Sports In Brief Complex trade sends Howard to Los Angeles

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Reed Saxon / the associated press Newly acquired Dwight Howard shows off his Laker uniform. (CP)

LONDON -- Dwight Howard got his wish: He's out of Orlando.

The all-star centre was traded Friday to the Los Angeles Lakers, the last act of his long, drawn-out departure from the Magic. It took four teams, 12 players, five draft picks and countless rounds of talks with different clubs to get done, but it finally was completed Friday after the NBA reviewed and approved the deal.

A lot of players found new homes, including Andrew Bynum, sent by the Lakers to the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers sent Andre Iguodala -- a member of the U.S. Olympic team -- to the Denver Nuggets.

"I know my best basketball is ahead of me," Iguodala wrote on Twitter.

Orlando got guard Arron Afflalo and forward Al Harrington from Denver, forward Moe Harkless and centre Nikola Vucevic from Philadelphia, and forward Josh McRoberts and guard Christian Eyenga from the Lakers. The Lakers got Howard, guard Chris Duhon and forward Earl Clark from Orlando. The Magic also traded guard Jason Richardson to Philadelphia.

Orlando also gets five draft picks over five years.

The Lakers pulled off the deal and somehow kept Pau Gasol in the process -- something many didn't expect when the Lakers first started getting mentioned in the Howard trade mix.

Jets' Hainsey says talks with NHL 'productive'

NEW YORK -- One day after NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman promised the league would lock out its players if a new Collective Bargaining Agreement was not in place by Sept. 15, representatives from both the NHL and the players' association exuded an air of optimism that the season could start on time.

The league and the NHLPA met for nearly three hours Friday at the NHL offices.

The session was centred around hockey issues, specifically an appeals process for supplemental discipline and the lengths of training camps.

"We thought it was a good session," said Winnipeg Jets defenceman Ron Hainsey, who spoke for the NHLPA following the session. "Constructive. We reflected on the whole process. Discipline, ice conditions, training camp, travel."

The league and players have routinely said during the negotiations that the sides have found agreement on many non-core economic issues.

OHL Spitfires fined

league-record $400K

TORONTO -- The Windsor Spitfires are facing a $400,000 fine, the steepest in Ontario Hockey League history, over allegations they violated player benefit and recruitment rules.

OHL commissioner David Branch, who also took away five future draft picks from the Spitfires on Friday, wouldn't provide specifics on the alleged violations. He said two separate investigations were conducted and he felt there was enough evidence to impose sanctions.

"It's a very serious matter," Branch said in an interview. "It's a dark day for our league in many respects but hopefully when all is said and done it can be turned into a positive where people recognize and are comforted by the fact that every effort is being made and taken to ensure everyone complies with the rules and regulations of the league."

Warren Rychel, the Spitfires vice-president and general manager, did not immediately return a telephone message Friday. But the club did issue a statement denying any wrongdoing.

-- from the news services

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 11, 2012 C6