Let's try this for a discussion.

Two aspects: where do you think LeBron ends up next summer (Cavs? Nets? Knicks? Other?) and secondly, what happens to the Cavs franchise if he leaves? They'll have $48m in expired contacts off the books (if they lose Bron and let Shaq and Z walk).

What do you think?

Here's something to get things started, a column from yesterday by Vecsey where he kind of makes the case for the Bulls as a match for LeBron.


http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/lebron_will_have_better_options_h6US69ienG0jhqziBG 49cJ

Oh mercy, the LeBron-MJ comparisons are already bad enough. If LeBron comes here to Chicago, I will have to move back to Michigan to escape.

I need to ponder the rest...

If he leaves, the Cavs will be worse than the bulls were when they went after Duncan and other big FA's (all that money and no takers). They don't have the city draw of Chicago, regardless of how much money they'd have. FA's would see that the Cavs had the best player in the league and won no titles. How could they expect better as a lesser player?

It all depends on how Cleveland does this year in the playoffs.

Anything less than a trip to the ECF, in my mind, guarantees he goes elsewhere.

If he had to choose from going to any one of the Knicks, Nets, or Clippers atm, he'd go with the Nets, buttttt...

After New York wins the lottery this offseason and takes John Wall, LeBron will will become a PF in D'Antoni's offense.

The Cavs die.

Skoopy, doesnt Utah have NY #1?

I agree with Bill Simmons in that he should go to Clippers, but I see him staying put.
No other team is any good - none that have money anyway.

He's going to the Nets.

Lopez, Yi, CDR, Lebron, Harris is a nice young core plus the Nets would have some more cap space to sign someone else.

Throw in the move to Brooklyn, Jay Z as owner, the Russian Mob and the NBA needing to do something in NY (cause the Knicks ain't doing it no more) and I say it's almost a done deal right now.

What becomes of the Cavs? Fuck 'em! They end up trying to rebuild with youth, only to be sold and moved to... wait for it... Seattle!

The arena issue gets fixed and Stern doesn't wanna look like a cunt so he let's some dude buy the Cavs and the move within 2 years to Seattle.

This causes a little re-draw of the Divisions, with Minnesota moving to the Central.

Is that enough predictions?

Oh, here's another one:

NEW JERSEY win the Lotto and take John Wall.

LMAO if any of this happens

Skoopy, doesnt Utah have NY #1?


Holy cow, yes they do.

Jersey/Brooklyn it is.

I read something on NBA.com yesterday that speculated about him going to the Clippers.

LeBron, Blake Griffin, Kaman, Baron, playing in LA, the Kobe showdowns and the chance to be the guy that acually made the Clippers into something. There might be something there.

I cannot imagine LeBron being a Clipper as long as Sterling owns the team.

Would you believe Sterling if he said he wanted to build a championship team around you? FUCK NO!

If there ever was a team I'd want LeBron to play for (other than Detroit), it'd have to be the Clippers. Those fans deserve it.

Do the nets have space to sign 2 FAs like Lebron/Wade or Bosh?

http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15782

They'll have 21-24 mil. That probably means Lebron and a MLE type of player at best. Maybe they could move Dooling and a future pick for an expiring to get another 3.8 mil in space. Then you might get Lebron and a solid SG. Maybe just a guy like Kapono to make room for Lebron and Harris to drive. Or Redd if you think he'll bounce back.

No way they have room for two max players though. could be good tough:

PG Harris/Alston
SG FA/Lee
SF Lebron/CDR
PF Yi/Najera
C Lopez/Williams

Who is John Wall? LOL

Players under contract for New Jersey come July 1st, 2010:

Sean Williams
Yi Jianlian
Eduardo Najera
Courtney Lee
Brook Lopez
Devin Harris
Terrence Williams

Plus they'll have rights to:

Rafer Alston
Tony Battie
Josh Boone
Keyon Dooling (patricia's contracts say he's expiring. ESPN doesn't)
Chris Douglas-Roberts
Trenton Hassell
Jarvis Hayes
Bobby Simmons

Out of those guys I can see them bringing back Boone and CDR. The rest can do whatever.

That would give them a pretty young core to surround Lebron and a MLE that signs to play with "King" James.

A lot of selling points for NJ:

Jay Z as part owner - no matter how small a percentage he owns he's still a dude a lot of players/people love for his music and his rise.

Playing in NY - brings them into the media capital of the World and along with that comes endorsement potential.

Having a high Lotto pick in what is being described as a talented and deep 2010 Draft

Harris @ PG should be an easy sell, if he gets back to his best

Plus I'm sure players are looking at that team and wondering how they'll handle this season. If some of the young guys can step up and play well then the Nets can sell the young core to any big time free agent.

So is LeBron changing his jersey # next year truly out of respect for Jordan, or because he won't be able to wear it in Chicago (or Miami) anyways?

OMG HE'S CHANGING HIS NUMBER!!! QUICK MAKE IT THE TOP STORY ON SPORTSCENTER!

Steve Garvey wore #6 too, just for the record.

AND SO DID TERRY MILLS

Please refer to him by his legal name "Sugar Bear" Miles.

A buddy of mine's sister was in a class with TMills at UM. I don't know what kind of class this might have been, but apparently they had to do a verbal report of some kind in front of the class. T did his on bears. The way that his sister explained it, the report went something like, "Bears are very, very big. Bears are also brown".

~cue bukdow~

Bulls have certain players they could send Cleveland in a sign and trade.

Miami? Who would they send? I don't think they'll have max room to spend, unless Lebron is gonna leave money on the table.

Oh, btw - didn't Bill Russell wear #6? I might be wrong but I may remember seeing Mr. 11 Championship Rings in 13 Seasons wearing that number.

And Lebron is gonna switch from 23 to 6 to pay respect to Jordan?

Bow to the master you motherfucker.

Oh, and Yahoo has a story claiming Lebron said something along the lines of "IF I choose not to wear #23 then no other player should wear it either"

LMAO - Yes, Lebron - it's all about you.