As reported here, LeBron James will announce the team with which he will sign on ESPN Thursday evening during a one-hour special appropriately entitled ‘The Decision’.
In a matter of hours following this information becoming public knowledge, it was discovered that Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were headed to Miami and that the door was wide open for James to join them to create the most formidable triumvirate in the history of the National Basketball Association.
However, with Amar’e Stoudemire pledging his allegiance to the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers, in conjunction with his strong ties to Akron, pulling on James’ heartstrings, the consensus was that ‘The Decision’ had quickly turned into a three-team race between the Cavaliers, the Knicks and the Miami Heat. And depending on who and when you asked, all three of the aforementioned teams were the early favorites.
From the enticing possibility of transforming Miami into the center of the basketball universe by joining Wade and Bosh to choosing the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, Connecticut, a stone’s throw away from New York City, as the locale for the announcement to stabbing Cleveland in their collective hearts by making a spectacle of his intention to leave, valid arguments were made for each scenario that James has to choose from.
But early Thursday morning, all signs pointed to one particular team having the clear edge to land the biggest fish in this summer’s free agent market.
According to ESPN.com and several sources with knowledge of the situation, barring a late change of heart, all indications are that LeBron James is leaning toward signing with the Miami Heat to join fellow All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
The financial impact of joining the Heat would be that James would leave nearly $30 million on the table, unless Cleveland agrees to an unlikely sign-and-trade. The Cavaliers could give him a six-year, $128 million contract, while Miami can offer him only a five-year deal worth up to $99 million.
The larger concern for James appears to be the impact on his brand and how joining Wade and Bosh to form a ‘Super Team’ will be viewed in terms of taking up residence in Wade’s house, not to mention the fact that, whatever decision he makes, James will be vilified for the subterfuge and spectacle that his free agency has become; mostly due to James and his camp and partly due to the media.
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks and their fans are left to hope that LeBron James shocks the world by coming to the Big Apple to resurrect one of the marquee franchises in the league and where he will be the undisputed leader of another potential ‘Big Three’, which would feature James, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, who has openly expressed a desire to play in New York when he becomes a free agent next year.
Either way, in a grandiose display, James will be breaking many hearts in several cities Thursday evening and his public image will be tarnished in the process; which is the reason why he will never be viewed in the same light as Julius Erving, Larry Bird, ‘Magic’ Johnson and Michael Jordan.
They say the best revenge for a slight of this nature is success; and, if ‘The Decision’ doesn’t turn out the way they hope, the New York Knicks can and will succeed without LeBron James.
Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and special videos featuring Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.
Sources: LeBron James leaning toward Miami; NY Knicks Hope for Upset
