Cavaliers Slow Start Fueling LeBron Rumors
It was bound to happen. Shortly after the buzzer sounded and curtain fell on the Cavaliers’ morose 0-2 start to the season, it was evident that the whispers would be starting the next day. It doesn’t take a genius to understand that the mainstream national media is going to see the Cavs struggle as an opportunity, and they will waste no time to pounce. And, of course, who else would get the ball rolling other than Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski? In a column that was intended to either insinuate doom for the Cavaliers or else to chastise owner Dan Gilbert for his overt support for Issue 3, he points out that the Cavaliers 0-2 start means certain peril for the LeBron era in Cleveland.
I could do a whole other post on both the ridiculousness of Dan Gilbert using the Cavaliers as a political platform to push support for Issue 3 and on the needlessness of Wojnarowski throwing this argument in to a column about LeBron’s future plans, but that’s for another day. What is prevalent to today, though, is Wojnarowski’s rather daunting and bleak outlook on what the Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov’s takeover of the New Jersey Nets means to the Cavaliers in the context of this 0-2 start. He writes:
As the Nets floundered with legal red tape and financial issues that threatened the proposed Brooklyn arena, the threat of Jay-Z and a flashy new building would come and go over the years. Now, it could be a far more real threat than the blah New York Knicks and historic Madison Square Garden.
Suddenly, the Russian’s staggering $9.5 billion fortune and alluring charisma threaten to transform the fledging Nets into a fully loaded weapon again.
“Prokhorov and his people know that the way to LeBron is through Jay-Z,” one high-level source connected to the Russians and Nets said. “From the start, that’s right where they’ve wanted to go.”
The Russian’s influence was everywhere in the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday night, where the Cavs trudged through another discombobulated performance. Even a LeBron triple double – 23 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds – couldn’t elevate the incompetence surrounding him in a 101-91 loss to the revived Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors have been deftly restored under general manager Bryan Colangelo’s watch, but beside him in the tunnel stood Maurizio Gherardini, the assistant GM out of the Euroleague whom Prokhorov tried to hire for his Moscow power, CSKA. He is considered Prokhorov’s top choice, sources say, to eventually run the Nets – despite the mistake it would be to replace Rod Thorn.
Small world, yes, and this was one of those nights when it felt like it was closing on Cleveland. For the Cavs to hold onto their hometown hero, they’ve always believed there was one unimpeachable recruiting tool: winning. Make it impossible for him to leave a champion for a lottery loser, whatever its proximity to a major market.
This is only the beginning of course. This kind of stuff is only going to get worse before it gets better. And for once, I don’t totally disagree with Mr. Wojnarowski. It really does feel like the walls are closing in. With the deconstruction of the Indians and continued hopelessness of the Browns, the strain of an 0-2 start by the Cavaliers is magnified tenfold. At the minimum. It takes every once of strength to keep in mind that we are only 1/40th of the way in to the season. It’s a struggle to find relevance in the fact that the 2006-07 Spurs started out 1-1. That the 2005-06 Miami Heat started out 1-2. That the 2003-04 Pistons lost their first game of the season. That the 2002-03 Spurs started out 1-1. The 1998-99 Spurs started out 2-3. The 1991-92 Bulls jumped out to a 1-2 start. Heck, the 1990-91 Bulls team started out 0-3 and were just 9-6 in November. Then there’s the 1984-85 Lakers who dropped their first 2 games and were 3-5 after 8 games. Can you even imagine the pressure on this team if they find themselves at 3-5 after 8 games? It could happen. If they beat Minnesota, Charlotte, and the Knicks and lose to Washington, Chicago, and Orlando, the Cavaliers will be 3-5.
The point of all of this is that yes, there is pressure, and yes, this 0-2 start is freaking Cavs fans out. Articles like this one surely aren’t going to help, but what if it gets even worse than that? Bethlehem Shoals has a very different take on this article by Wojnarowski. He writes:
But what’s really interesting is that Prokhorov apparently has to “woo” Jay-Z, which makes accusations of shadowy backroom dealings, exploitation of friendships and general unfairness a little premature.
