I find it almost impossible to believe that he hasn't discussed this with his family before now. Supposedly his wife and mother have been pushing for a return to Ohio.
Of course, if Chris Bosh starts getting really serious about going to the Rockets ......
Lebron has made his decision. If he went into his Heat meeting and told them his decision it wouldn't allow him to control the announcement. He listens and then he tells them that he needs a night to think about it and talk to his family. Then he gets to make his announcment without the news already being leaked by Miami executives. Even if he told them not to say anything, we would still know because you would hear about an offer to a free agent by Miami. He knows. I think we will know by tomorrow.
I just heard that despite a Kevin Love trade offer being made, Wiggins isnt part of it. Can you imagine having Kyrie, LeBron, Love, Wiggins and even possibly Ray Allen. I could see Andy and Dion being trade chips.
I wonder if this delayed decision is helping or hurting our chances? I guess one plausible scenario, he was on the fence going into the Heat meeting, his family wanted him to play back home, Riley talked into Miami, and he wants to tell his family in person.
You're right ... they probably won't get a better deal. But I think the GM would rather just watch it all implode rather than trade him for 3 dimes on the dollar.
Chances are he just waits it out until next off-season and hopes to get something in a sign-and-trade when he walks.
Quote: Boston is Boston. It can re-load very quickly.
Plus, they have like nine first round picks in the next three years.
Really?
They have potentially 3 next year, 2 in 2016, 2 in 2017, 2 in 2018
2015 first round draft pick from Philadelphia Philadelphia's 2015 1st round pick to Boston (via Miami) protected for selections 1-14; if Philadelphia has not conveyed a 1st round pick to Boston by 2015, then Philadelphia will instead convey its 2015 2nd round pick and 2016 2nd round pick to Boston [Miami-Philadelphia, 6/28/2012 and then Boston-Golden State-Miami, 1/15/2014]
2015 first round draft pick from L.A. Clippers L.A. Clippers' 2015 1st round pick to Boston [Boston-L.A. Clippers, 6/25/2013]
2016 first round draft pick from Brooklyn Brooklyn's 2016 1st round pick to Boston [Boston-Brooklyn, 7/12/2013]
2017 first round draft pick from Brooklyn Boston has the right to swap its 2017 1st round pick for Brooklyn's 2017 1st round pick; if Boston exercises this swap right, then Boston will convey its 2017 2nd round pick to Brooklyn protected for selections 31-45 (if this pick falls within its protected range and is therefore not conveyed, then Boston's obligation to Brooklyn will be extinguished) [Boston-Brooklyn, 7/12/2013]; this potential pick conveyance is the same as the one described in "2017 first round draft pick from Boston" on Brooklyn Credits
2018 first round draft pick from Brooklyn Brooklyn's 2018 1st round pick to Boston [Boston-Brooklyn, 7/12/2013]
the whole thing is odd to say the least. Didn't meet any other teams face-to-face, yet gives Riley a meeting whom he has played for the past 4 yrs. Starting to wonder if he ever was serious about leaving..
My confidence meter dropped tonight. It's almost like by reporting he will not meet with any other teams, means he had tentatively scheduled to meet with other teams, but after today those will not happen.
Ohhh boy, darn shame reading into things is all we have
Speaking for myself only, who in the hell cares what this a-hole does. Would he make the Cavs better oh hell yes he would, do I really want to put up with this selfnvolved ego maniac self.... oh hell no. I love LBJ the basketball player, I have hated LBJ the egomanic a-hole since he was in High School
Will this happen in person? If this happens in person, where does this discussion take place? In Ohio, Miami, Las Vegas, somewhere else?
I know he's from Akron, but I think it would be cold to fly home (Akron) tomorrow, and announce Miami. If he is traveling tonight/tomorrow, where he heads may be telling.
I agree. If nothing else, the guy is going to establish enormous credibility or go down with ship. I can respect him either way sticking to his trusted sources. Anyone can waffle back and forth.
The wife and kids rule, Akron homecoming, Cavs a serious contender to win a championship.
lebron is an Alpha Dog... my take is the desires of the family is down his list some, behind his personal desires... this is not imply he is not a good father / husband only that his priorities may lay in different order from the rest of us.
I hope he does decide to come back, but doubt he will and if not ... meh... we have parts in place and money and picks coming ( damn sounds ike the Browns, which in itself is pause for concern), so all is not lost if the favorite son decides to stay away.
Quote: I am resisting the desire to make any predictions, but I dont think the lack of announcement means anything, either way.
Lebron knows what he is doing, and he told Riley last night what he is doing. He is taking his time so which ever team can make moves.
My dream scenario is Bron makes his announcement and we get a KLove trade announcement at the same time
KING
Maybe that's just it? Could they be trying to get Minnesota to panic into taking a trade for Love? A deal with the Cavs is probably the best they're going to get regardless of who's involved. Nobody is going to break up a playoff roster or give up big rebuilding pieces to take on a 1-year rental for Love. Perhaps the Cavs are playing hardball, saying "if Lebron doesn't come here, this deal's off, and you will have nothing."
I think Lebron went into the meeting yesterday with the intention of telling the Heat he was leaving.
From the comments of "no decision" and "think it over" and "talk with my family" I think slimeball riley was able to convince Lebron that it was all these outside sources pressuring him to go to Cleveland, including his family.
Lebron is a guy who, IIRC, didn't really have a father figure in his life, had a young mother, made the comments about "Dan Gilbert never really cared about Lebron James"... I'm sure Riley played into those comments and has tried to ingrain himself as a father figure to Lebron whether genuinely or manipulatively.
Why would Lebron need to talk to his family if he was going back to Cleveland? All reports were that his family, his agent, Nike were all on board with him coming back.
Anyways, the point of this is I don't really fault Lebron if he decides to stay in Miami. There's not an absolute "right" in this situation but I think he wants to find it after the last time went down how it did, and he wants that approval that he made the right decision. If Riley convinced him that he's the guy to give that approval (or convinced him that Gilbert is the opposite/fake of that) then I understand where its coming from.
What else is there to think about? The situation really hasn't changed in some time. I wonder if Riley went into that meeting with his absolute last ditch, best offer. Think off the court perks, under the table deals, etc.
Key word: wonder. I'm not saying that happened... just thinking out loud
I had similar thoughts when I heard he was taking the night to think about it. I can't help but feel that taking the extra time is bad for the Cavs. I felt it when I heard it and still feel it now.
The wife and kids rule, Akron homecoming, Cavs a serious contender to win a championship.
lebron is an Alpha Dog... my take is the desires of the family is down his list some, behind his personal desires... this is not imply he is not a good father / husband only that his priorities may lay in different order from the rest of us.
I hope he does decide to come back, but doubt he will and if not ... meh... we have parts in place and money and picks coming ( damn sounds ike the Browns, which in itself is pause for concern), so all is not lost if the favorite son decides to stay away.
LeBron James’ wife reportedly wants him to sign with Cavs
Exactly what I'm thinking..They have to hear the noise being generated a quick tweet from a rep would squash all this. So he is either coming back, or this is a epic troll job. But in true Lebron style I think he likes the attention either way
The wife and kids rule, Akron homecoming, Cavs a serious contender to win a championship.
lebron is an Alpha Dog... my take is the desires of the family is down his list some, behind his personal desires... this is not imply he is not a good father / husband only that his priorities may lay in different order from the rest of us.
I hope he does decide to come back, but doubt he will and if not ... meh... we have parts in place and money and picks coming ( damn sounds ike the Browns, which in itself is pause for concern), so all is not lost if the favorite son decides to stay away.
