Chisoxfn

SportsCenter ✔ @SportsCenter Follow BREAKING: LeBron James is signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers. (via @SInow)

ESPN announcing the return. LBJ is heading home. Come to Chicago Melo!!!

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Jul 11, 2014 -> 08:48 AM) I never said that. I said the other deals that Stan overpaid on will start to hurt them. With this core, you can't just have a 3 year lull. One of the windows is right now. There's a salary cap as you know, so that's going to limit how high they can earn anyway. Do MLS stars really make 10.5 mil? I'm legit asking, I honestly don't know. It was my understanding that MLS guys don't make a ton, which is one reason it's so hard to get top talent. I can't imagine MLS revenue is greater than NHL revenue. Maybe it's the top stars make a ton and everyone else is making peanuts? Is the MLS TV contract that good? Don't the play on NBCSN as well? MLS Stars don't make more then Hockey players. I know nothing of the MLS contract although I swore ESPN just extended their agreement with them. Each team has like an exception where they can pay a big time salary though, above what the norm was. Beckham got huge money when he was playing with the Galaxy (like more then NBA top money). This is off the top of my head so someone probably should fact check me cause my memory sometimes sucks.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jul 11, 2014 -> 08:45 AM) Again, I just don't see how under the cap this is feasible. Big 3? Easy, bird rights on all 3. Renouncing Bosh doesn't suddenly free up 20 million for them to spend. I don't disagree with you. Only way it could be done is if both Melo / Lebron take some discounts. I've always discounted it because of the moves they made but now I really do wonder if LBJ is just waiting Bosh out so he has to eventually sign with the Rockets.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jul 11, 2014 -> 08:38 AM) mirotic. Depending on what they are doing, if Knicks aren't involved, you wouldn't be able to get Mirotic, as you wouldn't have access to the MLE.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jul 11, 2014 -> 08:39 AM) Explain Melo / Wade / James.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Jul 11, 2014 -> 08:37 AM) They'd have to get rid of Gibson in that scenario. If that's the case, they better be ready to have a deal lined up to S&T for Gasol or another PF. Yep or at least I'm presuming that would be the case. Would be curious what moves they have lined up. Maybe those leaks are really just to put more pressure on Knicks to try and work something else instead.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jul 11, 2014 -> 08:33 AM) I wouldn't discredit Ralph! I know nothing of him but people seem to say he's legit. I know he's been a so called "insider" there for years.

Real Gm insider, Ralph, indicates Bulls have deals lined up now to be able to offer Melo full max deal without a S&T with Knicks (with exception obviously being fact we can't offer 5th year). Take it for what you will. Also, Marc Stein is indicating Lebron has not given any indications that his decision will come before his trip to the world cup. That means Bosh would have to decide on Houston prior to LBJ deciding. I'm starting to think there might be something to this whole new Big 3 in Miami.

The money Sox could offer just isn't worth it. Had he said he was interested in getting drafted he would have gotten a lot more. he needs very close to 7 figures to really have a legit shot at signing him. We can offer a whopping 100K, which after taxes, etc, will be closer to 60K. Yes, he'd still get a free education, but if he is a top 10 round pick, he'll get more then that anyway, with potential for a lot more upside. I'm a huge advocate for taking the money but the money Sox can offer isn't right here.

What is the % of other races in prison without college educations?

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jul 11, 2014 -> 01:23 AM) Great post. Going to Cleveland doesn't make much sense IMO. Remember the bad blood with that owner before. I don't know why they haven't squashed the rumors either. That's why I was thinking he was going back. Wade and LBJ are attached at the hip right now. I think he has the police there to ensure his home isn't trashed in Cleveland when it comes back. Seems like everyone has been duped. I don't buy into this LBJ to Cleveland stuff anymore. Just doesn't add up but I could be mistaken.

Mike McGraw @McGrawDHBulls Follow Don't think there's been any sign-and-trade talks. #Bulls need Carmelo to commit first, which could get that ball rolling.

Mike McGraw @McGrawDHBulls #Bulls trying to figure out how to close. If Carmelo has been agonizing for more than a week, who knows where this will go.

Mike McGraw @McGrawDHBulls Hearing the Stephen A. Smith report is accurate. Carmelo may have been leaning elsewhere, but regained interest in #Bulls.

