you people are envious of the Cleveland Cavaliers and their remarkable rebirth. you guys should be ashamed of your jealousy. chicago, you've had your jordan and six rings. LA, you had kobe and three rings, coulda had more but pi$$ed it away by dealing shaq, the most dominant force in nba history. new york, you guys just plain suck and are trying to use the "big market" card. new jersey/brooklyn, your franchise has no tradition and history and your arena never sells out as is. plus you have j-kidd and vinsanity so shut up. To go to one of those teams, he has to first become a restricted free agent after the '06-'07 season, then turn down a 7 year max contract from the Cavs to instead accept the 1 year qualifying offer to then become an unrestricted free agent after the '07-'08 season, thus play an entire year in cleveland with the team and fans knowing he's leaving after the season is over. That's throwing away a lot of basketball salary. The difference between a cleveland max deal vs a max deal from another team. The difference between the max salary in 07-08 and a qualifying offer. The risk of injury in 07-08, etc. It just doesn't make financial sense. Perhaps after the '13-'14 season, when LeBron is 29 and unrestricted it may happen. But by then his endorsement deals will have been renewed and I expect they will decide it doesn't matter what city he plays in. Also, I'm not sure he needs to worry about incremental endorsement income from playing in another city. As it is, he will probably make at least $1 billion by the time his career is over. He made $40 million last year, so I'm conservatively using an average of $50 million/year and basing it on a 20 year career, retiring at age 38. If you stand to make $1 billion playing for your hometown team and that team is winning championships, why would you want to leave and win championships for another city?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting VoiceOfReasonin:</div><div class="quote_post">you people are envious of the Cleveland Cavaliers and their remarkable rebirth. you guys should be ashamed of your jealousy. chicago, you've had your jordan and six rings. LA, you had kobe and three rings, coulda had more but pi$$ed it away by dealing shaq, the most dominant force in nba history. new york, you guys just plain suck and are trying to use the "big market" card. new jersey/brooklyn, your franchise has no tradition and history and your arena never sells out as is. plus you have j-kidd and vinsanity so shut up. To go to one of those teams, he has to first become a restricted free agent after the '06-'07 season, then turn down a 7 year max contract from the Cavs to instead accept the 1 year qualifying offer to then become an unrestricted free agent after the '07-'08 season, thus play an entire year in cleveland with the team and fans knowing he's leaving after the season is over. That's throwing away a lot of basketball salary. The difference between a cleveland max deal vs a max deal from another team. The difference between the max salary in 07-08 and a qualifying offer. The risk of injury in 07-08, etc. It just doesn't make financial sense. Perhaps after the '13-'14 season, when LeBron is 29 and unrestricted it may happen. But by then his endorsement deals will have been renewed and I expect they will decide it doesn't matter what city he plays in. Also, I'm not sure he needs to worry about incremental endorsement income from playing in another city. As it is, he will probably make at least $1 billion by the time his career is over. He made $40 million last year, so I'm conservatively using an average of $50 million/year and basing it on a 20 year career, retiring at age 38. If you stand to make $1 billion playing for your hometown team and that team is winning championships, why would you want to leave and win championships for another city?</div> This thread is about the 'What If' possibility of LeBron leaving Cleveland. Two plausible destinations would be Chicago or New York, because of their large market attraction. Of course the Cavs will give LeBron everything he asks for once he becomes a free agent. However, with everything they invest in LeBron, will they have enough to build a championship team around him? There's a strong chance they will, but there is also a strong chance they won't be able to. Keep in mind the CBA has not been settled yet, and we don't know what the cap restrictions will be in the next few years. Also LeBron is young enough, where the Cavs will have to extend more than once.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting VoiceOfReasonin:</div><div class="quote_post">you people are envious of the Cleveland Cavaliers and their remarkable rebirth. you guys should be ashamed of your jealousy. chicago, you've had your jordan and six rings. LA, you had kobe and three rings, coulda had more but pi$$ed it away by dealing shaq, the most dominant force in nba history. new york, you guys just plain suck and are trying to use the "big market" card. new jersey/brooklyn, your franchise has no tradition and history and your arena never sells out as is. plus you have j-kidd and vinsanity so shut up. To go to one of those teams, he has to first become a restricted free agent after the '06-'07 season, then turn down a 7 year max contract from the Cavs to instead accept the 1 year qualifying offer to then become an unrestricted free agent after the '07-'08 season, thus play an entire year in cleveland with the team and fans knowing he's leaving after the season