The New York Knickerbockers: Not LeBron’s Best Choice of His Options

BY KRISHNA DHANI

As we all know, one of the greatest players in the NBA right now is on the free agency market, and that is LeBron James. LeBron James has been a great success to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but now is looking for more opportunities and chances to get some rings on his fingers.

He has come a long way and is now ready to search for a perfect team. On Thursday, he had been interviewed with the New York Knickerbockers and the New Jersey Nets. Today (Friday) he will be interviewing with the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat.

One thing we all must remember is that the New York Knickerbockers had last won a championship title in 1973. From there on, major things went wrong and since 1973. They have been scavenging for great players and deals that can assure them a Championship ring.

LeBron James is now the most valuable player in the free agency market and is well known throughout New York. The Knickerbockers have been advertising and persuading him to join them by getting celebrities to go and convince that his diligence and act of greatness should be put in a Knickerbocker’s jersey.

The problem within the Knickerbockers is that they want and are craving and have been craving for 37 years a ring. This is the best time for them to get a great player but a bad opportunity for the player. The player LeBron James is a well playing man.

But this opportunity that LeBron is being offered in New York comes with some heavy strings attached. We all know that, unless an effort like the envisaged ‘Miami Super Team’ conceptualizes, an immediate championship is not on the horizon for New York. So, if LeBron (like Jordan used to do it for the Bulls) does not create a miracle and win a championsip next year, by next draft season our Hero in LeBron will have started to be put down and be labeled as a disappointing choice for the Knicks. No matter how much they pay him for his greatness, his chances of the first couple years of getting a ring are very low because one man alone cannot alone take them to championship.

Now the Knickerbockers are really looking forward to getting him. But if he evaluates this move from a devil’s advocate point of view, he will understand that if he isn’t to completely get to their full expectations he will be hated and be considered a disgrace to the New York Knickerbockers.

If LeBron James does get the Knickerbockers a win of a life time, he will be raising the expectations of the fans and the Knicks and be likely put under more pressure for more rings. But we all know that one stupid or un-informed move in drafting substandard players can ruin all the future chances.

That type of one man win miracles cannot be done by everyone. There are better teams out there that will beat the Knicks which will make LeBron look bad. This is also going to cause LeBron a bad reputation by the Knickerbockers and will spread. This will only ruin his chances of MVP and gain him bad rep and will be at the bottom of the most valuable players on the free agency market.

This is not a great situation to be and that is why it is best that he keeps a level head and thinks about what teams out there are really going to appreciate him joining them.

Now that he has other interviews and a long day ahead of him, he should sort out his best and most thought of the greatest teams. Then see who had the better impression on him.

There is a part of his interviews where they will grab his attention simply by putting him on a G5 airplane. Then there are other that will put him on the G4 and will give him what he wants. Whether a G5 or a G4 or just a plane coach class ticket by the most common airline is only a TEMPORARY thing. It will pass but what will be etched forever in the hearts of the fans and the whining team is the skills he brings with him.

It is not about money. Modest and considerate people like LeBron James will still give them ALL he has got to be a team mate. Playing matters most but you can’t assure anyone a guarantee of a ring. In order to win a championship, you must have a solid team; not just one solid player.

LeBron does want a ring, but I don’t think he wants to be forced and be excluded and then think about getting a ring.

LeBron James has a few good years left in his career of playing basketball, and if he goes to the Knickerbockers, that would probably not be the way he wants to end it.

He wants to leave with a great and joyous crowd. Not the one shouting to get off the court and go home. It would ruin his career, personal life, and his rep; which affects lots of his future. It is better that he goes with a team that would appreciate him for who he is. Not a team that wants him to just keep making them win and if he loses disrespect him.

Let us for a second keep money aside. Because at this juncture: 80 million contract to a 125 million contract will not make a big difference in the immediate future. In the long run: maybe, but then we have seen a lot of very rich players who were paid very well, and auction their rings on eBay. So let us float that super team idea one more time. The owners of Miami Heat know that the players that are contending free agency want a championship and more importantly give the defending champions a run for their money just as much as the owners want that ring. So, taking a small pay cut and the three best free agency players putting their brains to work can still join the Miami Heat. The resulting swat strike force will be so intense it will put the defending champions on fire. But that can happen only if each one of these three great players: LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade forgets who will be making the most money, because the product promotion opportunities that will come along their way – after the first championship – will be so vast that the cuts they are taking will be long forgotten. And in the contracts, they can always stipulate that their salaries will be subject to upward revision immediately after the first season if they do win a championship. If they do not, then no harm done and no cuts would be implemented because winning a championship is not a guarantee. The stadiums will be sold out whereever they go after the first championship so the owners would be pretty dense to not agree to something like this in the contracts.

These two factors should make the super team concept happen.

Everyone deserves some loyalty. But if he chooses the Knickerbockers, he is going to have to think twice and think about want they want out him. Their expectations. If he doesn’t it is a different story and he might turn out to be considered a failure by the team and many others.

Where ever LeBron “Akron Hammer” James goes, I wish him the best of luck and hopes that he turns out to be the best of a player he can be.