Tamper with this: LeBron might well win a title as a Hawk
Picture him in a white shirt. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
Since Michael Gearon Jr. has spent $25,000 to raise the issue, we’d be derelict in our duties if we didn’t follow up for free. Let’s say the Hawks do pursue LeBron James. (I know — Atlanta is never mentioned as an LBJ landing zone. But let’s pretend.) Would he find a team here that could win him that slippery NBA title?
Shockingly enough, he just might.
Ric Bucher of ESPN the Magazine offered the best insight on why LeBron and the Cavs haven’t won it all. Wrote Bucher:
The team has been constructed on the presumption that he is Michael Jordan, a scorer and finisher, rather than Magic Johnson, a playmaker who needed a go-to closer alongside him to win titles. “They tried to make him Michael,” says one league executive. “He’s not.”
Remember when LeBron was playing high school ball for St. Vincent-St. Mary? The belief then was that he would be an NBA point guard, not the league’s leading scorer. He wound up being the league’s leading scorer for two reasons: First, because he’s so good he can do as he pleases, and second, because few of his teammates can make a play on their own.
LeBron averaged 29.7 points in 2009-2010. The next-best Cavs — Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison, and the latter was there only 25 games — averaged 15.8 points. Shaquille O’Neal averaged 12 (but played only 53 games). Nobody else was in double figures.
Let’s do this: If you take LeBron away from the Cavs and Joe Johnson from the Hawks, which team would be better? The Hawks, I submit, by about 15 victories over an 82-game schedule. The Hawks would still have finishers in the prime of their careers — Jamal Crawford, Josh Smith, Al Horford. Heck, Even Marvin Williams is a career double-figure scorer.
Now let’s try this: Take Joe away and plug LeBron into the Hawks’ starting five. (And if the Hawks are to have any chance of landing James, they’d have to let Johnson leave. They can’t afford both. They’re not far enough under the salary cap.) Here’d be your lineup:
PG, Mike Bibby or Jeff Teague; SG, Jamal Crawford; SF, LBJ; PF, Josh Smith; C, Al Horford. Bench: Marvin Williams, Zaza Pachulia, et cetera. Or you could keep Crawford as your sixth man, let LeBron play the 2-guard and let Marvin remain the small forward. Either way, that’s at worst — at worst — a 60-win team.
I’m not sure LeBron can expect to sign with many clubs and win 60 games in Year 1. The Bulls? They’ve got Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, but they might have to shed Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich in a sign-and-trade for James. And there’s no guarantee James and Rose, both of whom need the ball all the time, can co-exist, and Noah is more a rebounder/defender who scores occasionally than a polished big man on the order of his former Gator comrade. (Noah averaged 10.7 points last season.)
The Knicks? They’re starting over. The Nets? Just lost 70 games. The Clippers? Get real. The Heat? The King isn’t going to share a throne with D-Wade. Even if LeBron returns to Cleveland, he’ll surely find a new team — one without Shaq, who it’s believed drove a wedge between LeBron and coach Mike Brown, since canned, and also without Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Delonte West.
Maybe you laughed when you heard the Hawks — the Hawks, of all teams — had been fined for tampering with the biggest free agent ever. But maybe you shouldn’t have. I’m not saying LeBron is going to sign here — it’d be the longest of long shots if he did. What I am saying is that he should take a look. He might like what he sees.
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176 comments Add your comment
Justafan
May 28th, 2010
11:29 am
Lebron would turn this town upside down. Everyone would want tickets and every where people would be talking Hawks and Lebron. it would be one hot ticket and $$$$ maker.
.
May 28th, 2010
11:30 am
Whats up on a Coach?
Joey
May 28th, 2010
11:34 am
“He wound up being the league’s leading scorer for two reasons…”
Mark, I’ve got a third reason – everytime he goes barreling into the lane, refs call touch fouls if a defender even disturbs the air around him. That’s worth about a dozen foul shots per game.
Time
May 28th, 2010
11:35 am
I don’t think it’s such a ridiculous thought that he could play here. Question is, will management make the moves needed to get him. I don’t buy the idea that LBJ needs to go to some mass media market either. LeBron is worldwide already, bigger than any market he might go to. And while Atlanta isn’t NY or LA, it ain’t exactly Oklahoma City either. And if LeBron likes to hang out with rappers like Jay-Z, well the ATL is pretty much the center of today’s rap universe. What we need is TI and Jeezy to go make the recruiting pitch.
