NBA Basketball

[into the rain]

why number 6

[chantheman]

i for got his reasoning for 6. i know he didnt want to wear the 23 because he respects jordan too much. guess he knows he will never be him so its good hes not wearing it. guess he doesnt respect bill russell enough to not wear his #

2x3=6?

[Premo]

6 is his olympic number

and i think julius erving was his second favorite player or some shit. lebron a sidekick?!. ahhhahaha damnnn. btw i think he has a player opt out after 3yrs to tease dan gilbert

[chantheman]

best article ive read all week about this whole FA fiasco

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100708

FINALLY SOMEONE ELSE AGREES

If one more person refers to Bosh as a "superstar," I'm going to scream. His résumé: seven seasons, 11 career playoff games, one second-team All-NBA selection, never played in a big game in his life other than the gold-medal game of the 2008 Olympics. Now he's fleeing frigid Toronto for South Beach, no state income tax, Dwyane Wade, max money and the playoffs … and this makes him a "superstar"? Did we really drop our standards that low?

Look, I need my NBA superstar to sell tickets, generate interest locally and nationally, single-handedly guarantee an average supporting cast 45-50 wins, and potentially be the best player on a Finals team if the other pieces are in place, which means only LeBron, Wade, Howard, Durant and Kobe qualify. There's a level just a shade below (the Almost-But-Not-Quite-Superstar) with Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Carmelo Anthony, Brandon Roy, Chris Paul and Deron Williams. (Note: I think Derrick Rose gets there next season.) Then you have elite guys like Bosh, Pau Gasol and Amare Stoudemire who need good teammates to help them thrive … and if they don't have them, you're heading to the lottery.

You know what we call these people? All-Stars. Although if LeBron picks Miami, we have to call Bosh something else: lucky. On a good team, he could absolutely thrive like Gasol did on the Lakers, although he's not as sure a bet because Gasol played in so many big games overseas before the Lakers stole him. (Bosh had the opposite experience: He's never played in a Sweet 16, a Game 7 or even Round 2 of the NBA playoffs.) Hearing Bosh referred to as a "superstar" these past few weeks left me with the same face Jake had on Monday's "Bachelor" special when Vienna wouldn't shut up and kept undermining and emasculating him. If Chris Bosh is your third-best player, you're in tremendous shape. Just don't think you can win a title with a 228-pound big man who doesn't block shots and grabs 10 rebounds a night. You need more help than that.

[JohnJRambo]

[Solix]

^ That was a good article, that I definitely agree with. Superstars are franchise players that are inarguable hall of famers.

Another article that I definitely agree with:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/michael_rosenberg/07/08/lebron.event/

"GREENWICH, Conn., July 8, 1990 -- Michael Jordan announced on national television he's leaving Chicago to join the Detroit Pistons. Jordan said it was tough to bolt Chicago, where he was the most popular athlete in many years, because he thinks he has a better chance to win a championship if he plays with Pistons star Isiah Thomas. Jordan said by playing together, he and Thomas "won't have the pressure of going out and scoring 30 every night."

That would have sounded absurd, right? Well, it is no more absurd than what LeBron James is doing. Jordan was 27 years old in 1990, slightly older than James is now. He had never been to the NBA Finals. He had been beaten up by the Celtics and Pistons for years. He doubted his supporting cast was good enough.

But he never doubted himself.

And it became very clear Thursday night that LeBron James does doubt himself. James will be a champion in Miami -- if not next year, then sometime after that. If you put James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh together and give Pat Riley five years to find the complementary pieces, that team will win a championship.

But James does not have the heart of a champion. He does not have the competitive fire of Jordan, the bull-headed determination of Kobe Bryant, the quiet self-confidence of Tim Duncan, the willful defiance of Isiah or the winning-is-everything hunger of Magic Johnson.

He is an extremely gifted player who wants the easy way out.

And how do we know this?

James said so himself.

Oh, not in so many words. But once ESPN was done ESPN-izing its LeBron coverage -- filling it with babbling experts, needless hype and Jim Gray submitting his top six entries in the Stupidest Question Ever contest -- the self-proclaimed King said everything you need to know about him.

1. "You have to do what's best for you, and what's going to make you happy."

This is what's going to make him happy? Sharing a stage with two other stars? Really?

I guess that's all LeBron is: A complementary player with superstar talent. We should have figured this out before: He got that giant CHOSEN 1 tattoo on his back and calls himself King James because he is desperate for reassurance.

There is no greater challenge in sports getting drafted by a godawful team, planting your flag in a city and working like crazy until you have turned that team into a champion.

LeBron James didn't want the challenge. He wanted to play with his buddies.

