I see what you're saying, but those PHX teams could also be extremely cold too. It's looking more and more like LBJ will go to Miami. I echo some of the concerns everyone has made; the Heat only have, what, like 1.8 million left in cap space? The only way I see them having a bench is getting som vets who purely want to win and do not care much about the cash.
No, can’t brand him as a failure yet. But I’m saying if he doesn’t win it with Wade and Bosh he will. Or at the end of his career he has none or even just 1 or 2 it would be considered a failure for a guy who’s been hyped as the “chosen one”, the greatest ever since MJ.
Cleveland flamed out of the playoffs the last 2 years because of bad coaching. The talent, depth, and expereince was definitely there. Most recently, it was Mike Brown coming up with the clever strategy of putting Shaq on a power forward, whose bread & butter is 15-20 ft jumpers, that did them in.
Mike Brown's coaching does leave a lot to be desired. I mean, when you get even casual hoop fans scratching their heads at your decisions, you know something's up. But the tricky thing for Lebron is he also has to worry about how he wins. The Heat may be able to crank out a few titles, but will his legacy be that he did it as Wade's sidekick? If so, he can pretty much forget about retiring in the same class as MJ, Kobe, Magic, or even Tim Duncan: one clear leader/superstar and a strong supporting cast. Oh, and ask Shaq how Kobe's ass tastes.
The best chance for Lebron to win AND be considered the only main guy is Chicago. But I highly doubt he wants to be in the shadow of MJ having to walk by MJ’s statue everyday to the arena.
right here is the reasons teams full of top talent often implode as of late too many egos that aren't checked at the door. Look at the Lakers of the 1980s Magic, Kareem, Worthy all top players in their own right but they worked together beautifully and none tried to play the prima donna! They were true team players and still rose to the lofty perch of legends. Now look at the Shaq and Kobe era in LA not that harmonious sure they won titles but each was more about themselves and their brand than the team. Sadly thats the status quo now.
Report: Heat offer Mike Miller five-year deal - NBA- nbcsports.msnbc.com This should ease Lebron's concerns over the lack of a supporting cast.
Kobe was never about anything other than wanting to be the best basketball player alive, and when he was a prick, it was all so he could be recognized as the best player on his team and in the league while winning championships, not so he could be the first billionaire athlete with his own reality show. He really just wanted to win a ring without Shaq to get that damn monkey off his back from all the sports critics who blamed Kobe for the breakup of the 3-peat dynasty. His drama with Shaq, started because he called out shaq on being lazy and getting fat, not a farfetched comment if you ask me. Then it just got personal afterward between them and Phil, etc. Once the rape trial hit him it seemed even more likely that he was every bit the reason for the Lakers dynasty of the early part of the decade going sour. Then as we watched Shaq get older (lazier and fatter) and watched his fall from grace with his own stupid shenanigans and implode the locker rooms of various teams, I think it became more evident that while yes Kobe was a very immature kid, he was also a proven Champion and just wanted to keep winning while being recognized as the best on his team and no longer just Shaq's sidekick. Shaq's ego is bigger than his physical self, sadly it appears LeBron's is too. Kobe was not a Diva when it came to Basketball. He's the guy who came back after a rape trial and scored 40 on the opposing team in the playoffs. He's always been about Basketball first...that's all I'm saying.
They were both pretty bad during their feud, but they managed to squash the beef once the playoffs rolled around. The only time it really started to eat away at the team was in 2003 and 2004. Then again, you could blame aging role players and a thin bench on both of those playoff exists. The bottom line is that Shaq and Kobe were equally culpable in their theatrics. But currently, it's more about Shaq holding grudges and being consumed by his own tired hubris.
