LeBron making NY teams tongue waggle.....

salsadancer7

SatelliteGuys Master
Original poster
Jun 1, 2004
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South Florida
Could LeBron ACTUALLY end up in either the Knicks or the Nets....I doubt he will leave Cleveland...but after his comments yesterday during Team USA photo ops....he made the Nets and the Knicks wonder with glee and the Cavs fans get a little nervous.....

IF Wayne Gretsky and Shaq be traded.....never say never.....:what:yikes:shocked

NEW YORK -- All that LeBron James-to-the-Knicks speculation might be focused on the right city but the wrong team.

It appears, judging from James' comments Monday, that the Nets might be James' preferred destination if he opts out of his contract in the summer of 2010 and becomes an unrestricted free agent.

James listed New York as his favorite city Monday (his hometown of Akron, Ohio came in fifth behind Washington D.C., Dallas, and Los Angeles) as he took part in a one-day USA Basketball media blitz, and he also gave an answer to a follow-up question that'll make Knicks president Donnie Walsh and head coach Mike D'Antoni cringe.

"My favorite borough? Brooklyn," James said, choosing the proposed future home of the New Jersey Nets over the borough of Manhattan, where the Knicks play their home games. "Brooklyn is definitely a great place here in New York City, and some of my best friends are from Brooklyn, so I stick up for them."

James is personal friends with the performer Jay-Z, who owns a small piece of the Nets, but James said that relationship would play no role in whether he decides to leave Cleveland -- either when his contract expires in 2011, or if he exercises his opt-out in 2010. The Nets made a major financial move on draft night to position themselves to make a maximum offer to James in the summer of 2010, shedding Richard Jefferson's contract when they dealt him to Milwaukee for Bobby Simmons and Yi Jianlian. If New Jersey chooses to trade Vince Carter for a player or players whose contracts expire before the summer of 2010, they'll have more than enough room to offer James a maximum salary.

The Knicks have also made clear that their No. 1 priority is to clear cap space for the summer of 2010 when James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade can all become unrestricted free agents. But they'll have to move Zach Randolph and at least one other player already under contract through 2010-11 -- Jamal Crawford, Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries -- in order to get far enough below the cap to make James a max offer.

If James waits until 2011 to become a free agent, the Knicks are positioned to have enough room to make a max offer.

James is a frequent visitor to New York, and he constantly hears pleas from Knicks fans -- and a few Nets fans -- to relocate to the nation's media capital two summers down the road. The Nets plan to relocate from East Rutherford to Brooklyn in 2010 if owner Bruce Ratner is able to clear the final hurdles that have delayed the building of his massive Atlantic Yards project in central Brooklyn, which will have the Nets' new arena as its centerpiece.

"They have a right to dream about it, and I can't take that away from them. My friendship was way before Jay was part-owner of the Nets, and I loved the Garden way before I got to the NBA," James said. "For some reason when I get to the Garden I always play well, so they want me to do it 41 games instead of just two nights a year."

Knicks fans were in abundant supply at midday Monday as James and the rest of Team USA were introduced at a Nike press conference at Rockefeller Center, and James played to the crowd like a true showman -- sprinting with a wide smile and open arms into bleacher seats erected at both ends of a temporary court, embracing dozens of youngsters clad in blue "United We Rise" T-shirts.

Earlier, James waved demonstrably at a boatful of tourists from the deck of a ship the team chartered for a photo shoot in New York Harbor with the Statue of Liberty as the backdrop.

"I never thought about doing it, but once you get out there & I'm a big kid personally, I got two young sons at home and I know what they like, so anytime I get around a group of kids it's like a kid in the candy store for me. So, I'm happy I was able to put smiles on those kids faces," James said. "It made my day, totally."

The crowd ate up his act, as did his teammates.

"Was that New York-driven? No, I think it was James-driven. That's who he is," Jason Kidd said. "He's a kid, he's full of energy, he has a lot of personality ... LeBron just has a lot of personality -- you see it in the commercials -- and that's him, and for him to interact with the kids, it might put a little stress on security, but for the kids to be able to touch him and see him in that light, you can't ask anything more than that."


