Could LeBron James pass on a future in Manhattan and Brooklyn and look into Harlem?
In what appears to be a publicity stunt, the Harlem Globetrotters are structuring an offer to LeBron James and Dwayne Wade to have them play for the winningest basketball team in history.
Kurt Schneider, CEO of the Globetrotters, told The Post the offer would be a mixture of ownership, salary and 51 percent of all merchandise sold with their names.
“We don’t have a salary cap,” Schneider said.
“The reason why we’re doing it is they want to play for a winner, and we’re the winningest team in history. We haven’t lost a game since 1971.”
The Globetrotters, who once had Wilt Chamberlain and Connie Hawkins on their squad, have a career record of 23,646-345 — a .986 winning percentage. The Globetrotters’ offices are based in Phoenix.
Schneider said he will contact James’ business manager, Maverick Carter, with the offer but is still doing research on whether he needs to wait until July 1.
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On a more series note, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert refused to comment yesterday on reports he has offered a job to Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, and said James will not be consulted during the team’s search for a new coach.
Speaking at a news conference, Gilbert strongly refuted theories that James has had input on previous hires, the firing of coach Mike Brown and general manager Danny Ferry’s recent resignation.
“The concept that LeBron James has been involved in any way, shape or form with firing our head coach, involved in the transition to general manager Chris Grant and will be involved in future coaching decisions and hires is totally, 100 percent and patently false,” Gilbert said. “The truth is the truth.
“LeBron James is a significant, important, MVP player. We believe his interests and philosophy are aligned with ours. We try to make sure our decisions — they are our decisions not his decisions — will philosophically align with winning. And the other players, too.”
New GM Grant confirmed the club has had contact with Izzo and “a number” of other coaching candidates, but would not provide any details.
Grant said the team has no timetable to hire a new coach.
“We have a very good team, and we want to push that team to the next level,” said Grant, who was promoted after Ferry resigned last week. “I want to find the right guy, and I want to find the right fit. That could be in a week and that could be in a month and a half.
“We’re going to make the decisions based on who that right person is and the best fit for our team.”
A person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press that Gilbert, a Michigan State graduate, and Izzo discussed terms of a possible contract that would pay the coach up to $6 million a year for four or five seasons. Use of one of Gilbert’s jets has not been discussed.–With AP