Personally, I’ve never read so much blather about two trades a team makes to rid themselves of cap room by getting rid of Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford and clearing tons of cap space.
What’s it do? A team that had no legitimate shot at making a run at James 48 hours ago, has one now. My guess is James is probably intrigued by the prospect of playing in a Mike D’Antoni offense. My guess is the prospect of playing in NYC is even more intriguing.
Let’s hear it for the worst kept secret in professional basketball – the New York Knicks covet LeBron James. Wow! Shock. Dismay. I’m MORTIFIED, I tell you. Mortified.
Here’s some of the stuff coming out of the Big Apple:
Go ahead, now you can start dreaming about LeBron James wearing a Knicks uniform.
Of course, it can’t be for another two seasons, but some things in life are worth waiting for, and King James is one of them.
Here’s one from Mike Lupica, a columnist I’ve always admired, actually looking at the bigger picture:
And if the Knicks don’t get LeBron – even though Walsh will have them as well-positioned as any team in the league by then – they can go after Chris Bosh, or Dwyane Wade, or Amare Stoudemire. They might even have a chance at Steve Nash, too.
Get used to this stuff – especially for the next few days when the Cavs march into Madison Square Garden for a game against the reconstituted Knicks. It’s only going to get worse as the New York media peppers James – who is getting increasingly annoyed with the situation – regarding something that won’t happen for two years.
It’s a distinct possibility that James will vacate Cleveland for the bright lights and big city. If that’s what he wants, who can stop him. I’ve only seen James on a more extensive basis for the past two months. But he’s been consistent in what he says regarding leaving town. He’s worried about the here and now. Winning a championship and the distinct impression from the players is that they believe that they can with this current roster.
The word “special” is bandied about when they mention the team. Even the normally cynical media that something different is in the works here. Only time will tell.
What I can surmise is this – James wants to be with a team that has the chance to win multiple titles. Last I checked, the Knicks hadn’t been in that position since the Patrick Ewing era and even then fell short. NYC is viewed as a basketball Mecca. Hell, folks like to view it as a Mecca for all things. Me? Great place to visit for four-day stretches. Couldn’t live there. But I’m not LeBron James.
If basketball is truly his primary interest – despite saying he’d like to be the Muhammad Ali of the basketball world and make a billion dollars – the only place he’ll want to be is where he can win those multiple championships. Right now, the Cavs arguably has the best owner in town in Dan Gilbert. Something struck me about him when he met with the media earlier this season when he said when you pay more than $300 million now’s not the time to get cheap. He’s currently paying the leaugue’s luxury tax. If the Cavs lose James it won’t be because he’s unwilling to spend money.
People like to tout that “bright lights, big city” thing and say that’s the only way James can reach his goals. That rationale smells worse than any Ted Stepien owned Cavaliers team. We live in the Internet Age. Folks can buy what they want, watch what they want and listen to what they want with a click of a mouse. James is far too savvy at his age to not realize that. He can sell his shoes, gum, soft drinks and jerseys playing for the Cavaliers.
The key: Being with a franchise set up to win. In that respect, the ball’s in Danny Ferry and Gilbert’s court.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
nice post george. these lebron going to new york stories are weak. i can’t see any reason lebron would want to go there right now. the knicks are a wreck as you stated and the nets don’t look to be moving to brooklyn anytime soon.
also, who knows how this economy will affect the nba in 2 years? attendance is falling, there are cities i doubt will be able to support a franchise if the economy stays down. how will nike be in 2 years? how about other likely companies who would give lebron endorsement cash? nothing is guaranteed. as wilbon said on pti, lebron gets advice from warren buffett–and where does warren buffett live??? omaha, nebraska! lebron can do just fine in cleveland. a ring between now and then might just seal the deal.
I agree that if the Cavs can put together a great team LeBron will probably stay, but that hasn’t happened just yet. And if there are cities unable to support a franchise in the poor economy, what are the odds Cleveland will be one of them?
Dunno Larry, I’m looking at a packed house against Atlanta right now.
cleveland the city is virtually dead. however, cleveland as a metropolitan area is huge. the cavs certainly didn’t have any problems drawing fans in the price/daugherty/nance years in richfield. remember how many fans came to see indoor soccer for the force and kai haaskivi??? sellouts for indoor freaking soccer!!! there is no sports town hungrier than cleveland.
the cavs will draw with lebron. places like new orleans, charlotte and o.k.c. may be reconsidering nba basketball though. sacramento, portland and minnesota probably aren’t going to enjoy watching crap hoops very long either. no telling what 2010 will bring. but the cavs will still be the high bidder and if gilbert maintains this level of commitment then the cavs will always be playing to win.
Please, terje. In 1990, the Cavaliers averaged 15,000. And I don’t buy this Gilbert will “spend the money” stuff, not with the mortgage business going down the crapper. They’re stuck with contracts, it’s not like Gilbert and his money people have much of a choice. The “spending” is from 2005, not now.
James can win anywhere. Period. And Dolan is willing to spend a helluva lot more than Gilbert ever will, and has the supporting market for it. I mean, the Knicks were awful last season, but it didn’t stop them from averaging over 19,000. With that same team in Cleveland, all the fake loudspeaker noise in the world wouldn’t have faked anybody.
