MJ and Barkley diss Miami Heat's new trio

The greatest basketball player of all-time has spoken out against the decision of LeBron James to join forces with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.

Six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan said after a golf event in Las Vegas that he would never had tried to be on the same team as rivals Larry Bird or Magic Johnson during his career, but realizes the rules today have signaled a new era for today's players.

"There's no way, with hindsight, I would've ever called up Larry, called up Magic and said, 'Hey, look, let's get together and play on one team,'" Jordan said. "But that's ... things are different. I can't say that's a bad thing. It's an opportunity these kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys."

It took Jordan seven years before he won his first title, but he stuck with the Bulls instead of ring-chasing like James now has.

James has been severely criticized nationwide since announcing on live TV that he was leaving the Cavs to become a member of the Miami Heat because the move showed that instead of trying to beat today's superstars on his own, he would rather join forces with other superstars to win his titles.

Former star and current TV analyst Charles Barkley made it very clear how he thought the move would affect James' legacy.

"He'll never be Jordan," Barkley said to a Miami radio station this week. "This clearly takes him out of the conversation. He can win as much as he wants to.

"There would have been something honorable about staying in Cleveland and trying to win it as 'The Man' ... LeBron, if he would've in Cleveland, and if he could've got a championship there, it would have been over the top for his legacy, just one in Cleveland. No matter how many he wins in Miami, it clearly is Dwyane Wade's team."

LeBron did Cleveland a favor by leaving

Cleveland Cavalier fans, myself included, were blinded by the bright light of having the city's first superstar athlete since Jim Brown and ignored signs that said LeBron James' continued talk of loyalty was all smoke and mirrors.

Now that the truth has come out and he's gone off to Miami, Cleveland fans should be grateful and here's two big reasons why.

1. James was clearly not interested in winning an NBA championship as his team's go-to player, so instead of sucking it up and finding a way to handle the pressures with his hometown team, he took the easy way out and joined Dwayne Wade, who has already won an NBA title as his team's go-to player, in Miami

Hey LeBron, have you ever heard the story of a guy named Scottie Pippen? If not, you might want to read up on him because that's the role you're about to play. Chris Bosh will play the role of Dennis Rodman, minus the crazy antics I'm sure.

2. If Dan Gilbert's comments to The Associated Press last night are true and James never returned any phone messages to Gilbert since the season ended, he clearly didn't want to be in Cleveland any longer.

And a Cavs team without a superstar who doesn't want to be in town has a better chance of winning an NBA title than a Cavs team that has that superstar.

"LeBron James needs to go to another team with two superstars already so he can win a championship," Gilbert said to the AP. "We will win a championship before [the Heat] do."

3. James' leaving will give the current Cavs roster the best motivation it could possibly ask for.

Former teammate Mo Williams tweeted last night, "I gotta be honest. I'm sick as a dog. I feel like my heart has been pulled out." But he later posted, "We got to step it up now that's all. We will be good next year. And hearing our owner keeps me convinced."

What Williams heard his owner say was this, part of an open letter to fans.

"If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our 'motivation' to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels," Gilbert wrote.

Gilbert also personally guaranteed Cleveland will win an NBA title before Miami will in his letter.

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Cleveland Plain Dealer tells the story...beautifully

The front page of today's edition of The Cleveland Plain Dealer tells the story of LeBron James' decision in simple, yet telling, terms.

The large headline of "Gone." told the news simply and the small print that states "7 years, $62 million, no rings" with a line pointing toward his hand explains exactly why Cleveland fans are bitter he bolted for Miami.

Using a four-page wrap-around, The Plain Dealer showed great determination in reporting the news, writing stories about the fans and a column comparing James to former Browns owner Art Modell, often credited as being the most vilified man in Cleveland since moving the Browns to Baltimore in 1995.

Cavs owner rips LeBron in open letter

Below is the text of an open letter Cavs owner Dan Gilbert sent to fans tonight regarding LeBron James' decision.

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight,

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.

This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his "decision" unlike anything ever "witnessed" in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING' WINS ONE"

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our "motivation" to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

Sorry, but that's simply not how it works.

This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown "chosen one" sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And "who" we would want them to grow-up to become.

But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called "curse" on Cleveland, Ohio.

The self-declared former "King" will be taking the "curse" with him down south. And until he does "right" by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

Just watch.

Sleep well, Cleveland.

Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day....

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue....

