Former NBA star Jayson Williams has been sentenced to five years in prison for fatally shooting his limo driver in 2002.

Williams will be eligible for parole in 18 months.

Avoiding a retrial on a reckless manslaughter count that deadlocked the jury at his 2004 trial, Williams pleaded guilty last month to aggravated assault in the death of Costas Christofi on Feb. 14, 2002.

Since the Knicks cleared more than $9 million of additional salary cap space on deadline day last Thursday, there has been a shift in the betting line handicapping where LeBron James will sign as a free-agent this summer.

The Knicks have moved from +240, dating back to November of 2009, to +175 after the trade deadline, according to odds from Sportsbook.com.  The payoff on a bet that the Cavs will re-sign their superstar has remained unchanged at -300.  Cleveland continues to be the decisive favorites.

Both the Nets (+800 in November to +1500 at present) and Pistons (+2000 in November to +3500 at present) are now deemed to be dramatically less likely to sign James.

Curiously -- and perhaps erroneously -- the Bulls are not given any odds to sign James, despite the fact that Chicago will have a maximum salary slot available, the Bulls are already a playoff team, and James idolized Michael Jordan growing up.

Rudy Gay will be a restricted free agent this summer and is willing to listen to offers from the Nets.

"The record doesn't mean much when you're dealing with a team," Gay said Sunday. "You're thinking about yourself and how you can contribute, and that's what other teams think.

"Wherever you feel like you're wanted the most, that's where you're going to be."

Even though the Knicks now have $9M more cap space than the Nets, the franchise isn't worried they have been surpassed for the prime position of power in free agency.

The Nets can make trades before July 1st to clear more cap space and also will own no worse than the fourth overall pick in the draft.

"I think you have to let it play out," said interim coach/general manager Kiki Vandeweghe.

The Nets have agreed to a deal to play at the Prudential Center in Newark for two years until their new arena is built in Brooklyn.

The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority voted to approve the deal Thursday morning, meaning the Nets will move to Newark beginning next season.

The team will pay a $4 million penalty over two years to get out of their lease at the Meadowlands.

The Kings could trade reserve guard Sergio Rodriguez before Thursday's deadline.

The Sacramento Bee reports that the Grizzlies, Knicks and Nets have all inquired about Rodriguez, who is in the final year of his contract.

He is making $1.8 million this season.

Jerry Colangelo said Sunday that he's open to returning to the NBA as an executive.

However, Colangelo wants full control of an organization if he does rejoin the front office ranks.

"I would have to have full autonomy," Colangelo told the Daily News. "I'm not looking to become a general manager. But if the right job came along I'd be willing to talk to anyone. Life is all about opportunities."

Colangelo says he has not spoken with incoming Nets owner Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov.

He is currently the director of USA Basketball.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski refuted rumors Saturday that the Nets were interested in him becoming their next head coach.

Krzyzewski said New Jersey had not contacted him, then joked at the expense of Mikhail Prokhorov, the Russian billionaire and the Nets' prospective buyer.

"The guy's Russian, right?" Krzyzewski said. "You think he'd hire a Polish guy?"

After laughing, he added: "No one's contacted me, and if they do, I think 'nyet' would be easy for me to say."

Nets president Rod Thorn will meet with some of owner-in-waiting Mikhail Prokhorov's associates in Dallas this weekend.

If all goes well, Thorn could fly to Vancouver to meet with Prokhorov and discuss a new contract. He is currently in the final year of his deal.

Sources told The Record that Thorn's return to New Jersey appears likely, but general manager/interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe may be on his way out.

If Thorn knows he'll remain with the Nets, he could fire Vandeweghe sometime after the Feb. 18 trade deadline.

In addition to the team's 4-30 record under Kiki, Thorn is unhappy about a report involving an alleged side deal with ex-assistant coach Del Harris that made it seem Vandeweghe undermined his authority.

There is a growing belief new Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is interested in hiring Jerry Colangelo as president with the hope that he could bring Mike Krzyzewski as GM and coach.

Krzyzewski has turned down overtures from the NBA before, with Boston, Los Angeles and Portland amongst the most notable situations.

The Colangelo relationship, autonomy and unlimited resources Prokhorov would provide might finally lure Krzyzewski away from Duke.