Free Agent Watch: Cuban wants LeBron, world says “Duh”

Prepare for the socks to get blown right off your feet, because I’ve got a real shocker for you: Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban would like to have LeBron James on his team…just like everybody else.

According to ESPNDallas.com, Cuban said the following to CNNMoney.com:

“Come July 1st, yeah, of course, anybody would be interested in LeBron James, and if he leaves via free agency, then it’s going to be tough. If he does like I’m guessing, hoping he will, which is say, ‘I’m not going to leave the Cavs high and dry,’ if he decides to leave — there’s still a better chance he stays — then he’ll try to force a sign-and-trade, and that gives us a chance. … What I do know about LeBron in the minimal time I’ve spent talking to him is he just wants to win. Money’s not his issue. He needs to be someplace where he trusts the organization. And look, [owner] Dan Gilbert in Cleveland did everything he possibly could, that’s just the way the game works. If there was a template that we all could follow, we’d all have championship rings.”

Believe it or not, some people are wigging out about what Cuban said, as explained on the ESPN NBA Rumors page: “The NBA doesn’t allow people who work for teams or own teams to talk to or about players on different teams who are under contract. If they do it’s considered tampering and they can be fined by the league.”

All I have to say is: You’ve got to be kidding me. If what Cuban did is tampering, then what the New York Knicks have been doing for the last two years is nothing short of stalking. Last time I checked, LeBron hasn’t filed a restraining order against Donnie Walsh and Mike D’Antoni, so I don’t think Cuban’s comments qualify as tampering.

But hey, what do I know?

However, this situation does highlight something that a lot of people haven’t been considering: Technically speaking, every team is participating in the LeBron Sweepstakes. The Bulls, Clippers, Heat, Knicks and Nets are the only teams with the cap space necessary to sign LeBron as a free agent, but in theory, any team could go after him in a sign-and-trade situation. And just about any team would do it if given the opportunity.

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5 Responses to Free Agent Watch: Cuban wants LeBron, world says “Duh”

  1. PTFC May 21, 2010 at 5:51 pm #

    There’s many factors involved that cuts down the “any team can technically get him” to the same 5-6 teams (maybe less) we have been talking about this entire time.

    1. Does that team have some adequate pieces to trade away in this sign-and-trade? So that filters many teams out.

    2. Does that team then have cap space to put people around Lebron? Filter out more teams

    3. When it is all said and done, does Lebron have more (or atleast an equal chance) to win a ring

    4. Is that team already a legit championship contender with all the pieces and don’t necessarily need Lebron (a team’s chemistry, flow, attitude, and philosophy can be altered in a negative way)

    5. Is that team young (but not too young) so they can continue to win in years to come.

    Only a few teams have the right combination of all of these things and Chicago remains to be one of them.

  2. blog@sportsfan-network.net'
    Sports Fan Blogger May 23, 2010 at 5:25 am #

    I think I speak for all Knicks fans by saying Lebron would look great in Blue and Orange. Hoping the Knicks can pull it off and at the same time leave a little money left to sign Bosh too..

  3. aha.ins@live.com'
    andres Lopez May 23, 2010 at 9:04 pm #

    I think Sports Fan Blogger, you should go back to your garbage ass NY team blog and keep wishing that because Lebron James is more interested in staying with Cleveland or going to CHICAGO!!! and their is a reason why he said he is not wearing jersey number 23 anymore? Enough said!

  4. sportytomboy1212@aim.com'
    Max power May 23, 2010 at 9:11 pm #

    Yup, connect the dots Sports Fan Blogger from NY lol. I am pretty sure you guys don’t have a retired Jersey number 23 by the name of MJ in your city. So that is why, Lebron James said he is not wearing that Jersey number next year.

  5. m_nazabal@yahoo.com'
    Max May 25, 2010 at 6:17 am #

    Nobody looks good in Blue and Orange!!!! Sports Blogger nobody wants to play for the Knicks.

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