Wednesday, August 6th, 2008 at 9:00 am  |  182 responses

OK, it Might Be Time to Take the LeBron-to-Europe Talk Seriously

by Marcel Mutoni

Last Friday, Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated wrote a column about a Greek team (the same one that snatched up Josh Childress) possibly offering LeBron James an absurd amount of money to bolt for Europe. The piece, though certainly entertaining, was heavy on speculation and details were scant.

Last night, Chris Broussard of ESPN the Mag went a step further by citing a “source close to LeBron”, saying LBJ would consider playing across the pond if the money was right.

Here, friends, is what David Stern’s worst nightmare would look like:

A person close to James said Tuesday that the Cavaliers’ superstar would strongly consider playing overseas if he was offered a salary of “around $50 million a year.”

[...]

The Russian team CSKA Moscow and the Greek team Olympiacos, which recently gave Josh Childress a contract approaching $30 million over three years, have already contacted James, according to the person close to him. The person added, however, that no monetary or contractual discussions have taken place.

Now, yes, of course $50 million is an insane amount of money to pay a single player for one season of work. It would also be equally insane for said player not to seriously consider taking it. No matter how rich one may be (and LeBron is plenty rich), $50 million is still $50 million.

As Broussard points out in the article, consider that David Beckham was given a $250 million contract to play soccer in a country that largely ignores the sport, when he was well past his prime no less. What’s to stop a Greek or Russian team owner from throwing this kind of scratch at Mr. Global Icon in Training a couple of years from now?

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  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com/ RV

    he’d be 26 when he came back, if he took that year off, it would make him and everything with his name and picture on it a lot more popular..which brings him even more money. I believe he has a player option his final season, whats the difference between staying in cleveland and going nowhere and going overseas and getting nowhere? About 35 mil.

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com/ RV

    Kobe is not winning a ring by himself, Wade’s a good 3 years (at least) from even contending again with that team, and Portland may be deep, but you can still only play 5 at a time and they’re best 5 aren’t winning a ring within 3 years. Its very possible all these teams with potential won’t really show they’re true colors for 2 or 3 more years so Lebron can come back just as these teams are getting established and it could be easier for him to pick the right one.

  • rav

    Allenp – when Steve Nash left Dallas he didn’t earn a huge amount of cash with respect to his talent (around $20m off the top of my head) so its not as if its a guy who gave up a $100m contract to get $105m

  • Chris

    LeBron cares about fame almost as much as he cares about money. Ain’t no fame to be had in the Euroleague. No one would respect him shattering Euroleague records and Euro titles. Bron is going to stay in the League, but because it’s the proving ground. It’s where you got to play to be able to say that you’re the best. No if somehow Bron’s able to win 7 chips, he may chase them dollars.

  • Obama

    What’s wrong with getting $50M for 1 year?
    He can come back to the NBA after that and join a contender to win a chip for a little less money.

  • Z

    I just can’t get mad at him for trying to make as much money as possible. You guys say it’s greed but perhaps by then he’ll be taking care of the whole freaking city of Akron. Things can be done with a lot of money if your heart is where it’s supposed to be. Project housing, learning centers, rec centers, better parks, etc. Maybe Ryan could get in his ear about that. I’m only half-joking about the last part…

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com/ RV

    there’s plenty of fame to achieve in Europe. Fame isn’t just about playing with the best, but playing everywhere, proving yourself across the board. Its like the playground, its great if you’re one of the best where the best run, but to go to another court where there’s also good comp and still be great, that’s just added recognition. And what other nba player in history would be able to say he was nba mvp, all star mvp, finals mvp, euroleague mvp, etc..Lebron could be the only one.

  • http://www.triplejunearthed.com/dacre Dacre

    …

  • http://www.triplejunearthed.com/dacre Dacre

    Mirror any debate with this topic from the thoughts of one Shawn Kemp – That current post here regarding the interview and his comments about building business or financial interests for after the NBA, THAT would make sense for LeBron to go to Europe, signing for a massive contract (if it is even realistic to quantify) if only to think in terms of investment for his own brand or establishing a global icon status. At the end of the day, when a newspaper reports ANYTHING with the phrase, “A source close to Lebron”…Its liable to be just a blow-up to fill pages for printing requirements…
    “This week we can go with either a puff piece on Lebron heading to Europe or a ‘look-a-like photo’ with Sam Cassell and E.T….

    Next week will be Sam.

  • cleb

    that nigga would be bankin

  • john

    50 million a year thats crazy

  • Obama

    i could use some of the money you know.

  • Flava

    Very interesting posts.
    Basically it comes down to the ol ‘the rings the thing’.

    That and whether lebron wants to go down as one of the best statistical NBA players of all time. He’s already breaking the youngest ever to …..

    However, the nba is a business and he would be doing himself a favour by going to play a year or two in europe to explode his earning potential. Breaking into new markets, getting a piece of television rights to the games ??? Tell me he wouldn’t make more coin over this??

    It would be great for the international game.

    I think that he can do it until he wins a chip. Then he would be able to do it without so much hate. However by the time he wins a chip, pressure will be on him to build a dynasty….

