General Manager Billy King announced today that the Brooklyn Nets have re-signed free agent forward/center Andray Blatche and have also signed free agent guard Shaun Livingston.

In his first season with the Nets, the 6'11'' Blatche averaged 10.3 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 51.2% from the field in 19.0 minutes per game, and was the only Net to appear in all 82 games. The eight-year veteran, who spent his first seven seasons with the Washington Wizards, holds career averages of 9.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks over 491 games (184 starts).

Livingston, an eight-year NBA veteran who has played for seven different teams, averaged 6.3 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.4 rebounds on 48% shooting over 66 games (16 starts) last season for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards. After being acquired by the Cavaliers on December 25, 2012, the 6'7'' Livingston averaged 7.1 points and 3.6 assists while shooting 48% from the field in 23.0 minutes over 49 games (12 starts). Livingston, who was the 4th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, holds career averages of 6.7 points and 3.5 assists in 390 contests.

Billy King Issues Statement on Jason Kidd

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jason Kidd pleaded guilty Tuesday to a misdemeanor drunken driving charge and was placed on interim probation nearly a year after he smashed his Cadillac SUV into a utility pole on eastern Long Island, reports the Associated Press.

In exchange for the guilty plea, Kidd agreed to speak to Long Island high school students about the dangers of drunken driving. If he fulfills his community service, his plea will be reduced to a violation — driving while ability impaired — when he returns to court on Sept. 30.

Kidd, who retired as an NBA player after last season, was recently hired to coach the Brooklyn Nets — the team he took to two NBA Finals as a player when the franchise played in New Jersey as the New Jersey Nets.

In response to this news, Brooklyn Nets General Manager Billy King issued the following statement:

"Jason has taken responsibility for his actions, and fully realizes that he needs to grow from this experience. We are confident he will make these strides on a personal level and have a positive effect on others as well."

New York Knickerbockers Executive Vice President and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has signed forward Metta World Peace. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"Metta is a fierce competitor who brings toughness and championship experience to our roster," Grunwald said. "We are excited to bring him back to New York and give him a chance to play for the team he grew up rooting for."

World Peace, 6-7, 260-pounds, holds career averages of 14.1 points, on 41.7-percent shooting, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.85 steals over 33.6 minutes in 902 games (832 starts) over 14 seasons with Chicago, Indiana, Sacramento, Houston and the L.A. Lakers. He was waived by the Lakers on Jul. 12, after averaging 12.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.63 steals over 75 games (66 starts).

He was a member of the 2010 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers and holds career post-season averages of 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.54 steals over 85 games (all starts). He is a two-time All-NBA Defensive First Team selection (2004, 2006) and two-time Second Team selection (2003, 2009). He appeared in the 2004 All-Star game, the same year he was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year and earned an All-NBA Third Team selection.

Born in Queens, NY as Ron Artest, World Peace starred at La Salle Academy and then at St. John's University. In 1999, he helped lead the Red Storm to the NCAA Elite Eight and was selected by the Bulls with the 16th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft.

Leaving Boston Brings Mixed Emotions for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce

The Brooklyn Nets today introduced its newest team members: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry.

The players expressed honest emotions about moving to the New York region.

Pierce and Garnett spoke about the difficulty of leaving Boston but understand the Nets provide them with a better opportunity to compete. Pierce, clearly experiencing separation anxiety, revealed a full spectrum of emotions, as he leaves the Boston Celtics, the only NBA franchise he's ever known.

"You know, it's tough," he said, "when you've been in a situation like me for 15 years, and you come to an organization, the Brooklyn Nets. But when you look at what they're trying to do here, win a championship, bring in the pieces necessary – a new arena, new owners, new excitement – it really brings a little bit of excitement.

"Obviously I would have loved to end my career in Boston, but that day and age is probably over with, a lot of players ending their careers in one city. I just, when the trade happened you felt excited, especially with Kevin and Jason coming along (to make) the situation, not only for me but for each other, a little more comfortable. And the ultimate drive is winning a championship. Obviously, Boston is going in a different direction and at this point in our careers, we're championship-driven. We've made a lot of money in our careers, won a number of awards, and I think at this point right now we're all about winning a championship. Brooklyn, we feel, gives us the best opportunity."

Starting with a "What's up, Brooklyn!," Garnett co-signed on Pierce's sentiments about moving from Boston.

"Very similar to what Paul said, I think he summed it up," said Garnett. "It's unfortunate that we have to obviously move from Boston, but I feel like both sides are going in different directions. For me, one of the major reasons I decided to come here was because the bones of this. I feel like adding what you see up here, with the bones of what they have already, with Brook (Lopez), Deron (Williams), Joe (Johnson) and the other pieces they have here, I feel this gives us the best option to win again, to win it all. I'm embracing this opportunity, my family's embracing this opportunity, we're looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to it."

