Lebron in NY?

RHODEY · Post #1 » by **RHODEY** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:23 pm

Let's speculate for a second. Imagine if the Cavs do not manage to get their act together by the time Lebron's contract runs out. Assuming we somehow manage to clear enough cap space, do you think he could he land in NY ? IMO , there's something about this dude that fits the big apple. I mean ofcourse he is one of the best players on the planet but there's something else there. It's like he wants that challenge, that spot light. I really could "see" him as a Knick.

Anotha Knicks fan · Post #2 » by **Anotha Knicks fan** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:30 pm

I don't think it would be enticing enough for him. I mean seriously, I can't see us being that much better in two years than the current roster that he has there. Plus I am sure Cleveland will do all they can in order to accomodate him. Players of his caliber rarely switch teams this young. When they are traded, it is when they are much much older, a la KG, Shaq, etc.

truth serum · Post #3 » by **truth serum** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:34 pm

I agree. First and foremost....if we have the cap space....I feel we have an edge over everyone else because of the endorsement opportunities like the poll suggests. He was quoted as saying that he wants to be the world's first billionaire athlete. What better place to do that than NY? Especially with the star power that he already has....and the fact that NY hasn't had a star like him since....just about forever....I feel like this is something that would be hard for him to turn down.

I chose the second option because if we don't have cap room we don't have a chance.....and regardless of cap room....if this franchise is still a joke in 2010....I can't see him coming here despite all the NY hooplah. Decent pieces to put around him, or at least better than he has now (which I think we'll have provided guys like Lee and Nate are still around....and we land a nice pick this year) and a lucrative offer should do the trick. It's almost a sure shot IMO as long as we play our cards right.

krustytheclown · Post #4 » by **krustytheclown** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:30 am

if we draft rose, get lebron and a good c in the next 2 years thats a pretty good team

keep the youth

CanadianKnicksFan · Post #5 » by **CanadianKnicksFan** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:47 am

I dont know, but Lebron signing with us would be the greatest day ever.... :pray:

Smoke24 · Post #6 » by **Smoke24** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:01 am

Anotha Knicks fan wrote:I don't think it would be enticing enough for him. I mean seriously, I can't see us being that much better in two years than the current roster that he has there. Plus I am sure Cleveland will do all they can in order to accomodate him. Players of his caliber rarely switch teams this young. When they are traded, it is when they are much much older, a la KG, Shaq, etc.

Well didn't shaq leave the magic for the lakers after his rookie contract was up?

NyKnicks1714 · Post #7 » by **NyKnicks1714** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:13 am

And Lebron would come here as opposed to the Brooklyn Nets (co-owned by his good friend Jay-Z) why?

Post #8 » by **Boss_** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:39 am

LeBron grew up in Cleveland, why would he want to leave his hometown? He's a god there and will be a Cav 4 lifer.

doctor fite · Post #9 » by **doctor fite** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:01 am

lebron is like the only player in the nba that i would trade our entire team for...

StutterStep · Post #10 » by **StutterStep** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 4:08 am

Nah, LeBron couldn't stand the boo'ing... He would wilt and ask to have the franchise moved to New Jersey.

HarthorneWingo · Post #11 » by **HarthorneWingo** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:14 am

I made that argument on another thread about why we should not trade Crawford to Cleveland and just wait for Marbury's contract to run out in time for us to sign Lebron in '09.

However, a more astute blogger on this site corrected me, and therefore I am correcting yuuz, that we still will not be under the cap and therefore won't be able to sign LBJ in '09.

So, I suggest we address the cap issue before we start talking about whether Lebron will help us in '09.

Post #12 » by **mjhp911** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 6:17 am

I could see him signing with the Yanks for a max deal when he's 35 and over-the-hill...

David Robinson · Post #13 » by **David Robinson** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:04 am

Like I said in the other thread.

I don't believe LeBron has aspirations of being a New York Knick. Seriously, I don't think he does. I have read countless articles where LeBron says he loves playing near his home, by his friends and family. He has also stated that he wants to play and win championships with his team like Mike did, like Larry, Magic, Isiah, Hakeem etc did.

We played the Cavs last year early in the season, on the Cavs broadcast they asked LeBron about why he re-signed with the Cavs and didn't move to a big market. He said Cleveland is home for him. He said he didn't have any contract kickers. And he said that if he really desired to play in New York, Los Angeles or Chicago, he would have signed there, regardless of the money.

All of that leads me to believe LeBron doesn't want to play in New York, and would like to win titles in Cleveland. If you remember when we played them in the finals, LeBron said his goal is to win in Cleveland, and finish what he started.

If I'm not mistaking, the Cavs have over 20 million coming off the books the summer before LBJ is a free agent, and 30 million the year he is. They have a chance to build around him the year before his deal is up, and can get even more talent to surround him the summer he is up as well.

The Cavs should be in pretty good shape by then. At the point he becomes a FA he'll be in year #7 of his career. I see no reason why he leaves to start over where he'll have to wait even longer with his new team. The Knicks are nowhere near contenders as you well know. It's a poor career move for him.

The team that is moving to Brooklyn will be in the same position. So I just don't see LBJ leaving what could potentially be a great situation for him, for an unknown situation. Plus, I think he's comfortable playing where he is because he's said as much.

Not only that, but could you or anyone else tell me when a prime superstar outside of Shaquille O'neal 12 years ago left their team to go to a major market team for the sake of it being a "major market" ?