  • chintao

    Captain America @ Aug.6 at 9:40 am ==> What do you do for a living? Are you paid for it? Are you a prostitute?

  • chintao

    Ryan Jones @ Aug.6 at 10:59 am ==> “You’re now rocking with the best, so, yo, reach for the ozone, I come funkin’ up the joint like Michael Jordan’s cologne.”

  • call me li

    i didn’t really read ALL the comments, so i don’t know if anybody mentioned it, but u ever think that maybe Bron is exudingly confident enough to believe that before 2010 he WILL have a ring (if not two) so going over to Europe won’t be viewed in such a negative light?

  • call me li

    i with average-at-best teams the last two years he’s made the finals, and lost (barely) to the eventual HOF stacked champs. u think he can’t win it all with a mediocre team? im sure he does..and if not i bet he drops the Europe idea until he does

  • call me li

    *i MEAN

  • call me li

    wow im off..by mediocre i meant medium, or more clearly, above average team

  • LAN

    50mill tax free?! i dont recon they would throw that at him unless he has to go in a billion different advertisement stuff for the team owners bussiness

  • http://www.slamonline.com Ryan Jones

    chintao is my new favorite commenter.

  • maluza

    and what will be doin?Circus shows all day?cummon now forget the money and be realistic people..

  • ohio

    Hey Joel O’s u said
    ‘Playing in the NBA is more than a job, it really is a dream for many of these guys. Money is just part of the equation. It may be their careers, but money isn’t the only reason why these people are as good as they are.’ can uexpanciate pls

  • ohio

    hmmm-i value many of the comments here to be or not to be playing in europe- some say its ok, some say its greeti[greedy] for players like lebron. I ask wats great for basketball globally [and maybe the NBA?]

  • ohio

    ONE TIN I KNOW IS DAT IF KING JAMES KOBE AND CO MOV 2 EUROPE IT WILL NOT TAKE LONG BEFORE COACHES AND MOSTLY NBA CLUB OWNERS MOVE TO ACQUIRE CLUBS OVER EUROPE-HEY EVEN IN SOCCER[ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE] THERE THIS AMERICAN WHO BOUGHT THE GREAT MAN.U, so wat we talking. I can beat David (stern) is ploting GOLIHAT-if i got the spelling rit(buying clubs and making them NBA properties)

  • ohio

    Joel O u said ‘in the end, don’t think he’s gonna do it though. The highest level of competition is still very much the NBA. And even here, Lebron is physically and skill-wise head and shoulders above practically everyone. Why go to Europe to dominate lesser competition? Most of the best European players are here, the Scolas and Ginobilis and Dirks. This is where it’s at’.He wld do it for money

  • ohio

    Russ Bengtson u said
    ‘It’s funny, I don’t remember Michael Jordan going to Greece or Russia or Brunei for a season during HIS prime. But maybe I just wasn’t paying attention’,may be he sld b asked [& put a challenge while at it-he never backs down from a playing one]

  • ohio

    IrishPaul u said:
    Lebron strikes me as greedy and egotistical enough for this so called pipedream to turn to reality. Even If he did go to a European team I still cant see him as a global icon on the same level as any soccer star. Bros soccer guys can never b on the same page with ball- we tort dem all dey know. to tink soccer started long before ball but note if there was Britain before the US and the US is all TOPS now it can {and is} to ball. All agree- here any way at the home of the dream- that ball are the coolest[ask we gurls for confirmation]and now the Yao Ming town will prove it from the 10th August//sori I happened to have seen the opening ceremony and the ceremony itself proved it [ask the commentators]. SOCCER CAN NEVER, [AGAIN] NEVER BEAT BALL

  • ohio

    Darksaber U said to:
    Mica: ‘the European Market for BASKETBALL players is a fraction of the US Market. If Lebron wanted to capitalize on that segment (Market) he might as well transfer to a chinese team. Cause that’s where 300 Million people play the game, and the Nba (amongst many

    could go into the fact that a player like Lebron is, at this point, looking more for that ring than anything else. I could also point out that Lebron could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising if he does this. But I’m tired of even SEEING these things pointed out. Lebron is the least likely player to leave the states in 2010.’ May be the Chinese for got to ask him-do u know how much they spent on this Olympics? if am rit [i stand to be corrected] 48 billion. i tink they forgot to ask him, probably due to getting the Olympics on. They just mit ask once its over

  • ohio

    who knows abt stocks and economy here? cus I nid to know how many companies/people will go unda if they go europe or which companies have assets or interest in Europe/asia dat wld love to have dem

  • ohio

    Bdubbz u said:
    Lebron probably doesnt even know what league CSKA Moscow or Olimpiacos is in.

    trust mi he knows

  • ohio

    Joel O’s u said:
    Sure, he could take the $50-mil a year and go, but what’ll that do for his career? After David Beckham left ManU for the big bucks and glamour at Real Madrid, what did he accomplish? He was the inspirational leader of England and the catalyst of ManU before, but after that his biggest contribution to Real was in his role of jersey salesman. His play for England faltered too, to the point where some considered his chummy relationship with Eriksson the only reason for his continued place on the team, let alone his status as captain.

    Lis David does not have a 4 horsemen thing going on..although he has the best businessman builder in a wife..she really good

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