tOfficial "2014 LeBron James" Superthread

[Malibu]

Im no Heat or LeBron James fan but he has every right to go out and try to get a max deal. He has earned it. Most of you would do the same.

 

[anotheridiot]

the question is, if they all stay in miami, James gets max which he deserves (even though he doesnt need with his endorsements) Wade and Bosh take huge pay cuts, the heat lose and James is the reason they were not able to build enough around him. What happens then? Taking less happened in San Antonio.

I can see a scenario where they sign James to max first and decide Wade and Bosh are not the answer and pull one or both of their offers. Riley would be taking over the team again.

 

[Lone Granger]

Not sure i see wade taking 12 mil a year salary. Not even sure what he brought in last season without looking it up. Doubt he takes less than 17-18 mil. Especially if lebron is taking a max deal. My prediction is this will be the break up of the heat.

 

[purguy12]

I agree LBJ deserves max money. he already gave you a discount the 1st time. He is still at his prime. Its time for Bosh and Wade to take 10 mill a year. They don't deserves more then that. LBJ is still playing at a high level and should get a max deal.

 

[HizzleRocker]

I've got no problem with him wanting a better deal. How many of us here would willingly agree to take a pay cut for the betterment of our company, because we make enough already? The market dictates value, and any team with the ability to pay it would pay the max for him - so that's what he is worth.

Only thing is - I don't see how in the world he can take the max, from the Heat, and then still contend next year. Even if Wade and Bosh took big pay cuts (which there is no way both will), it still would not leave enough room to add a significant piece for another title run.

Think about it, if that was the plan, then the plan was this: All 3 are going to opt out, so that Wade and Bosh can give Lebron their money; and then the Heat will just have an older version of the team that couldn't win it last year.

Makes no sense.

 

[Shoveyjoe]

Only chance of pacers winning anything in the foreseeable future

 

[gordontrue]

A thought I just had...

Why doesn't LeBron take a 1 year deal for something tiny like $5 million.... giving the Heat room to get some serious talent from other FA. The following year... the Heat could use his bird rights to go over the cap and sign him to a 5 year max (andd still keep all the FA they got this year). It would put Arison into the luxury tax but that's a small price to keep LeBron.

Sacrifice 1 year worth of pay, instead of of 3 or 4 years and you can get much better talent around you.

 

[Heatles84]

A thought I just had...

Why doesn't LeBron take a 1 year deal for something tiny like $5 million.... giving the Heat room to get some serious talent from other FA. The following year... the Heat could use his bird rights to go over the cap and sign him to a 5 year max (andd still keep all the FA they got this year). It would put Arison into the luxury tax but that's a small price to keep LeBron.

Sacrifice 1 year worth of pay, instead of of 3 or 4 years and you can get much better talent around you.

The NBA players union would flip their shit if that happened. I seriously doubt that they would be able to do something like this.

Like I've said in previous posts. I think Lebron should be the highest player on this team. It doesn't make sense that he wants a max deal. Him winning titles is going to make him far more money then taking an extra $5 million per year. He wants to be a sports owner one day like Magic and MJ; To do that, he's going to need more rings.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Lot of Ariza talk...and how about Jordan Hill?

He would work too.

They need some help in the post.

I think a guy like Hawes would also be decent.

But, Gasol would probably be an easier get because he has already made big money.

Hawes can board and hit from the outside.

But, he's not the toughest fella in the league.

You might need to put a bruiser in their next to him like Reggie Williams/The Ghost of Kenyon Martin.

 

[trojanfan12]

The NBA players union would flip their shit if that happened. I seriously doubt that they would be able to do something like this.

Like I've said in previous posts. I think Lebron should be the highest player on this team. It doesn't make sense that he wants a max deal. Him winning titles is going to make him far more money then taking an extra $5 million per year. He wants to be a sports owner one day like Magic and MJ; To do that, he's going to need more rings.

Yep, there's an interesting dynamic that's happening between the players and the players union. The union has spent years trying to drive salaries up and keep them up and it has worked.

They have insisted on some of the cba changes that are now shackling some teams abilities to get top players under the cap. For example, the NBAPA is the reason that a player cannot re-negotiate an existing contract to a lesser amount if he wants to.

Heck, with the money that Lebron makes off the court, he could play for the Heat for free and it wouldn't make one bit of difference to his lifestyle (especially since it's said that he can be a bit of a tightwad), but the NBAPA would never allow it.

 

[Nascar Addict]

Well...

I was a fan.

No more.

