Lee Traded To Rangers

P Cliff Lee, who has been among the best pitchers in the American League this year with the lowly Seattle Mariners, has been traded to the first place Texas Rangers for 1B Justin Smoak and three minor leaguers. The Mariners also sent P Mark Lowe to the Rangers in the deal. It was looking inevitable that the Mariners were going to deal Lee before the trade deadline. It was just a matter of where. Other teams currently involved in playoff races have inquired about acquiring Lee.

It was reported earlier that the New York Yankees had a deal in place to get Lee. However, that deal fell through when the Mariners weren't so sure about the health about one of the prospects the Yankees were sending them in the deal. Lee was traded last season from the Cleveland Indians to the Philadelphia Phillies before the trade deadline. Lee helped the Phillies make an appearance in the World Series for the second consecutive season, but the Phillies lost to the Yankees. The Phillies won two games in that series, both with Lee starting.

Lee leads the American League in ERA with a 2.34 ERA. The Mariners were expected to be contenders coming into the season with the acquisitions of Lee, 2B Chone Figgins, and LF Milton Bradley. However, Figgins and Bradley have not contributed at all, and Lee has been the only bright spot. The Mariners now stand in last place in the AL West, behind the Rangers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and Oakland Athletics.

Lee can definitely be the pitching the Rangers need to make the playoffs. It has been more than ten years since the Rangers last appeared in the playoffs, and their offense hasn't been the reason. They have always been productive offensively, but has suffered from a lack of quality pitching. Lee instantly becomes their #1 starter and a pitcher capable of taking them deep into the playoffs. The Rangers are currently being owned by Major League Baseball and are in bankruptcy court, so this deal isn't finalized. Hopefully, it will be worked out and Lee can pitch for the Rangers down the stretch.

Lebron Chooses Heat

F Lebron James has decided to join forces with G Dwyane Wade and F Chris Bosh with the Miami Heat, apparently taking less money to win a championship. James had an hour special on ESPN where he announced his decision to join the Heat, over the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and Chicago Bulls, among others. It was reported all day that James would be joining the Heat, leaving the Cavaliers hanging dry. However, the Heat's work is just beginning, as they only have four total players on the roster.

The Heat also traded F Michael Beasley to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 2011 NBA Draft pick. All of the other eight players the Heat sign will have to be at minimum contracts, which could be very difficult. This now shifts the balance of power over to Miami, as they instantly have become the team to beat, even if the Los Angeles Lakers have won two straight championships.

There has been criticism from many about how James decided to reveal his decision to sign with the Heat. Many other players, such as G Kobe Bryant, got new contracts or contract extensions the traditional way, with a press conference. James decided to go out of his way to travel to Connecticut and reveal his decision to leave the Cavaliers, which didn't sit well in Cleveland. Everytime the Heat plays the Cavaliers in Cleveland, there will definitely be added security and extra police officers for the protection of James. James now has six years to get as many championships as possible under his new deal.More Than a Game

Russell Arrested

Former Oakland Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell has been arrested and released from jail after being caught with codeine syrup in his home in Alabama. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance, in an offseason which has been horrible for Russell. In May, Russell was released by the Raiders, after a couple seasons of erratic play and a non-chalant work ethic. Russell was drafted with the first overall pick by the Raiders in the 2007 NFL Draft, and has not lived up to his contract.

Russell even held out of training camp his rookie season to get the contract he wanted. That makes it even worse for him, as he failed miserably to live up to the contract. Russell was so terrible that he couldn't even last the duration of his rookie contract. Only one other top pick has been released that quickly, and that was QB Steve Emtman, when the Indianapolis Colts released him three seasons after he was drafted first overall.

Russell has also played so terribly that there probably isn't a team that's interested in signing him as a backup. Former overall top pick QB David Carr was released by the Houston Texans after several unproductive years with them, but he has been able to latch on to other teams as a backup quarterback. Russell may never get the chance to play in the NFL again. Even QB Ryan Leaf was able to go to a second team before his career was over. Russell will have to prove that he is willing to condition and work hard to get his body right. Also, more importantly, Russell has to work on his accuracy, which was a major problem.

