Z signs with Miami

Zydrunas Ilgauskas is no longer a Cavalier, for real this time:

Saying he's chasing a dream to win an NBA title, Zydrunas Ilgauskas is leaving the Cavaliers after 14 seasons to join LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

The Cavs had a contract offer on the table and told Ilgauskas he was always welcome with the organization, but with the team in rebuilding mode, Ilgauskas chose to accept a two-year, $2.8 million offer in Miami. The second year will likely be a player option.

"It was a tough decision for me; very emotional," Ilgauskas told The Plain Dealer. "I spent 14 years of my life here. I came in as a young boy and grew up to be a man. Cleveland had a lot to do with that."

The Heat, who had no centers under contract, began recruiting Ilgauskas after James signed last week. James was part of the recruitment effort.

"Obviously (LeBron) related how much he'd like for me to join him," Ilgauskas said. "I looked at all my options. When I stepped away from all the hoopla that surrounded free agency, from a basketball standpoint, for me personally, it was the best decision I could have made."

Couple things...

Obviously, I'm gonna miss Big Z but it's not exactly a big blow at this point. Without LeBron, the Cavaliers should be entering a rebuilding period (Dan Gilbert's ill advised promise to win before LeBron not withstanding) and rebuilding teams don't need old centers. Z barely got any minutes in the playoffs anyways (a combination of his diminishing skills and Mike Brown's stubborn refused to see that Shaq sucked) and I don't mind the big fella chasing a ring, especially at his age.

Though I will say, Z's move to Florida has me quite conflicted. When LeBron took his talents to South Beach, it was a fairly easy decision not to root for the Heat. But now with Z in the fold, I can't simply root for Miami to lose, I've now got to root for LeBron get injured (nothing serious like an ACL tear or anything, but maybe his... elbow? Heh) and THEN hope for the Heat to win the championship without James. Much more complicated. (I'm just kidding, by the way. I never root for injuries. Except when the Steelers face the Ravens. Then I hope Ray Lewis sacks Big Ben, somehow snapping both their necks in the process. I keeed!).

Also, of course LeBron helped recruit Big Z to Miami. LeBron also met Derek Fisher at the airport for Fisher's free agent visit. Brian Windhorst tweets:

Western Conference executive: "LeBron has done more recruiting in the last five days than he did in the last 3 years."

Sounds about right. Remember, LeBron never even spoke with Tom freaking Izzo when Izzo was considering the Cavaliers job (but Bron-Bron was still undecided at the time...). When Cavs fans say that LeBron quit or his heart wasn't in it, this is the kind of crap we're talking about (also, Round 2 vs Boston).

Finally, Henry Abbot of TrueHoop tweets:

I'm waiting for someone to tell me that joining the Heat revealed some flaw in Zydrunas Ilgauskas' character.

HAR! I knew someone was going to make a snarky comparison between LeBron's and Z's respective departures and the fan/media reaction. I know Henry is trying to be funny here but man, if someone can't understand why Cleveland fans would have different reactions to LeBron and Z bolting for Miami, I'm not sure I want to waste my time explaining the difference. (As for an answer to Henry's question, Z is a roll player, not the 2-time MVP. Though, speaking only for myself, the only thing about LeBron's move to Miami was the way he handled it publically).

Hell, I'm just waiting for someone to say that Cleveland fans are racist. I mean, we freaked out when LeBron, a black player, left but we're all hugs-and-kisses for Z, who is, obviously, Lithuanian.

But in all seriousness, this really feels like the end of an era. Z's been a Cavalier seemingly forever and the squad during his rookie year is one of my all-time favorite teams. That 97-98 Cavs team (coached by Mike Fratello!) started four rookies (Z, Brevin Knight, Derek Anderson and Cedric Henderson) and a not-quite-out-of-shape Shawn Kemp. They ended up bowing out in the first round to the Pacers and the future looked bright right up until Z's feet broke and Kemp used the lockout to sample all of Baskin Robbins' 31 flavors.

Even with all of LeBron's antics, having Z on the Heat roster would make a potential Miami championship just a teensy, tiny bit easier to stomach. Still, seeing Z get to the promise land in a different uniform will be bittersweet to say the least.

I wish him all the luck in the world.

More LeBron Fallout

In a surprise to absolutely no one, Dan Gilbert was fined by David Stern for his and subsequent interviews:

Shortly after James' announcement, Gilbert fired off an incendiary letter to Cavs fans, vilifying the 25-year-old and calling his decision to bolt Cleveland as "narcissistic" and "cowardly behavior." He also guaranteed his team would win an NBA title "BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER 'KING' WINS ONE."

Gilbert took it a step further when he later told The Associated Press in a phone interview that he felt the NBA's two-time MVP quit on the Cavs during the playoffs the past two years, and that James "has gotten a free pass." He also said James should be held accountable for his actions.

[snip]

Gilbert is attending the owners' meetings in Las Vegas, where NBA commissioner David Stern said Monday he was fining the Cavaliers $100,000 for the comments.

"He was completely correct in expressing his disappointment," Stern said, adding that Gilbert's statement and the sentiments he expressed in a follow-up interview with the AP were "a little bit extreme."

Only $100,000? That's not really a whole lot to an owner of an NBA franchise. I'm still shocked that Stern hasn't made him take that letter down. It's still up on Cavs.com for anyone to read.

Stern also said that he didn't care for LeBron's special (which ESPN innocently points out just happened garner 10 million viewers) and that LeBron should've informed the Cavs before the TV show (no shit!). Craig at WFNY has a nice post on what LeBron should've done. Me gusta.

As far as Jesse Jackson's Dan Gilbert/Slavery comments... both Stern and Gilbert dismiss them (and disagree, obviously) and I really like Jason Whitlock's take:

It’s stupid. Dan Gilbert’s rant was certainly immature, but it wasn’t remotely racist. He sounded like a scorned lover, a guy who gave his heart to a relationship and found out on national TV that the alleged love of his life didn’t care about him at all.

I agree whole heartedly

BTW ^this post^ was, um, posted today over at Upon Further Review Sports today, albeit linkless, as rebuttal to this. Check it out.

Speaking of other sites where my crappy writing appears, LeBrownsTown.com has now (for some weird reason...) been renamed LandLoyalty.com (rolls off the tongue, no?).

and finally, you know wanted to read Matt Taibbi's thoughts on The Decision. Of course you do.

Random LeBron Thoughts

First off, Dan Gilbert.... the letter. I gotta say, when I first read it, I loved it (as did Joe Tait). As a Cleveland fan, reading Gilbert's letter that night was extremely cathartic. It was refreshing to see someone put words to how we all felt and it was nice to see someone step up for the Cleveland fans. And it was definitely cool to see someone release something to the public that wasn't chock full of platitudes and bullshit jargon. That's definitely how Dan Gilbert felt, no question about it. But he came off as a jilted boyfriend and if he would've waited a few hours (or days) I'm pretty sure he would've written something different.

Also, I'm SHOCKED that David Stern let that thing stay up. That's gotta say something... but I'm not quite sure what.

That being said, Dan Gilbert absolutely has the right to be pissed at Bron-Bron. There is absolutely no reason why Gilbert needed to learn of LeBron's decision at the same time your or I did. This is an owner who, by all accounts, peddled to LeBron's every whim. He hired James's friends, he allowed the pregame rituals and he basically let LeBron do whatever he wanted. That LeBron ignored his calls and texts that night is absolutely shameful. I don't fault Gilbert at all for being angry. Though as Terry Pluto says, he might want to walk back some of that stuff. "When your heart is broken, your head doesn't work"

And to all those people ragging on Gilbert and Cleveland fans saying, "if LeBron is such a bad person, why did you want to resign him/cheer for him all these years??" BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SPORTS IS. You root for the guys on your team until they're no longer on your team. San Francisco Giants fans defend Barry Bonds. Steelers fans root for Ben Rapistberger. I rooted for that dick head Albert Belle (who did NOT take steroids!). That's just how these things work. You love your guys til they're no longer your guys.

Speaking of pissed off fans... stop it with this shit. There's no need to be bringing LeBron's mother into this. It's immature, childish and in unbelievably poor taste. There's enough reasons to hate on the guy that we don't have to call out his mom.

Same this all of LeBron Fatheads being slashed to $17.41 (the birth year of Benedict Arnold). Yes, it's Dan Gilbert's company and he can do what he wants, but it's fucking petty. Lord knows that Gilbert has as much reason to be pissed as anyone, but it's childish.

Look, LeBron isn't a traitor and even if you think he is, it doesn't excuse a lot of the 'jokes' I see going around twitter about his mom or his GF (and about how he's probably cheating on her in Miami). While I didn't want him to leave (um, hello? he's the 2-time MVP!!), it's his choice and one could argue that he chose the better position.

But the way he left was a major punk move. I can't deny that. He didn't talk to Tom Izzo. He wouldn't take the calls of Bernie Kosar, let alone the fucking owner of the Cavaliers (but hey, he'll help recruit Derek Fisher to the Heat). He strung Cavs fans along and then took a dump on them on national television, acting like we should've been grateful for all those years (even though he committed 5 year to the Heat, more than he ever gave the Cavs to build).

Ignoring the Cavs and the city before bolting is classless. He had to have known what his departure would do and he could've and should've handled it better. He could'be taken out a full page ad, thanking the fans (like C.C. Sabathia did). Hell, LeBron wouldn't have even needed to write the thank-you letter, just paying for it would've been enough. He could've, oh I dunno, signaled his intentions to the Cavaliers front office and allow them to move forward with their offseason plans. Going out the way he did the Cavs no favors and he burned any bridges he had left (and Dan Gilbert came in and pissed on the remnants).

I dunno, there's enough legitimate reasons to be angry at LBJ that I don't think we need to be cracking mama jokes (though, I will say this is funny), ragging on him for not marrying his girl and sending him hate mail via twitter (though I have heard that he's a terrible tipper... so... ya! EVIL).

As for the Cavs, I'm glad that they didn't let emotions get in the way and actually completed a sign-and-trade with the Heat. I'll take four picks and a trade exception (two firsts and two seconds). It's better than nothing. (Although, it means that LeBron isn't taking less money to join the Heat).

In my opinion, the Cavs need to rebuild. Tear down and start again. Now, I definitely wouldn't mind watching a plucky Cavs team get to the playoffs and try to get home court, but they aren't going to do any damage once they get there. There's a rumors floating around about a Shaq+Mo for Marvin Williams + Josh Childress deal and I really don't like it. Marvin Williams is a b-u-s-t and he's owed roughly $30 million over the next four years (salary from Sham Sports). The last thing the Cavs need to be doing is taking on more longterm salary.

The Cavs need to stockpile as many young players and draft picks as they possibly can and start fresh. I don't know how the fans are going to react after LeBron's departure, but I think there's been enough new fans that Gilbert and co should get some leeway in rebuilding the franchise.

But maybe not. Maybe the Cavs will sink back into irrelevance as the Browns scratch and claw their way to another sub .500 season (Delhomme to Engram baby!! Whoo!!!). I dunno.

But I do know this: life goes on. It's just sports. They're supposed to be a diversion from Real Life. It's supposed to be fun. As Terry Pluto always says, "Don't let millionaire athletes ruin your day".

I would've rather he signed with the Knicks

So LeBron James signed with the Miami Heat, teaming up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form one super, cash strapped team. I really don't care what this does to his legacy or how this affects the NBA or sports in general. LeBron has no real control over those things. But he did have control over how he handled himself during this free agent process. And he handled it poorly, to say the least.

Obviously, having LeBron bolt during free agency would've sucked regardless of the result. There's no right way for him to have ditched the Cavaliers. No matter what, if he left, Cleveland fans would've been pissed off (not that I can blame 'em).

But it's the way he did it that is so.... frustrating? Aggravating? Infuriating? All of the above?

LeBron could've taken the normal free agent tours, visited various franchises as they pitched him business plans and then weight his options. He could've announced his new deal at a press conference, like literally every other professional athlete. It would've sucked, but it would've been par for the course.

But no, that's not what LeBron decided to do. Instead, he made all those heavy hitter come kiss his ring at an office in downtown Cleveland (after he went on Larry King and said the Cavs "have the edge"). He announced that he would reveal his choice during 1 hour live special broadcast on ESPN (allowing them to run the Cleveland Sports Misery Montage in prime time).

Oh, and he called the special "The Decision". The Drive, The Fumble, The Shot... The Decision. Awesome. Thanks for giving us the finger on your way out!

There are people out there that will say that LeBron doesn't owe Cleveland fans anything. And to a certain extent, they're right. LeBron gave this city seven years of high quality basketball and when became a free agent, he chose a new destination.

Does he owe us anything? No. But a little fucking respect would've been nice. I don't think that's too much to ask.

This is a town that watched him grow up, followed him since high school and 'witnessed' him become the MVP that he is. They cheered him, ignored the slights (the Yankees hat, the gratuitous flirting with other franchises), looked past the faults (hooray for more heat checks!) and stuck behind him in the face of national criticism (the worst part of this whole debacle is that I now find myself agreeing with Skip Bayless. Kill me).

And the franchise let his family and friends follow the team around. They built a new practice facility and upgraded the lockeroom and arena. Oh, they also built two 60 win squads.

And for the seven years of good times, LeBron slams the door on Cleveland in the most public and painful way possible.

What kills me is, he doesn't even seem to understand what he did wrong. He seemed completely oblivious when Michael Wilbon suggested that he might be hated. During his ESPN interview, he acted like the fans should be grateful because he "took the franchise to places [us] fans have never seen". Gee, thanks.

And sure, he's right. I'd never seen the Cavs have a 60 win season or get to the NBA Finals. But it's not like he should be bragging about any of this. His team had homecourt advantage these past two seasons and never even got to a Game 7 before bowing out. I've sure as hell seen the Cavs bow out in the second round before... but just not while their best player blatantly quit.

And that's right. James quit against Boston. There's no other way to put it (Dan Gilbert sure as hell knows). LeBron needed to step up and he failed. The Cavs had the better team but LeBron never stepped up and became a leader. It was a squad built entirely around him, to "win now." And when I read shit like this, I just want to scream.

A source with knowledge of the conversation, said James recently told a friend he would sign with the Heat because he didn’t see enough effort from his Cavaliers teammates in the playoffs

That's what was so frustrating about this ESPN lovefest, it's like LeBron's performance against Boston never happened. James (...and the Cavs) lost because his teammates (on those back to back 60 win teams) just weren't good enough (it certainly wasn't because James never developed a post game or decent shot selection). LeBron's teammates suck and that's the story and everyone seems to be sticking to it.

Nevermind the fact that Danny Ferry and co had to build and rebuild these (60 win!) Cavalier squads on the fly while James was holding a gun to their heads and playing footsie with the entire league. I highly doubt Mike Brown survives the Orlando series or Gilbert picks up Antawn Jamison's salary if they had a solid commitment from James. The Cavs could've done more (Trever Ariza?) had LeBron committed to them.

Instead, James decided to bolt and sign with the Heat for five seasons, which is a bigger commitment than he ever gave the Cavs (and seriously, Miami? With the fans that never show up to games? At least the entitled New York fans would've appreciated their talents on a night-in, night-out basis. Talk about a town that doesn't deserve it).

All I know is, the Heat better win at least 60 games next season. At least. I mean, we all know James can carry a squad of scrubs to 60 win seasons, he sure as hell better be able to do it with two All-Stars.

No pressure, Bron-Bron. You dick.

