Artest, Lakers reach verbal agreement
Ron Artest is joining Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.

NBA free agents: 2009 class (Yahoo! Sports)
Team-by-team list of NBA free agents.

Source: Rockets agree on multiyear deal with Ariza

The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because NBA rules prohibit announcing free-agent deals until next week, said the Rockets offered Ariza the full mid-level exception for the first year, about $5.6 million.

Jackson says he’ll return to coach Lakers
Phil Jackson is returning to coach the Los Angeles Lakers next season. Jackson announced his decision Friday on the team’s Web site. He said he consulted the team doctor about his health before deciding. The Hall of Fame coach turns 64 in September. Jackson led the Lakers to their 15th NBA championship and his record 10th title in June. He says he’s confident he can handle another long season. “All things point to go!” he says.

Knicks offer Kidd $12 million less than Mavericks (Yahoo! Sports)
Is playing in New York, rather than in Dallas, worth $12 million? Jason Kidd will have to decide if it is.

VIDEO: Jackson talks about health, Artest

Free-agent buzz: Ariza to Rockets, Cavs eye Parker (Yahoo! Sports)
Trevor Ariza committed to sign with the Rockets after Ron Artest left for the Lakers.

Walsh says he could give more than 1-year deal (AP)
Donnie Walsh says he will consider giving more than a one-year deal to a free agent, following a report that he plans to do that with Jason Kidd. ESPN.com, citing sources close to the process, reported Thursday that the Knicks would offer a three-year deal to the point guard. The Knicks hosted Kidd and his agent Wednesday on the first day of free agency and are hoping he'll leave Dallas to come…

VIDEO: Jackson talks about health, Artest

NBA free agents: 2009 class (Yahoo! Sports)
Team-by-team list of NBA free agents.

VIDEO: Hill on Artest reportedly joining Lakers
Lakers fans, don’t worry. Even though the unpredictable Ron Artest is set to join L.A., Kobe & Co. will keep him in line, Randy Hill says.

Report: Celtics meet with Wallace, offer deal
Rasheed Wallace may be joining Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in Boston.

NBA free agents: 2009 class (Yahoo! Sports)
Team-by-team list of NBA free agents.

Updated odds to win 2010 championship following Draft, trades (Yahoo! Sports)
Bodog's odds to win the 2009-10 NBA Championship have been reassessed and posted following last week's…

Knicks Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Knicks were unable to take advantage of the point guard depth in the NBA draft to fill their long-term needs at that critical position, but they did address another area of need: size and athleticism.

Jordan Hill is a perfect big for Mike D’Antoni’s system because of his length, athleticism and, most important, his ability to play the pick-and-roll and knock down the mid-range jumper with a soft touch. He doesn’t immediately bring the wow factor that a Stephen Curry or Ricky Rubio might have delivered on draft night, but Hill is viewed as a valuable piece of this rebuilding process that is well under way.

Donnie Walsh added more size with the acquisition of 7-1 center Darko Milicic, who came to the Knicks from Memphis in exchange for Quentin Richardson, whose…

Report: Rockets, Ariza agree to deal
A person close to the situation tells The Associated Press that the Houston Rockets are meeting with Los Angeles Lakers forward Trevor Ariza. The person, who did not want to be identified because the negotiations were ongoing, said Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was meeting with the free agent in Las Vegas. The meeting was first reported by KRIV-TV in Houston, which also said Coach Rick Adelman was meeting with Ariza. The AP source could not confirm that.

Poor free-agent crop offers Raptors options

Poor free-agent crop offers Raptors options New York Knicks forward Quentin Richardson defends Toronto Raptors forward Shawn Marion during first half NBA action in Toronto on Sunday February 22, 2009.

Lakers hero Ariza had meteoric rise
Trevor Ariza is a Laker playoff hero, which, paradoxically, is why he’s apparently about to become an ex-Laker, Kevin Hench says.

