Oklahoma City Thunder Lock Up Serge Ibaka With Four-Year Extension And What It Might Mean For James Harden

According to Yahoo! Sports, among other sources, the Oklahoma City Thunder have locked up the third member of the team's four-headed monster of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, and James Harden when the team agreed to a four-year, $48 million deal with Ibaka to remain with the Thunder.

Ibaka's new extension leaves Harden as the only member of the Thunder's core group that isn't locked in for the foreseeable future with Oklahoma City.

With Harden emerging last season as the best bench player in the NBA, averaging 16.8 points per game en route to earning NBA Sixth Man of the Year honors, most people thought Thunder GM Sam Presti would have a deal worked out with Harden before moving on to Ibaka's.

However, for reasons that remain unknown at this time, Presti decided to lock in Ibaka first, who is one of the league's best defensive players and only beginning to scratch the surface of his potential ceiling.

At 6'10", and with freakishly long arms, Ibaka has led the league in total blocks in each of the past two seasons, averaging a whopping 3.7 blocks per game while playing and starting all 66 games this past season for OKC.

Ibaka also led the league in total postseason blocks in each of the past two seasons, including a 2.68 average this past postseason to go along with his 9.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game as he helped lead the Thunder to the 2012 NBA Finals.

He was also named to the All-NBA first Defensive Team this past season, and finished second to Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks in voting for Defensive Player of the Year.

You can't really make an argument that efficiency played much of a role in the team opting to deal with Ibaka's extension before Harden's considering they had very similar PERs this past season, with Harden narrowly edging Ibaka 21.1 to 19.0 in that category.

Both players have had extremely good luck staying healthy and on the court during their first three seasons in the league, as Harden has only missed 10 out of 230 regular season games, while Ibaka has missed only 9 out of 230 games (all nine of his missed games came during his rookie season).

It wasn't because Harden was busy with the Olympics, playing alongside Durant and Westbrook for Team USA on their way to a gold medal because Ibaka played just as deep in the tournament with Spain, settling with a silver medal after Team USA's 107-100 victory over the Spanish team.

Harden was reportedly being shopped around the league at the time of the 2012 NBA Draft, with the Charlotte Bobcats being one team reportedly very interested in making a move for him (they supposedly considered sending their number two overall pick to OKC in exchange for Harden.

I can't say with any certainty that Presti hasn't shopped Ibaka at some point over the past three seasons, although I'd venture to say it's likely Presti has shopped everyone on the roster except for KD at some point just to gauge interest in his players from around the league.

The reason Presti decided to lock up Ibaka for the next four years before dealing with Harden's extension could be as simple as he realized just how bad the Thunder will need Ibaka when they inevitably get matched up against the Los Angeles Lakers and their newest incarnation of twin towers, Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol, in the postseason.

For instance, remove Ibaka from the Thunder's squad and replace him with Dante Cunningham of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who had a PER of 14.94 last season (15.0 is the standardized league average and Cunningham was closet to the mark at the power forward position last season).

I don't think Oklahoma City would win more than two games against the 2012-13 Lakers in a seven game series with that swap, and that's assuming Durant AND Westbrook each have at least one out of this world performance during that series.

Now, let's remove Harden from the equation and replace him with Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors, who posted a 14.97 PER during the 2011-12 season (again, the closest player at shooting guard to a 15.0 PER).

I still don't think the Thunder would be able to pull out four wins against that same Lakers squad (maybe once in every five seven game series between the two), but I do know that it would be a much, much closer fight with Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins down low battling Howard and Gasol with Durant and Westbrook still handling their business.

Basically, what this proves is that Oklahoma City will need all four pieces of their four-headed monster if they want to get past a Lakers squad being led by an insanely determined Kobe Bryant (Do you honestly think the Black Mamba is going to show any sign of mercy or focus on anything beyond the hardwood in his pursuit of his Jordan-tying sixth ring?) and an almost equally determined Steve Nash (still chasing his first ring while holding the fairly embarrassing title of having played more playoff games than anyone in NBA history without even reaching the NBA Finals at an astounding total of 118 games.. and counting).

While the Thunder NEED that four-headed monster intact to secure their best odds at a title, it's a different story entirely whether or not they can actually make it happen.

Assuming Ibaka will be earning about $12 million a season under his new extension, Oklahoma City would have around $47 million committed to Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka alone starting with the 2013-14 season.

Tack on another $15 million (approximately) for Kendrick Perkins, Thabo Sefolosha and Nick Collison, and those six players alone eating up about $63 million in cap space in 2013-14.

While Harden's qualifying offer is only $7.64 million, it's almost a certainty he will be offered somewhere between $12 million per season and a maximum contract by a team that's chasing him next summer as a restricted free agent.

