family.

The shares would be sold to Stanley Druckenmiller, chairman of Duquesne Capital management, making him principal owner of the team. Two officials familiar with the talks identified the buyer as Druckenmiller and said Monday that the deal could be completed by the end of the week.

A second man was arrested on charges of abducting, beating and robbing Oakland Raiders wide receiver Javon Walker in Las Vegas last month.

Deshawn L. Thomas, 40, was arrested Monday in Las Vegas and held without bail at the Clark County jail, police said Tuesday.

General: Ronaldinho to represent at Olympics despite opposition

Ronaldinho plans to play for Brazil at the Olympics in defiance of the wishes of his FC Barcelona club.

"I do not see myself being left out of Beijing," Ronaldinho said during a news conference at a charity event on Tuesday. "I see myself in the Olympics doing good things and bringing home the gold medal."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been added to the growing list of car owners searching for sponsorship.

The Navy is leaving the No. 88 Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series at the end of the season, forcing Earnhardt to search for funding for the flagship car at JR Motorsports.

From wire reports