Turn off the Lights Cleveland

[Smiley]

The King has left the throne, LeGone is taken his posse to South Beach.

I have become a anti Heat fan :banana: and besides where's your point guard baby

[rugbysecondrow]

I can't be mad at the Heat, they did it within Cap rules. Lebron, Wade and Bosch all want to win, and win they will for a loooong time.

[Jack Brunk]

Three great players, nine maybe D league players equals maybe 50-55 wins and will get beat up in the playoffs. Kobe and the lakers are smiling tonight.
Le bron if he ever wins a c ship will always be known as a guy who needed an extra player to win a ring. Too bad for him.

[1centaur]

Did you see the computer projection in the crawl on ESPN right after the announcement? 66-16 next season, 30+% chance of winning the championship; 50%+ with home court advantage, based on stats of course.

It'll be mostly about chemistry but...who takes the clutch shot coming out of the time out? What happens if the chemistry with one of them sours? Most likely, what happens when the chemistry gets so good they think the chemistry wins it for them?

It will be surprising if three young stars in sultry Miami have the maturity to navigate the shoals of ego. But it will be fun to watch them try.

[Climb01742]

i can see why he left cleveland but i would have thought more of him if he'd stayed. beyond that, if he could have attracted/brought better players to the cavs and build a championship team, wouldn't that have been a greater legacy than he'll ever have in miami?

everyone has a right to be selfish. it doesn't make him any worse, just equal to, most pro athletes. but it would have been nice to see more. yes, winning in cleveland would have been harder, but possible. i grew up in portland, ore, and i remember the trailblazers winning the title. i'll always remember those players. and hasn't san antonio won 4 rings? small cities can do it. lebron wanted an easier/faster route. again, doesn't make him a bad guy. just an average guy, despite his hoops talent.

ps: what if one of the 3 heat stars gets hurt? and by next june, how much gas will be in the tank if they've had to play 40+ minutes a game because of their 9 minimum teammates?

[jblande]

The owner of the Cavs is completely out of control. No need to impugn Lebron's character in that way. I mean, at least the entire spectacle was for charity, not just for Lebron's personal satisfaction. And it's not like Lebron was the diamond in the rough when he was drafted.

[Johny]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5365793

"It's very unfortunate and I think it makes LeBron that much better about his decision," Wade told The Associated Press late Thursday night.

[mschol17]

I mean, at least the entire spectacle was for charity, not just for Lebron's personal satisfaction.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha. You really think so?

[jblande]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha. You really think so?


it was also for his personal satisfaction, but not just for it.

[SEABREEZE]

I have a question, could not the Cav's do as Miami, clear up there rooster, so Wade and Bocsh could of landed in Cleveland.

Is it a matter of better business decesions by the winning team of landing the three....

A rant by the owner of the Cavs, about James decesion, was answered by NBA commentator, Jackson former player of the Knicks.How many NBA players are traded ony to learn of it themself, by the Media... Ownership does it to players all the time...

Another commentaor on last evenings ESPN,S broadcast, decribed how he was on a team cruise with fans, when he was told of his trade.The last thing he wanted was to continue on the cruise.

Bottom line one has to remember the NBA is a business, and business decesions by either players or NBA organizations are going to happen ,and continue...Sometime's not to the appreciation of the local fans...

Can say James did act professional with his decesion, unlike the rant about James from the owner of the Cav's

Factor in the the Cav organization ,could not bring in the supporting cast needed to support there superstar player.Maybe it was time to find a organization that knows how to do it...

Some tria, the three were all are drated the same year 1, 3,4 . They played together in the olympics. They all resigned to play for the same amount of time, with there given team. Perhaps this present action was talked about collectively, if there teams did not become champions..After all they are all freinds going back to the draft into the NBA...

[Lifelover]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5365793

"It's very unfortunate and I think it makes LeBron that much better about his decision," Wade told The Associated Press late Thursday night.

WOW! That letter may very well be an indication of why Lebron left. The owner sounds like a spoiled brat.

I suspect Lebron will win a championship before the Cavs make the play offs again.

It will be great for the NBA. A team to love or hate!

I don't think they will have any problem signing another 6 decent role players and I suspect Pat already has them lined up.

The allowable minimum for vets is still 1.3 Million.

[rwsaunders]

Let's see...26 years old, worth a ton of cash and looking for a lifestyle change...Cleveland or Miami...bass boat or cigarette boat...hmmmm.

[johnnymossville]

Let's see...26 years old, worth a ton of cash and looking for a lifestyle change...Cleveland or Miami...bass boat or cigarette boat...hmmmm.

Not to mention the tax savings,... Lambo and Ferrari dealers in the Miami Area just opened up a case of champagne last night. His tax savings alone will buy a fleet of both.

on the other hand, a few more potholes in/around cleveland will go unfilled now that he's gone.

[Joellogicman]

WOW! That letter may very well be an indication of why Lebron left. The owner sounds like a spoiled brat.

Based on a comment LeBron's new team mate Dwayne Wade made about the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland's rancor seems fair.

Before the start of free agency, D'Wade said the free agents ought not consider the Bulls because the Bulls supposedly are not loyal to former players.

Assuming for the sake of argument the statement is true and teams need to be loyal to players in order to hope to sign free agents, then the teams ought to be able to expect the same from the players. Or is loyalty just a one way street?

I don't think they will have any problem signing another 6 decent role players and I suspect Pat already has them lined up.

The allowable minimum for vets is still 1.3 Million.

I doubt the Heat will be able to get the players they need to get out of the East this year anyway. Good big men and point guards are scarce and can earn a lot more than 1.3 million. Especially with so many teams that cleared cap space hoping to get one of the big 3.

Through the draft and trades Heat may have a championship team in two years or so. They have to hope D'Wade's health holds up that long.

[Joellogicman]

I have a question, could not the Cav's do as Miami, clear up there rooster, so Wade and Bocsh could of landed in Cleveland.



Cleveland had the best regular season in the NBA this season year. It had the second (or maybe third) the previous season.

What Cleveland did not have - and what Miami does not have either - was a center to counter Dwight Howard. Cleveland took a chance that Shaq still had enough in him to do the trick. It made sense at the time.

Shaq is one of the few big centers available for the Heat. If they cannot find anyone better, stellar team mates or no, LeBron is no closer to a championship in '11 than he is now.

[Smiley]

Hey Pat Riley,
Please take Gilbert Arenas off the Wizards hands...pretty please :)

This whole NBA thing is a joke, I'd rather watch the college game, women or men. Not enough balls in Miami to keep the stars happy wait and see :banana:

[Dekonick]

Hey Pat Riley,
Please take Gilbert Arenas off the Wizards hands...pretty please :)

This whole NBA thing is a joke, I'd rather watch the college game, women or men. Not enough balls in Miami to keep the stars happy wait and see :banana:

+1 on college ball.

[Joellogicman]

watching slower, shorter, less skilled players in the NCAA dominated by prima-dona coaches, I guess.

A better alternative may be to watch some of the European League teams. The calibre of play in Europe is getting close to NBA standards. Certainly far more so than U.S. college teams.