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.

2012 NBA Draft Grades: Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics

Picks: #21 Jared Sullinger PF, #22 Fab Melo C, #51 Kris Joseph SF

Sullinger saw his draft stock fall due to a herniated disk that caused red flags from several team's medical staffs. However, Boston rolled the dice on him anyway, which was a great move as they need someone with his offensive talent to bolster their front court moving towards the post-KG era.

I think the Celtics reached a little bit taking Melo where they did, although they definitely needed help at the center position as they were forced into small line-ups for a majority of the second half of last season and the playoffs with Garnett at center. With their desperate need at the position taken into account, the big man's selection becomes less of a stretch as he has the potential to turn into a big time force with his size.

While it's unknown if Joseph will make the final roster, he had a pretty decent career at Syracuse and he would provide the Celtics with an excellent wing player to come off the bench behind Paul Pierce, so definitely don't write him off.

Final Grade: B+

Brooklyn Nets

Picks: #41 Tyshawn Taylor PG, #54 Tornike Shengalia SF, #57 Ilkan Karaman PF

The Nets landed an excellent point guard in Taylor and considering how far he fell in the draft, they got him at an absolute steal with the 41st pick. While the Nets are doing everything in their power to keep free agent point guard Deron Williams as they move to their new home, Taylor gives them a quality talent at point that will easily be able to come in off the bench for him or play extended minutes should he sign elsewhere.

Brooklyn's other two selections will likely never play a minute in the NBA and for that they aren't factored into their grade since they were basically filler picks. Taylor was just too good an option to pass up for the Nets.

Final Grade: B

New York Knicks

Picks: #48 Kosta Papanikolaou SF

This selection drew plenty of boos from the dozens of Knicks fans in attendance at the draft last night, as it was a sign that the team had no interest in actually using this selection as their is almost no chance Papanikolaou will ever play in the NBA. In fact, his name has probably been used more in this post (twice) than the Knicks will use it all season long.

Final Grade: Incomplete

Philadelphia 76ers

Picks: #15 Maurice Harkless SF, #27 Arnett Moultrie PF, #45 Justin Hamilton C

The Sixers made a curious selection by taking Harkless with their top draft pick considering they already have Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young on their roster. Unless they are planning to move Iggy, I'm not sure this pick makes much sense for them, although Harkless had an amazing freshman season this past year and should have a good NBA career if he is given enough playing time.

Moultrie was acquired in a move with the Miami Heat and adds some depth to their front court, something that they definitely needed heading into the draft. His best asset is his ability to crash the boards which is something the Sixers desperately need.

Hamilton is another solid front court player that could make it easier for the team to consider using their amnesty clause on Elton Brand. It's unknown if he will make their final roster for sure, but he would definitely provide them a much needed big man with the ability to shoot from a fairly decent range for his size should they decide to give him a contract.

Final Grade:B-

Toronto Raptors

Picks: #8 Terrence Ross SF, #37 Quincy Acy PF, #56 Tomislav Zubcic

The Raptors really wanted to move this selection heading into the draft, however, after failing to find any deals to their liking, they settled instead on making a huge reach and selecting Ross, someone they probably could have taken five picks later. While Toronto needed an upgrade at small forward and got a player that filled the need well, they are getting penalized here for jumping the gun on this one and not moving back to take him.

Acy is a pretty decent selection for Toronto where they took him, however, they took a big gamble leaving Tyshawn Taylor on the board with this selection as they gear up to make a huge run at Steve Nash at the beginning of free agency (and for Jeremy Lin if the pursuit of Nash doesn't work out). Taylor is the type of scoring point guard that the Raptors could really use and it's unlikely they can actually land either of their aforementioned targets, meaning missing out on Taylor could really haunt them down the road.

The selection of Zubcic is likely just another in the long list of international players Toronto has selected over the past few years that have never made it to the NBA.

Final Grade: C-

Saturday's Late News & Notes: Bucks & Bulls Want To Trade Up In Draft, Knicks Interested In Derek Fisher, & More

 --  The New York Knicks are apparently interested in Oklahoma City Thunder reserve point guard Derek Fisher, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.


The 16-year NBA veteran has played extremely well for the Thunder in recent weeks and looks as though he has at least a couple more years left in the tank.

The Knicks could definitely use someone with Fisher's veteran experience and leadership to help create chemistry for a team that clearly lacked it for much of this past season.


While they will have major interest in the guard, they won't be able to offer him any major money if they do pursue him, as New York won't be able to offer him more than a $1.4 million veteran minimum contract.


