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WASHINGTON, D.C. — With a cut to the basket and an uncontested driving layup, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James became the NBA’s all-time second-leading scorer Saturday night in the second quarter against the Washington Wizards.

James passed former Utah Jazz Hall of Famer Karl Malone with 5 minutes, 20 seconds left in the second quarter. James entered the night needing 20 points to pass “The Mailman,” who finished his career with 36,928 points.

James now trails only former Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time scoring list. Jabbar’s record stands at 38,387 points.

There was some uncertainty about whether James would play Saturday after logging 45 minutes in an overtime win at the Toronto Raptors on Friday night. But James tested his knee before the game and was announced in the starting lineup not long before tipoff.

James was asked on Friday night if he sees any similarities between himself and Malone in that they both are known for their longevity and fitness.

“Absolutely,” James said. “Guys that just took care of their bodies for the majority of their career and always wanted to be available to their teammates. The most important leadership for you is to try to be available as much as possible on the floor. I think myself and him, we always just tried to be in uniform and make plays and stay in condition and try to stay healthy, stay injury-free as much as you can and also be productive on the floor. So yeah, absolutely.”

At 37, James entered the game averaging 29.7 points per game this season, third in the NBA behind the Philadelphia 76ers‘ Joel Embiid (30.0) and the Milwaukee Bucks‘ Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.8).

But James said he is focused on trying to win more games as the Lakers fight for a play-in spot.

“Winning is what’s most important to me and what’s always been most important to me,” James said. “But the one thing I’ve been able to do is keep the joy of the game. I understand that we’re taking a lot of losses this season and whatever the case may be. But the joy of the game and going out there and competing is so damn fun.

“And obviously, the frustration of losing and things of that nature, obviously, in the heat of the battle, you feel it that way; but it’s a joy to play the game, and it’s a joy to go out there and play at this level at this point in my career, so I’m still having a blast.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — With a cut to the basket and an uncontested driving layup, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James became the NBA’s all-time second-leading scorer Saturday night in the second quarter against the Washington Wizards.

James passed former Utah Jazz Hall of Famer Karl Malone with 5 minutes, 20 seconds left in the second quarter. James entered the night needing 20 points to pass “The Mailman,” who finished his career with 36,928 points.

James now trails only former Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time scoring list. Jabbar’s record stands at 38,387 points.

There was some uncertainty about whether James would play Saturday after logging 45 minutes in an overtime win at the Toronto Raptors on Friday night. But James tested his knee before the game and was announced in the starting lineup not long before tipoff.

James was asked on Friday night if he sees any similarities between himself and Malone in that they both are known for their longevity and fitness.

“Absolutely,” James said. “Guys that just took care of their bodies for the majority of their career and always wanted to be available to their teammates. The most important leadership for you is to try to be available as much as possible on the floor. I think myself and him, we always just tried to be in uniform and make plays and stay in condition and try to stay healthy, stay injury-free as much as you can and also be productive on the floor. So yeah, absolutely.”

At 37, James entered the game averaging 29.7 points per game this season, third in the NBA behind the Philadelphia 76ers‘ Joel Embiid (30.0) and the Milwaukee Bucks‘ Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.8).

But James said he is focused on trying to win more games as the Lakers fight for a play-in spot.

“Winning is what’s most important to me and what’s always been most important to me,” James said. “But the one thing I’ve been able to do is keep the joy of the game. I understand that we’re taking a lot of losses this season and whatever the case may be. But the joy of the game and going out there and competing is so damn fun.

“And obviously, the frustration of losing and things of that nature, obviously, in the heat of the battle, you feel it that way; but it’s a joy to play the game, and it’s a joy to go out there and play at this level at this point in my career, so I’m still having a blast.”

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The Chicago Cubs have agreed with left-hander Drew Smyly on a one-year contract, the team announced Saturday.

The deal is worth $5.25 million and Smyly could earn an additional $2.5 million in bonuses, a source told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.

The Cubs also announced one-year agreements with infielder Jonathan Villar and left-hander Daniel Norris. The Smyly and Villar deals include mutual options for the 2023 season.

Smyly, 32, won a World Series with the Atlanta Braves last season, when he went 11-4 with a 4.48 ERA in 29 appearances (23 starts). He pitched twice in the Braves’ World Series victory over the Houston Astros, allowing three runs over four innings.

He signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Cubs in December 2017 but never pitched for Chicago. Working his way back after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2017, Smyly ran out of time to get into a big league game in 2018 and was traded to the Texas Rangers that November.

He is 46-39 with a 4.18 ERA in his career, pitching for the Tigers (2012-14), Rays (2014-16), Rangers (2019), Phillies (2019), Giants (2020) and Braves.

Villar is slated to make $4.5 million in salary in 2022, and there is a $10 million mutual option with a $1.5 million buyout. He earns a $500,000 performance bonus for reaching 500 plate appearances. Norris’ contract is worth $1.75 million, and the lefty can earn up to $2 million in incentives. Norris played for Detroit and Milwaukee last year, going 2-3 with a 6.16 ERA in 56 games.

Also Saturday, the Cubs placed infielder David Bote on the 60-day injured list while he recovers from left shoulder surgery and put right-hander Tommy Nance on the COVID-19-related injured list.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The Chicago Cubs are signing left-hander Drew Smyly to a one-year, $5.25 million contract, a source confirmed to ESPN on Saturday.

The source said Smyly could earn another $2.5 million in bonuses.

Smyly, 32, won a World Series with the Atlanta Braves last season, when he went 11-4 with a 4.48 ERA in 29 appearances (23 starts). He pitched twice in the Braves’ World Series victory over the Houston Astros, allowing three runs over four innings.

He is 46-39 with a 4.18 ERA in his career, pitching for the Tigers (2012-14), Rays (2014-16), Rangers (2019), Phillies (2019), Giants (2020) and Braves. He had Tommy John surgery in 2017 and spent most of the 2018 season recovering.

MLB Network first reported that Smyly would be joining the Cubs.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton on Saturday called for the NBA to close its investigation into the Phoenix Suns and remove majority owner Robert Sarver — or soon provide a clear timetable for a resolution. If not, Sharpton said, he might bring demonstrations to Phoenix.

“The owner of the Suns was revealed in the ESPN story last November — how Sarver, the principal owner of the Phoenix Suns, made all these racist and misogynist statements. And [the NBA] said they were going to investigate it,” Sharpton said at the New York City headquarters for the National Action Network, a civil rights organization that he founded in 1991. “Well, how long does it take for an investigation when you have videos and people that come forward?

“I put the call in [Friday] to the NBA that we want them to close the investigation and remove [Sarver] or tell us the timetable by the convention.”

The National Action Network is slated to hold its annual convention April 6-9 in New York City.

“We are not going to allow people to affect the culture of the NFL or the NBA and insult us and act like that’s acceptable behavior,” Sharpton said. “They think, because it was November, everybody forgets about it, and that’s why we wanted to put that pressure on. So we are, on the Phoenix Suns.”

NBA spokesman Mike Bass told ESPN on Saturday said the investigation, which is being handled by the Wachtell Lipton law firm, is “ongoing and will take the time necessary to complete a thorough and comprehensive review of the matter.”

Bass said any potential action by the NBA wouldn’t happen until after the investigation is completed.

The NBA began its investigation into the Suns and Sarver in early November 2021, hours after ESPN published its story — based on interviews with more than 70 current and former employees — that included allegations of racism and misogyny in a sometimes hostile and toxic workplace in Phoenix during Sarver’s 17-year tenure.

Sarver has denied most of the allegations detailed in ESPN’s story.

Since then, lawyers for New York-based Wachtell Lipton, which previously led ownership-centered investigations into the LA Clippers and Atlanta Hawks, have interviewed more than 300 individuals, largely current and former employees, sources close to the investigation previously told ESPN. The lawyers have also had access to extensive documents, namely internal e-mails and human resources records, those sources said.

Employees have confirmed a range of published allegations while introducing others, sources previously told ESPN, and have provided the investigators with documents, specifically emails.

Sharpton’s proclamation Saturday comes after members of a new coalition of civil rights activists, which includes four members of Sharpton’s National Action Network, sent a letter on March 11 to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, as well as the NBA Board of Governors, that called for Sarver’s removal.

“We are profoundly disturbed by the reports of racism, misogyny and abusive behavior allegedly committed by Phoenix Suns majority owner Robert Sarver,” the letter from the 10-person group, which announced itself as the American Sports Accountability Project, said. “There is zero tolerance for such behavior in today’s society, and we expect the NBA and its leadership to hold Mr. Sarver accountable for these despicable actions, as was done in the case of Donald Sterling.”