LeBron James’ wife reportedly wants him to sign with Cavs
If he is smart he will do as she asks, thats a given. And by many accounts he is a devoted father and husband... still these super stars are wired different and their own worth seems tied to their level of success.
the decisions they have made, ofttimes, are not what is the best interest of those around him but what is their perceived best interest for themselves.
This doesnt make him a bad person just one with other motivating factors
The wife and kids rule, Akron homecoming, Cavs a serious contender to win a championship.
lebron is an Alpha Dog... my take is the desires of the family is down his list some, behind his personal desires... this is not imply he is not a good father / husband only that his priorities may lay in different order from the rest of us.
I hope he does decide to come back, but doubt he will and if not ... meh... we have parts in place and money and picks coming ( damn sounds ike the Browns, which in itself is pause for concern), so all is not lost if the favorite son decides to stay away.
He's really not an alpha dog though ....... at least off the court. An alpha dog values his own opinion above all, and makes his own decisions ....... and Lebron values relationships. That is probably the biggest thing the Heat have going for them, and the Cavaliers weakest aspect.
Quote: Could just be preparing for quick update. Preparation is key to timeliness.
Remember the "breaking stories" that have popped up over the years that were "just in case" submissions to a website. I remember one frm Zac Jackson, though the content escapes me now, and another on the PD site that was not linked to the front page, but that someone founf floating in the ether.
I suspect that reporters often upload 2 versions of a huge story quite often, and then use the one they need, and update it as necessary.
I would guess that his website is doing the same thing.
This could be bad. I still have a hard time believing that Griffin would give up 2 players he likes for nothing. He could have agreed to the trade of Jack in principle, without finalizing it, or could have traded him away while taking that other contract back. I just cannot believe that he would have given so much if he didn't have a strong indication that Lebron was coming back.
However ....... this still concerns me ...... either way.
Daryl Ruiter ‏@RuiterWrongFAN 1m RT @JasonLloydABJ LeBron James has cancelled plans to return to Akron, per ABJ sources. Now flying directly from Las Vegas to Brazil.
Daryl Ruiter ‏@RuiterWrongFAN 2m .@sheridanhoops told @KileyBooms that LeBron's announcement will be made on his website before he leaves for Brazil
I admit that I'll be ticked off if we wasted our opportunity this off-season. However, what can you do if you're the Cavs? You have to wait for him regardless ........
If he does wind up in Miami, I don't think that people in Cleveland will care if this situation pops up again. I think fans will take a "we won't be fooled again" mentality, and we won't see any "Welcome back Lebron" hype like this time around.
Does anyone think Lebron is going to say "I'm going back to Cleveland" and then hop on a plane to Brazil?
He's going to switch teams, be the biggest story in all sports but not come to Cleveland for the fan fare?
Obviously plans can change quickly but if he canceled plans to come to Akron before going to Brazil is not a great sign for him returning to Cleveland.
I've said all along I though he would make one more run in Miami. I really hope he comes home but I'm no feeling it.
As I understand it, he was committed to go to Brazil ..... and wasn't going to break that.
I would think that he's going to make a decision soon, because he's got Bosh swinging in the wind right now. The Rockets have to sign Bosh first and then match the offer sheet they have on Parson ..... and that has to be done in the next 3 days, or else the opportunity there goes away.
Maybe Lebron is trying to get Bosh to move first, so he's not the primary bad guy? Who knows?
Quote: Does anyone think Lebron is going to say "I'm going back to Cleveland" and then hop on a plane to Brazil?
He's going to switch teams, be the biggest story in all sports but not come to Cleveland for the fan fare?
He and the big 3 were heavily critisized for having that huge blowout Welcome Party after the Decision. That's where the "not 1, not 2, not 3..." happened and it blew up in their face. I wouldn't read too much into the fact he might make an announcement and then jump on a plane to Brazil. What's the need to go back to Akron?
With all that being said, I've been on the "he's staying in Miami" bandwagon since this whole thing started. I haven't believed any of this moving trucks, why his kids are flying back to Cleveland, Steven A. Smith saying it's a done deal to return to Cleveland, or how his website may have Cavs colors prepared nonsense. He's not coming back to Cleveland. Book it.
Who thought that he would go on national TV 4 years ago just to rub Cleveland's noses in it?
Yeah but after that he jumped on a plane to Miami and had a huge pep rally with his new team.
I would think the team (and league) would want the same thing here if he moved. Brand, Promotion, $$$$
He also had a lot more fanfare that time around. This time he's been a lot more lowkey. I think you are reading way too far into things right now, as is everybody.
Who thought that he would go on national TV 4 years ago just to rub Cleveland's noses in it?
Yeah but after that he jumped on a plane to Miami and had a huge pep rally with his new team.
I would think the team (and league) would want the same thing here if he moved. Brand, Promotion, $$$$
He also had a lot more fanfare that time around. This time he's been a lot more lowkey. I think you are reading way too far into things right now, as is everybody.
All I'm saying is name me one time the top player in Free Agency lands with a new team and there was not some kind of event the very next day. And Lebron isn't just the top Free Agent, he the best player on the planet.
Quote: I wish there was something more concrete to the optimism outside of 'Why would a guy throw away a 25 year career on this if he wasn't sure?
Sheridan has always been a source to trust for the most part. That's where most of my optimism lies right now. And its flimsy.
Yeah I don't get that too ... He seems awfully sure that it's already been determined. In which case, I don't know why Lebron would wait so long. The only thing I can come up is what I mentioned before ... him and the Cavs are trying to get Minnesota to panic move into trading Love. They know they probably have the best offer on the table and Minnesota knows that the deal's off if Lebron doesn't go to the Cavs.
Chris Sheridan was just on with Colin Cowherd and stated emphatically that Lebron is coming back to Cleveland. He understands his reputation as a journalist is on the line, but he slept well last night and isn't nervous about running with this story in the slightest. He's confident in his source 100%.
Says Lebron will announce decision before he leaves for Brazil.
Quote: Chris Sheridan was just on with Colin Cowherd and stated emphatically that Lebron is coming back to Cleveland. He understands his reputation as a journalist is on the line, but he slept well last night and isn't nervous about running with this story in the slightest. He's confident in his source 100%.
Says Lebron will announce decision before he leaves for Brazil.
That interview scared me more than it gave me hope.
Dude sounds like he's on his heels right now. This could be the last few hours of his career.
So he's going to announce his decision on his personal website and then head down to the World Cup for the finals. It's a pretty good business decision, actually. That website is getting massive traffic, and he's taking his brand to another continent.
Quote: So he's going to announce his decision on his personal website and then head down to the World Cup for the finals. It's a pretty good business decision, actually. That website is getting massive traffic, and he's taking his brand to another continent.
Not to mention, he's not around for the immediate backlash that will happen no matter what he does.
Quote: So he's going to announce his decision on his personal website and then head down to the World Cup for the finals. It's a pretty good business decision, actually. That website is getting massive traffic, and he's taking his brand to another continent.
He'll get enough coverage and attention while at the biggest sporting event on the year, whichever way he goes. I don't think he needs to be flying to Miami or Cleveland today or tomorrow.
Quote: So he's going to announce his decision on his personal website and then head down to the World Cup for the finals. It's a pretty good business decision, actually. That website is getting massive traffic, and he's taking his brand to another continent.
He'll get enough coverage and attention while at the biggest sporting event on the year, whichever way he goes. I don't think he needs to be flying to Miami or Cleveland today or tomorrow.
Yup, good point about the coverage and also above about not being around for the immediate backlash.
