Free Agency...

[Midas]

Carlos Boozer agrees to a 5 year 80 Million dollar deal for the Chicago Bulls...

I must say this gave me a sigh of relief as I was fearful we would not get anyone and personally while I will not lie and say that Boozer was my first choice as Bosh was that I can honestly say that Boozer was my second choice as Amare was my third...

Right now lets look at the prospects of Lebron James...

Sign With Knick to play with... Amare and who? (That is a serious question because I don't know the Knicks)

Sign with Cleveland to play with... The same guys he lost with last season when he had less competition...

Sign with Miami to play with... Chris Bosh, Dewayne Wade & Who? Minimum guys all around the board, yeah Bosh & Wade are saying they will take less to sign James or get a better team but seriously how much less and on that same note I have always said to the people who claim James does not want to follow in the shadow of Jordan... How can you think that James will go down to Wades city where he will be making more money then him with a extra year and win a championship only to live in the shadow of Wade... Not going to happen but if he does they will have a horrible bench IMO...

Sign with the Bulls to play with... ROTY & All-star Derrick Rose, Up & Coming big man Joakim Noah, superstar Carlos Boozer....

I mean some on guys right now I am feeling really good as if the signing of Boozer puts us right back square in the James hunt...

REMEMBER BOYS AND GIRLS HE CHANGED HIS JERSEY FROM 23 TO 6...

[Hondo]

The word on the street was that Boozer would follow LBJ wherever he went. But does this mean Chi-town is the frontrunner? TBH, I don't even think Lebron himself knows. Or if he does, he's not telling a soul.

The question to ask is, if James resigns with Cleveland, is he going to be satisfied with signing David Lee and/or Brendan Haywood and the outside possibility they can trade for Paul? Or does he want to start fresh with Rose and Boozer or Wade and Bosh? The Bulls are looking a whole lot better of an option than they were at about 8 this morning.

[Midas]

The word on the street was that Boozer would follow LBJ wherever he went. But does this mean Chi-town is the frontrunner? TBH, I don't even think Lebron himself knows. Or if he does, he's not telling a soul.

The question to ask is, if James resigns with Cleveland, is he going to be satisfied with signing David Lee and/or Brendan Haywood and the outside possibility they can trade for Paul? Or does he want to start fresh with Rose and Boozer or Wade and Bosh? The Bulls are looking a whole lot better of an option than they were at about 8 this morning.

Yeah I think he personally has a idea where he wants to go but can easily be pursuaded elswhere...

I am thinking that maybe he set the time to announce with the intent on signing with Cleveland and then he sees that Boozer is off the market and now is leaning toward Chicago more then anything... but I am bias...

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

Phew....thats all I can say.

[Gary]

NEW YORK (AP)â€"The NBA salary cap for next season was set Wednesday at $58.04 million, a higher number than projected that could help Miami fill out a roster around Dwyane Wade(notes), Chris Bosh(notes) and perhaps even LeBron James(notes).

The cap goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, ending the league’s moratorium period and allowing free agent contracts to be signed.

It’s a slight increase from this season’s $57.7 million cap, a surprise for teams considering what they were bracing for last summer.

Teams were warned in a memo last July that the economic crisis could send the cap spiraling to somewhere between $50.4 million to $53.6 million, some $10 million below what teams were once anticipating.

Apparently, the league underestimated its revenues.

Commissioner David Stern said in April the league was projecting the cap to come in at $56.1, a result of creative work by teams in selling tickets and sponsorships that drove up revenues, and the number announced Wednesday even surpassed that.

The nearly $2 million more could be key for the Heat if they are able to persuade James to join Wade and Bosh, who announced Wednesday they plan to sign with Miami. The cap has no bearing on their first-year salaries in a maximum contract, which would be $16.6 million.

It means the Knicks have about $36 million to spend before contracts are signed, leaving them about $18.9 million left after Amare Stoudemire signs an expected five-year, $99.7 million deal.

The midlevel exception is $5.8 million and the tax level is $70.3 million. Any team that exceeds that will have to pay a $1 tax for every $1 it is over.