Sharpton was part of a delegation that met with Silver in 2014 and pushed for a quick resolution regarding the investigation into Donald Sterling, the former Clippers’ owner who was banned from the league for racist comments that emerged from a recorded conversation.

The American Sports Accountability Project, or ASAP, also launched a website and a social media hashtag in their campaign: #SackSarver.

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Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton on Saturday called for the NBA to close its investigation into the Phoenix Suns and remove majority owner Robert Sarver — or soon provide a clear timetable for a resolution. If not, Sharpton said, he might bring demonstrations to Phoenix.

“The owner of the Suns was revealed in the ESPN story last November — how Sarver, the principal owner of the Phoenix Suns, made all these racist and misogynist statements. And [the NBA] said they were going to investigate it,” Sharpton said at the New York City headquarters for the National Action Network, a civil rights organization that he founded in 1991. “Well, how long does it take for an investigation when you have videos and people that come forward?

“I put the call in [Friday] to the NBA that we want them to close the investigation and remove [Sarver] or tell us the timetable by the convention.”

The National Action Network is slated to hold its annual convention April 6-9 in New York City.

“We are not going to allow people to affect the culture of the NFL or the NBA and insult us and act like that’s acceptable behavior,” Sharpton said. “They think, because it was November, everybody forgets about it, and that’s why we wanted to put that pressure on. So we are, on the Phoenix Suns.”

NBA spokesman Mike Bass told ESPN on Saturday said the investigation, which is being handled by the Wachtell Lipton law firm, is “ongoing and will take the time necessary to complete a thorough and comprehensive review of the matter.”

Bass said any potential action by the NBA wouldn’t happen until after the investigation is completed.

The NBA began its investigation into the Suns and Sarver in early November 2021, hours after ESPN published its story — based on interviews with more than 70 current and former employees — that included allegations of racism and misogyny in a sometimes hostile and toxic workplace in Phoenix during Sarver’s 17-year tenure.

Sarver has denied most of the allegations detailed in ESPN’s story.

Since then, lawyers for New York-based Wachtell Lipton, which previously led ownership-centered investigations into the LA Clippers and Atlanta Hawks, have interviewed more than 300 individuals, largely current and former employees, sources close to the investigation previously told ESPN. The lawyers have also had access to extensive documents, namely internal e-mails and human resources records, those sources said.

Employees have confirmed a range of published allegations while introducing others, sources previously told ESPN, and have provided the investigators with documents, specifically emails.

Sharpton’s proclamation Saturday comes after members of a new coalition of civil rights activists, which includes four members of Sharpton’s National Action Network, sent a letter on March 11 to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, as well as the NBA Board of Governors, that called for Sarver’s removal.

“We are profoundly disturbed by the reports of racism, misogyny and abusive behavior allegedly committed by Phoenix Suns majority owner Robert Sarver,” the letter from the 10-person group, which announced itself as the American Sports Accountability Project, said. “There is zero tolerance for such behavior in today’s society, and we expect the NBA and its leadership to hold Mr. Sarver accountable for these despicable actions, as was done in the case of Donald Sterling.”

Sharpton was part of a delegation that met with Silver in 2014 and pushed for a quick resolution regarding the investigation into Donald Sterling, the former Clippers’ owner who was banned from the league for racist comments that emerged from a recorded conversation.

The American Sports Accountability Project, or ASAP, also launched a website and a social media hashtag in their campaign: #SackSarver.

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It is an unfortunate thing to swallow but the Chicago Blackhawks need to rebuild. Things have gone downhill ever since Stan Bowman started to make mistake after mistake following the 2015 Stanley Cup Championship. In order to get back on top, they need to revamp their entire roster.

It started on Friday afternoon when they traded Brandon Hagel to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for two young NHL players and two first-round draft picks. To be honest, that is a great start because of the fact that his trade value might never be higher than it is right now.

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During the madness of NFL free agency, the Chicago Bears remain one of the more steadfast, patient teams. While much of the league is busy creating blockbuster-type headlines, the Bears are off to a quieter start.

General manager Ryan Poles set out with a few clear goals in mind, but the most important goal of all is to develop and protect franchise quarterback Justin Fields.

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Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for directing profane language toward a fan during a home game against Dallas.

The fine was announced Friday by Byron Spruell, the president of league operations.

It stems from an incident at the end of Brooklyn’s 113-111 loss to the Mavericks on Wednesday night at Barclays Center.

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