CHICAGO -- A key contributor won't be in the lineup for the Chicago Bulls when they tip off against Houston on Saturday.

Swingman Otto Porter Jr. has been ruled out against the Rockets with a left foot sprain, with no timetable for his return.

"It's a soft-tissue injury, so it's something that's difficult to put a timetable on," Bulls coach Jim Boylen said during Friday's practice. "That's about as easy as I could say. We're not exactly sure.

"I don't want to give you a definite timetable because it could be sooner or longer than maybe we see," he added. "I know that's vague and I'm sorry for that, but that's the kind of injury it is."

Porter suffered the injury during Wednesday's victory at Atlanta after a hot start with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 12 minutes.

For the season, the Georgetown product is averaging 11.2 points on 41.7% shooting as the team's fourth-leading scorer. Chandler Hutchison is expected to start in Porter's place against the Rockets.

"Because of the soft tissue, these are things that maybe it settles down in 24 to 48 hours," Boylen said. "Maybe it doesn't. That's where the uncertainty comes in where it's difficult to put a timetable on. So yes, it did not settle down like maybe we had hoped other injuries have. We're not taking any chances with him, or anybody. We'll manage him accordingly and support him in the appropriate way."

Celtics guard Marcus Smart was fined $15,000 by the NBA on Friday for public criticism of officials, money Smart himself predicted he'd lose when he went after the referees following Boston's 108-87 road win over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night.

"Really, just, I wish they would call the game the right way," Smart said after the game, in which he got frustrated over foul calls in the third quarter and a confrontation with the Hornets' Miles Bridges in the fourth. "A lot of calls that they called, I didn't understand where the fouls were. And it just seems like whenever I get the ball and I'm on offense, I can't get a call.

"Nobody else is going to protect yourself. You've got to protect yourself. So if that means I've got to lose a little bit of money, then I've got to lose a bit."

Smart was furious with the referees first for getting called for a foul at each end of the court in a span of 11 seconds -- his fourth and fifth of the game -- midway through the third quarter, prompting him to get into it with Celtics coach Brad Stevens on his way off the court after being substituted, and then again while he was sitting on the bench. A few minutes later, Smart went over and apologized to Stevens during the next television timeout, and Smart returned to the game at the start of the fourth quarter.

He then got into it with Bridges early in the fourth quarter, with Bridges throwing Smart to the ground and earning a technical for his trouble.

"With the Bridges push and stuff like that, I told [the referees], I said, 'If it was me, y'all would probably throw me out the game and everything,'" Smart said. "'So you clean it up, or I will. I allowed y'all, I gave y'all the time, y'all keep telling me, 'Let us handle it, let us handle it.' I'm coming to y'all first, but at some point as a player, as a man, you've got to protect yourself.'"

Smart and the Celtics have won six games in a row since losing to the Philadelphia 76ers on opening night, and they enter Friday tied with the Lakers for the NBA's best record. They will conclude a three-game road trip Saturday night in San Antonio.

Memphis freshman James Wiseman, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, suited up for the Tigers on Friday night despite being ruled ineligible by the NCAA earlier in the day.

Memphis said in a statement Friday that Penny Hardaway, before he was Memphis' coach, provided $11,500 in moving expenses to aid the Wiseman family's move to Memphis, without the player's knowledge. The NCAA deemed that Hardaway, a Memphis alum, was a booster at the time, according to Wiseman's attorney, Leslie Ballin.

However, a Shelby County judge on Friday halted the NCAA's ruling for the time being, making Wiseman eligible to play Friday night when the No. 14 Tigers hosted Illinois-Chicago.

The NCAA issued a statement Friday night in response to Wiseman's appearance in the game, saying "The University of Memphis was notified that James Wiseman is likely ineligible. The university chose to play him and ultimately is responsible for ensuring its student-athletes are eligible to play."

Memphis said the NCAA had declared Wiseman eligible in May. But months of investigation followed, ultimately revealing the finding of documentation of the moving expenses.

"The University is currently working with the NCAA staff to restore his playing status, and we are hopeful for a speedy resolution to the matter," the school said in a statement.

Wiseman, who was the No. 1-ranked recruit in the 2019 class, moved to Memphis from Nashville in the summer of 2017. He would attend East High School and play for Team Penny/Bluff City Legends on the grassroots circuit -- both of which Hardaway coached.

When Memphis hired Hardaway to replace Tubby Smith in March 2018, Hardaway made Wiseman his top recruiting target in the 2019 class. Wiseman picked Memphis over Kentucky in November 2018.

"Particularly given the unique circumstances in this case, we are hopeful for a fair and equitable resolution on James' eligibility," Memphis president M. David Rudd said in a statement. "We support James' right to challenge the NCAA ruling on this matter. The University of Memphis has high standards of ethical conduct for all faculty, staff and students, and we take seriously any allegations or conduct that is not aligned with our mission. We will acknowledge and accept responsibility for proven violations of NCAA bylaws. The University of Memphis firmly supports James, Coach Hardaway and our men's basketball program in this matter."

