The Big Question: Is trading Lebron James an option?

[Mogriffjr]

I think it could be a possibility. One thing is that the bostons and orlandos have improved IMO a lot to the point where the cavs wanted to do the same. Getting shaq was a good move but he will only be there for one year and he does not solve the cavs woes in guarding the pick and roll, nor does he solve the issues of guarding more perimeter oriented PF's. There is two top teams that Cleveland will have an issue guarding and that's Boston and Orlando. Gettig ariza woulda helped but no one wants to commit beyond this year because bron can bolt. If lebron leaves you get nothing and your franchise is in shambles. If you keep him cleveland needs to have another great year while proving they can beat those two teams. If not by the trade deadline, ferry migh be forced to trade him.

 

[mfbmike]

lol. not a chance in hell.

 

[dell71]

if lebron goes on record with "i am not re-signing with the cleveland cavaliers" then you can. otherwise, no. even exploring the possibility without his making it clear that he 100% would not be back would be ridiculous, as of course news of the trade feelers would leak

This.

I would add that unless LeBron does say he's definitely not coming back then trying to trade him would probably piss him off to the point where he won't even consider staying.

Besides, you can't get equal value for him. Maybe a bunch of draft picks, but that's dicey.

 

[FlawLeSs]

thats what im saying, what the hell could u trade him for and possibly expect in return? lol

1st round picks for the next 5 years?

 

[dave]

They could never make a fair trade.

Frankly, I think James is being selfish with the way he's holding this team hostage. They could have been a bigger player in free agency, if players knew he had signed.

Just another huge ego who wants all the attention - and signing early would take some of that away.

 

[IamMedellin]

if the organization isnt smart enough or ambitious enough to do what it takes to build a championship team....then he should leave for an organization that is...

 

[Rudi]

No.

 

[dave]

You guys are being such fanboys.

If James were truly devoted to his team and city, he would have committed to signing an extension before the free agent period.

So I ask myself, what keeps James from signing:

A) The team's lack of commitment to winning? Not likely, they're doing everything in their power to get to the next level;

B) The city? It's practically his hometown.

C) The team itself? Cleveland a top five team in the NBA. Can't beat that.

So, in my opinion, it all boils down to ego. There is no other logical explanation for James to keep his 2010 plans a secret.

Had he committed to the franchise before the free agent period, the Cavs could have gone balls to the wall for free agents, likely would have signed Ariza and James' commitment would have sealed this franchise's future.

Instead, the organization, city and its fans are walking on eggshells begging LeBron to stay. It feeds his obvious ego.

I am not for a second knocking him as a player, he's a great one, but there is no reason for him not to commit to the Cavs other than ego.

 

[A Tasty Burgerr]

LeBron is simply far too valuable as a player to be traded for anyone, even for a single season.

 

[FirstTimer]

All Star talent to get his championship, which wouldn't help his legacy to greatness.

Meh. Realisticlly how many one man teams won NBA Championships?

LeBron is already seen as perhaps the best NBA player of his generation, I doubt that changes much by the addition of Trevor Ariza or an aging Shaq to help put him over the championship hump.

 

[Juggernaut]

I'd trade him if i would be able to get some good players and a superstar like a dwyane wade type player

 

[dave]

Use a little logic, dave. Wade is going through the EXACT same thing in Miami, and I don't really see anyone saying he's overflowing with ego or doing it for attention. Most likely both guys are going to want to test the waters, and could still end up back where they started. The only difference is the media keeps driving this LeBron situation into people's heads on a near-weekly basis.

I am using a ton of logic.

Miami is nowhere near the team Cleveland is.

Wade is nowhere near the player James is - and has that knee issue.

You can't compare James and Wade. One is a superduper star playing in his hometown on a championship level team that would give up both its testicles to keep him. The other is an all-star playing on a .500 team.

 

[dave]

Wasn't Kobe "happy" in L.A. for a while, then voiced his displeasure with the front office, asked for help, and *poof* Pau Gasol showed up and they've won the West back to back years. Did his ego get in the way of them not winning conference titles?

