From LA Times Laker's report! Just a blurb, heh heh!

[Yuma]

Long-range Laker plans provided for a run at Yao Ming or Amare Stoudemire in summer 2007, but they signed maximum contracts to stay with their respective teams, leaving the Lakers, and others, rolling the calendar back to 2008 for the next crop of young free agents that could include LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade.

Always nice to ruin the Lakers' plans!

 

[Chaplin]

Always nice to ruin the Lakers' plans!

10 to 1, all 3 of the "new" guys they will target will ALSO sign long-term deals, ESPECIALLY Lebron and Wade.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

10 to 1, all 3 of the "new" guys they will target will ALSO sign long-term deals, ESPECIALLY Lebron and Wade.

If for some reason Cleveland does not get to the ECF the next two seasons, there will be alot of pressure on Lebron internally and externally to see if the grass is greener. Going to LA might be a possibility although i don't think there is enough light on the planet for both Lebron and Kobe to share it in the same place. But if all of you are right and Kobe is in fact overrated and is mostly a product of Shaq (which I really disagree with but time will tell) a sign and trade might be the talk du jour........

 

[scotsman13]

melo would be perfect for the lakers. just think that he is a little crybaby who thinks he is something better then he is. sounds like another laker.

 

[Yuma]

If for some reason Cleveland does not get to the ECF the next two seasons, there will be alot of pressure on Lebron internally and externally to see if the grass is greener. Going to LA might be a possibility although i don't think there is enough light on the planet for both Lebron and Kobe to share it in the same place. But if all of you are right and Kobe is in fact overrated and is mostly a product of Shaq (which I really disagree with but time will tell) a sign and trade might be the talk du jour........

Supposedly Lebron's rep is he likes to pass the ball. If they can make Kobe believe that, it may be good. However, Lebron is too similar a player to Kobe for me to see why it would work with two guys like that. Both like to jump shoot and drive to the bucket. Seems like complimentary players to Kobe would be better than having two "Kobes" on the court at the same time. Kobe needs a "Pippen" defensive shut down guy who can hit the three to help him out, I would think.

 

[Amare32]

All the big name players are going to be locked up before they are FA's. The Lakers depending on these superstars to be available to them is wishful thinking.

 

[coloradosun]

There no reason for LeBron to leave Cleveland, his roots are in Ohio and I believe he will want to bring home a championship to the state.

Wade is the anti Kobe and Shaq has promoted him as such. Kobe and Wade will never be a tandem.

Carmelo would be the only possible defector from their current teams. There is a me in Melo and I could see him jumping ship from Denver to go to the bright lights of LA. If they get him, so what. He is the most overated of that class any way.

 

[George O'Brien]

There no reason for LeBron to leave Cleveland, his roots are in Ohio and I believe he will want to bring home a championship to the state.

Wade is the anti Kobe and Shaq has promoted him as such. Kobe and Wade will never be a tandem.

Carmelo would be the only possible defector from their current teams. There is a me in Melo and I could see him jumping ship from Denver to go to the bright lights of LA. If they get him, so what. He is the most overated of that class any way.

It will be interesting how Melo and George Karl mesh over the long run. George has a rep for pushing everyone hard which gets results but wears pretty quickly. If Melo buys in he could do well, but once he starts pushing back it could get dicy.

 

[Joe Mama]

Toronto will likely have to overpay Chris Bosh to keep him in a raptor's uniform.

Joe Mama

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Toronto will likely have to overpay Chris Bosh to keep him in a raptor's uniform.

Joe Mama

If Bosh continues his progression he would likely warrant a max contract anyways. He had great numbers last season considering it was his second year (close to Amare, just 3ppg shy).

Even if his numbers stayed the same next season he would get close to the max on the open market due to his size. With the team formally being handed to him for next season, he should average about 22ppg and close to 10 boards.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

All the big name players are going to be locked up before they are FA's. The Lakers depending on these superstars to be available to them is wishful thinking.

