2013-2014 NBA Season

[thelakelander]

^They did. The conversation was had a few days after LeBron opted out. A day or two after that meet up, Haslem and Wade opted out. Bosh opted out about 24 hours later (around June 29th). Ray Allen and James Jones will play another year if LeBron sticks around.  If not, Jones is retiring and Allen is willing to follow LeBron.

[thelakelander]

And if the three do come back with more cap space to improve the supporting cast I will hate the Heat so much more)

Oh, they will come back with more cap space. There's no other reason for guys like Wade and Haslem to pass up that much cash, at this point in their careers with 3 rings a piece already.  However, I don't expect big names to join.  Expect to 2-3 decent veterans in key spots (ex. C, PG, & a defensive SG or SF).

[thelakelander]

^Instead of the Lowrys and Melos of free agency, I'm expecting the likes of Gasol, Nelson, etc.   

Btw, I just heard on the radio that the Heat went after Stephenson but he wanted more money. Deng want to be in Miami but Miami isn't willing to pay him what he wants either. Miami's priority is Ariza.

[ProjectMaximus]

^They did. The conversation was had a few days after LeBron opted out. A day or two after that meet up, Haslem and Wade opted out. Bosh opted out about 24 hours later (around June 29th). Ray Allen and James Jones will play another year if LeBron sticks around.  If not, Jones is retiring and Allen is willing to follow LeBron.

Right, I was just referring to KenFSU's tampering concern. Their agents could've easily discussed all the scenarios with Pat Riley before these guys became FAs, which would've been totally legal.

[KenFSU]

LBJ is not going back to the dysfunctional clusterfuck that is Cleveland. Way too many people take that idea seriously.

If I'm Lebron, looking at both Miami and Cleveland, it really is a tough call. Even if Miami reassembles their big three, Father Time will still be banging on their door. I couldn't see him signing for longer than two years, max. Cleveland is the polar opposite. They now have Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins locked down for five years each, three first round picks for 2015, Anderson Varejao, Anthony Bennett, etc. With Lebron, Cleveland would have to be a favorite to dominate the East for years to come. He'd have to patch things up with Dan Gilbert (which won't be easy, but let's face it, they are both at fault for how things ended), and Cleveland would have to shed a bit of cap space, but it's certainly looking more possible now than it was even a month ago. He'd have to realize though that if he were to sign with Cleveland, it would be VERY difficult to ever leave the Cavs again.

My predictions:

1) Lebron to Cleveland
2) Bosh to Houston
3) Wade either stays in Miami or takes an inflated contract with Charlotte
4) Melo stays in New York, and is joined by Pau Gasol

[KenFSU]

Rich Paul Offering Cavaliers Belief LeBron Could Return
Jul 07, 2014 10:05 AM EDT

LeBron James' agent, Rich Paul, has confided to people that bringing his client back to the Cleveland Cavaliers is a mission for him. Paul is informing the Cavaliers that they're in a strong position to sign him again and is encouraging officials to offer no restraint in their recruitment of James.

Paul has held meetings with several teams without James during the first week of free agency.

Paul will be joining James for a sit-down meeting later this week with Pat Riley and the Miami Heat.

The Heat have been unable to secure a deal with any free agent as the status of James is making it difficult for Riley.

"LeBron is the ultimate recruiter, but he hasn't been any part of this process," a league source tied to the Heat's recruiting efforts told Yahoo Sports. "The first question they all ask is the same: 'Do I get to hear from LeBron? What's he going to do?'"

Via Adrian Wojnarowski/Yahoo! Sports

Cavaliers Finally Remove Dan Gilbert's Letter From Website
Jul 07, 2014 10:10 AM EDT

The Cleveland Cavaliers have allowed Dan Gilbert's open letter following LeBron James' decision to sign with the Miami Heat to remain hosted on their website for four years.

The letter was up as recently as Sunday, but it was taken down on Monday amid reports the Cavaliers are in a legitimate position to sign James.

Via Brian Windhorst/ESPN

[thelakelander]

LBJ is not going back to the dysfunctional clusterfuck that is Cleveland. Way too many people take that idea seriously.

If I'm Lebron, looking at both Miami and Cleveland, it really is a tough call. Even if Miami reassembles their big three, Father Time will still be banging on their door. I couldn't see him signing for longer than two years, max. Cleveland is the polar opposite. They now have Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins locked down for five years each, three first round picks for 2015, Anderson Varejao, Anthony Bennett, etc. With Lebron, Cleveland would have to be a favorite to dominate the East for years to come. He'd have to patch things up with Dan Gilbert (which won't be easy, but let's face it, they are both at fault for how things ended), and Cleveland would have to shed a bit of cap space, but it's certainly looking more possible now than it was even a month ago. He'd have to realize though that if he were to sign with Cleveland, it would be VERY difficult to ever leave the Cavs again.

