The Football Fan Spot

LeBron James- Chicago

Chicago seems like the popular pick right now, and for good reasons, and I will be no different. Chicago has the best combination of salary cap space, supporting cast, and big market. They have the cap space to bring in one other superstar with him now that they dumped Kirk Hinrich’s salary on Washington. They have the supporting cast, with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Luol Deng, assuming the deal where he goes to Orlando in a salary dump doesn’t pan out. They also have one of the biggest markets in the country and you can’t deny that LeBron would want to build his legacy in the city that Michael built his.

Dwyane Wade- Miami

Wade is either going to Chicago or staying in Miami. I really doubt he’ll go to Chicago if LeBron goes there. He won’t leave Miami, where he’s king and where he can make more money, to go play second fiddle to LeBron in a new city, for slightly less money, just for a better chance to win another championship. He’s already won one. I think, if LeBron goes to Chicago, he’ll stay in South Beach and pray they can sign him some help. And if LeBron wants to go to Chicago, which I already said he likely would, Chicago will sign him even if it means they can’t sign Wade, the hometown kid.

Chris Bosh- Chicago

Bosh will probably wait to see where Wade and James go before he makes up his mind. I don’t think Bosh will absolutely have to go somewhere where he’s the main guy. He was the main guy in Toronto and that didn’t work at all so I think he’ll be very willing, and actually prefer, to go hitch his wagon to either Wade or James. His choices here are between Chicago and Miami. Both should have the salary cap to pay him and as much as he’d like to go to Miami to play with his good friend D-Wade, I think he’ll feel that Chicago is a better market and that Chicago will give him the best chance to win with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and of course LeBron.

Amare Stoudemire- New York

His choices here appear Miami with Wade, New York and New Jersey. I think the chance to play with Mike D’Antoni in New York again will be what does it for him. Also the chance to play with former teammate Joe Johnson (more on that later) helps. New York may also be able to pay him more.

Dirk Nowitzki- Dallas

As cool as the rumors about him going to Phoenix in a sign and trade to play with Nash are, Dirk’s not going anywhere. Plenty of people around the league view Nowitzki resigning as just a formality. He opted out for more money and a longterm deal from Dallas and for no other reason. I’m not going to say they’re wrong.

Joe Johnson- New York

New York is going to be able to him the most. They have the most cap space, mostly because they don’t have any supporting cast, but they have the coach that Johnson loves, his former coach Mike D’Antoni and his former teammate Stoudemire. I think he and Stoudemire will go together to New York with D’Antoni.

Carlos Boozer- Miami

Wade gets his wish as Miami gets him some help. Miami is probably going to give Boozer the best chance to win with guys like Wade and Michael Beasley and Miami already indicated a ton of interestin in Boozer at the trade deadline.

David Lee- Washington

Miami is also a possibility for him, but only if Boozer signs elsewhere (New Jersey). If that happens, the only teams that are going to be able to pay him what he wants are Washington and New Jersey. Washington looks like a more hopeful franchise right now with John Wall.

Paul Pierce- Boston

I don't think he's going anywhere. He did opt out, but it's likely he just wants to force the Celtics to give him the longterm deal he wants. He has said on numerous occasions that he wants to retire with the same team that drafted him and that would be his current team, the Boston Celtics.

Ray Allen- Boston

Also someone who I think is staying. I don't see any contender other than Boston being able to pay more than a mid level exception to this guy once everything is said and done with the bigger names. 

Shaquille O'Neal- Oklahoma City

A bit of a surprise pick here, Shaq goes to Oklahoma City, an exciting young team with cap space and a need for a center. They drafted Cole Aldrich, but I don't think they'd mind adding Shaq for a year or two before Shaq decides to hang his ginormous shoes up.