"Ohio State will be fine without Duron Carter. He has great hands, but lacks game breaking speed. Ohio State still has its two top receivers who will be a great 1-2 punch this season." - Pryor4heisman

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerDuron Carter will not be a member of the 2010 Ohio State Buckeyes football team.

In response to the story P.M. Ohio State Buckeyes links: Duron Carter transfers; Expansion is good; What's in a name?, cleveland.com reader Pryor4heisman isn't concerned about losing Carter. This reader writes,

"Ohio State will be fine without Duron Carter. He has great hands, but lacks game breaking speed. Ohio State still has its two top receivers who will be a great 1-2 punch this season."

"I'll be honest, Gilbert comes across as an overbearing micro manager. He's panicking as he sees his overblown investment in jeopardy. I guess I would be, too. But it's still difficult to digest as fans." - Common Sense

View full sizeThe Plain DealerSince the Cavaliers early exit from the postseason, Dan Gilbert has been front and center as the team's decision maker.

In response to the story If Dan Gilbert wants to steer the Cavaliers, history says let the owner beware: Bill Livingston, cleveland.com reader Common Sense is uncomfortable about Gilbert's actions since the end of the season. This reader writes,

"I'll be honest, Gilbert comes across as an overbearing micro manager. He's panicking as he sees his overblown investment in jeopardy. I guess I would be, too. But it's still difficult to digest as fans."

Shaquille O'Neal will star in his second season of the TV show "Shaq Vs." later this summer. O'Neal has already started taping. Last week, Shaq and Dwight Howard competed against world-class sprinter Tyson Gay. O'Neal will continue his efforts in another race. O'Neal will challenge NASCAR’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. to a one-on-one race in a test of skill, endurance and speed:   The...

Tracy Boulian, The Plain Dealer Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O'Neal will star in his second season of the TV show "Shaq Vs." later this summer. O'Neal has already started taping. Last week, Shaq and Dwight Howard competed against world-class sprinter Tyson Gay.

O'Neal will continue his efforts in another race.

O'Neal will challenge NASCAR’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. to a one-on-one race in a test of skill, endurance and speed:

The competition will be featured in the second season of Shaq Vs., the popular television series that is part of ABC’s new summer season. The show’s premise is simple: O’Neal takes his top-level skills and athletic prowess from the basketball court and transfers it to a different and unfamiliar sporting event.  

The race between O’Neal and Earnhardt Jr. will take place Wednesday at Concord Speedway.  “Shaq Vs” will premiere its second season on ABC, Tuesday, Aug. 3.

Cleveland sports bloggers discuss trade rumors involving the Cavaliers and one involving the Indians, LeBron Appreciation Day and the Browns' receiving corps.

View full sizeNathan Denette | AP via The Canadian Press Do the Cavaliers have any chance of working out a sign-and-trade deal for Chris Bosh?

Cavaliers

Cavs HQ looks at what it might take for the Cavaliers to land Chris Bosh.

Cleveland Frowns takes a moment to appreciate LeBron Appreciation Day.

Browns

LeBrowns Town breaks down the Browns' wide receiver and tight end positions.

Dawg Scooper asks if Brian Robiskie can get over the hump in 2010.

Indians

WaitingForNextYear examines the possibility of a Fausto Carmona trade.

Indians did well to leave Santana in the minors as long as they did, PD reporter says.

Associated PressCarlos Santana looks like the real deal, Dennis Manoloff says

Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, our Web video show about what's going on in Cleveland sports. Today's show is hosted by Branson Wright and Chuck Yarborough. Today's highlights:

• July is approaching, which means the Major League Baseball trade season is about to heat up. Which Indians will be on the block, and who might be snapped up first? Cast your vote in the poll now posted on the Starting Blocks blog.

• Talk to Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff, who says he thinks the Indians have a handful of candidates who could be traded. Also, he says after watching Indians rookie Carlos Santana play, he is convinced the catcher benefited from spending as much time as he did in the minor leagues. And Manoloff talks about his quest to get fit for his upcoming speed bowling challenge on July 31 by working with a personal trainer.

