R-Star

Where did he say it was an overnight decision?

But to think the decision for Lebron will be the same next contract as it was the previous is ridiculous. When he went to Miami, Wade was at his peak and being argued as being just as good as Lebron, and Bosh was being the #1 option on the Raptors and viewed as a top 3-5 big man in the league.

Now Wade has clearly taken a few steps back, and will undoubtedly be worse when its time for Lebrons decision, and who knows what will happen with Bosh, but at the very best he'll be what he is right now, which is probably less attractive then when they all decided to go to Miami.


Lebron isn't going to stay out of friendship. He's got that Jordan and Kobe gene where he wants to record chase and go down as the best. If that isn't in Miami like Bogg said, he's gone.


Also just a side note, but I hope you don't actually think there's a chance CP3 goes to Miami.

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Bogg

If it was planned out five years prior they would have just signed qualifying offers in their fifth years, got together in year six, and won a hell of a lot more rings. I believe they talked about "one day, we should...." like guys in their early twenties do. I also believe they eventually got tired of playing with poor supporting casts and Riley gambled on them wanting to win. However, Lebron was "best friends" with Boobie Gibson and Mo Williams and "loves" Anderson Varejao. Didn't stop him from leaving to play with better basketball players. Just like it won't stop him from leaving in a few years if another team has much better players to put around him.

At the end of the day, if any of the things you were saying carried any weight, he'd just come out and say that he was staying. "I'm a Miami guy through and through. This is where I belong, and this is where I'll be". It's that simple. Instead, when asked about leaving Miami to go back to Cleveland, what does he say?

“I think it would be great. It would be fun to play in front of these fans again. I had a lot fun times in my seven years here. … I’m here as a Miami Heat player, and I’m happy where I am now, but I don’t rule that out in no sense...And if I decide to come back, hopefully the fans will accept me.”

...because Miami will be aging and Cleveland will be coming off four or five straight years of picking in the top 10...and Lebron's going to do what's best for Lebron.

Jace

I don't think it was decided 100% until that summer, but the first apparent move was in 2006. All 3 were in line to sign 5 year extensions. Bosh opted for 3, likely because he didn't want to sign away so many years in TOR. It was reported that Wade was about to sign the 5 year extension (keep in mind these kick in after the following season), until at the last minute LeBron convinced him to sign the 3 year extension instead, like he was doing. The conjecture was that it was in order to maximize dollars by not only shortening the contracts and hoping they stay healthy throughout them for the next re-up round, but also entering free agency during the last offseason of that collective bargaining agreement (though in 2006 it wasn't yet known the next would be more restrictive), instead of dealing with the unknown parameters of the next. Some took it in another direction and speculated LeBron got in his ear about eventually teaming up. I don't know where "five years" came from, but from the point many think they started hatching the idea (Beijing in '08, or maybe even the '06 Worlds), they've been locked in contractually.

With that said, I don't think LeBron's main motivation was playing with friends. He knew he was forming a nearly-unprecedented super-team. Wade had happened to be one of his best NBA friends, and Bosh was another good friend he formed a bond with by being in the same draft class. If he's convinced some other situation is clearly better for him and it's the right move to make, there's no way any social bonds with Wade and Bosh will hold him back.

That may be true, but that's not necessarily in line with his perception. He's already set a precedent to switch teams in pursuit of titles, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Decision fallout left him sensitive to potential criticism in the event of another move. He's like a Jeter in terms of public image conscientiousness, though not necessarily adeptly so.

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R-Star

If he was to leave though, it wouldn't be in some pomp and circumstance gong show like "The Decision". The fact that its still called that and has its own name only goes to show how asinine it was.


If he just told Cleveland how much he enjoyed playing there, but was going to take a shot in Miami and wished them the best everything would have been a lot smoother for the Heat.

If he decides hes going to some other team and makes a primetime show about it, and then has fireworks shooting everywhere and a moving stage and shit when he gets to his new team, then yea, he'll be torn apart again. He knows that.


If he goes somewhere he'll just go there. Not make a show of it.

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doctordrizzay

Are you guy's like troll's or something? Since Lebron came to Miami it's been 2 straight Final's apperances and they just won the Championship in 5 games against the Thunder.

Why on earth would he go to another team? Like Why? Money? Um No he left that all on the table with Cleveland. Championships? Ummm the only place is Miami...like it's not Rocket science guys.

Wade is declining yet posting career highs in efficiency because you know Lebron runs the show...so its hard for Wade to score 30 a night. Bosh is shooting career high as well. So I don't know what drugs you are smoking but it's not good my friend.

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Miami Heat won't go 16-0 in post season.

R-Star

Weird thing is today I thought "This guy's last few posts actually seem to be getting better."

Nope, guess not.


