Wait - what did he do that makes him a hypocrite? Didn't he more or less do the exact same thing as when he went to Miami in the first place? Seems like the entire process was pretty similar.
Exactly. He said in the Essay and other times over the last 4 years that the way he left Cleveland was wrong, even if the decision to leave was correct. So instead of leaving in the stand up, honest way that he himself claimed to be the "right" way, he pulled the same sneaky, passive aggressive BS that he did when he left Cleveland. And the Essay was really no different from the Decision, except it was printed instead of being on tv. Just like the TV show, it was a celebration of LeBron and why he is so special. Except this time, since the national media liked his choice rather than hating it, he received 100% praise. So, yeah, he's a hypocrite. Enjoy your new super team.
Yeah I'm kind of surprised he hasn't gotten more push back on how he handled this. I know I've said it on here before, but one of the worst parts of The Decision was that he waited so long it left the Cavs in limbo. By the time he made a decision they were stuck with that roster and had to endure that awful year. He did the same thing to the Heat in the sense that if he left right away, they could've made different moves and planned much better. Of course, the Heat still have Wade and Bosh - and Deng is hopefully a good addition. So it's not quite as drastic, haha. I think that's a big difference - when LeBron and Bosh left their cities, they left Cleveland and Toronto in ruins. Miami is still a top 4-5 team in the East and Minnesota got Wiggins, so there's no major victim compared to the way it went down last time.
I realize this is the most ridiculous thing to complain about EVER - But I'm still not a huge fan of LeBron and I really hate the idea of super teams in the NBA. Having both on the Cavs is a weird feeling. Obviously I'm excited to be good again, but it's weird to cheer for a team like this. I feel way less emotionally invested in this super team than I did in last year's awful team for some reason.
I guess, but the Heat certainly would've done things differently had they known LeBron was leaving sooner. First things first, they would've had more time to work on Bosh regarding getting him to take a discount, especially if that discount brought Lowry or an offer sheet for Greg Monroe. And I can pretty much guarantee Danny Granger and McBob wouldn't have been the first guys they signed. But whatever. What's done is done. When you do business with LeBron, this is the deal you make. He is going to screw you over at some point. He will probably do it again to the Cavs in a few years, particularly if things don't go quite as planned.
I felt exactly the same way when Lebron joined Miami with Bosh.. People around the league assumed it would be the greatest feeling in the world to be a fan of such a team, but in reality it takes time to fall in love with a team and to this day I still prefer the exciting 2003-2004 squad over the super team.
Personally, I don't think they're ever going to win a title. Not enough depth. But the expectation level should be a championship. You don't make that trade for Kevin Love and form the current core unless the expectation is a championship right NOW. Will be interesting to see how this team is covered.
Disagree. They've got much better depth than the 2010-2011 Heat did. Skolnick had a great article about this today. Even allowing that their Big 3 is not as good (Current Irving doesn't hold a candle to prime 2010 Wade), we were giving significant minutes to the likes of Joel Anthony and Carlos Arroyo. James Jones was 5th in minutes on that squad. The Cavs are 10 deep. Now some of those guys are still unproven like Thompson, but they're loaded. Irving/Waiters/LJ/Love/Varaejo, with Miller, Thompson, Marion as your top 8, with potentially Ray Allen being your 9th guy is a loaded team. They'll be thin up front but so were the Heat. They should be the favorites and if they don;t win this year it will be a monumental failure. It won't be covered that way, and one title there will get spun as far more important than the two won here, but in the real world, that ESPN doesn't run, the Cavs should win 3 of the next 4.
I disagree for a variety of reasons, including the citation of the 2010-11 Heat as some sort of proof that you don't need depth to win a title—that team didn't win a title—yet going on to talk about how the Cavs are deep despite comparing them to a deep team. Don't agree with the mental gymnastics going on here. Yes, the Cavs should be favorites to at least come out of the East now. Yes, it's championship or bust. But they won't have the intense media pressure driving them. And that's BS.
That is the only thing that bothers me. I doubt that Jason Whitlock will write a "Trade Kevin Love" article 5 games into this season. (YES...a Trade Bosh article from fattie appeared 5 games into season 1) I wish I was making that up.
they will rebound well but their interior defense is below average at best. And if Verajao gets hurt (hes usually good for an injury every year), good luck with that. Sorry Phi and Stitches, but I wish LeFraud nothing but failure.
The cavs should be favorites only if Rose isnt the same. A healthy Rose/Noah/Pau will win that series imo.
