BASKETBALL

HAWKS’ JOHNSON NAMED REPLACEMENT FOR KIDD

Joe Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks was chosen by commissioner David Stern for the NBA’s East All-Star team yesterday as a replacement for injured New Jersey guard Jason Kidd.

Kidd will miss Sunday’s game with a back injury.

Johnson, who will be the fifth replacement player chosen for the game, is Atlanta’s first All-Star since Shareef Abdur-Rahim in 2002.

“Obviously, I’m looking forward to my first All-Star experience,” Johnson said. “It’s a tremendous honor and accomplishment for me, my coaches, teammates and the organization.”

BASEBALL

CHRONICLE REPORTERS TO AVOID JAIL TIME IN BALCO CASE

Two San Francisco Chronicle reporters will avoid jail time under a plea agreement by a criminal defense lawyer who admitted leaking the secret grand jury documents from the BALCO steroids investigation.

In court papers filed yesterday in U.S. District Court, attorney Troy Ellerman said he allowed reporters Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada to view transcripts of the grand jury testimony of baseball stars Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, and sprinter Tim Montgomery.

Ellerman had represented Victor Conte, founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative, the Burlingame supplements lab that allegedly provided performance enhancing drugs to the elite athletes, as well as BALCO vice president James Valente.

FOOTBALL

SINGLETARY FIRST TO INTERVIEW FOR CHARGERS COACHING JOB

The San Diego Chargers began their coaching search so quickly that the first candidate to be interviewed ran into the guy he hopes to replace.

Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary met with team executives yesterday, less than 48 hours after Marty Schottenheimer was fired.

The former Chicago Bears great said he crossed paths with Schottenheimer, who was still cleaning out his office.

“I saw him and said hello,” Singletary said.

Singletary, interviewing for a head coaching job for the third time since early January, thinks he’s ready to move up after four seasons as an assistant.