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(AP) -- he NBA's free agency period has opened, with
LeBron James leading perhaps the deepest group of players to ever
hit the open market.

 Atlanta's Joe Johnson was expecting immediate visits in Los
Angeles from the Hawks and New York Knicks, with the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution reporting that the Hawks were prepared to
offer the All-Star shooting guard a maximum salary contract.

 Things get interesting Thursday, when the New Jersey Nets and
Knicks are scheduled for visits to Ohio to meet with James, the
two-time MVP who heads the class.

 It includes other All-Stars such as Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh,
Dirk Nowitzki, Amare Stoudemire and Carlos Boozer.

(Copyright ©2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)