Dan Gilbert
Majority Owner
Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBummer: LeBron shuns Cleveland

Two-time NBA MVP LeBron James shunned loyalty and his hometown by announcing he would sign with the Miami Heat during a televised special tonight.

Miami likely will offer a 5-year contract worth $99 million. LeBron could have signed for six years and $128 million in Cleveland.

With the Heat, LeBron will join superstars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, who committed to the team earlier this week.

The decision, which was supposed to be announced within the first 10 minutes of the 9 p.m. special, was not made until 9:27. ESPN didn't even go live to a visibly nervous LeBron until a little after 9:20.

LeBron's announcement to dedicate himself to winning instead of being loyal came at The Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, Conn.

Shortly after, Bosh tweeted his pleasure of LeBron's decision. Wade later welcomed LeBron and Bosh to Miami.

The Akron native is the latest Cleveland sports star to leave the city after failing to win a championship. He joins Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle and Jim Thome. Other stars, such as Bernie Kosar, C.C. Sabathia, Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee, have been released or traded away during rebuilds.

But losing LeBron hurts more than any of the city's other losses, including the loss of the Cleveland Browns franchise in 1995. Some believe LeBron will replace Art Modell as the most hated man in Cleveland.

Just a few weeks ago, LeBron proclaimed that everything he does in his career is for the city Akron, but how does bolting for a team 1,200 miles away benefit Akron?

When asked about Cleveland, LeBron had a vague, emotionless response.

"It's hard to explain," LeBron said, later adding, "I never wanted to leave Cleveland."

No explanation would even cut it for Cavs fans, people who LeBron said he is "not sure" of what their reaction will be. Consider everything he did, and it's not hard to expect what most fans' reactions will be.

He had brought the city hope that it would win its first major sports championship since 1964.

He had brought the city to the NBA Finals in 2007.

He had brought the city an identity.

He had brought the city its first true superstar since Jim Brown in the 1960s.

Now, that is all gone, and the Cavs are left reeling, hoping to scrounge up a trade or sign a significant free agent in hopes of making the playoffs in the 2010-11 season.

All the while, the lasting image of its greatest superstar will be him ripping off his jersey after he virtually gave up on his team against Boston in the 2010 playoffs.

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Jonny Flynn to Cleveland?

Former Syracuse star point guard Jonny Flynn is a target of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

I would assume Mo Williams will be central to a trade between the two teams, but Cleveland would have to give up more than an aging veteran to get the rising star from Minnesota.

Flynn, the No. 6 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, started 81 games last season, averaging 13.5 points per game. Some NBA experts believe Flynn could be the league's next star point guard.

The move could be a last-minute attempt by the Cavs to convince LeBron James to return to Cleveland because both players are represented by the same agent.

Ever since Williams had a lackluster appearance during this season's playoffs, the team has been actively seeking a point guard. They tried to lure LeBron's friend and arguably the best point guard in the league Chris Paul to the team recently, but now they are settling for a secondary choice. At this time, however, Flynn is not a direct replacement for Paul, so a completed trade could not even affect LeBron's decision-making.

Cleveland needs a faster point guard to help run the offense. The Cavs have been a defense-first team the past several seasons, and appear to be trying to improve their offense this offseason, with or without LeBron.

While not a fan of Syracuse, I always liked watching Flynn play college ball. I often wondered if he would transition well to the NBA game, but I think he proved he can hang with the big boys his rookie season.

He has plenty of upside and would make a great addition to the Cavs in a partial rebuild if LeBron leaves town.

Flynn's photo on Wikipedia features him in a Yankees hat, so if LeBron stays with Cleveland and this trade happens, the two could at least root for the Yankees together.

Cleveland bracing for biggest sports backstabbing ever

Will one of the Cavs' greatest shots ever become a worse memory for the city?
The city of Cleveland has been shunned by numerous star athletes throughout the years, but the city is bracing itself for the biggest backstabbing in its history tonight, as reports suggest LeBron James is leaning toward creating a megateam with Dwayne Wade in Chris Bosh in Miami.

His decision will become official shortly after 9 p.m. tonight when James will formally announce his destination toward the beginning of an hour-long ESPN special called "The Decision."

Many Clevelanders, myself included, believe if LeBron uses a TV special just to shun the city, it would be the most selfish and hurtful way to leave, putting him miles ahead of recent Cleveland sports heroes gone villains Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle and Jim Thome in the classlessness department.

