(UPDATE) Stephen A. Smith - Miami to land LeBron and Bosh

We interrupt this vacation to report that the NBA Free Agent frenzy has begun!

Stephen A. Smith of Fox Sports Radio  and the Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that LeBron James and Chris Bosh will join Dwyane Wade in Miami this upcoming season.

I will be speaking with Stephen A. Smith momentarily and update this story.

So, please check back frequently for an update.

UPDATE!

Okay, just got off the phone with Stephen A. Smith.

Here's how the conversation went.

JS: So, what is the genesis of the report?

SAS: I spoke to my source and felt comfortable enough to go with my report. The report is that LeBron James has basically decided that he's going to South Beach. Dwyane Wade has done a nice job recruiting him and it would be the best way to win multiple championships.

As far as Chris Bosh, it was a forgone conclusion that he was going there (Miami) or Dallas. It's going to be Miami, because that's where he wants to be. I reported months ago, that I thought Bosh would end up there.

It was a matter of what Pat Riley wanted. It was either going to be Chris Bosh or Amar'e Stoudemire and Pat riley would rather have Chris Bosh.

Now, two scenarios are at play. Either all three of these guys take less money to make it work or there will have to be a sign & trade somewhere. Here's how that conversation went.

JS: Who's more likely to walk without needing a sign & trade?

SAS: LeBron is willing to walk -- the Cavaliers are not inclined to help LeBron bye any stretch. If they lose LeBron there nothing they can do -- they might as well start from scratch. They will have lost a superstar and a home grown product.

Again, this is highly likely. With LeBron you can't be 100 percent sure. As this report circulates the pressure on LeBron will mount and with a guy as fickle as him I wouldn't say anything is a done deal until he signs.

For Toronto, losing Chris Bosh is not as devastating. If you can get something of quality in return you pull the trigger.

A max deal needs to be more important to Chris Bosh because of the endorsement dollars -- those dollars -- they're funneling in to Lebron and Dwyane Wade. It would behoove him to get those extra 30 million to make up the money he would not be getting in endorsements.

If there's a sign & trade for Bosh -- then Michael Beasley (who is signed through this upcoming season -- team option in 2011) would have to be part of that transaction. 

Now, Stephen A. Smith told me he didn't know yet if Toronto would be amenable to that, but he did provide insight into what Beasley's value could be.

JS: Does Michael Beasley still have enough value to get a sign & trade done?

SAS: People like his skill set even though Beasley has underachieved. His salary that he's making as the number 2 overall pick is a bargain.

In this possible scenario, he'd want to renegotiate his deal and that could help facilitate the process. 

One last update to this story. Here's what Stephen A. Smith said earlier today on his show on Fox Sports Radio. (click on link below)

SAS on LBJ and Bosh headed to Miami 

Jorge Sedano Show weekdays 6am-10am on 790 The Ticket

Follow me on Twitter @SedanoShow

email: sedano@790theticket.com

Comments

[jeff]

This is absolutely ridiculous. Every other report has LeBron going to the Bulls, most likely with Bosh. I would love to see it again but I would guess this is not going to happen.

[Derek]

What a joke

[Alex]

If only this were true... way to get our hopes up, Smith. I just hope that we don't get stuck with Boozer and Johnson.

[Jersey_Cane]

I am sorry, but ESPN dropped SAS for a reason... Everything that is being said is that LeBron ends up in Chicago because of the other complimentary players they have there.

Plus, who would want to play for Spoilstuff, Spolestraff, whatever his name is....

[teabag meyer]

there is NO CHANCE that this will happen...SAS is a crock and is just speculating just like everybody else

NOBODY knows what is going to happen except for Lebron, D-Wade and maybe Bosh

[SouthernChef]

Hmmmmmm....

[thurman]

Sedano Last Week you came out strong against the firing of Fredi and i tipped my hat off to you but your back on the idiot train Stephen A. Smith really Sedano this jackass is your source Come on Sedano Stephen A. Smith will sell you out for a bag of Cheez Doodles The man Loves his Cheez Doodles no one takes this guy seriously he is a national joke

[Chris Berman]

Stephen A. Smith is a total schmuck! ESPN canned him for a reason. The only way he is back with the Philly Inquirer is yhat he threatened them withe a racial lawsuit.

[Riley >>>>>>> the bulls]

LeBron would be crazy to go to Chicago. He would have to be perfect or hear how much better Jordan did it everyday.
If he truly cares about winning, the only way he beats the Lakers is with Wade and Bosh in Miami.

Pat Riley >>>> Gar Forman (your garbage GM)

[tom]

The miami heat needs to get sombody good so if not Lebron and Bosh then who is the heat going to get ? if the heat end up with nothing then the heat will continue to be team with little fans and no talent Dwade cant do this byhimself.

[Dr Michael Margaretten]

Believe 50% of what you see, and less of what you hear.

[Riley >>>>>>> the bulls]

The only thing I know for certain is Lebron is NOT going to Chicago.

He would cement his legacy as always worse than Jordan and he won't want that. If Lebron is not perfect in Chicago he will hear it over and over about how Jordan did it. No chance he's going there.

[Andy]

MIAMI MORE THAN A DYNASTY?

[Ralph]

This is wishful thinking like Bobby Valentine is going to manage the Marlins. These stories are cozy and all but I can't believe anything until it's all signed, sealed and delivered.

[tzey]

reality is......putting wade with lebron and bosh does not necessarily guarantee a championship...neither does james/bosh in chicago. gets folks excited, perhaps these combo would be a worthy challenger to the lakers dominance but guarantee championships-no...nothing in life is guaranteed.

