What is the King getting?

[TheOUTLAW]

Insider trading happens all the time. Heck the sheer fact that it's not illegal for Congress means that it happens all the time. I'm sure almost all high net worth individuals make trades utilizing information that hasn't hit the street. That said, I'm not sure how that would really be something that LeBron was getting in this case. As a high net worth individual with these contact he'd get the same information whether in Cleveland/Akron or not.

[Cassius]

Pretty simple really...

1. He gets to come back home. Despite what you may have heard, North East Ohio is a lovely place to live, and the people who live here are very loyal to it. There's a reason the reports about LeBron being sick right after "The Decision" came out. He missed Ohio his entire time in Miami and couldn't wait to get back.

2. The talent of Love/Irving/Waiters/Varejao/Thompson/Marion etc... is much better than what Miami could have given him this year, and more importantly, moving forward.



The move was a no brainer honestly. It was the best move for him, not only on the court, but also off of it. Suggesting that a billionaire bribed a soon to be billionaire is some crazy talk when you factor in all of the danger that would have come with that.

THIS.

1. Completely agree. As a relatively new father living in Cleveland, who grew up in Toronto but has lived/traveled all over the US, Europe and visited Africa/Asia... NE Ohio offers a simplicity and affordability that is extremely hard to find anywhere else. Not sure where I'll settle in the end, but I'll always love Cleveland due to its lack of pretense, family focus and again, affordability for everyone.

2. Completely agree here, too.

3. What the OP is missing here is that, if LeBron wins one or more rings here, his story becomes the second greatest of the past 100 years behind only Muhammad Ali. That redemption story will open him up to opportunities rarely afforded to athletes. Think about it, imagine having Lebron as your spokesperson for veteran employment initiatives? "I left home when I was young, and when I came back the city/state/country was there to help me end "the curse". As business owners, we're asking you to do the same thing for the young men & women who fight for our freedom." That's a billion-dollar pitch. You can do the same thing for people who've stopped searching for jobs, etc.

Moreover, if Lebron wins a title and then after retiring, asks Dan Gilbert for a 50% discount on purchasing an ownership stake in the Cavs, on what planet can Gilbert ever say no? What if he wanted a discount to join the ownership group for the Browns or Indians? Who says no? Lebron owns the Cavs already and he knows it. He doesn't need a backdoor deal to cement what he already knows will come to him once he brings a chip to Cleveland.

[KobeBryant24]

The King of ring chasing

[yassillio]

[quote="B Mac"]Pretty simple really...

1. He gets to come back home. Despite what you may have heard, North East Ohio is a lovely place to live, and the people who live here are very loyal to it. There's a reason the reports about LeBron being sick right after "The Decision" came out. He missed Ohio his entire time in Miami and couldn't wait to get back.

2. The talent of Love/Irving/Waiters/Varejao/Thompson/Marion etc... is much better than what Miami could have given him this year, and more importantly, moving forward.


Love and Marion weren't guarantees ( GSW was apparently involved and could have had him had they opted to give up Klay).

So it would've pretty much been Irving/Waiters/Andrew Wiggins/ AV/ Thompson. But nevertheloess, I'd take that over Oreo Chalmers, T-rex Bosh and old man Wade.

[Eyeamok]

Moreover, if Lebron wins a title and then after retiring, asks Dan Gilbert for a 50% discount on purchasing an ownership stake in the Cavs, on what planet can Gilbert ever say no? What if he wanted a discount to join the ownership group for the Browns or Indians? Who says no? Lebron owns the Cavs already and he knows it. He doesn't need a backdoor deal to cement what he already knows will come to him once he brings a chip to Cleveland.

This I can see happening without a doubt. All the other stuff about loving Cleveland is nice and all but this makes more sense than anything else.

[Cassius]

Moreover, if Lebron wins a title and then after retiring, asks Dan Gilbert for a 50% discount on purchasing an ownership stake in the Cavs, on what planet can Gilbert ever say no? What if he wanted a discount to join the ownership group for the Browns or Indians? Who says no? Lebron owns the Cavs already and he knows it. He doesn't need a backdoor deal to cement what he already knows will come to him once he brings a chip to Cleveland.

