The biggest question of the summer, right behind 'will the entire Gulf turn to oil?' and right ahead of 'OMG who will win American Idol, Lee or Crystal?', is for which team will LeBron James be playing come July 1st. At the stroke of midnight July 1, the best basketball player in the world becomes a free agent and can sign a contract with any team. LeBron has been noncommittal up to this point, dodging questions about his future the way he does defenders on the way to the hoop. While every team in the NBA would want a player of his caliber, there are only a select few with a realistic chance of signing him. Allow me to evaluate these contenders chances and emerge with a chosen team for the Chosen One.
Cleveland Cavaliers - The presumed leaders as they are his current team, can offer him the most money due to the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, and have the hometown advantage as LeBron is from nearby Akron. However, they have spent the past 7 seasons trying to build LeBron a supporting cast capable of winning an NBA title, and they have failed miserably. Add to this the recent rumor swirling of a member of the Cavs hooking up with LeBron's mom during their ill-fated series against the Celtics, and it equals a disgruntled LeBron. They have no salary-cap flexibility with which to add players this summer, so I think LeBron is likely to flee Cleveland this summer, and put the state of O-H-N-O in his rearview mirror permanently.
Chicago Bulls - Chitown has been floated as a destination, as they have the cap space to sign him, and most importantly, a strong team already in place to help him achieve his goal of a championship. But why would he want to go to the one place where he can never be the best, the most dominant player a franchise has ever had? In Chicago, he will always be in Michael Jordan's inimitable shadow, and I don't think that sits right with LeBron, or his ego. Which leads me to his new team...
New York Knickerbockers - The Knicks seemingly offer LeBron everything he could ever want - enough money to buy a small island, marketing opportunities out the wazoo, a legendary place in the world's most important city, and a team that will be his and his alone. They play an attractive style of run-and-gun ball, or at least they will with LeBron at the helm, and they have the cap space to bring in another superstar, most likely Chris Bosh, to be a Scottie Pippen to James' Jordan. Beyond the dollars, and the basketball politics, lies the trump card - NYC is the center of the world stage, and that's where I think LeBron wants to be.
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