Sports/Olympics / Basketball

LeBron, Wade, Carmelo ink new NBA deals
(AP)
Updated: 2006-07-13 11:09

Fear not, Cleveland and Miami fans. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade say they expect to be with your teams for a long time.


LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers arrives at the 2006 ESPY Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California July 12, 2006.[Reuters]
For now, though, four more years is all the superstars will commit to.

Classmate Carmelo Anthony went for more guaranteed money.

New contracts for the class of 2003 players were announced Wednesday, the first day allowed after the NBA's moratorium on deals ended. But they weren't all the big-money packages that were originally expected.

Rather than choose the five-year extensions they were eligible for that would kick in starting with the 2007-08 season, James and Wade went for three years with an option for a fourth ¡ª and the chance to become free agents sooner and potentially make even more money.

"It was a great business decision by me," Wade said. "As a young player, going for the three-year with a fourth year (option) is the better option."

Anthony and Chris Bosh of Toronto, also top-five picks from the '03 draft, could have gone the same route. But Anthony went for a five-year deal with Denver worth an estimated US$80 million.

"I thought this was the best move for me as a young player and I'm looking forward to it," Wade said. "I think with everything coming with LeBron and Carmelo and Chris, we all make our own decisions. Of course, we all talk, no question about it, because we're all friends. ... But everyone makes a decision for themselves, thinking about their futures and their families."

That's exactly what Anthony said he was doing when he signed his deal.

"It was a no-brainer for me," Anthony said. "When all the rumors were out there saying I was signing this type of deal or that type of deal, my family called me and said, 'Look, are you crazy?' Growing up we don't have (much)."
Page: 12