Reports are surfacing that LeBron has already made up his mind, and will announce tonight that he will join Wade and Bosh with the Miami Heat.  We will find out tonight, when he LeBron announces on national television his ultimate decision.

I'm still not buying into any of this speculation.  How many times has ESPN and Chris Broussard flip-flopped on where they think LeBron will go?  ESPN has latched on to this story for months, maybe even years, and has done nothing but enable Team LeBron.  Only LeBron and Maverick Carter know his "Decision", and thus no one should be reporting anything until we watch LeBron's television spectacle in approximately 6 hours tonight.

If he does leave, I blame everything on Chris Bosh.  Had Chris Bosh, (who looks like an Avatar) agreed to join LeBron in Cleveland, the Cavaliers would be smiling right about now as they knew that LeBron would return.  The lure of Bosh and Wade in Miami is a tough choice, but so is playing with Amare Stoudemire in New York.  It seems as if the Cavaliers are not the favorite anymore, but I still think we have a chance.

LeBron will be announcing his decision in Connecticut, and some have speculated that this means he will sign with the Knicks.  He does have a love affair with Madison Square Garden, but that doesn't mean he will sign with them.  Mike Dantoni isn't exactly the coach who gives LeBron the best shot to win a championship. 

I still think that the Cavaliers signing Byron Scott will have an immense impact on LeBron's decision.  LeBron's best friend Chris Paul has been reported to be urging LeBron to stay with Cleveland and give Byron a shot to take him to the promised land.  The Cavaliers have apparently have vigorously tried to trade for Paul, but with no success.  However, Scott has won championships as a player, and has led the Nets to several NBA Finals appearances.  He has the experience to coach a superstar in LeBron, and work with our supporting cast to get the most out of them.

The future of the Cavaliers franchise will be determined in a few short hours.  There have been estimates that predict the value of Dan Gilbert's investment could decrease by $150 million or more if LeBron decides to team up with Bosh and Wade.  LeBron need to stay in Cleveland.  Dan Gilbert is committed to making us a championship contender each and every year. 

This summer of free agency is just one of many to come.  There are always blockbuster trades during the season and if LeBron does stay, rest assured the Cavs will do everything in their power to improve an already impressive roster.  Hickson and Varejao are underrated big-men.  Besides, if LeBron goes to Miami he isn't the number one option anymore.  Wade has proven to be more trustworthy in the clutch.  Does LeBron really need to go play with Wade and Bosh to win a championship?  I don't think so.  Hopefully he makes the right move.  All of Cleveland will mourn if he goes on National Television and announces he is leaving.  We've already had enough heartbreak.  Cleveland deserves better than that.  LeBron James is Underrated

The 8th greatest Cavalier of all-time hails from Brazil.  There isn't another player in the NBA that does more for his team in terms of hustle and effort.  Anderson Varejao deservedly earned his nickname "The Wild Thing" for his relentless and energetic style of play.  If he's not on your team, you probably hate him.  Cavs fans love him.  He has the ability to change a game from a rebounding-standpoint, as well as his consistent defensive effort.

Anderson was born in 1982 in Colatina, Brazil.  While most other kids grew up playing soccer, Varejao found basketball to be his natural fit.  At 6 ft. 11", and 260 pounds, he probably could have been a great goalie.. Brazil could have used him this year in their early-exit from the World Cup.

Regardless, he was a talented basketball player, and in 1998 at the age of 16 he signed with the Franca Basquetbol Clube in the city of Franca, Sao Paulo state.  Franca is known as the basketball capital of Brazil, and he played there for 3 years.  He was touted as an offensively unpolished big-man, but you couldn't overlook his effort and energy.

In 2001, he signed with FC Barcelona.  He only appeared in two games that year, and scored 4 points total.  The next year, he appeared in 4 games, and averaged 8.3 points and 1.5 rebounds.  Barcelona didn't know just how valuable Varejao could be.  Anderson didn't see one minute of playing time in the playoffs.  In 2003, he appeared in 27 regular season games but yet again they held out him out the playoff rotation. 

