The Heat now has a solid nucleus composed of James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, while the Cleveland Cavaliers were left with nothing.
For leaving his hometown and announcing his decision on national television, James is now one of the most hated players in the league—possibly even rivaling Kobe Bryant.
But, let’s take a look at this thing objectively.
Did he quit?
The King was described by Dan Gilbert, team owner of the Cavaliers, as a traitor and a quitter.
During the tail end of the Cavaliers 2009-2010 playoff run, LeBron was no longer himself. Fans watched him give up against the Boston Celtics as if he was already thinking of the next season with more than ten minutes in the fourth quarter left. It was unbecoming.
However, you still have to give him credit. He played for seven seasons for a team that never gave him ample support, even taking them to the finals during the 2007 season.
Before you call him a quitter, look at the stats. For his seasons in Cleveland, he averaged more than 27.8 points, seven assists, and seven boards. While in the playoffs, he averaged 29.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 7.3 assists.
Statistics don’t lie. The two-time MVP did try. If he was given more support, many believe that he could’ve won some hardware for Cleveland.
Take this into consideration: many teams cut players during the offseason and the teams don’t get any criticism for doing so; however, when players decide to go another direction, they can be branded as traitors?
That doesn’t make sense.
The Decision (business not personal)
This is where most basketball aficionados got ticked off—rightfully so. The one-hour special had a negative effect in the James brand. It was simply a bad idea.
The only question here is: who planned it? Reports say that it was LeBron James himself. But I find that hard-to-believe. These superstars have their own drivers and health advisors, and a marketing advisor is no less than a prerequisite for any NBA star.
As commissioner David Stern explained: “Had he asked my advice in advance, I might have suggested that he advise Cleveland at an earlier time than apparently he did that he was leaving, even without announcing where he was going, so we could have eliminated that. I would have advised him not to embark on what has become known as ‘The Decision.’”
Stern continued, “I think that the advice that he received on this was poor. His performance was fine. His honesty and his integrity shine through. But this decision was ill conceived, badly produced and poorly executed. Those who were interested in it were given our opinion prior to its airing.”
The only conclusion here is: somebody made money from the LeBron camp—one who did not have James’ best interests as heart. Whoever orchestrated this campaign should have foreseen this media nightmare. Any PR advisor should’ve seen this coming unless he/she had something to gain.
There was nothing wrong with James leaving Cleveland. It was just the manner that he left.
The decision was purely business and not personal. Miami presents a better opportunity for James, and taking a pay cut says that he’s not all about the money.
Say sorry, Bron
Yes, he left Cleveland. But, that’s how it is in the NBA. Players changing teams is nothing new. It just hurts more in this particular situation, but Cleveland didn’t do anything to make James stay either. Had they acquired big names, James’ decision could’ve been different.
The only thing left for LeBron to do now is to write a formal apology and a thank you note to the city of Cleveland and its basketball team (even to its owner Dan Gilbert). That would be the high road for the 25-year-old.
To Cleveland fans, being bitter about his decision is not going to change anything. Sure, you can ‘boo’ him when he visits Quicken Loans Arena twice or thrice a year, but is it really worth it? Look forward to your upcoming seasons. Worry about your team first, before wishing ill fate to LeBron. The team has so much cap space open and it can definitely get superstars in the years to come.
To Dan Gilbert, the open letter was too harsh. Your pain is understandable, but you should’ve thought about the consequences of that letter before you published it. If you had thanked LeBron and wished him good luck, you would have been an instant media favorite. Now, Stern has fined you $100,000 and you still have no superstar in your roster.
To the Miami Heat, you better make sure you get to the finals within the next three seasons. Anything less would be a severe disappointment.
