Lebron James to Miami

[Jedi Master Carr]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5365165

I am not a big NBA fan but this is a huge deal. It should be exciting in Miami, although not sure how that will work out with him and Wade. They added Bosh but he is not a big scorer so that won't be the problem. I guess we will see how Wade and James play together.

[Xavier Synik]

speaking as someone who is not a huge NBA fan, but lives in Toronto. I personally think that Bosh is a over-rated. Up here one argument is all about "the organization never gave Bosh anything to work with" in citing why we've missed the playoffs a lot in the past few years.

Personally I see it more in that Bosh wasn't the star that he thought he was. Good player, sure. Elite player, not a chance.

I think the Heat have to be considered the favourites now, but at the same time they are now paying 3 players the max and only have 2 other players under contract. It's all going to be about who will take a serious pay cut to be willing to go to Miami to play with those guys and win championships.

[CMJ]

I'm a moderately big NBA fan - and this is a titanic tilt in the East. Honestly, I think Wade is more of an alpha male than James - and with the two of them together with Bosh on the block - that is a helluva starting lineup.

Not sure who else the Heat are going to get to fill out the roster, but fit some good role players around them and this team should win at least 2 titles in the next five seasons.

[Xavier Synik]

As much as people will say it's about the big 3 in Miami, it's really about everyone else that they can sign.

Back when Jordan, Pippen and the Bulls were basically ruling the league they could do so because of the lower paid players around them could actaully put up some numbers.

At lease for Miami short a catastrophic accident that takes out all 3 at once you never have to worry about your star player going down for an extended time with injury.

[Akasha Khan]

Also not an NBA fan, but, living in Ohio, I have to feel bad for Cleveland. They've gone through just about every sports heartbreak you can imagine. LeBron staging the announcement of his departure as an hour-long event just seems like piling on. In addition to, y'know, raging narcissism.

[Sanis Prent]

Everything that isn't bolted down into the concrete wants to leave Cleveland. I'm shocked, shocked I say.

[CMJ]

Epic response from the Cleveland Owner:

****************

A Letter From Cavaliers Majority Owner Dan Gilbert

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.

This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his "decision" unlike anything ever "witnessed" in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE"

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our "motivation" to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

Sorry, but that's simply not how it works.

This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown "chosen one" sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And "who" we would want them to grow-up to become.

But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called "curse" on Cleveland, Ohio.

The self-declared former "King" will be taking the "curse" with him down south. And until he does "right" by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

Just watch.

Sleep well, Cleveland.

Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day....

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue....



Dan Gilbert
Majority Owner
Cleveland Cavaliers

[Morgan Evanar]

Riley should be able to get Haslem to come back, that would be a great start for the bench.

[The Original BuffJedi]

Have not watched a lot of the NBA for years now, I prefer Superior Basketball so I watch the NCAA...UNC to be exact...sans lat year lol!

Well, as I said before he entered the league and as I still say(and thus far proven right) Lebron is a product of Hype..Period. Is he a good player, sure. Is he a Super-star talent lol!!!! not even close. He has obviously figured out what I have known from the start, he can not win a title with a supporting cast, he needs fellow superstars. Now, barring the hype ..he can ride Wades coat tails to a championship...But he'll never be the caliber of player that Bird, M.J and Kobe were and are...King lol!!! not even a prince.

[CMJ]

Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cavs, owns Fathead too. Fathead is now selling all Lebron James decals for the reduced rate of $17.41 -- or the birth year of Benedict Arnold.

:D

(I'm also much more of a college basketball guy, but I've followed the Celtics since I was about 8 or 9)

[Figrin D'an]

I think Lebron James will irreparably damage his brand-ability with this move. For someone who so actively built his own brand by taking on names like "the chosen one" and "King James," and seemed to really want that type of superstar market dominance like Jordan or Kobe, he certainly seems very willing to diminish it by going to an organization where he'll be a notch below another superstar player (and let's be clear with this... the Heat are still Wade's team and will be until he leaves). Lebron is effectively saying "I can't be Batman, I need to be a really good Robin while someone else is Batman."