I told myself I wouldn't get caught up in all this nonsense but I guess it's a little late for that. If he comes back, I'm going to throw a party. Hopefully it's announced soon so we can get started this weekend.
We may be nearing the finish line for LeBron James' second Decision, and if two NBA insiders are right, King James is going to shock a lot of people and return to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops (and formerly of ESPN and the AP) has a league source that says James has decided to sign with the Cavs and that the announcement will be made on James' website, LeBronJames.com.
Sheridan later doubled-down on his report saying the national media is being fed misinformation and that he stands by his source and story "100%."
Stephen A. Smith of ESPN was less emphatic but is hearing the same thing. "Based on what I am hearing," Smith told ESPN Radio. "LeBron goes to Cleveland, [Carmelo Anthony] goes to New York."
Even if these sources are just speculating and a final decision has not been reached, many signs are pointing to a James reunion in Cleveland.
James met with Heat president Pat Riley on Wednesday in Las Vegas and left the meeting without making a commitment to Miami, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
On the same day, the Cavs made a huge trade that freed up enough salary-cap room to sign James.
James also reportedly reached out to Mike Miller and one other free agent about joining forces if James decided to leave the Heat.
In addition, the Cavs are also pursuing a trade for Kevin Love and Wojnarowski says that will only happen if James signs with Cleveland. Ken Berger of CBS Sports adds that Love is also interested, but only if James would be his teammate.
Meanwhile, Chris Bosh has decided to sign with the Houston Rockets if LeBron does not re-sign with the Heat, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com.
This suggests that returning to the Heat is still possible but possibly unlikely.
Who thought that he would go on national TV 4 years ago just to rub Cleveland's noses in it?
Yeah but after that he jumped on a plane to Miami and had a huge pep rally with his new team.
I would think the team (and league) would want the same thing here if he moved. Brand, Promotion, $$$$
He also had a lot more fanfare that time around. This time he's been a lot more lowkey. I think you are reading way too far into things right now, as is everybody.
All I'm saying is name me one time the top player in Free Agency lands with a new team and there was not some kind of event the very next day. And Lebron isn't just the top Free Agent, he the best player on the planet.
He could be waiting until he gets back from Brazil to announce.
Honestly? I'm a football guy, but if Lebron returns to the Cavs now I would be super happy about it. Hell, I'd even watch basketball again (and not just the Finals).
-I guess this is just a wait and see thing.
-That story I just posted is kinda interesting, but I don't know if it's just B.S. or not....
I think lebron not going to Akron is a positive thng.... I would be more concerned if after the Riley meeting he felt the need to go home to discuss with family.
if he already is in agreement to go to Cleveland no need to go back home and discuss with family... now if he decided to go to Miami, then he might have to go convince his wife .
I was watching the Evil Sports Propaganda Network this morning, that they were talking about Lebron .... and they said one thing that kind of stuck with me.
Lebron does not want to be seen as chasing championships in some desperate manner. That almost completely limits his choices to Miami or Cleveland.
That makes sense.
Now, my position has been that the Cavaliers will not hesitate to fill up their cap space if Lebron decides to go back to Miami, and I doubt that the Cavaliers go all out in pursuit of him again. No one wants to be jilted on the national stage even twice ..... but certainly not 3 times. If he chooses Miami, then he's with Miami for good. I don't see Cleveland taking the chances and making moves to bring him back again .... best player in the game or not. I doubt that Gilbert wants to be rejected yet again. I just can't see it happening.
So ..... I think that Lebron has to look at long term, is Miami the best bet, or is Cleveland? It's not about a year or 2 ...... it's the rest of his career. (or most of it anyway) If it's Miami, then I think it has to be Miami for most of the rest of his career.
I absolutely despised LJ when he left Cleveland. I didn't blame him for wanting to leave after so many seasons without a title. It was just the way he did it. He acted like a gianormous knob.
If he decides to come back to the Cavs I will forgive him. It's like coming back to make things right, and to play for your hometown team.
I just wish we would find out without all the waiting cuz it's like torture lol
Quote: Daryl Ruiter ‏@RuiterWrongFAN 2m [Email].@sheridanhoops[/Email] told @KileyBooms that LeBron's announcement will be made on his website before he leaves for Brazil
My afternoon Diet Coke break. I'll keep you posted if I change my mind and do a Coke Zero instead. Hrmmmm...now that I think about it, maybe iced tea sounds better. Choices, choices...
@WojYahooNBA: Cavs pressed Celtics/Nets officials to complete paperwork on 3-way trade in last hour, needed it done "immediately." Cap space is clear now.
My prediction: He Tweets ... "I'm Back!" And then hops on a plane to Brazil, while the nation argues for 3 hours about whether he meant back to Miami or Cleveland.
Quote: My prediction: He Tweets ... "I'm Back!" And then hops on a plane to Brazil, while the nation argues for 3 hours about whether he meant back to Miami or Cleveland.
With the amount of trolling done thus far, I'd actually not even be surprised at that
Quote: So I'll ask again ... the whole police thing is bad, right? What would he have to be afraid of if he is coming back?
Its for all those bandwagon Heat fans around here; the ones I wanted to treat like a Steeler fan. They run around here in their #6 jersey and cheer the Heat when Cavs play them. I wish they were branded so they could be turned away at the "Q" if this all goes down and he is back.
This better go down right. Ready to tweet Crowder on 590 radio in Miami. The one who said Cleveland was the anus of America and no way would LBJ return because "who would want to go there?". That pinhead doesn't even realize that when he blasts us up here, he blasts LBJ. When these guys blast the Cavs roster, they don't realize that when you take LBJ from the Heat, they are WORSE than we were last year.
LJ Rumors running rampant. Here's something definitely true: LJ still has family he wants to talk to before announcing decision
That can't be a good sign. If I'm reading into it, it's almost as if he wants to ok his decision with them. If his family wants him to come back to Cleveland, there should be nothing to ok.
Maybe I'm just being a Negative Nancy. This is crazy!
While I was once hopeful it was true he was coming back. I think recent events and the fact that the longer it goes on the less likely I believe he's coming back.
Quote: I feel bad for the guy. He put himself in a position where he feels obligated to so many people. I think his stomach must be inside out about now.
Definitely. Probably where a lot of his indecisiveness comes from.
Considering it has been rumored that he will make his announcement on his website, maybe that it is why it is down? Because it is being updated?
You don't bring a website down to change it, you publish a new change over it instantly. It's down because 15+ million NBA fans are flooding his site every second to get an idea of his pending choice.
Quote: I don't see Cleveland taking the chances and making moves to bring him back again .... best player in the game or not. I doubt that Gilbert wants to be rejected yet again. I just can't see it happening.
What leads you to believe that?
Gilbert has shown to be a knee-jerk clown time and time again.
Like I said, this isn't necessarily a bad move even if he doesn't come to Cleveland. You free up space to sign a max, and it cost you, what? Zeller, Karasev and a 1st?
It's a mistake if you expect to be drafting high again for awhile.
Like others have said, you don't take down a site to rebuild it. You would do 100% of your changes offline and then push the files to the server instantly.
Quote: Like others have said, you don't take down a site to rebuild it. You would do 100% of your changes offline and then push the files to the server instantly.
100% correct. The only time you need to take a site down is if you are making server changes. Even with updating server hardware, downtime is minimal <30 minutes.
I favorite Wojnarowski and Broussard on twitter, so I could get notifications without having to look through tweets all day...
