He averaged 232 yards per game during the three-game postseason run a year ago. Go ahead and do the math on that over a full 15-game season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Try the math.

Ezekiel Elliott last season ran for 220 yards in the Big Ten Championship against Wisconsin, 230 yards in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Alabama and 246 yards in the National Championship against Oregon.

That's 696 yards. In three games. For 232 yards per game.

For 2015, let's try 232 yards per game for 12 regular-season games. That's 2,784 yards.

Now let's try 232 yards per game for a full 15-game playoff run - 3,480 yards.

Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon led the nation in rushing with 2,587 yards last season.

Barry Sanders holds the single-season mark from 1988 with 2,628 yards, but bowl games didn't count for season totals then. So throw in his 222 yards in the Holiday Bowl and he hit 2,850 yards.

* Here are the top 10 Heisman challengers for Elliott

So should we prepare for a 3,000-yard season from Elliott?

Wait, what?

Sure, 200 yards per game for 15 games. Math. 

Elliott averaged 232 yards over those final three games against run defenses that finished fourth (Alabama, 102.4 yards), 23rd (Wisconsin, 126.1 yards) and 62nd (Oregon, 165.4 yards) in the nation.

What are Elliott and the offensive line going to do against Hawaii, Indiana and Rutgers?

Remember, Elliott had just 141 rushing yards on 27 carries over the first three games last season against Navy, Virginia Tech and Kent State as he worked back to health after a preseason left wrist injury.

He had an original surgery before last season, then a second surgery in February. Meanwhile, he played the whole season unable to carry the ball in his left hand and said he "left a lot of yards on the field."

If things continue as expected, Elliott won't have that kind of slow start this season.

"My wrist is doing very well," Elliott said last week. "I've gotten back to benching. I wouldn't say it's back to full strength, but it's getting there. I'm working on flexibility and there's no pain anymore. There's a little bit of stiffness, but I'll definitely be ready for the season."

Will opposing defenses be ready for Elliott and an offensive line that rolled through the postseason and returns four of five starters?

"I think defenses are going to have to pick their poison," Elliott said. "We have a lot of weapons on offense. I think they can't just play the run or just play the pass because we're such a balanced team."

Elliott said he expects a lot of different looks from defenses, and the players have been watching film on the variety of schemes they expect.

But in the end ...

"I think that'll be similar production to last year," Elliott said.

If it's like those last three games, there's a lot of math ahead. Not 3,000 yards of it, right? No way. Doubtful. Probably not, right?

But a lot. 

Sunday's series finale between the clubs was delayed with David Murphy, the Tribe's No. 5 hitter, at the plate in the top of the first inning. For the third consecutive day, the skies opened at Great American Ball Park.

CINCINNATI -- Well, at least the Indians and Reds got through four batters rain-free.

Sunday's series finale between the clubs was delayed with David Murphy, the Tribe's No. 5 hitter, at the plate in the top of the first inning. For the third consecutive day, the skies opened at Great American Ball Park. The heavy rain held off until after Saturday's game.

The Indians and Reds played through an apocalypse of sorts on Friday night. The teams played through a steady rain after an hour-long delay. A heavy dose of thunder and lightning accompanied the precipitation.

The Reds have endured 12 rain delays at home this season, according to the team's PR staff.

On Sunday morning, Lindor was summoned to a meeting with manager Terry Francona.

CINCINNATI -- In the seventh inning of Saturday's Tribe victory, rookie shortstop Francisco Lindor flied out to center field. He didn't exactly hustle down the first-base line, either.

And so on Sunday morning, Lindor was summoned to a meeting with manager Terry Francona.

"I don't want that to happen," Francona said. "He's not a bad kid. He's not a lazy kid. He got caught up for a second in maybe frustration and I kind of walked him through it. I didn't yell at him, I walked him through it.

"I said, 'Hey, is this what you want to be?' He was like, 'No.' I said, 'I agree.' Because that's not the way you play. He's a great kid, actually, and he plays hard. He just got frustrated and saw what happened and rather than not address it or scream at him, I just don't want it to happen anymore. And I would be willing to bet it doesn't."

Lindor played in his 29th big league game on Sunday. He won't turn 22 until Nov. 14.

"We knew when we called him up those types of things can happen," Francona said. "[GM] Chris [Antonetti] said, 'Hey man, just want you to know that these things can happen.' I said, 'We'll work with him. That's OK.' I just don't want to look up three years from now and have not handled something, because younger kids are impressionable and we want them to play the game the right way."

Francona often mentions how his favorite part of Jason Kipnis' game is how hard the second baseman runs to first, no matter the situation.

"It's a weird thing, running to first, I think it tells you a lot about a player," Francona said. "It's not the end-all, be-all. And I've probably changed my stance a little bit as I've gotten older, because you recognize that guys are a little bit beat up and things like that.

"But, when you watch teams play, teams that get out of the batter's box are teams that are hard to play. It doesn't mean they have the most talent. But the team that the guy gets to second on the pop-up that falls in. The pop ups don't fall in very often. But when they do--that's why the hustle thing, it's like you either do it or you don't. Because you don't know when ti's going to pay off. But I guarantee you, if you do it every time, it will pay off.

"But it's the frustration part. Guys aren't lazy. They don't get here by being lazy. It's just the frustration gets the best of them and thats why we talk about handling frustration so much. But like Kipnis, he gets down the line, I love it. I absolutely love it. It's one of the things I respect about him more than anything."

Can it rub off on Lindor? During Francona's first season as manager in Philadelphia in 1997, the club lacked a regular leadoff hitter. Second baseman Mickey Morandini volunteered to take over the spot in the lineup.

"I was like, 'OK, I'll make you a deal,'" Francona said. "'I'll let you lead off. When you lead off the game with a hit, I want you rounding first like your pants are on fire.' And damn did he do that and it used to make me so [happy]. ... I think it's awesome. It sets such a great tone."

Testing, testing: Josh Tomlin is slated to pitch for Triple-A Columbus on Monday. The right-hander, a little more than three months removed from shoulder surgery, will toss four innings or about 65 pitches

Nick Swisher, working his way back from left knee inflammation, will serve as designated hitter for Class A Lake County on Monday. He'll receive up to three at-bats. On Tuesday, he'll play the outfield for four or five innings.

"We're trying to build him up and get him to a point so when he does start to play, he doesn't go backwards," Francona said.

No cooling down: First baseman Carlos Santana totaled four multi-hit games in his last five contests before the All-Star break. In his first two games after the four-day reprieve, he collected three hits -- including two doubles -- in seven at-bats.

"When he went into the break, he was really swinging good and I was glad to see him come out of the break swinging it," Francona said. "You hate to see a guy start to get hot, then have the four days off and lose it."

Jordan Spieth was one shot out of the lead and one round away from the third leg of the Grand Slam. Not since Bobby Jones has an amateur won the British Open, and then along came Paul Dunne with a bogey-free performance Sunday at St. Andrews that gave him a share of the lead.

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) -- Jordan Spieth was one shot out of the lead and one round away from the third leg of the Grand Slam. Not since Bobby Jones has an amateur won the British Open, and then along came Paul Dunne with a bogey-free performance Sunday at St. Andrews that gave him a share of the lead.

When a shootout at St. Andrews ended Sunday, 14 players were separated by three shots. Half of them were major champions.

Even for a place packed with centuries of history, this British Open offered endless possibilities.

Dunne, the 22-year-old from Ireland, was impervious to everything around him and soaked up a day he won't soon forget in his round of 6-under 66. Louis Oosthuizen, the last player to lift the claret jug on the Old Course in 2010, made three birdies over his last five holes for a 67. Jason Day had a share of the 54-hole lead for the second straight major with a 67, and this time he doesn't have to worry about vertigo symptoms he dealt with at the U.S. Open.

They were at 12-under 204.

"It's surreal I'm leading the Open, but I can easily believe that I shot the three scores that I shot," Dunne said. "If we were playing an amateur event here, I wouldn't be too surprised by the scores I shot. It's just lucky that it happens to be in the biggest event in the world.

"Hopefully, I can do it again tomorrow," he said. "But whether I do or not, I'll survive either way."

Such an opportunity might not come around again for Spieth. Only three other players won the first two legs of the Grand Slam since the modern version began in 1960. Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods only got one shot at it, and none ever started the final round of the British Open so close to the lead.

