Briefs | NBA: Pacers sign ex-Sonic Earl Watson, who was waived by Thunder

NBA

Ex-Sonic Watson has averaged 7.3 points in league: The Indiana Pacers have signed guard Earl Watson to a multiyear contract.

Watson, 30, was waived earlier this month by the Oklahoma City Thunder. He played in 243 games for the Sonics before the team moved to Oklahoma City last year. Watson has averaged 7.3 points and 4.6 assists in the league.

Mavericks sign Thomas: The Dallas Mavericks signed forward Tim Thomas, who played for the Los Angeles Clippers, New York and Chicago last season. Thomas, 32, has a career average of 11.6 points.

Bobcats, Hornets complete swap of centers: The New Orleans Hornets found a taker for Tyson Chandler, sending him to Charlotte for Emeka Okafor in a swap of 26-year-old centers.

The Hornets had been trying to deal Chandler for several months. Last season they sent him to Oklahoma City, but the trade was rescinded when the 7-foot-1 Chandler failed a physical amid concerns over a lingering toe injury.

The 6-10 Okafor had trouble guarding many of the league's top big men.

"We're getting a young kid who is long and athletic and can play multiple positions and fills a need that we obviously have," Bobcats coach Larry Brown said of Chandler.

Okafor averaged 13.2 points and 10.1 rebounds last season, compared with Chandler's averages of 8.8 points and 8.7 rebounds

"Emeka is a great kid, but we all felt that with the way Tyson plays, with his quickness and his ability to handle the ball and his length, that was something that was very important to us," Brown said. "That was the overriding factor."

Bucks sign Jennings: Milwaukee signed guard Brandon Jennings, the 10th player taken in last month's draft, to a two-year, $4.49 million contract.

WNBA

Western Conference-leading Phoenix triumphs on road: Cappie Pondexter scored 29 points and led the Phoenix Mercury to a 95-80 victory over the host Connecticut Sun.

Pondexter was 12 of 18 from the field for the Mercury, which leads the Western Conference at 14-5. Anete Jekabsone-Zogota had 15 points for the Sun (9-7).

In other games, Katie Douglas scored a career-high 34 points as league-leading Indiana beat visiting Washington 85-81 and Tina Thompson had 30 points to lift Los Angeles to a 76-70 victory at Minnesota.

College football

Alabama asks NCAA to restore vacated victories: Alabama officials asked the NCAA to restore 21 vacated victories to the program in a 29-page appeal. The appeal said the penalty was "so excessive as to constitute an abuse of discretion."

The Committee on Infractions levied the penalty stemming from 201 student-athletes in 16 sports obtaining textbooks they weren't entitled to under their scholarships. Alabama self-reported violations and noted its cooperation in the appeal to the NCAA. The vacated victories were all from the 2005 to 2007 seasons.

Illinois-Northwestern game might be at Wrigley Field: Illinois and Northwestern are talking about moving their annual Big Ten game to Wrigley Field, home of baseball's Chicago Cubs.

Northwestern spokesman Mike Wolf said the schools have details to work out, among them the financial arrangements and logistics of turning Wrigley's surface into a football field. But Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald and Illinois coach Ron Zook have said they approve of the concept.

The NFL Chicago Bears called Wrigley Field home through 1970.

Golf

Mickelson plans to play in Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio: Phil Mickelson, ranked second in the world, behind Tiger Woods, plans to return to the PGA Tour at the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, next week, his first tournament since he tied for second at the U.S. Open.

Mickelson has been away because his wife, Amy, has breast cancer. She had surgery July 1. At about that time, Mickelson learned his mother has breast cancer and is being treated.

Mickelson's decision suggests he also will play in the PGA Championship, which starts Aug. 13 at Hazeltine in Chaska, Minn.

A three-time major champion, Mickelson skipped this month's British Open, ending the longest active streak of majors played at 61. He had played in every major dating to the 1994 U.S. Open.

Watson misses practice round: Tom Watson, 59, is pursuing his first U.S. Senior Open title. The tournament starts Thursday in Carmel, Ind.

Watson was runner-up in the British Open and tied for eighth in the Senior British Open.

"This is the one I want the most," he said of the U.S. Senior Open.

Watson missed a practice session because he was ill from a meal in Britain that "didn't quite agree with me."

Source says GM will end its run as Buick Open sponsor: General Motors will end its half-century run as sponsor of the Buick Open as it tries to focus relatively scarce marketing dollars on its cars and trucks, a person briefed on the decision said.

GM and PGA Tour officials will make the announcement after this year's Buick Open, which begins Thursday and ends Sunday in Grand Blanc, Mich., the source said.

Boxing

Funeral for Forrest is Monday: A funeral is scheduled Monday in Lithonia, Ga., for former champion Vernon Forrest, 38, who was killed after reportedly being robbed Saturday in Atlanta.

Seattle Times news services