2. "We don't have the pressure of going out and scoring 30 every night or shooting a high percentage."

Whoa. Hold on there. Scoring 30 a night is too much pressure for one of the five most talented players ever?

Find me another all-time NBA great who would utter those words. Jordan would rather do an adidas commercial than say that. Bryant must have laughed as he heard the so-called "King" say that. Larry Bird? The next time he complains about pressure will be the first. Magic was the greatest team player of the last 40 years, but he was also so competitive that he wanted to play Jordan one-on-one in a promotional event -- and this was when Magic had won titles and Jordan had not, so Magic had more to lose.

3. "I know how loyal I am."

The man just dumped his hometown(s) on national television. Cleveland (and, by extension, Akron) happens to be the most tortured sports city in America. To do that, then say "I know how loyal I am" ... wow, wow, wow.

I wish I could sit in on one of LeBron's meetings with his advisers. Does he make them all wear mirrored sunglasses, so that when he looks at them he sees himself?

We really don't ask that much of our sports stars. Try not to get arrested for anything big. Don't curse at the fans. You know, small stuff. We even understand that 95 percent of the time, they will make career decisions based on money -- we might not love it, but we understand it.

But see, the biggest thing that we ask of our sports stars is this: Take the competition as seriously as we do.

When LeBron James loses to Boston in the playoffs, we want him to take the heat, not take the Heat's offer. We want him to spend the summer adding to his game, calling and texting his teammates, plotting to do better next season.

Instead, well ...

4. "It's about joining forces with the other two guys."

He sounds like a nine-year-old playing Star Wars games with his buddies at a sleepover. And again: I do believe this Miami team will win a title. But it won't be as easy as he wants it to be. Miami will have the weakest bench of any contender next season After that, the NBA will have a lockout, and the league could eliminate the mid-level exception, which would be Miami's best tool for adding talent.

So this is a cop-out, but it's not as easy of a cop-out as it appears. And that brings us to ...

5. "This is the greatest challenge for me."

LeBron James just jumped into an elevator and wants us to think he can fly. Sorry, but we know better. We know that he did something Michael, Magic, Bird and Bill Russell never would have done. We know he ditched Cleveland for an All-Star team.

But you know what? In Miami, anything short of a title will be a failure. Nobody outside of Miami will root for this team, and nobody in Miami roots for anybody. They're too busy enjoying the weather.

I thought he would stay in Cleveland, because I thought all he cared about was adoration. I was wrong about Cleveland, but he is wrong about adoration. He thinks he'll get it by winning a title. He has insulated himself from the world, surrounded himself with yes men. He has no idea how much backlash he is about to get.

That's one of the great ironies of this -- James is trying to flee pressure, but he will just face more of it. He is trying to maximize his "brand," but he just damaged it.

The first time I watched LeBron James live, I thought he could be the greatest player ever. The sad truth for us, for him, and for the NBA is that he never really believed it himself"

[DaBestSpoona]

i for got his reasoning for 6. i know he didnt want to wear the 23 because he respects jordan too much. guess he knows he will never be him so its good hes not wearing it. guess he doesnt respect bill russell enough to not wear his #

2x3=6?

#23 was retired in Miami. So you can argue that this dude planned this all along to string teams kissing his ass along.

[goat]

@chantheman - Its funny you post that article. My buddy and I made the same comment last night.....Bosh did not deserve to be on that stage with LBJ and Wade.

I made the comment "yea, but he's an All Star" and my friend replied "yeah but that's like having Magic, Bird, and Mutumbo up there.....Dikembe was an all star too"

End of the day, its gonna be an interesting season and we'll see if Lebron and Wade can coincide.....as for Bosh, i don't like this comparison to Gasol because i don't see him being a key role of the offense like Pau is to LAL.....he'll be more of an Odom, where some games he'll put up good numbers, and the rest he'll just be a body on the court.....

I'm just waiting for the Heat / Cavs game, cause you know that's gonna be bananas

[DaBestSpoona]

Dikembe wasnt a pussy.

[chantheman]

@chantheman - Its funny you post that article. My buddy and I made the same comment last night.....Bosh did not deserve to be on that stage with LBJ and Wade.

I made the comment "yea, but he's an All Star" and my friend replied "yeah but that's like having Magic, Bird, and Mutumbo up there.....Dikembe was an all star too"

End of the day, its gonna be an interesting season and we'll see if Lebron and Wade can coincide.....as for Bosh, i don't like this comparison to Gasol because i don't see him being a key role of the offense like Pau is to LAL.....he'll be more of an Odom, where some games he'll put up good numbers, and the rest he'll just be a body on the court.....

