The 2010 NBA free agency period promises to be one of the most exciting in history as several of the league’s best players — LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire and Joe Johnson, to name a few — could change zip codes. It looks like the “Big Three” (LeBron, Wade and Bosh) may be able to share information as the decisions are being made. All three will be represented by Creative Artists Agency.
Henry Thomas, the Chicago-based agent for Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, joined forces with Leon Rose, the agent for LeBron James, at Creative Artists Agency.
In a move that the parties involved have attempted to portray as unrelated, William Wesley — the ubiquitous “World Wide Wes” — will be joining the coaches’ division at CAA. Wesley, one of the most connected and influential men in basketball due to his ties to James, Kentucky coach John Calipari and essentially every tentacle of the game, will go from being unofficially powerful to officially powerful in the next 2-3 months, according to a source familiar with his plans.
What does all of this mean? Simply put, the top three NBA free agents are all under the same representation umbrella — an advantage that will allow them to freely share information about what will be a dizzying, unpredictable free-agent signing period.
Another interesting note from the article is that Toronto did offer Chris Bosh and extension, but he declined.
Some have suggested that all three could land in New York, if they were willing to take a cut in guaranteed salary and think big, in terms of championships and endorsements. The chances of three players in their prime leaving approximately $25 million to $30 million on the table isn’t likely, but it’s possible, especially since all three are in essentially the same camp. I’d like to think that LeBron, Wade and Bosh could be that pragmatic — because, on the whole, NYC would be the best long-term situation in terms of overall money and legacy — but I’m still skeptical.
However, the fact that the three superstars are good friends and, at this point, still mostly ring-less, makes the whole idea intriguing. It can only help that all three are represented by the same agency.
