Will LeBron leave the NBA for Europe if he's offered 50 mil

[TheOUTLAW]

By popular demand

Will LeBron leave for Europe if he's offered 50 mil/yr? Possibly

I know that I would

[Cevap]

Yes, and he should. I'd go even if it's some third world country in Africa.

[TheOUTLAW]

What's funny to me is that it was the Cavs fans that were saying it was possible on the general board. This is clearly just a dollar and cents issue. 50 mil is over 2.5 times as much as we'd be able to offer him that year. That is an awful lot of money in a sport where your career could end at any given moment. I just don't see how any rational person could say it wouldn't at least be considered.

[hoopsdownlow]

50 million is reasonable. he'd have to balence the extra money he'd get from a european team with the losses in sponsership dollars. in europe he has to compete with soccer stars etc for top sponsership dollars.

last i heard lebron was grossing arround 115 million a year. approx 15 million comes from his contract.

his accountant / agent probobly figures that it would start making economic sense to leave the american market for a base salary of arround 50 million.

you need to take into account the whole picture not just the basketball contract. lebron is more then just a basketballer.

[GreenDemon]

I have no doubt that he will atleast consider it if it is infact a real offer made it 2010 but personally I would be very suprised if he actually made the move overseas. I really feel like the only thing that gains by going overseas is money. Now that may be a very big only but I feel that the NBA is still the best league in world and leaving only for the money no matter the amount he would be cheating himself and his leagcy.

He could kiss most of the records that he now has a chance of breaking goodbye with a 3 year period gone and even if those 3 are the only years he is gone that diminishes the chance of him winning an NBA titile to a certain degree. With all of that said, again I would be very surprised if he made a move to Greece.

[TheOUTLAW]

50 million is reasonable. he'd have to balence the extra money he'd get from a european team with the losses in sponsership dollars. in europe he has to compete with soccer stars etc for top sponsership dollars.

last i heard lebron was grossing arround 115 million a year. approx 15 million comes from his contract.

his accountant / agent probobly figures that it would start making economic sense to leave the american market for a base salary of arround 50 million.

you need to take into account the whole picture not just the basketball contract. lebron is more then just a basketballer.

Clearly you are just making up evidence to fit your argument. It is however horribly incorrect.

LeBron isn't making 115 mil per year.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/s ... te50/2008/

A little research can do wonders. At 50 mil, that'd be more than LeBrons entire income in 2007.

LeBron James
Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA)
$40,455,000

Frankly, the world is alot bigger than the US. If anything, leBron playing in Europe would actually broaden his appeal and increase his endorsement potential and not the opposite as some tend to argue.

[eyejayem]

If people are wondering how likely all they have to do is look at Beckam in MLS who plays for the LA Galaxy. He went from a place where soccer is number 1 and and the most popular sport around the world to the only country where soccer isnt even top3 because of 250mil and ironically 50 mil a year.

[skEwb]

If people are wondering how likely all they have to do is look at Beckam in MLS who plays for the LA Galaxy. He went from a place where soccer is number 1 and and the most popular sport around the world to the only country where soccer isnt even top3 because of 250mil and ironically 50 mil a year.

Money does talk, but what disappoints me is how these players like LeBron and Kobe always boast about wanting to win more championships and they're fighting hard to get another ring. Then out of nowhere this 'dream' of getting a ring vanishes because obviously who doesn't want to make more money?

It sort of kills the dream, in my opinion.

I just think back in the day if our economy was still so weak, what would happen if Jordan was approached and taken away before he got his rings? There is something to think about.

[rjgraca]

Kobe will go next to that Moscow team since he's not going to miss out on those big bucks either.

Doesn't Kobe Bryant have an opt out clause for after next season? He might even beat Lebron over to Europe. Kobe has already won 3 championships on Shaq's coat tails -- so his legacy is set and he can go to Europe for the really big money.

Heck, according to the following news link -- Kobe Bryant will take less than 50 million.

