LJs advisors are brilliant. Their opus should be taught in colleges!

Folks, I think Maverick Carter and LJ's advisors (his inner circle) made the rest of the world look foolish. They played this free agency brilliantly. I'm in awe with his people and how they've pulled this off. Their opus that was LJ's freedom should be taught in colleges for decades to come!

LOL.

I'm starting to feel like he was coming to NY all along. I suspected as much when he hesitated last Summer, when Artest looked for the slightest assurance that he would remain in CLE. Lebron did not give him one, and thus Artest wouldn't sign with the Cavs.

I think they planned all along to have SIX (notice the number.... LJ's new jersey number in NY) teams come to CLE. Unlike Bosh-Wade, who have a film crew following them and have made this free agency week a twittering spectacle of themselves, LJ was all biz.

2 meetings a day for a few hours. Did this for 3 days. Celebrated the 4th. Ran his camp. Announces his decision. Hour-long ESPN special, sponsor the event, donate money to kids. Stroke of genius!

WHAT PRECISION. This was orchestrated and planned all along. CONGRATS TO THEM.

Now for the truly remarkable feat: They actually made going to NY the long shot (went from following the money to the big city, to opting for the underdog with little chance to win).

How did they do this?

They leak info/intel here and there, get people in a tizzy.... He's going to CHI to play with Rose, follow MJ; He'll go join JZ in NJ; then, my favorite part, he's forming a dream team in MIA.

The entire time the beat is drummed home: NY has no chance.

Now here comes the crescendo. How do you get NBA fans to accept your move? Especially in CLE?

1- You've played up this dream team of a HOF triumvirate (Wade, Bosh, LJ), that now the NBA landscape can take a gigantic collective sigh- PHEW- when it turns out to be false! Then the sentiment is: Oh, he's only going to NY.

Mission Accomplished. Fans from across USA wont chant things saying he abandoned Ohio. After all, he "left a chance to win to live on the wild frontier that is the NYK."

OK. Now the hard part....

2- How to make this easiest and least painfull.... escaping CLE? This was hard, but why not displace the blame and direct it to Chris Bosh. He's the reason. HEY, I wanted to stay in CLE and have Bosh join me, it was possible, but BOSH REJECTED CLE.... not me. I would have stayed.

Why else is this news leaked 50 hours before he flees? They have same agent/agency, so logica dictates this would have been plan-A.... IF....

BRILL-freakin-ANT !!!

After that, there was really no choice. He tried for 7 years, but Ferry so screwed the roster/cap situation that he has little-to-no-chance to win if he stays in CLE (especially if BOSH- the enemy- and Wade head to CHI).

NY, even if it happens to be a big city, was the only shot left. Like Switzerland.

Now he rides in a hero, makes the fewest enemies possible for his situation, and now the Akron boy can play in NYC babY!

No pressure. NO expectations. And when he wins it'll be epic!

It had drama and intrigue, and in the end it had harmony and followed an arc.... All this was created even though the outcome was obvious the entire process.

Maverick Carter is more than a High School pal; The dude has creativity and insight.... He knows his shiite!

i like your optimism. hopefully you're right

Nice insight. My first reaction when I heard that there was going to be a one hour press conference at prime time on ESPN with the proceeds going to charity I thought Cleveland was a lock. I thought what a performance he put on making everyone including the media look completely clueless. That he was milking the publicity every which way he could.
I mean how anti-climatic would it have been for Lebron to announce early on that he was staying in Cleveland? Basically, no publicity which does not suit Lebron at all.

After reading your theory, however, and hearing Broussard practically choke up announcing the press conference and that the Knicks were very much in play, I'm thinking you may be right.

Heres what I think. LeBrons people are brilliant, and I really think Maverick Carter will thrive in New York. He is truly a brilliant person, and can do wonders in NY, IMO. Now, onto LeBron. I wouldnt be surprised if wherever the anouncement is filmed is where he goes, and I wouldnt be surprised if its location is kept secret until he announces it. Unless, he just holds a press conference at his home and just announces where he goes.

Hot damn. That is a compelling write-up. I'm basically sold, but I'm not sure I could bear the let down.

I will be happy when I actually hear him say he is coming to the Knicks.

He's probably going to announce it in Akron.

Note AKRON and not CLEVELAND

SSj4Wingzero said:

He's probably going to announce it in Akron.

Note AKRON and not CLEVELAND

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So you think he is resigning with Cleveland and Bosh probably will announce a sign and trade to the Cavs that same day or something? Or do you think LBJ will sign with the Cavs regardless of Bosh's decision?

yanks26ngoin said:

Heres what I think. LeBrons people are brilliant, and I really think Maverick Carter will thrive in New York. He is truly a brilliant person, and can do wonders in NY, IMO. Now, onto LeBron. I wouldnt be surprised if wherever the anouncement is filmed is where he goes, and I wouldnt be surprised if its location is kept secret until he announces it. Unless, he just holds a press conference at his home and just announces where he goes.

Click to expand...

I definitely feel like Dolan assured Carter that he would continue to have complete access. The good news about the NY situation, unlike any other setting sans CLE, is that NY really has no demonstrative GM.

Walsh runs the show, but we know how he was trying to get Mullins in here to be his GM. Walsh is also getting up there in age, health is a issue, so their is a gaping hole in the front office.