You're right, Wade is going to only get better with age, and Bosh hasn't even come close to his peak yet. If anything, Miami will be a better team over the next few years than they've been previously. Wade will age like a fine wine only getting better.

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Jace

LOL, I was noticing him possibly turning a corner, too, but was later discouraged.

Bosh has hit his physical peak, no doubt, but I think there's still plenty of headroom for him to improve on this team. He still flails in and out of comfort here. As far as Wade, might be silly, but I think he might be able to sustain this current level for a few more years without much noticeable regression. I think the really hard part for him was going from where he was in 2010 to where he is now. Watching the games, it's been clear he's had a hard time figuring out and accepting what he can and can't do nowadays. Now that he's adjusted to diminished explosion, he could maintain this efficient, sporadically explosive play that we're currently seeing.

Definitely, but despite what the story has become in the subsequent years, people forget how much of the negative press was solely about him switching teams. The notion was that great players, reigning MVPs, should want to do it where they are, not go team up with other great players. I think folks were more OK with the idea of him going to NY (another shitty basketball situation) or CHI (Rose had yet to explode), but still ultimately preferred for him to stay and try to win in CLE. Teaming up with two superstars (one incumbent) on a non-storied team strayed too far from the preferred paradigm for a possible GOAT's career. As I said in my last post, he's already broken the team-hopping seal, but it's possible in his eyes he thinks he could exacerbate things by team-hopping again, even without the ancillary nonsense.

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Bogg

Wade's agent convinced him to take the contract with the third year opt-out, not Lebron. In the old CBA year seven was when players were first eligible to sign an extension worth an increased percentage of the salary cap (I think it jumped from either 25 to 30 or from 30 to 35). There was a big to-do about how it was stupid, financially speaking, of Carmelo for taking the longer contract because he likely cost himself money overall. Did the players also notice that it put them in the same free-agent class, allowing them to dictate the second halves of their careers if things weren't going well? Yea, probably. In no way do I believe there was some blood pact signed back in 2006 that they were all going to join up in Miami together, though.




Wade's turning 31 in three days. Kyrie Irving's turning 21 in three months. In the summers we're discussing, Wade will be 32, 33, and 34. He's going to slow down at some point due to age, there's no way around that. Lebron knows this, which is exactly why he's leaving the door open for a return to Cleveland, or really an exit to any other team in better position to let him succeed. If Miami is in strong position to contend for several more years, Lebron will stay. If Wade doesn't adjust well to his mid-thirties and Riley doesn't add one or more significant pieces to offset the impending retirements of Ray Allen, Battier, and Haslem - Lebron's leaving.


The line of logic that "Miami just won the championship, so they're obviously going to win every championship" is just idiotic. Again, if Lebron is convinced that Miami's obviously his best shot at winning rings from now until he retires, he wouldn't be leaving the door WIDE OPEN for a possible exit.

R-Star

I'm fine with you saying Wade could play at this level for another few years. And Bosh could find a more comfortable and productive role on the team. Hell, the Bosh part I even expect myself, although the Wade one while is plausible, I see the opposite happening.

The point is that that has to happen for Lebron to stay though. If this current Heat team gets worse, I don't see what reason he has to stay.

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doctordrizzay

Okay...And when Lebron turned 21 who came to him?....Exactly.

You are discussing Lebron leaving while they are at the TOP of the Eastern conference...And likely the to stay that why this season. They were 2nd place for the pass two years.

Am I missing something guys?

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Miami Heat won't go 16-0 in post season.

doctordrizzay

They are likely to be 1# for the first time ever in the East, yet we are talking about declining....Um okay.

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Miami Heat won't go 16-0 in post season.

Smithian

If LeBron decides to leave after giving us a couple championships, I'd still retire his jersey when he retires.

It's a business and we're benefiting.

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Bogg

Yes. We're talking about two and three summers out. Nobody's saying that Lebron's going to demand a trade next month at the deadline. This is about where Wade's going to be at as a player in years 33-37, not this season.

Jace

Can't see Wade playing until he's 37, unless he pulls a Kidd and really polishes jumper, coupled with taking better care of his body.

I do believe Riley will have to pull off a move for another impact player to keep LeBron here.

Does make a ton of sense, and I'm sure he played a role. I just remember a big hullabaloo being made out of it, all the way to Around the Horn and PTI. I remember the Sun-Sentinel having an article about it. Supposedly LeBron called him up and played some role in Wade changing his mind. Initially it was said to be for financial reasons, but that was followed by speculation of them discussing teaming up. I remember people wondering if Wade would go to Cleveland.

I don't think there was anything close to a blood-pact either, nor do I believe Miami was discussed as the definitive would-be destination.

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doctordrizzay

Ray

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Miami Heat won't go 16-0 in post season.