"why would Lebron go to New York when he could go to Portland or San Antonio and almost garentee a championship"

uhhhhh let me think......money ???

which LeBron James is all about anyway, he said he wants to be a billionaire. So yea he will be in new york so nike can pay more for him since there is a bigger market for him in the big apple.

Nike won't be paying him anymore than they are now. But that doesn't change the fact, I guess.

How bout this curve ball....

The Greeks are coming! Just read in ESPN's Truehoop column that billionaire owners of powerhouse Greek teams have no boundries besides the ones they set themselves for signing players.

No salary cap people.

So while NBA teams line up to pay LBJ 20 mil a year, the Greek Billion dollar owners are waiting with MASSIVE check books. Why? Simply because they want their team to win. 40 mil? Sure thing.

This would scare the hell out of any NBA team owner, coz lets face it, they run teams as a BUSINESS. The Greek owners will LOSE MONEY by signing Childress, but they don't care if they WIN.

How can the NBA compete with teams that have no bottom line...besides winning?

Why would LBJ go to NY? The attention he'd get going there is unimaginable; it's the major city in US as far as business is concerned. Winning wise? going there he'll have a better chance of winning than in Caveliers in my opinion. As Cleveland city really don't have the reputation to excel in sport and signing stars.

While NY is one of those cities that will attract big names to sign for less if they have a credible core (in this case LBJ).

that is is in due part for the NBA to get its biggest name in the biggest markets. The NBA WANTS LA Lakers, Boston, Chcago and New York to be relevent again!. The other teams are just bit players in the story of the NBA. Sure let them win a few times just to say it is a fair game but don't believe for a second the odds are not stacked to the biggest markets. The small teams are all ok being supporting casts as long as they make money .. and hey if the NBA is profitable to the max ... then more money to them. Ask the Kings what this means. The owners don't protest even though they got shafted of a championship but hey whose complaining for a few more millions right? The NBA managed to get their dream matchup Lakers-Celtics. Their next dream is to get LaBron to New York! Don't believe it won't happened either. Greed runs the NBA .... all this talk about pride, rings or medals ...pffttt ..it's all about $$$$$

Lebron James is most welcome @ the Knicks. I'd love him to join my team. Other players from that list are also welcome such as Chris Bosh.

Hello again dcanwade, i got a question for you...

How is Stern gonna save the NBA from the eventual super Euro League?

Think about the soccer leagues of europe and how they are run...no salary caps, same four or five teams battling each year with so many cups thrown in for good measure.

Now realise that basketball in europe is getting bigger by the second. Now they are signing NBA stars not has beens or role players... actual stars.

The US dollar sliding is not helping the NBA's cause either...

Maybe not within the next 3-4 years but def within the next 10 we will see the billionaire owners of high profile Euro teams getting together to form a Super Euro League similar to the English Premier League of soccer.

And they will load their teams with talent from around the globe....at any price.

The NBA has a salary cap- they won't.

I'm not saying all the top players will leave the NBA straight away... but the players that are second best on their team, can be the best on a Euro team and probably get paid more.

There is no reason why in the future you couldn't see a high profile team in the Euro League sporting a starting 5 of Howard, Boozer, LBJ, Redd and Westbrook.

To not recognise this as a genuine threat to the quality and standing of the NBA comp, especially when the legitimacy of the game is being called into question, is equivelent to picking up soap whilst in prison. Your inviting disaster.

How is Stern gonna stop them?

Ahhhh poor dcanwade still living in fantasy land!

While Europe is a threat Quagmire, your theories are unrealistic. There is alot of reasons why the NBA will continue to go including:

The players want to be part of NBA history
The players goal is to make it to the NBA not Europe
The players are suited to the NBA game not the Europe game
The players like to play in games where the scores exceed 70 points
The players make more then enough money as it is and live in a country with the lifestyle that they like
The players like to play in a competitive league not one that only the top teams with money are competitive and the rest are shit
etc etc etc

A player like Lebron to go play in Europe would be laughed at regardless of how much money he was getting.

That would be the same as saying because Soccer in America is getting popular that the team owners would only need to open their cheque book and they could then get most of the English Premier League teams over to play in the USA and that is never going to happen!

that is why the NBA is loading up talent on their best known brands ... LA, Chicago, Boston and NY .. that's obvious isn't it. Despite the money the Euro teams can pay a player .. the most recognized league IS the NBA still .. which may change in the future .. (I mean how many people can sprout out a list of the top 5 Euro teams??) Plus it's NOT just the money from the contract NBA players would consider it would be

1) Recognistion in the MOST popular league
2) Endorsements (especially in the US market)
3) Living on home soil

Those are BIG factors. I meab worldwide recognition brings more oppurtunities outside basketball ..then say earning 2 million $$$$ more in the Euro league but being virtually unkown elseswhere besides Europe ...

The "dream" finals Lakers-Celtics is a start ... don't expect any 2 small market supporting cats teams to make the Finals anymore ..with competition being harsher ... you may see a small team like Spurs in the Finals but will always be against a BIG market team or one with a big enough star ... a Utah vs Washington Finals for example just won't happen .. and would be a ratings disastor for the NBA! the NBA financially won't ever allow that to happen!

