Lebron James is going to be a New York Knickerbocker.Finally, people are realizing that he isn't staying in Cleveland. True he went to high school there, but why did everyone really believe he would stay there? This is the same kid who went on record as saying he wanted to be bigger than basketball, that he wanted to be "a global enterprise." Cleveland is not the place you become a global enterprise. Cleveland is the place you go to be miserable. It's the city so ugly and uncreative they named their football team after the ugliest color light produces. It's best known for Drew Carey. Cleveland has not won a championship since the '64 Browns. They are best known for The Drive, The Fumble and The Shot (all of which went against them). The fans themselves believe the city is cursed...and while it's a nice thought that Lebron could finally bring them a championship, no one outside of Ohio cares at all about the city on any day other than election night.
(Browns fans are pewch and I can prove it.)King James is no fool, he and his advisers know how big he will be in New York. You thought Brett Favre was big in New York? Lebron will be bigger. You think A-Rod is big in New York? Lebron will dwarf him. Think of what would have happened if Michael Jordan went to the Knicks. That is what this is. This is New York City getting hoops back. The electricity is going to be felt around the block from Madison Square Garden as soon as you get off the train at Grand Central Station.
Donnie Walsh has quietly done a brilliant job making shrewd trades and getting the Knicks ready to make a run at Lebron. They have $25 M coming off the cap this year. And then the beauty of it all is that for the 2010/2011 season they have just $18 M locked up in Eddy Curry, Jared Jeffries (both player options which will be exercised) and team options for Danilo Gallinari (3.3 M) and Wilson Chandler (2.1 M). Two things here, obviously this is not the cast that Lebron is going to want to surround himself with. The Knicks could pitch to him however that they could use the $17 M coming off the cap in the form of Curry and Jeffries to get him his "Scottie Pippen" the following year (and obviously they will be signing some other role players). Lebron is obviously going to get the biggest deal in NBA history, but but so little money on the cap the Knicks will still have money to sign some other players (not to mention the 8th pick in this years draft could net a solid player, Steph Curry would compliment Lebron well, no?).
The other big thing is what to do with the Knicks best two young players - Nate Robinson and David Lee. Their two contracts are the ones they don't want to lose, but they are both up at the end of next year. The Knicks have a couple options, they can look to extend either or both....or they could sign and trade them. In my opinion David Lee is a perfect fit as a complimentary player to Lebron. He rebounds with the best of them and is a great finisher around the hoop. He would become an all-star type player with Lebron, I'd be willing to bet on that. Nate on the other hand, as much as I like him, should probably be shipped out. Though not a bad option as a 6th man off the bench that can help Lebron to handle the scoring load at times...he ultimately isn't the point guard you really want with Lebron. Hell, I hate Chris Duhon but I feel I'd rather have him out there, just bring it up, dish it to Lebron, play defense and knock down an occassional three.
With the Knicks new-found financial flexibility and the allure of the city of New York, Lebron has the perfect opportunity to become even larger than he already is. The city of New York has not seen a basketball championship since Willis Reed was lacing them up ('70 and '73). Anyone who brings the Knicks a championship will be heralded as a savior - if Lebron does it, he will become a global enterprise.
The NBA is coming off a successful season, people who haven't watched since Jordan started to follow again. It just took a little hit when Lebron got knocked off (even though we could be in for an extremely entertaining, high scoring NBA finals), all the NBA needs right now is to get the Knicks back. David Stern knows this, he has said as much in public (enter your comments on the Patrick Ewing conspiracy theory now). If you don't think Stern is going to have a shotgun to the back of Lebron's head until he signs the dotted line for James Dolan (Knicks owner), you don't have enough respect for the world's most stringent dictator (Mr. Stern).
*Editing in a quick note about the whole "Lebron didn't shake hands thing." First of all, it's a non-story. I can't believe how much attention it has garnered and while I suppose we are adding to it I just want to say that no one on Earth should care whether or not Lebron James shook hands with Magic players after the game. Not you, not me, not Jesus Christ, and certainly not Dwight Howard. I love how everyone is acting like Lebron is the first player to do this...Dwight Howard is coming off as much more of a bitch by acting all hurt about it in interviews...everyone thinks Lebron James isn't being a good friend to Dwight Howard by shaking his hand after the game? What about Dwight Howard not covering for his boy who was clearly upset? He should have simply downplayed it, instead we've had about 3 days of coverage about shaking freaking hands, on the heels of the NBA finals. Rant over.
*Additional edit, thanks to reader B-Wrix:
Gotta give a shout out to my boys B and Eric Fauth with a sick nasty browns pic above.
