Confirmed: Artest in, Ariza out for LA Lakers

As the Inquisitr speculated yesterday, the LA Lakers have let Trevor Ariza go and signed Ron Artest from the Houston Rockets to replace him as their small forward. It’s good to get one right!Ariza rejected the Lakers’ basement price bid for his services in the 2010 NBA season, which allowed the Rockets and Lakers to swap players as Houston had not been pursuing Artest for a new contract, according to the Houston Chronicle.

While Ariza will be getting a pay rise at Houston, Artest is reported to be cutting his wages in attempt to chase a title ring to below that of Ariza. Ariza’s new Rockets team mate Yao Ming won’t be back until half way through the 2010 season after surgery on a stress fracture in his left foot.

Time will tell whether the trio of Kobe Bryany, Pau Gasol and Artest will look as formidable as the Celtics tirumvirate of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen did during 2006. It certainly seems that all the big-name talent is congregating in a few NBA teams.