The Detroit Pistons struck first in Free Agency, reportedly coming to terms with Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva this afternoon, the first day teams could talk to available players.
While Gordon had been expected for awhile, the Pistons quick strike on Villanueva was a bit of a surprise, coming about most likely when Carlos Boozer decided to stay in Utah.
While the team cannot make the signings official until next week, the deals for Gordon and Villanueva look to be quite lucrative.
Former Bulls guard Gordon will receive a five-year, $55 million deal, while former Bucks forward Villanueva gets a five-year deal for $40 million, sources told ESPN.com's Chris Broussard.
The Cavs, who were thought to be interested in Villanueva, have reportedly reached out to Ron Artest, with LeBron James making a pitch to the Rockets Forward while both players were in Los Angeles. While it remains to be seen if Artest could be had with a mid-level deal, it can't be overlooked that a Shaq/LeBron/Artest locker room would be quite fun to follow on a daily basis.