then it’s NY/NJ, LA, or to a lesser extent Boston. I think Boston makes the least sense though because 2 more years on PP, KG, and Ray are going to make them no better than Cleveland, and potentially worse with a declining future.

The dream/nightmare scenario for the NBA is if he does something like sign with the Lakers for a mid level exception or some other sham value that is way below his market rate. This would be an instant ratings and earnings bonanza for the league, but would effectively create a HUGE hole in the salary cap structure whereby big market teams all of a sudden have a major advantage again over small market teams – the main advantage the salary cap is supposed to help level. Welcome to the MLB competitive balance model.

Portland = gulag

I don’t really think Lebron fits on the current Blazer team. He requires the ball in his hands (and that’s where you want it) but so does Roy. Purely from that standpoint, I don’t think the two would coexist well, unless it was determined that either could really develop the skill to play off of the ball.

On top of that, whether he takes a max deal or not, it generally doesn’t work out well for teams when they have too many max contract type players…there’s just not enough touches to go around.

Ah! You all forget… Blazers team president Larry Miller is a former Nike executive. I bet he could pull a few strings for Bron Bron to get his paycheck.

And, if LeBron still wants more money, then Paul Allen could legally adopt him and make him the sole heir to his fortune.

Beat that!

While I don’t see him taking the mid-level, I don’t think its accurate to say what he cares about most is money. I think he cares about fame and adulation. I think goo-gobs of money tie into that in a vanity kind of thing, and signifier that he the best in the world, famous beyond basketball.

What this also means is he is not going to want to play along side Dwayne Wade or Kobe Bryant (and quite frankly, those aren’t the kind of guys that are looking to share the lime light either). He needs a sidekick, a Scottie Pippen, and those are #1 guys. I think even Bosh doesn’t want to be a sidekick.

We fans think championships and winning and history are the most important things. While most NBA player undoubtedly think those things are important, they do (and should) consider other factors with just as much weight; money, happiness, ego.