Nets’ Williams Plans to Retire, His Agent Says

New Jersey Net center Jayson Williams, who hasn’t played since breaking his leg more than a year ago, will end his career within days, his agent, Sal DiFazio, told the New York Post on Monday.

“Unfortunately, the disability caused by the injury is going to cut things short,” DiFazio said.

Williams, 32, broke his right leg and injured his knee in a collision with teammate Stephon Marbury during a game against Atlanta on April 1, 1999.

The former all-star was attempting a comeback in March when he broke his left foot when another teammate stepped on it during practice. The pain and swelling increased during his recovery.

“He’s rehabbed as hard and faithfully as you possibly can,” Net president Rod Thorn told the Post. “It just hasn’t worked out. I think you’ve got to look at a replacement at that position.”

The Nets have the No. 1 draft pick Wednesday and are expected to take 6-9 center Kenyon Martin from Cincinnati .

Williams is in the second year of a six-year, $85-million contract. If he doesn’t play for a second consecutive year, his salary comes off the Nets’ salary cap and the Nets could gain about $3.25 million through a disabled player exception. According to the players’ union, Williams is still owed $60 million on his guaranteed contract.

*

Darrell Garretson, former supervisor of NBA officials who pleaded guilty to fraud in an airline-ticket scam, was sentenced in Phoenix to 180 days home detention, three years’ probation and fined $5,000.

Garretson was one of several referees who was being reimbursed for first-class airline tickets by the NBA, then purchasing less expensive tickets and pocketing the difference.

Garretson, 68, a Mesa, Ariz., resident, pleaded guilty April 18 in U.S. District Court to one count of fraud and false statement as part of a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Federal prosecutors said Garretson made $54,531 in air-fare reimbursements in 1992 and $25,130 in 1993. Garretson reported none of that income on his tax returns, prosecutors said. The tax loss was $21,238.

*

Julius Erving returned to Philadelphia, the city of his greatest basketball success, to plead again for help in finding his missing son.

Erving said he thinks Cory Erving, 19, is still alive, and might have been using drugs at the time of his disappearance in late May. Cory has had a history of drug and alcohol abuse as well as run-ins with the law.

At a news conference, Erving said one of Cory’s friends claimed Cory had been using marijuana and an illegal sedative the night before he disappeared.