Cavs sign Livingston to contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Chris Livingston to a two-way contract, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Livingston, (6-6, 228) appeared in 21 games (one start) last season for the Milwaukee Bucks. He also appeared in 18 games (13 starts) in the NBA G League for the Wisconsin Herd, averaging 18.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.00 steals in 29.5 minutes. He recorded his G League season-high 35 points on 10-14 (.714) shooting from the field, nine rebounds and two steals in 34 minutes on January 12 versus the Osceola Magic.

Over his two-year NBA career in Milwaukee, Livingston appeared in 42 games (one start) as well as four career postseason games. He was drafted by the Bucks with the No. 58 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft following one season at Kentucky where he appeared in 34 games (26 starts), averaging 6.3 points and 4.2 rebounds in 22.4 minutes.

A native of Akron, Livingston attended both Buchtel High School, where he was named Gatorade Ohio Boys Basketball Player of the Year in 2021 and Western Reserve Academy in Hudson.

Cleveland’s roster now sits at 17 players including three Two-Ways. Livingston will wear No. 8 for the Cavaliers.

Perez agrees to deal with Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Catcher Salvador Perez will remain with the Kansas City Royals rather than become a free agent, agreeing Tuesday to a two-year contact.

A nine-time All-Star, the 36-year-old had an $82 million, four-year contract that included a $13.5 million club option for 2026 with a $2 million buyout.

“Salvy is a Royals legend and one of the most important players this franchise has ever had,” general manager J.J. Picollo said in a statement. “We had the option for next year, but everyone knew we wanted to make sure his legacy with us continued longer than that. We appreciate Salvy’s commitment to the Royals, and we’re just as excited as our fans.”

Perez, Kansas City’s captain, was MVP of the 2015 World Series, when the Royals won their second title and first since 1985.

Perez hit .236 with 30 homers and 100 RBIs, his third season with 100 or more. A five-time Gold Glove winner, he has a .264 average with 303 homers and 1,016 RBIs in 14 seasons, all with the Royals.

Purdue men’s hoops routs Evansville

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Fletcher Loyer opened his final college season by scoring a career high 30 points and preseason All-American Braden Smith added 11 assists as Purdue protected its first preseason No. 1 ranking with a rousing 82-51 season-opening rout over Evansville on Tuesday night.

Loyer was 8 of 11 from the field and made seven 3-pointers. Smith scored just six points but passed former Illinois star Bruce Douglas for third on the Big Ten’s career assists list. Smith increased his total to 769, four more than Douglas. Former Michigan State guard Matten Cleaves is second at 816.

Purdue has won 33 consecutive non-conference home games — this one despite playing without preseason all-conference forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who missed the game with an injured hip.

Joshua Hughes had 15 points and AJ Casey added 14 for Evansville, which faced the Boilermakers for the first time in 20 years. Defending Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year Connor Turnbull also sat out for an undisclosed reason.

Without Turnbull, Purdue made this one look easy even though it played raggedly at times — missing shots at the rim, struggling to grab rebounds and just getting into a normal flow.

But the Boilermakers managed to take control with an early 11-0 run and then closed the first half by scoring the final five points to make it 41-22. They started the second half on a 12-0 spurt that made it 53-22 as Hall of Fame coach Gene Keady and former Purdue guard Lance Stephenson watched from the stands.

The Boilermakers were 13 of 29 on 3s.

Zion Williamson out at least a week

NEW ORLEANS — Zion Williamson will miss at least a week with a strained left hamstring, the latest injury trouble for the New Orleans Pelicans forward.

The winless Pelicans announced Tuesday that Williamson had been diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain and would be evaluated again in seven to 10 days.

Williamson has played in five of the Pelicans’ six games this season, missing a loss to Boston because of a left foot bone bruise. He is averaging 22.8 points.

Williamson came into the season having missed more games (268) than he’s played (214) since being the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft.

Red Panda ready to make return

Red Panda wasn’t on the injured list for very long.

The popular halftime performer is scheduled to make her NBA return on Tuesday night in Chicago when the Bulls host the Philadelphia 76ers. She broke her left wrist during a July 1 performance at the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final between the Indiana Fever and the Minnesota Lynx.

Red Panda — whose real name is Rong Niu — spent 11 hours in a Minneapolis hospital after the fall. Her agent, Patrick Figley, said Tuesday that Niu first returned from the injury on Oct. 23 for an Amazon Prime event and she has also made a few appearances at universities.

The Chinese American performer’s act is composed of her riding on the unicycle and balancing custom-made bowls on her lower leg before flipping them atop her head.

She has been a mainstay at countless NBA and college basketball games over the past several years, including Game 5 of the NBA Finals in June in Oklahoma City.