Wiseman, a 7-foot-1 center, had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks in Memphis' season-opening win over South Carolina State on Tuesday.

He was the centerpiece of Memphis' No. 1-ranked recruiting class, a group that also included fellow five-star prospects Precious Achiuwa and D.J. Jeffries, ESPN 100 guards Boogie Ellis and Lester Quinones, and in-state guard Damian Baugh. The Tigers started five freshmen in the season opener.

Memphis attracted significant betting interest during the offseason. At Caesars Sportsbook, the Tigers' odds to win the national title went from 40-1 in May to 8-1 entering the season. Only five teams -- Michigan State, Kansas, Kentucky, Duke and Louisville -- attracted more money on Caesars' title odds than the Tigers.

The news of Wiseman's ineligibility broke roughly 45 minutes before Friday's game against Illinois-Chicago, and when it was believed Wiseman was out, the line dipped from Memphis -20 to as low as -17. With Wiseman cleared to play Friday, the line settled back at Memphis -20.

ESPN's David Purdum contributed to this report.

Now that MLB players have filed for free agency and teams have elected to make a few qualifying offers -- or not -- some developments are starting to take shape as the offseason kicks into high gear. Teams are making plans, and from there, trades and transactions are sure to follow.

With baseball's front-office chieftains headed to Scottsdale for the general managers meetings next week in Scottsdale, Arizona, ESPN.com's Jeff Passan is starting to find that some teams are already getting active in their pursuit of deals with free agents and considering trades among themselves.

Here's what he's hearing:

First, one team is already in pursuit of free agent Josh Donaldson, with the Rangers making inquiries:

Coming off a season in which they missed the postseason entirely, the Cubs might be willing to make a move with their starting catcher, Willson Contreras:

Meanwhile, on Chicago's South Side, the White Sox and Jose Abreu both might try to work something out now that the team has made a qualifying offer:

... while Drew Pomeranz might have some upside for teams looking to invest in bullpen reinforcements:

Finally, the Yankees might strike as quickly as they did last year to keep a veteran player in the fold:

CONCORD, N.C. – This weekend’s Can-Am World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte is a bittersweet outing for second-generation dirt late model driver Hudson O’Neal.

The two-day event at the four-tenths-mile oval marks the final pair of outings that the 19-year-old will have in the Todd and Vickie Burns-owned No. 71 SSI Motorsports entry.

O’Neal revealed late last week that he was on the hunt for a ride for 2020, as the Burns family will not be fielding a team next year, leaving the personable young gun seeking a new opportunity. That disappointment didn’t keep him from cracking a smile, though, thankful for the fun he’s had so far.

“Most definitely it’s bittersweet, but you know, this has been a great four years with the Burns family and SSI Motorsports and I’m just thankful for every minute I got to spend there and spend with two amazing car owners,” O’Neal told SPEED SPORT. “And it went so much deeper than them just being car owners for me. We became very close, not just me and Todd, but the family too. He’s somebody that, you know, I’ll go and visit all the time … even though we won’t be working together next year.

“It’s just cool man. A lot of people don’t get the kind of opportunities that I’ve had these last four years, and I know it’s coming to a short end, but you know, I’m just grateful I got the opportunity at all.”

O’Neal noted that it was “certainly tough on everyone” when the Burns family made the decision to step away from the sport, but that he doesn’t think they’ll be gone forever.

“There’s a lot of people that put a lot into this deal and a lot of friendships built around this. It wasn’t just a race team, you know what I mean?” he explained. “It was a center over there, a real tight-knit network, and that whole company is such a neat group of people that I’ve enjoyed spending time with and being a part of since 2016. I don’t think that racing is going to completely leave that stable, but they’re definitely not going to be fielding a team next year.

“I think he’ll find his way back into it at some point. It’ll just be waiting to see when he does. But I understand his decision; it takes a lot to make that call.”

In looking back on his season, O’Neal ended up seventh in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points, with four victories on the tour – including a highlight win in the Jackson 100 at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway, his home race track.

“Being able to win the Jackson 100 this year was probably the highlight of our year together,” O’Neal said with a big smile. “To be able to win it with Todd there too, that was special. And you know, he’s got his own little place in the shop that’s kind of blocked off from everything else … and right in the middle of it, he’s got that Jackson 100 trophy sitting on his toolbox. It definitely brings a lot of pride in that to be able to see that trophy in the shop there and it was a cool moment for both of us. We’re proud of it.”

Though his situation is undecided at this point for 2020, the son of dirt late model legend Don O’Neal hopes to be back in a race car one way or another when the new season rolls around.

