Looks like LeBrons not going anywhere in 2010

[PittsburghSucks]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/05/24/cavs.china.ap/index.html

Cavs sign ownership deal with China group

Posted May 24 2009 5:47PM

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed an agreement with an investment group from China to become minority owners of the NBA franchise and its arena, a partnership that could impact superstar LeBron James' future with the team.

The Asian conglomerate, which includes JianHua Huang, a Chinese businessman who has brokered sponsorship deals with the New York Yankees and other sports franchises in the U.S., could acquire up to 15 percent of Cavaliers Operating Company, the entity that owns the team and operates Quicken Loans Arena.

The deal, completed by the sides in recent days, must be approved by the league's board of governors.

Team president Len Komoroski said Sunday the group approached Cavs principal owner Dan Gilbert about the partnership and called the business venture "an exciting new opportunity."

Gilbert's role in overseeing the organization and 20,000-seat arena will not be affected by the new partners.

Citing multiple unnamed sources, the Cleveland Plain Dealer first reported the sides had a tentative deal in place. But in recent days, paperwork was completed between Gilbert and the consortium. It will now be sent to the league office for approval.

Huang and others in the group attended Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference finals in Cleveland. On Friday, they sat courtside and watched James hit a game-winning 3-pointer in the final second to give the Cavaliers a 96-95 win and even the best-of-seven series which resumed Sunday night.

If approved, the deal would provide marketing opportunities for the Cavaliers and James, who is eligible to become a free agent in the summer of 2010. The 24-year-old MVP, who is already among the league's most popular players in Asia, has stated he wants to become the first billionaire athlete. His brand overseas could be enhanced by playing for a team with Chinese business partners.

There has been ongoing speculation that James will leave Cleveland to play in a larger market like New York or Los Angeles because of the vast business opportunities. But James -- and his corporate sponsors like Nike -- have broader goals and may be able to attain them by tapping into China's colossal consumer marketplace without him ever leaving Cleveland.

James has never given any indication he wants to leave the Cavaliers, who drafted the Akron, Ohio, native with the No. 1 overall pick in 2003. He won a gold medal with the U.S. team last summer at the Beijing Games and has made four trips to China, including one with the Cavs during the preseason two years ago.

Gilbert has been approached by outside investors in the past, but his original business group has mostly remained intact since he bought the Cavaliers and the rights to operate their arena for $375 million from former majority owner Gordon Gund in 2004.

Gilbert purchased the team with several other investors, including longtime business partner David Katzman, R&B superstar Usher and others. Gund maintained partial ownership.

However, in the past two years, Katzman has decided to focus on other business interests and the Chinese group would essentially take over his percentage of the Cavs.

[Linus]

Im sure Tiger Woods will hit the billion dollar mark before LeBron.

[JQK]

Ummm, yea, LeBron will still go to NYC if at all possible...

[Jigga]

This topic title is a tad bit misleading, don't ya think?

[TFoA]

I read that whole article, and nowhere did I see "Cavs give LeBron James contract extension; LeBron to stay in Cleveland forever."

[FiddySicks]

Ummm, yea, LeBron will still go to NYC if at all possible...

Says a New York area sports fan

[DarkJourney]

Does China own the United States? It seems like it.

[Saintsfan]

Yeah I don't quite think that the underlying message of the article is 'Lebron not leaving Cavaliers.' Of course the NBA wants you to think that James is staying in Cleveland. They still want people to be buying Cavaliers jersyes for the next year.

That being said I don't know how real the James to Knicks thing is. I wonder if some of that is the Knicks trying to get a level of patience out of its own fans.

My own personal view is that its always best to deal in realities rather than gossip when dealing with player transactions. (As much as that is much less fun!) I think there are often underlying reasons for gossip ahead of something that actually is going to happen. Clubs, players and agents are all have their own reasons for spreading gossip.

[Jigga]

Well, I just heard ESPN Radio host Colin Cowherd make the exact same leap when he "reported" on this story, so it's not just Cleveland fans' wishfully thinking. I still don't see how 1 plus 1 gets to 4, but at least 2 people do...lol.

[Starchild]

I'm not reading much into this. Do I think he's a sure thing for jumping to New York? No. But I think it's absolutely a two team race between Cleveland and NY... that much is a certainty.

The much bigger story, IMO, is Cleveland's performance against Orlando. If they don't make it to the Finals this year, or win a title either this year or next, then I think it is a very, very real possibility Lebron leaves. His team is not getting any younger and clearly, that team is built to win now. Guys like Big Z, Big Ben, Joe Smith are at the end of the road, Wally World likely isn't going to be around much longer and I just don't see a team of James, Mo Williams, Delonte West, Pavlovic and Verajao leading the Cavs back to a ECF or NBA Finals appearance post-2010. That said, it's not like the Knicks have a lot more to offer in the talent department (barring any other moves... although more moves are clearly going to happen).

China having a minority stake in Cleveland isn't a big deal... his team's performance should (and I think it will) dictate what he does during FA.

[IceCap]

Well yeah, this is a long way from "LeBron stays in Cleveland forever," but IMO it would be nice if it ended up that way.

