Wade: Lebron will never pass MJ

[Heatles84]

I'm not so sure he wouldn't have gone back to Cleveland either way - even if they had somehow beat the Spurs that year. In some ways it would've made that decision even easier to make. And LeBron did his part in the 2014 Finals, imo. It wasn't at all like the 2009 loss to the Magic or the 2011 loss to the Mavs, where not only did LeBron fail to get it done... he failed to even do his part.

Lebron flat out said that had the Heat beat the Spurs, he would've stayed. Yes, Lebron did his part in the 2014 Finals. He could've done more, but he matched his numbers during the regular season at the time. But, the narrative is, if the going gets tough - bye.

 

[gordontrue]

Lebron flat out said that had the Heat beat the Spurs, he would've stayed. Yes, Lebron did his part in the 2014 Finals. He could've done more, but he matched his numbers during the regular season at the time. But, the narrative is, if the going gets tough - bye.

He said there would've been "a greater chance" of staying. Clearly suggesting that there was still a chance he goes to Cleveland if they win... which to me shows that his leaving wasn't about the "going getting tough".

Who knows though, as LeBron himself said, its all speculation and no one knows.

It’s a greater chance, for sure,” James told Nichols, via the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “I mean, it would be hard to leave back-to-back-to-back championships and try to go for four. But, obviously, you really can’t live and think of what may have happened.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Lebron flat out said that had the Heat beat the Spurs, he would've stayed. Yes, Lebron did his part in the 2014 Finals. He could've done more, but he matched his numbers during the regular season at the time. But, the narrative is, if the going gets tough - bye.

The fact is the Spurs were just the better team and I wouldn't say Lebron had a great supporting cast especially in the Finals. He was pretty damn good in the Finals, that we know.

 

[SJ76]

LBJ could have stayed put in Cleveland and did his recruiting. He got impatient. Miami is nice in the winter. DWade and Pat Riley were tempting.. But he could have recruited another SG and Bosh to Cleveland. But to make a big spectacle out of the "decision" was pretty gay.

Then to leave again just makes it obvious. People forget how gay that decision was and how he did that. It was like an immature high school senior on signing day choosing bewteen Duke or UNC for college.

 

[Shanemansj13]

LBJ could have stayed put in Cleveland and did his recruiting. He got impatient. Miami is nice in the winter. DWade and Pat Riley were tempting.. But he could have recruited another SG and Bosh to Cleveland. But to make a big spectacle out of the "decision" was pretty gay.

Then to leave again just makes it obvious. People forget how gay that decision was and how he did that. It was like an immature high school senior on signing day choosing bewteen Duke or UNC for college.

Nah, there was nobody left to recruit. Nobody wanted to be in Cleveland, we have already been through this topic. Bosh didn't want to go to Cleveland. If you want to imagine he could, that's fine, but it wasn't going to happen.

 

[LAD]

Apples to oranges comparison though.

First, Chicago was able to pay Jordan substantially more than anybody else to resign him. There were no max contracts, so a team with Bird rights could pay whatever they wanted to resign their own guy. Any other team had to keep it under the cap. For example, in 97 and 98, the Bulls paid Jordan 33 million a year when the entire salary cap was like 26 million.

Second, Cleveland's core was ridiculously weak where Jordan's had some up and coming young talent in it.

People want to criticize current players for moving in free agency because old timers didn't do it. The problem is that you fail to see the free agency rules of the era made it almost impossible for an elite player to leave their team if that team wanted to retain them. THE exact opposite is true today.

Look, I was a huge Jordan fan growing up. I watched every game. Still, it is comical how people elevate him to untouchable deity status. He was truly great, but a lot of the circumstance that helped fuel his legacy were completely outside of his control. Still, people revere MJ for his good fortune to land in a great organization. At the same time, LeBron gets killed for trying to take control of his own destiny. It really makes no sense if you objectively view each player's situation in context with free agency rules.

Those are all good points, however Kobe played in both MJ's era AND LBJs and yet he managed to stay with one team even when it got tough.

We didn't criticize LBJ for leaving- in fact we did the opposite and gave MJ credit for staying.

 

[LAD]

He said there would've been "a greater chance" of staying. Clearly suggesting that there was still a chance he goes to Cleveland if they win... which to me shows that his leaving wasn't about the "going getting tough".

Who knows though, as LeBron himself said, its all speculation and no one knows.

So you really think that if they won the title that year he would've bolted back to Cleveland to literally start all over?? No way, I don't believe that.

 

[gordontrue]

So you really think that if they won the title that year he would've bolted back to Cleveland to literally start all over?? No way, I don't believe that.

Yeah, I do. But its just speculation, who knows.

