I would give credence to speculation like this from only a handful of NBA writers. Marc Spears of Yahoo! comes to mind, so does Chris Broussard of ESPN. I can mention a few other names as well, but the list is short: shorter than the reins Kobe Bryant has on the mercurial Ron Artest to fit in with the Lakers.

But it is hard for me to ignore the speculation when Sam Smith trots out a scenario on where LeBron James will end up next season.

Probably no player in NBA history has had his future examined through a crystal ball (or tea leaves, perhaps?) the way LeBron has had his. The constant forecasting of where he'll sign when he becomes a free agent after this season has, at times, been tedious to read. The talk has taken away an appreciation of one of the greatest players to ever play the game.

Most of that talk has LeBron packed and wrapped with a first-class stamp, and the package addressed to the Knicks or the Nets. The contention is that LeBron wants the bright lights of Broadway, turning his star into a supernova.

Smith, though, dismissed the New York angle. He posited an alternative that would bring LeBron the glitz and glamour he can't get in Cleveland. Read what Smith said:

"Well, at least I'm fairly sure now where LeBron James is going to be playing next season.

"Los Angeles, most likely the Lakers."

In his article on LeBron's tomorrows, Smith backtracked a bit when he said the consensus is that LeBron will remain in Cleveland. No reason for him to leave for elsewhere, Smith said, because in this global economy, LeBron can market his basketball brand in Tucson or Timbuktu, if that's where he decided to play.