The Cavaliers offered the Clippers guard Maurice Williams and forward Jamario Moon in exchange for guard Baron Davis earlier this offseason, according to a league source.

Cleveland, at the time, was desperate to please LeBron James, who eventually left for Miami as a free agent.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Desperate times, desperate measures.

This is the only way to describe reports the Cleveland Cavaliers tried to convince LeBron James to sign an extension by acquiring Baron Davis from the Los Angeles Clippers.

Davis wouldn’t have been enough. Not even close. Miami would still have won out for James' services.

After all, Davis - an overrated and overweight point guard - can’t compete with Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and the lure of South Beach.

If the Cavaliers had acquired Davis, they’d be on the hook for the remaining three years and $43 million of his contract. 

This, of course, would be problematic. James would be long gone. Davis would be bored, angry, and hibernating through the Ohio winter.

Davis is a sad story. He has such potential.

A few years ago, he was the toast of the NBA –leading his ‘We Believe’ Golden State Warriors to a playoff upset over the league-leading Dallas Mavericks.

And TNT Broadcaster Kenny Smith has gone on record saying Davis has the game to be a first team all-NBA player each year.

While this may be hyperbole, Davis should be better than he is.

Right now, he’s the problem for the Clippers -a team he picked as a free agent. And he’d have been a bigger problem for the Cavaliers, especially without James.

--Oly Sandor.

--Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.    

The Bulls have agreed to terms on a contract extension with Joakim Noah, a team source confirmed. The deal is expected to be in the neighborhood of $60 million over five years.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The Chicago Bulls have their blue-collar star. For an additional six seasons. 

Love him or hate him, Jaokim Noah is an All-World role player. He bangs. He defends. He rebounds. Best of all, he’s fearless.

For instance, last year, he scored major points for stepping to LeBron James, who was acting like the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Bulls was an episode of Soul Train.

The term and money is fair. Noah probably could have gotten more as an unrestricted free agent on the open market.

Then again, things could change next July when the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires. A new, stricter system will surely be implemented.

So Noah and the Bulls opted for the middle ground. This makes sense when considering the potential of this young team.

--Oly Sandor.

-Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Of course, he has no regrets over declaring viral jihad on LeBron James. 

Dan Gilbert is an Alpha Male. That’s how he built his lending business. That’s how he bought the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Gilbert doesn’t tolerate losing. Not in the boardroom. Not on the basketball court. So James announcing he was ‘taking his talents to South Beach’ had to sting.

After all, the Cavaliers instantly became a lottery team. The franchise’s value dropped dramatically. Cleveland and the state of Ohio were also treated like a losing contestant on a reality television show.

Simply put, filthy rich guys like Gilbert aren’t used to getting treated this way. They aren’t used to getting embarrassed. This prompted Gilbert to publish The Letter, attacking James for The Decision.

He won’t apologize. Or even admit to being over the top. When Gilbert attacks, there's no retreat.

Such a concession would go against who he is.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Signing with the New York Knicks would have been a good business decision.

New York is the media capital of the world, so calling Madison Square Garden home would have allowed LeBron James to maximize his brand.

Each day, he could’ve spent a few hours on basketball. After practice or games, he could’ve jumped in his limo, rubbed shoulders with Fortune 500 CEOS, and furthered his business empire.

However, signing with the Miami Heat was a good basketball decision.

The Heat could, and did, attract three superstars because they had the cap space to offer three max contracts. The Knicks could only attract two superstars because they only had the cap space to offer two max contracts.

And that’s why James picked Miami over the New York. He wanted to play with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in Miami. Not Bosh or Wade in New York.

More specifically: he wanted to win multiple championships with Bosh and Wade in Miami. Not contend for multiple championships with Bosh or Wade in New York.

Whatever your thoughts on how James left the Cleveland Cavaliers, you can’t fault him for signing with Miami and ignoring New York.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

"I like that they play together and nobody really worries about shots, " O'Neal said. "When I was with Cleveland, guys who couldn't even play were worried about shots. Why was Mo (Williams) taking 15 shots, and I'm only taking four? If LeBron takes 20 shots, that's cool.

LInk

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: He’ll never learn.

At nearly 40, Shaquille O’Neal is still bad-mouthing former teammates and foes, expecting the NBA community to tolerate his questionable behaviour because he was once a superstar.

Well, Shaq doesn’t dominate. Not anymore. It’s been five years since The Big Diesel, The Big Aristotle, or The Most Dominant Ever co-starred for the championship winning Miami Heat.

Since 2006, he’s been injured, overweight, and a shade of his former self. This wouldn’t be an issue except O’Neal has gone on the offensive, routinely slamming his peers.

His latest victim: former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Mo Williams.

The optics of throwing Williams under the bus isn’t good, especially since O’Neal missed his usual quota of 31 games last season, with a variety of bumps, bruises, and injuries.

Of course, Williams’ Cavaliers can’t hang with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics. However, the streaky gunner now has extra motivation to go off each time he faces O’Neal and the Celtics.

So what was the point in Shaq calling out Williams? Why provide him an incentive?

O’Neal must start living in the now. His mouth is talking smack that his game can no longer back-up.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

"Part of me is still sour ... but I wish him the best," Williams said. "He's got enough people rooting against him, he doesn't need one more."

Hours after James announced he was leaving the Cavaliers, Williams tweeted: "We were so damn close. So damn close now we have taken leaps and bounds backwards."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: ‘The Bromance’ is over, but they’re amicable.

For years, LeBron James and Mo Williams were partners-in-crime with the Cleveland Cavaliers. They enjoyed regular season success, but fell short during the playoffs.

Then The Decision hit: James announced he was leaving the Cavaliers for the Heat –on national television. ‘The Bromance’ became strained because Williams, like the city of Cleveland, felt betrayed.

The former backcourt mates and boys are apparently cool. They recently met during a chance encounter at the Cleveland airport. They cleared the air. Williams now accepts and understands ‘Bron’s choice.

The dynamic may change when Miami travels to Cleveland for a game in early December. According to Williams, fans and Cavalier players will be ‘emotional’.

Well, sort of.

James’ old teammates will be ‘emotional’. Fans, however, will be angry. The two-time MVP and Ohio native will face the wrath of Cavalier-nation. And the fallout won’t be pretty.

It’s nice that Williams and James have moved past The Decision. The city of Cleveland won’t follow their point guard’s lead.

--Oly Sandor.
  
Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Delonte West, who played last season for the Cleveland Cavaliers, has been suspended without pay for ten games for pleading guilty to carrying a concealed weapon and wearing, carrying, and transporting a handgun, in violation of the law of the State of Maryland, the NBA announced today. West is currently a free agent. If he signs a contract to play again in the NBA, West’s suspension will begin with the first game of the NBA regular season for which he is eligible and physically able to play.

