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Sports headlines: Cavs continue talks with LeBron James, World Cup results, Clayton Kershaw shaky in surprise return

Cavs general manager Koby Altman said he has had positive discussions with the three-time champion's group. James has until June 29 to tell the team if he will pick up his $35.6 million option for next season or become a free agent.

LeBron James has until June 29 to decide whether to opt out of his contract with Cleveland and become a free agent.
LeBron James has until June 29 to decide whether to opt out of his contract with Cleveland and become a free agent.Read moreYong Kim / Staff

 NBA

» READ MORE: Cavs having ‘good dialogue’ with LeBron’s management team

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — With one deadline looming on his future in Cleveland, LeBron James has been in contact with the Cavaliers through his representatives.

Following the NBA draft on Thursday night, Cavs general manager Koby Altman said he has had positive discussions with the three-time champion's group. James has until June 29 to tell the team if he will pick up his $35.6 million option for next season or become a free agent.

"We continue to have good dialogue with his management team," Altman said. "I think LeBron has more than earned the right to approach his contracts the way he does. He's done that before, so this is nothing new for us. We want to respect his space during this process and I continue to have really good dialogue with his management team as he goes through that process.

"That's probably all I can say at this point regarding him, but we don't take him for granted. We love him, this city loves him. He means the world to us and this franchise."

» READ MORE: AP source: Thunder’s Anthony to opt in, take $28 million

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  — Oklahoma City Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony plans to opt in and take the $28 million he is due next season.

The New York Times first reported the 34-year-old Anthony's decision to bypass the chance to become a free agent. A person with knowledge of details confirmed Anthony's choice to The Associated Press on Friday night. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the situation publicly.

The Thunder traded for Anthony and Paul George to join Russell Westbrook before last season, moves that gave them high hopes of challenging Golden State in the West. It didn't work out as planned.

BASEBALL

» READ MORE: Dodgers 8, Mets 3

NEW YORK (AP)  — Clayton Kershaw and Jacob deGrom stumbled in an unexpected ace showdown, Matt Kemp hit a pinch grand slam and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the slumping New York Mets 8-3 Saturday night.

The Dodgers have won 11 straight against the Mets dating to May 2016, matching their best run in the rivalry. Los Angeles beat New York 11 straight times across 1963 and '64.

Kershaw gave up two runs over three innings in a surprise return from the disabled list. He threw 55 pitches, starting out strong before laboring through his final inning. Left-handed rookie Caleb Ferguson (1-1) replaced him and escaped a couple tight situations over four scoreless innings for his first major league win.

DeGrom (5-3) allowed three earned runs in six innings, including Max Muncy's 14th home run in the first. He entered the game with a major league-leading 1.51 ERA and hadn't allowed three earned runs in a game since April 16 against Washington.

Kershaw was scheduled to make a rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City at Omaha, but Los Angeles decided Friday to have him pitch in New York because of precarious weather in Nebraska. The lefty ace had been sidelined since June 1 with a lower back strain.

Kershaw was electric in the first inning, freezing leadoff man Brandon Nimmo on a curveball for a three-pitch strikeout and catching Todd Frazier looking for a five-pitch K.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner wasn't as sharp after that. Michael Conforto and Jose Bautista lined consecutive doubles in the second inning to tie it at 1, and Kershaw threw 25 pitches in the third inning, including an RBI single by Wilmer Flores to put New York ahead 2-1.

WORLD CUP

» READ MORE: Germany 2, Sweden 1

SOCHI, Russia — The desperate world champions from Germany were seconds from losing control of their World Cup fate when Toni Kroos whispered to Marco Reus just outside Sweden's penalty area.

With the score tied in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Kroos seemed to remind Reus of a trick play from training that will live in World Cup lore.

The Germans, down to 10 men after Jerome Boateng was given a second yellow card, rallied for a 2-1 victory Saturday and their title defense was suddenly revived.

» READ MORE: Mexico 2, South Korea 1

ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia — The criticism of Mexico's national team heading into the World Cup was loud and scathing. The answer has been emphatic.

The Mexicans won their second straight match at the tournament, beating South Korea 2-1 Saturday to move ever closer to a spot in the round of 16.

Mexico opened its World Cup by upsetting defending champion Germany 1-0. A second victory on Saturday gives it six points and a chance to win Group F on Wednesday when the team faces Sweden.

» READ MORE: Belgium 5, Tunisia 2

MOSCOW — Belgium seems to be getting better and better — maybe even the best yet at the World Cup.

It's still early, but a hugely talented Belgian squad made a big statement on Saturday in its 5-2 rout of Tunisia. No team has scored more goals than Belgium's eight, and only Cristiano Ronaldo can match Romelu Lukaku's tally of four.

Belgium has yet to face South American or European opposition, however, and playing England on Thursday should decide who advances to the round of 16 as the winner of Group H.

"In the end, we need to play better teams and have better focus," said Lukaku, who has scored two goals in each of Belgium's two victories.

CARPENTER CUP

» READ MORE: Championship game postponed until Sunday

Due to wet field conditions and a weather forecast for additional rain, the Carpenter Cup championship game scheduled for Saturday was postponed to 3 p.m. Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.

Burlington County will meet Olympic-Colonial in a matchup of South Jersey teams. This is the 33rd annual Carpenter Cup championship, and the Olympic-Colonial has won five. But this is its first time in the final since winning in 1997.

Burlington County has won three titles, the most recent in 2012.

The postponement could help the pitching for both teams. In Burlington County's 6-1 semifinal win over Jersey Shore, Rancocas Valley's Bryce Mangene, Riverside's Frank Doeling and Shawnee's Dan Frake each pitched the maximum thee innings.

Olympic Colonial had one player, Collingswood lefthander Alex Margot, throw three innings in Friday's 10-6 semifinal win over Delaware North.

 — Marc Narducci

AFL/FRIDAY

Soul 63, Washington 28

WASHINGTON — The last time the Soul met the Washington Valor, the Valor posted its only Arena Football League win of the season, by one point. And it was in Philadelphia, no less.

The Soul (6-4) clearly got its revenge Friday night, with a 63-28 victory over the Valor (1-9).

Although the game was tied at 28 at halftime, the Soul took complete control of the game, not allowing a single Valor point in the second half.

Darius Prince and Aaron Wascha each had two touchdown receptions for the Soul, and Jeramie Richardson scored four rushing touchdowns on five carries.

The Soul next host Baltimore on Saturday, June 30 at 7 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center.