SBTV will return Wednesday with Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston as the guest. Have a question you'd like to ask Bill? Post it in the comments below and we'll pick the best ones for Wednesday's show.

The Indians have bolstered their bullpen by recalling Joe Smith from Class AAA Columbus. They will address the hole in their rotation later this week.

View full sizeThe Plain DealerJoe Smith compiled a 7.71 ERA in 9 appearances during his first stint with the Indians this season.

Updated: 12:35 p.m.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Indians have recalled right-hander Joe Smith to take David Huff's spot on the roster in preparation for the opening of tonight's three-game series against the Phillies.

They will have to make another move later in the week to fill Huff's spot in the rotation Friday when they open a three-game series against Cincinnati.

Smith, who opened the season with the Indians, is 2-1 with a 1.96 ERA and two saves in three save situations in 20 appearances at Class AAA Columbus. He was sent down April 30.

The side-arming Smith went 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA in seven appearances for the Indians. He struck out five, walked six and allowed six runs on seven hits in seven innings. 

At Columbus he allowed one earned run over his last 12 appearances.  Overall he has 19 strikeouts and 10 walks in 23 innings. 

Left-hander Aaron Laffey and right-hander Carlos Carrasco are the main options to replace Huff in the rotation. Laffey is believed to be the favorite.

Laffey came to spring training competing for a spot in the starting rotation, but in late March agreed to move to the bullpen.

He made 20 relief appearances for the Tribe, going 0-1 with a 5.61 ERA, before getting optioned to Columbus on May 30. He was sent to Columbus to increase his arm strength so he could rejoin the Indians as a starter.

Laffey made four starts in Columbus, but never reached six innings in any of them. He was 0-1 with a 3.98 ERA in 20 1/3 innings. He struck out nine, walked 15 and allowed 21 hits in 20 1/3 innings. The opposition hit .276 against and he had a 1.17 WHIP.

Carrasco, acquired from the Phillies in last year's Cliff Lee deal, is 5-3, with a 4.22 ERA in 12 starts at Columbus.

What's next for the Cavaliers in their coaching search? Would the Browns start two rookies at safety in 2010? Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto was online, tackling those questions and more in his weekly chat

Terry Pluto tackles your questions live every Tuesday at noon.

What's next for the Cavaliers in their coaching search? Would the Browns start two rookies at safety in 2010?

Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto was online, tackling those questions and more in his weekly chat on cleveland.com earlier today.

Among the other topics discussed:

- Do you expect a move from the Cavaliers before Thursday's draft?

- Would the Indians really consider trading Fausto Carmona?

- And much more!

Click on the play button below to listen or download the MP3 podcast here to listen on the go.

Rasheed Wallace may retire this summer, says Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers. If so, it would end a 15-year career where Wallace has scored 15,860 points, 7,321 rebounds. Wallace, who has two-years left on his contact, would also leave the game as the most ejected player of his era, with 30 ejections. He also played for the Washington Wizards,...

John Kuntz,
The Plain DealerRasheed Wallace and LeBron James

Rasheed Wallace may retire this summer, says Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers. If so, it would end a 15-year career where Wallace has scored 15,860 points, 7,321 rebounds.

Wallace, who has two-years left on his contact, would also leave the game as the most ejected player of his era, with 30 ejections.

He also played for the Washington Wizards, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, and he won an NBA title with the Detroit Pistons in 2004.

 Rivers said on WEEI in Boston:

"I think you have [seen Wallace's last game]," Rivers said. "He was so emotional right after the game, but Rasheed told me the night before that, 'I'm going to give you everything I've got. I really believe this is my last game that I'm going to play.'

Rasheed's retirement certainly won't bring any tears to Cavaliers fans. The Pistons (including Wallace) provided plenty of heartache for Cavaliers fans over the years. Plus, fans here were tired of Wallace's whining.

Nor did fans appreciate Wallace's "cheap shot" on Zydrunas Ilgauskas in 2006.

South Africa became the first World Cup host team to fail to advance from the first round despite beating also-eliminated France 2-1 Tuesday in Group A.

