LeBron's decision was a smart one.

[TheMarkMadsen]

So ****ing what? If they switched LeBron with you, they'd be significantly worse. Have some respect.

You're right if they replaced Lebron with ME they WOULD be worse..

damn i guess they aren't as stacked as i though

[NBAller]

You're right if they replaced Lebron with ME they WOULD be worse..

damn i guess they aren't as stacked as i though

They are 'stacked'. I don't think anyone will dispute that. I'm sure the HEAT themselves will be the first to say so, like Artest has said about the Lakers.

That's the whole point of the decision. That's why it's a smart decision........

If you have anything but winning on your mind, then you aint thinking right.

[DaSeba5]

He did it the wrong way, but he had the right to leave. He was never going to win a championship there. His life and career is more important to him than what you people think of him.

[ShaqAttack3234]

He should've won in 2010, and definitely would've won a few around this time if he stayed in Cleveland. Look at how weak the East is.

He could've won but he bitched out.

He could have beat Boston had he played anywhere near his usual level after getting the 2-1 lead, and they would have matched up better with Orlando than they had the previous year, but Cleveland did not look like they were in a great position to win titles after 2010, much less a lock.

Look at the 2010 team, Shaq was 38 and would be 39 the next season, Z and Anthony Parker were 35 and Jamison was 34. Those were 4 of their rotation players from 2010. They tried building around Lebron with veterans, and did contend for 2 seasons, but those players barely had any time left. Cleveland had struck out pretty much every time they tried to get one of the big free agents and as long as they had Lebron, they were going to be too good to get a lottery pick.

Saying he definitely would have won a few is a strange assumption considering it didn't look like they were going to be better than they had been in '09 and '10.

The bitched out thing is ridiculous as well. He played out his contract, had a ton of suitors, and picked what he thought was the best situation. That's the whole point of free agency. He earned his ring as much as anyone with the level he played at last season.

[BBallZen83]

He could have beat Boston had he played anywhere near his usual level after getting the 2-1 lead, and they would have matched up better with Orlando than they had the previous year, but Cleveland did not look like they were in a great position to win titles after 2010, much less a lock.

Look at the 2010 team, Shaq was 38 and would be 39 the next season, Z and Anthony Parker were 35 and Jamison was 34. Those were 4 of their rotation players from 2010. They tried building around Lebron with veterans, and did contend for 2 seasons, but those players barely had any time left. Cleveland had struck out pretty much every time they tried to get one of the big free agents and as long as they had Lebron, they were going to be too good to get a lottery pick.

Saying he definitely would have won a few is a strange assumption considering it didn't look like they were going to be better than they had been in '09 and '10.

The bitched out thing is ridiculous as well. He played out his contract, had a ton of suitors, and picked what he thought was the best situation. That's the whole point of free agency. He earned his ring as much as anyone with the level he played at last season.

Good objective, logical post man. More posters in here needed like you. If I'm correct you rep the lakers, yet you give respect where respect is due. No over blown dick sucking or hate spewing idiocy. Rep to you sir if i could give it.

[DaSeba5]

He could have beat Boston had he played anywhere near his usual level after getting the 2-1 lead, and they would have matched up better with Orlando than they had the previous year, but Cleveland did not look like they were in a great position to win titles after 2010, much less a lock.

Look at the 2010 team, Shaq was 38 and would be 39 the next season, Z and Anthony Parker were 35 and Jamison was 34. Those were 4 of their rotation players from 2010. They tried building around Lebron with veterans, and did contend for 2 seasons, but those players barely had any time left. Cleveland had struck out pretty much every time they tried to get one of the big free agents and as long as they had Lebron, they were going to be too good to get a lottery pick.

Saying he definitely would have won a few is a strange assumption considering it didn't look like they were going to be better than they had been in '09 and '10.

The bitched out thing is ridiculous as well. He played out his contract, had a ton of suitors, and picked what he thought was the best situation. That's the whole point of free agency. He earned his ring as much as anyone with the level he played at last season.

This is why you're my favorite poster here. You always provide a fair objective argument. There's no agenda here.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Disagree. Bird, Magic and MJ all won with stacked teams. Olajuwon and Dirk who won with much inferior supporting cast definitely isn't seen as great as these guys were.

1: It's not just about rings. The first group has a lot more MVPs than the second.

2: If it didn't matter how the rings are won no one would mention James having to join Wade.

3: You didn't address a very important part of my post. The social and economic significance he had for Cleveland and Ohio were huge.

[Y2Gezee]

Always going to tarnish his legacy for me. I can't watch a guy who is probably the best player in the world, and probably the best pure basketball overall talent in history from a skill and physical standpoint...run to join a team that was going to be good enough to win with him or without him, when he had multiple other choices to join and could've joined other superstars/stars like Blake Griffin, Brook Lopez, Derrick freakin Rose, etc....and he joins 2 other superstar players including his chief rival...Can't watch that and be impressed by him.

