Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving has a bulging disk in his back and is expected to miss at least one to two weeks, sources told ESPN.

There is optimism that treatment over the coming days will provide a return-to-play target date, sources said.

The Mavs announced Sunday that Irving would miss Monday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies with a lumbar sprain in his back. He did not join the team on the road trip, remaining in Dallas to be reevaluated, sources said.

Irving did not play in Friday's home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, when he was ruled out hours before tipoff with an illness.

Dallas is already down one superstar, as guard Luka Doncic has been out since suffering a strained left calf during the Christmas Day loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Doncic, who was seen using a scooter to move around at the arena Friday night, is expected to be reevaluated in the final week of January.

The Mavs, who also dealt with suspensions to forwards Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington stemming from a Dec. 27 altercation with Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic, have lost four consecutive games entering Monday night. Dallas (20-15), the defending Western Conference champion, is 0-3 when missing both Doncic and Irving this season.

Irving, 32, has performed at an All-Star level in his 14th NBA season, averaging 24.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game while shooting 49.0% from the floor and a career-best 44.1% from 3-point range.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- After some uncertainty, the Tampa Bay Rays now support a $55.7 million city plan to repair hurricane-shredded Tropicana Field in time for the 2026 season opener, while the team prepares to play this year at the New York Yankees' spring training home in nearby Tampa.

Matt Silverman, the Rays' co-president, said in an email to the St. Petersburg chief administrator that the team wants to "clear up" any questions about its support for the reconstruction. The city must pay for the work under its current contract with the Rays.

"While we had been open to considering a scenario in which the city bought out of its obligation to rebuild the ballpark, the Rays support and expect the city to rebuild Tropicana Field in accordance with the terms of the current use agreement," Silverman wrote.

Hurricane Milton tore the Trop's fabric roof to pieces when it came ashore Oct. 9, causing water and other damage to interior parts of the now-exposed ballpark. Work has been ongoing to ensure no further damage is caused by weather but there had been questions about the full repair in part because it would eventually be torn down to make way for a new, $1.3 billion ballpark under current plans to keep the Rays in St. Petersburg another 30 years.

Time is of the essence, Silverman said in his Dec. 30 email to the city, which released it Monday. Even a partial 2026 season at Tropicana Field "would present massive logistical and revenue challenges for the team," he wrote.

"It is therefore critical that the rebuild start in earnest as soon as possible" with a realistic construction schedule to be ready by Opening Day 2026, he added.

The city had no immediate comment on the email. Its own architect presented the repair proposal initially Dec. 12 but it has not yet been fully approved. Members of the city council have balked at the cost, especially with residents and businesses still recovering from Milton and Hurricane Helene before that.

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch has said that insurance and Federal Emergency Management Agency funds should cover the bulk of the cost. Silverman said Major League Baseball has told the team it will hire its own adviser to monitor the repair work and timeline.

The planned new downtown Rays ballpark is part of a $6.5 billion project that will include affordable housing, a Black history museum, retail and office space, restaurants and bars. The project is known as the Historic Gas Plant District, which was once a thriving Black community displaced by the construction of the ballpark and an interstate highway.

The Rays are preparing to play 2025 home games at Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees' 11,000-seat spring training location in Tampa. Once Tropicana Field is repaired, Silverman acknowledged the Rays are obligated to play there three more seasons under the contract with St. Petersburg.

"We look forward to a grand reopening," Silverman said.

NEW YORK -- David Wright's No. 5 will be retired by the New York Mets before a July 19 game against Cincinnati, the team said Monday.

Wright's number will be the 10th retired by the Mets, the sixth since Steve Cohen bought the team ahead of the 2021 season. Wright also will enter the team's Hall of Fame, joining Tom Seaver as the only Mets players to receive both honors on the same day.

A seven-time All-Star, Wight hit .296 with 242 homers, 970 RBIs and 196 stolen bases from 2004 to 2018, his career cut short by neck, back and shoulder injuries that required surgery.

