NBA Free Agency Final Predictions

[legaleagle92481]

Since July 1st and NBA Free Agent madness is finally about here, what are everyone's final predictions on where the big names will go. Here are mine:

Lebron James-Chicago Bulls
Chris Bosh-Chicago Bulls (Sign and trade with Raptors sends Deng to Toronto)
Joe Johnson-New York Knicks
Amare Stoudamire-Miami Heat
Ray Allen-Miami Heat
Dirk Nitrowski-Stays in Dallas
Yao Ming-Stays in Houston
David Lee-Stays with Knicks

Chris Paul-Traded to New Jersey Nets for Favors and Harris

[yankees24]

I'm not following this as much as I should, but when do these free agents have to make their decision on whom to sign with?

[joshmiller0]

I'm not following this as much as I should, but when do these free agents have to make their decision on whom to sign with?
I think they have a while to decide, which is why the NBA has asked LeBron to make his decision asap so the rest of the free agents can follow. No one can officially decide until I think at least the 7th or 8th. I wouldn't count on anything until papers are signed (see Hedo Turkoglu last year). It's a tough call to say who is going where, but I have a feeling the Knicks aren't getting anyone. I just hate to see them blow their money on someone like a Joe Johnson who won't get them much... They finally have some cap room, please don't waste it and turn this into an Allan Houston situation again.

On a side note, I'd love to see Paul and Lopez team up on the Nets.

[vballGuy]

Legal,

You didn't predict where Wade would go? I'm assuming stay in Miami.

The only thing I can say for certain is that Bosh is gone from Toronto. I am a Raptors fan, so tomorrow will most likely be a sad day. Would be ok if we got Deng in a sign and trade. I am kind of getting the feeling that we will seriously get nothing in return.

[WadeInBmore]

I'm not a basketball guy by-far, however I've been following all the FA reports and this is what I would like to see...

LeBron, Wade, and Bosh will end up in Miami. Bosh via sign and trade deal with Toronto.

Shaquille will find a new home in Boston to help replace Perkins.

Joe Johnson and Amar'e will end up as Knicks.

I don't think the Bulls will come up big...perhaps they shape up like the Magic, maintaining a strong under-rated core that can play good basketball. I'd like to see Miami turn I to a mega ultra super fantabulous team landing three (almost like a video game).

Just my thoughts. It'll be interesting in the next 18 hours to see what happens.

[both-teams-played-hard]

http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/1664/plaindealer.jpg

[legaleagle92481]

Legal,

You didn't predict where Wade would go? I'm assuming stay in Miami.

The only thing I can say for certain is that Bosh is gone from Toronto. I am a Raptors fan, so tomorrow will most likely be a sad day. Would be ok if we got Deng in a sign and trade. I am kind of getting the feeling that we will seriously get nothing in return.

Lol yeah my bad missed Wade. Pat Riley is not losing him. Plus Miami has alot of advantages. Florida has NO state income tax which saves a bundle when you earn his kind of numbers. It has good weather year round no blizzards to naviagate through on the way to the Arena and DWade is a young single male and South Beach is a great place to party. Plus Riley would never do a sign and trade so to leave he would cost himself a fortune in taxes and a lesser contract. Plus with the cap room Miami has they can and will lure other players based on Wade's being there.

Raptors will get either Deng or Michael Beasley for Bosh as one of those two teams will land him and Bosh won't leave coin on the table by outright signing elsewhere and why would Raptors let him go for nada? Sign and trades work out great sometimes. The Magic once gave up a young Ben Wallace in a sign and trade for Grant Hill. Wallace won the ring and the Awards in Detriot, Hill missed games like it was his job in Orlando. So Detriot won huge by losing a "star".

[legaleagle92481]

http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/1664/plaindealer.jpg

Lol. The reason I say he leaves is because his legacy depends on winning a ring and the Cavs have no cap room to add talent and he has gone as far as he is going to go with the current team. In a seven game series the Cavs as currently built will never beat the Lakers or Magic. Trades are out also because who do they have to trade that anyone would want besides James? Anyone want Jamison's contract? Or a 90 year old Shaq? Of the teams with cap room Chicago is the closest to winning. I don't count Miami because Wade is the man there and he has too big of an ego to be a second banana to anyone plus they have already won a title in the Wade era. Plus Lebron is from the midwest and switched his number from 23 so I think that is where he lands.

