LeBron to Chicago: say it IS soChicago had MJ, Los Angeles had Magic, Boston had Larry, Philly had Dr. J, and Cleveland had Lebron. All of these parings are agreeably true, especially the last one. When LeBron James entered the league back in 2003 for his hometown team, I think we all expected him to be in the category with those above. However, the only certainty about Cleveland having LeBron is that he once played there and is now moving on to bigger and better things.
At 12:01 EST on July 1, 2010, the NBA free agency carousel will start to spin and there is no bigger name out there than James. As for his suitors, it seems only New York and Chicago have the market/city to attract The King. But, yours truly believes there is only one city that can accommodate “the next” Michael Jordan; the Windy City. Here are four reasons why LeBron is out of Cleveland and headed to Chicago:
1. Seven Year Drought - As a 19-year-old out of high school, James was quickly being heralded as the best there ever may be, and he’s certainly on his way. Since being drafted by Cleveland, James is averaging just under 28 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds per game. Additionally, he’s been an All-Star in six of his seven years, and taken his team to the playoffs in five of those seven. Yet, one piece of the puzzle has eluded James; a NBA title. Cleveland general manager, Danny Ferry, thought he built a championship team, but clearly Antwan Jamison and Shaq weren’t enough. James wants a place with a history of championships and the right pieces in place to get him there…
2. The Last Piece - The Bulls already have a good amount of talent, as evident by their recent playoff appearances. Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, James Johnson and Taj Gibson are a solid backbone, but what they need is a star. Rose and Noah could be the second and third best players on any championship team, and adding James would complete the puzzle. It would be a spectacle to watch Rose feed James for alley-oops, and LBJ has reportedly contacted Rose in the recent days. You’d be hard pressed to find a better threesome and starting lineup than James, Rose, and Noah, and…
3. The Wrong Pieces - Sorry New York, but you don’t have any of the pieces to build a championship team. The only thing you have going for you in this race is the ability to sign two max contracts (versus 1 for the Bulls) and Jay-Z as your middleman. Mike D’Antoni is a good coach that could attract a top free agent, but I don’t believe he could look James in the face and say, “we can win a title with you.” James would have a better shot at winning a championship staying where he is in Cleveland than going to the Knicks. New York hasn’t been to the playoffs since LeBron’s first year in the league. Plus, Lebron has not been house shopping in the Big Apple…
4. Highland Park - I have heard through a reliable source that LeBron was seen looking for houses Tuesday in Highland Park, IL. He was seen entering one of two Range Rovers parked outside a house with a ‘for sale’ sign. If anyone is unfamiliar with the Chicagoland area, that location would be anywhere roughly 10-20 minutes away from the Berto Center in Deerfield where the Bulls practice. Coincidence? I think not.
Obviously, there can be no official negotiations between teams and prospective free agents until the July 1 date, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be under the table talks. I’m not a betting man, but this would be one of those rare occasions where I would throw some money on LeBron wearing number six in a Bulls uniform in the fall of 2010.
bamainatlantaYou wake him up, you keep him up
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