Since it has been so long since the Knicks have been in the NBA Playoffs, ESPN’s Brandon Tierney and Jody McDonald are giving away new Knicks gear if you send them a picture of your old gear.

Here is our submission:

Via ESPN’s Marc Stein on Twitter:

Who is to blame for the Melo-drama?

The Nuggets?  Carmelo Anthony?  Leon Rose and Worldwide Wes?  James Dolan via Isiah Thomas?

The answer is not that simple.

In his State of the NBA Address yesterday, NBA Commissioner David Stern said “the digital water cooler…can do a lot in our game and it’s fun,” but upon deeper examination has social media taken NBA fans hostage?

Twitter has become the ultimate NBA tabloid mag.

We all remember major abuses that were displayed throughout 2010′s “Summer of LeBron” and the fun continues with “The Melo-drama.”

There appears to be little, if any, accountability when it comes to NBA reporting, leaving us to wonder if the word has any meaning at all.  Media outlets like ESPN, CBS and Yahoo! desperately try to keep pace with (and in control of) the Twitterverse to ensure their voices are still heard amongst the chatter.

Social media has demonstrated an innate ability to keep people honest and accountable for their actions.  However, in the NBA, the exact opposite plays out on a daily basis.  The days of disclosed sources are gone and media sources have been reduced to willing pawns in the NBA’s chess match between players/agents and owners/general management, delivering mixed messages to whomever will listen.  Apparently this new found role is acceptable as long you are first to market with “breaking news.”

Here’s a bit of news.  No one knows exactly how the Melo-drama will actually turn out.  But be certain, the media will continue to churn out twisting and turning story lines til the very end.

As a Knicks fan, you are in the center of it all, which can be tiresome.  Unfortunately though, for many, the new norm is as captivating as ever.

Ric Bucher is saying that the Knicks will end up with Carmelo Anthony in the long run.

Video here.

Part 1 of a great Spike Lee interview via ESPN New York offers the following:

What’s your most memorable conversation with a player during a game?

This is really surprising, and this is all true. The only time that it’s ever really gotten nasty was with Reggie Miller. But we were friends before that and we’ve been friends since then. When I go to the games, it’s to have fun. I’m respectful. If I say a player missed a shot, that’s not talking about your mother, your family; it’s all good nature. The players enjoy talking to me and I enjoy talking to them. But this last time against Boston — you know that game where they disallowed Stoudemire’s three? — Kevin Garnett lost it. He was cursing me out for no reason. Maybe because Stoudemire gave him 39 points, but take that vulgarity to Stoudemire. I’m not holding you and I did not even say s— to Garnett the whole game. That really surprised me. He lost it. He was cursing at me the whole game. He needs to calm the f— down.

Via Newsday:

A report on ESPN Radio that said the Nuggets rejected an offer from the Knicks that included Wilson Chandler, Landry Fields, Eddy Curry and a first round pick for Carmelo Anthony might have some dust on it. That was a scenario discussed in preliminary conversations in the fall, a person with knowledge of the talks told Newsday. The Knicks consider that a starting point now, with Carmelo making it clear his choice destination — and possibly the only team he’d agree to sign an extension with — is the Knicks….

Can Billy “Sky” Walker follow in the footsteps of the Knicks’ original Sky Walker?  Who could forget this?

From ESPN’s Chris Broussard on Twitter:

According to ESPN’s Chris Broussard on Twitter:

But Melo still holds the cards (as per Newsday’s Alan Hahn on Twitter):

Via Sheridan’s Knicks Chat on ESPN New York:

The wonderfully informative Chris Broussard at ESPN offers the following plan B’s over at TrueHoop.  He offers no “sources” behind either plan, but who relies on sources these days?

Via ESPN TrueHoop:

“So if the Knicks can’t trade for Anthony by the Feb. 24 trade deadline, they’ve got two other potential Plan Bs in mind.

In one, they may go after Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala, who would seem to fit nicely in Mike D’Antoni’s system. Eddy Curry’s expiring contract and one other player might be enough to pry Iguodala away from the Sixers, though Philadelphia doesn’t want to give away its top player in a mere salary dump.

The Knicks’ other scenario would potentially bring Cleveland’s proven role players Anderson Varejao and Daniel “Boobie” Gibson to Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are aware of their need for more toughness inside and Varejao would provide that. And Gibson could fill the backup point guard spot the Knicks have been looking to upgrade.

The Knicks are weighing whether those two options are better than what they could get on next summer’s free agent market.”

The Andre Iguodala “plan” runs completely counter to what HOOPSWORLD was reporting its sources told them regarding the 76′ers turning potential trade inquirers away.