Exactly, the top guys are all RFAs. The only way an RFA leaves is if there is a team willing to pay well above the player's value. The people the Lakers want have all will get big deals from their current teams and are considered the future of the franchise.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

There no reason for LeBron to leave Cleveland, his roots are in Ohio and I believe he will want to bring home a championship to the state.

Wade is the anti Kobe and Shaq has promoted him as such. Kobe and Wade will never be a tandem.

Carmelo would be the only possible defector from their current teams. There is a me in Melo and I could see him jumping ship from Denver to go to the bright lights of LA. If they get him, so what. He is the most overated of that class any way.

Too simplistic colorado....

You know where I stand on these type of issues, 9 times out of 10 players go for the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and then winning

Clevland may be able to offer the most but Lebron's brand equity goes up astronmically if he plays in NY or LA or on a team that is in constant contention. If Cleveland proves over the next two seasons that they don't have the right players picked from this off season (and they are all locked in now), Lebron is not leaving his legacy in the hands of Danny Ferry and dan Gilbert. Ohio boy or not dude is gone.

Of course if he can win in Cleveland I believe it would be his preference but that is no sure thing........

 

[nathan]

Maybe the Lakers can make a run at getting Casey Jacobsen to come over from Spain.

 

[Joe Mama]

Too simplistic colorado....

You know where I stand on these type of issues, 9 times out of 10 players go for the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and then winning

Clevland may be able to offer the most but Lebron's brand equity goes up astronmically if he plays in NY or LA or on a team that is in constant contention. If Cleveland proves over the next two seasons that they don't have the right players picked from this off season (and they are all locked in now), Lebron is not leaving his legacy in the hands of Danny Ferry and dan Gilbert. Ohio boy or not dude is gone.

Of course if he can win in Cleveland I believe it would be his preference but that is no sure thing........

I'm 99% sure I read that Lebron James' Nike contract does not change if he moves to New York or LA. Even though he already has a lot of money I think he would have to be very, very discouraged in Cleveland to play for two extra years without a maximum extension/deal in order to become an unrestricted free agent. As people have pointed out repeatedly here it's only happened a few times and never with top-tier players.

I like the moves Cleveland has made this summer. I'm not sure signing Larry Hughes to a big contract was the smartest move, but I like the Marshall and Damon Jones signings.

Joe Mama

 

[George O'Brien]

If the Cavs had not messed up with the firing of Silas, they'd have been in the playoffs last season. It doesn't help that they are in the most competative division in the NBA (Pistons, Pacers, and Heat), so they could very well and still end up with only a fith or sixth seed.

 

[elindholm]

Toronto will likely have to overpay Chris Bosh to keep him in a raptor's uniform.

I'd rather have Bosh than Tyson Chandler. Chandler just got max money for sitting on the bench half of each game.

 

[elindholm]

You know where I stand on these type of issues, 9 times out of 10 players go for the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and then winning

Yes, "too simplistic" is a good description. Grant, Finley, and Payton all took less money to get to a team they wanted this summer.

And incidentally, here's a direct quote from Antonio Davis this morning, courtesy of HoopsHype:

"But a lot of times, it's not just about the money. It's about quality of life."

 

[LakeShowMan]

Who needs Amare or Yao. We got Kwame!!!

 

[Arizona's Finest]

You know where I stand on these type of issues, 9 times out of 10 players go for the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and then winning

Yes, "too simplistic" is a good description. Grant, Finley, and Payton all took less money to get to a team they wanted this summer.

And incidentally, here's a direct quote from Antonio Davis this morning, courtesy of HoopsHype:

"But a lot of times, it's not just about the money. It's about quality of life."

And the debate continues.....