Free-agent buzz: Ariza to Rockets, Cavs eye Parker (Yahoo! Sports)
Trevor Ariza committed to sign with the Rockets after Ron Artest left for the Lakers.

Report: Rockets, Ariza agree to deal
A person close to the situation tells The Associated Press that the Houston Rockets are meeting with Los Angeles Lakers forward Trevor Ariza. The person, who did not want to be identified because the negotiations were ongoing, said Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was meeting with the free agent in Las Vegas. The meeting was first reported by KRIV-TV in Houston, which also said Coach Rick Adelman was meeting with Ariza. The AP source could not confirm that.

Yao will wait week before surgery decision
Houston Rockets All-Star center Yao Ming will have to wait up to a week before he knows whether he will need surgery on his broken left foot. The future of 7-foot-6 (226-centimeter) Yao are in question amid reports from the team doctor that the hairline fracture in his foot could keep him out of all of next season, and potentially end his career. “It hasn’t been decided yet,” Yao’s agent, Eric Zhang, told The Associated Press on Friday.

Free-agent buzz: Ariza to Rockets, Cavs eye Parker (Yahoo! Sports)
Trevor Ariza committed to sign with the Rockets after Ron Artest left for the Lakers.

Knicks to offer more than one year

Donnie Walsh says he will consider giving more than a one-year deal to a free agent, following a report that he plans to do that with Jason Kidd .

NBA free agents: 2009 class (Yahoo! Sports)
Team-by-team list of NBA free agents.

Knicks Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Knicks were unable to take advantage of the point guard depth in the NBA draft to fill their long-term needs at that critical position, but they did address another area of need: size and athleticism.

Jordan Hill is a perfect big for Mike D’Antoni’s system because of his length, athleticism and, most important, his ability to play the pick-and-roll and knock down the mid-range jumper with a soft touch. He doesn’t immediately bring the wow factor that a Stephen Curry or Ricky Rubio might have delivered on draft night, but Hill is viewed as a valuable piece of this rebuilding process that is well under way.

Donnie Walsh added more size with the acquisition of 7-1 center Darko Milicic, who came to the Knicks from Memphis in exchange for Quentin Richardson, whose…

Gordon, Villanueva to join Pistons

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Detroit Pistons are acting quickly to remake a former championship contender.

Knicks offer Kidd $12 million less than Mavericks (Yahoo! Sports)
Is playing in New York, rather than in Dallas, worth $12 million? Jason Kidd will have to decide if it is.

Yao will wait week before surgery decision
Houston Rockets All-Star center Yao Ming will have to wait up to a week before he knows whether he will need surgery on his broken left foot. The future of 7-foot-6 (226-centimeter) Yao are in question amid reports from the team doctor that the hairline fracture in his foot could keep him out of all of next season, and potentially end his career. “It hasn’t been decided yet,” Yao’s agent, Eric Zhang, told The Associated Press on Friday.

Free-agent buzz: Ariza to Rockets, Cavs eye Parker (Yahoo! Sports)
Trevor Ariza committed to sign with the Rockets after Ron Artest left for the Lakers.

Knicks Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Knicks were unable to take advantage of the point guard depth in the NBA draft to fill their long-term needs at that critical position, but they did address another area of need: size and athleticism.

Jordan Hill is a perfect big for Mike D’Antoni’s system because of his length, athleticism and, most important, his ability to play the pick-and-roll and knock down the mid-range jumper with a soft touch. He doesn’t immediately bring the wow factor that a Stephen Curry or Ricky Rubio might have delivered on draft night, but Hill is viewed as a valuable piece of this rebuilding process that is well under way.

Donnie Walsh added more size with the acquisition of 7-1 center Darko Milicic, who came to the Knicks from Memphis in exchange for Quentin Richardson, whose…

Artest, Lakers reach verbal agreement
Ron Artest is joining Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Knicks to offer more than one year

Donnie Walsh says he will consider giving more than a one-year deal to a free agent, following a report that he plans to do that with Jason Kidd .

