OT: He is coming...

[VeveJones007]

On my way home from work last night (5pm) the Score said with the money saved from Hinrich and the money they will save from not having to pay the 1st round pick (dealt with Hinrich) they will be able to sign 2 max guys if the cap is where it is rumored/expected to me... what changed?

Sorry, I would have gone into more detail, but it was a little late.

Yeah, some people have them closer to about $32 million under the cap, so that would be one 16.5 million contract and one 15.5 million. I suppose they can always just deal James Johnson if it comes down to it.

One theory is that they can get Joe Johnson for something like 15/year to go along with Lebron. Even though I would prefer that they got Amare or Bosh, Joe Johnson would be a solid complement to Rose and Lebron because he can be a Ray Allen-type and stretch the D and shoot off screens.

[BradleyBrave]

The Bulls, for once, are doing all they can to put a championship team on the floor. They're leaving no stone left unturned in their pursuit to land Lebron James. The ball is truly in LBJ's court, and I am confident he'll make the right decision.

[Da Coach]

Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki has an option of negating the final year of his contract and becoming a free agent. He probably won't leave Dallas and says he wants to stay there. He also stands to make more money by renegotiating his contract and re-signing with Dallas, since the NBA allows teams to exceed the maximum contracts to retain their own free agents.

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2010/06/23/nowitzkis-overshadows-draft-mavs/

[VeveJones007]

The Bulls, for once, are doing all they can to put a championship team on the floor. They're leaving no stone left unturned in their pursuit to land Lebron James. The ball is truly in LBJ's court, and I am confident he'll make the right decision.

Yeah, I've been really impressed with how the Bulls have handled themselves throughout this whole process. They are definitely presenting their best face to Lebron...hopefully it's enough. I'm just hoping beyond hope that the Bulls have a lineup that looks like this next year:

Noah
Bosh
Lebron
Allen/Korver
Rose

That's a championship-caliber team right there.

[lake Camelot]

Yeah, I've been really impressed with how the Bulls have handled themselves throughout this whole process. They are definitely presenting their best face to Lebron...hopefully it's enough. I'm just hoping beyond hope that the Bulls have a lineup that looks like this next year:

Noah
Bosh
Lebron
Allen/Korver
Rose

That's a championship-caliber team right there.

I don't think this is possible. If they sign Bosh and Lebron there will be no room for Allen or Korver.

[Da Coach]

Since he doesn't list Luol Deng, maybe he's assuming the Bulls can find someone to take him and his bloated contract that has 4 more years on it.

I highly doubt they can.

[VeveJones007]

I don't think this is possible. If they sign Bosh and Lebron there will be no room for Allen or Korver.

Signing LeBron and Bosh wouldn't affect the mid-level exemptions that the Bulls have, so they could still sign a few free agents at set limits. That's where either Allen or Korver would come in.

Here is some more smoke for the fire from this piece by Adrian Wojnarowski:

To listen to World Wide Wes, LeBron will never look back on Cleveland. “He’s up out of there,” is the way he tells it to people, but LeBron’s Akron crew has to tsk-tsk such public talk because they all live in Northeast Ohio, and maybe always will. “We’re going to Chicago,” William Wesley tells people, “and Chris Bosh(notes) is coming, too.”

If World Wide Wes says they're coming....

[VeveJones007]

Since he doesn't list Luol Deng, maybe he's assuming the Bulls can find someone to take him and his bloated contract that has 4 more years on it.

I highly doubt they can.

If they get LeBron and Bosh, then Deng doesn't have a spot on the floor. The Bulls will probably move him for two guys that can be part of the rotation. There's one rumor that they will move him to Orlando for Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus. If they got that and signed one of those two shooters to a mid-level exemption, you'd be looking at a rotation like:

Noah/Gortat
Bosh/Gibson
LeBron/James Johnson
Allen or Korver/Pietrus
Rose/backup PG who can shoot the 3

Ladies and gentlemen, your prohibitive favorite to win the 2010-2011 NBA championship is...

