BIG Free Agent signings and retentions.. and a Yao injury update...

TREVOR ARIZA SIGNS WITH THE ROCKETS
YAO WAITING FOR HOPE FROM INJURY
BUT ARTEST JOINS WORLD CHAMP LAKERS
TURKOGLU HEADING TO TORONTO
GORDON AND VILLANUEVA JOIN THE PISTONS CAUSE
OKUR AND BOOZER STAY WITH THE JAZZ

This has turned out to be a wild free agency season in the NBA. As Trevor Ariza who played a huge role during the Lakers championship run will join the Houston Rockets this year. Ariza would get $32 million, over the next five years with the Rockets.

Meanwhile, Yao Ming is waiting for hope after the Rockets announced he is out indefinitely and possibly the whole of next season, as team doctors found something worse on Yao's left foot that could threaten his basketball career. Yao has missed a lot of games  due to injuries since the 2004-05 season.

The Rockets signed Ariza fromt the Lakers after Ron Artest signed with the World Champion Los Angeles Lakers for the next 5 years. The 29-year old Artest will join forces with Finals MVP Kobe Bryant and guys like Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, etc.

Hedo Turkoglu, fresh from his NBA Finals stint with the Orlando Magic will now head to Canada with the Toronto Raptors in a 5 year $60 million deal with the Raptors. Turkoglu declined a earlier offer with the Portland Trail Blazers after the Trail Blazers gave their best efforts to get Turkoglu to Portland.

The Pistons got a boost in their lineup, as Ben Gordon from the Bulls, and Charlie Villanueva from the Bucks will join the Pistons. Gordon and Villanueva signed 5-year deals with the Pistons.

The Utah Jazz can now breathe well as star forwards Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur will stay another year with the Jazz.

RON-RON is NOT WELCOME ANYMORE!
-kArLc-