After the way Fisher has played in the postseason, there definitely won't be a shortage of offers for his services, and if the Knicks want to convince him to come to the Big Apple, they will need to make a heck of a sales pitch.


One factor that may not work in their favor, if it plays a role at all, is the fact that Fisher's former head coach Phil Jackson currently appears to have a little bit of an issue with the team.


While Jackson recently said the Knicks roster was "clumsy" (verifying that he meant the chemistry between Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire wasn't there) and that he wouldn't have taken the teams' head coaching job even if it had been offered to him, the fact remains that team owner James Dolan apparently never even considered the thought of offering it to the Zen Master.


I highly doubt Jackson will play any type of role in where Fisher ends up signing in free agency, however, I still can't see Fisher going to the Knicks when he could stay with Oklahoma City, who definitely has better odds of seeing another Finals appearance over the next two years than the Knicks do.


Which team do you think would be the best fit for Fisher next season? Will he retire if the Thunder win a championship, giving him a seventh ring?
-- The Chicago Bulls are keeping their options open this summer when it comes to improving their roster, and according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio, one of those options includes potentially trading up in this month's NBA Draft, possibly all the way into the lottery.

The Bulls won the Eastern Conference during the regular season, finishing with a 50-16 record, tied with the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the NBA.

However, Chicago lost superstar Derrick Rose in the opening game of their first round series against the Philadelphia 76ers to a torn ACL and the Bulls went on to lose the series in six games.

Although the Bulls have some quality talent surrounding Rose already, including Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah, and Luol Deng, they could definitely use some more depth behind them.

Chicago currently owns the #29 pick in the draft so they would almost certainly have to include a player or two to make a deal to get them in the lottery.

Luckily for the Bulls, they have the contracts of Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver (both around $5 million) to offer in any potential trades, as both are valuable assets with expiring contracts.

According to sources close to the team, the Bulls are rumored to be interested in guards such as Austin Rivers, Dion Waiters, or Jeremy Lamb.

-- The Milwaukee Bucks are also moving up in the NBA Draft, although their climb won't be nearly as far as Chicago's if the Bulls can somehow make it into the lottery.

Milwaukee, who currently owns the #12 selection, is rumored to be interested in moving up into the top ten.

According to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal-Times, the Bucks have spoken to the Charlotte Bobcats about acquiring their #2 pick, although Milwaukee doesn't have much to bargain with beyond Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis (neither of whom are going anywhere).

The Bucks are apparently looking for a big guard even though they already have one of the top backcourts in the NBA in Jennings and Ellis.

“They told me they could use a big guard like me,” said Will Barton, who played in college at Memphis and recently worked out for Milwaukee. “We’ll see what happens.”

Also of note, according to the same article, the Bucks and Jennings' agent, Bill Duffy, have yet to have any meaningful discussions about an extension for the team's starting point guard.

Could that be a sign they might consider taking another point guard with their lottery selection?


-- Which team do you think would be the best fit for Derek Fisher in free agency? Who should the Bulls target if they trade for a lottery pick? How far up in the draft will Milwaukee go if they can make a trade? Share your thoughts below in the comments section.

Tony Parker Injured In Brown-Drake Nightclub Fight, Iman Shumpert Unharmed

NBA superstars Tony Parker and Iman Shumpert were hanging out at the W.i.P. nightclub in New York City early Thursday morning when a brawl broke out between Chris Brown and members of Drake's entourage, according to multiple reports.

The fight broke out after Brown sent a $2,000 bottle of Ace of Spades champagne to Drake and his 15-member entourage in an attempt to make peace, as the two musicians have had problems with each other for quite a while.

Both of them have previously been romantically linked to R&B singer Rihanna, which is apparently what sparked the fight.

Drake responded by sending the bottle back to Brown along with an "incendiary note" that sparked the incident, according to the New York Daily News.

Punches, as well as glass bottles, were thrown during the ensuing melee, which led to Parker receiving a scratched retina and a hurt cornea in one of his eyes.

“I was with my friend Chris Brown and me and my friends took some punches, so I’ll be missing the start of the French team because I can’t do anything for a week except keep the lens in and then take drops,” the San Antonio Spur's point guard said to a group of reporters in Paris, where he flew after the incident.

