Wade and Heat

[Skatastrophy]

I hope Lebron wins 10 just to piss people off.  I find it hilarious that big market teams lure guys all the time to play for them with no repercussions at all, but this guy chose to leave but because he had a "decision" televised it gets everyone so damn bent.  When Dwight Howard goes to the Lakers or Bulls or wherever next year, people aren't going to give the guy the 3rd degree, the very same fans of these teams that whine incessantly at James.  If James went to the Bulls, would Bulls fans be all anti-Lebron?  LOL...of course not.

+1

Bulls fans are crying almost as much as people from Cleveland.  I hope LeBron and Wade light the Bulls up.

[Pakuni]

That trade also gave two championships to the Lakers on a silver platter....plus three straight trips to the NBA Finals.   Put another way, commissioners that are interested in competitive balance wouldn't let this stuff happen, especially for unproven players like that. 

Commissioners interested in competitive balance wouldn't allow trades that benefit both teams?
Yes, the trade helped the Lakers win two championships. It also played a large part in building the first and only Grizzlies team to win a playoff series in the franchise's 15-year history.
Why would a commissioner block such a deal?

Teams in every professional American sport trade established, proven stars for unproven players or draft picks. Why does this one trade bother you more than the hundreds of others?

[Henry Sugar]

That trade also gave two championships to the Lakers on a silver platter....plus three straight trips to the NBA Finals.   Put another way, commissioners that are interested in competitive balance wouldn't let this stuff happen, especially for unproven players like that. 

The NBA is the least competitively balanced league in existence and has been for years.  Why would Stern start being interested in competitive balance now?

Go Bulls

[NYWarrior]

The NBA is the least competitively balanced league in existence and has been for years.  Why would Stern start being interested in competitive balance now?

Lakers/Celtics' 33 combined titles account for more than half of the 64 championships in NBA history.   just sayin

[GGGG]

I hope Lebron wins 10 just to piss people off.  I find it hilarious that big market teams lure guys all the time to play for them with no repercussions at all, but this guy chose to leave but because he had a "decision" televised it gets everyone so damn bent. 

I do think that there is an element of "public rejection" with "The Decision" that inflamed people's emotions...and James is to blame for that.

However, I think that Dan Gilbert's over-the-top reaction to it was the bigger problem. 

[GGGG]

Wade's character has been revealed.  NBA manwhore.  After all his "aw shucks, I love my wife and my kids" nonsense when he was at MU,  I expected more.

His image at MU was a well-crafted.

[JWags85]

I hope Lebron wins 10 just to piss people off.  I find it hilarious that big market teams lure guys all the time to play for them with no repercussions at all, but this guy chose to leave but because he had a "decision" televised it gets everyone so damn bent.  When Dwight Howard goes to the Lakers or Bulls or wherever next year, people aren't going to give the guy the 3rd degree, the very same fans of these teams that whine incessantly at James.  If James went to the Bulls, would Bulls fans be all anti-Lebron?  LOL...of course not.

Doesn't much matter...BRING ON THE LOCKOUT. Can't wait. 

Of course Bulls fans wouldn't be anti-Lebron.  The point is, Lebron has gone from being one of the most liked players in the league to where he is now by being a douche.  It has nothing to do with market size or where he is playing.  He hamstrung Cleveland for years by not signing a long term deal and then claimed they didn't bring in the right talent.  Well nobody in their prime wanted to come to Cleveland if Lebron might leave.  He also talked at length about Cleveland being HIS city, and all that hometown crap, and then he left them in a publicly humiliating way, and then turned around and said he and his Akron buddies always disliked Cleveland anyways.  It wasn't just that he left, it was his way of doing everything the last few years.

[Aughnanure]

Wade's character has been revealed.  NBA manwhore.  After all his "aw shucks, I love my wife and my kids" nonsense when he was at MU,  I expected more.

Your outrage at Wade being loyal to the team that drafted him is adorable.

[Aughnanure]

Of course Bulls fans wouldn't be anti-Lebron.  The point is, Lebron has gone from being one of the most liked players in the league to where he is now by being a douche.  It has nothing to do with market size or where he is playing.  He hamstrung Cleveland for years by not signing a long term deal and then claimed they didn't bring in the right talent.  Well nobody in their prime wanted to come to Cleveland if Lebron might leave.  He also talked at length about Cleveland being HIS city, and all that hometown crap, and then he left them in a publicly humiliating way, and then turned around and said he and his Akron buddies always disliked Cleveland anyways.  It wasn't just that he left, it was his way of doing everything the last few years.

For the record, I always thought LeBron was kind of a douche, but that has been negated by the overall awesomeness that our Wade, of all players, was the one he wanted to play with. Not a certain city, or fanbase...but Wade.

[Pakuni]

I do think that there is an element of "public rejection" with "The Decision" that inflamed people's emotions...and James is to blame for that.

I think it had less to do with public rejection than with over-the-top narcissism of "The Decision."
Combine that with a decision that indicates LeBron is more interested in living it up on South Beach and taking the easiest possible route to an NBA title than in carving out a legacy as a generational great, toss in a Nike commercial with a sickening amount of self-pity, and it's a PR disaster from which he'll probably never recover.

Note: LeBron has every right to live it up on South Beach and easiest possible route to a title, but the public has the same right to be critical of him or lose respect for him because of it.

[Lennys Tap]

His image at MU was a well-crafted.

He learned from the master, though I always felt he had much substance than his mentor.

[TallTitan34]

Chicos, I've hated LeBron well before he went to Miami.

He's constantly dancing on the court despite not winning anything.  He disappears in the playoffs.  Yet he calls himself "King James".  I didn't realize winning a High School State Title got you that title?

