ALEX MAG

NEW YORK (AP) — Austin Reaves was bored. He would lift weights during the day, but all he could do during games was watch his Los Angeles Lakers from the bench.

"I think all I did for a month and a half was yell at the refs. So that's no fun," Reaves said. "It's better to yell at them on the court."

He finally got back on the floor Tuesday night for the first time since Christmas, helping theLakers beat the Brooklyn Nets 125-109.

Reaves had missed the previous 19 games with a left calf strain. He came off the bench and scored 15 points in 21 minutes. The Lakers had the game well under control by the time he entered late in the first quarter, perhaps getting extra energy knowing that one of their best players was rejoining a team that has faced frequent absences.

"It was just a boost for all of us, especially at the end of a road trip, to get a guy like that back," LeBron James said. "Obviously his rhythm is a little off but he still made an impact and just happy to have him back."

Reaves was off to a terrific start to the season before he was sidelined. He missed three games with the injury in December, then was in just his second game back when he was hurt again against Houston on Dec. 25.

He came into Tuesday averaging 26.6 points, 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds, and coach JJ Redick said before the game the Lakers have missed the guard in every facet of the game.

"He's an All-Star-level player and of course you're going to miss him in a number of ways," Redick said.

Reaves was listed as questionable to play Sunday against the Knicks and wanted to so he could play at Madison Square Garden, but just didn't feel ready. He said he woke up feeling better Tuesday and decided he would join the Lakers in the final game of their eight-game trip.

Redick said the Lakers have had their full complement of players only twice this season, and James said after the loss to the Knicks that Reaves' absence made it difficult to evaluate the team's potential.

"Unfortunately our All-Star 2-guard has been out for a minute and that's a big piece of our team," James said. "So it's kind of hard to see what we can really, truly be."

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If Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was looking for a vote of confidence from the revamped Atlanta front office, he didn't get it during new GM Ian Cunningham's introductory press conference on Tuesday.

When asked if Penix, who is recovering from a torn ACL that prematurely ended his second NFL season in November, will be the team's starter in 2026, new Falcons president of football operations Matt Ryan -- also a former Atlanta quarterback from 2008-2021 -- did not give a definitive answer.

"Neither of us are the head coach of the football team, so we can't answer your question on that," Ryan said. " ... I think as we start to get into this process and dive deeper into the roster -- how it currently stands, where it's going in the future -- I think those are conversations that'll be a part of it.

"Quarterback's obviously very important, and we're excited about Mike and what he's doing with his rehab. I've been up at the facility the last three weeks, and Michael's been in there attacking that and he's in a good space right now, so we're excited about where he is at. But certainly, a lot of discussions for us about the entire roster."

Penix, who Atlanta selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft months after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal in free agency, took over the starting job late in his rookie season and entered 2025 as the starter.

This past season, he completed 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions in nine starts. The Falcons went 3-6 in games he started compared to a 5-3 record in Cousins' starts after he replaced Penix following his injury.

Cousins is likely to be released this offseason due to his significant salary, especially after the team restructured his contract in January.

With Penix's return timeline for the start of the 2026 season uncertain, that could force Atlanta to look for a quarterback either in free agency or April's draft if it elects to move on from Cousins after two seasons.

--Field Level Media

AMHERST, N.Y. (AP) — Luke Skaljac scored a career-high 19 points and No. 23 Miami (Ohio) held on for a 73-71 victory over Buffalo on Tuesday night, extending the longest winning streak in Mid-American Conference history to 23 games.

Miami Ohio Buffalo Basketball

Brant Byers added 11 points for the RedHawks (23-0, 11-0), and Peter Suder had 10 points, eight assists and five rebounds.

Miami and Arizona (22-0) remain the only unbeaten teams in Division I.

Angelo Brizzi scored 22 points and Daniel Freitag had 18 to lead Buffalo (14-9, 4-7). The Bulls have lost seven of eight games following a 13-2 start that was the second-best in the program's Division I history.