is over. That's throwing away a lot of basketball salary. The difference between a cleveland max deal vs a max deal from another team. The difference between the max salary in 07-08 and a qualifying offer. The risk of injury in 07-08, etc. It just doesn't make financial sense. Perhaps after the '13-'14 season, when LeBron is 29 and unrestricted it may happen. But by then his endorsement deals will have been renewed and I expect they will decide it doesn't matter what city he plays in. Also, I'm not sure he needs to worry about incremental endorsement income from playing in another city. As it is, he will probably make at least $1 billion by the time his career is over. He made $40 million last year, so I'm conservatively using an average of $50 million/year and basing it on a 20 year career, retiring at age 38. If you stand to make $1 billion playing for your hometown team and that team is winning championships, why would you want to leave and win championships for another city?</div> The point of this thread was to show that there is a possiblity and LeBron James will be looking at his options. No one said for sure that James would leave.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting KnicksFanInOhio:</div><div class="quote_post">First of all, I'm a long time reader here and just had to post here for the first time because of all the silly stupidity that I see on this thread in particular. Nothing personal to that Lakers fan who keeps thinking up of whatever ways LeBron can leave the Cavs, but you're full of it. First of all, your team has no chance of getting LeBron with your overstuffed cap, especially if you pick up Boozer's bad contract like the reports from Fox Sports say. Secondly, I'm a Knicks fan and have lived in Cleveland for a while. LEBRON IS NOT LEAVING THE CAVS!!!! Get it through your head. I'm a hardcore Knicks fan, hardcore, with strong New York roots, and I would cream myself if the Cavs were somehow stupid enough to let him go to NYC. And if you are gonna be dumb enough to point out that Shaq left Orlando for LA, why don't you point out all the facts if you're gonna bring that up. Shaq left Orlando because Orlando was flat out dumb. They were out-bid. The cap wasn't as stringent back then and LA offered 7 years, $121 million. Orlando should have found a way to exceed that offer, but they didn't. Under the new rules, nobody can offer LeBron more money than the Cavs. On August 1st, 2006, they can offer him a maximum 7 year deal for $112 million. They will give him that. The Cavs ownership is strong, living in Cleveland I am more than familiar with the Cavs, even the pre-LeBron Cavs. They just had a dude shell out $375 million to buy the Cavs from Gund...you think he paid that much just to see his prized asset walk away in 2 years for nothing? Secondly, there are quite a lot of loopholes to jump through to get LeBron out of the Cavs possession. His contract is up in 2007, but the Cavs have the right to match ANY OFFER...ANY...REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY STAND IN THE CAP. That is assuming that he doesn't sign an extension with them. Think about it, what is he gonna tell Cavs fans if he doesn't sign an extension with them, even if the team is doing well? "Uh, sorry guys, I don't want to sign my extension because I want to go to a bigger market, F you all!" Living here, I know he's not like that, and he has helped build 5 playgrounds in his native Akron, 20 miles south of C-Town. If LeBron signs with nobody after 2007, then he signs his one year tender for 2007/08 and becomes unrestricted after that and can sign with anyone. Even then, the Cavs can offer him more money than anyone regardless of salary cap for them. But if LeBron let it get that far, the fans in Cleveland would clearly know what his intentions are, and playing at his hometown and home arena, where he is loved beyond words right now, would be a nightmare for him. Fans would keep demanding answers. Think about it...winning team, max contract, hometown fans, family, friends...why would he want to do that just for endorsement money? The guy has all the money in the world already and the additional endorsement money he gets from playing in NYC will just make up the difference from the "smaller" contract that Knicks can offer him. The guy is already super-popular...how much more popular can you get? Kids in freakin Somalia can be pimping LeBron #23 Cleveland jerseys for all I know. Again, I'm no Cavs fan, I'm not a Cavs hater either, but living in Cleveland, I can assure you that he will not be leaving the Cavs for a long, long time, if ever. Get your facts straight, learn the collective bargaining rules, and realize that when you are already set for life at the age of 20, it isn't all about the money. LeBron has a chance to bring his hometown its first championship of any sort since the 1964 Browns. I think that is more important to him than MONEY at this point of his life.</div> Out of everything I've heard here, this gets to the heart of the matter best. He's a Cavs player and will be for his career.
anything can happen in 2 years. he may or may not sign for the cavs...unless his contract has a clause stating he'd finish his career as a cav.
exactly <div class="quote_poster">Quoting mrj18:</div><div class="quote_post">The point of this thread was to show that there is a possiblity and LeBron James will be looking at his options. No one said for sure that James would leave.</div> Exactly you hit the nail on the head mrj18. Good point.
