Like New York is going to have a ton of money to play with after getting Lebron? Presumably Eddy Curry and Jared Jefferies will pick up their player options (they'd be idiots not to), and the Knicks will probably pick up the options on Wilson Chandler and Danillo Gallinari. So the Knicks are already at $23.593 million in salary. Up to $27.377 million when you factor in salary penalties. Add Lebron to New York they're already at $47.204 in salary commitments/penalties, leaving them with about $10.8 million in capspace to play. They could use that money to sign a second tier free agent (Tyson Chandler?) or split it up for a few third tier free agents. So Lebron can go to New York, and enjoy losing with his team of Wilson Chandler, Danillo Gallinari, Eddy Curry, Jared Jefferies, and whatever they can buy for $10.8 million. Chicago on the other hand will be able to offer Lebron Derrick Rose, John Salmons, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich (or Ben Gordon in his place)....that sounds a bit better...much more likely to contend. Miami could offer Lebron, Dwyane Wade, Super Mario Chalmers, Michael Beasley, and whatever they can buy for their leftover capspace. So go to Chicago and play with a potential superstar in Rose, and a fringe allstar in Gordon (who will presumably be still here, with Hinrich moved instead) or go to Miami and play with a superstar in Dwyane Wade and a potential superstar in Michael Beasley, or go play in New York with a team crappier than the Cavs? Hmm....I wonder which he will choose. No. That shows that in reality, the New York Knicks can offer him the least money out of Chicago, Miami, and New York. What top sports endorsers are based in New York that Lebron would pick up? What type of extra exposure would he get from going to New York instead of Chicago? The guy is already the most shown basketball player on Sports Center. Looking at the top sports superstar endorsers. (Athletes making $10+ million in endorsements) 1. Tiger Woods - $105 million (Resides in Orlando, FL) 2. Phil Mickelson - $53 million (Resides in Rancho Santa Fe, CA) 3. Lebron James - $28 million (Plays in Cleveland) 4. Dale Earnhardt Junior - $22 million (Resides in Mooresville, NC) 5. Kevin Durant - $21.65 million (Plays in Seattle, then Oklahoma City) 6. Floyd Mayweather - $20.25 million (From Grand Rapids, MI) 7. Kobe Bryant - $16 million (Plays in Los Angeles) 8. Shaquille O'neal - $16 million (Plays in Phoenix, Miami before that) 9. Dwight Howard - $15.5 million (Plays in Orlando) 10. Jeff Gordon - $15 million (Resides in Charlotte, NC) 11. Peyton Manning - $13 million (Plays in Indianapolis) 12. Dwyane Wade - $12 million (Plays in Miami) 13. Jim Furyk - $11 million (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL) 14. Tom Brady - $10 million (Plays in Foxboro, MA) Where do the great New Yorkers, benefitting from those great New York endorsement opportunities rank? Derek Jeter - $8 million Eli Manning - $7 million Alex Rodriguez - $6 million Stephon Marbury - $2 million Carlos Delago - $500K Andy Pettitte - $500K Jason Giambi - $500K I don't see why Lebron would make any more money in New York than he would in Miami/Chicago from endorsements. Maybe small stuff, but that probably wouldn't make up the real money difference that Miami could give instead of New York for actually paying basketball. Lebron isn't going to get much more exposure in New York than he already is getting in Cleveland, let alone in a big market like Chicago.
Hmmmmm... Danilo Gallinari or LeBron James... How convenient you leave out David Lee and Chris Duhon. New York has an advantage over the others in that D'Antoni only plays 7 guys anyway, and that a frantic offense like D'Antoni's brings out the offensive best in everyone. Its fairly realistic that they could trade Curry between now and then (probably a pick with him, but that helps their 2010 free agency interests anyway) and open up more space, because a) New York as I just mentioned could offer a sweetener or two with him, along with cash considerations, and b) someone is bound to be intrigued in a reclamation project that still has some potential upside. Steve Nash and Tyson Chandler are both possibilities as is, and they could go for the big score if they find takers for Curry and clear his number. Also, expounding on what I said a little earlier, D'Antoni's offense can make a lot of guys look a lot better than they really are, so they could realistically sign cheap defenders with at least an inkling of an offensive game, and gain some quality depth. Tony Allen comes to mind. So they can provide a team around him, make no mistake. What the hell makes you think Curry will have anything to do with that team, other than an entry on the payroll, in the future (should they not find a taker)? I like how pretty much every player you named, save Deng, will have a year or two left on their deal if LeBron is enticed to Chicago because of them. Gonna be a shitty day when the Bulls can't keep these guys due to the salary handicap LeBron will ultimately present them. Or Ben Gordon in his place?? Lolz That's not even a full starting lineup, Beasley can't even play the 4, and they would already have crumbs to play with to fill out seven roster spots. You are shattering the FAIL-o-meter. Chicago: Rose, Gordon, and LeBron being the future? Yeah, good fucking luck. Gordon's going to command some impressive money this summer, and Rose before too long will need a max contract of his own. This will not work unless the NBA cuts roster maximums down to six players. Miami: DROP IT ALREADY. BEASLEY CAN'T EVEN PLAY POWER FORWARD, CHALMERS IS A SHITTY POINT MAN. THOSE 4 PLAYERS WILL DOMINATE THE CAP, THEY WILL BE FUCKING REDUNDANT, AND THEY WILL HAVE NO TRUE POINT GUARD OR ANY RESPECTABLE BIG MAN TO SHOW FOR IT. NOT EVEN PAT RILEY IS THAT FUCKING STUPID. New York is the only scenario of these that really works. Your logic and sense of realism is fucking horrible. Or national endorsers. New York is the biggest stage out there, you know. More babble. lol @ using golfers and their residence location to somehow justify your point. Still not getting it.
JE is kinda right. As good of a player Mario could be, he's never going to be a true PG. He's a combo guard. But he'll be a top defender in the league sometime in his prime.
As far as endorsement money LeBron will get top dollar no matter where he's playing. If anyone benefits out of him going to New York, it will be the Knicks organization. Increased ticket sales, increased TV revenue, and increased merchandise sales. I know there used to be a rumor around about LeBron's Nike deal being worth double if plays in NY, but it's not true. If he goes to NY I think it's because he wants to be in NY. There's just a lot more to do there when you're young, rich & famous. Granted he could probably go there anytime he wants on a private plane from Cleveland, but that's inconvenient versus riding the elevator down from your penthouse suite and taking a limo around town. I do agree there's no reason for him to play in Miami. What's going to be interesting to see is whether or not free agents are willing to commit to long term deals with the Cavs if LeBron doesn't sign an extension. If there's a chance LeBron bolts in 2010 it's tough to get a guy wanting to play with him to agree to more than a 1 year deal.
I dunno Денг Гордон, I don't think LeBron would consider playing in Chicago, knowing he would have to play second fiddle to Ben "God" Gordon.
