Shaquille O'Neal Retires

By Justin Worsley,

Boston Celtics center Shaquille O'Neal announced his retirement on Wednesday on social media network Tout, putting an end to the career of a man who's was not only one of the biggest men in the league, but was also one of the biggest personalities.

O'Neal, 39, was the oldest active player in the NBA this past season and signed a two-year deal with Boston last summer. Injuries slowed down O'Neal and he was only able to play in 37 games this season. O'Neal was told that his Achilles tendon, which was injured on Christmas Day, would require surgery if he wanted to play which needed a nine-month recovery time. Instead of putting the Celtics in a state of limbo as they awaited his return, he instead decided to retire.

O'Neal was the first major superstar to play for the Orlando Magic, who drafted him first overall in 1992 out of LSU. Along with Penny Hardaway, O'Neal led Orlando to their first NBA Finals appearance in 1995 where they were swept by the Houston Rockets.

In 1996, O'Neal left Orlando and signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won three NBA Championships between 2000-02. All three seasons he was named the Finals MVP and he also won the league MVP in 2000.

In 2004, O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat where he promised the fans that he would bring them their first ever league championship. He made good on his promise, teaming up with Dwyane Wade to win the league title in 2006.

After O'Neal and the Heat struggled in 2008, Miami traded O'Neal to Phoenix. O'Neal spent a season there before playing a year in Cleveland and Boston.

O'Neal ends his career fifth in the most points scored in NBA history with 28,596, 12th in NBA history with 13,099 rebounds and seventh in blocks with 2,732. He trails only Artis Gilmore in career field goal percentage with a 56.3% accuracy.

Along with his three NBA Finals MVP awards and his league MVP, O'Neal has also been named to 15 All-Star games and won the Rookie of the Year award in 1993.

O'Neal will most likely be a first ballot Hall of Famer, however, it is unclear as to which team O'Neal will be enshrined with.

Source: Mike Brown to be Next Lakers Coach

By Justin Worsley,

Sources have told ESPN that former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown is the top candidate to replace Phil Jackson as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Brown, 41, was fired by the Cavaliers last season after they failed to advance past the semifinals of the playoffs despite having the league's best record for two consecutive seasons.

Jackson announced a year ago that this would be his final season. The two-time defending champion Los Angeles were swept by the Dallas Maverick in the conference semifinals this season.

Under Brown, the LeBron James-led Cavaliers made the finals in 2007, only to be swept by the San Antonio Spurs.

An offer has allegedly been given to Brown and a deal could be agreed upon as early as Wednesday. Though no figures have been officially released, Brown is looking for security in his contract, which would feature a good amount of years and money. Several sources have reported that the Lakers are offering a four-year deal worth between $16-19 million. Jackson made $8 million last season and Los Angeles is trying to cut back on salaries.

Without Brown and James, Cleveland stumbled to a 19-63 finish and hold the first and fourth-overall picks in the upcoming draft.

Bynum Hit Hard by NBA

By Justin Worsley,

The NBA has suspended Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum five game at the beginning of the 2011-12 season for his flagrant foul on Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea late in the Mavericks series-clinching 122-86 win.

Bynum, 23, threw an elbow into Barea's ribcage as he drove in for a layup. Referee's immediately ejected Bynum, who is not only a foot taller than Barea, but also weighs 110 more pounds than him. Bynum promptly took off his jersey before leaving the court.

The NBA also fined Bynum $25,000 for "removing his jersey and the manner in which he left the court."

Bynum will not be paid for the five games he is suspended for, causing him to lose a grand total of $702,272.

Before being fined on Tuesday, Bynum apologized for his actions and to Barea for the foul. Bynum also said that he was "glad that he (Barea) was not seriously injured in the event."

Bynum was also suspended in March for a flagrant foul on Minnesota's Michael Beasley.

Thibodeau Wins Coach of the Year

By Justin Worsley,

Chicago Bulls rookie head coach Tom Thibodeau was named the NBA's Coach of the Year on Sunday, the first Bulls coach since Phil Jackson in 1996 to win the award.

Under Thibodeau, Chicago went 62-20, their best record since the 1997-98 season, when the won their most recent NBA Championship.

