Whoever thought the summer could actually be the most exciting time of year for a die-hard NBA fan? The stars have literally aligned this summer and we are experiencing one of the most exciting free agency periods in the history of modern sports. People who say the next 10 years of NBA history will be decided this month aren’t exaggerating.

I think it is big not only because of who is available, but more importantly where it looks like they are going. The buzz is the result of a superstar free agent class mixed with cap space in the biggest media markets in the country. I don’t think we’d all be nearly as glued to ESPN.com if the cap space was in Toronto, Minnesota and Memphis.

Truth is, I’m hoping LBJ ends up in NY, Chicago or LA. Sports leagues are built on big-city dynasties. The Yankees. The Cowboys. The Lakers. These are the dynasties. And since I feed my family through the popularity of the NBA, I do have a personal stake in all of this. I’d love to see LBJ come to LA, where the battle between Kobe and LeBron would be waged in my hometown. But ultimately I think the league really needs the Knicks to get back in the mix. New York is the heart and soul of basketball, and we’re all paying the price as long as the Knicks aren’t a championship caliber team. LeBron in NYC is the tide that lifts all boats. I think if he ends up there, it carries the NBA for the next 10 years. So come on LBJ, hit the road and head to the Big Apple. The league needs it’s cornerstone franchise to matter again.