The King of NY - Nothing Better

In 2002, the Cleveland Cavaliers were the doormat of the NBA. The team consisted of a couple of passed their prime former All-Star reserves (Tyrone Hill, Bimbo Coles), a head case (Ricky Davis), and a plethora of bad lottery picks over the previous three seasons led by the most recent bust, Dajuan Wagner. The one bright spot other than Zydrunas Illgauskas was their second pick of the year's draft, Carlos Boozer. The organization managed to screw up the Boozer situation as well and he bolted for Utah. Fortunately for the Cleveland fans, the Cavs couldn't screw up the draft in 2003.

LeBron James was blessed with the god-given talent and physical attributes to dominate the NBA for as long as he wanted. Many compare James to having the game of Jordan in a body like Karl Malone. An absolute freak of nature. So James came to the draft NBA ready straight from High School out of Akron Ohio, and as luck would have it, the dreadful Cleveland Cavaliers had the #1 pick.

The draft contained some terrific players and prospects including Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and the European project, Darko Milicic, but none could compare with King James. Not even the Cavs could mess with this sure thing.

Fast forward to 2010 and James has wrapped up MVP #2 and his sixth consecutive playoff appearance. He's brought the Cavaliers to an NBA Finals but lost a tough series to the Boston Celtics this year, despite being a heavy favorite to bring them there again. So here come the questions...

Remind me again, what did the Cavaliers do to deserve this?

Did I mention the King can become a free agent after this season?

Did I forget to mention that the New York Knicks have spent the past two seasons clearing their roster so that they could offer James a max contract?

And one more...

So what does King James owe the Cleveland Cavaliers?

Answer: Not a thing.

James has single handedly taken this team from a perennial NBA loser to a championship contender. He's given this franchise global exposure in an ever-growing international market. He's helped bring in good players who will play for less money just to ride his coattails to a championship. It's time for LeBron to make a choice for himself. It's time for LeBron to be selfish. It's time for LeBron to take his career to the next level.

New York City. Madison Square Garden. Legendary status.

Now you might say that New York is as bad an organization as Cleveland. The Knicks had some great years and has been a successful franchise overall. The Scott Layden/Isaiah Thomas regimes have taken them to this new low, but the organization is back on the way up, the perfect time for LeBron to make his entrance.

The benefits of playing in NYC are obvious, but the one benefit that LeBron might think he knows, he has no idea of. Winning a championship here will take him to an elite level of fame and respect that few sports heroes know. LeBron should give Derek Jeter a call and ask him if DJ would ever have the desire to leave NY for another town. Jeter owns NY from April through November and I bet he wouldn't trade that for anything in the world. LeBron could own NY from November through June for a long time and will get the resources (Teammates, coaches, etc.) that he needs to do just that. This benefit is the card that trumps every other city in the world.

When you look at all the options for the best player in basketball, there is only one choice to make. I'll see you at the garden soon LeBron.