Chicago's 62 wins are the most by a rookie head coach since the Paul Westphal-led Phoenix Suns went 62-20 and lost to the Bulls in the NBA Finals.

Thibodeau, 53, served as the Boston Celtics assistant between 2007-10 before being hired by Chicago. The Bulls made the playoffs in former head coach Vinny Del Negro's two years with the team, but never made it out of the first round, posting a 41-41 record each season.

Thibodeau, credited with being the defensive mastermind in Boston, created a new scheme in Chicago and the Bulls flourished, allowing the second-least amount of point per game this season after the Bulls ranked 13th just a year ago.

Point guard Derrick Rose also responded to Thibodeau's system well, reaching a career high in points, steals, blocks, assists and rebounds per game along with both free throw and three-point percentage. If Rose wins the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award, as many expect him to, the coach and player will become just the 12th tandem to win both awards on the same season.

The award for the NBA's MVP will be announced later this week.

Golden State Fires Keith Smart

By Justin Worsley,

The Golden State Warriors fired head coach Keith Smart on Wednesday after his only season with the team.

Smart, 46, was promoted to head coach after the Warriors fired Don Nelson, the NBA's all-time leader in wins.

Golden State improved from their 2009-10 campaign in which they went 26-56. The Warriors went on to win 36 games this year, but failed to make the playoffs for the third straight season.

Smart was an assistant for Golden State for seven years before his promotion.

Last year, Golden State was purchased by Joe Lacob, Peter Guber and a group of investors who promised to make changes to an organization who has only made the postseason once since 1994.

Two names have already surfaced as potential replacements for Smart: former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and former New York Knicks coach and current analyst Jeff Van Gundy.

Chauncey Billups to Return to New York

By Justin Worsley,

The New York Knicks announced on Wednesday that the team will pick up the $14.2 million option of point guard Chauncey Billups.

Billups, 34, was acquired by the Knicks last February in a deal with the Denver Nuggets that also brought forward Carmelo Anthony to New York.

The Knicks had until Friday to either pick up Billups' option or pay the former NBA Finals MVP a $3.7 million buyout.

"Chauncey, Amare [Stoudemire] and Chauncey [Billups] are a great nucleus, as we continue to look to improve our team going into the offseason," Knicks president of basketball operations Donnie Walsh said in a statement. "Chauncey is an extremely talented and experienced point guard...we are very happy to have him back."

In 21 games with the Knicks last season, Billups averaged 17.5 points and 5.5 assists per game.

New York made the playoffs for the first time since the 2003-04 season, but were swept by the Boston Celtics. Billups, who has played in the conference finals every year between 2003-09 with both the Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets, said he wants to stay and see the return of championship-caliber basketball in New York.

Kemba Walker Declares for the NBA Draft

By Justin Worsley,

University of Connecticut point guard Kemba Walker has declared himself eligible for the 2011 NBA Draft during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

Walker, 20, had one year of eligibility left at UConn, but instead decided to go pro, where many experts project him as a top-three pick in the draft, which will be held on June 23.

The 6-foot-1 Walker was the star player on the national champion Huskies, averaging 25.3 points per game along with 4.5 assists and 5.4 rebounds.

Walker is expected to be the second guard taken in the draft behind Duke's Kyrie Irving, who declared for the draft last week.

Walker has not hired an agent, but has said he has been talking to several of them and that there is "no chance" of him coming back.

Prior to Walker's declaration, UConn placed Walker in the school's "Huskies of Honor" wall in the Gampel Pavilion. The wall includes a banner with Walker's name, jersey number and years spent at the school. Though Walker did not declare for the draft when the banner was hung, it was still listed that Walker's final year at the school was in 2011. Walker is the 14th player entered into the wall of honor and the only player to make the wall while still enrolled at the school. Any player who wants to wear Walker's jersey no. 15 will now have to seek his permission.

Gerald Wallace Scores 29 Points as the Trail Blazers Top Utah 98-87

By Justin Worsley,

Gerald Wallace scored 29 points and Portland never trailed as the Trail Blazers beat the Utah Jazz 98-87 in the EnergySolutions Arena on Thursday night.

Portland (46-33) led by seven points at halftime, much in part to Nicolas Batum, who scored 13 of his 21 points in the first half. Batum started the game due to center Marcus Camby being out with a neck injury.

