Lebron's Lair

So here we are.   Wednesday Night the greatest Free Agency Spectacle of all time will come to an end.   Right now I feel like I am a kid and it's New Years Eve.  When Lebron makes his announcement it'll feel like New Year's Day and the next day will feel like the day we all had to go back to school.  I may even dig through my closet to find an old I.O.U. sweatshirt to wear.  (For the record those were a big deal when I was in Junior High and everyone that got one for Christmas wore it the first day back)

I have gotten a gigantic kick out of the over reaction to his one hour ESPN TV special.   People are furious and my question to them has been: Why?  Seriously why are you getting so worked up?  The minute he announced his decision, no matter when, it was just going to turn into a LIVE edition of NBA Fastbreak anyway.   Everyone that is upset about this TV special is either grandstanding or complaining to complain.  Either way you don't get that this will be entertaining to the extreme.    The only request I would make is that the special should be two hours with LIVE cut ins to different cities like they use for the NCAA Tournament Selection Show or the voting on the Olympics.  He could eliminate a city during each segment of the show.   How great would it be to see Clippers Fans getting the heave ho ten minutes in.  Like that franchise hasn't suffered enough. 

So let's look at the potential suitors and what's at stake. 

1.   Chicago Bulls

      The acquisition of Carlos Boozer is huge.   The fact that they paid him close to $18 million per over 5 years almost assures us that the King will not be going there.  They would need to find a team to take some of the younger talent off their hands.  If Lebron were to go to Chicago they would instantly become the team to beat in the East.  Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Lebron James, Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer...good luck against that line-up and Hello Dynasty. 

2.   Miami Heat

    When I heard that Dwayne Wade had persuaded Chris Bosh to join him in Miami I immediately thought of the Heat as Laker(s) Jr.  You have a great guard and now a big on the block to work through.  Mario Chalmers is also a nice piece to the puzzle.  This team will be formidable for years to come.  I now put them them ahead of Atlanta but still behind Orlando.   If the King heads to South Beach and joins up with Wade and Bosh...Well that just won't be fair and the 1995/1996 Bulls regular season wins record of 72 will get a serious challenge. 

3.  New York Knicks

   Adding Amare Stoudamire will help.  But how much?  The Knicks only won 29 games last year.  Even if Amare is worth 10 wins (which he isn't) this team won't win 40 games and will miss out on the post-season again.  David Lee and Stoudamire give the Knicks one of the better front courts in the Association.  Lebron going to New York would make this team solid.  He is worth 13-15 wins a season.  With the King the Knicks would win 50 games but they wouldn't be elite.  There are too many missing pieces left.  I'd expect them to make the post season and advance but they would not get by Orlando, Miami, or Boston. 

4.  Cleveland Cavaliers 

    And here we are.   Everyone that has wanted to woo Lebron has tried to bait the hook.  New York= Amare, Chicago=Boozer, Miami=Wade & Bosh.  The Cavs haven't made any moves.  Unless you count the hiring of Bryon Scott as head coach as a roster move.   If the King chooses to stay in Cleveland the East will be a different beast than he is accustom.   The Bulls, Heat, and Knicks have all gotten better.  Milwaukee, Charlotte and Atlanta may be a little better.   The Celtics and Orlando will be the teams to beat.   We are about to find out how loyal Lebron is to his city, state and fans.   By being loyal to Cleveland Lebron James will only guarantee one thing:  That he will remain loyal to losing in the NBA Playoffs yet again.