Haven't heard a peep in a hour or so... So maybe, finally, everyone is realizing "hey, I don't have a clue what's going on, let's just wait and see like everyone else"
So, correct me if I'm wrong, the minimum time before we hear something, is after he talks to "more family". Is that correct?
Who, when, where and how is what I wonder?
We know he is flying to Brazil, Friday or Saturday. We know he is not going back to Akron before Brazil. Is his family going to Brazil with him? I would assume this "talk" would happen in person.
Quote: So, correct me if I'm wrong, the minimum time before we hear something, is after he talks to "more family". Is that correct?
Who, when, where and how is what I wonder?
We know he is flying to Brazil, Friday or Saturday. We know he is not going back to Akron before Brazil. Is his family going to Brazil with him? I would assume this "talk" would happen in person.
That's what we are being told, but based on the last few days, how can you take that seriously?
I would not be surprised if this thing goes into next week.
If he's going to Brazil for the WC final. he's probably going Saturday at the very latest. The match is at like 2 or 3 eastern time.
If he's returning to the Cavs, is he going to announce it, and let everything go crazy only to not be in the country for that moment? Doesn't seem right. What about the intro presser? It just doesn't add up.
I still think the Cavs are in good shape for this, but it is quite bothersome that he hasn't made the decision. What else is there to do? How do you not know by now? If you need to talk to family about it, you can call?
It's not that I doubt Sheridan either. He's been at it for a long time. He was right when most everyone else was wrong in 2010. It's just that i need to hear this from Woj or Windy. How does Sheridan know this and not Woj?
Sheridan had a chance to back down too, and didn't. I do find it weird that Woj, Windy, Broussard have all been quiet.
Quote: If he's returning to the Cavs, is he going to announce it, and let everything go crazy only to not be in the country for that moment? Doesn't seem right. What about the intro presser? It just doesn't add up.
Makes perfect sense to me.
I'm not saying he's coming back, but I almost expect something like that.
Making an announcement and jetting would be The Anti-Decision, in comparison to the last fiasco. I can certainly see a compelling argument for such a move.
On the presser...I wouldn't be shocked in the least to see him make an announcement on his own, and field questions on his own, or in conjunction with Nike.
1) He could.
That's an awesome display of power.
2) He doesn't like Gilbert. I can see not wanting to do the grip-and-grin, and he's the only athlete on the planet who could do it.
He wouldn't even get all that much flak for it.
Not saying it would go down that way...but I'm not dismayed at the (apparent) lack of any such things on the horizon
"Bron had me blinded man. He wins you over completely. He makes you feel like you’re his best friend. He’ll party with you, train with you, dance on the sideline with you… Look, growing up I was obsessed with the Thundercats. Bron found out and he had this artist make me a painting where it was me playing basketball, but I looked like Panthro. He would call me Panthro all the time, and I called him Lion-O. We used to joke about how Dwight (Howard, then their nemesis with the Orlando Magic) was Mumm-Ra.” I ask Williams where that painting is now, and he crumbles his napkin and tosses it over his shoulder, then shrugs. “I couldn’t get Bron to pick up my calls for a week after ‘The Decision,’ so finally I just sent him a text, I just said, Lion-O would never leave Panthro out in the cold. Two days later I get a text back that says I’m a basketball player and a businessman, not a Thundercat. But that’s how he is… That’s who he is. He makes you feel like a million bucks and then steps over you like a bad penny on his way out the door.”
that picture is a couple days old... anywho, at this point I care less if he comes back now tbh, true douche move keeping everyone in the dark like this..screw you, you aren't bigger than the game...it will continue on without you. I just wish the Cavs would move on and do what they need to instead of waiting on this guy anymore..yeah he's a great player, but by all accounts is a richard of a person. If he goes back to the heat..he thought he was hated by cleveland before....screw it..put the letter back up Dan
I want LeBron to come back and play for the Cavs, but Mo's thoughts are telling. Always loved how Mo stood up for Cleveland after the decision, he's one of my favorite Cleveland athletes.
Quote: screw you, you aren't bigger than the game.
This is incorrect.
it isn't incorrect in the least..he may be one of the best if not the best player in the game...he dies tonight, games are still played in october..holding the league hostage like this isn't doing anything to help his image.
Wade leaving the camp told reporters "Life is Good", I'm betting James is playing chicken with Bosh in the attempt to get melo there.
I see it though; at the end of the day it's a job . A fun job, but a job. I've left jobs where I got along great with everyone but did what's best for me.
Quote: James is playing chicken with Bosh in the attempt to get melo there.
You're just paranoid.
I don't know if he's coming or not but if that's what this is, why wouldn't LeBron have just told Riley "I want Melo, let Bosh walk" after they opted out?
You act like the Heat HAVE to offer Bosh if he's available lol.
I get what you're trying to say, but the guy is bigger than the game right now. Jordan, at one point, was bigger than the game. LeBron is now.
He sure doesn't mind showing it.
I agree with your original statement that he isn't coming back, I don't think he really gave it serious thought. I don't pretend to understand why the guy works this way, but he does.
I was thinking the same thing. why is melo waiting on Lebron? there has to be some connection. He may be putting the squeeze on Bosh to make a decision. But if I'm bosh, you have to call him, and get a word one way or another. if he doesn't answer, I would sign that deal in Houston right then..
Quote: I was thinking the same thing. why is melo waiting on Lebron? there has to be some connection. He may be putting the squeeze on Bosh to make a decision. But if I'm bosh, you have to call him, and get a word one way or another. if he doesn't answer, I would sign that deal in Houston right then..
I see it though; at the end of the day it's a job . A fun job, but a job. I've left jobs where I got along great with everyone but did what's best for me.
It is a job, but you don't even call the guy? Not cool, and I am hoping he comes back.
I would give a few hundred bucks to know who Sheridan's source is.. I wonder if Lebron told him personally. Only way I would run with a story the way he has..
Even the Cleveland hating folks at ESPN admit Cleveland is the best move as it relates to Basketball..
Yeah Miami would probably make the Finals next year with the Big 3, but what about after that? They have NO wiggle room once they are all signed..
And I honestly think LeBron understands what coming back to Cleveland and winning a title, even if it isn't this coming season, means to his "legacy"
Plus you add his family, they want them to grow up where he grew up..
I don't think Cleveland, teams as it is, would even be considered a threat to Miami in getting him if he wasn't from here, or played here...
Who knows, the 2010 plays, the Decision, him winning titles in Miami, might of been the only way (after he came back here) that he would ever win a title here, because, like Miami now, we had no way to get people here..
The only negative I see with the cavs is Gilbert. It would be tough for anyone to go work for a guy who wrote a letter about you like Gilbert did..As far as pure basketball, i don't think it's close.. The cavs have more money to spend, draft picks, and a better roster for the long haul. I think he only sees miami as a 2 year option.
Wouldn't it be funny if he did this at halftime of the world cup final. Just comes out to midfield at Maracana to announce Cavs and nobody there has any clue what he's talking about...
Quote: Conflict is storyline and talent vs our owners letter...
Actually I can see that letter as a reason why he would want to come back to Cleveland. To prove he can win here. It's his hometown team, just as important mentally to him as Cleveland is to us. Otherwise why bother spending time off there. It means something to him.
Well then why bother coming back to Cleveland? Cavs have a meddling owner, an unknown coach, and handful of young unproven guys and some cap space. Cleveland isnt a large market either. I don't see the draw unless there is a sentimental value added.
spoels lucked his way into being considered a good coach IMO... whether lebron comes here or not i'd take blatt over him and blatts an unknown.
