$515M
The estimated value of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise (
http://www.forbes.com/teams/cleveland-cavaliers/)
-$121M
The change in valuation of the Cavs when Lebron James left in 2010.
$770M
The estimated value of the Miami Heat franchise (
http://www.forbes.com/teams/cleveland-cavaliers/)
+$384M
The change in valuation of the Heat since Lebron James joined in 2010.
$452M
The estimated career earnings of Lebron James, including endorsements and equity holdings (
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2014/07/09/how-lebron-james-earned-450-million-during-his-nba-career/)
and now a crazy conspiracy theory:
A group led by Lebron James or his business partners is
attempting to acquire majority stake, or perhaps to buy outright, either the Heat franchise or the Cavaliers franchise. This will accomplish the following:
1. James can form a Wade-Bosh-Anthony-etc superteam with cap-friendly contracts, making up for any lost salary with huge operating income and equity gains when the value of the franchise goes through the roof.
2. James can return to Cleveland without "making up" with Dan Gilbert- instead he can attempt a hostile takeover, buying out Gilbert and easily making his money back with the value of the team skyrockets. The Heat will go from the 7th most valuable franchise to one of the least, and the Cavs will go from 19th to among the top 5. That's a windfall of hundreds of millions for those with a stake in the Cavs.
3. James makes the strongest possible move against the bizarre NBA labor practices that he is known to despise.
4. If James buys the Cavs, he not only returns to Cleveland as its savior, he becomes the most beloved Ohioan ever and positions himself to be governor or whatever else he might like.
completely circumstantial evidence
- James has been liquidating assets, including his mansion in Miami
- Chris Bosh is waffling on a deal that is far better than what Miami could offer him under normal circumstances.
- The hypothetical salary arrangement to bring the big 3 back to Miami is ludicrous in general.
- Carmelo is waffling even though his Lakers-Knicks-Bulls decision ought to have nothing to do with what Lebron James does.
- The Cavs are cleaning up their cap and Dan Gilbert is flying around, but they haven't even made an offer.
- The players involved have a well-established track record for conspiracy
- James is not being represented by an establishment agent. Instead, he set up a new agency with his buddy. He announced this with hashtag #THETAKEOVER