Team LeBron has dominated on the court but it has been no match for the teams of Edward and Jacob.
While the newest Twlight Saga film has become the biggest blockbuster of the summer, the NBA free agency saga is quickly becoming the biggest bust. After a year of speculation as to where LeBron James and Co. would sign, anticipation has started to turn to annoyance.
Blame for the lack of a big move could be placed on the NBA. Negotiations can start the first day of July but free agents can’t sign until Thursday. This means seven days of gossip. The hype should be addressed toward signing day, not lip service. Most would call this the Terrell Owens or Brett Favre factor — everyone over examines the hearsay, and by the time any real news happens, no one cares.
James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, David Lee, Carlos Boozer and Amare Stoudemire are still unsigned. To no one’s surprise, Paul Pierce and Dirk Nowitzki will re-sign with the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks respectively, offering little excitement.
Stoudemire has been the only tease of a major move as he is the lone player to receive a solid contract offer from a new team. ESPN reported the New York Knicks formally offered the five-time all-star a five-year deal worth $100 million. Maybe he will sign, maybe he won’t — we will have to wait two more days.
The signings that have occurred have been the opposite of exciting and highly questionable. These signings are more comparable to picking the winning numbers of the lottery. Darko Milicic, second overall pick in the 2003 draft, was offered a four-year deal worth $20 million. Besides Kwame Brown, Milicic is the face that fits the term draft bust.
The Toronto Raptors and Amir Johnson have unofficially agreed to a five-year contract worth $34 million. During his legendary five-year career, four years with the Detroit Pistons and one with the Raptors, he has averaged 4.7 points and 4.2 rebounds a game. He may be an all-star in the future, but the Raptors are not going to win a pick up game in the National Basketball Development League if they make contracts off potential.
The big-name free agents have been reported by ESPN to be in meetings with teams that are proposing contracts. Wade visited with the Chicago Bulls twice while James spent three hours discussing his future with Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf. Bosh, Lee and Boozer all met with the Bulls Saturday.
The Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat and the New Jersey Nets have also been involved in talks with these players.
Hopefully by next week James, Wade, Bosh and the boys will have a new city to call home or the NBA will start to lose the massive amount of attention it has commanded the last two weeks.
Brandon LaChance can be reached a blachance@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 282.
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