2010 LeBron James Sweepstakes

[HedleyLamarr]

I don't think school presidents are writing "We hate you now!" letters in Comic Sans or people are burning jerseys in effigy for a kid choosing a conference rival instead of the state school.

Ohio State loses Ohio kids to Michigan and vice-versa. Happens every year. The hat fakes don't quite compare to a paid professional making a free agency decision on national television.

I'm not a huge fan of Signing Day, myself. But the made-for-TV drama is pretty harmless. Schools don't get butt-hurt for not getting a recruit. Most of the time, the schools already know who's going where before the kid makes his choice public. And yeah, these kids hadn't accomplished anything yet, but for 98% of them, college football is the highest level they'll get to....I'm in favor of them getting to celebrate this moment.

[Ateles fusciceps]

I wouldn't fault LeBron if he went to Milwaukee or Orlando because they were the only teams offering him a maximum deal ( hypothetically). At the end of the day, the NBA is a business. He is an employee and this is his livelihood & career. I don't understand why people fault players for maximizing their income. Would you take a pay cut where you work? Don't say it's different, it's not. A job is a job.

[IceCap]

I wouldn't fault LeBron if he went to Milwaukee or Orlando because they were the only teams offering him a maximum deal ( hypothetically). At the end of the day, the NBA is a business. He is an employee and this is his livelihood & career. I don't understand why people fault players for maximizing their income. Would you take a pay cut where you work? Don't say it's different, it's not. A job is a job.

Well it is different because thousands of people don't spend thousands of dollars each to watch you do your job. There isn't merchandise dedicated to you doing your job. There aren't talking heads on national tv criticizing your every move and calling your career a failure if you don't win Insurance Salesman of the Year for Lincoln, Nebraska or whatever. There's no way you can say that a professional athlete's job and the jobs the rest of us have are comparable.

That last point is particularly relevant to LeBron James. Would you or I take a paycut? Not if we didn't have to. James did just that when he went to Miami. Why? He wanted to win NBA Championships so his legacy could be legitimized. That's one variable (among many) that pro athletes need to consider that the rest of us simply don't.

That being said? I don't blame him for seeking a max contract if he can get it. Not at this stage in his career.

[CS85]

Dan Gilbert is allegedly in South Beach despite his denials.

[Cujo]

@Chris_Broussard: Cleveland has replaced Miami as my frontrunner to land LeBron James...

[alxy8s]

Dan Gilbert's plane was in South Florida today, Broussard tweeted that out, and Stephen A. Smith is about to break his free agency silence to go on SportsCenter.

Cleveland it is?

[CS85]

Dan Gilbert's plane was in South Florida today, Broussard tweeted that out, and Stephen A. Smith is about to break his free agency silence to go on SportsCenter.

Cleveland it is?

More twitter rumor abounds.

RUMOR: LBJ meeting with Dan and Z tonight. He's "leaning" towards coming home. Btw, Tues is 4 year anniversary of the decision.

Edit: Bosh/Wade becoming unsettled by lack of LeBron contact

LeBron allegedly impressed by Cavs offseason

Cavs attempting to unload Jarrett Jack for cap space while still keeping a LeBron fave

LeBron's agent to meet with Pat Riley this week

Irving text says, "Cavs are back"

-----

Edit 2: Stephen A Smith on SportsCenter says that Bosh is the guy holding up the show on whether he not he'll go to Houston.

-----

Edit 3: What it looks like is LeBron's agent will give Riley an ultimatum OR a formal finalization of departure. LeBron returns to Cleveland on Tuesday with great fanfare. Carmelo seems to be Los Angeles drunk due to their apparently glorious Tobey Maguire-narrated video and that his wife is an aspiring actress/thing. Bosh to Houston. Wade to Miami.

Love seems to be staying put unless Bulls make a totally imbecilic trade for a 1-year rental.

[infrared41]

Dan Gilbert is allegedly in South Beach despite his denials.

This is going to be interesting.

[Evil G]

If he goes back to Cleveland no way it won't be the end of the Cleveland Curse soon.

[C's]

Going back to Cleveland would be an awful move.

[alxy8s]

Stephen A Smith on SportsCenter says that Bosh is the guy holding up the show on whether he not he'll go to Houston.

Bosh is reportedly "heavily engaged" with Houston.

