Another hint that LeBron Aint Leavin' Cleveland

[Armando]

LeBron is not going anywhere,Wade is not going anywhere. Thats all just media hype coming from Chicago and New York. The Knicks are still a mess and will take a few years to clean up. Chicago has no money they have too many big contracts plus if they resign Ben Gordon they will be done. Other then that Miami and Cleveland have thier Bird Rights. They can offer a whole lot more then any other team. In the end I have a hard time seeing those 2 turning down all that money. They will be crazy to.

[Armando]

New York wants to trade for T-Mac thats all I have to say about the Knicks.

[Spursfan092120]

Supposedly there was a clause in LeBron's Nike contract that gives him double the money if he plays in New York, Chicago, L.A., or one other major city (large market). LeBron has stated in the past that he wanted to be the world's first billionaire athlete, and New York's larger market (and 'resurrecting the Knicks') would help him do that. I would have more respect for him if he stayed with his hometown Cavs, though (or decided to pursue his lifelong dream to play with George Hill, either way).

Won't happen...Tiger will be the first billionaire athlete.

[Mel_13]

I can't see him leaving. He's going to make all the money he wants no matter where he plays or lives. Its going to come down to playing where he can win multiple championships and approach/match/exceed Michael and Magic.

Cleveland's ownership has apparently decided that the cost of losing Lebron is so great that they are willing to spend almost any amount necessary to keep that from happening. When you factor in lux tax they are spending about 110M on payroll. The Knicks and Cuban are spending a little more, but the Cleveland FO has clearly done a good job in leveraging that financial advantage into success on the court.

There is no good reason to believe that Cleveland will fall from the ranks of championship contenders in the next several years. If that doesn't change, there's no reason to leave.

[JoeTait75]

I've yet to hear a compelling reason why LeBron would leave Cleveland. Changing markets won't increase his exposure- only a championship will do that. If he leaves Cleveland without a le, goes to New York and can't win a le there in three or four years- and there's no guarantee he would- it won't do a thing for his exposure or his endorsements. The Atlantic Yards project looks belly-up for 2010, so that basically takes the Nets out of the equation. The big-market clause in his Nike contract is an urban legend- no one has ever been able to produce any do entation of this clause.

He turns the Cavaliers into a multiple- le team, he'll be an NBA legend regardless of the market. He goes to New York and can't win there, he's A-Rod in short pants.

My personal opinion is that if he leaves Cleveland without a championship, he's a turncoat and a snake. Boozer X 1000. But I don't think he will.

[Armando]

I've yet to hear a compelling reason why LeBron would leave Cleveland. Changing markets won't increase his exposure- only a championship will do that. If he leaves Cleveland without a le, goes to New York and can't win a le there in three or four years- and there's no guarantee he would- it won't do a thing for his exposure or his endorsements. The Atlantic Yards project looks belly-up for 2010, so that basically takes the Nets out of the equation. The big-market clause in his Nike contract is an urban legend- no one has ever been able to produce any do entation of this clause.

He turns the Cavaliers into a multiple- le team, he'll be an NBA legend regardless of the market. He goes to New York and can't win there, he's A-Rod in short pants.

My personal opinion is that if he leaves Cleveland without a championship, he's a turncoat and a snake. Boozer X 1000. But I don't think he will.

Plus there is no assurances that the Knicks will even have a compe ive team. LeBron is not going to NYC to play with the likes of Chris Duhon and T-Mac. And the clause in his contract was true but has since expired. So there is no $$$ incentive for him to go anywhere.

[pawe]

MSG is the mecca of basketball and wouldn't you like to be the king of that place?
If CLE somehow wins the LOB, there will be a sense of satisfaction in that city and it might be a reason to retain their current roster. And since we know that a lot of big time players will move in 2010, the Knicks are willing to spend a lot of money to get high caliber players and that could sway James' decision based on the thought that he can build his own team more compe ive than Cleveland.

[Mel_13]

MSG is the mecca of basketball and wouldn't you like to be the king of that place?
If CLE somehow wins the LOB, there will be a sense of satisfaction in that city and it might be a reason to retain their current roster. And since we know that a lot of big time players will move in 2010, the Knicks are willing to spend a lot of money to get high caliber players and that could sway James' decision based on the thought that he can build his own team more compe ive than Cleveland.

Cleveland has also positioned itself to sign a max FA in 2010. Wouldn't it be easier for Lebron to recruit someone to come to Cleveland?