My predictions:

1) Lebron to Cleveland
2) Bosh to Houston
3) Wade either stays in Miami or takes an inflated contract with Charlotte
4) Melo stays in New York, and is joined by Pau Gasol

If LeBron goes to Cleveland, I'd put my money on Indiana or Chicago to come out of the east.  Clevelands front office is horrible and their roster is pretty young with no experience.  By the time those kids come around (assuming they don't turn out to be busts), Lebron will have wasted a few extra years of his prime. Also, I'd put money that Riley would quickly retool Miami's roster will the cash freed up, so they wouldn't be down for long.  Nevertheless, I still believe all this is hot air.

[tufsu1]

does anyone care?

[funwithteeth]

About?

[KenFSU]

does anyone care?

Does the entire sports world, including the 15 million viewers who watched Lebron and the Miami Heat fall to San Antonio, not count enough for you?

Basketball might not be your thing, but aside from the World Cup, this is the sports story of the summer.

It's not a stretch to say that the entire NBA landscape can and will shift depending on where Lebron James choses to play. The futures of Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade, Pau Gasol, Chandler Parsons, Kevin Love, Ray Allen, Andrew Wiggins, and numerous others could dramatically swing based on whether James picks Cleveland or Miami.

[thelakelander]

This is pretty crazy. Miami, Cleveland, Houston and Minnesota all have millions riding on his decision now. Houston could possibly lose Parsons or wind up overpaying him, due to this dragging out. World Cup aside, this is normally a dead month for sports radio. However, the theater is pretty good, switching listening time at work between Miami and Cleveland radio stations.  It's amazing how two groups of people take the same limited information and come out to totally different interpretations.

[KenFSU]

^ Add Jeremy Lin to that list as well.

If Lebron signs with Cleveland, the dominos would likely fall like this:

Lebron to Cleveland > Chris Bosh to Houston > Jeremy Lin to Philadelphia > Chandler Parsons to Houston > Carmelo Anthony to New York > with the possibility of Ray Allen to Cleveland > Andrew Wiggins and Anderson Varejao to Minnesota > Kevin Love to Cleveland.

[KenFSU]

Chris Sheridan (ESPN/AP/Sheridan Hoops), who has proven a reliable source in the past, is reporting that Lebron has chosen Cleveland, and will make the official announcement on his website.

Chris Sheridan is reporting that LeBron James has privately made his decision to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers and an announcement will be made on LeBronJames.com.

James is also expected the news to be announced before he leaves for the World Cup Final in Brazil, which will be played on Sunday.

James met with Pat Riley on Wednesday to deliver the news. Riley attempted to get James to reconsider by comparing the relative instability of the Cavaliers compared to the Miami Heat. The meeting lasted one hour and a source said that James' stance did not change.

A source says that James' inner circle, from his wife Savannah to his agent Rich Paul and best friends Maverick Carter and Randy Mims are unanimous that he should return to the Cavaliers.

[tufsu1]

does anyone care?

Does the entire sports world, including the 15 million viewers who watched Lebron and the Miami Heat fall to San Antonio, not count enough for you?

Basketball might not be your thing, but aside from the World Cup, this is the sports story of the summer.

wow...15 million viewers worldwide...quite impressive since South Florida 7 million people on its own

and, btw, I like basketball very much...just not the bastardized version played in the NBA today

[KenFSU]

does anyone care?

Does the entire sports world, including the 15 million viewers who watched Lebron and the Miami Heat fall to San Antonio, not count enough for you?

Basketball might not be your thing, but aside from the World Cup, this is the sports story of the summer.

wow...15 million viewers worldwide...quite impressive since South Florida 7 million people on its own

and, btw, I like basketball very much...just not the bastardized version played in the NBA today

15 million viewers stateside, plus tens of millions of others in the over 240 countries broadcasting the game worldwide.

26.3 million U.S. viewers watched last year's Game 7, more than the BCS championship game, or any other sporting even aside from the NFL. Obviously people care. Turn on the TV today, or the radio. Open the newspaper.

Also, for all the widespread talk about the current bastardized NBA, I challenge you to find a historically purer basketball team than Greg Popovich's 2014 NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs. Ditto the 2011 Dallas Mavericks, the 2008 Celtics, and the 2004 Pistons. So much of the fun of the last ten years, NBA-wise, has been the battle between the pure, traditionally built teams and the big-three style franchises.