CLEVELAND — The Knicks sold basketball — but they also sold being a billionaire.
Led by owner James Dolan, team president Donnie Walsh and coach Mike D’Antoni, the Knicks held their long-anticipated meeting with LeBron James yesterday in the downtown Cleveland offices of James’ manager, Maverick Carter.
It lasted two hours, and the major themes were New York’s endless energy — and the chance for “The King” to reap as much as $1.94 billion in salary (from a five-year max deal) plus endorsements if he bolts Cleveland and finishes his career with the Knicks.
That astonishing number comes from a study commissioned by the Knicks from the marketing consultant Interbrand.
It outshines the estimated $700 million James would likely earn in Cleveland, the $690 million he’d make in Chicago or the $600 million he’d pocket in Miami, the study showed. The Nets are not mentioned in the study.
Though the Knicks said they couldn’t tell if James was impressed, his agent, Leon Rose, stated in an e-mail to The Post, “Both teams [the Knicks, and, earlier in the day, the Nets] represented their organizations well, and we appreciate their interest and effort.”
Nets brass seemed to come out of the meetings with more swagger than the Knicks.
The Knicks recruiting team did its best to wow James with a series of videos from fans, celebrities and former Knicks greats. Besides the money, the presentations also hyped the frenzy of the Big Apple.
“We tried to put him in a New York state of mind,” said D’Antoni. “Hopefully it worked out. I’m cautiously optimistic.”
According to a source in the room, James told Knicks brass his decision will come very soon. One report said he wants to decide by Monday.
The Heat and Clippers are scheduled to meet with James today. The Bulls and, finally, the Cavs get him Saturday, with growing sentiment he could just stay home after Cleveland hired Byron Scott as coach yesterday.
Yesterday, the Knicks followed the Nets — and ironically, Nets part owner Jay-Z’s limo pulled out of the parking garage as the four black town cars containing Knicks brass drove in.
As James whisked through the hallway of the IMG building in jeans, shades and a white T-shirt after the meetings, he had no comment when a couple of reporters asked how it went.
LeBron was not overly talkative in his Knicks’ meetings, either. He was more LeBron The Listener, leaving the club not sure how to read him.
“He didn’t give us much feedback,” said Allan Houston, assistant to the president, who also was present.
Walsh, in a wheelchair as he rehabs from neck surgery, said, “We were given the opportunity to talk about the Knicks and its future. There was no commitment. It was a noncommittal meeting.”
A team source said the Knicks realize the primary way to win the LeBron Sweepstakes is for James to want part of the sizzle of New York.
“After the basketball issues, what’s special about us is the city of New York,” the source said. “On that, I got a good feeling. I think we showed him through the presentations and videos the energy and power of New York City. I thought our fans on the video did a great job.”
Dolan, Walsh, D’Antoni and Houston were joined by Garden chief Hank Ratner and senior VP Glen Grunwald. They arrived at 1 p.m. and met with James, Carter, Rose and LeBron’s longtime Akron buddy Randy Mims, who now works for the Cavs.
James arrived in a white Cadillac, Carter in a Masserati.
“Mike, Donnie and I think everybody did a good job [conveying] how excited we are,” Houston said.
D’Antoni maintained his sense of humor afterward.
“You know who’s good: LeBron James,” he said. “I can say that now without getting fined for tampering. … It’s kind of liberating.”
Asked the best part of the meeting, D’Antoni replied, “LeBron was in it, that was very good.”
D’Antoni added, “Everybody has the opportunity to make a pitch. They’re going to take the time to evaluate everything. Hopefully we’ll come out on top, but there are no guarantees.”
D’Antoni also was asked about the Knicks being a dark horse behind the Bulls, Heat and, perhaps, the Nets.
“I know you guys [the media] really well,” he said. “I’m glad we’re not considered a lead horse, nothing personal.”
Later, the Knicks charter flew to Chicago to meet with Dwyane Wade at 10 a.m. today, followed by Chris Bosh.
Raptors president Bryan Colangelo, according to a source, is hotly pursuing Knicks free agent David Lee and would love to work out a sign-and-trade with the Knicks for Bosh.
However, Lee is meeting with the Bulls in Chicago today and has Toronto not very high on his list. Colangelo might fly out to meet Lee in Chicago today also.
The Knicks’ best hope may be Amar’e Stoudemire, who they are hoping visits New York this weekend, and Washington sharpshooter Mike Miller, whom they met with in Santa Monica on Wednesday night.