islesfan wrote:That was to be expected. Can Miami still sign LeBron? They have room for 3 max contracts? I thought they were in the same boat as us with not being able to re-sign Lee if we added 2 max deals. Anyway, I don't see LeBron signing there to be Wade's sidekick. Do you really think someone with the ego to demand a special on ESPN to announce his decision, will come play for Wade's team? A team that Wade has already won a championship for? Regardless of how many championships they would win, Wade would always be one up on him.
As for going back to Cleveland, why would he do that when they wouldn't be able to put another star player with him? That team has hit it's ceiling as a 55 win regular season team that will win a round or two in the playoffs. And it'll only get more difficult as other teams improve.
I think it's between the Knicks and Chicago with the Knicks favored. In Chicago, it would still be Jordan's town and I don't think he fits well with Rose (they're both ball handlers who need the ball to make things happen) and Noah (more of an energy guy than a skilled scoring forward who can take pressure off LeBron). In New York, he'd be the unquestioned King of the biggest and greatest City on earth. Anything he'd do here would be magnified 1000 times. He has another star player in Amare and a chance at another next year (they should tell LeBron they'll renounce Gallinari and whoever else to get the cap room to sign Melo to a max deal). It's his best hope to take on Wade and Bosh for the next 5 years.
Pretty much sums it up.
James may also be a bit pissed off with Bosh, who did not seem to want to come to Cleveland, although that would have been dependent on a sign & trade, and maybe Toronto did not like the Varejao, Hickson, West, + package.
If he does go to Miami now it also looks terrible for him- as if he is being compelled to go there because he does not want to be left behind Wade and Bosh. The Russian is right when he says that James' name will take a hit if he goes down south to be part of a Wade's super team.
I'm a little afraid of him being interested in Chicago, who can then pick up Boozer, but a team with Rose, James, Boozer, Noah, and ??? would still have some major outside shooting issues, and I have been saying all along that a Rose/James combo, just like a Wade/James pairing, is not going to be good chemistry because they are both at their best when they are controlling the ball.
I also agree that Chicago is less appealing because Jordan's shadow is still over that team- Just can't believe that James would want to put up with the comparisons.
I still think the "3 years with Cavs and do this again idea" is a legit, we all know the Cavs are terribly limited in terms of picking up significant talent to help James win a title. James staying in Cleveland would also make it easier for Anthony to come to the Knicks, and James would be left on a Cavs team having to get by the Magic, Heat, and Knicks while he was waiting to go to another team, perhaps the Nyets.
Would he go to the Nyets if Boozer or Lee (that would be ironic)came there with him? Another team with no offensive balance, unless they can pick up a guy like Allen. Who knows, but I would not put it past him to do this- live in purgatory in Newark, and then take the Nyets to the promised land in Brooklyn.
I end up being more hopeful about him coming to NY than I have been in a long time, but there are still too many possibilities to make me feel confident.
No man is happy without a delusion of some kind. Delusions are as necessary to our happiness as realities- C.N. Bovee
7/7/2010 10:50 AM
...Unless you're a Miami heat fan, you couldn't possibly like that outcome...