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http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ian_thomsen/08/01/lebron.greece/index.html

Greek team may make $eriou$ run at LeBron after 2010 season

You'll never guess which NBA star the Greek team Olympiakos of Athens may be targeting next.

Here's the buzz I heard Friday: Olympiakos is considering a run at LeBron James when he becomes a free agent in 2010.

This talk was beginning to make its way through the NBA on Friday. I heard it from a reliable league source, who told me that it emanates from Olympiakos.

At first glance it is ludicrous to imagine that the NBA's next big star would move overseas as he's trying to win championships and replace Michael Jordan as a household name globally. But look at it this way: Neither the Euroleague nor Greek league impose any kind of salary cap on its teams, which means there would be no ceiling on an offer that the billionaire ownership of Olympiakos could make to James.

As a free agent in 2010, his new contract in the NBA would start at less than $20 million annually.

What if Olympiakos were to offer him $40 million per year? Or $50 million? Who knows how much the Greeks would be willing to pay? The point is that the limitation on his salary is entirely up to them.

Last month Olympiakos signed Josh Childress, a sixth man of the Atlanta Hawks, to a three-year contract worth $20 million "net'' (meaning that most of his taxes and living expenses are paid by the club in addition to his salary) that exceeded his value in the NBA. The Aggelopoulos brothers, the young billionaires who own Olympiakos, do not expect to earn revenues to cover the cost of that contract. They signed Childress simply in hope that he will help them win basketball games.

At the most expensive levels of European basketball, the club owners are obsessed with bringing glory to their club and their fans as well as to their city and country. Imagine the glory that the recruitment of James would bring to Olympiakos. At the very least, he would destroy their cross-town rival Panathinaikos: The value of that alone would be priceless to Olympiakos.

The owners of Olympiakos already lose millions annually on their player payroll. It may be worthwhile to them to lose $40 million or more in exchange for the grandeur of LeBron.

From James' point of view, playing overseas for a year could enhance his marketing status and turn him into more of a global star than he is now. He could build up his name in an entirely unprecedented way and then return home as a free agent to sign with the NBA team of his choosing.

I am not saying that any of this is going to happen. I can tell you, however, that this kind of speculation is going to generate a lot of talk throughout the basketball world -- and not just concerning Olympiakos, either. What's to stop the billionaire owners of CSKA Moscow or other elite Euroleague clubs from making a similar run at James?

The landscape of basketball may be changing, after all.

This is actually kind of funny, considering the press has been selling us on the whole, "Lebron wants the lure of New York" bit for years. Cleveland can offer him much more than any other team in the NBA, but that's not going to be good enough to keep him from going to a big market .... but wait a sec, now he can get even more money by going to a small-market LEAGUE, and suddenly this is a viable option?

Besides, his Nike escalator clauses won't kick in if he goes to Greece.

Lebron already gets PLENTY of money, and he's sponsored by everyone. The only thing he's going to care about is his legacy. He's not going to go to a crappy Knicks team just because they're in New York ... he's not going to a Greece League, just because they can offer him a bigger contract (which might I add, is complete speculation too). And I think he would only go to the Nets if they are going to offer him a much better chance of winning a Championship than Cleveland can.

Well LBJ has been quoted as saying that he wants to be the richest African American in the world and if a club overseas throws that amount of money his way It would not be surprise me one bit if he jumped on a contract such as the one mentioned. James has already established himself as an NBA player, so going overseas, not having to pay Uncle Sam taxes on the coin he'll make, throw in the other products such players overseas get, as houses, cars, and food allowances on top of their contract, I can see him going to the highest bidder be it USA or another country.

His goal is not basketball related it is more money related. He is just using his talents in basketball to gain profit, and is why this sport is going to the crapper real quick in this country. Players today do not really care about championships in this sport in America it is all about money and is why they are a low tier sport in the states with the NFL, MLB, and NASCAR, being way ahead of this sport in our country. Either way be it overseas or another NBA team, LBJ is leaving Cleveland.

You need to do some LBJ homework.

He wants to be the richest African American period. He has consulted many billionaires on this, one who I know for a fact that comes to mind is Warren Buffett, and his actual goal isn't basketabll related.

He wants to be the richest African American, and whoever gives him the money will get him, NBA championship or not.

lolz

I guess the truth is humorous to you? I didn't make my comment up, they were reported. You can find it funny but those are the words of LBJ not mine. Sorry bud, but his overall life goal is not NBA championship related, sure it would be nice but he wants the coin, and I would not be shocked if he went overseas to get it.

The truth?

The basketball contract money Lebron gets is PEANUTS compared to what he gets from corporate sponsors. He's not going those huge contracts from Nike, Coca-Cola, Chevy, etc moonlighting in Greece.

Wrong bud, all the products you just mentioned are also sold in other countries, he will still get paid, the fact is what will make him the most money and right now seeing some of the contracts mid tier players are getting offered and taking to play overseas, to land a Lebron he will get paid and paid well. More so then you and I probably both think. Remember the dollar is dropping and is not worth what it was just 5 years ago, so since his goal is to be the richest African American, I would bet he'll take the coin wherever it comes from via USA, or Greece. I don't blame him either, he'll do what makes him the most money and has stated this, so though I do think it is somewhat of a reach he will leave the US, it is not impossible that he might, LBJ is all about money, and thats from his mouth, not mine.

