The Lebron saga

[Cedric]

Get your facts straight. He never wanted to be traded to the Clippers, when he was a free agent he met with the Clippers (as well as the Bulls), but he never wanted to be traded to the Clipper.

After Kobe re-signed with the Lakers and they traded Shaq, the Lakers went no playoffs, 7 seed, 7 seed the next three years. He then wanted to be traded because they weren't getting him any help, to which the Lakers responded by getting him help. Once they got him help, he was fine.

LeBron was the 1 seed in the east the last two years, and blew it in the playoffs. He then left town to go ride the coat tails of Wade. Nobody will "forget" this if Miami wins, because it won't be LeBron's team, it will be Wade's team. If LeBron would have went to Chicago, he would still be hated by Cleveland, but he would have nowhere near the national hate he got now. He basically he admitted he couldn't win a title as the #1 guy, so he's going to Miami to play 2nd fiddle to Wade. That's just the way it is.

There's no doubt Kobe had his issues too, but he never just completely sissy'd out like LeBron just did. Not to mention the fact that Kobe didn't bail on his hometown team, hold an hour special to announce his decision, or hold a WWE event after he signed.

Any chance LeBron had of ever being in MJ's or Kobe's status went out the window when he went to Miami. He is now, at best Scottie Pippen. It's Wade's teams, and that isn't going to change.

With that being said, this LeBron fiasco has elevated Kobe's career even more. I'm not sure there's a time in his career (even back in the afro, pre-rape accusation days) when he was more liked than he is now, and if he can knock of the 3 idiots in South Florida, it will elevate his status even more.

His "status" is enhanced only through the eyes of people with no memory or just LeBron "haters".

Plenty of people know the truth about Kobe and how bad of a person/teammate the guy really is.

[westofyou]

Mose Malone joined the Doctor, he must have not wanted to be the man too eh?

[reds44]

His "status" is enhanced only through the eyes of people with no memory or just LeBron "haters".

Plenty of people know the truth about Kobe and how bad of a person/teammate the guy really is.

You do realize 95% of people outside of Miami-Dade County are now LeBron haters don't you? I've never seen an individual athelte more widely disliked than him, with the exception of Barry Bonds.

And sure, if by "the truth" you mean "your opinon" we can go with that. You never hear a bad word out of any of Kobe's teammates about him now a days. LeBron was supposedly a great teammate, but we found out that he quit on his team in the Boston series and then bailed on an entire region to go to South Beach. Shows how much opinons mean, not much.

There is no Kobe/LeBron debate anymore though. LeBron settled that one four days ago.

[bucksfan2]

They each had a burning desire to beat the others. Larry and Magic had great respect for each other but they both took great pride in beating each other on the court. Beating the best the league had to offer was part of what drove those guys. I agree in that they never would have considered joining forces.

To some extent there is a certain kinship that comes from being a great player. They all have a burning desire to win and to beat each other. Once they set foot on the court they would beat the snot out of each other in order to win the game. That said once the game ended and all was said and done there was a mutual friendship out of respect that was formed. And I agree completely in that beating the best is what drove them to get better.

I guess it is what I find odd, and what I think LeBron lacks. He doesn't want to have "his" championship team. He doesn't want to lead "his" team to the championship. He wants a championship without having to be "the man". He wants the easy championship instead of the one that is hard.

I have no issue with very good players joining good teams at the end of their run. I didn't have an issue with Payton or Malone joining the Lakers for one last chance. You just don't often see the best players in their prime make the kind of move LeBron did.

[BRM]

You just don't often see the best players in their prime make the kind of move LeBron did.

I agree but woy does point out a pretty good exception in Moses Malone. He was in his prime when he went to Philadelphia to play with Erving.

[reds44]

Maybe LeBron just never wanted to be one of the greats. Maybe he didn't have that burning desire. It's a shame, because he may be the most phsycially gifted player in NBA history. Something is missing, though.

[Cedric]

You do realize 95% of people outside of Miami-Dade County are now LeBron haters don't you? I've never seen an individual athelte more widely disliked than him, with the exception of Barry Bonds.

And sure, if by "the truth" you mean "your opinon" we can go with that. You never hear a bad word out of any of Kobe's teammates about him now a days. LeBron was supposedly a great teammate, but we found out that he quit on his team in the Boston series and then bailed on an entire region to go to South Beach. Shows how much opinons mean, not much.

