Should He Stay Or Should He Go (LBJ)?

For those of you who have never been or lived in Cleveland Ohio you may not be aware of the potential impact of Lebron James free agency. The city and its people are terrified that he will leave. It's not just about bringing the elusive championship back to Cleveland after a VERY long hiatus, it's about money. For Dan Gilbert who owns the Cavs it means the difference between his team being worth $400 million or $250 million, dollars that is. One man makes the team worth $150 million more, any wonder he gets a max contract with max years?

Lets talk about the impact to the city and its economy now. The Mayor, Frank Jackson has been quoted talking to the impact, he projects a 20 to 30% decrease in the downtown areas business if LBJ leaves. Now I have not done the math nor care too but that sounds like a bunch of money to me. Anyone aware of the financial situation in Cleveland? I'll lay a hint on you , it's awful!!! So now the city would have less incoming money and zero hopes of a championship run. Lets face it , Holmgren will need at least 3-5 years to undo what the prior GM did and the Tribe sells players off faster than an Enron officer selling stock before the fall.

So why would the King come back, that was my real point before I went off on a tangent. I believe that the era of needing to be in big markets such as NY, LA or Chicago is over. We use this new device called the Internet for all of our news, heck this blog will be on my phone when I hit submit. Lets say I'm wrong for the naysayer's point of view, the Cavs are owned partly by JianHua Huang out of China, the worlds largest market. He is the same man who also brokered a deal with the dreaded Yanks, yeah he knows what sells. So this large market deal is covered either way.

Let's talk about the important stuff, money. The maximum amount of money a player can sign for is contingent on the number of years that player has played and the total of the salary cap. The maximum salary of a player with 6 or fewer years of experience is $9,000,000 or 25% of the total salary cap (2009-10: $14,472,500). For a player with 7–9 years of experience, the maximum is $11,000,000 or 30% of the cap (2009-10: $17,310,000), and for a player with 10+ years of experience, the maximum is $14,000,000 or 35% of the cap (2008-2009: $20,195,000).

Perhaps the most well-known of the NBA's salary cap exceptions, it is so named because the Celtics were the first team permitted to exceed the salary cap to re-sign one of their own players (in that case, Larry Bird). Free agents who qualify for this exception are called "qualifying veteran free agents" or "Bird Free Agents" in the CBA, and this exception falls under the auspices of the Veteran Free Agent exception. In essence, the Larry Bird exception allows teams to exceed the salary cap to re-sign their own free agents, at an amount up to the maximum salary. This means an additional $30 Million over the entire length of the deal for the King, if money is important to him? He once was quoted as saying he wants to be as rich a Warren Buffet.

With all of this money talk I'd like to switch gears. Lebron loves his family, friends and the city he grew up in. He has won two MVP's and he celebrated the first in his high school and the second at the place where he played in the states for his high school team. He has an enormous house in Akron, built to his needs. Mom, wife and children live there. He talks of the pains of growing up in Cleveland and not winning it all, he knows how chumps like you and I feel. What I am trying to summarize here is loyalty.

I do want to address his other suitors. The Nets with Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov along with long time LBJ friend Jay-Z want the King bad , no doubt. Here's the problem, they stink and need 2 or 3 other legit players to make a serious run. I was terrified about the Bulls taking a run at him, good nucleus with Rose, Noah, Lang and crew. If they could have got Phil Jackson I thought they'd have an edge, unfortunately for them he said no interest all ready. The real dagger comes from D. Wade saying "the Bulls are not loyal to their players." This may have turned off more than Bron. The Clippers, I will not even answer to this. Terrible franchise with cheap owners will not do it for LBJ. The Mavs have a serious owner but I can't see Dirk leaving and LBJ coming. That means LBJ picks up Dirk's nightmares, let's face it the Cavs are closer.

So...tell me where you think he goes and why? I say he stays in Cleveland for a max contract and before it's over he gets 1 ring minimum. If they can lure Phil Jackson, insert the triangle offense and maybe get a point guard that can distribute the ball I like their chances.