The LeBron James Thread

[capp34]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

The more I think about it Lebron is staying in Cleveland. To much hype surrounding these other teams when cleveland is the front runner. I mean thats home and home where his hearts is.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

It most definitely will happen, especially those of us from Brooklyn. Many times I have thought that my allegiance to my borough will turn my love to the Nets and its unfortunate that the original plan of having the stadium done for this coming season didn't work out, because if Barclays Center was ready to play games in today, I think it would be almost automatic that LeBron would be a Net. I've enjoyed a championship for the Rangers, 3 for the Giants, and many for the Yankees in my lifetime, I just hope that one of these days a basketball team in my hometown can bring a trophy home.

Yeah, I spent most of my formative years growing up in Brooklyn, so I'll be all about the Nets when they move. Not a moment sooner though. I don't care if they sign all of these free agents to the vet minimum. Until they get to BK, I'll be like "yeah that's swell for you", haha.

Pack: I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill, man. Prok obviously wanted to needle Dolan to establish himself as a presence and get a reaction. There are a lot of places they could have put that Billboard. Frankly, 42nd st. is a MUCH better place if you're just doing it for the Nets, but Prok is also doing it to start up a rivalry with the Knicks.

I don't have a problem with it, but it's not realistic to ask Dolan not to wrinkle his nose at the move.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Your right in that he could've put that same billboard anywhere else in the City. But WHY choose that spot? Prokhorov may well be doing that to start a rivalry(although you need at least ONE of the teams to be somewhat competitive but that's another story)but he also doing that to let people know that these aren't the same old Nets anymore.

I think it is realistic also, considering that same team barely won more than a dozen games but all of a sudden NOW they got your attention when they haven't even done nothing?

[Bornindamecca]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Not blowing this out of proportion or anything. Your right in that he could've put that same billboard anywhere else in the City. But WHY choose that spot? Prokhorov may well be doing that to start a rivalry(although you need at least ONE of the teams to be somewhat competitive but that's another story)but he also doing that to let people know that these aren't the same old Nets anymore.

I think it is realistic also, considering that same team barely won more than a dozen games but all of a sudden NOW they got your attention when they haven't even done nothing?

Well let's not be naive. The Knicks and Nets are in exactly the same situation, except the Nets have more talent and the Knicks have more money. They both are in a position to make a big turnaround, so it'd be a total lack of foresight to just pretend the Nets are totally irrelevant. Especially since they are literally moving in on the Knicks' turf in two years.

I think the rivalry will be mostly trash talking though. There are ample bball fans in NYC for everyone. Hell, we could probably support 3 teams in this city, not exaggerating. Maybe in the future there'll be some serious contesting for free agents as well, but the fans won't be split, I don't think.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Well let's not be naive. The Knicks and Nets are in exactly the same situation, except the Nets have more talent and the Knicks have more money. They both are in a position to make a big turnaround, so it'd be a total lack of foresight to just pretend the Nets are totally irrelevant. Especially since they are literally moving in on the Knicks' turf in two years.

I think the rivalry will be mostly trash talking though. There are ample bball fans in NYC for everyone. Hell, we could probably support 3 teams in this city, not exaggerating. Maybe in the future there'll be some serious contesting for free agents as well, but the fans won't be split, I don't think.

The thing about New York that stands out to me, and is what will make the Nets coming to Brooklyn fun, is that most people love one team and hate the other. It's either Yankees or Mets, Giants or Jets, Rangers or Islanders, and then there's the Knicks (who ironically have a lot of people love them and hate them too but that's beside the point). The Nets moving in will create that automatic rivalry, and hopefully (fingers crossed) when the Nets move in, both teams will be competitive. This could go from a very bleak to an extremely talented basketball city once again. And good basketball teams in New York will be great for the league IMO.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Well let's not be naive. The Knicks and Nets are in exactly the same situation, except the Nets have more talent and the Knicks have more money. They both are in a position to make a big turnaround, so it'd be a total lack of foresight to just pretend the Nets are totally irrelevant. Especially since they are literally moving in on the Knicks' turf in two years.

I think the rivalry will be mostly trash talking though. There are ample bball fans in NYC for everyone. Hell, we could probably support 3 teams in this city, not exaggerating. Maybe in the future there'll be some serious contesting for free agents as well, but the fans won't be split, I don't think.

The thing about New York that stands out to me, and is what will make the Nets coming to Brooklyn fun, is that most people love one team and hate the other. It's either Yankees or Mets, Giants or Jets, Rangers or Islanders, and then there's the Knicks (who ironically have a lot of people love them and hate them too but that's beside the point). The Nets moving in will create that automatic rivalry, and hopefully (fingers crossed) when the Nets move in, both teams will be competitive. This could go from a very bleak to an extremely talented basketball city once again. And good basketball teams in New York will be great for the league IMO.

Good points.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

The thing about New York that stands out to me, and is what will make the Nets coming to Brooklyn fun, is that most people love one team and hate the other. It's either Yankees or Mets, Giants or Jets, Rangers or Islanders, and then there's the Knicks (who ironically have a lot of people love them and hate them too but that's beside the point). The Nets moving in will create that automatic rivalry, and hopefully (fingers crossed) when the Nets move in, both teams will be competitive. This could go from a very bleak to an extremely talented basketball city once again. And good basketball teams in New York will be great for the league IMO.