Mike McGraw ‏@McGrawDHBulls 1m Hearing Tom Thibodeau is playing a major role in keeping Carmelo Anthony interested in Bulls. Noah - Thibbs....get your butts to NY or wherever Melo is.

I don't actually know if this is new info or just slightly different excerpts all based upon the discussion SAS had with his source around 5 PM yesterday. New York Knicks Carmelo Anthony: "He said we're telling you [Melo] and his family talking about Chicago Bulls" (Interview: Stephen A. Smith) New York Knicks Carmelo Anthony: "Chicago is on his mind he said. Someone very close to Carmelo and I trust." (Interview: Stephen A. Smith)

Just insane to me. Thought Cowley actually had a funny tweet: Sun-Times Basketball ‏@suntimes_hoops 27s You know those are Cleveland fans in that picture because Heat fans would be leaving the yard before the decision was even made. #Game6

Alright...this talk has to end. Focus on Rodon please.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jul 10, 2014 -> 01:47 PM) That's why I asked earlier why (or if) the Bulls could, in writing, promise to Melo that they'll offer him that 5th year at X price regardless of the deal he signs before this season. Then you're talking about 15 million over 5 years he's losing, not 30 or 60. I don't think they can make those sort of promises but I don't know that for fact. However, if you can't guarantee a contract offer when someone opts out, I can't imagine you can promise an extension. Who knows though. LaMarcus Aldridge is holding off on signing for 1 more year so he can get a bigger / longer max deal.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Jul 10, 2014 -> 01:42 PM) Really? This is one of the last (if not the last) time Melo may have the ability to entirely dictate where he goes while he is still in the prime of his career. I get that fans are impatient and want the news yesterday, but this is his life. And he should take as much time as he wants, because the people like us on message boards are meaningless. But he needs to make a decision where he wont wake up a day, week, year from now and go "what if". Completely understandable why it would be hard to commit and why he may be vacillating on his decision. I also think deciding to leave takes a lot longer then deciding to stay, so the delay is good news. However, that doesn't mean he doesn't end up choosing to stay, this just means he is at least thinking long and hard about things and we are clearly an option given the delay, imo.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jul 10, 2014 -> 01:42 PM) But until he tells Phil "I want to go to Chicago," a S&T is not a possibility. Phil is not going to offer that up to him, because then he loses his negotiation position. He needs to posture like he doesn't want to play ball with Chicago, even if he's ok with Melo leaving. I completely agree; If he wants to do Chicago he needs to basically put all the pressure on Phil and make it believable that he'll take the Bulls offer. That is why I think Bulls should leak some reports that they have deals in place for Taj and now can offer Melo the full max without a S&T. Note: None of the above is necessarily true, although you know tarn well they could move Taj if they needed to and make things work. This would then apply the pressure for Phil to at least consider S&T cause either way, Melo is out. I don't think Phil believes Melo walks from 50M, however, if Bulls offer 94, I think Melo might just walk (and leave that 5th year on the table). Bulls offer would technically be more money.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jul 10, 2014 -> 01:37 PM) It's 60 million. There's nothing to think about. 99.99% of people would go back, and he should. If he ends up back in New York and Lebron goes to Cleveland, this was all for show. There's no good reason for the decision to take this long. He is either waiting for LBJ as it could impact where he ultimately goes or he's seeing if there could be a S&T angle worked to make the money not so much of a difference. That could be why this continues to drag out.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jul 10, 2014 -> 01:34 PM) I can somewhat understand Melo. IMO he's waiting on Lebron. If Lebron does the Miami short term deal, he goes to NY because the possibility of playing with Lebron in one or two years is still an option. If Lebron goes to Cleveland that becomes a pipe dream, so maybe Melo goes elsewhere. Lebron probably laid low initially to allow Melo to make moves. Now he's making his mind and really hasn't taken that much time (from when he started the process). I wonder if his big focus is waiting around to see if Cavs can do something to help him get another star. Isn't that what stopped him from going to Cleveland in the first place, he couldn't find a way to convince other stars to come there to help him? I guess it is a moot point if he buys into Wiggins / Kyrie, with Kyrie obviously being pretty proven, although a guy with some attitude issues.

Another random aside, if Bulls were unable to do a S&T and instead traded Taj (and then got Pau), and offered the same offer the Lakers have on the table, the offer for the first 4 years would actually be more then the Knicks could offer due to the taxes in NY (including NYC tax).