Some speculation says LeBron, Wade and Bosh made up their minds about this situation weeks ago with each of them wooing other teams just to keep it covered up. If true, that would explain Bosh's refusal to accept a sign-and-trade to Cleveland and could end with tampering charges filed against the Heat.

James has expressed loyalty to Akron and Cleveland over and over again, including a tattoo of the word and saying, "Everything I do is for this city. I'm going to continue to do great things. I love every last one of you all. Akron is home," during an appearance as a rally in Akron on June 21.

Well, LeBron, since you are inviting anyone to submit a question to you via Twitter, I will propose the following: How does leaving the Cleveland Cavs (if you do so) fit your quote of "Everything I do is for Akron?"

I'm going to leave this alone until tonight both for my own personal sanity and to let things run their natural course before jumping to major conclusions.

LeBron decision imminent

At 9 p.m. on Thursday night, LeBron James will officially announce which team he is signing with during an hour-long ESPN special, but he reportedly has already narrowed his choices to Cleveland or Miami.

In Cleveland, LeBron will remain on his hometown team with an extremely loyal fan base, but in Miami, he can join two of the best players in the league in Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, who committed to the Heat early this morning. Adding LeBron would make Miami immediate contenders.

Sadly for Cleveland, all the signs point to LeBron leaving the city.

Formerly a critic of athletes who detail their personal lives via social networks, LeBron started a Twitter feed yesterday, breaking his previous remarks by posting this morning about waking up.

He has also started a new website that is launching soon, presumably Thursday night or Friday night after announcing his decision. Changing teams would be the perfect time for the NBA's biggest star to launch a new site.

The old LeBron would never have done either of these things. Is the new tech savvy LeBron a LeBron who is looking for change or is he just a LeBron catching up to the times? I'll go with the former.

As always, this speculation does not mean the end for Cleveland.

Miami will forever be Dwayne Wade's city, so no matter how well LeBron plays, he will be second fiddle to Wade. In Cleveland, LeBron is already arguably the most popular athlete in the city's history.

LeBron has been called an uncoachable player in the past. It's hard to say that with certainty, but Heat president Pat Riley is unlikely to deal with that type of behavior. Of course, LeBron could change his style to play for a coach who has won multiple championship rings and knows about the winning pedigree.

The most pressing issue, though, may be finding enough shots to satisfy all three superstars in Miami. All three players are used to being the driving force on their team, so what might happen if they team up together is disastrous chemistry.

Come Thursday night, the entire world will know.

Back to business...Cleveland sports notes

Sorry I have been away for a few days. Hopefully that will be the last time for awhile that I'll be away for that many days in a row.

Below are my thoughts on some of the recent Cleveland sports headlines.

Fausto Carmona is an All-Star...but should be be?

Cleveland's lone representative in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game is pitcher Fausto Carmona.

In my opinion, he was the third best candidate for that role on the Indians. Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo was my first choice to be the Tribe's All-Star (even after he got hurt) and pitcher Mitch Talbot (8-7, 3.86 ERA, 50 SO) has numbers equally impressive as Carmona (7-7, 3.69 ERA, 57 SO).

Carmona's selection does make for a good story because at this time last season, he was pitching at Triple-A. He made his final start of the season's first half on June 4, an 11-3 loss to Minnesota, leaving him at 2-6 with a 7.42 ERA. He returned to the team at the end of July and has been a different pitcher ever since.

He has never made the All-Star team, and if he loses on Friday against Tampa Bay, he will go to the game with a sub-.500 record, leaving other AL starters Jered Weaver (8-3, 2.82 ERA) and Justin Verlander (10-5, 3.85 ERA) to scratch their heads over the selection process that left them off the roster.

Weaver would have been on the team if there was not a rule in place that says every team must be represented at the game. While I love the Indians, I truly believe the team should not have an All-Star this season.

More injuries

Injuries have been a popular theme for the Indians this season.

Shin-Soo Choo injured his thumb on Friday diving to make a catch against Oakland, but he doesn't likely need surgery and should be back on the field before September as was initially reported.

Losing Choo is a blow to Cleveland's lineup, but it also gives Michael Brantley a chance to earn regular at-bats. Since he is a piece of the Tribe's future, I'm alright with seeing him on the field, even at Choo's expense. This is a lost season for Cleveland, so they might as well give everybody they can at-bats whenever they can get them.

The injury I'm more concerned with is Matt LaPorta's. Although he is not expected to miss significant time after being struck by Elvis Andrus' elbow at first base last night, any setback for the future clean-up hitter is not welcomed.

