You know you’re burned out on NBA news and rumors when you decide to write 10 haiku to summarize the NBA Summer of 2010. Off we go (in the English 5-7-5 syllable format)…
Atlanta spends big
to keep twenty-eight year-old
Here comes the remorse
Wade, Bosh, then LeBron
Super Friends in Miami
Much to Dan’s chagrin
No doubt cathartic
Dan Gilbert’s manifesto
only hurts the Cavs
Pat Riley, the pimp
But they have to play the games
There’s still work to do
I spend a lot of time writing for TSR trying to be objective in my analysis, but this LeBron situation has me thinking more emotionally. Like a lot of people out there, I am starting to really dislike the guy. Here are a few random thoughts about the possible landing spots and whether or not they would raise or lower my opinion of LBJ.
Cleveland Cavaliers
I’d respect his loyalty to his “hometown” (even though he makes it clear Akron is his true hometown), but would question his motivations in creating all this drama only to re-sign with the Cavs. Had he committed to Cleveland from the start, he may have been able to convince a good free agent to push for a sign-and-trade, but since no one knew whether or not he was staying, Cleveland became the last place anyone wanted to play. Generally speaking, I dislike the Cavs (because LeBron is getting more and more annoying) and I would continue to dislike them. I’d be happy to see the Cavs battle with the new-look Heat, and would probably root for Wade/Bosh once my beloved Bucks were knocked out of the postseason.
Miami Heat
I like the idea of Wade/Bosh in Miami, and would even root for a team built around those two under certain circumstances. But add LeBron, it would be a tough team to root for. People are calling it the “Axis of Evil” which really isn’t fair to Wade or Bosh, or even LeBron, for that matter, but life isn’t fair. I would laud LeBron/Wade/Bosh if any of them took less money to play together. It’s not often (has it ever happened?) that a player turns down a max offer from his home team in order to play elsewhere and win. I would also appreciate the fact that the three seem willing to put their egos aside and sacrifice team leadership/alpha dog status/shots/whatever in order to create a situation where they can win. Some people would call him a coward for joining forces with Wade and Bosh, but it’s tough enough to win a title, so if you have that freedom, why not use it? Regardless of rooting interest, it would be fascinating to watch the Heat put its roster together and see how these three play together once the season starts.
Chicago Bulls
As a Bucks fan, I really don’t want to see him go to the Bulls. Outside of Miami, Chicago offers the best chance to win, and the Bulls can win now. Derrick Rose is a future All-NBAer at the point, Carlos Boozer is a nice fit at the four, and Joakim Noah is a tremendous defensive center who doesn’t need to shoot. There are two (big?) problems with the Bulls: 1) management hasn’t shown they will go over the luxury tax in order to win, and 2) the specter of Michael Jordan and his legacy still linger. If he signs with the Bulls, I’ll appreciate his ability to put ‘winning’ above all else.
New York Knicks
Of all his landing spots, this would be the one I would most like to see. It would be fun to see LeBron tackle the challenge of “saving basketball in New York” with an injury-prone big man and a coach who is brilliant offensively but hasn’t shown much of a committment to defense. Mike D’Antoni could work wonders with LeBron’s ability in the open court and watching how LeBron fares under the microscope in New York would be fascinating.
New Jersey Nets
After the Knicks, this would be the next team I’d choose, in terms of sheer potential for entertainment. The Nets were the league’s worst team last season, and it would be fun to see LeBron take on that challenge with a couple of nice bigs (Brook Lopez and Derrick Favors), a free-spending owner, his buddy Jay-Z, and a pending move to Brooklyn.
Los Angeles Clippers
Yeah, right. If I thought there were even a shot that he’d play for Donald Sterling, I’d list the Clips first, but I don’t think LeBron’s interest in the cursed franchise was ever genuine. Vinny Del Negro was the final nail in that coffin.
We should take anything Jalen Rose says with a spoonful of salt, but here’s what he had to tweet about the LeBron situation:
#NBA my sources say that it is almost CERTAIN that LEBRON JAMES WILL NOT be returning to the CAVS! (Bulls/Heat/Clips)
The Cavs “news” is big enough, but notice the absence of the Knicks and Nets and the presence of the Clips.
