Lebron wants to be a billionaire product, I think being with Houston will open him up to a huge market that will wet his appetite for $$$. He;ll get some major deals from China if he does it, China is the next big economy. Goes well with his plans.....................
Trading Battier should net us a somewhat capable PF and we also have the draft to work with, which Morey is effective at. That team is still better than any Cavs team has been with Lebron on it.
That's only moderately true for a very specific demographic - 12-18 year old males who play basketball and follow the NBA religiously. For the rest of the population, who only keeps tabs on the progress of Yao and the Rockets, they will only have known of Lebron James. It's extremely difficult to be a large marketing icon in China, unless he joins the Rockets. From a purely financial standpoint, it makes the most sense for him, simply because the benefit of being able to break into the Chinese market far exceeds the domestic difference of being in Houston [or any other relatively robust market] or NYC.
Typically we're under estimated as a city... so the fact that people are thinking "Houston" for Lebron as an option at all means we have a huge chance of landing him.
People, put down the pipe and stop smoking it. Lebron ain't coming. Sort of trading him for T-Mac (and Cleveland is not doing that, ever) or a sign and trade T-Mac/Lebron during the offseason we are not getting Lebron. We don't have the money we can offer him otherwise. If we were to renounce all the players that make up our team then Lebron wouldn't want to come here. He is already hugely popular in China, USA and the rest of the world without a need of coming here. So basically, we offer nothing others can't offer better. WE would have no team he would be interested in without our entire roster, we would not be able to sign him to the max. No money, no 'ship chances, why would he even want to come? It simply doesn't work out unless we do a trade. And Cleveland is not giving up Lebron for free.
If, and I emphasize IF, If the Yao effect really helps Lebron so much he's willing to forgo NYC to come to Houston, then whether we can offer him the max is almost irrelevant. What's a couple of million a year if the Chinese market is so huge it overrides the NY marketing potential? And what he saves in lack of state income tax probably makes up for the contract itself. Of course, I personally don't think the Chinese market will make that much of a difference. So I doubt Lebron's coming. But if it's really all that it's hyped up to be, we can certainly offer enough to Lebron on the FA market.
The Chinese market is huge considering that they estimate that of the 1.3 billion population, there are "only" around 200+ million NBA fans. That's comparable to 70% of the entire U.S. population. That's way more than the NBA fans in the U.S. Read that somewhere and found it really intriguing... Yao/Lebron/Houston Rockets combo would just be ridiculous... just huge...
can't say it better myself. however, I do think the Chinese market is that huge a difference. what if the Chinese sponsors or even Yao's Chinese Business tells Lebron: hey forget about the $2~$5mil. difference we'll sign you a $20~$50mil. deal upon your signing w/ Rockets? or even Toyota, who's trying to win Chinese market?
If rockets trade battier for an expiring and yao opts out, rockets probably would be in a position to make a offer, and im sure yao would resign to play with lebron, mcgrady also for the minimum
Why is everyone forgetting the most logically option? He wants a max contract. What do most players wanting a lot of money from new teams do? Oh, right they get the teams to agree on a sign and trade. Who would we have to give up? I'm not sure, but it would be more feasible, and we would not have to outright renounce our own FA's to do so. Plus since we would be under the salary cap at the time, I think we may be able to take back more in the trade and still keep our exceptions (please someone with more salary cap expertise check this for me). (This is where having a really high draft pick next year would really help, as a trade fodder,...and why we should not make the playoffs)
Unfortunately, if I recall correctly, a while back when asked if Lebron would consider playing here he laughed :'(
Okay... So thats a good sign He gives no comment where people think he's going.. So a different reply = good.. atleast in my eyes
From a financial standpoint... I don't think Lebron cares about salary.. what the hell is +/- $3million in his ultimate sheme of $1,000,000,000.... it's less than 1%...0.3% to be exact... if he can make $20 million from houston by losing $3 million, I think it's worth it.. so we dont have to lose both Landry and Scola... Just trade Battier, Cook, and JT for expiring contract that can help us be competitive this year. Then offer Lebron $12million starting.
