Cavs '05-'06 wrap up

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

USAToday.com

7/6/06

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=940 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD align=left><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Cavaliers still waiting on James</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--startclickprintexclude--><TABLE height=25 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><!--endclickprintexclude-->Updated 7/5/2006 7:59 PM ET<!--startclickprintexclude--></TD><TD align=right><!-- EdSysObj ID="SSI-B" FRAGMENTID="13417811" appadmin -->E-mail | Save | Print | <SCRIPT ********************> var tempshowReprintSSI = "";if(window.showReprintSSI){tempshowReprintSS I = showReprintSSI;} if ((navigator.os.indexOf("Mac")==1) && (navigator.type==2)) { // macIE if((document.forms.hiddenValForm.hiddenMacPrintVal ue.value == "0") || (document.forms.hiddenValForm.hiddenMacPrintValue. value=="2")) { if(document.forms.hiddenValForm.hiddenMacPrintValu e.value == "2"){ document.forms.hiddenValForm.hiddenMacPrintValue.v alue = "0"; } else{ document.forms.hiddenValForm.hiddenMacPrintValue.v alue = "1"; } if(tempshowReprintSSI == 'showReprintSSI'){ writeReprintLink(); } writeSubscribeToLink(); } else { document.forms.hiddenValForm.hiddenMacPrintValue.v alue = "2"; } } else {// non macIE - write top and bottom if(tempshowReprintSSI == 'showReprintSSI'){ writeReprintLink(); } writeSubscribeToLink(); } function writeReprintLink(){ document.write('Reprints & Permissions | '); } function writeSubscribeToLink(){ var url = document.location.toString(); var urlArray = url.split("/") var nurl = ""; for (i = 3; i < urlArray.length - 1; i++) { if(i<urlArray.length-2){ nurl += urlArray[i] + "|"; } else { nurl += urlArray[i]; } } document.write('Subscribe to stories like this '); } </SCRIPT>Subscribe to stories like this <!-- /EdSysObj --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--startclickprintinclude--><!-- EdSysObj ID="SandboxLede" FRAGMENTID="13627090" bstyers --><SCRIPT ********************>swapContent('firstHeader','app lyHeader');</SCRIPT><!--endclickprintexclude-->By Tom Withers, Associated Press

CLEVELAND — LeBron James has the Cleveland Cavaliers waiting and their fans wondering.
James has yet to announce if he's going to accept the club's maximum contract extension, a five-year offer worth about $80 million. Though James isn't eligible for free agency until after next season, his silence — he received the offer on July 1 — has led to speculation that he has other plans.
Adding to Cleveland fans' anxiety is that the agents for Miami's Dwyane Wade, Denver's Carmelo Anthony and Toronto's Chris Bosh have told media outlets that their clients have accepted and intend to sign deals with those clubs identical to the one the Cavaliers offered James.
James was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 draft class that included Anthony, Wade and Bosh.
James' agent, Leon Rose, met with the Cavaliers before family commitments kept him away for the holiday weekend. He has not returned phone or e-mail messages.
The contract extension isn't the only thing keeping James busy this summer. He committed to playing for Team USA in the FIBA World Championships and must report to training camp in Las Vegas later this month.
NBA rules prohibit the Cavaliers from commenting on their negotiations with James, who can sign anytime between July 12 and October 1. While waiting for the all-star forward's decision, the club has not reached agreement with any free agents.
General manager Danny Ferry said last week that his top priority after James' contract is re-signing restricted free-agent forward Drew Gooden. The club has had preliminary talks with Gooden's agent, Calvin Andrews.
Buckeyes' Foster joins summer-league team
Ohio State's Je'Kel Foster is among 14 free agents, draft picks and veterans who will play on the Cleveland Cavaliers' summer league team in Las Vegas.
Foster, the Buckeyes' top outside shooter last season, joins a team that includes Cavaliers guard Sasha Pavlovic, center Martynas Andriuskevicius and guard Stephen Graham. The team will play five games July 7-14.
Recent draft picks Shannon Brown, Daniel Gibson and Ejike Ugboaja are on the team, along with former Ohio University forward Brandon Hunter.
Hunter averaged 3.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in two seasons with Boston and Orlando. He was signed by Milwaukee last year but was waived before the season started.
Rounding out the roster are Jermaine Blackburn of Boise State, C.J. Bruton of Australia, Sharrod Ford of Clemson, Brian Jackson of Oregon State, Roderick Riley of Prairie View A&M and Clay Tucker of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Cavaliers assistant coach Michael Malone is the head coach.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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[aurorabuckeye13]

Originally Posted by OSUBasketballJunkie

USAToday.com

7/6/06

Nice to see Je'Kel getting a shot with the Cavs...

[OH10]

If Lebron doesn't sign the extension, he's gone. There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. He's gone in the summer of 2008.

He'd be taking to big of a risk by not signing. He'd then be stuck with two one-year deals until he's an unrestricted free agent.

Prediction: He doesn't sign.

= He's Gone. We should enjoy the last two years of Lebron in a Cavs uniform.

[BayBuck]

Originally Posted by StadiumDorm

If Lebron doesn't sign the extension, he's gone. There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. He's gone in the summer of 2008.

He'd be taking to big of a risk by not signing. He'd then be stuck with two one-year deals until he's an unrestricted free agent.