This I can see happening without a doubt. All the other stuff about loving Cleveland is nice and all but this makes more sense than anything else.

I'm not trolling you, but really, can I ask your age? Is it fair to assume that you haven't lived in a lot of different places yet? I hope so, because if travel hasn't shown you what's important in life, not much else aside from tragedy can. Finding a place to call home is very difficult, especially if you consider how bad things are for most people who didn't live in North America. I think Lebron figured this out while in Miami... mostly because he said it plainly, but also because I know exactly what he's talking about. Just some food for thought, please don't take offense.

[Eyeamok]

This I can see happening without a doubt. All the other stuff about loving Cleveland is nice and all but this makes more sense than anything else.

I'm not trolling you, but really, can I ask your age? Is it fair to assume that you haven't lived in a lot of different places yet? I hope so, because if travel hasn't shown you what's important in life, not much else aside from tragedy can. Finding a place to call home is very difficult, especially if you consider how bad things are for most people who didn't live in North America. I think Lebron figured this out while in Miami... mostly because he said it plainly, but also because I know exactly what he's talking about. Just some food for thought, please don't take offense.

I am over 30 and I have lived in Europe for an extend period of time as well as the good old USA.

Before I reply let me say that I am in no way bashing the King I applaud what he has and is doing. But I just believe that the story being spun to the public is just to picture perfect.

Yes I will conceded that parts of NE Ohio could be very desirable to live if you are not worried about unemployment and you have a great deal of money, which Lebron has. But after the decision the man has done an incredible job of building back up his image, he was at one time the most hated man in the NBA to now probably to one of the top 5 most admired players today, on and off the court. Besides high school the man does not have any secondary education. And yet besides "the decision" he has basically been error free in his life on and off the court. Some may say luck, I say a well planned and orchestrated life plan. Congratulations to him on that. But that does not happen by chance. Where he plays the investments he makes it is all done deliberately with the next goal in mind.

It has been said by himself and representatives several times he wants to be a Billionaire. Well guess which other folksy Billionaire lives in a nondescript state in the very first house he bought in 1958? It's not a stretch to see the parallels here.

Not to say there is anything wrong with what Lebron is doing. He is building his own type of folksy brand. But please don't think it was all about "Missing home and wanting to come back to my roots!" There was and is a large element of business involved here and being home,returning as the prodigal son, being adored by thousands, infusing thousands if not millions of dollars into the economy. Just because I missed home. Seems a little to contrived for a man that has spent so much time crafting his image.

I don't think it is out of the realm of possibility to honestly believe beyond goodwill and a max contract there is not a lot more that was agreed upon and is unsaid that we will probably never know about.

The Cavs give him a good shot at winning another title but so did several other teams that he could have gone to.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nb ... /11317053/

[Cassius]

I am over 30 and I have lived in Europe for an extend period of time as well as the good old USA.

Before I reply let me say that I am in no way bashing the King I applaud what he has and is doing. But I just believe that the story being spun to the public is just to picture perfect.

Yes I will conceded that parts of NE Ohio could be very desirable to live if you are not worried about unemployment and you have a great deal of money, which Lebron has. But after the decision the man has done an incredible job of building back up his image, he was at one time the most hated man in the NBA to now probably to one of the top 5 most admired players today, on and off the court. Besides high school the man does not have any secondary education. And yet besides "the decision" he has basically been error free in his life on and off the court. Some may say luck, I say a well planned and orchestrated life plan. Congratulations to him on that. But that does not happen by chance. Where he plays the investments he makes it is all done deliberately with the next goal in mind.

It has been said by himself and representatives several times he wants to be a Billionaire. Well guess which other folksy Billionaire lives in a nondescript state in the very first house he bought in 1958? It's not a stretch to see the parallels here.