Knicks, Stoudemire Agree On Terms

F Amare Stoudemire has agreed to a five-year contract worth $100 million to join the New York Knicks yesterday. It was clear that the Knicks were Stoudemire's first choice, as he really only met and talked with the Knicks. The Knicks weren't really courting Stoudemire initially, but his interest in the Knicks was something the Knicks could not turn down. Stoudemire also made headlining comments a couple of days ago when he said Denver Nuggets F Carmelo Anthony and San Antonio Spurs G Tony Parker are ready to join him in New York when they become free agents next year. Stoudemire spent the first eight years of his career with the Phoenix Suns, averaging 21.4 points per game during his time there.

In addition to his personal success, the Suns have been as far as the Western Conference Finals three times in his eight seasons there. However, he has not been able to get them to the NBA Finals, and he'll try to start anew with the Knicks and his old coach Mike D'Antoni. D'Antoni led the Suns to two of the three Western Conference Finals appearances Stoudemire has been involved in. The Knicks signing of Stoudemire could lure another top class free agent over to the Knicks. F Lebron James and G Dwyane Wade are still available on the free agent market.

The Knicks have only made the playoffs once since 2001, and they failed to get a win in that lone playoff appearance. The Knicks have been set back by failed free agent signings, and bad trades. The Knicks had a bunch of overpaid players who didn't contribute much or nothing at all. When Donnie Walsh left the Indiana Pacers to join the Knicks, he made it a goal to get rid of all the bad contracts to have financial flexibility for the 2010 free agency period. He blew up the team during the 2008-2009 season, when the Knicks were playing decent basketball with G Jamal Crawford and F Zach Randolph. He traded both of them in the same week in separate deals, freeing up cap space. It may now pay off for the Knicks and the fans, who haven't seen a championship since 1973.

Colon Tears Achilles

Pittsburgh Steelers OT Willie Colon has reportedly torn his Achilles tendon, making it unlikely that he'll play at all in the 2010 season. Colon will undergo more tests today to check the extent of the injury. If it is revealed that he has torn his Achilles tendon, he will need surgery and about six months to rehab, which pretty much runs up until December or January. It's a big blow to a team who already won't see QB Ben Roethlisberger for the first couple of games due to suspension. The Steelers also got rid of reliable WR Santonio Holmes, trading him to the New York Jets in the offseason.

This could really be the difference between an okay start and a horrible start for the Steelers. Colon was a mainstay on their offensive line, and with QB Byron Leftwich or QB Dennis Dixon having to play the first couple of games, protection will be more important. The Steelers struggled last year to defend their title, missing the playoffs on poor defense and poor special teams play. Their defense might get back on track, but with Colon's absence, in addition to Holmes' departure and Roethlisberger's suspension, they could be off to a bad start.

The Cincinnati Bengals won the AFC North division, sweeping the Steelers in the season series last season. The Bengals haven't really changed their roster, so they're poised to make another run at the AFC North crown. The Baltimore Ravens came in second and made the playoffs. They also upgraded their offense by acquiring WR Anquan Boldin. They are poised, and probably the front-runner, to take the AFC North division. The Steelers should just prepare for the 2011 season, because it's looking pretty bleak for them this upcoming season.

James, Bosh, Wade Talk About Future

According to sources, F Lebron James, F Chris Bosh, and G Dwyane Wade met in Miami over the weekend to discuss their futures. The possibility of those three teaming up with the Miami Heat was also reportedly discussed. The Heat only have money for two max contract players, but can acquire another one through a sign-and-trade deal. Stephen A. Smith reported on his radio show that the three agreed to join the Heat once the free agency period starts. However, it has been reported that James will still visit other teams and has not committed to leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This only makes it more interesting once July 1 comes, because there are huge names in this free agency market. Wade talked about a meeting between those three and G Joe Johnson last month, but it didn't happen. It was also reported that if there was credible evidence that anyone was discussing their futures together, they could be subject to a fine for tampering. I don't know how commissioner David Stern will approach this situation, because all of this talk is happening before July 1.