LeBron James and Kobe Bryant playing in Europe? NBA dismisses talk of mass exodus

But the league would sure be alarmed if Kobe Bryant wasn't joking when he told reporters after a pre-Olympic exhibition game: "Italy, Greece, Russia, $40 million a year? Yeah, I'm there, as simple as that."

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/26356124.html

[rjgraca]

Hey, maybe Wade will join Lebron on that Greek team -- there has been talk of them eventually joining forces via the media.

[L&H_05]

LeBron might be dead in two years.

[Da_James_Gang]

If people are wondering how likely all they have to do is look at Beckam in MLS who plays for the LA Galaxy. He went from a place where soccer is number 1 and and the most popular sport around the world to the only country where soccer isnt even top3 because of 250mil and ironically 50 mil a year.

Money does talk, but what disappoints me is how these players like LeBron and Kobe always boast about wanting to win more championships and they're fighting hard to get another ring. Then out of nowhere this 'dream' of getting a ring vanishes because obviously who doesn't want to make more money?

It sort of kills the dream, in my opinion.

I just think back in the day if our economy was still so weak, what would happen if Jordan was approached and taken away before he got his rings? There is something to think about.

What you wrote does not apply to lebron or kobe because they still play in the nba, so how can you say at this point that money speaks more than them getting a ring. You cant because this is all just speculation and lebron has 2 years left on his deal so we wont know until then.

I'm pretty sure lebron saying this was more like a joke and blown out of proportion, he probably said it to a friend who then leaked it to a reporter.

Conversation....

Friend: So bron, you heard that a euro team might attempt to sign you when you become a free agent?

Bron: Haha fo real??

Friend: Yea man, would you seriously consider it though?

Bron: Geez if they gave me 50 million per season haha!!

Friend: Haha you a fool man...

[skEwb]

If people are wondering how likely all they have to do is look at Beckam in MLS who plays for the LA Galaxy. He went from a place where soccer is number 1 and and the most popular sport around the world to the only country where soccer isnt even top3 because of 250mil and ironically 50 mil a year.

Money does talk, but what disappoints me is how these players like LeBron and Kobe always boast about wanting to win more championships and they're fighting hard to get another ring. Then out of nowhere this 'dream' of getting a ring vanishes because obviously who doesn't want to make more money?

It sort of kills the dream, in my opinion.

I just think back in the day if our economy was still so weak, what would happen if Jordan was approached and taken away before he got his rings? There is something to think about.

What you wrote does not apply to lebron or kobe because they still play in the nba, so how can you say at this point that money speaks more than them getting a ring. You cant because this is all just speculation and lebron has 2 years left on his deal so we wont know until then.

I'm pretty sure lebron saying this was more like a joke and blown out of proportion, he probably said it to a friend who then leaked it to a reporter.

Conversation....

Friend: So bron, you heard that a euro team might attempt to sign you when you become a free agent?

Bron: Haha fo real??

Friend: Yea man, would you seriously consider it though?

Bron: **** if they gave me 50 million per season haha!!

Friend: Haha you a fool man...

Really enjoyed the fake conversation. The thing is I'm also speculating just like everyone else I'm not saying it's set in stone. I just tried to possibly thought provoke with having Jordan be taken away or LeBron going away without first winning a ring in the NBA that's all.

[Cevap]

Seriously who cares what people think? His legacy might take a hit amongst the elitists here who think USA=#1 in everything. Going to Europe in his prime would benefit him and the sport of basketball in terms of popularity.

Besides, after a couple years we'll have two top draft picks (lord knows we don't need to tank to get a Top 5 pick) and he can come back to us on a stacked team unless of course Jiggaman antes up and doubles his Nets ownership percentage to 0.75%

[Joseph17]

^You sound like David Stern. Lebron playing in Europe would be absolutely horrible for the NBA. The NBA is supposed to have the best players in the world. If Lebron went to Europe, more players would probably follow him and things could start looking bad for the NBA.

