Danny Ferry is out as general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers, choosing not to re-sign his contract that was set to expire in June. The decision comes as a surprise but was made days ago, and complicates the most important offseason in team history.

Ferry's departure Friday after five seasons occurred two weeks after the club fired coach Mike Brown following the team's second-round loss to the Boston Celtics in the NBA playoffs. It also comes as the team is making plans to try to re-sign two-time MVP LeBron James, who will be a free agent next month.

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HoopsVibe's Quick Call: It's official. The inmate, LeBron James, is running the asylum -even if he has a foot out the free agent door.

Ferry's firing comes as a surprise because days ago reports indicated the retired forward and owner Dan Gilbert had essentially agreed on an extension.

Apparently, the stumbling block was authority. Ferry rightfully thought a GM needed control over basketball operations. He wasn't prepared to deal with Gilbert or James meddling in personnel decisions.

So he left.

Assistant GM Chris Grant will slide into the big chair in the executive suite. However, it remains to be seen how much authority Grant will have as the new GM.

Expect Gilbert to be very involved this summer. If James resigns, Gilbert and Grant will likely let the superstar pick the new coach and have a large say in all basketball related decisions.

This isn't the way to run a winning organization. For instance, Tim Duncan always defers to coach Gregg Popovich and executive R.C. Buford. The Los Angeles Lakers started winning when Kobe Bryant quit commenting to random fans outside of strip malls about swapping Andrew Bynum for Jason Kidd and focused on basketball. And even the great Michael Jordan had little say in the happenings of the Chicago Bulls.

So Gilbert, who doesn't have James' name on a new deal, is taking a risk in re-structuring his entire organization to suit his free agent superstar.

Got thoughts on Ferry leaving the Cavaliers? Let us know in the comment box below.

LeBron Jame told CNN's Larry King that the Cleveland Cavaliers "have an edge" when it comes to signing him when the free agency period begins on July 1.

James answered "absolutely" when asked by King if Cleveland has an edge to re-sign him due to his familiarity with the team. The interview was taped Tuesday and will air Friday on CNN's "Larry King Live," capping the program's 25th anniversary celebration on the network.

"Absolutely. Because, you know, this city, these fans, I mean, have given me a lot in these seven years. And, you know, for me, it's comfortable. So I've got a lot of memories here. And -- and so it does have an edge," James told King.

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HoopsVibe's Quick Call: Surprise, surprise.

Apparently, the old man behind the mic' got a little scoop from LeBron James. Word is the most coveted free agent in pro sports history told Larry King the Cleveland Cavaliers have the inside track on re-signing him. 

There are two reasons for this. First, Cleveland, specifically Ohio, is home. Whatever your opion of James, he is loyal. This was made clear in James' bio flick More Than a Game and autobiography Shooting Stars. His relationship with the franchise, city, and state will be a factor.

Second, the Cavaliers - because of the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement - can offer the longest term and most money. And money always matters.

Again, the Czar of CNN and 'Bron are scheduled to have their little sitdown on Friday, so check it out in between game one and two of the NBA Finals.   

Do you believe James? Does Cleveland have an edge? Let us know in the comment box below.

Danny Ferry's contract expires in 30 days, but if it is his last month as the Cavaliers general manager, no one within the organization seems to be worrying about it.

Since last summer, Ferry has firmly declined to talk about his future in any setting. Owner Dan Gilbert has declined several interview requests on the matter.

The signs are there, however, that Ferry plans on staying and that Gilbert wants him back. It is possible one of the reasons for the silence is that the two sides are talking about a new contract.

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HoopsVibe's Call: Is Danny Ferry the guy? Is the former Duke sharpshooter the guy to convince superstar LeBron James to shun the bright lights of New York and beaches of Miami to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers?

Well, Dan Gilbert apparently thinks so because reports indicate the Cleveland owner will soon give Ferry a new multi-year contract.

Ferry's record as GM is mixed. He's not gun shy and has made several blockbuster trades. Problem is, even with Gilbert's significant resources, he failed to find the right supporting cast for James to excel when it mattered the most in the playoffs.

For Ferry, it's a case of quantity over quality. And it's one more thing James must consider when July 1st hits.  

Can Ferry get James to stay in Cleveland? Why? Why not? Get at us in the comment box below.

Mike Brown won everything in five years coaching the Cleveland Cavaliers. Everything, that is, except an NBA title.

Brown, the most successful coach in franchise history, was fired after failing to win a championship with superstar -- and soon-to-be free agent -- LeBron James.

The Cavaliers had a midnight deadline Sunday night to fire the head coach or pay him his full $4.5 million salary for next season.

