EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- There will be plenty of connections on the court when the Los Angeles Lakers face the LA Clippers on opening night Tuesday.

Clippers assistant coach Tyronn Lue, who used to coach LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers, walked away from an offer to coach the Lakers this summer.

Lakers coach Frank Vogel used to have Clippers forward Paul George on his team with the Indiana Pacers.

Clippers guard Patrick Beverley was once cut by the Miami Heat when James was on the team.

Yet the talk after shootaround Tuesday focused on a pursuit that failed to connect -- James and the Lakers' attempt to land Kawhi Leonard in free agency before the star forward chose the Clippers.

James said he believed the Lakers would add Leonard to a team that already featured him and Anthony Davis "because I'm a positive guy," admitting he envisioned what that Big Three would look like.

"You ask me was I getting excited about it? I don't get too excited until things actually happen, but I thought we had a chance," James said. "That's all you can ask for. We put ourselves in position to have a chance to get [Leonard]. When he went to the Clippers, I thought that was just as cool. It was great for our league, and he had to do what was best for him. And we all respect that."

James wouldn't offer up much more than that.

"Um, we don't really talk about what happens on my phone," James quipped when asked what he said to Leonard during the recruitment process.

As for what ultimately swayed Leonard to sign with L.A.'s other NBA team?

"Man, how the hell can I answer that? I don't f---ing know," James said with an incredulous grin. "I don't know. I don't know. Ask Kawhi."

Davis was slightly more revelatory, rehashing his role in trying to pry Leonard from the Toronto Raptors, which he first explained to ESPN earlier this month.

"It was fun just to go through it, for me, with a player like Kawhi, trying to recruit him to come here. It was fun," Davis said. "We had one conversation, and I think he came out with a statement, or his uncle or something ... somebody said he don't really like all the recruitment and all that stuff, so I felt like I overstepped my boundaries.

"But it was a fun process. I would do it all over."

Davis said he hasn't communicated with Leonard since their summer dalliance. And like James, he has moved on from what could have been.

"He can do whatever he wants, obviously," Davis said of Leonard. "We thought that we had a chance, but he made a decision and we're going to face him tonight. He's a hell of a player, they've got a great team over there, so it should be fun."

It could be the start of an intense rivalry for Davis and Leonard.

Davis, 26, has one year left on his contract with the Lakers. Leonard, 28, can opt out of his Clippers contract in two seasons. Time will tell if the two of them will put down roots in Los Angeles.

In the meantime, they'll have four nationally televised matchups this season to compete for their home turf.

"It'll be fun," Davis said. "But we have a whole year to clash out and see who is the last one standing."

HOUSTON -- Major League Baseball said in a statement Tuesday that the league will interview relevant parties regarding allegations published Monday night in a Sports Illustrated article.

According to the report by SI's Stephanie Apstein, during the celebration in the Houston Astros' clubhouse after the team's 6-4 win over the New York Yankees in Game 6 of the ALCS on Saturday, assistant general manager Brandon Taubman turned to a group of female reporters -- including one wearing a purple domestic violence awareness bracelet -- and repeatedly yelled, "Thank God we got Osuna! I'm so f---ing glad we got Osuna!"

Last season, Astros closer Roberto Osuna, 24, served a 75-game suspension for violating MLB's domestic violence policy. Osuna, while a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, was charged in May 2018 with domestic assault; the charge was later withdrawn when the woman he is alleged to have assaulted made it clear she would not travel from Mexico to Toronto to testify.

The SI report Monday was corroborated by multiple witnesses present in the clubhouse at the time.

MLB declined to comment directly on the allegations, instead saying in a statement Tuesday, "Domestic violence is extraordinarily serious and everyone in baseball must use care to not engage in any behavior -- whether intentional or not -- that could be construed as minimizing the egregiousness of an act of domestic violence. We became aware of this incident through the Sports Illustrated article. The Astros have disputed Sports Illustrated's characterization of the incident. MLB will interview those involved before commenting further."

In a statement released Monday after the SI report was published, the club claimed the report was "misleading and completely irresponsible," adding, "Our executive was supporting the player during a difficult time. His comments had everything to do about the game situation that just occurred and nothing else -- they were also not directed toward any specific reporters."

On Tuesday, Taubman apologized for his behavior via a statement released by the team but maintained that his comments were misinterpreted.

"This past Saturday, during our clubhouse celebration, I used inappropriate language for which I am deeply sorry and embarrassed," Taubman said. "In retrospect, I realize that my comments were unprofessional and inappropriate. My overexuberance in support of a player has been misinterpreted as a demonstration of a regressive attitude about an important social issue. Those that know me know that I am a progressive and charitable member of the community, and a loving and committed husband and father. I hope that those who do not know me understand that the Sports Illustrated article does not reflect who I am or my values. I am sorry if anyone was offended by my actions."