Walsh says he could give more than 1-year deal (AP)
Donnie Walsh says he will consider giving more than a one-year deal to a free agent, following a report that he plans to do that with Jason Kidd. ESPN.com, citing sources close to the process, reported Thursday that the Knicks would offer a three-year deal to the point guard. The Knicks hosted Kidd and his agent Wednesday on the first day of free agency and are hoping he'll leave Dallas to come…

Report: Pistons OK deals with Gordon, Villanueva
A person tells The Associated Press that Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordon is in talks with the Detroit Pistons about joining the team. Pistons spokesman Kevin Grigg declined comment on Gordon’s situation Wednesday, saying there’s an NBA moratorium on discussing free-agent matters. But a person close to the talks says Gordon was in Michigan on Wednesday.

Could Jason Kidd Attract Big Stars To New York Knicks In 2010?

The New York Knicks‘ team president Donnie Walsh and free agent point guard Jason Kidd met yesterday to discuss the veteran player’s future… by Vinny Yeager 85 reads The New York Knicks‘ team president Donnie Walsh and free agent point guard Jason Kidd met yesterday to discuss the veteran player’s future.

Knicks to offer more than one year

Donnie Walsh says he will consider giving more than a one-year deal to a free agent, following a report that he plans to do that with Jason Kidd .

Report: Rockets, Ariza agree to deal
A person close to the situation tells The Associated Press that the Houston Rockets are meeting with Los Angeles Lakers forward Trevor Ariza. The person, who did not want to be identified because the negotiations were ongoing, said Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was meeting with the free agent in Las Vegas. The meeting was first reported by KRIV-TV in Houston, which also said Coach Rick Adelman was meeting with Ariza. The AP source could not confirm that.

Knicks Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Knicks were unable to take advantage of the point guard depth in the NBA draft to fill their long-term needs at that critical position, but they did address another area of need: size and athleticism.

Jordan Hill is a perfect big for Mike D’Antoni’s system because of his length, athleticism and, most important, his ability to play the pick-and-roll and knock down the mid-range jumper with a soft touch. He doesn’t immediately bring the wow factor that a Stephen Curry or Ricky Rubio might have delivered on draft night, but Hill is viewed as a valuable piece of this rebuilding process that is well under way.

Donnie Walsh added more size with the acquisition of 7-1 center Darko Milicic, who came to the Knicks from Memphis in exchange for Quentin Richardson, whose…

Report: Celtics meet with Wallace, offer deal
Rasheed Wallace may be joining Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in Boston.

Updated odds to win 2010 championship following Draft, trades (Yahoo! Sports)
Bodog's odds to win the 2009-10 NBA Championship have been reassessed and posted following last week's…

Former Bull sues former agent and manager (AP)
New York Knicks center Eddy Curry has filed a lawsuit against his former agent and business manager. The lawsuit filed Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court comes just two days after a bank filed a motion to foreclose on Curry's $3.7 million Burr Ridge home. In the lawsuit, Curry alleges Lamont Carter failed to account for how much money he received and spent on Curry's behalf.

Report: Rockets GM meets with Lakers’ Ariza
A person close to the situation tells The Associated Press that the Houston Rockets are meeting with Los Angeles Lakers forward Trevor Ariza. The person, who did not want to be identified because the negotiations were ongoing, said Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was meeting with the free agent in Las Vegas. The meeting was first reported by KRIV-TV in Houston, which also said Coach Rick Adelman was meeting with Ariza. The AP source could not confirm that.

Knicks Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Knicks were unable to take advantage of the point guard depth in the NBA draft to fill their long-term needs at that critical position, but they did address another area of need: size and athleticism.

Jordan Hill is a perfect big for Mike D’Antoni’s system because of his length, athleticism and, most important, his ability to play the pick-and-roll and knock down the mid-range jumper with a soft touch. He doesn’t immediately bring the wow factor that a Stephen Curry or Ricky Rubio might have delivered on draft night, but Hill is viewed as a valuable piece of this rebuilding process that is well under way.

