Sports News Roundup: Geoghegan Hart and Poels to co-lead Ineos charge in Vuelta; Beckham Jr.: Giants sent me to Cleveland 'to die'

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Lakers taking time to replace Cousins

DeMarcus Cousins likely will miss the 2019-20 season with a torn ACL, leaving the Lakers with a big hole to fill alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James. But ESPN reported Los Angeles is kicking the tires on several veteran centers, including Dwight Howard, Joakim Noah, and Marreese Speights.

Protesting U.S. athletes receive 12-months probation

U.S. athletes Race Imboden and Gwen Berry have been placed on probation for 12 months for their political protests at the Pan Am Games, USA Today reported on Tuesday. Fencer Imboden took a knee and hammer thrower Berry raised her fist when the U.S. national anthem played during their medal ceremonies earlier this month, violating an agreement U.S. athletes sign before competing internationally.

Top seeds Paire, Shapovalov advance at Winston-Salem Open

Top seeds Benoit Paire and Denis Shapovalov cruised into the third round of the Winston-Salem Open with straight-set wins on the North Carolina hardcourt on Tuesday. Top-seeded Paire was businesslike in his 6-3 7-5 dismissal of Prajnesh Gunneswaran, crushing his 14 aces on match point to avenge his loss to the 29-year-old at Indian Wells in March.

India expect 'positive' verdict on Davis Cup tie against Pakistan

The All India Tennis Association (AITA) is hopeful its security concerns for next month's tie against hosts Pakistan will be addressed after the game's global governing body referred the matter to its Davis Cup committee. The AITA said last week they had written to International Tennis Federation (ITF) asking them to shift the tie to a neutral venue or to postpone it for a couple of months until tensions simmer down between the bitter neighbors.

Wildcard Pera stuns third seed Strycova to move into Bronx quarters

American wildcard Bernarda Pera upset Czech third seed Barbora Strycova 3-6 6-2 6-1 to advance to the quarter-finals of the Bronx Open on Tuesday. Strycova, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals last month, battled for nearly two hours before losing to Pera, who is ranked 37 rungs below her in the WTA rankings.

College football notebook: Clemson's Lawrence tops preseason All-America team

Clemson sophomore quarterback Trevor Lawrence, a Heisman Trophy favorite entering the 2019 season, headlines The Associated Press preseason All-America team, which was released Tuesday. Joining him on the first team are two teammates: running back Travis Etienne and linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

Canadian 11-time world champion says she is no drug cheat

Canada's 11-times canoe world champion Laurence Vincent Lapointe maintained she is not a drug cheat on Tuesday but conceded there will be people who will never believe her. Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) announced on Monday that Vincent Lapointe had returned an adverse analytical finding following an out-of-competition doping test in late July.

MLB notebook: Indians shut down Kluber after new injury

Cleveland Indians pitcher Corey Kluber was diagnosed with an oblique strain after leaving a rehab start Sunday during the first inning. The Indians will shut down the two-time American League Cy Young Award winner from pitching while he begins a new rehab program, the team said in a statement Tuesday. He will be examined in two weeks to determine if he is ready to resume a throwing program.

Geoghegan Hart and Poels to co-lead Ineos charge in Vuelta

Tao Geoghegan Hart and Wout Poels will be co-leaders for Team Ineos at the Vuelta a Espana which starts on Saturday, with Tour de France winner Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas sitting the three-week race out, the team announced on Tuesday. Ineos has already confirmed that Bernal and Thomas would prepare for next month's road world championships in Yorkshire rather than travel to Spain.

Beckham Jr.: Giants sent me to Cleveland 'to die'

Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. told Sports Illustrated the New York Giants had better trade offers but chose to trade him to Cleveland "to die." "This wasn't no business move," he told writer Ben Baskin. "This was personal. They thought they'd send me here to die."

Also Read: Sports-Serena, Osaka top Forbes list of best-paid female athletes