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"I don't think he (Dan Gilbert) ever cared about LeBron. My mother always told me: 'You will see the light of people when they hit adversity. You'll get a good sense of their character' Me and my family have seen the character of that man."

"It's not far, but it is far. And Clevelanders, because they were the bigger-city kids when we were growing up, looked down on us...So we didn't actually like Cleveland. We hated Cleveland growing up. There's a lot of people in Cleveland we still hate to this day."  

"If there was an opportunity for me to return (to Cleveland) and those fans welcome me back, that'd be a great story."

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Where do I begin?

1) There's no defending Dan Gilbert's web-letter slamming LeBron James after 'The Decision'. The Cleveland Cavaliers owner must model professionalism for players and employees to follow. 

However, it takes two sides to wreck a relationship. And James is acting like he did nothing wrong -like he didn't owe Gilbert and the Cleveland Cavaliers a heads up before taking the air and announcing he was heading to 'South Beach'.

2) I get the Akron-Cleveland rivalry. It's a common dynamic between a small and big city. Now isn't the time for James to confess his feelings for Ohio's big city.

3) James doesn't get it. Cavalier-nation is mad. Furious, in fact. There's so much water under the bridge, the river is overflowing and flooding.

Fans will never forgive-and-forget because they feel James deserted them and rubbed their nose in it with The Decision.

Bottom line: James needs new PR people. Recently, he's made several missteps: the one hour ESPN special, the pulled ESPN article in Las Vegas, and now the GQ interview.

James doesn't realize the public is tired of him. He needs to go underground until training camp. No interviews. No magazine covers.

The only way to quell The Backlash is to handle his business on-court and win an NBA Title in 2011. James must remind folks he's a great basketball player first, and everything else - brand, icon, entrepreneur - second.

With all the people whispering in his ear, with all the hoopla over free agency, with all the yes-men in the posse, this has been lost.

So James should get in the gym, put in work, and deliver next season and playoff for Miami.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

``If Lebron is taking mental notes of everyone who is taking shots at him this summer, put me on top of your list!  I thought the one hour decision was a punk move.   I thought the dance in Miami was a punk move and I was very disappointed that he left Cleveland to join D.Wade's team."  (quote from Mike Greenberg`s ESPN morning show)

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Charles Barkley, how do you really feel?

The TNT broadcaster and Hall of Fame power forward has been rather outspoken in his criticism of LeBron James. Barkley didn’t like that James left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat. He also didn’t like how he left.

The Round Mound of Rebound’s latest comments came in response to James tweeting that he’s taking ‘mental notes’ on all his enemies, and wants revenge.

Two points are worth noting.

First, Barkley, a former regular season MVP, is wrong to knock James for joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in South beach.

James is at his best when facilitating instead of averaging 30 points per night. He’s more Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen, and Oscar Robertson than, say, Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan. As a facilitator, he needs great players like Wade and Bosh.

At least, James will sacrifice to win. Years ago, a certain four-man’s ego forced Pippen off Hakeem Olajuwon’s Houston squad, and compromised the Rockets’ chances of winning another NBA Title.

Sound familiar Chuck?

That said, there’s no excuse for how James left Cleveland. There’s no justification for him treating the folks who raised, loved, and supported him so badly.

Second, this again proves that The Decision created The Backlash. The ‘heat’ James is taking is self-induced. His tweet about ‘taking mental notes’ forced Barkley to comment.

Just like The Decision - his hour long ESPN special where he broke up with Cleveland for Miami - prompted the state of Ohio to burn his jerseys, while the rest of America named him public enemy number one.

If The Decision doesn’t happen, The Backlash doesn’t happen.

Perhaps James should take his mental notes silently. Perhaps Barkley should just be silent. Unfortunately, there’s zero chance of either happening.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
 

Don't think for one min that I haven't been taking mental notes of everyone taking shots at me this summer. And I mean everyone!

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: LeBron James is taking notes, keeping score, and wants revenge on those who spoke out against ‘The Decision’ to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.

Please. ‘The Backlash’ to ‘The Decision’ was avoidable.

Suppose James dispensed with the dog and pony show known as free agent wooing, privately broke up with Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, and signed with the Miami Heat on July 1st.

Suppose he held a presser in South Beach, where he respectfully explained his choice to join the Heat and not re-sign with the Cavaliers. Suppose he thanked Cleveland, Akron, and Ohio.

Of course, there’d be some backlash. There’d be some talk of his diminished legacy. There’d be some talk of his shortcomings as a player. And there’d be some talk of him turning his back on the state that raised him.

Life would eventually go on, though. And the backlash wouldn’t become ‘The Backlash’.

By going on ESPN, by hiring Jim Gray, by playing with the hearts and minds of Cavalier fans, James instigated and asked for the criticism. 

‘The Decision’ created ‘The Backlash’. The sooner James realizes this, the better off we’ll all be.

--Oly Sandor.

 Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Carmelo Anthony may soon face the same predicament close friend LeBron James was in -- playing for a club good enough to compete but not to win a championship. We all know what choice LeBron made, and Anthony could make a similar decision next year. Anthony has been long rumored to favor the Knicks, who didn't waste their remaining salary cap money on lesser free agents, choosing to save the cash. The Nuggets stayed relatively quiet in the offseason besides the additions of Al Harrington and Shelden Williams, and they don't look dramatically different from the team that lost in the first round to Utah in May. Unless the Nuggets make some dramatic moves over the next 12 months, they risk losing Anthony for nothing.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: It could happen.

Carmelo Anthony could leave as a free agent. The Nuggets could get nothing back. And the city of Denver could get angry with Anthony like Cleveland did with LeBron James.

However, two things work in the Nuggets' favour. First, there isn't a crew of superstars to lure him from Denver. The New York Knicks have cap space, Amar'e Stoudemire, and play in the media capital of the world.

They don't have a once in a generation swingman like Dwyane Wade, though.

Second, a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is coming next summer, likely before Anthony hits free agency. The new CBA will surely give teams' greater power in retaining top free agents because owners are frustrated with the leverage superstars have.

So Anthony may have to sacrifice significant money and/or term to leave Denver for the New York Knicks.

This could still happen. Anthony could also decide to take the most money available and re-sign with the Nuggets

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.     

Shaquille O'Neal will only make $1.39 million with the Celtics next season, but the team's newest player is expected to cash in on endorsements.

O'Neal made $15 million through endorsements last year and some expect him to eclipse that market in Boston.