There is no Kobe/LeBron debate anymore though. LeBron settled that one four days ago.

95% really? Just wait until they win. You must be young or just don't realize the way of the world. People pile on and then build the guy up even bigger than before. That's how ESPN and the media work these days.

Kobe is actually a perfect example for what happens when someone just wins. LeBron and anything he did wrong will be forgotten.

[bucksfan2]

Maybe LeBron just never wanted to be one of the greats. Maybe he didn't have that burning desire. It's a shame, because he may be the most phsycially gifted player in NBA history. Something is missing, though.

See I would be perfectly fine with that. I didn't have an issue with the way Jr. was. He was the superstar who never wanted to be. He didn't want the pressure on his shoulders. He just wanted to go out, play, and have fun. He didn't want all the press and media and actually I liked that about him.

But guys who don't want to be greats don't proclaim themselves "the chosen one". They don't call themselves "king james". They don't hold an hour long special to say where he is going to play next. Its almost like he is saying "I want to be the man but when the game is on the line I want someone else taking that shot."

[reds44]

See I would be perfectly fine with that. I didn't have an issue with the way Jr. was. He was the superstar who never wanted to be. He didn't want the pressure on his shoulders. He just wanted to go out, play, and have fun. He didn't want all the press and media and actually I liked that about him.

But guys who don't want to be greats don't proclaim themselves "the chosen one". They don't call themselves "king james". They don't hold an hour long special to say where he is going to play next. Its almost like he is saying "I want to be the man but when the game is on the line I want someone else taking that shot."

Oh I agree with you. I hate LeBron.

[reds44]

95% really? Just wait until they win. You must be young or just don't realize the way of the world. People pile on and then build the guy up even bigger than before. That's how ESPN and the media work these days.

Kobe is actually a perfect example for what happens when someone just wins. LeBron and anything he did wrong will be forgotten.

They are completely different situations. Nobody is going to respect LeBron if he wins in Miami. It doesn't matter. It will always be seen as he had to go play second fiddle to Wade to win. And if they don't win? He'll never hear the end of it. It's a lose lose for him.

Kobe never had the respect he has now until he won one without Shaq. That's a fact.

[dabvu2498]

Any chance LeBron had of ever being in MJ's or Kobe's status went out the window when he went to Miami. He is now, at best Scottie Pippen. It's Wade's teams, and that isn't going to change.

So Scottie Pippen also won 2 MVP awards and ranks 3rd in NBA history in career scoring average?

Yeah, yeah... I know what the retort will be... it's all about team success... Well what LeBron provides is far more valuable to his team than what a guy like Pippen provided. And that's no knock on Pipp. Heck of a player.

[reds44]

So Scottie Pippen also won 2 MVP awards and ranks 3rd in NBA history in career scoring average?

Yeah, yeah... I know what the retort will be... it's all about team success... Well what LeBron provides is far more valuable to his team than what a guy like Pippen provided. And that's no knock on Pipp. Heck of a player.

Steve Nash won two MVPs, how we lookin? LeBron's scoring average is going to go down in Miami, I gurantee that.

And no, LeBron hasn't been more "valuable" at anything. He hasn't won anything. He wins a lot of regular season games, that's about it. He has as many wins in the finals as me and you do.

[reds44]

If LeBron would have stayed in Cleveland and won some titles, he would have been a hero in that city for the rest of his life, and probably one of the greatest players ever.

He just completely pissed all over himself with his decision to go to Miami and with the way he handled it.

[dabvu2498]

Steve Nash won two MVPs, how we lookin?

Lookin like the best PG of a generation.

LeBron's scoring average is going to go down in Miami, I gurantee that.

I'd say he'll be ok with that.

And no, LeBron hasn't been more "valuable" at anything. He hasn't won anything. He wins a lot of regular season games, that's about it. He has as many wins in the finals as me and you do.

That's the whole point of this! That's why he made the move! It's selfish. We get it. He wants to win. Going to Miami gave him the best chance at that. It's really that simple. I really don't see why non-Cavs fans are holding such a grudge over this.

And even Cavs fans, if he had never come to Cleveland (thanks ping-pong balls), they'd likely still be pining over Larry Hughes, DaJuan Wagner, and DeSagna Diop.

[BRM]

I really don't see why non-Cavs fans are holding such a grudge over this.

Are they "holding a grudge" because he left for Miami or are they upset at the way he went about it?