[dirtyla2000]

Legal,

You didn't predict where Wade would go? I'm assuming stay in Miami.

The only thing I can say for certain is that Bosh is gone from Toronto. I am a Raptors fan, so tomorrow will most likely be a sad day. Would be ok if we got Deng in a sign and trade. I am kind of getting the feeling that we will seriously get nothing in return.
Being from Mtl. I too like the Raptors but believe me its time Bosh leaves! If you can lose with him you could lose without him! He has proven that he is a me me guy with his free agency! I am glad to see him go,and believe me he will avg only 15-17 points a game somewhere else!

[STLHAMMER32]

I think Lebron will end up in New Jersey. He will be playing in Brooklyn in two years and will have an opportunity be the King of New York, expand his popularity and appeal on a global scale via the billionaire owner and Jay-Z. The arena they build will be the "House Lebron Built".

D-wade will stay in Miami where is loyalty ultimately keeps him there. Bosh may tag along with one of them or end up on his own in Chicago via sign and trade.

[yankees506]

Lebron has billion dollar dreams, those dreams are reality in NYC! LEBRON will sign with the Knicks or stay in Cleveland, he wont go to Chicago (MJ), or Miami (wade), or Nets (In Jersey for 2 more years).... NYC is what he will see!

[WadeInBmore]

Wade and Bosh sign with the Heat (or will sign). Lebron to announce his decision Thursday night at 9p.

wade

[dcgreg25]

At this point just make it end. The circus has gone on far too long and is challenging the addage that any publicity is good publicity. There are exceptions to that rule.

[otismalibu]

ESPN Insider is now reporting that Lebron will be packaged in the Russia-U.S. spy swap.

[Manram]

On ESPN sources said lebron will sign with the heat. I don't see why he would though...............

[both-teams-played-hard]

Won't it be fun to root against the Miami Heat?
Lebron is a bitch. 25 lookin' like he's 42.

The grass. Greener. The other side. Bitch-ass punk.

[yankees506]

Well lebron, Next time you come to NYC, no more cheers, no more mvp chants, no more yankee sneakers, dont you dare dawn our caps. Your an idiot for signing with WADES team. If you dont know, wade is a champion already and even if you guys win ten championships, wade will have 11. I am going to enjoy watching amare (and melo next season) and my new york knicks kick your a$$ in the playoffs. And if i ever see you at a yankee game, i will be spilling my $10 beer all over you to cool off your HEAT. Thanks for nothing bum.

[nickacs]

And then it was done..... traitor

[5kRunner]

Anyone else think "The Decision" side show was a bit classless? Not sure who in Lebron's camp thought that was a good idea. Hell, if its all about winning, why not try to get a sign and trade with the Lakers?

The "King" ain't even the MAN on his own team. LOL. :rolleyes:

[both-teams-played-hard]

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/1663/eatoff.jpg
LeBrain at the July 4th fingernail eating contest.

[Dewey2007]

Since July 1st and NBA Free Agent madness is finally about here, what are everyone's final predictions on where the big names will go. Here are mine:

Lebron James-Chicago Bulls
Chris Bosh-Chicago Bulls (Sign and trade with Raptors sends Deng to Toronto)
Joe Johnson-New York Knicks
Amare Stoudamire-Miami Heat
Ray Allen-Miami Heat
Dirk Nitrowski-Stays in Dallas
Yao Ming-Stays in Houston
David Lee-Stays with Knicks

Chris Paul-Traded to New Jersey Nets for Favors and Harris

Legal, good thing you weren't betting on the free agency results. Looks like you only got 2 of your 9 predictions right.

David Lee to Golden State. We're back!! :rolleyes:

[legaleagle92481]

Legal, good thing you weren't betting on the free agency results. Looks like you only got 2 of your 9 predictions right.