Even if he draws the short straw out of those numbers, still $12 million per year, that means the Thunder would be committed to $75 million in salary in 2013-14 for Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Ibaka, Perkins, Collison, and Sefolosha if they matched his offer sheet.

With the salary cap expected to be somewhere in the range of $58 million and the tax threshold at around $70 million (and reportedly getting more punitive in 2013-14, hitting teams harder that are over the line), that puts the Thunder almost $17 million over the cap and paying at least $10 million in luxury taxes with a minimum of six more spots to fill on their roster.

While Clay Bennett, owner of the Thunder, has never been one to shy away from spending, I'm not sure he is going to want to spend that kind of money when it can't even guarantee a championship with the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers on equal or higher ground than the Thunder.

In the end, although it may be tough for Bennett to swallow financially, I don't think he has a choice but to pay James Harden whatever he commands as they easily have the youngest core of the three super teams right now (Thunder, Heat, Lakers. Sorry everyone else, they're just on a separate level at this point) and would almost certainly win at least one championship over the next four or five seasons.

If for some reason Oklahoma City decides they can't afford to keep Harden around and they allow him to leave town, they may be regretting it over the next decade if they fail to win multiple titles without him, because as long as OKC has their four-headed monster of Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, and Harden in tact, they will remain a threat to win the Larry O'Brien championship trophy almost every season for the next five to ten years.

Brandon Roy Will Attempt An NBA Comeback Next Season

After months of speculation regarding his future in basketball, it appears Brandon Roy is ready to come out of early retirement and will attempt to make an NBA comeback next season.

While answering questions from fans on a friend's (Will Conroy) Twitter account, Roy said that he is now training daily and is preparing for a return to the hardwood next season.

“Lord willing, I will play again soon,” Roy said in a series of tweets. “Yes, I’m preparing for a comeback. I’m training daily. I’m preparing for a return next year. I appreciate the love. Hopefully I’ll be back on the floor soon. Health is good.”

Roy has said on several occasions in recent months that he would like to return to basketball after he abruptly retired from the Portland Trail Blazers prior to the season due to concerns over his knees being unable to handle the condensed schedule.

The former three-time All Star traveled to Los Angeles earlier this month and reportedly underwent a procedure on his knees similar to the one Kobe Bryant had done in Germany last year.

"Tuesday was the first of a series of treatment Roy's going through. He's doing something similar to the treatment Kobe Bryant had on his right knee. It can only help," said a source close to Roy.

Peter Vecsey of the New York Post reported last month that Roy would be interested in playing for the Los Angeles Lakers should be decide to come out of retirement.

He also mentioned the Golden State Warriors as a potential destination as Roy's former agent, Bob Myers, is currently the general manager there.

When a fan asked Roy if a return to Portland would be a possibility, the guard had this to say:

“I wish, but due to the NBA rules I cannot play in Portland until 2014-2015,” Roy tweeted. “I’m looking to return sooner. Thanks for your support. I’m fortunate to have played for such a great fan base. No matter where I play, Portland will always have a special place in my heart.”

If Roy, who will be 28 by the time next season starts, is healthy and teams feel like his knee troubles are a thing of the past, there definitely won't be a lack of interest in the talented guard when he officially announces his return.

When healthy, Roy has proven he is capable of scoring 20+ points a night and being a solid contributor to a contending franchise.

While it is probably unlikely he will able to return with the same level of athleticism that made him a three-time All Star, Roy should still have enough left in the tank to be a quality second or third scoring option on a decent team as long as his minutes are carefully monitored.

I think the Phoenix Suns would be a great fit for Roy to consider when he returns, as both Steve Nash and Grant Hill have said that the team's medical staff is top notch and a major reason as to why they are in such great shape despite their ages.

Which team do you think would be the best fit for Roy? Do you think he will be able to stay healthy and on the court if returns? Share your thoughts below in the comments section.

Charlotte Bobcats Narrow Their Coaching Search To Three Candidates

It appears the Charlotte Bobcats are finally entering the final stages of selecting their next head coach, as Chris Broussard of ESPN reports they have narrowed their search to three candidates: Brian Shaw, Jerry Sloan, and Quin Snyder.

Each of the three will meet with team owner Michael Jordan within the next week or so according to the report, and then a decision will likely be made soon thereafter.

Recent Hall of Fame inductee Jerry Sloan is the only candidate with prior head coaching experience, resigning midseason during his 23rd season leading the Utah Jazz.

Sloan took the Jazz to the NBA Finals twice during his tenure as their coach, however, he was denied of a championship both times by the Chicago Bulls and his potential future boss, Michael Jordan.

Although Shaw doesn't have any previous head coaching experience, he was a protege of the legendary Phil Jackson and has been an assistant head coach with the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers.

He has been an assistant coach since 2004-05 and was considered for the Lakers and Orlando Magic's head coaching vacancies over the past two seasons.

