The Los Angeles Angels made a mega deal on Sunday in hopes of bolstering their playoff chances, as they acquired 3-time All-Star Dan Haren from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In exchange, the Diamondbacks will receive Joe Saunders as well as minor-leaguers Rafael Rodriguez & Patrick Corbin.

He has struggled a bit this season for Arizona with a 7-8 record & 4.60 ERA, but is still on pace to record 10 or more wins for the 6th straight season & also record 200 or more strikeouts for the 3rd straight season.

Haren will make his Angels debut tonight against the Boston Red Sox.

The Chicago Bulls signed veteran Kurt Thomas to a one-year deal on Thursday, as the 15-year pro will play for his 8th different team next season.

Thomas had some of his best seasons with the New York Knicks earlier this decade, as he enjoyed five straight years averaging 10 points or more & also averaged a double-double in 2004-05 (11.5 points & 10.4 rebounds per game).

He also brings 89 games of playoff experience to the Bulls, as he helped Milwaukee get past Atlanta in a hard-fought first-round series in April.

The 37-year old forward has averages of 8.8 points per game and 7.0 rebounds per game throughout his career & will appear in his 1,000th game sometime next season for Chicago.

Los Angeles Lakers star guard & 5-time NBA Champion Kobe Bryant underwent knee surgery on Friday, but shouldn’t miss any time prior to training camp.

Bryant also still has a broken right index finger, which he played a majority of the 2009-2010 season with & may have contributed to him shooting 6-for-24 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, which Los Angeles won 83-79 over Boston.

It’s been a busy offseason for the two-time defending champs so far, as they have already added Steve Blake, Matt Barnes & Theo Ratliff in addition to retaining starting point guard Derek Fisher. The team is trying to bring back backup Shannon Brown, who could play a bigger role next season with Jordan Farmar leaving to sign with the Nets.

Starting center Andrew Bynum will reportedly undergo surgery on his right knee Thursday, but should also be ready in time for training camp.

The search is still on for former NBA forward Lorenzen Wright, as he’s been missing for nearly a week per his sister Savia Archie.

According to Archie, Wright was supposed to fly out of his hometown Memphis to an unknown destination last Sunday, but hasn’t been heard from since.

The family has filed a missing persons report with Memphis police, and also added that they don’t suspect foul play.

Wright grew up in Memphis & also played college basketball for his hometown Tigers before being drafted in 1996 as the 7th overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers.

He spent 13 years in the NBA with 5 different teams, which included two different stints in Atlanta (2000-01 & 2007-08).

His last played NBA game was on April 15th, 2009 as he scored 4 points & grabbed 6 rebounds in a season-high 34 minutes during Cleveland’s 111-110 loss to Philadelphia.

In one of the oddest injuries this season, San Diego Padres’ ace Mat Latos strained a muscle in his left oblique while holding back a sneeze.

The move definitely will be a major blow to the Padres, who held a 3-game lead over Colorado entering Saturday’s action in the NL West.

Latos is currently ranked 7th in the NL with a 2.45 ERA & is one of only two pitchers who is holding batters under a .200 average, with the other being 15-game winner Ubaldo Jimenez of the Rockies.

A chance to play with the defending two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers apparently wasn’t enough to convince free-agent guard Raja Bell.

Instead, he will return to the Utah Jazz, as the two sides agreed to a 3-year deal that will be worth up to $10 million.

Bell’s 11.2 points per game average during 2003-04 started a streak of five straight seasons averaging double-figures in scoring, which ended with Phoenix as he scored 9.6 PPG before being traded to Charlotte.

He’s known as a physical defender who also can hit the outside shot, as proved by his career mark of 41% from three-point distance throughout his career.

The Houston Rockets have retained a key player, as forward Luis Scola has signed to a 5-year deal that’s worth up to $47 million.

Scola is quickly turning into one of the league’s most consistent forwards, as he’s shot over 50% in each of his first three years & is coming off a career-high 16.2 points per game last season for Houston.

One of the key members of Orlando’s bench will stay put for now, as the Magic matched the Bulls’ offer to free-agent guard J.J. Redick with a 3 year, $19 million deal.

This move virtually ensures that the Magic will not be able to bring back free-agent forward Matt Barnes, who is deciding between Boston & Miami.

Redick averaged a career-best 9.6 points per game & shot over 40% from three-point range for the first time ever last season, as he could wind up becoming a starter as Vince Carter is entering the final season of his 2-year deal with the team.

The Chicago Bulls were able to pry a 3rd different player away from the Utah Jazz this offseason, as they signed swingman Ronnie Brewer to a 3-year, $12.5 million deal.

Brewer turned down a deal with the defending Eastern Conference Champion Celtics to join the Bulls, where he’ll reunite with ex-teammates Carlos Boozer & Kyle Korver.

Brewer has averaged 10.3 points per game in his four NBA seasons & is regarded as an excellent shooter, as evidenced by his 52.1% field-goal percentage rate.

The Boston Celtics have agreed to terms with Nate Robinson, as the 5′9 guard has signed a new 2-year deal that will be worth  up to $4 million.

Robinson struggled in his brief time with the Celtics last season, as he averaged career-lows in points per game (6.5), field-goal percentage (40.1%) & free-throw percentage (61.5%) in 26 games.

He did have some key moments during the 2010 playoffs, as his 13 points in 13 minutes helped the Celtics finish off Orlando in six games during the Eastern Conference Finals.

Robinson also scored 12 points off the bench in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, as Boston beat Los Angeles 96-89 to tie that series up 2-2.