LeBron James: Narrowly Missing a Perfect Situation

[Ed Monix]

*Quick disclaimer, this is just my opinion.

Obviously this is with hindsight but LeBron James narrowly missed the perfect situation with the Golden State Warriors. While LeBron was taking his talents to South Beach, Joe Lacob was purchasing the Warriors with plans to make them an NBA powerhouse.

From a present viewpoint, LeBron leaving the Cavs in 2010 is completely justified. He owed them nothing and although the team was 'contending' it was all on the back of his freakishly complete skillset. The team failed to surround him with anything resembling elite talent.

In saying that, 'The Decision' was a poor choice and I blame the people around him. LeBron has had one major career weakness, surrounding himself with yes men, in particular Rich Paul. Obviously I don't have first hand knowledge in their relationship but a friend with no professional business training or experience, wouldn't be biting the hand that feeds him.

LeBron's career decisions have all been about short term gain and never with foresight. Given he seems to use Michael Jordan's career as his measuring stick, you'd think someone would have told him how important foresight is in have an elite NBA legacy. LeBron's decision to move to the Heat looks to be based on simply wanting to play with his friends.

If I recall correctly, Bosh wasn't originally part of the 'Big Three', it was Carmelo Anthony who James and Wade wanted to join forces with in Miami. Only after Anthony declined, was Bosh made privy to their idea. This shows the lack of thought and foresight that went into LeBron's Miami move, the fact that things worked out reasonably well is actually very lucky.

If LeBron had the correct advisors, he would have known that even before he moved to Miami, Wade was slowly breaking down. Wade had a relatively poor team around him in 2009-10 but across the board his statistics slipped. Given his lack of height and reliance on athleticism, Wade early decline was almost inevitable. Obviously no one could have seen Bosh having to retire early due to blood clots but this wasn't an idea with longevity. In contrast Jordan was paired with Pippen who was 6'8 and more then two years his junior where as Wade is 6'4 and close to 3 years LeBron's senior.

By May 2012, plans were already in place by Joe Lacob to move the Warriors to San Fransisco and build the Chase Centre. By June 2012, Warriors had their core of Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, Klay Thompson and Steph Curry. Even after Curry's rookie year, experts could see he was special and IMO would have been perfect next to LeBron. Curry lacks ego, is selfless to a fault and doesn't need the ball in his hands on offence. With Green he'd have his Rodman like enforcer who would do all the dirty work LeBron hates, together with Klay's off ball shooting, he'd have a team tailor made for him.

The Golden State Warriors had always been a sleeping giant, a team very well supported through decades of failure and without a true franchise face. Even though Wilt Chamberlin played for the team, he'd only been in San Francisco for 3 seasons before going back to Philly, so GSW would have been 'LeBron's team'. Given he was moving to the West with an unknown young upstart, his public narrative would have been completely different. Warriors owners have almost unlimited funds in the best modern stadium in basketball and only 1 hour plane ride from Los Angeles.

A core of James, Green, Thompson, Curry and add to that Barnes, Iguodala, Bogut, you'd think the Warriors could have won 6 rings in the proceeding decade.

With an alternate agent and advisors, I can't help wondering if LeBron James' career would be viewed much differently.

[Roy H.]

Did the 2010 Warriors have max cap space?

I think that it’s hard, even in hindsight, to say that a guy should have joined a 26 win team rather than playing under Pat Riley with one of his best friends plus Bosh.

[Moranis]

this post makes no sense at all.

[smicker16]

An interesting thought, but think Lebron would have had to been a time traveler to know that Curry was going to turn into what he did, that the Warriors would still be able to draft Klay and Draymond and that they would be able to turn into what they did.  The Warriors roster that finished that 2009-2010 season had horribe players and was going through a coaching change.  They had not even gotten to Mark Jackson by then.  I think, if anything this move would have likely wasted some of Lebron's prime.  I wish he made this decision!

[Ed Monix]

Did the 2010 Warriors have max cap space?

I think that it’s hard, even in hindsight, to say that a guy should have joined a 26 win team rather than playing under Pat Riley with one of his best friends plus Bosh.

No, I used the title ‘Narrowly Missing’ because I meant he was only two years short of perhaps the most perfect career scenario.

But in saying that, I just wanted to discuss LeBron career decisions and IMO they are based on short term thinking without having the right guys to advise him. LeBron wants to be viewed as better than Jordan but because he’s only thought a few years ahead he’s moved team to team, leaving franchise wreckage behind him.

