The teams trying to sign LeBron James went to bed Wednesday night in the same position as his fans: in the dark about his future.
With former teammate Damon Jones alongside, LeBron James left his Nike camp for high-school and college basketball players Wednesday afternoon with most of the NBA counting down the hours until his Thursday night announcement.• Biggest day in Cavs history: Pluto | Scribbles
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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The teams trying to sign LeBron James went to bed Wednesday night in the same position as his fans: in the dark about his future.
Thursday night, James will announce his free agent decision on ESPN in a prime-time special the network is branding "The Decision." ESPN executives said the plan was for James to reveal his selection in the first 10 minutes of the show. It will be followed by a series of interviews and small features.
James will make the announcement from a Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, Conn. Sources said that the location, just outside New York City and a short distance from the Knicks' practice facility in Westchester, is not an indication of James' choice. Part of the reason for the selection was the proximity of the club to ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, Conn.
Some of the proceeds from the ads sold during the hour-long program will be donated to the Boys and Girls Club, James' manager Maverick Carter said.
While the show promises to deliver massive ratings with fans in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles all tuning in, it is possible that the suspense will be felt in many front offices, too. Multiple sources said Wednesday that James has not told any of the six teams who met with him last week of his intentions and, in theory, all are still in the race.
James wasn't giving any hints Wednesday, working out at his Nike camp at the University of Akron without talking to the media for a third consecutive day. James also spent time at his old high school, St. Vincent-St. Mary, and a park where he spent time as a boy to film videos for his Web site.
During the workout, new Cavs coach Byron Scott came to see James but did not speak to him. As he left, Scott said his fingers were crossed and he was hopeful.
All the tension with so little information and virtually no leaks from James' camp led to plenty of speculation and a fresh wave of rumors. The only thing clear is that two years of uncertainty will finally come to an end.
There is a feeling among executives in the league that James' top choices are down to the Chicago Bulls and Cavaliers. The Miami Heat are also an option, especially after they secured commitments from both Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. According to various reports, James, Wade and Bosh spoke about their decisions early Wednesday.
Despite the location of the meeting, the Knicks are still believed to be the dark horse.
To help their cause, the Bulls also made a move of their own on Wednesday. They got a free-agent commitment from former Cav Carlos Boozer, locking him up to a five-year deal worth a reported $75 million. The Bulls left just enough salary cap space to add James at the maximum salary.
The Bulls now have All-Stars Derrick Rose and Boozer plus rising center Joakim Noah that they can offer James.
The Knicks' case is built on Amar'e Stoudemire, who will sign a five-year, $96 million deal Friday and was using his Twitter account to appeal to James on Wednesday.
Adding to all of it, the NBA released the official salary cap numbers Wednesday night. The cap came in at $58 million, two million higher than teams were expecting. It gave the Heat some additional cap space and got them closer to getting the three maximum salary slots they have been dreaming about to add James to their free agent haul.
The numbers made the choices James had clear. If he signs with the Cavs for the full max, he can make $125 million over the next six years. If he signs with the another team, he could sign for five years and about $96 million.