Dwight Howard could be the second best overall player in the league if he wasn't soooooooooo terrible offensively. What the hell do they pay Patrick Ewing for? Isn't he supposed to be working with Howard? His offense hasn't improved at all since last year's playoffs.

I noticed on the ticker yesterday during the Celtics/Magic game that good ole Charles Oakley said LeBron will be in Chicago or Miami. Presumably he didn't pull that out of his @ss. That says to me LeBron is in 100% win a championship mode.

pants wrote:

pants wrote:
I don't see why he would go somewhere for the money. He'll make more in endorsements than his salary anyways. Cleveland has a playoff team and can pay him the most money, so wherever he signs will be presumably the best chance he thinks to win. I say Chicago the more I think about it.

College Wolf wrote:
Yeah I didn't think the difference between one max offer to another would sway him. There is certainly more glory in putting Cleveland or the Knicks on his back than teaming with Dwayne or Rose, but that is a pretty big risk.

If LeBron goes to Chicago I'll be rooting for Bosh to Miami because I'd love to see Wade versus LeBron for the tops in the Eastern conference playoffs.

pants wrote:
I just don't see him going to Miami with Wade. Wade is great and all, but they have clashing personalities and egos. Plus who takes over at the end of games? If they are together and once things go bad during game(s)/playoff series, I could see implosion.

I don't think LeBron goes to Chicago without first knowing that they'd get Bosh as well.

Here's my update:

Nets 40% (If they get the #1 pick)
Bulls 40% (If LeBron gets them to acquire Bosh.)
Knicks 10% (He would have no help and wants to win.)
Cavs 9% (Sick of losing with those guys. It's not about the money.)
Other 1% (Just don't see him joining Wade in Miami.)
TWolves Negative infinity %

I was also very shocked to see Miami on that list. Would their personalities really clash? They both seem more agreeable than the average super stars. As Bill Simmons has pointed out LeBron seems to get along with his teammates to a fault.

The Bosh to Chicago doesn't seem like a requirement to me. Derrick Rose + Joakim Noah > John Wall + Brook Lopez for atleast the next 2 seasons. Wall isn't even in the NBA yet and both Noah and Rose have proven they are money in the playoffs.

Deng+Hinrich are also way better than the complimentary pieces that NJ has. They are way overpaid but they can both play (Deng more so than Kirk).

pants wrote:
But Chicago's roster is only a little bit better than Cleveland's. I can't see him going there without Bosh and continuing to spin his wheels. He needs to know he'll be able to win, and win big.

College Wolf wrote:
Rose is a star and he elevates his game for the playoffs. That is a check mark in the Bulls column in the only category that matters. Miami has this as well... that could by why those were the two teams mentioned by Oakley.

There isn't a team out there with playoff proven stars at multiple positions waiting for LeBron to sweep in.

pants wrote:
I know... that's why I think it depends on if he can get someone like Bosh to land with him somewhere.

The nice thing about the Bulls is that they have cap space AND could trade Deng + assets + picks for someone in a sign and trade.

Why wouldn't the Raptors trade them Bosh? I think it would happen if LeBron wants it to.

College Wolf wrote:
And then sign Ray Allen for the MLE... and Bam! Best team ever.


Rose
Ray Allen
LeBron
Bosh
Noah

Hinrich
Taj Gibson
James Johnson
+ 5 more warm bodies

Certainly any location with Bosh is better than without him.

Please add or comment on this ranking. Thinking of one the stars that can combine listed from Best to Worst, obviously the rest of the team matters but for this list it is being removed.

LeBron+Wade+Bosh
LeBron+Rose+Bosh
LeBron+Wade
LeBron+Brook Lopez+Bosh+John Wall - Can this happen?
LeBron+Rose
LeBron+Brook Lopez+Bosh
LeBron+Bosh

College Wolf wrote:
I wonder if Ray Allen even makes that team better. Seems like a little much. You'd like him for the late game free throw shooting though.

I just read Simmon's latest on this here. His points are in agreement with what I've been saying. That's often not a good thing.

pants wrote:
How does Ray NOT make them better? A 90% free throw shooter and deadeye three point marksmen. Can you imagine LeBron and Rose driving the lane and kicking out to a wide open Allen? And Bosh hitting Allen when double teamed as well. Hell, you can't double anyone on that Bulls team with Allen on the perimeter...

82-0