Hopefully they get VH1 in China ... 'cause ex-NBA'er Stephon Marbury's super hot wife has been tapped to be on the next season of "Basketball Wives."

Sources close to the production tell us ... Tasha Marbury is in final talks to join the show -- a much needed cast replacement after Royce, Jennifer and Kesha were all axed.

We're told producers approached Tasha for two main reasons ... she's actually a basketball wife (she and Stephon married in 2002) ... and secondly she's already friends with some of the other "wives."

Sources tell us, Tasha was previously asked to do season 1 of "BB Wives", except Stephon nixed the idea -- but now he lives in China part time playing for the Beijing Ducks ... and changed his tune.

We're also told producers are still looking to fill a couple more spots. One of which might be Evelyn Lozada's -- considering she has yet to make decision about returning to the show.

"Basketball Wives" star Nia Crooks is finally off the hook for bitch-slapping her VH1 co-star Jennifer Williams ... because Jennifer is officially dropping her lawsuit.

TMZ broke the story ... Williams filed a lawsuit against Crooks ... claiming she suffered serious injuries and psychological damage when Crooks belted her across the face back in January.

Fortunately, the smack was caught on tape and aired on the VH1 reality show. Classic.

But earlier this month, Williams decided to abandon her lawsuit ... and filed court docs to end the legal war forever.  Sources say there was no settlement -- Jennifer simply decided not to move forward.

A rep for Jennifer tells TMZ she is "already dealing with her difficult divorce and did not feel that it was necessary to continue to pursue civil action.”

Nia’s lawyer Javier Solano tells TMZ, “We have always maintained that the frivolous lawsuit brought by Jennifer Williams was nothing short of a last-gasp attempt to maintain her dwindling relevance on the 'Basketball Wives.'"

"Nia is happy to put this issue behind her and start looking ahead to work on her own career."

Former NBA star Eric Williams -- the estranged husband of "BB Wives" star Jennifer Williams -- allegedly had a secret child in 2011 ... and now the baby mama wants him to pony up some child support ASAP.

Tavia Serena Cannon filed a Complaint for Support in PA last week, she claims she had a child with Eric in October 2011. Cannon says she makes $300/week babysitting and wants Williams to fork over some cash and medical coverage for the kid. 

Here's the rub ... at the time the baby was allegedly conceived -- Jan/Feb 2011 -- the former NBAer was still married to Jennifer ... who didn't file for divorce until June 2011.

Sources close to Jennifer tell TMZ this news comes as a shock. They claim the "BB Wife" had NO CLUE about the child. Their divorce is still pending in a NJ court.

Calls to Eric's rep have not been returned.

"Basketball Wives" star Jennifer Williams has lost about 4,000 lbs ... because her super swanky Bentley just took a one-way trip to the repo yard, TMZ has learned.

As TMZ first reported, Williams was sued by the Toyota Motor Credit Corporation after they claimed she stopped making payments on the sweet ride.

Sources tell TMZ, the Bentley was repossessed earlier this month with no-return order on the car ... which means Williams ain't gettin it back. We're told the car is already scheduled for auction.

Sources connected to Williams and her estranged husband Eric tell TMZ ... the repo isn't Jennifer's fault. We're told Eric was the one who stopped making payments and when Jennifer found out ... she asked him to come pick up the ride himself. Seems the repo man showed up first.

The lawsuit is still ongoing as is Williams' divorce case.

Salt on the wound for fired "Basketball Wives" star Jennifer Williams -- TMZ has learned her expensive Bentley is on the verge of being repossessed ... by force of law.

The Toyota Motor Credit Corporation in Syosset, NY just filed a lawsuit against Williams, claiming she stopped making payments on her used 2006 white Bentley back in 2009 -- and it wants the car back.

According to the lawsuit, TMCC has made several attempts to peacefully repossess the vehicle ... but was unsuccessful. Now, it wants a court to FORCE Williams to give back the car.

TMCC is also demanding Williams pay the entire outstanding balance on the car -- $92,310.

A rep for Williams tells TMZ, "Jennifer hasn't been served documents in reference to this lawsuit. Anything related to community property acquired during the marriage, such as the car, is an issue that is currently being addressed in her divorce proceedings."

TMZ broke the story ... Williams filed for divorce from her husband Eric in July 2011.

"Basketball Wives" star Shaunie O'Neal says it's not her fault three cast members were axed ... telling people she learned the news when everyone else did ... sources close to Shaunie tell TMZ 

As TMZ previously reported, three major "BB Wives" were canned recently -- Jennifer Williams, Royce Reed and Kesha Nichols. 