I also think cleveland has more talent flexibility to win long term and the money to get him the max. I'm sure theres many other facets we dont know bout though.
Quote: Well then why bother coming back to Cleveland? Cavs have a meddling owner, an unknown coach, and handful of young unproven guys and some cap space. Cleveland isnt a large market either. I don't see the draw unless there is a sentimental value added.
I'm of the belief right now that if/when Lebron James picks the Cavs, that Andrew Wiggins will be traded for Kevin Love. You have a big 3 of Lebron, Love, and Irving. You still have some pieces, and you can still probably sign a vet for the minimum. Ray Allen, whomever. That situation going forward is better than Miami.
I think that's got Lebron excited to come back. That's my theory. Either that, or he really, realllllllllllly likes Andrew Wiggins, which apparently he has blown away people in the short time he's been in Vegas..
I think it's either that situation or Lebron is going to put on a giant troll job to Dan Gilbert. I wouldn't bet on that, as Lebron, A) has grown up enough, and B) has his own blame for that whole situation 4 years ago.
Lebron not coming to the Cavs at this point is bad for everyone involved, PR-wise.
I really don't know what the hold up is. Miami can't do anything with their roster, and the Cavs either have this Love deal or they don't.
And I can't unerstand how he is only talking to his family about this now. I mean hasn't this been something in mind for a while now?
Plus, I watched one of the talking heads talking about Lebron, and he said that he greatly dislikes the Heat owner's actions as well ...... but Lebron is able to "compartmentalize" parts of the business. He is in numerous contracts with many, many companies, and he doesn't like all of those who own those companies ..... but he deals with the people he likes, and ignores the rest so he can have a healthy business relationship.
If the Cavaliers win a title with James, I don't know that Lebron would hug Gilbert, but he would not make any fuss out of him being in the locker room celebrating with the players who like him.
Miami, in the 4 years with the big 3, never paid that much.
The problem with the Cavaliers wasn't that they didn't spend the money, it was that we never really had many opportunities to bring in the huge stars to play alongside Lebron, and his refusal to take the longer extension kept free agents away, because they thought that he was going to bail as soon as he could. (which he did)
This time around might be different, because he would be choosing to return. We aren't going to be signing many free agents if he returns, because we will instead look at trades. Therecould well be a different dynamic this time around.
I say a guy that has stated emphatically he'll go over the tax every year and pay whatever he has to to win...
Arison amnestied Mike Miller to save money..
I also think too much is made of the letter.. The way lebron went about the decision was complete douchebaggery, all the cavs fans crushed, he felt he needed something to rally the troops so to speak.
Imagine if you could stop the proverbial world like he can, everyone hanging on your decision. And it's a decision that's not life or death, or something that is urgent.
Wouldn't you play around with that?
The guy hasn't said a word, and he looks like he's just going about his business, but he's got to be loving this on a certain level.
Hell, I would.
KId who came from nothing and now rules the world?
I'll let him be an egomaniac to an extent.
The Decision was out of line.
Everything else he's done since is fine by me, really.
At this point, if he's going to Miami, he needs to stop this. Shoot a text to Broussard or Woj saying 'No to Cleveland'. He doesn't even owe the org. an answer. But if you're staying, end this.
Thats what's upsetting . That if he strings the NBA along and then spurns the cavs yet again...that won't look right..he could have stopped this nonsense days ago. i guess they are saying that NBA execs are getting annoyed because lebron in the domino everyone is waiting to fall so everything is on freeze
because they want wiggins and the cavs aren't wanting to part with him. They basically will offer anyone not names kyrie and picks..probably andy is untouchable as well
As someone who knows how the "source" world works (I have connections with UK athletic department), Sheridan seems like someone who is losing confidence in his source but sticking and hoping its right so he can be "the guy"
I don't think even Sheridan believes what he's tweeting.
And Wade is flying back with him...I think Sheridan is a complete sham at this point.. spitballing with the slight chance he's right. I'd put the chances of him leaving miami at less than 10% at this point. He's going to go back and I'll actually laugh when they get bounced in the playoffs again next year. I just want this to be over so I can see how the cavs use the space they have now. LBJ or not this team should be pretty good this year.
Just don't understand the guy. if he didn't want to come back, should've never dragged this out so long. what did miami get in free agency.? not much, so he can't say he did it to pressure riley. this just seems like some big troll job, just to stick it to cleveland once again. guy is a loser if stays in miami..
Quote: That's been my thought... why else wouldn't Melo sign with Knicks. They all know Houston has a deadline for parsons/bosh
Why would that matter though? Bosh is a Free Agent, so Miami could technically just say "no", and he would take the Houston deal. Unless they want to freeze him out, until he has no choice but to take the Houston deal, and then he's the "bad guy" ... except that everyone with a pulse would know they did that deliberately to him.
And what good is a Wade/Lebron/Melo team going to do anyway? Take away the one guy that doesn't need the ball in his hands and replace him with a guy that does ... and also plays the same position as Lebron.
i agree, but he could've did that 10 days ago. this guy is a moron. Not sure the cavs would want to go down that road again..too much drama and bs for me..
Given his goals, the smartest career move for him would be to sign in Miami for 3 years with one and two year options. One last crack at it with the veterans, and then come home when the youngsters are seasoned.
People would hate that, but it's his best bet for rings.
it depends if we would be able to get Love, and somehow keep Wiggins. Even if we had to give up Wiggins, we would be a championship contender. I get what you are saying, but he will be putting in a lot of faith in Wade's health. there's no guarantee with him holding up..
Gives me hope in Sheridan's source now, though. He said in that meeting, Pat Riley knew LeBron was out the door and went negative about Gilbert rather than actually pitching the Heat....
Well, Dan didn't say anything we all didn't feel (and unrealistically hope), so if he can't understand that reaction that do come from all of us then I don't know what to say and if this is truly the case then I have serious doubts about how serious he may have been to begin with.
If the letter is the reason we don't have a decision by now, it's not that it's changing the decision, it's that Lebron wants to wait as long as possible to burn Gilbert.
I don't see how the letter could change his mind now (people are saying Riley turned Lebron by talking about the letter). I'm not buying that.
I'm sure we'll see Sheridan flip flop soon. Heck, even if he doesn't, what would it really matter to his reputation? Insiders are wrong all the time. He's just following a source.
But oh well, the NBA and Lebron got what they wanted over the past week, ratings and attention.
I don't think I ever truly wanted him back with the Cavs. I thought it would be a nice win for Cleveland. But it appears we'll have more people ripping on Cleveland for something that was never going to happen.
Quote: Of course Gilbert issued could have a better apology, or hey, maybe taken down that stupid letter sooner than, I don't know, a few days ago
Moron
Agreed, but if that letter is the the lynch pin for trhis decision, then the answwer could have been made public long ago.
It's not like that elephant just came into the room.
IF... IF... that is the reason given for not coming here then I lose what respect I have for lebron, respect that is dwndling hourly as he lets, Cleveland, Miami, Bosh, et al all flap in the wind.
But I will stand by my feeling... he aint coming here and never was. I hope I get to eat some crow , though
I think Lebron is notifying his family and friends one at a time that he's going to Miami and watching for when Sheridan backs out of his story. Then he'll at least know where the "leak" in his inner circle is.
Let me preface what I am about to say with the fact that I could not care less if James comes back, goes to Miami, retires, whatever..... I think watching the NBA is only slightly more interesting than watching grass grow. Slightly.
