LeBron Finally Agrees to Contract
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LeBron James won't be leaving home anytime soon.
Cleveland's All-Star forward accepted a five-year contract extension worth about $80 million from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, a huge relief for the rising team and its fretting fans who worried he might be planning an escape.
James, who in three seasons as a pro has turned the Cavaliers from doormats into a playoff team, will sign the deal once the league's moratorium ends Wednesday, said his agent Leon Rose.
"I am very excited and happy to be re-signing with the Cavaliers. Staying in Cleveland ... provides me with the unique opportunity to continue to play in front of my family, friends and fans," James said in a statement released by his publicist. "I look forward to working toward bringing a championship to our great fans and the city of Cleveland."
Unlike fellow 2003 NBA draft classmate Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat, James waited a week before announcing his intention to take the deal, a delay that had Cleveland fans, who have been burned by broken promises before, fearing the worst.
Ever the showman, James let the drama build before agreeing to a deal that will start after the 2007 season and run through 2012-13.
James will make $5.8 million next season, the final year on his rookie contract. The exact amount of James' extension won't be known until later this summer when the league determines the salary cap for next season.
James, who wasn't eligible for restricted free agency until after next season, has said for months that he loves playing in Cleveland and wants to help the Cavaliers win their first NBA championship.
James was the final member of the '03 draft class to accept the extension. Wade, Denver's Carmelo Anthony and Toronto's Chris Bosh all earlier announced their intent to sign.
Almost from the moment the club selected him with the No. 1 overall pick three years ago, insecure Cleveland fans have worried about a day when James would bolt for a bigger paycheck and brighter spotlight in a bigger market such as New York, Los Angeles or Chicago.
It didn't help that James often wears a New York Yankees baseball cap, a fashion accessory looked upon as blasphemous in Northeast Ohio.
Source
- ESPN.com
Date
Sat 07/08/06, 11:00 am EST
