Ainge Waiting on Lebron

[Kane3387]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view/20100706holding_pattern_danny_ainge_trying_to_work_while_nba_waits_on_lebron_james/

According to this Ainge has been relentless in talking to Free Agents and negotiating trades but teams want to see "how the dust settles" before they commit to anything. This could mean that a deal for Sheed or an MLE signing happens soon after James signs. Maybe by this weekend or next week. Ray allen's decision should come soon as well.

[hpantazo]

I don't think he has much of a choice at this point. No one else wants to do anything until they see what happens with lebron, wade, and bosh. Funny how Boozer likes to put himself in that group. At least Amare knows he's not in that group so he went ahead and signed a deal already.

[Rashi]

Lebron and Wade are holding everyone up from making moves, the 8th can't come any sooner.

[RAcker]

Yeah, this is really not surprising at all.  This is what I figured would happen all along.  I just hope that Ainge has an edge on the other suitors out there so that he can get what he wants from the FA market.

[Mike-Dub]

Yeah, this is really not surprising at all.  This is what I figured would happen all along.  I just hope that Ainge has an edge on the other suitors out there so that he can get what he wants from the FA market.

Thank you for saving me a lot of typing TP.

[nickagneta]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view/20100706holding_pattern_danny_ainge_trying_to_work_while_nba_waits_on_lebron_james/

According to this Ainge has been relentless in talking to Free Agents and negotiating trades but teams want to see "how the dust settles" before they commit to anything. This could mean that a deal for Sheed or an MLE signing happens soon after James signs. Maybe by this weekend or next week. Ray allen's decision should come soon as well.

You also have to realize that if LeBron heads back to Cleveland the rumor is that he is only going there for three years. That means that before teams go nuts adding tons of long term salary to their payrolls, they need to think about whether they might want to be a player in the Lebron 2013 sweepstakes as that class will also include Dwight Howard as well as other significant free agents.

The 2011 and 2012 free agent classes are pretty poor but the 2013 class of free agents could be huge as it could include Lebron, if he just signs for three years, as well as Howard, Gerald Wallace, Kevin Martin, Rodrique Beaubois, Josh Smith, Stephen Curry, Andrew Bynum, Blake Griffin, Deron Williams, Chris Paul and Tyreke Evans.

Danny would do well to hold off his long term planning until he sees exactly how long LeBron signs for. If it is just for three years with Rondo already in place, Ainge might want to try to keep space open for two max level free agents to add to Rondo in the 2013 season.

[Chris]

Yeah, this isn't surprising.  None of the good players have been willing to sign, unless they were getting overpaid.  They all want to see whats happening with the teams under the cap, hoping they can take advantage of that.  

I think Ray is one of those guys waiting, and that is keeping Ainge waiting as well.  Once Lebron does decide, I expect the whole league to explode with moves within the 2-3 days after that.

[Kane3387]

Yeah, this isn't surprising.  None of the good players have been willing to sign, unless they were getting overpaid.  They all want to see whats happening with the teams under the cap, hoping they can take advantage of that.  

I think Ray is one of those guys waiting, and that is keeping Ainge waiting as well.  Once Lebron does decide, I expect the whole league to explode with moves within the 2-3 days after that.

I hope so. This FA period so far has been pretty boring. All the speculating by these "Insiders" is so annoying because they have no idea. Stein, Bucher, Wojonowaski, Broussard... they have no idea, their "sources" have them writing different articles every day about where all these guys are going. It's sad these guys are supposed to be professionals and they have all now just started figuring out James is staying in Cleveland. He was never going to leave. He's a 25 year old kid and he is a God in that area. No way he doesn't give them one more contract. He is just sitting back laughing and soaking uop all the attention this is getting him. Lol of course he will do it all over again in 2013.

[Mike-Dub]

I'm gonna be so p---ed if LeBron signs a three year contract.  Unless we get cap space for 2013 and he signs with us that is.

[BballTim]

  I'd say the biggest surprise of this offseason would be LeBron signing a contract that doesn't have an opt-out after 2-3 years.

[LooseCannon]

  I'd say the biggest surprise of this offseason would be LeBron signing a contract that doesn't have an opt-out after 2-3 years.

An ETO can't be before the end of the fourth season of a contract.

[celticinorlando]

cavs going to go hard to get bosh and ray to play with LBJ.....

[RJ87]

I still think Bosh would prefer playing with Wade at this point, and his lack of interest for playing in Cleveland has been well known.

At this point, I still think Wade wavers and heads to Chicago. They do a S&T to get Bosh. And LBJ will still be undecided.

[LarBrd33]

All sorts of names getting thrown out there linked to Boston and we have no idea how serious any of these discussions are...   Anthony Morrow, Rudy Fernandez, Leandro Barbosa, Brad Miller, Shaq, Mike Miller, JJ Reddick, Kwame Brown, David Lee....  who the heck knows.  I'm sure Ainge is just calling anyone and everyone and trying to get a pulse on what kind of stuff is possible.    Once LeBron signs, all heck breaks lose and Boston might be in position to grab someone.   At this point there definitely is just too much in the air.  Bron's move causes too many dominos to fall.   If the Knicks decide to keep David Lee, for example... that probably directly relates to some of our prospective trades involving Sheed's contract.

[birdwatcher]

Does anyone think that LeBron is actually making people money by keeping people waiting? Fans in Cleveland, NY, Chicago, Miami and NJ are all collectively holding their breath and checking websites and twitter feeds every minute.