Official NBA thread

[jacksonianmarch]

suns, why would he want to stay in such a shithole of a city. A city so bad, that no other FAs wanted to go there. Once Bosh denied the sign and trade, the writing was on the wall. Lebron cannot win it alone, and Cleveland essentially guaranteed that he'd try and win it alone

[Palodios]

He won two mvp trophies with Cleveland. He got them to the playoffs when clearly no one else would have gotten them there. He made the decision that will give him the most titles because he simply couldn't get any in Cleveland.

[jacksonianmarch]

Also, Cleveland goes from being the beast of the east to being one of the worst teams in basketball

[redsoxrules]

I bet Cleveland barely wins 40 games next year, if they even that much

[redsoxrules]

so I wonder how long the term will be on this

[suns]

the cavs are still good...mo, west, moon, jamison, and ?

[jacksonianmarch]

suns, the cavs suck balls now and will be in the lottery

[jacksonianmarch]

Mario Chalmers slides into the starting PG role with Dwyane Wade at the SG, Lebron at SF, Bosh at PF and Beasley as the 6th man. They just need a big who can stand in the paint. Plus, I like their draft picks especially in the roles they'll be manning now. Dude, this Heat team is gonna challenge Chicago's regular season record

[italstallianion]

They have a few big men in the form of 2nd round draft picks. They got Dexter Pittman out of Texas, as well as Jarvis Varnado (NCAA blocks leader) out of Mississippi State.

[redsoxrules]

This Miami team is going to be SICK

 

good luck on the opposing team on defense LOL

[Keeper]

Could have been the heir to His Airness... how disappointing. I think Carmello will join the Knicks next season. He and Amare and a few other pieces could make some noise. I hope they do because I will not be rooting for LeBron.

[italstallianion]

Hopefully Chris Paul or Tony Parker aren't involved.

[yeszir]

And I go back to not being a basketball fan

[See Red]

Mario Chalmers slides into the starting PG role with Dwyane Wade at the SG' date=' Lebron at SF, Bosh at PF and Beasley as the 6th man. They just need a big who can stand in the paint. Plus, I like their draft picks especially in the roles they'll be manning now. Dude, this Heat team is gonna challenge Chicago's regular season record[/quote']

 

Beasley's being traded to the T-Wolves for a 2nd rounder. They had to move him to make room for these three... it's going to be Wade, Bosh, Lebron, Chalmers, and a bunch of league minimum guys.

 

I see them around 50-55 wins, probably not winning the East.

 

I think this just about proves that Lebron James isn't wired like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, as I mention when the three are ever compared. Coming off of a huge post season choke, he cops out and joins two of the League's best players instead of building something himself. And for what it's worth, the Heat are still Dwyane Wade's team.

 

Like I said, when he wins one or two or three, it'll be "That's great, but he needed Wade and Bosh to do it, and couldn't really get close without them" (again, he got within four within, but that was hardly "close"). And if he doesn't win? "He couldn't even win with D-Wade and Bosh!"

 

By the way, why does anybody like this guy? Between this and the way he acts after every basket he scores, his arrogance is astounding. He just pissed on his "home" city on National Television. If Kobe acted this way... oh boy.

 

Great players brought out the best in Jordan -- they made him want to prove his greatness. He didn't join them to try and pave an easier road to a Title.

[redsoxrules]

Beasley's being traded to the T-Wolves for a 2nd rounder. They had to move him to make room for these three... it's going to be Wade, Bosh, Lebron, Chalmers, and a bunch of league minimum guys.

 

I see them around 50-55 wins, probably not winning the East.

 

I think this just about proves that Lebron James isn't wired like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, as I mention when the three are ever compared. Coming off of a huge post season choke, he cops out and joins two of the League's best players instead of building something himself. And for what it's worth, the Heat are still Dwyane Wade's team.