Gradually, Varejao was becoming a better player and learned how to play his game.  He entered the 2004 NBA draft with hopes to contribute.  The Orlando Magic drafted him with the 30th overall pick.  The Cavaliers wanted him, and acquired him as well as Drew Gooden for Tony Battie.  I imagine the Magic look back on that decision and wince.  Varejao alongside Dwight Howard could have been a dynamic duo.  Worked out for the Cavaliers. 

During his rookie campaign with the Cavaliers in 2004, he appeared in 54 games.  In 16 minutes per game, he averaged 5 points and 5 rebounds.  Vvarejao ranked 1st in the NBA in steals per turnover with 1.58, and 4th in offensive rebounds per 48 minutes with 6.1.  He quickly became a fan favorite with his energetic style of play and awesome hair.

On February 21, 2006, fans at Quicken Loans Arena attempted to break the Guinness World Record for "most people wearing wigs in a single venue" when 20,562 fans wore wigs given away before the game in celebration of Varejao's unique hairstyle.  Cleveland, stop trying to be famous for dumb things.  This is same franchise who broke the world record for "most people wearing snuggies" in a game this last year.  Ignorance is bliss.

Varejao was a huge part of the Cavs 2006 playoff run.  He averaged 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds   During the Eastern Conference Semifinal series against the Detroit Pistons, he shot over 80% from the free throw line and played a big part in the Cavaliers' wins in Game 3 (16 points) and Game 4 (drawing a charge from Chauncey Billups with 29 seconds left to play and by preventing Richard Hamilton from making a potentially game-winning shot).

Mike Brown decided to give Varejao more minutes during the 2006-2007 season.  He appeared in 81 games, and started six times.  He averaged 6.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game and took 99 charges during the season to lead the Association.  Some people think he's a flopper, but he's really just a crafty defensive presence and he takes some hard hits during the process.

In the 2007 offseason Varejão became a restricted free agent, and he did not sign a contract with the Cavaliers at the start of the 2007-08 NBA season.  He waited until December, and signed a two-year $11.1 million offer sheet with the Charlotte Bobcats. Under the NBA's collective bargaining rules, the Cavaliers had one week to match the offer sheet, and that's exactly what they did.  They weren't about to allow this talented Brazilian stud to go play for Charlotte.

The Cavaliers knew his impact doesn't always show up in the statline, and they rewared him after the 2008-2009 season, when they signed him to a 6 year contract worth $42.5 million.  I'd estimate that he probably spends $1 million a year alone to keep that beautiful afro in pristine condition.  Seriously, who in the Association has better hair than Varejao?

This last year, he led the NBA in plus-minus, meaning when he's on the floor the team plays well.  He has consistently shown to be an invaluable player, and LeBron loves to find him sneaking backdoor for an easy layup at least once a game.

Varejao is also an underrated dunker; He's been known to throw down a tip-slam, or dunk in someone's face when he feels its necesssary.   

Anderson plays hard all the time, which is more than can be said about some players.  He will likely be a deciding factor in LeBron's decision to stay in Cleveland.  Joakim Noah wishes he could be Anderson Varejao (seriously Noah, fix your gap-tooth).  He always gets under the other team's skin, and it often leads to opposing players picking up technical fouls. 

The Wild Thing will be a staple in Byron Scott's gameplan for years to come, and he deserves to get a ring with the King.  We'll never forget the 3 pointer he hit to beat the Hawks last year.  It doesn't really need to be said, it's obvious; Anderson Varejao is Underrated

 
                          

On the day that LeBron officially became a free agent, Byron Scott has accepted the Cavs vacant head coaching position.  I must say I'm relieved to hear that the Cavaliers decided to go with Byron Scott, and not Brian Shaw.  This is a great hire for Dan Gilbert, as Byron brings a level of NBA coaching experience, as well as success, that Shaw and even Izzo could not offer. 

It was a pretty interesting situation, as there were reports that Shaw was soon to be named the Head Coach.  Apparently they rescinded on that, and made the right decision to go with Scott.  Even Byron's agent thought Shaw had the job, as he had sent out a congratulatory e-mail through several news outlets.  That turned out not being completely accurate, and the Cavs re-opened talks with Scott. 