And so it was Spieth, a 21-year-old Texan with an uncanny sense of occasion, who brought the gray, old town to life in a mixture of sunshine and rain.

After punching his golf bag in frustration at the turn, he ran off three straight birdies on the back nine and kept alive his hopes of becoming the first player to sweep the four professional majors in one year. He finished with a 66.

Ben Hogan in 1953 was the only other player to win the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open in the same year.

"I'm going to play to win," Spieth said. "I'm not playing for a place. I don't want to place third tomorrow. I want to win. And so I'm going to play my game -- to stay in the mix if it's not all there at the beginning, and if it is, I'm going to continue to play that way to try and get out in front. It's going to be hard."

Rarely has the Old Course been as easy as it was Sunday.

One day after raging wind off the Eden Estuary caused a 10-hour delay and forced a Monday finish, the flags were soaked from passing showers and limp from no wind. Marc Leishman flirted with a record-tying 63 until he made par on the closing hole. It still got him with two shots of the lead. The leaderboards were loaded with birdies, and seven players had at least a share of the lead at some point in the third round.

That's what made Dustin Johnson's collapse so shocking. With a one-shot lead after powering his way around St. Andrews for 36 holes, he was the last player in the field to make a birdie, and that wasn't until the 15th hole. He followed with three straight bogeys for a 75 to fall five shots behind.

That might not seem impossible to make up, though having 17 players ahead of him -- Spieth included -- makes it a tall order.

Spieth, the youngest professional in the field, seemed calm despite the historic moment in front of him.

His goal at the start of the week was to treat the British Open like any other tournament he was trying to win. Even during the long delay on Saturday, he said he hasn't thought much about the slam. There is no escaping it now, and Spieth doesn't see that as a problem.

"If I have a chance coming down the stretch, if it creeps in, I'll embrace it," he said. "I'll embrace the opportunity that presents itself. As far as handling it, I don't look at it as a negative thing. I look at it almost as an advantage. Why should it add more pressure in a negative way?

"If it adds more pressure, it just makes me feel like this is something that's a little more special," he said. "Let's go ahead and get the job done."

This will be his toughest challenge. He won the Masters in a runaway. He was part of a four-way tie for the lead at Chambers Bay and outlasted Johnson and Oosthuizen over the final hour. Now he's starting a race against an extremely crowded field.

Padraig Harrington, a three-time major champion, revived his game with a 65 and was two shots behind. The nine players at 9-under 207 included Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose, Retief Goosen and Adam Scott, and one other amateur -- Jordan Niebrugge of Oklahoma State, who shot a 67.

The Indians won the season series against the Reds, 5-1.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Right-hander Carlos Carrasco gave up one run in six innings and Cleveland Indians batters drew four bases-loaded walks in a 5-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in 11 innings Sunday afternoon at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. Reds right-hander Johnny Cueto walked a season-high six and lasted just four innings.

Here is a capsule look at the game after a DVR review of the Fox SportsTime Ohio telecast:

Advantage, Cleveland: The Indians (44-47) won the series, 2-1, and the season series, 5-1.

The Reds slipped to 40-49.

Winning ugly: The Indians prevailed despite:

*Zero hits that drove in a run. They scored on the four bases-loaded walks and a sacrifice fly.

*3-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

*0-for-7 with the bases loaded.

*18 left on base.

*Blowing leads of 3-1 through 7 1/2 innings and 3-2 through 8 1/2. 

Overcoming themselves: So how, exactly, did the Tribe win? Here are some of the reasons:

*Carrasco. He allowed four hits, walked one and struck out six. Oh, by the way: He was 1-for-1 with two sacrifice bunts.

*2B Jason Kipnis. He went 2-for-4 with two walks and a sacrifice fly. He saw a staggering 42 pitches.

*SS Francisco Lindor. He went 2-for-6 with a walk and RBI. He singled off Reds flamethrower Aroldis Chapman in the 10th. He singled off Pedro Villarreal with two on in the 11th but was denied a second RBI when Brandon Moss was erased attempting to score from second.

*LF Michael Brantley. He was 1-for-3 with three walks and two RBI.

*3B Mike Aviles. He was 2-for-6 with one run and made a stellar defensive play to deny speedy Billy Hamilton a bunt single leading off the third.

*CF Michael Bourn. He went 3-for-6 with two runs.

*CA Roberto Perez. He authored one of the best box-score lines of the season: 0-2-0-0-3-0. As in, 0-for-0 with three walks and two runs. He also had a sacrifice bunt.

Perez called a good game for Carrasco and made one of the season's best throws, erasing Hamilton attempting to steal second in the fifth.

*PH-C Yan Gomes. He was 1-for-2 with a walk and RBI. His bases-loaded walk in the 11th made it 4-3; Kipnis followed with the sacrifice fly.

*Cueto. One of MLB's premier pitchers and the subject of rampant trade speculation, Cueto basically was a no-show. He belied his career numbers against Cleveland by allowing two runs in the four innings. He required 94 pitches to get his 12 outs.

*All Reds pitchers. The seven combined to give up 13 hits and walk 10. They threw 237 pitches, including a ridiculous 104 balls. And it wasn't as if they were getting squeezed by umpire Carlos Torres; if anything, Torres gave them breaks.

Cincinnati's staff threw 91 more pitches than Cleveland's (six pitchers).  

Missed opportunities: The Indians pressured the Reds throughout but kept coming up relatively empty.

In the first, Kipnis slapped an 0-2 pitch to center for a single. Kipnis was unfazed as Cueto attempted to quick-pitch him.

After Lindor lined to center, Brantley hit a chopper into the hole at second for a single. Kipnis advanced to third.

Carlos Santana, who has been productive in July, got ahead in the count, 3-1. Cueto was rushing his delivery and experienced all sorts of trouble gripping the ball. Santana took a strike and fouled. Cueto threw a high pitch that the typically disciplined Santana chased and popped to left. 

With David Murphy at the plate, play was halted because of the threat of inclement weather/lightning. The delay lasted 47 minutes.

Murphy swung and missed at an 0-1 fastball (92), fouled a fastball (92) and swung through a fastball (92) on the inner half above the knees. Murphy is too good to be overpowered by a 92-mph fastball.

The Tribe entered with a .171 average with runners in scoring position and two outs.

In the second, Cueto retired the first two and had Perez in a 2-2 count. Perez took the next two pitches for balls.

Carrasco, in an 0-2 count, punched a single to right for his first major-league hit. It almost didn't happen because right fielder Jay Bruce noticed Carrasco jogging  toward first and zipped a throw to Joey Votto. Carrasco recognized what Bruce was doing in time to beat the throw by a half-step. Perez stopped at second.

Cueto walked Kipnis in four pitches to load the bases and went 3-0 on Lindor. The Indians needed Lindor to be patient, and he was: Lindor took two strikes, then wasn't tempted by a pitch far out of the zone. The walk gave Cleveland a 1-0 lead.

Brantley, in a 2-1 count, was in terrific shape to do damage. But all he managed against an off-speed pitch was a squib-grounder to third baseman Ivan De Jesus.

In the third, Cueto retired the side in order.

In the fourth, Bourn singled to center -- his 10th hit in 25 career at-bats against Cueto. Perez walked in four pitches. Carrasco bunted the runners to second and third.

Kipnis drew a walk after a 2-2 count. Lindor, impatient this time, fouled to third.  Brantley picked up Lindor by turning a 2-2 count into a walk to give the Tribe a 2-1  advantage.

Santana struck out swinging at a full-count changeup -- Cueto's final pitch of the game.

Cueto's line: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 2 K

More LOB: Just because Cueto was out of the game did not mean the Tribe stopped sputtering with runners on base. 

In the sixth, the Indians loaded the bases with none out. They scored one.

An impatient Lindor popped the first pitch from righty Ryan Mattheus to left. Lefty Manny Parra relieved and walked Brantley in six pitches to make it 3-1.

Santana lined to short and pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn grounded to second.

In the seventh, Aviles led off with a single against Parra and moved to second on  Bourn's single. Perez's bunt put two in scoring position.

Pinch-hitter Gomes lined to center, where Hamilton made a diving catch while moving in and to his left.

Aviles, several yards off the bag, hesitated as Hamilton made the catch. By the time Aviles tagged, it was too late to go.