France's Florent Malouda, left, competes for the ball with South Africa's Thanduyise Khuboni, right, during the World Cup group A soccer match between France and South Africa at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Tuesday June 22, 2010. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Uruguay secured top spot in Group A with a 1-0 win over Mexico on Tuesday, although the Mexicans still advanced to the knockout round at the expense of host South Africa.

Mexico's Hector Moreno, left, challenges Uruguay's Luis Suarez, right, during the World Cup group A soccer match between Mexico and Uruguay at Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, South Africa, on Tuesday, June 22, 2010. (AP Photo/Guillermo Arias)

City of Brotherly Love likely to embrace the Indians during the Tribe's first regular-season visit. "Embrace?" "Strangle?" What's a word between friends.

View full sizeAP FileJamie Moyer, who is the same age as the parents of most of the Inidans, has a 10-7 career record and a 3.92 ERA against the Tribe. He's on the hill for Philadelphia tonight when the Indians visit Citizens Bank Park.

Today's big headline: The Indians didn't lose last night. That puts their loss-free streak at one day in a row. That could come to a screaming halt tonight, when the Tribe makes its first regular-season appearance at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park.

CBSsports.com, in previewing tonight's 7:05 game, took a look at the pitching matchups:

Philadelphia will send Jamie Moyer (7-6, 4.76 ERA) to the mound as the veteran looks to build on an excellent performance in his last outing. The left-hander allowed two runs and three hits in eight innings of a 6-3 road victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday.

Moyer has gone 7-0 with a 2.33 ERA in his last 11 starts against the Indians.

Cleveland (26-42) is at the bottom of the AL Central and has lost six of seven, falling 5-3 at Pittsburgh on Sunday.

The Indians will give the ball to Mitch Talbot (7-5, 4.21), who is coming off his worst game of the season in an 8-4 loss to the New York Mets on Wednesday. The right-hander gave up career highs of eight runs and 13 hits in 5 2-3 innings.

Personally, Starting Blocks is kind of excited. At last, the Indians are facing someone in the Majors with a lower batting average than Luis Valbuena's. Moyer is batting .095; Valbuena is at a dizzying .167.

Choo is certainly the most valuable Indian, if such a dubious honor were to be awarded. On the season, he's hitting .289/.388/.405--good for a .373 wOBA. Translated that to wRC+ (weighted runs created adjusts for his home park and relative to others at his position), he's been 34 percent better offensively than the average right fielder. Defensively, Choo has saved the Indians 4.5 runs with his glove and arm--by far the best performance turned in by Cleveland's putrid defense. All told, he's been worth 2.5 wins above replacement on the year, which, again, represents the most valuable contribution from an Indian this season.

All due respect to Choo, but SB thinks the distinction of most valuable contributor should go to whoever hides Valbuena's bat.

Paul Hagen, writing for phillynews.com, put it this way:

Jimmy Rollins isn't Superman. He's not a savior or the magic elixir that will cure everything that has been ailing the Phillies during their monthlong swoon.

He is, however, a spark-plug leadoff hitter. The Phillies were 103-34 (.752) when he scored a run over the last two seasons, both of which ended in the World Series. He has won three straight Gold Gloves at shortstop, a crucial defensive position. He also possesses an intangible effervescence that can energize an entire roster.

J-Roll has appeared in just 11 games this season. That isn't the only explanation for the fact that the defending National League champions open tonight's interleague series against the Cleveland Indians in third place, 5 1/2 games behind the pace-setting Atlanta Braves. But it's as good a place as any to start.

. . . It can't happen a moment too soon for a team that has lost 19 of its last 30 games.

All that's known for sure is that he played five games on a rehab assignment with the Clearwater Threshers. He flew back to Philadelphia on Sunday. The right calf he strained moments before the home opener and then aggravated less than a week into his comeback has been re-evaluated.

Perfect. Next thing you know, former Phillies stars Steve Carlton and Grover Cleveland Alexander will announce comebacks, too.

Hoynesie also has an online piece about the Tribe recalling reliever Joe Smith, who will fill the roster spot vacated when David Huff was sent down to Columbus. Smith will be in the pen with the big team, but just who will fill Huff's spot in the rotation hasn't been announced.

