Lebron James is a coward.

[nba is the worst]

Everbody is forgetting though... That the Boston Celtics made him quit  !

They sure didn't in game 3...

My money's on Delonte

[action781]

I agree and disagree with all of the sentiment.  I think Lebron is a coward in a basketball sense.  My barber put it well the other day when he said, "If Larry and Magic were free agents in the same season, they never would have had some summit to meet about their plans!  No way on earth they were ever playing with eachother because they wanted to beat eachother.  Where's the competitive side of these guys?"  I think Lebron is a complete coward in the basketball sense for not having the competitive edge to be the best by beating the best.

But, I think a lot of people are overly-criticizing Lebron as a human for his "cowardly" decision.  Life is not all about winning, competition, legacies, etc.  For some people it might be, but not for all.  For me, life is just about having fun.  And you can tell that by this signing, Lebron must value fun over competition, legacies, etc.  Here is an example:

You (a point guard) and your 2 very good friends (bigger guys) are all really good basketball players.  The 2 of them say, "Hey were starting our own team in that men's league you play in on weeknights.  We need a point guard and will be nasty if all 3 of us play together.  You wanna join us?"  

What are you going to do?  Join them or stay with your current team who you have not yet won a league championship with?  Now the uber-competitive of you will choose to stay on the same team.  But more than half of you will go with your friends.  I would.  I value fun over competition.  It's clear now that Lebron is the same.

[LarBrd33]

The New york-centric media will continue to bash him for breaking the hearts of Cleveland ... when in reality they are just personally butthurt that he broke the Knicks' heart.

But when the dust settles...

Who wouldn't want to go take max money to go play in a beach town with your two buddies?  Who wants all those nagging New York fans or that pathetic Cleveland city?  He'll make max money, play some beautiful basketball and have a chance to build a dynasty.   I'm over it.  Good for LeBron.  I'll be rooting for him against the Lakers in the finals.

[Birdbrain]

Not me I have a lot of cavs fans for friends and I watched after Boston destroyed Cleveland in game 5 how he didn't seem to care.  I tried to ignore it and act like Boston took his heart but, I think there is something to him quitting. Something calculated like if I win I'll never be able to leave... Embarrassing for someone making so much money adored by so many young fans to quit.

I'll be rooting for a asteroid in a Lakers vs Heat series.

[soap07]

LeBron couldn't win no matter what he did. He stays in Cleveland? He has no interest in winning seeing as that team peaked the last two years. He goes to New York? He's so egotistical that he needs to be a Global Icon on basketball's biggest stage. He goes to Chicago? He just wants to be the next Michael Jordan. He goes to Miami? He's a "ring chaser" and a guy who "couldn't do it on his own."

Newsflash: Noone could do it on his own. Larry couldn't. Michael couldn't. Magic couldn't. Russell couldn't. Noone can.

When was the last time a superstar sacrificed money and spotlight in his prime to play for a championship? Does LeBron have a huge ego? Yes. That's why that stupid special happened last night. All he cares about is his legacy? If that was he case, he wouldn't have gone to Miami.

A lot of us are speaking out of anger because of his blatant arrogance without ever having won a championship. The truth is - what he did wasn't all that bad and most NBA players would've done the same. It's "how" he did it that was the problem.

The most talented guy in the league doesn't care (for now) about being the Alpha-Dog and just wants to win. He took a paycut, in his prime, to achieve that. Joe Johnson didn't do that, where's the scorn for him?

[soap07]

I agree and disagree with all of the sentiment.  I think Lebron is a coward in a basketball sense.  My barber put it well the other day when he said, "If Larry and Magic were free agents in the same season, they never would have had some summit to meet about their plans!  No way on earth they were ever playing with eachother because they wanted to beat eachother.  Where's the competitive side of these guys?"  I think Lebron is a complete coward in the basketball sense for not having the competitive edge to be the best by beating the best.

