Some people tell me that The Chosen One is a closer. I have yet to see the evidence.
The question now is, after losing for a second consecutive year before reaching the NBA Finals, despite having the best regular season record, what is LBJ going to do in the offseason?
The popular thinking is that, not being able to win with Cleveland, he's going to take his free agency and get the hell out of there. Only three teams really have the space under their cap to afford him: the NY Knicks, the NJ[Brooklyn] Nets, and the Chicago Bulls.
Safe money is on the Knicks, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that between Jay-Z and the new multibillionaire Russian owner of the Nets, and the promise of a Brooklyn franchise, it may be NJ/Brooklyn at the end of the day.
Thoughts?
I think LeBron needs the complimentary player or coach that so far has remained impossible. The one that not only inspires him to transcendence but forces him away from his Wilt Chamberlain like tendencies.
ReplyDeleteKobe had Shaq, has Phil, and now has Pau (arguably the best power forward in the game right now, especially given Duncan's fade). Jordan had Pippen and Phil. Russell had Red, Cousy, and Hondo. Magic had Kareem and Pat Riley. Etc.
No one will look at this year's Cavs and say "but he had Mike Brown, an old Shaq, and a defenseless yet lovable Jamison!" as a way to argue against LeBron's greatness.
His ego is loathsome and likely fuels a lot of the Kobe/LBJ debate. It's okay to question his ability to be an assassin. Especially since he called it into question himself. This is where he runs the risk of being a version of Wilt. No, LBJ isn't infatuated with winning individual accolades (or at least he says so) and it's unlikely he'll play for 9 teams in a 14 year career. Wilt once said he maybe preferred losing to winning. LBJ clearly doesn't, but he hasn't convinced his teammates that winning is the only thing that matters.
Don't forget, Miami can make a few moves to afford LBJ, Wade, & Bosh.
ReplyDeleteImagine that trio.
I'm not sure LeBron is going to ever win a title. If he leaves Cleveland, which of those teams that has the cap space to sign him is actually going to be a championship contender? None. Probably not even in the next five years.
ReplyDeleteSo at that point, LeBron will have been in the league 12 years without a title. Kobe Bryant got his first non-Shaq title in his 13th season. But that was his fourth overall, and I think it's a little more obvious today that Kobe was not exactly second fiddle on that 3peat Lakers team.
While LeBron may be the single most talented player in the NBA today, I think it is a mistake to label him the "best". That honor goes strictly to Kobe Bryant, who is supremely talented, mentally and physically tough, extremely focused and a champion four times over.
And I'm sorry, but you can't blame LeBron's supporting cast again. You can't talk about how great this Cavs team is as they get the best record in the league for the second year in a row and don't make it to the Finals (let alone win the championship) for the second year in a row. They did not have what it takes to win in the playoffs, but that is not all the fault of the supporting cast. Further, a true championship caliber superstar would put all the blame on himself, where it belongs. He is the one who has the ability to get it done, and he didn't. That is his own shortcoming, not his team's. The lack of ownership over his failures by LeBron and the media apologists really frustrate me. Nobody made excuses for Kobe when they lost a 3-1 lead to Phoenix in 2006 or when they missed the playoffs in 2005. He was blamed for "running Shaq out of town" and he is begrudgingly acknowledged only after a fourth ring. It's a ridiculous double standard.
You mean when Kobe refused to shoot against the Suns in the second half? That was pretty ridiculous and very immature. Kobe has grown a lot since then.
ReplyDeleteI'm not making excuses for LeBron. He is a fantastic player and he admittedly lacks a killer instinct. He also lacks a future Hall of Famer in their prime and surely doesn't have a Hall of Fame coach.
You bring up a great point - LeBron doesn't seem to have ownership of defeat yet. Wilt never had it and blamed coaches, media, teammates, whoever. LeBron has had almost everything handed to him. He has never had to go out and take something for himself - Cleveland built a new practice facility for him and cater to him incessantly. Jordan molded Pippen. LeBron doesn't have an all-consuming fire within him yet.
ReplyDeleteAnd Antawn Jamison. Wow. Sir, I am ashamed you were the best player on my home team this year.
ReplyDeleteYes, that game against the Suns was a ridiculous and immature display by Kobe Bryant. And you're right, he's grown a lot since then.
ReplyDeletePeople seem to dismiss Kobe Bryant because of his supporting cast and coach. It is not Kobe Bryant's fault that he is coached by Phil Jackson and has Pau Gasol on the team. And it is not LeBron's fault that he is coached by Mike Brown, who sucks. But the premature fawning over LeBron James coupled with the begrudging acknowledgment of the greatness of Kobe Bryant is what frustrates me. Kobe gets blamed for having HOF quality players and coaches around him, LeBron gets excused for not having those luxuries.
I don't think it's a Kobe gets blamed (-1) and LeBron gets an excuse (+1) for a difference of two. They are flip sides of the same coin. I don't know if LeBron knows this, but he sure as hell could have gotten a new coach. He also should have demanded players in their prime, rather than the Big Steamer.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of media - Kobe frequently is held up as some sort of martyr due to playing with a broken finger. Well, it hasn't been broken for some time. Even the Lakers' medical staff says so. Arthritic, yes. Broken, no.
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