"I'm friends with LeBron, Dwyane, Chris . . . so I'm pretty sure they'll call me and we'll talk about a few things," said Suns free-agent to be Amar'e Stoudemire.
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.
Amar'e Stoudemire invited himself to the free-agent summit with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Joe Johnson.Who will sway LeBron? The New York Post is trying to figure out just who will help LeBron James decide where to play next season. Will it be his inner circle of Akron guys, including Randy Mims, Maverick Carter and Rich Paul? Or guys such as agent Leon Rose, associate William Wesley and Nike executive Lynn Merritt? Maybe it's Jay-Z. Then again, there are also those reports of summits with Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Joe Johnson. Amar'e Stoudemire invited himself along after Phoenix was eliminated by the Lakers on Saturday.
•James isn't talking, although he did appear at the postgame news conference after the Cavs' Game 6 loss in Boston with Rose, Wesley and Carter.
Author Buzz Bissinger, who co-wrote "Shooting Stars" with James last year, has said he thinks James is too coddled in Ohio and needs to leave Akron to grow. He thinks he needs to listen to another voice, too.
"I think LeBron would benefit from an older, experienced associate, who will give him dispassionate advice," Bissinger told the Post. "Maybe there are too many yes men -- afraid of being dumped. I think he's led a very insulated life, too protected."
The Knicks are trying to determine how much influence Wesley and the others have on James. But Bissinger offered a tip.
"LeBron does listen to Maverick, but does listen to others," Bissinger said. "But LeBron will ultimately listen to himself."
•Stoudemire has a player option for the final year of his contract, so it's possible he'll join the free-agent party this summer, although he said the ultimate goal would be to return to Phoenix.
After the Suns lost Game 6 on Saturday, AOL FanHouse reported that he said of his future: "It's going to take a lot of research. It's going to take a lot of studying. It's almost like fantasy basketball -- trying to build a team and figure out: How can we win a championship, and with what team?
"I'm friends with LeBron, Dwyane, Chris . . . so I'm pretty sure they'll call me and we'll talk about a few things."
Just wondering: How many of these guys have to band together before the players are accused of collusion?
•Crain's Chicago Business has tried to quantify the financial impact James would have should he sign with the Bulls.
One University of Illinois-Chicago economist says signing James in and of itself is not enough. While he predicts a $450 million-per-year boost for six seasons, that is based in part on extended playoff runs in each of those seasons -- with the corresponding ticket sales, concessions, parking, TV ads and consumer spending.
"Returning to an NBA championship could boost the Bulls' value by 20 percent to 50 percent, history suggests, to between $613 million and $760 million, according to Forbes magazine's estimate of the franchise's worth," Crain's reports. "The value of the Miami Heat shot up more than 45 percent from 2004 to 2006 thanks to an NBA title. Even storied franchises get a big lift. The Celtics' value rose 22 percent in two years with their 2008 championship; the 2004 league title pushed the Detroit Pistons' value up 41 percent in two years."