"Shaq is a marketing giant," said John Vrooman, a sports economist at Vanderbilt University. "He will benefit from the Hub's strong media presence, where there's money to be made on local endorsements."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: He won’t be eating Macaroni and Cheese, using coupons at the check-out aisle, or taking public transport.

(Not that there’s anything wrong with KD, scoping up discounts at Costco, or riding the bus with characters. I regularly do all three.)

Shaquille O’Neal’s 2011 salary with the Boston Celtics is just $1.39 million. While this is nothing to sneeze at, it represents a massive reduction from the $20 million he earned with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010.

No need to shed tears for O’Neal.

The future Hall of Famer will still rake in an estimated $15 million from endorsements in 2011. After all, he gets love from Icy-Hot and has that silly television show on ABC.

Of course, Boston is a terrific market. There's a huge population base. And the Celtics are one of the game's glamour franchises.

O’Neal’s on-court game is in decline, but his off-court game, the business of Shaq, is very much thriving.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Edgardo Defortuna, head of Fortune International Realty, says the LeBron effect is real but hard to quantify. He says 49 units at Icon Brickell have sold since LeBron's announcement, and July sales for downtown were nearly double the number in June. "I've had friends from South America call and tell me they'll buy an apartment," he says, "but only if I can find them Heat tickets first."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Cleveland hates him. Miami loves him. Just not for the obvious reason.

Sure LeBron James’ migration from Ohio to Florida will impact the Cavaliers and Heat’s on-court fortunes. The Cavs’ are now rebuilding; the Heat are now contenders.

Forget wins and losses. Forget the standings, playoffs, and quest to dethrone the two-time world champion Los Angeles Lakers.

James’ greatest impact may be on the Cleveland and Miami economies. After all, The King guarantees a sold-out building, which also means busy restaurants and pubs, full hotels, and, most importantly, the national spotlight.

Cleveland lost all of that. Their loss is Miami’s gain.

The Heat have already filled their building for the year. South Beach is buzzing. And now there are reports the struggling Florida real estate market is heating (pardon the pun) up.

All of this magnifies the poor manner in which James handled his free agency. Cleveland and Miami will be feeling the impact - good or bad - of The Decision for years to come.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below. 

TNT will televise the first return of LeBron James to Cleveland in the uniform of the Miami Heat. The game will take place on December 2nd. Miami will also travel to Cleveland on March 29th.

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Although he has moved on to Miami in search of the NBA Championship that eluded him here, former Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas has not forgotten the fans or city that welcomed and supported him for the majority of his career.

In an ad published in today's Plain Dealer, Z thanks the fans and city for their support.  While saying that Cleveland will always be his home, Ilgauskas asks for understanding as he chases his dream of a ring.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: The transplant passed. The native son failed.

On Sunday, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, a European immigrant, thanked Cleveland for the last fourteen years by writing a letter to  fans in a local paper.

His words were genuine, sincere, and gracious.

Ilgauskas's letter couldn't have come at a better time.The Cavaliers, city of Cleveland, and state of Ohio are still reeling from local boy LeBron James signing with the Miami Heat, and breaking the news on ESPN.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

"Jay never expected LeBron to sign with the Nets. He knew that no 25-year-old kid with James' profile was going to spend years in Newark," the source tells Gatecrasher. "But he's ... at least disappointed, that LeBron didn't consult with him." Still, our source says, "I don't think it's going to affect their friendship."

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: The trail of jilted suitors grows.

Apparently, the 'Greatest Rapper of All Time' and 'The King' are at odds because New Jersey Nets minority owner Jay-Z felt friend LeBron James should have talked with him during free agency.

Jay-Z wasn't expecting to sign James, but did expect a phone call.

Of course, Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and the state of Ohio didn't receive this courtesy, so why would Jay-Z?

Unlike Gilbert, Jay-Z isn't expected to release a scathing letter via the Nets' website. Would he, however, take a subtle dig or two at James on his next single?

Probably not, but getting Jay-Z's official side of the story would be interesting.

--Got thoughts?

Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
 

The Lakers are trying to trade guard Sasha Vujacic along with a future first-round pick in order to get his salary off the books, according to sources.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers completed their first post- LeBron James personnel move on Monday night, trading troubled guard Delonte West and point guard Sebastian Telfair to the Minnesota Timberwolves for point guard Ramon Sessions, 7-footer Ryan Hollins and a future second-round pick.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: The wait is over.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have finally completed their first transaction in the post LeBron James era, sending Sebastian Telfair and Delonte West to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Ryan Hollins, Ramon Sessions, and a future second round draft pick.

After losing James on national television, the Cavaliers came close, but failed to sign Matt Barnes and Kyle Lowry.

They got their man in Sessions, a young combo guard who will fit Coach Byron Scott's up-tempo system next to fellow combo guard Mo Williams.

Sessions, the Timberwolves' big free agent signing last summer, became the odd man out when the club signed signed Luke Ridnour to a four year pact last week.

He'll have something to prove with the Cavaliers. He'll play well.

Hollins is a long, athletic big man. As a former track star, he can rebound, defend, and block shots; however, he's raw offensively.

Meanwhile, the Timberwolves have already announced they'll waive West and pocket the salary cap savings. Telfair will serve as Ridnour's back-up while starter Jonny Flynn recovers from hip surgery.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Add Magic Johnson's voice to fellow Hall of Famer Michael Jordan's: Neither ever thought of combining forces the way LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh did earlier this month with the Miami Heat.

"We didn't think about it 'cause that's not what we were about," Johnson said at Baruch College in New York, according to Bloomberg News. "From college, I was trying to figure out how to beat Larry Bird."

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan 'didn't have to think about it' because they had help.

Loads of it.

Frankly, LeBron James doesn't leave Cleveland if he has Dennis Johnson, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parrish, or Horace Grant/Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen, or, like Magic, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, A.C. Green, Byron Scott, and James Worthy.

Who did James have with the Cavaliers? Anderson Varejao? Candace Parker's brother? Last year there was the old and overweight Shaquille O'Neal, who may soon be out the NBA.

Worst of all for James, this would never change because no star would come to Cleveland.

The creme de la creme of NBA prefer palm trees to Ohio winters. They prefer Malibu and South Beach to parka jackets and winter boots. They prefer major markets to blue-collar cities.

But James allowed Bird, Johnson, and Jordan to omit, alter, and twist reality with his free agent drama. The Decision' made him a target. And his spectacular failure in the second round of the NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics didn't help.

Now everyone is taking shots. Only championships will silence James' critics and even that may not be enough.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: They are the villains. No doubt about it.

