Woj: Lebron ready to explore the market

[footey]

Tweets that unless Riley shows good signings, he is ready to look elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Cleveland is getting ready to make its pitch to him.  Could we still get involved to help them clear cap room, or has that ship sailed?

[footey]

says a breakdown in communication between Lebron and Wade/Bosh.

[KGs Knee]

Have to imagine Miami is still the frontrunner.  This is probably just Lebron's way of putting the pressure on Riley/Wade/Bosh to get something going here.

Or, Miami finds a way to screw it up.  In which case, Hou probably becomes the new frontrunner.

Dwight/Lebron/Harden would be nasty.

[Kane3387]

Have to imagine Miami is still the frontrunner.  This is probably just Lebron's way of putting the pressure on Riley/Wade/Bosh to get something going here.

Or, Miami finds a way to screw it up.  In which case, Hou probably becomes the new frontrunner.

Dwight/Lebron/Harden would be nasty.

It would. Staying in the east would be the better play but outside of Chicago and Cleveland no one has max contract room. I just don't see how anyone can trust rose.

If we had gotten love and kept rondo I think we'd have a legitimate shot to get him in Boston. I think bringing ray too would help and pierce as a backup.

[dreamgreen]

He hasn't talked to anyone his agent is doing it all, sounds like he's just doing his job. There is not team that can give him the max and have as much talent as Miami at this point. They all have to make trades to fit him in.

[Neurotic Guy]

I really hope he goes to Cleveland.  I've really got nothing huge aganst the guy -- i didn't like the move to go to Miami but I haven't cared about that for a long time.  He should go back to cleveland and make amends!

[rondoallaturca]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2014-07-03/nba-free-agency-carmelo-anthony-lebron-james-heat-knicks-pay-cut-nbpa-union

I haven't really heard much from this source, so I'm not sure how true it is, but what it details seems very reasonable. Basically, NBA Players' Association union officials and prominent league agents are expecting Anthony and Lebron to sign max contracts to avoid setting a precedent of even greater control by team owners. Currently, they feel like owners have already won too much in the past CBA negotiation. If true, Lebron is pretty much screwed. He can stay in Miami with a pay cut, and anger the NBAPA. He can take the max offered by one of the many teams bidding for him right now, and anger his best friends who have already made huge sacrifices. Or, he can stay in Miami for the max, but have significantly reduced chances of winning another championship unless his best friends take a significantly large pay cut. No matter what, there is no right choice for Lebron.

[moiso]

How about showing some loyalty to Riley- the guy who got Lebron to the finals four straight times with 2 championships.  Lebron expects his championships handed to him by playing on an allstar team every year.  Selfish, selfish!  No loyalty.

[indeedproceed]

That article is right though. And wrong. It's wrong for owners to publicly shame their star players either implicitly or directly into taking a pay cut. But it's also wrong to criticize people for giving up something for the good of the team to get a title. The agents here have as much or more at stake than the owners for directly opposed agenda. Makes sense they'd 'leak' all this stuff .

But if it gets LeBron out of Miami, good.

[Who]

Fairweather fans ...

Pft, LeBron = the fairweather player.

[incoherent]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2014-07-03/nba-free-agency-carmelo-anthony-lebron-james-heat-knicks-pay-cut-nbpa-union

I haven't really heard much from this source, so I'm not sure how true it is, but what it details seems very reasonable. Basically, NBA Players' Association union officials and prominent league agents are expecting Anthony and Lebron to sign max contracts to avoid setting a precedent of even greater control by team owners. Currently, they feel like owners have already won too much in the past CBA negotiation. If true, Lebron is pretty much screwed. He can stay in Miami with a pay cut, and anger the NBAPA. He can take the max offered by one of the many teams bidding for him right now, and anger his best friends who have already made huge sacrifices. Or, he can stay in Miami for the max, but have significantly reduced chances of winning another championship unless his best friends take a significantly large pay cut. No matter what, there is no right choice for Lebron.

I honestly dont see how the NBAPA could be upset about Lebron not taking max.  I mean, I'm sure they are always mad about people not taking the most money they can get, but honestly, there's not much justification to it.  The NBA salary cap is going up each year, and probably will continue to go up regardless of Lebron taking max or not, the entire work force of the NBA is going to get a pay increase each year no matter what.

Also. Lebron has the NBAPA in his pocket, as they 100% need him, and they would be sure to want to keep Lebron on their side, I highly doubt they are trying to influence Lebron in any way, they literally have no power over him to do so and I couldnt think of one reason why Lebron would even care what they think.

Its the kind of situation where they need Lebron not the other way around.

Also, It's not like in 10 years, when they re-negotiate the CBA.. the Owners are going to say "Look Lebron didnt even take max, so we are going to lower the amount a max salary can be, too bad. Blame Lebron."  It's not the most compelling argument.

[rondoallaturca]

I still think if Lebron were to opt out, Cleveland would be the only team he would move to.

[Ogaju]

I thought he already opted out. He is an unrestricted free agent.

At this point he does not have a team!!!

[KGs Knee]

I don't quite get where the NBAPA could find the justification to be "mad" at Lebron, or any star player for that matter, for taking less than they are probably worth. At the end of the day, the totality of NBA players are guaranteed a certain percentage of the BRI, regardless of how it is split amongst the players. If Lebron gets less, someone else gets more.

[rondoallaturca]

I thought he already opted out. He is an unrestricted free agent.

At this point he does not have a team!!!

Whoops, you're absolutely correct. What I meant to say is that if Lebron doesn't return to Miami, he's going to Cleveland. I'll be very surprised if he goes to a third team.