Evaluating the Options for LeBron James
With the Cavs miserable exit in the second round, the national media shift their attention to one question, where will LeBron James be playing next season. There are many potential destinations, however no one knows, there are no clues, and the LeBron sweepstakes will be the most interesting storyline in all sports this summer.
LeBron will likely visit potential destinations, and take some time in deciding the biggest career move of his life. While fans have been waiting for 2010 free agency for about 3 years, LeBron James’ decision may dictate the market for other big names such as Dwayne Wade, Amare Stoudemire, and Chris Bosh. Let’s examine the arguments for some potential destinations.
Cleveland has been LeBron’s home since he was born, he’s been the face of the city, and made Cleveland a relevant sports town. You have to remember, even though the last two seasons for the Cavs have been major disappointments, but Cleveland is well accustomed to heartbreak, the Cavs were victims to Jordan’s “shot”, the Browns were miserable to Elway’s “drive”.
No sports championship since 1964. When Cleveland won the lottery and drafted LeBron James Cleveland fans hoped that rend would be reversed. But they remain in misery and without a title. LeBron James has made it his duty to earn Cleveland a title but has come up short in every playoff run.
The Cavs front office has done everything it can for LeBron, owner Dan Gilbert has never shown hesitancy to spend for LeBron, and the fans have shown their support and sold out the building. LeBron has people in Cleveland, many members of his inner circle who reside in Cleveland.
LeBron is a loyal guy and leaving Cleveland would be very difficult, no player especially of the caliber of LeBron James gets the chance to play for his hometown, and he’d be a hero if he won a title.
The bigger picture, LeBron has always said he wants to be mentioned with the all time elites such as Jordan. Jordan had a hard time getting past the Pistons, but he never went elsewhere to look for a title. Why leave Cleveland and go play in a building with Jordan’s statue, or build on the Knicks tradition, or play with another top 5 player in Miami.
Going to a place like Chicago and teaming up with Rose, or teaming up with Wade or Bosh elsewhere, could minimize LeBron’s legacy, and while he would be the best player on the team, people would say he couldn’t get it done without another top tier player by his side.
LeBron will do some soul searching, but even if he did leave Cleveland he’d have a very hard time doing so, but while he hasn’t accomplished the mission, there is a possibility James returns to Cleveland. LeBron has too much to walk away from in Cleveland.
New York
It is the biggest market in the country, it is the city of bright lights, if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.
The Knicks play in the garden, in front of a crowd as passionate as any. They have coach in Mike D’Antoni who LeBron is familiar was coached by in USA basketball, plus they have the cap space to bring in another max level player.
Honestly this sounds like a perfect situation, James has let it known New York is his favorite city, and Madison Square Garden is James’s favorite place to play.
The Knicks could bring in another max level player such as Amare Stoudemire or Chris Bosh; LeBron would finally have a true number 2 option.
Deep down LeBron realizes he can’t ever win a title with this Cleveland squad, and Cleveland doesn’t have the flexibility to bring in another max level player due to trading for Jamison at the deadline. In New York LeBron would have new hopes, and a clean slate, this is who Cleveland is, they will likely not get better.
LeBron going to a big market could also help his image as a global icon; he has always said he wants to be a global icon. Going to the business capital of the world would enhance his ability to do so and expand LeBron James as a brand name, possibly bigger than the way Jordan is recognized as a brand name.
For LeBron coming to the Knicks it all depends on who is coming with him, the Knicks current roster is weak one, and if the Knicks want to sign James, someone is coming with LeBron. LeBron with Bosh, Stoudemire, Joe Johnson, or Boozer would sound like a great combo which is why New York has the biggest upside for LeBron.
Deep down New York is a basketball town despite the success of the Yankees, and if LeBron were to save New York basketball and bring back their first title since 1973, LeBron James would be the biggest sports hero. He would have accomplished the biggest accomplishment being the biggest star in the league playing in the biggest city, on the most glamorous team.
Chicago
Basketball wise Chicago seems like the best fit; they have a top tier player in Derrick Rose, a rebounding machine in Joakim Noah, and while they don’t have the cap room to bring in two max players, they have some sign and trade chips in Kirk Hinrich, Taj Gibson, and Luol Deng to bring in another max player.
However I personally don’t like the Chicago fit for James playing alongside Derrick Rose. LeBron is not a point guard, but assumes the role as the primary ball handler, and play maker. There would be a dilemma over who handles the ball, especially in crunch time situations.
But LeBron and Rose are two top tier players who together could find a way to work it out, I just can’t see the fit with Rose and LeBron because LeBron is a playmaker who makes other guys better, and Rose is a point guard.
The Bulls are the only team in the LeBron sweepstakes who have the money, the young talent and the sign and trade chips, New York and Cleveland can’t make that claim.
The Bulls also have the flexibility of being in a position to bring in a new coach, a coach that LeBron can handpick. The Bulls could bring in coach such as John Calipari who LeBron has a great relationship with, the Knicks are set with Mike D’Antoni.
While LeBron James would have to play in Jordan’s shadow, Chicago seems like the situation that sets up James very nicely playing with the young nucleus.
In my opinion this is the final team in the LeBron sweepstakes as of now. The Nets situation is the most interesting. While this was the worst team in the league last season, the Nets could have a completely different squad, playing in a completely different arena in a different city a couple years from now.
The Nets situation could potentially have the most upside, let’s say the Nets win this year’s lottery and land John Wall. That automatically changes everything, the Nets could then use Devin Harris as a sign and trade chip, bring in James, and another top tier player.
The Nets will be temporarily move into the Prudential Center in Newark. However the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn has already broken ground and would be a perfect place for LeBron James to make his mark on what will essentially be a brand new team.
The Nets have young talent and cap space already in place; they have Brook Lopez who seems like a franchise center, and Terrence Williams and Courtney Lee who project to be solid players in the league.
LeBron is also good friends with rapper/minority owner Jay-Z; LeBron always visits Jay-Z when he visits New York. Jay-Z usually attends LeBron’s games when LeBron visits and LeBron even appeared in a Jay-Z music video. Having Jay-Z courtside for LeBron’s games is a bigger chip than you think.
However it is majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov who may make the biggest impact. Prokhorov is the kind of owner who NBA players would want to play for. He has deep pockets, and no fear of spending, he could revamp the whole Nets franchise, build a state of the art facility, and make the Nets the glamorous NBA team.
The Nets have no tradition, something that actually helps them. Going to Chicago would let LeBron to play in Jordan’s shadow, and the Knicks have their history. LeBron would build the tradition of the Brooklyn Nets.
LeBron had the pressure of being the hometown hero with the Cavs, if he wins a title in Chicago he’ll be five behind Jordan, but in New Jersey it would be a brand new team in a brand arena in a brand new city, where LeBron could make his mark and build a title contender where he will spend his prime years.
The bottom line is right now no one knows where LeBron is going, however one thing for certain, it will be the most interesting free agency in the history of sports, and LeBron James is dictating how it will play out.
