Kris Humphries

Last week, Brooklyn Nets forward Kris Humphries battled Toronto Raptors forward Rudy Gay on Jimmy Kimmel Live's "Skype Scavenger Hunt." In the game, Kimmel asks them to bring back random items from their home as fast as possible to win a secret prize.

The first item is "something worth more than $10,000." Rudy Gay brings back his car keys. As you'll see in the video below, Kris Humphries brings back... MORE →

In an interview on ESPN's First Take today with Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless, Kris Humphries dished on his disappointing season, calling his personal life a "distraction" and hinting that the situation with the team in Brooklyn was troubling.

"I think there's always a little bit of distraction in any situation like that," Humphries said in reference to his personal life, notably his highly-publicized divorce. "Sometimes it's a tougher situation within the team as well."

While Humphries didn't get into specifics with his team -- whether it was the high-profile nature of being on the NBA's first team in Brooklyn, or if there were inner conflicts with his roster -- he made it clear the situation wasn't perfect for him and that while he wasn't requesting a trade, he was open to the possibility.

"Obviously, if it's a good situation in Brooklyn, I'm excited to be there," Humphries said, before noting the reality of NBA trade talk. "Guys in the last year of their deal, making a lot of money, a lot of times find themselves in trades, so if that happens, you want to go to a good situation. I've always been told, control what you can control."

Humphries also didn't hesitate to mention that he's looking to land another big contract with his play in this upcoming season. "I'll be a free agent after next year. Miraculously, NBA players always seem to have a little more fire that year. I mean, it is what it is. But I'm excited to be back."

Humphries averaged 5.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game this season, losing his starting spot at the beginning of December. Read more about Kris Humphries's season here.

Basketball players are human beings with lots of money. This is just a simple fact. As young, physically fit human beings with lots of money, many tend to go out to nightclubs and party. Again, a simple fact. But compound that fact with being Kim Kardashian's ex-husband and a former reality show star, and it suddenly becomes news.

According to US Magazine, Kris Humphries was seen out at Beauty & Essex in Manhattan the Friday night before Game 7 of the Brooklyn Nets' first-round series against the Chicago Bulls, and in proper US Magazine fashion, uses the space to disparage him for it:

Timing is everything. And Kris Humphries, who recently became a free man once more after his divorce from ex Kim Kardashian was finalized on Apr. 19, should know that better than anyone. But the Brooklyn Nets player threw caution to the wind on Friday, May 3, partying into the late hours of the night despite having to be ready to go for Game 7 against the Chicago Bulls the next day.

US Magazine considers "the late hours of the night" around 1 A.M., which is true if you work a 9-to-5 job. But Game 7 was at 8 P.M. Saturday. You don't exactly have to get up early for that. If Humphries needs to be at work at 6:00 P.M. -- and that's generous -- he's got more than enough time to sleep it off.

Humphries, 28, was at the venue to celebrate his older model sister Kaela's 30th birthday and didn't hold back as he "fist pumped a little bit" and showed off a few dance moves, the source added.

He FIST-PUMPED!? That changes everything. Didn't hold back, indeed.

US Magazine goes on to cite sources who were also at the nightclub, which makes them airtight:

"Kris was drinking champagne and stayed late. He was a jerk to everyone," another eyewitness told Us.

But another source told Us, "He left with his mother. He wasn't out of control, he was celebrating his sister's birthday. If anyone knows Kris, they know that family and basketball are the most important things in his life."

"In the pros, you are not monitored, so to speak, unless you are on the road," another source explains to Us Weekly. "It is assumed you know what to do the night before a game. But, no! You do not go out the night before a Game 7 of the playoffs. You don't do it, period."

I'm not sure who this source is for US Magazine, but they obviously never heard of Allen Iverson. Or J.R. Smith. Or possibly every player in NBA history not named A.C. Green.

If Humphries was spotted doing jello shots off strippers at 7 A.M. while punching bespectacled waitresses, that would be notable. But this is harmless. This entire "shame Kris Humphries" thing was old a year ago. Humphries went out the night before a big game to celebrate with his family and left at a reasonable hour for his profession. He was also hardly the reason they lost; Humphries played all of 12 minutes, 8th-most in the team's 9-man rotation, almost exactly what he averaged throughout the series (11.9). Any other NBA 8th man goes out to party before a Game 7, and it's a non-story. This one is, too.

And even after everything, women still seem to like hanging out with him. So power to him.