Did LeBron have a McHale, Maxwell, Parrish or a DJ playing next to him? What about a Kareem, Worthy, etc. and a Pat Riley in Cleveland? It's easy to say you want to beat the best to be the best...but when you have nothing to go to war with, what was LeBron to do?

[soap07]

He finally realized he is a Scottie Pippen and went to play to what he percieves is his Jordan (Wade).  Trouble is Bosh is not a not need the ball Rodman, doesn't board like Rodman either.   They also are devoid of roleplayers, toughness (aside from Wade)and lockdown defense.

Well, a lot of this generic stuff drives me nuts. What about Bosh/LeBron aren't tough? And why isn't Mario Chalmers a role player? What about Mike Miller (presuming he signs?)? And Bosh boards quite fine, so what's the point there?

[Celtics4ever]

Did LeBron have a McHale, Maxwell, Parrish or a DJ playing next to him? What about a Kareem, Worthy, etc. and a Pat Riley in Cleveland?

Nope he didn't and still doesn't have them but those guys never quit.  LeBron is a loser.  Heck, Bird played with a fractured cheek bone once and McHale played on a broken foot.  LeBron would not do those things ever. 

His brand is damaged no matter what you say.  He can't shoot.  His FG is very low for someone who dunks as much as he does.   I think he woke up and realized he can't carry a team and lacks killer instinct.  Trouble is those guys don't have the role players to get it done nor the defense.  I think they will be lucky to win a title.   They are really weak in the low post. 

We need a low post scorer because Bosh is a weak post defender and dislikes contact.

[Fafnir]

His FG is very low for someone who dunks as much as he does.

And this is when you lost me.

LeBron James has many faults, low FG% in any aspect of the game really isn't one of them.

[guava_wrench]

His FG is very low for someone who dunks as much as he does.

And this is when you lost me.

LeBron James has many faults, low FG% in any aspect of the game really isn't one of them.

Agreed. Is he trying to compare the FG % of a wing to a garbageman center who dunks off of passes and rebounds? Doesn't make much sense.

[guava_wrench]

LeBron couldn't win no matter what he did. He stays in Cleveland? He has no interest in winning seeing as that team peaked the last two years. He goes to New York? He's so egotistical that he needs to be a Global Icon on basketball's biggest stage. He goes to Chicago? He just wants to be the next Michael Jordan. He goes to Miami? He's a "ring chaser" and a guy who "couldn't do it on his own."

Newsflash: Noone could do it on his own. Larry couldn't. Michael couldn't. Magic couldn't. Russell couldn't. Noone can.

When was the last time a superstar sacrificed money and spotlight in his prime to play for a championship? Does LeBron have a huge ego? Yes. That's why that stupid special happened last night. All he cares about is his legacy? If that was he case, he wouldn't have gone to Miami.

A lot of us are speaking out of anger because of his blatant arrogance without ever having won a championship. The truth is - what he did wasn't all that bad and most NBA players would've done the same. It's "how" he did it that was the problem.

The most talented guy in the league doesn't care (for now) about being the Alpha-Dog and just wants to win. He took a paycut, in his prime, to achieve that. Joe Johnson didn't do that, where's the scorn for him?

Lebron made things worse with the hour long program. If he just picked a team, he wouldn't have so many HOF caliber NBA analysts putting him down.

I respect Lebron for his decision to choosing winning over salary. Ultimately, fans who like to hate opponents will find an excuse to hate him for whatever action he takes. But he really undermined a lot of potential good will that could have been generated by 2 elite players and a 3rd all star sacrificing ego and money to win. Instead we have 3 guys getting together with 2 doing a joint press conference and one doing... well... I don't even know what to call it.

