Adrian Wojnarowski writes that William “World Wide Wes” Wesley may be tipping LeBron’s hand.
To listen to World Wide Wes, LeBron will never look back on Cleveland. “He’s up out of there,” is the way he tells it to people, but LeBron’s Akron crew has to tsk-tsk such public talk because they all live in Northeast Ohio, and maybe always will. “We’re going to Chicago,” William Wesley tells people, “and Chris Bosh is coming, too.”
The Bulls believe they’re going to get James, and that’s why they so confidently cleared the cap room needed to sign James and Bosh. The Bulls think they’re getting James and Toronto’s Chris Bosh, that the supporting cast of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah make them the most attractive destination. Nevertheless, the biggest myth of free agency, some executives pursuing James say, is that recruiting Bosh is telltale to the cause. “Bosh is attaching himself more to LeBron, than LeBron is to him,” one official said.
Of course, that’s not a direct quote from Wesley. Wojnarowski is paraphrasing what Wesley has apparently been telling people. But this flies in the face of what Wesley told a radio show just nine days ago that he hadn’t “even conversated” with LeBron about his future. So unless Wesley has had a strategy session with LeBron in the last nine days and came to the conclusion that Chicago is the place to be, someone isn’t telling the truth.
If LeBron does indeed land in the Windy City, it will put his decision to change jersey numbers into a new light. If he had been planning a move to MJ’s team the whole time, it makes sense to announce the number change early, so it seems like he’s choosing to make the change (out of respect for His Airness) instead of being forced to make the change.
Don’t laugh — this is perfectly plausible. This is LeBron we’re talking about.
As for Bosh, the notion that he’s “attaching himself to LeBron” contradicts just about everything he has said over the past few weeks. He has publicly stated at least twice that he doesn’t want to be a sidekick.
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FWIW, I had the opposite reaction to LeBron changing his #. Most people thought, if anything, it’s a slight indication he might be going to the Bulls. To me, it says more and more that he wants to have his own identity separate from Jordan, and going to the Bulls is going to accomplish the opposite.
So you’re of the opinion that changing his number is a sign that he WON’T be going to the Bulls, despite what Jalen Rose and World Wide Wes have apparently said?
Look at the supporting cast in Chicago and then add Bosh to the roster and look out! Then look at what’s left in Cleveland as a supporting cast….
If LeBron really wants to separate himself from Jordan and have his own identity, then Chicago is the worst place he could go. He won’t be able to take a dump in the morning without people comparing it to the one’s MJ used to take when playing there.
LeBron could win five titles in Chicago and still wouldn’t match Jordan’s, so why not go elsewhere?
I think he will stay in cleveland and bosh will come to OH or they will both go to BULLS, it doesnt hurt to realize that the only team he cant play with jersey #23 is Chicago and he announced jersey change to 6 or w/e so much earlier in season so it makes sense. and i dont think hes worried about jordan legacy in CHI thats like saying kobe wouldnt want 2 sign lakers because of magic legacy or pierce because of bird legacy?? they dont care about what came b4 if their really confident.
Okay John, you’re jumping down my throat again. All I’m saying is, all else equal, I felt that the # change was a signal he wanted to separate himself from Jordan. Going to the Bulls is going to achieve the opposite of that.
Do I think he’s gonna sign with the Bulls? I think there’s a much better chance than him signing with New York or New Jersey.
And, for what it’s worth, Jalen Rose and World Wide Wes, as well as the rest of the rumor mongers in the NBA — their little “reports” mean nothing to me. Absolutely nothing. First off, Jalen Rose is a retard. But, more importantly, people close to NBA organizations routinely plant rumors in the press in order to influence players and GMs to make certain decisions. So a rumor, at best, is just a twitter-fart. At worst, it’s manipulation. Like when people plant fake news about stocks in order to influence them to go in one direction or the other. Not saying Jalen Rose originates any of these rumors, but he certainly propagates them. WW Wes, now he might certainly be guilty of some of this deception.
I’m sorry, I don’t follow every little he-said she-said that flashes in and out of existence. I look try to analyze basketball and business sides of various scenarios and see if I can read the tea leaves. I think it’s pretty much a lock that Bron signs with either Chicago or Miami, but I just thought I’d mention as an aside that him changing his jersey # struck me as an indication that he wanted to move farther out of Jordan’s shadow which, if taken on its own, would tend to suggest he’s going to look elsewhere first.