It wouldn't make sense for James to join Wade because those are two players who demand the ball on almost every possession. It will start off as a honeymoon, but quickly turn sour, with Wade's attitude. If only Bosh were to join Wade in Miami, it wouldn't help the Heat much, because Bosh has proven that he isn't a game changer. Toronto currently has a better assembly of talent than Miami, and Bosh still couldn't get the team to the playoffs. James should seriously look into Chicago, New York or New Jersey if he wants to leave Cleveland.

Thunder, Spurs Lose Ground

The Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs lost ground in the Western Conference standings when both of them lost their games last night to the Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns, respectively. The Thunder fell to eighth place from seventh, and the Spurs fell from sixth to seventh. The Portland Trail Blazers, who started the day in eighth place, is now in sixth place. All three teams have identical records at 48-30, but the Trail Blazers own the tiebreaker against the Spurs via head-to-head matchups and the Spurs own the tiebreaker against the Thunder via head-to-head matchups.

The Thunder suffered their second straight defeat, and they blew a 13-point-lead in the fourth quarter. F Kevin Durant scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, both team-highs, but he missed his final six shots as the Thunder went the final nine minutes without a made field goal, missing their final 13 shots. The Spurs were toe-to-toe with the Suns until the final two minutes of the first half. The Suns went on an 11-2 run to take a nine-point-lead into the half, and never looked back.

Both the Thunder and the Spurs have a tough schedule coming up, with three of their last four games against Western Conference teams with winning records. The Trail Blazers schedule is just as hard, with three out of their remaining four games against teams with winning records as well. All three teams are trying to avoid the eighth seed, where that team will most likely have to play the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. The Lakers can clinch their #1 seed if they beat the Nuggets tonight.

It was reported before the Spurs/Suns game that G Manu Ginobili of the Spurs was close to reaching a three-year extension with the Spurs. He was set to become a free agent at the end of this season. He has been playing extremely well as of late, but didn't have a good game last night after starting off hot. The playoffs start Saturday April 17, and there are still positioning that needs to be done.

St. John's, UTEP Get New Coaches

St. John's basketball program has hired Steve Lavin as their new head coach, succeeding Norm Roberts. Roberts was fired after six seasons as head coach, not making the NCAA Tournament in any season. Lavin coached at UCLA for seven seasons, and he made the NCAA Tournament in six of those seven seasons. His last season, UCLA went 10-19 and Lavin was promptly fired after the season, in which he took a job as a college basketball analyst with ESPN.

UTEP also made a big hire, getting Tim Floyd as their new head coach. Their previous coach, Tony Barbee, left UTEP to take a head coaching job with Auburn. UTEP was in the NCAA Tournament this year, but lost to Butler in the first round. Butler is still in the tournament, playing Michigan St in the Final Four on Saturday. Floyd was previously head coach with USC, but left last year after allegations were made stating he illegally recruited O.J. Mayo. Floyd has continuously denied those allegations. USC is still being investigated by the NCAA, and the school decided to forfeit past wins on their own. USC also didn't compete in the Pac 10 tournament or the NCAA Tournament.

The hire of Lavin by St. John's is going to be interesting, because Lavin will have a lot to do in order to restore the prominence of St. John's basketball. This isn't UCLA, where a lot of top high school basketball players love to go. He'll have to hire assistants with great ties to the New York City area, and the surrounding area, to recruit the top basketball players in the area. I believe Lavin can get it done, because he has been able to study college basketball from afar as an analyst. He'll know what St. John's needs, and they could be back competing in the Big East, and in the NCAA Tournament.

The hire of Tim Floyd by UTEP could go either way. Floyd has NBA credentials as well, having coached the Chicago Bulls and the New Orleans Hornets. However, the latest allegations made against him during his time at USC could scare away parents of good basketball players he's trying to recruit. There is a possibility that Floyd can put the UTEP program in trouble, the same way Kelvin Sampson did with Oklahoma and then Indiana, and John Calipari with UMass, and then Memphis. However, it's a wait and see process with both coaches.

