LeBron James In NBA Daily Dribbles: Will He Walk Out On the Cleveland Cavaliers?

What I’m Reading

• The Clippers cleared some cap room at the deadline that will help them compete this summer when free agency season rolls around. LeBron, anyone?

• After being dealt in the Antawn Jamison deal the day before the deadline, everyone expected Zydrunas Ilgauskas to seek a buyout from the Wizards . His agent is now confirming that this is indeed his plan of action.

• The Nets inquired about several marquee players before the deadline. They didn’t make a move on any of them, but how about during the summer time?

• Really, David Kahn? You convinced yourself that trading for Darko Milicic was a good idea? Sorry, but now is a better time than ever to bring it back.

What I Think About It

• I wouldn’t exactly consider the Clips to be the front-runners to pry LeBron away from Cleveland, but they can’t be ruled out.

After squeezing out plenty of cap room to make a run for a legitimate free agent, the Clippers stand to be one of only a handful of teams that can offer James the max contract that he seeks.

It might be the only hope for a fan base that perennially has to live by the motto, “there’s always next year.”

The Clippers have already given up on this season. They sit at 12th in the conference with a record of 21-33 and have no realistic chance to make the playoffs. They don’t have a permanent guy manning the bench and they might be the only team that can offer LeBron a “Pick Your Coach” clause in his contract.

I still think he’ll stay in Cleveland, but as we get closer to free agency, the Clippers will do everything in their power to make Los Angeles as attractive as possible to The King.

• Likely scenario: Z gets a buyout from the Wizards, Z waits patiently for 30 days, Z re-signs with Cleveland, Z wins a championship.

Not a bad last few months of the season, I’d say. He has the potential to enjoy an extended vacation and to come out of this season with a ring when it’s all said and done.

Granted, the buyout has to happen first before any of this can transpire, but come on. We all know it’s going to happen.  GM Danny Ferry danced around the question when he was asked if this was the plan, but he made it obvious that was.

The only way that this might not happen is if he’s itching to play and a serious contender swoops in sometime in those thirty days and offers him a contract to which he can’t say no.

But even then, everything he has is in Cleveland. His family, his home, his legacy.

He’ll be back.

• It’s likely that the Nets' serious downswing isn’t bound to be a lasting trend. More of a fad, similar to that new NBA game ball that was introduced and then failed miserably a few years back.

Soon enough, the Nets will be in Brooklyn, and their young core will return them to the Nets of the 2000s—a team that never really has a chance at a title, but will make the playoffs and get bounced in the second round.

Ideal? No. Sufficient compared to a 5-49 record? Yes.

There’s no shortage of free agents available over the summer that can offer heavy contributions, and the Nets are expected to be players for a number of them

They’re going to take a look at LeBron. They’re going to take a look at Bosh.

Who will end up there? My dark horse candidate to be a Net in 2010-2011: Rudy Gay.

There isn’t a “system” for him to fit in, per se, since the Nets are in between coaches right now but, from an athletic standpoint, I think he fits in well with New Jersey.

It’s almost a guarantee that he won’t be returning to the Grizzlies, because they most likely won’t be able to match any offer (remember he’s a restricted FA) that Gay accepts from another team.

They could use a scorer. Gay might be the answer. 

• I’m sorry, David. I try to take it easy on you.

But you just keep giving me more and more to work with.

Darko! Who told you this was a good idea? It’s Darko!!

Alright, I’m forcing myself to buy into your logic. You have nothing to lose in terms of this season.

Who knows, maybe the first six years of his career have been a fluke. Maybe he’ll show that there actually is a serious basketball player that resides in him.

Or, maybe he won’t show a lick of progress and will return to Europe at the conclusion of the season.  

Charles Barkley Quote Friday

On the Olympic sport of curling: "I'm still trying to get my grandmother off her old behind and into the Olympics. Why not? She can dust."

What To Watch This Weekend

Friday: Celtics at Blazers

Saturday: Thunder at Knicks (Potential McGrady debut)

Sunday: Cavs at Magic

‘Til Monday...