But watching ESPN this week is making my head hurt. The expert talking heads have literally changed their minds every day this week. As I type this it is apparently Miami Day because they are having the times of their lives mentioning/quoting Dan Gilbert's letter every 30 seconds or so. Of course, the alternate topic is Josh Gordon and how he should be exiled to Outer Mongolia according to Cris Carter. If I didn't know better I'd say all those guys are worried they're going to have to spend their Fall and Winter in Cleveland covering the Cavs and Browns.
To be blunt, LeBron enjoys having his ass kissed. Hell, who doesn't? But his ego is so large that he needs it constantly. His need to be in the spotlight is the same. He was that way when he was here before. He's that way now. And he'll be that way wherever he plays in the future. As long as his "new" team understands that and pledges it's undying love he'll be fine wherever he goes. So whoever can pucker up the biggest/best wins the "prize". Be careful what you wish for, Cleveland. You might get it.
Gives me hope in Sheridan's source now, though. He said in that meeting, Pat Riley knew LeBron was out the door and went negative about Gilbert rather than actually pitching the Heat....
Sounds like he should run for POTUS. "I ain't got nothin'...but that other guy? He eats puppies and kittens and runs over little old ladies when they try to cross the street."
What kills me in all this is that nobody knows if Gilbert and LBJ have or have not talked about this already. Why would CLE even be in the running if that letter is still a sore spot? Just to turn Gilbert into enemy #1? Right.
As far as it still being on the website? It should have been taken down AND DELETED quite some time ago, but I'm sure Dan isn't the one doing web design. Many websites have pages that just get forgotten about. Who knows if there was even a link to the letter. I'm sure news people bookmarked the path 3 years ago for fast access. The bookmark could have been used it to find the thing sitting in a directory. They then said it is still up when it wasn't intended to be. Does anyone here know if the letter still had a direct link to it?
At this point I am off of the radio, TV, Sports NEws internet. I'm done with it. When it happens what is the difference if I know 3 minutes or 30 minutes later than everyone else?
Quote: he just wants to make an ass out of gilbert. even if gilbert apologizes this very second, he probably still returns to miami..what a nutjob lebron is.
Very possible. The guy changes his mind and he can cite the letter and all the people (sans me) in the world would believe it.
This upsets me. I wish Mo Williams actually had a ThunderCats obsession and started calling all Cavs players ThunderCats related names. We could have rebranded as the Thunder Cavs. Opening announcements could have started with the "Thunder Thunder Thunder Cavs GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Oh, man. I'm so bummed that never happened and was never on the table.
1) Is this a real show? This sounds like a parody of really bad 90's morning zoo radio. People listen to this?
2) I really hope the city doesn't react like these knobs
I don't know anyone who listens to them, it is quite possibly the worst radio show I have ever listened to. It blows my mind they are still on the air.
1) Is this a real show? This sounds like a parody of really bad 90's morning zoo radio. People listen to this?
2) I really hope the city doesn't react like these knobs
I don't know anyone who listens to them, it is quite possibly the worst radio show I have ever listened to. It blows my mind they are still on the air.
Right?
I was baffled.
Had to turn it off when the one who sounds like he's done too much coke started ranting that LeBron's wife and kids aren't welcome in Cleveland.
1) Is this a real show? This sounds like a parody of really bad 90's morning zoo radio. People listen to this?
2) I really hope the city doesn't react like these knobs
I don't know anyone who listens to them, it is quite possibly the worst radio show I have ever listened to. It blows my mind they are still on the air.
Right?
I was baffled.
Had to turn it off when the one who sounds like he's done too much coke started ranting that LeBron's wife and kids aren't welcome in Cleveland.
Putrid radio. Bad schtick. Booms is absolutely embarrassing. I can't understand how they have an audience other than the old adage that it's hard to not watch a train wreck.
I see no way that the letter is anything at this point. If it was, then Lebron would have never even considered Cleveland, and would certainly not have taken steps that could hurt his friends on the team.
What I do see is this:
Houston has a decision to make on Chandler Parsons. They cannot easily both sign Bosh and re-sign Parsons. They have, I believe, 2 days left before they either match Parson's offer sheet, or lose him.
Houston can wait till then, but no longer on Bosh.
If Lebron is heading back to Miami, then it's no big deal if he waits till, and past that point. However, if he waits past that point, and then leaves Miami, he screws Bosh over. Bosh would lose his max contract/ideal situation at that point. I just can't see Lebron doing that to Bosh.
I do wonder if Lebron is hoping that Bosh will jump first ...... then he's not the bad guy in Miami.
There has been talk that perhaps Bosh goes to Houston, and then Melo does a sign and trade to get his max deal and also go to Miami with Lebron ...... but the problem with that is that Miami has nothing to trade. Their assets are the 2 guys they just signed, Cole and Napier, They already owe us their 2015 1st round pick, depending on their record. Plus, because they used the mid level exemption, they cannot exceed a hard cap of $81 million. Wade (and Lebron as well) would have to take a considerable discount to make that work. I don't see that as realistic, but who knows for sure with Riley involved?
As far as the idea that he is going to "punish" Gilbert ...... you never go that far ... because you never know what the future will hold. Lebron's management company represents athletes across sports, and if he gets a reputation for being that petty, no one is going to want to do business with him. I do believe that image is very important to Lebron, and "punishing" Gilbert, along with the friends he has on the Cavaliers, would really hurt that image. Again.
Quote: As far as the idea that he is going to "punish" Gilbert ...... you never go that far ... because you never know what the future will hold. Lebron's management company represents athletes across sports, and if he gets a reputation for being that petty, no one is going to want to do business with him. I do believe that image is very important to Lebron, and "punishing" Gilbert, along with the friends he has on the Cavaliers, would really hurt that image. Again.
To your point about his image and how the Decision II is going to hurt him and possibly Cleveland again. It really appears we're already too far for that not to happen. If the letter keeps him from signing, then the Cavs should never have been in the hunt at all, his agent should have denied a meeting with the Cavs to make sure Cleveland didn't get it's hopes up.
It seems like this will explode all over Lebron for holding the league hostage, make Cleveland the butt of even more jokes, and ruin the Cavs franchise for years because of what they had to give up to make the room under the cap.
Man, this is becoming a disaster for everyone involved.
1) Is this a real show? This sounds like a parody of really bad 90's morning zoo radio. People listen to this?
2) I really hope the city doesn't react like these knobs
I don't know anyone who listens to them, it is quite possibly the worst radio show I have ever listened to. It blows my mind they are still on the air.
Right?
I was baffled.
Had to turn it off when the one who sounds like he's done too much coke started ranting that LeBron's wife and kids aren't welcome in Cleveland.
Putrid radio. Bad schtick. Booms is absolutely embarrassing. I can't understand how they have an audience other than the old adage that it's hard to not watch a train wreck.
I can't stand them but they get decent ratings because in terms of local sports talk they have no competition. KNR has Mike and Mike and Cleveland sports are only mentioned in either situations like we are in now or when they play a major team like NY/Boston and it only to mention The major teams opponent.
Quote: make Cleveland the butt of even more jokes, and ruin the Cavs franchise for years because of what they had to give up to make the room under the cap.
Melodramatic much? We gave up a first rounder to offload Jarett Jack's contract which gives us flexibility to do a lot of things. That's practically nothing, considering we own first round picks from 2 or 3 other teams right now.
The only other thing this has prevented us from doing is giving Gordon Hayward a max contract ... which is also probably a good thing.
yeah, I do not see where our moves have been impacted yet save for Haywood, and I am not as high on him as most, so no loss to me there.
Still this log jam needs to be broken so wo can move forward, we have pieces in place and flexibilty to add more now and in the future, lebron or no the Cavs are are on the rise.
