[naviga:h3]Bucks’ coach Kidd having hip surgery[/naviga:h3]

PHOENIX — Milwaukee Bucks coach Jason Kidd is taking an indefinite leave to have hip surgery.

Assistant coach Joe Prunty will direct the team in Kidd’s absence, general manager John Hammond said after the Bucks’ 101-95 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

“I tried to put off surgery for as long as I could, but after consulting with my doctor, he advised that the best course of action was to have the procedure now,” Kidd said in statement released by the team.

The Bucks are 11-18 this season and 52-59 in two seasons under Kidd.

Prunty has 20 years of NBA coaching experience, including three under Kidd. He served as an assistant during Kidd’s one season coaching the Brooklyn Nets and has been with Kidd in Milwaukee the past two seasons. Prunty also is the head coach of Britain’s national team.

[naviga:h3]Olympic ski champ breaks vertebrae[/naviga:h3]

ALTA BADIA, Italy — Olympic champion Matthias Mayer will miss the rest of the season after crashing in a World Cup downhill, although he says it could have been “much worse.”

The Austrian team said that Mayer’s injuries were worse than originally thought and that he broke two vertebrae in Saturday’s crash in Val Gardena.

After being brought to a hospital in Innsbruck, Mayer was operated on and had four vertebrae bolted together to aid the healing process. He’ll be hospitalized for at least 10 days.

[naviga:h3]A’s, Parker agree on 1-year contract[/naviga:h3]

OAKLAND, Calif. — Right-hander Jarrod Parker reached agreement on an $850,000, one-year contract with the Oakland Athletics, avoiding arbitration.

The A’s announced the deal Saturday, which includes $425,000 guaranteed. Parker has had lousy luck the past two seasons, not pitching in the majors since 2013. He missed the `14 season following his second Tommy John surgery, then fractured the elbow during a May rehab start to end his comeback bid and had another procedure from Dr. James Andrews. Oakland’s brass has been encouraged by his progress this offseason.

The 27-year-old Parker is 25-16 with a 3.68 ERA in two-plus major league seasons — 2012 and `13 with the A’s after one outing for Arizona in 2011.