The Trail Blazers began to put a strangle-hold on the game in the third quarter, going on a 7-0 run to but Portland up 63-52. Utah (37-42,) however, would not go down easy as Devin Harris knocked down three three-pointers withing 1:27 as Utah pulled within four points. Portland, however, responded by going on a 10-0 run to keep the game out of Utah's reach. Harris scored 14 of his 26 points in the third quarter.

Wallace came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 13 points to help preserve the Trail Blazer's lead, including three shots from beyond the arc.

With the loss, Utah has officially suffered through their second losing season in 28 years. Portland now leads New Orleans by a half game for sixth place in the standings in the Western Conference with the win.

Knicks Rally in Fourth Quarter, Beat Nets 120-116

By Justin Worsley,

Carmelo Anthony scored 39 points and the New York Knicks rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat the New Jersey Nets 120-116.

New Jersey scored a season-high 68 points in the first half, including 22 of Brook Lopez's 26 points and led by 10 at halftime.

The Knicks came alive in the third quarter, however, going on an early 10-0 run to cut bring the game within one point until the Nets made back-to-back-to-back three pointers by Deron Williams and Anthony Morrow.

The Knicks continued to chip away at the Nets lead, relying on Anthony, who scored 19 points in the third quarter.

Williams helped the Nets tie the game at 107 apiece after making a layup and drawing a foul. The teams traded shots until Williams failed to make a jumper with five second left to tie the game.

Williams, who is playing in his first game since Mar. 18 with a right wrist injury, fell to the floor while attempting that late shot, scaring both fans and coaches that he may have re-injured his wrist. He got up moments later, showing he was hit in the stomach, not his wrist.

Chauncey Billups added 33 points for New York and Amar'e Stoudemire had 23.

The Nets drop to 0-3 against the Knicks this season, with the series finale on Apr. 8. New York's magic number to clinch a playoff spot is now three.

Nets May Shut Down Williams

By Justin Worsley.

The New Jersey Nets may shut down star point guard Deron Williams for the remainder of the season according to the Bergen Record.

Williams, who was acquired by the Nets last month in a last-minute trade with the Utah Jazz, is averaging 14.3 points and 13.7 assists in seven games with the Nets.

The 26-year-old All-Star has a strained right wrist which was aggravated in Friday night's 105-95 loss to Milwaukee. Despite the injury, which was suffered in the third quarter, Williams remained in the game.

Williams missed two games last week to be present for the birth of his son. He returned to help the Nets upset the Boston Celtics, however, he has shot only 9-for-36 from the field, including a 1-for-12 outing against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night. In those three games, Williams has scored a combined 39 points, but he has still been able to dish out nearly 10 assists per game.

Williams suffered the injury in January while still with Utah. While he insists he has been told by team doctors that he only needs 3-4 weeks rest to heal the injury, Nets head coach Avery Johnson, a former point guard with the San Antonio Spurs, told the Associated Press that he feels the injury would need "4-6 weeks."

Williams is under contract with the Nets until 2012.

Durant Scores 29 as Thunder Stop Heat

By Justin Worsley,

Kevin Durant scored 29 points and Miami's Big Three were held to 23 points in the second half as the Thunder beat Miami to end the Heat's three-game winning streak 95-86.

Miami took the lead to start the game, but found themselves behind halfway through the first quarter when Oklahoma City went on a 8-0 run with back-to-back three-pointers by Durant and Thabo Sefolosha.

The Thunder were able to extender their lead to 11 by the second quarter until the Heat came rumbling back, going on a 10-0 including back-to-back dunks by LeBron James, to tie the game at 43 apiece.

Eric Maynor hit a shot from beyond the arc, his only field goal of the game, to put the Thunder back in the lead permanently just before halftime.

Miami only trailed by five points for nearly the entire third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter until Oklahoma City went on a 10-2 run and extended the lead to 78-66.

Kendrick Perkins, who played in just his second game with Oklahoma City since being traded to the team last month, has just four points and five rebounds before fouling out of the game in the fourth quarter.

The game featured three of the top four scoring leaders in the NBA in Durant, James and Dwyane Wade. Wade scored 21 points while James had 19. It is just the second time in the last 15 games that James did not score over 20 points.

