https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/4968995328/h73550728/

@ESPNSteinLine: ESPN sources say reps from Cavs, Suns, Rockets and Mavs have all met with agent Rich Paul in Cleveland while LeBron has been on vacation

@WojYahooNBA: Another team official who met with James' agent, Rich Paul, in Cleveland tells Yahoo: "I think it's all a smoke screen."

@WojYahooNBA Another team official who met with James' agent, Rich Paul, in Cleveland tells Yahoo: "I think it's all a smoke screen."

Yep.

You have to admit, it's starting to get shaky. Who could the Heat realistically sign now to make them significantly better than last year?

Woj was just on XM and said that Wade and Bosh are concerned. I think he goes back. But I agree, there's nobody left that would make them better.

@ESPNSteinLine: Joakim Noah and the Bulls were in LA to court Pau Gasol today. Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra are up next. Yesterday it was KD and Westbrook

I don't know what LeBron's best play would be. I agree Miami still has to be the favorite, and they can still win the East for sure... but with Wade and Bosh slipping is that really the best long term move?

Clippers and Cavs are going to try to work out a sign and trade for Deng.

Damn that team will be stacked next year.

But all that does is strengthen the argument that conference realignment really needs to happen. The best 4-5 teams in the league are currently in the West right now. That's ridiculous.

I think it would be fun to see him and Melo sign in Phoenix. They'd have talent around them, more assets to burn and a great training staff.

How about going somewhere and be patient knowing he may not be in finals next year? I agree with you that short term gratification may be bad in the long term.

Why? Players earn the right to get to free agency and make choices. If he's more interested in winning elsewhere, who am I to judge? He's given Miami a handful of great years, they can't complain if he leaves.

I think you missed my point. I'm just saying I wouldn't make a move with only 2015 in mind.

That's for sure. I think Philly would be a real interesting move too, albeit a risk considering Noel and Embiid's injuries.

I find it funny that Kyle Lowry was the only player that the Heat were suppose to sign. There is plenty of talent on the market to help the Heat.

Sefolosha signed with ATL today. That would've been a huge get for the Heat with help on the perimeter defensively.

LeBron's best move would be to NOT sign with those two; they'll make too much money and will certainly not improve.

@RealGM: RT @Chris_Broussard: @ramonashelburne reports that Mitch Kupchak flying to CLE to meet with LeBron's agent Rich Paul

Oh. Hell. Yes.

@chicagobullsbot: Chicago Bulls Joakim Noah has told several people he believes Carmelo Anthony will re-sign with the New York Knicks. (Source: K.C. Johnson)

Max deal.

I'm not a big basketball guy but this would be delicious.

/won't happen

@Mike_Bresnahan: Kupchak and Harris flew to Cleveland on a private jet immediately after meeting with Carmelo in Los Angeles this afternoon.

That would kick ass except LA's roster is worse than Miamis.

Well **** me. I misread that as Lebron agents meeting Cleveland.

Whoops. Ignore my stupid comment.

Phoenix in the mix.

I read the Lakers are offering Carmello the max deal

Lakers offered Melo max but still not as much New York

Gotta throw in Cassel to seal the deal amirite?

The Heat new big 3 Wade, Allen, Bosh

http://i.imgur.com/KbiG5xl.png

LeBron's agent did meet with Cleveland.

Welp. I can't keep up. I'm out of this thread as I am wasting space.

Off to the anal sex or that colostomy chick thread!

I hope he stays in New York.

This.

He is overrated.

Right now, yes it is.

I think they have misplayed this horribly. Free agents today don't give a flying **** about what the Lakers accomplished 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 years ago.

They need to see results and dollar signs.

No coach, every move Jim Buss has been behind has been an epic fail on top of epic fails and Kobe is making 24 million.

I don't expect the Lakers to get any big free agent and I hope that Jeanie can wrestle away power from Jim and boot him the **** out of the entire operation.

Yep - by mid November him and Kobe will kill each other. I don't care they are friends now.

He's a good rebounder but he stalls the ball way too much and doesn't elevate anyone's game around him.

good to see Mirotic finally coming over

Why did they pay Kobe so much?

