If Lebron leaves Cleveland then he is a damned fool

[rNubb]

This simple thread is not for fans of the NBA.

Lebron is due to earned 25 to 30 million more dollars for resigning with the Cleveland Cavs - his hometown team.

Why would any sane and rational brother leave that type of money on the table on a quest to possibly win a ring worth maybe 50K?

That's madness.

I ain't religious but to turn down that amount of money just to hold up a gold ball is idol worship in the worst possible way.

How much can a man do with 25 million dollars?

How much can a man do with a cheap gold and diamond ring?

How many ex players will give back their rings for a few extra millions? For a few extra 100K's.

Lebron, get that money.

Fuck the pursuit of being a Chump-peon.

 

[Spectrum]

Jordan earned all his money on endorsements because he was a WINNER. Jordan only really earned real dollars during his last 2 seasons as a Bull... Whatever money he loses in contract value he will earn in endorsement dollars many times over as a multiple NBA champion. That is the only thing that can add to his BRAND value right now. Winning titles for Lebron is worth an extra 100 million dollars or more in endorsement money immediately.

 

[Daddy43205]

Jordan earned all his money on endorsements because he was a WINNER. Jordan only really earned real dollars during his last 2 seasons as a Bull... Whatever money he loses in contract value he will earn in endorsement dollars many times over as a multiple NBA champion. That is the only thing that can add to his BRAND value right now. Winning titles for Lebron is worth an extra 100 million dollars or more in endorsement money immediately.

agree'd everyone wants a champion he is not getting no rings with clevland. unless they get at least 2 more decent players

 

[RunawaySlave]

Not only that, he'll probably have a better chance of winning if he stays where he is as well. All he needs to win is 1 championship in Cleveland and his legacy is set for life (as long as he don't do something stupid when he retires)

 

[rNubb]

Lebron had major endorsements out of high school. He is already with McDonalds. He is already with the biggest cash cow associated with the NBA- Nike. He has already endorsed everything from computers to insurance.

And the last time I checked, it is still a economic famine out there and corporations haven't been throwing around large sums of money for advertising and sponsorship. They looking for reasons to get out of preexisting deals.

What new company is out there saying that they will hitch their wagon to Lebron if and only if he wins a championship?

Kobe has 5 rings and plays in the heart of Hollywood. What are his endorsement dollars in comparison to Lebron? Is it 5Xs or triple, or even double the endorsement money of Lebron? No. Did Shaq's endorsement money double or triple after he left Orlando and won 3 championships with the LA Lakers? Did it double again when he went to Miami and won another championship with Wade?

Listen. Lebron probably won't do what team MJ did nearly 25 years ago. That day has come and gone. Before MJ, there was the super popular Bird shoe, Magic shoe and the granddaddy of them all, The Dr.J shoe. Wow, what competition back then. Now every elite athlete has a shoe meanwhile Jordans are still on top.

Lebron's celebrity isn't limited because he lives and plays ball in Cleveland. This is not 1910. Mass media is truly MASSIVE. He is already a global sports figure. Everybody that cares to use his brand is already checking for him - ring or no ring.

Lastly, if Lebron goes to a stacked team and doesn't get it done. His legacy will be tarnished. His stock value will fall dramatically? He is not guaranteed a championship. He isn't guaranteed his health.

Lebron, take that guaranteed money. Please don't confuse your NBA legacy with your dollars and sense.

Get paid.

Use that extra dough to buy a NBA championship ring from Craig Hodges, Antoine Walker or Scottie Pippens. There are probably a few on EBAY right now.

 

[Maleman]

Bottom line...Lebron should be trying to bring free agents to Cleveland. That is his city. Business is business but the free agency tour is not good. The tour is a smack in the face to the city and organization.

 

[SloPoke]

Bottom line...Lebron should be trying to bring free agents to Cleveland. That is his city. Business is business but the free agency tour is not good. The tour is a smack in the face to the city and organization.

Pretty much. Via media-hype he is forcing that city to bow down. If they keep him, Cleveland looks like a bunch of subservient beggars, if they lose him, they become the ugly girl left with no dance partner.