INDIANAPOLIS – After two successful editions of the Driven2SaveLives BC39 powered by NOS Energy Drink at The Dirt Track at IMS, the crown-jewel event’s third running will have a new date.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles told SPEED SPORT Tuesday that the BC39 will move to July 1-2.

The move comes in the wake of the NASCAR schedule realignment that sees the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 shift from an early-September date to Independence Day weekend, creating a holiday-week racing buffet for fans from around the country.

“We’re excited about how things are lining up for next year’s BC39. Next year, it’ll be a little bit of an unknown given that we are keeping it with the NASCAR weekend, so it’ll move to July, but it’s an exciting new aspect for the race,” Boles said. “There is some school of thought that the summer is short-track season, really, so there’s a belief that maybe that (new date) will be better for folks … having it on July 1-2 next year. It’ll be a little bit of a new twist for us.

“At the same time, we still need to really focus on establishing it as an event that drivers want to compete in, whether they’re midget drivers full season or they’re some other version of a short-track driver who comes in because it’s a big event,” Boles continued. “It’s a big priority to make sure that fans beyond central Indiana have viewed it as one of those can’t-miss events and we’re looking forward to continuing that into the new year and the third running of the BC39.”

NASCAR stars such as Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe participated in this year’s BC39, a feat made easier by the fact that the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Cup Series raced on the famed 2.5-mile oval in the days following the $15,000-to-win NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget Series event.

Boles was quick to note that part of the reasoning behind keeping the BC39 as the lead-in to Brickyard 400 weekend was to continue facilitating that crossover between the stock-car and dirt racing worlds.

“That’s one of the things that we feel like makes the BC39 unique, is because it’s tied to a NASCAR weekend at a NASCAR track, and because of that then you get some NASCAR driver crossover,” Boles explained. “Had we left it in September where it’s been, we were just concerned that it would be harder for guys like Kyle Larson, or J.J. Yeley, or Christopher Bell, or Chase Briscoe … Ricky Stenhouse Jr., for those guys to be able to come and run the BC39.

“We want them to continue to participate in it and having it on a Cup (and) Xfinity weekend makes it easier for them to do just that.”

Zeb Wise is the reigning winner of the BC39, taking the top prize after outdueling both Kyle Larson and Brady Bacon in the closing laps on the quarter-mile IMS dirt oval on Sept. 5.

LPGA Q-Series is a launching pad to the top of the professional ranks, but college stars are the focus yet again this week.

Stanford senior Andrea Lee, No. 1 in Golfweek’s Women’s Collegiate Rankings, is in the field with fellow senior and teammate Albane Valenzuela, who is No. 4. They are among four of the top nine in the collegiate rankings who will be in Pinehurst, N.C., vying for LPGA tour cards over the next two weeks.

USC junior Jennifer Chang (No. 3) and University of Florida senior Sierra Brooks (No. 9) are also among the 98 players in the field. So is Florida State sophomore Frida Kinhult (No. 35).

A minimum of the top 45 and ties will earn LPGA status, with everyone else at Pinehurst Resort earning Symetra Tour status.

The 144-hole event begins Wednesday at Pinehurst No. 6 and continues next week (Oct. 30-Nov. 2) at Pinehurst No. 9 with $150,000 in total prize money at stake.

For collegians, choices loom that will affect more than their own hopes for 2020.

Will their success this week inspire them to forgo the collegiate spring season and turn pro?

Or will they defer that choice until after the spring season?

And how will those decisions affect the college teams relying upon them?

The LPGA gave collegians the option to defer for the first time last year.

Of the seven collegians who won LPGA status a year ago, Jennifer Kupcho and Maria Fassi were the only players who chose to defer turning pro, opting to complete their collegiate careers. The choice worked out well for both of them. Kupcho won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur and Fassi won the NCAA Championship. After turning pro, each went on to secure their LPGA status for 2020, despite limited starts in the second half of this year.

Kupcho is 43^rd on the LPGA money list with $406,788 in earnings. Fassi just made it inside the top 100 with $129,164 in earnings.

Of the five collegians who chose to forgo the spring collegiate season and turn pro, only two retained their tour status. Kristen Gillman is 38^th on the money list with $444,089 in winnings, and Lauren Stephenson is 90^th on the money list with $154,628 in earnings.

Cristiano Ronaldo's lawyers have filed court documents asking a U.S. judge in Las Vegas to either dismiss a Nevada woman's lawsuit alleging the football star raped her in 2009, or to order closed-door settlement talks.

