Net Owners Reportedly Reject $90-Million Deal for Coleman

Owners of the New Jersey Nets have rejected a nine-year, $90-million contract proposal for Derrick Coleman that would have made the All-Star forward the highest paid player in sports, the New York Times reported today.

The veto of the deal came after Willis Reed, the club’s vice president and general manager, had reached an agreement with Coleman.

Reed has been instructed by the owners to explore a trade for Coleman, according to the paper. Coleman’s current contract would make him a free agent after next season.

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Center Luther Wright of the Utah Jazz is expected to remain in a hospital for at least another week after an overdose of a prescription medicine.

Baseball

Free-agent reliever Gregg Olson, who the Angels had hoped would be their closer the next four seasons, has decided to sign elsewhere, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. Starter John Dopson, who has struggled with elbow injuries, signed a triple-A contract with the Angels and will be invited to spring training.

An arbitrator ruled in favor of Kansas City Royal pitcher Tom Gordon, while another arbitrator sided with the Montreal Expos against pitcher Mel Rojas. Gordon got $2.635 million for next season, Rojas $850,000.

Football

The Rams have granted offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese permission to begin negotiations with the Dallas Cowboys to fill the spot vacated by Norv Turner, who was became head coach of the Redskins on Wednesday. Also, Ram receiver coach Milt Jackson signed a three-year contract to be receiver coach for the Atlanta Falcons. . . . Phoenix owner Bill Bidwill met with Houston Oiler defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan in Phoenix to discuss the Cardinals’ head coach vacancy, television station KTVK reported.

Soccer

Argentine police searched Diego Maradona’s home and fingerprinted him but did not find an air gun that journalists said the soccer star had fired at them. The incident came a day after Maradona’s club, Newell’s Old Boys, fired him after four months for repeatedly missing practice. At least five reporters were injured when they were hit by pellets from an air rifle.

Walt Disney Co. withdrew as producer of this summer’s World Cup opening ceremony in Chicago over what organizers describe as “artistic differences.” . . . Alexandre Borodiuk’s three goals gave Russia a 4-1 victory over Mexico in a World Cup warm-up game at Oakland. Mexico was also upset last week at Oakland, 5-1, by Switzerland.

Jurisprudence

Nebraska defensive back Tyrone Williams, 20, was charged with two felonies for violating the state’s drive-by shooting law by firing at least two shots Sunday from a .22-caliber handgun at a car that carried New York Jet safety Kevin Porter and a woman.

Miscellany

After three days of meetings, the Big East Conference decided not to expand despite pressure from its Division I-A football members--Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Miami and Boston College--who have indicated they might leave to form an eight-school all-sports league, leaving the six Big East basketball schools on their own.