Sacramento Kings fire Paul Westphal as coach

The Sacramento Kings fired Coach Paul Westphal on Thursday, cutting ties after two-plus seasons amid a slow start and an escalating dispute with young center DeMarcus Cousins.

Geoff Petrie, the Kings’ president of basketball operations, made the announcement ahead of the team’s home game against Milwaukee on Thursday night. Assistant Keith Smart, let go by the Golden State Warriors this summer after one season, signed a deal to become the team’s head coach — with Westphal’s blessing.

Looking to build momentum for a new arena project, Sacramento stumbled at the start again this year. A talented and athletic — albeit raw — roster led by Westphal is 2-5 and in last place in the Pacific Division. In two-plus seasons leading the Kings, Westphal finished with a 51-120 record. The 61-year-old previously coached the Phoenix Suns and Seattle SuperSonics.

Westphal abruptly released a statement Sunday criticizing Cousins’ commitment to the franchise and excused him from the team’s game against New Orleans. He also said Cousins asked for a trade, which the center’s agent refuted.

Cousins had played in the past two games, losing at Memphis and Denver on consecutive nights.

Etc.

Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto has had preliminary discussions with the agents for second baseman Howie Kendrick and shortstop Erick Aybar about multiple-year deals that would prevent the infielders from becoming free agents after 2012.

Kendrick, who hit .285 with 18 home runs, 30 doubles and 63 runs batted in last season, and Aybar, who hit .279 with 10 homers, 33 doubles and 59 RBIs, are entering their final years of arbitration.

Kendrick, 28, made $3.3 million last season and is expected to push his salary to the $5.1-million range in arbitration this winter. He could command a deal in the four-year, $34-million range.

Aybar, who turns 28 next week, made $3 million last season and is expected to push his salary to about $4.5 million in arbitration this winter The switch-hitter could command a four-year deal in the $30-million range.

Dipoto also said it was “very, very unlikely” the Angels would acquire free-agent Ryan Madson or any other closer. There have been persistent Internet rumors was headed to the Angels.

The Angels on Thursday hired Mike LaCassa as manager of minor league operations. LaCassa worked as a player development assistant for the Texas Rangers in 2010-2011.

--Mike DiGiovanna

Albert Pujols’ contract with the Angels is valued at $246,841,111 by the baseball players’ union.

Pujols will earn $240 million in base salary over the next 10 seasons, according to a union filing detailing the fine print of his contract, which took almost a month to be finalized. Upon retirement, he will be offered a personal-services contract that would pay $1 million a year for 10 years.

Pujols can earn an additional $10 million for the marketing rights related to milestone accomplishments such as his 3,000th hit and 763rd home run. He can also earn an extra $875,000 annually in performance-based incentives.

--Dylan Hernandez

In what is expected to be their final free-agent move of the winter, The Dodgers re-signed reliever Mike MacDougal to a one-year contract guaranteed for $1 million.

MacDougal, who turns 35 in March, posted a 2.05 earned-run average in 57 games last season. He will earn $650,000 next season. His contract includes a $2.35 million club option for 2013 that the Dodgers can buy out for $350,000.

--Dylan Hernandez

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Detroit Tigers star Miguel Cabrera pleaded no contest in Florida to drunken driving. Cabrera accepted a deal that spares him jail time. Charges of resisting an officer without violence and having an open container in a vehicle were dropped. The first baseman was arrested in Fort Pierce in February after refusing to take a field sobriety test.

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Two prominent juniors, Wisconsin running back Montee Ball and Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones, have decided to return for their final seasons instead of making themselves available for the NFL draft.

Michigan State defensive tackle Jerel Worthy and South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and cornerback Stephon Gilmore are forgoing their senior seasons to enter the draft.

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The Galaxy begins its defense of its Major League Soccer championship on March 10 with a game at the Home Depot Center against Real Salt Lake. Chivas USA will open its season the next day, also at the Home Depot Center, against Houston.

The MLS Cup will be played Dec. 1, nearly two weeks later than last season’s final. With the expansion Montreal Impact giving the league 19 teams, MLS is switching to an unbalanced schedule while keeping the regular season at 34 games per team.

About 83% of games are on weekends and holidays, and all 323 games will be televised live.

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Florida Panthers forward Krys Barch has been suspended for one game by the NHL because of an inappropriate comment to Montreal’s P.K. Subban during a game Saturday night. The Miami Herald reported a linesman said he heard Barch direct a racial slur toward Subban, who is black.

NHL vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell says Barch “has admitted making the remark, but denies that the comment was racially motivated.”

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Defending champion Roger Federer was tested for the first time at the Qatar Open before defeating Andreas Seppi of Italy, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, to reach the semifinals. Federer set up a rematch of last year’s semifinal against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, after the Frenchman beat Albert Ramos of Spain, 6-2, 6-1.

Rafael Nadal also reached the semifinals, beating Mikhail Youzhny, 6-4, 6-4. He will face Gael Monfils, who beat Viktor Troicki of Serbia, 6-2, 6-3.