What was Cleveland's role in James Leaving?

[ScoobyDoo]

As a counter argument, whiel I cna understand Cleveland ( Dan Gilbert ) being upset with LeBron leaving, the Cavs basically had 7 years to put a competant team around LeBron.

They had one of the greatest prospects in NBA history coming onto their team. They could have completely stripped the team from day one to build the ideal team around James.

Had they gone to the lottery for three staright years, made good choices and maybe got 2 studs and another solid guy or even just one stud and two other solid pieces.

Then, just added free agants and vets around that nucleus, by years 5, 6 and 7 they would have been competing like MJ just before the Bulls took off.

I think a complete and total lack of management is also to be noted in James decision to leave.

I doubt very much he would have left if he was "the king in Cleveland" and they were strong, legitimate for title contention each year, and...he had a couple legite wing men.

He might have still laughed with Wade and bosh over beers about playing together, but his end response would have been, get your own guns cause the Cavs are coming for you.

So I understand why he left. Didn't think he did it very well, but also think the Cavs management had a role in it too.




 

[wiley]

As a counter argument, whiel I cna understand Cleveland ( Dan Gilbert ) being upset with LeBron leaving, the Cavs basically had 7 years to put a competant team around LeBron.

They had one of the greatest prospects in NBA history coming onto their team. They could have completely stripped the team from day one to build the ideal team around James.

Had they gone to the lottery for three staright years, made good choices and maybe got 2 studs and another solid guy or even just one stud and two other solid pieces.

Then, just added free agants and vets around that nucleus, by years 5, 6 and 7 they would have been competing like MJ just before the Bulls took off.

I think a complete and total lack of management is also to be noted in James decision to leave.

I doubt very much he would have left if he was "the king in Cleveland" and they were strong, legitimate for title contention each year, and...he had a couple legite wing men.

He might have still laughed with Wade and bosh over beers about playing together, but his end response would have been, get your own guns cause the Cavs are coming for you.

So I understand why he left. Didn't think he did it very well, but also think the Cavs management had a role in it too.




 

Yeah.  In this sense they catered too much, but part of that catering was also based on James being so incredibly good from the day he stepped on the court in year 1.  I mean, you can see why they decided to get him some immediate veteran help intead of waiting for a number of years.  In hindsight it backfired.  But it came very close to working.  In the Celtics title year we just barely got by Cleveland in a game 7.  They may very well have beaten the Lakers had they made the finals (we beat the Lakers more easily than we beat the Cavs, and the Cavs have stacked up well against the Lakers).  So, let's not forget they almost pulled it off.  Agree though, their approach sort of looks like gambling in hindsight.

[Mr October]

Yup. Both sides are to blame in this breakup. Cleveland threw roster bandaid after roster bandaid onto this team, killing their flexibility.

[Who]

Cleveland's poor management is the only factor that deserves blame here.

[Eja117]

I disagree. This guy has played with a lot of good players now. I'm tired of people acting like JJ Hickson is a cancer or something. It's a bench people. It's not supposed to have stars.

This guy has played with many players now that either are or were or weren't too far removed from all star seasons.

Shaq
Jamison
ilgauskas
Boozer
Ben Wallace
Mo Williams
varajoa (a legit 6th man of year type guy)

How many does he need or is he entitled to? Didn't they have the best record in the league this year? If you have that stop crying about not enough talent

[LarBrd33]

Their owner is a moron.  My impression of him after this free agency debacle is that he's a total tool-bag.   I read several articles that he kissed the feet LeBron walked on and let his entourage do whatever they wanted.  Now his daddy is gone and he's throwing a temper tantrum.   Guy is a loser.  He bought the team with LeBron already on it... and now he's having a hissy fit, because his investment just blew up in his face.

He had the best player in the world and surrounded him with chumps and a fool as a coach.  Part of the blame can probably go to the previous blind owner who let himself get shafted by Carlos Boozer... I mean... this is an organization whose star player prior to LeBron was Ricky Davis.  It's a poorly managed hack organization that can go back to the dregs where it belongs.

