LeTravel and the Crab dribble Thread - Wadette Girliman

[queridiculo]

I'm glad he's going to Miami. I've always hated their fans and their PA announcer and Riles' leathery skin.

Pardon the language, but Deadspin couldn't have put it any better: http://deadspin.com/5581889/lebron-james-is-a-****

Went to the Heat vs. Celtics game three in Miami this year. Heat fans are the worst bunch of front running fans I've ever encountered.

The seats in the arena weren't filled until the end of the 3rd quarter, where the **** else does something like this happen in the playoffs?

[sashae]

Deadspin has a harsh take. I have to admit I have a certain amount of schadenfreude over Lebron's Roman Holiday. In no way shape or form can he come off looking good from all this. I will certainly be glued to the TV to watch the car wreck, tonight, but the tarnish on his rep from this will no doubt be permanent...

edit: missed that it had been posted already!

[verbal8]

Deadspin has a harsh take. I have to admit I have a certain amount of schadenfreude over Lebron's Roman Holiday. In no way shape or form can he come off looking good from all this. I will certainly be glued to the TV to watch the car wreck, tonight, but the tarnish on his rep from this will no doubt be permanent...

edit: missed that it had been posted already!

I think 3/4 of people watching will end up pissed off at LeBron. Cleveland fans will hate him if he leaves. New York Knicks fans will hate him for the mess of a team they have had to endure for the past 2 years to free up the cash for LeBron. Bulls and Heat fans won't hate him quite as much, because the teams will still be ok with out him, but they won't be happy with him going to another team.

I also doubt there is anything that will make him look better to fans of teams that are not directly involved.

[Hoopalotta]

I also doubt there is anything that will make him look better to fans of teams that are not directly involved.

Punch himself in the nuts at the end of the show?

[P'Oed]

does anyone else think that El Capitawn is just absolutely devestated/on the verge of suicide right now? There goes your ring buddy...Have fun wasting away in Cleveland.

[LyricalRico]

Not sure if this has already been posted, but good stuff from Simmons:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ons/100708

[ErikChowbay023]

Another nice read:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/w ... n&hpt=Sbin

But Jordan had a different kind of ego. LeBron needs the adoration. Jordan needed to dominate. When Jordan ended his baseball career and returned to the NBA, he did not go on Larry King or feed speculation for months. He put out a two-word press release: "I'm back." He knew that was enough. He knew that what the world really wanted was Jordan on a basketball court, not Jordan in an hour-long TV special.

Players are just not like they use to be... You think Jordan would ever go to another superstars team to win a ring. Hell No.. LeBron wants to win a ring, but not just a tag a long.. He wants to be the #1 reason why they won that ring..

I dont even think Wade and LeBron can play together, for people to they are going to the top of the East is insane..I think LBJ is going back to Cleveland..

[ErikChowbay023]

They also said LeBron was worried about signing a 6 year deal and ennd up "Being 31 years old, with Bad knees, and no title.."

[LyricalRico]

I still say it's going to be NY. Yes, he'll pay more in taxes but he'll make it up in local endorsements. Also, the Knick greats of the past 20+ years didnt' win any championships. So if LeBron wins even one title in NY, he'll be worshiped for life. Yes, Cleveland would give him the same love, but he'd be under tremendous pressure to win immediately. Recent Knicks history is such that simply making the playoffs and getting past the first round would be enough to call his first season a success.

[AceDegenerate]

I still say it's going to be NY. Yes, he'll pay more in taxes but he'll make it up in local endorsements. Also, the Knick greats of the past 20+ years didnt' win any championships. So if LeBron wins even one title in NY, he'll be worshiped for life. Yes, Cleveland would give him the same love, but he'd be under tremendous pressure to win immediately. Recent Knicks history is such that simply making the playoffs and getting past the first round would be enough to call his first season a success.

First time I have been 100% in agreement with you, maybe ever.

[JWizmentality]

Leb*tch can go suck a big one. I've got better things to do with my time.

[Hoopalotta]

andyroddick right when lebron goes up to announce kanye will jump the stage and talk about how jordan was the best player of all time

[nate33]

Here is an interesting theory brought up from my coworker and fleshed out by me:

Chris Paul is close friends with Lebron.
Chris Paul has urged Lebron to stay in Cleveland.
Chris Paul is a free agent in 2012
Cleveland is in position to have major cap room in 2012 because Jamison and Gibson come off the books.

Lebron resigns in Cleveland. Chris Paul tells New Orleans that he intends to depart via free agency in 2012 and go to Cleveland. New Orleans is then motivated to work out a S&T. Cleveland, having Delonte West's non-guaranteed contract plus a bunch of expirings are in position to work out a trade that gives New Orleans substantial savings.

[LyricalRico]

Here is an interesting theory brought up from my coworker and fleshed out by me:

Chris Paul is close friends with Lebron.
Chris Paul has urged Lebron to stay in Cleveland.
Chris Paul is a free agent in 2012
Cleveland is in position to have major cap room in 2012 because Jamison and Gibson come off the books.

