LeBron James was understandably impressed by the 10-year, $292 million contract signed by Miguel Cabrera with the Detroit Tigers.

James will earn $19 million this season with the Miami Heat, tied with Chris Bosh for the ninth-highest salary in the NBA.

"I said 'wow,' " James said. "I wish we (the NBA) didn't have a salary cap."

James would undoubtedly make at least three times his salary if there wasn't a salary cap, as playing below his actual value helps support the NBA's middle class of players.

"He's the best player in baseball, and the best players in each sport should be rewarded," James said. "It'd be nice to sign a 10-year deal worth $300 million."

James hasn't decided if he'll opt out of his contract yet, but he did say he would if he could sign that type of deal.

"I would do it this summer for sure," James said with a smile. "I'd opt out for that."

LeBron James has averaged 39 points over his six most recent games without Dwyane Wade.

The Miami Heat have been strategically resting Wade this season to make sure he's as healthy as possible for the playoffs, and he's sat out 19 games to date.

The burden has fallen on James to do more in the regular season and he's "put out signals all year he wants more help," writes Dave Hyde of the Sun Sentinel. James has brought up how much the Heat miss Mike Miller, who was amnestied.

James realizes that the Heat more importantly need Wade for the playoffs, but being required to carry the team so heavily during the regular season is clearly wearing on him.

James made a point of saying "I'm active" twice during his pre-game talk before Monday's game.

The Miami Heat have lost two of their past three games and players expressed a collective disappointment after a 105-95 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.

"We're going to have to draw the line in the sand somewhere," Bosh said. "We don't talk about it. We're not expressing ourselves in the locker room or on the court. So I figure I'll be the first one to say it, 'We suck.'

"And we need to turn it around. And if we don't turn it around, we'll be watching the championship at home.

LeBron James added the Heat are making "too many excuses."

"We continue to show up and do whatever. Loss? Nobody is upset. Win? Nobody is happy. There's no passion. There's nothing," Bosh said. "I just want there to be something. If you are mad, say you're mad. If you are frustrated, say you are frustrated. We just need some dialogue. It's uncomfortable keeping things in. We've been keeping things in for a whole season now. You have to let it out."

Justin Hamilton has been assigned to the Sioux Falls Skyforce for their NBA Development League home games this Friday and Saturday against the Idaho Stampede. 

Hamilton, who was signed by the Miami Heat on March 14, appeared in 37 games (all starts) with the Skyforce earlier this season and averaged 19.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.03 blocks, 1.5 assists and 35.8 minutes while shooting 49.1 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from three-point range and 81.2 percent from the foul line. The 2014 NBA D-League All-Star has not appeared in a game with Miami this season.

LeBron James sat out a 101-96 Miami Heat loss at the Boston Celtics on Wednesday with back spasms.

This is the third game of the season James has missed, with the first due to a groin injury and the second after he broke his nose.

The Heat are in the middle of a stretch of four games in five days.

Michael Beasley started for the Heat in place of James.

The Miami Heat swept the season series against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night for the third consecutive campaign.

LeBron James, who can become a free agent in the offseason, was asked about potentially returning to the Cavaliers one day.

"As of right now, it's too hard for me to think about,'' James said. ''We have 20 or less games before we gear up for no sleep for two months, hopefully. So for me to try and take my mind somewhere else when I know what's on its way is almost impossible.''

Carmelo Anthony 'favorited' a report on Twitter that "LeBron James is rumored to be strongly considering joining Carmelo Anthony and Phil Jackson in New York."

The report from IActAFool.com hardly seems credible or newsworthy, but Anthony's response is certainly intriguing.

The Knicks do not cap space for 2014 and Jackson suggested that 2015 will have a more interesting free agency class.

Anthony has only favorited two other Tweets and none since May of last year.

The Miami Heat plan to continue with Greg Oden as the starting center indefinitely.

The Heat have had success over the past two seasons playing a small-ball style, so the presence of Oden is a dramatic change in strategy.

"My board in my office at the arena looks like the character from Beautiful Mind," Spoelstra said, "and so I have a lot of different scenarios. So it's one of the many scenarios that I've chewed on for the last six weeks or so."

With Chris Bosh legitimately extending his range to the three-point line, Spoelstra believes the Heat can maintain small-ball principles with Oden in the lineup.

"I've stressed that to our team, that last year's blueprint was for last year," Spoelstra said, "and the more we tried to pigeonhole ourselves into that blueprint, we might not be opening ourselves up to a more successful or necessary blueprint for this year, as the competition has changed. As it's gotten better, our team, our personnel has gotten better. It always changes."

Oden has yet to play on consecutive nights as he continues to get stronger after taking four years off.

LeBron James can opt out of his contract this offseason, though he could delay his free agency for 2015 when the New York Knicks have cap space.

According to a source, executives of the Miami Heat are not convinced James will stay though they believe in their "heart of hearts" that he will re-sign.

The presence of Phil Jackson with the Knicks could change things for James.

“There’s no way LeBron would have gone to New York under the current climate,” said a James confidant. “He had a falling-out with CAA (agency) and that was a problem as well. But with Phil there I think he will look at it.”

The role of Pat Riley in the construction of the Big 3 with the Heat has perhaps been overstated.

“I think that’s a little overblown,” says a current GM. “LeBron wanted to go to a place where he could win. LeBron, (Dwyane) Wade and (Chris) Bosh hatched the plan.

“Phil can help the Knicks because he gives them a face and credibility. But these big free agents are only going to a place where they feel they can win. Phil has to build something first.”

Justin Hamilton signed a two-year contract with the Miami Heat containing certain guarantee dates for next season, a league source told RealGM.

Hamilton had finished his first 10-day deal with the Charlotte Bobcats on Thursday, and the Heat have long been intrigued with the seven-footer from Louisiana State University. Miami originally acquired Hamilton in the second round of the 2012 NBA draft.

The Heat released DeAndre Liggins from a second 10-day contract to create roster space for Hamilton.

Hamilton averaged 19.3 points and 9.2 rebounds this season for the Heat’s D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.