He's never really been on a team with any equivalent talent. He's not a creator that makes others better, just not who he is. But I go back to the Olympic teams with equivalent talent ---- he was outstanding. I believe that if you put him on a team like the Bulls or paired with LeBron, he could be very good in a team sense.

I say that not really being a fan of his, but situations do dictate style of play.

This. I don't think he's overrated. He's a damn good offensive player. Probably the best midrange shooter we've seen in a while. I hope he goes to the Bulls cause they could cause they'd be the best team in the East especially if Rose is anywhere close to where he was when he won the MVP.
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Bulls best team in the east, bullshit. Even with Carmelo they aren't getting past LeBron.

they could very well be a completely different team next season so it's not that far fetched they easily rise to #2 in the East.

Holy sh*t.....could LeBron really go back to Cleveland??

It has to be Miami or Cleveland in my opinion. If he goes to any other team, he takes a lot of heat (no pun intended) for being a title chaser, which will ruin his legacy. He was trying (by opting out) to put pressure on Miami to assemble a better roster (up hill climb, some guys are getting overpaid in this market) because they had their asses handed to them by the Spurs who have better overall team depth. Also Arison (sp?) pissed him off by trading his buddy Miller to avoid the luxury tax. Money is not a problem for Dan Gilbert, he has taken on several bad contracts since LeBron left just to acquire picks to make the team better. Being lucky and winning the lottery 3/4 years helps as well. :D Cleveland is not the dumpster fire everyone is making them out to be. Kyrie is a stud, Waiters is solid and Wiggins has a ton of potential. Additionally, the Cavs have first round picks of the Heat and Grizzlies so they have those assets in addition to some expiring contracts. LeBron with less talent made the Cavs the best in the East, they would be again if he were to return.

Why not? Bulls with Carmelo and a healthy Rose is a better team than LeBron with a year older Wade and a year softer Bosh.

People forget that the Bulls were the number one seed in the East when Rose was healthy. If he didn't get injured at the end of the 2012 season, who knows what might have happened in the playoffs. And if they add a guy that averaged 27 points and 8 rebounds last year? No way the Heat would be the best team.

Carmelo is the definition of a paycheck player. He will never win a title as a primary player. Ball stopper who is allergic to defense and cares more about $$ than wins. His best bet might be to fall into one ass backwards as an over-the-hill role player, but even then he'll probably end up being more like Adrian Dantley than a Vince Carter.

I have a hard time believing that Cleveland is going to sign LeBron after giving that extension to Kyrie Marbury and given their supposed pursuit of Heyward.

If they add Rose, Melo, Mirotic, McDermott and get rid of Boozer to play Gibson more? I would take my chances.

They have the money. Heyward walked away without an offer.

Pretty much. Him single-handedly winning a championship for Syracuse should shut up anyone who thinks the college game is better.

Add Jimmy Butler

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>RT <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA">@WojYahooNBA</a>: Free agent Spencer Hawes has reached agreement on a four-year, $23M deal with the Los Angeles Clippers.</p>&mdash; Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/stevekylerNBA/statuses/485208278012809217">July 4, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Thats a mean front court they have.

how the **** the clippers have money, they got alot of good players on that team. is everyone on a super discount? lol

They said at the time they want to take care of guys who have meant so much to the organization. He makes them a ton of money globally, etc..

Bulls could absolutely compete with whatever team LeBron is on in the Eastern Conference. That's absurd to say that they couldn't if they added a Melo.

Even if Rose never plays again, a team of Noah, Gibson, Melo, Butler with McDermott off the bench is going to be a load to handle.

I've been calling it for a couple years now.

Because you're one of the most reasonable and logical poster on this board.

It's funny I always get all this shit for talking up Iowa State, and they have gotten better every year in basketball just like I say. But it's ok I'm used to it.

Didn't you also talk up how great of a pro Steele Jantz was going to be?

Report: Cavaliers are in deep negotiations with LeBron James and a deal is expected, per @Talk_NBA_.

Per CLESportstalk.net

Lebron James and his representatives are in serious talks with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

We'll see how reputable those guys are. I haven't seen anything else quite that firm... although one of sports writers for the Cleveland paper has tweeted basically saying the conversations between LeBron and the Cavs are absolutely not a smokescreen. There is genuine interest from both sides.

