Cleveland, OH - Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas has apparently decided to join former Cavaliers teammate LeBron James in Miami.

The Plain Dealer of Cleveland reported Tuesday afternoon that Ilgauskas will sign with the Heat, citing the player's agent. The report said Ilgauskas will sign for the veteran minimum of $1.3 million.

Additionally, James posted an apparent confirmation on his Twitter account.

"Welcome Big Z," James wrote. "Glad u are joining me in South Beach my friend. Also thanks for the encouraging words big fella"

Ilgauskas had only ever played for the Cavaliers during his career. Cleveland selected the 7-foot-3 Ilgauskas with the 20th overall pick of the 1996 draft, but he did not make his debut until the 1997-98 season.

Ilgauskas went on to become the franchise's all-time leader in games played (771), offensive rebounds (2,336) and total rebounds (5,904). The 35-year-old averaged 13.8 points and 5.4 rebounds in his Cavaliers career, earning All- Star selections in 2003 and 2005.

The Cavaliers traded Ilgauskas to Washington this past February in the deal that sent Antawn Jamison to Cleveland. However, Ilgauskas never played for the Wizards after reaching a mutual agreement on a contract buyout, and returned to the Cavaliers in March.

He averaged a career-low 7.4 points and 5.4 boards in 64 games in 2009-10, when he primarily came off the bench in order for Shaquille O'Neal to start.


Miami Super Friends Party
Miami, FL - With music blaring, lights glaring and nearly 13,000 fans staring, the Miami Heat put on a party in their home arena for their three stars - LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Plumes of smoke rose from the floor at American Airlines Arena and the trio entered to a chorus of cheers Friday night.

"It feels right," James said. "When we step on the floor, every single night, we're going to make the world know that the Heat is back."

The event took place one day after James, the reigning two-time MVP, disclosed his decision to join the Heat. The much-publicized, made-for-TV event Thursday night drew plenty of criticism, including a scathing letter from Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert.

But Heat fans were in the opposite mood Friday night with chants of "Beat LA! Beat LA!" referring to dethroning the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.

"It's going to be amazing to be on the court and to know that connection that we have," Wade said. "It's just a look, but it's time to turn it on. I feel sorry for whoever has to guard both of us."

With Heat president Pat Riley in attendance, James, Wade and Bosh were seated on a stage and were interviewed about the upcoming season and expectations on them to win multiple championships.

"We're going to challenge each other in practice, but once the games start it's going to be easy," James said. "With me and D-Wade running the wing, Pat can come back and play like he was back in his Kentucky days. Just go up there, we'll go get it."

James joined the Heat a day after Wade and Bosh committed to the organization, but how the three will be paid remains a mystery. For now, though it's time for the fans and the trio to start thinking of the possibilities.

"This is surpassing a dream come true," Wade said. "You always want to put yourself in the best position possible to be able to win and having an opportunity to team up with arguably the best trio to ever play the game of basketball, it's amazing."

The three have 17 All-Star appearances between them. Wade has played for the Heat his entire seven-year career and already has one title under his belt, in 2006 when he was Finals MVP. He, along with James and Bosh, were Olympic teammates in Beijing when the USA won the gold medal.

"It's about family here in the organization," Bosh said. "Every time I hear the Miami Heat, I hear first class, that's all I hear from everybody. It's a world class organization in a world class city, in a world class arena. We're going to bring some world class basketball to this arena."


KING OF MIAMI
Greenwich, CT - LeBron James made the rumors a reality on Thursday, mirroring fellow free agents Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh by declaring his intentions to join the Miami Heat.

After seemingly endless speculation as to where the two-time MVP will land as a free agent this summer, James finally made his choice live from a Boys & Girls Club in Greenwich, Connecticut.

James interviewed with a total of six potential suitors last week, but ultimately he chose to leave his home state team - the Cleveland Cavaliers. The New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, New Jersey Nets and Los Angeles Clippers also made their pitches to James.

Rumors were circulating about James' destination from the moment the Cavaliers' season ended with a loss to Boston in the Eastern Conference semifinals. James even said he didn't make his final decision until Thursday morning, but it was certainly helped by Wednesday's declarations from Bosh and Wade to join the Heat.

