The four 2012 Slam Dunk Contest contestants were revealed and it may become the least interesting All-Star event that the NBA has had. Devoid of any real star power, it almost seems like a battle between second-tier players to make a name for themselves in Orlando.

According to Inside Hoops, the four players that will take part in the 2012 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest are Chase Budinger of the Houston Rockets, Paul George of the Indiana Pacers, Iman Shumpert of the New York Knicks and rookie Derrick Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves. NBA fans everywhere just said "who?"

Maybe the change in format caused recognizable players like Blake Griffin and LeBron James to choose not to participate in the 2012 All-Star Weekend event. The new rules of the contest have the four players each completing three dunks in a single round with fans voting on which player they liked the best. Giving fans 100 percent control of selecting the winner is an interesting way to go, but it may lead to it becoming a popularity contest.

It really seems like the annual dunking contest has really started to lose its allure and that maybe this could end up being the last year that it is part of the All-Star Weekend festivities. Maybe at this point fans have seen it all and that the originality is gone from the equation.

Are you looking forward to the 2012 Slam Dunk Contest? Who do you think has the best chance to win it?

Despite Brandon Jennings trade rumors involving the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, it seems like the team has made no real indication that it is time to deal the elite point guard. Jennings made comments back on Feb. 11 that are still drawing attention, especially after he was snubbed by the coaches when it came to the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. Jennings had stated that, "I am going to keep my options open, knowing that the time is coming up. I'm doing my homework on big-market teams.''

Any time comments like that are made by a NBA superstar, it starts the rumor mill churning. The Lakers need a point guard, the Bucks may not have the allure to keep a star and suddenly the two teams get linked. ESPN's Marc Stein weighed in on Friday though (Feb. 17), stating that there has been no indication that the Bucks are prepared to trade Jennings. He does use the term "not yet" in his article, but Stein certainly underscores the importance of not taking Jennings' comments at face value.

Jennings is putting up his best numbers since entering the NBA and currently has averaged of 18.4 points, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He is the main reason that the Bucks are even relevant and the team should do everything in its power to keep him happy.

It goes without saying that he could provide a lot of skill to any other team in the NBA, but his home is in Milwaukee for the time being. Maybe the Lakers could pry him away if he ever hits free agency, but he is still an employee of the Milwaukee Bucks until that franchise decides he isn't. Jennings is one of the most underrated players in the NBA, but maybe there is truth to the fact that he gets overlooked simply because of where he plays.

Do you think that the Bucks should try to trade Jennings and get back several assets? Would you agree that Jennings is one of the top 10 points guards in the NBA?

The NBA season has been a big disappointment for the LA Lakers and the team has really struggled on the road; but in a recent radio interview, Kobe Bryant told listeners that he thought the team was ready to make some roster changes.

Kobe was on a local sports talk show and was asked who he would rather see in a Lakers uniform, Deron Williams or Dwight Howard; and with a jovial voice he said, "Why not both?'

It was not made clear what the All-Star guard thought the team was getting ready to do, but he did say, "I think Lakers fans know that the Lakers, throughout the course of history, one way or another they always seem to find themselves back on top."

The team has been linked with several trade rumors over the last month and it is no secret that a point guard is a definite need for this team to fulfill its true potential, but the Howard deal is also another that has kept basketball fans on edge as the rumor just won't go away.

The NBA trade deadline is still a few weeks off and several things can happen in that time, but if Kobe thinks something will happen soon, you have to think something is in the works and the team wanted some feedback from their star.

Blake Griffin may have a challenge to his throne.

After years of letdowns from LeBron James, saying that he would participate in a slam dunk contest, the two-time NBA MVP may finally have given indication that this year could be it.According to RealGM, James was asked by reporters of whether he would participate in the 2012 slam dunk contest. And while he didn't give a definitive answer, he sounded a bit more optimistic than years past.

James stated, "I have thought about it before and a few times in the past I kind of had an ankle injury that kind of kept me out of it and a couple of times I was just like, 'You know what, I'm going to go in here and rest my legs for this weekend and then get back to the regular season." He added, "But, I mean, they say a lot of the greats have done it and I've watched it over the years." James then went to say that he won't promise anything because he's done it before and not followed through on his promise. He went on saying, "I don't know, I'll be on the fence every year about it," James said. "It's always a fence year for me. I know they're getting tired of me, though, so I'm not even going to start up nothing."

If James does decide to give it a go this year, he could make it one of the most watched dunk contests in NBA history, as fellow contemporary Blake Griffin would return to defend his crown and set up a classic duel between the two high-flyers. The NBA could really use the boost in ratings after suffering a gruesome lockout in which they lost part of the season and many fans.