It all seems to be part of a controversial marketing strategy that has been rolled out over the past week.

It culminated, at least for the moment, on Tuesday when ESPN announced it had made a deal with James to air his free-agent choice during a prime-time special from an as-yet-undisclosed location starting at 9 p.m. Thursday.

But that is only a part of some moves James has made that suddenly seem to be coordinated to increase his already large profile. They also cry out that James is changing, though the extent is not yet clear. But there is no stopping in sight. "

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2010/07/espn_reports_lebron_james_will.html

The rally was originally scheduled for Pioneer Courthouse Square until
organizer David Chitsazan discovered the group needed a permit. The
group has secured permission to gather on the sidewalk that surrounds
the Rose Garden and Memorial Coliseum.

"We will remain on that city block," Chitsazan said in an e-mail. "The
event was approved by City of Portland Special Events Coordinator
Allison Madsen."

James, the NBA’s two-time reigning Most Valuable Player, is set to become an unrestricted free agent July 1 and has said very little on where he wants to play.

Veteran NBA writer Sam Smith fueled speculation about James signing with Portland by writing that the Blazers have assets — specifically three centers under contract in Greg Oden, Marcus Camby and Joel Przybilla — that could induce the Cavaliers to do a sign-and-trade deal with Portland.

Here is the group’s news release:

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/06/blazers_group_plans_rally_sund.html

The Knicks braintrust whittles away the anxious days until July 1 by
holding meetings to strategize their free agency plans, meetings to
strategize how to market the results and hosting pre-draft workouts for
second-round caliber players that have, so far, left no one excited
about making the No. 38 and 39 picks.

While in Cleveland it’s either about to all come together or it’s all coming apart. Danny Ferry’s departure was the result of Cavs owner Dan Gilbert making the decision to take on the Jerry Jones role. Ferry didn’t want the job if it did not come with full autonomy, so he decided to walk away (those Duke guys are an intelligent lot). So Gilbert instead promoted Chris Grant, who is an intelligent and hard-working personnel guy, but, let’s be honest, he’s there, as one NBA executive noted, “to be the mechanic.”

Ferry had told confidants that he was philosophically against the idea of hiring John Calipari, no matter how much LeBron James wanted him. With Gilbert making the calls now – check that, making the calls based on what LeBron would want – the first call is to the college ranks, but not to Calipari. According to the News-Herald, it’s to Michigan State’s Tom Izzo. But Izzo can’t leave the comfort zone in Lansing for the uncertainty of Cleveland unless he has some assurances that James will be there, too.

This is the chicken-and-egg situation Gilbert and the Cavs find themselves in at this point, because you certainly can’t hire a high-end coach unless you have LeBron signed first. So it goes without saying that part of signing LeBron is agreeing to hire his choice as head coach.

It’s also to clear out the players James doesn’t want on the team anymore, so it’s understandable that immediately after Ferry’s departure came reports out of Cleveland that Mo Williams and Delonte West would be shopped. What Gilbert may learn is that while he’s been willing to take on bad contracts, no one else in the league will be doing this – not even the Knicks – with the current CBA set to expire.

The prevailing opinion (which we subscribe to) is that LeBron will wind up staying in Cleveland for a short-term deal or one with an ETO after two years, still, the Knicks have to feel confident their pitch will at least give LeBron something to consider, especially when you factor in the clean slate roster and salary cap situation, the established coach with the popular system that fits his skill set and, of course, the unmatched magnitude of a move to the Garden stage, which the NBA and ESPN (and Nike) would gleefully use to produce stratospheric promotions to the point that even Martians will be flying in to purchase tickets and merchandise.

But even if LeBron feels it’s time to make a break from Cleveland, understand that New York is hardly a given as his choice destination.

It’s Chicago that looms as the toughest opponent in the way. Well of course they are. It was like that in the 1990s when the Bulls previously had the league’s best player. Da Bulls are always in the damn way.

http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo;JSESSIONID=A7269561D2A00B11E122.2706?site=newsday&view=page3&feed:a=newsday_5min&feed:c=sports&feed:i=1.1987824&nopaging=1

Oakley slammed his former team in an interview with a Miami radio
station Friday.