Fox SportsTime Ohio analyst Rick Manning said: "Oh, man, that is a mistake there. How can you not be tagging up on that ball? That is a huge mistake. Anything that's hit in the air, you stay right at third base and go tag up. That's a mistake by Aviles. Unbelievable. You finally get a ball that you think you can score a run on, and then you make a base-running mistake.''

Kipnis grounded to second.

Manning not happy, part II: With Santana at bat in the eighth, SportsTime Ohio play-by-play voice Matt Underwood spoke of how Santana has shown signs in July of maybe "starting to come out of it.''

Manning didn't want to hear it.

"Well, he's got to be a lot quicker at making adjustments than he has been,'' Manning said. "We're entering the end of July.''

Underwood said: "I know.''

Manning said: "Come on. He's been around way too long. He's got to make adjustments. He can work and work and work. You know what: You can work with him, I don't care who you are, (but) he's got to make the adjustments on his own.''

Santana popped to third to finish 0-for-5, dropping his season's average to .222.

Manning said: "He's caught in-between. All game long.''

Making a mess: The Indians led, 3-1, entering the bottom of the eighth and 3-2 entering the bottom of the ninth.

With none on and two outs in the Cincinnati eighth, Brandon Phillips singled off Bryan Shaw. De Jesus walked.

Cody Allen relieved and allowed an RBI single to Votto.

Allen opened the ninth with back-to-back strikeouts. Eugenio Suarez doubled and scored on Jason Bourgeois' single to right. The hit was Bourgeois' fourth of the season.

"We had four walks and a sac fly. That's an interesting way to score five runs. There was a lot of frustration going on, especially when they tied it and then you see [Aroldis Chapman] throwing about 100 out there and he goes two innings. And once they tied it, that was such a lose-able game and we didn't. Now we've got a day off, we can regroup, and it ends up being a really good win."

CINCINNATI -- In one of the more unsightly games of the season, the Indians managed to eke out a 5-3 victory against Cincinnati. It required 11 innings and four bases-loaded walks. Here is what manager Terry Francona and catcher Yan Gomes had to say after the contest.

Francona, on the victory, in which the Indians stranded 18 runners and used all of their position players:

"A win's a win. I just like the way, once we got punched in the stomach, I liked the way we kept playing. We had [Corey] Kluber ready. We had everybody ready to do something. Because like them, we were out of players. They had a couple guys who are used to doing that if they have to. Everybody was up doing something ready to help."

Gomes, on not capitalizing on opportunities with runners in scoring position:

"I think the frustration comes more when you look at the board and it's the 11th inning. I don't think at the time it was frustration because we really worked to get in those types of situations. We didn't come away with zero runs; we came away with at least one run each time. It's not like we didn't take advantage of it, but we got ourselves in that kind of situation, worked a walk and got a run. You have to sometimes hand it to their guys, too, making big pitches and getting us out."

Francona, on the frustration at the plate:

"We had four walks and a sac fly. That's an interesting way to score five runs. There was a lot of frustration going on, especially when they tied it and then you see [Aroldis Chapman] throwing about 100 out there and he goes two innings. And once they tied it, that was such a lose-able game and we didn't. Now we've got a day off, we can regroup, and it ends up being a really good win."

Gomes, on the club's patience in drawing four bases-loaded walks and 10 in all (Gomes' walk was only his fourth of the season):

"It shows that little bit of patience that we have. Even I had a bases loaded walk, which is definitely something I'm not looking for."

Francona, on pulling starter Carlos Carrasco after only 73 pitches:

"I was walking the tight-rope there. He didn't have a lot of pitches, but he had warmed up, then sat, then warmed up again [because of a 47-minute rain delay]. He was on base twice. It was hotter than heck. I just thought he did a good job and let's not push it."

Francona, on Reds starter Johnny Cueto, who walked six in four innings, but only allowed two Tribe runs:

"He walked a fine line, but I think we sent seven runners to the plate in two innings and scored one run. And that was on a walk. You can tell how good he is. He just didn't have his best day. His start got interrupted with the rain, too. It would have been nice to cash in. Some of that's him, though, too."

Francona, on Mike Aviles not scoring from third on a fly ball to center field in the seventh:

"He thought if it bounced, he wasn't going to make it, because [Billy] Hamilton throws well. Still, you have to probably get back and if you see it bounce, take off. That's a tough run not to get."

James Jones said he didn't join the Cavaliers last year to find a "platform for me to leave."

LAS VEGAS - During these at times frenetic and expensive days of free agency for the Cavaliers, the one name seldom mentioned as been James Jones.

Well, he's a free agent, too. And he's coming back.

"I'll be back in Cleveland for sure," Jones told the Northeast Ohio Media Group Sunday in Las Vegas, on the red carpet for the first Players' Awards show.

"I've made it well known last year when I told them I was coming to help change the culture and do something special," Jones said. "It wasn't a situation where I was looking for a platform to move on. I was looking to be a part of something, to build something. And so I'm still in."

Jones, 34, is a free agent after playing out his one-year contract with the Cavs last season.

A 12-year veteran, he would qualify for a veteran's minimum salary of $1.5 million, which would be a $950,000 cap hit for Cleveland. He made the league-minimum $1.45 million last season.

A league source confirmed the Cavs would re-sign Jones. He's been a friend and teammate to LeBron James dating back at least to 2010, during James' first season in Miami.

The 6-8 forward averaged 4.4 points in 11.7 minutes per game during the regular season, and kept his scoring average through increased playing time during the playoffs.

"Last year was big for me in establishing who I am and defining myself," Jones said. "So, I'm excited about the things I've worked on this summer, and they'll see a different James Jones next year for sure."

The Cavaliers are negotiating with restricted free agent Tristan Thompson on a long-term contract, and may bring back J.R. Smith. The team is also considering signing Russian center Sasha Kaun.

"Those are conversations that are always tough to have," Jones said, speaking about Smith and Thompson. "This is the part of the business that requires a lot of thought and requires a lot of work. I'm hopeful we'll get it done. They're a big part of what we've done and we'll continue to do."

Jordan Smith's bases-clearing double in the fourth inning helps the RubberDucks defeat the SeaWolves, 8-6.

A bases-clearing double from outfielder Jordan Smith keyed a six-run fourth inning and the Akron RubberDucks went on to defeat the SeaWolves, 8-6, in a Class AA Eastern League game Sunday at Erie, Pa.

Jordan SmithAkron RubberDucks 

The RubberDucks entered the fourth trailing, 5-1, after SeaWolves hitters jumped on Akron starter Ryan Merritt for five runs in the first three innings. Smith had given the RubberDucks their lone run with a solo homer in the third.

But designated hitter Anthony Gallas started the fourth with a solo shot off Erie starter Josh Turley (9-6, 3.34 ERA). Outfielder Bryson Myles walked, then advanced to second off a balk by Turley.

Turley managed to get the next two batters out, but then hit RubberDucks catcher Alex Lavisky with a pitch. Third baseman Justin Toole drew a walk to load the bases with two outs.

Leadoff hitter Todd Hankins singled to bring in a run and keep the bases loaded. Smith then cleared the bases with a double to center field. Outfielder Bradley Zimmer, the Indians' first-round draft pick in 2014, followed with a double to score Smith.

A fielding error in the sixth inning allowed the RubberDucks to add an insurance run for an 8-5 lead.

Merritt (7-7, 3.73) got the victory despite the rough early going, giving up five runs on nine hits in five innings, striking out seven.

LeBron James is now the NBA players' union's vice president. What does the new position mean for the power play the players' seek at the negotiating table?

LAS VEGAS - A red carpet steered a few of the NBA's brightest stars, past greats, and some of its rank-and-file players through a Vegas casino and past gathered media into a concert hall for a historic event on Sunday night.

For the first time, the league's players' union pieced together its own awards show, called - appropriately enough - the Players' Awards. The show will air Tuesday night on the BET network.

"This is awesome," said new Clippers forward Paul Pierce, on the red carpet at the Rio resort and casino. "It's about the players showing what we can do when we put our minds to something."

Traditional postseason awards, such as Most Valuable Player, are picked by media members who cover the NBA. The Players' Awards (voted on, obviously, by the players) don't cancel tradition, but they're just one sign of the players' growing power as the game they play rises in popularity.

A sign that the players still have a ways to go, at least when it comes to their own awards? LeBron James skipped the red carpet and the show because of a prior engagement, according to a spokesman.

