what the shit is going on!!! Sources say Knicks, various outlets say Miami, TMZ says Knicks, I say Cleveland… What the SHIT!!! GD it Bron Bron you’ve got the entire world scratching their heads! We’re all whacked off! Damn you LeBron… DAAAAAAAAAAMN YOOOOOUUUUU!!!
.greg.
also, if he does in fact leave Cleveland I hope he never wins a ring. Maybe just loses in the Finals a few times… ohhh so close but so far away! Muuaaawahahahahahahah!
.greg.
[quote]lavi wrote:
I don’t see whats wrong with “colluding” to be part of a winning team. Personally, I find that to be more admirable than chasing $.
Also, I know they’re young millionaires and always have a choice to not play, but I think it sucks to not be able to choose what city you play for (and basically have to live in for at least half the year).[/quote]
Because prior to this unprecedented aligning of a superior free agent class with a number of teams with a ton of cap room, teams were built over a period of years with drafts, trades and developing players. Although I do not think a championship is as easy as plugging in two superstars together, the machinations that are occurring is exactly what they are trying to achieve. And don’t fool yourself; they may appear to be forsaking money, but only on the “front end”. They will make up the “lost” money on endorsements if they win a championship. Some great players in that league chased and never achieved a championship - now you have a few guys trying to construct their own “dream team” and shortcut what has always been a pretty steep mountain to climb. As this plays out, they may not achieve their goal. However, the process was somewhat repugnant to me, particularly as to Lebron. They have put pieces around him. He came up short. Now he wants to take shortcut (or so it appears, until we know his decision). Fortunately for fans (and the integrity of the game), as whiteflash pointed out, putting together a championship team is a bit more complicated than plugging in two star players.
just wait until tomorrow lol
I didn’t reread but after Heat resigned Wade and snagged Bosh I think LeBron would be a fool not to go there as well. It would be the team to beat. Sure ego is big and Cleveland or even NY can give him an ego boost. But the biggest ego boost to these guys is a championship ring.
Who the fuck cares if you’re MVP of a team that didn’t even make it to the Semifinals? Nobody.
If he does go to Miami they should change the name to the Miami Ghidras and this would be the new logo lol.
[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
[quote]lavi wrote:
I don’t see whats wrong with “colluding” to be part of a winning team. Personally, I find that to be more admirable than chasing $.
Also, I know they’re young millionaires and always have a choice to not play, but I think it sucks to not be able to choose what city you play for (and basically have to live in for at least half the year).[/quote]
Because prior to this unprecedented aligning of a superior free agent class with a number of teams with a ton of cap room, teams were built over a period of years with drafts, trades and developing players. Although I do not think a championship is as easy as plugging in two superstars together, the machinations that are occurring is exactly what they are trying to achieve. And don’t fool yourself; they may appear to be forsaking money, but only on the “front end”. They will make up the “lost” money on endorsements if they win a championship. Some great players in that league chased and never achieved a championship - now you have a few guys trying to construct their own “dream team” and shortcut what has always been a pretty steep mountain to climb. As this plays out, they may not achieve their goal. However, the process was somewhat repugnant to me, particularly as to Lebron. They have put pieces around him. He came up short. Now he wants to take shortcut (or so it appears, until we know his decision). Fortunately for fans (and the integrity of the game), as whiteflash pointed out, putting together a championship team is a bit more complicated than plugging in two star players. [/quote]
Gotta agree with BG here. Look at the early 90’s Knicks as an example. Ewing was the star of the team, and they continually put players around him to help them get past the Bulls. Stole Oakley as an enforcer. Signed “the Jordan stopper” in Gerald Wilkins. Then signed Starks. And Mason. And Charles Smith. And… My point is, Ewing could’ve gone anywhere, but didn’t. He was committed to the organization, and they were committed to him. They kept bringing in pieces to help him, but never quite got it. Their best chance they ran into an Olajuwon led Rockets team and couldn’t do it. Such is life. So far, the Cav’s have bent over backwards to give James what he’s asked for, and he can’t produce. Now, whether he leaves or not, he’s stringing teams along and coming across as an unbelievably arrogant spoiled brat who knows he can’t do it alone but is unwilling to share the spotlight. The “superstars” of yesteryear would never have acted like such divas, at least not publicly or to this degree. The irony in all of this is that James is more concerned about his image than anything else but all of his posing and posturing has led to a more negative public perception. If there really is such a thing as karma then James will be stuck in basketball purgatory for being such an ass clown. Guess we’ll see.
