MIAMI — After a week, there are now real signs that the NBA's waiting game might soon be ending.

LeBron James has reportedly blinked.

Now Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh almost certainly are near the end of their free-agent roads as well.

ESPN's Chris Broussard, citing anonymous "independent sources," reported Tuesday night that James will announce his future NBA plans during a one-hour special on the network at 9 p.m. Thursday, with proceeds from ad revenue going to charity. Broussard said James' "representatives" contacted ESPN and asked for the unusual arrangement, which neither the network nor the two-time MVP's circle would confirm.

Still, that was the clearest indicator yet that what might go down as the most celebrated free-agent period in the history of sports — built entirely around the incessant speculation about James, Wade and Bosh — is nearing a dramatic end.

"It's either going to happen quickly," Bosh told The Associated Press on the eve of free agency, "or it's not."

It hasn't happened quickly.

But now that James has apparently circled a date on his calendar, things would figure to start moving that way. That would be fantastic news, not only for the team or teams that land the members of the NBA's juggernaut trio, but the 150 or so other free agents who are essentially hostages in this tete-a-tete between stars and suitors.

"I think, obviously, we know who the guys are who are the biggest free agents," said guard Chris Quinn, who ended last season with New Jersey before hitting the open market. "A lot depends on what they do. There's a lot of other players who are free agents who are looking for jobs and working hard and want to get on a good team and win."

Through Tuesday night, only one so-called marquee guy had picked a new team, Amare Stoudemire leaving Phoenix for the Knicks.

Even something like that didn't register a giant blip across the NBA.

Instead, the waiting game reigned. And by the time James' news broke Tuesday night, Stoudemire almost seemed like ancient history.

"Getting closer," is the cryptic message on James' website.

Unless it's the Heat, Cavaliers, Bulls, Knicks, Nets or Raptors, there seems to be almost a sense of ennui across the rest of the league when it comes to the sweepstakes involving James, Bosh and Wade.

It's certainly an unusual time: One corner of the league is waiting to see what the Big 3 will do, and the rest are just trying to improve their own teams.

"It's been going on for a year, guys," Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith said. "It's kind of hard for me to pay attention this week."

"I'm tired of hearing about all that, to be honest with you," New Orleans Hornets coach Monty Williams said. "It's overblown, and we've been talking about it for two years."

Monty, the end could be near.

Bosh said just before the July 1 start of free-agent mania that he was eager to get the process over with, even indicating that he could reveal his decision before Wade or James announced theirs. Which, now, almost makes sense, in that both Wade and James would like to have Bosh alongside them for years to come in Cleveland, Miami or some other NBA city.