vs. Cavs (Lebron)

[Xylus]

Pros and Cons for each team. I'ma leave the Heat out of this for the sake of argument.

Suns

+Currently a better roster
+Better training staff
+Nice weather, plenty of golf, more active nightlife
-Tougher conference / path to Finals
-Lebron doesn't like Sarver


Cavs

+Higher talent ceiling (Irving and Wiggins could potentially be better than anyone on Suns' roster)
+Easier conference / path to Finals
+Lebron's home
-Cleveland
-They suck right now
-Ohio

= Max deal
= Ability to pay other big name free agents



What else

[Xylus]

To be honest, playing in the Western Conference seems like the biggest roadblock for Phoenix.

[Jeremy]

Pros and Cons for each team. I'ma leave the Heat out of this for the sake of argument.

Suns

+Currently a better roster
+Better training staff
+Nice weather, plenty of golf, more active nightlife
-Tougher conference / path to Finals
-Lebron doesn't like Sarver


Cavs

+Higher talent ceiling (Irving and Wiggins could potentially be better than anyone on Suns' roster)
+Easier conference / path to Finals
+Lebron's home
-Cleveland
-They suck right now
-Ohio

= Max deal
= Ability to pay other big name free agents



What else

But does LeBron like Gilbert any more than he likes Sarver?

And how does Cleveland have the ability to pay other big name free agents? I thought they still have to clear room just to offer LeBron the max?

[jeebus]

Miami

+ Just get to chill
+ BJ from Riley every day with bareback sessions on the weekend
+ Bosh is still your bitch boy
- Wade
- Granger
- shitty team
- ECF ceiling
- forget the Jordan comparisons, you'll be lucky to be mentioned in the same breath as Kirby

= lol

[-21-]

Sorry Xylus but LeBron to Phoenix just doesn't look like it will happen.

[Xylus]

Sorry Xylus but LeBron to Phoenix just doesn't look like it will happen.

Yeah, I'd say our chances are slim.

[RsxPiimp]

Isn't Sarver a cheap ass owner?

Anyway, Cavs is where Lebron belongs. He promised Cleveland a championship and this is the best opportunity for LBJ to right the ship.

[Xylus]

But does LeBron like Gilbert any more than he likes Sarver?

And how does Cleveland have the ability to pay other big name free agents? I thought they still have to clear room just to offer LeBron the max?

I'm not really sure what Lebron thinks of Gilbert. I know that Sarver was on the opposite side of recent CBA negotiations, though, and he was an outspoken opponent to add.

I thought I read that Cleveland could afford Lebron outright and would need to move pieces to make room for an extra free agent, but I haven't looked up the numbers.

[Xylus]

Isn't Sarver a cheap ass owner?

Not really, he's just made stupid decisions with his money. Recently he's turned a corner and is allowing the front office to make smarter decisions for him. And last week he declared that he'd be willing to spend way over the cap if it meant bringing in the talent.

[Infinite_limit]

Phoenix has a reputation of being racist & it's desert. Just not an ideal spot for blacks in general

[Mori Chu]

The main thing missing from Xylus's list is the difference in public perception toward Lebron if he jumps to each of those teams. If he jumps to Cleveland, media will say he's coming home, making right for his past mistake, trying to atone for The Decision, etc etc. He'll be praised. Miami fans will be mad, but most of the world's NBA viewers won't say negative things. You can't really even accuse the guy of chasing rings for going back to Cleveland, nor just going there for money; he won't do any better by either of those counts on the Cavs.

But if he goes to the Suns, he'll be skewered again almost as badly as he was at Decision time. Make no mistake: There are a TON of Lebron-haters lying in the bushes just waiting for another reason to unearth the hate that has been mostly dormant since '10. If he hops to the best team again, trying to go after rings rather than sticking it out in Miami, he'll be branded a mercenary for the rest of his career. They'll say he has no loyalty, not to teammates nor cities nor friends nor coaches, and so on. They'll say that all he cares about is chasing titles and making the max money. It's not really a fair jab, but they'll swing it at him nonetheless.

