Wowee... Doesn't mean he'll leave for sure but it now becomes somewhat likely.

Be interesting to see what the other big two decide to do.

LeBron James will opt out of contract with Miami Heat - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/story/_/id/11127329/lebron-james-opt-contract-miami-heat)

Miami is shackled right now, and Lebron should not be the only one taking a cut for the team. If I'm Lebron and Wade + Bosh don't opt out as well, I take that to mean they don't actually believe in the concept of team, and I'm out for greener pastures.

We could Amnesty Perkins and sign James!!!!!!

I think Wade and Bosh both opted out midway through the third quarter in game 5 of the finals.

Miami is shackled right now, and Lebron should not be the only one taking a cut for the team. If I'm Lebron and Wade + Bosh don't opt out as well, I take that to mean they don't actually believe in the concept of team, and I'm out for greener pastures.

We could Amnesty Perkins and sign James!!!!!!

James took a pay cut when he came to Miami. It is easy to tell others to do it "for the team" but how about the team give it up to Lebron.

This is the best read I've found regarding Lebron's upcoming decision.

Surveying the LeBron Landscape « (http://grantland.com/the-triangle/surveying-the-lebron-landscape/)

This is the best read I've found regarding Lebron's upcoming decision.

Surveying the LeBron Landscape « (http://grantland.com/the-triangle/surveying-the-lebron-landscape/)

I knew who wrote the article as you said "the best". Zach Lowe is really the only person worth reading as far as the NBA is concerned.

James took a pay cut when he came to Miami. It is easy to tell others to do it "for the team" but how about the team give it up to Lebron.


LeBron has two championships under his belt; now it's time for him to put something back. The endorsements he gets in a market like Miami does make up for the salary cut he took for the Heat. If Durant can secure major endorsements in a small markets like OKC; then LeBron shouldn't have any problems.

Dallas will be the team on the radar next season. The Western Conference will be a true battle of the Wild, Wild West with Dallas, Golden State, Houston, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis, Oklahoma City & Phoenix.

Sad to see the Lakers drop from the sky.


https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSUdVT6Fx0tIgdH8DkPqqhtrEKT3Enen TNDEom_BwnI_v1VtUNb https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcREjQwIsl4S_DLT2CRll4EdiojRIzH6j se7LoiEvztuKrzvWXri2Q
Jodie Meeks__________Kobe Bryant

Can't help but wonder if these guys are related?

http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif

I don't think LeBron is going anywhere. The upsides of him staying with the Heat are much greater than the gamble of going somewhere else. A bird in hand is better than two in the bush.

I can't believe that I actually feel sorry for the Heat and Pat Riley on some level...a very very small level. DWade and Bosh won't be back together. One of them is gone (my money is on Wade). Battier is gone, Allen is likely retiring. Depending on how he feels this could either be a disaster or major opportunity for James to shape a team in his image. At this point LeBron could tell Pat Riley to jump and he would say how high...he simply won't get that kind of control over a franchise outside of Cleveland maybe.

On a marketing level, I think LeBron leaving Miami would be a PR nightmare for him. He will forever be tainted as the nomad superstar. The record for a starter winning multiple championships with multiple teams is not good... I think Shaq is the only other person to do it in recent memory. And right now, LeBron IS Miami, he is the embodiment of South Beach. I can't see a Hollywood LeBron or Loop LeBron (that's Chicago for all you untravelled masses). Wasn't one of the reasons he left Cleveland was to "expand his brand"?

It should be noted all this chaos is actually very good news for OKC right now.

I don't think LeBron is going anywhere. The upsides of him staying with the Heat are much greater than the gamble of going somewhere else. A bird in hand is better than two in the bush.

I can't believe that I actually feel sorry for the Heat and Pat Riley on some level...a very very small level. DWade and Bosh won't be back together. One of them is gone (my money is on Wade). Battier is gone, Allen is likely retiring. Depending on how he feels this could either be a disaster or major opportunity for James to shape a team in his image. At this point LeBron could tell Pat Riley to jump and he would say how high...he simply won't get that kind of control over a franchise outside of Cleveland maybe.

