September 10 may not be the actual birthday of too many Miami Heat fans, but it's going to feel like it after LeBron James' quotes about staying with the defending champions. 

Much ado has been made about the four-time MVP's upcoming free-agency decision, as he has the ability to terminate his contract early (as do Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh), opting to become a free agent earlier than originally expected. If that happens, there will certainly be a massive scramble by the entire NBA to land his services, with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers functioning as the de factofavorites. 

But not so fast. 

As reported by ESPN's Chris Broussard, James said the following when asked about free agency: 

"I have absolutely no idea. I would love to spend the rest of my career in Miami with this great team and great organization as we continue to compete for championships. That's ideal."

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

So far, the Heat have given James no reason to call them anything other than a "great organization." He has yet to bow out before the NBA Finals, has adorned his fingers with two championship rings and is poised for a three-peat while joining Michael Jordan and Bill Russell as five-time MVPs. 

But that said, it's still important for Heat fans to temper their expectations. While the first part of that quote sounds perfect, it's far from a ringing commitment from James. 

Here's how he continued his answer: 

But we don't know what may happen from now to the end of the season. That's the nature of the business. It's the nature of not knowing what tomorrow brings.

I mean, as a kid, I never thought the Bulls would break up. Never. If you'd of told me as a kid that [Michael] Jordan and [Scottie] Pippen wouldn't play together for the rest of their lives, I'd have looked at you crazy. And Phil Jackson wouldn't be the coach? I'd have looked at you crazy. But sometimes the nature of the business doesn't allow things to happen like you would want them to. But we'll see.

To me, it sounds like LeBron wants to stay with the Heat but is managing expectations by allowing for the possibility that he could leave. And, as much as Miami might hate to admit it, it is a possibility simply because so much could go wrong during the upcoming season. 

What if Chris Bosh suddenly decides he wants more than a tertiary role and demands a trade? What if the OssaTron shock therapy doesn't work, leading to a serious decline from Dwyane Wade? What if the injury bug takes hold of South Beach?

Possibilities like these allow for continued speculation about LeBron leaving. Take CBS Sports' Gregg Doyel as an example: 

I believe he will leave the Heat only if the product on the court heads south in the next 13 months. I believe he's the best basketball talent of all time, but not a guy who hangs around for the heavy lifting. When the going gets tough, LeBron gets going. To another franchise.

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Personally, I think that's selling LeBron's mentality and dedication short, but the NBA season is indeed an uncertain beast. There are too many factors that are beyond the control of just one player, even if he's a once-in-a-generation talent like LeBron. 

All in all, this should be considered positive news for the Heat. Even though the team's best player and biggest name is giving himself an out, he's still saying the right things and sounds fully committed to a run at a third title. 

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Stephon Maubury's eight-year-old son seems to have this basketball thing down fairly well.

Jocks and Stiletto Jill (h/t Next Impulse Sports) spotted the following Instagram video posted to Marbury's wife's account.

If you ever wondered whether Marbury's progeny might pick up his dribbling skills, wonder no longer.

At eight, this kid has already surpassed my best day on the basketball court. I'm not trying to be kind to the little kid or undersell what I could do on the court; this kid just made my ankles ache from a few seconds of hardcore dribbling.

Some of you may have forgotten about Marbury, who last played in the NBA back in 2009 with the Boston Celtics.

Since that time he has bumped around the Chinese Basketball Association, where he rose to the type of prominence and fame that had waned for him back in the States.

If you needed a reminder of just how elusive Marbury could be with the ball, Sport Science broke down that particular crossover (yes, they have officially covered everything imaginable on that show):

Tasha Marbury's Instagram caption reads:

"Let Me Be Great" - #JayZ #Dedication, #passion,#endurance, and#hardwork at 8yrs old. My son Stephon Marbury II aka Turkeycultivating #greatness...#Family #Hoops #Basketball

At eight, this kid is as dedicated to working on his game as I was to finding the best cartoons on TV. We assume that is Marbury off-camera encouraging his son, crafting a basketball machine that will one day shred ankles all over the nation.

If you are looking for your dribbles, check out Marbury Jr. He seems to have all of them.

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Everybody needs to look at LeBron's toes right now. Or don't look, because you really can't unsee these things once you've seen them.