I don’t know what the world will be like in 2020, but we’re talking about 2010. If you’re going to be a world hero, saying “we’re living in the Internet Age” doesn’t pass muster. Seriously, George, that’s just dumb, bring Stepien’s name into the argument. That’s the NBA equivalent of ramming the name “Hitler” into an argument.
Nobody is willingly going to come to Cleveland, so Ferry will have to trade for players. But there is no way in hell an investment in talent is going to be made past 2010. So it’s a Catch-22. James won’t sign unless the talent is already there, but no investment is going to be made past 2010 unless James is already contractually committed so it warrants that kind of investment.
I’m far more concerned about the franchise subsequently moving than I am James leaving. As insanely great as that arena lease is, Gund was ready to pack up when they were drawing nothing but flies. Gilbert has no roots in Cleveland, a couple of seasons of sh*t attendance, and this franchise is gone like the wind. Diehard Cleveland Cavaliers fans who still attended games no matter how cruddy they were should be far more concerned about this. It’s a very realistic concern.
hey alan, you forgot to list the years after 1990.
1994-95 20,338
1993-94 18,383
1992-93 18,329
1991-92 16,522
twenty thou in 94-95. gee, i wonder why you didn’t list that one?
and “stuck with contracts”???? puuuuuuuuulllllllease!!!! the signings of hughes, mo williams and picking up ben wallace’s garbage contract say otherwise. all of which came after gilbert bought the team. also, mo williams is currently signed past 2010 so that is one investment gilbert has made past lebron’s current contract.
the cavs are currently in position to do what all these lebron hopefuls are trying to do now. the cavs can not only resign lebron for the most cash but they can afford another big name to go along with him. take a look for yourself! they owe peanuts past 2010!
http://hoopshype.com/salaries/cleveland.htm
quicken loans is doing a hell of a lot better than most of the industry because gilbert had the foresight to stop doing crap loans before the collapse. gilbert has yet to make his business public for a nice revenue grab or look for a buyer so i’m going to guess he is still doing fairly well. the cavs/lebron are making him some nice coin too. with lebron this team is staying in cleveland. if he leaves…well, see ya cavs!
terje, I didn’t list 1994 because the first year of any new building always produces an aberration, that’s why.
And you said exactly what I said … those huge contracts came when the mortgage business was riding the gravy train. It’s not great anymore.
Gilbert is not going to commit to anything past 2010 without James’ commitment. And James will not commit until Gilbert commits. Which won’t happen until James commits. So it just ain’t going to work.
I mean, you live in Montana. At least a lot of Montana is worth looking at when you’re freezing your ass off, even though a good free agent would never sign there. Cleveland is not a destination city for a young rich dude in fall and winter, unless you enjoy living in an area resembling the End of Days. So it will always have to come in a trade, and Gilbert will not take on a contract past 2010.
It’s more likely that Elvis will show up to buy a Snickers bar at my local Speedway a few blocks from here. James is going to say the right stuff, he always does. But folks like me who really loved the NBA in Cleveland, even when Stepien was playing polka, should be very concerned about what happens to the franchise afterward. That’s where my sole concern lies. Because it’s not like the Browns, if the NBA leaves Cleveland, it’s going to be like Cincinnati, it’s never coming back.
if montana real estate had a basketball team we’d at least have phil jackson as our coach.
p.s. don’t tell anyone else this but…..cleveland winters suck far worse than montana winters.
If you put LeBron in New Orleans, Okla. City, Charlotte or Minnesota those teams would match the Cavs’ attendance, terje. If you put him in Sacramento or Portland, those cities would implode with b-ball fever.
I must say I also find it odd that anyone would assume a mortgage company called ‘Quicken’ is doing pretty well these days.
Hopefully the team will be back in the Finals this year, Hickson will turn into a very good big man and LeBron will see enough continued potential to stay.
Here’s a question: Why in the world are people spending so much time speculating about a situation that they can’t do anything about? Anyone who posts on this board cannot do a single thing to make LeBron either stay or go. So why spend so much time worrying about it? You can make a decision to worry about the future, or you can enjoy the here and now. The Cavs have a good team, they are exciting to watch, and they have a legitimate shot at a championship. As the Bible says, “Sufficent unto the day is the evil thereof.”
I don’t know which annoys me more. The talk about LBJ to NYC two years in advance, or the whole Brady Quinn deal. I haven’t been so embarrased for C-town since all the clowns wearing Bernie Kosar masks. Oh wait, I remember – Brady Quinn wins that, listen to him crying already. What a shock. At least the concept of Lebron leaving has some merit, though I don’t see it happening myself Alan. LBJ is getting a ring this year and then why go anywhere? Lebron is the mayor of Cleveland, and he can go visit NYC or anywhere else whenever he wants without dealing with the headache. He just wants his rings, and he’ll be getting his first barring injuries and an Eric Snow comeback. You really think our roster is set for the year? Even if it is, you can’t stop the man on a mission anymore. Ballee dat.