Jay-Z and Cleveland Cavaliers basketball star Lebron James are close friends which might prove to be a deciding factor in where James plays basketball next year.
Jay-Z is a New York Knicks fan and also a minority owner in the New Jersey Nets. That presents a very real possibility James could wind up with either team according to people in the know.
Sonny Vaccaro who was responsible for Michael Jordon signing to Nike and Kobe Bryant to Adidas told the New York Post that Jay-Z is part of James' inner circle.
"I don't think the Nets would be involved without Jay-Z," Vaccaro told The Post. "LeBron and Jay-Z is something that is inseparable and you almost have to include that in the equation. I think he will be consulted. It's a very good relationship. Jay-Z was LeBron before LeBron was LeBron. That's the respect LeBron shows him."
Vaccaro has known Lebron since the ninth grade so he may be onto something.
Another confidential NBA source told The Post, "If you ask me who the most important person in this is besides blood, I'd say Jay-Z. That helps the Nets, but Jay-Z will understand it as a friend if he doesn't come. But I think (Jay-Z) helps the Knicks a lot more than Chicago."
Before you dismiss the Nets as a possible destination for King James consider this. They will be moving to a brand new stadium in Brooklyn for the 2011-2012 season. They also have a very deep pocketed new owner in Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov.
Prokhorov seemed very confident when he spoke with the New York Daily News a few days ago. He told the paper he plans to go after free agents like Dwayne Wade and Lebron.
When asked how he would accomplish that, he said "I have my own secrets."
I would bet big money that Jay-Z is one of those secrets.
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