Posted on Thursday 13 July 2006 by Kenny Roda @ 2:35 pm
Kenny Roda will be writing a weekly blog on Cleveland Scores covering the entire Cleveland sports universe. Check back often for his updates!
The Cavaliers’ signing of LeBron James. We told you it would happen in our last blog and it has. LeBron agreed to a three-year deal worth about $43 million with a player option for a fourth year that would make the total value of the deal worth $60 million. This isn’t totally what we were all hoping for. We were hoping for a five-year, $80 million deal. But as he’s done so far in his short but amazing career, LeBron has set a new trend.
He realized two things:
1) With a new collective bargaining agreement in the not-too-distant future, he could more than likely make more money then by accepting less money and years now. His good buddy Dwayne Wade has done the same thing in Miami. Yes it’s a risk, but a small one at that, considering how much money they take in outside of the NBA from endorsements.
2) It forces Dan Gilbert and Danny Ferry in the next four years to put a good team around Lebron. If they fail to do so, he could decide at the end of this contract, when he would be an unrestricted free agent after the 2009-2010, to take his talents elsewhere, having given the Cavaliers organization seven years to build a winner. When you look at it from that standpoint, as much as we may not like it, it’s a brilliant move by LeBron both on the business side as well as the basketball side. It’s a decision I don’t blame him at all for making.
Also, before you start panicking about the fact that LeBron didn’t sign the max contract, take a few deep breaths and relax. What you’re failing to realize is that we have LeBron in Cleveland for the next four years: the 2006-07 season, which is the final year of his rookie contract, and then three additional years as part of his new contract, which will run through the 2009-10 season.
That’s four years to build a championship team. Plus, even if LeBron decides to decline the player option for 2010-11, the Cavaliers will be able to offer him more money than any other team in the NBA because he will be their free agent. That particular deal could be worth from $150-$160 million. But because of how much money LeBron will have already made by that time, the most important thing in making sure LeBron will stay in Cleveland is winning championships. Memo to owner Dan Gilbert and GM Danny Ferry: get to work now. You’re on the clock and time is ticking away!
Also listed under: LeBron James, Kenny Roda
While these next four years are extremely important in terms of keeping LeBron satisfied in C-Town, if LeBron chooses to re-up with the Cavs after his current contract, then those years will be the most important. Point being, Gilbert and Ferry will have their hands full for the rest of LeBron’s career trying to keep James happy. In terms of building a championship team around LeBron, every season is going to be more important then the year before. So far, Dan Gilbert has shown me that he is doing everything possible to build a first-class organization here in Cleveland. He seems to be an owner who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, and that’s a championship-caliber basketball team. In my book, Danny G is ahead of Randy Lerner (although I’m respecting him more and more now that the Browns are on the rise…sorry, Kenny) and light years ahead of Larry Dolan as far as owners go in this town. Successful organizations start at the top and Gilbert is doing all the right things.
Lastly, let’s just sit back for the next four years, at least, and enjoy what’s in front of us. LeBron is a once in a lifetime talent and is an icon who has totally transformed the city of Cleveland. Outstanding athletes and classy human beings like LeBron James don’t come around all too often. Bottom line, we as fans are witnessing something spectacular in this city and we need to enjoy every minute of it.
i think this is a win–win situation for us, the fans.
the king is here for 4 more years at least and the pressure is on the management to not screw it up.
GO CAVALIERS!
John,
I agree with you about Gilbert. I too think he will do what it akes and spend what it takes to build awinner which will keep LeBron happy. He is ahead of Lerner and definatly light years ahead of “Dolan’s Discounts.” Lets enjoy the next 4 years, but Danny Ferry better not screw the Cavaliers over twice.
Kessler,
It is a win-win for at least 4 years. After that we’ll see if it’s still a win-win.
All I know is I’m going to enjoy the next 4 years down at the “Q”.
If the cavs do not win an nba championship or make it to the nba finals within the next 4 years, the cavs do not deserve to keep lebron. I dont think thats going to happen though with owner Dan gilbert and GM Danny Ferry/Lebron James running the show. We’ve all seen that gilbert is willing to spend the money and has a commitment to winning unlike some other owner in cleveland.