This photo popped up on Reddit (viaTheYBF.com), and I'm not sure what to think anymore. I've been looking at it trying to figure out how the greatest athlete in the NBA can get around with his foot-digits like that. 

Let's see how many one-liners we can come up with in a row (because these toes certainly aren't in a row). (Hey, that's one already.)

• Dog pile on the big toe!
• Somewhere, Rex Ryan is weeping.
• "Started from the bottom, now we here"—LeBron's pinkie toe.
• This little piggie went to market, this little piggie—oh my gosh. I can't touch these anymore. The rest of the little piggies went home. Forever.
• This is the most literal toe-jam I've ever seen.

That was fun. Seriously, though, athletes can have some messed up appendages. Take Deion Sanders' toes, for instance:

Image via lewisskondo.blogspot.com.

Granted, that was after surgery, but the moral of the story is that athletes should always wear shoes—always.

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The Phoenix Suns' Luis Scola is headed to the Indiana Pacers in a trade, according to his publicist in Argentina.

Juan Sebastia, who runs Scola's website, tweeted Friday night that a trade to send the Argentine big man to the Pacers would be officially announced Saturday.

Neither team commented in the immediate aftermath of the tweet.

But sources with knowledge of the talks told ESPN.com that one trade scenario on the table would send swingman Gerald Green and future draft considerations to Phoenix in exchange for Scola, whose arrival in Indiana would only strengthen a front line headlined by center Roy Hibbert and the recently re-signed David West.

Sources told ESPN that subsequent reports out of Argentina about former All-Star swingman Danny Granger being included in the trade were erroneous.

The Pacers have shown interest in Scola dating to his days with the Houston Rockets and have made it clear since a Game 7 loss to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals that they would try to do anything they could to close the gap.

The Suns picked up Scola a year ago in an amnesty-provision auction after the Rockets waived the 6-foot-9, 245-pound power forward. Scola is due to earn $4.5 million in 2013-14 in the second year of his contract with Phoenix.

Scola, who has averaged 14.2 points and 7.5 rebounds in six NBA seasons, scored 12.8 points with 6.6 rebounds per game last season for the Suns.

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Winning may not cure absolutely everything, but it certainly catapults you into one popular athlete. 

Darren Rovell reports LeBron James is once again the most popular player in the NBA, according to the latest ESPN Sports Poll:

Nearly 13 percent (12.9) of NBA fans said James was their favorite player this season, allowing him to best Kobe Bryant (12.5) for the first time since the 2008-09 season. That was the only other season when James passed the Los Angeles Lakers star, the top pick by fans for five of six years from 2006-07 to 2011-12.

Kevin Durant (3.6 percent), Derrick Rose (2.8) and Dwyane Wade (2.6) round out the rest of the top five.

It should be fairly obvious to NBA fans why James may have slipped from the top spot for the last four years.  In the 2008-2009 season, James averaged 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game on his way to the NBA MVP award. 

The next season was met with some uncertainty and conjecture as to where James would play, leading up to the ill-fated "The Decision" presentation that saw King James instantly become one of the most vilified players in the league. 

As Rovell notes, his popularity took a major hit when ESPN aired live coverage of his decision to head to Miami. 

After "The Decision," James' approval rating slipped drastically. For his final season in Cleveland, 15.6 percent of fans called him their favorite, according to the ESPN Sports Poll taken after the 2009-10 season. But for his first two years with the Heat, James was called fans' favorite player by 10.2 and 9.4 percent, respectively.

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Not only did James work his way back to the top of the basketball world, but he seemingly made inroads with fans with whom he apparently fell out of favor. As is often the case, people love winning and fall in love with those who dominate. James has reached another level in his play and captured back-to-back championships with the Miami Heat the last two years.

When all is said and done, it's funny that an obvious public relations blunder would make such a significant impact on James' brand, especially when you consider the manner he plays the game and how he carries himself off the court. 

If there was any question that James was the best player in the league, he extinguished it with his masterful 37-point, 12-rebound performance in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. 

It seemed that finally fans, for the most part, were done quibbling about some silly show a few years prior and decided to just sit in awe and enjoy.  

Of course, James will take championships, MVP awards and wins over popularity polls. Still, it's always nice to know you are liked. 

