[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

An NBA executive says the Chicago Bulls have emerged as a favorite in the free agency sweepstakes for LeBron James, along with Chris Bosh, The New York Times reported on Sunday.

The executive said he had gleaned from his discussions with other league executives that James is leaning toward joining the Bulls, along with Bosh, his teammate on the United States’ gold medal-winning 2008 Olympic team. The Times reported the executive did not want to be named because he was discussing a player who was not yet a free agent.

“I think it’s a done deal,” the executive, said according to the report.

James’ friend and business partner Maverick Carter told ESPN The Magazine’s Chris Broussard that James will have would-be suitors visit him in his native Ohio, rather than embark upon a barnstorming tour of cities hoping to land the two-time MVP. Free agency officially starts at 12:01 a.m. ET on Thursday.

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“LeBron is not going on a tour,” Carter said. “He never planned to go on a tour and has not been a part of any team’s plans for a recruiting trip.”
http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nba/news/story?id=5333896&campaign=rss&source=twitter&ex_cid=Twitter_espn_5333896

Teams including the New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers are in the hunt for James, along with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the only team he has played for in his seven-year NBA career. Fans in Cleveland and cities hoping to woo James have already made high-profile pushes for his services.

But the NBA executive said he believed James would meet with those teams as a courtesy, out of consideration for the overtures and personnel moves they have made to clear salary cap in hopes of signing James, The Times reported.

Sources said various teams were made aware of James’ anti-tour stance Wednesday. The Knicks — who, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, were planning a spectacular, celebrity-laden dinner cooked by a world-renowned chef for James on July 1 — quickly canceled it and began drafting an alternate plan, according to two sources.

While several teams had hoped to sell James on the non-basketball advantages of their cities, it’s believed that James wants to keep the focus on basketball. The executive quoted by the Times also said that James wanted to keep the focus on the game.

“He is going to make a basketball decision, so all that is unnecessary,” the executive said, according to The Times. “He just saved a lot of people a lot of money.”

[JJeff6Participant]

damn…..”i think its a done deal”. cant be true can it????….

[FreeJasonryParticipant]

I am from Chicago and I am very unbiased towards the Bulls. I will say that if they get Lebron and Bosh they will be elite in the NBA. Why? Because of Rose and Noah. They proved the last two years in they playoffs that they are gamers, something Mo Williams and gang aren’t. They play hard every single play and they both have playoff experience so you can’t take that away from them. The only knock on this situation is they have not 1 shooter on that team. They will need to find a two guard who can defend and knock down 3’s. Luol Deng can become one of the best 6th men in the league and will be a front runner for 6th man of the year award. Why? Because he won’t be demanded to do much besides play solid D, which he does and score which he can plus get rebounds.

With that being said if he goes back to Cleveland he will be in the same predicement. If he goes to New York he will be basically starting over talent wise. If he goes to New Jersey while they do have a lot of talent they have absolutely no playoff expereince so that may take a few years the same goes with the Clippers.

Now if he goes to the Heat then that’s a different story!!!!

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

Jason. I have to ask: What does Chicago have the best of?

I feel:

NY- Best Market

LAC- Best Talent

What does Chicago have? I’m curious.

[DNYCE]

Knickboy it looks like you need to take that Lehype pic off, now that we all know he isn’t going to New York. By the way he is going to be number 6, so that pic was always laughable LOL.

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

Lol, Looks like it. I’ll change it eventually.

[knicks82Participant]

This is great news…(rolls eyes) If this does happen its gonna be very dissappointing for me as a Knick fan, even though I dont want Lebron, the last team Id want him to go to would be the Bulls. Though I just read this little article on Realgm.com about Bosh to Miami pretty much being a done deal…so nobody really knows. Maybe the Bulls get Lebron and Boozer or Lebron and Stoudemire.

[DNYCE]

I think the Knicks will land Joe Johnson and Amare. Boozer might be on his way to Miami.

[GrandmamaParticipant]

What does Chicago have?? Derrick Rose and the best chance for James to win now….especially if they land Bosh which seems likely to happen.

Time to change those pics knickskid, funny you have him in a Knicks jersey here and on your twitter you have him in a Nets jersey….you a netsboy as well? No Lebron for either.

[knicks82Participant]

Chris Broussard is saying the Knicks will meet with Joe Johnson first at 9 p.m west coast time, and hope to meet with Amare Stoudemire after that also on the west coast. Then supposedly they meet with Lebron in Akron at 1p.m. Thursday. Which is sounding like that meeting could be a waste of time.

[FreeJasonryParticipant]

Chicago has tougness and experience. Like I said you can’t discount the fact that Rose and Noah alone has been through 2 years in a row of competitive playoff seasons. And I know one thing for a fact Rose and Noah alone will not take any plays off and play hard every single game. I can’t look at any of the other teams rosters and say they have tougness and expierence that those guys have. Chicago is the 3rd biggest market and I really don’t feel like that’s a true factor. Yes the Clippers have more talent but if you’re going to war for a big game tell me two player from the Clippers who are going to play equal or as hard a Rose and Noah? Plus with the new coach Defense is going to be the least of our concerns. Also, even though Rose isn’t a max guy he is max type talent. Tell me somebody who is on his level of any of those other teams. And name me a role player who plays harder than Noah on those teams? NOBODY….

