New York’s last-ditch pitch to LeBron
Before LeBron James causes a party in one city and breaks hearts in five others, the teams still in pursuit of the NBA’s biggest star are undoubtedly vying for one last audience with LBJ before he goes live on-air at 9 p.m. on ESPN. What will those teams say to LeBron should they get his ear for a last-ditch pitch? Next up: The Knicks:
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On the Court
Let me begin with the basketball aspect of things. We all know the Coach D’Antoni‘s philosophy — try to score in seven seconds or less. New York’s brand of basketball is entertaining and exciting, and while some people say it doesn’t win championships, they can win championships with the right superstar: That’s LeBron. Mike Brown slowed the game down and allowed defenses to key on him, but with LeBron running the point-forward spot in this offense he can attack the defense before they’re even ready. I mean, only in a video game or maybe in a dream could someone envision LeBron running high pick-and-rolls with someone as explosive as Amar’e Stoudemire. How scary would that be for defenses? The proof is in the pudding. Just look at what D’Antoni was able to do in Phoenix with Steve Nash and Amar’e. Now you replace Nash with an even more explosive scorer, not to mention a ridiculous passer in James, and you have the deadliest pick-and-roll combination since Stockton and Malone.
Now obviously just LeBron and Amar’e alone won’t get the job done. Especially with Wade and Bosh down in Miami, and strong returning squads like Orlando, Boston and Atlanta in the East, New York needs to be willing to spend money. We know that owner James Dolan is willing to go as far over the cap as necessary to get the right players. And it’s not just for this year, but next year, too, as we’ve all heard rumors swirling about Tony Parker or LeBron’s buddy Carmelo Anthony giving New York a serious look this time next year.
Off the Court
Do I really have to break this one down to you? If you thought the LeBron offseason circus was crazy, imagine the frenzy LeBron would constantly create every time he’s spotted in NYC. As far as money goes, let’s just say “Cha-Ching!” In a post done by Forbes.com’s Steven Bertoni, the Knicks showed LeBron a blueprint for how he come become a billionaire in New York. The revenue generated if Bron-Bron is able to bring a championship to NYC is off the carts and would propel him closer to his goal of becoming a billionaire athlete. Like I said before, it is only right that the leagues biggest seed play in the Big Apple.
It’s decision day LeBron: Where will your throne be next year?
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July 8th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
KnicksFan84 says:
Lebron… are you gonna answer the bell in NY or are you gonna be like the following players and steal a ring:
Glen Robinson
Steve Smith
Mitch Richmond
Sam Cassell (Celts)
etc.
Be a man, either go back to Cleveland or sign with NY, anything else and you’ll look like a coward. True Story, and if you’re offended by it, that says it all right there.
July 8th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
rey jefferson says:
WOW @KnicksFan84 thats wat im talking about!
July 8th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
ENEW says:
Honestly, I was already getting a bit tired of Lebron by the end of the season, and then of course as we saw TEAM prevailed and he and the highly overrated Cavs went home early. It was clear that a new environment, a different path was going to be needed for Lebron to get to a championship situation, but this is not what I had in mind. This is him going to someone else’s team, someone else’s city. It is amusing to me that these teams and players now think they can duplicate what the Celtics did two years ago by building their modern day Big 3 combinations. I am not going into a rant about the 2008 Celtics, all I am going to say is that it takes more than individual accomplishment and star power to win titles.
Lebron has a chance to come to the greatest city in the world and become a basketball immortal and write a legacy that could potentially go unmatched, the question is does he have the onions to give it a shot?
July 8th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
rey jefferson says:
I like the way you think @ENEW
July 8th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
D.H. says:
Word is that LeBron James has booked 25 rooms at the W Hotel in South Beach starting tonight…
July 8th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Nodizzel says:
Word is that LeBron James is coming to my house to have beer, chicken wings and play 52 pick up.
