Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated says NBA people are speculating about the possibility that Josh Childress' new Greek team, Olympiacos, might make a huge offer to LeBron James when he is a free agent in 2010:
The last time the NBA had real competition, the NBA was forced to cut some kind of deal with the ABA mainly because the ABA had Julius Erving. With his magnificent smile, his undefeatabe afro, and the best aerial moves the same had seen, he was the killer asset of all basketball. Fans knew he was the hottest ticket in town, and you simply can't be the world's premier league when the biggest draw is playing down the street. The NBA had to fix that.
LeBron James at his peak could certainly serve that same role, as the NBA and the Euroleague continue to fumble around, trying to decide if they're boxing each other or dancing together.
And if James could cement the Euroleague's future, as part of the NBA, or as a viable alternative, then he would have value far beyond ticket sales, TV ratings, and corporate sponsorships, and a crazy salary might not seem so crazy.
Free Agents and Trades, International Basketball, Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James
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will be interesting if olympiacos throws 40 mill out at lebron. nba might have to join the other sports and get rid of the salary cap.
As a free agent in 2010, his new contract in the NBA would start at less than $20 million annually.
What if Olympiakos were to offer him $40 million per year? Or $50 million? Who knows how much the Greeks would be willing to pay? The point is that the limitation on his salary is entirely up to them.
Last month Olympiakos signed Josh Childress, a sixth man of the Atlanta Hawks, to a three-year contract worth $20 million "net'' (meaning that most of his taxes and living expenses are paid by the club in addition to his salary) that exceeded his value in the NBA. The Aggelopoulos brothers, the young billionaires who own Olympiakos, do not expect to earn revenues to cover the cost of that contract. They signed Childress simply in hope that he will help them win basketball games.
At the most expensive levels of European basketball, the club owners are obsessed with bringing glory to their club and their fans as well as to their city and country. Imagine the glory that the recruitment of James would bring to Olympiakos. At the very least, he would destroy their cross-town rival Panathinaikos: The value of that alone would be priceless to Olympiakos.
The owners of Olympiakos already lose millions annually on their player payroll. It may be worthwhile to them to lose $40 million or more in exchange for the grandeur of LeBron.
If this offer ever really does come about, I wouldn't count on it being all about local prestige. I think there is every indication that deep-pocketed owners in Europe are starting to think big are starting to think big about the future of their sport as a business.What if Olympiakos were to offer him $40 million per year? Or $50 million? Who knows how much the Greeks would be willing to pay? The point is that the limitation on his salary is entirely up to them.
Last month Olympiakos signed Josh Childress, a sixth man of the Atlanta Hawks, to a three-year contract worth $20 million "net'' (meaning that most of his taxes and living expenses are paid by the club in addition to his salary) that exceeded his value in the NBA. The Aggelopoulos brothers, the young billionaires who own Olympiakos, do not expect to earn revenues to cover the cost of that contract. They signed Childress simply in hope that he will help them win basketball games.
At the most expensive levels of European basketball, the club owners are obsessed with bringing glory to their club and their fans as well as to their city and country. Imagine the glory that the recruitment of James would bring to Olympiakos. At the very least, he would destroy their cross-town rival Panathinaikos: The value of that alone would be priceless to Olympiakos.
The owners of Olympiakos already lose millions annually on their player payroll. It may be worthwhile to them to lose $40 million or more in exchange for the grandeur of LeBron.
The last time the NBA had real competition, the NBA was forced to cut some kind of deal with the ABA mainly because the ABA had Julius Erving. With his magnificent smile, his undefeatabe afro, and the best aerial moves the same had seen, he was the killer asset of all basketball. Fans knew he was the hottest ticket in town, and you simply can't be the world's premier league when the biggest draw is playing down the street. The NBA had to fix that.
LeBron James at his peak could certainly serve that same role, as the NBA and the Euroleague continue to fumble around, trying to decide if they're boxing each other or dancing together.
And if James could cement the Euroleague's future, as part of the NBA, or as a viable alternative, then he would have value far beyond ticket sales, TV ratings, and corporate sponsorships, and a crazy salary might not seem so crazy.
Free Agents and Trades, International Basketball, Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James
--------
will be interesting if olympiacos throws 40 mill out at lebron. nba might have to join the other sports and get rid of the salary cap.
