LeBron James

[melecoaze]

I don't think LeBron thought he'd win a ring in Cleveland as fast as he did...

I think he was content to play out his career in Cleveland until he reached his goal. He reached it. Now everything is open.


FWIW, all of this talk is pointless cause I don't think he's leaving anyway. Its just this idea that he would never do it is silly to me.

Also Chris Broussard said from his sources (yea I know I know) that none of LeBron's people think he's going to LA or leaving Cleveland. None of his moves are planned out that long in advance anyway. So rest easy.

It's public knowledge LeBron's inner circle is pretty small. Pretty much no one knows what he's going to do.

The chance some random asshole in the media has inside information about him going to LA is basically null. It's just the media creating a BS story trying to build some drama.

Now, I'm not saying I'm confident he won't leave, but no one really knows if he wants to, much less if he's going to any specific team.

 

[Littaguy714]

Here's the thing not being mentioned. What if LeBron realizes nothing he does now will ever truly put him in the conversation with MJ? What if all he really cares about after this year is becoming the all time leader in as many statistical categories as possible? This is the same guy that wore the Check My Stats shirt afterall.

About a month ago, LBJ was quoted as saying:

"Seriously, what else would I have [to do]?" "I've won championships, I won my first one and I've won for my teammates, I came home and won. There isn't anything I have left to prove."

He seems like he is at a place where he is going to do what he wants to more so than trying to find the best situation to win the next championship.

Unfortunately for Cleveland fans, there is a real possibility that is moving to LA and trying to form a team with his lifelong NBA buddies while simultaneously getting a headstart on his post-NBA life as an entertainment mogul.

Does anyone really think less of MJ for spending the last 2 years of his career playing for Washington teams that went 37-45, 37-45?

 

[weepinwillow]

James may leave, may not. His M.O. is to look for greener pastures if he sees an obstacle he can't get around with his current team. So we have to be 50/50 on this at a minimum.

If he sees GS as an impossible challenge, I could absolutely see him head to LA for team Banana Boat. As mentioned: head start on media empire, gets to hang out with his buddies, gets an earlier start on vacation assuming a 2nd or 3rd round knockout from GS (or Spurs), and conversely clears the harder hurdle earlier in the playoffs making the Finals a breeze (should he be lucky enough to get by GS). And I think he gets to stick it to Dan Gilbert one last time, which could be a sort of cherry on top for James.

 

[ACisKING]

He's already done it once, he's making you feel the same way. At the end of the day LeBron will not do what everyone wants. His letter was as much bs, if he leaves, as Gilberts.

The letter said he would come back to Cleveland to try and win a championship. He did that. He said he was coming back to help lift up people back in his home community. He's done that too with his program granting 2000 plus kids college scholarships, getting parents of those kids GEDs, opening up a school for at risk children, etc. He has more than accomplished what he said he would do.

On the other hand, Gilbert's letter is probably still a sticking point in the relationship between Gilbert and LeBron. Just watch the Uninterrupted video and see how much disdain LeBron has for that letter. All else being even, now that LeBron has accomplished what he set out to do, why would LeBron want to continue to work for a man who wrote and said that stuff? It's not like there aren't other owners who would spend into the luxury tax to build a team around LeBron.

Just to be clear, I don't think it's at all certain that LeBron will leave Cleveland again - the Cavs have a competitive team, LeBron seems to like being close to home, and Kyrie Irving is the sort of player that anyone would hesitate to leave. For these reasons, I'm fairly optimistic that he won't leave. I just think it's a real stretch to equate LeBron's letter with Gilbert's. One letter was optimistic and hopeful; the other was filled with hatred and pettiness. LeBron did exactly what he said he would in his letter; Gilbert's letter caused a rift with LeBron that has probably never healed and that could result in LeBron leaving again.

 

[weepinwillow]

Dan should offer to sell the team to James by way of Klutch subsidiary after agreeing to a 4 year contract w/PO for year 5.

 

[The Red Viper]

The media giddying up at the prospect of LeBron being in LA, especially with Lakers is something that makes my blood boil. Absolutely fucking sickening. Fuck The Media.