Joey
May 28th, 2010
11:37 am
Oh, Mark, there you go again. You better take a bodyguard for your next visit to Cleveland…
Steve
May 28th, 2010
11:43 am
For the Hawks to really have a chance they would two things to happen. One hire a coach that would really interest LBJ and two have the team sold to Arthur Blank!
JTH
May 28th, 2010
11:50 am
LeBron wants the biggest stage, New York. No way he comes here even if Atlanta offers him the most money because his exposure would be greater in N.Y.
JASon
May 28th, 2010
11:51 am
Mike Brown won 61 games, lost to a team consisting of Pierce, Garnett, Allen, and Rondo in six games, and got fired. Do they honestly think they’re gonna do much better, is all I’m saying
wcj
May 28th, 2010
11:53 am
LBJ would get the hawks to the NBA finals next season. The hawks would not need Joe Johnson. The hawks need a smart GM to find a loop hole in all these salary cap issues to attempt to sign LBJ. Heck, break the rules, do what you must do get salary cap space. I said this before, these owners need to get a backbone and find a way to clear some salary cap space. Why are the Lakers,Celtics,Spurs are the past champions of the leaque: They have smart people in place who knows how the find ways around all these silly salary cap rules.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
May 28th, 2010
11:53 am
I said as much 2 weeks ago.
LBG for JJ, Marvin, #1 this year and #1 in 2012 since league prohibts trades of #1’s in back to back years.
An Adult
May 28th, 2010
11:54 am
F-105 Thunderchief — wow, first again and MB, you encouraged him. What a sports blog jock sniffer you are F-105 Thunderchief… get a life for god sake. I know middle school is out, but soon you will be in summer camp and I don’t think they will let you sit around all day waiting for local sports blog writers to post their articles. You will doing worthwhile things like making pottery ashtrays and popsicle houses.
Sherman
May 28th, 2010
12:00 pm
The chances of the Hawks signing LeBron is as much as Gen Sherman marching thru Atlanta again…
It ain’t happening………..get over it
Smitty
May 28th, 2010
12:01 pm
Mark:
Would you give up 2 first round picks and JJ for LBJ? If they are lottery protected (which probably wouldn’t come into play), would you sacrifice your next 2 1st rd picks to have a true superstar for the next 6 years? The hawks wuold finally make money.
BigTimeTECHFan
May 28th, 2010
12:03 pm
No way, LeBron’s not leaving Cleveland.
D Wade or C Bosh are more likly to seek new team.
Gary
May 28th, 2010
12:17 pm
I don’t see LeBron leaving Cleveland unless he is convinced the team will never compete for a championship. The next coach would be a big factor in his decision. He would be a difference maker for Atlanta, but we dont have a new coach yet either. Too soon to speculate, but fun thinking aouut our chances in the playoffs with a player like LeBron on the team.
seed
May 28th, 2010
12:26 pm
Mark.
Hawks have the best sign and trade package of any potential teams. They can offer Joe and Marvin plus picks in a sign and trade. Cleveland gets something in return (not as much as they deserve, but if he wants out what can they do). Lebron gets his max deal. When he gets here, he still has a team that can win it all…
Josh Smith, Al Horford, Jamaal Crawford, and possibly Josh Childress.
No other team can offer as much as the Hawks and still have as much left over for Lebron to play with. Plus he still gets his money.
Of course, the only way it would work is if Lebron wants out of Cleveland. Joe, Marvin, and picks are not enough for Lebron straight up, even if you throw in Childress.
Wanted 1 Coach.
May 28th, 2010
12:28 pm
This is ATL,,,NO way they would sign a player like that!
Mr. Phil
May 28th, 2010
12:30 pm
To this article I can only say this:
Adding LBJ at the 2 would be an unfair advantage for any team with anything approaching complimentary/adequate starters. Just like Magic was an unfair advantage at the point.
If league rules, the salary cap, or common decency does not stop whoever would want to do this, it would be an inexorable dynastic catastrophe for the rest of the league. The closet thing to guaranteed championships anybody we will see in our lifetime.
wxwax
May 28th, 2010
12:33 pm
Signing LeBron wouldn’t solve the Hawks’ most pressing physical needs: a point guard and a big man.
He *might* solve the Hawks’ most pressing psychological need, unity of team purpose.
LBJ FAN
May 28th, 2010
12:37 pm
It ain’t gonna happen Atlanta. Lebron will go to a big market. Chicago or New York….maybe even the Nets.
cdog
May 28th, 2010
12:39 pm
avery johnson still has not been hired by the hawks as their head coach for next year,its rick sund at his best, being foolish and stupid.i can’t wait for the day sund is history in atlanta.
allan in texas
May 28th, 2010
12:39 pm
I like the way you think Mr. Bradley. We would have just as much talent as all the other teams that everyone keeps talking about. Why not the Hawks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ZeussRichardson
May 28th, 2010
12:40 pm
I dont know if LaBron would play in a Hawk uniform, but if he did sign I would instantly purchase LIFETIME SEASON TICKETS to Hawks games as long as LaBron stays a Hawk. As soon as LaBron leaves the Hawks, I move my family to the next city LaBron is playing in and playing for and buy season tickets for that franchise. You get the idea.
TXDawg
May 28th, 2010
12:42 pm
Dominique was the last Hawk “superstar” and he was drafted. Signing a proven coach might help make the decisions a little easier for some of these free agents. I agree with Mark about the Hawks having the best supporting cast in place but while we’re talking some much about getting Lebron, how about work a sign-and-trade for Wade.
Starting 5:
Teague-PG
Wade-SG
Johnson-SF
JSmoove-PF
Horford-C
HawkKingBibby
May 28th, 2010
12:46 pm
Mark what do you know about AVERY JOHNSONS 3RD meeting with the Hawks thats being reported?
DHD
May 28th, 2010
12:50 pm
What a waste of newspaper space. Good grief.
All I'm Saying Is...
May 28th, 2010
12:54 pm
I like the way you’re thinking Bradley.
I say (loudly) Think Big, Atlanta Spirit Group, and go after the Big Fish in the Free Agent Pool which LeBron!
We can reel in this shark and, unlike Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfus, and Roy Scheider, we don’t need a bigger boat to land this fish!
As has been noted, our Hawks have the cap room (see you later JJ) and the quality teammates in place to deliver a ring to the A-T-L and to LeBron far sooner than any other realistic potential destination.
The essential question for me is does LeBron realize that his window to win a ring is bigger if he plays in the East and best if he goes to a team on the cusp of the NBA title? If he truly thinks about it, then his joining the Hawks is the biggest no-brainer of the free agency period because no other team with cap room is as close to making the next leap to the rank of teams that should be playing in NBA Finals than our Atlanta Hawks!
The issue is whether LeBron truly wants to win a championship ring like Erving, Jordan, Shaq and others who reached this point in their careers and may have had the chance to change teams or remake their teams or is he focused on developing the LeBron brand like Dale Jr. who doesn’t seem to really want to win like a Jimmy Johnson.
LET’S GO HAWKS!
HawkKingBibby
May 28th, 2010
12:56 pm
NO WE DO NOT HAVE THE CAP ROOM. IF JJ LEAVES WE CANT OFFER LEBRON ANYTHING CLOSE TO WHAT HE CAN GET IN SOME OTHER PLACES. Also here is the link for AVERY JOHNSONS 3rd interview. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/2010/05/28/2010-05-28_avery_hopes_to_be_caught_up_in_nets.html#ixzz0pF0fRtH5
Cracker Jacket
May 28th, 2010
1:00 pm
This is the dumbest article ever written by Bradley! Are you smoking dope again with your name dropping neighbors?
Lebron
May 28th, 2010
1:03 pm
Mark – someone is stealing my thunder. I mentioned this sign and trade 1 month ago concerning Lebron and JJ
Najeh Davenpoop
May 28th, 2010
1:04 pm
Bradley, the Hawks are over the cap and would certainly have to send the Cavs more than just Joe Johnson in the pigs-flyingly-unlikely event that they were to execute a sign-and-trade for LeBron. It would be something more along the lines of Joe, Al Horford, Josh Smith, and two or three first round picks for LeBron, Antawn Jamison, Boobie Gibson, and Jamario Moon.
So no, there is no way LeBron could come here and win 60 games. Rick Sund ensured that when he signed Bibby, Marvin, and Zaza to a combined $21 million per year.
Please don’t confuse the already confused masses with similar articles in the future.
JeJe
May 28th, 2010
1:07 pm
No star player is coming to a city where owners alienate players and don’t spend extra money or go into the luxury tax
THIS TEAM WILL NEVER COMPETE UNTIL IT GETS AN OWNERSHIP WILLING TO GO INTO THE LUXURY TAX
1) This team is for sale — LOL
2) Gearon said we’d go into luxury tax if it meant we’d compete — LIAR
Najeh Davenpoop
May 28th, 2010
1:08 pm
I will say this though. A couple of weeks ago, when the Mark Cuban tampering fine happened, I mentioned on Michael Cunningham’s blog that it was more a marketing move by Cuban than anything — just mentioning the possibility of the Mavs getting LeBron kept the Mavs in the Dallas area sports discussion, instead of them taking a back seat to Cowboys OTAs and the Rangers, and as a result was well worth the tampering fine.
Clearly, Gearon felt the same way and felt that name-dropping LeBron and the ensuing fine was well worth the increased local media exposure, and it has played out exactly like that. During a time when the AJC’s columnists and talk radio would normally be talking about the Braves’ recent surge, Falcons’ OTAs, and UGA football, attention is now being focused on the Hawks, even though everyone and their momma knows there’s no way the Hawks are getting LeBron or any other big name free agent.
Larry
May 28th, 2010
1:10 pm
LBJ ? i thought he was dead.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 28th, 2010
1:12 pm
Realistically, the teams that can offer LeBron the best supporting casts are New Jersey (Harris, Lopez, Lee, and either Favors or Cousins) and the Clippers (Davis, Gordon, Griffin, Kaman). If he wants to join a team over the cap, like the Mavs or the Hawks, it would take a sign-and-trade, and Cleveland wouldn’t agree to that unless they got a bounty in return (which would kill any chances of that happening).
Lebron
May 28th, 2010
1:14 pm
From my previous e mail Lebron for JJ and Marvin it works for all salary caps purposes. We can throw in a # 1 to make everyone happy. J – Smooth comes back to play for ATL. Sign veteran center on minimum contract and our coach is Avery
Daniel
May 28th, 2010
1:15 pm
Najeh- that is exactly why it happened. Remember the “fines” are paid to the NBA Cares charity, which are part of the ownership tax shelter anyway. No “real” money will change hands. So ultimately, it is a smart move by Gearon, but I don’t know why people react like they do, knowing it is just a PR ploy.
Daniel
May 28th, 2010
1:18 pm
Najeh- to be fair, if Lebron goes in a sign and trade the Cavs will not get a bounty in return. They will be taking whatever they can get. Remember Lebron is in the driver seat on this, so the Cavs would not be in a position to DEMAND a huge return. Lebron is not stupid either. This fact is also true for the Hawks with Joe Johnson, but I will be interested to see how much his stock slides.
Rufus1
May 28th, 2010
1:21 pm
Great Article MB
We have the assets to make that happen….we are the best option for LBJ to win MULTIPLE TITLES!!!!
If LBJ Said he would come to ATL if we had the CAP room..ASG WOULD BUYOUT BIBBY’S CONTRACT, BUYOUT JAMALS CONTRACT and TRADE CHILDRES CONTRACT FOR A NON-GUARANTEED DEAL= TOTAL 20mil
Barnacle Bill Bavasi
May 28th, 2010
1:22 pm
What a sad life it must be for “an adult,” to wallow in bitterness, jealous of the accomplishments of others. Loser.
layinlow
May 28th, 2010
1:22 pm
I don’t think Lebron is after the max contract in terms of years. He is only 25 and the last time he signed a contract he only did the three year deal. The rumor is he wants to do another three year contract and that would make sense because of his age. In three years he would still only be 28 and could then still get the max 6 year deal. Keep in mind that Lebron is different from other NBA players because of his ability to earn huge endorsement money. He signed a 90 million dollar shoe contract before he ever played his first NBA game. On the other hand Wade and JJ definently want the max deal because they are older than Lebron and don’t have the ability to earn the same kind of advertisment money. Lebron’s endorsement money is much larger than his NBA salary. So Lebron is not necessarily going to have to be involved in a sign and trade.
Rufus1
May 28th, 2010
1:23 pm
Great Article MB
We have the assets to make that happen….we are the best option for LBJ to win MULTIPLE TITLES!!!!
If LBJ Said he would come to ATL if we had the CAP room..ASG WOULD BUYOUT BIBBY’S CONTRACT, BUYOUT JAMALS CONTRACT and TRADE CHILDRES CONTRACT FOR A NON-GUARANTEED DEAL= TOTAL 20mil
Then sign jamal to the bi-annual or Mid-level exception.
Rufus1
May 28th, 2010
1:24 pm
The HAWKS revenue would go thru the ROOF!!!
CW
May 28th, 2010
1:37 pm
Nice thought. But I think we have a better shot at bringing Dwight Howard home in a couple years. And he fills a need.
Hay ohlehdewit
May 28th, 2010
1:39 pm
“What I am saying is that he should take a look. He might like what he sees.”
EXACTLY!!…ohlehdewit!!!
Steve
May 28th, 2010
1:52 pm
I mentioned on a post about the draft here recently that you do not win titles without at least one true stud. I mentioned the Hawks should do whatever they could to trade up for John Wall, and that the teams in the lottery all have enough holes to fill that they might be willing. I still love that idea.
That being said, LeBron would also fit the bill rather nicely. I still believe you cannot win a championship without at least one true stud … but I failed to mention you also need a good supporting cast (even Jordan, Magic and Bird needed them). Well, Atlanta might have the best supporting cast in the NBA for LeBron. Not only is there a plethora of talent, they are all very accustomed to feeding off a decent passing first option player. The only difference is that first option player was not in the same league as LBJ .. even as good as Joe was for his run with the Hawks. I also think LeBron brings more intensity than Joe did, but I don’t know if that would be a good or bad thing for some of the Hawks.
All that being said, the primary component is still missing. Even if he was a marketing darling and had every marketing opportunity thrown at him in the ATL .. he still would not make as much money as he would in the NorthEast. Like it or not, it’s the simple truth. This very same marketing issue has forever haunted the Atlanta sports teams, and only Ted Turner’s money in an uncapped MLB was able to overcome it. Atlanta teams have to overspend for top flight free agents .. just to have a shot at getting them. Sure, some might show a little local discount to the Braves, but for those not around Atlanta you can expect them to want a significant amount more to come to Atlanta.
DeepDiver
May 28th, 2010
1:56 pm
Ah Bradley. So naive. No, we do NOT have the cap room to make anywhere close to a max offer to a free agent — not even close. Your colleague Michael Cunningham posted a brilliant article on this issue just the other day.
http://blogs.ajc.com/hawks/2010/05/19/atlanta-hawks-why-j-j-may-be-more-worth-more-than-you-think-to-the-hawks/
I guess you couldn’t be bothered to read it. You stick to Arthur Blank and Bobby Cox and UGA football and the occasional GT college basketball piece — those are your strong suits. You shouldn’t write about topics you don’t even have a basic grasp of; you look worse every time you post this blatantly inaccurate conjecture.
HawkKingBibby
May 28th, 2010
1:56 pm
You can buy out all the contracts you like Rufus BUT THEY ALL STILL COUNT AGAINST THE CAP.
DeepDiver
May 28th, 2010
1:57 pm
The only way would be a sign-and-trade. If you Sund can convince Cleveland to do a JJ-for-Lebron SNT I’ll eat every hat I own. Laughable.
Dr. Warren
May 28th, 2010
2:19 pm
If the Hawks could sign LeBron, they’d be the most marketable team in China. “Hawking”–clearing the throat loudly and spitting–is the most popular pastime here, among men AND women. Yes, it’s disgusting, but the Hawks could make so much money here they’d be able to afford LeBron.