Durant also earned his first victory over James after losing the previous seven match-ups against the reigning league MVP. The Thunder have now won eight of their last nine games.

Wade and Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra were both given technical fouls for arguing a non-foul call by the referees in the fourth quarter.

Golden State Buys Out Murphy's Contract

By Justin Worsley,

Troy Murphy will now be looking for his fourth home in 12 months.

The Golden State Warriors have agreed to buy out the remainder of Murphy's contract according to ESPN. The Warriors acquired the 30-year-old power forward from the New Jersey Nets last week in a three-team trade involving Utah.

New Jersey traded for Murphy last summer, however, they have used him as a trading piece in a effort to bring in Carmelo Anthony. When that failed, they quickly shipped him to Golden State and received Deron Williams from the Jazz.

Several teams have expressed interest in Murphy, including the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat. The Portland Trailblazers have also expressed interested, however, it is believed Murphy is choosing between the two Eastern Conference powers.

Boston is looking to add size to their roster after trading center Kendrick Perkins. The other centers on their roster include Shaquille and Jermaine O'Neal, both of whom are injured, and Nenad Krstic. The Celtics have three open spaces on their roster.

Miami is looking to add size and depth to their team. In last week's loss to the Bulls, Miami was outrebounded 53-39 and their bench only scored two points. Miami has a full roster and would need to release a player to make room for Murphy.

Murphy has only played in 18 games this year, all with the Nets, and has not played since Jan. 7. He is averaging 3.6 points and 4.2 rebounds while playing off the bench. As a starter for the Pacers last year, Murphy averaged 14.6 points and 10.2 boards per game.

Murphy began his career with the Warriors and played with them between 2001-07.

Luol Deng Sinks Three-Pointer to Lift Bulls over Heat

By Justin Worsley,

Luol Deng sank a three-pointer with 16 seconds left to break an 89-89 tie as the Chicago Bulls beat the Miami Heat.

Miami had a big game out of both LeBron James (29 points, 10 rebounds) and Dwyane Wade (34 points, eight rebounds,) however, their third big man stuggled. Chris Bosh ended a four-game 20-point streak after going 1-for-18 from the field and only managing to score seven points.

The Heat bounced back from an early 7-2 deficit by going on a 13-2 run which began with back-to-back dunks by James. Miami continued to pressure Chicago, relying on fast break points and perimeter shooting to pad their lead. Miami led by as much as 11 until the Bulls rallied back in the third quarter, going on a 15-2 run with Deng scoring eight points. During the run, Wade was given a technical foul for arguing with an official.

Ronnie Brewer made a jumper to put the Bulls up 80-71, their largest lead of the night, until the Heat rallied back. Wade and James combined for the first 24 points by the Heat to start the second half until Bosh made a pair of free throws halfway through the fourth quarter.

With the entire Bulls defense focused on Wade, the shooting guard found a wide open Mario Chalmers, who calmly made a three-pointer to put the Heat back up 82-80.

Chicago responded with a three-pointer of their own when Kyle Korver made one from beyond the arc to begin a 9-0 run which put the Bulls back in the lead until James drew a foul on Derrick Rose after making an eight-foot jumper. James made the free throw to tie the game.

Rose dished the ball to Deng, who was left alone outside the arc to sink the Heat.

Chicago was able to keep the game close due to their control of the glass. The Bulls out-rebounded Miami 53-39 and their bench outscored Miami's 22-2. Wade and James combined for 63 points.

The win clinches the best of three series for Chicago, who also bested Miami 99-96 on Jan. 15.

Oklahoma City Acquires Kendrick Perkins

By Justin Worsley,

The Boston Celtics shipped one of their big men, and their smallest man, to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a four-player deal.

Oklahoma City will receive center Kendrick Perkins and 5-foot-9 guard Nate Robinson. Boston will receive forward Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic in return.

Green was originally drafted by Boston in 2007, however, the Celtics immediately traded away his rights to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for Ray Allen. Seattle moved to Oklahoma City following Green's rookie season.

Despite being one of the shortest players in the NBA, Robinson has developed a reputation for being able to dunk. He is the only three-time NBA Slam Dunk Champion.

