Rodney Hood’s chance

One month without rumors of LeBron James fleeing the Cavaliers in July to play for another team is a long time. The drought that began on Feb. 2 when James called reports he would play for the Warriors under the right circumstances a “non-story” ended on Feb. 27 when another non-story caught fire in Philadelphia. NBC sports commentator Alaa Abdelnaby started the blaze by announcing: “I’ve told this to a few other people, and I have no problem saying this, my brother lives in the Philadelphia area and he told me that LeBron, last week through a superintendent, was in the area checking out some private schools during the All-Star break.”

James was asked about the Philadelphia report after shoot-around March 1 in Independence. He shot it down with the same authority with which he soars high above the rim to block a shot.

“Pennsylvania? Nah,” he said. “What are you talking about? Over the AllStar break, I was on vacation and then went to Los Angeles.”

James owns a home in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Adding to the intrigue of the story is three billboards along I-480, paid for by Power Home Remodeling out of Chester, Pa., carry the not-so-subtle message that James should opt out of his contract and sign with the Sixers.

One sign shows a maroon “#23” with a crown (as in The King), on a court with four blue numbers identical to the 76ers jerseys worn by Joel Ebiid, Dario Saric, Ben Simmons and Robert Covington.

The timing is good because the Cavaliers hosted the Sixers on March 1.

The message from James regarding the Warriors rumor still applies.

“If you don’t hear something coming from my voice, then it’s not true,” he said.

Starting guard J.R. Smith was suspended by the Cavaliers for the game with Philadelphia on March 1 about two hours before tipoff.

Rodney Hood, one of four players acquired at the trading deadline, replaced Smith in the starting lineup. He scored the first four points of the game for the Cavs and finished with nine points.

“Detrimental conduct” was the only reason given in the one sentence announcement, and Coach Tyronn Lue declined to give any details about what happened. Smith was at the Cavs’ shoot-around in the morning and everything seemed fine.

“I just know he’ll be at practice tomorrow and he’ll be ready to play on Saturday,” Lue said in his pre-game press conference. “He was great this morning. Something happened after shoot-around. That’s all the detail I’m going to give you.”

Smith has started 56 of 59 games. He is averaging 8.2 points a game.

You never know how these things play out. Hood could end up taking playing time from Smith, even if it isn’t in a starting role. On March 1, Love was seen working out again for the first time since Jan. 30 when he fractured the bone that attaches to the little finger on his left hand.

Love did not have surgery on his injured hand. The Cavaliers said he has had no setbacks, but despite him working out a month after the injury, they are staying with the eight-week timetable, which would have him returning at the end of this month with about two weeks left in the regular season. At that time he will be put on a crash course go get accustomed to working with Hood and the three other players acquired at the trade deadline — guards George Hill and Jordan Clarkson plus forward Larry Nance, Jr.

Schudel can be reached at JSchudel@News-Herald. com; on Twitter: @JSProInsider