“I just want to race,” he said. “Anything that I can do to get back in the race car is going to be what’s going to happen. These rides are becoming less and less, and a lot of the rides out there, they have people that have been in them for years and it’s just hard to trump somebody like that, you know? There’s not a whole lot of people looking (for a driver), so it’s hard to work your way into a position like that. You see a lot of people quit because they can’t get into a position to drive, so hopefully that’s not the case for me and hopefully I don’t have to eat that or have it come to that.

“You always have to keep your options open, because nothing’s guaranteed, and we’ve seen that,” O’Neal added. “It’s definitely tough to sit here and be worried about next year all the time, but it is part of it and hopefully just something good comes back and I can put myself in a solid position for next year. I’m confident that I can do it and hopefully I make somebody very happy when we get around to Speedweeks.”

O’Neal, who has appeared at the Chili Bowl Nationals in a midget in the past and also has time behind the wheel of a dirt sprint car as well, wouldn’t rule any racing opportunity out for the future but admitted that his heart and soul is still in his family’s legacy: dirt late models.

“Like I said, I just want to race, so that’s actually been a hot topic … if I would ever go to do a sprint car deal or something like that,” O’Neal noted. “Yeah, I would. But this, late model racing, is where my heart is and I definitely want to look there first.

“I want to race and whatever I can do to race, that’s what I’m going to do, so if that means going down a sprint car path then that’s the way I’m going to go … but right now we’re just looking in the late model community.”

AUSTIN, Texas – After extensive discussions with team owners and stakeholders, SRO Motorsports America has announced the return of Circuit of the Americas to the schedule to kick-off the new season.

The series will stick with a six-round championship and the Indianapolis 8 Hours will now become a voluntary event for GT World Challenge America teams.

“After announcing the reduced schedule, we received a lot of feedback from our teams and partners eager to keep COTA,” said Staci Langham, GT Series Manager at SRO America. “We’re excited to continue to open the season in Austin and thank all our teams and drivers for their continued feedback and support. Even with the Indy 8 Hours as a non-points event, we have great interest from our paddock to participate in the Intercontinental GT Challenge endurance race.”

The season will see the sports car series compete across a six race weekend schedule at North America’s top road courses kicking off at Circuit of the Americas on March 7-8. The updated schedule will feature:

March 7-8 – Circuit of the Americas – Austin, Texas
May 16-17 – Canadian Tire Motorsports Park – Bowmanville, Ontario
June 6-7 – Virginia Int’l Raceway – Alton, Va.
August 8-9, Sonoma Raceway – Sonoma, Calif.
August 29-30, Road America – Elkhart Lake, Wis.
Sept. 19-20, Watkins Glen Int’l – Watkins Glen, N.Y.

GT World Challenge America teams and drivers are invited to compete at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Oct. 2-4 when the iconic Brickyard hosts round four of 2020’s Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli.

For 2020, updates to the class structure in GT World Challenge America will follow key learnings from other SRO operated series. The new season will feature Pro-Am, Silver, and Am categories. Pro-Am pairings will be limited to a Platinum or Gold Pro and a Bronze Am. While Silver will feature two Silver rated drivers with Bronze featuring two Bronze rated drivers.

BREA, Calif. – JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing has confirmed that Joey Savatgy will join the squad’s 450 class roster next year.

Alex Martin will return to represent the team in the 250 class on his RM-Z250.

Savatgy joins JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing for the 2020 season and will debut on the RM-Z450. Savatgy, who is no stranger to winning on the Suzuki brand, having racked up multiple Championships coming up through the ranks in Suzuki’s Amateur Racing Program, will be a great asset to the team as he brings proven talent, speed, and versatility to the track.

During the 2019 Supercross season, Savatgy earned the 450SX Rookie of the Year award and ended the series with five top-five finishes. With 12 professional career wins to his name, Savatgy has proven he has what it takes to be up front on the RM-Z450. Savatgy will officially debut on the JGR Suzuki this weekend at the Paris Supercross event.

Martin returns to JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki on his RM-Z250. With three podiums and 11 top-five overall finishes in his Supercross career, Martin was proud to add a career-best fifth place finish in the overall points standings on his RM-Z250 last season.

“We are looking forward to the upcoming season with Joey and Alex,” said Jeremy Albrecht, JGRMX Team Manager. “Joey has achieved very good results over the past few years, and I expect him to have a break-out year in 2020. He impressed us in every test session on the RM-Z450, and he is extremely motivated. Alex returns for his second season with the squad, and I couldn’t be happier. A-Mart made big gains in Supercross this past season and scored multiple outdoor podium finishes, so it will be fun to share in his progress.”

“I’m looking forward to watching the JGR Suzuki team go to battle with Joey and Alex representing the RM Army,” added Chris Wheeler, Suzuki’s SX/MX Manager. “Joey was very impressive in his rookie 450 season. With a year under his belt and armed with the JGR-tuned RM-Z450, we look to see him regularly competing for podiums and race wins. Alex and the Team made a lot of progress with his bike settings last season so I fully expect to see him consistently putting that RM-Z250 on the box both indoors and out.”