I think a lot of people on here are crapping on the Bulls just because they hate everything from Illinois.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Lakers/Celtics' 33 combined titles account for more than half of the 64 championships in NBA history.   just sayin

How many of those occurred when there were 8 to 14 teams in the league?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Commissioners interested in competitive balance wouldn't allow trades that benefit both teams?
Yes, the trade helped the Lakers win two championships. It also played a large part in building the first and only Grizzlies team to win a playoff series in the franchise's 15-year history.
Why would a commissioner block such a deal?

Teams in every professional American sport trade established, proven stars for unproven players or draft picks. Why does this one trade bother you more than the hundreds of others?

Pakuni....you need to do some history lessons on trades denied by the NFL, NBA (pre Stern) and especially in the MLB because they had serious issues on objective outcomes.  As you noted earlier, several teams screamed bloody murder as they should have.  I've lived in this town long enough, have enough friends at the Lakers organization to know they get what they want and they don't even hide it.  They wink and smile because they know it's going to happen.  Trade Divac for Kobe Bryant...no problem.  Trade Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie and two picks for Pao Gasol....two picks that are crapshoot how they turn out (lucky for Memphis they did turn out, of course we all know with the NBA they won't be in Memphis long), etc.  Don't be shocked to see Howard here next and all the ankle breakers can reload their cars with their Laker flags. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Note: LeBron has every right to live it up on South Beach and easiest possible route to a title, but the public has the same right to be critical of him or lose respect for him because of it.

Or be hypocritical when he didn't go to their team

[ChicosBailBonds]

Of course Bulls fans wouldn't be anti-Lebron.  The point is, Lebron has gone from being one of the most liked players in the league to where he is now by being a douche.  It has nothing to do with market size or where he is playing.  He hamstrung Cleveland for years by not signing a long term deal and then claimed they didn't bring in the right talent.  Well nobody in their prime wanted to come to Cleveland if Lebron might leave.  He also talked at length about Cleveland being HIS city, and all that hometown crap, and then he left them in a publicly humiliating way, and then turned around and said he and his Akron buddies always disliked Cleveland anyways.  It wasn't just that he left, it was his way of doing everything the last few years.

And when it is all said and done, most folks will put it behind them except for a few.  He'll win a few titles...I honestly believe as some NBA execs (Lakers guys I know in particular) that this will be the WORST Heat team in the next five years.  All this gloom and doom they won't be able to sign anyone...rubbish.  He'll win a few, hopefully not act like a prick in the process and people will understand this is what he wanted.  Folks will mild their stance a bit because Lord only knows America loves to forgive.   He got some bad advice, the decision was really stupid but if he went to Bulls then Bulls fans would not have an issue with the "decision" neither would Lakers fans if he came here. 

He did not hamstring Cleveland for years.  These are the rules by which the CBA operates.  Other players don't want to play in Cleveland, that's a fact of life.  This is why it's the same franchises in the NBA that typically win...there are exceptions but for the most part the star players want to migrate to play for the Lakers, Celtics and a few others.  Howard can't get out of Orlando fast enough, but I'll bet very few people here are going to scream "he hamstrung poor Orlando"....please....especially if he dons the colors of their team.

[4everwarriors]

So, if Orlando has no shot, even with no state income tax, then the Bucks might as well take the gaspipe.

[KenoshaWarrior]

Chicos, I've hated LeBron well before he went to Miami.

He's constantly dancing on the court despite not winning anything.  He disappears in the playoffs.  Yet he calls himself "King James".  I didn't realize winning a High School State Title got you that title?

I think a lot of people on here are crapping on the Bulls just because they hate everything from Illinois.

Yea Lebron really dissapered that last series against the Celtics

[TallTitan34]

Yea Lebron really dissapered that last series against the Celtics

Contests to Lebron on not disappearing in one meaningful series in the last 8 years.  And of course he celebrated like a clown afterwards for winning a second round series.

And that wasn't the same quality Celtic team as from years past.

[NavinRJohnson]

Howard can't get out of Orlando fast enough, but I'll bet very few people here are going to scream "he hamstrung poor Orlando"....please....especially if he dons the colors of their team.

This is exactly right, and for the life of me, I cannot understand where the LeBron criticism is coming from. Was the announcement thing ridiculous and stupid? Yes it was. But at the same time, I have no idea why anyone cares. What does it matter? The guy is the best player in the league, and everyone knows it. He chose where to play based on money, location, and the team around him, and people are going to hold that against him? Why, because he decided to go somewhere they didn't want him to? Because they didn't like the way he announced it? That's equally stupid. Jealousy, plain and simple.

[4everwarriors]

Why was it that the Celtics traded Perkins?

[TallTitan34]

Damn.  Bulls played like crap tonight but still made a game of it.  Shot 35% and missed its free throws.  Have to take one in Miami.

[DJO's Pump Fake]

Great win for the Heat.....glad to see Udonis back contributing......closing game on 12-2 run was beautiful to watch.

Road teams job is to win one and steal home court back.....CHECK!

Go Heat and Go Wade.

[mviale]

darn - you mean the bulls didnt hit 50% of their 3's again?

[MU Buff]

I must disagree with the notion that LeBron disappears in the playoffs.  I distinctly remember him single handedly beating the Pistons at the end of games in the '07 playoffs and that was when the Pistons were "the team" in the Eastern Conference.  Also, I know statistics don't always tell the whole story but his career playoff statistics are extremely similar to his career regular season statistics.

For the record, I think he's a sore loser and "The Decision" was an awful thing to do to Cleveland.