This tells you a couple things about the situation. First, being part-owner is largely symbolic and frivolous if the new majority dude has to go out of his way to have a little talk with you. It also makes it darn impossible to tell who the bigger fish is here: Prokhorov, the conquering foreign invader just oozing with cash, or the international hip-hop icon whose imaginary/simulated power nearly equals MP’s. Second, it’s almost like the interaction between Prokhorov and Jay-Z is the sensitive juncture, not Jay and Bron.
Let that last line really sink in for a second. The implication there being that Jay-Z and LeBron are essentially already a package deal. Of course, the problem with that scenario for the Cavaliers is that this street is strictly a one way street. And to be honest, I think that’s the most frustrating thing about all of this. Virtually anything that can be connected to LeBron is by default a one way avenue, and all roads are leading out of Cleveland. LeBron isn’t bringing Jay-Z to Cleveland, but Jay-Z can draw LeBron to New York. LeBron can’t bring Madison Avenue to Cleveland, but Madison Avenue can bring LeBron to New York. LeBron can’t bring another superstar in his prime to Cleveland, but another prime superstar can lure LeBron elsewhere.
Shoals goes even further in his article. He points out that it’s certainly odd for two people who own the same corporation (as Mr Carter and Mr Prokhorov both own the Nets) to have so much trouble connecting and getting on the same page. So is the next jump in logic to naturally assume that LeBron and Jay-Z are already so tied together as one that in order for the Nets to get LeBron, they have to first get Jay-Z?
It makes sense. I can’t deny it, it truly does. But then you have to take this one step further. If that connection between LeBron and Jay-Z extends beyond pop culture and is already sinking into a business relationship (whether it be spoken or unspoken), then how is that not tampering? That’s the basis of the questions Shoals is asking, but then again, this is such new ground and unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. After all, who is the one doing the tampering? Is it Jay-Z, or is it Mikhail Prokhorov? Imagine the scenario whereby Prokhorov would be tampering by default just by trying to connect with a fellow part owner of his sports franchise.
We live in an existence where the NBA is powerless to do anything about this. For that matter, they may have little incentive to do so. Sure, David Stern publicly says he hopes LeBron stays in Cleveland, but he has to say that. But he’s a businessman. He surely has caught himself daydreaming about unifying this nation’s premiere city with the world’s premiere basketball player. So what, really, is his motivation to care whatsoever about tampering? He knows the Cavaliers will never file a complaint against Jay-Z or the Nets. How could they? To put any strain on LeBron’s relationship with his “big brother” would be akin to a shove out the door. So Stern can continue to hide behind the shield of the NBA’s policy to only investigate cases of tampering when a formal complaint is filed by a team.
In 1996 the Chicago Bulls paid Michael Jordan $30,140,000 to keep him out of New York. Dan Gilbert may not be a billionaire, but with a net worth around $900 million and having already invested millions in breathing life, excitement, and technological advancements and amenities into this franchise, you’d think he would probably like to pay LeBron $50 million a year to stay in Cleveland. But he can’t, and he’s relatively powerless to stop Jay-Z from swooping in and stealing the heart and soul from this franchise and this city.
Of course, on the other hand, there is another possibility. Perhaps the pressure from these early season setbacks are causing us to not think straight and to see conspiracy theories where there are none. It could easily be just as likely that Jay-Z’s current tour schedule makes it hard for Mr. Prokhorov’s associates to find a good time to meet with Jay-Z. Perhaps Jay-Z, a minority owner and a silent partner, knows that LeBron’s decision is LeBron’s decision alone and that he can’t exert any influence over this decision. That would certainly be a logical reason for him to see no urgency in finding time to meet with an eccentric billionaire who has only one goal in mind….a goal that has nothing to with Jay-Z whatsoever.
