Thursday Sports in Brief

Updated Oct. 16, 2020 2:21 a.m. ET

Associated Press

NBA

Tyronn Lue has agreed to become the next coach of the Los Angeles Clippers.

A person with knowledge of the situation said final terms were still being worked on. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday on condition of anonymity because no contract had been signed.

Lue will replace Doc Rivers, who had coached the Clippers for the last seven seasons and is now coaching the Philadelphia 76ers. Lue, 43, was on the 59-year-old Rivers’ staff this season when the Clippers wasted a 3-1 lead over Denver and lost in the Western Conference semifinals.

—By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds.

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is stepping down on his own accord, a little over a year after sparking a rift between the NBA and Chinese government.

Morey said he made the decision to pend more time with his two college-aged children, who are taking a year off from school during the pandemic, and to “see what other potential challenges could be out there.”

The Rockets announced the move Thursday night. Morey said he’s leaving the team Nov. 1.

NFL

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs signed Le’Veon Bell late Thursday, two days after he was released by the New York Jets, giving them some much-needed depth at running back and another weapon for quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Bell, a two-time All-Pro with the Pittsburgh Steelers, was cut by the Jets after a disappointing tenure in New York that lasted less than two full seasons. Bell and coach Adam Gase appeared to not mesh since the running back signed a four-year, $52.5 million contract with $35 million guaranteed last year as a free agent.

GOLF

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian PGA Championship, Australian Open and Women’s Australian Open have been canceled amid continuing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

PGA of Australia chief executive Gavin Kirkman, ALPG chief executive Karen Lunn and Golf Australia chief executive James Sutherland confirmed Friday that all three events, which were to have been played in February, won’t proceed.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Nick Saban won’t be allowed to coach No. 2 Alabama from home against third-ranked Georgia per NCAA guidelines, and also can’t be in the stadium while testing positive for COVID-19.

Saban said on his radio show Thursday night that he hasn’t had a fever or any symptoms and has still been able to perform all his normal work duties from home.

He said offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, a former Southern California and Washington head coach, will handle the head coaching decisions on the sideline during the game.

CINCINNATI (AP) — No. 8 Cincinnati’s game at Tulsa on Saturday has been postponed because of positive COVID-19 tests among Bearcats players.

The American Athletic Conference announced Thursday the game is being rescheduled for Dec. 5.

The number of players who have tested positive or have been quarantined through contact tracing has not been revealed by Cincinnati. The school has not been making those numbers public throughout its testing of athletes.

Cincinnati is next scheduled to play Oct. 24 at No. 17 SMU.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Former Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden was released from a hospital Thursday after being treated for COVID-19.

Bowden family friend Kim Shiff said the 90-year-old college Hall of Famer was back home after a weeklong stay at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare.

He was hospitalized Oct. 6, three days after testing positive for COVID-19. He had received word of the positive test a few days after returning to his Tallahassee home from a lengthy hospital stay for an infection in his leg.

SOCCER

LONDON (AP) — The rifts in English soccer grew Thursday when lower-league clubs rejected a proposed rescue package of 50 million pounds ($65 million) from the Premier League as they seek more cash without conditions.

A package of loans and grants was offered to clubs in tiers three and four, which are struggling without matchday income due to coronavirus.

The money is on top of 27.2 million pounds ($35 million) already advanced in solidarity payments, but the English Football League said the bailout was insufficient while insisting that clubs in the second-tier Championship should not be omitted from a deal.

RUGBY

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — World Cup champion South Africa has withdrawn from the Rugby Championship in Australia, leaving Argentina, Australia and New Zealand to contest a tournament much diminished by its absence.

South Africa cited player welfare concerns because of the delayed start to its domestic competition and uncertainty over government travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic for players in South Africa and in Europe.

OBITUARY

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Fred Dean, the fearsome pass rusher who was a key part of the launch of the San Francisco 49ers’ dynasty, has died. He was 68.

His death on Wednesday night was confirmed Thursday by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Dean was hospitalized last week with the coronavirus and was on a ventilator and in intensive care, according to former teammate Dwight Hicks.

Dean was an undersized pass rusher who began his career as a second-round pick with the San Diego Chargers in 1975 and ended it in the Hall of Fame after being named an All-Pro twice and making four Pro Bowls.

___

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports