It’s All In The Game: Does LeBron Stand Alone?

Kudos to the Cleveland Cavaliers for pushing the Boston Celtics to seven games. And even more kudos to the Cavs for getting all the way to the NBA Finals a season ago. But despite their achievements, it really isn’t good enough. Let’s state the obvious. LeBron James is a damn good player. So good, in fact, that he basically carried a team with lottery level talent and pushed them deep into the postseason.   But no matter how nice he is, he can’t do this without some help. Let’s say they stole Game 7 from Boston. Now what? Do you really think they could touch L.A., San Antonio or New Orleans? In last year’s Finals they looked like the J.V. team playing varsity. In order for the Cavs to pull off big wins, LeBron needs nearly a triple double and someone else on that team has having a career night. I don’t care who you are, that is just not realistic if you’re talking about championships. You need another All Star caliber player, and Cleveland has failed to provide him with that.   Just look at this last game. Delonte West was the second best player on the Cavs team. Don’t get me wrong, D-West is solid, but a second option? Then you got Wally Szczerbiac, Joe Smith, Zydrunas Ilgauskus, Ben Wallace – three players who are on the decline of their careers. Boobie Gibson is getting better, but he can’t even start for most NBA teams. ‘Bron’s situation reminds me a lot of the situation KG was in for several years. Good enough to get deep in the playoffs, but not a shot in hell of winning it all. Management there also didn’t give KG much to work with. And as loyal as Kevin was to that organization, eventually you knew he was going to want out, and that’s exactly what happened. In my opinion if management doesn’t upgrade LeBron’s supporting cast soon, they will see their home-grown star bolt. King James hits free agency in two years, and believe me, he is going to have options. The New York Knicks got a lot going for them to lure him. By then the Garden will have been completely renovated. You also know that LeBron will like the idea of playing in Mike D’Antoni’s system. And the endorsement opportunities? Well that’s self explanatory. LeBron could also build his empire playing just one borough away in Brooklyn where the Nets are scheduled to move in 2011. Everybody knows the relationship ‘Bron has with Hova and you know he is intrigued with the chance to play for what will be the hippest team in the league.   A few years ago, management tried to give LeBron that Pippen-esque sidekick, by throwing $60 mil to Larry Hughes. Obviously that failed. Since then they have done a lot of small-time wheeling and dealing that resulted in acquiring more average players. They lost out on the chance to snag guys who became available like Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion.   Cavs’ GM Danny Ferry must be aggressive in getting LeBron help this summer. He has a few bargaining chips like Szczerbiac’s expiring contract. Names like Corey Maggette, Shawn Marion,  Jose Calderon and LeBron’s buddy Carmelo Anthony are just a few of the names that could become available.   So it’s now or never this offseason for the management. Last week, James was quotes as saying, “No LeBron James team is a desperate team.” But if Cleveland wants to keep him in a Cavs jersey, then that’s exactly what they are going to have to be.