Lebron James to New York Knicks? But Cleveland Cavaliers are Good!

I am 100% sick the Lebron James to New York Knicks in 150 NBA games from now discussion… that simply will NOT die…. and will only get worse with each passing day (for the next 17 months).

But that’s why I was excited to read Bill Simmons post today saying, hold your horses Knicks fans and Cleveland natives. The Cavaliers are good – and are positioned to be really good. So why leave for the awful Knicks when you can compete for the championship now?

Why don’t more people realize that the Cavs, already really good, will be even better three months from now?

Only 5-to-1 odds to win the title? Really? Even in this crummy economy, with ticket sales about to drop through the basement, the Cavs can’t blow their LeBron Window for one reason: If they win a title, he might stay and save professional basketball in Cleveland. Money is no object. They don’t care. And given that they have $20 million worth of expiring contracts (Wally Z. plus Eric Snow) as well as two favorable contracts (Andy Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic), that means the following guys are in play for them: Mike Miller and Michael Redd (the two biggies), along with Josh Howard, Shawn Marion, Gerald Wallace, Jason Richardson, Rasheed Wallace, Brad Miller, Raja Bell, Leandro Barbosa and Antawn Jamison.

For instance, let’s say they traded Wally, J.J. Hickson and $3 million to Minnesota for Mike Miller, and $10 million worth of Brian Cardinal and Mark Madsen in 2010 … then they dealt Pavlovic, Snow and a 2009 No. 1 pick to Washington for Jamison and Darius Songaila’s mildly reprehensible contract. Two reasonable trades, right? Cleveland gets two blue-chippers; Minnesota and Washington save money, gain cap space and position themselves for 2009 (fantanking) and 2010 (the free agent bonanza). Wouldn’t the Cavs become the favorites if they landed Jamison AND Miller without giving up anyone in their top-eight? I’d be more scared as a Celtics fan if Mike Brown wasn’t in charge. The point is — they will definitely add one more elite guy and possibly two. Which means that our top three (Boston, Cleveland, Los Angeles) could end up being more loaded than any top three since 1993 (Chicago, New York, Phoenix). This is a good thing.

(The highlight of the second trade for me: I called my buddy House, a diehard Wiz fan, and opened the conversation with, “Would you trade Jamison and Songaila for …?” and before I could say the rest, he just started screaming, “YES! YES! YES! ABSOLUTELY! GIVE ME THE CAP SPACE!!! YES!!!!” Ladies and gentlemen, your 2009 Washington Wizards! OK, let’s give the readers a couple of questions.)

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