 

[bigfoot5415]

Never forget:

“I love it here in Cleveland. I have no intentions of leaving,” James told ESPN during the Cavaliers’ championship parade. “There are some technicalities to take care of I’ll leave up to my agent. That’s right from the horse’s mouth.”

He also said in 2014 when he came back "I plan on finishing my career in Cleveland. I dont have the energy that goes into switching teams again"

 

[JMoneyYourHoney]

Never forget:

“I love it here in Cleveland. I have no intentions of leaving,” James told ESPN during the Cavaliers’ championship parade. “There are some technicalities to take care of I’ll leave up to my agent. That’s right from the horse’s mouth.”

He also said in 2014 when he came back "I plan on finishing my career in Cleveland. I dont have the energy that goes into switching teams again"

 

[FrontPageNews]

Never forget:

“I love it here in Cleveland. I have no intentions of leaving,” James told ESPN during the Cavaliers’ championship parade. “There are some technicalities to take care of I’ll leave up to my agent. That’s right from the horse’s mouth.”

He also said in 2014 when he came back "I plan on finishing my career in Cleveland. I dont have the energy that goes into switching teams again"

He also said in his coming home press conference that he will never leave. He doesn't have the energy to do that all over again.

 

[ACisKING]

Never forget:

“I love it here in Cleveland. I have no intentions of leaving,” James told ESPN during the Cavaliers’ championship parade. “There are some technicalities to take care of I’ll leave up to my agent. That’s right from the horse’s mouth.”

He also said in 2014 when he came back "I plan on finishing my career in Cleveland. I dont have the energy that goes into switching teams again"

He also just released an Uninterrupted video where he's touring Goodyear (the Cavs new sponsor) and talking about the impact the company has had on Akron and Ohio. Didn't sound like someone on the verge of leaving to me...

 

[Expensive Jet]

He also just released an Uninterrupted video where he's touring Goodyear (the Cavs new sponsor) and talking about the impact the company has had on Akron and Ohio. Didn't sound like someone on the verge of leaving to me...

On his Instagram with that video he had "That's Northeast Ohio & I'm damn proud to call this place home" but hey his ticket to Staples Center is already bought right

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

The only thing that would ever take LBJ away from Cle would be a clear better opportunity to win elsewhere likely with his friends.

Problem is...his friends are old and washed up or well on their way.

I would be shocked if LeBron left simply from a BASKETBALL standpoint. He has always made his decisions from a BASKETBALL standpoint. Even to come back here. It was about winning. That is not going to change.

LeBron is already an entertainment giant straight out of Akron.

He doesn't need L.A. He will never make a basketball decision based off of something like that. He's hard wired to specifically try to make the best basketball related decision to win. That's it. Just like on the court he's hard wired to make the best basketball play even though Donyell and Kyle Korver have yakked on him in big moments. He is still making that pass every time. When picking a team, he's doing it to wen every single time. And I'll take our chances with Kyrie and Kevin over anything anyone else can put together. (or whatever stud we get for Kevin...whatever)

 

[Expensive Jet]

I understand the panic but when you take a step back and see the situation as is it's not as bad.

- LeBron has never made a basketball legacy decision based on non-basketball factors.
- His best opportunity to coast through the regular season/early playoffs is far and away in the eastern conference AKA Cleveland.
- His off the court business ventures have had zero negative impact playing in Cleveland.
- ESPN/every other media platform not in Cleveland have nothing else to talk about

 

[CalBuckeyeRob]

The short term deals give him the ability to demand that management take steps to keep the team in top title contention and to treat his friends well too. Probably the biggest thing that caused the breakdown in Miami were small things that pissed him off that he took as a sign of lack of respect and doing whatever was necessary to be the best. I have no doubt that he is influential in decisions that are made in Cleveland but he has earned that right since ultimately he has to go to battle with the guys they put around him.

 

[Ethan]

If he were a free agent right now...Griffin would probably still be here and so would PG.
He should have a player option every year to protect the team from Dan.