Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith, whose auto accident two years ago led to the death of his very close friend, will spend one month in jail. The 23-year-old athlete began his sentence Tuesday night after reporting to the Monmouth County (N.J.) Jail, immediately after pleading guilty to reckless driving. The sentence reflects a plea deal he struck with a municipal prosecutor in Millstone Township, where the fatal crash occurred on June 9, 2007. He could have faced a much stiffer penalty if the grand jury had convicted him on the more serious felony count of vehicular homicide, which is punishable by several years in prison. Judge Debra Gelson actually sentenced Smith to 90 days in jail, but she suspended 60 of them, and fined him $506, the maximum. She also ordered him to perform 500 hours of community service by visiting sick children in hospitals. Smith, who brought his 4-month-old daughter to court with him, said, “It just tears me up that it went down like that. I take full responsibility for everything that happened, but it was an accident.” Prompted by one of his three attorneys, Smith apologized to the mother of crash victim Andre Bell, 21. “I apologize to Ms. Wanda Bell; she’s another mother figure. She always has been, since the first time I met her.” Gelson said Smith was a role model for children but that his driving record sent the wrong message. “It’s clear Mr. Smith does a lot for children,” she said. “But as much as he does for children, he does them a huge disservice by not sending them a message that speed kills.”

NBA player hopes to land back in Detroit. Ex-Detroit Piston Antonio McDyess is an ex-Denver Nugget just days after he was sent to Colorado in a three-man trade for Allen Iverson. Denver waived McDyess, who had already hoped to be re-routed back to Detroit, placing him in a 48-hour hold. If he goes unclaimed within the hold time, he could re-sign with the Pistons by Dec. 7 if no other team persuades him to suit up. McDyess, 34, reportedly wants to avoid having to re-locate.

Boston slugger’s wrist is healing well. Red Sox big-hitter David Ortiz says he’s about a month away from swinging a bat again after doctors advised him to recover from a wrist injury in the off-season. “It’s doing good,” Ortiz said at a news conference announcing a celebrity golf tournament in his native Dominican Republic. The slugger has been on the disabled list more than once for a partially torn tendon on his left wrist. Ortiz hit 54 homers in 2006, but his average has lowered since he went to Boston in ‘03.

Tatum Bell re-joins Denver Broncos. Running back Tatum Bell says he’s “humbled” and thankful to put on a Denver jersey in the NFL again. The 1,000-yard rusher in 2006 was cut by Detroit after a Broncos trade and hasn’t played in months, but he re-joins Denver this week. “I didn’t think I was going to get another chance, to be honest,” Bell says. “I thanked coach Shanahan for giving me this chance. I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ll play special teams, I’ll play center. I’ll do whatever it takes to help the Denver Broncos win.” Bell was in the middle of a dust-up in Detroit when he was accused of taking his replacement Rudi Johnson’s luggage. Bell calls the incident a mistake.