Perkins returned to Boston last month after missing the first half of the season with a torn MCL and PCL which he suffered in Game Six of the 2010 NBA Finals. The Celtics quickly brought in replacements during the offseason, signing both Shaquille and Jermaine O'Neal, however, both have been unable to stay healthy during the season.

Krstic, 27, is expected to start at center for now. For the season, Krstic is averaging 7.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while coming off the bench.

Green, 24, will come off the bench while playing behind team captain Paul Pierce. As a starter in Oklahoma City, Green averaged 15.2 points per game.

In 12 games, Perkins is averaging 7.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. Boston has gone 8-4 with Perkins in the lineup.

The deal is one of three that Boston completed before the trade deadline. Marquis Daniels and rookies Luke Harangody and Semih Erden were also dealt today.

Clippers Ship Baron Davis to Cleveland

By Justin Worsley,

With the trade deadline just hours away, the Los Angeles Clippers have traded point guard Baron Davis to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon.

Cleveland will also receive the Clippers 2011 first-round draft pick.

Davis, 31, joined the Clippers in 2008 much due to the fact that he longed to be closer to home. Davis was a star at UCLA and the Crossroads School in Santa Monica.

For the season, Davis is averaging 12.8 points and 7.0 assists.

The Cavaliers are struggling so far in the post-LeBron era. They snapped a 26-game losing streak earlier this month when they defeated the Clippers in overtime and are 10-47 for the season.

Wlliams, also a point guard, has posted nearly identical stats as Davis, with 13.3 points and 7.1 assists, but he is also only 28 and comes at a much cheaper price. Williams was also named to the All-Star team in 2009.

Deron Williams Traded to Nets

By Justin Worsley,

During the summer, the Miami Heat beat them in pursuit of LeBron James. Two days ago, the Knicks beat them to acquire Carmelo Anthony. Today the New Jersey Nets finally land a star.

The Nets have acquired All-Star point guard Deron Williams from the Utah Jazz in exchange for a disgruntled Devin Harris and rookie Derrick Favors.

Golden State will also be involved in the trade. The Nets will ship Troy Murphy to the Warriors in exchange for Dan Gadzuric and Brandan Wright.

The Jazz will receive $3 million and two first-round draft picks from the Nets as well.

Williams fell out of favor in Utah after the sudden resignation of head coach Jerry Sloan. Many felt Williams was at fault due to the fact that the player and coach were in an altercation the night before. Williams has denied those comments.

"Anybody who thinks I can force coach Sloan to resign is crazy," said Williams on Feb. 10 after Sloan's retirement.

Williams, 26, has averaged 21.3 points and 9.7 rebounds this season, both career highs. His contract expires in the summer of 2012, however, he will be able to sign an extension in July after the 2011 season ends.

Harris and Favors have both been on the trading block all season as the Nets have attempted to acquire Anthony. There was reportedly an offer on Wednesday morning for the Harris to return to his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, in exchange for Caron Butler, but the Nets declined the trade.

The trade is pending a physical and could be completed as early as Wednesday night. Williams could report for the team as early as Friday, when the Nets travel to San Antonio.

Knicks Acquire Carmelo Anthony

By Justin Worsley,

After months of rumors, speculations and battling their cross-river rivals, the New York Knicks have finally acquired their second super star.

The Denver Nuggets have agreed to trade small forward Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks for guard Raymond Felton, center Timofey Mosgov, and forwards Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler as well as the Knick's first-round pick in 2014 and two second round draft picks.

The Knicks will also receive guard Chauncey Billups and Anthony Carter and forwards Renaldo Balkman and Sheldon Williams.

Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Corey Brewer will also join the Knicks in exchange for center Eddie Curry and Anthony Randolph.

Anthony is a four-time NBA All-Star who is averaging 25.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He is the second All-Star to join the Knicks, Amar'e Stoudemire signed with New York this offseason and has helped lead the Knicks to a 28-26 record.

One thing that will be different for Anthony is his jersey number. Anthony has worn no. 15 since winning a national title with Syracuse, however, the Knicks have retired that number, twice, in honor of Earl Monroe and Dick McGuire. While no definite answer can be confirmed, rumors have has Anthony wearing either no. 13 or 30.