Either way. I agree he should be using his leverage and status to bring in the free agents.

 

[ronmch20]

Ah, but he'll be a rich one.

 

[dzlkdd]

Old money is old money because somebody in that line could have tens of billions and would still argue over 5 bucks if it came up.

But with new money types, sometimes money ain't everything. Take that for better or for worse. He ain't going broke any time soon, and if he is, 25 million ain't gonna make up for that level of stupidity.

 

[Spectrum]

Lebron had major endorsements out of high school. He is already with McDonalds. He is already with the biggest cash cow associated with the NBA- Nike. He has already endorsed everything from computers to insurance.

And he will add not only to his price but more endorsements when he wins titles. You think Tiger gives a shit about the purse money when he is making 100 million a year nearly all from endorsements...why.... because was winning majors and scorching the field. When you win, you brand can be sold as excellence, winning, #1, etc...not just a great athlete

And the last time I checked, it is still a economic famine out there and corporations haven't been throwing around large sums of money for advertising and sponsorship. They looking for reasons to get out of preexisting deals.

And despite all of that, the top atheletes have earned the same amount the last couple of years, and some even more, than even during the bull run. The only thing that increases Lebrons brand is winning a title. He will become more of a worldwide name if he wins titles.

What new company is out there saying that they will hitch their wagon to Lebron if and only if he wins a championship?

The list is endless... even a company like Accenture would pick him up if he won a couple of titles and kept his image clean

Kobe has 5 rings and plays in the heart of Hollywood. What are his endorsement dollars in comparison to Lebron? Is it 5Xs or triple, or even double the endorsement money of Lebron?

Kobe lost value when he got caught up with the rape charges and tarnished him image. His endorsement value was rising until that point and has slowly recovered AFTER winning the last two titles. Go check his endorsements now. Clear as day.

Lebron is stuck at a glass ceiling right now. The ONLY thing that increases his brand value now is being a champion....not staying in Cleveland, not going to the Knicks, not winning another MVP Award.... but winning multiple titles.

Jordan was a phenom before the titles... he became a worldwide icon who was hawking products everywhere when he dominated the league and was winning titles. I cant even understand how you cant see that.

Listen. Lebron probably won't do what team MJ did nearly 25 years ago. That day has come and gone. Before MJ, there was the super popular Bird shoe, Magic shoe and the granddaddy of them all, The Dr.J shoe. Wow, what competition back then. Now every elite athlete has a shoe meanwhile Jordans are still on top.

man. Open up your mind. Noone is talking about flipping no got-damn gym shoes. Look at the highest paid athletes in the world...Stop just thinking about the U.S. Basketball players are stuck to being U.S. based phenoms until they can became the icon of their sport by winning titles...like Jordan. Kobe has 5 titles but 3 were on the back of Shaq...he also was never well-liked, and he also got caught up in the rap charges. He doesnt even have the appeal that Lebron has become his image is tarnished.

Look at the products that worldwide athletes like Tiger, Lefty, Hamilton, etc represent.. That is the company that Lebron can get to and make 10s of more millions annually from endorsement. However, that will only happen by being associated with WINNING.

Lebron's celebrity isn't limited because he lives and plays ball in Cleveland. This is not 1910. Mass media is truly MASSIVE. He is already a global sports figure. Everybody that cares to use his brand is already checking for him - ring or no ring.

No one gives a fuck about Lebron around the world. Most people dont even know his name. I live overseas NOW and travel all around the world. The world doesnt give a shit about a great athlete that is not even playing in the championship games in his sport. He is not a champion. You are really getting this. It is about BRAND. The ONLY WAY HE INCREASES HIS BRAND VALUE IS BY BEING THE LEADER OF AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM OR BETTER YET...A DYNASTY.

Lastly, if Lebron goes to a stacked team and doesn't get it done. His legacy will be tarnished. His stock value will fall dramatically? He is not guaranteed a championship. He isn't guaranteed his health.

His basketball legacy will be tarnished but it wont negatively affect his brand value.