In a draft....with a healthy Rose/Noah/Pau..it goes: Bron, Love, Rose, Noah, Irving, Pau. Cavs are more talented. You really gotta think that the Cavs are gonna be horrific defensively.
In reality, the Cavs real test will come during the playoffs. Offensive Juggernauts (These Cavs are that) are built to win big in the reg. season. The Heat won 54 last year without trying. When they did try, they won 66 and 27 in a row with every team in the league giving them their BEST shot.
Id take a good big over a good small. I like Kyrie a lot but Id take Pau's experience til proven otherwise. And I do think the Cavs interior D will blow.
That is key. Chris Bosh might be the best P&R defensive big man in the NBA...and the best defensive PF overall..period. Kevin Love...well.........
So the Cleveland is going to start calling themselves "The Land"? I like the Heatles better as far as obnoxious self-appointed nicknames go....
not for nothing, I think you can make a strong case for Noah as the best defender in the game. If anyone can take away Love it may be him. Pau is a better defender as a 5 nowadays not a 4. They can also still use Taj since the cavs dont really have a real post up C (as a lot of teams don't). I'm not sure that series would be simply about pure talent so much as it would be about one teams ability to play defense. But again it all comes back to roses health. That team is nowhere without him.
How inept will the Bulls offense be when a D.Rose coming off two surgeries is trying to will that team to 90 points, with LeBron James guarding him?? Cavs in 5 vs Chi. A team like the Wizards can score with Cleveland at times. I see a Cavs/ Thunder final
If the Heat and Cavs played in the second round, would that be the biggest non-Finals playoff series ever? Maybe Jordan's first playoff series coming off retirement was bigger, but other than that.... It might outrate the Finals, particularly if the Spurs are invovled
Here's the thing - the media made a big deal out of title or bust in year one and when the Heat failed, they all pointed fingers and freaked out. Then the Heat came back and won two in a row. So maybe the Cavs aren't going to have as much media pressure because we just went through this 4 years ago and people like Whitlock don't want to look like idiots again. Just seems like we're acknowledging those expectations were really stupid while also demanding they continue.
I think they can be average. They were more or less average last year, and added LeBron and Marion. Love is an AWFUL help defender, but isn't a bad on the ball. Same with Dion. And Tristan. Andy is a great PnR defender. Kyrie is...let's just not talk about it. Kinda depends on what sort of system we see from Blatt. Guys like LeBron, Dion, Marion, Tristan, Andy should all be decent defenders. Gotta see how he uses them before I freak out too much.
Heat should have won at least the first 3. So, the Cavs should be held to the same standard. And the lack of those ridiculous expectations has nothing to do with the media not wanting to look stupid. They want to celebrate this Cavs team, while they wanted to tear down the Heat. It's why I brought up the point about a potential Heat-Cavs playoff series. Normally, the narrative would be such that casual fans would root for the "scorned" team. I guarantee you that Cleveland will be cheered like no other team if that series happens
Even average isn't going to cut it in the playoffs. Heat had slipped to average last year and you saw what happened in the Finals
Wilbon and Kornheiser ripped Miami Fans again yesterday..... This time they used Giancarlo Stanton as their vehicle to rip us.
I didn't say that they would be horrific. I said that Boik had to think they were gonna be horrific to think they would not out finish Chicago. I think they need to be top 6 to 8 to win a title. it's just what history has told us. I do however think they will be very good offensively. Maybe just as good as last year's Heat team. The 12' and 13' Heat team? Nobody in History was better, so that is a stretch. IMO, if they are healthy....The East is locked up, and they can beat anybody except the Spurs and a healthy OKC. THIS IS KEY: If Cleveland does not win a Championship with this incarnation of the Cavs..then the Curse is REAL.
Oh..and Broussard says that the Heat of the last 4 years does not deserve any historical consideration as a "great team". Yeah..they hate us..they really hate us.
How Lebby got suspended for a billboard but Wilbon is allowed to prattle on and on about Miami fans is beyond me, and tells you all you need to know about ESPN. And Stanton has no issue with Miami or the fans, he has a problem with management and ownership, which nobody can really blame him for. And I guarantee that if and when the Marlins trade him, he will thank the fans. Unlike old so and so. I think Wade's wedding is next week. Please, somebody leak the seating chart. I need to see how uncomfortable this situation will be.
When did he say that? It's ridiculous. We have to slobber the Spurs (deservedly so) but they've won 5 titles in 15 years. The Heat's won 3, and made five finals in 7. It's essentially the same run. We just didn't have all the same players.
At this point, Miami teams should be bad boys like the classic Canes. If they're going to hate us, let's deserve it.
