Leadoff with Lee 6.30.15 #BoRyan #Cavs #HomeRunDerby

By @cleeverizon

- Wisconsin basketball coach Bo Ryan announced he is going to retire after next season. Ryan has led the Badgers to back to back Final Four appearances. His hope is longtime assistant Bob Gard succeeds him in Madison. Ryan informed his players and assistants Monday morning, with numerous sources indicating he would have retired in the spring if the Badgers defeated Duke in the national championship game. Prior to taking over at Wisconsin for Dick Bennett, Ryan spent two seasons at Milwaukee. He was at Division III, Wisconsin-Platteville for 15 seasons.

-According to various sources the Cleveland Cavaliers are prepared to offer Kevin Love a 5-year, max contract worth $110M on July 1st.

- Cavs forward Mike Miller has opted into his $2.8M deal for 2015-16.

- Contrary what I reported yesterday, it has been brought to my attention that J.R. Smith maybe willing to take a pay cut to stay with Cleveland next season. From what I'm hearing, his deal would start around $5.5M. If this helps with the Cavs free agency, I'm all for it.

- The Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2015 will include Chris Pronger, Nick Lidstrom, Sergei Federov, Phil Housley, Angela Ruggiero, Bill Hay, and Peter Karmanos. 

- Dwayne Wade decided not to pick up his 2015 option with the Miami Heat and will become a unrestricted free agent on July 1st. Wade is believed to be seeking a deal that would average at least $16 million over the next three seasons. He has left about $27 million on the table during his career and wants those sacrifices rewarded in his next contract. CBS Sports has reported likely suitors are the Lakers, Cavs or a return to the Heat.

Wade to Cleveland is really not as crazy as it sounds. Wade wants to recoup the money he left on the table from Miami. Not the team he could potentially sign with. Miami is in rebuilding mode. By the time they get good, it will be time for him to retire. If he wants another ring or two and wants to play with his friend LeBron James, he would take the pay cut and give his friend a solid.

- In other Heat news, Luol Deng has opted in to his contract and is staying with the Heat this upcoming season. He is scheduled to make $10.1M this season.

- The Brooklyn Nets and Memphis Grizzlies have discussed a potential trade that would send Joe Johnson and his $24M contract to Memphis.

- Major League Baseball has accounted a new format in the home run derby. The format will include bracket play that is timed in 5 minute intervals. Additional time will be added for distance and home runs. The bracket below will explain the format. 

The Raven Report 7.14.14: NBA Free Agency & More

-As everyone knows, LeBron James announced Friday that he is returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers. James has agreed to a two-year, $42.1 million deal with the team with the goal of re-signing with the Cavs before the 2016-17 season when a new television contract is expected to create a large jump in value of the maximum.

As part of the deal, James will have an option to become a free agent next summer but is fully committed to the Cavs long term.

Depending on how the new television contracts are put together, the salary cap is supposed to leap to as high as $80 million in 2016. There is also uncertainty with the current collective bargaining agreement starting in 2017, another reason James wanted to keep his long-term options open when it comes to the structure of his contract.

Because of James' off-court earnings, which top $40 million per year according to some estimates, allows for him to take some short-term risk to maximize long-term earnings.

As for the rest of the free agent movement, it goes as follows:

Carmelo Anthony agreed to a 5 year, $122M deal to stay with the New York Knicks
Chris Bosh agreed to a 5 year, $118M deal to stay with the Miami Heat
Dirk Nowitzki agreed to a 3 year deal to remain with the Dallas Mavericks
Pau Gasol agreed to 3 year, $22M with the Chicago Bulls
Luol Deng agreed to a 2 year, $20M deal with the Miami Heat
Gordon Hayward agreed to a 4 year, $63M offer with Charlotte that was matched by Utah. He will return to Utah.
Chandler Parsons agreed to a 3 year, $46M deal with the Dallas Mavericks
Nikola Mirotic will come from Real Madrid to sign with the Chicago Bulls for 3 years, $17M
Isaiah Thomas signed with the Phoenix Suns for 4 years, $27M
Mario Chalmers re-signed with the Miami Heat for 2 years, $8M
Trevor Ariza agreed to a 4 year, $32M deal with the Houston Rockets
Paul Pierce signed with the Washington Wizards for 2 years, $11M
Caron Butler is expected to sign a 2 year, $9M deal with the Detroit Pistons
Chris Anderson agreed to re-sign with the Miami Heat
Kirk Hinrich re-signed with the Chicago Bulls
Richard Jefferson agreed to a 1 year deal with the Dallas Mavericks
D.J. Augustin agreed to a 2 year, $6M deal with the Detroit Pistons
Vince Carter signed with the Memphis Grizzlies for 3 years, $12.2M
Nick Young re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers for 4 years, $21.5M
Jordan Hill re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers for 2 years, $18M
Devin Harris agreed to a one year deal with the Dallas Mavericks
Brian Roberts signed with the Charlotte Hornets for 2 years, $5.5M
Anthony Morrow will sign with the Oklahoma City Thunder for 3 years, $10M
Greivis Vasquez re-signed with the Toronto Raptors on a 2 year, $13M deal
James Johnson agreed to a 2 year, $5M deal with the Toronto Raptors
Steve Blake agreed to a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers
Beno Udrih agreed to a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies
Marvin Williams agreed to a 2 year, $14M deal with the Charlotte Hornets
P.J. Tucker signed a 3 year, $16.5M deal with the Phoenix Suns
Kent Bazemore signed with the Atlanta Hawks for 2 years, $4M
Matt Bonner re-signed to a the San Antonio Spurs with a 1 year deal


-Germany won the 2014 FIFA World Cup! It's the 4th World Cup title for the Germans. Mario Gotze scored the game-winning goal in the 113th minute of extra time.

-"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" made an estimated $73 million this weekend domestically, making it the number 1 movie of the weekend. The sequel to 2011's "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" is looking to be on its way to gross over $200 million this Summer.