There was not concussion sustained on the play, which would have been the second of LaPorta's young career, but he is not in tonight's lineup. There is no word on whether he will play tomorrow.

LaPorta has hit in seven of the nine games since he was recalled. In that same time, he has four home runs and nine RBIs.

What would a notes column be without LeBron?

1. LeBron James has still not made a decision about where he will play for the 2010-11 season and beyond, but he may make the announcement via Twitter.

He set up an account this afternoon after being convinced to do so by close friend Chris Paul.

2. It was reported by ESPN that Toronto would be open to a sign-and-trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers regarding free agent Chris Bosh.

Bosh, however, reportedly does not have any interest in playing in Cleveland. Like LeBron, Bosh likely wants to be the premiere player on his team, which would be impossible playing alongside LeBron in Cleveland.

But at this time of year, rumors and erroneous/unconfirmed reports have been rampant in many outlets' NBA coverage, so anything is possible until it becomes official.

3. LeBron has made two appearances at his basketball camp in Akron.

The camp would make a good place for LeBron to announce his intentions to resign with the Cavaliers, but it does not appear that will happen. He has not given any indication of his plans whatsoever.

Cleveland sports notes

It's been a busy couple days in Cleveland sports at the same time it was a busy couple days for yours truly.

Scott hired

The Cleveland Cavaliers officially announced the hire of Byron Scott for its head coaching vacancy early Friday morning.

Scott is a 26-year NBA veteran as both a player and coach and was signed to a four-year contract, with the fourth season a team option year.

As a coach, Scott is 352-355 for his career and has made two appearances in the NBA Finals.

He will be formerly introduced at a 3 p.m. press conference today.

With NBA free agency having started yesterday, Scott will be a strong bargaining chip in the LeBron James sweepstakes.

The Cavs already hold the edge to sign LeBron, but if they did not have a coach in place before their official meeting with him, it still would have been difficult to sell his hometown team.

LeBron meetings

LeBron James had free agency meetings with the New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks yesterday in downtown Cleveland.

He was reportedly impressed by New Jersey's presentation, which included his friend and globally successful rapper Jay-Z. The meeting reportedly included talk of taking LeBron's image globally.

The Knicks, according to reports, showed LeBron a study that said he could earn $1.94 billion dollars in salary and endorsements if he left Cleveland for New York. That same study said LeBron would earn just $700 million in career earnings if he stayed in Cleveland.

This morning, LeBron is holding a meeting with representatives from the Miami Heat, and later in the day, the Los Angeles Clippers are expected to be in town.

On Saturday, the Chicago Bulls and Cavaliers will meet with him.

Tribe streaking

The Cleveland Indians completed a sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays yesterday afternoon, extending their winning streak to five games.

The Tribe's success has gone largely unnoticed because of the palooza surrounding the Cavs the past week.

Matt LaPorta has been a big part of the recent surge, as the team hasn't lost since he was recalled June 27. He has homered in the past three games.

Finding LaPorta's power stroke is one of the keys to building toward the future for the Indians.

He, combined with several other prominent prospects, including current catcher Carlos Santana, are expected to lead a resurgence of Cleveland baseball in the next 2-3 years.

Cleveland is only 11 1/2 games behind in the AL Central, baseball's weakest division, but it is likely too late for the team to make a serious push for the playoffs this season.

What the team should do instead is give its best prospects Major League at-bats while trading away burdens, such as Jhonny Peralta, Jake Westbrook and Travis Hafner. In addition, the team should try to transition Jason Donald to second base, so he will still have a place to play once Asdrubal Cabrera returns from the disabled list.

James to Miami?

Philadelphia and ESPN journalist Stephen A. Smith said on Dan Patrick's Radio Show that multiple league sources have told him LeBron James will sign with the Miami Heat, teaming with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh to create a lethal trio.

The Heat, however, are short the money to sign three maximum free agent deals unless they sign and trade one of their players. The only logical choice would be youngster Michael Beasley.

Smith called the scenario "highly likely."

There are a few issues with this scenario though.

First, if Miami signs three max free agent deals, it will be difficult for the team to fill in the rest of the roster with enough talent to still be competitive. The Chicago Bulls teams of the 1990s were an exception, but in today's market, I don't see that being a strong possibility. The Celtics' trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are nowhere near the caliber of a James/Wade/Bosh trio, which is why Boston has been able to make deep playoff runs.