 

Like I said, when he wins one or two or three, it'll be "That's great, but he needed Wade and Bosh to do it, and couldn't really get close without them" (again, he got within four within, but that was hardly "close"). And if he doesn't win? "He couldn't even win with D-Wade and Bosh!"

 

By the way, why does anybody like this guy? Between this and the way he acts after every basket he scores, his arrogance is astounding. He just pissed on his "home" city on National Television. If Kobe acted this way... oh boy.

 

Great players brought out the best in Jordan -- they made him want to prove his greatness. He didn't join them to try and pave an easier road to a Title.

 

Cleveland wasent going anywhere . I bet if the Lakers didn't make the moves that was needed a few years back Kobe would of been gone from LA himself .

 

and I rather watch LeBron playing than kobe .

all Kobe does is complain to the refs , its soooo anoying watching him play . he just bitches and wines until he gets his way

 

and pissed on his city ? oh please , the GM can take the blame for that for not making the moves needed around him .

[Keeper]

I think this just about proves that Lebron James isn't wired like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, as I mention when the three are ever compared. Coming off of a huge post season choke, he cops out and joins two of the League's best players instead of building something himself. And for what it's worth, the Heat are still Dwyane Wade's team.

 

Great players brought out the best in Jordan -- they made him want to prove his greatness. He didn't join them to try and pave an easier road to a Title.

 

I strongly disagreed with you about comparing Kobe to MJ, but this perfectly encapsulates how I feel. I give Kobe credit. He would never "pussy out" like this. His competitive nature is far more like MJ's than LeBron. They asked McHale if Bird would have ever considered playing with Magic to win a championship. He politely and in a roundabout way said no. NWIH he would have, IMO.

[See Red]

Cleveland wasent going anywhere . I bet if the Lakers didn't make the moves that was needed a few years back Kobe would of been gone from LA himself .

 

and I rather watch LeBron playing than kobe .

all Kobe does is complain to the refs , its soooo anoying watching him play . he just bitches and wines until he gets his way

 

and pissed on his city ? oh please , the GM can take the blame for that for not making the moves needed around him .

 

Lebron certainly has a funner game to watch than Kobe. Kobe's also six years older, often plays hurt, and has had to adjust his game. If you needed to pick a player for one series... you'd be foolish to take Lebron over Kobe. And Kobe's intent was never to leave the Lakers -- he used his opting out as leverage. He said it scared him how well of a fit he would've been for the Clippers.

 

What moves should they have made? When they picked up Jamison they became the clear cut favorites to win the East, remember? At the time everybody thought Mo Williams was a great pickup. His surrounding cast wasn't as bad as everybody makes it out to be. They might still make the playoffs this year without Lebron.

 

By the way, the dislike isn't for Lebron as a player. It's the arrogance to have a "Chosen 1" tattoo on your back and refer to yourself in third person as King James, to jump and flex and stare and pose after every basket you make, to approach ESPN about having a one hour special to announce where you're signing... when you've never come close to a championship*... and then to cop out and take the easy road to winning one. You're so great? Embrace playing against the best players the league has to offer... don't join them.

 

*And yeah, when he went to the Finals, that wasn't close. It was a slaughter because all the good teams were in the West.

 

And it looks even worse when you see a guy who some would prefer to have over Lebron sign a huge extension with Oklahoma City and announce it quietly over Twitter.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

f*** yeah! Miami Heat now have Wade,Bosh,and LeBron.Never been a big fan of LeBron but if he can help us win a championship then i'm down.Currently the only Miami team that does decent.About to get those season tickets and i pray to god they get my idol since i was a kid Allen Iverson.They got rid of Beasley so it can happen.Come on Pat Riley just make one more move and get my boy a championship.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

I think this just about proves that Lebron James isn't wired like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant' date=' as I mention when the three are ever compared. Coming off of a huge post season choke, he cops out and joins two of the League's best players instead of building something himself. And for what it's worth, the Heat are still Dwyane Wade's team.[/quote']

 

Lol @ 'cop out'. He was sick of getting no help in Cleveland, wanted to win, and so he did something about it. You people just love to grasp at straws.

