LeBron Sweepstakes Begins

The scramble over the richest free agent class in NBA history officially tips off today, and all eyes are on one man. LeBron James won't be traveling to visit his suitors. The King will hold court at home in Akron, where first the Nets, and then the Knicks, Bulls, Heat, and Clippers will journey to make their pitches today, the New York Times reports. Last night, crowds gathered outside James's home to wave signs entreating him to reject them all and resign with Cleveland.

James isn't the only star on the market—there's a staggering pool of talent that includes Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Amar'e Stoudemire, Joe Johnson, Carlos Boozer, Dirk Nowitzki, and Paul Pierce. But their fates pretty much hinge on James. “I don't expect any team with serious cap room to make a major signing until LeBron indicates where he's going,” says Chad Ford of ESPN. Unless, of course, that team is trying to impress James. The Knicks hope to get a quick commitment from Stoudemire for exactly that reason, the New York Post reports. (More LeBron James stories.)