NBA

Howard heading to Lakers; Denver getting Iguodala

The Los Angeles Lakers have a deal in place to acquire Dwight Howard from Orlando in a four-team, eight-player trade also involving Denver and Philadelphia, and the NBA has scheduled a conference call today with the four general managers to finish the deal, according to multiple reports.

Citing unidentified sources, ESPN first reported the deal was in place. The Los Angeles Times, citing unidentified NBA executives, confirmed the trade. The Denver Post confirmed the Nuggets’ end, and Yahoo! Sports also confirmed the trade, citing unidentified sources.

Philadelphia would get Andrew Bynum from Los Angeles and Jason Rchardson from Orlando, while Denver would get Andre Iguodala from the 76ers.

Orlando would receive Arron Afflalo and Al Harrington from Denver, Nikola Vucevic and Moe Harkless from Philadelphia and lottery protected first-round picks from each of the three teams.

cycling

Danielson, teammates crowd leaderboard in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY – Australian cyclist Michael Matthews of Rabobank won the third stage of the Tour of Utah on Thursday, and Christian Vandevelde of Garmin Sharp Barracuda retained the overall lead.

Matthews broke away from the pack twice emerging first from the peloton in the final sprint over the last six miles.

He finished the 85.7-mile stage from Ogden that featured 8,542 feet of vertical climbs in 3 hours, 24 minutes, 7 seconds.

Swiss rider Michael Schar was second, and Brent Bookwalter of BMC finished third for the second time in three days. Bookwalter is from Grand Rapids, Mich.

Vandevelde has a cumulative time of 9:12.23.

Fort Lewis College graduate Thomas Danielson, now living in Boulderis secondoverall, and David Zabriskie third – both with the same time as Vandevelde.

Matthews stayed ahead for much of the stage before fading on the final climb. He recovered enough, however, to work his way back to the front of the pack.

Once he had an outside position near the front, Matthews made a charge on the final descent into Salt Lake City and barely beat Schar and Bookwalter across the finish line.

The fourth stage today is a 134.2-mile leg from Lehi to Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City.

Many of the cyclists in the Tour of Utah will ride in the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, which starts in Durango on Aug. 20.

soccer

Manchester United’s stock trading to begin today

NEW YORK – British soccer club Manchester United priced its public offering at $14 per share, below the $16 to $20 per share price range that had been anticipated.

The club said Thursday that the stock will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange today.

Manchester United is trying to pay off more of the heavy debt piled on the club in its 2005 takeover.The 134-year-old club, with a record 19 English championships, is one of the most well-known teams on the planet.

Some analysts say the debt-ridden team is overvalued, and the offering is dependent on investors wearing their fan colors rather than their financial-thinking caps.

Former Regis coach joins Rapids to help goalkeepers

COMMERCE CITY – The Colorado Rapids added former MLS head coach Dave Dir as a goalkeeper coach.

Dir, a former men’s soccer coach at Regis University, replaces David Kramer, who left the club to pursue other opportunities.

Dir led the Dallas Burn from 1996 to 2000 as one of the inaugural coaches of the MLS.

He then served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Under-20 National Team from 2002-11. He most recently was a chief scout for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Dir was the head coach of the Colorado Foxes in the American Professional Soccer League from 1991-94, where he coached former Rapids players Marcelo Balboa and Robin Fraser.

He also coached men’s soccer at Regis University from 1990-91.

Associated Press