[bcortell]

50 million is reasonable. he'd have to balence the extra money he'd get from a european team with the losses in sponsership dollars. in europe he has to compete with soccer stars etc for top sponsership dollars.

last i heard lebron was grossing arround 115 million a year. approx 15 million comes from his contract.

his accountant / agent probobly figures that it would start making economic sense to leave the american market for a base salary of arround 50 million.

you need to take into account the whole picture not just the basketball contract. lebron is more then just a basketballer.

Clearly you are just making up evidence to fit your argument. It is however horribly incorrect.

LeBron isn't making 115 mil per year.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/s ... te50/2008/

A little research can do wonders. At 50 mil, that'd be more than LeBrons entire income in 2007.

LeBron James
Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA)
$40,455,000

Frankly, the world is alot bigger than the US. If anything, leBron playing in Europe would actually broaden his appeal and increase his endorsement potential and not the opposite as some tend to argue.

Just curious- anyone know who was the #2 highest-earning athlete the year before- i didn't see anyone in the top 50 have it.

[rjgraca]

Should NBA fear a mass exodus of talent to Europe?

Bartelstein, who represents players in the NBA and overseas, believes European leagues could eventually be an option for the likes of James, Bryant, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh once the issue of guaranteed contracts is cleared up. Bartelstein said he's had to go to court in the past to get teams to pay the full amount of deals to his clients.

"Without there being a players association and a collective bargaining agreement in Europe, there's nothing behind the contract to enforce them other than to go to court," Bartelstein said. "For Europe to truly get to the point where they can compete with the NBA for all kinds of players, they're going to have to implement a system where there's a lot more comfort that the contracts are truly guaranteed. Once that happens then I think you'll truly see great competition for players."

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5glhf ... wD92D25U80

LeBron and his legacy King James isn't going anywhere until he is crowned an NBA champ


According to a November article in Fortune magazine, King James already has $170 million in sponsorship deals from Nike sportswear ($97 million), Coke ($15 million), Cub Cadet lawn mowers ($7.5 million), Upper Deck trading cards ($6 million), Bubblicious bubble gum ($4.5 million) and a $3-million deal with MSN Web site in which the numbers could grow significantly due to shared advertising revenues.

He has to win a title. Without one to validate his greatness, he's nothing more than The Greatest Player Never to Win An NBA Title.

If you already have a couple hundred million in the bank, there is nothing worth more than shedding that label.

Nothing.

http://www.eagletribune.com/pusports/lo ... d=topstory

[cisco]

If people are wondering how likely all they have to do is look at Beckam in MLS who plays for the LA Galaxy. He went from a place where soccer is number 1 and and the most popular sport around the world to the only country where soccer isnt even top3 because of 250mil and ironically 50 mil a year.

Money does talk, but what disappoints me is how these players like LeBron and Kobe always boast about wanting to win more championships and they're fighting hard to get another ring. Then out of nowhere this 'dream' of getting a ring vanishes because obviously who doesn't want to make more money?

It sort of kills the dream, in my opinion.

I just think back in the day if our economy was still so weak, what would happen if Jordan was approached and taken away before he got his rings? There is something to think about.

Yep. Isn't Lebron the one that said he wanted to be the richest athlete in the world... or something along those lines? What an admirable goal. So, if he wants to have more money than any other athlete he'd probably do it, especially if his bottom line would be more than playing in the NBA.

[TheOUTLAW]

Why is it that people think that most rich people got that way from their employer? It is truly one of the silliest viewpoints that I regularly see espoused. Sure LeBron has a lucrative job, but it is a job and very few people actually become that wealthy from working for someone else. It is through investment and entrepreneurship that LeBron would have a chance to become a billionaire. That is why you see him having lunch with high power investors etc. He's trying to gather information so that he can make smart decisions on how he can make his money work for him. Personally, I have no problem with people having lofty goals like becoming a billionaire as long as it's done legally.

[Gordon Bombay]

thats the problem with these lebron threads...someone will always come and make their subtle cheap shot at lebron even over the most of mundane aspirations