The Last Day

I've read roughly 2,000 LeBron stories over the past 24 hours. Here's a few to read while you're waiting for LeBron's Special (sneak peek!)

Jon Krolik, of Cavs: The Blog has an excellent piece:

We are not LeBron James, and LeBron James is not us. On the court and off of it, LeBron has only allowed himself to appear tangentially human. On the floor, LeBron is the most blessed player the game has ever seen. Nobody has ever had his combination of size, speed, and explosiveness. He can see plays in a split second that most people couldn’t dream up given all the time in the world. He’s more skilled with his off hand than most forwards are with their dominant one. He can hit insane shots from anywhere on the court, and often makes them simply to prove he can.

He also refuses to make the concessions to fundamental basketball that so many people have demanded him to make. His shot selection is often baffling. He refuses to put himself in the post and use his combination of size and strength to dominate with a minimum of effort. He’s never developed a solid mid-range game, and he’s not even a lights-out free throw shooter. Sometimes, it’s like being the best isn’t good enough for LeBron; he needs to be the best while proving that his own way of doing things works better than all the ones that existed before it.

Off the court, LeBron is even less accessible than he is on it. He wants to be the richest athlete of all time, yet he surrounds himself with his high school buddies. He’s constantly cracking jokes and playing the buddy-buddy role with his teammates, but he keeps the general populous at arm’s length with a bizarre gumbo of warmed-over team-first mantras and a healthy dose of self aggrandizing-behavior. He wants to be Warren Buffet, but he wants to be a big kid as well. He wants to be One of The Guys, but he wants to hand-pick who gets to be One of The Guys.

He has refused all archetypes. He is not the intense workaholic whose desire to win dominates all other aspects of his personality. He is not the happy-go-lucky kid who just wants to play the game and have fun. He is not the suave businessman who controls everything in front of him. In trying to be all of those things, he has become none of them. He has become larger than life, but not in the way he wants to be. He is Alice after eating the cake, too big to fit through the door to the garden and too far down the rabbit hole to come back. And he might not even care.

Tonight, the eve of what was supposed to become LeBron’s big day, is instead the nadir of his career. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and all the hype and adoration that LeBron James inspired has come crashing down upon his ringless self. He is a King without a crown, and now he is being criticized for daring to take the throne. All LeBron did was play basketball very well and lap up every bit of praise lavished upon him for doing so. Whatever LeBron is other than a basketball player, we made him into. Now we have taken it upon us to punish LeBron for his hubris, and ourselves for trusting it. What the gods wish to destroy, they must first label as promising.

(I highly suggest reading the whole thing).

Jason Whitlock, Blame LeBron's Entourage for this Mess:

Surely LeBron James has an exit strategy.

Surely this is all going to play out like a season-ending episode of Entourage, with Vince Chase escaping ruin thanks to the behind-the-scenes maneuvering of Ari and E and Vince's good fortune.

There's no way Johnny Drama and Turtle are running King James' kingdom. No way.

Thursday night, LeBron will appear on ESPN and announce he's re-signing with the Cavs, who stole Chris Paul via David Stern's for-the-good-of-the-league ruling. You know it's the same ruling that delivered Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant.

That's how this has to play. LeBron and Paul will be on TV Thursday night, agreeing to join forces and knock off Boston's Big Three, Kobe and Pau and Wade and Bosh. That's why Paul talked LeBron into joining Twitter. They're best friends. Paul is going to save the King.

LeBron James is not stupid.

He's not going to appear on an hour-long TV special to take a dump on Cleveland by revealing he's the black Art Modell. That can't be his end-game strategy, a teary and televised middle-finger farewell to his hometown.

And he can't be so delusional that he thinks sitting down with Stu Scott to tell the world he's staying in Cleveland will go unpunished by media and fans in New York, New Jersey, Miami and Chicago.

God, I'd hope so. I've seen some Chris Paul rumors elsewhere and ESPN 850 was saying that Dan Gilbert and co were working on a major trade.

John Hollinger, Daily Dime:

That earthquake you just felt was the balance of power shifting south in the Eastern Conference. If reports are true that LeBron James will announce he's signing with the Miami Heat at his made-for-TV extravaganza on Thursday night, we can immediately elevate the Heat into the ranks of the contenders and demote the Cavaliers to the also-ran scrap heap.

Forget about the black-and-blue battles between Cleveland and Boston; in 2011, the Eastern Conference finals are looking a lot more like the Florida state championship. That will be particularly true if Orlando's Dwight Howard gets his wish and the Magic are able to add New Orleans point guard Chris Paul later this summer; the one piece of fortunate news for Hornets fans on that front is the higher-than-expected salary cap number also diminished the Hornets' luxury tax concerns.

Ugh. I really hope these Miami reports aren't true. I can't imagine that LeBron A) would give NE Ohio the middle finger on national TV and B) sign with the Heat with his own ESPN Special while Bosh and Wade signed together on Wednesday. That comes of soooo poorly.

Drew Magary of Deadspin, LeBron James is a Cocksucker:

Tomorrow is the day LeBron James becomes the most unlikable person in the NBA, and perhaps all of American sports. I used to think he was okay a year ago. No more. He's the villain now.

It doesn't matter where he opts to go. If he goes to Chicago, he's a cocksucker. If he goes to Miami, he's a goddamn cocksucker. Even if he goes back to Cleveland, he's a goddamn cocksucker. He's a self-aggrandizing sack of shit, and ESPN is a bunch of pussy-whipped enablers for giving him a free hour of airtime tomorrow night and inevitably using 55 minutes of it to let Stu Scott give him a rimjob.

Look at what Kevin Durant did today. He signed an extension well before he could have filed for free agency, announced the signing, and then went back about his business. He didn't need all this dog-and-pony show bullshit. James does, and that means he's a dipshit. People have been kissing this man's ass SINCE FUCKING MIDDLE SCHOOL, and he still needs this hourlong AFI tribute special? Bullshit. BULLSHIT.

And I don't care that he asked ESPN to use the commercial airtime tomorrow night to go to charity. That's the most transparent use of charity for the sake of self-glorification I've seen since I saw some actor do it yesterday. "Hey ESPN, why don't you spend an hour kissing my ass? Oh, don't worry. We'll give the money to AIDS babies. That totally makes me selfless." No, it doesn't.

Heh. Let's move on.

Adrian Wojnarowski, State of LeBron: Live at 9, from his ego:

Privately, Dwyane Wade(notes) andChris Bosh(notes) weren’t pleased on Wednesday morning with the belief that James’ camp was responsible for leaking their plans to a television partner, but then again it makes perfect sense: This isn’t about Wade and Bosh choosing the Heat. It’s about LeBron getting the stage to himself on Thursday night.

One front-office executive whose team made a presentation to LeBron James told Yahoo! Sports that he believes James is choosing between Miami and Cleveland. And yet, if James wants to deliver the biggest kick in the gut to his hometown, he’ll pick the flat-linedNew York Knicks. Whatever the decision, he’s made clear that the teasing and tormenting of the loser isn’t his concern.

Team LeBron is having the time of its life, but has no idea the repercussions of what it’s done here. All that comes to James now is the biggest burden to win a championship that sports has ever seen. They aren’t making James a bigger star with this big-top, but a bigger target. All those teams that marched into the presentations and listened to some of the foolish and naive questions asked of them believed these kids had no idea what they were doing, or what they had gotten themselves into. They’re all feeling more validated every day. From beginning to end, this process has been a farce.

I'm am shocked (shocked I say!) that Adrian Wojnarowski doesn't care for LeBron's free agency process.

Matt Moore, CBS NBA Facts & Rumors:

And most strange in all of this? There have been no leaks that put him back in Cleveland. Not the location of the announcement . Not the movement of his tax documents . And not the prospect of the super team. It's all leaning away from Cleveland.

Why?

Why in a time when there is abject speculation from every angle and degree, where every person with an agenda for James going to his or her city, is there no significant word about Cleveland?