Naturally, wrestling fans are comparing the Miami Heat’s Three Kings of Chris Bosh, LeBron James, or Dwyane Wade to WWE’s New World Order of Scott Hall, Hulk Hogan, and Kevin Nash. 

In fact, in this video, James/Hogan is body slamming the Cleveland Cavaliers mascot, former teammate Delonte West, and former owner turned foe Dan Gilbert.

Of course, Commissioner David Stern assumes the role of corrupt referee, which NBA fans - especially supporters of the Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings - will find slightly ironic.

Watch the video below and get at us with thoughts on the Three Kings/NWO.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni says Isiah Thomas' involvement in the team's recruitment of LeBron James was a last-ditch effort.

D'Antoni called the move a "Hail Mary." "We were sitting around and thinking what can we do to try and get it back and Isiah had an in with someone in [LeBron's] entourage," D'Antoni told the New York Daily News.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: No wonder they lost out on LeBron James.

After all, The King - self-proclaimed or not - turned his back on the Cleveland Cavaliers and took less money to sign with the Miami Heat because he wanted to win.

Capturing championships is all that mattered to James. Not shoe deals. Not off-court adulation. And this forced him to turn his back on his home state.

So how would it have appeared to Team LeBron when Isiah Thomas - the man who destroyed the New York Knicks and virtually burned the Mecca of basketball known as Madison Square Gardens - popped up during negotiations?

The Hall of Fame point guard's trades, signings, and draft picks turned this classic franchise into a laughingstock, and brought misery to the NYC.

Worst of all, Thomas' involvement surely complicated negotiations. James and his people must have had concerns about who was really in charge. Was it Thomas, the old head of basketball operations? Or Donnie Walsh, the executive who was brought in to clean up his mess?

The Knicks must make a decision. Either they permanently cut ties with Thomas or, crazy as it sounds, re-hire him.

Currently, they're stuck in the middle, a bizarre no-man's land,  which is the worst case scenario. Thomas, again, plays the villain, appearing at the worst possible time to foil plans and scare the locals.

Common sense would rule out bringing Thomas back to New York. Clearly, common sense is still in short supply, though. And this may be the greatest reason James ignored the Knicks and signed elsewhere. 

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Dwyane Wade isn't ready to buy into all the hype about the Heat, who added LeBron James and Chris Bosh last week.

Wade says the Lakers, who have won the NBA's last two championships, are the team to beat.

The Lakers are the champions and we know the Lakers are very good," Wade said Wednesday. "That's the team that everyone's shooting for and they should be. Not the Miami Heat. The Los Angeles Lakers."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Call: You can’t fault Dwyane Wade for trying.

In fact, you have to admire the superstar’s failed attempts at running a little smokescreen interference and deferring public enemy number one status to the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Yes, the purple-and-gold is still the team to beat. After all, to be the champs, you have to beat the champs.

No, the Miami Heat – with the controversial way The Big Three of Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade were assembled - is the team everyone will be shooting for.

No doubt about it.

Everyone - your granny, pastor, milkman, and even dog - has an opinion on The Great Free Agent Chase of 2010, culminating in LeBron James breaking up with Dan Gilbert, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and state of Ohio on national television.

Very quickly, the Heat has become the NBA’s undisputed villain in a plot that’s part Shakespeare, part Vince McMahon WWE. 

If Wade thought the attention was bad in 2007 following their NBA Title win, then he hasn’t seen anything yet.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
 

Zyrdunas Ilgauskas is following LeBron James to the Miami Heat.

The veteran center, who started playing for Cleveland in 1997 and has never suited up for another NBA team, expects to sign a two-year contract with the Heat later this week, agent Herb Rudoy said Tuesday. The two-year deal would come with a player option for the second season, Rudoy said.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Today, the Miami Heat added an additional piece around The Big Three of Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade, signing long-time Cleveland Cavaliers centre Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

(No word on whether Cavalier owner Dan Gilbert will write a letter about Ilgauskas swapping the cold of Ohio for the sun of Florida.) 

This move makes sense for a few reasons:

1) Ilgauskas can still play. He’s massive. He’s skilled. And he can take opposing fives out on the perimeter with his range.

2) With a true centre like ‘Big Z’, Bosh will get significant minutes at the four-spot, his natural position. This will surely please ‘CB4’, who doesn’t want to battle the beasts of the Eastern Conference.

3) Ilgauskas has chemistry with James on-and-off-court. The veteran Euro will help ease the transition to Miami for his younger friend, especially with all the hoopla surrounding his free agency.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

``Jesse Jackson criticized Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert on Sunday, saying Gilbert sees LeBron James as a "runaway slave" and that the owner's comments after the free-agent forward decided to join the Miami Heat put the player in danger.``

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The Cavaliers are considering making an offer to Josh Childress, according to sources. Childress has until July 15th to opt out of his contract with Olympiakos.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Words can’t describe it.

Dan Gilbert, the Cleveland Cavaliers owner, has declared war on LeBron James, his former franchise face and superstar.

HoopsVibe News would like to humbly point out that Gilbert, not us, is responsible for the whacky font, use of caps-lock, and bolded section.

Yes, this is crazy, especially when considering it’s by an NBA owner. So read Gilbert’s letter to LeBron and get at us in the comment box below.

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.

This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his "decision" unlike anything ever "witnessed" in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE"

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our "motivation" to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

Sorry, but that's simply not how it works.

This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown "chosen one" sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And "who" we would want them to grow-up to become.

But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called "curse" on Cleveland, Ohio.

The self-declared former "King" will be taking the "curse" with him down south. And until he does "right" by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

Just watch.

Sleep well, Cleveland.

Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day....

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue....



Dan Gilbert
Majority Owner
Cleveland Cavaliers .

He has gotten a free pass," Gilbert said in a phone interview with The AP. "People have covered up for [James] for way too long. Tonight we saw who he really is."

"He quit," Gilbert said. "Not just in Game 5, but in Games 2, 4 and 6. Watch the tape. The Boston series was unlike anything in the history of sports for a superstar."

"It's not about him leaving," Gilbert said. "It's the disrespect. It's time for people to hold these athletes accountable for their actions. Is this the way you raise your children? I've been holding this all in for a long time."

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HoopsVibe`s Very Quick Call: I’m certain Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert will be receiving a phone call from Commissioner David Stern telling him to cool it.

Sure, LeBron James showed zero class by announcing he was leaving Cleveland for Miami on national television, embarrassing an owner, organization, city, and, state that has showered him with adulation and love for seven years.

And sure, James mailed it in against the Boston Celtics in the 2010 playoffs and was pretty mediocre against the Orlando Magic in the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals.

So Gilbert has a point, a very good one, in fact.

