FOOTBALL

‘EMBARRASSED’ BEARS CUT TANK JOHNSON

Tank Johnson tried the patience of the Chicago Bears numerous times. Still, they provided support visited him in jail and gave him more than enough chances to turn his life around and advance his career.

But after his latest run-in with the law in Arizona, the Bears had seen enough and it was time to let him go.

The Bears, saying they were “embarrassed” and that Johnson had “compromised the credibility” of the team with his latest incident released the defensive tackle yesterday.

Johnson was waived three days after he was pulled over by police in Arizona. He already had been suspended for the first eight games of the 2007 season for violating probation on a gun charge. He spent two months in jail and was released in May.

“We are upset and embarrassed by Tank’s actions last week,” general manager Jerry Angelo said in a statement. “He compromised the credibility of our organization. We made it clear to him that he had no room for error. Our goal was to help someone through a difficult period in his life, but the effort needs to come from both sides. It didn’t, and we have decided to move on.”

BASKETBALL

PISTONS G BILLUPS BECOMES FREE AGENT

Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups has opted out of the final year of his six-year con tract, making him an unrestricted free agent heading into the summer signing season.

“He informed the team this morning that he was opting out of his final year with the Pistons and that makes him a free agent — which we expected,” team spokesman Matt Dobek said yes terday.

The 6-foot-3, 202-pound All Star has said he would prefer to stay with Detroit and expects to be back if the team can match the best deal he can find from another team.

Joe Dumars, the Pistons’ president of basketball operations, said shortly after the team was eliminated from the Eastern Conference finals by the Cleveland Cavaliers that his top priority was resigning Billups when he became a free agent.

“We certainly hope we will be” able to re-sign him, Dobek said.

BULLS’ PAXSON: DEAL FOR BRYANT UNLIKELY

Although Kobe Bryant apparently would like to join the Bulls, Chicago general manager John Paxson sent a message to the Los Angeles Lakers‘ superstar yesterday: Don’t count on it.

Paxson said he has had no discussions with the Lakers and a deal would be difficult to complete.

“What we would have to give up — unless that franchise would ever have a change of heart and had to do something — I don’t know how that would work,” he said. “They’ve got one of the top, maybe the top, talents in the league. What we would have to do to get there, I don’t even know what it would be. It would be significant. And then, are we better?”

Bryant has waffled this off-season, saying he wants to be dealt and then rescinding those comments. Although he has a no-trade clause, The Riverside (Calif.) Press-Enterprise reported the Bulls are on his three-team wish list.

BASEBALL

DODGERS’ GARCIAPARRA MOVING TO THIRD BASE

Nomar Garciaparra is moving across the diamond.

After spending the past season and a half as the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ first baseman, Garciaparra will move to third base, perhaps as early as Friday.

“We’re trying to get ourselves in a position where we can be the best we can be, and that option right now is there for us,” manager Grady Little said yesterday. “Nomar’s 100% on board. He’s been over there before. It’s not a strange place for him.”