"I was quietly with my friends when a fight broke out. Bottles started flying everywhere. I tried to protect my girlfriend and I got everything. The cornea is affected. I cannot do anything for seven days. Wear a therapeutic contact lens and I get drops. I was lucky, that I almost had to get stitches," he added from behind a pair of sunglasses worn to hide the injury.

Parker will almost certainly be better in time to help France attempt to go for a medal at the 2012 Olympics in London.

New York Knicks guard Iman Shumpert left the scene unharmed, as he tweeted after the incident saying that security had led him out just prior to the brawl breaking out.

"Definitely pre bottle smash. Lol. Security walked me out before it broke out," Shumpert said in the tweet yesterday.

Chris Brown wasn't quite as lucky, as he posted a picture on his Twitter account of his chin, which had a decent sized gash on it from what was likely a glass cut.

Mary J. Blige and Fabolous were other notable celebrities in attendance when the brawl broke out.

End Of The Week Free Agency Updates: Brandon Bass, Jameer Nelson, Gerald Wallace, & Jamal Crawford

-- In a somewhat surprising move, Brandon Bass has decided to opt-out of the final year of his contract with the Boston Celtics and test free agency this summer.

Bass would have made $4.25 million next season with the Celtics under his current deal, but considering he is coming off a season in which he posted career highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, it's fair to say he is due for a raise.

However, according to the report from Comcast Sportsnet, it's likely Bass will return to Boston and sign a multi-year contract with the team.

"I would love to be back here," he told reporters after Boston's season-ending loss to the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. "The fans here are unbelievable. For any player, this organization is the organization that you want to play for."

Regardless of whether or not the Celtics bring back Kevin Garnett next season, Boston still needs some quality front court players for the post "Big Four" era and Bass is exactly the kind of player they need as they move forward and build for the future.

Bass took less money to stay with the Orlando Magic once upon a time, so it's not totally out of the realm of possibility he will give the Celtics a fair discount as well if they commit to him for the long-term.

-- The Orlando Magic and point guard Jameer Nelson have agreed to an extension on his contract opt-out date until June 29 amidst all of the coaching and front office uncertainty within the franchise.

Nelson was originally supposed to have made a decision by today, however, he asked the team for an extension until he finds out who will be the next head coach and general manager of the team.

"The extension gives Jameer the opportunity to evaluate the decisions that Orlando's about to make, which helps in clarifying what Jameer's role would be and whether or not the new management team has a role for him," Nelson's agent Steve Mountain told the Orlando Sentinel.

If Nelson chooses to return  to Orlando next season and exercises his player option, he will earn about $7.9 million, but he could also find himself being dangled in trades because he will have a contract that expires after the 2012-13 season.

However, if he chooses to opt-out, he will hit the free agent market on July 1 as an unrestricted free agent and will be free to sign with any team without Orlando having the right to match an offer.

Nelson has spent his entire NBA career with the Magic and says he would like to return to Orlando if the situation feels right.

--  Gerald Wallace has decided to take a gamble on his value on the free agent market, as he will opt-out of the final year of his contract with the Brooklyn Nets that was due to pay him $9.5 million.

Wallace, who was acquired by the Nets in a midseason trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, will likely draw interest from several contending teams, although he almost certainly won't be offered a contract paying him what he would have made by picking up his player option with Brooklyn.

The Nets gave up a mini-truckload for Wallace, sending Mehmet Okur to the Blazers as well as a first round draft pick, which ended up being the sixth overall selection in this month's NBA Draft.

With that being said, expect Brooklyn to make a major run at re-signing Wallace to a multi-year contract, even it means paying him more than his original deal would've given him for the first season or two of the new contract.

Although Wallace is an 11-year veteran in the league, he is only 30 years-old and still has quite a few solid years left in the tank, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

-- Portland Trail Blazer's guard Jamal Crawford will test free agency this summer and opt-out of the final season of the two-year deal he signed just last summer with the franchise.

Crawford would have earned $5.225 next season with the Blazers if he had decided to pick up his player option on the deal, however, he apparently didn't enjoy his time with Portland according to multiple reports throughout the season.

Part of the reason for Crawford's unhappiness can be traced to the number of minutes he played with the Blazers this year, averaging only 26.9 minutes per game in the 60 he played in, which was his lowest minutes per game average since 2003.

Sam Amico of FoxSports reports that Crawford is interested in signing with one of the following teams in free agency: the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, New York Knicks or Cleveland Cavaliers.

He was drafted 8th overall in the 2000 draft by the Cavaliers, although he never played for them as he was traded almost immediately after being drafted to the Chicago Bulls for Chris Mihm.