I just don't see it happening.

truth serum · Post #14 » by **truth serum** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:21 am

^Yeah, but what is he suppossed to say? "Yeah, I want to play in NY. I'm probably not going to be in Cleveland for much longer." This guy is a real business man, he knows all the right things to say. He knows he has to watch what he says especially when people are asking him about NY with the way the media is around here. Now I'm not saying all the things you said are definitely untrue....but I think anything can happen. If the Knicks turn things around....keep the right guys, trade for the right guys, draft the right guys, and have the right amount of money to offer....I think coming to play in the Garden would be a very hard thing for LeBron to turn down. Of course we have our work cut out for us....but I think it's a possibility. It would start with either a new GM, or Isiah suddenly having an epiphany. Either way, this roster can be significantly improved in that amount of time with the right moves.

And just because nothing like this has happened since Shaq, doesn't mean it can't happen. Big free agent signings do happen and there's a reason why LeBron and Wade signed the type of extentions that they did....instead of Melo or Dwight signing long term. They want to have their options and rightfully so....especially for LeBron who's team seams to be having a hard time putting the right guys around him. Not to mention, all of these years when players stayed put with their original teams....NY never had the chance to bid on any of them because of their cap situation. Us being under the cap for 2010 would be a big story....there would be tons of hype around it and like I said....I think it would be tough for LeBron to turn down.

David Robinson · Post #15 » by **David Robinson** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:10 am

At The Mecca wrote:^Yeah, but what is he suppossed to say? "Yeah, I want to play in NY. I'm probably not going to be in Cleveland for much longer." This guy is a real business man, he knows all the right things to say. He knows he has to watch what he says especially when people are asking him about NY with the way the media is around here. Now I'm not saying all the things you said are definitely untrue....but I think anything can happen. If the Knicks turn things around....keep the right guys, trade for the right guys, draft the right guys, and have the right amount of money to offer....I think coming to play in the Garden would be a very hard thing for LeBron to turn down. Of course we have our work cut out for us....but I think it's a possibility. It would start with either a new GM, or Isiah suddenly having an epiphany. Either way, this roster can be significantly improved in that amount of time with the right moves.

And just because nothing like this has happened since Shaq, doesn't mean it can't happen. Big free agent signings do happen and there's a reason why LeBron and Wade signed the type of extentions that they did....instead of Melo or Dwight signing long term. They want to have their options and rightfully so....especially for LeBron who's team seams to be having a hard time putting the right guys around him. Not to mention, all of these years when players stayed put with their original teams....NY never had the chance to bid on any of them because of their cap situation. Us being under the cap for 2010 would be a big story....there would be tons of hype around it and like I said....I think it would be tough for LeBron to turn down.

See, but that's just it. As someone who spent 3 years in New York, and went to Usc in California for college, the hype around the markets are more overrated than anything else.

But being the Mecca of basketball, and playing in the Garden doesn't carry the same cache outside of New York as it does there. That's extremely overrated outside of New York. And if it wasn't, the Knicks would have been attracting talent to play there for years even before the cap hits.

The last time I remember the Knicks actually attracting free agent talent was in 96 when Larry Johnson and Allan Houston left their teams to go there.

Sprewell maybe ? But I don't remember how that went down. However, the point is, unless a big time talent is traded, they're rarely relocating. And if they do, they're going to places like Orlando, Phoenix, or Miami, and not New York or LA or Chicago.

Outside of an overrated Ben Wallace, I don't remember Chicago getting anyone.

When Tim Duncan was a FA, his destination of choice outside of here was Orlando, along with Hill and McGrady.

I guess my point is, the appeal of playing in the Garden, is really overrated. I know it's hard for hardcore Knicks fans to understand, Because it's such a great venue (my personal favorite to be exact) but nonetheless, I don't remember the Knicks being a hot destination forever and a day.

And there's a reason for that. Being a New York Knick and playing in the Mecca of basketball just doesn't carry the same weight like alot of New Yorkers believe it does.

roy10 · Post #16 » by **roy10** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:22 pm

Wingy22 wrote:I made that argument on another thread about why we should not trade Crawford to Cleveland and just wait for Marbury's contract to run out in time for us to sign Lebron in '09.

However, a more astute blogger on this site corrected me, and therefore I am correcting yuuz, that we still will not be under the cap and therefore won't be able to sign LBJ in '09.

So, I suggest we address the cap issue before we start talking about whether Lebron will help us in '09.

We can have enough cap space if we're able to trade Crawford and Jeffries for shorter contracts.

I think this is the time to sell Crawford high. He's been posting pretty good numbers for the past few games. I think Miami might be tempted to do something like Crawford + Jeffries + Morris for Jwill and Blount and maybe even add a pick (top 10 protected).

I really wish we had someone who could do some longterm planning on this team.

StutterStep · Post #17 » by **StutterStep** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:00 pm

[quote="David Robinson"][/quote]

I agree with most of what you're saying about NY not being a prime destination for NBA players. But, it is mostly because of owner, management and fans.

Ever since people saw how it ended with Ewing, players are very skeptical to come here. Until Omar Manaya got in with the Mets we were beginning to face that same stigma. Yankees, Jets and Giants don't feel that adverse effect as much as other NY teams.

For Chicago, a lot of it has to do with the way they broke up the dynasty, no player wanted to follow those footsteps.

And, also warm weather cities are favorites for athletes whose sports play during the winter months.... even hockey has teams in places like PHX and Dallas... Today's athletes are very much about lifestyle, and they figure with cable/satellite's market penetration there is no need to play in cities like LA, NY and Chicago to have fans there. Those fans see you every day anyway... and so do the advertisers.