Jay-Z shared the stage with LeBron James at the now famed Two Kings Dinner during All-Star weekend. But was there a more sinister underlying business strategy behind the event. Yahoo Sports addresses the loophole in the NBA’s tampering policy that Jay-Z, a part owner of the New Jersey Nets may be using to appeal to the Superstar athlete in hopes of landing him when he can opt out of his contract in the summer of 2010. LeBron has publicly stated that beyond winning titles, he wants to become sport’s first billionaire athlete.

Sonny Vaccaro, one of sports marketing’s greatest minds has been monitoring this relationship closely. He’s one of a few responsible for convincing Nike to spend everything they had on North Carolina’s Michael Jordan. “Knowing LeBron and knowing the world as I see it,” Vaccaro said. The most appetizing thing would not be the New York Knicks for him, but the Nets with Jay-Z. Jay-Z is the one person that I can put in a parallel universe with LeBron from where they started and where they are now. If LeBron has a role model in life, it’s Jay-Z. I’ve never been around a more perfect match of young genius. What would be better than these two kids in New York?

Vaccaro describes this sort of perfect marketing storm. New Jersey has been clearly looking to “get younger” recently banishing Jason Kid. Vince Carter’s expiring contract curiously aligns with Jame’s opt-out year and the possible endorsement opportunities following a Gold Medal in Beijing are simply unimaginable. Could his marketing stock at that point dwarf that of Tiger woods? When it comes to branding, nothing and nowhere could be bigger for James’ global profile than becoming “the King” of New York

On the flip side Cavs owner, Dan Gilbert (whom I originally reported incorrectly as Ken Gilbert) has already foreseen the potential departure and has been proactive in the trade market acquiring Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West, evidence that he’s adopting a win-now philosophy. Even with a chance at a perennial title, the attractiveness of New York may be too much for James. His growing friendship with Jigga pre-dates his days in the NBA and may ultimately render the Cavs powerless. Furthermore, the Nets have already begun to establish an internal business plan for the move into the new Brooklyn arena that includes a budget line for James eventual recruitment, estimates of his marketing worth and the salary-cap space needed for his signing…and that’s what’s public!

So you’re saying: What about the fact Cleveland’s his hometown? I say so what?! James has already shown a disloyalty to the city by adorning a Yankees hat at an American League division series game at Jacobs Field. To add insult to injury Nike will release a LeBron-Yankees shoe planned to street in March. I hate to say it Cavs fans but this is shaping up to be a loss that more crushing than Jordan over Ehlo.