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Star forward deflects questions about future, talks about winning championship
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.: It took about a nanosecond before a member of the New York media popped the question on LeBron James.
Is James amused, annoyed or interested in the speculation that he would eventually entertain offers from New York-area teams when he becomes a free agent after the 2010 season?
''You read so much about it, it's hard to avoid it,'' he said. ''I'm kind of focused on the team I'm on now and winning a championship, so it gets funny at times but I'm not thinking about making a change right now, I'm focusing on the team I have here and the relationship I have with the Cavs.''
No it's not necessarily as definitive a statement as he made during a voter-registration rally at Cleveland's Free Stamp statue back in October, but it's an attitude reflected by the organization as a whole.
The Cavs want to win now. Not two years from now. That's why they traded to get point guard Mo Williams before the season.
Coach Mike Brown isn't sweating over the prospect of losing James. After all, coming from San Antonio, he has perspective.
Rumors swirled that superstar player Tim Duncan eventually would end up with the Orlando Magic.
''I stepped back and observed [Gregg Popovich] and Pop said it like it was: 'We're getting ready for today's game. And after today's game, we're getting ready for tomorrow. We can't control that . . . Let's just control what we can try to control and that's what's in front of us right now.' ''
Ultimately, it will come down to whether the Cavs put together the pieces needed to win a championship in Cleveland.
Rumors have swirled around many an NBA superstar during the league's recent history, only to have said player remain where he was.
What will it take for the Cavs to keep James?
Championships. The ability to challenge for multiple championships.
Much has been made about how other teams around the league have or will be clearing cap space for the summer of 2010 when the free-agent crop will be laced with high-profile stars like James, the Toronto Raptors' Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade.
What's been ignored is that the Cavs will have a ton of cash to work with as well if the makeup of the team isn't changed drastically.
Brown won't obsess over it.
''People can try to clear all the cap space they want; we're trying to win right now,'' he said. ''We have to make our organization the best organization it can be — if we do that, then all that other stuff will take care of itself.''
James leaves himself some wiggle room, but there's little doubt that he likes the way the team is heading and is thinking pragmatically about his future.
''We've made strides every year since I've been here,'' he said. ''We've gotten better every year. I think this year is probably the best team we've had since I've been here.
''You have to see how a season plays out. Just because you go to a different team with different players doesn't automatically guarantee you a championship, so I have to be smart about things and be patient. I'm here. I've been here since I got drafted and I'm used to being in this uniform.''
Big Ben on Billups
With the Cavs taking on the Detroit Pistons tonight in Detroit, Ben Wallace got a chance to express his feelings about the trade that sent Chauncey Billups to the Denver Nuggets for Allen Iverson. He understands the league is a business, but he also realizes that Pistons president Joe Dumars fundamentally altered the team.
''Anytime you trade a guy like Chauncey Billups who leads your team, who makes sure everybody is where they need to be and bring in a guy like Allen Iverson, it's a different mindset now,'' he said. ''They play a little faster. They play a little looser. They're a little more unpredictable, so we've got to just go ahead and keep doing what we've been doing the past couple of games and we'll be all right.''
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read his blog at: http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.: It took about a nanosecond before a member of the New York media popped the question on LeBron James.
Get the full article here.
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