David Lee to Golden State. We're back!! :rolleyes:

I know it was crazy how it all went down. I think Lebron is wrong to sign with the Heat and should try to win a title on his own and in the process beat his fellow stars rather than create an allstar team in hopes of winning. Jordan never would have left the Bulls to join a team with Barkley and Karl Malone he relished beating them. Kobe would not leave the Lakers to go play with Nash and Duncan because he also enjoys beating them. The special was classless as well I thought announcing on national tv that he is turning his back on his hometown live from the vicinity of two teams that did backflips trying to get him. He completely screwed Cleveland they are stuck with a starless team of bad contracts which was put together with the sole goal of pleasing Lebron and he did not even have the deceny to call the owner beforehand personally and tell him what was up. The whole thing shows 1. Lebron has no loyalty and 2. He does not have confidence in his ability to lead a team to a title and has no interest in doing what he has to do to elevate a team to that level and would rather be second fiddle to a guy who already did it in Wade.

[both-teams-played-hard]

I know it was crazy how it all went down. I think Lebron is wrong to sign with the Heat and should try to win a title on his own and in the process beat his fellow stars rather than create an allstar team in hopes of winning. Jordan never would have left the Bulls to join a team with Barkley and Karl Malone he relished beating them. Kobe would not leave the Lakers to go play with Nash and Duncan because he also enjoys beating them. The special was classless as well I thought announcing on national tv that he is turning his back on his hometown live from the vicinity of two teams that did backflips trying to get him. He completely screwed Cleveland they are stuck with a starless team of bad contracts which was put together with the sole goal of pleasing Lebron and he did not even have the deceny to call the owner beforehand personally and tell him what was up. The whole thing shows 1. Lebron has no loyalty and 2. He does not have confidence in his ability to lead a team to a title and has no interest in doing what he has to do to elevate a team to that level and would rather be second fiddle to a guy who already did it in Wade.
All good points. Lebron has no fire in his eyes and is afraid of being the goat. He was too chickenshit to go to New York of Chicago, because those towns have true basketball fans who will call him out. He has to surround himself with others stars, so they can share the blame when they lose. It's not a video game...too many chefs in the kitchen. It would have been a major accomplishment to bring Cleveland their first championship, instead of helping D-Wade get his second. Oh yeah, did I mention LeBron is a chronic nail-biter?

[otismalibu]

Footprints
by Lebron

One night I had a dream--
I dreamed I was walking along South Beach with D-Wade
and across the sky flashed scenes from my Heat career.
For each scene I noticed two sets of sneaker prints,
one belonged to me and the other to D-Wade.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the sneaker prints.
I noticed that many times along my Miami path,
there was only one set of sneaker prints.
I also noticed that it happened whenever I was expected to make a clutch play at either end of the court.
This really bothered me and I questioned D-Wade about it.
"D-Wade, you said that once I decided to join your team,
you would walk with me all the way,
but I have noticed that during the most pressure packed moments of the game there is only one set of sneaker prints.
"I don't understand why in times when I needed you most,
you should leave me."
D-Wade replied, "My precious, precious Lebron,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering.
"When you saw only one set of sneaker prints,
it was then that I carried you."

[both-teams-played-hard]

Footprints
by Lebron

One night I had a dream--
I dreamed I was walking along South Beach with D-Wade
and across the sky flashed scenes from my Heat career.
For each scene I noticed two sets of sneaker prints,
one belonged to me and the other to D-Wade.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the sneaker prints.
I noticed that many times along my Miami path,
there was only one set of sneaker prints.
I also noticed that it happened whenever I was expected to make a clutch play at either end of the court.
This really bothered me and I questioned D-Wade about it.
"D-Wade, you said that once I decided to join your team,
you would walk with me all the way,
but I have noticed that during the most pressure packed moments of the game there is only one set of sneaker prints.
"I don't understand why in times when I needed you most,
you should leave me."
D-Wade replied, "My precious, precious Lebron,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering.
"When you saw only one set of sneaker prints,
it was then that I carried you."




WWDWD?

[dcgreg25]

Footprints

by Lebron


One night I had a dream--
I dreamed I was walking along South Beach with D-Wade
and across the sky flashed scenes from my Heat career.
For each scene I noticed two sets of sneaker prints,
one belonged to me and the other to D-Wade.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the sneaker prints.
I noticed that many times along my Miami path,
there was only one set of sneaker prints.

I also noticed that it happened whenever I was expected to make

a clutch play at either end of the court.

