Milwaukee officials meet with Josh Childress (Yahoo! Sports)
The Milwaukee Bucks are in the market for a replacement for traded forward Richard Jefferson.

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.

Pistons GM not committed to making quick hire
Pistons president Joe Dumars has Avery Johnson on his radar, but a published report indicates it’s no sure bet the former Mavericks coach will end up in Detroit.

Reports: Turkoglu opts for Raptors over Blazers
Turkish forward Hedo Turkoglu will join the Toronto Raptors after spurning the Portland Trail Blazers, according to multiple reports. The 208-centimeter (6-foot-10) free agent helped Orlando to the NBA finals last season. On Friday, a person close to the Blazers confirmed that Turkoglu ended contract talks with them. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.

Suicide lines: Celtics offer ‘Sheed deal; Iverson to the Heat? (Yahoo! Sports)
Every weekday morning, Ball Don't Lie serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your…

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

76ers Reach Out to Mike Bibby, but Don’t Get Love Back

According to a few sources the Philadelphia 76ers have been in contact with Mike Bibby’s agent.Concurrent reports leave Bibby fans in Philadelphia disheartened… 76ers Reach Out to Mike Bibby, but Don’t Get Love Back by Derek Peiffer 14 reads Opinion According to a few sources the Philadelphia 76ers have been in contact with Mike Bibby’s agent.

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.

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.

Milwaukee officials meet with Josh Childress (Yahoo! Sports)
The Milwaukee Bucks are in the market for a replacement for traded forward Richard Jefferson.

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

VIDEO: Jackson talks about health, Artest

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.

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.

Milwaukee officials meet with Josh Childress (Yahoo! Sports)
The Milwaukee Bucks are in the market for a replacement for traded forward Richard Jefferson.

Suicide lines: Celtics offer ‘Sheed deal; Iverson to the Heat? (Yahoo! Sports)
Every weekday morning, Ball Don't Lie serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your…

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.

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.

VIDEO: Jackson talks about health, Artest

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

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.

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.

Suicide lines: Celtics offer ‘Sheed deal; Iverson to the Heat? (Yahoo! Sports)
Every weekday morning, Ball Don't Lie serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your…

Milwaukee officials meet with Josh Childress (Yahoo! Sports)
The Milwaukee Bucks are in the market for a replacement for traded forward Richard Jefferson.

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.

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.

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.

Suicide lines: Celtics offer ‘Sheed deal; Iverson to the Heat? (Yahoo! Sports)
Every weekday morning, Ball Don't Lie serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your…

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.

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.

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.

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

Miller, Sixers unlikely to reach deal

It’s looking like Andre Miller won’t be returning to the Sixers. Atlanta Hawks guard Mike Bibby probably won’t be coming either, meaning that the Sixers could make Lou Williams the starting point guard.

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.

Shaq reveals new motto: ‘Win a ring for the King’
Shaquille O’Neal has joined his Cleveland teammates - and says he can help them win a title. Acquired in a trade last week with the Phoenix Suns, O’Neal was introduced Thursday as a Cavalier before cheering young fans at the team’s suburban practice facility. The Cavaliers are hoping that the 15-time All-Star can help league MVP LeBron James and Cleveland win its first NBA championship. How long will O’Neal will stay with the Cavaliers is still a question.

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.

Milwaukee officials meet with Josh Childress (Yahoo! Sports)
The Milwaukee Bucks are in the market for a replacement for traded forward Richard Jefferson.

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.

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.

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.

Watson taking Warriors’ point guard adds in stride

You might expect Warriors point guard C.J. Watson to be upset about the Warriors adding three point guards this offseason.

Hawks Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Hawks used draft day and night to clean out the old and bring in the new on the point guard front.

Jamal Crawford (via trade) and Jeff Teague (19th pick in draft) make up the new. Acie Law IV and Speedy Claxton are the old guard, having been shipped to Golden State in the deal for Crawford.

The Hawks and Golden State finalized the trade just hours before the draft, changing the entire scope of the Hawks‘ free agent pursuit of starting point guard Mike Bibby and backup guard Flip Murray, both unrestricted free agents.

The movement has all the players with new teams smiling.

“I’m excited,” Crawford said of the move to Atlanta. “They’re a winning team. They went to the playoffs, the second round.

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

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…

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: 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 reveals new motto: ‘Win a ring for the King’
Shaquille O’Neal has joined his Cleveland teammates - and says he can help them win a title. Acquired in a trade last week with the Phoenix Suns, O’Neal was introduced Thursday as a Cavalier before cheering young fans at the team’s suburban practice facility. The Cavaliers are hoping that the 15-time All-Star can help league MVP LeBron James and Cleveland win its first NBA championship. How long will O’Neal will stay with the Cavaliers is still a question.

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

Hawks Deal For Jamal Crawford

An NBA source informed Channel 2 Action News sports anchor Zach Klein the Hawks finalized a trade Thursday with Golden State to bring Jamal Crawford to Atlanta for Acie Law and Speedy Claxton.

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

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