10 Hottest NBA Stories to Watch as Season Passes Midway Point

It's the nonstop drama, both on and off the court, that makes the NBA as compelling as it is. The second half of the season surely won't disappoint.

In just about every sport, there are tight playoff races to watch during the home stretch of the season. With its colorful characters and a general sense of unpredictability, the NBA has a flair for the suspenseful unlike any other league.

Between high-profile guys who are discontent, on the hot seat, primed to be moved or itching to play again, the second half is going to be riddled with storylines. Let's sort out the topics we'll be talking about most in the coming months.

10. The Struggle for the Sacramento Kings

All the stars are aligning for the Sacramento Kings to ship up north and revive the Seattle SuperSonics name.

That is, unless the people of Sacramento have anything to say about it.

ESPN reports that Kevin Johnson has warned Seattle fans, "Don't celebrate too early." Johnson is both Sacramento's mayor and a former King, and he's putting the full weight of his political and professional influence behind keeping the franchise right where it is.

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"We've been here before," Johnson said. "Our backs have been against the wall. They told us it wasn't going to happen. But each and every step along the way, as long as there is time on the clock, our community always finds a way to stand up for itself."

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Will his team of investors be able to beat Chris Hansen's Seattle group? It's too soon to tell, but we haven't heard the last word from Johnson or the people of Sacramento.

9. P.J. Carlesimo's Long-Term Job Status

The Brooklyn Nets' interim coach may just be the guy they were looking for.

Since Avery Johnson got canned, P.J. Carlesimo has led the Nets on a 12-2 run, vaulting the team into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference.

Carlesimo has lit a fire beneath a Nets team that had been mired in lackadaisicalness under Johnson's regime.

Deron Williams and Joe Johnson are looking more like the foundational players Brooklyn thought it was getting. Brook Lopez and Reggie Evans have complemented each other splendidly in the post. Add Gerald Wallace's energetic play to the mix, and Carlesimo has turned a team in turmoil into a contending squad.

If he keeps it up, Carlesimo could get the interim tag removed and surprisingly become Brooklyn's head coach. If the Nets hot streak proves to be an aberration, the Phil Jackson rumors will start up yet again.

8. The Old, Creaky New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have been a revelation this season, but they are also one of the most injury-prone teams you could possibly assemble.

Amar'e Stoudemire has looked solid in his return from yet another knee surgery, but he was rushed back early to compensate for Raymond Felton, who was out with a broken finger. Iman Shumpert is also back, but it will take some time for him to be fully recovered from a torn ACL.

Meanwhile, the Knicks' post defense could fall apart at any moment.

Rasheed Wallace is already on the shelf, as is Marcus Camby. Kurt Thomas, the league's oldest player, could get banged up at any time, and Tyson Chandler isn't exactly a paragon of consistent health himself.

On the bright side, New York has a squad full of veterans who know how to win in the playoffs. The story will be whether or not they are physically able to do so.

7. The Gradual Downfall of the Boston Celtics

It's time for the Boston Celtics to seriously consider the future of this team.

Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley still make up a nice core, but the Celtics have little to work with around them.

Boston's defense is an absolute mess when Garnett leaves the floor, and Jared Sullinger isn't ever going to be a worthwhile starting forward. Jason Terry has been a disappointment as a bench scorer. Jeff Green does not look like a future building block when Pierce is gone.

And Pierce may be gone sooner rather than later. Steve Kyler of HOOPSWORLD reports that the Celtics are open to dealing Pierce if the price is right.

Danny Ainge and the front office know this team has to get younger. If it takes trading away a career Celtic to reconstruct a winner around Rondo, Ainge is unsentimental enough to pull the trigger.

6. The Western Conference Playoff Log Jam

As many as seven teams could be fighting for the final three playoff spots in the Western Conference.

George Karl's Denver Nuggets are operating at its usual level, beating opponents with a star-free team loaded with athletes. At 26-18, their playoff spot seems safe, but they are not out of striking distance.

The rest of the playoff picture is filled with talented but flawed teams.

There's the Utah Jazz, stacked inside but lacking in the backcourt. Even with Omer Asik at center, the Houston Rockets are dead last in team defense, though James Harden and Jeremy Lin make up for it on offense. The Portland Trail Blazers have a strong lineup but no depth, and the Minnesota Timberwolves are stacked but injury-riddled.

