LeBron James FINALLY Agrees To Contract Extension With Cavs...

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

James agrees to extension with Cavaliers
By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer
July 8, 2006

CLEVELAND (AP) -- LeBron James won't be leaving home anytime soon.

Cleveland's All-Star forward agreed Saturday to sign a contract extension of up to five years and worth as much as $80 million with the Cavaliers, a huge relief for the rising team and its fretting fans who worried he might be planning an escape.

James, who in three seasons as a pro has turned the Cavaliers from doormats into NBA title contenders, will sign the deal after the league's moratorium ends on Wednesday, said his agent Leon Rose.

"I am very excited and happy to be re-signing with the Cavaliers. Staying in Cleveland ... provides me with the unique opportunity to continue to play in front of my family, friends and fans," James said in a statement released by his publicist. "I look forward to working toward bringing a championship to our great fans and the city of Cleveland."

Unlike fellow 2003 NBA draft classmate Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat, James waited one week after the team made the offer before announcing his intention to take the deal. The delay since July 1 had Cleveland fans, who have been burned by broken promises before, fearing the worst.

But as he has always done, the 21-year-old from nearby Akron came through in the clutch.

Ever the showman, James let the drama build before agreeing to a deal that will start after the 2007 season and run through 2012-13.

James will make $5.8 million next season, the final year on his rookie contract. The exact amount of James' extension won't be known until later this summer when the league determines the salary cap for next season.

James, who wasn't eligible for restricted free agency until after next season, has said for months that he loves playing in Cleveland and wants to help win the Cavaliers their first NBA championship.

Almost from the moment the club selected him with the No. 1 overall pick three years ago, insecure Cleveland fans have worried about a day when James would bolt for a bigger paycheck and brighter spotlight in a booming market like New York, Los Angeles or Chicago.

That fear was well founded since big-name athletes like Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez and Carlos Boozer all left Cleveland as free agents despite saying they would stay. It didn't help that James often wears a New York Yankees baseball cap, a fashion accessory looked upon as blasphemous in Northeast Ohio.

James, though, kept his word. And at least for now, he plans to stay with Cleveland. He has said repeatedly that he wants to bring the city its first world championship since the Browns won an NFL title in 1964 -- three years before there was even a Super Bowl and 20 years before James' birth.

Following the Cavaliers' impressive run in this year's NBA playoffs, that title might not be far off.

Rose said he hopes to have the deal signed before James reports July 19 to training camp for the U.S. team playing in this summer's World Championships.

With James' extension looming, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert did everything he could to keep the superstar happy.

Last summer, the club spent millions on free agents Larry Hughes, Donyell Marshall and Damon Jones and re-signed center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, a player James personally campaigned to keep. In addition, Gilbert renovated Quicken Loans Arena, upgrading the Cavs' locker room and remodeling a family area partly to accommodate the overflow of James supporters at every home game.

The club also is building a high-tech, $20 million training facility in Independence, a short drive from James' suburban home.

At 21, James has more scored more points, handed out more assists and grabbed more rebounds at a younger age than any player in history.

Last season, the 6-foot-8 standout became just the fourth player to average at least 31 points, seven rebounds and six assists, joining an elite group with Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Michael Jordan. He was named the youngest All-Star game MVP in history, and he finished runner-up to Phoenix's Steve Nash for league MVP honors.

James led the Cavs to 50 regular-season wins and carried them back to the NBA playoffs for the first time since 1998. He recorded a triple-double in his first postseason game against Washington and averaged 30.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists as Cleveland advanced past the Wizards before losing in seven games to Detroit in the second round.

Off the floor, James' No. 23 jersey is everywhere and he's easily Cleveland's most recognized athlete since Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown ran roughshod over NFL defenses for the Browns.

Last season, Nike hung a 10-story banner of a dunking James with the phrase "We Are All Witnesses" written across it on a building across the street from Quicken Loans Arena.


Lots of peopled believed he was heading to the Lakers or some other big-market team when his contract was up (not me though)...But this definitely puts a minor damper in the Lakers 2008 plan...I personally wanted Bosh, but he obviously signed an extension a few weeks back...Now the 2 biggest names we're looking at for the plan are Nowitzki and Arenas...James wouldn't have fit in with the Lakers anyways, so I consider this good news...PeACe

[ωεεźγ ғ]

To the Lakers? I doubt you could have KB and LB on the same team and not fuck up the chemistry
They both would want the bal/spotlightl at all times, it just wouldn't fathom.

[jeromechickenbone]

I read a rumor that there was a clause in his $100 million Nike contract that stated if he played in either LA, NY, or Chicago (the top 3 markets) that his shoe contract would double .  Could be complete bullshit though.  But anyway, I'm glad the big names from the 03 draft are all staying put for now.  I think it keeps things well balanced.

[Ðøšïå]

I read a rumor that there was a clause in his $100 million Nike contract that stated if he played in either LA, NY, or Chicago (the top 3 markets) that his shoe contract would double .  Could be complete bullshit though.  But anyway, I'm glad the big names from the 03 draft are all staying put for now.  I think it keeps things well balanced.

its not BS

[7even]

I think James is too loyal and unselfish to become the GOAT. This extension will only hurt him. Less money, less success. Pisses me off, him playing for the Mavs would be 5 titles in 10 years for sure lol, but of course I never expected that. I'm pretty sure he will never get a ring in a Cleveland jersey. Heck, last year might be their biggest success in a long while... winning 3 in a row against the Ben Wallace Pistons.. I don't see the Cavs doing much better than that any time soon. But he's a grown man, it's his decision.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

To the Lakers? I doubt you could have KB and LB on the same team and not fuck up the chemistry
They both would want the bal/spotlightl at all times, it just wouldn't fathom.

PG Farmar
SG Kobe
SF LeBron
PF Lamar
C Bynum


^^That coulda' been an amazing line-up in the future...LeBron James is supposedly a pass-first type of player anyways, so I can see it really working out. When I watch the Cavs, he really likes letting the other players shine, sometimes even disappearing for long stretches, but overall he is an excellent player...Lakers still gunna run shit soon though...PeACe

[LAKERS_FAN89]

his comming with da lakers next year baby

[Black_Smoke]

LeBron is nice,good for cleveland

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

his comming with da lakers next year baby

That's Von Wafer...

[ωεεźγ ғ]

To the Lakers? I doubt you could have KB and LB on the same team and not fuck up the chemistry
They both would want the bal/spotlightl at all times, it just wouldn't fathom.

PG Farmar
SG Kobe
SF LeBron
PF Lamar
C Bynum


^^That coulda' been an amazing line-up in the future...LeBron James is supposedly a pass-first type of player anyways, so I can see it really working out. When I watch the Cavs, he really likes letting the other players shine, sometimes even disappearing for long stretches, but overall he is an excellent player...Lakers still gunna run shit soon though...PeACe

hmm interesting. People always regarded him as a package who makes people around him better

[GangstaBoogy]

even if the lakers wanted him, they couldn't afford to sign him

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

even if the lakers wanted him, they couldn't afford to sign him

Dunno where you've been, but the Lakers have been said to have a 2008 plan in motion where they go under the cap and sign any player they please...Many believed LeBron was a target, as he was set to be a free agent in 2008. This has BEEN known for the longest...PeACe

[PLANT]

At 21, James has more scored more points, handed out more assists and grabbed more rebounds at a younger age than any player in history.

This is the part that really stuck out to me...

Good for Cleveland tho, Im glad he is re-signing.....