Free Agency

[ForeverADog]

Who is going where?

[Let’sGetAlong]

Bulls-Lebron and Bosh
Heat-Stoudemire and Wade
Nets-Johnson and Boozer
Mavs- Dirk
Celtics- Allen and Pierce

Rudy Gay, David Lee...don't even have a guess. Maybe both the Knicks?

I'm sure all of this will be wrong...haha. Wouldn't be suprised to see Johnson and Stoudemire stay where they are at. If Stoudemire stays, Boozer goes to the heat.

[ForeverADog]

I don't think the Knicks end up with no one. They will at least get one of those great power forwards. I think Amare. And I'm almost positive Bosh will go with either Lebron or Wade. Also I would love to see the rockets get one of those great power forwards but I think best case scenario we get David Lee.

[Let’sGetAlong]

I've always thought the Knicks would end up with someone as well but if Bosh goes with Lebron to Chicago, which I think will happen, Stoudemire is almost as close as a guarantee this free agency can be to going to the heat with Wade. If that happens, I don't see Boozer going there and I think Boozer, Johnson, Harris, and Lopez would be a quick contender for the playoffs in the East should those two decide to go there.

Maybe Bosh will mess everything up and go to the Rockets...I actually think that for the money...Lee would be better. He's going to be probably close to half the price and then you can try and find someone else. But what I heard on ESPN is the Rockets are wanting to do a sign and trade.

[Speedkills]

I think LeBron would be a great fit in Chicago, However i think he will remain in Cleveland.

[wos08]

No wonder why teams are in financial trouble

The owners are complete idiots, Hawks gave 120 mil to Johnson.

Rudy Gay got a ridiculous contract aswell

Edit - Raptors just signed Amir Johnson for 34 mil

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D



These guys are laughing their way to the bank


Expect Carlos Boozer, David Lee, etc.. to get max contracts at this rate

[Betrayed]

Chris Bosh will join fellow All-Star free agent Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat, ESPN reported Wednesday.

The report said Bosh would leave the Toronto Raptors and sign with the Heat, forming a susperstar tandem that could also attract LeBron James from Cleveland. The announcement from the players could come later Wednesday, the report said.

According to the report, Bosh likely will join the Heat in a straight signing and receive $96 million over five years. The report said the Raptors were unhappy about Bosh's use of the media throughout the process and probably won't facilitate a sign-and-trade that would have netted Bosh $125 million over six years.

The report said [color=limegreen][color=red][color=limegreen][size=12pt]Bosh had told James that he would play with him anywhere except Cleveland,[/size][/color][/color][/color] where James spent his first seven seasons. The Heat have enough salary cap room to sign two max free agents in addition to Wade, who would remain with the team that drafted him in 2003.

It was reported that James will announce his free agent destination on ESPN on Thursday night :o

[Gabe]

LBJ is arrogant, plain and simple. He called ESPN to set up the hour long crap fest that will be nothing but both sides kissing each others rears. ESPN will keep saying NY is involved to make sure Knicks fans watch and we all will watch and boom, more money for both sides. What a bunch of crap. Even if LBJ goes to Miami and wins, does that make him the best player ever? Not even close when he is teamed with Bosh and Wade. It is like saying Jeter is the best ever because he has won so many titles. Winning on super teams does not make you the greatest team or player in my mind (and I'm a Yankees fan admitting this). No matter what LBJ does now, he will be arrogant in my mind.

[AggiesAreWe]

[quote name="Gabe" post="816572" timestamp="1278517891"]
LBJ is arrogant, plain and simple. He called ESPN to set up the hour long crap fest that will be nothing but both sides kissing each others rears. ESPN will keep saying NY is involved to make sure Knicks fans watch and we all will watch and boom, more money for both sides. What a bunch of crap. Even if LBJ goes to Miami and wins, does that make him the best player ever? Not even close when he is teamed with Bosh and Wade. It is like saying Jeter is the best ever because he has won so many titles. Winning on super teams does not make you the greatest team or player in my mind (and I'm a Yankees fan admitting this). No matter what LBJ does now, he will be arrogant in my mind.
[/quote]


Just got off the phone with LBJ's people, he has sent word that he will wait till the Orange Leader prints a story saying where he should go, then he will make his decision.