Donnie Walsh added more size with the acquisition of 7-1 center Darko Milicic, who came to the Knicks from Memphis in exchange for Quentin Richardson, whose…

Could Jason Kidd Attract Big Stars To New York Knicks In 2010?

The New York Knicks‘ team president Donnie Walsh and free agent point guard Jason Kidd met yesterday to discuss the veteran player’s future… by Vinny Yeager 85 reads The New York Knicks‘ team president Donnie Walsh and free agent point guard Jason Kidd met yesterday to discuss the veteran player’s future.

NBA free agents: 2009 class (Yahoo! Sports)
Team-by-team list of NBA free agents.

Walsh says he could give more than 1-year deal (AP)
Donnie Walsh says he will consider giving more than a one-year deal to a free agent, following a report that he plans to do that with Jason Kidd. ESPN.com, citing sources close to the process, reported Thursday that the Knicks would offer a three-year deal to the point guard. The Knicks hosted Kidd and his agent Wednesday on the first day of free agency and are hoping he'll leave Dallas to come…

Answering your NBA questions: Greatest ever?
Kobe’s 4th title gets him closer to Jordan’s 6, but where does he stand in the best-ever discussion? Charley Rosen has an answer.

Knicks meet with Kidd, but make no contract offer (AP)
The Knicks are trying to persuade Jason Kidd to come to New York, while deciding how much they want David Lee and Nate Robinson to stay. Kidd and his agent met with Knicks president Donnie Walsh and coach Mike D'Antoni at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, the first day of free agency. The Knicks are interested in the point guard, but plan to be cautious in free agency because they want to…

Ben Gordon says Bulls never made an offer
A day after jumping to Detroit, Ben Gordon told a Chicago radio station Thursday that the Bulls never made a contract offer even though general manager Gar Forman claimed re-signing him was their No. 1 priority. “I mean they didn’t pursue me at all. They didn’t even make an offer so it was pretty much a one-man race,” Gordon told ESPN Radio 1000 in Chicago.

Report: Pistons OK deals with Gordon, Villanueva
A person tells The Associated Press that Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordon is in talks with the Detroit Pistons about joining the team. Pistons spokesman Kevin Grigg declined comment on Gordon’s situation Wednesday, saying there’s an NBA moratorium on discussing free-agent matters. But a person close to the talks says Gordon was in Michigan on Wednesday.

Report: Rockets GM meets with Lakers’ Ariza
A person close to the situation tells The Associated Press that the Houston Rockets are meeting with Los Angeles Lakers forward Trevor Ariza. The person, who did not want to be identified because the negotiations were ongoing, said Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was meeting with the free agent in Las Vegas. The meeting was first reported by KRIV-TV in Houston, which also said Coach Rick Adelman was meeting with Ariza. The AP source could not confirm that.

Former Bull sues former agent and manager (AP)
New York Knicks center Eddy Curry has filed a lawsuit against his former agent and business manager. The lawsuit filed Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court comes just two days after a bank filed a motion to foreclose on Curry's $3.7 million Burr Ridge home. In the lawsuit, Curry alleges Lamont Carter failed to account for how much money he received and spent on Curry's behalf.

Why do teams want Jason Kidd? (Yahoo! Sports)
The confusion just continually leaves me speechless. I usually don't know where to begin little columns like…

Top free agents

Kobe won’t opt out of Lakers contract
Kobe Bryant chose not to terminate the final two years of his contract and will remain with the Los Angeles Lakers. Team spokesman John Black on Wednesday confirmed Bryant’s decision. The MVP of the NBA finals had until Tuesday to become an unrestricted free agent. Now the Lakers and Bryant’s agent will negotiate a contract extension. If they somehow cannot agree, he would earn $23 million next season and could opt out next June.