But the real power play for the union begins Monday at their summer meetings, when James will preside for the first time as an executive vice president.

"Man, I'm very excited," said Chris Paul, All-Star Clippers point guard, James' friend, and union president. "Obviously, me and 'Bron talk about it every day. He's the face of our league. His opinion matters. Our players listen when he talks. It will be great to have him in there.

"One thing about 'Bron, too, when he commits to something he's always passionate about it, so I know his voice will be heard in there."

James, the four-time MVP, two-time champion, and Cavs superstar who led them back to the Finals in his return season, was elected to his formal position of union leadership during the All-Star break.

His ascension in the union comes as the players prepare to opt out of their collective bargaining agreement in 2017 to gain more access to the $24 billion in revenues coming to the league because of the NBA's new TV deal.

The league enjoyed huge TV ratings -- the highest in nearly two decades -- with the Cavs-Warriors Finals, and the salary cap is expected to rise by about $40 million over the next two seasons. And yet, last week NBA commissioner Adam Silver said "a significant number of teams" are losing money.

In October, months before James was a union VP, he said such a statement from owners "will not fly with us this time." He was referring to the contentious contract dispute between the players and owners in 2011 which resulted in a lockout that was ended when (the players believe) large concessions were made to address the owners' financial woes.

Now, James has a seat at the negotiating table.

"I can't speak for LeBron, I think LeBron spoke pretty well for himself. I took him at his word, I take him at his word," said Michele Roberts, executive director for the players' union. "It's a difficult pill to swallow, given all that even the commissioner has said about the health of the game. I can't speak for what may have motivated that, I assume he was given information, that's not the information I've seen."

Roberts said James will "bring a certain amount of excitement" to Monday's meetings.

"We all look forward to watching and hearing how he'll interact with the players," she said. "This is an important time for the game and it is critical that we have some of our marquee players involved in the discussion."

There are other issues on the union's plate. Remember when James stepped on or fell over cameramen during the playoffs who were too close to the court? Or when teams would purposefully foul Tristan Thompson away from the ball to force him to shoot free throws? Those are just two examples.

"Obviously he's the best player in our league, so for him to be in the forefront and support that, it kind of holds weight," said Celtics guard Evan Turner. "Sometimes when you have his stature and you feel strongly about a situation, it might get handled quicker than if the 58^th guy in the league feels that way.

"We need everybody to be a part of things. I definitely think he's a trendsetter, and for him to get involved is definitely key for our process."

Jordan Spieth begins Monday one shot off the lead at the 2015 British Open at St. Andrews, as he attempts to win the third leg of golf's Grand Slam. He among 14 men within three shots of the lead, half of them majors champions.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Keep up with Jordan Spieth's Grand Slam quest and 2015 British Open third-round leaders Jason Day, Louis Oosthuizen and amateur Paul Dunne during the final round Monday with our live leaderboard, TV schedule, tee times and updates from the St. Andrews Old Course in Fife, Scotland.

Check out the box below for live Twitter updates and photos from Twitter accounts of some of the top golfers and notable golf news feeds.

British Open Monday TEE TIMES, click here.

Start times

Monday, final round, 3:15 a.m. ET Final pair tees off at 10 a.m. ET.

TV schedule (ESPN)
Monday, 6 a.m. ET to conclusion.

ESPN.com live streaming schedule:
(Featured groups and Road Hole)
Monday, 6 a.m. to conclusion.

Golf Channel's nightly recap, 7 p.m.

WEATHER FORECAST

An area of low pressure will deliver showers late in the afternoon Monday, along with a gusty wind. Wind gusts may reach 20-25 mph out of the south and a high of 60 is forecast, according to accuweather.com.

  Tweets from https://twitter.com/TimsTakeCLE/lists/live-british-open-updates

MONDAY STORY LINES TO WATCH

Jordan Spieth chases history: One week shy of his 22nd birthday, Jordan Spieth is in position to win a historic third major this season, potentially putting him in position to become the first golfer to win the modern Grand Slam (Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, PGA Championship).

Spieth begins Monday one shot off the lead, but he is far from alone. There were 14 players within three shots. Half of them were majors champions.

Spieth tees off with playing partner Sergio Garcia at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Youth is served: Spieth isn't the only youngster on the crowded leaderboard. Paul Dunne, a 22-year-old amateur, is tied for the lead with Louis Oosthuizen, who won the last Open at St. Andrews in 2010, and Jason Day, who also was a 54-hole leader at the U.S. Open.

Dunn is from Ireland, by way of the University of Alabama-Birmingham, and he is ranked 80th in the world -- among amateurs.

Another amateur, 21-year-old American Jordan Niebrugge of Oklahoma State, is among nine golfers who begin Monday three shots back at nine under. Included in that group are Adam Scott, Retief Goosen, Justin Rose and Garcia.

It should be very interesting day on the Scottish coast.

Woods' woes: Tiger Woods (76-75--151) missed the cut. He also missed the cut at the U.S. Open. Woods, 39, is struggling to return to form and shot the worst Open round of his career Thursday.

McIlroy out: For the first time in six decades, the Open is being played without its defending champion. Rory McIlroy is out with an ankle injury suffered playing soccer with friends.

McIlroy has not yet withdrawn from the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron Aug. 6-9.

The purse: The Open carries a $9.2 million purse, with $1.8 million going to the winner and $1 million to the runner-up.

Old Course: Par at the legendary "Home of Golf" is 72. Total distance: 6,672 yards. Oosthuizen won the Open when it was last played on the Old Course in 2010.

Click here for an interactive guide to the Old Course.

More updates: Check back for daily coverage and updates with leaderboards at cleveland.com/golf.

They're coming to Northeast Ohio: Don't forget that if indeed Spieth is chasing history at the PGA Championship next month, he and most of the other big names on the Open leaderboard will be in Akron Aug. 6-9 for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational the week before the PGA.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

If the Indians' hitters broke a sweat on Sunday, blame it on the humidity. Cincinnati's pitchers made it easy on the Tribe offense in Cleveland's 5-3 victory on a muggy afternoon on the riverfront.

CINCINNATI -- Yan Gomes watched Pedro Villarreal's offering sail below the strike zone. Once again, the Indians had the bases loaded and a three-ball count on their batter.

Once again, the Reds gift-wrapped the Tribe a go-ahead run.

If the Indians' hitters broke a sweat on Sunday, blame it on the humidity. Cincinnati's pitchers made it easy on the Tribe offense in Cleveland's 5-3 victory on a muggy afternoon on the riverfront.

The Indians demonstrated plenty of patience at the plate, but not a knack for timely hitting. The Reds issued four bases-loaded walks. They were critical, too: The Tribe's bats went dormant with runners on base, a common theme for the club this season.

The Indians stranded 18 runners. They left the bags packed on four occasions.

They didn't do so in the 11th inning, as Villarreal's free pass to Gomes pushed across the decisive run and Jason Kipnis supplied the final margin with a sacrifice fly.

Johnny Cueto, the subject of plenty of trade chatter, awarded the Indians their first two runs. He walked three in the second inning. The final free pass forced Roberto Perez to the plate. Two frames later, Cueto walked three more. Michael Brantley drew the third, which scored Michael Bourn. Brantley walked again with the bases loaded in the sixth.

In the fourth, Lindor popped out on the infield with three aboard and one out. In the sixth, Lindor flied out to shallow left with three aboard and no outs. With one out and two runners in scoring position in the seventh, Yan Gomes lined out to center. The Indians went 0-for-7 with the bases loaded and own a .139 average (10-for-72) with the bags juiced this season.

Manager Terry Francona lifted Tribe hurler Carlos Carrasco after six frames. Carrasco threw only 73 pitches (49 for strikes), but his spot in the batting order came up with runners on second and third, so Francona turned to Gomes to bat.

Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen covered the next three innings for Cleveland, but they couldn't close the door. Allen entered with two on and two out in the eighth and surrendered an RBI single to Joey Votto, but he induced a flyout off the bat of Jay Bruce to strand the tying run at third base.

Eugenio Suarez doubled with two outs in the ninth, and Jason Bourgeois blooped an RBI single to right to send the game to extra frames.

What it means

In taking two of three from Cincinnati, the Indians moved to 44-47. They claimed five of six meetings with the Reds this season.

Walk the line

The Indians have tallied 12 bases-loaded walks this season, compared to only 10 bases-loaded hits.