ReplyDeleteI'm not completely sold on the Knicks getting Bron Bron yet. I am completely sold that he will be in New York. That is a forgone conclusion. (Sorry Detroit, enjoy Matt Stafford and your flunking auto industry) But is it to far fetched that he could go with his buddy Jay Z to brooklyn. Plans for their multi million dollar circus have finally been cleared and construction begins this year. If bron wants to become the first(Second, Tiger will beat him easily) billion dollar athlete, who better to teach him how to be a superstar mogul than Mr. Carter himself.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I live in my own pewch fantasy world but the loser of the Bron sweepstakes should have no problem picking up D-Wade. Imagine ticket prices for the first Brooklyn v. NY Knicks game in MSG, Bron v. D-Wade.
The Nets to Brooklyn, at the last I had checked on the situation, was still facing many hurdles..and quite simply anyone familiar with the area knows that the idea is somewhat nuts. I just feel it's way too risky from Lebron when he could simply head to the mecca. I do agree that if the Knicks miss Lebron they will get Wade (there are some dreamers out there who feel it possible to get both) and that isn't a bad piece to build around either. Still feel this will be one of those things we look back at and say "why didn't we realize this was obviously going to happen?" The idea of Lebron and D-Wade playing on opposing teams in New York is unbelievable, as if Lebron himself wouldn't bring enough excitement, that would really push it over the top.
ReplyDelete2 words... Patrick Chewing
ReplyDeleteKnicks or Cavs maybe to Brooklyn but wherever LeBron goes you could only expect a deal in the neighborhood of 4 yrs for 110 or 5 for 125-130? We all know that the Knicks organization is a loose cannon. I think if LeBron does find a new team, they will demolish the city of Cleveland, why not.
I think its a coin flip between Cleve and NY, all other parties are just also-rans. Agree with tuzz that if lebron leaves Cleveland, it should cease to be an american city. If Lebron does go to the knicks, it would be a virtual death sentence to any championship hopes he had, unless they literally cut every man on the current roster. Ive never seen a roster full of such hacks and stiffs in my entire life. There is not one player that a championship caliber team would even want. Hopefully they get Jonny Flynn in the draft, anyone else would be a huge mistake I feel.
ReplyDelete^did you not read my article? The entire roster is going to be gone. Only Curry and Jeffries will have one year left (which is a mild blessing as it will free up 17 M / give them 17 M in expiring contracts to trade) and the rooster and Wilson Chandler on cheap rookie contracts.
ReplyDeleteAnd name me one championship caliber team that wouldn't want David Lee. You can't because they'd all take him. True, he wouldn't be their best player, but teams like the Spurs have been inquiring about him for years now.
Agreed on Cleveland though, haha.
Good point. Knicks hold a high draft position and have to be eyeing a complementary player for perhaps LeBron. Jonny "Fuck you, pay me" Flynn would be a good fit and love havin D Lee in the mix, kid does work.. which would undoubtedly make for a more entertaining documentary.
ReplyDelete"D Lee doing work" would prolly be better than "Kobe doin work". D Lee is so overrated I feel. He is a product of a team that just has no talent at all. Ya, I agree that he has a nice little skill set, but players that are as effective as D Lee are a dime a dozen. Gun to my head D Lee or either member of the current cavs frontcourt- Im taking either member of the cavs current starting frontcourt.
ReplyDeleteThe man averages a double double how many players can u name that accomplish that and he does it for less thanhalf the cost!! David Lee made 1.7 million dollars this year thats such good value I'll take him on my squad any day. Yung Dorian you are so far off here.
ReplyDeleteYou're lying to yourself if you're taking Z or Varejao over D-Lee. Talk about D-Lee playing with no one. How about these guys playing with Lebron? How many dunks did he get Anderson? How many wide-open jumpers did Z get? Other than blocks and overall defense Lee is simply a superior player everywhere else. Much more efficient when you consider his free throw shooting. Varejao can play center with his height so I'll give you that, but come on, pair D-Lee with Lebron and watch his numbers.
ReplyDeleteD- Lee prays on absolute lazy stiffs. Anytime the knicks played a team with a half brained frontcourt man, Lee would be a non factor and completely exposed for his lack of defense. When Jared Jeffries starts guarding post players when Lee is on the court, it should be a telling sign of the quality of that player. He has a nice offensive skillset, but in the end he's no more valuable a player than brad miller.
ReplyDeleteLakers probably have the best frontcourt in the league right? 40 points, 26 rebounds on 15-31 and 10-11 from the line in two games (both surprisingly close).
ReplyDeleteNew Orleans has a pretty good defensive frontcourt right? 42 points on 21-31 and 20 boards in 2 games.
44 pts, 39 boards in 3 games vs Magic.
28, 19 in 2 games against the Spurs.
49, 40 in 3 games vs Boston. Then he only played 21 minutes before getting hurt against them, scoring 10 points with 7 boards on 5-8.
Non-factor?
Jared Jeffries is 6-11 to Lee's 6-9. If Jared Jeffries is anything he's a noted (and overrated) defensive specialist.
D-Lee is not a great man-to-man defender. But he rebounds the ball on defense more than every player in the NBA outside of Dwight Howard and Troy Murphy. When you get a defensive rebound you effectively stop the other teams possession, what could be a better contribution to a defense?