There’s really only one certainty in any of this, and that’s the realization that this is the last year LeBron is guaranteed to be a Cavalier. If the Cavs want it to extend further beyond this season, the team cannot perform the way it has been. LeBron knows this, the other players know this, Mike Brown knows this, and most importantly, Danny Ferry and Dan Gilbert know this. Patience is a virtue for know, but if this subpar performance continues for much longer, don’t be surprised to see radical changes on the horizon. This franchise’s survival depends on it.
October 29th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
/stabs self
October 29th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
I’m almost to the feeling of just assuming LeBron is gone at the end of the year, ignoring all of the LeBron to NY stories, and enjoying what will be his final season in Cleveland. And if he stays, well, for the first time as a Cleveland fan, I’ll be pleasantly surprised instead of the usual disappointed.
October 29th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Technically, we’re only 1/41st through the season.
October 29th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
True. It could be worse. We could literally be 1/40th of the way through the season.
October 29th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Didn’t we start last season 1-2? With an opening loss to the Celtics? That turned out pretty well…
October 29th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
RockKing,
Always enjoy your posts, but, I think you’re focusing on the wrong rumors …. the one we should be talking about is this one:
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/10119/the-overnight-latest-on-stephen-jackson
Some think that Steven Jackson will be moved very soon and the Cavs are involved with talks. Not sure what to make of this, because there are so many variables (Can Z be bought out in the trade,? whould S-Jax be a cancer? How much confidence do the Cavs have that Delonte will be realiable for the entire season?)
October 29th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
@Jeremy: Keep your eyes peeled for tomorrow. I’ve got a lot on my mind regarding the Cavs, and that rumor is one of them.
October 29th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
One nice thing about this is you don’t hear as much from the people that were SCREAMING when Ferry didn’t make the midseason trade for Shaq last year. This is what would have happened. At any rate, onwards and upwards!
October 29th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Lebron isn’t going to go to the Nets simply because Jay-Z is part owner. The Nets will not end up in Brooklyn within the next decade. (If you look at all of the political and monetary factors and all the red tape involved in the Atlantic Yards project where the Nets’ Stadium is to be built by Ratner NY, you’ll see what I mean, look it up.) The Brooklyn move isn’t about money at this point, it’s political. Just because the Nets have a new owner doesn’t change the situation from what it was a year ago, a decade ago, or anytime in the future. The Nets aren’t in a great spot to land him, and neither are the Knicks.
Oh, and no one is going to comment on all of the Stephen Jackson to Cleveland rumors that are all over the place?
October 29th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
My feeling isn’t that people are panicking over a 0-2 start, they’re panicking because the team is regressing. Mike Brown looks like he’s fulfilling all of the bad things people say about him, while having none of the positives that made us like him the past few years.
It looks like we’ll have another season of not developing talent. Demar Derozan is starting for the Raptors. Danny Green can’t even see the floor! JJ Hickson barely sees it. Yet Brown can find time in both games so far for Shaq and Z to be on the floor at the same time.
As Cavs fans, I think it’s a sensible (obviously, two games in it’s hard to know whether it’s correct) conclusion that Brown isn’t setting the team up to succeed in the long or short run. That’s what scares us more than an 0-2 start.
——–
This is odd in that I’m full of patience to let the new regimes turn our bad teams around, but have no patience when our good teams with stable leadership seem to be regressing. Or maybe not odd. I don’t know.
October 29th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
“Oh, and no one is going to comment on all of the Stephen Jackson to Cleveland rumors that are all over the place?”
Again…tomorrow.
October 29th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
It’s a process. We’ve got to keep grinding.
October 29th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
I’m pretty big pessimist when it comes to Cleveland sports, but I believe Bron is staying.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
‘Bron is gone. Book it.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
I think it’s funny that 1/41st of a season constitutes any type of “start.”