Crawford has played for the Knicks in the past, and although they weren't very good during his first tenure there, they are much better these days and would greatly benefit from the addition of a player of Crawford's level.

If the 32 year-old guard is interested in chasing a championship, Miami and New York would probably be his best options, although the heat would likely have to trade or amnesty Mike Miller to make something happen.

Where do you think these players will end up in free agency? Who will re-sign with the current teams and who will find themselves wearing new uniforms next season? Share your opinions 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.

Ray Allen's Future Uncertain As Free Agency Looms

By: Stephen Patterson

After the Boston Celtics fell to the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the immediate question for Celtics' fans became "What's next?", as the future of the team they have fallen in love with over the past five seasons might be in store for a major shake-up this summer.

With Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett both set to hit the open market in free agency, it's extremely likely we have witnessed the end up of the "Big Three" era (really it's been the "Big Four" era, especially this season) in Boston.

While Celtics' GM Danny Ainge has said he isn't opposed to bringing back Allen and Garnett, it's hard to imagine the team being able to find the money to keep both of them while still bringing younger and more talented players in to build for the future.

"I really value having those guys around young players,'' a league source quoted Ainge as saying, according to an article on SI.com.

Garnett's status for next season is nearly impossible to predict right now, as there have been reports circulating for months that he was going to retire at the end of this season, while there have been just as many reports stating the opposite.

Head coach Doc Rivers has stated several times in recent weeks that he believes KG will play at least one more season, although there is also a decent chance he will choose to walk away on a high note, following a postseason in which he played a massive role in helping Boston make it as far as they did while Allen and Paul Pierce battled leg injuries for most of the playoffs. (For more on KG, check out this post from earlier in the week.)

Allen, who will turn 37 next month, is planning to undergo surgery as soon as possible to remove bone spurs from the ankle that bothered him throughout the postseason, causing him to miss Boston's first two playoff games against the Atlanta Hawks in the opening round.

"If I could do it tomorrow, I would do it tomorrow," he said. "That's probably my main concern right now, is taking care of that. My body feels good. That's my only issue."

Assuming everything goes well with the surgery and no other issues are discovered, Allen should return to full strength in plenty of time for the start of training camp. The only question is which teams' training camp will Allen be attending?

Contenders such as the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, and Memphis Grizzlies are rumored to be interested in pursuing Allen this summer according to Sports Illustrated.

According to Chris Mannox of SI, the Knicks and Miami Heat are reportedly the top two teams on Allen's wishlist of potential destinations if he leaves Boston.

The Memphis Grizzlies almost landed Allen at the trade deadline, having a deal in place with the Celtics that would have sent O.J. Mayo and a lottery pick to Boston in exchange for Allen before the Grizzlies backed out at the last second.

If Allen were to receive similar offers from Boston and a team such as the Bulls, who are on the cusp of being very serious title contenders once Derrick Rose returns from his torn ACL, it would be difficult for Allen to pass up a chance at a second title to return to the Celtics, although he does have serious respect for the organization and the players who played there prior to him.

“It’s always been somewhat intimidating,” Allen said when talking about playing in Boston. “You walk into a building every day and you see the banners and the retired jerseys in the building. It just always makes you work a little bit harder.  When [John] Havlicek is in the building, when [Bob] Cousy is around. Tommy [Heinsohn] is watching us every day. Bill Russell is at the games. Those are like our big brothers.  We knew that we had some big shoes to fill and a lot that we needed to do to try to compare to what they’ve done. We have definitely fallen short, but we’ve gone out trying to play as hard as we can every night.”

So don't completely rule out a possible return to Boston, especially if Garnett decides to retire or ends up signing with another team, which would leave a lot more salary cap flexibility for the Celtics to retain Allen while still bringing in some solid role players and young talents.

Then the Celtics could possibly make one final run at a title before fully transitioning into a new era with Rajon Rondo leading the charge and Pierce and Allen still having large roles while mentoring the younger guys in the locker room.

My personal guess is that Allen will probably end up in a new uniform after this summer, as I think he might have felt a little betrayed by the fact that Ainge almost dealt him to Memphis without even giving him a real heads up on the matter during the season.

Where he will end up signing what will likely be his final contract, I have no idea, although I'm almost positive Allen will sign with a team that has a very real chance at winning a championship next season.

