For Lebron so loved the idea of returning home...

[poido123]

I don't really have a problem with Lebron waiting to sign the max contract. As well as a basketball player he is also a business man and it's in his best interests to make as much money as possible. I fully believe that unless something extreme happens he will finish his career in Cleveland. He's only doing it to maximise his earnings which is something I cannot knock.

How many millions do you need?

He likely has at least half a billion now.

I believe under MOST CONDITIONS he will stay, however if enough things go wrong, I could see him pack his bags again.

A serious injury to kyrie in the second year, and not winning a title this season and I wonder what he does then...

[LBJ 23]

This thread makes no sense.

Posters like OP who don't really like Lebron were saying that he came back just because of the image and bussines aspect. That him and his family honestly wanting to come home and do the right thing is just a smoke screen for the public.

So it doesn't make sense to claim that he came back just to repair his image and at the same time say that he will bolt after 2 years if things go wrong when in that case he could just shoot himself since his image would be forever destroyed.

Coming back home to atleast a little repair the damage from The Decision and then bolting out again when things go wrong? That would be 10x times worse that Decision itself. So if that letter he wrote and everything he did till now was just a smoke screen for the public to be loved again and to raise his image on the next level , do you really believe that Lebron and his PR team are so stupid to completely destroy all that after 2 years if things go wrong? Don't you think they thought about this before he came back?

I'm pretty confident he's staying in Cleveland for good and retiring there.

[Magic731]

How many millions do you need?

He likely has at least half a billion now.

I believe under MOST CONDITIONS he will stay, however if enough things go wrong, I could see him pack his bags again.

A serious injury to kyrie in the second year, and not winning a title this season and I wonder what he does then...

The rich always want more. That's largely the reason they get so rich in the first place. Most people could earn a few million and be content but their relentless attitude to go after every dollar they possibly can is why they have so much. I believe this short contract is only due to money and even Lebron knows that without extreme circumstances he will be at Cleveland for the rest of his career.

[poido123]

The rich always want more. That's largely the reason they get so rich in the first place. Most people could earn a few million and be content but their relentless attitude to go after every dollar they possibly can is why they have so much. I believe this short contract is only due to money and even Lebron knows that without extreme circumstances he will be at Cleveland for the rest of his career.

Sounds reasonable. Good points.

[ralph_i_el]

Its just pure selfishness and greed.

I've found that people who complain that others are greedy usually are worthless losers with no chance of being sucessful on their own.


Lebron is not just a baller he's a business man. Why would he give up all his leverage by signing a 5 year deal? He knows he'll be worth the max in 3 years so why lock himself in? Just so whiny bitches on the internet will be satisfied? If I was the most important employee at my company I'd use that barganing power too.

The only players that need long term deals are the ones who:
A. Haven't earned enough money to be comfortable
B. Are worried they won't be worth the money in the later years of the deal


It would make 0 sense for LeBron to lock in a 4-5 year deal ANYWHERE. Give it a rest folks, none of you are saying anything new.


Facts are, there were way better situations for Bron to go to if he was leaving Miami. He chose to go the Cleveland.

[pegasus]

His actions speak much louder than his PR written BS letter.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Its a rough guage of a players physical prime. Do we really need to argue this?

it's also rough to gauge a player's overall prime. do we really need to argue this?


and even if we accept your prime argument:

Lebron does everything within the rules, but that isn't what I was questioning here..

I just wish that the best player in the game and the ambassador for the sport would do things that were genuinely thoughtful and not just with his own interests in mind all the time.

That's what used to bug me about Jordan after he retired, it was all about him and how much money he can make. He even sued a local shop for using one of his slogans to promote a product, that stuff can be let go otherwise its comes across really crass.

I do not support athletes who are either greedy or putting themselves before their teammates.

Guys like dirk and Duncan you can clearly see that they are thankful for what they have and will sacrifice money and accolades for the betterment of the team.

You're bitching about LeBron wanting to much money NOW...in his PRIME...

[FLDFSU]

Why has the OP gone from making a Heat thread every day to making a Cavs one every day?

I thought he said that the Heat and Bulls were big rivals?

[Mr. Incredible]

I could never take your lover boy away. He has enough leeches.

And you are the fattest one.

[Optimus Prime]

LeBron's contract lines up for when the new TV deal should be in effect, which will probably mean a big jump in the salary cap and perhaps player salaries as well. I thought everybody knew this?

I'd be shocked if LeBron left Cleveland again during his career. After The Decision and The Return, I just can't see it happening. Even ESPN talking heads would be hard-pressed to defend leaving Cleveland again after everything that has happened.

And if you are 30, wanting to win a ring for your hometown city/state, and tired of carrying a huge burden every year, then it's only common sense that you push to get a player of Kevin Love's caliber. LeBron carried that Heat team on his back all year last year. Maybe to the detriment of Bosh, but it's not like Bosh stepped up when afforded the opportunity. Wade was, of course, a non-factor and a shell of a player.

Despite all the "stat padder LOL!" babble, Kevin Love is a star. Put him next to LeBron...forget about it.

The East would be on lockdown for as long as LeBron remains in his prime if the Cavs team him up with Love. Wiggins might end up great, someday, but I'd take the known commodity over the unknown any day.

[SteelerKobeFan]

Poido,

Sorry in advance for the long post...I don't post much, but i wanted to reply to this. There are plenty of people discussing this very same thing....just not on ISH. I don't blame Lebron for maximizing his earning potential nor do I blame him for returning to Cleveland (except i dont see how you return to those fans. They are nuts singing we are LeBron, congregating on his property, acting like he wasn't allowed to leave in the first place, etc.) However, I think he likes being worshipped.

Anyway, there is plenty of smoke out there to suggest that LeBron's intentions to return to Cleveland are less noble than what was stated in the letter. He does love Akron and likely wants to help kids in the region. But By many accounts, he was unhappy in Miami b/c he didn't have the same level of control or influence on the Heat organization that he did in Cleveland (which he did not like, see miller amnesty as one example). Also the expectations and pressure to win was higher with Miami. (He left Cleveland originally to escape the pressure of carrying an entire region on his back). So he realized that returning to Cleveland would relieve pressure, the roster was up and coming and Dan Gilbert/cavs would do anything he wanted. Always has. That was why Dan was so mad in his letter. So returning to Cleveland was a no brainer. It was a done deal long before the LeSilence occurred.

No I'm no insider, but Living in western PA, being the same age as LeBron and partying in Ohio with some of the same people Bron is cool with, I've learned a few things. But the letter was PR perfection. The media ran with it and most people are happy enough to take what they see at face value and not question it further. Its a feel good story and... it makes everyone turn a blind eye on how Miami got fvcked over on his way out. Lol. Genius.