SPORTS WIRE: Iverson reportedly mulling retirement

Memphis Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley said he's not sure what guard Allen Iverson's future plans are, but he hopes Iverson returns to the team soon.

Heisley granted Iverson permission Saturday to take an indefinite leave to deal with a personal matter. The Commercial Appeal newspaper reported Monday that Iverson, 34, is contemplating retirement.

''I'm not in Allen's head; I don't know what he's thinking,'' Heisley told the Associated Press. ''I know he went back to take care of a personal problem. ... I'm hoping he comes back. I think he could still play for us, somebody else, what have you.''

Leon Rose, Iverson's agent, didn't immediately return a message left at his office, but Heisley said Iverson is struggling with playing at less than his best.

Iverson, who signed a one-year, incentive-laden deal with the Grizzlies in September, missed the preseason with a partially torn left hamstring. He made his Grizzlies debut last week in California, averaging 12.3 points on 57.3 percent shooting and 22.3 minutes in games against the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.

• Kings point guard Kevin Martin had surgery to repair a hairline fracture in his left wrist and is expected to miss at least eight weeks. He averaged 30.6 points in five games before getting hurt.

• Jason Richardson scored 29 points, and Steve Nash had 21 points and 20 assists to power the visiting Phoenix Suns past the Philadelphia 76ers 119-115.

Center Steve Yzerman, wingers Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille and defenseman Brian Leetch were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in their first year of eligibility.

Yzerman, who spent all of his 22 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, ranks sixth on the all-time list with 1,755 points, seventh with 1,063 assists and eighth with 692 goals; Hull, who played with five teams in his 20 seasons, ranks third all-time with 741 goals; Robitaille, who spent 14 of his 19 seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, ranks 10th all-time with 668 goals; and Leetch, who played 17 of his 18 seasons with the New York Rangers, is one of only five defensemen in NHL history with 100 or more points in a season.

They were joined in the Hall by New Jersey Devils executive Lou Lamoriello, who helped the team win three Stanley Cups.

• The Washington Capitals said star Alex Ovechkin, who hasn't played since Nov. 1 because of an unspecified upper-body injury, won't play Wednesday against the New York Islanders but might be ready to return Friday against the Minnesota Wild. Ovechkin skated with the team in practice but wore a no-contact yellow jersey.

• The Carolina Hurricanes signed Wolves goalie Manny Legace to a one-year contract after goalie Cam Ward suffered a deep cut on his leg during a game Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Legace, a 10-year NHL veteran, was 2-2 with a 3.21 goals-against average for the Wolves.

• The NHL suspended Calgary Flames forward Curtis Glencross three games without pay for a high hit he put on New York Rangers star Chris Drury during a game Saturday. Glencross caught Drury with a shoulder to the head in the first minute, sidelining him with a concussion.

• Minnesota Wild right wing Petr Sykora suffered a concussion when he took a hit to the head during a game Saturday against the Dallas Stars and is out indefinitely.

The Boston Red Sox exercised their $7.7 million option on catcher/first baseman Victor Martinez (.303, 23 home runs, 108 RBI in 2009) for next season and agreed to terms with 43-year-old Tim Wakefield (11-5, 4.58 ERA) on a two-year, $5 million deal.

• The Tampa Bay Rays exercised their $10 million option on outfielder Carl Crawford for next season. He hit .305 with 15 homers, 68 RBI and a career-high 60 stolen bases this past season.

• World Series most valuable player Hideki Matsui and New York Yankees teammate Johnny Damon led a group of 31 players who filed for free agency.

Sun-Times wires