Lebron Has a Little Surprise Planned During The ESPY Awards

Commedian Jimmy Kimmel said James has “a little surprise performance” planned.

Neither James or Jimmy would provide details but Lebron said “It’s not basketball. It’s not bashful, either.”

Jimmy Kimmel and Lebron James are co-hosting the annual show honoring the year’s best sports moments Wednesday night at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre. It airs on ESPN on Sunday night.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” James told The Associated Press. “It’s going to be a lot of fun and a chance to get out there and crack some jokes along with Jimmy. The ESPYs have always been very good to me.”

“I’m not really a comedian,” James said after rehearsals Tuesday. “I’m just a funny person. All my stuff is kind of on the fly. I’m all about doing things that are unexpected.”

Kimmel said the sight of him and the 6-foot-8 James on stage will remind viewers of “Twins” co-stars Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

James is nominated for the Best Male Athlete, best NBA player, and best championship performance for his 48 points in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons, and HUMMER like nothing else award.

Salary Cap Is Set for the 2007-08 season

The salary cap for the 2007-08 NBA season will be set at $55,630,000.

The mid-level exception for over-the-cap teams is $5,356,000, and the luxury tax threshold will be $67,865,000.

What does that mean for the Cavaliers:

  • The Cavaliers currently have about $64.5 million committed to salaries for next season.
  • The Cavaliers have $5,356,000 to spend with their mid-level exception and $1.8 million with the veteran’s exception.
  • The Cavaliers might be over tax threshold for the first time in franchise history as they look to re-sign free agents Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic.
  • For every dollar the Cavs spend over tax threshold, they will have to pay a dollar into a fund that is dispersed to teams under the tax line.

Lebron James will make about $43 million over the next three years and has an option for 2010-11 season that is worth about $17 million.

Sources: ESPN.com, Akron Beacon Journal

Jury awards $260,000 in Iverson Verdict

A federal jury awarded $260,000 yesterday to one of two men who sued NBA star Allen Iverson after they said they were beaten by his entourage at a Washington nightclub in 2005.

The attacks, they said, followed their refusal to vacate the Eyebar club’s VIP section for Iverson.   Iverson testified last week that he didn’t see the fight, and was whisked out of the club before the brawl became serious.  He said the two men suing him were merely trying to cash in on his fame and fortune.  The men had sued Iverson for 20 million.
 

Cavaliers Edged The Suns

Final Score: Cleveland 93 – Phoenix 89

Darius Rice led Cleveland to a victory with 21 points. Dwayne Jones added 18, PJ Tucker 16 and Shannon Brown added 15 point in the Cavaliers win last night.

The Cavaliers are now 2-1 and Phoenix dropped to 0-1 in the 2007 NBA Summer League.

Marcus Banks, the former UNLV guard, set a new summer league record with 42 points, 23 of them in the final period and nearly won the game for Phoenix.

Is Gooden here to stay

According to one of our favorite beat reports Bob Finnan, “If the Cavaliers are forced to match an offer sheet to Varejao from the Memphis Grizzlies that they deem exuberant, league sources say they have entertained thoughts of dealing Gooden.”

All signs seem to point towards Andy receiving an offer from Memphis but the question is for how much.  The Cavaliers are likely to try and match any offer rather than let Andy go for nothing and that may mean packaging Gooden along with another heavy laden contract for a point guard.

Well one thing we know is that hopefully we will start hearing more starting July 11th.

Source: The Independent