Sports in brief

BASKETBALL

Bird out, Walsh back for Pacers

It's official: Larry Bird is calling it quits with the Indiana Pacers.

Bird, perhaps the most respected and beloved basketball figure in a state obsessed with the sport, will leave his job as the Pacers' president of basketball operations at the end of August. He spent four years building the team into an Eastern Conference contender and was this season's NBA executive of the year, but is instead moving on after saying just a month ago that he was willing to stay.

Donnie Walsh, who left to become the Knicks' president, is returning as the Pacers' president. "It was a good fit," Walsh said. "When Larry decided to go, it was easy for [owner] Herb [Simon] to look at me and I felt natural in coming back here. I had gotten used to, hey, maybe I won't do it again. So, I had to rethink that again . . . I'm not just throwing my name out for jobs. I wouldn't do that."

Bird said health issues were among the reasons for his departure. He said he may need shoulder surgery and cited long-standing issues with his back.

Kevin Pritchard, the director of player personnel, is being promoted to general manager.

COURTS

Dykstra gets plea deal

Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have entered a plea agreement with former Mets outfielder Lenny Dykstra in a case where he's accused of bankruptcy fraud and embezzlement.

Court records show the plea agreement was filed under seal Tuesday.

Prosecutors said that after filing for bankruptcy, Dykstra hid, sold or destroyed more than $400,000 worth of items without permission of a bankruptcy trustee.

Dykstra is currently serving a three-year prison sentence after pleading no contest to grand theft auto and providing a false financial statement. He also was sentenced this year to nine months in jail after pleading no contest to charges he exposed himself to women he met on Craigslist.

HOCKEY

Oilers name Krueger coach

The Edmonton Oilers have promoted assistant Ralph Krueger to head coach.

Krueger spent the last two seasons as an assistant under Tom Renney, whose contract was not renewed after the Oilers finished 29th in the NHL last season at 32-40-10. The Oilers gave a three-year contract to Krueger, 52, who played and coached in Europe and was coach of the Swiss national team from 1997-2010. He coached the Swiss team in three Olympics. -- AP