It was with great interest and admiration that I read a column this morning from Bill Livingston of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Livy, as he is affectionately known in my former stomping ground, waved his hand in the air with a flourish (a trademark of his while eloquently pontificating in press boxes all over northeast Ohio) and announced that he is the first person in Cleveland to recognize the real possibility that LeBron James could have his eyes on the Knicks in 2010.
The highlights:
James is not going to be leaving for Milwaukee, San Antonio or even Detroit. The challenge will come, I think, from the New York Knicks.
Many believe the biggest pitch will be made by the New Jersey Nets when they relocate to Brooklyn, N.Y., in time for James' free-agency year. James is a personal friend with Nets part-owner Jay-Z, the rap artist. The Nets also might trade for James' pal Carmelo Anthony.
But offensive mastermind Mike D'Antoni is the Knicks' new coach. He will put in a fluid system that could let a player like James average almost unheard-of numbers. The Knicks are the big team in the media capital of the country, and they will be clearing salary-cap space for the next two years.
The Lakers wooed Shaquille O'Neal away from Orlando by challenging him to match Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's legacy and restore the Lakers' greatness. Orlando did everything it could to no avail.
Dan Gilbert is a very creative owner, one who will do everything possible to keep James. But restoring the Knicks' greatness is an appeal James, a student of the game, would understand.
True, James did build an enormous home in this area and he likes playing before family and friends. Those factors have weight.
But what if a guy who thinks of himself as a king simply wants a bigger realm?
When it comes to LeBron's aspirations to be not only a basketball champion but also a conquering hero of sports marketing and a billionaire, some in the Cleveland media and fan base are in denial. Yes, the Cavs will be able to pay James more than any other suitor when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2010. But LeBron sees the bigger picture. He craves a bigger stage, and there is none bigger than New York. The salary he'd give up by signing with the Knicks would come back to him in multiples that perhaps he can't even fully grasp.
The most important thing Mike D'Antoni and Donnie Walsh will do in the coming months will have nothing to do with the draft next month. It will be unloading Zach Randolph and his enormous contract, a move that represents their best chance to clear enough cap space to be in the running for LeBron three summers from now.
I'm glad someone who's had a front-row seat for the greatness LeBron has displayed in Cleveland finally agrees with me.