NBA Free Agency: We Are All Hostages

I don't know about you, but I usually like being on NBA Free Agent Watch when the summer comes around.

But this summer has already tried my patience and we're not even done. Thanks to LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, the media has basically turned morning and afternoon SportsCenter into LeBron Watch.

Photo Courtesy of BleacherReport.com

It's something that really has irked me for the last four days now. I know he's arguably the best player in the world, but should we have to devote what feels like 50 minutes of a 60-minute broadcast to "LeBron ate a sandwich and played pick-up basketball in Vegas" while "Fans are unsure whether to purchase new Cleveland Cavalier apparel or kerosene to burn any remaining LeBron James memorabilia they have left."

Put me out of my misery with a spork. LeBron and Carmelo are not only holding the fans as hostages, but they're holding the league up as well.

Photo Courtesy of Newsday.com

Think about this.

Chris Bosh isn't sure whether he's going to leave the Miami Heat because LeBron isn't sure he's going to leave Miami. Carmelo isn't sure where he's going to play because the possibility of playing with LeBron could come up if Bosh leaves for the Houston Rockets. Then, there's the possibility of Melo signing with the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls or returning to the New York Knicks. Meanwhile, other free agents are taking their sweet time determining whether they'll take the veteran minimum to play where ever LeBron or Carmelo plays. That's a lot of people waiting for essentially two decisions.

Photo Courtesy of TheSource.com

We need to get this over with.

It's not that the suspense is killing me, but I'd certainly like my regularly scheduled SportsCenter back.