About the Cavs having an edge in signing him, James said, "Absolutely. Because, you know, this city, these fans, I mean, have given me a lot in these seven years."
LeBron James being interviewed by Larry King at the Cavaliers' star's home in Bath, just west of Akron.If LeBron James doesn't give another interview before the NBA free agent period that opens on July 1, these are the words that Cavaliers fans will cling to, hoping that the two-time NBA MVP from Akron continues his career in Cleveland:
Absolutely. Because, you know, this city, these fans, I mean, have given me a lot in these seven years. And, you know, for me, it's comfortable. So I've got a lot of memories here. And -- and so it does have an edge.
That was James' response when asked by CNN's Larry King if James' "home team," the Cavaliers, have "an edge" over other suitors in trying to sign him to a new contract.
King interviewed the Cavaliers forward at James' Bath home on Tuesday. The segment, which is set to air Friday night at 9 p.m. on CNN's "Larry King Live," is part of a weeklong series of shows commemorating King's 25th year at CNN.
The transcript has created a buzz in the basketball world and among the media that cover it, with fans of not only the Cavaliers - but of teams like the Bulls, Knicks, Heat, Clippers, Mavericks and Nets, too - looking for any clue to James' eventual decision.
Plain Dealer Cavaliers coverage includes beat writer Brian Windhorst's highlights from LeBron James' interview with Larry King, and a full transcript of the interview.
Some think this . . .
There are analysts who believe the interview with King indicates it's a slam dunk that James will remain a Cavalier. For instance, Jeff Seeman of FoxSports.com details reasons that James will stay, including:
LeBron's mother lives here. His family lives here. His friends live here. Everyone in the cast of "More Than A Game" lives here, and if you saw that movie, you know why he's staying here.
Northeast Ohio is his home. LeBron has built a winner in the Cleveland Cavaliers and his work is not finished with that team. Over the next 30 days, there will be a lot of stories thrust into the news about him, but the bottom line is simple. He's staying with the Cavs and all the rumors are mere drama to raise the stakes.
As this news begins to push over the airwaves until Friday's taped CNN appearance, expect the pro-Cleveland storylines to re-emerge.
...and some think that
Well, what would you expect from someone writing for ESPNNewYork.com? Rob Parker gives his opinions on what James had to say to King, including:
If someone can read into that quote and determine that James is staying in Cleveland, they're just engaging in wishful thinking, at best.
If anything -- sorry, Cavaliers fans -- it shows that James is searching for the best way to let everyone down easy when he finally decides to leave the comforts of the Midwest for the bright lights and a new challenge in the big city.
Ex-star says...Maybe
Former NBA All-Star Chris Webber, now an analyst for NBA TV, feels there's a decent chance that James will remain a Cavalier, as Marc Berman writes for the New York Post:
Yesterday, on a conference call to promote the NBA Finals that begin tomorrow, NBA TV's Chris Webber said he felt the Knicks have an "uphill climb" in free agency and felt the Bulls might not be a good fit for James because of Derrick Rose's need for the ball. Webber indicated he felt James would stay in Cleveland.
"I had the feeling if he won one, he'd definitely leave," Webber said. "He didn't, so I don't know."
Simply stealing spotlight
The Celtics and Lakers begin the NBA Finals on Thursday night. The New York Daily News' Frank Isola writes that the reason for James' interview with King was simple: Make the league's showcase event a sideshow, with James drawing much of the attention away from it. Isola writes:
In James' world, Lakers-Celtics represents the warmup act to his free agency. In his mind, if you can't make the big game, you attempt to upstage the league's marquee event. That's clearly the motive behind James' decision to speak to the legendary talk show host Tuesday for an interview that will air Friday, the day after Game 1.
As usual, James is coy about his free agent plans, saying only that Cleveland has an "edge" over other clubs. That's akin to reporting that there is an oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.
The bottom line?
Zac Jackson of FoxSportsOhio.com breaks down James' interview with King, making five points, including:
5. Later in the interview he speaks in detail about the L.A. Clippers and calls Los Angeles "a great city." He also makes mention of Chicago and New York. But then he says this: "But at the same time, like I said, it's not always about the city. It's about winning. And I mean if you put me and (Chris) Bosh on the same team, if you put me and Dwyane Wade on the same team or a lot of these ... guys, a lot of teams would be much better." And, that is what you make of it. He's definitely saying a little. If you really dig deep, maybe he is saying a lot. But when you look at the whole picture, he has so much here, has so much invested (in people and in years) here, can do so many things on and off the court here that he probably couldn't do in other places, that Cleveland has an edge. Maybe just a slight one, but an edge nonetheless. And on June 2, Cleveland will take it.