tOfficial "2014 LeBron James" Superthread

[StanMarsh51]

Wade has one bad series and he's dead weight. Dude avg.19, 5, & 5 on 54% shooting in the regular season. In the ecf he avg 20,5, & 5 on 55% shooting. He had a bad series in the finals.....it happens

So you're not concerned that Wade's averaged 57 games the past 3 seasons? If he had that much trouble staying healthy from ages 30-32, what makes you think it can't be worse from 32 on?

 

[Sportsman]

This was a no-brainer. Either it's to restructure or to go back to Cleveland. He's a marketing monster wherever he goes and going back to Cleveland would repair his image. And it isn't like he hated the area. He likes living there so it makes sense he'd want to play close to home. Going to NY or LA would make him more despised than he already is and neither fan base would ever really embrace him. He'd be nothing but a hired gun.

As far as his image is concerned the only places that don't further damage his current image are Cleveland and Miami, but he will always have haters anyway so why not just go to the situation that gives him the chance at multiple rings, Lebron needs to go to the clippers.

 

[Bulletz]

He never was the GOAT

Youre preaching to the choir, but people still talk about it. I think he stays in Miami. Either way Bosh and Wade cant be making 40mil. Im thinking the three have a plan.

 

[BUD]

I kinda figured someone would have a poll on whether James stays or goes on the SportsHoopla.

 

[bksballer89]

Yep. He played last year at Kansas as a HS Sr as he skipped a grade.

Give it a couple years and he certainly will be an AS level player.

Your last sentence is true but it's the reason why LeBron won't go to Cleveland. He doesn't have time to waste a few yrs in his career to wait for someone to turn into some all star. This is about to be his 12th season in the league so time wait 2-3 yrs for someone to develop

 

[StanMarsh51]

Lebron is lookin to win now. He doesn't have time to wait for players to grow. If he goes to Cleveland he's not winning anything until.maybe 2017. He may leave.Miami but it won't be to go to Cleveland.

Those players I listed (Wiggins aside) are producing now, with a solid chance of getting even better in the upcoming years.

Irving averaging 20+ PPG, or Thompson nearly averaging a double-double, or Waters averaging 15+ aren't things the Cavs need to wait for to happen years down the line..they're already happening.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Calm down. Lebron James opting out could simply mean he is going to take less money to make room for Carmelo Anthony.

YEP. Been floating around for months. Or just creating flexibility for the team and himself?
Obviously nobody knows (except the players involved) what's going to happen....but I'm pretty confident they already all know what that is.

The shocker would have been if he didn't opt out.

I've already read several reports that Wade is opting out and signing for 4/years around 55M.
WHY would he do that if he thought for a second that James was leaving?

Bosh already publicly said he would opt out and take less if necessary.


Maybe I'll get blindsided, but I see this as a great sign for Heat fans.

 

[Sportsman]

If Lebron, Wade and Bosh each take less, who are they going to get??? Is Melo really going to take 15 million a year? Is Lebron really going to take 15 million to get a top free agent??? What free agents are even available at a reasonable price that will add enough to the Heat to get them back on top??? Wade is dead weight at any price if he still demands touches, the guy hasn't accepted a much much lesser role and I don't think he will. Miami is a mess, Lebron needs to leave that sinking ship.

 

[gohusk]

As far as his image is concerned the only places that don't further damage his current image are Cleveland and Miami, but he will always have haters anyway so why not just go to the situation that gives him the chance at multiple rings, Lebron needs to go to the clippers.

Chris Paul was trying to get James to stay in Cleveland before he got traded to the Clippers (presumably for him to sign there as well) so they have a relationship. I don't see him going title chasing again though. He has two and going to Cleveland and winning one there would be huge. And the Cavs have Kyrie Irving. I know a lot of people hate on him but when he's healthy (that does happen sometimes) he can ball. They have more athletic talent than they did when he left and by adding James they can let roll players be roll players and probably have a lot of success.

 

[WhiteMamba]

Your last sentence is true but it's the reason why LeBron won't go to Cleveland. He doesn't have time to waste a few yrs in his career to wait for someone to turn into some all star. This is about to be his 12th season in the league so time wait 2-3 yrs for someone to develop

Ya. I am in the camp that believes it will be a frigid day in Miami before LJ goes back to Cleveland.

Just isn't the age we live in with NBA players. There are idiots here in the Portland area that try to make a case why he is coming to Portland. Get real people. Their reasoning is "well, Nike is here in Portland area."

What does that even mean? I literally have to bite my tongue and leave the area when I hear such ignorance.

 

[tlance]

Wade has one bad series and he's dead weight. Dude avg.19, 5, & 5 on 54% shooting in the regular season. In the ecf he avg 20,5, & 5 on 55% shooting. He had a bad series in the finals.....it happens

Have you watched him play?

This is not about the stats. Wade no longer can command double teams and he is not a perimeter scoring threat. I know that they have won, but these two players don't fit together and the current version of Wade is closer to being a liability for LeBron's title chances than an asset.

