Lebron's future

[Thunder Dan]

Finally, someone writes what I've been saying for awhile. Everyone is going to be going after everyone in 2010- but it's way too early to start placing people in certain places

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailyd...dime-081108-09

There was a definitive declaration about the future earlier this week from LeBron James. You probably just haven't heard about it yet.

The official decree from King James: "22, 10 and 10."

That's how LeBron replied when someone in Dallas asked him what his ideal, every-night line in the box score would be.

I think I can safely predict the response, too: All of the fans in all of the cities whose teams fantasize about signing James away from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the summer of 2010 will inevitably seize on the fact that LeBron didn't specify where he dreams of racking up all those triple-doubles.

Of course, even had he pronounced himself a Cav For Life in the same sentence, who outside of Ohio would hear him? No. 23 could clearly state his intentions to stay with his home-state team -- and he pretty much did in October at a Barack Obama rally when no one was expecting it -- and it wouldn't discourage anyone in the basketball Mecca of New York City … or the Nike capital of Portland, Ore. … or now Detroit.

Clevelanders, I'm afraid, will just have to accept that this is going to be their lives for the next 589 days or so. It really has little to do with the usual torture they expect to absorb from their Cavs, Indians, Browns and weather. It's not that deep, folks. Cursed as Clevelanders believe themselves to be, they simply have the most coveted young talent in the game and maybe all of American sport in their midst -- after winning a draft lottery, don't forget -- and lots of teams are planning to have spending money in LeBron's free-agent summer. What else are we going to talk about?

Doesn't matter that LeBron could be heard at that Obama rally announcing to a downtown crowd: "I love Ohio and I ain't goin' nowhere." If the other teams in the NBA aren't listening, why would their fans be?

The line for LeBron, as you've undoubtedly heard by now, got one team longer this week when the Pistons traded for Allen Iverson and a huge chunk of financial flexibility that might just hold up until July 2010. If the cash does stay stashed that long, Detroit won't merely try to sign James, either. We're sittin' here talkin' about Joe Dumars, so trust us: If the Pistons' uber-aggressive president can keep enough cap space to afford two max players in 2010, I'm reasonably sure that his A-1 scenario would be trying to sign James and Chris Bosh.

But try not to tax your brain with too many hypotheticals this far out.

Common sense says that there certainly is a scenario where LeBron would swap Lake Erie for the, uh, glamour of Motown, crazy as it sounds. If the Pistons are clearly set up better than any other team at that point for LeBron to win multiple rings -- since rings are the thing, as much as anything, that could make him a Global Icon -- how could he ignore Detroit?

Yet you should also be able to work out that there are too many variables, too many things that can happen over the next two years, to start throwing out absolutes here or anoint favorites in the LeBron Sweepstakes. Yes: I've spoken to smart, well-connected folks around the league who have relayed what appear to be highly credible "LeBron's gone" whispers. Yes: I've heard trusted sources say that the Cavs are privately but legitimately worried that they won't be able to keep him away from a sexier market … even though trying to sign Bosh away from Toronto, to put him next to James, is believed to be Cleveland's A-1 scenario as well.

However …

Why would LeBron decide anything now?

What possible benefit could there be to committing this soon to definitely relocating to storied Madison Square Garden to go play for Mike D'Antoni or to promise he'll stay and try to be the guy who lifts the Cleveland curse?

Things change too fast in this league to lock in any plans.

Look at Detroit, for starters. How can we be so sure, given all the trade and free-agent possibilities that will inevitably present themselves to the Pistons over the next 20 months, that Dumars will be able to pass on them all to wait on a LeBron maybe?

Look at New Jersey, which seemingly had the ultimate LeBron recruiting tool -- his mentor Jay-Z as part-owner -- and which now can't be sure if it will ever be able to offer James the lure of Brooklyn home games.

Just look at the Lakers. Before the thoroughly unforeseen Pau Gasol donation, er, trade, remember how bleak and tenuous L.A.'s future with Kobe Bryant looked this time last year?

Things change fast in this league, friends.

No fewer than 15 teams -- including the Cavs -- have less than $40 million in committed salaries on their books for the 2010-11 season, hoarding cap space for a free-agent class so deep that we don't even talk about Amare Stoudemire, Dirk Nowitzki and early Eastern Conference player of the month favorite Joe Johnson. Among those teams are Chicago, Houston, Miami, Phoenix, Portland and Bosh's Toronto Raptors. I also fully expect the likes of San Antonio and Dallas to be major bidders by the time LeBron and Co. hit the open market, which is to say that the Pistons, between now and the NBA's Free Agent Frenzy of 2010, won't be the last team to be mentioned as a new threat to steal LeBron away from Cleveland. Far from it.

The Cavs, though, are still in a pretty good spot. James, for starters, is a certifiably proud Ohioan, which has to help. What happens if they make one more trade for one more difference-making sidekick this season or next? What happens if they actually manage to win it all once before LeBron's contract expires? The Cavs better have a convincing championship plan to hit James with when he's free to leave, because the closest thing to a sure thing in this whole process is what we were told this week by one source close to LeBron: "He knows that championships will determine his legacy." Then again, they're not that far off with what they've got right now to surround their potential 22, 10 and 10 guy.

We're convinced that this could all be much worse for Clevelanders, too, no matter how they've suffered for decades in various stadiums and arenas. Lusting after their LeBron isn't personal, or even original. Orlando lived with the same panic and insecurities for every day of Shaquille O'Neal's first four seasons, except for one crucial difference.

