Mavericks, Wizards in seven-player deal

The Dallas Mavericks traded Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, James Singleton and Quinton Ross to the Washington Wizards on Saturday in exchange for Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson.

Howard was in his seventh season with Dallas, a span filled with promise and disappointment since he was the 29th overall pick in 2003. Gooden, signed by Dallas last summer, will be going to his eighth team in eight NBA seasons.

It is a significant move for the Southwest Division-leading Mavericks (32-20), a deal announced just before the start of the Saturday night All-Star activities in their home arena.

Dallas lost five of its seven games before the All-Star break, and play four games in five nights starting Tuesday in Oklahoma City.

“It makes us significantly better,” Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said.

For the Wizards (17-33), the trade appears to signal the breaking up of a team that was expected to contend for a playoff spot.

The Wizards had already lost Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton when both were suspended last month by the NBA for the rest of the season.

GOLF

Couples leads at Florida event

Fred Couples was in position for his first Champions Tour victory. He’ll have to hold on to the lead in the ACE Group Classic at Naples, Fla., for at least 23 holes on Sunday to do it.

Couples sank a 48-foot putt from well off the green on No. 12 for eagle, then made a 12-footer for birdie on No. 13 to reach nine under before second-round play was called because of darkness.

Playing partner Dan Forsman was in second place, three shots back at six under.

Couples is one of 38 golfers who must come back Sunday morning to complete their second rounds at the Quarry. The tournament was pushed back after high winds postponed the first round Friday afternoon.

Bernhard Langer is the only one near the top of the leaderboard to have completed the second round. He shot a six-under 66 and is tied for third, four shots behind Couples, along with Mike Goodes, Scott Hoch, Tommy Armour III and Ronnie Black.

TENNIS

Verdasco makes San Jose final

Spain’s Fernando Verdasco reached his first final since October, beating Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, in a semifinal at the SAP Open in San Jose.

The second-seeded Verdasco will attempt to become the first Spaniard to win a title in the Bay Area since Manuel Santana in 1964. Verdasco will meet the winner of a later match Saturday between top-seeded Andy Roddick and No. 7 Sam Querrey.

Robin Soderling will face Mikhail Youzhny in the final of the ABN Amro tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Soderling defeated second-seeded Nikolay Davydenko, 7-6 (3), 6-4, and Youzhny upset top-seeded Novak Djokovic, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6), in the semifinals.

Top-seeded Elena Dementieva rallied to defeat Melanie Oudin, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, and reach the final of the Open GDF Suez at Paris for the second straight year.

Dementieva will face Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, who upset second-seeded Flavia Pennetta of Italy, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, in the other semifinal.

SAILING

U.S. close to America’s Cup

The America’s Cup hasn’t been this close to being back in American hands since Dennis Conner lost it 15 years ago.

Software tycoon Larry Ellison’s multinational crew needs one more win against two-time defending champion Alinghi of Switzerland to deliver the oldest trophy in international sports to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Yacht Club.

Race 2 is Sunday off Valencia, Spain.