Chris Bosh, Chris Paul, and $4 million. Are you listening, LeBron?

Nathan Denette | AP via The Canadian Press The Raptors' Chris Bosh is the subject of the latest rumors about who the Cavs might go after in an effort to keep LeBron James home.

MENTOR, Ohio - Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin has hired Wally Kesling as its new girls basketball coach. Kesling has served as an assistant varsity boys basketball coach for the past three years at NDCL. He succeeds Rick Rucinski, who earlier this month accepted the girls position at Cardinal.

MENTOR, Ohio - Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin has hired Wally Kesling as its new girls basketball coach.

Kesling has served as an assistant varsity boys basketball coach for the past three years at NDCL. He succeeds Rick Rucinski, who earlier this month accepted the girls position at Cardinal.

Kesling retired from Fairport last year. At Fairport, he coached the girls basketball team for 15 years; the football team for 22 years; and the boys basketball team for two years, and also served a stint as athletic director.

He's a graduate of Glenville State and earned his masters degree from West Virginia.

The Cougars went 11-12 last season.

Having experienced true sports abandonment between 1996-1999, how exactly could anyone say James' departure would rival that of Modell?

UPDATED: 4:20 p.m.

View full sizeAssociated PressLeBron James plays catch with friends following a 2009 NFL game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James and Art Modell should never share the same sentence.

OK, so they just did.

But purely to address a discussion that popped up Monday night when I sat on a panel with Plain Dealer colleagues on Time Warner's "More Sports and Les Levine." 

In the event James leaves, the argument went, he'll immediately rival Modell for first place on Cleveland's Enemies List.

I didn't get it.

Modell ran off to Baltimore with the No. 1 team in town, breaking hearts and a lease as he went. James is exercising his free-agent rights. He'd be leaving behind a team that ranked third behind the Browns and Indians before he arrived.

He's provided an unprecedented seven-year ride. (And one unforgiveable ending in the Boston series. No argument there).

You could make the case he'd be going against everything he says he stands for if he leaves. His "Loyalty" tattoo. His professed affection for the town and its fans. His appreciation for an organization he compliments for building a contender around him.

His brand, in part, is built on that "hometown guy playing for his hometown team." Winning a title wherever he goes would easily replace that, however.

Much as fans here have railed against Cleveland athletes leaving for money, James would be leaving for less money under the existing NBA salary structure. Does that count for him or against him?

Is he a pariah if he leaves now because of the way the season ended? What about in three years? Would it be OK then?

Or is anything less than "born here, raised here, plays here, retires here" reason to scorn him? I can't see how.

If he goes, I'm pretty certain the Cavs will field a team, and that owner Dan Gilbert won't suddenly let everything go to seed. He has too much invested to let it become the forlorn franchise it became in the seasons leading to the drafting of James.

Like I said in Monday's column, I think James enjoys a comfort zone here that he covets. I think he stays for three more years.

Having experienced true sports abandonment between 1996-1999, how exactly could anyone say James' departure would rival that of Modell?

At least with a straight face.

This week, LPGA/PGA pro Kathy Cassese of Airport Greens Golf Course in Willoughby Hills helps golfers struggling with uphill and downhill lies.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Local pros solve your swing problems in a weekly instruction video with Plain Dealer columnist Bud Shaw.

This week, LPGA/PGA pro Kathy Cassese of Airport Greens Golf Course in Willoughby Hills helps golfers struggling with uphill and downhill lies.

Need assistance with your game? Explain your problem to golf@plaind.com in an e-mail. We will select one e-mail each week. All videos are archived.

Will Cleveland be an even more miserable place if LeBron James leaves? If you think so, you don't know the people of Northeast Ohio.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerWhile Cavaliers fans Kevin Metz (left) and Jeff Pejsa made their affection for LeBron James clear during last Saturday's appreciation day in Akron, Terry Pluto suggests that "hope" is one thing, but James' free-agent decision is hardly a matter of life and death for Northeast Ohio.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It seems some in the national media assume Cleveland will dry up and blow away with the next big gusts of wind if LeBron James doesn't re-sign with the Cavaliers.

