LeBron dropping a hint?

You're not about to cry are you? Because I would feel really bad if you were and I get the sense this thread is really upsetting you. ;D

 

This is a fallacy. It is against the NBA collective bargaining agreement for companies to link compensation to the city the player plays in. All the "His shoe contract will pay him more" crap is wrong. Oh, and if he was going to sign in the New York market it would be with the Nets, not the Knicks. He would sign with his buddy Jay-Z, not with the sorry Knicks.
Stern could care less where LeBron plays, and said as much in his press conference before Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Cleveland. But Knicks fans need something to hold on to, so I can see why they will not let this go. Going to be an epic disappointment for them.

 

I think you're talking out of your ass. I have never seen or heard of any language in the collective bargaining agreement that prohibits companies from linking compensation to the city the player is in. If you can provide some proof that what you're saying is true, I'll stand corrected.

Everything else you have to say is just opinion, which you have a right to. I just don't understand why you get so upset when other people have different ones.

 

Umm, what? Can you provide a link to back that up?

How in the hell can a collective bargaining agreement between the players' union and the owners possibly bind SHOE COMPANIES that were NOT party to the contract? That makes no sense whatsoever.

 

Dude's lost it. He's just making shit up now.

 

Has LeBron's presence turned Cleveland into a destination for quality veteran free agents? As in, "I'll gladly take a pay cut to try to win a title with LeBron!"

Or is it a place where Anderson freaking Varejao gets a big contract, and Delonte West is so entrenched that while courting Trevor Ariza, the team says "Sign with us, and you'll get to compete with Delonte for a starting spot!" Ilgauskas doesn't give them a true big-man presence on either end of the court, and it's not like Shaq is going to be effective for the next five years. Maybe last season was everyone's "Lightning in a Bottle" Career Year? Has this roster already peaked? Will Shaq really be that effective?

Just can't see Cleveland making any more sense, roster-wise, than a quick-fix Knicks rebuild. If he went to NY, the prospect of helping LeBron (and maybe Bosh) resurrect the Knicks would be quite the enticement.

Someone who definitely plans to stay doesn't keep his options open. What, is he negotiating for more money under a collective bargaining agreement that caps all salaries at a certain maximum? Does he really need the attention during a year in which he will play alongside Shaq's last gasp?

 

It might be illegal for Nike to say, "OK, your contract is X million a year. But if you were to go to Chicago, NYC or LA, it will be X million times 2 a year."

It can't be that obvious. But if a player's shoe contract is up and he happens to now be playing in a bigger market than he used to, he's going to command more money. I remember reading in WSJ a few years back how much more advertising $$$ A-Rod was getting in NYC than he was when he was playing in Texas.