Not to say there is anything wrong with what Lebron is doing. He is building his own type of folksy brand. But please don't think it was all about "Missing home and wanting to come back to my roots!" There was and is a large element of business involved here and being home,returning as the prodigal son, being adored by thousands, infusing thousands if not millions of dollars into the economy. Just because I missed home. Seems a little to contrived for a man that has spent so much time crafting his image.

I don't think it is out of the realm of possibility to honestly believe beyond goodwill and a max contract there is not a lot more that was agreed upon and is unsaid that we will probably never know about.

The Cavs give him a good shot at winning another title but so did several other teams that he could have gone to.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nb ... /11317053/

Hey, sorry... I just can't believe that you're that cynical of the mans' motives! I mean, on one hand I follow you that the story is playing out so right, especially since we now know that Michael Jordan's hiatus from the game was a planned ban for gambling.

That said, I think that lightning can strike at least once. I think the story seems so amazing because it's happening while Ray Rice, Riley Cooper and Josh Gordon make athletes look like complete morons. I've never thought of it before, but Lebron being the only high-school draftee to stay in his hometown probably has a lot to do with the way he's developed as a person and why we don't hear about a bunch of women running around, weed charges, etc. You look at a guy like Dwight Howard, who goes from Texas to Florida and it becomes easier to see why he ended up so (apparently) immature at 30. You can probably draw similar parallels to Kobe Bryants' rampant egotism becoming even worse under the bright lights in LA.

Regardless, I think lightning has struck in this one case, as Lebron was able to keep a local support system around him through his 20s, and his management team (LRMR) includes his high school friends, who all have college degrees that make up for the knowledge gaps he surely has. In terms of the brand being folksy, if folksy is the most profitable way to go, then shouldn't this be the course he takes, regardless of public perception?

[Eyeamok]

Hey, sorry... I just can't believe that you're that cynical of the mans' motives! I mean, on one hand I follow you that the story is playing out so right, especially since we now know that Michael Jordan's hiatus from the game was a planned ban for gambling.

That said, I think that lightning can strike at least once. I think the story seems so amazing because it's happening while Ray Rice, Riley Cooper and Josh Gordon make athletes look like complete morons. I've never thought of it before, but Lebron being the only high-school draftee to stay in his hometown probably has a lot to do with the way he's developed as a person and why we don't hear about a bunch of women running around, weed charges, etc. You look at a guy like Dwight Howard, who goes from Texas to Florida and it becomes easier to see why he ended up so (apparently) immature at 30. You can probably draw similar parallels to Kobe Bryants' rampant egotism becoming even worse under the bright lights in LA.

Regardless, I think lightning has struck in this one case, as Lebron was able to keep a local support system around him through his 20s, and his management team (LRMR) includes his high school friends, who all have college degrees that make up for the knowledge gaps he surely has. In terms of the brand being folksy, if folksy is the most profitable way to go, then shouldn't this be the course he takes, regardless of public perception?

Cynical?!?! I might be cynical but I am also in awe of how well this whole thing is playing out. You have no idea how much I hope he wins a championship in Cleveland....and I am not a Cleveland fan. I think it is a great story that has been planned out amazingly well. All he has to do is win a championship and the skys are the limit. Even if he does not win a championship he at least came back to give Cleveland a fighting chance while he was still in his prime.

I admire the fact that he went straight from high school to the pros, was raised by a single mother and still has the wherewithal not to get caught up in all the BS that so many players that have gone to college that have two parent households and who don't succeed do. LBJ has an amazing story. I just feel there is more...perhaps a lot more to the story than what is presented to the outside world. Especially when it comes to coming back to Cleveland to play.

You can't deny the power he welds. Look at how he basically got rid of wiggins as soon as he made that press announcement where he stated he was looking forward to playing with certain players. Wiggins departure was planned well in advance. Probably a condition of him signing. That alone makes me wonder what else was given/ promised/ implied to him. Even your new coach had no real say as to if Wiggins would be a fit or not.

