With Free Agent Summit, James Cannot Be “Like Mike”
Now that the NBA Finals and NBA Draft (you know, trivial things) have come and gone, owners, general managers, coaches, and fans can finally focus on the most important part of this season: free agency. As of 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday night—or was it Thursday morning?—Akron’s favorite son and basketball’s most marketable player, LeBron James, is officially no longer a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Also fresh on the NBA’s free agent market are Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors’ Chris Bosh. It was reported that these franchise players met in Miami early in the week to discuss the possibility of playing for the same franchise, the Heat, creating what would seem to be a “Bigger 3” than the Celtics’ combination of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce.
Of course, ‘King’ James, who has been touted as “the next Michael Jordan” since he was 16 years old, is being courted by several teams other than the Heat, including the New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, and there is also the option of returning to the Cavs.
There are obviously perks to each scenario. If James, Wade, and Bosh all sign with the Heat, then they will become the immediate favorite to win it all, even if Phil Jackson returns to coach the Lakers again. With the draft-day trade of Kirk Hinrich, the Bulls have cap room to sign two free agents to maximum salary deals, meaning that they could pick up James and a Bosh or Carlos Boozer. In New York, of course, there’s Madison Square Garden, the Yankees, Jay-Z, the spotlight, the parties; otherwise known as “the life.” However, if LeBron truly wants to measure up to M. J., then it is in his best interest to stay put in the Buckeye State.
Now, under no circumstances will there ever be another Michael Jordan. Period. But LeBron will never come close to such a comparison by simply throwing himself into a great situation. It wasn’t until Jordan’s seventh year in the league that he won his first NBA title, but he didn’t accomplish this by joining forces with other high-profile players and forming a sort of All-Star team. He won with the same core he had played alongside for years: John Paxson, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, and company.
What makes Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player to ever live is his ability to make those around him better players. No one would have any idea that B. J. Armstrong, Luc Longley, and Steve Kerr were even professional athletes if it was not for Jordan.
LeBron James must create his own good situation. He cannot accomplish this by signing with Dwyane Wade’s Miami Heat or playing in the shadow of Jordan in Chicago. If James can learn to catalyze the evolution of his Cavs teammates like Anderson Varejao, J. J. Hickson, and Daniel Gibson, then he may very well be the “Air” apparent that so many believe he is destined to be.