Wait a minute, didn't Forbes magazine already rate Cleveland as the "most miserable city" back in February? That was when James was in the middle of his second consecutive MVP season and the Cavs were on their way to an NBA-best 61 regular-season victories. We were already supposed to be chronically depressed, so how much worse can it get?

Here's hoping James remains with the Cavs. His presence does light up the dismal winter sports landscape. As long as James is in Cleveland, fans can at least dare to dream about him bringing a title here.

But if he leaves, does much really change in most of our lives?

Consider what really counts: Family, health, relationship, jobs. Some of those things also may lead James to stay with the Cavs. He is an Akronite, a Northeast Ohio guy who insists he'll always call this area home no matter where he plays.

It will hurt those who draw income from the Cavs or the other spinoffs from the games at Quicken Loans Arena. It will sentence the Cavs to a team trying to make the playoffs, rather than a contender.

James and his Cavaliers are a superb diversion to real life. But just that, a diversion.

In a blog for Psychology Today, Dr. Allen McConnell insisted, "The possibility that James will leave the Cavs is such an especially strong 'threat to the self' for fans ... because James is much more included in the self than most sports figures. Although it doesn't rise to the level of experiencing a divorce (at least, for most people!), his potential departure does feel like losing a friend or family member for many whose closets include many No. 23 Cavs jerseys."

I suggest the dear doctor look in the rearview mirror of Cleveland sport history. Check out 1995, when it was announced the Browns were moving to Baltimore a week before the Indians were heading to their first World Series in 41 years.

Guess what?

Cleveland and the fans survived. Despite James' enormous popularity, it doesn't match the love this area has for the Browns. And yes, the city actually functioned in the three years the Browns were gone. Nor has Cleveland gone out of business since the Browns returned in the form of a dreadful expansion franchise with the NFL's second-worst record (Thanks, Detroit!) since 1999.

Life-changing is a child coming home from school to find a parent sitting at home staring off into space -- having just been laid off. I saw that with my father. Many of you have endured the same in your families.

Life-changing is getting the wrong news on tests from the doctor, or a call in the middle of the night that your mother has died, something I'll never forget.

Life-changing is a real divorce with duels over child support and visitation rights, not an anxiety separation because James or another sports star grabs the money and runs.

I happen to think that James will eventually sign with the Cavs, perhaps a 3-year deal. If he does, it will make my day. He does make this town more fun, and he has generally handled himself very well given his incredible celebrity and coming into $100 million at the age of 18.

But if he leaves, it really shouldn't be something that ruins anyone's life. The rest of the country may think we're miserable, but we're smarter and tougher than that.

Will it be another slow start for the U.S. on Wednesday, or have the lessons of the World Cup been learned?

Luca Bruno / Associated PressMichael Bradley's goal in the second half ignited the United States' comeback against Slovenia, but the U.S. team is hoping for a faster start in Wednesday's critical group C finale against Algeria.

• World Cup: United States vs. Algeria, Wednesday, 10 a.m. TV: ESPN

Grahame L. Jones

Los Angeles Times

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- It took England barely four minutes to pierce the U.S. defense before the back line stiffened. It took Slovenia all of 13 minutes to find a way through the U.S. rear guard before American resolve came to the fore.

So, after salvaging a 1-1 tie in its first match and a 2-2 tie in its second, what sort of performance is U.S. coach Bob Bradley's team going to produce Wednesday, when Algeria is the opponent in Pretoria?

Will it be another slow start, or have the lessons of the World Cup been learned?

Landon Donovan, who has stepped up as one of the team's leaders on and off the field, made a significant point this week.

"In the two World Cups I've been a part of [before], we didn't string together three consecutive good results and good performances," he said. "I think this team has the experience and the ability to do that."

If so, it will be a first. In its six World Cup appearances dating to 1950, the U.S. has lost its third game on all six occasions.

Complicating matters at Loftus Versfeld Stadium: Algeria is just as alive in the competition as the U.S. Both teams need a victory to advance to the knockout stage. A tie would eliminate both if, as expected, England defeats Slovenia in the other Group C match, which will be played at the same time in Port Elizabeth.

