It’s not as obvious a sign as how he sets his hat on a table, but LeBron may have given a subtle clue as to whether he plans to sign his extention to stay in Cleveland this summer.
Again, these are only words that came out of his mouth, but there may be something to be read into this. It’s not gonna be an easy thing to decipher, but thank god we finally have something to go on.
“We did a great job of making the playoffs, but our goal is higher now,” James said. “We’re going to try to get better and try to come back and win a championship.”
“I need to sit down with my agent and the Cavaliers and get something done,” he said. “Of course, I want to stay. This season has given me a good frame of mind about me being a part of this organization for a long time. I think we can come to an agreement that’s suitable for both sides. We’re going to try to get something done.”
Again, take a step back and let those sink in…really analyze it. We have, and unfortunately for Cleveland, the “I want to stay” part may actually mean “Death to all thee on the Lake of Erie. A plague upon you, for the Knickerbocker do thus call unto me.”
Damn. Oh, well.
We were putting a moratorium on Cavs talk for awhile, but this is as good a time as ever to do a quick rundown of the summer needs. Get a new point guard, overhaul the offense, find a backup center. That’s a good start – guys like Marshall and Jones can shoot, provided they’re given an offense that gets them open. People forget we were without Hughes basically all year, too.
Don’t get scared, but we’d love a sign-and-trade of Drew Gooden for Sebastian Telfair. Nice young kid that can play with LBJ for the next 12-infinity years. Since LeBron and Hughes are such good facilitators, you don’t need an All-Star PG – just someone who can get the ball up the court quickly, score if needed, and D up. Snow would be a great mentor for someone like him at this stage, too.
Mike Brown and Danny Ferry’s season end press conference is a beautiful thing. Ferry totally gets it, and Brown is fully aware of his offensive shortcomings. Let’s assume they get addressed, especially since they mentioned the small staff of assistants.
Okay – that’s all for real now. Back to more gold like yesterday’s Clips-Suns post. That’s in our top five favorite posts in the history of this blog, and it might be the most useless and dumb one ever.
Oh, and Cleveland Plain Dealer – you had to do this again?
{ 19 comments }
can I just say that the mavs game last night was the worst officiated game I have seen in a very long time. cuban’s BDP (apologies to brandon) would have written one hell of a blog entry if they had ended up losing. we see your earpiece, dick bavetta, and know of the sweet nothings stern is whispering.
also, I want a damn answer as to the little suction thingies flanking timmy’s pecs.
Maybe that’s not Tim Duncan, but a Tim Duncan clone, which is why it has no personality?
Those are where it was fed in the gestation tube device thing.
Haven’t you seen DaVinci Code? It’s all about the symbols. His quote is an anagram for, “I heart New York.”
I’m 90% sure he’s totally staying. Only because I’m really paranoid.
wait, what else could BDP stand for? i’m intrigued
Did Ferry appologize for being the reason your team never reached it’s potential in the 90s?
Bron-Bron can lick my balls!
I don’t think that gets talked about a lot around the office.
The cavs should get some young help in the draft.
Ok Cavalier, what’s your gut saying. LBJ staying forever, or going. I’m torn, if he looks at the $$$$’s, he’ll go to a bigger market, if he wants to win, I think the Cavs can do that for him.
Since you’re a fan, I want to know what you really think, not what you hope!
Here’s my honest analysis, and this is filled with neat facts.
1) If he wants to win, he stays in Cleveland, unless he wants to go sign for the minimum in San Antonio or something. I think we can all rule this out. The Cavs won 50, have a kickass owner, and a bright future.
2) If he wants a legacy all his own, he does it in Cleveland. He can become synonymous with the franchise, just like Jordan=Bulls for all-time. This is important and overlooked from a historical perspective. Kobe could win 3 more titles for the Lakers, and he’s still sharing history with a handful of other players.
3) The money increase in endorsements in negligible if he goes to a bigger market, despite what people will say. Ask Windhorst. Besides, does anyone think he couldn’t call Nike today and get whatever sort of raise he wanted?