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HoopsVibe's Call: Believe it or not, this wasn't about LeBron James' pending free agency.

The Cleveland Cavaliers - whether James re-signs or heads elsewhere this summer - had tuned Brown out. 

For consecutive seasons, the team fell short of expectations in the playoffs. Two years ago, against Orlando, their offensive sets were too basic; they also lacked the personnel to stop the Magic's stretch four-man Rashard Lewis.

This year they had supposedly made adjustments, but still folded against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.  

Perhaps, Brown ran too loose a ship, allowing the sideline to resemble something of a dance show during games. Perhaps, Brown delegated too much to James. Perhaps, Brown had too many weapons at his disposal. And perhaps, the end of season gossip, whether true or not, took its toll.

One thing, however, was clear: the players needed a new, different voice. So Brown had to go. And this had nothing to do with James' uncertain status.

Had the Cavaliers tuned Brown out? Get at us in the comment box below with thoughts.  

In an interview this week posted on CNNMoney.com, parts of which were also posted on ESPNDallas.com, Cuban expressed his interest in James as a free agent. By commenting on James before he officially becomes a free agent on July 1 -- provided he does not reach an agreement with the Cavaliers before then -- Cuban could be accused of tampering.

Said Cuban in the interview: "Come July 1st, yeah, of course, anybody would be interested in LeBron James, and if he leaves via free agency, then it's going to be tough. If he does like I'm guessing, hoping he will, which is say, 'I'm not going to leave the Cavs high and dry,' if he decides to leave -- there's still a better chance he stays -- then he'll try to force a sign-and-trade, and that gives us a chance. . . . What I do know about LeBron in the minimal time I've spent talking to him is he just wants to win. Money's not his issue. He needs to be someplace where he trusts the organization.

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HoopsVibe's Call: Mark Cuban is up to his old tricks -doing anything and everything to give the Dallas Mavericks an opportunity at LeBron James, the most hyped free agent in the history of professional sport.

The league's renegade owner is putting the feelers out, letting James know he'd do a sign-and-trade if the superstar decides not to stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Of course, this is tampering. And, of course, Cuban could well be fined by league head office, but forking over a six figure cheque to the suits in New York would be a small price to pay for James.

Should Cuban tamper to get James? Let us know in the comment box below.  

LeBron James has had a lot of power in Cleveland, according to ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher.

Sources told Bucher that James vetoed trades he didn't like for the Cavaliers, while pushing other deals through that he thought would help the team.

Any team that signs LeBron will likely have to set a basis for how much power he'll have in the front office.

Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf never gave that type of power to Michael Jordan, so it's doubtful he'd give it to James.

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"Decision day hasn't arrived yet but it appears everyone is preparing for it.

The Cavaliers had not performed or scheduled exit interviews with players or coaches as of Monday. Once some or all of those take place, there will be a verdict on coach Mike Brown. But if that decision is a parting of ways, the sides are getting ready for it."

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HoopsVibe’s Call: Their bags are packed. They’ve said their goodbyes.

Right now, Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown and his assistants are waiting for one thing: their pink slip. That rosy little slip of paper is necessary if the Cavaliers are to have any shot, hope, or prayer at re-signing superstar LeBron James.

After all, Cleveland has fallen short two seasons in a row in the playoffs. This year, their second season failure was epic; the NBA’s best regular season team simply quit against a rejuvenated Boston squad.

So change is inevitable. James wants it. What James, the most highly coveted free agent in the history of professional sports, wants, he gets.

Perhaps, Brown, a defensive wizard and stand up guy, deserves better. Problem is, he, like much of the NBA, is a pawn in the coming free agent frenzy. And number 23, The King, is controlling the board.

Does Brown have to get fired for the Cavaliers to re-sign James? 

James was a no-show at the Cavaliers' practice facility yesterday. His formal exit interview with president Danny Ferry has been postponed. And there already was an erroneous report Mike Brown was fired.

O'Neal has real-estate investments in Newark and is also intrigued in one day being a part-owner of the Nets because they now are in Newark. But he would want them to stay there. Shaq had long wondered why it took so long for the club to move to his hometown. Last season, while with Phoenix, he attended a Devils game at Prudential Center and got a grand tour by the owners. 

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"There are a lot of free agents on the team," he said. "We just have to sit back and I'm sure everybody's going to do what's best for them." 

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There were two skirmishes on the court. One was with Kendrick Perkins and O'Neal and the other was with Mo Williams and Rajon Rondo. James showed no such fire and then didn't get get involved in the exchanges, staying off to the side. 

