Why does his decision to go to Miami mean he couldn't have won a championship elsewhere? I think if he stayed in Cleveland, he would have eventually won there. He could have won it in Chicago. In Miami, he'll have a good chance. I think he was convinced by the Boston model -- the team that just eliminated him -- and that's why he was intrigued about joining forces with Wade and Bosh.
Actually it's still ignoble. They all knew they were going to play with each other. They had planned this as far back as 2008 (?) when they were at the FIBA championships. Once Miami cleared its roster, they all knew what they wanted to do. The rest of the mock drama was complete self-aggrandizing BS. Bosh carrying a camera all over the place trying to prove to the world that "I'm a superstar too! Look at me!". And then last night's farcical display. It's disgusting. I have nothing against players changing zip codes for a chance to win. KG and Ray Allen did it, I didn't have a problem with that even if KG was a douchebag. This Heat team, though, I could never root for. Ever.
I don't get why people keep overlooking that these guys are apparently very good friends. If I told you that you could make millions of dollars playing a game with your friends for years and that you could potentially dominate the sport, who would turn that down? This is like a dream come true. Make a lot of money, hang out with your friends, and win.
fwiw: LeBron was afraid of NY Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knic..._riley_fbFCBE8IB7sKQuY3QLwCLI/0#ixzz0tCSw4wEQ
It's funny how mad some of you guys get. It's his decision and he has the right to do whatever the hell he wants, so don't be too butt hurt like Gilbert cause he doesn't owe that city ****.
It's amusing to see all these others teams whining about James. I agree with them - he was absolutely immature and childish and ego-driven and narcissistic or whatever else. But we all knew that beforehand - and yet all these teams would have been thrilled if that ego-driven childish player picked them. Dan Gilbert said James quit on the team in the playoffs, etc, etc, and yet would have loved to have him back. It all just seems to be very hypocritical.
Just like everybody says, he'll never be mentioned in the same breath as the OG alpha males of our time, MJ, Magic, Larry, Kobe. Those guys were able to be primary guys and win titles. Magic had Kareem late in his career and Worthy was great but probably not a top 2 or 3 guy in the league at the time. Larry had McHale and the Chief, but he WAS the team. Kobe won 3 with Shaq, but he's followed that up with 2 more as THE guy. MJ was MJ. LeBron seems to have taken the easy way out. Oh well, his loss I guess. He'll win titles now, but I wouldn't consider him on even footing with the historic greats.
I can't really blame LeBron for making the decision that he felt would bring him happiness, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I didn't think it would happen, but if the Lakers and Heat matched up in the Finals next year, I'd probably be rooting for Kobe and the Lakers.
The hell he does. Where would Lebron be if basketball was valued as much as cricket in the US? There are no basketball fans, he's a nobody. That city coddled him for years and he was their savior - and he goes and betrays them on national television. An absolutely disgusting move.
His legacy will be fine as long as they win a bunch of titles. Except now it will be the Legacy of the 3 together, not just him.
Well you can't put him in the same sentence of Kobe or Lebron anymore. He'll forever be known as a sidekick and a glorified Scottie Pippen and nothin more
You do realize that he can still be the primary player on this team, right? Additionally, do you realize that Kareem is in that convo as well and wasn't arguably the primary player on most of his title teams?
Betrays them? Really, this is a betrayal? Sounds more like sour grapes to me. If you're criticizing Lebron on the handling of this thing, fine go ahead - this thing turned into a circus and he has to share blame for that. But just because he chose to leave Cleveland, where he had no opportunity or promise to truly contend, for a better opportunity elsewhere doesn't mean he's a traitor. That's ridiculous. If you're working at a company with no promise to grow and another company offers you a better opportunity, you do what's best for you and your family and what makes you happy - period. He gave Cleveland his all for 7 years, made them matter and put them on the map - he owes them nothing more. He didn't ask to be some kind of savior or run for office - ridiculous to put that on a 25 yr old basketball player.
If anything Cleveland owes him. He generated far more money for the city of Cleveland and the Cavaliers organization than he was ever paid. There's no betrayal there. Players move on from cities, either through trades or free agency, that's just how it is. He's not shackled to the city just because he grew up in the state and they drafted him.
Oh, so it's ok for teams to make moves to get talent on their teams, but it's not ok for free agents to decide to say F management I'm going to make it happen? I got it. Get drafted like a piece of property and it's cool. Be a free agent and decide where you want to play and "you aren't doing it the right way"".
Okay, here's my short interpretation of the events: • LeBron should go wherever he wants • He should pursue happiness wherever he thinks it's most likely to be found. • It is honorable that he took less money to win and donated the proceeds of "The Decision" to The Boys and Girls Club. But he did owe Cleveland something: respect. I have a hard time believing that he woke up and decided the morning of the press conference. Personally, and with the story that Wade and Bosh were documenting free agency with a film, I believe that the entire free agent summit indeed was real and that this has been planned for years. I think that the television special was a mere marketing stunt. He disrespected the Cavaliers, and for that matter, every other team in contention, by not informing them that he would not be accepting their offer. Nearly every free agent in the history of the game has paid owners and teams this respect. And for Cleveland, where Gilbert personally took on debt to take on players for LeBron, he has personally devastated their franchise and city without giving them due respect: informing them well in advance he would not be returning there and not holding a press conference. The best analogy I've heard: It's like asking a bunch of women to come to flirt with you, going on national television to announce which one you're choosing while you didn't even explain to your wife and her friends that you were for sure leaving. I lost so much respect for LeBron during the interview. He will never, in my eyes, be "The King" again. tm
He will be the primary player, but the prevailing opinion will be that he took the easy route. Kareem in the mid 80s wasn't the primary player on that team. He's obviously a top 2 or 3 center of all time, but he re-invented his game when he played with Magic because of his age. LeBron will be compared to the likes of MJ and Kobe when he retires, but those guys have secured a legacy in which they won titles as "the guy." Miami is Wade's town. In the Olympics who did all the scoring?? It wasn't LeBron. All I'm saying is it will be tough to place Lebron's presumed future titles on equal footing with guys like MJ and Kobe.
BTW, I don't think anybody is saying it's not okay for a guy to take his FA status and go where he thinks he can do the best. I think the sentiment is that he still is taking an "easier route" than was historically taken or even available to old school guys.
Except that he was only married to this woman because it was an arranged marriage in his hometown. He gave her ample opportunities to make herself more attractive, but she never did. And in all honesty, he was too good for her anyway. She was lucky he was with her at all. Cleveland fans are funny. They feel this sense of entitlement, like "WE SUPPORTED YOU LEBRON!!!" Well, no ****. It's Lebron ****ing James, and you're ****ing Cleveland. They act as if he was just some unknown player who "made it" playing for the Cavs. He was always bigger than Cleveland, even before the Cavs were simply LUCKY and won the lottery. He really doesn't owe them anything. I was surprised he signed his first extension there. The past 3 years were bonus time as far as I'm concerned.
