LeBron will be a Knick, if he knows what's good for him

New York.

The name itself evokes images of the night sky lite up like a Christmas tree, taxi cabs honking on Broadway as a swath of people move along the sidewalks and across the street, and the blaring sound of a city that never sleeps moving through time, carrying the hopes and dreams of eight million people on its back at any given time like a never-ending wave.

There is no place like it in the world. Not Boston. Not Los Angeles. Not Paris. Not Rome. It is the greatest city in the last super power on earth. New York has become the epicenter, and sports has become its heart beat.

I don't know LeBron James. I have never met the man before. I don't know how he feels about Ohio, Cleveland, and his current team. Maybe staying with one franchise his entire career means something. Maybe bringing a championship, even multiple ones, to a battered and beaten midwest town is his white whale, his obsession. Maybe the thought of leaving his home state and team is utterly inconceivable.

But, too many people have ignored what New York means when talking about James' upcoming decision on his future in the NBA. Analysts have talked about money (Cleveland can offer James the most, over the length of a contract) and competitiveness (the Cavs are one of the best teams in the country while the Knicks remain one of the worst) when deciding what a man they know little about will choose to do next year. What few talk about is legacy.

LeBron James is destined to go down as one of the greatest players in the game when he decides to retire. Unless something extraordinarily tragic happens to him, he will win at least one or two championships in his career. He will be remembered as a complete player. He will be remembered as a freak of nature who combined speed and power in a 6'9” frame like no one ever has before, and may not after.

Having said that, his legacy would be different if he became all of that in New York.

Why? Because LeBron has a truly unique opportunity when it comes to the Knicks. He has the ability to come to one of the NBA's greatest franchises, with a rich tradition and a HUGE following, and cement himself as the best player to ever done the uniform. That is something only the Knicks can offer.

Think about the great franchises in the NBA. No matter how great LeBron is, if he went to the Celtics tomorrow he would never supplant Russell or Cousey or Larry Legend in the hearts, minds, or history of the franchise. They are the top. Likewise, if he went to the Lakers, would anyone ever say that LeBron was better than West or Chamberlain or Magic or Kareem? Lakers fans insist that Kobe is the best player in the NBA right now.

Chicago? Forget it, Michael owns that realm and always will. Detroit? The Bad Boys, with Isiah and Rodman and Lambeer, headed by Chuck Daly, are revered to this day. Philadelphia? No doubt, 76ers would annoint LeBron as a basketball God, but a guy by the name of Dr. J once played for that proud franchise, and LeBron would probably always be placed behind him.

The Knicks offer the chance for LeBron to become the “face” of the franchise. As beloved as Willis Reed and Walt Clyde Frazier and the greats of the 70s championship teams remain, and as much as fans might now appreciate Patrick Ewing's winning ways, LeBron would be able to trump them all. He would have the chance to return winning to New York, something of a rarity when it comes to sports.

Think of Mark Messier, The Captain of the New York Rangers who had already established himself as one of the greats before coming to Madison Square Garden in the early 90s. He won five championships in his hometown of Edmonton, Canada. He was well on his way to being a hall of famer.

When he came to the Rangers, the team hadn't won a title in five decades. They were not one of the elite teams in hockey. Yet, Messier and a new group helped transform that, and when he helped the Rangers win the Stanley Cup in 1994, he forever became connected to that team. Now, when people speak of Messier, they talk about 1994 and his game 6 guarantee, and his hat trick, and his ultimate victory. The Edmonton years, though far more successful and the reason for his hall of fame status, are relgated to second when it comes to his career. That one success in New York trumps it all.

LeBron has to realize it would be the same for him.

The Knicks haven't won a championship in 37 years. For those of you keeping score at home, that is nearly four decades of futility. The team also hasn't had an elite player to call its own since Ewing was traded, and the last five years have been the most abysmal in franchise history.

The moment he steps on the court, LeBron changes all of that. He immediately OWNS Madison Square Garden. Not a bad piece of property to call home. He immediately takes his place among the New York elite athletes. In fact, depending on how much success he has, LeBron could push Derek Jeter aside as the King of the City.

Can you put a price tag on that? Can you even factor that in when it comes to a contract?

That's why, when the Knicks open the 2010/2011 regular season next year, I believe LeBron James, and a few other notable signees, will be taking to the court wearing orange and blue. Its because he understands what it means to be the King of the City that Never Sleeps. It's because he understands that he can become the best basketball player New York has ever seen. The mantles for best baseball, football, and hockey players have been locked up for decades.

If LeBron wins in Cleveland, he will be hailed. If he wins in New York, he will be revered like no other.

Want the parade down Canyon of Heroes, LeBron? Want to hang out with CC Sabathia and Derek Jeter? Want Giants tickets at the 50-yard line? Want Jay Z and Alicia Keys to dedicate a song to you? Want to one day be called the greatest that ever played, ahead of Michael, Magic, Larry and the rest? There is only one place for that and, with all due respect, it isn't in Cleveland.