However, playing a non-championship caliber team is going to COST him money. Every year he loses, he is loving 10s of millions of endorsement dollars on the table.

Lebron, take that guaranteed money. Please don't confuse your NBA legacy with your dollars and sense.

.

That is simple thinking. 30 million dollars extra on a contract over 6 years is NOTHING compared to what he can get on winning team. He would make triple that in endorsement dollars.

Plus, have you ever thought that MAYBE he actually gives a shit about winning a title.

 

[Spectrum]

Bottom line...Lebron should be trying to bring free agents to Cleveland. That is his city. Business is business but the free agency tour is not good. The tour is a smack in the face to the city and organization.

Cleveland doesnt have any cap room or even any talent that people want to trade for....there is nothing there... the team this year was about as good as they can expect to be.

 

[TheyCallMeBe]

I wouldn't be surprised if he just signed a 3 year deal so he can attention-whore again...

 

[Maleman]

Cleveland doesnt have any cap room or even any talent that people want to trade for....there is nothing there... the team this year was about as good as they can expect to be.

Cavs had the best record in the league and they just replaced the weakest link, the coach.

If Lebron leaves, it will be a perfect example of how free agency is fuckin up the sport.

Don't get me wrong, some players do benefit from the change of scenery (and the $$$), but i always thought Mike Brown was a nobody. Byron Scott should be able to get them over the hump.

 

[Spectrum]

Cavs had the best record in the league and they just replaced the weakest link, the coach.

If Lebron leaves, it will be a perfect example of how free agency is fuckin up the sport.

Don't get me wrong, some players do benefit from the change of scenery (and the $$$), but i always thought Mike Brown was a nobody. Byron Scott should be able to get them over the hump.

Coach Brown was definitely in over his head.

However, even with a coaching change, it wont change the fact that Cleveland doesnt have a championship team. They lack players that can create their own shots and they are still undersized at the one and two positions. That can get you through the regular season, but that wont get you titles. Cleveland had the best regular season last year as well. They are like the Suns teams that can run off 60 win seasons but you know that they have a championship caliber team. Winning 60 games is different than being able to consistently beat the top 4 teams in the league...which Cleveland has not been able to do...they dont have the personnel to match up against the top teams like Boston and Orlando.

I do like the move with Scott... but the only way they can improve is if they can get a deal for a player like Chris Paul to help Lebron run the offense and-or another low post thread.

The problem is that Cleveland has no trade bait nor will they have cap space after playing Lebron..I just dont see how they can BETTER... because Lebron can averaged 40-15-10 like he did against Orlando in the 09 season and they still get knocked off by the better TEAM...the man needs some help.

But I agree... Ive always thought Brown was a subpar coach and you dont win titles with an average coach. Damn near every championship team over the last 25 years has had a current or future HOF coach.

 

[rNubb]

Shaq and Duncan have multiple championships and MVPs under their belts. They have sponsors. Neither guy reached Jordan's money or Tigers money.

Again, Shaq left Orlando and won NBA titles with MVPs and he didn't become a mega personality in command of a billion dollar fortune.

Before Kobe's rape case, he had already won 3 NBA titles and had been in the league for at least 8 or 9 seasons. He wasn't on track to command a billion dollar fortune with a long list of big money sponsors.

Basketball is not the route to that type of money. Lebron's brand has inherent limitations. He's no tiger woods.

Tiger Woods' success is the stuff of legend. He is a blackinese trailblazer/champion that has taken over the wealthy white man's favorite past time. So tiger's money comes from a different source.

Tiger's fame and fortune is generated by the deep pockets of the richest men on earth. Golf is a global game played and followed by the rich and elite. Affluent folks pay attention to golf and it personalities. Big money endorses Tiger because he grants them access to the big money clientele. Their money is on another level in comparison to the basketball fans.

Most folks with any amount of money consider basketball to be thug ball. If Lebron was sinking putts instead of free throws then this could be a real discussion about his future money prospects.

