It’s always difficult to gauge the situation when you’re feeding off of rumors. One might say that the situation between LeBron James and the Miami Heat has been exactly that, but meeting with team president Pat Riley might clear up some things about the intentions of both team and player.

Maybe James is a bit more in the loop than those who live by what the media gives them. He has been in contact with the Heat, and was informed beforehand on the signings of Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger. His agent has met with other teams and sources suggest that Rich Paul is the one doing the pushing and shoving when it comes to getting James back in Cleveland. LeBron James himself? The only thing that seems to be certain is that he wants a max deal.

And even that may be exaggerating the known truth. The Los Angeles Lakers also looked like an ideal landing spot for him over two days ago. It’s easy to see that whatever story-line the media is pushing, that seems to be the “new” place James is going to choose. But maybe the Miami Heat are the answer for him, as we enter the second week of free agency without too much happening because of James, who is holding up Anthony’s decision, which will open up things for all those teams interested in one or two of them.

Riley knows he has to make the Heat better. Maybe there’s truth to James demanding an improvement in every position, if that’s possible at all. Adding Danny Granger and McRoberts doesn’t exactly add superstars to the team, but a healthy Granger is more than just a useful sub, and McRoberts is a very versatile player who can play the point forward position from the ‘4’ not to mention being a reliable shooter.

There’s still the Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade situation. Wade is the forgotten one in all of this, because he doesn’t have any leverage. Chris Bosh has the offer from the Rockets, but he’s waiting for James to finally decide. Wade is in the same position, although with more loyalty to the Heat, and without any max or something close to that offers from other teams.

It’d be presumptuous of anyone to try and predict how this saga ends. Marc Steing and Woj have been throwing every possible scenario out there through their tweets to make it seem like they knew all along what was going to happen. But James has all the cards tight and tied to his chest. Maybe Riley in person can deliver the pitch that ends this “foolishness” and lands him back in Miami, or maybe it finally convinces him that somewhere new, or old, is the place for him. It’s time to make a decision.

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