Smith's suggestion of Bosh walking and being replaced by Melo seems odd. Melo hasn't spoken to the Heat at all.

Anyone good in the draft next year? Miami is about to be pathetic.

Edit: LeBron is meeting with Pat Riley early this week. Looks like it'll be to tell him in person that he's out.

[infrared41]

If he goes back to Cleveland no way it won't be the end of the Cleveland Curse soon.

Wanna bet?

[Evil G]

If he goes back to Cleveland no way it won't be the end of the Cleveland Curse soon.

Wanna bet?

Maybe. It depends on well, if he goes back.

But why not make a statement like that? He's turning only 30 later this year, has a young, star PG in Kyrie Irving, and 1st round draft picks in Wiggins and Bennett. All they need is a center and they're a completed team.

[CS85]

Stephen A Smith on SportsCenter says that Bosh is the guy holding up the show on whether he not he'll go to Houston.

Bosh is reportedly "heavily engaged" with Houston.

Smith's suggestion of Bosh walking and being replaced by Melo seems odd. Melo hasn't spoken to the Heat at all.

Anyone good in the draft next year? Miami is about to be pathetic.

Edit: LeBron is meeting with Pat Riley early this week. Looks like it'll be to tell him in person that he's out.

You got 4 trips to the finals and 2 titles in the Big 3 era. I'm curious how Miami reacts to their seemingly unconquerable trinity crumbling at their feet. It probably goes without saying that pity from the rest of the league will be sparse.

[C's]

You got 4 trips to the finals and 2 titles in the Big 3 era. I'm curious how Miami reacts to their seemingly unconquerable trinity crumbling at their feet. It probably goes without saying that pity from the rest of the league will be sparse.

Lol, what exactly was Miami supposed to say when the chance to put a 3-star team on the floor was dropped on their doorstep? "Sorry, but we'd rather keep grinding out 44 win seasons with Dwyane, Beasley, Udonis, and Jermaine O'Neal"?

[infrared41]

If he goes back to Cleveland no way it won't be the end of the Cleveland Curse soon.

Wanna bet?

Maybe. It depends on well, if he goes back.

But why not make a statement like that? He's turning only 30 later this year, has a young, star PG in Kyrie Irving, and 1st round draft picks in Wiggins and Bennett. All they need is a center and they're a completed team.

You're not very familiar with Cleveland's sports history, are you?

[Evil G]

If he goes back to Cleveland no way it won't be the end of the Cleveland Curse soon.

Wanna bet?

Maybe. It depends on well, if he goes back.

But why not make a statement like that? He's turning only 30 later this year, has a young, star PG in Kyrie Irving, and 1st round draft picks in Wiggins and Bennett. All they need is a center and they're a completed team.

You're not very familiar with Cleveland's sports history, are you?

I am, but things can always change if the talent is there. The talent is never there with the Browns or the Indians, and when LeBron was in Cleveland his supporting cast was always "meh".

[C's]

Why mention Bennett over Tristan Thompson?

[CS85]

You got 4 trips to the finals and 2 titles in the Big 3 era. I'm curious how Miami reacts to their seemingly unconquerable trinity crumbling at their feet. It probably goes without saying that pity from the rest of the league will be sparse.

Lol, what exactly was Miami supposed to say when the chance to put a 3-star team on the floor was dropped on their doorstep? "Sorry, but we'd rather keep grinding out 44 win seasons with Dwyane, Beasley, Udonis, and Jermaine O'Neal"?

Not what I said. I'm just saying a lot of people are waiting for Cleveland's potential reaction to LeBron returning, but I'm more interested in if the piles of people that hopped on Planet Heat while the going was good all of a sudden jump ship once the First Train to Suck Town leaves toward Miami. It's like the faux-soccer fan argument, only fewer people hate me.

[Lights Out]

If he goes back to Cleveland no way it won't be the end of the Cleveland Curse soon.

Wanna bet?

Maybe. It depends on well, if he goes back.

But why not make a statement like that? He's turning only 30 later this year, has a young, star PG in Kyrie Irving, and 1st round draft picks in Wiggins and Bennett. All they need is a center and they're a completed team.

Devil's advocate: they're already talking about trading Wiggins for Kevin Love (a trade that would bite them in the ass, IMO), Bennett is looking like one of the biggest busts in history, and Kyrie is statistically closer to Isaiah Thomas than to the superstar point guards he's compared to.