Morning News Links - Bargnani suffers a calf injury

NBA

The Toronto Raptors defeated the Washington Wizards 104-101 in Wednesday's preseason game, but the team lost forward Andrea Bargnani to a calf injury. Bargnani was only able to play in 31 games last season due to lingering calf issues. [Globe & Mail]

Golden State Warriors guard Jarrett Jack says that he has been warned by the NBA for flopping. Under the new rules, Jack can be fined for his second incident of flopping. [ESPN]

The Chicago Bulls are expected to exercise their amnesty clause on forward Carlos Boozer in the near future. Boozer is owed more than $45 million over the next three seasons. [ESPN]

The NBA plans to establish a new rule that opening rituals and handshakes by teams can only last 90 seconds. "I personally don't like it," Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant said. "Every player in this league has routines they do with their teammates, rituals they do before the game and before they walk on the floor. The fans enjoy it." [ESPN]

The Minnesota Timberwolves announced that they will be without forward Kevin Love for six to eight weeks, after the All-Star suffered a fractured right hand on Wednesday. [NBA.com]

MLB

The Miami Marlins and New York Yankees are reportedly discussing an Alex Rodriguez trade. Miami is believed to be the only place that Rodriguez would accept a trade. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has denied the reports of a Rodriguez trade. [ESPN]

The Boston Red Sox have begun talks with the Toronto Blue Jays to work out a compensation deal, so that John Farrell can become Boston's new manager. [Boston Globe]

San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum will get the start in today's NLCS Game 4. The St. Louis Cardinals lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. [San Jose Mercury News]

Kevin Youkilis could be reunited with former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona with the Cleveland Indians, if the Chicago White Sox decline Youkilis' $13 million option for the 2013 season. [CBS Sports]

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Carlos Beltran left Wednesday's NLCS Game 3 with a knee injury. The Cardinals have announced Beltran's status as day-to-day. [CBS Sports]

New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter will be sidelined for four to five months while he recovers from ankle surgery. [NY Yankees]

NFL

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe reportedly wants out of Kansas City. Bowe has 427 receiving yards and three touchdowns through six games this season. [Yahoo! Sports]

The Baltimore Ravens placed linebacker Ray Lewis on the injured reserve with a "designated to return" tag, leaving the door open for Lewis to return this season. [ESPN]

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel is opening up a quarterback competition between injured starter Matt Cassel and backup Brady Quinn. "What I told them is I'm rotating the quarterbacks. They will get equal reps," Crennel said. The Chiefs are on a bye for Week 7. [ESPN]

Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush says that he still plans to reach his goal of leading the league in rushing. Bush is currently ranked 12th in rushing yards, 157 yards behind the leading rusher Jamaal Charles. [Miami Herald]

New England Patriots wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, who appeared to suffer an injury in Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks, says that he is fine. Lloyd was not listed on the Patriots' injury report. [Boston Herald]

NHL

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews believes that the NHL's new CBA proposal is just a ploy. "There's no real effort there," Toews said. "It's just a ploy to kind of sway the positive light back in their favour." [Chicago Tribune]

Edmonton City Council unanimously voted to walk away from the new arena deal proposed by Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz. The city will explore other options, including building their own arena. [Edmonton Sun]

CYCLING

Lance Armstrong, who stepped down as chairman of his cancer-fighting charity Livestrong, has been dropped by his sponsor Nike. Nike pulled the plug on Armstrong, "due to the seemingly insurmountable evidence that Lance Armstrong participated in doping and misled Nike for more than a decade." This development makes commercials Armstrong did for Nike (like this one) seem ironic. [The Score]