"I feel like it's going to give me the best opportunity to win and to win for multiple years," James said in his decision announcement interview with ESPN's Jim Gray. "Not only just to win in the regular season, to win five games in a row or three games in a row, I want to be able to win championships, and I feel I can compete down there."

How the three will be paid remains a mystery, considering as of Thursday night the Heat had just two other players under contract for next season - Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers.

The 25-year-old James has played for the Cavs his entire seven-year career and stood to make more money playing for his hometown team, but winning in the short-term was his biggest decision for leaving. The Cavaliers could have offered James a six-year, $128 million contract, while other teams were capped at a maximum of five years and $99 million.

James, who was second in the league at 29.7 points per game last season and also averaged 8.6 assists and 7.3 rebounds, is a six-time All-Star, 2004 Rookie of the Year, a two-time All-Star Game MVP and 2008 scoring champion.

Details are still thin on exactly how Bosh will join the club after a seven- year stint in Toronto. It's unclear whether Bosh will sign directly with the Heat or if the two teams will agree to a sign-and-trade deal, which could potentially net the power forward a bigger contract.

Wade has played for the Heat his entire seven-year career and already has one title under his belt, in 2006 when he was Finals MVP.

"It's about everybody having their own spotlight and doing what's best for the team," James said during his TV interview. "At this point, D-Wade, he's the unselfish guy here. To be able to have Chris Bosh and LeBron James to welcome us to his team...it's not about individuals here. If that was the case, D-Wade wouldn't have asked us to join him. It's about a team and that's what this game is about."

James' decision also means a tough road ahead for the Cavaliers in a city that hasn't won a major sports championship since 1964, when the Browns captured the NFL crown. It's the longest drought for any city with at least three majors sports franchises. The Cavs made it to the 2007 NBA Finals before being swept by San Antonio.

"It's heartfelt for me," James told Gray about his decision. "It's hard to explain, but at the same time my heart, for the seven years I gave to that franchise, to that city, was everything. I never wanted to leave Cleveland and my heart will always be around that area, but I thought the greatest challenge for me was to move on."

James was also asked who will be the coach of the Heat next season, and he immediately said Erik Spoelstra will remain at the helm. Rumors were circulating that Heat president Pat Riley could make a return to the bench to coach another championship team.


Bulls land Boozer
Chicago, IL - The Chicago Bulls and free agent power forward Carlos Boozer have agreed to a five-year contract.

The Chicago Tribune is citing two league sources on the pact, which ESPN reports is for $80 million.

Boozer spent the last six seasons with Utah and picked up a player option that earned him $12.65 million in 2009-10 when he posted averages of 19.5 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 56.2 percent from the floor in 78 games.

The seventh-year pro previously played two seasons for Cleveland, which made him a second-round pick out of Duke in 2002. In 510 career contests, 469 of those starts, Boozer has recorded per-game averages of 17.2 points, 10.2 boards and 2.5 assists while connecting on 54.1 percent of his shots.


Knicks, Stoudemire agree on max deal
New York, NY - The New York Knicks have landed the first big name free agent of the offseason by agreeing to a five-year, $100 million contract with center Amare Stoudemire.

"I am looking to build something special," Stoudemire pronounced. "This is a perfect situation for me. This is a legendary city."

He will re-join head coach Mike D'Antoni, who coached the forward for five seasons when he was with Phoenix.

Stoudemire decided to opt out of his contract with the Suns, for whom he had spent his entire eight-year tenure in the league. He was set to make $17.7 million next season and averaged 23.1 points and 8.9 rebounds while shooting 55.7 percent from the field over 82 games last season.

It was just the third time in his career the 27-year-old had played a full slate of regular-season games because of injuries. Stoudemire suffered a partially detached retina in February, 2009 and underwent microfracture surgery in October, 2005. The report in the Post stated the contract was not able to be insured because of Stoudemire's prior injuries.

Taken with the ninth overall pick in the 2002 draft by Phoenix, Stoudemire took home that season's Rookie of the Year honors and has career per-game averages of 21.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 assists.

He's shot 54.4 percent from the floor in 516 career contests, 499 of those starts, and posted 24.2 points, 9.2 boards and 1.8 blocks in 52 playoff games. The Suns were bounced by the eventual NBA champion Lakers in the West Finals last season.


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