"I can’t tell him to go to New York," Oakley said. "New York treated me
bad.

… When I go to the Knicks games, do you know that they have somebody
that follows me around to see what I say to the press?"

Oakley lives in the Cleveland area and is friends with James. If James does ask, Oakley would point him toward the Heat.

"I said maybe Chicago or Miami . I think him and (Dwyane) Wade would be great together," Oakley said.

Oakley spent 10 seasons with the Knicks (1988-98). He started his career with the Bulls and played for the Raptors, Wizards and Rockets before retiring in 2004.

Oakley also took a shot at former teammate Patrick Ewing, who he claims never was blamed for the Knicks’ failure to win a championship.

"When we lose, they only point at us, never point at Patrick," Oakley said.

"Patrick was our leader as far as press and people who are watching TV, but the Knicks were made of a lot of tough guys and a lot of heart. I think that sometimes we let our heart get in the way instead of playing the game.

"A lot of times when we play the Bulls, decision making, Pat Riley was a great coach, but sometimes he didn’t make the best decisions. Sometimes players on the court, we didn’t make the best decisions.

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/oakley_to_lebron_don_come_to_knicks_XIo6jcC3VpRiAoUV1MIeJM

That’s the equivalent to a few cases of vodka for Prokhorov, the richest
man in Russia and the 39th wealthiest in the world, according to
Forbes’ most recent list.

Prokhorov knows little about the NBA, but a lot about business. LeBron
James likes business, too. Whether the two are a match won’t be
determined until next month. Despite being the league’s worst team last
season, the Nets have the cap space and are ready to pounce on James in
this summer’s elite free-agent class.

”They’re convinced they have a shot at everybody but [Dwyane] Wade,” said one source close to the Nets, who spoke on condition of anonymity. ”They believe they have a really good shot at LeBron because they think Prokhorov’s global vision might appeal to him on some level. The tradeoff is he’ll be stuck in Newark for two seasons.”

The Nets are moving from East Rutherford, N.J., to Newark, N.J., until their new arena is completed in Brooklyn, N.Y. Construction crews recently broke ground on the new facility, which is to open before the start of the 2012-13 season. The team has a flexible deal with the Prudential Center in Newark and can return for the start of the 2012 season if the Brooklyn arena isn’t completed in time, but they will most assuredly finish the season in Brooklyn.

The question is whether James will be with them. If he intends to sign another three-year deal, he’ll probably pass on the Nets and two years in Newark. If he is ready to commit for five, the Nets might be more appealing.

Upon taking over the team, Prokhorov promised Nets fans ”a championship in five years.”

There is plenty of work to do. The Nets set an NBA record last season by beginning the year 0-18, although they have building blocks in point guard Devin Harris and center Brook Lopez. They also have the No. 3 overall pick in this month’s NBA Draft.

They finished a league-worst 12-70, but the front office quit caring about the overall record after the first 12 or 13 losses. The Nets went young — very young. The average age of their starting five, 23.2 years, was easily the league’s youngest. The focus was development, not winning.

Now they have a ton of cap space, a high draft pick and a secret weapon to lure James in rapper and close friend Jay-Z.

http://www.ohio.com/sports/cavs/95693974.html

Something pushed Bulls officials to get on a plane, fly to Los Angeles
on the eve of the NBA Finals and meet with the Boston Celtics assistant
coach. Within 48 hours, the Bulls had a deal for Thibodeau to become
their head coach. For several weeks, the Bulls had chances to interview
him. They never did. Just a year ago, Thibodeau couldn’t get offers from
the Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia Sixers and
Minnesota Timberwolves. The Celtics see him as a career assistant and
wouldn’t even consider him as a candidate to replace Doc Rivers.

Only now, Tom Thibodeau has a three-year contract to coach the Chicago Bulls.