It should be noted that those are all vets who have established themselves financially and are looking to improve their legacy with a ring. I actually think for the really good players, legacy is the most important factor and that along with the numerous endorsment deals a player like Lebron could get in a larger market are possibly reasons he would leave Cleveland. If they can't establish some winning in the next two years, he is gone. That is my point. But still, this is a B-U-S-I-N-E-S-S for these guys. We put our idealic thought processes to these players and have no real terms concept of how much money, security, and well being is on the table.

Surely as Joe Johnson has proved legacy and money are VERY to players important. Legacy is not necessarily about winning as Joe wanted a place where he would be the focal point. So I will re-assess my comment and say ( this is GENERAL consensus of course, there are exceptions to everything):

8 years or less = Go for the $$$$ (aka..where can i shine and where do i sign), 8 years or more= Where can i fill out my end of career resume and get a ring.

I agree eric, SOME of the time, players do play for less for QOL......Its like my current job. I live in Miami where they pay me X dollars. If a similar job was offerend in Alaska at X multiplyed by two, i would stick with the QOL I have out here. But if X is multiplyed by three, i would have my financial future to consider. Everyone has their price and my point is that Lebron a) has a lot of pressure from friends, family and even the NBA to play somewhere he can be marketed more aptly.

Still i persist, if James moves on it is because he is concerned Cleveland won't allow him an opportunity for a ring in the near future. More endorsments would likely be a anciallary benefit.....

 

[elindholm]

We put our idealic thought processes to these players and have no real terms concept of how much money, security, and well being is on the table.

Please don't say that I have "no real terms concept" of the basic issues just because I happen to disagree with you.

Surely as Joe Johnson has proved legacy and money are VERY to players important.

He didn't prove any such thing. He proved that legacy and money are important to him.

If your point is that young players will usually follow the money, I agree. I know that the topic was LeBron James, but you were making a much more sweeping statement. With James, it's a little hard to tell what kind of financial choice he'll be faced with, because of the endorsement wild card. I agree, however, that he's likely to take an extension from the Cavaliers, at least this time around.

Out of curiosity, though, how come you're so confident James will stay in Cleveland, when you were so pessimistic that Stoudemire was going to bolt the Suns?

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Man you got that one down fast...

We put our idealic thought processes to these players and have no real terms concept of how much money, security, and well being is on the table.


Please don't say that I have "no real terms concept" of the basic issues just because I happen to disagree with you

Don't take offense, i meant that it is hard for us to put the money in "real terms" because the numbers are thrown around so often. The run of the mill "21 million dollar contract" is like funny money almost to fans. How many times from all fans have we heard, "well just offer another million", or "add a year", or "allow an opt out with renegotiation" when it comes contract times. The finacial numbers are so often published and so universally known thta we tend to just glaze over them. 99.9% of fans are not even close to millionairesso we have a hard time understanding how people can make decisions based on a "million here or there". Well, billion dollar fortune 50 companies make fiscal descions like that every day and we accept it. These guys are like little mini businesses and we should come to grips with a million dollars is always going to be a consideration in any decsion, even if you are Bill Gates.

I was speaking to Lebron and his being young, so i know those kind of decsions don't encompass everybody. I just thinks its the rule rather then the exception more often than not. And i understand it. Thats all im saying.

Out of curiosity, though, how come you're so confident James will stay in Cleveland, when you were so pessimistic that Stoudemire was going to bolt the Suns?

If you read my initial post you'll see i'm NOT confident Lebron will stay in Cle. I realize he is from the area and he is the home town hero so money being equal, winning will take precedence. If thats the Cavs than so be it. Still I'm not sure Cle. made the right moves this off season and for the sake of the franchise's well being, i hope Ferry knew what he was doing. I was afraid of Amare bolting because it was worst case scenario and as a HUGE fan, i had alot more riding on that decsion than Lebron's.

BTW its a fact: I have been even further jaded by Joe Johnson, what can I say? He was quiet, well meaning, and a hard worker AND he still went elsewhere for selfish pursuits. Like I said I understand it, but that doesn't mean i like it. Just consider me the realist of the group here