Ground Floor

The producers of "Basketball Wives" are probably screaming "SAVE IT FOR THE SHOW!!!" ... after it was revealed former NBA and soon-to-be reality star Stephon Marbury had an affair with his personal chef and paid her nearly A MILLION BUCKS to keep a lid on it.

Marbury -- who along with wife Latasha will appear next season on the show -- hooked up with the family's chef, Thurayyah Mitchell, five times during her employment ... this according to court docs obtained by the NY Post.

When Marbury let her go in 2006, she screamed sexual harassment, but Marbury (who felt he did nothing wrong) offered her $900,000 anyway to keep her trap shut. Marbury played for the Knicks at the time -- ironic, since the team was dealing with allegations of sexual misconduct by front office personnel.

According to the Post, Marbury shelled out nearly $600,000 to Mitchel but stopped making payments in 2010. Mitchell took Marbury before an arbitrator for the balance ... and the arbitrator ruled Marbury made Mitchell "believe that 'keeping him happy' was a requirement of keeping her job."

The arbitrator awarded Mitchell $330,000, saying Mitchell could have sued Marbury for more money or sold her story.

Heidi Klum just admitted on national television ... she's getting it on with her bodyguard -- but the supermodel insisted she never cheated on Seal.

Heidi just opened up on Katie Couric's talk show, claiming she "never looked at another man" while she was with Seal -- despite Seal's accusations she boned the family bodyguard behind his back while they were married.

Heidi said she's known the bodyguard for 4 years and, over that time, they've become very close. Heidi said they are now "seeing" each other.

TMZ has obtained a photo of Jennifer Lopez with her new BF -- and backup dancer -- Casper Smart ... taken while they were traveling in Europe.

According to our sources, Lopez and Smart spent the first few months as "just friends" -- flirting, talking and just hanging out -- but lately they've been touchy-feely in front of JLo's other dancers.

We're told the mood of rehearsals has shifted -- she's a lot more focused on Casper ... who is 24. Jennifer is 42.

The photo was snapped in the summer when JLo was in Ukraine for a performance. Casper danced in the show, but we're told they were not dating at the time.

Jennifer's rep hasn't gotten back to us.

The picture, featuring the two dancing in front of a live mariachi band, was shot back in November 1994 ... around the same time "True Lies" and "Junior" came out in theaters. We're just sayin' ...