ESPN - LeBron aware that Nets, Knicks looking to snag All-Star in future - NBA
 
It's so hysterical that ESPN and other sports media outlets find great pleasure in speculating when and where LeBron will end up in 2010. The same can be said about C.C. Sabathia. I secretly find great pleasure in knowing that everyone outside of Cleveland covets what we've got! If they do end up in your town, have fun with the sloppy seconds! :D;)

In all seriousness, this should not be news on ESPN. They must seriously be hurting for relevant sporting news. I really can't wait for football season already. :rolleyes:

I do have a few gripes with what was said in this column...

"The Nets made a major financial move on draft night to position themselves to make a maximum offer to James in the summer of 2010.

The Knicks have also made clear that their No. 1 priority is to clear cap space for the summer of 2010 when James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade can all become unrestricted free agents."


You don't say! Who wouldn't clear cap space in 2010 to make a pitch to sway the best basketball player on the planet to their team?! ESPN, do you really think the Cav's are not also saving cap space?! Bottom line, the contract dollars will not be the deciding point, as he is going to make the maximum amount anywhere he goes. LeBron will go where he can win.

"My favorite borough? Brooklyn," James said, choosing the proposed future home of the New Jersey Nets over the borough of Manhattan, where the Knicks play their home games.

No kidding! It's been mentioned time and time before that LeBron's best friend is Jay-Z. Jay-Z is from Brooklyn and it just so happens to be the future home of the soon to be relocated Nets. Wooptey doo.

Nothing new was revealed in this article. ESPN is really starting to remind me of tabloid journalism like TMZ or The National Inquirer.
 
It's so hysterical that ESPN and other sports media outlets find great pleasure in speculating when and where LeBron will end up in 2010. The same can be said about C.C. Sabathia. I secretly find great pleasure in knowing that everyone outside of Cleveland covets what we've got! If they do end up in your town, have fun with the sloppy seconds! :D;)

In all seriousness, this should not be news on ESPN. They must seriously be hurting for relevant sporting news. I really can't wait for football season already. :rolleyes:

I do have a few gripes with what was said in this column...

"The Nets made a major financial move on draft night to position themselves to make a maximum offer to James in the summer of 2010.

The Knicks have also made clear that their No. 1 priority is to clear cap space for the summer of 2010 when James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade can all become unrestricted free agents."


You don't say! Who wouldn't clear cap space in 2010 to make a pitch to sway the best basketball player on the planet to their team?! ESPN, do you really think the Cav's are not also saving cap space?! Bottom line, the contract dollars will not be the deciding point, as he is going to make the maximum amount anywhere he goes. LeBron will go where he can win.

"My favorite borough? Brooklyn," James said, choosing the proposed future home of the New Jersey Nets over the borough of Manhattan, where the Knicks play their home games.

No kidding! It's been mentioned time and time before that LeBron's best friend is Jay-Z. Jay-Z is from Brooklyn and it just so happens to be the future home of the soon to be relocated Nets. Wooptey doo.

Nothing new was revealed in this article. ESPN is really starting to remind me of tabloid journalism like TMZ or The National Inquirer.

Your such a Homer sometimes it blinds you!! ;) Dude, it...as in the story...was there because of his comments.....and you know FULL WELL that the media was gonna run with it. Let's not blame ESPN here....wait till this hits the NY tabloids tomorrow as well as the sports talk show in NYC.....this is NOTHING. If it made the LOCAL MIAMI MEDIA....imagine what it will be like when it hits the NYC airwaves.....you have not seen nothing yet. The story will have legs......
The simple fact that you are down playing it, shows you are ALREADY nervous.:rolleyes:;)
 
Your such a Homer sometimes it blinds you!! ;) Dude, it...as in the story...was there because of his comments.....and you know FULL WELL that the media was gonna run with it. Let's not blame ESPN here....wait till this hits the NY tabloids tomorrow as well as the sports talk show in NYC.....this is NOTHING. If it made the LOCAL MIAMI MEDIA....imagine what it will be like when it hits the NYC airwaves.....you have not seen nothing yet. The story will have legs......
The simple fact that you are down playing it, shows you are ALREADY nervous.:rolleyes:;)

You're damn right I am Salsa! ;) :D

Here in Cleveland we've had our hearts broken one too many times. If LeBron, a locally born and bred player leaves for greener pastures, this city will be absolutely devastated.
 
You're damn right I am Salsa! ;) :D

Here in Cleveland we've had our hearts broken one too many times. If LeBron, a locally born and bred player leaves for greener pastures, this city will be absolutely devastated.

