I have to preface this by saying that this idea is totally insane!
But I think the Raptors are gearing up for a huge run at someone in the free agent market in the summer of 2009. Do you realize that is the summer that LeBron James becomes a free agent!!!!!! I predict that Toronto and Orlando are going to be the main players because of their upsides and cap situation. Right now the Cavs are in a championship run. They have a team that is built to win or at least get to a Finals in the next 3 years, and then they shed all the Marshalls and Snows on their teams, and they will only have 3 players under contract, Larry Hughes, Big Z, and LeBron (but LeBron has an opt out for that year). LeBron will have to make a decision on if he can win a championship in Cleveland with those guys, or go to the only two teams that will have the cap room to sign him, Toronto and Orlando. LeBron will have to choose which young big man he wants to play with, D Howard or Chris Bosh. Both Toronto and Orlando will have about $20 million in cap space to offer LeBron. Where will the "Global Icon" choose to play?
I think he will choose Toronto based on the team that he could play for. Bosh, Bragnani, and Ford as starters with Calderon and Garbo on the bench. LeBron could play the 3 for that team, and with a decent 2 guard (young, rookie/soph, athlete who can play shut down D) the Raptors would have a lineup that could be dominant.
Or LeBron could chose to pin his hopes on being a part of the Orlando Magic with D Howard, Jameer Nelson, Turkoglu, and Ariza combo of disaster.
I think Toronto would be the more complete team. If LeBron is serious about winning championships, then I think he would pin his hopes on Toronto. This is just a crazy theory, but I think it is one that is possible. After watching the Heat - Cavs game today, LeBron despises that team he is on, I think the are too untalented for him. LeBron is the kind of guy that needs a strong number 2 because he is kind of a pussy like Vince Carter, but not as bad. He isn't in D Wade's class, he just doesn't have the same kind of will. But if he plays in a strong team atmoshpere that forces him to perform, then I think he could win some championships. If Colangelo can pull that deal off, he would be remembered as one the greatest GMs in NBA history. Landing LeBron to play with Bosh, Bragnani, Ford, and a to be determined SG would make the Raptors a team capable of multiple championships. I think this is crazy.....could you even imagine if it happened?
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