I almost kind of which we could do it without him.
Quote: make Cleveland the butt of even more jokes, and ruin the Cavs franchise for years because of what they had to give up to make the room under the cap.
Melodramatic much? We gave up a first rounder to offload Jarett Jack's contract which gives us flexibility to do a lot of things. That's practically nothing, considering we own first round picks from 2 or 3 other teams right now.
The only other thing this has prevented us from doing is giving Gordon Hayward a max contract ... which is also probably a good thing.
It's the Hayword and first rounder loss. Both could hurt the team badly.
Of course we don't know if they were going to offer a max to Hayword, if he would accept, and we still don't know if it gets matched. But we'll never know.
As for the first rounder, with this team, if they don't get Lebron, a first rounder could become a valuable pick. Unless it's a protected first, which I didn't hear about. That's a lot to give up for a shot at getting Lebron. If you get him it's worth it.
Quote: Of course we don't know if they were going to offer a max to Hayword, if he would accept, and we still don't know if it gets matched. But we'll never know.
As for the first rounder, with this team, if they don't get Lebron, a first rounder could become a valuable pick. Unless it's a protected first, which I didn't hear about. That's a lot to give up for a shot at getting Lebron. If you get him it's worth it.
Well, we should know about Hayward because Charlotte just offered the max ... and the Jazz can match it. I still don't know that he's worth a max contract.
And the first rounder is top 10 protected for 2 or 3 years. It's hardly going to set the franchise back any.
And the move is still worth it even if Bron stays, unless we sign no one with the space (or sign a stiff)
I don't know about that. There would have been plenty of space without the trade to go after a guy like Ariza. Parsons and Gordon have already signed offer sheets.
It looks like we would have just burned a few decent assets for no reason if Lebron doesn't come back.
Also as an aside (not directing this at you by any means), remember that stupid 'win now' push for the 8th seed in the East last year? We traded away five picks for one year rentals of Deng and Hawes. Now we're effectively burning five more picks (3 to get Zeller, 1 for Karasev, plus the first rounder) just to unload Jack's contract. Just something to consider when you want the team to win now and to heck with the future. 10 picks.
Quote: Of course we don't know if they were going to offer a max to Hayword, if he would accept, and we still don't know if it gets matched. But we'll never know.
As for the first rounder, with this team, if they don't get Lebron, a first rounder could become a valuable pick. Unless it's a protected first, which I didn't hear about. That's a lot to give up for a shot at getting Lebron. If you get him it's worth it.
Well, we should know about Hayward because Charlotte just offered the max ... and the Jazz can match it. I still don't know that he's worth a max contract.
And the first rounder is top 10 protected for 2 or 3 years. It's hardly going to set the franchise back any.
And thanks to PDR as well. I didn't know it was protected.
And yes, I agree, Hayword isn't a max player. I doubt the Jazz match.
This is the same player whose fans burned his jerseys, talked about him like he was less than dirt and wouldn't have spit on him if he were on fire. Yet would have spit on him if he weren't. He made a stupid decision as a very young man to display leaving the Cavs the way he did and everyone took that as some kind of personal assault. The owner of the team, who acted in no less of a childish way than LBJ, printed a letter to lambaste LBJ. So he's as much to blame for the current situation as anyone.
Now people are waiting with baited breath in hopes he will return. Once again they're acting like him waiting to make his decision is somehow a cat and mouse game he's playing with the Cavs. The entire subject is extremely comical to me.
I hate to break it to you, but if I were LBJ, I wouldn't touch Cleveland with a ten foot pole. The total lack of professionalism from the owner, to the hatred shown by the fan base when I left would make it the very last place I would play.
If I were LBJ? For my brand and publicity, I would keep this in the spotlight for as long as I could. Once again there will be corporate deals and commercials which will happen because of "The decision.2.0". It's a money maker.
Yet everyone thinks it's some kind of personal vendetta to Cleveland? I highly doubt LBJ cares enough to do that. He's about the money and the brand. And what he's doing is smart business.
And if you want to place blame for the NBA standing idle until he makes his decision? Blame the NBA. Bosh can sign if he wants to. If he wishes to wait on LBJ, that's his choice. A circus is being built around his decision. He didn't build the circus.
I agree...but if you know you aren't going to sign with Cleveland, then it doesn't hurt you to say that and then also don't allow your agent to talk to the Cavs. And tell the Cavs to let their own fans know you're going elsewhere.
You can still delay the decision as long as you want.
Thing is, he got blasted for Decision I for how he treated Cleveland. If he's making the same mistake again, he's going to take heat for it.
Quote: I agree...but if you know you aren't going to sign with Cleveland, then it doesn't hurt you to say that and then also don't allow your agent to talk to the Cavs. And tell the Cavs to let their own fans know you're going elsewhere.
You can still delay the decision as long as you want.
Thing is, he got blasted for Decision I for how he treated Cleveland. If he's making the same mistake again, he's going to take heat for it.
I understand that. But if you get three commercials making some sort of parody of "The decision 2.0" worth millions, why would you be in any hurry?
I mean LBJ hasn't made any money in the Cleveland market for years, so that wouldn't change.
The problem is, when it comes to marketing, the longer your name is in the headlines, the better. You can't let the Cavs know and their fan base know while delaying the decision. That's pretty much making a decision.
As much as fans hate hearing it, athletes really don't owe fans anything except to play their best wherever they end up playing. Everything else is just business.
On a lighter note, it's the Cav's vs Milwaukee/Wiggins vs Parker(the NBA channel is billing it that way) in the NBA summer league tonight at 8p on the NBA channel.
This is the same player whose fans burned his jerseys, talked about him like he was less than dirt and wouldn't have spit on him if he were on fire. Yet would have spit on him if he weren't. He made a stupid decision as a very young man to display leaving the Cavs the way he did and everyone took that as some kind of personal assault. The owner of the team, who acted in no less of a childish way than LBJ, printed a letter to lambaste LBJ. So he's as much to blame for the current situation as anyone.
Now people are waiting with baited breath in hopes he will return. Once again they're acting like him waiting to make his decision is somehow a cat and mouse game he's playing with the Cavs. The entire subject is extremely comical to me.
I hate to break it to you, but if I were LBJ, I wouldn't touch Cleveland with a ten foot pole. The total lack of professionalism from the owner, to the hatred shown by the fan base when I left would make it the very last place I would play.
If I were LBJ? For my brand and publicity, I would keep this in the spotlight for as long as I could. Once again there will be corporate deals and commercials which will happen because of "The decision.2.0". It's a money maker.
Yet everyone thinks it's some kind of personal vendetta to Cleveland? I highly doubt LBJ cares enough to do that. He's about the money and the brand. And what he's doing is smart business.
And if you want to place blame for the NBA standing idle until he makes his decision? Blame the NBA. Bosh can sign if he wants to. If he wishes to wait on LBJ, that's his choice. A circus is being built around his decision. He didn't build the circus.
I don't want him to come back, never did. He quit on us before, how do we know he won't quit on us again? Seeing how the Spurs destroyed the Heat in the finals, simply having Lebron on your team doesn't guarantee you will win.
Quote: On a lighter note, it's the Cav's vs Milwaukee/Wiggins vs Parker(the NBA channel is billing it that way) in the NBA summer league tonight at 8p on the NBA channel.
exactly, it also shows that playing as a team beats a group of superstars in the long run. Having lebron sure can help, but let's be honest, the heat lucked into the ring last year with poor coaching by pops in the finals and this year got exposed after pops mopped the floor with the so called "Big Three" I want lebron in cleveland because he's a great player, but I'm fully confident we are on the way up regardless.