Nothing wrong with being a homer, I have said it many times...as long it does not blind you to reality.;)

This can be a very sticky issue, it was all the rage in LOCAL sport talk show this morning....imagine in NYC!! Anyway, they were saying that if I am Cavalier fan, why would I put money, heart and soul to this guy if he is even thinking of 2010??!! I am sure he is 90% sure he will stay....but that remaining 10% is all the media, the Cav fans and the Nets and Knicks fans will talk about! IF your a Cav fan and ALL you start bitching about that 10%.....he will turn that 10% to a LOWER percentage...

Like I have said before.....IF Gretsky and Shaq can go....ANYONE can!
 
As a scorned Cleveland fan, I think he's going to leave. The only glimmer of hope I see is that he's building (built??) an absolutely ridiculous house in Summit county. It would not be the easiest house to sell, and theres no way he could live here in peace in the offseason (see manny ramirez, Albert Belle, Jim Thome...)
 
Nothing wrong with being a homer, I have said it many times...as long it does not blind you to reality.;)

This can be a very sticky issue, it was all the rage in LOCAL sport talk show this morning....imagine in NYC!! Anyway, they were saying that if I am Cavalier fan, why would I put money, heart and soul to this guy if he is even thinking of 2010??!! I am sure he is 90% sure he will stay....but that remaining 10% is all the media, the Cav fans and the Nets and Knicks fans will talk about! IF your a Cav fan and ALL you start bitching about that 10%.....he will turn that 10% to a LOWER percentage...

Like I have said before.....IF Gretsky and Shaq can go....ANYONE can!

The Shaq trade was no where's near the Gretky trade.
 
It's so hysterical that ESPN and other sports media outlets find great pleasure in speculating when and where LeBron will end up in 2010. The same can be said about C.C. Sabathia. I secretly find great pleasure in knowing that everyone outside of Cleveland covets what we've got! If they do end up in your town, have fun with the sloppy seconds! :D;)

In all seriousness, this should not be news on ESPN. They must seriously be hurting for relevant sporting news. I really can't wait for football season already. :rolleyes:

I do have a few gripes with what was said in this column...

"The Nets made a major financial move on draft night to position themselves to make a maximum offer to James in the summer of 2010.

The Knicks have also made clear that their No. 1 priority is to clear cap space for the summer of 2010 when James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade can all become unrestricted free agents."


You don't say! Who wouldn't clear cap space in 2010 to make a pitch to sway the best basketball player on the planet to their team?! ESPN, do you really think the Cav's are not also saving cap space?! Bottom line, the contract dollars will not be the deciding point, as he is going to make the maximum amount anywhere he goes. LeBron will go where he can win.

"My favorite borough? Brooklyn," James said, choosing the proposed future home of the New Jersey Nets over the borough of Manhattan, where the Knicks play their home games.

No kidding! It's been mentioned time and time before that LeBron's best friend is Jay-Z. Jay-Z is from Brooklyn and it just so happens to be the future home of the soon to be relocated Nets. Wooptey doo.

Nothing new was revealed in this article. ESPN is really starting to remind me of tabloid journalism like TMZ or The National Inquirer.

Here ya go....Like I said....the tongues are salavating!!

Sports News | Scores | Results - New York Post
 
Here are my thoughts on this:

1. The Nets aren't going to be great by 2010. Kidd's gone, Jefferson's gone, there's no way they keep Carter, and they'll only have one Lopez Twin and Yi Jianlian. Not exactly a team LeBron would want to join.

2. What if Cleveland gets a free agent that year? Maybe the Cavs could go after someone to emtice LeBron to not leave
 
Here are my thoughts on this:

1. The Nets aren't going to be great by 2010. Kidd's gone, Jefferson's gone, there's no way they keep Carter, and they'll only have one Lopez Twin and Yi Jianlian. Not exactly a team LeBron would want to join.

2. What if Cleveland gets a free agent that year? Maybe the Cavs could go after someone to emtice LeBron to not leave

BINGO! Finally, the voice of reason!

LeBron wants to be with a winning team. The Knicks and Nets are not.
 
Here are my thoughts on this:

1. The Nets aren't going to be great by 2010. Kidd's gone, Jefferson's gone, there's no way they keep Carter, and they'll only have one Lopez Twin and Yi Jianlian. Not exactly a team LeBron would want to join.