I dont think so. I already know he doesnt want to be like Mike. So why would he go there where Mike became a legend. Thats one of the reasons he didnt participate in the dunk contest, he was scared of failure. Besides he probly wants to stay and play for his home team. That would be a great scenario though. Especially if he won a championship there which I wouldnt doubt but sorry it wont happen.
How? <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Phantom Balla:</div><div class="quote_post">I dont think so. I already know he doesnt want to be like Mike. So why would he go there where Mike became a legend. Thats one of the reasons he didnt participate in the dunk contest, he was scared of failure. Besides he probly wants to stay and play for his home team. That would be a great scenario though. Especially if he won a championship there which I wouldnt doubt but sorry it wont happen.</div> How do YOU know he doesnt want to be like mike? He grew up idolizing MJ. HE WEARS HIS NUMBER!! He signed with Nike despite an offer of more money from reebok. He wants to be like mike more than anything. Saying he is scared of failure jus cuz he didnt use the dunk contest? If he was scared of failure he wouldnt have jumped to the NBA he woulda gone to college. Phantom Balla you have pantom facts here
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting drunkenbarden:</div><div class="quote_post">he probably will leave cleveland but im sure hes not going to chicago</div> Is there any reason you say that? If he gets someone else who can score in the off-season, there will be no reason for him to leave his home town. I think he will stay for his whole career, or maybe leave for a few seaons at the end, like MJ and Karl Malone.
good reason <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bodiddly14:</div><div class="quote_post">I can give you an answer in two words : Not Happening</div> theres a good reason why you only gave me two words.....you DIDNT HAVE AN ARGUMENT!! You had no way to justify your claim so you didnt.
There are a lot of factors that effect whether Lebron would leave Cleveland or not, and they all come in the future, so no one can say for sure. For people that are saying, "NO WAY LEBRON WILL NOT LEAVE!" How do you know? Are you Lebron's brother? Are you Lebron? Are you his pet? Where are you getting this information? We are talking about something 2 years down the road, that there is no way we can predict accurately what will happen. All of the reasons people have said that Lebron will stay have been pretty much worthless, as they all assume that you know Lebron or something. None of you know Lebrons thought-process, or what he wants in life, or how he makes decisions, so dont say things like that unless your just speculating.
I wouldnt mind him joining Chi-Town, but I can't see it happening and I can't see the Cavs trading/letting go of their only market piece.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting I-Miss-MJ:</div><div class="quote_post">I wouldnt mind him joining Chi-Town, but I can't see it happening and I can't see the Cavs trading/letting go of their only market piece.</div> It woudnt neccesarily be up to them.....if the owners get their way and limit contract lengths to 4 years then Cleveland will be hurt becaue they will lose their leverage of having the Bird Rule because it would be less of a difference
here's a good article for you guys to chew on... http://cavaliers.mostvaluablenetwork.com/index.php?p=3
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting drunkenbarden:</div><div class="quote_post">for some reason Happy Lotomore i think the cavaliers will get a offer to trade lebron for a big star</div> Yeah, they probably will, but how bigger star would you need to keep up with LeBron? We would be talking a huge player, mainly because LeBron James is still only 20 and should be playing for at least 12 more years. To build a franchise around, at the moment I think LeBron would be one of the most wanted players in the NBA, which is why management needs to hold onto him with everything they can.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting KnicksFanInOhio:</div><div class="quote_post">here's a good article for you guys to chew on... http://cavaliers.mostvaluablenetwork.com/index.php?p=3</div> Good article KnicksFanInOhio. It touched on Cleveland's ability to keep LeBron, but one angle it failed to cover is Cleveland's ability to compete financially with other teams so they can surround LeBron James with the supporting players he's going to need to win a championship. A lot of this debate will be a lot more clear once the new CBA is in place. If the CBA lowers the cap space and shortens the max deals a team can offer, it's going to be even harder for the Cavs to lock James up for life. If the rumors are true, and the max deal is shortened to 4 years instead of 7 years, the Cavs could face having to deal with LeBron and free agency 3 times in his career. They might have enough to coax him the first time, but if the Cavs are not winning they might not be able to convince him to stay. Then the issue of signing over players becomes a factor. After they max out LeBron, can they afford one or two more marquee players to join him? I don't think they can.