I imagine DOLAN drilled this point home to Carter (and Lebron's people).

Dolan also proved to be quit loyal to Isiaih Thomas.

Say what you want about Dolan, but I have to imagine this was appealing to Carter. If they had to leave CLE why risk losing all your power going to CHI, NYJ or MIA.

In NY they would have access.... a voice.... maybe even a say in things. Both on and off the court. This practically makes Lebron player-GM, and gives Carter almost a GM-type role.

Toss in the access-contacts of Madison Ave, and the NYC adv-mktg scene....

And the final nail in the coffin.... Bosh and Wade sign in MIA.

If Lebron stays in CLE he might not win anything (or even reach the finals) with that team in the next 3-4 years. You might even argue that NY, with Amar'e, have the better team. We know STAT will be the best player he's ever played with.

LJ, and Carter, see the writing on the wall. They not only get NYC and all it offers, but they continue to run the show with Dolan, just as he did in CLE.

They get to pair Lebron with a BIG stud in STAT; they surround him with a shooting PF type in Gallo. They have a potential star in Bill Walker.

Lebron gets to mold the team in his image. We have 4 pieces of our championship puzzle already in place. We have a coach (remember Phil Jackson and his offensive system which helped MJ, so maybe MD's news SSOL soars).

From here this is the next attractive selling point: We have options.

1- We have T-Douglas. See how Rondo flourished playing with all those Super stars? Maybe Douglas becomes this type of player. He plays defense and can shoot. He can penetrate, and now all he needs to do is work on the pick-n-roll. He also is a trade asset.

2- Big Mac Eddy Curry. He is fighting for his life this year. If he ever wants to earn more than the min. wage, he must ressurect his career in 2010. Imagine the offense if Curry-Amar'e are roaming the paint scoring buckets. Woah! You never know. But what if....

I do know when the locker room was supportive, when Larry Brown motivated him and IT pushed him, we got a borderline All-star who poured in 18 ppg. What if Lebron gets the most out of him?

I also know that Curry is a trade asset as well. A lock we could swing a deadline deal, or we simply wait until next Summer when another 11 mil in cap space opens up so we can reload!

3- Wilson Chandler. He could play the Shawn Marion PF role, with Amar'e at C, which was one rotation MD ran in PHO. Chandler is at his best when he runs the floor as the PF. As the 4th man on the floor, with LJ-Amar'e, he might be special. No the def. stopper Marion is, but he can work at it. He also is a trade asset, and if we clear his salary by next Summer, we have room for yet another max player.


What does all this add up to? Well, a lot if you ask me. One reason so many underestimating NY. Not LJ and Carter though.

Finally, all we need to do know is convince a SHAQ or Kurt Thomas to accept a min. contract to play witha winner here in NY. Maybe even a Mike Miller, who is good friend's with Lebron.

We know we can attract vets like House or what not... I have no doubt we'll fill out roster with a few guys wanting to jump on the bandwagon.

Heck, maybe we even get a Ridnour or Livingston on the cheap.

We instantly go from pretender to contender. I'm ready, what about you? Buckle up!

NEW YORK KNICKS and LeBron James..

LeFlume said:

NEW YORK KNICKS and LeBron James..

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You wrote this in another thread: "I have lost all hope. There is NO WAY we will get LeBron now. 2 years of waiting and losing for.... Amare Stoudemire....FAIL"

Again, sounds like you're just a debbie downer who feels the grass is always browner on the other side of the fence.

Knicks FAILED.
LeBron FAILED.
Mafra FAILED.
:agreed:

LeFlume, please tell me when LeBron signed? because until then, you cant say that the knicks failed.

LeFlume said:

Knicks FAILED.
LeBron FAILED.
Mafra FAILED.
:agreed:

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I would rather fail trying than be someone like you (and Broussard) who stay neutral. YOu sound like a child.... "Knicks fail if they sign Lebron, the fail if the don't sign Lebron."

I imagine you must be some pleasure to be around. Me and you cowboy.... forget it!

Show me where I say Knicks will fail if they sign LeBron. You're saying and answer things that has never been said.

Great post Mafra.

I find it hard to believe he's setting up a prime time event on ESPN just to announce he's resigning with CLE. That wouldn't be huge news at all. This type of all-eyes-on-me exposure has to mean something much bigger than returning to the CAVS.

maybe Michael Jordan will be there?

LeFlume said:

Knicks FAILED.
LeBron FAILED.
Mafra FAILED.
:agreed:

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How did the Knicks fail when they landed one of the best big men in basketball??? Also, Lebron is still in play so i'm not quite sure what your panties are in a bunch about.

RELAX

2 years of losing and waiting and all we get is Amare Stoudemire, Not failure? You'd better prepare yourself because you will get brutal awakening when you see what New York media will have to say on friday.

LeFlume said:

2 years of losing and waiting and all we get is Amare Stoudemire, Not failure? You'd better prepare yourself because you will get brutal wake up when you see what New York media will have to say on friday.

Click to expand...

Read my thread please (http://www.knicksonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8292)...this idea of failure is nonsense. Yea because it's either Lebron or nothing...We are just going to sit on all that cap space and not acquire any other players. :rolling: