the only problem with this thought and others just like it is your presuming that others teams would stop looking to better there team if they got Lebron which is false. Teams like you mentioned have more room to offer then just Lebron.
I've been saying all along that the one thing Houston really has in its favor when it comes to getting LeBron is that if he does decide to leave Cleveland, he will NOT want to leave a decimated team in his wake. A sign and trade gives him the most money salary-wise and -- if the S&T is with the Rockets -- leaves the Cavs with the best route to rebuilding quickly. A deal involving Ariza, Brooks, Battier/Jeffries, and the two Knicks picks leaves them with a decent young team to rebuild around and a valuable expiring contract and draft picks to acquire more. By year after next, they could be back in contention (hey, it's the Eastern Conference). Add the Chinese audience to help him build his bazillionaire empire, a strong team here to contend immediately with him and LeBron could easily justify leaving Cleveland without worrying about pissing off the entire population of Ohio.