2. What if Cleveland gets a free agent that year? Maybe the Cavs could go after someone to emtice LeBron to not leave

Very true in all points....but the Nets AND the Knicks will have very nice SALARY CAP SPACE to sign big name free agents for that season. And IF LeBron were to go to NYC....you don't think OTHER free agents wouldn't wanna follow LeBron to Gotham City?
 
BINGO! Finally, the voice of reason!

LeBron wants to be with a winning team. The Knicks and Nets are not.

They are not winning teams NOW....this league, with two good players on a team, can make the playoffs REAL quick.

Remember, REALITY always outtrumps REASON......;)
 
They are not winning teams NOW....this league, with two good players on a team, can make the playoffs REAL quick.

Remember, REALITY always outtrumps REASON......;)

True, two years is a long time away. Things can change dramatically in that time period. You are absolutely right.

That is why I think it is absolutely absurd for all of the big media outlets to speculate and assume that LeBron will just bolt out of Cleveland at the first given opportunity.
 
HD MM - you're actually using Lebron and CC CeFatia in the same tone? Wow, you really are a homer :)
 
True, two years is a long time away. Things can change dramatically in that time period. You are absolutely right.

That is why I think it is absolutely absurd for all of the big media outlets to speculate and assume that LeBron will just bolt out of Cleveland at the first given opportunity.

Oh I don't think they are speculating that he is just gonna bolt. I think this is all reaction to what he said.....ANYTHING said and done after LeBron's comments were all brought onto himself. I worked sports media in Chicago during the Bulls run and when Michael Jordan said something...watch out....it was an avalanche of speculation.....and the media sharks in Chicago are guppies compared to the great whites in NYC. If you read the articles....and heard what has been said on sports talk radio....NOWHERE does it say that the Nets or the Knicks or the NY media stated that he was coming.....just the usual window shopping.....

..."what IF Lebron.............."
 
Great Article on the LBJ situation from a non NY source

Please read up fellas........

"Everything LeBron has accomplished in his already remarkable life, he has been able to accomplish in Cleveland. He appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a junior in high school…..in Ohio. He has appeared on the cover of Fortune Magazine……in Ohio. He has been on the cover of Vogue Magazine…..in Ohio. He has been on the cover of ESPN the Magazine….in Ohio. He has hosted the ESPY’s…..while playing in Ohio. He has hosted Saturday Night Live…..while playing in Ohio. He has assembled an astonishing marketing team and built his image and self into a multi-multi-million dollar enterprise….in Ohio. He managed to get the NBA to send his team to play in China…..from Ohio. He became the highest paid player in the NBA in endorsement and salary…..while playing in Ohio. He has played in the NBA Finals….in Ohio. He has become the image of the NBA…..while playing in Ohio."

New Jersey Has Cap Space, The Sky Is Falling: Part I | WaitingForNextYear
 
HD MM - you're actually using Lebron and CC CeFatia in the same tone? Wow, you really are a homer :)

Are you alluding to my comment of the rest of the sports nation wanting and coveting our two players in LeBron and CC being absurd? If so, I ask how? Cy Young winner Sabathia is due to become a free agent at the end of the year. As we all know LeBron will become a "restricted" free agent at the end of 2010. At any given moment on ESPN, you will find "rumors" as to who is in line to sway our two stars into their city.....
 
Please read up fellas........

"Everything LeBron has accomplished in his already remarkable life, he has been able to accomplish in Cleveland. He appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a junior in high school…..in Ohio. He has appeared on the cover of Fortune Magazine……in Ohio. He has been on the cover of Vogue Magazine…..in Ohio. He has been on the cover of ESPN the Magazine….in Ohio. He has hosted the ESPY’s…..while playing in Ohio. He has hosted Saturday Night Live…..while playing in Ohio. He has assembled an astonishing marketing team and built his image and self into a multi-multi-million dollar enterprise….in Ohio. He managed to get the NBA to send his team to play in China…..from Ohio. He became the highest paid player in the NBA in endorsement and salary…..while playing in Ohio. He has played in the NBA Finals….in Ohio. He has become the image of the NBA…..while playing in Ohio."

New Jersey Has Cap Space, The Sky Is Falling: Part I | WaitingForNextYear

Because he has been NOWHERE ELSE BUT OHIO. Means nothing.....hit has nothing to do with the money....he will always have money. But he will have even MORE exposure playing in NY...if possible. And playing in NYC.....not for me...is a major thing for alot of players in all the major sports...
 
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