The Magic Kingdom's Hall of Fame-bound, larger-than-life superstar, if my recollections are right, sure seemed more determined to leave than LeBron does.

[Allanon]

If the Cavaliers win a Championship, then I'd give LeBron a good chance of staying in Cleveland. But as it stands now, the Cavs don't have enough to win it all but they're too good to get anywhere near a lottery pick...so they probably won't get significantly better in the draft unless they get lucky.

As for the signing of 2 big-name free agents, it wouldn't be possible (if the Cavs still want to win in 2009.

This is due to next year's contract situation. You have Big Z and Anderson Varejao who both will probably opt out of their contracts and try to sign a new longer term one. That would put the Cavaliers well into the $50 million a year salary mark unless they dump one of those two guys.

And if the Cavs dump BigZ or Verajao, it's going to be a very long season for LeBron.

[Thunder Dan]

If the Cavaliers win a Championship, then I'd give LeBron a good chance of staying in Cleveland. But as it stands now, the Cavs don't have enough to win it all but they're too good to get anywhere near a lottery pick...so they probably won't get significantly better in the draft unless they get lucky.

As for the signing of 2 big-name free agents, it wouldn't be possible (if the Cavs still want to win in 2009.

This is due to next year's contract situation. You have Big Z and Anderson Varejao who both will probably opt out of their contracts and try to sign a new longer term one. That would put the Cavaliers well into the $50 million a year salary mark unless they dump one of those two guys.

And if the Cavs dump BigZ or Verajao, it's going to be a very long season for LeBron.

They can Trade Wally and knock $13,000,000 off the books, and Eric Snow knocks $8,000,000 more...you don't think $21,000,000 is enough for this offseason? Don't forget ho much they have for 2010. That is intresting because everyone that writes about the Cavs writes about how they will make one of the biggest trades this year because of Wally's contract and Anderson's situation.

[Allanon]

They can Trade Wally and knock $13,000,000 off the books, and Eric Snow knocks $8,000,000 more...you don't think $21,000,000 is enough for this offseason? Don't forget ho much they have for 2010. That is intresting because everyone that writes about the Cavs writes about how they will make one of the biggest trades this year because of Wally's contract and Anderson's situation.

Trading off Wally's money this year doesn't make alot of sense for the Cavs because he's off the books this year anyways.

If they try to fill their roster with a good player (in a trade with Wally & Verajao), it will either be a 1 year rental or a long term contract which would fill up their salary in 2010.

Or if they send off Verajao and fill up the spot with young cheaper players, then how will they be a contender in 2009?

[Thunder Dan]

Trading off Wally's money this year doesn't make alot of sense for the Cavs because he's off the books this year anyways.

If they try to fill their roster with a good player (in a trade with Wally & Verajao), it will either be a 1 year rental or a long term contract which would fill up their salary in 2010.

Or if they send off Verajao and fill up the spot with young cheaper players, then how will they be a contender in 2009?

the name all the Cavs insiders are claiming to be coming here for Wally is Michael Redd- how would that be a rental since he is under contract fro 3 more years? They say it's just a matter of time until the Bucks slip far back in the playoff race and start dumping salaries for their new GM to have a big offseason. The claim it will be Wally, Andy, and a Draft Pick for Redd

[Allanon]

the name all the Cavs insiders are claiming to be coming here for Wally is Michael Redd- how would that be a rental since he is under contract fro 3 more years? They say it's just a matter of time until the Bucks slip far back in the playoff race and start dumping salaries for their new GM to have a big offseason. The claim it will be Wally, Andy, and a Draft Pick for Redd

The problem with the Michael Redd idea is that they already have Mo Williams signed for the next 4(?) years. That would give them 2 shooting guards (Mo Williams is a SG in a PG body) + LeBron.

That would leave a rather large hole at the Power Forward and Center position. So they would have to replace or extend BigZ and find another guy to fill in for Verajao & Ben Wallace.

[Thunder Dan]

The problem with the Michael Redd idea is that they already have Mo Williams signed for the next 4(?) years. That would give them 2 shooting guards (Mo Williams is a SG in a PG body) + LeBron.

That would leave a rather large hole at the Power Forward and Center position. So they would have to replace or extend BigZ and find another guy to fill in for Verajao & Ben Wallace.

Mo Williams is our PG
Lebron is our 3

right now the Cavs don't have a true SG becuase Delonte West, a PG, is playing there


They are prepping J.J. Hickson to take over for when Andy is traded

[JamStone]

No one knows whether LeBron is staying or leaving, not even LeBron at this point. A lot of things can change by the summer of 2010. But, you simply can't stop people from speculating. It's going to happen. It's going to continue to happen all the way until LeBron makes his final decision when that time comes. No sense to get upset at people just speculating, whether it's that he'll stay or whether it's that he'll go.

[Allanon]

Mo Williams is our PG
Lebron is our 3

right now the Cavs don't have a true SG becuase Delonte West, a PG, is playing there


They are prepping J.J. Hickson to take over for when Andy is traded

You're a reasonable poster so I'm not going to argue the point with you further. Nobody wants to lose their Franchise player and I know the feeling since Kobe wanted to go to the Bulls.

[peskypesky]

I think LeBron will be a Knick. Biggest city and a chance to take a legendary franchise back to the top.