The LeBron James Thread

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

I don't care how much Broussard and ESPN shoves this down my throat...I will not believe he is going to Miami. If he does then I refuse to watch the NBA anymore where players can collaborate and determine the future of a league by themselves...smh.

I miss the NBA where players hated each other and lived to compete against one another. Not this crap where everyone is friends and buddy buddy.

I kind of agree with this. Even back in the day if players didn't hate each other, they still wanted to compete against each other. Those were the days. Bird v. Magic reigns as the best individual rivalry ever.

[wildcatchild]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

If this happens the closest comparison would be the Yankees and all the FA pitchers that run there. Its not against the rules to have a payroll that is twice as much as the avg teams, because it doesn't go against there sports rules. If Lebron joins them in Miami, none of them have skirted any rules. They want to win. Not trying to be a hypocrite because I wasn't giving him a hard time about his beloved Yankees. Trust me if the NFL ever went without a championship, you better believe my Cowboys would accumulate as much FA talent as Jones' deep pockets can handle. All in the name of winning.

Yes, but I think a lot of sports fans look at championships in different ways. I would view a Cleveland championship in a TOTALLY different light than a Miami championship. People don't care about sports in Miami - IT'S MIAMI! If he goes to the Heat and wins the next 10 rings it will be "watered down" because he's playing on a freaking fantasy team. And he had to leave a team that he couldn't elevate to championship status to do it. It would be totally different if Wade and/or Bosh came to Cleveland to help him win - they would have come to LeBron instead of LeBron coming to them.

New York or Chicago wouldn't hurt his legacy. If he goes to either place and wins a ring, it puts a storied franchise back on the map, creates instant rivalries with the Heat, and the NBA has a chance to rise in popularity, a la the Bird/Magic days. His dream of becoming a billionaire athlete has a chance to be realized. His legacy is still secure.

If he stays in Cleveland and wins just two or three rings, his legacy, IMO, is even greater than winning 4 or 5 in New York or Chicago. He will become the face of a city forever. Beloved by the masses. Forever create the debate who was better - him or Jordan.

So the question is, LeBron, do you want to go down in history as the True King? Do you want to play the 'my Cavs couldn't build a true contender so I wanted to go play for a storied franchise and win.' Or do you want to win a bunch of watered down rings on a fantasy team in a city where no one really cares about sports?

I guess we'll find out in 7 hours and 40 minutes.

[Brankles]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

What is the point of LeBron waiting around in Cleveland for a Pau Gasol/KG Ray Allen-type miracle trade when he can straight up skip the whole process and join a championship-ready team? The last three NBA champs have been megastar teams. Paul Pierce and Kobe don't get knocked for it, but logically they had something of a similar situation happen to them. All-NBA players handed to them and they just put it on auto-pilot, playing the same way they have their whole career, on the way to a title. The only difference was their teammates.

[Starlin4Prez]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

I kind of agree with this. Even back in the day if players didn't hate each other, they still wanted to compete against each other. Those were the days. Bird v. Magic reigns as the best individual rivalry ever.

Yep, those were the days....smh. I guess Ill just have to go to YouTube to get my fix of NBA.

[LingeringRegime]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

"It takes 15 seconds to say, ‘I've decided to stay in Cleveland,' But we've got another 59 minutes and 45 seconds to, what? Promote LeBron James? As if we don't do that enough." Stan Van Gundy

I love his honesty.

[Brankles]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

What if after all this, James announces tonight that he's retiring from basketball.

Or signs a one year deal with the Clippers so he can wait another year to figure out what team he likes best.

[Jasong7777]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Cleveland deserves better.

[OSUFan_88]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

What is the point of LeBron waiting around in Cleveland for a Pau Gasol/KG Ray Allen-type miracle trade when he can straight up skip the whole process and join a championship-ready team? The last three NBA champs have been megastar teams. Paul Pierce and Kobe don't get knocked for it, but logically they had something of a similar situation happen to them. All-NBA players handed to them and they just put it on auto-pilot, playing the same way they have their whole career, on the way to a title. The only difference was their teammates.