Prediction: He doesn't sign.

= He's Gone. We should enjoy the last two years of Lebron in a Cavs uniform.

Highly, highly doubt that prediction. My opinion is he's holding out the announcement until the 12th in order to heighten the tension for fans and attention from the media--it will be a huge day and a national story for the Cavs when LBJ makes a big to-do of signing the extension on Wednesday.

[vrbryant]

Nothing like good, old-fashioned Cleveland pessimism to bring the mood down.

[buckeyeboy]

Originally Posted by StadiumDorm

Prediction: He doesn't sign.

= He's Gone. We should enjoy the last two years of Lebron in a Cavs uniform.

Why do you predict this? Just curious.

[scarletngrey11]

Lebrons going to sign, hes just being a woman about it and trying to draw attention.

[OH10]

Originally Posted by buckeyeboy

Why do you predict this? Just curious.

1) Because I've learned to never put faith in athletes considering loyalty more than money. Money comes first. And for Lebron, my understanding is that he will make a lot more money in the long run if he leaves Cleveland at some point. Obviously, Cleveland can offer him more basketball dollars - but its the endorsement dollars that mean the most.

2) Because I'm a Cleveland fan. And any real Cleveland fan knows that Murphy's Law applies in every situation.

Lebrons going to sign, hes just being a woman about it and trying to draw attention.

I've heard this from a lot of people, but the one thing I guess no one can tell me is.... Why? He doesn't need more attention.

My guess is he's leveraging Nike and his other endorsements for more money not to sign the extension. That's what I would do if I was his agent, and all I cared about was money.

[BayBuck]

Originally Posted by StadiumDorm

1) Because I've learned to never put faith in athletes considering loyalty more than money. Money comes first. And for Lebron, my understanding is that he will make a lot more money in the long run if he leaves Cleveland at some point. Obviously, Cleveland can offer him more basketball dollars - but its the endorsement dollars that mean the most.

2) Because I'm a Cleveland fan. And any real Cleveland fan knows that Murphy's Law applies in every situation.



I've heard this from a lot of people, but the one thing I guess no one can tell me is.... Why? He doesn't need more attention.

My guess is he's leveraging Nike and his other endorsements for more money not to sign the extension. That's what I would do if I was his agent, and all I cared about was money.

I'll admit I'm just being my usual optimistic self when it comes to the idea of LBJ extending (with good reason, I think). Bill Simmons mentioned today on ESPN that he's heard countless rumors of a clause in LeBron's Nike contract (and his other endorsements) that doubles his pay in the major markets NY, LA or Chicago, and if so I agree that money could surely be the trump card. But if LBJ did indeed forsake his hometown team for the chance to double what's already a guaranteed couple-hundred-Mil, it would probably rank among sports' all-time betrayals and I for one would likely never watch another NBA game.

[OH10]

Originally Posted by BayBuck

I'll admit I'm just being my usual optimistic self when it comes to the idea of LBJ extending (with good reason, I think). Bill Simmons mentioned today on ESPN that he's heard countless rumors of a clause in LeBron's Nike contract (and his other endorsements) that doubles his pay in the major markets NY, LA or Chicago, and if so I agree that money could surely be the trump card. But if LBJ did indeed forsake his hometown team for the chance to double what's already a guaranteed couple-hundred-Mil, it would probably rank among sports' all-time betrayals and I for one would likely never watch another NBA game.

As much money as Nike has invested in Lebron, they're probably sweating just as much as Cavs' fans right now.

The business aspect usual wins over anything else. Remember that.

[scarletngrey11]

Found this post over on the Cav's Scout board:

Andre Knott (WTAM) says his sources are telling him that LeBron is preparring for a huge bash at his house Monday to celebrate his resigning. The delay is supposedly due to all the things that need to be purchased for the bash.

I'm not even sure what that means. It seems kind of odd. But remember Andre Knott is a SVSM grad.

[Bob Saccamano]

Also remember his agent is busy. He dealt with Bargnanis contract and is probobly dealing alot of trades with Iverson.

Nothing really to worry about-- he's said multiple times that he can't wait to resign. He's been reportedly out of town also. Now this party is being brought up.

Still have 5 days...

[MililaniBuckeye]

Leborn has always seemed to support the Cavs, being from NE Ohio himself. I would be surprised to see him bail. He said he wanted to make the Cavs title contenders, and he's turned them into a playoff team in the three years he's been there...it wouldn't fit his style to leave business unfinished. As for endorsements being bigger in big markets cities, $90 million ain't nuthin' to sneeze at...

[Brutus1]

Prediction: he'll re-sign. C'mon Dorm, have a little faith.


The national media is jumping all over this, when in fact he has been out of town. I'm sure he's talked to Ferry.

I'm not worried a bit. I'm more worried about some free agent signings.

[buckeyeboy]

When I read that article that Simmons wrote that referenced the doubling of his endorsements if LeBron moves to a major market, I got very worried. I agree, Mili, that $90 million is a ton, but players in the Cleveland's very recent past have bailed out of the city in favor of a lot less than $90 million even though the contracts being offered by Cleveland were already for tens of millions (Boozer and Thome come to mind).

As for the theory that the party is holding things up, I'm a little skeptical notwithstanding the source. It just seems like a rather stupid reason to not at least indicate that he's resigning (a la Carmelo and DWade).