As for this latest gem, more to speculate and discuss which is good considering the sports doldrums until pro football starts which couldn't come soon enough for me!

[Hanz Dufenshmirtz]

If Miami somehow has the magic to coax these two players in with Wade, do you really think Spoelstra will be coaching? I guess a better question is do you really think Pat Riley will let this coaching opportunity pass him by (not a chance)?

[ANTI-BULL]

Hey Chicagoans! How can Rose, Noah and some other scrub who's name is irrelevant be a better cast than if JAMES play with WADE in SO-BEACH? You guys are dreaming and you all sound stupid... WADE, JAMES and BOSH (alone) can play your entire team and beat it badly even if the bulls can somehow find 4 more players of "Dirt-Rose" calibre. BULLS SUX plus JAMES already said that he worries how the management there manages the team. Physical assault to the former coach, JORDAN and PIPEN being brushed to the side at the end of their career, plus fan in Chicago sux! STEVE BARTMAN sux! You all dont deserve a real NBA team. Bulls days are over!!!

[mcballers]

look amare will team up with wade in miami and lebron with bosh in chicago. basketball suks in florida and south beach is the famous lil song even for university of miami players.cut the crap and dont listen to this, most of the guys writing here dont even have tickets to the game as it is.this is a third world city.

[randallhank]

Beasley is not such a great chip in a sign and trade for Bosh. And these teams with all that cap room don't have anything left to trade! Teams at or over the caps are much more likely to take a player like Calderon or Turkoglu's contract in a short term/long term contract swap. So a sign and trade is much more likely to happen with a team like Cleveland, who can give a package of expiring contracts in Delonte West and Antawn Jamison (2012), plus a young talent like Hickson, and take a long contract off the books for Toronto. This might not seem sexy if you are a Toronto fan (or know nothing about team building), but what teams generally want is for their large contracts to be staggered. So Toronto would get some immediate help offensively and gobs of cap room over the long haul.. It's hard to imagine them getting a better offer than this, especially since they know they are losing Bosh anyway.

[BBall-Allday]

Hey Anti-Bull, you sound and type like a lil kid whose candy just got stolen. Get your facts straight before you start trying to spit out words you can't even pronounce.
1. James never said anything about Bulls management, the only one who did was DWade and that was just a ploy to get agents to stop thinking about Chicago as everyone was reporting that they were a likely destination for free -agents(further solidified when Wade back tracked from his statements as he realized even he was off base there
2. Jordan & Pippen were never brushed off, Pippen was given a max contract and traded to the team of his choice as he made it clear he wanted to go somewhere else and prove he could do things without MJ. Also Michael was offered a role within the organization but he was not interested at that time and was looking for more of an ownership role(validated by multiple sources including Jordan himself)
3. The fans in Chicago are some of the best fans in the world. They have led the NBA in attendance for the last 20 yrs regardless of how good the team was. Not to criticize Miami(as it is a beautiful city with many attractions) But just go back to as recently as the playoffs this year. Against Boston, there was visibly so many empty seats even though it was a Playoff game and DWade was playing out of his mind!

Bottom line, all of this is just speculation, but in a few days we should know what actually is true and at that time we can discuss who is going to beat who for the next 5-6 yrs(even that is debatable, as u never truly know)!

[BigG]

He is going to the Miami HEAT! Lebron announced in Miami that he was changing his number 23 to 6 in Miami after he saw the banner of Jordan with the 23. In december Jan and feb is nice and warm down. No snow! What would you want to wake up to 5 below zero or in your mansion by the beach! Lebron is not going to Chicago, he is going where the weather is warm, the media is easy and no state income tax meaning on a max player $500K a year in their pocket!

[An Adult]

The "Real Bottom Line" is that all of you sound like little girls arguing over who's right and who's wrong, and where these players will sign. For what? Is it going to do any good, because when its all said and done, nobody on hear will benefit from it financially; the only thing us fans will get, is the opportunity to hopefully cheer these players on in our respective cities (Miami). Just take a chill pill, relax, and wait and see what happens, before your blood pressure rises any higher and you have a damn heart attack. Be and fan, not a critic!

[BBall-Allday]

Good point, An Adult, I believe that is what i was trying to get to towards the end of my post. That we won't really know whats going to happen until it actually does...at that time we can be fans and enjoy continuing to root for our respective teams. However, I was not trying to argue or say that I was right - just wanted to put more factual information out there in regards to the post Mr Anti-Bull made. Part of being sports fans, is enjoying a good debate with other teams fans intellectually and of course your right we will never benefit financially but I don't think you have to have some financial reward for being a fan, it is purely a passion and joy that you can choose to be a part of.

[An Adult]

You are absolutely correct BBall-Allday, and excuse me if my comment offended you, it was not directed towards you, its mainly toward the discussion being had on here. My belief is that it is completely pointless to argue over a topic that no one can predict the outcome of. I do see your point as well. It'll be an interesting couple of days.

[RICK TRUTH SPEAKER]

I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR STEPHEN A SMITH AND HE IS USUALLY RIGHT, HOWEVER THIS TIME I THINK HE WILL BE WRONG. I THINK LEBRON AND CHRIS BOSH AND MAYBE JOE JOHNSON WILL BE IN CHICAGO THIS TIME NEXT YEAR. I EVEN WOULDN'T BE SHOCKED IF MR. WADE IS IN NEW YORK. JUST MY OPINION. GALATIANS 4:16