Why criticism of the James-Bosh-Wade teaming is unfair

[hawkfan]

Why is this unfair?
Because all three players were willing to take less money in order to put together a championship team.
All three players took far less money to team up, as did Haslem and Miller.

Why don't Paul and Howard do that - team up together and take less money? It shows they aren't willing to sacrifice to win championships.

[DaSeba5]

They were unselfish enough to come together to win championships. They had to give up their egos, the way they played, money, and much more. Most players cannot do that. Howard, for instance, wants to be the man of a franchise. He wants people to surround him rather than take a pay cut to play with other stars.

[stallionaire]

It's only unfair when LeBron does it. Not when Kobe does it or when MJ was just drafted into an organization that put key pieces around him.

As time goes on, LeBrons Cavs will go down as one of the worst supporting casts ever for a championship caliber team (it was only a championship caliber team caus of LBJ).

[Psycho]

It's not unfair. It's just boring. People want to see stars with competitive fire maximizing their talents to overcome the stars around them. Not all jump on the same team.

Wade and Lebron had some pretty awesome matchups before they teamed up, but now we are deprived of that. People want competition, not a monopoly.

[SpecialQue]

Isn't the tax issue in Miami an incentive to sign there? I could have sworn that, when taxes are taken into consideration, they aren't taking much of a "cut" at all.

Also, it isn't "fair" that Pierce isn't going to retire as a Celtic, but this is a business. Lebron, Wade and Bosh were just smarter than everyone else. As a Heat-hater, it pains me to say this, but it's a fact.

[2LeTTeRS]

You realize that over the life of a contract (which can be anywhere between 4 and 6 years) they probably sacrificed what $10 to $15 mil? Those $2.5 mil per year is literally nothing for them considering all the extra endorsement money they are getting now that their "brand" is associated with winning.

The Heat's two newest superstars signed matching six-year, $110.1 million contracts, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher. Dwyane Wade took an even bigger discount to stay in Miami, signing for six years and $107.5 million, according to the sources.

Sources told ESPN.com's Chad Ford that James and Bosh are scheduled to make $14.5 million and Wade $14 million in 2010-11.

Each player took $15 million less over the life of the contract to sign with Miami, but the deals came with a caveat.

All three contracts, sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein, have an early termination option after the fourth season that would allow LeBron, Bosh and Wade to return to free agency in the summer of 2014. Each player also possesses a player option entering the final season of the contract (2015-16).

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5368003

[PJR]

Yeah in reality, they really didn't end up giving up a ton of money. That's the beauty of the situation was they all got their cake, and got to eat it too, after Cleveland and Toronto agreed to the sign & trades. I mean LeBron and Bosh got 6 years, 110 million deals. And Wade got 6 years 107. That's a lot of money.

They certainly gave up some money, the max they all could've received was 6 years, 128 million. So they all gave up around 15+ million plus over the life of the deals. But that's a no brainer.

The Heat just had a shit ton of cap flexibility, and Pat Riley/Andy Ellisburg had Toronto and Cleveland by the balls. Got them to agree to sign & trades for a couple of measly first rounders

Unless guys are willing to take 30%, 40%, or even 50% type paycuts, this will never happen again with the new CBA.

[tmacattack33]

The money thing isn't that big of a deal since Lebron and Wade will gain that back from sponsorhips (Chris Bosh won't though...so good for him to take less money).

The reason it was fine to me is the hilarity of Lebron's situation in Cleveland. He was there for 7 years and his team's idea of surrounding him with talent was Larry Hughes signing in 2006 or whatever, the Ben Wallace + Wally Sczerbiak trade in 2008, the Mo Williams signing in 2009, and Antawn Jamison in 2010.

[kNicKz]

these 3 dudes were actually scared to compete as the main star on each of their teams

They teamed up when they were all rivals lmfao, thats crazy. My brain doesn't compute that logic

[DaSeba5]

these 3 dudes were actually scared to compete as the main star on each of their teams

They teamed up when they were all rivals lmfao, thats crazy

Both LeBron and Wade carried their respective teams to the Finals, and Wade even won a ring with an amazing Finals performance. Both players had poor rosters around them and had to carry them to the playoffs. Even Bosh didn't exactly have a world class roster, but he's not a star like Wade and Lebron. Scared of competition is completely inaccurate.

They were never rivals. How many times did Wade, Bosh, and LeBron play each other in the playoffs?

[2LeTTeRS]

these 3 dudes were actually scared to compete as the main star on each of their teams

They teamed up when they were all rivals lmfao, thats crazy. My brain doesn't compute that logic

Rivals? Please tell me about those epic playoff contests Bron had against D Wade and Chris Bosh, I'm having a hard time remembering them.

We all get the fact that you hate them partnering up, but it happened 3 years ago --- time to move on.

[SilkkTheShocker]

these 3 dudes were actually scared to compete as the main star on each of their teams

They teamed up when they were all rivals lmfao, thats crazy. My brain doesn't compute that logic

Lol

[TMT]

Yeah in reality, they really didn't end up giving up a ton of money. That's the beauty of the situation was they all got there cake, and got to eat it too, after Cleveland and Toronto agreed to the sign & trades. I mean LeBron and Bosh got 6 years, 110 million deals. And Wade got 6 years 107. That's a lot of money.

They certainly gave up some money, the max they all could've received was 6 years, 128 million. So they all gave up around 15+ million plus over the life of the deals. But that's a no brainer.

The Heat just had a shit ton of cap flexibility, and Pat Riley/Andy Ellisburg had Toronto and Cleveland by the balls. Got them to agree to sign & trades for a couple of measly first rounders

Unless guys are willing to take 30%, 40%, or even 50% type paycuts, this will never happen again with the new CBA.

This post sums it up exactly. The Heat taking 'paycuts' is so over-exaggerated when they all are making hundreds of millions regardless and make up the rest with endorsements anyway.

Ray Allen is an example of taking a legit paycut. The guy literally took a fraction of what he could have in Boston.

[imdaman99]

lol at them taking paycuts. id be willing to take a paycut from making 20 mill to 15 million a year instead

[Leftimage]

It's not unfair. It's just boring. People want to see stars with competitive fire maximizing their talents to overcome the stars around them. Not all jump on the same team.

Wade and Lebron had some pretty awesome matchups before they teamed up, but now we are deprived of that. People want competition, not a monopoly.

Right, because this year's ECF and Finals were so uncompetitive it was boring.

Fact is, you just never know what you're gonna get until a team is formed and playing... Give one team no salary cap and an infinite amount of funds; chances are they will win it all, but it's far from a guarantee.

Beside if lakers hadn't formed one of these so-called superteams last year we would have been deprived of a whole lotta laughs.

IMO the Wade-Lebron matchups were great back in the day. But look what the big three era Heat have brought us: outstanding Wade-Lebron chemistry night in night out. The most hated team in recent NBA history. If anything the NBA post-''decision'' has been as exciting as ever.