Considering the fact that he pretty much carried the Celtics early in the season, along with Rondo, while Pierce and Garnett were adjusting to the condensed schedule and shot 45% from downtown during the regular season, there definitely won't be a lack of interest in the all-time leader in made three point attempts.

Which team do you think will end up signing Ray Allen this offseason? Will he return to Boston to finish out his career or will he go to a team that has a better chance of giving him another ring? Share your thoughts below.

Phil Jackson Withdraws From Talks With Orlando Magic; Where Might He End Up?

By: Stephen Patterson

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Phil Jackson had expressed interest in joining the Orlando Magic's front office as either the team president/general manager or as a consultant before withdrawing his name from consideration on Thursday afternoon.

"It drew some interest from Phil," said Sam Vincent, who played for Phil Jackson with the Chicago Bulls and is now a member of Orlando's front office. "But in the end, Phil decided to go with another opportunity."

Vincent was the intermediary between Jackson and Magic CEO Alex Martins in the negotiations, and was the person who presented Martins with Jackson's proposal.

That proposal supposedly was for Jackson to join the Magic in a capacity similar to the one that Pat Riley has with the Miami Heat. It also included bringing in a coach of Jackson's choosing (a former all-star player and Hall of Famer, according to the report) who would learn from the Zen Master and a group of assistants that likely would've included Frank Hamblen, Jim Cleamons, and Vincent.

The franchise was hoping to land the former 11-time NBA championship winning coach in their front office not only for the incredible wealth of basketball knowledge he possesses, but they also felt it would have greatly helped their chances to keep Dwight Howard in a Magic uniform.

However, despite the flirtations between the two sides, the Magic and Jackson won't be forming any type of relationship right now, which leads me back to the most in interesting part of Vincent's statement: "But in the end, Phil decided to go with another opportunity."

Does he mean another front office opportunity with another NBA franchise?

If so, which teams could potentially be trying to lure Jackson out of retirement?

The most intriguing potential landing spot, at least in my opinion, would be with the Charlotte Bobcats, where he would be teaming up with Michael Jordan once again in an effort to add more NBA titles to their Hall of Fame career totals.

While the Bobcats already have a general manager (Rich Cho), they don't currently have a head coach and are in the midst of a wide-ranging search for a new one.

Jackson could join the team in the role of a consultant, still bring in his own coaching staff, and join Cho in making the player personnel decisions for the team.

If the Zen Master could somehow do the seemingly impossible and turn the Bobcats into a championship contender after they just finished the worst season in the history of the NBA, he would cement himself as the greatest coach/GM ever.

Another interesting potential landing spot would be with the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Trail Blazers currently have an opening at general manager, and while their list of candidates is supposedly down to David Morway, Neil Olshey (who is out of the running after re-signing with the Clippers on Friday), and Tony DiLeo, I'm pretty sure they'd open up their minds to the idea of Jackson joining their front office.

The Blazers have some great talent on their roster already with players like LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum, and with Jackson in the front office as a selling point, they would be in great position to lure free agents to come join their championship hunt.

It would also make geographical sense for Jackson to join the Trail Blazers, as he spends a majority of his time away from basketball in Montana, which is also in the Northwest and much closer to Portland than any other potential destination.

The only other real possibility that I could see Jackson entertaining for this upcoming season would be to join the New York Knicks front office as a consultant and see if he can help put together the pieces to their championship picture.

Jackson was a player with the Knicks the last time they won an NBA title and was rumored to be interested in the teams' head coaching position before they decided to sign interim coach Mike Woodson to a three-year extension.

Which team do you think has the best shot of landing the Zen Master? Share where you think Jackson will end up below in the comments section.

News & Notes on the New York Knicks from Friday

By: Stephen Patterson

- The Knicks have signed Mike Woodson to a multi-year extension to remain the team's head coach. While the team didn't announce the details of the contract, it is widely believed that the deal was for three seasons and totals around $10 million.

Woodson took over the team midway through the 2011-12 season after Mike D'Antoni resigned as head coach in March as the team began to collapse.

Under Woodson, the Knicks turned things around to grab the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, they were manhandled in five games by the Miami Heat en route to elimination.

- ESPN's Bill Simmons reported that former Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson had serious interest in the Knicks coaching job prior to the team extending Woodson's contract.

While Simmons said Jackson had been angling for the job, Knicks' owner James Dolan never seriously considered hiring the Zen Master due to the fact that he "didn't want any part of Phil Jackson, because Jim Dolan doesn't like people who think they're smarter than him" and because "Jim Dolan has a whole weird inferiority complex".

