John Wall Reflects on LeBron James’ ESPN Special
The time is ticking down on the LeBron-othon that has dominated NBA headlines for a week now, ending the most celebrated free agent decision in the league’s history.
LeBron has made pages and is being discussed everywhere—ESPN, gossip websites, morning talk shows, radio. Even President Obama weighed in on the issue, stating that he hopes the star decides to play for the Chicago Bulls.
Wizards No. 1 overall pick, John Wall, doesn’t have a problem with any of the attention. In fact he is getting his fair share of being a part of it. Wall was asked Wednesday what he thought about the attention the NBA superstar was receiving, which will culminate in an ESPN special Thursday evening.
"That's crazy, having a whole hour [special] to just pick where he's going to go, but hey, he's LeBron James. He can do certain things like that," Wall said. "To market him as the NBA's top player means a lot. Basically he's going to make a decision, and everybody can't wait to see it...All SportsCenter has been about is LeBron and baseball. That's all you're going to see. Hopefully it will end [on Thursday]."
Wall and James are friends, and the former actually sought his advice about handling the hype and realities of being the top pick in the NBA draft. The two were seen together last month in Los Angeles, where LeBron was nice enough to throw a party for Wall and his friends during the NBA finals, despite his own team being eliminated.
"It's tough for him," Wall said. "Cleveland is where he's been. It's his hometown. All the fans, people supporting him. It's a tough process, you know. You've got to do what's best for you help you to win a championship ring and basically make yourself more marketable."
Wall’s comments seem to highlight the changing reality of professional basketball. Had a player even fifteen years ago responded that a free agency decision came down ultimately to ‘marketability,’ one might have looked in askance. But there’s undeniable truth in the words, and indeed, it cannot be argued that even off the court LeBron has enforced his brand and captivated the world. Who would have thought that basketball players today would have two juggle two games simultaneously.
LeBron is rumoured to be leaning towards Miami, where he would leave behind an additional $30-million over a six-year sign-and-trade with Cleveland. According to CNBC’s Darren Rovell, he could actually make more money over a five-year span.
On the possibility of James playing with Bosh and Wade, Wall said: "That's big for them. Dwyane Wade is the ultimate player, and Chris Bosh, two all-star type players on one team. They can help everyone around them and start winning more games for their team."
The triad would also establish a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference and the Southeast division, where four of five teams made the play-offs last season. Many wonder, however, what the dynamic of the three would translate to on and off the court. Would Bosh and Wade be content with bowing to ‘King James’? How will the massive quantity of ego floating about be sizzled down to size in Miami?
In other news, the NBA salary cap was determined at $56.1 million, which is a bit more than teams initially anticipated. It is an increase from last season, when the cap decreased for just the second time since it was instituted in 1984.
The luxury tax figure for next season is $70.3 million, up from $69.9 million last season, and teams that exceed that figure will have to pay a dollar tax for every dollar over that number. The mid-level exception is $5.765 million and each team's minimum total salary - which is set at 75 percent of the salary cap - is $43.43 million.
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