Via the Tribune, Bulls brass met with LeBron James for nearly three hours today:
The Cavaliers’ meeting with James ran about two hours — a little longer than expected — and in brief remarks to the media, general manager Chris Grant said it went well and that he was glad LeBron chose Cleveland as the site of his meetings.
After the Cavs left, the Bulls arrived, including new coach Tom Thibodeau, GM Gar Forman, John Paxson and Jerry Reinsdorf. They donned jackets, but no ties. The Bulls didn’t park in the parking garage where the other teams parked; so they had to cross the road … ala the Beatles in Abbey Road.
The Bulls met with LeBron for about three hours (12:15 p.m. to 3:14 p.m. CT), before leaving in two SUVs to a chorus of boos from Cleveland fans who were waiting outside.
The Bulls left without saying a word, but Thibodeau left with a smile on his face. Unlike the other suitors, the Bulls did not cart any visual aids or equipment.
Meanwhile, Cavaliers fans rallied outside to try to convince LeBron to stay there:
In what may be their last effort to show support for James, Cavaliers fans made their way downtown to greet James and Cavaliers executives as they prepared for their 11 a.m. (Eastern time) meeting.
A rough estimate put the crowd at a couple hundred fans — and they were indeed fans, not Cavaliers employees like the previous two days. There was even a couple of people dressed in Santa Claus outfits, for some reason.
While Twitterers and others wait by keyboards for updates, it may be that LeBron will try to enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend before making a final decision.