As one front-office executive with a franchise that has significant salary-cap space this summer said, “I think all the big free-agent deals will be done by July 1, if not the draft. The NBA would have a cow if [it] knew what’s going on now.”

Some league executives don’t even believe Bulls general manager Gar Forman was sold on Thibodeau, but it doesn’t matter. Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf was. Everything is happening on the ownership level now, and that’s the reason Gilbert wants to become Jerry Jones and Danny Ferry wanted out of a Cleveland future whether it included LeBron James or not. The hiring of Thibodeau doesn’t assure the Bulls of James, but consider it something of a down payment.

Dwyane Wade(notes) isn’t coming to the Bulls, and they know it. He’s recruiting free agents for the Miami Heat now, and his public disparaging of the Bulls’ lack of loyalty to their former great players was mostly directed toward the ears of his free-agent peers. Wade is selling the organizational stability of the Heat, the possibility of playing for the best available championship coach on the market, Pat Riley.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Aq_wCnL0GVqAr6nNMrWp_3S8vLYF?slug=aw-lebroninfluence060510

Danny Ferry is out as general manager of Cleveland and the club
installed his assistant, Chris Grant as interim general manager. It’s
unclear if Grant is permanent, with James’ free-agent choice the obvious
determinant.

Ferry’s contract was expiring this month and he resigned stunningly
after a five-season tour did not net a title with James. On the surface,
it would seem James has more power than ever to shape his future.

Ferry’s departure occurred two weeks after the club fired coach Mike Brown following the team’s second-round loss to the Celtics. It also comes as the team is angling to re-sign James, who said Cleveland has "an edge" in the recruiting process.

Ferry’s vague departure will lead to speculation that James played a role. Ferry said the decision not to renew his contract was a mutual one with owner Dan Gilbert.

"I thought it was important that there was as much clarity as possible in the organization at this time, so things could start moving forward," Ferry told the Associated Press. "I appreciate all that Dan has done to build a world-class organization."

Ferry did not mention James by name. Nor did Brown in a statement on his way out the door.

Ferry’s move of trading for Antawn Jamison at the trade deadline backfired because it gave the Cavaliers no cap-room flexibility this summer to upgrade. The signing of Shaquille O’Neal was a mistake, too.

"It is the right time to move on," Ferry said. "Chris is prepared to do a great job."

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/ferry_ousted_as_cavs_gm_sTtMzTpeUUVWHYDHCtkBcL

In an unprecedented move, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson and
Dwyane Wade — all All-Stars and potential free agents as of July 1 —
plan to assemble and map out their futures, according to a story first
published by the Chicago Tribune.

Bill Duffy, the agent for Pistons forward Tayshuan Prince, likened it to
Batman searching for Robin with the ultimate goal being gaining an NBA
title.

"I think each player has to assess his own individual situation," Duffy said. "I think the reason you’re seeing this synergy, so to speak, is that all of these guys are in situations where they are not winning, so they need a co-conspirator. I call it the Batman and Robin syndrome where some players are Batman and some players are Robin.

"If you look at the NBA there’s never been one individual superstar to carry a team. Oscar Robertson teamed with Lew Alcindor at the time. In Detroit you could say Dennis Rodman and Joe Dumars were Isiah Thomas’ Robins and Magic (Johnson) was surrounded by a bunch of great players."

http://www.freep.com/article/20100529/SPORTS03/5290355/1051/Sports03/Agent-LeBron-James-is-searching-for-a-sidekick

According to two sources, Knicks team president Donnie Walsh plans to
start compiling a list of general manager candidates in late July/early
August after the free-agent frenzy is over.

Perhaps Walsh’s episode in Paris 2½ weeks ago was a sign from the heavens he could use a traditional general manager, so he can travel on the road less often. According to a source close to Walsh, the 69-year-old’s hip went out during the Euroleague Final Four as he struggled negotiating the bleachers at ancient Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy.
Walsh downplayed the incident, but told The Post he has put off a hip-replacement surgery for six years, never feeling he had time for the six weeks of rehab. Friends are insisting that he undergoes the surgery sooner rather than later, perhaps after the free-agent signings.