A cold start for either the U.S. or Algeria could therefore be decisive.

"For whatever reason, we turn on the switch whenever we go down a goal," U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu said. "We have to mentally prepare ourselves better."

American midfielder Clint Dempsey said he expects a cautious beginning, but that "people are going to start taking risks because we know that pretty much a draw is not going to get you through."

Algeria is fast, strong and technically adept. Whether coach Rabah Saadane's players are disciplined enough for a do-or-die encounter is another matter. On one hand, they survived a dramatic playoff with Egypt to land a World Cup berth. On the other hand, forward Abdelkader Ghezzal was tossed out of the game against Slovenia after getting two yellow cards, and two other players have been cautioned.

Of course, the U.S. has also been shown four yellow cards to date and has a hot-headed player of its own in defensive midfielder Michael Bradley, although he has managed to keep himself in check so far.

"I think in any game you want to have a feel for how the ref will handle things, for the way the game is going," Bradley said. "You don't want to put yourself in a situation where you're in card trouble or are committing a lot of fouls that are dangerous for our team."

Unlike the U.S.' game against Slovenia, when World Cup novice Koman Coulibaly of Mali was in charge, experienced Belgian referee Frank de Bleeckere will handle Wednesday match.

Each team has scouted the other closely.

"A lot of our guys play with or have played with or against their players," Donovan said. "Collectively, they can be unpredictable, and on their day they are a very, very good team."

All-Star point guard Chris Paul is James' best friend in the NBA, which means he's certain to become part of the latest speculation on James' decision.

Bill Haber / Associated PressNew Orleans' brilliant point guard Chris Paul (left) isn't a free agent this summer, but he became entwined in the LeBron Sweepstakes furor -- if only for his close friendship to James.

(Chasing down rumors about LeBron James' basketball future could be a full-time job. Now it's my full-time job. Just call me The Rumor Monger. Every day we'll compile a list of the rumors we're hearing about James and his next contract. Just remember these are just rumors, not necessarily facts. It's going to be a long and rough ride, Cavs fans. Buckle up. -- Mary Schmitt Boyer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here's what you need to know: All-Star point guard Chris Paul is James' best friend in the NBA.

Paul was upset when the New Orleans Hornets fired coach Byron Scott last season.

Could this have any bearing -- even down the road -- on why Scott appears to be the frontrunner for the Cavaliers' head coaching position? Perhaps.

But Paul suddenly finds himself in the middle of the James rumor mill.

There was a flurry of activity Monday night after a report from Yahoo.com reporter Adrian Wojnarowski that James associate William "Worldwide Wes" Wesley has been suggesting that trading for Paul would increase a team's chances of signing James.

As The Plain Dealer's Brian Windhorst tweeted on Tuesday, "As for latest Wes Wesley rumors, one GM to me: 'Right now Wes is talking out of six sides of his mouth.'"

Keep in mind that Paul hasn't asked to be traded and still has two years and $31.3 million left on his contract before he can opt out after the 2011-12 season. Wojnarowski said New Orleans General Manager Jeff Bower had no intention of trading Paul, but quoted an unnamed front office executive as saying that until current owner George Shinn finalizes the sale of his team to billionaire oilman Gary Chouest, there might be a chance to pry Paul away for the right price.

John Reid, who covers the Hornets for the New Orleans Times Picayune, tweeted on Monday night, "Teams have inquired about Chris Paul for the past three years and the Hornets stance has stayed the same -- not interested." He also tweeted, "I am amazed how this stuff get started: From reliable sources, the Hornets are not looking to trade Chris Paul."

On Monday, the New York Daily News quoted a Hornets official as saying, "We are not going to move Paul. He's our foundation and is not exactly 'touchable.'" Obviously, that's a convoluted way of saying he's untouchable.

Memphis owner Michael Heisley denied a report that the Grizzlies offered O.J. Mayo for Paul, and Orlando GM Otis Smith said he had not inquired about Paul.

