'Tis the time of year when summer vacations are looming and everyone is making travel plans. That includes LeBron James. Sam Amick of FanHouse.com, citing sources in the James Camp, James already has plotted a free agency tour that will take him to all the top markets vying for his services. First on the list is New York, to...
'Tis the time of year when summer vacations are looming and everyone is making travel plans.
That includes LeBron James.
Sam Amick of FanHouse.com, citing sources in the James Camp, James already has plotted a free agency tour that will take him to all the top markets vying for his services.
First on the list is New York, to visit with the Knicks. Followed by a quick skip over to New Jersey to the Nets. Then, Chicago.
And then, he'll make an evaluation of just how much attention he's swiped from any other sports story taking place in July (midseason baseball is pretty intriguing, after all) before deciding whether to continue on to Miami or Los Angeles (for the Clippers).
Somewhere in there, the source told Amick, James will even stop by Cleveland.
There are conflicting reports about whether James is going to team with Nike to create a new shoe for every visit he takes on his free agency tour. Amick says yes. Darren Rovell of CNBC says no.
Some "Free Agency Tour 2010" sneaks would be a great way for James to earn some extra cash to make up for any pay cut he'd take if he signs with a team other than the Cavaliers, no?
• According to the New York Post, James will make an appearance in New York before his official Free Agency Tour gets under way.
As in, as early as Wednesday.
The Post's Marc Berman reports Nike will hold a press conference Wednesday to announce Team USA will play an exhibition against France during the USA's training camp in August.
James has said he's leaning toward not playing for Team USA in the World Championships in Turkey, Aug. 29-Sept. 12, because of his free agency.
However, Jerry Colangelo, CEO of USA basketball, told Berman he hopes James "will be around to show support and even practice with the club" in August.
• Colangelo also commented on James' impending free agency, but is one of the first in the free world not to offer an opinion on where James should sign.
"It's an amazing opportunity for the players of consequence and the teams who have space to make something happen," Colangelo told The Post. "It's unusual for New York to have two opportunities. Chicago is a big market. Miami is a big market, even Los Angeles . . . the Clippers have a lot of space."
•Not to be outdone by New York, Chicago has stepped up its campaign to lure James to the Bulls with a website (SendLeBrontoChicago.com) and a billboard that proclaims, "Chicago wants LeBron: Unfinished Business." That one is at the corner of Grand and LaSalle in Chicago, but the group is considering placing another one in Akron.
And in a move that should make a move to the Windy City a no-brainer for James, Chicagoland Speedway President Craig Rust has offered to change the name of his track to woo James.
If James attends the LifeLock.com 400, a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, on July 10, Rust said he will re-name the track "LeBron James Speedway" for the weekend, and have a "LeBron James Speedway" logo printed on merchandise and painted across the front stretch of the infield.
•Last word goes to the New York Daily News' Frank Isola, via Twitter: "LeBron says he had nothing to do with Ferry and Brown leaving Cavs. Will someone please hand the King a tape of Game 5 vs. Celtics?"