Gabe, are you going to tell Lebron where to go? hint hint ;D

[ForeverADog]

Hey at least all the sponsors money that both sides would be generating is going to the boys and girls clubs. So this isn't a money shoot for both sides but I agree Lebron is arrogant, but if you people constantly blowing smoke up your but you would be too. As far as best player I don't think he will be better than MJ but he can still get close. If he goes to Miami you have to think that team would have to be the greatest team ever assembled or close. If they stay healthy they could be a 70 win team. But we may never get the chance to see....

[Betrayed]

According to ESPN, ESPN is reporting that LeBron James will announce his decision on where he'll play during a primetime special on ESPN on Thursday evening, ESPN has learned. But ESPN has confirmed that ESPN has declined to confirm the report on ESPN.
Confused? So are we. Let's try it again, from the top ...

LeBron James will announce his decision Thursday night in a one-hour special on ESPN, according to ESPN.com.

The most coveted free agent in NBA history has been pondering his options since meeting with six teams in Cleveland last weekend.

[color=limegreen]According to ESPN.com, representatives for James contacted ESPN about creating a one-hour special at 9 p.m. ET Thursday night. ESPN reportedly agreed to let his representatives sell sponsorship for the show, with proceeds going to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
[/color]
"Due to the unprecedented attention and interest surrounding LeBron's decision, we have decided to make this announcement on national television," James' business manager, Maverick Carter, said on lebronjames.com. "By doing so we have generated funds that will be given to the Boys andGirls Clubs of America. LeBron has a longstanding commitment to giving back to the community, and has worked with the Boys and Girls Clubs in cities across the country."

James also updated his new Twitter account with a link to his site.ESPN.com cited independent sources because ESPN would only confirm that active discussions for the special are ongoing.

James has the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls and New Jersey Nets as his top three choices, according to Yahoo! Sports, with the Cavs re-emerging as the front-runner to keep their star.

According to Yahoo!, James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh are expected to share a conference call Wednesday to discuss their options and move closer to making decisions.

[Betrayed]

Maybe ESPN can run the show like the NFL draft, with the owners at tables and Chris Berman and Mel Kiper showing highlights of each owner or team president. How do you fill an hour with something that should take a minute?

[Betrayed]

Chris Bosh wants to contend for a championship. Dwyane Wade wants some star-powered help.

The simplest solution was for them to team up in Miami.The duo announced their decision Wednesday on live TV, the first major free agents to make their intentions known.

"I'm joining Mr. Wade in Miami," Bosh said during a live interview on ESPN.

ESPN and the Associated Press first reported Bosh's decision to join Wade in Miami.

Bosh and Wade are friends, were Olympic teammates on the gold-medal team in Beijing, dined together at times during the free-agent interview process last week in Chicago and were part of that star-studded draft class in 2003 — Bosh went fourth, Wade fifth.

Now all eyes turn to the No. 1 pick in that class, LeBron James. The two-time MVP plans to say which team he'll play for next on ESPN Thursday night.
Bosh, Wade and James have talked about playing together. If that plan is to be truly hatched, it would have to happen in Miami.

"Of course we would love for LeBron to join Miami, but at the same time, LeBron has to make his own decision," Wade said during the ESPN interview.

Bosh and Wade could formally become teammates as soon as Thursday, when the NBA moratorium on signing contracts expires. Under NBA rules, the Heat cannot confirm any contracts until 12:01 a.m. Thursday, although players are allowed to agree to deals before the signing window opens.

Wade said when free agency began that he would likely only stay in Miami if the Heat lured either Bosh or LeBron James to South Florida.

Miami came into the free-agent period with around $44 million of cap space, not including $16 million or so earmarked for Wade, thanks to years of avoiding just about any deal where money would have been committed for the 2010-11 season."We want to build a dynasty,'' Heat president Pat Riley had told fans entering free agency.

Bosh and Wade would be a pretty good start.

The Heat lack the salary-cap space to give Bosh, Wade and James all the maximum amounts they would be entitled to receive in their next contracts, so what would likely happen — again, if the scenario came together — would be each player agreeing to take a bit less in base salary for 2010-11 than they could have made elsewhere.

Miami does have the room to give Bosh and Wade max deals, although would still have to do some bargain-shopping to fill its roster for the coming year. As of Wednesday morning, Miami had only Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers under contract for 2010-11.

The expectation around the Heat for months — for years, really — was that Wade would have a flirtation with free agency, then return to Miami for a six-year contract that could have been worth around $125 million, maybe a bit more or less depending on what the salary cap number for the coming 2010-11 season is.Wade fed that assumption, saying countless times that he wanted to stay in Miami if the roster was upgraded to a championship-contending level. That rather ambiguous caveat took a more exact shape in recent days, and the Heat were clearly on edge when Wade took two meetings with the Chicago Bulls, his hometown team.

