James could have signed a longer contract extension several years ago. Now, the Cavaliers are competing with several other teams for the two-time MVP.
One thing that doesn't seem to be a slam dunk is the answer to where LeBron James will play basketball next season.The potential of LeBron James becoming an unrestricted free agent has been looming over the Cleveland Cavaliers since the summer of 2006, when James signed a contract extension that extended only through the 2009-10 season, turning down an opportunity to make a longer commitment to the Cavs.
Thursday at 12:01 a.m., James gets that freedom that allows him to sign with any team that has the necessary salary cap space, or any team that could swing a sign-and-trade deal with the Cavaliers to acquire him. And of course, the Cavaliers will do their best to try to keep him.
Keep track of James and the Cavaliers in The Plain Dealer and on its cleveland.com website. Stories include beat writer Brian Windhorst's analysis of how the situation got to this point; Bill Livingston's column; Mary Schmitt Boyer's rumor mill.
Cavs' edge?Rick Noland writes for the Medina County Gazette and Elyria Chronicle-Telegram how the Cavs might have an edge in re-signing James. Included in Noland's reasons:
On the evening the Cavaliers won the draft lottery in 2003, a then 18-year-old James promised to light Cleveland up like Vegas, and so far he has not done that.
The 6-foot-8, 250-pounder totally downplayed any talk about his legacy during this year’s playoff series with Boston, but that’s exactly what will be at stake — here — if James leaves.
Even if he goes on to win three, four, even eight NBA titles somewhere else, almost everyone in these parts will remember him as the guy who couldn’t get it done in Cleveland, then left town.
No dummy, James has to know that, and he also has to know the Cavaliers, with him, are still a pretty darn good team.
More optimism
Ken Berger writes for CBSSports.com that influential businessman Steve Greenberg, who knows both James and Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, is optimistic James will remain a Cavalier. Part of a Green berg quote:
"My point being, the Cavs and LeBron, Dan and LeBron, and LeBron and the Cavs are the perfect sort of triangle and match for one another and ultimately will bring a championship -- and probably multiple championships -- to Cleveland. They just haven't done it yet. And had they, I don't think anybody would be talking about going to Chicago, Miami, New York or another place. I think that has helped fuel the speculation."
Elsewhere
A group of ESPN analysts don't think much of the Cavs' chances to keep James.
The Chicago Bulls have jockeyed for position to sign James, and if they don't get him, they'll be quite disppointed, writes Steve Rosenbloom for the Chicago Tribune.
The sense that the New York Knicks are frontrunners to get James seems to have diminished, but Marc Berman writes for the New York Post that the Knicks remain optimistic.
Likewise, the New Jersey Nets feel good about their situation, writes Fred Kerber for the New York Post.
Ian Thomsen writes for Sports Illustrated's SI.com how the Knicks plan to get James.
Walt Frazier, the great point guard for the Knicks' 1970 and 1973 NBA title teams, has thoughts on the Knicks' free agency chase in Matt Ehalt's story for the New York Daily News.
The New Jersey Nets new owner, Mikhail Prokhorov of Russia, will make a pitch for James, writes Adrian Wojnarowski for Yahoo! Sports.