Quin Snyder was an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers this past season (he still likely will be if he doesn't land the Bobcats job) and coached in the NBDL for three seasons prior to that with the Austin Toros.

Snyder was also interviewed for the Minnesota Timberwolves job last summer, before they had even fired Kurt Rambis.

The narrowing of candidates comes after the team originally had ten people interview with team executives Rod Higgins and Rich Cho for the position.

Including the three finalists, the others that were interviewed were Orlando assistant Patrick Ewing, former Portland coach Nate McMillan, Golden State assistant Michael Malone, Cleveland assistant Nate Tibbetts, Charlotte assistant Stephen Silas, Memphis assistant Dave Joerger and St. John's University assistant Mike Dunlap.

In my opinion, Sloan would probably be the best choice for the job if the Bobcats were closer to being a championship contender, but considering the fact that he is 70-years old will probably mean he won't be coaching long enough to see the transformation through.

With that being said, I think the Bobcats will likely pick Shaw when all three of the meetings with Jordan are complete, as he is widely considered to be the best assistant coach in the league right now.

Shaw spent plenty of time learning coaching tactics from Jackson and has first-hand experience with the Triangle Offense, which with the right players, can be one of the most successful offenses in basketball.

I think Shaw is ready at this point in his coaching career to take a head coaching position, and a spot with the Charlotte Bobcats would be the perfect place to begin his career in the lead role on the bench.

Regardless of who lands the vacant job, they will have a massive task on their hands of turning around a franchise that finished with the worst winning percentage in NBA history last season (.106).

Which coach do you think would be the best fit with the Charlotte Bobcats? Do you think they left someone out of their final three that would've made a better coach? Share what you think about their coaching vacancy down below in the comments section.

List Of Teams Attempting To Trade Draft Picks Prior To 2012 NBA Draft

By: Stephen Patterson

There are two things that are pretty well known facts regarding the 2012 NBA Draft that is coming up in just under three weeks on June 28th:

First, it's almost a guarantee that the New Orleans Hornets will select former Kentucky forward Anthony Davis with the first overall pick. Second, beyond Davis likely going with the #1 pick, it's a complete toss up as to how the rest of the draft will turn out, beginning with the second pick.

While the Charlotte Bobcats currently own the second overall pick, they are open to moving the selection if it brings an All-Star caliber talent or a package of picks and players back in return.

According to Alex Kennedy on his Twitter account, the Bobcats were still shopping the pick as of Friday, however, most teams thought they were asking for too much in return.

Charlotte is reportedly interested in making a trade for Rudy Gay of the Memphis Grizzlies, who are supposedly shopping Gay in an effort to cut down on salary, despite owner Michael Heisley saying those reports were false. The Bobcats are rumored to be offering the number two pick in trade talks for him.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have supposedly offered the #4 and #24 picks to Charlotte in an attempt to move up to the second spot, as sources have said they are extremely interested in Davis' former Kentucky teammate Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

However, the Grizzlies or Cavs would also likely have to take on the contract of either Tyrus Thomas or DeSagana Diop as Charlotte is attempting to unload their salaries in any move involving the second pick.

Cleveland is also rumored to be interested in making a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers in which they would send the same two picks to the Blazers in exchange for their #6 and #11 picks according to Kennedy, who writes for HoopsWorld.

The Sacramento Kings reportedly have a lot of interest in North Carolina sophomore Harrison Barnes, although he is likely to be off the board by the time they are on the clock with the fifth overall pick.

Don't be surprised if they make a move to improve their pick unless they feel comfortable enough taking another player that they pass on dealing to take Barnes.

The Golden State Warriors own four picks in the draft (#7, #30, #35, #52) and are considering packaging two or more of those picks together in an attempt to move up in the draft.

Their goal is to move up far enough to land Kidd-Gilchrist, however, they would also package picks in exchange for a proven veteran at small forward or future assets according to HoopsWorld.

The Hornets, who own the #10 pick as well as the first, are reportedly interested in moving that pick if the team acquiring it would also be willing to take on a bad contract belonging to either Emeka Okafor or Trevor Ariza according to NBA.com columnist Shaun Powell.

Meanwhile, the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, neither of whom currently own a first round pick, are looking to trade into the latter part of the first round according to a report by Sam Amico of FoxSports.

Which team(s) do you think will make the biggest splash on or before draft day when it comes to making a trade? Do you think there will be any blockbuster deals involving current players as well as draft picks? Share your thoughts below.

NBA Players React to Manny Pacquiao's Controversial Loss

By: Stephen Patterson

It seems like everyone has an opinion on the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley fight from Saturday night that ended with one of the most controversial split-decisions in recent boxing history.

Pacquiao, who is a huge fan of the Boston Celtics, landed nearly 100 more punches, with ringside punching statistics showing Pacquiao land 253 punches compared to only 159 by Bradley.

And while the three ringside judges had two scorecards with Bradley winning 115-113 and a third with him winning by the same margin, the Associated Press had Pacquiao winning 117-111, a pretty huge difference than what the judges scored it.

Bradley even fractured his left foot in the second round, apparently bad enough for him to hear it snap, and sprained his right ankle in the fifth.

Yet, somehow, through all of that, Bradley is the new owner of the WBO welterweight title and Pacquiao is still trying to figure out how his seven-year winning streak is now a thing of the past.

Plenty of NBA players weighed in with their opinions through their Twitter accounts, many of them angry that Pacquiao, who waited to start the fight until after the conclusion of Game 7 of the Heat/Celtics series, was blatantly "robbed".

Here is what they had to say:

• Earl Barron: Chris Paul somewhere watching the fight like I guess the NBA blocking my trade ain't so bad. #SMH

• Tyson Chandler: My Boy PAC-MaN just got robbed without a GUN!!!

• Richard Hamilton: I'm done watching boxing. WWF

• David West: This is why MMA has taken over...

• Jared Dudley: This is crazy.. Those judges n vegas need to be fired ASAP!!!! I never felt so cheated of my money in my Life!!!!

• Kyle Lowry: I'm not watching boxing ever!! Wow!! Please overturn this judgement

• Mark Jackson: I think I’m DONE with boxing!!! Manny just got ROBBED! What a JOKE!

• LaMarcus Aldridge: Pac man got robbed !

• Al Horford: Are you kidding me?? They gave the fight to this other dude. PAC-Man is the best. Terrible judges... #SMH

• Roger Mason: Where's the instrant replay when you need it? #gotitallwrong

• Deron Williams: Boxing is now the worst sport in the history of the world Im never buying a fight again

• Brandon Jennings: Welp go ahead and retire Mayweather.... No reason to fight him now!!!!

What did you think of the outcome of the fight? Did the judges make the wrong call or did Bradley deserve the win? Share your thoughts below.

Michael Heisley Says Memphis Grizzlies Aren't Shopping Rudy Gay Despite Various Reports

By: Stephen Patterson

Since the Memphis Grizzlies season ended in the opening round of the postseason with a devastating Game 7 loss on their home court to the Los Angeles Clippers, Rudy Gay has been mixed up in trade rumors involving at least five interested teams.

However, despite the various reports saying the Grizzlies are looking to move their starting small forward in a deal to lower the teams' 2012-13 salary cap figure, franchise majority owner Michael Heisley says that couldn't be further from the truth.

"We're not looking to trade Rudy Gay. We're not shopping him around. Period. Do we sit around and say, 'What if we traded Rudy, who could we get?' No. Right now, Rudy is part of the future of this team," Heisley told the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

"Our plan was always to protect the core. I've got the core for four years. If we ever decide to do something, it won't be because of salary. We're going to build a team around this core group. We understand Rudy's salary. We understood it when we gave it to him. We're not looking to cut salary. We're looking to try and win a championship."

With Gay due to earn $16.4 million next season and almost $54 million over the next three seasons, it's easy for people to wonder if the team might be willing to move him for the right package of players and draft picks.

However, it's extremely unlikely the Grizzlies would be able to receive fair value for Gay, who averaged 19.0 points per game for Memphis this season in 65 games.

The Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, and the Charlotte Bobcats are reportedly all interested in acquiring Gay should Memphis decide to move him.

According Marc Stein of ESPN.com, the Raptors are reportedly interested in acquiring Gay or Philadelphia's Andre Iguodala for a package centering around the eighth overall pick in this month's NBA Draft, Ed Davis, and either Jose Calderon or Andrea Bargnani.

Sam Amico recently reported that the Charlotte Bobcats might be willing to deal the second overall pick in a trade centered around Gay.

It's currently unknown what the Warriors, Magic, and Nets would be willing to offer in a trade involving Gay.

This is the second consecutive offseason in which Gay has found himself engulfed in a swirl of trade rumors, as there were many reports last summer that the team was willing to part with him for the right package after the Grizzlies reached the second round of the playoffs for the first time ever.

They came within a game of reaching the Western Conference Finals without Gay, who injured his shoulder in February and was forced to miss the remainder of the season.

Gay bounced back from the injury this season, however, as he led Memphis to a 41-25 record (good for a franchise-record winning percentage of .621) and helped them clinch the fourth seed in the Western Conference, the first time the Grizzlies had ever held home-court advantage for a playoff series.

Considering the fact that the Grizzlies are coming off of two consecutive postseason appearances in which they won a total of 10 games after the franchise was 0-12 in postseason games prior to last season, I think Memphis would be better served to keep Gay and instead try to find the right mixture of role players to help this team reach the next level.