KG suggests that Lebron should leave Cleveland

[MMacOH]

I think Cleveland have done right by LeBron. They've built two title contenders and had two other outside threats for the title.

I think they've shown that they are committed to and able to build a championship caliber basketball team. If I were LeBron, I would have no qualms staying with the Cavs (this isn't KG's Wolves or Bosh's Raptors).

That said, the Cavs are nowhere near the best offer on the market. He would be better off if he took one of the other offers (I would -- I would go to Miami which I think is LeBron's first choice at the moment).

I think Dan Gilbert and Co. had good intentions. They tried real hard to help LeBron (i.e., opened up the pocket book). But that doesn't mean that they did right by LeBron. I think quite the opposite. Good intentions and lots of effort don't make up for poor decisions and execution. Blame Gilbert, blame Ferry, blame Mike Brown, blame whomever you want. They were already so desperate to avoid this very situation 2-3 years ago that they started trying to plug the holes and hope that the tub would fill up quickly enough to satisfy LeBron. What they should have done was scrap the old tub and put in a new one. If they would have started from scratch 3 years ago (with a top quality GM, not Ferry), they probably could have fared better in this year's playoffs AND had a much brighter future to lure LeBron into re-signing. Fool LeBron once, shame on them. Fool him twice, shame on LeBron. LeBron won't be fooled twice - he's outta there. It's sad for Cleveland, but it's the right move for LeBron.

I don't think there's one party/individual to blame, but Lebron deserves his share of the blame too.

Look at the different approaches of Durant and Lebron. Lebron entered the league and from day one made it clear that he's always keeping his exit door open. Durant has already said he loves his team and city and would like a max extension. When given the chance, Lebron signed a short extension, just to motivate management to build a winner, or he'd go.

He could easily have said "Hey, I'm winning in Cleveland. Let's build a team, even if we miss the playoffs for the first four years. Let's build for years 5-12 (when i'm 24-31 or so). Let's think about what a championship team needs, and get there smartly.

Instead he's done the opposite. hedged his bets, not committed, and basically made cleveland management guess what the best way to keep him is.

You know, that's a REALLY good point. If LeBron had been more committed all along, maybe management wouldn't have felt the need to keep applying all the short-term, short-sighted band-aids to the roster. I'm with you on that.

I guess this just underscores the notion that LeBron is gone this time around. He probably felt like he "owed it" to Cleveland to re-sign last time, but in his heart of hearts he wanted to move on. This time, he probably will.

It's very true that it is hard to build a contender when you are given a 3 year window which is what Lebron did when he signed an extension.  It also guaranteed that no big ticket free agent was coming to Cleveland because Lebron might not be there long term.

As for Hickson, Jamison and Z.  Smart moves by Ferry to bring them in/keep them (although Ferry would have moved Hickson for Amare, PHX backed out), foolish by Mike Brown to not figure out how to play them in this series. 

Lebron's decision will be very interesting.  This is his last chance before the new CBA to get a massive contract.  Believe me, if he decides to leave Cleveland there will be no sign and trade from the Cavs.  They won't let him have his cake and eat it to if he wants.  Lebron is going to have to take less money, turn hi back and leave.  Then come next extension time, his contract will be naturally smaller due to the new CBA.  This isn't the best business decision for him financially.  Basically, if he leaves Cleveland he will be a bigger villain than Art Modell and I would be somewhat nervous for him when comes back to town.  Some people in this city are nuts

[GreenFaith1819]

I still believe that Lebron James should stay. Doesn't Shaq come off of the books next year?

Whay can't Wade or Bosh come join him in CLE?

If the man is considering leaving, then that's his choice. But if he believes that things will be better elsewhere - he needs to be careful.

NY Fans will Boo Lebron James Lustily after the Love Affair is over - if they don't see results. If they Booed Patrick Ewing of all people, then Lebron is no different.

I would give that love affair about two years, IMO.

Don't listen to Spike, Lebron.

[The Walker Wiggle]

Honestly, before we embarrassed the Cavs, everyone was saying that they were the best team in the league, and no one was even close to touching them. Now this story is, "The Cavs are old and stink, so LeBron should get out of there if he wants to win titles."

KG was only favored to win it all one time in Minnesota. LeBron has been favored to win it all the last two years; he and his team just haven't gotten it done. But when your team has the best regular season record for two years in a row, just because you lose in the playoffs, you can't say, "My supporting cast isn't good enough."


How quickly we forget...

I think Cleveland have done right by LeBron. They've built two title contenders and had two other outside threats for the title.

I think they've shown that they are committed to and able to build a championship caliber basketball team. If I were LeBron, I would have no qualms staying with the Cavs (this isn't KG's Wolves or Bosh's Raptors).

That said, the Cavs are nowhere near the best offer on the market...

Well said.

It's all very familiar - reminiscent of the media's rush to declare our own team's championship window closed. If Lebron returns, the Cavaliers remain a top five team, and title contender. Ferry, whatever his faults, is a great opportunist, who has improved the team's talent level every season with very little in the way of draft picks, prospects, or cap space.