And again, the reporter who's followed his entire career, who's been a step away from him from the time he hit high school, that guy isn't hearing anything ? A guy who's as widely respected in NBA media circles as anyone and who has had the, er... mouth of LeBron James (since if he had his ear LeBron would be listening to him, and that's not really, you know, let's just move on), that guy has heard nothing. Zilch. Zero. Nada.

Something's up.

I've noticed this too.

Terry Pluto, LeBron James' decision is biggest moment in Cleveland Cavaliers history

While he can pledge his loyalty to his hometown of Akron and insist he'll always help the place where he grew up, signing elsewhere will be viewed as a rejection by the fans in Northeast Ohio.

Nothing will compare with Art Modell moving the Browns to Baltimore in terms of sheer sports betrayal.But James leaving at this point in his career would be No. 2 on the Cleveland broken hearts list.

This is not like the Indians players who left or forced trades because ownership here could not pay them what they could make elsewhere. NBA rules dictate that the Cavs can give him an extra year on his contract and at least $30 million in his pocket. It seems the Cavs have done everything reasonably possible to build a winner around him.

The recent assumption is James will join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. That still seems doubtful because of the Heat not having the salary cap room to pay all three players the maximum. Also, who controls the ball -- Wade or James? Both have very similar styles of play.

The other hot team for James is supposed to be the Knicks, because New York recently signed Amare Stoudemire. One NBA executive (not with the Cavs) told me, "LeBron should be smarter than that. The Knicks are a team of smoke and mirrors with poor ownership and a style of play that doesn't win in the playoffs. The Nets have a better basketball situation than the Knicks."

Chicago makes the most sense for James, in terms of talent. He'd play with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng. The Bulls do have a rookie coach in Tom Thibodeau and a history of splits between the coaches and the front office.

James knows the Cavs better than any other team. Over and over, the case has been made for him to stay home. If James actually stays, if he appears on national television and announces that he's picking Cleveland and Northeast Ohio over Miami, New York, Chicago and anywhere else -- it truly will cement his legacy as a local legend.

Is that a reality, or fantasy? Only James knows, but what he decides will say a lot about his priorities, and the future of the Cavs.

Right now, everything seems to be pointing to Miami (but early last night it was all New York). For what it's worth, Brian Windhorst hasn't been able to confirm the reports.

I just can't imagine LeBron going to Dwyane Wade's team. He'll be Pippen to Wade's Jordan. And hey, that's fine. But playing in Miami is going to require sacrifices on the court, not just in the pocket book.

But I don't know what to think. I'm trying to tell myself that LeBron and his boys are spreading rumors everywhere just to push the hype for tonight's special. Do I believe that? Maybe.

This whole thing sucks. No matter what happens, James has hurt himself and his image. He doesn't come off well. Even if he stays, it won't be the same.

If James goes, I'll be pissed (obviously) but life will go on and I'll still watch the Cavs (and blog about 'em! Sporadically!). If you're going to feel bad for Cleveland fans, don't (well, not too much). It's just sports.

But if you're gonna feel bad for any one, feel bad for the young kids (think of the children!!!). This whole free agency drama would've absolutely killed the 10-year old Ben. I would've bombarded Chris Bosh's twitter account with angry messages roughly 45 times an hour (I mean, seriously? A sign-and-trade to the Cavs puts Bosh and LeBron in a much better position to WIN NOW).

The Cavaliers are the franchise of the young fans. I see a lot of kids come through the library and Cavalier shirts easily out number the Browns and Tribe combined. These kids don't know what "Only in Cleveland" means. If James goes on ESPN and announces he's leaving, he destroys them. They aren't bitter and jaded like the rest of us.

At least not yet.

"The Decision"

That's what LeBron is calling his 1 hour announcement special on ESPN this Thursday. The Decision.

It fits right in doesn't it? The Drive, The Fumble, The Shot... The Decision.

Blah.

With LeBron announcing his decision on ESPN (something Bill Simmons joked about months ago), Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh filming a documentary about their free agency (only to end up in Miami together), this whole thing feels like a charade. But hey, maybe LeBron really has no idea where he'll go and he's just trying to help out some charities... right. (Meanwhile, Kevin Durant quietly reupped with OKC for five years).

Say what you will about LeBron, his ego and ESPN, but I gotta say I've been on the edge of my seat. I hate myself for it, but I've been devouring every last rumor. Hell, at the start of Tuesday I was convinced LeBron was staying (the Bosh-to-Cleveland rumors) and by the time I went to bed (post ESPN 1-hour-special announcement) I was sure he was gone. Bitch about his ego all you want, but it worked. People care. LeBron is all over twitter, Facebook and ESPN (and I'm not sure, after all this, which is the most reliable news source).

You have to question the wisdom of the ESPN special, don't you? How is that even going to work? It starts at 9pm and lasts an hour. Is he going to announce at 9? 9:59? And there isn't this a no-win scenario. If he takes a full hour only to announce he's staying in Cleveland, that's extremely anticlimactic. But on the flip side, he wouldn't go on national TV and kick all of Northeast Ohio in the balls... would he?

I just can't help but think that this prime time announcement special means he's out the door. As SI's Lee Jenkins tweeted:

The kind of person who needs a 1 hr tv show to announce a decision is not the kind of person who stays in Cleveland

You can't tell me there's no truth in that.

Twitter is, naturally, all full of rumors. Chad Johnson and Jared Dudley are saying that LeBron is heading to the Knicks (who Chris Broussard says are gaining ground) and Newsday is reporting that the filming of the special will take place in Greenwhich, CT (which Brian Windhorst calls a suburb of NY). Windhorst also says he's been told not to read into the location of the special.

Meanwhile, LeBron spent the day in Akron, playing hoops at his camp with Jamario Moon, Christian Eyenga, Danny Green and Cavs assistant Chris Jent (while Byron Scott looked on). In an irony of ironies, the Cavs (amongst others) are looking to make a last minute push to bring back Carlos Boozer.

Ric Bucher points out that all these late Knick rumors could simply be LeBron building up the drama so people will, you know, actually watch an hour long special on ESPN:

Rumors of NYK having legit shot at LeBron or him going to Mia seem like an attempt by LRMR to create suspense for Thurs show.

At this point, the more bullshit rumors ESPN feeds the public, the better it is for their prime-time Thursday night telecast. Bucher has more:

An NBA exec: "Who does a 1-hour special on how you just ripped the heart out of your hometown?" Now a 1-hr special on why you stayed...

I have to agree with this. At the end of the day, I just can't see LeBron doing this to NE Ohio. I mean, he wouldn't kick us all in the nuts on national TV.

Right?

Well if Devin Brown likes him...

then who am I to question:

Former Cavalier Devin Brown thinks Byron Scott is the perfect new coach for the Cavs and the sort of guy who just might persuade free agent LeBron James to re-sign with the team.

"He demands respect," Brown said of Scott, his coach for two-plus seasons in New Orleans. "I really think he was a great hire for Cleveland. I think it was a move to show LeBron that they are serious about what they're trying to do. I really think it's a great fit."

Though I do like the hire of Byron Scott. I really don't see anyone out there who is a better fit for the Cavs. I wouldn't want to be pursuing LeBron James with a rookie head coach. Scott has been to the Finals as both a player and coach and, as Devin says, demands respect.

I have more on Scott's hiring over at LeBrownsTown.

The Last Days

So here we are, the waning days of the LeBron Era in Cleveland.

Maybe.

This last month has been a bit nuts, there are rumors flying every where. The NBA world has officially gone mad.

LeBron was supposed embark on a elaborate free agency tour but instead decided to host teams in Akron. LeBron, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Joe Johnson(?) were all set to have a Free Agency Summit but it got canceled. Except that it didn't. But LeBron wasn't there. Or maybe he was.


