The more I thought about it, the less I have warmed up to the thought of bringing LeBron here.
I don't want to give up Hayward, I also don't want to give up Kyrie or Horford. It's not just a matter of a simple trade with either players. With Kyrie we have to add a little extra due to cap space configurations, and maybe throw in a pick, considering he would be a one year rental. Hayward is Hayward, and watching some of his previous videos and how torn and heartbroken he was that he couldn't be with us. That really makes me feel for him, and realize how inhumane it would be, if the trade went into fruition. I couldn't imagine trading Hayward right after a year he missed signing with us. It just makes me feel dirty, and I don't think Ainge's track record would allow him to do so. In the past he's traded Pierce, Isaiah, Perkins, and Garnett, Rondo, etc; to greener pastures in hope for a title or championship.
I don't even think Ainge could allow himself to watch Hayward get sent over to the wasteland that is Cleveland, that LeBron basically created as player GM, and then is going to pretty much leave behind.
I also think going forward, Hayward will still be a very productive player. And if ANYTHING Gordon Hayward would better off teaching Tatum and Brown, because his game is predicated on hesitation moves, dribble hand offs, and playing WITHIN a motion system; something that Quinn Synder preached and lived by from back then to then on now.
Horford? I can't imagine losing him either. He, alongside Marcus Smart, is the backbone and engine to our offense. Sure, we're immensely better with LeBron, but I FEAR he'll take away touches, make the offense stagnant, and his defense has become literally non-existent. You can argue that LeBron won't have to handle the offense as much. But this is LeBron... He is going to do whatever he wants. And I cannot picture the longevity and sheer amount of miles on LeBron's legs. I fear he is definitely on the path to a major injury. I'm not giving up Horford. I want him to be our leader, mentor, and defensive anchor for years to come. He has dedicated and shaped his game, and I'm not concerned about his age as a long-term issue. His game is going to age really well.
I'm not knocking LeBron. He's the greatest player of my generation. I grew up watching Pierce, and Kobe, but LeBron surpasses them all, with the exception of Tim Duncan, (who I still think is a little bit better than LeBron for now,) and he's undoubtedly the greatest, but I believe he benefited greatly from not only being a physical specimen, but being catered to his every will. He has never ever been told, 'no.' He grew up with the aspect and mindset to be great, but somewhere along the line his confidence and ego became beyond the borderline of egomaniac. I'm not saying he's a terrible person. Far from it, he's one of the greatest role models also for little kids, and athletes all around. But there's just something about LeBron that makes me dislike him.
I really want to beat him. We were super close to doing so, and even LeBron looked human at times against us. We are so close... Absolutely on the freakin' edge..
With a floundering of assets, draft picks, young talent, and a team that is cohesively sound, and we BELIEVE in each other. When you see our teammates celebrate after a hard fought win, you see how much we believe and trust in each other.
When you bring in LeBron, you bring in the potentiality of ruining everything that we have worked SO HARD to strive for.
No thank you.