Last but not least, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks. Teams as loaded as LA and as experienced as Dallas cannot be counted out especially when they're within four games of a playoff spot.

Would it be shocking for either of those two teams to make the playoffs? Absolutely. That's what will make it so thrilling to watch.

5. The Race for the League's Best Record

NBA media and fans will craft a narrative around whichever team finishes with the top record in the league.

Three teams are neck and neck in the race for the title of regular season champ.

We already know what the story will be if the San Antonio Spurs come out on top. It's another win for Gregg Popovich and his system, another accomplishment in Tim Duncan's brilliant career. Every Spurs win is an affirmation of Spurs basketball, reminding the league to take notes on the ones who best know how to win.

If the Los Angeles Clippers finish best, it's a win for defense. Everyone expected Lob City to be an explosive and dangerous offensive team, but the development has really made them great. The success of this scoring juggernaut would also be an indictment of offense-first teams.

Then there's the Oklahoma City Thunder, and more importantly, Kevin Durant. His team's play will solidify his case for the 2013 MVP award, and it would set the table for the Thunder to become the NBA's premier franchise.

More on that in the next slide.

4. Knocking the Heat from Their Pedestal

If any of those team's top the Miami Heat—especially the Thunder—it will alter the way we look at the league.

After LeBron James and company steamrolled through Oklahoma City in the 2012 NBA Finals, it looked like a Heat dynasty was coming to fruition. Just as LeBron said, Miami wouldn't just win one title; this team would dominate the league for the better part of a decade.

What a difference a year makes.

Just halfway through the following season, this iteration of the Miami Heat doesn't have the swarming perimeter defense of its predecessor. Without it, they appear that much more fallible.

Meanwhile, Kevin Durant has picked up James' relentless work ethic, pushing himself and his teammates to play a more complete game. And they're not the only ones challenging King James' throne.

This story won't be complete until the playoffs, but the seeds of doubt will be planted in the second half of the regular season.

3. Big Names on the Trade Block

After the trade deadline passes, the complexion of the league could look vastly different.

Yahoo! Sports' Kelly Dwyer reported Rudy Gay could go to the Washington Wizards, among other teams. Zach Lowe of Grantland weighed in on a Josh Smith trade. We've already touched upon the possibility of a Paul Pierce deal.

No one wants to be in the NBA's middle class, so teams looking for an edge are discussing trades of better and better players.

That's what motivates sources such as Brett Pollakoff of NBC Sports to speculate about a Millsap or Jefferson trade even when the Utah Jazz are playing well. It's also what gets damn near everyone to talk about a Dwight Howard or Pau Gasol trade for the Los Angeles Lakers.

It's highly unlikely that many of these players will get moved. But this is about the story, and the discussion will certainly dominate the month of February.

2. The Stars' Recovery

The comeback efforts of two marquee players will be under the microscope in the second half.

As well as the Chicago Bulls have played this season, their playoff hopes rest on the left knee of Derrick Rose.

If the 2011 MVP can approach his elite form, the Bulls will jump up a tier in the Eastern Conference and become a legitimate threat to make the NBA Finals. Anything short of that means the Bulls will have to look towards 2013-14 and beyond.

The stakes are even higher with Andrew Bynum and the Philadelphia 76ers.

With Bynum's contract expiring after this season, the Sixers might end up with nothing out of the Dwight Howard trade. If he doesn't get back on the court and show he can still be a building block for a championship team, Philly will have lost a season, and Bynum will have lost a max contract. 

1. The Tragedy of Los Angeles Lakers

Much like the ocean liner Titanic, the Los Angeles Lakers were thought to be indestructible. Instead, they've been a disaster that has reduced onlookers to tears.

Unlike the Oscar-winning blockbuster Titanic, no one is going to award Mike D'Antoni and company jack squat for what they've produced.

D'Antoni is stubbornly sticking to his fast-paced defense with a team of old, slow players. Dwight Howard is miserable and Pau Gasol is playing his worst basketball ever. Even Steve Nash has not made this team mesh, and Kobe Bryant is not amused by any of it.

If the Lakers can come together and develop some chemistry, they're too good individually to count them out of the postseason hunt, even after everything we've seen so far.

That would be one incredible development if Los Angeles did go on a second-half tear. Even if they don't, this team has been nothing if not dramatic, and that makes the tumultuous Lakers the top story of the rest of the NBA season.