Maybe that doesn't matter to him, and he just wants to win. Fine and dandy. But he's sealing the fate of his legacy as an NBA player. He'll never be on the same revered level as a Jordan, Kobe, Bird, Magic, Russell, etc. The Heat could win the next 5 NBA championships, and James would still be seen as a guy who wasn't capable of being "the guy" for a championship dynasty and who could only win if he had another superstar on the roster.


As a related note... as much as love D. Wade, and as much as I respect Lebron James' abilities as a player and acknowledge that Chris Bosh is a solid, All-Star power forward... I still don't think this group can beat the Lakers without some serious outside shooting help and a legit center.

[Xavier Synik]

The Raps might be willing to send them Bargnani and they can get both of those in one...

[Jedi Master Carr]

I think Lebron James will irreparably damage his brand-ability with this move. For someone who so actively built his own brand by taking on names like "the chosen one" and "King James," and seemed to really want that type of superstar market dominance like Jordan or Kobe, he certainly seems very willing to diminish it by going to an organization where he'll be a notch below another superstar player (and let's be clear with this... the Heat are still Wade's team and will be until he leaves). Lebron is effectively saying "I can't be Batman, I need to be a really good Robin while someone else is Batman."

Maybe that doesn't matter to him, and he just wants to win. Fine and dandy. But he's sealing the fate of his legacy as an NBA player. He'll never be on the same revered level as a Jordan, Kobe, Bird, Magic, Russell, etc. The Heat could win the next 5 NBA championships, and James would still be seen as a guy who wasn't capable of being "the guy" for a championship dynasty and who could only win if he had another superstar on the roster.


As a related note... as much as love D. Wade, and as much as I respect Lebron James' abilities as a player and acknowledge that Chris Bosh is a solid, All-Star power forward... I still don't think this group can beat the Lakers without some serious outside shooting help and a legit center.

The rumor is they will sign Matt Miller and bring back Shaq. They could win with those guys, although they won't be a very deep team.
I also think Gilbert is a douchebag, based on several stories including this one
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-lebrondecision070910
A lot of this is his fault by giving into James for all these years and now his team will stink. I find it hilarious to think they will win a title in the near future when there team is awful now and will probably not even make the playoffs next season.

[CMJ]

The guy wrote that withing about an hour after being jilted. I give him a pass on the rhetoric. Personally, I loved his fire.

[Jedi Master Carr]

well I was basing a lot on what sportswriters were saying, arguing he was no victim and should be demonized as much as Lebron. The description in the article above shows him kind of sleezy. I think the fans have more right to be mad and they are the true victims. I liked the videos of them burning his jersey.

[Figrin D'an]

The rumor is they will sign Matt Miller and bring back Shaq. They could win with those guys, although they won't be a very deep team.


Unless Wade, James and Bosh are all signing for much, much less than the maximum, there's no way they'll have the cash to sign a guy like Shaq who will want nothing less than the mid-level exception for a 1-year deal.

Besides inking Wade, James and Bosh, the only other player Miami currently has under contract is Mario Chalmers. They've got a lot of work to do to get a serviceable team around that new nucleus.

[Lykaios]

Ever since MJ retired I've stopped being as emotionally invested in the NBA as I was through the 80's and 90's (yeah, I'm that old :p)

Mainly because I'm convinced the NBA is the league that has the most divas in it (not necesarily in sheer numbers, but in pct, considering the NFL has one or two divas but the team is consisted of 53 individuals vs the NBA's teams of 12).

I can't remember a time when Jordan or Magic or Bird or Barkley would whine about not having support or wanting max money, after they all retired and starting with Allen Iverson, that seems to be all I ever heard, so I stopped watching.