However, owners don’t do this. Owners don’t act like jilted lovers when things don’t go their way. Owners don’t write nasty letters to fans, essentially hexing the face of the league –even if it’s totally justified.

Owners are supposed to model professionalism for fans, players, front office staff and, heck, even the guy pouring pints at Quicken Loans Arena.

By doing this, by stooping to James and Maverick Carter’s level of nonsense, Gilbert has made it harder to attract a star(s) to replace The King.

After all, players talk. And James and his posse will put out the word to the fraternity of ballers that Gilbert is a micromanager, tyrant, and jerk.

This may or may not be true. The NBA is like life, though. Perception is reality. And the gossip will overshadow Gilbert’s desire to win championships and his willingness to write multi-million dollar luxury tax cheques to achieve this end.

Right now, Gilbert, an Alpha Male billionaire, must do something out of character. He must turn the other cheek. He must take the high road.

If he can’t stay somewhat silent, if he can’t stay mum, then the businessman must immediately tone down the rhetoric and describe his frustration in a more appropriate and reasonable manner.

Gilbert is right: the people of Cleveland and Ohio deserved far better from James. Those same people also deserve far better from Gilbert, too.

-- Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

LeBron James is planning to announce the team with which he will sign during a one-hour special on ESPN Thursday night, ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard has learned through independent sources.

ESPN would only confirm that active discussions for the special are ongoing. But sources tell Broussard that representatives for James contacted the network, proposing that James makes his announcement during a 9 p.m. ET special.

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HoopsVibe`s Very Quick Call: Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel?

After years of speculation, gossip, drama, innuendo, and (frankly) nonsense, LeBron James will finally enlighten us with a one hour ESPN special announcing where he’ll play next. 

Thank you. Thank you so very much LeBron.

Expect the Cleveland Cavaliers to win these bizarre sweepstakes. Cleveland is James’ home. They can offer the most money and longest term.

Owner Dan Gilbert has likely promised to acquire Chris Paul - James’ best friend in the NBA - from the New Orleans Hornets. It’s one reason Gilbert hired Scott, the former sideline boss with Paul`s Hornets.

Most importantly, come Thursday James will have made his decision and we can get on with our lives.

-- Oly Sandor.

Where do you see King James signing? Get at us HoopsVibe News in the comment box with your prediction on Thursday night.

Everything is set for Chris Bosh to join LeBron James in Cleveland. Everything, that is, except Bosh's approval.

The Toronto Raptors have told the Cleveland Cavaliers they will do a sign-and-trade with them for Bosh, according to several league sources.

The exact details of the potential trade have not been solidified, but Toronto likely would get Anderson Varejao and or J.J. Hickson, Delonte West, and perhaps Anthony Parker. A draft pick could be involved as well.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: He’d get LeBron James. He’d get a maximum contract - six-years, $127 million. And he’d also get the city of Cleveland, which is the problem.

Chris Bosh wants to partner with James and score the most lucrative contract available in free agency; however, he was hoping to achieve both with the either Chicago Bulls, New Jersey Nets, or Miami Heat -and not the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Bosh would apparently prefer a larger market than Cleveland to maximize marketing opportunities. And this is why he hasn`t green-lighted the agreed upon sign-and-trade between the Raptors and Cavaliers.

However, Bosh`s concerns are puzzling because CB4 and The King would form a dynamic duo, capable of attracting both national and international attention.

Meanwhile, Toronto should be sure Anderson Varejao is part of any deal. Forget his affinity for flopping, the Brazilian ‘big’ would instantly improve the Raptors` defense and allow Andrea Bargnani to play his natural position, the four-spot.

This deal is still a go. All that’s left is Bosh’s approval. Of course, there`s also the little matter of James officially re-signing with Cleveland.

- O.Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Derrick Rose reportedly preferred the Bulls to sign Joe Johnson instead of LeBron James, according to multiple people that spoke with Brian Windhorst.

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The Bulls appeared to be the leading contender for LeBron James a week ago, but the Cavaliers are risen to the top of the leaderboard in recent days.

"My gut tells me Cleveland," an executive in the James chase told Yahoo! Sports. "From what I hear now, it his decision alone. No outside influences."

The Cavaliers showed LeBron James a cartoon in the style of 'Family Guy' featuring him and his friends during their meeting on Saturday.

'Family Guy' is one of LeBron's favorite shows and the clip featured some inside jokes related to the Cavaliers.

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The Dallas Mavericks got the answer they were hoping for Saturday night: Dirk Nowitzki has pledged to re-sign with the only team he's ever played for.

The deal, sources said, is worth at least $80 million and includes a no-trade clause, with Nowitzki making good on a longstanding offer to Cuban to take less than the maximum $96.2 million he could have received over the next four seasons in exchange for assurances that the Mavericks will use that financial flexibility to ramp up their efforts to acquire a top-tier sidekick.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Player and team got it done.

Like Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics, Dirk Nowitzki re-signed with the only team he has ever played for, taking far less than the maximum available salary so the Dallas Mavericks could find him a co-star.

The former MVP will still earn a good wage: $20 million annually for each of the next four seasons. Best of all, he gets his no-trade clause.

With Nowitzki returning, the Mavericks will now focus on upgrading the roster. Mark Cuban will try and ultimately fail to work a sign-and-trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers for Lebron James.

And despite the New Orleans Hornets' firm denials, Chris Paul is available. Expect Team Cuban to chase CP3.

However, Dallas had to have Nowitzki. He has been the franchise, and will be for years to come.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at us in the comment box below.      

Byron Scott has reached agreement on a three-year contract to become the Cleveland Cavaliers’ new coach, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. The deal is expected to be finalized on Thursday.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: It's a big announcement, but not the one Cleveland Cavalier fans were hoping for.

Word is Cleveland owner and de facto GM Dan Gilbert will introduce Byron Scott as his bench-boss today, and the former sharpshooter is apparently excited to coach the Cavaliers -even if you-know-who, LeBron James, doesn't re-sign.

And perhaps he's right.

With James, Scott has a ready-built contender on his hand. Without him, Scott can take his time to reshape the roster -like he did with the New Jersey Nets and New Orleans Hornets.

Either way, in Gilbert, Scott has the rare owner willing to spend to compete. This is what drew him to the job.

Now Scott must wait to see how the situation unfolds in Cleveland.

Got thoughts? Get at O.Sandor and HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni are seeking to arrange a meeting with Atlanta free agent Joe Johnson in Los Angeles Wednesday at midnight -- or 9 p.m. California time -- before flying to Ohio for the LeBron James' pow-wow. Even crazier, the Knicks are trying to fit in Amare' Stoudemire that evening, too, in either LA or Phoenix.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Not for a New York second.

