tOfficial "2014 LeBron James" Superthread

[trojanfan12]

The CBA as we know it is doomed. There WILL be a lockout when it's up this next time.....players are getting paid less or having to take less to field quality teams while the owners still profit. That's not going to fly in the next round of negotiations.

They're going to HAVE to either increase the cap significantly or do away with it altogether.

I agree. I doubt that the cap will be removed entirely, but it seems very likely that there will be significant changes.

Interestingly, I think that the contract Kobe got and what has gone on with Miami's big 3 is creating a "crossroads" of sorts when it comes to players salaries.

Even at $23.5 million, Kobe is being grossly underpaid vs. his true value to the team. Lebron, in particular (and the big 3 in general) aren't stupid. Lebron knows Kobe how much Kobe is being underpaid. Even if he had simply opted in, he would still be making a little less than Kobe, even though he is worth more. Now, he's supposed to take even less? From a business perspective, that doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

The Players are not getting paid any less money.
The Salary Cap is directly tied to total revenues as a flat percentage.
It goes up just as salaries and revenues go up.


It only seems like players are taking less money because they are having difficulty trying to be copycats of the 2010 Miami Heat.


What Miami did was a "perfect storm" of circumstances that is almost impossible to replicate.
Superstars are simply never really meant to all join the same team.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Lowry wasn't coming to Miami anyway and it has been 5 days. Just about all the players Miami is interested in are still available. Stop freaking out people, everything will be just fine.

 

[Sportsman]

So far...
I'm starting this thread mostly to stop another one from getting further hi-jacked, but partly because I really feel that Lebron is getting a pass in this whole free agency situation.
Lebron is holding Riley and other potential Miami heat fa's up and could further hurt Miami IF he wants that max contract. Sure he DESERVES it, but HE is the guy that popularized the whole taking less for the greater good of the team. Now he(REPORTEDLY) wants a max when he has gangs of endorsements, and tens of millions off the court? I really cant get pass that, but it is being reported by reputable people such as Woj. and in this case Windhorst is reputable as well. It doesn't make sense because he has always been about getting into the right situation...but the heat now have to go bargain shopping again due to him waiting it out. Even he does take less, a guy like Kyle Lowry is already gone. They could of had the money to get him but Lebron is sitting back waiting on Riley to wave his magic wand. I just don't get it, if he preferres Miami, then just end this thing and sign on so that other marquee guys can join. I mean the pg's and big men are going left and right. Riley isn't the one on the clock...LEBRON is

ROFL...Lebron never gets a pass.

 

[tlance]

These are all very good points, and I agree.

The public tends to side with the owners because players are "spoiled" and "greedy" and they "make too much anyway". The thing is, I don't think the casual fan understands the players angle that you guys are able to see.

I still believe that the owners have the leverage, however, and the crappy owners outnumber the good ones. For every Arison, Cuban, Prokorov, Buss (not saying Buss is a good owner), etc. who are willing to spend, there are 2 or 3 who are not. I am not so optimistic that this will change. I would love to see an uncapped league, or at least less restrictive rules, but I am not sure that would last either.

One thing that is truly flawed is the concept of the max contract. Any system in which Joe Johnson and Lebron James are compensated on the same level is utterly ridiculous.

 

[KKryvonis]

ESPN: The Lebron Network

I have a feeling somebody is gonna like/agree with this.


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIjRKOeR3-Y"]ESPN: The Lebron Network - YouTube[/ame]

 

[KKryvonis]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIjRKOeR3-Y]ESPN: The Lebron Network - YouTube[/ame]

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Part of the reason I stopped paying attention to ESPN years ago. Their network has sucked for a while now.

