LeBron James, Dan Gilbert and Tampering Charges: Let the Circus Begin

LeBron James is making his first trip back to Cleveland since signing with the Miami Heat over the summer, and he has plenty on his mind.

As if the probable taunts, boos and jeers from the Cavaliers' faithful fans and a less-than-impressive start by the Miami Heat aren't enough, James now has to deal with a Yahoo! Sports report released Wednesday that said Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert is investigating Miami's courtship of the NBA's top player to determine whether tampering occurred.

According to the report, Gilbert has spent up to several hundreds of thousands of dollars in hiring a law firm to investigate the issue. Gilbert's goal is to present a case to the NBA, which would then launch a formal investigation into the tampering case. Gilbert has said privately that he will not stop until he has a sure-fire case to bring to David Stern in the form of a formal investigation request.

If found guilty of tampering, the Miami Heat could face front-office suspensions, fines levied and the potential loss of future draft picks. 

With the report curiously released just a day before LeBron's highly-anticipated return to the city he left behind after becoming a free agent, the acts seem a bit desperate by Gilbert. And remember, this is the same Dan Gilbert who offered the city of Cleveland a letter attacking LeBron after he made his "Decision." 

If nothing else, the news of Gilbert's investigation adds even more fuel to the fire leading up to tonight's game between the Heat and Cavaliers. A host of extra security measures have already been made and the entire world will be watching tonight to see just how well the suddenly-sensitive self-proclaimed "King" will play.

As an objective basketball fan, the way Gilbert is gunning for LeBron is comforting. Given the personal nature of the investigation and knowing exactly how Gilbert feels about his former star, sports fans can only hope that this culminates in the NBA's next great rivalry. 

LeBron, of course, denies any wrongdoing when it comes to the tampering charges. James told the Associated Press, "I'm a Miami Heat player representing this franchise, so that's out of my league. We followed the process like any other free agent and this organization did also."

While some may say that the last thing the NBA needs is another drawn out issue, I think this case is intriguing. Perhaps the best quality Michael Jordan ever possessed was the chip on his shoulder—his desire to prove to everybody that he was the best player on the court. After being lauded as the best player on the planet since entering the league, LeBron seems to lack the hunger necessary to take him to the Jordanesque level. 

A strong hatred of his former organization can only add to LeBron's motivation to be the best player the NBA's ever seen. And luckily for NBA fans, it can all start tonight.