OKLAHOMA CITY -- For all the Oklahoma City Thunder followers worried about whether the team will be able to afford a new contract with the NBAs Sixth Man of the Year, theres one person who doesnt seem fazed by it: James Harden. Calvin Pace . Harden heads into this season as possibly the odd man out in the Thunders young nucleus. Like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka before him, hes eligible for his first contract extension and would become a restricted free agent if he doesnt get a new deal by next July. The difference for Harden is that small-market Oklahoma City, approaching the salary cap with all the others already locked into long-term deals, may not be able -- or willing -- to pay the luxury tax likely to come along with Hardens price tag. "Everything will figure itself out eventually," Harden said at the teams preseason media day Monday. "Right now, training camp is starting. I think everybody is excited to be here and just to enjoy each others company. We really missed each other." Harden predicted that hell agree to terms on a new contract by the end of the month and said that hes focused on "hooping," and not on the negotiations. "I have confidence in my agent and the organization to get it done," Harden said. "They know how important it is, so Im sure it will be done." Harden averaged 16.8 points and 3.7 assists last season, earning recognition as the leagues best bench player as Oklahoma City made it to the NBA Finals before losing to Miami. The core players from that run are back for this season, but could it be the teams last chance to pursue a title with Harden in the mix? "I just think about the first day of training camp. Thats all Im going to be thinking about," three-time NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant said. "Everythings going to work itself out." "James is a key part to our team. Were very excited to have him here. ... Its his fourth year. Just being with him that long, being with the rest of the guys that long, Im just excited to start a new season." Harden reiterated that he might be willing to make a sacrifice to stay in Oklahoma City and that he wouldnt demand a maximum contract. Durant and Westbrook also took slightly less than they could have pushed for, and both of the All-Stars were re-signed long before hitting free agency. At the end of last season, Harden suggested that the Thunder could be on the verge of creating a "dynasty" and he still feels a special bond to his teammates. "I think weve built a brotherhood here, a brotherhood these past years thats hard to break," he said. "Other teams, youre just teammates but were really brothers. We hang out all the time. We push each other to work hard every single day." Theres also a business side to it, though. General manager Sam Presti has repeatedly said the team would like to have Harden back but the reality of the situation includes a tough decision involving the salary cap and luxury tax. While title contenders such as the Heat and Lakers have exceeded the cap, the Thunder dont have the benefit of lucrative local television or arena naming rights deals. "Obviously, everybody would love to just say, Oh, yeah, weve got our team. James signed. But its not that easy," said starting centre Kendrick Perkins, who also has a long-term deal in place. "In a perfect world, it would be, but they still have business that they have to take care of. "At the end of the day, we still love James and were going to embrace him and hes still part of our team." Harden said he sought out advice several times from Westbrook, who started last season without an extension in place but agreed to one in January -- 15 games into the season. His plan is to keep his mind on basketball and not on his uncertain future. "Its tough, but I was in the same boat last year," Westbrook said. "Thats just how it goes sometimes. James is going to make the best decision for him and his family." Jace Amaro . The smooth-talking, slick-fielding shortstop has spent nearly half his life with the same organization, so he turned down more money from the Milwaukee Brewers to stay in Philadelphia. DBrickashaw Ferguson . Ray Rice was unavailable, the offence was struggling and the usually boisterous crowd was eerily quiet. The defending Super Bowl champs were in dire need of a game-changing play, and Daryl Smith was there to provide it. GREENSBORO, N.C. -- North Carolina State coach Mark Gottfried said his team had a "golden" opportunity to help its NCAA tournament chances. The Wolfpack didnt squander it, instead sending Jim Boeheim and No. 11 Syracuse to a quick exit from their first Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. T.J. Warren scored 28 points while Ralston Turner banked in the go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:28 left to help N.C. State upset the Orange 66-63 in Fridays quarterfinals, continuing both the Wolfpacks push for the NCAAs and the Oranges downward late-season trend. The seventh-seeded Wolfpack (21-12) blew a 10-point second-half lead but came through with two clutch baskets late to hold off the Orange (27-5) in front of a home-state crowd in Greensboro. It was a huge win for N.C. State, which came into the year picked to finish 10th in the league with a young team and instead finished 9-9. That included one-point losses on last-second baskets to Wake Forest and rival North Carolina, as well as one to Syracuse at the Carrier Dome last month. "I hope that were a legitimate contender," Gottfried said. "Were not the same team that we were in November and December. When you lose 80 per cent of your scoring from a year ago, its going to take a while to figure yourselves out." Now N.C. State has won four straight heading into Saturdays semifinals against No. 7 Duke, marking the third time in three seasons that N.C. State has reached Saturday at the ACC tournament under Gottfried. This win could help Gottfried also make it 3 for 3 with the NCAAs, too. "I think so," Turner said when asked about whether N.C. State should be in, "but thats not up to me." Warren followed Turners tiebreaking 3 with a jumper to make it 64-61, then hit two free throws with 24.6 seconds left to keep the Wolfpack up three. Syracuse had one wild final possession, missing six shots -- including four hurried 3-pointers from Tyler Ennis, Trevor Cooney and C.J. Fair -- to ensure its first ACC tournament would be a one-and-done stop. "I thought the 3s we were taking, we had a couple of good chances," Ennis said, "but they just didnt fall." Ennis scored 15 off his 21 points after halftime for Syracuse, which was unbeaten and ranked No.Clyde Gates. 1 in the country a month ago but has faded down the stretch. The tournaments No. 2 seed had lost four of six coming into Greensboro, though Boeheim has dismissed the suggestion that his team was in a slump. That talk will probably grow louder with another loss -- Syracuse is 2-5 after a 25-0 start -- heading into the NCAA tournament. Syracuse shot 33 per cent Friday, with leading scorer Fair scoring nine points on 3-for-16 shooting. "Im not concerned about our team," Boeheim said. "I think weve played well all year. I think weve struggled shooting, and I think thats pretty well-documented. But in spite of that, we won 27 games, so Im pretty pleased with what these guys have done, and I believe well be a very good tournament team." Warren, the ACCs leading scorer and player of the year, finished 9 for 21 from the field but hit 10 of 12 free throws and grabbed eight rebounds. "I just wanted to find open spots on the floor," Warren said. "Their zone is so spread out that its easy to find little gaps and little separation. Theyre very athletic so youve really got to think quick to get your shots up." Fifth-year senior Jordan Vandenberg added 10 points for N.C. State, which led 28-25 at halftime then shot 52 per cent after halftime. The Wolfpacks win against reigning champion Miami in Thursdays second round set up the rematch with Syracuse, who was still atop the polls when it edged N.C. State 56-55 on Feb. 15. Syracuse won that after the Wolfpack committed a late turnover that led to Fairs winning layup with 6.7 seconds left. There was also a much-discussed call in which officials waved off a basket from Warren while being fouled with 13.6 seconds left because the foul came before the shot with N.C. State up one. This one came down the stretch just like before, but the Wolfpack didnt let this one get away. "Sometimes those kind of things balance out in life," Gottfried said. "We had the tough one earlier in the year where we didnt finish the game. Today, maybe fate was on our side on that last possession." ' ' '