Tiger Woods made $100 mil in his biggest endorsement year. Followed by Phil Mickelson at 47 mil, Lebron at $25 mil, Dale Earnhart $25 and Michelle Wie at $19.5 Mil. Michelle Wie made nearly as much as Lebron and she hadn't won anything on the LPGA Tour.

Lebron is already the highest paid NBA player in terms of endorsements. A title or 2 won't up his money beyond Mickelson. Truth be told, Michelle Wie has more upward mobility than Lebron.

Has Lebron maxed out? No. Is the ceiling limitless? No. Even though I forecast that his marketability is peaking.

Lastly, Lebron's fortune is in Cleveland. His dream of getting Jordan's or Tiger's money is a dream. He can team up with Wade and share in his spotlight. That won't take his brand to a whole new level. He better get that guaranteed money.

 

[catalina74]

i think he should leave and go to the bulls. he needs a ring to be complete. he has all the money you could want and will continue to get a shitload of it as long as he plays. But go after that ring while he's young. I think he's going to leave. Oh and I am a bulls fan

 

[Spectrum]

Shaq and Duncan have multiple championships and MVPs under their belts. They have sponsors. Neither guy reached Jordan's money or Tigers money.

Again, Shaq left Orlando and won NBA titles with MVPs and he didn't become a mega personality in command of a billion dollar fortune.

Duncan has the personality of a toad in a team sport. He has no brand value. You cant even compare him to Lebron.

Shaq was doing movies, music, etc. He definitely benefited economically from that 3 peat in LA and he paid off in endorsements.

Before Kobe's rape case, he had already won 3 NBA titles and had been in the league for at least 8 or 9 seasons. He wasn't on track to command a billion dollar fortune with a long list of big money sponsors.

Kobe was a supporting cast member on those 3 NBA teams. In the first title in 2000, he only averaged 12 points in the NBA FInals.

Shaq averaged 38 points and 20 rebounds a game. No comparison.

Basketball is not the route to that type of money. Lebron's brand has inherent limitations. He's no tiger woods.

I dont completely disagree with this. Football (soccer), Formula 1, and Golf has a larger international fan base and two of them target the wealthy so obviously the types of products that you can represent are different.

However, Jordan crossed that barrier. Timing, the growth of the nba, marketing by nike, etc obviously helped, but being a multiple -title winner, and the best player in the sport while winning titles and delivering memorable moments propelled him to a worldwide icon.

Lebron has the possibility of doing something similar..not the same..but something similar if he can win titles.

Kobe has yet to deliver ONE memorable game or even moment in the NBA finals....he has the benefit of being with an organization that consistently produces title teams...

Tiger Woods' success is the stuff of legend. He is a blackinese trailblazer/champion that has taken over the wealthy white man's favorite past time. So tiger's money comes from a different source.

Tiger became a worldwide icon because he dominated the sport in a way that has never been seen and he did it from a young age after all the hype.

Do you see the parellel with Lebron. Kobe NEVER had that type of pre-professional hype. Lebron had it and delivered individually..but he has yet to become a champion.

Tiger had the hype and not only delivered..went BEYOND expectations.

His race is meaningless...the second highest paid athleted in the world is Phil (lefty) and if he had 25 perent of the success of Tiger he would probably be earning more than Tiger.

Tiger's fame and fortune is generated by the deep pockets of the richest men on earth. Golf is a global game played and followed by the rich and elite. Affluent folks pay attention to golf and it personalities. Big money endorses Tiger because he grants them access to the big money clientele. Their money is on another level in comparison to the basketball fans.

Jordan played a national game and became a worldwide icon because he dominated it. It kinds of kills that theory that this is limited to 2 or 3 sports like Golf, Tennis, etc.

Tiger Woods made $100 mil in his biggest endorsement year. Followed by Phil Mickelson at 47 mil, Lebron at $25 mil, Dale Earnhart $25 and Michelle Wie at $19.5 Mil. Michelle Wie made nearly as much as Lebron and she hadn't won anything on the LPGA Tour.

Lebron is already the highest paid NBA player in terms of endorsements. A title or 2 won't up his money beyond Mickelson. Truth be told, Michelle Wie has more upward mobility than Lebron.