Running down a dream

The Indians dealt well with Reds speedster Billy Hamilton on Sunday. In the third, third baseman Mike Aviles fielded his bunt attempt with his right hand and fired a throw to first to retire the center fielder. In the fifth, Hamilton walked and attempted to steal second base. Perez's throw, however, was on target and Kipnis applied the tag to Hamilton's helmet.

Rain, rain, go away

Four batters into the contest, the grounds crew rolled the tarp onto the infield. The game was delayed for 47 minutes as, for the third straight day, Cincinnati played host to a thunderstorm. The Reds have endured 12 rain delays at home this season.

Award tour

Kipnis was recognized as the Ohio Cup Most Outstanding Player, with 11 hits in 24 at-bats against Cincinnati this season. Infielder Kristopher Negron won the award last season for the Reds.

They came, they saw

An announced crowd of 36,302 watched the affair at Great American Ball Park. The teams drew 114,872 to the venue during the three-game series.

What's next

The Indians will spend Monday's off-day in Milwaukee. They will play the Brewers at Miller Park on Tuesday and Wednesday. Right-handers Danny Salazar (8-4, 3.74 ERA) and Matt Garza (4-10, 5.55) will duel on Tuesday. Righties Cody Anderson (2-1, 0.89) and Kyle Lohse (5-10, 6.17) will battle on Wednesday. The Tribe will return home for a four-game set against the Chicago White Sox that begins Thursday evening at Progressive Field.

The Indians can't manage to hit with the bases loaded, but somehow got out of Cincinnati with twice in three games.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles in my Cleveland Indians notebook with 71 games left in the season:

1. The Tribe's 5-3 Sunday victory in Cincinnati reminded me that even when this team wins some games -- it can be exhausting and exasperating to watch. Four times they had a runner on third base with fewer than two outs and they failed to drive him in. They are 0-of-7 with the bases loaded. They scored four times by drawing walks with the bases loaded, once on a Jason Kipnis sacrifice fly. I'm just going to stop right there.

2. A long time ago, someone once told me, "Your biggest problem is that you can't get out of your own way." That seems to apply to the Indians offense.

3. The Indians are now hitting .139 (10-of-72) with the bases loaded. Only David Murphy (1-of-1) is hitting above .250. Even the reliable and clutch-hitting Michael Brantley is only 2-of-9 (.222). MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reported the Tribe has more walks with the bases loaded (12) than hits (10).

4. Yes, batting .139 with the bases loaded is the lowest mark in the American League. The average A.L. player is a .275 hitter with the bases loaded, compared to .253 overall. So what the Tribe does with the bases loaded is even more frustrating.

5. On the good side, Carlos Carrasco allowed one run in six innings. He also had a base hit and an excellent sacrifice bunt. Had Cody Allen held a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth, Carrasco would have added another victory. He is a solid 10-7 with a 3.94 ERA this season. A year ago, he was still putting himself back together in the Tribe bullpen. He didn't return to the rotation until August 10, 2014. He finished that year with a 5-3 record and 1.30 ERA in 10 starts. The 28-year-old Carrasco is a reborn starter, a guy with a 15-10 record since last August 10.

6. The Tribe did win 2-of-3 in Cincinnati. With a 44-47 record, they are 5 1/2 games behind in the wild card race. The two wild card teams right now are Minnesota (50-42) and Houston (51-43). After that comes Baltimore (46-45), Tampa Bay (47-47), Toronto (47-47), Detroit (45-46) and the Tribe (44-47).

7. Would I bet on the Tribe making the playoffs? No. That's especially true because their offense is so frustrating. But I recalled that Kansas City was not playing well in July of 2014. After 91 games, the Royals were 47-44. So they were in better shape than the Tribe right now. But the Royals then dropped to 48-50. They finished the season with a 41-23 record, made the wild card and went all the way to Game 7 of the World Series.

8. I laughed out loud when I heard Tribe radio broadcaster Tom Hamilton say this on Saturday night: "After two innings, the Indians have a 6-1 lead and Cory Kluber just fainted in the dugout!" Actually, Kluber didn't faint. He allowed three runs in what became a 9-4 victory, Kluber is 5-10 with a 3.38 ERA. At the start of Saturday's game, he had the worst run support (2.3 average) of any American League starter. Watching Kluber and Carrasco in back-to-back games pitching in that hitters' paradise of Cincinnati in humid, hitters' weather reminds you why the Tribe's pitching does give them at least an outside playoff shot.

9. Giovanny Urshela looked very bad at the plate in Cincinnati. He was 0-of-9 with three strikeouts. He was swinging at pitches that were outrageously outside the strike zone. He's batting .231 (.584 OPS) with 2 HR and 7 RBI in 108 at bats. The pitchers are working him over. The 23-year-old rookie batted .271 in June. In July, it's .188 (9-of-48 with no RBI). He's hitting .169 vs. right-handers.

10. It's been much better for fellow rookie Francisco Lindor. He was 6-of-15 in Cincinnati. In his last seven games, Lindor is batting .355. On the year, he is at .246 (.611 OPS) with 2 HR and 1 RBI. The best part of this rookie story is how Lindor and Urshela have immensely helped the left side of the Tribe's infield.

11. I wrote about Brad Zimmer in my Sunday notes. He is off to a strong start at Class AA Akron, batting .438 (7-of-16) with 1 HR and 6 RBI. The team's 2014 first-round pick hit .308 (.896 OPS) with 10 HR, 39 RBI and 32 stolen bases in 78 games at Class A Lynchburg.

Jordan Spieth trailed Adam Scott and Zach Johnson as Spieth made the turn in the final round of the 2015 British Open Monday at St. Andrews.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jordan Spieth's quest to chase golf history at the 2015 British Open suffered a big blow on the front nine and he made the turn in sixth place, trailing leaders Adam Scott, Zach Johnson and Marc Leishman by two strokes in Monday's final round.

Spieth was 13-under par after playing the front nine at two-under 34 at the St. Andrews Old Course in Scotland.

American Johnson and Australians Scott and Leishman were 15-under on the back nine. Sergio Garcia and Jason Day were 14 under on a scoreboard that was changing rapidly.

Spieth had three birdies in the first seven holes and was down a stroke when his run took a step backward on the eighth hole. Make that two steps. His tee shot on the par-3 landed on the big green about 100 feet from the pin and he four-putted for a double-bogey 5.

Spieth flung his golf ball left-handed into parts unknown as he walked off the green.

But, as he often does, the 21-year-old American sensation recovered quickly with a birdie at 9 to finish the "outbound" nine at 34.

Others had made more headway on the easier front nine.

Johnson was on No. 15 and Scott was on 14 and Leiman at 11 as Spieth headed toward the back nine.

Johnson had birdies on seven of the first 12 holes, before a bogey at 13. Scott had six bogeys through 12. Both are former Masters champions seeking their first Open championship.

Louis Oosthuizen, who won the Open when it last was played at St. Andrews in 2010, was tied with Spieth.

LIVE LEADERBOARD, click here.

Spieth began the day at 11 under, one stroke behind leaders Oostheizen, Day and amateur Paul Dunne. Spieth had birdies at holes 1, 5 and 7, and lipped out a long birdie putt at 3.

Spieth seeks to become the first man to win golf's modern Grand Slam (Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship). Only one other, Ben Hogan, won the first three tournaments in the same year. Tiger Woods in 2001-02 won three consecutive majors over two seasons.

Amateur Dunn began one of three players tied for the lead, then started bogey-bogey-birdie. His second tee shot landed on a nearby practice green, which was not out of bounds. He was 12-under on No. 9.

It hasn't been done in 85 years against much weaker competition in a far different world.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Grand Slam of golf, the greatest feat in sports.

That is what Jordan Spieth, only 21 years old, possibly as great a prodigy as Tiger Woods, was pursuing Monday on the desolate North Sea side of Scotland at the Old Course at St. Andrews.

Denied by a bogey on 17, the Road Hole, Spieth missed a playoff by one thin shot.

It is said that the 17th at St, Andrews, with the macadam road running next to the green and the great, gaping bunker yawning near it, is "the toughest par-4 in the world."  Said Tom Watson, a five-time British Open champion, "That is because it's a 5."

Let the hair-splitters make their arguments about whether golf is a game or a sport; they are Lilliputians squabbling over which end of the egg to crack. 

