There have been about 39 million articles written about the free agent summer of 2010, featuring LeBron James and other stars who may be in need of a new contract at the time. For those out there whose current teams are hopeless and must dream of a brighter future, there’s a minor update worth knowing about. The Cleveland Plain Dealer (Brian Windhorst) reports:
LeBron James said Saturday that he is going to consider signing an extension with the Cavaliers this summer, well before he can become an unrestricted free agent. “You play out this season of course; I will consider it,” James said Saturday before the Cavs practiced at the Pepsi Center. “The direction we are headed is everything I expected and more.” This is the first time James has publicly talked about signing this summer instead of waiting until 2010. It is an indication of how pleased James is with the progress the Cavaliers have made this season as they are off to a 22-4 start, the second-best record in the NBA. In 2006, James signed a three-year, $43 million deal with the Cavs through 2010 and it included a player option for 2010-11 worth $17.4 million. There has been a general assumption that James will forgo his player option, but no one has been paying attention to the other choice, which is to extend his contract with the Cavs early. There is still a good chance James will not sign early and let things play out in 2010. Waiting will give him a chance to evaluate the entire scene before making a decision.
Cavs fans of course want to keep LeBron forever, and the sooner he signs as long a contract as possible, the better. All other fans hope it doesn’t happen, keeping the home he joins their team in the future alive.
Keep hope alive.
The Bay Area News Group (Marcus Thompson II) reports: The Warriors have a new defensive coordinator. No, Monte Kiffin will not be joining the bench. Warriors Coach Don Nelson announced after Friday’s 115-99 loss to the Atlanta Hawks that assistant Keith Smart will be a “defensive coordinator” and that assistant Sidney Moncrief will be Smart’s assistant. Nelson said he is relinquishing the defensive duties because he has grown too lax. “I’ve decided to identify one of my weaknesses at this point in my life, which is I’m not tough enough anymore,” Nelson said. “I’m a little soft as I get older, and I feel like I haven’t done a very good job defensively this year. … They will be handling all of the defensive training, the game plans defensively and, during the game, the switching of situations. They’re in charge of the defense now.” Smart and Moncrief will have to start their upgraded roles without arguably the Warriors’ best man-to-man defender as swingman Stephen Jackson’s sprained left hand has forced him out of action again.
Nate McMillan raved about Blake’s game management (10 assists, zero turnovers), hot shooting (22 points, 8-of-15, including 4-of-7 from behind the arc) and his defense of Suns star Steve Nash (Nash went 5-of-14 with 11 assists, six turnovers while Blake had four steals). It was plain and simple: Blake had outplayed Nash. “And that,” McMillan said. “Has never happened before.” Another important Blake statistic: He went 2-for-2 from the free throw line, both makes coming at a crucial time: 2:07 left in the game and the Blazers trailing by two. They were the first attempts for Blake since he missed four of five attempts in the final 20.6 seconds against the Clippers.
Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard is a big, strong, super-athletic center who rebounds, blocks shots, and dunks on people’s heads.