Has Lebron maxed out? No. Is the ceiling limitless? No. Even though I forecast that his marketability is peaking.

Lastly, Lebron's fortune is in Cleveland. His dream of getting Jordan's or Tiger's money is a dream. He can team up with Wade and share in his spotlight. That won't take his brand to a whole new level. He better get that guaranteed money.

He wont make Tiger woods money. He would need to win a title every year for the rest of his career to be as dominant as Tiger has been. Tiger is already regarded as the greatest golfer that every lived (by a majority of golfers..even though he hasnt passed the golden bear in majors) and he is only 33. Tiger is a walking legend...the greatest of his game already...has no peers. Lebron, especially with Kobe on his last legs, has a chance, if he can get on a dynasty team, because THE face of a global sport that is still growing. That is worth 10s of millions of dollars annually. He has a lot of upside.

That 30 million dollars aint shit. Now he COULD do in Cleveland... HOWEVER, cleveland doesnt have the talent... just like Jordan did in Chicago. I dont think Lebron needs NYC or anything like that... but he does need to win championships of he will just be another great player...nothing more.

You gotta remember..this cat is only 25 years old... he becomes associated with being a WINNER...he will be selling products for another 40 years.

We arent in total disagreement... I just think you may be overvaluing 30 million dollars over 6 years for a person like that.... same way Jordan kept taking lower contracts in order to keep talent on the team and then got paid on the backend.last few years of his contact and also in endorsement..if he can start winning some titles, he will get the money back and some...but ONLY as the leader of a team...I dont think the wade-lebron duo does that for him..... but maybe he does just want to actually win championships and even endorsement money is not his #1 criteria... because he wont win a title anytime soon in Cleveland homie..

 

[OTG08]

Get ready to cry faggot, last day lebron is ever a cav is today

 

[Tyrone9912]

i wonder has anyone forgotten that Your boy Lebron on the day he signed with the NBA got a 90 mil. dollar check from Nike. The key to endorsement success is, more of them thats it. Jordan was endorsed by everything and that is what made him a success. I still think the most sucessful athelete in all sports history was OJ simpson, he endorsed hearing aids to sports creams. But racism was the only drawback for him when he married that whitechick it was the beginning of his downfall. So I agree with you all if he keeps his nose clean and gets multiple buyers than he can reach the stars.

 

[rNubb]

Lebron, Lebrand, Lebrand?

What the hell are you doing?

First, if Lebron was going to leave Cleveland then he should have got it done quick, fast and in a hurry.

Here you are acting like the show wasn't going to start without you. Sike.

Now he is late and scrambling in the dark for a good seat.

If you go to the Heat, then you are bandwagon guy to the fullest. You will literally be leaving your home and team to move into the house that Wade built. In this scenario, Wade's next championship will be your first. (Wade)Scuse me Bron, you are on my coat tails.

If you go to the Knicks, then you won't win a championship anytime in the foreseeable future. That Knicks team including Amare won't be better than Miami, Orlando or Boston.

If you return to Cleveland after this dog and pony show, then not only will you not win anything in the near future with that roster, you will be the ultimate NBA equivalent of a dick tease. You could have taken the money long before this shit got silly and saved face.

The Bulls would be his best legacy move. At least he will be the perceived big fish in the pond. Noah, Boozer, Rose, Lebron plus 1 is not a bad squad.

I still say take the money in Cleveland.

Lebron Damned Fool James I hope this works out for you son. I just don't see it.

 

[sdw666]

This could be it.
Cleveland

Miami

Cleveland

Miami

Chance to play with your BOYZ

Priceless

 

[cranrab]

not directed at anybody in particular, but i'm genuinely confused as to why people are so emotionally invested in the movements of lebron james. (excluding fans of the cavaliers and individually, lebron james)

i see lebron james leaving cleveland as a golden opportunity for his fans to dis/prove a claim that they've long been making: cleveland would not make the playoffs without lebron james.

other than that, the hype around this free agent move is baffling.

 

[RunawaySlave]

This could be it.

Miami