 

Like I said, when he wins one or two or three, it'll be "That's great, but he needed Wade and Bosh to do it, and couldn't really get close without them" (again, he got within four within, but that was hardly "close"). And if he doesn't win? "He couldn't even win with D-Wade and Bosh!"

 

No, if he wins two or three titles, it'll be 'he won two or three titles'. NOBODY HAS EVER WON AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BY THEMSELVES. f***, if you want to go this route, why not put asterisk next to all of Bird's, Russell's, and Magic's rings? They had an entire cast of HOFers right by their side. Oops.

 

By the way, why does anybody like this guy? Between this and the way he acts after every basket he scores, his arrogance is astounding. He just pissed on his "home" city on National Television. If Kobe acted this way... oh boy.

 

I like him. Nothing wrong with what he did. Cleveland's just proving themselves to be a bunch of sore loser divas. If Shaq acted this way, nobody would give a flying s***.

 

Great players brought out the best in Jordan -- they made him want to prove his greatness. He didn't join them to try and pave an easier road to a Title.

 

Jordan was with a franchise that was willing to give him more help than Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison, and an old Shaq. All third or fourth options on a true title contender.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

All of the players you mentioned were the clear front men of their teams.

 

Kareem and Magic were on the same team and won five rings together, Einstein.

 

Chicago has a crappy talent spread? Whatever.

 

Yeah. They traded the one guy who would have a good guard compliment to James in Kirk Hinrich, because he can actually shoot. You seriously want to surround LeBron, who would be the facilitator (it's the role he thrives in), to be surrounded by guys like Derrick Rose and Luol Deng, who would never be able to adequately space the floor? Sounds like a great way to carry on the Cavs' legacy of failure.

 

Go fail an accounting class or something, you little emo dipshit.

 

I failed accounting (the first time), and even I can grasp this concept. Your head is firmly buried in Chicago's anal cavity, so you can't.

 

Shut the f*** up, man. You're an idiot.

 

Lebron to the Heat is a mistake. It's a no-win as far as his legacy concerned. He wins, its because he needed to play with two other superstars to do it. He doesn't win? He couldn't even do it playing with two superstars.

 

Larry Bird and Magic Johnson each needed two other superstars to do it. But please, keep trying.

 

People just finally started shutting up about Kobe needing Shaq to win titles.

 

So now it needs to be renewed, with this whole 'wow labron suks lol he needed bettr playrz then mo williams anton jamizin and a 90 yr old SHAQ to win teh title lol' routine.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

What the hell is this about. It better stop immediately.

Why? No personal attacks in there buddy.

[TheMino007]

Those won't work out like the C's big three b/c all these guys are still young and still in the primes of their careers. But who gives a damn, this team will be stacked, if this team doesn't get the Finals is an absolute joke. Heat-Lakers will still be a damn good series. I'm surprised LBJ decided to join "Wade's Team". To some it will seem like LeBron went to another mans to team to get his ring and couldn't do it on his own. I hate to see how badly he is bashed if this trio can't bring in at least one title during their tenure

 

I think this first year will be a feeling out year for the Heat, for probably the first couple of months I could see the having some issues dividing up the shots and figuring out who gets the ball when. But when that team meshes, watch out. They will win 60-65 games next year and will lose in the Finals to the Lakers. But the year after, I'm saying they could win at least 70 if not break the 72 win regular season record. Thats when the championships will starting coming into Miami.

[redsoxrules]

Cleveland GM is pissed

 

CLEVELAND -- Angered and betrayed by LeBron James' decision to leave for Miami, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert accused the NBA's MVP of quitting during the playoffs.

 

Gilbert, who posted a letter to Cavs fans on the team's website shortly after James announced his plans to sign with the Heat, told The Associated Press late Thursday night that it's "accountability time" for James.