July 8th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
D.H. says:
Sorry, I should have included my source, The New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/report_with_heat_favored_over_knicks_f3LUmn9hVLmXN1AUncxG7I
July 8th, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Heckler says:
here is the last ditch pitch NY should make if they want this clown:
kobe bryant has played in the nba finals 7 times in the last 10yrs.
you, lebron, will play in the finals 7 times in the next 10yrs. when that happens, what team/city do you want that to happen with?!!?
…(walsh & d’antoni talking) and if it aint with us in NY, then kick rocks already bitch. before we send wash heights, crown heights and the whole 125th street after your punk ass.
July 8th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
ReddiRed says:
@ KnicksFan84 & ENEW…..
thank you for saying what you said.
i couldn’t agree more.
ultimately, the NBA suffers if these guys team up and I think D.Stern should structure something akin to the
anti-monopoly laws in place for banks and other businesses.
If the the diva lebron wants to make a Jordan/Kobe/Magic type of name for himself, then he has to venture out into his own as has been done so far in Cleveland.
We already see that diva bosh has followed diva wade in MIA and I kinda can’t blame him, BUT, it they all conspired this, then that is real bitch move and I will laugh everytime they lose.
Basketball has changed soooo much. People cater to these none proven players.
BOSH/LEBRON haven’t won shit. WADE only won because he had Shaq IMO so I can’t call these guys superstars….
I call KG/KOBE/THE TRUTH/CHAUNCEY BILLUPS superstars…..they are proven.
I even give props to Rondo, though he receives alot of hate, at least he’s been to the Finals twice and won one.
let the hate begin….
July 8th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
mules says:
Wow…ya’ll really don’t understand how the high pick-and-roll works do you? It works so well for Nash & Amare, CP3 & Chandler/Okafor, Stockton & Malone because Nash, CP3 & Stockton all have small dudes guarding them. When the defense switches the bigs have a considerable size advantage. Amare and his crippled knees ain’t gonna sky over dudes like Gerald Wallace/Matrix/Josh Smith quite as easily as he does with point guards. Besides, defenders will continue to go under the screen against Lebron until he becomes a consistent 3 point threat.
July 8th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
mules says:
@ #9
Wade won because he had the refs.
July 8th, 2010 at 4:07 pm
ReddiRed says:
^^^^^that too!
July 8th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
kudz says:
@9
if an mvp and scoring champ who’s regularly going deep into the playoffs isnt proven, i dont know who is…and gtfo….kobe and kg are 50 players apart on an all time list, kobe and lebron, maybe 20 or so
bosh aint proved shit, but lebron has and wade has
July 8th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
JBaller says:
Hooray if LeBron comes to NY – The best ever!
Boo if he goes anywhere else but CLE – You Suck!
That’s about where I am at right now…
Go New York!
July 8th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
ReddiRed says:
@ kudz
dogg pls!! what has diva lebron accomplished?
he has good numbers and i don’t doubt his talent, but man please! You can’t even put Lebron on any “all time” list yet!!! he may be the youngest to hit 2k points, but nothing that catapults him into any “all time” list.
stop being a sucker for the media.
now that i have argued your arguement……read my post again and you will see NO mention of “all time list”.
I said SUPERSTARS……and to me, a superstar is someone who has a trophy, ring or something showing that he’s a superstar…….not someone riding a media wave to insure that NIKE, and whoever else is invested in him gets paid.
I take nothing from his talent. I put him 2nd best in the league, BUT….that says nothing when you are watching the finals from home.
He had enough pieces to get there IMO, but could not lead and would rather argue with his coach.
I hope i have not hurt your feelings son….just tryin to wise ya up.
July 8th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
kudz says:
@ReddiRed,
ok, fair enough, i’ll concede le bronze..but how is kg a superstar for winning with TWO other top dogs, but wade isnt a superstar for winning with shaq? and wade was finals mvp! u cant put the truth, kg AND rondo as superstars and then exclude flash.
July 9th, 2010 at 10:40 am
ReddiRed says:
@ Kudz,
point well taken. I may have been too harsh on DWade cuz I think he’s a little overrated.
But you still make a good point.
July 12th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Kent Ingram says:
Association.