Joe Johnson and Amar’e Stoudemire won’t satisfy hungry Knick fans who are thirsting for free agents Chris Bosh and LeBron James to turn Madison Square Garden into a contender starting in October of 2010.

Consider Knick-nation’s plight: former prodigal son Stephon Marbury imploded before their very eyes; GM and coach Isiah Thomas shamed the organization with his dysfunctional ways and irresponsible spending; and for too long owner James Dolan did nothing, content to count his profits.

Donnie Walsh and Mike D’Antoni were hired to turn things around, but - instead of immediately competing for the playoffs – they purged the roster of big ticket salaries, so they could sign James and other free agents this summer.

That decision was made years ago. And the Knicks have intentionally tanked it ever since.

Management got fans to buy-in by selling hope, specifically the hope that they’d ink James – one of the game’s greatest stars – to a multi-year contract.

Cap space alone won’t secure James’ services. The King wants to win, and rumour has it he likes the Chicago Bulls’ supporting cast of point guard Derrick Rose and big Joakim Noah better than the Knicks’ depleted roster.

Bosh, who also wants to win now, has allegedly decided to follow the two-time MVP and serve as his co-star in The Windy City.

Walsh isn’t stupid. He sees how the free agent dominoes are aligning. He gets that the club will likely have to settle for Johnson and Stoudemire.

This won’t cut it in New York, where some of the NBA’s most educated fans reside. After all, Johnson and Stoudemire are good, but Bosh and James are great.

Unless Walsh and D’Antoni deliver great this July, fans will wonder why they suffered through the pain, torture, and punishment.

Got thoughts?

An NBA executive told The New York Times that, based on discussions with other team officials, he believes that LeBron James and Chris Bosh have already decided to sign with the Bulls.

In that case, James' meetings with teams this coming week would be merely a formality.

"I think it's a done deal," the executive said about James departing Cleveland for Chicago and taking Bosh with him.

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Former Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry has emerged as one of the first front-office targets of the Trail Blazers after they abruptly fired Kevin Pritchard on draft night, according to sources with knowledge of Portland's thinking.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Danny, don't do it! Don't take the Portland Trail Blazers' front office job.

I know you're on the rebound after parting with the Cleveland Cavaliers. I know you're anxious to re-establish yourself as an NBA executive. And I know you're confident -even for a Duke guy.

We get it.

But notice the warning signs. They're redder than David Hasselholff's nose after a night on the town. And they're scarier than 'Hoff's' music videos.

For instance, executive Tom Penn was mysteriously fired by the Blazers. The club justified the move by leaking unsubstantiated rumors of Penn being involved in a human resources dispute.

More recently, GM Kevin Pritchard was fired moments before the NBA draft, but asked to participate in the war room.

Penn and Pritchard are highly respected by their peers around the league; however, they were treated with no respect.

None.

Danny, this could be you if you take the Blazers job. Owner Paul Allen is a Microsoft tyrant who will make your former boss, Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert, look tame.

Allen will scheme behind your back, too. He'll interfere. He'll meddle. And he'll interview candidates for your position while you're on the payroll. After all, Allen allegedly talked to Oklahoma City executive Sam Presti about replacing Pritchard -even though Pritchard was still on the job.

Danny, I know it's hard, but pass on Portland. Forget Brandon Roy. Forget LaMarcus Aldridge. And forget one of the NBA's most loyal fan bases.

None of that will matter when dealing with Allen. His true colors have been revealed these last few weeks.

Got thoughts?  

All the elaborate recruiting plans for LeBron James will have to change. James will not go on a recruiting tour, his longtime business manager Maverick Carter told ESPN.com Friday. LeBron is not going on a tour," Carter said. "He never planned to go on a tour and has not been a part of any team's plans for a recruiting trip."

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: The King is wisely making his suitors come to his Ohio court.

The LeBron James 24-hour news cycle hasn't helped his image. There has been a backlash because some feel the two-time MVP has milked and encouraged the headlines.

For instance, critics have argued his interview with CNN's Larry King shouldn't have aired during the NBA Finals because it took the spotlight off the league's showcase event.

Another concern was that James was going to make a spectacle of visiting each potential suitor, creating a sort of rock star inspired tour -even if he has little interest in signing with certain teams.

The good news is the New York Knicks' star-studded tour of Manhattan won't matter. Neither will the lure of South Beach. Or, the glamour of Hollywood.

James is focused on one thing: winning an NBA Title. Now to find the best place for that to happen. 

Got thoughts? 

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 is coming, too." 

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: 'World Wide Wes', one of the NBA's great power brokers, believes the Chicago Bulls are poised for a big off-season. And he's right.

After dealing Kirk Hinrich and their 17th pick in Thursday's draft and getting nothing but cap space back, the Bulls have the financial flexibility to tender two max' contracts.

So The Windy City could sign LeBron James and bring in Chris Bosh, too. 

Other clubs - the Miami Heat and New York Knicks - can also offer a pair of max contracts, but the Bulls distinguish themselves by already having a star point guard in Derrick Rose and an established four-man with Joakim Noah.

Such a supporting cast may be enough for James to turn his back on the Cleveland Cavaliers -even though they can offer the most money, longest term, and he grew up in nearby Akron, Ohio.  

Even if James gets sentimental and re-signs with the Cavaliers, the Bulls could turn to superstar Joe Johnson, which isn't a bad plan-B.

Bottom line: Chicago is the team to watch this summer. 

Got thoughts?

Portland is showing strong interest in Cleveland Cavaliers guard Mo WIlliams. The Blazers have been making calls to check on him.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Perhaps, Williams would fit in 'Rip CIty'.

After all, Cleveland's current table-setter is able to play both on-and-off the ball. He can handle the rock, run the offense, and use his jumpshot to prevent defenses from double-teaming stars LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy.

Williams is also easy company. Teammates and coaches enjoy being around him, and he'd likely gel with an already close Blazer squad.

Of course, it's never that easy.

Williams is a sub par defender, who has a reputation for going MIA in the playoffs. He also two years and a player's option left on his contract for a total of $27 million. Worst of all, his presence might upset temperamental veteran Andre Miller.

Why are the Blazers really interested in Williams?

Executive Kevin Pritchard is on shaky ground and needs some headlines to solidify his standing with the organization. Remember, last year, Pritchard was willing to overpay free agents like David Lee, Lamar Odom, and Hedo Turkoglu -even though these forwards wouldn't have helped much.

This isn't the way to run a professional sports team, but issues have existed in the front office for some time.

For instance, Tom Penn, the Vice President of Basketball Operations, was mysteriously fired in June for reasons that remain unknown. And there are has always been rumors that Pritchard and Coach Nate McMillan don't get along.  

