mafra
Legend
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!
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!