Tossed Salad
by Brent Hovey
Reporter
Last week, my colleague, associate sports editor Frank Aceto, wrote a column predicting LeBron James will leave Cleveland after the 2010 NBA season.
These type of columns have been popping up everywhere in the last two-to-three weeks.
I'm asking, why?
Why write these columns and why speculate now?
I'm confident LeBron will still be in a Cavs uniform come 2011.
The possibility of James' leaving has been mentioned ever since he was drafted.
When he signed his contract extension last off season, he didn't accept the maximum offer.
LeBron took one year less so he can "opt out" by the 2010 season. It was a smart business move. He can make more money in 2011 instead of waiting to make it in 2012.
The question now is, what team will be paying him that money?
Ever since James listed New York City as his favorite city a few weeks back, this nonsense has resurfaced.
Much was made about James ranking his hometown of Akron fifth and Cleveland not even being on the list.
Is that really a surprise?
How many of you would list your hometown as your favorite city in America? That's not saying you don't like where you live or your hometown, it's just that other cities are more exciting and more exotic to you.
Did you want James to lie and say Akron was his favorite followed by Cleveland? Would that really make you feel more confident he is going to stay after the 2010 season?
Just because he likes NYC, doesn't mean he'll play there.
The NBA is set up for teams to keep their superstars. In the summer of 2010, Cleveland will be able to offer James more money and more years on his contract than any other team.
In short, he can make more money playing in Cleveland.
The last person to turn down a max contract offer from his original team was Shaquille O'Neal. That was way back in 1996 when he left the Orlando Magic for the Los Angeles Lakers. Do you really think LeBron is going to turn down more money from his hometown team to play in Brooklyn?
But what about endorsements, you ask? He can make more money in New York doing those than he will Cleveland, you say.
I have a strange feeling that he is doing just fine in endorsement dollars. There won't be that many, if any, more endorsement opportunities in New York that he can't get in Cleveland.
I'm not going to guarantee that LeBron will stay with the Cavs, but the odds are good.
Believe it or not -- and there are many who can't -- LeBron actually likes it here.
Look at all the charity work he does in Akron. He has his annual bike ride through downtown. He has started an AAU tournament that has become one of the premier events for high school basketball players from across the country. He has a lot invested here.
What about the team, you ask? The Cavs aren't good enough to keep James in the wine and gold, you say.
Look, two years ago the Cavs made their first NBA Finals.
This past year, they were one basket from P.J. Brown away from beating the eventual champion Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the second round.
The team will be fine. Last year, trades, injures and holdouts messed with the team.
This year, even with no big additions (although I think they still need a few), the team will be better.
They'll have a whole year to play together and with an early exit in the postseason, James will come back stronger and hungrier.
To Aceto: There is no reason to compare LeBron James to The Drive, The Fumble, The Shot, Jose Mesa or Art Modell.
There's no reason to say Cleveland fans "good things aren't supposed to happen to you."
This is a town that is passionate about its teams. That passion cannot be ignored by the Sports Gods forever.
Cleveland teams have come close to breaking through; the Indians were one game away from the World Series last year, the Browns' confidence is at its highest since the last 1980s and the Cavs made the NBA Finals two years ago -- they will be back many times over the next 10-plus years with James.
LeBron's decision is still two years away. A lot can happen in that time.
I'm just going to enjoy watching LeBron play and look forward to when Aceto has to eat his words.
E-mail: bhovey@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3115