I also think it’s funny this guy is such a hack writer that he has to resort to something this tired for his column.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Maybe I’ve been throwing back too much riot punch but I can’t for the life of me understand the draw (to LeBron) to play in NJ for a minority owner (Jay-Z and minority in that he owns a very small stake in the team…sinners). Who cares who the owner is? I understand that he a legend in his field, but he’s not going to, in any way, leave a mark on the day-to-day of the team. Do LeBron and Jay-Z want to build a clubhouse and be bestest friends and make telephones out of cans and string and talk to eachother at night? My vote is no.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
adrian w is a big time hack. forget Z for s-jax. how about wally (sign and trade), for s-jax? immediate cap relief for GS. they have to know they have zero leverage in any kind of s-jax trade anyways.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
@16 – IT’S NEW YORK CITY!!! HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THERE?! To be 25 and wealthy and famous in NYC would be incredible. He’d only have to wait one additional season. Then…every player in the world will line up to play with him there. Jay-Z. Brand new digs in Brooklyn. It’s a no-brainer. Bye bye bron-bron.
I never thought I’d say this, but Rasheed Wallace will forever have changed the Cavs fortunes by not coming to Cleveland. We needed him. He was the perfect fit.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
@ Clown Baby – I DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW A LEAGUE CAN PUT UP WITH HAVING THESE DANGEROUS MINORITY OWNERS!!! :/ smh.
Also, they won’t make telephones out of cans and string, but out of expensive stuff, like empty bottles of Louis XII. String made of carbon nanotube fiber, perhaps. Etcetera.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
On a less doom and gloom note: we are obviously going to struggle with teams like Boston and Toronto because they both have a 2×2 set of mobile bigs who can shoot the mid-range J or beyond. We will not have this problem with Orlando. As I said in another thread, we are now successfully designed to beat Orlando. We are not successfully designed to beat the new-look Celtics. ‘Sheed is too much. Unless we get smart and start playing LBJ on those guys. He can guard Sheed. C’mon.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
I stopped reading after about the 40th paragraph…but, I think people are a TAD over-sensitive at this point. There’s a lot of season left, and absolute dominance isn’t required to win a championship, especially 2 games into the season.
That said, give the team a chance to gel a little, and see how it goes.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
With the potential for a new collective bargaining agreement, I can see Lebron signing 3 year w/ the Cavs b/c they can offer the most money and as of right now, have the best chance to win a championship out of the teams that can supposedly offer him a contract. I could then see him leaving after that contract is up.
In other news, I wonder if we could package Usher and some draft picks to the Nets in exchange for Jay-Z. I wonder how the New York media would spin that.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
I do understand that NYC is a nice place Jack. In fact, a large Lithuanian member of the Cavs organization lives there in the offseason. It’s crazy that he finds the time to go to NYC during the summer and still manages to play for the CLEVELAND Cavaliers. Amazing!
October 29th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
supposedly, if lebron goes to new york, the nba is going to change scheduling for the knicks/nets so that the team never has to leave nyc. the team will never travel and lebron will get to be in nyc every single day of the year.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
@ Ted: Of course. Jay-Z is there. Him and LeBron have standing lunch dates at Chuck E Cheeses.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Two days ago, before the season started, we were all prepared to give the Cavs time. What changed?
October 29th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
@ # 26 – EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED – ABSOLUTELY NOTHING’S CHANGED
/ Pearl Jam’d
October 29th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
they arent going to go 0-82. they win their next game in Min and they are 1-2. the exact same record they had last year.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Still think LeBron picks up his player option for next year:
Let’s go to the facts:
1.) He will make more money next year with the player option than with signing a new contract. LeBron will cross his fingers that the cap will go up prior to the 2011-2012 season before signing a multi-year deal with any team. He doesn’t leave money on the table
2.) Everyone on this roster is signed through 2010 except Shaq and Z (who could easily be resigned for one year) . This team will be a title contender again in 2010.
3.) With the cap in decline, it is almost impossible for a team to sign to max contact guys. If a team does, they would have to renounce the rights to just about (effectively gut) their entire roster and that won’t help that team be a contender
4.) He gets the free agent hoopla for another year.
