Today's Poll

But I’ve said this before. If LeBron really-really-really wants championships and not just one or two, then he had better think about coming to a stacked young team, or paring up with another young superstar. Because when he goes to NY, they’re going to have to build a team around him, and excluding Boston, that normally takes a long time.

Imagine if he came for the the MLE? He could have the potential become a legend and global icon that would trump Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.

Oh wait, I’m too late on that one, huh? Darn it!

You never say never, but the only way this could happen is:

A. Cleveland is sure LeBron is going to leave them in 2010.

B. Portland is sure LeBron ISN’T going to leave them in 2010.

C. Portland is willing to give up a glut of young talent in 2009 to make it happen before LeBron hits the open market…including names it would be very, very painful to part with.

—Dave

Linkity-link-link-link.

I know it’s LeBron-freaking-James. But I’m not sure I want him. I like who the Blazers are – an unselfish, team oriented up-and-commer. James would change that dramattically. Would we win more? Maybe. Would I like the team better? Not really. So I voted for other.

It’s grade school stuff. Besides, isn’t Lebron’s open flirtation with NY a little disgusting?

I used to talk about how awesome it would be if Chris Webber, Letrell Sprewell, and Penny Hardaway came to Portland, but I was 10 years old.

Basically, the trade machine is running wild. Giving up Roy, LMA, and Rudy in one scenario, and Oden, Rudy, Roy, and Outlaw in the other.

What would be the point of doing that? We’d be just like Cleveland over these past 4 years. A one man show that hasn’t accomplished much (outside of one conference finals appearance). This form of addition by subtraction would be highly detrimental.

regardless of where he lands. I can imagine us being the team that plays together and beats the one star, many scrubs teams that he ends up on. I wouldn’t want him, but I acknowledge that he is an amazing player.

But I HATE any player who refers to his “supporting cast.” I want my team to BEAT that guy, not acquire him. How sweet would it be if the Blazers were to meet LeBron’s Knicks in the Finals season after season—and to beat them EACH AND EVERY time. It would be the ultimate triumph of team-orientedness over the star system—just like the ’77 Finals.

Can you IMAGINE the knashing of teeth in the East-o-centric media as the hick town from, like, Siberia keeps the blessed Knickerbockers and THE CHOSEN ONE from their manifest destiny? David Stern would have to re-hire Donaghy.

No Roy, no trade. Do you all NOT remember the Bob Whitsitt era when talent was the sole factor in player selection? When the only chemistry this team knew were the remedial classes they slept through back in high school? Is there ANY question who the leader of this team is right now, and who commands the respect of every other player in the locker room?

LeBron would possibly get there at some point, but it would definitely take time. For whatever reason, there’s always tension beneath the surface whenever James is involved with a team.

Also, no one has brought up the coach-player dynamic in this discussion yet. Nate’s part teacher/part drill sargeant. LeBron’s been known to do his own thing despite instruction from the coaching staff. Of course, he’s had the enormous talent to be able to do this with less experienced and type-B personality coaches. Who’s to say this might not be a bad match, and might blow up the best locker room in the NBA?

There’s far too many question marks with this, not the least of them being the trouble of re-signing LeBron in 2010. But if Roy was still with the team, I think a lot of those problems would take care of themselves.

However, it’s a near-guarantee that Roy would have to be a part of any deal for James. It’s just not worth it.

Here is my take. James couldn’t beat the Spurs by himself. Cleveland will acquire another good player this year for the Wally World Expiring Contract (throw in picks and Pavlovic or someone like that to get say a player like Michael Redd), and thus might reach the ECF this year and in 2009. Maybe that’s enough to win it all. More likely he/they get stopped by Boston or whoever gets out of the West again unless something more miraculous than his performance against Detroit happens.
Then LeBron will stay in Cleveland for max money 6 years if they manage to acquire another maximum salary free agent (e.g. Amare) with their load of 2010 cap space (more than NY) and maybe a new coach in 2010 – or even before if they find a taker for the expiring deals of Wallace and Ilgauskas on a team that is rebuilding. He then goes on to win at least a title or two with that combo. Or he goes to NY/Brooklyn for a similar scenario with potentially more off-court fame and money on an otherwise gutted team that highly theoretically might become the “Bosh, James, Nash/Wade” pipe dream Simmons is talking about. Or he gets completely crazy for money, says “I’m still young enough”, plays a year in Russia/Greece for $50 million, get filthy rich with global marketing deals, and then come back as the savior of the NBA.

In all likelihood, he is not going to Detroit like Detroit hopes. He is not going to Dallas like Dallas hopes. And he is not going to Portland like – uhm – some people in Portland might hope.

LBJ … no thank you.

(I’m not kidding)

Although I’ve lived in the Puget Sound my entire life and love this region with all my heart, it doesn’t make one bit of sense for James to play here under any circumstances.

As it is, the best situation for James financially and competitively is to sign with the New York Knicks beside a couple of other top-notch superstars — such as Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade — which may occur in 2010, albeit only if Donnie Walsh manages to dump Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries in the next year. In that scenario, the Knicks could make a run at the pinnacle of dominance established by the Boston Celtics in the 1960s.

Lastly, I’m a huge Washington Huskies fan and have been in awe of Brandon Roy since he first stepped foot on the court of Bank of America Arena; nonetheless, I’d rather the Blazers have James over Roy — no matter the fact that it’s a downright impossible scenario — and, as far as I’m concerned, any fan of the Blazers who claims otherwise should seriously consider checking themselves into a mental asylum. That kind of creepy, cringeworthy attachment to a player screams obsession. Okay, that’s a bit of hyperbole, but y’all get my point.

All things considered, though, a convoluted topic such as this isn’t even worthy of discussion at this point.

I would let go is Aldridge, swap him for Hickson & Ben Wallace(BWEC anyone?). Ben Wallace proved to me vs the Knicks he can still be a defensive presence and would definitely help to have him in practice against Oden !

The NBA’s off-court subplots, in many ways, have become just as fun as anything happening on the court. Because of the Internet, sports radio, team blogs, better information guys and everything else, the whole trade/draft/free-agent market has practically evolved into its own sport to follow. We love reading mock drafts, making up fake trades, arguing about GM mistakes, discussing the latest moves and everything else. That’s just become part of being a hoops fan.

because it was funny, and LBJ should want to be here. If he wants rings, he needs the blazers or LA. End of story.

LA has a bigger market.

He’ll either sign with a franchise with a lot of potential or work a deal on the side with players such as Bosh, Wade, etc to all sign for low $$$’s and play in New York and build a dynasty.

You heard it here 1st.

the way he has been acting has been obnoxious. maybe it’s just because Im a PTB fan and I understand how it is to be a fan of a small market team. but if he leaves to go to NY,I hope he never gets a sniff at a ring. how great would it be for THIS small market team to be the team to keep him from getting it.