Terry is looking forward to playing in Brooklyn, but his experience is much different from Pierce. His is similar to career military personnel.

"To be able to take another journey with these two outstanding gentlemen right next to me (Pierce and Garnett) is just an honor," said Terry. "I've been in Atlanta, Dallas, Boston. And now to be able to call Brooklyn my home, I'm just very blessed and honored. And ready."

Although Garnett, Pierce, and Terry are ready to roll, it's clear that the trade hit Pierce the hardest.

"It hasn't really sunk in. I think it's really starting to sink in as we speak, just being in this arena," he said. "I saw my jersey up in the locker room, and it's like you saw the trade and it was like, okay there's a trade, but for me to actually be here now looking for a place to live, being in this arena, trying to get to know my way around the city, it's really starting to sink in now that this has become real."

"I'm no longer a Boston Celtic. I'm a Brooklyn Net. That's what it is right now. It's business, at some point we all have to move on. I'm here to try to create some kind of legacy here in Brooklyn."

This probably explains Pierce's recent Twitter frenzy with pictures of him in a Celtics uniform.

Watch VIDEO: Scenes from the Press Conference Introducing Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry

Andrew Rosario, Chief Correspondent, What's The 411SPORTS' takes us inside a press conference held at the Barclays Center introducing the newest members of the Brooklyn Nets team.

Gary Sussman, Vice President, Public Relations, opened the press conference with the introduction of Nets General Manager Billy King who lauded Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry. These new members of the Brooklyn Nets make the team a formidable force in the NBA's Eastern Conference and a championship contender.

Prokhorov Wants A Ring

Brooklyn Nets Principal Owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, flew in from Moscow specifically for this occasion. Prokhorov didn't mince any words, he expects the Brooklyn Nets to be a championship contender. He noted that Garnett, Pierce, and Terry each have at least one ring, while at the present moment, he has none.

Also in attendance were Brooklyn Nets Head Coach, Jason Kidd; Bruce Ratner, Chairman, Forest City Ratner Companies and Developer of the Barclays Center; Brett Yormark, CEO, Brooklyn Nets; and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.

Photo Credits: Alexis Williams/What's The 411 Networks

WATCH VIDEO: Dyckman's Women's Basketball

Dyckman Park proved that women's basketball is here to stay during the "She Got Game 2" tournament that took place on Friday, August 2.

What's The 411TV correspondent Crystal Lynn caught up with Sharon Bond; Vice President, Marketing, and Media, Dyckman Park Youth Enterprise, to discuss the "Women's Takeover" aka "She's Got Game 2."

The almost 40-minute game was hosted by DTF Radio Host and VH1's Gossip Game, Steph Lova; and personality/commentator and former basketball player, Chocolate.

What's The 411 also interviewed 'And 1' urban legend streetball player Tim 'Headache' Gitten and women's basketball players, Maria Clifton, Lilka Adams, and Renee Taylor.

Clifton, Adams, and Taylor described to Crystal Lynn their style of play.

Besides playing the point guard and traveling the country as a model, Clifton said she's capable of playing the "2-5," while Adams keeps the paint on lock.

Taylor, the 5 ft. 3-inch (or 5-5 on a good day) guard said her game is, however, she "can get it" whether on the defensive or offensive end.

By the way, don't let Taylor's height fool you---had there been an MVP award ceremony, she would've won hands down. She was shaking and baking and twisting ankles all night on the court. Taylor is currently playing basketball overseas.

Photo Credit: Alexis Williams/What's The 411 Networks

Videography: Alexis Williams

Video Editing: Ruth J. Morrison

The newly minted New York Knicks President and General Manager Steve Mills announced today that the team has exercised its fourth-year contract option on guard Iman Shumpert.

In two seasons, Shumpert, 6-5, 220-pounds, holds career averages of 8.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists over 26.0 minutes in 104 games (80 starts) with New York.

He appeared in and started, 45 games last season to average 6.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists over 22.1 minutes.

The Oak Park, IL native was originally selected by the Knicks in the first round (17th overall) of 2011 NBA Draft and earned 2011-12 NBA All-Rookie First Team honors.

WATCH Conversation with Willis Reed [VIDEO]

What's The 411TV SPORTS chief correspondent Andrew Rosario caught up with a legendary NBA player, the one and only, Willis Reed.

Reed was at the newly renovated Madison Square Garden on the night that the New York Knicks lost its last and only home preseason game. It also happened to be the night the new MSG made its debut to the public.

After a 19-point lead, the Knicks lost to the Charlotte Bobcats 85-83.

