Good morning, LeBron James has all of the fireworks
That and more in our Friday NBA newsletter.
Good morning. Let’s basketball.
PREMATURE EXPLOSION: LeBron James has something in common with kids in my neighborhood: he set off the fireworks one day early. On Thursday news broke that LeBron’s agent had met or will meet with the Suns, Cavaliers, Rockets, Lakers and Mavericks this week, and that if Pat Riley doesn’t stop striking out in free agency King James will pick one of these other teams.
MEANWHILE, IN MELOLAND ... Carmelo Anthony wrapped up his meetings and will mull things over this weekend.Note that he met with neither the Heat nor the Suns, both of whom have been reported to wish to pair up Melo and LeBron. Both the Lakers and Knicks offered Melo max money, but New York can go higher due to Bird rights.
DIRK TAKES LESS MONEY, SMH: Dirk Nowitzki stays in Dallas for $30 million over three years. Note that he’s regularly said he wants to play two more years.
MORE SIGNINGS: Thabo Sefolosha to the Hawks for $12 million over three years. Darren Collison joins the Kings on a three-year, $16 million deal that might spell the end for Isaiah Thomas. (Everyone seems to have reacted well.) Chris Kaman to Portland for two years and $10 million, with the second season mostly unguaranteed.
#FAKEWOJ: Why and who would someone impersonate Adrian Wojnarowski on Twitter? David Roth interviewed one of the kids behind one of the more notorious Fake Woj accounts hours before a different Fake Woj account gets traction on a horrible rumor. Fake Woj is the worst.
GET PAID: Prada on how all this leftover cap space means mid-tier free agents are going to get paid well.
RAPTORS’ AFFORDABLY ELITE BACKCOURT: Me on the Kyle Lowry deal and DeMar DeRozan.
GOOD MEME STRAT: Joel Embiid will tweet at LeBron until he joins the Sixers.
HOW BRUNO CABOCLO GOT HERE, by James Herbert.
And finally, SB NATION REVIEWS: CATS.
Happy Independence Day, American subscribers. Eat food, drink responsibly and enjoy things that go boom. See you next time.