That's what I mean by trash talk though, and it really is just trash talk. Casual fans will go to the championship parade of any NYC team that gives us cause to have one. Every winning sports team in NY has a big fanbase. The Nets will fill their arena better than most of the league even if they're just .500 when they get to BK.

[HMcCoy]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Cleveland basketball was never alive. He's much better suited winning championships with teams that have the ability to build around him than sitting around in Cleveland waiting for whoever their new GM is to revamp the franchise with very difficult trades and salary cap moves.

WTF? Don't choke on the hyperbole, lol. The Cavs have been relevant before LeBron, and will be so afterwards.

Also, contrary to popular belief, the Cavs do have flexibility this year, as they have three sizeable cap holds that represent alot of their cap room as of today. When Wally retires, and Shaq and Z sign somewheres, those holds go away. Also, the Cavs have Jamario Moon, Parker, Leon Powe, Sebastian Telfair and Delonte West all coming off next year. The notion that the Cavs roster is saddled with a ton of bad contracts like NY has been is wrong.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

That's what I mean by trash talk though, and it really is just trash talk. Casual fans will go to the championship parade of any NYC team that gives us cause to have one. Every winning sports team in NY has a big fanbase. The Nets will fill their arena better than most of the league even if they're just .500 when they get to BK.

Yeah I wasn't arguing the point. I was just kind of supplementing it. And I hate to admit, but I read the article that PackMan posted about Prokhorov selling LeBron, and the scale of his celebrity if that plan works would be absolutely insane.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

WTF? Don't choke on the hyperbole, lol. The Cavs have been relevant before LeBron, and will be so afterwards.

Also, contrary to popular belief, the Cavs do have flexibility this year, as they have three sizeable cap holds that represent alot of their cap room as of today. When Wally retires, and Shaq and Z sign somewheres, those holds go away. Also, the Cavs have Jamario Moon, Parker, Leon Powe, Sebastian Telfair and Delonte West all coming off next year. The notion that the Cavs roster is saddled with a ton of bad contracts like NY has been is wrong.

Maybe in Cleveland, but nowhere near relevant nationally as they were the moment they drafted LeBron.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Maybe in Cleveland, but nowhere near relevant nationally as they were the moment they drafted LeBron.

ehhh....wouldn't say that. When I was younger they were pretty big during the prime years of Ron Harper, Mark Price, Brad Doherty(dougherty?) and Terrell Brandon. It's not like the Grizzlies or Jazz where no one really cares, even when they win.

What am I saying, the Grizzlies have never won

Hypothetically, I mean.

[HMcCoy]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

The Cavs were one of the best teams in the league for about 6-7 years back in the Golden era. They were as relevant as any great team is on the NBA landscape (besides LAL and BOS of course). I swear people act like the Cavs were founded in the Ricky Davis years, lol.

We're not the Clippers, we've been contenders before.

edit: beaten. You win again this time, B. (twists moustache)

[Brankles]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Maybe in Cleveland, but nowhere near relevant nationally as they were the moment they drafted LeBron.

Yeah, that's what I meant when I said basketball was never alive in Cleveland. I'm sure many people say that "Orlando basketball was never alive" all around the country. It's funny to see so many people take it personally. Some places basketball matters a lot, other places it doesn't.

Before LeBron, Cleveland had 0 Finals appearances, 1 division title, 2 guys on any All-NBA team, and 12 all-stars in 30+ years. I'm not sure about other fans, but my only memory of them is Jordan hitting the shot over Craig Ehlo, and Shawn Kemp and Darius Miles in those crazy black and blue and orange uniforms. If you were a Cavs fan anywhere between 1993 and 2002, or before Mark Price, I have great appreciation for your loyalty. Anyone offended, don't take it to heart, that's just my perspective on Cleveland Basketball.

Teams like Cleveland, Minnesota, Orlando, LAC, etc... those teams never really mattered to anyone else outside of the city. The Knicks will always fill seats, basketball will always be alive in New York whether LeBron is there or not. Put LeBron into the equation and the city would be in a frenzy. Some teams have "it," other teams don't. Whether it's city size, ownership, history... some teams just demand basketball attention and get it.

[Brankles]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

WTF? Don't choke on the hyperbole, lol. The Cavs have been relevant before LeBron, and will be so afterwards.

Also, contrary to popular belief, the Cavs do have flexibility this year, as they have three sizeable cap holds that represent alot of their cap room as of today. When Wally retires, and Shaq and Z sign somewheres, those holds go away. Also, the Cavs have Jamario Moon, Parker, Leon Powe, Sebastian Telfair and Delonte West all coming off next year. The notion that the Cavs roster is saddled with a ton of bad contracts like NY has been is wrong.

All that means is more waiting time for LeBron. Wait for guys to retire, contracts to get moved, etc. and all during a time where the free agency is not nearly as loaded as it is now.

Cleveland tried building around LeBron and they did it poorly. They hired a bad coach and gave LeBron a shoot-first PG as a sidekick, big defensive stiffs as post players, and guys with low bball IQ as role players. Jamison came in and looked horrible, and now they're stuck with his contract.

Now he has a new GM and a new coach and will have to go through more growing pains as they look to re-re-build around him and manage to move Jamison's and Varejao's huge contracts.

[capp34]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Maybe in Cleveland, but nowhere near relevant nationally as they were the moment they drafted LeBron.

Youngster...bless his heart.