LeBron2010.com

[Obawan12]

While there are a lot of reasons I don't believe LeBron will go to NY, may biggest one may be the coach of the Knicks. LeBron is a smart dude, he knows defense wins rings, why would he want to go play for a coach like Dantoni? If they had a Larry Brown type (not Larry Brown himself, just someone like him), I would actually be a lot more worried.

 

[GreasySpread36]

I was thinking about this...I think he is more likely to leave if we win the title this year. I know it sounds crazy, but look at my logic.

1- If he wins one, he can say he did his duty to the fans of Cleveland.

2- He also will have one title that is "his". Now he can go team up with Wade and when they win more title's Wade and everyone won't say Lebron needed Wade to even win one. I don't see him going to play with Wade if he will always have one less title than Wade. I don't think his ego would allow it.

Any thoughts?

Cmstophe is right. This theory has been around for a minute or two.

Basis for it is that LeBron's sojourn in Cleveland as some kind of burden, a joyless slog that he must endure- something the East & West Coast media no doubt think it is.

Problem is, LeBron has never given any indication that he's unhappy here, that it's a job to him the same way that, say, playing in Milwaukee was to Kareem. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he liked playing here.

 

[AvonCavsFan]

It's pretty bad logic, and for the reason I stated. Unless James secretly does not mind a blight on his legacy, but until he somehow implies that, we can assume he wants a "string of titles" (his words) in a town the way Jordan did.

And LOL if you have never seen that theory thrown around. Bro, I love ya, but...people have been saying that for a loooong time. Everyone on RCF will back me up there. The "If he wins, is he more likely to leave?" sentiment has been around for a while.

I am sorry for bringing it back up since it has been talked about....I really haven't been reading the Lebron 2010 stuff much, paying more attention to the season.

None of us know what he is REALLY thinking, it is all speculation at this time.

Obviously I want us to win the title this year and then the onus goes on to Lebron from there.

 

[AvonCavsFan]

Come on now man..

1.) He already would have won 1 here, so not only could he say he won multiple titles, he can also say:

-He won multiple titles for not only the same team, but for his hometown team.

-He won multiple titles for a city that has not won a title in anything since 1964.

-He not only broke the Cleveland curse, he crushed it.

2.) For that to happen, not only would somebody would have to agree to take a huge cut in pay, but that team would also have absolutely no depth, and LeBron would NOT agree to it. His ego is just too big. Yes, he's a team player, but we all know he has a big ego. He wants to win multiple titles with him as the franchise player and he's not going to want to share that.

I was not saying he is leaving if we win...I am just saying the chance of leaving goes up if we win.

All we can do is speculate. We will find out soon enough, because we ARE winning the title this year!

 

[Gimme Some Mo]

LeBron on if he knows how to spell I Love L.A.: "I know how to spell I love Akron and O-H-I-O."

http://twitter.com/PDcavsinsider

Still no mention of Cleveland, but I will take it at this point. :thumbup

 

[No Regard]

Here is the entire article:

When it comes to future, LeBron is practicing what he preaches: Windhorst Beat Blog
By Brian Windhorst, The Plain Dealer
January 17, 2010, 3:01AM



LOS ANGELES -- Thoughts following the Cavs 102-101 win over the Clippers at Staples Center:

* When it comes to media markets, New York is easily the most intense and pressure filled. They have a lot of outlets and they are relentless and they do it all with teeth. But in L.A., it harbors the more bizarre. After the game for example, there was a German guy who upset some players by taking pictures of them coming out of the shower. There was an Israeli guy, well known for weird questions with a camera, asking LeBron if he knew who to speak Russian. There was another guy who, not 15 minutes after a last-second win, asked LeBron if he played basketball in the snow as a kid. Last time the Cavs were here, which was three weeks ago, some idiot, er, journalist asked LeBron if the earings he wore in high school were real.

But in the midst of all that, the Cavs star did get asked a few legit questions about his future. The Clippers do have cap space next summer, they do have some good young players and they do play in a great city with a large media market. Yes, they are perhaps the most poorly run team in pro sports but it is a fair question.

Back in November, LeBron said he wasn't going to talk about free agency until the end. He said he wanted to stop out of respect for his teammates and the organization. He's stuck to his promise and he did so again after the game when getting questions from real journalists:

Q: This team has a lot of cap space, it's a big market, warm weather, any thoughts on that possibility?

LeBron: "Nah, no thoughts."

Q: Do you ever think the Clippers are cursed?

A: "I mean, I don't think so. One team that is cursed is Portland, they have more injuries than anyone in league history. So, no, I don't think so."

Q: Do you know the words to "I love L.A."

