LeBron James Rumor Mill: Waiting on pins and needles

In an eight-floor conference room in a Cleveland office building, LeBron James heard pitches from the Cavs and Bulls, the last two teams vying for his services next year and the years beyond.

Chasing down rumors about LeBron James’ basketball future could be a full-time job. 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.

Ball is in James’ hands

It’s been four years since LeBron James decided to extend his contract with the Cavaliers through the 2009-10 season. Since then, fans have wondered whether he would ink his next pact with the Cavs or another team. After all this time, we might have to wait a bit to see where the two-time MVP will continue his career.

• Many analysts expect James to announce his decision today or Monday. James, though, has a lot of information to sift through from the six teams he met with the past three days: the Cavs, Bulls, Heat, Knicks, Nets and Clippers.

Ian Thomsen reports for Sports Illustrated’s SI.com that James “is expected to decide on his team around mid-week, according to a league source who has been provided the timetable by James’ camp.”

Thomsen also writes:

“There is no sense in rushing along his decision until he has made sense of the different proposals.

“Another reason for him to take a few days before committing is to negotiate with one or more fellow free agents and decide whether they can work out a complicated deal to play together. Will James go to Chicago or Miami to play with Dwyane Wade? Will he stay in Cleveland and try to convince Chris Bosh to join him there in a potential sign-and-trade? No doubt he’ll investigate a number of options.”

And, according to Thomsen:

“James is expected to make his decision by Thursday, which is the first day free agents can sign new contracts. The source has been told that James could decide as early as Tuesday or Wednesday. But Monday now looks like an unreasonable target date to resolve his future.”

• If the Cavaliers or any other party try to work a sign-and-trade for Toronto’s Bosh, they might have to work to persuade the Raptors. J.A. Adande, citing a league source, writes for ESPN. com:

“The Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks are believed to have submitted trade proposals for Bosh to the Raptors, and apparently none has impressed Toronto.

“Bosh’s Twitterization of the courting process, which included several tweets of anticipation leading up to the July 1 commencement of free agency, didn’t sit well with the Raptors, either, the source said.”

• Various reports have Phoenix Suns free agent forward Amar’e Stoudemire headed to the New York Knicks. The Knicks’ primary target in free agency, of course, is James. While some Knicks officials maintain an optimistic posture, Frank Isola writes for the New York Daily News:

“[A] Knicks’ source described the team’s chances of signing the NBA’s biggest free agent as ‘doubtful, very doubtful.’ In fact, several league executives believe that the Knicks’ apparent failure to lure James to New York led to their decision to offer Stoudemire a five-year, $96 million contract after the five-time All-Star turned down a similar deal from Phoenix that was not fully guaranteed. ‘[It] wreaks of desperation,’ said one league executive. ‘They know they have to do something.’ ”

• Chris Hine writes for the Chicago Tribune and ChicagoBreakingSports.com that everyone was tight-lipped after James met with Bulls officials:

“After the Cavs left, the Bulls arrived, including new coach Tom Thibodeau, GM Gar Forman, John Paxson and Jerry Reinsdorf. They donned jackets, but no ties. The Bulls didn’t park in the parking garage where the other teams parked; so they had to cross the road . . . a la the Beatles on Abbey Road.

“The Bulls met with LeBron for about three hours before leaving in two SUVs to a chorus of boos from Cleveland fans who were waiting outside.

“The Bulls left without saying a word, but Thibodeau left with a smile on his face. Unlike the other suitors, the Bulls did not cart any visual aids or equipment.
“After both presentations, James also left without saying a word.”