A fellow blogger and I did some research and came up with the winner of the Lebron James Sweepstakes:
By Brenden Monroe and Michael Ganci
Nineteen months seems like a long time away, but teams are already preparing for what’s being known as the “Lebron Sweepstakes.” Lebron James, a current Cleveland Cavalier, certainly has the date of July 1, 2010 planted in the back of his head. That will be the day where he undoubtedly will get the highest contract in NBA history.
A perfect example as to why Lebron will get the highest deal is that some teams are already making moves to have the salary cap room to make a run for him. Take the New York Knicks for example. Earlier this season, the Knicks dealt their two highest scoring players, Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph, solely for the purpose of having contracts that come off of the books before the “Lebron Sweepstakes” begins. Is that a coincidence? We think not.
The Knicks are far from the only team that will make a play for the league’s leading scorer. There will be plenty of teams that will come knocking on Lebron’s door, and it almost seems like the list will be endless. Some teams that could have interest include the Knicks, Nets, Cavaliers, Pistons, Spurs, Mavericks, Lakers, Clippers, Bulls and even possibly the Bobcats.
Let’s start with the Knicks. As things stand now, their payroll in 2010 will be under $40 million. Also, Lebron is known to be a big market kind of guy. Lebron has gone on record on numerous occasions, claiming that Madison Square Garden is the best arena to play basketball in the NBA.
Another, potentially more important factor, will be the fact that the Knicks will have enough salary relief to bring in another superstar (Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire). That could make for a lethal combination, and would seem to be the winning formula that Knicks fans haven’t seen in this decade.
The next candidate who could qualify for Lebron’s services would be the New Jersey Nets. First, Lebron is known to be very good friends with Nets Co-Owner and rap superstar Jay-Z. Plus, who wouldn’t want to play in the same arena where Beyonce Knowles will be sitting courtside. Although, she is no Spike Lee.
The Nets also have a new stadium in the works in Brooklyn, and they will be looking to have someone serve as their headliner. Lebron would certainly fill the bill. The Nets would have plenty to spend, although they would still have $17.3 million invested in an aging Vince Carter. They could add an extra body or two as well.
One team who will have a truckload of money at their disposal will be the Detroit Pistons. With their recent acquisition of Allen Iverson, they disposed of a contract that would’ve still been on the books, and they got one that will be history by the summer of 2010. Other notable names that will be coming off of the payroll by then will be Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton (if he doesn’t re-sign) and Kwame Brown. Between those three, the Pistons will clear up over $50 million. A good portion of that would go to Lebron, and solid players Rodney Stuckey and Tayshaun Prince will still be around to keep him company.
Another interesting case for Lebron will be the San Antonio spurs. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker will still be fulfilling their part of the contract in San Antonio, even though Parker will be on a contract year. Lebron could make for a lethal threesome, and San Antonio’s chances of representing the West would be better than anyone else.
One out of the blue team that could possibly compete for Lebron’s contract will be the Charlotte Bobcats. The bobcats have a lot of guys under contract for 2010, but the big factor in this would be the relationship that currently exists between Lebron James and Co-Owner of the Bobcats, Michael Jordan.
It has been widely known for a while now that both of them are big fans one another, and it would only make sense that that make Charlotte a potential destination for the NBA’s leading scorer.
The Dallas Mavericks could be another option for King James. Dirk Nowitski will likely opt out of his contract by then, and Dallas will have plenty of money put aside to make a serious run at Lebron. If Nowitski does opt out, Dallas could have $50 million plus to work with.
The Chicago Bulls will have money to spend as well, and with their solid core of players, Lebron will have plenty to work with. Guys like Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas will probably still be roaming the windy city, and they would make a perfect compliment for Lebron’s style of play. Derrick Rose will definitely be there as well, and that would make a scary combination.
The next team will have Kobe Bryant coming off of the books, and that single-handedly will open up enough money for Lebron. If Bryant stays, the Lakers could potentially have Bryant, Gasol and James, but they would have nothing in terms of a bench Lebron would also be enticed by playing in the big market, but he has always made it seem that he would rather come east. Look for this to be a long shot.
We remain in LA and move our focus to the Clippers. The Clippers have always been second rate to the mighty Lakers in terms of players and in the amount of fans. Getting a player of Lebron’s caliber would be huge for the Clippers as a franchise. It would put fans in the seats, and as we mentioned earlier, Lebron seems to want to play in a larger market. The problem with the Clippers is Lebron would most likely not have a strong supporting cast; something that he has been vocal about not having in Cleveland. This would be an even longer shot than the Lakers.
Last but not least we have Lebron’s current team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. Lebron is Cleveland area native and he knows what to expect in Cleveland. Right now he has the surrounding cast that he needs to go win a championship. Lebron has also been the face of the franchise ever since he was drafted and Cleveland will do everything in their power to keep him a Cavalier.
The biggest factor for Lebron is whether or not he wins a championship in Cleveland. If he does win, expect him to stay, but if he does not win one, expect him to leave for more money and a new opportunity to win.
Now that we have weighed all of his options, it is time to decide where we think Lebron will end up in the summer of 2010. We believe that although the Cavaliers will be a good team, it will not be enough to keep the king from leaving. One he declares free agency, the Lebron sweepstakes will begin. When it is all said and done we believe Lebron James will be donning the uniform of the New York Knicks. So Knicks fans rejoice, the King will come to conquer New York City.