Second, Miami is Dwayne Wade's city and it always will be as long as he is with the Heat. LeBron is a player who needs to be the No. 1 guy on his team (the exception being Team USA where there clearly isn't only one star), and in Miami, he would play second fiddle to Wade even if he posted better numbers.

James to Chicago?

For whatever it's worth, The New York Times is reporting that an unnamed NBA executive said he believes the Chicago Bulls are the favorites to sign LeBron James, by teaming him with Chris Bosh, calling it basically a "done deal."

James and Bosh would join a young core led by Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. James spoke highly of the Bulls following a victory in a first-round postseason series between the two teams.

The New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers are expected to join the Bulls in meetings with James during the first few days of free agency, which begins July 1.

In the Times' report, the executive also said the Dallas Mavericks are hoping to be a part of the Ohio meetings. The report also said the meetings might just be a formality.

This report does not mean doom and gloom for Cleveland's chances of signing James, however. The Cavs can offer James the most money, hometown love and an owner willing to spend gobs of money to get whatever players James wants.

I still stand by my opinion that James will stay with the Cavaliers, but I also believe if he does leave, Chicago will be his destination. On paper, the Bulls, with James and Bosh, would instantly become favorites to win the Eastern Conference and one of the favorites to win the NBA title.

James would have to consider if the team could afford to keep both himself and Bosh while also signing Rose and Noah to extensions when the time comes.

Bosh and the Cavs

The Cleveland Cavaliers have reportedly expressed interest in acquiring power forward Chris Bosh via sign-and-trade from the Toronto Raptors, perhaps in a push to entice LeBron James to stay in the city.

The trade, however, would leave the Cavs roster weaker than it was this season, when it had the best regular-season record in the NBA.

Antwan Jamison, 35, would likely be the centerpiece of the trade, but Cleveland would also likely have to include either J.J. Hickson, 21, or Anderson Varejao, 27, to offset the age factor. That would leave the Cavs with Bosh and Leon Powe at the power forward position.

As mentioned in the report, there is also a good chance Cleveland would have to buy a draft pick and trade it to the Raptors as well as pay some cash. That is a steep price to pay just to try and lure James back to town, but if James does bolt, that would leave the Cavs with a player to build around.

The trade, which I would say is unlikely to happen, would leave Cleveland's rotation looking something like this:

PG - Mo Williams (or Daniel Gibson is Williams is traded)
SG - Delonte West/Anthony Parker
SF - LeBron James (if he signs with Cleveland)/Jamario Moon
PF - Chris Bosh/Leon Powe
C - Zydrunas Ilgauskas/Shaq (if he signs with Cleveland)

I don't know about you, but I see those names and I do not see a championship in Cleveland's future. Williams, West and Z are good players, but they are far from being great underdog playoff players that are needed to win titles. Mo Williams is not Derek Fisher. Delonte West is not Jason Richardson. Both Fisher and Richardson played key roles in their teams' playoff runs this season.

Z is not in the same caliber as the top centers in the league. Dwight Howard and Joakim Noah would both dominate over Ilgauskas at this stage in his career. An aging Shaq can only do so much against the top young centers as well. When that happens, the Cavs lose in the playoffs.

LeBron has shown he can single-handedly win a game when he wants to. Instead of going after a guy for LeBron to share the ball (and contract dollars) with, Cleveland should focus on finding key role players that make the team go. The first step in doing that would be buying a draft pick and spending it on a promising young talent, maybe one that's actually in the U.S. this time.

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LeBron flash mob

A group of about 200 kids from the Boys and Girls Club and Shaker Dance Club joined together for a flash mob at Tower City Thursday afternoon, dancing to persuade LeBron James to stay in Cleveland.

Below is a Plain Dealer video of the event.

Dancing to keep LeBron James in Cleveland

Does LeBron wants wins or dollars?

I'm trying not to discuss the LeBron James situation that much because if I do, I'd be joining the circus, which I have frequently termed idiotic and way over the top.

But I couldn't let this article pass without giving my opinion about the topic.

New York Daily News writer Frank Isola blogged about LeBron and the New York Knicks yesterday morning, writing the following:

"With LeBron there is no way of knowing. I really believe he cares less about winning and more about his money and his image. This is why the Knicks have a legitimate chance of signing him. The Knicks don't have much to offer James when it comes to basketball. The best thing the club has going for it is New York City and Madison Square Garden."

Two things came to mind after reading that statement.

1) I don't 100 percent disagree.

