ESPN* - Lebron opting out of contract...here comes the summer of speculation.

[Murphy8276]

wow..



LeBron James' agent, Richie Paul, has informed the Miami Heat that James will exercise his early termination option and become an unrestricted free agent.
[h=4]Chris Broussard |[/h]NBA analyst

@)

-murph

 

[FairWarning]

The best part is the Knicks and Lakers can't do a thing.

 

[festeringZit]

Wasn't expecting that...

 

[gtc08]

houston is the darkhorse right now. already have deals in place to deal asik and lin, and can afford a lebron max contract.

 

[Murphy8276]

Wasn't expecting that...

lol true.

This could just be beginning of wade and bosh to follow so they can accept less and fill in the roster/bench with defense/etc but it will sure open the flood gates on speculation next few weeks.

-murph

 

[MantisToboggan]

houston is the darkhorse right now. already have deals in place to deal asik and lin, and can afford a lebron max contract.

Would be a solid move for LeBron in basketball terms but I don't see him going to Houston. He's all about playing with his buddies (Wade, Anthony or Paul). I think the Clippers are the team to watch if he doesn't re-sign in Miami.

 

[slapshot]

LBJ to Clippers

 

[slapshot]

Not 7 Not 6 Not 5 but 2

 

[JustinCruise]

Not 7 Not 6 Not 5 but 2

+1

 

[GoSooners]

Doesn't surprise me at all. In fact I was expecting him to leave if Miami lost. I still laugh every time somebody says that players are too connected to the cities they play in to leave. Or are worried about their reputation if they leave. Big time NBA players don't think this way. It's all about titles or money, or both. I am curious to see where LJ goes. The East is already weak enough as it is. If he goes west it makes it even more of a joke...

 

[MantisToboggan]

Doesn't surprise me at all. In fact I was expecting him to leave if Miami lost. I still laugh every time somebody says that players are too connected to the cities they play in to leave. Or are worried about their reputation if they leave. Big time NBA players don't think this way. It's all about titles or money, or both. I am curious to see where LJ goes. The East is already weak enough as it is. If he goes west it makes it even more of a joke...

It's the Clippers if not Miami. He's always wanted to play with CP3.

 

[HacheMan]

I kind of expected it since Wade is now on the decline.

Lebron will always follow or team with other major talents instead of staying & building with one team...

 

[CHOPTALK]

Would be a solid move for LeBron in basketball terms but I don't see him going to Houston. He's all about playing with his buddies (Wade, Anthony or Paul). I think the Clippers are the team to watch if he doesn't re-sign in Miami.

By opting out doesn't this void the Larry bird exemption?

 

[MantisToboggan]

By opting out doesn't this void the Larry bird exemption?

Miami should still have his bird rights. I don't believe early termination options effect that. The link below is actually a great site for NBA Salary Cap stuff. It explains Bird rights and what not far better than I ever could.

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q35

 

[Acebb]

The Decision Part 2!!!

 

[MantisToboggan]

I kind of expected it since Wade is now on the decline.

Lebron will always follow or team with other major talents instead of staying & building with one team...

It's the new NBA. Isn't it funny that Melo bullied his way out of Denver to NY because it was where he really wanted to be and now it seems better than 50/50 that he's going to jump to Chicago?

 

[Acebb]

Just doing it to get the Heat in a better position?

By opting out, James is now eligible for a five-year, $115 million contract from the Heat, or a four-year, $86 million from an outside team. Any new deal, however, is expected to have similar early-termination clauses to the one he had in his Heat contract.

James, Wade and Bosh were represented by the same agency when the three signed with the Heat in 2010, with James since moving to an agency headed by long-time friend Paul.
James now becomes a free agent on July 1, with Wade and Bosh also expected to become free agents that day, as well. While the free-agency negotiating period opens July 1, free agents cannot sign until July 10, when the offseason personnel moratorium ends.


Just last week, Riley implored his impending free agents to remain with the team and work their way back to championship heights after falling 4-1 to the San Antonio Spurs in the just-completed NBA Finals.


Had all three of the team's stars remained locked into their contracts, the Heat would have had limited flexibility this offseason, likely to return with a similar roster.
With James next to play under a new contract, it could afford the Heat the opportunity to become major players on the free-agent market, depending on whether James, Wade and Bosh agree to lower 2014-15 salaries, potentially in exchange for additional years on their contracts beyond the two they had in place at season's end.


James hinted as his decision in the wake of losing the Finals to the Spurs.


"Being able to have flexibility as a professional, that's what we all would like," he said last week. "I understand what this team, this franchise, brings to the table."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...eat-lebron-james-s062414,0,6553735,full.story

 

[gtc08]

acebb is on the right track. lebron opting out was not a surprise. puts the pressure on ownership to spend money with the threat he'll bail if he doesnt like what happens. still think houston is the dark horse.

i also dont want to see anyone take shots at lebron when kevin love has gotten a pass from this forum for doing the same thing with the wolves, demanding a trade a year out from when his deal is done.

 

[Knightrofins]

Let me start by saying that i'm a heat fan (yes in the Seikally & Harold Minor days as well). I wanted Lebron to opt out. By opting out (hopefully bosh and wade do as well), the Heat can resign the big 3 at a lower salary and will give them more $$ to sign other quality free agents (would love to have Kyle Lowery at poing). If the heat go over the salary cap, they have to pay $2.50 per dollar spent over the cap so it can get pricy.

I see the big 3 signing for 13-15 mil a season. I see Wade coming off the bench next year in a Manu Ginobli type role. Not sure why Lebron would want to leave the Heat. They have been a 1st class organization and Pat Riley is a pretty straight up guy. I cant see Lebron in the west since its easier to make it to the finals in the eastern conference.

Pat Riley is on the clock now. He has brought Zo to Miami, he's brought Shaq, and now he's brought Lebron. In Riley we trust!!

 

[festeringZit]

acebb is on the right track. lebron opting out was not a surprise. puts the pressure on ownership to spend money with the threat he'll bail if he doesnt like what happens. still think houston is the dark horse.

i also dont want to see anyone take shots at lebron when kevin love has gotten a pass from this forum for doing the same thing with the wolves, demanding a trade a year out from when his deal is done.

Yeah, we know, we know. LeBron is black, and Kevin Love is white... Sigh.