NBA commissioner David Stern knows Cleveland fans are anxious about this summer and LeBron James' pending free agency. He is rooting for the same outcome as Cavaliers fans.
"Hopefully he'll stay," Stern said Monday before Game 2 between Cleveland and Boston in the Eastern Conference semifinals. "That's the way the system is designed."
Stern helped negotiate the current collective bargaining agreement, which provides teams the ability to pay more and add an extra year for their own free agents. Stern is hopeful that will allow teams such as Cleveland to retain its stars.
"That's the way it should be," Stern said. "It allows teams to keep their own players."