On a marketing level, I think LeBron leaving Miami would be a PR nightmare for him. He will forever be tainted as the nomad superstar. The record for a starter winning multiple championships with multiple teams is not good... I think Shaq is the only other person to do it in recent memory. And right now, LeBron IS Miami, he is the embodiment of South Beach. I can't see a Hollywood LeBron or Loop LeBron (that's Chicago for all you untravelled masses). Wasn't one of the reasons he left Cleveland was to "expand his brand"?

It should be noted all this chaos is actually very good news for OKC right now.

Wade isn't going anywhere, he'll opt in and make his $20 million. He can't get anything near that anywhere else. Same thing with Bosh. Lebron is probably gone to Chicago or Houston to chase more titles. Miami will be fine. It's not really a basketball town anyway. They showed up for four years because it was the thing to do and they were good. And none of this is good news for OKC. Lebron on Houston would be a dang nightmare.

Dallas will be the team on the radar next season.

Why do you think this? Dallas could easily miss the playoffs this season and Dirk is only getting older. They're not attracting any major free agents to pair with an aging star. Dallas is on the decline, not incline.


I don't think LeBron is going anywhere. The upsides of him staying with the Heat are much greater than the gamble of going somewhere else. A bird in hand is better than two in the bush...

I can't believe that I actually feel sorry for the Heat and Pat Riley on some level...a very very small level. DWade and Bosh won't be back together. One of them is gone (my money is on Wade). Battier is gone, Allen is likely retiring. Depending on how he feels this could either be a disaster or major opportunity for James to shape a team in his image. At this point LeBron could tell Pat Riley to jump and he would say how high...he simply won't get that kind of control over a franchise outside of Cleveland maybe.

On a marketing level, I think LeBron leaving Miami would be a PR nightmare for him. He will forever be tainted as the nomad superstar. The record for a starter winning multiple championships with multiple teams is not good... I think Shaq is the only other person to do it in recent memory. And right now, LeBron IS Miami, he is the embodiment of South Beach. I can't see a Hollywood LeBron or Loop LeBron (that's Chicago for all you untravelled masses). Wasn't one of the reasons he left Cleveland was to "expand his brand"?

It should be noted all this chaos is actually very good news for OKC right now.

I agree with everything you said except your comments about Wade and Bosh opting out. Both may meet with LeBron and decide to opt out and take less, but, aside from that option, Wade will for sure opt in and be back. He can't get $20 million on the open market.

Everyone is acting like the Heat had a disaster season because of their poor Finals performance, but they'd likely still be the favorite to win it next year with a similar roster. They've made the Finals four straight years and won two titles and everyone is acting like they can't compete anymore. Lol.

Anyway, LeBron opting out was expected and doing anything else would have been dumb. This allows him flexibility and influence. Even if he wants to stay with the Heat, this is exactly what he should have done. I think he's very likely to end up back with the Heat.

Don't care where Lebron goes/stays as long as it is in the EAST!

Can you imagine the even bigger joke of a conference it would be with Lebron in the West?

The Thunder should make a run at Lebron and Klove. Might as well go all in and win a couple of championships.

They are easily the Favorites to come out of the East. the problem in Miami is that they can no longer compete with the WC because they have become deeper and better. So while they may make it to the Finals for the next few years, they may not win another championship Against the WC Champion no matter who it is. I think this is one of the things Lebron may we weighing and is waiting to see what Riley can do if anything to try level the playing field.

Won't happen!

T
he Thunder should make a run at Lebron and Klove. Might as well go all in and win a couple of championships.

Won't happen!

The Thunder should make a run at Lebron and Klove. Might as well go all in and win a couple of championships.


LeBron, Durant and Westbrook on the same team? James is head strong, he and Westbrook would clash. Don't believe this would work.

Kevin Love in an outstanding offensive player; he's a weak defensive player.

We don't need another franchise player. Two good replacements (one three point marksman, an active paint forward) and a rookie (draft pick) for Butler, Sefolosha and Fisher will do. Steven Adams, Reggie Jackson, Jeremy Lamb, Andre Roberson and Perry Jones will be much more seasoned for 2014-15.

What killed the Thunder in the playoffs? Two offensive starters (Perkins, Sefolosha) who couldn't generate six points together.


http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif

He is doing this for publicity. He didn't like that melo was getting so much love from espn. Now the focus all Sumer will be on Lebron.