By competitive format and interior dynamic (no coaches alongside, no timeouts allowed, no teammates around) a golfer who wins the Grand Slam overcomes more obstacles than anyone else.

The Serena Slam

You can't play defense in golf. This is true in professional bowling, too, but the "stepladder" format at least lets competitors face each other head-to-head at the same time.

This is why no tennis Grand Slam, rare as it is, can possibly equal a golf Grand Slam. Competitors will have to beat Serena Williams head-to-head at the US. Open to deny her the first Calendar Slam (all four majors in one calendar year) in tennis since Steffi Graf in 1988. No male has done it since Rod Laver in 1969.

Tennis does offer the challenge of different surfaces. The slow clay of the French Open poses the biggest challenge to those with a serve-and-volley game built for faster surfaces, just as the grass of Wimbledon is the biggest change for baseline players.

But the difference is not as striking as that among golf courses. Did anyone ever ask you to identify your favorite tennis court? When the British rolls around, it's the old Monty Python catch phrase, "And now for something completely different."

Even after winning the British Open at Carnoustie in 1953, Ben Hogan was seriously unimpressed. Of the raggedy greens, the Fort Worth, Texas, native famously said, "I have a lawnmower back in Texas I'll send to them."

The Original Slam

This is not a Denny's offering, but the grandly dubbed "Impregnable Quadrilateral" of Bobby Jones in 1930, consisting of the U.S. and British Opens and Amateurs.

The problem was the ham-and-eggers Jones sometimes faced. World golf was hardly as deep in quality as it is now, 85 years later.

The Depression was tightening its grip on the world's economy too, so intercontinental travel was not an option for many players. "A bunch of guys named Nigel," sneered Rick Reilly in Sports Illustrated of the British half of the competition.

Jones completed the Slam with a tidy 8-and-7 match play victory in the U.S. Amateur over someone named Eugene V. Homans, the "V" in this case hardly standing for "Victory."

The Saturday Slam

Greg Norman led all four majors on a Saturday in 1986, won only the British Open, and set the course of a career known less for what he did than what he did not.

The Tiger Slam

Because of tougher competition, many commentators called Woods' 2000-01 sweep of four straight majors a Grand Slam.

It was a tremendous feat, but not as tremendous as a Calendar Slam. Because of the time factor, the pressure begins in earnest with the second leg, the U.S. Open.

Woods won the last three majors of 2000, including the U.S. Open by 15 strokes and the British by eight. He is the only player ever to hold all four modern major titles at once.

Before the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, however, if there was any Grand Slam talk at all, it would have been about Vijay Singh, who had won the Masters already.

No defense for pure luck

The closest anyone has probably come to the "Calendar Slam" in the modern era was in 1972.

Jack Nicklaus had won the first two legs before Lee Trevino fluked and flaked his way to three chip-ins in his last 20 holes, including a bunker shot for a par-5 on 17 in the final round at Muirfield in Scotland to win the British.

England's Tony Jacklin, Trevino's playing partner who had two majors of his own, was tied for the lead at the time and safely on the green, putting for birdie. Stunned by Trevino's shot, Jacklin three-putted instead for bogey.

The flaky part came when Trevino flew into the wrong airport, got lost getting to the course, and practiced only twice after showing up, incongruously dressed in cowboy boots and a planter's hat.

Trevino also didn't go to bed before midnight during the tournament, carousing and playing cards with friends until the proverbial candle burning at both ends was only a stub.

No room for error

Of course, Nicklaus also lost it by missing the green at the par-3 16^th when tied for the lead and failing to get up and down for par. In match play, a loose shot means the player is one-down. In stroke play, it can undo 71 other holes of immaculate work

The Triple Crown

In 1953, Ben Hogan won the Masters and both Opens, but because the British Open date overlapped with the PGA Championship, Hogan, the "Wee Ice Mon" as Scottish fans called him, could not pursue the Calendar slam.

It's doubtful if his battered legs, injured in a near fatal car-bus accident in 1949, could have withstood the match play format in effect at the time. Until 1958, PGA entrants had to play as many as 200 holes over seven days after a stroke-play qualifier.

Variable weather

A squall line swept in from the North Sea at Murfield in mid-afternoon in 2002, lashing the course, forcing players to hit driver on par-3s and leading to lost balls with what appeared to be only slightly errant shots. Woods, who had won the first two legs of the Slam, shot an 81, 10-over-par.

It was the worst day until he lost his image, his mystique and his game after injuries and scandals years later.

Nemesis

In the long career of Nicklaus, only Tom Watson and Trevino stood toe-to-toe with Nicklaus and came away not regretting the experience.

Trevino had made Nicklaus a runner-up at the U.S. Open in 1968 and 1971, the latter in a playoff at Philadelphia's Merion. At Merion, Trevino pulled a rubber snake from his golf bag and threw it at a rattled Nicklaus on the first tee of the 18-hole playoffs.

Trevino grew up dirt poor in a shack next to a golf course; never knew his father; had hustled for his next meal at Dallas' cutthroat Tenison East public course; was an ex-Marine; and had been in tougher scrapes against longer odds than most of the former country club boys on the PGA Tour.

Whozat?

Jack Fleck, an unknown who survived qualifying, playing with clubs made by Ben Hogan's equipment company, birdied two of the last four holes to tie Hogan in 1955 at Olympic in San Francisco.

Fleck took a one-shot lead to the 18^th and final hole of the Monday playoffs, parred it, and won easily as Hogan hacked his way to a double bogey. It prevented Hogan from winning an unprecedented fifth U.S. Open.

Woods beat unknown Bob May in a par-busting PGA Championship at Valhalla in Louisville, Ky., in 2000. Both finished 18-under-par, but Woods won a wild, scrambling three-hole playoff by a shot.

Somebody can always come out of nowhere; a Fleck, May, an amateur such as this week's British surprise Paul Dunne, a phenom who never quite was such as Sergio Garcia, names out of the past such as Padraig Harrington and Paul Lawrie this week, or a world 200th-ranked Aussie, Marc Leishman.

Or the culprit could be more familiar. It could be the toughest par-4 in the world, as it was Monday.

That is why the Grand Slam is so hard.

The NBA free agency activity was furious at the start, with a number of top free agents agreeing to deals quickly. At this point, the best chance for an impact move is to swing a trade, which is the approach the Rockets took late Sunday night and others may take in the coming weeks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It was around this time last year when NBA rumblings centered on the Cleveland Cavaliers looking to acquire All-Star forward Kevin Love in a blockbuster trade.

A number of the top free agents were already off the market, so making a trade was the last route for a potential summer splash. 

This off-season has followed the same script. The activity was furious at the start, with a number of top free agents agreeing to deals quickly. At this point, the best chance for an impact move is to swing a trade, which is the approach the Rockets took late Sunday night, and others may take in the coming weeks. 

Here's a recap of what happened over the weekend:

Rockets fuel up: It's been an interesting off-season for Ty Lawson, the talented but troubled point guard. Trade rumors have swirled for months and after Lawson, who became an off-court problem in Denver, entered a rehab facility following his second DUI, it was time for the Nuggets to move on without him.

The Rockets re-signed oft-injured Patrick Beverley, but have been searching for more of an offensive-minded player, someone to take pressure off James Harden. The Rockets couldn't get a meeting with Kevin Love and missed on LaMarcus Aldridge. Quiet to this point, the Rockets pounced on the unique opportunity to add Lawson, who finished third in the NBA in assists this past season.

The Nuggets gave up Lawson and a second-round pick for Kostas Papanikolaou, Pablo Prigioni, Nick Johnson, Joey Dorsey and a lottery-protected first-round pick.

CBS Sports evaluates the move from Houston's perspective and gives the deal an "A."

"Houston got the best player in this deal by a mile. It sacrificed four bench players in exchange for one of the better offensive point guards in basketball. The risk here has nothing to do with Lawson's talent -- he's shown what he can do on the court. But he's not what you'd call a team leader. Lawson appears to have major off-the-court issues to sort through, as he was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence this past week in California. It was his second such arrest this year, and he has a court date set for August 20 after he finishes a 30-day alcohol rehab program."

James Jones returning to Cleveland: There has been little conversation about Jones, another one of the Cavs' free agents this summer. But our own Joe Vardon bumped into the versatile three-point marksman on the red carpet for the first-ever Players' Awards.

"I'll be back in Cleveland for sure," Jones told Vardon Sunday in Las Vegas.