The minimum team salary is $43.5 million, 75 percent of the cap.

new salary cap, and it answers the question Ian and I had about what the  tax was if they went over.

[Hondo]

And the plot thickens further...

The talking heads at ESPN are now fully convinced LBJ's heading to Miami. Whatever, I don't know what to believe anymore. (The only thing for sure is, he's NOT going to the Clippers)

I still don't see how Miami can make this work. Even IF they pay these guys the big contracts, how are they ever going to afford a bench for these guys? What's the point of signing these three guys if they surround them with Kevin Ollies and Brian Scalabrines?

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

I have also heard they are now front runners as well...and the bench will consist of me and you at this rate.

[Midas]

Yeah I think Miami is a horrible choice for him right now but he is thinking that a big three with a bullshit team surronding them = title but I think they will be in for a rude awaking when they are facing teams like Boston with a great bench and the option to add Shaq or Miller to the fold... Orlando just added Chris Duhon to backup Nelson... I mean seriously they are crazy if they think they rule the east in Miami...

I am hearing the Knicks are more likely over the Bulls but in that same breath people are contradicting themselves... They say James wants a instant title and the Bulls fit that and can give him a instant title yet he is leaning toward the Knicks if not Miami and then say that the Knicks are title contenders in a couple years...

Sources say he does not want to sign with Cleveland because he is afraid of being a 31 year old player with bad knees and no title after the contract is up...

On that same note I am not convinced Miami is where he is going to go as lets say the Heat sign Wade to the Max and then sign & trade for Bosh with the max and then Lebron comes there making 30 million less then those two... I don't think so and all this talk about less money is stupid, yeah they might take less up front like 14 million per or seomthing like that but the point is  Wade & Bosh are secured for 6 years with a good chunk of money in the last year and James is NOT and he will be the star player the media focus on...

Lets hope he is fucking with everyone and the Bulls are his choice...

[Hondo]

Welp, thats it. LBJ to the Heat.

The Cavs shrivel back into obscurity, The Knicks and Bulls scramble to scrape up whatever names are left, the Heat try to build a bench on a shoestring budget, Jay-Z and Pokhorov (sp??) go smoke a blunt and party with strippers, and the Clippers just sit there with a retarded look on their face, as always.

[Jose The Law Ramon]

Don't sell the Clippers out yet - Vinnie took a team that was probably not all that great without its two top scorers from the previous year and still got them into the playoffs, including an early injury to Rose. If everyone in LAC stays healthy he has a good shot at least making them a late round lottery team. Honestly can't say I was surprised at the decision. LOVED Chris Webber's quote when he said "I'll never compare him [James] to Jordan ever again. To me Kobe is the last heir to Jordan." Something we all had said since the 2000s. Quite frankly, I think I've 'witnessed' enough.

[Midas]

I have found a new team to hate... The HEAT lol

Anyways the Bulls are not bad off right now as we were a .500 team without Boozer and yeah we have lost Kirk & Miller but Boozer will help us and maybe we can pick up another decent player to help as I see us making the playoffs which is more then I can say for the Knicks, Nets & Cavs...

BTW they are burning James jerseys on teh streets of Cleveland...

[Jose The Law Ramon]

If they trade Tony Parker I'm still going to keep and WEAR that jersey - I paid $60 and I'll wear it till it's threadbare.

[Wild]

Ive always hated LeBron. He's a joker not a king... He's a media whore. I will put money on it that the heat won't win a title. I think they could of with just Bosh and Wade. They could have built a solid team around that combo. Now I'm waiting for my call to be a role player for the heat but hell... Me being a highschool basketball player makes me too expensive for them at this rate. No bench=no championships.

The 3 will have to play 48 minutes for every game which is a great way for serious injury and they will be wore down time playoffs come. Wade is 28 almost 29... Had a list of injuries... Do you really think he wants to be shadowed by LeBron? Wade has a ring, he is the leader of that Heat team. I like Wade. Hate LeBron. Bosh is good but is just complimentary.

I still call for the Lakers to win another championship. They've faced so much critisim... Kobes old(he averaged 28 points a game in the finals.) ... Of course I mark out for Bryant and my lakers.