I'm just waiting for the Heat / Cavs game, cause you know that's gonna be bananas

yea the heat in cleveland game. that better be on national tv too

agree hes more a odom than a gasol and not because they are both lefties

[Hocus Pocus]

That's a little unfair. Odom would not have won 45 games in Toronto as our best player, ever. Look, I think Bosh has no heart, but he is a talented PF. Top 15, maybe top 20 if you are particularly critical. He still has room to grow a bit, especially if hanging with his buddies at the beach makes him a little tougher, especially on defense. He is the pussy version of Garnett. Similar skills on offense, cowardice on defense.

[domdomdomdom]

he showed d at the olympics, i remember him being an anchor for the team, albeit against international competition

[im a ninja]

Cmon fisher.... dont go to the dark side

[amardeep]

this shit is hilarious

xZr2qOXQJ4w

via NBA Off-season

[goat]

yea the heat in cleveland game. that better be on national tv too

definitely. the NBA will be good about it and will probably make that the Xmas game like they did with Shaq's return to LA after he signed w/ (coincidentally) the heat

That's a little unfair. Odom would not have won 45 games in Toronto as our best player, ever. Look, I think Bosh has no heart, but he is a talented PF. Top 15, maybe top 20 if you are particularly critical. He still has room to grow a bit, especially if hanging with his buddies at the beach makes him a little tougher, especially on defense. He is the pussy version of Garnett. Similar skills on offense, cowardice on defense.

I wasn't comparing him to Odom on a skill level - I just mean he'll pretty much play the same role for the heat that Odom plays for LAL

EDIT - just for fun - http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh3qj2SDwXqP99fQ3S

[goat]

also, i didn't see it mentioned (so if it was, my bad)

but me being the accountant that I am i looked into it a bit and I found it hilarious when i heard Bosh and LeBron are "taking pay cuts"

THERE'S NO TAX IN FLORIDA

So whatever GROSS paycut he takes won't mean shit after taxes are taken into effect, because NET, he's actually making more in Miami

http://www.ethiopianreview.com/news/201001/?p=314970

[e0d9n0b5]

can somebody explain, in one line, what all of this is about?? i don't watch sports, but is this basically just people getting their panties in a knot because lebron didn't resign with cleavland, and instead moved to a team where he would basically be guaranteed a big win? if not what is the deal?

[Dex_star]

honestly, since you dont watch sports, even if we explained it to you, you probably wouldnt get it/see the significance/care...

and yes, basically people are mad he didnt sign with cleveland + the way he handled the whole "Decision"

but no, they are not guaranteed a big win....

[domdomdomdom]

lebron is leaving his fiance of 7 years (never even got her a ring) and her kids are all upset, because he did it on national tv instead of in private

[tyang]

can somebody explain, in one line, what all of this is about?? i don't watch sports, but is this basically just people getting their panties in a knot because lebron didn't resign with cleavland, and instead moved to a team where he would basically be guaranteed a big win? if not what is the deal?

it would be like.. if winston churchill was up for being re-elected but instead of staying with britain he went over to nazi germany to serve under hitler.

[conqueror]

[sleepyheadmonster]

can somebody explain, in one line, what all of this is about?? i don't watch sports, but is this basically just people getting their panties in a knot because lebron didn't resign with cleavland, and instead moved to a team where he would basically be guaranteed a big win? if not what is the deal?

not exactly in one line but....

H76DwHgOwpA

[iamundying]

can somebody explain, in one line, what all of this is about?? i don't watch sports, but is this basically just people getting their panties in a knot because lebron didn't resign with cleavland, and instead moved to a team where he would basically be guaranteed a big win? if not what is the deal?

You know how Anakin Skywalker was the "Chosen One" and was supposed to bring balance to the Force but only fulfilled his destiny at the end of Revenge of the Jedi? Well, LeBron was supposedly the Chosen One for Cleveland, but he turned his back on the Jedi and joined the Sith Lord.

[Dex_star]

ur such a nerd

[e0d9n0b5]

hahahaha loving the responses, the NWO one really got through to me though. thanks all!

[lintmunro]

Yes! Hedo is gone!

I'm not really a fan of Barbosa but you can't argue with $14M over 2 years instead of $43M over 4. Addition by subtraction.

[chantheman]

farmer to the nets, john wall with 24 in his first summer league game, tony allen to the griz.

dont see anything about hedo on the move yet. got a link?

[hamham3001]

no official links yet.. but its all over twitterland

http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1034319

[lintmunro]

NBATV was reporting it and Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc Stein have both confirmed it.

[chantheman]

doesnt seem to make a lot of sense for the suns hedo and then josh childress. isnt that a instant logjam at sf?