Wright, who turns 42 on Dec. 20, became the Mets' fourth captain in 2013 after Keith Hernandez (1987-89), Gary Carter (1988-89) and John Franco (2001-04).

"David Wright personified class on and off the field," Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. "David is the definition of a Met."

New York previously retired No. 14 (Gil Hodges, 1973), No. 16 (Dwight Gooden, 2024), No. 17 (Hernandez, 2022), No. 18 (Darryl Strawberry, 2024), No. 24 (Willie Mays, 2022), No. 31 (Mike Piazza, 2016), No. 36 (Jerry Koosman, 2021), No. 37 (Casey Stengel, 1965) and No. 41 (Seaver, 1988). In addition, Jackie Robinson's No. 42 was retired throughout Major League Baseball in 1997.

Novak Djokovic says he still experiences "trauma" when he visits Melbourne, three years after he was deported because of Australia's Covid-19 regulations.

Djokovic, who was not vaccinated against the virus, had his visa cancelled by the Australian government on "health and good order" grounds.

He was forced to stay at an immigration hotel for five days while he unsuccessfully appealed against the decision and was eventually forced to leave the country, meaning he missed the 2022 Australian Open.

Djokovic returned to Melbourne the following year, with Covid restrictions eased, and went on to win the Grand Slam for a record 10th time.

The Serb, 37, is back in Australia preparing for the 2025 tournament, which begins on Sunday.

"The last couple of times I landed in Australia, to go through passport control and immigration - I had a bit of trauma from three years ago," Djokovic told Melbourne's Herald Sun., external

"And some traces still stay there when I'm passing passport control, just checking out if someone from immigration zone is approaching.

"The person checking my passport - are they going to take me, detain me again or let me go? I must admit I have that feeling."

He added: "I don't hold a grudge. I came right away the year after and I won.

"My parents and whole team were there and it was actually one of the most emotional wins I've ever had, considering all that I'd been through the year before."

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said she prefers to focus on this year's tournament.

"The responsibility of granting visas is a matter for the federal government and those decisions were made by the federal government at the time," said Allan, who was part of a government crisis cabinet leading the Australian response to Covid in 2022 - but was not involved in the Djokovic case.

"Covid was tough for all of us. It didn't matter who you were, where you came from, Covid didn't discriminate in who it infected, how sick it made you and how sick it made others in our community."

Australia prime minister Anthony Albanese criticised the previous government's handling of the situation, particularly the decision to deny Djokovic access to an Orthodox priest in the build-up to Christmas, which is celebrated on 7 January by most Orthodox Christians.

"I made comments at the time about it. I found it astonishing that in the lead up to Christmas, Novak Djokovic was denied by the then federal government the opportunity to see his Orthodox minister, priest, during that period," said Albanese, who became prime minister in May 2022.

"I think that was something that I think was hard to justify at that time."

Djokovic is hoping to win a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title when he competes in the Australian Open at Melbourne Park next week.

Great Britain's Harriet Dart and Heather Watson both made it through to the second round of qualifying for the Australian Open, but Dan Evans is out.

Third seed Dart, who has recently slipped out of the world's top 100, defeated Australian wildcard Lizette Cabrera 6-2 7-6 (7-5) in Melbourne.

Watson claimed a hard-fought 7-5 6-7 (14-16) 6-2 victory against Lola Radivojevic of Serbia.

There was disappointment, however, for British men's number five Evans, who lost 6-4 3-6 6-3 to Japan's James Trotter.

Dart is up against another Australian in Taylah Preston in the next round, while Watson will take on American veteran Varvara Lepchenko.

Billy Harris, Jan Choinski, Paul Jubb, Francesca Jones and Lily Miyazaki will play their first-round qualifiers on Tuesday.

Britain's Katie Boulter, Emma Raducanu, Sonay Kartal, Jodie Burrage, Jack Draper, Cameron Norrie and Jacob Fearnley all have direct entry into the main draw at the first major of 2025.

Jacob Fearnley has received a first call-up to Great Britain's Davis Cup squad for their upcoming tie with Japan.