I've played basketball, and the history of the game supports the fact that playing with good/great players makes you better. It's no accident that Lebron/Wade/Bosh are shooting career highs...teams have to cover you differently because of who you play with. It's no accident that Durant is shooting at a career high, playing with a top 10 player like Westbrook.

It's one thing if it happens sort of organically, but that's clearly not the case here. He simply took the easy way out, and that's fine, but don't expect me to respect your accomplishments as much as I do some other greats. Even his MVP trophy this year means less to me.

It's like if the Lakers had Shaq/Kobe and cleared enough space to pick up Tmac in like 04. It's not a knock on Shaq/Kobe, Tmac was the one to join and make things easy for himself to finally get over the hump.

I'm actually enjoying watching the Big 3 play, its fun for the league, brings eyeballs to the screens. However, don't read me this guy's stat sheet and tell me how he's everything for the Heat when 2 others have sacrificed to really highlight him, and a plethora of replacement stars could take James' spot and the Heat would be the favorite to win it all.

[HoopsFanNumero1]

1: It's not just about rings. The first group has a lot more MVPs than the second.

2: If it didn't matter how the rings are won no one would mention James having to join Wade.

3: You didn't address a very important part of my post. The social and economic significance he had for Cleveland and Ohio were huge.

People only do that because they're trying to discredit his accomplishments. It's kind of like when people say Kobe didn't earn his first three rings because he played with Shaq despite making huge contributions in the 2001 and 2002 playoffs.

[Pointguard]

I think this team has a chance to be great and among the greatest in the modern era. Why not go for being the greatest on a great team. His style of play matches that moreso than him trying to be GOAT. He's just more suited to be called the GOAT team player than just GOAT.

I really don't think anybody will look back and say Wade and Bosh were great compliments to Lebron. He still had to lead his team in rebounds, assist and points (avg) for close to 300 games now. They're all play like SF's when you really look at it. Wade isn't really a shooter. Pat Riley kept plugging away to make the team what it is now. It seems like all of the major contributors are having a career year. The team is like an extension of Lebron whereas, in Cleveland it was a team he had to save. They know how to win, have fun together and he gets to be with lifetime friends. In life you rarely get the Lebron situation unless you make it happen. You will acquire pain getting there, but you will have that in your bad situation for a longer period of time anyway.

If you come out of a tough situation or place in life, you always know that it is better to be in a better situation than trying to change what is around you. You give those who have invested in you a chance but you don't owe them your life. It isn't disloyal if folks are making millions off of you either when you are the cream of the crop. You earned your place to be the most desired person in your field, you earned whatever perks come with that.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Good objective, logical post man. More posters in here needed like you. If I'm correct you rep the lakers, yet you give respect where respect is due. No over blown dick sucking or hate spewing idiocy. Rep to you sir if i could give it.

Thanks, I appreciate it. Not a Laker fan, though. People probably make that mistake because Shaq was my favorite player.

[Real Men Wear Green]

People only do that because they're trying to discredit his accomplishments. It's kind of like when people say Kobe didn't earn his first three rings because he played with Shaq despite making huge contributions in the 2001 and 2002 playoffs.

Or they want to put the magnitude of what he's done in context. He is great and is in the midst of what will be remembered as one of the greatest careers ever. but to me it's fair to question how competitive he really is.

[HoopsFanNumero1]

Or they want to put the magnitude of what he's done in context. He is great and is in the midst of what will be remembered as one of the greatest careers ever. but to me it's fair to question how competitive he really is.

True. They're looking really dominant this season. But I hardly think it'll be a cakewalk like many people here think. Pacers and Knicks have both given them trouble this season.

Also, you can't really knock what Lebron did last season during the playoffs. Bosh was down for most of the Pacers and Celtics series. The role players really played like crap until the Finals. And Wade was inconsistent in the Celtics series.

I can understand if you say that about this year since they've been actually playing like a real team and don't depend on Lebron as much as they did last season.

[DMV2]

Playing with Wade and Bosh in the Eastern Conference.

LeBron was truly a genius!

Why bust your ass competing against FIVE 56+ wins teams when you can play a sub-500 team in the first round? You also get to play three teams with less than 30 wins in your division.

[TheMarkMadsen]

Or they want to put the magnitude of what he's done in context. He is great and is in the midst of what will be remembered as one of the greatest careers ever. but to me it's fair to question how competitive he really is.

here's your answer: competitive until he doesn't get his way

He's gone through his entire life being bigger, stronger & faster than everybody else, when he entered the NBA he assumed it was a forgone conclusion that he would fall into multiple rings..

He didn't, and became frustrated. If Lebron could have won a title with the Cavs it would have been huge, the team was built PERFECTLY for a player with Lebrons skill set, for 2 straight years they were the favorites to win the title..

Fact is there isn't a single incident in NBA history where the reigning MVP leaves his team to go join another all NBA 1st team players team. Lebron will probrably never win a ring w/o a former FMVP by his side