But Shaunie is telling friends, despite the accusations, the cuts were NOT made by her. Sources close to Shaunie (who, in addition to being on the show, serves as one of the executive producers) tell TMZ she was blindsided by the news.

We're told Shaunie says the show leaves her in the dark about everything after she butted heads with them over the violent direction the show was headed (i.e on-air brawls and cat-fights).

According to our sources, Shaunie is upset over the current situation and is willing to walk away from the series if it becomes something she no longer believes in.

If you get smacked in the face on reality TV, it's your own damn fault ... this according to "Basketball Wives" star Nia Crooks in her response to a lawsuit by a fellow cast member.

If you recall, "BB Wives" co-star Jennifer Williams filed a suit against Crooks -- claiming she suffered emotional distress and mental anguish after being hit upside the head on an episode of the VH1 show.

Now Crooks has fired back at the "face-slap" lawsuit -- claiming that Williams brought the slap on herself by the way she behaved.

In court docs filed by Crooks' lawyer, Javier Solano, she claims the slap was "caused in whole or in part by the culpable conduct, carelessness, contributory negligence or assumption of risk of [Williams]." In other words, Williams is just as much to blame for getting herself smacked.

Crooks also says Williams' injuries are bogus and is asking the judge to dismiss the suit entirely.

FYI -- in case you forgot the epic face-slap, you can re-live it here.

Dwight Howard can finally relax -- because his baby mama Royce Reed (left) just got her ass axed from "Basketball Wives" ... along with two other stars on the show.

Sources connected with production tell TMZ, Jennifer Williams (right) and Kesha Nichols (center) also got the chop -- and will be replaced next season. It's unclear who's in line to take their spots.

According to sources, producers will be giving the girls their walking papers any day now to drop what they called "dead weight" from the show.

We're told Royce was cut because she wasn't legally allowed to talk about Dwight due to a 2009 gag order, blocking her from discussing her ex in any way. The other girls on the show had also decided to ostracize her, so Royce couldn't shoot scenes with the rest of the cast.

As for the others -- producers think Jennifer's too big a liability after suing Nia Crooks for slapping her on the show. And Kesha was just too boring.

A rep for VH1 tells TMZ, “We don't comment on casting until everything is final. Thanks for checking in.”

"Basketball Wives" producers are taking their feud with cast member Jennifer Williams to the next level ... the show's big-wigs are currently in talks to file a lawsuit against  the "BB Wife" for publicly trashing the show.

If you recall ... producers of VH1's hit series were PISSED after Williams filed a lawsuit against fellow cast member Nia Crooks after she slapped Williams in the face while taping an episode.

Now sources tell TMZ  -- producers are ready to take their own legal action after Williams went on a media rampage and blasted "BB Wives" alleging the show portrays African-American women negatively.

According to our sources, producers feel Williams' show-bashing is in violation of her contract -- which forbids cast members from doing any media appearances or press without approval, or speaking negatively about the show. We're told they feel she is "ruining the brand" they worked so hard to build.
 
Let the mudslinging begin.

Jennifer Williams' "face-slap" lawsuit is the giant shovel digging her reality TV grave ... TMZ has learned ... 'cause we're told "Basketball Wives" producers are PISSED!

Sources close to production tell TMZ ... Williams was already on thin ice with the show -- even before her slaptastic showdown with Nia Crooks -- but now that she has filed a lawsuit ... that ice is breaking FAST.

We're told producers think the suit is BS ... claiming Jennifer never had a problem with fighting before and insist this is a desperate publicity stunt to keep her storyline interesting -- securing her a place in season 5.

But a source tells us the stunt is not working, adding, "Filing broad lawsuits when you are as much to blame for the drama, is not the way to get your contract extended."

Ouch ... now that's gotta sting.

"Basketball Wives" star Nia Crooks has been charged with misdemeanor battery for pimp slappin' the taste out of Jennifer Williams' mouth back in January ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for the Broward County State's Attorney's Office tells us ... officials decided to file the charge on April 10 ... after Williams filed a criminal complaint.

If convicted, Nia faces up to a year in the slammer.

During the incident, which aired on last week's episode of "Basketball Wives" -- Nia can be heard threatening to slap Jennifer ... to which Jennifer replied, "I wish you would." Her wish was granted.



4:39 PM PST -- Nia's lawyer Marc David Seitles tells TMZ ...  "We will vigorously defend Nia against these charges. The women on the show executed contracts expressly accepting the risk that a physical altercation could occur."

The lawyer adds, "Given that Jennifer herself has previously instigated fights on the show, to cry foul now is absurd and a desperate attempt for publicity and money. We will fight until Nia is vindicated."