Summer of Lebron

[SalvadorMontenegro]

Oh my God, I don't care. This must be how the anti World Cup people feel. Please, just sign somewhere today!

I don't understand the big deal. He's a great, great player, but he's never won a title and like KG, he can't close games the way Jordan could and Kobe can. At least he hasn't been able to so far. I guess the big thing is the marketing more than anything else. He can sell seats and jerseys and that matters more than winning a title.

All of my gripes aside, I'd be thrilled if the Wizards somehow nabbed him.

 

[Shane]

Oh my God, I don't care. This must be how the anti World Cup people feel. Please, just sign somewhere today!

I don't understand the big deal. He's a great, great player, but he's never won a title and like KG, he can't close games the way Jordan could and Kobe can. At least he hasn't been able to so far. I guess the big thing is the marketing more than anything else. He can sell seats and jerseys and that matters more than winning a title.

All of my gripes aside, I'd be thrilled if the Wizards somehow nabbed him.

I hear that. ESPN has been inundating us with rumors about this in the same fashion as a room full of gossipy teenage girls. I mean, it's literally every third thing they talk about. I love sports, and I love basketball, but after a while, quit with the suspense. He'll either sign with the Cavs, or he'll sign with someone else. When it happens, life will resume as usual.

 

[SalvadorMontenegro]

They've been doing it for YEARS. For YEARS they've been talking about what's going to happen this summer. It's the sports version of Y2K.

He has 0 rings.

 

[azmark]

I don't really care where he goes as long as it's not a bad choice. He seems like a good guy that hasn't fell into too much of the drama that surrounds young players.

 

[Barbash]

This is the biggest off season in NBA history with not only LBJ a free agent, but also D Wade, Bosh, Nowitzki, Joe Johnson, and Stoudemire just to name a few.

I am looking forward to seeing where LBJ lands, but more importantly who follows him. A team with LBJ, Wade, and Bosh would be sick, but I hope it doesn't happen.

As an Atlanta guy I am not sure about how I feel about the Hawks offering Joe a Max deal(6 years $119MM), but I know without his 22 points a night we will take a giant step back. Saying that if LBJ teams up with at least Wade in Miami we have no chance between them and Orlando being in our own confrence.

 

[Monkeydad]

My predctions:

Wade- Heat
Lebron-Bulls
Dirk-Mavs
Paul Pierce-Celtics
Stoudemire-Knicks
Bosh-Bulls
Johnson-Knicks
Boozer-Nets
Carmelo- Nets next year

 

[Ruck]

Try this one on for size: the American Hockey League can't confirm our team's season schedule until Lebron decides where he's playing. Potential NBA teams that split venue time with AHL teams are sitting on prime TV dates, just in case he signs with their team.

The Lebron effect... he flutters his wings in Cleveland and changes the course of an entire hockey season across the country.

 

[The Nid Hog]

I think that he should retire right now, at the peak of his game, and spend the rest of his life living as a recluse. The Bobby Fischer of basketball.

 

[Obsessed]

Oh my God, I don't care. . . Please, just sign somewhere today!

As a native Clevelander now living in the NYC area, I guess I should care, but I actually agree with you 100%. The whole thing is kind of embarrassing for all the cities involved, in my view.

 

[SmoovD]

But, but....what about Farve?

 

[SalvadorMontenegro]

Here's where I become a hypocrite.

I really don't want to see him in Chicago. Even if this isn't the case at all, if he goes to Chicago, it looks too much like he wants to be Jordan. I realize the Bulls are completely different and have a young core that could make him and Bosh immediately successful, but it still looks too much like he wants to be Jordan.

I don't want him and Wade and Bosh in Miami together. One, I don't think it would work. Two, it would be annoying.

I'd like to see him on the Knicks. It's a the biggest market in the country and basketball is more fun when the Knicks are good. I hated the Knicks in the 90's when they looked like the All-Don't Run Into Us In a Dark Alley Team - Ewing, Oakley, Mason, - but it was fun to watch them duel with Jordan and Reggie Miller. I live in New York now and no longer dislike them and it would be fun to see Lebron here at the Garden.

But I don't really care. Wherever he winds up is fine with me. Basketball is the only sport where there isn't a team I truly dislike.

 

[ouch]

I think that he should retire right now, at the peak of his game, and spend the rest of his life living as a recluse. The Bobby Fischer of basketball.

It didn't turn out too well for old Bobby, though.

 

[The Nid Hog]

It didn't turn out too well for old Bobby, though.

There are worse things than being dead in Iceland.

 

[SalvadorMontenegro]

There are worse things than being dead in Iceland.

Such as being alive in Iceland. ZING!

 

[garyg]

I have it on inside authority that LeBron, D'Wayne, Bosh et al will go to NYC. They will move nearby to Bill Clinton, and form a new league. This will be a travelling league of stars, and with them will travel some lesser-rans with changeable logos on their shirts .. they can play Peoria, Buffalo, Clyde, Cleveland, Chicago, Butte .. the list is endless. Charles Barkley will be the Commissioner, and control the ad revenue.

Because of all the money pouring back into Gotham, LeBron will be elected Senator from New York, after all, the electors there don't care about experience, qualifications, or whether he graduated from high school. Star power is where it is.

 

[Shane]

I have it on inside authority that LeBron, D'Wayne, Bosh et al will go to NYC. They will move nearby to Bill Clinton, and form a new league. This will be a travelling league of stars, and with them will travel some lesser-rans with changeable logos on their shirts .. they can play Peoria, Buffalo, Clyde, Cleveland, Chicago, Butte .. the list is endless. Charles Barkley will be the Commissioner, and control the ad revenue.

Because of all the money pouring back into Gotham, LeBron will be elected Senator from New York, after all, the electors there don't care about experience, qualifications, or whether he graduated from high school. Star power is where it is.

What?

 

[Monkeydad]

Fun -

http://espn.go.com/nba/features/freeagentslotmachine

 

[ouch]

Such as being alive in Iceland. ZING!

 

[mmadha]

I guess the reason they are stressing the NBA free agency period is because the power can be realigned with the acquisition of one on the big name free agents including Lebron. A team that has cleared enough cap room can move from consummate under-performer to NBA Champion contender if the can nab some of major free agents (New Jersey Nets for example).

However, can anyone doubt that no matter what moves are made they're will be talk that Kobe is washed-up, while he quietly continues to be the best player in the league an win another championship.

 

[SalvadorMontenegro]

I don't think anyone is calling Kobe washed up, but I do think they're being premature in dubbing "King" James the best player over him. I think James is more physically gifted, but is lacking something. The Cavs team he played on last season should have been in the finals. There was definitely enough talent on the roster to get there, as they demonstrated during the regular season when they came away with the best record. I think Kobe would have taken that team to the title.

Like I said in my initial post, Lebron seems to be cursed with the KG affliction of not being able to come up big in crucial games. He's not money in clutch situations the way Kobe is or Michael Jordan was. Sometimes he is, but there are times when he shuts down.