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If you bump around the golf course in regular golf carts, I feel sorry for you. Indeed, the era of the tricked-out golf cart has arrived. 

Busted Coverage spotted some wonderful images of the sweet ride that takes Michael Jordan around the links. Your feelings of jealousy are warranted.

Here is a closer look at a customized marvel that features a stereo system, leather seats and a cool North Carolina paint job topped off with a Jumpman logo on the front. 

Photo Credit: Busted Coverage

Photo Credit: Busted Coverage

Photo Credit: Busted Coverage

If that weren't enough, there is even a tinted sunroof, because not having one would have just been ridiculous. 

Photo Credit: Busted Coverage

Busted Coverage also reminds us Jordan took a similar cart out for a test drive back in 2012. He was just as amazed with that golf cart as we are with this one. (Video features NSFW language.) 

'It brought water to my eyes, I was flyin’,' Jordan said.

'Was it fast,' someone asked Jordan.

'F–k yeah,' Jordan responds. 'It’s gotta be doin’ about 30.'

Doing 30 on a golf course would certainly speed up play.  

Sadly, this is only the second-greatest golf cart in existence, because I still say driving to your ball in a hovercraft is far more remarkable. 

There is Bubba Watson's hovercraft designed by Oakley. If you are wondering, you most definitely want one. 

In fact, the amazing golf conveyance is making a cameo at the Masters in Augusta. WRDW-TV spotted the massive vehicle making its way to golf's greatest major, if only to sit in the parking lot. 

Somehow, I doubt we will see Watson maneuvering around the course in a hovercraft this weekend, no matter how much we all want that to happen.

If you are anywhere near the Masters, I imagine you can take a photo with the best ride in sports while chowing down on a pimento cheese sandwich. All in all, a great day. 

Now, quit your daydreaming and get back to the dregs of municipal courses and their uncomfortable golf carts. 

I'm just impressed if my golf-cart rental features a windshield or cup holders that aren't sticky. Here, we have two revolutionaries choosing to step the golf-cart game up to unbelievable levels. 

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 Jr Smith was anything but automatic during the New York Knicks' 88-85 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Martin Luther King Day.

Smith attempted 19 shots in nearly 38 minutes of action, misfiring on 12 of his tries. Over the game's final 30 seconds, he surrendered the go-ahead basket to Joe Johnson, then missed a potential game-tying three at the buzzer.

But that didn't stop him from connecting on a vicious blow on Brooklyn's KrisHumphries via Twitter.

Humphries first took to the social media platform after the game to stir up what's quickly growing into one of the league's most intriguing rivalries:

Kris Humphries

• ✔

@KrisHumphries

Big game tonight! The Garden got really quiet on the way out! #Brooklyn

21 Jan 13

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The reserve forward did his part to push the Nets (25-16) to 11-2 under interim coach P.J. Carlesimo. The former starter totaled 11 points and 13 rebounds in under 28 minutes of work.

Of course, Humphries' performance neither impressed Smith, nor stopped him from delivering his own parting blow:

JR Smith

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@TheRealJRSmith

Wasnt quiet when Kanye tore it down last month! RT@KrisHumphries: Big game tonight! The Garden got really quiet on the way out! #Brooklyn

21 Jan 13

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Ouch.

For those of you living under a rock for the past couple years, Smith was flaunting the performance of Kim Kardashian's current beau, rapper Kanye West, in the face ofKardashian's soon-to-be ex-husband, Humphries.

In terms of fame and fortune, replacing Humphries with West is like trading in a used Honda for a tricked-out Maybach. If not for the Kardashian connection, I can safely say the two would have never appeared in the same sentence.

But that probably won't bother Humphries too much, especially if he's able to rake in some of the reality mogul's earnings in a lengthy divorce settlement. 

And Smith's tweet probably holds similar weight, considering Brooklyn's victory trimmed New York's Atlantic Division lead to just one game.

Hopefully for Smith, the loss redirects his attention to the practice court so he and his Knicks could rediscover the "Power" that helped them embark on such a strong start to the 2012-13 season.

Without a renewed focus, perhaps this game marked the beginning of when it "All Falls Down" for Smith and his teammates. Learn more »