"I've made it well known last year when I told them I was coming to help change the culture and do something special. It wasn't a situation where I was looking for a platform to move on. I was looking to be a part of something, to build something. And so I'm still in."

The 12-year pro would qualify for the veteran's minimum of $1.5 million.

Could Sasha Kaun be coming to the NBA? The Cavaliers had a special visitor as they wrapped up summer league over the weekend: Sasha Kaun. The Cavs control his rights after he was a second-round pick in 2008, but the 30-year-old big man has been playing in Russia since.

Hoping to open dialogue about possibly playing for the Cavs and filling the hole that's been vacated by Kendrick Perkins, the team and Kaun met in Vegas for a dinner.

According to Vardon, money shouldn't be a problem for the Russian center, who played under Cavs coach David Blatt at the 2012 Olympics.

"Kaun, who made the equivalent of $2.9 million annually playing for CSKA in Moscow, told the Northeast Ohio Media Group Friday that money is 'something that shouldn't be a problem' -- indicating he'd take less money to play for the Cavs."

J.R. Smith's blunder: The volatile swingman's decision to not pick up his $6.4 million option for the 2015-16 season appears to be more baffling by the day. Smith has watched as other players have signed deals and at this point, few teams have money to offer.

Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto has more on Smith's disappointing off-season.

"It's possible a good team way over the salary cap could offer Smith a one-year deal in the $3.3 million range -- the "mini-mid level" exception. But that's far less than his $6.4 million option. When Smith turned down the option for next season, the Cavs weren't thrilled. At that point, they seriously began looking for another option at shooting guard.

The Cavs would like Smith back, but on a modest one-year contract."

K.J. McDaniels staying in Houston: Before the Rockets started conversations with Denver about Lawson, they agreed to a deal with McDaniels, a promising young wing who arrived to Houston in a February trade.

"I feel great," McDaniels said according to the Houston Chronicle. "It's about time we got it done and I'm just happy to be a part of such a great organization. I felt like this was the right place for me because I'm loyal to the team. I have a great relationship with the players on the team. The city was great to me. I love the organization. I love the history behind the Rockets and the greats that played there. It's just a blessing."

Adding more spice to the NBA: The league already has one Curry. But it looks like Stephen Curry's little brother, Seth Curry, could soon make it two. One of the best players at the Las Vegas Summer League, Curry has caught New Orleans' attention with his scoring ability and improved floor game.

That could lead to a guaranteed contract, according to the Racine Journal Times.

Move over Steph, here comes Seth: Hearing Seth Curry is on the brink of securing a guaranteed contract from the Pelicans.

-- Gery Woelfel (@GeryWoelfel) July 17, 2015

Curry, who finished his college career at Duke, has played four NBA games in his career with Cleveland, Memphis and Phoenix.

New deal for Gallo? The Nuggets' focus this off-season has been internal, re-signing Will Barton and Jameer Nelson, and starting talks with Wilson Chandler on a contract extension.

According to The Denver Post, Danilo Gallinari is next, as they would like to open contract talks with the talented 26-year-old forward.

"Gallinari always has been viewed as an important piece of the Nuggets re-tooling -- now rebuilding -- effort, ever since he was traded to Denver from New York in 2011 in the Carmelo Anthony deal," The Post writes. "When he's been on the court he's shown why. He averaged a career-high 16.2 points in 2012-13 before an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and two subsequent surgeries, set him back 19 months."

Walsh Jesuit's Ryan Feltner was named the cleveland.com baseball pitcher of the year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Walsh Jesuit pitcher Ryan Feltner ended his high school career as one of the best players in the state of Ohio.

During his time as a Warrior, the team was constantly ranked as one of the best teams in the country, and put many players into college.

Check out a complete rundown of the 2015 cleveland.com Baseball All-Stars, including pitcher of the year, first team honorees, coach of the year and honorable mentions. Also, see our post on Aurora’s Matt Carpenter, the player of the year.

Feltner still has a decision to make on whether he will attend Ohio State, or go start his professional baseball career as the Toronto Blue Jays drafted him in the 25^th round of the 2015 MLB draft.

Here Feltner reflects on his season and career as told to the Northeast Ohio Media Group:

It started early for me at Walsh Jesuit as I was luck enough to be on the varsity team as a freshman. Coach (Chris) Kaczmar did a great job of helping me throughout those four years of getting me to where I am today.

The game I look back to was the Hudson game this season. Throughout the game, I just felt like all my pitches were working for me, and I was able to get into a groove. I just felt extremely confident, and that is a game I will definitely remember.

Some players that I enjoy watching in the professional are Danny Salazar of the Indians, and Kevin Gausman of the Baltimore Orioles. I like them because their game is similar to mine, and I like to pick up a few things from them while I watch them.

I have a variety of pitches. I have a fast-ball, curve-ball and a change-up. I also have a two-seam fastball, which is similar to a sinker. My curve-ball is the pitch I get a lot of outs on, and on my fast-ball, I have gotten much better at hitting my spots.

For any baseball player growing up, the dream is to be able to play in the major leagues. For me that was the same, and to be drafted in the Major League Baseball draft was definitely a dream come true. I have a tough decision to make as I can also play baseball at Ohio State, but to be able to make this decision between these two options is special.

I want the future of Walsh Jesuit to remember to continue to work hard and not worry if things aren't going your way. You have to be able to continue to play through adversity, and believe in yourself and what the coaches are telling you to do. The coaches definitely helped me get to where I am today, and I am confident that the Walsh Jesuit baseball program will continue to experience success.

For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact high school sports reporter Mark Kern on Twitter (@Markkern11) by email (mkern@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Aurora's Matt Carpenter was named the cleveland.com 2015 baseball player of the year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Aurora baseball player Matt Carpenter experienced quite a career during her time at the school.

He was part of an Aurora program that went to the state tournament his sophomore and senior years, and he has announced that he will be playing his college baseball at Ohio State

Check out a complete rundown of the 2015 cleveland.com Baseball All-Stars, including pitcher of the year, first team honorees, coach of the year and honorable mentions. Also, see our post on Walsh Jesuit’s Ryan Feltner, the pitcher of the year.

Carpenter will fulfill a dream of his next spring when he continues his baseball career at Ohio State.

Here Carpenter reflects on her season and career as told to the Northeast Ohio Media Group:

Heading into the season, we as a team felt that we had everything that we needed to make a run at a state championship. I know in my sophomore year, the feeling of just making it to the state tournament was a tremendous feeling. We had never been past the round of 16. This year, I think we went in with the mindset that we could be state champions.

I started playing baseball when I was young, and my dad was one of the biggest reasons why. It was something that we were able to bond on, and I just really became more involved with the sport. I was able to get to high school, and it was there where I realized that this is something that I could do at college.

From my freshman year in high school to this season, I think the biggest thing I improved on was my confidence and leadership. My coaches and teammates were a big reason that I improved in this area, as they helped me understand to move on to the next play regardless. Their support the past four seasons is one of the biggest reasons why I have become the player that I have become.

I have only been here at Ohio State for a couple of weeks, but I am having an absolute blast in my time here. The coaches, trainers and my teammates have been great to me during this time, and they have helped me with the adjustment period. I am continuing to improve as a player in ways that I didn’t know were possible, and I am really excited for what the future has for me.

Many people are responsible for me becoming the player and person I am today, and I am truly thankful for them. I want to give a special thanks to Ken Long, Chris Tremblay and Wyatt Toregas, who all played a special role in me making becoming a college baseball player.

When people look back at me as a player at Aurora, I want people to remember me for my work ethic. It did not matter the score of the game, or the way I was playing, I was the type of player who truly left it all on the field. I hope this is just the start of big things for the Aurora baseball program.

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A look at the cleveland.com baseball all-stars, as well as the first team and coach of the year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The cleveland.com baseball All-Stars is a group of players who all had stellar 2015 seasons. Many of the players on the team were seniors who capped their careers off in style.

The team includes player of the year Matt Carpenter of Aurora, and pitcher of the year Ryan Feltner from Walsh Jesuit.

For more on Carpenter, check out his athlete of the year post.

For more on Feltner, check out his pitcher of the year post.

Here’s a closer look at the all-stars:

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Matt Carpenter

Aurora, Senior.

College: Ohio State.

Notable: Carpenter graduates from Aurora as one of the most successful players in Greenmen history, as he was a part of two state tournament teams. He hit over .400 during his senior campaign, and will be a member of the Ohio State baseball team.