And if Cleveland wanted to compete with their current core, sans Lebron, I'd still expect that team to overachieve in the regular season, chase a low playoff seed, and potentially prove a tough out.

Which isn't to say that James doesn't lack for enticing options, and we all seem to have our own favorite Plan B. On talent alone, I'd rate the Clippers (where signing Lebron would fill the team's only glaring holes: SF and a lack of leadership)  ahead of either Chicago (who, assuming James doesn't start at the 4, would need to scramble to move Deng and/or Hinrich for a power forward) or Miami (the Heat, like the Knicks, would be a fascinating and historically unique (?) case study - a team built nearly from scratch around a pair of stars in their prime, with next to nothing remaining to spend.)

[Brendan]

The management has been sub par. Hollinger dissected it well. They gave out bad contracts to guys like Jones, Marshall, and Hughes. Everything they has done since has been roster turn styling to try and use their bad deal to get a new bad deal that would make the team marginally better.

[Aeacus]

I still believe that Lebron James should stay. Doesn't Shaq come off of the books next year?

Whay can't Wade or Bosh come join him in CLE?

If the man is considering leaving, then that's his choice. But if he believes that things will be better elsewhere - he needs to be careful.

NY Fans will Boo Lebron James Lustily after the Love Affair is over - if they don't see results. If they Booed Patrick Ewing of all people, then Lebron is no different.

I would give that love affair about two years, IMO.

Don't listen to Spike, Lebron.

Salary cap.  Even without Shaq, just resigning Lebron puts them several million over the cap.  Jamison, Mo Williams, Boobie are all overpaid and Telfair is making $2.7 million to be inactive.  

They have the MLE to offer if LBJ comes back and thats it.

[GreenFaith1819]

I still believe that Lebron James should stay. Doesn't Shaq come off of the books next year?

Whay can't Wade or Bosh come join him in CLE?

If the man is considering leaving, then that's his choice. But if he believes that things will be better elsewhere - he needs to be careful.

NY Fans will Boo Lebron James Lustily after the Love Affair is over - if they don't see results. If they Booed Patrick Ewing of all people, then Lebron is no different.

I would give that love affair about two years, IMO.

Don't listen to Spike, Lebron.

Salary cap.  Even without Shaq, just resigning Lebron puts them several million over the cap.  Jamison, Mo Williams, Boobie are all overpaid and Telfair is making $2.7 million to be inactive.  

They have the MLE to offer if LBJ comes back and thats it.

Ah - Thanks. Plus Varejao was just signed to a Multi-Year deal. Wow.

Well, you never know. Stranger things have happened.

[RJ87]

If I'm Lebron, forget all this NY/Chicago stuff - I'm taking a hard look at NJ and the LA Clippers.

NJ has a nice core - you've got Harris, Lee, and Lopez. Lopez could've been an all-star last season if NJ had a better record. He's the type of young frontcout piece franchises drool over and shed capspace for - if Miami could do the 2008 draft again, they'd take him #2 no question. And he's still developing? C'mon. Not to mention, they could come away with the #1 overall pick and get John Wall - then ship out Harris to get another good piece and keep their capspace. And of course, their new owner has DEEP pockets and wants to make a splash. Seems like a great fit.

Then you have LA - you've got Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin, and Chris Kaman. Add LBJ to that and you've got a ridiculous starting 5. Plus they've got Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake rights, so you re-sign them and you've got a little bench depth. Their issue is ownership - who wants to trust Sterling with their future?

I see Lebron in NJ - esp with Jay-Z being a part owner and their impending move to Brooklyn, NY. Chicago could be interesting, but Derrick Rose should have the ball in his hands during games - you get LBJ, that's not happening as much as it should. And I doubt he'd want to go there because all of the Michael Jordan lure. I do think he wants to win and carve out his own dynasty.

The Clippers are owned by a guy who couldn't care less about winning. Chicago has a superior core to NJ, and they don't play in Newerk.

lol, Did you not read what I wrote about the Clippers ownership?

And I disagree about the the core there, plus they won't be in Newark forever - the move to Brooklyn is imminent.

I think right now the Bulls have a slight edge with the main pieces (Rose & Noah vs Lopez, Lee, and Harris). But if NJ gets the #1 or #2 pick, then they have a clear advantage in young talent. That new core would be Lopez at C, Lee at SG, John Wall at PG/Evan Turner who can play SG or SF, and whatever they get for Harris.

And LBJ's buddy owns the team? NJ is just as much of a player as Chicago... NY? Not so much. Beyond 2 max guys, who else is there? Eddy Curry?

[PSquared]

Somebody doesn't know how to spell "Newark".    I mean "Newerk"?   

[wiley]

If Lebron leaves it will be interesting to see what the Cavs try to do.....

Someone posted a trade for Joe Johnson (let's say it was doable).  Then the sign Bosh and someone for the MLE...

PG:  D West
SG:  Joe Johnson
SF:  Moon
PF:  Jamison
C:   Bosh

Bench:  Hickson, Parker, draft pick, MLE player, etc...


Or:  total rebuilding mode