It appears, judging from James' comments Monday, that the Nets might be James' preferred destination if he opts out of his contract in the summer of 2010 and becomes an unrestricted free agent.
James listed New York as his favorite city Monday (his hometown of Akron, Ohio, came in fifth behind Washington, D.C., Dallas and Los Angeles) as he took part in a one-day USA Basketball media blitz, and he also gave an answer to a follow-up question that'll make Knicks president Donnie Walsh and head coach Mike D'Antoni cringe.
"My favorite borough? Brooklyn," James said, choosing the proposed future home of the New Jersey Nets over the borough of Manhattan, where the Knicks play their home games. "Brooklyn is definitely a great place here in New York City, and some of my best friends are from Brooklyn, so I stick up for them."
James is personal friends with the performer Jay-Z, who owns a small piece of the Nets, but James said that relationship would play no role in whether he decides to leave Cleveland -- either when his contract expires in 2011, or if he exercises his opt-out in 2010. The Nets made a major financial move on draft night to position themselves to make a maximum offer to James in the summer of 2010, shedding Richard Jefferson's contract when they dealt him to Milwaukee for Bobby Simmons and Yi Jianlian. If New Jersey chooses to trade Vince Carter for a player or players whose contracts expire before the summer of 2010, it will have more than enough room to offer James a maximum salary.
taken from espn
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