Final Four Set

The four teams that will be participating in the Final Four are now set. It is probably the unlikeliest four that are in, however. Butler was the first to clinch a berth, with their win over Kansas St. Kansas St averages 80 points a game, but they were only able to score 56 points. Jacob Pullen, Denis Clemente, and Curtis KellyCurtis Kelly were responsible for 46 out of the 56 points, as Butler was able to shut down the rest of the team. Gordon Hayward led them with 22 points, and also contributed a game-high 9 rebounds. Butler will be playing in their first Final Four in their home state.

The second team to clinch was West Virginia, in a battle of 1 vs 2. West Virginia was able to handle the explosiveness of Kentucky, and Kentucky was unable to knock down three-pointers in the loss. John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins struggled to get going all game, and Wall eventually fouled out. West Virginia's offense was supposed to struggle without Darryl Bryant. That wasn't the case as Joe Mazzulla was able to get in the lane at will for 17 points. This is West Virginia's first berth in the Final Four since 1959.

Michigan St. and Duke were the last two to clinch with victories over Tennessee and Baylor respectively. Tennessee battled Michigan St hard, and it came down to the last 10 seconds. J.P. Prince fouled Raymar MorganRaymar Morgan with less than two seconds left with the game tied at 69. Morgan knocked down a free throw and missed the second purposely to put them ahead, leaving Tennessee with virtually no time for a final shot. Durrell SummersDurrell Summers led Michigan St. with 21 points. This is their second straight year in the Final Four. Last year, they lost to North Carolina in the title game.

Duke was able to outlast Baylor with a big run at the end. Nolan SmithNolan Smith and Jon ScheyerJon Scheyer led the charge, with Smith scoring 29 and Scheyer chipping in 20. Kyle SinglerKyle Singler, their other big threat, only scored 5 points and was 0 for 10 from the field. LaceDarius Dunn led Baylor with 22 points, and Ekpe Udoh chipped in 18 points in the loss. This is the farthest Baylor has ever gone in the NCAA Tournament. They weren't picked to compete in the Big 12 in the preseason, but they were competetive all year and they'll probably be that way next year also.

Duke will definitely be looked at as favorites, as they are the only #1 seed remaining. However, West Virginia looks to be the strongest team out of the four. Their length and toughness makes them a tough out, and Michigan St. can match their toughness as well. They also may get Darryl Bryant back for the Final Four, so that'll be a lift for them. West Virginia and Michigan St. will definitely battle it out in the title game, and West Virginia will come out on top in a sluggish, low-scoring affair.

Spurs, Bucks Get Close Wins

The San Antonio Spurs overcame an early deficit against the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder to defeat them on the road 99-96. The Thunder built a 14-point-lead in the first half, but saw it go away in the third quarter, en route to their second straight defeat. Also, the Milwaukee Bucks continued their strong play with a home win against the Atlanta Hawks. John Salmons scored 16 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter to put the Bucks over the top.

The Spurs and the Bucks have been hot as of late, with both involving unique circumstances. The Spurs have won 10 of their past 13 games, with all of them coming without Tony Parker. The Spurs have a rough schedule this week, with a road loss to the Hawks in the books already. They face the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, and the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

The Bucks have only lost two games since trading for John Salmons on February 18. They are now in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. If the playoffs were to start today, they would face off with the Hawks in the first round. The Bucks, with the excellent play from Salmons, the emergence of Andrew Bogut, and the play of rookie Brandon Jennings, have the Bucks looking like minor contenders in the East.

The Spurs and the Bucks can be sleepers come playoff time. The Spurs certainly have the championship experience on their roster, and the Bucks have shown they can compete with the likes of the Hawks and Celtics. The Spurs climbed to sixth place in the standings with the win, which could mean a matchup with the struggling Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks once looked like a team to contend with the Lakers, but they've looked bad since their home embarrassement against the New York Knicks. That could be a perfect matchup for the Spurs.

The Bucks have not necessarily shown the ability to compete with the Orlando Magic and the Cleveland Cavaliers with Lebron James. Until they can prove that, they'll only get as far as the second round at the very most.

