NBA Executive: Bulls Are Frontrunners For LeBron; Bosh May Join Jim,

When LeBron James walked off the court after a Game Six defeat at the hands of the Boston Celtics, I thought this would not be his final game as a Cleveland Cavalier. Their season was over, and free-agency awaited, but I didn’t believe he would leave his home-state team and a fan base that adores him. He couldn’t go out on that note. He, the franchise player, couldn’t leave his franchise of seven years. But, coming to my senses, I acknowledged the astronomical size of his ego and his desire to be the best of the best. If he thought he could accomplish his goals in Cleveland, he would have already re-signed and taken the $30 million more they can offer. So, he could easily leave the Cavaliers. And it appears that he will.

Jonathan Abrams of The New York Times cites and unnamed NBA executive who has “gathered from discussions with his fellow N.B.A. executives that James was strongly leaning toward joining the Bulls in tandem with another free agent, Chris Bosh of the Toronto Raptors .” The executive said, “I think it’s a done deal.”

If the contracts of forwards James Johnson, Chris Richard, and Rob Kurz are either released or traded for cheaper ones, the Bulls can afford to offer two maximum deals come July 1st. It’s scary to think those two contracts could be handed out to James and Bosh, two top-five players in the NBA. If this indeed does happen, the Bulls would be stacked. Along with James and Bosh they would have young All-Star point guard Derrick Rose, small forward Luol Deng, and center Joakim Noah as superb complimentary players. The Bulls would undoubtedly be favorites to win the championship, something neither James or Bosh have done, for seasons to come.

The Cavaliers don’t have a head coach. Byron Scott is thought to be the leading candidate, but it is desperate times for Cleveland. Who knows if hiring Scott would please James. Even if he did, the Bulls have a much better nucleus to entice him.

Losing James would be a huge blow to Cleveland. Without him, they are nothing. He’s not only an icon, he’s a God of sorts in those parts. They would have the money to sign a superstar in his stead, but nobody could replace what James meant to their team, the city of Cleveland, and the state of Ohio.

I knew many teams would change come July 1st, but it’s incredible to believe that the Bulls could do something of this magnitude. Michael Jordan led the Bulls to six NBA titles in the 1990′s. Now, what the executive said is pure speculation, but if his prediction does indeed come true, James and Bosh could bring Jordanesque success to Chicago. A thought that makes the rest of the NBA cringe.