I’m not going to say he’s going to be here for his entire career, but I’m will to make a bet that he will be back for at least 2010 season.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Not really a problem in my mind. If LeBron leaves Cleveland, I just stop following the NBA again. See, it’s simple. After reading excerpts from the “Blowing the Whistle”, it’s hard to believe the NBA is far removed from the WWF. You just can’t make stuff like that up.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
By the way I’m so glad it’s basketball season again. Rock’s post are well written and very insightful. Keep up the good work Rock.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
# # 31 DCBucks Says:
October 29th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
By the way I’m so glad it’s basketball season again. Rock’s post are well written and very insightful. Keep up the good work Rock.
*********
kiss up!
October 29th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Sorry life isnt fair yall…
Lebron is about his paper first and basketball later that much is made clear…
the fact of the matter before you get into all the other factors is lebron is worth alot more in new york just based on the fact hes in new york, forget all the endorsements and the deals to be cut, endorsements that would figure more than an nba contract can btw.
Now throw in the fact that its the biggest city and biggest market in the known univierse. In a sense new york is the center of the universe and lebron wants to be the biggest star in the center of the universe
now add in the fact that the owner is potentaly russias richest playboy, i mean he treated his cba team with hookers and million dollar vactions regualrly, wth would he do with the nba; and the fact that lebron wants to be a billion year and own his own corperation, were better to fufill his ambitions, its not even close when you look at it like that, cleaveland is a nice place, but new york is just to big mangnet. I mean the russian spends 20 million dollars on a 2 day vacation, he wont break a sweat to bvring lebron here and maybe another big free agent maybe wade < wade himself said it was a possilbily, can you imange devin harris dwyane wade and lebron james on the the same team in new york << BANANA NA NAAAs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 29th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Jupiter. Jupiter is the biggest market in the known universe. Thanks for dropping insight on us.
Also, check me out this weekend while I’m in New York guys – I’ll be worth more simply because I’ll be in New York.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
I honestly have no idea how it’s not tampering. Because it would be way too confusing, and possibly prejudiced, to say “if you’re friends with athletes, you can’t buy a team”?
October 29th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
the hookers and million dollar vacations might fly in russia, but the always image-sensitive david stern will NEVER let that fly in the nba. ever. i dont care who the Nets owner is or thinks he is. he is not bigger than czar stern. he wont be able to dangle that carrot in front of nba player’s faces.
if lebron really cares most about the money – then cleveland would STILL be a smarter move than NJ/NYC. why? everyone knows the biggest developing market isnt russia. its china. thats where the money is. thats where the disposable income is and will be. guess who owns the cavs?? yep – china’s top marketing guys. lebron’s “in” into china’s big money is through them.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
First big market was Ur of the Chaldeans.
Years later, Randall Park Mall became the biggest market.
And now, yes, Jupiter.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
@33. This is the argument that is probably the most ignorant of all things having to do with the media and how the NBA is run in general.
First, this isn’t the 50’s. There aren’t only 3 networks to catch a game on. Doesn’t matter if Lebron plays in New York or Alaska, everyone knows Lebron. Going to New York won’t change that and it won’t get him any more cash. Period.
Second, just because a guy with a lot of money buys a team, doesn’t mean he can get every player he wants because he can spend money. There is a cap, which I thought everyone was aware of by now. They can’t pay him anymore than us, and no way to they get another superstar.
Finally, this is important. THEY ARE NOT MOVING TO BROOKLYN. Do they want to? Yes. Do they have the money to? Maybe. Do either of those things determine whether they get to move? No. It’s all politics and red tape at this point. You’ll be lucky if you see a team in Brooklyn in 3010, let alone the next 20 years.
Some people just don’t understand reality, I guess.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Last I check china was still a communist county, the may econmically be more democratic than ever before, but dont forget this is a contry that executes protesters. No offense but manhattan alone is worth cleaveland a few times over real estate wise. Cleaveland is goin though hard times right now. And on the david stern thing, well bottom line sterns a busniess man and hes going to get along just fine with the new russain owner with a net worth in excess of 9 billion dollars, not to mention the fact it is a great oportunity to expand the game in russia as well as the section of the world.
