OU Price is going to be playing Summer Ball with Cavaliers - so I guess that takes him out of contention to play with us... CLEVELAND -- LeBron James has already been delivered to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now they just have to sign him. General manager Jim Paxson had talks Wednesday with James' agent, Aaron Goodwin, and said they were close to finalizing a deal. "I'm optimistic we can get this done quickly,'' Paxson said. James was selected last week with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft by the Cavaliers, who might have saved their franchise by getting the Akron high school phenom. Cleveland, 17-65 in 2002-03, has lost at least 50 games in each of the past four seasons, and the club's attendance has dropped significantly. James is expected to help the Cavaliers on both fronts. The team has been inundated with season-ticket requests since winning the draft lottery May 22 and the right to select James. Paxson would not elaborate on discussions with Goodwin, but said they did not encounter any obstacles. The GM also didn't anticipate anything that would prevent the signing of James before the holiday weekend. Goodwin, who flew in Wednesday morning from Oakland, Calif., did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment. James is scheduled to play for the Cavaliers' summer league team in Orlando and Boston later this month. The team will leave for Florida on Saturday and practice that night. James is expected to play in his first exhibition game on July 8 in Orlando. When he does sign, James, who already has endorsement deals worth more than $100 million, will get a three-year contract for $12.96 million under the league's collective bargaining agreement. The Cavs will have a fourth-year option that will boost the package to $18.79 million. If the Cavaliers pay James the maximum over the length of the deal, he'll make $4.02 million (2003-04), $4.32 million ('04-05) and $4.62 million ('05-'06) over the next three seasons. Cleveland would hold an option for the fourth season that could pay James another $5.8 million. Second-round pick Jason Kapono also is unsigned but will play in the summer leagues, Paxson said. Last year's second-round pick, Carlos Boozer, didn't sign with the Cavaliers until Aug. 7. Paxson also confirmed that undrafted Oklahoma guard Hollis Price will be on the Cavs' summer league roster. The 6-foot-1 Price averaged 18 points and was named a second-team All-American by The Associated Press.
CD indicated so on 610 yesterday. He said Hollis had a better shot at landing on the Cav's, rather than our, roster. Good luck to the Yankee.
So Hollis Price is a Yankee who played for Oklahoma. So I must ask,what in KAPAYAS name does this have to do with the Rockets?
Anyone else find it interesting that when the Rockets have the #1 pick and select Yao Ming, the whole world talks about what a mistake that is, but when Cleveland has the #1 pick and selects LeBron James out of high school, everyone talks about how he's going to save the franchise?
I know... always trying to keep the Asian Man down. ; ) seriously your exaggerating maybe to get a discussion started which is cool but you know it was not the - WHOLE WORLD - saying Yao was a mistake. A much larger portion? Yes. But i think that had a lot to do with Yao being from a foreign country which meant a good portion of his critics never saw him play and also the fact that most players Yao's size never really lived up to all the hype. So Yao and Lebrons situations are two completely different situations, imo.
Rockets should invite Marcus Hatten from St. Johns to play on thier summer league roster. I think he is just as good as price if not better. He was 4th best in the big east last year behind (Carmelo, Okafor, and Sweetney) He was a lot better than Troy Bell who went like 19th in the draft. I live in CT and watch the big east games all the time so I see how they play and Hatten would be a good player to invite to the summer league.
Toast, I know we argue about stats but you are above this silliness. People have seen Lebron his whole life, they never saw Yao till workouts after the draft. Yao Ming is probably the only number one pick ever doubted in Lotto history for that reason, he is the most unknown number one pick ever. There may have never been a high school number one pick before Lebron, but he certainly isn't the first high school kid not to be doubted.