Actually when I stopped watching was when I went to the All Star game in ATL in 03 and Kobe stole MJ's thunder by being a selfish prick and taking the last shot, even though Jordan had won the game and pretty much was guaranteed to win the MVP on his last All-Star game but nooooo, Kobe had to be Kobe and be a dick.

Anyway, I digress...

Like I said, I really don't follow the NBA, however, I'm intrigued by this move, I've always thought Wade was a much better player than LeBron and this move has earned him a bit of respect from me.

No team, has ever won with one superstar, and no team will ever win with one superstar.

Rusell had Cousy and Havlicek in the C's very first dynasty. Chamberlain had West and Baylor. Magic had Kareen, West and Cooper. Bird had McHale and Parish. Isiah had Rodman and Lambeer. MJ had Pippen and over the years Grant, Paxson, Rodman, Kerr and Kukoc. Olajuwon had Horry and Drexler. Duncan had Robinson and then Many and Parker. Garnett realized he couldn't carry a team by himself and went with Pierce and Allen, even Kobe managing to getting Shaq kicked out of LA realized he couldn't do it by himself and now has Gasol, Odom and Artest.

James realized he can't do it all by himself and left 30 million dollars on the table for a chance to win several championships, matter of factly Wade and Bosh did too. So the fact that they're really not about the money, or at least that's what reports currently say, deserves my respect.

With that said, the fact that he had to announce his decision over a 1 hr special and he didn't even had the decency to call the teams that he didn't sign with before he announced to the world where he was going, I think is disrespectful and immature. God, how I miss my sports heroes when it was about winning and the love of the game and not being a brand and money.

Anyway, to say it'll be interesting is an understatement, I think they will win the East, no matter what some experts say. When Garnett signed with the celtics they said the same about them big three not having a supporting cast and now there's a guy by the name of Rajon Rondo who happens to be one of the best PG's in the league.

But if Miami's 3 think they're automatically a lock to win a championship, they're dead wrong, as much as I dislike him, I bet you Kobe is already back in the gym and fueling his desire to win another championship with this sort of motivation.

[Jedi Master Carr]

The rumor is they will sign Matt Miller and bring back Shaq. They could win with those guys, although they won't be a very deep team.


Unless Wade, James and Bosh are all signing for much, much less than the maximum, there's no way they'll have the cash to sign a guy like Shaq who will want nothing less than the mid-level exception for a 1-year deal.

Besides inking Wade, James and Bosh, the only other player Miami currently has under contract is Mario Chalmers. They've got a lot of work to do to get a serviceable team around that new nucleus.

The rumors are they are going to sign less, I guess we will see. I suppose Shaq could sign for less to win one more title. I am sure he has plenty of money unless he blew it or something.

[Xavier Synik]

do any of them really "need" the money that they are all being paid?

I do understand the economics of sport and why players can get what they get and all that b.s., but while it's one thing for the the guys making the league min. but seriously, do people really need to be paid $20 Mil a year to play basketball?

[CMJ]

I suppose the owners could keep more of the money instead.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I suppose the owners could keep more of the money instead.

Yeah that is why I have never got that kind of argument. There is a salary cap in place to keep these guys from getting ridiculous numbers so I rather see the players get than the owners keep it and their teams suck.

[The Original BuffJedi]

what do the players have invested? if they suck, ticket sales fall, merchandise sales fall..i.e team looses money..they still get paid, are they going to bail out the owners?

[CMJ]

what do the players have invested? if they suck, ticket sales fall, merchandise sales fall..i.e team looses money..they still get paid, are they going to bail out the owners?

Oddly enough the most profitable teams are often the worst in the league. The Clippers are nearly always among the tops as far as profit is concerned...BECAUSE they don't invest money back in the team.

[The Original BuffJedi]

what do the players have invested? if they suck, ticket sales fall, merchandise sales fall..i.e team looses money..they still get paid, are they going to bail out the owners?

Oddly enough the most profitable teams are often the worst in the league. The Clippers are nearly always among the tops as far as profit is concerned...BECAUSE they don't invest money back in the team. Ah, good point!