[SFP]

I'd have to say getting Korver or Allen would be paramount in that lineup. It would be scary with all that inside power and what a great 3 point shooter could do. I'd have to believe that The Bulls are in the drivers seat. Can't wait until July to see all the changes.

[Braves4Life]

I'll go on record as saying that Lebron stays in Cleveland. His entire persona, mystique and legacy as the "hometown hero" almost demands that he stay in Cleveland. Anything else destroys the "character" that has been carefully crafted since he entered the NBA, and is an admittance of failure on his part. Jordan won with "his team", as did Kobe.

The fact that Cleveland can pay him the most combined with the above almost assures he stays home. This is just a ploy by Lebron and his "handlers" to get the coach and free agent pick-up(s) of his choice.

We'll see if I'm right soon.

[SFP]

I'll go on record as saying that Lebron stays in Cleveland. His entire persona, mystique and legacy as the "hometown hero" almost demands that he stay in Cleveland. Anything else destroys the "character" that has been carefully crafted since he entered the NBA, and is an admittance of failure on his part. Jordan won with "his team", as did Kobe.

The fact that Cleveland can pay him the most combined with the above almost assures he stays home. This is just a ploy by Lebron and his "handlers" to get the coach and free agent pick-up(s) of his choice.

We'll see if I'm right soon.

The difference is that the hometown for Kobe and Jordan are huge while Cleveland is Cleveland. If it is the money I'd have to say he is gone because the market value in Chicago or NY would take his overall earning potential way over what he will make as a salary. I bet you he is gone.

[Braves4Life]

I bet you he is gone.

You're on. A beer when we meet.

[VeveJones007]

I'll go on record as saying that Lebron stays in Cleveland. His entire persona, mystique and legacy as the "hometown hero" almost demands that he stay in Cleveland. Anything else destroys the "character" that has been carefully crafted since he entered the NBA, and is an admittance of failure on his part. Jordan won with "his team", as did Kobe.

The fact that Cleveland can pay him the most combined with the above almost assures he stays home. This is just a ploy by Lebron and his "handlers" to get the coach and free agent pick-up(s) of his choice.

We'll see if I'm right soon.

I was leaning your way for a long time, but there are some pretty serious rumors out there that LeBron is NOT happy with the Cavs, especially the owner, and that he has already told them he's not going back.

You really have to consider what has been happening with the Bulls, though.
1) They hire a coach out of left field who doesn't fit the description that they outlined as what they were looking for in a new coach.
2) The guy has a strong connection to World Wide Wes (just like LBJ).
3) They hired him very very quickly (like 3 days) when they typically move very slowly with these types of hires. I mean, you move quickly if you're hiring Phil Jackson, but do you move that quickly to hire a lifetime assistant?
4) The Bulls give up a mid 1st rounder to get enough cap room for a 2nd big signing.

These are all VERY risky moves, unless you consider that they might know something that we don't.

You also have to factor in that LeBron (and his people) have said that winning is the most important factor in his decision. If you're only thinking about winning, which team would you rather play for next year?

Noah - Bosh - You - Shooter - Rose

or

Ilgauskas/Varajao - Jamison - You - AP - Williams/Gibson/doesn't matter because they aren't as good as Rose

The Bulls are better at every single position. This decision will come down to whether or not he's been telling the truth and that winning is the most important thing. You talk about building a legacy, but the only way you do that is by winning. Otherwise you're just Karl Malone or Charles Barkley and you're not MJ or Kobe.

[Braves4Life]

Ilgauskas/Varajao - Jamison - You - AP - Williams/Gibson/doesn't matter because they aren't as good as Rose

The Bulls are better at every single position.

But remember, Cleveland DID have the league's best record each of the last two years.

[SFP]

But remember, Cleveland DID have the league's best record each of the last two years.

Yea and Boston beat their butt this year and Orlando last year. Regular season and playoffs in the NBA are two different beast. The defense is so much tighter so you need a few high quality options to score consistently.