Kentucky supports players’ right to kneel

TORONTO — Free-agent guard Patrick McCaw is joining the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors announced Thursday that the club had signed McCaw, although terms of the deal were not disclosed. The 23-year-old was waived on Sunday by the Cleveland Cavaliers and will be joining his third team of the season. McCaw played only three games with the Cavaliers and was waived before his contract would have been guaranteed for the remainder of this season. He cleared waivers and became an unrestricted free agent. The Golden State Warriors held McCaw’s rights as a restricted free agent, then elected not to match the two-year, $6 million offer sheet that he signed with the Cavaliers on Dec. 28 — with the potential luxury tax ramifications among the many reasons that factored into their thinking. The NBA is reportedly looking into the circumstances surrounding his short-lived stint with Cleveland. McCaw has appeared in 131 career games with Golden State and Cleveland, averaging 3.9 points, 1.2 assists and 15.9 minutes, and was a member of the Warriors’ 2017 and 2018 NBA championship squads. — with files from Sports Betting News The Canadian Press

After a long, agonizing silence, Malcolm Butler really has opened up this week about his infamous benching in Super Bowl LII. The Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe published a piece Wednesday, in which Butler explained why he believes he didn’t play a defensive snap in the Patriots’ crushing loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. And in a telephone conversation with SB Nation’s Thomas George on Wednesday, Butler — who just signed with the Tennessee Titans — revealed what Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said to him after the game. Per George: “You’re a fighter and good luck in the future,� Belichick said, according to Butler. “Thank you,� Butler said he replied. Short and (bitter)sweet. The former Pro Bowl