LeBron James' future remains anybody's guess
With most occupations, when a 25-year-old has been tremendously successful in his or her career, that person naturally looks to move from a city like Cleveland to a bigger stage - New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, maybe Miami if warm weather is a concern.
LeBron James is really no different, except that a million sports fans wouldn't be agonizing about whether an up-and-coming advertising executive is about to leave town.
That's where it stands, though, for the two-time MVP. He's set to become a free agent on July 1 and the NBA teams with the most salary-cap room play in those large markets - the Bulls, Knicks, Nets, Clippers and Heat.
At this point, there is no reason to put any credence into predictions of where LeBron will end up. While the Cavaliers were putting together a second straight 60-win season, all the momentum suggested he'd stay put, at least for a few more years, while the Cavs hung a few championship banners.
No one imagined James and the Cavaliers would be cleaning out lockers six games into the second round after getting thumped by Boston.
Sure, James has a great situation playing near his hometown of Akron, Ohio. He obviously wanted to snap Cleveland's 46-year drought without a major pro sports championship.
But after a stunning playoff defeat, he also has to ask himself if he's taken the Cavaliers as far as they can go.
There is no chance that James knows today what he's going to do this summer, not after such a surprise ending. An ESPN analyst claimed three NBA general managers predicted after Thursday's loss that James would join the Bulls. But those are just guesses.
The James-to-Chicago talk has been going on all season. It's a simple conclusion: If James does leave Cleveland, he could step right into a Bulls lineup with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng. In theory, that group could become an instant title contender.
James might also find the Knicks appealing if he can convince Toronto's Chris Bosh to join him in New York. The Knicks can't match the Bulls' current lineup, but have Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari under contract, who might work well next to a couple of stars. They might need more than Eddy Curry at center, though.
Miami has plenty of cap room, but it's tough to see a high-scoring tandem of James and Dwyane Wade operating smoothly.
There was a great moment in broadcast journalism Thursday night when ESPN analyst Avery Johnson, who has been linked to New Jersey's coaching vacancy, looked into the camera and suggested the Nets were James' best option.
Well, New Jersey does have some young talent in guard Devin Harris and center Brook Lopez, plus a top-four draft pick on the way. The Nets will spend the next two years in Newark, hoping to finally make their long-planned move to Brooklyn in 2012.
Leaving Cleveland would be a harsh move, no doubt. James knows how dismal the Cavaliers were before he arrived, because he attended most every game during his last two years of high school.
There is precedent for a superstar to depart. Current Cleveland teammate Shaquille O'Neal spent just four years in Orlando before jumping to the Lakers. James has been with the Cavs for seven seasons.
Asked about James' future following Game 6 in Boston, Kevin Garnett basically acknowledged that he wished he left Minnesota sooner.
It seemed as though Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry did everything he could to provide James with the proper supporting cast. But since getting swept by San Antonio in the 2007 Finals, the Cavs have fallen short three years in a row.
The team has gotten old. O'Neal is 38, while Anthony Parker and Zydrunas Ilgauskas will turn 35 before training camp begins. Antawn Jamison, acquired from Washington at the trade deadline, was bad against Boston and will turn 34 next month.
The Cavaliers can fire coach Mike Brown and try to sell James on the idea that better strategy from the bench will give him a shot at a championship. Unless they can pull off a sign-and-trade for someone like Bosh, it will be tough for the Cavs to make many personnel changes.
The Bulls definitely have a chance at landing James this summer. How good a chance, no one knows right now.