what will lebron do?

[legaleagle92481]

now that the cavs are bounced from the playoffs without a ring yet again, what will lebron do when he is a free agent on july 1st?

my prediction is he leaves cleveland because he has taken the cavs as far as they will go. now they are regressing four years ago they were in the finals now they cant get out of the second round. he won't go to the knicks because they have no talent there and even if they get bosh, bosh is far from a great big man he has done very little in the playoffs and most years does not even get that far. i predict he goes to chicago so he is still relatively close to home, playing in a large city on the team his idol played for and he has a young superstar point guard waiting for him with open arms. the bulls are a playoff team without him with him they could go very far. and another factor that points to it is his changing jerseys. he obviously couldnt be 23 on the bulls.

[Manram]

I believe the same thing, he'll go to chicago. Knicks don't have enough talent for him to go there

[yankees506]

No Way He Goes To Chicago, How Can He Live Up To Mj????? Unless He Wins 7 Championships There He Will Be A Failure!!!!! If He Wins Just One In New York, He Is God!!!! What Are You Guys Thinking, Chicago Would Be The Worst Carrer Move Ever!!!

[jobathenut]

I think he will stay with the cavaliers.I see them giving him a boatload of money to stay.And i thought it was classless when the commish comments that he should stay where he is.The commish shold not have a thought about it.Y ou are suppose to be netual on matters like that.And i know i will be bashed on here for saying this.But i think lebron is overrated.I say that when people compare him to mj.And say he is the best basketball player ever.I just don't see it.He is'nt even the same type of player mj was.And i think if you are going to compare anyone to mj it's kobe.I mean his style is the same as mj was.You can quote all the stats you want.But winners win and he has not won.You make your team better and he has but not to the level they praise him.I mean wihtout him the cavs are not a playoff team.And with him they are.But they talk about him like he is the greatest.He is not even at the level to even be consider close to that.Sorry i just needed to say this.I just don't see the hype around this guy.Alright,let the bashing of me begin.

[gingi79]

Remember he applied for a number change to #6. No famous #6's in Chicago. Of course if he signs in boston or philly, that's a different matter.....

Safe money is on Cleveland overpaying when the Knicks offer him everything but title papers to MSG.

[legaleagle92481]

A few points. 1) From some of the posts I am not certain everyone knows this but in the NBA there is a maximum salary and length of contract that a player can receive. The incumbent team can offer one more year and a bit more per year than other teams can. So the Cavs can offer him the most money and years. 2) The system is geared to get players to stay with their current team and Stern wants him to remain a Cav publicly for that reason. The NBA does not want to be like baseball where first chance they get the stars flock to a handful of cities abandon their fanbases and decimate teams as unlike other sports in the NBA one player can mean a 30 win differental. The system has worked well as Shaq and Nash are really the only superstars in their prime to change teams via free agency. I guess you could also count Hill and Mcgrady who were on that level when they came to the Magic as well although that was a disaster. 3) But that is just PC BS because Stern does not want to alienate the Cavs and their fans, privately Stern wants Lebron to be a Knick as it is in the league's best interest to have its most popular player play in the league's biggest market which for the last few years has been a wasteland. 4) In New York if he does not win and win big the media would eat him alive and criticize him to no end and his legacy would be tarnished forever. With the team they have winning big will be no easy task. The Knicks will be hardpressed to improve much beyond Lebron. They could choose to either get a second max contract guy or a bunch of supporting players but do not have cap room for both. And David Lee and all their veterans except Eddy Curry will be gone and they have no first round pick this year. Either way the Knicks use their cap space Lebron would have a better overall supporting cast in Cleveland. 5) With Chicago if you look at history of NBA a handful of teams tend to have had most of the great players and win most of the titles. For example, the Celts and Lakers have had several different championship eras with several immortal players during such eras. A true star rises to the occassion and strives to meet the challenge of high expectations. Did Garnett refuse to be a Celtic because he could never be Havilcheck, Bird or Russell? Did Shaq say I can't be a Laker because he would have to fill the shoes of Mikan, Wilt and Kareem? Chicago as a sports town is also not that hard on its teams the Blackhawks and Cubs have not won it all in forever. The Sox went over 80 years between titles and the Bears have not exactely torn it up the last couple of decades aside from the Super Bowl loss season. So I cannot see Lebron facing that much heat if any for not winning "seven titles".

[yankees506]

eagle i dissagree bird, magic and anyone else is not MJ, chicago is his town and i would think lebron would have no chance to make it his, lebron wants to make a "billion" dollars.....aka NYC..... big city harbors big dreams.... money cant be the only factor as even if lebron takes less in NY he will make more in every other catagory (endorsements).... NY can sign another top notch free agent and hopefully get lee at a hometown discount... we will see... i like in nyc so maybe im bias but this town needs lebron, a town that hasnt had a basketball winning team in twelve years! he does not have to win titles here, ok maybe one but just winning on a regular basis is enough for this town!

[STLHAMMER32]

New Jersey. They have young talent, top draft pick, big market. Jay-Z is part owner and they have a better friendship than alot of people realize. If Lebron leaves Cleveland I think thats where he goes.

[LastingsMilledge85]

Retire and sign a minor league contract with the Indians

[legaleagle92481]

eagle i dissagree bird, magic and anyone else is not MJ, chicago is his town and i would think lebron would have no chance to make it his, lebron wants to make a "billion" dollars.....aka NYC..... big city harbors big dreams.... money cant be the only factor as even if lebron takes less in NY he will make more in every other catagory (endorsements).... NY can sign another top notch free agent and hopefully get lee at a hometown discount... we will see... i like in nyc so maybe im bias but this town needs lebron, a town that hasnt had a basketball winning team in twelve years! he does not have to win titles here, ok maybe one but just winning on a regular basis is enough for this town!

I live in New York also been a Knicks fan all my life. I predict all we get is Joe Johnson and Carlos Boozer or one of them and save the rest of the cap room to pursue in vain Carmelo, Durant and Chris Paul with in upcoming summers. Signing Johnson or Boozer will be like the Allan Houston extension all over again they are both 28-29 and not franchise players. Joe played for Mike in Phoenix so there is familarity there and there will be a fan revolt if the Knicks do not get someone who has played in a few all star games. They will lose Lee regardless because they have never appreciated him and failed to extend his contract when they could have and to be able to pursue two top free agents they need to give up Lee's Bird rights or they will not have the cap room. Plus Lee will get a near max deal because 20-10 players are rare and alot of teams will have money to burn. He is much better than Gordon or Charlie V. and look what Detriot gave them last summer.

The Knicks need to rebuild via the draft it seems to work for everyone else and by always trading their pick and or picking undersized power forwards will not accompolish that. They need to get a top three pick one year. It worked for the Bulls, Thunder, Cavs, Nuggets, Spurs and Magic.