[OldSkoolBasketballParticipant]

LeBron James could reportedly have a new number next season, but Cleveland Cavaliers fans hope the words remain the same.

James filed paperwork to switch from No. 23 to No. 6, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported on Monday. He beat a Wednesday deadline to make the request.

The All-Star said in November that he was thinking of giving up 23 out of respect for his hero Michael Jordan, but at that time he was “50-50,” according to the newspaper.

“I’ve done it,” James told the Plain Dealer. “I already sent it in. I’m going to be No. 6.”

Six is James’ jersey number on the Olympic team, but the NBA does not have to grant his request.

James will be part of the vaunted 2010 free-agent class that includes Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. While Bulls fans would like to see him try to make No. 6 as legendary as No. 23 in Chicago, New York has also maneuvered to have enough cap space to sign James.

Cleveland can sign James to a longer, more lucrative deal, however.

[DanEboyParticipant]

As a Bulls fan, the only logical reason for this is because 23 is retired by the Bulls therefore he would have had to switch his number when he came here next year.

Sounds about right to me.

[knicksfan7Participant]

Just wondering, why does the NBA have a whole process of changing jersey numbers?? I don’t see the big deal in having to change one’s #.

[DanEboyParticipant]

Money my friend. Same reason why Ochocinco had to go through the process of his name change. The NBA gets huge revenues from jersey sales and they have contracts with the players and their numbers.

[knicksfan7Participant]

Always has to be the money, ugh.

[NashyMingParticipant]

It’s more about MONEY. Kobe changed 8 to 24 and made more money. Same for LBJ.

The NBA required players to file for jersey number change so that people cannot change the jersey number very often. If they allow players to change number easily, Ron Artest probably would have used up all the numbers already. =)

[knicksfan7Participant]

Well with Ron Artest he has changed teams and has only changed his number once when on the same team (Indiana), so your point is moot.

[OldSkoolBasketballParticipant]

by the way, he might be hinting that he will stay in cleveland because you don’t need to file paperwork to change your number if you switch teams next season.

[knicksfan7Participant]

Blazerfan good point, or as us Knicks fans would like to believe is he may just be doing it to make fans of other teams nervous.

[thunderforthewinParticipant]

illuminati haha

[marcusfizer21Participant]

I don’t like it… My jersey number is usually and most of the time, 6… If I play basketball people are gonna think I’m a LBJ wannabe which I’m not… (sigh)… Anyway, 6 is a great number and it owes a special place in my heart so much so that even though my favorite number is 7, I choose to go to 6 if basketball jerseys are given to me…

[BlazermannParticipant]

i have to where 22 even though my favorite number is 15

[quinceyhodges]

i was about to say the same thing blaer. you dont need to file paper work if you go to another team you can just switch numbers

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

This decision just ensures that he’ll be able to be #6 IF he decides to stay in Cleveland next season… I don’t think this means he’s staying or not.

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