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Ariza accepted the Rockets’ offer of a five-year, mid-level exception deal late Thursday, expected to be worth roughly $33 million, an individual with knowledge of the deal said. While Ron Artest headed to Los Angeles and a chance to win a championship.Players may sign free agent contracts beginning July 8.
The Lakers on Wednesday offered Ariza, 24, a contract similar to the mid-level exception he accepted from the Rockets, but well short of the deal he reportedly was seeking. Ariza, a 6-8 forward, averaged 8.9 points and 4.3 rebounds last season, his fifth season after one season at UCLA.
Though long a top-level small forward athletically, Ariza’s stock shot up as his shooting range and touch improved. He averaged 11.3 points in the playoffs, making 49.7 of his shots and 47.6 percent of his 3-pointers, making several game-changing defensive plays during the Lakers’ Western Conference Finals series with the Nuggets.
Ariza, however, represents a younger, blossoming prospect and key step toward rebuilding. After several jolts of bad news, he already offered the Rockets a much-needed shot of free agent recruiting success.

A message attributed to Artest — “THANKS A LOT HOUSTON I HAD A LOT OF FUN.” — appeared on Twitter late Wednesday. Artest’s agent, David Bauman, said that the message was sent by an imposter.
“That is not Ron’s account,” Bauman said. “That’s what happens with the so-called new media.”
Bauman had said on Tuesday that Artest’s “first choice” was to return to Houston. Although Bauman would not discuss anything about talks with general managers, he and the Rockets were not expected to begin negotiations until today at the earliest while the Rockets made their pursuit of Orlando center Marcin Gortat their first step in free agency.
No offers of any kind were expected to be exchanged either way before Bauman had more information about the market for Artest.
Artest averaged 17.1 points on 40.1 percent shooting, 5.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists last season, initially coming off the bench when Tracy McGrady and Shane Battier were healthy but then picking up an increasingly important role throughout the season after McGrady was unable to come back from his knee problems.
The Rockets had traded last season’s first-round acquisition, Donte’ Greene, and this season’s first-round selection to get Artest.
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Once the Toronto Raptors figure out that Chris Bosh will be departing via free agency a year from now, they may be inclined to trade him this summer.
Their choice is to trade him to the Rockets now and get something in return, or wait until he signs with the Rockets a year from now and get nothing.
If they decide to deal him, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey almost certainly would like to be at the front of the line.
Bosh is 25 years old. He’s 6-10. He’s 23 points and 10 rebounds a night. He’s a great kid. He’s a Texan, too.
He’s the best option for the Rockets filling that huge hole in the middle of their roster caused by the possible absence of Yao Ming for next season or longer.
If you’re looking for good news, this is it. No team is better positioned to withstand the loss of a Yao Ming than the Rockets.
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Thierry Henry intends to leave Barcelona in 2011 - and could sign for a Major League Soccer club.
The France striker joined Barca from Arsenal in 2007 and, after a disappointing debut campaign, shone for the Primera Division champions last season.
Henry has been linked with a return to the Premier League but has revealed that he could be tempted to ply his trade in America.
Speaking at a promotional event in New York, the 31-year-old explained that he would consider joining the New York Red Bulls.
“Could I play for New York Red Bulls at some point? It could be possible in 2011,” he is quoted as saying by Sport.
“One never knows, but the truth is that it is an option that could be likely.
“I want to stay with Barcelona for two more seasons and then I will leave.”

