27 Dec 10 LeBron Gone? Not So Fast

Elsa/Getty ImagesFirst off, let me preface this article by saying that I am not a Cleveland fan. In fact, I am the antithesis of a Cleveland fan; I am a Detroit fan. Saying something nice about Cleveland pains me to no end.However, everyone is chiming in on the LeBron James sweepstakes with their opinions and I am no different.I also (though it pains me to talk about it) am uniquely qualified to discuss said issue. Who else knows the pain of having a highly prized free-agent-to-be wearing the home team colors more than a Detroit fan.Think about it, all Detroit Cleveland Browns jersey
teams have been in the same position the Cavaliers find themselves in this summer.The Pistons have had Grant Hill, Ben Wallace, and countless others poached by teams with more glamorous locales and prettier faces (although the talent in the state of Michigan is underrated to say the least).The Tigers experienced the same with Kirk Gibson back in the late 80's, and we had to watch him win the National League MVP as well as the World Series in dramatic fashion.The Lions have lost just about everyone and even the Red Wings have had players like Sergei Federov peeled off by the lure of riches.Believe me, Detroit fans get it and if it were anyone else we would sympathize with you.But of course the city of Cleveland is a rival and so of course most fans in Detroit are deviously hoping James jumps ship and leaves that other town on Lake Erie in dire straits.But before we get carried away with the celebration, we need to take a step back and figure out exactly what makes the most sense for James. That involves weighing the pros and cons of each move.The Case for ClevelandFirst off, what is LeBron James about?In a word, money.Now, that is not to say that he isn't about winning or establishing a legacy as the greatest ever, which I think could be a close 2nd or 3rd (or 1a and 1b). James obviously is not just about money or else he wouldn't improve each year, which he has.But, like all players, LeBron wants to be a billionaire and use the Michael Jordan model of marketing to catapult to Oprah-rich. He definitely can do that, and it all starts with receiving the most money he can, which is in Cleveland.Secondly, Cleveland has the most talented squad among those being mentioned. Can you seriously say that the New Jersey Nets (even with their lottery pick) would instantly become a winner with LeBron?Sure, they have a solid nucleus and could be a team on the rise with the right management, but they easily would be at least two important pieces away from winning a titleeven with Dallas Cowboys jersey
LeBron.Obviously they could add a Chris Bosh or a Joe Johnson, but even that would take time to gel the way the Cavs have.The rumor dujour has been the Chicago Bulls, and while they are definitely better than New Jersey, they too are not as good as Cleveland. Joakim Noah is a better version of Anderson Varejao and Derick Rose is a very talented guard, but the rest of the roster is equally as unimpressive as Cleveland's.Sure they could potentially lure someone like Amar'e Stoudemire, but even then they would have issues with James and Rose having to share the ball.The only other reasonable possibility is New York, but the Knicks roster is an absolute mess. David Lee will be a free agent and the only other players remaining that are under contract are scrap parts that would need more than James' Midas touch to amount to anything.I know, I know, New Yorkers, LeBron is just one of five moves that Donnie Walsh will make, including signing Bosh and Johnson and re-signing Lee and Tracey McGradyand allowing the Knicks to put together a starting lineup of epic proportions.It definitely could happen, but I just don't see it.Now before you Cavs fans start celebrating the new long-term deal with James by lighting the Cuyahoga River on fire again, think about this: James likely will not be yours for long.Confused? Bear with me.I do think that re-signing with Cleveland makes the most sense for James, but I don't think this will involve a max, long term deal. Instead, I think James will keep the pressure on management and sign a two year deal with a player option for a third.This will force the front office to immediately stock the cupboard with talent for his King-ness.He will essentially be saying "okay, we will try this again, but you guys have to help me out here."Therefore, you will see Cleveland immediately make a sign and trade move for a stud low-post scorer, perhaps taking another chance on Carlos Boozer or making a move on one of the aforementioned free agent prizeseven if itDenver Broncos jersey
means parting with the beloved J.J. Hickson.Dan Gilbert will open his checkbook and buy a title for the King.Then, after two years and probably one title, LeBron James will bow to his home state, thank them for the memories and move on to a greener pasture (i.e. Brooklyn).That's right, moving to the Nets doesn't make any sense today for LeBron, but it does in two years when they begin playing in Brooklyn. Then, he will unite with his pal Jay-Z and the Russian oligarchy and take his star to the next stratosphere.This gives the Nets two years to assemble a strong team around James and usher in a new generation of East Coast basketball domination.Remember, you heard it here first!