William Wesley is trying to push LeBron out the door so he can be a stronger agent (and a very convenient scape-goat). Hell, World Wide Wes is even trying to engineer a trade for Chris Paul, a player he doesn't even represent. But apparently, Wesley won't be a part of any of LeBron's negotiations.

For LeBron, it all comes down to winning. And the ownership, the ownership definitely matters most. But LeBron isn't even talking with the Cavalier front office! Except that he is. Windhorst says that LeBron will have the final word (well, duh) and that despite everything, the Cavs still have "the edge" to retain his services. And hey! The Cavs even have a coach! (maybe)

Are we having fun yet?

I don't know how this is possible, but I'm fascinated by this whole saga while simultaneously feeling extremely ambivalent. It's not that I don't care (obviously, I do) but I've simply grown numb to the whole thing. I've been bombarded with so much LeBron James News, it's insane (and that's without watching any PTI or SportsCenter).

(I've embarked on an unofficial boycott of ESPN ever since the Cavs were unceremoniously bounced from the second round of the playoffs. I do this whenever Brett Favre/Barry Bonds/Terrell Owens-eque stories pop up. Why watch? I know I'll simply get frustrated. Same reason why I never watch Cable News).

Basically, I just want it to be done.

(Also, re: ambivalence. LeBron is the first pro-athlete I've really followed where I've been older than the athlete. It's a different experience. I still care probably more than I should but, as with ESPN, I have other things that interest me (aka books, politics, job, not-having-money, not-getting-laid, etc) and obsessively following some dude younger than me seems weird. I dunno).

Right now, it looks like Miami and Chicago are LeBron's two most likely non-Cleveland destinations. The Bulls can sign two max free agents (New Jersey is making a last ditch effort to clear space to do the same. Fuck you, Washington) and LeBron could team up with another superstar like Wade or Bosh (while the Heat are pushing for the whole threesome). Needless to say, the Cavs cannot do the same.

While I certainly understand the appeal of playing alongside another superstar, I hope LeBron realizes it's not an automatic championship like many believe (aka Fantasy Sports =/= Real Life).

Say LeBron signs in Chicago with Bosh and teams up with Derek Rose and Joakim Noah. Pretty sweet, right? But tell me why you wouldn't simply back the lane against that squad? Derek Rose is many things, but a spot up shooter he ain't (they just traded Kirk Hinrich for, as far as I can tell, nothing). Nevermind the fact that he'll have to drive by Jordan's statue every day heading into work. Enjoy playing in that shadow.

And Miami? So LeBron is going to head into D. Wade's house and either A) take over the show or B) defer to Wade? Really? All while taking less than the max? And how good is Chris Bosh? On a team with James and Rose/Wade, Bosh's offensive duties would certainly decrease. Is Chris Bosh going to be able to defend and rebound against the likes of Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol come playoff time? Bosh is certainly skilled offensively but is he be willing to do that dirty work down low? Would you call him playoff tested? I dunno.

What I do know is this: two years ago the Cleveland Cavaliers won 66 games and this past season they won 61. Yes, LeBron is the reason the Cavs were contenders but his performance is also the reason they were bounced from the playoffs two rounds too early (not that he was the only issue, mind you). Leaving a 60 win team on the heels of an epic choke job is going to be his Ohio Legacy. Good luck with that (he'll be second only to Art Model in Most Hated Cleveland Sports Figures).

Certainly the idea of LeBron teaming up with Bosh and/or Wade is tantalizing, but how many championship teams were built through free agency? Has that ever worked? I just hope that if he bolts, he knows he's leaving a pretty damn good situation.

I also think that if LeBron decides to stay, he should sign for more than a three year deal. Take the full max and reup for six years (and make a TON more money); the Cavs can't go through another three years of "you better win right this second or I'm gonna leave". It's no way to build a franchise; it hurt them last summer with free agents and it's the reason they currently have no cap room (or coach). LeBron needs to be their rock (ala Magic, Bird and Jordan) and it's hard to build around a cornerstone if you can't count on him to be there in the future.

People like to point to KG's "loyalty can hurt" comments after Round 2 as reason LeBron should go, but I can't help but wonder if say, Paul Pierce feels the same way. Winning in Cleveland will count for more. Period. How many championships will LeBron need to in Chicago to feel validated? Three? Four? More? What if he only gets one? He'll never be bigger than Jordan, not anywhere, but especially not in Chicago. He wins in Cleveland, he's The Man. Period. The End.

As for what I think he's going to do? I have literally, absolutely no idea. No one does. Everything is pure speculation. If I had to make a guess, I'd say he goes to the Bulls. Yes, LeBron would have to share the ball with Derek Rose in Chicago, but at least the end-of-game situations would be pretty cut and dry (unlike Miami). I certainly hope he stays here (the Cavs do supposedly have the edge) but I haven't felt confident that he'd reup ever since the Cavs were bounced by Boston.

I guess if I have a plea for LeBron, it's to finish the job here. Don't let your last home game in Cleveland be the Game 5 stinker (or let your legacy be: Yankees Hat==> Hold Franchise Hostage==> Flirt with Other Teams==> Lay Egg in Biggest Game of the Playoffs==> Leave for Team that Historically has Ripped Out the Hearts of Cavalier Fans). If you can get the Cavs over the championship hump it'll count for so much more. You'd have built your own legacy. Winning here, in Cleveland, in Ohio, will be sweeter.

Somehow, I think you know that.

PS: I never mix work and sports blogging, but this is a special occurrence. On July 8th (the first day free agents can sign with their new teams), the Brook Park branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library system is hosting Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto. I actually set up this particular event but I'd be lying if I told you that I purposely planned to host Pluto on LeBron's (possible) signing day. Just a happy convergence. Sign up here.

Well... fuck

This is Not Good:

The Chicago Bulls have a deal in place that would move Kirk Hinrich and the 17th pick to the Washington Wizards, freeing up enough cap space to pursue two maximum-salary players in this summer's free-agent market, sources with knowledge of the Bulls' plans said Thursday.

Ruh-roh.

The Bulls scared me before this deal and now I'm absolutely terrified.

If this deal goes through and the Bulls are able to sign two max guys, I can't even blame LeBron for leaving. Can you? Seriously, Derek Rose, Joakim Noah, LeBron and someone of the Wade/Bosh/Amare/Joe Johnson/Dirk group is ridiculous (oh, and Luol Deng. Luol Deng!!). The Cavs simply don't have the parts to match that.

There is one thing to note: this deal can't go through until July 8th. Kelly Dwyer at Ball Don't Lie writes:

Most readers know where my allegiances lie, so I'm being careful not to shout too loudly about the deal, which can still be reneged upon in the two week window between now and the 8th, but this seems a pretty curious move unless the Wizards have more deals (either taking in more players, dumping Gilbert Arenas, or both) on the ready. As it stands, Hinrich's stout defense and veteran guidance seem to be coming to Washington at a pretty steep price.

For Chicago, this is a deal to drool over. As it stands, tossing Hinrich away leaves them pretty thin in the backcourt, but in dumping his salary and sending Washington a first round selection (guaranteed money), the Bulls will be nearly $31 million under the salary cap this summer, assuming the cap is set at $56.1 million. With maximum salaries starting at $16.5 million, Chicago could offer a second-tier free agent (perhaps Joe Johnson, whose agent is quite close with Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf, and owes Reinsdorf an favor after Chicago dumped $60 million on Ben Wallace four years ago) just under the max after pulling in one of the bigger names in the free agent pool.

Of course, this is all for naught if the Wizards back out. And while that would put them in poor standing around the league, it's quite feasible if no other moves are coming down the pike. Or even if a player targeted with the 17th pick is taken higher than expected. Washington GM Ernie Grunfeld has long liked Hinrich's qualities, but to like him this much? It seems like a bit of a reach.

Ric Bucher originally reported that the Sacramento Kings would have a similar offer in place if Washington declines to move on this deal, but that report has been quashed by several media outlets in the time since.