As for Cleveland, look at the pieces. Anybody who thinks that is a championship caliber team with LeBron does not understand basketball. They have a bunch of young, talented guys, but they lack experience, chemistry and outside shooting. If he goes to Cleveland, he will not get close to winning again unless they gut the roster and build around LBJ and Irving. They would need more shooting (perhaps trading that #1 pick + Waiters for Love?). I just don't see either Parker or Wiggins being a fit with that group. Waiters is a liability and Bennett was the worst draft pick made that I have ever seen.

As for Miami, Heat fans should be happy with this development. The championship window is closing with the roster as currently constructed. The big 3 need to all restructure their deals to allow for another significant piece or two to be added.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Those players I listed (Wiggins aside) are producing now, with a solid chance of getting even better in the upcoming years.

Irving averaging 20+ PPG, or Thompson nearly averaging a double-double, or Waters averaging 15+ aren't things the Cavs need to wait for to happen years down the line..they're already happening.

1. Gilbert rant=James says

2. You're stats don't equate to wins. If anything quite the opposite. NO reason Cavs shouldn't have been a playoff team last season. Irving is over rated and offering him a max IMO is a terrible move.
The Cavs don't need him and should explore trading him.

YES, if James went there the Cavs instantly would rise to EC contenders, but you could say that to just about any team in the East if James went there.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Wiggins is overrated. They would contend in the east but they wouldn't beat anyteam out west if they make.finals

Barring any major surprises do you honestly believe that ANY team from the East would beat the Western rep in the Finals next season?

 

[Sportsman]

Chris Paul was trying to get James to stay in Cleveland before he got traded to the Clippers (presumably for him to sign there as well) so they have a relationship. I don't see him going title chasing again though. He has two and going to Cleveland and winning one there would be huge. And the Cavs have Kyrie Irving. I know a lot of people hate on him but when he's healthy (that does happen sometimes) he can ball. They have more athletic talent than they did when he left and by adding James they can let roll players be roll players and probably have a lot of success.

Honestly, if I were Lebron I would go back to Cleveland to play, it would make for one of the best stories in all of sports if he went back and won multiple rings there and the Cavs have young pieces that you could either develop or trade. How about the #1 pick for Kevin Love??? Lebron, Irving, Love is a damn good trio.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Wade has one bad series and he's dead weight. Dude avg.19, 5, & 5 on 54% shooting in the regular season. In the ecf he avg 20,5, & 5 on 55% shooting. He had a bad series in the finals.....it happens

C'mon Baller.

It wasn't just the series...it was the entire year...it's no slight to Wade imo, father time waits for no man...he tried to conserve himself all year for the playoff run and he looked good at times, but you know that LBJ sees him everyday...he knows he's not the same guy...if his ego could accept a 6th man type role, maybe he has another year or so in him, but as part of the big 3...no sir...his body can't handle 82 plus playoffs anymore and imo there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[StanMarsh51]

1. Gilbert rant=James says

2. You're stats don't equate to wins. If anything quite the opposite. NO reason Cavs shouldn't have been a playoff team last season. Irving is over rated and offering him a max IMO is a terrible move.
The Cavs don't need him and should explore trading him.

YES, if James went there the Cavs instantly would rise to EC contenders, but you could say that to just about any team in the East if James went there.

Being overrated has nothing to do with whether or not someone can be a contributing factor to the team. Being overrated or underrated deals with public perception rather moreso than actual performance. Derek Jeter's overrated, but did he not have a HOF worthy career? Whether or not Irving is overrated doesn't mean he can't be a key contributor to a top tier team as their #2 option with Lebron.

I don't think Lebron goes back to Cleveland, but I laugh at the asinine thought that some think that Cleveland wouldn't have a good supporting cast around him if he were to go.

 

[Shanemansj13]

I would think Cleveland with Wiggins and Lebron would instantly contend for the East.

AND Kyrie

 

[purguy12]

Lebron is lookin to win now. He doesn't have time to wait for players to grow. If he goes to Cleveland he's not winning anything until.maybe 2017. He may leave.Miami but it won't be to go to Cleveland.

U are way off. Cleveland would have a chance to go to the Finals next year. Who in the East would stop them. Stop being a Homer and look at the Roster. Irving is already better then anyone on the Heat not name LBJ. Plus they have the #1 pick. Come on man.

 

[rmilia1]

If he goes to Cleveland he doesn't care about championships as much as he claim he does

??? If Lebron goes to Cleveland they are BY FAR the best team in the EC right now. The surrounding cast in Cleveland is far superior to the team in Miami even if Bosh and Wade stay ESPECIALLY after the draft.

 

[purguy12]

Those players I listed (Wiggins aside) are producing now, with a solid chance of getting even better in the upcoming years.

Irving averaging 20+ PPG, or Thompson nearly averaging a double-double, or Waters averaging 15+ aren't things the Cavs need to wait for to happen years down the line..they're already happening.

100% agree. Their roster is not bad. With LBJ they are a power house.