Maybe Portland acquires Williams. Maybe Portland goes in a different direction. One thing is certain: changes will take place in the Northwest.

Got thoughts on this?              

The Cavs happen to have a very attractive package to entice the Raptors with. They could package up Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison, and J.J. Hickson for Jose Calderon and Chris Bosh, which would be a hard deal for anyone else in the league to top.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Cleveland would be pulling highway robbery if this rumor became reality.

Acquiring Chris Bosh would provide the Cavaliers with two options. First, with Bosh in the fold they'd be well positioned to re-sign LeBron James, their top priority this summer. Second, if King James did leave they could rebuild and regroup around CB4. 

For Cleveland, it's a no-lose situation. However, it makes little sense for Toronto -other than getting rid of Calderon's considerable contract.

Whatever happens this summer, whether Bosh stays or leaves, the Raptors must find an identity and stick with it.

When Bryan Colangelo first took over in the front office he acquired a skilled Euro from what seemed like every semi-autonomous region on the other side of the Atlantic  Ocean. The goal: become an offensive machine, the Phoenix Suns of the Eastern Conference.

This vision failed. And Colangelo had little choice but to try and make Toronto a more defensive-orientated club. Unfortunately, he had several players on the books - like Andrea Bargnani and Calderon - who were unable to fit the new gets-stops approach.

While Antawn Jamison and Mo Williams are talented, they wouldn't help the Raptors develop an identity. Neither is strong in their own end. And neither can carry a team.

Worst of all, both have long-term deals for big ticket money. Jamison is on the books for two years, $28 million, while Williams has two years plus a player's option for 2012-13 at $27 million. And this cost would neutralize any upside Hickson has.

Don't expect this proposed deal to materialize. Cleveland will likely have to do better if they want to acquire Bosh from Toronto via a sign-and-trade.

Got thoughts on this rumor?    

The Lakers have the best player, but Boston's depth of big-time playmakers will prevail in a game like this. I count eight Celtics -- the four current or former All-Stars in their starting lineup, plus Rasheed Wallace, Glen Davis, Nate Robinson’s and little-used Michael Finley, a three-point shooter with the potential to become this game's Steve Kerr -- who have it in them to make the big shot. The absence of Kendrick Perkins may create more offense for the Celtics, and they'll make up for his rebounding with a team effort led by Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo. Anticipate nothing less than a tightly wound classic played to a tempo that suits Boston.

Click here for Ian Thomsen's official game seven prediction and more analysis from the CNNSI crew.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: The Boston Celtics are deserving of respect.

Consider their road to the NBA Finals. First, they took out Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat -despite some questionable tactics from Kevin Garnett. They made the Cleveland Cavaliers – the NBA’s best team in the regular season – implode, which, unfortunately, gave us an extra month of The LeBron Watch. They then coolly took out the Orlando Magic, the reigning Eastern Conference champions, in six games.

This was a most improbable run for a club that was supposedly dead, gone, and over at mid-season. Clearly, they saved their best for last, though.

The green-and-white have now pushed the defending champion and heavily favoured Lakers to the limit. The secret to Boston’s success: inspired team play on the defensive end.

Look at the NBA Finals: they’ve mostly contained Ron Artest and Lamar Odom; they’ve battled superstar Pau Gasol; and they’ve made the immortal Kobe Bryant look surprisingly mortal.

Doc Rivers’ crew is an all-time great defensive team. They can hang with any of Phil Jackson’s Chicago teams that had notable defenders like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Horace Grant/Dennis Rodman. And they hold their own against Detroit’s Bad Boys and any of Pat Riley’s squads in Los Angeles or New York.

Offensively, somebody different carries the load each night. For instance, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo have all had moments.

Of course, reserves Glen Davis and Nate Robinson – also known as Shrek and Donkey - won game four of the NBA Finals. And the defending Sprite Slam Dunk Champion went off in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals, too.

That said, the Lakers have the edge in the decisive game-seven. Here’s why:

1) Home-court matters: The purple-and-gold is a different team at home. They’re confident. They’re nasty. And they’re arrogant.     

2) No Perk’: The Celtics will miss Kendrick Perkins. They lack the size to win the paint, and contain Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.

3) Kobe Bryant: He’s the best player on either team. He’s the best player in the NBA. And he understands tonight is a legacy game.

Bryant – if he wants to be considered an all-time great – can’t afford a loss. After all, five championships are far better than four. And two losses to the arch rival Celtics in the NBA Finals would be devastating.

Expect Bryant to drop a Jordan-like effort. And HoopsVibe News expects the Lakers to win.

Prediction for game-seven of the 2010 NBA Finals: Lakers 95, Boston 88.

Got thoughts? What is your prediction for game-seven of the NBA Finals?  

Tom Izzo is staying at Michigan State, turning down a chance to coach the Cleveland Cavaliers and and perhaps LeBron James.

"I'm pleased to say I am here for life at Michigan State," Izzo said in a statement released by the school on Tuesday night.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Tom Izzo made the right decision -not just for himself, but also for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The NBA is an adjustment. The game is different; the players are millionaire businessmen not teenagers. And many great college coaches have failed in the pros: John Calipari, Mike Montgomery, Rick Pitino and Jerry Tarkanian.

Then there was the tiny issue of LeBron James' pending free agency. Izzo would be in quite the quagmire if he accepted the Cavaliers job and James signed elsewhere. 

In the end, the risk was too great. So Izzo decided to stay with Michigan State and become an all-time great in the college ranks.

Meanwhile, Cleveland will continue searching for a sideline boss. Byron Scott is the frontrunner; however, the former Hornets coach wants to replace Phil Jackson in LA -if the Zen-Master leaves.

Mike Woodson, who was recently fired by the Atlanta Hawks, is also under consideration. And this is where the musical chairs could occur. Suppose Cleveland hires Woodson and James leaves. The Cavaliers could replace James with Joe Johnson, another superstar free agent who Woodson coached in Atlanta.

The next few months will be interesting in Ohio and throughout the NBA.

Got thoughts on this?

"Speaking of Collison, the Pacers have reached out to New Orleans about the former UCLA point guard."

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Indiana and New Orleans are two of the NBA’s smallest markets. Both have limited budgets. Yet, both are desperate to upgrade their roster.

And this is Corporal/Commissioner David Stern’s post recession problem: his league has become increasingly fractured and polarized into have and have-not franchises.

The have franchises – think Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, and New York – will spend their summer trying to land big-ticket free agents.