[quote]tmoney1 wrote:
[quote]LarryDavid wrote:
-Mav’s are interested in Jermaine O’Neal, and Shaq. Probably not both at once though [no homo], [/quote]
HAHAAAAA!!! I just read this. Good one LD.
That was as funny as the real LD saying it.[/quote]
lol yeah there was too much innuendo in that post, I had to.
[quote]Enders Drift wrote:
I didn’t reread but after Heat resigned Wade and snagged Bosh I think LeBron would be a fool not to go there as well. It would be the team to beat. [/quote]
Ha. No, it wouldn’t be the team to beat. 3 superstars on a team sounds great on paper but in reality I don’t think it would work out as great as everyone thinks it will. They probably come out of the east next year if the 3-headed monster comes to fruition but they would meet a similar fate as the last 2 teams that dared enter the finals arena with the Lakers.
This all started with Garnett and Allen going to Boston. Injuries aside, they’d have probably made the Finals 3 years in a row, and maybe have 2 titles as well. And it’s become obvious that the decrease in stats doesn’t hurt your star power at all as long as your team wins a shitload.
Ray Allen’s on my radar way more than he ever was when he was with Seattle and Milwaukee. Paul Pierce kind of disappeared from the average fan’s consciousness when Boston fell off. Even with his perennial MVP candidacy Garnett wasn’t as big a deal as he could be in a bigger city, and in Boston he’s got that.
The thing is, with Boston, it was a bunch of aging stars who were still technically in the good part of their careers that were resorting to it, and Allen was traded for anyway. It’s more along the lines of Payton and Malone joining LA, no one could blame them [and they don’t count as the first example because they failed].
I don’t like the idea of a super team in Miami either, it just seems like a cop out, and it will leave a few teams with no attractions or foundations at all. TO is already in that position and Cleveland will too. And while Boston’s Big 3 had a lot to gain and not much to lose as far as legacy goes, if the only titles LBJ wins are on a Miami Superteam it’ll haunt him the way Shaq haunted Kobe until he won two on his own.
I can’t say I wont be excited if a superteam is formed to see how it plays out, but I’ll also be a little annoyed, too. Either way, I don’t see them having a chance at 72-10 and a title anyway…and if they don’t build up the rest of their roster with good cheap role players they might not even be that great of a team.
Because if all 3 go to Miami, the Heat have a grand total of FIVE players signed, and that’s assuming that they don’t give any of their players for Bosh.
[quote]bond james bond wrote:
If he does go to Miami they should change the name to the Miami Ghidras and this would be the new logo lol.
[/quote]
lol
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
[quote]lavi wrote:
I don’t see whats wrong with “colluding” to be part of a winning team. Personally, I find that to be more admirable than chasing $.
Also, I know they’re young millionaires and always have a choice to not play, but I think it sucks to not be able to choose what city you play for (and basically have to live in for at least half the year).[/quote]
Because prior to this unprecedented aligning of a superior free agent class with a number of teams with a ton of cap room, teams were built over a period of years with drafts, trades and developing players. Although I do not think a championship is as easy as plugging in two superstars together, the machinations that are occurring is exactly what they are trying to achieve. And don’t fool yourself; they may appear to be forsaking money, but only on the “front end”. They will make up the “lost” money on endorsements if they win a championship. Some great players in that league chased and never achieved a championship - now you have a few guys trying to construct their own “dream team” and shortcut what has always been a pretty steep mountain to climb. As this plays out, they may not achieve their goal. However, the process was somewhat repugnant to me, particularly as to Lebron. They have put pieces around him. He came up short. Now he wants to take shortcut (or so it appears, until we know his decision). Fortunately for fans (and the integrity of the game), as whiteflash pointed out, putting together a championship team is a bit more complicated than plugging in two star players. [/quote]
Gotta agree with BG here. Look at the early 90’s Knicks as an example. Ewing was the star of the team, and they continually put players around him to help them get past the Bulls. Stole Oakley as an enforcer. Signed “the Jordan stopper” in Gerald Wilkins. Then signed Starks. And Mason. And Charles Smith. And… My point is, Ewing could’ve gone anywhere, but didn’t. He was committed to the organization, and they were committed to him. They kept bringing in pieces to help him, but never quite got it. Their best chance they ran into an Olajuwon led Rockets team and couldn’t do it. Such is life. So far, the Cav’s have bent over backwards to give James what he’s asked for, and he can’t produce. Now, whether he leaves or not, he’s stringing teams along and coming across as an unbelievably arrogant spoiled brat who knows he can’t do it alone but is unwilling to share the spotlight. The “superstars” of yesteryear would never have acted like such divas, at least not publicly or to this degree. The irony in all of this is that James is more concerned about his image than anything else but all of his posing and posturing has led to a more negative public perception. If there really is such a thing as karma then James will be stuck in basketball purgatory for being such an ass clown. Guess we’ll see.[/quote]
I agree with most of what you guys said. I’m just saying I don’t see what’s wrong with trying to go to a team that you think can win over a team that lacks the commitment or ability to win.
