Mavericks waive Derek Fisher at his request

The Dallas Mavericks have waived Derek Fisher, a move made at the request of the veteran guard.

The Mavericks announced the move Saturday, four days after the 38-year-old Fisher strained a tendon in his right knee in a game against Philadelphia.

Fisher, a 16-year veteran who won five championships with the Lakers, was a free agent when he signed with Dallas three weeks ago because of injuries and lack of depth at the point. In nine games for Dallas, Fisher averaged 8.6 points and 3.6 assists.

Fisher released a statement Saturday saying his recovery time will be about two weeks, and that it was difficult for him to be away from his family. He said he asked to be waived so he could return home.

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DeMarcus Cousins was suspended indefinitely by the Sacramento Kings on Saturday for “unprofessional behavior and conduct detrimental to the team.”

Cousins and Kings Coach Keith Smart exchanged words in the locker room during halftime of Sacramento’s 97-85 loss at the Clippers on Friday night. Smart benched Cousins for the entire second half and ordered him to remain in the locker room.

Cousins also was suspended one game without pay by the NBA for striking O.J. Mayo in the groin during a loss at Dallas on Dec. 10. After a loss at San Antonio on Nov. 9, the league suspended Cousins two games without pay for confronting Spurs announcer Sean Elliott in a “hostile manner.”

Cousins, drafted fifth overall in 2010, took responsibility for the incident after the game. The 22-year-old center is averaging a team-high 16.6 points and 9.5 rebounds to go with 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game this season.

ETC.

Cody Ross has three-year deal with Diamondbacks

Cody Ross and the Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a three-year contract with a club option for 2016.

Ross, who turns 32 on Sunday and lives in nearby Scottsdale, adds to the abundance of outfielders on the Arizona roster, leading to speculation a trade might be coming. He batted .267 with 22 home runs and 81 RBIs last season for the Boston Red Sox. He’s a career .267 hitter in nine big league seasons.

The addition gives the Diamondbacks four veteran outfielders — Ross, Justin Upton, Gerardo Parra and Jason Kubel — along with two youngsters the organization has deemed ready for the majors: Adam Eaton and A.J. Pollock.

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Raul Ibanez and the Seattle Mariners have agreed to a $2.75 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press.

The deal allows Ibanez to earn an additional $1.25 million in performance bonuses, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced.

Ibanez returns to the team he began his big league career with from 1996-2000, then rejoined from 2004 to ’08.

Now 40, Ibanez spent the past season with the New York Yankees and became popular with fans for his late-game home runs.

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A person familiar with the talks said the Pirates and Red Sox are close to completing a trade that would send All-Star closer Joel Hanrahan to Boston for a handful of prospects.

Pittsburgh would ship Hanrahan and another player to the Red Sox in exchange for four players, including ex-Dodgers outfielder-first baseman Jerry Sands and minor league pitcher Stolmy Pimentel. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because the trade had not been finalized.

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NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and players’ association special counsel Steve Fehr spoke on the telephone but still haven’t made plans to meet face to face.

There has been very little contact this week between the sides. Daly and Fehr held a conversation Saturday, the 98th day of the lockout that is threatening to wipe out the hockey season.

All games through Jan. 14 have already been called off, and if a new collective bargaining agreement isn’t reached by then, the remainder of the schedule could be canceled.

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Freestyle skiers Bryon Wilson and Heather McPhie of the United States each won a World Cup dual moguls event at Kreischberg, Austria.

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Lionel Messi polished off his record year with his 91st and final goal of 2012 in Barcelona’s 3-1 win at Valladolid, Spain. Messi dribbled between a defender’s legs before scoring, his 35th goal of the 2012-13 season.

He finished 2012 with 79 goals for Barcelona: 59 in the Spanish league, 13 in the Champions League, five in the Copa del Rey and two in the Spanish Super Cup. He had 12 for Argentina: five in World Cup qualifiers and seven in exhibition games.

Messi broke Gerd Mueller’s 40-year-old record of 85 goals for Bayern Munich and Germany.