So we got that hope left. The Wizards can still back out.

The sick part of all this is that the Cavs made it all possible. Brian Windhorst tweets:

Irony on Bulls trading Hinrich to clear 10M cap space: Wiz used space Cavs gave in Jamison deal to do it

Kill me now.

Not the way this season was supposed to go

Kobe Bryant, on winning his fifth NBA title:

It means I have one more than Shaq.

Ugh.

Game 7 wasn't the prettiest basketball game ever played, but I sure enjoyed the heck out of it. Both teams fought hard and did everything they could. Ron Artest saved the Lakers' collective bacon with his strong offensive play in the first half... and then practically put the game away with a late trey.

Gotta hand it to the Celtics, they played their asses off. They could never sustain their lead (the Lakers are just sooo big) and they couldn't afford a poor shooting night from Ray Allen.

All that being said, the highlight of the night could very well be Ron Artest's postgame interview. Awesome.

Buzz

LeBron's co-author, Buzz Bissinger, had some interesting things to say on Twitter today:

@buzzbissinger So Izzo, as possible Cavs coach wants to meet with LeBron and he says no?? I've had it. Fuck that. Fuck him. Hurts to say but I got played.

@buzzbissinger LeBron has obligation to meet with Izzo, even if it's to flip him the bird. Why would Cleveland even want to keep a man as self-absorbed...

@buzzbissinger every move LeBron makes an orchestrated one. Forget what he says about anything--policy of appeasement. Hence Izzo BS: 100 percent no prob

@buzzbissinger I hope LeBron goes to Charlotte so ultimate psychotic Jordan can cut him and LeBron plays year in junior Canadian Curling...

@buzzbissinger Never seen such arrogance in pro athlete--player won't meet with possible coach? LeBron getting terrible advice. So fucking disappointed.

@buzzbissinger One thing about Shooting Stars book--people in it besides LeBron great decent people. No better man/coach than Dru Joyce. Great teammates

@buzzbissinger @B_Wet23 two faced? Complete bullshit. Every other writer would shut up to boost sales of book and maintain LeBron relationship

Yikes.

Bissinger's not the first writer to say that Bron-Bron is getting terrible advice but Buzz carries a little more weight since he co-wrote a freaking book with LeBron.

(For what it's worth, I own this book but I haven't read it yet. The only LeBron book I've actually sat down and read is The Franchise by Terry Pluto and Brian Windhorst. I didn't want to read a bunch of LeBron books during what could be his last season as a Cavalier. Don't like getting my hopes up/sucked in).

I completely agree with Buzz by the way. The fact that LeBron didn't even talk with Tom freaking Izzo speaks volumes about both LeBron's plans and his arrogance.

But don't worry, LeBron was 100% behind the signing. He felt so comfortable with the guy who would be his coach for the next three years that he didn't even need to talk with him. 100% behind it. And, remember, LeBron said the Cavs have 'the edge' to sign him. Great.

I'm so unbelievably sick of all this shit. If LeBron is planning on leaving, I just wish he'd come out and say it. Don't jerk us around. Just say, "I've spent seven years as a Cavalier and it was great. But it's time for me to move on and I appreciate everything that Dan Gilbert and the fans of Cleveland have given me." Boom. Done.

But this teasing, this playing both sides... ugh. Stop. He hasn't talked with anyone in the Cavalier organization since the Boston meltdown. He won't talk with potential coaches. If he IS staying, he's fucking the Cavs over. He hurt them last offseason (who would you rather have, Trevor Ariza or Tony Parker....) and he's hurting them now.

But hey, Akron is throwing a rally celebrating James. Makes sense. LeBron probably won't show up. Why would he? Don't want to tip your cap. Gotta let the process play out.

At this point, I just want it all to be over.

Moving On

As Dan Gilbert recovers from Tom Izzo's rejection, the Cavs are pursuing Byron Scott:

According to sources, the Cavs are planning a second interview with Byron Scott after he finishes up his duties as an analyst for ESPN during the NBA Finals.

Scott is known to be interested in the Los Angeles Lakers job if Phil Jackson does not re-sign after his contract expires this month. However, a league source said, Scott is interested in the Cavs' job and at the prospect of coaching LeBron James.

Again, Scott doesn't wow me but he's a solid, solid choice. Probably a safer bet than Izzo. But not only are the Cavs waiting on one LeBron James, they're also waiting on the Zen Master, Phil Jackson:

The Cavs getting Scott is no certainty, either. Scott won three championships with the Lakers and lives in California. Working as an ESPN analyst, Scott is also taking care of his elderly parents as he waits for the Lakers' situation to play out. Both Scott and Gilbert had time on their hands if Gilbert was willing to hop on his corporate jet for Los Angeles or Boston, but they have yet to meet. The Cavaliers reportedly have talked to Scott only by telephone.

As the Boston Celtics face the Lakers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals tonight, the question also looms whether Gilbert jumped the gun in his housecleaning. Granted, James and Brown seemed to have had a falling out as the season ended in the Eastern Conference semifinals. But with the Celtics one victory from a second title in three years, losing to them doesn't seem nearly as unsettling today as it did May 13. One can only wonder if it feels that way to James.

Izzo called Gilbert ''one of the classiest guys I've ever met'' as he put his NBA aspirations behind him. But in the aftermath of Izzo's rejection, Gilbert seems more like a meddler on a power trip than ever before. To salvage his big splash now, he needs to land Scott or Jackson, if the Lakers decide to slash the Zen Master's reported $12 million-a-year salary.

In an ESPN 850 radio poll on Monday asking which Cleveland team had the best owner, several callers chose Randy Lerner of the Browns, citing his better-late-than-never decision to hire Mike Holmgren to run the show. Program host Michael Reghi thought Gilbert would have been the people's choice in a slam dunk.

I can certainly understand feeling that the Cavs jumped the gun in firing Brown (with regards to the Celtics being a win away from the title) but he really had to go. It wasn't just that the Cavs lost to the Celtics, it's how they lost. The fact that Shaq played during crunch time was inexcusable. I'm still kind of in shock with how their season ended.

I'd be shocked, shocked if the Cavs even got a interview from Phil Jackson, let alone sign him. But maybe I'm pessimistic (and maybe Gilbert will throw a big pile of money at him).

(Oh, and color me surprised that Cleveland fans voted Randy Lerner the best owner in town. The Browns are allowed to get away with anything (like losing, ugly no less, for 10 seasons) and the fans in Cleveland will forgive them. A year ago, Browns fans wanted him gone but because he went out and got a big name, all if forgiven. (And hey, I like the Holmgren signing as much as anyone but it's not like he's a got this great history as a GM)).

Not a good sign

Tom Izzo rejects the Cavs' offer:

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

For the past nine days, the 55-year-old Izzo has been trying to decide whether to leave the place that has been his home since 1983 and jump to the NBA to perhaps make $6 million -- doubling his salary -- and possibly coaching one of the best basketball players in the world.

"Just as I decided to stay home, I hope a 6-8, 270-pound forward in Cleveland decides to stay home," Izzo said in a statement.

.......

.......

.......

So... if one filters every bit of Cavs news through the "Is LeBron Leaving" lens, this can't be a good sign, right? You gotta think that if Izzo thought LeBron was going to be a Cavalier in 2010, he'd have signed the contract that doubled his salary, no?

Now, I've long maintained that not even LeBron knows what he's going to do come July 1st, so maybe he couldn't give Izzo his word whether or not he'd reup with the Cavs. I can buy that.

But this tweet from Brian Windhorst has got to concern Cavs fans just a tad:

Tom Izzo says he did not talk to LeBron. Said he talked to people in his camp and "felt comfortable with things I needed to know."

Seriously? This kills me. Tom Izzo couldn't even speak with LeBron directly. Not good. No me gusta.