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

I dunno. I’d argue both Los Angles and New Jersey have better talent.

Los Angles has everything LeBron could use to win a Title next season.

New Jersey not only has the better talent then Chicago with the same ability to get 2 max FA’s but they also have Derrick Favors as a asset/ trade chip. They could move him as well and maybe could add someone like Chris Paul onto the roster.

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

I think they NEED to lockdown Joe Johnson. If you lockdown Johnson you have the leverage for Stoudemire.

Going to see LeBron is a waste. I agree.

[billykParticipant]

The Bulls have the BEST talent and they are the BEST fit…

[DNYCE]

Who do you guys see the Bulls picking up to play the 2? Mike Miller, Ray Allen??

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

Billy.

The Fit is questionable and the Best talent? Let’s break that one down

Chicago- Rose, Noah, Deng

New Jersey- Harris, Williams, Yi, Lee, Lopez, Favors

Los Angles Clippers- Davis, Bledsoe, Warren, Gordon, Aminu, Griffin, Kaman, Jordan

Yea, they’re more like 3rd in the best talent department.

[bigblackNbeautifulParticipant]

I always thought LBJ should be recruiting korver to play along side him where ever he goes. I mean Imagine this

Rose
Korver
James
Bosh
Noah

With
Deng, Gibson, Johnson and some vets off the bench. Wow….

[billykParticipant]

Gemmie Rose, Deng, and Noah over all the those guys any day…. Rose is a top 5 point guard, Noah is a top 10 center, and Deng is better than any wing man on both of those teams…

[billykParticipant]

Its about quality NOT quantity…

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

You could take those 3, you’d be 3rd in the overall talent department.

The Clippers have the best talent and New Jersey isin’t that far behind.

Lebron must really want to play under Jordan’s shadow. That’s the only reason why I see him going to Chicago. It’s not because they have the best talent because that’s BS.

[billykParticipant]

I would take the Bulls and their talent in a 7 games series against the Clippers or Nets ANY DAY… Overall talent?? IDK Rose is more talented than ANY player on the Clippers and Nets… Lets not forget Rose, Deng, and Noah are all winners and they are the type of players that can form a championship core, when you include a Lebron + Bosh,STAT,Boozer (or what ever big man that decides to join Lebron in Chicago…

[DaGuywhodidurmaParticipant]

the bull will be a contender if they get both bosh and lebron, but they will need to surround them with shooters since rose and noah cant shoot. it will get crowded in the post since noah ,bosh,rose and lebron are at theyr best when attacking the rim. a guy like mike miller might come cheap but that would mean lebron would have to guard the other teams best perimeter player. with a few key pieces other than the “big two” chicago will make it out the east easily.

[Mr.Knick 32Participant]

I’m not gonna argue with you but I just disagree. It’s not because LBJ is not going to NY, it’s just- I feel he wanted to win and be the understudy to MJ’s Legacy

[billykParticipant]

Im not arguing, I just think Lebron is a good fit for Chicago….

[OldSkoolBasketballParticipant]

Chicago also has a rookie coach. I much rather go play with the Nets with Avery Johnson as the coach.

[morestealsthanscoresParticipant]

even with those two, i reckon it would take at least a couple of years for chicago to win a championship.

yes, that is a hella talented team. but noah and bosh are carrying precisely no weight inside, so if orlando retool i reckon the bulls will struggle to match up. in addition, the bulls would have to find a couple of reliable 3 point threats because rose and james are mainly slashers.

having said that, it would make things pretty interesting…

[delfamParticipant]

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/67488/20100627/gm_bosh_going_to_miami_planned_for_a_long_time/

[apb540Participant]

This is unbiased coming from a Sixers fan (i hate all these teams) but the most talented team for GeeBron to go to is definitely the Nets. Fringe All-Star in Harris at PG, Future stud PF in Favors, and arguably the top C under Howard in Lopez with a nice bench. I hope LeBron goes to Europe thou cuz all the teams he is looking at I don’t like lol (It’s not that I don’t like the Bulls but they already had MJ so eff off)

[StF616Participant]

Dont think its real,
Rememberm its just a rumor
And Free Agency hasnt even started yet

[marcusfizer21Participant]

If you wanna be a hero, stay in Cleveland…

If you wanna make more money, you can got New York…

If winning is your desire, come to Chicago…

It’s that easy but James’ head must be aching right now for all the choices he has to make because I’m sure he’ll disappoint some fans…

[OhCanada-Participant]

All the Clippers need is Lebron.Its a prefect fit IMO, seriously would be an amazing team. I think if we saw Grirffin play his rookie year it would be a Top Consideration with Chicago.

[OhCanada-Participant]

All the Clippers need is Lebron.Its a prefect fit IMO, seriously would be an amazing team. I think if we saw Grirffin play his rookie year it would be a Top Consideration with Chicago.

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