Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez now possess a relatively clear path to becoming the controlling owners of the Timberwolves and Lynx.

A source confirmed majority owner Glen Taylor has agreed to transfer ownership, declining to take further legal action after losing the arbitration ruling handed down in February. That ruling concluded Taylor was not within his rights to call off the deal last year.

The ownership group led by Lore and Rodriguez is set to attain 100% control of the organization at the $1.5 billion purchase price originally agreed upon by the two sides back in 2021.

ESPN reported the NBA has started the transfer process on its end, which will ultimately include a board of governors vote that is expected to pass with ease.

The Timberwolves and Lynx now have complete clarity, and Lore and Rodriguez can now move forward with their future plans for the two teams. Likely included in those in the future: A push for a new area.

— Jace Frederick

76ers All-Star Embiid set for surgery on left knee

Joel Embiid will undergo arthroscopic surgery next week on his left knee, the latest attempt to make the All-Star center healthy enough to play next season.

Embiid was ruled out for the season in late February, with the Sixers saying he would focus on treatment and rehabilitation of his left knee.

The Sixers said additional updates on Embiid would come following the surgery.

GOLF

Korda settles for a halve in LPGA Match Play

Defending champion Nelly Korda became the latest example of anything goes in the T-Mobile Match Play when she settled for a halve against Brittany Altomare, No. 828 in the world and still building her game after an 18-month break from having a baby.

Korda was 2 up with four holes to play at Shadow Creek when Altomare won the 15th with a par and the 16th with a birdie. She made a 4-foot bogey putt on the 18th hole to halve the match after Korda was short on her par putt from the fringe.

The format has returned to round-robin play among the 16 groups of four players, so Korda still has a path to the knockout stage of the weekend.

Ganne sets record with a 63 at Augusta Amateur

Megha Ganne set the Augusta National Women’s Amateur record with a 9-under 63 at Champions Retreat, giving her a two-shot lead over defending champion Lottie Woad, who did her best to track down Ganne.

And Gophers junior Isabella McCauley finished her first round as the first U representative at the Amateur, with 75.

The scoring was lower than usual at Champions Retreat, where the opening two rounds are held before the top 30 who make the cut play the final round at Augusta National, which hosts the Masters next week.

The weather was warm and turf was still relatively soft, and Ganne took advantage with a bogey-free round. Playing early and starting on the back, the Stanford junior ran off three straight birdies early and saved par with an 18-foot putt on the fifth hole, her 14th of the day.

OLYMPICS

SafeSport knew ex-cop was being investigated

People at the U.S. Center for SafeSport knew a former police officer was the subject of an internal investigation at his former job but hired him anyway, according to details released by Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is looking into the matter.

Grassley, R-Iowa, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter this week to the center’s CEO, Ju’Riese Colon, asking more questions about why the organization hired Jason Krasley as an investigator even though it had knowledge of his potential legal trouble.

Krasley has been charged with multiple sex crimes, including rape, sex trafficking and soliciting prostitution, from episodes that occurred during his time at the Allentown, Penn., police department, and before he was hired by the center in 2021.

The center, which investigates sex-abuse cases in Olympic sports, fired Krasley in November, two months after learning of his initial arrest for allegedly stealing money the Allentown police vice team had seized in a drug bust. Later came Krasley’s arrest for sex crimes and, in June 2024, an arrest for harassment that was resolved in December.

MLB

Marte agrees to $116.5M deal with Diamondbacks

Second baseman Ketel Marte and the Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to a $116.5 million, six-year contract that includes a player option for 2031, becoming among the first players to negotiate a lower salary for 2027 ahead of a possible work stoppage.

The deal for the two-time All-Star includes escalators for MVP awards and plate appearances that could raise its value to $149.5 million, agent Charisse Dash said.

Marte agreed in March 2022 to a $76 million, five-year deal that started in 2023 and had $49 million in guaranteed money remaining.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Oklahoma’s Fears declares for NBA draft

Jeremiah Fears has declared for the NBA Draft after one standout season at Oklahoma. Fears, a 6-foot-4 guard, is projected by many to be a lottery pick.

He averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists this season and helped the Sooners reach the NCAA Tournament.

Fears scored 22 points on 7-for-15 shooting and made four 3-pointers in a loss to No. 2 Florida. He scored 29 points in an Southeastern Conference Tournament win over Georgia.

BRIEFLY

College hockey >> Two former Gophers players inked pro deals, as Mike Koster signs with the Iowa Heartlanders in the Wild system and Ryan Chesley passes up his final U season to play with the Hershey Bears in the Capitals system.

MILB >> The Saints dropped their first game of the year, losing to the Columbus Clippers 2-0 after holding the Clippers runless through the first seven innings.

— From news services