If LeBron James signs with the Bulls and plays in Chicago for six years, an estimate indicates that the two-time MVP could bring $2.7 billion to the city.

University of Illinois at Chicago economist John Skorburg says that in order to have that profound of an effect, James would have to win a few titles with the Bulls.

"Chicago has to convince LeBron that he can win championships there," says Paul Swangard, managing director of the University of Oregon's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center. "To maximize his off-court earning potential, it's all about getting rings."

Hosting 10 playoff games a year would generate nearly $5 million at the United Center on tickets, concessions, parking and other spending, Mr. Skorburg estimates.

There were rumors recently that William "Worldwide Wes" Wesley was pushing for John Calipari to get an NBA coaching job.

Now, rumors indicate that Wesley is pushing Lakers assistant Brian Shaw on the Bulls under the idea that free-agent-to-be LeBron James is interested in the triangle offense.

Shaw is in his fifth season under Lakers coach Phil Jackson.

The team's front office and a number of former players brushed off Dwyane Wade's accusation of disloyalty this week, but a league source says the Bulls might still have to defend themselves when meeting with free agents this summer.

"It doesn't matter if it's true or not," the source said. "There is a perception by some around the league that the Bulls didn't reward Michael Jordan or Scottie Pippen -- or even coach Phil Jackson -- enough for the six championships they brought to the organization.

"The Bulls can easily refute that allegation and point out how they have former players working in the organization. But they shouldn't ignore it and assume it won't be a problem."

Derrick Rose doesn't think John Calipari, who he played under at Memphis, should leave Kentucky for the NBA.

"No, he's in a good fit [at Kentucky]," Rose said when asked by ESPNChicago.com whether he'd like to play for Calipari again.

"I don't think he should leave. He could start his legacy there, so I don't see why he would leave."

Dwyane Wade didn't break any tampering rules by saying he wants to talk with other marquee players before deciding whether he'll stay with the team, the league says.

Under NBA rules, players cannot tamper with other players, but their conversations are nearly impossible to regulate.

The league only hands out discipline in what it said are "the most egregious" cases.

David Falk does not think LeBron James should sign with the Bulls and try to overcome the legacy of Michael Jordan.

"He should not play in Chicago. He will always compete with Michael Jordan," Falk said. "He should not play in L.A. He will always compete with Kobe Bryant. LeBron needs his own identity.

"The worst place in the world for LeBron to go is Chicago. If he doesn't win six championships, he is a failure. If he doesn't win the MVP five times, he is a failure. Every night he walks into the building he will walk past the statue of Michael Jordan. LeBron is too big. He should not have to play in the shadow of Michael Jordan."

Falk does not believe that James understands how he will be perceived in Ohio if he leaves the Cavs.

"I am a big LeBron James fan. But he needs to decide what he wants to do. He has all of the power. If he doesn't want to stay, fine. If he wants to go, then go," Falk said.

"I don't think the people around him understand that. I don't think they understand that if LeBron James leaves Cleveland he will be a pariah, he will be a Benedict Arnold," Falk continued.  

"I don't think he understands the implications of his decision. If he leaves, Cleveland's economy is going to tank, he is that important. He is in a unique situation. Do you think if Dwyane Wade leaves Miami and goes back to Chicago anybody in Miami is going to hold it against him? But if LeBron James leaves Cleveland and goes somewhere else he will be a pariah in the entire state of Ohio."

Tom Thibodeau is waiting for an offer from the Hornets but sources tell Yahoo! Sports that he is eager to meet with the Bulls and Nets.

Thibodeau's top choice is the Bulls' head coaching position.

The Bulls have either spoken informally or conducted background searches on a number of potential coaching candidates, but they have no interviews lined up.

Chicago general manager Gar Forman said earlier this month that the team's search "could drag into June, maybe July."

The team has a list of candidates that includes Lawrence Frank, Tom Thibodeau, Maurice Cheeks, Elston Turner, Kevin McHale, Brian Shaw and Dwane Casey, according to sources.

Forman planned to fly to Boston to meet with Celtics assistant Thibodeau, but those plans were scraped when the Magic extended the Eastern Conference Finals with victories in back-to-back games.

Bulls general manager Gar Forman defended the organization's loyalty towards former players after Heat guard Dwyane Wade said that the team was disloyal.

"Anyone who would question our loyalty is obviously misinformed," said Forman. "It ignores our record, which speaks for itself. We have a number of former players who are or who have been employed in the organization in a variety of capacities ranging from the front office to the coaching staff to the business office and part of our broadcast team.

"We take great pride in not only how we treat our current players, but also how we treat our former players."

As a childhood Bulls fan, Wade said he was concerned that guys like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen had nothing to do with the organization.

Carlos Boozer won't be scared off by Michael Jordan's legacy in Chicago and doesn't think any of the summer's other free agents will be, either.

"A lot of people in my era, in my age group, we watched M.J. do what he did: Win championships, be the face of the NBA and continue to dominate the game," Boozer said during an appearance on WMVP's "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on Wednesday. "I think most of the free agents this summer (think it's) probably an attractive thing to have that history, where M.J. played, where (Scottie) Pippen played for those six championships. So I think that will be more of a positive thing than a negative thing."