Heat hot for Melo

The Miami Heat's interest in has proven more than cursory, with ESPN reporting Tuesday that the Heat have met with representatives for the Oklahoma City Thunder forward.

Anthony, 34, is in the process of buyout negotiations with the Thunder, expected to then become available to interested suitors on a minimal contract.

The Heat and Houston Rockets are believed to be the finalists for Anthony's services, with Rockets officials also said to have met with Anthony's representatives.

A Heat agreement with Anthony likely would assure a Heat return by close friend

who currently is a free agent. It also likely would lead to a return by Heat free-agent forward The Los Angeles Lakers have signed veteran and secondround pick Stephenson agreed to a oneyear, $4.5 million deal to join

and in the Lakers' influx of veteran talent.

is leaving Real Madrid to join Italian club Juventus in a move expected to benefit the Portugal forward's tax return.

Juventus said it paid 112 million euros ($131.5 million) for Ronaldo, who signed a four-year deal with the Serie A champions. The move brings an end to a successful nine-year spell in Spain, and takes him further away from a tax fraud case that may end up costing him more than $20 million in fines.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward

to an eight-year contract extension worth an average of $9.5 million in salary and annual bonuses. The 25-year-old is set to stay with the Lightning through 2026-27 as the team's highestpaid player once the extension kicks in after next year.