Miami Heat has contacted Iverson and Artest, insiders say

Heat president Pat Riley has contacted veterans Allen Iverson and Ron Artest for exploratory discussions after saying he didn’t plan any major moves this summer.

Avery Johnson is Pistons’ lead candidate

Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars needs to get moving if he wants to have a coach in place by the time the team leaves for play in the Las Vegas summer league next week.

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

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.

Shaq, Kobe, TD … who’s the first to plead the fifth? (Yahoo! Sports)
It's a barroom/barbershop argument with legs. And those gams? They can really turn heads.

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.

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

Iverson tells Grizzlies he’d like to play in Memphis (Yahoo! Sports)
All-Star guard Allen Iverson has through representatives told the Grizzlies he would like to play in Memphis, an…

VIDEO: Jackson talks about health, Artest

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.

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

Report: Turkoglu cuts off talks with Blazers
Free-agent forward Hedo Turkoglu and the Portland Trail Blazers have ended contract talks, a person close to the team confirmed Friday. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations. Turkoglu’s agent, Lon Babby, didn’t immediately return calls or e-mails. The 6-foot-10 forward who helped the Orlando Magic to the NBA finals arrived in Portland on Thursday to meet Blazers executives and tour the city.

Lakers’ Gasol to play for Spain at Euro Championship
Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol will play for Spain in September in the European Basketball Championship. Gasol said Friday that it was an easy decision after winning the NBA finals. “The season went really well for me and now I want to defend our country,” Gasol said. “We’re really hopeful about the team we have, but we can’t go there with a mentality that we’ll be playing the final just because we’re really good.

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.

Michael Beasley: The Man, the Myth, the Bust (?), Coming Soon to a Trade Rumor Near You

Intern Michael Schwartz, is a USC student and a writer for the schoola s paper, the Daily Trojan.

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

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.

Heat Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Heat only took a pair of second-round picks in the draft—Nos. 43 and 60—so it wasn’t as if Miami was necessarily looking for immediate help.

Miami acquired the draft rights to guard Patrick Beverley, selected by the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 42. Beverley, 6-foot-1, played at Arkansas as a junior and played in a Ukrainian league last season. He’ll be in an unsettled backup point guard picture along with veteran Chris Quinn and incumbent starter Mario Chalmers.

Miami drafted Memphis forward Robert Dozier with the 60th and final pick of the draft. Dozier, who is 6-9 and played power forward in college, will be viewed as a small forward for the Heat. There’s a chance Dozier plays in Europe next season.

The Heat traded the 43rd pick, guard Marcus Thornton…

Shaq wants a ring for the King

INDEPENDENCE: Shaquille O’Neal has one purpose in Cleveland: bring an NBA title to LeBron James and the Cavaliers.

Avery Johnson is Pistons’ lead candidate

Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars needs to get moving if he wants to have a coach in place by the time the team leaves for play in the Las Vegas summer league next week.

Heat Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Heat only took a pair of second-round picks in the draft—Nos. 43 and 60—so it wasn’t as if Miami was necessarily looking for immediate help.

Miami acquired the draft rights to guard Patrick Beverley, selected by the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 42. Beverley, 6-foot-1, played at Arkansas as a junior and played in a Ukrainian league last season. He’ll be in an unsettled backup point guard picture along with veteran Chris Quinn and incumbent starter Mario Chalmers.

Miami drafted Memphis forward Robert Dozier with the 60th and final pick of the draft. Dozier, who is 6-9 and played power forward in college, will be viewed as a small forward for the Heat. There’s a chance Dozier plays in Europe next season.

The Heat traded the 43rd pick, guard Marcus Thornton…

Iverson tells Grizzlies he’d like to play in Memphis (Yahoo! Sports)
All-Star guard Allen Iverson has through representatives told the Grizzlies he would like to play in Memphis, an…

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…

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.

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

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.

Miami Heat has contacted Iverson and Artest, insiders say

Heat president Pat Riley has contacted veterans Allen Iverson and Ron Artest for exploratory discussions after saying he didn’t plan any major moves this summer.

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.

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…

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…

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.

Shaq wants a ring for the King

INDEPENDENCE: Shaquille O’Neal has one purpose in Cleveland: bring an NBA title to LeBron James and the Cavaliers.

Heat Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Heat only took a pair of second-round picks in the draft—Nos. 43 and 60—so it wasn’t as if Miami was necessarily looking for immediate help.

Miami acquired the draft rights to guard Patrick Beverley, selected by the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 42. Beverley, 6-foot-1, played at Arkansas as a junior and played in a Ukrainian league last season. He’ll be in an unsettled backup point guard picture along with veteran Chris Quinn and incumbent starter Mario Chalmers.

Miami drafted Memphis forward Robert Dozier with the 60th and final pick of the draft. Dozier, who is 6-9 and played power forward in college, will be viewed as a small forward for the Heat. There’s a chance Dozier plays in Europe next season.

The Heat traded the 43rd pick, guard Marcus Thornton…

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.

Heat Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Heat only took a pair of second-round picks in the draft—Nos. 43 and 60—so it wasn’t as if Miami was necessarily looking for immediate help.

Miami acquired the draft rights to guard Patrick Beverley, selected by the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 42. Beverley, 6-foot-1, played at Arkansas as a junior and played in a Ukrainian league last season. He’ll be in an unsettled backup point guard picture along with veteran Chris Quinn and incumbent starter Mario Chalmers.

Miami drafted Memphis forward Robert Dozier with the 60th and final pick of the draft. Dozier, who is 6-9 and played power forward in college, will be viewed as a small forward for the Heat. There’s a chance Dozier plays in Europe next season.

The Heat traded the 43rd pick, guard Marcus Thornton…

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.

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.

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.

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 and Co. will keep him in line, Randy Hill says.

Hill: Top 10 NBA free agents
While it pales next to the 2010 class everyone’s awaiting, this year’s free-agent crop has some talent. Randy Hill lists the 10 best.

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.

Shaq wants a ring for the King

INDEPENDENCE: Shaquille O’Neal has one purpose in Cleveland: bring an NBA title to LeBron James and the Cavaliers.

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

Reports: Artest says he’s joining Lakers
Ron Artest says he’ll be joining forces with Kobe Bryant and plans to sign with the Lakers next week, according to multiple reports.

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.

Report: Gordon, Pistons agree to deal
Score two for Detroit. Ben Gordon, one of Randy Hill’s top 10 free agents, and Charlie Villanueva reportedly will sign with the Pistons.

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…

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.