And the russain well surely behave himself, at least publicly, if lebron james didnt grow up in cleveland what other motivation does he have to stay in claeveland if they dont win a championship???
October 29th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
and also do the math, do the reasearch the nets will have the cap room and the willingness to exceed the luxary cap and sign 2 max contracts this free agent season. I come correct and if you dont think location is important when it comes to free agents your dreaming. And no everyone doesnt have nba season pass, look at kevin durant, ive seen him play once he is out of sight out of mind, if was drafted by ny hypotheicly he would be huge… Good god look at what they made of david lee and nate robinson,, look, there not that good, and yes the nets will move, there biggest challange had been financing, the russian took care of a big part of that they still need to sell their debt, and look it isnt about nba cash its about global mougle cash and new york is a better place than cleaveland to go that route. right now the only challange is the emminent domain case and most experts expect this to be resolved. And Yess have you ever been to time sqaure. Somehow this hotdog cost more simply becuase its in new york.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
booboo,
The man from Russia may have a net worth of $9billion, that shows he knows how to get money for himself. It does not show that he wants to spend exorbitantly for basketball talent. The gist of your post seems to insinuate that Lebron James has come this far to become someone’s lap dog. I don’t think that’s his angle, and if he wants to do real business with the man becoming his employee is a bad start.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Look at it this way… as i said when i come i come correct. Hes owned a basketball team he onws one now ans spends what ever it takes to winn on that level and treats his players well. do some reading.. think of it as a partership.. it would be an invaluabe partership not a boss and employee thing.. Think.. who better to learn from to become a billion year that a multibillion year. think of the networking and, just think! thers olny a few people on the planet and less in the posistion to help lebron reach billion year status.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
he is what i did with 10 seconds of just browsing this site. http://www.waitingfornextyear.com/?p=3225
October 29th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
I just did the math…the Nets just picked up 3 options. Meaning, with a reduction in cap, they will, wait for it, NOT be able to sign two max players.
The threat is, of course, that a max player takes a shade less to dom wid bron in brooklon.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
I can’t afford to do the reading, so I’ll have to take your word for it. As far as partnerships go, I think Lebron would be swimming with sharks a little early, and I bet he would see that, also.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
booboo,
So you’re saying that Lebron would want to move to New York so that he can pay more for real estate and commercial goods than he would living in Akron? Wouldn’t that make whatever he earns worth less than what he would be making by playing for Cleveland? That doesn’t sound like good business to me. Also, why would he choose the NEW JERSEY NETS to play for? I’m pretty sure that anyone would prefer Cleveland to Newark (which is where they are most likely to move.)
October 29th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
that is barring trades as well, they picked up yi, lopez, and lee. i didnt redo the math and things may change will be a possibliy till the end. but if they do sign lebron it would be impossible then him attracting another star for less isnt imposible it happend in boston thou granted the situation is a bit diffrent.
October 29th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
look for the nets the possibility lebron and the new owner all depended on brooklyn. and cribbage i really dont get your arguement. no one is debating the better market etc, if there was even a debate there would be any specualtion at all
October 29th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
jack beat me to it. the nets wont have room for 2 max contracts.
October 29th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
time will tell
October 29th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Im’a tape it.
October 29th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Would the Nets even need the cap space to sign 2 max players? They have Devin Harris, a legit all-star PG that is in his prime. They have Brook Lopez, a young C (those are hard to find) that had a very good rookie year and looks to continue to improve, he had a very good first game. Throw in CDR and Courtney Lee at SG, who are pretty solid and young, and you have a nice starting core around LeBron, assuming they could then use the rest of their cap space, because while they can’t sign 2 max guys (depending on where the cap is next year), they can sign 1 max guy and then still have some cap space to do work. A core of Harris, Lopex, and Lee/CDR to me is very appealing if you want to win a Championship. Is it better then Mo, Shaq, and Delonte/everyone else? If it isn’t now, it will be in a couple years. Plus they will have a high draft pick this year, something the Knicks do not have (traded it away years ago, Utah has it, somehow Knicks fans don’t know this, probably don’t want to know).
