So where’s he going to go? As it stands now, Vegas’ odds makers have the Chicago Bulls with the best chance of landing LeBron, but I think he’s destined to go to New York. That’s my gut and I’m sticking to it. And isn’t that why we make NBA Picks and focus on NBA Lines? To “make things interesting.”
So here we sit, the day Cavalier fans have dreaded. Can we really feel bad for them though? The Cavs have done nothing but disappoint in the playoffs every year with LeBron (and yes, I’m including the sweep by the Spurs in the finals as a disappointment. It was such an uncompetitive series that many people have forgotten LeBron once actually reached the finals). Most depressing of all, the Cavs have tried to build a team around LeBron, signing Mo Williams, Shaq, and Jamison, but only seeing little improvement.
By Justin Mertes-Mistretta
The only thing Cleveland has going for them right now is the fact that LeBron’s hometown is Akron and he may have sentiment in Cleveland. Will he stay loyal to his hometown or will he go where the grass is presumably greener? My guess is that he is ready for a change. Cleveland just can’t bring in the young additional superstar they need to be true contenders.
So if he is leaving, where is he going?
There are really three teams that I have been hearing the most talk about: Chicago, New Jersey and of course, New York. Here are the best-case and worst-case scenarios for each destination:
Best-Case Scenario: LeBron follows President Obama’s advice and goes to the Bulls along with Dwanye Wade. Chicago forms one of the best back-court trios of all-time in Wade, James, and Rose. LeBron becomes the best number 23 to ever play in Chicago.
Worst-Case Scenario: LeBron decides to pass on the Bulls, because he isn’t thrilled with the idea of being overshadowed by the G.O.A.T. for the rest of his career (greatest of all-time for the non-Jim Rome listeners out there).
NEW JERSEY NETS:
Best-Case Scenario: The week LBJ signs with the Nets, Jay-Z releases a new single mentioning LeBron at least 20 times. New owner Mikhail Prokhorov, who makes Donald Trump’s wallet look paper thin, inks LeBron as the highest paid player in the league. He hires John Calipari as the Head Coach and take John Wall first overall in the draft. D.C. and Philly will never let that happen, but hey it is the “best case” scenario, right?
Worst-Case Scenario: LeBron turns down “Noo Joisey”, because he realizes while he aspires to win a championship, the Nets are more concerned with winning a game. Jay-Z stays true to his song “Empire State of Mind” and decides to pay Dwanye Wade. Hey, maybe that’s not a worst-case scenario after all. Who has more rings? Just saying.
Finally…NEW YORK KNICKS:
Best-Case Scenario: King James goes where any King would want to go, NYC. He is the center of attention, setting himself up for his career after basketball in a city full of marketability (James is quoted as saying, “In the next 15 or 20 years, I hope to be the richest man in the world. I can’t do that just playing basketball”). The Knicks are able to grab Chris Bosh to pair up with LeBron. The Madison Square Garden has never been such a madhouse.
Worse-Case Scenario: LeBron stays in Cleveland, Wade goes to his hometown in Chicago along with Chris Bosh, which leaves New York with nothing to show for the 2010 sweepstakes. They continue to wish that NBA games were played with more than one ball, realizing their players don’t understand the concept of passing.