I think I would rather be in a UFC betting match with Brock Lesnar this weekend than talk about the 2010 free agents again. But here we go:

-Dwayne Wade says he’ll stay in Miami if they’re contending for a title….

No, really? You think D-Wade will up and leave a team that could win again? Come on now. The problem is for D-Wade, or better yet, the Heat, is that Miami looks nowhere near a contending team, so they’re not worth wasting one of your sports picks on them. They only got as far as they did last year because D-Wade went absolutely insane, and he would have been the MVP if not for that LeBron James fella. Oh, speaking of which:

-LeBron James didn’t talk to Trevor Ariza about staying in Cleveland….

James apparently told Ariza that he was planning to stay with the Cavs in a recruitment ploy to get him to come there (which didn’t work, for either side, really). First, Ariza: why would you not go to a team that betting services are favoring to win the East, and instead stay with a team that could be losing Yao Ming for the season (and possibly his career), and Ron Artest just bolted to take your spot in L.A.? Second, James’ handlers were quick to come out and say that Bron didn’t talk to Ariza, which begs the question: what are the sports betting odds of him staying in Cleveland? This is the biggest season in the history of the Cavaliers.

The big online betting news out of the NBA this weekend was Hedo Turkoglu’s change of heart. Sources had him all but gone to Portland as of Friday, but over the weekend, Turkey-doo (shout out to Fiyastarter) reneged and signed with Toronto, of all teams, for over $10 mil a season.

So how does this impact the NBA landscape? Well, first of all, the Raptors getting Turkey-doo is similar to Frank Mir pulling out the UFC betting upset over Brock Lesnar this weekend. The Raptors were awful last year, but a lot of that was due to injury, and they needed a player who could create for himself and his teammates off the dribble. However, you have to wonder how smart it is to give a 30-year-old a five year contract when his best days are surely behind him. On the defensive end, he doesn’t help the Raptors that much, but they play in the low-scoring East. Turkey-doo also said he wanted to play in Toronto because of the Turkish population, and that could rise the price per head of tickets at the ACC.

All in all, though, this was done to show Chris Bosh that the Raptors are serious about being a contender, as he can leave in next year’s free-agent bonanza. How much of a difference can Turkey-doo make for the Raptors to those who make sports picks? Stay tuned.

So, here is a rundown of today’s top stories that will surely affect next year’s sports picks. Man, it’s been an insane beginning to the offseason, and we’re only three days in.

-Turkoglu agrees to go to Portland: well, it was due to happen after the Magic picked up Vince Carter (how crappy are the Nets gonna be next year). Portland, on the other hand, will be a force, like, a “Roger Federer Wimbledon betting” kinda force.

-Ron Artest to the Lakers: Betting software says that Ron Ron and Kobe don’t make it to the season without at least one fight in practice.

-Trevor Ariza to Houston: why didn’t these two teams just trade? And how much money does Ariza really think he’ll get? And how bummy is Houston lookin’ right about now? No Yao? Ewwwwwwwwwww.

-Phil Jackson will be back: keeping Kobe and Ron Ron from killing each other every day should get him an award in itself.

-Stephon Marbury says he probably won’t go back to Boston: so he’ll end up somewhere else to ruin another team’s NBA odds.

It’s been more exciting than the UFC 100 Fight Card during the offseason (okay, not really, but it’s been close). So far we have, including trades:

-Ben Gordon and Charlie Villaneuva to Detroit for around $90 million
-Vince Carter to Orlando
-Richard Jefferson to San Antonio
-Zach Randolph to Memphis
-Carlos Boozer defies the offshore sportsbook odds and stays with Utah

And New York is still trying to get Jason Kidd out of Dallas….The Lakers are planning (tentatively) to keep Lamar Odom and let Trevor Ariza hit the market….Hedo Turkoglu probably won’t be in Orlando next year….Cleveland are now chasing Ron Artest and Ariza….Oh yeah, Minnesota drafted 37 point guards in the draft, and may only end up with one. Sports betting software wouldn’t have even seen that coming, but I mean, it is the Timberwolves.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO………..it’s gonna be fun to make sports picks this year!