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.

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.

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 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.

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.

VIDEO: Jackson talks about health, Artest

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.

Year Zero, 2.0

Those guided by superstition have traditionally characterized the Clippers‘ misfortunes as preordained - as if management, a willingness to invest, talent evaluation, and coaching had nothing to do with a team’s performance during its first 25 years in Los Angeles.

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

VIDEO: Jackson talks about health, Artest

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…

Mavs bid for guard Ross

Quinton Ross has been in the league for five years, the first four with the Los Angeles Clippers and last season with the Memphis Grizzlies.

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.

Clippers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Clippers might have found a savior for their franchise for the first time. Blake Griffin, the former Oklahoma star, was picked No. 1 by the Clippers on June 25.

Griffin, the only pick the Clippers had in the draft, will be expected to contribute right away to a team that mustered only 19 victories last season. And he will add some needed depth to the Clipper front line.

Griffin will be able to help budding scorer Al Thornton at the small forward position. Also, he can occasionally spell center Marcus Camby when the team needs a change of pace in the middle.

Two of Griffin’s greatest strengths are his versatility and athleticism, and while Thornton certainly is developing into a bouncy game-changer, Kaman and Camby are all noticeable plodders who aren’t going to…

Clippers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Clippers might have found a savior for their franchise for the first time. Blake Griffin, the former Oklahoma star, was picked No. 1 by the Clippers on June 25.

Griffin, the only pick the Clippers had in the draft, will be expected to contribute right away to a team that mustered only 19 victories last season. And he will add some needed depth to the Clipper front line.

Griffin will be able to help budding scorer Al Thornton at the small forward position. Also, he can occasionally spell center Marcus Camby when the team needs a change of pace in the middle.

Two of Griffin’s greatest strengths are his versatility and athleticism, and while Thornton certainly is developing into a bouncy game-changer, Kaman and Camby are all noticeable plodders who aren’t going to…

Clippers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Clippers might have found a savior for their franchise for the first time. Blake Griffin, the former Oklahoma star, was picked No. 1 by the Clippers on June 25.

Griffin, the only pick the Clippers had in the draft, will be expected to contribute right away to a team that mustered only 19 victories last season. And he will add some needed depth to the Clipper front line.

Griffin will be able to help budding scorer Al Thornton at the small forward position. Also, he can occasionally spell center Marcus Camby when the team needs a change of pace in the middle.

Two of Griffin’s greatest strengths are his versatility and athleticism, and while Thornton certainly is developing into a bouncy game-changer, Kaman and Camby are all noticeable plodders who aren’t going to…

Suicide lines: Grizzlies try Randolph; Nuggets start on Birdman … (Yahoo! Sports)
Every weekday morning, Ball Don't Lie serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your…

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…

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

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.

Breaking Down the Summer League Roster

Clippers Why he’ll be in Vegas : The Clippers‘ 2008 first-round pick is the backbone of the Clippers‘ youth movement.

NBA Outsider: Los Angeles Clippers Draft Follow Up

Clips Nation ’s Steve Perrin gives post-2009 draft coverage for the Los Angeles Clippers .

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.

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…

Clippers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Clippers might have found a savior for their franchise for the first time. Blake Griffin, the former Oklahoma star, was picked No. 1 by the Clippers on June 25.

Griffin, the only pick the Clippers had in the draft, will be expected to contribute right away to a team that mustered only 19 victories last season. And he will add some needed depth to the Clipper front line.

Griffin will be able to help budding scorer Al Thornton at the small forward position. Also, he can occasionally spell center Marcus Camby when the team needs a change of pace in the middle.

Two of Griffin’s greatest strengths are his versatility and athleticism, and while Thornton certainly is developing into a bouncy game-changer, Kaman and Camby are all noticeable plodders who aren’t going to…

NBA Outsider: Los Angeles Clippers Draft Follow Up

Clips Nation ’s Steve Perrin gives post-2009 draft coverage for the Los Angeles Clippers .

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

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 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.

Breaking Down the Summer League Roster

Clippers Why he’ll be in Vegas : The Clippers‘ 2008 first-round pick is the backbone of the Clippers‘ youth movement.

NBA Outsider: Los Angeles Clippers Draft Follow Up

Clips Nation ’s Steve Perrin gives post-2009 draft coverage for the Los Angeles Clippers .

Clippers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Clippers might have found a savior for their franchise for the first time. Blake Griffin, the former Oklahoma star, was picked No. 1 by the Clippers on June 25.

Griffin, the only pick the Clippers had in the draft, will be expected to contribute right away to a team that mustered only 19 victories last season. And he will add some needed depth to the Clipper front line.

Griffin will be able to help budding scorer Al Thornton at the small forward position. Also, he can occasionally spell center Marcus Camby when the team needs a change of pace in the middle.

Two of Griffin’s greatest strengths are his versatility and athleticism, and while Thornton certainly is developing into a bouncy game-changer, Kaman and Camby are all noticeable plodders who aren’t going to…

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.

Suicide lines: Grizzlies try Randolph; Nuggets start on Birdman … (Yahoo! Sports)
Every weekday morning, Ball Don't Lie serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your…

Mavs bid for guard Ross

Quinton Ross has been in the league for five years, the first four with the Los Angeles Clippers and last season with the Memphis Grizzlies.

NBA Outsider: Los Angeles Clippers Draft Follow Up

Clips Nation ’s Steve Perrin gives post-2009 draft coverage for the Los Angeles Clippers .

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…

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

Clippers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Clippers might have found a savior for their franchise for the first time. Blake Griffin, the former Oklahoma star, was picked No. 1 by the Clippers on June 25.

Griffin, the only pick the Clippers had in the draft, will be expected to contribute right away to a team that mustered only 19 victories last season. And he will add some needed depth to the Clipper front line.

Griffin will be able to help budding scorer Al Thornton at the small forward position. Also, he can occasionally spell center Marcus Camby when the team needs a change of pace in the middle.

Two of Griffin’s greatest strengths are his versatility and athleticism, and while Thornton certainly is developing into a bouncy game-changer, Kaman and Camby are all noticeable plodders who aren’t going to…

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.

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.

Suicide lines: Grizzlies try Randolph; Nuggets start on Birdman … (Yahoo! Sports)
Every weekday morning, Ball Don't Lie serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your…

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.

Pistons fire coach Curry after one year

DETROIT - All or nothing seems to be the formula for coaching the Detroit Pistons.

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

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.

Suicide lines: Grizzlies try Randolph; Nuggets start on Birdman … (Yahoo! Sports)
Every weekday morning, Ball Don't Lie serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your…

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…

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.