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

When the Minnesota Timberwolves released Antonio Daniels(notes) last Tuesday via waivers, the team probably didn't predict that he'd be a hot commodity on the free-agent market.

The veteran point guard is apparently getting a lot of interest around the NBA and one of the teams is supposedly the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to HoopsWorld.

The Cavs were considered the frontrunners to land the guy who has averaged 7.6 points and 3.4 assists over a 12-year career. But a bunch of new teams have apparently crowded into the scene and Daniels is discussing how many playing minutes he would likely get with each team as well as what his specific role would be.

Source: HoopsWorld

It's not too often that you see a team put two seven-footers on the floor together but that's apparently what the Cleveland Cavaliers are planning to do, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Cavs coach Mike Brown didn't do it much in the preseason but he's reportedly experimenting with the idea of having his two seven-footers, Shaquille O'Neal(notes) and Zydrunas Ilguaskas, playing simultaneously. His initial plan is to put them out there together for four minutes and see what happens.

Doesn't sound like a pleasant point in the game to park yourself under the Cavs basket, does it?

Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer

Shaquille O'Neal(notes) called Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh(notes) the "RuPaul of big men" last spring and it apparently didn't sit well with Bosh, according to the Toronto Sun. And now the two are facing off tomorrow night at the Air Canada Centre when the Cleveland Cavaliers kick off the season against the Raptors.

O'Neal also said that he would make Bosh quit the next time he played him: "It's what I do," he said. So here's his chance. Bosh told reporters that he wasn't still bearing any grudge against O'Neal, but the Sun says the usually relaxed Bosh wasn't behaving that way.

Let the games begin!

Source: Toronto Sun

The NBA season kicks off this week and Shaquille O'Neal(notes) hasn't bothered to learn the playbook just yet for the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to the Los Angeles Times.

He apparently said last week, "It is vital that I start to memorize the plays." Um, yeah, that would be good. He went on to say, "I've been used to a certain system for 17 years, so I have to work on that. I still have a few days before we start."

Guess Shaq has been too busy hosting his own reality show to learn his plays. You'd think for $21 million, the Cavs would have a guy who would at least study his playbook more than a week before the season gets underway.

Source: Los Angeles Times

It's looking like Washington Wizards' Antawn Jamison(notes) is going to miss the rest of the preseason after an MRI showed that his right shoulder is partially dislocated, according to the Washington Post. Team prez Ernie Grunfeld is saying that he man who has led the team in scoring the past two years will get another look-see next week to see how he's doing.

Jamison picked up the injury toward the end of the first quarter 109-104 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Something went awry when he tried to foul Cleveland reserve center Zydrunas Ilgauskas(notes). (Note to self: Never mess with a 260-pound, 7'3" Lithuanian.)

Last year Jamison sprained a knee in the preseason and missed a few weeks. At least he's getting all of this out of the way before the regular season starts.

Source: Washington Post