 

[Heatles84]

I couldn't have said it any better than Kold. Lebron certainly is deserving of the money, but what's more important? Your NBA salary? Or winning more titles. Ironically, the latter is what's going to raise his net worth significantly. As many Heat fans have said repeatedly, we all know Wade isn't arguably the best player in the league anymore. I think you guys are short changing the way the Spurs defended Wade significantly. Before that, ESPN was raving at how good Wade was looking in the first three rounds, which includes facing off against good defensive teams in the Nets and Pacers. Hell, he was the most efficient 2-guard in the league this year. Go look up his PER.

Lebron deserves the max, or at the very least to be the highest player on the Heat. The Heat has proven that it will get the players that will help Lebron win.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

I was happy for Kobe and now I'm happy for LeBron, why should the player sacrifice for the owner?

 

[trojanfan12]

These are all very good points, and I agree.

The public tends to side with the owners because players are "spoiled" and "greedy" and they "make too much anyway". The thing is, I don't think the casual fan understands the players angle that you guys are able to see.

I still believe that the owners have the leverage, however, and the crappy owners outnumber the good ones. For every Arison, Cuban, Prokorov, Buss (not saying Buss is a good owner), etc. who are willing to spend, there are 2 or 3 who are not. I am not so optimistic that this will change. I would love to see an uncapped league, or at least less restrictive rules, but I am not sure that would last either.

One thing that is truly flawed is the concept of the max contract. Any system in which Joe Johnson and Lebron James are compensated on the same level is utterly ridiculous.

Agree with all of this except for one point. Dr. Buss was arguably the best owner in sports history. The jury is still out on Jim Buss.

 

[wood20ks]

I couldn't have said it any better than Kold. Lebron certainly is deserving of the money, but what's more important? Your NBA salary? Or winning more titles. Ironically, the latter is what's going to raise his net worth significantly. As many Heat fans have said repeatedly, we all know Wade isn't arguably the best player in the league anymore. I think you guys are short changing the way the Spurs defended Wade significantly. Before that, ESPN was raving at how good Wade was looking in the first three rounds, which includes facing off against good defensive teams in the Nets and Pacers. Hell, he was the most efficient 2-guard in the league this year. Go look up his PER.

Lebron deserves the max, or at the very least to be the highest player on the Heat. The Heat has proven that it will get the players that will help Lebron win.

damn...............You just made LeBron sound like its.............me,me,me..............You`re right,it is all about him and nothing else.
Silly me.

You keep him.I never ever wanna see him in Chicago.
I`d rather the Bulls finish in last place every single year until he retires,then to have him on my team.

 

[GNG]

Lebron as seen in LA....



Zombie Dancing Oppa Gangnam Style(Funnniest)

 

[trojanfight]

LeBron is just re-affirming to all the doubters that hes nothing but a ring chaser. I imagine the ball will start rolling Monday...Carmelo will decide wherever hes going...then these role players that could potentially join the heat will start bailing for more solid teams.. new York, lakers, Chicago etc. don't think any above average players want to join the heat not knowing who may or may not be on roster. I said before playoffs that if Miami lost finals they good chance he would leave

 

[Nooone]

I couldn't have said it any better than Kold. Lebron certainly is deserving of the money, but what's more important? Your NBA salary? Or winning more titles. Ironically, the latter is what's going to raise his net worth significantly. As many Heat fans have said repeatedly, we all know Wade isn't arguably the best player in the league anymore. I think you guys are short changing the way the Spurs defended Wade significantly. Before that, ESPN was raving at how good Wade was looking in the first three rounds, which includes facing off against good defensive teams in the Nets and Pacers. Hell, he was the most efficient 2-guard in the league this year. Go look up his PER.

Lebron deserves the max, or at the very least to be the highest player on the Heat. The Heat has proven that it will get the players that will help Lebron win.

Then you should also be pissed at wade for not taking 10 mil a year max. he just sat out 1/3 of the season and still had no legs left by the end of the finals.

Wade did have a great regular season, but his numbers significantly benefited from not playing in most back to backs and having extended periods of rest. He basically cherry picked which games to play and the benefit of that should not be understated. That combined with defenses focusing more and more on LeBron and less and less on him inflate some those efficiency numbers.