10-15 years ago you would of laughed at me if i said that a young star would turn his back on the NBA to play for more money in Europe.

That many would follow.

That an Aussie would spurn the chance to play in the all-mighty NBA to ball in Europe, and earn more, and live a better lifestyle.

That the USA would be just another team in national comps.

Now i am telling you 10-15 years from now there will be a comp in Europe to rival the NBA. America is not the world. (thank @#%K)

Europe has the potential to be bigger in every way.

You say-
1) Recognistion in the MOST popular league
2) Endorsements (especially in the US market)
3) Living on home soil

I'll give you home soil- but home is where the heart is and if a ton of players are in Europe- wouldn't it start to feel more like home?

As for most popular league and endorsements-
Europe is pretty massive dude. NBA is most popular in America, that will not change in our life time, but outside of America, the Euro league teams more than hold their own in the popularity stakes. And with team USA not dominate as is once was- respect for the NBA is at an all time low outside America.

Is it just arrogance to dismiss Europe?

you got to remember China! Chiina all about NBA right now! Here's an equation for you:

Chinese population + US population = 1/2 the world?

And I can say to you now, no more than 1% of the current 300+ million basketball fans in China can name a player in Euro league not named Childress.

And the fact that NBA is only getting BIGGER in Asian countries. When I was working for a pro team in Taiwan for 2 months, within the team was all about NBA players and even in Taiwan NBA is aired EVERYDAY on TV! No need to say my experience in China, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Will the Asian market turn to Europe? Very hard for the fact that they love American culture. And that's why in CBA (Chinese Pro League) and SBL (Taiwanese Pro League) they only get American imports though some Europeans can be equally as good.

so end of the day it's Euro league vs USA+Asia+Africa!

10-15 years ago you were barely born so I doubt you would be saying that. "That many would follow"??? Many = what 5?? all but one are European. Also Im sure there is more european players going to the NBA then vise versa!


"USA would just be another team"? lol up in the top 4 countries in the world and will probably get gold in the Olympics. Yeah great comment!


"wouldn't it start to feel more like home" several Americans per team in a foreign city of Millions of people that speak another language and you think that would start to feel like home?? lol

"NBA is at an all time low outside America." Really? ever heard of Yao Ming whom comes from a country of 2 billion?

There is 28 (I think) teams in the NBA and there is probably 75 to 100+ teams in Europe and you think the players will go there lol that would be a mediocre competition! These players what to play against the best every game, not play for some inferior league and have money thrown at them!

Your ignorant vision is very unrealistic!

In future this is where things MAY turn out like (can't believe I'm saying this but),

real basketball: Euro League

"entertainment" basketball: NBA

very much like WWE and the Pro Wrestling in Japan. But at the end of the day, entertainment will win just like WWE (where they also features the most "unique" athletes/actors in the world and NBA will also).

Furthermore, you are underestimating the impact of Michael Jordan (and the past and rising greats), kids watching them grow up in the NBA and most would LOVE to follow their footstep and play for the clubs they once played for.

Just wanted to pick you up on something: The populations of China and the United States does not quite comprise half the world.

Perhaps also worth mentioning that the total population of Europe is estimated to be over 700 million.

haha that's why I putted a question mark. Thanks for that update. but even by just adding US and China NBA fans together that'd be almost 600million?

Actually, just over 1.6 billion (China has passed 1.3 billion and the US is a little over 300 million).

The total world population is around 6.6 billion.

I got to be wrong, checked whole USA is just over 300million, so say just 1/3 of that follows it'd be around 400+million just those two countries combined. my bad!

hate to put a damper but football is KING in Europe not basketball. Basketball doesn't have the passionate fanatical support like football has ...

Anywyas name me 10 Euro teams? ask anyone outside Europe to name even 2 or 3. Then ask the Euros to name an NBA team ... they will KNOW at least Lakers - Celtics .. hence we got ourselves the "dream" match the NBA loves Lakers - Celtics. And maybe for the next few years to boot. Coincidence ??

NBA gets challenged in popularity they stage Lakers-Celtics and bring back the legends (Magic and Bird) for promotions ... easy fix!

Basketball in Europe isn't as far behind football as you think dcan. The basketball fans are just as passionate (I was thinking crazy) as the soccer fans. Players talk about having to dodge batteries and coins being thrown at them by opposition supports.

Look, the point i'm trying to get across to you is that in the future there will be more money available to players in Europe than in the US.

Will it mean a player like Kobe leaves the Lakers- most probably not- but bet your bottom dollar that Gasol (spain) and Odom (Amsterdam) would be gone in a nano second if they could get double or even triple the money they are on now.

As a league the NBA with its salary cap would provide a more balanced comp, but the Euro League would provide four or five powerhouse teams that would be stronger than anything the NBA could muster.

and when these powerhouse teams are playing the other 10 teams in the league and beat them by 70 every game do you think they will be enjoying that? Sounds like a lot of fun to me, what a league!

NBA teams are not that large a step above a typical Euro team. Stars going to Euro clubs will raise the profile of the leagues and increase crowds/TV deals/spending for all sides IMO.

Look at the first comment in the recent ESPN article saying that LeBron would move for $50m - it's a Cavs/NBA fan saying that they'd stop following the NBA if LeBron moved. I think there'd be a bit of a shift at least.