LeBron James has been playing the cryptic media game for so long now that even his most explicit statements generate months of whispers and speculation. "LeBron wants to compete for a championship," Rich Paul said when James opted into the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers . Well, there you go. Sounds easy enough. LeBron wants to win. And then the statement continued: "He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic change of winning it all."

Now why would he say that? Did he not think the Lakers had a realistic chance of winning a championship? Is this his not-so-subtle way of telling them they have work to do in order to get there? Does he want them to make a specific trade? Does he want them to trade him ? Is the

See Full Page