 

"He has gotten a free pass," Gilbert said in a phone interview with The AP. "People have

covered up for (James) for way too long . Tonight we saw who he really is

 

 

Gilbert said James quit on the Cavs during their second-round series against the Boston Celtics, who rallied from a 2-1 deficit to eliminate Cleveland.

 

"He quit," Gilbert said. "Not just in Game 5, but in Games 2, 4 and 6. Watch the tape. The Boston series was unlike anything in the history of sports for a superstar."

 

The Cavaliers were beaten by 32 points in Game 5. During the game, James appeared distracted and uninterested, often glaring at Cleveland's coaches as the Cavs tried to foul to get back into the game in the second half. James also made some puzzling postgame comments, saying he had "spoiled" people with his play over seven seasons.

 

Gilbert also said he believes James quit on the Cavs in Game 6 of their series in 2009 against Orlando.

 

"Go back and look at the tape," he said. "How many shots did he take?"

 

Gilbert, who has owned the Cavs for five years, said he was most disappointed by James' behavior in the months leading up to the superstar's announcement that he is going to Miami to play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Gilbert said James never returned a single phone message or text since the end of the season and that the Cavs were not informed of James' decision until he went on the air.

 

Gilbert said Rich Paul, one of James' business partners, called the Cavs moments before the announcement.

 

"LeBron James needs to go to another team with two superstars already so he can win a championship," Gilbert said. "We will win a championship before [the Heat] do."

 

Gilbert said he now wishes he had done some things differently with James, who spent seven seasons with the Cavs.

 

"It's not about him leaving," Gilbert said. "It's the disrespect. It's time for people to hold these athletes accountable for their actions. Is this the way you raise your children? I've been holding this all in for a long time."

 

In Miami, Wade said he was stunned by Gilbert's comments.

 

"I think I'm happy that I have the owner that I have here in Miami," Wade told The Associated Press late Thursday night. "I'm happy Micky Arison is my owner. I couldn't believe it. I'm speechless. It's very unfortunate and I think it makes LeBron that much better about his decision.

 

"We knew 'Bron would take some backlash," Wade added in his interview with AP. "I told him he's a strong man for it."

 

In the letter posted on the Cavaliers' website Gilbert called the process on James' free agency "narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his 'decision' unlike anything ever 'witnessed' in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment."

 

Gilbert told Cavs fans: "You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

 

"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER 'KING' WINS ONE"

 

Gilbert promised that "curse" on Cleveland sports would follow James to Miami.

 

"The self-declared former 'King' will be taking the 'curse' with him down south," Gilbert wrote. "And until he does 'right' by Cleveland and Ohio, James [and the town where he plays] will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma."

 

Gilbert finished the letter by promising to put his focus on bringing a championship to Cleveland with the Cavaliers.

 

"I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

 

"DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue...."

 

 

 

Sorry Gilbert but there's no way in hell the Cavs win a championship before the Heat

[suns]

I love what he said!!

[Palodios]

What an ass. Seriously Gilbert, he gave 7 prime years to the team, and the team gave him nothing.

[suns]

He also said on WKNR that he who shall not be named gave up in the playoffs and not only game 5. He also gave up in 2,4,5, and 6.

[italstallianion]

The Cleveland GM should be a speech writer. I might not agree exactly with what he has to say, but the man is good with words.

[Rdsxmbnt]

He also said on WKNR that he who shall not be named gave up in the playoffs and not only game 5. He also gave up in 2' date='4,5, and 6.[/quote']

 

He didn't give up, the Celtics just shut him down

[yeszir]

The Cleveland GM should be a speech writer. I might not agree exactly with what he has to say' date=' but the man is good with words.[/quote']

 

Over reliance on capitalization and a few grammatical mistakes. I am NOT impressed.

[italstallianion]

Over reliance on capitalization and a few grammatical mistakes. I am NOT impressed.

 

 

 

You can say the same about Kanye West, and people love to hear him rant.