Lebron LeDrama… it’s on.
The Knicks and Nets open the bidding Thursday in a secret location, somewhere in Northeast Ohio. The mission laid out will be simple. He wants to win. Now. They’d better bring the cash, and thensome. All while potentially dropping a devastating blow to a city already mired in the midst of America’s rustbelt, further depressing an economy oddly related to the star’s success on the court.
This Lebron James talk is bigger than you think.
The process begins in earnest Thursday in Cleveland, as Lebron James listen to overtures from any NBA team with any common sense and available cap space. This goes far beyond basketball… far, far beyond winning and losing. James has said repeatedly all he wants to do is win, but while chasing his goal of winning, his home city may suffer a devastating defeat. If James splits for NYC, NJ, CHI, Miami or wherever, Cleveland would lose its most marketable spokesperson ever. James enjoys more global appeal than any Cleveland athlete, or person, has ever commanded. People in foreign countries might not even know about Cleveland except for the fact James plays there. Without James, Cleveland suffers an identity crisis that may take years—even decades to recover. This is a BIG DEAL…. which is my friends at the tv stations in Cleveland are in all-out panic alert the next few days. They’ll be tracking every move of James (provided they can find him) and dispatching photographers to track down a guy who normally would be rather easy to spot. He is 6’8’‘ after all.
The only strength Cavs fans can draw from comes in one word. Money. Per NBA rules, James can earn nearly $30 million more in this contract if he signs with Cleveland over any other team. $30 million, even to a guy with James’ money, is… well… a bunch of money. And with his cost of living in Northeast Ohio, in comparison to NYC or CHI, James’ contract would be worth even more. The fact his family is rooted in Northeast Ohio does not hurt, either.
Expect ascending drama for days on this story… something we’ve learned this King loves to create.
AND NOW… this take from our Sports Intern Matt Archibald… enjoy!!!
“Immediately following the Cleveland Cavaliers exit from the NBA Playoffs the questions, speculations, and predictions poured in from all over the country. Where is LeBron James going to go come July 1st? The potential suitors rivaled the number of mistresses linked to Tiger Woods. That being said let’s examine some of these major ping pong balls in the LeBron Lottery.
New York Knickerbockers- one of the first teams to announce its interests, and has some star power to boot. I mean Spike Lee did that Kobe documentary, if he watches the King split the double team 41 times in Madison Square Garden he may make a Blockbuster smash. Maybe even in 3D, the technology is there. We know King James likes the Yankees; remember the 2007 ALDS? The Cleveland Indians were playing the New York Yankees, and despite the mosquito problem, the buzz was about LeBron’s lid. He showed up to the game wearing a Bronx Bombers hat. You’ll notice none of these names are basketball players. That’s because the Knicks don’t have any talent on the court. Even with another potential big name free agent signing, the strongest name to pair up with LeBron is an aging, injured T-Mac. If it is really all about winning he says, King James should stay out of the big apple.
New Jersey Nets- if the intrigue is strong in NYC than the Nets could certainly up LeBron’s status. After all, Jay-Z is a partial owner, and he “made a Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can.” But, the Nets were the worst team in the league this year, and nearly the worst of all time at an abysmal 12-70! Even a King’s touch can’t provide that quick of a face lift, so sorry Jay and Beyonce, but you don’t get the King either.
L.A. Clippers- this one is a joke. LeBron already competes with Kobe Bryant, who is fresh off his second consecutive NBA Championship, for the game’s best player. So now his plan to surpass Kobe is to move to the second biggest NBA team in the city of angels? Don’t think so. Plus, the Clips have a long history of losing and King James is probably getting sick of the taste of defeat.
Miami Heat- now here is a sexy option; LeBron James along side Dwayne Wade and potentially Chris Bosh. There is some talent to build around, that team could win, NOW. The problem here is one of the pieces of the puzzle doesn’t think it would fit. Chris Bosh said publically that he doesn’t even know if it would work, and he’s right. The Heat would have to unload some other key players, notably Michael Beasley, Miami’s first round pick back in 2008. Even with the trading or releasing of some role players, the Heat may not have the cap space to go after the king, so no south beach sun for the two time MVP.
Chicago Bulls- Derrick Rose ran circles around the Cavs defense in the first round of the playoffs this year. Now Rose could be splitting D’s and dishing to James in the Windy city. One item that may be a turn off for LeBron is that he would be playing in the city Jordan owned for years. He already gets compared to MJ for greatest of all time; does he really want to walk by a statue of Jordan before every home game? That’s not for me to decide but the on-court stuff is pretty good.
Cleveland Cavaliers- Last but not least, the Cavs. LeBron is a Hometown Hero in Cleveland and the team has been good. The best record in each of the past two regular seasons followed by disappointing choke job performances in the playoffs. The organization has proven they will go out and get the pieces for him with acquisitions such as Shaq and Antawn Jamison. The biggest strike against Cleveland is the state it’s in right now. A New G.M. with no coach at the moment does not make for an appealing sales pitch.
After all the back-and-forth the edge goes to the Bulls because of their intriguing on-court arguments. The big question is can LeBron leave his hometown that adores him so dearly? That answer will come soon, hopefully.“
