BASKETBALL

Kyrie Irving is playing coy about the possibility of reuniting with his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate LeBron James next season in Boston.

The Celtics’ guard on Tuesday deferred when asked about the prospect of the team pursuing James this summer. The 33-year-old James has a player option to remain in Cleveland next season but could opt for free agency.

“In this business, I’ve kind of experienced it all and I’ve seen a lot, so we’ll see what management decides,” Irving said when asked if he would be open to playing alongside James again.

Irving was drafted No. 1 overall by the Cavaliers in 2011 and played three seasons with James, from 2014-17. The duo made three straight trips to the NBA finals, winning a championship in 2016.

“Obviously, it’s a business at the end of the day,” Irving said. “Ownership and management, they’re going to feel what’s best for our future and I’m fully supportive of (them). We’ll see what happens.”

Irving was traded to Boston last August and averaged 24.4 points and 5.1 assists over 60 games in his first season with the Celtics.

The five-time All-Star missed the last 15 games of the regular season and the entirety of the playoffs after undergoing left knee surgery.

• Nick Nurse, who spent almost three decades paying his coaching dues, has agreed to become the next coach of the Toronto Raptors, a person with direct knowledge of the hire told The Associated Press. Nurse will be replacing his former boss, Dwane Casey – under whom he spent the past five seasons as an assistant. Casey was fired after the Raptors were swept out of the second round of this year’s playoffs by Cleveland.

GOLF

PGA: The PGA Tour has approved a name change for The Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia.

The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs said the tournament will now be known as A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier.

The eight-year-old tournament has typically been held around the Independence Day holiday. This year’s event is set for July 5-8 on the Old White TPC Course.

• The Houston Open will not be on the PGA Tour schedule next season as it prepares for a move to the fall under the guidance of Houston Astros owner Jim Crane.

The PGA Tour announced it has a five-year agreement with the Astros Foundation to run the Houston Open starting in the fall of 2019.

SOCCER

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Spain Coach Julen Lopetegui will take over as Real Madrid manager after the World Cup, the club said in an announcement that comes just three days before the national team’s first game at the tournament.

BASEBALL

NEW YORK-PENN LEAGUE: A minor league baseball team in New York says it will rebrand as the “Staten Island Pizza Rats” – at least for five season home games.

The Staten Island Yankees announced they were honoring a 2016 fan vote to change their name, and will be selling merchandise promoting the new one. “Pizza Rats” emerged as the winning moniker in the Name the Team contest, when fans voted overwhelmingly for the infamous pizza slice-carrying subway rodent seen in a viral video.

The New York Yankees’ farm team will become the Pizza Rats for every Saturday home game this summer.

REGENCY MORTGAGE SUMMER LEAGUE: Dominic Tocci threw a one-hit shutout as Bruno’s rolled past Falmouth 8-0 in the season opener at Falmouth High School.

Ben Stasium had three singles for Bruno’s, and Ben Sawyer added a pair of hits.

Bruno’s defeated Falmouth in the second game of their doubleheader 10-7, scoring a pair of runs in  the fifth and sixth innings to come from behind.

Robbie Sheils had a triple for Falmouth, and Sam Kidder had a pair of hits, including a double and Mike Kiely had two hits.

Max Brown had a two-run double for Bruno’s.

EASTERN LEAGUE: Jeff Arnold lined a two-run double with one out in the bottom of the ninth to rally the Richmond Flying Squirrels past the Portland Sea Dogs 2-1 at the Diamond in Richmond, Virginia.

The Sea Dogs took a 1-0 lead in the second inning as Tate Matheny led off with a walk and Luke Tendler was hit by a pitch and both  advanced on a double steal. Jhon Nunez then drove in Matheny with a fielder’s choice.

The lead stood until Richmond (32-29) scored in the ninth. Jerry Sands doubled off Portland reliever Josh Taylor, and Johan Arenado reached on an error, both scoring on Arnold’s line drive.

Sea Dog (22-40) starter Matthew Kent went seven scoreless innings, fanning five and walking one.

– Staff and news service report