PITCHER OF THE YEAR

Ryan Feltner

Walsh Jesuit, Senior.

College: Undecided. (Ohio State, but was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays)

Notable: Feltner finished his senior campaign by being drafted in the Toronto Blue Jays in the 25th round of the 2015 MLB draft. Whether Feltner goes to Ohio State or signs with the Blue Jays, he has a chance to be successful as he has four legitimate pitches.

ALL-STARS

Sam Fuller

St. Ignatius, Senior.

College: St. Bonaventure.

Notable: While the Wildcats fell in the state semifinal, Fuller capped his career off by going 3-for-3. He will continue his college career at St. Bonaventure, where he gives the team a leadoff hitter capable of setting the pace.

Kyle Hegedus,

St. Edward, Senior.

College: Youngstown State.

Notable: Hegedus capped off a terrific athletic career at St. Edward by giving the Eagles speed on both offense and defense. While he hit .462 this year, he will be playing college football at Youngstown State.

Marques Inman,

Elyria, Senior.

College: West Virginia.

Notable: Inman is one of the biggest power hitters in the state, but he also does a tremendous job of getting on hitting with average. He will continue his baseball career in the Big 12 at West Virginia.

Tyler Kennedy

Chagrin Falls, Senior.

College: Undecided.

Notable: Kennedy played first base at times for the Tigers, but he was at his absolute best when he was on the pitcher's mound. Kennedy finished the season with a 0.78 ERA, while striking out 72 batters in 62 innings.

Russell Lamovec

Willoughby South, Senior.

College: Lake Eric College.

Notable: Whether he was in the batter's box or on the pitcher's mound, Lamovec was dominant. As a batter, he finished the season with a .378 batting average, while going 6-2 with a 1.08 ERA.

Sam Sustersic

Revere, Senior.

College: Dayton

Notable: Sustersic capped off one of the best careers in Revere history, as he became the fourth player in school history to be named first-team All Ohio. He finishes his high school career batting over .400.

Andy Weber

Aurora, Senior.

College: Virginia.

Notable: Weber joined Carpenter to form one of the best double-play tandems in Aurora history, and will continue his college career at Virginia. In his senior campaign, he hit .433, including an impressive 5-for-7 showing in the regional round to help Aurora make it to state.

Coach of the Year

Michael Brancazio

Aurora

Notable: After being named the coach on February 23, Brancazio did a great job as the first year head coach, helping guide the team to its second state appearance in school history.

Honorable Mention

Nathan Altstadt, Solon

Brandon Bartlome, Lorain

Scott Barnum, Avon

Nick Bebout, Wadsworth

Noah Bland, Elyria Catholic

Andrew Boden, Holy Name

Aaron Bridnik, Keystone

Riley Campbell, Wadsworth

Dominic Canzone, Walsh Jesuit

Taylor Cave, Brecksville

Anthony Cerreto, St. Vincent-St. Mary

Jackson Clark, Gilmour

Danny Cody, Brecksville

Dillon Coughlin, Chardon

K.C. Cress, Cardinal

Andrew Czech, Twinsburg

Sam D'Angelo, Lake Catholic

Mason DeAnna, St. Edward

Chris Demars, Rootstown

Sean Durmafall, Elyria Catholic

Jaret Edward, St. Edward

Matt Eiswerth, Mentor

Ryan Falls, Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin

Mike Fenner, Willoughby South

Matthew Finkler, Kirtland

Chris Follina, Holy Name

Anthony Fortuna, Kirtland

Matt Gugliotta, Twinsburg

Ryan Hanna, Olmsted Falls

Collin Harris, Lake Ridge

Nathaniel Hendrix, Buckeye

Max Lavisky, Lakewood

Cannon McWilliams, Shaker Heights

Will Meyer, Solon

Tim Moroz, Avon

Aron Mowery, Avon

Ethan Pawlak, Gilmour

John Reid, Crestwood

Rees Rua, Amherst

Evan Shawyer, Amherst

Mac Schoenman, Hudson

Ty Schoaf, Walsh Jesuit

Jarrett Smetana, Berkshire

Alan Stover, Mogadore

Tyler Zaluski, Chagrin Falls

For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact high school sports reporter Mark Kern on Twitter (@Markkern11) by email (mkern@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Race Week is under way, as the 78th Soap Box Derby takes place Saturday, July 25. We offer nine trivia questions about the 2011 movie "25 Hill," about a boy's efforts to compete in the derby.

AKRON, Ohio - The movie "25 Hill," written and directed by Corbin Bernsen, came out in 2011. The plot: Trey Caldwell, a boy in California, starts to build a car with his dad, an Army Reservist, who is called up and killed in the line of duty. He finishes the car with the help of a curmudgeon firefighter named Roy Gibbs, played by Bernsen, and together they head to Akron to compete in the Soap Box Derby.

The real running of the 78th Soap Box Derby takes place Saturday, July 25, at Derby Downs in Akron. Race week begins begins today.

To celebrate Derby Week, here are nine trivia questions about "25 Hill." Answers are below:

1. What is the name of the California town where Trey and Roy live?

2. What is the name of Trey's car?

3. What is '25 Hill'?

4. Who eventually sponsors Trey's car?

5. In the movie, Trey faces Kate in multiple races. Who is her sponsor and what is the color of her car?

6. What year did Roy win the derby?

7. What does Trey do in his car before every race?

8. What motel does Trey stay in while in Akron for the race?

9. What is the name of the principal who tutors Trey and connects him with Roy?

ANSWERS

1. Taft. Interestingly enough, the late veteran actress Jeanne Cooper was from Taft. Cooper's son is Corbin Bernsen, who wrote, starred in, directed and produced "25 Hill." Taft is about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles. It went through several name changes before taking the name of the 27^th president, Ohioan William Howard Taft.

2. "Faith and Courage." The encouraging message is from Trey's father.

3. The desolate California road where Roy once trained and where Trey practices.

4. Geico, the insurance company.

5. Tirerack.com, and the car is pink, in honor of her mother, who died of breast cancer.

6. 1970. (In reality, it was Sam Gupton, a 13-year-old North Carolina boy, who won.)

7. Kiss his father's dog tags, which he wears.

8. Red Roof Inn. Product placement is plenty in this movie.

9. Mrs. Banner, played by Rolonda Watts.

Kyle Busch has now won three of the last four NASCAR races and is closing in on making the cut for NASCAR's chase to a series title.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Despite missing 11 races to start the season due to a broken leg, Kyle Busch continues an improbable run to The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup as he now has three victories, including Sunday at New Hampshire, his third win in the last four events.

Busch sits 33rd in the series standings, 56 points from 30th, which would qualify him for the 10-race Chase to the championship at the end of the season. NASCAR has said that due to his injury Busch does not have to meet the requirement of starting every race to qualify for The Chase. But he does have to finish in the top 30 among the points leaders.

Minus a catastrophe over the next several weeks, that looks to be a done deal.

The NASCAR number crunchers predict Busch has to have average finishes of 19th over the final seven races. Since his return, Busch's average race finish has been 15th. The next race is The Brickyard at Indianapolis and in 10 career starts at Indy, Busch has recorded eight top 10 finishes.

One driver who needs to make a move in the standings is Jeff Gordon, currently sitting 10th. Gordon, who will retire at the end of the season, is one of only two drivers in the Top 10 who has not won a race this season. However, if he is going to get a checkered flag at all in 2015, it will probably come at The Brickyard.

He has five victories and 12 top five finishes in 21 career starts at Indianapolis. He has failed to finish just one race at The Brickyard.

At the top of the points race, with a pair of wins and 17 top 10 finishes, Kevin Harvick holds less than a 100-point lead over Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson. Of the four drivers, the one to watch at Indy is Earnhardt Jr., considering The Brickyard has not been kind to him. In 15 starts there, Red Beard has never won and only finished in the top five once at the 2.5-mile oval.

Silly season: This is considered the 'silly season' in auto racing, where wild rumors bubble up about almost everything from drivers changing teams and crew chiefs about to change teams for next season, down to sponsorship changes among teams and drivers as well.

With Danica Patrick definitely needing a sponsor for next season, and possibly having an open ear for changing teams, one would think it would be a boiling pot of speculation around her right now. But so far that is not the case. All is relatively quiet. But stay tuned.