The Cavs have bent over backwards for James yes, but they pieces they have around him are still nothing special. And Bosh played hard and respectfully with TO for years despite their suckitude. I don’t think he “owes it to them” to stay with TO and likely lose for the rest of his career.
The formula for plugging stars together with basically nothing else works… See Celtics 2 years ago.
[quote]Enders Drift wrote:
Who the fuck cares if you’re MVP of a team that didn’t even make it to the Semifinals? Nobody.[/quote]
LeBron James is the MVP of the league and he couldn’t make it to the semifinals. EVERYBODY cares about him, as evidenced by…the past two weeks.
[quote]LarryDavid wrote:
This all started with Garnett and Allen going to Boston. Injuries aside, they’d have probably made the Finals 3 years in a row, and maybe have 2 titles as well. [/quote]
With a healthy Bynum, us Lakers fans believe we should already have three titles in a row. No more revisionist history with a hurt Garnett. The last finals puts the revisionist history in the Lakers favor now ;0
Anyways, this three superstar system did work in the Celtics case but I would consider they’re case unique because the three were on the downside of their careers and were more than willing to subjugate everything personally to win a title. It almost happened in 04 with the Lakers because Malone and Payton were also in that stage although Payton didn’t really handle it too well when Malone did.
As for Bron, Wade, and Bosh? All in the apex of their careers or soon to be there? No way this works if it happens. Way too much ego. I think it would turn into a spectacular disaster. I still don’t see Bron actually making this decision and becoming the ARod of basketball.
[quote]therajraj wrote:
The formula for plugging stars together with basically nothing else works… See Celtics 2 years ago.[/quote]
Unique set of circumstances that I addressed in my post above. No, typically it doesn’t.
[quote]randman wrote:
[quote]LarryDavid wrote:
This all started with Garnett and Allen going to Boston. Injuries aside, they’d have probably made the Finals 3 years in a row, and maybe have 2 titles as well. [/quote]
With a healthy Bynum, us Lakers fans believe we should already have three titles in a row. No more revisionist history with a hurt Garnett. The last finals puts the revisionist history in the Lakers favor now ;0
Anyways, this three superstar system did work in the Celtics case but I would consider they’re case unique because the three were on the downside of their careers and were more than willing to subjugate everything personally to win a title. It almost happened in 04 with the Lakers because Malone and Payton were also in that stage although Payton didn’t really handle it too well when Malone did.
As for Bron, Wade, and Bosh? All in the apex of their careers or soon to be there? No way this works if it happens. Way too much ego. I think it would turn into a spectacular disaster. I still don’t see Bron actually making this decision and becoming the ARod of basketball.[/quote]
Those are all very good points. I have to mention that Bosh would be VERY willing to average less than 20 points a game if he were on a team with James and Wade, but I don’t know if Wade and LeBron would sacrifice as much, as they would still have to.
And LeBron would pretty much have to give up his chances at MVP to someone whose team wouldn’t make the playoffs without, like Steve Nash or Kobe Bryant. If he stays in Cleveland, or even goes to NY or NJ, I’m pretty sure he’ll have more MVPs than MJ when it’s all said and done. That’s the only thing I have him beating MJ on, actually. He won’t want to give that up.
agreed
Also wanted to add that the “confirmed” reports of James winding up in different places were probably started by James himself to generate more attention his way. With each passing day James is coming off as a bigger and bigger douche. I’m starting to genuinely dislike the guy, and I don’t even know him.
^^ There’s no doubt in my mind that it’s his “camp” that keeps leaking all of these reports that he may end up here, there, and everywhere. It’s pretty despicable behavior. I already disliked the guy for a variety of reasons. Now after this free agency process and reading the articles I posted a page ago in this thread, I genuinely loathe the guy.