Days later, Wade will be able to say he got what he wanted all along.

[Guest tigersvoice]

[quote name="Betrayed" post="816608" timestamp="1278523310"]
Maybe ESPN can run the show like the NFL draft, with the owners at tables and Chris Berman and Mel Kiper showing highlights of each owner or team president. How do you fill an hour with something that should take a minute?
[/quote]

Berman can use up as much time as is required pertaining to any subject.  That's how you fill an hour as opposed to doing the task in one minute.  Now, could Berman do it in a minute -
NO WAY.

[CThoops]

3 Team Race now..

1) Miami - with Bosh and Wade now committed, I think the best way to win a championship is here. Both Wade and Bosh have said they are willing to take less than the max in order to get LeBron and other role players to come join.

2) Cleveland - Home. Wants to win for the fans that love him. A lack of contending talent around him makes coming back home a tough choice. How many more 60 win seasons can he have and not get a ring?

3) New York - With Stoudamire and reports of using money to get a big time free agent next year as well, this is a very good spot to be in. LeBron likes the attention and all the cameras which is what he will get plenty of here.

Chicago and New Jersey need to find other options now.

Anybody think differently?

[ForeverADog]

Chicago signs Boozer for 5 years 80 million.

[True Blue]

well well well iv been trying 2 tell everyboby that Wade Bosh and James would all be in miami but no one would lisen well 2mara all my dreams come true.... you cant stop my heat

[wos08]

I can't wait for the Kobe haters to change the rule when it comes to Lebron

Kobe - "Cant win without Shaq or Gasol"

Lebron - "FINALLY HAS A TEAM THIS DUDE IS A BEAST"

[Ruckdad]

Signing with the Heat is tantamount to an admission that he can't get it done on his own.

[Speedkills]

LeBron James is about to pass up Kobe in the next 6 years if he signs this contract

[ForeverADog]

We already knew he couldn't get it done on his. He tried for 7 years. But there is nothing wrong with that. Kobe, Shaq, and MJ couldn't do it without another great player either. He wants to win and did a coMpletely unselfish thing by joining the others and taking less money. Sorry Cleveland but you couldn't help him win and that's what he wanted and needed.

[Gabe]

[quote name="speedkills" post="816896" timestamp="1278632327"]
LeBron James is about to pass up Kobe in the next 6 years if he signs this contract
[/quote]

That is what Lebron fans have been saying for years anyways and it still hasn't happened.

[wos08]

[quote name="ForeverADog" post="816971" timestamp="1278683223"]
We already knew he couldn't get it done on his. He tried for 7 years. But there is nothing wrong with that. Kobe, Shaq, and MJ couldn't do it without another great player either. He wants to win and did a coMpletely unselfish thing by joining the others and taking less money. Sorry Cleveland but you couldn't help him win and that's what he wanted and needed.
[/quote]

Giving up in the Boston series didn't help them win either

:D :D

[CThoops]

[quote name="ForeverADog" post="816971" timestamp="1278683223"]
We already knew he couldn't get it done on his. He tried for 7 years. But there is nothing wrong with that. Kobe, Shaq, and MJ couldn't do it without another great player either. He wants to win and did a coMpletely unselfish thing by joining the others and taking less money. Sorry Cleveland but you couldn't help him win and that's what he wanted and needed.
[/quote]

Exactly! People can act like Lebron did a bad thing by leaving, but lets just face it. He gave them 7 strong years and waited for the franchise to help him out, but the Cavs couldnt give him what he needed. He put this team in his backpack and carried them to the playoffs year after year. How many more 60 win seasons could this guy take before moving on? What about Kevin Garnet? Ray Allen? Paul Peirce? How long did they give their first teams before they moved on? Will they remembered as guys that screwed their original teams? Or as players who sacrificed to win a championship? Its about championships to these guys and Lebron is doing the same thing with Bosh. Best Move for Lebron and Bosh and I hope for the best.

[Speedkills]

[quote name="Gabe" post="816997" timestamp="1278689885"]
[quote author=speedkills link=topic=70781.msg816896#msg816896 date=1278632327]
LeBron James is about to pass up Kobe in the next 6 years if he signs this contract
[/quote]

That is what Lebron fans have been saying for years anyways and it still hasn't happened.
[/quote]
Well this is the year then  ;D