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"The last two home playoff losses and the manner in which we lost these games does not come close to being anywhere near the high expectations all of us have of our organization. Our fans and supporters deserve more." 

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"It looked nasty," Bryant said. "My form's more like Chris Mullin ... I would have called a timeout [if my shooting elbow was hurting me]." 

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“I’m not a flopper,” he said. “It’s a Brazilian samba.” 

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The 7-foot-1, 325-pound O’Neal missed about seven weeks with thumb surgery. His first game was Game 1 against the Bulls. 

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Those treatments have included electric stimulation, ice and elevation. Not acupuncture, magnets or prayer, as some have e-mailed the Cavs to suggest.

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"That's the way it should be," Stern said. "It allows teams to keep their own players." 

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OK, so it's not what the title implies, but it's pretty awesome regardless. Check out the clip below to see Maury Povich shoot down the Akron Hammer while supporting King James.

“That’s fine,” James said. “I know a lot of those guys have injuries, too, so I’ll be fine.” 

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The Celtics are aging and irritable, and that means they're almost guaranteed to take a shot at LeBron somewhere along the line. If you haven't noticed, though, LeBron isn't exactly the type to get bullied. It's going to be a tough, ugly series to play in, but an awful lot of fun to watch. Fans of '80s-style hoops are really going to love this one. - CYE

LeBron James will be named MVP Sunday and accept from David Stern before Game 2 Monday night. Only suspense is voting.

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No surprise here. It was LeBron's award to lose even before the season started, and the announcement will only make it official. The real question is whether or not LeBron can add a championship ring to his second Maurice Podoloff trophy. - CYE

Goodwin had helped to turn Howard’s gregarious and good-natured way into marketing gold. He constructed an impressive platform of endorsements for Howard, including a believed $6 million-$7 million annual shoe deal with Adidas and major national campaigns with McDonald’s, T-Mobile, Vitamin Water and others. No NBA player is believed to have as many major sponsors.

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Not content with abusing the Chicago Bulls at the rim (RIP, James Johnson), King James decided to do it from distance tonight. With the clock running down at the end of the third, LeBron James knocked down a 44-foot shot to stretch Cleveland's lead to 33 and further demoralize the reeling Chicago Bulls.

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LeBron says he LOVES Chicago. Seriously. Not just response to Noah ripping CLE. Sez he spent three summers in high school working out there.

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Owners don't believe their losses are merely a direct result of the lousy economy, which can be partly to blame for the league's 2% decline in ticket sales. For the men who sign the players' paychecks, the very system under which they operate is obsolete, only five years after they signed their last collective bargaining agreement and guaranteed players 57% of basketball related income (BRI). 

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After missing 23 games following surgery to repair a torn right thumb ligament, O'Neal has come back rested and ready to fulfill his goal of winning a championship with James. The 7-foot-1 center has returned in incredible shape, saying he spent the down time "eating right, swimming, working out, doing what I do. It's all about the mission." 

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Cavaliers fans have designed and purchased a billboard encouraging LeBron James to remain with Cleveland.

Glen Infante's website, realcavsfans.com has more than 7 thousand loyal followers.

"There's a campaign where New Yorkers were gathering money to buy LeBron a gift when he arrives in New York And a lot of members were real angry about that and we wanted to respond to that," said Infante.

"It's hard to contact him, send him an email, or even a big sign in the crowd, you know. You only get a small chance to see that sign. But a billboard, he'll definitely see a billboard on the streets of Cleveland."

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"I think he's ready to go; he said he's healthy," LeBron James said. "He's in shape, but it is totally different from being out on the court and that type of shape." 

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James has declined to talk publicly about free agency since November. But as one source said, "I have never been so sure that he's going to stay in Cleveland than I am right now." 

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Jamison was injured Thursday when Chicago's Luol Deng stepped on his right foot during a drive to the basket. Jamison grimaced in pain when it happened, but by Friday was walking without a limp and taking part in pregame shootaround. 

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"That's my gut. They're doing everything they can to build him a championship. His biggest thing is winning a ring. I think his best chance to win a ring is probably where he's at." 

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It will not be a major change, team sources said, like seven years ago when the team brought back its current "new expression of wine and gold" and a new logo featuring crossing swords. 

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"Our team is trying to clinch (homecourt advantage) for the whole playoffs and is more important. If I really wanted to, I if really wanted to win the scoring title I could win it every single year," James said. "Every single year, I could really do it. But it doesn't matter to me." 

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General manager Danny Ferry said O'Neal met with doctors and will be starting rehabilitation. He will not be traveling with the team. 

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