LeBron James free agency 2010
He’s basketballs best player at the moment, scoring at ease and dominating play, in the regular season at least.
So it’s only fair that we look at the options available to LeBron, considering he can opt out of his contract on July 1st. There will be no shortage of suitors for his services and the courting has already begun. Even Barack Obama has had his say on the matter, and New York’s mayor Michael Bloomberg is fully immersed in the LeBron campaign.
Option 1: Stay in Cleveland
He’s from Akron and he’s always wanted to put his home on the map. Mission accomplished. Now he just needs to win the Cavs a championship and he’ll have nothing left to accomplish with his hometown team. The Cavs can pay him around $30million more than any other team can offer and have sacked their head coach in a bid to persuade James to stay. Even their GM resigned from his position.
James has never hidden the fact Cleveland is his home and when he did his first interview with Larry King since losing in the play-offs, he admitted the Cavs have a definite advantage in getting his signature.
Option 2: Chicago and the Jordan legacy
Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah and Lebron James. If those three were to ever play together they would win at least three NBA championships and create a dynasty. But the Bulls do have problems, starting with the fact that they don’t have a head coach. And the front office isn’t exactly what you would call a functional one. President Obama wants LeBron to join the Bulls and so does the whole of Chicago.
But will Michael Jordan’s legacy deter LeBron? Who knows.
Option 3: New York Knicks
The Knicks aren’t very good and they aren’t getting a lottery pick, because they so thoughtfully traded it away to Utah. But here are the plus points for New York.
Everyone wants to live in New York and Madison Square Garden is the Mecca of basketball, no other arena in America has the atmosphere of MSG and no other fans in basketball understand the game like the Knicks fans do. Also, what better storyline would there be for LeBron to be the saviour of the Knicks. Bringing an NBA championship to NYC would take LeBron beyond superstar level and that is something LeBron surely must be thinking about. They have the cap room to sign two max contract free agents. LeBron + Chris Bosh anyone?
Option 4: The Clippers
The Clippers ? The Clippers have the talent, they have the cap space and they’re based in LA. Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon, add LeBron and you get a championship winning team. But would LeBron really want to play for Donald Sterling? I don’t think so. But it does make sense, big city, lots of talent. I don’t think it will happen but it if LeBron wants rings the Clippers could be his best bet.
Option 5: New Jersey Nets
The only reason the Nets are in discussion is because they have the cap space and a super rich owner. But Jay-Z has admitted he won’t be trying to persuade LeBron, so I guess he’s not going there.
Tags: