So the previously unsubstantiated speculation regarding the Cavs as a possible destination for unrestricted free agent swingman Ron Artest were not so far off, after all.

It's definitely not a done deal, by any stretch, but Artest may have emerged as the no. 1 target for Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry as free agency opened its doors on Wednesday morning. From the Plain Dealer's Brian Windhorst:

According to several league sources, the Cavs have been in contact with Houston Rockets free agent forward Ron Artest. It even included a face-to-face pitch from LeBron James Tuesday night in Los Angeles as both were in Southern California for various events.

Artest, who is an unrestricted free agent after a contract that paid him $7.4 million with the Rockets expired, is being courted by several teams. Artest is believed to prefer to play for a championship contender. In addition to the Rockets, the Cavs may be getting competition from the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers for his services.

With the Rockets facing the uncertain injury status of stars Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, it is unclear how hard they will try to push to re-sign Artest. They are pursuing Orlando Magic free agent center Marcin Gortat.

If the market is not there for Artest, he can definitely use the Cavs to have another career year on a team that will be on national TV all the time. He could also get infinite exposure for his game if the Cavs make another deep playoff run and even win their first-ever championship next spring.

But Artest isn't the only lockdown swingman defender that Ferry is pursuing.

From ESPN.com's Chris Broussard:

With at least five teams pursuing Ariza, the Lakers are currently unwilling to pay him more than the $5.6 million mid-level exception.

"They're letting him go," one of the sources said.

Cleveland is making a hard push for Ariza, and the Cavaliers' coaching staff was speaking with him on Wednesday. While Cleveland can only offer the mid-level as well, Ariza's disappointment with the Lakers' stance has moved other suitors ahead of his current team.

The Rockets, Clippers, Raptors and Blazers are also showing interest in Ariza. Portland and Toronto could each offer more than the mid-level exception.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but this injury is very saddening to me. Yao was a great person and a great basketball player."

Villanueva has a good relationship with [Mo] Williams, who became close to him the two seasons they played together in Milwaukee. Williams could serve as a recruiter much in the same way he helped bring another of his close friends to the Cavs, former Bucks teammate Joe Smith, when he was a free agent last March.

Villanueva also has a long-standing relationship with LeBron James. The two were in the same high school class and played with each other in various tournaments and summer camps as they were growing up. Following their senior year of high school, Villanueva and James became closer while taking part in two national All-Star Games, including the McDonald's All-American Game in Cleveland. They have kept in touch ever since.

The Cavs have been looking for a "stretch" power forward like Villanueva for some time. Because he is a good mid-range and decent long-range shooter (35 percent on 3-pointers last season), he is potentially a good fit alongside players such as James and Williams, who like to drive and kick out passes. Add in O'Neal, who succeed earlier in his career with stretch power forwards such as Robert Horry in Los Angeles and Antoine Walker in Miami, and that option creates an even better fit.

Cleveland fans are showing me mad love on twitter, appreciate the love
3:59 PM Jun 28th from web

well, twitterland like I said there will be more trades to come, very interesting, Shaq to Cleveland, nice, all Cleveland need is a PF now
6:28 AM Jun 25th from web

Broussard: The Yao Ming situation...this name I'm about to throw out here is baggage-infested, all right? But what about a Ron Artest?

Rodda: I'll take him yesterday, Chris. How do the Cavaliers work that out? Because right now, free agency-wise, all they have is the midlevel at, what, $5-6 million or whatever that is. How do you get a Ron Artest from the Rockets to the Cavaliers?

Broussard: Well, this is the thing. Does Yao Ming's situation change the outlook for the Rockets? Maybe they might say, "You know what, we're not going to contend next year. Yao's going to be out most of the year, maybe even all of the year...do we just let T-Mac's money come off the books and not sign Ron Artest to a two- or three-year deal worth $10 million a year so we can have room in 2010 to rebuild?"

If the Rockets understand that they can't build around Yao anymore, why sign Ron Artest? Now, I'm speculating. But after talking with some people around the league and some agents, why sign Ron Artest to a $10 million-a-year deal?

Rodda: How do the Cavaliers go about getting him, though, Chris?

Broussard: Then you look at the teams with money. Sacramento, do they want Artest? They're not winning anything any time soon.

Rodda: Been there, done that, right?

Broussard: Atlanta? They're all right at the three and on the wing. Do they bring Ron there? Portland has Turkoglu in their sights. Toronto? I don't really think Ron's a fit there. Memphis? No. Oklahoma City? No.

It sounds crazy, but Ron Artest, if Houston doesn't re-sign him, he may have to settle for the midlevel. I just mentioned all the teams that are out there, and this is from talking to a lot of people from around the league who themselves are kind of reading the situation. But you've got to wonder who's giving him more than the midlevel exception. Detroit, I don't think they're bringing them in there after the brawl.

Rodda: So the Cavaliers, with their midlevel available, they might be a team, if that's what he has to settle for, that he'd be a good fit for.

Broussard: He's going to have to go for the money because this is probably his last contract. But if he doesn't get more than a midlevel exception, I know he would love to play with LeBron and Shaq. And again, years are important to him, but he would at least consider a one-year deal. And for Cleveland, you probably want to do it for a year because you don't want to eat up all of your cap space for 2010.

I'm just throwing out other possibilities because now it's Yao. A couple of days ago, Villanueva was a pipedream. But things are happening that are opening up a lot of options for the Cavaliers.

For now, the emphasis is on getting Yao back on the court. The surgical treatment options could include placing a pin inside the foot, a bone graft or even realigning the foot to operate differently. Cleveland Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas underwent similar procedures, reducing his high arch to a flatter foot position, an option that could be considered for Yao, Clanton said, though his arch is not as high as Ilgauskas' was.

"It sounds like he's missing most of next season, if not the entire 82 games," one league executive who has had recent discussions with the Houston front office told Yahoo! Sports. "That's all that [the Rockets] will concede quietly, but they know it's probably much worse."