You make a lot of good points. But I doubt it very highly it was (1) Dan let's kiss and hug this out.
(2) I sign where???here for a Max contract ??!?!? you sell out your arena, (3) Cleveland basketball is revitalized, you make additional millions and we all sing kumbaya and go try and win a championship?

Yeah I love a good story too!!!

[Eyeamok]

Cassius let me also say. Thank you for giving me some insight as to how the Cleveland fan thinks. I appreciate it.

Always good to have good conversation...Thank you.

[Cassius]

Cassius let me also say. Thank you for giving me some insight as to how the Cleveland fan thinks. I appreciate it.

Always good to have good conversation...Thank you.

No prob. I haven't been in many conversations on here that have gone so well. This has been a pleasure. And for the record, I'm a Cleveland transplant from Toronto I have very little skin in the game, aside from following Lebrons' career long before most were (via SLAM magazine).

You make a lot of good points. But I doubt it very highly it was (1) Dan let's kiss and hug this out. (2) I sign where???here for a Max contract ??!?!? you sell out your arena, (3) Cleveland basketball is revitalized, you make additional millions and we all sing kumbaya and go try and win a championship?

I think that's actually where we agree, but my conclusion is entirely different. Whatever Lebron is trying to accomplish, I believe that he realizes that the owner of his NBA franchise is small potatoes in the grand scheme of his overall career plan.

I think that when Lebron left Cleveland, he probably thought that Pat Riley was a different kind of guy. But starting with the Mike Miller amnesty, the Sterling fiasco and then Pat's comments before free agency opened, I think he realized that most/all of these guys are either morons or @$$holes, so no matter whom he plays for, someone he hates is going to get rich. This line of thinking would probably make accepting the relatively useless max contract even easier to stomach. I mean, even Mark Cuban had to apologize for making that stupid hoodie comment only months after Trayvon Martins' verdict came down. Two months later, Ferry and the Hawks are proving my point again.

This would also help explain how quickly and decisively he started to orchestrate moves, from the Love trade to the Jones/Miller/Marion signings. If I were in Lebrons' shoes and was watching all of these highly compensated execs screw up over and over again, I'd take things into my own hands as well.

[kyphi]

from the news I read this morning, he's getting more hair

[CAVS ARE BACK]

hare club for men

[antistrat]

But what do you think he got from Dan Gilbert?

Nothing. LeBron is gaining something he's been wanting since the summer of 2010. To be forgiven.

[CAVS ARE BACK]

The King of ring chasing

Then he would have joined the Spurs.

[Eyeamok]

But what do you think he got from Dan Gilbert?

Nothing. LeBron is gaining something he's been wanting since the summer of 2010. To be forgiven.

Forgiven for what? For leaving for a better situation after his contract ran out? For wanting to win a championship something he was not going to do with the Cavs at the time?

It seems to me you look at basketball just as a game. It is big business too. Lebron had nothing to be forgiven for.
He did not demand a trade and played to the best of his abilities while on the Cavs the first time.

[Dubeta]

Lebron came back for his hometown fans and to win cleveland a chip.

[CAVS ARE BACK]

But what do you think he got from Dan Gilbert?

... played to the best of his abilities while on the Cavs the first time.

That's not true.

[Eyeamok]

... played to the best of his abilities while on the Cavs the first time.

That's not true.

So the man that took your team to the finals twice did not play to the best of his abilities. OK.

[B Mac]

That's not true.

So the man that took your team to the finals twice did not play to the best of his abilities. OK.

We got there twice? Dang, I knew I drank a lot through those years, but I drank away an entire Finals appearance too?


LeBron had one foot out the door during his last season in Cleveland, and especially in the playoffs. The fake injury, the look of disinterest, and the deferring where a major red flag. Everyone at the time was trying to figure it out, so to act like it didnt happen is sweeping things under the rug.

LeBron messed up, and like has been repeated a million times now, its not for leaving, it's for how he left.

He's back now though, and has made his apologies, so we're all good with our hometown son.