We'll give the last word on all of this to Dave D'Alessandro of the Star-Ledger in Newark:

"Woj had it right -- it's a Worldwide Wes production, and the general reaction to it in Jersey and N'Awlins was 'yeah, whatever.' The Nets never made an offer, and the Hornets never asked. And we are reminded that we've entered a brave new world of NBA machination -- one in which an agent tries to broker a deal for a player he doesn't even represent. Chutzpah, eh? It's funny how something like that doesn't get you decertified."

• The Daily News reported that Knicks center Eddy Curry met with James in Ohio to discuss Curry's future. The two share an agent, Leon Rose, and both are friends with Wesley. Last month there were reports that James reached out to Curry about working out together in the off-season.

Isola's source told him Curry was not trying to recruit James to the Knicks. Isola writes, "In fact, Curry may have been recruiting himself to join James either in Cleveland or Chicago. Curry is entering the final year of his contract and has told close friends he'd welcome a buyout from the Knicks in order to become a free agent."

• On an unrelated topic, Isola suggested hiring Cavs assistant Chris Jent might be another way to entice James, since the two are close and work together all summer.

Wrote Isola in his blog, "I know the Knicks think Alec Baldwin and Boomer Esiason have the chops to convince LeBron to come to New York. But I'm pretty sure hiring Jent would make a more compelling argument."

• According to the New York Post, analysts told Crain's New York Business that a Knicks team featuring James would be worth as much as $150 million more than the $586 million it was valued at last year, in addition to boosting MSG Network's ratings and bringing an immediate $10 million to $20 million increase in revenue. If the Knicks start making the playoffs, the annual spike could skyrocket by as much as $50 million.

• Knicks free agent David Lee is eager for free agency to start.

Lee told the Daily News, "It's going to depend on how this whole situation shakes out, dealing first with what LeBron decides to do and what Dwyane Wade decides to do and then I think the chips will fall from there."

He also told the paper he and James could play together, saying, "It would be a great fit both on the pick and roll and being able to space the floor with the jump shot. ... I know there's a big push to get a true center, but anytime you add LeBron plus a few pieces, you've got a chance to be really successful."

• As reported in a blog item by The Plain Dealer's Reginald Fields, Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich told Fox Radio he would not join in the chorus for James to stay in Cleveland, unlike his opponent, Gov. Ted Strickland, who was featured in the famous "Please Stay LeBron" video.

Kasich told Fox News, "Look, he's a great basketball player, he's a great guy. There's a lot of great people in Ohio. ... We've lost 400,000 jobs out here and the last guy I worry about is LeBron James. You know I mean, we all hope he'll stay in Cleveland. We think we've got a great guy there that can turn everything around, but we got some serious problems."

The Cavs may be interested in trading into Thursday's NBA Draft to acquire a big man.

Charlie Neibergall / Associated PressIowa State forward/center Craig Brackins (left, dunking against Iowa's Eric May) is one of a group of talented big men who are considered likely choices late in the first round of Thursday's NBA draft. The Cavaliers may be looking to pick up such a player by buying into the draft.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There's an adage in the NBA that there's only three ways to get players: sign them, trade for them or draft them.

Which is why Thursday's draft is an important day for teams -- whether they own draft picks or not.

The Cavaliers are in the latter position this year, having traded their first-round pick to the Washington Wizards and their second-round choice to the Phoenix Suns. But that doesn't mean they are not involved.

At the end of the season, team owner Dan Gilbert said he hoped to get a draft pick by making a trade or buying a pick. According to league sources, those plans are being followed through. Over the last week the Cavs have amped up talks with other teams to set the stage for getting into the bottom half of the first round or in the second round.

The team is believed to be targeting big men who may be available. This draft doesn't have instant-impact centers or power forwards, but is generally regarded as being deep in big men. That is one of the reasons the Cavs may be interested.

The team's second priority, it is believed, would be a point guard. There's a chance the team will be altering its backcourt before next season.

Historically, most picks are exchanged on draft night, especially if they are sold. Teams can pay up to $3 million for a pick and because of that rule, that is usually what the price for first rounders defaults to. Usually a team will target a player or two and then wait to see if he's available before attempting the trade, which is why these deals often happen at the last minute.