Ok now this is something I agree with. Those of you who have been sparring with me in support of your teams on these threads over the past several seasons know at least that 1) I'm a die hard shit talking Laker fan (the best kind ) and 2) I know my Basketball. Everything I've stated about LeEgo (like this nickname the best now, is that yours Predaking?) in this thread is, obviously, all emtional outburst for a guy who I had respect for at one point because I felt he carried himself well with the press and seemed to be more mature than Kobe when Kobe was his age...I was even willing to let his hand shaking incident slide after he lost in '09 to the Magic, plus the guy is ridiculously good, one of the best athletes I've ever seen. Now, it really does appear to me that he is nothing more than a kid who wants to appear on the cover of Forbes every year so he can impress guys like Jay-Z with something other than Basketball while he plays this as his theme song www.youtube.com/watch?v=Koi7m-FuK38 (I want to be a billionaire by Travi McCoy feat. Bruno Mars in case it doesn't show...at work and cant watch youtube so I googled) I wanted to root for the guy, but I am interested in athletes who find that special something deep within themselves that gets them through impossbile situations when it seems like they've got nothing left: Jordan playing with the Flu in the Finals, Magic scoring 40 in the Finals in place of Kareem, Pierce coming off the wheelchair (you'll never hear me admit that ever again), Kobe after his rape trial scoring 40. Those are all things that require MORE than just physical ability, and that to me is what James lacks. I've seen him break down mentally and emotionally on more than one occasion, we all have. He's a physical specimen...and nothing more it seems at the moment. I would love for him to open his eyes, see his faults, develop some humility and become the Superstar the NBA deserves. Until then, I think he's currently headed down the path of becoming the following: "The greatest Basketball player EVER...to never have won an NBA title." He can have dinner parties with Barkley, Ewing, Reggie Miller, Malone and all their ringless buddies.
I will say it now. The Heat will win NOTHING next year. They may take the East but shooting your wad on 3 players is a very bad move. .
Molini you said everything that I want to say and then some. As for his nickname it should be LeDiva but LeEgo works just as well. I just hope that he will stay with Cleveland because spending an hour ripping the collective hearts out of the fans in your hometown in front of a national audience is just... inhumane.
rumor has it Lakers want to trade for Hedo Turgolu. Sasha & Luke Walton for Turgolu? One can only wish.
This whole situation just bothers me, and I'm not a big basketball fan. When one's favorite players are Pooh Richardson and Dougie West its hard to stay attached to the sport. Now todays reports have LeBron expected to sign with Miami to join Wade and Bosh......WTF? Are players in the modern age too scared to try and win a championship on their own merits that all they can think of is to conspire to all play on the same team? Thats weak and cowardly and something I absolutly have no respect for. On top I think its an insult to the fans and the league. To be fair I don't feel this way only about Basketball, but all pro sports. I feel like Ray Bourque's Cup win is tainted when after spending 15 years with the Bruins he decided he'd go to the #1 contenders for cheap just so he could get a ring. Kobe Bryant is gaining respect in my eyes everyday that this debacle continues.
I agree. Like I said on FB, though, I don't blame this entire circus on Lebron. Other than the show they're putting on tonight they've been pretty quiet and going about their business throughout this entire process. I don't blame them for taking their time to come to a decision, but I do think tonight's "announcement" is way too much.
Ah, my bad! Credit where credit is due, I love it! Now yahoo is reporting that LeBron has rented 6 cabanas out in Miami for some big bash to celebrate his decision...and one comment said they heard him bumpin Will Smith's "Welcome to Miami" song in his ride. Lookin more and more like a new big 3, and less of a legacy for LeBron IMO. I saw this on Facebook: "King James" will now be known as "The Decision" and it's rumored Apple is releasing a special edition LeBron James iPhone. Problem is, it only vibrates b/c it doesn't have a RING.
The problem with Sasha is everytime he is passed the ball (well, not every time, like 95% of the time - literally) he shoots. Maybe that's his role, but you can tell by his diminished minutes this year that Jackson is probably growing tired of it. Every now and then he makes a great shot or a great pass, but mostly its digging himself out of bad situations and shots he has chosen.
