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Phoenix • Steve Nash's agent, Bill Duffy, says the two-time MVP point guard is going to the Los Angeles Lakers in a sign-and-trade deal with the Phoenix Suns.
The 38-year-old Nash, who spent the past eight seasons with the Suns, was a free agent, but a sign-and-trade agreement was necessary for the Lakers to afford him. He agreed to a three-year, $27 million contract. In return, the Suns get four draft picks — first-rounders in 2013 and 2015 and second-rounders in 2013 and 2014.
Duffy said the deal was finalized Wednesday about 6 p.m., PDT. He said a main reason for Nash choosing the Lakers was to remain close to his children, who live in Phoenix. There had been sign-and-trade talks with New York and a lucrative free agent offer from Toronto.
The deal will put Nash on the floor with the team he tried so hard to unseat as a Western Conference power, teaming him with Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and at least for now, Pau Gasol.
Nash has never made it to the NBA Finals. He was last in the Western Conference finals against the Lakers in 2010, when the Suns lost in six games and Los Angeles went on to win the NBA title.
The Suns resisted trading Nash during his final season and insisted they were interested in bringing him back, but they never seriously were in the discussion. Toronto and New York dominated the talk until the Lakers came on with a flash on Tuesday.
Vaughn in running
The Orlando Magic plan to interview at least four candidates for their head-coaching job, including former Utah Jazz player Jacque Vaughn, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
Vaughn, 37, has been a San Antonio Spurs assistant coach for the past two seasons. He was drafted by Utah in 1997 and played four seasons for the Jazz and 12 total in the NBA, including the 2002-03 season for the Magic.
The other candidates are Golden State assistant coach Michael Malone; Indiana Pacers assistant Brian Shaw; and L.A. Lakers assistant Quin Snyder.
The Magic fired Stan Van Gundy on May 21.
Around the association
Knicks • New York agreed with forward James White on an offer sheet for a one-year deal. The 6-foot-7 White has played the past two seasons in the Italian Serie A, the country's highest professional league. White averaged 17 points, five rebounds and three assists a game last season for VL Pesaro. He also led the league in free throws made and attempted. In the previous season, White led the league by scoring 21 points a game for Dinamo Sassari.
San Antonio selected White out of Cincinnati in the second round of the 2006 draft. He played for the Spurs and Houston Rockets before going overseas.
Sixers • Philadelphia reached a two-year, $13 million deal with center Spencer Hawes, who can't officially sign it until the league lifts the moratorium on signing contracts on July 11. After missing just one game during the 2010-11 season, Hawes missed 29 last season, 27 of them with a sore Achilles tendon. In 37 games with 29 starts, Hawes averaged 9.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in just under 25 minutes. He also shot 49 percent from the floor.
The Sixers were much better with Hawes in the lineup, going 22-15 in games in which he appeared and 13-16 without him.
Bulls • Chicago center Joakim Noah will not play for France at the London Olympics because of a left ankle injury he suffered during the NBA playoffs. The 12 players who will represent France in London were set to be announced Thursday.