LeBron has always left himself with "options" each time has has talked about new contracts. When he signed the three-year deal that expired after the season, he chose only to sign for three seasons to give himself options this summer. I would think he will try to work out something similar come July.

But what exactly are those "options" he speaks of?

I'm going with money and attention.

When that three-year deal was inked, LeBron knew he would become an unrestricted free agent after the 2009-10 season. At that time, he also knew he could sign a new contract worth more money after the 2009-10 season. The $60 million deal he signed included a player option for the 2010-11 season, but James opted out of it. Had the Cavs won a title in the past three seasons, that may have changed, but only because titles will be good for his image and garner him further attention.

Had LeBron signed a five-year deal in 2007, there would still be a media circus following 2011-2012 season, but not like the circus of this season. The reason? No Dwayne Wade. No Amare Stoudamire. No Chris Bosh. No Joe Johnson. Etc. I'm sure there would be stars, but probably not of the highest caliber like there are this season.

This is why I agree with with Mr. Isola's blog post. LeBron has played with passion on the court, but he's played with the Presidents off the court, signing several lucrative endorsement deals and associating himself with many high profile individuals. A missing key to Isola's argument, however, is that winning championships helps LeBron's image and marketability. So, money should not be the only thing LeBron is concerned with. Although, I do believe money has been driving his career thus far.

2) Why is New York a better fit if money and image is the object?

LeBron pretty much has everything he could ever want in Cleveland. Stars around him. An owner who will spend money to give him what he wants/needs to be a success. Endorsement deals with the biggest companies out there. National media attention with every highlight dunk, 40-plus point performance, trick shot and colorful quote. A home-grown fan base that followed him from Akron to Cleveland.

Most importantly, the Cavs can offer James more money than any other team this offseason. When combined with the fact that LeBron already has a lucrative off-the-court life in Cleveland, what good does to going to New York do besides offering him a couple futile years before contending.

AP image via ESPN

The LeBron sweeps

I'll be honest with everyone right now...there is no way I can keep up with all the LeBron rumors every single day. Anytime I see a significant update or rumor, I'll have it here, but just because Derek Jeter says he's not going to recruit LeBron to New York doesn't mean I really care.

But I'll get to the point: I think LeBron James is going to stay in Cleveland.

That's right, I said it.

Here are a few reasons why:

1) Dan Gilbert

The Cavs owner is well-known for bending over backwards to get the players he thinks he needs to win at whatever cost. While he says LeBron is not consulted on his decisions, that is a bit hard to believe. Sure Mr. Gilbert has the final word, but you can't tell me LeBron wasn't asked about acquiring Shaq, Antwan Jamison, etc.

More importantly, Gilbert will open his checkbook, which he did in the 2009-10 season to the tune of one of the top five payrolls in the NBA. Combine that with the fact Cleveland can pay LeBron more than any other team in free agency, and it all adds up in my mind.

2) Roster

Of the teams that have a strong chance at landing LeBron, only the Chicago Bulls have a comparable roster to what the Cavs have in place. The allure of playing alongside youngsters Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose has to be appealing considering those two led the Bulls to the playoffs this season. But, does LeBron really want to go to a team where the two highest players are washed up veterans Brad Miller and Luol Deng? Chicago's spending of money has to be a concern.

With Cleveland, LeBron will play alongside Jamison, Mo Williams, Anthony Parker and a rising star in J.J. Hickson. While there are trade rumors involving Williams and Parker isn't a superstar, they still give the Cavs perimeter presence that keeps other teams' defenses honest while allowing LeBron more opportunities to handle the ball. Shaq also may be back to play center, and if he stays healthy, he will make the Cavs better even at age 39.

The Knicks, Clippers and Nets have some young talent, but LeBron would more than likely have to wait to win at any of those stops, even if one of those teams forms a tandem with LeBron and another top free agent. With the Cavs, he can win. And he can win now.

3) Endorsements

In all honesty, can LeBron really earn better endorsement deals just because he plays in New York, Los Angeles or Chicago? I think not. LBJ is the most marketable athlete in the world now that Tiger Woods has gone by the wayside. He has secured an endorsement deal with Nike that won't increase in value if he moves to a big market. And that's probably the same for most all his deals. If money is really what LeBron is after, he may dart, but he can make a fine fortune here in Cleveland.

4) Loyalty

LeBron has said before that he is loyal to his hometown of Akron, and if he stays true to his word, Cleveland has to be his destination.

Top image from Photobucket