As for Plan B, who knows. The only NBA coaching retread that even mildly interests me is Byron Scott. But Terry Pluto says that Scott isn't a slam dunk:

1. Many Cavs fans assume that if Tom Izzo turns down the coaching job, then their favorite team will turn to Byron Scott. Yes, the Cavs have talked to Scott. Yes, the Cavs are interested in Scott. But I'm hearing that Scott to the Cavs IS NOT close to a done deal. Nor is Scott in a hurry to take any job. He was paid $5.5 million after being fired by New Orleans early last season.

---

4. If Izzo does turn down the Cavs, it could be a while before they hire a coach. The only two jobs open are the Cavs and Clippers. I also hear that Scott may be interested in the Clippers. He should be smarter than that -- even though the Clippers do have some intriguing young talent. The Clippers will always be a mess as long as they are owned by Donald Sterling, and everyone in the NBA knows that.

Great. So the Cavs (and their fans) are left flailing in the wind. We get to wait for LeBron (and his 'camp') to play out the dance that is free agency all the while being directionless and coachless.

LeBron could very well end up resigning with the Cavs. I still believe it's a definite possibility. But I'm willing to bet that if his camp told Izzo that LeBron is leaning towards Cleveland, Izzo would be accepting Dan Gilbert's offer today.

I will say that I'm bummed that Izzo won't be coming here. I liked the idea of hiring Big Name, whether or not he was a college coach. It was nice to have the Cavs making news that didn't involve choking, firing or LeBron's diva tour.

Lord knows where the Cavs go from here. I'd love to see Byron Scott but I can't fault him or any coach for waiting for LeBron. I don't think the Cavs are as screwed sans LeBron as the national media thinks they are (Tony Kornheiser called them a 20 win squad without James on PTI) but obviously the nature of the job changes with LeBron's pending decision.

So we get to wait. Awesome.

Commitment

Yay! A major NBA writer says that LeBron is going to re-up with the Cavaliers! Of course, said writer is Peter Vecsey (what? Does that change things for you?)

An appreciably well-wired roundball entrepreneur believes LeBron James will re-up with the Cavaliers for three years, a possibility he almost certainly would not entertain had Mike Brown been retained -- something GM Danny Ferry fiercely advocated doing, hence his resignation.

Should no championships be churned out during that time frame, my source is convinced LBJ will bolt for Jay-Z's Brooklyn with a clear conscience, figuring he gave Cleveland a full decade.

Obviously, believe no LBJ rumor until LeBron signs on the dotted line. Especially rumors coming out of the New York Post.

I'm torn on LeBron signing a new three year deal. On one hand, the Cavs are 1,000,000,000 times better with LeBron than without, so at some point, beggars can't be choosers (as much as it sucks) and you sign LeBron for whatever number of years he wants.

On the other hand, it's really hard to run a (competent, successful) franchise while the cornerstone holds a gun to management's collective head. LeBron's undecided future is hurting the Cavs with their current coaching search and it came into play last summer when they pursued Trevor Ariza.

I know LeBron wants to keep his options open but I don't see how he'll be successful (like, multiple titles successful) unless he really puts down some roots.

Tom Izzo

Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about this:

Last week, perhaps within hours of agreeing to part ways with general manager Danny Ferry, the Cavaliers owner swung a plan into action to attempt to lure highly successful Michigan State coach Tom Izzo to Cleveland.

According to multiple sources, Gilbert met with Izzo and laid out the framework of a massive contract aimed to convince the Spartan legend to say yes to jumping to the NBA after saying no many times before.

Sources said Gilbert, a Michigan State graduate who has known Izzo for years, informally offered a five-year contract potentially worth more than $30 million. The pitch also includes bonuses and perks including free use of one of Gilbert's private jets.

Izzo is believed to be mulling the offer and over the weekend contacted several people he's close with to seek input. Several people close to Izzo told The Plain Dealer they didn't think Izzo would take the job, but had not yet turned Gilbert down.

I like the idea of going after Izzo. He's a highly successful college coach who has won a NCAA championship and has gone to a half dozen Final Fours and he'd bring a certain amount of respect in the locker room. At the very least, Tom Izzo is a Big Name and it's refreshing that the Cavs are making news and it doesn't (directly) involve LeBron James or the LeBacle that ended the season.

However, Izzo is a highly successful college coach known for his disciplinarian, his-way-or-the-highway tactics. That stuff works in college but rarely flies in the pros.

I can go either way on this. I like the idea of hiring a coach who's had major success in his past, so he won't be beholden to LeBron. I have a hard time getting past the whole Izzo's "never been an NBA head coach before" history. College coaches rarely make it in the NBA.

But I also like the idea of Izzo being in charge and making LeBron do things he's not always comfortable doing. I mean, I'm pretty sure a Tom Izzo led team won't stand for LeBron's patetented 'dribble for 20 seconds and chuck a three' possessions. There's gonna be a change from Mike Brown, that's for sure and LeBron could use a coach who will tell him 'no'.

Brian Windhorst was on ESPN 850 and said (as hard as this is for me to believe) that LeBron has not signed off on Izzo and hasn't even been asked about it(?!). I can't believe that's true but who knows. I can't imagine the Cavs would hire a coach without LeBron's input.

It's a hard decision for Izzo to make. Gilbert is throwing a ton of money at him (even offering use of a private jet) but I can't imagine any coach (let alone Izzo) signing on with the Cavaliers without knowing what LeBron plans to do. The Cavs with James are an excellent coaching job but without... Without LeBron they're in no man's land. Good enough to make the playoffs but not good enough to make any noise once they're there. Mediocrity in spades.

I will say this, I like Izzo more than I like the idea of Jeff Van Gundy, Avery Johnson or numerous other coaching retreads. The only NBA coaching vet that is even mildly interesting is Byron Scott. He's been to the Finals and he's coached superstars in the past.

Though I couldn't tell you if he's a better hire than Izzo.

Is Ron Harper Available?

So Danny Ferry resigned. I'll not rehash his moves again but I have no problem with the job Ferry did as GM of the Cavaliers. As Terry Pluto points out, Ferry resided over the winningest 5-year period in Cavalier history. Were mistakes made? Sure (*waives at Larry Hughes*), but they were defensible at the time and Ferry wasn't given a whole lot to work with.

Do I think Ferry needed to go? Not really. Unlike Mike Brown, I thought Ferry did everything in his power to get the Cavs to the promised land (it was in Mike Brown's power to bench Shaq, right?). He gave out team friendly contracts and used Dan Gilbert's money to the best of his abilities.

My concern with Ferry leaving is what that spells for LeBron's future. On one hand, changing the coach and GM at this team can make the Cavs look desperate and in disarray (especially following their 2nd Round exit). The idea is that LeBron wouldn't want to reup with a team in flux.

On the other hand, this move could signal that the Cavs are going for the "do whatever LeBron wants" strategy and Ferry resigned because he didn't want to deal with LeBron's handpicked coach (Jon Calipari? Dru Joyce? Chris Jent? I keed, I keed). I really have no opinion on new GM Chris Grant.

So ya, I think this is a good sign that LeBron will re-sign. However, I'm not sure how much I care for it, if that makes sense. Getting LeBron's signature on that dotted line is obviously the best move for the organization. They're better with LeBron James on the roster. Dur.

But I'm pretty sure that giving LeBron total control (if that's what this move is signaling) isn't a smart idea. The organization can't be full of yes men (if it wasn't already) and LeBron can't hold be allowed to hold them hostage like he has for the past three years. That's not a way to build a winning team. Putting pressure on the GM to improve the isn't a bad thing per se, but having everyone on egg shells because they don't want to anger James and push him out the door won't produce a championship.

And so ends Danny Ferry's second run with the Cavaliers. I'd say it was more successful than his first go-round with the organization, but it ended up being even more disappointing (
and who knew that was even possible?).

Have some God damn self respect

Jesus Cleveland, just stop it.

