A multitude of thoughts on the LeBron James signing with the Miami Heat have been expressed by members of the Gameoversportz.com community.  Each has expressed ideas and reflections of the events that has led to the top three available NBA free agents, James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh to sign contracts with the Heat.  The owner of James former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, went on a rant the evening of James announcement (and which resulted in a $100,000 fine by the NBA).  There was articles and talk radio that discussed James abandonment of Cleveland, that he shied away from locations like New York and Chicago due to legacies (Jordan) and spotlight/media (intrusion into personal life).  Discussions have surrounded the decision in the manner in which the decision was announced (Live television broadcast on ESPN), collusion among the three players as much as three years prior to the free agent period of 2010, and the Miami Heat organization using Wade as its emissary to construct the environment to lure James and Bosh. 

A party in South Beach the day after where each of the three strutted down a runway in their uniforms like models slapping hands of fans.  Other franchises that were unable to land any of the top three settled for their second and third choices, if they were fortunate.  Talk of a dynasty and expectations of multiple championships has emerged as benchmarks that must be met or levels of failure will be tied to these three as they were to prior greats like Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson.

Other than that, not much has happened in the past 5 days.

We were waiting for the first shoe to drop, and it did when A'mare Stoudemire announced that New York was his kind of town and the Knicks his kind of team.  Now it is reported that Dwayne Wade is staying in Miami and Chris (Tweeter) Bosh is joining him.

But to the absolute joy of NBA Commissioner David Stern, LeBron James announcement will come on live television Thursday evening on ESPN.  At a time usually reserved for presidential addresses, "The King" will address the nation where he will accept a contract of well over $100 million.  The biggest announcement most of us make is when we get up from the dinner table and tell our companions that we are going to the bathroom.

The NBA has gotten such free press from free agency that they have to consider revising the length of contracts so that all players are free agents every year.  The public relations that has come at the hands of the ESPN media giant could not be bought for less than the BP oil clean-up in the Gulf.

Are there winners and losers?  The ultimate winner is the NBA for all the spotlights it has received these past months.  Some teams will garner greater attention, others will warrant our sympathies, and some will just go on being who they are (i.e.: Los Angeles Clippers).  But we have all provided the NBA, like an attention starved 16 year old, what they wanted, our abject attention.

Tonight begins the equivalent to racing your car to a stop light.  All you did was hurry to now wait.  And tonight, once the clock turns to a new day, NBA free agency period will begin.  And if you haven't had enough coverage on talk radio and ESPN, every little movement through the holiday weekend will be scrutinized by the talking heads.  But it will all mean nothing since no free agent can sign on the dotted line until July 8.

So sit back, go for a jog, read a book, shoot some jump shots of your own.  You won't miss anything that won't be analyzed, over analyzed, poked, probed, and interpreted 20 million times over the next 8 days, minimum.  And when real news breaks, you only need to come to www.gameoversportz.com or www.gameovernyc.com for all the information on your favorite player and team.

The Knick' s have been down this path before.  A "legendary" city player that has a street rep that some fans want to see in orange and blue.  Only this time they listen to reason and fought the urge to redo the Stephon Marbury disaster.  The Knicks passed on Brooklyn legend and Univ. of Cincinnati Freshman Lance Stephenson.  Many colleges passed on the "one-and-done" Stephenson who showed talent but lives on potential.  Having been selected by the Knick's would have led both Stephenson and the Knick's down a path that would have ended poorly for each.  There is too much history and pressure on NYC high school legends to succeed at home.  And in the age that basketball now is, having his entourage with him is just too distracting from someone that needs to still learn the game.  Indiana is the right place for Stephenson, and should he develop, can always look 3 years from now to signing as a free agent with his hometown team.

The countdown is on in several NBA cities as free agency begins at the stroke of midnight Wednesday.  The New York Post has a countdown clock on its Sports Page, with daily articles regarding the meetings LeBron James is set to take Thursday, first meeting with the Knicks and then the Nets in Ohio.

Hate to tell it to the Knicks, but if there is a betting line in Vegas (and you know there is one), they are a 1,000 - 1 shot at landing James despite clearing enough cap room to get him a playmate superstar.  Its not their fault.  They have done everything within their power and scope.  Only they do not have any present players on their roster that will assist James in his pursuit of a championship.  Their are some nice pieces, but just that, nice pieces.

Truth is, across the river the Nets are better situated with Brook Lopez and company to entice James.  But they are at least two years away from moving to Brooklyn and a marketing dream.  If James re-ups with the Cav's for only 3 years, you and everyone else will know that it is with an eye to leave Cleveland after the term is up to go play in JZ's playhouse on Atlantic Ave.

Smart play for James is either going to Chicago or Miami where there are players that are of talent and room to bring along additional talent with James.

We will see GM's sweat on Thursday and teams come up short, having to explain to an angry fan base why they were not a target of the free agent's affection.  For the Knick's, its nothing they did wrong, they just don't have enough ammunition.

In seven days the frenzy will begin.  Yesterday was the appetizer that we ate as we wait for the main course.  It filled us a little, teased our palate, but left us hungry for something more substantial.

The NBA free agent period opens at 12:01 AM July 1 with main course dishes of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, among others.  Teams over the past two years frantically scrambled to clear salary cap room in anticipation of luring one, or possibly two of these talented individuals.  The Chicago Bulls pulled off a Draft Day trade of Kirk Hinrich to the Washington Wizards in order to land LeBron plus another free agent to pair with Derrick Rose.  Miami cleared more space to make room for keeping Wade plus adding additional free agents, such as James.

Teams like the Knicks and Nets may be left out in the cold come next Friday.

Truthfully, who is really going to tune into tonight's NBA Draft?  Other than John Wall and Evan Turner, are there any impact players?  Will any of the lottery picks have their options picked up after their guaranteed 3 year contracts expire?

The truth is July 1 is only seven days away.  The fever pitch will build until the strike of midnight and the exec's of the teams with cap room all hit their speed dials for LeBron, Dwayne, Chris and the rest.  This will be the NBA excitement, the NBA replenishment, that we as fans are all looking for.

While your team may make a questionable selection in tonight's draft, look toward's next week as an indicator as to who they may be going after to fill the obvious needs they didn't address with the draft.

The 2010 Game Over Classic just concluded this past weekend at two sites.  Champions were crowned in 8 divisions.  To see photos and videos of the action, go to www.gameoversportz.com .  If you are not yet a member, becoming on is free and only takes a moment.

The replenishment begins Thursday evening as the NBA will hold its annual draft of amateur players.  The Washington Wizards hold the top pick this year, followed by the 76ers and Nets.  Kentucky freshman John Wall is expected to be the first overall selection, Ohio State's Evan Turner to go to the Sixers, and the Nets selecting Georgia Tech big man Derrick Favors.  There are two rounds to the draft.  The New York Knicks do not have a First Round Selection.

The Los Angeles Lakers won their 16th NBA Championship by beating their arch rivals, the Boston Celtics,  in a 7th Game slugfest.  After trailing by as much as 13 points in the middle of the 3rd Quarter, the Lakers were able to shut down the Celtic attack.  The championship brings them to within one overall championship of the Celtics, who have 17.  Kobe Bryant received the Finals MVP award.