[Eja117]

I don't like saying this but Kobe could have won with the Cavs this year. So could younger bird, magic, MJ, or Duncan.

[LarBrd33]

I don't like saying this but Kobe could have won with the Cavs this year. So could younger bird, magic, MJ, or Duncan.

Disagree.  

Theoretically Bird, Magic or MJ could have... but Bird had McHale and Parish.  Magic had Kareem and Worthy... MJ had severely underrated Scottie Pippen.  Bron had scrubs.    

The part about Kobe is flat out incorrect.  LeBron on the Lakers with Pau, Artest, Odom, Bynum, etc would have coasted to a title.   Kobe on the Cavs with scrubs like Mo Williams and Delonte West is a total debacle.  People forget Kobe winning 34 games in 05 when he had a team like that.  Bron consistently lead his team of nobodies to relevancy.  

In the last 3 years in games the Cavs played without LeBron they were 1-14.   Look it up.

Lakers were 6-3 with Kobe sitting last year.  They are still a [dang] good team without him (since in reality Pau Gasol is the driving-force of that squad's success)

[ScoobyDoo]

It's kind of like KG in Minny, same exact thing. I think any superstar if you tear it down and start building a customized teram around the guy and he sees the light at the end of the tunnel rather than a revolving door of band aid veterans, he'll stay.

In contract to Cleveland's management, loo at the job that's been done with Kevin Durant and the great young nucleus of players around him; he just signed a five year extension...

I guarantee you if Lebron had that young nucleus, he stays and fights.

I am no LeBron fan either, can't stand him. Just calling it like it is.

The only thing equal to the disgusting display of ego & narcisism I saw yesterday from Lebron, is the abject failure of the the Cavs management to put together a good strategy of building around this kid.

Here's the catch...while I understand wanting to give LeBron talent right away with vets when he was a rookie...LeBron had no out from his rookie contract. So if you did your job right in the lottery the next 2-3 seasons and just landed one legit running mate, two sloid guys and then some good vets, your team is stacked and Brony would have forgotten about the misery of the 1st 2-3 years anyway because they'd be rolling.   

[ScoobyDoo]

I agree that LeBron has never really had that one legit wing man yet.

While the Cavs blew it, the nature of LeBron's departure is still inexcusable and for it he's as much of a tool bag as Gilbert appears to be.

[jdpapa3]

When's the last time in history a team has won with a player the caliber of Mo Williams as their second best player?

It's hard to tell if Lebron had a huge say in who they signed or traded for, but even if he did, that is ownership/management's fault for giving him too much control when it is their job to evaluate players and fits.

[timpiker]

Hey - quit making excuses for Prince James....  the Cavs spent all kinds of money on him and he punked out and quit on the team and then quit on the state....  may Prince James rot in hell

[Eja117]

When's the last time in history a team has won with a player the caliber of Mo Williams as their second best player?

It's hard to tell if Lebron had a huge say in who they signed or traded for, but even if he did, that is ownership/management's fault for giving him too much control when it is their job to evaluate players and fits.

Tim Duncan did it two or three times.

Hakeem did it with Robert Horry and Sam Cassell before Clyde Drexler showed up the next year.

[Fafnir]

When's the last time in history a team has won with a player the caliber of Mo Williams as their second best player?

It's hard to tell if Lebron had a huge say in who they signed or traded for, but even if he did, that is ownership/management's fault for giving him too much control when it is their job to evaluate players and fits.

Tim Duncan did it two or three times.

Hakeem did it with Robert Horry and Sam Cassell before Clyde Drexler showed up the next year.

Manu, David Robinson, and Tony Parker are were better players than Mo Williams by a wide margin. (at the respective points when TD won the title)

[Fafnir]

Hey - quit making excuses for Prince James....  the Cavs spent all kinds of money on him and he punked out and quit on the team and then quit on the state....  may Prince James rot in hell

Spending money in and of itself doesn't help a team win.

Look at the Isiah Thomas Knicks!

The Cavs tried, you have to credit them for that. But ultimately they did not assemble quality teams around LeBron.