Attorneys representing Ronaldo's accuser, Kathryn Mayorga, did not immediately respond on Tuesday to telephone, email and text messages seeking comment about the two recent court filings about her lawsuit stemming from a 2010 confidentiality agreement and $375,000 hush-money payment.

The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they have been victims of sexual assault, but Mayorga gave consent to be named through her lawyers, Leslie Mark Stovall and Larissa Drohobyczer.

Ronaldo's lawyer in Las Vegas, Peter Christiansen, declined to comment about the documents he filed on Oct. 14.

"Mr. Ronaldo has always maintained that this was a consensual encounter," said the filing seeking dismissal of the case.

A companion document also filed on Oct.14 in U.S. District court asks the judge to order out-of-court talks to settle the lawsuit.

Mayorga alleges conspiracy, defamation, breach of contract, coercion and fraud. Her lawyers want to void the 2010 deal and collect at least $200,000 more from Ronaldo. They acknowledge Mayorga received $375,000 in 2010. The court has kept the original agreement sealed.

Mayorga's lawyers maintain she didn't break the confidentiality pledge. They accuse Ronaldo or his associates of allowing reports of it to appear in European publications in 2017.

The football star's lawyers have said the information was among electronic data hacked, stolen and sold by cybercriminals, and that Mayorga's lawsuit is being used to damage Ronaldo's reputation.

Mayorga's lawsuit said she met Ronaldo at a nightclub and went with him and other people to his suite at the Palms Hotel and Casino, where he assaulted her in a bedroom.

Las Vegas police last year reinvestigated the rape allegation, but no criminal charge was filed. The local elected prosecutor said there was not enough evidence to take the 10-year-old case to trial.

Ronaldo, now 34, is one of the richest athletes in the world. He plays in Italy for the Turin-based club Juventus and captains the Portugal national team.

Mayorga, now 36, is a former schoolteacher and model who lives in the Las Vegas area.

Stovall has alleged that Mayorga, then 25, was so stressed by pressure from "fixers" trying to protect the reputation of Ronaldo, then 24, that she lacked the legal capacity to sign a non-disclosure agreement 10 years ago.

A federal judge in Las Vegas has not set a hearing date on Ronaldo's bid to stop the court case.

The Denver Broncos are trading wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to the San Francisco 49ers.

The trade has not been officially announced but Sanders confirmed as he was leaving the Broncos' facility that he was traded to San Francisco.

San Francisco is sending third- and fourth-round 2020 draft picks to Denver, who is also including a 2020 fifth-round pick with Sanders in the deal, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

"Obviously it's hard any time you break up,'' Sanders told KCNC-TV as he left the Broncos' facility as the team's practice began. " ... We had a great run out here in Denver, lot of great teams.''

Sanders added he was ready to "get out to San Fran and showcase my talents.''

Sanders, 32, has 30 catches for 367 yards and two touchdowns in seven games this season, his sixth with the Broncos (2-5).

The two-time Pro Bowler suffered a torn left Achilles in practice last December and also had surgery on his right ankle in January, but he made a remarkable recovery and was a full participant in training camp workouts by the middle of August.

He joins a 49ers receiving corps that includes current starters Dante Pettis and Marquise Goodwin.

Sanders has 7,391 receiving yards and 39 touchdown catches in 134 career games.

Sanders joined the Broncos in their 2014 free-agency binge that also included linebacker DeMarcus Ware, cornerback Aqib Talib and safety T.J. Ward. However, he had grown increasingly frustrated with the Broncos' losing ways over the last three seasons as well as his decreasing targets this season, a long-drop from when he referred to the Peyton Manning-quarterback offense as "wide receiver heaven.''

Sanders had 1,000-yard receiving seasons in 2014, 2015 and 2016, but dropped to 555 yards in 2017 due to an ankle injury and finished with 71 catches for 868 yards last when he suffered a torn Achilles in December.

Sanders had just one reception in two of the Broncos' last three games before he finished with five catches for 60 yards in the blowout loss to the Chiefs last Thursday night. Sanders has missed some practice time this season with knee trouble and did not play in the second half of the Broncos' win over the Tennessee Titans Oct. 13 because he had aggravated the injury.

The Broncos have former 49ers quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello calling plays as Denver's offensive coordinator, so Sanders will work in a similar playbook. Sanders said as he left the Broncos' complex he had briefly spoken to Scangarello Tuesday after he was told of the trade.

After Thursday night's loss Sanders was asked what needed to happen for the Broncos' struggling offense to improve: "Make plays, call better plays, just make plays.''

ESPN's Jeff Legwold contributed to this report.