The Knicks were initially not going to offer as much as they did, however, they were forced to up the ante once the New Jersey Nets re-entered trade talks with a deal centered around rookie Derrick Favors. The deal stalled, however, when Anthony was mum on agreeing to a three-year extension with the Nets.

Anthony was expected to be a free agent this season, however, he has accepted a three-year $65 million extension in order to be traded.

New York has long been the favorite for a new home for Anthony. The 26-year-old is a Brooklyn native and has openly said he would sign an extension if he was traded to the Knicks.

Kings Looking at Relocation

By Justin Worsley,

Sources have told ESPN.com's Marc Stein that the Sacramento Kings are seriously considering moving the franchise south to Anaheim.

If they franchise does intend to move, they will need to apply for a relocation with the league by the March 1 deadline.

The Kings moved to Sacramento in 1985, moving away from Kansas City. The franchise has also called Rochester and Omaha their home.

The King's are the only professional sports franchise located in Sacramento. It is also a more populated area than Anaheim. Anaheim has two other professional sports franchises residing in the city, the NHL's Ducks and baseball's Angels.

One reason the team may be looking at relocation is due to the fact that they are unable to fill their seats. The Kings rank 29th in the NBA in attendance, only the New Jersey Nets rank lower. The Nets will be relocating to Brooklyn in 2012.

Sacramento has also failed to secure a new stadium for the Kings. If the team was to relocate, they would play in the Honda Center, where the Ducks also play.

Sacramento is currently 13-40 and is on pace to miss their fifth consecutive postseason.

Sloan Resigns as Jazz Head Coach

By Justin Worsley,

Less than a month after the longest tenured coach in the NFL parted ways with his team, the senior NBA coach has followed in his footsteps.

Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan announced his resignation from the team on Thursday, ending a 23-year reign as the franchise's head coach.

Sloan, 68, began his coaching career with the Chicago Bulls in 1979, but was fired after a slow start in 1982.

A year later, Sloan joined Utah as a scout and in 1988, was named successor after Frank Layden retired.

Utah has made 16 consecutive postseason appearances under Sloan, including back-to-back NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, where his team fell to the Michael Jordan-led Bulls.

The Jazz have been eliminated in the last three postseasons by the Los Angeles Lakers, who have won the 2009 and 2010 NBA Finals.

Sloan has a career record of 1,221-803, the third most wins by a head coach in NBA history. His resignation comes just three days after he revealed that he signed a one-year extension with the organization for the 2011-12 season.

Assistant coach Tyrone Corbin has been named as Sloan's replacement.

Nets Kill Talks With Anthony

By Justin Worsley,

The New Jersey Nets have ended communications with the Denver Nuggets to acquire superstar forward Carmelo Anthony in a potential three-team trade.

Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov called the deal off himself on Wednesday during a press conference.

"The deal has taken too long. It has been taken out in public and it certainly has taken a toll on the players," Prokhorov said on the YES Network. "I believe it has costs us several games."

Most recent rumors had the Nets trying to acquire the 26-year-old Anthony by involving the Detroit Pistons in a three-team trade. New Jersey would also receive Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups in the deal while delivering two draft picks and several players, including point guard Devin Harris and rookie power forward Derek Favors.

The Nets dropped six straight games before winning Wednesday night's contest against the Utah Jazz.

Earlier in the day, the Nuggets granted New Jersey permission to speak with Anthony. Prokhorov had a meeting with Antony on Thursday, however, he promptly canceled the meeting after announcing his decision to end talks with the three-time All-Star.

One of the necessary clauses in the deal was that Anthony would need to sign a three-year contract extension prior to the trade. Anthony, who is set to become a free agent this offseason, did not indicate whether or not he would sign a deal.

Anthony would give the Nets their first superstar under the Prokhorov era. Last offseason, Prokhorov attempted to acquire several marquee free agents such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but to no avail. Prokhorov was hoping he would have better luck with the Brooklyn-native Anthony. The Nets plan on moving the franchise to Brooklyn in 2012.

The deal, however, was potentially doomed from the start. Billups immediately announced after his name was mentioned in the rumor mill that he refused to play for the Nets and no trade was able to materialize.

Anthony has also seen less playing time due to this deal. Nuggets coach george Karl said he could not play Anthony as many minutes because he felt Anthony was "distracted."