No expense will be spared. Mayors, politicians, celebrities, rap icons and even a president have tried wooing the game’s elite player to their club of choice 

The have-not franchises – think Indiana, Minnesota, New Orleans, Milwaukee, and Memphis – will spend their summer scheming up creative and cost-effective ways to compete.

With this in mind, a Darren Collison deal would make some sense for the Pacers and Hornets.

Larry Bird’s club has to get better at point guard. TJ Ford – and his $8 million dollar salary – isn’t the answer. And Jamaal Tinsley’s $5 million pact is still on the books, even though he was released years ago.

Collison, a lightning quick table-setter, filled in admirably for injured superstar Chris Paul. Best of all, the UCLA alum has three years remaining on his rookie pact.

Meanwhile, reports that the Hornets and Paul were considering parting ways are false. Team and player are apparently committed to each other and sticking together.

However, New Orleans was always a poorer NBA market. Then Hurricane Katrina hit. Then The Great Recession came. And now there’s the Gulf Coast oil spill.

All contributed to the city’s struggling economy, which means there’s less disposable income for citizens to spend on disposable goods –like NBA tickets and luxury boxes.            
 
So the Hornets can't generate the revenue to sign high or even medium priced free agents. Their best and only option this summer is trading the young and inexpensive Collison for other young, and inexpensive players.

Enter Indiana.

They've got lockdown defender Dahntay Jones, athletic swing Brandon Rush, and blue-collar bruiser Tyler Hansbrough.

All are young. All are cheap. And all could play a role in The Bayou. Perhaps, Bird, Indiana's head suit, lets New Orleans pick two of these three players.

That said, nothing is imminent between the Pacers and Hornets. Expect them to keep talking. As mentioned, in today’s NBA, their options are limited.      
           
Get at us with thoughts on this deal?

Tom Izzo is apparently closer to saying yes to the Cleveland Cavaliers than previously thought, a source told ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Thursday.

"Three weeks ago that wasn't the case, but it has changed,'' said the source.

Izzo is meeting with Cleveland to discuss the team's coaching vacancy on Thursday.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Right now, Tom Izzo is wrong for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Izzo is a great college coach. In time, he may defy the NCAA-to-pro curse and develop into a great NBA coach. With LeBron James' pending free agency, now isn't appropriate for the Cavaliers to gamble on a sideline boss who has never coached an NBA game.

Imagine James' position on July 1st when he hits free agency. Think of his choices on the bench: the New York Knicks have former Coach of the Year and Team USA assistant Mike D'Antoni; the New Jersey Nets just landed former Coach of the Year Avery Johnson; the Miami Heat - if need be - will bring Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley out of the executive suite; the Chicago Bulls recently hired defensive guru Tom Thibodeau; and the L.A. Clippers will even let James pick his coach and GM.

With these options available, why would James re-sign with Cleveland and a green Izzo? These two aren't buddies like James and University of Kentucky coach John Calipari. And Izzo, while talented, isn't Duke's Mike Krzyzkewski.

King James wants to win now. A rookie NBA coach, even one with Izzo's resume at Michigan State, may be just enough for him to leave the Cavaliers and sign elsewhere.

Will Izzo scare away LeBron? 

I think that could be more of an after-the-fact type of trade, once the Heat and Cavaliers are done with free agency. If LeBron leaves Cleveland and doesn’t come to Miami, then perhaps there could be something to Beasley-for-Mo. But I can’t see the Heat, or any space team, making a play for before playing the free-agent market.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: They'll go big. Then small.

The Miami Heat will first try to pair superstar Dwyane Wade with a co-star in the post. Options include free agents Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, and Amar'e Stoudemire.

Bosh, for many reasons, would work best. He's bigger than Boozer and unlike Stoudemire plays defense. Also, CB4 has a relationship with Wade through their agent, Henry Thomas, and TEAM USA.

After years in Toronto, Bosh is hungry. He'd gladly defer to Wade -if it meant competing for a championship.

Once the Heat has their inside-outside combo settled, they'll look to upgrade supporting pieces. And the Cleveland Cavaliers have made it known Mo Williams is available.

Williams might be a fit. His smooth stroke would punish opposing defenses when they doubled-up on Wade and/or Bosh. Best of all, the combo point guard will have a giant chip on his shoulder after being effectively blamed for the Cavaliers' playoff failures.

One thing is certain: Miami has plans for the off-season. And it will be interesting to see how things unfold.

What should the Heat do this summer? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.   

Tom Izzo insisted recently that he has no interest in coaching in the NBA until he wins at least one more NCAA title at Michigan State.

But that stance might not stop the Cleveland Cavaliers from trying to hire Izzo as their next coach.

The Cavaliers -- fresh off dismissing coach Mike Brown and parting ways with general manager Danny Ferry -- have formally extended an offer to Izzo to replace Brown, sources confirmed to ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard on Monday.

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HoopsVibe`s Quick Call ...  There`s no mistaking the obvious: owner Dan Gilbert is running the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Gilbert fired former Coach of the Year Mike Brown. Gilbert pushed GM Danny Ferry out the door. Gilbert is the one appeasing superstar free agent LeBron James. And Gilbert, because of his Spartan ties, is chasing Michigan State coach Tom Izzo

Izzo is a fine coach, but no tier-one free agent will sign, or re-sign, with the Cavaliers if they have an NCAA guy on the sideline -unless it`s Duke`s Mike Krzyzewski.  

And few college coaches have successfully transitioned to the pro game. For instance, John Calipari, Lon Kruger, Mike Montgomery, Rick Pitino, and Jerry Tarkanian all failed miserably in the NBA.

Gilbert should rethink Izzo. He should also rethink if he wants to run his NBA team without help.

Is Izzo right for the Cavaliers? Why? Why not?

-- If the Cavs decide to trade Mo Williams, one possible destination could be Toronto in exchange for Jose Calderon. Williams is a more dynamic scorer and Calderon is more of a distributor. Both are great free-throw shooters, but neither player is a good defender.

Their contracts are similar in amount and length. The Raptors would like to move Calderon and swingman Hedo Turkoglu.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: It would be an exchange of problems. Nothing more.

Calderon with his porous defense, fragile frame, and expensive contract has fallen out of favor in Toronto, while Williams' statue-like 'D', score-first mentality, and big ticket  is expendable in Cleveland.

But Williams wouldn't be much of an upgrade for the Raptors; same with Calderon joining the Cavaliers.

The only thing that works are the contracts: Williams and Calderon make similar money and the term matches, too.

Both teams are probably putting the feelers out and testing the trade market before Chris Bosh and LeBron James hit free agency on July 1st.

Expect all kinds of changes in Toronto and Cleveland this summer. Only it won't be Calderon for Williams. 

Got thoughts on Calderon for Williams?