A front-row tweet for the NBA free-agent scramble
On a day when there was unlimited activity and no real NBA transactions - no disrespect to Drew Gooden - it made sense to stream the news. Here's an approximate recap:
9:30 p.m. - The first stunner of the night. Atlanta is apparently willing to give all-star shooting guard Joe Johnson a full six-year maximum contract worth $120 million, even though he disappeared during the playoffs last spring.
If this report proves accurate, the Hawks would owe Johnson close to $25 million in the 2015-16 season, when he'll be 34. Suddenly, Alfonso Soriano doesn't seem so overpaid.
11:01 p.m. - The free-agent negotiating period finally begins. Miami president Pat Riley is reportedly on the West Coast chasing Amare Stoudemire, Joe Johnson and Carlos Boozer. ESPN's Chris Broussard says LeBron James spent the evening playing softball.
2:30 a.m. - Chris Bosh sends a Twitter message with news that he spoke to the Bulls, Heat, Rockets and Raptors in Dallas. Unclear whether he asked the Toronto contingent, "What are you doing here?"
9:15 a.m. - The LeBron James recruiting project begins with Nets owners Mikhail Prokhorov and Jay-Z marching into a downtown Cleveland office building. The Cleveland Plain-Dealer reports Prokhorov is about an inch taller than James.
10:20 a.m. - A report claims the Knicks complained about a giant Nets billboard featuring Prokhorov and Jay-Z that went up across the street from Madison Square Garden. Too intimidating.
10:30 a.m. - Dwyane Wade arrives at the United Center. Considering he's been trying to recruit LeBron James and Chris Bosh for Miami, thoughts turn to the Russian spy ring.
12:15 p.m. - Signing alert: Minnesota locks up Darko Milicic for four years and $20 million. What, Kwame Brown wasn't available?
12:30 p.m. - Wade departs in a black Escalade without speaking to reporters or questioning the Bulls' loyalty.
12:45 p.m. - The Nets depart and the Knicks contingent moves in for LeBron meeting No. 2. The Knicks negotiating team reportedly arrives in four cars.
12:50 p.m. - Signing alert: Drew Gooden agrees to five-year, $32-million deal with Milwaukee. Yes, that's the same Drew Gooden who has played for eight teams in eight NBA seasons, yet the Bucks see fit to sign him for five.
1 p.m. - ESPN's Rick Bucher says talks between Phoenix and Amare Stoudemire have broken off, which could mean he's through with the Suns. Or not.
1:15 p.m. - Channing Frye reportedly has a five-year, $25 million offer to stay in Phoenix, but he wants to wait and see what happens with the Bulls and Knicks. A cold wind sweeps in from Lake Michigan, causing all Bulls fans to shudder uncontrollably for five seconds.
1:45 p.m. - Restricted free agent Rudy Gay decides not to wait for an offer sheet and signs for five years, $82 million with Memphis. The owners are going to have a hard time crying poor at the next round of negotiations with the union.
2:30 p.m. - The Knicks contingent leaves Cleveland. James has plans to meet with the Heat and Clippers on Friday, followed by a heavyweight showdown with the Bulls and Cavaliers on Saturday. If only nba.com could stream live from inside the boardroom.
5:30 p.m. - Bosh says Miami's Pat Riley is "very passionate about winning," via Twitter.
6:30 p.m. - Bosh sends a Twitter message that he ran into Wade as Bosh was entering, and Wade was leaving a meeting with the Nets in Chicago. Small world.