It wouldn’t be that simple of course, the Nets are still in NJ and they will be getting a new Coach and GM, which leads to uncertainty, but the Nets have the personnel to be appealing to LeBron
October 29th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
i agree all youd need is lebron and a few role players
October 29th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
booboo snuggles I don’t have time to shoot holes in all your arguments. You really don’t know what you are talking about. You may have heard, or read somewhere and are repeating things, but try this article. It was written by Rock back in 2008, and really is the most comprehensive piece to refute your New York=better argument.
http://www.waitingfornextyear.com/?p=1463
October 29th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
this is probably the best and most popular cleveland sports blog, right? well, the way you are all pissing on the cavs and Lebron after two games, it makes me wonder why he’d want to display any kind of loyalty to a city that’s dumping on him and his team after 8 periods of basketball (since surely this site is checked out by members of the team).
of course, it’ll be just as bad, if not worse, in NY – but he doesn’t know that yet.
anyway, keep up the good work alienating the best thing to happen to cleveland sports since…. ever.
October 29th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
@ Team Brady – It seems like the purpose of this article was to look at the current opinions out there concerning LeBron’s future after these two games. I don’t think Rock has the intention of “pissing on the Cavs” and if you look at Rick’s comment just before you, it is clear that we are definitely in favor of LeBron staying.
We are being honest; the losing streak has surprised us but I don’t think we are taking this team for granted at all. Rock clearly said we are approximately 1/40th of the way through the season, and there are much better things yet to come.
October 29th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
like last night, you are completely off with regard to whom I’m speaking.
do us both a favor and just skip my comments…
October 29th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
Do everyone a favor and just skip your comments. What, someone had to say it.
Kidding. Nobody here is pissing on the Cavs or Lebron. Unlike other, lesser blogs, the people here can actually intelligently criticize what happens in games. Nobody’s panicking because the Cavs lost. People are UNHAPPY with HOW the Cavs have played and been coached. And despite this, I’m guessing at least half the comments and all the posts keep perspective, realizing that it’s 1/41 of the season gone.
I find it pretty unlikely that this (or any) blog will do anything whatsoever to sway Lebron or anyone else on this team in any way. IF Lebron is sensitive enough to fan opinion, you know he’s already aware of what will happen in NY. IF he’s sensitive and follows this blog, he can probably see that the complaints have a lot to do with:
Shaq and Z on the court at the same time
Delonte being absent
Brown’s offensive coaching
Now, is there anyone who would disagree that those are potential issues, EVEN BEFORE THE SEASON BEGAN? And now that it has and these potential issues have actually caused problems in real games that matter, HOW IS THIS CRAPPING ON LEBRON IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM?
October 29th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
yeah, I agree about those potential issues. but if you read the comments posted since game 1, there has been a whole lot of pissin’.
and you don’t think the attitude of the fanbase affects the mindset of the players? think again.
now, take your comment. a clear, concise, and constructive critique. that’s great. next, look at yesterday’s post that was being commented on during the game. someone went all CAPS LOCK and wrote that its time for FULL FLEDGED PANIC MODE. and there were many others along the same lines.
then above you can read “stabs self,” “bron’s gone. book it,” and “I’m assuming Lebron’s gone.” pissing.
anyway, i don’t mean to sound like I dont think everyone should have an opinion and I’m glad we all have an awesome place to share it. I just hate the fatalism that pours out of so many cleveland sports fans. when the red sox and cubs couldn’t win anything, they were lovable losers. fans of bad cleveland teams are just whiny b****es – more often than not.
not that we should embrace the losing. we just shouldn’t be so quick to turn our backs on our teams. nor should we be their harshest critics when they clearly need a little boost from their supporters.
but, this will fall on deaf ears (eyes?). and Jacob will surely take it personally, even though its not directed at him. its ok. i still love me some WFNY…
October 29th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Uh, caps lock is the sarcasm font. Just an FYI. Things like “stabs self” are also pretty clearly hyperbole, but caps lock is a designated sarcasm font.
