http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-netslebron062608&prov=yhoo&type=lgns NEW YORK – Finally, the New Jersey Nets started down the perilous path of shedding salary, clearing cap space and trying to transform themselves into a competitive commodity for that hell-bent run at LeBron James in the summer of 2010. Richard Jefferson goes, the roster turns over and the post-Jason Kidd transformation takes its most dramatic change. The Nets need a perfect storm to make this happen once James can opt out of his Cleveland Cavaliers contract and make himself the most desirable free agent in NBA history. The Nets are counting on part-owner Jay-Z’s personal crusade to recruit his close friend to Brooklyn, but there’s nothing to discuss until the Nets remake themselves for the long run. Richard Jefferson leaves for Milwaukee with three years and $42.4 million left on his contract, and Nets president Rod Thorn and GM Kiki Vandeweghe made a dramatic draft-day transformation that included the Bucks’ 7-footer Yi Jianlian, and two No. 1 picks on Thursday night – Stanford’s Brook Lopez and California’s Ryan Anderson. They would’ve been satisfied with this change, but a player who they had considered picking at No. 21 – Memphis’ Chris Douglas-Roberts – dropped to them early in the second round. New Jersey had hoped that West Virginia’s Joe Alexander would drop to them at No. 10, but Milwaukee grabbed him and Lopez was the 7-foot forward they were grateful to still find on the board. Anderson is a 6-foot-10 shooter, and yes, Jianlian is still a mystery to most in the NBA. He suffered with injuries and the cultural transition as the sixth pick a year ago, but he also showed flashes and possibilities that make him far from a lost cause. “A big future,” Thorn gushed of Yi, but no one should kid themselves. For the Nets, Yi is as much a business as a basketball decision. Ownership believes the immense Asian-American community in metropolitan New York will fill seats for the lame-duck Nets in the ghostly Meadowlands Arena. Still, this was a step closer to the chase for LeBron James. The Knicks are determined to be a part of that recruitment, but they have a long way to go to shed the contracts needed to get under the cap. The Nets had two first-round picks this year, and two again in 2009, because of the fabulous Kidd trade that fleeced the Dallas Mavericks. They’ll have Devin Harris running the floor with young, athletic teammates, with Vince Carter the odd fit in this refurbishing. The Nets are destined for the lottery again, but they have two more years to develop this cast, reconstruct credibility and pray that Cleveland GM Danny Ferry never finds James a running mate. In 2010, it is believed that James will work hard to convince his Team USA teammate, Chris Bosh, and perhaps Phoenix’s Amare Stoudemire, to come play with him. James will have to make a hard choice on his hometown Cavs and the global marketing stage that New York could bring him. James was lukewarm on the mid-season trade for Ben Wallace and Delonte West, and colleagues of Ferry believed that his mission on Thursday night was to draft a player who could make the most immediate impact. This turned out to be a Nets target, N.C. State’s 6-9 freshman J.J. Hickson, at No. 19, but the Cavs’ race against time moved into a different gear on draft day. J.J. is a good prospect, but he’s no Jay-Z in LeBron’s life. The Nets just got younger and leaner, and make no mistake: Even as long shots go, they crept a little closer to King James on Thursday night
I think a sign and trade for an expiring contract plus young studs like Luther Head and Steve Novak would be more realistic, maybe even throw in a future 1st.
because the current team can sign them to more money and an extra year longer. in lebron's case, he doesn't care about the extra year. he wants to opt out every time there is a CBA renewal so he can sign for the new max contract. also, the extra couple of million that the current team can offer pales in comparison to the amount of money he can make in a major market. nike alone offered to nearly double his contract if he played in one of the top 5 markets.
nah...i'll give James the max and Tmac the MLE Yao,James and Tmac would be sick. We got the real marketing asset in Yao and not the wannabe Yi.
Lebron going to the Nets will mean the resurgence of the Nets not since the days of the Dr. J "Julius Erving"
Funny feeling....I actually think he leaves Cleveland who I don't see doing anything big as far as putting him with quality players. And I see New Jersey throwing way more money at him than Cavs. It almost makes sense for him to leave. I don't think Vince is quite up for sale, yet unless he says so. If they were somehow to end up with Lebron in the next 2 years......they would have the 2nd best roster in the East, easily. Outside of Miami and Boston (who be an old team by that point).
Lebron would NEVER come to the rockets, but the nets/knicks are likely choices from a source that cited his opinion
Jersey CAN'T offer him the same amount as Cleveland, much less way more. And the whole plan is to get Lebron AFTER two years, not in the next two years. And I predict horrible, epic failure for New Jersey, as their whole existence has been.
Rappers all want to be ball players just like NBA players want to be rappers. I'm sure there's nothing technically wrong with Jay Z flying Lebron across the world on his private jet and then taking him out on one of his yaughts in Miami while Beyonce tells him how cute he is and meanwhile gets some custom ice made for free and this is all part of Jay Z just trying to help the guy make an album or be offering him PR advice and in no way would he be trying to recruit him while offering him extra millions of the NBA books and shares on some of his own endorsements as well! We already learned last year he was a lifetime Yankee fan...lol NJ is very lucky to have Jay Z as a part owner. We need to get ourself 50 Cent and give him 0.01% of the team and 2 front row season tickets with camera time to make it look like he's at every home game. Maybe Eminem can sit next to him. 2010 is a big year and we need to be ready for anything that can happen. Obviously we have no shot at Lebron, but there are others we could use help in possibly recruiting. It wouldn't be 2010 but i'd love to possibly replace T-mac with Kevin Durant. If he's coming closer to Oklahoma to play it would be easier to lure him back to Texas if he's so close. Morey needs to start planning this one right away as it could actually be possible.
I think LeBron will at least consider the Nets in 2010. He's stated that he wants to be the first billionaire athlete. If he goes to NJ, it's a bigger market (more money from sponsors), he'll get a nice contract, and having Yi on the team may be an opportunity for him to further tap the Chinese market. LeBron's a business man. If the Nets improve in the next two years and pick up a quality player or two, I think it's a definite possibility.
I don't think its any different than Players of a certain team trying to get guys to sign and play with them
Tampering is just one of those things that's pretty impossible to prove in court and is a rule just for the sake of it having to be. It's a he said she said situation if a team really called someone out on it. Unless somehow a team had a phone tap that would have to be legal to even be heard in court room making it more impossible to prove. Unless the Patriot Act applies to sports now. It's not like agents don't do it all the time for any player that wants a trade. How can he find out where he's wanted w/o tampering? Or how much he's worth on the open market? Finding out if he can go to the team he wants before opting out or not resigning an exemption. I think we all know there was some tampering with Calos Boozer when he ditched the Cavs early only to suprisngly get a fat contract with the Jazz ASAP.
