Team-by-team, why LeBron would fit, and why he wouldn’t fit. Ranked in reverse order from where he shouldn’t go to where he should go:

6. Cleveland Cavaliers

Why he should stay:

Cleveland, despite recent events, is still LeBron James’ town. He is the MJ of Cleveland, and if he stays, he’ll be able to continue to build his brand in what is essentially a brand-less city. He’d get more money, have a great deal of control, and could be granted some sort of controlling interest toward the end of his career if he remains loyal.

Why he shouldn’t:

The Cavs are tapped out. For some reason, his supporting cast this year was treated as if it were a Dream Team. When the second-best player on your team is Mo Williams, you’re far from that. Graced with the best player in the league, and in quite some time, the Cavs have failed for three consecutive years to deliver a championship. That’s a trend that will continue.

Plus, it’s Cleveland.

Why he won’t:

In addition to going down as the best player in history, James wants to go down as a legend. Right now, he’s scary-close to Patrick Ewing status - elite player that couldn’t get the big win. Granted, James is young, but plenty of people are turning on the already-annointed king. He’ll skip town looking to start fresh elsewhere, building a new dynasty.

5. Miami Heat

Why he should go:

Only two real reason James should go to Miami. First, it’s South Beach. Never been, but from what I’ve heard, namely from Will Smith, they party in the city when the heat is on, all night on the beach ‘til the break of dawn.

Second, it is the most likely spot James would be paired with his buddy, Dwyane Wade. The two of them could own the East year-in year-out.

Why he shouldn’t:

Outside of Wade, there is no supporting cast. Pat Riley can’t run a team. Michael Beasley is a bust. The head coaching situation is always a clusteryouknowwhat. And while Wade and James COULD own the East year-in year-out, James knows that with a limited supporting cast, you can’t beat the Magic.

Why he won’t:

Sure, the allure of South Beach is nice. But when you’re competing with NYC, LA, the town that MJ built and Jay-Z, South Beach doesn’t sound that nice.

4. New York Knicks

Why he should go:

Without a doubt, James would come to New York, lead the team to at least one championship, and go down as the biggest New York sports hero of all time - yes, moreso than Clyde or Willis or Patrick. Why? Because he’d be rescuing one of the worst-run franchises in sports history at the very Mecca of sports. James would get RICH in NYC, would expand his brand even more than it is now, and would rejuvenate MSG.

Why he shouldn’t:

Yea, I know it’s NYC. But remember, this is the Knicks. A franchise clinging to an overrated run in the 90s, and a couple of personalities in the 70s. Mike D’Antoni’s system is not a playoff-winner (see: his Phoenix resume), the front office of the Knicks isn’t exactly elite, and he’d have to deal with the New York media.

I know you scoffed at that last sentence. But look at the fiasco in Cleveland, with James getting attacked for shouldergate, and then effortgate. He looked like a deer in headlights a few times. He can’t handle that year-round.

Why he won’t:

James might love New York, but he’s smart enough to know he loves New York as an outsider. He likes hanging with Jay Z when he’s in town, going to Yankee games, and being a celebrity when he comes around. New York can continue to be LBJ’s second home - he should make his permanent residence elsewhere, though.

3. New Jersey Nets

Why he should go:

A better fit than the Knicks? Two words: Brook Lopez.

James knows he needs a big man to win the East, thanks to big bad Dwight Howard. Lopez, while not on the same level as Howard, can at least compete with the guy. Add in CDR, Devin Harris and John Wall, and James all of the sudden has a young supporting cast, molded similar to Orlando. The only difference? The Magic wouldn’t have LBJ, meaning the Nets would become the beasts of the East.

Plus, don’t forget the Jay-Z factor. Just like in Cleveland, James would have a shot at partial ownership in Jersey, largely aided by his bud.

Why he shouldn’t:

With all of the other attractive options out there, why would ‘Bron choose Jersey? Sure, they may be in Brooklyn in a few years, but under new ownership, hidden away in a state that everybody loves to poke fun at, with a team that just tested the limits of worst of all time. The risk factor is just way too high.

Why he won’t:

Plain and simple, James will realize that while the potential for greatness is sky high, the negatives simply outweigh the positives.

2. Chicago Bulls

Why he should go:

From what I’ve seen, it’s not LeBron’s goal to be the next Michael Jordan. He wants to be LeBron James. And James’ brand is built on being like 21st Century Mike. What other way better meet that then rejuvenating the city that No. 23 built in the 90s?

Chicago has major history. And while the comparisons to MJ would increase, so too would be the talk about LBJ being the best of all time. Imagine James walking out during player introductions in a Bulls jersey? All of America would get goosebumps. The intensity would be electrifying, the city would be on fire, and the Bulls would be back.

Not to mention the fact that James would be coming to a roster that already includes Derrick Rose, a top-three and soon to be top-one or -two point guard, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng.

Why he shouldn’t:

The only negative I see is the pressure from Bulls fans. They’d want LBJ to be MJ right away. It’d mirror the pressure he felt in Cleveland - a city that fed off its basketball team.

Why he will:

Ladies and gentleman, James’ destination. And a pretty good choice, too … other than the team below, it’s his best possible stop. He’ll build a new dynasty, and while he won’t be as dominant as the MJ bulls, Chicago will be the best team in the East every year. Him and Rose would team up to form the most electrifying duo since Jordan and Pipper, and Chicago’s basketball tradition would continue to approach that of Boston and Los Angeles.

1. Los Angeles Clippers

Why he should go:

The one Western Conference team, and it’s his best spot.

Cleveland has run its course. Miami is too young to have a basketball tradition. The Knicks have Patrick, Willis and Clyde. The Nets have Dr. J. The Bulls have MJ. What do the Clippers have?

James would become the face of the Clippers’ franchise, with nobody in his rearview mirror. He’d forge the most electrifying NBA rivalry since Bird/Magic with Kobe. He’d team up with Blake Griffin to forge a ridiculous inside-out combination. He’d have LA playing LA for the West title every year.

And James, for turning around the Clippers’ franchise, would go down, after three NBA championships in the half-of-the-city that couldn’t win, as the best player in league history.

Why he shouldn’t:

Two reasons, both which are actually, in disguise, positives.

First, being overshadowed by Kobe Bryant. But wouldn’t a rivalry between the game’s two best be worth the initial risk of not owning the town?

Second, the Clippers’ pathetic history. But this would mean no measuring stick for LeBron, and that, as I said earlier, he’d be the bar-none face of an NBA franchise.

Why he won’t:

A few reasons. First, Chicago, in LeBron’s eyes, is probably just way, way too attractive. Second, there is NO basketball tradition for the Clippers. While James would single-handedly be building one, he’d be building on a weak foundation with a history of failure.

Finally, there is NO WAY the NBA would let this happen. Sure, they can’t overtly prevent James-to-L.A., but what would happen to the Eastern Conference? The Knicks would be retooled, the Bulls may have added Joe Johnson, and the Magic would be good, but almost ALL of the NBA’s talent would be out West. And with the media’s East Coast bias, basketball would be in trouble.