Walsh didn’t deny it’s something that could be addressed in the near future, but stated in an e-mail, "I’m not thinking about it now. It is not something I am focused on at this time."

Firing D’Antoni has never crossed Walsh’s mind. The reason he was hired two years ago partly was because of his relationship he developed with James when he was an assistant coach of the 2008 gold-medal winning USA basketball team.

Knicks senior vice president of basketball operations Glen Grunwald, a leftover from the Isiah Thomas regime, has one more year left on his contract, but Walsh does not appear to view him as his ultimate successor.

James could have major input in that decision if he is here, but former Warriors GM Chris Mullin, who is tight with Walsh from their Indiana days, seems a natural fit and long has been considered a candidate to be Walsh’s heir apparent.

Allan Houston, assistant to the president who will be a key recruiter this July (he’s longtime friends with James’ advisor, William Wesley), could be nearing a promotion. When Walsh hired Houston, he admitted he was grooming him to be a general manager.

Nets’ GM Kiki Vandeweghe, dismissed by new owner Mikhail Prokhorov, has interest in the Knicks’ job. John Gabriel, the Knicks director of pro scouting who spearheaded the scouting and preparation of the 2010 free-agent class, has a distinguished resume as the GM of the Magic. Mark Warkentien, the Nuggets GM whose contract is up, also is close with Walsh.

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/knicks_decision_gm_hunt_lebron_could_7lZhkBm5x7UEREGGWKAgQJ

Actually, best I can tell from reading the New York papers, James is
going to sign with the Knicks and the Nets.

Here is a rundown of the most likely places LeBron will land:

• Cavaliers: James has reached the proverbial fork in the road. If he
follows the same route to The Q, they’ll name the highway after him. But
if he takes the interstate out of town, he’d better take all his
belongings because nobody’s letting him come back home.

I guess it says something about our culture that, if LeBron leaves Cleveland, the town will go into a 20-year depression. (If he leaves Cleveland for New York, you can add a zero to that.) I’m not good at professional advice, but I’ll offer LeBron this: Stay the course at home and keep bringing sunshine to a city clouded with doubts. You don’t want to become Art Modell, do you?

• Los Angeles Clippers: If Nike ran the NBA, James would join Kobe Bryant for a Tinseltown marketing bonanza! Can you imagine LeBron and Kobe in the same arena? That would be like Gypsy Rose Lee and Blaze Starr working the same pole. But there are problems. First of all, traffic is so bad in L.A., Kobe commutes to Staples Center by helicopter. (For real.) Second of all, the team is owned by Donald Sterling, who also owns apartment buildings; frankly, his properties – including the Clippers – all look like they could use a fresh coat of paint.

• New York Knicks: Really, outside of New York, who wants to see LeBron end up in New York? It remains a great city and a grating sports town. And for all its greatness, the Big Apple has no vacancies – all the best addresses are gone. You think LeBron’s going to live in a fifth-floor walkup with no doorman? Not to mention, with or without LeBron, the Knicks stink. I can smell the stench from here and I’m 2,400 miles away. There’s virtually no difference between the team’s current roster and the line of people at Radio Shack waiting to buy phone chargers.

• New Jersey Nets: Who wouldn’t want to work for a Russian billionaire and Beyonce’s husband? And supposedly the Nets are moving to sexy Brooklyn in 2012, though that arena might not get built until 2512. Until then, the team will play in Newark, N.J., which, stunningly, is the Nets’ ace in the hole. Newark – on the uptick – is now Paris on the Turnpike. Newark is close to the Atlantic Ocean (a top-five ocean); it’s home to Port Newark, one of the world’s top shipping ports, and, most important, it’s no more than a 10-minute helicopter ride into Manhattan

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/05/if_he_reads_this_lebron_james.html