I give it about a 85% chance he stays with Miami and about a 10% chance he goes to the bulls and maybe 3% to Cleveland and 2% to any western team. He knows the rode to championships is much easier in the east.

Oh, I can't wait for another "The Decision" 30-minute ESPN special where King James shows hes not team oriented unless that team will win right away.

Oh, I can't wait for another "The Decision" 30-minute ESPN special where King James shows hes not team oriented unless that team will win right away.

I'm not a fan of Lebron by any means, so I don't want to appear as an apologist, but he has said in the past that he handled the original "Decision" poorly and would have acted differently. Hopefully the 29-year-old version of Lebron is more mature than the 25-year-old version. However, with the nature of today's sports media coverage, it's impossible for this to not become a huge spectacle.. which is disappointing.

I do not think that Lebron + Melo is the best formula for a championship. Would Melo had made a difference against this year's Spurs team? I'm not so sure. In my mind, the Heat lost because of poor point guard play and they lack a true center who can give them quality minutes.

I think the Bulls should target Lebron without Melo. Even if Rose misses time, that Chicago lineup would be pretty solid and would waltz through the East and have a better chance at beating the best teams in the West than a Melo+Lebron Heat team. But I agree with other posters that he will likely stay in Miami.

They are easily the Favorites to come out of the East. the problem in Miami is that they can no longer compete with the WC because they have become deeper and better. So while they may make it to the Finals for the next few years, they may not win another championship Against the WC Champion no matter who it is. I think this is one of the things Lebron may we weighing and is waiting to see what Riley can do if anything to try level the playing field.

This idea that Miami can't compete anymore is a shortsighted overreaction in my opinion. They had a bad series against a team playing at a ridiculous level (whom they beat the year before). Miami would likely have been the favorite against any West team in the Finals and is already the favorite in Vegas to win it all next year. They beat the top West teams all the time in the regular season. Is Miami dominant? No. They really never have been, but if their core stays together they have as good a shot at the title as anyone.

He is doing this for publicity. He didn't like that melo was getting so much love from espn. Now the focus all Sumer will be on Lebron.

I give it about a 85% chance he stays with Miami and about a 10% chance he goes to the bulls and maybe 3% to Cleveland and 2% to any western team. He knows the rode to championships is much easier in the east.

It would have made no sense to opt in to the last year of his contract. He would have lost flexibility and influence over the future of the team for no reason. He made the easy decision by opting out. But I agree that it is very likely he stays with Miami.

Looks like LeBron's asking for a max contract, wherever he goes:

LeBron James of Miami Heat wants maximum salary - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/story/_/id/11156634/lebron-james-miami-heat-wants-maximum-salary)

Interesting that he has never been the highest paid player on his team in his entire 11-year career. Think he is orchestrating with Bosh and Wade to have them take a pay cut and while he earns the max and they all stay in Miami?

I remember the backlash from "The Decision" and the reason he said he did it that way was because it was raising money for Boys and Girls Club. $2.5 million to be exact. When I heard that, I completely understood why he did it the way he did it.

Looks like LeBron's asking for a max contract, wherever he goes:

LeBron James of Miami Heat wants maximum salary - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/story/_/id/11156634/lebron-james-miami-heat-wants-maximum-salary)

Interesting that he has never been the highest paid player on his team in his entire 11-year career. Think he is orchestrating with Bosh and Wade to have them take a pay cut and while he earns the max and they all stay in Miami?

He wouldn't be wrong for wanting that. Wade is not worth $20M.

But they need to move some serious money off the books if they want to be competitive. If Wade took 15, Bosh 17.5, Haslem 1.8, and Lebron 20.7, then they'd be at 59.323

That gives them about a $4M Free Agent, then they can use their MLE, then they can resign Chalmers with Bird Rights, then they can fill out with vet minimums.

I still don't think that's enough for them to compete with San Antonio, Clippers or Thunder in their *current* forms, let alone if any of those 3 get better.

He is doing this for publicity. He didn't like that melo was getting so much love from espn. Now the focus all Sumer will be on Lebron.

I give it about a 85% chance he stays with Miami and about a 10% chance he goes to the bulls and maybe 3% to Cleveland and 2% to any western team. He knows the rode to championships is much easier in the east.


I was wrong. I did know he wasn't going to pick the "west".. No pun intended