There's also the whole issue of perception of Phoenix as a city. It's not very African-American, not near the beach, not considered cool or desirable for most young black men to live in. Miami is the epitome of cool, and Cleveland is home. Phoenix is just some random desert city. There's no real appeal there. I'm from AZ, I think Phoenix is great, but Lebron couldn't care less.

It's abundantly clear that he just isn't going to go to Phoenix. Cleveland is a dark horse, and Miami is by far the most likely, but Phoenix is just plain out of the mix.

[Mugen]

Dat nigga ain't coming West tbh. He's got the ECF as a floor until he retires if he stays in the East.

[Xylus]

The main thing missing from Xylus's list is the difference in public perception toward Lebron if he jumps to each of those teams. If he jumps to Cleveland, media will say he's coming home, making right for his past mistake, trying to atone for The Decision, etc etc. He'll be praised. Miami fans will be mad, but most of the world's NBA viewers won't say negative things. You can't really even accuse the guy of chasing rings for going back to Cleveland, nor just going there for money; he won't do any better by either of those counts on the Cavs.

But if he goes to the Suns, he'll be skewered again almost as badly as he was at Decision time. Make no mistake: There are a TON of Lebron-haters lying in the bushes just waiting for another reason to unearth the hate that has been mostly dormant since '10. If he hops to the best team again, trying to go after rings rather than sticking it out in Miami, he'll be branded a mercenary for the rest of his career. They'll say he has no loyalty, not to teammates nor cities nor friends nor coaches, and so on. They'll say that all he cares about is chasing titles and making the max money. It's not really a fair jab, but they'll swing it at him nonetheless.

There's also the whole issue of perception of Phoenix as a city. It's not very African-American, not near the beach, not considered cool or desirable for most young black men to live in. Miami is the epitome of cool, and Cleveland is home. Phoenix is just some random desert city. There's no real appeal there. I'm from AZ, I think Phoenix is great, but Lebron couldn't care less.

It's abundantly clear that he just isn't going to go to Phoenix. Cleveland is a dark horse, and Miami is by far the most likely, but Phoenix is just plain out of the mix.

I agree with a lot of those points, particularly about Lebron's concern over his public persona. I disagree with Phoenix being an unattractive place for a superstar athlete.

I've heard from multiple people, including members of the media, who say that Phoenix is "out of the mix" but I've seen zero evidence that this is true. From all reports I've read and heard, the Suns' FO remains very optimistic that they have a shot at Lebron, which indicates to me that Rich Paul likes PHX as an option. If they weren't optimistic, I think the team would have been more active in signing other free agents by now. Unless Lebron chooses not to meet with the Suns' brass this week, I don't see why anyone would think that the Suns aren't in the running. (Even if they are technically 3rd in this race).

[Malik Hairston]

:lol Lebron isn't going to Phoenix, and how is that "chasing rings", anyways?..the Suns were a fucking non-playoff team last year:lol..

Where does this Phoenix hype come from?..they're a decent team that scared opposing teams with their constant energy/ effort during the regular season, but they probably aren't going to catch teams off guard next season, tbh..

All this "loyalty" and "legacy" talk is so antiqued, such a prehistoric view on ranking players, tbh..the number of teams you play for(as a Free Agent, prior to joining) has literally no impact on a player's impact on the game..

[Malik Hairston]

Lebron isn't playing in racist cities like Phoenix and Cleveland, tbh..

Lebron isn't a coon like Jordan or Kobe or Tom Rivers, he isn't going to play for Sterling-like owners..

He's staying in Miami, despite their terrible front office and poor supporting cast..u

[Mugen]

:lol Mickey ain't no saint either, if jew know what I'm saying tbh

[spurraider21]

Lebron isn't playing in racist cities like Phoenix and Cleveland, tbh..

Lebron isn't a coon like Jordan or Kobe or Tom Rivers, he isn't going to play for Sterling-like owners..