We don't need to see any videos of Cleveland "celebrities" pleading LeBron to stay. We don't need the city of Akron to have an LeBron Appreciation Day. We don't need painted cars, dudes being slapped 23 times or beard contests. (This is coming from a guy who (minimally) helped with the LeBron2010 banner and absolutely loves facial hair contests).

We're embarrassing ourselves.

We're the guy who can't stand that his girl is leaving him, so he concocts more and more ways to show him that he loves her, only he's coming off more and more pathetic and desperate. Not only is she still leaving him, now he looks like a loser.

If LeBron James plays basketball for another city next season, life will still go on.

Don't get me wrong, I want the guy to stay in Cleveland. I absolutely want him back. Hell, I started this blog so I'd give myself a reason to watch every one of his games as a Cavalier.

But if he's gonna go, he's gonna go. No "LeBron Appreciation Day" or lame (intentionally or no) song is going to convince him to stay. All of these things simply make us look desperate and thin skinned.

This is about LeBron. Full stop.

Danny Ferry and Dan Gilbert have done everything in their power to make the Cavs an attractive destination. They have a top notch practice facility, The Q is routinely sold out and Gilbert has shown that he's willing to spend the money to build a winner.

If LeBron wants to leave, he leaves.

Going into the playoffs, there's no way I thought LeBron would be somewhere else next season. Of course, I didn't think they'd ever lose to the Celtics in the second round either.

But I've come the realization that there's a good chance he's out the door. I've made my peace with it. Maybe he sticks around. But (barring some crazy draft day trade *cough* Chris Paul *cough*) I seriously doubt it. The Cleveland Frowns write:

You have to be serious about bolting to go all this way. Either that or seriously mistaken about how it would all work out. And in LeBron's defense, most of us, at least here in Northeast Ohio were glad to let LeBron carry on with the off-court drama, not worried at all about what impact it might have on what LeBron continues to say is the only thing that really matters -- which is, of course, winning.

"Oh, let the kid sell shoes to those jaded New Yorkers," we said. "Why wouldn't LeBron want to sell as many shoes as possible, anyway, and why wouldn't we want him to? Think of what all that shoe money will do for the local economy. And how's that crow sandwich for the self-proclaimed 'greatest city in the world' gonna taste when we're having the 'LeBron Stays' parade down Market Street. He who laughs last, laughs best. HA."

The idea that LeBron would leave was so unthinkable, especially back then, that it was easy to look away from the fact that it's no way to treat people. Not even residents of the self-proclaimed "greatest city in the world." To jerk people around like that just to sell some shoes and get on Larry King.

And all so easy to see with hindsight that it's no way to treat your employer either, especially if you want to win an NBA title with that employer. Now it's easy for everyone to see that even The King, The Chosen One, the most athletically talented basketball player in history can't do it all by himself. At least not in an environment of such unprecedented uncertainty. To keep your managers, your coach, jumping at your every whim. To saddle them and your teammates with the incredible pressure of this "win-now or else" season. Who's ever won a thing under such circumstances?

Exactly. LeBron did the Cavs no favors with this constant speculation about his future. On one hand, I don't begrudge the kid for wanting to choose his own employer (Tim Duncan tested free agency before returning to the Spurs) but you'd be blind to say that July 1, 2010 didn't affect the 2009-10 Cavaliers.

Vince at '64 and Counting writes:

All for a 25-year-old kid who we thought belonged to us, when we actually belonged to him. The quotes about lighting Cleveland up like Vegas, about bringing a championship to Cleveland, the constant Akron references, the “330” tats, and the Nike designs — it was just as much about marketing as it was sincerity. Who could pass up the local-hero-making-good narrative arc? That shit sells sneakers. Stir in a big chunk of superhuman talent and you’ve got yourself a global icon.

Yes, there’s a very real void in Cleveland. For a championship. For an ambassador to the world. For a hometown superstar. But LeBron has done nothing to earn the undying trust we’ve bequeathed him thus far. The fickle happenstance of ping-pong balls landed the Akron sensation here in 2003. (Unlike the deft and intentional maneuvering by Bernie Kosar to land on the roster of the Cleveland Browns.) LeBron’s existence in Ohio has so far been a matter of convenience, chance, and dough. All that, but not loyalty — at least not loyalty to us, as most seem to assume.

LeBron might fill that void by re-signing this summer, and by God let’s hope he does. For the sake of the Cavaliers and for the chance to validate our belief that he is indeed a civic King — a title he’s done little to earn so far but could put a lifelong claim on if he chooses. Either way, it ain’t validating you. It ain’t validating me. And it ain’t validating our city.

Exactly.

So stop with the videos. Stop with pleading. We're better than this. Obviously, I'm not saying I want the James to leave. He's the best player in Cavaliers history and he has the skill set to be one of the greatest of all time. Of course I want him to stay.

Will it suck if he bolts? Of fucking course. He's the 2-time MVP!

But life will go on.

And as far as I'm concerned, all these desperate pleas aren't a point in our favor. They're not helping, they're hurting.

Which is more weird?

We've entered a bizarre world where I'm pissed off that the Indians weren't perfect gamed(?) and that I agree with another Adrian Wojnarowski column about LeBron James.

I don't care for it.

The Indians are awful. They should've been the 20th team* to ever have a perfect game thrown against them, but the umpire literally blew the call on the 27th out. Jim Joyce... good luck man. You cost Armando Galarraga a perfect game and a chance at history. The fact that the play at first wasn't even that close just makes the whole thing even worse. Enjoy calling balls and strikes tomorrow!

(Here's my question, why so adamant to call him safe? If it's that close anyways (it wasn't), why not give the edge the pitcher WHO IS ABOUT TO COMPLETE A PERFECT GAME? If you blow the call the other way, I'm pretty sure the Tribe isn't going to care that much).

As for Wojo, I've disagreed with him in the past, but I find it hard to argue with this:

As the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers gather for a championship series to remind us of what built the league, what made it great, here’s LeBron James with a public ode on LeBron James.

“I’m the ringleader,” he told King.

No judgment.

No shame.

He was talking about the free-agent crop of stars, because that’s mostly what James has cared about for two years now. He tried to win a title with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has surrounded himself with a collection of sycophants and incompetents, sneaker reps and childhood buddies and middlemen whom he calls his team. Somehow, they couldn’t let him stay quiet until the playoffs were over, until everyone had pushed past the way he disappeared in the conference semifinals. He did a vapid sit-down with King to air on Friday night, and they made sure to leak out a transcript that drones out the start of the NBA Finals.

In so many ways, he’s a young Alex Rodriguez, so insecure with himself and his MVP awards, so desperate to find validation in the courtship of free agency.

“He seems more enthusiastic about this than he did trying to beat the Celtics,” said one Western Conference GM. “I mean, who goes on Larry King to talk about ‘when I become a free agent’?”

That last quote hurts a bit, no? Can you disagree? I can't. I'm sick to death of the free agent talk already (well, to be fair, I was sick of it two years ago) and it's only going to get worse.

For what it's worth, during LeBron's talk with Larry King, James said that the Cavs have "the edge" in signing him. Well I should fucking hope so. He only grew up here and spent his entire career in Cleveland. I should hope the team coming off back-to-back 60 win seasons should have "the edge" in retaining his services. Ugh.

While LeBron's actions during and post-Celtics series have irked me to no end (understatement!!), I'm reserving judgment until he actually signs his name to an offer sheet. I don't wanna say that if he reups with the Cavs, all will be forgiven.... but I'm willing to forgive a good 80-90% of his shit. Game 5 is unforgivable.

*I have no idea if the Tribe would actually be 20th team to be, um, perfect gamed (it should've been the 20th perfect game). I'm sure it's possible that a team could've been perfect gamed twice but I'm lazy and I don't care to check. Look, I'm a shitty blogger. But you already know this.