Noah Batchelor's 3-pointer got Buffalo within 73-71 with 11 seconds remaining. Skaljac missed two free throws in the final 16 seconds, including the front end of one-and-one after Batchelor's basket, but Ryan Sabol's fallaway 3-point attempt at the buzzer bounced off the front of the rim.

Miami's 73 points were a season low. The RedHawks entered the game leading the country in averaging 93.7 points.

The Bulls tied the score three times with less than seven minutes remaining before Miami took command with a 6-0 run, holding Buffalo scoreless over a 3:49 span.

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Miami led 38-35 at halftime after a back-and-forth period with nine lead changes and four ties.

This was the second close game between these teams this season. The RedHawks beat the Bulls 105-102 in overtime on Jan. 17

Miami's ranking is its highest since being No. 22 in November 1998. They are the first MAC team ranked since Buffalo finished the 2018-19 season at No. 15.

Miami (Ohio): At Marshall on Saturday in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge.

Buffalo: At South Alabama on Saturday.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign uphere. AP college basketball:https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-pollandhttps://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

NBA franchises, in the thick of trade season, are scrambling to make roster adjustments just before the Feb. 5, 3 p.m. ET (noon PT) deadline.

As teams search for ideal suitors and partners to green-light prospective trades, the Boston Celtics have beefed up their frontcourt after making a move to receive center Nikola Vucevic and a second-round draft pick from theChicago Bullsin exchange for guard Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick,according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

Vucevic, who stands at 6-foot-9, 260-pounds, adds another big body to the Celtics' frontline. He joins a front court that includes Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, Sam Hauser, Xavier Tillman and Jordan Walsh.

Not only do they add another big, but they get someone who they can fill into their roster and will find his way. Vucevic can score in multiple ways.

Vucevic isn't a big who demands the ball, just knows what to do when gets it. He can score like a traditional big in the post, with his back to the basket. He has the capability to face up and shoot, or step back for three. If he's not getting the ball, he'll go and get an offensive rebound and putback.

Vucevic, 35, averaged 16.9 points, nine rebounds and 3.8 assists in 48 games played with the Bulls. He shot 50.5% from the field and showed an ability to stretch the floor, shooting 37.6% from the three-point arc.

Vucevic joins his fourth team in his 15 NBA seasons. He was drafted out of USC by thePhiladelphia 76erswith the 16th overall pick of the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft. Vucevic played nine seasons with theOrlando Magicand the previous five seasons in Chicago before being traded to Boston on Tuesday, Feb. 3.

The Celtics (31-18) currently have the third-best record in the Eastern Conference and sit 5.5 games behind the Detroit Pistons atop of the list.

Nikola Vucevic contract details

Vucevic signed a three-year, $60 million veteran extension contract with the Bulls in 2023. He's in the final year of that deal and is owed $21.4 million. Vucevic becomes an unrestricted free agent in July.

Nikola Vucevic career stats

The Celtics add a guy who has averaged a double-double for the entirety of his career. Vucevic's career numbers include 17.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists. From the field, he shoots at a 49.8% rate, including 35.1% from deep. He's a career 77.3% free throw shooter.

Nikola Vucevic highlights

Bulls load up the guard position

As for Chicago, they add another guard to their locker room. Simons joins a stacked team at his position including Josh Giddey, Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White andrecently acquired via trade Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley.

Simons, 26, is an eighth-year guard who was selected right out of high school, IMG Academy, with the 24th overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2018 NBA draft.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Simons has developed his game into becoming a formidable scorer who can light up a box score in spurts. His three-point shooting has stood out, as he connects on 39.5% of threes per game this season.

After years in Portland and playing behind the tutelage of Damian Lillard, Simons has grown to master his shot off the dribble, whether a side-step, step-back or snatch-back into his jumper.

Simons has proven that he's talented enough to be a starter in the NBA. As a starter for three seasons in Portland from 2022 to 2025, Simons averaged 20.7 points, 4.7 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 178 games during that span.

He's averaged 14.2 points on 44% field goal shooting and 39.5% on three-point field goals so far this season with the Celtics.