Before anyone ever cared where I would play basketball, I was a kid from Northeast Ohio. It’s where I walked. It’s where I ran. It’s where I cried. It’s where I bled. It holds a special place in my heart. People there have seen me grow up. I sometimes feel like I’m their son. Their passion can be overwhelming. But it drives me. I want to give them hope when I can. I want to inspire them when I can. My relationship with Northeast Ohio is bigger than basketball. I didn’t realize that four years ago. I do now.
Remember when I was sitting up there at the Boys & Girls Club in 2010? I was thinking, This is really tough. I could feel it. I was leaving something I had spent a long time creating. If I had to do it all over again, I’d obviously do things differently, but I’d still have left. Miami, for me, has been almost like college for other kids. These past four years helped raise me into who I am. I became a better player and a better man. I learned from a franchise that had been where I wanted to go. I will always think of Miami as my second home. Without the experiences I had there, I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing today.
I went to Miami because of D-Wade and CB. We made sacrifices to keep UD. I loved becoming a big bro to Rio. I believed we could do something magical if we came together. And that’s exactly what we did! The hardest thing to leave is what I built with those guys. I’ve talked to some of them and will talk to others. Nothing will ever change what we accomplished. We are brothers for life. I also want to thank Micky Arison and Pat Riley for giving me an amazing four years.
I’m doing this essay because I want an opportunity to explain myself uninterrupted. I don’t want anyone thinking: He and Erik Spoelstra didn’t get along. … He and Riles didn’t get along. … The Heat couldn’t put the right team together. That’s absolutely not true.
I’m not having a press conference or a party. After this, it’s time to get to work.
When I left Cleveland, I was on a mission. I was seeking championships, and we won two. But Miami already knew that feeling. Our city hasn’t had that feeling in a long, long, long time. My goal is still to win as many titles as possible, no question. But what’s most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio.
I always believed that I’d return to Cleveland and finish my career there. I just didn’t know when. After the season, free agency wasn’t even a thought. But I have two boys and my wife, Savannah, is pregnant with a girl. I started thinking about what it would be like to raise my family in my hometown. I looked at other teams, but I wasn’t going to leave Miami for anywhere except Cleveland. The more time passed, the more it felt right. This is what makes me happy.
To make the move I needed the support of my wife and my mom, who can be very tough. The letter from Dan Gilbert, the booing of the Cleveland fans, the jerseys being burned -- seeing all that was hard for them. My emotions were more mixed. It was easy to say, “OK, I don’t want to deal with these people ever again.” But then you think about the other side. What if I were a kid who looked up to an athlete, and that athlete made me want to do better in my own life, and then he left? How would I react? I’ve met with Dan, face-to-face, man-to-man. We’ve talked it out. Everybody makes mistakes. I’ve made mistakes as well. Who am I to hold a grudge?
I’m not promising a championship. I know how hard that is to deliver. We’re not ready right now. No way. Of course, I want to win next year, but I’m realistic. It will be a long process, much longer than it was in 2010. My patience will get tested. I know that. I’m going into a situation with a young team and a new coach. I will be the old head. But I get a thrill out of bringing a group together and helping them reach a place they didn’t know they could go. I see myself as a mentor now and I’m excited to lead some of these talented young guys. I think I can help Kyrie Irving become one of the best point guards in our league. I think I can help elevate Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters. And I can’t wait to reunite with Anderson Varejao, one of my favorite teammates.
But this is not about the roster or the organization. I feel my calling here goes above basketball. I have a responsibility to lead, in more ways than one, and I take that very seriously. My presence can make a difference in Miami, but I think it can mean more where I’m from. I want kids in Northeast Ohio, like the hundreds of Akron third-graders I sponsor through my foundation, to realize that there’s no better place to grow up. Maybe some of them will come home after college and start a family or open a business. That would make me smile. Our community, which has struggled so much, needs all the talent it can get.
In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned. You work for what you have.
I’m ready to accept the challenge. I’m coming home.
That article is pretty awesome..shows Lebron does value his roots and his responsibility to his home and as a role model. Very awesome. Cleveland is a great place to be right now
It is a great article, and it certainly appears to be from the heart.
From Dan Gilbert:
Dan Gilbert ‏@cavsdan now Welcome Home @kingjames. I am excited for the fans and people of Cleveland and Ohio. No fans and people deserve a winner more than them....
Very nice. Good read, and the Lebron team took this about as far as they could possibly take it without it turning into another PR disaster.
Apologies to anyone I implied was crazy for thinking he would sign here. I've never been happier to be so wrong. A week ago I would have been absolutely shocked at this news but with all the smoke coming out recently, I can't say I'm particularly surprised, even if it does seem hard to believe... if that makes any sense.
That dude gets major props and just gained a crapload of pull in the profession. I'm guessing his source was the SI writer..damn, they are like journalistic ninjas
That dude gets major props and just gained a crapload of pull in the profession. I'm guessing his source was the SI writer..damn, they are like journalistic ninjas
That dude gets major props and just gained a crapload of pull in the profession. I'm guessing his source was the SI writer..damn, they are like journalistic ninjas
I'll go as far as to say that I gained about as much respect for Lebron as I lost for him after Decision 1.0.
The way he went about it (article vs. primetime interview and party, SI vs ESPN , and just how he worded just about everything in the article) was, overall extremely professional and impressive, especially given the circus that this situation really was.
The waiting and back-and-forth was annoying, but you also have to wonder how much of that was manufactured by the media, and how much was Lebron stroking his ego (some of both, but how much?).
Quote: I see myself as a mentor now and I’m excited to lead some of these talented young guys. I think I can help Kyrie Irving become one of the best point guards in our league. I think I can help elevate Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters. And I can’t wait to reunite with Anderson Varejao, one of my favorite teammates.
Quote: I see myself as a mentor now and I’m excited to lead some of these talented young guys. I think I can help Kyrie Irving become one of the best point guards in our league. I think I can help elevate Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters. And I can’t wait to reunite with Anderson Varejao, one of my favorite teammates.
Quote: I see myself as a mentor now and I’m excited to lead some of these talented young guys. I think I can help Kyrie Irving become one of the best point guards in our league. I think I can help elevate Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters. And I can’t wait to reunite with Anderson Varejao, one of my favorite teammates.
No mention of Wiggins and Bennett.
Noticed that too.
He knows Tristan and Andy personally, and Kyrie is the other star player on the team. I think that he might now Dion as well. I don't know if he knows the other guys on the team personally or not.
The thing that I picked up on is where he said that they're not going to win it all right away. It's a process and it'll take some time to build.
1. It's either the blanket statement same as you'd hear from new-hire coaches and GMs when they're brought on board to turn a team around.
2. Wiggins isn't going anywhere (they're not shipping him off for KLove). They have a young, promising roster, and they're going to build that up because BronBron is in for the long haul.
Personally, I hope it's the latter. I'll never be mistaken for an NBA fan, so I know nothing about KLove or Wiggins, other than one is a highly sought after free agent and the other is a promising rookie, respectively. I'd just like us to stick with our young talent and build that instead of chasing whoever the latest name is.
Sam Amico ‏@SamAmicoFSO 1m LeBron and Rich Paul became quick fans of Cavs' young talent, as well as team's ability to add stars w/out stripping roster, sources say.
By the way, Lebron's website has a link to the SI story as well titled "I'm coming home".
The letter he wrote would lead you to believe it is the max length. The smart move would be to have an opt out to be a free agent in the summer of 2016.