This really bothered me and I questioned D-Wade about it.
"D-Wade, you said that once I decided to join your team,
you would walk with me all the way,
but I have noticed that during the most pressure packed moments of the game there is only one set of sneaker prints.
"I don't understand why in times when I needed you most,
you should leave me."
D-Wade replied, "My precious, precious Lebron,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering.
"When you saw only one set of sneaker prints,
it was then that I carried you."





Great stuff!! :D

[legaleagle92481]

Very creative poem. My prediction though is in two years Lebron is not a member of the Heat and they have won zero titles. The egos will never be able to co-exist and both players need the ball too much to be successful. Wade is an icon in Miami so he is not going anywhere so I think it is Lebron who will go and for much cheaper than anyone can imagine right now. Championship teams all have the same formula for the most part. One mega star i.e. Jordan, Bird, Magic, Kobe, Duncan and one secondary star a guy who is a multiple time allstar but who is clearly not the best player on the team nor would he be on a championship caliber team. i.e. Pippen, McHale, Gasol, Ginoboli or an Old David Robinson or an old Kareem with further support coming from solid above average players who fill their roles but who are below the star category i.e. Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, Tony Parker, Ron Harper, Toni Kukoc. Worthy or Robert Parrish.

In recent memory the only time two mega stars who were still in the prime of their careers were on the same team and it was successful was Shaq and Kobe in the early 2000s and that ended up imploding big time. Yes it got LA three titles but neither Dwayne or Lebron is a dominant big man and it is tough to see the Heat getting past the Magic, Celtics or Lakers because the big men on those teams will wreck havoc on Miami inside.

[legaleagle92481]

As a Knicks fan I am happy about what they did though. The two years was worth the wait. Amare is a good start, a solid allstar and they sold high on Lee and resisted the temptation to sign just anyone just to do something . Next year Melo will likely be much more receptive than Lebron was as he and his wife were both born in NY, he grew up in Baltimore which is a short car trip away, he went to college in upstate New York and his wife's career would benefit greatly from them living in New York City. As a point guard they should pry Agent Zero away from the Wizards because no matter what they say publicly the absolute last thing they want is him rubbing off on John Wall so it is likely he will be moved at some point this summer. Plus the Knicks have a history of taking on troubled players and having it be successful i.e. Spreewell. A big three of Amare, Melo and Agent Zero would put them in the upper crust of the East.

[STLHAMMER32]

Very creative poem. My prediction though is in two years Lebron is not a member of the Heat and they have won zero titles. The egos will never be able to co-exist and both players need the ball too much to be successful. Wade is an icon in Miami so he is not going anywhere so I think it is Lebron who will go and for much cheaper than anyone can imagine right now. Championship teams all have the same formula for the most part. One mega star i.e. Jordan, Bird, Magic, Kobe, Duncan and one secondary star a guy who is a multiple time allstar but who is clearly not the best player on the team nor would he be on a championship caliber team. i.e. Pippen, McHale, Gasol, Ginoboli or an Old David Robinson or an old Kareem with further support coming from solid above average players who fill their roles but who are below the star category i.e. Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, Tony Parker, Ron Harper, Toni Kukoc. Worthy or Robert Parrish.

In recent memory the only time two mega stars who were still in the prime of their careers were on the same team and it was successful was Shaq and Kobe in the early 2000s and that ended up imploding big time. Yes it got LA three titles but neither Dwayne or Lebron is a dominant big man and it is tough to see the Heat getting past the Magic, Celtics or Lakers because the big men on those teams will wreck havoc on Miami inside.


lol I wouldn't bet on this prediction either........ Lebron's game is better suited when he can be unselfish and look to get the rest of his team involved. Arguably the best aspect of his game is his court vision and passing ability.You could see frustration set in when he felt like it was him or nothing last year and years previous. Kobe and Shaq have much different egos when it comes to teammates, although Kobe has gotten better.

[legaleagle92481]

lol I wouldn't bet on this prediction either........ Lebron's game is better suited when he can be unselfish and look to get the rest of his team involved. Arguably the best aspect of his game is his court vision and passing ability.You could see frustration set in when he felt like it was him or nothing last year and years previous. Kobe and Shaq have much different egos when it comes to teammates, although Kobe has gotten better.

Do you really see this lasting six years?