[Stephen A. Smith/Sporting News] NY becoming more appealing to LeBron

Lock if necessary.

fwiw
[rquoter]LeBron James has been tight-lipped about his future plans, but Stephen A. Smith says he has a scoop on the offseason's most coveted free agent.

"From what my sources tell me, he still hasn't made a final decision, but he's higher on New York now than he was a month ago," Smith told ESPN Radio on Friday. "And the reality is that he is leaning more towards New York than he is towards returning to Cleveland."

According to Smith, who covers the NBA for the Philadelphia Inquirer, James doesn't want to influence the Cavaliers' coaching hire in case he leaves. That's why James didn't talk to Michigan State's Tom Izzo when he was considering the Cleveland job.

...

When asked why James was warming to New York, Smith suggested James didn't want to compete with Michael Jordan's legacy in Chicago or play in "D-Wade's house" in Miami.

"I just think the allure of New York City is something they're considering," Smith added. "All my sources tell me he and his people have been digging deeper and deeper to inquire a lot more about Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni."

He added, "They have been asking questions over the last week -- very in-depth questions -- about the New York Knicks organization. I'm not guessing. That is what I know, and I have to believe he's doing that for a reason."[/rquoter]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/article/2010-06-18/new-york-becoming-more-appealing-lebron