Unfortunately, neither of those two statements by Simmons surprise me and I find both to be totally believable.

I think that inferiority complex is why he refused to admit Isiah Thomas was killing the organization until it became too blatant to disregard any longer (more on Thomas in a minute). I think it's also why it'll be at least two more years before he admits that Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire can't and probably won't ever mesh well together when they're on the court together.

- Knicks' shooting guard J.R. Smith was arrested early Friday by Miami Beach police because of a bench warrant that had been issued after he was arrested for operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver's license and skipped his court date last July.

"We're aware of it but it's a legal matter right now and I don't think it's appropriate for me to comment," GM Glen Grunwald said when asked about the arrest. 

With Smith likely to opt-out of his current contract and try his luck on the free agent mark, having yet another run in with law enforcement is not going to do him any favors with potential suitors. Especially when he is reportedly trying to get every dollar he can on his next contract.

- The Knicks appear confident they will be able to retain Jeremy Lin in free agency during the offseason. After bursting onto the scene seemingly from out of no where, Lin captured the entire country's attention before going down with a small meniscus tear and being forced out of the team's last 22 games.

Grunwald was asked about Lin during the conference call regarding Woodson's contract extension and had this to say: "We're happy with our roster. We have two guards [Lin and Landry Fields] that are restricted free agents, so we will be able to retain them".

According to ESPN, because Lin is a restricted free agent and he has played only two seasons in the NBA, the Knicks can match any offer up to $5 million.

However, don't be surprised if someone offers a front-loaded deal to Lin in an effort to lure him away from Knicks and make it near impossible for the franchise to match the contract offer. With the Toronto Raptors being one of several teams rumored to have interest in Lin, Grunwald better not get over-confident in his team's ability to retain the Linsanity.

- I promised you all more Isiah Thomas and here it is: According to the man himself when talking to ESPNChicago.com, Isiah wants back into basketball after losing his job as head coach at Florida International University and he doesn't care whether is in the collegiate or pro ranks.

“I definitely want to be in basketball again whether it be coaching or as a general manager,” Thomas said by phone. “My gift is basketball. I would love working with the kids. If it’s the right college program, I would consider it. If it’s the right GM job or coaching job in the NBA, I would consider it. I love the game. I just want to be in the game."

When asked more specifically about returning to the New York Knicks, Isiah had this to say: “I have great friends in the organization,” said Thomas…. “The owner and I have a very good relationship. It’s an organization I will always root for and will always want them to do well because they’re all personal friends of mine.”

Before Knicks fans get too upset, keep in mind your team already has a GM and a brand new head coach/ And although Mike Woodson is friends with Thomas, he reportedly has absolutely no interest in bringing him onto his staff in any capacity. So breathe easy my friends. 

All-NBA Teams & Vote Breakdown

What are your thoughts on the All-NBA squads? Should someone have been higher? Lower? Or did someone miss out all together that belongs on the third team? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section.

* Special thanks to www.iamagm.com for the image.

Orlando Magic Finally Ready to Move on from Dwight Howard Era

By: Stephen Patterson

It appear as though the Orlando Magic are finally ready to move on from the Dwight Howard era and will attempt to grant him his long-desired trade.

According to Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com, the team fired Stan Van Gundy and Otis Smith with the intention of also moving Howard and starting with a clean slate across the board.

There were multiple reports earlier in the week that Howard still wanted out of Orlando despite the fact that the team fired Van Gundy, who many believe Dwight had wanted gone for quite some time.

The Magic will begin listening to offers next week after the draft lottery takes place and will try to make a deal happen prior to the NBA Draft in June.

Many people believe the Magic are hoping the Brooklyn Nets will land a top three selection in the draft lottery that they can include in a package along with Brook Lopez and other players and/or picks.

Another team that could potentially jump into the mix for Howard is the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are likely to make some major moves in order to get back to a championship-contending level and could offer a package involving Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and/or Metta World Peace.

A dark horse candidate to watch for could be the New York Knicks. It is becoming more and more apparent that Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire aren't meshing quite as well on the court as the franchise envisioned when they paired the duo up and could be inclined to make a move for Howard to keep him from going to the crosstown Nets.

The Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers are also potential landing spots for Howard, although it would be much tougher for either team to land the NBA's best center without having to part with Dirk Nowitzki or Blake Griffin, respectively.

Who's uniform do you think Dwight Howard will be wearing on opening night of the 2012-13 season opener? Let me know in the comments section below.