In today’s New York Times, William C. Rhoden makes a case as to why the best offseason free agent move for LeBron James would be for him to join forces with Michael Jordan and sign with the Charlotte Bobcats. Rhoden makes a compelling argument – there does seem to be many, many reasons why, on paper at least, James and Jordan would be a serious force in the NBA both on and off the court. Ultimately though, there’s almost zero chance of this ever happening and there are more than a few reasons why.

Here are some of Rhoden’s reasons why a James/Jordan teamup makes perfect sense followed by my responses:

- MJ is LeBron’s basketball hero. From the column:

Why Charlotte?

The answer is simple: Jordan.

Last year you said that you wanted to honor his legacy. You proposed that the N.B.A. retire his No. 23.

“He’s the best basketball player we’ve ever seen,” you told The Associated Press. “Mike does it on the court and off the court. If you see 23, you think about Michael Jordan. You see guys flying through the air, you think about Michael Jordan. You see game-winning shots, you think about Michael Jordan. You see fly kicks, you think about Michael Jordan. He did so much, it has to be recognized, and not just by putting him in the Hall of Fame.”

My response: Maybe I’m just jaded from working closely with professional athletes for the last decade, but from everything I’ve seen, almost always, ego and money trump all. Naturally, LeBron’s ego is befitting a guy who has long held aspirations of becoming a “global icon.” Just because Mike is LeBron’s basketball hero doesn’t mean that he wants to go work for him and share the spotlight with him on a daily basis. And he certainly doesn’t want to be asked by reporters every single day for the rest of his career about playing for his childhood basketball idol.

Do you remember back when LeBron first came into the league and he and Carmelo Anthony were inextricably linked? There wasn’t a story, an interview, a magazine cover (except ours) that didn’t have the two of them as a package deal, until LeBron’s on-court development eventually separated the two. After a while both Melo and LeBron looked like they’d rather spend a day at the dentist than answer one more question about each other. That’s what the media does, they take a story line or a theme and absolutely beat it to death. Can you imagine what the Jordan questions would be like for James? If you can’t, he certainly can.

LeBron’s used to being the main attraction – there’s no way he wants to constantly be compared to and asked about Jordan. He’s seen how consistent MJ comparisons have withered Kobe over the years; there is no way he wants to be under that microscope up close for the rest of his career. James will naturally be compared to Jordan to some extent no matter where he goes, but nothing like he would experience being in that close of a proximity to MJ.

You also can’t point to the likely probability that if LeBron leaves Cleveland he will likely be teaming up with another superstar free agent in New York or Miami or wherever else he may end up as evidence that he is willing to share the spotlight with another basketball figure. Who else could he end up with? Dwyane Wade? Chris Bosh? Amar’e Stoudemire? Joe Johnson? All clear second bananas to James’ star. You could only make an argument for Wade approaching LeBron’s level, but even that’s a stretch. The only basketball figures who can conceivably take the shine from LeBron are Kevin Durant (as Rhoden acknowledges in the column), Kobe and Michael.

- Building a new basketball legacy. From the column:

Forget the number, LeBron. The greatest tribute you could pay him — dollars notwithstanding — is joining forces with him next season and creating a dynasty in Charlotte. The two of you could forge a powerful alliance and achieve in an unprecedented way.

Imagine the story line: Charlotte became the 30th member of the N.B.A. on May 3, 2004. Six years later, LeBron James joins the franchise and takes it to heights previously unknown.

Not even Jordan did that. Jordan was drafted into his role. He was drafted by the Bulls in 1984 and led Chicago to its first N.B.A. championship in 1991 at age 28.

And later:

Most athletes are destined to be overtaken by the next new thing — unless they become Babe Ruth, Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson or Ali.

The only way to achieve such stature is to do something bold and timeless, like taking an unpopular stand or making an unpopular move.

For you, LeBron, that would be leaving Cleveland to join forces with Jordan in Charlotte. Jordan wins his first N.B.A. championship as an owner, you win your first as a player. Then another. And another.

My response: Yes, taking a franchise with no basketball legacy to new heights would be a great story. But taking a franchise like the Knicks to their first championship since 1973? Now that would make LeBron transcendant.

- Debunking the the marketing lure of New York. From the column:

Where are the marketing opportunities in Charlotte? Where are they in Cleveland? The opportunities go where you go, LeBron. Marketing follows you — it has been that way since you were in high school. You go to Jupiter, you put Jupiter on the map.

My Response: It’s nice in theory, but I just don’t think it holds up. I go back to what LeBron told me for the cover story of Dime #31: “I want to expand. I don’t want to be known just in the U.S. That’s not enough for me. I’m very focused on globalizing the LeBron James brand.”

Yes, teaming with MJ would conceivably go a long way in terms of building LeBron’s global story, but let’s be honest – every day that goes by sees Mike’s basketball legacy dim just a little bit for the rest of the hoop world. That’s the way it is. Young basketball fans can’t grasp the greatness of Michael Jordan the player, but they certainly understand all things LeBron. There is no way that you can argue that James would be as big of a presence in Charlotte or Cleveland as he would in another market. Case in point: there’s a reason that David Lee and Nate Robinson finished in the Top 15 in jersey sales this year. A city like New York (or Chicago), magnifies everything you do to a greater degree.

LeBron’s a competitor. He wants to see just how bright his star can shine. It’s not going to happen in Cleveland and it certainly won’t happen in Charlotte.

Can you picture LeBron ever signing with the Bobcats?

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