Scot Fearnley, 23, was ranked outside the top 600 a year ago, but he won his first four ATP Challenger titles in 2024 to rise up to 86th in the world rankings.

Cameron Norrie, Billy Harris and former Wimbledon doubles champion Neal Skupski have also been selected by Great Britain captain Leon Smith.

British number one Jack Draper has opted to miss the first-round qualifier to support his recovery from a hip injury.

There is no place for Dan Evans, who said he was thinking "long and hard" about ending his Davis Cup career after Britain lost to Canada in September's Finals.

Evans, 34, has played 28 Davis Cup ties and was a substitute when they won their last title in 2015, but he has slipped to 160th in the world and fell in the first round of qualifying for the Australian Open.

The best-of-five tie against Japan takes place on 31 January and 1 February at the Bourbon Beans Dome in Miki.

The winner will face Germany or Israel in September for a place in the Finals.

Winger Regan Grace has signed for Cardiff for the remainder of the 2024-25 season after completing his move from Bath.

The rugby league convert, 28, was targeted by Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt, who is without several injured players.

But the six-month Arms Park contract could be extended beyond this season.

"I've always been excited about Cardiff - it's a big, historical club and a lot of legends have played here," said Grace.

"Coming back to play on home soil has also always been something I have wanted to do, so to do that in the capital city is a great opportunity.

"I'm very much aware of all the dual-code legends who have played for, or come through, Cardiff, so to follow in those footsteps is pretty cool."

It is the latest twist in Grace's transition from league to union following his surprise inclusion in Wales' tour of Australia last summer.

The former St Helens star was only called into the Wales training squad as an injury replacement, but made his competitive union debut against Queensland Reds, scoring with almost his first touch.

Judicial officer Sheriff Mackie had originally requested a 10-game ban for O'Toole's challenge on Nankivell, which resulted in the Munster centre suffering a hamstring injury.

In a statement published on their website, the URC explained that O'Toole received 40% mitigation for his "admission of foul play, immediate apology and again post-match".

However, because O'Toole previously received a red card for "foul play" against Toulouse in 2022, "not all mitigating factors were applied".

Interim head coach Simon Easterby said in the URC's statement that O'Toole would have "barring injury or suspension, a very good chance of being named in the matchday squad" as he had been "a constant member of the Ireland senior squad since debut in 2021".

As a result, the URC felt that it was "appropriate" to include Ireland fixtures in the ban.

After the England and Scotland games, Ireland face Wales away, France at home and finish against Italy in Rome as they seek to win a third successive Six Nations title.

Easterby, who takes interim charge of Ireland as Andy Farrell prepares to lead the British and Irish Lions in their tour of Australia in the summer, will name his Six Nations squad on Wednesday 15 January.

He may not the best back row in his family, but he is clearly the best in the Premiership right now.

Tom Willis, whose brother Jack continues to tear up trees for European champions Toulouse, has been in superb form all season.

His display in Saracens' 35-26 win over Bristol was a tour de force.

He scored two tries, gaining 44 metres and beating five defenders from 12 carries, while also making 23 tackles and securing two turnovers.

His first try was a battering pick-and-go from the back of a breakdown. His second was from longer range, seeing him scorch around Noah Heward and Viliame Mata on his way into the corner.

At one point in defence, he picked up Rich Lane, put him under his arm like a beach brolly and casually carried the Bears' full-back back towards his own line.

Bristol, who have conceded more points than everyone except bottom side Newcastle, have a propensity to make the opposition look good.

But Willis' campaign is a serious body of work.

He has beaten more defenders than any other player in the Premiership. He is the only forward in the top 10. He is seventh on metres made, without racking up the 'easy' kick receipt yardage. Again, he is the only forward in the top 10.

He is Saracens' leading tackler, third overall in the league, and equal sixth in the division for turnovers.

His only England cap came as a 54th-minute replacement in a World Cup warm-up defeat by Wales in August 2023.

More are surely coming. And soon.