Like I alluded to earlier, James & Wade originally didn’t even want Bosh with them, it was Anthony. Can you imagine how bad that would have gone?

Even with Bosh, they only won a second ring because of a one in a million sequence of events that led to Ray Allen hitting a three. It could easily have only been 1 title in Miami.

[gift]

Did the 2010 Warriors have max cap space?

I think that it’s hard, even in hindsight, to say that a guy should have joined a 26 win team rather than playing under Pat Riley with one of his best friends plus Bosh.

No, I used the title ‘Narrowly Missing’ because I meant he was only two years short of perhaps the most perfect career scenario.

But in saying that, I just wanted to discuss LeBron career decisions and IMO they are based on short term thinking without having the right guys to advise him. LeBron wants to be viewed as better than Jordan but because he’s only thought a few years ahead he’s moved team to team, leaving franchise wreckage behind him.

Like I alluded to earlier, James & Wade originally didn’t even want Bosh with them, it was Anthony. Can you imagine how bad that would have gone?

Even with Bosh, they only won a second ring because of a one in a million sequence of events that led to Ray Allen hitting a three. It could easily have only been 1 title in Miami.

I agree Lebron has been a short term thinker and often forced front offices into short term decisions which aided in him leaving those teams. But all in all he won 4 championships and had the career that he did so... maybe we're the ones who are wrong.

[Moranis]

There was no better place for him to go in 2010 then Miami.  They had to means to acquire Bosh while keeping Wade, and also keeping solid role players and depth in Haslem, Chalmers, Jones, Magloire, and Anthony and then were able to add Miller, Bibby, and House (then guys like Z during the season).  There is nothing short sighted about that move.  Wade was 29 (coming off of back to back top 5 MVP finishes), Bosh was 26.  They won 2 titles and made the finals in all 4 years there. 

His move back to Cleveland was solely about getting that city a title which he did.  And the injuries to Irving and Love likely prevented them from winning a title that first season back and also really diminished the long term viability (well that and Irving just being a super strange guy).  I mean Irving was 22 and Love was 26, Lebron's 1st season back in Cleveland.  They also had quality depth with Thompson, Delly, Varejao, Waiters, Marion, Miller and then acquired Smith, Mozgov, Shumpert, and Jones mid-season (using mostly Waiters). 

His family wanted to be in L.A., which is mostly why he moved there, but it is also the Lakers, and they won a title his 2nd season there and are set up well to at least compete again this year (and but for a Davis injury would have almost certainly been in the finals if not winning a title last year).

I just don't buy the premise of the thread at all.  It just doesn't make sense.  Lebron made the smart decision in all of his moves.  His finals appearances and championships tell you that.

[bdm860]

LeBron's career decisions have all been about short term gain and never with foresight. Given he seems to use Michael Jordan's career as his measuring stick, you'd think someone would have told him how important foresight is in have an elite NBA legacy. LeBron's decision to move to the Heat looks to be based on simply wanting to play with his friends.

If I recall correctly, Bosh wasn't originally part of the 'Big Three', it was Carmelo Anthony who James and Wade wanted to join forces with in Miami. Only after Anthony declined, was Bosh made privy to their idea. This shows the lack of thought and foresight that went into LeBron's Miami move, the fact that things worked out reasonably well is actually very lucky.

Do you know how LeBron ended up on the Heat and why Carmelo didn't?

Because LeBron (or his people) had the foresight in 2006 to sign a max extension with an opt out after 3 years instead of taking the normal full length  5 year max contract, which I believe this was a first.  And not only did LeBron do this, but he convinced his friends Bosh and Wade to do the same thing.  He tried to get Carmelo to do it, but Carmelo was happy just signing the regular 5 year max.  Also why Carmelo had to force a trade to the Knicks, if he listened to LeBron he could have just signed wherever he wanted.

And this was done (or so the story goes) not only to potentially form a super team, but also to be able to sign another max contract before the CBA changed (in 2011) and got more restrictive.

All these 1+1 deals and max deals with opt outs that seemingly every superstar signs now, it was LeBron who had the long term planning to first utilize those.  Now every superstar takes them.

Also seems like it took some long term planning to join a weak Lakers team, when another superstar like AD was 1-2 years away, and might never even come at all.

LeBron may be a lot of things, but short term thinker is not one of them.

[ETNCeltics]

Long-term, I don't think the GSW Curry/Thompson/Green core would have tolerated Lebron very well. I don't think they'd have ever stayed together that long.