Consolation prize, anyone?

NYTimes: The New York Knicks are obviously going to do everything it can to convince LeBron James to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers and make his way to the city that never sleeps. But the general consensus is that there is no way James will end up with the Knicks unless he’s got some sort of martyr complex.

The word from the paper of record, the New York Times, is that it is far more likely that the Knicks will have Atlanta Hawks forward Joe Johnson on its roster next year. Johnson and Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni worked well together in Phoenix and the coach would supposedly love to have him back.

The eight-year pro guard is averaging 21.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. The Times says the Hawks are going to try and retain Johnson and the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls are likely going to try and sign him as well.

As of late Wednesday night, the Sacramento Kings and the Houston Rockets agreed to trade guard Tracy McGrady, forward Carl Landry, and forward Joey Dorsey to the Kings for guard Kevin Martin, guard Sergio Rodriguez, forward Kenny Thomas and forward Hilton Armstrong.

While the trade has been confirmed by multiple sources, there is no clear evidence that McGrady will stay with the Kings.  Other possibilities include a buyout, in which McGrady has privately requested a spot on the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Los Angeles Lakers, as well as a trade to the New York Knicks, who have been rumored to be making a push for McGrady since last week.

Discuss this topic here.

The Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks agreed to a deal on Wednesday, shipping guard John Salmons to Milwaukee for the expiring contracts of forwards Joe Alexander and Hakim Warrick.

With the trade, the Bulls clear nearly $6 million off their payroll, assisting them in offering a max contract to a big-name free agent, most likely guard Dwyane Wade, this off-season.

The Bucks find a replacement for guard Michael Redd, who is out for the season with an ACL and an MCL tear in his left knee.

Discuss the topic here.

As expected, the Cleveland Cavaliers made a move for a frontcourt scorer on Wednesday, trading center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, a first-round pick, and the rights to Emir Preldzic (a second round pick) to the Washington Wizards for forward Antawn Jamison.

Also included in the trade were the Los Angeles Clippers, who sent Sebastian Telfair to the Cavaliers and Al Thornton to the Wizards.  In return, the Clippers receive Washington forward Drew Gooden, who was acquired last week in the Caron Butler trade.

Sources believe that Ilgauskas will seek a buyout, and a potential return to Cleveland is imminent.

Discuss the topic here.

Caron Butler is headed to the Mavericks as a starter, and Jason Terry will head to the bench…

Yahoo!: DALLAS (AP)—The Dallas Mavericks acquired Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood from Washington on Saturday, a seven-player deal that strengthens them for a playoff run and signals the breakup of a disappointing Wizards team.

The Mavericks dealt forwards Josh Howard and Drew Gooden, and two other players to the Wizards. Dallas also got guard DeShawn Stevenson and cash considerations.

Dallas president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson called trading Howard, who had spent his entire career in Dallas, an “excruciating decision.” But couldn’t pass up the chance to bring Butler, a two-time All-Star, to a team he acknowledges has been sputtering.

It’s Friday, and All-Star Weekend has officially started.  Be sure to catch every bit of NBA action by using the schedule provided below.

Friday, February 12th, 2010
All-Star Celebrity Game, 7:00 PM EST, ESPN
T-Mobile Rookie Challenge, Slam Dunk-In, 9:00 PM EST, TNT

Saturday, February 13th, 2010
All-Star East/West Practices, 12:00 PM EST, NBATV
2010 D-League All-Star Game, 3:00 PM EST, NBATV
TNT All-Decade Team, 5:00 PM EST, TNT
H.O.R.S.E. presented by Geico, 7:00 PM EST, TNT
NBA All-Star Saturday Night, 8:30 PM EST, TNT

• Haier Shooting Stars
• Taco Bell Skills Challenge
• Foot Locker 3-Point Contest
• Sprite Slam Dunk Contest

Sunday, February 14th, 2010
All-Star Tip-Off, 7:00 PM EST, TNT
2010 NBA All-Star Game, 8:00 PM EST, TNT

When you’re prone to injury, you may not have anything better to do…

HipHopRX: Greg Oden, 22, of the Portland Trailblazers, had some rude nude pictures to surface on the Internet. Embarrassed and ashamed (hopefully), he’s apologizing to his fans, team and organization.

A friend of Greg’s told him Tuesday morning around 6 AM that pictures taken with his cellphone (and sent to his ex) had surfaced on the internet. Oden officially apologized, saying “I would like to apologize to everybody; Portland, the fans, the organization.” He also told reporters at the Blazer’s facility, “It was very embarrassing.”

According to Oden, the pictures that shows him fully unclothed are from almost 2 years ago, meaning he was around 19 or 20 years-old at the time.

Is it the Clipper Curse, or simply an unfortunate event?

ESPN: Blake Griffin’s first season with the Los Angeles Clippers is over before it even began.

Griffin will have surgery on Jan. 20 on his broken left kneecap, shelving the No. 1 draft pick for at least four more months, the eternally star-crossed Clippers announced in a statement Wednesday.

Griffin hasn’t played a regular-season game yet for the Clippers after injuring his kneecap in their final preseason game Oct. 23, wincing in pain as he landed after a dunk. After resting the stress fracture for several weeks, the former Oklahoma star recently increased his workload in rehabilitation by running on a treadmill.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest suffered a concussion and injured his left elbow after falling at his home.

Artest didn’t travel with the Lakers to Saturday’s game at Sacramento after tripping over a box and falling down a flight of stairs at his home on Christmas night, the team said in a news release.

He was treated at UCLA Medical Center, undergoing a CT scan and receiving stitches in the back of his head and his elbow. A neurologist examined him on Saturday and confirmed he had a concussion, the team said. Artest is day to day.

Read more here.

After 14 NBA seasons, former MVP guard Allen Iverson has called it quits.

Iverson spent most of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers, before being traded to the Denver Nuggets during the 2006-07 NBA season.  Two seasons later, he was dealt to the Detroit Pistons for Denver’s very own Chauncey Billups, a situation for Iverson that would prove to be controversial and complicated, leading to a one-year contract deal with the Memphis Grizzlies this season.

The superstar guard retires with one MVP award, in 2001, along with two All-Star Game MVP’s, four scoring titles and one trip to the NBA Finals.