Ira Winderman

To appreciate the possibilities is to appreciate the southern slant.

The petri dish for NBA Free Agency V. 2010 essentially is the history of the Orlando Magic.

A superstar somewhat satisfied in his surroundings but particularly hungry for brighter lights?

That would have been Shaquille O'Neal, in the summer of '96.

A franchise with oodles of cap space intent on making the ultimate free-agent splash?

That would have been the Magic in 2000, when Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill cashed in on the seemingly endless possibilities.

The lessons learned from the Magic's kingdom?

Beware the Hollywood ending (or, in this case, the lure of the Great White Way).

And all the money in the NBA world still might not get you past the first round of the playoffs.

Yes, the New York Knicks now find themselves flush with cap cash for the 2010 offseason.

And yes, that means the possibility of luring LeBron James and the friend of his choice.

Now the issue is how much resistance Cleveland chooses to offer when it comes to retaining James through free agency, with Orlando having experienced the depths of life without a Plan B.

Then the focus shifts to what the power of two truly equates to, with New York in position to lure two A-list free agents in 2010. For the Magic, with Hill and McGrady, it was a grand total of five playoff victories before their pairing was disbanded.

Who stays and who goes in 2010?

Unlike ESPN's Jalen Rose, who on the night of the Knicks' cap clearance told us he had learned New York would sign James and Chris Bosh, we'll plow ahead with the notion that nothing truly can be decided until the conclusion of the next two seasons.

But we do have a few thoughts on the major players from the Class of 2010.

LeBron James: The Cavaliers forward has an opt-out from the $17 million in 2010-11 that otherwise would stand as the final season on his rookie contract extension.

Of course he's opting out. The only event that would preclude such a move would be a career-threatening injury, which is why the contract includes the option in the first place.

Special feature Are you a witness? A look at the highs and lows of Cavaliers guard LeBron James' career. NBCSports.com

Yes, we're well aware of James' 35,000-square-foot estate just outside of Cleveland, and how tough it might be to find similar digs with a theater, bowling alley, barber shop and casino in Manhattan.

But the reason the aforementioned Shaquille O'Neal/Orlando example was offered above was a Plan B that just might salvage an NBA future for the Cavaliers:

Cleveland could trade James' rights to the Knicks in advance.

If the Shaq example offers any historical lesson, it's that pre-partum reality might prove prescient.

Lord knows the Knicks have enough expiring contracts to match James' current deal. And with, say, three first-round picks thrown in, there at least would be a basis for rebuilding in Cleveland.

Why would the Knicks do it? Because then James would not have to deliberate between the $30 million more he could receive, by rule, from his current team or a move to New York. A trade from Cleveland to New York would offer the best of all worlds.

No, Cleveland won't budge this season or next summer, not when this might be as good as it gets for Cavaliers basketball for years.

But keep an eye on the 2010 trading deadline, when a harsh winter reality could prove wiser for the Cavaliers than a nuclear summer.

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