Simons goes from being a part of the third-best team in the East to a 24-26 Bulls team that is looking to make waves for a playoff push. They currently have the ninth-best record in the Eastern Conference, which would give them a play-in tournament berth.

Anfernee Simons contract details

Simons is in the final year of a four-year, $100 million contract he signed with Portland in 2022. He'll earn $27.6 million this season before becoming an unrestricted free agent in July.

Anfernee Simons career stats

Simons averages 14.9 points and 3.2 assists for his career. His shooting splits are 43.2% on field goals, 38.2% on three-point shots and 88.1% from the charity stripe.

Anfernee Simons highlights

Experts provide feedback, thoughts on trade

NBA experts and analysts broke down the Vucevic-Simons trade on ESPN following the news.

Former NBA guard and ESPN analyst Iman Shumpert:

"I love it. I'm a Josh Giddey guy. I like the way he plays. He has an array of moves and finishes that he likes to do and he's a slasher-type player. I like that (the Bulls) have a ball dominant guy now that doesn't mind holding on to the ball and waiting until the very end to get us something. And he's young Dame. I see his game and I see how much time they spent in the gym together. I think it's remarkable that he scores the ball in a similar way that Damian Lillard does. And that's all I feel I'm getting, when I get him. You see this one-dribble, pound-dribble to the step back, he's able to get in there and do the floaters, and he's got height on him. He doesn't have to use a lot of dribbles. But he doesn't mind. I think he's a willing passer. It's hard to find a willing passer in the NBA, and if you can get him the right pick and roll, he's a dangerous guy to bring to a team like that."

Los Angeles Sparks' forward and ESPN analyst Chiney Ogwumike:

"You said the word 'remarkable.' That's what I'm using to describe Boston this year. A lot of people thought this was going to be a gap year. It's turning out to be a very, very solid, a good year for Boston Celtics. They're third in the East. And now they get a big that is very important for them, especially if they're gonna go up and try to make some noise in the postseason. And with [Vucevic], he fits that [Joe] Mazzulla system. Y'all, that guy can shoot. He's shooting, I think, 37% from three. He's big and strong. He's not afraid. He doesn't really run away from physicality. Look at this right here. Knock down. Joe [Mazzulla] was like hmm, this could work for me. I can do something with this. This is a good step in the right direction for a team that we thought, 'oh, they were selling off pieces' A couple [years] after the championship, it was difficult after Jayson Tatum's injury. Now you built back in a way that I'm actually quite surprised at how quick the turnaround is."

NBA Front Office Insider Bobby Marks:

"Well, to get something, you got to give up something. I mean, Anfernee Simon's had been pretty good with with Boston, sixth man numbers here. There was a somewhat of a, I think, more of a void for the playoffs, because Neemias Queta has been pretty good, holding down the fort for Boston right now. But you get an established player and Nikola Vucevic. Double expiring contracts, so there's financial savings here. But I think this move is made for more for April and May, less for the rest of the regular-season."

ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst

"So this Tatum is a outlier, a major thing we don't know about. Vucevic is the type of player that Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis, they won a championship with it. Simons' was playing great. He just had a wild, incredible January. For Chicago, I assume they're making this trade because they intend to pay Anfernee Simons. Just as they made the trade for Jaden Ivey, they intend to pay him. This is again, 'pre-agency', and now he's going to open up 'pre-agency' for Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, who was probably, I would say, almost certainly, both of them strongly going to be elsewhere by Thursday, if not by the end of today."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Nikola Vucevic trade details: Celtics pull off deal with Bulls

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramírez will receive his final payment in 2051 under the third baseman's $175 million, seven-year contract with the Cleveland Guardians.

His deal, announced Friday, includes annual salaries of $25 million, of which $10 million annually will be deferred.

Ramírez's deferred money from each season will be payable in 10 equal installments each Dec. 15 starting in the 10th year after it was earned. His 2026 money will be paid from 2036-45 and his 2032 money from 2042-51.

He gets a full no-trade provision and a hotel suite on road trips.