Orlando will compete, Boston will compete. Mavericks... YES the Mavericks will compete. Heat may compete if they can convice players worth millions of dollars to take make about a 4th of their worth.

FUCK THE HEAT IN THEIR ASSES.

where is parker going?

[Ash Bombay]

I wouldn't count out the Clippers just yet. They actually have a coach now, and Blake Griffin is a beast when healthy. He might be the ROY this year. I expect big things from him. Plus with Baron Davis, Drew Gooden and Eric Gooden being solid guys around Blake, not to mention them drafting Willie Warren who played exceptional with Blake a couple of years ago at OU, before emerging as a scorer in his own right, I think the Clips have a shot at making the playoffs.

And Midas, if its any help, I heard the Bulls are eyeing JJ Reddick or a Kyle Korver or someone of that nature to fill that Steve Kerr / John Paxton type role.

And not sure why they call Kobe the heir to Jordans throne. Kobe needed to learn from /  share the spotlight from Shaq before earning his own ring. Jordan had to learn it on his own. Kobe isn't a heir to the throne in my book, not now, not ever. Fuck the Lakers. 

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

Had a while to think about the Lebron James decision and here are my thoughts. First off, I am not a massive James fan to be honest. I think he is a good player, but he played for Cleveland and anyone who doesn’t play for the Bulls...well they are kind of my sworn enemy anyways. Still, I was hoping we could land him in free agency and he could help bring the biggest thing Chicago needs right now which is a scorer as far as I am concerned.

I have seen a lot of the hate which has gone on in Cleveland and I can understand that. Shit, I was pissed as hell when MJ re-emerged with the fucking Wizards all those years ago and he wasn’t even in his prime then. But I kind of respect James’ decision. He will be getting less money to join the Heat than he could have had elsewhere, but the guy wants to win a Championship (by less money, no doubt he will receive more outside the NBA because of it!). The Cavs for me did nothing over the last few seasons to bring players to Cleveland to give him the edge. Sure they got role players, the got the sort of players that Chicago got in the Jordan era, but none of it worked until there was Scottie Pippen...Kobe has been ultimately successful because of having Pau Gasol, the Celtics big three is because there are a big three. We don’t live in a world of George Mikam or Wilt the Stilt where one man can deliver the title...hell back as far as Elgin Baylor and Jerry West it’s a proven formula that despite their being only 5 men on a court, you need 2 stars at least to make it happen. The Cavs have tried as recently as throwing big Shaq down his throat and none of it has worked. So some might sit here and say that James is a low down piece of shit who betrayed his team...my argument it the Cavs didn’t do enough to keep him. They have known for sometime James has been on the move...and they have not put the right pieces into play to make sure he stayed. However, you roll the dice...to me they are a massive portion of the blame for LeBron skipping town.

One thing that has come out of this for me though is sure we will all be excited to see this trio in South Beach...but will they become a great team. One thing I am happy to have signed Carlos Boozer for the Bulls for is because he is a team ball player. The Bulls over the last few years pretty much
since ironically we drafted Captain Kirk have been about creating a team in Chicago...I think potentially one of those big three might have upset that team. I don’t think Carlos Boozer does, I think he adds to the team, you put on the floor a decent starting 5 for Chicago...and I think now we have to be within the top four favourites in the East behind Miami, Boston and Orlando. Plus the window of opportunity to pick up some other players is still open. Sure none of the big three...hell not even a Rudy Gay, Joe Johnson or Dirk either...but we got a chance to add depth and to me, depth is the thing that wins Championships. I can remember watching a game when we beat Portland for the 2nd title run...and it was a decisive game (not the decisive one) basically...Jordan, Pippen and Grant weren’t doing their thing and guys like fucking Stacy King, Cliff Levingston, Bob Hansen and Craig Hodges...coupled with Pippen lead an amazing comeback. A lot of folks remember Jordan going three point crazy during that series...I remember the supporting cast helping deliver us a Championship in Game 6.

It’s going to be an interesting season of basketball for sure. I kind of like the way now Chicago has slipped back under the radar. All the media focus in the East will be on the Heat...how the Celtics will respond and can Orlando do anything. Chicago...will just go about it’s business very, very nicely.