My gut says that LeBron will stick in Cleveland, but depending on how wired in Rose’s “sources” are, that may not be the case. There are pros and cons to each of his options, so there’s no clear choice for LeBron come July 1.
I’ve basically ignored this story because it seemed pretty outlandish when I first heard the rumor, but David Geffen indeed tried to buy the Clippers on the promise that he could deliver LeBron. This rumor was supported by Geffen sitting with LeBron’s right hand man, Maverick Carter, at a recent Finals game.
Unfortunately for the Clippers and their fans, the team is not for sale.
“Mr. Sterling has never expressed a desire to sell any part of his team,” Clippers President Andy Roeser said in a statement. “Because it is an asset of remarkable value, it’s true that there have been countless inquiries over the years. But the Clippers have never been for sale.”
Forbes estimated the Cavs value at $476 million (#5 in the league), while the Clippers sat at #23 with a value of $295 million. The Cavs are worth so much more largely because of LeBron James. If he were to switch teams, I wouldn’t be surprised if those two numbers flip-flopped almost instantaneously. The Clippers’ value could even approach the Lakers’ value of $607 million.
So let’s say your Donald Sterling, and David Geffen is offering to buy 51% of your NBA team, which under your leadership has amassed a pathetic .341 winning percentage and just four playoff appearances in 29 seasons. So you make, say, $150 million (51% x $295 million) with the sale, and then after Geffen lands LeBron, your remaining 49% share of the team jumps in value from $145 million to at least $233 million (49% x $476 million).
Your net worth has just jumped by $88 million and all you had to do is give up control of something that you have no idea how to run in the first place. (Granted, the Clippers are profitable, but they are not successful.) Once Kobe retires, many of the notoriously frontrunning Laker fans will become Clipper fans, and the value of the franchise will jump even more. You can still sit at half court, only now you’ll be watching LeBron lead a perennial 50+ win team deep into the playoffs every season.
What’s wrong with that?
Yes, there’s the little matter of Geffen following through on his promise to land LeBron. So why not make the sale contingent on LeBron’s signing at least a three-year deal by July 10? That way, if Geffen fails to deliver LeBron as promised, there is no harm done. You can keep running the team the way you have.
Chances are slim that Sterling would be this pragmatic and the press release from Roeser is a great example. The part that gets me — it’s true that there have been countless inquiries over the years — seems incredibly shortsighted, especially considering this offer would add a 25-year-old two-time MVP to the team.
I feel sorry for Clipper fans. They have stuck by their team despite historic ineptitude, and even though there’s a possibility that the league’s best player would agree to lead the franchise into the next decade provided there is an ownership change, the owner in question refuses to play ball.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
Some disturbing news via FanHouse…
James, according to the source, is in discussions with Nike to create a new shoe for every visit along his free agent path starting July 1. The shoes would have the date of the visit printed, with James already having scripted his itinerary for the Free Agency Tour 2010.
The source insists that he’ll head for New York first to visit with the Knicks, and then spend time with the Nets. Chicago will be next, with the Bulls hoping he wants to follow in the footsteps of Michael Jordan and become the Windy City’s beloved star. Depending on the level of sustained public interest and the discussions with the teams in the respective cities, James will decide at that point whether to continue on to Miami and possibly Los Angeles to see the Clippers.
Remember, this is coming from a source, but if it’s true — as Charlie Brown would say…good grief!
First, the fact that he’s planning to hawk shoes for all these different cities seems a little shady, especially since he’ll be saying “no” to every team but one. On top of that, depending on “the level of sustained public interest,” he may go to Miami and Los Angeles as well. In other words, he doesn’t plan to sign with either team, but if the public is interested in his free agent courtship, he’ll go to those cities to hold a media event or two and hawk more sneakers.
Not only is this plan ridiculously egotistical, but it will effectively hold the free agency process hostage until he’s done selling shoes and basking in the collective love from fans around the country.
However, by creating such a spectacle, he definitely runs the risk of alienating fans of those teams he rejects, and if he’s not careful, he could become one of the most reviled players in the league. LeBron would be wise to realize that his reputation is not bulletproof.
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