Ramírez earned $72 million from 2022-25 under a$141 million, seven-year dealthat had $69 million remaining: $21 million this year, $23 million in 2027 and $25 million in 2028.

The 33-year-old native of the Dominican Republic has played his entire 13-year big league career in Cleveland.

A seven-time All-Star, Ramírez had a career-high 44 stolen bases last season and became the fourth player with multiple seasons of at least 30 home runs and 40 steals. He had a .283 batting average.

AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier — accused of gambling conspiracy — must be paid his full $26.6 million salary this season after an arbitrator ruled that the NBA cannot put him on unpaid leave, according to his attorney.

The NBA placed Rozier on unpaid leave after he was federally indicted in October in an alleged sports gambling scheme. The arbitrator's decision came Monday, Rozier's attorney said.

"Terry won under principles of contract law and the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and the players, but the bigger principle at issue is the presumption of innocence," attorney Jim Trusty told NBC News in a statement Tuesday. "The arbitration ruling reminds the NBA that they can't ignore that important concept just because it's a high-profile case."

The Miami Heat declined to comment Tuesday night. The NBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Rozierhas pleaded not guiltyto charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Federal prosecutors allege he faked a foot injury at a March 2023 game, when he was playing for the Charlotte Hornets.

Before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Rozier told a friend that he was going to "prematurely remove himself from the game in the first quarter" because of a supposed injury and would not return to play further, according to the federal indictment.

Prosecutors claim the friend sold the information to other co-conspirators to "place fraudulent wagers based on the non-public information."

Rozier pleaded not guilty in December and filed a motion to dismiss the charges. The judge has not yet ruled on the request.

A spokesperson for the National Basketball Players Association, which filed the grievance on behalf of Rozier, also expressed satisfaction at the arbitrator's decision about his salary this season.

"We are pleased with the arbitrator's ruling and remain committed to ensuring Terry's due process rights are protected and that he is afforded the presumption of innocence throughout this process," the spokesperson said in a statement.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Devin McCourty agrees that his long-time coach should be enshrined into the Hall of Fame this summer, but said the real impact of Bill Belichick not getting voted in this year will be the attention stolen from those who are.

Belichick won a record six Super Bowl titles as head coach of the New England Patriots before parting ways with the team after the 2023 season. Eligible for the Hall of Fame for the first time this year, news broke last week that he will not be part of the 2026 Hall of Fame class that will be announced Thursday night.

Belichick was up for selection alongside Patriots owner Robert Kraft and three senior player candidates in Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson, 49ers running back Roger Craig and Steelers defensive end L.C. Greenwood. Kraft reportedly also did not make the final cut.

The widespread speculation is that voters did not support Belichick being a "first-ballot" Hall of Famer because of the 2007 Spygate scandal and the Deflategate drama that resulted in a suspension for quarterback Tom Brady. Other voters have said they prioritized what is viewed as a backlog of worthy candidates whose windows to be voted into the Hall of Fame are running out.

McCourty took issue with the various requirements, including that at least four -- but no more than nine -- candidates can be elected annually.

"Shouldn't the Hall of Fame just be, 'Is this guy a Hall of Famer, yes or no?' And then we move forward," McCourty said on Tuesday ahead of working Super Bowl LX as a commentator for NBC Sports.

McCourty was a first-round pick in 2010 by the Patriots and went on to win three Super Bowl titles while playing 13 seasons for Belichick. He believes his former coach will reach the hallowed halls of Canton one day, but is concerned that his omission this year will be a storyline that overrides the induction of others.

"I think the travesty of all of this is this summer, there's gonna be a Hall of Fame induction and there's gonna be guys who are deserving of being in the Hall of Fame. And we can probably all bet that the top topic is gonna be Bill Belichick not being there," McCourty said. "And I think that's unfortunate because there are going to be players, coaches, contributors that are Hall of Fame worthy, but because this feels like a huge mistake, the only talk is going to be about the guys that didn't get into the Hall of Fame."

--Field Level Media