Byron Scott is far better suited to coach this team than Shaw, and Cavs fans should be excited about what he brings to the table.  He has previous head coaching experience with the New Jersey Nets and New Orleans.  You have to look at what he did in getting the Nets to the NBA Finals.  He took a mediocre team to the NBA Championship.  The fact that he has a great relationship with Chris Paul, who the Cavs may or may not still be interested in going after, doesn't hurt his case either.  LeBron and CP are best friends, and Paul and Scott are tight.  It makes sense that he would come to Cleveland to join LeBron. 

It might be awhile before anyone knows where LeBron is going to play, and I respect Byron for agreeing to become the coach without even knowing whether he will resign.  That shows that he is committed, and isn't entirely worried about whether The King stays or not.  He's going to keep the Cavaliers in title-contention for years for to come.  Besides,  LeBron has said that he would like to play for a former NBA player: Scott fills that role.  He played 14 seasons, and won 3 championships with the Lakers.

LeBron James is staying in Cleveland.  He's not going to either of the teams he's listening to offers from today, that being the Knicks and Nets.  Although Jay-Z probably will present a good argument for him going to the Nets; LeBron won't want to play in New Jersey for the next two years until the team can move to Brooklyn.  Playing in Newark for 2 years isn't exactly an upgrade from Cleveland.  He's not going to New York either, because they simply flat-out suck every year.  Oh, and one of their top targets Joe Johnson is going to sign a 6 year, $119 million contract with Atlanta.  He's not even that good, definitely not worth $20 mill a year. 

LeBron and Dwayne Wade are not teaming up in Miami either.  Both players like to have the ball at the end of the game, and neither of them will want to sacrifice millions of dollars to play together.  It's an interesting idea, one that ESPN has ignorantly latched onto, but it's not happening.  LeBron wants to be the man on the team he plays for.  Sharing the spotlight is not a suitable option. 

So that pretty much leaves Chicago as the only possible option where LeBron would leave.  They have a few nice pieces there including Derrick Rose, but I don't see him leaving.  Thibodeau is a mirror image of Mike Brown and he won't want to play for him.  It all adds up to the Cavs getting Bosh in a sign and trade, and resigning LeBron.  You don't leave the team that had the best regular season record for the last 2 years, won over 60 games, and is consistently a championship contender.  LeBron has to realize that our early playoff exit was his fault, no one else's.  If he hadn't disappeared in the last few games of the series, we could be talking about a Cavaliers championship right now. 

Also, he has to realize the stain on his legacy that will result if he ditches Cleveland after failing to win a championship.  He's from the area, and knows that we desperately need a title in this town.  He wants to win a ring, and he's going to do it here.  The Cavaliers are going to start making moves left and right and Byron Scott is just Step 1.  I love the move, and so does LeBron.  LeBron James is Underrated

                                    

Here's an interesting video of ESPN's Chris Broussard talking about some of the moves the Cavs could make to entice LeBron to stay.  July 1st is only one day away, and free agents can sign contracts as early as July 8th.  LeBron wants to see some roster improvements, and Dan Gilbert will oblige. 

If the reports are true that the Cavaliers have chosen Brian Shaw to be their next coach, I'm not exactly thrilled.  Seriously, you bring in a rookie head coach when you're trying to sign the most coveted free agent in the history of sports?  Personally I thought Byron Scott would have been a much better option, as he has the experience necessary to lead a team to the Finals. 

It's all about to unfold, and let's hope the front office does what is necessary to keep LeBron.  The city needs him to stay.  The clock is ticking, and the fate of the franchise is about to be determined. LeBron James is Underrated
                                   

8 down..12 to go, and I feel like it's a good time to talk about the current state of the Cavaliers.  It's been 31 days since I began boycotting the ESPN and LeBron free-agent shenanigans.  There is exactly 10 days left until July 1st, the highly anticipated day where The King can sign with any team he chooses.  I'm basically exhausted from all the LeBron rumors, and I'm having a lot more fun focusing on the countdown. 

No, I won't be talking about Hometown Hero appreciation day in Akron, or the fact that the minor league Lake County Captains are adding the prefix "Le" to the team, and every players name on LeBron James Day.  It does makes sense however, to discuss the team's present and future. 