A: "I know the words to I love Akron and O-H-I-O."

Is it the ringing endorsement Cavs fans desperately want? No. Does it mean that he's going to re-sign? No. But after years of playing with questions and leaving doors open and upsetting stomachs, James is so far not wavering from his edict. He deserves some measure of credit for that.

* Oh yeah, the game. The Cavs certainly should have won the other night in Utah. But they should have lost this one. There was bad defense in the early going and that is why the Clippers racked up such great shooting and so many points. But in the second half, the Clips were dropping some crazy shots even in the face of good defense. Rasual Butler was sticking shots he had no business taking, much less making. Ricky Davis was even contributing on a meaningful level. So the Cavs should head home feeling 3-2 isn't bad.

* The late game offensive execution was terrible, again. There's really not much more than I can write about it. They were calling timeouts, but LeBron comes out and dribbles the shot clock out and then they are out of options. Mike Brown did have the small lineup in, which meant it made sense to go to the high pick-and-roll and look for shooters. But there was no focus and no real thought put in to what they were doing. Not sure when this is going to get fixed. I guess we'll just keep waiting and watching.

* Delonte West was a large factor in the outcome. His hustle plays and defensively activity were just as vital to the win as LeBron's points. He made three huge hustle plays in the final five minutes. One was when he leapt across the lane for a steal. Then he had that putback layup to give the Cavs the lead for good. Then he played great help defense in denying Craig Smith a basket. Heck, he got the last rebound when Baron Davis missed to make sure there was no putback. Simply, it was West at his best.

As for the mindless inbounds pass that was stolen with a minute to play, that will be stricken from West's record out of respect for the rest of his performance

Link: http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2010/01/cavs_at_la_clippers_windhorst.html

 

[Chino987]

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/columns/story?id=4833489

Why LeBron should become a Clipper
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By J.A. Adande
ESPNLosAngeles.com
Archive
There's one thing and one thing only that must happen this year in the NBA. The Cavaliers need to win the championship, so LeBron James can hang a "Mission Accomplished" banner in downtown Cleveland and leave with a clear conscience to start the ultimate reclamation project with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Before James came along, Cleveland was typified by this guy and its recent sports history consisted of always being on the wrong side of the capitalized moments such as The Drive and The Shot and The Fumble. Even with James in town the best viral thing to come out of Cleveland has been this self-deprecating video.

The Clippers haven't even done anything worth commemorating in their own building, let alone in the annals of L.A. history. The only thing they've given to the city is a steady steam of late-night monologue fodder (back before the hosts' material consisted strictly of shots at one other). Since moving from San Diego in 1984 they have won exactly one playoff series.

If James could win a championship for Cleveland and win a championship for the Clippers, it wound rocket him up the ranks of the all-time greatest. One ring with each of those franchises would equal three championships with the Bulls or Lakers.

Even if LeBron doesn't bring the Larry O'Brien trophy to Cleveland, he made that franchise relevant again. National TV games, rivals, all the things the real teams have. Think how far they tower above the major-market Clippers in status.

Only LeBron has the power to shift the balance all by himself. It would be the most significant free-agent move since Shaquille O'Neal left Orlando to come to the Lakers -- and that was only the most significant free-agent move in sports history. (Three championships and a Most Valuable Player season = best signing ever).

Plus the Staples Center co-tenancy could set up the most unique dynamic in the league, with LeBron and Kobe Bryant actually battling for L.A. supremacy instead of their puppet representatives dishing wisecracks in commercials.

Last summer I believed rookie Blake Griffin could change the Clippers, but I was mistaken. Clearly this task is too monumental to be left to mere mortals. (Although James did seek out Griffin before Saturday's game at Staples Center to offer words of encouragement.)

Send the beacon signal across the country to request James.

The natural, historical, inevitable United States tradition is to move west. Presidents do it after they leave the White House. The King should do it after a lifetime of living in Ohio.

How could it happen?

The Clippers are committed to $39 million in salary for next season, and would be willing to clear up a little more room under the salary cap to offer James a contract worth about $100 million over five years. That's about the same amount he could get with any of the other cap space-clearing teams such as New York, Miami and Chicago.

What none of them could provide is as talented and deep a surrounding lineup as the Clippers, who could send out Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin for the opening tip alongside LeBron. There would be All-Stars, former All-Stars or potential All-Stars at every position.

For James to leave Cleveland and go anywhere without a sign-and-trade deal would mean he'd forsake the additional year and higher raises the hometown Cavaliers could offer him, which works out to about $25 million more.

