Where Should Lebron James Sign as a Free Agent?

June 30, 2010

By 5-Min Break

With the NBA free agency period set to open at midnight tonight (or is it tomorrow?), the big question on everyone’s minds is where Lebron James plans to sign. So does Cleveland Rock, Lebron <3 New York, or is the Second City the King’s second NBA city? The Taking Back Columnists debate!

(If you’re interested in where the rest of the top tier free agents should sign, check out the Phoenix’s NBA free agency column.)

Jack of All Sports

Let me kick things off by saying that Lebron should go west, like Fievel, to the Clippers, that is if owner Donald Sterling –a.k.a. Notorious C.H.E.A.P. — is willing to pony up a max contract. LeBron on a team with Blake Griffin and Baron Davis, and playing in the same town as Kobe? Yowser! Imagine all the extra sponsorship money for LeBron with new Nike puppet commercials!

The Phoenix

I can’t argue with the Clippers. Los Angeles already has a good young nucleus in place, and LeBron instantly makes them players in the west. I mean, the starting five for the Clips would be Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Lebron James, Blake Griffin and Kaman. To quote Jim Ross, GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY! Unfortunately, Donald Sterling gives me the same feeling I got when Rush Limbaugh joined the ESPN NFL Countdown crew. To quote Star Wars, I have a bad feeling about this.

Honestly, LeBron, stay in Cleveland. You are not what went wrong. Shaq was what went wrong. Yeah, I get the Dwight Howard factor, but the Celtics beat Orlando this year without an overpaid, broken down 300-pound roadblock. Why? They simply put bodies on Howard and had athletic guys on the shooters. All O’Neal ended up doing in Cleveland was the same thing he did in Phoenix — get in the way. When your primary offense involves getting to the rim, putting Shaq’s big ass in the way is not exactly the right thing to do.

Here are a few names to consider this off-season. Number one, Ronnie Brewer. He’s 6-foot-7, 220 pounds and plays lock down defense. This frees up LBJ on the offensive end because he wouldn’t have to guard the best guy on the floor every night. Number two — he’s what Dr. Sports Fan refers to as an “Adio Royster Guy” — Mike Miller. They SHOULD HAVE gotten Miller in the Jameson trade. He’s deceptively athletic and shoots 40 percent from three point land. You can start Miller (because you don’t have any other shooting guards) or bring him off the bench (since he was the ‘06 Sixth Man of the Year).

Dr. Sports Fan

No question, Mike Miller is a charter member of “Adio Royster Guys”. But back to the issue at hand. While each of you make strong arguments that Lebron should go to Los Angeles or stay in Cleveland, why shouldn’t LBJ should go to the Knicks. IN NEW YORK! Those streets will make him feel brand new, right?

Ok, corny jokes aside. Do we really want to be in a world in which Lebron James is in every single commercial like Kobe Bryant circa the 2001 Finals, you know pre-rape and before his cat fight with Shaq? That’s the reality we’re looking at if James signs in L.A. or N.Y.C. I mean, if he’s already in a bunch of commercials now, it’s only going to get worse when he can shoot one on an off-day midseason.

As I’m writing this response on Tuesday evening, the big reports are that King James has met up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and the trio plan on signing together, most likely in Miami. While this instantly puts the Heat in the NBA’s penthouse suite with the Lakers and Celtics, are we — as fans — ready for the media frenzy of an LBJ/D-Wade alpha male combo? How long until we start getting stories from Dan Lebatard in the Miami Herald quoting anonymous sources that say Lebron wants a trade? This free agency needs to reset the pieces of the NBA chess board for the next ten years. We can’t have any alpha male drama between Wade and James.

So I’ve decided to agree with the Phoenix on this one. Lebron must stay in Cleveland to deliver a title. After all, he is the chosen one right?

Jack of All Sports

As cool as it would be to see LeBron in Los Angeles, I am ultimately also with the Phoenix and would like to see him stay in Cleveland. The city certainly needs him to stay — the Cavaliers were really hanging by a thread before LeBron arrived –and the team has the cap space to bring in help for him so that he can win a title. The pressure on LeBron’s shoulders will be immense if he signs a deal anywhere besides Cleveland, and that is a distraction he needn’t subject himself.

In a sports era defined by a distinct lack of loyalty, wouldn’t it be a great story for LeBron to stick with his home-state club for his entire career, bring home a title, and save the NBA in Cleveland?

My condolences to Spike Lee and Jay-Z. The Empire State didn’t win out on this edition of 5-Min Break.

Dr. Sports Fan

Score one for the Phoenix! Any parting words or a victory lap, Mr. Royster?

The Phoenix

Victory lap? What do you think I am, some kind of egotistical maniac? I’m totally fine with the joy of a successful argument as I sip the finest wines from glasses comprised of old windows of the Sistine Chapel.

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