Because this is a guy who said that he wants to be the greatest of all time, he nicknamed himself King James. This guy wants to be Jordan x10. And now he is taking the easy way out because it will give him the perception of being a champion.

Here is what I want to know: LeBron is always brand conscious, and he has to be aware of how much damage this would do to his brand, no matter what. Why is he doing this? Is someone flat out lying to him saying that they are getting great results? Do they think that any news is good news?

I don't know...this is so bizzare. LeBron's ego has taken a GIANT step. He is Jordan and Kobe combined with Tiger right now.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

The Lakers have megastars outside of Kobe?

[boomhauertjs]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

The fact that Windhorst thinks he's leaving gives me little hope. Broussard's been throwing out rumors all week, so I don't put much weight in what he reports. But Windhorst is the best source for LeBron info, and for him to sound defeated..."sigh"...

[Starlin4Prez]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

What is the point of LeBron waiting around in Cleveland for a Pau Gasol/KG Ray Allen-type miracle trade when he can straight up skip the whole process and join a championship-ready team? The last three NBA champs have been megastar teams. Paul Pierce and Kobe don't get knocked for it, but logically they had something of a similar situation happen to them. All-NBA players handed to them and they just put it on auto-pilot, playing the same way they have their whole career, on the way to a title. The only difference was their teammates.

I would hardly call the Lakers or Celtics megastar teams. I think we can all agree that both teams have a lot of solid players which is why they are championship teams. But it's Kobe and Pau (I wouldn't consider Artest and Odom megastars) and the Big 3 came together at the decline of their careers. They weren't all in their prime like this team would be.

[Brankles]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Because this is a guy who said that he wants to be the greatest of all time, he nicknamed himself King James. This guy wants to be Jordan x10. And now he is taking the easy way out because it will give him the perception of being a champion.

Well if he stays in Cleveland, only Wade and Duncan have won a championship in any type of similar situation in the last however many decades... and that was in the early-mid 2000s, a completely different (and worse) league then it was before or after. Bird, Thomas, Kobe, Jordan, Shaq, Pierce, Olajuwon all won with much better teams than LeBron's ever played on or maybe ever will play on in Cleveland.

[23]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

I dont see the reason for the hate really

Respect him for staying in CLE but not for leaving? So you basically if he loses he takes home the moral victory of your respect but doesnt achieve what he's playing bball for

As opposed to teaming up with another star for a more legit shot at a ring whom he won a gold medal with?

Would it matter if it was him joining NY with Amare then Melo comes over?

I dont get it really but I dont feel the same way.

[Brankles]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

I would hardly call the Lakers or Celtics megastar teams. I think we can all agree that both teams have a lot of solid players which is why they are championship teams. But it's Kobe and Pau (I wouldn't consider Artest and Odom megastars) and the Big 3 came together at the decline of their careers. They weren't all in their prime like this team would be.

In Boston's championship run, I would say all three guys were still in their prime.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

What is the point of LeBron waiting around in Cleveland for a Pau Gasol/KG Ray Allen-type miracle trade when he can straight up skip the whole process and join a championship-ready team? The last three NBA champs have been megastar teams. Paul Pierce and Kobe don't get knocked for it, but logically they had something of a similar situation happen to them. All-NBA players handed to them and they just put it on auto-pilot, playing the same way they have their whole career, on the way to a title. The only difference was their teammates.

I don't know why you guys keep pretending that opting out of a 60 win first place team is the same as a lopsided trade. Also don't see how you could compare the Pre-trade Timberwolves, Pre-trade Lakers or Pre-trade Celtics to the Cavs. Antawn Jamison averaged 20 and 10 last year before joining Cleveland. Mo Williams was a 17ppg scorer at the point for years, and a knockdown 3pt shooter. Verajao is one of the best roleplayers in the league. Cleveland needs a tweak, not an overhaul.