Tom Izzo was offered the Cavaliers coaching position, and respectfully declined.  Even though the money was there (6 years 30 million), he wasn't sure LeBron was going to be.  The fact that he couldn't even get in touch with James is likely the main reason he chose to stay with Michigan State.  There was a report that LeBron "fully endorsed" the attempt to hire Tom Izzo, but no one can really be sure what that even meant. 

Part of me wanted to see the MSU czar at the helm of the Cavaliers, but the more logical side of me is glad he's not going to be.  Tom Izzo has never coached a single game in the NBA.  He has no track record that you can look to, other than his impressive resume at Michigan State.   

Think about some of the college coaches who have seen little or no success in the Pro's.  Calipari and Pitino are two names that come to mind.  Highly respected coaches, no professional experience.  Both had stints in the NBA, and both are now back in college.  Being considered a good or even great college coach often does not translate into the professional ranks.  Handling grown men who make ridiculous salaries is a far cry from recruiting and managing high school players who essentially play for free.  Dan Gilbert grew up in Michigan and is probably a diehard Izzo supporter.  Considering the fact that he's the one making all the decisions for now, he wanted Tom and wasn't afraid to go after him.  Consider it an epic fail. 

There are plenty of other available coaches qualified to run the Cavaliers ship.  Personally, I don't want to see Kelvin Sampson.  My pick would be Byron Scott, who has championship-level coaching experience.  He also was a solid player, and led the Lakers to an NBA championship in 1988.  He knows what it takes to win in this league.

In 2000, he took over a terrible New Jersey team.  After struggling his first year, he succeeded in building a solid team, and took the Nets on an improbable run to the NBA Finals, eventually losing to the Lakers.  The following year, he took the same team to the Finals again, this time to lose to the San Antonio Spurs.  Byron Scott is well-respected in the league, and has the demeanor and confidence to coach a star-studded Cavaliers team.  If LeBron stays, that is.

The only way that Dan Gilbert can lure some of the other top free agents in this class is if LeBron does stay.  No one is going to want to come to Cleveland if he leaves.  That is why it is vital that he does.  This year's free agent class is pretty impressive.  With the likes of Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudemire, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Manu Ginobili, Dirk Nowitzki, Carlos Boozer, and Michael Redd, there's a lot of star power that is available this off-season.

There's only a few realistic options for Gilbert to pursue.  The one that makes the most sense is a sign-and-trade for Chris Bosh.  If LeBron re-signs with the Cavs, it is likely that at least one big name will follow him.  Bosh is one of the most solid centers in the league, and would play extremely well alongside LeBron.  A good friend of mine, one with insight and knowledge of The Cavaliers Organization, is fairly confident that this is a likely scenario.  He thinks Bosh will sign with Toronto, and then force a sign-and-trade with the Cavaliers.  The likely pieces to be shipped out are Delonte West, Jawad Williams, possibly Varejao, and Wally Sczerbiak's contract.  The Cavs would in-turn receive Bosh and Jarrett Jack.  Pretty good deal for both teams, except for Cleveland having to include Varejao. 

The best part is, all of this could potentially go down in about 2 weeks.  If Bosh comes to Cleveland, we will already have assembled a team that is capable of winning championships for years to come.  Only, there is one piece missing.  Mo Williams is an exciting player, but he is not the point guard that this team needs to make a run, and win in the playoffs.  Historically, Mo has had solid regular seasons but let the team down in the playoffs, when we need him most.  He's not a good enough defender to handle Rajon Rondo or even Jameer Nelson.

My proposal to this solution is simple.  Get Chris Paul.  Do whatever it takes to bring him to Cleveland.  He and LeBron are best friends, and it just makes sense.  He is a top-5 point guard in the league, and like Bosh, would play extremely well alongside LeBron.  Think about that starting lineup.  Chris Paul, LeBron James, Antawn Jamison, JJ Hickson, and Chris Bosh.  Granted, there are salary cap issues, and getting Bosh would essentially mean that Shaq would not be coming back.  He probably isn't anyways.       

The fate and future of the Cleveland Cavaliers will both be decided very soon.  The first piece to the puzzle is obvious.  Keep LeBron James in Cleveland.  All the other pieces will fall in to place.  I can't wait for this to play out, because I'm sick of ESPN and I'm pretty much sick of hearing about it.  LeBron will stay in Cleveland.  Who else will join?  LeBron James is Underrated