Help Wanted: All by himself

I had a strong belief since watching a high school basketball game in 2001 that LeBron James (in only his junior year) would be the greatest player in the history of the NBA. To this point, he has done nothing to prove me wrong.

After earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2003-04, James has become an annual All-Star (four appearances, two MVPs), a four-time All-NBA player, league scoring champion in 2007-08 and has taken the Cleveland Cavaliers to three straight playoff appearances including an Eastern Conference Championship and NBA Finals appearance in 2006-07.

He has career averages of 27.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 6.6 apg and 1.8 spg including 17 triple-doubles—Magic Johnson numbers. Also like Magic, he can and will play all five positions on the floor, based on talent and team needs. However, that is where the comparisons to Magic and Michael Jordan end. Worse of all, it is not his fault.

Where is his surrounding talent? James won the East last season with David Wesley, Anderson Varejao, Eric Snow, Donyell Marshall, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden and Daniel Gibson.

I randomly pulled out the roster of the 1996 NBA Finals. Jordan had Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc, Luc Longley, Steve Kerr, Bill Wellington, Ron Harper and John Salley.

There is no other player in the history of the NBA that has done so much with so little. Hughes was supposed to be James’ Pippen. He’s not even on the team anymore. The Cavs blew up James’ championship-contending squad and traded for/added Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak, Ben Wallace and Deltone West while losing Wesley, Hughes, Gooden and Marshall.

That isn’t enough. West has proven himself to be a nice point guard and you cannot argue with Ilgauskas’ fundamentals or Wallace’s defense. However, West is far from polished, Ilgauskas can barely move and Wallace is a huge liability on offense.

Now it is time to put the pressure on GM Danny Ferry. James needs a compliment, not a spot-up shooter. He needs a baller, a player that can contribute 25 points any given night. A guy that can take the pressure off James to put up 30-40 points a night and allow him to dish and rebound like he wants to. Just look at how much Pau Gasol helped Kobe Bryant improve. Imagine that times two.

James may be, forget that, IS a great NBA player. He has the potential to be a legend, if not THE legend. But he cannot, and should not, be expected to do it himself. And if that help doesn't come by 2010, the New York Knicks or Brooklyn Nets will have their arms (and wallets) open and ready.