Why would he be playing on the Olympic team then if he doesn't care about basketball or winning? He's not getting paid to play on Team USA and he can risk getting hurt and losing money in the future by doing so...

LMAO I bet he is getting compensated in one way or another to play for the joke, I mean Olympics. What do think he is paying out of his bank account money to be in China?

Come on man, get with it, dude wants money and all he can get and will go to any measure to get it. He doesn't care about Cleveland, Ohio, the USA, he only cares about his bank roll, if you think he's playing for free, you need to take the blinders off, the man has a goal, and doubt he'll lose sleep if the US doesn't win the gold medal. The Olympics is a joke, don't take him playing for this team seriously, or the Olympics for that matter, all and all it is a joke now, no meaning, who cares.

But his Nike, etc contracts aren't worth squat to the companies giving them to him if he is not playing in an American Market. Do you really think Nike is going to offer him the same amount of money they do now if he skips town and plays in Greece??? Do you think Americans are going to clamour to their television sets every moment possible to see him play in the Greek League??? It will be a passing fancy. people will be interested at first and then it will wane...you will still get updates...but the market demographics shrivels to just about nothing for his outside sponsors if he is playing in anything but the most talented League in the World with the Largest Market. Yes the products are sold outside of America...but the market is miniscule in comparison. Not to mention that they can still sell to the smaller markets when he is in the NBA...but it won't work the other way around....except for maybe a month....

Can you tell me where you are getting your "facts" from?

The news/media. Don't believe me do your own research, I sure as hell am not going to waste my time to educate you.

I actually agree with fletch Profesional athletes only care about money. Im sorry people but its the truth. Doesnt make sense because I dont think nike would give him as much money if he went to a different country

I have never responded to you, and this may be the only time because I personally think you post just to stir up anger and are clueless when it comes to anything that is real life.

I think it is hilarious and ridiculous at the same time that you continuously say LBJ wants to be the "richest African American ever." It obviously bothers you that black people make good money because they are succesful in something that you are not. You are a prototypical "hater" and cannot handle the fact that anyone, let alone a black man, is so successful financially.

Now I know you will come back with some crap drivel that you call fact, but the fact is you are a hater. I have read many of your posts and choose to ignore your bigoted ass, but this just set me off. You made it a point to continually say richest "African American" when the truth of the matter is LeBron wants to be the richest ATHLETE ever. Not "African American." Everyone that has a clue on this board sees right through your racially biased crap.

Go back to your bigotry and labeling now. I am done. Go ahead and post some crap that makes you look worse than you already do.

WOW kash!
Didnt see that coming from you. No offence

*ducks and hides*

It needed to be said. I read alot of posts on this board and typically don't respond, but Fletch goes too far way too many times.

Class and character are hard to display when you type, but it seems he goes above and beyond to portray his true colors, regardless of who is offended.

Wow strike one and two in one thread nice job.

Do yourself a favor and quit trying to label people since you obviously are speaking out of your ass.

Go back to ignoring me, or not responding, that way you can avoid labeling individuals you have no clue about. I am far from a racist, it is kind of hard to be that way when you have family members who are of different color then I.

I know what I heard and what was said, that doesn't make me a hater, if anything your true colors are showing since you can't handle posts on a message board, and if you don't like my comments, talk to LBJ, he made them.

Nice try but very pathetic on your part, wanna try again?

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I read alot of posts on this board and typically don't respond

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The word is allot FYI, typically I don't point things such as this out, but it had to be done in this case.

I think this is interesting. I don't think he'd do it, but what if the offer was so much in excess of anything he could get here ... Hmmm...

I can definitely start to see more of the Childress type players doing this. Hell, I think it was a great move by the young man. And he's young enough where he can return to the NBA.

Wow, how would you turn down a 50 or 60 million dollar a year deal?

WOW,, if they offered him serious green, like $50 mill + Net.. he'd kinda be a fool not to at least consider it.

MJ was big worldwide, but going to play in Europe,, hell that would capture the imagination of the entire world..

It might also alienate his American fans which of course is something he would have to weigh.

I guess when it comes right down to it, I doubt he would go,, but hey,, stranger things have happened..

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He wants to be the richest African American, and whoever gives him the money will get him, NBA championship or not.

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He won't beat Oprah, period.

Now if he amends his statement to richest African American Male....

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It might also alienate his American fans which of course is something he would have to weigh.

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I can honestly say that I wouldn't go out of my way to watch or even to check the box score if he was playing in Greece... and I wouldn't really care if he ever played on a US Olympic team ever again... I wouldn't be openly hostile toward him, I just wouldn't really care.

Yeah, p diddy, sean combs - $350 million give or take. Oprah - $2.5 billion.

Often times, when making a statement such as you did, it is helpful to know what you're talking about. People on here tend to dig just a little beyond what someone states as "fact".

Your assertion/opinion that diddy has more coin than oprah was flat out wrong.

Who pizzed in your wheaties today??

KING

That seems to be a problem around here.

You know, for most athletes it's about the money but I don't think this holds suit for LeBron.

I think he is more focused on becoming a global icon. Plus how is he going to win an NBA title if he isn't in the NBA? LeBron isn't going anywhere. He still has to complete his legacy.

Just IMO.