Although the Knicks lost that night and hasn't been in NBA Championship territory since the 1998-99 Season (I covered that season by the way), the team's record can't tarnish the legacy of Willis Reed.

In fact, this Knicks team could probably learn something from watching Willis Reed tape. Ha!!!

BROOKLYN NETS POST-GAME COVERAGE AFTER LOSS TO PORTLAND [VIDEO]

The Brooklyn Nets took a hard loss at home in the Barclays Center against the Portland Trailblazers tonight. Team Black and White lost 108-98, leaving them with a 3-7 record at this point in the season.

“I take the blame for this. The guys played hard, we got a little stagnant on the offensive end so this falls on my shoulders. We got off to a good start and in that third quarter we came out a little flat and that falls on me,” Said Brooklyn Nets Head Coach Jason Kidd.

Regarding adjustments Portland may have made in the second half of the game that may have caused the drastic difference in the numbers, Coach Kidd responded, “I don’t know if it’s what Portland did, we had some great looks on offense, we didn’t score, and again, if we don’t score, we got to play the other side and tonight that again that falls on me.”

“Well, he feels it’s his fault, we look in the mirror as players, we feel it’s our fault," responded Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Jason Terry about the outcome of the game. “Everybody’s in this together that what it boils down to, we’ll watch some more film tomorrow. We head back out on the road again and we have to get it done, figure this thing out.”

“I take responsibility, it’s on all of us, me as well,” added Brooklyn Nets point guard Shaun Livingston. “I take the majority of that as well because as a point guard, you got to initiate the offense, make the right play calls to get guys involved and maybe that’s the time where I should look to be more aggressive to get into the paint, drawing fouls, maybe getting some free throws to pick our momentum back up."

“Just me personally, my job is to make shots, I only made two tonight. If I’m looking at myself individually it’s to make shots, however many shots you get, you got to make them” continued Terry.

REGARDING DEFENSE

“We got good looks offensively,” said Coach Kidd. “Again, the one thing I’ve always told the guys some nights the ball is going to go in and some nights, it’s not; but we got to be consistent on the defensive end and to start that third quarter, we weren’t.”

“At the same time defensively, we let them get comfortable. They had about five or six threes there that got them going,” added Jason Terry.

ABOUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD

“We’re in it, we’re in a struggle right now, but it’s a grind, and we all have to be in it together, that’s the main thing,” said Shaun Livingston.

“We got to get healthy, we got to find a consistency to what we’re doing on both ends of the floor, so until that happens we’re going to continue to struggle. We figured it out that we have to play hard, we know that Jason Terry offered.

We can’t be one foot in and one foot out…., there is still the majority of the season left, it’s the first, what, two or three weeks,” Shaun Livingston added.

“Is this an evolutionary process,” asked Michael Bellamy?

“Oh, yeah, for sure, for sure and you don’t know when that’s going to happen, but when it does, it is going to be special and I believe that,” Jason Terry said emphatically.

“Again, as the coach, we got, we got some work to do,” Coach Kidd reiterated.

Reporter on the scene: Michael Bellamy

Videography: Lynndone Payne

After battering and bruising the New York Knicks by 41 points on Sunday, Dec. 8, the Boston Celtics lost to the Brooklyn Nets 104-96 on Tuesday at the Barclays Center.

In Deron Williams' return to the lineup after missing nine straight games, he scored 24 points. It was the first match-up for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce against their former team as members of the Brooklyn Nets.

It was also the first time Garnett played against the Celtics--the last time was March 4, 2007, when he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

After the game, Garnett and Pierce both gave credit to Williams who had been out for the majority of the beginning of the season due to a sprained left ankle.

"D-Will set the tone for how we were going to play tonight," Garnett said.

"He's the head of the snake," Pierce said. "I mean he's one of the most important pieces of what we're trying to do here, what we're trying to build and trying to win a championship."

Pierce didn't start, but Williams said he gave the team a 'big boost off the bench.'

Coach Jason Kidd thought so too and has even considered bringing Pierce off the bench going forward.

But Kidd has taken a lot of heat thus far for the Nets' poor record and addressed his job security after fans were calling for his immediate firing.

"That's part of the job, you have to accept it, there are no excuses, you have to try to win," Kidd said when asked about his job. "Whatever any owner decides to do, that's his decision. For us, to have guys ready to play, no matter who it is, injuries or no injuries, you have to have guys ready to play. Patience is something I've always had and I still do and I still believe the process will work itself out. As a whole, we still believe we can win and have a positive season."

Last year, Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov fired coach Avery Johnson after 28 games last season. Assistant coach, PJ Carlesimo took over for the remainder of the 2013-2014 Season, but he too was fired after the Nets lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Chicago Bulls.

The Nets will take on the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.