 

[SoPortland]

LeBron is just re-affirming to all the doubters that hes nothing but a ring chaser. I imagine the ball will start rolling Monday...Carmelo will decide wherever hes going...then these role players that could potentially join the heat will start bailing for more solid teams.. new York, lakers, Chicago etc. don't think any above average players want to join the heat not knowing who may or may not be on roster. I said before playoffs that if Miami lost finals they good chance he would leave

lol, calling him a ring chaser is just foolish.

Can you really call the best player in the world a "ring chaser?" It seems to belittle everything he does for his team to even have a shot at winning the title.

 

[trojanfight]

lol, calling him a ring chaser is just foolish.

Can you really call the best player in the world a "ring chaser?" It seems to belittle everything he does for his team to even have a shot at winning the title.

well lets see what else would you call leaving Cleveland...then when Miami loses in finals considers leaving. basically theatens pat riley improve the already high quality roster or hes out of there....no backbone to build a team up. leshortcut living up to his name

 

[wood20ks]

well lets see what else would you call leaving Cleveland...then when Miami loses in finals considers leaving. basically theatens pat riley improve the already high quality roster or hes out of there....no backbone to build a team up. leshortcut living up to his name

exactly............I wonder if hea fans will hate him as much as the cleveland fans once he leaves.
i mean he did promise them 8 rings in their big 'look at us party" when he signed.

lmao at LeBron.

Excuse me Lebron,but i`d rather have my dignity than to be a traitor,liar,a fool and rich like you.

 

[Shanemansj13]

well lets see what else would you call leaving Cleveland...then when Miami loses in finals considers leaving. basically theatens pat riley improve the already high quality roster or hes out of there....no backbone to build a team up. leshortcut living up to his name

So you're one of the people that just goes back to Cleveland, he left bc of the FO, plain and simple. And now he is in free agency, he is weighing his options like everyone else and making the best move for him. This is most likely the most important decision of his career.

 

[Shanemansj13]

exactly............I wonder if hea fans will hate him as much as the cleveland fans once he leaves.
i mean he did promise them 8 rings in their big 'look at us party" when he signed.

lmao at LeBron.

Excuse me Lebron,but i`d rather have my dignity than to be a traitor,liar,a fool and rich like you.

He is none of those thing, but lmao at you not wanting to be wealthy. What a slapdick!

 

[Jims_Doors]

So far...
I'm starting this thread mostly to stop another one from getting further hi-jacked, but partly because I really feel that Lebron is getting a pass in this whole free agency situation.
Lebron is holding Riley and other potential Miami heat fa's up and could further hurt Miami IF he wants that max contract. Sure he DESERVES it, but HE is the guy that popularized the whole taking less for the greater good of the team. Now he(REPORTEDLY) wants a max when he has gangs of endorsements, and tens of millions off the court? I really cant get pass that, but it is being reported by reputable people such as Woj. and in this case Windhorst is reputable as well. It doesn't make sense because he has always been about getting into the right situation...but the heat now have to go bargain shopping again due to him waiting it out. Even he does take less, a guy like Kyle Lowry is already gone. They could of had the money to get him but Lebron is sitting back waiting on Riley to wave his magic wand. I just don't get it, if he preferres Miami, then just end this thing and sign on so that other marquee guys can join. I mean the pg's and big men are going left and right. Riley isn't the one on the clock...LEBRON is

Lowry isn't even considered a star going into his 9th season and agreed to 12mil per year. Double than he made last season. No chance the Heat would have offered that much even if LeBron had agreed by now.

Seems to me he was more worried about getting paid, than taking less to sign with a contender. Toronto took a major chance by not moving him at the deadline last season, not knowing if he would re-sign. Raps probably gave him the highest offer or he would not have agreed to it more than likely