*wishfully remembering the days when star players stayed on one team their whole career*

[jkrdevil]

This topic title is a tad bit misleading, don't ya think?

I clicked on this thread seeing the title thinking he signed an extension.

[cappital92]

Are the Knicks and Nets(I know he was rumored to be going with them when Brooklyn looked like it was going through) the only ones looking at LeBron? I mean, with all the teams clearing cap space, I could see him somewhere else. Hopefully the West, so if the Wizards get back to the playoffs, they can get to the second round.

[HedleyLamarr]

LeBron will shock the world and sign with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

You heard it here first....

[Jigga]

If that happens, I'll give you a dollar.

[Breakwood]

LeBron is going to Europe.

[Linus]

LeBron wants to expand beyond the USA...which means he'll be with the Raptors in 2010

[floydnimrod]

I'm not reading much into this. Do I think he's a sure thing for jumping to New York? No. But I think it's absolutely a two team race between Cleveland and NY... that much is a certainty.

The much bigger story, IMO, is Cleveland's performance against Orlando. If they don't make it to the Finals this year, or win a title either this year or next, then I think it is a very, very real possibility Lebron leaves. His team is not getting any younger and clearly, that team is built to win now. Guys like Big Z, Big Ben, Joe Smith are at the end of the road, Wally World likely isn't going to be around much longer and I just don't see a team of James, Mo Williams, Delonte West, Pavlovic and Verajao leading the Cavs back to a ECF or NBA Finals appearance post-2010. That said, it's not like the Knicks have a lot more to offer in the talent department (barring any other moves... although more moves are clearly going to happen).

China having a minority stake in Cleveland isn't a big deal... his team's performance should (and I think it will) dictate what he does during FA.

If LeBron's reason for leaving a team is performance, then why would he want to go to a team whose performance is worse than his current team's?

[Starchild]

I'm not reading much into this. Do I think he's a sure thing for jumping to New York? No. But I think it's absolutely a two team race between Cleveland and NY... that much is a certainty.

The much bigger story, IMO, is Cleveland's performance against Orlando. If they don't make it to the Finals this year, or win a title either this year or next, then I think it is a very, very real possibility Lebron leaves. His team is not getting any younger and clearly, that team is built to win now. Guys like Big Z, Big Ben, Joe Smith are at the end of the road, Wally World likely isn't going to be around much longer and I just don't see a team of James, Mo Williams, Delonte West, Pavlovic and Verajao leading the Cavs back to a ECF or NBA Finals appearance post-2010. That said, it's not like the Knicks have a lot more to offer in the talent department (barring any other moves... although more moves are clearly going to happen).

China having a minority stake in Cleveland isn't a big deal... his team's performance should (and I think it will) dictate what he does during FA.

If LeBron's reason for leaving a team is performance, then why would he want to go to a team whose performance is worse than his current team's?

I think that lies in the potential of his current team. You have to figure, by the summer of 2010, if they haven't won a title or made it super close to one, then the window is closing rapidly with the current Cavalier makeup. Big Z, Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Wally World likely to be gone (or as good as gone in terms of playing ability) by then. At that point, are Mo Williams, Delonte West, Pavlovic and Verajao that much better of a supporting cast than whatever the Knicks will have assembled (not to mention whatever subsequent cap room they may have if they manage to move say, Eddy Curry and/or Jared Jefferies)? I'm not so sure.

Again, I'm not saying he will leave or he won't. Truth be told, I'm betting he won't come to NY. But I would assume he'd be more likely to jump ship if the team severely underperforms. I will say this, Lebron has to be fully aware that his offensive talents would be better utilized in a system like Mike D'Antoni's (as much as I may hate the 7-seconds-or-less schtick). Right now, Lebron plays 5-on-1 every trip down the court... you have to figure that in D'Antoni's system, Lebron won't be Options 1,2,3,4 and 5. I think his experiences playing with the Olympic team and experiencing the offense D'Antoni has perfected has to at least be weighing on him considering Mike Brown's almost inability to orchestrate an offensive system that manages to utilize Lebron's full range while simultaneously distributing the load. He's looked absolutely exhausted against Orlando by the end of every game. Considering they swept the first two rounds and had ample rest, that's certainly not something he can be excited about.

But hey, he's in the ECF with a real shot at a title while NY can't even suck properly to get a top three pick. Can't wait for the articles on how the Knicks' selection of Stephen Curry would bolster their efforts to sign Lebron since he attended a few Davidson games. Can't wait.

[Gothamite]

Well, I just heard ESPN Radio host Colin Cowherd make the exact same leap when he "reported" on this story, so it's not just Cleveland fans' wishfully thinking. I still don't see how 1 plus 1 gets to 4, but at least 2 people do...lol.

Cowherd is a moron. Use him as a source for everything at your own risk.

I don't know about this story. I can't stand the Knicks or Nets, so I don't have any skin in this game. But I don't see how this deal makes LeBron signing with the Cavs any more likely, except that they will have more money to throw at him.

I get the sense from reports that it's not about money for him, but playing on the biggest stage. Well, that still isn't Cleveland. But the reports may well be wrong. I don't claim to know.