Lebron resigns in Cleveland. Chris Paul tells New Orleans that he intends to depart via free agency in 2012 and go to Cleveland. New Orleans is then motivated to work out a S&T. Cleveland, having Delonte West's non-guaranteed contract plus a bunch of expirings are in position to work out a trade that gives New Orleans substantial savings.

Here's some more fuel for that fire:

After working for years to lure him away, LeBron James(notes) has finally attracted a star athlete to his LRMR marketing company: New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul.

<snip>

James has been using his own reps – Leon Rose and William Wesley – to help shop Paul for trades this offseason, with Wesley telling teams that a key to signing James as a free agent would be cutting a deal for Paul.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=y ... bron070810

First they hire Byron Scott, now this. Chris Paul joining LeBron in CLE would make the East very interesting.

EDIT TO ADD: All of Cleveland's expirings plus Hickson only puts them about $1M short of being able to acquire Paul+Posey from NOH (I'm assuming they'd make them take Posey's contract). Cleveland could sign and trade a minimum salary guy and include a few future picks.

Seems pretty lopsided but NOH does save a ton of futureu salary and they can now turn the keys over to Collison. Cleveland gets a second star and would then look to deal Mo Williams for depth. Very interesting.

[KevinFCheng]

Final predictions for the Queen's destination y'all?

I'd say NY despite the reports for Mia.

[nate33]

EDIT TO ADD: All of Cleveland's expirings plus Hickson only puts them about $1M short of being able to acquire Paul+Posey from NOH (I'm assuming they'd make them take Posey's contract). Cleveland could sign and trade a minimum salary guy and include a few future picks.

Seems pretty lopsided but NOH does save a ton of futureu salary and they can now turn the keys over to Collison. Cleveland gets a second star and would then look to deal Mo Williams for depth. Very interesting.

They could also throw in Varajeo as ballast to maximize the 125% Exemption. I haven't run the numbers but Varajeo plus Hickson plus all of Cleveland's expirings might be enough to fit Paul + Okafor in return. Obviously, Cleveland would have to include some picks as well.

I wonder if a Jamison for Vince swap could fit into the transaction? New Orleans would end up with Vince's expiring contract.

[LyricalRico]

I don't see Orlando being interested in swapping Vince for Jamison. But I think NOH might rather swap Okafor for Jamison since it would save more longterm money, especially since Verajao has a trade kicker.

EDIT TO ADD: This deal works under the cap.

Cavs trade: Jamison, Hickson, West, Moon, Parker, Telfair, and picks
Hornets trade: Paul, Okafor, and Posey
TRADE ID 5601000

It immediately saves NOH over $9M (once they waive West) and it clears nearly all of NOH's salary beyond 2012. They'd have to do some shuffling to get their lineup straight, but their financial problems would be solved in one fell swoop and they could turn the keys over to Collison.

[Pollinator]

Staying in Cleveland.

I don't buy the Miami rumors. Either these are bogus rumors perpetrated by ESPN to hype their own show, or they are intentionally blowing their own punch line and tanking their own ratings.

And I just don't see Lebron leaving Cleveland in this manner. The guy's a douche, for sure, but he has too many friends and family in Cleveland for him to walk disrespecting them with this kind of public spectacle. If he has it in him to ditch them in this way I will be truly shocked.

[nate33]

I don't see Orlando being interested in swapping Vince for Jamison. But I think NOH might rather swap Okafor for Jamison since it would save more longterm money, especially since Verajao has a trade kicker.

EDIT TO ADD: This deal works under the cap.

Cavs trade: Jamison, Hickson, West, Moon, Parker, Telfair, and picks
Hornets trade: Paul, Okafor, and Posey
TRADE ID 5601000

It immediately saves NOH over $9M (once they waive West) and it clears nearly all of NOH's salary beyond 2012. They'd have to do some shuffling to get their lineup straight, but their financial problems would be solved in one fell swoop and they could turn the keys over to Collison.

That's just crazy enough to work! If Cleveland includes unprotected picks in 2011 and 2013, and New Orleans is convinced that Paul is a goner in 2012 either way, then they might consider this. Also, Cleveland is left with Okafor and Varajeo in the paint. Neither guy is an offensive juggernaut, but at least they have the defensive chops to stand up to most big men in the league. If Cleveland can add a "stretch 4" and a good shooting guard in the next year or two, they'd be back in contention. They would still have the MLE and LLE to work with. Also, maybe they can trade Mo Williams for a good-but-overpaid player at a position of need.

[LyricalRico]

^ Hmmm...a "stretch 4"...what about Beasley? Didn't Miami sign Mo Williams to his current contract and Milwaukee matched it? If LeBron stays and the Heat sign Mike Miller, would they consider a Mo-for-Beasley swap to get themselves a veteran starting PG who can hit 3's? They liked him before and they'd probably have enough left under the cap to absorb the salary difference. The downside is that it would hamper their ability to add a starting C.