The NBA world awaits the decisions of Chris Bosh, LeBron James, & Dwyane Wade. They have to know their options by now. Make a decision already fellas.
For the past 4 days, the rampant speculation of free agency 2010 has reached an obnoxious level–articles, blogs, tweets, and a certain twice fired-loud mouth claiming to have the story that has yet to play out. The futures of LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade have been dissected more than a crime investigation. Everyone with a voice wants to be the first to break this story. It’s a potentially league shifting decision that can’t get over soon enough. As a Bulls fan, I’ve waited for this summer since they won the Derrick Rose lottery. However, I’ve reached a level of nausea that is only topped by a post Vegas trip, long winded talks with your significant other, or waking up after a night of drinking saying “What the F did I do last night.” It certainly didn’t take the likes of Rudy Gay: $82 million, Drew Gooden: $32 million, Joe Johnson’s ridiculous $119 max deal with Atlanta, and Amare Stoudemire: $100 million to make up their minds.
Random Tangent: Joe Johnson’s numbers in the 2010 NBA playoffs where his team got swept out of the 2nd round…39% shooting from the field, 22% from 3, while averaging 18-5-5. The 18-5-5 sound solid, but he averaged 12 a game vs Orlando in the humiliating sweep. That’s a max player? Oh yea, he’s also 29 years old. God damn is the NBA is dumb.
Oh yea, did I mention David Kahn giving Darko Milicic $20 million dollars? Only Kahn would rush to sign a 7 foot stiff who can’t play dead. Meanwhile, Kahn can’t wait to deal Al Jefferson. Big Al is now a full year off his ACL surgery, and will be back to getting 20-10 every night. I mean, whenever you can sign Darko and trade one of the few true low post guys in the NBA, you have to do it. I feel bad for Timberwolves fans. Kahn is killing your franchise.
For the remaining free agents, it’s all a waiting game until the big 3 finally make a decision. They planned this out when they all signed three year extensions in 2006. You’d think they have an idea of what they want to do, no?! I know this is a career and legacy changing move for these guys, but the time has come for them to man up and make a decision.
Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh ate together 3 times in Chicago the past few days. They could both be headed to the Bulls. Adding those two would instantly make the Bulls the best team in the east.
There is a rumor (shocking isn’t it?!) that a Wade-Bosh combo is “imminent” in Chicago. They have dined together 3 times in Chicago since free agency started. Is this report true? I hope so, but until guys sign, I’m done believing anything is imminent (See Hedo Tukoglu last summer). When this free agent period started, everyone assumed Wade was staying in South Beach. Then the Amare domino fell and hell broke loose. It has been long talked about that a Wade-Amare combo would happen in Miami. When Stoudemire took the Knicks $100 million, Wade started to flirt with the Bulls Vinny Chase style. If you don’t remember, Ari didn’t deliver what he promised, and Vince eventually fired him. Seeing Amare go to the Knicks has opened Wade’s mind. “Things are getting very interesting,” Wade said. I assumed Wade’s first visit with the Bulls was done out of courtesy. When he met with them again late Friday afternoon, I knew something was up. Forget the talk from ESPN ass-bag Ric Bucher. Wade isn’t using the Bulls as leverage or adding drama to the documentary he’s filming. The man is thinking about his kids and their future. He’s serious about this. When you throw in Wade’s messy divorce-custody battle, his heart strings might be leading him back to his hometown Bulls. Wade and Bosh, very well, could be a package deal, but will they pull the trigger? This story won’t go away, and it won’t stop until The King finally makes up his mind…
This entire summer has been about what LeBron James wants. Does he want to go to a team with a roster ready to win (Bulls), or do the heart strings pull at him enough to make him stay in Cleveland? I can imagine the pain LeBron is suffering right now. He’ll not only kill professional basketball in Cleveland, the city may not recover. He IS Cleveland. The bars and restaurants in the downtown area will go under quicker than the Cubs did this season. You know LeBron has left these meetings with the Nets, Knicks, Clippers, Heat, Bulls, and Cavs thinking “will I ever be able to come back here?” None of these meetings have done anything to sway him one way or another. I’ve been saying for weeks that James wants to leave and join the Bulls. He knows he can win with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and, potentially, Wade or Bosh. The longer this goes on though, his heart may win over what his head is telling him. He needs to decide what’s important to him. Loyalty or legacy? He can’t have both. He’s not going to win in Cleveland. Throughout this whole process, you haven’t heard talks of LeBron wanting players to join him in Cleveland. The Cavs want to try and do a sign and trade for Bosh. One problem, Bosh wants nothing to do with that town. Can you blame him? This comes down to what LeBron wants to do. He’s planned this for 2 years. These teams are all in for the biggest free agent in history, but the time has come for James and then Wade, and Bosh to man up and make a damn decision.