 

[gordontrue]

How much does the union care about a player that can obviously get any salary he wants making a choice to lower it, though?

Other than working to increase the cap and max amounts... I would think their primary concern would be driving up the salary for players who's market value is below the cap.

 

[gordontrue]

Well...

I was a fan.

No more.

Because of a rumor that has yet to happen?

(Not that it would be justifiable if it does happen, but at least you'd be basing it on actual events instead of fictitious ones).

 

[trojanfan12]

How much does the union care about a player that can obviously get any salary he wants making a choice to lower it, though?

Other than working to increase the cap and max amounts... I would think their primary concern would be driving up the salary for players who's market value is below the cap.

They care a lot apparently. They are the one's who have worked to make sure it can't happen. Back in the 80's, Magic offered to re-negotiate his contract so the Lakers could keep/add certain players. I don't think it ever came to that, but it was allowed at the time.

Today, thanks to the NBAPA, if, for example, Kobe were to go back to the Lakers FO and say: "I think you guys miscalculated, we're not going to be able to have a contender with me making this much, let's re-negotiate" that would not be allowed because of the NBAPA.

Also, every superstar in the league is being paid below market value. I heard an interview with Adrian Wojnarowski yesterday and he was saying that if guys like Lebron, Kobe, KD, etc. were to be paid their true market value, they'd be getting paid $40-60 million per year.

 

[tlance]

They care a lot apparently. They are the one's who have worked to make sure it can't happen. Back in the 80's, Magic offered to re-negotiate his contract so the Lakers could keep/add certain players. I don't think it ever came to that, but it was allowed at the time.

Today, thanks to the NBAPA, if, for example, Kobe were to go back to the Lakers FO and say: "I think you guys miscalculated, we're not going to be able to have a contender with me making this much, let's re-negotiate" that would not be allowed because of the NBAPA.

Also, every superstar in the league is being paid below market value. I heard an interview with Adrian Wojnarowski yesterday and he was saying that if guys like Lebron, Kobe, KD, etc. were to be paid their true market value, they'd be getting paid $40-60 million per year.

The flip side of that is that just about everybody else is overpaid relative to their true market value. It is these superstars who drive the NBA brand.

 

[Shanemansj13]

I'v been touting either a Jordan Hill/Ariza combo or If IF Pau would take WAY less, an ariza/Pau combo since the end of the finals.

Shaneman: How did your math come out to that only being about 7 million left to spend? I might be missing something, but this is what I get.

LeBron 22, Bosh 15, wade 12, haslem 1. =50 million. 63 million dollar cap should give them 13ish. Plenty of room to sign a few solid role players and then possibly bring some guys back at the vet min. (Bird, Allen, James Jones)

Maybe I either included another player or really had Wade getting in the 17-18 range. Regardless, they have enough to get some good role players but not a star or Melo type. They need a big man that can score inside, that is what they desperately need.

Pau would be a good pick, how much would he be 8-10 mil

 

[anotheridiot]

Also, every superstar in the league is being paid below market value. I heard an interview with Adrian Wojnarowski yesterday and he was saying that if guys like Lebron, Kobe, KD, etc. were to be paid their true market value, they'd be getting paid $40-60 million per year.

But they are. LeBron made 18 million from the contract, 43 million from endorsements, thats 61 million
kobe made 30 million with his contract, 34 million with endorsements, thats 64 million.

They dont need to be paid to play when they are being paid to sell material goods.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Maybe I either included another player or really had Wade getting in the 17-18 range. Regardless, they have enough to get some good role players but not a star or Melo type. They need a big man that can score inside, that is what they desperately need.

Pau would be a good pick, how much would he be 8-10 mil

Pau, Blatche, Hawes...in that order.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

now that ive had some time to think about it. taking max money just shows that money means more to him then rings. if he wanted more rings he would take less and let a team build around him

The dude already took a pay cut and won 2 rings. You want him to be underpaid his whole career?

 

[trojanfan12]

But they are. LeBron made 18 million from the contract, 43 million from endorsements, thats 61 million
kobe made 30 million with his contract, 34 million with endorsements, thats 64 million.

They dont need to be paid to play when they are being paid to sell material goods.

Wojnarowski's point was relative to their value to the team. I agree 100% that what these guys make off the court definitely makes up the difference (and then some). But when you consider, for example, the amount of money that having Kobe on the team has made the Lakers and/or the money that Lebron has made the Heat, they are grossly underpaid by those teams.

I read where, if Lebron were to leave Miami, the value of the Heat would instantly drop by $100 million dollars.