LeBron, LeBron. LeBron

Cavs fans are also scratching their heads.

No, the season didn't go as planned. The Cleveland Cavaliers were stunned by the Boston Celtics in six games leading all of the world to inquire about the future of one LeBron James.

It had to happen eventually, but many are forgetting one thing. LeBron holds the option. He can stay in Cleveland for one more season by exercising his option without signing a new contract. He would collect $17.1 million in the 2010-2011 season. If he declines that option, then he's a free agent. Granted, it's almost a foregone conclusion that LBJ will opt-out.

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert will evaluate the team in the next 7-10 according to his 2:30 press conference he held this afternoon. He has to be skittish at the prospects of losing LeBron. It's been said that the Cavs value as a franchise would tumble $100 million if James were to bolt Cleveland.

If he gets that max deal and stays in Cleveland, what would that mean for Cleveland? Plenty. It's his home. It's his team. It's his town for cryin' out loud. He shares the spotlight with no one.

As far as the Cavs 2010-2011 season, there are a few things that we need to keep fresh in out minds. One is the Shaq's contract is done. He is a free agent, but he's also said he would return as a Cav. The issue might be salary. O'Neal banked $20 million this past season and it's highly unlikely Cleveland will offer him anywhere near that amount. Second, Zydrunas Ilgauskas is also a free agent. There's no man in the middle at all. Third, unless some creativity can happen, there's not a whole lot of cap space available even without Shaq's cash. Finally, is this really a roster that can propel the Cavs to a title? For the second year in a row, a perceived inferior opponent dropped the Cavs in six games.

It got me thinking (and that can be dangerous), amid all the other places LBJ can land, which is best? I'm listing the teams alphabetically.

Noah is a double-double machine and
future star in the NBA.

1. Chicago Bulls
Chicago has become the "hot pick" over the last couple of days.

Pros: Nice young roster makeup with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah makes the Bulls appetizing. LBJ may have no fear playing in the shadows of his idol, Michael Jordan. The Bulls have plenty of room under the cap to add another max deal, too.

Cons: No head coach, although it's interesting to point out that John Calipari was at the now infamous Game 5 in Cleveland along side some of LeBron's "team". Calipari has been linked to the Bulls job. While The Bulls do have a lot of money to spare, they generally don't like to go over the cap due to the luxury tax issue. If the Bulls get two max deal, what's left? There's also no big man as Brad Miller is a free agent.

Kaman averaged 18.5 ppg and 9.3 rpg last
season. Better than what Cavs centers had.

2. Los Angeles Clippers
The other team in L.A.

Pros: With the signing of James, the starting lineup would be set: Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, LBJ, Blake Griffin and Chris Kaman. Oh, and surprise, another lottery pick.

Cons: Where's the bench? Mardy Collins is a restrictred free agent so that only leaves DeAndre Jordan outside of the starters. There's also a vacancy sign hanging outside for a head coach.. Then, there's also the stigma of the Clippers. That may be too bitter a pill for James to swallow. I doubt a max deal would do that. Plus, would LeBron be willing the share the spotlight in L.A.? Kobe pretty much has the town on a string and LBJ is Cleveland. On the issue of Blake Griffin, how healthy is he? That is perhaps an even bigger hurdle.

Wade has a ring and is looking for another.

3. Miami Heat
Maybe the longest shot of these five teams

Pros: Dwayne Wade. Wade has a ring and knows what it takes to win one. That could give LeBron a valuable lesson. There's money to be spent in South Beach. If Pat Riley returns to the bench as coach, LeBron may give the Heat some thought.

Cons: Not much of a roster with all the free agents that could be leaving. You have Michael Beasley and Daequan Cook under contract for next season. That's all. It also said that Wade is wanting former Atlanta Hawks guard and good friend Joe Johnson as a roster mate. Knowing that may limit the Heat's chances.

D'Antoni may be the biggest draw to
the Big Apple.

4. New York Knicks
Once thought as the "front runners" in the LBJ sweepstakes.

Pros: All that money available and can definitely add another max contract, maybe more. The Knicks could add another $2 million to their coffers if they decline options on J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker. The Knicks actually have a coach, too. The Knicks also will benefit from a lottery pick.

Cons: The roster is gutted to free up all that money. No point guard unless you consider Sergio Rodriguez and he's a restricted free agent. I still can't believe that New York didn't give David Lee a better deal prior to last season. He's their best overall player and once again a free agent. If the Knicks can keep Lee, that may work in their favor. Imagine the extra money (about $11.3 million) the Knicks could have if Eddy Curry were to refuse his player option, but I doubt Curry will decline stealing more money from the Knicks. That could be cash that Lee deserves.

Coach K on the Nets' sideline could incline
James to head to Jersey...then Brooklyn.

5. New Jersey Nets
A new owner and a new beginning?

Pros: As a said above, a new owner, Mikhail Prokhorov. He's got the bucks, so the luxury tax most likely won't be an issue. Sure, the Nets had a lousy season last year, but they got a lot of loot to offer, too. Two max deals and maybe even more. Devin Harris is an All-Star and Brook Lopez has started to establish himself as a future star in the league. I thought he should have been on the All-Star team last year despite the woes the Nets experienced. Terrence Williams and Courtney Lee can provide bench strength and they are under contract for next season. The new facility may be enticing, too.

