•While it's seemingly impossible to escape stories/rumors about free-agent-to-be LeBron James, the two-time MVP himself has been keeping a low profile. Saturday, however, the Cavaliers' forward will appear at the Time Warner Cable Amphitheater at Tower City to help judge a dunk contest sponsored by one of James' sponsors, Sprite. James is expected to appear around 6 p.m. The...
View full sizeThe Raptors' Chris Bosh will take part in a "superstar summit" -- along with Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Joe Johnson -- in discussions about their NBA futures. •While it's seemingly impossible to escape stories/rumors about free-agent-to-be LeBron James, the two-time MVP himself has been keeping a low profile.
Saturday, however, the Cavaliers' forward will appear at the Time Warner Cable Amphitheater at Tower City to help judge a dunk contest sponsored by one of James' sponsors, Sprite. James is expected to appear around 6 p.m.
The dunk contest is open to anyone 18 and over.
Also judging is former NBA star Darryl Dawkins, whose backboard-shattering dunks were the stuff of legends when he played in the NBA from 1975 to '89.
Dawkins came to the NBA out of high school, and was a media-savvy big man who liked to name his dunks.
Dawkins was briefly the property of the Cavaliers on Oct. 8 1987, when they acquired him from New Jersey before sending him, and "Dinner Bell" Mel Turpin, to Utah for Kent Benson and Dell Curry. Today, Curry is best-known as the father of NBA rookie and former Davidson star Stephen Curry.
The winner of today's dunk contest gets $1,000 and an opportunity to compete in the championship event during NBA All-Star Weekend next year.
•Dwyane Wade's comments to the Chicago Tribune that he, LeBron James and Joe Johnson will gather to discuss their NBA futures -- coupled with an ESPN report that Chris Bosh will be part of any such "summit" -- has intensified speculation about where the potential free agents will continue their careers.
Besides James' Cavaliers, Wade's Heat, Johnson's Hawks and Bosh's Raptors, teams such as the Knicks are paying close attention.
Marc Berman writes for the New York Post that a meeting among the players would be "good for the Knicks.
"The Knicks' only shot at James is if he can convince Bosh -- or Wade or Johnson -- to come along for the ride. The Knicks is the only club that has cap room to sign two maximum contracts -- with $34 million in space.
"Even if James stays in Cleveland or heads to Chicago, the Knicks would take any pair -- Wade and Bosh, Johnson and Bosh, even Johnson and Wade."
•The Plain Dealer's Brian Windhorst broke a significant story Thursday evening when he tweeted that Celtics assistant coach and defensive game-planning whiz Tom Thibodeau is now being represented by Creative Artists Agency and William Wesley. The partnership is creating a buzz, because James, Wade and Bosh are represented by CAA, and Thibodeau is one of the NBA's star head coach candidates.
Wesley, known as "Worldwide Wes," recently joined CAA after building a reputation as basketball's most powerful facilitator of alliances between players, coaches, front office executives, agents and entertainers.
Marc Berman had speculated in print that if Thibodeau would hook up with CAA, Wesley might steer Thibodeau toward Chicago. The Bulls need a coach after firing Vinny Del Negro, and are considered among the top contenders to sign an elite free agent.
However, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com points out that Thibodeau joining CAA "could complicate matters since the Bulls are one of the only teams in the NBA that do not negotiate with coaching agents."
•Not in the rumor category, but:
Community and business leaders in Akron, including Mayor Don Plusquellic, have put together a "LeBron Appreciation Day" for June 19 at InfoCision Stadium at the University of Akron.
James, a lifelong Akron resident, led St. Vincent-St. Mary to three prep state championships and a national title, and enjoys promoting the city.
"Our goal for this event is to bring together as many people as possible to send a unified message of support to our hometown hero LeBron James," reads the lebronday.com website.
Julie Oddo, InfoCision Stadium vice-president of valued accounts, says planners hope James will attend the event.
"We are working on that," she said. "We're very hopeful he'll be part of the day when we honor him for all that he's done for Akron and Cleveland."
Oddo said admission to the event is free.
"We're excited," she said. "It's family-friendly and fan-friendly. We're going to have lots of activities -- basketball shooting, contests and drawings. Kids and fans events."
•A few dozen Clippers fans marched outside the Staples Center on Thursday night before the Lakers hosted the Suns in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.
According to the Associated Press, the fans chanted, "We want the King" and "L-B-J." Fan Darrell Bailey, who calls himself "Clipper Darrell" and is known for taunting opposing teams, marched at the front of the group, shouting "LeBron versus Kobe, four times a year!" into a megaphone.
The Clippers, who have a nice young nucleus and the salary cap space to sign a major free agent, have a 730-1,370 record and have won 11 playoff games in their 26 seasons in Los Angeles.