NBA Wire Notes | Donaghy might implicate refs

Former official Tim Donaghy reportedly will give information that will implicate referees in some forms of gambling activity, ESPN.com reported Friday.

The Web site, citing a report on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York, said Donaghy will give federal prosecutors the information as part of his cooperation with government officials.

According to the radio report, Donaghy will give prosecutors as many as 20 names of other officials and will talk about their involvement in some type of gambling activity. The ESPN.com report said, "The specifics of the gambling allegations are reportedly believed to include betting in casinos."

The alleged gambling might not include criminal activity, but reportedly could violate league policy and lead to sanctions.

The league's collective-bargaining agreement with the officials bans gambling by referees, with the exception of going to a racetrack and wagering on horses during the NBA offseason.

ESPN.com quoted Lamell McMorris, director of the National Basketball Referees Association, as saying, "As far as we know, the misconduct was isolated to one individual, and we'll stand by that until proven otherwise."

Donaghy, 40, pleaded guilty to his role in an NBA gambling ring Wednesday and was released on $250,000 bond. He faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced Nov. 9 for conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting betting information through interstate commerce.

"I was in a unique position to pick the outcome of NBA games," Donaghy told a judge earlier this week.

"I received cash payments for successful picks."

Notes

• Minnesota Timberwolves forward Mark Madsen had surgery on his right shoulder, four days after he was hurt on a personal watercraft. He is expected to be out until at least November.

Madsen, 31, was using the watercraft Monday and was hurt after he had to get off the machine and dive into the water, a team spokesman said.

• Forward Andray Blatche re-signed with the Washington Wizards, as the team opted to keep the restricted free agent despite his recent run-in with the law.

Blatche, 20, signed a multiyear deal. Its completion was delayed because of his arrest Aug. 2 on sexual-solicitation charges. Blatche and another man were accused of trying to solicit sex from an undercover police officer, and Blatche was also wanted for failure to appear on a charge of driving without a license.

• Swingman James Posey, 30, an unsigned free agent who played for the Miami Heat last season, has agreed to plead guilty to reckless driving in connection with an incident in April in Miami Beach, Fla., prosecutors said. Posey agreed to a deal involving lesser charges; he originally was arrested on drunken-driving charges.

• Team USA, which opens the FIBA Americas against Venezuela on Wednesday in Las Vegas, had FIBA referees call a recent scrimmage.

Of the rougher style, Sonics forward Nick Collison said, "The international game's almost like a completely different sport."