Spartans, Boilermakers Win Thrillers

The Michigan St. Spartans beat the Maryland Terrapins 85-83 in a thriller that resulted in Korie Lucious hitting the game winning three-pointer as time expired. A couple of hours later, their Big Ten counterparts, the Purdue Boilermakers, won their second round game against the Texas A&M Aggies 63-61 in overtime. Chris Kramer drove past the Aggies defense for the game-winning layup with 4.2 seconds left. B.J Holmes desperation three at the buzzer was short. Michigan St. will take on Northern Iowa in the Sweet 16, and Purdue will face Duke.

Purdue's advancement to the Sweet 16 is surprising to some because they are without the services of Robbie Hummel. Hummel is the team's second leading scorer behind E'Twaun Moore, and they struggled after his injury. They were embarrassed in the Big Ten tournament by Minnesota, only scoring 11 points in the first half en route to a 27 point loss. Purdue also faced Siena, who advanced past the first round of the tournament the past two seasons. The Purdue-Siena matchup were a lot of people's choice for an upset, but they were able to pull it out.

Michigan St. advanced, but they struggled to get past New Mexico St. in the first round, and they let a big lead against Maryland slip away as well. However, their problems have just begun. They are facing a Northern Iowa team who beat the overall #1 team in Kansas. They will also be without the services of Kalin Lucas, who tore his ACL during the game. Lucas is their leading scorer, and they struggle to get shots without him.

For Purdue and Michigan St., their runs in the tournament will end on Friday. Northern Iowa, even though a performance like what they had against Kansas probably won't happen again, were in the top 25 earlier this season. They are a legit basketball team with a legit big man presence in the middle. Michigan St. will have a lot of problems with Northern Iowa without Lucas. Purdue, without Hummel, will not be a factor against a healthy Duke team. Duke has three players who are averaging over 17 points a game.

This is March Madness, however, so anything can happen. A lot of people didn't give the Spartans a chance against Kansas in the Sweet 16 last year and Louisville in the Elite 8. They have to get on the court and perform.

Iverson Not Returning This Season

The Philadelphia 76ers have announced that Allen Iverson will not be returning to the team this season. Iverson missed some time before the All-Star break and then the All-Star Game to be with his sick daughter Messiah. Iverson briefly came back after the All-Star break, but hasn't played for the 76ers since February 20. His daughter, who is 4 years old, seems to be going through a mystery illness. So far, doctors at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have reportedly not determined what is wrong with her.

This will most likely be the end for Iverson. Iverson had an excellent career -- a Hall of Fame career -- but it's going to end without a championship. If Iverson doesn't play anymore, he'll join the likes of Hall of Fame players like Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Patrick Ewing, who have had long careers and come away without a championship.

This is a sad ending for Iverson. It's logical to say that Iverson wanted to go out on his own terms. However, that isn't happening, and it isn't because of injury. It's because his daughter, his loved one, is suffering. This is not only a difficult time for Iverson, but it is a difficult time for his family. Iverson went through a crazy offseason in which he was trying to figure out what team he wanted to join.

The Charlotte Bobcats, New York Knicks, and the Memphis Grizzlies were among the teams this past offseason who were courting Iverson. The Grizzlies were able to land him in a one-year deal. That quickly turned sour as Iverson was expecting to be in the starting lineup. That wasn't the plan for Grizzlies' coach Lionel Hollins. Iverson only played three games, with none of them in front of the home crowd, before he took a leave of absence.

Iverson and the Grizzlies then decided to part ways with each other, and it turned out to be great for the Grizzlies. They started the season 1-8, and their record now stands at 30-30, which is 4 1/2 games out of the eighth and final spot for the playoffs. Meanwhile, Iverson joined his old 76ers team who were already struggling, and unable to get better with him. Making matters even worse, Iverson was traded to the Detroit Pistons from the Denver Nuggets last season for Chauncey Billups, and has seen the Nuggets soar, and the Pistons flop.

While Iverson has been a Hall of Fame player, with an NBA Finals appearance and an MVP award, he has not made teams better in his career, and that will be the thing people will remember.