The New Jersey dealt Vince Carter and forward Ryan Anderson to the Magic, who sent the Nets three players in return: Point guard Rafer Alston, shooting guard Courtney Lee and power forward Tony Battie.
Orlando is hoping Carter, who has averaged 23.5 points over a 10-year pro career, will provide center Dwight Howard with a perimeter scorer who can create his own shot — something they lacked in losing the NBA finals to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Carter found out about the trade at his basketball camp, adding he thought it was a joke at first.
“Every player hopes for an opportunity like this, to just once compete for an NBA championship,” Carter said. “This a dream come true for me. Now I have a chance to win a championship.”
The deal shows the Nets are planning for free agency before the 2010-11 season, when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire can test the market. The trade gives New Jersey some $18 million in salary cap relief for the 2010-11 coming out season.
Alston was acquired at the trade deadline from the Houston Rockets after Nelson suffered what was then called a season-ending shoulder surgery. Alston’s acquisition largely saved the Magic’s season, but when Nelson was able to return for the finals, Alston complained about his minutes and the point guards never could find their rhythm.
The Magic’s biggest cost-cutting move is parting ways with the 33-year-old Battie, who will make $6.2 million next season in the final year of his contract.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers have reached an agreement in principle to acquire Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O’Neal
Cleveland will send Ben Wallace(notes), Sasha Pavlovic(notes), the 46th pick in Thursday’s draft and cash to the Suns for O’Neal.
Cleveland and Phoenix were both juggling multiple trade possibilities with other teams, with the Cavs involved with as many as six trade scenarios.
Yet the disappointing Eastern Conference finals loss to the Orlando Magic left Cavs GM Danny Ferry with incredible pressure to accumulate talent around James in the final season prior to his 2010 free agency. James has blessed the O’Neal trade, especially because it should give his overmatched frontline a chance to compete with Dwight Howard in the playoffs. Ferry and Phoenix GM Steve Kerr are close friends and had talked off and on about a Shaq deal since the February trade deadline.
O’Neal, 37, makes $21 million next season, and the Suns were determined to move him in a package that would save them money. Wallace made $14 million and could take a buyout to retire, and only $1.5 million of Pavlovic’s $4.9 million salary is guaranteed.

The Bucks are sending Jefferson away less than a year after acquiring the scoring forward in a draft day trade last season with New Jersey for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons. Jefferson’s contract has two years and $29.2 million remaining on it.
Jefferson was a steady offensive force for Milwaukee last season after spending his first seven years in New Jersey. He averaged 19.6 points and shot a career-high 39.7 percent from 3-point range while starting all 82 games.
Jefferson became the Bucks’ biggest offensive threat after Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut suffered season-ending injuries, but the Bucks’ tight financial situation made a move necessary. Milwaukee does not want to pay the NBA’s luxury tax, which last year hit teams dollar-for-dollar once they reach $71.15 million in total payroll.
Redd, Bogut and Jefferson are scheduled to make more than $41 million combined this season.
The trade was a shock to at least one Bucks player: Charlie Villanueva posted “RJ traded to Spurs. Wow” on his Twitter account before the trade was official.
The deal actually might allow the Bucks to keep Ramon Sessions or Villanueva himself, since both are restricted free agents.
Bowen, Thomas and Oberto give the Bucks a veteran group. None is signed beyond the upcoming season.
Bowen, 38, is a 13-year veteran known for his defensive efforts against the Western Conference’s top guards. Thomas, 36, has played 14 years in the NBA, primarily at forward and center, and has been a bench player each of the last three seasons, averaging 4.3 points last year.
Oberto, 34, has played four years in San Antonio, averaging 3.6 points per game in his NBA career. Last season he underwent a procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat.

The South African media is claiming that an alleged robbery from the hotel rooms of some Egypt players on Thursday evening was nothing to do with burglars but with prostitutes.
On Friday, the Pharaohs’ team manager Inas Mazhar reported that $2,400 US had been stolen from the rooms of some players on the night the African champions defeated Italy 1-0 in the 2009 Confederations Cup.
City Press said on Sunday morning that police sources confirmed that there were no signs of forced entry and added that CCTV footage showed scantily-clad women moving around a number of hotel rooms during what seemed to be a party.
“The players must explain why their rooms were not broken into and why their room safes were not tempered with but they still lost money,“ an unnamed police source told City press.
Sunday World, another Johannesburg publication, quoted a police officer as saying, “we have confirmed that some of the players brought prostitutes whom they picked up on Oxford Road to their hotel rooms and we have strong suspicions that they were cleaned by ladies of the night.”
Security guards who guard the hotel told the same newspaper that: “when they (the players) were robbed, they pointed their dirty fingers at hotel staff – that’s nonsense.”