There is a need for me, The Most Negative Cleveland Sports Fan Alive, to provide a recorded opinion regarding LeBron James and this free agency circus he has created before things become official.
It would be ridiculous to make any kind of prediction of where he will end up. So many of the rumors are false. But let's start off with the teams in the running and their pros and cons.
Miami
They just signed Chris Bosh and resigned Dwayne Wade. There was word earlier that Bosh, Wade and James would all join together in Miami. There is room under the salary cap to sign all three if they agree. But there is little room for a supporting cast.
New York
Amar'e Stoudemire has already signed in New York giving LeBron a #2. But they have no legitimate guards to run the team.
Chicago
They signed Carlos Boozer and still have room to sign Lebron. They also have a stud in Derrick Rose. In addition they have Luol Deng and Joakim Noah. Suddenly the Noah antics from last season are forgotten. Will the shadow of Micheal Jordan have any kind of effect on his decision?
Cleveland
Right now there is little to keep him in Cleveland other than the pull of his home town. This is a team that won 60 or more games the past two seasons. But the last two seasons have resulted in flame outs in the playoffs. Nobody wants to come to Cleveland. It has become known that he actively recruited Bosh to come to Cleveland and Bosh refused. So Lebron obviously wants to stay here but there may be more reason to leave. Looking back, Boozer let Cleveland. Ray Allen refused to sign. Ohio born Micheal Redd refused to sign. Amar'e Stoudemire refused to come over in a trade leading to the Jamison deal. LeBron is beginning to see he'll never get the number two he needs.
It looks more and more like Chicago or Miami.
But I have one thing I have to get down on public record.
The coach.
Everybody cites Scottie Pippen as Michael Jordan's #2 man that helped him win 6 championships in Chicago. So the naturally we look to who LeBron will have as his #2. His Scottie Pippen.
What everyone forgets is that they didn't win until they had a legitimate coach in Phil Jackson.
After failure upon failure in supposed #2 players for LeBron, could it be the coach that has kept Cleveland from a ring? Could Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison or Shaquille O'Neal be enough? Was it the coach that stood in the way?
With this in mind, maybe Byron Scott who led the New Jersey Nets to TWO NBA Finals appearances and then winning records in New Orleans, could be the difference Cleveland needs.
Maybe the roster is fine, but the coach needs to change.
So it could be argued that if LeBron returns without ANY additions of star quality, the team will improve. This same team has proven they can win 60 games. Maybe Byron Scott is the difference that makes a 60 win team choking in the playoffs a 60 win team that wins in the playoffs.
If Scott can lead the Nets to the Finals (who have stunk more than anyone since he left), he can lead a 60 win team to a ring for sure.
I doubt James returns. I hate to type this but it is the truth.
But I hope in my heart he thinks about the new coach. I hope he realizes what he has built here. I hope he cares about the relationships he has built here. I hope he thinks about the loyalty of the fan base here. I hope he realizes how meaningful a ring would be here as opposed to anywhere else.
There is a Hollywood story shaping up in Cleveland, Ohio. He is the lead role. He is the Icon. It would be the stuff legends are made of.
Winning anywhere else pales in comparison. It would be diluted.
Unfortunately, this looks more and more like another heartbreak. A story we in Cleveland have seen time and time again. We all know what is coming.
So once agian we must grit our teeth and bare it.