He's staying in Miami, despite their terrible front office and poor supporting cast..u


:lol Mickey ain't no saint either, if jew know what I'm saying tbh
this

nobody was talking about :cry racist owners :cry before Tokowitz and suddenly its an issue for players/owners everywhere? Arison is probably as racist as Sterling and just hasn't been recorded yet

[kobe4life]

Lebron isn't playing in racist cities like Phoenix and Cleveland, tbh..

Lebron isn't a coon like Jordan or Kobe or Tom Rivers, he isn't going to play for Sterling-like owners..

He's staying in Miami, despite their terrible front office and poor supporting cast..u

:lolHow pathetic this Great Satan worshiper is hoping and reaching for straws that his false idol doesn't disappoint him. It doesn't matter where the Great Satan goes since he's never going to win a title again anyways. The Great Satan is a coon at heart just like Jordan or Rivers. The guy sucks up to rich white men like Warren Buffet hoping that they drop some crumbs at the table for him.

[Malik Hairston]

this

nobody was talking about :cry racist owners :cry before Tokowitz and suddenly its an issue for players/owners everywhere? Arison is probably as racist as Sterling and just hasn't been recorded yet

Arison has virtually no involvement with the Heat, anyways, as he himself has admitted, tbh..his son runs everything, it has been the case for a long time(it was made "official" 3 years ago)..

Not really comparable, anyways..Gilbert has a pseudo-slave owner mentality, as everybody knows, and Cleveland's fanbase's racist remarks towards Lebron were everywhere, even before he left, during the Boston series..no self-respecting Black man would return to a team that showered him with racism during his last stint..

[Thread]

Arison has virtually no involvement with the Heat, anyways, as he himself has admitted, tbh..his son runs everything..

Not really comparable, anyways..Gilbert has a pseudo-slave owner mentality, as everybody knows, and Cleveland's fanbase's racist remarks towards Lebron were everywhere, even before he left, during the Boston series..

Cowherd even hinted (strongly) they'd like to lynch The Gilbs in the same manner they lynched Sterling.

& he wasn't fuckin' around either. They got the noose. Another fuck up like 4 years ago and they'll march his white ass the 13 steps and drop the floor on him.

[Malik Hairston]

And ya, I can't really imagine a non-White male wanting to live in Arizona, unless alternatives were scarce, tbh..

[Thread]

And ya, I can't really imagine a non-White male wanting to live in Arizona, unless alternatives were scarce, tbh..

& it's nice. No militant blacks here like in the North & South. It's refreshing.

[spurraider21]

Arison has virtually no involvement with the Heat, anyways, as he himself has admitted, tbh..his son runs everything, it has been the case for a long time(it was made "official" 3 years ago)..

Not really comparable, anyways..Gilbert has a pseudo-slave owner mentality, as everybody knows, and Cleveland's fanbase's racist remarks towards Lebron were everywhere, even before he left, during the Boston series..no self-respecting Black man would return to a team that showered him with racism during his last stint..
and spurstalk is as racist as it gets... doesn't mean a self respecting black man should avoid san antonio at all costs :lol

[Malik Hairston]

& it's nice. No militant blacks here like in the North & South. It's refreshing.

I respect your views, tbh, at least you're honest..to each their own..

[SanAntonioSpurs23]

Wait, I'm lost. How the fuck is Phoenix racist.

[Mori Chu]

Arizona doesn't even celebrate MLK Day. And they passed that racist anti-Mexican law where you could get pulled over and expected to show a bunch of ID and your life's story or get deported.

[TampaDude]

& it's nice. No militant blacks here like in the North & South. It's refreshing.

I was in Kingman, AZ some years ago, driving from Los Angeles to the East Coast, and I stopped at a Taco Bell there. All the employees were white, all the customers were white, and even the guys outside working on the landscaping were white. There was not a single non-white person in sight. Coming from LA, that was quite a shock.

[Thread]

Arizona doesn't even celebrate MLK Day. And they passed that racist anti-Mexican law where you could get pulled over and expected to show a bunch of ID and your life's story or get deported.

Breaking & entering the country is a felony.

[spurraider21]

Wait, I'm lost. How the fuck is Phoenix racist.
:lmao u serious?