[BballTim]

It's no wonder Lebron wanted out of Cleveland...Dan Gilbert's a nutjob who couldn't put a talented young team around the most dynamic young player in the game. This is who Cavs fans should be mad at, not Lebron. If Dan Gilbert acted like this in public AFTER Lebron's decision, how was he acting behind closed doors? Get over it Gilbert, you had 7 years to put a team around "The King", and the best you could do was Shaq, Mo, and Jamison. Pathetic management is the real story here, and kudos to Lebron for getting out of that losing situation. Still feel bad for the fans though, but what can ya do.

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/68004/20100709/gilbert_says_lebron_quit_in_playoffs/

http://www.realgm.com/src_wire...tap_archives/68001/20100708/gilbert_promises_cleveland_a_title_before_former_king_wins_one/

As somebody that lives in Akron you have to understand that most of the moves the cavs made were made because James demanded them...Lebron, not Ferry, has been the Cavs GM for the past 5 years...Lebron screwed the Cavs with bad contracts (see boobie gibson, etc), waited out free agency so the cavs have no good options to sign, and essentially ruined the cavs for the next decade...
Gilbert has every reason to be upset.  Sure the cavs should not have let it happen, but they were doing everything they could to keep the drama king happy.  I have been a lebron hater since St Vs, this is just the latest chapter...

You have to give the guy that will be paying for lebrons mistakes for the next 10 years a bit of a break...

  I agree with this. LeBron has never had the patience to allow them to build a team around him. If they hadn't made the stupid personnel move that they did (going back to Hughes) he never would have signed the extension that just ended.

[Timdawgg]

LeBron couldn't win no matter what he did. He stays in Cleveland? He has no interest in winning seeing as that team peaked the last two years. He goes to New York? He's so egotistical that he needs to be a Global Icon on basketball's biggest stage. He goes to Chicago? He just wants to be the next Michael Jordan. He goes to Miami? He's a "ring chaser" and a guy who "couldn't do it on his own."

Newsflash: Noone could do it on his own. Larry couldn't. Michael couldn't. Magic couldn't. Russell couldn't. Noone can.

When was the last time a superstar sacrificed money and spotlight in his prime to play for a championship? Does LeBron have a huge ego? Yes. That's why that stupid special happened last night. All he cares about is his legacy? If that was he case, he wouldn't have gone to Miami.

A lot of us are speaking out of anger because of his blatant arrogance without ever having won a championship. The truth is - what he did wasn't all that bad and most NBA players would've done the same. It's "how" he did it that was the problem.

The most talented guy in the league doesn't care (for now) about being the Alpha-Dog and just wants to win. He took a paycut, in his prime, to achieve that. Joe Johnson didn't do that, where's the scorn for him?

Lebron made things worse with the hour long program. If he just picked a team, he wouldn't have so many HOF caliber NBA analysts putting him down.

I respect Lebron for his decision to choosing winning over salary. Ultimately, fans who like to hate opponents will find an excuse to hate him for whatever action he takes. But he really undermined a lot of potential good will that could have been generated by 2 elite players and a 3rd all star sacrificing ego and money to win. Instead we have 3 guys getting together with 2 doing a joint press conference and one doing... well... I don't even know what to call it.

Both of you are dead on regarding this.  Joe Johnson should get more grief than Lebron as Lebron left $30 mil on the table to win.  That is actually refreshing from a basketball sense. But the ego thing with the announcement special messed up a good thing. If all Wade and Bosh were there with him to make the announcement that would be great but the special was just a very very poor decision on his management teams part.

[indeedproceed]

I don't think he's a coward. I think he's a preening narcissistic peacock with incredible undeniable basketball talent and an inner desire to leave his mark.

I mean, I don't hate him for leaving Cleveland. I just hate the way he did it, and how he gave them so much hope just so he could break their heart on national TV

[footey]

Somehow I don't feel the anger toward Lebron. He could have handled the entire thing better, but has every right to go where he wants to go.  I feel his legacy was already tarnished in the playoffs last year; he is an incredibly gifted athlete, but not one to lead a team to the championship, like Kobe, or even Wade.  Just not in his DNA.