NBA Free Agency Guide (prior to 2010 - 2011 NBA Season)

[Habib]

Drew, this is for you. Enjoy. :D

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/s ... index.html

[Drew]

I don't think his legacy is damaged by playing with good players. It's damaged because he uprooted his family and himself to go to someone else's team to do that. He's no longer the man. He couldn't win as the man on his own, hometown team. I didn't have a problem when they were trying as hard as they could to bring in everyone they could to CLE to try and win. If he wins in that scenario, even with guys like Shaq jumping on to try to get another ring...it's still his team, he's the leader, he's the man, he credits a lot of the credit in the history books. Now? He's Wade's sidekick, moved to his city, gave up on his own team and city to chase a ring.

Just because MJ, Bird, and Magic all had good teammates is entirely different than willingly changing franchises to be No. 2.

[Habib]

Just because MJ, Bird, and Magic all had good teammates is entirely different than willingly changing franchises to be No. 2.

You see though Drew, MJ, Magic & Bird never had to do the same thing LeBron just did. I find it funny that they (Magic & MJ) are all ripping him now. Magic played with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & James Worthy for a lot of his career. MJ played with Pippen & Rodman. They were never in a position to do the same thing. LeBron on the other hand played with who? A Shaq way past his prime and on the downside of his career and Mo Williams? Mostly every team that has won a championship had at least 2 Hall of Famers. I think the only exception to this would be the '04 Detroit team and the Spurs teams that won it after David Robinson left.

LeBron was only playing the percentages by moving to Miami. I guess all this perception about him now being D-Wades sidekick will change once they win a championship and LeBron wins the Finals MVP. I think he will probably win all of the Finals MVP for every championship they win.

Just because MJ, Bird, and Magic all had good teammates is entirely different than willingly changing franchises to be No. 2.

How, exactly, are you determining that? What are the prerequisites to being a #2? To me, they are all equal. In Boston, where they have PP, Ray Allen & KG, I do not see either of them being a #1 or #2 because of they got together. I do not understand the idea at all.

[Drew]

Jordan didn't get drafted on to a team with Pippen and Rodman... He stuck out a few years playing with a subpar team, making them better, until he got guys like Pippen and Rodman, then all the other roleplayers filled the voids.

Not to mention....everyone wants to rag on Clevelands supporting cast now....but dude, they had the best record in the league two years running. Everyone keeps trying to make it seem like he was playing with nothing but horrible players. They had a team in place that was capable of winning....they just didn't. Once they didn't...instead of sticking it out with them and adding more pieces and working with the team to make sure they didn't lose next season...he just left. That's a big difference in terms of legacy and how he's perceived man. If you can't tell the difference in that, its no wonder you're not going so hard on him.

As you'll see with the Heat...superstar teams don't just get put together and win without there being an alpha dog, a leader, someone who brings them all together and inspires them to play. In my estimation...Lebron didn't do a good job of that in Cleveland. And in the Heat situation..it'll be Wade's job to do that..not Lebron. That's why Wade is the number 1 and Lebron is the number two, regardless of how they play statistically. It's Wade's team..he's the man there, he's the captain, he's the leader.

I don't understand how a number 1 and a number 2 is a complex or hard to understand concept. Sure in some cases there have been more than one alpha dog/leader...but that usually creates problems (aka Kobe and Shaq) So in order for this Heat thing to even come close to working, two guys need to take a back seat to one. Bosh isn't a leader, and his teams don't do well if he's the number 1. Lebron almost seems incapable of actually being a number 1 now that we look back. Wade has done it before, its his team...he's gonna be the leader. Therefore, Lebron is a number 2. To go from being a number 1 and leading a team...then failing to win a championship three years in a row when your team was capable of going far...to just jumping to another team to be a Number 2.....that's what puts him out of Magic,Bird,MJ's status and reduces him to a level below them, allowing them to easily critique him.

[Habib]

Hmm. You made some good points. You talked about Jordan but did not talk about Magic Johnson who started playing with Hall of Famers from pretty much day 1.
We will see how it plays out though. When the Heat starts winning championships and LeBron is winning the Finals MVPs (which I think he will) all this perception about him leaving and being #2 or whatever will all die down. It is summer, there are no games going on in the NBA right now that is why everybody has time to be talking.

I agree though with what you said about Cleveland. It makes sense. They did underachieve by not at least getting to the Finals after having the best regular season record and home court throughout the playoffs.

[AYHJA]

May LeBron never be mentioned in the name of the truly great players again, I thank him for making that decision...Like its been mentioned, do it alone..? I dare anyone to name the starting 5 for the Heat the year they won...Everyone knows Wade and Shaq, but as a fan, I'd struggle with a multiple choice...

LeBron has had as good, if not better, a supporting cast in Cleveland as anyone could have hoped for...The brought in guys that were straight up stars on other teams to play with him, and they got shitted on in the Playoffs...I bet Kobe could have won with LeBron's squad, I tell you that...

Barnes just signed with L.A. too, so the rich keep getting richer...Lakers fans need not worry about the King James Trio beating them, shit, I doubt if they'll get past the C's...

[Habib]

Update: Miami Heat have added Eddie House.

[-84]

Legacy only matters when you retire.

[Drew]

That may be true for athletes...but as fans and people who like to actively discuss and follow sports, it comes in to play all the time.

[Habib]

Update: Shaq to the Celtics?