P.S.
-Lebron for Mayor Of Cleveland
-Lebron being the next owner of the cleveland indians
-Lebron pulling a jordan but instead of going to baseball, he plays for the cleveand browns and leads them to their first championship since 64′
- Lebron’s “Witness” billboard being moved from cleveland to the border of Ohio so as people enter the state, people officialy become “witnesses”
I would love to see LeBron in a Browns uniform! He could walk in right now and be an all-pro at 6-8 250 pounds.
Back to the Cavs - LeBron wants that championship and there is no reason why that can’t happen right here in C-town. We’re in good hands with Danny Ferry!
Did anyone notice how the Cavs fall all over themselves to keep Lebrons mom , son and girlfreind happy? is it true that they take his son into the lockeroom at halftime? Someone comes over and takes him into the tunnel at halftime and where else could they go other than in the lockeroom with his Dad. (sometimes Lebron emerges carrying his son out for the second half) That is star treatment! Hey, whatever it takes to keep the King in Cleveland!!!
Kenny,
I told you Danny Ferry was the man.. I just took several years !!!!
We need a stud at the 4 and I am afraid that Gooden is not that guy. Brown should push him around a bit before the game. When he comes in mad and only worries about rebounds, he makes Z better and will normally get his double/double.. But when he comes in soft, he is in for 10 minutes or less with nothing to show for it. Even my kids can perdict what kind of game he is going to have just by watching the warm ups. As a life long Clevelander, I want him to succeed. But as a life long Clevelander we can not have average… We have 4 years, tic, tic, tic,
Ron
Already did that, On Madden 06, I created Lebron and put him at wide receiver. He started the season below Braylon on the depth chart, but at the finish, he was the best receiver in the NFL, and a very big part of the Browns winning the Superbowl. I also had Reggie Bush, Vince Young, A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Schlegel, and Jonathan Vilma, but it’s all about Lebron.
I believe that LeBron would be one of the best players in the NFL. The sooner the Cavs win an NBA title the better chance we see Lebron playing for the Browns.
7 years is plenty of time for the Dannys to build us a team. I get into discussions everyday about Drew Gooden though. Yes, its a advantage having him and Andy splittin time, but he is not a critical part of the future. If the possibility of a sign and trade pops up, I believe we need to jump on it. I’ve heard that he is looking for a ‘tract starting at 8 mill and finishing up between 10 and 11 mill. Z and Hughes type money for a guy giving you 10 points, 8 boards, 4 turnovers, and enough mental lapses to cover the whole team. We have to keep up with the Bucks and the Bulls, and they have some great frontlines. You think Z is gonna keep up with the ever-devoloping talent that is Andrew Bogut, or is gonna have any offensive impact against Big Ben and Chicago? No. Seen it last year. Think Drew can stop a stud like Sloth (er…Charlie Villanueva)? Doubt it. Our best matchup against the Bucks frontline (not including Magloire) is Andy at the 5 against Bogut, and putting Lebron against Sloth. Maybe Donyell, but I’m not liking that much. Your move Ferry, make it count.
In response to everyone thinking Bron Bron should play for the Browns, I couldn’t agree more. When he was first drafted, I was at the Browns Monday Nighter against the Rams and he was there in this mink coat chillin (with that damn Yankee hat), and I had a sign asking him to forget about hoops and play some Brownies football. But he is a Cowboys fan. What is up with that? Yeah, I love the fact that all he cares about winning, but NO hometown pride. Yankees, Bulls, and Cowboys??? If he had to go to college, he probably would’ve went to Duke or something, not Akron, or OSU. That is the only grief I’ve ever had with Bron, except his shot selection sometimes. Go Cavs!
They definitely need a more physical presence down low. Andy needs to put on some muscle, but he will always be more of a high energy player than a real physical force. Z helps at 7-4, but he’s not very physical. We need a banger, and Gooden is not the guy.