There is expected to be several picks sold this season because some teams are looking to preserve salary cap space they'd have to use on rookies while others are looking to help erase losses.

The Cavs have purchased second-round picks in each of the last two years. Those picks change hands with cash more often than first-round picks but the prices are going up. When they bought the draft rights to Sasha Kaun in 2008, it cost around $300,000. Last season the Cavs were outbid for a second-round pick by the Houston Rockets to the tune of $2.25 million. Already this week, the Portland Trail Blazers reportedly paid $2 million to move up 10 spots in the second round.

Nonetheless, with Gilbert's backing the Cavs will likely be aggressive in attempting to acquire at least one pick. While they are seldom impact players, there are prizes that come from the late first round and early in the second round. Five current Cavs were second-round draft picks and three others were taken with picks in the 20s.

Williams update: On Monday, Yahoo! Sports reported the Trail Blazers were interested in trading for Mo Williams. League sources have indicated the Cavs have tested the market but aren't committed to trading him. Williams' three years and $26 million left on his contract make him challenging to trade, however the Cavs aren't believed to be interested in moving Williams unless they can get comparable talent back in return.

If the Cavs trade a guard in the next several weeks, it will more likely be Delonte West, who has a contract that is only partially guaranteed for next season.

Expansion at Q: The Cavs announced they will be expanding and re-designing the team shop at The Q during the summer. With strong merchandise sales over the last several years, the team has planned to add retail space for some time. During construction there will be a temporary team shop set up during business hours just inside the Time Warner Cable entrance.

The Indians are rendered helpless against Jamie Moyer and the Phillies.

Matt Slocum / Associated PressJamie Moyer got his eighth win of the season -- and allowed his 505th career home run -- while giving the Indians just two hits over eight innings of Tuesday's 2-1 victory in Philadelphia.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- It was another night of big numbers for left-hander Jamie Moyer as he pitched the Phillies to a 2-1 interleague victory over the Indians on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Ballpark.

Moyer, 47, won his 266th game, tying Hall of Famers Bob Feller and Eppa Rixey for 35th on the all-time victory list. In doing so, he gave up the 505th homer of his career, tying Hall of Famer Robin Roberts for the most ever allowed by a pitcher.

Russell Branyan did the honors, hammering a pitch into the second deck in right field with two out in the second. It was the Indians' only run as they fell to 1-3 on this nine-game interleague trip. They are 4-9 against the National League this year.

Moyer (8-6, 4.45) was facing the Indians for the first time since 2006, but nothing has changed in regards to the way he handles Tribe hitters. He's won his last eight decisions against the Indians to improve to 11-7 in his career.

The left-hander allowed two hits over eight innings. He struck out five and walked one.

The Indians threatened in the ninth when Shin-Soo Choo singled and Carlos Santana walked against J.C. Romero. Brad Lidge relieved and struck out Austin Kearns and Jhonny Perdalta for his fifth save in front of a sellout crowd of 44,836.

Moyer, Romero and Lidge combined on a three-hitter.

Mitch Talbot (7-6, 4.59) was almost as good as Moyer. He allowed two runs, both in the first, in seven innings. It was quite a change from his last start when he allowed a career high eight runs and 13 hits in an 8-4 loss to the Mets.

The Phillies won it in the first.  After Placido Polanco singled and Chase Utley walked, Ryan Howard singled home Polanco and sent Utley to third.

Jayson Werth followed with a drive to the warning track in center field. Trevor Crowe made a basket catch for the out, but Utley could have scored from third walking on his hands.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel was ejected for the third time this season for arguing an interference call at second base on Raul Ibanez in the fourth. Werth appeared to score from third on Shane Victorino's hot shot behind second base. Jason Donald made a nice diving stop and flipped to Anderson Hernandez to force Ibanez at second, but Hernandez's relay to first wasn't in time as Werth scored.

That's when second base umpire Sam Holbrook called Ibanez for interference, which is an automatic double play. It erased the run and ended the inning to keep the score at 2-1.