October 30th, 2009 at 12:00 am
there are plenty of posts that don’t employ sarcasm. why is that hard for you to accept? whats your defense for posts like 16 and 18 (from yesterday)? they’re whining, plain and simple.
and did you read the postw/the caps? b/c that joker clearly believed what he was typing. he went on to spout some crap about jordan and pippen and shaq and wade never needing a couple games to adjust – despite the fact that they were on teams which went 0-3 and 1-2 respectively during championship years.
if you are not one of the people shouting that the sky is falling, then my critique is not for you. end of story.
October 30th, 2009 at 1:45 am
HEY GUYS, DID YOU KNOW THAT LEBRON WILL MAKE HIS DECISION OF WHETHER TO LEAVE OR STAY BASED ON WHAT IS SAID IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT IN A GAME THREAD? AND THE TEAM WON’T WIN UNTIL NOT ONE OF US ACTS LIKE THE SKY IS FALLING. WE ALL BEST BE ON OUR BEST BEHAVIOR. AND WE’RE DOOMED IF THE CAVS READ CLEVELAND.COM AT ALL.
Give me a break. I guess championships were won by teams like the Red Sox and Phillies because their fans never were “just whiny b****es.” Yeah, right. I’m sure during those 85+ years for the Red Sox and 25+ years for the Phillies, there wasn’t a contingent of fans who appeared to “turn [their] backs on [their] teams.” Never fatalistic. Lovable losers, every damn last one of them.
Some of us will spout some things during the progression of a game, that upon later reflection, seems a bit over-reactionary. And some of us will take longer (sometimes much longer) to reach that conclusion. And then, some of us never are calm about anything (FULL FLEDGED PANIC MODE). Those few of us appear to always be doom and gloom. But that last group of fans does not have that profound of an affect on “the mindset of the players.” Especially not with comments made on a game thread on a very popular Cleveland sports site. (That is, unless Mike Brown is reading our comments to the team during the game. Which if he did do this, would help explain the poor in-game adjustments. Stop refreshing WFNY, Mr. B.)
The comments that you pointed out, #16 & #18 (and a list of others could be included too) – I’m sure many of those same thoughts creep into a few of our heads during a game like Wed. night’s. And those fans felt like venting/”whining” those frustrations by posting a comment. It happens. So, please, try not to get so bent of shape with what’s blurted out during the course of a game, or even immediately afterward. The “whole lot of pissin’” isn’t poisoning this team.
Now, come on Cavs. Let’s get a win tonight, and move on from there.
October 30th, 2009 at 7:04 am
@ 62 – Incidents arose, from circumstance.
ADDITIONALLY I FOR ONE WELCOME ANYONE WHO GOES R KELLY ON OUR TEAM.
October 30th, 2009 at 8:23 am
drip-drip-drip
October 30th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Just so there isn’t any confusion….I really didn’t stab myself. I was joking. I should have, in the words of the great Boo Boo Snuggles, come more correct. I also think that Boo Boo and Snuggles are the same person, posing as Boston/NY fans and are here to just rile everyone up. Or they may be two different people, each with massive head wounds.
October 30th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Denny – most hilarious series of posts ever
October 30th, 2009 at 11:03 am
This thread may be dead, and I’ll admit I didn’t read every comment, but one of Rock’s statements really hit me.
“David Stern publicly says he hopes LeBron stays in Cleveland, but he has to say that. But he’s a businessman. He surely has caught himself daydreaming about unifying this nation’s premiere city with the world’s premiere basketball player.”
Pardon the disagreement, but this is a completely conflicting statement.
It is certainly in Stern’s best interest to see Lebron stay in Cleveland. The Knicks will continue to live and even sell truckloads of tickets without Lebron, but Cleveland without Lebron will end up being a dead franchise, and will probably contract. After 7 years of Lebron, there is no way this city supports the Cavs if he leaves in free agency.
That being said, there is absolutely no way in hell Stern has daydreamed about Lebron in New York. He is, after all, a businessman.