4) This “the NBA wants him in NYC” is a dumb conspiracy to give people things to write – if this was the case, why didn’t they just rig the lottery in 03?
The NBA thrives if all of its franchises are thriving and profiting. The Knicks sell out and make a zillion dollars every single year, regardless of what the team does. Basketball was dying in Cleveland before LeBron – now the franchise value is way up, you’ve got another arena that will sell out every night, and kids in China are wearing Cleveland gear, which leads to…
5) David Stern thinks globally in terms of growth. Argentinian fans don’t care if LeBron is in NYC, Cleveland, or the middle of the Pacific Ocean, as long as he’s playing.
6) He’s from the area. Everyone wants to overlook it or assume it’s impossible, but he likes it there.
Discuss.
clearly, you’re not a deadspin fan…
http://www.deadspin.com/sports/nba/hasselhoff-nowitzki-lead-mavs-past-spurs-175568.php
Nah, I saw it. I thought it would be really funny if it were made-up, but the fact that it’s true kills it for me. I had no reaction to it whatsoever. Dunno know why.
1) Agreed-I think Cleveland has a bright future with the age of their players, and the optomism of the organization. With a couple of smart moves, they can build on this season. Barkley’s comments on the issue=hot air. That guy just loves to hear himself speak.
2) I’m sure that Cleveland will bring this up quite a bit during negotiations. Where else could he go and have this chance? If they promise to do everything they can to increase his legacy(and why wouldn’t they), this will be a great bargaining chip
3) Sure he can get more money from Nike if he wants. I think the ceiling is higher in some of the larger markets though. He’s definately marketable wherever he goes, but it’s much easier to get press in a larger market.
4 & 5) I don’t think the NBA gives a shit where he’s at. Like you said, he has global marketability. I think it’s more about his ego. Does he want to be a big fish in a small pond, or a big fish in a large pond.
6) Yeah, he’s from the area. Yeah, he has friends and family there. What the hell does he do on his off days though? It’s not like he can go hang out with (insert random famous persons name here) in Cleveland though.
I think his best choice is to stay in Cleveland and establish a lasting legacy. I see lot’s of athletes that get caught up in the glitz and glamor of the big cities though, and I think that will weigh on his decision. Sure he’s playing in front of the big names when he’s in the playoffs, but that middle of the season game against the Bucks…who wouldn’t rather be playing in the garden?
There’s really no negotiation to be had – it’s
“Here’s the max”.
“Okay, cool.”
Everything you read about him says he’s not into the big media crush, and the sparse amount of interviews and such with him supports it.
As for hanging out and stuff – like I said he was raised in the area. He likes it there. If he wants to go spend a weekend or even a night in NYC, go. He can certainly afford it.
I just don’t see him putting his ability to go to New York clubs or hang out with celebs over everything else. He’s been famous since he was 16 – I don’t think it’s a big deal to him.
Whatever the case, even after he signs this summer, I’m sure the first article from Skip Bayless will be about how if he’s not satisfied by game 3 of the season, he’ll be demanding a trade. This is going to be an ongoing thing, no matter what he says or does. If he wins it all, they’ll say he wants to leave for a new challenge or something.
That hanging out thing is not even a factor. Him and his boys hop on private jets and fly anywhere they want. So it’s not really a factor.
I thought they rigged it so he could go to his hometown team. The Nuggets were just as ping-pongy in that lottery as the Cavs.
Dammit, Plain Dealer. That song just needs to stop. Period. It was OK at first, but then people figured out that you can apply to to virtually any situation where something goes wrong or somebody loses something or life is generally not hunky-dory and it got run straight into the ground.
Hopefully after the current season of American Idol (where they use it to send off some loser every week) ends tomorrow (?) we’ll be free of it.
Oh, BTW, sorry for the double-post, but…
“Maybe that’s not Tim Duncan, but a Tim Duncan clone, which is why it has no personality?”
…sort of implies the “original” Tim Duncan DID have a personality.
Which he did/does not.
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