From the Chicago Sun-Times:

If the Cavaliers, who were 34-30 when new owner Dan Gilbert had coach Paul Silas fired, either miss the playoffs or fail to re-sign free-agent center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, look for LeBron James to push to be traded to the Knicks. James is rumored to be lobbying for Gilbert to re-sign Ilgauskas.

Let's hope they miss the playoffs and we really push for Z over the summer. Maybe we can get both. I don't know if we would have the pieces to trade for both but if we could somehow end up with James, Marbury, Z, and our first round pick(Green or Taft), things would be looking very good for us.

Also from the Sun-Times:

If all top college underclassmen apply for the draft, insiders say the first five players picked will be Utah 7-foot center Andrew Bogut, North Carolina 6-9 forward Marvin Williams, Illinois 6-3 guard Deron Williams, North Carolina 6-4 guard Rashad McCants and Wake Forest 6-foot guard Chris Paul.

I didn't realize people were this high on McCants. Mock drafts have him all over the place. Top 5 since a little high. I figured he was late lottery at best.

[Edited by - knixkik on 04/17/2005 11:35:09]

[Edited by - knixkik on 04/17/2005 11:35:42]

What? The media is reporting that a big time player could end up on the Knicks? I'm absolutely shocked, this is so unlike the papers!

...well atleast it's Chicago's news and not NY. That gives it a little more credibility right?

I'll start hoping for Cleveland to drop. I might as well, it'll be fun watching the Nets get swept in the 1st round. Besides, might be fun to hold onto the LeBron dream for a while.

has there been a case where a star of Lebron's magnitude left the team that drafted him before his rookie contract expired? I can't think of any. I think Cleveland will do what it takes to keep Lebron happy. They're really only a shooter like Redd/Allen away from being a serious contender with a superstar and a top 10 center already in place. Only chance we have is waiting fpr Lebron to hit the market and hope that Cleveland never gets passed the 2nd round and Lebron wants to come to a huge Market like NY. Wake me up when those kind of things happen...

Posted by Silverfuel:

Posted by gunsnewing:

has there been a case where a star of Lebron's magnitude left the team that drafted him before his rookie contract expired? I can't think of any.

Shaq

hmmmmm Shaq is definitely one lol I think teams have learned not to pissoff superstars like shaq since then. It's still possible that Lebron has a fallout with management but its still too early to tell. This is still only his 2nd yr in the league.

but its very rare and not something we should be banking on. At least not today. Once Lebron makes it clear that he wants out of Cleveland despite them doing whatever it takes to keep him and wants to come to New York because being in the biggest city in the world will be better for his legacy, then I will believe it

it depends on how much Lebron wants to stay in Cleveland, if he doesn't care about being in Cleveland as much as he made it seem he did before he was drafted then anything is possible. I just think if Cleveland resigns Z and adds a shooter from the draft like a McCants or a Micheal Redd or Ray Allen they will be a lot closer contending then of he comes to New York with a frontline of Kurt Thomas and Michael Sweetney.

[Edited by - gunsnewing on 04/17/2005 12:57:04]

I don't think we have the pieces to get both. We would have to just trade for LeBron and hope to get Z another way. As far as talent is concerned, we really only have the pieces to aquire just Z.

are you kidding me? no way in hell does cleveland EVER trade lebron - they cant, itd ruin the franchise completely. i dont care if he says he wants to play for new york, no team in their right mind would trade him away, hes just too much of a superstar at 20. if he decides to sign with another team then its a different case, but i cant see cleveland trading him, even if it means they lose him for nothing

I find it suprising that a media source other than NY is saying that LeBron may sign with is in the future. I wouldn't bet anything big on it, but I think it's possible. But I do agree that there is no way that Cleveland is going to trade him, they'd rather lose him for nothing as long as they aren't marked as, "the guys who traded LeBron"

Lebron would piss off a LOT of his hometown fans in Cleveland who view him as a saviour for their franchise.... If this does happen, it won't happen for a long long time - ie. when Lebron has given the franchise and city a few years of highlights

Jersey owns the tie-breaker, which means Cleveland has to win their last two games, and NJ has to lose 1

After the last NY-Cavs game Magic Johnson, Barkley, Kenny Smith, and the white guy (forgot his name) were discussing the situation in Cleveland... And Magic said that Lebron James had asked to be traded to the Knicks... and then he followed that up by rolling his eyes and saying that it's ridiculous and that they need to get new management in there. Did anyone else see that post game wrap up on TNT? It was the post game wrap up for another game.. (Maybe a Houston game).. can't really recall... Anyway... I thought that it was interesting.... but figured the best thing to do is avoid the usual... "trade me to NY" rumors...