So the Lakers are going to suck for the next decade

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The interest between the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cavs?src=hash">#Cavs</a> and LeBron James is very strong. LeBron&#39;s interest in coming back to CLE is not a smokescreen. It&#39;s real.</p>&mdash; Glenn Moore (@GlennMooreCLE) <a href="https://twitter.com/GlennMooreCLE/statuses/485213659010850816">July 5, 2014</a></blockquote>
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I'm really starting to get the feeling Lebron isn't going back to Miami, and going back to Cleveland is the only thing that seems like something he would do. If he goes back to the Heat he really put them in a ahitty spot by not locking it up sooner and giving them a chance to add players.

Lebron wouldn't be winning a championship not only for Cleveland but for Akron as well

Lebron would actually have a good shot of winning a championship in Cleveland with Irving and all the young talent

There was such bad blood between him and Dan Gilbert it's hard to believe it could happen.

You talk them up every year like they're national title contenders.

How's that worked out for you?

I would imagine this is heavy on Lebron's mind too. His wife clearly wants to be near Akron.

I think Lebron has grown up quite a bit since then to realize The Decision was a huge mistake, and Gilbert has been subtly priming the pump for years trying to convince Lebron to come back which I think is pretty much a guy putting his tail between his legs. Keep in mind that before The Decision, the Cavs treated him like a king. They built a practice facility near his house, gave his entourage VIP access everywhere, continually built their team based on what Lebron wanted. I don't think there's as much bad blood as people think. The question for me is moreso if he chooses to play with his buddies or if he does what everybody knows is the right thing, which is to finish what he started in Cleveland now that he's surrounded by what looks to be a good young supporting cast and probably good coaching.

As much vile he created by leaving will be replaced and forgotten with such adoration that it's almost a no brainer in my opinion.

You talk up Kansas every year, and we made it further in the tournament, and won the Big12 tournament. It's getting there. Pretty impressive first four years for a first time HC inheriting an awful situation. It's not like he took over a great and already built program all the Blue Bloods.

It really never crossed my mind that Lebron would leave Miami so I will be shocked if he goes back to Cleveland. But really Pat Riley will only have himself to blame, the big 3 gave him the framework and he hasn't added anybody outside of the draft picks. If Lebron leaves the Heat will be a lottery team next year and right now they only have Norris Cole on their team lol

I love Spences game and he was good for some bad Sixers teams but holy cow, 23 million for the first big OFF THE BENCH? He's not even going to start/get 20 minutes a night on that team. Griffin NEVER sits so he's basically swapping in the 2 unit for Deadre Jordan 15-20 minutes a night. At 23 million.

Good player though, I just think he could have started in this league somewhere. He would have been a great get for the Heat.

Clippers may get Pierce as well

Have they? Lebron wants a max deal reportedly which he's certainly entitled. I'm sure Bosh and Wade aren't willing to give up much either. Also, without a commitment from them players won't be signing with the Heat because they might be playing with just Norris Cole. The Spurs are always a step ahead because they get their players to buy in somehow. They can make more money elsewhere. Until other players are willing to do this they have an advantage. It's security vs winning. I can understand both sides, it's the players choice. I really feel if Lebron was staying in Miami the deal would be done. I'm one who thought he was 100% staying in Miami, but I also thought he'd be willing to take less money. Obviously, all speculation on my part. If he's staying with the Heat it would be in his best interest to sign soon IMO.

Well I am only speculating based on media reports. Lebron wants a max deal, Bosh wants $16 million, and Wade $15 million. I definitely understand your point though that everybody is waiting on Lebron, but I think Lebron is waiting on Riley to do something.

Quote:

As they chase free agents to join with their superstars, the Miami Heat are telling free agents they expect to have as much as $12 million in salary-cap space after hopefully getting LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to re-sign, sources told ESPN.com. With James demanding a maximum contract starting around $20.7 million, this indicates that Wade and Bosh are possibly willing to take drastic pay cuts to help the Heat add talent to the roster.

Sure, harder to sell when your team is up in the air though. I guess you are correct to a point though. If Riley is as good as we claim he should be able to sell it.

If Lebron leaves would you stay in Miami if you were Bosh or would you consider teams like Houston, Dallas, Warriors, etc