With a 3peat in his pocket and Wade seemingly (at the time) at the end of his legs... its not that unimaginable of a scenario for me. People forget that the rumors started during the playoffs... when - for the first time - LeBron seemed to be carrying the Heat for much of the time. People were speculating whether winning or losing would it make it more or less likely and there were arguments both ways

 

[LAD]

Yeah, I do. But its just speculation, who knows.

With a 3peat in his pocket and Wade seemingly (at the time) at the end of his legs... its not that unimaginable of a scenario for me. People forget that the rumors started during the playoffs... when - for the first time - LeBron seemed to be carrying the Heat for much of the time. People were speculating whether winning or losing would it make it more or less likely and there were arguments both ways

If that's the case then I think you give LBJ more credit than he's proven worthy of.

 

[Heatles84]

LBJ could have stayed put in Cleveland and did his recruiting. He got impatient. Miami is nice in the winter. DWade and Pat Riley were tempting.. But he could have recruited another SG and Bosh to Cleveland. But to make a big spectacle out of the "decision" was pretty gay.

Then to leave again just makes it obvious. People forget how gay that decision was and how he did that. It was like an immature high school senior on signing day choosing bewteen Duke or UNC for college.

Nobody wanted to go to Cleveland.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Cleveland was at the top of the East before lebron bolted to Miami. Eventually a top FA would have come. Yet he was too impatient.

 

[SJ76]

Nah, there was nobody left to recruit. Nobody wanted to be in Cleveland, we have already been through this topic. Bosh didn't want to go to Cleveland. If you want to imagine he could, that's fine, but it wasn't going to happen.

Oh so Bosh would have gone to Miami with no Lebron? To win what exactly? So Lebron couldn't recruit then but he can now? OK



I have some swamp land in Florida i can sell you..

 

[SJ76]

Nobody wanted to go to Cleveland.

But they do now?

 

[Heatles84]

But they do now?

Cleveland had an inept franchise and no one thought Lebron was going to stay there. On top of that, they never capitalized on winning a title in Lebron's first run. Players won't to go to title organizations if it means they have to go to sub par cities. At the time, Cleveland only met one of the criteria. Once Lebron showed that he could win titles and went back to a roster that collected a lot of youth while he was gone, it made it marketable to players that are in their twilight years looking to ring chase.

 

[Heatles84]

Oh so Bosh would have gone to Miami with no Lebron? To win what exactly? So Lebron couldn't recruit then but he can now? OK



I have some swamp land in Florida i can sell you..

Lebron's name carried a lot more cache after 2012 when he won a title. At that point, he lived up to the hype.

 

[SJ76]

Cleveland had an inept franchise and no one thought Lebron was going to stay there. On top of that, they never capitalized on winning a title in Lebron's first run. Players won't to go to title organizations if it means they have to go to sub par cities. At the time, Cleveland only met one of the criteria. Once Lebron showed that he could win titles and went back to a roster that collected a lot of youth while he was gone, it made it marketable to players that are in their twilight years looking to ring chase.

Point is.. If he sacks up and stays there - being his home town and all... He brings the best players to play there. Just like he's done since then. Everyone knew he was a special talent his first 2-3 years. Bron just wanted to run to Florida.

 

[SJ76]

If only MJ could have recruited... Then we would have never lost a Finals.


Oh wait **

 

[tlance]

Oh so Bosh would have gone to Miami with no Lebron? To win what exactly? So Lebron couldn't recruit then but he can now? OK



I have some swamp land in Florida i can sell you..

You do realize Bosh signed well before LeBron, right? LeBron surely was considering Miami, but he had not made his final decision at the time Bosh signed. So, yeah, Bosh would have signed in Miami without LeBron. In fact, he did. Not once, but twice.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Cleveland was at the top of the East before lebron bolted to Miami. Eventually a top FA would have come. Yet he was too impatient.

Wrong lol. Eventually and you know this how?? They got some bad ass free agents when he was there...an old Shaq, Jamison, Larry Hughes, Mo Williams...he recruited a ton of guys and no one wanted to play in Cleveland. Those are the facts. 7 years is impatient lol. You think free agents would magically want to play in Cleveland when Lebron had absolutely nobody around him, the logic makes zero sense.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Point is.. If he sacks up and stays there - being his home town and all... He brings the best players to play there. Just like he's done since then. Everyone knew he was a special talent his first 2-3 years. Bron just wanted to run to Florida.

What has he done since? Bosh was already recruited to Miami and he went there. He went back to Cleveland and got Love to come there, but the ONLY reason Love goes there is because they had a supporting cast around him. Name off Cleveland's roster before he left. I'll wait.