I am a New York Knicks fan. I am a LeBron James fan. Naturally, there's basically nothing more I'd like to see in the world than LeBron sporting a Knicks jersey next year.
But even I'm getting tired of the LeBron talk. Part of it is because I genuinely don't believe he's coming to New York (more on that in a bit), and part of it is because the story is so overblown that people will look for meaning in anything.
For example, the other day, LeBron officially filed paperwork to change his number from 23 — Michael Jordan's former number — to six, out of respect for the basketball great. And people are now wondering if it's a sign that he's going to stay in Cleveland because he's changing his number there.
Those people need to find something else to do. LeBron is attempting to change his number now because the deadline to do so is today — the NBA needs to know so that it can plan for the production of new jerseys — and that's it. It doesn't mean he's staying; it doesn't mean he's going. All it means is that wherever he is, he'll be wearing No. 6.
The fact is, nobody knows what he's going to do but him — and he will play wherever he wants, regardless of that team's cap situation (sign−and−trades, people). But with that said, let me explain why I don't think New York is the place LeBron will choose.
Some will argue that New York is the basketball capital of the world, a place where LeBron can take his stardom to another level. But really, can LeBron get any bigger? He's the biggest basketball superstar on the planet, and he's got every endorsement deal he could possibly want — New York's not really going to do anything for him in the self−promotion department.
Money? Nope, New York can't offer more of that either. The way the NBA cap system is structured, a free agent's most recent team can offer him one more year with bigger raises. So the Knicks can offer LeBron a five−year deal with raises of eight percent, while the Cavaliers can offer him a six−year deal with raises of 10.5 percent. Not that LeBron really needs the cash. Just saying.
What about winning? That's ostensibly what LeBron cares the most about. Sadly, Knicks fans are kidding themselves if they think New York provides the best chance to do that. Yes, the Knicks will have enough cap space to sign both LeBron and another max−contract player next year. But the Knicks are clearly a team in rebuilding mode, and they have nothing to offer LeBron as they are.
LeBron's not going to sign with the Knicks unless they sign another superstar free agent like Dwyane Wade. But Wade's not going to sign with the Knicks unless they sign someone like LeBron. It's the Catch−22 from hell, Knicks fans, and I just don't see any way around it.
And even if LeBron did want to sign with a rebuilding team, that team would most likely be the Bulls — a team that also has enough cap room to sign two max−contract players, while also already having a superstar in Derrick Rose and other pieces. Can you imagine a trio of Rose, Wade and LeBron? I'm sure LeBron can.
But mostly, I think LeBron cares about his legacy. And the best way for a superstar player in any sport to build a legacy is to stay put. Derek Jeter, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning — these are players who have been with the same team for their entire careers.
You know who else formed his legacy with one team? Jordan. And despite LeBron's number change, that's the guy who he wants to be.
To emulate Jordan, he needs to build a dynasty from the ground up. He's already done most of the work in Cleveland. Why would he leave now?
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David Heck is a senior majoring in philosophy. He can be reached at David.Heck@tufts.edu.
