There seems to be a foregone conclusion going around that come July 1, LeBron James(notes) will sign a massive new contract for the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the New York Knicks have been clearing salary away as quickly as possible in recent years in order to try and bring in LeBron and another fellow big name or two (Dwyane Wade(notes)? Chris Bosh(notes)?) in order to try and All-Star their way to a championship as the New York Yankees just did.

Once folks in Cleveland were scared of this idea. Then they scoffed at it as the Knicks became the butt of jokes on late-night TV and in the arena. But now New York is starting to concern them again because Mr. LeBron James has said that he will consider any and all comers and that he has not ruled out moving to New York, according to the New York Post.

James has apparently said that when the free-agency window gets thrown open on July 1 next summer, he will be thinking like a businessman and considering what will be best for him and his family.

Sounds like he's thinking like a businessman already, starting to play chess with Cavs management through the media, making sure they know that this isn't a done deal. They've got to show him the dinero. Or someone else will.

Source: New York Post

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets both would apparently love to have Stephen Jackson(notes) on their squads but it's looking like the Charlotte Bobcats may be the team that comes up with this prize, according to ESPN.

That is, if you think the disgruntled Jackson is a prize. The Golden State Warriors have been trying to get rid of him since just before the season's start when it became very clear there was bad mojo brewing in this chemistry and it wasn't going to take long to explode.

The Cavs and Nuggets apparently are having trouble finding ways to absorb Jackson's long-term contract and also aren't finding the right combination of tradable assets. The Bobcats, however, seem to pressing forward and believing that it can get this deal done.

Source: ESPN

Celtics forward Glen Davis(notes) has done a few dumb things in his life. Like breaking his right thumb in a fight just before the season got underway to put him out for six weeks.

According to the ESPN, he'd like to try another one: playing in the NFL. The 6'9", 290-poiunder is saying it'll happen at some point: "I will try it," he said. "When I become an All-Star in the NBA, when I become a great player in the NBA, then I'll try football. One of my dreams has always been to play football."

He was reportedly an excellent two-way football player when he played in high school in Baton Rouge, La. His positions were defensive end, defensive tackle, and tailback. "I definitely could have made it to the NFL," Davis said and doesn't care which position he plays if a team wants to give him a chance. "It don't matter," he said. "I just want to play."

Source: ESPN

The Sacramento Kings' best player and the league's third leading scorer at this early point has a hard choice. Kevin Martin(notes) apparently has a hairline fracture in his wrist that he earned when he smacked up against the Memphis Grizzlies' Allen Iverson(notes) Monday night. It didn't stop him from playing Wednesday night. Still, the longer he plays with it, the more likely a full break will occur.

He apparently was told yesterday that he had one night to think about whether he wanted to have surgery on it and put a screw in to stabilize it, simply put it in a cast now and let it heal, or try to just play through the pain.

The cast option would mean being out for six to eight weeks and surely means he'll likely be out for eight weeks minimum.

So he supposedly turned off his phone early last night and went to bed and plans to have a decision today.

Source: Sacramento Bee

The Detroit Pistons are paying Tayshaun Prince(notes) $10.3 million and team president Joe Dumars has said he would love to unload either that contract or Richard Hamilton's(notes) one for $11.6 million. So when Prince was benched last night as a "precautionary move related to a lower back strain," lots of folks in the arena thought a deal was clearly in the making.

The consensus seemed to be that he would be packaged with forward Jason Maxiell(notes). But Dumars is saying ix-nay. The move was supposedly all about injuries. Dumars is saying that he's sick of new faces in his clubhouse and would like some stability.

But you'd think he'd be very happy to see a big-name free-agent "new face" next summer if he can free up some of that cash.

Source: HoopsWorld

Next summer is going to be crazy in the world of the NBA with all the talented folks who are going to be free agents and nobody is going to be feeling it more than the world's biggest free agent: LeBron James(notes).

For a short while, it was believed that James would move to New York so he could dominate that city and expand his empire. But the New York Knicks have continued to implode, so there's no real attraction to leaving the comforts of home to attempt to right a quickly sinking ship. What everybody seems to think now is that James will eventually re-sign with the Cavs for a tidal wave of cash. But now comes another option: Move to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers don't have a lot of salary room but they'd love, love, love to team up Kobe Bryant(notes) and LeBron James, according to Bulls.com. The 31-year-old Bryant is going to need someone to pass along the keys to the Laker Mythologymobile. And why not the 24-year-old James? James doesn't seem afraid to take a strong supporting role, which would likely suit Bryant just fine.

But somehow L.A. has to convince Cleveland to do a sign-and-trade deal because there is no other way to fit James under its current salary structure right now. Still, that could mean a talented player for Cleveland instead of the big nothing it will get if James walks next summer.

Source: Bulls.com

Los Angeles Lakers big man Pau Gasol(notes) has got something going on with his right hamstring. He had a sonogram on it over the weekend and an MRI this week. The results were sent to his personal doctor and his parents back in Spain, according to the Los Angeles Times. Before you call Gasol a mama's boy, you should remember that his mother is a doctor and his father is a hospital administrator.

It's looking like it's not going to hold the big guy up for much longer. He apparently had a "pretty good workout" yesterday. He'll miss his fifth game in a row tonight but he reportedly might be back in action on Friday against his former team, the Memphis Grizzlies.

Coach Phil Jackson isn't saying jack about it, though: "We'll see," he said. "We hope he can get a practice in this week."

Source: Los Angeles Times

The Boston Celtics knew they wanted to sign point guard Rajon Rondo(notes) to a long-term, lucrative extension. After all, he had helped the team to a championship in his second season and could be on the way there this year. But the team was a little concerned about his maturity level, his "aloof personality," and his lack of ability to connect with teammates sometimes, according to the Boston Globe.

In the negotiations, the team apparently addressed the issues and asked him to step it up on the personality front. "They just want to see it grow congruently with what the team's objectives are," said his agent. "They just said we'd like you to be more engaged, take more responsibility as a leader on and off the court. The message was heard and I don't think it's that big of an issue. He's understanding that.''

Source: Boston Globe

Just when you were ready to give Allen Iverson(notes) the benefit of the doubt and say, OK, maybe the whole situation with the Detroit Pistons wasn't his fault, he goes and pulls out a little hissy fit in Memphis.

Iverson has returned to action with the Memphis Grizzlies after recovering from a partial left hamstring tear and did pretty well:11 points in 18 minutes against the Sacramento Kings.

Iverson was disappointed with the number of minutes played, according to FanHouse. "I had no problems (with the hamstring)," Iverson said afterward. "I had a problem with my butt from sitting on that bench so long. That's the only thing I got a problem with."

Some reporters before the game even suggested to Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins that Iverson should be starting, which he seemed to find ridiculous: "He hasn't even been with the team until just a couple of days ago," Hollins said. "He's going to come off the bench. He hasn't played all preseason, hasn't played the three regular-season games (leading up to Sacramento). He only practiced three days in training camp before he got hurt so there's no way I would trot him out there in a starting role."

It looks like it's going to be a long season fro Iverson and the Grizzlies.

Source: FanHouse

The word is that Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Pau Gasol(notes) has a tear in is hamstring so don't be expecting to see him in the lineup in the next week, according to the Los Angeles Times.

According to the paper, a sonogram over the weekend showed a possible tear in his right hamstring. So he got some MRI tests done yesterday, which team docs will look at today. The news of a tear would not be a good thing for the Barcelona-born 7-foot forward/center.

Source: Los Angeles Times