Cons: Again, the Nets are coachless. Well, sort of, but the thought of Duke's Mike Krzyzewski coming to Jersey could be a huge boost for the Nets chances of getting LeBron. If Coach K were to take the post (one he says that he is not interested in taking), getting James might be that much easier due to their affiliation through USA Basketball and the Olympics. He did guide James and Company to a gold.

Any way you look at it, LeBron will be the talk of the NBA world until June 30.

Bulls (Again) Seeking Coach. Calipari?

Del Negro was a .500 coach in two seasons
for the Chicago Bulls.

The Chicago Bulls recently announced the firing of head coach Vinny Del Negro after two seasons in the Windy City.

There's nothing wrong with desiring the return of the Bulls to the former glory the city experienced during the Phil Jackson-Michael Jordan era. It's just not going to happen. There's not a single roster move, series of roster moves or any one coach that can revive the days of MJ, Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr and John Paxson even though Paxson is viewed as the man in charge now. (I include Kerr and Paxson only because they hit two of the biggest shots in Bulls history.)

Despite the apparent rift between Paxson and Del Negro (for which Paxson has apologized), this move leaves me scratching my head. Del Negro's record wasn't overly successful (82-82 over two seasons), but he still guided Chicago to the playoffs in both seasons. Same can be said for Scott Skiles, now with the Milwaukee Bucks. Skiles coached for parts of two seasons and three full seasons. His record was 165-172 (.490) and three straight playoff spots. Both were escorted out of Chicago because they were deemed as failing to live up to over hyped expectations. But whoever said coaching is a fair occupation. No one.

Whoever Paxson decides as the next coach will have a nice core of young talent. Derrick Rose is a superstar in the making. Joakim Noah has evolved into a double-double machine and is also a budding star. Luol Deng, Taj Gibson, Kirk Hinrich, James Johnson, Hakim Warrick. Oh, the talent is there. Talent that can be developed. Can't think of a coach that wouldn't want to have the chance to work with all that young talent. And there's the fact that Chicago has the cap room to add a max contract.

More money for Coach Cal?

Yesterday, Yahoo! Sports reveled that Kentucky men's basketball coach John Calipari was interested in the Bulls post. Calipari, in turn, told Andy Katz of ESPN that he had no interest in the job. Calipari also stated he had not been contacted nor was he even pursuing it. Quickly, the UK masses pulled together and are ow set to offer Calipari a raise and contract extension. A lot of good that would do. Calipari is already the highest paid college coach. What will throwing more money and offering an extension really do? Remember what Calipari said before leaving Memphis before bolting to Lexington?

Calipari's NBA record is less than stellar. In his 2+ years with the New Jersey Nets, Coach Cal compiled a 72-122 record (.390 winning percentage). Yes, he's been through the rigors of a couple of NBA seasons, but the only link to the Bulls is Derrick Rose.

And even that won't be good enough for Chicago. The record speaks for itself. No question Calipari has enough charisma to get the players attention, but even at times during this past season at Kentucky, star freshman John Wall appeared to completely ignore him. That doesn't speak too highly of Coach Cal either.

For the next head coach of the Chicago Bulls, we must keep this mind. He won't be given a long time to improve the team. Ask Del Negro. Results will be expected, especially when it comes to the playoffs.

You get two years to make it past the second round. If not, look for another opening.

Monday: a night of milestones...and disappointments

Last night we witnessed, in some form, a number of milestones. We also witnessed some major disappointments.

A couple of major milestones were achieved.

1. New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur breaks shutout record.

It was a long standing record that Terry Sawchuck held. Forty years, in fact. Now, the record for most career shutouts belongs to future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur. Brodeur stopped 35 Pittsburgh Pengins shots on his way to recording his 104th shutout. Of Brodeur's 104 career shutouts, it's only the fourth time he'd shutout the Pens.

On breaking Sawchuck's mark, Broduer offered his usual humility.

"This record was held for so long, when you do break records and see how long they lasted, it's cool," Brodeur said. "Tying it was amazing and surpassing him, was a great honor for me to be in that position."

Brodeur already holds the record for games by a goalie and wins.

As I look at the list of the top 5 for most shutouts in NHL history, one name is amazingly absent, Patrick Roy. Hmm.

2. University of Kentucky becomes first Mens basketball program to amass 2,000 wins.

I know it was against Drexel. I know the first recorded win was against Lexington YMCA. But no one can ever dispute the legacy of UK basketball. Just ask my oldest son, a huge UK fan.

Head coach John Calipari, who earlier in the week been somewhat admonished by Bobby Knight, made the following comment to the Rupp Arena faithful:

"We weren't a part of many of those 2,000 wins [but] we had a job to do and that was drag us across the line before that other blue team got there."

That was obviously a stab at North Carolina who had been gaining on the Wildcats due to a few down years. Eddie Sutton and Billy Gillespie were the main culprits in that.

The disappointments came from the Washington Redskins and the Chicago Bulls.