Burress Sued While In Prison

Former Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress and his wife are being sued by Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. for $3.3 million. The lawsuit is regarding foreclosure on his Florida home. Burress bought the home, which is just north of Ft. Lauderdale, in 2005. Burress is now in prison in New York, serving two years for unlawfully and illegally possessing a gun. He shot himself in November of 2008 in the leg in a nightclub in Manhattan, and his time with the Giants ended shortly afterward, when he was released in the offseason. Burress was later convicted on the gun charges and sent to prison for two years.

The circumstances involving Burress right now is eerily reminiscent of what Michael Vick was going through during his dogfighting case. Vick went into bankruptcy after he went to prison, and there is a possibility Burress could be headed in the same direction. Hopefully, this lawsuit doesn't hurt Burress and his family financially. Burress is due to be out of jail in 2011, and he will be looking for an NFL job upon his release.

Yankees Sign Park

The Yankees have signed pitcher Chan Ho Park to a one-year contract worth $1.2 million. Park, who is 36 years old, played with the NL Champion Philadelphia Phillies last season. The Yankees plan to keep Park in the bullpen, as opposed to battling for the fifth and final spot in the Yankees starting rotation. The Yankees have not looked to expand payroll, but Yankees GM Brian Cashman saw an opportunity to get a reliable pitcher at a cheap price and he followed through. Park rejected a $3.25 million offer to stay with the Phillies, and his value dropped since then.

The Yankees acquisition of Park doesn't necessarily make them a better team. The Yankees still have their core players of C.C Sabathia, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira. Those guys are going to be the players who will help the Yankees get another championship in 2010 if they do get there. However, the bullpen did lose a little when they traded Brian Bruney, so this acquisition helps. Their bullpen also wasn't too reliable, especially towards the end of the season, so if Park is effective, it can help.

McGrady Has Strong Debut

The Knicks newest addition, Tracy McGrady, had a strong debut Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, scoring 26 points, with 19 of them coming in the first half. Eddie House, who was also just acquired by the Knicks, had 24 points in his Knicks' debut as well. However, the Knicks lost 121-118 in overtime, behind a strong performance from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Durant had 36 points, including the game-tying three-pointer to send the game into overtime. Westbrook almost had a triple-double, with 31 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds. Durant has now scored at least 25 points in 27 consecutive games, 13 away from Michael Jordan's record of 40.

The Knicks offense looked sharp with McGrady and House, in addition to All-Star David Lee. The Knicks simply played a better Thunder team. The Knicks should look better for the rest of the regular season, and that should help them in free agency. However, the Knicks may not be able to re-sign Lee, and McGrady may only be there for the rest of the regular season, even though he's expressed a desire to take less money to continue with the Knicks.

Knicks Get McGrady In Three-Team Deal

The Knicks have acquired Tracy McGrady in a three-team trade that involved the Knicks, the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings. The Knicks also acquired Sergio Rodriguez from the Kings. The Kings acquired Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey from the Rockets, and Larry Hughes from the Knicks. The Rockets acquired Kevin Martin and Hilton Armstrong from the Kings, and Jordan Hill and Jared Jeffries from the Knicks.

The Knicks have been looking to get McGrady for a long time, since his contract comes off the books at the end of the season. With the Knicks getting rid of Jeffries and Hill, they cleared a good amount of salary for next season, leaving them in position to make two key free-agent acquisitions in the offseason. McGrady will be looking to get playing time to resurrect his career.

This is certainly a good move for the Knicks. The Knicks needed to make this deal because they started shedding salary last season when they traded Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph in the same week. The Knicks had a legit shot at making the playoffs by keeping those two, but they decided to sacrifice two seasons for the big prizes. They have to complete the task and rid themselves of other salary to make a big splash in the offseason.

The only problem this may cause is if the Knicks don't get Lebron James. He is the big prize, and the Knicks got rid of their best talent just to acquire him. If they end up settling for Joe Johnson or a second-tier All-Star player, they may end up paying him first-tier money, for a player or two who won't get the Knicks a championship. Therefore, the Knicks now HAVE to get James, in addition to Chris Bosh, or Amare Stoudemire, or another quality free agent. They should also look to re-sign David Lee, even though that may not be possible.