But what if James didn't want the sixth year? That was the way he handled his current contract, when he took one year fewer than the maximum extension from his rookie deal (four years instead of five, with an opt-out after three years). He wanted a crack at free agency at a younger age, and if he topped out his next deal at five years it would position him to be a free agent again at age 30, right in his prime. That would also place other teams closer to the Cavs' neighborhood when it came to total salary. (The strongest argument against James doing that is most people expect the next collective bargaining agreement to be less favorable to players, so they're advised to get as much money as possible under the current agreement).

So much for the financials. The bottom line is James will get paid a lot of money to play basketball no matter where he does it. The true variables are talent and market, and L.A. offers as good as he can hope for in both cases.

I asked him if given the Clippers' cap space, market size and warm-weather location he had any thoughts about joining them.

"No thoughts," James said.

I asked him if he knew the words to the song "I Love L.A." He said, "No. I know the words to 'I Love Akron.' "

I actually believe he hasn't given any serious consideration to joining the Clippers. It's up to them to show him they deserve it, that they're more than just a wayward team owned by a guy who's easily mocked even by opposing coaches.

It could be an easy fit.

He has been enjoying the L.A. scene since he was hanging at the ESPY Awards the summer he graduated from high school. This city already loves him. He pulled more than 19,000 fans into Staples Center on Saturday night, a number only Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade have been able to match this season. There were all varieties of LeBron James jerseys (the Cavaliers have more outfits than Lady Gaga) in the stands.

James has the showmanship Los Angeles craves. He was flipping shots in over his head in pregame warmups, he's ready to break out that huge grin at a moment's notice, or scowl for effect after a fear-inducing dunk.

As he walked down the sideline the entire section behind the scorer's table stood up, cameras ready to capture his pregame powder cloud routine. When he was introduced there wasn't a single boo, and when he had to come out in the first quarter there weren't the usual cheers that accompany the forced removal of the opponent's best player.

And then he showed why he is on his way to winning another MVP award. He scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to bring the Cavaliers back from a seven-point deficit to a one-point victory.

Next year instead of doing it to the Clippers, he should do it for the Clippers.

J.A. Adande joined ESPN.com as an NBA columnist in August 2007 after 10 years with the Los Angeles Times. Click here to e-mail J.A.

 

[theSTEREO.]

 

[Chris]

Adande has his head up his ass. He's grasping for straws, something to write about.

 

[NarlCavs]

It has grown very old seeing all these ESPN and other national personalities constantly trying to put LeBron on other NBA teams and pretty much saying he's not staying in Cleveland and shouldn't stay in Cleveland. It's really a big FU to the Cavs, their fans, and NE Ohio.

I do know there are going to be a lot of sports writers and commentators who will have even less credibility next summer than they do now. Be fun trying to watch them all cover their asses.

 

[kawidood]

LeBron to LA

For some reason my previous post about LeBron going to the Clips was closed. I went CavFanatic (where they don't randomly close posts) and came across this article.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/columns/story?id=4833489

I won't rehash my entire thread, but the mods here are pretty pathetic for closing a legitimate thread.

What do you guys think about the chances of Bron going to the Clipps? I'm sure there's a handful of people in here capable of having an original thought.

 

[theSTEREO.]

Re: LeBron to LA

That's because your post was retarded Cali Dude.

You got obliterated before. Expect the same shortly.

What do you guys think about the chances of Bron going to the Clipps? I'm sure there's a handful of people in here capable of having an original thought.

You mean like JA Adande, Sam Smith, and like 4 other writers that have suggested the same thing in the last months and been laughed at just as hard as everyone laughed at you?

no one likes your Clippers or thinks they are any good. Including Lebron. He laughed off the same idea 2 days ago in public.

 

[The Voice]

Re: LeBron to LA

For some reason my previous post about LeBron going to the Clips was closed. I went CavFanatic (where they don't randomly close posts) and came across this article.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/columns/story?id=4833489

I won't rehash my entire thread, but the mods here are pretty pathetic for closing a legitimate thread.

What do you guys think about the chances of Bron going to the Clipps? I'm sure there's a handful of people in here capable of having an original thought.

You insulted everyone by saying 'real' city.

When LeBron resigns in Cleveland please tell me how his ass tastes.

 

[camakazee]

Re: LeBron to LA

Cya, friend...

 

[theSTEREO.]

Re: LeBron to LA

You insulted everyone by saying 'real' city.

Including Lebron James.



Do people not get this? That Lebron is from Ohio and LOVES LOVES LOVES LOVES LOVES Ohio?

Does anyone think they are gaining any points with him saying "Come play in a REAL city"? :chuckles:

Go make fun of New Jersey to Splitz. He will light you up.

Then go say the same thing about Northeast Ohio to Lebron James. See the reaction you get when you flame him beloved home town.