Cleveland just needs David Stern to arrange a giveaway trade like that.

 

[dave]

I agree that was a ridiculous trade, but does that mean that Kobe wasn't seemingly rewarded for voicing his opinion on the progress of the team? Or that LeBron would be better off being content with their hole patching every year while other teams have actually built solid teams? Cleveland is seemingly always making moves, but they've only assembled one complementary player for him (Mo) and a superstar at the tail end of his career who actually made a contender in Phoenix worse with his addition. I know he didn't fit their system, but the fact is you have to play around the holes in his game and always watch resting him. He's still an impact player at center, but he's a hindrance too sometimes. And if they don't win the title this year, you're looking at him not pushing the team to the next level AND making 20 mil the next year.

I don't see Shaq putting them over the top. He's too old.
Without Gasol, Lakers not a champion. Period.

 

[Kuzzy Powers]

I am using a ton of logic.

Miami is nowhere near the team Cleveland is.

Wade is nowhere near the player James is - and has that knee issue.

You can't compare James and Wade. One is a superduper star playing in his hometown on a championship level team that would give up both its testicles to keep him. The other is an all-star playing on a .500 team.

Wow.. you're underrating Dwayne Wade big time. He is a legit top 3 player in the league.

 

[dave]

Wow.. you're underrating Dwayne Wade big time. He is a legit top 3 player in the league.

But he's no Lebron James ... and not close.

 

[dave]

You're making more of an argument for him leaving Cleveland now.....:crazy:

My point was - and continues to be - Cleveland would attract better players if they knew Lebron James was staying.
Because they're not sure, the best Cleveland can do is getting a guy on the backend of his career with an expiring contract.
Because James keeps playing these wait-and-see games, no in his prime free agent will touch Cleveland.

 

[dave]

And it still doesn't explain what your theory on his "ego" has to do with this......

I already gave my reasons - go back 20 or so posts.

Just checked - see: http://www.virtualsportsnetwork.com/forum/showpost.php?p=520191&postcount=16

 

[dave]

They're a top 5 team because of him. There are quite a few teams who would be with him also. They haven't built anything special around him in his time there, and even you aren't buying into their most recent move.

Do you also think Wade has a huge ego for waiting? He's in a very similar situation, even though you won't go as far as defending Delonte West or big Z as any kind of supporting cast I'm sure....

This whole thing is just stupid. The media talks about it all the time, on their own accord, and somehow thats driven his ego which is the ONLY reason he hasn't re-signed with the Cavs? Break out the tinfoil hats already Dave, you've got yourself a full blown conspiracy theory..

No conspiracy theory, just my opinion.

Lebron is just on an ego trip with this 2010 thing.

Wade is simply not in James' crowd, no matter how much you wish he was.

No one outside Miami cares about Wade. He's an all-star and a fine top 5-7 player.

Lebron James is the future and present of the NBA.

 

[dave]

Throw out the W/L records and Wade would have won the MVP last year. No one is far and away better than that in the game right now. I'm not even that much of a fan of Wade, but apparently because I'm outside of Miami and I give a shit about Wade, you're going to paint me as some jock-rider? Hell, Buser deals with basketball talk for a living and I'm sure he could tell you that there's a nice niche of people (called the vast majority of NBA fans) who care that Wade is a top 3 player in the game. And the difference between 1-3 isn't a whole lot...

Wade and James could both conceivably be looking at max contracts from teams with better supporting casts than what they are looking at now. That possibility isn't a good reason to wait until FA opens, but his EGO is?

Seemingly, there are a lot of people who want him to sign just to silence all this talk about the issue of where he goes in 2010. But wouldn't it make more sense to let the guy make his own sound business/professional decision when he wants, and re-direct that head shaking to the media machine that pushes the guy.....

But just for shits and giggles, who are the 6 players who you think may be better than Wade?

Both are getting max contracts.

I'm playing poker, gimme a day on the 6 players.