Knicks May Add Hill To McGrady Deal

The Knicks are trying to make a deal with the Houston Rockets to bring Tracy McGrady's expiring contract over. The Knicks are now considering throwing rookie Jordan Hill in the deal. The Knicks are clearly looking to get rid of Jared Jeffries, who has played nice defensively, and Eddy Curry, who hasn't really played at all this season. However, Hill hasn't produced at all this season, and he was the Knicks first pick at #8 in the first round of the 2009 Draft.

There was a proposed deal last week between the Knicks, Rockets, and the Washington Wizards, that looked attractive to all sides. That deal included Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood, who were eventually traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Now the Knicks have to make their offer look attractive enough to get McGrady. The Knicks should also consider getting rid of Larry Hughes, who has kind of played his way out of Mike D'Antoni's rotation. The Knicks have until Thursday at 3pm, which is the trade deadline.

Robinson Wins Third Dunk Contest

Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks won his third dunk contest during All-Star weekend festivities. It was his third win in the dunk contest, the most by any player in NBA history. Robinson beat out Toronto Raptors' rookie Demar DeRozan in the final round for the victory. The two participants eliminated after the first round was Shannon Brown of the Los Angeles Lakers and All-Star Gerald Wallace of the Charlotte Bobcats.

Robinson was defending his title from last season, where he beat All-Star Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic in the final round. In 2006, Robinson won his first dunk contest, amid controversy, after defeating Andre Iguodala of the Philadelphia 76ers. In all likelihood, this will be Robinson's last appearance in the dunk contest, as he didn't express excitement in being in this year's dunk contest.

This could very well also be the last year Robinson is in a Knicks uniform. Robinson will be a free agent in the offseason, and the Knicks don't have any plans to retain him. The Knicks are trying to go after marquee free agents like Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, among others. The Knicks will probably try to re-sign David Lee, who will make his first All-Star appearance tonight.

Yankees Target Cuban Shortstop For Future

The New York Yankees reportedly will be serious bidders on Cuban defector Adeinis Hechavarria when the Office of Foreign Assets Committee (OFAC) allows him to sign with MLB teams. His age and other information has to be verified by OFAC before he is eligible to sign in America. The Yankees have checked him out a couple of times recently, and sources say their interest has been there for a while. The Red Sox gave 19 year old shortstop Jose Iglesias $8 million, so Hechavarria will be commanding around $7 million in a signing bonus.

Current Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter will turn 36 years old in June. He has been the Yankees starting shortstop since 1996, the year the Yankees won their first championship in 18 years. Jeter has won five championships with the Yankees, getting his first one this past season in almost 10 years. The Yankees know Jeter's time is coming, where they'll have to look at a possible replacement for him. Jeter, however, will be the starting shortstop next year.

Miller Concerns Walsh

Donnie Walsh's plans for the 2010 offseason is clear to many. He has Cleveland Cavaliers superstar Lebron James in his sights, and it's been debated whether he will come to the Knicks or not. Former Indiana Pacers superstar Reggie Miller said recently in an online question and answer session that James won't be coming to New York. He said the Knicks should get two other quality free agents.

While some executives don't take opinions that seriously, Walsh apparently did. Walsh wanted to know if Miller had any inside information regarding James' decision. Walsh contacted Miller, and Miller told Walsh that he knew nothing and what he stated was his opinion. That gives the Knicks some life, as Walsh has been clearing the roster of bad contracts past the 2010 season in order to free up cap space to obtain his services, hopefully along with another.

For now, the debate will continue on James' decision in the 2010 offseason. I think he'll come to the Knicks because there is a lot to accomplish being in New York. New York is the biggest sports market, in addition to the fact that the Knicks have been starving for a championship for almost nearly 40 years. It'll also benefit his endorsements, especially Nike. Coming to New York will benefit James better than staying in Cleveland or going somewhere else.